Chapter 6: A Night of Solace
Formidable usually thought of herself as being the most level-headed of her sisters, of not letting events or twists in fate throw her off balance.
Victorious tended to let herself live from moment to moment, upbeat and energetic nature meaning she was more prone to fits of emotion should events upset or derail her momentum.
Unicorn only seemed quiet, it would be no stretch of the imagination to say that she was perhaps the most empathetic and sensitive one out of all of them, reserved nature meaning what she felt was all the more keenly experienced.
Illustrious typically kept a cool head in even the most tense of situations but she was also prone to fits of playfulness and fancy, a willingness to dedicate herself emotionally and mentally to people or situations if her interest was caught.
As for Formidable? She was diligent and dutiful, yes...but if given the choice she would infinitely prefer to idly do whatever caught her attention for the day, only achieving the bare minimum to keep a happy and fulfilling standard of life. It was that detachment and state of mind that allowed her to objectively and logically view most things from a more dispassionate angle than her sisters, to keep a level head when panic or undue investment would have otherwise been the result.
Her assault by that hideous man had been a wake up call, that maintaining her calm and collected persona wasn't always the best of ideas. Had she been more alert and willing to fight, to listen to her instincts...perhaps she wouldn't have been cleanly incapacitated, stripped and restrained like some helpless, graceless damsel.
And if that had been a galvanizing moment, one that disrupted her modus operandi...then it had been nothing compared to seeing her brave, headstrong sister arrive to save her...only to be beaten down and humiliated while all she could do was uselessly thrash and scream for that despicable man to stop.
What had seemed like a clear, simple tournament battle with mostly positive outcomes and events to look forward to suddenly seemed immeasurably darker.
...And then, out of the blue when she hadn't expected it, help arrived.
"Sisters...did you bring a Sekirei to aid us?"
Even as Formidable desperately hugged Victorious to her chest—some primal anxiety demanding she hold her close in case something else attempted to harm the blonde Sekirei—Illustrious and Unicorn huddled equally as close, both seeming unsure as to whether they should join the battle or not.
"No, sister. He isn't a Sekirei, or at least I don't believe he is one...despite these abilities he displays."
Illustrious sounded oddly certain for so uncertain a statement, Unicorn nodding as she added, "We're all reacting to big brother, right...we can't react to other Sekirei..."
The long-haired woman frowned in thought, recognizing the truth of that statement. Sekirei couldn't treat others of their kind as an Ashikabi, if they could the four likely would have picked one among them to serve in that capacity, such was the closeness of their bond.
But, as she watched the tall man stand resolutely in front of them, nullifying the other male's fire-based attacks with swift jets or tendrils of water...Formidable had to admit that this reaction was of a quality she had never before experienced, of such strength and desire that she felt herself tremble and shake at the intensity of the emotion.
Not even her newfound caution and wariness of the way her body could act against her wishes—as it had with the fire wielding man—could dampen the inferno that was the intensity of her longing to be Winged.
"Besides, sister Illustrious and Unicorn seem perfectly happy and content to be around him...how bad could he be?"
That train of thought was interrupted as a deafening BANG rattled the warehouse, all four Sekirei wincing as their ears ached at the percussive force, Formidable's eyes widening as she saw the shorter man wildly grinning, palms alight with a killing glow as he repeatedly launched some kind of blinding explosion at their potential Ashikabi, only a watery shield that bulged, rippled and steamed with each detonation keeping them and their protector safe.
"Sekirei, being safeguarded by their Ashikabi? That is...a most disgraceful state of affairs."
The morose thought didn't have much time to stick around as the fire-caster laughed with insane glee, shouting, "What's the matter, birdkeeper?! Can't go on the offensive because you want to keep the little chickadees safe? Fine by me, I'll just incinerate you alongside them! I'm an equal opportunity kinda guy, burned women don't turn me off as long as they're nice and tight-GRK?!"
Formidable blinked, the sudden assault by the deranged man coming to a halt as he suddenly convulsed, grabbing his throat as his eyes bulged-
-and the four Sekirei yelped in shared surprised and disgust as transparent spikes of what looked like liquid shot out of the man's head and neck in random intervals, the body swaying upright for a few seconds...and the collapsing onto the ground with an anti-climactic splat.
"And that's why you don't open your mouth when fighting a water user...dumbass."
The sisters could only stare in blatant disbelief as their savior of the hour strode towards the corpse, wondering just what on Earth had happened as he retrieved something from near where it was laying-
-and Formidable felt herself blush all the more fiercely as the man returned to them, clothing in hand as he handed off their articles, calmly stating, "Can I ask you four to keep an eye on the surroundings while I dispose of the body? It won't exactly be pretty."
None of them argued, Victorious quickly robing herself while ignoring the aches and pains assailing her form, Formidable replacing her underwear and dress to their proper positions as she shook her head at Illustrious's offer of binding her hair in its usual twin-tails, opting instead to tie it into a simple ponytail for the moment.
Without further comment the four slipped out of the building, exchanging quick glances that promised they would speak once matters had settled down somewhat. Formidable in particular wanted to inquire about this strange Ashikabi of theirs...was he some kind of magician?
The minutes passed by quickly, so consumed in scattered thoughts and leftover adrenaline was the Sekirei that she almost missed their future bonded leaving the building, motioning for them to gather around which they hurried to do.
"As much as I wish we had time to do proper introductions we need to get out of here, I started a small fire that should have a fair bit of the material inside turned to ashen globs of metal."
Formidable and Victorious shared confused glances at the man's actions, Illustrious and Unicorn not seeming terribly surprised as he explained, "It's a long shot but I don't want MBI having any evidence of either my or Urion's presence here. Already called the EM services so we should hurry on our way before-"
A hiss of pain left the towering man as he collapsed to one knee, hand grasping his chest as Illustrious was at his side in an eyeblink, frantically inquiring, "Master Alesandro, are you all right?!"
"D-don't worry, Unicorn can heal big brother-"
A hand was raised to forestall any further offers, the man offering a tired grin as he wheezed, "Don't worry, this is completely normal. Sorry, but I don't suppose one of you could carry me back? Not sure how well I'll be able to run in this condition."
As the distant wail of sirens could be heard and smoke began to pour out of the warehouse Formidable didn't even blink, stooping low before efficiently placing the much broader man onto her back in a position that was mildly awkward but perfectly workable.
And she was plenty strong enough to carry the male as if he was a small child even though he likely weighed a great deal, if the height and sculpted physique she felt pressing against her back were any indicators.
"That is...very impressive."
"Follow me, sisters...let us return to our brilliant new home!"
With that enthusiastic cry Illustrious led them out of the wharf areas, Formidable tilting her head in mild confusion as she heard Alesandro mutter, "Assuming all that even though I still need to explain things..." before shrugging in indifference, following in her sister's wakes.
There was obviously a great deal of information she had to catch up on.
"Are you sure you're all right, master Alesandro?"
"I'm fine, Illustrious. Well, to be fair I'm not but it's a situation I know how to remedy easily enough. Do you remember that market we passed when running back here?"
The pale-haired Sekirei bobbed her head in acknowledgment, the man continuing to explain, "In my bedroom there's a wallet with some yen in it, take that and buy as much high-calorie food that you can carry. Using my powers like that on short notice works up one hell of an appetite."
Smiling in reassurance the Sekirei responded, "As much as your monetary aid is appreciated, master, we Sekirei have our own means of purchasing."
"...Is it a card or account provided by MBI? If it is don't use it, at least not tonight."
Appearing confused by the order Illustrious made to ask a question-
-and the rumble of the male's stomach and wince of discomfort caused her to swiftly rise to her feet, firmly stating, "I shall do as you ask, master. I shall be back without further delay. Sisters? Do keep our Ashikabi safe, it simply would not do for any ruffians to take advantage of his weakened state."
The male raised an eyebrow as the three remaining Sekirei firmly nodded as one, wryly remarking, "Is there any point to me even stating that I'm not your Ashikabi yet?"
"After the display tonight, aiding us when we needed it most?"
Illustrious offered a playful smile, swooping in for a quick kiss on the man's forehead as she purred, "Not a chance, master Alesandro. I shall be back shortly."
Smirking at how her sisters bristled at her bold action the Sekirei retrieved the money and swiftly departed, leaving the four still gathered around the living room couch where the sole male was sprawled.
"...Victorious and Illustrious, right? The bathroom upstairs is available if either of you want to clean up. No offense meant, but the warehouse and events of the past few hours haven't done you much good."
Despite his intention of not offending them both Sekirei instinctively felt alarm at the fact that they might not look their best, inspecting themselves for any signs of imperfection...and regretfully coming to the conclusion that, yes, they weren't in very good standing.
Formidable's clothing had become wrinkled and marred, covered in dust and grime from its long stint on the filthy warehouse floor while her fair skin was angrily marked by both the chains that had bit deep and gag that had left minor cuts along her mouth.
Victorious was arguably worse off, her dress singed and frayed from where it had been struck by their foe's fire powers while she sported many bruises and lacerations where she had been struck, covered in soot and dust where she had come into contact with the less than clean floor of the warehouse.
"The gesture is appreciated, master Alesandro-"
"You too with the 'master' thing, huh?"
"-but we have already inconvenienced you more than is permissible by our standards. We Sekirei—and the four of us refined ladies in particular—consider inconveniencing our Akishabi or leading them to harm as a horribly grave offense. Leaving you unguarded during a time of weakness is absolutely inexcusable by any metric."
To Formidable's sincere words he merely offered a smile, responding, "Well you needn't worry about me being unguarded, I'm sure Unicorn here will be able to keep me safe."
A fire seemed to light itself in the smaller woman's eyes, an enthusiastic nod coinciding with her stating, "Unicorn will keep big brother company...bis sisters Formidable and Victorious can go get cleaned up."
Instantly recognizing that their younger sibling wished to get some alone time with their Ashikabi while they were safely out of the picture Victorious merely offered, "Instead of that, dear sister, why do you not just make use of your powers and heal us? That way we can all be present to guard Alesandro and need not leave his side?"
A smug grin pulled at the blonde Sekirei's lips as she fully believed she had just nullified the basis of Unicorn's assault-
"Unicorn's abilities don't fix cloth and dirt, big sister Victorious."
-and instead felt her eye twitch at the inopportune reminder.
A tired sigh left the male's mouth as he remarked, "If you're truly worried about me being unable to defend myself, don't be. That guy was an anomaly and while we haven't seen the last of his kind...it won't be tonight. And if what little I've seen of Illustrious in any indicator she won't be gone any longer than twenty minutes."
He smiled, one hand shakily reaching out to stroke Unicorn's head, the young-looking Sekirei's features lighting up in joy at the simple gesture as her older sister's tried not to look visibly jealous at the attention she was receiving.
"Unicorn here will do just fine in the astronomically unlikely event anybody attacks...tonight will be long enough as it is, you two deserve a moment to rest and get clean. Bathroom's on the top floor, first door on the right."
Unable to argue with the statement that seemed uncomfortably close to an order the Sekirei pair sighed, Formidable bowing her head slightly as she intoned, "Very well, master Alesandro...if that is your desire."
Without further comment they strode off, glancing over their shoulders just in time to see their younger sister use her toy's front leg to wave goodbye, rare mischief dancing within her orbs as she sat next to the man on the couch at a distance that was more than familiar.
"Since when did she become so adept at misdirection and mischief?"
"Our little sister has always had the potential, merely lacking sufficient drive...spending time with our Ashikabi seems to have ignited that spark."
No further words passed between the two as they swung open to the door to the bathroom, blinking in surprise at how spacious it was.
Two stalls for showers and washing, one large sink and a generously sized bathtub that could conceivably fit all of them if they were willing to be packed rather closely.
Something the pair of Sekirei didn't find distasteful at all as they disrobed, stacking their dirty clothes in a spare hamper and finding fluffy bathrobes for afterwards before engaging the water, spraying themselves clean as both lightly winced at the sting of cleansing fluid passing over their cuts and bruises.
"Do you need help washing your hair, sister? I know you enjoy keeping it at such a length but ensuring it's well-maintained cannot be easy-"
Victorious found her query brought to an abrupt end as she found herself engulfed in a tight hug from Formidable, her fellow Sekirei burying her head into the blonde's shoulder.
"You brave, wonderful fool. You should have left me when it became clear what that fiend was going to do to you."
Unable to restrain a shiver at the memory she had been deliberately ignoring the woman returned the embrace, lightly stroking her sister's lovely tresses as she firmly replied, "You ask for the impossible, you dolt. As if I could have ever left you behind to the tender mercies of that monster. No, if there is only one regret I hold...it is how useless I was, causing you undue grief and stress at my own ineptitude."
She held Formidable all the tighter, eyes screwed tight as she grit her teeth.
"I did not even manage to injure my foe except during the times in which he specifically told me how to. I was helpless before him and I still hold doubts as to whether he was an actual Sekirei. When he held me down, when I could still feel myself reacting despite every facet of my mind protesting at what he was about to do...I felt dirty, a fake Sekirei of victory who collapsed against the first real foe she faced off against-mmh?!"
Victorious was cut off as soft, pliable lips sealed themselves over her own, a warm and eager tongue slipping past her teeth as her sister pushed her to the slick tiles below, sizable chests squishing together as rapidly stiffening nipples were caressed in pleasing jolts of excitement.
Withdrawing from the lip lock with a wet pop and thread of saliva connecting them Formidable gazed into her sister's deep blue eyes, Victorious held immobile by the love and passion within Formidable's burning gaze of red-orange.
"You, my love, are about as far from a failure as one can possibly get. You did not win, true...but you were there to save me from what would have been a truly terrifying ordeal. I was scared, being all alone in that building with only an unhinged fiend for company...and who came to my rescue but a golden warrior, fighting and resisting even when it seemed hopeless?"
A tender, loving peck on the lips caused Victorious to blush at the honest and embarrassing words, Formidable whispering into her ear, "We are sisters, Victorious...and we do not make the same mistakes twice, nor do we ever truly lose. The next time battle finds us, we shall face it as we always intended to. Together."
Hands automatically grabbed the grey-haired Sekirei's ass as the heat of the moment caused a pulse of desire to alight in Victorious's core, the blonde woman grinning in delight as her sister gasped at the sensation, voice a purr as she whispered, "Sister, such honest and loving words...how do you expect me to properly restrain myself after such a proclamation?"
Red-orange eyes gazed deeply into swimming blue, Formidable lightly nibbling on Victorious's lower lips as she moaned, "See? You are already feeling much like your normal self..."
"And much like I normally do~!"
A giggle left Formidable as Victorious pushed herself upwards so that they were both upright, lips locked and tongues dancing as their legs slowly intertwined...and both pulled apart with light blushes, Formidable quietly stating, "We...are missing something, aren't we?"
"Yes, our Ashikabi. Even thought I want you oh so badly right now, sister...I can feel my body reacting to his presence, demanding my attention."
A quiet sigh left the Sekirei pair, Formidable stating, "I feel much the same...but, do you think..."
A maidenly blush spread across her face as she hesitantly asked, "Do you think he would like watching us? Make love like this?"
A flush just an intense caused Victorious to bury her head in Formidable's hair, stammering, "T-that's such a bold idea, sister! But he is a man, and men are supposed to like things like this, right?"
A moment of silence passed as they each became lost in scandalous—to their perception, at least—fantasies, Formidable whispering, "What if...what if he wanted to join us?"
A full-body shiver wracked Victorious's body, the childish innocence both women were displaying a sharp contrast to the experienced lust of a few minutes prior.
"Then that would be a scenario to truly remember. Now hurry, the idea of our dear little sister getting to monopolize our Ashikabi's time is making me nervous."
"Agreed."
Both Sekirei separated from the other and quickly proceeded to bathe themselves, newfound resolve burning in their hearts.
"So what did you usually do during your time at MBI?"
A delicate finger pointed towards the tvTV the tiny Sekirei stating, "Unicorn and the others learned about the world...and went through lots of tests."
"Tests? Tests as in about your knowledge on culture or..."
"No. Tests on our bodies."
Frowning yet again at the implications of such a statement Alesandro had to wonder just what MBI had been doing without the direct supervision of any outside party, snapping out of his thoughts as the purple-haired girl lightly tugged on his sleeve, hesitantly asking, "Big brother? What do you like to do in your free time...maybe you and Unicorn can do it together?"
Smiling at how the Sekirei raised her stuffed animal in a bid to hide her blushing face Alesandro replied, "Well I come from a pretty regimented family, mired in tradition and all that so much of my free time was spent either in study or training, something which I'll explain in greater detail when we can all simply sit down and have a group conversation. But my hobbies? Well...I do enjoy swimming, either for fun or for exercise."
That admission seemed to excite the young-looking Sekirei, her eyes lighting up in interest as she said, "Unicorn and her big sisters are good swimmers...that would be fun."
An oddly coquettish side glance was sent the male's way, the young woman asking, "Would big brother like to see Unicorn in a swimsuit?"
Shaking his head at the question Alesandro enigmatically replied, "I don't think you need me to outwardly tell you that, Unicorn. It's pretty obvious what I would like, right?"
He smirked at the Sekirei's pout, her placid tone mildly miffed as she complained, "That wasn't a clear answer, big brother..."
"Oh? I thought it was abundantly clear~!"
Before the Sekirei could further voice her displeasure the front door swung open, Illustrious confidently striding inside with a collection of bags that would have dragged a grown man to the ground adorning her slim arms, all smiles as she trilled, "Master Alesandro, I have returned~!"
Unicorn pouted, mumbling, "Big sister returned too quickly..." as the white-haired woman offered her a playful grin.
"Oh my, were you hoping to spend more alone time with our Ashikabi, dear little sister? Such a bold maneuver from one usually so docile~!"
"Big sister would have done the same as Unicorn..."
Dropping the bags onto the dining table with an audible thump Illustrious offered her sibling a look of playful admonishment, stating, "Ahh, but we should best not forget that we are prim and proper ladies of respectable standards, yes? Badgering our Ashikabi for his attention isn't very proper, now is it?"
Both sensing and seeing the worried sulk now dominating the girl's expression Alesandro quickly stated, "Unicorn wasn't being a bother or anything along those lines, she was simply keeping me safe and entertained while Formidable and Victorious get themselves cleaned up. Trust me, she wasn't being a bother."
The male combined his words with an affectionate caress of the girl's scalp, the Sekirei visibly shivering with delight at the gesture...and the queenly smirk Illustrious sent Alesandro's way suggested she had wanted him to do just that.
"It seems I was dancing to someone else's tune the whole time..."
Inwardly sighing he politely motioned for Unicorn to stand so that he could rise to his feet, the purple-haired girl regretfully doing so as he approached the table with stiff and sore motions, Illustrious inquiring, "Is there anything in particular you would prefer, master Alesandro? I purchased a collection of ready made meals or even a few fresh ingredients if you would prefer to wait while I create something custom made to your palette."
Shaking his head in mild regret the towering man responded, "Perhaps if we had more time, but for now I'll settle for something filling and quick."
Nodding at his request Illustrious revealed a collection of frozen meals, Alesandro selecting a pair at random before throwing them into the microwave, wincing as his muscles protested the simple actions.
"The Crash is always a nightmare to handle...you would think with all the time we've had to study Sekirei genetics we would have came up with a better way to handle the resulting fallout but, hey, what do I know about science?"
"Master Alesandro, should you not sit down? You don't seem to be in any better of shape than you were before..."
Illustrious's worried tone caused the male to nod his head slightly in agreement, gratefully collapsing into one of the table's chairs-
-and almost jumping as the buxom Sekirei began to massage his neck and shoulders, powerful but soft fingers valiantly working to ease out the kinks and contusions that lined his body.
"Oh? Did I startle you, master Alesandro?"
Detecting the playful statement for what it was the young man responded, "You did, but the gesture is appreciated nonetheless. Sorry for the trouble."
"Oh believe me, this is something I rather greatly enjoy~!"
That happy statement coincided with Unicorn muttering, "Big sister Illustrious is being a hypocrite about being a lady..."
Unable to help but chuckle at the smaller Sekirei's words their brief moment of interplay was interrupted by a new pair of arrivals, both freshly washed and glistening with a beauty that immediately caused Alesandro's eye to drift in their direction.
They were both incredibly attractive and buxom women, sporting generous proportions with only a few key differences to set them apart. The blonde, Victorious, had a more athletic body compared to her opposites more feminine and soft curves, bright blonde hair falling to her thighs while deep blue eyes spoke of mirth and confidence as she sauntered forward, adorned only in a fluffy bath robe.
Formidable was a more demure and quiet presence but no less fetching. Her pale-grey hair was kept extremely long, two twin-tails brushing the ground as hypnotic eyes of red-orange carried within them a calm and calculating intelligence.
"Really, it's one thing to hear of the Sekirei's beauty and another thing entirely to witness it..."
"Oh hoh~? Has our brilliance enraptured you so, dearest Ashikabi?"
Snapping out of his starstruck phase the man replied, "I think you already know the answer to that...are the two of you feeling better?"
The pair blushed at his words, apparently having no trouble teasing or complimenting him but falling apart at the seams the second he reciprocated the action.
"Y-yes, our injuries and wounds have largely healed and the bath was most pleasant. We offer our thanks, master Alesandro."
This time it was Formidable who answered, bowing her head slightly and almost causing her impressive bust to slip free of the robe in a motion that had the male raising an eyebrow.
"They're that large but still don't sag in the slightest...guess we should be thankful for a Sekirei's massively more durable spine then."
Redirecting his gaze to a place that wouldn't cause another bout of teasing the man stated, "Well, now that we're all gathered here after a long and trying day why don't we get to the meat of the matter, we-"
The microwave beeped and interrupted his sentence, Formidable leaping into action as she retrieved the meals from the device before bringing them to her chosen, calmly stating, "Eat first, master Alesandro. You should not embark on a tale with an empty stomach."
"Well, can't argue with that."
Gratefully accepting the utensils from the ashen-haired Sekirei he prepared to wolf down the simple food...and sighed in vexation.
"Illustrious? I appreciate the gesture but it's rather hard to eat when you're still massaging my neck and shoulders."
A giggle reached his ears as the Sekirei halted her actions, instead choosing to stand alongside Formidable at his side as if waiting for an additional command. Which made eating an intensely awkward thing to do as they stared at him with nary a blink, Victorious gathering Unicorn in her lap as they sat themselves at the table, also watching his every move with blatant interest.
"...Why don't you all grab something to eat as well, instead of sitting there with nothing to do?"
No move was made.
"...That's an order as your potential Ashikabi?"
The tension broke, Illustrious and Victorious openly laughing at his discomfort while Formidable and Unicorn developed small smiles of amusement.
"Ah. So they were just fucking with me. That was actually rather endearing."
Within moments they had all gathered a spread of easy and quick snacks, Alesandro powering through his own meal and feeling significantly better, if still rather sore.
"Right, are we all ready to have this discussion?"
The four sisters immediately adopted postures of elegance and seriousness, no doubt hanging on his every word so that they could convince him that their desire to be Winged was genuine despite his supposed 'circumstances'.
"That kind of loyalty and desire is both impressive and actually kind of frightening...this is them before being bonded, which if what I can infer from their earlier statements about MBI's adjustments means they'll only be more subservient and eager to please than before once they go through with the act."
Setting aside that disquiet thought the male began with, "So like I told Illustrious earlier, you're all from an alien species that travelled here several thousand years ago from an unknown star."
He took a bit of idle pleasure in seeing how Formidable, Victorious and Unicorn—who hadn't heard about the thousands of years bit—blinked rapidly, faces switching from rapt attention to dumbfounded shock, Illustrious seemingly sharing in his enjoyment of their expressions.
"What I didn't mention is that me and a few hundred others that make up what our departed friend Urion called the Custodes Avemare the direct descendants of the first Sekirei that travelled across this planet."
Apologies if I didn't make this clear in notes or profile but Royal Birds is completely written and finished, I'm just editing chapters as I go and it will be completed in due time. This and a few other one-shots that will be released are things I already have written, it's the other stories that I was working on beforehand that are discontinued and up for adoption.