AN: Glad to know there's still readers out there who aren't going to kill me due to lack of updates, thanks to each of you for your support!
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 11: Dreams
"Good evening, sir." A waiter bowed. "Table for two, I presume?" Seeing the person nod, the waiter led the two inside of an elegant restaurant. The tables were lit with candles under an open sky dome, allowing the guests to gaze at the stars. Located in Tokyo, many tourists and even foreign businessmen visit the classy restaurant, where formal dress is required. As the two sat at a table, one looked around with a smile.
"It's been ages since I've been here..." The Lady Fang smiled, resting her chin in one hand. Unlike during the day when she's dressed for a mission, she chose a long white dress which went past her knees, and her long red hair shimmered in the dim candlelight, drawing the attention of many men in the restaurant.
"Yes, even longer since we last came together." Michael Blade replied, wearing a simple black and white suit that complimented her outfit. His expression was also much more cheerful than usual, and coupled with his handsome looks drew curious glances from several women. "I must thank you for coming with me tonight..."
"Pleasure's mine, Bladie." Fang smiled. "But you still didn't tell what the occasion's for..."
"To celebrate our victory, my dear Akiko." The Chairman replied, and nodded in approval when the waiter returned and recommended a bottle of vintage wine. "If everything goes smoothly, we can go tomorrow for collection." Though the waiter was pouring wine for them, he chose his words carefully to convey the message.
Nodding to the waiter as he finished pouring and left with their orders, the pit fighter smiled and raised her glass. "To victory, then." Smiling back, Blade raised his glass as well, and the two savored the taste of the sweet wine. After watching him for several moments, Fang flicked his hand playfully and smiled. "What's on your mind, handsome?"
"Just thinking on life in general..." The Chairman replied, then raised an eyebrow as she stood up and offered a hand to him.
"Come on, silly boy." Fang smiled. "We've got time for a dance before the food arrives."
"Sorry, I'm a fighter, not a dancer..." Blade smiled, crossing his arms.
Laughing, Fang pulled him to his feet and led him across the restaurant to a large dance floor. Many couples were already dancing to the soft melodies played by a pianist, and the two soon joined the others in a slow dance. Many of the couples, particularly elderly people, smiled at the sight of the two dancing.
"That excuse might've worked on anyone else, Bladie..." The pit fighter smiled, as she danced with the Chairman. "But remember who you're talking to."
"So true, so true..." Blade chuckled. "You'll come with me tomorrow, then?"
"Of course, someone has to babysit you after all..." Fang replied with a grin, causing him to chuckle again. The two danced in silence for awhile, before the Chairman hugged her close to him, causing her to blink in surprise.
"Thank you, Akiko..." The Chairman whispered in her ear, stroking her hair gently.
"What for, Bladie...?" Fang asked, looking up at the taller Chairman.
"For being the sister I never had..." Blade replied quietly.
Smiling warmly, Fang tiptoed up and kissed his cheek softly, then wrapped her arms around his waist.
"You're welcome, then..."
Keitaro froze.
Before him was the source of nightmares which haunted his sleep, and it was one of the last people he would've ever expected. Barely able to keep his grip on the sheathed Hina blade, the landlord could only whisper one thought in his shocked state...
"Why...?"
"No one escapes the Syndicate, Keitaro..." Rei replied, her feet gently touching down as she landed on the balcony several feet away. "You've been surprisingly fortunate against the other members, but I'm afraid I'm here to end your lucky streak..."
Gritting his teeth, the landlord reached towards the hilt of his weapon, ready to strike down the woman before him for her betrayl of his trust. Hundreds of different sword techniques flashed before his eyes as his hand grazed the hilt, the essence of his ancestors filling his mind. But as his eyes met hers, his will faltered. Instantly, he saw images of the tenants suffering in their sleep, the nightmares slowly eating away at their minds. He knew then that if he were to draw, no one would ever wake from their sleep again...
"Glad you've seen the light, Keitaro..." Rei smiled. "Now surrender, let's settle this without killing anyone."
"...Even your own sister..." Keitaro shuddered, as he dropped to his knees. "How could you...?"
"She failed the organization." Rei replied coldly. "As far as I'm concerned, she's expendable."
Keitaro looked up hopelessly at her for several long moments in silence, before he smiled sadly and slowly drew his weapon. Instantly, the energies around Rei intensified as she narrowed her eyes at him. The sword struck, and both of their eyes widened - One in shock, while the other in pain.
"Why...?" Rei stared in shock, as Keitaro drove the Hina blade completely through his stomach. The energies around her faltered, then died out as she rushed to him, catching him as he fell forward.
"I promised no harm would come to the tenants, including you..." Keitaro coughed, his head cradled in her lap. "This is the only way I can save everyone..." He coughed violently once more, then closed his eyes.
"No! Wake up!" Rei shouted, shaking him violently. Cursing, she began dragging him inside the dorm, calling out for help as she did so. Within seconds Naomi and Motoko showed up, surprise evident in their eyes at seeing the injured landlord.
"What in the world happened?!" Motoko gaped at the fallen Keitaro, though her arm was still in a sling, she was prepared to fight whatever threatened the dorm.
The Giovanni sisters looked to each other. They knew that should Keitaro recover, their secret would be out. But should they confront the swordswoman and the gathering tenants, the odds would not favor them. To everyone's surprise, Keitaro's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled up at everyone weakly.
"I'll be fine..." The landlord whispered. "A monster attacked me on the roof, but it ran off..." He then winced in pain before closing his eyes once more. Many of the tenants gasped at seeing the wounded landlord, but Rei and Naomi were both left wondering why Keitaro had chose to cover up for them rather than tell the truth.
"Somebody hold him still, I need to withdraw the sword before we can properly treat him!" Several of the tenants did as asked, while Motoko reached for the Hina blade. As she grasped the hilt, a bolt of lightning shot through her, throwing her against the opposite wall as everyone stared in shock.
"It's no use..." Kanako shook her head. "The sword only recognizes the Urashima bloodline, no one else can touch it..."
"Then stop yapping and pull it out!" Kitsune fumed. "He's your brother, for crying out loud!"
"I can't..." Kanako looked down, holding back tears. "Believe me, I would if I could... But I'm only an Urashima in name..."
"Wait..." Naru blinked. "That means..."
"...You're adopted...?" Tsuruko finished her thought, and everyone blinked in surprise as Kanako nodded meekly...
"I'm going to go get Haruka then!" Kaolla exclaimed, and everyone brightened somewhat as she returned moments later with the landlord's aunt. After withdrawing the weapon, Motoko and Tsuruko quickly administered first aid, and coupled with Keitaro's exceptional healing, was able to stabalize him. The tenants then decided to move him carefully back into his room, leaving the Giovanni sisters alone in the hallway...
Unable to keep her emotions in check, Rei finally broke down and cried into her hands. Sighing, Naomi held her sister in her arms, trying to comfort her. The night passed slowly as Rei continued to cry, unable to comprehend the kindness shown by the landlord, and hating herself for nearly ending his life...
Walking with purpose, Michael Blade entered a gigantic lab with dozens of glass tubes, each with a body being stored in cryogenic sleep. As he approached the master control computers, a figure that seemed to be part of the shadows in the dark lab turned to face him with errie ice blue eyes.
"Yes, Chairman...?" Marik's smooth voice asked.
"It's time, wake her."
Nodding, the dark figure turned back to the computer. Hundreds of cords shot out from the inky darkness of his body and connected themselves to various parts of machinery, long moments passed as information flashed through Marik's eyes before one of the glass tubes hissed open...
Stepping out and cracking her neck loudly, Lady Fang straightened out her business suit and tie, before looking up at the two taller men.
"Time?" The pit fighter asked, running her gloved hands through her hair.
"Oh-eight hundred hours, Lady Fang." Marik replied. With a nod, she followed the two to the confrence room, where Tsunari and Hakon waited patiently. The spirit samurai was making final checks over his weapon, while the vampire simply sat with barely restrained rage.
"We're ready to depart, sir." Tsunari said as he sheathed his weapon, looking at the Chairman expectantly.
"No." Blade shook his head. "You three are to remain, I will go with Fang on this mission."
"Excuse me...?!" Hakon's crimson eyes narrowed. "With all due respect, what if something happens to you two? We should go in force to exterminate the runt and his friends!"
"I don't want the whole team put in danger." The Chairman explained calmly. "Tsunari and Hakon, you two are on standby. Should the mission backfire, I may require you two to assist in extraction." He then turned to the remaining council member. "Marik, as part of the backup plan should we fail, I want you to prepare the sleeper agent..."
Blinking in surprise, the master technician bowed. "As you wish, my friend..."
Keitaro opened his eyes slowly as morning came, and was surprised to see Kanako. It became apparent then that she had fallen asleep sitting upright beside his futon, where she most likely remained the whole night to watch over him. With a smile, the landlord gently eased her onto his futon and covered her with a blanket, before making his way outside.
As he made his way to the balcony, he noticed with surprise that both of the Aoyoma sisters were going through a morning kata. While the landlord always thought that Motoko was graceful and skilled, Tsuruko seemed to completely outclass her younger sister despite the sprained foot. As with skilled warriors, the two almost immediately noticed his presence, and smiled at seeing him.
"Good morning, Urashima." Tsuruko smiled. "I'm glad to see you're well again.!"
"Thanks to you both, I really appreciate what you've done for me!" Keitaro replied with a smile and a bow, to which Tsuruko nodded while Motoko's cheeks flushed lightly.
"Well, there's only one real way to see whether you've healed properly, of course..." Tsuruko commented, causing Keitaro to blink in confusion. In a blur, the older Aoyoma had struck out with her bokken, which was barely blocked by the landlord with the sheathed Hina blade. "Good, perhaps we'll have a good spar this morning after all!" Tsuruko smiled, as she pushed away from the landlord and took up a stance.
Keitaro smiled as he grabbed a nearby bokken, and decided that it was going to be a good day...
Having worked up a sweat, the Aoyoma sisters and Keitaro chatted cheerfully as they entered the dining room. The landlord was then greeted by the rest of the tenants, who all expressed their joy at seeing him recovered and back on his feet. Breakfast was exceptional, as Shinobu explained that she prepared it to assist Keitaro's recovery.
After breakfast, everyone prepared for their activities for the day. Keitaro sighed as Haruka dropped by to hand him a cell phone and a long list of groceries to buy. With a smile, the landlord asked the Giovanni sisters to accompany him, to which they agreed despite their initial surprise. Moments later the majority of the tenants left in a large group, with most heading off to school...
Naomi had laughed when the trio had arrived at the marketplace, as Keitaro admitted not knowing how to pick out the fruits and vegetables properly. As the supermodel teased the landlord, Rei remained quiet for most of the trip, and seemed almost depressed. Though dense at times, Keitaro realized that something was on her mind, and asked about it...
"Keitaro..." Rei sighed. "...After last night, I think it might be better for everyone if my sister and I move on..." Realizing that she was referring to her attack against him last night, the landlord sat down with the two in a nearby coffee shop to talk...
"I've been thinking about last night all this morning as well..." Keitaro began quietly, but with a serious look on his face. The two sisters sighed and looked down, awaiting his order to evict them both. "...However," He continued. "I believe it'll still be better if you both remain at the dorm for the time being..." Surprised, the two women looked up to speak, but was silenced by a raised hand. "Granny Hina always taught me that there is a potential good in every person, and I believe that..." He then smiled sadly. "Besides, a life at the dorm has to be better than constantly killing people, right?"
While Naomi stared at the landlord in shock, Rei was nearly driven to tears as she reached over and hugged Keitaro, much to the jealousy of every men in the shop. "You really are far too good for your own good, Keitaro..." She then kissed his cheek with a small smile and let him go. "Thank you for your offer... We'll think about it and give you an answer tonight."
"Well, let's think on some coffee, I'm not awake yet." Naomi added, causing the other two to laugh.
As she cleaned off one of the tables at the Hinata teahouse, a thought suddenly occured to Haruka, as she walked to the main counter and pushed a speed-dial button on the store phone.
"Hey, it's me." Haruka spoke as the otherside answered, puffing out a cloud of smoke. "I forgot that Shinobu is in school today, think you can bring a couple lunches? Remember, Naru and Kitsune really like the teriyaki chicken bowls...."
Hearing the other side's reply, she sported an annoyed look. "What have I told you about calling me that?"
After a moment, she smiled again. "Good, and make sure it's still warm when it gets here." She then hung up with a sigh of boredom, and went back to cleaning the shop...
"Pathetic..."
The Lady Fang raised an eyebrow at her companion, as they followed Keitaro's group from far away. "You rarely come out on hunts yourself, at least that's what your men have told me..." She smiled and punched the Chairman playfully on the arm, getting a grunt of annoyance in return. "So why so grumpy?"
"I'm grumpy, as you call it, because this hunt has taken far too long." Blade replied, his eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance. "Project Evolution is completely on hold because of the Urashima whelp..."
"Why on hold?" The pit fighter asked. "You'd figure the two of us are prime examples of the project, why they're not using our genetic structures is..."
"We're not indestructable, Akiko." The Chairman interrupted, and glanced at her. "You know the goal of the Syndicate just as well as I, they'll accept nothing less." Sighing, Fang nodded quietly. The two continued walking in silence, until they reached the gigantic stone stairway leading to Hinata-sou.
"It's like a giant stairway to Heaven..." Fang looked towards the top of the stairway in awe at its size.
"Go first and send them there, Lady Fang." Blade smiled. "I'll take the scenic route and join you when you're done."
With a feral grin, the Lady Fang leapt, clearing the giant stairway in a single bound towards her victims...
Keitaro was nearly out of breath as he finally put down the ten bags he was carrying at the front door of the dorm, as the Giovanni sisters giggled while Haruka merely raised an eyebrow at the sight of the worn out landlord. Each thanking him with a kiss on the cheek, the sisters grabbed their shopping bags and made for their room, leaving Keitaro with merely four bags as he slowly recovered his breath.
"You can be such a pushover at times, nephew..." Haruka grinned. "So, did you get everything I asked?" Nodding in reply, the landlord began rummaging through the bags. As the woman looked up casually, the cigarette dropped from her mouth in shock, and she shoved Keitaro from her just before being tackled and crashing to the ground violently...
"Hello again, bitch!" Fang grinned evily, having pinned Haruka's arms under her knees as she began wailing into her with both fists. "Let me show you how glad I am at seeing you again!" By now, holes began tearing in her gloves where her knuckles are, and the black leather gloves were becoming slick with blood. Scrambling to his feet, Keitaro rushed over and attempted to pull the pit fighter off his aunt, only to be backhanded into the air. As he flew backwards, a sudden force halted him in the air before turning him to face the Chairman...
"Greetings, Urashima." Blade smiled. "I will honor any last wishes you may have, before I take your head."
Sensing a disturbance, the Chairman looked up calmly while Fang looked up with a snarl of hatred and recognition. Leaping up, the pit fighter lashed out with a flying kick into the front of an incoming van. The result was as if it had hit a steel beam headon, as it came to a dead stop with the front curling around her boot...
"Whew! Glad the lunch boxes didn't spill there!" The side door to the van opened, revealing a carefree Seta holding two bags of food. By now Naru and Kitsune had rushed to the scene at hearing the van crash, and stood in shock at the sight before them along with the Giovanni sisters, who were helping a bruised and bloody Haruka back to her feet. "Oh? You didn't tell me that you were going to have extra people, Haruka..." Seta blinked in surprise, still oblivious to what was happening.
"SETA?!" Keitaro, Naru, and Kitsune exclaimed at the same time, then looked to each other. "You know him?!"
"I go on archeological digs with him part-time along with the Toudai archeology team!" Keitaro exclaimed. "What about you two?"
"He was our tutor..." Naru replied quietly, then hid somewhat behind Kitsune, appearing almost bashful at seeing her former high school tutor.
"Noriyasu..." The Chairman narrowed his eyes, and dropped Keitaro from where he was holding him, who scrambled away quickly and summoned the Hina blade to his side. "My sensei warned me that an archeologist with fighting skills would confront me, but I didn't exacly expect it to be you..."
"I guess I'm too stubborn to die..." Seta replied with a serious look on his face. "But you did kill a lot of innocent people when you attacked the digging site." Keitaro's eyes widened in shock, his boss had managed to survive an attack from the Syndicate, and from the leader of it no less!
"I'm prepared to fix that mistake today..." Blade growled, and upon seeing Fang's face twist in anger, he shook his head. "This one is mine, Fang. Old scores need to be settled..." The pit fighter was about to argue, but chose not to at seeing the burning rage in the Chairman's eyes.
"A bit unfair, don't you think?" Seta smiled as he settled into a fighting stance. "I count four to my one..."
Raising an eyebrow, the Chairman chuckled as three distinct shadows pulled away from him and materialzed into seperate people. "Very observant, but I do not need my minions to finish you off..." Hearing someone running towards them, the three new figures turned in surprise as Motoko sprinted towards them with her sword drawn. She carved through each of them with a single stroke, watching as one exploded in a shower of flames, another cumbling in a pile of rocks, and the last disappearing into the wind. As her sword descended towards the Chairman, she suddenly found herself frozen in mid-strike, unable to move...
"No...!" Motoko gasped. "I'll destroy you, you monster!"
"It's time, Noriyasu..." Blade spoke, completely ignoring the swordswoman as he withdrew a large cleaver from his coat, its blade obsidian black like the Hina blade. Even to untrained eyes the weapon raidiated an evil aura, and the Chairman grinned as he fell into a fighting stance. "Rejoice, for you will be the thousandth victim to this blade..."
Time seemed to stand still, then as one, both combatants rushed towards each other...
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Whew... Granted, the delay for this chapter wasn't as heinous as my last one. I'm slowly adjusting to my work schedule, so hopefully I'll get more chapters out for you folks quickly! In the meantime, hope you enjoy, as more are coming soon!