Disclaimer: sadly, I own none of Love Hina, the girls, Keitaro, that's Ken Akamatsu's property, but this still is about Love Hina (of course)
This story takes place a little while after Keitaro and Naru get married (assuming that they get married shortly after the end of the manga.which I STILL have not managed to finish. Oh, yeah, I don't know if this happens, but Seta and Haruka are married, have been for almost a year.
---//--- Motoko was walking home from the dojo, alone, as usual, except that this time, it was in the rain. She was walking rather brusquely anticipating a long, relaxing soak in the hot tubs followed by a good meal. A few blocks from Hinata Inn, large van came inches from running her over. 'Hmm. Seta must be home with Haruka, that obviously was his lousy driving' the tall samurai thought 'it will be interesting to see how I fare against him today.' She lengthened her stride further, in a futile effort not to get too wet. 'My skills have been improving, and I should be a good match for him.' She was so focused on her impending battle that she failed to notice that Su didn't come running to greet her, as was the usual. She also didn't see that Keitaro and Naru had returned after their honeymoon, and were sitting down with the rest of the gang, their attention fixed on a newcomer. "Seta! You have arrived! My day is now full. I have trained hard since our last meeting, and now am confident of my skill! Guard!" The warrior maiden shouted this word, and Seta, always an obliging man ran to meet her attack. They met briefly, colliding in midair, and then attacked in force, each raining blows on the other, but neither striking home.
"Motoko" Seta said, breathing lightly, "Haven't you heard the news? Haruka is bearing my child!" This threw Motoko off balance, just as Seta had hoped, for he immediately scored a hit on the astonished girl. "She's due in about a month, and we're busy deciding on names for the little one," Seta continued.
"Good fight," came an unfamiliar voice from the table. "I watch. You good, know much, maybe I see more one day, yes?" the speaker continued in fragmented and heavily accented Japanese. Motoko, finally noticing the speaker, blushed a deep crimson at the sight of his lean and muscular frame, and then blushed harder at her powerful reaction to the mere sight of him. "I know small with sword, small with hands. Maybe we fight?"
'This boy-no, he's too old **and cute** to be a boy- doesn't realize what he's saying. There is no way that he could ever be my equal, much less my superior' Motoko thought. "Who are you? I have not seen you around Hinata before." Motoko enquired, trying not to let her strange attraction to this unknown male show.
"In case you not know, I speak Japanese good no." the lad said with a self- condescending smile. "I let them tell." He pointed at Keitaro and Haruka. Motoko looked over at them with a start, instantly ashamed at her lack of attentiveness caused by her battle with Seta, then this stranger.
"Oh, Haruka! Congratulations on your incipient motherhood! Hi, Keitaro. Where's Naru?"
"Oh, she's up in her room, but I think you want to know more about Kairho here." Keitaro surmised, taking in the samurai's lack of control with amusement. Kairho, upon hearing his name, assumed that he was being introduced, bowed and smiled at Motoko. "Seta was driving along in the rain, rather in a rush, when he ran over Kairho here. He stopped to see if he was hurt, then invited him to Hinata Inn to weather out the storm." Kairho broke in at this point. "I no get hurt. Have hard head. Thanking Seta for hosp. kindness he show me. From America. Orphan, want to go to Japan. Learn little Japanese and come over on first boat ready. Japanese me not good, but I try for you, if you no know English, I hear Japanese good, no can talk." With this he switched to English.
***Author's note-for the sake of continuance, just assume that everything Kairho says is English, and that everything anyone else says is Japanese***
"Seta was kind enough to offer my a brief stay here so that I could 'get back on my feet' as it were." "He smells yummy!" Su interjected. "Thank... you, Su...I think," the bewildered American replied. "Anyway, unless anyone objects, I'll just go dry off, and get ready for the evening meal." Seeing no such objection, the lad left. Motoko watched the receding man with just barely veiled interest. 'He moves with such grace that I could believe that he is a fighter' she thought to herself. She suddenly became aware of everyone staring at her. "Motoko, you're drooling!" exclaimed Kitsune. "And here I thought that you were incapable of falling in love with anyone!"
"Motoko's in lo-ove, Motoko's in lo-ove!" chanted Su, prancing around Motoko. "You still will play with me, won't you?" she questioned with big, sad eyes. "No, no, no!" exclaimed Motoko, a bit flustered. "I'm not in love with him! It's just that he..uh.. He's a warrior! And it is my duty to assess every aspect of his capabilities." Blushing slightly, she continued, "Which is what I am going to continue, right now!" With that the maiden of the sword turned hastily and left, tripping over a chair and running into the wall in the process.
"Kairho!" she called, "You may have your fight now!" Expecting no response, she was startled to see the American standing at the opening of his doorway. "You know, I was hoping that you'd say that," Kairho said with a shy smile. "When shall we fight?" "Right now." Motoko declared. 'I have to restore my honor and prove to the others that I feel nothing for Kairho as soon as possible!', she thought somewhat frantically. Motoko tossed Kairho a practice sword and said, "You have ten minutes to prepare; I will meet you outside as the rain has abated...What are you staring at?!" Kairho looked away, embarrassed that he had been staring so openly at the lovely maiden before him. "Ah...never mind. Ten minutes, you say? Good. That will give me time to warm up." Then the two warriors, both oblivious to the feelings of the other, left to prepare for the duel.
This story takes place a little while after Keitaro and Naru get married (assuming that they get married shortly after the end of the manga.which I STILL have not managed to finish. Oh, yeah, I don't know if this happens, but Seta and Haruka are married, have been for almost a year.
---//--- Motoko was walking home from the dojo, alone, as usual, except that this time, it was in the rain. She was walking rather brusquely anticipating a long, relaxing soak in the hot tubs followed by a good meal. A few blocks from Hinata Inn, large van came inches from running her over. 'Hmm. Seta must be home with Haruka, that obviously was his lousy driving' the tall samurai thought 'it will be interesting to see how I fare against him today.' She lengthened her stride further, in a futile effort not to get too wet. 'My skills have been improving, and I should be a good match for him.' She was so focused on her impending battle that she failed to notice that Su didn't come running to greet her, as was the usual. She also didn't see that Keitaro and Naru had returned after their honeymoon, and were sitting down with the rest of the gang, their attention fixed on a newcomer. "Seta! You have arrived! My day is now full. I have trained hard since our last meeting, and now am confident of my skill! Guard!" The warrior maiden shouted this word, and Seta, always an obliging man ran to meet her attack. They met briefly, colliding in midair, and then attacked in force, each raining blows on the other, but neither striking home.
"Motoko" Seta said, breathing lightly, "Haven't you heard the news? Haruka is bearing my child!" This threw Motoko off balance, just as Seta had hoped, for he immediately scored a hit on the astonished girl. "She's due in about a month, and we're busy deciding on names for the little one," Seta continued.
"Good fight," came an unfamiliar voice from the table. "I watch. You good, know much, maybe I see more one day, yes?" the speaker continued in fragmented and heavily accented Japanese. Motoko, finally noticing the speaker, blushed a deep crimson at the sight of his lean and muscular frame, and then blushed harder at her powerful reaction to the mere sight of him. "I know small with sword, small with hands. Maybe we fight?"
'This boy-no, he's too old **and cute** to be a boy- doesn't realize what he's saying. There is no way that he could ever be my equal, much less my superior' Motoko thought. "Who are you? I have not seen you around Hinata before." Motoko enquired, trying not to let her strange attraction to this unknown male show.
"In case you not know, I speak Japanese good no." the lad said with a self- condescending smile. "I let them tell." He pointed at Keitaro and Haruka. Motoko looked over at them with a start, instantly ashamed at her lack of attentiveness caused by her battle with Seta, then this stranger.
"Oh, Haruka! Congratulations on your incipient motherhood! Hi, Keitaro. Where's Naru?"
"Oh, she's up in her room, but I think you want to know more about Kairho here." Keitaro surmised, taking in the samurai's lack of control with amusement. Kairho, upon hearing his name, assumed that he was being introduced, bowed and smiled at Motoko. "Seta was driving along in the rain, rather in a rush, when he ran over Kairho here. He stopped to see if he was hurt, then invited him to Hinata Inn to weather out the storm." Kairho broke in at this point. "I no get hurt. Have hard head. Thanking Seta for hosp. kindness he show me. From America. Orphan, want to go to Japan. Learn little Japanese and come over on first boat ready. Japanese me not good, but I try for you, if you no know English, I hear Japanese good, no can talk." With this he switched to English.
***Author's note-for the sake of continuance, just assume that everything Kairho says is English, and that everything anyone else says is Japanese***
"Seta was kind enough to offer my a brief stay here so that I could 'get back on my feet' as it were." "He smells yummy!" Su interjected. "Thank... you, Su...I think," the bewildered American replied. "Anyway, unless anyone objects, I'll just go dry off, and get ready for the evening meal." Seeing no such objection, the lad left. Motoko watched the receding man with just barely veiled interest. 'He moves with such grace that I could believe that he is a fighter' she thought to herself. She suddenly became aware of everyone staring at her. "Motoko, you're drooling!" exclaimed Kitsune. "And here I thought that you were incapable of falling in love with anyone!"
"Motoko's in lo-ove, Motoko's in lo-ove!" chanted Su, prancing around Motoko. "You still will play with me, won't you?" she questioned with big, sad eyes. "No, no, no!" exclaimed Motoko, a bit flustered. "I'm not in love with him! It's just that he..uh.. He's a warrior! And it is my duty to assess every aspect of his capabilities." Blushing slightly, she continued, "Which is what I am going to continue, right now!" With that the maiden of the sword turned hastily and left, tripping over a chair and running into the wall in the process.
"Kairho!" she called, "You may have your fight now!" Expecting no response, she was startled to see the American standing at the opening of his doorway. "You know, I was hoping that you'd say that," Kairho said with a shy smile. "When shall we fight?" "Right now." Motoko declared. 'I have to restore my honor and prove to the others that I feel nothing for Kairho as soon as possible!', she thought somewhat frantically. Motoko tossed Kairho a practice sword and said, "You have ten minutes to prepare; I will meet you outside as the rain has abated...What are you staring at?!" Kairho looked away, embarrassed that he had been staring so openly at the lovely maiden before him. "Ah...never mind. Ten minutes, you say? Good. That will give me time to warm up." Then the two warriors, both oblivious to the feelings of the other, left to prepare for the duel.