Love Hina – Power of the Heart
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Four – Truths
Friday Evening.
Motoko stands silently as she contemplates her answer.
(What must he have felt as a child, not knowing what was happening? Yet, still aware of the danger he faced.)
She bows her head, knowing beyond a doubt that her answer is the same as what her mother told him fifteen years ago.
"If I must, yes. But I do not relish the thought of taking a life. It is an action that I cannot undo."
Keitaro stands up and walks to the window.
"Thank you for being honest with me. You said that you come from a place called the Shinmei School? What does it do?"
"We are sworn to protect innocents from demons, and, other dangers."
"Kind of like bringing evil spirits to justice with your blade?"
"In part. Our true purpose, which Haruka-san just revealed to me, is to, to . . . no, I cannot speak it."
"I think I can guess. Your job is to kill anyone from my family that gets out of control."
Motoko bows her head once more.
"Yes, I am sorry."
"That must explain why there is something about you that makes it difficult for me to keep my power under control. It's as if whatever is inside me wants to test itself against you."
He turns and looks at her, and smiles.
"I know it sounds silly, but it feels like we are supposed to be mortal enemies. Almost like instinct, or destiny."
Motoko remains silent, allowing him to speak freely.
"One night, when your mother was still here, she came into this room. It was just a few hours after my powers almost got lose the second time and I could still sense what was going on in the inn."
He walks over and sits on his futon.
"I was lying right here and knew that she was coming to the room. She had locked her chi so tightly that I couldn't read her. It thought 'she's coming to kill me now', and I pulled my blanket up to my chin and closed my eyes."
"I could feel her leaning over me in the dark. All she did was kiss my cheek. When I woke up the next morning, she had left. I never even got to say goodbye. When I asked Granny Hina if I would ever see her again, she said, she said that if I ever saw 'one of them' again there would be death."
Keitaro looks up at Motoko.
"If Granny Hina was right, I hope that it doesn't mean your death. Promise me that you'll do whatever you have to, to save yourself."
"Urashima."
"My relatives thought that they have kept it a secret from me that my power is killing me. I know that they are wrong. It isn't killing me. Not my body at any rate."
Motoko moves and gracefully kneels next to him.
"I do not understand."
"I am afraid to use my power because of the danger I could put people in. But it's like a drug. Every time it breaks lose I feel so alive! It's like I can do anything I want! If I ever give in to it, I'd completely lose myself. I would become a monster, and everything that makes me what I am would be. . ."
He takes off his glasses and looks into Motoko's eyes.
"If you ever see that monster, destroy it."
"That would mean your death."
"If my power wins, I'm already dead."
"You have contained it for all these years. Do not believe that your will is weak. You can overcome yourself, and control it."
Keitaro shakes his head.
"It's hard. I have to concentrate all the time to keep it in check. I lose track of what's going on around me. That's why I'm so clumsy. It's like trying to balance a ball on my head while pouring tea into a glass."
Motoko places her sword on the floor between them.
"Have you ever attempted to let just a little of your power free, to try to control it while it is active?"
"I'm too afraid of the consequences."
She lifts her sword and holds her hands out to him, palms up.
"Place your hands on my sword."
Keitaro reaches out and rests his palms on hers, covering the sword.
"Now, look at my eyes and release your power, gently. Do not let fear cloud your mind."
"You might be hurt."
"Do not fear. I shall use my chi to try to dampen any response. Concentrate on the sword."
"Okay, Motoko-chan. I'll try."
Motoko is surprised at the level of trust he places in her. She can sense how troubled he is, yet he continues. Keitaro takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out.
"If this doesn't work and I lose it, get everyone out of the building."
"Just concentrate on my sword and voice. Leave all other concerns aside."
"Okay, here I go."
As Motoko feels his power stirring, she focuses her chi on him, reaching out to attempt to keep him calm. A light breeze begins to swirl around them and she looks at the sword.
"Now, try to maintain your power at that level and grip my sword."
Keitaro wraps his hands around the scabbard and Motoko slides her hands outside of his and grasps the sword. She tries to lift it against his force and is surprised when she cannot budge it.
(Impossible! How can such a small amount of power raise his strength to that level?)
She looks up at his face and notices that he has lowered his gaze slightly. A light blush appears at his cheeks.
"Is this level uncomfortable for you, Urashima?"
He blinks slowly and whispers.
"Your breasts are nice."
His eyes quickly return to hers.
I, I mean no! I'm not uncomfortable!"
Motoko's right eye twitches slightly.
(Males!)
The sword begins to shake.
"Concentrate on the sword please. You must not allow yourself to be distracted."
She grips the scabbard tightly to hold it steady, sending vibrations running up through her arms. Using her chi, she is able to dampen the vibrations slightly. She raises her left hand to him.
"Now, Urashima, place your palm against mine. I shall try to read the flow of your chi, which will allow me to better guide you."
Keitaro raise his right hand and places his palm against hers.
"I hope this won't take much longer, it's getting hard to keep my mind clear."
"We will continue for just a minute more."
Motoko closes her eyes and concentrates on his aura. It seems disturbed at first, but suddenly focuses into a single spike. She feels his breathing slow even as his heartbeat quickens. The shaking of the sword rises perceptibly.
(This is strange, what has caused him to focus so acutely? It is as if his mind has locked onto a single thought. Rarely have I felt such single-minded determination except from a master.)
"That is good, Urashima. Keep your mind focused as it is now."
"S-sure."
She opens her eyes and sees him staring at her breasts again, mesmerized by the motion caused by the vibration of the sword.
". . ."
Still blushing, he looks up and sees anger forming on Motoko's face. He forces his power back down and releases the sword.
"Oh no. I'm s-sorry!"
Maintaining the presence of mind not to raise her chi against his power, Motoko lowers her sword. Quickly, she strikes his cheek with her right hand.
"I see that my mother taught me truly! All men are indeed vile, lecherous animals!"
She stands and walks to the door.
"Perhaps it would be a mistake to assist you. If this is your true self, then I shall have no regrets in ending your foul existence!"
She returns to her room. After placing her sword in its resting place, she takes the scroll and tosses it onto her kotatsu table. Her eyes are drawn to the section revealed as it rolls open.
"Our representative, using what she had learned from her time at Hinata-sou, prepared her own child to one day meet his threat, if need be. You are that child, Aoyama Motoko."
Motoko kneels next to the table and lifts the scroll.
"Mother, did you teach me to distrust men so that I would have the strength to do what you could not? Am I your tool, or is there a greater purpose to your teachings?"
She opens the scroll to the message from her mother.
"Forgive me for placing this burden upon your shoulders. I could not bring myself to harm Kei-kun fifteen years ago and now you must pay the cost of my compassion."
"Mother, never have I heard you refer to anyone using 'kun'. What did you learn when you studied Urashima?"
Over the next few days, Motoko rarely sees Keitaro. He takes his meals to dine alone in his room. Most of his time is spent repairing the damage to the front of the inn, and whenever they do meet in a hallway, he quickly excuses himself and moves elsewhere. Soon, she notices that he succeeds in avoiding her completely. Motoko decides to tell the others the full story about the Shinmei School and the Urashima clan.
A week passes without her seeing Keitaro at all; even though the other girls assure her that he is still there, performing his duties quietly. Motoko realizes that he must be letting his power lose just enough so that he can sense where she is, making it simple to stay out of her sight. One day, as a light snow begins to fall, Naru comes to her room.
Monday Afternoon.
"Motoko-chan, can I come in?"
"Yes, Naru-sempai, please enter."
Naru walks in and sits at the kotatsu table.
"Motoko-chan, why is our new manager avoiding you? We can all see that he make a point to stop whatever he is doing and leave right before you show up. Did something happen?"
Motoko shakes her head.
"No, I just was assisting him in the use of his abilities. After that, he has hardly spoken to me."
"Did something go wrong?"
"He has difficulty in directing his concentration. Like all males, his mind does not stray far from lewd thoughts."
Naru grabs a rice cake from the plate on the table.
"I'm not sure about that. He's been a perfect gentleman. But something is really wrong with him. He never eats with us, and he stays in his room while we play games in the common room. Haruka-san says that he isn't really like this. Are you sure you didn't say or do anything to upset him?"
"No, there was not anything."
Naru nibbles on the rice cake.
"I thought for sure that you would try to get even with him after he saw your breasts. I know that I would be really mad."
Motoko thinks back to her attempt to help him and the last words she spoke.
"Naru-sempai, I did strike him, and I called Urashima a vile, lecherous animal."
"That doesn't seem like much."
"I also said that I would have no regrets if I had to destroy him."
Naru shakes her head.
"That was really cruel. Keitaro must be terrified of you now. I'd hate to live in the same house with a person that told me something like that."
"Perhaps I was a bit too rash. However, there is nothing that I can do as long as he evades me."
"I was thinking about that. We're going to light some fireworks tonight in front of the Tea Shop. Maybe you can talk to him there?"
"You said that he avoids everyone socially. How will you convince him to participate?"
"Keitaro makes really good rice balls. I'll ask him to make some and bring them down. You can wait on the steps for him."
Motoko nods her head.
"Simple, yet it should work."
Monday Evening.
As the other girls prepare the Tea Shop for their party, Motoko stands on the steps a waits for Keitaro. Shinobu left a backpack with some extra fireworks in the kitchen and Keitaro places the rice balls in it before heading outside. He slows when he reaches the top of the steps, sensing Motoko's presence. As he turns back towards the inn, Motoko rushes up the steps.
"Urashima."
Keitaro moves quickly through the building and out through the back door. Motoko pursues him.
"Urashima, wait!"
She reaches the door and steps outside. Footprints in the snow make tracking him easy and she follows them to one of the closed buildings behind the main inn. Spotting an opened door, she walks inside and looks around.
"Motoko, stay back. Don't come near me!"
She steps into the middle of the room and spots Keitaro near the rear wall.
"Urashima, I do not intend to harm you. I just want to talk."
Keitaro shakes his head.
"That's not what I meant! The floorboards are rotted and about to collapse! Get out of here!"
Motoko's eyes go wide as she feels the floor bending under her weight. As she turns, the cracking wood echoes in the room. She gathers her strength to leap clear just as the floor shatters, sending her plummeting into the darkness.
"Urashima!"
End of Chapter Four.
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Four – Truths
Friday Evening.
Motoko stands silently as she contemplates her answer.
(What must he have felt as a child, not knowing what was happening? Yet, still aware of the danger he faced.)
She bows her head, knowing beyond a doubt that her answer is the same as what her mother told him fifteen years ago.
"If I must, yes. But I do not relish the thought of taking a life. It is an action that I cannot undo."
Keitaro stands up and walks to the window.
"Thank you for being honest with me. You said that you come from a place called the Shinmei School? What does it do?"
"We are sworn to protect innocents from demons, and, other dangers."
"Kind of like bringing evil spirits to justice with your blade?"
"In part. Our true purpose, which Haruka-san just revealed to me, is to, to . . . no, I cannot speak it."
"I think I can guess. Your job is to kill anyone from my family that gets out of control."
Motoko bows her head once more.
"Yes, I am sorry."
"That must explain why there is something about you that makes it difficult for me to keep my power under control. It's as if whatever is inside me wants to test itself against you."
He turns and looks at her, and smiles.
"I know it sounds silly, but it feels like we are supposed to be mortal enemies. Almost like instinct, or destiny."
Motoko remains silent, allowing him to speak freely.
"One night, when your mother was still here, she came into this room. It was just a few hours after my powers almost got lose the second time and I could still sense what was going on in the inn."
He walks over and sits on his futon.
"I was lying right here and knew that she was coming to the room. She had locked her chi so tightly that I couldn't read her. It thought 'she's coming to kill me now', and I pulled my blanket up to my chin and closed my eyes."
"I could feel her leaning over me in the dark. All she did was kiss my cheek. When I woke up the next morning, she had left. I never even got to say goodbye. When I asked Granny Hina if I would ever see her again, she said, she said that if I ever saw 'one of them' again there would be death."
Keitaro looks up at Motoko.
"If Granny Hina was right, I hope that it doesn't mean your death. Promise me that you'll do whatever you have to, to save yourself."
"Urashima."
"My relatives thought that they have kept it a secret from me that my power is killing me. I know that they are wrong. It isn't killing me. Not my body at any rate."
Motoko moves and gracefully kneels next to him.
"I do not understand."
"I am afraid to use my power because of the danger I could put people in. But it's like a drug. Every time it breaks lose I feel so alive! It's like I can do anything I want! If I ever give in to it, I'd completely lose myself. I would become a monster, and everything that makes me what I am would be. . ."
He takes off his glasses and looks into Motoko's eyes.
"If you ever see that monster, destroy it."
"That would mean your death."
"If my power wins, I'm already dead."
"You have contained it for all these years. Do not believe that your will is weak. You can overcome yourself, and control it."
Keitaro shakes his head.
"It's hard. I have to concentrate all the time to keep it in check. I lose track of what's going on around me. That's why I'm so clumsy. It's like trying to balance a ball on my head while pouring tea into a glass."
Motoko places her sword on the floor between them.
"Have you ever attempted to let just a little of your power free, to try to control it while it is active?"
"I'm too afraid of the consequences."
She lifts her sword and holds her hands out to him, palms up.
"Place your hands on my sword."
Keitaro reaches out and rests his palms on hers, covering the sword.
"Now, look at my eyes and release your power, gently. Do not let fear cloud your mind."
"You might be hurt."
"Do not fear. I shall use my chi to try to dampen any response. Concentrate on the sword."
"Okay, Motoko-chan. I'll try."
Motoko is surprised at the level of trust he places in her. She can sense how troubled he is, yet he continues. Keitaro takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out.
"If this doesn't work and I lose it, get everyone out of the building."
"Just concentrate on my sword and voice. Leave all other concerns aside."
"Okay, here I go."
As Motoko feels his power stirring, she focuses her chi on him, reaching out to attempt to keep him calm. A light breeze begins to swirl around them and she looks at the sword.
"Now, try to maintain your power at that level and grip my sword."
Keitaro wraps his hands around the scabbard and Motoko slides her hands outside of his and grasps the sword. She tries to lift it against his force and is surprised when she cannot budge it.
(Impossible! How can such a small amount of power raise his strength to that level?)
She looks up at his face and notices that he has lowered his gaze slightly. A light blush appears at his cheeks.
"Is this level uncomfortable for you, Urashima?"
He blinks slowly and whispers.
"Your breasts are nice."
His eyes quickly return to hers.
I, I mean no! I'm not uncomfortable!"
Motoko's right eye twitches slightly.
(Males!)
The sword begins to shake.
"Concentrate on the sword please. You must not allow yourself to be distracted."
She grips the scabbard tightly to hold it steady, sending vibrations running up through her arms. Using her chi, she is able to dampen the vibrations slightly. She raises her left hand to him.
"Now, Urashima, place your palm against mine. I shall try to read the flow of your chi, which will allow me to better guide you."
Keitaro raise his right hand and places his palm against hers.
"I hope this won't take much longer, it's getting hard to keep my mind clear."
"We will continue for just a minute more."
Motoko closes her eyes and concentrates on his aura. It seems disturbed at first, but suddenly focuses into a single spike. She feels his breathing slow even as his heartbeat quickens. The shaking of the sword rises perceptibly.
(This is strange, what has caused him to focus so acutely? It is as if his mind has locked onto a single thought. Rarely have I felt such single-minded determination except from a master.)
"That is good, Urashima. Keep your mind focused as it is now."
"S-sure."
She opens her eyes and sees him staring at her breasts again, mesmerized by the motion caused by the vibration of the sword.
". . ."
Still blushing, he looks up and sees anger forming on Motoko's face. He forces his power back down and releases the sword.
"Oh no. I'm s-sorry!"
Maintaining the presence of mind not to raise her chi against his power, Motoko lowers her sword. Quickly, she strikes his cheek with her right hand.
"I see that my mother taught me truly! All men are indeed vile, lecherous animals!"
She stands and walks to the door.
"Perhaps it would be a mistake to assist you. If this is your true self, then I shall have no regrets in ending your foul existence!"
She returns to her room. After placing her sword in its resting place, she takes the scroll and tosses it onto her kotatsu table. Her eyes are drawn to the section revealed as it rolls open.
"Our representative, using what she had learned from her time at Hinata-sou, prepared her own child to one day meet his threat, if need be. You are that child, Aoyama Motoko."
Motoko kneels next to the table and lifts the scroll.
"Mother, did you teach me to distrust men so that I would have the strength to do what you could not? Am I your tool, or is there a greater purpose to your teachings?"
She opens the scroll to the message from her mother.
"Forgive me for placing this burden upon your shoulders. I could not bring myself to harm Kei-kun fifteen years ago and now you must pay the cost of my compassion."
"Mother, never have I heard you refer to anyone using 'kun'. What did you learn when you studied Urashima?"
Over the next few days, Motoko rarely sees Keitaro. He takes his meals to dine alone in his room. Most of his time is spent repairing the damage to the front of the inn, and whenever they do meet in a hallway, he quickly excuses himself and moves elsewhere. Soon, she notices that he succeeds in avoiding her completely. Motoko decides to tell the others the full story about the Shinmei School and the Urashima clan.
A week passes without her seeing Keitaro at all; even though the other girls assure her that he is still there, performing his duties quietly. Motoko realizes that he must be letting his power lose just enough so that he can sense where she is, making it simple to stay out of her sight. One day, as a light snow begins to fall, Naru comes to her room.
Monday Afternoon.
"Motoko-chan, can I come in?"
"Yes, Naru-sempai, please enter."
Naru walks in and sits at the kotatsu table.
"Motoko-chan, why is our new manager avoiding you? We can all see that he make a point to stop whatever he is doing and leave right before you show up. Did something happen?"
Motoko shakes her head.
"No, I just was assisting him in the use of his abilities. After that, he has hardly spoken to me."
"Did something go wrong?"
"He has difficulty in directing his concentration. Like all males, his mind does not stray far from lewd thoughts."
Naru grabs a rice cake from the plate on the table.
"I'm not sure about that. He's been a perfect gentleman. But something is really wrong with him. He never eats with us, and he stays in his room while we play games in the common room. Haruka-san says that he isn't really like this. Are you sure you didn't say or do anything to upset him?"
"No, there was not anything."
Naru nibbles on the rice cake.
"I thought for sure that you would try to get even with him after he saw your breasts. I know that I would be really mad."
Motoko thinks back to her attempt to help him and the last words she spoke.
"Naru-sempai, I did strike him, and I called Urashima a vile, lecherous animal."
"That doesn't seem like much."
"I also said that I would have no regrets if I had to destroy him."
Naru shakes her head.
"That was really cruel. Keitaro must be terrified of you now. I'd hate to live in the same house with a person that told me something like that."
"Perhaps I was a bit too rash. However, there is nothing that I can do as long as he evades me."
"I was thinking about that. We're going to light some fireworks tonight in front of the Tea Shop. Maybe you can talk to him there?"
"You said that he avoids everyone socially. How will you convince him to participate?"
"Keitaro makes really good rice balls. I'll ask him to make some and bring them down. You can wait on the steps for him."
Motoko nods her head.
"Simple, yet it should work."
Monday Evening.
As the other girls prepare the Tea Shop for their party, Motoko stands on the steps a waits for Keitaro. Shinobu left a backpack with some extra fireworks in the kitchen and Keitaro places the rice balls in it before heading outside. He slows when he reaches the top of the steps, sensing Motoko's presence. As he turns back towards the inn, Motoko rushes up the steps.
"Urashima."
Keitaro moves quickly through the building and out through the back door. Motoko pursues him.
"Urashima, wait!"
She reaches the door and steps outside. Footprints in the snow make tracking him easy and she follows them to one of the closed buildings behind the main inn. Spotting an opened door, she walks inside and looks around.
"Motoko, stay back. Don't come near me!"
She steps into the middle of the room and spots Keitaro near the rear wall.
"Urashima, I do not intend to harm you. I just want to talk."
Keitaro shakes his head.
"That's not what I meant! The floorboards are rotted and about to collapse! Get out of here!"
Motoko's eyes go wide as she feels the floor bending under her weight. As she turns, the cracking wood echoes in the room. She gathers her strength to leap clear just as the floor shatters, sending her plummeting into the darkness.
"Urashima!"
End of Chapter Four.