I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is a pigment of my weird imagination. I apologize in advance for all spelling and grammar mistakes.
The U Project: Ultimatum
09
'For some, life is but a dream… but the pain in my body feels real enough and the blood that's flowing out of me looks genuine too, if it's just a dream... will somebody wake me up?'
'The Circle Dance – Act 2: When fighting an enemy, look him in the eye, see deep inside him, see through him and if you can decipher his very soul… you have already won,'
'Grandma, what big paws you have! Grandma, what wide mouth you have! Grandma, what big teeth you have!'
---
"SURPRISE!"
Upon entering the bar, Keitaro was greeted with smiling faces, raised glasses of wine and champagne, warmth of genuine happiness. He smiled back, taking everything in, engraving the scenery before him into his mind; Su and Sara by the corner where the surround sound system was operated, Shinobu with Kitsune by the bar, Haruka and Naru on one of the smaller tables. The bar was especially decorated for tonight, a disco globe at the center, soft smooth lighting.
Seta stood beside Keitaro and spoke with a silly grin, "Wow… this is something… well… the night's still young! What do you say we go for a drinking tournament huh?"
"Well… you go on ahead… I'll just catch up with you,"
"Sure thing!" And with that Seta joined Haruka.
Seta managed to steer Keitaro towards the bar as planned without any difficulty despite Keitaro's sincere yet urgent request to return to his own room at the Hinata Apartments. And during that afternoon trip back, Keitaro was too distracted to even notice. Seta found him sitting by the pavement in front of the building when he came to pick him up. A somewhat confused and astonished look etched on his face. Lonely and unsure.
For Keitaro, this was the first time in six years he was ever inside Kitsune's bar. Back then it was nothing more than just a teahouse. But now, there was so much improvement that Keitaro could do nothing else but gape around with absolute wonder in his eyes. His qualms set aside.
He walked towards the bar.
"So? What do you think?" Kitsune approached him with a smile.
"Well… I say… you did a very good job. I could not imagine that this place has once been a teahouse at all! It's very classy… very nice,"
"Really? I'm glad you said that… after all… I have accomplished this much all because of you…"
"Huh?" Keitaro looked up. Puzzled.
Kitsune sighed, more of endearment than exasperation. You have forgotten… have you? She reached down, produced two glasses, filled it with white sparkling wine and offered one to Keitaro.
"Thank you…"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Sipped their wine.
And for a moment nobody spoke.
Soothing sound of music at the background.
"You know… I learned something today…" Keitaro started. His voice calm, his tone solemn. Staring down on his glass of wine. Eyes reflective.
"Huh?"
I feel so lonely.
"I received another surprise… and I guess fate would never stop playing with my life like I'm some sort of human caricature… I don't know what's going on. For some reason, it feels like I'm jumping from one time to another… so much have changed… and the scary part is I don't understand how or why…"
Poor Keitaro… Kitsune felt his deep sadness. She reached out, placed her hand over his, whispered, "Keitaro…"
Keitaro looked up, gazed into her eyes.
"I just want everything to return to how it used to be… I have lost part of me, the only thing I could hold on to is the past… like how you used to tease me… like how Su used to experiment on me… Shinobu's first time cooking… Motoko's sword attacks… Naru's punches… everything was so simple back then… to pass the Tokyo U exams, to manage the Hinata Apartments with all of you… it was all so simple"
A pause.
A sigh.
Then Keitaro looked away.
"But then… life is constantly changing… nobody stays the same… nobody. Everybody grows… we all move on. One way or another we'll have to lose ourselves somewhere along the changing times… I'm very happy for you Kitsune. You found your own way… and I… I'm also proud…"
Silence.
Kitsune placed her hand gently on Keitaro's face and slowly turned him towards her. She smiled.
"You're here, that's what matters. And now… we can move on together. If you think you have so much to catch up… we can always slow down so you can keep up… we're here for you Keitaro. Remember that…"
Keitaro smiled back. Held her hand.
Thank you.
I made a decision… I swear… I'll make all of you happy.
"You've grown, Kitsune… you're more than a woman that I have ever imagined,"
Kitsune blushed. Stared deep into his eyes. Their faces a few inches apart. Lips parted.
She looked quite alluring tonight. Her light long-sleeved blouse exposed her smooth clear shoulders and the silky clothing curved the fullness of her breasts.
So beautiful.
Keitaro found himself drawn towards her. Towards her lips. Slowly leaning forward.
"KEITARO!"
Then Keitaro was forcefully grabbed from the back. Dragged towards the middle of the empty space that served as the dance area. Su was hugging him. A wide smile on her face. A twinkle in her eyes looking up at him with open eagerness.
"Eh?"
"Well? It's my turn to dance you, you know! You danced with Motoko before at the Ocean's Best… now… it'll be my turn! Okay!"
"Eh… okay…"
Su suddenly turned mellow. Gently laying Keitaro's hands on her well-shaped hips. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her sweet scent engulfing them. Her eyes soft, her smile gentle, her touch feminine, her footing placid. She's no longer your average teenage girl. She's now a princess.
"Thank you Keitaro… you know… you always makes me happy,"
"Really? Well… I'm please to hear that,"
"And you know what would make me even happier?"
"Oh? What is it?"
"Promise me you'll do it for me?"
"Eh? It depends on what it would be, Su,"
A pause.
"Be my prince…"
Keitaro smiled, "I'll try my best to be…"
I promise… all of you.
---
Motoko's body reacted before her mind could fully understand what was going on.
She dived hard to the left. Rolled onto the ground. Skidded and stopped to a kneeling position. Her sheathed sword on her left hip; left hand on the sheath, right hand on the handle of the sword. Ready to strike. Her eyes wide open. Her body poised. Dust everywhere.
"Impressive,"
Motoko was breathing hard. She could make out the figure of her attacker. A lean man. Long hair. His sword stretched forward, gleaming in the dark, stabbed forward on an empty space. Sheath on the ground a few meters away.
Then the attacker slowly faced her. Stood straight, sword by the side. A maniacal grin.
"What… What do you want?" Motoko shouted breathlessly. She was wearing a short black skirt and black sleeveless blouse. Her long legs shining in the dark. Her hair flowing like the wind. It was meant to catch her man's attention. But tonight, she never thought she would have to use it to fight.
Silence.
"I just told you what I want… I want the so-called Keitaro Urashima…"
A pause.
"Why?"
"Why? Very simple… I want him dead,"
"What!"
"Yes…"
A pause.
"Who are you?" Motoko narrowed her eyes.
Silence.
"Damnari y sicarios, umbra sicarios, Mikael Undevicesimus," A low bow, "I have been assigned to destroy the twenty-first,"
"Huh?"
"You will lead me to him or else you will die…"
What the hell is going on? What is he talking about? What's twenty-first? How does he know about Keitaro? What does he know about Keitaro? Why does he want Keitaro dead? Motoko's mind was in confusion. The threat was straight-forward. Help or die.
I won't. I won't let him hurt you Keitaro… I swear by my forefathers that I won't let him lay a finger on you.
Motoko felt a rush of adrenalin, her body fused with courage and love. She went deeper into her stance. Her answer clear and simple.
The intruder grunted, "Well… a very unwise decision… but if that's how it's going to be then I don't have any use of you… you'll just have… TO DIE!"
He charged. Sword leaning on his left hip, stabbing forward. It only took him a quarter of a second to reach Motoko. Then Motoko quick drew her sword to a perfect slash, parrying the stab, sparks within contact, forcing her attacker to be swept aside.
---
Shinobu was blushing furiously.
She could not help it. To be this close to the man who refused to love her. The man she adored even now. Her heart both broken and desperate, yet she felt a glimmer of hope out of everything she went through. She won't give up yet. She could not give up yet.
Shinobu laid her head on Keitaro's shoulder. As they danced into the sweet harmony of the music.
"Shinobu?" Keitaro started. Drawing her close to him. She felt his body tensed.
"Sempai?" Looking up, Shinobu stared into his eyes.
"I'm so sorry for what I said yesterday…"
Shinobu sighed. There is hope after all. He hasn't changed. He's still looking after us no matter how hard it may have been for him.
She laid her head on his shoulder again. Lose herself within his arms, whispered, "It's okay sempai… don't worry about it… it was very silly of me to hope for something so impossible… please forget about it…"
Shinobu felt strong hands holding her shoulder. And she found herself looking into Keitaro's serious face. Expressions of deep concern and sincerity. He whispered, "I promise you with all my heart that I will take care of you no matter what… I will make your happiness complete as you have made mine for being the kind person you always have been… I promise you Shinobu… please believe me,"
Tears welled Shinobu's eyes.
And they danced. Lost themselves into the music.
Please believe me.
---
Motoko crashed into a tree.
Her right arm almost numb. Parrying blow after furious blows. Her attacker though never showed any sign of fatigue or stress. As if he felt nothing. An expertise gained by skills and experience.
Motoko knelt, leaned on her sword. Her breathing hard. Her body trembling with pain. She had never faced such strong opponent before. She had never felt such extreme hatred to come from one person. The way he execute his slashes, there was so much abhorrence in every strike.
"What are you fighting for?"
Motoko looked up, "Huh?"
"Who are you fighting for?"
Motoko stood. Listed, but remained firm. Prepared herself for another attack.
"Don't you know silly girl? Keitaro Urashima DIED six years ago…"
Silence.
Cold wind blowing.
Motoko shivered.
"What are you talking about?" I would have to hit him before he hits me again… I'm not sure how long I could hold on like this!
Motoko charged. She raised her sword and swung swiftly but it was deftly blocked. Sparks within contact. His face inches from her. Staring into the blackness of his eyes.
"Don't you know…? Keitaro Urashima died six years ago from a plane crash at the northern beaches of Japan…"
"Huh? Wha… What are you talking about?"
An evil grin, "Whoever you're thinking of right now… he is nothing more than a mirage of his former self… a mere illusion… he's dead!"
It can't be.
His words were creeping into her no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.
"HAAAAAAIIII!" Motoko screamed and pushed him away. She felt sudden surge of anger. Emotions running through her veins, "Don't talk trash you vile creature!"
The attacker stood from the ground. Brushed himself and laughed.
Motoko charged again. She dodged a sudden stab, her body moving like fluid, turned and circled around her enemy, her sword stretched into an arc, just in time to cut him. A long wound on his left arm. She jumped away and avoided his slash by a hairline. She skidded and stopped to a kneeling position. Her eyes bright with fury. Her lips thin, her face grim.
You bastard… you filthy bastard… I'll make you pay for saying such things about Keitaro…
The intruder merely glanced on his wound, "You're getting better and better… I guess it would get a little more interesting if I tell you the whole story… shall I?"
A taunt.
Motoko answered by sheathing her sword. Lowered her body even more, her knees touching the ground, like a cat ready to spring forward. I'll cut you the next time I draw my sword.
"Very well then… Keitaro Urashima died on a plane crash at the northern beaches of Japan six years ago. However… he was revived by a priest named Father Piyad of the Catholic Church stationed at the area… unfortunately this revival does not come free… you see… Keitaro was used by the same people who helped him… he became part of human experiment called The U Project. 'Part' of this experiment is alteration of the human brain… of identity… of personality… the vast possibilities of the 'human soul',"
"SHUT UP!" Motoko screamed.
Motoko attacked. She quick drew her sword, slicing upwards, but it was swept aside by a powerful side-sweeping slash. Bright sparks as metal grind against metal. The eerie sound of furious blow echoed into the wind.
Then Motoko let go and quickly swung around to slash again only to be kicked on her hide. She was thrown a few feet backwards; crashed hard to the ground, bathe herself in a cloud of dust. Her resolve was dissolving. Both her mind and her heart in confusion. The dilemma of wanting to know and wanting to deny. It was tearing her apart.
"He was the perfect subject… and you know why? BECAUSE NO ONE BOTHERED TO LOOK FOR HIM!"
Motoko almost fainted.
The intruder laughed, "Keitaro Urashima became Keyu Unetvicesima… he was the twenty-first… he was trained to be an assassin. To eliminate the enemies of the Holy Council. But like all other subjects… he was flawed… seriously flawed… his own inquisitiveness brought him his own downfall…"
I've had enough of this! Motoko raised her sword high. She shuddered. Rich memories passed before her eyes. For a long time she had not executed her well-known attack. That former life of hers was forgotten years ago. Her hard earned sword technique vanished along with Keitaro's disappearance.
Part of her wanted to believe that it was all a lie. And she wanted desperately to believe it was all a lie. But how could he know so much about him?
Unless.
There were tears on Motoko's eyes.
We missed you. We tried so hard to look for you. But was it all too late? You suffered so much because we were too proud to admit how you meant to us… how you meant to me.
"AIR-SPLITTING SWORD!"
---
Keitaro sat onto a chair and sighed, stretched his legs and rested.
He looked around and found Naru sitting on her own by the far corner. For some odd reason, Keitaro had this fleeting impression that she was avoiding him.
Naru turned and was surprised to catch Keitaro looking at her. She immediately looked away. She stood and went towards the door. Nobody else noticed her departure.
What's going on Naru? Keitaro was about to follow her when he felt something soft pressed against his back.
It was Kitsune.
"Uhm… could you… uhm… help me with something at the back?"
"Huh?"
"I'm quite drunk and I don't think I would be able to get it by myself…"
"Er?"
"Please?"
"Okay…"
She led him towards the back of the bar. And on their way Keitaro noticed something hanging on the wall. He stopped. Kitsune turned.
"What's the matter Keitaro?"
Keitaro reached out and held a shining object. It was a small silver templar cross with a dragon wound around it.
"Oh… that? Very strange… a guy came in yesterday… I thought he was a friend of Motoko's because he's carrying a sword… anyway… he told me that he's looking for somebody… then he left this… he told me something like… he's waiting or something… I just kept it there just in case that nutcase comes back for it…"
"Weird…"
"Huh?"
"I've seen this before… I just don't know where…"
"Really?"
Silence.
Keitaro closed his eyes.
Move on. There's no need to stay in one place and dawdle in the past.
He gently placed the silver onto the table and smiled at Kitsune, "Well… it's just that… anyway… I don't think it's any important at all… what matters is that I'm here… so what do you want me to do?"
"Just in here…"
As soon as Keitaro entered the dark room he was pinned to the wall. Kitsune's face close to him. And Keitaro could not smell any hint of alcohol on her. She was sober.
Then in a split second Kitsune was all over him. Her hands searching hungrily, her lips raining his face with kisses, her legs between his. She was breathing hard. Her body warm, trembling with her sheer excitement.
"Kitsune… what are you…" Keitaro struggled.
"Ssshhh… please… please…" Kitsune's voice was low, raspy, "Please… I'm begging you… just this one time… please… give me something to remember you by…"
Kitsune covered his mouth. Kissed him passionately. Her tongue exploring. Her hands inside his shirt, gently stroking his chest.
Keitaro quivered.
Then her hands went for his pants and fumbled with his belt. As a response, Keitaro grabbed her breasts and gently kneaded her.
"Yes… yes…"
Kitsune vigorously pushed Keitaro down, pulled her blouse lower to expose her left nipple.
"Suck… please… please…"
Then they heard a crash from outside.
A pause.
MOTOKO! NARU!
Keitaro stood. Kindly arranged Kitsune's dress proper again. The moment vanished replaced by apprehensiveness.
"What? What's going on Keitaro? What's that?" Kitsune was serious. She could feel danger in the air.
"Stay here with the others… don't let anybody inside the bar…" Keitaro's face was grave.
"Huh? What do you mean? What are you planning to do?"
"No time… just do as I say…"
"Keitaro… wait!"
With that Keitaro rushed outside.
Hey there guys and gals! I apologize if this is a bit late. I was too busy… didn't have much time to post. Actually 09 was the second of the three part series of one very long chapter – 08, 09 and 10. The final chapter of Ultimatum. I hope you find the balance between action, drama and intimacy in this one long chapter. Well… I just gave it a go. So… what do you think of it?
The story was meant to thrill. I hope you felt that on every chapter. I don't think much of them as cliffhangers… they're just small introduction for what's to come. My sincere and deepest appreciation to all those who gave their reviews. It means a lot to know what you think of my work. I hope you don't tire reading and reviewing.
Something big is coming.
Confused yet? See ya next chapter!
Cheers!
nivremous