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: Supremacy
The Final Series
11
A young man, strong and fit
Paralyzed, struck down by disease
His body corrupted
His mind eaten by madness
Gasp of breath his last
Life ebbing away
I cry, I cry
O Lord, heed our prayers please
Lazarus is dying
Beneath the red cloudless sky
---
Tokyo University Materials Laboratory
Tokyo, Japan
To: Mutsumi Otohime
Re: Research Reference 082779MS Final Report
Miss Otohime
Prior to our telephone conversation the Materials Laboratory received the following from you:
1 – Box
Contents:
1 – Clothing
1 – Letter
Following your request to analyze the contents the research materials team found the following:
The clothing is an advanced thermal protective suit1. There is evidence of lining on the suit that we believe served as a communication gear. The tears around the suit are consistent of weather damage instead of physical ones. The suit has been under extreme stresses than the recommended use. We found evidence of blood around the neckline area and several impurities all over the suit.
The origin of the thermal suit materials we found several manufacturers around America and England. Unfortunately, our database is not extensive enough to locate the exact factory but we are certain that these materials are foreign. The impurities that we found are salt rocks, leaves and several oceanic parasites. We suspect that the suit has been on the sea for several days. Providentially these impurities are local and we can tell you through the salt rocks' salt content and signature that they could only come from the northern beaches of Japan. We can say the same thing with the oceanic parasites; their particular species could only be found on the northern sea close to the islands.
As for the blood, we will send you the DNA signature via fax.
We hope that we have given you enough information to help your research. If you have more inquiries do not hesitate to give us a call.
Sincerely
- -
Tokyo University Materials Laboratory Research Technician
Materials Laboratory Research Team
---
"Ara! Ara! Thank you so much!" Mutsumi brightened.
"It's alright… I have plenty of these watermelons… and they're very succulent too. It's good to have a little repast with a young lady like you," The old woman said as she placed a plate full of freshly sliced watermelons on the table.
Mutsumi looked around, a slice of watermelon by her hand, and bathe herself with the beautiful scenery of the northern beaches of Japan. High mountains by the south, Blue Ocean by the north, grassy hills by the west, and green plains riddled with small cottages. It was paradise on earth.
A gust of wind.
The old woman sighed and sat heavily on her easy chair, "It's not like we see youngsters like you around this little village of ours very often. But a few every now and then is always a welcome change…"
"You're very kind…" Mutsumi bowed.
Wind chimes ringing.
"Just like that time…" The old woman said with sad smile, reminiscent eyes.
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry. I must have been drifting off again… I remember the time when we had a young lad in our lives… six or seven years ago I think… I can't really say… time usually flies around this area of Japan very quickly… he arrived after that horrible accident…"
"Accident?"
A shiver.
"I'm not sure if you've heard of it… it was really horrifying… it was raining that night… I was already sleeping… then I heard a loud crash, unbelievable noise… then the earth shook… I thought it was an earthquake, only it wasn't. I stepped out to see what's going on… and I saw it… right over there," A finger pointing towards the rocky beach a few miles away, "A plane…"
Silence.
"A plane crash?"
"First time I've seen one up close… it was truly incredible… huge scrap of metals everywhere… fire everywhere… it's like looking at hell itself… every able bodied man came to help… I did what I could… so many died that night… so many lives…"
A pause.
Silence.
"He came a day after that… such a peculiar young man… I saw him standing at my front porch. I thought he was a reporter or something… during those days there were so many of them I couldn't tell which one is which. But this young man said he came from the northern church… he looked like it… wearing long shaggy brown clothes… he came to this little village of ours to help… to help us forget that horrible night…"
"A young man… does he have a name?"
"We called him – Lazarus,"
"Lazarus?"
"Yes…" A smile, the old woman laughed heartily, "There was this rumor about this young man… I never really believed it… it started from the older folks living near the beach… it was a nasty one too although Lazarus never really did pay any attention to it…"
"Rumor?"
"They say… that this young man died that night…"
"Lazarus died?"
"Yes… one of the villagers who has been on the plane crash rescue effort recognized the young man's face... well… for all I know this might just be a rambling of a crazy old man too good for his own… but rumor or what not… it never did affected Lazarus… he came to our village day in day out… he stayed with us for two years… helping with the crops, seeing the elder people, helped the needy,"
A pause.
A gust of wind.
"Lazarus…"
"He's always smiling. But somehow… there's that confused look on his face. Like he had lost something and he doesn't know how to get it back. And in time… I learned to pity him. He's like a lost child trying to make up the time… only time was too elusive for him. He's always smiling though… even though it's hurting him deep inside…"
A pause.
"One time… I invited him for lunch… he was helping out with the farm up the far north… and I served him these watermelons that I bought from the markets… he sat there and ate… smiling… but crying all the while too… he couldn't help it… he's smiling, eating watermelons but he's crying as well… he kept on apologizing… he told me that he doesn't understand why he's crying… he was so confused… I pity him so much that day… I could never forget that pain in his face… such sadness on one kind soul…"
Silence.
"Where is he now?"
"Well… he disappeared after two years. I never saw him again,"
A pause.
"You should try to look at the far north cathedral…" The old woman stared at Mutsumi.
"I'm sorry?"
"You're looking for him… aren't you?"
"Uhm…"
"You don't have to say anything… I know… I can feel it… he's about your age… he told me once that he'll look for what he had lost… he told me that Lazarus wasn't his real name… he had lost his real name too… it's about time… he has been waiting for you for a long long time…"
Silence.
Mutsumi bowed.
She stood then walked towards the gate.
"Miss…"
Mutsumi turned.
"When you find him… could you please tell him… from Granny… that the tomatoes are growing well…"
Mutsumi smiled, bowed again.
"Thank you,"
---
Keitaro woke with a start.
Bright morning sun was shining through the wide open window. Cool summer breeze in the air. Occasional chirping of birds. A low humming noise from outside the hall. Serenity in the atmosphere. Calm, quiet, and peaceful.
It was a medium sized hospital room. Two beds situated by the window. A small lounge near the door. A table and a chair by the corner. A television over head. Everything was white, meticulously clean, pure.
Keitaro looked around; found Shinobu on a chair, her head snuggled comfortably under a warm blanket on the edge of Naru's bed. Kitsune was sleeping soundly on the lounge close to Motoko's. And both patients were also sound asleep.
Keitaro closed his eyes. A hand on his forehead. His mind in chaos.
It was a surreal night for all of them. Kitsune managed to call for help, Shinobu and Su did their best to tend to Naru's wound; she lost too much blood. Ambulances came a few minutes later and the medical team stabilized Naru's dire condition. Motoko, although reluctant, was also given medical attention. Upon arriving on the hospital, Haruka, Seta and Sara who drove before them have already secured a room for Naru and Motoko.
Naru's wound was cleaned and bandaged properly; she received eight stitches. Motoko's sprained arm was given proper bandaging. Nobody spoke, nobody asked that whole night. They just stayed there beside Naru and Motoko. Haruka, Seta and Sara returned to the Hinata Apartments early morning the next day to start the repairs. Almost half of the Hinata Apartments front garden has been annihilated reduced to a rocky crater. The destruction was apparent for everyone to see.
It's all my fault.
So Keitaro made a decision. It took him all night to finally accept it while watching over Naru and Motoko.
I can not let this happen to all of you again.
I'm so sorry.
Keitaro stood and walked towards Naru's bed. He stood there for a while. Looking at her. Then he reached out, slide his hand on her face, touched her smooth skin, silky hair.
"I'm so sorry…" Keitaro whispered, "I didn't mean to let this happen to you. I'm sorry for all the things I've done. And I… I thank you for making my return worth while… thank you for all the things you've done for me. It's better this way… I think… fate has always been against me and I cannot let my own mistakes affect your life… please… I beg of you… move on…"
Then Keitaro reached out for Shinobu. He ran a hand through her hair; she shivered and then smiled in her sleep.
"Thank you so much Shinobu… you've been the best friend I've ever had… you've kept my feet on the ground… you've been my strength all these cloudy weeks of my return. I wish you all the happiness. You deserve so much. So much more than I could ever offer. Please… live your life to the fullest… move on…"
Then Keitaro walked towards Kitsune, placed a hand on her shoulder, stared into her closed sleeping eyes.
"You've done very well my dear friend… I'm so proud of you. You have always been strong. I wish you all the success in life. I wish you find the contentment you deserve… please my dear friend… move on…"
Then finally Keitaro went towards Motoko's side. He gently held her bandaged hand, knelt, head low.
"I'm so sorry Motoko… I… I don't deserve you… I don't deserve anyone… my entire existence is nothing more than an adversity… heavens will always play with my life until the day I die… I cannot let you get entangled with my own misfortune… you deserve so much more. I… I don't deserve even the honor of being your friend… please… forgive me. I wish you find the man who truly deserves you… move on…"
A tear on Keitaro's eyes.
Keitaro stood walked towards the door, turned for the last time, whispered, "I'm so sorry everyone… I have to go now. I'm not sure if I'll make it back alive… I… I need to do this… I cannot let him harm any of you… it must end one way or another… I'm so sorry that I have to leave again… I… I have made arrangements so that you'll all live as comfortably as possible… that's my wish for all of you. Please…" bowed low, "Forget about me,"
Opened the door, went through it, Keitaro felt heaviness in his heart that he could not ignore, his hand shook with misery, with sadness he could not contain, and closed the door behind him.
I'm so sorry everyone.
Looking up Keitaro found Su staring at him.
For a moment nobody spoke.
Silence.
Then Keitaro ran towards her and hugged her tight. Su was frozen in shock, stunned by his boldness, shaken by his obvious pain, and somehow she knew, she knew what was happening. And she willed herself not to cry.
After a long while Keitaro let go. He stood quietly, his closed eyes wet with tears, grim seriousness in his face, and without a word, he walked slowly away from her.
Silence.
Steps.
"You're leaving us again…" It wasn't a question.
Silence.
Keitaro paused. He didn't turn. Refused to face her. His heart in pain, broken.
"It's not your fault. Motoko told me everything. It's not your fault,"
A pause.
"I guess no matter what I say… it won't change your mind. I could only imagine what you're going through right now. I guess I would never understand too. But it's not just you who's suffering…"
A pause.
"Shinobu stayed at the Hinata Apartments when you left… and you know what? She cried every night… Naru was caught crying too by one of her fellow teachers one time and Motoko was found by her own sister on the training room wet with her own tears, in despair… I've cried too. I spent countless nights in my room doing nothing but cry… and all I could ever think of was you… and whenever I call Shinobu all I ask for… was you. I could not worry about anybody else, I could not bring myself to think of anybody else but my own sadness that was tearing me apart… all I could ever think of was seeing you again…"
Keitaro shook.
A pause.
Silence.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound bad or blame you… what I'm trying to say… is that… what I'm really trying to say is that we need you Keitaro. Please… when you walk out that door, when you leave this building… please… I beg you to remember our pain… remember what we've been through without you… please no matter how dreadful the circumstances are… no matter how impossible… no matter how hopeless… please remember to return to us... We need you here Keitaro. Please… Keitaro… Please,"
Keitaro bowed.
Then he walked away.
Steps.
Su never looked back. She never turned to see if Keitaro stayed. She already knew the answer. But no matter how much she tried she could not help but feel an overwhelming sadness for him, for all of them. She walked towards Naru's and Motoko's room.
The moment she touched the door, Su crumbled. She leaned on the wall, and slide down to the floor, a hand on her eyes; she shivered and cried.
Big brother…
---
It was an old cathedral.
Mutsumi found herself standing in front of an old church building located on a green grassy hill. High walls could be seen stretching a few miles away. Battlements on each corner as high as a pine tree, facing the rocky coastline. Almost like a fortress than a house of God. There were small ruined gardens lining the ancient looking walls. Grasses were already knee-high. An abandoned look. Uncared for and forgotten.
Mutsumi sighed.
It has taken her a while to finally find the church. She has nothing to help her but a research report letter that detailed the origins of the materials she sent to analyze and a rumor. A rumor that she heard from several elder people living on nearby villages on her way to the northern beaches. A rumor of a ghost from the past that came from this very building she's looking at right now. A young man they call Lazarus.
The man who died and lived. Lazarus.
A gust of wind.
Wind chimes ringing.
Creaking noise.
The old gnarled heavy wooden door opened slowly, groaning loudly as if in pain. Like time has returned to remind it of its old age.
"Mutsumi Otohime?"
A pause.
Mutsumi was taken aback, looking at her were two monks in brown long shaggy shrouds with astounded look on their faces, "Ye… yes… how did you know my name?"
The monks faced each other then bowed low, "We have been expecting you…"
"Wha… what? What are you talking about?"
"We've been waiting for two years…"
"What… what do you mean?"
"We've been given instructions as for your arrival… he told us that you or somebody else on our list would finally arrive,"
"Who… who told you?"
"He told us to give you this name if you ask… Keitaro Urashima,"
A pause.
Mutsumi fell to the ground.
The monks ran quickly to her aid.
"Kei… Kei-kun was expecting me…"
Then Mutsumi passed out.
1. The U Project: Identity – Chapter 1
Welcome to the Supremacy Chapters.
Hei there guys and gals! How you all doing? I'm so sorry for the delay of this chapter. Actually I wrote several versions of this chapter before uploading it, because I wanted to make sure that whatever is said here should tie in perfectly with the overall story and ending. This particular chapter is a small intro for everything else. I needed this foundation so that you'd all understand what's really been going on. And I bet you will all be surprised.
I thank all of you for the warm approval of the Ultimatum chapters; I hope you'd think the same thing for this final installments of The U Project. I am really indebted to those who gave a review. There were so many entries that gave me inspiration to continue writing no matter how busy my schedule is. I promise we'll have our own page by the end. At the moment I want everybody to pay attention to the story. Don't blink… if you do… you might miss something…
Thanks again! Confused yet? Cheers! C ya next chapter!
nivremous