Chapter 2: The bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi
Uzume slowly woke up and almost had a heart attack. Her Ashikabi was gone! Well, not gone gone, just not in his bed into which she expertly snuck into during the night, stealing one of his blue shirts in the process. Uzume got up as fast as lightning and followed that familiar pull that could always lead her to her Ashikabi. Uzume wondered how she changed so much in the blink of an eye. Once she found her Ashikabi she couldn't bear to be separated from him, but for a Sekirei this was a feeling they waited for their whole lives. Uzume finally found Ninjin sitting under a tree in the backyard, legs crossed Indian-style, arms crossed over his bare chest, eyes closed and not moving.
"Nin- " Uzume stopped in the middle of her call when Musubi lightly pulled her hand.
"Shhh! Ninjin-san is meditating. " next to Musubi was Minato, dressed up and ready for work.
"He's been like that for almost two hours. " Minato was amazed at how someone managed to have so much discipline to meditate for two hours. Uzume's fondness for her Ashikabi grew more and more but then it got her wondering. Is he trying to figure out a way to get back home? If he is, will she go with him? And what about the Sekirei plan? With all these questions Uzume didn't notice Ninjin standing up and walking towards them. Nothing strange about that, however, Ninjin looked like he was still deep in thought, and when you added his Saiyan features to a deadly serious expression he practically looked like he was ready to kill. If Minato didn't know him, he would've probably run away as fast as he could.
"Where is the landlady? "
"She said she had to run some errands. " Minato answered feeling a little uneasy "Why? "
"I need you to do me a small favor. " Ninjin then looked to Musubi and then back to Minato "I need you two to kiss. " when he said that Minato's head almost exploded from the overheat, Musubi went bright red and Uzume grinned mischievously.
"W-w-what? Why? " Minato wasn't exactly against it but this was such a direct request he had no time to think.
"I need to confirm something. " Ninjin was dead serious. He wasn't about to force them into kissing but he needed to confirm something. Minato looked at a bright red Musubi "Umm… "
"Minato-sama… " Musubi sounded so flustered and just waited for the opportunity to kiss her Ashikabi again. When Minato saw how shy Musubi was he just couldn't help it. Then he remembered what happened yesterday when Uzume kissed Ninjin in front of the landlady.
"But the landlady said- "
"I'll deal with her. " Minato's eyes went wide when Ninjin practically said he was willing to go toe to toe with the landlady "Please. " Minato sighed in defeat.
"Okay. " Minato turned to Musubi, both red as tomatoes, and slowly leaned in for the kiss. Once he kissed her, Musubi's wings appeared and Ninjin nodded like he just made big discovery.
"Mhm, mhm… " Uzume looked at her Ashikabi who appeared to be taking notes "Uzume? " when she saw Ninjint's face getting redder she knew what was coming next "Can we… You know, umm… " Uzume smiled warmly at her Ashikabi's behavior.
"Always. " Uzume approached him and gave him a kiss he wouldn't forget anytime soon. Her wings appeared as well and Ninjin almost overheated like the first time they kissed. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts but once he did, Ninjin went back under the tree like nothing happened and continued his meditation. This left the three wondering what just happened "Ooookay… "
"I don't get it. " to say Minato was left confused was an understatement. He was about to ask something when he saw Uzume's eyes widen in shock "Are you alright? "
"No… " Uzume said quietly. What the others couldn't feel was her connection to her Ashikabi slowly disappearing and suddenly become non-existent. Tears quickly formed in her eyes and she lunged at her Ashikabi "Ninjin! " Uzume tackled him with a strong hug and she was bawling her eyes out. Was it possible for an Ashikabi to sever the connection to his Sekirei? "Why did you do this? Do you hate me? Why? " Uzume was sobbing like there was no tomorrow but as soon as Ninjin hugged her back the connection between them returned immediately and Uzume was once again filled with that beautiful warm feeling.
"I'm sorry Uzume. Just calm down. " Ninjin was stroking her hair gently, trying to calm down. As one would expect, Minato and Musubi had no idea what was going on so they rushed to them as well.
"What just happened? " Minato asked clearly confused and somewhat alarmed.
"I closed the connection between Uzume and I. " Musubi flinched when Ninjin said it like it was the most obvious thing. Why would someone do that? "Before you decide to uppercut me to the Moon- " Ninjin looked at Musubi "Let me explain. Even in the little demonstration I did yesterday, the landlady say Sekirei get their power from their Ashikabi and after what happened I realized if I raised my power level high enough Uzume will… Umm, you know. " he blushed a little and scratched his cheek "I figured it had something to do with our connection and it could put Uzume in danger if I went any further. I need to know how much energy I can release so- "
"YOU IDIOT! " what followed was the hardest slap, and probably the most painful one, Ninjin received in his life. Uzume's eyes were still filled with tears and she was glaring at him as if ready to kill "You could've told that's what you were about to do! Do you know how this made me feel? I felt like I was dying! "
"Uzume… " Ninjin felt bad for what he did but it was necessary. He admits he could have told her first though.
"Don't EVER do that to me again! " and with that Uzume tackled him once again and gave him another kiss he won't soon forget. He was getting used to this. Then he mentally cursed himself for actin like the legendary master Roshi.
"I promise I won't. At least not without warning you. " this earned him a painful pinch from Uzume. She understood that at some point he will do it again to protect everyone if they get into a tough situation but she still didn't like that empty feeling it gave her. The two remained hugging for a few more minutes until Minato spoke.
"Well, I gotta' go to work. I'm late as it is. " with that he waved goodbye and headed off. Uzume got up as well and dried her tears.
"That reminds me, I have something to do as well. " She gave Ninjin a quick kiss on the cheek "See you! " she rushed off as well and Ninjin made a mental note to ask her what she was doing. Now came the part that Musubi waited for since she met Ninjin.
"Ninjin-san? Will you spar with me? " the excitement in her eyes was evident as it was in her trembling body. Being a Saiyan, Ninjin couldn't pass up a good challenge.
"Sure! " he made a mental note not to raise his power level too high and not to close the connection. One time today was enough.
After a hard day of work Minato was ready to eat like there's no tomorrow. That brought him back to how Ninjin showed no mercy to his meal. This thought was then followed by the strange dream he had last night about a small girl named Ku. Trying not to think too much about it, Minato silently thanked Miya for the meal but then felt a hungry presence beside him. Minato looked at the older man beside him who was practically drooling over his food.
"Hi, your lunch looks delicious. " Minato slowly moved his lunch away from the man "I'm Seo, I'm looking forward to working with you. "
"I'm Sahashi. " Minato greeted back and was read to eat when a low rumbling sound interrupted him. He looked at Seo who was still drooling and sighed "Do you want some? " Minato offered him some of his food.
"Sorry. But, can I have some? " the two got to talking and found out they were both college students "I've been a college student for six years. Things didn't work out that well, you know? "
"That sounds purposefully annoying to a repeater. " Minato bit down hard on his riceball.
"Haha! " Seo then saw something to his liking "This croquet looks good. " Seo was so concentrated on mooching off food he didn't notice two angry figures approach them "Or the egg cake over the- " he was interrupted when a foot slammed hard on his head.
"Seo you punk! " a girls voice yelled in anger. The said girl then grabbed him by the collar "You're taking other people's food! I told you to stop doing that! "
"Ara? Hikari. "
"Don't you ara me! " Hikari let go of Seo and then bowed to Minato "I'm really sorry. "
"Ah, it's nothing… " Minato raised his head and when he made eye contact with Hikari realization dawned on the two.
"The Ashikabi of the conceited exorcist Sekirei! "
"The e-e-electric oneesan who chased Musubi! " during the commotion Minato's lunch fell down from his lap and scattered on the ground. Minato fell to his knees and almost began crying over the loss of his lunch. Hikari was apologizing and Seo was pushing his luck by teasing her. Minato was then approached by another girl.
"Sorry. Our master and Hikari had no bad intentions. " Minato looked up at the girl who looked like a twin sister of Hikari "I bought some bread. You wanna' eat it together? It's the least we can do. "
"Wait. Master? " Minato thought he heard wrong. Seo then hugged the two girls tightly and even grabbed one of Hikari's breasts.
"The system is small. I meet another Ashikabi in a place like this. " he had a pretty smug grin on his face "I'm Seo Kaoru, the Ashikabi of these two. " Seo continued groping his two Sekirei and earned himself an electrocution. Minato was about to ask some questions about being an Ashikabi but stopped when loud sounds of helicopters flying above silenced him.
"An MBI helicopter? " Minato said in wonder, looking up in the sky. Seo slowly got up, his body still smoking from the electric shock he received.
"They keep flying every day without getting sick of it. " Seo then looked at Minato "If you're an Ashikabi, are you after her, too? "
"Her? "
"Yeah. You don't know? She's around here. " Seo pointed to the tall trees ahead "Can you see over there? According to rumors, the Sekirei called The Green Girl is in there. "
Ninjin and Musubi were sitting at the table in Izumo Inn with big bumps on their heads which Miya gladly gave them after she saw what their little spar did to her garden. The two promised to repair the damage.
"Thanks for the meal. " both Musubi and Ninjin said at the same time.
"Did you eat well? " Miya was holding the empty rice cooker for the fifth time. Ninjin almost laughed when he remembered how Piccolo refused to get within a hundred meters of one. He also noticed how Musubi was fidgeting.
"The bathroom's in the hall to the left? " he offered awkwardly.
"Huh? " that got Musubi out of her thoughts "No, it's nothing like that. My chest beats for some reason when Minato-sama goes out. This never happened before. "
"If you're worried, maybe you can give him a call. " Musubi accepted Miya's suggestion and the two left to call Minato. Ninjin was left alone in the dining room and was going over what he knew about this world and quickly concluded he didn't know much. He didn't pay much attention to the sounds around him and was deep in thought. He was alone for a couple of minutes when Miya and Kagari came back.
"Where's Musubi? " Ninjin asked after noticing the girl wasn't here and he also sensed her energy leaving the Inn.
"She went to see how Minato-kun is doing. " Miya answered with a light smile. Kagari, who was standing beside her, quickly noticed the change in Ninjin's behavior.
"Good. I have some questions. " Ninjin got up and approached Miya, easily towering over her. Kagari didn't like where this was going.
"All you have to do is ask. "
"Tell me about the Sekireis. All of it. " Kagari knew what was coming next when Miya's famous Hanya mask appeared behind her.
"Hohoho Ninjin-kun, there is nothing to tell. " even though the mask and the feeling of oncoming death wasn't directed at him, Kagari was still terrified. But then he saw something more terrifying appear behind Ninjin. It looked like a mix between a gorilla and a wolf with pointy ears, glowing red eyes and dark brown fur. The monster was bigger than the Hannya mask and the mask actually got frightened and disappeared.
"Oh I think there is, Miya-san. " Ninjin's expression rivaled Miya's own and to Kagari's surprise Miya flinched. He never saw her do that.
"I'll go out a bit too. " Kagari quickly made his escape, not wanting to get in the middle of this standoff. Now it was only Ninjin and Miya in the room and for the first time ever, Miya backed down. She sighed in defeat but kept her steely gaze.
"What is it that you want to know? "
"For starters, explain why your energy is higher than any other on the planet. Besides me, that is. " this took Miya by surprise and she remained quiet. Ninjin patiently waited for his answer. Miya was trying to stare down the Saiyan so he would back down but with no success. He was determined to get answers, one way or another.
"Well? " Ninjin broke the silence, his gaze unfaltering. Finally, Miya sighed.
"I guess we have time until everyone returns. " Miya sat down at the table and Ninjin joined "You want to know why I have the highest energy? " Ninjin nodded in confirmation "That is because I am Miya Asama, Sekirei No. 1. " Ninjin wasn't too surprised. Her power almost dwarfed any other on the planet "I am the pillar of the Sekirei, I was sent to watch and protect the other 107- " no surprise again, Ninjin did his homework by searching for any life signature with a high power "- but then MBI found us. "
"I'm guessing it didn't go well for you. " Miya was surprised by Ninjin's tone. For someone his age he could act very mature. Then again, from what he told them, Ninjin had to grow up fast to become the protector of his universe.
"No… It didn't. Our ship crash landed out on sea centuries ago and we were left in stasis. " Miya looked away sadly "So we survived, for better or for worse. "
"By worse you mean, this game wasn't part of your plan. " Ninjin was brought to speed by Minato last night.
"Of course not. We were sent here to find our destined ones and be with them. " Miya frowned when the Sekirei Plan was mentioned "This is all a sick game conjured by Minaka. "
"You mean that goofy MBI president? " Ninjin saw the MBI president on TV last night giving some sort of egocentric speech. He noticed everyone cringe when he appeared. Ninjin could hardly believe someone like that could be an evil mastermind. Then again, there was Emperor Pilaf, still alive for unknown reasons.
"He might appear so, but trust me, Ninjin-kun, he is not to be taken lightly. "
"Then why don't you simply, I don't know, stop him? " Ninjin knew there had to be some kind of catch if she didn't stop Minaka by now "I'm sure one Sekirei is strong enough to put an end to all of this. "
"It is because of the adjustments made. "
"Adjustments? " he thought he heard wrong.
"MBI tampered with their DNA to restrain their powers and prepare us for this… Game. " Miya remembered well how her brothers and sisters were adjusted. It was not a pretty experience "When a Sekirei and Ashikabi kiss, together they release the Sekirei's full potential. The winging ceremony was just that, a ceremony, not a way to unleash our power. " this DNA tampering brought another question to Ninjin's mind.
"Wait, you said they tampered with your DNA. Then what about- " Miya knew what he was going to ask so she interrupted him.
"I assure you, their emotions weren't tampered with. Sekirei are always drawn to their destined one, so Uzume's and any other Sekirei you might wing have pure feelings for you. " Ninjin was still skeptical. He wasn't very keen on the idea of his Sekirei loving him now and then rejecting him for some unknown reason after it's all over. As the conversation went on, Ninjin was disliking this Minaka more and more.
"I'll trust you on that, Miya-san. " Ninjin said simply before taking on a serious tone that surprised Miya "But you misunderstood my question. I asked why don't you specifically stop him. " this question caught Miya off-guard.
"I just told you- "
"You never said adjustments were made to you. " Miya's eyes widened in shock "You are not a Sekirei, are you? When I said a Sekirei was strong enough for the job I still meant you. You never confirmed you were one as well. " how did he figure it out? Guess he wasn't as clueless as he appeared to be. She hoped Ninjin would back down from this one "Today when Minato released Musubi's power, yours still dwarfed hers by a mile. " Miya wasn't ready to answer this question yet but Ninjin was pushing it "You said it yourself, you were sent to watch over them which means you have to be the most powerful. " by now Miya was glaring at Ninjin but the Saiyan wasn't done "I don't know how no one figured this out yet, but my guess is- " Miya's dreaded mask of death appeared behind her, a signal to anyone normal to shut up "-you are their goddess or at least some kind of deity. " the landlady debated whether to strike him down where he sat but something was telling her not to, besides causing Uzume and her other sisters sorrow. Something deep inside her was telling her Ninjin was their only chance of being free again.
"This information does not leave this room. " Ninjin nodded in understanding and Miya calmed down again. This Saiyan was surprisingly clever and Miya didn't like it. She feared he would snoop around too much and eventually stumbled on something that was supposed to remain buried.
"Then why didn't you stop him? " there still was this unanswered question. Miya decided it would be best to tell him the partial truth.
"Because of the Jinki, artifacts that can end our lives in an instant. There are eight of them, one was on each ship that was sent to Earth centuries ago." Ninjin figured it was about some kind of death trigger in play from the start "Somehow Minaka found all eight of them and turned them into prizes. I would have ended him myself if I knew what he had planned. " Miya, uncharacteristic for her, slammed her fists on the table leaving cracks "By the time I realized what Minaka had done it was too late. "
"So the only way to end all this is to play the game? "
"Unfortunately, yes. "
"Are there any special rules or is it just a free for all? "
"There are, but as you say, it's basically a free for all until only one remains. "
"So the winning Ashikabi- "
"I'm sorry, Ninjin-kun, I should have been more clear. What I meant was, until only one Sekirei remains. " Ninjin still didn't understand so Miya clarified further "The game is over when only one Sekirei remains, not an Ashikabi's Sekirei team, but just one. The last of our kind. " Ninjin couldn't believe what he just heard.
"So you're saying… "
"Once an Ashikabi is claimed as the winner, his Sekirei must… They… " this was very hard for Miya to say since there was something else in play. Ninjin knew what she wanted to say, friends will have to turn against each other to be the last Sekirei standing so he simply nodded in understanding "And worst of all, I am the last opponent. "
"You're joking, right? " Ninjin knew she wasn't but it was a reflex question.
"I'm afraid I'm not, Ninjin-kun. You see, since I am the pillar of the Sekirei and the strongest one, I will have to be the last opponent. And since I can't be winged, at least, I think I can't, there's a good chance that the Ashikabi will unite and come after me. " Ninjin could feel Miya's power rising with her anger "Our entire race will be wiped out for some sick game. And it's all my fault! "
"We all have our shares of mistakes. " Miya looked at the young Saiyan "I mean, I fought a Demon King that can wipe out galaxies and I'm not even sure if I defeated him before that mirror got me. Then I ended up here and met all of you! Things have a way of playing out good. " Ninjin flashed the landlady one of his big smiles that just magically lifted your spirit.
"Still, we can't stop him. In all of this, Minaka is the real winner. " she lowered her head in defeat "Everyone is just too blind to see it. " Miya concluded sadly.
"Don't worry, Miya-san. " Ninjin said confidently "I'm an Ashikabi now as well and I will not let any harm come to Uzume, you or anyone else for that matter. I'm a good thinker. I'll find a way to end all this for the sake of all Sekirei and Ashikabi. " Miya suddenly felt like he was actually able to pull it off, something deep inside her told her that. She smiled warmly at the Saiyan.
"Thank you Ninjin. " he smiled widely again and his smile was contagious so the landlady had to smile as well.
"Now I just have to think of a plan… " and Ninjin went into deep thought again. Ninjin was a better planner that people give him credit for and could actually hatchd a good plan instead of going fist-first and hope for the best. Another factor were the Dragon Balls that were unavailable to him so he had to be careful and minimize the damage. Maybe they could bring them here if his team finds him but that's a big if. Then there was Demigra who Ninjin was still not sure if he was actually dead. But this Ashikabi business did make matters complicated. Not that Ninjin disliked or hated Uzume, or Sekirei for that matter, for some strange reason, he felt his feelings for Uzume grow.
"Can I ask you something now, Ninjin-kun? " Ninjin nodded "How come you are an Ashikabi? "
"Umm… " the Saiyan never thought about it "I don't know. "
"The Ashikabi of today are descendants of the first Ashikabi from this Earth. But you are not of this world. "
"Maybe there are Sekirei in my world as well? " Ninjin thought this to be the only logical explanation "But I don't know if there were any Ashikabi in my family. Besides, I didn't even know Sekirei existed until I came here. "
"Perhaps. " Miya simply said, her curiosity satisfied "Anything else you want to ask? "
"Yes. " Ninjin looked at the ceiling "Could you introduce me to our spy above us or should I just get her myself? " a feminine squeak was heard from the ceiling and Miya sighed. She figured Ninjin would sense her presence sooner or later.
"Matsu, you can come down. " on cue, a panel on the ceiling opened and a redhead girl with glasses hopped down. Ninjin couldn't but notice her incredible figure, a trait most Sekirei shared from his observations.
"Sekirei No. 2, Matsu. " the girl extended her hand in greeting and Ninjin accepted "What a firm grip. " there was a sudden change in her look, something perverse surfaced "I bet you could- " she was interrupted by a broomstick hitting her head. Miya sat there like she'd done nothing at all "Anyway- " Matsu continued with a big bump on her head "- I heard everything and I must say we have our work cut out for us. "
"Indeed. " Ninjin nodded in confirmation. Then something hit him "Wait a minute! Why are you living in the ceiling? " Matsu laughed sheepishly.
"Well I may or may not be in a lot of trouble with MBI. " she stuck out her tongue and scratched her head. Ninjin simply sighed.
"So no one knows you're here besides the two of us? " Matsu nodded.
"And I would prefer if it stayed that way, Ninjin-kun. " behind the smiling Miya the mask of terror appeared once again, causing Matsu to wince.
"No need to worry, Miya-san. " Ninjin's smile was followed by the monstrous Oozaru behind him and Matsu felt like she was in a horror movie.
"Well, the others will not be home for a while. " Miya rose from her spot and picked up the broom she hit Matsu with "I suggest we clean up a little. " she then looked at Matsu "Return to your room please, Hentai-Glasses. " Matsu practically disappeared into the ceiling. Miya then looked at Ninjin "Will you help me, Ninjin-kun? " figuring he had nothing better to do, Ninjin agreed.
The entire house was sparkling clean and both Miya and Ninjin were satisfied with the result. He enjoyed the time spent cleaning since they talked through it all. They shared stories from their past, good and bad, sad and happy. The Saiyan and Sekirei had a genuine good time. Ninjin then felt a familiar feeling washing over him.
"Ninjin! " Uzume tackled him to the ground and landed a big kiss on his lips. Ninjin's eyes were wide as saucers from the surprise. Uzume's wings promptly appeared and illuminated the evening atmosphere of the garden. The beautiful moment was ruined by two broomstick smacks.
"I will allow no improper acts at Izumo Inn. " Miya said with a smile and the ever present Hannya mask. This time, Ninjin shrank at the sight of the mask.
"How was your day? " Uzume asked, still lying on top of Ninjin. He could feel her happiness and love through their connection and couldn't help but smile fondly.
"I helped Miya-san clean the Inn. " no need to tell Uzume he cornered the landlady for some answers "Hold on! " Ninjin looked between Uzume and Miya "You know- "
"Yes, I know Miya is -OW! " another smack on the head for the talkative Sekirei.
"Now, now, Uzume-chan. No need for the whole neighborhood to hear you. " Uzume scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"Sorry. " Uzume then looked at her Ashikabi "So, I see you didn't train today. "
"How do you know? " Ninjin raised an amused brow.
"Because you didn't close our bond. " Uzume answered with a glare and surprised Miya in the process.
"What do you mean, closed? " Miya thought she heard wrong.
"Well, I did say I wouldn't do it without telling you. " Ninjin said apologetically and earned himself a fist to the chest from Uzume.
"You better! " the Sekirei smiled at her Ashikabi who was rubbing the sore spot.
"Excuse me. " Miya appeared between them, Hannya mask as backup "You said something about closing the bond? "
"Oh, umm. " Ninjin fumbled with his words, seeing as this information infuriated Miya "Since I'm able to manipulate energy I'm also able to temporarily close the bond between Uzume and I. "
"And why would you do that, Ninjin-kun? " Uzume was slowly backing away since she knew what was coming next.
"So I can understand how to- HEY! " suddenly Miya drew a sword from her robes and attempted to slash Ninjin who barely managed to dodge "Careful with that! "
"Do you have any idea what you did to Uzume? " her angry outburst was followed by another slash that took off a few of Ninjin's hairs.
"I know and I'm sorry! YOW! " another close call.
"When a Sekirei loses her Ashikabi it's worse than dying! " Miya had a murdering look in her eyes and Ninjin was sure she was about to chop him to pieces "Losing the bond is like getting their heart and soul broken into a thousand pieces! "
"Miya-san it's not what you think. " Uzume tried to calm the most powerful Sekirei down but with no success. Ninjin decided to do just that. He quickly unleashed his energy and caught Miya's sword with his hand.
"This is why I did it! " he pointed towards Uzume who was breathing heavily and flushed all over "You said Sekirei get their strength from their emotions but also from their Ashikabi, and as things are, she is unable to handle my power! " once she saw what was happening to Uzume, Miya understood his actions but still didn't approve "I don't know what will happen if I go all out and I don't want to put her into any danger if I have to unleash my full power! "
"Ninjin… " Uzume was on her knees, ready to burst from pleasure. Miya glared back at Ninjin and sheathed her sword. The Saiyan immediately lowered his power and ran to Uzume in concern.
"Are you alright? " he held her close to him as Uzume panted.
"Oh yeah… " she nodded with a wide smile, clearly enjoying herself. Ninjin's energy bursts were something out of this world. Miya approached the duo with hard footsteps, the landlady still angry about Ninjin's actions.
"If I ever hear you closed the bond between you and your Sekirei I won't show you mercy. " Miya was glaring at Ninjin so hard the Saiyan felt like daggers were stabbing him "Sekirei live for their Ashikabi, they get their energy and powers from the love they have for them. Do not take this bond lightly, Ninjin-kun. "
"I won't. " Ninjin then looked back to Uzume who seemed to calm down "I promise. " Uzume smiled at her Ashikabi and caressed his cheek "Still, we need to find another way to channel our energy. " Ninjin helped Uzume to her feet "Uzume? "
"Yes? " the Sekirei could almost feel what Ninjin was going to suggest through their bond.
"I'd like to train you in using your Ki. " Uzume's face lit up by this proposition and Miya was a little surprised by this "I think if you get the hang of using your Ki, you won't get so, umm, excited when I release my power. "
"I'm all for it! " Uzume said determined to master her power "How do we do that? " Ninjin sat down in a meditating pose.
"Well first, I need to know what powers you have. " Miya realized she didn't tell Ninjin that every Sekirei had specific powers "Musubi and Miya-san have pure physical powers and I could have sworn I heard something about Minato getting struck by lightning by a Sekirei the other day. " Miya had to give Ninjin credit, he wasn't as clueless as he looked with that crazy hair of his. But Uzume wasn't keen on the idea of showing her powers just yet and Miya knew exactly why.
"I'm sorry, Ninjin. " Uzume was unable to look at her Ashikabi at this moment "I… "
"It's okay. " both Miya and Uzume looked at him in surprise "I just asked out of curiosity anyway. You'll show me when you're ready." Ninjin smiled at Uzume but he knew she was hiding something. He wouldn't push her but hoped Uzume would tell him before she gets into some kind of trouble.
"Thank you… " Uzume said quietly, ashamed she was lying to her Ashikabi even though the reason was a noble one.
"Umm, okay. " the Saiyan continued "Now, sit down. " Uzume thought training would be more exciting but sat down anyway "I'd like you to concentrate on the feeling you have when unleashing your power. That is your Ki taking form but in order to go beyond that you have to learn to feel the energy flowing inside you and all around you." Uzume didn't quite got what Ninjin was talking about so the Saiyan decided to explain "Think of it like this, you know how a mother gains extraordinary strength when her child is in danger? She can lift a car with no trouble or even move mountains if necessary. What the mother doesn't know is that she tapped into her Ki. It's that little bit of extra strength you need but can't always get. It's buried deep inside you and for ordinary people it's hard to tap into that power. Only in this example it's a temporary boost and it withdraws back deep inside. But you as a Sekirei should be able to learn it quickly. " Uzume still didn't understand what he was getting at. Ninjin rubbed his temples in frustration and continued "Okay, close your eyes. " Uzumed did as instructed and Miya was watching carefully "For starters, focus on our bond. " that was easy for her to do since the bond was always there "Now dig deeper into that, try to find my very essence, my spirit. "
"How will I know I found it? " Uzume didn't believe this would work but she had faith in her Ashikabi.
"Trust me, you will know. " Ninjin gently took her hands in his, making the girl blush "Just concentrate on me for now. Clear your mind, think only of me and my spirit. " Uzume smiled since Ninjin was all she thought about. Well, mostly him "Just relax and breathe deeply. " she followed his instructions and concentrated on Ninjin's very being, his very soul, trying to find it amidst all the emotions flowing through her. She was determined to succeed, to show her Ashikabi she was strong, to show how much she loved and trusted him unconditionally. Her mind was so filled with her thoughts about him she felt something new. It was like a calm feeling was washing over her but not like the one she got from the bond, this feeling was the same one you get when you think someone is watching you only it felt safe. Uzume definitely felt some kind of presence. With passing seconds that presence became stronger and stronger. The presence took shape in her mind.
"I think- "
"Don't think. Feel. " Ninjin knew she found him "Feel the energy around you. Feel Miya-san standing beside you, look for the mouse underneath the floor boards- "
"Mouse? " Miya immediately turned to look at the house. Meanwhile, Uzume was seeing all of it, feeling all of it. Ninjin knew she did since he could see her smiling.
"You're doing great! " he held her arms even tighter "Now the hardest part, find your energy, find the center of your Ki. Don't confuse it with the Ki you are already using for your powers, it's like a third arm by now and it doesn't help us at this time. Find your center, Uzume." he saw she was struggling with it by the frown on her face "Take your time. Once you've found it- " he cupped her hands together "-focus a small part of it between the palms of your hands. " Ninjin looked at Miya "This could take a while until- "
"I got it! " Ninjin looked at Uzume in surprise. She was holding a tiny yellow orb between her palms and had the biggest smile plastered on her face "I did it! " she released the energy and tackled Ninjin again with a tight hug.
"T-that's great, Uzume. " he couldn't remember when was the last time a hug cost him air "Uzume, air! "
"Oh, sorry! " Uzume retreated and helped Ninjin to his feet "Can you show us your power now? "
"You only learned the very basics, Uzume. It'll be a while until you're able to control your own Ki, let alone handle mine. " Uzume lowered her head in shame. Why did making him happy become so important to her? It was like everything else was unimportant but Ninjin's happiness and gaining his love and approval. Was the bond really affecting her that much? Well, whatever it was, Uzume was happy. She had found her true destined one.
"I'm sorry, Ninjin. " Uzume did feel sorry. She really wanted to help her Ashikabi but felt like she was a burden that was dragging him down. Then Ninjin reminded her why she was drawn to him. He hugged Uzume tightly and kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry about it. Since we'll be together now and forever, you have all the time in the world. " then a thought popped into his head that kinda' ruined the moment "How long do Sekirei live anyway? " Uzume chuckled at her Ashikabi.
"As long as their Ashikabi, why? " Uzume answered still smiling.
"Pure-blooded Saiyans like me live up to be a 150 minimum. " Ninjin deadpanned, leaving Uzume and Miya wide-eyed.
"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said we had all the time in the world. " Uzume couldn't help but laugh at this revelation. One of the things she feared was her Ashikabi dying of old age in fifty or so years. Knowing she almost has three times as much time to spend with Ninjin made her heart beat even faster.
"Umm, Miya-san? " Ninjin got the landlady's attention "Is it possible for an Ashikabi to dream about his future Sekirei? "
"Oh, am I not enough for you now, Ninjin? " Uzume teased him playfully but Ninjin took her serious.
"N-no! I'm just curious! " Ninjin looked cute trying to defend himself. What made it more amusing was the fact that he was capable of destroying a planet with a wave of his hand but got so flustered around girls.
"Relax Ninjin. I'm just teasing you. " Uzume smacked his arm playfully.
"Yes it is. " Miya answered simply "Why do you ask? "
"Well, I had this dream last night. " Ninjin scratched his head "I was on a playground and I saw this girl sitting there on a frozen bench. She felt… Empty, I guess? Like she was void of all emotions. And I felt sadness and despair coming from her. " Uzume listened with heightened curiosity. It wasn't uncommon for powerful Ashikabi to dream about meeting one of their future Sekirei, so could it be Ninjin was going to wing another Sekirei? "I approached her to ask what's wrong and all she said was that I am her Ashikabi. "
"Then what happened? " Miya asked with a curious look.
"That's it. " Ninjin simply concluded "I woke up and went to meditate on the dream. And my, umm… Complication. " the two present Sekirei knew what this complication was, but remained quiet to avoid further conflicts.
"It is possible another Sekirei called out to you. Did you see what she looked like? " Miya asked.
"Is she hot? " Uzume's sly comment earned her another broomstick smack.
"There was a shadow over her so I don't know what she looks like. " Ninjin thought for a moment "I'll try to reach out to her. "
"How are you gonna' do that? " Uzume wondered what he was up to.
"By meditating. " Ninjin sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes "I'll focus on a feeling similar to our bond, Uzume. " he then opened his eyes and looked at his Sekirei "Are you sure you're okay with this? " Uzume smiled widely.
"Of course! The more the merrier! " Uzume was really okay with this. Unlike humans, Sekirei weren't jealous of each other if they had the same Ashikabi "Besides, you said she was sad and lonely, so I know for a fact you're going to find and try to help her. " Uzume kneeled down to be on eye-level "That is one of the reasons I love you, Ninjin. " the Saiyan blushed at her confession "Now go find our next Sekirei while I take a quick bath. Work was exhausting today. " she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and ran off to the bathroom.
"She has a job? " Ninjin asked in wonder and it made Miya chuckle.
"Of course. How else would she pay rent? Speaking of, you need to pay rent as well. " Miya answered as if it was the most obvious thing "I'll go prepare dinner since the others will be home soon as well. " this information reminded Ninjin he needed to find a job, but first he has to find the mysterious Sekirei from his dream. He closed his eyes and concentrated hard, trying to remember every little detail that could lead him to the lonely Sekirei. Ninjin was so focused he didn't notice night had already fallen and Minato return with a new Sekirei of his own, Miya making an attempt on his life and the usual ruckus at the Izumo Inn. The Saiyan was determined to find her as quickly as possible. And as luck would have it…
"Ninjin? Dinner's almost ready and- " Minato was the one to come and get him but he almost had a heart attack when Ninjin opened his eyes, put two fingers on his forehead and vanished into thin air "At this point in my life, why do strange things still faze me? " Uzume felt Ninjin wasn't at the Inn anymore so she ran out to the garden.
"Where is he? " she still felt their bond but didn't know where he disappeared to.
"I don't know. " Minato sighed "He just vanished into thin air right before my eyes. " Uzume raised a questioning eyebrow "It's true! " Minato defended himself and Uzume sighed.
"I believe you. " Uzume figured he found the Sekirei from his dream. She then looked at the starry night sky "He could have taken me with him. " Uzume puffed her cheeks in frustration "I just hope he doesn't get himself in trouble… "
Ninjin appeared on a playground just like the one he saw in his dream. Looking around he saw it empty, save for one person sitting on a frozen bench, it's face covered by a shadow and clothed only in a thin white lab coat. No underwear…
"This is just crazy. " for a second Ninjin thought he was getting psychic powers. Everything looked exactly like in his dream. Ninjin looked at the shadow covered girl on the bench and felt a pull towards her. Unlike with Uzume, this pull was much weaker, almost non-existent. He wondered if he didn't have mastery of Ki energy would he even be able to feel it. Ninjin took a deep breath and decided to approach the girl on the bench. He simply sat beside her "Nice night? " he mentally slapped himself for this cliché question.
"It's not. " the girl replied in a monotone voice. Her face was still covered by a shadow.
"Aren't you cold? " Ninjin tried not to stare at her practically naked form.
"No. "
"Are you sure? "
"If you are here to rape me I suggest you don't. " Ninjin almost fell from the bench he was sitting.
"Why would I want to do that? " he asked in shock.
"A naked woman, alone on a playground at night. " she slightly moved away from him "I have watched enough porn to know where this is going. "
"No no no! " Ninjin waved his hands defensively. This one will definitely be a handful.
"Ah… " he noticed she looked at him now "You're a homosexual. " Ninjin had to face-palm "I feel safer now. " she moved back closer to him. The Saiyan was at a loss for words to say the least "Why are you here? Let me pity myself in peace. "
"Why would you do that? " now he felt he was getting somewhere.
"Because no-one wants a disused product. " Ninjin didn't understand what she meant. Also, he was curious as to how the girl from his dream looked. He summoned a small energy orb at the palm of his hand. The dim light revealed a beautiful brown-haired girls with a blank expression. Her beautiful eyes looked empty of life. What could have possibly have happened to her. Another striking feature about her was the Sekirei Crest located on her forehead.
"Wow… " Ninjin really thought she was beautiful.
"Are you a Sekirei as well? " the girl asked looking at the small orb, completely oblivious of Ninjin's reddish face.
"Umm, no. I'm an Ashikabi. " she looked at him, her eyes only showing a hint of disbelief "I'm Ninjin! What's your name? " the girl looked at the orb again before speaking.
"Akitsu. " her gaze was still focused on the glowing orb floating above his palm.
"That's a beautiful name. " Ninjin noticed she was staring at the orb he generated and smiled. There was a hint of curiosity in the Sekirei's eyes.
"How do you do that? "
"With my Ki. " a slight raise of Akitsu's eyebrow told Ninjin she didn't understand what he meant "It's the energy all living beings have in them. " Akitsu barely nodded at his explanation "But it's hard for some to tap into that power. " suddenly the orb shrank in size and ninet smaller ones began circling around it, making an atom like creation. Akitsu was staring at the display with a noticeably widening smile. Ninjin thought she had a beautiful smile "I can teach you too. "
"Really? " Akitsu was mesmerized by the display and then something even more amazing happened. The nine circling orbs scattered above them and the bigger one soon followed. It grew in size again and the other nine were of different sizes, creating a model of the Solar system "Wow… " Akitsu now had a genuine big smile on her face.
"Of course. " Ninjin answered happily and Akitsu locked eyes with his "Akitsu, I feel like you are my Sekirei, someone who I am destined to be with. " Akitsu's smile vanished.
"I am broken. " her usual depressing expression returned "I cannot be winged. " she pointed to the crest on her forehead.
"So what? " Ninjin returned the orbs to his palm and made one that served as a romantic light source "I'm sure you feel the same way. I can feel it in you. " Akitsu knew he was right but she still didn't believe there was an Ashikabi for her. Since she couldn't be winged because of some bastard adjuster Akitsu made peace with the fact that she wasn't going to find her destined one "It's hard to be alone, Akitsu. "she blushed slightly when he said her name "Come with me and you won't be alone ever again. " the snow Sekirei then felt something deep inside her, something she never thought she was going to feel. Akitsu felt her heart beat faster, her face getting hotter and a primal urge to jump him on the spot rising within her "So? How about it? " Ninjin showed her a big toothy smile and Akitsu could no longer contain herself. Not knowing if she will be able to get winged or not, Akitsu surprised Ninjin by wrapping her arms around him and kiss him with all the love and passion that suddenly appeared within her. Surprised at first, Ninjin quickly embraced Akitsu in the loving kiss. As soon as he did, Akitsu's eyes shot wide open and the Sekirei felt Ninjin's emotions course through her. These emotions were overwhelming and she moaned into the kiss. But it wasn't over. Together with his emotions, Akitsu also felt Ninjin's energy and that overwhelming energy gave her wings. Literally. Akitsu felt the crest on her forehead return to the back of her neck and wings of light appearing behind her. Ending the ceremony, and smiling at a dazed Ninjin, Akitsu jumped the young Saiyan and landed them on the ground.
"The Sekirei of Ice No. 7, Akitsu, will love and protect you until the universe itself freezes. " Ninjin had to snicker at the way Akitsu's declaration of love sounded so monotone "We have sex now, yes? " Ninjin just laughed uncomfortably.
Back at Izumo Inn, Uzume felt a new Sekirei has joined her Ashikabi and it filled her with joy. She knew he was going to find her. Now he just had to come back and-
"I'm back! "
"KYAAAA! " Uzume jumped in her spot at the dinner table as Ninjin and Akitsu appeared out of thin air. The others didn't react any better by falling over or yelping is surprise.
"Sorry. " Ninjin laughed sheepishly "Umm, everyone, this is Akitsu. "
"Hello. " she said simply and sat crouched next to Uzume "You are Master's Sekirei as well? "
"Don't call me master. " Ninjin really hated that.
"Yes, Master. " it was like she didn't even hear him and returned her attention to Uzume "Has he claimed your body for himself as well? " this comment caused Uzume to overheat and everyone else got a bit red in the face. All except Miya, who laughed menacingly.
"Ho ho ho, what's that I hear, Ninjin-kun? " Ninjin looked at the landlady and the fearsome demonic mask floating behind her "You know I allow no improper acts at Izumo Inn. "
"M-Miya-san! You misun- " Ninjin was nervously trying to calm the fearsome Miya down and Akitsu's inputs didn't help.
"At first I thought he was going to try and rape me. " her sentence made Ninjin pale in fear and earn him a broomstick smack on the head "But it turned out he was my destined one. " a rare smile graced Akitsu's beautiful features.
"Oh… Well in that case, good for you. " Miya congratulated her sister while Ninjin touched the painful bump on his head with a teary eye. The landlady, and other who knew of Akitsu's situation, said nothing about her getting winged. They just felt happy for their sister.
"I see you found someone new as well, Minato-kun. " Ninjin looked at a small blonde girl sleeping at the table.
"Yeah. She called out to me in a dream and asked me to find her. " Minato gently stroked the girls hair "Kuu-chan here was scared and I had to help her. "
"Well, good for you. " Ninjin lightly patted Minato on the back so the boy lost a breath or two "Anyway, I'm hungry! Is there anything- " suddenly the TV turned on with Minaka's face on it. Everyone glared at the TV in disgust.
"Is this thing on? Good! Now I can finally greet the mysterious new Ashikabi! " Minaka exclaimed excitedly "So, you are him! Ninjin, was it? " Minaka looked like he waited for an answer "I can see you Ninjin-kun! "
"That's kinda' creepy. " Ninjin said with a furrowed brow.
"Oh don't be like that! You should be thanking me for bringing you into my glorious plan! "
"There's nothing glorious about this. " Ninjin growled and for the first time everyone noticed his longer upper canines making him look like an angry wolf.
"Quite the feisty one aren't ya'? I can't blame you though. You still don't see the bigger picture here, Ninjin-kun, but once the plan has played out you will. "
"You're not going to witness that. I will stop you and this madness of yours. " Uzume and Akitsu felt Ninjin's Ki rise together with his anger. Completely ignoring Ninjin's promise Minaka continued.
"Would you look at that? No. 7 got winged! Guess the bond between Ashikabi and Sekirei is stronger than we thought! " Minaka then laughed manically making everyone cringe "Then again you are a handsome young man, Ninjin-kun. " it appeared as though Minaka was thoroughly examining him "I'm sure lots of Sekirei will fall for you. I mean, who doesn't just love that crazy hair? And those dark eyes. " Minaka's behavior suddenly shifted, and to everyone's surprise he looked very angry "And that toothy grin. That name… " and the TV suddenly turned off, leaving everyone in surprise.
"That was strange even for Minaka. " Miya said suspiciously eyeing Ninjin "Have you met him before? "
"I'm pretty sure I'd remember. " Ninjin was also confused by this short conversation.
"I have a bad feeling about this. " Uzume said worriedly and Akitsu nodded in agreement.
"I as well… " Miya said quietly to herself before suddenly departing to her room.
"How is this possible? " Minaka slammed the desk in his office with such force it split in two "I thought I was rid of those filthy Saiyans for good! How did one end up here? " Minaka then remembered something about a disturbance the other day and brought the images on the many screens located on the wall. Since MBI practically owned Tokyo by now, he had eyes everywhere. Sure enough, the footage showed Ninjin flying out of the portal and crashing in the middle of the street. This infuriated him even more "What is going on here? How did this maggot end up here? " Ninjin was a big threat to his plan and needed to be dealt with quickly. He took out his phone and called someone "Takami! Set things up for a special event! " Minaka the grinned menacingly "It's hunting season. "
A/N
Chapter 3 is in progress.