LOVE CHILD 3
by Gunman

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenjho Tenge or it's characters.

Summary: Maya searches for a possible mate for Masataka, and ends up fighting Mitsuomi for him.

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Maya Natsume was depressed.

For the last three days she had been talking with various girls at the school and found them to be.... inadequate.

True several of them thought that Masataka was strong, attractive and interesting, but it was nothing more than crazy fan-girl lusting.

Why is it so difficult to find a decent woman in this freaking school? Maya mentally grumbled.

As she thought more and more about who would be good for the anti-weapons specialist, the more she realized that her only option would have to be herself.

It was then that she noticed herself right outside of Emi's office.

And for a second, she actually considered that.

Yeah right! The way she kowtows to Mitsuomi she'd never consider going after his little brother. Would she even consider him to be a second place catch? Maya thought. Or would she try and use him to make Mitsuomi jealous?

It was then that Tawara Bunshichi appeared in the hallway.

"Well, well, well. Look what my eyes have laid upon today." he said with a smirk.

"Oh, not now Bunshichi. I'm not in the mood." she snapped.

"Hot, young thing like you walking around the place, alone, and you're not in the mood? Something must be wrong." he said, lighting up another cigarette. "Care to share?"

She looked at him and huffed.

"It's.... nothing." she said with a mildly depressed sigh.

Noting the serious expression on her face, his tone changed.

"Okay, look Maya-chan..... I know you and I have never really gotten along, we've often been on different sides, and of course there is the issue of you trying to take down Mitsuomi and all, but..."

"Don't! Just Don't!" she snapped again, her finger pointing just centimeters from his face.

"What? I was trying to..."

"I'm really not in the mood for your games! So I'll say this only once!" she said, getting herself worked up into a huff. However, before she could actually give the unshaven man a piece of her mind she froze and just looked at him as another set of words came out of her mouth. "Do you know any single ladies interested in a serious, long-term relationship?"

CRASH!

Maya looked down at Bunshichi with a mildly bewildered look as he rose up out of the ground.

"Can you repeat that, please? Because what you just said, is not what I really expected to hear."

Maya sighed. "It's.... a long story."

"I like stories. So please, do tell."

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(Coffee Shop)

"Well...... I have to say, that's a heck of a story." Bunshichi said nearly an hour later after hearing about Masataka's desire to leave Tokyo and everyone he knew. What interested him more was the fact that Maya was willing to put herself into a position of what he would label as inconvenient. Just like Masataka had said, Maya had never shown the anti-weapons specialist anything resembling affection or even attraction.

She needed him, didn't want him, which was why he was leaving.

"I don't want him to leave, but if he does...." Maya said, sipping her tea.

"Right. Right." he huffed and tossed another cigarette butt into the trash can. "Wish I could say I was surprised, but... oh man."

"I don't expect you to help me here, but thank's for listening to my problem." she said, getting up to walk away.

"Whoa, slow down there Maya!" Bunshichi said, rising up off his seat to catch her. "I didn't say I wasn't going to help you. I just don't know how. I mean, I know several young women who'd love to get a guy like Masataka in bed, but..."

"He doesn't need a good lay! He needs a serious girlfriend! Someone who actually wants to be with him. Someone who will stay. Someone who will do their best to make him happy. Someone..."

"Someone...like you?" he asked with a smirk.

A small tinge of pink filled her cheek, and then vanished.

"No! I... I couldn't!" she stuttered.

"Why not?" he asked. "You obviously want him to stay. You obviously like him. Why not..."

"Because he's right about me. I can't be the kind of person he needs to have a stable relationship. He... he said that I still carry a torch for Mitsuomi. That... that isn't true, but I...."

"But some part of you still feels something for him, right?" Bunshichi asked.

"...........yes." she finally admitted.

Bunshichi sighed as he lit another cigarette.

"Then I guess there's only one thing to do." he said, taking a long drag.

"And what would that be?" Maya asked.

He lit up a cigarette and took a long puff before answering.

"Extinguish the torch." he finally said.

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(Natsume Dojo)

"You Can't Be Serious!" Aya shouted at her older sister.

"Why not?" Maya asked, going over her martial moves patiently and evenly.

"First you plan to keep Masataka here by finding him a girlfriend, even offering yourself up for that, then you go and challenge his big brother to a fight? How does that fit into your plan?"

"It's a calculated risk." Maya replied.

"It's virtual suicide is what it is!" Aya snapped.

Just then, Masataka walked in.

"You wanted to see me, Captain?" the anti-weapons specialist asked.

"Yes, Masa-kun." Maya said, motioning for Aya to leave the dojo. "I want you to spar with me."

"You called me here for that?"

"Yes."

"Why, may I ask?"

"I've got an upcoming fight and I need someone strong enough to help me train." Maya explained.

"Can't someone else do it?" Masataka asked.

"There isn't anyone else who can help me with this."

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

"Because they're not going up against your brother."

Masataka balked at that.

"You... you're fighting Mitsuomi?" he gasped.

"Yes."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"WHAT???!!!" he gasped.

"Which is why I need your help now."

"But... how.... why?"

"It's a somewhat long story, but the short version is...we've got some old scores to settle and.... it's part of a past that I need to lay to rest."

"I'm really not getting this, but....... alright." he relented.

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(Takayanagi Dojo)

"I can't believe you agreed me to this and then sprung it on me this last second." Mitsuomi said as he smashed another steel-plated dummy.

"You trusted my judgement in the past." Bunshichi said, puffing on a cigarette.

"A fight between Maya and myself.... tomorrow afternoon.... is incredibly short notice, amazingly inconvenient, and not something you would normally do."

"Yet here you are warming up all the same."

"Don't test me, Bunshichi!"

"Look, this had been a long-time in coming. It's not something that you're unprepared for. Besides, you and Maya got the same prep-time, so it'll be more or less an equal fight."

"You're such a fool!" the powerful looking young man said.

"Pardon?"

"In a fight between two combatants, the stronger fighter always prevails."

"And between the two of you, I'd probably place even money on you."

"It's a suckers bet." the Enforcement Group leader said.

"Maybe. But you want this as much as she does. So don't argue."

"It was not a time of my choosing."

"You ain't got much time left, remember?"

Mitsuomi glared at him.

"Get up here!"

His cigarette almost fell out of his mouth at hearing that. "Uh...."

"I SAID NOW!"

Right then, Bunshichi wished he had kept his mouth shut.

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Maya and Masataka stood several feet apart from each other inside the Natsume Dojo. They stared at the other person as if trying to read their body language, gauging what they were going to do next.

That's when it happened.

Maya shot forward in a sudden burst of speed, leaping into the air and throwing a fierce kick to the young man's head. Masataka ducked as Maya spun around in mid-air to try and hit him once again. She threw two more kicks at his head before she landed on the ground and moved to fist strikes at his chest. Masataka knocked her hands away as she took it up a notch and slammed her hands into the ground, a bolt of ki-energy shooting through the floor and exploding underneath him.

She's taking the gloves off! Masataka gasped as he flipped around and landed on his feet. Is she really planning on taking on my brother... to the death?

Come on, Masa-kun. There's no way you can be this dense! Maya thought as she got herself back into a combat-ready stance. "Don't hold back on me, Masa-kun. I'm facing your brother tomorrow in a death match!"

"Why exactly?" he asked.

"Pardon?" she replied, pausing briefly.

"You and my brother have had disagreements in the past... but what made you decide to challenge him in a death match... and so suddenly?" Masataka asked.

"Several reasons, actually."

"Such as?"

Maya relaxed her body and stood up to face the young man with seriousness.

"Many of the reasons are personal. It's something that goes back to long before you joined the club. An old score that needs to be settled."

"That... doesn't answer my question." Masataka said.

Maya sighed as she looked at the young man.

"I know. But to answer your question.... it has to do with our... feelings for each other."

"Your feelings?" he asked, confused.

"Mitsuomi and I were once.... you know."

"Yeah."

"After our falling out we never truly reconciled what happened. As a result... this is a type of closure for us."

"Closure? A fight to the death?" he asked, still not truly believing her.

"Not like your brother has much time left." she quipped.

"What?" he gasped, now very confused.

"You didn't know?" she asked.

"Know what?"

Maya looked at Masataka, realizing that he didn't know. While part of her felt like there was little reason to tell him, another part knew that he had a right to know, and that Mitsuomi would never tell.

"Mitsuomi was involved in a fight some years ago with my brother, Shin, and as a result he was infected with a type of ki-poison that is slowly killing him." Maya explained.

"Ki-poison?" he asked.

"Yes. It's affecting him gradually. While it makes him quite strong, it's also killing him quicker."

"Sort of like... compounding all of a person's life force into the last couple of years of his life?"

"Yes. In a way."

Masataka bowed his head for a few seconds before asking, "Is there anything that can be done?"

"I don't know. I considered it once, but with what happened to my brother..."

"Right." he sighed. "So... I guess I'll have to..."

"No."

"No?"

"It was his choice. Mitsuomi isn't the kind of person to ask for help. It would be a sign of weakness. And I'm sure you'd agree that he would rather die than show any sign of weakness."

Masataka sighed. "Yes. I think he would."

"Now, if all your questions are answered...." she said, getting back into an attack stance.

"Yes, Captain." Masataka said, getting back into his own attack stance.

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Authors Notes:

Yes, it's been a long time in coming, but hopefully this update will make everyone happy.

It wasn't what I really had in mind. In fact, I was planning on adding a fight scene between Maya and Mitsuomi, but decided that it would be better for next chapter.

The whole training session was mostly designed as a way to get Maya and Masataka interested in each other. Get them to spend more time together. I wasn't planning on adding the Enforcement Group into the mix, but thought it would move the story along better if Maya had some 'help' in this regard. The next chapter will be a fight between Mitsuomi and Maya.

And as always, leave me a review to let me know what you think.

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OMAKE

"Now, if all your questions are answered...." she said, getting back into an attack stance.

"Yes, Captain." Masataka said, getting back into his own attack stance.

And let's see if I can't flash you a little skin to get you interested. Maya thought. I mean, seriously, you'd think all this training was only for my benefit.

Is something bothering the Captain? She seems a little distracted? Masataka thought as the pair flew towards each other with incredible speed and tried to land more than a few punches on each other. And her technique is rather sloppy. As if she's deliberately getting me to strike at her.

Come on, Masa-kun. I'm leaving myself open as much as possible. Take the hint! Maya thought as she grabbed Masataka and flipped him onto his back. She then flipped over him and landed on his stomach, straddling him as she pinned his arms above his head. "Gotcha!" she laughed.

"Very funny, Captain." he said, struggling against her arms. "Shouldn't you be taking this seriously? I mean it's my brother you're going to be fighting, so getting close in this position could be trouble."

"Yes. But it's not your brother that I want in this position."

"What are you...."

"I don't want things to change, Masa-kun. I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay."

"Captain.... there's nothing for me here." he sighed.

"Yes. There is." she said, leaning in to kiss his lips softly. If this doesn't make him see that I'm serious about this, nothing will!

So this is what kissing a girl is like. He thought as he felt her arms go around his head and his own go around her body.

"So! This is training, huh?" Aya asked as she returned to the dojo.

"Uh..." Masataka said, blushing.

"Uh..." Maya said, blushing.