Riderofdragons: Konbawa minna-san! Once again it seems that I have lied to you. I claimed that I was going to post some one-shots before I started on this story, but they were, well…

Walkswithwraiths: (enters on to the scene) Craptacular?

Riderofdragons: (smacks his friend with a paper fan) You shut up! (turns back to the readers) Gomen. As you can see, I've opted for a skit opening for this chapter rather than my standard A/N. Partly because this baka, (point to where wraiths lies unconscious) has been skimming the other submissions here on and has been pestering me to try this out.

Walkswithwraiths: (suddenly springs to life) And it worked too! (starts to bounce around rider like Goku does to Sanzo in Sayuki) So? Can I have a power now?

Riderofdragons: (smacks wraiths with the fan again) That's why you wanted me to do this skit didn't you?! For an author power in case I put you into my stories?

Wraiths: Well…yeah…

Rider: You need to be an author to have an author power…

Wraiths: But can't you…

Rider: No.

Wraiths: Please?

Rider: (pulls out a bat to replace his fan and bows to the readers) 'Scuse me a sec folks. (Chases wraiths off with the bat) There we go. Again, gomen. Now, on with the story. Enjoy everyone!

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Disclaimer: It should go without saying now; my name is not Ken Akamatsu. Therefore, I don't own Love Hina. Any OCs however, are mine, and if you take them without asking, I'll hunt you down. Just kidding, but please don't take my stuff.

In Search of Her Place

Chapter One: The First Seal

"Onii-chan!" The little girl turned to look over her shoulder and brushed her long purple-black hair from her eyes. "Will you wash my back for me?"

The older boy nodded as he stood, careful to keep his towel about his waist. "Sure, want me to wash your hair too?"

The little girl smiled and nodded before handing her brother her favorite shampoo.

He sat down behind his sister and began rubbing the soap into the girl's scalp. He marveled at how even at such a young age, she was able to keep her hair in such condition that most grown women would kill to attain. He continued to run his hands through his imouto's luxurious hair, careful not to pull at it, as he told her the good news. "You know, I over heard grandma and dad before. She said that she was going to give us this place when we get older. So we could run the inn together."

The little girl tried to turn to see if her brother was kidding her, but quickly turned back as she felt the inadvertent tug on her hair. "Is she really? That would be so much fun! Then we could be together all the time!"

The boy nodded and dumped a bucket of water over her head to rinse away the shampoo. "That would be fun. So what do you say? Want to run the inn with me?"

The young girl turned slightly in her seat to look up at her big brother. Her violet eyes sparkled at the thought of sharing the inn with him. "Hai!"

The boy smiled. "Alright then. Yakusoku." He turned as he heard his father calling. "Come on, time to get ready for dinner."

The little girl stood and ran towards the door, heedless of the fact she forgot her towel. "Race you! First one to the table wins!"

"Don't run in the onsen!" The boy yelled. "You'll slip and hurt yourself." His words fell on the still waters, for the girl was already gone.

---

In her room, the little girl dressed quickly into her yukata. She stood before her mirror and brushed out her hair.

"You know that he will never fulfill that promise." Called a voice.

The girl spun around, but the room was empty. "Who's there?"

"He made another promise." The voice called again. "To another girl. He'll never be with you the way you want. Unless…"

The little girl was shaking now as she listened. She looked around her room, trying to find the source of the voice. It was familiar to her ear, but she couldn't identify the voice. "Who are you? Where are you?"

"Turn around." Called the voice.

She turned and looked at her reflection in the mirror. "You?"

The reflection nodded on it's own power. "Yes."

"Who are you?" Demanded the little girl as bravely as she could. She knew that reflections weren't supposed to move on their own.

The reflection smiled. "I'm you of course."

"But I thought I was me." The girl pointed to herself.

"We're one and the same dear." The reflection leaned back in her chair. "Well, almost anyway…"

The girl blinked wondering what that meant. "What do you mean that onii-chan won't keep his promise?"

"He made another promise to another girl." The reflection smiled, though it was different this time. "You're his second. He forgot one promise, he'll forget this one too."

The young girl shook her head. "Onii-chan isn't like that!"

The reflection leaned forward. "Well, I may know of a way to help make sure we get what we want."

"How?" The little girl also leaned forward.

"You just have to break the seals and let me out." The reflection's eyes began to glow red-hot.

The little girl backed away from the mirror. "No!"

The reflection pushed against the mirror. The glass buckled and waved as though it had become fluid. "Let me out!"

The little girl screamed and curled into a fetal position on the door

"Imouto?" The boy opened the door to his sister's room. "You ok?"

The little girl looked around and saw nothing out of place, and her reflection now moved identical to her. "I…I…think so." She looked up at her brother. "Onii-chan? Will you make another promise with me?"

The boy nodded.

"Please don't leave me."

"Hai, imouto."

The little girl smiled and dismissed what she had seen as nothing more than a bad dream. She erased it from her memory so it would never bother her again.

---

A month later the girl watched as her brother left for his new school. He left on his trip to one day attain his dream of becoming a student at Toudai. His dream of fulfilling another promise, a promise that did not include her. Deep within her, the first seal fell away and burned to ash.

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Urashima Kanako awoke with a start. "Damn…that dream…"

"Hey look everyone!" Called Kaolla from somewhere down the hall. "Keitaro's got a woody!"

"What the hell are you doing in my room!?" Yelled Keitaro. "More importantly, what are you doing in my pants!?"

Kanako bolted from her futon and dressed quickly in a black skirt suit with a white vest and ran down the hall.

The all the other girls in the household were kneeling next to Keitaro's futon. Although their kimonos were different, they all wore an apron that displayed Hinata Inn on the front. "Good morning sir! Welcome to the Hinata Inn!" They greeted together. "Did you sleep well?"

Motoko put on a deadpan face and held up an invoice. "Here's your bill for last night."

"What!" Keitaro yelled in disbelief. "You're kidding me!"

Kanako stormed into the room. "You call that good service?! You all want to be written up?!"

Kitsune grinned. "Oh, I see now." She crawled across the floor as seductively as possible and placed a hand gently on Keitaro's crotch. "So stud? What kind of service did you want?"

Keitaro's nose exploded in a fountain of blood seconds before he passed out.

Kitsune smiled again and started laughing. "Too easy! That time in America did nothing for him!"

Shinobu ran and began to fan her sempai's overheated face. "Auuu! I think you killed him this time."

Kaolla poked at him with a stick. "Nah, he's immortal. Remember?"

Sarah walked to the top of the futon and gave Keitaro a powerful kick to the head. "Wake up dork!"

Keitaro sat up and rubbed his head. "Ow…" He looked around his room again. "So, uh, what's with the uniforms?"

Naru handed Keitaro a bag of ice for his head. "You sister decided to change the dorm back to an inn while you were away. So the only way for us to stay here with the rent increase was to start working here too."

Keitaro turned to Kanako. "You did?"

Kanako nodded, but turned her gaze away slightly. "Yes. Grandma authorized the final changes, but I put everything into motion. You're not mad are you?"

Keitaro shook his head. "No, but am I still the landlord here?"

Kanako nodded. "Well, co-landlord. Grandma gave the inn to both of us, remember?" She waited in anticipation, hoping her hint would jog his memory of his promise to her.

"Did she really?" Keitaro scratched his head. "Well, ok then. Just give me a bit more warning next time."

Kanako slumped slightly. "Hai onii-chan…" She turned as the service bell at the front desk rang. "Who could that be?" She left the room to inspect the lower floor.

Keitaro stood. "Must be our first guest." He started to follow his sister downstairs when he remembered that he was still in his pajamas. He turned back and started to take off his shirt, before remembering that he had a room full of women with him. "Um, do you mind?"

"I don't." Kitsune teased. "Go ahead. Take it all off!"

"Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!" Kaolla chanted as began to jump around the room.

Naru grabbed Kitsune by the ear and began leading her out of the room.

Sarah grabbed Su by the ear and led her out as well.

Motoko shook her head and walked out.

Shinobu looked around nervously as everyone left the room and quickly followed.

Once it was safe, Keitaro changed and headed for the check in desk.

---

A man screamed as his torture resumed again. He could feel the claws as they raked his flesh, leaving deep gashes that would bleed forever. But the worst was yet to come. He screamed again as he was violated. He looked over his shoulders at the horned face of the grotesque little creature that was his tormentor. It smiled at his pain.

Then something unexpected happened, something that had not occurred through all the ages of his torture. He caught a glimpse of someone other than his demonic tormentor.

The little demon removed himself from his prisoner. He chittered excitedly as the robed figure approached. Thinking that this was another victim for him to play with, he launched himself at the unidentified person.

A hand lashed out from beneath the robes.

The demon screamed as the long nails pierced through his stony flesh. The hand continued to press forward into his face until the bones of his skull were shattered, and the hand emerged from the back of the demon's head.

The imprisoned man watched as the unknown figure wiped clean its hand of the demon's blood, gray matter, and other viscera, before continuing on. His eyes glanced at the floor at the remains of his one time captor. He didn't have long to think about that as he felt a set of claws once again rake his flesh. A new demon, identical to the first in nearly every way, had arrived to take over the torture.

Once again the man's screams echoed through the caverns.

---

The hooded figure left the chamber and arrived at its destination, a lightless cave from which only the sounds of screaming humans were ripped apart. In the space of those screams, the orders were given.

"I understand Master. I shall obey."

---

"Did you hear?"

The second man nodded. "Yeah, I didn't think that Ice ever left the home office anymore."

The first man nodded. "I know. The whole office is talking about it." He made a grave face. "I feel sorry for the poor bastards that Ice is being sent to deal with though."

A third, younger man rounded the corner. "Who is this Ice anyway? And what's with the stupid nickname?"

The three men paused as the subject of their conversation strode past them. A set of pale ice blue eyes fixed upon them, freezing the words in their throats, before moving on.

The third man gasped for breath. "I think my heart stopped for a moment! Was that Ice?"

The second man nodded. "The one and only…"

"Say a prayer for the poor souls below." Advised the first man. "For them, the ice man cometh."

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Rider: Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this.

Wraiths: (glares at rider) You almost had Kanako-sama eaten in the first chapter.

Rider: Oh shut up. This is her story. She can't die yet. (muttering) Baka.

Wraiths: I heard that. (grins evilly as two shadows appear behind him) I made some friends after you chased me off. They'd like a word with you.

Rider: (sweat drops as a sword and what looks like a bazooka are trained on him) Motoko-san? Kaolla-san? What can I do for you?

Motoko: You put me in bed with two women in your last story! I'll kill you! Zankyusen!

Kaolla: You made me sleep with Kanako! (unleashes a salvo of missiles)

Rider: (turns and begins to run) I knew I should have created my author powers first! Until the next, live safe and be well people! Now I got to run!

Motoko and Kaolla: Get back here!

Wraiths: (walks off in search of food) Chase me with a bat will he…(turns around at last moment) Oh, yeah. If you have the time, leave a review for my idiot buddy so he'll write faster. Peace.