I do not own Sekirei. I can't draw those tits, I'm sorry.

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Chapter 10 Disciplinary Squad

It was two days after the breakout and Minato was still waiting for the other shoe to fall. Kazehana, who alone of his Sekirei had kept her MBI card (not wanting to burden the household with her drinking bill), had told him it had been cancelled, but Minato thought that MBI would have to do something else to punish his transgression, and he was not having fun wondering about how they would 'penalize' him for breaking the rules of the game.

On the plus side, he'd already taken Musubi, Matsu and Tsukiumi out on their dates.

Musubi wanted to go on a picnic and to a baseball game. They had fun walking around 'his territory', stopping at various food stalls, where Musubi sampled as much of their food as she could get away with before heading to the game, where Musubi ate an entire tray full of traditional baseball food.

Matsu simply wanted him to spend the day with her in her room, but Miya, and odd look on her face, hadn't allowed it. They had instead been forced to spend the day at a love hotel. Minato hadn't really minded, but Matsu's desire to use diverse items was a bit of a turn off for him. Clothing to help the mood he could understand, but several varieties of dildos and vibrators? He had drawn the line at those, especially when Matsu implied she wanted to use a few on him…

Tsukiumi had simply wanted to spend a night out at a restaurant with him, as well as to have him to herself for the evening. Akitsu and Kazehana had both agreed to this, provided that they would be allowed the same consideration after their dates with him. The fact that Tsukiumi walked around with her head in the clouds and a wide grin on her normally haughty face (her default expression, much like Akitsu's emotionless one) the next day may have had something to do with their decision. Thankfully the sound insulation had been installed under Minato's direction the day after the breakout, so no one had cause to complain about the noise again.

Kusano and Akitsu put their heads together and decided to go to a theme park. Akitsu remembered how much fun it had been to hear Minato talk about his own trip there, and Kusano thought it would be really fun. They had combined their dates because Akitsu had Matsu look up the cost of a day trip to a theme park on the internet and realized it would cost them two days worth of construction work. They had already decided they would go this coming weekend.

Minato turned from contemplating himself in the mirror as Kazehana came in, dressed to the nines in an evening gown, silver bracelets and matching earrings. Minato looked at her in surprise. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. "Minato, what the heck are you wearing?"

"I thought we were just going out to drink."

Kazehana smiled, her cherry red lips curving into a sensual smile that set his heart to racing. "There's going out to drink, and then there's going out for drinks."

An hour later found the two of them entering a dance club, Kazehana almost literally dragging Minato along behind her. He was dressed in a good black dress shirt that Tsukiumi had bought him, as well as black jeans and a belt with an overlarge silver buckle. His hair however, despite Kazehana's protests and his own best effort was its usual birds nest.

Minato looked around morosely. The club and restaurant was organized with several tables and three bars set up around a large dance floor. Minato sighed; he couldn't dance a lick, and loud crowds and the party scene had never been his thing, even before his experiences in Constantinople which sharply increased his dislike of loud noises. The place was packed, the music was blaring and the strobe lights were lighting everything in different colors every other second. Oh Joy.

Kazehana gleefully pulled him onto the dance floor and the two began to grind against one another to the music, dirty dancing the way Kazehana had wanted to do with him when she taught the others. The beautiful woman was ignored the ogling of the men around them and Minato tried his best to ignore the jealous glares sent his own way. He had gotten used to it when out with any of his Sekirei, but he'd never reconciled himself to it.

Tonight the glare of one older man, a hugely muscled and tattooed yakuza type was especially harsh. He tried to come up behind Kazehana, but Minato kept on turning them so that he was always between the older man and Kazehana. For a moment, it looked as if the semi-drunk yak was going to start something but Minato turned and gave him a look that spoke of eloquent death. The punk tried to return his dead stare, but after a few seconds gulped and backed off, quickly leaving the club.

Minato smirked to himself and Kazehana giggled in his ear grinding harder against his crotch. "Oh, Minato, so possessive."

Minato groaned through clenched teeth at the stimulation through his pants, but pushed forward rubbing against her in turn, kissing her neck hard, making certain to leave a hickey there. Leaning his forehead against hers, he stared into her eyes, conveying his feelings to her wordlessly.

Kazehana trembled in his arms, wanting desperately to kiss him right now, but with so many people around her contract wings would cause too much of a stir. She settled for kissing his cheek and holding him as tight as possible, murmuring "I love you, Minato."

The two stayed out on the floor for five dances before Minato wanted a break. The loud noises and the crowd were getting to him. Kazehana wanted to stay and dance some more. She moved over to where a bunch of college girls were dancing together in a large cluster and despite several jealous looks directed at her bust line she joined their group seamlessly.

Minato left the floor in search of a free table or bar stool to rest at. He looked around and noticed one table was empty save for a single girl around his own age. As he moved closer he suddenly twitched in surprise when he recognized her via her hair color. Okay, the last thing I expected to see was little miss spitfire of the disciplinary squad hanging out in a place like this.

Minato took a few moments to study the girl in question, noticing the gloomy air that seemed to radiate off her. He looked around, noticing that there was no other table or seat free. Shrugging he made his way over. This could be interesting.

Benitsubasa was dressed in a fashionable one piece dress, expensive jewelry, and her hair was perfect. She should have been having a lot of fun. This was her night out and the place was jumping. That she was not in fact having fun was evident to anyone who looked, as was the aura of rage she let off at the slightest provocation. It served to keep the riffraff away while she sank deeper into her gloom, nursing her twelfth margarita and glaring at the table in front of her.

She looked up, eyes narrowing in anger as someone dared to sit across from her without her permission.

"You mind if I make use of your aura of gloom for a bit of a break?" Benitsubasa's eyes widened in shock as she recognized Minato from the breakout at the bridge. "Musubi wants a rematch by the way."

The pink haired Sekirei glared across at him, stifling her initial impulse which was to reach out and crush his head like a grape. "She's welcome to try anytime. Now leave me alone. Can't you see I don't want to be bothered right now?"

Minato shrugged nonchalantly, though his body was tense as a violin string. "You're not likely to cause trouble in a packed place like this. You're a combat junky not a killer, and I meant it when I said I wanted to use your aura of gloom. You see anywhere else for me to sit?"

Benitsubasa growled but played along, looking around. After a few seconds of perusal she realized she really didn't see anywhere else to sit, not even anywhere to lean against a wall or anything, the place was so packed. She huffed then blinked in surprise as his other words finally registering in her brain. "What the hell do you mean I'm a combat junky not a killer? I would have killed that big titted bitch last night."

Minato leaned back, trying to make himself seem as harmless as possible. "Ah, but that was in a fight. You don't strike me as the kind to enjoy killing and blood simply for the hell of it."

"Hmmph, whatever, just leave me alone." Benitsubasa leaned back sulkily. She didn't want to admit it but the irritating man across from her was right. She loved a good fight, the bloodier the better, but she wasn't the type to enjoy killing defenseless people. Rough them up a little if they irritated her sure, but not kill. Benitsubasa turned back to her drink morosely, glancing briefly down at her slinky black cocktail dress. Even if I was in the mood for a fight, I'm not dressed for it. Versace isn't combat wear and this isn't the place for it either.

She drained her margarita and raised her hand, signaling a nearby waiter to bring her another and he hastened to obey, ignoring several other tables in his haste. MBI owned the building and the club, and the waiter knew better than to keep her waiting.

Minato observed the young pink haired girl across from him closely. The same girl who had beaten Musubi black and blue and, despite her own posturing, made Tsukiumi sweat a little, loving every minute of the fight, now looked as if her dog had died.

He turned to watch his wife enjoying herself on the dance floor, grinning and teaching the college girls some dance moves that made a few of them blush and others grin (Minato later learned those weren't dance moves she was describing with those gestures, but in his defense it was tough to see her hands at all from across the room).

He looked over again, eyes widening in surprise as Benitsubasa grabbed her new margarita and downed it before the waiter could turn away, quickly signaling for another. "Ohhhkaay, what's wrong? You don't look like the kind of lady who habitually drinks like a sailor on shore leave."

The pink haired girl glared at him with bloodshot eyes. "Why the hell are you even here?"

Minato indicated Kazehana, who was now in the middle of a conga line, surrounded by giggling college girls and a few well-behaved boyfriends of said. "My Sekirei wanted to come here. I promised them each a date for helping Kuno and Shigi escape, and this is what Kazehana wanted."

Benitsubasa scowled at the memory of her defeat, looking down at the table and then over at the other woman. Her gloom seemed to deepen at the sight. "Che, I suppose all men want women with bigger racks huh?"

Minato's eyebrow shot up in surprise. Akitsu told me about the odd amount of bruises on Musubi's breasts. It seems the Red Sekirei has a bit of a complex.

Minato leaned back, subtly taking in her body and how she was dressed carefully considering his answer. He kept his voice mild as he replied. "I don't think so. Shigi loved Kuno, and she wasn't as attractive as you are. My sister's always been quite popular with boys and she doesn't have much to speak of on top either. I think style and how you carry yourself count for more than bust size, and you certainly have style."

Benitsubasa tried not to preen as he went on, keeping his words simple but truthful. "In my own case, I fell in love with my wives, and care for my other Sekirei, because of their personalities. In fact, my wives bodies kinda intimidated me until I got to know them." He coughed self-consciously. "I'm not used to being around gorgeous women, let alone having them take an interest in me. Now, I love them, and it's my pleasure to make them happy."

She slumped deeper into her seat, scowling as the waiter returned with her refill. "That's nice." Her voice was half growl and half sorrowful moan.

Minato leaned over and put his hand over her drink before she could pick it up again. "Okay, seriously what is going on? I really don't want to have to deal with a drunken superwoman. What's bothering you so much?"

Benitsubasa at first looked as if she was going to take offense but leaned back instead, crossing her arms across her chest. "Why do you care?"

"Because I don't see all opposing Sekirei as possessions or my enemies. I see you as women and warriors, and right now, you are a woman with a problem." Minato answered promptly. And again I really don't want to have to deal with you if you go into a drunken rage…

Minato's honest response seemed to get under the pink haired girls defenses and she lowered her arms, reaching for her drink as she muttered sullenly, "This was supposed to be my night out with my Ashikabi."

"Did something come up that made him cancel on you?" Minato could only think that it was an emergency, as he'd never make plans with his partners and not keep them if he could help it.

She seemed to glower at him, then over at Kazehana, still dancing happily, ignoring the few males who had entered her sphere of influence. She seemed to shrink back into her seat as she gulped down half of her margarita in one swig. "It's not the first time."

"Why in the world would a man not want to go out with you?" Minato waved his hand expansively, drawing Benitsubasa's attention to several college age boys and older men who were looking their way.

Benitsubasa glared around and the men swiftly went back to scanning the crowd or staring at their drinks. None of them had the courage to meet her red eyes, and she snorted derisively.

"Honestly, why is your Ashikabi not spending time with you?"

Benitsubasa downed the rest of her drink and muttered a reply. Minato cocked his head and asked her to repeat it. She looked up at him and suddenly let out a wail, "He's gay! God damn-it, he's gay!" She slumped forward onto the table and began to cry into her arms. "I-I've tried; I've tried everything to get him to pay attention, d-different clothing, pu-push-up bras, going naked, everything to make him look at me, but n-nothing works! Natsuo-sama just isn't attracted to any of us!" She continued to wail as Minato tentatively reached out a hand and rubbed the back of her head comfortingly.

His mind was blank for the moment, unable to come up with a single thing to say. How the hell can there be a gay Ashikabi? A bisexual one I could see, but gay and with female Sekirei? It hit him in a flash. Control. It has to deal with control. A female Sekirei who forms a real connection with her Ashikabi will feel more loyalty to him than to MBI or Minaka's mad plan, and he must not have wanted to bet on his ability to take out the Sekirei by killing the Ashikabi. Even one who has been forced into a contract will follow her Ashikabi's orders. He couldn't assume that their love of combat and indoctrination alone would assure their loyalty. And with a gay Ashikabi there is no way the bond can be deepened, making them too strong to control. By Buddha, that's nasty.

Kazehana made her way over to her Ashikabi as he was comforting Benitsubasa, recognizing the other Sekirei's pink hair almost immediately, as well as her current distress. She smiled sitting down and leaning against him, breasts pressing against his arm and shoulder. "Flirting with another woman Minato? I'm shocked."

Minato gave her a one armed hug, whispering into her ear and informing her of Benitsubasa's problem. "As soon as she calms dawn, take her out on the dance floor and dance with her. She needs to be cheered up a bit."

Kazehana was sympathetic, but could not quite bring herself to belief that Minaka would be as manipulative as Minato had indicated, assuming the pairing had been accidental rather than on purpose.

Benitsubasa looked up, noticing the other Sekirei's presence, and began to scowl at her when Kazehana shook off her thoughts, reached across and pulled the pink haired Sekirei to her feet. "Come on pinky, lets, dance."

Minato stayed where he was seated leaned back and watched them go, thinking dark thoughts.

The younger woman sputtered indignantly as the big-breasted woman pulled her onto the dance floor. Almost immediately they were surrounded by the group of college girls and guys Kazehana had been dancing with. As they began to dance, Kazehana showed her how to move and dance to the heavy metal music.

After a while, Benitsubasa began to have fun, losing some of her inhibitions due to the massive amount of alcohol she had consumed finally hitting her system.

After about ten songs worth of dancing, Kazehana leaned into the younger girl from behind, accidentally rubbing her breasts against her back. She could feel the flat-chested girl stiffen in anger but spoke low into her ear. "You know, Minato wasn't the first person I reacted to."

Benitsubasa growled low, the big breasts pushing into her back irritating her beyond belief, but the words of the older Sekirei grabbed her attention. "What?"

"I reacted to Minaka." Benitsubasa gasped and turned to face her, but Kazehana kept on dancing urging the younger girl to do the same. "Yeah, funny isn't it? But you can react to more than one person. Minaka turned me down, and I'm much happier now than I could ever be with him. So ask yourself, did you react to this Natsuo, or was he forced on you?"

Benistubasa couldn't think clearly with all the booze she had consumed earlier. At the moment she couldn't remember having had any choice. She had merely been following orders and when she began to react, he had winged her with a short stiff kiss. Since then, he had never touched her willingly in anything but a comradely fashion.

Kazehana danced the two of them to the side of the dance floor, reaching out to grab Minato and pull him in from where he had been standing nursing a beer.

Minato barely had time to put his beer down before Kazehana pulled him onto the floor, pushing him into Benitsubasa. "Show her a good time love, show her what she's missing." Minato shook his head at this but had no choice but to go along with it.

Benitsubasa normally would never have accepted this, but as emotionally frazzled, intellectually confused, and, not least, drunk as she was, all she saw was her new onee-sama wanting her to have fun and loaning out her man for a few dances. And he is handsome, in a country boy sort of way. Her besotted mind thought.

The fact that she was betraying her Ashikabi by having fun dancing with another man flashed across her mind, but she suppressed it easily. Natsuo was gay and had shown no interest in her or his other two Sekirei. I won't really do anything, and just dancing can't hurt can it? Natsuo also turned me down for tonight, so it's his own damn fault.

Minato danced with both Kazehana and Benitsubasa, taking breaks as needed to clear his head. The two women danced with each other and sometimes other couples. Benitsubasa had the best time outside of a fight to the death she ever had.

The red Sekirei's ego was also boosted throughout the night by the admiring looks she received from the other men there, and from Minato's own attentions to her. Natsuo had never actually complimented her on anything but completing missions. Kazehana's admiration of her dress and style made her feel good as well. The three of them continued to dance on and off together until the club closed hours later.

As the club was closing, Minato and Kazehana walked her to the limo she had called for.

Benitsubasa's buzz had long disappeared, and she looked at the two bemused. She really did have a lot of fun tonight, but she didn't know what to make of their kindness. They were my enemies a few days ago, and will certainly be our enemies again, so why the hell have they been so nice to me? What do they expect to get out of it?

Minato had felt something with Benitsubasa, something that told him that the two of them could have been compatible like he was with Musubi if she hadn't already been winged by this Natsuo she had mentioned. He looked at Kazehana who smiled encouragingly. Minato breathed in deeply, and before Benitsubasa could say anything, he reached out and took her hand, shaking it formally. "Tonight's been fun, and that is all it needs to be. Don't think about it too hard; just realize I don't see you as my enemy, regardless of your orders."

Benitsubasa growled, trying and failing to get angry at his nonaggressive tone. "Don't think this makes us even or anything. I haven't forgotten how that blond bitch and giant tits ganged up on me. I'll see you all again, and next time I'll beat them both."

Minato's eyes flashed angrily at this mode of address being directed at Tsukiumi (though not Musubi, 'giant tits' was after all a perfectly accurate way to describe his little sister Sekirei), but Kazehana stepped in smoothly. "As long as it's a fair fight, I think both of them would welcome another fight with you." She leaned down and kissed Benitsubasa on the cheek, and the two of them turned walking down the street heading home. Behind them, they left a very confused young woman, who continued to stare out the window of her limo deep in thought all the way back to the MBI tower.

That night, Kazehana's date with Minato ended satisfactorily for both of them. The next day, Kazehana walked down the stairway abemused, but satisfied smile on her face. This is the first time I've ever been tired after sex. Last night was amazing, both the first round and the second! But there's something going on with our link. Those images…

Minato had of course been kissing her throughout the night, and the constant renewal of their bond did something to it. She received images, memories from Minato, though she did not know if Minato had gotten the same from her. She hoped not, as there were two secrets she wanted to keep from him for a while yet. Luckily, I have someone I can ask about it.

Kazehana walked into the kitchen, joining Akitsu in creating boxed lunches for their trip to Tokyo Disney. Yukari had already arrived, and tried not to ogle Kazehana's body through her barely there nightgown. Shiina and Kusano were watching a DVD in the TV room. "Hey Yukari, how are you?"

Yukari answering smile was a little forced. Knowing intellectually that her idiot brother was sleeping with not two, but now three beautiful women was one thing. Looking at Kazehana's thoroughly exhausted, pleased expression and yes, her slightly bowlegged walk and knowing the reason behind it was another.

Akitsu smiled at Kazehana, knowing that Tsukiumi would be upstairs, taking advantage of their husband's showering to get some time with him. She did not think it would go very far, not with their working under a time limit, something she knew Tsukiumi hated. But of all Minato's Sekirei, Tsukiumi was the one who demanded as much of his time as possible. Akitsu did not mind, and knew that Minato loved giving that attention to her, as he did to all of them.

Kazehana smiled back, but leaned over and whispered into Akitsu's ear. "Tomorrow, I want to talk to you and Tsukiumi. Something happened last night, and I don't know what to make of it."

Akitsu looked at her head cocked quizzically. It is not something from the date itself, as they told us of their meeting with the red Sekirei last night before retiring to our room, so... She thought for a moment. "Ahh… something to do with the winging?"

Kazehana nodded.

Akitsu smiled her small public smile. While she had become much more talkative and outgoing since bonding with Minato, her facial expressions hadn't, outside the bedroom at least, become more expressive to match. "Ahh… the same thing happened to me and Tsukiumi. We can go out and have a picnic, just the three of us." Kazehana nodded and the two went back to preparing the lunchboxes.

Akitsu soon left to change into her walking clothes, and Minato came down with Tsukiumi. She would not be accompanying them, though the group going to Tokyo Disney had grown beyond the original three. Shiina and Yukari would be coming with them at Kusano's request, and surprisingly Katsuragi, the Sekirei they had freed from Higa, had evinced an interest in going with them. Miya and Minato agreed that this was a good sign, and so included her as well.

Tsukiumi and Kazehana weren't interested, and were staying behind. They were instead going to practice an idea Minato had come up with: combination attacks. He had thought of it after watching them attack MBI's helicopters during while they broke out Shigi and Kuno.

Musubi also had no interest in going, and was already training with Miya, which would continue for the entire day. Her defeat, which was how she thought of it at the hands of Benitsubasa, weighed heavily on her and she had taken to training again as soon as possible after her wounds had healed, the speed of which had astonished Minato anew, despite his own accelerated healing.

They also concerned him as, if all Sekirei healed at the same rate, Karasuba should have healed long since, but had yet to show herself. That worried him. A mad dog attacking you was one thing; a mad dog doing something where you couldn't see what she was doing was another.

Akitsu soon came down, dressed in casual jeans and the blue dragon t-shirt she had bought with Tsukiumi the day after meeting Minato. Katsuragi joined them outside, dressed in some of Uzume's clothing which Miya had cut down to fit her less developed frame.

Yukari introduced herself, having not met Katsuragi on her previous visits. She had not been told the brown haired girls story, but was quick to notice as they walked to the train station how skittish she was around other men besides her big brother and Shiina.

She also noticed how everyone else, even Kusano, closed ranks around her on the crowded train, not letting any strangers get close.

Katsuragi seemed to settle down away from the claustrophobic confines of the subway, and by the time they reached the entrance to Tokyo Disney, was happily looking forward to the rides they would go on.

As the group got off the bus at the drop off point to the park Minato stopped, looking askance at a familiar figure crouched forlornly on the ground.

Akitsu too recognized Haihane from the fight on the bridge. She looked at Minato and after a moment's silent debate the two walked over to her. "Is it just me, or am I being followed by you Disciplinary Squad members?"

Haihane looked up at them, but seeing that Kazehana (or windy-bags as Haihane thought of her) was not with them, turned away. She went back to staring at two signs that seemed to have recently been added to the bus stops wall. "No. Not one to hold a grudge."

Minato looked at the signs she was staring at so much. One read 'Any Sekirei must be accompanied by their Ashikabi and check any weapons with the security post at the entrance. No fighting will be allowed on Disney grounds. Signed, Mickey Mouse.' The bottom of the poster had a picture of Mickey waving around a stop sign like a mace.

The next was a list of credit cards not valid in the park. At the top of the list was the MBI gold card that had been issued to all the Sekirei.

Minato smiled. At least some companies aren't going along with MBI. Disney's got few holdings here in Japan, but the company is obviously doing what little it can to inconvenience MBI. Pity this kind of thing hurts the Sekirei and Ashikabi more than the company behind the plan. Still, enforcing a no-fight zone outside of those set by MBI is a decent start. Now if only the international community gets off it's ass and does something too.

He looked back at Haihane, and then to Akitsu, who smiled her normal small smile and nodded. His own lips quirked in a wry grin as he turned back to the gray haired Sekirei. "I take it you want to enter the park yes?"

Haihane nodded. "Free day, and no anime on. Natsuo-sama can't come, only have the MBI card."

Minato took in her clothing and realized the idea of a disguise, or even hiding her status, had just not occurred to the blue Sekirei. Most Sekirei he had met so far were the same way, almost inhumanly straightforward and without any real guile. Minato thought it was cute. He suddenly thought of a way to turn this to his advantage and help Haihane at the same time. "Listen, I think we can help each other."

Haihane looked up at him, head cocked quizzically. She raised a gauntlet-adorned hand, motioning him to continue. "Can you get out money using your card?"

"Some. Not a lot, only enough for food, about $200."

Minato nodded, inwardly amused once again at the huge amount all Sekirei seemed to eat. "Two bus stops back there's a shopping complex. You can probably use your card to get cash out of a teller there. Pay for myself and my Sekirei, and I'll pose as your Ashikabi for the day. Okay?"

Haihane thought for a bit, looking at the group that had gathered behind Minato, searching unobtrusively for windy-bags. That accomplished, and not one for deep thoughts and worrying about the future or the past, she turned back and nodded eagerly.

Minato smiled. "Shiina could you take Yukari and Haihane here back to the complex we saw. Yukari, if there's a clothing store there see if you can find Haihane a new set of cloths that won't stand out so much."

Yukari nodded, always happy to play dress up with someone new. And, she exulted I'm getting out of paying for my and Shiina's park tickets, which'll let me buy souvenirs later.

Haihane looked at her, at all of them and then down at her own clothing. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Yukari smiled wickedly. "You stand out a bit too much like that. But don't worry this kind onee-san will teach you." The three left quickly and Minato and the others waited, planning what rides they wanted to go on first.

They were gone less than an hour, and when they came back Haihane was dressed in a long skirt and top, matching the clothing Yukari wore. It looked about as normal on her as a dress would on a lion yet Minato forbore to comment as Haihane seemed to be happy with it.

The group went up to the ticket seller, where Minato signed a waiver agreement with all their names listed on it. This informed the park that he personally would be liable for any damages (MBI cards were useless for that as well). Haihane also handed over her claw gauntlets, laughing hysterically as a security guard buckled under the weight of one of them. Still laughing she received a chit for them, just like a person would from a restaurant for their coats. She would be able to retrieve them when she exited the park.

Tickets paid for and formalities observed, the group entered the park, Kusano dragging Minato and Shiina behind her in her eagerness, and Haihane bounding forward as well, held back by a silently amused Akitsu. Katsuragi timidly brought up the rear with Yukari, but her eyes were coming alive as she looked around and saw the Disney characters stationed around the entrance.

For the rest of the day the odd group enjoyed the park to the full. Katsuragi and Kusano found the children's rides to be the most fun, while Haihane, Shiina and Minato enjoyed the thrill rides the most. Akitsu and Yukari enjoyed both types, and loved the plays going on in the streets, and just the atmosphere of the park as a whole.

Minato was not surprised to spot several plainclothes security guards following them almost from the get-go. This unobtrusive surveillance continued throughout the day, but Minato made certain nothing happened to cause the guards any alarm.

The only hitch in that plan came when they were in a free arcade area. The park had set this up as a place where companies could exhibit their games, getting a lot of free publicity. Haihane and surprisingly Katsuragi got into an extremely bloodthirsty match of Red v. Blue: Reach that almost ended with the two coming to blows when Katsuragi was able to beat Haihane two out of three times. Minato stepped in between them, challenging them both to back-to-back matches and diffusing the situation before the guards became concerned.

In the resulting games, he lost spectacularly in single player to both girls, which made Haihane extremely happy, and even put a smile on Katsuragi's usually gloomy face. In squad combat however, his unit schooled both of theirs handily. He went on to beat all comers in that mode for an hour, only stopping when Kusano dragged him away to join the others on a water ride.

At lunchtime, they set out a picnic lunch on the lawn before the castle, eating the food Akitsu and the others had prepared that morning. Minato let Haihane eat most of his portion. Akitsu had prepared Sekirei sized lunches, and despite his own admittedly large appetite these days, he wasn't up to eating it all.

Haihane spent the meal talking animatedly to Kusano, who she had formed an odd bond with over their shared enjoyment of anime shows. The others discussed the day's rides, choosing which ones they wanted to go on again after the meal.

Minato looked at Haihane, thinking. I'm surprised by how childish Haihane is in many ways. It's almost as if her intellectual growth had all been towards combat, leaving the rest of her mind back in fourth grade. She's fun, but very weird, even discounting the whole combat junky Disciplinary Squad thing.

Afterwards, the group went on more rides, going round and round the park until sun down. They left the park happy and exhausted from a long day of fun.

Haihane's face was split by a wide grin as they exited the park, having had more fun than she had ever enjoyed outside of a fight. She now clutched a huge Winnie the Pooh doll to her, and carried a bag containing key chains of all the Disney characters from Toy Story.

Minato had bought them for her, as well as a few souvenirs for his own Sekirei. Katsuragi had a bag containing a Minnie mouse pillow and sheet set, matching Kusano's new souvenir beaker and sticker sheet. Akitsu had gotten a t-shirt featuring the princess from Snow White on it, which had made both Yukari and Minato smile at the appropriateness of it for someone who wielded ice powers.

Yukari had bought Shiina a Donald duck outfit, and was looking forward to having him model it for her later, something that her older brother was trying very hard not to think about.

When they reached the bus stop, Haihane stopped and looked at them, her gaze lingering on Minato. He was fun to be around and a part of her wished that Natsuo took his Ashikabi duties as seriously, or with as much pleasure as Minato did. Minato was also more attractive to her than Natsuo, who was a bit of a prissy pussy in her opinion. In the end though, he was still her Ashikabi. "Today was fun. Doesn't change anything."

Minato smiled at her, feeling the same almost connection to her he had felt to Benitsubasa the night previous. "I had a lot of fun too, especially beating you at Red v. Blue." Haihane scowled, but her heart really wasn't in it. She had smoked him in single player anyway. "But today was simply that, it doesn't have to mean anything more. As long as it's an honest fight, any of my Sekirei will willingly take you on."

Haihane grinned at that, and they shook hands. She rubbed Kusano's head, nodded at the others, and left, bounding off into the distance. Minato turned, and the group boarded the bus that would take them back to the train station.

Yukari and Shiina broke off at the train station, waving good bye, and Minato and the others continued home.

Behind them Haihane jumped back down to the ground near the receiving station, scratching her head sheepishly at having forgotten her weapons…

For Akitsu and Minato however, the date wasn't over. As soon as it became apparent that more of them would be coming than just Kusano and Akitsu, he had refused to allow her to count the trip to Tokyo Disney as her date. Instead, he had made plans at a fancy restaurant, and insisted on taking her out for the evening. Akitsu initially refused, not wanting Minato to spend that kind of money on her, and not really comfortable with going out altogether. Tsukiumi and Kazehana had both ganged up on the stay at home Sekirei however and Akitsu reluctantly agreed to the date.

It took Minato half an hour to prepare for the date, but it took Akitsu considerably longer. He was dressed in a good tuxedo, with a vest of dark red that he'd rented for the week, which he had already worn for his date with Tsukiumi.

When Akitsu at last came down, Minato's breath caught in his throat, and everyone present oohed and aahhed, coming forward to praise her choice of clothing.

Tsukiumi had been dazzling when the two of them had gone out, but she had chosen a more westernized dress, in keeping with her more outgoing personality. Kazehana had also been beautiful in her own lush sexual way.

Akitsu had always enjoyed more traditional clothing, and it set her features off amazingly well. For her date she was dressed in a stunning white kimono with a pattern of light bronze leafs around the edges and the hair ornament that Minato had bought her. Its silver color offset her own light tan hair perfectly, and the small red jewel at its base glinted, as her head turned, setting the small bangles to jangle softly. All in all, she epitomized the concept of Tenga Ryurai, elegant Japanese beauty.

Minato said nothing, letting his eyes show his appreciation and sheer pleasure at her appearance. She spent a few minutes gazing back into his eyes before coming forward to link her arm with his. The two said their farewells to the rest of the family and made their way out the door.

Minato groaned, reaching over Akitsu's blissfully slumbering form to grab his pager from the nightstand. Blearily he looked at the message printed there, and he began to curse. The message read "The last free Sekirei waits in the north for the one strong enough to claim it."

end chapter. The action in the next chapter will make up for the down time in this one.