Love Hina – Motoko's Little Helper
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter One – Big Surprises Come in Small packages
Friday Evening
Motoko sits next to her kotatsu table and places the package on the surface. As she sits down, the tiny bells tied to her hair jingle lightly. She blushes and bows her head.
"I am so ashamed. I should never have made that bet with Konno-san."
Her mind flashes back to that morning, after she had sent Keitaro through the dining room wall.
["Urashima! This is the last time you shall ever defile a young maiden! Shinobu-chan, are you unhurt?"]
["M-motoko-sempai! Aaauuuuu! Sempai was just helping me train for my gymnastic competition this weekend! I need to learn to balance on top of my partner's feet!"]
["What?"]
["Sempai wasn't doing anything wrong! You always hurt him before anyone can explain!"]
[Motoko looks down at her sword.]
["I, I am sorry, Shinobu-chan. I did it again, did I not?"]
[Kitsune places a hand on Motoko's shoulder and smiles.]
["That's the third time this week that ya'll attacked Keitaro-san without giving him a chance to explain. Ya'll know what that means?"]
[Kitsune holds out two small golden bells.]
["Ya'll promised that you would wear bells for a week if ya'll attacked Keitaro-san by mistake three times in less than two days! That way, he can hear you coming."]
[Motoko places one hand to her face and holds the other out.]
["Remind me to never make a bet with you again, Konno-san."]
Motoko raise her head and looks at the address on the package.
"I wonder what this could be? I have not heard from my second-cousin Motosuwa Hideki-san since he started college."
She peels the wrapping off and opens the box. As she starts to reach inside, the paper padding starts to move. Motoko leaps to her feet and grabs her sword as a small hand pokes out of the wrapping.
"It is about time someone opened this! What a way to travel! I am lucky that I do not need to breathe!"
A small female head, covered in long dark hair tied with bells, pokes out of the box. She looks up at Motoko.
"A little help would be appreciated. I am a bit stiff from being stuck in here for three days. And please, put that sword away. Sharp objects can be dangerous!"
"Oh, of course! Uh, what are you?"
As Motoko places her on the table, the small girl straightens her red and white shrine outfit.
"I am not a what! I am Kotoko! I am a persocon!"
AN: Persocon, Personal Computer. From Chobits.
Motoko sits back and stares at Kotoko.
"Amazing! I have never seen a persocon before. Why are you here?"
Kotoko pats some dust off her sleeve and looks up at Motoko. Her eyes dim slightly and she starts to speak in Hideki's voice.
"Hello cousin Motoko-san! Chi and I are well and I'm finally getting used to college life. Since I have Sumomo to help me with my studying, I thought that you would like to borrow Kotoko to help you for a while. She is very smart and honest. Also, she needed a little vacation. I think that Sumomo's wakey-exercises were finally starting to get to her. Oh, one other thing, try not to blow any whistles near her. She's a little skittish of them. I hope you two get along well. Best wishes, Hideki."
Kotoko's eyes clear and she sits on the edge of the table.
"May I ask you a question?"
Motoko nods her head.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Do you remember to put on your underwear everyday?"
"Uh, yes, I do."
"Good! I would hate to have to chase you around carrying the panties you forgot."
"I, uh, I do not understand."
Kotoko crosses her arms.
"Do not ask. Now, how may I be of assistance to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"I am here to help you. So, how may I help you?"
Motoko thinks for a few moments.
"I am not having difficulties in high school, so assistance in studying will not be necessary. I spend most of my time training with my sword, and . . ."
"And what?"
"And protecting the residents of Hinata-sou from that vile, lecherous, pervert manager of ours."
Kotoko's eye flicker for a moment.
"That would be Urashima Keitaro?"
"Yes."
Her eyes flicker once more.
"Personal file updated. Hideki-san failed to mention that Urashima was a vile, lecherous pervert. Tell me, does this Urashima spurt blood from his nose?"
"Almost constantly."
Kotoko shakes her head, causing her bells to jingle.
"That is just great, another one to deal with. What is it with men and nosebleeds anyway?"
The persocon looks around the room.
"Are the room assignment the same as what you wrote to Hideki?"
"Yes, there have been no changes."
Kotoko jumps off the table.
"I shall see to this Urashima first. I have some experience dealing with matters of this sort."
Motoko stares as the persocon walks to the door and into the hallway.
"Amazing! But, who does she remind me of? I cannot quite place where I have seen someone that looks like her."
She removes her school uniform and prepares for the hot spring.
Kotoko passes by Su's room and looks in the door as she walks by.
"Good evening, Kaolla-san."
Su looks up from working on her newest Mecha-Tama.
"Evening Motoko!"
Su flips her welding mask back down and continues working. After a few moments, she stops and looks towards the door again.
"Nah, it couldn't be. My eyes must be playin' trick-or-treats on me."
Kotoko takes about five minutes to make her way to the second floor and walks into Keitaro's room. She spots him sitting at his kotatsu table studying and walks up behind him. As she raises her head, the bells in her hair jingle.
"Hey, pervert!"
Keitaro, upon hearing the bells, leaps from the table and dives out the window.
"Ahhhh! Motoko-chan! I'm innocent!"
A sweat drop appears on Kotoko's temple as the sound of Keitaro crashing to the ground echoes outside. Running footsteps recede and are followed by a splashing sound. Motoko's voice echoes across the grounds.
"Urashima! You dare to enter the hot spring while I am here? SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! ROCK SPLITTING SWORD!"
Kotoko looks out the window and watches as Keitaro sails up and over the inn.
"That cannot be good. Is it murder? Will I be involved in a murder investigation on my first day at Hinata-sou?"
A moment later, Keitaro crashes through the window and slides under the kotatsu table. His glasses are canted on his face as he looks over at Kotoko and reaches out.
"M-motoko? What happened to you?"
His hand flops to the floor as he falls unconscious. Kotoko hurriedly looks around and runs for the hallway. She stops as she hears voices and footsteps. Seeing no other place to hide, she runs back over and crawls into Keitaro's wastebasket. The footsteps pass by the door and continue to the stairs. The persocon waits for a few minutes, unsure of what to do. The sound of Keitaro sitting up and moving to the desk is heard.
"I must be studying too much. I could have sworn that I heard bells in here, but Motoko was in the hot spring. I need some tea to calm my nerves."
Keitaro puts his sweater on and lifts the bag out of the wastebasket.
"I'd better take out the trash too. Tomorrow is collection day."
"Hey! I am not tomorrow's garbage! Let me out of here!"
Keitaro opens the bag and looks inside. His eyes go wide.
"Motoko-chan? Is that you? Wh-what happened?"
"I am not Motoko! I am Kotoko!"
Keitaro, still holding the bag, runs around the room. And around, and around, and around.
"Oh my god! Something's happened to Motoko-chan! She shrunk! What do I do? What do I do?"
Keitaro stops and looks at the door.
"Su-chan! This must be her doing! I've told her not to experiment on people!"
Keitaro runs to Su's room and throws open the door.
"Su-chan! What did you do to Motoko-chan?"
Kaolla Su looks up from her Mecha-Tama.
"Huh? I aint done nothing to Motoko. Why'd ya asks?"
Keitaro lifts Kotoko from the bag.
"Just look at her! She's puny! You've got to return her to normal!"
Su jumps over and stares at Kotoko.
"Hokey-cows! Ya is right! Motoko is miniaturized! I'm a genius! Horray!"
Su dances around her room and stops, balancing on one foot.
"Just waits a minute! I didn't do anything to Motoko!"
She walks over and pokes at Kotoko.
"Hey, Motoko! How'd ya get so small?"
Kotoko slaps at Su's finger.
"I am not Motoko! I am Kotoko! Do you know that it is rude to point?"
Su crosses her arms.
"This is serious! Her brain shrunk so small that Motoko don't even know her own name anymore!"
"I am not Motoko! I am a persocon!"
Su leans close and stares at her.
"Can ya proves it?"
Kotoko nods her head.
"Of course. Just look at my clothes. Does Motoko dress like this?"
The resident inventor rubs her chin.
"Hmm. Red slacks and a white shirt. Yep! You're Motoko all right!"
"Wait! What about my bells? Would Motoko wear bells in her hair?"
Keitaro nods his head.
"You lost a bet with Kitsune-san, remember? This really is Motoko! We've got to do something!"
Kotoko holds out her hands.
"Wait! Let us go to Motoko's room. She will tell you who I am."
Keitaro looks at Su.
"I think we should humor her until we figure out how to change her back."
A few seconds later, they stand in the middle of the sword master's room. Keitaro gently sets Kotoko on the kotatsu table.
"See, you're not here. I mean, there isn't another Motoko-chan. Now tell us what happened to you."
Kotoko stamps her foot on the table.
"She was just here! I am a persocon and my name is Kotoko! I came here in that box."
She point to the empty package on the table. Su shakes her head.
"Motoko's really gone off the deep end. I guess that's what happens when your brain is the size of a peanut."
"Su-chan, if you didn't do this, them how did she get so small?"
"Beats me with a dead horse! Maybe it was Naru's cooking."
Keitaro shakes his head.
"You'd be more likely to get diarrhea from Narusegawa's cooking."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"No, it's . . . where did Motoko-chan go?"
They look around the room, but Kotoko is nowhere to be seen. Keitaro starts looking in corners and under the table.
"Motoko-chan, where are you?"
Su jumps for the door.
"Maybe she went in the hallway! Motoko, are we playin' hide and go seek?"
Keitaro continues searching as Su runs down the hallway.
"Motoko-chan, come on out so we can help you."
He pulls open drawers and searches through them. As he rummages through them he hears bells jingle and turns around. Motoko, wearing her robe, stares at him from the doorway.
"Ura-urashima? What are you doing?"
Keitaro stand up and smiles at her.
"Motoko-chan! Thank goodness! I've been looking for you!"
Motoko looks down at his hands as she raises her sword.
"And you assumed that I would be found in the drawer with my underwear?"
Keitaro looks at his hands and then back up at Motoko.
"Oh heck!"
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! AIR SPLITTING SWORD!"
The vortex rips Keitaro across the room and flings him out the window. As Motoko places her sword back in its scabbard, Kotoko pokes her head out of the mail package.
"This place is full of the strangest people."
End of Chapter One.
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter One – Big Surprises Come in Small packages
Friday Evening
Motoko sits next to her kotatsu table and places the package on the surface. As she sits down, the tiny bells tied to her hair jingle lightly. She blushes and bows her head.
"I am so ashamed. I should never have made that bet with Konno-san."
Her mind flashes back to that morning, after she had sent Keitaro through the dining room wall.
["Urashima! This is the last time you shall ever defile a young maiden! Shinobu-chan, are you unhurt?"]
["M-motoko-sempai! Aaauuuuu! Sempai was just helping me train for my gymnastic competition this weekend! I need to learn to balance on top of my partner's feet!"]
["What?"]
["Sempai wasn't doing anything wrong! You always hurt him before anyone can explain!"]
[Motoko looks down at her sword.]
["I, I am sorry, Shinobu-chan. I did it again, did I not?"]
[Kitsune places a hand on Motoko's shoulder and smiles.]
["That's the third time this week that ya'll attacked Keitaro-san without giving him a chance to explain. Ya'll know what that means?"]
[Kitsune holds out two small golden bells.]
["Ya'll promised that you would wear bells for a week if ya'll attacked Keitaro-san by mistake three times in less than two days! That way, he can hear you coming."]
[Motoko places one hand to her face and holds the other out.]
["Remind me to never make a bet with you again, Konno-san."]
Motoko raise her head and looks at the address on the package.
"I wonder what this could be? I have not heard from my second-cousin Motosuwa Hideki-san since he started college."
She peels the wrapping off and opens the box. As she starts to reach inside, the paper padding starts to move. Motoko leaps to her feet and grabs her sword as a small hand pokes out of the wrapping.
"It is about time someone opened this! What a way to travel! I am lucky that I do not need to breathe!"
A small female head, covered in long dark hair tied with bells, pokes out of the box. She looks up at Motoko.
"A little help would be appreciated. I am a bit stiff from being stuck in here for three days. And please, put that sword away. Sharp objects can be dangerous!"
"Oh, of course! Uh, what are you?"
As Motoko places her on the table, the small girl straightens her red and white shrine outfit.
"I am not a what! I am Kotoko! I am a persocon!"
AN: Persocon, Personal Computer. From Chobits.
Motoko sits back and stares at Kotoko.
"Amazing! I have never seen a persocon before. Why are you here?"
Kotoko pats some dust off her sleeve and looks up at Motoko. Her eyes dim slightly and she starts to speak in Hideki's voice.
"Hello cousin Motoko-san! Chi and I are well and I'm finally getting used to college life. Since I have Sumomo to help me with my studying, I thought that you would like to borrow Kotoko to help you for a while. She is very smart and honest. Also, she needed a little vacation. I think that Sumomo's wakey-exercises were finally starting to get to her. Oh, one other thing, try not to blow any whistles near her. She's a little skittish of them. I hope you two get along well. Best wishes, Hideki."
Kotoko's eyes clear and she sits on the edge of the table.
"May I ask you a question?"
Motoko nods her head.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Do you remember to put on your underwear everyday?"
"Uh, yes, I do."
"Good! I would hate to have to chase you around carrying the panties you forgot."
"I, uh, I do not understand."
Kotoko crosses her arms.
"Do not ask. Now, how may I be of assistance to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"I am here to help you. So, how may I help you?"
Motoko thinks for a few moments.
"I am not having difficulties in high school, so assistance in studying will not be necessary. I spend most of my time training with my sword, and . . ."
"And what?"
"And protecting the residents of Hinata-sou from that vile, lecherous, pervert manager of ours."
Kotoko's eye flicker for a moment.
"That would be Urashima Keitaro?"
"Yes."
Her eyes flicker once more.
"Personal file updated. Hideki-san failed to mention that Urashima was a vile, lecherous pervert. Tell me, does this Urashima spurt blood from his nose?"
"Almost constantly."
Kotoko shakes her head, causing her bells to jingle.
"That is just great, another one to deal with. What is it with men and nosebleeds anyway?"
The persocon looks around the room.
"Are the room assignment the same as what you wrote to Hideki?"
"Yes, there have been no changes."
Kotoko jumps off the table.
"I shall see to this Urashima first. I have some experience dealing with matters of this sort."
Motoko stares as the persocon walks to the door and into the hallway.
"Amazing! But, who does she remind me of? I cannot quite place where I have seen someone that looks like her."
She removes her school uniform and prepares for the hot spring.
Kotoko passes by Su's room and looks in the door as she walks by.
"Good evening, Kaolla-san."
Su looks up from working on her newest Mecha-Tama.
"Evening Motoko!"
Su flips her welding mask back down and continues working. After a few moments, she stops and looks towards the door again.
"Nah, it couldn't be. My eyes must be playin' trick-or-treats on me."
Kotoko takes about five minutes to make her way to the second floor and walks into Keitaro's room. She spots him sitting at his kotatsu table studying and walks up behind him. As she raises her head, the bells in her hair jingle.
"Hey, pervert!"
Keitaro, upon hearing the bells, leaps from the table and dives out the window.
"Ahhhh! Motoko-chan! I'm innocent!"
A sweat drop appears on Kotoko's temple as the sound of Keitaro crashing to the ground echoes outside. Running footsteps recede and are followed by a splashing sound. Motoko's voice echoes across the grounds.
"Urashima! You dare to enter the hot spring while I am here? SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! ROCK SPLITTING SWORD!"
Kotoko looks out the window and watches as Keitaro sails up and over the inn.
"That cannot be good. Is it murder? Will I be involved in a murder investigation on my first day at Hinata-sou?"
A moment later, Keitaro crashes through the window and slides under the kotatsu table. His glasses are canted on his face as he looks over at Kotoko and reaches out.
"M-motoko? What happened to you?"
His hand flops to the floor as he falls unconscious. Kotoko hurriedly looks around and runs for the hallway. She stops as she hears voices and footsteps. Seeing no other place to hide, she runs back over and crawls into Keitaro's wastebasket. The footsteps pass by the door and continue to the stairs. The persocon waits for a few minutes, unsure of what to do. The sound of Keitaro sitting up and moving to the desk is heard.
"I must be studying too much. I could have sworn that I heard bells in here, but Motoko was in the hot spring. I need some tea to calm my nerves."
Keitaro puts his sweater on and lifts the bag out of the wastebasket.
"I'd better take out the trash too. Tomorrow is collection day."
"Hey! I am not tomorrow's garbage! Let me out of here!"
Keitaro opens the bag and looks inside. His eyes go wide.
"Motoko-chan? Is that you? Wh-what happened?"
"I am not Motoko! I am Kotoko!"
Keitaro, still holding the bag, runs around the room. And around, and around, and around.
"Oh my god! Something's happened to Motoko-chan! She shrunk! What do I do? What do I do?"
Keitaro stops and looks at the door.
"Su-chan! This must be her doing! I've told her not to experiment on people!"
Keitaro runs to Su's room and throws open the door.
"Su-chan! What did you do to Motoko-chan?"
Kaolla Su looks up from her Mecha-Tama.
"Huh? I aint done nothing to Motoko. Why'd ya asks?"
Keitaro lifts Kotoko from the bag.
"Just look at her! She's puny! You've got to return her to normal!"
Su jumps over and stares at Kotoko.
"Hokey-cows! Ya is right! Motoko is miniaturized! I'm a genius! Horray!"
Su dances around her room and stops, balancing on one foot.
"Just waits a minute! I didn't do anything to Motoko!"
She walks over and pokes at Kotoko.
"Hey, Motoko! How'd ya get so small?"
Kotoko slaps at Su's finger.
"I am not Motoko! I am Kotoko! Do you know that it is rude to point?"
Su crosses her arms.
"This is serious! Her brain shrunk so small that Motoko don't even know her own name anymore!"
"I am not Motoko! I am a persocon!"
Su leans close and stares at her.
"Can ya proves it?"
Kotoko nods her head.
"Of course. Just look at my clothes. Does Motoko dress like this?"
The resident inventor rubs her chin.
"Hmm. Red slacks and a white shirt. Yep! You're Motoko all right!"
"Wait! What about my bells? Would Motoko wear bells in her hair?"
Keitaro nods his head.
"You lost a bet with Kitsune-san, remember? This really is Motoko! We've got to do something!"
Kotoko holds out her hands.
"Wait! Let us go to Motoko's room. She will tell you who I am."
Keitaro looks at Su.
"I think we should humor her until we figure out how to change her back."
A few seconds later, they stand in the middle of the sword master's room. Keitaro gently sets Kotoko on the kotatsu table.
"See, you're not here. I mean, there isn't another Motoko-chan. Now tell us what happened to you."
Kotoko stamps her foot on the table.
"She was just here! I am a persocon and my name is Kotoko! I came here in that box."
She point to the empty package on the table. Su shakes her head.
"Motoko's really gone off the deep end. I guess that's what happens when your brain is the size of a peanut."
"Su-chan, if you didn't do this, them how did she get so small?"
"Beats me with a dead horse! Maybe it was Naru's cooking."
Keitaro shakes his head.
"You'd be more likely to get diarrhea from Narusegawa's cooking."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"No, it's . . . where did Motoko-chan go?"
They look around the room, but Kotoko is nowhere to be seen. Keitaro starts looking in corners and under the table.
"Motoko-chan, where are you?"
Su jumps for the door.
"Maybe she went in the hallway! Motoko, are we playin' hide and go seek?"
Keitaro continues searching as Su runs down the hallway.
"Motoko-chan, come on out so we can help you."
He pulls open drawers and searches through them. As he rummages through them he hears bells jingle and turns around. Motoko, wearing her robe, stares at him from the doorway.
"Ura-urashima? What are you doing?"
Keitaro stand up and smiles at her.
"Motoko-chan! Thank goodness! I've been looking for you!"
Motoko looks down at his hands as she raises her sword.
"And you assumed that I would be found in the drawer with my underwear?"
Keitaro looks at his hands and then back up at Motoko.
"Oh heck!"
"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! AIR SPLITTING SWORD!"
The vortex rips Keitaro across the room and flings him out the window. As Motoko places her sword back in its scabbard, Kotoko pokes her head out of the mail package.
"This place is full of the strangest people."
End of Chapter One.