Chapter 3: The First Time For Everything
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but Minato felt like there was some kind of unspoken tension going on between Karasuba and Akitsu. He saw it in the way they would hold each other's gazes for longer than necessary, in the slightly brusque way Karasuba would address Akitsu, or the way Akitsu would flinch almost imperceptibly whenever Karasuba would brush by her. Whatever was going on, he was certain he wouldn't like it. Neither of them felt like talking either which frustrated him to no end, but he respected their privacy enough to refrain from prying. He could only hope that they worked it out sooner than later, especially if Akitsu were going to have an extended stay with them.
Until they could figure out what was going on with Akitsu and return her to normal, he didn't feel comfortable with letting her go out on her own. With no means to take care of herself, no job experience, or skills outside of her self-proclaimed proficiency in ice-wielding combat, Akitsu wouldn't last very long on the streets of Tokyo – especially considering that she was an unwinged Sekirei (scrapped status notwithstanding) in the midst of the mysterious Sekirei Plan.
No, it was probably better for everyone involved that she stay with them for the time being. Minato couldn't really figure out why Karasuba and Akitsu were so on edge with each other. From what he could gather, Akitsu might have had some history with Karasuba from the way she reacted when he had first brought up her name but Akitsu had quickly clarified that they had never met before. He assumed that meant Karasuba had quite the reputation preceding her, but neither Sekirei would tell him what for.
He sighed softly and closed his eyes in an attempt to finally fall asleep. It had been a fairly tiring day for him, and the pre-bedtime squabble between Karasuba and Akitsu hadn't made things any easier. Who knew Karasuba was so territorial?
[flashback]
After cleaning up dinner, Akitsu seemed like she had something she wanted to talk to him about, but she couldn't quite find an opportunity to speak to him in private because Karasuba had mysteriously interrupted them at every turn. Karasuba had taken it upon herself to show Akitsu around the house and making sure she got settled in, but as soon as Minato and Akitsu were alone together, Karasuba would be there to drop off some random item like a blanket or a pillow. The first couple of times Minato could brush off as coincidence but after she had swung by several times to ask if Akitsu had a toothbrush yet, he wasn't so sure. He had more than a sinking suspicion that his silver-haired Sekirei had ulterior motives.
Finally, after he had gotten ready for bed, Akitsu tapped him on the shoulder right as he was going into his room.
"Ah," Akitsu said in her usual tone. "Minato-sama, may I join you in your bedroom tonight? I would like to –"
"It's getting quite late, don't you think everyone?" Karasuba interjected, draping herself over Minato's shoulder with a yawn. "I think we can all agree that it's been a very long day, and I for one am quite tired. Shall we to bed, Minato?"
"Ah, but I—" Akitsu tried to peek out around Karasuba, who had deliberately positioned herself in front of Minato, with no luck.
"You still remember which room is yours, no?" The Black Sekirei asked pointedly.
"Yes, but—"
"Then good night, Akitsu. Whatever it is you need can wait until morning."
Akitsu suddenly paled before hanging her head in resignation.
"Ah. Yes. Good night, Minato-sama. Karasuba," she said before trudging off to one of her bedroom.
"Karasuba, what was that all about?" Minato asked finally. "I don't think—"
Whatever he had to say quickly disappeared into the ether as Karasuba grabbed him by the back of the head and planted a searing kiss on his lips. His eyes widened with shock as her tongue forced its way into his mouth. He tried to pull away, sputtering with confusion.
"K-Karasuba?! What are you—" was all he managed to get out before Karasuba reclaimed his lips and silenced his protests.
She forced her tongue back into his mouth as she tangled her fingers in his hair. Her free hand grasped at his clothing, at his collar. His own skin felt hot, like he was burning up in his own body. Minato felt himself grow dizzy with the combination of a lack of oxygen and his Sekirei's vigorous attack. There wasn't even enough cognizant thought left in his head for him to even consider reciprocating, to do anything else but be swept away into her pace. Weather the storm until it exhausted itself.
Karasuba backed him up until they both fell onto the bed with a dull thump. She pinned his hands above his head with her own, fully intent on showing just who was kissing who like it wasn't obvious enough. Finally breaking for air, she straddled his hips and held his face in her hands. She was surprisingly gentle, caressing the curve of his jaw with one finger.
"Did you really think you would be forgiven with just the promise of a picnic and curry?" she asked him with half-lidded eyes.
[end flashback]
By that point in their relationship, he should have grown used to Karasuba's dominant displays of affection but the more reserved part of him still remained as scandalized as ever at her forwardness.
After a few more incendiary make-out sessions, she had proclaimed him nearly 50% forgiven and curled up on his chest to go to sleep. If he was to be quite honest, he was torn between being surprised she had ended it there and being extremely disappointed that she had ended it there. He blushed and shook his head as gently as he could to avoid waking up Karasuba. It wasn't that he was some kind of tight-laced prude or some horny pervert either, for that matter. Karasuba was just very bipolar with her affection sometimes. There were days where it seemed like she wanted to jump his bones and there were other days where it seemed like a chaste kiss was all she was content with doing. She knew all too well what she was doing to him, and he felt like she enjoyed teasing the reactions out of him more than the physical pleasure she got from doing it.
Looking down on the silver-haired girl laying on his chest, he softly stroked her arm with the lightest touch of his thumb and gently pulled her closer to him. No matter how much she made him want to pull his hair out or how much she mercilessly teased him, Karasuba was a precious and irreplaceable part of his life now. Every night he thanked his lucky stars for having the chance to meet her, and this one was no exception.
"What's wrong, Minato?" Karasuba said groggily. "Do you need to pee or something? Go to sleep already."
Oops. He felt bad for keeping her awake, but he supposed now was as good a time as any to talk to her about what had happened earlier. Maybe he could convince her to be nicer to Akitsu while he was at it.
"I was just thinking about what happened earlier." he said softly. "Was there any... history between you and Akitsu?"
No. 04 tensed slightly, but said nothing. She only clung onto him tighter and burrowed deeper into the crook of his arm.
"Karasuba?"
"There isn't any history between us. I just don't like her."
"Why is that? She hasn't done anything to you, has she?"
The Black Sekirei suddenly rolled on top of him and straddled his waist, planting both of her hands on his chest. Her silver hair framed her face as she stared down at him with a fierce expression, all traces of sleepiness gone.
"Why did you have to bring her home, Minato?"
"Because she needed help, Karasuba. I couldn't just leave her alone, not in the condition I found her in."
"So are you going to bring home any random hussy who bats her eyes at you and tells you her sob story?"
"Of course not, but –"
"But what, Minato?" she said angrily. "Everything was perfectly fine until she came into our lives and ruined it all!"
"Akitsu may be a guest in our home, but that doesn't mean she's ruining anything."
"You don't get it, Minato! She's just a guest now, but soon she'll come to live here permanently and she'll start to take up all of your time. She's going to steal you away from me!" Her voice cracked slightly by the end.
"Is that what this is all about? Karasuba, no one is going to steal me away from you." He sat up and leaned against the headboard, taking both of her hands in his. "No matter who or what comes into my life, you are and will always be my first Sekirei. No one can take that from you – not Akitsu, not anyone. You will always be that much more special to me for it."
A long silence drifted between them as Karasuba seemed to think about his words. He hoped his sincerity could reach her, even with the uncanny emotional bond they shared.
"But what if I said I want you all to myself?" She asked finally, uncharacteristically hesitant.
He began to answer, but Karasuba put a single finger on his lips to silence him before her could say anything.
"I'm not like you, Minato. That fool heart of yours is too loving and selfless to abandon someone who's calling out to you in need, but I wouldn't be able to do the same. I only know how to be selfish and want you to myself. I only know how to be spiteful and want her to suffer for coming between us. I don't know how to be any other way."
He hugged her tightly and placed a light kiss on her forehead.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, being as fallible as the rest of us. I'm certainly not perfect, but I think it's by relying on others and mutually helping one another cover our weaknesses that people can learn and grow."
Karasuba snorted softly and crossed her arms. "You're so cheesy, Minato."
"That's how I feel though! Just look at us, for example. I never would have been able to get myself more fit and in shape if it wasn't for your daily exercise routines with me. And I think you've definitely changed for the better since we met, you seem more happy and at peace now."
"Do you really mean that?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"No."
"Well, I've no reason to start now."
He could have waxed on and on about how beautiful Karasuba suddenly looked then with the moonlight illuminating her features, the lightest hints of a blush dancing on her pale skin. Instead, he planted another kiss on her forehead.
"Trust me, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I'd never do anything to ruin what we have together."
She huffed at the look on his face and pinched his cheeks.
"Don't go making promises you can't keep. You're a strong Ashikabi, I can feel it through the bond we share. Other Sekirei will inevitably sense it too, and they will come flocking to you in droves to be winged."
"Isn't that a little bit of an exaggeration?"
"I'm certain that ice-wielding little–"
"Karasuba...!" Minato interrupted sternly.
"Ahem. Akitsu is reacting to you, I'm certain of it. If she, a so-called 'Scrapped Number' unable to be winged, is reacting then any other Sekirei will too. And knowing you, you'll probably be unable to turn them away." Karasuba smiled wryly.
While the prospect of a harem full of beautiful Sekirei had its own undeniable appeal, he didn't want to break the relationship he already had with his silver-haired girl. If Karasuba felt this strongly about one other person in their lives, how was she going to feel about more? Besides, she was more than enough for him. He was a monogamous man, not some kind of skirt-chasing lecher!
"If you want me to, I could do that. Turn them away, refuse to wing them." he said with a serious look on his face.
Karasuba looked stunned at his declaration but quickly schooled her features and bopped him lightly on the head.
"You dummy, haven't you been paying attention to anything I've said about the Sekirei reaction to his or her Ashikabi? It's something that cannot be denied. If a Sekirei reacts to someone, it is highly unlikely that he or she will react to anyone else. Would you be willing to crush a Sekirei's entire hopes and dreams of becoming whole like that?"
"I—"
"And besides, we're currently embroiled in that Sekirei Plan of the madman who runs MBI, remember? You saw how Akitsu reacted to the news that she was a Scrapped Number. Any number of unsavory cretins and scumbags would love to get their hands on a defenseless Sekirei and forcefully wing them."
"Y-You can do that? Just... force a Sekirei to be winged against their will, even if they're not reacting to you?" Minato said, a look of mild horror on his face.
That was as horrible as rape, if not more so considering the nature of the bond created by the winging. It would be like a permanent enslavement by the person who violated your every fiber of being and ripped you away from the person who you truly loved. A shudder ran through his body at the thought of it.
Karasuba seemed to notice the thoughts running through his head and tried to send calming pulses through the bond. It was clumsy and clearly unpracticed, but Minato could feel the sincerity behind it. He smiled and sent a warm pulse of gratitude and appreciation of his own back through to her, punctuating it with a light kiss on her lips. Karasuba's wings flared out from her back, flapping once before disappearing just as quickly as they appeared.
"Yes, it can happen." she said aloud, a bit absentmindedly from the kiss she clearly didn't expect to get. "I wouldn't be surprised if it happened already to the weaker Sekirei out there."
"That's horrible," Minato replied, still a little unsettled. "I wouldn't wish that upon anyone."
"I may not like it one bit, but the fact of the matter is any Sekirei who reacts to you is probably better off here than fending for themselves out there. And another thing – the more Sekirei you wing, the stronger you'll get as an Ashikabi to say nothing of the obvious boost in combat strength of having more people to fight for you in this game. We'll have better odds of surviving that way."
The Black Sekirei gently pushed Minato down into a sleeping position and took up her usual spot curled up on his chest with a yawn.
"But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The game hasn't officially started yet, so there's no need to concern yourself with that nonsense. I'm the strongest there is, you know."
Minato chuckled quietly and pulled her closer to him. "That you are, Karasuba. That you are."
Coming awake in an unfamiliar room, Akitsu jolted upright with a slight panic thudding in her chest before she remembered where she was.
"This is... Minato-sama's home."
The all-too-familiar twinge of pain that came with thinking of her Minato-sama shot through her head, but she clung onto it for as long as she could bear before slumping back into bed. She resolved to finally speak with him today, no matter what. Whether he would accept her or not, whether he could do anything or not, she had to bet it all on him. There was no other option for her.
With an aptly icy determination in her veins, she freshened up to begin her day. As she brushed her teeth, she idly inspected her appearance in the mirror. Perhaps she could leverage her sex appeal with Minato-sama to get him to listen to her. From an objective standpoint, she was at least of passable beauty if the reactions of the various lab researchers at MBI were anything to go by. On top of that, she, like many of her fellow Sekirei, possessed larger than average breasts that were the object of attention for the human males and females alike. She spat out her toothpaste foam and delicately cupped her busom. Akitsu wondered if she should she do anything to emphasize them in order to seduce Minato-sama into compliance.
"Is Minato-sama what they call a 'breast man'?"
Biting back a grimace of pain, she tried to sift through her memories of him to recall any roving eyes on her chest or any attempt to brush up against her. To her slight disappointment, she couldn't remember a single moment. He had been the perfect gentleman with her through and through. It didn't seem like she could get any hints from Karasuba either - Minato-sama didn't do a single thing with her that those other men wished they could do with a "nice pair of tits" and the Black Sekirei was less endowed than she was.
Akitsu sighed in resignation and continued to wash her face, deciding to do nothing special with her appearance. She didn't have any other clothing with her besides what Minato-sama had loaned her last night, nor did she have any makeup to accentuate her features either. Appealing to him that way wasn't that great of an idea after all. Perhaps it was best to simply go as is and hope for the best.
Making her way downstairs, she found an empty home with no one present. Spotting a note on the refrigerator, she walked into the kitchen to read it.
"Out exercising with Karasuba, will be home by 9AM.
-Minato
PS: If hungry, feel free to grab some fruit from the pantry. Will make breakfast when back."
A stylized drawing of Minato-sama running with Karasuba accompanied the handwritten note. His handwriting was neat and clear, something that didn't exactly surprise her. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was nearly 9AM and they were all due home any moment now. Minato-sama's cooking was rather good if yesterday was anything to go by, so she figured she would just wait for now.
As if on cue, Akitsu heard a jingling of keys at the door and walked over to greet them. The door swung open and she was met with the sight of a slightly pale Minato-sama looking shaky on his feet beside an amused Karasuba. Both were wearing matching exercise outfits, a plain t-shirt with black tapered running pants. The two of them kicked off their shoes, Minato-sama more sloppily than Karasuba, and walked into the living room.
"Ah. Welcome home." she said with a small bow.
"Good to be back, Akitsu." Minato-sama said breathily. "You're up early."
"Couldn't sleep or something?" Karasuba asked.
"No, I usually wake up at this time. Do you need any help, Minato-sama?" She was starting to feel a little alarmed at how dazed he looked.
"No no, just a little tired." he said as he flopped into the couch. "Karasuba's exercise regimen is still as tough as ever, I'll be fine with a little breather."
"At least you're improving, Minato. You managed to keep up with me slightly longer than last time!"
"Oh is that right? Huh, I hadn't noticed."
The gears began to turn in Akitsu's head. She wasn't particularly enthused by the idea of exercise, but if it allowed her to spend a little more time around Minato-sama then it was well worth the exertion. Besides, it would also give her an opportunity to show off a little around him and impress him with what she could do!
"Ah. Could I join you next time?"
"Sure, if it's okay with Karasuba." Minato-sama replied.
"Hmm," Karasuba said as she turned to eye Akitsu up and down. "You think you can keep up with us?"
"Yes."
"We'll see about that. I'm not going to baby you like I do Minato—"
"Hey!"
"Minato's just a human, but you're a Sekirei and a Single Digit at that. Shouldn't need a handicap, I should think."
"Ah. I will be fine." Akitsu's competitive spirit flared up but her expression remained carefully neutral as usual.
Karasuba simply smirked, a slight aura of approval filling her eyes. The two finally sat down, No. 04 beside Minato-sama and No. 07 across on the opposite couch. Karasuba once again leveled a steady stare at Akitsu, the latter meeting her gaze impassively. Minato-sama on the other hand simply leaned back on the couch with his eyes closed, oblivious to the power play unfolding in front of him.
Eventually, he sat up and stretched his arms.
"That's enough lazing about for now, time for breakfast. How's French toast sound?"
"Ah. I would like it."
Karasuba nodded her approval and Minato-sama left for the kitchen, leaving behind the two Sekirei to stew in awkward silence. The elder Sekirei was the first to break the oppressive atmosphere.
"So," she said as a clumsy attempt to break the ice. "How was your sleep last night?"
Akitsu was momentarily taken aback by the random question, but shrugged it off as an awkward attempt at small talk.
"It was satisfactory."
"I see."
Silence refilled the room with its almost smothering presence. Karasuba seemed to squirm slightly in her seat, obviously wanting to say something but unable to out and just say it. Finally, she crossed her arms and looked off to the side.
"Akitsu."
"Ah. Yes?" she replied curiously.
"I want to... apologize." The words spilled from her lips like soldiers on parade march. "For giving you a hard time yesterday."
Akitsu cocked her head slightly in surprise. She hadn't expected her to be remorseful of all things about what had happened yesterday.
"I spoke with Minato, and he made me realize I was being unfair with you."
Unfair was quite the understatement in her opinion, but who was she to nitpick an unexpected apology from the Black Sekirei of all people?
"I see. I accept your apology."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm only apologizing for my behavior towards you. What I said still applies." Karasuba leveled a hard stare at her. "Do you need a reminder?"
Now that was the Karasuba she knew better. The Black Sekirei's glare still sent a mild chill down her spine, but for the most part, it lacked the bite it had yesterday. Maybe she was sincere after all? It would have to be just another thing to thank Minato-sama for later.
"Ah. No. But I still stand by what I said before. I will never betray Minato-sama, that you can be assured of."
"Good."
Just then, Minato walked in with a tray full of French toast and sliced fruits.
"Breakfast is ready! Can you help me set the table?"
If Akitsu was the snorting type, she would have done so right then and there. Really, Minato-sama had either uncannily good timing or was incredibly oblivious to everything around him. Shrugging internally, she got up and grabbed the tray from him.
"Ah. Let me take that for you, Minato-sama."
Her fingers lightly brushed his, sending what felt like a painful jolt of electricity through her body. It took every ounce of self-restraint she had to not flinch and drop the tray. If the smallest of skin contact was enough to give her that kind of feeling, surely it meant she was reacting to him. She needed to speak to him, and soon.
Breakfast passed by in a daze as her mind was roaming elsewhere. She barely tasted the food she put in her mouth, nor remembered anything anyone was talking about over the sound of her thoughts reverberating in her mind. All she could think about was her reaction to Minato-sama, carefully skirting the line between the painful migraines and the warm sensation diffusing through her chest. The more she tried, the more a ringing in her ears slowly began to drown out even that, building in pitch and intensity until finally –
"Akitsu? Are you alright?"
The concerned voice of the man in question cut through the haze, snapping her back to reality. He sat across from her at the dining table, the two of them alone for the first time since they first met.
"You began to zone out during breakfast, Karasuba and I were getting worried about you. She just left to go buy some aspirin for you."
"Ah. I am okay," she replied, still in somewhat of a daze.
Minato-sama seemed to study her expression quietly, looking deep into her eyes. She felt herself flush before the migraine set back in, forcing her to break eye contact and look elsewhere. He frowned at her reaction.
"So..." He began awkwardly. "How was your sleep last night? Was everything to your liking?"
It seemed the expression "Like father, like son" could be rewritten to "Like Ashikabi, like Sekirei." Akitsu felt a small smile come unbidden to her lips.
"It was satisfactory. Everything was to my liking. Thank you for your kindness, Minato-sama."
"You know, you don't have to call me that." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I don't think I'm someone worthy of that much respect."
"Ah. On the contrary, I think Minato-sama is more than deserving of it."
Akitsu reached out hesitantly at first, but with a look of determination on her face, grasped his hand in hers.
"Minato-sama is the most important person to me." Akitsu said before she winced in pain and clutched at her head. Lances of agony ripped through her every fiber of being at the same rhythm as her pounding heartbeat.
"Akitsu?! What's wrong?" Minato panicked, leaping to his feet and running to her side.
"It hurts... Minato-sama. I've... never felt this before, not this strongly..." she grit out.
"Should I call for help?"
He made for the kitchen but she tugged on his arm as he turned, pulling the both of them to the floor. Akitsu crawled on top of him, straddling his waist. She put one hand on his chest to hold him down, the other gripping her hair by the roots in pain.
"No! Even though it hurts, hurts so much to be around you... I want this. Minato-sama, I think I'm... reacting to you."
"But I'm causing you pain!"
Tears streamed down her face. The pain was building to a near excruciating crescendo but she refused to back down. This was her moment, her opportunity to seize her destiny back from the cruel hands of fate. She shook her head and leaned down to touch their foreheads together, even as the torment grew ever stronger.
"Ah... The more I touch you... the more it hurts, but that means what I feel is real." Her voice had dropped to a whisper from the strain. It was taking everything she had to keep it together, to form coherent thoughts and words. "Will you kiss me, Minato-sama? Will you try to wing me, even though I know it probably won't amount to anything?"
Minato-sama nodded and sat up, pulling the both of them back until he leaned against a wall. He held her face in his hands and lightly placed his lips on hers. The room filled with light and a strange wind, but there were no wings to be seen. Her bitter, disappointed tears felt like they left icy streaks down her face. She made to break the kiss, having given up all hope, when she felt his hands clasp onto her face tighter, but without hurting her.
Akitsu suddenly began to hear whispers, fragments of thoughts and impressions, in her mind. Flashes of foreign emotion – indignation, sadness, distress – filled her mind.
"How dare this world reject her desire to be winged?" a voice echoed.
She felt Minato-sama deepen the kiss, refusing to let her go. The wind whipping around the room blew even faster than before, and a thin layer of frost began to cover every surface.
"I won't give up on you, Akitsu!"
The light and wind continued to grow in intensity until she felt something click into place in her mind. She became acutely aware of his mind and body on hers, inside her own. A pair of brilliant ice-blue wings burst from her back, filling the room with their bright glow. Akitsu finally pulled away for air, a look of wonder and shock on her face. She instinctively knew the crest on her forehead had disappeared, leaving no trace where it had once been.
"Ah, M-Minato-sama... I – "
"I think it worked, Akitsu." He said with a soft smile.
Akitsu leapt into his arms, giving him a bone-crunchingly tight hug. Tears continued to stream down her face, but she knew this time they were tears of joy.
"By the ice of my pledge, I swear to shatter your misfortunes, Ashikabi-sama. You are mine as I am yours, now and forevermore."
She took his lips with hers, giving him another passionate kiss to show her gratitude. Her newly gained wings sprouted from her back and flapped with the elation she felt soaring in her heart. The self-discipline and restraint she once prided herself on was thrown to the wind, she no longer cared about such petty things. All that mattered to her now was her Minato-sama, her one and only Ashikabi.
"Minato-sama, my body... It's so hot..." she gasped in between kisses. Taking his hand in hers, she placed it on her breast and made him squeeze, a soft moan of pleasure springing from her lips. "Minato-sama..."
"Ahem."
Like a bucket of freezing cold ice water was dumped on the both of them, Akitsu and her Minato-sama flinched and slowly turned to the source of the cough. Karasuba stood in the archway leading into the dining room, staring at them with a twitch in her eye and a plastic bag of medicine in her hand.
"It seems like whatever it is that was bothering you is fixed, huh?"
Akitsu blushed bright red but made no effort to get up from her position all over Minato-sama.
"Ah. Yes, I have been successfully winged." She sighed happily and pressed herself tighter to his body.
"Ehehe," Minato-sama laughed nervously, an awkward sound devoid of mirth and instead full of near-hysterical fear. "K-Karasuba! W-W-Welcome b-back!"
"WILL YOU TWO GET OFF EACH OTHER ALREADY?"
"Miya-tan, I think you should see this."
"Oh? What is it, Matsu?"
"MBI's databases just updated. It seems No. 07, the one you asked me to keep a tab on has been winged."
"What? I thought she was designated a 'Scrapped Number,' unable to be winged?"
"I thought so too, but her file says she's been winged by a... 'Sahashi Minato.'"
"Wait. Isn't that—"
"Yep. The same one who winged No. 04."
"I... see."
"I wonder what kind of man this Sahashi Minato is to be able to woo the Black Sekirei and wing the Unwingable? He must have convinced them with his strong, powerful masculinity..."
*perverted giggling*
"Oh yes, I can see it now. That prideful woman, refusing his advances at first but slowly falling in love with his quiet passion... Reduced to a mewling schoolgirl at the sight of his virile—"
*bonk*
"OW, Miya-tan~! That hurts...!"
"There will be no lustful thoughts or indecent acts in this Izumo Inn."
"You're no fun, Miya-tan... W-wait, p-put that down, I'll behave!"
"Hmph. See to it that you do."
"Yes, yes. No more lewd. For now, ehehe..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing, nothing!"
*awkward squirming*
"You know, Miya-tan. It says in his file that Sahashi Minato and his Sekirei live practically right around the corner from us. You going to be okay with that woman living around here?"
"As long as she... behaves, I don't know why I shouldn't be. She lives there, I live here. I don't need to see her and she doesn't need to see me."
"Right, right. Just don't rip through the landscape if you do run into each other like you did the last time, I kinda like our neighborhood the way it is—"
*bonk*
"MIYA-TAN, THAT HURTS!"
After a week had passed since Akitsu's winging, Minato had resettled into a comfortable schedule with his two Sekirei. Apparently MBI kept tabs on the wingings of all the Sekirei, sending a care package to his doorstep the next day. In it were several sets of clothes, all of her personal belongings from her living quarters at MBI, and an MBI Black Card similar to Karasuba's. Eyebrows were raised when they found a duplicate set of certain... outfits with Karasuba's name on it, including a high school gym outfit of t-shirt and bloomers. The Black Sekirei gritted her teeth and smiled an eerie smile, but Minato found out later that she kept those outfits anyway after stumbling on them hidden in a corner of their shared closet.
The Ice Sekirei, for her part, proved to be extremely flexible. Having overcome one of the most crippling setbacks of her life, Akitsu was simply happy to be anywhere her Ashikabi was. Karasuba was incredibly irritated by how she insisted on clinging to Minato at every opportunity she got, but after a stern series of negotiations, both settled on a complicated schedule and set of rules for "appropriate behavior" that neither of them saw fit to let him in on. The only thing he knew for sure of it was that Akitsu had somehow convinced Karasuba to let her join them in bed at nights, a complicated sleeping arrangement that more often than not resulted in him waking up smothered by their breasts.
It was frankly exhausting for him to put up with their possessive antics at times, but he put up with it for their sakes. At least Karasuba's nightmares seemed to be decreasing in frequency since Akitsu's winging, something he attributed to the strengthening effect of multiple Sekirei bonds. It wasn't that he didn't like all of the attention a pair of beauties were lavishing on him, though. He just wanted his personal space sometimes, which was why he was lounging on his bed in a calm moment to himself.
"Oi! Minato, the show's about to start! You're going to miss it if you don't hurry up and get down here!" Karasuba yelled from downstairs.
"Be right there!"
Ever since they had purchased a TV at Karasuba's insistence, it became near sacred rule for the entire household to watch a show called "Tokyo Noir" together. It was a gritty police noir drama that was currently all the rage in Japan for its fantastic production values and excellent character-driven storylines. They had started watching the show out of curiosity, wanting to know of the buzz was justified or not. Tokyo Noir was just as good, if not better, than the hype.
He found it quite funny how each of his Sekirei had a different reason for enjoying the show. Karasuba liked it because of the bloody, no-holds barred fight choreography and the non-traditional lone wolf female lead protagonist. Akitsu on the other hand watched the romantic subplot between the female lead and her young rookie subordinate with starry eyes and bated breath. As for him, he just liked a good story and Tokyo Noir delivered on that end with gusto.
Quickly hopping off the bed, he made his way downstairs where his Sekirei were impatiently waiting for him on the couch.
"Took you long enough! You almost missed the cold open!" Karasuba shouted at him, no real ire in her voice.
"Ah. Minato-sama, quickly." Akitsu patted the spot beside her with a quiet urgency.
They had saved him a spot in between the two of them, Akitsu on the right and Karasuba on the left. Taking his designated spot, Minato was rapidly hugged by Akitsu who snuggled into his side and hugged his arm between her breasts. Karasuba grunted her now usual displeasure at seeing the Ice Sekirei's displays of affection, but simply laid her head down on his lap and grabbed his free hand in both of hers.
An outsider looking in probably would have choice words to say about the guy who managed to monopolize the attention of two girls the way Minato had, but it was a contented family of sorts that sat on the couch together.
One of the more iconic songs from the OST of the show began to play as Karasuba loudly shushed the room. Everyone's attention turned to the large screen where the camera panned over a shot of a car where the last episode had left off on the heroine, Kaneshima Minami, during a terse stakeout of a Yakuza-owned pachinko parlor.
"All quiet on the radio channel, Kaneshima-senpai." Her partner, Yamamoto Ken, said quietly. "The bug we planted isn't picking up a thing, and it's been a couple of hours since we saw Yamori and his goons walk in there. What do you think is going on?"
"I don't like the look of this, Yamamoto." She replied, her brows furrowed in frustration as she took a long drag of her cigarette. "There was supposed to be a meeting between that bastard Yamori and his lieutenants tonight. It's been too quiet in there, I've got a bad feeling about this."
Just as the words left her mouth, a voice crackled over the comms channel they were monitoring.
"I think we've kept our poor guests waiting in the cold long enough, wouldn't you agree, gentlemen?"
"Shit, they know!" Minami swore. "We've got to—"
The sound of gunshots rang out through the frosty night air as Yamori's henchmen sprang up from their hiding spots around the pachinko parlor and opened fire on Minami's car.
"Get down!" She yelled, throwing an arm out and pressing her partner's head down even as she frantically turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, the car vibrating with its comforting hum as the situation turned to hell around them. Minami stomped on the gas pedal with all her might, willing the car to go as fast as it could as they sped away.
"Aw, leaving so soon, Inspector Kaneshima? Next time, hide your toys better before you come to play." Yamori taunted over the radio.
Minami looked over her shoulder to see two cars in rapid pursuit after them. Through the passenger windows on each car, a thug leaned out with a sidearm in hand and continued to open fire on them.
"Fuck!"
"K-Kaneshima-senpai..." Ken wheezed, sending a chill down her spine. "I've... been hit..."
Minami could barely keep her eyes on the road as concern tore her attention from the escape to her wounded partner. He clutched a hand his side which shone wet with blood even in the flickering of the streetlights whipping past them.
"Keep it together, Yamamoto! Don't you go dying on me, you son of a bitch! You still owe me a drink, goddamn it!"
She grabbed her pistol from its holster on her side and fired blindly at the pursuers behind them.
"Yamamoto! Talk to me!"
"I... don't think I'm going to make it, Kaneshima-senpai..."
"Shut the fuck up, I haven't given you permission to quit yet!" Her eyes started to blur with unshed tears but she roughly swiped at them with the back of her arm.
"K-Kaneshima-senpai... I—"
Suddenly, the screen went black along with all of the lights in the house.
"Wait, what the hell?!" Karasuba leapt to her feet, snarling in frustration. "What just happened?!"
"Ah. I think the power went off." Akitsu noted with a rare displeasure thick in her voice.
Minato got up from the couch and looked outside the window. It seemed like the power for the entire city had gone out from the looks of it. Not a single light could be seen outside, Tokyo had been plunged into darkness. He pulled out his phone but there was no cell reception either. Scratching at his head in concern, he walked back to where Karasuba was stomping back and forth in anger. Her emotions, as well as those of Akitsu bubbled through the bond they shared, and he did his best to send soothing thoughts to try to calm them down.
"They were just getting to the good part! What was Ken going to say?!" I'm so goddamn pissed!"
"Now, now Karasuba. We can always rewind the show to where we left off, you always have the episodes recorded for emergencies like this, don't you?" Minato reached out and pulled her down into his arms on the couch. She fumed silently before releasing some of her tension with a huff.
"I know, but... it's still annoying..." Maybe it was a trick of his mind trying to fill in gaps in his vision from the darkness, but he could have sworn she was pouting.
"I'm sure the lights will come on again soon, we just have to—"
Minato paused mid-sentence as the power seemingly was restored. The TV turned itself on, but instead of Tokyo Noir, the familiar visage of a white-clad man filled the screen.
"Is that Minaka?"
Confusion filled the room from every person, Ashikabi and Sekirei alike. What in the world was going on?
"Greetings, salutations, and a good evening to you, people of Tokyo!" he boomed from the screen.
Minato reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone only to see Minaka's face there too, reflected in the phones of Karasuba and Akitsu who had pulled their own out as well. He turned back to the TV with apprehension roiling in the pit of his stomach.
"As many of you already know, I am Minaka Hiroto, president of Mid Bio Informatics! I am here to announce the commencement of a grand undertaking that has been nearly two decades in the making!"
"What is he talking about?" Minato wondered aloud.
He felt Akitsu reach out to grip his hand in hers tightly, her nervousness and unease filtering through the bond. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb in soothing circles.
"It is finally time for the Sekirei Plan to officially begin now that all 108 Sekirei have been freed in Tokyo. The rules are simple— Fight! Fight until there is only one left standing! The winner will be guided to the place of ascension where power, wealth, and the means to make your dreams come true await..."
"K-Karasuba," Minato said with confusion and mild fear in his heart. "I thought we were supposed to keep the Sekirei Plan a secret? He just went and announced its existence to all of Tokyo!"
"I... I don't know what's going on anymore. This wasn't part of the plan I was made aware of when I was still a part of MBI."
"Those lucky few of you who have already winged Sekirei and become Ashikabi have an edge over the competition, but don't go resting on your laurels just yet. ANYONE who wants to take part in the Sekirei Plan may do so if you just wing a Sekirei! I wish you all the best of luck, and I hope to see the winner soon!"
His image blinked out just as quickly as it had appeared. The screen went back to playing Tokyo Noir but no one had the desire to watch anymore, all unsettled by Minaka's announcement.
Looking around the room, Minato could tell by their expressions alone that his Sekirei felt just as disturbed by Minaka as he did. A surge of self-recrimination rushed through his heart – all he was doing by sitting around looking pensive and worrying about the future was just making himself and his Sekirei feel worse. The emotions he felt were reverberating through the bond like a negative feedback loop. There was only one course of action he felt they should take.
Pulling Karasuba and Akitsu in close, he gently kissed the tops of their heads.
"No matter what anyone says or does, I'm not going to be scared of this crazy Sekirei Plan." he said. "And you know why? Because I have two of the best, if not the best Sekirei by my side."
Akitsu blushed and pecked him on the cheek, a self-satisfied smile on her face. Karasuba on the other hand snorted and let out a peal of laughter, caressing her Ashikabi's cheek with a light dusting of a blush and a smile of her own.
"Minato, have I told you how cheesy you are yet?" she said fondly.
Minato only held his Sekirei tighter.
"We're going to win this game. I won't let anyone hurt you two."
If Karasuba was being totally honest, the biggest reason she had been unsettled the night of Minaka's public unveiling of the Sekirei Plan was that it deviated from what she had been expecting.
She had been completely blindsided by the announcement, but in retrospect she should have known better than to trust the word of anyone. Her Ashikabi had proven to be an acceptable exception to that rule, with her sister-Sekirei by bond slowly making a case for herself as well, but to have been so foolish as to hold any expectation of a slimy human like Minaka of all people...? She was getting soft.
The Black Sekirei was definitely not one to sit around and cry over spilled milk however. In order to make up for it somewhat, she decided to step up her own training as well as that of Minato and Akitsu. Her general distaste for weakness aside, she was really doing it for her Ashikabi's own good too. If the Sekirei Plan was to be this public, a rapid escalation of conflict was more of an inevitability than possibility. He would be better prepared to face whatever may come his way if he just had the strength to defeat anything.
Karasuba had to grudgingly admit Akitsu had proven to be a decent sparring partner. It seemed her bravado wasn't just that, she had the skills to back it up as well. The Ice Sekirei wasn't able to beat her, but at least she put up a decent enough fight before going down. Still, if she was able to learn anything from their lessons, it only meant she would be better able to look after Minato in Karasuba's absence. That, and be a better challenge down the line. Multiple birds, one stone.
But regardless of their training, she felt infinitely more comfortable if she had Minato under her watchful eye at all times. Now that the Sekirei Plan had been opened to the entirety of Toyko, an attack could come at any time. The media outlets had already reported several minor skirmishes within the week after the announcement, and that figure was sure to rise as time went on.
Minato hadn't liked the idea of being followed around with his Sekirei as some kind of bodyguards but with even Akitsu agreeing with Karasuba, he had no choice but to give in.
Which brought them to their first foray outside since the announcement: grocery shopping.
"Ugh."
Karasuba hated shopping of any kind. She found it incredibly boring on most occasions and the only thing it accomplished was a waste of time. She didn't see the appeal of it outside the obvious practicality of buying necessary items. Minato on the other hand seemed to love the mundane, and this was no exception.
"Man, when was the last time we all went out together like this?" he said happily, a practical spring in his step as he walked despite the large bag of groceries in his arms.
"Probably never. Akitsu's only been here for a week, remember?" Karasuba deadpanned, two bags in each hand.
"Ah. I think so too." Akitsu said quietly, only two bags of her own nestled in her arms. Element users were so frail.
A light jingling accompanied her every step, probably from the curious outfit she had taken to wearing lately. She had on a white shirt with long, flowing sleeves in a similar make to a kimono with a very low V cut that showed off nearly a third of her breasts and stopped at her upper stomach. A black obi with a bow in the front held the shirt tightly against her body. She had chains in her ensemble, one set of which was used to bind her clothes together above her breasts, while another set looped around her neck and then went down between her cleavage. As if they weren't already big enough.
"So why'd we buy so much today anyway?"
"Well..." Minato trailed off sheepishly. "I kinda went overboard because there was a sale... But look, we got so much for really cheap too!"
"Hrm."
"Ah. Can we make curry tonight, Minato-sama?"
"Sure, I guess. It's funny how both of you love curry so much."
Karasuba huffed in slight embarrassment. She liked curry, yes, but only because Minato could make it so well. It wasn't like she wanted to be lumped in with Akitsu though.
"Karasuba, do you want beef curry or chicken katsu curry tonight? I'll let you decide."
"I think I'll go with—"
A loud bang interrupted her train of thought, a cloud of smoke filling the air and obscuring her vision. Screams rang out all around them as the innocent citizens fled the area in panic.
"Minato!" she shouted with a note of worry in her voice.
She reached out and grabbed him into her arms, mindful of all the groceries they were carrying. Karasuba leapt back with Minato in tow and Akitsu landed beside her, both of them scanning for threats.
"Well, well. Looks like we missed." A female voice said haughtily through the smoke and dust.
Once it settled, it revealed two people standing in front a crater in the middle of what used to be the sidewalk. One was male, a slim young man wearing a cape of all things. Underneath seemed to be a black top, wrist length gloves, and ankle length pants. The other was a female wearing a black dress with striped thigh length stockings and a choker around her neck. On the left side of her chest was a black stylized rose tattoo Karasuba found incredibly tacky.
"And who are you two supposed to be, some kind of scene-kid street performers?" Karasuba mocked. "I've seen more intimidating mannequins at a costume store."
"S-shut up! My name is Yashiro Itsuki and we're going to take you down, isn't that right, Amebane?!"
"..." The boy in question simply stared at Karasuba, not responding in the slightest.
"Amebane?"
"... Quiet, you pig. You're so noisy, just get out of my way already so I can fight No. 04 and No. 07."
Karasuba smiled predatorily, her blood singing with anticipation for a scrap. It had been far too long. This was just what the doctor ordered, sparring and exercise were a poor placebo for the thrill of combat.
"Akitsu, why don't you sit this one out for now and look after Minato for me? I can handle this trash by myself."
"Ah. Alright." Akitsu replied. She set her grocery bag down and took up a defensive position in front of Minato.
The Black Sekirei set her own bags of groceries down by Minato's feet as well. He looked worried, opening his mouth to presumably stop her from fighting but she put a dainty finger on his lips to silence him. She needed this fight more than she would care to admit, and she wasn't about to let his protests keep her from it. Besides, they had been challenged out of the blue. It wasn't like she had gone looking for trouble, trouble had apparently come looking for them.
"I'll be back before you know it."
Minato hesitated for a moment, looking into her eyes as if in search of some kind of answer. Finally, he nodded his consent. Karasuba's smile grew wider and more fierce, ready to feed the hunger she had so desperately been suppressing all this time. Before she could go though, she felt a hand grasp hers tightly.
"Be safe, Karasuba." Minato said worriedly.
"Aren't I always?"
Grasping her nodachi by its lacquered scabbard, she turned to face her opponent.
"So, Amebane was it? Before we begin, what number are you? Common courtesy, you know."
Amebane smirked and dashed towards her with his fist cocked, a blur of motion to most but not to her trained eye. She had seen faster, this whelp was nothing special. He threw a punch she easily blocked with her scabbard. A shockwave marked the impact with whipping wind.
"I am No. 13, the one who will finally bring down the vaunted Karasuba! Prepare yourself!"
"Oh? 13 huh? Not too bad for my debut fight in this Sekirei Plan."
Karasuba pushed him back, sending him flying until he spun around and skidded to a stop on his feet. She made no effort to move from where she was standing.
"I'll tell you what. Since I'm such a nice senpai, I'll let you take the offense until I get bored."
"Shut up, you bitch! I don't need your charity, I'll end you now!"
He dashed forward again, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks Karasuba easily evaded using the barest minimum of effort. His attacks grew wilder and flew faster, but still was unable to make contact with her. She sighed with mild disappointment, it looked like the boy was all talk. The No. 04 Sekirei reached out and jabbed him in the gut with her scabbard, interrupting his string of combos and sending him flying head over heels in a spray of spit. He landed heavily in the wall of a building but, to his credit though, he bounced back up straight away.
"Stand still and fight me already, you coward!" he panted with exertion.
"You talk too much for someone who claims to be a big bad fighter. Maybe you wouldn't be so out of breath if you saved it for your fancy footwork."
"Fuck you! You too scared to fight with a real man for a change?"
Karasuba quirked an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Oh please. I've faced 'real men' far better than you since before your balls dropped, kid."
Amebane flushed with rage and embarrassment from her taunts.
"You really think those human soldiers and mercenaries you butchered over the years count as worthy opponents?"
A faint chill ran down her spine, and she whipped her head towards Minato who looked back at her in confusion. He wasn't supposed to know about her past, he wasn't allowed to be privy to that kind of information! A faint whistling alerted her to a flying kick that she just barely blocked in time, but still sent her skidding back several feet.
"You can't afford to take your eyes off me, you know!"
The boy grinned wildly and flew at her again, raining fist after fist on her guard. She was shaken, rattled by what he had said. She had worked so hard to leave that bloodstained life behind her, to keep Minato from ever finding out about the atrocities she had committed, and this punk had the audacity to just blurt it out off-handedly? She hastily threw up a block for the hammer fist he threw at her, sending her flying once again. She impacted a car parked on the side of the street with a crunch of metal and blaring alarms.
"Karasuba!" She heard Minato shout. She saw him try run to her side but he was held back by Akitsu.
"Ah, Minato-sama!" She gripped him tightly, not budging a single bit. "Stay back!"
"Heh, not so tough after all when you face someone who actually has the power to fight back, huh? So much for the Black Sekirei, guess I'm stronger than those unarmed civilians you murdered."
"Kill him... Kill him for his insolence, KILL HIM!"
The bloodlust screamed in her mind, filling her body with a surge of adrenaline. A flare of sinister malevolence exploded from the Black Sekirei, causing everyone around to flinch suddenly.
"SILENCE HIM."
She slowly got up from the wreckage of the car, a blank expression on her face. She could feel the concern and panic rolling off her Ashikabi in waves, but she shoved that part of her to the back of her mind. That was to be dealt with later, now... Now was the time for retribution. She had shown mercy before that whelp threw it back in her face. There would be no more second chances.
"BUTCHER HIM."
Karasuba drew her blade with a deliberate precision to her movement, a ringing as it left the sheath piercing through the air with all of the finality of the sound of an executioner grinding the axe. She held her nodachi out horizontally from her as she leisurely stalked her way toward Amebane. There was no need for haste like her mind demanded - death was coming and there was no way to stop it.
"Y-You think that's supposed to be scary? You must be losing your touch, monster!" The false bravado rang hollow in her ears. She practically smelled the blood in the water.
"A-Amebane... I don't like the look of this, we should get out of here." His Ashikabi trembled with the fear her Sekirei either was too oblivious to feel or too stupid to.
"Shut up, you pig! Can't you see I'm having the time of my life here? The fun's only just started!" He said as he dashed his way to Karasuba.
"Oh, yes it has." She said finally and blurred out of eyesight.
Amebane froze in his tracks, whipping his head around to try to catch sight of her. Fool.
"Get back here! Don't you turn tail and run now!" he yelled.
"999 left." She whispered into his ear from behind before she slashed his back with all of the deadly precision of a scalpel. There was no need to end it quite so soon, not after what he did. She wouldn't allow him the mercy of a swift death. Oh no, his would be exquisitely excruciating.
He hissed in pain, whirling about with a backhanded fist strike in an attempt to catch her off guard but he was much too slow, far too slow to catch her.
"998."
He turned to run, to try to create space between them, but a slash to the back of his left leg sent him tumbling as she cut just deep enough to wound.
"997. Where are you going? You said it yourself, the fun's just beginning."
A slash to his arm had him clutching it in pain, whimpering slightly. It was like music to her ears, the sweet sound of agony. She'd coax more out of him soon enough.
"996."
She left relatively shallow cuts on him like a painter laid strokes on canvas. Her blade was her brush, his blood was her paint, and he was to be her painting.
"995. Hurry, aren't you going to use your Norito? Go on, power up, make this last a little bit longer."
"Itsuki, you fucking sow! Get over here so I can use my Norito already!" He shouted hoarsely.
He limped his way over to where his Ashikabi stood nearly catatonic with shock. Amebane slapped her to knock her out of whatever daze she was in and quickly grasped her by the back of the head for a kiss. Bright wings sprouted from his back, and he looked renewed with a second wind of energy. Good.
"You're going to regret letting me use my Norito!" He dropped into a horse stance, hands held palms out at his side. "These are the palms of my pledge! By my bare hands, I will destroy the foes of my Ashikabi!"
A crackling aura flowed around him, sending spiderwebs of cracks throughout the concrete at his feet. He grinned cockily.
"Megafist!"
Jumping forward, this time much faster than before, his glowing fist was poised to strike. Karasuba couldn't help but sigh with disappointment, her anger starting to boil up inside of her.
"All that effort to power up with your Norito, and all you can do is rehash the same stale moves but faster? What a let down."
Quickly side-stepping his attack, she slammed the pommel of her nodachi into his skull, sending him crashing to the ground.
"994."
He writhed in pain, blood pooling from his nasty head wound. But it wasn't enough, he wasn't suffering nearly enough yet.
"993."
A faint roaring in her ears began to grow louder and louder. It drowned out everything around her with its pervasive echoing. She snarled with a burning fury. How was she supposed to enjoy this if she couldn't even hear the best part of it all? She would just have to cut deeper to make him scream louder until she was satisfied.
"992. Speak up, you little shit! I can hardly hear you."
Still nothing but that infernal roaring. Was it still growing even louder?
"991."
He didn't even have the courtesy of obliging her simple request? Fine. She would just have to get a little more creative with her bladework. A stab counted as a cut, didn't it? A wound is a wound, after all.
"990."
The roaring in her ears was starting to make Karasuba's head throb painfully. A searing migraine burned in her temples as she gripped her hair by the roots to alleviate the raw lancing. Still, she wasn't about to let some stupid headache keep her from her prize.
"989. I said scream, damn you!"
Had he stopped moving? He laid still in a thick pool of his own blood. It didn't seem like he was still conscious, and that was defeating the whole purpose of this exercise. That wouldn't do at all, how dare he fall asleep while she was trying to punish him? She sent a savage kick to his side, feeling a rib give way and jolting him back into consciousness. He hacked out a spray of blood from his mouth and rolled over, clutching his side. He moaned piteously.
But before she could swing her blade down for stroke 988, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist tightly. She twisted in its grasp, trying to free herself.
"...suba! Karasuba! Stop, please stop! It's over, just stop!"
The panicked voice of her Ashikabi cut through the haze in her brain and she snapped back into reality, her blade arm trembling just over Amebame's body. She slowly turned to face Minato, muted horror growing in her breast.
"No... This wasn't supposed to happen this way, he wasn't supposed to find out about this..." An uncharacteristic fear pounded in her heart.
Tears openly poured down Minato's face as he reached a shaky hand of his own up to cup her face.
"Karasuba, come back to me."
Her arms dropped to her side like leaden weights but she still didn't release her grip on her bloody nodachi. She wasn't supposed to lose control like that, not from the stupid provocations of some brat fresh out of MBI's labs. Her knees went weak, threatening to give way under her own weight. Karasuba staggered suddenly but Minato hugged her tighter to his body, supporting her body with his own.
"Karasuba, it's over. You won, it's over." He murmured into her ear.
She watched with a distinct sense of detachment as Akitsu walked over to Amebane's body and reached out to feel for his pulse. She must have found one because she then flipped him on his back and tore his shirt open, revealing his Sekirei crest. Touching it with a single finger, she recited her incantation to deactivate him.
"Ice of my pledge, go forth and shatter the bond of this Sekirei."
The crest glowed faintly before fading away completely, his body laying completely still where it was. His Ashikabi screamed with a raw agony that pierced through the air. She ran towards him and cradled his head in her lap.
"No... no..." Karasuba heard her whisper brokenly. "Not like this..."
A wave of nausea rolled through Karasuba's body, she could feel the bile rising to her mouth. It wasn't that she felt remorse for prolonging Amebane's torture, not in the slightest. He deserved every second of his agony. She was repulsed by her own lack of self-control, by the fact that Minato gained an inkling about her bloodstained past. There was no doubt in her mind that he was disgusted, horrified even, by her now.
"Karasuba," Minato said softly. He rested his forehead on hers, still gently cupping her face with his hands. "Look at me."
She wanted to run, to flee before he could reject her. She thanked every spirit, every lucky star that her bloodlust had been satiated by Amebane's agony. She might have gone completely insane if she had to fight down its fury on top of her roiling emotions. She squirmed in his grasp until he pressed his lips against hers. Her wings burst from her back in a flare of black.
The raw emotion pouring from Minato flooded her mind through the bond, throwing out all of her self-doubt and fear. Instead, his acceptance and reassurance took their place.
"It's alright, Karasuba. It's going to be alright."
The sound of helicopters filled the air as MBI's personnel arrived on the scene.
"Let's go home."