I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

Legends

VII

---

The wind was blowing horrendously.

Motoko was standing in the midst of chaos, her mind and body on the brink of collapse. Her body numb, her hands shaking and her throat parched and aching. It was pain she has never felt before. It was beyond pain.

Leaning shakily on her sword she squinted and tried to see through the strong haze.

She could see nothing.

There was nothing but thick dust that has completely blanketed the surrounding. There was nothing but the torrential noise of the furious gust of wind.

Is this the end for me? Motoko's eyes closed. Painfully lifting her head, she wished to see the blue sky for the last time. Atleast… I honoured my family. If only I could see him again… even just a glimpse…

Then finally, Motoko gave way. Dropping her sword, she fell down gracefully, her hair flowing in the air, her body falling into the abyss.

And she was caught by a pair of strong arms.

"Kei… ta… ro?"

Then everything went black.

---

Motoko awoke with a start.

She awoke breathing heavily, her whole body shaking and sweating. She found herself under thick layers of blanket. And she could smell a soothing aroma in the air, a beautiful scent that reminds her strongly of home.

Focusing her mind, Motoko looked around with rising apprehension. She could see rocks and stones everywhere. It was dark and the only light was a small bonfire next to her.

Then she understood where she was. She was inside a cave.

"You're awake…"

Motoko snapped to her right and found Keitaro looking at her.

"That's good…" Without pausing, Keitaro approached Motoko and gently placed a hand on her forehead.

Motoko blushed furiously. And she could not move for Keitaro never gave her the chance to react. She sat there staring at him dumbstruck, as he gently measured her temperature.

Warm… he's warm.

"I think your fever's gone…" Keitaro finally said after a while then he walked towards the makeshift table on the side, "You've been in here for two days now… we were getting worried. But Shinobu-chan was excellent… she made sure you drink the herbal medicines she prepared for you," Turning around, Keitaro sat beside Motoko and offered her a bowl.

Motoko looked at the bowl for a moment then accepted it tentatively.

So… I've been sick. For two days! That's a very long time to get sick.

Then Motoko glanced towards Keitaro who was now busy inspecting his arrows.

"I… uh… what… what happened?"

"Hmmm? Oh… well… you see… I kinda found you just in time. Mitsune and Naru's okay and so we took you at Shinobu's house. Then we decided to leave the village,"

"But… what about the shogunate---,"

"Oh them? I think they're all alright but they all passed out. They were all knocked unconscious by the strong impact. That's why we managed to escape without being seen and the thick haze was also a given as nobody could recognize anybody through that thing,"

Keitaro said all this casually as he scrutinized his arrow tips.

Motoko observed her companion. She felt an unfamiliar warmth coursing through her. Being this close to him made her feel somewhat… secure. It was an odd feeling.

"Where… where are the… others?"

"Naru and Mitsune are having a dip on the stream close to this cave down aways, Kaolla and Shinobu are preparing dinner outside and Shirai's looking after them…"

"Shirai?"

"Oh yeah… you haven't met them yet… two days ago when we were coursing our way through the forest we accidentally bumped into them. They were the scouts sent by Narusegawa's father… imperial samurais. Shirai Kimiaki and Haitani Masayuki,"

"Haitani Masayuki?"

"Oh sorry… Narusegawa ordered Haitani to return to the castle to gather more samurais to aid us on our journey. Shirai's here to help us in case the shogunate samurais attack us again,"

"I see…"

Motoko looked down on her bowl.

That would mean Keitaro has been taking care of me ever since… but why? "Why?"

"Huh?" Keitaro looked up from his arrow bag.

"Tell me…" Motoko felt a stinging on her eyes. Tears she could not hold back. It was the shame of being weak. She has failed and she was saved twice by a man she has mistreated so badly, "After all the things I've done to you… all that… why are you… helping me? I have failed… I deserve nothing but death… why? Why are you here?"

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"Because you're a good samurai,"

Motoko turned towards Keitaro. Her eyes wide with astonishment.

"You have great strength in you. You have the discipline and the proper training to handle things your way. You have a great potential… Aoyoma-san," Keitaro faced Motoko with a grave expression. He ceremoniously bowed to her and whispered, "I know my life's worth nothing but I am willing to entrust it to you,"

Keitaro paused.

Then he slowly stood and walked towards the cave's opening and said, "I would gladly follow you to war…"

After he left, Motoko wiped the tears from her eyes.

She smiled.

She felt the unfamiliar warmth inside her, the lightness in her heart, comfortable.

"I'm not sure if I deserve your life Keitaro… kun,"

---

Naru's mind was in chaos.

Ever since the day she met Keitaro she has been distancing herself from him. She knew that one way or the other it would lead inevitably to an affection she does not want or need.

But watching him during those life and death situations, she could not hold her admiration any longer. It's true that Keitaro does look worst than an average street beggar but he makes up for it with his courage, undeniably competent fighting skills and determination never to give up.

She watched him carry Motoko tirelessly and without hint of exhaustion through the race at the forest trying to gain distance between them and the still unaware shogunate samurais.

She watched him care for Motoko with an undivided attention and somehow managed to keep the rest of them safe and secure at the same time. Everything he does he does selflessly, his thoughts on others and not for himself. A kindness, Naru could not understand but approved appreciatively.

It was incredible.

"He's something… isn't he?" Mitsune started, feeling refreshed as they walked back towards the cave.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Naru replied irritably as she snapped out of her reverie.

"You know who I mean… I can see it in your eyes… you've been watching him for the last two days!"

"What! What are you talking about Mitsune? And don't talk things like that to me or to anybody!" Naru retorted, waving her fist in anger.

Mitsune ignored Naru and whispered, "I don't know about you but for me… he's no ordinary guy. He's… different,"

"That's because he's a disgusting idiot!" Naru pointed out.

Mistune shook her head in amusement and said, "Suit yourself Naru-chan. I'm not denying it. I like him… I might even be inlove with him…"

Naru froze.

"You're… you're just teasing me… right? I mean… you're not serious… Mitsune you couldn't possibly be serious about this!"

"Let's say it's a possibility… shall we?"

"NO WAY!"

---

Shinobu was staring at the cave's opening, a look of concern visible on her face.

"Don't worry Shinobu-chan Motoko's going to be alright!" Kaolla shouted, whooping happily after tasting the soup they've been preparing for dinner, "That's so tasty Shinobu-chan!"

Shinobu gently shook her head, she smiled and said, "No… I'm not worried about Motoko-sempai… it's just that…"

"Aaaah! You mean Keitaro… huh? You're worried about Keitaro… right?"

Shinobu nodded shyly, "It's just that sempai seems a bit… troubled lately… he's been watching over Motoko-sempai ever since we left the village… I'm just afraid that he might exhaust himself…"

Shinobu decided to join Keitaro's group after seeing Motoko's state. She did her best to keep Motoko's temperature low. And when Keitaro insisted that they should leave the village as soon as possible using the thick cloud of dust as their cover, Shinobu made a decision. And she took with him medicines, herbal plants and blankets for Motoko.

It was the first time she left home. And somehow she didn't feel homesick or sad at all.

She felt free.

It was as if she was meant to be with them.

But there was another reason why Shinobu joined them.

One person.

Kaolla jumped, "Don't worry about Keitaro Shinobu-chan! He's a warrior… he don't tire easily you know!"

"Kaolla-san's right,"

Shinobu wheeled around and found Keitaro sitting on top of the cave rock.

"Sempai! How long have you been there?"

"Er… not long… Motoko's awake… so don't worry about her…" Keitaro jumped down and walked towards Shinobu. He smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Thanks to your medicines, she'll be alright…"

Shinobu blush a deep shade of red and mumbled, "It's… it's nothing really… I mean…"

"No… not nothing… it's something. You're the most skilful doctor I have ever met… young and cute too," Keitaro winked.

Shinobu reddened even more, coughing lightly to hide her face.

Then Keitaro stood and clapped his hands, "So…! What's for dinner?"

---

Haitani arrived the next day with a delegation of fifty armed strong imperial samurais personally selected by Naru's father. And they have brought a rickshaw for Motoko.

After several introductions, the party began their journey again and chose to take the second village path that would connect to the open road and towards the imperial castle.

The imperial samurais formed a battle line screen with Naru, Mitsune, Kaolla, Shinobu and Motoko inside the rickshaw being pulled by Keitaro himself in the middle, Haitani and Shirai leading them. And for once, they all felt at ease.

Naru has been mumbling all day to no one in particular keeping an eye at Mitsune who has been happily chatting with Keitaro ever since they set out on the road.

Mitsune disregarded the looks the imperial samurais gave her when she started talking with the young man. Her blatant display was both a contradiction to Konno tradition and Japanese sense of privilege between the poor and the all powerful.

Kaolla and Shinobu have been talking with each other next to the rickshaw although Shinobu has kept her eyes on Mitsune with a slight disapproving frown.

Motoko feigned asleep inside her rickshaw. Although she kept her senses open for any possible danger, she was focused on what was happening between her rickshaw puller and the beguiling Konno woman. And for the first time, she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. It was curiously alarming. And the whole morning she has been debating a question on her mind: Is she jealous?

Keitaro was naturally clueless of all this, although the whole morning he felt a burning sensation around him, as if someone's staring at him for some reason. But he dismissed it and kept his eyes on the road as he tirelessly pulled the rickshaw nodding all the while at Mitsune's chatter. He didn't get much of what she was saying but he just smiled and pretended that he was listening.

And late afternoon, the party suddenly stopped.

They heard a sound.

Then it dawned to them what it was.

It was the sound of collective feet walking at a brisk pace. It was the sound of an army walking on the open from the imperial castle. It was the sound of the imperial army.

And there were thousands of them.

Their flags and banners were waving above their heads, showing full their origins, clans and designations; their faces straight with grimness common to samurais marching towards an evitable battle.

Haitani and Shirai walked towards Keitaro as the party stepped out of the road and into the side bushes to make way for the mighty imperial army.

"What did I tell you huh?" Haitani commented as he watched the procession, nodding all the while at some familiar faces.

"Where are they going?" Mitsune asked as she took in the great number samurais.

"They're going to war…" Shirai whispered, nodding with approval.

"There's so many of them…" Shinobu whispered, surprised and awed at the display of strength and power.

"War? What war? Has the emperor finally decided to attack the Kamakura bakufu?" Naru asked, not expecting any answer as she watched the long parade of armed imperial samurais with dread.

Motoko was leaning out of the rickshaw with a grim look on her face, "This is not good…"

Kaolla jumped on Keitaro's shoulders and watched open mouthed, enthralled at the scene before her.

Keitaro nodded, "You're right Aoyoma-san… this is not good at all…"

They have finally arrived at the imperial castle.

---

Yoritsugu Fujiwara, shogun of Japan and military dictator of the Kamakura Bakufu, was not pleased. He was not pleased at all. In fact, he was terribly worried.

But he kept his face passive. His right hand under his chin, sitting calmly on a soft cushion in front of his selected liege lords, advisers, representatives of the Hojo regency and two black-clothed samurais kneeling before him.

Yoritsugu sighed and digested the information given to him.

It wasn't pleasant at all.

"So…" The shogun finally started after a long while, speaking with deliberate slowness, "You're telling me that the emperor has dispatched ten thousand samurais… any ideas where they are going?"

One of the kneeling samurais bowed low before speaking, keeping his eyes on the floor, "My lord, they seem to head towards the southern route,"

There was a moment of silence.

One of the advisers grunted and spoke harshly, "It could be a trap,"

Yoritsugu regarded the adviser with a nod and said, "It could be. But the emperor is not stupid. He will not send a third of his army away from his citadel just to catch me off guard. No… that's not it at all…"

Because the truth is that the emperor would rather attack me right in the face without hesitation. Sending this much soldiers away from an enemy is either a sign of lunacy or stupidity.

"And you're telling me that Seta Norieyasu is currently meeting with the emperor…" The shogun continued, "How about the Konnos… are the Konnos in the meeting too?"

The two samurais nodded, "Yes my lord,"

If the emperor is planning to attack me, he would use Seta or one of the Konno generals to lead this battalion. Why let ten thousand men out of the castle without strong leadership? Not unless they are grouping at a different place… but where? Then the target might not be me after all. But who? Something's going on. Something's happening and I am not even aware of it. I need to know more.

The shogun stood and without pause, ignoring the bowed heads before him, walked towards the door, followed closely by his personal guards.

There's only one person who can answer my question. What in Kami's name is going on?

---

"Is this a threat to me, my clan and the shogunate?"

The old woman sighed. Her deep slumber has been disrupted by an uncouth behaviour. She sighed again as she shifted lightly on her comfortable bed. Sniffing for the pleasant smell of perfumed candle smoke, she faced the source of the cold voice.

She answered without opening her eyes, "I've been waiting for you to ask me this question for a long while now…"

The shogun grunted.

"No. At the moment there is no threat to you, your clan and the shogunate. But there is one greater peril looming on the horizon…"

The shogun paused and whispered, "Peril… what peril grandmother?"

The old woman smiled.

To be called grandmother by a stranger has always made her feel calm. Her family has been destroyed by fear and greed of the royal family, as her surviving relatives scattered all over Japan not knowing whether she would ever hear her grandchildren say the very words she has been wanting to hear for a long time.

"There is a menace coming from the sea… the emperor had seen it. And tonight he will receive the proof he needs. This is a dark age for Japan…"

The shogun nodded. He made a decision.

"Send a message to the Hojo regency," Yoritsugu turned to one of his personal guard, "I want fifteen thousand samurais ready… I want all of my generals here tonight or tomorrow, abandon all plans…"

"Yes my lord," The samurai bowed then disappeared.

"I give my sincerest appreciation grandmother," The shogun bowed to the old lady then disappeared to a secret door.

Then silence.

The cold evening wind breezed through the small hut.

The old woman was silent for a moment before gently asking, "Are you there my child?"

There was a momentary scuffle in the dark.

Then a shadow loomed behind the old woman and whispered, "I'm here grandma Hina…"

The old woman smiled, "Have you seen him?"

"Yes. He has arrived at the imperial castle late this afternoon,"

"Good… I want you to stay with him Kanako-chan. He will need you now more than ever…"

A pause.

The old woman sighed.

The gift of wisdom and prophecy were both a blessing and a curse. The talents and abilities running through her blood had destroyed her entire family. Although she felt no anger or hatred for she had seen the future, she felt sadness. She would die soon but she would need to fulfil one last task as what was seen.

The second would be awakened soon.

She needs to prepare him.

And he would come.

"Kanako-chan… hear me please… my child… what ever happen, do not be afraid... for in seven hundred years you will live and you shall meet him again. You will love him as you loved him now… and you will be closer to him than you'll ever have been for the past previous lives you have lived… the day your ancestor, the first Kanako met our ancestor… the first… Keitaro Urashima..."

The shadow bowed for the last time and left.

Leaving a teardrop on the floor.

The old woman returned to her deep slumber.

She dreamed of the future. She dreamed of marvellous creations man would invent. She dreamed of places that would grow, of habitats as high as a tree. She dreamed of a place she would live into, a tall house with so many rooms, at the top of a hill with a magnificent ocean view, of people she would meet, of a happy bonding she would form. She dreamed of a family she did not have now but would have in the next seven hundred years.

She dreamed of a quiet small village they call… the Hinata.

Hei there guys and gals! I'm sorry for the delay! And yep… something's cooking! It's about to happen! I gave enough clues in here for you to understand the significance of each character. I tried my best to connect the story to the original series. So atleast this way you'd be able to relate that this is not a completely separate story. Ever heard of past lives? Weird huh! But I guess… I am weird.

Thanks to all the reviewers. And some of you have very nice ideas as to how the story should go… thanks for that although I'll try my best not to disappoint all of you. And because you all keep on reminding me of Love Hina characters, I managed to include them in this weird history of mine. Thanks for that! I just hope you stay long enough to see what would happen in the end!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous