Love Hina – Power of the Heart
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Seven – The Spirit Inside
Author's Note: I am working on getting the next chapters finished for New Management, Peril, Relations, I My Oh Dear Me, Separation, Restoration, and Beautiful Dreamer. I hope to have them all ready by New Year's Eve. I will also upload the first chapter of Defeat. - Bugsy
Sunday Morning
Keitaro leads the others into the corridors underneath Hinata-sou. After a time, they reach a room with a small handwritten sign taped to it. The sign, in a child's script says, Moe. Keitaro opens the door and shines his flashlight towards the back of the room, stopping on a blanket-covered object.
"There it is, just where I remembered it."
He walks over and removes the blanket, revealing a mannequin exquisitely designed as a young, blond girl. Gently, he picks the doll up in his arms and carries it back up into the common room of the inn. He turns to Su and smiles at her.
"Do your best, and please be careful. I'll wait in the dining room for you to finish."
"Righty-oh! I'll have this thing fixed up quicker than you can say pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis. If ya can even say pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis!"
Motoko follows Keitaro to the dining room as the others work on the doll. She moves to the kitchen and returns with two glasses of tea. As she places one in front of Keitaro, she kisses his cheek.
"Beloved, your plan is fraught with hazards. Su is more likely to let her curiosity get the better of her and completely disassemble that mannequin. Even if she is successful, what you are asking of me is risky at the very least."
He sips his tea and then smiles at her.
"It'll be alright, don't worry."
She looks at him for a moment and then returns his smile.
"Your confidence is reassuring, and it pleases me. However, I can sense that you are attempting to hide something. Is there a danger that you perceive that you cannot tell me?"
Keitaro scratches his head.
"You know, it's going to be hard to buy presents for you! This bonding thing makes it difficult to plan a good surprise!"
Motoko touches his cheek.
"You should not be concerned. I will not use our bond to pry into your private thoughts. Knowing everything would take the pleasure out of learning of one another."
"We already know alot about each other."
She nods her head.
"That is true, yet in the future we will continue to discover things as we grow."
Keitaro leans over and kisses Motoko.
"I'm a little scared. It's still hard to believe that we, uh, that we will sleep together tonight."
Motoko blushes and takes his hand.
"I also am filled with trepidation. I am inexperienced in the . . . the arts of physical pleasure."
"Maybe we can rent a movie?"
She tilts her head.
"Why would we wish to view a cinema epic?"
Keitaro blushes and scratches his head again. Motoko quickly takes in a breath.
"Oh, that kind of movie!"
There is silence for a few seconds, which drags on to a few minutes. Motoko clears her throat.
"Do you think that we should ask Haruka-san what title we should acquire?"
Keitaro jumps up and holds out his hands.
"No way! I don't want everyone to know that I've never, uh, um, ah, did it! I'm already twenty years old for goodness sake! I don't want to be known as the 'virgin' pervert!"
A voice from the door causes them both to leap backwards.
"It would be a shame if you could not provide my sister with a memorable wedding night."
Motoko points a shaking finger at the woman.
"Tsuruko-san!"
Tsuruko runs over and embraces her younger sister. Tears flow from her eyes as she lifts Motoko off her feet.
"Praise the spirits! It saddened me deeply to wait in Kyoto and prepare your funeral! As soon as mother called with the news of your rescue, I came at once!"
"Tsuruko-san, thank you for coming! It has been a long time, and I truly missed you!"
Tsuruko releases Motoko and stands back to look at her.
"You have changed. Mother told me that she suspected something but could not provide any details."
She looks at Keitaro.
"So, you are Urashima Keitaro. My mother spoke of you often. Strange, I do not sense that you are as powerful as the Council feared. Perhaps you would not make a fitting mate for one such as Motoko-chan. I challenge you. If you can stand against me, I will allow you to wed my sister. If you fall to my skills, you will leave her."
"Wh-what? You mean that I have to fight you for your sister's hand in marriage? Isn't that a little out of date?"
A few minutes later, the three stand next to the hot spring. Keitaro is wearing a traditional kendo outfit.
"Why am I wearing this thing? Isn't this getting a bit out of hand?"
"Silence! You shall prove yourself worthy of Motoko-chan!"
Motoko tugs at her sister's sleeve.
"Uh, you really should not do this, Tsuruko-san. I will marry whom I choose."
"Silence!"
"Yes ma'am."
Motoko moves to the side. Tsuruko leaps into the air and launches her attack.
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! ONE HUNDRED BLOSSOMS STRIKE!"
Chi swirls around her blade and crashes through the air in a hundred glittering sparks. Keitaro calmly tosses his kendo stick aside and removes his face shield. The vortex slams into his raised hands and rebounds back towards Tsuruko. Twisting in mid-air, she flips over the swirling force and lands behind Keitaro.
"You are a novice to leave your back unguarded! Prepare to fall!"
She swings and her sword passes through the air where Keitaro stood.
"Wh-where did he go?"
Keitaro peeks out from behind Motoko.
"Can we stop now? I don't want to hurt you."
Motoko looks over her shoulder at him.
"Tsuruko-san will not stop until she is either victorious or defeated."
He steps out and scratches his head.
"Your family must have asked for second helpings of stubbornness. But if that's how she wants it, let's do this!"
He crouches down in a sprinter's stance and looks up at Tsuruko.
"Ready or not, here I come!"
As if shot from a cannon, Keitaro launches himself towards his opponent. A flurry of blows rain to either side of Tsuruko's head as she dodges his attack. Leaping backward, she puts some distance between them.
"You failed to connect. Obviously, you are not as fast as you believe."
Motoko waves her hands to get her sister's attention, and then points at her hair. Tsuruko raises her hand to her tresses. What she feels causes her eyes to widen.
"How, how did you manage to tie these ribbons in my hair? It is impossible that one could move with such speed and precision! However, I really like your choice of color."
Keitaro rubs the back of his head and bows to her.
"Pink looks good on you!"
From point-blank range, Tsuruko launches another attack.
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! SPIRIT RENDING SWORD!"
He looks at her and speaks.
"Not yet."
Keitaro deflects the blast of chi with the back of his hand, sending it sailing harmlessly into the sky. Tsuruko stares at him as he walks towards her.
"Th-that is impossible! Nothing of the physical plane should be able to alter the course of that attack! How could you attune your chi so precisely to counter my own?"
Motoko kneels down, grabs his kendo stick, and hurls it along the ground.
"Forgive me, my sister! There is but one way to satisfactorily end this challenge."
The spinning stick slips between Keitaro's legs, causing him to loose his footing. He tumbles forward and slams into Tsuruko, sending them both crashing to the ground. She rubs the back of her head and then opens her eyes. Keitaro speaks, his voice muffled by her breasts.
"Sorry about that. It was an accident, really!"
Blushing, she raises his head and looks into his eyes.
"You will do. I grant you permission to wed Motoko-chan."
She stands up and drags him towards the hot spring.
"But you still need instruction on how to make my sister happy on her wedding night!"
"WHAT?"
Motoko leaps into the water and grabs Keitaro's other hand. The two women tug him back and forth.
"Tsuruko-san! Release Urashima! He is to be mine, and I do not want him despoiled in any way!"
The older woman stops pulling him and then leaps on Keitaro, sending them both splashing into the water..
"Then, how about a welcome-to-the-family kiss for his new sister?"
"Tsuruko-san! What will your husband say?"
She smiles at her younger sister.
"Motoko-chan, I was just pulling his leg. I believe you two will be fine on your own tonight."
Keitaro spits out a stream of water and shakily raises a hand.
"Uh, ma'am, I think you're p-pulling something other than my l-leg!"
Tsuruko looks down through the water and wiggles her hand.
"Oh my!"
She jumps away and places her hands on her cheeks. Keitaro, blushing, stands up and quickly places his things back in order. Motoko stares at him and drops to her knees as her gi slips down off her shoulder.
"Spirits preserve me! It seems that I will, that I will have quite a lot to handle tonight after we are wed!"
As the two women help Keitaro out of the pool, Su jumps through the door.
"I'm a genius! That doll is fixed up as goody as new! But, who'd want to play with a doll that big anyways? Now, if it was like some kind of animal, say a turtle, that would be keen!"
Keitaro looks at Motoko and nods.
"I guess now is as good a time as any. Are you ready, Motoko-chan?"
"Yes, my love. But, I still have trepidations about this action."
Keitaro moves inside. A minute later, he carries the doll outside and gently lays it against one of the larger boulders next to the hot spring. All of the women stand behind Motoko as she faces Keitaro and the doll. He smiles at her and nods his head.
"I'm ready whenever you are."
Motoko closes her eyes and calms herself in preparation. Aoyama looks at her strangely as Haruka and Hina study Keitaro. As she raises her hand, Aoyama grabs her daughter's arm.
"Hold, Motoko-chan! What are you attempting to do?"
She smiles at her mother.
"I am attempting to help Urashima fulfill a promise from long ago."
Haruka walks over to Keitaro.
"You aren't planning to protect yourself, are you? You're going to let her hit you with everything she's got."
He nods his head.
"That's right. If I resist at all, this won't work."
"I don't understand. What are you trying to do?"
Keitaro scratches his head.
"I'd rather wait until this is finished. If it doesn't work, I don't know what to do. But, this is something that has to be done and I don't want to put it off any longer."
The women back off, sensing that they cannot stop what must happen. Motoko raises her hand again and looks at Keitaro.
"My love, you are still defending yourself. You must lower your chi."
"I know, but, I'm still a little scared."
Through their bond, he speaks.
[If this doesn't work right, you'll rip my soul out. I don't want to lose you.]
[Kei-kun, if I fail, you will not be alone for long, I promise.]
His warmth floods through their bond.
[Hey, don't do anything stupid if something goes wrong.]
[Kei-kun.]
[I love you, Motoko-chan.]
[I love you, my beloved.]
Keitaro closes his eyes and after a few seconds, Motoko completely loses any sense of him through their bond. He has completely reigned down his power, leaving himself as vulnerable as a normal person. Without hesitating, Motoko launches her attack.
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! SPIRIT RENDING STRIKE!"
Chi flows from her hand like a blade. The powerful blue force erupts and lances towards his chest. The smell of cherry blossoms fills the air as Keitaro and the doll are engulfed and thrown against the boulder. As the two figures slide to the ground, Motoko leaps over and catches Keitaro.
She cradles his head in her arms and waits for any sign from him. After a moment, his chest rises as he takes in a breath. Slowly, he opens his eyes and looks up at Motoko and smiles. Motoko adjusts his glasses and smiles at him.
"Beloved, are you injured in any way?"
He reaches a hand to her cheek and gently moves a stray lock of hair from her face.
"I feel like a truck just ran over me, but otherwise, I'm fine."
As the others gather around them, a soft voice calls out.
"Keitaro, are you okay? Where are you?"
Keitaro sits up and turns to the mannequin. The others stare in shock as it sits up and returns his gaze.
"Keitaro, is that you? You have grown so much."
"Moe-chan!"
He reaches out and helps her to her feet. She stares down at her legs.
"I, my legs, I am standing. I can walk!"
Moe hugs Keitaro. After a few seconds she leans back and continues to hold onto his wrists.
"Thank you! I knew that you would keep your promise! I knew that. . ."
Moe stops speaking as she looks at her hands.
"What, what happened to my hands? Why do my fingers look this way?"
She reaches up and touches her lips and face with her fingers.
"What has happened to me?"
Haruka leans over and looks at Moe. What she sees causes her and the other girls to step back in shock.
"My god! It isn't a doll anymore! She's human!"
Granny Hina looks at Keitaro for many moments. She turns to Aoyama.
"His power is gone. He must have given everything to that doll. He is just a normal young man now."
Motoko spins him around and grips his shoulders.
"Beloved, no!"
He smiles at her. Seeing her concern, he concentrates and reopens their bond.
[Don't worry, I'm still here with you. I'd never let that part of my power go.]
[Kei-kun!]
Using her voice, she continues.
"This is what you were hiding from me. You were planning on relinquishing your power. But, why?"
He looks at Moe and reaches down to take the young girl's hand.
"She's been trapped in me for all these years. I knew that she was there, but we couldn't communicate. It must have been like a prison for her. I knew for certain that she was still there when you first attacked me. Moe saved my life by triggering my power that day, just like she saved me the first time my power got loose. This was my gift to her for saving my life."
Moe looks up at him.
"Because of your promise, I had to help you. Even though it would take years, I knew that you would keep your promise to me. I underestimated your power and was trapped, but it was not completely unpleasant. I could always sense you and knew that you were well. That was sufficient for me."
Moe turns to Motoko and smiles. She releases Keitaro's hand and runs over to wrap her arms around her waist."
"Okasan!"
The other women turn to Motoko.
"Mommy?"
After a moment Motoko smiles and returns her hug.
"Yes, I suppose so. My power and Urashima's were combined to bring you into being, so that makes us your parents."
Aoyama blushes and covers her cheeks. She looks sideways at Keitaro.
"How will I explain to my friends that my sixteen year old daughter and her husband have a ten year old child?"
Haruka pats Keitaro on the head.
"Your parents are gonna have a fit when they get here. How are you going to explain this?"
"I'll think of something."
While all the girls talk to and welcome Moe, Yohko and Keishi walk through the back door. Keitaro's mother waves and starts to runs towards him.
"Keitaro, there you are my darling!"
Keitaro turns to his parents.
"Oh boy."
Su jumps over and intercepts Yohko. She reaches out and shakes her hand.
"Ya look pretty young to have a ten year old granddaughter!"
Yohko follows Su's pointing finger in time to see Aoyama pick up and hug Moe. Keitaro shakes his head as his mother drops to her knees.
"Oh heck!"
Keishi looks from Keitaro to Motoko's mother and back, then smiles at him.
"You dirty little dog!"
Keitaro raises his hands and vigorously shakes his head.
"OH NO!"
End of Chapter Seven.
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Seven – The Spirit Inside
Author's Note: I am working on getting the next chapters finished for New Management, Peril, Relations, I My Oh Dear Me, Separation, Restoration, and Beautiful Dreamer. I hope to have them all ready by New Year's Eve. I will also upload the first chapter of Defeat. - Bugsy
Sunday Morning
Keitaro leads the others into the corridors underneath Hinata-sou. After a time, they reach a room with a small handwritten sign taped to it. The sign, in a child's script says, Moe. Keitaro opens the door and shines his flashlight towards the back of the room, stopping on a blanket-covered object.
"There it is, just where I remembered it."
He walks over and removes the blanket, revealing a mannequin exquisitely designed as a young, blond girl. Gently, he picks the doll up in his arms and carries it back up into the common room of the inn. He turns to Su and smiles at her.
"Do your best, and please be careful. I'll wait in the dining room for you to finish."
"Righty-oh! I'll have this thing fixed up quicker than you can say pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis. If ya can even say pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis!"
Motoko follows Keitaro to the dining room as the others work on the doll. She moves to the kitchen and returns with two glasses of tea. As she places one in front of Keitaro, she kisses his cheek.
"Beloved, your plan is fraught with hazards. Su is more likely to let her curiosity get the better of her and completely disassemble that mannequin. Even if she is successful, what you are asking of me is risky at the very least."
He sips his tea and then smiles at her.
"It'll be alright, don't worry."
She looks at him for a moment and then returns his smile.
"Your confidence is reassuring, and it pleases me. However, I can sense that you are attempting to hide something. Is there a danger that you perceive that you cannot tell me?"
Keitaro scratches his head.
"You know, it's going to be hard to buy presents for you! This bonding thing makes it difficult to plan a good surprise!"
Motoko touches his cheek.
"You should not be concerned. I will not use our bond to pry into your private thoughts. Knowing everything would take the pleasure out of learning of one another."
"We already know alot about each other."
She nods her head.
"That is true, yet in the future we will continue to discover things as we grow."
Keitaro leans over and kisses Motoko.
"I'm a little scared. It's still hard to believe that we, uh, that we will sleep together tonight."
Motoko blushes and takes his hand.
"I also am filled with trepidation. I am inexperienced in the . . . the arts of physical pleasure."
"Maybe we can rent a movie?"
She tilts her head.
"Why would we wish to view a cinema epic?"
Keitaro blushes and scratches his head again. Motoko quickly takes in a breath.
"Oh, that kind of movie!"
There is silence for a few seconds, which drags on to a few minutes. Motoko clears her throat.
"Do you think that we should ask Haruka-san what title we should acquire?"
Keitaro jumps up and holds out his hands.
"No way! I don't want everyone to know that I've never, uh, um, ah, did it! I'm already twenty years old for goodness sake! I don't want to be known as the 'virgin' pervert!"
A voice from the door causes them both to leap backwards.
"It would be a shame if you could not provide my sister with a memorable wedding night."
Motoko points a shaking finger at the woman.
"Tsuruko-san!"
Tsuruko runs over and embraces her younger sister. Tears flow from her eyes as she lifts Motoko off her feet.
"Praise the spirits! It saddened me deeply to wait in Kyoto and prepare your funeral! As soon as mother called with the news of your rescue, I came at once!"
"Tsuruko-san, thank you for coming! It has been a long time, and I truly missed you!"
Tsuruko releases Motoko and stands back to look at her.
"You have changed. Mother told me that she suspected something but could not provide any details."
She looks at Keitaro.
"So, you are Urashima Keitaro. My mother spoke of you often. Strange, I do not sense that you are as powerful as the Council feared. Perhaps you would not make a fitting mate for one such as Motoko-chan. I challenge you. If you can stand against me, I will allow you to wed my sister. If you fall to my skills, you will leave her."
"Wh-what? You mean that I have to fight you for your sister's hand in marriage? Isn't that a little out of date?"
A few minutes later, the three stand next to the hot spring. Keitaro is wearing a traditional kendo outfit.
"Why am I wearing this thing? Isn't this getting a bit out of hand?"
"Silence! You shall prove yourself worthy of Motoko-chan!"
Motoko tugs at her sister's sleeve.
"Uh, you really should not do this, Tsuruko-san. I will marry whom I choose."
"Silence!"
"Yes ma'am."
Motoko moves to the side. Tsuruko leaps into the air and launches her attack.
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! ONE HUNDRED BLOSSOMS STRIKE!"
Chi swirls around her blade and crashes through the air in a hundred glittering sparks. Keitaro calmly tosses his kendo stick aside and removes his face shield. The vortex slams into his raised hands and rebounds back towards Tsuruko. Twisting in mid-air, she flips over the swirling force and lands behind Keitaro.
"You are a novice to leave your back unguarded! Prepare to fall!"
She swings and her sword passes through the air where Keitaro stood.
"Wh-where did he go?"
Keitaro peeks out from behind Motoko.
"Can we stop now? I don't want to hurt you."
Motoko looks over her shoulder at him.
"Tsuruko-san will not stop until she is either victorious or defeated."
He steps out and scratches his head.
"Your family must have asked for second helpings of stubbornness. But if that's how she wants it, let's do this!"
He crouches down in a sprinter's stance and looks up at Tsuruko.
"Ready or not, here I come!"
As if shot from a cannon, Keitaro launches himself towards his opponent. A flurry of blows rain to either side of Tsuruko's head as she dodges his attack. Leaping backward, she puts some distance between them.
"You failed to connect. Obviously, you are not as fast as you believe."
Motoko waves her hands to get her sister's attention, and then points at her hair. Tsuruko raises her hand to her tresses. What she feels causes her eyes to widen.
"How, how did you manage to tie these ribbons in my hair? It is impossible that one could move with such speed and precision! However, I really like your choice of color."
Keitaro rubs the back of his head and bows to her.
"Pink looks good on you!"
From point-blank range, Tsuruko launches another attack.
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! SPIRIT RENDING SWORD!"
He looks at her and speaks.
"Not yet."
Keitaro deflects the blast of chi with the back of his hand, sending it sailing harmlessly into the sky. Tsuruko stares at him as he walks towards her.
"Th-that is impossible! Nothing of the physical plane should be able to alter the course of that attack! How could you attune your chi so precisely to counter my own?"
Motoko kneels down, grabs his kendo stick, and hurls it along the ground.
"Forgive me, my sister! There is but one way to satisfactorily end this challenge."
The spinning stick slips between Keitaro's legs, causing him to loose his footing. He tumbles forward and slams into Tsuruko, sending them both crashing to the ground. She rubs the back of her head and then opens her eyes. Keitaro speaks, his voice muffled by her breasts.
"Sorry about that. It was an accident, really!"
Blushing, she raises his head and looks into his eyes.
"You will do. I grant you permission to wed Motoko-chan."
She stands up and drags him towards the hot spring.
"But you still need instruction on how to make my sister happy on her wedding night!"
"WHAT?"
Motoko leaps into the water and grabs Keitaro's other hand. The two women tug him back and forth.
"Tsuruko-san! Release Urashima! He is to be mine, and I do not want him despoiled in any way!"
The older woman stops pulling him and then leaps on Keitaro, sending them both splashing into the water..
"Then, how about a welcome-to-the-family kiss for his new sister?"
"Tsuruko-san! What will your husband say?"
She smiles at her younger sister.
"Motoko-chan, I was just pulling his leg. I believe you two will be fine on your own tonight."
Keitaro spits out a stream of water and shakily raises a hand.
"Uh, ma'am, I think you're p-pulling something other than my l-leg!"
Tsuruko looks down through the water and wiggles her hand.
"Oh my!"
She jumps away and places her hands on her cheeks. Keitaro, blushing, stands up and quickly places his things back in order. Motoko stares at him and drops to her knees as her gi slips down off her shoulder.
"Spirits preserve me! It seems that I will, that I will have quite a lot to handle tonight after we are wed!"
As the two women help Keitaro out of the pool, Su jumps through the door.
"I'm a genius! That doll is fixed up as goody as new! But, who'd want to play with a doll that big anyways? Now, if it was like some kind of animal, say a turtle, that would be keen!"
Keitaro looks at Motoko and nods.
"I guess now is as good a time as any. Are you ready, Motoko-chan?"
"Yes, my love. But, I still have trepidations about this action."
Keitaro moves inside. A minute later, he carries the doll outside and gently lays it against one of the larger boulders next to the hot spring. All of the women stand behind Motoko as she faces Keitaro and the doll. He smiles at her and nods his head.
"I'm ready whenever you are."
Motoko closes her eyes and calms herself in preparation. Aoyama looks at her strangely as Haruka and Hina study Keitaro. As she raises her hand, Aoyama grabs her daughter's arm.
"Hold, Motoko-chan! What are you attempting to do?"
She smiles at her mother.
"I am attempting to help Urashima fulfill a promise from long ago."
Haruka walks over to Keitaro.
"You aren't planning to protect yourself, are you? You're going to let her hit you with everything she's got."
He nods his head.
"That's right. If I resist at all, this won't work."
"I don't understand. What are you trying to do?"
Keitaro scratches his head.
"I'd rather wait until this is finished. If it doesn't work, I don't know what to do. But, this is something that has to be done and I don't want to put it off any longer."
The women back off, sensing that they cannot stop what must happen. Motoko raises her hand again and looks at Keitaro.
"My love, you are still defending yourself. You must lower your chi."
"I know, but, I'm still a little scared."
Through their bond, he speaks.
[If this doesn't work right, you'll rip my soul out. I don't want to lose you.]
[Kei-kun, if I fail, you will not be alone for long, I promise.]
His warmth floods through their bond.
[Hey, don't do anything stupid if something goes wrong.]
[Kei-kun.]
[I love you, Motoko-chan.]
[I love you, my beloved.]
Keitaro closes his eyes and after a few seconds, Motoko completely loses any sense of him through their bond. He has completely reigned down his power, leaving himself as vulnerable as a normal person. Without hesitating, Motoko launches her attack.
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! SPIRIT RENDING STRIKE!"
Chi flows from her hand like a blade. The powerful blue force erupts and lances towards his chest. The smell of cherry blossoms fills the air as Keitaro and the doll are engulfed and thrown against the boulder. As the two figures slide to the ground, Motoko leaps over and catches Keitaro.
She cradles his head in her arms and waits for any sign from him. After a moment, his chest rises as he takes in a breath. Slowly, he opens his eyes and looks up at Motoko and smiles. Motoko adjusts his glasses and smiles at him.
"Beloved, are you injured in any way?"
He reaches a hand to her cheek and gently moves a stray lock of hair from her face.
"I feel like a truck just ran over me, but otherwise, I'm fine."
As the others gather around them, a soft voice calls out.
"Keitaro, are you okay? Where are you?"
Keitaro sits up and turns to the mannequin. The others stare in shock as it sits up and returns his gaze.
"Keitaro, is that you? You have grown so much."
"Moe-chan!"
He reaches out and helps her to her feet. She stares down at her legs.
"I, my legs, I am standing. I can walk!"
Moe hugs Keitaro. After a few seconds she leans back and continues to hold onto his wrists.
"Thank you! I knew that you would keep your promise! I knew that. . ."
Moe stops speaking as she looks at her hands.
"What, what happened to my hands? Why do my fingers look this way?"
She reaches up and touches her lips and face with her fingers.
"What has happened to me?"
Haruka leans over and looks at Moe. What she sees causes her and the other girls to step back in shock.
"My god! It isn't a doll anymore! She's human!"
Granny Hina looks at Keitaro for many moments. She turns to Aoyama.
"His power is gone. He must have given everything to that doll. He is just a normal young man now."
Motoko spins him around and grips his shoulders.
"Beloved, no!"
He smiles at her. Seeing her concern, he concentrates and reopens their bond.
[Don't worry, I'm still here with you. I'd never let that part of my power go.]
[Kei-kun!]
Using her voice, she continues.
"This is what you were hiding from me. You were planning on relinquishing your power. But, why?"
He looks at Moe and reaches down to take the young girl's hand.
"She's been trapped in me for all these years. I knew that she was there, but we couldn't communicate. It must have been like a prison for her. I knew for certain that she was still there when you first attacked me. Moe saved my life by triggering my power that day, just like she saved me the first time my power got loose. This was my gift to her for saving my life."
Moe looks up at him.
"Because of your promise, I had to help you. Even though it would take years, I knew that you would keep your promise to me. I underestimated your power and was trapped, but it was not completely unpleasant. I could always sense you and knew that you were well. That was sufficient for me."
Moe turns to Motoko and smiles. She releases Keitaro's hand and runs over to wrap her arms around her waist."
"Okasan!"
The other women turn to Motoko.
"Mommy?"
After a moment Motoko smiles and returns her hug.
"Yes, I suppose so. My power and Urashima's were combined to bring you into being, so that makes us your parents."
Aoyama blushes and covers her cheeks. She looks sideways at Keitaro.
"How will I explain to my friends that my sixteen year old daughter and her husband have a ten year old child?"
Haruka pats Keitaro on the head.
"Your parents are gonna have a fit when they get here. How are you going to explain this?"
"I'll think of something."
While all the girls talk to and welcome Moe, Yohko and Keishi walk through the back door. Keitaro's mother waves and starts to runs towards him.
"Keitaro, there you are my darling!"
Keitaro turns to his parents.
"Oh boy."
Su jumps over and intercepts Yohko. She reaches out and shakes her hand.
"Ya look pretty young to have a ten year old granddaughter!"
Yohko follows Su's pointing finger in time to see Aoyama pick up and hug Moe. Keitaro shakes his head as his mother drops to her knees.
"Oh heck!"
Keishi looks from Keitaro to Motoko's mother and back, then smiles at him.
"You dirty little dog!"
Keitaro raises his hands and vigorously shakes his head.
"OH NO!"
End of Chapter Seven.