A/N: Hey everyone, sorry about the long silence. Last week was a bit... yeah. I know it's not the same, but I'll upload a new chapter tomorrow to try and make up for it.


008 - How to lay down the law and meet new people.


When Haihane and her Ashikabi arrive at the location of the explosion, it is to find an MBI armored transport with the front half-buried into a building and the back peeled open like a banana. There's no telling what happened to the driver from where Haihane is looking, but the one, two… three?

Yeah, there's three guns, so there were at least three guys in the back.

It's hard to tell for sure, they look more like chunky salsa now.

"Looks like our genius leader decided to make one of his famous Infinite IQ moves and have some highly volatile piece of technology transported through the middle of a city that's currently in the middle of a shadow war between super powered individuals." Her Ashikabi notes, sounding mighty unimpressed. "And it exploded when someone mistreated it. On the one hand, that's the military-grade explosion accounted for…"

"...On the other hand, we have no idea who did this." Haihane completes the sentence with a nod, taking a glance around. She has very good night vision, so maybe… There! "Unknown Sekirei, Ashikabi-sama! On top of that lamppost!"

Most people wouldn't be capable of seeing more than a vague outline under the moonlight in the middle of this blackout, but the low light levels are only a mild annoyance for Haihane. The unknown Sekirei is a short girl of modest curves but gorgeous silver hair, wearing an elaborate black and white dress adorned with feathered black wings.

"That's Number 21, Suigintou. The Metal Sekirei." Her Ashikabi notes while adjusting her glasses. Because of course she can see in the dark too. "An Elemental type with a mercury-based ferrokinetic ability."

"A ferro-what now?"

"She's like Gaara, but with liquid metal. Getting caught in her grasp could easily mean termination. Engage with caution."

"Oh, I get it now!" Why didn't her Ashikabi say that from the start? "Haihane, taking off!"

Haihane rapidly takes to the heights, nimbly climbing up to the fourth storey with a couple of jumps before pouncing on her unaware prey from above. Because that way she denies her opponent higher ground, of course, not because she's irked about a midget looking down on her. That'd be silly.

Unfortunately, number 21 wasn't quite as distracted as she seemed to be. A curtain of liquid silver appears out of nowhere to block the claw strike before it can make contact. It's only then that the chibi deigns to acknowledge Haihane's presence, turning around to fix her with violet eyes full of disdain.

"Engaging in combat without even introducing yourself?" Suigintou finally speaks up, throwing her hair over her shoulder with a dismissive hum. "How uncouth. As expected of the MBI dogs."

"Number 104, Haihane." She gives her late introduction without the slightest hint of shame, taking the chance to study the metal barrier still holding her claws at bay. "The Blue Sekirei of the Disciplinary Squad."

"Number 21, Suigintou. The Metal Sekirei." Her prey replies in kind, lifting the skirt of her dress with both hands in the swallowest of curtsies. "I'm the one who will destroy MBI for their sins."

As the chibi says that, she finally breaks the stalemate, her metal shield bursting into a flurry of spikes that forces Haihane to disengage, warily jumping back to reassess the situation. Those spikes came out of nowhere, no windup, no warning. Simple, but effective.

Granted, the attack would've been much more dangerous if Haihane had been pinned in place first, if her claws had been held in place by the shield, for example. But maybe the chibi isn't smart enough to think that far? Or maybe she doesn't have enough control?

Wait, what if the barrier is an automatic defense? If Number 21 is that much like Gaara… What a pain, that'd make things complicated.

"I'll be the last person trying to speak in favor of our CEO's nonexistent sense of morality." Haihane's Ashikabi interrupts out of nowhere, drawing the chibi's attention away from the fight. "But maybe indiscriminate terror attacks aren't the most effective way to go about your goals? Innocents could have been hurt here tonight."

Haihane can't help but notice how her Ashikabi didn't seem to classify the pulped MBI operatives 'innocents' at all, but mostly just remains on the sidelines and allows her Ashikabi to say her piece without trying to capitalize on the distraction to behead the chibi. She's nice like that.

"There are no innocents, only degrees of blame." The chibi states somberly and wow, someone could get cut with all that edge. "The MBI will perish."

"Well, you've heard Little Miss Genocide." Her Ashikabi states drolly, turning her head away from the combatants and towards a shadowed corner of the alley. "Are you sure you want to join forces with her… Homura?"

As soon as that name is uttered, Haihane's eyes widen in panic and she jumps down into the street, landing right between her Ashikabi and the interloper. There's no mistaking him, black boots, black pants, black coat and black face mask, somehow looking even edgier than the chibi without even needing to open his mouth. Number 06, Homura. The Fire Sekirei.

A self-professed protector of the unwinged Sekirei and a royal pain in the ass. That is, Haihane doesn't mind having some crazy dude doing her job for free, but he has a hate boner for the Disciplinary Squad a mile wide and he's kinda trigger happy with his powers. If he decides to take this chance to try and roast the Disciplinary Squad Ashikabi and get them out of the playing board in one fell swoop…

Well, Haihane isn't too sure of how much she can do about it. She can take the crazy dude down in a clean fight. Probably. Maybe. But her wire claws aren't exactly rated for blocking fire, so there's little she can do if he goes straight after her Ashikabi.

It's a bit of a huge relief when Homura relaxes and shakes his head.

"I protect unwinged Sekirei from unwanted advances, my own grudge has nothing to do with this." He says out loud. "We'll have no grudge with each other as long as you don't try to force yourself on her."

"That's not something you need to concern yourself with." Her Ashikabi answers, fixing her glasses with a small frown. "I have standards, thank you very much."

"Then you won't mind if I stay around and watch…" Homura replies in a smug tone, as if he just won something. "Just in case."

Haihane kinda wants to punch that pretty boy face. Maybe bash his skull in and watch whatever passes for a brain leak through his ears. Just a little bit.

"Hmpf! If you're quite done blabbering…" The chibi cuts in, trying to look regal as she descends to ground level too. She's probably feeling left out. "We were in the middle of something."

Liquid metal takes sharp and pointy shapes behind her, a swarm of daggers aimed straight at Haihane and, when the first one is thrown, the fight is on again. Neither Homura nor Haihane's Ashikabi interrupt again, allowing the two combatants to fight to their heart's content and win on their own merits.

Which suits Haihane just fine. An unwinged serial sekirei against a winged member of the Disciplinary Squad is a no brainer. She has the training and a less restrictive adjustment but, most importantly, she fights for her Ashikabi while the chibi fights alone. Even if Elemental-Type Sekirei are a pain to fight, Haihane has all the advantages here.

Which doesn't mean the fight is brief, or easy. The chibi's liquid metal shifts and turns almost as if it was alive, deceitfully quick and heavy as it easily alternates between attack and defense and being a general pain in the ass.

Taking the chibi down is a painstakingly slow process, harassing and tiring her out until her mobility and reflexes start flagging before carefully maneuvering her into a corner. Nothing like Haihane's preferred methods of diving in from a high position and finishing things in a single strike.

But they're almost done now. And they both know it.

"Enough! Witness my true power!" The chibi announces grandly, to try and hide her frustrated exhaustion. "[Metal Domain - Silver Dragon]!"

Mercury starts surging from all around, gathering into a single sphere in front of the chibi. A sphere that swiftly takes the shape of a feathered dragon surging forwards with a roar. As impressive as intimidating and it no doubt packs a punch too. But all that metal committed into a single, big attack… Haihane can't help but wonder if there's anything kept in reserve for defense.

"You call that a special attack?" She taunts, crossing her arms to meet the roaring dragon head on. "[Cross Cut Shredder]"

Sharpened claws clash with nearly a tonne of furious metal dragon. Common sense dictates that Haihane would've been blown away by the sheer mass behind the chibi's attack, but common sense takes a back seat in a fight between Sekirei.

Haihane grunts with the effort of holding the attack, her feet grinding against the concrete ground as she's slowly pushed back. But she can feel it. For all the mass, all the weight put behind this metal dragon, the attack is still incredibly light. It lacks… it lacks feeling.

Haihane has her Ashikabi behind her, the energy and joy that comes from loving and being loved. The chibi, Suigintou, has none of that. Bitter resentment and spite that may help her get up in the mornings but will never hold a candle with the sheer rapture that's being winged to your Destined One.

Haihane completes her own attack with a roar, a deceptively simple sweeping motion with both claws that scissors right through the metal tide, blasting the dragon away and revealing a straight path to her opponent. On the other side, Suigintou stands with a hand still stretched forward, eyes wide in incredulous shock as she stands frozen in place.

"That's… Impossible!"

"That's… Inevitable!" Haihane replies with a fierce grin, gathering her strength to wrap everything up with her next move. "[Owl's Hunt]!"

She soars through the air, rapidly closing the distance between them to plant her boot on the chibi's face with a spinning kick, before twisting her body around and taking advantage of her forward momentum to slam a second foot right on the same spot. Finally, an axe kick slams on the chibi's head, making her crumple into the ground like a doll with her strings cut.

If anyone asks Haihane whether she ripped off the idea of a triple flying kick from playing a video game, she'll proudly admit it and declare True Ogre the best Tekken character ever.

When she hears the clicking sound of her Ashikabi's heels approaching, Haihane turns around with a smile to make a 'V' sign. The moment is slightly spoiled when she notices Homura is approaching too, but sometimes one has to take the good with the bad.

"And that's that." Her Ashikabi states once she gets there. "Number 21, Suigintou. You have killed four MBI agents tonight and that's more than enough grounds for termination."

Haihane crosses her arms -careful, careful not to stab herself with the motion- and nods seriously, while the chibi lets out a pained groan and weakly turns herself around so she's at least lying face up.

Wait, four agents? Did Haihane miss one?

"But a certain man that at least two people here hate to death just called me." Her Ashikabi continues, while Haihane looks around for any clue she could've missed. But there's only three weapons and chunky salsa, no matter how hard she looks. "To say he 'will allow it this time, as long as this doesn't repeat'."

"Minaka!" The edgy masked soldier of love and justice growls out. "What's he playing at?"

"I couldn't possibly guess." Her Ashikabi continues. Come to think of it, Homura kind of looks like a Sailor Moon character, doesn't he? Like that Tuxedo Twink or whatever. "It's not in my job description to try and peer into the mind of a madman."

"So that's it?" No, wait, there was something about a mask in there. Was it the Tuxedo Twink Kamen? "She kills four people and then leaves scot-free?"

"As long as she doesn't do it again." Then again, that doesn't fit Homura either, he doesn't wear a Tuxedo, just the mask. "Then the Disciplinary Squad will come down on her like a ton of bricks."

"I cannot agree with that!" And he's a pyromaniac anyway, that should make it to his name somewhere. "She shouldn't just get scot free after what she's done!"

"We are under no obligation to entertain small-minded delusions of morality." The Burning Mask? Or maybe… "If you want Number 21 terminated, feel free to do it yourself."

"Pyro Kamen, that's a good one!" Haihane crows victoriously, hitting the palm of her hand with a fist. It takes her a moment to realize everyone has gone silent and they're looking at her like she's grown a second head. "What?"

"I… nevermind." Pyro Kamen stops himself with a long-drawn sigh and turns around to leave. After taking a couple steps, he stops again to throw a last taunt over his shoulder. Like the edgy shoujo manga love interest he is. "This isn't the last you've seen of me, Disciplinary Squad."

"If only we were so lucky." Her Ashikabi mutters in a low voice but, judging by the way the Pyro Kamen twitches and misses a stop, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Yeah, good riddance, Pyro Kamen!" Haihane bids her own farewell with far less subtlety. "See you never!"

The chibi's only reaction to Pyro Kamen's retreat is another pitiful groan and a slight twitch.


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