A/N: Yay! Someone actually cared enough to leave a review! I would like to see a few more though. So if you read this, please leave something, be it good or bad. Anyway, on with the story.

Love Hina: Healing Hearts

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, but I wish I did. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu, TV Tokyo, and a bunch of other people. But I'm not one of them.

Chapter Two: New Friends, New Enemies.

"Is he the one?" The first man asked.

The room was dark but for a single set of candles to each side of the chair the man sat upon. Even with the candles so close, they could cast enough light on the man's face, and he remained hidden in the shadows.

The second man was a few feet away bent down on the ground on one knee, also hidden in shadows. "I am not certain, My Lord."

"It is a simple question, why is it you cannot answer?" the first asked again.

The second man did not move. "The reports are too vague, he hides himself to well. It may well be him, but we cannot be certain." He paused a moment, weighing if he should speak further or not. "There may be a way of verifying if it was him or not."

"Go on." Ordered the first.

"The last report said he talked with the one he saved, that differs from his pattern, he may have a connection to her."

The first man nodded. "Watch her for a time, if he shows himself, you know what to do."

The second man nodded his bowed head. "As you command, My Lord." He rose and left first man by himself.

A moment later a third man appeared from the shadows. "If it truly is him, will he be able to do what is needed?"

"Of course not." Replied the first. "But he is the weakest of us, so he will be the hardest to detect. And if he happens to be lost to us, it is of little consequence." He rose from his chair. "In the mean time, the rest of you will prepare for the strike on our target in Kyoto."

***

Shinobu stood off to the side of the roof deck hanging the laundry. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Motoko as she trained. "I should ask her?" Shinobu whispered to herself. It had been almost two weeks since she had been attacked in the alley. Although she put up a brave front for the others, there were times that she was scared to go into town on her own. Whenever she had had to go shopping she asked Keitaro or one of the girls to accompany her, but that was making her feel childish, and she hated that feeling almost as much as she hated feeling helpless. So she had decided to try and change those feelings. "Motoko?"

The older girl turned and lowered her sword. "What is it Shinobu?"

Shinobu fiddled her hands in front of her. "I was wondering…I know I can't be as strong as you, but…do you think you could train me a little bit? Just for self-defense?"

Motoko smiled. "Of course, I would be happy to train you. Shall we begin tomorrow?"

Shinobu nodded enthusiastically. "Hai! Arigato!"

***

Keitaro descended the second floor stairs to reach the front door. "I'm coming! I'm coming! One moment!" He opened the door quickly, expecting to see a deliveryman or another police officer for Shinobu, instead a young girl greeted him.

"Hi there. Do you have any rooms for rent?" the girl asked.

"Umm, yeah. Come on in." Keitaro replied still slightly taken aback. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. The girl looked to be about eleven years old, though tall for her age. Her straight jet-black hair was tied into a single ponytail and fell to her mid-back. Her emerald green eyes stood out in stark contrast to her pale skin. She was dressed casually in an oversized green tee shirt with the words "Make 7" on the front, baggy jean shorts, and a faded blue denim baseball cap. He wondered briefly what "Make 7" meant. "So, what's your name?"

"Oh, right, sorry. I'm Hotaru, and you are?" the girl replied.

Keitaro introduced himself and was about to show her around the apartments when there was another knock at the door. He opened the door again to reveal a boy carrying a series of suitcases. "Umm, hi. Who are you?"

The nodded his head towards the girl. "The slave labor."

"Onii-chan! You're so slow!" Hotaru teased playfully.

Keitaro did a double take between Hotaru and the new boy.  The boy was nearly the same height Keitaro was, but looked younger. Although Hotaru had called him her brother, Keitaro couldn't see how that was possible. His skin was much darker than Hotaru's, a very deep bronze. He had blonde hair that was spiked high and straight up. It was only the presence of identical emerald green eyes that gave any hint of their relation. Although he was tall and thin, he was also quite muscular, that much was clearly visible despite his attempt to hide it with the baggy jeans and black leather jacket.

"I wouldn't have been so slow if you hadn't packed so much stuff you little twerp." The boy teased back. He turned to Keitaro. "Name's Ken. Now, please tell me you have a room available so I can stop carrying this stuff all over the city."

"Yeah come on in and we'll talk." Keitaro introduced himself and lead them inside to begin a quick tour of the dorm. He decided to show them the big selling point first, the open-air bath. "This way." He opened the door to the hot spring.

"Keitaro!" Naru yelled angrily as she sent the landlord flying with her patented punch.

"You pervert!" Screamed Motoko as she attacked Ken with her katana.

Hotaru watched in a mixture of amazement and fear as the two males were sent flying to the end of the hallway in a fraction of a second. "Holy…"

The other girls made their way over from the back of the bath where they had remained out of sight. They stood over the two unconscious boys. They knew that Keitaro would survive, but they realized that they might have just killed the other boy.

Su leaned in closer to Ken, staring intently at his face. "Hey! I know him!"

***

Ken opened his eyes to see an unfamiliar room, a moment later his view was replaced with an unfamiliar face.

"Oh good, you're awake." Shinobu smiled cheerfully for a moment before she became more serious. "How are you feeling?"

Ken sat up with a loud groan. "Like I was run over by a Mack truck. What the hell happened?"

Shinobu laughed nervously. "Motoko is very, how can I say this, defensive against men she doesn't know. When you walked in on us in the bath she…"

Ken gave a half-smile as he saw Shinobu having difficulty finishing the sentence. "Kicked the snot out of me?"

Shinobu laughed lightly. "Yes, I suppose so."

They introduced themselves to one another, and Ken slowly rose to his feet. "Well, I suppose I should find Keitaro and finish the rent contract stuff. Then be on my way before I need hospitalization."

For a moment Shinobu was worried that Ken was hurt more than he let on, then she saw the playful smile in his eyes. He was joking with her. She realized that she must still have a look of concern on her face and he was trying to make her feel better. It worked. "I think he's down in the living room. I'll show you the way."

The two teenagers entered the living room together and Ken took a quick survey of the occupants, making special note to stay far away from the crazy girl in the kendo uniform.

"Kenji!" Su cried out as she booted him in the face.

Ken promptly went flying across the room for the second time that day. "Ouch…"

Su laughed nervously. "Sorry. I was just so excited to see you again."

Ken groaned and sat up. "It's alright. How you been Su?"

Naru looked back and forth between the two tanned individuals. "You know each other?"

Su nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, we met at my palace in Molmol a few weeks ago. He was helping Seta and his crew get the excavation permits for the Toudai Ruins." She turned to Ken. "I still want to know how you convinced my dad to grant the permits though Kenji."

Ken smiled. "Ask him about it some time. And its just Ken."

"But he won't tell me!" Su cried unhappily. "Please tell me!"

"No can do I'm afraid." Ken stood and mussed the girl's hair. "That'll have to wait for another day." He turned to face Keitaro. "I was skeptical about leaving my sister in a dorm run by a guy, but Seta always spoke highly of you and it's clear that the tenants here are capable of keeping you in line, so I guess I can trust you to look out for Hotaru while I'm away."

"Thanks…I think." Replied Keitaro wondering if he had been complimented or insulted.

Ken nodded and smiled. "Right, so show me a price and a contract, and I'll get out of here."

"What's the big rush?" asked Kitsune. "You got somewhere else you'd rather be?"

Ken shook his head. "No, I just don't like the death glares I'm getting from your resident ninja chick over there." He nodded towards Motoko.

"What did you call me?!" Screamed Motoko as she rushed towards him with an unsheathed sword.

Matt easily dodged the attack and jumped over her. "Oh come on! It was a joke! Ole! By the way." He landed on the other side of her, just out of striking distance.

Keitaro quickly put himself between the two antagonists. "Anyway! Ken, you come with me and we'll get you on your way." Keitaro grabbed the other boy by the shoulder and dragged him from the room. Hotaru followed behind them quickly.

"Well that was certainly interesting." Kitsune mused aloud.

Motoko grit her teeth. "How dare he! I will teach him not to mock me."

"Motoko, please calm down." Urged Shinobu. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it."

Motoko however didn't hear these words, as she was already in pursuit of Ken.

***

Hotaru watched as her brother signed the rent agreement. "Are you sure I can't come with you?"

Ken placed a hand on her head and mussed her hair a bit. "Sorry kid, but the answer is still no."

"But why?" she pressed on.

Ken smiled, although there was a hint of sadness in it. "That's just the way that things are. Don't look so down, I'll visit when I can."

"Ken?" Keitaro interrupted. "You didn't leave an address where I can reach you if needed."

Ken nodded. "Yeah, I'm kind of between places at the moment. Just call my cell phone if something comes up."

Keitaro gave Ken a confused look. "Between places? Where are you staying?"

Ken shrugged and stood up. "Nowhere in particular. I was more concerned in finding a place for Hotaru than my own lodgings. I got to get going." He leaned down to give his sister a kiss on the forehead and turned towards the door.

Keitaro glanced over at Hotaru, a worried expression on her face. "Why not stay here?" suggested Keitaro. As he had expected Hotaru's face brightened considerably at the thought.

Ken turned back for a moment. "Tempting, but no. Another guy in a girls' dorm just seems too weird. Besides, I doubt the other tenants would appreciate that fact either. Especially, that black haired girl out there."

"Motoko's just a little nervous around new people, well, guys in any case." Keitaro replied. "And we can ask the others. You already know Su, and I don't think the others would mind at all."

Suddenly the door to Keitaro's room flew wide open, revealing a very angry looking Motoko. "Well I certainly do! I don't want this peeping tom living in the dorm!"

Ken pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "See? I told you."

Keitaro rose to his feet. "Come on Motoko. You heard him I bet, he has no where to go."

Ken gave him a blank stare. "I said nowhere in particular, not that I had nowhere at all."

Hotaru rushed over to where Motoko stood. "Please let onii-chan stay! Just tell me what it will take to convince you. Anything at all."

"Hotaru?" Ken stepped forward.

"Please onii-chan? I want you to stay." The young girl looked close to tears.

Ken sighed and nodded, he couldn't stand to see his sister cry. "Alright." He turned to Motoko. "So, what do you say?"

Motoko was surprised by the almost frantic determination in the young girl's voice. She locked eyes with Ken. His eyes were strong and revealed nothing but the simple wish to keep his sister from crying. "Very well. Best me in combat and you may stay, but if you lose you must leave immediately."

Ken nodded. "Right, figured it would be along those lines. Lead the way lady."

Motoko clenched her teeth and tightened her grip on her katana. She stormed out of the room.

Ken raised an amused eyebrow and followed her.

Hotaru and Keitaro exchanged nervous glances for a moment before rushing after them.