AN: Hello again folks, once more I'd like to thank all the words of
encouragement. Since I have yet to receive any flames, I'll take that as a
sign that I haven't goofed in writing yet. ^_^
As I have said before, this fic will continue for a bit before I write a proper ending to it, but I will definetly take consideration into a sequel. (Which I wonder why people ask for one to this garbage I wrote...) But don't murder me just yet, as there's still more chapters to go.
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.
_______________________________________________________________________
Child of the Crimson Moon
Chapter 7: The yin and yang of the Urashimas
Eyes closed in meditation, the resident swordswoman of Hinata-Sou remained as still as a statue. But despite the tranquility provided in the early morning while everyone slept, a frown began to form on her calm face, before her eyes snapped open in annoyance.
"That does it! I'm going to settle this once and for all!" Motoko growled, and made her way towards Keitaro's room. Upon arriving, she knocked on the landlord's door until he emerged, blinking sleepily at her.
"Oh, is something wrong, Miss Aoyoma...?" Keitaro yawned.
"You will join me at the balcony in ten minutes." Motoko glared down at the landlord. "I require your assistance as a sparring partner."
Blinking sleepily again, Keitaro glanced back at a clock, which barely went past seven. "Erm... do I have a say in this...?" Seeing Motoko's eyes narrow, he sighed. "Alright, ten minutes it is..."
_______________________________________________________________________
Taking a drag from her cigarette, Haruka continued her daily routine of setting up the teashop for another day of business. As she was wiping down a table, she heard the tell-tale tingle of the door chimes, signaling the closed door being opened.
"Sorry, the shop won't be open for a few more minutes..." Haruka continued cleaning, not bothering to look at whoever opened the door.
"Pity, this is the only place I could ever find good green tea..."
Haruka instantly froze on the spot, then turned quickly to confirm the speaker's identity. Raising an eyebrow in amusement, she puffed out a cloud of smoke with a grin. "Well, this is certainly a surprise... Did Granny Hina send you here to check up on things?"
"Yes, but I also have my own reasons." The speaker replied calmly, seemingly without emotion. "Of course, it'd be helpful if you could point me to the person I'd like to speak to."
"Probably still asleep right now..." Haruka inclined her head towards Hinata-Sou's direction. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing you right now." She watched as the person nod to her before exiting quietly, then took a drag from her cigarette.
"Poor Keitaro, never a moment of peace for the boy..." Haruka sighed.
_______________________________________________________________________
At the dining room, the tenants have gathered for yet another great breakfast prepared by Shinobu. As the master chef began serving the dishes, she glanced around the table and frowned.
"That's odd, Motoko and Keitaro aren't here yet..." Shinobu mused. "They usually arrive early when it comes to breakfast."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you!" Mutsumi beamed with her ever present smile. "Motoko is actually sparring with Keitaro at the moment, they probably won't be joing us for breakfast today..."
The room suddenly became deathly quiet as the other four tenants exchanged looks of horror, before scrambling towards the balcony where Motoko usually practices, leaving their food untouched.
"Oh my, was it something I said?" Mutsumi blinked.
_______________________________________________________________________
The tenants arrived just as they watched a wave of energy sent Keitaro flying up into the air before crashing hard onto the balcony face first, causing the spectators to wince in sympathy for the seemingly immortal landlord.
Motoko, however, was infuriated beyond belief. Her mind flashed with the moment when she first met the landlord, where he smashed her bokken with no effort. 'Was that merely a moment of weakness on my part?' She thought. She then recalled during the Cheery Blossom Festival, where he had demonstrated his archery skills. 'Is he even a true warrior? Did I give him too much credit?!' She thought angrily.
"Get up, Urashima!" Motoko roared. "Why in the world aren't you swinging back?!"
Struggling to his feet, Keitaro managed a weak smile despite the bruises covering his body. "It's just a simple practice, right?" He then offered to shake hands with Motoko. "Beside, we're friends, no need to be formal with each other, right?" With a sharp crack, everyone winced as Motoko's bokken crunched into Keitaro's chin, sending him crashing to the balcony again.
"Hmph!" Motoko turned away, Her hands clenched in anger. "I'll never be friends with you, Urashima!"
"Something wrong with our family name, kendo woman?"
Turning in surprise, Motoko saw that there was another woman beside Kaolla tending to Keitaro's wounds, who stood up and faced the swordswoman calmly. Her long black hair was pulled back into a simple tail which fell to below her waist, with one single strand sticking up on top. She wore a simple yet tight fitting black business suit, which showed off her slim and athletic figure. Her dark eyes bore back into Motoko's with a focused hatred.
"I'm impressed..." The woman spoke calmly, her tone emotionless. "It must take a lot of courage for a student of the Shinmei-Ryu to attack an unarmed man..."
"You dare mock my school?!" Motoko growled, glaring at the newcomer.
"Of course not." The woman replied, then grinned. "I mock you."
The taunt was too much for the swordswoman to handle, and with a roar unleashed an energy wave towards the woman. As she finished the swing, she noticed with surprise that the woman now stood parallel with her, and a millisecond later a fist drove into Motoko's stomach with the force of a runaway train. Motoko collapsed onto one knee, clenching her stomach as she tried to recover from having the air knocked out of her.
"Kanako, stop!"
Turning, the woman's cold demeanor suddenly changed to one of joy as she ran to Keitaro, who was being helped up by Kaolla and Mutsumi. "Big brother! You're all right!" The woman smiled warmly and hugged him, making him wince slightly in pain.
"Big brother?!" All the tenants blinked, staring at the woman and Keitaro.
_______________________________________________________________________
Having brought Keitaro to his room to rest, the tenants gathered in the living room, eager to hear an explanation from the new arrival. After thanking Shinobu's hospitality and taking a sip of tea, she glanced at the group with a calm expression.
"My name is Kanako Urashima," The woman began with her seemingly emotionless voice. "And as many of you heard earlier, I am the younger sister to your landlord - Keitaro Urashima."
"Why don't you tell them what you do, niece?" Everyone turned to see Haruka joining the group, taking a drag from her cigarette as she sat down. "It would help everyone understand the reasons why you're here.
Nodding, Kanako reached out and snuffed out Haruka's cigarette before speaking, resulting in a glare from the teashop owner and shocked looks from the tenants. "I am the financial advisor and bookkeeper to Hinata- Sou," She exclaimed, "When Granny Hina decided to go on her vacation, I went with her to ensure her safety." She then raised a hand, making those who wanted to speak pause and wait. "And before anyone asks, Granny is doing fine, and says hi to everyone."
"Well that's good to hear..." Kitsune smiled, then raised an eyebrow. "But that still doesn't explain what brought you here today..."
"My apoligies, Miss Konno." Kanako smiled inwardly as she gave the tenants the 'Yes, I know everything about you' look. "Granny Hina has instructed me to assist my brother with the daily operations here at Hinata-Sou, so I shall be staying here for the next few months to insure everything runs smoothly before reporting back to her."
The tenants looked at each other with surprised looks, as Kanako excused herself to visit the injured landlord...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Good afternoon, Big brother." Kanako smiled as she knelt beside Keitaro's futon. "How are you feeling today?"
"Much better, getting to see you today..." Keitaro sat up with a groan, but smiled at her. "I haven't seen you for a couple years, how've you been?"
"I have been fine, thank you." Kanako smiled, then withdrew and envelope from her pocket. "A present, from Granny Hina."
Emptying the contents of the envelope, Keitaro glanced at the documents before looking back up at her. "She transfeered everything to my name...?" Seeing her nod, Keitaro sighed and set the papers aside. "Crazy old lady..." He muttered.
"Big brother, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure sis, what's up?"
Sighing, Kanako glanced at the landlord's battered body before speaking. "It would seem the Aoyoma woman poses a health detriment to you, brother..." She then narrowed her eyes. "I could remove her for you, if you wish..."
"No! Please don't..." Keitaro grabbed her hand and shook his head, making Kanako raise an eyebrow questioningly at her. "Whenever Motoko attacks me, it's always because I did or said something stupid... please, she did nothing wrong..."
Kanako stared into her brother's eyes, trying to determine his words. "Very well then..." She nodded after a moment of silence. "I will honor your decision, though I still do not approve of her attacks against you..."
_______________________________________________________________________
Outside Keitaro's room, Motoko heard the entire conversation between the two. She began walking back towards her room, her head hung in shame.
'Keitaro was stronger than me in every sense...' She thought to herself. 'He truly is an honorable person... I must find a way to apologize to him one of these days...'
_______________________________________________________________________
Stepping out of Keitaro's room, Kanako contemplated for a moment before walking silently to one of the rooms and knocked on its door. Seconds later the screen door slid open and the tenant blinked at her.
"Oh, come in Kanako, it's cold outside!"
"Thank you, Kaolla." Kanako nodded, and closed the door behind her. She then frowned at the appearance of the room, as it resembled a mad scientist's lab one would expect to see in some sci-fi film. Wires, beakers of chemicals, and computers were scattered everywhere. Smiling, the resident genius sat on her futon and huddled in a yellow sleeping kimono.
"So, what can I do for you?" Kaolla asked cheerfully, as Kanako watched her silently for awhile before speaking...
"Granny Hina predicted that you and my brother would fall in love..." Kanako began. "Personally, I believe he could've done better... But if he's truly happy, then I wish you two the best in your relationship." Kaolla smiled at the landlord's sister, but Kanako's eyes narrowed at her. "But, if you do anything to hurt my brother, I will guarantee you will live just long enough to regret it, understand?"
Gulping nervously and remembering her confrontation with Motoko, Kaolla merely nodded. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Kanako?"
"No, just making sure we see eye to eye." Kanako smiled and opened the door, then paused at the doorway. "Oh, another thing..." Kaolla looked up at her, and Kanako smiled slightly. "...Let your hair down more often, it looks better that way..." With that final comment, she closed the door, leaving the resident genius alone again.
'I've always been afraid it'd get caught in one of my machines...' Kaolla thought with a chuckle, then reached up and pulled out a blue ribbon hidden in her hair, causing her golden blond hair to cascade down to her lower back. 'But I suppose I can give it a shot...'
_______________________________________________________________________
Like? No like? Please review!
I personally enjoyed the cold and protective side of Kanako when it involves her brother, I still think my story isn't all that great, but thanks to all who do like it, and hope you enjoy. More coming soon!
As I have said before, this fic will continue for a bit before I write a proper ending to it, but I will definetly take consideration into a sequel. (Which I wonder why people ask for one to this garbage I wrote...) But don't murder me just yet, as there's still more chapters to go.
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.
_______________________________________________________________________
Child of the Crimson Moon
Chapter 7: The yin and yang of the Urashimas
Eyes closed in meditation, the resident swordswoman of Hinata-Sou remained as still as a statue. But despite the tranquility provided in the early morning while everyone slept, a frown began to form on her calm face, before her eyes snapped open in annoyance.
"That does it! I'm going to settle this once and for all!" Motoko growled, and made her way towards Keitaro's room. Upon arriving, she knocked on the landlord's door until he emerged, blinking sleepily at her.
"Oh, is something wrong, Miss Aoyoma...?" Keitaro yawned.
"You will join me at the balcony in ten minutes." Motoko glared down at the landlord. "I require your assistance as a sparring partner."
Blinking sleepily again, Keitaro glanced back at a clock, which barely went past seven. "Erm... do I have a say in this...?" Seeing Motoko's eyes narrow, he sighed. "Alright, ten minutes it is..."
_______________________________________________________________________
Taking a drag from her cigarette, Haruka continued her daily routine of setting up the teashop for another day of business. As she was wiping down a table, she heard the tell-tale tingle of the door chimes, signaling the closed door being opened.
"Sorry, the shop won't be open for a few more minutes..." Haruka continued cleaning, not bothering to look at whoever opened the door.
"Pity, this is the only place I could ever find good green tea..."
Haruka instantly froze on the spot, then turned quickly to confirm the speaker's identity. Raising an eyebrow in amusement, she puffed out a cloud of smoke with a grin. "Well, this is certainly a surprise... Did Granny Hina send you here to check up on things?"
"Yes, but I also have my own reasons." The speaker replied calmly, seemingly without emotion. "Of course, it'd be helpful if you could point me to the person I'd like to speak to."
"Probably still asleep right now..." Haruka inclined her head towards Hinata-Sou's direction. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing you right now." She watched as the person nod to her before exiting quietly, then took a drag from her cigarette.
"Poor Keitaro, never a moment of peace for the boy..." Haruka sighed.
_______________________________________________________________________
At the dining room, the tenants have gathered for yet another great breakfast prepared by Shinobu. As the master chef began serving the dishes, she glanced around the table and frowned.
"That's odd, Motoko and Keitaro aren't here yet..." Shinobu mused. "They usually arrive early when it comes to breakfast."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you!" Mutsumi beamed with her ever present smile. "Motoko is actually sparring with Keitaro at the moment, they probably won't be joing us for breakfast today..."
The room suddenly became deathly quiet as the other four tenants exchanged looks of horror, before scrambling towards the balcony where Motoko usually practices, leaving their food untouched.
"Oh my, was it something I said?" Mutsumi blinked.
_______________________________________________________________________
The tenants arrived just as they watched a wave of energy sent Keitaro flying up into the air before crashing hard onto the balcony face first, causing the spectators to wince in sympathy for the seemingly immortal landlord.
Motoko, however, was infuriated beyond belief. Her mind flashed with the moment when she first met the landlord, where he smashed her bokken with no effort. 'Was that merely a moment of weakness on my part?' She thought. She then recalled during the Cheery Blossom Festival, where he had demonstrated his archery skills. 'Is he even a true warrior? Did I give him too much credit?!' She thought angrily.
"Get up, Urashima!" Motoko roared. "Why in the world aren't you swinging back?!"
Struggling to his feet, Keitaro managed a weak smile despite the bruises covering his body. "It's just a simple practice, right?" He then offered to shake hands with Motoko. "Beside, we're friends, no need to be formal with each other, right?" With a sharp crack, everyone winced as Motoko's bokken crunched into Keitaro's chin, sending him crashing to the balcony again.
"Hmph!" Motoko turned away, Her hands clenched in anger. "I'll never be friends with you, Urashima!"
"Something wrong with our family name, kendo woman?"
Turning in surprise, Motoko saw that there was another woman beside Kaolla tending to Keitaro's wounds, who stood up and faced the swordswoman calmly. Her long black hair was pulled back into a simple tail which fell to below her waist, with one single strand sticking up on top. She wore a simple yet tight fitting black business suit, which showed off her slim and athletic figure. Her dark eyes bore back into Motoko's with a focused hatred.
"I'm impressed..." The woman spoke calmly, her tone emotionless. "It must take a lot of courage for a student of the Shinmei-Ryu to attack an unarmed man..."
"You dare mock my school?!" Motoko growled, glaring at the newcomer.
"Of course not." The woman replied, then grinned. "I mock you."
The taunt was too much for the swordswoman to handle, and with a roar unleashed an energy wave towards the woman. As she finished the swing, she noticed with surprise that the woman now stood parallel with her, and a millisecond later a fist drove into Motoko's stomach with the force of a runaway train. Motoko collapsed onto one knee, clenching her stomach as she tried to recover from having the air knocked out of her.
"Kanako, stop!"
Turning, the woman's cold demeanor suddenly changed to one of joy as she ran to Keitaro, who was being helped up by Kaolla and Mutsumi. "Big brother! You're all right!" The woman smiled warmly and hugged him, making him wince slightly in pain.
"Big brother?!" All the tenants blinked, staring at the woman and Keitaro.
_______________________________________________________________________
Having brought Keitaro to his room to rest, the tenants gathered in the living room, eager to hear an explanation from the new arrival. After thanking Shinobu's hospitality and taking a sip of tea, she glanced at the group with a calm expression.
"My name is Kanako Urashima," The woman began with her seemingly emotionless voice. "And as many of you heard earlier, I am the younger sister to your landlord - Keitaro Urashima."
"Why don't you tell them what you do, niece?" Everyone turned to see Haruka joining the group, taking a drag from her cigarette as she sat down. "It would help everyone understand the reasons why you're here.
Nodding, Kanako reached out and snuffed out Haruka's cigarette before speaking, resulting in a glare from the teashop owner and shocked looks from the tenants. "I am the financial advisor and bookkeeper to Hinata- Sou," She exclaimed, "When Granny Hina decided to go on her vacation, I went with her to ensure her safety." She then raised a hand, making those who wanted to speak pause and wait. "And before anyone asks, Granny is doing fine, and says hi to everyone."
"Well that's good to hear..." Kitsune smiled, then raised an eyebrow. "But that still doesn't explain what brought you here today..."
"My apoligies, Miss Konno." Kanako smiled inwardly as she gave the tenants the 'Yes, I know everything about you' look. "Granny Hina has instructed me to assist my brother with the daily operations here at Hinata-Sou, so I shall be staying here for the next few months to insure everything runs smoothly before reporting back to her."
The tenants looked at each other with surprised looks, as Kanako excused herself to visit the injured landlord...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Good afternoon, Big brother." Kanako smiled as she knelt beside Keitaro's futon. "How are you feeling today?"
"Much better, getting to see you today..." Keitaro sat up with a groan, but smiled at her. "I haven't seen you for a couple years, how've you been?"
"I have been fine, thank you." Kanako smiled, then withdrew and envelope from her pocket. "A present, from Granny Hina."
Emptying the contents of the envelope, Keitaro glanced at the documents before looking back up at her. "She transfeered everything to my name...?" Seeing her nod, Keitaro sighed and set the papers aside. "Crazy old lady..." He muttered.
"Big brother, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure sis, what's up?"
Sighing, Kanako glanced at the landlord's battered body before speaking. "It would seem the Aoyoma woman poses a health detriment to you, brother..." She then narrowed her eyes. "I could remove her for you, if you wish..."
"No! Please don't..." Keitaro grabbed her hand and shook his head, making Kanako raise an eyebrow questioningly at her. "Whenever Motoko attacks me, it's always because I did or said something stupid... please, she did nothing wrong..."
Kanako stared into her brother's eyes, trying to determine his words. "Very well then..." She nodded after a moment of silence. "I will honor your decision, though I still do not approve of her attacks against you..."
_______________________________________________________________________
Outside Keitaro's room, Motoko heard the entire conversation between the two. She began walking back towards her room, her head hung in shame.
'Keitaro was stronger than me in every sense...' She thought to herself. 'He truly is an honorable person... I must find a way to apologize to him one of these days...'
_______________________________________________________________________
Stepping out of Keitaro's room, Kanako contemplated for a moment before walking silently to one of the rooms and knocked on its door. Seconds later the screen door slid open and the tenant blinked at her.
"Oh, come in Kanako, it's cold outside!"
"Thank you, Kaolla." Kanako nodded, and closed the door behind her. She then frowned at the appearance of the room, as it resembled a mad scientist's lab one would expect to see in some sci-fi film. Wires, beakers of chemicals, and computers were scattered everywhere. Smiling, the resident genius sat on her futon and huddled in a yellow sleeping kimono.
"So, what can I do for you?" Kaolla asked cheerfully, as Kanako watched her silently for awhile before speaking...
"Granny Hina predicted that you and my brother would fall in love..." Kanako began. "Personally, I believe he could've done better... But if he's truly happy, then I wish you two the best in your relationship." Kaolla smiled at the landlord's sister, but Kanako's eyes narrowed at her. "But, if you do anything to hurt my brother, I will guarantee you will live just long enough to regret it, understand?"
Gulping nervously and remembering her confrontation with Motoko, Kaolla merely nodded. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Kanako?"
"No, just making sure we see eye to eye." Kanako smiled and opened the door, then paused at the doorway. "Oh, another thing..." Kaolla looked up at her, and Kanako smiled slightly. "...Let your hair down more often, it looks better that way..." With that final comment, she closed the door, leaving the resident genius alone again.
'I've always been afraid it'd get caught in one of my machines...' Kaolla thought with a chuckle, then reached up and pulled out a blue ribbon hidden in her hair, causing her golden blond hair to cascade down to her lower back. 'But I suppose I can give it a shot...'
_______________________________________________________________________
Like? No like? Please review!
I personally enjoyed the cold and protective side of Kanako when it involves her brother, I still think my story isn't all that great, but thanks to all who do like it, and hope you enjoy. More coming soon!