Harmony of One
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina, any of its characters, or any thing Love Hina-ish. Ken Akamatsu does. So thank him for creating this awesome manga series.
A/N: Chapter 7 must have been more controversial than I thought…because it generated the most reviews! Woo hoo! Okay, several things to do this Author's note. First, is to answer in particular the Anonymous signed Xoni Newcomer. I appreciate your concern and was actually thinking about that. But how many times have "love at first sight" happened in Manga and it's been okay, even if not revealed to the characters themselves? I believe Motoko was struck with this at volume one of Love Hina, so there! Actually, I was worried about that myself, but this is my explanation.
Second, this is a more general thing, but I'll just ask you readers. After posting this and a Ranma one-shot, I got the general idea that I write not so well, in terms of describing things. I may write good dialogue but to much blather. This has actual reasons, and if you care to take a trip in the way I think read on. When I write, I am at the same time imagining what the Manga version of my story would be, if I wasn't such a bad drawer and wanted to use time like that. This is part of the reason why I like to put in sound effects – it's not a book, a work of fiction, but a fan-fiction based of the Manga/Anime which have sound effects in them. Plus this explains my lack of description, though it's more laziness on my part. I have it imagined in my brain and often forget to write down what it looks like complete, though I feel I'm getting better.
Lastly, last chapter was a digressing chapter for fun! Woo hoo, and the pairing…err…you should guess that it will be Motoko and Keitaro…but who really knows? Hahaha…
So the question after this blabbering A/N is should I take out the sound effects? Perhaps they do read better, but I like them as they give a more Manga feel to the fanfic. Anyways, Please R&R!
"…" Denotes speech
Italics Denotes thought
Bold Denotes sound effects
Certain Sounds:
GOOMPH! Means Fainting
DOOONG! Means Shock
:blah: Denotes time/time change
Denotes scene/scene change
Denotes daydreams and sleeping dreams
Chapter 8: Tsuruko Comes Over for a Divination
"That's not true! I like him too!" Komachi shouted. Silence ensued after this comment. If a fly were to be crushed, the noise of its exoskeleton breaking could have been heard. Komachi immediately blushed red.
"I-is that true, err, Iida-san?" Keitaro asked from the doorway. Komachi spun around as fast as possible and started to sputter.
"I…I…" Komachi stuttered. Kitsune snickered and gave a thumbs up sign to Sakura, who returned it. "I…"
"Oh, Keitaro, looks like you're one lucky guy!" Kitsune put in. "Already you have a confession!" Naru, who had been trembling, suddenly spoke.
"NO!" Naru shouted.
"?" Kitsune asked. "What, Naru?"
"Ah…I'm just sure that Komachi meant it a different way!" Naru said, lying pathetically.
"Th-that's right!" Komachi put in. "I just meant that I respect him, that's all!" Kitsune put on a thoughtful look, her hand on her chin. Sakura noticed this while, Motoko looked from Komachi to Keitaro. What is going on? Motoko thought worriedly.
"But that's not fair!" Sakura pouted, breaking the silence that followed that. "I have admired Keitaro-kun a lot longer!"
"A-ah, you both just met him yesterday…" Shinobu said, clearly the only one with the right to say what Sakura had just said. She poked her index fingers together meekly. Kitsune sighed loudly and put her hand over her forehead.
"Oh what a life it is! What torture Keitaro is going through!" she cried, a microphone in hand. "What will he do?" she asked, coming close to Keitaro. "Which girl will she choose? Pretty and charming Sakura? Stern yet beautiful Komachi? What will it be?"
"K-kitsune!" Keitaro shouted, trying to wave her off. Kitsune ignore him and continued.
"Or maybe his heart's on another!" she said, this time with a lavish wave indicating Motoko.
"R-r-rubbish!" Motoko denied.
"Kitsune!" Naru shouted.
"Oh, what a life! What will he do?" Kitsune cried out in fake drama. Keitaro, blushing red, grabbed the mike from Kitsune.
"Hey, I wasn't done!" Kitsune said. Keitaro stomped on it. "Perhaps he doesn't want his predicament spelled out? Poor poor Keitaro!"
"Kitsune!" Naru cried out again.
"Yes?" Kitsune asked, an innocent smile on her face. Motoko, however was the one to speak next.
"Nothing will happen!" she declared loudly, decisively, banging her hand on the table. "I do not allow it!"
"Oh?" Kitsune asked. She raised an eyebrow mischievously, and everyone could see why she earned the nickname of a fox. "Why not?"
"B-because! First of all, Urashima is in my body! Second, if anything would happen, it would complicate things further and Urashima might mess something up! I expressly forbid that!" Motoko said, defiant.
"Or…" Kitsune started, giggling. Motoko knew what Kitsune was implying.
"I-impossible!" Motoko said.
"I never said I liked him, just merely respect!" Komachi said again. "Aren't I allowed to put in my opinion?" Keitaro, who had been standing in the doorway the entire time, turned to leave.
"Keitaro, where are you going?" Su asked. Keitaro stopped and spoke.
"I just thought it would be better if I wasn't present for the conversation…"
"Idiot, there's no reason for that!" Naru said. She crossed her arms in vexation.
"Yeah, you still need to choose who's love to accept!" Kitsune said. Komachi interjected.
"There is no love! Just respect!" Komachi shouted.
"But I do!" Sakura said. She ran over and hugged Keitaro fiercely.
"Wah!" he cried, blushing red.
"You…PERV!" Naru shouted, and wound up and released her Naru punch. BAAAAMMM!
"Aieeeee!" Keitaro cried, flying into the air and out of the room – again.
"Um…Naru, what was that for?" Kitsune asked. "Clearly Keitaro didn't do anything." Naru breathed heavily. It…it was a reflex, she thought. Or was it? Was I…jealous? NONONONONO! Naru started to punch herself and slam her head on the wall.
"Naru-sempai!" Shinobu cried, going over in concern. She peered at Naru who had stopped beating herself.
"Look, we shouldn't beat around the bush," Kitsune said. She had started to get tired. "If you like him why don't you admit it, darn it!" She glared at several people.
"I don't! It is merely respect!" Komachi insisted. Her brain whirled. I don't like him…only respect. But does respect mean love? No! It can't!
"Jeez, I go to all this trouble of getting you to confess in front of Keitaro and you still act like this," Kitsune said, sighing. Komachi didn't answer, but Naru did.
"You…planned this?" Naru asked, mouth open. "You…"
"I know, it was brilliant, wasn't it?" Kitsune said. "And luckily I had Sakura to help!" Sakura smiled and gave a thumbs up.
"Wait…that was just acting?" Komachi asked, dumbfounded.
"Yup!♥" Sakura said, putting out her fingers in the "peace" sign. She seemed much more her perky self. "I knew that Komi-chan needed help!"
"Help?" Komachi asked not believing what she was hearing. Naru started to accuse Kitsune.
"Why can't you leave well enough alone!" she shouted. Kitsune smiled and shrugged.
"What else is there to do around here?" Kitsune asked, causing Naru to growl. Sakura kept on her conversation with Komachi.
"I knew how you really felt, Komi-chan! I just wanted to help you!" Sakura said. Komachi didn't know what to do, except panic.
"I-I didn't feel anything of the sort! What are you basing this off of!" Komachi shouted.
"But…I know I saw something! What about just now?" Sakura asked.
"Kitsune," Naru said loudly, busy arguing with her. "Why do you always do that!"
"My my, so accusatorial! It was just a good deed," Kitsune said.
"Good deed my foot!" Naru screamed.
"Just now was nothing!" Komachi answered Sakura. "It was merely respect!"
"But how many other boys earn your respect? Isn't that right, Mo-chan?" Sakura asked, turning to Motoko.
"Wh-why are you asking me? I don't want anything to do with things like this!" Motoko said hotly.
"So there's a first time for everything!" Komachi said, crossing her arms in anger. The level of argument rose higher and higher until the door slammed open and Haruka entered shouting,
"Be quiet all of you!" The girls stopped arguing and looked towards the door. Haruka stood there with a stern look in her eye. She was very angry. "Now what's this all about? I can hear you all arguing from my Tea House! Jeez, try to sleep a bit and this is what you get…" No one dared to respond. All was quiet while Haruka tapped her foot. "I'm going to find out what it is since you wreaked my nap," she stated. Finally Naru started to say something.
"It was Kitsune's fault!" she blurted out. Kitsune immediately argued back.
"What! I did nothing wrong!" Kitsune protested.
"How can you call that nothing wrong?" Naru asked. "It's plainly your fault!"
"Hold it! Kitsune, let Naru tell her side first," Haruka said. Kitsune made a "hmmph!" sound, crossed her legs and arms, and fell silent. Naru recounted everything that had transpired, giving evil looks at Kitsune occasionally. When she finished, Haruka had her hand on her chin and was nodding.
"Where is my nephew?" she asked.
"Don't know, he flew somewhere," Naru said. Haruka rubbed her chin.
"Well," she began, "Komachi, what do you think about it?" Komachi blushed slightly before answering.
"I-I just meant to say he's not that bad a guy…err, that I respect him," Komachi said.
"But that's not what you said the first time!" Sakura exclaimed. Komachi blushed red some more before turning around and answering Sakura.
"It was a slip of the tongue!" Komachi said. Here Haruka interjected.
"But how did it slip? Did Keitaro answer you?" Haruka said.
"Uh…no," Komachi said.
"Well let me say this. Is there a reason that he earned your respect?" Haruka said.
"Well…you see, ahh…" Komachi stuttered. She saw that everyone was looking at her, waiting for a response. Is there a reason for respect? Yes! It was his hard work! That's a good answer as any! Komachi thought nervously, not sure if she believed it.
"He works, um, really hard, and I respect a hard working man. Just like every Japanese guy should be, instead of the lazy slackers in my school!" Komachi said. Haruka sighed and breathed out.
"Well, does it seem to anyone else that Komachi here is lying?" Haruka said. Naru and the other girls shook their heads but Sakura on cue from Kitsune nodded.
"She is definitely hiding something," she said, scrunching up her face into a pout. She crossed her arms with a manner that said "I dare you to prove me wrong." Komachi dared.
"What? I am not hiding anything," Komachi responded. She was almost angry with Sakura. What's with her anyways? She thought angrily. She and Sakura had a unique relationship – a strong bond a friendship that had been formed out of odd circumstances. What it led to now was that Komachi, often with Motoko, helped Sakura as best she or they could, and Sakura often tried to help Komachi and Motoko, but it often she botched it up due to Sakura being Sakura. Sakura, nevertheless, never gave up in trying to help them, which led to Sakura's thoughts. Oh no, I thought I would finally be able to help Komi-chan! Sakura worriedly thought. I was sure she had those feelings…but maybe she just didn't want to admit it? Sakura was confused because she knew that if she liked someone she would admit it immediately, which was part of the reason the moment she had seen Keitaro she had said "cute." Sakura wasn't dumb, just naïve, which was why she thought Komachi would be happy. She was still smart enough, however, to finally figure out Komachi wouldn't want to admit it. She is so stuck on her boy hating reputation, I guess she is physically unable to admit it, Sakura thought.
"Komi-chan, you can't hide it from me!" Sakura exclaimed. I have to help her!
"Hide what?" Komachi responded. She again seemed to dare people. Sakura jumped up from her seat and landed right in front of Komachi.
"You...like…him," Sakura said, articulating each word and putting her finger on her forehead. Komachi nearly exploded.
"I-I do not and I won't! How many times must I tell you that it's respect! RESPECT RESPECT RESPECT!" Komachi yelled.
"Cool it!" Haruka interrupted. "I see how it is now. Komachi, can I speak with you privately?" Komachi nodded sullenly and walked out with Haruka to the living room. The girls in the kitchen were silent as they left. Naru looked at Kitsune who seemed to be thinking. She seemed about to say something, but whatever it was was lost forever as Keitaro entered the kitchen. SLIDE!
"Ohayo!" he greeted with a friendly wave. He looked around. "Where did Iida-san go?" he asked. All the girls stared at him. "What?" he asked.
"It's your fault, but Komachi is talking to Haruka in the living room," Naru said.
"What's my fault?" Keitaro asked. Motoko decided to speak up.
"You! What is it with you! Why don't you keep your perverted hands off my friends!" Motoko accused, quite suddenly that Keitaro was taken aback.
"Wha-what?" Keitaro stuttered. Motoko continued.
"I knew I shouldn't have brought them here! That's why I never did it! I knew you would infect them, or do something like this! It's not what's supposed to happen! Why? I hate this, it's so annoying! And it's all your fault! Jeez!" Motoko finished, and she glared at Keitaro. Keitaro swallowed the information slowly digesting what Motoko had said.
"So…let me get this straight, you don't want Sakura-chan and Iida-san over here because…they'd fall for me?" Keitaro asked. How could anyone come to that conclusion? Keitaro thought, knowing himself and his likeliness in getting any girls.
"What! That's not what I said at all!" Motoko protested.
"Then what did you say?" Kitsune asked. Whatever it was, however, had to wait as Haruka came back with Komachi.
"So…oh hi, Keitaro," Haruka said. He waved.
"Hey Aunt Haruka!" Keitaro greeted back. SLAAAP! Haruka did the usual slap. "I'm sorry Haruka-san!" Keitaro cried, bowing in apology.
"Anyways, we've come to a conclusion," Haruka said. Komachi's faced paled a bit.
"Iida-san?" Keitaro asked, looking at Komachi's face while she looked away. He bent over but Naru grabbed his collar.
"Sit down and don't look at her," she hissed to Keitaro who meekly obeyed. Komachi seemed to be…hiding behind Haruka.
"Look, the main reason we're here is that there's a misunderstanding about what Komachi said," Haruka said. Everyone nodded at this comment.
"Yes, it was a slip of the tongue," Haruka confirmed.
"Ah, that makes a lot more sense, Iida-san," Keitaro said. Komachi nodded to Keitaro's comment.
"I knew it," Naru muttered. Sakura was confused and showed it on her face.
"But…" she started, but fell silent.
"So no more of this confession stuff, okay Kitsune?" Haruka said. "And Komachi wants to say something too." Komachi came out and coughed and straightened herself out.
"Yes," she said. "I do have something to say." She felt all eyes upon her as she cleared her throat again. She looked at Keitaro.
"I have something very important to say, and if I say it formally then (cough) nothing will be confused," Komachi said. "Urashima…no, Keitaro, I want to tell that…that…" As she strained to say the last phrase everyone leaned closer. "Uh…that," Komachi said, backing away. Everyone still leaned closer. She swallowed and braced herself. "I…that…Urashima Keitaro, I respect you very much!" Komachi closed her eyes and waited for laughter. She had been dreading this, because she knew that at school her boy-hating reputation would be smeared, she would be laughed at, and even now she knew that Urashima would laugh at her, mock her. She didn't hear anything. Why? Is he mocking me further by waiting for me to open my eyes? Does he know no shame? Darn it, why does he torture me like this by keeping silent?
"What are you waiting for!" Komachi yelled, opening her eyes. "Huh?" she asked. Keitaro formally bowed to her. "What, ah, are you doing?" Komachi asked. Keitaro chuckled.
"Well, I figured that since you were all formal, I would bow and be formal back, hehe," Keitaro said with another chuckle. He rubbed his head and put one arm behind his head. "So, ah, thanks I guess." He laughed again.
"Oh! Ah, you're welcome," Komachi said. "Ah, if you want you can call me Komachi-chan. Only if you want, that is."
"Okay, Komachi-chan. You can call me, well, actually you could've if you wanted to from the beginning, but you can call me Keitaro," Keitaro replied. They looked at each other and smiled nervously when suddenly everyone (except Haruka) started to clap.
"Okay," Haruka said. "Since that's done with, I'm going to back." She left. Keitaro held out his hand.
"Friends, Komachi-chan?" Keitaro asked.
"Sure, Keitaro-kun," Komachi said. They shook. The girls clapped again.
"They're such good friends already," Shinobu said, smiling.
:Dinner Time, 8:00 PM:
"ITADAKIMASU!" Su cheered. She gobbled food and ate it greedily. The others started to eat as well. Everything now was just as it was – or, actually it could be said that it was even better. Komachi and Keitaro seemed best of friends, like childhood friends.
"Keitaro-kun, could you pass the soy sauce?" Naru asked. Keitaro nodded and grabbed the soy sauce. He passed it over but suddenly his hand faltered and he spilled the soy sauce all over Naru's blouse.
"You…this is my favorite blouse!" Naru shouted. Keitaro was aback and put his arm behind his head.
"Oops," he chuckled. "Hehe. Err…I'm sorry?"
"Just shut up and take your usual punishment!" Naru shouted. BAAAAAMM! Keitaro again was gifted with a skydiving experience – without the parachute.
"Naru-sempai, that was a bit harsh. He apologized," Shinobu said.
"He knew he deserved it," Naru said and continued eating. The girls made light conversation as dinner progressed, only interrupted by Keitaro crashing back down.
"So Motoko," Kitsune began. "Whatcha' going to do about being switched?" Motoko started.
"Uh…am I supposed to do something?" Motoko said. "What about waiting for Su to finish again? As much as I loathe it…"
"There has to be a better situation," Komachi said. The girls all thought about a possible solution while Keitaro ate, not noticing anything.
"?" he asked, noticing everyone thinking hard. "What's up?"
"I've got it!" Motoko said, standing up. "We'll call my sister!"
"Good idea, Motoko-chan, your sister is smart about things like this," Sakura said. "Your sister is my favorite!" Motoko grabbed the phone and dialed the number in Kyoto.
"Moshi moshi ah?" Motoko heard.
"Older sister, it's me, Motoko," Motoko said.
"Oh? It doesn't sound like my sister. It sounds like…like…Keitaro! Are you pretending to be my sister so you can talk to me? Ho ho ho!♥" Tsuruko said.
"No, older sister, I am Motoko!" Motoko insisted.
"You don't have to be shy, landlord. I know that you are…captivated. But you know, I'm already married!" Tsuruko chuckled again.
"Sister!" Motoko exclaimed. Suddenly Keitaro grabbed the phone, startling Motoko.
"Tsuruko ne-chan? This is the landlord," Keitaro said.
"Ho ho ho, how would I not know the voice of my dear little sister, Motoko-chan? Though this is an interesting game you two are pulling…don't tell me that you are together? Can it be?" Tsuruko asked. Everyone was listening in, and Su had pushed the "speakerphone" button at the last second.
"No sister!" Motoko yelled.
"No!" Keitaro answered.
"Ho ho ho," Tsuruko chuckled. "You two are so shy all the time." She chuckled again.
"Sister, it is nothing like that!" Motoko said.
"Keitaro-kun, I tell you I'm am more perceptive than that," Tsuruko said. Keitaro whispered to Motoko.
"I'll pretend to be you and we'll explain it when she comes over," Keitaro whispered. Motoko nodded.
"Ah, sister, I have a little problem," Keitaro began.
"Oh? Did you miss your period or something like that?" Tsuruko asked. Motoko blushed while Keitaro stuttered.
"N-no, not anything like that! Err…it's something else, and I need you here, ah, yeah," Keitaro finished pathetically.
"Really?" Tsuruko said. She giggled while Motoko sighed. "Okay, I'll come over this weekend! I'll see you dear little sister! And your landlord, ho ho ho!♥" She hung up. Everyone listening sweat-dropped.
"Well, au, I'll go prepare for her arrival…" Shinobu said.
"Shinobu, it's only Wednesday! You don't have to do anything yet, it's not like we don't have plenty of rooms to spare!" Keitaro said, smiling at her.
"Urashima is right," Motoko said. "No reason to get so hyped up.
:Friday, February 20th:
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Keitaro shouted. Tsuruko was coming anytime now, and he hadn't done a thing. Stupidly, he had put every thing to the last minute and even forgot to buy groceries. Luckily, Shinobu had gone off to do that, though Keitaro still was cleaning the entire Hinata-sou. He prepared a room for Tsuruko and had fluffed the pillows, washed the sheets and the room, dusted it as well, and not to mention made a poster greeting Tsuruko…or did he? He didn't remember anymore. So much to do, I still haven't cleaned the kitchen, bath, or the bathrooms! Keitaro thought nervously. He was currently in the middle of cleaning the hallways and had five hundred steps to dust and vacuum.
"Not enough time!" Keitaro moaned as he mopped and dried the hallways.
"Sempai! I got what you asked me to buy!" Shinobu called out from the entrance.
"Okay, put it in the kitchen!" Keitaro called out. "Thanks!" Keitaro finished mopping and grabbed the vacuum. VROOOOM! He started to clean the steps.
"Working hard, I see," Naru said. "You really don't need to do this, Motoko already told me her sister won't care."
"Oh, but presentation is very important. I want to get back, so if she's very amiable then she will be happy to help us," Keitaro said. He continued down the steps and Naru sighed as she climbed up the stairs away from Keitaro. He glanced at his watch – it was four thirty, and Tsuruko was due sometime around five. Let's see, I think next I should clean the bathroom, Keitaro thought. He finished vacuuming and did a quick dusting of the stairs, then went to the bathroom. He reached for the door, then retracted his hand, and knocked instead. Hearing no response, he opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief as he found it empty. He cleaned it up, scrubbing the floor, toilet, and sink.
Kitchen
"Ah, so what should I cook today?" Shinobu mused to herself. There was no one in the kitchen to ask, and Shinobu didn't know what to cook. "Perhaps I should ask Motoko-sempai…" Shinobu said. She looked at what she had bought, but nothing stared out at her. "Rice, noodles, boneless pork, oyster sauce…did I get any vegetables?" Shinobu asked, going through the stuff she had purchased. She glanced at the list Keitaro had given her, and saw no vegetables on the list. "Perhaps that means we have some already in the fridge." Shinobu went over and swung the door open. Various drinks, including some drinks not suitable for minors, sandwiches, already made lunches, eggs, condiments, and other various food stuffs were placed there. She opened the vegetable drawer.
"Hmm…nothing much, only bok choy and asparagus," Shinobu said. "Might as well cook those." She grabbed the vegetables and closed the fridge.
"Shinobu!" Shinobu turned around and saw Su hanging in the doorway.
"What is it, Su?" Shinobu asked.
"Are you cooking? I made something to help you!" Su sang. She whipped out a machine that had hands and a wok on top. Of course, it was mobile and attached to wheels, six of them in fact. VRRRR!
"Um, Su, I don't really need that…" Shinobu said.
"Of course you do! I programmed it to help you cook, with the mechanized hands and the auto heating! It also has all the necessary specs, like missiles and power self-destruct," Su told Shinobu.
"Su…" Shinobu smiled, sweat-dropping. SLIDE!
"Clean clean clean!" Keitaro said, entering loudly with a vacuum, mop, and duster.
"Sempai!" Shinobu cried. "Do you need help?"
"Keitaro!" Su chanted. "I invented something to help you clean too!"
"No time, must clean," Keitaro only replied, and he started dusting, going over everything, including Shinobu and Su, then he brandished the vacuum.
"Keitaro!" Naru called from outside. "Tsuruko just called. She'll be here in fifteen minutes!"
"Ack! I still need to clean the baths!" Keitaro shouted. He ran off.
"Well isn't he working hard," Kitsune commented, coming in with a banana in her hand.
"Banana!" Su shouted. "Gimme gimme!" She lunged for the banana while Kitsune held it out of her reach.
"URASHIMA! HOW DARE YOU PEEK INTO THE BATHS! ROCK SPLITTING TECHNIQUE!"
"Aieeeeeee!" Keitaro cried, and the entire Hinata-sou shook as Keitaro went like a wayward missile through it. BAM! He went through the door flew outside. Catch! He landed in someone's arms.
"Hello little sister!" Tsuruko greeted. "Did something explode?" BOOM!
"Su! I told you I didn't need that to cook!" Shinobu shouted from the kitchen. Smoke poured out the windows.
"Ah, apparently something did," Tsuruko said.
"URASHIMA! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!" Motoko yelled from the inside, and she burst through the door.
"Oh?" Tsuruko said.
"Ah…err…" Motoko stuttered. "Sister, heh."
"Greetings landlord!" Tsuruko said, and she offered her hand.
"Sister, I have prepared a room for you," Keitaro said.
"Really? Great, let's go!" Tsuruko said, energized and grabbed her bags.
"Oh, let me take them," Keitaro offered, and he grabbed them.
"Well, you're awfully helpful today," Tsuruko commented. Keitaro flinched.
"Yeah…heh heh," Keitaro chuckled. They walked in and Naru greeted them.
"Hello, Tsuruko ne-chan," she said.
"Oh, and you are Narusegawa Naru, am I right? I seem to remember you when you visited Kyoto," Tsuruko said.
"Yeah," Naru answered, smiling. Su came out.
"It's Motoko's sister!" she cried, and she jumped on Keitaro examining Tsuruko. "Hallo!" Tsuruko laughed.
"And you are definitely Koalla Su that Motoko told me about, isn't that right?" Tsuruko asked, looking in Keitaro's direction. He nodded quickly. The little group walked up the stairs and to a room that was next to Motoko's.
"Wow, I'm impressed that inn is so clean," Tsuruko said, examining the clean rooms and hallway.
"Haha, yeah, I cleaned up for your arrival," Keitaro said.
"Really, Motoko-chan? Since when do you clean, I thought that your landlord does that," Tsuruko said. Ah… Keitaro thought. Oops. They entered the room and Keitaro put the bags down.
"Alright, Tsuruko ne-chan, dinner is being cooked as we speak," Motoko said.
"That's right, err, sister…" Keitaro started.
"We have something to tell you…" Motoko said. Tsuruko looked from Keitaro to Motoko, and back again.
"Oh I know!" Tsuruko said. "You two are going out now, aren't you? I knew it, ho ho!"
"N-no!" Keitaro denied.
"Never!" Motoko said.
"Then what is it?" Tsuruko asked. Keitaro glanced at Motoko, who nodded.
"Sister, I'm not really your little sister," Keitaro said.
"Huh?" Tsuruko asked. Motoko slapped herself mentally. Is he an idiot? He doesn't know how to phrase anything!
"That is, sister, I may look like Motoko, but I'm really the landlord, Keitaro!" Keitaro blurted out.
"Idiot!" Motoko said, automatically hitting Keitaro on the head. "If you say it like that of course sister won't believe you! Idiot!" Tsuruko looked from one to the other.
"Hah, Keitaro is an idiot!" Su sang.
"Su hush," Naru said.
"This may seem odd, sister," Motoko started.
"But it's true, I'm sorry," Keitaro said.
"Well, it would make more sense. How did it happen?" Tsuruko asked.
"You don't want to know," Naru told her. "It was an accident."
"Oh," Tsuruko said. "Well, what do you want me to do about it?"
"Sister, can't you help us in anyway? Please?" Motoko asked.
"Please, sister, I have a Todai entrance exam soon!" Keitaro begged. "I can't go like this! Motoko will have to go for me!"
"Well, let's think about this. I have a book that might help," Tsuruko said, rummaging through her bags.
"Does sister actually have a solution?" Motoko asked.
"Aha! Here it is," Tsuruko exclaimed. She brought out a book labeled 101 Common Spiritual Maladies and How to Solve Them.
"You…actually use this book?" Keitaro asked. Tsuruko looked at him.
"This is a great reference, labeling 101 of the most popular problems, and I think I remember reading about something like yours in it," Tsuruko said. "So don't criticize it little sister."
"I'm over here, ne-chan," Motoko said.
"Oh. Well, I might do that for a while, because, well, you know, it looks weird to go around calling a male my little sister!" Tsuruko said. She chuckled. "Anyways, let's see…" She flipped through the book. "Ah, this looks promising. Look." Tsuruko pointed to a section and gave it to Keitaro and Motoko. It read.
92: The Body Switch
Demons are tricky devils. They like to have fun with people and mess with their sanity. One way they do this is to switch two peoples' spirits. The end result is that they are not themselves, but have their minds switched. Usually the spirit will wait or create a circumstance that could "explain" the situation.
"Blah blah, skip to solutions," Motoko said.
Solutions to Problem 92
There are several ways to fix this problem. If the demon that did the original switch can be found, exterminating it will restore the two. Or, if you can actually find a mad scientist to make a device to switch them back, you might luck out.
"Like that worked," Keitaro muttered. Su bonked him on the head.
"I worked hard on that machine!" she said. She hopped off and peered at the book.
The last way is the most natural way, but the most difficult. Due to the nature of the switch to increase strife between the two people, the way to rid it is to decrease the strife. Often, conflicts between the two need to be completely eliminated to be effective. They need to achieve the same harmony as being one person, like a husband should be to a wife. There are no other methods yet found.
"What!" Motoko exclaimed. Even Keitaro's optimistic nature was crushed. He could never see Motoko and himself clearing all the arguments and fights they have.
"Well, do you see the solution?" Tsuruko said.
"Yes, but sister that's impossible!" Motoko exclaimed.
"Nonsense. I have seen others do it, and usually when you are in harmony enough to (cough) have babies together…" Tsuruko started.
"Urashima is NOT fathering my children!" Motoko yelled. "If I have any at all, they will go to a much more refined and intelligent man!"
"Hey, I'm intelligent!" Keitaro interjected. Motoko just snorted.
"Intelligent as the scum on my sandal," she said. Keitaro jumped up.
"What about this!" he shouted, revealing the paper that indicated the one and only time he had gotten a B on a mock exam.
"A fluke," Motoko said impassively. "Nothing more." Keitaro growled.
"Well, excuse me, kendo girl," Keitaro mocked. Motoko's eye twitched, a vein popped out and she clenched her fists in shaking rage.
"How DARE you, you no good spineless idiotic PERV!" she screamed, and she drew her sword and hit Keitaro in one smooth motion.
"Aieeeeeeeeee!" he screamed as he flew out the door.
"I HATE HIM!" Motoko yelled, and she stomped out of the room. Su held a finger in her mouth and Naru was confused.
"Oh my, that was violent," Tsuruko said. "I hope they can patch it up because otherwise they'll never switch back." The scattered dust from the rampage settled, and the following silence only echoed Tsuruko's prediction.
A/N: Hey, it's been a while, hasn't it? And this is all I have to show for it, but oh well. I was just slightly lazy and didn't fell like writing too much, so this chapter is slightly shorter. Nothing more to say, which is good since I talked too much in the beginning. Please R&R!