I do not own Sekirei, which should be obvious because Uzume was allowed to die. Why Damn you, why! Then again I can't write her for crap anyway… If anyone can think of scenes with Uzume they want me to add I can try though. Double update for this story today because I only recently split these chapters up and tend to still think of them as one large chapter. I won't be updating any of my stories until Wednesday at the earliest though. Real life hits me hard on Mondays and Tuesdays. Twice weekly updates will be the norm from then on.
Chapter 4 First strike and a newcomer
Two days after Musubi's winging
Minato knew he was dreaming. A part of him could still feel Tsukiumi's thighs against his own and hear Akitsu's breathing against his ear. But the rest of his consciousness faded into the dream.
Minato was in the woods near his home. These woods were a special place, a place where his little sister would come when she was unhappy and in the distance he heard the sounds of someone crying, much like Yukari used to.
After an indeterminate amount of time, he neared the sounds source, the sobbing getting louder as he ran. He rounded a tree to see a tuft of yellow in a tree in front of him.
He looked up into the tree to see a young girl of about eleven, with blonde hair much like Tsukiumi's and green eyes, set in an oval face. She wore a loose skirt of white that had seen better days, dirty and ragged with use. She was crying, sobbing into her hands as she leaned against the tree's trunk, obviously terrified from the height.
Minato smiled up at her. "What's wrong? Can't get down?" he raised his arms up towards her, smiling. "Don't worry, I'll catch you. You don't have to be scared anymore." The girl trembled, but after a few moments of hesitation made the decision and leapt down into his arms. He caught her gently, though the impact of her body sent them both to the ground. The girl clung to him, crying softly for a few minutes, as Minato stroked her hair soothingly. As the sniffling subsided, he asked gently, "what's your name?"
The girl stopped sniffling and looked up at her face red from crying. "Kusano."
"Ku-chan, that's a nice name." the girl smiled happily leaning against his chest. "What are you doing here? How did he get up in that tree?"
Ku-chan sniffled a little more but answered his questions. "Kusano wanted to go out. The doctor took me to the park but I wanted to stay out longer. It's all my fault. I chased a cat but a bad woman came with a stick thing and I ran away. Here I'm safe, but I can't get out. But you came and found me onii-chan."
The dream began to fade, though Minato tried to keep hold of it for a bit longer. The last words he heard were "onii-chan!" shouted over and over.
Minato woke up, hand outstretched as if to grasp the dream girl's hand. He looked to both sides and was thankful to see Tsukiumi and Akitsu still sleeping. He smiled at them, face full of love as he reached out and gently caressed their cheeks. Moving quietly he got out of their thrice christened bed and began to work through some exercises wondering about the dream. I've never seen a girl like that before, so it couldn't have been a memory. What could it mean? It's pretty clear that she needs help, whatever it means. But what is her connection to me?
Minato was halfway through his last stomach rep when he noticed that Tsukiumi was awake watching him. Her voice was soft so as to not wake Akitsu, allowing her sister-wife to sleep a little longer before she would have to get up and cook breakfast. Tsukiumi had attempted to help yesterday, and had found she had no aptitude for that particular art. Akitsu on the other hand enjoyed cooking immensely in her own quiet way. "Something troubling you? You look tense."
Minato stopped and looked over at her with one of his shy, apologetic smiles that so warmed her heart. "Sorry did I wake you?"
Tsukiumi shook her head and looked at him with love in her eyes, repeating the question.
After wiping off the sweat from his brow, he walked over and kissed her on the lips, enjoying the visible sight of their love as her crest wings glowed in response. He whispered against her lips pressing their foreheads together, reveling in the knowledge that their connection, their love became more powerful with each passing day, despite his ongoing worries about the speed with which their connection had formed. "I love you."
Tsukiumi's eyes misted as she responded in kind and the two felt Akitsu's arms encircling them both, adding her own silent vow to theirs. After a timeless moment, Minato explained in a quiet voice about his dream, after which he asked, "Can an Ashikabi dream of his Sekirei? And are there Sekirei that young that will be made to join this so called game?"
Tsukiumi shook her head resignedly. "To Minaka, every Sekirei is part of the plan regardless of age." Akitsu nodded reluctant agreement. Minato growled in rising anger. The very thought of a girl as young as the one he had seen engaging in combat made his fists clench in anger. Tsukiumi went on, her possessive nature getting the better of her. "Would you really want to wing a girl that young? We already have Musubi after all. I don't want to have to share you with yet another Sekirei."
Minato twitched at that. Musubi, in her own naïve way, had kept on asking to be a wife and she refused to take no for an answer. All she knew was that it was fun and Akitsu and Tsukiumi were both doing it. She was woefully ignorant about normal man/woman interaction and kept on pulling him into hugs face first into her chest whenever she could despite his making his disinterest plain. The idea of a girl as young as the girl in his dreams acting like that was beyond disturbing.
Akitsu shook her head, making Minato look at her. "Ahh… Minato's idea of treating his Sekirei as family is a good one. Eventually Musubi will understand and settle down. A girl that young could be another younger sister to us all or a daughter, and thus no danger to our own positions. We could also use the practice." Both her life-mates blushed at the implication of what she was saying but also felt a thrill at the idea. Tsukiumi nodded agreement, while Minato kept blushing. "We'll have to wait and see what happens as we've no clue where this girl could be. The best thing we can do is keep our eyes open today. If anything comes up, we can use the pagers Minato-sama bought us."
Tsukiumi took this idea a step further. "When you go to work Minato either myself or one of the others will follow you and keep an eye on you. Sekirei are destined to find their Ashikabi and something will happen to point you in the right direction of this girl. When it does, we need to be in a position to act on it."
Akitsu nodded agreement, while Minato looked a little uncomfortable, still unhappy with the idea that his wives would be protecting him and not the other way around. But he knew he had to resign himself to it. The girls'll never let me fight by myself, and I've not even told them I'm going to try to fight alongside them yet…
Over breakfast, Minato relayed his dream to Musubi who eagerly agreed with his wives about how to handle the situation. She was even more adamant about the fact that if he dreamed about this girl, he was destined to become her Ashikabi. Minato did not like the idea of destiny playing a role in his life but he could not deny that there seemed to be some kind of connection working here. And Musubi's insistence and offer to help actually made him feel better towards her too.
Minato left the house as his three Sekirei were playing rock paper scissors to see who would watch him thought, there are some aspects of this I hope I never get used to. Watching three super-powerful alien women play jan-ken-pon for the 'honor' of following me around all day to is just too strange for words.
Seconds after punching out for lunch Minato dropped onto a thick pile of wooden planks, stomach growling in anticipation. Akitsu may still think her cooking left much to be desired, but to him her cooking was as the food of the gods and he looked forward eagerly to every meal. Perhaps because watching her prepare it either naked or only wearing an apron just for me heightens its flavor. Does that make me a pervert, or merely male? A question best left to others I think, so long as I can continue to reap the benefits.
Today, however, she had received help from Miya, making the food go from excellent to incredible. Miya had made too much food for breakfast and had offered some leftovers to Akitsu because she had seen how much Musubi ate the day before, even more than Minato's wives.
Miya was an interesting person in many ways, Minato reflected. It was obvious she knew more than she was letting on, her lack of surprise at Musubi's strength the other day had been proof of that, let alone her allowing his horrible excuse for the girl's frayed clothing to slide. He'd lay odds that she knew about the 'plan', but she seemed completely apathetic toward it. She was friendly, and seemed to enjoy his groups company, but he could feel she had yet to truly open up to them.
He looked up as his coworker Seo sat down next to him, eyeing his lunch box enviously. Minato grinned, pointing to the things he knew Miya had cooked rather than those cooked by his Akitsu. Despite his ongoing concern about the speed of their courtship and his overall worthiness to be with them, he treasured the little things they did for him to much to share that. "You can have three bites Seo but that's it."
The man smiled and leaned forward eagerly. "Thanks youngster." he took a bite from a rice ball and his expression changed to thoughtfulness, "This taste..."
Their meal was interrupted as a sudden flurry of steps reached their ears and someone took a flying leap at Seo, kicking the two men into each other and onto the ground, the bento landing face down in the dirt nearby.
Minato looked up in a daze to watch Seo being shaken like a rag doll by a woman dressed in a maid's outfit, a woman who looked very familiar to him, and another woman standing next to her. "How dare you take someone else's lunch after you told us to bring you some?!"
Seo didn't look nervous at all, merely chagrined at being caught. "Ah, Hikari."
"Don't 'Ah' me! Don't you have any shame at all?!" She began to shake him even more roughly.
The other woman reached down and helped Minato stand, apologizing for her sister's exuberance and Seo's greediness. She looked up from bowing as Minato at last shook his head clear and they both shouted aloud, pointing at one another in shock.
"The angry kid!"
"The dominatrix duo!"
Seo looked at the three of them quizzically. "You know each other?" Minato laughed and explained where he had seen the two before, leaving out the fact that Tsukiumi and Musubi were both his Sekirei now.
Seo took one look at him and said "so you're an Ashikabi too huh?" Minato looked at him in shock and Seo laughed. "I have a sixth sense about these things."
He reached a hand around each of the girls pulling them into his body and not incidentally fondling their breasts roughly. "These two are Hikari and Hibiki, my Sekirei." Hikari growled angrily and lightning suddenly flashed out of the sky smashing into Seo. Minato looked down at his smoking form and shook his head, a large sweatdrop appearing on his head. Seems there are many different types of Sekirei and Ashikabi relationships. He turned back to his bento and frowned unhappily. "My bento…."
The four of them were interrupted by the supervisor coming over to talk with them. "Works ended for the day guys, you can all leave now."
Seo grinned, happy at getting out of work, but Minato was both suspicious and irritated. The furniture, utilities (two months payment ahead mandatory for those without credit history like Minato and his ladies) and house itself had severely depleted the money he had gotten from selling his antiques, and he really wanted to build up his cash reservoir again. "Why the sudden stop?"
The supervisor shrugged. "Something went wrong with a botanical growth experiment at a nearby park. MBI is bringing in some specialists to deal with it and clearing everyone out in a five block radius as a safety precaution."
At the name MBI both Minato and Seo went on alert.
"Come on, kid." Seo lead the way to the east of the construction area. From the construction entrance, both Ashikabi were able to see the park in question. Even from a block away they could see the park was completely overgrown with massive plant growth, far larger and more numerous than was naturally found in nature. Trees and other plants were literally overgrowing the walls, and the inside was completely obscured by new growth.
As they were looking at the park, Seo received a message on his cell phone. Minato's cell beeped a few seconds later and he looked at it in shock. Only his wives had the number and neither of them would contact him on it except in the direst of circumstances. Looking at it quickly though, he was relieved to see an enigmatic message rather than an emergency one from his wives. That someone else had been able to find his new number in two days and contact him on it so easily was worrisome, but he put aside that worry for a moment. The message read, "The green girl waits in the garden for the one strong enough to claim her."
He looked over at Seo's cell phone, and saw the same message displayed there. "Could this message have something to do with the girl in my dream?" Minato muttered.
"What's this about a 'girl in your dream'?" Seo asked.
Minato looked at him, and after a moment's hesitation, explained to Seo and the two sisters about his dream. Seo nodded thoughtfully. He put an arm around Minato's shoulders, hiding his surprise at how wiry and solid the younger man was underneath his baggy shirt. "What say we see what this is all about huh?"
Minato nodded agreement, but was cautious in accepting the other mans help. "Why do you want to help Seo?"
"Blunt aren't you?" Seo looked off in the direction of MBI tower, then back to Minato. "You said you had a dream of this girl right? Well, I want to see proof of that bond. I want to force Minaka and his ilk to understand that destiny can't be fucked with."
Minato looked at him a moment, then nodded thankfully. He wasn't a great believer in destiny, but that didn't mean that there wasn't something else at work when it came to Sekirei/Ashikabi bonds.
As they left the construction site, Akitsu jumped down from a nearby building. Her cold gaze fixed on the two sisters, having seen their accidental assault on her Ashikabi (and the bento she worked hard to cook for him). She moved to stand next to Minato, taking his hand protectively and if looks could kill both sisters would have been corpsicles within seconds. Minato stroked her cheek, calming her down before wrapping his arms around her in a possessive hug. Despite this her glare continued to pin the sisters in place.
Seo grinned but before he could say anything Minato took out his cell and sent a prearranged message to Musubi and Tsukiumi, telling them to meet him at his workplace. "Now we wait." Seo shrugged and took out a cigarette, leaning against a nearby wall. The two sisters, uncomfortable under Akitsu's frozen glare retreated next to him, wondering what they were waiting for. Within 5 minutes Tsukiumi and Musubi both arrived jumping down from the rooftops. Seo grinned and said "Wow kid you sure lucked out, they're all hot! You're a lucky man."
Tsukiumi bristled at this monkey's presumption at speaking about her like that but Minato calmed her down by touching her Sekirei crest gently. She reflexively closed her eyes, feeling his love for her flow into her. This was something that the three of them had discovered last night as they tried out new positions. The Sekirei crest acted almost the same as a kiss, transferring emotions between the two. It was also a highly erogenous zone, a fact that Minato had used to his benefit. "I am a lucky man Seo but it's not their bodies I'm in love with, it's their souls."
Hikari and Hibiki's both sighed at this romantic line while Akitsu and Tsukiumi simply hugged Minato to them as Musubi reached out and took his hand. She was tempted to pull him into a hug like normal, but had received a stern talking to about acting appropriately in public by both Miya and Tsukiumi earlier so holding hands would have to be enough for now.
Quickly, Minato outlined the message that he had received and his and Seo feelings about the park down the road and its connection to the odd message and Minato's dream. Musubi and Tsukiumi were for rushing in right now, but Minato convinced them to wait until nighttime. Akitsu never joined the argument, content to follow Minato's lead.
The group waited on a nearby rooftop, watching the activity around the park. They watched as the area was forcefully cleared of all civilians while tanks, APCs, and several squads of infantry formed a defensive cordon around the park entrance.
Minato looked over the troops deployed below with an experienced eye and cursed inwardly at yet another sign of how powerful MBI was. He recognized two American built Abrams main battle tanks and four Japanese Type 96 APC's down there. The first was downright scary in how much influence in America it showed, and he had no idea of the cost, but knew even the APC's were more modern, capable and equally more expensive than any of the forces Turkey had deployed in Constantinople. Though the weapons the troops were carrying were a mixed bag. NTK-62's and Ak-47's and a few crew served weapons I don't recognize. Still, whatever their small arms weapons, the rest of their gear tells me a lot, not to mention being able to move that many troops in what is supposed to be the capital of Japan without government authority. I'm rapidly beginning to feel like David facing off against a horde of Goliaths. He decided to see what Seo wanted to do before going on with his own plan, as the man was the more experienced Ashikabi. "So have you got a plan?"
Seo grinned. "We really don't need a plan we just have to go through the front door."
Hikari and Hibiki's combined lightning struck the ground scattering troops everywhere as Musubi ran forward from a doorway nearest their position and picked up one of the Abram tanks before it could start its engine, throwing it aside like it weighed no more than the sofa from the day before. Swiftly crouching she dodged a rocket from a bazooka and jumped forward, grabbing the trooper using it and hurling him to land among several more soldiers with an audible thump. She continued to jump around catching single soldiers here and there and throwing them around while dodging streams of bullets grinning wildly. "Musubi is having fun!"
Akitsu shook her head in amusement at the simple pleasure shown by her fellow Sekirei, at the same time encasing several soldiers in ice before they could react. Humans, she had discovered, were much easier to freeze thus than Sekirei who apparently had much a higher tolerance against heat and cold.
She moved forward, and next froze an APC that had not disembarked its troop yet into a solid piece of ice. Other troopers that found themselves within her sixty feet radius yelled in shock as their weapons suddenly became too cold to touch. They hurriedly dropped their weapons and watched in wonder as the guns shattered like glass upon impact. This single act took most of the regular infantrymen out of the battle, and the number of bullets the Sekirei were dodging dropped dramatically.
Meanwhile Tsukiumi used the technique Minato had trained her in to take care of the other tank. She opened up it's top with three well-placed shots of her water cannon as it tried to bring its gun to bear. The entire turret shattered and peeled away like paper under her assault.
The troops inside stuck their heads out, took one look at the water wielding goddess, and ran for it. Next she turned and used a shield of water, a new technique she had thought up the night before, to absorb fire from two of the remaining machine gun emplacements, clearing out each with a single brute force deluge. She dodged to her left, sweeping her hand forward and smashing the APC firing at her with a battering ram of water, knocking it onto its side.
Minato used the distraction his and Seo's Sekirei were creating to run forward, tackling a soldier with a walkie-talkie to the ground. The man tried to fight back but Minato slammed his head down, spun him around and twisted both arms behind his back. By the time he was done taking his prisoner, the rest of the security force was either running in panic unconscious or frozen.
Seo who had stood well away from the action watching as the girls had their fun, strolled up to stand next to him. "Well, kid impressive, aren't they?"
Minato nodded, keeping his face under control as he jerked the trooper he had tackled up to his feet. He had seen his three Sekirei fighting each other in practice, but seeing them fight regular troops was something else entirely. Two state of the art American main battle tanks, four APC's of recent vintage and 6 infantry squads not only defeated but routed in under five minutes of combat, by Buddha! Minato looked at one of the APCs which Hikari and Hibiki had blown open. Noticing an MBI logo on it he grinned. He might not have the ability right now to fight MBI in a stand up fight, but at least here he was hurting them a little. Unless of course this is also part of their game, and these troops were only here to be sacrificed. I really don't want to think that MBI has enough money to eat the cost of that many expensive machines and not care.
Minato turned to Akitsu and Musubi. "You two please stay here and guard our back. Tsukiumi you come with me." All three of his Sekirei looked at him, bemused by his sudden authoritative manner, but he kept moving eyes shifting from one place to another as he pushed his prisoner in front of him. Tsukiumi and Akitsu exchanged a glance realizing that Minato had changed, taking charge and confirming even more strongly that he had not been a simple soldier in Constantinople. He had been some kind of leader before. But his orders made sense so they both decided to follow them.
Seo grinned, thinking that Musubi and Akitsu were merely obedient, and wondered how he could change Hikari and Hibiki's personalities to be compliant as well. The three of them ran to catch up to Minato, who was still pushing his prisoner ahead of himself. He had questions he wanted answered, and a message he wanted to send.
Unbeknownst to Minato and the others, a limo had pulled up on another street abutting the atrium. A familiar figure got out, followed by a young woman dressed in a formfitting yellow jumpsuit and wielding a whip. Hayato ordered, "You two, get me the green girl. Don't bother coming back without her." both girls nodded and jumped the fence, moving into the park.
A few minutes after Minato disappeared into the jungle like depths of the park another figure bounded down from a nearby rooftop. Homura stood for a moment surveying the carnage, and shook his head. "Seo's normal slash and burn job I see." He turned and caught sight of Musubi and Akitsu guarding the park entrance. Akitsu was looking at him, face blank of emotion, while Musubi was practically bouncing in her eagerness to fight. He attempted to bow theatrically to them, but overbalanced as his head suddenly exploded in pain.
A pillar of ice formed in front of him and arrested his forward momentum. He stared in surprise at it before looking at the two women. Akitsu cocked her head quizzically. "Ahh… are you sick?"
Kagari shook his head gingerly and backed away a little. "I don't suppose there's any way I can talk you into letting me pass?"
Akitsu put a hand out stopping Musubi from moving forward. "Homura?" The man in the black mask nodded bemused at being recognized by someone he hadn't met before in this persona. "Ahh… You call yourself the defender of Sekirei." Homura nodded again, still off balance. "Tsukiumi told me about you. There is no need for your aid here; my Ashikabi will not allow harm to come to the girl within." A small smile graced her impassive features. "Ahh..And you seem to be too ill to fight us."
Homura nodded, gently holding his head in his hands. "I won't argue with you there. But is your Ashikabi the one destined to" he stopped as both girls nodded affirmatively.
Musubi elaborated in her normal outgoing manner. "Minato-san had a dream about her. Don't worry, he'll find her."
Homura nodded, still cursing whoever had drugged his drink two nights ago. He still hadn't recovered from whatever it was. Akitsu was right he was in no shape to fight anyone, let alone someone whose powers appeared to be the exact opposite of his own. He would have to take their word for it. Besides, everything he had thus far seen from Minato told Homura that he could trust him. With a final nod, he bounced away looking forward to a hot compress and some extra strength Excedrin.
As soon as they entered the Park Minato was gripped by a vision. Kusano stood in front of him, holding out her arms in entreaty. Minato moved forward blindly trying to catch up to her and nearly slammed into a tree, but Tsukiumi grabbed his shoulder and stopped him just in time. "Minato, are you all right?"
"I, I saw the girl again. She's here. I think I know where she is." He reached over and grabbed the prisoners arm again, wrenching it up behind his back painfully. "What were your orders here?"
The guard grunted in pain but answered readily. "Guard the entrance to the park. Keep out any civilians, wait for the cleanup crew." His eyes shifted to Tsukiumi and the sisters before flicking away, clearly afraid for his life. "Put up as much resistance as possible to any Sekirei assault without significant loss of life."
"Significant loss of life" Minato parroted. "So, you know about the Sekirei, and knew what to expect. Were you told what was going on in here, or what you were 'guarding'?" The soldier shook his head, confused. Minato wanted to spit. "Just blindly obeying orders huh? Well, my friend today you're going to see what you've been 'guarding'. MOVE!" He shoved the man forward.
A few minutes later they came upon a huge tree in the center of the park. Amid its roots was a small cave hollowed out of the earth, from which the faintest echo of weeping could be heard. Minato asked everyone else to wait as he entered the small cave alone. In the cave, Minato found the little girl curled up into a ball sniffling in fear. Minato smiled and sat down near her, calling out softly "Ku-chan?"
The girl looked up and squealed excitedly at seeing him, getting up and half running, half stumbling into his arms. "Onii-chan!" Minato spent a few minutes simply hugging her to him, as she sobbed happily. After a few minutes, the sobbing stopped and Minato stood up still holding the little girl up into his arms. "Do you want to come home with me?" Kusano nodded sleepily, body overcome by its exertions.
Once out of the cave, he glared at the soldier, who stood looking at the blond girl in shock. "A little girl." He said quietly. "A little girl, scared and alone who'll be made to fight in a game devised by your boss against opponents who'll try to kill her. So tell me, is your honor worth that nice paycheck of yours?" His tone was so biting it was like a physical force stabbing into his target.
The soldier opened his mouth to reply but instead blood erupted out of his mouth as a black scythe came out of his shoulder and continued down into his body, nearly slicing it in two. A shrill voice shouted out as the scythe swung back, blood arcing off it as it came towards Minato's head. "Stay away from her! That little girl belongs to be my Master!"
Tsukiumi stepped forward swiftly and used her newest technique, a small shield of water to block the sweeping scythe blade, recognizing the girl who had tried to capture Akitsu when they first met.
The girl jumped back irritably shouting "Get out of my way! I, Sekirei # 98, Yomi, must return to my master with that girl!" another Sekirei, dressed in a black and yellow jumpsuit and with blond hair done into two twin tails with a whip in her hand stepped out of the darkness to join her, staring at the body of the dead soldier in horror.
Minato put Kusano down motioning her to stay behind him while he stood next to Tsukiumi, facing the newcomers. To one side he saw Seo looking down at the dead soldier, but motioning HIkari and Hibiki to stay out of it.
Minato was almost quivering with anger. "And would your master wing her against her will and make her fight? She's only a little girl!"
Yomi shrugged carelessly, spilling more blood from her scythes head. "Whatever her will is now, it'll change when she's winged. My master has commanded me and that is all that matters!" She licked the scythe, closing her eyes momentarily in ecstasy at the taste of blood on her tongue. The girl next to her flinched again but reluctantly took up a fighting stance next to her, cracking her whip, but her eyes kept darting back to the soldier's body.
Minato nodded, face bleak and hard. "Thank you so much for being so clear about it. Tsukiumi, she's yours."
He suddenly threw the gun he was holding at the Sekirei next to Yomi and charged forward distracting her from watching Tsukiumi and the sisters. She recovered from her shock at the dead guard and reflexively snapped her whip first to block the gun then at him but he had expected this and dropped to the ground sticking one arm up allowing the whip to tangle itself up around his arm on the recoil. The whip's energy expended itself on his skin leaving a long painful bruise. Grimly Minato used his forward momentum and rolled on the ground, trapping it between his body and the ground and pulling it of the still off balance girl's hand. Caught off guard by his sudden attack and disarmed the girl jumped backwards.
At the same second Minato moved Yomi charged forward. Tsukiumi met her advance and used her water shield to block her scythe's swing again. Instead of acting like a solid surface and bouncing the scythe blade harmlessly away as it had the bullets and the scythe earlier however, the water gave just a little bit.
Yomi grinned triumphantly and began to swing her scythe even faster, slicing at Tsukiumi from multiple angles. Each time Tsukiumi blocked the attack, but Yomi's scythe sank into the water a little more.
Her triumph turned to anger as she suddenly realized that the water was disintegrating her scythe head, the faster she swung, the faster it disappeared.
Tsukiumi had created her shield out of water revolving in a flat ovoid. The water inside the outer layer of the ovoid was moving at extremely high speeds, so that when something was pushed into it, it hit water moving at speeds in excess of 300 mph.
Within seconds, the scythe was nothing more than a long pole.
As Yomi fell back in shock at losing her weapon, Tsukiumi glared at her. This woman had stated that she would kill her husband without even a thought and proved she was capable of doing so my killing their prisoner. In that case I will oblige her in kind! She thought grimly. She raised her hand and slammed Yomi aside with a massive blast of water, smashing her into the other Sekirei as she jumped back from losing her whip. Gathering her power, she summoned up ten small streams of water and with a great shout of "Mizu no Ya Barrage!" sent all of them at the two enemy Sekirei.
Realizing her intention, Minato shouted, "Only hit the girl with the scythe!" Tsukiumi nodded, cancelling half of her attacks before they could reach their target. Yomi blocked two of the remaining with her staff, but the others got through, slamming into and exploding out of her body at tremendous speeds, blood spurting everywhere. She was dead before she hit the ground.
The other girl gasped in shock and tried to leap away, but Minato grabbed her arm, halting her retreat just long enough for Tsukiumi to get behind her. A karate chop to the back of her head put the girl down for good.
As Tsukiumi moved to touch her crest, Minato grabbed her hand, stopping her. "No. Remember what I said about not knowing what happens to Sekirei who lose their mark. And she didn't seem to be as murderous as the other one."
Tsukiumi nodded reluctant agreement, but rounded on him angrily. "Minato that was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen! How dare you risk your life fighting against a Sekirei! What would we've done without you!?" She reached out and shook him soundly. Stunned by her vehemence Minato wordlessly put his arms around her and Tsukiumi suddenly broke down, clinging to him brokenly. "Never do that again Minato I couldn't bear it!"
Minato realized she was actually crying she was that worried about him. Kusano had rushed forward and was hugging his leg crying as well. It was at that moment that Minato realized how much he truly meant to his Sekirei. His life truly was no longer only his own. Not only did he have to watch out for them, he had to watch out for himself for them as well. But… "Tsukiumi, stop for a second and listen." She looked up at him, about to begin berating him again but she paused at the look in his eyes. "Tsukiumi I won't promise to leave you to fight alone. I can't, I won't do that. I love you Akitsu and Musubi too much."
At the look in her eyes he relented. "I promise I won't try to fight a Sekirei unless I absolutely have to. But I will fight their Ashikabi. Okay?" Tsukiumi grimaced but nodded, moving slightly away from him, though retaining control of one of his arms. "Akitsu and I will be speaking to you about this later." She looked down at the whiplash on his other arm as the whip uncoiled itself and dropped to the ground. "At Length." Minato winced, but nodded.
Seo grimaced at the dead Sekirei before coming forward to glare at Minato. "You didn't have to kill her you know, you could simply have erased her creast and removed her from the game. That doesn't make you any better than her." Behind him, Hikari and Hibiki looked at one another, before simultaneously backing away slightly. They personally felt that Tsukiumi had been right to kill Yomi, the joy she showed after killing the soldier had disgusted them. But Seo, besides being a pervert, a letch, a womanizer and a lay-about without any pride, was also a bit of a chauvinist who felt no woman could ever be totally irredeemable.
Tsukiumi, never known for her self-control, lost it entirely and turned stalking toward Seo angrily. "You're right I didn't have to, it was a completely voluntary decision on my part! And don't you dare compare me to that woman. There is a vast difference between killing in self defense and killing in cold blood or for enjoyment like that bitch!"
Minato stepped to her side and gripped her hand, using it to pull her to him and kissed her on the lips. Seo and the others looked on in shock as the wings of light spread, filling the entire park with their radiant light. As he released the kiss, Hikari and Hibiki backed away even further. They could feel the power now radiating off Tsukiumi, and knew they had no chance against her, even if they used their own norito.
He turned one arm still around Tsukiumi's waist. "Tsukiumi did the right thing! I would've done the same thing if I could! It's the oldest form of justice; a life for a life. I will fight this so-called game in the way I think is right. That means that the consequences will be in direct proportion to the way other people play it. And I will make Ashikabi pay the same price they ask their Sekirei to pay!"
Seo looked at him, noticing for the first time how hard Minato's eyes could become, as well as the scars that he had on his arms, now out in the open for the first time as the green girl wore his over shirt. This kid ain't no kid. What the hell is he? Seo nodded silently and he and his Sekirei left without further discussion. Minato bent down and lifted Kusano onto his back, indicating that Tsukiumi do the same with the unconscious girl. "I've got some questions to ask her when she wakes up. Come on, we don't want to be here when MBI shows up with more troops."
Tsukiumi nodded, lifting the other Sekirei onto her back with ease. She wasn't happy about it as it went against the rules of the game but with Yomi dead, there was no point to staying. In the distance they could already hear the sounds of helicopters.
Outside the park they met up with Musubi and Akitsu. Both looked at the child on Minato's back and smiled, though they were confused by the sight of the other woman being carried by Tsukiumi. Minato smiled "Come on ladies, let's go home. It's been a long day."
Tsukiumi snorted, "That is an understatement."
Akitsu looked at her and then at the whip burns visible up Minato's left arm. She raised an eloquent eyebrow in inquiry and Tsukiumi briefly outlined what had happened as they continued to move away from the park. Musubi was visibly upset at Minato putting himself in danger, but Akitsu's face became even more of a blank mask than normal as she nodded to Tsukiumi. Then her hand flashed up, smacking Minato hard across the face. "We will talk later." Minato winced rubbing his check but nodded.
Minato and his crew headed home with their new addition. Traveling by Sekirei Express™, it only took them ten minutes.
As they landed on the street in front of their house, Minato decided to stop in at Izumo house to see if Miya had any food to loan them. Akitsu had not prepared anything, being out of the house all day watching Minato, and Musubi had eaten all the prepared food in the house.
It was only as the door opened that Minato realized he hadn't thought of any excuse for the little girl's presence, or for the unconscious woman on Tsukiumi's back. As this thought entered his mind, Miya opened the door her eyes going wide in surprise at Kusano's presence on Minato's back. "My, who is this? I certainly hope you're not thinking of adding her to your growing harem Sahashi-san, that would be a crime now wouldn't it?" Behind her just a hint of the devil mask began to appear.
Minato looked at the others helplessly wondering how to explain this. Kusano chose that moment to wake up, look around blearily and say "I'm hungry."
Miya smiled kindly, maternal instincts overcoming her desire to tease. "Wait a bit; the food will be ready in a little while." She turned and ran off down the hallway. Gratefully Minato and his Sekirei followed her.
Minato sat down still searching for a way to explain the little girl's presence. "Um, Miya-san, this is"
"The Sekirei Plan yes?" She turned from the stove and gave him an enigmatic smile. "My late husband worked for MBI, and I know quite a bit about the Sekirei plan." She turned to the others and told them that the bath was free if they wanted to go bathe before dinner. The demon mask appeared behind her, letting them know it wasn't a request but an order. They all ran off quickly, leaving Minato alone with Miya and the passed out girl in the jumpsuit.
He sat there silently thinking about the day's events. He had seen firsthand how dangerous Sekirei could be against normal troops. Millions of dollars in equipment destroyed and half a dozen squads of infantry beaten in less than half an hour. True their training didn't seem to be that good and whoever decided to just park those tanks in a single location in the city with limited lanes of fire was a complete idiot. Still, these troops were from MBI and had been, at least judging by the one Yomi killed, briefed on Sekirei powers, and were still completely unprepared for them. Maybe in a mobile fight against well trained troops it would be different but I don't think so. They were dodging bullets for Buddha's sake!
A handful of Sekirei could lay waste to whole armies. Any nation in the world would do anything to get their hands on that power and here's Minaka playing a game with it! I can't believe China and America or any of the other world powers are blind to this so something else is going on here. A bidding war for the use of Sekirei could make sense if you could somehow record the fights and use them as advertisement, but there are way simpler ways to do that, unless a Sekirei's full potential doesn't come out without an Ashikabi, like Akitsu said, and that doesn't even take into account the bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi. He put those thought aside for now, realizing yet again he needed more information to begin long term planning.
With a mental shrug he turned his thoughts to the fight in the park with the other Sekirei, going over what he had seen in greater detail and wondering how to combat against Sekirei as well as how to counter those same moves. He was also a little surprised that killing Yomi hadn't affected Tsukiumi mentally. She had been very matter-of-fact about it, much like a combat veteran would. He remembered how he had broken down when he first had to kill someone in combat but Tsukiumi hadn't hesitated and showed no signs of being concerned about it. I wonder if this is part of her Sekirei nature or part of the training that they went through before the 'game' started.
He came out of his reverie to see Miya looking at him quizzically. "You aren't going to question why I know about the Sekirei Plan?"
Minato shook his head "No, I don't want to make you dredge up any painful memories. I know a thing or two about those myself."
Miya smiled. "That is very kind of you but I am certain you have many questions to ask. First though what do you plan to do with her? You know I do not condone violence in this inn, nor would I allow you to take her away if you meant to harm her." Again the demon head appeared, glaring at him.
Minato shook his head quickly, assuring Miya that he had no such intention. "I just didn't want to have to take her crest away, and I have a message I want her to deliver to her Ashikabi."
Miya smiled and went back to placing food on the table. "So, what are your questions?"
Minato suddenly laughed, gripping his head with both hands. "Gods where to begin? I have so many questions and so few answers. Akitsu and the others don't know anything but the bare bones of what I want, no, need to know."
"So start at the beginning."
Minato propped his head on his hands, looking at her. "I have so many that there really is no beginning or end. I suppose the most important at this moment is what kind of hold does Minaka have over the Sekirei to make them obey this game of his, and how is he getting away with moving so openly in the capital of Japan?"
"Three points of control that I know of, there may be others." Miya said calmly. "One: indoctrination. Most Sekirei have been taught, coerced and genetically altered to obey the orders of the scientists and specialists around them. Most do not even question this state of affairs. MBI is their sole source of information, their sole source of interaction with the human world until they are let out for the game and MBI pays for most of their needs even after they leave." She glanced at him at this point having heard from Akitsu that Minato paid for the house and was now paying for all their living expenses from his construction job, having given up on his dream of entering Tokyo University to work full time. That he would change his plans for them speaks well of him, and that he can support them without MBI's help is also a point in his favor.
"Second is the Disciplinary Squad. They are three of the most powerful and vicious Sekirei alive. One in particular is more powerful than any fifteen others combined and is a cold blooded killer. Third is Minaka's control of the ship the Sekirei were found in. It is the ultimate trump card, their defender and destroyer. Most of its functions are offline, but it has some weapons capability. If humanity turns against them as a whole, Minaka can use the ship to protect them. If too many get out of line or evade the disciplinary squad, the ship can be used to find them or destroy them." Or sink Japan, it's not exactly a precision instrument, though I don't know if Minaka realizes that. Best not to mention that…
"As for operating openly, MBI controls the Japanese government from behind the scenes. They have done so for at least ten years, and the company owns the city of Tokyo entirely. They also own the newspapers and the police and every cable company as well as controlling the cable towers."
MInato buried his head in his hands for a moment. This just kept getting better and better. He couldn't do much about the political chicanery, so turned his attention to the game itself. "So to break his power, I need to break at least one of those points of control," he mused.
Miya's eyebrows arched. "You wish to go against the Sekirei plan? Minaka will not stand for that you know. Your life and that of those close to you will not be worth anything should he find out you are unwilling to play his game."
Minato smiled grimly. "I don't just want to break his little board game, I want to kill him."
"Then we have something in common Minato." Kagari entered the room, still moving gingerly. "I've been wanting to kill him for a long time now."
Minato turned to him, pushing over a cup of tea. "Are you feeling better? I take it you used to work at MBI as well?"
Kagari nodded, gratefully taking up the cup of tea and answered, hedging the truth more than a little bit. "I left around the time Miya's husband died. The way Minaka's using the Sekirei and abusing his power is intolerable to me. And yes I'm feeling better but only a little bit. Whatever was slipped to me is still giving me trouble."
"I don't suppose either of you know what will happen to a Sekirei eliminated from the game? " Minato asked wistfully. Both Miya and Kagari shook their heads. "I really need to know that to form any kind of long term plan." His brow knitted in anger as he thought back to what had happened earlier. "An innocent child and a bloodthirsty psychopath, both Sekirei and both supposed to play this game on an equal footing? The man's insane."
Miya paused in setting the table, "psychopath? What exactly happened tonight?"
Minato related the incident to her from beginning to end including his dream and the fact that Tsukiumi had killed Yomi, and that he agreed with her decision. "Human or Sekirei, lives are not to be used, discarded or spent without thought. If you take a life, you must be ready for your own to be taken in turn."
Miya looked at him thoughtfully. She wanted to be angry at the death of one of her feathers but she had known Yomi as a little girl and even then she had shown sociopathic tendencies, delighting in beating and bullying those Sekirei weaker than herself, much like Karasuba but without the offsetting influence of her friendship with Yomi. There were more than a few such Sekirei but some of them at least had grown out of it. She decided to change the subject slightly "So you are a friend of Seo's?
Minato shrugged. "More of an acquaintance really, do you know him?"
"More than I would like, he's trash. He never holds down a job very long, is always drifting from one thing to another, forces his Sekirei to work as well and always, always comes here to beg food off me because he was a friend of my husband. Truly trash. Do not emulate him." the demon head began to appear but disappeared as Minato opened his wallet and put several thousand yen on the table in front of him.
He bowed. "Please allow me to redeem my gender. Let me pay for the food he's taken from you for the past month or so. I can also pay you for the food that we eat over here."
Miya looked at him in shock, then smiled and pushed his money back towards him. "Please keep your money. My husband never turned away anyone in need, regardless of who they were. My door is always open."
It was at this point that the others returned. Ku-chan appeared being carried by Akitsu and followed by Uzume, Musubi and Tsukiumi. Kusano was dressed in a Halloween costume of a purple wagtail.
Minato reached out and patted her head. "Are you feeling better Ku-chan? That's a cute costume." The little girl beamed, but her face darkened as Akitsu sat on one side of Minato, putting Kusano down on her other side.
Before she could get up and move, Tsukiumi sat down on Minato's other side, barely beating Musubi for it before leaning in to look at his arm. "Are you certain that doesn't need attention Minato?" She gestured at the whip burn on his arm.
Minato shook his head. Knowing that Miya knew they were his Sekirei, he put his arms around them, sighing contentedly. "Before we eat, I think we should formally introduce Kusano," he patted her again with the arm he had around Akitsu, "our newest family member. First let me ask you. Do you want to join us?" He indicated Musubi and his wives. Kusano nodded excitedly, moving to kiss him, but was halted by Akitsu hugging her firmly. She struggled for a second but stopped as Minato went on. "When Musubi joined us, we decided that we should each have a role in our group and we are going to keep to that rule. Now as young as you are, you can either be our little sister, or our daughter, which do you want to be?"
Kusano pouted further, something inside her telling her that this was not what she wanted, but her Sekirei genes were overruled by her little girl genes. She started to tear up at the thought of having real parents who would love her and be there for her like in the stories the doctor had read to her. "I want to be your daughter, papa! Please!" she looked at him with big soulful eyes.
Miya and the Izumo tenants looked on this little moment with mixed emotions. Kagari was happy that the youngest Sekirei had found such a protective and caring home. Miya simply smiled approvingly at how Minato was handling Kusano, not letting even a hint of impropriety enter their relationship. It warmed her heart, and made her feel something inside her, a mix of an unnamed emotion and sadness for her husband, lost before they could begin their own family. Uzume was teary eyed, her thoughts hidden by a broad smile despite her tears.
Minato looked at his wives, who both nodded slowly, but willingly. Musubi's opinion hardly needs to be asked, she's grinning so widely… He nodded and leaned in placing a chaste kiss on Kusano's lips. Her crest appeared on her neck as wings of light blossomed. Minato then solemnly kissed Musubi and then his wives, reaffirming their connection.
Miya's eyes widened and she had to stop herself from jumping for joy as she witnessed Akitsu and Tsukiumi's wings radiating off each other, magnifying the effect. Oh Minaka, you poor sad fool, you will never understand the powers of the bond you tried to warp, and in the end you will fail. Their bond is growing by the day. All they need is time, and all your manipulations, all your mad schemes will be undone by the power of love. I hope I am there when you realize that the very power you sought to pervert has been your undoing. Again watching Minato interact with his wives she felt strange but she ignored it once again.
Ku-chan grinned happily, bouncing up and down in her wagtail costume as everyone present congratulated her. Afterwards, they sat back down to dinner, chatting with one another. Much like the first nights dinner at Izumo house, Minato split his attention between his Sekirei as equally as possible. The dinner was fun, friendly and upbeat, despite what had occurred earlier and their still unconscious guest.
After dinner, Miya agreed to watch the girl, provided she be allowed to sit in when Minato asked her some questions. Minato agreed without reservation, raising his status in her eyes still further.
Walking out of the inn with Kusano asleep in his arms he turned to Kagari. "I won't push you about your connection to MBI. I just want you to know that if you want to talk, I'm here with a male ear." He smiled slightly, and Kagari nodded thanks.
Once back home, Minato put Kusano to bed with Musubi, wishing her a good night. After this, he went to face his wives with not a little trepidation.
Both were still angry and scared about how he had taken on a Sekirei and Tsukiumi demanded he promise not to do so in the future and to leave all the fighting to them, Akitsu nodding fiercely in support of her. They realized he was used to fighting for himself, but knew that no human stood much of a chance against a Sekirei one on one. His stubbornness to not make such a promise irritated both women. "Ladies face it I will fight alongside you any way I can. I may not be able to take on a Sekirei in an even fight, but there are ways to offset that like tonight proved. I am a warrior, and I refuse to send you into danger without facing some myself."
Both women glowered at him, but were forced to concede the point. They did make him promise to not go out of his way to fight, and to keep to fighting other Ashikabi except in personal self -defense. Tsukiumi put it as powerfully as she could. "We are warriors too Minato, and do not need you to fight our battles for us. Moreover, without you we have no reason to fight. I know that sounds strange coming from me, but there's no point in winning without you by our side. You must realize that you are as important to us as we are to you." Minato could not argue in the face of this wave of emotion, and agreed to their demands.
Argument over Akitsu decided to take advantage of her life-mates distraction. She reached out and placed Minato's hands on her breasts, pulling him down to her mouth at the same time. Minato needed no second urging. He opened his mouth instantly, sending his tongue into Akitsu's mouth, touching as much as he could, grinding his lower body against her own. She moaned beneath him, her unemotional exterior melting away now that the three of them were alone and in their marriage bed. Tsukiumi turned off the lights, and the night progressed as such nights should between those in love.
In Izumo house a certain four eyed girl watched her computer screen avidly almost moaning aloud in lust as she thought of a time when she could join in the festivities taking place next door.
Miya too was aware of what was going on, and her serene smile took on a victorious air as the wings of light spread periodically throughout the night, enveloping the whole neighborhood in their radiance.
