Love Hina – Beginnings
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Two – Rice Cakes and Rampage
Saturday Morning
Naru opens her eyes as the sunlight brightens her room. She sits up and looks around, temporarily confused at the unfamiliar surroundings. She looks at the kotatsu table with her backpack on it and remembers where she is.
"(I'm at Hinata-sou. I'm the new manager here.)"
Standing, she examines the room. She had little time to look around the night before. Opening the closet reveals a robe and a few towels. She thinks about taking a bath but remembers that she did not bring a change of clothes. She puts her fist against her head.
"Oh great! I look terrible, and I need a fresh change of clothes. I guess that I can use this robe while I put these in the laundry."
Naru removes her clothes and places them in a handy basket. Slipping into the robe, she moves to the mirror at the end of the room and combs her hair.
"(I remember seeing some washing machines downstairs. I wonder who takes care of the laundry around here.)"
She heads downstairs and enters the laundry room. As she places her clothes in one of the machines, Kitsune enters carrying a basket full of clothes and towels. She pushes the basket into Naru's hands.
"Here ya go! Keitaro and Su will bring theirs down in a few minutes."
She stares at Kitsune.
"What do you mean?"
"You're gonna do our laundry. You're the manager, after all."
"Oh, I see."
Kitsune turns and heads for the door.
"You had better hurry up and get breakfast ready! It won't do for you to make your residents starve, now would it?"
"You mean that I have to make breakfast too?"
"Unless you can find someone else to cook, its gonna be your job now. And I like my eggs scrambled."
Naru hangs her head.
A few minutes later, she finds the kitchen and starts to make breakfast. She looks at the carton of eggs.
"(How hard can it be to make scrambled eggs?)"
She picks an egg out of the carton. Holding it firmly in her right hand, she starts to shake it vigorously. After about a minute, she breaks it open into the pan. The yolk is still intact.
"(I guess that I didn't shake it hard enough.)"
She grabs another egg and shakes it even harder. It slips out of her hand and sails across the kitchen. The door slides open and Keitaro enters just in time to meet the flying egg head-on. He stands in the doorway with the yolk splattered on top of his head and the whites dripping down his face. Blinking twice, he turns slowly and heads back out the door. Naru can hear Su speaking to him in the dining room.
"Hey, Keitaro, if ya needed some conditioner for your hair, you could'a borrowed mine!"
Naru looks at the door as it slides closed. She whispers.
"I'm sorry."
As she grabs another egg, she can hear Keitaro.
"Did someone just come in the front door? Hey, Miss Manager, we have a visitor!"
Naru follows the others towards the foyer. There is a young girl standing there holding Naru's Liddo-kun. Naru runs over to retrieve her precious doll. As she reaches the end of the foyer, she trips and crashes into Keitaro, sending them both to the floor. Keitaro mumbles, his face shoved into the carpet.
"Whill yoo pleeze geth off me?"
Naru jumps up and sees Su's Mecha-Tama floating in front of her. Su presses a button on her remote control.
"Pervert lady! Leave Keitaro alone!"
A fireball rushes out of the mouth of the mechanical turtle. Naru leaps out of the way. As she dives, her hands grasps for something to brake her fall. Tumbling next to the front door, she feels someone fall on top of her.
"Aaauuuuu!"
She looks at her hands. There is a short, blue skirt wrapped in her fingers. Keitaro quickly pulls it from her hands, wraps it around the girl's waist, and then glares at Naru.
"You never stop, do you?"
Naru looks up at him. Before an apology can escape her lips, another fireball crashes into her. Kitsune stands over her smoking body.
"That'll learn ya!"
The young girl looks at Naru and holds the doll out to her.
"Th-this is your doll. Y-you left it d-down the hill yesterday."
Naru reaches up and takes Liddo-kun. She holds it to her breast and sticks her thumb in her mouth as she whispers.
"I want my mommy! Is it going to be like this every day?"
Keitaro points to Naru as he turns to the girl.
"Please forgive us. This is our new manager and, well, she still has a lot to learn."
Kitsune stands next to him and shakes her head.
"You got that right!"
Keitaro welcomes the girl with a smile.
"Please, won't you come in? I'm Urashima Keitaro, one of the residents here at Hinata-sou."
She blushes and smiles back at him.
"Thank you! I'm Maehara Shinobu and I'm pleased to meet you."
"Ah, your family runs the restaurant down the hill, don't they?"
"Yes, we do. My father moved to Tokyo for a new job and we stayed here until he got us a new house. My mother and I will be joining him next month"
They go to the common room and sit around the coffee table, picking Naru up on the way. Keitaro goes to the kitchen to bring some tea. He returns and pours a glass for Shinobu and then the rest of the girls. He pokes his elbow against Naru and whispers.
"You're the manager, talk to her."
Naru sips some tea to wash the smoke from her throat and then addresses Shinobu.
"Thank you for bringing my Liddo-kun back to me. Is there anything that I can do for you?"
Shinobu reaches into her pocket and shows her piece of colored paper. Naru reads it aloud.
"Wanted, person to cook for residents of hot springs dormitory. Room and board provided. Apply at Hinata-sou. Experience and resume required."
Naru looks at Keitaro. He whispers to her.
"Granny Hina had me post that on the notice board by the train station last week."
Naru nods in understanding and looks at Shinobu.
"Do you have a resume?"
"N-no."
"Well, what experience do you have?"
"I help my mother sometimes at the restaurant."
Naru shakes her head.
"I'm really sorry, but that doesn't seem like enough information to go on."
Shinobu grabs Naru's hand.
"Please give me a chance! I promise that I can cook really well! I really want to stay here and finish school. It scares me to think about having to go to a different school where I don't know anyone!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't just hire someone that doesn't have any references."
Keitaro scowls at her.
"Narusegawa, don't be so strict. Cant you give her a chance?"
"If I'm going to be the manager, I have to use my judgment. In addition, what I decide has to be final. What's that smell?"
Everyone sniffs the air and looks around. Su jumps on the coffee table and points towards the kitchen.
"Smoke! Somebody call that bear with the boy scout hat!"
They rush to the kitchen; Keitaro takes the lead and keeps the girls behind him.
"Stay back, I'll check it out!"
Kitsune grabs his arm.
"Keitaro-san! Be careful!"
"I'll be alright!"
He rushes into the kitchen. After a few seconds, he calls to them.
"It's alright! Just something on the oven was burning, I've put it out!"
They move into the kitchen and see Keitaro opening a window to let the smoke clear.
"Well, it looks like everything is fine now."
Su moves to the stove and tastes some of the food in one of the pans. Her mouth drops open and the crumbs fall out onto the floor.
"Yuck! This stuff is awful!"
Naru bows to them.
"I'm sorry! I forgot to turn the heat down! I'll throw this away and start again!"
Shinobu moves over and looks in the pan.
"Who would put the eggs, shells and all, in a frying pan?"
Keitaro, Kitsune, and Su stare at Naru. Kitsune's stomach growls.
"Oh my god! We're gonna starve!"
Shinobu looks around at the other pots on the stove, and then turns to Naru.
"This can be saved. Do you have anymore vegetables?"
Naru goes to the refrigerator.
"Yes, we do!"
Shinobu sniffs another pot and looks at Keitaro.
"Can you boil some water and get me some seasonings? I need basil and thyme, and rosemary if you have it!"
"Yes, I'll do it."
Fifteen minutes later, the dining room table is full of beautiful looking food. Kitsune stares at it, drool running down her chin.
"This smells great! I can't believe that you made this feast from that mess!"
Shinobu bows to them.
"I'm sorry, but that's the best I could do with what was there. Please, help yourselves."
Su jabs a fork into a pan and stuffs the food into her mouth. Her eyes shine and fairies fly around her head.
"This is delicious! I must've died and gone to heaven!"
Keitaro puts a hand on Shinobu's shoulder.
"Thank you Shinobu-chan! I'm sorry to make to do this for us!"
Shinobu blushes at his touch.
"I w-was happy to help! Aaauuuuu!"
Kitsune fills a plate and attacks her food.
"Ah! We've been saved from food poisoning!"
Naru clutches her chest as an arrow plunges into her.
Su looks at Shinobu.
"It smells better than that toxic waste that was in there before!"
Naru shudders at the impact of another arrow.
Keitaro tastes some of the scrambled eggs that Shinobu made.
"It's so smooth and full of flavor! And there aren't any shells!"
Naru falls to the floor as a third projectile pierces her.
They all sit down and have breakfast, complimenting Shinobu as they try each new dish. They finish and head to the common room again, making sure that Naru cleaned the table first. Keitaro looks at Naru as she joins them.
"I think that we couldn't ask for a better resume that what we just enjoyed. What do you think?"
Naru looks around the room. Everyone smiles at her, but their smiles send chills down her spine. She realizes that she only has one option and turns to Shinobu.
"Shinobu-chan, we would like you to stay here and be the cook for Hinata-sou."
Shinobu claps her hands.
"Do you really mean it? Thank you very much! I promise to do my best!"
Keitaro smiles as Kitsune and Su clasp hands and dance around the room.
Naru breathes a sigh of relief.
"(Maybe things will get better from here on out.)"
Just then, the front door slides open and a girl carrying a sword and a travel bag walks in. Keitaro waves to her.
"Welcome back, Motoko-san! How was your training camp?"
Motoko drops her bag and draws her sword. Raising it above her head, she charges.
"Urashima!"
She sweeps her sword in a flashing arc. Keitaro nimbly flips over the back of the couch. Landing softly he smiles at her.
"Excellent! I barely got out of the way that time! You're getting a lot faster!"
Placing her sword in its sheath, Motoko leaps over the couch and grabs his arms. Blushing lightly, she returns his smile.
"I have you to thank for volunteering to help me train these last few months. You never complain even when I accidentally hurt you. There is strength about you that I have yet to fully understand."
Keitaro gives her a quick hug and then turns back to the couch.
"Come meet our new manager. She's going to Toudai next semester."
Naru smiles as she stands up and looks at Keitaro.
"Who's the kendo-girl?"
Motoko's eyes go wide and she once again draws her sword.
"K-k-kendo? You dare to compare my skills to that of children swinging sticks! I received my training at the Shinmei School of Kyoto! I am Aoyama Motoko, twelfth generation Sword Master!"
Naru raises her hands and steps towards her.
"I didn't mean any offense, I just . . . . ."
Naru trips on the corner of the coffee table, and her face buries itself between Motoko's breasts as she falls.
Keitaro shakes his head.
"Oh no."
Kitsune downs her glass of sake.
"This is gonna be good!"
Su leaps onto the back of the couch.
"Pervert lady strikes again!"
Shinobu looks around and places her hands to her mouth.
"Aaauuuuu!"
Motoko blushes and steps backwards, flames leaping from her eyes.
"You vile, lecherous, deceiving female! SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! AIR SPLITTING SWORD!"
Naru's eyes go wide as she sees the chi forming around Motoko's blade. The sword swings downwards and unleashes a vortex of force, which rips through the common room, scattering glasses and magazines. Naru is thrown backwards, her robe shredding around the edges. She slams into a support beam and tumbles forward. As she falls, Naru grasps Keitaro's shirt and whispers.
"What was that?"
Motoko stares at her.
"Now you dare to attack Keitaro-san! You are indeed full of mischief, you foolish, weakling woman!"
As she raises her sword again, Keitaro reaches out and touches her arm.
"Motoko-san, please. It was an accident. She didn't mean any harm."
"Urashima! How can you protect a woman like, like her?"
Keitaro lifts Naru in his arms.
"Just give her a chance, please Motoko-san!"
She lowers her sword and spins towards the stairs. As she grabs the rails, she turns back and points the sword at Naru.
"I will NEVER accept a woman like her as our manager!"
Naru looks up at him and whispers two words before fainting.
"Help me."
Keitaro lays her on the couch and looks at Shinobu.
"Could you bring a damp towel from the kitchen, please?"
"Yes, right away!"
Su pokes Naru with a stick.
"Totally bar-bee-qued!"
Kitsune leans over the back of the couch and looks at Naru.
"She had that coming, ya know."
"I don't think that Motoko should have been that rough on her. It was just an accident."
Kitsune lifts Keitaro's chin and looks at him.
"Startin' to fall for her, hmm?"
He blushes and takes the damp towel Shinobu hands him."
"N-no, I'm just concerned about her, that's all."
Kitsune smiles at him, and then stands. As she walks away, she places her hands behind her head and whistles.
"Okay, if you say so. But I'd be careful if you-know-who shows up."
Keitaro's head snaps up.
"She's in Okinawa on vacation right now."
Keitaro looks at Su as Kitsune walks towards the dining room.
"I'm going to take her up to her room. Can you see if her clothes are dry and bring them up Su-chan?"
"Okie-dokie!"
Su bounces off to the laundry room as Keitaro lifts Naru. Shinobu touches Naru's hand.
"W-will she be all right?"
"Yes, she just needs to rest. Would you and Su help clean her up and get her changed for me?"
"Yes, Sempai!"
Keitaro looks at her and smiles.
"You know, I like that. It makes me feel special somehow."
Shinobu blushes as she walks next to him.
"Well, you did support me. Without your help, Naru-sempai would not have hired me."
"So, we're both your sempai?
"Well, she is my boss now, so that makes her a sempai. But, you are the one that is helping me so you are my Sempai."
Shinobu slides the door open to Naru's room. Keitaro lays her gently on the futon. He notices that her breathing is slow and steady as he places the cool towel on her forehead.
"Could you bring up some cold tea for her, please Shinobu-chan?"
"Certainly, right away!"
He sits at the desk and looks at Naru.
"I hope that this isn't going to be too hard for you, Narusegawa. I want to help you, because I believe that you'll be a good manager. I just hope that I can convince everyone else to let you stay. Especially Motoko-san."
Tama-chan glides in the window and lands next to Naru. She sniffs her hand and looks at Keitaro.
"Mew?"
"Hello Tama-chan. That's our new manager. She just met Motoko-san."
Tama-chan nods her head.
"Mew!"
In the hallway, Shinobu meets Motoko as she reaches the stairs. They walk to the first floor together.
"Hello, I'm Maehara Shinobu. I will be your new cook, starting today."
Motoko smiles at her.
"Greetings, Shinobu-chan. I am Aoyama Motoko. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Shinobu moves a step farther from her as she notices that she still has her sword at her hip. Motoko sees this and calms her.
"Do not fear. I always carry a sword with me. It is part of my training."
"It's not that. I was just wondering how it did that, before."
Motoko smiles and hands the sword to her.
"The power lies not in the weapon. It comes from years of practice in the focusing of one's chi."
"Really?"
"Yes. That is so."
As they enter the common room, Su rushes out of the laundry room and skids to a stop in front of them.
"Look, look at what I found!"
Motoko looks at her and smiles.
"What did you find now? Is it new pet lizard? Or maybe it is the issue of Popular Mechanical Monsters that you lost last month?"
Nope! Guess again, Motoko!"
Motoko's eyes go wide and she takes a step backwards.
"It is n-n-not another, another t-turtle, is it?"
Kitsune pokes her head out of the dining room.
"What's going on?"
Su holds up a small leather ID wallet. The girls gather around and look at it. Kitsune takes it and reads it aloud.
"Preparatory School Student Identification. Narusegawa Naru. Student Number . . . . ."
All the girls stare at the ID.
"PREPARATORY SCHOOL STUDENT?"
Shivering, Naru rolls to her side and sneezes. Keitaro gets a blanket from the closet.
"(Is she coming down with a cold?)"
End of Chapter Two.
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Two – Rice Cakes and Rampage
Saturday Morning
Naru opens her eyes as the sunlight brightens her room. She sits up and looks around, temporarily confused at the unfamiliar surroundings. She looks at the kotatsu table with her backpack on it and remembers where she is.
"(I'm at Hinata-sou. I'm the new manager here.)"
Standing, she examines the room. She had little time to look around the night before. Opening the closet reveals a robe and a few towels. She thinks about taking a bath but remembers that she did not bring a change of clothes. She puts her fist against her head.
"Oh great! I look terrible, and I need a fresh change of clothes. I guess that I can use this robe while I put these in the laundry."
Naru removes her clothes and places them in a handy basket. Slipping into the robe, she moves to the mirror at the end of the room and combs her hair.
"(I remember seeing some washing machines downstairs. I wonder who takes care of the laundry around here.)"
She heads downstairs and enters the laundry room. As she places her clothes in one of the machines, Kitsune enters carrying a basket full of clothes and towels. She pushes the basket into Naru's hands.
"Here ya go! Keitaro and Su will bring theirs down in a few minutes."
She stares at Kitsune.
"What do you mean?"
"You're gonna do our laundry. You're the manager, after all."
"Oh, I see."
Kitsune turns and heads for the door.
"You had better hurry up and get breakfast ready! It won't do for you to make your residents starve, now would it?"
"You mean that I have to make breakfast too?"
"Unless you can find someone else to cook, its gonna be your job now. And I like my eggs scrambled."
Naru hangs her head.
A few minutes later, she finds the kitchen and starts to make breakfast. She looks at the carton of eggs.
"(How hard can it be to make scrambled eggs?)"
She picks an egg out of the carton. Holding it firmly in her right hand, she starts to shake it vigorously. After about a minute, she breaks it open into the pan. The yolk is still intact.
"(I guess that I didn't shake it hard enough.)"
She grabs another egg and shakes it even harder. It slips out of her hand and sails across the kitchen. The door slides open and Keitaro enters just in time to meet the flying egg head-on. He stands in the doorway with the yolk splattered on top of his head and the whites dripping down his face. Blinking twice, he turns slowly and heads back out the door. Naru can hear Su speaking to him in the dining room.
"Hey, Keitaro, if ya needed some conditioner for your hair, you could'a borrowed mine!"
Naru looks at the door as it slides closed. She whispers.
"I'm sorry."
As she grabs another egg, she can hear Keitaro.
"Did someone just come in the front door? Hey, Miss Manager, we have a visitor!"
Naru follows the others towards the foyer. There is a young girl standing there holding Naru's Liddo-kun. Naru runs over to retrieve her precious doll. As she reaches the end of the foyer, she trips and crashes into Keitaro, sending them both to the floor. Keitaro mumbles, his face shoved into the carpet.
"Whill yoo pleeze geth off me?"
Naru jumps up and sees Su's Mecha-Tama floating in front of her. Su presses a button on her remote control.
"Pervert lady! Leave Keitaro alone!"
A fireball rushes out of the mouth of the mechanical turtle. Naru leaps out of the way. As she dives, her hands grasps for something to brake her fall. Tumbling next to the front door, she feels someone fall on top of her.
"Aaauuuuu!"
She looks at her hands. There is a short, blue skirt wrapped in her fingers. Keitaro quickly pulls it from her hands, wraps it around the girl's waist, and then glares at Naru.
"You never stop, do you?"
Naru looks up at him. Before an apology can escape her lips, another fireball crashes into her. Kitsune stands over her smoking body.
"That'll learn ya!"
The young girl looks at Naru and holds the doll out to her.
"Th-this is your doll. Y-you left it d-down the hill yesterday."
Naru reaches up and takes Liddo-kun. She holds it to her breast and sticks her thumb in her mouth as she whispers.
"I want my mommy! Is it going to be like this every day?"
Keitaro points to Naru as he turns to the girl.
"Please forgive us. This is our new manager and, well, she still has a lot to learn."
Kitsune stands next to him and shakes her head.
"You got that right!"
Keitaro welcomes the girl with a smile.
"Please, won't you come in? I'm Urashima Keitaro, one of the residents here at Hinata-sou."
She blushes and smiles back at him.
"Thank you! I'm Maehara Shinobu and I'm pleased to meet you."
"Ah, your family runs the restaurant down the hill, don't they?"
"Yes, we do. My father moved to Tokyo for a new job and we stayed here until he got us a new house. My mother and I will be joining him next month"
They go to the common room and sit around the coffee table, picking Naru up on the way. Keitaro goes to the kitchen to bring some tea. He returns and pours a glass for Shinobu and then the rest of the girls. He pokes his elbow against Naru and whispers.
"You're the manager, talk to her."
Naru sips some tea to wash the smoke from her throat and then addresses Shinobu.
"Thank you for bringing my Liddo-kun back to me. Is there anything that I can do for you?"
Shinobu reaches into her pocket and shows her piece of colored paper. Naru reads it aloud.
"Wanted, person to cook for residents of hot springs dormitory. Room and board provided. Apply at Hinata-sou. Experience and resume required."
Naru looks at Keitaro. He whispers to her.
"Granny Hina had me post that on the notice board by the train station last week."
Naru nods in understanding and looks at Shinobu.
"Do you have a resume?"
"N-no."
"Well, what experience do you have?"
"I help my mother sometimes at the restaurant."
Naru shakes her head.
"I'm really sorry, but that doesn't seem like enough information to go on."
Shinobu grabs Naru's hand.
"Please give me a chance! I promise that I can cook really well! I really want to stay here and finish school. It scares me to think about having to go to a different school where I don't know anyone!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't just hire someone that doesn't have any references."
Keitaro scowls at her.
"Narusegawa, don't be so strict. Cant you give her a chance?"
"If I'm going to be the manager, I have to use my judgment. In addition, what I decide has to be final. What's that smell?"
Everyone sniffs the air and looks around. Su jumps on the coffee table and points towards the kitchen.
"Smoke! Somebody call that bear with the boy scout hat!"
They rush to the kitchen; Keitaro takes the lead and keeps the girls behind him.
"Stay back, I'll check it out!"
Kitsune grabs his arm.
"Keitaro-san! Be careful!"
"I'll be alright!"
He rushes into the kitchen. After a few seconds, he calls to them.
"It's alright! Just something on the oven was burning, I've put it out!"
They move into the kitchen and see Keitaro opening a window to let the smoke clear.
"Well, it looks like everything is fine now."
Su moves to the stove and tastes some of the food in one of the pans. Her mouth drops open and the crumbs fall out onto the floor.
"Yuck! This stuff is awful!"
Naru bows to them.
"I'm sorry! I forgot to turn the heat down! I'll throw this away and start again!"
Shinobu moves over and looks in the pan.
"Who would put the eggs, shells and all, in a frying pan?"
Keitaro, Kitsune, and Su stare at Naru. Kitsune's stomach growls.
"Oh my god! We're gonna starve!"
Shinobu looks around at the other pots on the stove, and then turns to Naru.
"This can be saved. Do you have anymore vegetables?"
Naru goes to the refrigerator.
"Yes, we do!"
Shinobu sniffs another pot and looks at Keitaro.
"Can you boil some water and get me some seasonings? I need basil and thyme, and rosemary if you have it!"
"Yes, I'll do it."
Fifteen minutes later, the dining room table is full of beautiful looking food. Kitsune stares at it, drool running down her chin.
"This smells great! I can't believe that you made this feast from that mess!"
Shinobu bows to them.
"I'm sorry, but that's the best I could do with what was there. Please, help yourselves."
Su jabs a fork into a pan and stuffs the food into her mouth. Her eyes shine and fairies fly around her head.
"This is delicious! I must've died and gone to heaven!"
Keitaro puts a hand on Shinobu's shoulder.
"Thank you Shinobu-chan! I'm sorry to make to do this for us!"
Shinobu blushes at his touch.
"I w-was happy to help! Aaauuuuu!"
Kitsune fills a plate and attacks her food.
"Ah! We've been saved from food poisoning!"
Naru clutches her chest as an arrow plunges into her.
Su looks at Shinobu.
"It smells better than that toxic waste that was in there before!"
Naru shudders at the impact of another arrow.
Keitaro tastes some of the scrambled eggs that Shinobu made.
"It's so smooth and full of flavor! And there aren't any shells!"
Naru falls to the floor as a third projectile pierces her.
They all sit down and have breakfast, complimenting Shinobu as they try each new dish. They finish and head to the common room again, making sure that Naru cleaned the table first. Keitaro looks at Naru as she joins them.
"I think that we couldn't ask for a better resume that what we just enjoyed. What do you think?"
Naru looks around the room. Everyone smiles at her, but their smiles send chills down her spine. She realizes that she only has one option and turns to Shinobu.
"Shinobu-chan, we would like you to stay here and be the cook for Hinata-sou."
Shinobu claps her hands.
"Do you really mean it? Thank you very much! I promise to do my best!"
Keitaro smiles as Kitsune and Su clasp hands and dance around the room.
Naru breathes a sigh of relief.
"(Maybe things will get better from here on out.)"
Just then, the front door slides open and a girl carrying a sword and a travel bag walks in. Keitaro waves to her.
"Welcome back, Motoko-san! How was your training camp?"
Motoko drops her bag and draws her sword. Raising it above her head, she charges.
"Urashima!"
She sweeps her sword in a flashing arc. Keitaro nimbly flips over the back of the couch. Landing softly he smiles at her.
"Excellent! I barely got out of the way that time! You're getting a lot faster!"
Placing her sword in its sheath, Motoko leaps over the couch and grabs his arms. Blushing lightly, she returns his smile.
"I have you to thank for volunteering to help me train these last few months. You never complain even when I accidentally hurt you. There is strength about you that I have yet to fully understand."
Keitaro gives her a quick hug and then turns back to the couch.
"Come meet our new manager. She's going to Toudai next semester."
Naru smiles as she stands up and looks at Keitaro.
"Who's the kendo-girl?"
Motoko's eyes go wide and she once again draws her sword.
"K-k-kendo? You dare to compare my skills to that of children swinging sticks! I received my training at the Shinmei School of Kyoto! I am Aoyama Motoko, twelfth generation Sword Master!"
Naru raises her hands and steps towards her.
"I didn't mean any offense, I just . . . . ."
Naru trips on the corner of the coffee table, and her face buries itself between Motoko's breasts as she falls.
Keitaro shakes his head.
"Oh no."
Kitsune downs her glass of sake.
"This is gonna be good!"
Su leaps onto the back of the couch.
"Pervert lady strikes again!"
Shinobu looks around and places her hands to her mouth.
"Aaauuuuu!"
Motoko blushes and steps backwards, flames leaping from her eyes.
"You vile, lecherous, deceiving female! SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! AIR SPLITTING SWORD!"
Naru's eyes go wide as she sees the chi forming around Motoko's blade. The sword swings downwards and unleashes a vortex of force, which rips through the common room, scattering glasses and magazines. Naru is thrown backwards, her robe shredding around the edges. She slams into a support beam and tumbles forward. As she falls, Naru grasps Keitaro's shirt and whispers.
"What was that?"
Motoko stares at her.
"Now you dare to attack Keitaro-san! You are indeed full of mischief, you foolish, weakling woman!"
As she raises her sword again, Keitaro reaches out and touches her arm.
"Motoko-san, please. It was an accident. She didn't mean any harm."
"Urashima! How can you protect a woman like, like her?"
Keitaro lifts Naru in his arms.
"Just give her a chance, please Motoko-san!"
She lowers her sword and spins towards the stairs. As she grabs the rails, she turns back and points the sword at Naru.
"I will NEVER accept a woman like her as our manager!"
Naru looks up at him and whispers two words before fainting.
"Help me."
Keitaro lays her on the couch and looks at Shinobu.
"Could you bring a damp towel from the kitchen, please?"
"Yes, right away!"
Su pokes Naru with a stick.
"Totally bar-bee-qued!"
Kitsune leans over the back of the couch and looks at Naru.
"She had that coming, ya know."
"I don't think that Motoko should have been that rough on her. It was just an accident."
Kitsune lifts Keitaro's chin and looks at him.
"Startin' to fall for her, hmm?"
He blushes and takes the damp towel Shinobu hands him."
"N-no, I'm just concerned about her, that's all."
Kitsune smiles at him, and then stands. As she walks away, she places her hands behind her head and whistles.
"Okay, if you say so. But I'd be careful if you-know-who shows up."
Keitaro's head snaps up.
"She's in Okinawa on vacation right now."
Keitaro looks at Su as Kitsune walks towards the dining room.
"I'm going to take her up to her room. Can you see if her clothes are dry and bring them up Su-chan?"
"Okie-dokie!"
Su bounces off to the laundry room as Keitaro lifts Naru. Shinobu touches Naru's hand.
"W-will she be all right?"
"Yes, she just needs to rest. Would you and Su help clean her up and get her changed for me?"
"Yes, Sempai!"
Keitaro looks at her and smiles.
"You know, I like that. It makes me feel special somehow."
Shinobu blushes as she walks next to him.
"Well, you did support me. Without your help, Naru-sempai would not have hired me."
"So, we're both your sempai?
"Well, she is my boss now, so that makes her a sempai. But, you are the one that is helping me so you are my Sempai."
Shinobu slides the door open to Naru's room. Keitaro lays her gently on the futon. He notices that her breathing is slow and steady as he places the cool towel on her forehead.
"Could you bring up some cold tea for her, please Shinobu-chan?"
"Certainly, right away!"
He sits at the desk and looks at Naru.
"I hope that this isn't going to be too hard for you, Narusegawa. I want to help you, because I believe that you'll be a good manager. I just hope that I can convince everyone else to let you stay. Especially Motoko-san."
Tama-chan glides in the window and lands next to Naru. She sniffs her hand and looks at Keitaro.
"Mew?"
"Hello Tama-chan. That's our new manager. She just met Motoko-san."
Tama-chan nods her head.
"Mew!"
In the hallway, Shinobu meets Motoko as she reaches the stairs. They walk to the first floor together.
"Hello, I'm Maehara Shinobu. I will be your new cook, starting today."
Motoko smiles at her.
"Greetings, Shinobu-chan. I am Aoyama Motoko. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Shinobu moves a step farther from her as she notices that she still has her sword at her hip. Motoko sees this and calms her.
"Do not fear. I always carry a sword with me. It is part of my training."
"It's not that. I was just wondering how it did that, before."
Motoko smiles and hands the sword to her.
"The power lies not in the weapon. It comes from years of practice in the focusing of one's chi."
"Really?"
"Yes. That is so."
As they enter the common room, Su rushes out of the laundry room and skids to a stop in front of them.
"Look, look at what I found!"
Motoko looks at her and smiles.
"What did you find now? Is it new pet lizard? Or maybe it is the issue of Popular Mechanical Monsters that you lost last month?"
Nope! Guess again, Motoko!"
Motoko's eyes go wide and she takes a step backwards.
"It is n-n-not another, another t-turtle, is it?"
Kitsune pokes her head out of the dining room.
"What's going on?"
Su holds up a small leather ID wallet. The girls gather around and look at it. Kitsune takes it and reads it aloud.
"Preparatory School Student Identification. Narusegawa Naru. Student Number . . . . ."
All the girls stare at the ID.
"PREPARATORY SCHOOL STUDENT?"
Shivering, Naru rolls to her side and sneezes. Keitaro gets a blanket from the closet.
"(Is she coming down with a cold?)"
End of Chapter Two.
