Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ K2: A View to a Truth ❯ Chapter 8

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: Omega X

Almost four in the afternoon. Keitaro arrived earlier than he was expected. He wore a white short sleeved shirt buttoned almost all the way, but he didn't change his pants. He also wore a simple black loafer on his uninjured leg.

The meeting place was at a regular dining café, something simple, and something open. Keitaro had heard of place, even back at his world (was surprised it even existed here). Their specialty was with western dishes, and Keitaro found it rather odd on why Tsuruko would choose this place. Maybe she liked western food?

He saw her on one of the tables outside of the café, drinking a cup of tea. Judging from the cup, it was a traditional Japanese tea, and on her table was a small plate of Japanese sweets.

She saw him immediately, waving her hand at him. Keitaro wondered briefly how he should approach the woman, and decided that a normal one would do. He could still feel his mood souring with every moment his mind flashed back on the little memories he had on the woman.

She was not someone who'd be easily intimidated. Her swords skills are above question. She's as mysterious as a magician's trick that has not yet been revealed. He had no idea what she was planning, or why she had called on him to this place.

How would he act? Like his old self? The woman probably doesn't know the old Keitaro, so it would be safe be K2 for a while. And what would he say? What would she say? From what she said on the phone earlier, it was about Motoko.

A lot of questions kept popping in Keitaro's mind. By the time he had arrived on the table where Tsuruko was sitting, he decided to let the woman speak first. He needed to know what was on her mind… she had the advantage over him now. He wondered if he could turn that advantage to his side soon after they begin.

“Mr. Urashima,” Tsuruko greeted with a slight professional smile. “You're early.”

“I tend to not keep my dates waiting,” Keitaro replied evenly. “Especially ones that have captured my attention.”

“Oh… have I done that?” she raised her hand to call a waitress. “I'm sorry my dear boy… but I'm married.”

“Then it keeps things rather simple,” Keitaro countered, earning an amused look from the woman.

The waitress came, and smiled at them. After giving them both a professional greeting, Tsuruko told her to get Keitaro's order, if he wanted. Not really feeling rebellious, he accepted her offer, and ordered a clubhouse sandwich, with a side order of scrambled eggs and a glass of orange juice.

“You're a heavy eater, Mr. Urashima,” Tsuruko commented.

“I haven't had a good lunch I'm afraid,” Keitaro replied.

“You're also different then what I've heard,” she continued.

“Oh? Where have you heard me from?”

“My sister wrote to me… she described you as a perverted young man with insatiable taste in groping their tenants,” Tsuruko replied. “She kept writing to me letters every month ever since her arrival at Hinata-sou. I had read them all whole-heartedly.”

K2 bowed his head, and sighed. How stupid was Motoko? She wrote her sister letters about Keitaro, and then when her sister comes, she suddenly becomes engaged to him? No wonder Tsuruko seemed to know they were lying!

“Is that how you knew that Motoko was lying to you?” Keitaro asked. “She wrote to you every month… and each of her letters probably stated a lot of bad things about me…”

“Not everything was bad,” Tsuruko gently cut him off. “She did say some good things about you. You have a spine so weak that you'd happily do house chores that your tenants usually did in turns. You also could cook, and kept to yourself a lot because you lack in confidence… But that's not true, is it?”

Keitaro could only give her a small sarcastic smile.

“To her credit though,” Tsuruko continued. “She stopped writing me about eight months ago… though her opinion of you never changed. And when I arrived yesterday, I found out my sister was engaged towards the man she had claimed to detest. Even if she covered herself with a plausible answer, I didn't buy it.”

Keitaro remembered Motoko's answer on Tsuruko's question on how long they were engaged. Motoko had answered `eight months ago'… the same time she stopped writing Tsuruko. It might have been an okay answer… but did she possibly believe her older sister would even believe such a blatant lie?

Keitaro shook his head more. His answer to her was also another factor on how Tsuruko found the jig out. If Motoko kept writing to her sister, Tsuruko knew the two met longer than eight months [1].

He sighed.

“But… you…” Tsuruko looked towards him. “You're different from the man Motoko was writing about. You don't seem to lack confidence. You don't seem perverted.”

“She could have been lying,” Keitaro reasoned.

“Probably,” Tsuruko responded. “But I know my sister very much. She's quite honest in what she writes, especially when it concerns her feelings. Did you know she's a good story writer?”

Keitaro shook his head. That was something new.

“Well… I suppose she wouldn't share that secret to a `perverted' male,” she giggled softly, her tone going a bit sarcastic when she uttered the word perverted. “I was half-glad that you, a man, had taken over as the manager of her dormitory.”

“And why is that?” Keitaro asked, shifting his seat a bit.

“My sister has a problem with men,” Tsuruko stated, and took a deep drink in her cup.

The waitress arrived, and served Keitaro his sandwich sliced neatly into right angled triangles. The club-house sandwich propped to surround a handful of potato chips in the center, and around the sandwich wall was the scrambled eggs. A tall glass of orange liquid came in beside the plate.

Keitaro began to eat.

“Is it good?” Tsuruko asked, peering in his plate.

“Done well,” Keitaro replied, poking his egg with a fork, and took a bite. “The egg is a bit overcooked, though.

“Anyway, back to what you were saying… about Motoko having problems with men,” Keitaro smirked slightly, looking down. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I always thought she was more geared towards women.

“No offense,” he added after a momentary pause.

“None taken,” Tsuruko replied easily. “My sister… isn't like that.”

“You sound quite sure of that,” he stated.

“Yesterday proved that to me,” she replied. “When she actually trusted you to fool me in thinking she was engaged.”

“She was using me,” Keitaro took another bite of his egg. He swallowed. “I owe her my life… so I didn't mind.”

“Ah… so that's why you actually went through with it,” Tsuruko nodded to herself. “But… you're wrong, Mr. Urashima. She trusted you. If she didn't, you wouldn't have been the first one she went to for help.”

“I was the only man there,” he reasoned.

“Yes… and if she really was into women… she'd have gone for that lovely young woman with silver hair, wouldn't she?” Tsuruko countered.

“Maybe she didn't want you to think she was…” Keitaro gave a meaningful pause, “… like that.”

“If there is one thing my sister knows about me is that I do not care about the sex of the person she'd love,” she sounded a bit annoyed now. “I said to her many times… love is love, and it doesn't matter who you love. A man, a woman… for me it doesn't matter, and she knows that.

“Back to what I was saying… I'm glad that you, a man, are her dormitory manager. You see… I am to blame for her bias against men,” Tsuruko declared softly. “It was essentially my fault why she holds them in disdain.”

“Oh?” Keitaro asked. “What did you do?”

“I got married,” Tsuruko replied, and then drank some tea again. “For our school, those born within the family, if a woman who is named as the heir would marry… she'd forfeit the right to take over the dojo.”

“And what about the men named as heirs? What would happen if they marry?” Keitaro asked, taking a bite at his sandwich.

“Men aren't named as heirs,” Tsuruko smiled. “It's a tradition of many years. The Aoyama family started as simple priestesses who were assigned to drive away evil spirits. Beautiful women, all of them…”

“I can see that,” Keitaro stated easily. Tsuruko gave him a small smile.

“Of course, beautiful women attract powerful men,” she continued. “And most of the men before with any real power were samurais. They gave birth to children gifted at both swordsmanship and the ability in driving out supernatural forces. Since then, the Aoyama family had decided to add sword skills as a medium and it proved more effective in fighting evil spirits than the normal magic skills we used to possess.”

“That's a nice story, but I'm afraid I don't see what that has got to do with Motoko hating men,” Keitaro stated.

“It's rooted in some subtle teachings of Shinmeiryuu that men really don't hold much importance in the school,” Tsuruko explained. “Of course, that is just traditional propaganda. Men are just not named as heir of the school. Only women. And I was supposed to take over… but… I fell in love.

“Because of something so simple, I had to plunge myself off as heir of the school,” she continued. “I in avertedly dropped all my responsibilities to Motoko, who was still young at that time. But I didn't care… I was in love. And I believed in Motoko that she would make a fine heir.”

“Not anymore, as you seemed to have dropped her from the list,” Keitaro stated with a harsh tone.

“I wouldn't presume you'd understand, Mr. Urashima,” she softly replied. “As a warrior of my school, I take what is said to me seriously. She claimed to have married, and only said so to skip responsibilities and not because she did fall in love. I was insulted. And as her sister, I was hurt that she wouldn't even tell me the truth. I had no choice but to do what I did.

“Of course… I still love my sister very much,” she continued. “With that, I am opting to give her one more chance. If she passes, she can return as a swordswoman of our school, and continue to train as the heir.”

Keitaro's lips curled downwards.

“Then why are you telling me?” he asked. “Why don't you go tell Motoko?”

“Because, Mr. Urashima, you are an important factor to this test I will give my sister,” Tsuruko replied. “Quite important.

“You will have to help her best me in combat,” she ended.

Keitaro's mouth formed a shocked `o'. His mind seemed to have picked up that surprising bit of info quite fast. It now raised questions in his head… a lot of them. He could see a small sad smile form in Tsuruko's mouth, and even more questioned popped out.

“I have a broken leg,” he stated as a matter of fact. “I can't work out, nor move properly…”

“I'm sure a man like you wouldn't be stopped like that,” she replied, looking at his eyes. “Besides… you're just there as my sister's support. I do not expect you to fight me directly. It would be suicide for you.

“If you both win, she gets her status back.”

Keitaro glared at her for a moment, before he began to think more of this thoroughly. What are the chances that Motoko would be able to beat her? Judging from yesterday's battle and Motoko's attitude towards her sister that day, he wondered briefly if she'd even dare to confront her again.

“What if we lose?” Keitaro asked.

“Ah… then you will both have to make good with your lie, and marry,” Tsuruko stated straight, taking another sip of her tea.

“Excuse me?” Keitaro's tone got cold. He once felt his hackles rising along with his anger. His eyes narrowed towards the woman. Did he hear her right?

She looked back at him with the same coolness she always had, meeting his angry gaze with her own calm one. She didn't bother to smile anymore.

“You both will marry,” she replied. “As a warrior, I have to take high offense in you lying to me with Motoko. I did save your life, if you remember. You owed me… and you pay me back by trying to fool me. This is the least you can do to get back at my good graces.”

“I refuse,” Keitaro stated. “I don't like your damn game, woman.”

Tsuruko took his reply with ease, and grabbed a piece of rolled paper from inside her hakama, and unrolled it in front of the table. Keitaro looked down, checking out what she was showing him.

It was a marriage certificate, with both Motoko and Keitaro's name. His eyes widened.

“You…” Keitaro swallowed the curse he was about to say. “What's the meaning of this!?”

The certificate looked official. It even had the necessary stamps and information. Where the hell did she get this? Was she that well connected to even get something like this, this fast? Keitaro growled as he took the paper, and was tempted very much to rip it, knowing full well it was useless.

Tsuruko didn't seem to mind his temper and mood. She looked calm and serene while she took another sip of her tea.

“It's an official certificate,” she stated. “According to the law, you and Motoko are now husband and wife.”

“Why the hell are you doing this?” Keitaro demanded. “This is too much… even for a small lie!”

“This is for my sister,” she replied.

“You're sister? That's a damn lie! You're not helping her with this! You're going to ruin her life!” he ranted. “She doesn't need this!”

“Yes she does,” she stated evenly. “Her sword skills are degrading not because she lacks practice or discipline, but because she is conflicted. She needs someone who will help her in life. She needs to know how to depend on someone to grow stronger.”

“Get her a damn psychiatrist then!” Keitaro stated.

“She needs a man who will care for her,” Tsuruko countered. “Ever since the time I got married, she felt she lost her only sister and teacher to a male. She has to let go of these petty feelings and bias against men… and I think you're the man for her to teach her that. Yesterday… she trusted you with a big lie. She even protected you from my wrath in the bathes.”

“You're crazy,” Keitaro stated, earning a chuckle from her.

“Don't think this is some random thought made by a delusional woman,” she replied with a small smile. “She likes you, Mr. Urashima. I may not talk about you… but I know you care for her. If you hadn't… you wouldn't have lied with her.”

Keitaro looked towards the woman and towards the paper again. He closed his eyes. Was he cursed? Was that it? Motoko was to blame… with her half cooked plan to trick her devious sister, who was a bitch in her own right, thrusting to him something as stupid as this. Married? The notion was impossible in his mind!

Maybe what Tsuruko have said may be true… her sister probably did need help… maybe even a man. But she made such a decision without even thinking about him! Did she think that he was nothing more than a means to an end? He wanted to shoot that porcelain face. He wanted to rub out that small smile she had.

He growled, and looked away, rubbing his temples with his two hands. Damn this woman to hell. Damn Motoko as well.

“I know you don't like this, Mr. Urashima,” Tsuruko sounded a bit sorry for him. “But… it's not like you can't do anything about it. All you have to do is help Motoko beat me… and I shall null your marriage. That I promise you.”

“You don't expect us to win, do you?” Keitaro asked, suddenly looking at her with a stone face. “All this talk about beating you… you don't believe it's going to happen, do you?”

She smiled. “No, Mr. Urashima… I do not expect you two to beat me. But if you both do… then I may have been wrong about my sister. If you lose… she gains a partner which will help her to grow stronger than she is now.”

“You win, either way,” Keitaro stated.

“Yes,” she replied. “I can see we understand each other.”

“Very much,” Keitaro stood up. He was about to walk away when Tsuruko motioned the certificate with her hand.

“Take it with you,” she said. “And bring it to Kyoto where we will face each other. If you win, I will annul the certificate on the spot.”

“Fine,” he grabbed the paper, and rolled it. He placed it on the pocket of his shirt.

“When will I expect you both?” she asked.

“A week, starting tomorrow,” Keitaro replied evenly. “Good day, Aoyama-san.”

“Good day, Mr. Urashima,” Tsuruko smiled and watched the young man make his way away from her. When he was out of sight, she placed her palm on her face, and gently rubbed her eyes with her fingers in a tired manner.

She was playing with fire… and she could have possibly destroyed two lives, one close to her. She gave a small sigh. She hoped… prayed… that the gamble was worth it.

But the image of the man came back to her. He looked very frail, and was an almost non existent threat… but his spiritual energy was enormous, something her family could use. And the man himself was interesting…

“Urashima…” she whispered.

Her gamble will pay off… which way though, she'll have to find out in a week.

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Keitaro cursed as he stopped in a tree shade for a moment. His mood was still sour. It seems he finally met a woman that could aggravate him this much… but then again, she was not the sole to blame. It was this situation he was placed in that is making him lose his usually well honed edge.

All the training, and he was stuck here, pretending to be some weak willed loser who failed to get in to college three times! Has no girlfriend, no life outside study, is pushed around by women, even blackmailed (by Kitsune even!) at some points… and to top it off, he was in love with a gorilla. Amazing. Totally amazing.

K2 had enough. The world wants to screw him, fine then. He's going to screw the world back. That Aoyama woman wants a fight; she's going to get one. He made a plan to visit Yuko again, and get a wish. Screw the price. He wanted to see that woman's face when he and Motoko beat her down.

But… first things first. He's going to need Motoko back. She already had run away, and she probably hasn't returned yet. She'd also needed a sword, as her last one was done in by her older sister.

Swords are expensive weapons… especially the good ones. Where would he get the money to even buy a decent one for Motoko? He didn't want to look at Keitaro's bank account and even try to gauge if his measly money would be sufficient to buy one.

No… he would need some help. In his world, when he needed something, he'd gone for KU or H. Since Su isn't exactly KU, his thoughts focused on Haruka of this world. He wondered briefly if he could depend on her for something like this… but after a while, he shrugged, and went towards the Tea House.

What harm was there in asking for help, right?

He arrived in the there after a few moments, and came in through the open door. Luckily, there were not much guests around, and Haruka had spotted the hobbling Keitaro straight away, and waved at him.

Asking what he was doing here, Keitaro looked at her seriously, and told her that he was in need of advice and help. Haruka just nodded, and led him towards an empty table, where he sat for a while until every single guest left (Haruka put the closed sign on her shop as not to get new customers for that day).

“Alright, Keitaro, what did you want to talk about?” Haruka asked as she sat down opposite of Keitaro, lighting herself a cigarette.

Keitaro thought his words rather carefully. “I may need to borrow some money…”

“What for?” Haruka asked.

“I want to buy a sword,” he replied.

“A sword?” Haruka looked at her nephew neutrally for a moment. “Look… if the girls are much more dangerous to you now since you're injured, I'm sure you can just talk to them in treating you a bit more gently…”

Keitaro gave her a look. “No, it's not for me,” he stated. “It's for Motoko.”

And then, he launched an explanation of the happenings of yesterday, assuming that Haruka hasn't heard from any of the tenants. He was partly correct. Haruka had heard from Kitsune that Motoko's sister had come and visit, and it wasn't a good day. The woman didn't elaborate though, and she focused more on Motoko's new act, involving her sake turning to vinegar.

Keitaro explained in full detail, how Motoko had convinced him to play along with her farce, only to be found out. He recounted the details of the bathes where the two Aoyama's fought hard and fast, resulting in Motoko's sword cut to two. He also told her about Motoko's outrageous acts and dress that morning, preparing poorly quantified meals which left the tenants hungrier than ever, and finally, his meeting with Tsuruko.

“And she told me that in a week, Motoko will have to return to Kyoto, probably where she had trained, to challenge her sister again,” Keitaro concluded. “If she wins… she gets back her status. Since she doesn't have a sword, I figured I could get one for her.”

Haruka looked at him for a moment, and then took a deep breathe from her cigarette. She seemed to be thinking and swallowing what Keitaro had just said. Her form reminded him of H back home… he was kind of glad that it did. The contrast of this world and his were so glaring that he thought he would slowly lose his sanity… it was only the familiarity of some people that held him on a bit longer.

“Keitaro…” she finally spoke. “Tell me something. Why are you going for all the trouble in helping Motoko with a sword?”

“I feel partially responsible for agreeing with her lie…” he lied solemnly. “If I didn't get involved, Motoko would have probably have admitted to her sister the truth and things may have turned differently.”

“So… you're going to probably borrow a lot of money because you feel partially responsible…” Haruka gave Keitaro a look. “I suppose that's how this Tsuruko woman felt that she had to tell you that she's giving Motoko a second chance instead of going to her, right?”

Keitaro knew Haruka knew he was lying. He closed his eyes, and his lips formed an amused smile. A chuckle escaped from them, and he shook his head. Unbelievable. He felt like he was back at home for a moment.

Without any more lies or even words, Keitaro took out the certificate from his shirt pocket, and unrolled on top of the table, in front of Haruka, who looked a bit surprised as she read it. Understanding seemed to dawn on her, and she nodded to herself.

“My, my, Keitaro… how do you get into situations like this?” she asked. “First… Todai. Then… Naru, and now… married to Motoko.”

Keitaro wanted to do a small protest about the Naru bit, but desisted. “Story of my life,” he muttered.

“Yeah… it is,” Haruka agreed. “Look… I don't have any money to help you here…”

Haruka half expected Keitaro's face to go dejected, but was rather disappointed to see that her nephew seemed to have read her accurately, and sat up, leaning towards the table, listening aptly for the `but'. She didn't disappoint.

“But… I think there's a sword here available,” she ended. “I've heard from grandma lots of times, and even spotted it once in the dorm.”

“Where?” Keitaro asked, curious.

“Attic,” she replied easily. “It's an old sword… probably a forgotten heirloom… so, I don't know if it can be used for battle.”

“Better than nothing I suppose. If it can't be used for battle, then it could sell enough to get one that can,” Keitaro stated. “Have you been at the dorm? Did Motoko return?”

“No, and I don't know,” Haruka replied. “But judging from Kitsune here twenty or so minutes ago… she hasn't returned.”

“The sword's useless without the swordswoman,” he stated softly. “I'm going to look for her.”

“It's probably your fault that she ran away… isn't it?” Haruka asked.

“Did you guess, or did Kitsune tell you?” Keitaro asked, giving Haruka a patronizing look.

“She might have mentioned it…” she replied with a smirk.

Keitaro smiled softly, and stood up. He was done with this business, and now it was time to move to the next. He limped towards the exit, while Haruka stayed behind, looking at him.

“If you're going, bring some umbrellas,” Haruka stated. “I heard it was going to rain tonight.”

Keitaro gave her a brief nod, and grabbed two umbrellas (Haruka pointed them out) before he exited the tea-house.

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The rain had already poured when Keitaro had left the Hinata grounds. He opened one of the umbrellas and walked around the streets of this prefecture. Once in a while, he'd ask a few people if they have seen a woman in a French maid outfit running around. Some responded positively, and pointed him in a direction.

As Keitaro continued on, he met Mutsumi on the way, who was under a bus stop, sheltered from the rain. He gave her a slight smile.

“Mutsumi-san…” he greeted. “Going home?”

“I was going to visit,” Mutsumi gave him a silly smile. “But… the rain kinda stopped me.”

“Ah…”

“Where are you going, Kei-kun?” she asked.

“I'm looking for Motoko,” Keitaro replied easily. “She's… faced a problem. And… well, let's say it wasn't pretty.”

“Ah,” Mutsumi nodded to herself. “I think I saw her running this way for a moment… she wore such a cute maid outfit!”

“Really?” he smiled a bit. “Where? When?”

“Just a few minutes ago,” Mutsumi pointed towards the streets. “She ran and turned left at the second block there.”

“Thanks,” Keitaro was about to walk towards where Mutsumi had pointed to him, when he looked towards the woman. He offered her the second umbrella.

“You can visit if you want,” he stated. “But… it probably won't be a good time.”

She just nodded. “Okay, Kei-kun… thanks,” she smiled at him.

“You can return it to Haruka,” Keitaro gave her a smile. “Bye Mu-chan!”

Mutsumi smiled and waved towards the retreating back of Keitaro. He called her Mu-chan again. He unconsciously kept calling her that. It always gave shivers to her spine. The way he talked to her, and the way his eyes bore into hers… she sighed.

Opening the umbrella, she walked on the rain under its protection, and walked back home.

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Keitaro hastened his pace as he turned left on the street corner, and spotted the familiar black and white maid dress that Motoko wore. She was on her knees, shaking off a dog that seemed to have taken a liking to her hand. She still looked crestfallen defeated. Her eyes, unmistakably, had tears.

Keitaro sighed. He walked slowly towards her, and approached her. She seemed to have sensed him, looking up to him. He was right. She had been crying. He shook his head. He gave her an assuring smile.

“Hey…” he calmly greeted her. “Motoko… lets get you home.”

She looked at him, her lips quivering. Kami-sama… the girl looked extremely vulnerable. She didn't seem to know how to respond. After a minute in the rain, she didn't move from her spot. She bowed her head down to her knees.

“Leave me alone…” she whispered softly.

Keitaro looked down for a moment, then back at her. His eyes steeled with determination, and his face was neutral. He closed his eyes.

“No. I'm not leaving you alone.”

She looked at him, and he back. The two stayed under the crying dark sky, waiting for one of them to move.

To Be Continued…

Notes:

[1] - Chapter 06 of A View to a Truth, Keitaro reasoned to Tsuruko the difference of the answer on when Motoko and he started dating. He claimed that she says eight months because that's when they met.

Anyways, hope you people enjoyed that. And for those asking questions in their reviews, thanks for them. :P If anyone noticed, I integrate an answer in future chapters.

Now, an Extra for all of you! An exclusive interview of K2 from Aaron!!

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The spotlights turned on, and the music blared. A voice from the intercom announced the start of the program.

"It's that time again. It's 'Late Night with Aaron Saotome. And now here's your host, the co-star of UNNC, AAARON SAOTOME!!"

The audience claps heartily. In comes Aaron, wearing a tux and his usual shades.

"Thank you. Thank you. Some of you are wondering if I'll ever get a guest spot on K2. The answer is probably not. I'm way too overpowered and cool for those stories,” Aaron paused for a moment before he continued. “So, instead of appearing in those stories, I invited our guest tonight! Please give a round of applause for K2, from the fics of the same name!"

The trumpets sounded and music played as Keitaro `K2' Urashima walked in, waving his hands towards the clapping audience. He wore a brown jacket with a white undershirt, brown pants and brown shoes.

Keitaro walked towards Aaron, and shook his hand. Aaron motioned Keitaro to sit, and the two men sat down, and their sides slightly across each other.

“Welcome, K2, to my show,” Aaron greeted.

“Thank you. Glad to be here,” Keitaro replied with a slight smile.

“So… here's my first question,” Aaron looked towards him. “How's Budss as a writer?”

“As a writer do you mean on how he makes his stories or how he directs them?” he asked.

“Both.”

“Well… this is a bit hard to answer... At first, when he showed me the concept of the story, I was quite impressed. Of course I wanted to do it... you rarely have Keitaro, me, as a character doing or acting like a supernatural agent with a touch of Bond.

“Most of the ideas he came up with were quite fabulous...” Keitaro continued, “though my complaint before was he didn't exactly give much narrative life to his first stories, but it was fine since he wrote something quite original and catchy.”

"He still needs to be careful in my opinion, of letting DEL dominate his stories. I mean look at me, I'm a damn plot device for a reason,” Aaron pointed out.

“That only happened in the Crimson Daylights, and I agree...” Keitaro replied. “He could have worked on it. But think about it.... this wasn't exactly K2's mission, but Laharl's. I was just along to protect him. In the end... the whole story was a just a way to launch the next story forward. The Golden Maiden and such.”

"So, were you scared shitless by the kugai?" Aaron asked.

"The kugai was something new, so of course I was rather shocked,” Keitaro chuckled softly. “I wasn't exactly scared shitless, as you say... but it was scary of course."

“Thanks for the compliment,” Aaron smiled. "Nice to know they still got the touch. So what do you think of the current story?"

“A View to a Truth?” Keitaro asked. “Well, for one thing, Buds got inspired. The change of style was quite apparent, and I like it. Gives my character a bit more... character."

Keitaro laughed softly.

“Gives my character more character… a bit redundant, eh?”

"Nah. I've heard worse,” Aaron stated. “Speaking of character, where's the sex in this one? It seems like you haven't gotten laid once in this fic."

“Actually, it was written that Kitsune and I got alone in a motel together in the first chapter,” Keitaro replied. “But I kinda agree. It's been seven chapters or so, and I haven't even started putting that K2 charm of mines.”

He laughed again.

“But seriously, though… I've heard that there will be one with another girl,” Keitaro replied. “Most who have read and followe the fic would most likely guess who. Even if there wasn't, its done for a reason. Canon Keitaro isn't exactly someone who sleeps around, so, it would have been really odd to the tenants there if he started to, right?”

“You sir, are a disgrace to man-whores,” Aaron announced, earning a laughter from everyone, including Keitaro.

“Well, I wouldn't want to be known as the Keitaro character based on Moore and Brosnan's Bonds, you know,” Keitaro replied with a smile. “In some of their movies… all they have to do is wink a little, say a rather corny pun, and they get jumped by the women.”

“Hmmm, speaking of Bonds… who's you're favorite Bond?” Aaron asked.

“Well… I like Connery… though I do believe my character and stories were born out of Daniel Craig's version of Bond,” Keitaro replied.

“Craig, eh?” Aaron nodded. “Well, Budsy seemed to have a mad-on for Craig. I haven't watched CR yet so I'm withholding judge.”

“Yeah, Buds likes Craig a lot,” Keitaro nodded. “I kind of like him too, but for me, original is still the best.”

“Alright,” Aaron nodded. “So, of all the women in the fics thus far, which one was the most enjoyable? And if you could have a night with any woman, who would you pick?"

Keitaro laughed a moment.

“Oh… that's a hard question!” he chuckled. “Why not all of them? I mean, all of them are beautiful women. Even the Golden Maiden and Shinata. If I could, why not right?”

He smiled. “But if you're asking which girl I like more as a character, I'd have to go for Mutsumi. Second would be Kitsune.”

"Faithful to the last. And you'd probably be a dried corpse by morning if you tried all of them at once. Unless you're part shikima?" Aaron asked, giving a small smile towards the audience, making them laugh.

Keitaro looked curiously for a moment before he laughed along with everyone. “Shkima... oh, no...” he stated. “Don't give Buds any ideas! I'd die if I find out I'm actually part Shkima or even going to sleep with a Shkima girl. From Crimson Daylights, you'd think Bunny girls are quite extreme... they don't touch the Shkima."

Aaron just laughed harder. “Too late now!” he stated with a smile. “I'm surprised though you got the reference. Anyway, since you won't remember this anyway, I'll make a hypothosis. You are probably only half human. Savanti and that vampire lord said you had unusually high spirit energy. That could be explained by being a hyrbid."

Keitaro just smiled.

“Ah well... yes, I've heard those rumors as well, but..." he approached Aaron. “Just for you... I'll say no. I'm pure human. But... A View to a Truth not only speaks about the truth about the Universe, but also a truth about me. Buds knew the title was a keeper when he had the story in mind."

"I'm impressed you're taking the truth about the multiverse so well,” Aaron commented. “Just pray you never end up in the marvel-verse.” He shuddered.

"Oh yeah... I've read some comics,” Keitaro nodded then laughed. “It's amazing how many super powered characters are there and not blow up the world."

"Well, we've got to wrap this up soon. So, any questions for me?" Aaron asked.

“Well... one. Buds told me you got... six wives?" Keitaro asked.

“He's a lying bastich. It's 3, 4 later on,” Aaron replied. “You actually met one of them. Remember that delightful teal-haired tomboy?"

Keitaro laughed.

“Yes, I do,” he nodded. “The reason why I asked was because Buds and I had a bet. He won it.”

“What did he win?” Aaron asked.

“Nothing. Its one of those cheesy bets where the price is nothing but a few laughs,” Keitaro smiled. “Inside jokes. Not even supposed to reveal them.”

Aaron laughed. “Well, that's all the time we have. Thanks for coming on the show. And pray that we never have to fight."

“Ditto,” Keitaro stated with a smile, and stood up.

Both shook hands as the music started to play once again. The crowd cheered, and Keitaro waved at them as he went for the exit. Everything fades to black.

Well… that's all folks. Enjoy! :P