A/N: I had an upper endoscopy the other day and I've been diagnosed with gastritis. I haven't been eating well because of it. I'm thankful it wasn't anything too serious like stomach cancer though, which is a huge relief. I don't want to die without first finishing my stories. I don't want to leave you guys hanging, so that's why this chapter is coming early. Hope you all enjoy the several huge changes I made in comparison to the original.
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Pins & Needles: Part II
3:19:13...3:19:12...3:19:11...
A plan of action was at last decided upon. Each moving their hands away from their mutual center, the trio gather themselves to exit the rundown nurse's station to enter their depraved scavenger hunt for the first antidote. The first key to solving their puzzle.
Flicking her pink ponytail from her eyes, Benitsubasa took her leave first, her impatience adding a stilted jerking to her movements. She was immediately followed by Kazehana who followed at a slower pace, whether in the hopes of "bumping" into her Ashikabi, or from the discomfort it was uncertain. Minato began to do the same, but something caught his hearing, albeit very faintly as he trotted into the bathroom. A slow...steady...dripping noise.
Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.
"Huh? What on earth is that?" he wondered aloud. For some reason, this sound seemed to trigger warning bells in his mind. If nothing else, going through all this had ramped up his situational awareness to a frightening degree. He could hear a pin drop with how heightened his senses were now, and that fact really didn't help his attempts to deal with that bruised ribcage of his.
With his hand clutched to the pain in his side, the ronin froze for a moment and looked around the room, his gaze as thorough and methodical as it was the time he woke up in this hellhole. His eyes settled upon a leaky faucet, the only leaky faucet, in point of fact. The other two sinks look like they hadn't been working in years, though that may have been because of how filthy and rusted they were.
He raised an eyebrow in confusion, 'a leaky faucet? in an abandoned building of all places? this can't be just a coincidence...' but Benitsubasa's angry tone snapped him back to reality.
"What are you standing around for?! You contemplating taking a piss or something?!"
He turned towards her to see her standing in the doorway, with a rather menacing grimace on her face as she glared at him. Her arms were crossed like an unamused school teacher, with a finger tapping at her arm like a foot tapping on the ground. This didn't last long though, as she stomped her way into the restroom and got right in his face.
"Lost your nerve already, pipsqueak? C'mon! The sooner we dig through those bodies the better!"
Minato's stomach churned at the thought of "digging" through a rotting corpse, having dealt with both road-kill and the leftovers of kills out in the country. He wondered how sanguine Benitsubasa will be once they actually get to it.
She forcefully turns Minato towards the door with a rather firm grip on his shoulder. As much as she was starting to respect the ballsy Ashikabi, she recognized very quickly that like most men, he needed a firm hand and vigilant minder to keep from getting distracted.
"Hold on, Benitsu." he protested gently. "I think I may have found a breakthrough." The more he thought about it, the more that leaky faucet didn't make sense to him. He knew they were on the clock but rushing could be almost as deadly, so he carefully resisted Benitsubasa's insistent nudging. Doing so cause a strain on his ribs, causing him to moan from the painful pressure.
She let go of the ronin and leans into his face with folded arms again. "A breakthrough?" If her facial expression hadn't been enough to make her skepticism clear, the tone of her voice went into overdrive to compensate.
"Yes," he points towards the sinks. "See that leaky faucet? I think it might be a clue as to how we can complete this room's test." Despite how spurious his claim sounded to his own ears, Minato was more sure than ever that he was on the right track.
"A leaky faucet? Are you shitting me?" she rolled her eyes. "And I thought the lightbulb idea was fucking stupid," she said in spite of the fact of said bulb still hanging loose in her pocket. Better safe than sorry. She slumps her head and shakes it from side to side. As far as stalling tactics went, this was weak even by Minato standards.
She looked up to try to get support from Kazehana, who had left the room while they were distracted. Benitsubasa rolled her eyes again, this time at the "air bag's" inability to stay put. Then again, at least she was actually moving, unlike a certain Ashikabi that was hell-bent on testing her patience and temper.
"Think about it, Benitsu." Minato urged, drawing her focus back to the man she still had in a firm grip, "This place is supposed to be abandoned. If that's the case, then why is the plumbing still working?" He couldn't let go of the idea that there was something out of place, and was stubborn enough to keep going until he had some confirmation one way or another.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're obviously just trying to delay the inevitable." she grabs his arm with both hands, poised and ready to drag him out. "C'mon, the sooner it's done the better." She had had enough and decided if Minato wasn't going to cooperate, then brute force would have to suffice. Injured ribs be damned.
"Wait! I really mean it! The leaky faucet is a clue! Just let me- ouch!" Minato knew he couldn't win a physical contest with the pint-sized pinkette, but had to at least try to convince her before she tossed him over her shoulder and performed a "shredder" on the last vestiges of his dignity!
"Is everything alright in here?"
Kazehana's voice is heard just outside the restroom, stopping the both of them in their tracks like a pair of kids caught sneaking out at night.
She trailed in from the hallway, wearing a medical mask over her face and rubber gloves peeled over her delicate hands. Despite the serious situation they were in, Minato was rather...forcefully reminded of some of Kazehana's attempts to cheer him up after Kuu's death, usually involving role-playing of some kind...and a ladle to the back of the head as well as a lack of supper for the evening courtesy of the landlady.
"I got the supplies we needed from the nurse's station. Are you two ready?" The tableau in front of her, while amusing in a certain way, also made her head throb more than it already was. The nerve agent was likely the culprit.
Benitsubasa snorted, her nostrils flaring out in a heated retort. "Hmph, yeah, we're ready. It's just that your Ashikabi's got a case of cold feet." Benitsubasa continues to try and drag him, hoping the sight of his top-heavy Sekirei would be enough to get him moving.
"Hey, don't pull so hard!" Minato said, flinching in pain from the strong tug. "Don't you remember anything about what we said previously about trusting each other?! Just please, hear me out!" Deep down, Benitsubasa knew the kid had a point, but still didn't want to let up. Unfortunately for her, though, Kazehana's arrival had the exact opposite effect she was counting on, emboldening him to push his point harder.
"Listen to what he has to say, Beni." Kazehana's gaze narrowed the moment she heard her love in pain. With ill grace, Benitsubasa practically flung Minato's arm away from her and leaned against the wall scowling. Well, she thought of it as scowling, anyone who didn't know her might have called it pouting.
Out of all their encounters, this was probably the first time Kazehana ever referred to Benitsubasa by name, even if it was the one she didn't particularly like. Minato started to hope this was a sign they would be able to get along...
"It's Benitsu." she said with a wave of stern anger in her voice.
Nope, they still hate each other, Minato thought, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing with resignation.
He focused for a moment on getting feeling back into his arm, which was starting to get that irritating "pins-and-needles" sensation that accompanied rapid blood flow. He thought he saw Kazehana smile at his antics but it was hard to tell through the medical mask.
After windmilling out the ache Benitsu had squeezed into it, he started giving orders. Having Kazehana with him did wonders for his mental stability, and he'd have to find a way of making sure she knew he appreciated it.
"Kazehana, I want you to shut the bathroom door.", Kazehana nodded and Minato turned from her to look at Benitsubasa, who had looked up with a start at the odd directive.
"What? Why?" Benitsubasa asked incredulously. Not that it mattered, since Kazehana already followed through with the order from her Ashibaki like the wind through the trees. With the door shut she turned around and parked her plush behind on the door, giving her legs a slight rest. For some odd reason they contained a sudden tinge of weariness.
"Hey, booby-bombs! Just what do the hell do you think you're doing?! Closing that door might trap us all!" The pinkette's eyes began darting around for some sign of a trap or "test". As much as she had protested earlier, now that they were committed Benitsubasa had to agree that taking any chances or assumptions was suicide.
Kazehana furrowed her brow. "So what? If that's the case, just kick the door down like you did the last few." She was getting tired of the constant abuse from her erstwhile companion, her loud objections adding to the childlike impression of her rather underdeveloped, in Kazehana's opinion at least, body.
"Smart ass." Benitsu spat, she had noticed the critical once-over by Kazehana and had a pretty good idea as to what it was about.
Minato drowned out their back-and-forth arguing and twisted the hot water knobs on all three sinks, making sure they were at maximum temperature. Moments later, a steamy fog began evaporating upwards from the porcelain sinks in thick tendrils that coiled to the ceiling like worms.
"What's with the steam, Minato?" Kazehana inquired. If he wanted to catch them in a "wet shirt" situation there were easier ways to go about it, let alone more appropriate times. The question of whether or not she'd be willing to show him such a vision was rather moot, however, considering all the moments ruined by a well-timed *bonk* via ladle back at the Inn.
As the room proceeded to 'cloud their senses', Minato aimed a thumb behind him, gesturing towards the message carved into the bathroom stall. Even now Kazehana could see steam condensing on the walls, a fine mist that conformed around any irregularities on the surfaces it settled upon.
Kazehana jumped in the air with an emphatic eureka-like fist pump. "Oh I get it! You think that clouding the room with steam will help reveal the hint of what the combination is! Woohoo! You're so smart Minato! I'm so glad I have you as my Ashikabi!" Her joyous bouncing makes certain parts of her anatomy jiggle in a rather...distracting manner.
Up and down. Up and down. Up and down.
Benitsubasa's teeth ground over each other like a hacksaw through wood watching her go. After grumbling under her breath she turned away from both of them with a pouty, and very vocal, 'hmpf'. She hated being wrong at the best of times, and having "windy tits" playing cheerleader didn't help her ego any.
A small voice she couldn't suppress whispered that she wished she could have the same kind of relationship with Natsuo. Her fists tightened as she tried to convince herself it'd be possible once she saved him, he'd have to love her then...he had to.
Minato slumped his shoulders and rubbed the nape of his neck, both embarrassed and thankful for his Sekirei's very enthusiastic support. "Gee, thanks Kazehana, and I'm sure proud to have you as my Sekirei. But let's be careful, who knows how long the clue is supposed to remain once we figure out how to find it." He turned back to the mirror, determined not to make any mistakes like when Kazehana was injured.
Benitsubasa found herself grudgingly nodding in agreement, pleased to see Minato wasn't letting himself get sidetracked by Kazehana's over-ripe body. Kazehana herself smiled and managed to contain her excitement, easier to do once the adrenaline rush faded and her headache returned.
Moments later, Minato's instinct was proved to be right on the money. With theroom clouded up, a multitude of numbers began to drip their ink, one of which was just above his head: The number 108.
"Quickly!" Minato shouted. "Search the restroom for the rest of the numbers! Before the steam completely evaporates them!"
A single digit off could mean life or death, and he refused to contemplate the latter option happening to anyone else.
Kazehana and Benitsu nodded in agreement and began doing just that. They looked high and low, as well as inside the stall's walls. It took some time but they found the numbers they needed.
The combination to the safe was an amalgamation of the numbers 108 - 003 - 006 - 002 - 088 - 009. Now all they had to do was enter them in the correct order. He had a faint feeling it meant something, but it faded quickly and Minato returned his mind to ensure he had it all memorized. Even so, he couldn't resist needling the stubborn pinkette who had been hell-bent on getting them out of the room. After all, considering all the digs she threw left and right, turnabout was fair play.
"See Benitsu, I told you so." Benitsubasa could see the small smirk on the bastard's face, wiping any positive feelings in her mind about him cleaner than an I-beam in an acid bath. She'd sure like to drown him in one right about now.
She roared in frustration, unable to take the satisfaction radiating off of him. "RRAAAGGGHH! Fine! FINE! I get it! You were right! What do you want, a freakin' medal?! Let's just get the damn safe open already!" She was never going to hear the fucking end of this, she just knew it!
"I second that." Kazehana said, coughing into her hand, already regretting her earlier outburst. As much as it had pleased her Ashikabi, (a thought that had her feeling warm in the pit of her stomach) she reminded herself that they couldn't afford to waste energy.
Minato turned towards his fifth Sekirei's hacking fit, taking note that she was looking intently into her palm. This worried him a bit, making him wonder if they had enough time to retrieve the antidotes...and whether he should insist that she get the first dose.
"Hey, are you alright, Kazehana?" He tried to pitch his question in exactly the right manner to get her to actually tell him the truth, knowing she'd just brush it off in an attempt to make him not worry. He loved his ladies but they could be more stubborn than a boulder going downhill.
The ronin's words shook her out of her trance. "Oh, umm, yes." she said, casually brushing her palm along her purple dress at the hips. "It's nothing. Let's just get you that antidote." Kazehana deliberately turned away from her love, not willing to risk giving in to his concern if she looked him in the eyes.
Minato's lips curved down into a frown, his worry only increasing with her answer. He couldn't help but feel there was something wrong with Kazehana. It may have been the tasteless, odorless gas taking its toll, but if that was the case, why wasn't he feeling any different? Or Benitsubasa, whose smaller body mass should have had her reacting the fastest of them all? Perhaps the pain from his encounter with that pigheaded deadbeat left him numbed to the effects the nerve agent had? Maybe it was the same for her as well? Benitsubasa's head was split open during the same encounter. Come to think of it, she was really taking it like a champ, not complaining in the slightest. Her tolerance for pain and concussions must have been significantly high. Sure, the gash left on her cranium wasn't that big, but if that were him who had gotten struck, it would be game over not only for him but for everyone. Vertigo would be the least of his worries. Benitsubasa was one tough SOB, that was for sure.
He also had to wonder if the blood Kazehana lost in the challenge to free her had weakened her more than she let on. But he had to trust Kazehana and hope she wouldn't push herself beyond the point of no return. Realizing his mind was going in circles, he turned back to the safe, they needed the antidote regardless of whatever else was happening.
Inputting the combination into the safe, he motioned to Benitsubasa to come closer, taking care Kazehana wouldn't notice, "Hey, Benitsu?" he whispers.
Her pink eyebrow arched upward and she gave him a sideways glance. "What's on your mind, pipsqueak?" She was still smarting from Minato's dig at her earlier, but she stomped over to him and leaned in close. If she argued with him now, she'd only be digging herself in deeper.
"Are you feeling any different since we last came in here." He hated feeling like he was going around Kazehana's back, but her desire to protect him made it difficult to get the information that he needed. And if there was one thing Benitsubasa was, it was honest, and often brutally so...
"I'd say I'm relieved." Yup, there was the emotional breakdown he was...wait, what?
"Relieved? Why's that?" He looked up and sure enough, Benitsubasa looked more relaxed and calm (aside from the irritation he had caused) than she had been the whole time. His incredulity must have shown on his face because the pinkette snorted in exasperation and said...
"Well, I got to vent some of my anger on the Jigsaw lackey for starters. Felt good to let out some of that pent-up aggression," she said, cracking her knuckles. "Boy did it ever…can't wait for the next one to try and fuck with us..." she said, slamming a fist into her gloved palm to emphasize the 'us'.
Minato nodded, understanding how cathartic having a physical enemy to release the pent-up aggression could be, his eyes narrowing as he turned back to the safe. He was hoping to still be in decent shape when he got to Jigsaw, whom he owed for putting his family and others in danger like this.
"Hey Minato," Kazehana muttered. "I think I may have found out the order."
"Really? How?" Minato asked curiously.
"The numbers seem to correspond to all the Sekirei you've winged thus far. I'm #3, Kuu is 108, so on and so forth."
"Oh wow, you're right!" he said gleefully. "But what's the order?"
"If I had to guess it's either one of two things, the order in which you winged us, or in reverse if Jigsaw felt like being a dick."
"Well, let's see…" he knelt to the safe, spinning the dial clockwise and counter-clockwise.
Turns out Kazehana was right on the money with her assumption. When Minato input the final digit into the safe its pressurized door clicked then slowly swung open to equalize the internal air pressure. He pulled the door open the rest of the way, revealing a trifecta of syringes in the center of the safe held up by a display.
"Uh, why are there three of them? "Benitsubasa questioned, puzzled. She looked at the inside of the safe's door. On it was a message that said 'choose wisely'.
He carefully lifted one needle from the safe, grip firm but not tight. From the message, he could only gather that this was another test of sorts. But the contents inside the needles looked all the same. Jigsaw said in the message that there were only two antidotes, so why were there three of them here?
"If I were to guess, Jigsaw is trying to throw us off our game. These needles might have some kind of poison in them."
"Great, wonderful," Benitsubasa grumbled, rolling her eyes in frustration. "How do we know which is the right one? They all look alike!"
"Let Minato think, Beni." Kazehana asked politely.
"Benitsu!"
"I think I got it!" Minato said with confidence. He went over to the sinks and squirted a small amount of the liquid inside of it. Sure enough, it started hissing and eventually ate through the porcelain, like heat to margarine. "Just as I suspected. It was acid."
They all shuddered, the thought of what injecting that into their flesh would do.
"Good call, Minato! Way to put your mind to work!"
"Yep, now I just need to do the same with the other two."
He squirted the other into the second sink and it too started to hiss like a dying cat.
"Well, that one's no good either. May as well get rid of them both." Benitsubasa concluded without much thought.
"No." he said, shaking his head.
"What? Why not? They're useless!"
"No, they're tools for our survival." He explained, "Think about it, if we run into any danger, we can use them for self-defense."
Benitsubasa paused. "Shit, that's actually a good point. Well, let's find out what's in the last one then."
"I'm on it," he muttered, scooting over to the last sink. He pressed the plunger of the last needle, and lo and behold nothing happened once the contents leaked onto the surface. Definitely the safest option. "Looks like my suspicion was correct."
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A/N: As you can tell, this arc has changed significantly from the previous itteration. As opposed to 4 small tests, I scrapped the one with the laser beam and did my best to enhance the other two games to make up for it. Originally there was only one needle in the safe, and now there are 3 inside of it. I took some inspiration from the "Jigsaw" film, aka Saw 8 when the woman had to choose one of three. I always wondered why they didn't just squirt the acid on the chains to melt them, so I figured I'd put a neat spin on it here.
Also, please be kind enough to leave a review with your thoughts on matters. The more I get, the more inclined I am to update this fic. They always put a smile on my face.