Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Pride and Honor ❯ Dark Fire: Triumph ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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A/N : Okay, I'm pretty sure 5 months off on this fic is enough of a break (even for me). I actually had to re-read the fic and hunt for my old notes so I could remember what I was planning on doing with this fic. So now I'm back on track and I'm going to be updating again (yay !)

Thanks go to element323, Yata Garusi, shinseieikyu, and Hadji for reviewing.

On to business. I don't own Love Hina and am just writing a fanfic that isn't earning me any money. Don't sue me for this or you'll likely only get 30 cents and a pack of gum from the deal.

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Motoko watched the boy warily, and recieved an icy stare in return. Abruptly, Sora was gone from where he was standing, and Motoko's hand flew to her sword hilt. She braced herself, on the brink of drawing.

Listening closely, she thought she could here the boy's rapid footsteps, but he was moving too fast and the sound seemed to come from all sides at once. Giving in, Motoko attempted to track the boy with her eyes, but all she saw was a blur that was moving faster than she could turn. //Well, this is useless...// she thought wryly.

Sora struck, using his fists since he lacked a weapon. Motoko brought her free hand up to guard her body and stumbled backwards as a flurry of hands and feet lashed out at her. Giving ground, she struck with her sword blindly. Sora effortlessly evaded it, but had to stop his attacks to do so.

Before he could continue, Motoko crashed through her window, driving her sword into the side of the Hinata House to slow her fall. Sora leapt out the window as well, running down the side of the building in pursuit. Motoko pulled her blade free and kicked herself away from the wall, then spun her body and hit the floor rolling. She sprang to her feet just as Sora landed not far from her.

"Well, well... You just keep getting stronger... " Sora said, stretching out. "I only could've killed you 7 times during that entire exchange. I'm getting sloppy."

Motoko bit her tongue, to keep from accusing the boy of lying. "That transformation is quite amazing, Urashima-kun. But why don't you try fighting me without it?"

Sora scoffed. "You want me to play the samurai fool? Think of a new way to gain the advantage..."

"Damn," Motoko replied, shrugging. "It's just that this tranformation grants you so much speed..."

"Not that'd you'd be able to keep up with me even if I did drop this Trance," Sora grinned slightly. "Speed is my strong point..." The grin slid off his face as soon as the words were out of his mouth, and his face paled.

Motoko smiled slightly, though it wasn't a very warm one. Quite the opposite. "So, speed is your strong point?" //Meaning strength is probably your weak point.// Motoko thought. "That makes sense."

Sora merely set himself back into his stance. Closing the gap in between them, Motoko grabbed for Sora's arm with her free hand. Sora spun away, kicking at her face. Pulling her blade partly out of the sheath, Motoko blocked the strike with the flat of her blade. Seizing his leg at the knee, Motoko easily grabbed Sora's opposite arm. Sora struggled vainly to break loose, but Motoko held tight and wrestled the boy to the floor.

Pinning the boy down, Motoko drew her sword and held it against the back of his neck. "Surrender," Motoko said plainly, adding more pressure to the blade. After a bit of struggling, Sora relaxed, his hair turning back to it's natural color. Sighing, Motoko stood and tried to stretch out a few sore spots and check her injuries.

Sora sat up on the floor. "I can't believe I lost..." he said, shaking his head.

"You let your guard down," Motoko replied, sheathing her sword after checking it. "So, is that all? Do I pass?"

"I don't know. I'm just a tool of this test. I didn't make it," Sora replied, still a little miffed about losing. He stood and brushed himself off. "Though if something else were going to happen, it would probably be right about..." A large explosion bursts through the wall of the Hinata-sou, knocking Sora and Motoko off their feet. "...now." Sora finshed wryly as he picked himself off the floor again.

Motoko groaned as she forced herself to her feet. She was used to explosions and the such around the Hinata, but in this test, it could only mean bad news. "What now?" she said, irritably.

Keitaro emerged from the smoking wreckage carrying a long sword at his hip. Even through the smog, Motoko could see his eyes glowing yellow and his face was grim. Sora looked to the tall girl. "Want some help?"

Motoko shook her head. "This is my test. I'll handle it."

"I don't think that's what's important here. I'm here to get you out alive," Sora replied.

"Weren't you just trying to kill me?" Motoko pointed out rolling her eyes. Sometimes she just didn't understand this boy.

"I wasn't actually going to kill you. Not to take anything away from your victory, but I could have killed you in the beggining if I wanted to. I was only trying to wear you out and make you quit," Sora explained. "But anyway, I have no clue what that guy might do in this state."

Motoko looked at Keitaro closely. She had to admit that she had no clue what he would do either, except that she probably wouldn't like it. "Stand down, Urashima-kun. I will handle this."

Sora shrugged and sat back down on the floor. "I'll be here if you need me," he said.

Motoko turned towards Keitaro... and was surprised to see him right in front of her and slashing his blade directly for her throat. Motoko leaped backwards, narrowly dodging the attack, and pulled her blade free. Keitaro caught her blade in his hand and neatly broke it. Motoko gasped, her eyes going to her broken sword. When she looked back up, Keitaro looked to be readying a very familiar technique. But no... It couldn't be...

"Boulder-cutting Strike!"

Motoko could feel the move cut into her, could feel the blood spurting, but she still wasn't sure what happened.

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Motoko ran hard, panting hoarsely. No--no time to rest. She need to get away, or it would kill her...

Suddenly something burst through the trees and knock her small body over. Wait a minute...

//This isn't right...// Motoko realized looking at her body. This was all past! It was done!

//...don't make me remember...//

The monster reared it's head, looming over the shaking girl. The giant turtle monster.

//Leave me alone!//

Motoko set her feet to strike, but the demon surged forward, knocking the girl away.

//Stop! I've been through this already! STOP IT, NOW!!//

Motoko rolled along the ground, desperately trying to stop herself. Using her bokken as an anchor she skidded to a halt.

//I don't know what you are driving at! What's the point of this!?//

Motoko knealt on the floor, panting and leaning against her bokken. Her body shook with the effort of staying upright. Gotta get up... Gotta keep running!

//Why?//

Motoko pushed herself to her feet and began a lumbering run. The turtle demon caught up easily, striking the small girl yet again. Motoko let out a yelp as she hit the floor. She turned around and began crawling away. Tears glittered in her eyes as she looked up at the monster.

//...why...?//

Just then, a wave of energy came in and annihilated the turtle demon. The last thing Motoko saw before blacking out were her parents worried faces.

//...I'm sorry. I'll be stronger...//

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Motoko sat in her room, looking out the window. Today, SHE was getting married. So now Motoko was the heir of the God's Cry school. SHE was going to turn her back on everything for that MAN.

"Motoko-chan! Don't you at least want to say good-bye!"

Motoko scoffed. Let HER leave. She didn't really care that Motoko would have to run the school now. That Motoko would have to find a way to match HER ability. HER legacy. SHE was only the best fighter the God's Cry has ever seen!

//I couldn't do it...//

Well, if SHE could leave, then what stops Motoko from leaving? Nothing! Motoko began packing.

//I just couldn't do it...//

Motoko gave the school one last look. Then she pulled the brim of her hat down and departed. She didn't even notice the tears streaming down her face.

//I wasn't strong enough... I'm sorry... I'll become stronger...//

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Motoko's eyes opened slowly. Wherever she was now, it was pitch black. She gave a start when she looked down. She had no form!

"Well, well... you came to take the test of Spirit, but yours is rather pathetic."

Motoko looked around and saw the Blue flame whirling about. It's glow didn't strecth far into the darkness, but it hurt to look directly at it. Her mood plumetted as her process it's words. //I've failed...//

"You run away whenever things start to look slightly bad. You run from enemies..."

//Shut up...//

"...you run away from your duties..."

//You don't know what it's like...//

"...you even run from your friends."

//You don't know anything...//

"I bet you're ready to quit right now."

Something inside Motoko snapped.

"NEVER! I've come to far to quit now!"

"Hmph. Liar," the flame replied.

Motoko narrowed her eyes. Well, she would have narrowed them if she had any. "You are right. I've been running from all of my problem for too long now. But this is where it ends!"

//I'll be stronger!//

"I WILL pass this test!"

//No more running!//

"I WILL become the most powerful warrior the God's Cry has ever seen!"

//Just watch me, everyone!//

"In fact, I will become the most powerful warrior ever!"

For a while, the flame merely hovered in the air, considering the girl in front of her. Finally, it conceded. "Fine. Time to back up those big words of yours."

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Sora spun away from Keitaro's wild slash, sweeping out his legs with a kick. Doing a high back flip, he created space from the berserk man. Sparing a glance at Motoko's downed body, Sora felt a surge of dread. //Well, looks like I'm doing a lousy job of protecting her... At least she's still alive. She hasn't faded yet.//

Sora nearly tripped when he saw Motoko stir. Groaning audibly, the girl rose from the floor with a new sword at her hip. Looking at the fight, she merely nodded to herself.

"Thank you very much, Urashima-kun, for covering me while I was incapacitated," Motoko said. "Now move. I have a test to pass."

Sora merely nodded and let himself relax. Motoko stood in a relaxed stance watching her opponent. Keitaro stood pretty much the same way, smirking slightly. Sora wisely sweatdropped and moved a bit further from the two fighters.

"So, you come back for more?" Keitaro said. "Your funeral."

"No, I believe you are the one who will be going to oblivion," Motoko replied. "In fact, I believe I can manage this in one attack."

Keitaro's eyes narrowed menacingly. "Hmph. Come then," he said, readying himself for battle.

Motoko laid a hand on her hilt, the other hand holding the sheath. Covering her sword arm with her sleeve, she waited. Keitaro smirked, seeing exactly what she was trying.

"Those are all one-shot techniques from that stance. What if you aren't fast enough?" He chuckled.

"I will be. Come."

Keitaro ran straight for the girl, moving quickly, but very carefully. When he was in range, he saw Motoko twist slightly as if to draw her sword. As he got ready to dodge, Motoko made her move.

Rolling to her left, Motoko caught Keitaro right in the middle of his dodge. Eyes widening, Keitaro tried to avoid her strike but it was too late. Setting herself on one knee, Motoko finally let attacked, her blade singing from her sheath. She closed her eyes, but she could feel the blade hit at Keitaro's waist. And slice her opponent in half.

Keeping her eyes closed, Motoko turned away. //It's not real. I didn't really kill him. I didn't. This is just like a dream. A really vivid dream, but a dream nonetheless...// she thought as she busied herself with wiping her blade clean.

Sora whistled tonelessly. "Otousan is tough..." he said, looking over the corpse and shaking his head. "But not tough enough to shrug that off, I guess."

Motoko looked up at the boy, anger burning in her eyes. "What the hell is your problem!? How could you say something like that after watching..." she pointed to the corpse, still not looking at it. "...that!?"

"It's not real. In fact, the only reason he's here is because it's a person you happen to know that has some fighting ability. Be happy you didn't end up facing your parents, or some foolishness," Sora shrugged. "Come on, don't worry about it. You haven't done anything wrong. Besides, you've passed your test."

Motoko looked around her and saw that the area was, in fact, fading. Looking back at the boy, she suddenly felt very tired. "Well, I don't have to like it..." she yawned. "You hear me? I'm not going to become a demon like you..." Motoko slurred as she passed out and faded from the area.

"What, is that a compliment?" Sora replied sarcastically. Shaking his head, he stepped out of the meditation as well.


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A/N: See, I'm still alive. Barely, but that will have to do. 'Till next time.

--Stizzo Out