Disclaimer : Motoko still isn´t mine....;(....neither is anything else of Love Hina......

With night fallen and the crickets playing the lights of Hinata-hot-springs go out one by one,old men disappear into the shadows to bug other people with their metaphors.

However down by the beach,abit out on the water there are some lights that don´t go out.

A little out on the water on a tiny rock island sticking up stands two figures.One with a Kendo sword,the other equipped with a Bo.

The only thing breaking the silence is the ever vigilant sound of the waves beating upon the rocks.

On the beach just a few metres away there are some other figures,sitting patiently,like judges of a crucial matter.

"Now get to fighting you buggers!If you´re gonna stare at each other for another fifteen minutes I´m gonna get out there,get you both drunk and throw you naked into the hot-springs together!!"

Shinobu:You should not joke like that Kitsune-san,even if you are drunk.Brendi-san told us about this kind of challenge,it is the way the Vikings settled challenges.He called it "Holmgang", remember?Because these kind of rocks are called "holms" and because they are isolated like this noone can come to help the challengers.

Kitsune:Oh,shut up...I am serious! I am tired of watching them standing there,sure it would make a great scene somewhere but right now I want to see some royal butt kicking!!!

Motoko:Well,now I guess I´ll have to give them just that!

Brendi:Come get some!

The two challengers charge against each other.Exchanging blow after blow,strike after strike, the two test each other defenses out.

Going faster and faster,the blows start to blur and the viewers can no longer keep up.Suddenly they break up and eye each other.

"Urashima,your defenses are abit better than expected."

"Yours as well,but I guess you have to be good at defending since you are so afraid of being defeated."

"You!!"

Clashing together again the fight is renewed with fury,each blow faster and stronger.For minutes the fight goes on without anyone landing a blow.

"She is as fast as me,or even faster,but she is not used to this fighting enviroment."

"If he had another weapon I would´ve had him by now,but that staff seem to get in the way of all my blows.And it has a way of appearing out of nowhere.In addition to that this rock is slippery and tricky to fight on.I have to finish this now!"

Motoko:Shin-mei-ruy-ogi:Rai-meiken Ni-no-tachi!!!!

Brendi:What the???What is that?

Several of the lightning rays connect with the water Motokos move backfires and she receives the effect of her own move several times.

Suspended in the air by pure force Motoko lights up the whole area.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

Shinobu:Someone to do something!!!

Kitsune:Keitaro,swim out to them!

Keitaro:How?,the water is electrified.Brendi! it is up to you! Save her!

Staring at them Brendi is still stunned."She is this powerful?She must´ve been trying to finish me off....."

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

"...I can´t let this end like this."

åØSeeing how the rays go from the blade into the water and back Brendi makes his move.
Jumping up he rips the blade from Motokos hands,causing him to be the target and allowing Motoko to fall down on the rocks.

While being fried Brendi tries desperately to get the blade into contact with the rock,maybe he could ground the electricity.After a few seconds he acknowledge the difficulty and seises to try.As the electricity charges through Brendi he starts to grow faint.

"I cannot keep this up any longer.....I have to do something...."

With his last innermost strength,Brendi forces the blade downward.
Down the blade goes,for what seem like hours he struggles.Down,always down.

Then a sudden jolt from the rays throw him off balance and Brendi and the sword plunge into the sea.

Those standing at the beach see him disappear into the water and the lightning now only flickers around the surface where he met the water.

Keitaro:We should do something!!

Kitsune:What?What can we do?The water is still electrified,you numbskull.We have to wait abit!Maybe he´s lucky and got your immortality.

Keitaro:I am not immortal,and I don´t think he is either!Now lets wait a little while then...

Shinobu:Thinking:"Brendi-san,don´t die......"

After what seems like forever the water stops sissling and the only things lighting up is the moon and the lights on the beach.

Keitaro:Someone call an ambulance! I am going to get them.

åØUnder the blue sky filled with lights,the ambulance drives away from the beach.
Leaving those who came to watch behind with their own thoughts.Still shocked,they see the blue lights fade beyond a turn in the road.

"How did it turn out like Motoko-san be dead?....."

Everyone is silent for along time,the only thing sounding is the breaking of waves and the wind softly whistling among the treetops.

Lets go home......Yeah,lets go......

During the long walk home noone said another word.

Watching tv in the lobby is Haruka,eventhough she is not looking it she is curious about the challenge."Oh,well...too bad I didn´t get to see him kiss her feet.Hehe,always fun to see someone swallow their pride."
At that moment Keitaro and the rest comes walking in.

Hey,I didn´t hear you come in.Any reason for the sneaky act?
Hey......where are Brendi and Motoko?Keitaro,did something happen??

With tears welling up in the corners of his eyes and a lump in his throat Keitaro starts to explain what happened.

The challenge went ok for a while,I think Motoko was slipping because of the unusual scene and terrain.Then I think she got worried she would loose,so she used one of her most powerful techniques.She us......

At this point Shinobu got up with tears in her eyes and ran out of the room,Kitsune got up right afterwards.

I better check on her......

You do that,you others don´t have to stay here either.....no need to listen to the story as you saw it yourselves....

You´re right Keitaro.....I´ll go have a bath then tuck in for the night...

I´ll come with ya!!!

Naru and Suu leave the room with Suu hanging onto Naru like a roach in a roach motel.

Well,now that I can tell you in peace,here is how it went.......

After a few minutes of storytelling Harukas eyes are.....still the same....
Lighting up a siggarette she walks outside with Keitaro.
Taking a deep draw of it she blows it out with the expertise of one who has done this many a time before....."Keitaro,sometimes things like these happen and people get hurt.Sometimes you can stop it adn sometimes you can´t.When they do happen the best thing you can do is help the people being hurt and help them heal their wounds,be they physical or emotional wounds.Heal and help through this period......they will probably be ok at the end,you´ll see.
And hey if they end up dead or a vegetable,theres nothing you can do,right?

The last part was emphasized by Haruka hitting Keitaro over the back and him almost falling over.

"Cough,cough....yeah,I guess you´re right Aunt Haruka. SLAM!

Now you should know by now that it is Haruka-san....and of course I´m right.See ya tomorrow."

Lying on the ground bleeding from his head."See you tomorrow,Haruka-san....."
Muttering to himself as he goes inside."Ouch,ouch....don´t have to be so damn rough though".

At Hinata Hospital,in room lighted only by the moon,in two beds beside each other.
In one lies a long,young man with foreign features.In the other lie a raven-haired,japanese beauty.Both are sleeping a very troubled sleep.......then in silence of the night,in a muffled voice, a name is spoken..........

Please R&R!