First Blood: Part I

4:27:18…4:27:17…4:27:16…

Benitsubasa's gesture brought Minato to shrug, fitting his key into the lock and making it click with the rotation of his wrist.

Applying some elbow grease, Minato fit his palms on the bulky metal frame of the door and began pushing inward, not wanting Benitsubasa to think he was a complete weakling by waiting for her to take the lead. If anything it had the opposite effect, showcasing how underdeveloped his upper body strength was.

Benitsubasa's expression deadpanned at his horrid posture.

Such a thing came naturally to the pink-haired fist-type, as she had more than enough experience with powerlifting…though more often than not, she had her Sekirei abilities assist in such matters. The door did look pretty sturdy and reinforced, so she was at least able to give him that much. With no word, she joined in the endeavor and the door inched into the chamber in conjunction with their side-by-side steps. Benitsubasa was taken aback by how much energy this was taking without access to her tama's strength.

Was that really the only thing that made her the powerhouse she was?

She couldn't think on this long however as before they knew it they were inside. They let out a collective sigh and focused on their surroundings, or what they could see more or less. The room was darker than the corridor they came in through, but the glowing kanji smeared on the door did illuminate it somewhat, though only enough to make out the outline of their own hands in faint shadows let alone the large cylinder which stood erect at the chamber's center.

Minato called out to the Red Sekirei as she took her first few steps into the room, her boot heels clicking.

"Benitsubasa, wait!"

She replied, halting her footsteps, but not turning around, "Yeah, what is it?"

"Before you go any further from the door, let me take our keys back first," he emphasized. "We might need them again later on."

"Then what are you waiting for?" she catechized, impolitely. "Take them and get your ass in here!"

Minato's eyes rolled upward in a semi-circle. Yes, ma'am…!

Removing the keys, he crossed the threshold and stopped beside her. He went to hand her the key when the door suddenly slammed shut and sealed itself behind them with a rustic squeak akin to nails on a chalkboard. The sound reverberated, so much so they knew the room they stood in had to be pretty big...and empty for the sound to bounce about like that.

They both looked towards the door for a brief moment then at each other, with their only source of lumination being that of the glowing strands looping their keys.

Unsurprised, Minato turned his attention back to the Red Sekirei. "See, told you."

In a huff, she swiped the key from his hand. "Hmph, don't get cocky with me, Minato, or you'll have a lot more to cry about than my boot print on your face."

Not to mention your ass print. "Hmph; Noted," he said through his tight lips, eyes slanting.

*BZZZT!

Sudden static ripped apart their banter and nearly gave Minato a heart attack. They immediately spun around, taking a few steps back from the flat screen monitor hanging above. In moments, they were greeted by a familiar face.

"Hello, and welcome to your first teamwork trial." The hellish doll addressed in its usual eerie, yet polite greeting."As this test will be the first of many you will have to endure as a unit, the both of you must learn to establish between one another the most important factor of an effective team: trust."

Rows of fluorescent tubes hanging loosely above the chamber clinked on, first above where they were and then proceeding deeper into the room. As more activated and illuminated more of the area, some exploded on activation, raining down heated glass, which shattered and sparked on impact.

The one they were under soon became one of them.

"Look out!"

Benitsubasa snagged Minato by the collar and took a flying leap to the side of the room with him in tow, landing on top of him and shielding his body with hers. Her arms clasped upward to cover her head from any divergent specks of glass that may have leaped their way, all the while Minato was nose-deep in her muff.

Following a few seconds of shatters and explosions, a moment of silence came. Benitsubasa rolled off and Minato opened his eyes and took a quick glance around while wiping the blood from his nose. Now that they could see, they found themselves in the middle of what could only be assumed to be a gymnasium, though the rubber flooring that was once used for basketball had been stripped from the aging floorboards. Basketball hoops hung dilapidated not unlike a body hung from a noose, and there were some serious signs of decay all around them with mold growing in every crevice imaginable as well as odd-colored water leaking from the ceiling in diseased streams.

Did this use to be an old high school or College campus? Not that the building in question was of much importance, but if they found a way to reach the outside and call for help a general idea of what the place looks like could go a long way in getting them out of there sooner.
He glanced over at Benitsubasa, who had the look of concern on her face as she stared at his body, almost mesmerized by it. Or perhaps confused as to why she suddenly sprang to action to help him without much of a thought.

She took note of this not long after and turned herself away with crossed arms and a pouty 'hmpf'.

Then he took a real look at the structure towering before them, eyes following a series of steps spiraling to the very top of it. Given how out of place it looked in the center of a basketball court, it led him to believe it played a key role in the objective to proceed onward. Before he could think about what it could have been the marionette chimed back in with its explanation.

"The structure before you will assist you both in attaining this knowledge. At the bottom of this silo, is a key, which can be used to unlock the door on the opposite side of the room. The opening to the tank, however, is sealed shut. Minato, in order to access the murky salt water which awaits you and retrieve the key, Benitsubasa must use her shoulders and upper body strength and hold up the lever alongside the entrance to open the hatch."

"Don't worry, Mr. Sahashi," the doll reassured him."There are no hostile life forms waiting for you inside, and the collar you are wearing is waterproof. I assure you it will not trigger unless you purposely try to remove it. The catch, though, is that once the lever is lifted, it must not be released for the remainder of the test. Doing so will result in the tank sealing shut permanently, leaving the occupant inside trapped and doomed to drown. Holding up the lever will be easier said than done, however, as for every ten seconds that pass, fifteen pounds will be added to its current weight indefinitely. Given that this is a game, Benitsubasa is prohibited from using her powers to assist in the matter, and must make due with her human-tier stamina…"

Benitsubasa licked her gums while pondering, hoping her earlier experience with the door wasn't a hint of a much greater struggle awaiting her.

"…If this method comes off as too risky for the both of you to partake in, there is yet another option. Beyond the structure from where you now stand is a door leading to your next test, and above it is a timer set at one hour. The moment this recording ends, it will begin to count down. Once it expires, the door will open, and you may proceed onward to the next test. Time is precious, however, so I highly advise against this option if you truly want to earn back your loved ones. Will you learn to trust one another in time to save the lives of those you hold dear? Or will they pay the ultimate price for a lack of cooperation? Make your choices, and make them quickly."

The monitor shorted out soon after and smoke began rising from its vents.

"So," Benitsubasa began, voice echoing, "should we start the test?"

"Not yet," he declared.

He shimmered a glance over his shoulder. "I want to take a look around first. Get a full grasp on what we're dealing with before we start the game."

His eyes drifted to the top of the silo. "Let's head up the stairs first." He grabbed onto the railing. "See what's in store for us."

Choosing to remain silent, she nodded and followed his lead. Not a position she was familiar with outside of having to kneel to Karasuba's barking orders.

The second-year ronin hiked up the spiraling steps; Benitsubasa followed shortly behind. The heat of the radiant fluorescent lighting ripened stronger the further the ventured. Once at the top, the two marveled at the lever –the tool of trust as it were.

Shaped like a wishbone, the lever slightly resembled that of a shoulder press machine one would find in a gym, not unlike the one they were supposedly in now. Provided of course it was still up and running and not caked over with lyme and all other sorts of nasty shit. At its central mass, a white skull stood out; Minato felt all the more intimidated.

This was either going to be by far their easiest test -given its simple nature, or the most stressful -considering that Minato's life would be in the hands of Benitsubasa, a Sekirei notorious for her temper, as well as holding grudges. The fact that she tried to kill him multiple times over didn't help matters either, seeing that the game will leave him vulnerable to the potentially vengeful rival. All he could do was hope she could keep that in the past so they can live to kill each other another day.

Crossing his arms, he leaned over the railing, his line of sight occupied on the timer nailed above the opposite door, watching it tick down the seconds as he contemplated their next move.

Crouched down at the sealed entrance the ronin must eventually breach, the Red Sekirei glided her fingertips along its smooth, solid cement texture. If she were granted, Benitsubasa could crack the entire thing open like a walnut with one swift, hard shot to its weak point.

She peered over her shoulder at the perceptive ronin, his mind's sophisticated aptitude still deep in cogitation.

She spoke in an unusually soft tone. "Minato?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Out of all the Sekirei you've winged…which one rides your dick the most?"

Minato pivots, lurching back into the railing.

His voice cracked. "C-c-c-come again?!" he stuttered, unsure whether his mind was playing tricks on him. Did she really ask him that at a time like...THIS?!

"I'd bet my money on boobsy, #88. The way you held the ditz during the bridge escape more than shows how much you favor her over the others."

"I-I-I don't favor her over anybody!" he shot back, voice flinching. "I treat all of my Sekirei as equals!"

"…or perhaps you like tapping that ye-olde aqua-wench that clings to your arm like a leach so much," she went on.

His blush was now pulsing redder than a ripened tomato. "I-Is this really the proper time to talk about this?!"

"Tell me," she asked, eyes slanting as a sly smirk crept over her moistened lips. "…how often does she wet the bed…?"

He now started yammering out the first things which popped into his head.

"N-n-never! She never wets the bed! Not with her powers, or…the other way! In fact, I never slept with just one of my Sekirei!" He tensed up again, slamming his eyes shut."We all sleep together!"

TOGETHER…Together…together…together…

The word echoed. It echoed so loudly that one could imagine crows outdoors flying away from their nearby perches following a gun firing to escape danger.

Gasping, Minato clapped both hands over his mouth in an instant, immediately regretting what he had just blurted out in heat of the moment. Too late. He was never apt at handling himself well when being pressured or put on the spot, but that could quite possibly be the worst way he could have worded it. It was just begging to be a misunderstanding.

#105 blinked a few times, responding with a hearty chuckle. "Woooooow…"

"F-forget I said anything!"

"And here I thought you were some pussified wimp with no sense of his masculinity, but DAMN!"

"I-I-It's not what you think, I swear!" he clamored in desperation. "We've slept together, but nothing ever happened, I assure you!"

The Red Sekirei rose to her feet. "Bullshit…"

With an ambling pace, she strode towards him; the jumpy ronin continued to back away until his spine arched and he was leaning over the edge of the railing.

Her fists firmly planted on her hips, the pinkette leaned in until her nose nearly touched his own, her squinted gaze locked to his anxious pupils, which in turn were going out of their way to look in every which direction but at who was standing right in front of him. "…you're lying."

"No I'm not, I swear!" he answered, raising his trembling hands and waving them wildly. "In fact, I've never done it with anybody…ever!"

"What d'you mean you're still a virgin?!" Benitsubasa chastised in loud disbelief. "You mean to tell me that you've got all these sexy booby booty bitches living with you, including that wind slut, and you've never banged any of 'em?! How can you call yourself a man?! Or do you not have a dick to speak of?!"

"I couldn't even if I wanted to! Th-the landlady would have my head!"

Raising an eyebrow, she slumped her shoulders, tongue in cheek. "A killer landlady…? Suuure…now I know you're bullshitting."

"Goddammit…" he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "I don't need this..."

"Hey!" #105 barked as he neared the staircase. "Just where the hell d'you think you're going?!"

"Gonna check to see if my key works on the locked door," he disclosed. "Wouldn't be smart to start the game without testing every viable option."That and I'm on the verge of pulling my damn hair out at the sound of your voice."

"Hmph, well if that's the case," she reached into her pocket. "try mine out too while you're at it." She flicked it to him, underhanded.

He caught it. "Thanks."

He's…a virgin… She reflected, pinching the bridge of her nose, her head shook from left to right. …and just when you think the kid can't get any more fucking pathetic…

*sigh

XXX-Lurking just a few yards away, unseen-XXX

Unbeknownst to the trial's participants, twenty feet above was a two-way mirror overlooking their game. On the other side, a tower of a man dominated its height and gazed into the chamber through the eyeholes of a beheaded pig mask.

Garbed in a blood-spattered pitch-black robe, the observer eclipsed the tiled canvas at 6'8, dragging the blade of his oversized Ka-Bar along a metal sharpening stick as if he were preparing to carve the ronin's heart out of his very ribcage. No part of his true body could be seen; even his hands were smothered by burly black leather gloves.

As he looked down at them, he could tell that the duo was just below the line of pathetic, arguing over petty nonsense while their loved ones were in danger. He wasn't sure if they could hear the scraping, but then again he didn't care. They would meet him soon enough…

XXX-FLASHBACK-XXX

-Two hours after Karasuba's departure to kidnap Minato-

"I don't like this…" Gordon said nervously, observing the hired muscle sharpen a hunting knife in the next room. Thankfully for the Doctor, he was out of earshot. Or at least he hoped to any deity that would listen and pity him he was.

His massive frame was squatted to a wooden desk, legs propped up by a more fortunate chair; the selective mute rotated the dull blade with slow twirls of the wrist, staring at his swine reflection in the glinting steel. Even though he was safe from the menacing public's prying eyes, he still chose to wear his pitch black wrestling robe and gruesome pig mask.

"And why's that?" John asked."I rather like him. Smart… strong…worthy of his privileged life."

"Easy," the doc answered. "He makes Hoffman look like an angelic schoolboy."

Despite all he had seen and done, Dr. Gordon was frightened by the man sitting across the monitor room from them. He answered only to John, and was muscular, yet somewhat wiry; his limbs were a few inches longer than they should have been.

Besides his physical stature, Gordon knew nothing about him other than three things: he was incredibly pale, his voice was so strained and raspy that it sounded like a straight-razor being dragged along a flint-rock, and he answered to the autonym "Mathis". Whether that was his real name or just an alias was a mystery to him. Even then, the only reason he knew this vague knowledge was because John informed him of it. Whenever this guy was around, he felt uneasy.

"Nobody but Karasuba could do that, Lawrence," John answered back."Have more faith in your friends."

The door then slowly creaked itself open. Crossing his legs, John orbited in his swivel chair as his most recent subject, Karasuba, appeared in the doorway; her contract's unconscious body slung over her shoulder like a rucksack over a donkey.

"Speak of the devil…"

With her free hand, she peeled off her pig mask, flopping it down on the table as she stepped inside and kicked the door shut behind her.

"I did as you asked," she said, dawning a disturbing, though genuine simper. "Mu-chan's Ashikabi is all yours. No scratches, torn clothes, witnesses, anything."

"Very good," John replied with a stoic nod of approval as he plucked away at his chin hairs.

He turned his attention back to Gordon."See, Lawrence? I told you she would play by the rules."

"So," Karasuba interjected, eyes narrowed, "where should I put him?"

"There is no need to concern yourself with that, Karasuba," The aging rehabilitator said. "My…muscle, shall take care of that matter for you."

Her slender silver brow arched upwards at the statement. "Muscle, eh…? I suppose this overgrown monkey is a field general of sorts?"

"Yes, I believe it's about time for you two to become more…acquainted…"

He glanced into the next room."Mr. Mathis, our expected guest has arrived."

Mathis tossed his stone aside and rolled up his left sleeve. Inside was a leather holster for his blade, which he slid the newly re-purposed hunting knife into before unraveling the thick fabric of his garbs to camouflage his arm. He kicked the chair away and pushed himself off the wooden bureau, its legs creaking and splintering as he regained his hulking stature.

The doctor backed away with a slow pace to keep his distance, but the intrigue festering in Karasuba's cold gaze grew stronger with each loud, heavy step he took as he trudged into the room. Not even turning his head to acknowledge the Black Sekirei's presence, The One They Call Mathis hunched his head down at a slight incline. Like a redwood, he just stood there in rooted silence towering over everybody waiting for his next command and not caring one bit if it would take an eternity to receive it.

"Would you be so kind as to bring Mr. Sahashi to his quarters?" John requested, unnerved by his freakish presence."I'd like to provide him with comfort during his stay with us."

Mathis acknowledged his aging superior's command with a slight nod and an exhale which escaped the nostrils of his pig mask in visible fumes.

The Black Sekirei stood her ground as he motioned to face her. Starting at the chest, she analyzed the man's mammoth masculinity. Her gawking eyes drifted down to his feet in a slow sweeping descent and elevated to the "cute" pig mask he wore, his size and close proximity forcing her to elevate her chin a considerable height. He was built like a brick wall…if it were encased in cement and concrete. Dr. Gordon was smart to fear him, even on simple instinct.

Karasuba could tell this monkey was no mere human. He was...altered beyond that, much like her species was. But at his core, he was still a filthy overgrown monkey.

For a long moment, they just stood there, respecting each other's mutual ground. A cynical smirk crept over her dry lips as he extended his arms to accept the dead weight.

"You're not one for small talk, are you?" Karasuba uttered without care.

She reached for the tuska of her nodachi, encompassing her galloping knuckles around its rough texture; her sclerotic grip intensified. She withdrew the flesh-starved blade from its chrysalis with a languid, gradual tug, savoring the sharp song of the ravenous steel slipping out from its sheathed confinement inch by inch; centimeter by centimeter.

Mathis simply kept silent, but John's glare narrowed and his hushed voice immediately escalated into something more hoarse and didactic. A tone he not often used but when he did you knew not to fucking disobey. "Put. It. AWAY."

Karasuba paused, clamping her thin eyelids shut.

"Hmph," she scoffed, drawing back her weapon, and sliding it back to its dark isolation after a pause. "…very well."

She hoisted the ronin off her shoulder, laying him in the field general's abnormally long arms. His dead weight didn't even register to him.

As he turned away and lumbered off with the Sahashi youth, Karasuba humored him just as he approached the archway.

"We should spar sometime."

Mathis recessed his footsteps, seemingly to consider her offer. Then, without a word, tromped his way down the hallway.

No fear in his body language… She internally murmured; a bloodthirsty grimace painted on her scarred face. …things just keep getting more and more intriguing…

"Are you sure the kid's safe with him?" Dr. Gordon questioned in a nervous tone.

"Of course," John reassured him."He likes to put on a show, and stopping the games before they have a chance to begin would bore him… vastly."

With a kick, he rolled over to his desk and pulls open one of the drawers. "Now…"

He extracts a sealed package, his thumb obscuring the individual intended for delivery."Would you kindly deliver this to the inn after midnight strikes?" he requested."I'm sure the resident in question will find its contents…more…than enlightening."

He accepted his gesture. "I'd be more than happy to, John."

He slung the box under his arm and walks off down the hallway, opposite that of the field general.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take care of it?" Karasuba questioned.

"I'm sure," he emphasized. "Given your repulsive actions against them, if #01 or any of her residents were to spot you by chance, our efforts would have been all for nothing."

"Hmph," she sneered. "I'm more than capable of handling myself against those weaklings."

"I don't doubt your ability, Karasuba; I doubt your judgment. Besides," he continued."You're still in the dark about our operation. We need to discuss the finer details of my motivations and your game before I entrust you with anything else…"

"Is that so?" she asked, pulling up a chair and reclining into it.

She crossed her legs. "If that's the case, then I'm all ears…

" She smirked. "…Ashikabi-sama."

A snarl distorted John's smooth, dry lips. "You will not call me that again. Are we clear?"