Rider: Konichiwa Minna-san! I have returned yet again to bring you another chapter.

Wraiths: 'Bout time loser.

Star: Yeah, your getting slow.

Rider: Urk! (falls down as an anvil falls on him) What's with the negativity here? (back on his feet, facing readers) Well, in away, you're all in luck.

Wraiths: Why?

Rider: Because I had my first classes today, so I was forced to wake up at what one would consider a normal hour. And my classes were easy so I only had to devote half my attention to the lesson, leaving the other half for…

Star: Daydreaming?

Rider: (face faults) I was going to say brainstorming… Anyway, on to mail.

To HinaGuy749, the reference to Kaolla's return to earth will be explained in a future chapter. Kitsune's powers…read on.

To watanuki, I know the page breaks were weird, but I swear it wasn't my fault! It's this damn quick edit crap! I tried for almost a half hour to find a way to break it up, but gave up in a useless task.

To ShadowDragon-Zero, Thanks! I'll try.

To KylaranAeldin, I love the quote. DJFGHLDFGH! Many thanks for your understanding in my sporadic updates.

To Kyo Korhal, that does explain the review. ;-) Glad you're enjoying the story. Just a question though, just how many people are we talking with the Kanako-haters that want to kill me? I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place with people that want the pairing and those who've threatened me with bodily harm should I get anywhere near that idea.

To Kenshin Myashima, thanks!

Rider: Ok, I think I got everyone. Read and enjoy everyone!

(break)

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina! If you think I do, I'm sending Ice to your house to knock some sense into you.

In Search Of Her Place

Chapter Ten: Tears and Death

"Hey Haruka!" Sarah came out of the dressing room. "Can we get some lunch when we're done here?"

Haruka sat facing the wall, seeming to look past it at some unseen event. "This chill I'm feeling…could it be?"

Sarah came up and tugged at Haruka's sleeve. "Did you here me?"

Haruka turned, blinking as though seeing Sarah for the first time. "Lunch? Yeah, I guess we can do that." She watched as the little girl ran back to the dressing room to change. "I've done what I can, the rest is up to fate now." She smiled. "Kanako, the Princess of the Dark, daughter of…"

Sarah came tearing out of the changing room. "So where are we going for lunch?"

Haruka stood and shrugged indifferently. "You pick. Anywhere you want."

Sarah blinked. "Anywhere? Why are you being so nice?"

Haruka gave the girl a bop on the head. "Just pick someplace."

Sarah frowned and debated about kicking Haruka in the shin for hitting her. She decided she liked living more than revenge. "Fine, let's go."

Haruka pulled out a cigarette and began to puff away as she thought silently. "Pick someplace you really like Sarah. Depending on what happens next, it may be your last meal."

(break)

Motoko flowed after Kitsune at an all out run. "Where the hell did she get this speed?" The samurai gripped. "When I put her on her training circuit she could barely run two laps around the Hinata-sou, let alone the two miles we've run so far."

Kitsune glanced back. "Yo! Pick up the pace or we'll lose them!"

Motoko redoubled her efforts and managed to catch up to Kitsune. "Where are we going anyway?"

"We're trying to catch up with Keitaro and Kanako!" She turned sharply and headed down a side street.

Motoko followed example. "And how do you know where they are?

"I'll explain later!" Kitsune stopped as she came to a dead end. "Fuck! Damn crosswinds!" She turned her nose to the sky again, and then turned to Motoko. "Say? How high can you jump anyway?"

Motoko looked up at the tall buildings. "I'm good, but superman I'm not." She screamed as Kitsune grabbed her and placed her over her shoulder. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Kitsune grinned her trademark grin. "Hang on tight!" With her quick warning, Kitsune jumped, seven stories straight to the top of the building.

Motoko stared at her friend wide eyed. "How'd you do that?!"

Kitsune set Motoko down and took off running again. "Explanations later! Now keep up!"

Motoko dashed after her partner as she bounded across the rooftops. After nearly twenty minutes of running, she followed Kitsune to ground. "What is it?"

Kitsune picked up an all black limb lying on the street and sniffed it. "Shit, I hate when I'm right." She turned and started running again.

Motoko blinked. "Where is she getting this stamina?" She too ran. "What was that?"

"It has the scent of keres all over it." Kitsune answered.

Motoko blinked as she recalled what she had learned from her sister about different demons. "Carrion eaters? What would they be doing in the city?"

Kitsune shook her head and changed direction again. "Keres are also harbingers of battle, and they'll do anything to win a fight." She stopped as she came to another dead end, but this one wasn't created by the wall of a building, but a wall of black winged keres. Kitsune swallowed hard. "Motoko. Get behind me."

Motoko stared as Kanako rose on a pillar of black fire. Cradled in Kanako's arms was an unconscious Keitaro.

(break)

Kanako rounded the corner. "Hurry onii-chan!"

Keitaro looked around. "Dead end! What now?"

Kanako swallowed hard as she thought. She gasped as an idea came to her. "Put your hands on my waist!"

Keitaro stared at her.

"Now!" Kanako ordered. "I think I can fly us out of here!"

Keitaro quickly did as he was told. He remembered what Kanako had said earlier about her needing a lot of concentration for even simple flight, and was immediately silent. At least, until he screamed as he and Kanako shot into the air. "I thought you said that you could just to little flying tricks!"

Kanako blinked and decided to try and fly faster away from her pursuers. She was surprised to find that she was able to move about freely. "That's what I thought too. Lillith told me that demon powers were mostly instinct." She barrel rolled away from an attacking keres, with her free hand she countered attacked and managed to remove the demon's arm. "Guess this is the 'fight or flight' response at it's best."

Keitaro looked back and saw their followers had no intention of letting them get away. "Any way we can fight back?"

Kanako shook her head. "I could, but you'd be a sitting duck in the mean time."

Keitaro nodded, and smiled. "Head for a narrow area then."

"Nani!?" Kanako took a steep dive to avoid a set of keres claws. "Are you high?!"

Keitaro smiled. "I may not be as strong as you or Motoko." He admitted. "But Seta did give me some training while we were working in America. I can defend myself well enough."

Kanako spun and dodged another attack.

"We don't have a choice imouto."

Kanako hated to admit it, but that was the truth. There was no telling when her newfound flight ability would cut out, and the keres greatly out numbered them. It would be best to make a stand now while she was still fairly rested. Her decision made, she headed for the ground. As the neared the street, Keitaro let go of her. Abruptly, Kanako fell hard to the ground.

Keitaro helped her to her feet as they began to run in search of a suitable place to fight from. "What happened?"

Kanako ran as she heard the flapping of great, black, wings. "I don't know! It's like my body suddenly gained a couple of tons. I couldn't stay afloat." She stopped as she came to another dead end. She spun and swallowed hard as the demons came for her and Keitaro. "Ready?"

Keitaro picked up a metal pipe that was lying in the alley and frowned at it. "Not exactly a katana…" He turned and took and offensive stance. "Not really."

Kanako raised her arms as her attackers came. "By right of birth, come forward!" The keres scattered as five glyphs appeared at various points of the ally walls. Ten monstrous gray arms sprouted from the walls and tore into the winged warriors. She smiled as her friends, the bifrons, came to her aid. "Can demons be friends?" she wondered silently. She decided to contemplate that thought later as she summoned more magic around her to fight the keres that got past her summons. She turned slightly, and gasped.

Keitaro wielded his pipe as though it were a true weapon, and an extension of himself. He struck with purpose, instinctively honing in on the soft areas of the skull to smash the bones wide open. Keitaro may have believed that he was weaker than the other fighters that lived in the Hinata-sou, but at the moment, the complete opposite seemed true.

Kanako cupped her hands together as fire manifested in her palms. "Onii-chan…is glowing?" She whispered as she released the flames into the wave of bodies, cutting their numbers significantly, but still not enough. "Onii-chan! There's too many! We need to…"

"Kanako-chan!" Keitaro shoved his sister out of the way as one of the demons slashed at her. Keitaro took the blow instead to the temple, and fell to the ground.

Kanako's concentration faltered as she watched her brother fall. Her summon glyphs faded and then vanished completely. She dropped to her knees and cradled Keitaro in her arms. "Onii-chan? Wake up."

Keitaro didn't move.

The keres landed and began to move in on they're prey. They stopped as Kanako rose.

"You bastards." Kanako's eyes were red twice over. Once from her crying over Keitaro's motionless body, and again from the angry aura that suffused her being.

One of the female keres stepped forward and traced a line across Kanako's face with her claw, cutting a thin line in the girls flesh. "This one." The keres hissed. "This one comes with us." She smiled and leered at Keitaro hungrily. "This one is for us."

Kanako's blood welled at the cut on her face, and fell to the ground. "Get away from us." Kanako growled. As her blood hit the floor it turned black and began to bubble. "I won't let you hurt onii-chan."

The other keres began to move in.

"I said get back!" As Kanako ordered this, her blood erupted into flames. However, unlike the red-orange fire she had used as a weapon before, this fire was violet-black like her hair. The small pillar of fire seemed to extend and circle Kanako eating away at the concrete beneath her until Kanako and Keitaro were supported solely by a pillar of black fire.

The keres that had cut Kanako backed away in surprise. "She summons Hellfire? How? Why? It will destroy this place!"

Kanako traced Keitaro's face with her hand until she rested on his neck. "I can't feel his pulse." She whispered. She turned her attention on the army of demons. "You killed him!" As she screamed at the black winged demons, her Hellfire shot out in all directions, and consumed everything in its path.

(break)

Motoko splashed some water on Kanako's face. "You ok?"

Kanako sat up. "I think so. What happened?

Motoko handed her a bottle of water. "You went berserk is what happened."

Kanako looked around, and gasped. Hinata City was in ruins. Buildings were cracked and crumbling. Fire hydrants fountained up uncontrolled. Fires burned out cars and electrical lines sparked. "This is…"

Motoko nodded. "Yeah, your handiwork." She took the bottle of water and sipped from it. "Kitsune and I saw the initial explosion." She shook her head. "Didn't know you were capable of this kind of damage."

Kanako bowed her head. "I didn't either." Suddenly her head snapped upright. "Onii-chan! Where's onii-chan!?"

Motoko shook her head sadly. "You're the first person I've come across since the explosion."

Kanako stood and looked around.

"Don't run aimlessly." Motoko stood. "Waste your energy and we will never find him." She turned and started to walk in the direction of the Hinata-sou.

Kanako followed. "Where are we going?"

"We should head home and see if the others are there." Motoko explained. "Then we will have more people to search for Keitaro."

Kanako nodded grudgingly as she looked around. They were miles from where she and Keitaro had stood against the keres, there was no telling where Keitaro could have been thrown. "And even if we find him, he'll still be…"

Motoko turned as saw Kanako crying. "We'll find him Kanako."

Kanako wiped her tears, and nodded. "Yes, yes we will." She looked down at her tear soaked hands. "Why are my tears black?" She shook her head and turned to Motoko as she walked. "If my blast was powerful enough to do this, and you saw it happen, how'd you survive?"

Motoko paused. "Kitsune shielded me."

Kanako blinked. "Never would have thought Kitsune would be the type to sacrifice herself to save someone else."

"She didn't sacrifice herself." Motoko turned the corner. "She shielded me, not acted as a shield." She paused. "Kitsune produced flames as well, but they were blue-green, and nowhere near as powerful as yours. Had you directed the full force of those black flames as Kitsune and I, we'd be dead now."

Kanako nodded. "But instead, my fire went everywhere."

Motoko nodded. "Kitsune was able to create enough of a force to fissure your attack and protect me." She trailed off. "I know not if she survived."

"Where'd Kitsune get that kind of power?" Kanako asked.

Motoko shook her head. "I've never sensed that kind of power from her. If…when we find her, I intend to ask her myself." They walked the rest of the distance to the Hinata-sou in silence.

Kanako stared at the building. "I don't think they others are here." Although it wasn't as damaged as the rest of the city, it was in bad shape.

Motoko continued inside and called out to her friends. When she received no response, she continued to search the other rooms. "Kaolla! Shinobu! Naru!"

"Motoko!" Kanako called Motoko to Naru's room.

"What's wrong?" Motoko stared at Naru's prone form encircled in white feathers.

Kanako tried to reach Naru again and received a violent shock. "I can't get past the feathers!"

Motoko easily brushed the feathers aside and kneeled by Naru. "Naru? Are you ok?"

Naru slowly opened her eyes. "What happened?"

Motoko shook her head. "It's a long story. Are the others here with you?"

Kanako stood. "I'll check their rooms."

With Motoko's help, Naru also rose to her feet. "It was so dark. It just washed over everything. I thought I was going to die." Naru looked around. "Where's Keitaro?"

"We don't know." Motoko steadied Naru as she nearly fell. "We were hoping to find him after we checked on you and the others."

The three women soon found Kaolla and Shinobu, each in her respective room, also circled in feathers. The other two girls accounted the same reactions to the Hellfire overtaking them. The five girls turned as one as they heard a crash from the living room.

Kanako nearly cried as she saw the source of the crashing sound. "Onii-chan!" She ran to where Keitaro slept on the couch and shook him roughly awake. "Onii-chan! Wake up!"

Keitaro looked up groggily. "Hey everyone. What's going on?"

Naru pushed Kanako aside and hugged Keitaro. "You're ok!" She pulled back and stared at the off-white hair that now clung to her out fit. "And why are you covered in dog hair?"

Keitaro blinked. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" He looked down and saw the remaining fur on his shirt. "That's weird."

Kanako pushed Naru to the ground and took her seat at Keitaro's side. "Don't you remember the fight in the alley?"

Keitaro thought for a minute, and his eyes lit up in understanding. "I remember now." He turned to Kanako. "Are you alright?" He smiled as Kanako nodded. "Thank Kami."

Motoko stepped forward. "Keitaro, how did you get here?"

"Kitsune must have brought me in." The landlord looked around the room. "Where'd she go?"

Motoko shook her head. "She hasn't been here."

Keitaro scratched at his head. "I was certain I heard her voice…" He mumbled. "Ice's and Lillith's too for that matter."

"Good." Motoko began to head for the door. "That means they are all together. Now we need only find Sarah and Haruka."

Kanako stood and stopped Motoko. "I think we should find Ice and Lillith first. Make sure I'm not a threat to you all."

Shinobu looked at Kanako in slight fear. "You caused the dark fire?"

Kanako nodded.

Kaolla pulled out another strange device of hers and began to scan Kanako. "No energy now." She paused as the machine began to beep erratically. "Now lots of energy…no energy…lots of energy…no…"

"We get the idea Kaolla." Naru said as she reached over and turned off the scanner.

Kanako shook her head. "I have to talk with Lillith and Ice."

Keitaro stood and placed a hand on Kanako's shoulder. "Then that's what we do."

Naru watched worriedly as Kanako and Keitaro headed for the front door. "Hold it! How are we going to find them anyway? We have no idea where they are."

Keitaro shrugged. "We'll search the old fashioned way then." The others began to follow as the two Urashimas headed out.

Shinobu stopped as she passed the couch and her hand brushed against the off-white fur. She startled as though she had been shocked.

Motoko saw this strange movement. "Is something wrong?"

Shinobu picked up a piece of the fur. "I know where they are…"

Kanako turned. "Nani?"

Shinobu nodded uncertainly. "I don't know how I know, but I know." She looked around expectantly.

Keitaro smiled. "Well, we have nothing else to hint at the way. Go ahead, Shinobu-chan. Lead the way."

Shinobu smiled. "Ok Sempai. I won't let you down."

Kanako stared at the ground as she followed after the younger girl. Her mind on the destruction she had caused. "If not for Ice's feathers, the others would have died just like the rest of the city because of me." She sighed sadly. "First the orphanage, then the foster homes, then my home, now here. Everywhere I go I mess things up." She fought the urge to cry. "I don't belong anywhere." Kanako nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt something on her shoulder.

Keitaro smiled at Kanako. "You have that far away look in your eyes again."

Kanako forced a smile. "Just wondering what name Ice will call me this time." She lied.

Keitaro raised an eyebrow, but let her comment slide. "What is it you need to ask Ice and Lillith?"

"I've been trying for a month to summon Hellfire." Kanako explained. "But I've failed every time. But when that keres cut me…" She traced her face, and gasped.

Keitaro looked over. "What's wrong?"

"I have a scar." Kanako traced the raised bit of flesh again.

Keitaro looked closer. It was faint, but the scar was indeed there. "I didn't notice before. But to scar over so fast, it must not have been a deep cut."

Kanako shook her head nervously. "I'm half demon. I shouldn't have a scar at all, the injury should have regenerated fully." She paused. "Onii-chan, something is very wrong with my powers."

Shinobu turned and lead the Hinata crew into an old warehouse. "I think we're close now."

Motoko raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you knew where they were."

"I'm sorry." Shinobu bowed apologetically. "When I got that shock, I saw a trail, but I don't know for sure where it leads."

Motoko nodded. "I see." She looked up. "Hey look!"

Naru stopped glaring at Kanako long enough to look where Motoko was pointing. "Tama-chan!"

Kanako ran around some boxes and stopped as she saw a most unlikely sight.

The first was Ice. He seemed to have grown nearly a foot since this morning and his wings were even more massive. His hair had turned silver and his eyes were a piercing blue. His casual clothing of blue jeans and tee shirt had been replaced with long flowing white robes. He glared at the intruding people. "Wonderful..."

Next up was Lillith. Her once pale skin was now gray and scaled. Her brown irises were now fire red and her black hair seemed even darker than before. However, the most startling change to her features were the six, large, horns protruding from her forehead. She smiled as the others arrived and waved.

Kuro sat on Lillith's shoulder. "Kanako-sama!" He flew to his mistress and nuzzled against her cheek. "I was so worried about you!" Aside from his incisors being an inch longer than before, he looked nearly the same.

Finally came the newcomer to the group. An off-white, nine tailed fox sat on its haunches between the two guardians. It's blue-green eyes danced with inner fire, and it seemed to be grinning at the new arrivals, especially at Motoko. "Bout time you caught up girl."

Motoko blinked at the fox. "Kitsune?"

The fox's smile seemed to widen. "Yep, told you I'd explain later."

Kanako stepped forward to Ice and Lillith. "Guys? I think…"

Ice nodded. "Our powers have been affected as well as a result of your summoning Hellfire to Earth in an uncontrolled form." He motioned to his appearance. "Hence why you are seeing our true forms."

"True forms?" Motoko was still staring at Kitsune. "I've never sensed anything from you."

Kitsune nodded. "I've been around a long time, I can mask my presence from the best."

Lillith hopped up and sat on one of the boxes. "So how'd you find us anyway?"

Everyone pointed at Shinobu.

Lillith blinked.

Shinobu nodded. "I saw a trail after I brushed against some of the fur that Kitsune left on Keitaro."

Kitsune's eyes went wide. "Shinobu found me?"

Ice chuckled. "Good work tracker. You got tailed by a rookie."

Kitsune growled at Ice. "My magic may not work consistently now, but my fangs and claws can still tear you apart."

Ice raised and arm and flexed it. "You're welcome to try."

Lillith placed herself between the two. "Give it a rest." She turned to Kanako. "How did you summon the Hellfire?"

Kanako quickly recounted the actions that occurred. "So? What happened?"

Lillith glanced at Ice, who nodded, and then back to Kanako. "Well, we can't do anything from here with the way our powers are now…"

Keitaro stepped forward. "Then the city will remain this way?"

Kuro moved from Kanako's neck to lie on her head. "The city?" He sounded confused. "I thought that Kanako's Hellfire…"

Ice's feathers rustled. "Yes, the city will remain this way until I can return to the home office, or Lillith can return to the corporate office." He glared at Kuro before continuing. "Unfortunately, as things stand at the moment, all access routes are inaccessible. So we're stuck here."

Kanako lowered her head. "I'm sorry…"

Ice shrugged. "We knew this day would come eventually, we just hadn't expected it so soon."

Naru pet Tama-chan as she landed on her shoulder. "What do we do in the mean time?"

Kitsune stood and trotted over to the door. "We go home and wait."

Kanako sighed, then her head shot up. "Wait! You knew this would happen?"

Lillith shook her head. "Not this specifically, but your powers have been growing at a rate faster than we ever expected. We knew that it would come to a head at some point, but not how or when."

Kanako nodded sadly. "And the people in the city?"

"I've never done a clean up after an extended time frame." Ice shook his head. "No way to tell what will happen once my powers return to normal." He stopped as he saw the upset expression on Kanako's face. "Don't worry about it Kanako, in fact don't think about it at all. It'll just drive you crazy if you do."

Keitaro placed a hand on Kanako's shoulder. "It'll be ok."

Kanako took solace in Keitaro's words, not much, but enough. "Ok, onii-chan."

Keitaro smiled and started to follow Kitsune's lead. "Let's go home. It's been a long day."

Taking Keitaro's hand in her own, Kanako followed.

"Naru-san?" Tama-chan looked on worriedly as Naru glared at Kanako.

Naru grit her teeth. "That little…"

Shinobu tapped Naru on the shoulder. "Naru-sempai? Everyone's left already."

Naru blinked, and then ran after Keitaro. "I have a bad feeling…"

(break)

Keitaro climbed the stairs to the roof. He sidestepped the holes and made his way over the debris to where Kanako stood. He stood beside her and stared out at the city with her.

"It looks almost normal." Kanako pointed out to the city. "From up here, you'd never think that I killed every person in this city."

Keitaro shook his head. "You didn't kill anyone Kanako."

Kanako let out a sour laugh. "Yeah, it was the demon inside me."

Keitaro placed his hand on her shoulder. "I won't pretend I understand everything that is going on between you and Ice and Lillith. But I do know that you would never hurt anyone, especially not like this."

"But I did!" Kanako yelled and pulled away. "I did." She whispered. "You heard what Lillith said before, my powers are growing too fast. Do you know why?"

Keitaro shook his head.

"The line between my human self, and my demon self is blurring." Kanako explained. "The seals that have held my powers and my dark self in check have been falling away." She trembled. "There are days when I have to fight simply to maintain control."

"Control?" Keitaro asked confused.

Kanako nodded. "There are days that the voice is almost overpowering. Telling me to hurt those around me, to devour their flesh."

Keitaro stared in surprise. "Have you told Ice about this?"

Kanako shook her head. "I've been to afraid to."

"Why?"

Kanako shook her head. "Because when I wanted to, the voice said something else." She turned and faced Keitaro. "It said that Ice would destroy me to get to her." She began to cry. "What do I do onii-chan? A demon can't live on Earth, and a human can't live in hell. And I've destroyed the only place I've ever been able to call home." She cried harder, black tears steaming down her face. "I don't belong anywhere!" She startled as she felt strong, comforting arms surround her.

Keitaro pulled her close and held her tight. "Then we'll find a place that you do."

"We?" Kanako looked up into her brother's deep, brown, eyes. "But what about Naru?"

Keitaro smiled. "You always put others before yourself. Naru has nothing to do with this."

"But you two promised…" Kanako tried to reason through this. Her brother couldn't love her. He loved Naru. Didn't he?

Keitaro cut her off by pressing his finger to her lips. "I do care about Naru, but not like that. I think I've been leading Naru on without even realizing it, but the truth is, I've already fulfilled my promise to her."

Kanako blinked. "You did?"

Keitaro nodded. "All I ever promised to Naru, was that we would to go to Todai together." He smiled again. "Now, I have two other promises that I have to fill."

Kanako gasped. "You mean?"

Keitaro nodded. "The first was to run this Inn with you." He chuckled. "That didn't last to long with Ice and Lillith crashing the scene, but we did start." He leaned in and kissed Kanako lightly on the lips. "And the other was that I'd never leave you. I won't see you go through this alone any more."

Kanako stared at her brother. "But, what about…you'll go to Hell for this."

Keitaro nodded. "Then so be it. I'd rather take my punishment than deny my feelings anymore."

Kanako smiled as tears began to fall from her eyes. She embraced him tightly and buried her face into his shirt. "Onii-chan!"

Keitaro stroked her hair lovingly. "No."

Kanako pulled back confused.

Keitaro shook his head. "No more onii-chan. No more imouto." He smiled. "its just Keitaro now."

The tears of joy continued to fall from the girl's face. "And just Kanako." She held him tight and raised up on her tiptoes to kiss Keitaro.

Keitaro reciprocated. "Damned be the consequences." He thought.

Kanako at last broke away. "Promise me."

Keitaro smiled. "Yakusoku Kanako-chan, I won't leave you."

Kanako rested down from her tiptoes and began to lead Keitaro inside.

Keitaro blinked. "Ano, where are we going?"

Kanako looked back, her gaze slightly down and a blush on her cheeks. "I've waited a long time for this moment Keitaro. Please? Can we?"

Keitaro blinked in confusion, and then his face turned bright red. "Isn't this a bit fast Kanako?"

Kanako shook her head. "Not for me. I've been waiting since our first kiss at the waterfall."

Keitaro couldn't help but be shocked at this. "That was almost ten years ago."

Kanako nodded. "Please, let me show you how much I love you."

"You don't have to…" Keitaro began.

Kanako smiled and began to lead Keitaro down the stairs. "I know, that's why I want to. I love you Keitaro." She opened the door to Keitaro's room and led him inside.

Keitaro could feel his palms sweating. His mind raced with what he should do. He was slightly relieved to see that Kanako was fidgeting nervously as well. "I want this to be perfect for her." He thought silently. He pulled her closer and kissed her. He pulled away gently and turned her around resting his face at her neck and kissing her gently again.

Kanako gasped as Keitaro kissed her again and began to unbutton her blouse. Her shirt fell away and she shivered first at the cooler air and then again as Keitaro kissed his way down her back. Her legs buckled as he turned her around and kissed her navel.

Keitaro caught Kanako as she stumbled and laid her down on his futon. He leaned up and the two lovers shared a long passionate kiss. Keitaro broke away and again began kissing his way down her body.

Kanako gasped as Keitaro reached her chest and spent a few minutes there. Her body quivered uncontrollably, yet just below her threshold. She gasped as Keitaro continued down to her belly until he reached the waistline of her skirt. He treated as though she were made of fine china he was afraid of breaking as he removed her clothing. She shivered and moaned as he kissed her again. "Keitaro…please…" She reached down and undid Keitaro's jeans.

"Are you sure Kanako?" Keitaro asked one last time.

Kanako grabbed Keitaro and placed him beside her most sacred treasure. "I want this Keitaro." She smiled and kissed her new lover. She winced as she felt herself bleed for the first time. She matched his pace and began to pant. Over heated as she was, it wasn't long until she reached and passed her threshold. "Keitaro!"

"Kanako!"

Completely spent, Kanako wrapped herself in her lover's embrace. "Thank you, Keitaro."

Keitaro kissed her cheek. "For what?"

Kanako spooned against Keitaro and began to drift off to sleep. "For being so gentle." She yawned. "And for giving me a place to belong…here…with you."

Keitaro smiled as Kanako fell asleep. He brushed her hair from her face and simply watched her. So absorbed in her beauty, he did not notice that her scar on her face was gone. Nor did he notice the muffled sounds of crying coming from the room above his own.

(break)

Rider: (boarding up his room in the hopes he can sleep with out fear) So what'd you all think?

Wraiths: (dancing for joy) Kanako and Keitaro! Kanako and Keitaro! Kanako and Keitaro!

Rider: (sweat dropping) Guess we know his feelings…

Star: Where'd Keitaro learn moves like that? (glares at Rider) And where'd you get inspiration like that?

Rider: (more sweat drops) Uh, I have a really good muse?

Star: (pulls out her katana) I think someone has some explaining to do.

Rider: (whistles, nothing happens) Ginryuu?

Star: Oh no, no fast fades for you today. (points at where she has given Ginryuu a large steak)

Rider: (Glaring at Ginryuu) Traitor! (Ginryuu shrugs and goes back to his meal, Rider starts running from Star) Once again I'm in danger of being disemboweled by a crazy woman. So, 'till the next, live well all.

Star: Get back here you damn hentai!

Wraiths: (still dancing) Kanako and Keitaro! Kanako and Keitaro! Kanako and Keitaro!