Chapter XII


She began to watch the street carefully once Kagari had gone back inside for lunch. She wanted to make sure Yukari and Shiina didn't freak out at the sight of so many Sekirei and do something stupid on reflex. As soon as they came into view she planned to go meet them. Not knowing where the two were coming from, she scanned her eyes over the entire street as well as the rooftops. She couldn't discount the possibility Shiina would be willing to carry his Ashikabi in eager haste to reunite with Kusano.

On one visual sweep, she noticed something flit between two houses on an adjacent street. Zeilla wished to be back in her MJOLNIR armour as she squinted across the distance, and spotted nothing different about the houses themselves. She did another sweep of the rooftops and thought she saw a shape dart behind a three-story house on the other side of the block.

The Spartan III made a show of sweeping her hooded gaze up and down the street thrice more then pushed off the wall, examined her wrist and slowly walked down the street in the opposite direction. At the corner, she crossed the street and turned south. Half way down the block she crossed back over and hopped up onto a wall that ran between the two rows of houses between the two parallel streets south of Izumo. Zeilla edged along it quietly, examining every rooftop and street view she could.

I need a phone so I can contact Matsu for a satellite scan.

Upon reaching the three-leveled house she lowered herself down, crossed the small yard and began to climb up a street side corner by using the window frames. It was difficult to do silently, but she managed to do it. Pausing to rest at top floor she loosened her holster and then pulled herself up onto the roof.

Nobody was there.

Zeilla crept about the roof and looked out over the shorter houses until she spotted a familiar head of pink hair. She frowned and squinted, raising her hood a little more against the noon sun. Indeed, there was Benitsubasa huddled behind a chimney with a pair of binoculars pressed to her eyes. She seemed to be watching Izumo and muttering to herself.

Zeilla drew her sidearm and inspected it. The store attendant had called it a Desert Eagle, an American weapon popular with just about everyone with an eye for firearms. Fifty caliber, magazine fed and still compact enough to count as small arms. Apparently, it was Yashima's MBI card that made the man willing to bring it out of storage. It was small in her grasp, but she didn't doubt its stopping power.

The Spartan took a running leap, landed on the lower roof in a roll and came up on one knee with her pistol trained on the Sekirei.

Benitsubasa slowly turned and froze with wide eyes, like a Grunt caught in the floodlights of a Scorpion tank.

"You!"

"Spying, are we?"

The pinkette quivered with rage. "What the hell do you want?" she hissed.

Zeilla took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I've been wondering a few things. Seeing how you were trying not to be noticed as you spied on Izumo Inn perhaps you would like to answer a few questions for me? In exchange, I won't tell anyone you were here."

#105 blinked. "What?"

"I've heard there is a terrifying demon up here in the north. I wonder if gunshots will wake it up?"

"Fine! Alright! Ask your damn questions."

Zeilla rose a brow. "Well... Will you answer them?"

Benitsubasa crossed her arms and legs and sat down, a pout pulling at her face. "I might."

"What brings you to Izumo?"

"That stupid, big boobed, number Eighty-Eight." the pinkette growled, glaring at the Inn across the street. "I'm going to kill her... Somehow... I'll pay her back for that night."

Well that was heavy.

"Okay... What do you want out of life?"

The Sekirei looked at her like she had just crash landed from outer-space.

"Forget the Sekirei Plan, Minaka Hiroto, everything. What do you want above all else?"

Benitsubasa looked away and blushed. "Why do you ask?"

"I want to go home and save my race from genocide." Zeilla said bluntly. "What about you?"

"I... Want... My Ashikabi to show his love to me." Benitsubasa uttered quietly.

The Spartan edged closer. "Doesn't he?"

"He... Smiles." she said uncertainly. "Haihane says all kinds of things to piss me off but... I've been starting to think she might be right - I mean, Natsuo talks to us only when there is work to do but chats to Karasuba occasionally... He only smiles, never praises us or shows any affection. I know he loves me but I don't understand why he keeps pushing me away."

Benitsubasa crushed the binoculars in a fist and growled. "He does love me. He has to! He's my Ashikabi who I fight for! I will make him show it when I crush Eighty-Eight."

Zeilla cleared her throat. "What does Haihane say about Natsuo?"

"She says lots of things. She says he doesn't like my body, that he likes... Other things..."

"Such as?"

#105 was silent for a long moment.

"Men."

"Pardon?"

"She says he likes other men!" Benistubasa snapped, fixing Zeilla with eyes full of rage and tears trickling slowly down her cheeks. "She says he's gay and that he will never love us properly and he only talks to Karasuba because she might go crazy and kill everyone! Haihane - she's wrong! He can't be gay! He... He made us emerge... Gave us our wings... Said he was my Ashikabi..."

Zeilla cautiously lowered her gun and went over to sit beside the quivering alien as she trailed off into silence. The Spartan kept her weapon in her lap pointed in Benitsubasa's direction but placed her free hand gently on her shoulder.

"What happened on the day you were winged, Benitsubasa? How did Natsuo become your Ashikabi?"

The pinkette looked down at the mangled device in her hand. "He was selected by the President, Minaka Hiroto. Natsuo manages the Discipline squad and Karasuba leads it. He agreed to the job on the day he winged Number Four. A few weeks later Haihane and I had our adjustments completed in record time so we could join her."

Zeilla frowned. "He works for Minaka at MBI?"

Benitsubasa nodded.

"I see. Does Haihane have any reason to say he is not interested in you three?"

The alien shrugged.

Zeilla swallowed and spent a minute gathering her thoughts in order to prepare her next words carefully. She couldn't afford to screw up now.

"Benitsubasa, I may not know what is really going on, but I can say I know quite a bit about how Humans think and act." she began slowly, rubbing the Sekirei's back in a way she hopped was soothing. "This is just what I think is going on. Minaka wants a squad of enforcers to keep the players obeying his rules, so he puts together Sekirei who fit the role and has them bond with the same Ashikabi. This Ashikabi can be kept safe from other Sekirei and controlled if need be in order to make sure the Discipline squad stays loyal."

Benitsubasa went very still.

"If Minaka chose this Ashikabi himself, it begs the question of why. I can't think it impossible for MBI to have persuaded or blatantly kidnaped the Ashikabi you or the others might have reacted to. Its most likely that Minaka found potential Ashikabi and selected one who would be loyal to his ideas or his wealth throughout the Sekirei Plan for one reason: control. It's the easiest way to control the squad and doesn't run the risk of the Sekirei becoming disgruntled over their Ashikabi being held hostage."

"No... You're lying..." the pinkette whispered as she began to tremble.

Zeilla patted her back. "I don't know for sure. That's just my best guess, Benitsubasa."

"Yo-you're wrong! It can't be that way... He loves me. I'm sure he does. Why would he kiss me if he didn't?"

Zeilla sighed. "Humans have done a lot worse to each other. In the midst of war, I have seen people kill each other for food, medical supplies, weapons... Money... Humans can be horrible. While I was risking my life for years so they could live in peace there were people using others like tools. If your Natsuo only had to kiss three alien women and tell them what to do in order to receive lots of money I can easily believe he would do it without care for your feelings on the matter."

"Lies..." the pinkette gritted out painfully through clenched teeth. "It's not... That's not how it is!"

"Benitsubasa, listen to me. What would happen if someone killed your Ashikabi?"

#105 froze. "I... Would be deactivated."

Zeilla filled the information away with a frown. "If you survived, how would you feel?"

Benitsubasa didn't answer.

"The purpose of this... Stupid game, is to fight until only one Sekirei remains, right? If every Sekirei finds, bonds with and loves an Ashikabi... Then all but one Sekirei die..." the Spartan described slowly. "Does not that mean about one hundred Ashikabi and Sekirei get torn from each other? Your Ashikabi means everything to you. I see this game as being designed to cause suffering."

Benitaubasa still didn't respond.

"What if the Discipline squad kills all the others? Only one can win. If Karasuba kills you and Haihane, then only she gets to live with Natsuo. Is that what you want? A world where everything ends in heartbreak?"

Benitsubasa shivered. "N-n-no... I... I want to live with Natsuo forever. I will win! I have to!"

"Why do you have to win?"

"Because-"

"Who says you have to win? Why do they say that? Minaka, the one who designed the game? Is he going enforce his rules all by himself if you won't?"

"I... I have to win to be with Natsuo!" the pinkette exclaimed, further crushing the binoculars.

"You're with him now." Zeilla countered. "All that will change is there will be one hundred and seven dead Sekirei and so many broken hearts, should you win the game. You'll just be alone with a man who will not or cannot give you what you seek."

The Sekirei surged to her feet and cried in anguish as she hurled the binoculars through the roof under them. "Shut up! He-he loves me more than the others! I'm cuter and stronger and love him more than they do!" she roared in Zeilla's face with tears flowing down her cheeks.

Before the Spartan could respond in any way Benitsubasa leaped high into the air and sailed across the roof tops, heading towards the massive tower in the center of the city.

Zeilla sighed. "I think I pushed too much." she muttered, shuffling to the edge of the roof and lowering herself down to the ground.

She holstered her sidearm and pulled her hood up before brushing roof-top particulates off her cloak and crossing the road back to Izumo Inn. She frowned deeply as she stopped in the entrance and leaned against the block wall again. The conversation had revealed several troubling pieces of information that had her concerned that Matsu didn't already know about them - or at least had not told her. Zeilla was a soldier, but to learn that she was the weakest link of her flock had her head filled with second thoughts about leading any more battles from the front.

"Oh, uhh...Z-chan?"

Zeilla shut her internalising away into a mental box. Yukari and Shiina stood on the sidewalk in front of her and therefore Izumo Inn. She pushed her hood back and nodded to them both.

"I've been waiting for you." she told them. "I think I had better warn you about the situation is here."

Yukari blinked and looked concerned. "Kusano lives here, and so does my brother, right? Wait... Do you mean...?"

Zeilla cleared her throat. "Maison Izumo is owned by Miya Asama, a woman who tolerates no violence or indecency on her property. It is home to only one Human tenant: Minato Sahashi. All the other tenants are Sekirei."

Yukari and Shiina shared a glance, confirming the male could feel the presence of his fellow aliens.

"Yukari, give your brother a chance to explain." she suggested with a gesture to her boots. "Miya will not tolerate you assaulting her tenant, for one. I will take Shiina to meet Kusano."


Zeilla had watched as Kusano and Shiina spent the entire afternoon together, until the little one fell asleep in his arms after dinner. The whole affair was rather boring for everybody, but it was an unspoken law that they make sure Kusano was happy. Shiina seemed to cope well despite being a teenager forced to play along with a preschooler.

Though he did fall asleep half an hour after she did.

Zeilla's Sekirei spent the afternoon darting all over the city and paying vast amounts of money for food and random items of fancy, draining their MBI expense cards until somebody with a brain at the arrogant conglomerate took notice. One by one the cards would decline purchase payments. By that time Izumo Inn was host to a veritable feast of a wide range of foods. More importantly for Zeilla's flock, the cash they withdrew in every purchase had accumulated into several hundred thousand dollars' worth if Matsu's count was accurate.

Rent and supplies were not going to be a problem for a long time without the cards Kagari had disintegrated as they failed.

To finish off a productive day Minato and Yukari had a long civil discussion about their respective entrances into the Sekirei Plan. The wimpy young man seemed like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, allowing him some measure of ease amidst the usual chaos of his flock. Yukari took a while to get used to seeing four seriously well-endowed women fawn over her brother but, eventually she found a rather invasive way to join in the festivities. Miya had to scold the teen twice that evening.

The air was still tense between Zeilla's five Sekirei, however. Ruso was proving to be easily provoked and often tried to bait Ikki into some form of competition. Yuuma and Kagari were doing their best to ignore each other. Yashima was the big problem. #84 regarded the other four as enemies and became aggressive if they tried to do anything that might challenge her position as the first of them. In the cafe at the first meeting Yashima and Ruso had chatted pleasantly about the food served. Now the two couldn't be more caustic whenever they interacted.

Zeilla was tempted to ask Miya for help in controlling them, but after Yashima punched Ruso out of the seat beside the Spartan without reprisal it was clear the landlady wanted her to deal with her own flock herself.

As she was mulling over the day's events at the table Minato settled beside her, their female Sekirei being herded to the bath by Miya and Musubi.

"Um... Zeilla-san?"

The Spartan looked at him out of the corner of her eye, only to be foiled by the red hair falling from her temples. She sat back on one elbow and tried to brush her hair out of her eyes. "What do you need?"

Minato blinked. "I... You talked to Yukari, didn't you? I wanted to thank you. I don't think she would have responded very well otherwise because... I'm not very good under pressure. So... Thanks."

She shrugged. "No big deal. We need every ally we can get."

"Yukari and Shiina are a strong pair." Kagari said as he joined them on Zeilla's other side. "But I'm worried about Yashima. I remember her being a quiet and nervous girl."

"Clingy." Zeilla grunted in agreement. "Now she is possessive and violent. Should I have given her more attention or would that have only fed her current behavior?"

He shrugged. "Who knows."

"Um, Musubi-chan and Tsukiumi used to fight a lot." Minato said unexpectedly. "If they know that you love them all then maybe your Sekirei will get along better?"

Zeilla sighed. "I'm not sure I know how to love anyone."

Kagari jolted, almost spilling his drink.

"What do you mean?" Minato asked.

"I am a soldier. I fight and die in combat so that Humanity might survive long enough to somehow win a war against a force several times greater. I have never known how to command a squad, let alone train recruits. Being the head of a group like this? It's beyond me." she sighed, flopping flat on the floor and staring up at the ceiling.

The room was quiet for several minutes, save for the sounds echoing from the bathroom upstairs.

"Sekirei love and are loved in return." Minato said hesitantly. "Maybe you can let them teach you how to love?"

"That sounds easier than it must be." Kagari chuckled nervously.

"Kagari-san, you have to teach Zeilla-san love. As her Sekirei, as your Ashikabi, so that she can love you." the young man said firmly. "I believe it."

The silver haired male was saved from having to respond by Miya leading Yukari into the room.

"Lewd acts are forbidden in Izumo Inn, Yukari-san."

The teen giggled nervously. "Well... I just... Eheh, they were so-"

A glare from the violette cut that sentence short.

"Now, it is late and it would be dangerous to travel at night. You and Shiina-san will stay the night as my guests. He can share a room with Kagari-san. You will sleep beside Ku-chan in my room." Miya ordered. "Night-crawling is also forbidden in Izumo Inn."

Yukari nodded sheepishly.

"Zeilla-san." the landlady called, turning to the two Ashikabi at the table as the Spartan sat up. "I trust you can share Matsu's room tonight. Until additional rooms can be cleaned, I will put each of your Sekirei with one of Minato-san's, only Yuuma will be with Minato-san. We will discuss tenancy details in the morning."

"Yes ma'am." Zeilla agreed.

"Everyone, if you are not having a bath, go off to bed." Miya ordered loudly.

Not a soul ignored her.