One again thanks to Beta Ikrani

Samantha S Dracul: Once again thanks, your support is greatly appreciated.

Derekrichey23: Thank you I will.

agirl00z: I'm glad you like the way I have designed Saya and glad you are on board with my female Ashikabi.

VauseAgron35: I'm glad you are enjoying the story and I will reveal Kazehana's fate in the next chapter.

As mentioned above I will reveal the results of the poll in the next chapter.

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"In other news, MBI militia has started seizing control of all roads leading out of the city."

After the excitement last night, of rescuing Yahan and Kazehana's rather abrupt entrance into my apartment, I woke up at my usual time. I guess my body is just used to getting up early to go to work. After doing my morning routine, I had to come downstairs and am now watching the morning news.

'So, 90% of the Sekirei have found their Ashikabi,' I think to myself, realizing that Minaka had started Stage 2.

"We now go live to MBI headquarters, where we have gotten an exclusive interview with Minaka Hiroto, Chief Executive Officer and founder of MBI."

The news cuts over to a live feed of Minaka, who is sitting at his desk in his office. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Many of you are probably wondering why I have started closing off the exits to the city. I can assure you that everything is fine, but soon the city will become the stage for a grand performance."

Minaka's words only assure me that I was right in my assumptions.

"Fret not dear people, the checkpoints I have set up are designed to impair only the participants of this performance. Anyone that is not a part of this is free to come and go as they please. For any participants watching this, I will have a nice announcement for you within the hour."

The video of Minaka goes black, before it cuts back to the news. As the reporter starts speaking again I hear a voice from behind me. "Fuck, my head… It's like someone inside is hitting it with a thousand tiny hammers..."

I look back to see Kazehana at the bottom of the steps. She was clutching her head in pain. Considering how drunk she was last night, I can only imagine what her hangover is like. "How are you feeling, Kazehana?"

"Other than the fact that my head feels like it's ready to explode, I'm fine," she replies as she walks up, behind me.

As she says that, Haruhime comes from the bathroom. "Oh my god, you're up! I was so worried."

"Yes, I'll be fine," Kazehana says, turning towards Haruhime.

"Great! By the way, I'm Number Twenty-Five, Haruhime! What's your name, and number? And type, if it's okay to ask?"

I could tell that Haruhime was extremely excited. She always seems to like meeting new people, she's like a big kid.

"Number Three, Kazehana. It's nice to meet you. As for my powers..." She mischievously holds a hand to her mouth. "I'm an element-type."

"Ooo, really? Which element?"

"The element... of surprise."

Haruhime laughs as Akitsu looks over from the TV. "Number Seven Akitsu," she says, turning back almost instantly.

Yahan, who had insisted on making breakfast, yells from the kitchen,

"Number Fifty-Seven Yahan!"

Kazehana winces, clutching her forehead. It's then that Matsu comes out of her room, stopping dead in her tracks when she notices our guest. "What are you doing here, Kazehana?"

Kazehana seems less hungover when she sees her. "Ahh, Matsu. Long time no see! How have you been?"

"Fine, but answer the question!" Matsu replies, raising her voice.

Back to Hangover, Germany she goes, wincing again. "Is that any way to treat an old friend? But if you must know, I was in the neighborhood after having a little bit too much to drink last night. This young lady-" She points to me. "-was kind enough to take me in."

Matsu doesn't look like she buys that story. "Fine, I suppose you can stay." She says as she crosses her arms," Just don't get in my way!"

"I wouldn't dream of it. I do, however, wonder what you are doing here, Matsu. Shouldn't you be hiding from Minaka at Izumo Inn?"

"Stage Two of the Sekirei Plan has begun, so I hardly think hiding will do me good anymore." Matsu walks over in front of me, blocking the TV from my view. "Besides, I'm here because my Ashikabi is here."

She reaches in and gives me a small kiss on the lips, causing her wings to appear behind her back. It's almost as if she was trying to prove to Kazehana that I was hers.

"My my, Matsu. Who knew you'd end up with a female Ashikabi?"

"And what's wrong with that?" She says with a look of annoyance, like she is ready to slap Kazehana for questioning her choice to make me her Ashikabi.

"Nothing… I just didn't expect it, that's all."

"Breakfast is ready!" Yahan yells from the kitchen. Kazehana's edge is blunted by her hangover. I silently thank Yahan for having the perfect timing, before something escalated between Matsu and Kazehana. There seems to be a lot of tension between Matsu and Kazehana, maybe it had to do with their history together as part of the first generation Disciplinary Squad. I don't know much about that generation of the Squad as it pretty much disbanded by the time I began work at MBI. The only thing I really know about it was that its members were Sekirei Numbers One through Five.

I quickly get up from the couch. "You're welcome to join us for breakfast if you want, Kazehana! Yahan was informed that you are here, so she should have made enough for you as well."

"Thank you! By the way, I didn't catch your name."

"Shirayuki Saya."

"Well then, Saya, I'd be happy to join you for breakfast!"

Without even thinking I grab Kazehana's hand and pull her into the dining room. Once inside, I lead her to a chair and let go of her hand, pulling the seat out and motioning for her to sit down.

"Why, thank you, Saya!" Kazehana says as she slides into the chair.

"You're welcome, Kazehana." I move towards my own chair. Matsu quickly snatches up the seat on my left, with Haruhime on her left. Kazehana is seated on my right, so Akitsu takes the seat on her right.

Yahan comes in with breakfast, and her idea of breakfast was much different then Miya's. She carries a large platter of waffles, sausage links, a large bowl of scrambled eggs and a couple of large bottles of syrup. She sets the food on the table, before quickly disappearing and coming back with 6 plates and a handful of silverware.

"Everyone dig in!" Yahan says after setting down the plates and sitting next to Akitsu.

"Itadakimasu!" Haruhime says, before piling a little bit of everything on her plate. She quickly douses the whole thing in syrup.

I quickly grab myself some sausage and waffles, but go a lot lighter on the syrup than Haruhime. I take a bite and once again Yahan had outdone herself. "Wow, Ya-chan, I could definitely get used to your cooking."

"Thanks, Saya," she replies. "That means a lot."

I turn to look at Kazehana, as I'm curious as to how she ended up on my balcony. "So Kazehana, what happened last night?"

She turns to me. "It's a rather long story."

"Oh! I like stories! Please tell it!" Haruhime says before taking a bite of her syrup-drenched waffles.

"Very well," Kazehana replies. "It all started about three days ago. I was on my way to my favorite bar. When I saw a Sekirei battle going on, I stopped for a few to watch. The first Sekirei had a man who I assume was her Ashikabi watching her fight. Her skin was slightly tanned and she had short spiky black hair. She wore an all-black get-up, just a bikini top and pants. She was using claw knife weapons."

Kazehana takes a bite of some eggs before continuing. "Her opponent was the one that caught my eye, though. She was a Sekirei I knew all too well. She was the Sekirei of Veils-"

"Uzume!" I yell, instantly recognizing Uzume's epithet.

"Yeah, that's right! Do you know her?" I'm glad to see Kazehana getting over her hangover.

"Well not really… but I'm supposed to be her Ashikabi. I dream about her every night, and I've been searching for her for a while now. So, what happened between you and her? Where is she now?"

"Right, where was I… Ah, right! So Uzume made pretty quick work of her opponent, but then was surrounded by five other Sekirei. While the Ashikabi grieved the loss of one of his numbers, Uzume managed to break out and use her veils to slingshot off a light post. She just barely escaped, with a little help from me, of course."

"What did she say after you saved her?"

"Well, I questioned her about why she was fighting when she hadn't found her Ashikabi." Kazehana smiled and rested an arm on the table, her mass of cleavage almost tipping her plate. "Care to guess her reply? No? She said, 'I already found my Ashikabi, or rather I know who it is and just need to locate them.' Apparently, she'd been having vivid dreams about her Ashikabi. I can only assume you're the one she was dreaming about."

Kazehana's words caused me to nearly choke on my food. She knew me and has been having the same dreams. "Mistress, are you okay?"

Akitsu's voice causes me to look up. Everyone is staring at me. "Yes… I'm fine. Do you know where she is now, Kazehana?"

"Back at Izumo Inn, I presume. After I saved her, I made her buy me sake as a way to pay me back. That was last night. The next thing I know, I wake up here."

Almost as if on cue, my cell phone vibrates. I pull it out and look at the number calling. I don't recognize the number, but decide to answer anyway. "Hello!"

"Yeah, sorry to bother you so early in the morning, but it's Sahashi Minato!"

"Ahh, ohayō, Minato. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

"Yeah! I was calling to let you know that Uzume is here!"

"What?! Really?! Let me speak to her!" There is a small moment of silence that feels like an eternity.

"Saya …" I finally hear the voice that I had been dreaming about for the last year. " …Oh my god is it really you?"

"Yes… it's me, Uzume! I… I… can't believe I'm finally getting to talk to you after so long. Since that day, when you and Matsu-chan escaped, not a moment has gone by that you haven't been on my mind."

"Yeah… It's been the same for me. I spent the last year searching for you, hoping I could find you in the city. I started to get worried I would never find you, and then…"

"Don't worry, Uzume, you stay right where you are. I will be over as soon as possible."

"I'll be waiting for you like Hestia waits for Bell to come back from the dungeon."

It takes me a minute or two before I finally hang up the phone. I didn't want to hang it up, but I knew it would only be a small matter of time before I could finally hold her in my arms, before I could finally be Uzume's Ashikabi.

"Ya-chan! Thank you, your food was amazing as ever, but I have to go!"

"I understand, Saya, go! Go wing Uzume!"

"Right! Akitsu-chan and Haru-chan with me!"

They both get up from the table and quickly follow me outside to the living room. As I approach the elevator, a voice sounds behind me, "Hello, Ms. Shirayuki!"

My heart is telling me 'Fuck Minaka and go see Uzume,' but my mind says it is in my best interest to listen.

"I trust you're having a wonderful morning," he says in his normal eccentric attitude.

I turn to look at him. "Can we speed this up, Minaka?! I have somewhere I have to be!"

"Right, right, of course! I won't take up but the moment of your time. I just thought you'd want to know about a little contest I'm having, to kick off the start of Stage Two. I'm sure you've heard rumors of the unwingable Veiled Sekirei."

"Uzume!"

"Good, you have heard of her. Well, I happen to know that she is at a place in the north side of the city, called Izumo Inn. She is the prize for this little contest, the first one to make it to Izumo Inn and claim the Veiled Sekirei wins."

"Nooooo! Minaka, that's not fair! She is mine! I saw her that day she left MBI, and I've been dreaming about her ever since."

"Well then, you better get a move on Ms. Shirayuki! Go claim what is yours, before someone else does." Minaka disappears from the TV.

"Ya-chan, you're coming, too! If we are going to Uzume then I will need all my Sekirei."

I press the button for the elevator.

"Wait!"

I turn to look at Matsu, as she places something in my hand. I look down to see a small earpiece. "I'm not very good at combat, but with this I can provide you with tactical support. Now, I won't keep you waiting any longer. Go save Uzume and bring her home."

"I'm coming, too," Kazehana says, stepping into the elevator. "I won't allow my new drinking friend to end up with some pervert!"