Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina or any of the characters contained in here. Love Hina is owned by Ken Akamatsu. This FanFic is purely for the enjoyment of myself and for others to read. So please don't sue.                                       

                               To be a Warrior or a Woman

(LANDLORD'S ROOM)

Keitaro Urashima was busy boiling water for Hot Cocoa he was trying to prepare. Even though he enjoyed a good cup on rainy nights such as this, the cocoa was actually meant to soothe the frazzled nerves of the other occupant currently drying herself in his room.

Motoko Aoyama, the resident samurai of Hinata-Sou, was busy drying her beautifully long, raven colored hair.  This after she covered her athletic figure with a dress shirt Keitaro was kind enough to lend her. Though the shirt covered most of her body, Keitaro couldn't help but notice that her well-toned legs were still very much exposed for anyone to see.

'Damn!' he thought. 'I always thought Motoko was very fit, what with her daily kendo training and all, but THOSE LEGS!! WOW! '

Keitaro turns his face back to the now steaming hot pot and starts to pour the boiling water into 2 mugs with cocoa powder already spooned inside. He wills his eyes shut and shakes the very thoughts Naru would have accused of being perverted out of his head. 

In fact, since his arrival at Hinata –Sou a little over a year ago, poor Keitaro has seen his share of the resident Hinata occupants in various states of…"undress" due to the fact that he was just naturally clumsy at times. Whether barging in on the girls nightly bath in the Hot Springs within the dorm itself, or when bumping into someone's chest (usually Naru or Kitsune's), as he is turning a corner or just falling for no apparent reason.

Normally, following such an act, he would be getting knocked to Low Earth Orbit by either a Naru-Punch or one of the many secret sword techniques Motoko knew from the God's Cry School.

The God's Cry School. If only Motoko's sister, Tsuruko, would just lighten up. Thinks Keitaro with some sadness.

Motoko's older sister banished her from the family dojo when she failed to beat her in combat. Afterwards, Motoko tried to be more like a normal high school girl…with little success. Keitaro just shakes his head in disbelief.

As if sensing her landlord's thoughts, Motoko turns her head to face Keitaro.

"Urashima! What is it your are thinking? It better not be thoughts of perversion." Keitaro turns around and walks toward her with a friendly smile and a steaming mug in hand; holding his crutch for a broken leg with the other.

" I was just worried about finding you outside in the rain like I did. I didn't want you to get sick…or worse. Here you go." He hands her the cocoa.

"Arigato!" Mmm, this smells wonderful. He really is rather sweet for making this'   thinks Motoko as she takes a sip from her mug----"YYYAAAAHHHH!!" she screams.

"What's wrong Motoko?"

"You fool! It's too damn hot!!!" she screams as she starts to chase him around his room

" I'm sorry. I didn't know it was that hot!" Keitaro covers his face expecting the usual "punishment" he endures when he has supposedly wronged one of the girls. When it didn't come, he looks over at his friend, who is looking down toward the floor…with a look of sadness on her normally brave face.

A look she normally NEVER has.

"Motoko? Are you ok? Normally I'd be flying over Hinata-Sou by now"

Still looking down…" No Urashi—Keitaro! It should be me that should be punished. You were only trying to pretend to be my fiancée' so Tsuruko would leave me be and go back home to Kyoto. Then supported me on my quest to be more.feminine. Especially when the others thought different.

Keitaro slowly approaches the taller resident and motions for her to sit down near his futon.

" I suppose we didn't really give you much of a chance did we?"

Motoko merely said nothing  She remembered all too well the events leading to her present state..

-THE MORNING BEFORE-

Keitaro remembers how Motoko, in one of Kitsune's 'maid' outfits ,do I want to know why Kitsune even HAD that to begin with? , Prepared what she called a "sensible" breakfast consisting of vegetables and rice. Even Koalla Su, the dorm's resident  "bottomless pit" seemed sad at the somewhat "boring" meal presented to her preferring her usual meal of bananas instead. The remaining residents, Keitaro being the exception, seemed to agree with Su's assessment of the morning meal. They obviously preferred the more sumptuous meals of Shinobu Maehera, Hinata-Sou's resident cook.

 Even when Shinobu and Sarah McDougal, the Dorm's youngest resident     (and some would say "Demon-in-Disguise) tried getting some firewood a little later on—Motoko used a "MIST FLURRY FLASH" technique to chop what seemed like mountains of firewood in the time it normally takes most people to blink. While grateful for the help, Shinobu thought that the normally stoic kendo student had a tendency to take things to the EXTREME to say the least; especially since her defeat at her sister's hands. She had made up some desperate excuse to do her homework just to get out of Motoko's way.

However, the final straw was when she overheard Kitsune explain to the residents how weird she was acting. How she is being TOO helpful and how she couldn't turn herself into a normal girl overnight.

'She's probably upset that I replaced all her sake' bottles with vinegar or that I had her run 50 laps around the dorm.' thought Motoko. However those words hit her like a fist and a cold reality seemed to creep into her normally steel-like facade. Though she didn't think Kitsune meant any REAL harm…she took it as another failure on her part.

"I failed my sister as a warrior…now I can't even succeed as a woman."  Whispered the former samurai. So she did the one thing she normally never does.

She ran.

She didn't remember how long she wandered the streets of Hinata. She just felt this great weight on her, and she didn't like how it was making her feel.

This must be how Urashima feels whenever he studies for his Toudai exams, She thought. After another minute she started to feel tiny droplets of water falling on her. 'Oh great…Rain!'  As if this day couldn't get any worse. After a few minutes of walking Motoko slipped and fell on the wet sidewalk. Clutching her knees to her chest she slowly started to cry. Then a welcome shadow fell over her body shielding her from the cold rain. She looked up at her unknown savior and was relieved to see the last person she'd expect to come looking for her.

"Urashima?" she whispered.

"I've been looking everywhere for you." He said gently. "Come on Motoko…. let's go home."

She slowly took the hand he offered her and started to rise from the sidewalk. She took note, with some amusement, of how he managed to hold both the umbrella and his crutch with his other arm. Right now… home sounded good.

-BACK TO THIS EVENING-

"All this time I have called you a pervert, and I've punished you without even trying to hear your side. I assumed that the accusations made by Naru –sempai were true. You take everything we throw at you, every insult, every shot, every torture---and yet YOU never…ever blame us one bit, never complain and I have called YOU weak?" Her shoulders slump. "I am the weak one." Her eyes start to water. "I am…unworthy. Unworthy of being a Student of God's Cry and of being a normal woman.  *Sniff *I am a failure" Motoko's shoulders start to shake. Her face looking down in shame.

"Motoko No! Don't think that way!" yells Keitaro resting his hands on her delicate shoulders.

"Think positive! You are one of the strongest people I know! Please don't beat yourself up about this. This isn't like you at all! "

"  Who am I supposed to be then?" asks Motoko sadly. Her face looking up at him now…. in tears.  "Sniff .Who?"

What happened next took Keitaro COMPLETELY by surprise. Out of nowhere Motoko throws herself into his arms and holds him in a fierce embrace. "WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!!  PLEASE HELP ME KEITARO!!" she cries…sobbing in his chest.

'Damn! I'll lose her if I don't convince her that she is going to be ok !'

Thinks Keitaro.

"Hold me!! Just hold me! Please Keitaro!"

 'She's pleading?? And that's the third time she's called me by my first name…she NEVER does that. What's this? Her body…. so soft. and Her hair also smells VERY good. Oh man. What do I do?'   His body responds to her embrace by giving one of his own. He feels something else…Motoko "nuzzling" against his neck taking in his scent.   Oh Crap!

    Unknown to Keitaro, Motoko's train of thought was more similar than she would normally care to admit. I've never noticed it before…but he smells REAL good. And his body seems more…. firm than I would have given him credit for. Must be all the hard work he does around here keeping Hinata-Sou well maintained. The excavation at Parakelese Island did something to make him seem more mature too. Motoko lightly moaned as she felt Keitaro's grip getting tighter.  MMM I like how he is holding me. ---KAMI! WHAT AM I THINKING!!!! Then again, it feels kind of nice.

It was Keitaro that firmly broke the hug 'Damnit! Get a grip Urashima! She needs me as her friend now! She is too damn vulnerable and I am sure that she doesn't realize what she is doing. I wont take advantage of this!

Motoko blinked in both surprise and disappointment as she felt herself gently pushed away from the manager. "Keitaro?! What is wrong? Did I do some-"? She half expected to see him have a nosebleed,but was surprised when he didn't. She didn't realize how important these next few minutes were for Keitaro, attempting to set Motoko back in her right mind.

"Motoko! Look at me!" he interrupted in a commanding tone. "You have done NOTHING wrong! That's what I've been trying to get through to you"

"But a moment ago…I did not mind you holding me. Did I fail in that as well?"  He heard the desperation in that question.

"No." he says gently looking her straight in the eyes.  Kami! I always thought she was cute. I just never noticed how beautiful she really is.

"You didn't fail."

"Then why…oh that's right, Naru." She says as point of fact.

She looks back at him as he nods once, slowly. It was common knowledge among the residents how the landlord felt about his lovely former tutor and fellow first year Toudai student.

'If only Naru knew about this side of Keitaro,'  she thought.  'She'd stop denying how she feels and nab him already'

"It's no secret that I have strong feelings for Naru. If things were different…. I'd be honored to ask you on out Motoko-chan"

Motoko-Chan? He has never addressed me like this before. And did he just say what I thought he said. Could it be…?

" The truth is…I love you all!!! Just for different reasons. You girls mean everything to me. You give me a reason to wake up in the morning and try to be the best person I can be." He paused, scratching the back of his head.  "Heh! Was that last part a bit corny or what?" he asks with a bit of a blush starting to form around his cheeks.

"But you Motoko. I wasn't kidding when I said that you are the strongest person I know. I mean, of course I admire your dedication to your craft. Your discipline is nothing short of amazing. You always try to help others…especially when the "pervert" is on the move."

She winced at how he said, "pervert". She's starting to believe that he is an honorable man after all and feels bad for all the times she sent him into orbit just because she misunderstood his intentions. He could have just now taken advantage of her to satisfy his so-called "perverted" urges, as Naru-sempai likes to put it. Instead, he is just being her friend by trying to help her with her dilemma.

 Would I have let him go further? Kami! I am surprised that I actually would have., Without regret. She thinks as a blush is starting to form on her own cheeks. He seems as kind as he is gentle.

"It's also not like you to give up! Or to back down from a challenge no matter WHO issues it! I know Tsuruko is as good as I saw--"

"Better." Interrupts Motoko.

"—ok then. But that should be all the more reason to face her. If you don't,

You'll never know if you could have beaten her. Never know if you are as good as I KNOW you are." He gently places his hand under her delicate chin and raises it so he can look at her. "THAT would be a shame."

Motoko looked at her friend( Yes, she felt that he was her friend)with a newfound  admiration. "If anyone else had said that to me. I'd scoff at them and just stayed in my room in shame."

"What makes me so special then Motoko-chan?" he asks with some curiosity.

"I am not the only one to –stick with it- so to speak." A slight smile starting to form. " You never gave up on Toudai. It took you almost 4 years but you never stopped ….did you?" His look of confusion amused her. " All because of a promise you made to someone you may or may not remember. I've never said to you how much I admired you for that---Urashima!"

Keitaro simply smiled.

"You are starting to sound more like your old self—I am glad." Motoko allowed him to wipe the remaining tears from her face. He was surprised when she cupped his face with both hands…and gave him a light kiss on his lips. "What was that for?"

She chuckled slightly, "Silly Baka.  Do you not know a 'Thank You' when you receive one?"

"Not Really. I am normally too busy trying to explain my way out of the messes my clumsiness causes, or  making my way back from wherever place either you or Naru launch me off too." He could see the younger girl wince at this as well. "OH! I forgot to tell you…your sister says she is waiting for us in Kyoto." Remembering the brief conversation he had with Tsuruko at the bench earlier today.

If Motoko was surprised, she didn't show any sign. "Let me guess, she said we have to defeat her in honorable combat…or you and I would have to marry!!"

This surprised Keitaro as he never revealed this fact to anyone else until now.  "Yes! How did you— ?"

"That sounds like something she would say and do."  The serious Motoko starting to finally come back. She looked hard at Keitaro and sadly spoke, remembering what her older sister did to her beloved katana. "It matters not. Without a weapon I don't even stand a chance of beating her."

"You mean WE don't stand a chance…right?" Now it was her turn to be surprised. She never expected him to agree to fight by her side. "And I may have the weapon angle covered."

He turns around and limps toward one of the shelves in the landlord's room. There he begins to search for something -- muttering,  "Where did Aunt Haruka say it was?"

Motoko looks on at the scene with a slight smile, 'After all I have put that man through in the past…he still wishes to help me beat Tsuruko. Even if it means that we may lose and that we may have to-' She couldn't think about defeat. Although she admitted to herself that marrying this man wouldn't be…unpleasant, he was still very much in love with Naru and didn't want to see either of them hurt because of a family squabble. Still there was something she would ask him when he finally----

"Found it!!!" he says in mock triumph. In his hand was what looked like an ancient sword still in its scabbard. The first thing Motoko noticed was how Black the entire weapon was ornated. The second thing…. was the dark aura that seemed to emanate from the thing.

He hands her the sword. "It's called the Hina Blade. It's been in my family for generations. I don't know how to handle a sword so I thought it would come in handy for someone who actually can appreciate the thing. Granny Hina was the last one to keep it."

"If I am using this…. then what will you arm yourself with against my sister?" She asked.

"Oh, I am sure I could convince Su to whip up a stash of her patented 'Smart Bombs' to help me even the odds in our favor. Besides it will be good to be on the 'giving' end of those things instead of being on the 'receiving' end like I usually am."

Motoko couldn't help but chuckle at that last statement. She has seen him endure his share of those 'smart bombs. Because they'smart' when they hit is what he means, remembering the times when Su wanted to play with the landlord.

"Urashima-" She started, looking down at the floor "- I wanted to ask you. Would it really be so bad if we lost to my sister tomorrow?"  Realizing what she just asked-she paniced. Did I go too far in asking him that? She lifts her face back up to meet his eyes. "I apologize I didn't mean to--"

"No." he said in a whisper high enough that she could just barely register what he said. "It wouldn't be so bad if we lost to her tomorrow." He says with a genuine smile on his face.

'He—He really means it!'  She coughs in an attempt to regain her composure and become her 'old' self again. " Then for Naru-sempai's sake…we had better win !" She says with a slight smile of her own.

"So what do you say Motoko? Are we up for it?"

She looks at the Hina Blade for a few seconds feeling the power surging within it. She looks at the man who may or may not be her future husband if they lose. Takes a deep breath , and with her smile widening simply says—

"Let's do this"

Author's notes: Confused? Please don't be. The spirit of this chapter is still the same, but I tried tightening up what I could while adding a little more content to better flesh the writing out. The reason for this is two-fold:

1) This was my very first attempt at writing fiction—some rough edges are expected the first time around as well as I NOW know how to keep the italicized thoughts to STAY italicized.

2) As most of my FF.net painfully remind me---I NEED to update my stuff.  I am using this project to get the literary juices flowing back again as I feel I lost my motivation for writing these things in the first place. In doing so. I hope to get back in the swing of things as I have more stories I want to tell—but not until I finish the first 3.( In Between doesn't count)

Hopefully, I can bring some of the updated ideas of my much later fics to this one( Such as Must Reads and the Omakes) and bring some consistency to all my stuff. Mainly, I forgot how much I love doing this---not just for me, but for you guys as well.

Vash, Jenny, Dennis, Songlark & Brian this is mainly for you guys who have cheered me on( And kicked me in the rear when I don't update) since day 1. Hopefully everyone else will appreciate what I am trying to do as well and enjoy what they can. Let's take that ride again, and start some new ones along the way.

                                                                             Here we go,

                                                                                         -Joe-

~MUST READ~ Hawker-478 :Loss & Redemption- A very recent fic that is dear to my heart as it relates what happens to Kei and Motoko after they lose to Tsuruko. Granted that there are a lot of fics here that deal with this Story(this one included) and possibly use it to death. I urge anyone that hasn't given this a read to please do so—it will definitely make you feel for these characters in a way that neither the Manga nor the Anime have attempted. By the way, it's in the Rated R section in case you have trouble finding it.

Lighthawkdemon: Different Promises- You want to see what happens to Keitaro when he makes it into Toudai the FIRST time??? Here it is. However, WHY he does this may make some folks sad—involves everyone's favorite adopted sister. It also contains a VERY funny moment when Keitaro turns the perverted tables on both Naru and Motoko. If you can't figure out what chapter I am talking about after checking this out---you have no pulse. Please read.

I Won't Tell: Misted Glass of an Angel-   Recently, there have been a run of Kitsune fics here on FF.net and I couldn't be happier. She needs some time to shine as she has the most UNDERUSED potential of all the characters in my opinion. Actually, she shares main character duties with another MASSIVELY underused charcter –Haruka. Flks, you want to see Haruka star in a fic—come here. You wanna see Kitsune shine—Come here. You wanna see the LOVE HINA mythos shot to hell with style  well, you get the idea.

And there are MORE that I would like to include, but must wait for later re-writes or ACTUAL updates to include them. Word of advice look for the original chapters these next few days as I will go over ALL of them in my quest to complete them in style.

Gotenks01013: Damn, getting late here.( Notices Naru and Motoko standing on either side of him.) Hi Girls, what can I do for you.

Naru: Um Gotenks? What exactly are you doing?

Gote: What do you mean Naru?

Motoko: What Naru-sempai means is, Why are you re-visiting your earlier works when you technically have not completed them?

Gote: Truth?

(Both nod)

Gote; I am doing this BECAUSE I want to finish them.

(Both girls give me a confused look)

Gote: Look, the reason I haven't updated as much as I want is because—I've lacked inspiration. Do you understand?

Naru: Yup:

Mot: Hai!

Gote: Good. I got some interesting things I wanna write soon which involves Valentine, Warrior, and most of all Friend.

Mot: Which will be first Gotenks-san?

Naru: Yea! I wanna know too.

Gote: For new material?

( Both Nod)

Gote: Looks like it'll be Valentine as I only need one more chapter and a short epilogue to end it right.

Naru: YES!!

Mot: Hmm.

Gote: Don't worry Motoko-chan. The others will be tweaked and added too as well.

Mot: Arigato Gotenks-san.

Gote: Anyway, time for me to get some sleep.

Naru: Ok , but you had better live up to your promise, or else they( points out to real world) might get mad.

Gote: Believe me Naru, I'm doing this for both me AND them.

Mot: And for Us?

Gote: Yea Motoko-chan. For you guys as well.

Mot: Then all is well. Until we meet again Gotenks-san.

Naru: Yea. Good luck.

(Both walk off)

Gote:  (sweats lightly) Yes. Here's hoping this works.

( Shuts off lightswitch)