She was a beautiful woman with long flowing blonde locks and amazing blue eyes. She turned to him and pointed. "I'll kill you!"
"Waaaah!!" Minato woke up with a shout.
"What's wrong darling another bad dream?" Kazehana's sleepy voice asked.
Looking about she was on his right hand side with Matsu and Musubi on his left. Gripping his legs was little Ku-chan. Ah the nightmare continues, he thought wearily.
Looking at little Ku-chan he smiled tenderly.
XXXXXXXXXX
Flashback
Kazehana had been right about his becoming her ashikabi. As soon as they'd been alone she'd planted a kiss on his lips. "Oniichan, please stay by Ku's side now and forever!"
XXXXXXXXXX
The other girls were waking due to his cry.
The door slid open and there was Miya with a spatula in her hand. Her eyes immediately went to Ku-chan and then to the naked Kazehana.
"Oh my, this simply won't do," she said lifting her spatula.
A collective groan came from them.
Whack. Whack. Whack. Whack.
Everyone but Ku-chan received a mild beating.
At the breakfast table Miya made an announcement as they were about to eat. "I know this is about abrupt but I am assigning new sleeping arrangements. From now on Musubi you will be staying in the empty room down the hall. Ku-chan will sleep with me in the first floor. Matsu you will be sleeping in your own room from now on."
The three girls all cried out loudly against the sudden change.
The quieted once a scary hannyo mask materialized. "It… is… decided," Miya said pleasantly.
Kazehana grabbed Minato's arm and hid behind it. "But I get to stay with Minato-kun right?"
Sighing Miya nodded. "You are his wife so that is proper."
"Yeah!" She gave her husband a big hug. "I get to keep sleeping with my man."
"That's not fair! Musubi want to be Minato-sama's wife too!"
Ku-chan nodded eagerly as well.
"Until polygamy is legal in Japan only one wife per husband," Miya declared.
Uzume looked on grinning as the girls tried to get Miya to change her mind. They seemed to be having fun even as they argued.
"Min-tan," Matsu finally said after giving up on convincing Miya. "Did you have another dream?"
He sighed. "Yeah I'm afraid so, I think this is like the dream I had about Ku-chan."
Matsu nodded. "It's very possible. With four winged sekirei your ashikabi abilities will be very potent. That means the girl you dreamed about may be another sekirei you're meant to take care of."
"You didn't dream about me did you?" Uzume asked.
Everyone turned to look at her. Miya looked particularly surprised.
"Uzume-chan, you…" Minato began looking really worried.
"Kidding! Kidding! Hah, hah that was just a little joke." She said as she saw the reaction. Why the heck did I say that? It had just slipped out. Even if I wanted to I can't become his sekirei.
"Anyway…" Matsu tried to bring things back on track. "When we get done with breakfast come up to my room and we'll see if we can figure out who this mystery woman is."
"But I have to get to class," Minato argued.
"Just skip it," Matsu said. "This is much more important."
XXXXXXXXXX
Up in her room it did not take Matsu long to figure out which sekirei he'd been dreaming about. "Is this her?" she nodded to an image on the screen.
Minato nodded. "Yes! That's her! No doubt about it!"
Rather than being happy Matsu turned suddenly pale. "This is hoooooooorible!"
Minato saw her reaction and began to feel nervous. "What's wrong?'
The spectacled sekirei turned to him like a herald of doom. "You're going to diiiiiiiiiiieeeee!"
"What?!"
Kazehana sighed and shook Matsu by the shoulders. "Stop being so melodramatic you're scaring him."
"Sorry, sorry," Matsu said and turned back to her computer. "What I mean to say is that this is number nine, Tsukiumi, also called the water sekirei. She is very strong, very proud, and very violent. She is also famous for her hatred of ashikabi. Chances are that if you're dreaming about her she'd likely starting to react to you as well. I don't doubt this will hurt her pride. Chances are if she meets you she'll want to kill you on sight."
"Ki… ki… kill me? Are you serious?"
Matsu nodded. "I'm afraid so."
"Don't worry Minato-kun," Kazehana said helpfully. "We won't let anything happen to you. I'll personally protect you as we search her out."
"Wait a minute! We're still going to go look for her? Even though she may want to kill me?"
"It's only logical," Matsu said. "I mean what are you worried about? There's only a high probability you'll be killed or horribly maimed. It's not certain or anything."
Minato began to shake in terror.
"Matsu you're not helping," Kazehana said. She hugged her husband and pressed his face into her nice soft breasts. "There, there, honey don't worry about it. I won't let that mean old number nine hurt my precious hubby."
"Musubi will definitely help protect Minato-sama too!"
"That's right!" Uzume cheered. "We'll protect you Minato-kun!"
The other girls and Minato turned to her.
"Uh, when did you get here?" Matsu asked.
"Oh, heh, sorry, I was kind of bored so I thought I'd come check out your secret meeting. I mean there was a sign on your door announcing it and all." Uzume sounded embarrassed. "I just wanted to help, but if you don't want me to…"
"No Uzume-chan!" Minato said pleadingly. "Please help! I'd really appreciate any help you'd be willing to give!"
Uzume couldn't help but smile, it was nice to feel needed again. "All right then, I'll help."
"In that case," Matsu announced proudly let's formulate the, 'Do or die recruit number nine even if it kills Minato' plan!"
"Matsu," Minato said shakily. "You really need to work on naming your plans."
XXXXXXXXXX
With Uzume volunteering to help it was decided that she and Musubi would search while Kazehana brought Minato out to act as bait. Kusano would be left at the Inn where it was safest.
XXXXXXXXXX
Somewhere a few miles away Tsukiumi was staring out at the skyline. She'd been feeling nervous and anxious all morning. Her heart was beating fast and she her palms were sweating. She knew the reason why of course, he was out there. That monkey bastard who wanted to violate her. She could sense his fail taint somewhere in the city. She had no doubt as to what he had in mind. He was probably stalking her even now hoping to catch her unaware and have his way with her! I'll kill him! I'll kill him before he can do that to me!
"Hey you, you're an unwinged one right?"
Tsukiumi turned from the roof's edge to see two women standing there in tight fitting burgundy and violet outfits. "What business is that of yours?"
They both grinned. "Go back to M.B.I. and leave the game now, its better if you get out before you're forced to deal with some ashikabi who will make your life a living hell."
Hikari and Hibiki imagined working as waitresses at a maid café.
Tsukiumi had the mental image of being tied down to a bed as a man with an unseen face reached out for her.
All three women shuddered.
"Whatever happens between me and my ashikabi is my own concern!" Tsukiumi announced proudly.
"I'm afraid if you won't resign peacefully we'll have to remove you," one of them said.
Lightning bolts flared out.
Tsukiumi held her ground unimpressed. At the last instant a globe of water surrounded her and absorbed the attack.
"Uh, Hikari, did you hold back just now?" One of them asked nervously.
The other shook her head. "No Hibiki I went all out."
"Is that all you have?" Tsukiumi shouted. She was actually glad for the distraction she would enjoy being able to concentrate on this for awhile. "Number nine Tsukiumi will gladly accept your challenge!"
"Number nine?! She's a single number?" Hibiki said in alarm.
"Uh oh," Hikari said.
The very next instant they were thrown off the roof's edge by a tidal wave of water.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Get back here you damn flea bag!!"
"Meow!!"
Minato and Kazehana stepped out of the way as a cat flew by being pursued by a somewhat seedy looking man. He wondered what that was about but didn't give it any real thought, he had other things on his mind.
Kazehana was holding onto his arm and had her head resting on his shoulder. Every man who passed looked at Minato with pure undisguised envy. "It's been awhile since we've been alone like this Minato-kun. I'm not upset by that but you should try and make more time to be alone with me since I am your wife. Let's go have lunch together later, just the two of us."
He couldn't understand how she could be so calm. "Kazehana-chan, is this really all right? Just walking around like this?"
"Sure," she told him. Still as calm as ever. "If Tsukiumi is meant to be your sekirei then she will be, we just need to be patient and let fate work its way." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "That is how I met you after all."
Despite being married and intimate he still blushed at something as simple as a kiss on the cheek.
"Look out!"
They both froze as two women landed in the street to either side of them. They ran on without a second look.
"Seo!" One of them shouted. "Where the hell are you?!"
"Were they sekirei?" Minato asked.
"Definitely," Kazehana said.
"Out of the way!" Another voice cried from above.
Minato looked up but could only see the sun. At the last moment he saw a woman descending right on top of him. He felt Kazehana grab him and jerk him out of the way just as the woman crashed in the street. She landed poorly and was on her ass, but otherwise seemed unhurt. The other two women were by now long gone.
The blonde glared up at both of them. "Hey! Watch where you're going next time!"
The tow of them recognized her immediately. Kazehana grinned at him. "See? It's fate!"
Minato nodded slightly and took a wary step forward. "Excuse me Tsukiumi-san; I'd like to have a talk with you if I could."
She got up to her feet and looked at him suspiciously. "How do you know my name monkey?" She could feel her heart suddenly pounding and her temperature rising. She stumbled back as the strength in her legs momentarily failed her. "You… you're him aren't you? My ashikabi!"
He didn't like her threatening tone and carefully backed up. "My name is Sahashi Minato, and yes I would like to become your ashikabi."
"Shameless," she muttered. "So shameless to just come right out and try to proposition me like that!"
"Proposition?" He said blankly.
"I'll never let you violate me!" She screamed. "I'll kill you first!" Water materialized around her and shot out in a geyser.
Minato cried and covered up. Kazehana stopped in front of him and waved an arm. A shield of air neatly blocked the water and sent it harmlessly spraying in all directions. "If you want to hurt my Minato-kun you'll answer to me number three, Kazehana, wind sekirei."
"I see," Tsukiumi said. She glared even more angrily at Minato who remained behind Kazehana. "You really are shameless! You already have one sekirei but it's not enough for you! You want to violate me too!"
"Violate?" Minato said in confusion. "I don't understand."
"Don't play dumb!" Tsukiumi said furiously. "I know all you ashikabis want to take over the bodies of your sekireis and force them to do whatever perverted things you desire!"
"That's not true!" Minato said.
Kazehana though laughed and grinned at him. "Actually it sort of is," she winked at her husband. "I mean don't you remember some of the things you made me do for you. Really Minato-kun, you were such an animal!" Thinking about those things she wondered if they should forget about lunch and find a love motel instead.
Minato turned a bright red. "But… but… it's not like I forced you." He was looking seriously embarrassed.
"You see!" Tsukiumi shrieked "You did violate her against her will!"
Kazehana turned to her with an unhappy look and her arms crossed. "Who the hell said it was against my will? I love Minato-kun I enjoy pleasing him, and he always tries to please me too. Being 'violated' by the one you love is a wonderful feeling! I mean you do know what it feels like to make love don't you?"
Tsukiumi's face became a deep crimson. "Of... of course not!"
"Oh," Kazehana said and shrugged her shoulders. "Then you shouldn't judge."
"Enough of this!" Tsukiumi screeched. "I don't care what you say!! I won't let him live to do those things to me!" A ball of water appeared in her hand and she fired it off with the force of a cannon ball.
Kazehana again blacked it with ease. "And like I've told you I won't let you hurt the man I love!" She looked at Minato. "Honey could I have a quick kiss?"
Nodding Minato hurried up and pressed his lips to hers.
This simple display appeared to horrify Tsukiumi as she shook and pointed. "Wha… wha… what the hell are you doing?!"
Kazehana's wings of light appeared and she faced Tsukiumi confidence overflowing. "You don't know anything at all about ashikabi and sekirei and how things work between them. I'm not Minato-kun's toy, I'm his wife his partner we take care of each other, protect each other, love each other! When Minato-kun makes love to me I'm in heaven! He can't violate me enough! But I know he would never do anything to me I didn't want him to; he has never once done anything to me against my will. So don't you dare accuse him of that!!"
A potent wind filled the air as the skies above them darkened. "Wind of my pledge, blow away dark clouds for my ashikabi!"
A ferocious whirlwind swept Tsukiumi up. It over whelmed her defenses and left her powerless. Picking her up air spun her about as she wailed before finally slamming her into the side of a building.
XXXXXXXXXX
Tsukiumi lay there unconscious and defeated.
"All right Minato-kun, go ahead and kiss her." Kazehana said.
He looked at the helpless woman.
"No," he said. "Let's go Kazehana."
"Go? But didn't we come out here to make her your sekirei?"
"Yes, but only if she wanted to become mine," he said. "I think she's made it clear she doesn't."
"That's only because she doesn't know you Minato-kun, once she gets to know what you're like she'll be happy to be yours."
He shook his head. "Even if that was true it still wouldn't make winging her now against her will okay. It's like you said Kazehana-chan, I would never do anything to any of my sekirei against their wills." He began walking away. "Let's go."
A warm smile crossed her lips. She caught up to him and placed a warm kiss on his lips that again made her wings appear. "I'm really glad that you're the one I love." She took his arm again and happily placed her head on his shoulder.
"By the way," she said. "I am violating the hell out of you tonight!"
XXXXXXXXXX
The Next Morning
Minato was half way to the metro station that would take him to school when he ran into Tsukiumi. She was standing there in his path, arms crossed eyes locked on him. It was obvious she'd come here for him.
He gulped knowing he was in real trouble if tried to attack him again like she did yesterday. "Are you going to try and kill me again?"
"No," she said, much to his relief. "You could have winged me yesterday and violated me as much as you liked. Why didn't you?"
"Because you didn't want me to," he answered honestly. "I don't know where you got this idea that ashikabis just force themselves on their sekirei, but it isn't so! At least I would never do that." He took a careful breath. "I realize you don't trust me, and if you want nothing to do with me that's fine. I definitely won't try and force you to join me. But, I would still like you to be my sekirei. Maybe if you got to know me you would change your mind."
She stood there eying him as she slowly chewed her lower lip. "Hmph, well, I'll admit that if you did just want to violate you already would have. And that number three definitely didn't seem to think you were a bad man." She paused and seemed to wage an inner battle.
Finally she stood straight and marched over to him. "Very well! This sekirei, number nine, Tsukiumi will allow you to court her and win her heart!" She then grabbed his arm and put her head on his shoulder in much the same way Kazehana had. "Take me somewhere nice to eat."
"Huh? Well I can't right now, I have to get to class. Any way I just had breakfast."
"Hey!" She growled. "I thought you just said you wanted me to be your sekirei!"
"Well I do, but…"
"No buts!" She pointed a finger in his face. "If you want to win me over you will need to work very hard and court me properly! Now take me somewhere nice to eat!"
"Uhm… alright."
Satisfied she put her head back down on his shoulder.
Man this is going to be really challenging isn't it? Minato wondered.