AN: (Cries) I'm still appreciated around here!
(gets punched out by his fellow writers) Or not... -- ;
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu. Original characters belong to me and may be used with permission.
Bloodstained Heritage
Chapter 7: Crimson
Keitaro blinked wearily.
Despite getting practially little to no sleep for the past two days due to recurring nightmares, the landlord kept to his promise on meeting Motoko for practice in the morning. Upon reaching the roof, Keitaro found the swordswoman in meditation, and sat across from her to wait. After several moments, Motoko opened her eyes and nodded to him.
"Good morning, Urashima." Motoko smiled slightly. "I didn't expect that you would be up in time for our training session..."
"A promise is a promise." Keitaro replied with a smile, then stifled a yawn. "Although I was rather surprised when you asked to meet before sunrise."
"The air is clearer and cooler, it'll help you get in shape." Motoko smiled, then stood. "Shall we begin?" Nodding in agreement, the two stood in their stances and prepared for their morning sparring match...
Several elderly men stood in a semi-circle around the base of gigantic stairs leading to the Hinata-Sou. Turning as one, the purple robed men watched through the morning fog as a tear seemed to form out of thin air, before a figure squeezed through with a grunt. As the unnatural portal vanished, the new arrival narrowed his eyes at the group.
"Abomination..." One spoke.
"Leave this tranquil place be..." Said another.
"Can it, weaklings." The new arrival growled as he straightened his white business suit. "If you know so much about me, I suggest you get out of my way..." He then slicked back his jet black hair and smiled at the group of elders. "I'm not here to kill any of you, but I could use the excercise..."
"You cannot deny the inevitable..." One elder spoke.
"Time will tell soon enough..." Another commented, and in a gentle breeze the fog blew clear from the base of the stairs, leaving the visitor alone with none of the elders in sight.
"Miserable pests..." Michael Blade sneered, then began climbing up the great stone steps...
As everyone gathered in the dining room for breakfast, they noticed that two of Hinata-Sou's inhabitants were missing...
"Where's Big Brother?" Kanako asked.
"And where's Motoko?" Kaolla added with her usual cheer. "She's supposed to teach me origami later!"
"Last I checked, I think they were sparring with each other..." Rei commented, as she took a sip of her miso soup. Sure enough, the ceiling shook seconds later, and the tenants exchanged looks with each other.
"As much faith as I have in Keitaro, I don't think he'll have much chance against Motoko..." Kitsune shrugged, as she also began digging into her breakfast.
"I don't know..." Naomi smiled. "Last I checked, our landlord put her in her place..."
"Either way, we'd better check on them." Shinobu commented as the ceiling shook again, and everyone agreed...
"The Chairman did WHAT?!" Tsunari turned and stared at the other two Syndicate members with a shocked expression.
"You heard me correctly." Marik replied calmly, meeting the spirit samurai's gaze. "He went off to visit young Urashima's sister..."
"Bloody hell..." Hakon grumbled, finishing off a glass of wine before crushing the glass in his hand. "If he gets into trouble, our whole operation's going to be at risk!"
"I believe he knows what he's doing." Marik smiled, a non-stop stream of information flashing through his eyes as multiple cables were connected into his neck. "He thinks its still possible to try and resolve the situation without shedding blood for her sake..."
"Bah!" Tsunari spat. "Everyone in that house is either too stupid or too stubborn, he's wasting his time!"
"My patience wears thin..." Hakon's eyes narrowed. "Those two broads better do their jobs..."
'I am Shino Urashima, your Great-Great-Grandfather.' A voice spoke to Keitaro through the sword as he parried another strike from Motoko. 'During my life, I have competed in many tournaments, and always have defeated the disciples of the Shinmei-Ryu. Follow my instructions, and I will lead you to victory...' Grinning to himself, the landlord parried again as he called upon the secret which has been kept in the family for generations...
The sword is possessed, but by the ancestrial line of the Urashima bloodline...
Motoko was gritting her teeth with frustration as she continued her assault, dismayed at the skill shown from what she believed as the weaker sex. Furious, she began striking at him faster and harder, forcing the landlord backwards slowly but unable to penetrate his defenses. She watched in mid-swing as Keitaro seemed to be listening to someone... or something, and suddenly looked into her eyes with a fierce determination which made her flinch...
The pause was all the landlord needed, as he suddenly stepped in and batted her sword away before striking with blinding speed. Surprised, the swordswoman leaned back as the decapitating swing passed just over her nose. Unfortunately, Keitaro's streak of clumsiness chose to step in, and made him trip over Motoko's extended foot, causing the two to tumble and crash to the ground.
As the two struggled to catch their breath, Keitaro's hand brushed lightly against Motoko's, and the two blushed slightly as their eyes met. Upon hearing a playful whistle, the two turned and saw that all of Hinata-Sou's tenants were watching the pair. Gasping as they realized the compromising position they were in, Motoko was the first to recover as she planted a foot in the landlord's face, sending him skidding along the ground before coming to a stop in front of the crowd...
'What is this strange feeling that I'm getting...?' The swordswoman wondered as she clutched at her gi over her breasts. 'I felt warm, unable to breathe...' She then shook her head, watching as a grinning Kitsune and Naomi drag Keitaro off. 'It must be exhaustion from the sparring, that's it!' She smiled to herself. 'There's no way I would fall in love with a weakling like him!'
She then paused, a frown and uncertainty showing on her face...
Having heard Kitsune and Naomi's plans to drag her brother along for a whole day's worth of drinking, a concerned Kanako decided to follow the trio from a distance, determined to stop the women from taking further advantage of her beloved brother. As she neared the great steps leading down from the Hinata-Sou to the city, she paused as her eyes went wide with surprise, and turned to look behind her...
Leaning against a tree she just passed seconds ago was Michael Blade, who appeared to be tracing kanji in the air with one finger, which floated in the air in a fiery form before fading away. Stopping, the businessman pushed away from the tree and straightened his suit, before smiling at Kanako, who still appeared surprised by his presence.
"Good morning, little one." Blade smiled, the expression one of friendship. "It's been awhile..."
After a continued moment of stunned silence, Kanako gathered herself and returned to her usual business-like appearence, and nodded lightly to the businessman.
"Yes, it has..." Kanako replied quietly. "It has been awhile, Sensei..."
Naru sighed to herself as she tried to continue her studies, but found herself thinking back to her sudden flashback from the other day. Setting her textbook down, she clutched a stuffed toy close with a worried look on her face. 'When did that happen...?' She thought to herself. '...And why is it so hard to remember anything about it...?'
Elsewhere in the dorm, Motoko watched Rei patiently. The businesswoman raised an eyebrow as she thumbed a small black marble tile, before setting it down on a Go table. Smiling, Rei sat back in her couch as Motoko now raised an eyebrow herself. Sipping at a cup of tea, she decided to start a conversation with the swordswoman, who was thumbing a white marble tile thoughtfully...
"So, I see that you were sparring with our landlord earlier..." Seeing Motoko nod, Rei smiled and continued. "Although aren't you being a bit forward with him? You've only known him for a couple days..."
"I have no idea what you're talking about..." The swordswoman replied, as she finally placed her piece. She then scowled inwardly as the businesswoman placed her own piece almost immediately after her, as if she could read Motoko's every move...
"Oh, I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about..." Rei grinned. "Although I was quite surprised, with your training and all I was expecting that you'd be on top, and not him..." The remark almost made Motoko choke on the tea she was drinking at the time, and earned the businesswoman a glare from the swordswoman.
"It was an accident, that's all." Motoko sighed. "Nothing more."
"I bet..." Rei chuckled, and the two continued their game of Go...
"...You mean that was you who replaced my toothpaste with the tube of wasabi?!" Keitaro stared at Kitsune, who was laughing so hard that she was struggling not to fall off the bar stool. The landlord then glanced at Naomi, who was laughing just as hard, and realized that the two have had more than their fair share of drinks...
"Bah, life was too dull around the dorm anyways..." Kitsune grinned. "...So I decided to spice things up!" The two women laughed again at the bad pun, as Keitaro merely shook his head with a smile while he paid off the enormus drinking tab. As the trio made their way outside, the landlord suddenly found himself pressed against the wall, staring at the resident trickster.
"Um, Kitsune...?" Keitaro asked nervously. "What are you doing...?"
"You know you've been an absolute darling to all of us, right...?" Kitsune smiled with a faint flush on her cheeks, brushing her nose and lips lightly against his face, making him freeze to the spot. "Why do you do that, even when girls like me take advantage of you...?" As she began brushing against his neck, Keitaro finally worked up the courage to push her away with a response, but found that she had already dozed off.
Sighing, he decided to carry her on his back, and tried to flag down a taxi for a ride back, as he would be unable to carry Kitsune and lead a barely conscious Naomi back on foot. After several failed attempts, Keitaro swore under his breath and sat down on the edge of the sidewalk, cradling the sleeping Kitsune in his arms.
'I can't believe this...' Keitaro thought to himself. 'How can people be so heartless?' He then noticed that Naomi had stood up to flag down a taxi, and watched in amazement as the taxi came to a screeching halt before the trio. "How did you...?" Keitaro blinked in surprise.
"Womanly charms, lad." Naomi winked, as she slipped back a strap on her dress which had 'accidently' fallen off her shoulder, and began helping Keitaro put Kitsune into the taxi...
"...So you're the Chairman now..." Kanako commented quietly, as she walked beside the Syndicate member in a public park. To the casual observer, one would have easily dismissed the pair as business people taking a break from their work. Both were dressed in business attires, and wore the very images of confident executives. But despite the calm she showed to the public, her heart and mind were in a whirl of confusion...
"Yes, but the health plan is a bit lacking..." Blade replied with a smile, then grew serious again as they continued their walk. "...I would like it if you would reconsider your resignation, little one. It's not the same without you..."
"With all due respect, Sensei..." Kanako sighed. "...I can't, the ends doesn't justify the means. Especially if it threatens my Big Brother." She then looked at the businessman. "You both have my respect, but if it comes down to it... I will be there for him."
"Of course..." Blade nodded. "Which is why I was hoping you could talk some sense into him, to make him cooperate with us." He sighed, making Kanako look at him. "It may not seem it, but I'm as sick of the bloodshed as you are..."
"He won't change his mind, especially since his parents were murdered..." She then paused as she saw a look of regret on the businessman's face, and her heart grew cold with dread. "...You already know he wouldn't cooperate... You lured me away from his side..."
"The council has already dispatched a member who isn't as... Understanding." Blade looked at the young woman calmly, while Kanako was speechless with horror. "Please don't go back to the Hinata-Sou, the order's already given, no one will survive..." He did not get to finish, as the young woman was already running back towards the direction of the dorm. Sighing, Blade looked up at the darkening sky where the full moon was beginning to show in a red hue.
"Forgive me, little one..." The businessman whispered.
Having deposited Kitsune and Naomi in their respective rooms, Keitaro made his way to the top of the Hinata-Sou's roof. It was a spot where he was rarely disturbed, and allowed the landlord some peace and quiet. As he looked up at the moon, he raised an eyebrow at its crimson hue, then winced at the pain attacking his head and stomach from the alcohol. Blinking in surprise, he noticed a tanned hand holding what smelled to be Alka-Seltzer in a cup, and took it with a smile.
"This'll help." Keitaro took a large gulp, then sighed in relief. "Thanks, Kaolla."
"No problem, Keitaro." The voice replied, but made the landlord pause in mid-gulp. Where the young teenager's voice was usually full of youthful energy, the voice that just spoke sounded mature and almost bashful. As he turned, he was surprised to see what appeared to be the foreign inventor in her late teens. She wore a simple red dress with emerald and gold trims, and her blond hair which was usually tied back into a tail was loose, falling down her back to her waist.
"Kaolla...?!" Keitaro nearly choked on the drink, staring in disbelief at the young woman standing behind him. "How... Where...?" Giggling, the young woman sat beside the stunned landlord, and pointed at the moon.
"That's how, Keitaro." Kaolla replied with a smile. "The red moon of the deserts show up once every ten years, and the children of our race matures into adulthood..." She then looked up into the skies, still smiling. "At the end of the night, we decide whether to stay as an adult, or grow up normally..." A few clouds covered the moon then, and the woman reverted to being an energetic teenager. "But I can't decide, what do you say, Keitaro?" She asked cheerfully, to which the landlord chuckled nervously...
"Of all the nights to go and get wasted, you stupid..." Rei grumbled, pacing back and forth in her room as Naomi lay snoring on her futon. Seeing the clouds part to show the red moon, Rei suddenly grinned and proceeded to drag her sister towards the window. "Open your eyes, you lazy bum!" Rei yelled into Naomi's ear. And as the drunken woman cracked open her eyes with some choice insults, her eyes locked onto the red moon before flashing a golden hue...
"I think you're perfectly fine the way you were, Kaolla." Keitaro smiled at the young woman, as the two sat beneath the glow of the red moon. "It's clear that you'll grow up to be a beautiful and intelligent woman, but there's no rush." He then put a hand on top of her head, to which she smiled and rested against his chest, making blush slightly.
"Mmm... Keitaro?" Looking down, the landlord froze as he realized that Kaolla's face was mere millimeters from his. "I'll follow your advice, under one condition..." Before he could respond, she continued as she traced a finger along his chest. "...I'd like my first kiss from you, tonight..." Surprised, Keitaro remained frozen as she leaned towards his face...
"Big Brother!" Kanako called out as she scrambled onto the roof, raising an eyebrow at seeing Kaolla before continuing. "We have to go, NOW!" Seeing the confused looks on the two, she struggled to catch her breath and continued again. "Don't ask how I know, but there's going to be an attack tonight!"
"But..." Keitaro began, but was cut off as something crashed onto the rooftop, crushing several of the tiles in the process. And as everyone stared in horror, an outline of a huge humanoid figure - towering over seven feet tall shimmered into view for a moment, with a wolf's head which howled at the moon, eyes glowing golden yellow before disappearing from view once more.
"RUN!" Kanako screamed, but the mysterious figure struck out, knocking the trio off balance. Tumbling from the roof, the tenants and landlord was joined by Motoko, who barely blocked the blow from their assilant at the last second. As they formed a defensive circle with their backs to each other, Kanako cracked her knuckles as Keitaro summoned the Hina blade to his side.
"What in heaven's name was that?" Motoko asked, her eyes narrowed as she scanned their surroundings.
'I've heard of this before...' Kanako thought to herself. 'Some kind of experimental werewolf with optical camouflage...' She then gasped as a pair of golden eyes flashed past her. 'I thought that it was just a rumor...!' Upon hearing a soft melody, the three turned to see Kaolla playing a guitar. To everyone's surprise, in a white flash the the whole balcony outside of their circle was covered in ice.
"There!" Motoko and Keitaro swung at the same time, striking at a figure covered in snow. Though the landlord did not hit, the swordswoman struck solidly, drawing a trail of crimson drops as the figure came into view...
Towering over Motoko was a gigantic werewolf with jet black fur, its feet and hands ending in giant sharp claws. Its golden eyes glowed with intellegence and malice, and licked its razor sharp fangs with a long tongue.
Stepping forward with a determined look, Kaolla prepared to play her guitar again, when what appeared to be a bolt of electricity lanced through the side of her head. Eyes wide open in shock, the foreign inventor mouthed a silent scream before falling forward, but was caught in Keitaro's arms before hitting the ground face-first.
"Kaolla!" Keitaro exclaimed, a worried look on his face. The two women looked at him with disbelief before he shook his head. "Long story, but when the moon's covered..." Just then, some clouds proceeded to shroud the moon, and the landlord looked down at the woman in his arms. "...She'll turn... Back...?"
Baffled, Keitaro stared at Kaolla's unconcious body, which remained very mature despite the red moon being completely hidden from view. He then glanced back in fear as the werewolf roared in anger before leaping towards them...
Rei stood in her room, a triumphant smile on her face as her eyes glowed in a golden hue. A circle of mystical symbols glowed in a variety of colors around her feet as she looked towards the direction of the balcony, and her smile grew as she crossed her arms before her.
"One problem down, sister..." Rei whispered. "The rest are yours..."
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(smacks self) Argh! I promised to try and update more frequently, but life always seems to hate me when I'm determined to keep you readers happy! Anyhow, I hope you've enjoyed, and stay tuned as more are still coming on the way!