Chapter 3

Heavy is the Burden

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

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Back at Hinatasou...

Mitsune was far from her normally playful self right now. First she had received the call from Keitaro, informing her of how the battle went. He told her in no uncertain terms that there would be no party. He wanted to first make certain that Motoko would be OK, and that a party might push her too far. Mitsune had agreed to that, not wanting either of her friends to suffer. She didn't even bother asking for Naru; automatically knowing what the girl must be feeling right now. She had resolved to inform the other girls about what had happened, and give them small suggestions on how they should deal with the trio when they returned.

That is until the second call came.

She had picked it up, believing it may be Keitaro calling her back, telling her it was a joke. But it was Tsuruko on the line this time. Mitsune wanted nothing more than to tell the girl off, if it weren't for Keitaro especially mentioning that they were to avoid battle with her at all costs, until a way could be found to make Motoko happy first. She had listened to the elder Aoyama inform her of the marriage, and instructed her to move her sister's possessions into Keitaro's room, as well as suggestions for where to put the larger items, before hanging up.

And that led them to now. Su was having two five-foot mecha-tama robots move the furniture into the room, her usual cheerful expression gone. Mitsune was standing in the doorway, watching the two automatons move the heavy furniture into place, and place the larger futon into the room.

Shinobu had been in the kitchen since the news had arrived, baking anything she could think of. Though Su happily ate whatever she fixed, even the child from Mol Mol was beginning to feel stuffed. But the poor girl, with the thought that her first love was now and forever beyond her reach, did everything she could think of from trying to think about that single fact.

At least Mutsumi isn't here. Thankfully she went to visit family. That was the one good thought Mitsune had had since she started watching Su and her creations move Motoko's things into Keitaro's room. This sucks. I can't help Naru, and I end up helping the bitch who made this mess.

But at least it was Keitaro. At least she has him to lean on, to get support from. At least she has him.

She looked up to realize the robots were gone; with Su beside her, standing in the open doorway. The both couldn't believe the site before them; that something like this had happened.

But it had. Where both had once been willing to lose Keitaro to Naru, none of them were prepared for losing him to Motoko. And to be quite honest, none of them knew how to deal with this situation at all.

Mitsune once again delved into her thoughts. I remember how Naru was when Seta left. She cried for weeks. And this was for a guy who never treated her as anything more than a friend. But for her to lose Keitaro; I simply don't know if I can help her over this hurdle. How do you handle losing a guy who said that he loved you, when you never said it back?

"Mitsune?"

The elder girl turned to Su, who was staring at her with her saddest face that she had ever seen on the poor girl. "What is it Su?"

"Well, since Keitaro said I couldn't sleep with Motoko for a while, does this mean I am back to sleeping with you?"

"I hope you don't mind," Mitsune said as she patted Su on her head. Tsuruko, I am sending you the medical bills, as well as pain and suffering costs for what Su will do to my back tonight.

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The trio stood before the stairs leading to Hinatasou, the cab that had drove them here receding slowly in the distance. Keitaro was still in the middle, each girl on the same side they had been on the train. Keitaro could feel each one's grip tighten slightly, and knew each was afraid of climbing those stairs, at facing their friends, at admitting that this was no dream, and that it was something each of them would have to live with. Each of them new that any wounds that had started to heal on their trip back here, would be fresh and open as they entered the doors.

But even knowing this, they started up the stairs, the girls each giving Keitaro some support, as his crutches had been destroyed in the battle with Tsuruko. But with each stair, they each once again considered just running away, running away from their friends, their family, and going somewhere to figure this all out.

But trips like that were no longer possibilities. Keitaro could not leave his new wife; he was all she had to ground her, to make her feel needed. Naru could not leave; without Keitaro, she herself didn't know what to do. Motoko could not leave her new husband; his strength was all that had been supporting her since the fight.

So they did the only thing that they could do. They climbed the stairs, and entered Hinatasou.

But despite Keitaro's worst fears, the gods had decided that even he needed a break. There was no party, no fanfare, no Mitsune trying to force each of them to drink some sake or other alcoholic beverages. There was no Su, seemingly hanging in mid-air to deliver a kick to her favorite test subject's face. There was no Shinobu, quietly standing to the side, offering a plate of food that she had poured her soul into. There was no Mutsumi, to tell them it was all right, and then quote a Liddo-kun story where they ended up dead at the end. There was no Tama-chan, flying around to try and get everyone happy again. There wasn't even Haruka there, with her expressionless face, telling them that it will work out in the end.

The entryway was just empty. The only sounds heard was from the dining room, which is where the trio headed, each now noticing how hungry they were.

So they made their way to the dining room, sitting down with the other tenants. The only sound heard was the occasional words needed if you wanted a bowl or plate of food passed to you. Even Su was eating quietly. No one had ever expected this, and no one knew how to deal with this. So they did the only thing that they could do, sat quietly and hoped that one of them would come up with a solution. None of them wanted a quiet meal. They all wanted it to be loud, for there to be merriment, for there to be life in the room again.

But there was only quit.

And that was how the meal ended.

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The residents of Hinatasou each prepared for bed. Su, dressed in her pajamas, made her way to Mitsune's room. Mitsune was finishing off one last bottle of sake, hoping that the effects of the alcohol would kill the pain that Su would inevitably cause her tonight. Shinobu, having finally gained some sense of reality again, made her way to bed after wishing Keitaro a good night. Naru and Motoko; having just finished a soak in the hot springs after Keitaro suggested they do so, had just returned to their rooms to prepare for bed. Though no one was surprised when Motoko went directly to Keitaro's room first, seeming to know what had happened while they were returning from Kyoto.

Keitaro however had already changed, after having a quick wash in his bathroom. But he wasn't in his room. He was downstairs, sitting in the middle of the couch, staring off into space.

I failed them.

I failed Motoko. I convinced her to challenge her sister again. I convinced her she could defeat her sister, and reclaim her place in the God's Cry school. I failed to help her win. I was useless on the battlefield. I was useless to stop her sister. I couldn't even stop the Hina blade when we got it from Naru.

I failed Naru. I can't even get into Tokyo U. I failed to win her heart, her trust, to tell me how she felt.

I failed everyone.

But most of all, I failed myself.

This whole mess is my fault. If I had been a better actor, Tsuruko wouldn't have banished Motoko. If I had been a better fighter, she wouldn't have lost a second time.

If I had been a better person, Naru would have told me the truth, instead of holding back, afraid to feel anything more than friendship for a clumsy, perverted ronin.

They all hate me for being a clumsy, perverted ronin. And now they have a new reason to hate me. Because I failed them when they really needed me when they needed me to step up and bring about those miracles that always seem to follow me, to once again deliver the happy ending they all needed.

But I couldn't.

And because of me, Motoko will continue to suffer, worse now because I gave her the false hope that she could return to her home.

He failed to notice Motoko coming down the stairs with a large blanket. It wasn't until she sat down next to him on the couch that he finally snapped out of his inner dialogue. She placed the blanket over both of them, leaning on his side. "I want you to know something Keitaro. None of this is your fault. I chose to lie, I chose to fight, and I chose to surrender. If you're blaming yourself for any of this, forget it."

Keitaro just looked at her, hoping to see the look in her eyes, believing that her passion for life might have returned. But she never moved her head. She seemed to have fallen asleep. This day has been harder on her than anyone else. Sleep well my wife. Tomorrow, I begin to fix this.

Keitaro tried to fall asleep, but was woken up by someone else getting under the covers on his other side. He looked through barely open eyes, hoping the fact that his glasses were now on the table behind him wouldn't hamper his trying to identify who was now on his right, to discover it was Naru. "Keitaro, if you're awake, I'm not ready to let go yet. Tomorrow I will leave you two alone, but for tonight, I don't want to let go." She leaned against him as well, and soon fell asleep.

Neither one of them wants to let go. Keitaro opened his eyes, and looked down at the two women who meant the most to him right now, the two women who he had failed today, even if they didn't want to see it that way. I'll make this work out for the best. I'll make you both happy again.

But then he saw something he never expected to see. He saw Su come over to them, her eyes still closed. She sat on his lap, and laid down, her head on Motoko's lap. The little blanket she brought with her, quickly placed over herself, and once again returned to a peaceful sleep.

Keitaro looked at the three girls near him, a tear coming to his eye, the first one he had shed all day. Everyone is counting on me to make this better, to return this place back to the happy world we all remembered.

With that thought, Keitaro himself fell asleep. Tomorrow was a new day, full of promise. The clumsy, perverted ronin would need all his strength to fight for their happiness.

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The morning after...

Keitaro was making his way down the stairs of Hinatasou; the Hina sword strapped to his back, Motoko's broken sword at his side. He had not woken the two women sleeping beside him on the couch, but had placed Su in-between them. The little girl had fallen asleep on their laps last night, missing both her adopted protectors. Not that I blame her. She probably has even less of an idea on how to deal with this than me. When I return tonight, I'll have to sit down with her and help her understand what's going on.

He made his way across town; to a man who did some blacksmith work. Though the blacksmith usually did special requests, his prices were quite high, even by local merchant standards.

But the cost was one thing not on Keitaro's mind right now. Neither was the result of his little endeavor. All that was on his mind was completing this chore, so he could finish the other.

When he arrived, the man was busy working on some project for another of his customers. He looked at Motoko's sword, and said that he could repair it, make the core a little stronger so that it wouldn't break so easily the next time she did whatever broke it in the first place, but that it may take a week to fix. Keitaro merely laid out twice his asking price, and asked if it would be done in two days. Upon seeing the money, the blacksmith agreed, saying it would be ready to pick up at this time two days from now. With that done, Keitaro left and headed out of town, through the woods.

Once he was certain he wasn't followed, and far enough from the city so as to not be disturbed, he drew the cursed Hina sword. "We need to talk about your future, now!"

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AN: There was some concern that I made Keitaro too strong-willed and out of character in the first two chapters, so I decided to explain why Keitaro became a little darker, a little more forceful than he had been. But if I agree with some of the comments, I might rewrite this chapter to give him a little more oomph. But that may wait until after chapter 4.

If I messed anything up, then let me know including typos.

Any suggestions on how I should continue the story or improve it would also be accepted.