After being gone for a while...I have returned. I know it's been a while...life hit me right in the face, and I've been trying to find myself for a while longer. But now, I'm back. I'm not going to be looking at the reviews this time around, since it's been a while since I've written anything. Anyways, hope you enjoy it.

Sekirei Snatcher

Chapter 8: Uncomfortable Truths

Yuuto was sitting on a couch in the suite late at night, checking the news to see if any incident of the fight had been captured on the news. But try as he might, he couldn't find a single thing about the attack, the closest thing coming to it was a drainpipe leakage where the fight happened. Once he saw that, he turned off the television, feeling his eyes starting to droop a bit. He was tired, he could already tell.

I'm looking too much into this aren't I? I mean, I just became the new head of the Disciplinary Squad, but I already feel like I'm working my butt off again even though I decided to take the week off. Why am I not calming down? I am afraid of what might have happened to other people? If the people here can just wash away fights like they are nothing, then do the people that actually are killed because of the games get lost with them?

Yuuto was interrupted by his train of thought when he heard someone come into the room...he looked and saw Akitsu in some white undergarments that was covering her chest and her bottom. Yuuto thought he would have been more shocked at seeing Akitsu almost naked, but at this point, he had already seen so much skin that he wasn't reacting as much as he used to. Still, he liked it.

"You look really beautiful tonight." Yuuto said.

"Ah...master...thank you...but...I feel you...your sad." Akitsu said.

Akitsu came over to the couch and put a hand on Yuuto's back. This time, instead of trying to tell her that she kept calling him master, this time he was too tired to say anything.

"Well...it's...I'm exhausted. Only a few days ago I was nothing...nobody important, a failed attempt at college, and no future. But now...now that I'm here...I'm afraid of what might happen if I lose this...lose any of you. I don't want-"

"Ma-"

Yuuto was surprised when she stopped herself.

"Yuuto...I understand. I was lost and alone in that lab...I didn't know if anyone would truly save me from my misery...but you helped me...helped all of us from fates much worse than before...that's why I mean this from the bottom of my heart that I truly love you for who you are."

Yuuto's eyes looked lovingly at Akitsu, and they slowly both leaned closer to one another. Soon, their lips began touching, and once again Akitsu's icy wings came out of her back. Soon, Yuuto picked up Akitsu and took her to his bedroom. Soon after, they were both on the bed making out with one another, and Yuuto felt that this was the first true bond he had felt with anyone previously.

The next morning...

Takami was already inside the control room, with multiple people looking at the monitors. What made Takami more cautious than anything was to see how Minato was doing. It had been a while since her son had contacted her, and she wanted to see if he was okay. She looked at one of them, and saw Minato was busy talking to one of his Sekirei's. It was a new one he required, Tsukiumi no.9. She was looking at Minato with a puff of arrogance, but she saw the light tint of pink on her cheeks and knew that she liked him.

If only my previous relationships were like that...maybe I would have been happier because of that...it's probably too late for me now...but maybe Minato still has a chance for that...even in a polyonymy type that is.

Soon though, she turned the monitor to another screen as she heard someone coming into the control room. She turned around to find a joyous Minaka walking up to her.

"Guess what time it is Takami?" Minaka asked.

"Don't play these fucking games. I already know what you're about to tell me. It's the second stage, right?" Takami said.

"Of, you ruined the fun. But yes, since your son got no.9 Tsukiumi, it is now time for the second stage to truly begin."

Fuck...that means he's going to give the orders to blockade the entire city until the remaining Sekirei are bonded...which means the participants are not allowed to escape...and if they try to...Yuuto will have to kill someone.

With Haihane...

Haihane looked out the window of the suite she was staying in, and looked as a bunch of military vehicles were moving across Shino Tento. She was curious about the movement, until she came to the realization.

The second stage must be starting...which can only mean more work for Yuuto.

"Haihane, wait is you looking out there for? Yuuto's about to get personal with us." Karasuba said.

Haihane looked behind her, and saw Karasuba, Yomi, Yashima, Akitsu and Yahan sitting on the couch, with Yuuto sitting on one of the chairs across from the group.

Haihane sighed as she walked over to take a seat with everyone else, wincing as she accidentally scratched herself while taking a seat.

I need to stop doing that...but how? I can't control these things unless I'm fighting...but that's because I'm in the moment. I... I don't know. Maybe it's hopeless.

"Alright Yuuto, spill the beans. I've been waiting to hear your backstory since you winged me away." Yomi said.

"Yomi, I don't think talking like that will help him open up...I think making him feel comfortable would help." Yashima said.

"Oh, that's fucking bullshit, he wouldn't have brought us here if he was prepared to talk." Karasuba said.

"Ah...why don't we ask him." Akitsu said.

Haihane and the others looked over at Yuuto, who had his hands together and was looking down at the ground. When attention was called to him, Haihane saw Yuuto move to be in a upwards position on the seat, with his face looking serious. Haihane noticed that he took his time talking a bit.

"Okay...I'll tell you. But you've got to promise me to let me finish talking...okay?" Yuuto said.

Haihane instinctively nodded. She was also curious about Yuuto and his past...she was curious about the hardships that he was dealing with, and how he grew up.

Haihane saw the others nod as well, and Haihane saw Yuuto look at all of his Sekirei.

"Alright...so, my life didn't start off too well. Heck, I didn't know who my parents were. All I knew was that I was left on the front doorstep of Shoyu Orphanage, and they took me in when I was only a baby. I was being taken care of by a nice woman whose name I can't really recall now. But I knew she wanted to take care of me to the best of her ability. She was the only real person who I considered a motherly figure, and I had hoped that she would take me in so I could live with her. But one day when I was four, she disappeared. Just vanished off the face of the earth. I never saw her again after that."

Haihane saw the sadness in his eyes, understanding that she wanted to grow up with something of a paternal figure...but she never really got that in her short life. She really loved him opening up about this, even if it was very hard to bring up.

"Things just went kind of normally after that. I was probably the little one that older kids most of the time stole some food from me, so I had to be creative sometimes when trying to survive. I was picked on quite a bit, but still mostly just tried to just blend into the background most of the time...not putting myself front and center most of the time. But...I did make one friend while I was there...I don't really remember his name either, but he was the only one that stood up for me when I was struggling. He always said I was one of the most compassionate kids he knew, but I didn't really believe him at the time...I just felt lost and alone, and I really was just trying not to cause any problems with anyone else."

Haihane heard it in his voice, and she knew he was still struggling with that quite a bit. Haihane thought that he wasn't a burden to her, or to any one of them here...even if she had been with him for a day at most, she knew he cared about all of them here.

"We spent the next couple of years just trying to avoid other kids, avoid getting into trouble, avoid the caretakers when we did get into so as not to get burned, and also just try our best to behave the best we could. But one day-"

"Yuuto. I have to stop you right there." Karasuba said.

"I thought I said no interruptions." Yuuto said.

"You just skimmed over something...horrible. Even devious. Did you say when you got into trouble that...the caretakers would burn you?"

Haihane and the others looked at Yuuto with a concerned expression.

"Yuuto...is that why when we made out...is that where those scars on your chest came from." Akitsu said.

Yuuto's face was one of anger and embarrassment, but soon Haihane got up out of her seat and went over to Yuuto.

"Don't worry Yuuto...i've got some scars of my own." Haihane said.

Yuuto face turned into one of sympathy, as he rubbed her hair. Haihane didn't know why, but she blushed and felt her body warm up when Yuuto did that and moved her body to lay onto Yuuto.

"No fair, why does Haihane and Akitsu get to have all the fun." Yomi said.

"Uh...I think he's just trying to share all of us the best he can." Yashima said.

"Don't worry...I'll get my chance with him soon." Karasuba said.

Haihane did a double take at Karasuba, curious as to what she had in mind with him. Yuuto, after a bit of sidetracking of the story, got back to his backstory.

"Well, it was six years after I had first gotten there, so I was around 10 at this point...my friend was four years my elder, making him 14. One day he just decided to just get the heck out of there. He wanted to make his own money...and he wanted me to come with him...so I said yes."

Haihane and Karasuba looked each other in the eye. In the paperwork that they had both read together, there was no mention of Yuuto leaving the orphanage at any point...so this was a surprise to the two.

"We were looking around the city to see if we could find anything, but we were stuck walking around for a few mouths, trying to keep ourselves fed and stealing when we could. I had thought at the time it was a bad idea, but my friend kept me going...he didn't want me to give up...so I just continued and followed him around some more. Then...we were found by this kingpin, who took us in and taught us everything I know now...and to hunt, and to take out people when necessary, and how to look out for others. That's how we both survived. But my friend saw what was happening to me...I was beginning to take things to far...he was terrified because he saw how much I was being numbed by killing other...and he saw the occasional smile from me when I was taking out tough opponents."

Haihane saw the grin that was coming out of Karasuba, and saw Yashima curl up a bit in her seat.

"But...he saved me. The kingpin wanted me to be his right hand, since I was convinced that he would save me. I had believed what he was saying for years...but when I turned 16, my friend made me come to a realization...a realization I had been ignoring for a while...it's not good to kill others. Because you don't just take a person's life from them...you are taking them away from a family, and people that they care about...it made me sick to my stomach what I had done, and I puked my guts out at the realization. But my friend...he could only get me out of there. It was too big of a risk to get both of us out alive, since the kingpin didn't really trust anyone that was an adult. My friend was able to help me get out...but he was left to deal with the consequences of what he did...heck, I don't even know if he is alive now."

Haihane felt Yuuto's hand stop, and she looked up at his eyes. They were now starting to form tears.

"Every time I thought I had found true happiness, bad things always seemed to come crashing right in my face, leaving me feeling a lot worse than before. It's just that...once I got out...I thought it was hopeless to keep fighting...like I didn't have a purpose in life. But now...now that I found you...people that really do care about me...I can keep fighting. Not just for the people that I've lost...but for the people I have now...and I am eternally grateful for that."

Haihane and a couple of the other girls went over to hug Yuuto...which made him blush a bit with all the chests right on or around his face. Karasuba was the only one who didn't join.

"Guess you're not as a physical in the sensitive department I'm guessing." Yuuto said.

"Ha, sure it is Yuuto. You just tell yourself that." Karasuba said.

"Hey, I'm just saying."

Haihane was loving this, and she kissed him on the cheek, seeing Yuuto blush even harder and making the Sekirei around her turn to look at her in confusion and jealousy.

"Actually Haihane...do you mind if we talk for a bit?" Yuuto asked.

Haihane looked up surprisingly as she got up out of the comfortable position she was in as she walked with him towards the bathroom door as he stopped.

"Do you need anything to stop those claws from scratching you?" Yuuto asked.

"Um...I don't know...I don't think it's worth trying." Haihane said.

"Why not? I don't feel comfortable having you constantly scratch yourself by accident...it just doesn't seem right. Of course, I'm only asking if you don't mind my help...I won't force you into anything you don't want to do."

"Yuuto...you would...really help me...even though I've barely known you?"

"Yeah of course...I know I've suffered a lot of traumas from the past, but I don't want you to have to suffer either. It just bothers me really."

Haihane wrapped her arms around Yuuto, careful not to cut him, and felt her body heat on his. She could even feel his heartbeat, and the rhythmic breathing. She just felt like the two of them were inseparable, together in harmony, where nothing would stop the warmth, she felt between them.

"Uh...has anyone seen Yahan?" Yomi asked.

With Yahan...

Yahan was busy moving around the city, seeing the chaos that was beginning.

Shit, this must be the second stage that Kakizaki was talking about...but that's not important. Kakizaki's is the right hand to Higa Izumi...and that's probably Yuuto's biggest threat. I don't want anything bad to happen to him...he doesn't deserve any more torment...not after what he went through.

Yahan jumped around the rooftops some more, until she saw the hospital base that Izumi was based in with most of his Sekirei. She landed on top of a rooftop of one of the apartment buildings, and she looked out at the hospital to see if anything interesting was happening. At first, she didn't really find anything useful that she could use, but then she looked at the entrance of the hospital, and saw what she assumed was a Sekirei and her Ashikabi...but she saw that the Ashikabi was in a wheelchair.

She felt sympathetic for both Sekirei and Ashikabi. Both would die if the Ashikabi perished...the perfect front for Izumi to blackmail the Sekirei to do his dirty work. She figured this Sekirei was really strong, based on its appearance and age. She knew she had to be careful when trying to fight her and knew she didn't want to go alone.

But when she was about to head out, she saw through one of the windows, saw the two Sekirei's, Kaie and Katsuragi, that Yahan was forced to team up with. But what she found interesting was that both had dog collars attached to their necks...which was weird, but maybe it was because they had failed their mission. But she could be wrong. She didn't know...but she should keep an eye on those two in case something goes wrong. But for now, she's seen all she could, as she used her powers to disappear from sight, heading back to MBI tower.

With Kuruse...

Kuruse had looking around for her Ashikabi for god knows how long... but she knew he was here, somewhere around Shinto Tento...she just had to keep searching...she didn't want to give up hope now. She knew she was getting closer, but how close she couldn't tell. She knew she had to keep moving forward. She wasn't going to give up.

Kuruse suddenly stopped in her tracks as she heard some sobbing and heard two people talking to one another.

"Hibiki, what happened? Just...jesus, calm down, and just explain what happened okay?" a man asked.

"I...I... oh god...oh fuck. I...I'm a failure...I... fucking hell. What have...what have I done. AHHHHH!" Hibiki said.

Kuruse gripped the trident in her hands with some vigor, curious as to what was happening and what this Hibiki character did. She slowly took her time getting close, and she found a point where she could see the action but was hidden from view. There, she saw a young man in his mid-twenties trying his best to comfort a young woman, who had this strange purple outfit on her, who was in a huge state of distress, having her arms across her body and being in a crouch position. She was tearing up and was also disturbed as hell.

"Hibiki just relax. Everything is going to be okay. Just tell me what happened to Hikari and we can sort this out."

"No Kaoru...you...you don't understand...she's...she's."

"She's what Hibiki? Just fucking tell me, stop keeping me in suspense. I'm worried about her too. Just please, what the hell happened to Hikari!"

"SHE'S DEAD!"

There was a silence as Kuruse watched on as Kaoru just heard the news. She watched as Kaoru took in the news, not really saying anything for a couple of minutes.

"She's...she's gone? But how? I thought...she was supposed to support you in all of this. Oh Fuck...what are we going to do. We're fucking fucked!"

Kuruse saw Kaoru kick one of the trash cans lying around, and Kuruse saw the anger in his eyes...but also that of fear as well. Soon after, she saw Kaoru took a couple of minutes to try and think of something. Then, she saw him go over to Hibiki.

"Hibiki...we can't stay and fight...not without your sister...look...we have to leave." Kaoru said.

"What? But what about that thing you said about-" Hibiki started.

"It's all fucked now without your sister. I know you can't use your electricity on your own. We can take our chances outside of here."

"But...you know the second stage has started. How are we supposed to get out of here?"

"We'll have to ask for some help. And I know the guy that can do it for us."

Kuruse watched as Kaoru and Hibiki walked together to go to the person that they were talking about. She knew that this character that Kaoru was interested in probably was a pretty nice person...but she had a gut feeling that the person that they were talking about wasn't the one for her. She knew she had to keep on looking...even if she did feel bad about Sekirei's losing a sister.

And that's the end of this chapter. With the second stage starting, it's only a matter of time before bigger battles become common nature. And other characters are starting to come together. Well, see ya.