Author's Note 1: Hello, everyone! Bet you thought this story was long dead. Well, that's not the case. What can I say except I've been busy with Chemistry and the finals. However, the end result was me graduating with an AS degree at long last. Now that I'm done with that college, I can continue writing until I'm able to enter school once more. Now without further to do, I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter that I've been working on for so long.
Chapter 11: Master and Apprentice
As the sound of chirping birds caught his ears the next morning, Kai stirred awake to greet the new day. The Ashikabi gave a wide yawn as he sat up and stretched his upper body. He glanced on both sides of his bed, expecting to see either Akitsu or Haihane snug beside him. "I guess with everything that happened, those two would want some quiet," he thought with a small smile. Even though he partially enjoyed the attention of having two women in his room and was used to the ritual that followed, a peaceful morning was something he loved even more.
Kai picked himself up and was ready to change his clothes when he noticed something outside his window catch his eye. Curious, the youth approached the glass and saw Miya standing in the backyard in a still, patient stance. Held on her left side was a Japanese backsword similar to a katana. However, this weapon was encased in a wooden sheath and hilt. As fallen leaves from a nearby tree danced about the morning breeze, the lavender-haired woman remained ever so still as her right hand hovered above her blade's hilt. After a patient minute, one of the falling leaves drifted toward her listlessly. Miya let out a soft, shallow breath as she placed her hand on the blade. In the blink of an eye, Miya drew her weapon and delivered a perfectly horizontal slash at the tiny target. It was a precise strike that cut the small piece of debris in half as it continued its decent to the ground.
"Incredible…" Kai thought in disbelief as he watched the woman continue her strokes. "I didn't think anyone could be so accurate and fast with a katana."
Realizing that she was being watched, Miya turned her attention to the upper floor and saw the black male. She flashed the youth a smile. "Good morning, Kai," she said warmly.
"Good morning," the young man replied. "Hey, that's a pretty good technique you're using. Where did you learn how to swing a sword like that?"
Miya smiled as she saw the young man's interest in her style. Even with the sudden rise of self-professed swordsmen lately, it was nice to see someone who seemed to be genuinely interested in the arts. Of course, she couldn't deny that there was a part of her who enjoyed hearing someone else praise her skills. "Actually, I've been teaching myself for years."
"Now way!" Kai gasped. "All on your own?"
"That's right," Miya said with a nod. "While I don't mean to gloat, you can say that I'm a natural swordsman."
"I see." While it wasn't unheard of for people to teach themselves how to use weapons, such a regimen was usually ill-advised due to a high rate of injury and subpar abilities (if any at all). Even with his manuals, training, and his uncle's pointers, the young man knew he was a novice at best. As improvised and versatile as he was, the young man knew he was far from being a master swordsman. Of course, who was he to argue with the landlady? Anything was possible with enough time and practice, he theorized.
Swinging her sword off to the side, Miya slid her blade into its wooden sheathe and began walking back inside the home. "Well now, I think it's time for breakfast," she said. "Kai, could you let everyone know that food will be ready shortly?"
"Of course," Kai replied. As Miya stepped back inside, Kai made his way to the door. Before he left, the young man turned to his closet and glanced at the swords resting against the wall inside. After seeing Miya's impressive kata, the young man was beginning to feel excited. Whether or not he could reach Miya's level was unknown. Though what was clear was that his current ability wasn't enough. His craft needed to be refined if he ever had hopes of even trying. "I should ask Miya to give me some pointers later on," he thought. "Hopefully she'll be cool with that."
As usual, breakfast was the noisy start for the day. Haihane and Akitsu were fighting one another for Kai's affection while Uzume joshed over the Ashikabi's predicament. Kagari sat on the sidelines as he muted the usual banter between the foursome and enjoy his meal. Though considering the late night spent at his job and and other excursions that made him exhausted, the silver-haired male found that to be a challenge in and of itself.
Kai turned to the television and saw an interesting report appearing on the news. His Sekirei became silent as the anchorman began his announcement. "Residents in the northern section of the city have awaken to a more welcoming sight," he said as a familiar area was pictured on the upper-left corner of the screen. "The plant infestation that once plagued Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden has finally been put to an end. The unruly plants have been eradicated by M.B.I. during their lockdown last night. As of now, the company has not released any details over the methods used to remove the plants. Though much of the original flora was destroyed in the process, including rare species, Tokyo University has confirmed that they managed to collect and store many specimens before M.B.I. commenced with operations. It is estimated that the park will return to its former glory in a few months."
"Check that out," Haihane remarked in a low tone as everyone saw the withered state of the once ambrosial park. "I don't remember leaving the place like that."
"It may have been due to the Green Girl's absence," Akitsu theorized in a flat tone. "Without her power sustaining the augmented plant life's growth, the area's flora underwent a severe cellular breakdown as a result."
"Maybe," Kai said. "But isn't it possible that the soldiers actually did something useful. Maybe they used some kind of weed killer on the place to at least help cover the tracks from all the fighting last night?"
"Kuk kuk kuk. You're putting way too much stock in those guys," chortled the bandaged woman. "Those guys are more like a group of drummer boys than soldiers; nothing but a show to keep civilians from sticking their noses where they shouldn't."
"Right. Makes sense," Kai agreed. After all, if they were effective, then perhaps the whole mess involving Kusano would have been averted.
"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" a curious Uzume asked. Kai turned to the star-shirt brunette whose body was arched forward. The young woman clearly didn't want to be left out of the conversation.
"Nothing," Kai said. "Just surprised to see the whole infestation finally ended. Feels like yesterday that the place looked like a jungle out of a B-rated sci-fi film backdrop."
"Tell me about it," the busty tomboy agreed. "At least this means I can finally use it as a shortcut again."
"A shortcut?" Kai wondered.
"For when I'm taking care of a favor or two," Uzume quickly clarified. "It beats having to take the long way around."
"Huh. Makes sense," Kai affirmed with a nod.
Wanting to change the subject, Uzume gave the young man a large grin. "So Kai, I heard you three came back pretty late."
"Oh yeah…" Kai replied as his eyes gaze fell to the table in thought. "Well, we were just wandering around. We walked over here, checked stuff over there. Nothing really serious happened."
"Is that right?" Uzume chided, her tone belying that she knew more than the young man was letting on. "You didn't happen to stop at the park, did you?"
"Uh… Well…" Knowing the brunette had overheard part of their conversation, Kai's sifted through his mind for an explanation.
"Yeah, we slipped inside to see what the big deal was," Haihane offhandedly replied in her master's place. Kai quickly turned, surprised by the gray-haired ninja's response. Hearing her partner's reply, Akitsu watched the ex-Disciplinary intern weave her tale, ready to "intervene" if the Indigo Sekirei went to far. "For a place that was supposed to be full of security, the guards were basically napping on the job."
"Haihane!" Kai yelped.
"Well aren't you sneaky," Uzume replied with a mischievous smirk. "So what did you guys find?"
"Just weeds, weeds, and more weeds. It was pretty disappointing."
"Yep! Just green stuff!" Kai replied with an unsettling chuckle.
"So that's what you were up to last night," Miya responded as she listened to the discussion. Kai and Haihane turned to the lavender-haired lady and were greeted by the devilish hannya mask hovering above the smiling woman. With a red glint shining from its eye, it was clear indicator of Miya's displeasure. "Trespassing is a serious offense, Kai. I didn't know that I was housing criminals in my home."
"H-Hey, it's n-not like that!" Kai quickly pleaded. "W-We were just c-curious is all."
"You guys are so busted," Uzume whispered to the trio as she tried holding back a snicker.
"And you, Uzume. Applauding such behavior is just as shameful," Miya quickly called now turning the mask's attention to the brunette, causing her to stiffen in fright.
"Wait a second. I'm not applauding anyone," the young woman said as sweat dripped from her face. "Oh man. Why didn't I just sit back and watch?"
As the three pleaded their innocence to the home owner, Kagari and Akitsu continued to enjoy their breakfast, paying no heed to the punishment taking place beside them. "Heh. It's only been a couple of days and these guys have already made themselves at home," the silver-haired young man thought with a small smile before he took another bite of his fish.
(Title: Swinging. Album: Rogue Galaxy. Artist: Tomohito Nishiura.)
An hour had passed since breakfast had ended and things had settled within the household. Miya had left to shop for groceries while Kagari went to work. In the dining room, Haihane and Uzume were busy playing one of Kai's video games after the former had brought it down from her Ashikabi's room. Much to the shinobi's joy, Uzume was just as good with the game as she was and both were mashing buttons like it was no tomorrow.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Akitsu was busy washing plates and silverware, a small chore the beige-haired geisha graciously offered in a show of appreciation for the landlady's hospitality. Sitting at the table behind the geisha, Kai was busy flickering about on his iTouch for any odd jobs that were floating around the classifieds. "Come on. There's gotta be something around here to do," the Ashikabi thought as he skimmed over the listings. Though considering how most of them were online jobs (that were possibly scams) or acting scenes for women (the kind that involved nudity), it was pretty difficult to find anything valuable. "I guess I'll look into the construction job at Nakano. Even with the low pay, it's pretty close to where I'll be attending school."
As the young man continued his search, a small title caught his eye that read 'Sponsor for Competition'. "Huh. Wonder what this is?" Kai opened the post and began reading the message. "'Looking for a competitor who is participating in the upcoming Degrees of Glory tournament. Must be a swordsman between 20 and 30 years of age and has won a preliminary match.'" Kai raised an eyebrow from the statement. It wasn't the fact that they were trying to find a swordsman, so much as the age of the warrior they sought. Perhaps they wanted a young face to endorse? The youth shook off the thought and resumed reading. "'If you are teamed with any partners, they will also be sponsored. You will be compensated 29,000 yen for every win along with extra cash depending on the attention garnered. So to anyone who is interested in this offer, call the number listed at the bottom of the page and we will give you further instructions.'" To say that having a sponsorship didn't intrigue him would have been a bold lie. If this tournament was going to be like a sports event on T.V., then going in under a banner would prove advantageous (especially where finances were concerned). The young man snickered under his breath as he scrolled to the ad's number. He may have had reservations about being part of this affair, but now he's starting to see a few of the upsides. He'll be sure to look them up later (as well as the construction site. It may have been minimum wage, but it would still add up in the long run).
Closing the internet screen, Kai turned to Akitsu who was watching the Ashikabi from over her shoulder. The busty beige-head had managed to clean a large stack of dishes, each one with a shine that that appeared made them appear to be recently bought. "Not bad, Akitsu," Kai said with a smile. "You're doing a great job over there."
"Thank you," the cryokinetic Sekirei responded. "Master Kai, what did you find so intriguing on your device?"
"Nothing really. Just some place that's hiring," the swordsman said as he pushed himself out of his seat. "Hey, how about you let me knock off the rest of those dishes. I have nothing better to do."
"I appreciate you offering assistance, but there is currently no need," Akitsu said respectfully. "This is a chore which Lady Asama entrusted me with. Also, as you said, there are only a few pieces of kitchenware remaining."
"Oh. Well if that's what you want," Kai said. "Well, I'm going upstairs to clean my swords then." Akitsu nodded to her Ashikabi as the young man left the room and headed upstairs. As he climbed halfway up the flight, there was a light knock against the front door. With everyone busy with their own activities and being the closest person near the entrance, Kai climbed back down to the main level and opened the door. "Hello, there," Kai greeted.
Standing on the doormat was a lithe woman who appeared to be in her late twenty or early thirties with gray hair fashioned in a long ponytail. She wore a leather top with long sleeves and a matching mini-skirt, long stockings that reached halfway up her thighs, and long boots with three inch heels (all of which were black). Her ensemble was completed with a large gray haori draped over her shoulders that was decorated with a small black Sekirei symbol on both sides, along with a brown belt wrapped around her waist. The woman also carried a flat cardboard box under her right arm. "Good afternoon," she responded back in a smooth tone that matched her almost fox-like smile. "You wouldn't be Haihane's Ashikabi, would you?"
"I am," Kai said with folded arms. "Please tell me it's not about that one guy's Sekirei. Those girls were on us first."
The woman chuckled under her breath. "No, it's nothing like that. Actually, I'm an old friend of hers. It's been so long since I last saw her, I thought I would drop by to say hello."
"Really?" the young man asked in a surprised tone.
"Who's at the door?" called Haihane from the other room.
"Don't know, but she says she's a friend of yours."
"Hold on," the shinobi said as she paused the game and pushed herself off of the floor. "I'll be back. Try not to cheat while I'm gone."
"Heh. I don't need to cheat to beat you," Uzume responded back with a witty smirk.
Haihane left the room and headed to the front door. "Look, Homura, if it's about those two-" The indigo Sekirei paused in mid-sentence as she stood stunned from the figure standing just outside the entrance. Her heart had skipped a beat as a look that could be described as shock and awe graced her face.
The edges of the smiling woman's lips rose as she saw the bandaged Sekirei's expression. Her eyes had slightly opened, revealing small gray orbs that were targeting Haihane. She let out a low chortle as she saw the Sekirei's expression. "Hello there, Haihane. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Haihane settled down, her skin returning to its normal shade and her face displaying a calmer demeanor. "It has," the young woman responded with a low tone.
Silence filled the immediate space as neither woman made any movement. Still holding open the door, Kai stood between them and each a studious glance. Judging by Haihane's reaction and the visitor's smile, there was a clearly a story between the two of them. "So who are you?" Kai asked the guest with a quirked eyebrow.
"Of course, how rude of me," the guest replied. "I am Karasuba, Sekirei number four and leader of the Disciplinary Squad."
"The Disciplinary Squad!" Kai's jaw practically fell to the ground from the woman's introduction. There were a lot of things that the young man thought was a better chance of happening at that moment: Dry lightning zapping him from out of nowhere. Perhaps a meteor the size of Wyoming crashing into the city. Even Hugh Jackman appearing suddenly in the street tap-dancing while dress up as Wolverine and wearing a top hat seemed to be plausible. Yet strangely, being visited by someone from the Disciplinary Squad was nowhere on his list.
"Is it alright if I came in?" the gray-haired Sekirei asked.
Kai gave a sheepish chuckle. While he wanted to politely close the door and solder it shut, the young man was sure such an action would be met with extreme ramifications. "Sure. Come on in," the Ashikabi said as he moved out of the Sekirei's path, not wanting to provoke any ill-will from the visitor.
Karasuba stepped inside the inn and slipped off her boots before following the duo to the living room. Her eyes wandered the surroundings as she took note of the home's fine condition. "Very nice," she mused with a casual gaze. "It appears Miya has done well with this place's upkeep."
Hearing footsteps from the hall, Uzume turned around and saw Haihane and Kai enter the room. "About time you got back!" she grinned. "Are you ready to get whooped?" As with Haihane, the tomboy's enthusiasm had quickly vanished once Karasuba appeared in the room. "What's she doing here?" Uzume asked in a grievous tone.
"Well, this is Karasuba," Kai introduced, careful as to not reveal her part in the Sekirei Plan. "Apparently, she's an old friend of Haihane's who came for a visit."
Karasuba chortled under her breath. "It's nice to meet you," she said in a generous tone.
Uzume only narrowed her eyes in response to Karasuba's comment, knowing it to be a facade. The brunette was fully aware of how dangerous she truly was. Wanting to leave the room, she placed the controller on the ground and changed the television back to its regular channel. "I'll see you two later," she said as she passed her comrades, taking great care in making no eye contact with Karasuba. "I must have caught something at breakfast because I'm starting to get sick to my stomach."
Kai watched as Uzume left the room and retreated to the stairway. "Okay… That was strange…" the confused youth remarked from the woman's behavior. It wasn't like she had any reason to fear of. After all, the busty woman had no affiliation to the Sekirei Plan or any idea of Karasuba's status. Nor was she the one picking fights with soldiers and breaking into restricted areas. If anything, it was he who had to tread carefully.
The trio sat at the table with Karasuba sitting in front of the television screen as Kai and Haihane sat on the left side. "So you two are old friends, huh?" Kai asked to no one in particular.
"You can say that," Haihane replied. "Way back when, Karasuba was the one who helped me train and taught me everything I knew about fighting."
"You're kidding?"
"That's right," Karasuba said. "It was around a decade ago when I took her and another student under my wing. Even though Haihane was a little wet behind the ears in the beginning, I helped her hone those skills of her to become what she is today."
Haihane nodded in response. "I've been grateful to Karasuba ever since she took me in as an apprentice. It's because of her that I wanted to be a join of the Disciplinary Squad."
"Whoa," an awed Kai said. It was no matter Haihane was so strong and fought with such intensity. Especially when compared to other Sekireis. To be trained under the leader of M.B.I.'s premiere strike force, she had to have gained some kind of experience. Of course, that also explained why she wanted to join that team in the first place. "Wait, you said another student. Who is it?"
"Ah, yes. Her name is Musubi," Karasuba fondly replied as she looked back on those memories.
"Hey, speaking of the old days, how's Musubi doing?"
"Ah, Little Mu. From what I hear, she became winged not long after you were. That girl's still as bubbly as always."
"Well good for her. Not that I'm surprised by it," Haihane smirked. "If those mega knockers don't grab anyone's attention, who knows what will?"
"Still, it's disappointing that you didn't make the cut. We could've used you're talents back in HQ."
"Hey, I technically did make the cut," Haihane replied in her defense as she wrapped her Ashikabi's arm. "It's just that my plans have changed after I met my Ashikabi here. I decided I wanted to be in on the action instead of waiting on the side."
"So I have heard," Karasuba remarked. "News of your latest victory had caught my attention and I wanted to hear from you personally about your battle with number seventy-nine."
"You mean Sohaki," Kai specified.
"Well, I'll say this about her: she had some good tricks and put up one hell of a fight," Haihane said. "Still, it's too bad the person I really I wanted to beat was a no-show."
"I take it you're referring to Benitsubasa," Karasuba said. "I shouldn't be surprised. After your fight the other day, that girl couldn't stop rambling on over how she wanted to destroy you."
"What can I say? I leave that kind of impression on everybody I meet."
Karasuba chuckled as she found mirth in the younger Sekirei's words. "Same as always," she replied. Kai glanced at his Sekirei with a small smile. He had to admit it strange how a woman who had nearly faced death in combat twice in two days would be joking about those incidents. Though considering who Haihane was, it was expected for her to be like this. "So you're Haihane's ashikabi, aren't you?"
Kai turned his attention to Karasuba, who gave a grin toward the young man. "Yes, ma'am," he said respectfully. "Is something wrong?" The young man asked worriedly.
"It's nothing," the gray-haired woman assured as she sat back in her seat. "It's just that for a human, you're not the worst I've seen."
"Gee, thanks," Kai thought with a flat tone as a large sweatdrop appeared on the side of his head. Even with the woman's gracious tone, the young man could tell that he was just snubbed.
"So tell me, Kai. What is it that you do?"
"Well, I'll be attending Tokyo University by the start of the semester," the young man answered. "Aside from that and taking up swordsmanship, there isn't much to say. Well, except for being unemployed, but that's not much of a 'do' thing."
"So you're a scholar and a swordsman. What a quaint combination," Karasuba replied with amusement as she placed her hands upon her lips. "You really know how to pick them, Haihane."
"He's actually pretty good with his blades," Haihane replied. "After all, he did fight off those soldiers that Beni sent in order to wing me."
"Heh. So he did," Karasuba said nonchalantly. "I still find it odd that an Ashikabi would fight alongside his Sekirei."
"That's not how I see it," Kai responded with a serious, yet careful tone. "It isn't right for Sekireis to be forced into danger. Being an Ashikabi, I'm just as much involved in the game as they are. If they're protecting me, then I believe I need to be strong enough to watch her back."
"Kuk kuk. I just love it when you act all manly," Haihane said playfully as she leaned against her master's side.
"H-Hold on. I'm being for real!" Kai replied. With a sigh, the young man decided to change the subject. "I've been curious about something for a while now."
"Oh?"
"That box you're carrying," the youth said as he pointed to the object in the Disciplinary Squad member's possession. "What's inside it?"
"Actually, this is a present for Haihane."
"A present?" Haihane asked the leader as the cardboard cube was passed over to her. "Who's it from? And what's inside it?"
"Can't say. What I can tell you is that it's from M.B.I. and that someone from the company was supposed to deliver it. Since I was already on my way over here, I figured I'd take it with me."
Haihane opened the packaged to check out the contents. What was inside seemed to be a few sets of clothes similar to what she was wearing. However, there were a couple extra clothes that were different from her regular attire. "So this is what they sent me."
"What?" Kai asked as he tried to have a peak.
"Some extra robes and a different set altogether," the young woman answered as she took the box off the table and sat it beside her.
"Huh. I get the extra clothing, but why a new outfit?"
"Consider it a prize for your victory over number seventy-nine," Karasuba said with a smile. The woman then pushed herself off from her seat. "Now then, I believe it's time to move on to some important matters."
"What do you mean?" Karasuba's smile grew into a devious smirk as she peered on Kai and Haihane. Seeing that devilish smile gave Kai a nervous shiver. While it wasn't as scary as Miya's trademark hannya mask, the gray-haired Sekirei's smile still intimidated him and made him start regretting his inquiry.
"Come on. Did you believe that I only came here to deliver a package?" the Disciplinary Squad leader asked.
"Um… Maybe…" Kai responded sheepishly in hopes that were the case.
Karasuba chortled from the male's naivete. She then turned to her attention to her student. "Haihane. Since you were winged, your power should have undergone a dramatic increase. I want to test just how high a level your skills are at."
Haihane cracked a casual smirk. "So that's what it's really about," the shinobi said as she stood up from her seat. "You know, I've been waiting to spar with you for a long time, Karasuba."
"I'm glad to see you're in such high spirits. And you should join as well, Kai."
"Whoa! You want me to spar with you also!" Kai gasped as he pointed at himself.
"What's wrong? From what you told me, I thought a warrior like you would be up for the challenge."
Kai averted his glance away to the side. Even though this was a sparring practice, the young man was still unsure whether to partake in the exercise. After all, he wasn't just going up against a Sekirei, but a Disciplinary Squad Sekirei. "I'm not really sure …" Kai said with uncertainty as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Heh. That isn't a surprise," Karasuba said in a smooth voice and closed eyes. Kai's attention was grabbed as he watched her from the corner of his eye. "Like any human, you only say things that sound nice. I guess the fact that you were able to wing Haihane was just a simple fluke of destiny."
"Hold on," Kai quickly responded as he quickly rose to his feet, scowling at the woman. Seeing her Ashikabi's reaction, Haihane placed a hand on Kai's upper arm in order to restrain him from making any rash actions. While he knew who the woman before him was, the young man didn't care. Being called a liar and having his convictions questioned was enough to push his buttons. "I meant what I said and I always go by my word."
Karasuba sat silently as she observed the young male's gaze. Like the eyes of a fighter, his stare were unwavering as he concentrated on the ponytailed woman. However, there was something else about the way Kai watched her that piqued her interest. "Those eyes... They're almost like Natsuo's…" she surmised.
"That's why we're going to prove it to you," Haihane continued in a confident tone. "Kai and I will take you on. There's no way you'll beat us."
Karasuba's smile grew as the young man accepted her challenge. She knew it would take some pressuring to get under the young man's skin. Now that he was inflamed, the veteran warrior would finally see what made her tick and peak at the potential her protégé has. "We'll see about that," Karasuba said to the two before she began to leave the room. Once she arrived at the doorway, the gray-haired woman glanced to the right from the corner of her eye and saw Akitsu standing down the hall. The cryokinetic geisha was well aware of her presence as she heard the conversation from her position. The two stood for a brief, cold minute as Akitsu's flat stare boring into the Disciplinary Squad leader's body. However, Karasuba shrugged off the beige-head's deathly glare and continued out back, still wearing her trademark sneer.
"I can't believe I just did that! I should just go to some parlor and have 'dumbass' inked across my forehead!" Kai said as he and Haihane left the room and headed to the staircase. The young man had finally become aware of the gravity of the situation. He and his Sekirei were about to face the leader of the Disciplinary Squad; a person who was clearly way out of their league. Even though it was only going to be a spar, the young man felt like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. "Why didn't you stop me, Haihane?"
"Hey, don't look at me," Haihane said as she lifted her hands. "You were on a roll and I didn't want to stop you."
"It would have been nice if you did…" the Ashikabi murmured off to the side.
"You are going to face the Black Sekirei," Akitsu replied as the two stood before her at the corner.
The young man could tell that the busty geisha was concerned over the upcoming exercise. "We are," the young man admitted, still surprised by the turn of events.
"I see. Then I shall join you in facing her," the geisha said.
"Sorry, but I can't have you do that," Kai said as he shook his head. "Karasuba only challenged Haihane and I to fight. As much as I'd want you to join in, or better yet take my place, it would go against my word."
"Don't worry about it anyway," Haihane assured her fellow Sekirei. "It's not even an actual fight. We'll just be sparring with her."
"I would not be worrying had you not dragged our master into this situation," Akitsu clarified with a stern, accusing undertone.
"Man, you two just won't drop it," the Indigo Sekirei replied before turning her attention to her Ashikabi. "Look, we'll get through this. Remember that I was her student, meaning I have an idea of how she thinks. Plus, since she isn't carrying her weapon, we might have a chance."
"What do you mean?" Kai asked with a risen brow.
"Well, Karasuba usually carries around this big katana when she's on a job. Though I guess for some reason, she decided to leave it home. Which is pretty rare considering how attached she is with that sword."
"A big katana…" Kai thought. "That sounds a lot like a nodachi. It's not everyday someone would fight with something like that. Though considering she's a high-ranking Sekirei and clearly a master fighter, I shouldn't be surprised." "I better get my A-game on. Sparring or not, I don't plan on loosing to her."
"Kuk kuk. Like anyone really does," the Indigo Sekirei quipped. "Wish us luck," she said to Akitsu as the two hurried to their upstairs room to grab their equipment. The busty woman stood silently as she watched her partners climb to the upper floor. Even though Akitsu yearned to join her Ashikabi in battle, the young woman was honor bound to her master's wishes just as he was to his code of conduct. The only thing she could do was wait on the sidelines in case her services were needed.
After a few minutes of preparation and strategic discussion, Haihane and Kai stood in the backyard before the leader of the Disciplinary Squad. Haihane was lurched forward, her claws held low to the ground and twitching with excitement. It had been a long time since she had a scrap with Karasuba and she was more than ready to relive old times. Kai stood next to her, with a more focused and cautious gaze. The young man was armed with his katanas positioned on either side of his hip and his whip gauntlets wrapped around his arms. His right hand was tightly gripped on his claymore's hilt as it hung horizontally behind his hips. "Stick with the plan for as long as possible, alright?" Kai whispered to his ally.
"I was about to tell you the same thing," Haihane responded back in a flat tone, her gaze unwavering from the gray-haired woman before them.
As the two stood ready, Karasuba watched as her protégé and her Ashikabi were poised for battle. Despite her stance having numerous openings, the gray-haired swordsman stood calm and sported her trademark smile. Like Haihane, she was also looking forward to the bout. Not just for the chance to reminiscence, but also to see what made Kai so unique. There had to be some reason why he had Haihane emerge and the woman was ready to find out. "Are you two ready?" Karasuba asked her two training partners.
"Sure we are," Haihane responded as she lifted her gauntlets.
"It's not like we have a choice," Kai figured as he drew the European weapon from its scabbard and held it at his side.
"Fine, then. Let's begin."
(Title: Shrouding Dark Cloud. Album: Kingdom Hearts. Artist: Yoko Shimomura.)
The duo charged ahead with Haihane taking the lead while Kai followed close behind. When the two were in range, Kai darted around the target's flank while Haihane unleashed her vicious of slashes. With each slash, her attacks grew faster and more aggressive. However, none of her strikes connected as Karasuba managed to dodge her attacker with casual ease; she moved back and sidestepped each swing of her protégé's talons with exact timing. Seeing her attacks were only cutting the air, Haihane switched tactics by quickly crouching to the ground with her gauntlets spread to the side before delivering a fast, powerful swing at her master's head. However, Karasuba managed to pull her head away at the last second, watching as the sharpened edge of the talons blew past her face and grazed a few strands of her hair. The older Sekirei seemed to be enjoying the breeze of the proverbial close shave. "She's just as fast as I remember," Haihane thought as she bit her lip. While she wasn't surprised by the failed attempt, the Indigo Sekirei was still frustrated.
As one of Haihane's claws came down upon her mentor, Karasuba managed to catch the gauntlet beneath its wrist. "I see you've been taking better care of your weapons," the Disciplinary Squad member said with a smile as she inspected the claw's condition. "Though that alone won't help you win."
Behind the Disciplinary Squad leader, Kai leaped toward the target with his claymore held high in the air. The young man was sure that he had the element of surprise. Unfortunately for him, Karasuba was aware of the strategy. She tossed Haihane away (who managed to recover from the throw) and dodged the aerial attack with a sidestep to the right. After the claymore's blade slammed onto the ground where Karasuba once stood, the young man swung the blade clockwise toward the rival Sekirei and pressed his attack with a strong thrust. Karasuba once more sidestepped the strokes of the young man's weapon, still wearing her smile throughout the onslaught.
From the older woman's right, Haihane rocketed towards her and lashed at the woman. Between the Sekirei's swift movements and the Ashikabi's powerful swings, it would only be a matter of time before their pincer attack had caught their target. Still, Karasuba kept going strong as she parried the duo's blows without sustaining any injury. She danced away from her pupil's swipes and used her agility to avoid the Ashikabi's heavy greatsword. After a few minutes of playing on the defense, the mature swordswoman distanced herself from the two fighters. Seeing this, Haihane closed the distance as she held her claws to the side. Once she began driving a gauntlet ahead, Karasuba grabbed the younger competitor's arm and, using her momentum, spun her before tossing the shinobi away.
Kai was next to attack as he rushed at the opponent with his blade trailing beside him. Once in range, the black male swung the weapon in the air and struck down. Unsurprisingly, Karasuba avoided the range of each stroke. Before the young man could continue his assault, the Black Sekirei quickly approached the younger swordsman and connected with a well-placed palm strike to his chest that tossed the young man backward.
In retaliation for her injured partner, Haihane charged once again. Karasuba turned her attention to the incoming Sekirei, ready to counter. However, instead of a frontal attack, the shinobi vanished with a sudden burst of speed and appeared behind the fellow grey-head for a surprise attack. "Zankaku no Tsume!" she cried as the woman swung her talons at the woman's backside. Just before the attack connected, Karasuba managed to backflip over the technique as a wide grin stretched across her face. Haihane watched in shock as the single-numbered Sekirei evaded her signature attack. "Impossible!" she thought in disbelief. "I thought I had her!"
Once her pupil passed her by, Karasuba repositioned her body and delivered a spin kick to the Indigo Sekirei just before she landed on her feet. The strong blow from the leather boot was enough to send the clawed ninja tumbling forward and ending up lying beside her Ashikabi. "Nicely done, Haihane," Karasuba applauded. "Had that been someone else, that feint of yours would have been an effective maneuver."
"…Ow," was all Haihane could say as she and her Ashikabi stood back up.
"Man… she's good," Kai replied as he held his chest and tried to catch his breath. The young man was surprised that such a simple, though fast, strike was able to make his entire body sore.
"What did you expect from the leader of the Disciplinary Squad?" Haihane replied. "Among Sekirei, she's a true powerhouse."
"Yeah… I can see that…" the winded male replied as he used Healing Wing to help them recover from their injuries.
"You two aren't too bad," Karasuba said. "I can see that you're starting to grasp the concept of teamwork. Still, you have a long way to go before you can even touch me." Once the two were treated, the young man slid his claymore back in its scabbard and stood beside Haihane in a defensive stance.
"Any more ideas?" Haihane asked.
"Just one more," the Ashikabi said as he drew his katanas from their sheathes. "We're both going to cut loose and hit her fast," Kai said to the Indigo Sekirei.
"Now you're talking my speed!"
"You hit her high. I'm taking the low road."
"You got it!"
The two made one final charge toward Karasuba. With their new plan in mind, Haihane launched herself ahead with her left gauntlet held back as the right one was closing in on her old master. Rushing in from below, Kai's arms were crossed as he held his swords off to the sides. Karasuba smirked as she watched the two approach her, noting that they had a good strategy. Still, there was one thought that ran through her mind. "Still not enough." Once Haihane delivered her slash, Karasuba dodged to the left and into the path of Kai's attack.
"Gotcha!" Kai quickly closed the distance between them as he was ready to deliver the swift slice. Just as Kai was about to open his arms, Karasuba grabbed the youth's forearms, pinning his weapons to their sides. A shell-shocked Kai struggled to free himself from the woman's hold, but was immobilized from the powerful Sekirei warrior. The young man was in disbelief at how the foe was able to capture him unscathed.
"Is this all you can do, Mr. Swordsman?" Karasuba playfully asked the Ashikabi. The gray-haired woman then pulled him forward, grabbing his sheathed claymore while he was in mid-stagger. Kai recovered from his tumble and realized that his weapon was now in the enemy's possession. Karasuba held the sword with her left hand and began inspecting the blade. "Hmm… So this is a Western-style sword up close," she examined. "How unimpressive. I've seen butcher knives with more of a cutting edge than this droll tool."
Behind Karasuba, Haihane gritted her teeth from the turn of events. It was bad enough that her master was beating them unarmed, but now that she finally had a sword, it would be nearly impossible. Karasuba turned to her pupil with a smile that sent shivers down the Indigo Sekirei's spine. Kai understood the advantage the woman now had and was intent to retrieve his weapon. Kai lashed at the woman using the wires of his whip gauntlets, viciously swinging the daggers on the ends of the lines. Despite the small size and relative speed of the weapons compared to the weight of the sword, Karasuba was able to block each strike. Believing the woman's attention was now drawn to her Ashikabi, Haihane dashed toward Karasuba again in hopes of using Kai's attack as a distraction. Yet Karasuba quickly managed to switch hands and block the blow before parrying Kai's distanced strikes with her other hand. "Impossible!" Kai awed as he bore witness to the Sekirei's fighting style. "It's not enough that she's left-handed, but straight-out ambidextrous!" Even in the heat of battle, the young man couldn't help but to marvel at the woman's technique. He was astonished by how the veteran swordswoman was able to switch between hands to defend both sides against his and Haihane's relentless assault with such effectiveness. It was as if the entire scene came from a heavily choreographed Chow Yun-Fat film. While it was true that he favored the use of two swords, his style still favored his right hand while his left assisted in the attacks.
Wanting to make a move, Karasuba swung the European sword with enough force to knock away Haihane and repel Kai's blades. Unable to react, the stunned Haihane was then swatted away by the master swordswoman who then rushed toward Kai at blinding speed. Kai could only watch as the Disciplinary Squad leader's free hand reached forth and grabbed the Ashikabi's collar before slamming and pinning him to the ground. The young man was unable to keep a hold of his backswords as his head crashed into the ground, leaving him dazed and in pain. All the young man could do was watch as the woman peered down upon him and let out a low chortle. "For a human believing he can fight with his Sekirei, you fell pretty quickly," the woman said to him as she raised the edge of Kai's sword above his head. "Now do you see how powerful words can be?" The young man peered at the sharpened tip of his own weapon hovering above him and then back at the Black Sekirei. His heart raced inside his chest as sense of dread and panic gripped his being. He was helpless and frightened, but his eyes still stared back with a defiant scowl. However, his glare didn't faze Karasuba, who seemed to take an interest in the young man's gaze. "I've seen that look before. You have been through something miserable that had you lose something important. I wonder what it could be." Kai gritted his teeth from the woman's comment as she pressed her face closer to his.
Suddenly, Karasuba's hold was released as she leapt away just as a propelling shard of ice ripped through the air, just grazing the woman's sleeve. Kai turned to the house and saw Akitsu standing on the porch with blocks of ice floating over her body and a murderous glare from her eyes. "Akitsu…" The Ashikabi sat up from the ground and took in a breath as a sense of relief washed over him.
"Do not ever touch my Ashikabi," Akitsu replied in a dark tone as she murderously leered at the Disciplinary Squad leader.
"It's nice to see you again, scrap number," Karasuba said with a fox-like smile. "I haven't seen you since the adjustment."
"You have overstayed you welcome, Black Sekirei. Leave Maison Izumo at once or I will interject you with lethal force."
Karasuba stood poised for the attack as she traded glances with the beige-headed woman. She turned to Kai, who was grabbing his katanas and using them to return to his feet. Then she watched as Haihane pushed herself off the ground, brandishing her talons and ready to continue. The veteran Sekirei snickered as she relaxed her stance. Even with the inclusion of Akitsu, the Black Sekirei knew that the battle would have ended in her favor. Of course, that wasn't why she came here. Karasuba had all of the information she wanted. Also, she didn't feel like eliminating anyone at the moment. "Well, I guess it's time for me to go," the woman said as she stabbed the claymore into the lawn. Both Kai and Haihane stood surprised that the swordswoman had decided to stop the "spar". She turned to Haihane with folded arms. "I came here to see how strong you've become, Haihane. While you've gotten wings, you've only just got off the ground."
"Heh. Just you wait, Karasuba," the clawed shinobi said. "Next time you see me, I'll be the most powerful Sekirei around."
"Glad to hear it. As for you, Kai," The Ashikabi leered at the woman as he braced for whatever attack might come his way. The gray-haired woman chuckled under her breath. "If you really want to fight with your Sekirei, it takes more than just picking up a sword. Use what fate dealt you and have it fuel your ambition. Then, just maybe, you won't get in the way." The young male lowered his glance to the grass before him as he took Karasuba's words under consideration. After sharing one last glance to Akitsu, Karasuba began to take her leave. "I'll see you again soon, little bird," the gray-haired swordswoman said as she gave a small wave.
"Same here," Haihane replied.
Once the Disciplinary Squad leader disappeared around the corner, Kai collapsed to one knee as he continued began to pant heavily. Akitsu hastily rushed to her master's side with Haihane in suit. "Are you alright, Master Kai?" asked the busty scrap number.
"Yeah, I'm feeling cherry. Nothing that a bottle of Advil can't fix," the Ashikabi jeered despite the throbbing pain from the back of his head.
"We're still taking you inside just to be safe," Haihane said.
"Heh. That's what I would've said to you." Haihane lightly shook her head from her master's light quip. Wanting to get him treated, both she and Akitsu carried him inside the house and to him to his room.
A couple hours had passed since Karasuba left. Kai sat at his desk with a small chunk of ice pressed against his head (provided by Akitsu, no less). With his swords resting against the wall under his window, the black male was busy procrastinating on the internet. While the young man still felt some discomfort from the back of his head, it wasn't as painful as it was before. However, the headache wasn't the only thing the young male had on his mind. "Use what fate dealt you and have it fuel your ambition. Then, just maybe, you won't get in the way." Kai closed his eyes as he recollected on the Black Sekirei's advice. "That's what I've been doing. That's why I took up the sword in the first place. That's why I'm fighting with Haihane and Akitsu." He sighed as he rested his forehead against his palms with his elbows standing on the wooden desk. "But have I really gotten stronger since then? Maybe I've been fooling myself all of these years?"
"Hey," called a voice from outside his doorway. Kai turned to the entrance and saw Haihane standing in the hallway, her eyes glancing off to the side. "Did I come at a bad time?" the shinobi asked with concern.
"No, it's cool," Kai said as he twisted his chair toward her with a light smile on his face. "What's happening downstairs? Did you finally beat Uzume at that game?"
Haihane shook her head as she stepped inside. "No. We're still neck and neck," she answered. "But trust me, the next game will crown me the winner." Kai chuckled from Haihane's response. Hearing her competitive and confident voice was a breath of fresh air for the Ashikabi. "Anyway, about what happened earlier involving Karasuba. Sorry about that."
Kai shook his head. "What do you have to apologize for?" the youth said.
"Well partially because I was pressured by Akitsu," the gray-haired shinobi admitted. "But the rest is because I knew I should. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been hurt."
"What? You mean the bump on the head? I could walk it off and be just fine," Kai responded with a carefree tone. "Hell, I was the one who allowed himself to get played by your teacher."
Haihane stood quietly as her gaze fell to the floor between them. Despite her Ashikabi's reply, the young woman still felt a pang of guilt over the skirmish. Being Karasuba's student, she was well aware of her bias towards humanity. She was glad that the Disciplinary Squad leader was merely 'playing' with them. Otherwise they wouldn't be having this conversation. "Well, I'm still glad that things didn't get too serious," the young woman said with a smile of relief.
"So am I, Haihane," Kai nodded in agreement with the shinobi's statement.
The two then heard the front door opening from downstairs. Knowing that Miya had returned, Kai closed his internet browser's windows and grabbed his swords (this time replacing one of his katanas with a flyssa). With the ice that was in his possession, Kai tossed the block of frozen water out of his window before joining Haihane to greet the lavender-haired landlady from their perch on the stairs.
"Welcome home, Miya," Uzume greeted as she and Akitsu came to meet the woman. "So how did your trip go?"
"It went well. The stores were running a sale on daikon this weekend," the woman said with a smile. "Akitsu, would you be a dear and place these on the counter in the kitchen."
"Yes, Lady Asama," the busty geisha said dilegently as she was handed the bags from the landlady.
"Well, I better get going," Kai said as he went to the front door.
"Hey, wait a minute," Uzume said. "Where are you running off to?"
"Shinagawa," Kai replied promptly. "There's some job openings down there that I want to apply for. I figured I should wait for Miya to get back before I went anywhere."
"Well, it's good to see that you're taking the initiative," Miya responded. "I was afraid that you would end up lying around the house all day. Isn't that right, Uzume?"
As the landlady turned to the brunette with a wide grin, the young woman sheepishly chuckled. "Yeah… That would be a real shame…" Uzume said as she rubbed the back of her neck. Kai smiled as he watched the brunette's response, enjoying the anxiety that overtook her.
"If I remember, Shinagawa is in the Minato prefecture," Haihane asked. "That district is pretty close to Chuo, the one where Shiro lives, isn't it?"
"More or less," Kai said.
"Since you're leaving so soon, perhaps I should make you some lunch before you go," Miya suggested.
"Thanks, but I'll be fine," Kai said. "Besides, I should get going as soon as possible."
"Well then, I'll be going with you," Haihane said. "I can't stand here and let you go off on your own."
"Unacceptable," Akitsu promptly replied as she returned to the room. The busty woman gave the shinobi a stern, piercing glare. "After what befell Master Kai earlier due to your negligence, I will not allow you to place him at risk again."
"Jeez, you're a pain," an agitated Haihane snapped. "How about you chill out already, Freezer Boobs. That happened a long time ago and Kai has since forgiven me." The Indigo Sekirei then grabbed onto her Ashikabi with a wide smirk. "Isn't that right, lover?"
As Akitsu continued to glower over her partner's behavior, Kai let out an exasperated sigh. Being in the middle of the two Sekirei's disagreement caused his migraine to return. "Do you two really have to do this?" the youth asked in an annoyed tone. "You guys know that I can go on my own, right?" Wanting to be saved, the black male turned to Miya for support. "Miya, a little help here?"
Miya chuckled to herself as she saw the helpless swordsman caught between the two bickering girls. "Actually, I think it would be a good idea to have one of the girls go with you. Who knows what could happen out there if you're by yourself."
"I get where you're coming from, Miya, but…"
Kai's rebuttal ended abruptly as the landlady silenced the group with her signature hannya mask. The young man's body paled in fear as the demonic figure's eyes peered deep into his soul. "I'm sure it would be rude to deny the company of either of those girls," the landlady chimed with a playful smile and deceptively cheerful voice.
When the mask vanished, Kai returned to his senses as he chuckled sheepishly. "Uh… Yeah… I guess it wouldn't hurt…" the black male relented as he shrunk from the sight of the giant mask. Kai turned to Akitsu with a light smile. "So Akitsu, are you ready to go?"
"Yes I am, my Ashikabi," the geisha affirmed with a nod.
Haihane scoffed, feeling a little disappointed for not being picked by her Ashikabi. "Fine, you win this round. Just don't do anything strange."
"Strange? What do you mean by that?" a clueless Akitsu asked with a flat stare.
"…Oh, forget it." Haihane said, deciding to drop the subject before she gave her partner any ideas. The grey-haired ninja left her Ashikabi's side and rejoined Uzume.
"You two have fun out there," the tomboy said playful with a slight chuckle. "Don't stay out for too long, you lovebirds."
"Oh, ha ha," Kai said sarcastically as he watched the two retreat into the living room. Already, he could hear the girls resuming gameplay and throwing taunts at one another. With Akitsu accompanying him, the black Ashikabi slipped into his shoes and opened the door. "Later, Miya," Kai said.
"Come back safe, you two," Miya called with a smile. The duo gave a nod as the lavender-haired woman went to the kitchen to prepare for dinner. Kai and Akitsu left the house and went down the street as they hoped to catch a ride to their destination.
Meanwhile in a distant section of the city, Yahan was also making her way southbound to the same prefecture. After completing her mission for M.B.I.'s chairman, Minaka gave the dark-skinned woman a lead that she took to heart. "If you want to know where the girl is, just head to the port. My sources indicate that there's an old friend down there that might have a clue. All you need to do is pick her brain."
"An old friend of his? Whoever it is, she's the only person who has any idea where I can find Aka," Yahan thought with a determined expression. The woman sped hastily across the skyline with a ninja's grace, using her agility and reflexes to leap onto buildings and over streets that were stories below. However, the gypsy-like woman felt the presence of another Sekirei. She glanced to the left and saw another Sekirei heading in the same direction as her.
She appeared to be a young woman with cream-colored skin and short blonde hair that had a single bang wrapped in a light blue hair band. The female's clothes were a stark contrast to Yahan's, wearing a red shirt beneath a short white jacket with breast pockets, red fingerless gloves, a red full skirt with a yellow waistline, thick dark brown stockings, and red and white sneakers. Held in her right hand was a ranseur (a European pole weapon armed with a trio of sharp spikes). The girl leered back at the shadow traveler with a mix of wariness and disfavor. As soon as their sights linked, the two Sekirei slid to a stop as they continued their staring contest. "Yahan," the blonde woman murmured with displeasure.
"Kuruse, a displeasure as always," Yahan said in a nonchalant voice. She folded her arms and watched the young girl carefully. "So what brings you this far south in the city?"
"You know exactly why I'm here," Kuruse responded definitively. "To stop you from finding the girl."
Yahan scoffed at the remark. "How pretentious," Yahan chided. "Drop the act. I know you only want me out of the way so you can take the child yourself."
"Only to keep the child safe. You and I both know what the girl is able to do. Which is why I won't allow her to fall into the wrong hands."
"I'll agree with you on that. It would be a shame for the child to be used as a tool. That is why I'm going to find her first so you don't have the chance to do so."
"Now who's being pretentious," Kuruse shot back as she stood in a defensive position. Yahan readied herself for battle as she grabbed the hilt of her dagger hidden in her sarong belt behind her back. Both Sekirei eyed one another down, watching for the either an opportunity to attack.
After a small breeze swept past the two, both women quickly leapt for the attack. As Kuruse swung her weapon forth to catch the enemy, Yahan drew her dagger and blocked the opponent's strike. The two hovered in the air for a brief second with the blonde girl pressing her weapon against the guarding Yahan. Knowing that her opponent had an upperhand due to range, the dark-skinned Sekirei broke the lock and kick the spear away before returning to her roof. However, the blonde dove right after her and swung her weapon . Yahan quickly backflipped from the attack before leaping ahead in retaliation. Kuruse blocked the woman's swipe with the pole and pushed her away and then drove the weapon at her attack. Using her agility, Yahan evaded Kuruse's thrusts before distancing herself from the ranceur's range.
It was a stalemate as both female combatants studied each other closely. Between Kuruse's range and Yahan's speed, the two seemed to be on equal footing. However, Yahan knew from experience that this wasn't the case. On the rare times she and Kuruse met, the raven-haired gypsy was privy to her rival's unique ability. By using the sun's rays and feeding off of it's photons, Kuruse's powers doubled in strength. If that wasn't enough, Yahan's own powers at this time were cut in half. Yahan gritted her teeth from the unfair advantage her opponent possessed. Had this battle taken place later, the dark Sekirei was sure the battle would have ended in her favor.
With a loud battle cry, Kuruse resumed the assault as she swung her weapon with the skill of a lancer. The girl's attacks were quick and powerful, forcing Yahan to stay in defense. She blocked and dodged, though it was a blow to the stomach from the blunt end of the polearm that caught her. Seeing her chance, Kuruse charged ahead and struck her rival with a powerful swing to her side. Yahan toppled to the ground from the enemy's attack and slowly raised her head to deliver the foe a tense glare. Kuruse stood confident as she stood her weapon beside her and kept a focused gaze on her target. Though she had reservations over eliminating Yahan, the blonde Sekirei believed that there was no choice. "I'm sorry it has to end like this," Kuruse said apologetically before pointed her three-pronged spear at the rival. "This is for the good of the child."
Yahan's gaze fell onto the ground as her opponent slowly approached her. Though instead of pleading for mercy, a small grin grew upon her lips. "I'm sure it is," she said in a low tone. The woman then shot her gaze back at the blonde before adding, "Which is why I won't give in!" Before Kuruse could react, the dark-skinned woman fired a small round of dark energy at the foe. Kuruse rapidly spun her weapon to cancel out the enemy's attack. Seeing that her diversion was a success, Yahan used the opportunity to close the distance. She drew her dagger from the sheath behind her back and aimed at Kuruse's face. The blonde girl managed to pull her head away from the stroke, but was unable to block the retaliatory kick to the gut that knocked her backward. "Now's my chance," an exhausted Yahan surmised as she glanced at the stunned Kuruse. Realizing discretion was the better part of valor, the dark Sekirei quickly retreated from the roof. "I wouldn't mind finally being rid of her, but there's no way I would survive. Escape is my only option."
Once Kuruse recovered from the kick, the blonde Sekirei turned her attention back to the fleeing Yahan. Seeing this, the ranseur wielder pursued the dark-skinned gypsy to the next roof over in hopes of stopping her. However, the time between the attack and reaction, though brief, was enough to give Yahan a good lead and kept it up with her speed. In front of her, the woman saw a large billboard with an equally large silhouette painting a roof surface behind it. "There's my way out," she devised. "I need to get over that shadow. Then I can go ahead and regroup."
"I won't let you get away!" Kuruse called as she became wise to her target's plan. Knowing that she would be unable to catch her, the blonde Sekirei decided to play her trump card. Jumping into the air, the woman threw her polearm at the enemy. As the weapon closed in, it was enveloped by a sudden flash of light before splitting into numerous copies. Yahan glanced behind her and saw the oncoming barrage plummeting at her. Yahan increased her speed as the ranseur storm closed its distance. The dark-skinned woman heard the sounds of each weapon impacting into the surface behind her and closing in. Once she arrived on the edge of the roof, Yahan leaped to the next roof just as one of the spears his the ground where she stood. As soon as she landed on the shadow, the woman opened a portal within the darkness and dove in, narrowly missing one last spear. Kuruse landed just as her special attack ended and plucked the ranseur from the roof which caused the other spears to vanish in small flashes. She stared at the shadow before her with a stern glance, knowing just how close she was to defeating her rival. The girl let out a small sigh. "She's long gone," the blonde woman said as she watched the cityscape. "Now then, it's time I find the girl." Kuruse left the large billboard's shadow and continued in the direction she was going before her detour. There was no reason staying when she had an objective to complete.
Unbeknownst to the blonde, Yahan below her in an alley seven stories below. The dark Sekirei watched as her foe continue off to the next roof. The gypsy Sekirei sighed in relief that she had escaped yet another run-in with her long time rival. Had she stayed up there, her termination would have been imminent. She pressed her back against the wall and slumped down to the ground. All the woman could now do was sit back and lick her wounds before continuing on her search. "Aka… I will find you. Just wait for me."
Author's Note 2: Well, there it is. I hope you all are happy. Now I guess you're wondering what clothes Haihane was given. Or rather, you're wondering what point are the clothes in the first place. Well remember, when I write stories, I try to imagine it not just as a televised series, but as a game with numerous quests and bonus material. These alternate costumes are included in the category and most of them reflect the attribute of the character. Though there will be a few which may enhance certain stats.
Anyway, I hoped you liked the inclusion of Karasuba in the story. With her, I thought it would be cool if she shared a past with Haihane. After all, they both have some general similarities that are too hard to ignore: both are grey-haired women who live for battle and are connected to the Disciplinary Squad in some way. For her personality, I wanted to keep it similar to the storyline. While it is still early in the story, you can see that she does have a few of these traits that might appear later on.
Now with the interaction between Yahan and Kuruse. It's clear that they're both on the trail for the kid (as well as Yahan and her Ashikabi wanting to capture and wing Kuruse). In this story, both of them have the same goal in mind: Find the girl and stop the other from getting her. Though here's a question: which one is the supposed bad guy? Or rather are either of them villainous at all?lol
Well, that's all I have for now. I promise you that the next chapter will have more thrills and surprises. Remember viewers, read and review!