Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Legacy ❯ Chapter 58

How do I end up in these situations? Keitaro wondered, nervously glancing back and forth between his two women and the group of Shinmei-ryu swordsmen before them. The room was nearly choked with tension, and he couldn't help but notice that both sisters were holding their sheathed swords in their left hands as they sat, poised and calm, on the thin cushions. It had been several minutes since one of the men had slipped out, and since then, neither group had moved a muscle.

 

It wasn't the fact that he might end up in the middle of a vicious swordfight that worried him. No, it was that Motoko or Tsuruko might be injured in the fight. Can't really picture that, but it could happen, he thought. More likely and worrisome was the thought that the two might be banished from the school or disowned by their great uncle. It's pretty clear they don't like Urashimas, he thought uneasily. Even as oblivious as he usually was, it was hard to miss the glares from some of the council. Peeking at his wife and concubine, however, he felt better. Neither seemed concerned at all.

 

As if they could sense what he was thinking, Motoko turned her head slightly, catching his eye. She gave him a soft smile and a slow wink. He smiled back, glancing at Tsuruko to find that she was looking at him from the corner of her eye, a soft smile on her lips as well. For some reason, that made him feel a lot better. Letting his eyes slip down from his girls' faces, he realized something he hadn't before then: neither sister had bound their chests under their gi. Why didn't they bind their chests? They always do when practicing, and if they might be fighting, why wouldn't they bind their chests? wondered the young man. Not that I mind, of course! his mind babbled, noticing the greater fullness under the gi. They have the most incredible figures, and when they bind their chests, it can't be that comfortable for them… he blinked, realizing where that line of thought would end. Focus, Keitaro, focus! he ordered himself.

 

His wandering mind was brought back to the issue at hand when the door opened and the man who had left stepped back into the room, the large form of the girls' great uncle behind him. “Daizaburo,” Tsuruko greeted him politely.

 

“Tsuruko,” he greeted the elder sister stiffly. When he didn't greet Motoko, Keitaro frowned.

 

“Hello, uncle,” Motoko said, speaking deliberately. “You are looking well,” she added. Something in her tone was off to Keitaro's ear.

 

“Urashima,” Daizaburo gave a brief nod to both Motoko and Keitaro. Daizaburo sank down to a cushion a short distance away from Tsuruko. Motoko's lips curved slightly into what might be considered a smirk.

 

“I have been given to understand that you have stepped down as the head of the family, Daizaburo,” Tsuruko said, addressing her uncle without honorific. He nodded once. “Why did you do this without consulting with me?” Tsuruko asked evenly.

 

“He did so because he understood that such a decision was in the best interest of the school,” Tojima said.

 

“I am speaking to Daizaburo, not you,” warned Tsuruko, not looking at the head of the council. “Well? Have you anything to say?” she asked her great uncle.

 

“Who are you to make such demands of us?” another of the council challenged her. “You renounced your position and became the wh…concubine,” he corrected himself hastily, “of our rival house. You have no right to right to act so high-handed here!”

 

“I am the elder of the Aoyama family,” Tsuruko retorted. “And as the elder of the Aoyama, I am also the master instructor of the Shinmei-ryu school. Interrupt me once more, and I will show you how little you know about my family's style.”

 

“But you renounced your claim!” Tojima insisted.

 

“I never renounced my claim,” stated Tsuruko. “I only informed you all that I will not use a dojo where my sister isn't welcome. At no point did I renounce anything.”

 

“You gave up your bokken, though,” another of the council pointed out.

 

“A bokken is not a katana,” countered Tsuruko, ostentatiously caressing the family sword.

 

“And your subservience to the Urashima family? Is that not renouncing your family?”

 

“Had it not been for my lord's gracious and honorable request that I retain my heritage for myself and my children, it would have been. As it is, my place in the Urashima house does not affect my standing in the Aoyama family. I am Aoyama, as will my children be,” she reminded them. “Such was the witnessed agreement between our two houses.”

 

“Children,” grunted Tojima. “You have not had much luck with that,” he said spitefully, “why should it be different now?” Motoko's lips thinned, her hand tightening on the Hinata blade's sheath.

 

“It is very different,” Tsuruko said, her right hand making a very subtle gesture to Motoko. “But none of that has any bearing on our discussion,” she reminded them. “Why did you step down without consulting me, Daizaburo?” repeated Tsuruko.

 

“I decided that with the situation being what it was, it was better for the school and for the family to allow the council to take over the operations of the dojo. Since you refused to teach because of the situation with your sister, it left me with little choice but to assume the duties of head instructor.” Daizaburo answered Tsuruko.

 

“I see,” Tsuruko said after a moment. “So that is how you see your responsibilities,” she sighed. “Hina-sama was correct about you, after all,” noted the older sister. Daizaburo scowled at the mention of the white-haired terror.

 

“Hina Urashima knows nothing,” he snarled. “Arrogant bitch,” he muttered angrily.

 

“Did it not occur to you, uncle,” Tsuruko continued, “to just allow Motoko to use the family dojo - as is her right? Did you believe that what is best for the family is to take the path of least resistance?”

 

“I decided it was best for the family to save the school and ancestral home!” Daizaburo snapped back. “You have long been out of the daily administration of the school and family affairs, Tsuruko,” he continued angrily. “Our family has seen declining financial resources since the end of the second world war. At the same time, the taxes and operational expenses on the lands we hold and the school have steadily risen. We are reaching the point of no return. So, the council and I have decided to allow more students to enroll, and under the national treasure status, we have begun steps to nationalize the school. Doing so will alleviate our financial stress.”

 

Tsuruko stared at her great uncle in silence. Moments passed, and eventually, some of the council began to murmur. “She doesn't understand big words,” one of them murmured to another.

 

“Maybe it's the math she doesn't understand,” suggested another.

 

“What I understand is that my family has once more fallen short of our ideals,” Tsuruko said firmly, suddenly. “More than five hundred years ago, we fell short of our ideals. That mistake has cost us dearly. Instead of learning from it, we once more stand on the brink of the same mistake.” Tsuruko swept the group with her sharp gaze. “I will not allow that to happen; not on my watch.”

 

“And what can you do…?” began Tojima.

 

“I can do anything I deem necessary, Tojima,” Tsuruko cut him off. “And that starts with stripping this council of all authority and duties.”

 

“You can't do that!” yelled Tojima, leaping to his feet. He found himself looking at the tip of the Aoyama family sword. Tsuruko stared him in the eye.

 

“I am doing this,” she stated coldly. “If you have issue with my decision as head of the Aoyama family and master of the Shinmei-ryu school, I will be happy to discuss it with you - though your sword will have to do the talking for you,” warned the elder sister. Tojima said nothing. He knew how such a `talk' would end.

 

“Very well, Tsuruko-sama,” he said tightly.

 

“As you have no further business here, leave us,” ordered Tsuruko, fluidly sheathing the katana once more. The council slowly filed out, closing the door behind them.

 

“They are not going to let this go so easily,” Motoko murmured.

 

“I know,” Tsuruko said. Turning to her great uncle, she stared at him for a moment. “You called me, Daizaburo,” she said softly, “so you know you made a mistake. What has happened here?” she asked him.

 

“Many things,” sighed the old man.

 

“In spite of what I said, I know that our family has not been wealthy for a long time,” Tsuruko said softly. “But we were never so poor as to need to sell our very heritage and home. Why is it suddenly so dire?”

 

“Over the last five years, our income from all sources has fallen steadily, while taxes have increased,” her great uncle said. “And as I said, the cost of operating the school has gone up as well.”

 

“Why would the cost of operating the school rise?” asked Motoko. “It is conducted on our land, uses no power, and has never had much in the way of equipment costs beyond practice swords and occasional dojo repairs.”

 

“I am not entirely sure,” admitted Daizaburo. “Our costs have been slowly rising, though the number of students has actually declined slightly,” he mused. “And the council has been requesting more funding of late as well.”

 

Tsuruko frowned. “How bad is it, uncle?” she asked.

 

“We are at risk of losing part or all of the estate,” he said quietly.

 

“What?!” gasped Motoko.

 

“Our family has prestige, standing, history and honor, but not money,” shrugged Daizaburo.

 

“Um, maybe we could help,” Keitaro said hesitantly. “I don't know what we could do, but I'm sure Granny…”

 

“Never!” yelled Daizaburo. “I'd sooner live on the street than accept anything from Hina!”

 

“Be quiet,” Tsuruko ordered him. Staring at him, she shook her head. “I am disappointed, uncle,” she said sadly. “Have you not learned anything? Our two houses are joined, and will be forever more. I had planned to tell you later, but why wait? I am pregnant,” she shared. Daizaburo's mouth fell open.

 

“W…Wha…When? How?” stumbled the old man.

 

“When, I'd say about five weeks,” Tsuruko replied, smiling smugly. “As for how, a lady doesn't speak of such things. What is important is that I am pregnant, and our house and the Urashima house are joined by blood. I do not know what exactly happened between you and Hina-sama, but the time for such grudge holding and animosity is over. It is time now for rebuilding our family and protecting our heritage.”

 

“That will prove difficult,” Daizaburo sighed.

 

“Since when do Aoyama fear difficult things?” asked Motoko. Her hand had released the Hinata blade's sheath to take Keitaro's hand.

 

“The school has begun to factionalize, hasn't it?” Tsuruko stated. Daizaburo nodded.

 

“It has,” he agreed. “That is another - lesser - reason I had resumed the role of head instructor.”

 

“How many support one or another of the council?” asked Tsuruko.

 

“All together? Perhaps as many as half,” he said uncomfortably.

 

“Half, hmm…” mused the elder sister.

 

“If you force a showdown, it could break the school,” Daizaburo warned her.

 

“Worse, it could cause a war within our own ranks, sister,” Motoko observed.

 

“Is that what you fear most, Mo-chan?” asked Tsuruko, smiling at her sister. Slowly, Motoko smiled back.

 

“No, nee-chan,” replied Motoko. “It is not what I fear most. What I fear most, you already know,” she added softly.

 

“Then let us be about it,” Tsuruko said, touching her sister's hand. Motoko nodded. Reaching into her hakama, she pulled out her cell phone. Tsuruko turned back to her great uncle. “Uncle,” she said, looking him right in the eye, “the past is over. Let it go.”

 

“I…will try,” he managed. Tsuruko gave him a brief smile.

 

“That's good,” she said. “Because the immediate future is going to be noisy.”

 

-

 

“Hey, you feeling ok, Naru?” asked Kitsune, seeing her best friend staring off into space. Naru blinked, turning to see the fox in her doorway, a tray with some tea cups on it in her hands. What was I...oh, right! Shinobu asked me to help her review for the upcoming entrance exam, recalled Naru after a moment.

 

“I'm sorry, Kitsune-sempai, I should have taken care of that,” the younger girl said, looking up from her exam preparation guide.

 

“You're reviewing for you entrance exam, sugar,” Kitsune said, entering Naru's room with the tray. “I had nothing better to do, so…” she shrugged, setting the tray down at Naru's low table. Shinobu set aside her test book, Kanako closing the guide she had been perusing as well. Nodding, the Urashima girl took a cup, Naru and Shinobu following her lead. Kitsune picked up the last cup.

 

“Where is Haru?” asked Kanako.

 

“She and Granny stepped out a while ago. Didn't say where they were going, either,” noted Kitsune.

 

“I see,” Kanako murmured before sipping her tea. “This is good tea,” she added after she swallowed.

 

“Thank you, Kanako,” Kitsune inclined her head at the compliment. “So, what's on your mind, Naru?” the fox returned to the initial question.

 

Naru was - once more - staring off into space, this time looking at her tea, but clearly not seeing anything. Kitsune's eyes caught the flinch from Naru. “If something is wrong, you should share it with us,” Kanako said quietly. Naru looked at Kanako, clearly making some sort of decision.

 

“You're right,” said the brunette. “Do you know where Mu-chan is?” she asked Kitsune.

 

“What a nice bath,” came the Okinawan girl's voice. Looking to the door, they saw the naked Otohime woman step in the door, her towel in her hands, drying her thigh-length hair. “Why, hello everyone,” she smiled.

 

“Mutsumi,” Kitsune said, sounding amused.

 

“Wandering the halls naked again, I see,” was all Kanako said, though Naru noticed that the slim girl's eyes roved over the full curves of Mutsumi.

 

“Mu-chan, I need to talk with you and the others about something important,” Naru said. Mutsumi nodded, sinking down to kneel next to Naru. She was so close to Naru that her still-damp skin pressed against Naru's thinly-clad side. Mutsumi draped an arm around Naru's shoulder.

 

“What is it, Na-chan?” asked the older brunette of the younger.

 

“You all know what happened before,” said Naru unhappily. “About my problems with my temper and Mei,” she paused, wincing slightly at the memory of what had happened with her younger sister. “Well, the doctor I had my therapy with called me the other day. He wants to use my case in a presentation for some sort of psychiatrists' association meeting. I don't know how I feel about that, or even if it is a good idea. But,” she raised her eyes to look at the assembled women with her, “if it could help others with my kind of problem, maybe its worth the humiliation, you know?”

 

“That fraud of a doctor wants to smear your - and our - names in public?” asked Kanako, an all-too-familiar dark edge in her tone.

 

“No, Kanako,” Naru moved to head off the aggressive sister, “he said he wouldn't use any information that could be used to identify me, just the…issues I suffered from, and the root causes he discovered for most of them, as well as the treatment he came up with.”

 

“I don't like it, honestly,” Kitsune said slowly. “Spilling that kind of information could come back to haunt us.”

 

“But if he doesn't use any details that could identify her, how could they?” asked Shinobu. “Besides, if sharing her case could save others from suffering what Naru-sempai has, then isn't it maybe worth it?” weighed in the slim domestic. Naru-sempai was hurt by what happened with Mei-chan, she thought, recalling the look on Naru's face when Mei had faced her down in their own home and slapped her with a restraining order. I'm glad she isn't hurting Keitaro any more, but still, I felt bad for her. How would I feel if one of my sempais put a restraining order on me?

 

“I don't want anyone to know about my…problems,” Naru said, once more staring at nothing. Her hand was holding Mutsumi's hand tightly, “but even more than that, I don't want someone else to end up like me, you know?”

 

“Na-chan,” Mutsumi said, hugging Naru to her impressive bosom, “the old you would have denied having any problems, and not cared. The new you cares, and is worried that your past might cause problems for your family, yet still wants to help others that might have issues like yours,” said Mutsumi, easing back to kiss Naru softly on the forehead. “You asked me once if you were a good woman. I told you that was up to you. Here is your chance to find out for yourself if you are,” concluded Mutsumi, kissing Naru on the lips.

 

“Whatever you choose, we will be here for you, Naru-sempai,” promised Shinobu.

 

“Yeah, what Shinobu-chan said,” grinned Kitsune. “And if he does mess up and your identity gets out, we can sue him into the grave,” she suggested gleefully.

 

“Sue him for all he owns, destroy his life and then kill him, you mean,” Kanako corrected.

 

“Easy, Kanako,” sighed Kitsune, shaking her head. That girl has got some real aggression issues, thought the fox, hostility, too! “Though, maybe we should talk to the others about this,” she mused. “I mean, Motoko - being Urashima now - could find this to be some sort of insult to her name, you know?”

 

“You're probably right,” Naru mused, resting her face against Mutsumi's throat.

 

“Um, is it really that important?” wondered Shinobu. “I just mean, Naru-sempai's name is still Narusegawa, isn't it? Officially, anyway,” she added, blushing a little. She could very clearly recall the turtle clan marriage.

 

“Good point,” Kitsune chimed in.

 

“It is your decision, Naru,” Kanako said firmly. “Do you have time to wait for oni-chan and the others to return from Kyoto?”

 

“I told him I would give him an answer by tomorrow,” Naru mumbled.

 

“So, that would be `no', then,” Kitsune hummed. “Way I see it, sugar,” she said, sipping her tea, “flip a coin and let fate decide.”

 

“We're not all gamblers,” Kanako said dryly. “But either way, we will be ready, so I suppose it doesn't amount to much more than a coin toss.”

 

“I think you should, sempai,” Shinobu said, reaching out and touching Naru's arm. Naru raised and turned her head, looking at Shinobu's earnest expression. “I…I think this is what Mei would want - for you to be who you are now, instead of the angry, violent person you used to be,” she finished, blushing deeply as she looked away from Naru. “Not that it's my place to…!” she began, only to feel Naru's fingers cupping her chin, raising her face.

 

“No, Shinobu-chan,” Naru said, leaning closer to the young girl, “it is your place to share you opinion.” Closing the distance, Naru sealed her lips to Shinobu's lips, kissing her deeply. Other than a momentary opening of her eyes in surprise, Shinobu had no reaction to the kiss. Her eyes drifting closed, one of Shinobu's hands came up, carefully touching Naru's cheek as she returned the kiss. Across from the two, Kitsune smirked behind her cup of tea. Careful, Naru, thought Kitsune, her kisses are addictive! “We're all equals, after all,” Naru murmured in her ear as she broke the kiss to grab a breath before kissing Shinobu again.

 

“Hey! You're kissing my wife without me!” came an energetic voice from the door. Naru jerked slightly. Kaolla had arrived. “If you are going to kiss my wife, you have to kiss me, too!” declared Su, giggling eagerly as she leaped at Naru. Naru barely caught the younger Molmolian sister before she could collide with Shinobu or Mutsumi.

 

“Hey…!” began Naru, only to be silenced by Kaolla's kiss. What she lacked in experience, she clearly made up for in enthusiasm. “Mph!” managed Naru, feeling Kaolla's tongue slither into her mouth.

 

“Oh, my!” giggled Mutsumi, amused.

 

“Kaolla, I told you not to do that,” sighed Amalla.

 

“But Naru was kissing my wife without me!” protested Kaolla when Naru managed to - gently - break the kiss.

 

“And I told you, she isn't your wife yet,” replied Amalla. Su was unimpressed with that argument.

 

“She will be soon enough,” Su said, flipping a hand carelessly as she untangled from Naru. “What are you all doing?” she asked, curiously picking up one of the exam books. As Kaolla settled in at the table, Kanako slipped away, heading for the door.

 

“Kanako,” Amalla's voice paused her, “we need to talk - privately - about something important.” Kanako tossed her head, the tanned Molmolian following the pale Urashima down the hall and out of the Hinata, toward the inner garden that was opposite Naru's windows.

 

-

 

The doctor was humming as he printed out his finished presentation notes. He had a few hours to get to the convention, check in and, and see who was there before it would be time to give his lecture. He had managed to get the first lecture period of the convention, when the most number of his colleges would actually be paying attention to what the speaker had to say.

 

Tucking the lecture notes into his briefcase, he carefully reviewed the checklist in his head to make sure he had everything. When Narusegawa had called him the evening before, and given her approval, he had hurriedly polished up the rough draft of his speech, had his secretary read it over for any missed problem, then made a final draft. He was, he felt, ready to make his presentation to the association. Closing and locking his briefcase, he made sure that his files and desk were locked securely before moving toward the door to his office.

 

“I'm off to the convention,” he said to his secretary, back to her as he closed his office door.

 

“Are you?” a cold voice cut in, making him jerk in surprise. Spinning around, he found himself looking at a girl in a black dress, her eyes cold. He knew her, of course. That's Urashima Kanako, who sat in on those sessions with Narusegawa, recalled the doctor. “Before you go, we have business,” Kanako said, stepping forward and nearly pushing him back into his office.

 

“K…Kanako-san,” he tried for a calm tone, “what brings you here this late? And where is my secretary?” he wondered.

 

“You gave her the afternoon off,” Kanako said, taking his briefcase from him and flipping the catches open. Pulling his lecture notes from inside, she swiftly read through the pages while the doctor sweated. “Naru might have given you her permission,” Kanako said as she read, “but do not think for a moment we trust you half the distance we can kick you,” warned the granddaughter of the powerful family. Reaching the last page, she nodded to herself.

 

“I will allow you to present this,” she said, tucking the notes back into the briefcase. Her fingers danced through the contents of the briefcase, swiftly cataloging what was in there. “I have arranged for your presentation to be recorded. I will review that recording. If one word not in that outline is spoken about Naru's case, you and I will have another discussion about this; a less friendly discussion, you may be sure.”

 

“I understand,” he replied weakly. In his mind, he was seeing Naru's fist bending the steel frame of his couch, and reliving the disdain this dark girl had for the threat Naru had represented. Hina-sama is far from the only monster in that family, he realized.

 

“The notes. Now,” ordered Kanako, nearly thrusting his briefcase at him. The doctor fished up his keys, hurriedly unlocking his file cabinet and withdrawing the legal pads from inside. “I'll take the entire file,” Kanako interjected.

 

“But, the receipts…”

 

“You won't be bothered at tax season. Hand them over,” Kanako directed. The man lifted the entire folder from his files and handed it to her. She pulled a dark cloth bag from her dress and tucked the file into it. “You kept a legal pad in your safe. I will take that as well,” noted the girl.

 

“Those are general session notes,” began the doctor. He stopped abruptly, feeling like ice water was pouring over him. Kanako's gaze was cold. “Ok,” he agreed, unlocking the safe and pulling out the pad. The young woman swiftly flipped pages, tearing some out and leaving others. Mere moments later, she tossed the pad back to him, the pages going into her bag. “Open your desk,” she ordered.

 

“There's nothing in there about…” began the doctor.

 

“Open it or I will,” Kanako cut him off, raising a fist. The meaning was very clear to the doctor. He could unlock his desk, or she would smash it and take whatever she wanted from the wreckage. He liked his wood desk. So, he unlocked it. It took Kanako only twenty two seconds to go through it, and he noticed that she didn't make a mess. In fact, he realized, he would never have been able to tell someone had gone through his stuff. Is she a cat burglar, or a jewel thief or something like that? Maybe a contractor with the police headquarters unit? Or maybe a hire-out to the Yakuza? he amended his thought, recalling her capacity of violence and her dark, almost evil aura at times during the sessions she had sat in on.

 

“Our business is concluded,” announced Kanako, some small papers disappearing into her bag. “I suggest you not give us cause to speak ever again,” warned the girl, turning and exiting the office silently.

 

“Yes, I get that impression,” he mumbled to his empty office. Once more relocking everything, he exited his office, locking his office door. Pausing he looked at the empty desk his secretary usually sat at. Deciding that there was no point stirring up the Urashima family - or their scary grandchildren - he locked the door to his suite, boarded the elevator and rode down. Halfway to the lobby of his high-rise office building, he found his thoughts were turning toward the lecture he would be giving. By the time he was riding the train, he was already mentally rehearsing his lecture, peeking at the notes as he did so. It was important that he give a good lecture, after all.

 

And honestly, these are such fascinating, interlocking cases, too, he mused between silent dissertations. I can't help but wonder what I would have learned if I had been able to have sessions with this Maehara girl, since she is the common thread of the two cases, if not the primary link. Could it be that Narusegawa is not the only resident of this Hinata Dorm that has issues? She is certainly not the only one with tendencies toward violence.