Hello again! At the current moment, I'm a bit stuffed from dinner. So forgive me if the beginning of this chapter is a bit off. In fact, just a moment ago I discovered that I had written 'the' as 'ther'. And to make matters worse, my little brother hates flies obsessively. He sprays the bug spray several times after hitting the fly with it, and all that stuff is making me a bit nauseous. But I won't let it bother me, sort of… I shall continue to type!

---Kouji Tamino

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Love Hina Next

Chapter 37: Showdown! Yamato, Go Beat Ami?!

"What?!" Yamato yelled. "Why?! Rikina, we have to get there as soon as possible! We have no idea what they plan to do to Tokimi!"

Rikina sighed. "Look, it's just Ami… What's she going to do to her?"

Tenshi looked sadly at the ground. "Ami-dono has… changed… A combination of her feelings and the power she has over those people has corrupted her mind… I'm afraid that Ami has become a completely different person now…"

Rikina huffed. "Not my problem… Once Tokimi is out of the way, I'll have Yamato all to myself… At least, until Ami comes for him…" She smiled. "So I'll just have to try and do what I can in those few moments I have with him…"

Yamato sighed. "Rikina, are you really that obsessed with me? You probably aren't going to have that long with me after Ami does whatever she's going to do with Tokimi…"

Rikina growled. "I don't care! She's done nothing but get in our way ever since she found us!" She fell back, lying on the ground. "Please, just take me!"

Yamato sweat dropped. "Um, how about no?…"

Rikina hopped back up and pounced Yamato. "Then I will just have to rape you!"

Yamato screamed. "Rikina, you have to get over me!!"

Rikina suddenly, burst out crying. "But I can't! I just can't…" She began to cry into his chest. "You're the only man that I don't despise… I just can't lose you…"

Yamato gently brushed his hand through her hair. "Rikina… There are better guys out there… Guys like my dad, for example… I'm sure that you'll find someone else, you just have to do a little searching, that's all…" He chuckled. "In fact, I wish that none of the girls at Hinata House would waste their time with me… I'm not worth it, not after what I've done in my lifetime…"

Rikina looked up and shook her head. "No, you're great… Though I have to admit…"

Yamato raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"…when you first came here, your attitude sucked…" Rikina admitted, laughing.

Yamato glared playfully. "Hey, you weren't perfect, either… I was convinced that you were insane…"

Rikina smiled, then got up, dusting herself off. "Well, are we just going to stand here and do nothing?"

Yamato stood up, looking at Rikina, confused. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Rikina crossed her arms. "Well, I wouldn't be much of a best friend if I just let those cannibals get away with abducting Tokimi, now would I? We have work to do!"

Yamato smiled. "Thank you…"

"Hey, I'm doing this for Tokimi too, you know!" She looked around, rubbing her chin. "Hmm… Let's see, how can I do this?" She looked at a pine tree, and her eyes widened a bit. "Oh, I know!" Getting a good grip on the tree, she yanked it from the ground, scaring Tenshi and Yamato. "I just hope that this works…" She looked over to Yamato and Tenshi. "So, are you going to help me or not?" The mentioned party nodded. "All right, then! Tenshi, you go get something that stretches!"

Tenshi nodded. "I think I saw some rubber bands back in Keitaro's plane!" The rabbit flew off in the direction of the plane.

Rikina looked over to Yamato. "Yamato, go break me some big branches off of trees, all right?"

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And so, after a bit of work, Rikina's masterpiece was complete. "Yes! The Nature-Copter is complete!" The vehicle was a helicopter made of trees and rubber bands, pedaled by two people. Rikina, Yamato, and Tenshi sweat dropped. "It's not very attractive, but it will have to do!" She looked to Tenshi. "Lunch! Can you guide us to where the others are?"

Tenshi nodded. "Yes, just follow me!" She began to fly, then stopped. "Wait, what did you call me?…"

Rikina chuckled nervously. "Um, nothing! Just don't go too fast!" She and Yamato sat on the seats of the almost completely natural helicopter. They steadily began to pedal, the Nature-Copter slowly rising into the air. As they got higher, they began to pedal faster, leaning forward. The copter began to follow the white rabbit.

Suddenly, they heard two honking noises behind them, and looked back down to the ground to see Seta and Keitaro's vans. Keitaro, looking up at them, waved. "Hey, son! Rikina! There you are! Where are you headed?"

Yamato smiled. "Hi, dad! Well, Ami went evil and has captured some of the others, and now we're going down to the city that the cannibals live in in order to rescue them!"

Keitaro nodded. "Well, Seta and I have picked up a few others, so we'll all meet you down there!"

"Um, dad?" Yamato asked, a bit of worry in his voice.

"Yeah, son?" Keitaro smiled.

"Who's driving the van?!" Yamato screamed.

"…Oh, shit…" Keitaro turned back to the wheel and narrowly avoided crashing into a giant rock.

Yamato chuckled to himself. "Idiot…"

Rikina turned around to face Yamato. "We can stop pedaling! The rubber bands should be fully charged by now!"

Yamato stared at Rikina, a bit skeptical. "Fully charged?" He shrugged and stopped pedaling. Suddenly, the rubber bands snapped into action, spinning the wooden blades of the helicopter rapidly. Several times faster than pedaling manually, in fact. They sped towards the city, which was now in plane view. They were so high up that they could see the huge volcano of the island. Yamato held on for dear life as the helicopter reached speeds that he wouldn't have even imagined the thing going at.

Rikina shouted in excitement, actually letting go of the handlebars for a few seconds. "Whoo-hoo! We'll be there in no time!" The helicopter continued to zoom towards the city, where Ami and Meiruuna were waiting…

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Meiruuna, sitting silently in her chair, crossed her arms and chuckled. "Heh heh… I can sense your little boy friend and the others… They are coming this way…"

Ami growled. "Don't you think I know that?!" She snapped her fingers, and a huge, black orb rose up to their level. Inside the orb was an unconscious Tokimi. Ami gave her a disgusted look. "Ugh, look at her… Dressed in a leaf bikini… What does he see in her, anyway?"

Meiruuna smiles. "Well for one thing…" She pointed at Ami's chest. "She has boobs, flat chest…"

Ami growled. "That's not fair! I can't help that I'm younger and less developed!"

Meiruuna nodded. "Yes, I find myself envying that Rikina person…"

Ami nodded. "Yes, damn her and her melons…"

Meiruuna snickered. "Heh heh, melons… Good one…"

Ami sighed. "So, what do you think we should do with her?"

Meiruuna rubbed her chin. "Um, kill her?"

Ami screamed. "Gyaaah! Idiot! I know THAT! But the question is, HOW?!"

Meiruuna shrugged. "I dunno… You're the boss…"

Ami smiled sadistically, raising a hand. "Ooh, I know! I'll wait until she's awake, then make her heart explode! Now won't that be fun?"

Meiruuna's eyes widened. "Oh my, you are absolutely evil… I love it…"

Just then, the Nature-Copter flew over head. Yamato gasped. "I see them! They are down there!" He pointed at the huge set of steps. The steps were right I front on the volcano. "I'm going down! Will you be all right?"

Rikina shook her head, then quickly leaned in, grabbed Yamato, and kissed him on the lips. "There! Now I'm okay…" She smiles sadly. "Go get 'em…"

Yamato blushed and nodded, smiling back. "Thanks…" He jumped down to the girls, but a force field around them blasted him back. "Gyah!" He went flying several feet backwards and hit the ground. He slowly sat up. "Ow! What was that?"

Ami chuckled, standing up and looking down to him. "Hello there, Yamato-sama… So, have you come to rescue Tokimi?" She pointed to the orb that Tokimi was in. "Well then, come get her…"

Yamato glared up at Ami. "Ami! Why are you doing this?"

Ami, her eyes going to her normal pale blue, began to cry. "Why? Because I love you! You saved my life! I… I just can't bear to lose you!!" She screamed, her aura becoming black. "I won't let anyone else have you!! I'll get rid of anyone else that loves you!!" She glared up at the Nature-Copter. "I think I'll start with you, Rikina!" She raised a hand into the air, sending energy waves into the air.

The waves hit the copter, shattering the vehicle and sending Rikina falling. She hit the ground, hard. "Rikina!" Yamato screamed.

Rikina struggled to get up. "Don't worry about me… Go get Tokimi…"

Yamato nodded, then stared at Ami. "Ami, that was a very bad thing to do! It's not like you to do something like that!"

Ami screamed in anger. "Argh! Stop treating me like a child!" She clenched her fist and began to scream at the top of her lungs. "I will not let you rescue her! Guards! Stop him, but do not kill him! If he dies, I will have each and every one of your heads!"

Several cannibal guards came out, armed with spears. They were all wearing black suits. One of them, the leader, raised an eyebrow. "Wait, we can't kill him? Aww, where's the fun in that?" He shrugged, tossing his weapon away. The others quickly followed suit. "Oh, well…" He pointed at Yamato. "Go get him! But do not kill him!"

"No causing any permanent damage either!!" Ami quickly added.

The guards all rushed Yamato. He smirked, then easily dodged every attack. He ducked and swung his foot out, tripping a good number of the guards. He stood up, hitting one in the jaw with his head. Then he began to punch several of them in the face. After a few more good hits, he had knocked them all down. He began to run back towards the steps. "Is that all you've got? I've fought idiot gang members tougher than that!"

Ami grinned as several more groups of cannibals came out. Pretty soon, almost the entire city population was surrounding Yamato. She smiled. "Is that enough for you?"

Yamato sweat dropped. "Um, yes?…" He screamed as they all attacked. There were of course too many of them. He was socked in the stomach, punched in the face, kneed in the jaw, and he fell over. The cannibals began to stomp on him.

Ami snapped her fingers. "Enough!" The cannibals stopped, and all bowed. She stared at the beaten up Yamato. "Yamato-sama… Please, just give up on her and join me…"

Yamato stood up with some difficulty. "No, I can't do that… Ami, you're a nice girl and all, but I love Tokimi… You see, the truth is--"

Suddenly, two vans crashed through the building where the prison was. The vans burst into flames, as people began to rush out of it. The people in prison were now free. A bit scared, but free none the less. Everyone began to run over to Yamato and helped him up. Keitaro smiled. "Son, you look like you could use some help… We brought the whole gang over!"

Yamato smiled. "Yeah, I can see that…"

Static smirked. "Wow, you haven't looked this beat up since that gang war a few years ago…"

With all the noise and chaos, Tokimi woke up. She looked around at her surroundings and screamed. She calmed down and stared at the scene below.

And so, a brawl began. The Aoyama's began to scare a few cannibals off with their swords, while Nina hopped on to a guy's back and bit him on the ear. Kitsune flashed a few cannibals and watched them run off with nose bleeds. Keitaro and Seta knocked a few out. Soon, all the cannibals were cleared out. Keitaro glared at the set of steps that led to the psychic sisters and Tokimi. He looked to Yamato and grinned. "Go for her, son…"

Yamato smiled and nodded. "Thanks…" He ran towards the steps.

Ami screamed. "No! Everything is ruined!"

Meiruuna tapped her on the shoulder. "You know, you could always temporarily paralyze him… Then he'd be helpless and you could do whatever you want with him…"

Ami smiled. "You know, that's a good idea!" She pointed her finger at Yamato, sending a beam toward him.

Yamato gasped as he watched the beam come closer. He stopped running, eyes wide. Keitaro saw this and ran into the path of the beam, taking the hit. "Dad!" Yamato screamed, running towards him.

"What are you doing?!" Keitaro yelled. "You're wasting time! Go! I'm only paralyzed!"

Yamato began running again, narrowly dodging another beam. Seta stared seriously at the scene playing out before him. He sadly shook his head. "He'll never make it…" Just then, Naru and Haruka ran past him, towards Yamato. "Naru, Haruka, what the hell are you doing?!"

Naru, looked back and replied. "I'm helping my son, that's what!"

Haruka, not looking back, "Don't try to stop me!"

Seta sighed, then smiled. "I'm getting too old for this…" He too began to run to help Yamato.

Yamato continued to run, watching as his mother, Haruka, and Seta were also hit by blasts meant for him. "Gyah, thanks guys…" He runs faster, becoming frightened as he finally realizes how far back that force field sent him.

The others look on in shock as they watch all this. Shinobu looks down to the ground, tears running down her face. "This is horrible… How could this have happened?"

Ema nodded. "I know… But what can we do?"

Sarah glared, growling. "Graah! You all are a bunch of sissies!" She runs toward Yamato as fast as her legs can carry her. When she realizes that she won't make it, she picks up a rock and tosses it at Yamato's head. As he falls to the ground, the beam narrowly misses him and hits Sarah. She falls back, smiling. "Heh, you owe me, kid…" She hit's the ground and stares at the sky. "What a beautiful looking moon…" She smiled.

Yamato stands up and begins to run again. "Heh, thanks Sarah…"

Sarah's sacrifice convinces the others to go help, too. Shinobu and Nina are the first of this group to save Yamato. They both leaped in the air. Nina kicks Yamato, giving him a quick boost. Nina falls victim to the beam, while Shinobu busts out her 'frying pan of doom' and sends the next blast back at Ami, who just barely ducks. One by one, they all fall. The only ones left are Motoko, Jin, and Static. Jin and Static manage to run ahead of Yamato and crouch down. Static grins. "Yamato! The 'Flying Urashima!'"

Yamato chuckles, then steps on their shoulders. "Ha ha! The Flying Urashima!" He jumps off of them, giving him more air time and helping him avoid two more beams. He lands several steps up and continues his run. Jin and Static are hit by the other beams, falling back and sliding down the stairs.

Motoko tosses her sword up to Yamato. "Hey! Urashima the Second! Catch!"

Yamato turns around and catches it. He raises an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Motoko yelled up at him. "That's 'Hina: the Ominous Blade!' That sword was actually passed down through your family, but was given to me by your father! It used to be possessed, but I have purified it! It's very powerful use it!"

Yamato smiled. "Thanks!" He quickly turned back around, unsheathed the sword, and blocked an incoming beam, sending it into the air. "Hyah!" His eyes widened. "Whoa, did I do that?!" He grinned, and began running up the steps. He blocked beam after beam as he continued his way up. Finally, he reached the top. He was breathing heavily. "Ami, this has to stop…"

Meiruuna chuckled. "Foolish… May I take care of him, sister?" Suddenly, the sword flew towards her, hitting the back of the throne she was sitting in. Her eyes widened in fear.

"You be quiet." Yamato scowled. He looked back to Ami and walked towards her. He yanked the sword out of the throne and sheathed his sword. "Ami, I am about to give you what you deserve…"

Ami, a bit scared by his much more aggressive attitude, began to panic and backed away. Suddenly, Yamato did the unexpected. He hugged her.

"You poor, sweet girl… I had no idea that you felt that strongly about me…" He sighed. "And you've been through so much… But you don't really want to hurt anyone, right? So please, go back to being the cute, innocent little girl I know. Do it for me…"

Ami's eyes widened as her eyes went back to dark blue, then light blue. She began crying and hugged Yamato back. "Oh Yamato-sama! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! Please forgive me! Please!"

Yamato nodded. "It's all right, I forgive you…"

Just then, Ami's dark powers over the others wore off. That including the orb that Tokimi was in. Tokimi screamed as she went plummeting towards the ground. "Kyaaah! Somebody help!"

"Tokimi!!" the young man screamed, letting go of Ami and jumping down towards her. "I'm coming!!" He soared down after her, grabbing her hand and pulling her close to him. They both screamed as they fell down towards the earth, when at the last minute, they were saved by a light blue force orb. They looked up to see a smiling Ami. Yamato chuckled. "Hey Ami, couldn't you have cut that a little more close?" he yelled sarcastically. He smiled as Ami giggled.

Tokimi looked away. "Why… Why did you save me?"

"Why?!" Yamato gently grabbed her chin and moved her face so that he could look inti her eyes. "Tokimi, I love you…"

"But why me?" Tokimi asked. "I'm so plain… Why not someone like Rikina, or even Ami in a few years?…"

Yamato sighed. "Because, I've loved you since high school… Tokimi, I'm the boy that you were talking about! I'm sorry that I lied…"

Tokimi's expression softened as she smiled at him. "Oh, Yamato…" Suddenly, she glared and punched him in the face. "Jerk!"

Yamato went flying and hit the side of the orb. "Ow!"

"That was for lying!" she screamed. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. Yamato kissed her back. After a few seconds, they pulled away. "And that was for finally telling me that you love me… Yamato, I love you too…"

"Ew, kinky…" Kaolla and Rikina taunted in unison.

Tokimi and Yamato looked down to see the others, no longer paralyzed staring up at them, smirking. Yamato frowned. "Aw, mind your own business!"

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Ami sadly looked to the ground. "I'm sorry, everyone… I was so selfish and evil and…"

Tenshi flew up to her and sat on her head. "It's all right, Ami-dono… I forgive you!"

Keitaro chuckled. "Yeah, we don't blame you! You couldn't help your feelings!"

Ami smiled, then turned to the cannibals. "And sorry, we're not really goddesses, just teenage girls with powers!"

Meiruuna began silently crying. "Nooo… The power, the power…"

The cannibal leader began to chuckle nervously. "Oh, is that so? None the less, please don't hurt us! We'll let you all go, just don't hurt us… Kaolla Su!"

The others looked over to Kaolla as she began laughing. Rikina sweat dropped. "I… don't know her…"

The cannibal leader bowed to Ami and Meiruuna. "Please, Miss Ami and Miss Meiruuna, do us one last favor…"

Ami smiled. "We'd be glad to! Right, Meiruuna?"

Meiruuna crossed her arms, grumbling. "Yes, we would be happy to…"

The cannibal leader nodded. "Good! Then could you please stop that volcano that will be erupting in less than an hour?!"

Ami nodded. "Of course!" Everyone did a double take. "What?!" They all looked to the volcano, a cloud of ashes over head…

End of Chapter 37

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Weeee… Slightly longer chapter… Ooh, a volcano erupting… Yay, and Ami isn't evil anymore! Argh, tired… (falls asleep)

---Kouji Tamino (Zzzzz…)