A vivid breeze in the atmosphere was rather chilly. Despite being a wonderful looking afternoon, the Hinata Sou residents felt far from wonderful. Keitaro leapt down from large rock before placing Motoko and Su on their feet.
"Keitaro", Amalla cooly said, "This is a surprise. Where is Lamba?"
"I don't know", Keitaro answered her. "Let's say I just lost track of him when I felt something was wrong here."
"I see. Then you very well know what is wrong here", Said Su's sister.
"I do, and I apologize to both of you for the deception. If you'll please listen to what we have to say, I'm sue we can work a compramise around this whole mess", Keitaro tried to reason with the sisters.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible."
All attention turned to the elder kendo woman.
"You see Keitaro, our clan has a very specific set of rules and traditions. My dear little sister is at that time of age where she must claim the head of the dojo, or she must be married."
"I have said before...", Motoko started.
"Silence", Tsuruko bellowed, causing the younger sister to hold her tongue. "Motoko has delayed this matter long enough when she left her home. The elders and I have overlooked this because we believed she would mature. The results have little to show, therefore this place is nothing more than a temporary hideaway for her."
"Hey watch what you're saying about Hinata Sou", Keitaro became defensive. "Now I don't exactly know why she left the dojo, but I know she stayed here because it felt like a second home to her. She's not the only one who thinks this. Su calls this home, I call this home, and the rest of us call this place home."
"Home", Amalla butted in. "Su is the princess of Molmol, her rightful home is back in the kingdom. I must take her back where she belongs."
"No, I don't want to go back", Su said as she stuck her tongue out and hid behind Keitaro.
This agitated Amalla enough for her to try to forcibly take her sister away from Keitaro. However, Tsuruko knew by legal reasons that they shouldn't harm Keitaro.
"Now listen Keitaro", Tsuruko spoke to the manager, "Even though you did lie to me I am willing to forgive and forget. If you let Su and Motoko come with us, I promise we won't cause any trouble, and we'd be more than willing to pay for all the damages."
"No deal", Keitaro said with a stern face.
"Young man, I have offered all that I can. If you will not stand down, we will take our sisters home by force", Tsuruko said is a demon like voice.
Motoko shivered by her sister's sudden speech change. She was starting to truly fear what her sister could do to her, or to Keitaro.
"If you want Motoko and Su, you'll have to go through me first."
Everyone yelled, "WHAAAT", in both shock and confusion. What was Keitaro thinking? Sure there were some times when he could be dumb or naïve, but he was never known to be crazy.
"Keitaro what are you doing", Naru asked out loud.
"I'm the manager here, and I say they don't leave here."
"You do realize what you're getting yourself into, right Keitaro Urashima", Amalla asked Keitaro thinking he was crazy.
"Maybe not, but I know that as their manager, I'm responsible for their well-being too. I don't care who you people are, I'll fight both of you at once if I have to. What you're doing isn't right, and I'm not gonna stand for it."
"What gives you the right to challenge us", Tsuruko asked. "Being her manager is obsolete."
"He's from the Oni-Zakura Dojo! He has the right to challenge you", Skinny said.
This little piece of information was enough to attract Tsuruko's attention.
"The Oni-Zakura Dojo huh? It's a rival clan of ours, but you're still too young to surpass my training."
"You really think so", Keitaro told them as he walked closer. "Okay, I'll make you all a deal. If you win, you can take Su and Motoko home." Keitaro was now at arm's length to them. "If I win..."
Keitaro whispered the remaining bet with the sisters. No one else could hear them beside Keitaro, Tsuruko, and Amalla. Motoko became worried by what Keitaro was proposing. What if he proposed marriage, or a child, or to take over the Shinmei-Ryū dojo himself.
"Is that really what you're betting", Amalla asked as she pulled away from the huddle.
"That's my only offer", Keitaro said as he crossed his arms across his chest.
Amalla looked over to Tsuruko as they considered what Keitaro proposed. It took only one glance to each other to know what they decided.
"Very well", Tsuruko agreed with Keitaro. "We accept your challenge; But remember, we will not go easy on you. Even though you are a very kind gentleman, our sister's future is at stake."
"That's fine by me", Keitaro said as he turned around. "Skinny."
The small pine martin jumped to Keitaro's shoulder. The manager whispered something into Skinny's tiny ear.
"You got it Boss", Skinny said before making himself scarce.
Keitaro walked to the edge of the hot springs before stripping his shirt toff. Underneath was his heavy weighted vest. He did not remove the limiter as the other girls surrounded him.
Keitaro, don't fight her", Motoko pleaded. "You don't have to do this. I'll go back peacefully, and you won't have to worry about me ever again."
"Motoko, we've dealt with them you're way so far! Now, we're gonna do it my way! This is not how I wanted my Saturday to be! I've just about had it with sisters, swords, alligators, matchmakers, and spicy food!"
"Keitaro, you shouldn't fight them, you're still hurt", Naru said still concerned about his wounds.
It's true that the hole in his shoulder had healed, as well as the bullet wound in his leg. However, the spots were still tender, and the gash on his back still had some healing to do. However, it all seemed irrelevant to the trained soldier.
"I'll be fine Naru", Keitaro tried to reassure her.
"Brother wait, let me help you fight them", Kanako offered.
"No Kanako", Keitaro told his younger step sister. "This is something I have to do myself, as a manager, a soldier, an Oni-Zakura student, and as a friend."
The other's said nothing to Keitaro's resolve. Did he really believe he could win? It was true the training he had in the dojo and the military gave him the ability to fight. Even Crenjer confirmed that he was a dangerous person if he fought. However, Motoko and Su knew very well that their sisters could be beyond dangerous, destructive even. As the girls tried to think over what else to say, Su patted Keitaro on the back as she cheered him on.
"Go get 'em Keitaro!"
"Thanks Su", Keitaro said to the younger girl. "Just stay back, I'll end this as quickly as I can."
Tsuruko unsheathed her sword by an inch using her thumb as Keitaro walked to the edge of the hot springs. Amalla once again drew her flute as Keitaro slowly drew his pocket knife. It wasn't an eye appealing weapon compared to the flute or the sword, but it was going to have to do for Keitaro. The Urashima waited for the two opponents to make the first move. It was a risky hand to play, but Keitaro wasn't sure what they were capable of yet.
The one who strikes first could decide this battle, but at the same time, the one who leaves themselves open first could go down first. With the little time he had so far, Keitaro tried to gain as much information as he could about his opponent.
"If Tsuruko is anything like Motoko, her techniques are going to be similar", Keitaro concluded in his mind. "However, she's probably gonna be stronger, and a lot and more skilled compared to Motoko."
Keitaro shifted his eyes to Amalla during his analysis.
"Then there's Amalla. I doubt she uses technology like Su, and I don't know what fighting abilities she has. I'll have to keep a good eye on her."
Picking up as much information as he could Keitaro had to pick a perfect moment to strike. On the opposite side, the sisters made no sudden movements as they thought the same thing. Tension rose, and nerves came close to cracking. The other Hinata inhabitants waited and watched for the upcoming match. They all felt this stress before. It was just like when Motoko fought Keitaro just shy of a week ago. Motoko was the one who probably felt the most odd, partly due because she was the one on the sidelines instead of the arena. It was also because Keitaro was fighting her own flesh and blood for some unknown reasons to her.
Up in Keitaro's room, Skinny rummaged through Keitaro's things. The small mammal searched the boxes for something his boss ordered him to get. One after the other, Skinny continued his search until he found what he was looking for. The lid covered exactly what was in the boxes, but the faint golden glow let Skinny know what it was.
"That's score one for the Martin!"
When he had what he was looking for, Skinny checked for his desk for something else. The desk had many school supplies from pencils, to notebooks, and text wasn't picky about what he needed. It was then that the pine martin grabbed a pencil and tossed it out the window. The small object spiraled through the air before landing where gravity intended to place it.
Below Keitaro's room were the other residents as well as the guest of Hinata Sou. Keitaro, Amalla, and Tsuruko continued their staring contest, waiting for the other to flinch. Completely expected by only Keitaro, the pencil Skinny tossed out the window plopped into the water. No one else knew where this foreign object came from, but Keitaro took it as a signal that Skinny was ready. It was also a sign for Keitaro saying that he should now make the first move.
With legs that won him so many metals in track season, Keitaro quickly closed in on Tsuruko. The quick attack caught her off guard, but her sword was still swift enough to perry his knife strikes. Being trained in only martial arts and not the Kendo, his technique seemed rather unskilled to Tsuruko. However, Keitaro did not use a swiord, and had speed that kept Tsuruko on her toes. Keitaro focused on trying to get at Motoko's sister. However, his concentration was taken away as Naru yelled, "Keitaro, above you!"
Not far in the air on top of him, a dark rain cloud sparked before letting loose a small lightning bolt. Keitaro narrowly missed being hit by the electricity. His attention was drawn back Amalla. Her eyes were closed, as her fingers rapidly tapped her flute slots. Keitaro was so concentrated on Tsuruko that he didn't notice Amalla playing her music earlier.
"So she calls upon the weather when she plays", Keitaro thought to himself.
As he acquired the new information about one opponent, he neglected to notice the other enemy. Keitaro had only a moment's notice before Tsuruko was already upon him. Keitaro moved himself away from Tsuruko's sword, but received a small slash to his forearm. The blood flowed out rather slowly, indicating it wasn't very deep or life threatening. Keitaro however, was not out of the clear. Keitaro continued to move on his feet as a fleet of lightning strikes chased after him. Keitaro took refuge behind a large stone for safety.
"You hide in the middle of a fight", Amalla shouted in question.
Keitaro was had to think of a new tactic fast. Tsuruko wasn't a patient woman in a fight, and the clouds Amalla summoned were getting larger.
"This isn't good", Keitaro spoke to himself through his mind. "Amalla's lightning is too fast for my legs, and Tsuruko's sword techniques are too strong. I can't focus on both of them when I fight."
Keitaro began to unbuckle his weighted vest.
"If I'm gonna beat them both, I have to take them out one at a time."
As Keitaro hid behind the stone, he tossed his heavy vest into the air as high as he could. It was a strategy to get their attention. Sure enough, the move worked. Reacting over thinking, Amalla's lightning bolt struck the vest as Tsuruko infused her sword with electricity.
"True Lightning Sword", Tsuruko screeched as she unleashed the sword technique.
The dual lightning attack's electric current could be heard for miles. The other girls cried in fear, "Keitaro", as they also thought the vest was Keitaro. To everyone's shock, the vest landed on the ground in a burnt crisp, but with no body inside.
"Where did he...", Tsuruko began before she was grabbed by her shoulder.
In one swift motion, Keitaro grabbed Tsuruko before slamming her down into the ground as hard as he could. He wasn't the strongest guy around, but his strength met the military standards.
"Tsuruko", Amalla yelled.
Su's sister didn't have time to blink as Keitaro gave her a strong spring kick to the stomach. Amalla went flying through the air in slow motion for Keitaro. With his speed that was barely counted as human, Keitaro was now back to back as Amalla continued to sail through the air. In both of his hands was his pocket knife that he was about to use to finish the battle.
"I win", Keitaro thought as he swung the knife.
As the blade drew closer and closer to Amalla, a very strong hand caught Keitaro's wrist. One hand held Keitaro's wrist, as the other caught Amalla in his arm. Once again, Keitaro was caught off guard because he was too focused on one thing at a time. Amalla and Keitaro used their eyes to see who prevented them from finishing this fight. Keitaro's face paled and his blood flow stopped in three sections of his heart by who he stared in the face.
"L-Lamba", Keitaro said as he watched the angry-looking foreigner.
Sorry for the late update everyone. I'm workin on a few other fics, and I'm doing different school projects. Someone suggested I put Keitaro against Lamba, and I couldn't resist. I hope finally hit one hundred reviews with this chapter, I only need ten more! Hope you all like the update!