Chapter 5: Dire Docks
Victorious resisted the urge to gnash her teeth in a potent mixture of frustration, worry and anticipation as she sprinted and leapt across the rooftops of Shinto Teito, the cool night air causing her dress to flap in the wind and hair to stream behind her like the Goddess of Victory she sought to emulate.
The day had been going so well, with sister Illustrious finding the one they hoped would become their Ashikabi and locating his home, going to speak with him and even—if their last few messages she had sent were any indication—posed the possibility of him becoming their chosen in the coming tournament.
Everything had been simply wonderful, the only worrisome part being that Formidable still hadn't returned despite the day coming to a close.
And then her phone had rang, Victorious quickly moving to answer it with eager motions.
...Then she had heard that voice.
[We have your sister, Sekirei #33. Come to warehouse three, west of Asashioko bridge within twenty minutes or we'll do three things in this exact order. First, I'll Wing her. Then I'll rape her. And, once I've pumped #34 full of so much cum it'll be leaking out of her nose, ears and wonderful tits, I'll smash her Tama to pieces. See you soon.]
Victorious had to fight off a shiver of both burning fury and cold dread as the threat reverberated through her mind, of the brutal nature of the ultimatum...and the picture that had accompanied it a bare second later.
That of Formidable, stripped of her clothing and held upright by rusted chains that bit into her fair skin with cruel callousness, red-orange eyes resolute but frightened as she gazed into the camera, some manner of ball gag keeping her mouth restrained.
Victorious was self-aware enough to know that this was certainly a trap, that the creepy and malicious tones of the man who had called her possessed a foul intelligence to them. Not only had he known both of their numbers but he also had the means to restrain a Sekirei...and the location was too perfect. If she ran at a full sprint the entire way she would arrive at the warehouse with maybe a minute to spare, no time to gather help from any local law enforcement or MBI sources that would be willing to aid her.
All she had time to do was let her sisters know what was happening and pray that they could arrive in time to aid her, or that their Ashikabi had some plan or stratagem to carry the day.
"...Please, sister Formidable...be safe..."
The next few minutes passed in a rush of dread and anticipation, Victorious leaping as fast as she could from rooftop to rooftop while attempting to think of any battle plan that she could.
She was the frontline fighter of their group, Formidable was the middle ground while Illustrious and Unicorn were support types. She was quite skilled with her staff when it came to close combat and her powers were uniquely suited to that engagement range...but she lacked a Norito at the moment and any opponent that could ensnare her sister wasn't to be underestimated.
"...This is a terrible idea, what I am doing right now. Logic and the best chance of success—perhaps the only chance of success—dictates that I at least wait for my sisters...but I cannot subject Formidable to such heinous acts, not when there's a chance I may be able to stop them on my own!"
Despite the bold proclamation Victorious couldn't fight off the cold chill that coursed through her veins, the childish fear she tried valiantly to quell.
That mad's words were so...dark.
MBI had informed them that not all men or women would treat them politely or cordially, that some would try to take advantage of either their personality or bodies and that they didn't have to simply take it lying down, they were well within their rights to fight back...but sexual assault or unwanted attempts at Winging had never been that much of a concern among either the Sekirei or staff.
Why would it? Any Human—or even a group of Humans—trying to grope or molest even the physically weakest Sekirei would find themselves the proud new owners of a significant set of bruises, heavens forbid they run into one like Victorious who excelled at melee combat.
...Such a dire scenario no longer seemed as distant as it once had, with her sister's chastity of both body and soul on the line, her ability to fight back effectively nullified.
Try as she might, the Sekirei couldn't help but fear that she too could be so easily caught and played with according to the whims of a stranger.
"No, enough thoughts of defeat and misery! I decided to emulate the Goddess of Victory and that is the image I shall seek to fulfill in reality!"
Steeling her resolve the Sekirei raced onwards, reaching the docks in record time as the sun just began to sink below the horizon, lights flickering on across the coastal access points while the small groups of workers plied their craft well away from her target location.
They wouldn't be disturbing them, for better or for worse.
Alighting upon the ground with thirty seconds to spare Victorious hurried towards the entryway, firmly grasping the giant sliding doors before hauling them wide open with her enhanced strength, recently greased rollers meaning the resulting noise was barely any louder than a car starting.
Yawning darkness greeted the Sekirei, only sparse rays of the descended sun and sporadic lightning fixtures illuminating the rooms interior as scattered shipping containers and other cargo implements were turned into nightmarish beasts and twisted horrors.
"Welcome, Sekirei #33! Come on inside and shut the door behind you, if you would~!"
Briefly stiffening at the recognizable voice of the man who had left her the message the buxom blonde quickly rallied herself, doing as instructed even as she stated, "I arrived within the time frame specified, where is my sister?"
Darkness descended upon the warehouse as the doors slammed shut behind her, the only light coming from the windows high overhead as Victorious carefully stepped further into the building, staff held at the ready.
"Why, she's right here, of course."
There was the brief flick of a switch-
-and the Sekirei nearly cried out as scatted construction lamps switched on, Formidable in much the same state as she had been before, bare as the day she was born and suspended into the air with her toes barely able to touch the ground, thick links of chain intertwined about her form as her eyes stared at Victorious in equal parts relief and fear, voice muffled by that damnable ball gag.
Unthinking fury seized the blonde Sekirei as she slammed her staff into the concrete floor, shouting, "Enough skulking about in the shadows, coward! I came as you requested, now let us ascertain the reason for your pathetic acts!"
For a moment silence reigned, the tension in the room mounting and mounting-
-before calm, composed footsteps brought a tall figure into the light right alongside Formidable, Victorious blinking in shock...before a wave of heat and attraction brought a flush to her body, disbelief at the reality of the current situation leaving her speechless.
This man...she was reacting to him. And, if the averted gaze and flushed reaction of Formidable was any indication...she felt the same way.
"No, impossible! Why to this fiend?!"
A roguish smile split the face of the man standing relaxedly before the Sekirei, a gesture that both excited and nauseated her.
He was tall, easily 1.9 meters if not a bit extra, spiky black hair atop tanned skin while sky-blue eyes raked her form with an appreciative gaze, a well-to-do button down shirt of dark red left open while dark jeans and boots adorned a trim but athletic body.
Forcing herself to focus on the anger rather than burning desire to Wing herself upon the man Victorious held her ground, raising her staff in a defensive gesture as the man remarked, "Goodness, little bird...you seem flushed, are you alright?"
Violently shaking her head the blonde snarled back, "What are you? And why am I reacting to you?!"
Raising an eyebrow the young man curiously asked, "Wait, you seriously don't know?"
With a brazen action he reached out and lightly slapped the restrained Sekirei on the ass, the sharp smack of hand upon tender flesh causing a brief whine to slip past the gag as Victorious snarled like a feral lion at the presumptuous action.
"How DARE he treat my sister like that!"
"Here I thought this little bird was just being stubborn about telling me the things she knew...MBI really didn't tell any of you shit, did they?"
Reigning in her temper the Sekirei forced herself to ask, "It sounds as though you know a great deal about the Sekirei, stranger. So you should know what you threatened my sister with is inexcusable by any metric."
The male had the temerity to roll his eyes, dismissively responding, "Oh relax, I wasn't actually going to do those things to this fine birdy here..."
An arm slipped around Formidable's back, fingers harshly sinking into her considerable bust as he hissed, "Why go to the trouble, when I can just Wing the two of you and have obedient little birdies willing to carry out my every fantasy? Honestly, the adjustments MBI made to all of you are just idiotic...one kiss and all of you turn into doormats? What the fuck is the point of that? Where's the fight in such a simple relationship?"
Coinciding with the man's frustrated words he harshly twisted Formidable's chest, a pained yelp still audible through the gag as her bust was violently deformed-
-and a violent shout left Victorious as she charged forward, staff lashing out with killing force in a charge swift enough that most Humans wouldn't have a prayer of reacting.
The man calmly slipped out of the path of the assault as if he was out for a morning stroll, the blonde's weapon punching through a steel container as if it was cardboard, the Sekirei's steel-blue eyes burning with unquenchable rage.
"Place one more hand on my sister's body, bastard, and you shall not live to see the sun rise!"
The man's outline was barely visible through the darkened interior of the warehouse, even a Sekirei's enhanced vision not much help as he purred, "My, such harsh and confrontational words...I wonder if you'll be as spirited once I'm done with you?"
Not taking her eyes off the prowling figure at the edge of her vision Victorious reached out to undo the gag on her sister's mouth...and found that it was locked, of all things.
A glint of metal on the man's person coincided with him teasing, "Looking for something? Can't have your dear companion there going and spoiling the surprise of what I can do, now can I? You want to free her, come and get the key, #33..."
The blonde locked eyes with her sister for a moment, Formidable's beautiful eyes pleading for her sister to run, a frantic shake of her head that was largely restrained by cold metal telling her not to pick this fight...and Victorious could only smile in reply, briefly caressing her sister's cheek as she whispered, "As if I could leave you to this filthy man's advances, sister...rest assured, I will seize victory."
Had she been able to speak the blonde was fairly certain her sister would be berating her for always being so damn stubborn all of the time...but in this case a bit of stubbornness was very much called for.
Marching to the edge of the light Victorious boldly proclaimed, "And what is the name of the fool who I shall be educating tonight?"
"Tyrone Urion at your service, Sekirei #33...I must say, that defiance of yours is incredibly arousing. I wonder if you'll still display it even as I Wing you and your sister, force the two of you to watch as I fuck the other senseless...oh the possibilities~."
"Your sickening hedonism will be the end of you, boy."
With that Victorious attacked without warning, a wide sweep of her staff aiming to impact on the taller man's chest-
-and his silhouette easily slipped out of range with startling agility, Victorious awkwardly trying to regain her balance from the mindless charge and forceful swing...and cried out in surprise as she felt a sharp sting on her butt, the sound of smacking flesh startling her from her rage as a 'tsk' of idle disappointment left Tyrone.
He...he had spanked her.
"That was sloppy. Charging at your foe with such pathetic form? Take this seriously, #33."
The blonde nearly lost her cool right then and there...before letting a breath hiss out of her lungs, eyes narrowing as she focused on the target before her, focus sharpening and rational thought returning.
"One good thing about his attitude and actions is that it makes it easy to ignore my reacting, when he's being such a reprehensible Human being."
Center found Victorious advanced once more, now employing short sweeps and jabs of her staff to try and hem in the dodging and weaving man, the many spokes and blades adorning her weapon meaning any strike from it would injure or cripple.
Assuming she could actually land a solid hit, the lethal dance dragging on for first ten seconds then twenty as the shadowy and indistinct outline led her deeper into the warehouse until it seemed darkness was all that she was surrounded by.
"I still have my abilities, even if they are reduced in power without access to my Norito...if I cannot hit him then I shall have to trick him into striking me."
With that thought in mind the Sekirei started making sloppier and sloppier strikes, releasing grunts of exertion and frustration as she made it seem as if her temper was lost.
"Well this is just sad."
A sudden slap to the side of her head caught Victorious off guard in its strength and ferocity, even thought that was what she had been counting on.
"He's no Human...no human could have struck with that level of power. What exactly am I fighting here?"
Setting that thought aside for another time the blonde instead continued her sloppy assault, chuckles of amusement leaving the man as he continued to strike her face, a particularly nasty blow cutting her lip and allowing a trickle of blood to cascade down her chin.
"There, that should do it."
"Is this honestly the best you can do? Gods, your sister was magnitudes better than this and she doesn't even seem the close-combat type."
Unleashing an enraged yell Victorious cocked her staff over her shoulder before leaping forward, leaving her chin wide open for a blow-
-and a smirk appeared on the Sekirei's bloodied lips as she felt her head rock back from a sharp jab...that turned into a golden glow, converted energy coalescing around her staff as the light illuminated her opponents expression, surprise flitting across his features as she brought the weapon down on the male.
A deafening BANG echoed through the warehouse as Tyrone went careening off to the side, knocking aside a collection of shipping containers with a cacophony of crashing and screeching metal that was music to the Sekirei's ears.
"Hah! That should teach the fool to underestimate the Sekirei of victory!"
Letting the golden glow of her ability, Victorious Song, fade away the woman gazed towards where her foe had been sent pinwheeling away...and felt her blood run cold as a shadowed silhouette rose from the wreckage, a groan of satisfaction leaving Tyrone as he stretched and twisted, a few pops issuing from his body.
"Not bad, #33. Not bad at all. You kept your cool and totally caught me with my pants down."
A chuckle left the dimly lit male as he began to approach the blonde.
"My arms are going to be bruised to Hell and back come tomorrow, blocking that strike was no joke...so I think that's my cue to stop fucking around."
The silhouette blurred, Victorious barely managing to regain her footing as a whirlwind of feet and fists that she could barely discern from the darkness around them began to rain down upon her.
She immediately began to backpedal, caught entirely off guard by the fierce assault.
"W-what is this?! He's just as fast and only a bit physically weaker than I am! How is that possible?!"
Her thoughts were interrupted by a foot planting itself in her gut, air and spittle rushing from her lungs as the Sekirei began to panic, not nearly experienced enough in fighting beings of similar strength and speed to know how to counter such an onslaught.
"Hah, what's the matter, #33?! Where'd that confidence go?!"
A brutal blow to her kidney caused the woman to briefly cry out in pain before she forced her jaw shut, a hasty swing of her staff only buying her the briefest of reprieves.
"Here, a bit of advice! Wearing white and gold in this kind of environment is like sending up a signal flare!"
Yet another kick to her midsection that actually made her feel sick forced the woman back...but it also gave her an idea.
As the shadowy man once more closed in on her she loosened the clasps on her mantle, swiftly shrugging out of it in a smooth motion that left the article of clothing hanging in midair-
-and just as she hoped it suddenly contorted as a fist or foot impacted the material, Victorious's own staff already streaking towards its destination...and with a satisfying impact and sound of tearing flesh she heard her opponent hiss in pain, grin of triumph splitting her bruised and cut lips as she made to yank the weapon close and inflict further damage...and her eyes widened in horror at the sight that greeted her eyes.
Flames. Flames, dancing around the palm of her foe as he thrust it at her face, features illuminated by the hellish glow as he seemingly controlled the elemental force of fire itself.
Just like a Sekirei would.
Victorious's senses left her as what felt like a train struck her head on, ears ringing and eyes blurring as something hard and rough cut into her bare chest, limbs spasming as she tried to force herself to her feet.
"What...what happened? How was he able to control fire like that..."
Even in her dazed state Victorious could remember what happened, of how the flames dancing in Tyrone's palm had exploded in a small but powerful explosion that had completely incapacitated her.
...Was someone calling her? And why was it so bright out?
Eyes gradually regaining their visual acuity the Sekirei realized she was laying in front of none other than Formidable, her sister struggling against her bonds in a fruitless gesture to help her.
"That's right, I need to get up...Formidable needs my help...the help of the Sekirei of Victory-"
A sudden cry of pain left the blonde as her hair was suddenly pulled on harshly, peripheral vision spotting her dress being tossed onto what she recognized as a pile of Formidable's clothing.
Oh, right...her gambit hadn't worked. Or at least it hadn't worked for long.
A strong and burning hand cupped her bare breast, a cry of pain slipping past Victorious's lips at the harsh pinching and squeezing as well as uncomfortable levels of heat, an amused voice whispering into her ear, "Sekirei of victory? Come on now, who are you trying to fool? I beat you with barely any effort at all. If I came at you with my full power you would have lost in seconds."
The harsh, bitter truth of that statement caused tears to gather in Victorious's eyes, the cruel reality of that fact crushing her spirit.
Her first fight, one where her sister's freedom had been on the line...and she had barely even managed to make her opponent sweat or bleed.
"Well before I Wing you and that fine bitch of a sister of yours...I think I'll perform a little hands on inspection of the spoils of war~!"
Victorious froze in primal fear as the hand mauling her breast abandoned that action, her hair released as the fingers curled into its length instead grabbed her skull, crushing it against the rocky floor...and something rough, scalding and sickening began to grind against her panties, a frightened whimper leaving her before she could muffle it as she ineffectually struggled with weakened motions against the insane man's immobilizing weight, chains and muffled shouts leaving her sister as the blonde Sekirei shut her eyes at the cruelty of the world just as they had found their Ashikabi-
-and the motion suddenly stopped.
"OH SHI-"
The crushing weight atop of Victorious suddenly abated, what sounded like rushing water and the sound of breaking metal filling the warehouse as the woman abruptly felt herself gathered up in familiar arms and scents, shouts and whispers of relief echoing through her head as the blonde's eyes opened in tender hope.
"You damned fool, I told you to run..."
A smile of unadulterated happiness appeared on Victorious's bruised and bloodied features as she met the gaze of an expressive and teary Formidable, her sister freed from her chains with only angry red marks across her silky skin to show for it, Illustrious and Unicorn also gathered around her with smiles of pure relief.
"And leave you behind to the insane wiles of that putrid man? Not likely-"
The blonde's eyes flew wide, tone urgent as she inquired, "Urion, is he-AH!"
"Don't move so violently, you dolt! You're still heavily injured!"
Ignoring Illustrious's concerned words Victorious gazed around the warehouse with worried sweeps of her eyes...and found something rather peculiar.
Namely that of a wall of water separating them from her earlier foe, floating as if it had a mind of its own while her old foe and the new arrival stared each other down.
The newest male on the scene was taller even than Urion and clearly in better shape, her prior enemy now sporting a bleeding gash across his chest in addition to the blow she had landed upon him earlier with her staff.
"Why is he...familiar?"
Victorious felt a sudden thrill in her heart, breath catching as she whispered, "Is that...is that our-"
"Ashikabi? That he is...and a strange one at that."
Illustrious's words carried within them happiness and a fair bit of curiosity, Unicorn quietly nodding as she added, "Big Brother wasn't happy with the other man...Unicorn thinks he isn't going to live long."
As if in response to her thoughts a low, unsteady chuckle left Urion, crazed eyes dancing with murderous glee as he crowed, "Well lookie here...guess the Custodes Avem would be investigating this here experiment of MBI, eh?"
The new arrival remained silent, waves and tendrils of water idly floating around him as Urion spat in frustration.
"Gods you fucking do-gooders are such a bore."
"Boring? No, we just prefer to be efficient with out actions and energy."
The four Sekirei tensed as the air in the warehouse suddenly became stifling, barely restrained malice and bloodlust almost a tangible thing as the water dancing around their future Ashikabi seemed to grow agitated, writhing like snakes as he raised an arm.
"And on that note...why don't we begin this little spat of ours? After all, I'd hate to waste the time of a dead man."
A snarl of fury left Urion that was matched by Rastus, the two moving to engage-
-and the battle took on a far more lethal stage to it.