Hello again! Time for another chapter! A Special thanks to those people that wished me a Happy Birthday. Also, I mistakenly labeled the previous chapter. Tenshi (or Kai) won't even appear until after this arc…

---Kouji Tamino

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Love Hina Next: Second Phase

Chapter 23: The Eight, Part 1

Shinichi and the others got off the plane in California, flinching as the bright sun got in their eyes. Junko looked to Ami. "Well, Ms. Navigator… Where are they now?"

Ami stared at the display in thought. "Let me think… From what I learned in school, they are headed for… Nevada."

Naoko tilted her head in confusion. "Nevada? What's in Nevada?"

Keitaro chuckled, patting Naoko on the head. "Las Vegas, my fine young lady…"

Megumi crossed her arms. "Well then, that settles it. We're going to Las Vegas!"

"Wait, how the hell are we going to get there?" Yamato asked. He glared at his father. "Since someone forgot to bring the damn van!!" He punched Keitaro in the back of the head. "Idiot!!"

"Becomes more and more like his mother everyday…" Keitaro muttered, still smiling. "And it's scaring me…" He sighed, rubbing his chin. "Well, we could always do it the old fashioned way…"

"Take a cab?" Megumi asked sincerely.

Keitaro face faulted. After getting up and dusting himself off, he stared at Megumi. "No! What the heck are they teaching you kids these days, anyway?" He yelled. "We walk! You know, use your own two feet?"

"Walk?!" Megumi screamed. "But that's sooo barbaric!!"

Junko sweat dropped. "What do you do for exercise?"

Megumi blinked. "Exercise? What's that?"

Kairi opened one eye. "Oh my… You mean, you don't know what exercise is? How do you stay in such shape, then?"

Megumi stared at Kairi. "Don't shit me, ghost… What are you talking about?"

Kairi gasped, turning away. "Oh my… I was… I was just…"

Shinichi frowned. "Megumi, that was really mean…"

Megumi pouted. "But really! What are you people talking about?! I've always thought that a figure like this…" she twirled around. "…was natural! And I thought that fat people had some sort of disease!" Everyone stared at her like she was some sort of horrible creature. "…What?"

Ami shook her head. "That's just terrible, Megumi… And just when I thought you couldn't get any more rude…"

Megumi fell to her knees and began crying. "Stop acting like that, everyone! It's not my fault that I was spoiled by my wealthy upbringing in Amercia!"

"Um… Actually, how rich is your family, anyway?" Ami asked.

Megumi blinked rapidly. "Um… I'm not exactly sure, but I think that we're distantly related to a guy named Gates… He specializes in computers…"

Everyone sweat dropped. Junko began to growl. "Damn it, we're wasting time! Let's get going!"

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And so, they began their journey through the desert. Along the way…

"Halt!" a young sounding voice yelled. Everyone turned around to see a small girl in a frilly pink dress, a huge hat that covered her eyes, and had long flowing black hair. She moved her hat to revealed her pink eyes. "Hi there! My name is Rei!"

"Aww, what a cute little girl…" Ami squealed.

Rei chuckled evilly. What they didn't notice was the huge golden buster sword slung over her back, which she unsheathed with shocking ease. "Heh, heh… Rei of the 'Eight'… As in the Eight Keepers of the Suichi Items!" She jumped towards the others and swung the sword toward them. "As you may have guessed, this is the all powerful SuichiSword! Not even I know how to unlock it's ability to nullify the other Item abilities yet!"

"Oh my god, we're going to be killed by a little girl that can swing around a heavy-ass looking sword!!" Keitaro screamed.

Yamato stared at Keitaro. "You know, sometimes I'm ashamed of you…" He dodged another swing of the sword. "Whoa!!"

Junko pushed Shinichi towards Rei. "Here, you have experience in beating up girls…" She said, glaring at him. "You take care of this one…"

Shinichi frowned. "Hey, that was different! I was only defending myself, and you're not a little girl!" He screamed as he dodged another swing of the sword. "Are you insane?!"

"Maybe!" Rei yelled. "The sword can do things like that if you're not careful…"

Keitaro shuddered. "Not another possessed sword…"

Yamato shrugged, holding up the sword that Keitaro was thinking about. "I dunno, it's pretty cool…"

Sdhinichi quickly snatched the sword away from Shinichi. "Gotta borrow this, thanks!!" Shinichi got in a fighter's stance as he glared at the crazed little girl.

Junko sighed. "Oh boy, this isn't going to be pretty…"

"Gyah!" Shinichi screamed, running towards Rei. He tripped, falling on his face, the sword flying through the air. Everyone, including Rei, sweat dropped.

Rei grinned. "Ha ha! Nice try! But you did make me laugh, so I will give you a few more seconds of life before I take it… Although, I do find it amusing that you thought that you could--" Just them 'Hina' came from the sky and bashed her in the top of the head. Blood splurted out of her head as she began tom utter nonsense and fall to the ground, dropping the sword.

Shinichi screamed as everyone looked on in horror. "Oh my god!! I killed her!!" He picked her fallen form and began sobbing. "I'm so sorry… If only… If only…"

Rei smiled, eyes still closed. "Don't worry… It hit me with the blunt edge…" She giggled. "You know, you're silly…"

Shinichi chuckled nervously. "Um… Heh heh heh… Uh, you're going to kill me now, right?"

Rei shook her head. "Why would I kill the new 'Keeper of the SuichiSword?', silly man?"

"Whaaat?!" the others screamed in unison.

Rei smiled. "I may be an insane homicidal little girl, but I'm an honorable one… You see, we were gathered up and hired by Mishima because we are part of the Suichi Family Tree. While anyone can wield these weapons, it takes a true Suichi to handle it correctly. I sense Suichi blood in you… Besides, you beat me in a fight, did you not?"

Shinichi smiled. "Well, um… not exack!!"

Junko covered his mouth. "Yep! He sure did!" She whispered to him. "Dumb ass! We have the most powerful of the items on our side now! You've just got to learn how use the damn thing!"

Shinichi sighed. "Fine…" He looked to Rei. "I thank you, and I hope that I can become a good keeper… But… are you okay? Your head is gushing pretty badly…"

Rei stuck her tongue out. "This? That's just a boo-boo…"

Shinichi sweat dropped. "Are you serious?" He attempted to pick the sword up, but had a little trouble. "Geez, this thing weighs a ton… How the hell can you carry it?"

Rei giggled. "Hold on there, cousin…" She took off the sheath, picked up the sword, and put it in. "While it will take a while of practice before you can properly wield it, it's practically lighter than air while in the sheath…" She tossed it over to Shinichi.

He caught with ease, catching him off guard. "Whoa, you're right! Amazing!"

Yamato walked up to 'Hina' and picked it up. He then walked over to his pupil and glared at him. "Hey, be more careful with this thing, all right?" He bonked him on the head with the blunt end. "It may be near indestructible, but it's a family heirloom. Show some respect."

"Ow…" Shinichi groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He chuckled nervously and bowed. "I'm sorry, Urashima-sensei…"

Yamato looked to the SuichiSword. "Let me see that thing…" He grabbed a hold of the handle. "It can't be that heavy…" He grunted, not even able to remove it from the sheath. "Shit! What is this thing made of?!"

Shinichi laughed. After Yamato had given up on trying to pull the sword out, Shinichi slung the sheath over his back. He looked back to Rei. "Well, it's nice to meet a long lost relative and everything, but…"

Rei sighed. "I know, I know… You all should get going now… But I must warn you, there are 7 other 'Keepers' that own an item…" She crossed her arms. "You may have one item, but while it has the power to nullify the other items, that's only if you can tap into that power…"

Megumi sweat dropped. "You know… for a little girl, you know way too much…"

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"Bwahahaha!!! My name is Ichi, Keeper of the SuichiArmor!" An old man who was balding and had a long white beard, dressed in green robes and golden shoulder armor stood in their way. "I see that you have beaten Rei and acquired the sword…" Ichi began to vanish. "But you will not beat me… You can't beat what you can't see!"

Megumi chuckled. "Let me handle this one…"

"Are you sure?" Kairi asked. "I could use some of my illusions to scare him and he wouldn't be able to touch me…"

Megumi shook her head. The invisible Ichi looked on in confusion. "Whaaat? You send a women to do battle with the great Ichi? Why, that's an insult! I--" He shut up as soon as Megumi flashed him. He quickly fainted from the blood loss.

With Ichi now unconscious, Megumi took the armor off of him and grinned. "So, how was that?" She smiled smugly as the guys stared. "Shall we get going?"

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Soon, they were entering a more grassy, but still mostly dry area. Keitaro scratched his head in confusion. "Wait, how can we survive without wa--"

Yamato covered his father's mouth. "Just… forget about it, dad…"

Just then, from behind a bush, a young man of around 18 popped up from behind a bush. "Yo!" He was wearing a backwards cap, jean jacket, shorts, and sneakers, all red. "My name Ni! I'm the keeper of the Suichi Staff!" He grinned and took off his hat, bowing. His hair was short, brown, and spiky. "As you may have heard, this staff lets me become whoever I want to be!" He raised it into the air as it began to glow. The staff was golden and had a sphere on the end. "And I want to become… A great warrior!" And so it was done. He became a warrior with golden armor and long flowing hair. The staff was now a medium sized sword. He smiled, his teeth sparkling.

Naoko walked up. "Can I please have that staff, mister?"

Ni shook his head. "No way, little girl… This staff is not a toy… It is very dangerous and--"

"Please?" Naoko begged, blinking her eyes rapidly.

"No," he said plainly, "now stop that…"

"Pwease?" She pouted cutely.

His eyebrow twitched once. "No…"

Naoko pouted her lip out and looked like she was about to cry. "B-but… I just want to see it… Please don't be mean, Mr. Ni…"

Ni finally gave in. He began to twitch violently. "N-not… fair… Too… c-cute…"

Naoko giggled, pushing him down to the ground with one finger. She grabbed the staff and watched as it turned back to normal. "Thank you, Mr. Ni!" She smiled brightly.

"N-no… problem…" He muttered, still on the ground.

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And so…

A woman wearing a golden mask of the Buddha on her face stood in the group's way. She was also wearing white robes. She had an eerie aura around her. She spoke. "My name is San… The first three Keepers were pushovers… Your journey shall end here!"

Junko glared. "Y'know, I don't like your attitude!" She began to roll up her sleeves. "I'm gonna smack that mask right off your face!"

San giggled. "I'd like to see you try!" She suddenly disappeared.

Junko's eyes widened. "What the f--" She was smacked right in the face, flying back a few feet. "Damn it! She's freakin' fast!" She stood up, smirking, wiping some blood off her mouth. "Come on! Is that all ya got?!" Her eyes bugged out as she was punched right in the gut. She grabbed her stomach and fell to her knees, breathing heavily.

Naoko screamed. "Junko, please! You have to stop!!"

Junko shook her head. "No way… " she stood up, turned towards San, and screamed. "… I'm not going to give up that easily!!"

"Stubborn idiot…" San ran up to Junko and gave her several rapid punches to the chest and stomach. She backed away and watched as a battered and bruised Junko fell to the ground. "Give up…"

Everyone gasped as Junko stood up as if she hadn't been hurt at all. She chuckled. "That's it? Ha!"

San gasped as Junko socked her right in the face, splitting the mask in two and revealing…

Junko glared and crossed her arms. "Somehow, I had a hunch it was you… Traitor…"

"Sakura?!" the others screamed.

"But…" Shinichi began. "If you're the keeper of an item, then that means…"

Sakura looked up in anger, rubbing her sore face. "That's right… Cousin…"

To Be Continued…

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Didn't see that coming, now did you? You did? Shit! I'll have to try harder, then… Mwahahaha…

---Kouji Tamino