A/N: (riderofdragons peaks out from his hiding place in author space) Please don't shoot me! I didn't mean to be so long in updating! For the first time in damn near forever I got to have a social life, even if it is a small one, and it kind of invaded writing time. I'm sure there's a rule somewhere that says authors can't have social lives unless they're between stories so as not to leave their readers hanging, I'll try not to break it again. Now on to other matters.
As always thanks to all who read and review, new and old alike.
To Asskicker2004: Thanks for the review, but I'm a tad confused. Were you yelling at me or kendogirl15? :-)
To BuntaWRX: Thank you for yelling at KG15! :-)
To walkswithwraiths: I thought you'd be proud of my being evil! You always tell me I'm too nice for my own good! BTW, I think your going to end up getting your Kanako themed fic when I finish this one as the ideas are beginning to make my brain hurt.
And now for the message I know I will regret later, but has been stuck in my head since I thought of it.
To kendogirl15: I can't help but wonder. Seeing as you're kendogirl15, why does you're review say you're the king of disses? Last time I checked, the king was usually a guy. So my question is: Are you one or the other, or perhaps somewhere in the middle? Like I said, I can't help but wonder.
Alrighty then! Moving on! Enjoy everyone!
Love Hina: Healing Hearts
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters. Love Hina is Ken Akamatsu's.
Chapter Sixteen: The Storm Part 2
Ken and Keitaro exchanged glances, and nodded.
It was time.
Ken rushed forward and landed a strong right cross punch to Amaya's face, dropping her to the floor.
Keitaro followed up with a kick that sent Amaya up through the roof as though she were a playground kickball rather than a person.
Keitaro and Ken leapt up through the hole in the roof after their target.
Amaya landed hard on the roof, but managed to roll to her feet. She rubbed her face and felt the wet, sticky, texture of her blood. "You will pay for that!"
Ken landed a few meters away. "Whatever. Leave now and I'll pretend that I never saw you."
Amaya licked her lips and swallowed her own blood.
Keitaro cringed as he landed. "Oh, now that was totally uncalled for! That was just plain nasty."
Amaya smiled. "I'm not leaving until I get what I came for."
"Then I hope you came for a beating, because that's all you are going to get." Ken flicked his hands and two shinobi throwing stars dropped into his palms. "Let's go water demon."
Amaya spun her staff, it's chain whipping around her like it's namesake. "The only beating that will happen here is your own." She changed the movement of her staff and the crescent blade shot forward at Ken.
Ken smacked the blade away with blades palmed in his hand, and smiled.
Keitaro ducked and weaved through the coiling chains and hit Amaya hard in the stomach.
Amaya fell to the ground in a heap and didn't move.
Keitaro breathed a sigh of relief. "The way you were talking Ken, I thought we'd be in more troub…" Keitaro's statement trailed off into a scream as a water-like tendril of ki wrapped about his legs and threw him across the roof.
Ken caught the flying landlord and looked up as Amaya rose on a tower of water ki, her eyes glowing ice blue. "We are in trouble." He threw his shinobi stars and both shattered against a barrier of supper-compressed steam. "In fact, in the words of Bender, we're boned."
---
The ring of metal on metal sounded as Hotaru and Sora locked weapons.
"You are strong for your age." Sora grinned.
Hotaru threw her opponent back and attack again. "Whatever. I'm going to make you pay for taking advantage of everyone here." She glanced to the side to see Sarah, Moriko and Haruka triple teaming Saburo. Seta took to the roof to help deal with Amaya. That left Kanako, Su, Kitsune, and Nyamo to protect Shinobu. But where in the hell was Naru? In Hotaru's mind, those four should be enough for the job, but she really didn't know about these enemies. She should just take Sora out of the picture as quickly as possible and help out with the others.
Sora dodged the attack and brought Kunpuu down towards Hotaru's skull.
The black form of the Hina Blade darted out and stopped the blow from reaching its target. Motoko forced the staff backwards and press forward with her own attack.
"What are you doing?!" Hotaru demanded as dashed back to the forefront of the duel. "I said this one is mine! I'm taking her down alone!"
Sora laughed. "You're not that strong, little girl." She spun her staff and caught Hotaru in the ribs. "But you're welcome to try."
Hotaru stumbled, but maintained her attack, and sliced Sora's arm. "I'm just getting started."
Sora grabbed at her arm as the thick leather sleeve of her coat fell to the ground. A line of blood raced down her arm and puddled in the lump of leather now on the floor. Her eyes narrowed on the younger girl. "Now you've pissed me off." He rushed forward and rammed her staff into Hotaru's belly. "Although I will give you some credit before I kill you." Sora lifted the younger girl on her staff high into the air. "You're the second person in all my battles to ever draw my blood." Sora brought her staff crashing down and threw the younger girl across the room.
Hotaru reacted with a mixture of instinct and training. She reached out and caught her opponent's jacket collar with the hilt of her right blade. At the same moment she used just enough of her chi to right herself in midair, and landed on her feet just behind Sora. She then tapped her ki and hurled the silver haired fighter into the far wall.
Sora summoned her chi and a whirlwind of energy caught her just before she impacted with the wall. She dropped to the floor and looked at her opponent in a new light.
Hotaru smirked. "What was that about killing me? Onii-chan may be a goof off at times, but he's taught me well. It's going to take a lot more than what you have to finish me off."
Sora smirked. "Not to steal you're little phrase but, I'm just getting started as well." She spun her staff quickly in Hotaru's direction, creating an even larger whirlwind than the one she had created a moment earlier. She smiled as the young girl attempted to stand her ground against her raging winds. "You will die at Kunpuu's winds as countless others have fallen!"
Hotaru fell victim to the winds that battered her body and sent her flying back. Yet when she collided with into something, it didn't hurt as bad as she thought it would. She looked up to see Motoko helping to hold her in place.
"I can understand your need to fight alone." Motoko nodded toward Sora. "But this is my fight as well, and this is no time for bravado. Let me help you."
For a moment Hotaru nearly refused her, but then smiled and nodded. "The warrior is strongest when his body is one." She murmured.
Motoko blinked in confusion. "Nani?"
Hotaru shook her head. "Something onii-chan taught me." She braced herself against the winds and brought her short swords to bear. "Just be ready to move when I give you an opening." Hotaru began to spin her weapons in opposing directions, resulting in small sparks each time that the blades connected. "I haven't done this in actual combat yet, but Hikari and Enten have never let me down before."
Motoko looked on nervously, waiting for her chance to strike. "What exactly are you going to do?"
Hotaru smiled. "Sora isn't the only one who can create storms, but mine are a lot more dangerous." Her ki and chi began to twine about her swords, heating them to a red-hot glow. Hotaru's smile grew as tornado of flames erupted from her position and overpowered Sora's winds. "Winds fan and feed the fires, a firestorm is far deadlier than an ordinary windstorm Sora!"
Sora was thrown back as the fiery attack hit her. She looked up just in time to see Motoko descending upon her.
Motoko brought her sword down and her ki went crashing into her opponent. "Evil Cutting Blade Second Form!" The blast hit the younger girl full in the chest forcing her further back. The resulting explosion caused the roof to fall and bury the silver haired girl.
Hotaru walked up next to Motoko looking down at the wreckage where Sora had just lain. "Nice work, let's go help the others." The girls turned and began to walk away. Suddenly, the debris that had been covering Sora exploded out. Hotaru and Motoko dropped into defensive stances and swatted the debris away with their swords.
As the debris settled, Sora rose from the ashes left by Hotaru's unexpected attack. The remains of her burnt and tattered trench coat fell to the ground as the winds she generated carried her off the ground. She wiped the blood from her brow and spit the blood from her mouth. She glared at the two young women. "You want to play rough? I can do that too."
Motoko swallowed hard. "I think we're in trouble."
Hotaru looked at her dumbfounded. "You think?!" She pushed Motoko out of the way as Sora literally flew forward on her winds to attack them.
The two element-wielding fighters crashed through the neighboring wall. That was the last thing Motoko saw as the world went black.
---
Sarah ducked beneath the swirling attack of Saburo's nunchaku and hit him again in the stomach. "So you're a big, bad, avatar?" Sarah laughed as she dodged another electric attack. "I was expecting so much more from you, but you're not even remotely challenging."
Saburo grunted as Moriko kicked him in his side. "Big talk when you have three on one!"
Haruka landed a strong left cross punch to Saburo's jaw making his head spin. "Sorry, we know the histories as well. We're not going to allow you the chance to do as your ancestors did."
Sarah slid beneath the Avatar's guard and hit him again in the stomach. As her target doubled over in pain she brought her knee up into his nose. "If I had know you'd be this easy, I'd have got to help with the water woman. At least she put up a fight."
Saburo allowed his ki and chi to buy him some time. Electricity exploded out of his body with the force of a localized warhead, and sent his opponents rocketing away from him. He smiled as he listened to his targets screaming in pain as their muscles contorted under the electrical overload. He knew he wasn't as strong as his siblings, yet, but he was certainly capable of standing against these people on his own. He made his way back to the first room he had been in where his original target should still be waiting. "It's time to go now little girl."
Kanako pushed Shinobu into the secret passage behind Su. "Kitsune! Nyamo! Go with them, while I deal with this little kid." She watched as her two friends entered the passage and disappeared from sight.
Saburo watched as well. "You know that will only by them a few minutes at most. Why even bother?"
Kanako assumed an offensive stance. "Because I think it's fun." She sprinted forward and buried her right fist into Saburo's already bruised abdomen. "That and I really don't like you."
Saburo couldn't avoid her speedy attack entirely, but he did manage to take a step backward and that was all he needed. Those few extra inches transformed what could have been a deciding blow from Kanako into an excruciating, but bearable, pain. He reached down and grabbed her wrist. "Do you know what's so nice about being the Avatar of Lightening?"
Kanako lashed out for another punch, and fell to the ground as electricity crackled over her body.
Saburo smiled and released the black haired woman's now limp arm. "Even the smallest touch from my power can send a fatal voltage into the human body." He walked over to where the hidden passage lay and smashed open the small covering with his nunchaku. He smiled as he crawled into the dark passage. "Now I understand what Sora means when she says it's time to play. I just love cat and mouse games." He rounded the corner and promptly fell into one of the passages many pit fall traps. "Damn it!"
---
Shinobu crawled out of the passage exit in Su's room. "Did we get away?"
Su looked out into the hallway as though on stake out. "Nobody knows these passages like Sarah and I do. We should have at least bought some time."
Nyamo tumbled out of the hole in the wall and made a comment.
Shinobu shook her head. "I don't know why they're here, it's clear that I'm the one they want. Maybe if I go with them…"
"Don't even finish that sentence Shinobu." Kitsune admonished as she sealed the tunnel door. "They get you, they'll kill you. The leader lady said as much."
"But maybe if I go you all will be left alone." Shinobu insisted.
Su went over to a large tree in her room and pushed back some of the leaves, revealing a hidden keypad. "I don't think so Shinobu." Su punched in her access code and a large panel opened in her floor. A display case of weaponry rose up with a hiss of steam from the new opening. "I've been saving these for my final battle with Tama-chan, but I'd say this is a good excuse to break them out early!" With that she hoisted out a large ray gun looking weapon with the words "BFG 9999" inscribed on the side. "These ought to level the playing field a bit!"
Kitsune reached in and grabbed a slightly smaller version of Su's weapon. "Yeah now we'll last a minute instead of thirty seconds."
Nyamo and Shinobu looked into the weapon case.
Nyamo said something in English to Shinobu.
Shinobu nodded her head. "I don't really like guns either."
"You'll like being dead even less." Su sighed as she handed each girl a small pistol.
Kitsune looked over at Su. "How come your so serious all of a sudden?"
Su grinned. "I can die, or let any of you guys die, before you all witness my amazing triumph over Tama-chan in battle!"
The three other girls sweat dropped.
Shinobu walked over to the door and peaked out. "It looks clear, lets go find the others."
Kitsune grabbed the younger girl. "Look, I know you want to help, but you are the one in trouble here. So that means we need to find a safe place for you to wait this out."
Shinobu shook her arm free of the older woman's grip. "I'm so tired of running away from everything and letting everyone else fight my battles. I know I'm in danger, but so are the others by protecting me. I can't just walk away." She straightened herself and ducked out into the hallway. "I'm going to go help the other." She ran off down the hall toward the steps to the roof.
"Kuso!" Kitsune ran after her. "Who'd have ever thought that Shinobu would be the one to get us all killed.
Su grinned at Nyamo. "Shall we?"
Nyamo nodded nervously and together they raced into the battle.
---
Ken crashed into the roof and coughed up blood. His favorite leather jacket was but a memory. His clothing hung off his body in tattered shreds as a result of Amaya's staff blade. Still, he rose again. He saw Keitaro and Seta covering for him, and though not unscathed, they were less worn looking than he was. Of course, that had been his plan all along. Keitaro and Seta were exceptional fighters, as leaders of clans should be, but they didn't have the same durability that he had. So he made use of that durability by making himself the target of Amaya's most devastating attacks. "If only…"
Keitaro looked back as Ken charged Amaya yet again. He couldn't figure out how Ken was still standing, but he was glad that he was. Keitaro held fast to Amaya's chain, temporarily immobilizing her. He allowed himself a small smile as Seta and Ken nailed her with simultaneous roundhouse kicks to the chest. Keitaro then gave the chain a sharp tug and managed to wrench the staff from Amaya's hands.
Seta, seeing the opening, followed up with a series of deadly punches that knocked her further off balance.
Ken sensed the build up of energy around Amaya. "Seta! Get back!"
Amaya let out a cry and wave of steam enveloped Seta.
Seta screamed and fell as his skin began to blister from the intense heat before passing out from the pain.
Ken mumbled a series of curses that would make even the most hardened of military men blink in surprise.
Keitaro came up along side his friend and ally. "Now what?"
Ken shrugged. "We keep fighting?"
Keitaro fought the urge to hit the blonde man. "I was hoping that you had a bit more specific plan."
"Well I don't!" Ken yelled as he charged Amaya. "Just keep hitting her until we wear her down! Don't give her a chance to recover!"
Keitaro sighed. "We who are about to die…" He charged in again for another attack. Yet as he was about to land the blow Ken pushed him aside. Keitaro looked up to see Ken wrapped in a curtain of steam.
Amaya laughed. "What will you do now little Urashima? Your friends beaten and broken, and left on your own, what will you do?"
Keitaro stood and rush to try and pull Ken from the steam attack. Yet the barest touch of the curtain was enough to bubble the skin on his fingers, and could pass no further. He turned as Amaya screamed. And saw the most unbelievable sight he could imagine.
Shinobu hadn't even been aware of her movements. In the space of a second after seeing Ken being tortured she had grabbed Su's gun, taken aim, and fired straight into the back of the black haired woman. If not for the smoking gun in her hand she never would have believed that she was the one to do such a thing.
Ken stood on shaky legs. "Thanks for the help."
Keitaro looked at the tanned man in confusion. "You're not burnt at all."
Ken nodded and began to walk toward Amaya. "A chi barrier of stronger will… can negate such an attack…it just leaves me a little winded to concentrate one so fast." He bent down and checked for Amaya's pulse. "She's alive, but she should be out for a while after that hit." He stood, easier now. "Let's find the others."
The roof then exploded as two tornados, one of wind and one of fire, erupted through from the lower levels of the building. At the center of their respective tornados hovered Sora and Hotaru.
Ken swallowed hard. "This isn't good."
Kitsune looked between the aerial standoff and Ken. "Why? It looks like Hotaru is about to win."
Keitaro shook his head. "No, I can see it too. Hotaru doesn't have the combat experience that Sora seems to. Hotaru is just about on empty, she's used up her ki too quickly."
Ken nodded. "I have to…" He didn't get the chance to finish as he watched Sora launched a final attack that sent Hotaru falling back to earth. The fire tornado sputtered out and Hotaru felt the full force of gravity as she slammed into the roof with a sickening thud.
Sora touched down beside the fallen girl and gave her a powerful kick in the ribs. "Looks like I win." Sora spat at the fallen girl. She turned and saw Shinobu. "Time to collect my prize." With a burst of her ki winds she dashed towards her target. Yet as she neared for the disabling strike, Hotaru appeared again.
Hotaru pushed Shinobu out of harms way and took the full brunt of the attack.
"You stupid little fool." Sora sneered. "Why won't you die!"
Hotaru smiled weakly. "She's my friend, and my family. And I'll be damned if I let you touch her."
Sora's lip curled in anger. "Then be damned!" She pushed the small girl to her knees and raised her staff high over her head before cracking it across her back. "I'll leave you just enough alive to watch as I take your friend from you!"
Ken raced to his little sister's aid, but was too late as the staff fell. Once. Twice. Three times. But as the fourth blow came he felt it. He barely had time to react as he gathered the others and concentrated his energies into a massive barrier shield just as Hotaru erupted into a fireball.
Keitaro looked up as the light died away, or rather lessened. He gasped at what he saw.
Hotaru stood holding Sora high into the air by the throat with a single hand. Sora clawed at the death grip that held her, and Hotaru squeezed tighter. At last Sora stopped moving, and Hotaru tossed her aside as though she was nothing more than a sack of flour. She then turned her sights on the barrier that shielded the other tenants, and lashed out against it.
Ken held the barrier in place as a torrent of flames cascaded harmlessly around them. "Keitaro, take the others and go."
Keitaro blinked. "Where?"
Ken shook his head. "Anywhere safe and far away from here."
Kitsune sat up from where Ken had roughly dropped her in his haste to collect everyone. "I thought you said she was out of energy!"
Ken's barrier wavered. "Can we discuss this later please!" He focused further and pushed his chi barrier back against the flames until it collided with their source. Ken watched as his little sister bounced off his shield and landed at the far end of the roof. His barrier fell, and he saw her clearly.
Hotaru was no longer herself, her aura was scrambled. Her eyes glowed red with the fire that consumed her as did her now red hair. Her ki whipped about her, making her look as though she were on fire. But all of this didn't scare Ken. What scared him was that he couldn't sense her chi. Her mind, her conscious mind anyway, was gone.
Ken looked a back to see the others still staring at Hotaru in shock, and the rest of the household, in various states of recovery, joining them on the roof. "Perfect…" Was all he could mutter.
Moriko stopped as she saw Hotaru. "Onii-chan?"
Motoko looked at the younger girl. "Nani?!"
Moriko shook her head. "That power feels just like onii-chan's!" She raced forward, only to be stopped by Ken. "Let me go!"
Ken looked at her. "You know what has happened here. Don't be foolish, and stay here." He stepped away and neared Hotaru. "All of you need to leave now!" He called back. He faced off against Hotaru and neither moved. "I know you're in there sis. Come on back."
Hotaru opened her mouth, but all that emerged was an unintelligible hiss.
"It's ok Hotaru." Ken kept his voice low and even, he didn't want to frighten what ever this thing was until his sister was back in control of her body. "You're stronger than this Hotaru, pull it back in. Take control again."
Hotaru let out a cry and convulsed. Then her eyes narrowed on Ken.
Ken's eyes widened and he barely managed to block her strike as she suddenly appeared before him. "Kuso!" They exchanged blows for a time, and Ken realized that he was fighting a losing battle. He was already tired from the fight with Amaya, he wouldn't be able to keep this pace forever. Eventually, his body would give out completely. But perhaps if he could stall Hotaru long enough for the others to get away, maybe he would then be able to escape and find a more permanent solution. "Or I'll just be killed outright." He thought miserably as he and Hotaru grappled with one another. He could feel his skin burning, but fought through the pain. Suddenly, Hotaru was flying down away his position. He turned to see the three Urashimas cradling their burn fists. "What the hell are you doing! Run away!"
Kanako punched Ken in the head. "Your welcome."
Ken was about to reply when he saw Hotaru returning ready to attack, and was abruptly stopped by a double team flying kick from Seta and Sarah.
Sarah pointed a finger at Ken. "Don't think that I'm doing this for your sake dork! I'm just doing a favor for Shinobu!"
Hotaru stood and cupped her hands and gathered her ki before firing a wall of flame at the young blonde girl.
Su and Kitsune jumped into the path of the flame with their BFG 9999 and returned fire. The two beams collided with the flame and locked the three combatants in an inverted tug of war.
"We can't do this forever!" Warned Su. "The power cores will over heat! So if anybody would like to help maybe?!"
Motoko's ki blast scored a direct hit into Hotaru's side sending her over the edge of the roof.
Ken looked at everyone in disbelief. "I appreciate the assist but, are you all stupid?! Run!"
Shinobu stepped forward. "I don't want to run anymore."
"I can understand that but…" Ken insisted.
Hotaru blasted up from the lower floors on a pillar of flame and headed straight for Shinobu with a fearsome wail.
Ken tackled his sister as she came up fast, but rather than falling to the ground. Hotaru increased her power and rose high into the air. Wreathed in flames, Hotaru kicked her brother and he fell to the roof. He looked up to see Hotaru descending quickly, too quick for him to dodge, and the others were to far to help him. He lowered his head. "I am sorry everyone."
---
A few minutes agoMoriko stepped back to the others as Ken walked toward the flaming girl.
Kanako observed the situation. "What has happened? It feels like the night we all had that strange nightmare."
Moriko nodded. "When a rei awakens it can have that effect."
"A rei?" Asked Keitaro. "But rei is the energy of the spirit, one part of the warrior."
Moriko nodded again. "But in most it is dormant, Hotaru awakened hers somehow. But now she can't control it. The rampant power has overtaken her chi, her very mind, just as the legends say."
"And that means what exactly?" Demanded Haruka.
Moriko looked away as Hotaru and Ken began exchanging attacks. "It is akin to giving powers of god to the most simple of feral animals." She turned and began to walk away. "She will destroy everything and anyone in her path until her power consumes her entirely and destroys her."
Shinobu looked on as Moriko walked away. "Where are you going?"
Moriko didn't look back. "I have no wish to die this day, Ken is trying to buy us time. The least I can do for him is not let his death be in vain." She paused at the stairs. "I suggest you all do the same."
"Screw you!"
Everyone was shocked by Shinobu's outburst.
Shinobu glared at the girl. "The least you can do? He stood up for you when Sora first arrived, when you knew why she was here! And now you just walk away!?"
Moriko turned and gave a sad nod. "There is nothing else I can do."
Shinobu looked back at the dueling siblings, then to the others. She saw the same looks of defeat upon their faces. Shinobu nodded. "Fine." She began to walk out to where Ken and Hotaru fought.
Keitaro smiled. "Well, I suppose we can't let it end like this." He followed Shinobu's lead.
Kanako and Haruka exchanged glances and nodded. Keitaro was the heir and leader of their clan, and although he would never order them to fight if they didn't want to, he had made his decision and they would follow him.
Seta, being the dutiful husband that he is, followed Haruka and was in turn followed by Sarah.
Motoko followed next.
Su dragged Nyamo into the fight as though it was the latest in VR entertainment rather than a deadly threat.
At last only Kitsune and Moriko remained.
"I see you still in control of your senses."
Kitsune laughed. "No, I'm probably not." She turned and began to follow the others.
Moriko looked on in confusion. "Why do you all throw your lives away in meaningless fighting?"
"For all the crap that Ken and I have pull on each other, he's still a good guy." Kitsune stopped and looked over her shoulder. "I'd feel like crap if he died while I sat around doing nothing. Who knows? Maybe with all of us here we'll find a way to save them both."
Moriko watched as Kitsune ran to catch up to the others. "Baka, every single one of them. I wish you luck, but I will pray for your souls when you are gone." She turned away after whispering her goodbye.
She felt Genseiri's handle pulse against her back, but ignored it. She knew the truth now. Kenji had been consumed by his own rampaging rei. Genseiri's pulse was just the final dregs of his chi from so long ago. "Onii-chan can never come back now." Then she felt something unexpected. Her katanas began to pulse.
Moriko looked up and saw that Ken had taken to the air with Hotaru. Both were entwined in the flames the girl created. Moriko held up her swords toward them and the blades began to pulse stronger. "Are they reacting to Hotaru's rei? Or is there something more?" She gasped as Hotaru grounded Ken with a strong kick, and the katanas pulsed again. She watched as Ken looked up and awaited his sister's deathblow. She wasn't sure why, but she knew that she couldn't let that happen.
---
Ken looked up to see Moriko protecting him, and blinked in surprise.
"You just going to sit there all day?" Moriko asked angrily as she managed to throw Hotaru back.
Ken stood. "Thank you for saving me Moriko." He looked down as he felt the pulse of ki from her katanas. He then looked up as Hotaru prepared to attack again. "Now please hand me Kedou and Akkanka so that I can return the favor."
"How do you know the names of my swords?" Moriko asked as she handed them over.
Ken closed his eyes and shuddered as he gripped the blades. "It has a long time…" He turned away to prepare for his counter attack.
"Wait a minute." Moriko gripped Ken's arm. "You didn't answer my question."
Ken turned. "Isn't it obvious?"
Moriko gasped as she saw his eyes. One was as black as Akkanka's sheath the other as white as Kedou's sheath. "But how…"
Ken turned and faced the now charging Hotaru. "Sorry imouto." He raised the two katanas and gently brought them down. Two blasts of opposing ki of massive proportions raced out and smashed Hotaru to the ground. She lay still after that and her hair and eyes returned to their normal color. Ken sighed as he resheathed his swords and fell to his knees. "Now I know how my bike felt the other night. I'm drained."
"That's all I needed to hear."
Ken looked down as the voice arrived through the roofing before being thrown aside by a large explosion of electricity. He looked up to see Saburo standing triumphantly over him. Ken glanced around to see that the others had been overcome by the intense voltage and all were unconscious.
Saburo smiled. "Admittedly, Sora's and Amaya's defeats throws a wrench in the works, but I still got what I came for." He hoisted Shinobu over his shoulder, followed by his two sisters. "I hope you enjoy the view of your girlfriend, because it's the last you'll ever see of her."
Ken struggled to stand as Saburo darted away with inhuman quickness. His body however, could take no more, and the world went black around him.
---
The leader of the Kokuei smiled, not that it could be seen beneath the long hood over his face. "You have done well my son. It would appear that I have overlooked your usefulness."
Saburo beamed. "May I take Kenji's name now?"
The cloaked leader shook his head. "A single battle does not win a war. Such a title will require further proof of your abilities. However, you are well on your way to reaching that status."
Saburo smiled, though less happy this time. "Of course father."
"Have Amaya and Sora regained consciousness yet?" The leader asked.
"Not yet father."
The leader nodded. "I see. Very well, dismissed." He turned and entered the adjoining room. "So how is our guest?"
A second hooded figure appeared from the shadows. "She still sleeps My Lord."
The leader looked down at the young girl with blue hair on the small futon. "She is untrained, but she is a prime candidate for what we need is she not?"
The subordinate nodded. "Yes, she is. Shall I prepare her?"
The leader nodded. "Hai, Amaya's actions will undoubtedly bring our target here in search of the girl. I want her ready by tomorrow evening."
"Such a hasty procedure could leave her… damaged, My Lord." Responded the second man.
"Does that really matter son?"
The second man lifted the small girl as though she weighed nothing at all. "No father, I suppose it doesn't. I will begin at once."
Good? Bad? Other? Drop a review please! I want to hear what you think.
A/N: Long…I know. Nearly double what I usually do but I hope you enjoyed. I commented to a friend the other day that this story is like the Hulk on steroids, it just keeps getting bigger. Yet at last, I see light at the end of the tunnel. Don't ask me exactly how many chapters to go, because this monster I've created has a mind of it's own it seems at times, but we are indeed nearing the end.
Now the reason I told you all that, I'M STUCK ON THE ENDING!! I don't know if I should make it happy all around, or give it more of a traditional anime bittersweet ending? I hadn't originally planed to make a multi-ending story, and truth be told, I don't want to now. Yet at the same time both ideas could work, resulting in my being stuck. So, if anyone has ideas, send'm my way!
Thanks again for reading! 'Till the next, live well all.
Name meanings:
Hotaru – firefly
Hikari – light
Enten- blazing heat or, scorching sun
Kedou – influencing (a person) for good
Akkanka – evil influence
Kenji- Strong second son (did I do this one already? I forget…)