Love Hina – Beginnings
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Three – Let's Make a Deal
Saturday Noon
After a while, Keitaro stands to leave the room. He pauses briefly to make sure that Naru is comfortable. As he looks at her face, he sighs.
"We need to find a way to tell the others that you really aren't a Toudai student. I think that if you are upfront and honest about it, they may go easy on you. I'll back you up as much as I can."
Naru slowly opens her eyes.
"Y-you would do that for me? What have I done that you'd be so kind to me?"
He smiles at her.
"I don't know, I guess that I'd like to have a friend if I were in your position."
Naru returns his smile.
"Thank you. You're really very sweet."
As Keitaro stands, Naru reaches out and grabs his hand. He slips and falls on top of her, their lips meeting. Without thinking, she wraps her arms around his neck and rolls on top of him. At that moment, the door slides open and the other girls march into the room, freezing as they spot the fake Toudai student passionately kissing their friend. Kitsune, her face a brilliant red, grabs the back of Naru's robe and pulls her off Keitaro, tossing her onto the kotatsu table.
"Get your dirty lips off of Keitaro-san, you, you tramp!"
Keitaro whispers in quiet voice. Motoko is the only one that makes out his words.
"My, f-first kiss!"
Su waves Naru's ID in her face.
"Toudai flunky! Toudai flunky!"
Motoko, also blushing and shaking with barely controlled rage, prepares her strike. Her voice rises in pitch as she screams.
"How dare you attack my Keitaro and steal his first kiss? You vile, lecherous, perverted, disgusting, lying, weakling female! SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! ROCK SPLITTING SWORD!"
Naru looks up from the table and sees the black, swirling power around Motoko's blade building to its climax. Knowing in her heart that she will not survive this attack, she whispers her final words as she closes her eyes.
"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
The sword swings down and hurls its chi in a massive, concentrated vortex, which sucks the light from the room. An instant before it ravages Naru's body, Keitaro leaps from the floor and places himself in its path. The vortex slams into his outstretched hands and he fights to resist it with his entire being.
Naru and the kotatsu table are pushed against the window by the power that slips past him. The other girls stare in horror as Keitaro valiantly stands against the full force of Motoko's attack, unable to understand why he would want to defend this deceiving girl. Shinobu raises her hands to her mouth.
"Aaauuuuu! Sempai!"
Keitaro, his shirt torn from his body, spends the last of his strength to deflect most of the chi to the side, where it shatters the manager's desk. Unable to resist the power that remains, he hurls backwards through the window and crashes to the ground outside as the darkness fades from the room.
Temporarily forgetting about Naru, the girls rush out the door and head downstairs. Naru crawls to the window and looks over the rail. She spots Keitaro lying on the ground, his right foot twitching and his arms stretched outwards. As he slowly sits up she leans further over the rail and it gives way. She plummets down and lands on top of him, knocking them both unconscious.
Rushing out the door, the girls skid to a halt. Kitsune leaps over, drags Naru off Keitaro, and slams her body up against the wall, pinning her there.
"You're lucky that ya'll are unconscious! If you were awake, I'd rip your throat out with my bare teeth!"
Motoko gently lifts Keitaro and presses his head to her chest.
"Urashima, why? Oh dear, gentle Keitaro-san, wake up. Please speak to me!"
He slowly opens his eyes, looks up at her, and smiles weakly.
"You've gotten a lot stronger. I wasn't ready for that. And what's with this 'dear' stuff?"
Motoko blushes and lowers her eyes. Su kicks the back of her head.
"Well, are we gonna take Keitaro inside, or are ya gonna make eyes at him all day?"
Motoko and Kitsune carry Keitaro inside and gently lay him on the couch in the common room. Su grabs Naru's left foot and drags her in along. Shinobu looks at her.
"Should you be pulling her through the dirt face down like that?"
"What'cha worried about? I'll hose the pervert lady off before we go inside! Gotta keep the floors clean, ya know!"
"Aaauuuuu!"
The girls gather around Keitaro as he sips a glass of water. Kitsune wraps a robe around his shoulders.
"What were you thinking trying to save her? She really isn't gonna be a Toudai student ya know. We found her ID for the prep school in the laundry room."
"I know. I found out yesterday."
They stare at him in shock.
"WHAT!"
Motoko points her sword at Naru, who Su dumped just inside the door.
"It is inconceivable that such a person should ever be allowed to be the manager of Hinata-sou!"
Keitaro looks up at her pleadingly.
"I just wanted to help her. I believe that we at least owe her the chance to try!"
Motoko stomps her foot on the ground as she turns back to him.
"We owe her nothing! I do not care that Granny Hina herself picked her! We have the right to choose whom we will! And I will never allow her to remain here!"
Kitsune stands next to her, adding her support.
"She's right. If she had been truthful with us from the start, maybe I'd feel different. But, how can you ask us to trust her now?"
Su leaps over and crouches by his knee.
"Yah! And she's a real weakling! She can't even take a little hit from Motoko! Where's the fun in that?"
Keitaro sets his glass on the coffee table and nods his head.
"I completely understand all of you. You each have perfectly reasonable concerns and I will not deny them. But I also have concerns of my own."
He looks each of them in the eyes as he speaks.
"Motoko-chan, when I first came here, you were afraid that I'd hurt your ability to train. I'd like to believe that I have been, in some way, a small help to you instead."
"You have been an excellent training partner, Urashima! Never doubt that you have, indeed, been of incalculable assistance to me!"
He looks at Kitsune.
"Kitsune, you and Su complained when I took over the cleaning of the hot springs. You said that we needed a professional to do the job. After a while, you were happy that I did, because it let Granny Hina charge each of you less rent each month. Then the rest of you started helping with the chores too. Now, we take care of Hinata-sou all by ourselves. I don't know about you, but I'm happy to have the extra money for myself, and I feel good about taking care of this place."
Kitsune places her hand on his.
"Of course I feel better about myself! It's satisfying to help out around here."
Su rests her chin on his knee.
"I like helping too! It's fun to wax the floors with you!"
He looks over at Naru, who has revived and is looking at him as tears fall down her cheeks.
"Don't you see? I came here and changed things from the way they were. Even though each of you disagreed at first, you gave me a fair chance to prove myself. I just want to share that chance with Narusegawa. I'd like to think that I can be as kind to her as each of you have been with me."
They reach out and touch him, moved by his words. Naru stands and walks over to them and bows.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lie to all of you. I'll leave now, because I don't want to hurt the friendship between you and Keitaro. He is asking you too much to accept me as your manager. I'm ashamed that I didn't tell each of you the truth. All of you are so happy here. I wanted to be a part of that, so I was afraid to admit that I'm just a prep school student. I am very sorry."
Naru walks to the laundry room and gathers her clothes. She then goes to the manager's room to change and place her few belongings in her backpack. As she slides the door open to leave, she sees the other residents standing in the hallway and lowers her eyes. Keitaro steps into the room.
"Do you really want to get into Toudai?"
"Yes, it's very important to me. It means more to me than anything else. I, I have to keep my promise."
"Promise? What promise is that?"
"It's silly, really. A long time ago when I was a child, a little boy and I promised to make it to Toudai. He was moving away with his family the next day, and we vowed to find each other again by becoming Toudai students. He said that if we do, we would live happily ever after. He probably forgot about that by now, but I can't. He was, and still is, so dear to me. If there is even the smallest chance that we can find each other again, I have to try."
She hugs Liddo-kun.
"I'm really stupid for believing in a childhood promise so much that it has controlled my entire life, aren't I?"
Keitaro looks at the others as they enter the room. They nod their heads at him.
"We have agreed to let you stay her as our manager. However, that is upon one condition. You have to make it into Toudai next year, and at least pass the next practice exam. In addition, you still have to perform your duties as the manager. Do you accept our terms, Narusegawa?"
She kneels on the floor and bows to them.
"I cannot thank you enough! I will do my best to pass the exams and make it into Toudai!"
Motoko points her sword at her.
"And if you do not, my blade will bring justice to you."
Kitsune crosses her arms.
"You can start by finishing cleaning the hot springs. You still have some work left from last night."
Su kicks Naru's head.
"Welcome to Hinata-sou, Pervert Manager Lady!"
Shinobu claps her hands.
"We're all here, and I promise to do my best too!"
Naru stands and looks at Keitaro.
"Thank you. If I ever have the chance, I will repay your kindness and understanding to someone that needs it. I promise!"
He smiles at her.
"I could never ask for a better legacy."
The ancient, male voice speaks again, and is once more answered by his mate.
*My Beloved, I believe that our task is complete.*
**Yes, My Dearest, she now has a greater understand of what drives him. We must return things to their proper place.**
*There is not enough power left to perform that task. We must draw upon a source once more.*
**That is so. However, we have already weakened him in the true world. He may not survive when he returns if we draw upon him again. Nevertheless, I see no other option. I pray for his safety.**
*We must act more directly, this time. It may be his only hope.*
**Then let us be prepared and await the moment to act.**
*In this changed reality, will it come?*
**Be assured, My Dearest, it is inevitable. They are who they are. Even we cannot change that.**
He chuckles in his powerful voice.
*That is so.*
Motoko wrinkles her brow and looks around.
"Did anyone else just hear someone whispering the words 'that is so'?"
Saturday Evening
Naru is resting on her futon, exhausted from the work that Kitsune and Motoko made her do. Keitaro and Shinobu were kind enough to pick up her things after calling her parents. She now has her belongings stacked in boxes, waiting for her to place them on her shelves.
"Oh, my aching back! Kitsune sure is a hard taskmaster."
She looks up at the ceiling and sees a poster advertising an older beer. It is partially hanging down, exposing a hole. Naru places a chair on the kotatsu table so she can reach it to investigate.
"I wonder what's up here. Maybe Granny Hina uses it for storing stuff. This would be a great place to keep my most valuable things."
She tears the poster off and pulls herself up, sliding aside a panel on top of the hole. She looks in the new area.
"This looks like a normal room. I wonder where I am."
As she looks to the left, she spots Keitaro. He is sitting on the floor holding a glass of tea. His eyes go wide as he stares at Naru.
"Na-na-na-na . . . . ."
Instinctively knowing who she will see, Naru looks to the right. Motoko, holding her own glass, stares back at her. Tossing the tea aside, Motoko stands and draws her sword.
"How dare you make a hole in the floor to spy on Keitaro? You are indeed a perverted, lecherous, deceiving female! SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! AIR SPLITTING SWORD!"
The blast pulls Naru the rest of the way through the hole and sends her sliding across the floor. She crashes into the far wall, tendrils of smoke rising from her clothes. Keitaro holds his hand out to Motoko.
"Wait, Motoko-san! That hole has always been there! Granny Hina used it to pass messages to me when she wanted me to help fix things!"
"I care not! I cannot allow this, this perverted woman to continue taking advantage of you! I will see her gone from this place if it is the last thing I do!"
As they speak, Naru quietly crawls back towards the hole to escape. Motoko notices her and prepares another strike.
"Weakling female! Face me and prepare to meet the spirits!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Naru scrambles up and leaps for the door, narrowly avoiding another blast from Motoko's sword. As she runs downstairs and through the common room looking for a way to escape, she passes a confused looking Shinobu walking next to Kitsune.
"Naru, what's going on?"
Ignoring them, she throws open a door and heads up a set of steps. Su stands on the second landing and watches her run past.
"Hey, it's the pervert lady!"
Motoko follows a few seconds later, her speed sending Su spinning in circles. Naru reaches the terrace where the laundry is hung out to dry. Looking around and spotting no other stairs, she leaps the rail and climbs onto the roof. When she reaches the top, she turns right, watching over her shoulder as Motoko closes in on her. An impact causes her to slam to a stop. Hands grab her arms as she starts to lose balance, holding her upright. She looks up and sees Keitaro, the moonlight glinting off his glasses.
"How, how did you know I was heading this way? I didn't even know it myself!"
"Motoko's chases always end up here."
"Narusegawa Naru! Face me!"
Naru turns to look at Motoko. As she does, a second sword sails towards her. It lands at her feet, balancing on the peak of the rooftop. Motoko charges towards her, sword raised to strike. Kneeling, she grabs the sword at her feet. Motoko rushes towards her and leaps, her sword arcing downwards. Naru draws the sword and stares in horror at the warrior descending upon her.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"Narusegawa!"
Keitaro grabs her arm and pushes Naru to the side as the sword strikes. Kitsune, Shinobu, and Su, standing on the terrace, scream as the sword flashes. Motoko does a forward tumble and springs lightly to her feet. Before she can turn to strike again, she looks at her sword, the tip is soaked with blood. Naru and Keitaro fall and tumble down the far side of the roof. Arms wrapped around each other, they bounce off the edge and fall to the ground. A scream of agony rips through the air.
Saturday Night
Naru slowly opens her eyes. She raises a hand to block the bright light above her, but the pain in her shoulder stops her.
"Wh-what happened? Where am I?"
She looks around and sees the inside of the inn. She is lying on the couch in the common room. Su is sitting on the floor, her empty gaze looking right through her. Kitsune stands nearby holding a crying Shinobu. Motoko kneels in the corner, her eyes red as tears fall down her cheeks. Haruka stands next to the couch and stares down at her, fury in her eyes.
"How could you do this? Granny Hina was counting on you to take care of Hinata-sou's residents!"
Naru sits up and grabs her right shoulder as pain once again lances though it. She spots a bandage there, a small spot of blood seeping through.
"What, what happened? Where is Keitaro?"
A sound at the stairs draws her attention. A woman wearing a white lab coat walks down and stands in front of Haruka, tears welling in her eyes. Haruka touches her arm.
"Hikari-san, is he . . . . ."
"The wound was grave. The sword sliced the muscle and pierced through the bone before exiting."
Naru places her left hand to her lips.
"Oh my god! Keitaro is, is . . . . ."
Hikari turns to look at her.
"You are the new manager. You should not have allowed this to happen."
Motoko leaps up and runs to the stairs.
"I must see him! Urashima!"
Kitsune runs over and slaps Naru's face before Haruka or Hikari can stop her.
"You're a real piece of work! He stood up for ya and this is how ya'll repaid him!"
Su pulls a remote control out and stares at the buttons and levers.
"Keitaro wouldn't blame me now if, if I let Mecha-Tama Mark III loose one you, pervert lady."
Shinobu looks at her.
"Aaauuuuu!"
Tama-chan hovers in front of Naru's face and hisses at her.
Naru, holding a hand to her burning cheek, falls to her knees and whispers.
"What have I done?"
Motoko stands outside Keitaro's room and places her hand upon the wall. She slowly slides open the door and enters. Keitaro lies on the futon, a white sheet drawn up to his neck. Motoko kneels down and reaches out to touch the sheet. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she whispers.
"Keitaro-san, why did it have to be this way? I will never be able to forgive myself. I should have listened to you and given Narusegawa a fair chance. But, my heart was afraid that she would be more of a woman to you than I had the strength to become. I am so sorry."
Keitaro, face down on the futon, turns his head and looks at her, smiling weakly.
"It's not your fault that when we fell I landed on that sword. I'll recover, but it'll be a few days before I can sit down again. Hikari-san said that it was a clean cut and should heal without leaving a scar."
Motoko looks into his eyes.
"Praise the spirits for that small blessing. I could not bear that your cute behind would be blemished."
Keitaro stares at her.
"Y-you've been p-p-peeking at me before?"
She blushes and raises her hand to her cheek.
"I, I d-d-did not mean to! It was an accident!"
He smiles at her.
"How many 'accidents' was it? Just once or twice?"
Motoko looks at the ceiling.
"Actually, it is m-more like twenty-five or thirty t-times."
"Motoko-san, I'm shocked! And here I was thinking that you were always so prim and proper!"
She put her palms on the floor and places her forehead on them.
"Forgive me! I am weak! I will do whatever you request to atone for my hidden acts of lust!"
Keitaro rolls onto his side and props his head up with his arm, still smiling at her.
"I never realized. I thought that you only liked me because I help you train."
Still bowing, she pleads for his mercy.
"I must receive you judgment. What Naru-sempai has done is nothing compared to my sins."
"Sit up and look at me, please Motoko-san."
Motoko rises, avoiding his gaze for a few seconds before finally lifting her head.
"I am ready for you wrath, Keitaro-san."
"Your punishment will be to, to grant me one kiss."
"But, but I saw you and Naru-sempai . . . . ."
Keitaro blushes.
"That was an innocent accident. I just want to be her friend and protect her, just like I want to protect everyone here. It is you that I love, Motoko-san."
She tilts her head and smiles at him, fresh tears falling from her eyes.
"Oh Urashima, I love you also!"
Motoko closes her eyes as Keitaro sits up and moves towards her, her body shudders in anticipation of the touch of his lips.
In the common room, Kitsune raises her hand to slap again. Haruka and Hikari grab her arms to restrain her and she kicks her feet out uselessly at Naru.
"Poor Keitaro-san! Because of ya'll he's gotta eat standing up now!"
Su presses a button on the remote control that sends the Mecha-Tama swooping in for its attack.
"I'm gonna burn your butt. Then you'll know what Keitaro feels like!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Everyone rushes towards her. Naru leaps up and runs for the stairs. She rushes into her room and throws the door closed. After a few seconds, she realizes that it would never keep out that mechanical turtle. As the door begins to crack, she heads for her only other avenue of escape. Pushing the board aside, she scrambles up and through the hole. As she pops up to flee, her lips meet Motoko's.
Everything seems to come to a halt.
Keitaro stares at the two girls. Motoko, not realizing whom she is kissing, wraps her arms around Naru.
The other girls, guessing where Naru would try to escape to, slide open Keitaro's door. They rush in and freeze at the sight. Shinobu cries out and faints.
"The lilacs are blooming. Aaauuuuu!"
Motoko sighs as their lips part. She slowly opens her eyes.
"Oh Keita . . . . ."
Her eyes widen in shock as her entire face turns a deep shade of red. Her hand touches her lips.
"My f-first kiss!"
Outside, a dog barks.
End of Chapter Three.
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Three – Let's Make a Deal
Saturday Noon
After a while, Keitaro stands to leave the room. He pauses briefly to make sure that Naru is comfortable. As he looks at her face, he sighs.
"We need to find a way to tell the others that you really aren't a Toudai student. I think that if you are upfront and honest about it, they may go easy on you. I'll back you up as much as I can."
Naru slowly opens her eyes.
"Y-you would do that for me? What have I done that you'd be so kind to me?"
He smiles at her.
"I don't know, I guess that I'd like to have a friend if I were in your position."
Naru returns his smile.
"Thank you. You're really very sweet."
As Keitaro stands, Naru reaches out and grabs his hand. He slips and falls on top of her, their lips meeting. Without thinking, she wraps her arms around his neck and rolls on top of him. At that moment, the door slides open and the other girls march into the room, freezing as they spot the fake Toudai student passionately kissing their friend. Kitsune, her face a brilliant red, grabs the back of Naru's robe and pulls her off Keitaro, tossing her onto the kotatsu table.
"Get your dirty lips off of Keitaro-san, you, you tramp!"
Keitaro whispers in quiet voice. Motoko is the only one that makes out his words.
"My, f-first kiss!"
Su waves Naru's ID in her face.
"Toudai flunky! Toudai flunky!"
Motoko, also blushing and shaking with barely controlled rage, prepares her strike. Her voice rises in pitch as she screams.
"How dare you attack my Keitaro and steal his first kiss? You vile, lecherous, perverted, disgusting, lying, weakling female! SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! ROCK SPLITTING SWORD!"
Naru looks up from the table and sees the black, swirling power around Motoko's blade building to its climax. Knowing in her heart that she will not survive this attack, she whispers her final words as she closes her eyes.
"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
The sword swings down and hurls its chi in a massive, concentrated vortex, which sucks the light from the room. An instant before it ravages Naru's body, Keitaro leaps from the floor and places himself in its path. The vortex slams into his outstretched hands and he fights to resist it with his entire being.
Naru and the kotatsu table are pushed against the window by the power that slips past him. The other girls stare in horror as Keitaro valiantly stands against the full force of Motoko's attack, unable to understand why he would want to defend this deceiving girl. Shinobu raises her hands to her mouth.
"Aaauuuuu! Sempai!"
Keitaro, his shirt torn from his body, spends the last of his strength to deflect most of the chi to the side, where it shatters the manager's desk. Unable to resist the power that remains, he hurls backwards through the window and crashes to the ground outside as the darkness fades from the room.
Temporarily forgetting about Naru, the girls rush out the door and head downstairs. Naru crawls to the window and looks over the rail. She spots Keitaro lying on the ground, his right foot twitching and his arms stretched outwards. As he slowly sits up she leans further over the rail and it gives way. She plummets down and lands on top of him, knocking them both unconscious.
Rushing out the door, the girls skid to a halt. Kitsune leaps over, drags Naru off Keitaro, and slams her body up against the wall, pinning her there.
"You're lucky that ya'll are unconscious! If you were awake, I'd rip your throat out with my bare teeth!"
Motoko gently lifts Keitaro and presses his head to her chest.
"Urashima, why? Oh dear, gentle Keitaro-san, wake up. Please speak to me!"
He slowly opens his eyes, looks up at her, and smiles weakly.
"You've gotten a lot stronger. I wasn't ready for that. And what's with this 'dear' stuff?"
Motoko blushes and lowers her eyes. Su kicks the back of her head.
"Well, are we gonna take Keitaro inside, or are ya gonna make eyes at him all day?"
Motoko and Kitsune carry Keitaro inside and gently lay him on the couch in the common room. Su grabs Naru's left foot and drags her in along. Shinobu looks at her.
"Should you be pulling her through the dirt face down like that?"
"What'cha worried about? I'll hose the pervert lady off before we go inside! Gotta keep the floors clean, ya know!"
"Aaauuuuu!"
The girls gather around Keitaro as he sips a glass of water. Kitsune wraps a robe around his shoulders.
"What were you thinking trying to save her? She really isn't gonna be a Toudai student ya know. We found her ID for the prep school in the laundry room."
"I know. I found out yesterday."
They stare at him in shock.
"WHAT!"
Motoko points her sword at Naru, who Su dumped just inside the door.
"It is inconceivable that such a person should ever be allowed to be the manager of Hinata-sou!"
Keitaro looks up at her pleadingly.
"I just wanted to help her. I believe that we at least owe her the chance to try!"
Motoko stomps her foot on the ground as she turns back to him.
"We owe her nothing! I do not care that Granny Hina herself picked her! We have the right to choose whom we will! And I will never allow her to remain here!"
Kitsune stands next to her, adding her support.
"She's right. If she had been truthful with us from the start, maybe I'd feel different. But, how can you ask us to trust her now?"
Su leaps over and crouches by his knee.
"Yah! And she's a real weakling! She can't even take a little hit from Motoko! Where's the fun in that?"
Keitaro sets his glass on the coffee table and nods his head.
"I completely understand all of you. You each have perfectly reasonable concerns and I will not deny them. But I also have concerns of my own."
He looks each of them in the eyes as he speaks.
"Motoko-chan, when I first came here, you were afraid that I'd hurt your ability to train. I'd like to believe that I have been, in some way, a small help to you instead."
"You have been an excellent training partner, Urashima! Never doubt that you have, indeed, been of incalculable assistance to me!"
He looks at Kitsune.
"Kitsune, you and Su complained when I took over the cleaning of the hot springs. You said that we needed a professional to do the job. After a while, you were happy that I did, because it let Granny Hina charge each of you less rent each month. Then the rest of you started helping with the chores too. Now, we take care of Hinata-sou all by ourselves. I don't know about you, but I'm happy to have the extra money for myself, and I feel good about taking care of this place."
Kitsune places her hand on his.
"Of course I feel better about myself! It's satisfying to help out around here."
Su rests her chin on his knee.
"I like helping too! It's fun to wax the floors with you!"
He looks over at Naru, who has revived and is looking at him as tears fall down her cheeks.
"Don't you see? I came here and changed things from the way they were. Even though each of you disagreed at first, you gave me a fair chance to prove myself. I just want to share that chance with Narusegawa. I'd like to think that I can be as kind to her as each of you have been with me."
They reach out and touch him, moved by his words. Naru stands and walks over to them and bows.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lie to all of you. I'll leave now, because I don't want to hurt the friendship between you and Keitaro. He is asking you too much to accept me as your manager. I'm ashamed that I didn't tell each of you the truth. All of you are so happy here. I wanted to be a part of that, so I was afraid to admit that I'm just a prep school student. I am very sorry."
Naru walks to the laundry room and gathers her clothes. She then goes to the manager's room to change and place her few belongings in her backpack. As she slides the door open to leave, she sees the other residents standing in the hallway and lowers her eyes. Keitaro steps into the room.
"Do you really want to get into Toudai?"
"Yes, it's very important to me. It means more to me than anything else. I, I have to keep my promise."
"Promise? What promise is that?"
"It's silly, really. A long time ago when I was a child, a little boy and I promised to make it to Toudai. He was moving away with his family the next day, and we vowed to find each other again by becoming Toudai students. He said that if we do, we would live happily ever after. He probably forgot about that by now, but I can't. He was, and still is, so dear to me. If there is even the smallest chance that we can find each other again, I have to try."
She hugs Liddo-kun.
"I'm really stupid for believing in a childhood promise so much that it has controlled my entire life, aren't I?"
Keitaro looks at the others as they enter the room. They nod their heads at him.
"We have agreed to let you stay her as our manager. However, that is upon one condition. You have to make it into Toudai next year, and at least pass the next practice exam. In addition, you still have to perform your duties as the manager. Do you accept our terms, Narusegawa?"
She kneels on the floor and bows to them.
"I cannot thank you enough! I will do my best to pass the exams and make it into Toudai!"
Motoko points her sword at her.
"And if you do not, my blade will bring justice to you."
Kitsune crosses her arms.
"You can start by finishing cleaning the hot springs. You still have some work left from last night."
Su kicks Naru's head.
"Welcome to Hinata-sou, Pervert Manager Lady!"
Shinobu claps her hands.
"We're all here, and I promise to do my best too!"
Naru stands and looks at Keitaro.
"Thank you. If I ever have the chance, I will repay your kindness and understanding to someone that needs it. I promise!"
He smiles at her.
"I could never ask for a better legacy."
The ancient, male voice speaks again, and is once more answered by his mate.
*My Beloved, I believe that our task is complete.*
**Yes, My Dearest, she now has a greater understand of what drives him. We must return things to their proper place.**
*There is not enough power left to perform that task. We must draw upon a source once more.*
**That is so. However, we have already weakened him in the true world. He may not survive when he returns if we draw upon him again. Nevertheless, I see no other option. I pray for his safety.**
*We must act more directly, this time. It may be his only hope.*
**Then let us be prepared and await the moment to act.**
*In this changed reality, will it come?*
**Be assured, My Dearest, it is inevitable. They are who they are. Even we cannot change that.**
He chuckles in his powerful voice.
*That is so.*
Motoko wrinkles her brow and looks around.
"Did anyone else just hear someone whispering the words 'that is so'?"
Saturday Evening
Naru is resting on her futon, exhausted from the work that Kitsune and Motoko made her do. Keitaro and Shinobu were kind enough to pick up her things after calling her parents. She now has her belongings stacked in boxes, waiting for her to place them on her shelves.
"Oh, my aching back! Kitsune sure is a hard taskmaster."
She looks up at the ceiling and sees a poster advertising an older beer. It is partially hanging down, exposing a hole. Naru places a chair on the kotatsu table so she can reach it to investigate.
"I wonder what's up here. Maybe Granny Hina uses it for storing stuff. This would be a great place to keep my most valuable things."
She tears the poster off and pulls herself up, sliding aside a panel on top of the hole. She looks in the new area.
"This looks like a normal room. I wonder where I am."
As she looks to the left, she spots Keitaro. He is sitting on the floor holding a glass of tea. His eyes go wide as he stares at Naru.
"Na-na-na-na . . . . ."
Instinctively knowing who she will see, Naru looks to the right. Motoko, holding her own glass, stares back at her. Tossing the tea aside, Motoko stands and draws her sword.
"How dare you make a hole in the floor to spy on Keitaro? You are indeed a perverted, lecherous, deceiving female! SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! AIR SPLITTING SWORD!"
The blast pulls Naru the rest of the way through the hole and sends her sliding across the floor. She crashes into the far wall, tendrils of smoke rising from her clothes. Keitaro holds his hand out to Motoko.
"Wait, Motoko-san! That hole has always been there! Granny Hina used it to pass messages to me when she wanted me to help fix things!"
"I care not! I cannot allow this, this perverted woman to continue taking advantage of you! I will see her gone from this place if it is the last thing I do!"
As they speak, Naru quietly crawls back towards the hole to escape. Motoko notices her and prepares another strike.
"Weakling female! Face me and prepare to meet the spirits!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Naru scrambles up and leaps for the door, narrowly avoiding another blast from Motoko's sword. As she runs downstairs and through the common room looking for a way to escape, she passes a confused looking Shinobu walking next to Kitsune.
"Naru, what's going on?"
Ignoring them, she throws open a door and heads up a set of steps. Su stands on the second landing and watches her run past.
"Hey, it's the pervert lady!"
Motoko follows a few seconds later, her speed sending Su spinning in circles. Naru reaches the terrace where the laundry is hung out to dry. Looking around and spotting no other stairs, she leaps the rail and climbs onto the roof. When she reaches the top, she turns right, watching over her shoulder as Motoko closes in on her. An impact causes her to slam to a stop. Hands grab her arms as she starts to lose balance, holding her upright. She looks up and sees Keitaro, the moonlight glinting off his glasses.
"How, how did you know I was heading this way? I didn't even know it myself!"
"Motoko's chases always end up here."
"Narusegawa Naru! Face me!"
Naru turns to look at Motoko. As she does, a second sword sails towards her. It lands at her feet, balancing on the peak of the rooftop. Motoko charges towards her, sword raised to strike. Kneeling, she grabs the sword at her feet. Motoko rushes towards her and leaps, her sword arcing downwards. Naru draws the sword and stares in horror at the warrior descending upon her.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"Narusegawa!"
Keitaro grabs her arm and pushes Naru to the side as the sword strikes. Kitsune, Shinobu, and Su, standing on the terrace, scream as the sword flashes. Motoko does a forward tumble and springs lightly to her feet. Before she can turn to strike again, she looks at her sword, the tip is soaked with blood. Naru and Keitaro fall and tumble down the far side of the roof. Arms wrapped around each other, they bounce off the edge and fall to the ground. A scream of agony rips through the air.
Saturday Night
Naru slowly opens her eyes. She raises a hand to block the bright light above her, but the pain in her shoulder stops her.
"Wh-what happened? Where am I?"
She looks around and sees the inside of the inn. She is lying on the couch in the common room. Su is sitting on the floor, her empty gaze looking right through her. Kitsune stands nearby holding a crying Shinobu. Motoko kneels in the corner, her eyes red as tears fall down her cheeks. Haruka stands next to the couch and stares down at her, fury in her eyes.
"How could you do this? Granny Hina was counting on you to take care of Hinata-sou's residents!"
Naru sits up and grabs her right shoulder as pain once again lances though it. She spots a bandage there, a small spot of blood seeping through.
"What, what happened? Where is Keitaro?"
A sound at the stairs draws her attention. A woman wearing a white lab coat walks down and stands in front of Haruka, tears welling in her eyes. Haruka touches her arm.
"Hikari-san, is he . . . . ."
"The wound was grave. The sword sliced the muscle and pierced through the bone before exiting."
Naru places her left hand to her lips.
"Oh my god! Keitaro is, is . . . . ."
Hikari turns to look at her.
"You are the new manager. You should not have allowed this to happen."
Motoko leaps up and runs to the stairs.
"I must see him! Urashima!"
Kitsune runs over and slaps Naru's face before Haruka or Hikari can stop her.
"You're a real piece of work! He stood up for ya and this is how ya'll repaid him!"
Su pulls a remote control out and stares at the buttons and levers.
"Keitaro wouldn't blame me now if, if I let Mecha-Tama Mark III loose one you, pervert lady."
Shinobu looks at her.
"Aaauuuuu!"
Tama-chan hovers in front of Naru's face and hisses at her.
Naru, holding a hand to her burning cheek, falls to her knees and whispers.
"What have I done?"
Motoko stands outside Keitaro's room and places her hand upon the wall. She slowly slides open the door and enters. Keitaro lies on the futon, a white sheet drawn up to his neck. Motoko kneels down and reaches out to touch the sheet. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she whispers.
"Keitaro-san, why did it have to be this way? I will never be able to forgive myself. I should have listened to you and given Narusegawa a fair chance. But, my heart was afraid that she would be more of a woman to you than I had the strength to become. I am so sorry."
Keitaro, face down on the futon, turns his head and looks at her, smiling weakly.
"It's not your fault that when we fell I landed on that sword. I'll recover, but it'll be a few days before I can sit down again. Hikari-san said that it was a clean cut and should heal without leaving a scar."
Motoko looks into his eyes.
"Praise the spirits for that small blessing. I could not bear that your cute behind would be blemished."
Keitaro stares at her.
"Y-you've been p-p-peeking at me before?"
She blushes and raises her hand to her cheek.
"I, I d-d-did not mean to! It was an accident!"
He smiles at her.
"How many 'accidents' was it? Just once or twice?"
Motoko looks at the ceiling.
"Actually, it is m-more like twenty-five or thirty t-times."
"Motoko-san, I'm shocked! And here I was thinking that you were always so prim and proper!"
She put her palms on the floor and places her forehead on them.
"Forgive me! I am weak! I will do whatever you request to atone for my hidden acts of lust!"
Keitaro rolls onto his side and props his head up with his arm, still smiling at her.
"I never realized. I thought that you only liked me because I help you train."
Still bowing, she pleads for his mercy.
"I must receive you judgment. What Naru-sempai has done is nothing compared to my sins."
"Sit up and look at me, please Motoko-san."
Motoko rises, avoiding his gaze for a few seconds before finally lifting her head.
"I am ready for you wrath, Keitaro-san."
"Your punishment will be to, to grant me one kiss."
"But, but I saw you and Naru-sempai . . . . ."
Keitaro blushes.
"That was an innocent accident. I just want to be her friend and protect her, just like I want to protect everyone here. It is you that I love, Motoko-san."
She tilts her head and smiles at him, fresh tears falling from her eyes.
"Oh Urashima, I love you also!"
Motoko closes her eyes as Keitaro sits up and moves towards her, her body shudders in anticipation of the touch of his lips.
In the common room, Kitsune raises her hand to slap again. Haruka and Hikari grab her arms to restrain her and she kicks her feet out uselessly at Naru.
"Poor Keitaro-san! Because of ya'll he's gotta eat standing up now!"
Su presses a button on the remote control that sends the Mecha-Tama swooping in for its attack.
"I'm gonna burn your butt. Then you'll know what Keitaro feels like!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Everyone rushes towards her. Naru leaps up and runs for the stairs. She rushes into her room and throws the door closed. After a few seconds, she realizes that it would never keep out that mechanical turtle. As the door begins to crack, she heads for her only other avenue of escape. Pushing the board aside, she scrambles up and through the hole. As she pops up to flee, her lips meet Motoko's.
Everything seems to come to a halt.
Keitaro stares at the two girls. Motoko, not realizing whom she is kissing, wraps her arms around Naru.
The other girls, guessing where Naru would try to escape to, slide open Keitaro's door. They rush in and freeze at the sight. Shinobu cries out and faints.
"The lilacs are blooming. Aaauuuuu!"
Motoko sighs as their lips part. She slowly opens her eyes.
"Oh Keita . . . . ."
Her eyes widen in shock as her entire face turns a deep shade of red. Her hand touches her lips.
"My f-first kiss!"
Outside, a dog barks.
End of Chapter Three.
