Alright, so I went back and edited my previous chapters as best as I could. If there are still any other errors, let me know.

Also as a reminder, I will more than likely not post tomorrow because my brother is parting ways to go to college. So the chances of the next chapter being up tomorrow is slim. But if I do happen to post it tomorrow, hooray! But, if I don't, I'll try and make up for it on Friday.

Now, here's Chapter 7! ^3^

Writer: BerbleGum

Editor: Kamishota


"Here you go, Minato! Go right in!"

The nurse opened the door to Chiho's room and extended her hand out in a polite gesture to allow Minato in. "Thank you."

The nurse giggled. "Of course! If you need anything, there are doctors everywhere! Now, I should probably leave you to your visit. Goodbye!"

The nurse closed the door behind Minato. He turned towards the patient bed, where a very frail Chiho slept.

Chiho's head was turned towards the window, her gorgeous brownish-gold hair spread out all over her pillow. Minato guessed that she had probably fallen asleep while looking outside, admiring the scenery. The poor girl didn't get to go outside very often, so peering out her window had become one of her hobbies.

Minato pulled up a stool beside Chiho's bed and sat down. He poked Chiho's cheek. "Chiho?"

Chiho's eyes twitched and opened, her body rising from her pillow. She rubbed her eyes and looked at Minato. "Ah Minato! You're here!"

Minato scratched the back of his. "I'm not late, am I?"

Chiho shook her head. "No, not at all!"

Minato sighed with relief. "That's good... Sorry I haven't been able to come everyday, its just that Sunday is the only day I'm free..." Minato remembered all the times his Sekireis would constantly drag him around and do whatever they had on their mind. "My schedule has been kind of... wild..."

Chiho giggled. "As long as I can see you, I'm fine."

Minato returned the laugh. He then raised his arms above his head and stretched. "Now, want to hear about what happened to me last night?"

Chiho shuffled in her bed, turning her entire attention to Minato with her eyes aglow. "Ooh, a story!"


The mysterious clothed woman surrounded the hospital that Minato walked into, securing the doors with veils.

"What is she doing?" Homura yelled to Akitsu, picking up his speed.

"Homura, slow down!" Akitsu, although she was fast, couldn't compare to Homura when it came to agility. He was just too supreme in that category.

Homura stopped suddenly, grabbing Akitsu as she tried to slow down from the sudden stop.

"Look." Homura pointed at the woman, who was now using her veils to climb the building, as if she were a spider.

She constricted a cloth around her arm, forming it into the shape of a needle. She hid behind one of the upper floor windows, constantly peering into it.

Homura took a closer look, and realized that the room the woman was spying on was the one Minato was in.

"This can't be good..." Homura whispered, slowly climbing down the building they were currently on. "Come on."

"Right." Akitsu replied, following Homura towards the hospital.


"Chiho?" The mysterious figure questioned, the needle that once surrounded her arm now falling apart.

"Huh?" Minato noticed something white flutter by the window.

"What is it?" Chiho cocked her head, trying to figure out what it was that Minato was staring at.

"I thought I saw something like a cloth float by..."

Chiho turned away, shuffling around in her bed uncomfortably. Minato looked at her worryingly. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No, I was just in an uncomfortable position... do you mind opening the window for me?"

"No problem." Minato walked towards the window. "And maybe I can see what that was just now."

Chiho continued to squirm restlessly in her bed.


"Gotcha!"

Homura had launched himself from the building across the hospital and grabbed a hold of the hooded figure. He then blasted off the window sill and soared in the air, thrusting the woman onto the roof. Akitsu followed, freezing her feet so she couldn't escape.

"Feeling aggressive, aren't we Homura?"

"I could say the same thing." Homura narrowed his eyes, instantly recognizing the woman's voice. "Uzume."

Uzume removed her hood and stuck out her tongue playfully. "Aw, you found me out!" She tried standing up, but fell back down when trying to move her frozen feet.

Homura wasn't laughing along with her. "Why are you hunting down Sahashi?"

"It's not like I wanted to... I was forced." Uzume eyed Homura and Akitsu. "Why do you care?"

Homura would have told her that he owed him for saving him, or simply that he was reacting to him, but he knew she would joke about it later. So Homura avoided the question. "Nevermind that. Who forced you?"

"Higa." Uzume said without hesitation. "We already captured his sister, and now he needs Minato. I don't know what that asshole is up to..."

Akitsu folded her arms. "Of course, he's after Minaka and the M.B.I. What other way to take him down then capturing his own children?"

Homura and Uzume stared at Akitsu and yelled at the same time. "MINAKA?! CHILDREN?!"

Akitsu waved her hand away. "Nevermind... but seriously. Why do you even work for that power-hungry bastard?"

"Like I said, I was forced to do it." Uzume looked away. "I'd rather not talk about it..."

"How about this..." Akitsu pointed her finger in the air. "Minato is right below us. Why not just nab the guy and talk to him about it?"

Uzume sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She looked at her still frozen feet. "Mind setting me free first?"

Homura snapped his fingers, a small flame appearing before Uzume and vanishing as soon as it thawed the ice. "Thanks. Now, I need to grab Minato."

The flame Sekirei put his hands on his hips. "Better than scaring him off with a needle made of cloth, right?"

Uzume rolled her eyes and nudged Homura. "Oh stooop." She summoned her veils and dropped down to the edge of the roof.
"Be right back."


Minato opened the window and stuck his head outside. Nothing.

He shrugged and turned back around, leaning on the window sill. "There's nothing. I guess it was just my imagination."

Chiho continued to squirm around in her bed, looking around while biting her lip.

"Chiho, what's wrong?"

"Minato... I-"

A white cloth flew into the room through the window, wrapping and constricting itself around Minato. "Eh?"

He screamed as it pulled him out the window, his now pale body sailing through the air.

"Minato!" Chiho yelled, but the window shut right before it. She turned back around, her hand clutched over her chest. "I didn't get to finish... maybe another time."


"Got him!"

Like a fisherman catching a fish, Uzume yanked the cloth and threw it over her head, flinging Minato over her thin frame.

"Uh oh..."

Minato went flying in the air, making a painful crash landing onto the roof.

Uzume hopped back on the roof, scratching at her head. "Eheheh... sorry."

Homura let out a disappointing sigh. "At least he isn't dead... right?"

Akitsu poked at his body, like a kid poking roadkill with a stick. He slightly looked up, his pale face full of fright. "Wh-what just happened?-"

"Yeah, he's alive." Akitsu cut his sentence short.

Minato sat up, rubbing his head. "Ow, I hope I didn't break anything..." He took a glance at his surroundings, realizing he was on the roof of the hospital. "How did I end up here?!"

Akitsu scooted towards him and placed her palm on his cheek. "Hmmm..."

"Wait... who are you?!"

"Hey Homura, you're right, he is pretty cute..." Akitsu purred, continuing to stare into Minato's eyes.

"What?! I never even inferred-"

"Oh, I see where this is going.~" Uzume leaned on Homura's arm. "I MUST hear about this later..."

Homura covered his face. "I swear to god, you two..."

Uzume giggled. "Ah, look Akitsu, he's blushing!" But Akitsu was still staring at Minato.

"Wait... Uzume, is that you?"

Uzume placed her hands on her hips. "So you figured me out, huh?" A sly, proud smirk appeared upon her face. "The Veiled Sekirei."

"I see... wait..." Minato pointed at her, his face full of shock. "You were the one who thrust me out of Chiho's room!"

Uzume narrowed her eyes. "That reminds me..." She formed another needle made of cloth and aimed it at Minato's throat. "What business do you have with Chiho?"

Minato gulped, his face turning white. Homura quickly gripped onto her shoulder. "Uzume, please."

Minato waved his hands around. "P-Please! We're just friends! I've known her since I was a kid!"

Uzume gifted him with mercy and backed away. "I see..." Her needle disbanded, and Homura let go of her shoulder.

"Wait... how do you know Chiho?" Minato asked, but was immediately interrupted by Akitsu, who had not looked away from his face.

"Minato, was it?"

"Y-Yes... and you are Akitsu?"

Akitsu grinned. "Yes." She turned to Homura. "Hey, you won't be jealous if I try this out, will you?"

Homura raised an eyebrow. "Try what?-"

Immediately, Akitsu placed her lips on Minato's.

Homura's face turned red. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Uzume snickered at his overreaction.

The mark on her head glowed white, and vanished. It reappeared on her back, along with a set of ice blue wings.

"That never worked when I tried with Mikogami..." Akitsu embraced Minato in a tight hug. "Thank you... Minato." Before he could reply, Akitsu put her finger on his lips. "Forever and ever, my new master. I now have someone that I can truly love."

"Wait, wha-HUH?!" Minato's once pale face was now blood red within a matter of seconds.

Akitsu squeezed him even tighter. "So you were the only one who could fix a bond with a broken one like me... thank you so much, Mi-na-toooo!~"

Homura removed his hand from his face and sighed. "Honestly, Akitsu, we don't have time for this..."

Uzume nudged Homura with her elbow. "Oh come on, let the girl have her moment!"

Homura pushed her arm away. "You were the one who needed to speak with him!"

Uzume finally popped back to reality. She walked over and knelt down beside the Ashikabi. "Minato, I have some bad news, so listen closely. You're sister was taken by a powerful man known as Higa, and now he's after you."

"Yukari? Captured?" Minato's expression changed to worry, with a hint of suspicion. "How do you know about this?"

Uzume sighed, knowing she couldn't hide the truth. "Because.. I was hired to capture you."

Before Minato could even make a sound, Uzume shook her hands. "No no no! I didn't want to do it, I was forced!" She lowered her arms on Minato's shoulders. "That's why I am here. Higa has probably already sent reinforcements to back me up because of my absence, so you need to get out of here."

"What about my sister?"

"I'll try and get her out." Uzume looked into the distance, and noticed two figures coming closer to them. "In the meantime, you and your Sekireis need to find someplace safe." Uzume contemplated the dire situation, then shook her head. "Scratch that, just stay in Izumo Inn. As long as Miya's around, they can't touch you."

Minato nodded solemnly. "Are you going to be okay?"

Uzume shrugged. "I'll figure a way out of this mess. I honestly don't know the truth about Higa's demented tricks, but we'll figure them out."

Uzume helped Minato up, Akitsu now clinging to Minato's ankle. Uzume gestured towards Homura and Akitsu. "You two, escort him back. I'll need to distract whoever may be coming."

Akistu curved her lips upwards. She was obviously a different person now, her mood changed greatly. "Mmkay!~"

"Right." Homura nodded. Minato turned to him, trying to figure out who he was underneath that mask. But he couldn't quite figure it out. "Do I... know you?"

Homura was speechless, his body growing tense. "Uh..."

Uzume rested her elbow on Homura's shoulder. "Maybe it's just a resemblance."

Minato agreed with Uzume, Homura giving Uzume a 'Thank you' look. She winked at him in return.

She stood back up and looked towards where the Inn stood. "Go, you don't have much time." She turned back to where she last saw the figures, but they were gone. Uzume mumbled to herself. "Probably Toyotama and Ichiya..."

Minato nodded. "Right." He turned to Homura and Akitsu, who finally decided to stand up.

"Alright, let's go-"

WHACK.

Someone approached Minato from behind and punched him in the back with supreme force. He coughed up blood, his face turning white with a slight blue tint. With pupils rolled to the back of his eyes, he lie on the solid, cold ground.

He was motionless.

"Minato!" Akitsu and Uzume yelled in unison.

"Sahashi!" Homura knelt down and approached Minato's limp body. It felt like a void was being formed in his abdomen. Complete and utter worry, accompanied by shock washed over Homura. The same culprit who caused Minato's injuries stomped on his hand. Homura pulled back and clenched his swollen, sprained knuckle.

The three Sekireis looked up to see who the attacker was.

Uzume was wrong about Toyotama and Ichiya. It was Benitsubasa, with a smirking Haihane behind her.

Homura gritted his teeth. "The Discipline Squad..."

Benitsubasa smiled mockingly, twirling her pink hair in her hand. "Why hello, you three! Don't mind us, we're just picking him up!" She stomped on Minato's back, his body smashed into the roof and causing a dent.

Uzume constricted her veils into a blade instead of a needle this time. "Step away from him!"

Benitsubasa stuck out her lower lip, her mockery making the three Sekireis pissed. "Sorry, Number 10, but this one is our prey. Tell that to Higa. Goodbye now!" She picked up Minato's body and slung him over her shoulder. Haihane snickered. "Ku ku ku... This is going to be fun..."

Homura clenched his fist, a ball of fire engulfing it. "What do you mean by that?! Get back here-"

"EXTREME QUAKE!"

Benitsubasa punched the ground, an earthquake erupting below everyone's feet. The debris blinded everyone, and once it cleared, Benitsubasa and Haihane were gone. Along with Minato.

That had only fueled Homura's frustration. He brought his fist down to the roof with extreme speed, the flame extinguishing itself from the force. "Goddammit!"

Uzume disbanded her veils, and Akitsu loosened herself from her stance. "They got away..."

Uzume bit her finger. "This isn't good..."

Without thinking, Homura jumped down from the roof and ran from building to building.

"Where are you going?! We don't even know where they went!" Uzume was about to chase him, but Akitsu grabbed a hold of her shoulder. "Akitsu?"

"We need to warn the others." Akitsu pointed towards the inn. Uzume nodded. "Right."


"Shit!" Homura thought, realizing that he had no clue where he was going or what he was doing in the first place. But that didn't bring his sprint to a halt.

"I can't let anything happen to Sahashi..." Homura's speed accelerated, flames bursting forth from his back and launching him like a rocket. "If anything happened to him, I don't know what I'd do... I can't let the same thing happen to him that happened to me..."

He then remembered the beating he got from Junichi and his friend, and how he was completely pulverized. Then an image of Minato's innocent face flashed in his mind, and then flashed back to his own severely injured body, indicating that the same could happen to Minato."I most definitely can't let this happen... not again..."


Uzume and Akitsu burst through the door of Izumo Inn and ran into the dining area. Luckily, everyone had just finished up lunch and was cleaning up.

Musubi was the first to notice and spoke up. "Ah, Uzume! You're home!" She looked behind Uzume and saw Akitsu. "Who's your friend?"

Uzume panted, pacing around in the room. "No time for chit-chat... where's Miya? This is urgent."

"Indeed." Akitsu nodded, agreeing with Uzume.

Miya walked into the room. "Uzume? You're home early... you needed me?"

Uzume shook her head up and down vigorously. "Yes... this is bad..."

"What's wrong, U-chan?" Little Kuu asked with curious eyes.

"Yeah! What's wrong?" Yashima turned her head away from the TV.

Musubi was still anxious to know about the ice Sekirei. "What's your name? Are you a friend of Uzume's?" Her eyes lit up. "Could it be that you're Minato's Sekirei?"

Tsukiumi gritted her teeth. "Thee better not..." Akitsu smirked at Tsukiumi, making her boil with rage. "I'm Akitsu." Musubi mouth widened with glee. "Wow, so nice to meet you! I'm Musubi! Wow, I can't believe Minato added another Sekirei!"

Matsu pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Speaking of Minato..." She put her arm on the table and rested her chin. "He hasn't returned yet, has he?"

Kazehana chugged down her 'daily dose' of alcohol and put it down, her cheeks now a rosy red. "Yeah, same with Ho- ahem, Kagari..."

All eyes were now staring at Uzume.

"What is it, Uzume?"

Uzume took a deep breath. "Minato... has been captured. By the Discipline Squad."

Everyone in the room gasped. Tsukiumi was the first to stand. "Well, why are we still here? We must find him before they bring further harm to thee!"

Musubi thrust her fists in the air. "I agree!"

Matsu spoke up above the two energetic Sekireis. "You two... don't you think we should make a plan first? I mean, we don't even know where they are!"

Kazehana stood up and stretched. "I agree with a plan, but we have to think of one quickly. Like, we could split up into groups, and then when one of us finds him, contact the others. There, you got yourself a plan."

Yashima jumped up in the air. "I'm in on that!"

Musubi and Tsukiumi chanted in unison. "We're in!"

Kuu looked at Uzume, her eyes growing moist like she was about to cry. "Is... is Onii-chan going to be okay?"

Uzume managed to make a weak smile. She bent down and patted the worried child on the head. "Of course. Besides, we're all gonna go together and look for him. Okay?"

Kuu wiped her eyes and smiled. "Right!"

Matsu got up and sighed. "In that case, excuse me while I hack the satellites." She went upstairs and into her room, where her computers awaited her.

Uzume smiled at everyone. "Alright, let's go." Several veils spread around in the room, wrapping themselves around Uzume. When they disbanded, she was in her Sekirei costume.

"The Veiled Sekirei!" Tsukiumi gasped, pointing at Uzume. "It was YOU!"

"Tsukiumi, I know we've had our fights, but this really isn't the time. The Veiled Sekirei is your ally, and we need to bring Minato back."

Tsukiumi calmed down and lowered her finger. "Right."

Musubi hopped up in the air, her knuckles clenched. "Alright! Let's go!"


Homura had made it to the end of the city. He was perched on a phone tower next to the ocean, overlooking the city. He bit his thumb. "Where are you, Sahashi?


There you have it! I finished the other half of Chapter 7!
Good news! My brother left early this morning, so we got to say our goodbyes early as well. That means I have time to work on Chapter 8! :D
Chapter 8 should be up sometime tonight, so the wait has been shortened. Yay!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and this story overall so far! :DDD