Love Hina - Nijuuhachi Hi Ato

Chapter 06

Catalyst to the Cataclysm

Dedicated to Maria, my love, who is currently abroad…
May this story remind you of my words and my promise, "I'll be with you soon…"

1 second later

The sound of gunfire echoed all around them, the bullets all flying into the Infected Seta. Someone came out of the woods and slashed him across the back. He made a wet growl, and felt heat on his torso. Flames spouted out from the marks left by the weapon, and Seta burst into a fiery mass. His painful cries were heard from far away.

The Hinata crew were stunned and horrified by this spectacle.

"Pa... Papa..." Sara left Suu's embrace and started to walk to his burnt body, no part of him had been spared.

Mitsune placed a hand on her shoulder and held her in her arms, gently carrying her away from the scene. Sara wouldn't stop crying.

Keitaro turned to the apparent leader of the armed group, who moved out of the bushes in formation, covering each other and watching out for more stray Infected.

"Why did you kill him!" He screamed. His mentor of recent months had just been brutally slayed in front of him.

"You were just about to kill him yourself..." The man replied casually.

"I... was?" He stared down at the blade and noticed that his hand was covered in black ki, appearing as smoke billowing slowly from his very skin. He realised instantly what had happened. This cursed blade... It's getting stronger...

"You were walking in like an idiot, I had to kill him to save you." The man, as were the other soldiers, wore a camouflage gear that enabled them to blend seamlessly with the grass and other greenery around them. However he didn't have a gun like all the others.

Motoko eyed him suspiciously, as did Haruka. "How did you kill Seta-san?" The former asked.

"Just something I picked up recently." He placed the odd glove-like blades into his rucksack.

"Was it necessary to go that far?" Haruka jerked her head at the still glowing embers of Seta's clothing.

"Yes, we won't know if they're dead otherwise." He looked at the barricade and the street blanketed by smoke. "We must get out of here. Follow us."

A few minutes later

The soldiers had brought out two trucks, and the Hinata residents packed into the back of each. One of the soldiers was driving the van, and Suu was piloting her own Mecha Tama. They were travelling through a forest, a path weaving through the trees to get to their destination. The road was bumpy, leading to the occupants in the truck to bounce up and down on their seats. Everyone barely took notice of the surrounding scenery, which in any ordinary case, would be one of those moments everyone needs to experience once in their life. They also missed out on a somewhat lightening of the mood of the soldiers, and their strange furtive looks at each of the women. Keitaro was singled out for the harsher looks, ones that failed to hide the malice inside them.

After ten minutes, they reached the huge compound of what appeared to be royal property. The tall stone walls were now more imposing; there was barbed wire all along the top and gun battlements at strategic locations. Two other soldiers on watch opened the gates to allow them in.

The front lawn inside had now become a makeshift base, ammunition and guns were piled high, even impressing Haruka as the amount of firepower they possessed. Getting off the trucks, they saw most of the soldiers go off to some other duties; however the older girls noticed a strange, longing, look that they gave as they walked away.

The leader stood on the top step leading into the palace. "My name is Major Nakata. Welcome to our base, and the cure to infection. We have hot water and fresh food. We hope you will have an enjoyable stay here."

He beckoned them inside. Suu left her Mecha Tama in its standby state and locked it. The women and Keitaro marched after the Major into the dark entrance, not knowing what to expect.

2 hours later
Elsewhere in Japan

Kanako stood at the same place the Keitaro once stood, staring up at the large ship made exclusively for the family of one rich conglomerate. She felt the tire tracks with her right hand, feeling the disturbed earth with her fingers. This was recent... She traced the path with her eyes, seeing that it came from the large destruction on the motorway. That definitely was Suu's work.

She stood up and reached for her left arm, hanging limp at her side, pinching the skin of her left hand. It's no good; I've lost use of it... The last few hours, as she was driving, the steering grew harder, and she wondered why that was, until it was too late. The nerves and muscles were now under control of the other fragment of her mind. Soon, it fell from the wheel, and no amount of forcing it would allow it to remain there. The colour also seemed slightly different, a reddish tinge to the skin from the elbow to the hand, and the nails were growing black at the cuticles. The blackness was slowly creeping its way towards the tips, and the red past the elbow into the upper arm.

Going inside the ship, she was cautious and saw the first body. Moving carefully through, she reached the cockpit and saw a few bodies, one charred beyond recognition. Curiously it left the areas around it untouched by the flames. Crouching down, she tried to find out who it was, but she could already tell what killed it.

"The Hina Blade..." She blinked once. "So, oniichan has it." She sighed with relief. Nothing will happen to him at least.

She started to scavenge anything she could find from the ship, though little would be of any use in a place without electricity. She even tried reactivating the ship, but the way it landed meant that some essential systems regarding navigation and propulsion were critically affected. She contemplated repairing them, but having no head for technology, she knew she would only make things worse.

She eventually found out who it belonged to, and assumed that the burned body was that of Kentaro, as all of the other faces had matched to one of the Sakata family. Oniichan mentioned him, and how mean he was. I'm glad he took revenge finally. Looking to the bathroom, she walked inside and stared at the sink, blood present on the taps and basin. Paying these things no heed, she twisted the cold tap and was satisfied to see that the water was still working. Washing her hands first, she cleaned it with soap and then thought for a second, testing the hot water.

Slowly she peeled off her clothes, even they began to smell after a bit of time, and she stepped into the shower. Turning the electric shower on, she found that the water that came out was both reassuringly hot and at a high pressure. Getting some shampoo, making sure to cover every strand, she managed to keep her deep purple hair visibly gleaming. She rinsed it out slowly, letting the bubbles burst under the individual paths of water. Grabbing some conditioner, she massaged it into her scalp and left it there whilst picking up the sponge. She started soaping her lithe and athletic body as the steam in the room built up from the continued spray, leaving only her outline visible behind the fog. The moisturising pearls in the soap along with the essence of vanilla and cinnamon helped to soothe her strained figure.

Sighing once she stood in the water for half an hour letting it pour out over all her sore joints. The eucalyptus in the conditioner made her eyes sting from the scent, but it turned into a pleasant tingly feeling. Washing her left arm she was saddened to see that the black in the nails wouldn't rub off, and that the colour in the skin would still not change. Satisfied that at least she was now clean, she got out of the shower and into a towel she found on the shelf there.

Sniffing her clothes and wincing, she started to hand wash them in the sink. This took around twenty minutes, and finally wringing them out, she hanged them in the kitchen (there was a hanging metal pipe to hook on pots and pans). Thinking for a second, she went into the bathroom again and pulled out a hairdryer and started to warm up the clothes. Soon they were dry, and she put them on.

Looking around once more, she knew that this was one of the few places left in Japan that had electricity running. Reluctant to leave the luxury, she saw the ruined living room and the body, and thought that eventually someone else would find this haven, or even worse, Infected would come. Picking up her bag with pilfered items, she left the ship and returned to her lorry, after filling up from the same place that the others did.

Climbing into the driver's cabin, she felt a distinct pressure on her mind, her vision literally flickering from normal human senses, to one where all the areas around her were in a tinge of red. Any moving object, such as the trees swaying in the wind, grew brighter red, even white, and much more in focus and clearer. Blinking hard, this nightmare view vanished completely, with no trace of it returning any time soon. Placing her right hand on the wheel, she cast a scrutinising look at it. Muscles had grown all over her body from her continued fighting against the Infected, and she was able to heave the lug of a steering wheel with no trouble at all, proof of her immense strength.

The left arm remained silent by her side, but the little finger twitched surreptitiously, as Kanako moved further on in her quest to find her brother, steaming down the ruined motorway towards Kyoto.

Meanwhile
The palace

Keitaro felt refreshed from the new interior and apparent luxury they were in. The palace was an impressive place; the lavish interiors were more or less untouched, save for a few parts where the ammunition were stored in countless boxes, along with bunks in rooms near the front. They had a generator that could produce a limited amount of electricity, so no internal lighting, but some floodlights outside, and a few heaters indoors.

"This is the kitchen, where we prepare our meals." Inside you could see a feast being prepared by one of the privates. "What's on the menu tonight Mito-kun?"

"Well, we have a basic ramen for starters, followed by some okonomiyaki with special fillings, and for dessert, as it's a special occasion, apple pie!"

"Sounds delicious, we're looking forward to it." Major Nakata left the room and Keitaro followed, as did the other girls who were behind him.

They started walking along one of the rich, long corridors as the sun began to cast long shadows over Japan, to a less well kept area. "This is the staff section, which is why it's not so neat." They began to walk downstairs to the side entrance. Major Nakata opened the door to a small courtyard filled with hanging bedsheets and cloths.

"This is our squad captain, Anji Uramura."

A rushing wind and panting breath could be heard, when suddenly out of the last piece of formerly white cloth came a slavering soldier, screeching wildly and trying to grab at everyone, were it not for the chain tied around his neck preventing him from getting any closer.

Everyone jumped once they saw him. "But he's Infected!" Naru cried.

"Yes, our poor foolish Captain got too close to one, so when he shot it the blood landed in his mouth." He turned to the Infected Anji, now crouched and throwing up more blood. "Mind you, it was for the better, as he had plans with whoever turned up here."

"What plans?" Haruka questioned, not liking the sound of it.

"That doesn't matter now." He was still looking in fascination at Anji. "His behaviour is interesting to watch, by studying our enemies we learn more about ways to combat them. What drives them, feeds them, and their overall purpose in the world."

Keitaro felt a chill run down his spine. This guy is freaky… "What… What have you found out then?"

He shrugged in reply. "No idea, but at least it'll tell me how it'll be before they starve to death." He got up. "Come, let's go."

As the girls filed out behind him, Keitaro stared at the Infected form of Anji, who was holding out an arm and looking somewhat needy. Moving closer Keitaro was about to help before Anji snapped up and tried to grab him. Taking no more chances, Keitaro left the courtyard immediately, leaving the creature visibly breathing roughly in the coming cold night.

15 minutes later

The soldiers were chanting for their food at the long table, drumming their cutlery hard on the smooth surface. The Hinata crew didn't join in, the shock of Seta's death still languished with them, especially with Haruka, who barely said a word since they arrived at the palace. She stared down at her empty plate, her mind full of confusing thoughts.

I killed him… It was my fault… No one thought of or blamed me for that, thinking it happened naturally… If only I wasn't so rash… She glanced at Keitaro his eyes half lidded, reliving horrors of his own. I hit Keitaro since he calls me obasan, but, in truth, I am one… I may not look it, but I am, deep inside me, just an aunt… She looked up to the elaborate ceiling, surrounded by intricate cornices. Maybe, maybe being a mother would be something I liked. She thought of holding Seta back in the old days, fighting alongside him against the group known as the Architect, kissing him on the beach, and dreaming about the future. Then he went and made that stupid promise… She slowed her breathing to stop the tears, and turned to Sara who was sat next to her. Maybe I can make a promise of my own, to never leave his daughter without a parent again… She placed a light hand on the blonde girl's head, who looked up in confusion. Her eyes are still red… Poor thing… She pulled the child closer to her, to feel her warmth. Sara let herself be dragged, but placed her face into Haruka's top, and wept silently. Maybe I can become okaasan instead of obasan for once…

Naru and Mitsune saw this, both harbouring similar feelings for Seta, though Mitsune's was greater in sheer need. I already miss you Seta... He was probably the only man she ever loved truly, and now he was gone. What else is there for me? No one really cares for me any more... She peeked at Naru. Even she is too wound up in herself to face anyone for now... She was listening to the laughs and shouts of the soldiers, turning her mind onto more pressing subjects. Why are we here, what is this so called cure?

Motoko also had these thoughts, but she was analysing them further. These men aren't normal... She thought back to the time when they all first met Keitaro, on the roof with only a towel to safe his blushes. Realising she too was growing redder, she shook that image out. I figured Urashima to be a pervert, but...

More images flooded her mind, of him begging not to be hit, running away, and the occasional hero, stopping her from falling on the roof, protecting Shinobu from something random and scary, and even making Suu laugh once more.

... Those weren't the acts of a pervert. She stared at the unknown soldier across her, his name, she gathered from the casual talking of the others, was Jiro. His manners are that of a child, and... Jiro gave Motoko a subtle look over, before angling away to talk to his neighbour. I don't like the way he looks at me, indeed, the way they all look at us. What is their cure?

Mito, the chef, came in with a trolley (and wearing an apron, which led to teasing from his compatriots), with the meal steaming hot in pots.

Major Nakata stood up. "Fellow soldiers, and survivors. As today is a special day." He indicated to the new arrivals with his sake dish. "We have for you an extra special meal, mostly thanks to the gifts of our guests." A light applause greeted this announcement. He then went on to describe the meal, and ended with an "Enjoy yourselves!" To which one half of the room launched into the fray, leaving the Hinata crew dumbfounded, and still somewhat unused to meeting other people apart from themselves, and not wanting to join in.

Sara was eyeing the hot okonomiyaki steaming in front of her through a thin watery barrier. Major Nakata crouched down beside her. "What's wrong... Sara-chan?" He recalled her name from when the others spoke.

She mumbled something, looking further down as some of her blonde hair fell over her face.

"What was that?" He asked again.

"She wants to bury her father." Haruka stated, pulling Sara closer to her. "She doesn't need your food, not now." Her emotions began to break through. "He meant a lot to her, as he did to me..." The unbidden tears thankfully did not fall as she glared at him. "We want to bury him."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid we can't, his body is Infected, a single drop of blood can get you." He sat at the head of the table. "Besides, outside this compound, the world is just as it used to be."

"What do you mean?" Keitaro asked, waking out of his stupor.

"I mean the same thing, what we see out there is just the same as before all of it started. People killing people. We were there when there were major riots and protests, and yes, even when there was war. What did we see? People killing people." He slurped up some ramen noisily. "This is why we can use human tactics to kill them all."

"You're mad!" Mitsune cried out, half standing. "This isn't some war game where you can use strategy to beat them. Millions of the Infected are out there, it's not killing, it's a massacre, almost complete genocide."

"Mitsune's right." Motoko interjected, hoping to diffuse the palpable environment. "Humans are almost extinct in Japan, no one else has survived. Those that did probably number no more than a few hundred, aside from those who got out with planes and boats." She looked down. "I've killed more Infected than I can count, but that is no excuse. To kill others is to kill yourself. You lose who you are inside."

All were silent by these words, though the Major persisted with one final comment. "Despite your nice lecture, you also know that without us, those that 'killed' ourselves, you would have been killed in a more literal sense."

Again, more silence, until it was broken by the distant sound of an explosion somewhere outside.

"ALL UNITS! ARMS AT THE READY! TO YOUR STATIONS!" Jiro shouted, apparently he was the second in command. Without a delay, the others jumped up and ran out of the mess hall.

The Major stayed behind. "Watch our plan in action, and marvel." He raised himself slowly and leisurely strolled away to the grounds outside. The others followed, unsure of what they expected outside.

Meanwhile
Outside

"All units, FIRE!" A hail of bullets tore through several Infected now running through the back gardens. Many of them fell as the critical hits punctured their way in, yet many were still coming, attracted by the noise and lights. Those that weren't downed by the first initial wave ran on, spurred by more hatred as their injured limbs spasmed more violently.

Mito shot one dead using the turret. "I got one, I got one!"

"That's great you idiot, now kill the rest!" Jiro shouted back over the sound of his rifle.

The girls and Keitaro stared on at this scene, the same thought echoed through each of them. Is this their cure? Shinobu closed her eyes and buried her face in Keitaro's shirt as more Infected fell.

Sara was looking over the carnage with an uninterested and bored demeanour. "I want to bury papa..." Tears began to fall again as Haruka picked her up and walked back into the house. Mitsune and Motoko knew that they wouldn't leave this place, now that they were locked in. Motoko indicated as such to Mitsune, who nodded back. Both held their weapons tighter, the battle was only beginning. It was up to the soldiers to make the first move. Suu had spotted the two, and their body language. She coughed again and wiped away the tiny particles of blood on her lips. She could see the Mecha Tama X standing there, still powered down, glistening with the distant minefield exploding and the near gunfire. She vowed to make a difference in this battle, and started to program on her palmtop directly linked to her creation.

Keitaro sensed that all wasn't right in base camp. This place is equipped for a war... There's no cure here. He stroked Shinobu's navy blue hair as she continued to whimper at each gunshot and cry of jubilation or agony. We're going to get out of here, tomorrow.

Little did he know that that wasn't on the agenda of the soldiers.

The next day

The night was long; several attempted incursions by the Infected were fought off, leaving multiple corpses many grumpy soldiers by daytime. Breakfast was a boring meal, cereal without milk, with the exception of some toast and marmalade, the bread provided involuntarily by the Hinata-sou residents.

The plans of the many had fallen into motion. Today, all things were going to fall into place. The only question remaining was, whose would succeed in the end?

The Hinata girls were awake by nine, and all were uneasy. Despite having food, their stomachs still felt hungry, grumbling away, this time due to stress and, even more so, fear.

"Keitaro, mind if I have a word?"

Keitaro was surprised; Major Nakata hadn't as yet gone out of his way to speak to him. "Umm, sure..."

He held out his hand to one of the other, smaller gardens, and they both walked out there, sitting on the stone steps overlooking the various flowerbeds and trees.

"You know, it's quite beautiful here, even I feel at peace here."

"That's... nice..." Keitaro replied. "So, what..."

"Do you know how long we've been stationed at that blockade?" He interrupted. Keitaro shook his head. "Around a month. Since the first few reports of riots in Tokyo, we were called upon to stop any further spread." He sighed. "However, Infection is tough to prevent, a few plane crashes and even stowaways in ships led to Kyoto being Infected before we knew it. Our squad was taken off guard as they came at us from the opposite direction. We lost half our men." He sat up straighter. "A week after that, morale was at its lowest. Mito-kun even tried to commit suicide. That's when I came to the decision, to leave our base and come here, setting up that automatic broadcast."

Finally Keitaro could speak up. "You spoke of a cure, where is it? You don't seem to have any kind of antidote to Infection."

"We have no cure." He admittedly unashamedly. "To purify the Infected, you need to eliminate every one of them. Our cure involves bullets and fire, no miracle injection or antidote exists."

"T... Then..."

"I promised them women..."

"What!"

"The only other cure is to reproduce the species, I told everyone this, even Mito-kun agreed. If you think this is right, we'll welcome you in as one of us and you can have your pick, otherwise..."

Keitaro didn't want to hear any more, and stormed off into the house. Major Nakata shrugged and spoke quietly into his walkie talkie.

"Come on everyone." He grabbed the Hina Blade as the girls looked at him in puzzlement. "We're getting out of here." Seeing that they were still stunned he shouted, "NOW!"

There was no way about it, they grabbed everything they needed around them, weapons, food, car keys, and they ran through the main corridor to the middle where it branched of to the main exit.

They were stopped in their tracks by the entire patrol, armed with rifles, blocking the only way out, and behind them, Major Nakata walked alone, putting on a strange glove with long blades on it.

"You bastards..." Motoko cursed them. "I knew you would never let us leave here..."

Jiro was head of the group at the front. "You're damn right, How could we let the most gorgeous girls we ever met in our lives to leave now?"

"Like this!" Suu held out her remote control and pressed the large red button.

Nothing happened, and the soldiers laughed cruelly. "Did your poor toy break?" Jiro taunted.

A large shadow grew behind them, followed by a metallic roar. Jumping back, the soldiers cowered as the Mecha Tama jetpacked its way inside, smashing the marble pillar to the sides of the small entrance.

"Shinobu!" Suu, in a bizarre choice, pushed the scared girl towards her machine, which then opened up and took her inside.

"You bastards killed Seta..." Haruka loaded her Desert Eagles with custom-made uranium tipped bullets that he gave her for a birthday present. She was saving them for a special occasion, and now had the opportunity. She took aim.

"Take this!" Mitsune ran to the right and threw three sake cocktails behind the Mecha Tama, leading to a large tower of flame preventing the soldiers through.

"Haruka-san!" Keitaro called over the ensuing shouts of the soldiers. "Get Sara-chan out of here. Mitsune, take care of Narusegawa! Suu-chan, take Shinobu and go!"

He turned to Motoko and smirked with confidence. "Fancy a quick warm up before we leave?" He turned to Major Nakata and pulled out the black sword.

Motoko smirked back at his joke. "Very well, you'd better not lose or act perverted in any way or I'll send you to Okinawa myself." She withdrew her own katana in her left hand and also her sister's sword in her right.

A large explosion of escape, and everyone cried out…

"Let's go!"

Author's notes

Shorter than the other chapters, this was half written on the bus home from London after leaving my girlfriend, as she travelled back to her home country. This chapter is again dedicated to her, in anticipation of me joining her soon.

I decided to split the chapter I wrote into two, as this is the best point to break it up. The next (and possibly penultimate) chapter is entitled "The Final Battle", very eloquent, and pretty much sums it up in one… For ages I'd been wondering what to call this chapter, Maria and I joked about the Kanako shower scene, so I left it as 'Wet and Horny' for the duration, until changing to something more traditional. Made me laugh each time I read it…

Hope this is to your liking, be prepared for changes to the movie now, and remember, the Hinata crew aren't like the two weak women in the movie… Reviews would enhance my happiness levels also.

Jason