With a single slash of his sword the earth began to shake. Down below the asphalt street was shredded and torn apart as huge chunks of cement and rock were sent flying upwards like some kind of bizarre reveres meteor shower. The half completed building they were crumpled as the cement foundation was also torn away in great pieces and sent flying upwards. Kazehana leapt into the air with the greatest of ease, flying about while trying to avoid the rocks being aimed at her. They were too big and moving too fast to block with a normal air shield. She was instead forced to create several powerful whirlwinds to knock them aside.

Mutsu leapt off the collapsing skyscraper and down onto a much shorter neighboring building. He'd known his opening attack wouldn't get her; she'd always been faster with her ability than he'd been with his. Air was her element just as the earth was his. As long as she was airborne she had the advantage. There was probably no way for him to take her down

Not alone anyway.

He slashed with his sword again, working his power a little differently. This time instead of huge rocks the earth spat up tons and tons of dirt and finely crushed rock up into the air. The same whirlwinds that she had created to shield her now sucked in the debris and filled the air all around, temporarily blinding her.

Not good! Kazehana thought. This must have been his plan all along. Even though she could not see she could still sense the other sekirei he had brought along. They were all moving towards her.

Out of the dirt storm a blonde girl with a whip appeared. "I'll get you!" She cried happily.

"I'm afraid you're not my type," Kazehana replied. She flipped backwards through the dirt and dust away from her.

She saw a second figure moving through the dirt cloud. She didn't get a good look at her opponent before a hail if knives came at her. These she blocked with a wave of her hand that erected a wind barrier. The knives hit and then bounced away harmlessly.

She then turned around to take on the third opponent. The dirt cleared away enough to give her a quick glimpse of a very young boy with silver colored hair. He gave her a deeply troubled look as he held out his hand. "I'm sorry."

Whoever he was he used his power at full force and she was too close to dodge it. Kazehana screamed in pain as her clothes were shredded and her body felt as if she'd been dipped into acid. Not just her skin but her insides were burning and crying out in pain. By some miracle she stayed conscious as she plummeted towards the ground. Just before impact a huge mound of soft earth appeared. She crashed into it and cried out again, then she slipped into unconsciousness.

XXXXXXXXXX

From the main window of his apartment Minato saw a building collapse and a huge amount of dust appear. "It's an earthquake!"

To his surprise all his sekirei, even Kusano, shook their heads.

"It is not an earthquake Minato-sama," Akizu said dully. "It's a sekirei battle."

"One between a couple strong ones too!" Benitsubasa sounded excited.

"It's a fight between single numbers," Karasuba said with certainty. There was an eager look in her eye. "Only the single ones can fight like this."

Minato looked back at the empty space where a building had stood just a minute before. He'd seen up close the vast difference between Karasuba and the others. The thought of two sekirei that strong going at it in the middle of Tokyo… "That would be really bad," he said worriedly.

"It was bound to happen Min-chan," Karasuba told him pleasantly. "Since the sekirei have to fight until there is only one left. I didn't think it would happen during stage one is all." She had a bloodthirsty smile. "Seeing this makes me excited."

Whenever Karasuba smiled like that it usually meant blood was about to start flowing.

"Let's go out and take a look!" Benitsubasa said eagerly.

"No," Minato answered. "Whatever is going on out here has nothing to do with the Disciplinary Squad."

Benitsubasa looked disappointed but he hardly cared. He was looking at Karasuba for her reaction. He was relieved to see the smile replaced by her normal sly grin. Since she wasn't trying to leave he took that for acceptance.

Looking back out he hoped there wouldn't be too much more damage to the capitol.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Wow! Her breasts are huge!" Mikogami said as Mutsu set him down. Kazehana was still lying there, naked and unmoving. The other sekirei were gathered around her.

Mutsu sighed. "Please hurry up and wing her, you'll be able to admire them as much as you want later." He really hated having had to do this to her. He hoped she would forgive him.

Mikogami knelt down in the dirt beside her. "This is so great! Getting a new toy always makes me happy!" As he leaned down to kiss her a single finger came up to block his lips.

"Not on the first date," Kazehana said and opened her eyes. Pulling her index finger back she flicked it into his forehead and sent him flying about ten feet.

"Ow!" He cried as she landed.

Jumping to her feet she winced in pain, she was seriously hurting. Despite that she used all the strength she had left to whistle up a gale that sent the dirt and dust she'd been lying on flying into Mutsu's and everyone else's face. She then ran as fast as she could towards the only place where she would be safe.

XXXXXXXXXX

Even though she was escaping protecting his ashikabi was his top priority. Mutsu got over to Mikogami to shield him from the dirt flying about. The wind settled after a bit and they found themselves alone except for his other sekirei.

"Where'd she go?!" Mikogami looked around angrily.

"I told you she wouldn't be easy to capture," Mutsu said.

"Get her!" He screamed. "I really want her! Don't let her get away!"

Mutsu's gaze drifted towards the M.B.I.'s clock face. "Don't worry; I know where she's going."

XXXXXXXXXX

Whatever power that boy had it had really hurt her. She couldn't fly at the moment. She wasn't sure she could even whistle up a light breeze. In her condition fighting Mutsu was out of the question. Escape was her only option, and so long as she couldn't fly she doubted there was any way she could do that either. His senses were as sharp as hers and she could already feel him and the others giving chase.

That left her one option… finding sanctuary.

In all of Tokyo there was only one place where sekirei were forbidden to fight. And that was in M.B.I. Tower. Sekirei were not supposed to return there once they were released, except to receive medical treatment. She definitely qualified. If she could just make it to the Tower she would be safe, at least for awhile.

Racing over the roof tops and leaping over the streets below she felt herself getting tired. Along with the physical pain she was in was the hurt from Mutsu's betrayal. He really would have let that childish boy force her, even knowing how she felt. She respected his reasons while condemning his actions; he was after all doing this for his ashikabi. But it still hurt to have someone she thought of as a dear friend turn on her.

Even hurt as she was five miles vanished in less than five minutes. She reached the plaza and ran for the building entrance with the last of her fading strength.

That was when the bricks and stone beneath her feet exploded and sent her flying. She felt her right thigh break and a couple of ribs snap as she landed and skidded to a bloody stop about ten yards in front of the door. Looking up she could see the terrified faces of the employees staring out in horror.

She wanted to laugh. She was this close, but with her leg broken there was no way she could get to the door now. Even though it was useless she began to drag herself forward.

"Please stop Kazehana," he called out. "It's over. You'll get to like Mikogami once you get to know him."

"I won't be forced into something I don't want," she growled and dragged herself another couple feet. It was useless but she still tried.

"Kazehana…" Mutsu was walking towards her when he suddenly had to leap back. Javelins of ice slammed into the ground at his feet.

Startled he looked up to see five sekirei leaping down between him and Kazehana. He was very surprised to see Karasuba was one of them. In her arms was a man in a black business suit, it didn't take much guess work to figure out he had to be their ashikabi.

Karasuba glanced at Kazehana who was still crawling and leaving a blood trail. She then turned to Mutsu. "Yara, yara, it feels like a reunion, all that's missing is the death goddess and the pervert."

"This doesn't involve the Disciplinary Squad," Mutsu said carefully eying his opposition.

"Yes it does," the ashikabi said loudly. "It's my job to enforce all rules pertaining to the Sekirei Plan. One of those is no fighting at M.B.I. Tower."

"She's not in the Tower," Mutsu pointed out.

"She's on the grounds and that's enough."

"Who says?!" Mutsu demanded angrily. Having come this far he damn well didn't want to return with nothing.

"I say!" The ashikabi shot back. Minato went over to the wounded girl and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at him with her violet eyes.

"It's all right," he said gently. "I'll protect you now," he promised. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Kazehana felt an intense heat fill her chest and it had nothing to do with her wounds. Whoever this was she could see the strong resemblance to her first love, but his gentle caring words, the way his eyes looked into hers with such warmth and compassion! "I believe you," she said in a daze. "Please take good care of me." Her wounds and her sudden reaction to him were too much and she fell unconscious.

As this was going on Shiina, Mitsuha, and Takagi arrived.

"Shiina-kun!" Kusano called out.

"Ku-chan!" He instinctively took a step towards her.

"Where do you think you're going Shiina?" Mutsu asked. "They're the enemy."

"Enemy?" He asked weakly looking at Kusano.

Mutsu looked at the ashikabi. Maybe he could intimidate him into stepping aside. "I have no argument with you or with M.B.I. but my ashikabi has sent me to retrieve number three and I mean to do that no matter what!"

"Sounds like fun!" Karasuba drew her sword.

Minato's immediate response was to hurry over to Benitsubasa and Haihane and give each of them a quick kiss causing wings of light to appear. He then turned to face Mutsu. "I have number four on my side and a lot more besides, I don't see your ashikabi here so there's no way you can use a norito. If you don't leave here right now I'll order my squad to kill all of you."

"Oniichan! What about Shiina-kun!"

He looked at Ku-chan and felt his heart ache. "I'm sorry Ku-chan."

The little girl understood and looked on the verge of tears.

Minato turned back to face his opposite number. "What's it going to be?"

The way Karasuba and a couple of the others were grinning he was sure they would attack if their ashikabi gave the word. He thought he could hold his own against Karasuba, but he didn't think the others would have much of a chance against the rest.

"All right, we'll withdraw, but Minaka will receive an official protest about this."

"Oh please no, anything but that." Minato said in a mocking voice as he pulled out a cigarette. Karasuba, Benitsubasa, and Haihane all laughed and even Akizu had a slight smile.

"Come on," Mutsu called out feeling deeply humiliated. "We'll retreat for now."

As they turned to go Shiina cast a last look at Kusano.

"Shiina-kun!" The little girl cried out.

With a shake of his head he left with the others.

Minato tried to comfort her but Kusano pulled away from him instead.

What a bloody mess, he thought. He called in the medics and Kazehana was brought inside.