I realize that some of you liked chap 3 and some of you strongly disliked it because of the way it was going. The truth is, I finished both chapters 3 and 4, two days before I posted chap 3. I just wanted to see how people would take chap 3 before I posted the conclusion. I sincerely hope that this chapter will put all of your anxieties to rest, and I humbly apologize for upsetting anyone's anticipations. I want to thank everyone for making this fiction such a success. This fic is for all of you, because as always, I write for the sole purpose to entertain the readers. Without your reviews, I don't think I could have made it this far. Anyways, enough of my babbling. Love Hina is owned and created by Ken Akamatsu. I hope you enjoy my conclusion.

-Knightwolf

Love's Sharp Blade

Chapter IV

Motoko stood tall on a desolate land of lifeless soil and dead, leafless trees. Tones of gray and pale earth swept as far as the eye could see. Grasping her black Katana sword hanging at her left hip, she looked over the dismal land with a blank expression on her face. Above her, moved dark clouds that reigned down bolts of lightning every few moments. Covering her body was the black samurai armor. A cold wind moved across the barren dirt, blowing over her face and through her hair. Motoko did not mind, however. She felt it not, for her skin was numb to all feelings of cold or pain. Unaffected, she simply let it caress her.

Around her she heard nothing but the quiet hiss of dust moving over the wretched land. Then, she heard a whisper speak to her from an unknown source.

"Why is it that you wear that armor in such pride?" It said.

"Because it is the armor of a Samurai and it only comes to those who possess strong discipline!" Motoko boasted proudly.

"What of your friends? Can they still touch you through that armor?" the voice spoke, now closer and with more certainty.

"A warrior needs no one." Motoko said, continuing her stone gaze to the dark horizon.

Then, out of the darkness appeared a familiar looking girl, wearing a white Kimono, tied with a long white sash that flowed freely in the wind. As the girl came closer, Motoko got a good look at her and saw that it was herself. The white Motoko stopped and stood before her. She raised up her hand and gently touched Motoko's face. Motoko stood still, maintaining her stature.

"Your skin. It feels so cold." The white Motoko said.

Motoko said nothing.

The white Motoko's hand then slowly moved down along Motoko's black armor.

"It feels so hard. It is rigid and unyielding."

Motoko still said nothing.

The white Motoko moved in and tenderly embraced Motoko, closing her eyes and resting her head on Motoko's armored shoulder. Motoko still did not move.

"Can you feel love or sorrow underneath that armor?" The white Motoko asked.

"A warrior does not need love. A warrior does not need sorrow. Thus, a warrior feels neither. All a warrior needs is strength, wisdom and heart!" Motoko boasted.

"Then what is your heart for?" The white Motoko inquired.

"What? What do you mean?" Motoko asked.

"What is it for, if not to feel love or sorrow?" The white Motoko asked with a soft smile as she continued to rest her head on Motoko's shoulder.

"I…It's for…" Motoko could not find the words to continue. She was struck with an epiphany by the white Motoko's words. Motoko's head tilted downward and her gaze fell to the ground.

"A…A warrior possesses a heart…" Motoko said, her voice wavering.

"Yes?" the white Motoko said, rubbing Motoko's back slowly with her soft hands, encouraging her to continue.

"…to feel love and sorrow. Thus love and sorrow are both a part of being a warrior." Motoko said, slowly loosening up her tightened muscles.

Several tiny cracks began to form in the armor.

"That's right, hm hm." The white Motoko said, with a loving laugh. White Motoko then lifted her head from her shoulder and lightly kissed Motoko on the cheek. Then she moved her lips up to her ear and whispered,

"If you do not let feelings of love or sorrow into your heart, then it will stop beating."

As Motoko listened to her words, she felt something pleasantly warm deep inside of her. White Motoko then changed to a glowing energy that moved past the black armor and flowed into Motoko. The warmth that she felt inside grew ten-fold. The land around her began to change immediately. Green grass arose beneath her feet, quickly covering the land. Leaves sprouted from branches of every tree. Above, the dark clouds cleared away to reveal the brilliant blue sky and the bright sun.

As the sunlight hit the armor, it began to break apart and fall away, revealing Motoko's bare skin to the sun's warm rays.

"It feels so good. As if I have lived in the cold darkness for so long." She said, holding out her hand and watching the light cast upon it.

"Will you let forgiveness inside your heart as well?" The voice said from inside her.

Motoko looked up at the sky and smiled a bright smile.

"Yes, of course I will." Motoko graciously replied.

"Good, because someone is waiting for it, right now."

Motoko then awoke from her dream with that very same bright smile. Sitting up in her bed and looking around her room she realized what she needed to do. Immediately she jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes and ran out of her room. Running down the hall, she arrived at her destination, door 204. After throwing it open she was disappointed to see that it was empty. She quickly closed the door and continued her search.

Keitaro sat silent on the top step of the stone Hinata stairs, just in front of the apartments. His forehead rested on his arms, which were folded over his knees. He hadn't moved for a long time. Keitaro just continues to sit there, desperately wishing that he could take back the mistakes that he has made. To take back the choices that robbed him of the one girl he truly loved.

Behind him, he heard footsteps slowly getting closer, but he paid no attention. The footsteps continued until he was sure that they stopped right behind him. Then, Keitaro felt a pair of soft hands touch his shoulders and lightly rub them. Keitaro lifted his head and looked at the horizon before him.

"Can you ever forgive me for being so foolish? For jeopardizing something so beautiful and wonderful? For hurting the one person that I still love, even now?" Keitaro said.

The person knelt down and slowly wrapped her arms around his chest. Resting her head on his shoulder, she rubbed his chest tenderly in circles. Keitaro reached up and took one of the hands that caressed him so gently. He then held it over his heart.

"Could you ever forgive me, Motoko?" He said.

"Yes." She said softly, holding him tighter.

"I love you so much, Motoko. I need you." Keitaro said.

"I know. And I need you too. I don't ever want to be apart from you, Keitaro." She said.

Keitaro then turned around. He and Motoko embraced eachother with everything they had, as if their lives depended on it. After a long minute had passed, the two of them moved back and they then shared a long, greatly missed kiss.

Around them the cherry blossoms fell, carried along by the warm spring breeze. Above them stretched the brilliant blue sky, holding in it the warm sun, which seemed to smile down upon the two lovers. And it will continue to smile upon them, forevermore.