Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina

Chapter 4: Two sides of evil  

I don't expect anything from you, except to die and be a very cheap funeral.

Hank Scorpio: Simpsons

-Spirit World-

Sitting under the night sky Keitaro stares at the stars above him deep in thought wondering about his 'life' thus far. 10 days ago his life was simple and bliss but due to an abnormality that life threw at him he died, just like that, his immortality didn't save him at all. ("Just like that… it was all over.") He twisted to his side and recalled the faces of everyone at his funereal especially Naru's ("Naru, what did you want to say to me?")

"Absence makes the heart grow fond, doesn't it?" he looked up and saw soap bubbles floating through the air then he twisted his head to the source.

"Yuki-chan?"

"Yeah?" She walked his way and plopped down continuing to blow soap bubbles.

"What's with the bubbles?" he pointed.

"I just like it that's all, it's fun." She blew more bubbles. "Stop sulking Kei." She smiled at him and blew some bubbles into his face.

"Stop that." He squashed the bubbles with a wave of his hand.

"I know I sound like a broken record but…"

"It'll be OK." They both said and then stared at each other and then laughed.

"Thanks Yuki-chan, huh?" He raised an eyebrow as she handed him the bottle of soap bubbles.

"Try it, maybe it'll help it does for me."

"OK" He blew some bubbles and felt some of his troubles dissolve like the bubbles. "I haven't done this since I was a kid." He said and blew some more bubbles.

"Told ya it was good." She looked over the balcony and down at the night city glowing with neon lights and bustling with life. "Even though I have a fairly good idea but I'll ask anyway, what were you thinking Kei?"

"I was thinking about what my life could've been like…"

"Will be like." She corrected him reminding him that he'll be alive again.

"Yeah, but like I said, my life. I'll end up with Narusegawa we get married and have kids then we grow old, that's everything I've dreamed of since I met her." He smiled warmly.

"You have a nice smile Kei." He blushed snapping out of his daydream. "I think that's the first time that you've truly smiled since we've met, you should do it more often." He blushed more and blew more bubbles. And that's how it was for the rest of the night the two silently sitting in the balcony one blowing bubbles and the other enjoying the nightly breeze, often the silence would be broken by a few words exchanged by the two until they retreated to their respective rooms. 

#-#-#

-Hinata city a few days later-

"Hey, since we're in the area are you sure you don't want to see your friends." Yuki turned to her air borne companion.

"Nah, I don't want to see them grieving." Keitaro hovered next to her.

"OK. We got one more soul to harvest and we'll clock in early today." She flew in the direction of their next target Keitaro easily flew after her.

"How did this guy die?"

"A murder." His altitude decreased slightly. "Still not use to flying?"

"No, I'm just shocked. A murder? What do we do?"

"It's a matter for the living, not us spirits we just harvest souls." The two continued to fly and within a few minutes they dropped down to a small crowd. "Seems like we're a bit late." They saw some policemen closing off an alley way but that did not affect them as they simply passed through everyone and went straight to the back of the alley where the body lied. "Kei you want to take this one?" She asked him whilst examining the dirty ally walls.

"Sure." He knelt down to the body and grabbed its hand. "…"

"What's the delay, Kei?" She didn't even turn to him.

"Er, I don't know how to say this… but there's no soul." She snapped her head around and quickly placed a hand on the body.

"The soul is gone!" She stood up and surveyed the area.

"You think the soul just ran away?"

"Maybe but who extracted the soul from the body? Most souls remain in the body until someone extracts them or if the body is severely damaged and that can't be the case, look at the body it looks fine, no signs of illness or injuries." She noted something being radiated from the body and moved in closer.

"What is it?" He looked over her shoulder.

"Kei, is that corpse giving off SE?"

"Erm… yeah, it is. But I thought dead bodies don't." He saw a small flicker of SE given off from the body and then fade. Seeker sniffed the body and immediately started barking.

"It can't be!" She shot up and accidentally rammed her shoulder up Keitaro's chin. "Here in the living world!?"

"Aw, what's wrong?" he clutched his chin.

"Kei, we need to leave!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the alley.

"Hey, hey! What's going on?"

"Seeker! Is it close?" Seeker shook his head. "Kei! Go home, Seeker and I'll be with you soon but for now just go and don't ask questions, just go!" Without further questions he took his board and left. "I need to tell HQ!" she dialled her cell phone. " It's me, Kagura Yuki of Sigma team! I have a 'Hungry Ghost'/ 'Soul eater' on the loose in the living world!" There was a frantic reply "Got it! I'll corner it until backup arrives!" She hung up her phone "Seeker, track it down." He nodded and sniffed the air.

"Woof!" He leapt in to the air and his body transformed into black smoke and soared to the top of a building.

"That way, huh?" She leapt after him and jumped to the roof of another building.

#-#-#

-SWHQ sometime later-

"So it was a hungry ghost." Yumiko leaned back in her chair blowing out cigarette fumes through her nose.

"Yes boss." Yuki replied standing in front of her desk.

"Hmm." Yumiko leaned in and pressed a button on her desk causing the large screen on the right wall to flicker on displaying Kisaragi. "Status."

"Yes boss." She moved aside and the screen now showed a massive ice block with a figure in it. "As you can see." Kisaragi's voice emanated from the screen's speakers "The Hungry Ghost is now rendered harmless thanks to Inspector Kagura. I have managed to extract a small sample of SE and it shows that this particular Hungry Ghost is a relatively weak one, we can also confirm this visually as we can clearly see that the ghost still maintains it's human shape."

"Are you sure that it just isn't in disguise." Yumiko asked.

"No, the data shows negative." Kisaragi now moved back in front of the screen.

"That'll do for now, continue the examination." Kisaragi bowed and the screen flickered off. "This is becoming quite common now isn't?"

"Yes, boss. These ghosts seems to be appearing everywhere now."

"It wouldn't be so bad if those bloody soul devouring freaks of nature remained in the spirit world but in the living? No, we can't have them preying on the living those who have been preyed upon cannot be reborn as easily. Have you found the victim's 'Soul Crystal'?"

"Yes, I've handed it to Kisaragi-san."

"That's good." Yumiko swirled in her chair and walked to the massive window. "Yuki, Heaven and Hell entrusted us with the living world and the spirit world so it is our duty to protect these worlds by any means possible. Do you understand?"

"Of course!" Yuki saluted.

"When you cornered the ghost did it say anything?" Yumiko inquired her gaze never leaving the view of the city below.

"It just mumbled something about 'A powerful ghost' and that was it."

" 'A powerful ghost'? Any ideas about what he was ranting?"

"Probably a fully transformed Hungry Ghost that's all, I mean they no longer posses their human form but rather a twisted monster."

"Yes." She finally faced Yuki "You seem tired."

"Only a bit."

"Go home and rest." She shooed her away with her hand. 

"OK, but call me if you need me." Yuki saluted and left. Once she did the screen flickered back on again to Kisaragi "Status."

"The reconstruction is on its way."

"Make it quick, the situation is getting out of hand we need him up and running as soon as possible." Yumiko returned to staring at the city.

"Understood Boss." The screen turned itself off.

"I'll do everything to protect these worlds and you can tell your boss that, Malachite!" She spun around to a shadowy masked figure leaning by the doorway.

"Well said Shima-san." Malachite mockingly clapped as he said her name as formally as possible "But how do you intend to stop us?" He walked towards her desk and seated himself.

"Let's say I've found my solution." She replied a smirk appearing on her face.

"You mean the Urashima?" He examined her box of cigarettes. "What did you do to him and where is he?" Malachite tossed the box aside.

"That's none of your business."

"I know you had something to do with his untimely death."

"You got proof?" He remained silent "I thought so and besides no one would trust the most wanted criminal ever." He promptly stood.

"I will find out the truth and once I do you'll feel my wrath first hand for meddling in the life of a Urashima." He turned to leave.

"Just out of curiosity Malachite, what's with you and this particular Urashima?" He stopped and thought for a moment.

"That's my own business." He faded and left behind a rather confused Yumiko. ("So, Yumiko's behind this… no wonder I wasn't able to find you but I will and deliver you from this fate, I swear!")

#-#-#

"I'm home Kei!" Yuki declared as she opened the front door.

"Hey, welcome back. You're late, what was that all about?" He looked up from the book he was reading.

"Nothing you should concern yourself, what are you reading?"

"Japanese history."

"Why?"

"Well, since I haven't really done anything since I died I thought I'd catch up on my studying."

" Why study?"

"I told you what happened to me on my Toudai ceremony right? Well since then I haven't really attended any lessons and I was worried that I wouldn't be ready when/if I get to Toudai for real."

"Is this for that promise of yours?" He nods "I thought you said you don't even remember the girl's name?" he nods again this time less enthusiastic. "I wish I can help you find this girl but my book only recalls personal details not memories." She stroked her chin. "But I can help you on your history, I mean I have been dead for the last few centuries and I've seen the major wars, harvested major souls and such." She counted the things off on her fingers.

"Really?" She gives him a thumbs up "Thanks, I was getting bored with these text books anyway." Clearing her throat and seating comfortably Yuki began to tell Keitaro about how Japan was like.

"Let's start when I was alive during the war of the provinces. It was the time where Japan started to build itself and such it needed a leader but unfortunately many people thought that they were that leader and so…" Captivated by her story telling Keitaro sat there and listened to Yuki through out most of the night, amazed at how some of the historians had misinterpated certain facts and details of history and Yuki would laugh at some of the mistakes that they made but reminded him that he must stick to what was generally known or he'll be marked wrong, so the two continued to talk and time quickly passed away.

#-#-#

-SWRC-

Seated by a computer terminal Kisaragi typed in various commands to it and many complex algorithms appeared on the screen all referring to the 'Reincarnation Procedure', stopping to rub her eyes she felt a pair of gloved hands rubbing her shoulders.

"Tired, Kisaragi-chan?" Malachite asked.

"A little." She monotonically replied, deep down Malachite wondered if this woman ever showed any emotion. "Are you here to inspect the Urashima body?" She pointed to the metallic table. Staring at the body he slowly removed his mask Malachite and silently walked over to the body, holding his mask by his side.

"He looks so peaceful like this, unlike…" He trailed off.

"You shouldn't blame yourself." She appeared next to him.

"But I do! If only…"

"You can't change the past, we as humans can't."

"But there are beings out there that can." He stared squarely in to her topaz coloured eyes.

"Remember you role." She stared back

"I do."

"And you remember his." She placed a hand on Keitaro's cheek. "Even if Yumiko-san never interfered this would've still happened. We cannot change events, it is the events that change us."

"You are right as always but I had hoped to spare him the fate of a Urashima."

"The Urashima, Kane, Aoyama and Yagyu families though they are unaware of it have always played an important role in the history of Japan and it is not your role to change this but to accept it and help it along."

"Just like chess pieces in a game!" He spoke with disgust but calmed down.

"You know it has to be done." He nods "Is that all you wanted to say?" She returned to the computer.

"No, I wanted to ask you if you knew where his soul is?" He followed her.

"He's residing with Yuki-san right now." He stumbled when he heard her say that.

"Those two together?"

"Yes."

"This couldn't just be a coincidence." He ran his hand through his hair.

"I would say it is as she harvested him and Yumiko-san has no knowledge of their relationship." She typed in another command.

"I see but…" He mused.

"Excuse me." He turned to her. "Do you want to speed up the process?"

"Of course." He quickly replied

"There is still one more item that I need to get for his body."

"I thought Yumiko-san gave you all the necessary parts this morning?"

"Yes, but not the parts that our masters need, a little something extra that will Yumiko-san guessing." He nods knowingly "I need this." She pointed to the screen.

"That's quite a hard item to come by." He looked at the screen "But I know where to get it." He placed his mask back on.

"You be careful, the SWP will Over-Soul on site."

"I'm counting that they'll show up I need to return Dr Ito to them." He reached into his pocket and took out a green orb. "And I'm hoping Inspector Kagura will be there too." He smiled beneath his mask.

"I'm sure she will."

#-#-#

-Spirit World early morning-

Ring ring! Yuki's cell phone rang. Feeling around with her hand she picks up the phone in the morning darkness and placed it next to her ear.

"Who is it?" She yawned.

"Yuki! Are you awake?" It was Fran

"I am now, what is it Fran? It's 4am." She moaned and rubbed her face against her pillow.

"Dr Ito's tracker is back online again!"

"Really?" She shot up from her futon. "Where?"

"In the business district and we believe Malachite is with him. Boss has already sent in a attack team, get there now!" Fran yelled.

"Got it!" she quickly tore her PJ's off and got dressed in a pair of jeans, white t-shirt, and a bulletproof jacket. " My Beretta?" [Beretta M1934, a small Italian automatic pistol manufactured in 1934, this particular handgun is small enough that it can be fired with one hand but due to this the gun lacks power and has a few rounds. I was looking European touch but not too much of a powerful image, sweet but deadly just like Yuki.] She unlocked a draw and took out her gun. "Seeker." She whispered and her canine companion turned up at the door "We need to go but be quite, we don't want to wake up Kei." She holstered her gun and stealthily tiptoed across to the front door picked up her shoes and a jacket she tiptoed to the balcony and jumped off of it with staff in hand and soared off.

"I wonder where they're going?" Keitaro peeked from the doorframe having seen everything.

#-#-#

-Spirit world business district: Harbour: Dock 6-

Moving with hushed steps a group of armed commandos moved from shadow to shadow slowly surrounding their target by the dock. Once in position the leader of the commandos raised his hand and signalled the others to move in and he also waved to another man who was on the rooftop of one of the warehouses.

"Gentlemen, do you really think I didn't know you were back there?" Malachite gazed at the ocean. "It's going to be sunrise soon, are you sure you don't want to wait until then? Who knows it could be your last."

"It'll be your last!" The commander shouted and raised his M4 to him, his men doing the same. "We have you surrounded Malachite! Surrender now and we promise you a quick death!" No response "I said surrender!" He repeated.

"I can promise you the same thing… alas it would be a lie and I do so hate to lie." He turned to the group.

"That's it! Open fire!" They all opened fire and numerous bullets flew straight towards Malachite.

"Fools." A sudden black blur deflected away all the bullets.

"What the Hell?" The men were stunned "Sniper, fire!" the commander spoke into his collar. The man on the rooftop took aim and when Malachite was in his crosshairs he pulled the trigger but before the bullet made contact, Malachite caught the bullet in between his fingers and with a flick of his wrist he sent the bullet back to the sender right through the sniper scope and through the man's skull.

"Dave! I'll send you straight to hell!" The men were about to open fire again but before they could even aim black sickles cut through them the sounds of guns firing widely filled the air but soon stopped and in place of where the men once were were green orbs instead.

"You should've waited until sunrise, it would've have such a glorious site to over-soul to." He stuck his hand into his pocket bringing out a harmonica, removing the bottom half of his mask he began to play the blues on it whilst staring at the ocean "What's your favourite song, Inspector Kagura?" He stopped and replaced his mask putting away his harmonica as well. Stepping out of the shadows Yuki cautiously moved towards him with her gun drawn, now and then casting quick glances at the green orbs by her feet. "5:15 am, impeccable timing inspector 45 minutes till sunrise." Malachite read from his pocket watch.

"Spare me the citch-chat Malachite! I'm here to take you in!" She cocked her gun and aimed right at his head.

"Inspector, you have said that to me for the last few odd centuries and frankly it's lost all meaning." He shook his head and shrugged.

"Shut up! I mean it this time!" She blushed slightly.

"Listen it's early and we're all a bit edgy, perhaps would you like a drink? I'm sure you must have rushed down here." She shot the bottle out of his hand "Maybe not." He looked at the shatter glass "That was an excellent shot by the way."

"Enough of this! Where is Dr Ito?"

"The good Dr? Right here." He knelt down and rolled a green orb towards her.

"You monster! You over-souled a civilian!"

"Civilian? Him? Hardly." She raised an eyebrow "Since I answered your question it's only fair you answer mine, where is my friend?"

"?" She looks at him quizzically.

"Where is my friend?" He repeated.

"I don't have time for games!" She snapped and fired 3 shots at him which none of them hit "Why do you keep doing that?"

"It's not like I'll just stand here and let you shoot me." He answered "Again, where is my friend?"

"I don't know who you're on…ack…" Malachite appeared in front of her and wrapped his hand around her throat.

"You know who I'm referring to." He relaxed his grip. "The soul that you harvested 2 weeks ago in Hinata."

"I harvest a lot of souls."

"No, not those ordinary ones. The one I'm after is an extraordinary soul one that is neither human nor spirit, a soul from one of the four great families of Japan… the soul of Ura… argh!" He let go and jumped back when his hand was suddenly frozen in ice.

"Heh heh… feel the chill." Yuki joked, the area around her frozen in ice.

"That's right, you can manipulate your SE to form ice." The ice that encased his arm shattered suddenly and he clenched and unclenched his hand to make the feeling return faster. "But mind you, you're not the only one who can do that." He threw a dark fireball at her and sent her flying back a few meters causing her to release her gun.

"Ah…" Yuki shook her head to clear her vision but when she did she was staring down at the barrel of a gun.

"It seems like we're done Inspector."  She closed her eyes expecting the worst.

"Yuki-chan!" a familiar voice called out and the two turned to see Keitaro running up to them.

("Kei!") Yuki panicked.

"Backup?" Malachite was temporally distracted by Keitaro's sudden arrival, seizing the oppunity Yuki quickly refroze his gun arm and delivered a powerful uppercut as well causing Malachite to stumble back holding his chin, when he was dazed she rolled to the side and picked up her gun.

"Kei, what are you doing here? Never mind just run, I'll handle it!" He urged him to leave.

"Urashima Keitaro." Yuki and Keitaro turned to the one who said that. "After all this time we meet again." He stepped towards them.

"Stop!" Yuki thrusts her gun at him.

"Keitaro, it's me." Malachite placed his unfrozen hand on his chest ignoring the gun pointing at him "Don't you remember?" Yuki looked between the two. "No, you don't. I can tell from the look in your eyes, I suppose it couldn't be helped but still I had hoped you would still have some image of me…"

"Kensuke?" Keitaro uncertainly said.

"Yes! It seems you do have memories, do you remember anything else?" He walked a bit closer but stopped when Yuki thrusts the gun at him again.

"That's it! I've had enough of this, Malachite I'm taking you down!" She pulled the trigger but due to the sunrise she was not able to aim properly.

"Argh!" Both Yuki and Keitaro covered their eyes from the bright sun.

"Damn! Where is he?" Yuki scanned the area after recovering from the sun's intense light. "That's why he picked this place and time." She looked around again to see if it was safe. "Looks like a clean getaway." She sighed and took out her cell phone "Fran, it's me, tell HQ Malachite got away."

"What about Dr Ito?" Came the reply.

"He's been over-souled, as well as the entire attack team."

"All of them?" Yuki held the phone away from her ear. "God, they were one of the best."

"I know."

"Alright I'll get a clean up crew there." She hung up.

"Yuki-chan, what is this?" Keitaro came up to her with a green orb in his hand. Looking at the object Yuki picked it up and held it to the light.

"Kei, remember when I told you souls are made of SE?" She gets a conforming nod from him "Have you ever wondered what would happen if the SE is completely gone? Well, that's call 'Over-Soul' [OS] and this is the result." She put it back into his hand "A 'Soul Crystal', think of it as a corpse of a soul. It's an awful thing really because once you're OS'ed into a soul crystal you're not able to be reborn, at least not for a few hundred years and that's if you give the crystal enough SE for it to return to it's human form and the time needed differs for each person." She knelt down to another crystal.

"I can't believe he would do something like that." Keitaro muttered unbelievably.

"You mean Malachite." She got up and faced him "I want to ask you something, Malachite is one of the most wanted criminals ever, he's committed countless crimes through out centuries how is it that you know him?"

"I don't really know… it just feels… how do I say it?" he searched for the words but it didn't come to him. "I'm sorry, I just don't know."

"That's OK but he seemed to know you." She placed her hands on her hips "But Kei whether you know him or not stay away from him, he's bad news." The two turned their attention to the sound of sirens nearing them "There's the clean up crew. Come on Kei, there's bound to be paper work." She took his arm and took him to the direction of the SWP crew. On the roof of one of the warehouses Malachite sat watching the retreating duo with his mask removed one can see that a small smile has made it's way on his face.

"You do have some memories… I'm glad but when the truth is finally revealed whose side will your loyalty lie." He holds his hand out and a small packet is dropped into his palm. "My favourite." He looks at the label.

"I know." Kisaragi sat next to him.

"Shouldn't you be back at SWRC, they'll get suspicious." He took a bite out of the packets contents.

"I have it covered."

"Why are you here?"

"We received new orders." He motions her to carry on. "We are to lay low, now that Keitaro-san has come in contact with you things will get complicated, questions will be asked." She plainly stated.

"Yes, I know." He pockets the wrapper.

"You're worried." She didn't ask but rather stated.

"That obvious? Yes, I am due to Yumiko-san's interference our masters' plan have been jeopardised."

"That might not be necessarily be true."

"?"

"Because of her we have another Urashima within our grasp, who knows we can use that to our advantage." A gleam glinted in her eyes "But it'll be your job to guide him."

"Don't worry I have every intention of doing so. How long will I have to wait?"

"Until his revival, which will be in about 6 months until then don't come in contact with him."

"6 months? That's fine, I've waited this long another 6 months doesn't bother me." He adjusted his mask and stood. "Here Kisaragi-chan, the item you needed." He handed her a package "I gift wrapped it as well, bye."

"Where will you be?"

"I'll be causing havoc in America, it's been a long time." He laughed and disappeared.

"Hmm, they're almost done. I should go now." Like Malachite she too disappeared into thin air.  

End of chapter 4

AN: Another chapter done and God knows how more left to go, at least things are picking up. Anyway I can't really say anything for now but read on if want to find out so until then, see ya.