Wow. I have to admit, I was strongly surprised by the positive reaction to Spreading Wings' first chapter. I shouldn't be, given Star Wars' popularity. But I'm glad. Hopefully, this will become a full fic. Keep in mind, though, this won't be about Anakin and Obi-Wan curbstomping the opposition: their Force powers, while more varied, aren't quite at the same level of some of the more ridiculously powerful Sekirei (*cough*, Karasuba and Miya, *cough*). But they still have the Jedi Mind Trick, and other abilities.

Now, I copied and pasted a lot, as mentioned in the annotations, of this chapter from Madness, Chaos and Wagtails, my abortive Cthulhu Mythos crossover. Hey, why waste good bits from a fic that you're not publishing fully?

An idle thought, brought about by my mild interest in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: I reckon that Sono Chi No Sadame, the first theme for the anime series, does sort of describe Obi-Wan and Anakin. Listen to Jonathan Young's cover of the song, and tell me I'm wrong.

SPREADING WINGS

CHAPTER 2:

ENMESHED IN A MADMAN'S SCHEME

Takami wanted to strangle her boss, Minaka Hiroto, for a number of reasons. For the insane Sekirei Game he thought up based on a perversion of Takehito Asama's Sekirei Plan, for his megalomania, for his managing to seduce her and impregnate her, not once, but twice. Oh, and there was that insane cackle of his that never failed to grate on her.

But at the moment, she wanted to strangle him because he had made it a decree for the alarms in MBI HQ to be based on those from that British panel show QI, and the alarms made it seem like they were caught in a time loop with Alan Davies having just made the wrong answer.

After shouting at the technicians to give her some information other than 'AWOOGA! AWOOGA! AWOOGA!' (which was admittedly what the alarms were doing rather than the technicians, but she couldn't hear the technicians thanks to the alarms), she finally got some answers once the cacophony had died down, and her ears had stopped ringing. "It's Number 07, Dr Sahashi!" one hapless technician (chosen by fate…well, drawing straws, and the game was rigged to make him a sacrifice to appease the angry deity that was Takami Sahashi) exclaimed. "She's…well, she's been…"

Takami realised what he meant with a sinking feeling. Rather too calmly, in a flat tone, she said, "Akitsu's been Winged, hasn't she?"

"Umm…yes, ma'am," the technician said, hoping beyond hope that he would get through this night without his balls mashed into testicular pâté.

"How? Who?" While still quiet, her inflection had now an incredulous and irritable edge to it, suggesting that the hapless technician wasn't quite out of the woods yet.

"…We don't know. Either of those things," the technician admitted.

Takami sighed quietly, trying very hard not to lose her temper. She wouldn't attack the technician, but if Minaka decided to make himself known…

"YES! THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE SEKIREI GAME NEEDS!"

Speak of the devil, and he's at your shoulder, groaned Takami inwardly. Skating in on roller blades and asking 'did anyone order a LARGE HAM?!'

Without looking, she thrust out her fist. It impacted part of his face with a satisfying crunch, and sent him flying into a nearby bank of computers, which immediately started playing Minaka's own take on the Caramelldansen video…featuring the Sekirei.

"We're looking at CCTV cameras in the area. I think we've just found him," the technician said hurriedly, though he was pleased that his insane boss copped the wrath of Typhoon Takami than himself. A picture appeared of a pair of Causcasians, one with short blonde hair with a strange braid dangling from one side, the other with neck-length brown hair and a beard, both rather handsome. And both were dressed in heavy robes that had a vaguely Asian style…though they were nothing like she had seen, outside conventions with cosplayers. And she knew for a fact that there was no convention in town. She'd made sure of that herself, to Minaka's displeasure. She didn't want the cosplayers to get confused for Sekirei and forcibly kiss them.

Then, she remembered the reports of two objects falling from the skies in the same region Akitsu was Winged. Objects that had taken off shortly afterwards. Minaka wouldn't shut up about them.

"Which one is the Ashikabi?" Takami demanded.

"The younger one, the blonde," the tech said. The boy had rather intense features on him. "No IDs yet in any known database. It's like they've…"

"Dropped out of the sky?"

"…Not the words I was going to use, but yes."

"Great!" Minaka yelled as he got off the keyboard bank he had been punched onto.

"How is this at all great?" Takami said.

"Because I said so!" Another blow to the head from Takami, and he said, "No thank you, garçon, I believe I will order a bedpan and a vivarium full of tsuchinokos instead." Yet another blow, and he slurred, "And tomorrow's forecast, there will be a shower of sharks. Flurgen." With that coherent last word, he sagged to the floor. Still bearing a grin that looked like he wanted to kill Batman.

"Umm, ma'am? Why do you keep hitting him like that?" the technician asked.

"Percussive maintenance," Takami said. "I'm sure that one day, it will work out, and I'll hit him back into sanity. Or render him catatonic, so that I can actually run MBI properly." She shrugged. "Either way is fine."

The gathered technicians nodded sagely. At least there was method to Takami's madness. Whereas there was no real method to Minaka's. Then again, there was a workplace cliché that one didn't need to be mad to work here, but it helped. It certainly helped here.

"I want anything you can pull up on this new Ashikabi," Takami said, as she sat down on a chair, and used the comatose body of her former lover (acts she had regretted to this day) and present boss as a footstool. Might as well take advantage of this while it lasted. "I want to know his name, phone number, how often he goes to the goddamned toilet. I don't like being kept in the dark!"

Anakin sneezed, and then frowned. He wasn't getting a cold, was he?

Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation, having draped his outer robes around Akitsu's body for modesty's sake before they started walking. "So, allow me to summarise our predicament, as you have told us. You are not a native of this world, but rather, a human-like species dubbed by the natives as a 'Sekirei', who are able to instinctively find compatible bond-mates, whom you call 'Ashikabi'. Your spaceship was discovered some years ago by scientists, and while your original intentions were to integrate with the populace, given genetic similarities, the leader of this Mid-Bio Informatics corporation has conscripted you, as well as your bond-mates, into a tournament. All for some ill-defined prize, to 'ascend'. Have I recited the salient parts?"

"…Yes," Akitsu said softly.

After a moment's contemplation, Obi-Wan muttered sardonically, "And here I was worried about getting bored while our starfighters are being repaired. Though whatever they did to you, Akitsu, was barbaric."

"Master, I…" Anakin began, only for Obi-Wan to cut him off with a wave.

"It's fine, Anakin. My control slipped in sheer surprise. It is not your fault, especially if these Sekirei are hardwired to seek out a bond. And we're incommunicado for now, so we have time to think about what to tell the Jedi Council. Their reactions won't be good either way. But Akitsu, why did your people come to be here in the first place?"

"…I don't know," the former Scrapped Number said in her quiet tone. "I only know what I heard from the scientists adjusting me. Others came here in the past. The children of Sekirei and Ashikabi's became known to the legends of this world as heroes and gods. Many Ashikabis of the modern day are thought to be descendants of those children. There may be one of us who knows more, but I don't know where she is."

"Who is that?" Anakin asked.

"Number 01, the Pillar," Akitsu said. "She does not participate in the Sekirei Plan. She lives somewhere in the city, running a boarding house."

"Then why didn't you go there?"

"…Because I am…was a Scrapped Number," Akitsu said. "I had no money, and many Sekirei would look down on me or fear me for being a Scrapped Number."

"If you can remember where this boarding house is, we'd appreciate it," Obi-Wan said. Looking at Anakin, he said, "We need somewhere to stay while we wait, and considering we have been conscripted into this…uncivilised tournament…"

"The more information, the better?" Anakin asked. Getting a nod from his master, he looked at Akitsu. "Akitsu…do you remember anything about where this Pillar may be?"

"…No. But…I have heard of a Hannya of the North of this city, one who does not suffer the presence of Ashikabi. And I think the Pillar was living with a man called Takehito Asama, before he died."

"Hmm…it's a start," Obi-Wan said.

Takami nodded grimly. Akitsu and her new escorts had been tracked to a phone booth not far away from the park. Sighing, knowing that this meant she would no longer have her footstool, she got off the chair, and kicked Minaka awake. "Wake up you idiot!"

Minaka stirred, his glasses askew. "Wuh? Mummy, it's the weekend. And I stayed up all night playing the latest Dragon Quest game(1)." On his brain fully rebooting, he sat up. "Huh? What happened? And why do I feel like Shizuo Heiwajima beat the shit out of me(2)?"

"Minaka, we found a location where the Ashikabi who Winged Akitsu can be contacted at," Takami said. She also reflected privately that it was impossible for anyone to beat the shit out of Minaka, if only because he was so full of shit in the first place. "I just thought you'd want to go and get yourself ready to do your megalomaniacal nutjob routine."

"Bah! You have no appreciation for the fine and subtle art of making a grand entrance," Minaka huffed, getting to his feet, before striding out. "Make sure that we're ready to transmit to our mystery Ashikabi soon, Takami!"

They soon found, after some searching (and drawing attention for their clothing) a primitive fixed comms booth, a telephone box, Akitsu called it. They were apparently increasingly rare these days, with personal mobile devices more popular. Akitsu, who could read Japanese, was looking through the phonebook for them. Obi-Wan peered at the phone, noting that it even had a camera and a screen, though most calls were apparently audio only.

"I've found the address," Akitsu murmured, before opening the book and flicking through to a map of the city. "I think I know where to go."

Obi-Wan looked at the map. True, he could sense a number of large Force signatures to the north of the city, but that didn't mean much if this Pillar was hiding her power. "Then we'd better get moving," Anakin said.

Before they did so, though, the screen on the phone lit up. It revealed a bizarrely dressed man, at least by the standards of this world, though Obi-Wan knew of a dozen where his style would be considered the height of fashion. White hair, white suit, white cape like something out of a cheesy holovid. His glasses were opaque in the lighting. Bombastic, foreboding organ music played in the background.

And then, he spoke. Well, exclaimed, anyway. "Greetings, to you, mysterious Ashikabi! And congratulations on joining the Sekirei Game!"

"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong number," Anakin said, controlling his anger with difficulty.

"Oh, no I don't! As you're new in town, allow me to introduce myself. I am Hiroto Minaka, the CEO of Mid-Bio Informatics. By Winging Number 07, Akitsu, as impossible as such a feat should have been, you have just been conscripted into the Sekirei Game! The rules are simple: 108 Sekirei have been released into this city. They are to fight until only the last Sekirei and their Ashikabi, whether the Sekirei are singular or plural, are left standing. They then are worthy to ascend."

"We got as much from Miss Akitsu," Obi-Wan said.

"Oh? But did she tell you that you can't tell anyone not in the know about this, otherwise, we might just have to silence them? Oh, and if you try to escape the city…kaboom!"

Obi-Wan and Anakin met Akitsu's ashamed gaze, with her murmuring, "Ah…I forgot."

Anakin glowered at the screen, and Obi-Wan had to admit, he was working to suppress his own anger. True, it was righteous…but it was also seductive, a powerful beckoning to the Dark Side. "Who do you think you are, enslaving these Sekirei?" Anakin growled. "Forcing them and innocent people into participating in this…bloodsport? And for what? Your sick amusement?"

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan chided gently, before returning his gaze to Minaka. "He is not wrong. By what right do you do this to these beings who doubtless wished to integrate with humans in peace?"

Minaka shrugged. "By what right do you have to lecture me? Is it because you yourself come from space? Dear me, how arrogant you are. I guess science fiction with arrogant, advanced aliens who look too much like us was spot on after all. I have earned my way to assuming the role of Games Master of the Sekirei Game. Still, I look forward to your efforts in the Sekirei Game with considerable interest. Oh, but don't spoil my fun too much by breaking the rules. Otherwise, I may have to send the Discipline Squad to deal with you both. Incidentally, what are your names?"

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master," Obi-Wan said. "And this is my apprentice, Anakin Skywalker."

"And we will take you to account for your crimes," Anakin said.

Minaka grinned mirthlessly. "Good luck with that." He gestured, and the image disappeared.

After a moment's uncomfortable silence, Obi-Wan said, "I think we should head to this place as soon as possible. And Anakin…while I agree with your sentiments, there is a time and a place to declare them. We don't know enough about this world, or Minaka's plans for the Sekirei."

"How did he know we came from beyond this world?" Anakin asked. "Did he detect our starfighters landing?"

"He probably did, though coming to the conclusion he did, while possible, was rather quick. However, his character…what did you note?"

"Arrogant. Flamboyant. He has a touch of the theatrical."

"More than a touch."

"But he seemed utterly assured of his position here. Akitsu told me that MBI had bought the loyalty of the local authorities, so we cannot rely on their help. This Discipline Squad he mentioned…they must be powerful Sekirei, assuming they aren't Force sensitive humans. They must be his enforcers. And master…he is certainly insane."

"Insane, yes. But he is functional as well." Obi-Wan turned to Akitsu. "Akitsu, what can you tell us about the Discipline Squad?"

"Ah…they have been around for some time, but they have changed members often. The latest one composes of Numbers 04, 104, and 105. 104, Haihane, the Blue Sekirei, wields claws in combat, while 105, Benitsubasa, the Red Sekirei, is a hand-to-hand fighter. But 04, Karasuba…" Akitsu shuddered. "She is a monster. She wields a sword, and thirsts for bloodshed and conflict. The only one capable of matching her is the Pillar, but if they fought…this city would be destroyed."

"Well," Anakin said, "that's ominous."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Indeed. We'll head to meet with this Pillar. Maybe we can find some more answers…"

CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:

So, the two Jedi have now spoken to Minaka. Those familiar with my attempt at a Cthulhu Mythos crossover, Madness, Chaos and Wagtails, will note that a lot of Minaka and Takami's scenes and dialogue were copied and pasted from that work, as are the following annotations. Hey, why waste it?

1. It's an urban myth, but one commonly accepted, that a Dragon Quest game can only be sold on a weekend than a weekday in Japan, due to schoolchildren ditching school to play it. That's how popular the series is.

2. For those of you not familiar with Durarara!, Shizuo Heiwajima is a waiter with a hair-trigger temper and, for various reasons, super strength. No, seriously, this guy can lift vending machines with relative ease and hurl them. Although he has a short fuse, Shizuo is actually a decent guy who doesn't want to be violent, which is sort of fitting, as his name is made of the characters for 'serene man' and 'peaceful island'. Unfortunately, a lot of things piss him off, chief amongst them amoral information broker and all-round troll Izaya Orihara.