Tsuruko Arc - Chapter Six: When Angel's Cry

"Hey, Haruka." said Keitaro

"Hey Haruka my ass! You don't call or write. Not so much as a damn text. Now you just appear out of the blue like this?"

"I could just turn around and leave." Keitaro turned his back. He felt the instant embrace of Haruka behind him.

"Idiot..."

"Now, now, don't start. Name calling was one of the reasons I left." Haruka laughed through her tears. Tsuruko thought it would be inappropriate to intervene. She stayed back to make herself look like a passerby. Tsuruko expected to have a slew of emotional reunions, but she didn't count Haruka as being one of them. It pulled on her heartstrings to see that even the most hardened of women, could still cry.

"You look... good." Keitaro turned to face Haruka.

"Really?" He stretched the length of his long hair. "Considering where I've been, I'll have to take that as a compliment."

"Not just that, I could feel all of you're... ripped muscles."

Keitaro lifted his shirt to look down at his six-pack. "I didn't notice. Must've been all that training I did."

"And just what have you been training as, a bodybuilder?"

"You think I could win? I think I'm too small for that."

"You've definitely changed."

"I'm glad you noticed... I'm not here for you though."

"I noticed." Haruka looked over Keitaro's shoulder. "Is she the one that brought you back?"

"Something like that."

"Motoko's not the only one who wants to see you, you know."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. One thing at a time."

"I'll let you settle things then, but don't you dare scurry off before I get my chance." With that Haruka went back inside the tea shop.

"I presume your finished." said Tsuruko.

"What're you, my shadow? Don't stand behind me." They began to make their climb towards the Hinata Apartments.

Tsuruko just passed the biggest hurdle. She wasn't sure how Haruka would take to her being here, but it seems she's been given permission to enter.

"Are you going to be like that until we see Motoko?"

"I didn't want to interfere with your reunion."

"You mean you didn't want to rub Haruka the wrong way, but I'm glad that you stayed back. I don't want to explain the real reason why I'm here anyway."

They reached the top of the stairs. A familiar brunette stood outside of the building, sweeping the front area. Tsuruko made herself scarce.

"I definitely didn't expect for you to be here, Mutsumi." Mutsumi dropped the broom in her hands and brought her hands over her face.

"Keitaro!"

"In the flesh."

"Oh, I just knew you'd eventually come back. I didn't want to miss it... Can I hug you?"

"No."

"I guess I hoped for too much." She hung her head.

"I was just teasing, come here." Keitaro stretched his arms wide open. Mutsumi ran up to him... and got a lot more than a hug. Mutsumi's lips were planted on his. He had to give her a slight push to break the kiss.

"Hold on a sec, Mutsumi. You can't just come up to me and do that. There's procedure for these things you know." Her eyes gleamed at him. "Your puppy dog face is cute, but I'm with someone now." Mutsumi burst into tears and sobs.

"I'm so sorry, Keitaro. I never ever wanted to hurt you. Please, believe me."

Keitaro pulled her closer. Mutsumi's arms were folded between their chests. She laid her head on top of his shoulder.

"Don't cry so much. You're making me all wet." she cried even harder. "I'm still mad at you for not telling me about that guy Naru was with."

"I'm sorry."

"And for not trusting me."

"I'm sorry."

"And... for kissing me."

"I'm not sorry." Keitaro laughed, making Mutsumi laugh as well.

"Do you forgive me?" Keitaro cupped Mutsumi's face in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"No, but I won't hold it against you." He combed through her hair with his fingers. Mutsumi didn't understand what he meant, but she felt comforted by the gentleness of his actions.

"Nii-san!"

Keitaro looked at Kanako, standing in front of the entrance. "Well now, that's definitely another face I didn't expect to see. Come and give your brother a hug." For the second time, Keitaro didn't just get a hug. He tried nudging Kanako like he did Mutsumi, but she was strongly resisting. Keitaro essentially threw Kanako off of him. He rubbed off the spittle on his lips. "Goddammit, everybody just needs to stop kissing me."

"Who else kissed you?" Mutsumi posed with glee.

"You bitch!"

"Kanako? I don't remember teaching you that."

"But-"

"Don't 'but' me. Now I want you to walk straight down to the tea shop and stay there till I'm done."

"But-"

"Kanako." Keitaro said darkly. Kanako hung her head and started to make her way down. "Mutsumi, can you go buy some watermelons? I haven't had any in ages." He said with a splendid smile.

"Huh...? Okay..." Mutsumi also started to make her way down. A blush was clearly on her face.
"You've certainly grasped on how to deal with the female gender." said Tsuruko.

"You keep skulking behind me and I'll turn my magic on you." She jabbed his side with the hilt of her sword, making him instantly grab his side in pain.

"What?" Tsuruko narrowed her gaze. "Look, there's no point in me getting mad. It makes things a lot easier for me if I just treat them like I was there lover. And before you ask, yes, I'll be doing the same thing to Motoko." Tsuruko closed her mouth with an audible clench.

"You'd think an Aoyama is going to fall for your obvious farce?"

"Would you like to find out, sweetheart?" Tsuruko looked the other way.

"I didn't think so. But don't worry, I'm not going to be putting any of my moves on her." Keitaro and Tsuruko entered into the Hinata Apartments. "Huh... I thought I'd see Kitsune laid out on the couch or Shinobu in the kitchen. At least Suu out ready to pounce on me."

"What folly, did you expect your tenants to act the same once you left?"

"No, I expected them to be on their knees, begging for me to take them back."

"Your sarcasm is quite annoying."

"I was being quite serious. I worked like a damn slave for them and for what? A shove out the front door. And that's putting it mildly mind you."

"I thought you left because of Naru."

"No, that's what trigged me to leave. Didn't Motoko tell you about that? By the look on your face, I guess not."

"And what is it that I don't know?"

"It's trivial. A small matter really. Naru apparently had a paper from dear Grandma Hina that gave her the right to kick out the manager. Namely, me. And of course, all the girls rallied around her. Including Motoko, just in case you were wondering."

"Why are you so unnaturally calm?"

"Because if I lost it, I just might kill everyone here." Tsuruko paused. She wasn't sure if he was joking or not... and that's what scared her. This was the Keitaro that unnerved her. The one that seemed to carry all the hate of the world on his sleeve. "Shall we go see Motoko?"

"Yes." Tsuruko followed Keitaro. As he brings her closer to her sister, she couldn't help but contemplate what Motoko would think of the new Keitaro. Which side of himself will he show? The fake womanizer that'll whisper sweet nothings in her ear or the vengeful demon that enjoys human suffering...

Of all the women he's met so far, none of them hurt him as deeply as the ones that resided in this building. She understood that it was normal for Keitaro to feel resentment, but she was scared how that would bleed into the eminent meeting between him and Motoko. It was such a cruel double irony. Motoko was the one that hurt Keitaro, but it's going to be Keitaro that will either rescue her or send her deeper into the pit of guilt.

"You'd better go first." said Keitaro. Tsuruko knocked on Motoko's door.

"Motoko?" No answer. "Open the door, Motoko." Again, no answer.

Keitaro opened the sliding door. "Motoko?" Nothing could've prepared them for what they saw. Keitaro grabbed Tsuruko's arm before she reached her sister. He looked into Tsuruko's eyes, telling her to stay put. Keitaro walked to Motoko. The smell of rotting blood, together with the condition of her body, churned his stomach, but that didn't even make him hesitate. He gathered her scarred, naked body in his arms. Keitaro knew she wasn't dead just by looking at her, but she was damn near close.

Tsuruko felt her knees go out from under her. She focused all of her focus on the flickering chi of Motoko. "What did you do, Motoko?" she whimpered. How could she be too late? After the luck she had in finding Keitaro... This was his fault. If he never left! Tsuruko unsheathed her sword and came at Keitaro.

"Who..." Motoko uttered. Tsuruko had stopped her sword mid-swing.

"Motoko." She refocused her chi sense. Unable to notice it before, she saw that Keitaro's chi was gradually restoring Motoko's. How it was possible, she didn't care. What mattered now was Motoko.

"Hey there, sweetheart." Keitaro's tone of voice was soothing.

"Please don't wake me." Motoko sobbed.

"Sorry babe, but your already awake. Look who else is here to see you."

"Ane-ue..."

"I'm here, Motoko-chan."

Keitaro stood up with Motoko in his arms. "Let's get you down into the hot springs and clean you up."

"I'll do it." Tsuruko stretched out her arms.

"Sorry, but I'm not letting her go till I know she's better. You're welcome to follow though." Keitaro moved past her before she could object. Tsuruko followed him.

"How could I have lost control like that?" she thought. "I'd never felt such a reaction before... Could this be because of their bloodline? But that shouldn't matter now. Someone has been abusing Motoko and she wanted to know who... For Motoko to fall into such a state though... I have just too much to think about. I'll have to meditate on it later."

Entering the changing room, Tsuruko starts to undress. Keitaro proceeds to the bath and sits Motoko on one of the outside shower stations. He checks the water until it becomes warm. Filling up a bucket, Keitaro dumps the water down from her shoulders. Motoko screams out in pain.

"What are you doing?" Tsuruko shouts into the bath.

"Sorry, Motoko. I thought it would've been better to just get it over with rather than trying to make you slowly endure the pain."

"I'll take over from here." Tsuruko wished she could say that, but she couldn't separate them at this critical stage. Keitaro's chi was the only thing keeping Motoko breathing.

"Try to at least dip your feet into the spring, I'll be back in a sec." Motoko jumped and wrapped her arms around Keitaro's hips. Keitaro sighed.

"Can you get me a towel, Tsuruko?" Tsuruko tossed him one.

Keitaro wrapped the towel around his waist. He started to strip off his clothing. Motoko turned her head to the side in embarrassment.

"You can look now." Motoko blushed even more furiously. Keitaro picked her up. "I'll probably need your help Tsuruko."

"Of course." She walked over to them. Tsuruko was also naked, but she had the towel wrapped from her chest down. Motoko was the only one without cover.

"This is going to hurt like crazy, but you'll need to endure it. I want you to grip each other's hands before going in." The sisters held their hands firmly. Keitaro and Tsuruko stepped into the hot water. Keitaro slowly dipped Motoko down, Tsuruko followed in kind. For Motoko, the pain was so excruciating she had to clench her teeth to stop the screams behind her throat.

"Bite down on my shoulder." said Keitaro. Motoko was already squeezing Tsuruko's hand as hard as she could. Tears of physical suffering were streaming down her face. Motoko reached for Keitaro's hand and gripped it as tightly. Slowly, the extremity of the pain receded and Motoko loosened her grip. "Good girl." Keitaro set Motoko between him and Tsuruko. Tsuruko laid her head on Motoko's. With all three of their hands connected, for a moment, they looked like a family.