Chapter 7 – The Green Girl and the Frozen Maiden

Minato looked around the overgrown gardens, Seo and the twin lightning Sekirei was also looking about seeing if there was any clues to where the green girl was.

"We got in but where are we supposed to go?" Seo asked as he scratched the back of his head, Minato getting an odd feeling as he turned seeing Kusano standing there as he spoke "Ku-chan?"

The young blonde girl pointed to the bright light further in as he asked "In there…? Are you…in there?"

Kusano blushed slightly as she nodded before fading from view, Minato trying to grab her but ended up going into Seo who grinned "What is it, young man? Did you fall for me?"

"Sorry…" Minato replied backing up as Seo spoke "It was a white one piece, right?"

Minato looked confused at him as he nodded "Yes…"

"Just now… you saw it too?" Seo asked putting his arm around Minato's shoulders as he signalled over to the twin Sekirei "It doesn't look like they can see what ever she was…"

...

Akitsu was fighting against the black garbed Homura, she had realised the moment that Mikogami had mentioned the green girl from Minaka's message that she would have to be involved if only to meet with the boy that had contacted her and gladly had took on the mission to help retrieve her, even if she was going to be only a distraction for the Sekirei Guardian.

She knew why Natsu had stayed behind with her instead of going ahead with Mitsuha, Mikogami was trying to keep an eye on her in case she turned. She was broken from her thoughts by Musubi shouting "Ah its Kagari!"

Homura seemed to pale slightly, hoping his alias wasn't bout to come out, as he turned to look at Musubi who quickly spoke surprised "Ah! Sorry I thought you were someone else. Your backside was so similar…Kagari doesn't wear a mask either so…"

She turned to go as she added "Do you have a cold? Please be careful"

Homura silently sighed in relief until Musubi realised that she forgot something "Ah, um by the way, is this the botanical garden?"

"Ah…Yeah" Homura answered, slightly thrown off by the innocence of the girl as she bid him a thank you before running into the garden, being broke out from his internal thoughts about how she didn't care for what was going on as Akitsu asked

"You had a cold?" Homura's eyebrow tweaked slightly as he retorted "That's not it!"

Turning to face his opponent again lighting a small flame in his hand as he continued "If I'm going to catch a cold, I'll do it after fighting you… I want to go through this door as well… you know"

"Akitsu-san!" Kichi called as he was wheeled towards the pair, Nanami pushing the brunette as Homura looked surprised to see the teenager here, Akitsu's eyes widening at seeing the boy calling her by name, her cheeks darkening slightly as she was glad to be called her name over 'Scrap' which most of Mikogami's Sekirei called her not wondering how he knew her name for the moment.

Natsu glared down at the new arrivals, from her seat on top of a nearby rooftop, readying one of her knives until a veil slammed into her side making her drop the small blade, quickly getting back to her feet as she looked at Uzume annoyed.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked, Uzume smirking as he declared "Number 10, Uzume"

"Number 72, Natsu" She answered drawing some knives out as she asked "I take it the weakling is your Ashikabi?"

"Kichi is not a weakling!" Uzume retorted angrily, her veils moving more violently around her as she stared down her opponent waiting for the first attack to come, Natsu launching several knives at the Veil Sekirei who dodged them with ease before shooting out one of her veils which Natsu ducked to the right to avoid only to take another veil into the chest, the blunt force causing her to skid back to the edge of the roof as she quickly picked herself back up in time to dodge a veil trying to stab her through.

...

Kusano had just awoken from her dream about what happened to her and Takami before, sitting on her knees as she started to sniffle before she heard someone call her "Ku-chan!"

"Oniichan…?" She asked moving to look out of the exit of her little hiding spot in the forest her eyes widening as she spotted Mitsuha who also noticed her, a sinister smile on her face "You were hiding in a place like this? I was looking for you…"

Mitsuha moved towards the young girl whip in hand, as she continued "Now, let's return to our master's side"

...

Minato felt the panic that Kusano did at that moment, Seo noticing the change in the young man next to him as he asked "What's wrong?"

"No…I…Nothing…" Minato replied not sure what to make of the feeling as he started to run, Seo dashing along next to him as he asked "Why are you running, when you say it's nothing?"

"Somehow I feel like I have to run…" Minato answered as they soon came into sight of the two blonde Sekirei, Mitsuha trying to pull Kusano along, who managed to resist until the older of the two turned tightening her grip on the whip as she spoke "It looks like I have to punish… this bad child"

"Ku-chan!" Minato called, grabbing Mitsuha in an attempt to stop her from injuring the young girl, his hands falling on her breasts as she blushed and shouted "What are you doing? You pervert!"

Minato didn't answer as he maintained his grip on her, hoping to protect Kusano as best as he could, as she added "How dare you touch me there…"

"Yo…Weakling, stay like that and don't move" Minato heard from one of the lightning Sekirei, probably Hikari, before a large bolt of there power struck both of them, Minato falling to the floor as Mitsuha turned her attention to the twins as they started to argue over whose Ashikabi was better.

Minato used the chance to get closer to Kusano, smiling at her as he noticed a bright blush on the young girl's face as she looked up at him with big cute eyes.

"We finally meet" Minato spoke friendly, Kusano moving closer as she spoke "Ku's…? Oniichan…Um?"

She collapsed forward tiredly, Minato stopping her from hitting the ground as he asked worriedly "Ku-chan? Ku-chan?"

"Hey pervert…Get away from that child" Mitsuha shouted, Minato turning his gaze back to see the whip wielding Sekirei readying to attack him as she continued "That's a Sekirei that my master has his eyes on…Someone like you can't touch it!"

She swung the whip at him; the attack looking like it would hit him in the face, closing his eyes for the expectant blow only to find it not coming. He hesitantly opened his eyes after a few seconds to find Musubi standing there hand holding onto the end of the whip as she looked back at him "Minato-sama"

"Musubi" He replied surprised and happy at his Sekirei's sudden appearance, while Mitsuha tried to free her whip from the boxing Sekirei's grasp as she shouted "Don't tell me, that pervert is an Ashikabi?"

"This is ridiculous! That a stupid, worthless looking guy is an Ashikabi like my master!" She continued as Musubi looked back at her seriously "Someone like you wouldn't know how good a person Minato-sama is!"

Mitsuha pulled out a second whip out as her eyebrow twitched angrily "How dare you!"

She launched the second whip at Musubi who quickly let go of the whip she was holding before jumping back, Mitsuha smirking as she started to attack with both whips, Musubi getting numerous cuts in her clothes as she attempted to dodge the barrage of attacks while getting in closer, one strike finally destroying her gi as she used her arm to cover her breasts as she remembered Miya's advice.

'Try relaxing naturally a bit more…Entrust your power to your body's flow' Musubi could almost hear the lilac landlady's voice in her head as the whip strikes seemed to slow down allowing her to easily jumping between the two whips and over the blonde Sekirei, gripping the back of her dress as she ripped it off.

Landing behind Mitusha, who dropped down to cover her chest embarrassed as Musubi pressed a finger to the Sekirei mark as she chanted "On the fists of my contract, break her Ashikabi's misfortune!"

Mitsuha's Sekirei crest glowed for a moment before fading, the whip wielding Sekirei mumbling to herself about being sorry to her master as a few tears streaked down her cheeks.

...

"Akitsu-san…I'm Kichi Tendo" Kichi introduced himself to her, Akitsu taking her time to look at Kichi trying to figure out how he knew her before her eyes widened finally recognising his similarity to the eight year old boy from her dream as she spoke just loud enough for him to catch "It's you…"

"Yes…" Kichi answered with a nod as he added "I only want to help you, Akitsu-san"

"Help me…why?" Akitsu asked confused, taking a hesitant step towards him, mixed emotions warring inside her, a small part wanting revenge for being unable to find her Ashikabi while the rest wanted to believe him and accept his offer.

"I caused you to become like this…I should at least help you in anyway I can" Kichi answered sadly as he looked down at the floor, the revenge part of her lost the war at that moment, she could tell he wished to help her wholeheartedly as she tentatively closed the distance between them.

"I don't want to ever be thrown away… would you make that promise?" Akitsu asked quietly although loud enough for the brunette before her to hear, watching as Kichi's head bobbed in a yes as he spoke seriously "I would…even though you deserve better then me I promise never to throw you away no matter what…"

A small smile made its way onto Akitsu's face as she heard the sincerity in the brunette's voice, Nanami smiling at the kindness and honestly of her Ashikabi as she watched Akitsu kneel down in front of the sat teenager one hand going to his chin as she gently lifted his face so she could look at his eyes.

"With this…your promise is made" She spoke softly before kissing Kichi deeply, her eyes widening as an immense heat travelled through her body, her Sekirei mark disappeared from her forehead and the same symbol glowing from her back along with a pair of icy blue wings appeared behind her for but a moment.

When they parted, Kichi could easily see the unshed tears in the ice wielding Sekirei's eyes as she whispered to him "Now and forever...my Ashikabi"

To say Homura was shocked at what he'd just seen would've been an understatement, the Scrap Number, as Akitsu was, meant that she hadn't have been adjusted correctly but thanks to Kichi she was now just like the rest of them.

'I definitely need to ask Matsu about this' He thought wondering what kind of mayhem it would cause the Sekirei satellite and by extension MBI's systems at what they believed to be an impossibility had just occurred, another part wondering why he was still standing there watching the pair when other Sekirei would be out for Kusano as he turned to leave them to it.

"Don't cry Akitsu-san…" Kichi spoke softly, wiping a tear from the beige-head's cheek with a smile quickly being pulled from his seat as she hugged him to her chest.

"Akitsu-san…" Nanami spoke up, the beige haired Sekirei looking over to her as she signalled to Kichi whose arms were trying to free himself from the suffocating hug.

"Sorry, Ashikabi-sama" Akitsu spoke a hint on embarrassment as she set the teenager back into his wheelchair, Kichi attempting to regain his breathe and to calm the blush on his face.

Natsu glared down in shock at the pair launching a pair of knives at the pair which was soon deflected by Nanami spinning her spear in front of where Kichi sat, the glare on the orange haired girl's face had sent a shiver down her spine just as she had to dodge another veil which had lanced at where her head had been moments ago, turning her attention back to Uzume who had used her veils to block or deflected every knife she'd been throwing at her, while using them to cut and slice into her at any chance she got.

Natsu threw another barrage of knives, Uzume using two of her veils to deflect or block them as she wrapped another around her right arm into a lance like shape, quickly using it to deflect the two knives which Natsu held before swinging it diagonally up and right, easily shredding through Natsu's tank top, the dark haired girl dodging quickly as Uzume pressed her advantage against her, she'd attacked Kichi and that was all the reason she needed to terminate the knife throwing Sekirei.

Natsu continued to dodge the clothe attacks as her attention turning to the limo that had just stopped in the street next to Akitsu, the window rolling down as Mikogami shouted

"Natsu…Akitsu. Its fine now, Mitsuha failed…let's go back"

"No…" Akitsu spoke sternly turning to glare at the teenager who looked back shocked as she moved to stand in front of Kichi, Natsu jumping down next to the limo as she managed to explain before having to dodge a pair of veils slamming into the ground where she'd just been standing "He winged her…"

"That's impossible…" He retorted, looking at Kichi with a glare, Uzume dropping down behind her Ashikabi still annoyed at Natsu as Mikogami shouted in a tantrum "She was mine…How dare you steal her from me!"

"Steal her?" Kichi asked in disbelieve, he felt angry at the rich boy immaturity and possessiveness as he shouted "She deserves better then you if you only think of her as some possession to own while she's useful"

He pushed himself up on his shaky legs as he continued "I promised to help her any way I could and she accepted because I care for her more then just a weapon but as a person"

Kichi's legs started to go underneath him; Nanami quickly wrapping her arms around his waist from behind as she pulled him flush against herself to support him.

"How I use my pieces to play this game shouldn't be any of your concern" Mikogami retorted with a smirk, as Kichi shouted back "They deserve as much respect as they give us, even more so that they fight for us and choose us"

Uzume rested a hand on Kichi's shoulder which seemed to instantly calm him before his face turned red as he realised Nanami was holding onto him quite tightly, her breasts pressing into his back as her face was also slightly red as he spoke softly to her "Thanks Nanami-chan"

He squeezed her hand once she had helped him back into his wheelchair, Uzume turning her gaze to Mikogami, glaring at the spoilt rich boy as she spoke "Just because you're use to getting your own way doesn't mean you deserve it… My Ashikabi never asks for me or Nanami to do anything he wouldn't be prepared to do himself if he was able to"

Uzume turned to see Minato and Musubi leaving the gardens, Musubi wearing Minato's jacket while the young man carried Kusano on his back as she spoke to her fellow Sekirei "Let's get going Akitsu, Nanami…Minato-san and Musubi are waiting for us"

The two young women nodded, Nanami pushing Kichi's wheelchair while the beige-head and the brunette followed both sending a final glare at Mikogami before turning there attention back to Kichi as he spoke "Sorry about that, its just I can't see why anyone would treat you anything other then special…I mean you search the city for your destined one and then become bound to them till the end"

The trio blushed, glad that the brown haired teenager was there Ashikabi from how he considered them special, Akitsu glad that she was now bound to Kichi who had stood up for her in a matter of moments after saving her from Mikogami, the boy driving off mentally cursing himself for losing the former Scrap Number.

"Hey Kichi-kun, Nanami-san, Uzume-san" Musubi called waving at the group, Minato smiling over to them "Hey! Who's your friend?"

"Oh…This is Akitsu" Kichi smiled as she bowed to them as he added "Nice to see you saved her then"

"Oh…Ku-chan, yeah…wait how did you know?" Minato replied confused as Kichi retrieved the sketchpad from his bag as he spoke sheepishly "I kinda predicted it…"

"Who's the kid?" Seo's voice asked from behind Minato, looking over the teenager as his twin Sekirei looked him over with sad smiles until they noticed there Ashikabi eyeing up Akitsu, electrocuting him and the lecherous grin he was sporting before Hikari spoke "Sorry about him…"

Kichi sweatdropped at the fact they'd attacked there own Ashikabi so readily, as he spoke friendly "O-kay…I'm Kichi…"

"Why'd we get lumped with someone like Seo" Hibiki mumbled to her sister as they looked at the friendly teenager.

"We should get Ku-chan back to the Inn I'd guess she's hungry" Kichi spoke, Kusano agreeing with his idea as her belly growled for food, Uzume giggling for a moment.

"Yeah…" Minato replied, Seo having gotten back up as he walked over to Kichi "Well Kichi-kun this is surprising to find another Ashikabi around here…and you two know each other"

Seo looked between Minato and Kichi as Minato decided to explain "He's living at same inn as me and Musubi-chan"

"Ah…So I take it these three are your Sekirei?" He asked with a creepy grin, which made Kichi feel slightly more uncomfortable as he nodded, part of him thinking it was bad to talk to the scruffy man.

Author's Notes

Akitsu now winged although explanation will come next chapter or at least a theory and Minato got Kusano. Kichi's angry streak towards Mikogami was enjoyable to write and Natsu managing to get away is so that she can get her butt handed to her by Akitsu when they next meet, she deserves to dish out some payback.