Hai! So, I really wanted to get this story and idea out because I really enjoyed Sekirei. It was quite a good series for me and the whole Sekirei concept is pretty neat! This is my second story I am going to be posting to this site, with both of them going to be my main priority going forth. I don't plan on adding any more active stories at the moment so I can update the two I already have as much as possible. With quarantine occurring my time to write is exceptionally larger so updates will be decently frequent, possibly every other day. I hope you enjoy this story and if you do, I hope you'll give my other story a read as well. Without further ado, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story.

The strongest people aren't always the ones who have the most strength, but the ones who have the will to fight no matter what the odds may be. True strength is hidden in one's soul, not in their bodies. Every night as I was getting tucked into bed since I was seven, my grandmother repeated these words too me. They were her way of giving me hope in times where I had nothing else. I would hang onto every word she said, no matter how many times she said them. I wanted to be the person in which she was speaking about, I wanted to fight for what I loved. I wanted to be able to protect those I cared for without failure. I wanted to never feel fear. I wanted to be strong. This want would drive me forward and give me a goal to reach out for.

I left for Shinto Teito at the age of eighteen. I had just graduated high school and was eager to get into my dream university. My mother and younger sister, Yukari, had been heavily against my departure from the safety of our home, but my grandmother supported me and all my ventures. She has always been the one to motivate and encourage me to stand up for myself, so she forced my mother to back down and allow me to discover my own path. I had never been more grateful to have someone I could depend on and promised to myself that I would not let her belief in me go to waste.

I arrived late into summer, the temperature starting to lower, but not enough too quite call it autumn. A cram school I had wished to attend would start its classes around this time and I was eager to attend as much as I could. So, with my mother's given allowance I rented a small apartment, more like a shoe box, and moved in. To ensure I really was living on my own I didn't want my mom nor my sister knowing where my apartment was located, so I moved it all by myself. It helped that I was only bringing essentials along, but still was a bit of a workout considering the number of steps I had to climb to my apartment. Once everything was inside, I about collapsed onto the futon that would be serving as my bed for the foreseeable future. I would like to say that my first night in Shinto Teito was a momentous day, where I went out and celebrated my arrival to my new home, but in reality, I merely spent it moving in and just enjoyed the comfort of my own space. I was happy I could finally call a place my own, something that I didn't share with a bunch of women and could just relax as a man. It was refreshing, so the night was spent curled up on my floor in a small blanket, slurping on some quickly made ramen while watching TV. It may not have been a huge party or looked like the fanciest of scenes, but it made me happy and truly let me experience freedom for the first time since I was born.

The next day arrived sooner than wanted, but I still looked forward to the hectic lifestyle I would be living from that day onwards. I was awoken by the banging on my door by the landlord of the residence. He had wanted to ensure my safe arrival and see if everything was functioning as expected. In all honesty I was shocked by his kind demeanor when I first met him to sign for the apartment, but I was greatly appreciative to have such a kind person looking after me. Once I had ensured him everything was alright, I decided to move forward with my major plans of the day. I left for the cram school I had come for, wanting to guarantee my spot and register with them early. Soon after registering, I was heading to a store, ready to stock up on all my essentials. In actuality it was mainly just Ramen, rice, and cheap tea since that was all my mother's budget would allow me to afford. No complaints came to mind though as I strolled through the store, merely enjoying the fact I was the one allowed to decide what I ate and bought, even if it wasn't exactly the most expensive of items. The store visit was looking like nothing special until a flash of grey passed beside me. I had thought little of it as I was bent down trying to decide on the brand of tea I wanted, until I started to feel as if someone was staring at me. My head moved to the side where I had saw the motion before, yet no one was there. I don't quite know why, but that incident left me feeling uneasy and throughout the entirety of the walk back to my apartment it felt almost like someone was watching exclusively me.

The remainder of the day was quite dull, mainly left for unpacking and beginning my studies. I was hoping to wait a while longer before actually diving into the reason I was here, but remembered my vow to make my Grandmother proud. I couldn't slack off and get behind, I had to work hard and put all my effort into getting into University. So that's exactly what I did, the next few months were spent studying nonstop, to the point that every waking moment had me with either a book or food in my hand. The cram school was great and pushed me harder than anything I could have expected. I've never been one to brag, but coming out of high school I had the top marks for my year so to struggle in learning something was fairly foreign too me. Yet the astonishing thing was, the more tough it got, the more I wanted to overcome the challenge. I practically inhaled as much knowledge as I could, and before long I was outperforming my own set standard from high school. With this course set and my will to complete it greater than ever, I was on the path to success.

Soon enough the time for me to take my entrance exams came upon me. I had gone to bed the night before early and woke up two hours beforehand to ensure I was on time. I took the train to the school, and arrived with plenty of time to spare. So, I decided to sit at a bench on campus and wait for them to allow the students in. Time flew by and in what felt like minutes I was sat inside the testing area with the rest of my fellow test takers. As the instructor started talking, I got hit with the reality of the situation and a flood of nerves started to surface. Even with all my studying, I was still terrified that I would fail, so much so my body nearly bolted up from my seat and out the door. My hands shook and I felt like passing out, but then I recalled what I was here for and what I was here to prove. When the examiner began passing out the materials, I went over everything about my goal and reminded myself of my Grandmother's words. If I was to be strong, I had to face the challenges put in front of me head on, hiding was no longer an option. With one final deep breath, and the confirmation that we could now begin by our examiner, I grabbed my pencil and took hold of my dream. I could do this, and I would not let my own fears stop me from trying.

In all honesty the exam itself was a blur to me. I couldn't tell you a single thing that was on it, my mind was so focused that I basically became a robot. Merely spitting out the answers in rapid fire and not even acknowledging what I was answering in the first place. Again, I wish I could tell people something cool, like I finished first and had a ton of time too spare but that wasn't the case. I got through everything about a minute before time was called, but once I laid my pencil down, I felt as though a tremendous weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Relief washed through me and my head cleared, finally allowing me to think about something other than passing. A smile appeared on my face and for some reason that I can't explain, I felt an overwhelming amount of confidence burst from deep within me. In that moment alone, I felt more pride and happiness than what I had felt in my entire existence so far.

We were told the school would have scores back in two weeks and would be displayed when they did. All students would get a message alerting them of when to come so they could see what their results were. I wasn't really paying attention though, the feeling of absolute pride in myself still holding me captive. Once I was off the school grounds I kind of just wandered, no real destination in mind. I relished in the feeling of freedom I felt, not from the burden of passing the entrance exam, but from my previous life. I don't know how, but I knew that I had passed. I felt it deep within myself, like a shining truth to all my worries. With that passing score I would be free from my life of captivity under my mother and sister. I would be allowed to grow and become the person in which my grandmother knew I could be. I could finally become strong, and with that notion inside my head I felt the first tear slowly slide down my cheek. My legs carried me to a nearby park bench and with the subtlety of a bull I collapsed onto it, letting my emotions collapse as well. The tears that poured that day were not ones of instant sadness, no, they were me releasing years of pent up pain and desire to become someone better. I sobbed for what felt like hours, releasing everything I had built up over the years until I had nothing left.

Once I emptied myself of all those negative feelings and memories, I felt as if though my world had become brighter. The air became fresher, the trees greener, the world around me looked new. I finally looked about my surroundings and realized I had walked all the way to a park in the middle of down town Shinto. My hand sat down on the bench and I noticed how extremely cold it felt compared to the air outside, an odd phenomenon considering its wooden structure. Nevertheless, my gaze soon wandered through the many tall buildings of the city until it finally landed upon a single one, MBI. My mind wondered of what it would be like to work for such a prestigious company, one that had been capable of practically buying the city of Tokyo. It was incredible to me how they had managed to surface in such little time, making advancements in the medical field like they were obvious the entire time. They were the type of strong people I would strive to be.

As it usually did since my time coming to the city, time flew by and night soon fell upon me. I had grabbed a bite to eat out, a small celebration for my completion of the exams, and started to walk home. The night was serene, the air cooling my skin and a small breeze rustling through my hair. It was quite a beautiful night, but for some reason a feeling of unease settled upon me. Just like that day at the store, I felt as if someone was watching me, yet when I looked about, I was the only one on the street. Even once I checked and saw no one the feeling never left me. I had always trusted my emotions to guide me, they were what would keep me moving forward, so it was odd for them to lead me astray as they were. As I was turning back around to continue on my path, my eyes happened to shift upwards and it was there I caught sight of a familiar flash of grey. Confusion crossed over my face and my body tensed the slightest amount at the sight. "Hello?" I had called out in my confused state, yet no response came. The feeling of unease did not release its hold on me, but with nothing else I could do I continued on my way, my second weird encounter in the city recorded in my memory.

Very little occurred in the time between my exams and the release of my scores. I mainly just used the time to relax and finally enjoy a bit of my life outside of home. I spent some time exploring Shinto, taking in the sights of the beautiful city that I had missed due to being holed up in my house and cram school studying. I revisited the park I had found my way to, this time actually taking some time to stroll and enjoy the wonderful scenery. It truly was quite the spectacle, a wonderland of colors among the dull grey walls of its surrounding buildings. The rest of my time was spent inside, my attention enraptured by my television or a few books I picked up since I had been there. The time was quiet and calming, a stark contrast to how things had been the previous few months. Yet neither way of life truly was better than the other because they both had the most important thing to me in common. They were times where I was free to make myself who I wanted to be and when I was able to dictate every aspect of my life.

The two weeks went by and my time of awaiting my exam was done. It still surprised me how they could get so many exams graded in such a short period of time, but no complaints would come out of me. The sooner I saw my score the better and I could barely contain my excitement as the days counted down. The train ride to the school felt excruciatingly slow and I was contemplating running to the school once I was off but thought better of it. Each step I took further amplified my need to know and when the school came into sight I felt as if I would faint. The mass of students was great and it took me quite some time to weave my way through to the front, but I was finally able to squeeze past this group of cheering students, one of them getting thrown in the air by the rest. I took a deep breath as I looked up on the boards, and as I scoured the many names without seeing mine some fear started to seep through. I felt as though I would collapse the more I searched until finally, surrounded by the rest of the names, I saw my own. 'Minato Sahashi' The feeling of pride and confidence I had felt on exam day came rushing back, and I fell to my knees in joy. My life felt as if it was truly shaping into something amazing and I thought I may cry as I did that day. Yet all I could do was smile, the biggest smile I had ever experienced came upon my face and could not be wiped away. I stood from my place on the ground and looked upon the surrounding body of students. Some of them cheered with all their energy, excitement and happiness filling them, while others hung their heads, tears visible in their eyes. It was astonishing, seeing all those emotions in one place. I felt bad for those who had come this far only to be turned away, yet I couldn't help the smallest inkling of pride from swelling inside me. I had been strong enough to conquer this challenge, there would be many more challenges ahead of me, but this was the start and I had completed it.

As I walked away from the University grounds, I contemplated calling my mother, thinking she might wish to know. Even with our relationship being strained, maybe she would feel happiness for me. But then again this was Takami, I was thinking about and she didn't exactly show a lot of emotions. When the thought of telling my grandmother came to mind though, I couldn't help but feel a swelling joy inside my chest. She had held the mother role for me in my life and I knew she would be overcome with happiness once she heard the news. I decided upon informing her once I got a chance to get home and settle, knowing the news would spark a conversation that could continue for some time. I walked through the crowded streets of Shinto, the many passersby blurring together and becoming like one single entity. For a while it continued this way until I saw her, and the world seemed to slow and separate.

I noticed the tattoo on her head first, I mean it would be impossible not to since it practically took up the entirety of her forehead. Then I saw what she was wearing, a lab coat with red stains on it, and it came to me that she had nothing else on. I was curious as to why she wore so little and why she was wearing something clearly not suited for the public. Her skin tone then followed with how crystal white it was, the sun practically sparkling off it giving her a complexion of some kind of goddess. It was when I saw her eyes that mine froze, the dead look in them, the look of someone who had been broken. I didn't know why, but for some reason it hurt me to see her that way. My heart pulsed with agony at the sight, making me shake my head to clear it away. It was once I cleared it that I finally realized something, she was standing in the middle of the road. That single detail is what started the next chain of events. I had heard it before I saw it, a bus barreling up a slight hill, clearly going faster than it should at the time. I instantly knew she was going to die; the bus couldn't stop in time and she didn't look like she was moving any time soon. I felt hopeless, weak, defeated at the fact someone so wonderful was going to get killed in such a horrendous way. My body moved of its own volition. Before I knew it, I was out in the street, and closing the distance between us. I got to her before the bus surprisingly, my everything thrown into getting there and pushed her out of the way. Time slowed once more for me, and I realized I was going to die. All of what I just said led me here, to die saving a random woman in the streets of Shinto. I am going to die, but the funny thing is, I don't feel upset. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared, yet my mind also jumped back to what my grandmother always told me. I had saved that woman when no one else even tried, and in that moment a sad smile lit up my face. 'I'm sorry Obaasan, I may not have been able to become the man you wanted me to be, but I hope you'll still be proud.'