Repercussions Chapter 13, a love hina fanfic

Well, chapter 13 at long last. It's been far too long again, real life is rubbish sometimes...

Hope this one is worth the wait!

I'd also like to respond to a review I received about the last chapter – someone said that it felt like a 'filler' chapter. I apologise if that's how it seemed, but I never write a scene without some kind of intention in mind, be it plot or character development. I hope this chapter is more to your liking!

Enough notes, time for the show.

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Repercussions – Chapter 13

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It was seven in the evening.

And still raining. Which wasn't surprising.

At points in the day it had seemed that the constant river of water falling from the skies might begin easing to something more like a stream, or perhaps a brook. Not a chance. Every time the downpour eased, it seemed to be in preparation for an even more drenching squall.

Keitaro stared at the water falling outside, enjoying the arrhythmic pattering of droplets striking his window. The man had never liked being out in the rain; getting wet may be fun in the shower or a hot bath, but as for on a late January day where breath steamed on exhaling, it was only a recipe for misery.

And, in all likelihood, a cold.

Although he had put a bold front on it, the mousy-haired ex-ronin was really appreciative of Mutsumi for sharing her umbrella. The bodily contact with someone he had come to regard as a close friend – make that really close – was also appreciated, although maybe not so consciously.

He had also appreciated something that the shapely Okinawan had brought up whilst they were on the train to Tokyo University. The conversation had been idle, when one of the burning issues on his mind had suddenly come to the fore.

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"I just don't know what the hell's going on in Mitsune's mind." Keitaro blurted out of the blue, during a lull in the comfortable verbal back-and-forth that the pair had enjoyed since leaving the Hinata-sou.

"Ara, what brought this on Kei?" Mutsumi asked, surprised by the sudden (and quite vehement) outburst. Keitaro shrugged frustratedly, drawing his coat around him in annoyance.

"Well….I just don't. She's spending most of the time smashed off her face on drink I'm more than sure she can't afford. And on top of that….." The dark-coated man broke off, suddenly finding great interest in his fingernails. Mutsumi watched for a few seconds, perplexed by the reaction.

"And on top of that?" She prompted mildly, undeniably curious. The curiosity was furthered when the young man beside her hurriedly muttered something indecipherable whilst paying even more intense attention to his cuticles. "Sorry Kei, I didn't catch that. Could you say it again?"

"Uhm….." Keitaro glanced up at her with a strangely familiar wide-eyed look, one that she had seen somewhere before. It was only when he began to edge carefully away from her that the familiarity struck. It was the way he had always reacted when he suspected a 'pervert bashing' was imminent. Gazing at the almost comically fearful expression of the man she loved, Mutsumi once again felt the stirrings of unfamiliar anger.

It must have showed, because Keitaro suddenly made to bolt. Thankfully, the Okinawan's hand caught his wrist before his backside was even out of his seat.

"Kei, sit down." As panicked brown eyes met her own, Mutsumi sighed. Old habits die hard, after all. "Please sit down. I don't care what's happened, just tell me." Seeing some sense beginning to return to the panicked man, the red-coated girl squeezed the clammy palm clasped between her hands, talking in a soothing tone. "Remember who you're talking to. I'd never lash out at you Kei, never." As their gazes met, the young woman could almost see sense filtering back into the mind of the man beside her. Several long seconds passed, before Keitaro let a deep breath slip out from between his lips.

"Ah, sorry about that Mutsumi." He chuckled, reaching up to scratch the back of his head with customary embarrassment.

"Don't be." The mahogany-haired girl responded, letting any ire she still held slip away.

Several long seconds of silence passed.

"So….what has Kitsune been up to?" Mutsumi prompted, sensing the absent-minded Kanrinin had had another goldfish moment.

"Oh yeah….." Sensing the same reaction beginning to occur, the curvaceous Okinawan gave the still captive hand another squeeze. At the gesture Keitaro calmed instantly, reassured by Mutsumi's words from moments before. "Well, uhm, every morning I've been waking up, and, uh….."

"And?"

"Well….." The brown-eyed man hesitated briefly, before taking a slow breath. "I wake up and she's sleeping beside me and nothing happened at all and I always take her back to her room and I'm always dressed and so is she sometimes and nothing happened at all I swear!" He blurted, seemingly keen to get the confession (and anticipated punishment) over and done with as quickly as possible. It took Mutsumi a few seconds to process the sentence, and digest its meaning.

Keitaro gulped as he watched normally gentle brown eyes narrow ever so slightly.

"Kitsune has been climbing into your bed every night for how long?" The Okinawan's alto voice asked slowly, something indescribable lilting every syllable.

"O-only for the last few days, s-since that whole business with Shinobu….." Keitaro replied anxiously. Mutsumi's response was unnerving to the Kanrinin. It was simply 'hmmmmm'. In the whole time he had known her, which was quite a long time, he'd never known Mutsumi to 'hmmmmm'. 'Ara' maybe, but not 'hmmmmm'. It was a noise with a hint of menace, if anything. "M-Mutsumi? Is everything okay?" For a few moments the normally cheery girl stared into the middle-distance before almost visibly coming back to reality.

"Ara, I'm fine, Kei." She reassured, although wheels were beginning to turn in the depths of her mind.

A loud 'bing-bong' tone from the train loudspeakers drew the attention of the pair to the world around them, and more specifically to the fact that several fellow Tokyo-U bound passengers were eyeing the pair with interest. The girls in particular seemed to be amused by the linked hands and close proximity of the two – as the red-faced pair watched, a group of the skirt clad students turned to one another and broke out into whispered conversation, punctuated regularly by giggles.

All hands were hurriedly returned to the laps of their respective owners.

After a few minutes of obvious embarrassment, the pair were relieved to hear an electronic female voice announce their stop. As the doors clanged open and the mass exodus began, Keitaro voiced another puzzling point.

"I'd really like to know where she got the money from." He said simply, getting to his feet as the crowd in the compartment eased. "I've checked all the usual coffee pots and storage places, but not a yen is missing. I reckon she's struggling a bit for cash as it is, so where?" At the blank expression, Mutsumi shrugged.

"Well, she might have borrowed it off someone." Scooping her aquamarine umbrella up in one hand, the Okinawan tied her red coat tightly in preparation for the rain.

"Who would loan her the money? Considering everyone knows what she was going to use it for….." Keitaro replied, likewise securing his coat. As the last of the crowd finally managed to push its way through the open doors Keitaro stepped onto the platform himself, before offering his hand to Mutsumi. The delicate Okinawan smiled as she took it, stepping down onto the platform and swinging her umbrella up to cover them both.

"Well, just because she's borrowing it, it doesn't mean the lender has to know……" She said cautiously, moving closer to the man beside her. Glancing up at Keitaro's face it seemed that something had suddenly clicked in his mind, something that wasn't entirely pleasant.

"You have a point." Keitaro trailed off as the pair walked together towards the gates of Tokyo University, rain trickling off the aquamarine canopy above their heads and dripping into the puddles at their feet.

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It was at that moment that Keitaro had worked out where Mitsune had procured the money from. It was only a suspicion until he had arrived home that evening, when he had checked.

And found his suspicion to be correct.

Hence, the Kanrinin was sat in his room, watching to the rain fall and listening to the soothing drumming of droplets on his window. All the while wondering how on earth the fox had managed to sink so low. Stealing rent money or the emergency stash was one thing, but this…..

Keitaro sighed, sliding his glasses off and pinching the bridge of his nose, sensing a headache coming on. What to do after this? He hadn't mentioned the subject to any of the girls – in fact, they should all be getting ready for dinner about now. He hadn't even confronted Mitsune, deciding there was something else he should do first.

Ask Haruka for her advice.

Sighing once more, the Kanrinin glanced up at the recently refurnished ceiling and suppressed a chuckle. The one benefit of the whole mess was that it certainly took his mind off other things. Either that or he was finally beginning to get over his lifelong crush.

The brown-haired man ran a hand through his scruffy locks and shook his head gently, deciding that was a subject for another time. In the present, it was time to stop enjoying the rain and go out in it.

Time for a 'coffee'.

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Seta was in the tea house, enjoying a glass of wine by candle-light with his aunt as Keitaro arrived. When the Kanrinin had asked Haruka if she had time for a 'coffee', the man had wisely made himself absent, citing some essays that required grading.

Haruka had poured Keitaro a steaming mug of brown liquid, and sat smoking with a curious expression as her 'nephew' began explaining.

By half-way through the explanation the cigarette was smoked to the butt, and the expression had become intense.

At the end of the tale, Keitaro had paused expectantly as he watched his aunt for an answer.

Haruka had looked at him for a very long moment, before silently and carefully pulling the remnants of her tobacco stick from between dark red lips and stubbing it definitely on the ashtray. Just as silently, the dark-haired lady had swept her long, straight mane back and tied it up with slow certainty. This was followed, as Keitaro watched with growing apprehension, by the slim woman gracefully rising and striding over to the coats hung up on the walls.

Wordlessly, the hostess grasped her nephew's still damp coat and flung it to him. Not needing to ask, Keitaro had donned it as Haruka slipped her own one on, fixing the buttons with rapid precision. Once her wet weather wear was secure, the woman quickly slipped her black shoes on and strode to the door. Which was almost thrown from its hinges by the strong arm that wrenched it open.

For a long moment Haruka stood on the doorstep, staring out at the pouring rain, warm breath misting instantly upon contact with the chilly night. As her nephew watched, she seemed to nod in finality before turning to face him.

When she spoke, it wasn't the questioning or discourse that Keitaro had expected. In fact, the woman only said two words.

"Let's go."

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Shinobu placed the last dish down, containing a huge mountain of rice, before taking her seat. The scent of curry wafted across the table, but nobody seemed that hungry. Not even Su, who normally wouldn't look twice at a plate of food – it would be gone long before the chance to take a second look.

The gaping space at the table belonging to Keitaro was the reason.

The violet-haired girl had not even bothered to set places for Haruka and Seta, having been informed of their plans in advance. However, when Keitaro had dropped by the fully occupied table and told her not to wait for him, with a look that suggested that something unpleasant was about to happen…..

It was Mutsumi that had confirmed various suspicions around the table, as she had spent the last few minutes staring at the one Hinata-sou occupant that didn't seem to have any idea anything was going on.

Mitsune, snoozing gently with her face resting on her arms, bottle of semi-expensive sake sat sentinel-like on the table at her side. The way the Okinawan gazed upon the unconscious girl, half with pity and half resignation, had made the hairs on the back of the violet-eyed home-maker's neck stand on end. Something was definitely about to happen, and unless she was very much mistaken, it involved the fox.

Glancing around the table, Shinobu could see that Motoko and Su were exchanging puzzled glances, whilst Sara got down to the serious business of eating.

Clearly the situation wasn't obvious to everyone.

As she scooped some rice onto her dish and ladled a reasonable serving of curry over the top of it, Shinobu couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before everything went……wrong.

Approximately two mouthfuls proved to be the answer.

The third forkful was mid-way to her mouth when the front door flew open with a deafening crash, one that resulted in the front of Shinobu's dress being tainted an interesting shade of brown. Grabbing a tissue to wipe the food off before it stained too badly, the girl looked up at the doorway.

Haruka didn't look like a demon from hell, or an angel of death, or anything as poetic as that. How she did look, however, was seriously pissed off.

"Kitsune!" She roared, stepping into the room, a slightly fearful Keitaro trailing in her wake. The failure of the silver fox to reply with anything more than a snore seemed to only incense her more. "Kitsune! Get up now otherwise I'll slap you awake, so help me!" Sensing Haruka's threat to be genuine, Motoko quickly shook the slumbering girl's shoulder.

"Mmmmf, sod off Keitaro-kun, I'm still kinda sore from last night….." The girl drowsily mumbled, before the shaking grew too persistent to ignore. Sluggishly she raised her aching head from it's wooden resting place, giving the swordswoman at her side a disgusted glare. "Ugh, cut it out! Sheez Motoko-san, the world is shaky enough without yer addin' to it….."

"Mitsune-san." The gravel-harsh voice that resonated through the room brought the fox-girl back to her senses with the effectiveness of an arctic-cold shower.

"Oh shi- Haruka-san! Good evening!" The girl slurred, trying to smooth her bedraggled mane into some kind of order. "Is there anythin' I can do for ya?" Red-rimmed silver eyes took in the figure of Haruka across the room, and grew wide with panic. "If it's about the rent, 's no problem, cheque's in the post, honest……" As the older woman stood stoically before her with arms firmly folded, something long-buried in the girl's head, the little voice that many call a conscience, finally found it's tongue.

It said simply: 'You reap what you sew.'

"No. It's not about the rent. It's about the little informal loan you took." The dark-haired woman unfolded her arms, and placed her hands on her hips. "The one that Keitaro gave you, without even knowing about it. You know, the one that involved you rifling through his closet? That involved over thirty thousand yen?" A chorus of gasps rang around the table, the loudest from Mutsumi.

"Ah, yeah. Y'see Haruka-san, I was plannin' on payin' Kei-kun back."

"When?" As Mitsune gaped silently, Haruka advanced on the frantic fox. "How? With what?" The older woman, fury etched into every line of her normally emotionless face, stood right before Mitsune and leaned down until they were eye to eye. "The way I see it, someone who borrows, or should I say steals thirty thousand yen from someone isn't doing it with the intent of returning the money. She's doing it because she hasn't got any, correct?" She continued in a steely tone, volume inching up word by word.

"Haruka-san, take it easy….." Keitaro muttered, placing a hand on his aunt's shoulder. One that was instantly shrugged off by the furious lady.

"No, I will not. This silly little bitch has had it coming to her. Stealing money from a member of my family is NOT something I will stand and ignore!" Haruka brushed off her nephew's protests, and returned to chewing out a now tearful Mitsune. "You know what that makes you, you stupid girl? It makes you a thief! A heartless, money-grubbing bitch! And you know the best thing? What puts the icing on the cake?"

"Haruka-san, please! I don't want them to-" The Kanrinin's protests were summarily ignored by Haruka, who placed herself nose-to-nose with the crying fox, and stared deep into the streaming grey eyes with an intensity that burned. Once she was sure she had the drunken girl's entire and undivided attention, the elder Urashima continued in a voice that could melt steel.

"The best thing is, Kitsune-san, is that money was being saved to buy something very special. Very special indeed." Haruka took a breath, before finishing with obvious relish. "You see, That money had been saved to buy your very best friend an engagement ring……"

For just one moment, the silence was absolute.

"Kei, is this true?" Motoko asked, shifting every pair of eyes to the now stony-faced kanrinin. After a few seconds, the girls received their answer.

A tiny nod.

"Oh god….." Mitsune breathed, the horrible truth of her indiscretion beginning to sink in. Dull steel eyes, momentarily stunned into dryness, began to fill once more with salty water. Water which rapidly spilt beyond its edges and trailed down sallow cheeks, pattering carelessly upon the bedraggled fox's shaking hands. As the other residents watched on Mitsune drew her face into her hands and began slowly shaking, as a soft weeping punctuated the eerie quiet that had descended over the table.

"Ara….." The brown-haired Okinawan felt her heart go out to the distraught girl, any annoyance she may have felt earlier in the day evaporating beneath the overwhelming grief she saw before her. Glancing at the others, she saw her own pity reflected in the eyes of everyone. Well, almost everyone. Haruka seemed not in the least bit affected – if anything, her expression was simply that of annoyance. As she watched, the tall hostess cleared her throat before continuing in her usual flat tone.

"I'm afraid it's a bit late for tears, Konno-san. Far too late in fact." Haruka placed the palms of her hands upon the tabletop, and leaned forwards to address the sobbing silver-blond once more. "You can't claim that I haven't been fair. We've spoken about this more than once, with others around the table present. I made it perfectly clear, one last chance, did I not?"

"What?" Keitaro's confused tone caused his aunt to crane her head around to look at him. "What do you mean, last chance Haruka-san? You never said anything about that!"

"Not to you, Kei-kun. You weren't present at the time. Motoko-san and Mutsumi-san, however, can confirm that I gave certain individuals one final warning. One of them isn't here, one of them has already pushed her luck, and one of them……" Haruka turned around again slowly to stare at Mitsune, who was suddenly staring back at her with huge, horrified eyes. "……One of them has just seen her luck run out." Once again silence filled the room, but this one different. Instead of shock, this one was filled with dread.

"Haruka-san, what are you saying?" The brown-haired man asked, feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach.

"I'm saying that, as of this moment, Mitsune Konno is no longer a resident of the Hinata-sou."

For the third time in as many minutes, silence descended.

This one, however, lasted barely a second before it was broken by a horrified yell.

"No!" All eyes descended on Mitsune, who was sat statuesque, eyes wide open in shock. It took a moment for those present to realise that it wasn't the fox's voice that had disturbed the silence.

It was Keitaro's.

"No?" Haruka span on her heel, facing her nephew down. "I'm sorry Kei-bozu, but that's not an answer I'm going to be accepting."

"But Haruka-san, she's got nowhere to sleep! It's the middle of winter, and all she's got are the clothes on her back!" The brown-haired man cried, gesturing wildly at the still falling rain lashing the windows of the Hinata-sou.

"Tough." Came the reply, as the elder Urashima folded her arms firmly once again. "You make your bed, you lie in it. And her bed is being tossed out the window."

"You can't do this….."

"I think you'll find I can. You may be the Kanrinin of this place, but I've been dealing with the finances for a long time now. And I've hardly seen a yen from her for six months." Haruka rounded on the quivering silver-haired girl, eyes narrowing. "So not only do I have the desire to sling her out, I also have the legal right." The brown-haired lady fished a cigarette from her pocket, and lit it in one smooth motion. "Just be glad, Konno-san, that my kind-hearted nephew is on your side. If not, I'd have had no hesitation calling the police and reporting the theft of thirty-thousand yen, along with a handy tip-off as to where they should start looking for it."

"……." Mitsune looked through blurry eyes at the assembled company, seeing pity and sadness in each gaze, but unable to take any warmth from them.

"Haruka-san, please….." Haruka huffed quietly at her 'nephew's' pleading tone.

"Save it, Kei-bozu." The tall woman exhaled a plume of smoke, before returning her attention to the ashen-faced girl still sat at the table. "Still here, Konno-san?" At the sound of her name Mitsune bit back a sob, before bowing her head in resignation. Slowly, the girl that was once known as the silver fox pushed her chair backwards, eyes dark and wretched as the hostile winter night she was about to be cast out into. As she tensed tremulous legs and began to stand, she suddenly found a firm hand on her shoulder pinning her to her seat.

"Sit down, Kitsune-san." Keitaro said calmly, brown gaze fixed on his aunt.

"Kei-bozu, she's leaving." Haruka growled around her cigarette, eyes still fixed on Mitsune.

"No. She isn't." Came the reply, in a hard tone that none of the girls had ever heard the mild-mannered Kanrinin use before.

"Unless you weren't listening, I said she's no longer got a room." The tall hostess finally let her sight land on her 'nephew'. "This means she can't stay here. I'm not having her littering up the living room like it's her personal camp site."

"Then she's staying in my room." Keitaro stated firmly, ignoring a startled gasp from the girl still in his grasp. "I didn't know there was anything like a 'last warning', and if I did I'd have dealt with this mess without bothering you, Haruka-san."

"Kei-bozu, you're just being ridiculous." Ground Haruka, hands beginning to clench. "How can you stand by someone who's stolen something from you, someone who's brazenly milking your goodwill and using it to drink herself to death? I said I wouldn't stand for it any more, and I'm not."

"To throw her out like this would be cruel."

"I think it would be just what she deserves. What she needs, maybe. To show her that life isn't a free ride, and that sometimes you have to take responsibility for your actions." The slim woman glared at Keitaro, who returned the glare without a flinch. "Let her go, Kei-bozu. Let the silly little vixen meet the real world, where life isn't free. Where, if you do something wrong, you get taken to a nice friendly jail and become someone's bitch for six months. Where, if you set someone up for a fall, they don't have the fortune to be semi-immortal." The tone, somewhere between mocking and furious, caused Keitaro's ire to slowly rise.

"What's gotten into you, Haruka-san?"

"Into me?! I reckon I'm the only one here living in reality! For fuck's sake, she's used you for the last however many years, and now you're blindly giving her all that's left!" Haruka placed her hands on her hips, voice rising. "If you're gonna be so damn blind, someone else has to see the real picture. And she doesn't belong in it."

"I think she does. And since I'm the Kanrinin around here, I have the right to let her stay in my room. If she wants." Mitsune shuddered slightly as the attention off all those around the table fixed on her once again.

"Well then, little fox? Are you going to hide behind your kind but deluded Kanrinin here and freeload your way along like you always have?" Haruka snarled, almost baring her teeth at the quailing girl.

For a few seconds Mitsune actually considered taking Haruka up on her challenge. On getting up and walking out of the door, striding away with her head held high.

The rattling of the window panes and the drumming of semi-frozen water upon them halted that idea before it even had the chance to move.

If she stayed, she'd forever be in the man's debt. Not like she wasn't already, or even that she minded being there. But he'd done so much for her already, whether he knew it or not. And not just by being a cash cow, or an easy mark. He'd been there for her when he was needed. He'd been a friend.

She loved him.

Besides, Mitsune knew deep down she'd never make it on her own. Walking out into that freezing winter's night would leave her homeless, jobless, lifeless. Nowhere to go, no-one to help her. She could make it to Naru's, but what when Naru chose to return to the Hinata-sou?

Suddenly, the world seemed a very large, very cold place.

A place that would kill her, sure as death follows life, should she walk out now.

"Well?" The fox timidly looked up into the narrow brown eyes of Haruka, who was waiting for her answer like a kettle just moments from boiling. "Are you going to break the habit of a lifetime?"

Mitsune took a deep breath, only to find her throat had seized, whether out of fear or relief she wasn't sure. In the end she meekly shook her silver-maned head minutely, reaching up to grip on Keitaro's hands as if hanging onto them for her life.

Which, in a way, she was.

"Christ." The tall lady straightened up slowly, and fished a cigarette butt from her mouth. "Well, on your head be it, Kei-bozu. On your head be it."

"I know. She's my responsibility now." Keitaro replied solemnly, nodding.

"I'm glad you realise that." Haruka muttered under her breath, stubbing the lit half-cigarette on the floor out with her foot. Annoyed to have wasted one of her tobacco sticks, the hostess of the Hinata tea shop lit up again with the swiftness of one who really, really needs a smoke. "Because if she pulls any more of this crap, you're guilty by extension. And, relative or not, you know I take that kind of thing very seriously. Correct, Kei-bozu?"

"Yes, Haruka-san." The pair eyed one another carefully, before the normally stoic lady huffed slightly. Drawing her coat more tightly around her, Haruka turned and strode towards the door. As she reached it, she gave one last disgusted glare at Mitsune over her shoulder, before addressing Keitaro in a bored tone.

"Oh, and we might be out of coffee for a while. So no point in dropping by for one for, oh, at least a month. Right, Kei-bozu?" Without waiting for a reply the older lady stepped out into the still pouring rain, pulling the door tightly behind her.

As she stormed down the stairs, Haruka would have loved to curse her soft-hearted nephew, but found herself unable to really do so with any venom.

Yes, Mitsune deserved to be evicted. And yes, she was mad that the fox was getting off scot-free.

But to rail at Keitaro for being the idiotic, loveable twit he always had been?

It just wasn't in her to do it.

Haruka growled again under her breath, realising she would need to find some way of working off her frustrations. The last time she'd felt like this she'd gone through six tea sets before the sound of china shattering stopped sounding the finest music.

So what to do to work off a bit of excess stress?

"Ah, Haruka. You're back. Any problems?" Seta smiled around his cigarette, before pausing mid-puff. There was something predatory in his wife's eyes, something that thrilled and scared him in equal measure.

"Nothing you can't help me with……" As the languid archaeologist opened his mouth to ask what, Haruka made words unnecessary by showing him exactly what.

Seta had always been taught not to speak with his mouth full.

The bespectacled man was about to learn that an annoyed Haruka Urashima was also a passionate Haruka Urashima.

She taught him the lesson for quite some time that night, and some of the morning as well.

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Dinner wasn't so much a quiet affair as just plain mute. Mitsune had, unsurprisingly, decided that the scrutiny she was receiving was too much and had vanished to shift what she could into Keitaro's room. The Kanrinin, who initially had gone upstairs to help Mitsune move in, had returned to the table and was sat apparently enjoying his dinner.

Most of which fell from shaking chopsticks onto various parts of him and surrounding furniture, and on one occasion onto Sara's head.

It said a lot about the atmosphere that she had merely picked the lump of chicken off her previously blonde hair without a word of complaint.

And ate it.

Shinobu was obviously horrified, although Motoko was unsure whether it was due to the state of her still cherished Kanrinin, the wasted food or the amount of cleaning that was going to be necessary after the meal.

It wasn't until Keitaro had complimented Shinobu on the delicious meal, wiped his hands on a napkin and vanished off up the stairs that anyone had the bravery to speak.

"Ara, ara." No prizes for guessing who spoke first.

"Yes. That was quite unexpected, was it not?" Motoko said calmly, placing her dish to one side.

"I didn't know Kei had it in him to go up against Haruka." Picking up her own plate, Mutsumi stood and began collecting the others scattered around the table. "I think he surprised her, judging by how she bit her cigarette in half."

"I believe he surprised himself. I must also take this as a confirmation that Haruka has full intention of carrying out the threats she made against myself and Naru also. Perhaps it would be best if I placed the Hina blade somewhere out of reach whilst I am in residence." The tall swordswoman mused aloud.

"Not carry your katana?" Sara ran over to the window, and peered out intently. "Hmmmm…..Hang on, I think I there's four horsemen coming over the horizon….."

"Ah, don't be so sarcastic Sara-chan." The mahogany-eyed Okinawan chided gently, carrying a large pile of plates into the kitchen and loading them onto the Wishy-washy two-point-two.

"Heh, thought I'd see airborne bacon before Motoko-san gave up her weapon." The blond American chirped, obviously finding the idea amusing. "'sides, without our resident swordswoman packing a blade, who's gonna keep the dork in line?"

"Sara-chan, unless you remember, it was 'keeping the dork in line' which has placed me on the precipice." Motoko replied calmly.

"And, I'm afraid to say, I agree with Haruka-san on that score." Mitsune slipped out of the kitchen again, re-taking her seat at the table. "After seeing the effects, I simply don't believe that violence can possibly achieve anything. Not that I'm saying you should give up the sword, Motoko-san, but I feel it has a time and a place….."

"Very few of either any more, Mutsumi-san." Motoko replied solemnly, fingers almost lovingly stroking the saya of her weapon. "Aside from training and formal challenges from fellow artists, there is little place for the katana in everyday life now……" The girl trailed off, staring blankly into the middle distance. "To the point where I begin to wonder if the life of the martial artist is worth the endless stream of blood and tears it takes as its price……"

"Ara, Motoko-san….." The three girls stared at the seemingly unaware swords mistress as her olive gaze softened slightly, the hint of a tear briefly appearing before they hardened once again, Motoko's steely self-control re-asserting itself.

"Auuuu, this is all too confusing. Why did Kei go so far for Kitsune?" Shinobu asked openly. "It's not like I want her to go or anything, she's hardly my favourite person for all the times she got Keitaro clobbered, but all the same?"

"I don't know, Shinobu-ch….san. Maybe he feels more for her than he lets on….." The raven-haired girl trailed off again as a contemplative silence overtook the table. Although in slightly different ways, all of the residents were thinking the same thing.

Would he do the same for me?

The clearing of a throat broke the picture, and the four at the table turned to see the man in question at the top of the stairs.

With blankets and pillow in hand.

"Kei?" Shinobu had asked enquiringly as he descended the steps, before strolling over to the large couch and depositing his things on them. When done, the man turned to regard the other residents with a winsome chuckle, hand reaching it's embarrassed way up to scratch the back of his brown-haired head.

"Yes, Shinobu?"

"What are you doing?"

"Uh, well, I'd have thought that was obvious." Keitaro gestured with his now empty hands. "I'm making my bed."

"Why?" Sara piped up, curious.

"Well, I'd have thought that was pretty, uh, obvious." The resident Kanrinin smiled gently, whilst taking a half step backwards. "Kitsune is sleeping in my room."

"So?"

"Well, I'm the resident pervert, right? It wouldn't be a good idea to sleep in the same room as Mitsune. Who knows what I could potentially get up to……Naru would kill me for sure, warning or not……" While the other four residents reacted with something between disbelief and annoyance, Mutsumi frowned ever so slightly.

Keitaro was lying.

It might have been the slightly too nervous look, or the fact his fingers stopped scratching the back of his head just briefly. And, judging by the other reactions, everyone else had missed it.

"Oh, come now Keitaro. You know very well that none of us here suspect you of such things any longer." Motoko smiled, shaking her black-haired head in amusement. "And, even if Naru were to return and accuse such things, I believe it is time that she learned better also."

"You're going to sleep on the settee?" Shinobu said, aghast.

"Yep. Pretty much sums it up." Came the easy reply.

"Well, uhm…." Shinobu faltered as her own slightly troubled history with Keitaro came to mind, but them ploughed on with considerable determination. "Kei, I know that it'd be awkward, but please sleep in my room!" The violet-ette's cheeks reddened, but it didn't stop her talking. "It doesn't have to be the bed, it can be the chair like last time, well not like last time since I'll not be sleeping with you, not unless you want me to, well, ah, uhm….." It was at this point, with Keitaro making frantic shushing gestures and Motoko raising one eloquent eyebrow, that Shinobu realised that perhaps she should have stopped at 'my room'.

"Like last time, Urashima-san?" Motoko raised the other eyebrow. "Sleeping with you, Urashima-san?" Slim fingers danced towards the handle of her katana whilst Keitaro watched, mesmerised by fear.

"Uh, i-it was nothing like that Motoko-san! Nothing happened I swear!" The man gibbered, backing up slowly.

Motoko simply sighed.

"Come now, Keitaro. I'd have thought that you would have understood by now; you have nothing to fear from me." She said clamly, dropping her hand limp to her side. "In any case, I would extend the same offer myself if it weren't for the fact I already know your answer." Keitaro nodded in reply, a small smile inching onto his face.

"It's much appreciated, Motoko."

"You can sleep in my room, Keitaros! I'll draw up a hammock ready for you!" Su cheered, already unfurling a web of knotted string from one of her non-existent sleeves.

Uh, I think I'll stay out here Su. It's not a good idea for me to share anyone's room." Keitaro said blandly, unrolling his blanket upon the settee. "Let's face facts, we're all adults. And apart from me, everyone's a girl. I've got enough of a reputation already." The man placed his pillow on one end of the settee, before shoving the blankets to the opposite end and sitting upright in the middle of the plush cushions. "I think I'm going to watch some television, then go and have a bath. Anyone who wants to see the news is welcome to join me."

At the suggestion of watching the news Shinobu decided she needed to make sure the Wishy washy two-point-two was working properly, Sara sited a need to wash her hair and Su simply said she was bored. Motoko seemed divided for a moment, but then decided a soak in the hot springs was a good idea.

Mutsumi took a seat beside Keitaro.

For a long time the pair watched the news, happily debating the pros and cons of having vigilante pervert-spotting crews on busy trains, and why on earth rock stars thought that that hair style was something approaching fashionable.

After over half an hour, Mutsumi turned to look at Keitaro. As the ex-ronin's attention rapidly returned to her, she asked the question that had been on her mind since the brown-haired man's re-appearance at the dinner table.

"Kei, what happened upstairs?"

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It was quite late at night. Somewhere between ten in the evening and midnight, by best estimate.

This didn't bother Motoko at all, after all, night was merely a time with less natural light. She had been taught earlier in life how to navigate and travel in the darkest of situations, even ones where no light of any kind existed. Hence, the lack of light didn't bother her in the slightest.

What bothered Motoko was what she was about to do.

It wasn't a decision that she had come across lightly. It wasn't a choice made on a whim, or a prayer. In the past, the swords mistress would have contacted someone, her sister possibly, were she feeling unsure of what she had to do.

But now she was sure, certain as maybe she had never been before.

The staircase seemed almost endless, albeit only seen through the pattering of raindrops and the echoing of footsteps. Motoko drew her dark travel cape around her tightly, feeling mixed emotions at the sensation of the Hina blade nestling against her thigh. Deciding to ignore her troubled thoughts the girl forged stubbornly onward, intent on reaching her goal.

After several minutes she reached the Hinata tea house, and viewed it's blank windows and silent doors with some trepidation.

The trepidation eased somewhat as Motoko heard a high-pitched female voice emanating from the apparently deserted locale, one the swords mistress was sure Haruka would be resident in.

After a quiet knock and several minutes of patient waiting, someone came to the door.

Someone male.

After convincing Seta that she desired the attention of someone else, Motoko experienced another period of silent waiting until Haruka approached the doorway. Looking really quite annoyed, and also quite sweaty (something Motoko assigned to stress). Over several minutes, Motoko explained her situation and her feelings to Haruka, while she listened.

Once Motoko had finished, the slim owner of the Hinata-sou tea shop agreed with her. And was willing to assist the Heir to the Shinmei ryu in any way necessary.

As Motoko left, feeling lighter than she could ever remember, she didn't allow herself to really think about the decision she had made.

It made it easier to ignore the fact that her life had changed forever...

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Well, chapter 13 done.

I was going to put the Mitsune eviction at the end, and stop at the point where Haruka announced her decision. But I think I would have been stoned to pieces for the cliffie, and it just seemed to fit in where it did nicely.

Anyhow, that's all for now. Chapter 14 sees someone familiar re-entering the mix...

'till next time!

Nodoka Miyazawa.