A/N: Hi everybody. I just want to take a moment to say hello to anyone kind enough to read this fic. Anyway, I'm not new to fanfics, but I am new to writing them, so please keep that in mind. I would appreciate reviews, even criticisms, as long as they're constructive. That being said, please enjoy my first ever fanfic. Now for all the legal stuff.
Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina. I wish that I did, but fate has given that honor to the good sir Ken Akamatsu.
Love Hina: Healing Hearts
Chapter One: Guardian
The Hinata-sou was quiet for the moment. Naru and Keitaro had gone of to do research over at the Toudai library. Motoko was away at one of her many training retreats. Su was at some kind of after school club, something involving mecha or computers no doubt. Sara was off in Molmol with Seta and Haruka somewhere having a grand adventure. Kitsune had said something about going to the racetrack, but no one really knew for certain where she was at the moment. After receiving a letter from her mother, Mutsumi had headed back home to Okinawa.
Shinobu sighed deeply as she watched the setting sun from atop the roof by herself. It had been nearly a month since their adventure in Su's home country of Molmol. An adventure, that in the recesses of Shinobu's mind lay the fantasy that it should have ended with her and Keitaro returning to Hinata-sou as a couple. She blushed at the thought as it rose unbidden. She pulled her knees to her chest and allowed another deep sigh to escape her. "It's not fair." She murmured sadly. "I know I did the right thing in sending Keitaro back to Naru, but it hurts so much." The wind gusted past her and blew her hair across her face. Shinobu wondered if she shivered from the chill of the breeze, or the emptiness in her heart. Either way, it was time to head inside.
She headed down to the kitchen to begin the dinner preparations. While she contemplated the menu she would serve tonight in her mind she glanced over to the door to Keitaro's room. She hurried on quickly as she felt a familiar ache rise in her heart. She arrived in the kitchen a moment later and assembled her ingredients. As she began to cut her vegetables into more manageable pieces, she allowed her thoughts to wander.
Upon returning to Hinata-sou, Keitaro had given Naru an official proposal and engagement ring. Shinobu, along with the others, had given their full support and best wishes to the couple. Secretly however Shinobu wished that she were the one with the small gold band on her finger. Then Naru had moved into Keitaro's room. It wasn't that that was such a big deal, the rooms were already connected via the hole in Keitaro's ceiling, but it seemed that that was what finally made it sink in for Shinobu. Every night, Naru got to fall asleep in Keitaro's arms.
Shinobu cried out in pain and surprise as she cut her finger. She quickly ran to the sink to wash the cut and then to the bathroom where the first aid kit and band-aids were stored. After returning to the kitchen, she surveyed her ingredients once again. She muttered small series of insults to herself as she realized that she was missing a few. She glanced quickly at the clock. The others would be home in a little over an hour or so, if she hurried she could get to the market and back and have dinner started before the others returned. Quickly grabbing her coat and her purse, she made her way into town.
She walked quickly down the streets of Hinata, eager to return home quickly and to get out of the chilly fall weather. She glanced her surroundings and realized that there was a short cut just up ahead she could take through and alley. She quickened her pace and headed in that direction. She was halfway through the alley when she realized what was happening.
"My my my. Look what we have here." A tall boy stepped from the shadows. "Have you gotten lost little girl?"
Shinobu gasped as three more figures began to appear behind him. She turned quickly and tried to run back the way she came. To her dismay she found the way blocked by another group. She looked back and forth quickly between the two groups, terror in her eyes.
"Now that's not very nice." Said the boy as he stepped from the shadows. "I go and as you a question and you run away." He shook his head in disapproval. "That's not good manners."
Shinobu felt her blood turn to ice water as the boy stepped forward. It wasn't his face that caused the reaction, but the emblem on his jacket. She had seen it on the news a few weeks ago. A woman had been savagely raped and beaten by a gang who had reportedly worn the same symbol. Shinobu looked around at the eleven lewd smiles that surrounded her and instinctively knew that this was the same group. She prayed silently to every deity she had ever heard of to help her, if not that, than to at least make her death quick and painless. At that exact moment a loud clang rang out from the end of the alley causing everyone to turn towards the sound.
A lone figure stood at the entrance to the alley. The figure was dressed all in black, but other than that nothing more could be said, for the full-length trench coat and long hood hid everything that might have distinguished it. The figure raised a hand and pointed to gang leader, then to Shinobu, and then to the entrance.
The gang leader stepped forward. "You want me to let her go?"
The figure nodded.
The boy laughed, a cold and hollow sound. "Well, get lost you gothic freak. We got her first, and I don't share with anyone outside my gang."
The figure pointed to Shinobu and then the entrance once again.
The boy laughed again. "You bore me. Leave now, and spare yourself the embarrassment."
The figure seemed to tilt its head to the side for a moment, and then began to calmly walk forward.
An evil smile spread across the gang leaders face. "You want to fight or something? Fine." He raised a hand to his buddies. "He's all yours guys!"
Shinobu watched in horror as the ten men moved toward the figure in black. She also saw that her path was clear to run away, and tried to make a break for it. However, the gang leader caught her and easily overpowered her, forcing her to watch the carnage that was about to unfold.
The first gang member rushed forward and threw a punch at the figure's cowled head. A punch that was caught single handedly, and squeezed.
Even from nearly fifteen feet away Shinobu could hear the crunching of bones and the popping of ligaments. She watched as the man fell to the ground cradling his mangled hand, before passing out from the pain.
The next man fared no better. His punch was caught as well, but he was pulled forward and walked into a counter punch that dropped him to the ground in a heap. The next didn't even have a chance to attack as a black combat boot covered foot connected with his chin sending spit, blood and teeth flying from his mouth before loosing consciousness. The remaining fighters paused now, uncertain if they wished to challenge their mystery opponent.
The figure raised his hand to point to Shinobu yet again.
"What the hell are you guys staring at?" demanded the leader. "Kill the son of a bitch!"
The next two men attacked in unison hoping that numbers would give them they advantage they needed. Both men were on the floor in a moment's time, one with a broken nose the second with a dislocated shoulder. The five remaining men attacked as one, rushing the lone assailant together. Seeming to expect this move, the figure performed a spin movement, causing the tails of his trench coat to whip out quickly, catching all five men at the knees. The gang members fell to the street writhing in agony as multiple popping noises were heard. With no one left the figure turned his sight on the leader.
Sensing that there was no chance of escape by running now, the leader pulled a small knife from his belt loop and pressed the blade against Shinobu's throat. "I don't know who the hell you are, but your not going to stop me! I'm leaving, with the girl, and you are going to stay right there!"
The figure raised his black gloved hand one more time, but rather than point, it wagged it's finger. As if to say "no".
The leader tightened the blade against Shinobu's skin.
The black clad fighter spun once again.
The leader screamed in pain as his arm fell to his side. He looked at his shoulder to see a shinobi-style throwing star firmly lodged into his flesh. "I can't move my arm! What have you done to me!?"
Seizing the opportunity Shinobu ran from the man's grasp and hid behind her mysterious savior. She was surprised to see that it was much taller than she was. She looked back at the gang leader. He was on the ground seemingly having trouble moving.
The black clad figure then turned to face Shinobu.
Terror once again filled Shinobu's being. This…person, had just saved her, but she now wondered if she hadn't jumped from the frying pan into the fire. She mental berated herself for not running when she had the chance. Her body stiffened instinctively as a gloved hand reached out to her and lifted her head. Wracked with fear, she could only comply with the action.
It released her after only a second, and reached beneath its hood. When the hand reemerged it held a black bandana, which was then folded, and pressed lightly against Shinobu's neck. It then nodded to her.
Shinobu looked down to see a small line of blood on the cloth. She had not even realized that she had been cut! She took the small cloth and resumed pressure on the cut. The figure nodded to her, and turned to walk away. Despite her fear, Shinobu could not simply let this person walk away, and called out to him. "Wait!"
She circled around him and blocked his path. "Who are you? Why did you help me?" She looked up into shadows of the hood, and though she could see nothing, she could feel her gaze being returned. "No." she thought. "My gaze isn't being returned, he's looking through me. I can practically feel him gazing into my soul." She startled herself when she referred to person before her as 'him'. She had no way to prove that a man was beneath that hood, but she had a feeling she could not ignore.
At last the man spoke. "No one has asked my name before."
Shinobu gasped as his deep and almost hypnotic voice broke the tense silence between them. "I…I can't thank you properly if I do not know your name." She managed to stammer.
The man nodded. "Very well. I am Noman."
A puzzled look crossed Shinobu's face. "I…I suppose you won't tell me your real name, will you?" It was more of a statement than a question, but she felt it had to be asked.
The man shook his head.
Shinobu nodded, a little sadly. "I didn't think so." She bowed deeply. "Thank you very much for saving my life Noman."
Noman returned the bow with a small bow of his own. He reached into his pocket and pulled a small item from it, which he then handed to Shinobu.
The young girl looked down at the cell phone that was now in her hands. She looked up at him questioning him silently.
"Call the police." Noman instructed. "I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with these scum any longer." He stepped past her and began to walk away. "Tell the police what happened here, have your wound checked, and go home."
"Wait! You still didn't tell me why you risked your self to help me!" Shinobu called out to him.
Noman did not stop or turn around. "The prayers of pure souls should not go unanswered. Even if it is only one as unworthy as I to respond." With that he disappeared into the shadows of the alley.
Left alone with her one-time attackers, Shinobu did the only thing she could. She called the police and awaited their arrival.