Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ K2: The Leyline Flush ❯ Chapter 4

Warning: This chapter is dark… probably one of the darkest things I ever wrote. So… if you get squeamish… you can always go to the end.

 

It is funny that this house would have gone to hell two times. The first was the assault of summoned demon warriors that Keitaro promptly defeated. The second time is Keitaro facing off against who he was just protecting yesterday; his contact, Mutsumi Otohime. But funny would not be the word used by either of the two figures, now standing face to face.

 

“Give me the chip, M.T.,” Keitaro ordered, his gun still aimed at her.

 

“Kei-kun… what's going on?” Mutsumi said in a whisper, her voice shaking a bit.

 

Keitaro fired a shot aimed at the ground near Mutsumi's left foot, which made her jump a bit. “Give me the chip, M.T.”

“… no,” she whispered.

 

Keitaro pulled the trigger twice again, this time to the right and front of her feet. She took a step back.

 

“… why… why are you doing this?” Mutsumi asked, now visibly shaking. Keitaro was in front of her, his eyes looking at hers coldly.

 

“I am relieving you of the chip, M.T.,” Keitaro stated, fighting back the tears threatening to go out. “You've been found as a traitor, and so are being dealt as such.”

 

“Trai… traitor?” Mutsumi suddenly looked lost. Taking a step forward, she said, “I don't know who gave you that information, but I'm - “

 

Keitaro fired another shot, and this time, Mutsumi felt the bullet pass her. “Don't move.”

 

“Kei-kun… I'm not a traitor…” Mutsumi began, pleading. “Please… listen to me… I've never betrayed you or anyone else… it must be a mistake…”

 

“Shut it,” Keitaro said scathingly. “I know what you've been doing! I know you are the one that fed Laharl information about the chip! I know why you looked at the password I wrote… I know why you tried to seduce me.”

 

“I'm… I'm not a traitor…” Mutsumi said, her eyes watering. “I don't know who gave you such information, but I have never betrayed you… I never passed down information to a demon… I didn't see your password just to tell it to him… and I never had an ulterior motive for sleeping with you.”

 

“I don't care,” Keitaro pointed the gun at her head again. “Give me the chip.”

 

“No…” Mutsumi was crying freely. “This is my mission too. I don't care what you view of me, but my mission is to take care of this chip as well. I won't give it to you… not like this. You'll have to kill me first.”

 

“Allow me then,” Keitaro was about to pull the trigger, when suddenly, his hand was stabbed by red scalpels. Shouting a bit by surprise, he looked at where the scalpels came from, and all he saw was a fist coming to his face.

 

Everything went black.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Ragged breathing… that was what Keitaro first heard as he regained consciousness. The next thing he heard was dripping water, like a shower left open. He tried to focus, and open his eyes, only to see darkness. His breathing went faster. A moment, he feared that he'd been blinded, but after a while, he noticed that his head was actually covered in plastic. Black plastic.

 

“Awake?” Laharl's voice suddenly pierced the sound of falling water. “Good… let's see… my, my…” he began to sound impressed. “You take care of your body pretty well. Training everyday, I wonder?”

 

Keitaro groaned as suddenly, something heavy impacted his stomach with a force that spit flew out of his mouth.

 

“Felt that?” Laharl seemed to sneer. “Good. I want you to feel that. You should know what I'm doing, Mr. Urashima. You've been trained for this, if I'm not mistaken. So I won't waste anymore time. I want the password you made, and I want it now.”

 

Keitaro's thoughts were in overdrive. Password? Why would they need him to give up the password? Mutsumi saw the password herself… unless of course, she didn't completely see it… but knowing Mutsumi, an Otohime, who puts a lot of value in information, she wouldn't misread the password he put.

 

Another shot, this time on his sides. His body began to shake at the impact. Keitaro began to cough. “… guh…” he muttered incomprehensibly.

 

“What was that?” Laharl asked.

 

“G… go to hell,” Keitaro said, teeth gritting.

 

“YES! This is why I love human agents… trained to keep silent, trying to block out pain,” and with that multiple shots in different parts of his upper body began to impact Keitaro. “Fierce reply, bad-ass attitude… that is what you are, aren't you? Are you having fun, Mr. Urashima?”

 

The plastic bag was forcibly removed from his head, and Keitaro closed his eyes, anticipating a glare… there was no glare. Instead, he found himself in a room with only a few lights above giving light, showing him where Laharl is. He was wearing black fingerless gloves, and he was smiling at Keitaro.

 

As he looked around, he found he was hung from a few water pipes above him. His feet were touching the ground, but for some reason, not completely responding. He concluded it must be a shock, or maybe something Laharl did to him.

 

“… fuck you…” Keitaro said. “You know the damn password… just get over it and kill me.”

 

“Oh? And why would I know the password, Mr. Urashima?” Laharl asked.

 

“I know about your contact… I know about the Otohime who became a double agent…” Keitaro stated. “I know your contact knows my password.”

 

Laharl smiled at him… a very eerie smile. “And I am guessing that someone from your faction provided you with that information…”

 

Keitaro glared at him.

 

“Haha, well, my boy, since we are here, I got a confession to make,” Laharl sat down in a chair in front of Keitaro, and looked at him in the eyes. “I'm a double agent myself… Oh yes,” he added after seeing Keitaro's disbelief in his eyes. “Double agent… but not what you're thinking. I have contacts in both demon and earth factions… here, let me show you.”

 

Standing up, Keitaro looked at Laharl stood up, and walked towards a cell phone which he guessed was his. Walking back, he showed the screen to him, and said, “Look at my speed dial, Mr. Urashima… recognize any of the numbers?”

 

Keitaro gritted. “No.”

 

“Number five…” he said.

 

Keitaro looked, expecting some random number, but when his eyes laid on it, his mouth couldn't find its tongue anymore. Surprise was very evident in his face, and shock. It reeled to him, and finally… something clicked on his mind.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“We've had more info about the chip thanks to a certain agent, D.L.”

 

“The idiot that calls himself El Diablo El?”

 

“He has given us a lot of info. For example, this Demon Eyes Laharl? From D.L. And that assignment you are in as well. He gave info on the chip as well. In his report, he seems to say that there has been an inside job to the Otohime's…”

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“… There was no double agent…” Keitaro muttered.

 

Laharl just smiled.

 

Again, his mind began to work as another thing began to click…

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“We need to talk… we found some new… and shocking information.”

 

“What is it then?”

 

“D.L. has found out who the double agent is… it's your contact… M.T.”

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“It was you… you're…”

 

“D.L.?” Laharl finished, his smile now very much pronounced. “You caught on quick, I'll give you that. Yes… I'm D.L… a bumbling fool of an intelligence officer that joined your faction three years ago. In that time phase, I slowly put myself in your lists as available and reliable informant.” He grinned a bit. “Diego Eldiablo. Codename, D.L., derivative of D-EL from my fake name… and you know what's funnier? It's also a derivative of my true name, Demon Eyes Laharl.”

 

Leaning on his rest, Laharl put two of his hands together, elbow on his thighs, covering his nose and mouth.

 

“It was hard, believe me… I had to display almost no fighting potential, or even powers as a demon. I had to stay inconspicuously low for two years before I was finally allowed to be assigned outside your HQ,” Laharl smiled. “And that's when my freedom to mole in starts. It took a few months, but finally, I received information for my side… a chip of leylines. Such information is the Royal Flush of cards… that kind of information would allow me to kick start the new home for demons… Earth.”

 

“I took the information and planned what to do… the Otohime's are quite peculiar in hiding their information, and items… so I sent info of my wanting to steal the chip,” Laharl smiled. “It worked perfectly. Urashima's sent their agent, and told the Otohime's, warning them of my presence. Otohime's decided, as they always do, to trust the Urashima's… and in essence, reveal where the chip is.”

 

“Operation, Leyline Flush… a success,” Laharl said. “Actually… almost a success. The little safe-cube is indeed problematic. Forced or manipulated to be open, it destroys what is inside instantaneously, which brings us here. Password, Mr. Urashima?”

 

Keitaro chuckled a bit after hearing the story. How stupid of him… “… you got me… you got me bad,” Keitaro muttered as he continued to chuckle. “I fell for it…” he then stopped chuckling. “I got something for you… you go back… to the little hole you came from because there is no way I'm giving you the password. Here is something for your trouble.” He then tried to flip Laharl the bird with his two tied up hands.

 

Laharl smiled. “Ah… maybe I was wrong about you, Mr. Urashima… maybe you do make a decent agent…” He quickly punched Keitaro quickly in the stomach and one again in the rib. He finished it with a very painful kick that got Keitaro spitting blood.

 

Groaning, Keitaro glared at Laharl as he began to walk away from him towards a curtain. With a quick movement, Laharl smiled as he showed Keitaro what was behind it…

 

“… Mu… Mutsumi?” Keitaro whispered weakly.

 

She was tied, and gagged… hanging up from the ceiling, water showering all over her. She was stripped naked, and blindfolded. She was breathing… her chest rising up and down in a steady manner.

 

“I know I can't get answers from you by torturing you,” Laharl stated as a matter of fact. “But… by using this young lady… heh… maybe we'll get some results.”

 

Keitaro's face went blank. “Do it… I don't care for this woman. She's just a contact… nothing else.”

 

Laharl smiled, and grabbed a cart that was carrying a car battery with cables attached to it. The cable ends were covered in sponge. “You may say she is nothing to you now… but what would you say if I told you a story?”

 

“Remember when I told you about the accident earlier?” Laharl smiled as he grabbed the cables. “When your loved one died?” Taking the cable connected to the negative polar, he began to place the sponge end of that in Mutsumi's body, and began to scrub. She tensed, and shook a bit, murmuring something through her gag.

 

Keitaro gritted his teeth. “So what? It happened years ago… what does it matter now?”

 

“My poor Otohime Mutsumi,” Laharl said sadly, looking at the naked woman. “You're dear Kei-kun doesn't remember at all…” and with that, he took the positive connected cable covered with the sponge and in put it in her wet body. She suddenly screamed and shook as the current passed through her body.

 

Keitaro's eyes narrowed, and his mouth thinned. He began to shake, trying to get loose.

 

“It's useless, Mr. Urashima,” Laharl laughed. “But really…” he began to grope her stomach area. “Ms. Otohime is more hurt by your forgetfulness, Mr. Urashima… this little shock therapy?” And with that, he again gave her body another good shock, and she screamed through her gag once again. “It isn't compared to the pain she's feeling… the pain of being forgotten by a close friend.”

 

“Your first love… she wasn't the only one who you made a promise to, Mr. Urashima,” Laharl said. “There were three of them, Mr. Urashima… the one who died, who was always in your mind… a girl named Narusegawa… and finally… Ms. Otohime.”

 

“… you lie!” Keitaro stated angrily. “There was only one! I promised to her… we promised we'd meet again… in…”

 

“Tokyo University,” Laharl finished, shocking Keitaro. “Surprised? You shouldn't be… I know your whole history Mr. Urashima… even better than you. The pact of Na-chan, Mu-chan, Kei-kun… and the late Mi-chan. The pact of friendship… the pact of true love.”

 

Keitaro's mind suddenly snapped as those names began to ring in his head. His mind was once again reminded on his trip to Hina Inn… the sandbox, the sand castle… him… and three more of his friends. He looked at Mutsumi, and suddenly, the revelation hit him…

 

“… Mu…chan…” he whispered…

 

Laharl laughed. “Oho, this is great, Ms. Otohime… you hear that? He remembers you now,” and he promptly removed her gag. “Now, tell him, Ms. Otohime… to give me the password. Tell him that, and I will both allow you to live.”

 

“No…! Kei-kun… don't give it to him…!”

 

Laharl smiled at Keitaro who was looking like he was about to break into a thousand pieces. “Ah… she's such a strong woman… but she was already like that as a kid…”

 

“… stop speaking like you know us, you fucking demon!” Keitaro said.

 

“But Mr. Urashima… I do know you,” Laharl replied. “I saw you as a young boy… nerdy, a klutz… don't tell me you still don't remember?”

 

“Remember what?” Keitaro demanded. “I don't know who the hell you are!”

 

Again, Laharl gave her another shock that this time, since she is no longer gagged, shouted louder.

 

“S… stop it!!” Keitaro said.

 

“Very well, Mr. Urashima, since you have so much trouble with your memory…” Laharl smiled. “I have no time for such explanations, but… you do remember that the truck that tipped over was hit by a demon, thrown by an angel. Well… I was there.”

 

Keitaro's mind tried to think but nothing came up. “… you? Were you there… are you the demon that hit the truck…”

 

He was cut off by Laharl who just said, “Hmmm, maybe I will stop this shock therapy thing… it is getting boring. Besides… I tendered her well, already… look at the poor darling… she can't move anymore, less run.” Cutting her down, Laharl let Mutsumi down, and grabbed one of her hands. “Here's a new game, Mr. Urashima… I'll ask you six times what the password is… fail to give me a reply… well… try me, Mr. Urashima… what is the password?”

 

“Kei-kun… don't…”

 

Mutsumi couldn't finish as a loud crack sounded. She screamed as Laharl broke her thumb by bending it backward.

 

“NO!!! You fucking BASTARD!!” Keitaro began to shake.

 

“Password… Mr. Urashima.”

 

“Go to HELL! GO TO FRIGGING HELL!” Keitaro shouted.

 

Mutsumi screamed again as her index finger was broken.

 

“Ah… I love this, Mr. Urashima,” Laharl smiled. “I thank you for resisting. Password?”

 

Mutsumi's eyes were filled with tears… “Kei-kun… don't… just… don't…”

 

She screamed once again as her middle finger was broken.

 

“I'm going to kill you…” Keitaro began to shake. “I swear to God, I'm going to kill you… NO!” he shouted as Mutsumi's ring finger was bent backwards and her scream filled the air. “You're dead… you're good as dead, you sadistic bastard…!!” and his last few words were lost as he incomprehensibly began to threaten the man who is hurting Mutsumi.

 

“Ah… I'm sorry about that, Mr. Urashima… I broke it without asking you for the password…” Laharl bowed a bit. “My mistake. But really… it wouldn't happen if you were more generous. But… as apology, I'll move on, and leave her little pinky alone.”

 

Moving away from Mutsumi, Laharl grabbed the sledgehammer leaning on the wall. Keitaro's eyes widened as he saw the hammer being brought towards Mutsumi.

 

“Our next phase is quite easy… but much more… permanent in damage,” Laharl said, as he grabbed Mutsumi's other hand, and placed it on the ground. “It's the same concept… I'll ask the password… and if you fail to give it to me… well… you can imagine. Password?”

 

Mutsumi was shaking… weakened. Yet… she saw Keitaro, and knew what was on his mind. She spoke out… “Kei-kun… your mission…”

 

After a moment of silence, Laharl looked at Mutsumi and Keitaro. Seeing the boy won't answer him, he shrugged, and raised the hammer in the air… and brought it down with a loud smack as it hit its target.

 

Keitaro was shaking. Mutsumi was now seemingly in a spasm as she shouted, and grabbed her now broken and bloodied hand. Laharl went then towards her legs, and put the hammer on top of her left knee. Again, he asked, “Password, Mr. Urashima?”

 

After another moment of silence, Laharl raised his hammer in the air again, and was about to bring it down when Keitaro finally broke. “Todai…”

 

“Excuse me?” Laharl asked.

 

“The damn password…” Keitaro was shaking uncontrollably… his tears were flowing freely. “Its todai… now please… for the love of God, leave her alone.”

 

Laharl nodded, and grabbed the safe-cube near where he had grabbed his phone earlier. Opening its slide, he inputted the numeric password based on the alphabet. With a small click, the cube opened, revealing the chip inside. Keitaro watched the demon put it in his pocket, and threw away the safe-cube.

 

“All this suffering for a chip,” Laharl looked back at Keitaro. “I'm a giving man, Mr. Urashima… so let me give you this parting gift of sorts…”

 

Taking out a syringe filled with some sort of red liquid, he approached Mutsumi. Keitaro looked at him, helplessly. “I told you the DAMNED password! Leave HER ALONE!”

 

“Mr. Urashima… contrary to what you believe, I'm not a man who enjoys long suffering…” Laharl points at Mutsumi who was now shaking, convulsing. “She's in shock… and still feeling all the damages I've given to her… so… I shall end her suffering with this… a nice poison developed by Hell to stop the sensation of pain…” Undeterred by Keitaro's protest, Laharl injected the liquid to Mutsumi. “Of course… this poison kills the victim after an amount of time…”

 

“It's funny that I'm once again making you suffer by killing your pact partners…” Laharl stood up, and smiled at Keitaro. “Enjoy the time you're left with her, Mr. Urashima, something I didn't give you when you were but a child… after all, at least this time, you have the chance to say goodbye… and thank you for playing this game.”

 

Keitaro could only watch as Mutsumi slowly stopped shaking, and as Laharl began to leave. His mouth shouted… but he can't hear what he said… nor would he remember in the future. But… he remembered that he was shaking… he remembered that he watched his friend beginning to die…

 

The water pipe broke after intensely trying to break free… he didn't remember that.

 

He was now hugging Mutsumi… he can't remember how he got there.

 

He would only remember the words he spoke… “Mu-chan… I'm so sorry…”

 

He would remember what she said back… “It's… okay… Kei-kun…”

 

He would remember his tears.

 

 

To Be Concluded…

 

The chip was now at the hands of Demon Eyes Laharl… Mutsumi is now dying, and Keitaro has chosen his path… Now everything will come to a close in this mission… everything will be revealed. How will it end?

 

I'm… shaking a bit. I love Mutsumi…

 

Anyways, next is the final conclusion of the Leyline Flush… the beginning of K2, Keitaro Urashima. :P It's not gonna be as dark as this one, that's for sure.