Chapter 2: The Anvil

A girl with amber hair and gray eyes in a white female sailor suit with blue cuffs, collar and a massive hammer flew through the air. Her landing destroyed a roof access point.

"If you stop running I'll be sure and be gentle when I take you to my master." A very familiar scythe wielding girl leapt onto the roof.

"I refuse to be winged in that way!" She screamed as she leapt off the roof and onto another.

"In one piece or in pieces you'll be coming with me, number forty three, Yomi." She followed her prey close to a construction yard.

"I will find him." The girl with the hammer was quickly running out of roofs.

Yomi swung her scythe, the other girl used her massive hammer head to block, but was blown off course, causing her to fall into a construction yard saying Takashi Construction. The landing she had wasn't the one she expected, someone broke her fall. He looked to be nineteen to twenty years old with black hair and deep blue eyes in a blue construction coverall.

"Ah not you again!" Yomi looked angrily at him. The girl with the hammer couldn't explain it but she felt very warm when she was near him. 'It's now or never.' She kissed him full force. Her wings blossomed out and she smiled.

"The hammer of my pledge! Shatter the enemy of my Ashikabi!" She looked to a pissed off Yomi.

"I'm sekirei number eighty four, Yashima." She looked back to his startled expression.

"Mikogami will get you for this!" Yomi jumped to the roofs and was quickly gone.

"I-I'm Minato Sahashi…" She looked to her new Ashikabi.

"...Thanks...I did react to you...but now I'm certain, you are my Ashikabi." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to seem like I'm a dick, but I have to get to work...but if you bring me lunch we can get to know each other then...does that sound ok?" She nodded and took the apology.

"Yes…"

"Here is some money, and my current address...I have two other sekirei there, I don't want to seem like I'm a collector but...we're moving to Izumo Inn as the current landlady is kicking me out by the end of the month…" He looked sheepishly to her.

"Ok." She took the money and her hammer and left, coincidentally her hammer made quick work of one half of a house.

xXXx

Yomi stopped in front of a white limousine as a window rolled down. Inside were two people one was obscured but you could tell he had a sword. The other was what appeared to be a fifteen year old boy in a white suit with light brown hair and eyes.

"Where is that sekirei I sent you for?"

"...She was winged by the one that got the Ice Sekirei." Yomi looked down in shame.

"Are you certain?" The boy looked annoyed.

"Did she react to him?" The question came from the swordsman.

"It looked like it...but Master Hayato…-"

"Looks like it wasn't meant to be. Get in. When we get home take a few days off." The kid looked to the relieved girl as she did as she was told.

xXXx

Since Minato had very little to pack Uzume called for a truck to come pick up the items. What surprised them was when number eighty four knocked on the door. By her clothing alone they could tell she as a sekirei, but she handed them the address in what appeared to be Minato's handwriting.

"I was told to come here and help pack."

"Did you willingly wing yourself on him?" Akitsu looked at her.

"Yes...and I felt so warm…" She blushed as she remembered the experience.

"You can help us clean then...afterward it's time to eat!" Uzume smiled as she welcomed the new person into their circle.

"We need to limit what we spend." Akitsu looked over to them.

"He gave me money…" Yashima handed over the money to Akitsu.

"Then we will have a feast laid out for him when he gets home." Akitsu looked like she was taking charge of the house.

"But he said he wanted me to bring him his lunch…" Yashima looked between the two.

"How about I come with you?" Uzume smiled at her.

"Ok."

"Then we'll go shopping together, and when we get home I'll start on dinner and you two will bring him his lunch." Akitsu looked between the two as they nodded.

"We'll clean as you cook." Uzume looked to the other two as they nodded.

"To the shopping district!"

"And to get some clothes for us as well." Akitsu looked at the other two as they looked down at what they were wearing.

"Whats wrong with this?" Yashima looked confused.

"You need something to clean in." Uzume looked thoughtful.

"Ok." Number eighty four looked back to Uzume still confused.

"Right…" They looked to each other and then left to go shopping.

xXXx

Taking down that one house was easy thanks to Yashima and the Foreman liked that fact, even though he didn't know what caused it. When both Seo's and Minato's phone went off at the same time they just looked at each other.

[Run run run as fast as you can if you want something green to wing! To the arboretum you must go if you want this valuable prize.] Seo looked to him with a question and he nodded.

"Up to you kid...if you go I'll back you up." Seo looked at him carefully.

"If this is another sekirei...I would like to help her find her destined partner…" Minato looked away.

"It is, and I agree with you." Seo looked up as he started to clear the rubble.

"If she reacts...then what?"

"Kid, she's meant to be with you. That's all that means." Seo was done filling a wheelbarrow and moving it to a large dumpster.

As the Foreman called lunch two sets of two sekirei came from different directions. Hikari and Hibiki had a basket as well as Uzume and Yashima.

"Damn kid...you must've pissed off someone." Seo ran an appreciative eye over Uzume and Yashima.

"Not really…" Minato nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Here's your lunch." Hikari handed Seo some food.

"Say 'ah'..." Uzume looked like she was trying to feed Minato, which in turn made Yashima angry.

"He can eat by himself!"

"Uh...girls…?" Minato placed a hand on each of their shoulders. This got their attention. " I'd rather you guys not fight...it makes living together difficult."

"Sure thing…" Uzume winked at him.

"Yes…" Yashima looked away.

"How about you girls take turns?" Seo looked over to them.

"Yeah...it keeps the fights down to a minimum." He winked to Minato who just smiled and nodded thanks.

"How about it?" Minato looked to them both.

"Sounds good." Uzume nodded happily.

"I agree." Yashima smiled to him blushing.

Hikari and Hibiki just giggled as they watched this scene. As they all ate lunch the Foreman got a call and thanked whatever was watching over him that the house was easy to take down.

"Shifts over!" He called over the loudspeaker.

"That was fast…" Minato looked confused.

"Not really...kid, have you noticed the helo's heading to the arboretum?" Seo gave him a sagely look.

"So…"

"Their preparing a battle ground, and some heavy hitters are going to be there." Seo nodded to him and started to walk to the street with his sekirei.

"Wait up!" Minato followed with his.

"Are you sure you want to do this kid?" Seo looked at him seriously.

"Yes...I want to help her find who she is supposed to be with…" Uzume and Yashima looked to him surprised. "Their not pieces in a game...their people with emotions and feelings…" Both Uzume and Yashima hugged him.

"I feel the same way kid, Hikari and Hibiki are the only ones for me." This caused said twins to blush.

"He treats us more like his girlfriends...even if he can be good for nothing sometimes." Hibiki had an annoyed loving tone in her voice.

"That was harsh…" Seo put his arms around his girls.

"Well its true." Hikari took his hand.

"MBI troops…" Uzume looked to Minato.

"Girls, take 'em down." Seo looked with glee as they all watched how out matched the mercenaries were.

"Ladies first…" Seo motioned to the open gate.

"Times like these…" Hikari looked annoyed and zapped Seo.

"...he can be a real scoundrel." Hibiki wore the same annoyed looked and zapped him again.

As they entered through the gate they didn't see a white limousine parked down the street nor did they see two figures getting out of it.

xXXx

Yomi got out of the car as well as a new girl. She had brown hair and eyes and wore a pink and white outfit. She had red gloves on, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Come on number eighty eight, we don't want to keep master waiting." Yomi was already angry that he was here, and with two of his sekirei no less. 'I can't fail again...I won't fail again!' Number forty three had a determined look on her face.

"Alright…" Number eighty eight followed behind Yomi listlessly.

"You should be happy he winged you."

"But...he isn't who I was supposed to be with…"

"Oh Musubi…" Yomi face-palmed.

They started to hear some fighting in the densely packed area of plants.

"We are wasting time!" Yomi jumped over the wall and Musubi followed after, but just a tad bit slower.

xXXx

The twins zapped a woman in a blue and white belly-top that revealed some cleavage, tall with green hair and hazel eyes. She recovered just enough to dodge out of the way of another lightning bolt. Another woman in what appeared to be a purple and gold swimsuit dodged a hammer strike, causing earth and rock to be in the air. Yomi jumped in and saw her chance. 'I may not like that guy but that BITCH stole a sekirei from me.' She conveniently had her scythe at the right angle and decapitated the tall green haired woman.

"Toyotama!" The other woman screamed and launched herself at Yomi.

She never saw it coming. Number eighty four used all of her might and hit the woman in the purple and gold swimsuit. Everyone could hear bones breaking, what made it worse was when when she hit a tree, hard, and at what angle the head was in, you knew she was dead before she hit the ground.

"I don't like you, but I have to give you some thanks for allowing me some revenge. Just stay out of my way and you will live." Yomi jumped off again just as Musubi got to the scene.

"I'll still follow you." Uzume looked to her Ashikabi.

"Right." He and Seo nodded and started running in the direction that Minato felt where the little girl was.

"Are you sure she's in this direction?" Uzume looked at him as the plants got thicker.

"As sure as I know that I'm not the Prime Minister!" He looked serious.

When they came upon a tree that looked like hard roots and thick branch's they saw Yomi trying to pull a little girl from it.

"Stop it!" He yelled. His anger flowing off of him as Yomi smiled.

"So I do get to kill you after all...at least I gave you a chance." She launched herself at him, but Uzume pushed him back and made a clothe shield to take the damage the scythe had done. Yomi then changed tactics and went after number ten. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't get a hit in. Musubi entered the fray, but had no motivation in any of her strikes. Just as she was about to get a lucky hit on Uzume, he jumped in the way and took the full brunt of the hit. Uzume was furious as she kissed his unconscious form.

"By the bale of my contract all of my Ashikabi's enemies will be vanquished." What happened next astounded everyone. The clothe Uzume was using became faster and sharper. Yomi was bleeding from over a dozen cuts and hit the ground, her sekirei symbol evaporating. Musubi was bleeding from over two dozen cuts and she hit the ground dead. What shocked everyone was when her body rose up and the cuts healed.

"Thanks to you I was able to reset this little birds bond. I am sekirei number eight, Yume, the Sekirei of Fate. I have a task for Minato Sahashi, teach all the birds the love that's in his heart. Can you pass that message?" The glowing girl looked to Uzume.

"Um...yeah, sure."

"Number eighty eight was fated to be his, as well as one hundred and eight. Help them both." Number eight slowly fell to the ground and was out. Uzume gathered the three bodies as Seo looked to his knocked out form.

"I guess that kid is something special…"

"What do you mean?" Hikari looked to him confused.

"He's the monkey wrench for Minata'a plans." He smiled as he looked at the soldiers coming up on them.

"That girl is an unmarked sekirei." Seo smiled as the mercenary just shrugged his shoulders and helped with the body of Yomi.

On their way home Seo gave Yashima his number. "If he needs anything tell him just to call and I'll do my best for him."

"Are you going to charge him?" Hikari looked like she was about to zap him.

"For some things, the friend rate, after all a guy's gotta eat." He put his hands in his pockets.

"Are you sick?" Hibiki looked concerned.

"No, if Minaka is going to fall, it will be through him." Seo pointed at Minato's sleeping form.

"Thanks...I don't know what we would've done without your help…" Uzume smiled at him.

"Think nothing of it, and here is where we split off." Seo waved goodbye as Uzume turned and headed for Izumo Inn.

"Why don't you get Akitsu? and we can meet up at the Inn?"

"Why?" Yashima looked confused.

"Because we may have stirred the hornets nest. Two of Higa's and one of Mikogami's sekirei have been killed. One was reset...but I think this is the last time that will happen." Uzume looked worried.

"You mean…"

"Revenge." Uzume nodded and Yashima didn't waste any time. A few leaps and she was gone.

xXXx

Hayato looked angry as he felt both Musubi's and Yomi's link sever with him. 'They failed! This is the last time someone takes something that's mine!'

"Mutsu, let's get out of here, we've lost Yomi and Musubi…" That got Mutsu's attention.

"Are we even sure it's them?"

"It must've been him!"

"But we did see two of Higa's go in as well." Mutsu pointed out.

"We'll check the boards tomorrow." Hayato pouted as number five drove away.

xXXx

Izumi Higa looked at the traffic cam in annoyance. 'I just lost two of my best hunters...who did this?' He saw the one Kakizaki was after one before she was winged by some nobody. The strange thing was was that she was carrying three people as she was leaving the arboretum, but one among them that looked male.

"Kakizaki, get me everything on Minato Sahashi, bank records, parents, the works. I want to know how this guy ticks by breakfast tomorrow morning when I have my cup of coffee." Higa looked to his secretary.

"Yes sir." He left and went down the hall.

"I will take you apart by dinner tomorrow." Izumi looked furiously out the window.

xXXx

Minato slowly opened his eyes to find a worried looking Yashima, a concerned Uzume, and Akitsu who was holding his hand.

"Why...why does it feel like I've been hit with a mack truck?"

"You took a hit for me...which was stupid. But I have a message for you: teach all the birds the love that's in your heart. That's what sekirei number eight said." Uzume looked down at him with love in her eyes.

"Number eight?" He looked confused.

"Yes, Number eight. She also said that number eighty eight and number one hundred and eight were also fated to be winged by you." She looked to the two other sleeping forms in the small bedroom.

"As long as we are by your side, we will let nothing harm you." Akitsu looked down at him and squeezed his hand.

"Yes...and I enjoyed being with you today…" Yashima smiled at him.

"We realize that you'll jump in the way for us...just don't do it too often." Uzume winked at him.

"Thanks...now I'm gonna get some sleep...could you call in for me tomorrow?" He looked to Akitsu.

"Yes." She kissed his forehead as he fell asleep.

"I'm sorry…" Yashima looked down.

"It's not your fault." Akitsu looked to her.

"Well we're here now and we can start moving tomorrow." Uzume looked to him.

"We need our rest then." Akitsu got in next to him as well as Yashima.

"Right...I'll be in my room if you need anything." Uzume left his room and went to hers. 'He still needs some time with him...but we might want to make a schedule as to who can sleep with him on what day...time for sleep.' She passed out in her futon and dreamed a dream of just her and her Ashikabi.

xXXx

A/n: Should I have Kochou join his merry band? It's just an idea...yes, I'm still scratching this itch. Lemme know what you guys think...meanwhile if I think of something else I'll do something. Please read and review.