"… they're real live sekirei! They're…"
"… a fight! I can't believe…"
"… we get to see…"
Homura was glancing at the crowd that had gathered around them in the mall parking lot. There had to be at least a thousand people, all of them looking on excitedly. Many had camera phones out and were treating all this as some sort of huge entertainment.
"Didn't we come out to the parking lot to get away from the civilians?" Homura asked.
"It can't be helped," Takehito said excitedly. "This is after all the first time sekirei have faced each other in a real live match." He began rubbing his hands together. "It makes me want to go home and perform some experiments." He turned a speculative eye to his favorite test subject.
"No!" Homura hugged herself. "No more experiments! You promised remember?"
"It wouldn't have to be invasive."
"No!"
Standing off to the side a bit Minato looked on nervously. "Is this really all right? For us to just to stand here and let them fight?"
Yume nodded. "Sekirei fights are one to one. It wouldn't be fair for Homura and me to jump in."
"That's not really what I meant," Minato said. "I mean they're going to fight seriously. What if they hurt each other? Is it really okay to just stand here and watch?'
"This is what the S Tournament is all about Minato-kun. Even though this is an unofficial match all those who want to win the grand prize, or any prize, will have to fight like this. If you are serious about winning the grand prize you will have to watch me fight many times."
"I don't really want to see that," Minato said quietly.
Smiling Yume grabbed his arm and pressed herself against him. "It makes me happy to hear you worry about me, but it's all right. I am very strong and will definitely not lose until I have won the grand prize for you. It's a promise."
"I don't think you can make a promise like that."
There was an odd look in her eye. "Then call it fate."
XXX\
"Are you ready to face me?" Tsukiumi shouted. She was standing about twenty yards away from her opponent.
"Sure," Akizu said and gave an indifferent shrug. "I mean it is sort of pointless, but okay."
"You dare call this pointless?" Tsukiumi demanded point a finger at her.
"Well, yeah, I mean there is no way you could beat me."
Tsukiumi clamped down her jaw and felt herself begin to shake with rage. "How dare you say that you arrogant slug? You have no idea of my power!"
"You really don't get it do you? This has nothing to do with how strong you are." Akizu sighed. "Fine, let me explain it to you. You are the sekirei of water. I am the sekirei of ice. Now if you weren't aware of this water turns to ice. So no matter how much water you hurl at me I can just turn all of it to ice. I am literally the absolute worst opponent you could face. In other words," Akizu produced a huge ear to ear smile. "You're my bitch."
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Tsukiumi screamed at the top of her lungs. "Water Festival!"
A gigantic ball of water formed above Tsukiumi and launched itself at Akizu.
Standing her ground Akizu waved a disinterested hand. "Winter's Breath."
Halfway between them the gigantic ball of water solidified into a chunk of solid ice. It landed on the pavement with a crack and began rolling along like a bowling ball. Akizu took a lazy side step and watched it go slowly past.
The watching crowd 'oohed' and 'awed' and applauded loudly.
Tsukiumi stood there grinding her teeth and with both fists clenched so tight her nails were cutting into her palms.
Akizu looked over to her clearly amused. "Are you starting to see my point… bitch?"
"I will not be beaten! Water Hydra!"
"Winter's Breath."
This time the shouts of approval from the crowd were even louder as an eight headed snake was suddenly turned into an ice sculpture.
"What else have you got?" Akizu asked.
With a wordless cry of fury and frustration Tsukiumi renewed her attack.
Homura turned to Takehito. "I think this may last awhile."
"Yes, isn't it wonderful?" Takehito had his own phone out and was using it as a digital recorder.
XXX
Benitsubasa was pacing back and forth obviously unhappy with the current situation.
"You're going to wear out a hole in the carpet," Haihane told her. She was currently lying on her stomach playing video games on a massive TV screen. At the moment Benitsubasa, Haihane and a few of their fellow sekirei were relaxing in their master's game room.
"Oh shut up!" Benitsubasa snapped. "How can you be okay with knowing that our master is talking to that monster?"
"Easy," Haihane replied. "I play video games and try not to worry about things I have no control over… such as breast size."
Benitsubasa glared at number 104 but she never took her eyes off the screen. "You should take this seriously! It affects all of us! Why would our master even want one of MBI's dogs anyway?"
A cute petite girl spoke with a lilting sing song voice. "Master is much wiser than you are. She's a single number with actual experience fighting. Of course master wants her."
Benitsubasa redirected her wrath towards number 101 Oriha. "You can't trust her! How can you trust someone whose job it's been to keep the rest of us in line? You just can't trust those Disciplinary Squad members!"
"If our master trusts her that should be more than enough for you." Oriha said pleasantly.
"Moron! What makes you think he can't be wrong?"
"Are you going to tell him that?" Oriha asked.
Benitsubasa pictured his reaction if she questioned him. She swiftly shook her head. "No."
"Then just be quiet about it," Oriha said smugly. "I am sure Higa-san knows what he is doing."
XXX
In the private office of his mansion Higa was sitting down at his desk trying not to look overly pleased with himself.
"I am very happy to hear that you will be accepting my offer after all."
"Before I do you should understand a few things." Karasuba told him. "We will be partners in this, so never imagine you can give me orders the way you do the others. Tell me what you have in mind and I will decide if I'm interested. If I want to do something don't try to stop me unless you've grown tired of living. Even if you are my ashikabi it's not like I'd be terminated if you die. The only way I'd suffer is that I wouldn't have an ashikabi anymore." She chuckled. "Not much of a deterrent."
"I will keep that in mind." Higa said coolly.
Karasuba liked his calm acceptance and thought he might not be too annoying to deal with. "When I win the grand prize you can keep the ship and the technology and the rest, all I want is the sekirei." She lightly stroked the handle of her sword. "Especially number one."
"I think we understand each other quite well Karasuba-san. Win the grand prize for me and you can do whatever you like to them."
"Good, in that case let's seal our pact." She rounded the desk as he remained seated. Grabbing him by the back of his head she planted a savage kiss on his lips. A crest and wings of light appeared.
The entire time Higa remained passive and with a look of utter disinterest on his face.
Karasuba looked excited, as all sorts of possibilities were in her mind. "Let's make the blood flow, now and forever."
XXX
Tsukiumi was bent over at the waist with her hands on her knees. She was drenched in sweat and huffing trying to catch her breath. The crowd that had originally gathered to watch had been joined by several news crews as well as a couple helicopters flying above them.
Between her and her adversary was a thirty foot tall hill of pure ice.
"Damn… it…" an exhausted, but still defiant, Tsukiumi panted.
"You know this was fun at first, but now it's just sad." Akizu said.
"Actually it's gotten to the point of being sort of pathetic." Homura added.
"Too much pride really is a bad thing." Yume agreed.
"Well I guess there's nothing more to learn now." Takehito said putting his phone away. "We may as well go." He glanced about the parking lot. "Now where did I park again?"
"Section D-4." Homura supplied.
"Oh, that's right."
"Can you make us oden for dinner tonight?" Yume asked.
"Sure," Takehito said.
"We should go shopping again some time. This was fun." Akizu said as she and the others started to head toward where the car was parked.
"Hey!" Tsukiumi straightened and found some energy. "Don't just ignore me! I'm not beaten yet!"
Akizu looked back over her shoulder at her. "You're joking right?" She and the others continued to walk away.
"I mean it! I'll make you rue the day you… aack!" Tsukiumi fell over. She only then noticed that her leather boots had been frozen in place. Falling over she gave the entire world a clear view of her panties.
"Some people really don't know when to quit." Akizu said sounding disappointed.
By the time Tsukiumi managed to free herself her opponents were long gone.
XXX
Tsukiumi made it home feeling weary and humiliated and in no mood for anything but a nice hot bath. I will definitely win the next time I face that woman! She thought as she entered. From now on we are rivals! I definitely will not rest until I have avenged this shameful defeat!
"Tsukiumi, come into the living room please."
Tsukiumi froze. Oh no, not today!
"Now Tsukiumi." The insistent voice called.
"Yes baba." She trudged into the living room expecting the usual annoying questions about how her day went and if she'd found an ashikabi.
So she was startled to see herself on the big screen fallen over with her butt sticking in the air and her panties on display.
"So," Miyajima said pleasantly. "You not only lose your very first match but you flash the entire viewing public?"
"Oh no." Tsukiumi said and began to tremble. She knew what was coming next.
Miyajima's terrifying face suddenly appeared. "Punishment is required!"
"Noooooooooooooooo!"
XXX
Tsukiumi was not able to sit for the next three days.