The Sekirei. They were...odd. And that was what drew Minaka to them. When he had found their ship, crashed into a small remote island, he knew his life had immediately changed. Everything he did now, was linked to the Sekirei. It was also why he was currently employing every resource he had into protecting them. Protecting his interest. It had, recently, come to his attention that an army of sorts was gathering, preparing was a better word, to invade Kamikura Island. Now, while incredibly knew to the Sekirei and their abilities, Minaka knew that this army would stand little-to-no chance against the Sekirei. Which, is also what worried Minaka, greatly. If an army built by multiple world-leading authorities couldn't withstand the strength of the Sekirei, what chance did Minaka have to even keep them in his residence long enough for him to achieve what he wanted?
Minaka knew that given time he could make himself their only option, which he had already begun steps towards doing, but it still worried him. What if they left too early? He could already see the look in their eyes. Minaka understood why they felt the way that they did, but it still unnerved him, greatly. Miya, the very first Sekirei, the pillar, as the others had called her, was getting dangerously close to simply taking everything Sekirei-related and leaving. And Minaka could do nothing to stop her.
That was, until he discovered a man by the name of Naruto, coincidently also on the island, encased entirely in...paper. With strange, ancient markings. They looked restricting, and hastily drawn. It worried Minaka at first, until the man himself was taken out of the paper. He carried a feeling of age, and appeared like he was an old man as well. His blonde hair was shaggy, falling down towards his shoulder blades. His tan skin was wrinkled, and his eyes carried a mirth to them as he took in everything around him. He had told gallant stories that were entirely too ridiculous to believe, but his charisma brought Naruto into Takami and Minaka's little circle almost immediately.
A little after said introduction, Minaka realized that Naruto's charisma was key to bringing the Sekirei further into his protection. He would've said clutches, but what he was doing wasn't evil by any means. Certainly not, using a wheelchair-bound old man to bind aliens closer to him wasn't evil...was it?
Minaka's plan was simple, and was actually currently already taking place outside of the compound. He had announced that Naruto was to be the Sekirei's handler, as well as to oversee their training. And, in one thing that Minaka had deduced from his time with Naruto, was that the old man knew quite a bit about fighting. And, being a man of results, Minaka saw that efficiency with their power would make the Sekirei even stronger.
Outside, over-looking a shore of Kamikura Island
The 5 Sekirei were sitting, clearly annoyed, on the ground and waiting for their supposed handler, to arrive. Today was introduction day, and the Sekirei just couldn't wait to see who would treat them even more as objects, as experiments, as projects, like the others had. "Aha! Why hello, my young group of charges!" Came an old, withered shout from behind the group. Lazily, they turned their heads, but did not expect to see a rather old-looking man wheeling his way over to them. Miya faintly heard Karasuba chuckle, and couldn't help but to join in. Soon, all of the Sekirei were laughing as the man slowly rolled his way over to them.
"Hey, old-geezer, lost your way?" Mutsu questioned harshly, smirking at the old man. The old man opened his eyes a little wider, showing them his sapphire eyes, before he looked around. "Ano...Aren't you the… what did young Mina-kun call them… Sekiri?" The old man questioned, looking around, before leaning in, awaiting his answer. The group looked shocked, that anyone on the island didn't know them by their looks, or that the title of their race was dead wrong.
Suddenly, the old man began bellowing, his laughter echoing in the wind. He even slapped his knee, and his weak leg jiggled in its uselessness. "Looks like I've still got it! Don't think that just because I can't walk, that I can't keep up with you lot." The old man exclaimed, staring directly at Mutsu. Karasuba chuckled, darkly. "Heh, you'd die before you ever see our dust." The gray-haired, blood-thirsty woman stated harshly. The man looked taken back, before he glared at Karasuba. "Grr… You remind me of Sasuke. It's a pity then. You must think that you are perfect in everyway huh, little miss-rude?" Questioned the old man, rolling his way over and poking Karasuba in the collar bone.
Karasuba stood, leaning down and poking the old man roughly in the same place. "I don't think I'm perfect, I know I am, especially when compared to you pitiful humans. There's nothing you could teach me, like Minaka-baka seems to think." Karasuba growled, his finger nail dangerously close to rupturing the old man's skin. He was wearing a low-cut, burnt orange shirt, with black dress pants on his legs. He was also wearing a white-fishing hat, a shadow hanging over his face.
The old man grunted, clearly grumpy, rolling himself over to look at the sea. "Mean-missy, I have a question for you. When one is out-powered, out-maneuvered, out-skilled, what do they do?" The Old man questioned, still staring at the sea. Karasuba chuckled, sitting back down roughly. "Simple. They die." The Sekirei around her were disturbed, but agreed with her. Just what, exactly, was the old-geezer trying to get at.
"Wrong. They adapt. They learn. They advance. When they are naturally weaker, they result to unnatural means. Now, while having only been here for a week or two, I already know what these 'adjustments' are meant to do. You've figured it out too, but not the real reason for doing so. He is weakening you little birds, so that you can supposedly live with other humans of this world. But, with power comes restraint, if you live with it long enough. Believe me, I know. You would've adjusted on your own, and learned restraint. There is absolutely no reason you had to be adjusted, but Minaka is paranoid. He made sure he knew how to weaken you all. Now, do not hate Minaka. No, no. The key to peace, is understanding. Never Hate, my little birdies, for you will get caught in an infinite-loop of anger, hate, and despair. Loss always follows despair, if you did not know." The old man explained, before turning himself around again, to find that the Sekirei had left anyway. He sighed, opening his eyes fully instead of their usual squint, and staring at where they had left.
'Oh Jiraiya, why do the powerful ones never understand? It is always those that have the power to lead peace forward, that don't understand. Every time I wake up, I'm met with the same fate. A failed peace attempt. Jiraiya, will the Sekirei be any different?' The Old Man questioned, a sad-accepting creeping onto his face as he looked up at the clouds. The Old Man stayed by the shore for who-knows-how-long. The moon was already descending when he decided it was time to go inside.
The Next Day, Minaka's Office.
The Old Man made his way into Minaka's office, awkwardly opening the door with hand and rolling himself in with the other. He struggled to close the door, before Takami grew tired, or bored, and closed it for him. The Old Man thanked her with a squinted-smile. After rolling himself over to Minaka's desk, he took off his hat. "So, Naruto-jiji," "Oh, Takami-chan, please refrain from calling me -jiji. I'm not that old heheheh." Naruto giggled, but in that, indescribable old-man way, giving a testament to his age. "Oh, sorry, Naruto-kun. Anyway, what we called you here today was to ask about how the introductions went yesterday." Takami questioned, considering they still didn't have proper security, and they truly had no idea how well or horribly it went.
"Heh, interesting little-birdies. Though, I only really interacted with Kara-tan and Mutsu-kun. And, now that I think about it, they didn't even bother to catch my name. Heheh, the little-birdies didn't even bother to stay while I imparted my whims to them." Naruto responded, in a much more positive way than what the actual answer was. Naruto was like that, he could tell you that you no longer had any limbs, and you'd feel surprisingly okay with it.
Minaka sighed heavily, palming his forehead in stress. "Mina-kun, I don't think you should be sighing so much. In my experience, it accelerates the graying of your hair." Naruto chided, chuckling. The Two others in the room chuckled as well. Naruto just had that effect, he just made you laugh. "Well, Naruto-kun, it appears that I must do more than simply release you on them to keep the Sekirei on this island." Minaka explained, before seeing Naruto's knowing look. "Ah, no no no! Mina-kun, after today they will open up to me. In fact, I invite either of you to watch as this bachelor works his magic with the ladies." The old man joked, rolling out of the room. Only Takami followed, Minaka too stressed about everything to leave his office.
The Clearing.
Again, the Sekirei found that they had beat their handler to the designated spot. However, they couldn't exactly blame him. He was an old man, who was also wheeling-himself along, alone. "-...nd then I farted in his face! Ha! Ha! Ha! I know! And the best part is, I won the match!" Came a joyous laughter as the Sekirei could see their handler roll his way over to the clearing, Takami at his side. Which, irritated Matsu. "Ergh, she could've wheeled him here!" Muttered Matsu, the usually shy-girl annoyed with their choice of handler.
"Hello my little-birdies! Today, I have brought with me someone I'm sure you all know, and this is Tami-chan! Oh, and before we start, let me tell you something really, really important." Suddenly, the Sekirei's interest peaked, as they leaned forward to listen as the Old man began to whisper. "If you ever want to tease little Tami-chan…" The old man turned around to glance as Takami, before leaning in again, "Tease her about her and Mina-kun. They always deny it but I swear I see love in their eyes!" The old man whisper-yelled, giggling afterwards. The Sekirei were not so impressed, somehow even more annoyed with their handler.
Takami pretended not to notice, considering Naruto was trying to work his bachelor magic. Suddenly, the old man loudly clapped his hands together, a face-splitting grin breaking apart his face and distributing his wrinkles. "Okay! Today, little-birdies, you are going to spar! And I am going to break down every flaw in your styles! I expect today will take quite a while." The Old Man explained, which irritated his Sekirei. Miya, being their unmentioned leader, questioned with a slight tone of threat, "Are you trying to insinuate that us Sekirei are flawed in our battles? When you, yourself, are a powerless human?" Miya glared at Naruto, her eyes removing the kindness she reserved for her fellow Sekirei.
The Old Man giggled, rolling forward, before poking Miya's nose and happily shouting, "Yep! Now, you are too powerful to properly fight anyone here, I can already tell that simply by the way you hold yourself…" The Old Man began muttering, his eyes scanning the Sekirei around him. Miya glared at the old man, he had touched her without her permission, much like the adjusters did. She hated that.
"I've decided! Miya, you will fight Karasuba anyway, and Kazehana and Mutsu will fight as well! Matsu-chan here will fight me!" The Sekirei almost laughed, well, actually they did laugh. Matsu glared at the old man, walking up to him and leaning downward. Despite being a shy girl, she was being insulted and she wouldn't stand it. "Excuse me! But I don't think you want to end up as a red splatter now do you?" Questioned Matsu, a fire sparkling in her eyes.
The Old Man giggled, wheeling away from Matsu, and only Miya noticed it was standard distance for a spar. "Heheh! Of Course I don't! That's why you're the one sparring with me! I'm far too past my prime to think I can do anything to the others, well, maybe if my legs worked…" The Old Man pondered, before suddenly he jumped up a little, reaching into his sleeve and retrieving a black-knife, a ringed handle comfortably in his hand.
"Okay Matsu-chan! Come at me!" The Old Man yelled, calmly and casually leaning back into his wheelchair. Everyone's attention glued to the fight. The Sekirei were excited to see the old man potentially killed, and Takami was ready to intervene...somehow. Naruto merely continued a teeth-less grin, until Matsu attacked him, his hat splitting in two and falling to his sides, a deep crimson leaking down his face. No longer was there a smile, but now a surprised look, his eyes actually opening a little. He looked down, before looking up again.
Matsu stared at her hand, covered in the old man's blood. She had meant to merely chop his neck to put him to sleep!
The group of Sekirei backed up slightly. They had, of course, whispered about the Old Man's death, but to see it happen… It actually somehow saddened them. Despite his human status, it was still truly a pain to see such a kind, Old man die.
Takami's face lost all color, until a hand tugged at her sleeve. She looked down, to see another Naruto. He looked up, whispering to her, "When do you think they'll notice my supposed body isn't there anymore?" Due to the sheer quietness of the area, all of the Sekirei heard him. Their heads snapped to his position, and Naruto giggled a little.
Kazehana began speaking a mile a minute. "Wethoughtyouweredead!Howdidyousurvive!?Whathappened!?Matsukilledyou!" Naruto chuckled, grabbing stopping her with a wave of his hand. "Ano, but I have a question. How can you be expected to worry about lil ol' me, if you didn't even show me the courtesy of asking my name?"
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