55Well there seems to have been more then a few questions about my update pace, which I don't really understand. So far I have been able to manage 7 days or less between chapters since the first one. A pace I hope to maintain, barring personal problems or writers block. So let me just put all your minds at ease, 7 days between chapters is a goal I set for myself and I plan to keep it. Give me time the plan out the chapter, procrastinate about writing it, and eventually put something together.
-Vilkath
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina; it's characters or anything of the sort. I've read a lot of fan fics, books, played games etc over the years. As such I expect some idea's to be inspired by other sources, so in advance let me say I don't own those either.
Italics Thoughts"Text" Speech
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Guilty PleasuresPrologue Four: House of Pain
Keitaro thrashed his head violently around in the early morning light of his hospital bed trying desperately to shake off his nightmares. This is all your fault, ran threw his mind over and over again.
Flashes of a tall woman towering above him with a grim expression flashed threw his mind. She was looking over Kietaro as if he didn't exist she kept saying those horrible words; "This is all your fault".
Tears fell from Keitaro's face onto his tiny hands while he held the small pale girl in his arms. "I am so sorry Kanako."
Waking with a scream of Keitaro bolts up in bed, and immediately cries out in pain; his sudden movement aggravating yesterday's tender wounds. Taking a few calming breathes he settles down from the dream. Keitaro rubs his temples. What was that? Not again! With a shudder Keitaro tries to push the thoughts of the dream from his mind. Apologizing over and over in voice below a whisper Keitaro managed to fall back asleep.
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A single leaf floats serenely towards the rooftop. A faint swish fills the air and the poor leaf turned to a cloud of dust, joining in a pile on the roof of the previous leafy victims.
Motoko was not happy, and any leaf that dared to get near the Hinata Sou that morning paid the price for floating her way. She went to bed thinking of Keitaro, dreamed of Keitaro, and when Motoko woke up this morning her thoughts turned to the same young man. Why? Why must my thoughts always run to HIM? He is a grouping, peeping, panty-stealing pervert that must be it! I must train harder to protect this dorm from his perverted ways. He caught me off guard yesterday, but I will not allow him to do so again.
Clinging to her justification with renewed vigor Motoko obliterates the next helpless leaf, not even leaving dust behind.
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Tsuruko quietly stands in the doorway watching her sister. Motoko has really improved since she left the school. Her power and control over her Ki may even surpass mine. Her emotional control how ever. Tsuruko's thoughts trail off.
Frowning she thinks back to yesterdays events. I must find some way to help Motoko, if my dear sister is to ever take her position with the school she must learn control. She needs to get that hatred of men out of her system, the next poor man could be hurt worse then Keitaro was.
A wicked smile dances across her face as Tsuruko thinks of a way to help. That's it; my dear sister needs to get herself a man! Worldwide men felt a shiver down their spine; luckily the men did not talk about their feelings so it went by unnoticed.
Tsuruko's smile turns to an insane grin. Fufufu and I know just the perfect one, that little cutie Keitaro. Not only will my little Motoko get cured of her man hating ways, but also that cutie can get a little 'Payback'. With great emphasis on payback, streams of perverted thoughts run through Tsuruko's mind.
Noticing a slight blush and Motoko's increasing efforts against the poor leaves Tsuruko contains her laughter and prepares to get to work. Sneaking up behind her sister with little effort, Tsuruko reaches out and grabs Motoko's butt and gives it one quick squeeze.
Turning around quickly with a blush Motoko screams, "Urashima you pervert!" and brings her sword down in a quick slice towards her attacker.
Avoiding the hasty attack with ease Tsuruko laughs manically. "Urashima? Oh my, I'm so sorry were you expecting some one else? Fufufufu little Motoko has a crush!"
Motoko blushes crimson trying to stagger out a reply. Tsuruko puts her finger up to her chin in a pose of thinking. "Well it does make sense, he's so cute and cuddly!"
Motoko clutches her sword even more, resisting the urge to try to become an only child as Tsuruko continues. " They do say you hurt the ones you love. Oh my! My little Motoko is in love! Have you picked out the baby names yet?"
Tsuruko is barely able to contain from rolling on the ground in laughter now as Motoko's face goes white. Unable take any more Motoko sways a little bit before dropping her sword and fainting. Tsuruko shakes her head and picks up Motoko to take her down to her room. Tsuruko thinks. I must fix this if Motoko is ever to take her place with in the school. Her opponents could easily exploit Motoko having such an emotional weakness. Not to mention the foul minds of the demons she might face.
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Setting her plans into motion proved to be harder then Tsuruko thought, as she over looked one little detail, Haruka. I just have to find a way convince her this is for the best for Keitaro. Finding Haruka already at the hospital leaning against the wall outside Keitaro's room Tsuruko decided get this over with and joined her against the wall. "Any idea when he will wake up?"
Shrugging Haruka glanced at Tsuruko before returning her stare to the opposite wall. "Doctors say he could wake up any time now. Beyond the broken leg he is in perfect health, and even that has started to mend already."
Letting out a deep sigh Tsuruko slumps against the wall. "I think I have a solution to both of our problems, so this doesn't happen again." Haruka raised an eyebrow but let Tsuruko continue. "I think if they spent some time together Motoko and Keitaro could both come out ahead. I think a kind cutie like Keitaro just the right man to convince Motoko not all men are evil."
Haruka clenched and unclenched the lighter in her pocket. "And what do you suppose Keitaro will get out of this besides a violent girl who might just try and kill him, again?"
Tsuruko mentally flinched at the remark but pressed on. "Well I am going to leave what they do together up to them. But I hope Motoko will teach him some basic techniques so he can at least defend himself from future injuries. Still I feel pretty certain she will, Motoko has always been such a tomboy and has never been to comfortable with anything else but the sword." Tsuruko puts her hand up to her mouth and a little laugh escaped. "Fufufufu it's not like my sister is going teach him how to cook."
Haruka had the barest of smiles escape her control at that comment. She could remember the last time Motoko had cooked, while not as bad as Naru's Haruka has had tastier things in a hospital.
Before Haruka could reply the doctor came out of Keitaro's room. "You may go in now, he's awake. Despite his already amazing recovery you should still have him take it easy." After reminding Haruka to fill out the release forms the doctor leaves to treat the next patient.
Both women enter the room; Tsuruko hanged near the door while Haruka went over to talk to Keitaro. Spotting his aunt Keitaro's face instantly broke into a smile. "Aunt Haruka!"
Pulling a fan out of now where Haruka lightly taps Keitaro on the head. "Just Haruka! Call me aunt again and I might forget you are hospitalized."
With an even brighter smile Keitaro just rubs the back of his head at her reply. Grunting Haruka turns to leave. "The doctor said you could leave, so get your stuff." Mumbling about triplicate paper work being invented by demons Haruka leaves Tsuruko and Keitaro in the room alone.
Keitaro looked around the room, doing anything to avoid eye contact with Tsuruko. I do not deserve to be in the same room with such a perfect woman. Eventually Keitaro slumped his shoulders and put his head down. "I am so sorry about yesterday."
Tsuruko raised a hand and tried to wave off his apology. "It was just bad luck and a misunderstanding. Which is why I came here today, I need your help Mr. Urashima. My dear sister has a problem. What happened yesterday was a very unfortunate accident, but not totally unexpected I am afraid. Motoko never took my marriage well." Tsuruko voice drifts off a little before she continues. "She was not happy with the arrangement in any way, which left her with some anger, towards men specifically."
Tsuruko frowns before continuing. "When she left for the Hinata Sou years ago, she already disliked men and did not trust them, I fear now it's blown into full hate. If she could attack a kind and gentle man like you I truly fear for her."
Tsuruko tears up slightly and puts on her best puppy dog eyes. " Will you help me Mr. Urashima?"
Keitaro is struck in an embarrassed stupor, stumbling out nonsense words over her praise and intense begging. After a few seconds under those eyes Keitaro forced himself to look away and stammers out a reply. "Of course, but what can I do?"
Tsuruko tears instantly disappear and she smiles coyly at Keitaro. "Just be your normal cute and charming self of course." Tsuruko smothers a laugh at Keitaro's reaction. Fufufu So sensitive, he and Motoko are so alike.
Tsuruko gathers up Keitaro's few belongings and helps him into the wheel chair. "Just spend time with Motoko, bake a cake, and plant a guardian what ever you two like. Long as she is around a kind man like you she will be forced to accept not all men are evil."
Keitaro has extreme doubts about this plan. I want to help, but she will kill me! Keitaro takes a quick look over his shoulder at the woman pushing him down the hall and shudders. Following his survival instincts Keitaro decided he had a better chance with Motoko and just let his protest drop.
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Haruka and Tsuruko enter the dorm carrying Keitaro between them. With a quick nudge Haruka knocks a drunken Kitsune to the floor and set Keitaro down on the now vacant couch. With a brief whistle Haruka calls the rest of the girls down to the common room
Fear of Haruka's wrath and general curiosity of what she could have wanted quickly brought all the girls down. Shinobu let out a small gasp of surprise as she spotted Keitaro. Quickly she did her best to hide from him behind Kitsune. Oh no it's the man from yesterday. I was so rude to him, I never even gave him his directions and then I took his map. He must be so mad with me!
Haruka noticed the scathing looks Naru and Motoko were giving Keitaro and decided to try and prevent another disaster. "Listen up girls I have a tea shop to run so I am going to make this quick. This is my nephew Keitaro. He will be staying with me down at the Tea shop until his leg heals."
Watching Naru and Motoko's anger deflate some Haruka mentally smirks while continuing. "Grandma Hina originally had asked Keitaro to come here to be the new manager but." Haruka paused to pull out the papers and deed ready to be transferred to Keitaro and watches with amusement at the girl's expressions.
Silencing any protest the girls might have with a glare Haruka goes on. "In light of recent events I do not feel Keitaro would be safe here with his injuries. Since he would not be able to perform his manger duties any ways with a broken leg he shall stay with me for now. After his leg heals Keitaro will have to make his decision whether to stay on as the manager or not."
Haruka picks up a very shocked Keitaro and starts helping him back down the stairs. Leaving Tsuruko behind in a very quiet Hinata Sou.
A/N
Well here we are again, at the end of another chapter. I came up short of my goal this time. I had planed start next one off with the big fight, but Tsuruko's plan and Motoko's punishment just seemed like to much fun to try rush through this and the chapter is already over 2k words. So next time we get to see Prologue 5, Motoko and Keitaro get to spend some quality time together, god help him.