Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ K2: A View to a Truth ❯ Chapter 18

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18 - The World Ends

 

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Demon Eyes Laharl woke up with an odd feeling. He hated odd feelings. For him, it meant either a range of things… he was about to receive some news he'd rather not hear about, or some idiot out there did something, like summoning a great Demon Lord accidentally near his staying area, or it actually meant nothing at all, just bad milk, and he worried needlessly about nothing.

 

It had been a week already. Shinobu, bless her heart, had been Keitaro's alibi as the tenants began to question his absence. She claimed that he had called just yesterday, and that he wanted to tell everyone that he was fine. Of course, after the third time of claims, Kitsune had demanded the young homemaker to give her the phone if he ever called again. She was getting impatient.

 

Naru and Motoko had a devil may care attitude about the whole ordeal, though they were beginning to suspect foul play. They were already asking many questions towards Shinobu, getting details, and thankfully, the young girl was smart not to bury herself in lies she wouldn't remember during pressure.

 

He had been sleeping rather peacefully in KU's lab when he awoke. The anti-magic field around the area had considerably sated his mana-induced lust, and he was the first to get updates from Heaven, relayed by Su. The only time he had to leave was to teach class, but thankfully, all of the students around the place were seemingly giddy to start their Festival that they didn't care much if he was just reading out the lesson by the book instead of the regular Teacher-Student discussion teaching style he usually did.

 

He lounged around KU's lab after washing his face. Class wasn't until after lunch, anyway, so he had time to kill. As long as he didn't bother the Molmolian, who was busy tinkering away on a new watch she had said she would give to K2 once he returned, he could stay as long as he wanted.

 

“Hey KU…” he greeted.

 

“Hey Laharl. Mornin!” she greeted cheerfully.

 

Laharl nodded, and sat down and watched the scientist/inventor (mad one) quietly for a moment before she spoke again.

 

“Not gonna eat breakfast? I hear Shinomoo is making something delish!”

 

“Not feeling up to it…” he replied. “Any news?”

 

“Nothing so far,” KU said.

 

“Damnit… does it really take this long?” Laharl complained. “Heaven's standards are falling, I swear.”

 

“They are doing fine. They already investigated about 435,000 universes,” KU smiled, looking towards Laharl. “And they are closing in.”

 

“Yeah… that damn goddess kept traveling from one world to another, taking mana to keep her travels going,” he growled. “You know, it's ironic that we need her to find K2… though honestly, the way how worlds work, it's nothing new.” Laharl finally found himself in a talkative mood, despite his earlier negative feelings. “For example, me and Tsuru…”

 

Lights suddenly flashed, and Laharl looked at KU, who nodded. Rushing to the main computer room, KU clicked a few keys in her dual-keyboards, while Laharl fixed himself behind her. The screen flickered, and revealed the Seraph.

 

“Laharl… we pinpointed her location,” he stated with a hint of smile in his face.

 

“Great!” Laharl nodded, and rushed out of the room, only to pause and look back towards KU. “Uh… hey, can you send a message for me?”

 

“To the Mahora Academy's Principal?” KU asked with a smile. “I'll tell him you'll be taking a sudden leave, family emergency.”

 

“You're the greatest KU,” Laharl winked before he vanished from Su's view. He ran down the lab, and took one of the few secret passageways to exit the Hinata-sou. He didn't want to meet tenants now, and he was in a rush. He needed to get to Heaven at once.

 

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Keitaro watched in horror as the big ball of energy came at him in full speed. Before he knew it, he was engulfed around the bright blue-white colors of electricity. He thought he had died, and he might have if it wasn't for the person in front of him.

 

Tsuruko Aoyama's two hands held the blade as she called forth an enormous amount of energy from her body and directed it towards her blade. She growled as she brought down her nodachi, and like an enormous hammer, brought down the ball of energy to the ground with explosive force. Keitaro fell down, as the shockwave was so strong it threw dust and rocks around, covering the area.

 

“Keitaro!” Motoko called as she held him slightly.

 

Keitaro finally blinked and came through. In the dusted surroundings, he could make out Motoko who was beside him, and Tsuruko, who bent down to grab her short sword. She must have dropped it to use her two hands to support her primary weapon, the nodachi.

 

“Are you alright, Keitaro-san?” the older Aoyama asked. “It seems our duel will have to wait. A rude guest appeared, and dropped in unannounced.”

 

Keitaro coughed slightly. He could feel Motoko's warm hands in his arm.

 

“I'm fine… thanks,” he replied with slight hesitation. Thanking Tsuruko was the last thing he wanted to do towards the woman, but she did save his life again. He looked towards Motoko and back to the other Aoyama. “What was that?” he asked.

 

“Burst Lightning Bolt Spell, level two,” Tsuruko answered immediately. “By compressing electrical energies into a ball, it's launched to an enemy with explosive splash effects.”

 

“Correct.”

 

Keitaro immediately stiffened as the voice came from right in front of him. Motoko immediately raised her worn weapon defensively. Keitaro shook his head once more, and looked for the weapon he had dropped when he was taken off his feet.

 

Catch me.

 

Keitaro's right hand automatically grabbed as the shadow flew towards him. It was his sword and when he was re-united with it, he took notice that the girl once again re-appeared (he was still too out of it to realize she wasn't present earlier), and went to a defensive position.

 

Tsuruko herself held her arm at them, holding them at bay, and shielding them slightly from any more attacks.

 

“Who are you?” she demanded.

 

“I am an avenger,” the voice replied, coming closer. The dust was slowly settling, and the silhouette of was emerging, slowly showing their attacker's features. “I am justice.”

 

Keitaro could have sworn he could recognize the voice. It wasn't until the dust finally settled did his eyes widened in recognition. The blonde hair was slightly longer, dirtier and looked like it lost a battle against a comb, but her glazed-looking eyes directed at Keitaro were unmistakable.

 

“Mr. K2… I see you…” she laughed slightly.

 

“Miyabi…” he muttered under his breathe. He hadn't dreamed that she would be after him, but he should have taken it to consideration. If Laharl or Heaven was definitely trying to find him, he should have at least assumed that she would as well, though since he last saw Laharl before he was transported to this world, he assumed that it was most likely that the demon hybrid had captured her, and never even really bothered after that.

 

He was wrong in that aspect because there she was, staring daggers at him.

 

Motoko looked at Keitaro when he whispered her name. The young man looked back at her, and saw questions piling up in her eyes.

 

“Keitaro… how do you know this…” she did not seem to dare on finishing her question.

 

Keitaro slightly looked away … he felt slightly guilty of not telling her about himself truthfully, but what could he have done? Tell her he was from a different world? After he tried to convince everyone he was the same Keitaro they knew, only changed due to painful circumstances?

 

Tsuruko didn't mind the two young ones behind her as her eyes were looking straight at the goddess'. She knew what she was by nature, but what she didn't know is why she was here. This was the Aoyama grounds, and to the agreement the family had with Heaven, their grounds were open to their kind, but, nevertheless, they would never take too kindly of a surprise attack.

 

“I demand to know your purpose here,” she stated with a cold tone. “And to explain yourself on opening fire on us!”

 

“I was firing at him!” Miyabi's finger pointed towards Keitaro. Her nails were unevenly cut like she was biting them, and smudged with dirt. “And you had to stop me, didn't you!? I thought for a moment I finally was able to blow his guts wide open! Did you know HOW MUCH MANA I HAD SPENT WITH THAT ATTACK!?”

 

Tsuruko took a step back slowly. “He is under the jurisdiction of the Aoyama's. You have fired on our grounds, and almost hurt any of us with such an explosive attack,” her eyes narrowed. “So if I were you, I wouldn't be worrying how much energy you just spent.”

 

Miyabi just laughed. Her head began to shake, moving slightly left and right as she spoke every word in a mocking tone, “You… don't… care… how… much… mana… I… spent…” and she cackled. “Do you know who you are talking to, measly human!? Just stand back, and let me fry him!”

 

Tsuruko looked stole a look back towards Motoko, and her lips moved, whispering, `Get out of here now!' The young Aoyama nodded and took hold of Keitaro. It didn't escape the mad goddess' eye as her lips twitched slightly.

 

“Oh… you're not going to let me get my revenge?” she asked in a cutesy tone, which suddenly changed as her face contorted to an ugly frown. “THEN DIE WITH HIM!”

 

An explosion of mana came forth from her hands, quickly forming a large ball of lightning. No chants, no build-up… just instantaneous amounts of mana formed in a split second. Tsuruko suspected that the goddess she was dealing with was some warrior, trained for fighting. Her spells right now, while powerful, were nothing compared to the higher tier gods and goddesses, who with a single spell, can destroy any district in a long distance. What they can't make do with heavy artillery spells however, warrior goddess do make up with speed and combat prowess. They can call forth weaker spells quickly to disable or kill their targets.

 

Tsuruko bent her knees, and looked straight ahead. In a split second that the goddess would call her attack, she could dodge the moment the spell would be sent at her, and attack the goddess who would be left wide open… but she couldn't. Right behind her, Motoko had finally took off running, but by dragging Keitaro, she may not be able to dodge the reckless attack.

 

She raised her two weapons, and placed them in a defensive position in front of her. Her breathing calmed and she closed her eyes as the ball of lightning launched from the goddess hands. Calling forth her ki from within, Tsuruko Aoyama yelled slightly as she felt the energy collide with her swords. Encompassed with her ki, she twirled her weapons around for a moment, delaying the motion of the lightning ball as she slowly built up more and more of her energy. From her legs, to her arms, and to her sword, she finally pivoted her foot, turned, and using her two weapons heavy with ki, hit the lightning ball back to the offender.

 

Miyabi's eyes widened as she saw her own attack suddenly come back at her. She didn't have time to react, and closed her arms around her defensively as the air was suddenly filled with electricity, and exploded in her face.

 

Tsuruko watched with a slight smile on her face. She hadn't come out of that unaffected. Her hakama was burned, cut and she was bleeding slightly in her forearms. Her ki had diminished, and it was going to take a while before she could regain all of it, but it was worth it. Behind her, Motoko and Keitaro had effectively disappeared. Knowing that the future of the Aoyamas had escaped harm invigorated her to stand up, and got to a defensive position. She knew it wasn't over.

 

As the smoke cleared, the goddess looked even more ragged than earlier. Her hair and her skin, like the older Aoyama, was burnt, and she was looking rather mortified.

 

“You…” she began to mutter with hate. “You are with him, aren't you? You… you, you you!” she cackled slightly. “You were with him when he shot her, weren't you!? You cheered as he put my partner down! YOU WERE THERE!”

 

“I do not listen to the ramblings of an obviously mad celestial,” Tsuruko muttered with a cold edge in her voice. Her smile suddenly turned wicked as she gripped her two weapons with more strength. “But the fact that you tried to kill me and those under my care is something I cannot choose to ignore.”

 

“I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU!” Miyabi screamed as her sword suddenly appeared in her hand. Without a moment's pause, she dashed towards the older Aoyama, who still had that grin in her face. Her two weapons were ready and waiting as the two forces clashed at each other with an explosive force.

 

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Motoko and Keitaro both sat down on the ground. Far away, they could hear the sounds of intense battles. Keitaro looked at Motoko slightly, who was seemingly conflicted by something. Her hands were still grabbing his arm rather painfully.

 

“Motoko… shouldn't we get moving?” he asked silently.

 

“She knew you…” she whispered hoarsely. Her eyes went to his accusingly. “What's going on here Keitaro? Why is she after you?”

 

“I don't know,” Keitaro lied, clenching his free hand slightly. “I never met her in my life.”

 

“She called you something… K2?” Motoko shook his head. “You knew her name!”

 

“Look,” Keitaro thought fast. “I don't know why that goddess is after me…”

 

“How did you know she was a goddess?”

 

Keitaro cursed silently as he found himself in a mess. Yes, how did he know? He could get away with a name, saying the goddess had looked like someone, but knowing the celestial's nature just clinches the fact that he does indeed know Miyabi.

 

“Do not get silent with me Urashima!” Motoko growled angrily as she grabbed Keitaro's collar. “My sister is fighting with her life out there! She just expanded her energy like crazy! Why do you know her!? Why does she know you!? Damn it, Keitaro, just tell me what's going on!!”

 

Keitaro looked away, and gritted his teeth. He could feel his stomach turning as he tried to think a way out of this. He couldn't. The only thing that can explain everything now was the truth… and the truth was he was not the Keitaro she knew. He was some supernatural agent of another world that had been transported here through very unexpected circumstances. How would he explain that?

 

She's sensible and knowledgeable with the supernatural going-ons. There is no legitimate reason why she wouldn't believe you. Your story is not as farfetched as you would think. And even if she won't believe you, it supports everything that had happened since you had arrived to this world.

 

Keitaro stole a look towards the sword-girl. While she was right, it was not the reason why he would not admit the truth to Motoko. If anything, he didn't want to lose her like this. What would she say if she knew the Keitaro she fell in love with is not completely him? He didn't know if he could take it, so he did what he thought what was best at that time.

 

“It is none of your business Aoyama,” he whispered hoarsely.

 

Motoko looked like she was slapped. Her eyes blazed with anger as she tightened her grip. Her mouth opened and closed, and she was seemingly trying to find the words.

 

“Non… none of business?” she demanded. “Weren't we partners!?”

 

“Just because we are doesn't mean I have to tell you my life's story!” Keitaro replied.

 

For a moment, the young Aoyama looked like she was going to hit him, she really did. She dropped her practice sword for a moment, and raised her fists. Keitaro just looked rather impassively at her. For him, it didn't matter anymore if she did hit him or not, though at that point, he hoped she would.

 

She didn't. A moment later, she seemed to have calmed down and released Keitaro's collar. She shook slightly, but nodded her head. She looked at Keitaro for a moment, her lips threatening to shake uncontrollably.

 

“You're right. You don't have to tell me your life's story…” she stood up. “You don't need to say anything to me at all. It's obvious that you don't trust me at all.”

 

“Its not that I don't trust you Motoko…” Keitaro tried to console her. “It's just… complicated.”

 

“Complicated?” Motoko glared at him. “There is nothing complicated about this! You just don't want to tell me!”

 

“Yes, I do not want to tell you!” Keitaro shouted at her.

 

“Why not? What are you afraid of?” she asked.

 

Keitaro growled, but didn't answer.

 

“Why?” Motoko insisted. “What is bothering you so much that you can't share it with me? Why are you-”

 

She didn't end her question. The sound of battle was interrupted with a sudden explosion, and a scream of pain. The Aoyama's eyes widened as she looked at the direction of the pained shriek. Keitaro looked rather bothered as well.

 

The one who screamed was not Miyabi, but Tsuruko.

 

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Tsuruko's back was towards the wall as her legs were almost giving way. She looked up and watched with agony as the goddess seemed to come after her. More bolts of lightning came forth from the air and charged at her mercilessly. She could do nothing but defend, raising her only weapon left, the nodachi. Her short sword had been lost somewhere with the last attack.

 

The goddess was, if she guessed correctly, in a berserk mode. She had been expending very large amounts of mana almost recklessly just to try to hit her. Quick successions, her offense came in too fast and too powerful, more than the rate of Tsuruko's ki recovery. She found it slightly ironic that she was facing a larger and almost impossible force that she could handle at that specific moment when earlier, she was being that very same force facing against her younger sister and the enigmatic Urashima kid.

 

Swiping away and another lightning attack away, she tried to call forth more ki, but her muscles were already fatigued in expending that much. It had been a while since she had been forced to use that much ki, and her conditioning wasn't as good as it was when she was young.

 

“Too much peace…” Tsuruko whispered almost inaudibly. Yes… her married life was very peaceful and other than a few conflicts, she needn't a reason to train as much as she did when she was young. If she did… she may have lasted much longer than this. As her arms felt like lead, she wondered if she should start planning her escape, though she nixed that plan, as she couldn't even walk.

 

There was another roar as the air once again ripped away as the goddess called forth more lightning spells from the air around her. Like spears made of electricity, they launched at her from all sides. Tsuruko raised her arm as she tried to block them again, but with her sluggish response, she couldn't deflect all of them. She missed some of them and they passed her defenses, and she hoped they wouldn't hit anything vital.

 

Three bolts had hit her thigh, shoulder, and knee. The last one had finally gotten through her pain threshold, and she had left herself completely open for a split second… that was more than enough time for the goddess to launch a single bolt directed to her heart.

 

For Tsuruko, time seemed to slow as she tried to force her arms to work again to block the lethal projectile, but it was too late. She had almost come to accept her fate when a sudden glint of metal hit the offending bolt, and the energy disappeared in the air, causing no harm.

 

“Sister… are you alright?” Motoko asked, stepping protectively in front of the fallen Aoyama. Her sword was raised and ready, as her eyes steadily looked towards the goddess approaching.

 

There was no time to reply as the celestial just attacked her new target. Multiple bursts of energy, Motoko blocked them with cool efficiency as Tsuruko had done earlier, though if one looked closely, there was a slight waste of movement, which was exploited as more and more projectiles were launched towards the young Aoyama. Soon, like her older sister, was forced back at the sheer tenacity of the goddess' attack that Motoko's ki finally wavered, and her sword couldn't take the pressure anymore, and finally broke from the earlier crack it had.

 

“Motoko! Use this!” Tsuruko shouted as she threw her nodachi in the air. Motoko nodded, grabbed it, and blocked the attacks without taking a pause.

 

Now reinforced with a superior weapon, Motoko could now use her remaining ki to use her energy attacks to its fullest. Launching her own energy forward, she was able to cancel out some of the projectiles with one slash.

 

“Hmph… still a bit crude with ki usage,” Tsuruko commented slightly as she watched her sister dash forward to her enemy.

 

“I am surprised that you allowed someone else to use your sword…”

 

There was no need to turn, as Tsuruko knew that Keitaro was beside her. She smiled slightly as she tried to stand.

 

“Urashima-san… if there is one person who I'll trust my soul to, it would be my dear sister,” Tsuruko stated. She looked at him. “You should have run with her. I gave you time to get out of this place.”

 

“Yes, well, your sister wouldn't react too well if I just upped and leave, you know,” Keitaro replied back. “Besides… even if we did, I'd never have seen such a revelation; you, on your knees, helpless.”

 

“There is no shame in defeat as long as the spirit remains intact,” Tsuruko countered. “Even if I had died… I'd be happy knowing I protected our future.”

 

“Yes, well, the future you speak of doesn't want you to get off the train just yet,” Keitaro growled slightly as he positioned himself under her arms, and helped her stand. He motioned the fight there, where Motoko and Miyabi were now fighting in melee. “While they are fighting, let's get out of here before she spots us.”

 

Keitaro and Tsuruko hurried to a isolated place where Tsuruko could hide and recover. As they walked, Tsuruko seemed to stare at Keitaro intensely that for a moment, he felt a bit self-conscious of his actions.

 

“Hey, Aoyama-san,” he muttered in a forced cold tone, “I am helping you only because your sister asked me too. If it was just me, I'd have stuck this,” and he shook the hand that still held the black blade, “in you.”

 

Tsuruko seemed to giggle. “Do not fret, Urashima-san… I know you are warming up to me.”

 

“I hope that was a joke,” Keitaro muttered dead-pan.

 

“Actually it was,” Tsuruko nodded. “I was actually realizing how everything suddenly fit. You're not from this world, are you?”

 

Keitaro looked at her. “What makes you say that?” he asked.

 

“Discrepancy of your skills… the awakening of the Cursed Urashima Blade…” Tsuruko smiled slightly. “For one wild moment, I had thought that in you was the potential to re-awaken the Urashima Family heritage, and what better to strengthen the Aoyama line by placing that potential here. But… when that goddess came in and called you by your code-name, I knew you weren't of this world.

 

“K2… a double digit agent. If my history serves me right, the Urashima's used to have the double digit codes for those who specialize in assassination…” Tsuruko smiled. “When I remembered that, I knew everything suddenly fit. Your skills, your fighting techniques… you are an agent from another world, a world where the Urashima's have not fallen out of their lineage, and like us, a department for supernatural affairs.”

 

Keitaro looked at her for a moment. He smiled slightly. “How sure are you that the Urashima family isn't just hiding until the right moment to reveal themselves?”

 

“Because they aren't stupid enough to send their only heir and their blade to us,” Tsuruko replied back. She smiled at him. “Do you want to get to another debate, Urashima-san?”

 

“No, its fine,” Keitaro replied. “You are a dangerous woman, Aoyama. It's a wonder you got married.”

 

“Check on our history, Urashima-san, and you'll know how a dangerous woman like me snagged an unlucky fellow,” Tsuruko smiled. “I can still call you that, right? I do not know your real name.”

 

“Urashima Keitaro is my name, so you can continue calling me that,” he stated.

 

They finally arrived at an adequate place. Keitaro noted that it was isolated enough for Tsuruko to stay for a while. When she would recover, she could move on her own.

 

“Urashima-san… how do you feel about my sister?” Tsuruko suddenly asked unexpectedly.

 

Surprised by the question, Keitaro looked towards the older Aoyama with suspicion. “Why?” he asked.

 

“I know I haven't treated you as well as I should have, but I have a favor to ask,” she stated with seriousness. “Help my sister. Keep her safe.”

 

Keitaro nodded, though there was a smile threatening to appear on his lips. He just nodded seriously, as he ran back to Motoko. There was no real need to ask that… Tsuruko, the silly woman. He would give his life for Motoko if needed.

 

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The goddess screamed as she gave a vicious downward slash towards Motoko, who used her two arms, elbows and knees to support herself as she blocked the powerful blow, deflected it and slid her blade across the other, and countered with her own slash towards the goddess, who with her bare hands, blocked the blade.

 

Kicking forward, Motoko was able to free the blade from her enemy's clutches, and using her ki she launched another attack towards her enemy who just seemed to take the attack it, and shrugging it off as if she hadn't felt it. Switching back to melee, Motoko swung her sister's sword through a dance, never overextending herself, but no matter how many good hits she got in, the goddess just seemed to stop her on the tracks with a reckless stab.

 

“You dare stop me… YOU FILTHY HUMAN!!!” Miyabi screamed. “Hiding him… your with him too, aren't you? You also killed her didn't YOU!? My precious little heaven… YOU WANTED HER DEAD!”

 

Motoko expertly twirled the nodachi around her body, blocking another reckless attack towards her, and countered immediately by using the force brought forth through the circular motion. The goddess nimbly ducked, and continued on the attack in frenzy. Each of her hits kept getting stronger and stronger.

 

Fortunately, before she could give ground, she saw a flash of black. Keitaro appeared and blocked one of the goddess' seemingly berserk movements.

 

“You're late!” Motoko said.

 

“Better late than never, I say!” Keitaro blocked a slash coming towards his right ribs.

 

“K2!!” Miyabi shouted with a rather sickening grin. “You're here! YOU ARE HERE!”

 

Keitaro growled as her attacks suddenly focused on him, and with all the strength he could muster, began to block the powerful slashes… but Motoko never left him alone. The two supported each other's defense and attacked as they could, but the raging celestial didn't seem to budge to any of the hits she was receiving. She just kept laughing madly as she charged in, and slashed wildly.

 

“She's… mad!” Keitaro gritted his teeth as he took a step back.

 

She's in a Berserker state now. I suggest a retreat.

 

Berserker… Keitaro remembered this goddess' angel overstayed because the demon she was hunting turned to a berserker. Laharl called Berserkers unstable. Retreat was probably the best option they had. He relayed his thoughts to Motoko who nodded.

 

“I'll block and delay her as long as I can… you go ahead!” Motoko stated. Keitaro shook his head.

 

“No!” he muttered slightly loudly as he blocked an incoming attack. “I'm not leaving you to fend for yourself! She's after me! I'll run one way, and when she gives chase, run towards the other direction! I will follow after I lose her!”

 

Protests were drowned when Keitaro suddenly employed his plan without Motoko's confirmation. He suddenly dashed away from the goddess, and true to his assumptions, Miyabi's eyes focused on his retreating form. Leaving Motoko alone, the goddess laughed as she launched projectiles to him.

 

Thanks to his sword, he dodged the projectiles as if he had eyes at the back of his head… but Miyabi didn't stop. Soon, she was sending swarms of projectiles that exploded around him. Some were too close for comfort that he had to swipe them away in mid-air.

 

“WHY DO YOU RUN!?” Miyabi shouted right behind him. “ARE YOU AFRAID TO FACE JUSTICE K2!?”

 

Burst attack right behind you… go to your right now!

 

“Wha…” Keitaro automatically jumped to his right, but whatever attack it was seemed more powerful than he realized. Everything exploded around him, rattling his core, and the flash of the attack was so bright, for a moment, he didn't know where he was. His ears rang, temporarily deafened by the powerful explosion in close proximity and he blindly crawled forward.

 

Someone suddenly grabbed him, and he automatically thrashed his arms… but whoever held him wasn't hostile as he felt the warm hands patting him, trying to placate him. When his eyes began to recover, he saw raven black hair, and slowly, the features of Motoko as she was helping him up.

 

“I told you to run!” he wanted to say, but he was too out of it to say it. Her lips moved, but he couldn't hear her. His ears are still recovering.

 

She says we need to hurry…

 

His sword communicated straight to his head, so he wasn't a bit surprised when she spoke. He could only agree, and tried to speed up his movement and tried not to slow them down. But before they could even gain ground, multiple bursts of lightning came at them. Motoko covered Keitaro with her own body, and using one sword, tried to deflect the incoming fire.

 

However, with one of her arms supporting Keitaro, she couldn't move her arm or body much. She was getting hit by the stray projectiles, but she stood still, trying to take out every bolt of lighting coming at them. It was futile effort, as moments later a straight shot right through her shoulder made her drop her sister's nodachi, and another bolt was flying at her as she stood there defenseless.

 

Keitaro couldn't take it anymore. With all his strength left, he forced Motoko away by ramming himself to her side. Taken by surprise, the young Aoyama watched, falling, as the bolt meant for her hit Keitaro. His arm was crossed to his chest, blocking the projectile with his arm, and exploded, sending him off flying.

 

He growled in pain as his arm felt like it was hit by a sledgehammer and on fire. He tried to stand, looking at his damaged arm. It was still whole. At the corner of his eye, he spotted Miyabi flying above, looking down at him. Her hands were raised, calling forth another tremendous amount of mana.

 

Move! She is about to use another burst attack!

 

Keitaro growled. He forced his legs straight, and staggered as he moved sluggishly. Everything was coming too fast for him to even think. At the very moments of his looming death, Keitaro's thoughts were blank and clean. Everything seemed to slow as he looked back, and watched as the goddess launched her victorious stroke of attack. A huge ball of lightning, huger than what she had sent before was coming straight at him, slicing through the air like a hot knife through butter… but he didn't stop. He just ran.

 

Keitaro never noticed everything change around him. When he finally opened his eyes did he realize he closed them in the first place. He was on the ground, heavy. Was he dead? The feeling of his pained arm made him can that thought. He struggled slightly, twisting his body for a moment, and was surprised to see Motoko's arm laid atop of him. She must have tackled him to avoid the explosive attack.

 

“Motoko, get up, lets go…” he muttered, feeling stronger as he grabbed her wrist, and tried to stand. She didn't respond. He grabbed her wrist slightly harder than earlier. “Come on, Motoko! We have to…”

 

He stopped as he felt nothing. Keitaro's eyes widened. No… it couldn't be, he thought. He stilled his thoughts, and tried to feel anything from the wrist he was holding. There was no pulse.

 

Everything suddenly cleared as Keitaro spotted a large burn mark at Motoko's naked back. Her hakama was burned, exposing her immaculate back, now blotched with the color of brick red and black. The smell of her charred skin sickened him as he held her face, spared from the apparent destruction caused by Miyabi's last attack.

 

“No, no, no, no!” Keitaro muttered as he turned her over. He put his hands on her chest, pushed down a few times and touched her lips with his, breathing out. “Don't do this to me!” he muttered even more loudly as he continued to pump her chest. He had to get her heart moving… he had to fill her lungs with oxygen. He had to…

 

Keitaro touched her lips once again, and blew desperately. He wanted her to breathe… he wanted any sign to show she hadn't left yet… but the longer he tried, the more apparent it was an inescapable truth. The young supernatural agent finally stopped as all hope had abandoned, as his whole world seemed to end.

 

He gave her one last kiss… and his eyes threatened to spill, something he hadn't felt for a long time. His arms now carried her gently, making her sit up. His face contorted with a mixture of anger, despair, and loss. He cried freely as he felt her cold body, never again to be warm.

 

She was dead. Aoyama Motoko was dead.

 

To Be Continued

 

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Everything finally comes to a circle. The truth of everything finally appears. Keitaro unleashes his potential as his past resurfaces.

 

A View to a Truth - Again

 

Next.

 

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Author's Notes:

 

Well, that came awfully fast… but for a reason, I guess. Two more chapters, and A View to a Truth finally comes to an end. Preparations for the next story arc have been done, except for a title.

 

^-^

 

As for one of the reviewers… you actually can grab an enemy with two swords. It's by using your two arms for leverage… though my Arnis teacher showed that with enough grip strength, you can use your fingers to take down your opponent while holding two kali sticks… though not really recommended cause it'll leave you open.

 

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