AN: Let's see, it's now 1st of February 2005, 8:29 GMT and I've just typed in these words, so far so good… hmm… sure has been a while and I think it's too late for me to say happy new (at least not for Chinese new year, well maybe a bit) but I'll say it anyway. Happy new year everyone! Sorry I didn't update during Christmas like I said I would but I had a lot more revision then I estimated and it threw things out of whack but now the exams are over so I can finally type again but only once a week so don't expect much. Now for those that are reading this fic, mind you there aren't many, heh heh, here is the next chapter. PS I don't know how many people actually read author notes but could you spare a minute to read the special note at the end, thanks.
Disclaimer: I do not owe Love Hina
Chapter 8: Lessons in life, well afterlife
The good die first,
And they whose hearts are dry as summer dust
Burn to the socket.
William Wordsworth 1770-1850: The Excursion (1814)
-Somewhere unknown, beneath a tree-
"Argh!" a young silver haired boy clutched his head from a painful blow delivered from a man standing next to him.
"I'm not that old." He said to the boy as he placed his bokken to one side and sat down.
"But you are, you know." The boy said still rubbing his head as he sat next to the man. "Then what do I call you?"
"Hmm," the man thought for a moment "You can call me sensei, after all you are my first pupil." He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"That seems reasonable." The boy nodded "And it does sound better I guess." He turned to his sensei and noticed that he was looking at the night sky. "Sensei, is something troubling you?"
"No, it's just that the stars seem brighter tonight and so does the full moon."
"Really? I was never really interested in things so trivial as the stars, and frankly I don't understand why people look to the heavens like you do." The boy said rather ignorantly.
"You're such a dull boy, has anyone ever said that to you?" The sensei told him sounding rather annoyed. "Doesn't it relax you?"
"Not really. They're just objects in the sky." The sensei shook his head defeated mouthing something like 'I give up' which the boy heard. "But, I suppose the moon does seem calming, in a strange way." He shrugged.
"At least that's a start." He continued to look at the sky "Shouldn't you go to bed like a good little boy? You must be tired from today's training."
"No, actually I can still go on." As to prove his point the boy got up picked up his bokken which was shorter than the sensei's and swing it once in a perfect arc.
"Humph." The sensei smiled "Let's do something else instead, sit down." He pointed to the spot next to him prompting his to sit down and the boy did as he was told. "Now, tell me. Why do you fight?" the boy looked at him strangely.
"Why do you ask?"
"I just want to know, before I can truly teach you I must know your intentions. So, tell me Kensuke, why do you fight?"
-Present time-
"That is a good question… one that I cannot remember the answer to, at least not an answer that would've been acceptable to you sensei." Malachite opened his eyes and stared at the front doors of Hinata Sou the darkness of night completely masking his features. Looking up he noticed Yuki on the balcony but fortunately she didn't notice him and as quickly as she came she returned to her room. "Inspector, the moon is calming isn't it?" he smiled looking at the moon, "It brings back so many memories, for you and me both" The moon's light shone brightly on his pale face and in a flicker he was gone.
#-#-#
-Next day, early morning-
"Kei." A gentle tap sounded on the manager's door.
"Who is it?" Came the sleepy reply.
"It's me, stop sleeping and get changed we need to get you to the SW to sign you up and start your training." There was a brief fumble in the room.
"5:30 in the morning? Maybe later."
"Hey! You get out here or I'll tear the door open!" there was some moaning and complaints coming from the manager.
"OK, give me a second."
"We'll be there nice and early. I'll be down stairs." She walked towards the stairs the gentle platter of her footsteps fading away.
"What have I gotten myself into?"
-SWHQ-
"OK, this is the final piece of document." Edison said as he handed Keitaro a piece of paper he took out from a file in a cabinet next to the desk, in which they were both seated at.
"Finally." Keitaro sighed in relief looking at the mountain of paper on the desk. Since he came in he has done nothing but sign one document after another just so that he can become an official member of the SWP, some of the documents seemed rather ordinary typical of what would've been asked name, gender, D.O.B, etc to the extremely strange that seemed ridiculous such as 'were you ever part of a ritual cult', 'were you ever bitten by a vampire/werewolf or any other supernatural creature' but one really bothered him, 'are you a virgin' which he embarrassingly signed 'yes'. It was not until the last document was signed that the thought of having a lawyer looking over it occur to him but he got rid of that thought because 1:he can't afford one, 2:he was in the spirit world and where was he going to find one plus didn't someone tell him they all end up in Hell, besides Yuki said it'd be alright so he ignored the contents of the documents and signed away.
"Very good," Edison quickly scanned the last document before putting it aside with the others "now I'll need your ID card so I can change some of the details." Keitaro handed him the card "So… all I have to do is this." He placed the card into a slot on the desk typed in a few commands and when the screen read 'ready' he turned to the paper work "And this." He took the stack of paper and put it through some sort of device which hummed slightly when the paper went in one end and came out the other.
"Ping!" the device chimed.
"It's done!" he removed the card and handed it back to Keitaro. "If you look at your job class it no longer says 'Apprentice Reaper' but 'Inspector' and there are more dots at the bottom." Edison whirled around a bit in his chair before propping his chin onto his hand. "It usually takes years before a person is promoted to Inspector but I don't why but the higher up gave you the go ahead"
"Really?" Keitaro looked at the card "Does this mean I can go now?"
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to keep you here. Yes, you can go Yuki wanted you to go meet her at the shooting range when finished." Bowing slightly Keitaro turned and left. "What's this?" The systems director noticed something on his screen, it was message. "Subject, now an inspector and as such he will be hurled into combat very soon. Be ready to collect data, who should we send?" he typed in then a reply followed. "Very well, I understand. But what of the second subject?" he asked the sender but there was no reply. Nodding in understanding he pressed the delete key erasing the entire conversation.
-SWHQ shooting range-
"Bang! Bang!" two shots tore through the air and hit one of the dummy targets in the head and in the chest. The person who had fired the shots turned to the person next to her and gestured the person to fire. Looking at the woman and the target the person shakily took aim and fired a shot… and took out the light bulb hanging over head the target.
"That was awful." The woman commented removing her goggles and ear muffs looking at the person.
"Apologies, Inspector Kagura!" the man who had missed apologised profusely saluting and bowing changing between both.
"It's OK, you're new at this." Yuki shook her head and told him to leave "I thought I was done training these idiots." She said to herself staring at the group of people gathered at the side talking about how great she was. "It's like they never saw someone shoot. What were they doing when they were alive?" A gentle tap to her shoulder caused her to stop her train of thought. "Hello, Kei! It's nice to see someone I know. Ready to start basic training?" she handed him her gun.
"I've never fired a gun before." He examined the weapon in his hand with a mix of interest and fear.
"That's why we're here." She turned him in the direction of the target she used on the opposite end of the range. "First, get a good feel of the gun, its weight, its grip etc." Keitaro held out his arms straight gripping the gun tightly "Now, relax and aim." He took a deep breath and moved his arms slightly "Now squeeze the trigger." Taking another deep breath he squeezed the trigger and the bullet sped out of the gun the recoil of the shot surprised him slightly. The bullet flew and hit the target in the head right next to the bullet hole created from Yuki's previous shot. There was silence before Yuki spoke "Good shot." She said her eyes not leaving the target.
"I think that was just a lucky shot." He too stared at the target.
"Why don't you try again?" And he did and the second bullet went through the target's chest "You sure you've never done this before?" Yuki was slightly amazed at his précis marksmanship.
"I'm sure." Keitaro as well the group of the audience at the side continued to stare at the target wide eyed.
"One more shot and we'll stop there for now." He nodded and fired the final shot and it hit the target right in the crotch area, everyone stared on. "You're a natural Kei." Yuki placed a hand on the stunned Keitaro's shoulder. "Let's go somewhere else." She took the gun from his hands and led him through the door, when they left the group of people stared at each other then at the target, then at the door and finally at each other again and in an instant they each grabbed a gun and began firing at the targets.
#-#-#
-Later that day stairs to Hinata Sou-
"You were quite good." Yuki patted Keitaro on the back.
"Ahh." He winched.
"Sorry, I guess I threw you too hard." She smiled
"I would've never guessed you were so strong." He stretched and something like a bone clicked "Ow."
"You need rest." Yuki helped him up the rest of the stairs and before even she the door handle the door flew open instantly.
"Where have you been?" Naru asked obviously angry.
"Narusegawa, I was just out doing some exercise." He lied.
"It's true Naru-san, its part of his new daily regime." Yuki backed up his lie.
"Do you know how worried I was? I thought you were caught in an accident again, I…I … you selfish jerk!" she pulled back her fist and smashed it again his skull sending him flying into the air.
("Oh, my god!") Yuki stared at his arc like path into the sky ("What a punch! No way it that humanly possible!") "Naru-san…" Before Yuki even had a chance to ask Naru how she did that the door closed shut in front of her "How?" She looked at the sky again. The door slid open this time revealing Kitsune.
"Ah, seems like Naru's gotten back to her old self again. I knew a little competition would do the trick." She noticed a bewildered Yuki standing there "don't worry about it hon, happens all the time."
"You mean this is natural?" she snapped her head to Kitsune
"Here, yes. He'll be back soon." She shrugged "Now come on in, don't want you catching a cold."
("What type of place is this?") Yuki asked herself as she walked through the door.
-A while later, manager's room-
Seated at the coffee table Keitaro leaned to one side to another as Yuki busily checked him for any signs of injury. Assured that he was fine she sat at the other end of the table.
"Apart from a bruise, you seem perfectly fine. And you mean to tell me this happens often?"
"Before I died, yes but since then no. Ah, I missed it."
"You enjoy getting beaten like that?"
"No, not really but it means Narusegawa has finally forgiven me, I'm so happy." He wept tears of joy, she just sat there stunned.
"I'm surprised that you didn't die sooner."
"So am I, with her and Motoko-chan sending me air born everyday it's surprising that I've lasted so long."
"There's another one?"
"Hmm, I've told you before she's the kendoist who uses ki energy to send me flying." He told her matter of factly.
"And you still stayed?" he nods "You either very stupid or very brave but either way I admire you for sticking it out. I'm curious however how often do you take these 'flights'"?
"5 or 6 on a lucky day, 15 or more if I'm unlucky." She stares at him disbelievingly
"What exactly did you do to make them that mad?"
"Well…" he began counting out the reasons with his hands "And that's it." He finished.
"You know some of those incidents could've been easily due to circumstance, didn't they let you explain?" he shakes his head ("I thought this type of abuse was considered domestic violence, hell it's bordering on homicide… what to do? Ah!") An idea came to mind "Kei, I just want to check something. Could you just look at me and concentrate on the SE I'm giving off."
"OK." Keitaro took off his glasses and stared at her aura, it calming blue aura then he noticed something.
"What do you see?"
"A wall of some sort…" he said rather uncertain.
"That's right! It's a 'Soul Barrier'." She smiled "I'll show you what it does. Pick up that cup over there." She pointed to his shelf "Ok, now throw it at me." He looked unsure "Just do it, I'll be fine." With great hesitance he did so, as the cup sailed through the air towards Yuki, Keitaro seemed worried but soon his worry turned to surprise as the cup shattered upon contact with her barrier. "Not bad huh?" she raised a hand up to stop him from questioning "You see, a Soul Barrier is something either living or dead can conjure up as long as they have control over their SE it protects them against physical and SE attacks, the stronger the user is the stronger the barrier is. The reason I'm telling you this is because… quite frankly, I think you need it." She looked up at the hole on the ceiling.
"So, how do I do it?"
"Like I said, the user has to have good control over their SE the really good ones can have it set up even without thinking. But since you just started your training I don't expect … oh, I forget like everything else only those with high SE can see the barrier and they have to concentrate too. But where was I? That's it how to set up one." She stood up and gestured him to do the same. "Now concentrate on your aura, then imagine being confined by this aura." He took deep breaths as he did this and his aura flickered slightly then triangular plaques of dim light began to solidify around him encasing him in a barrier.
"Is this it?" he asked looking at the barrier
"…yeah, exactly." ("That's actually very good, he just got it in one go. I remember it took me weeks.") "Hey, Kei let's test it out shall we?"
"Sure." He handed her a plate.
"I was thinking of something else." He took his hands in hers and guided one of his arms around her waist this caused him to blush. "Kei, I am so sorry." Before he could even ask she screamed out "What are you doing?" loudly loud enough that the person above them removed the covering lid of the hole to investigate.
"You pervert!" that person jumped down and delivered her infamous punch sending the receiver flying for the second time that day.
("Damn, he lost his concentration I guess he does need more practice.") Yuki rubbed her head feeling guilty wondering if it was a wise decision to use Naru as a test.
"Yuki-san, are you alright? What did he do to you?"
"Nothing. Naru-san, you should calm down he and I are just friends." Naru blushed
"I don't know what you mean." Naru quickly left the room to avoid the conversation.
"Ha." Yuki shook her head "I wonder if he's Ok?" she looked at the new hole.
#-#-#
-Later that evening-
Humming at merry tone to herself Shinobu kept herself busy as she prepared the evening meal for the residents now and then she would switch from one job to another from tasting the stew to chopping vegetables etc just so that the meal would be perfect. She stopped when she heard someone knocking on the front door begin the only one around she went to answer it when she did she was taken aback by the person.
"Hello." He said to her smiling, that smile some how relaxed her.
"Hello." She timidly replied as she looked at him, he was as tall as Keitaro but yet he was completely different he had healthy pale skin much like Motoko then there were his crimson coloured eyes and platinum coloured hair tied in two thin ponytails at the back.
"Sorry to disturb you." He remained polite "But I am correct to say that Urashima Keitaro resides here, am I wrong?"
"No but sempai left to go to the hospital for a check up."
("So that means he's with inspector Kagura.") "Alright then, could you give Keitaro this for me?" the man bent down and gave Shinobu a piece of paper. "If you don't mind, I'd like it so that nobody else but Keitaro knows about this."
"Ok. Who should I say it's from?"
"A friend." The man replied. Bowing respectfully he descended the stairs.
-Dinner table-
"So Keitaro, what did the doc say about you?" Kitsune asked chomping away on her meal.
"She said I was fine." He told her truthfully as Kisaragi examined him a while ago to see if he was adapting to his new body though he questioned why she didn't answer. After that dinner proceeded rather uneventfully other than Naru avoiding eye contact with him and Su getting food everywhere, when it ended everyone thanked Shinobu for the meal and went on to do what not but Keitaro insisted on helping Shinobu on cleaning the dishes which she happily accepted.
"Sempai there was someone looking for you a while ago." She remembered and gave him the note.
"Really?" He put away the washed dishes and read the note. His face was unreadable.
"Sempai?" worryingly tug on his sleeve.
"Oh, Shinobu! I'm fine, I'm just going out." He grabbed his jacket and his shoes "Shinobu-chan don't tell Yuki I left, Ok?" he smiled as she nods "Thanks." He ran out the door.
"Be safe."
("How did he know where I live?") He ran down the steps and towards town ("What does he want?") he weaved through a few people finally reaching his destination, it was a bar Kitsune had coned him into once making him pay for all the drinks she had. Walking in he looked around the place it looked just like the last time he came the staff even waved at him in a friendly manner probably due to the last time he came.
"Keitaro!" A man called out to him from a far table "Over here." Keitaro recognised the voice. "What's the matter?" the man from earlier asked as Keitaro approached him.
"Kensuke?"
"That's right." The criminal beamed "Sit down." Malachite used his foot to push a chair into Keitaro's knees.
"Why are you here?" Keitaro sat down
"Well, to drink of course." He told him plainly as he raised an arm telling the bartender to get more drinks over.
"But you're a wanted criminal!"
"In the spirit world maybe." The waitress handed the two their drinks. "And besides even criminals need some time off, so that's why I'm here. Things taste so much better here in the living world unlike that synthetic substitute on the other side, disgusting. Besides I wanted to have a drink with you my friend and talk there's nothing wrong with that, right?" he said this in such an unusually calm way Keitaro wondered if he was for real. "Now just drink and be merry!" he raised a glass to Keitaro's before he chugged it down. After a few drinks the atmosphere between the two became more friendly exchanging conversation as if the two had known each other for a long time.
"So what happened next?" Keitaro groggily asked a slight red in his checks.
"Inspector Kagura within her infinite wisdom reached out and grabbed it frying herself in the process God, she had an afro for days I couldn't even talk to her without laughing!" the two laughed.
"Kensuke, sounds like you've known Yuki for a long time." Keitaro took a sip.
"You can say that." Malachite's expression turned to a serious one. "Truth is I've known her since she was alive before she became an inspector but it seems she doesn't remember."
"Did you say something?"
"Oh, I just said I have known her for a long time. Speaking of alive, Keitaro if I'm correct you family should have in their possession the Hina Blade, right?" Keitaro nods almost drunk.
"Yeah, but I gave it away."
"You what?"
"I gave it away."
"You mean… you gave away the legendry Urashima family blade?" Malachite was now shaking.
"I gave it to a friend because she broke her old sword, I can't just take it back."
("Was he always like this?") "You shouldn't give away family heirlooms you know." ("Especially that one.") "Under what circumstances might your friend part with that blade?"
"Don't know, maybe a new one I think the one she had was some sort of katana or nodachi or something… it was some sort of samurai blade."
"So your friend's a samurai? Not many these days, I can see why a blade is important to her. Alright, we'll meet again tomorrow can you get the hina blade by then?" there was a yes "Good, I know where I can get a replacement sword for you friend. Keitaro would you mind placing this next to your head?" Malachite slipped him a card.
"This is a telepathy card." The alcohol was now taking full effect but he managed to put some SE into the card and returned it to Malachite.
"Thank you, don't worry I'll contact you."
"Hey, why do you want that sword?"
"Because it's the secret to unlocking the Urashima power, one that has been dormant for the last 500 years."
"Huh?"
"Bring me the blade and I'll show you what I mean, you won't be disappointed." Malachite smirked.
"Hey, how did you know about the blade?" Keitaro was now absolutely drunk and was about to pass out from all that alcohol that Malachite made him drink.
"Well," Malachite got up walked behind Keitaro and placed his gloved hands on his wobbly shoulders. "I'll tell you." He leaned in and whispered something.
"What?" Keitaro pulled away from him absolute shock on his face but the alcohol was too strong and he promptly passed out being caught by Malachite.
"The chances are you won't remember what I said, I'm sorry. I'm such a coward for doing something like this but I promise you I will tell you everything one day and then maybe all of us can be together just me, you and Yuki like it was suppose to be. It's a shame you don't remember, it would've been much easier if you did. But don't worry I'm sure the Hina blade will help, I hope." He slung the unconscious Keitaro on his back paid the bill and walked out intending to return Keitaro home. It had only taken him seconds to teleport to the front door of Hinata Sou to dropped him off, knock on the door and teleported away into Hinata Park.
"What were you think you doing?" A familiar voice stopped Malachite in his tracks as he walking through the park.
"Kisaragi-san! What are you doing here?" Malachite was genuinely shocked "Did I miss a meeting or something, I was told I had the night off."
"Don't joke Malachite. Do you know how dangerous it was for you to be walking around with him like that? What if someone from the SWP or the Prophets saw you?"
"Don't worry, no one knows me without my mask."
"But your SE is a give away, no normal person or creature gives of an energy reading that strong. Anyone with good SE control can sense you."
"I kept it masked." He sat down on the bench.
"I don't know what to do with you." She sat beside him. "Does he have it?"
"He does." Malachite smiled as he looked around the park the swings, the slide and then the sand box.
"Remembering old times?" His comrade inquired.
"Yeah. I remember Keitaro use to play here a lot when he was young along with two other girls… must be the Urashima charm." Malachite rubbed his chin a slight perverted smile on his face Kisaragi just rolled her eyes. "He came to Hinata for a while back then and I happened to be at the inn discussing business with Hina. We got on very well, he called me Onii-chan." He smiled like a father would at his child. "He would run over to me when he scraped his arm or when he wanted me to push him on the swings, I remember it well. Then one day he met those two cute little girls and they too got on well but one of them was sick."
"Was that the one I treated?"
"Yes, first they met then separation and finally they met again, just like the three of us. I was just thinking how funny fate works, how it comes full circle. I knew Keitaro before he was Keitaro and inspector Kagura too but alas neither of them remember me nor each other, Keitaro I understand but why inspector."
"It's because she chose to forget, remember she has her own memories some more painful than others so she just blocks them away even if it meant blocking away good ones as well. Just like you."
"What do you mean? I haven't forgotten I don't block away anything."
"Really? You keep mentioning the 'three of us' but you also know that there is also a fourth."
"Heh heh, that's right." His fringe covered his eyes "She was never part of the plan you know, yet somehow she destroyed everything." He lifted his head and the hatred in his eyes was frightening. "I will not stop until I find the one that caused all this and destroy her very essence with my hands, the one that they once called friend…"
"But if you get carried away I will stop you." Kisaragi informed him.
"Don't worry only one of her family member needs to survive so that the bloodline continues, right? I won't kill them all, just until I can find her as she was born in that family she'd be sure to be reincarnated in it as well and once I find her I'll stop the blood shed, if I'm in a good mood." He smiled evilly.
"Don't over do it." Kisaragi faded into the night.
"When it comes to destroying something, especially souls you can never over do it." He looked at the moon "You hear me! I will seek you out and end you once and for all!" In an instant the moon was covered by a cloud casting a blanket of darkness over the entire city perhaps a sign of what to come.
End of chapter 8
AN: Ok, it is now the 16th of February it took me 8 days that's quite a record. Now after this chapter we'll get to action at last so sorry for the slow build up but hey I needed a foundation, apart from one or two characters missing the rest of the cast is here if any of you reading is not into fantasy please stop reading as the rest of the fic will involve mutated beings, mechanical monsters, impossible technology and struggle of good and evil where the line between them is faint. I'd be even happier if it weren't for the fact I have so little time I've been literally dreaming of these scenes in which Malachite and Keitaro the 'two phoenixes' facing off against each other but only to have them turn into nightmares of proteins and DNA formation, for those who are lost I study genetics at uni. So what I'm saying is bare with me as I struggle between school work, part time work and life, please! Wow, haven't been that emotional in a while, anyway for that special note I stated at the beginning of the fic:
During early December my little sister decided to follow in my foot steps and embarked on a journey to become a fic writer, although I protested but she carried on anyway, so what I'm saying is could you readers please show her the support you showed me when I first stared writing, thanks. Her pen name is 'Sami the archangel' she came up with it not me, so far she's only written for 'fruits basket' so if any of you are fans of the series, I'm sure there must be a few go read her fic but don't mention me I don't want her to think I was involved, I'm just pointing people in her direction that's all, so thanks again.
There is another that's been on my mind you see since I'm Chinese I read my comics in Chinese there are many advantages to this in which I can get volumes much sooner and cheaper I'll give you an example I'm currently on Negima volume 8 right now and costing 5 maybe 6 US dollars a volume, where as the English version is on volume 4 right now costing 9.99 US dollars a volume. I'm getting off topic you see my sister's mastery of the Chinese language isn't really that good so she reads the English ones and recently she just bought all 4 Negima volumes that are out among other manga this was the first time I've ever seen a English translated manga and as I flipped through it I noticed that or it could be just me but some of the translations seem to be off, and there are some parts that don't make sense, it's just that I get the feeling that the buyer, my sister got ripped off I wonder if any of you feel the same? Sorry that I filled this space with my ramblings it was just on my mind, till next time, bye!
