New year, new chapter!
Better
Without even looking back at her daughter, Benitsubasa spoke, "I thought you said you had this!"
"I-I don't... how did you get here?" Rini honestly thought she might be hallucinating.
"I walked."
"We're on an island!"
"And?"
"Did... did you run on water?" Rini asked, flabbergasted.
"Took me a few tries to get it right." Benitsubasa tossed the shuriken aside, only to have it flicker and reappear once more affixed to Sadashi's shield.
"Well, I'm glad you're here, Benitsubasa," Minaka spoke up over the speakers again. "I want you to witness my victory after all these years. This is the climactic battle, after all. It does feel right having you present."
"What exactly makes you think you're going to beat me this time?" Benitsubasa grit her teeth.
"Oh, Benitsubasa, what you don't seem to understand is that as strong as you were before, you're quite outmatched here. There will be no miracle you can pull off to win this time."
Benitsubasa's lips curled into a snarl, "And what you don't understand is just how badly you fucked up when you went after my daughter!" Her hands clenched into fists. "Did you really think there was any length I wouldn't go to to make you pay for that!?" The cavern suddenly lit up with an eerie, red light. "To make me spend even one day away from him... no... even one second would have been too long..."
"M-mom... wh-what did you do?" Rini swallowed hard. She could feel her mother's rage reverberating off the walls. The whole island was shaking.
"I AM DONE WITH YOU!" Benitsubasa roared. "THERE IS NO HOLE DEEP ENOUGH TO THROW YOU IN THIS TIME!"
. . . 3 Days Ago . . .
"So... that was oddly specific. Why three days?" Madoka found his wife biting her nails in his office.
"I dunno. Sounds about right I guess." Benitsubasa looked extremely worked up. Anxiety was coming off of her in waves.
"Do you... have an idea?" he asked her. He was up for anything at that point.
"You're gonna hate it. I hate it." She let her hand fall to her side and met his eyes.
"OK. Hit me."
"Terminate me, sever our link, revive me, and undo Minaka's tuning. Make me like Sairiko and Moetatsuka," Benitsubasa blurted out her plan.
OK, he wasn't sure he was up for that. "Well... you're right."
"Yeah?"
"I hate it."
"This is our children we're throwing into the fire, Madoka! I can't just sit here and do nothing when I know we have another option!"
"Yeah, but this is crazy! And Sairiko and Moetatsuka should be able to handle this, so-"
"So let's gamble with the lives of our daughters?"
"Ugh..." Madoka hung his head. When she put it that way...
"My father and Minato should be able to do the job just fine. It won't kill me." Madoka raised an eyebrow at that. "Termination is not the same as dying!"
". . . You're not asking my permission, are you?" Madoka sighed.
"No."
"Dammit..." He grabbed her and held her close. "You know I'm gonna cry, right? A lot?"
". . ."
"Benitsubasa?"
"Sh-shut up." She already was.
. . . Present. . .
"One chance, girl." Benitsubasa glared at Sadashi. "Back off." She didn't budge. Fine then. Benitsubasa vanished from the view of normal eyes, but she could tell that Sadashi could still see her.
The rogue sekirei lifted her weapon, but Benitsubasa skidded to a sudden halt and held her arms out, palms aimed at her opponent, "SHREDDER!" The blast was just enough to stun the other sekirei for a moment. Benitsubasa then sprung up and kicked Sadashi's weapon hand back, landing with her back to Sadashi and ramming her elbow into her gut. Finally, she spun back around and used the momentum for a full force punch that send Sadashi sliding back.
Sadashi dug the clawed end of her hammer into the ground to halt herself, grimacing from the blow she'd taken. She then flung the shuriken at Benitsubasa, but the veteran sekirei leaned out of the way, already making to close the gap.
Benitsubasa halted when suddenly Sadashi vanished, and the next thing she knew she felt a tremendous impact hitting her spine. She was flung face-first into the cavern wall, falling to the ground clutching her aching nose.
"Ugh... guh... holy... crap..." Benitsubasa shakily rose to her feet. Clearly, she couldn't afford mistakes if they were going to be punished that viciously. Sadashi hit hard.
"Mom, be careful! Minaka somehow activated the twins' noritos and they're making her stronger!" Rini called out.
"Fucking now you tell me?" Benitsubasa threw a scathing glare her daughter's way.
"You didn't give me a chance to before!" Rini shot back just as hotly. "Also they can teleport to each-other!"
". . . awesome. . ." Benitsubasa sucked in a deep breath. She had to end this fast.
She sprung back, feet landing against the wall before she shot off like a rocket. Sadashi raised her shield, but Benitsubasa used it as a landing pad. She grabbed the upper edge and pulled herself up, reaching over it and cracking her fist across Sadashi's jaw, stunning her.
She then dropped down and swept Sadashi's legs, and next twisted and shot her other leg out, sending the girl tumbling before she even hit the ground. As she flipped back to her feet, she caught a glimpse of her children and their sekreis' astonished faces.
Even she was surprised she was doing so well. Despite her unlocked power she was at a disadvantage, but, just like with Saki in the past, experience was making the difference.
Sadashi rose and threw the shuriken again, but Benitsubasa readied herself to knock it away rather than dodge so she couldn't be surprised from behind again. Sadashi must have realized this and just before the shuriken impacted, Sadashi warped to it, closing in instantly with her hammer swinging away.
Benitsubasa raised both hands and caught it, halting the blow. She could see the concern in Sadashi's eyes. She clearly hadn't expected Benitsubasa to catch the attack and stop it with brute force.
She'd clearly never seen her fight.
Sadashi pulled back her shield arm and then jabbed it at Benitsubasa, forcing her to pull one hand away to catch it as well. Her hands crackled with energy, allowing her to grab the pointed end of the shield without slicing her hands apart.
It became a shoving match, both sekirei grunting with effort as each tried to overpower the other. Dust kicked up and flew away as Benitsubasa brought out more and more power. She flung both hammer and shield aside, opening up Sadashi's guard. It was easier than shoving her away, and kept her nicely within striking range.
She rammed both palms into Sadashi's gut, but her armor kept it from being a crippling blow. The girl slid back and grit her teeth, snarling angrily. She slammed her hammer into the ground, sparks and stone flying. It seemed Benitsubasa's attack had mostly just pissed her off.
"Hey, if she's using a nortio, shouldn't it have worn off by now? She already had it on when I got here!" Benitsubasa took the moment to shout at her daughter.
"I-I don't know!" Rini had no answers to give her mother.
At that moment, Minaka's mocking laughter echoed out from the hidden speakers, "Noticed that, did you? Well the same machines that I can use to activate their noritos also supply a steady stream of energy to sustain it as long as I wish!"
"WHAT?!" Benitsubasa's jaw dropped. She'd secretly been hoping to just wait the norito out...
"But that could hurt them!" Rini couldn't imagine forcing their norito's to continue was healthy for the girls.
"Well, if you're worried, I'll gladly accept your unconditional surrender!" Minaka chuckled. "Any takers?"
"Fine then." Benitsubasa cracked her neck. "Sorry kids, but I can't afford to play nice with you any more." Rini swallowed hard and bit her lip. They were never going to get out of this without hurting the stolen sekirei, but... she just hoped her mother could leave them alive.
"Don't talk like you can match me!" Sadashi brandished her hammer.
Benitsubasa didn't answer. She took a deep breath and set her feet. Energy flared up all around her, but then burned down like a fuse. There was a moment of calm and then she shot forward. Before Sadashi could even move, Benitsubasa's left fist was planted in her gut.
"You're cocky. You don't even know how to use all that power you have." Benitsubasa twisted her fist, digging it into Sadashi's rib-cage. Sadashi gagged and choked, but lifted her hammer to bring it down. Benitsubasa turned, lifting her right fist and met the weapon head-on.
There was a crack – and it wasn't bone.
Testuko and Koumi flashed back into existence, dropping to the ground, their armored forms giving way under Benitsubasa's might.
Sadashi could only stand there, baffled and disarmed except for her shield.
"It's over." Benitsubasa lifted her hand, letting out a powerful kiai and blasting Sadashi off her feet. "Stay down."
Clapping could be heard over the speakers. "Oh, well done! Well done indeed! I really appreciate your effort, Benitsubasa. Really, I do. I think it adds to the drama! However, as I think your daughter could tell you, this is hardly over!"
"The fuck is he on about?" Benitsubasa glanced at her daughter.
Rini didn't get a chance to answer. Shaky as she was, Sadashi ignored Benitsubasa's order and rose to her feet. Her wings spread.
"My shield restrains my power. Unleash my fury and hew all opposition! A promise of the vanguard!" Her shield opened up, bright green lights pouring from its core. A handle extended from the top and Sadashi pulled it free. Her shield seemed to explode into shards, but they flew back to her, extending out from the handle into a blade large enough to rival Sairiko's. "MONARCH'S BLADE!"
It was a black blade with glowing, green fissures running down its length. It was thinner than Sairiko's, but probably half a foot longer.
Rini felt a pressure in the air, and her head began to throb slightly. The raw power coming from Sadashi actually hurt.
"Well... this sucks..." Benitsubasa swallowed hard. They were running out of options. She'd pushed herself to her limit to overpower the twin's norito. She didn't think she could do that again – Sadashi was a much stronger sekirei. There was only one other thing she could try, but she really wasn't supposed to.
. . . 1 Day Ago . . .
"Benitsubasa, one last thing," Minato told her. "Drawing from your core... you really won't be able to do that anymore. This new tuning has you already back to your full power, so there isn't much more to draw from it. If you tried, the best case scenario is nothing would happen... or..."
"Or what?" Benitsubasa frowned impatiently. "Just spit it out."
"Well, perhaps it would work, but chances are your core would completely shut down afterward. For good. I don't think even Kouten could bring you back."
"Oh..." Benitsubasa swallowed hard. That wasn't good.
"Or..."
"You're killing me here."
"Rather than just quietly shut down... you might have a literal meltdown."
"Now you're killing me." Madoka looked pale. "So what, she'd go nuclear?"
"E-effectively." Minato cleared his throat nervously. "It would seem the repeated tuning and alterations that have been made to you have left your core rather... unstable. Even just regular combat may strain it if you push yourself too hard."
"P-p-please don't explode, Beni-chan!" Musubi begged, looking at her wits end. She'd been the one to terminate Benitsubasa for the procedure, so she was upset enough as it was.
"I'll do my best..." Benitsubasa groaned.
. . . Present . . .
So... hopefully she wouldn't go nuclear.
"Kids, listen." Benitsubasa took a deep breath and straightened up. "You've made me real proud here, you know?" She chuckled. Heroic speeches weren't really her thing, but these were her children, so fuck it. "But Minaka is my responsibility, so get out of here. I don't know if I can really do this, so you might need to come back for a round two, but for now please just leave this to me."
"M-mom, what are you talking about?" The panic creeping into Rini's voice physically hurt her – a horrible tightness in her chest that made it hard to breathe. Both of them new deep down that Benitsubasa was trying to say goodbye, even if she couldn't bring herself to actually say it.
"Come on, Rini. Don't make me spell it out for you..." Benitsubasa clenched her fists. Sadashi wasn't going to be patient for much longer.
"Look, I don't know what you're planning, but there has to be another way!"
"Y-yes, I... I can still..." Sairiko pushed herself to her feet, but her legs shook and her knees were nearly knocking together as they threatened to buckled beneath her.
"Enough!" Benitsubasa snapped. "I'm your mother and you'll listen to me!" Her signature red aura flared up, her crest beginning to glow. "This might be it for me, but it won't be for you, got it? Now get clear!"
Maybe Minato had been wrong, maybe she could handle it. She'd always been tough, always been able to get back up no matter how hard she'd been beaten down. It wasn't like she wanted to shut down forever.
She could feel it though. It wasn't like it had been in the past. All at once it felt like she'd been running for days. She might not even get a chance to fight. She might not even be worth a distraction so the kids could run...
"COME ON!" Her aura flared up even higher as she refused to give it up that quickly.
"Oh stop being so dramatic, did you forget we still have something left?" And just like that Benitsubasa snapped out of it, aura dying away. The sudden tension on Sadashi's face prompted her to look over her shoulder to see Moetatsuka with her wings spread and glowing a fiery red-orange, like hot, metal shards.
"It was a nice speech, though." Katsurou shrugged. Rini just hung her head and let out a long sigh of relief.
"Seriously, you just leave this to Moetatsuka. It'll be over in a second!" Nariko grinned. "Get her!"
Moetatsuka nodded, "My burning heart keeps the passion of my pledge alive! Burn clear the path before my ashikabi! Ascendant Ember!" She held out her arm, and opened her hand, a small cinder falling to the ground at her feet. It flared up, burning a spiral pattern into the ground beneath her. Then, with a sudden flash, a pillar of flame shot up, engulfing Moetatsuka.
"Um... was that supposed to happen?" Benitsubasa's eyes went wide. She'd really been hoping she wouldn't have to explode herself after all.
"I-" Nariko looked concerned as well for a second, but then the flames flew away and Moetatsuka stood there – transformed. Bright, oily flames clung to her skin and her hair seemed to have become a sea of white-hot flames, burning like a lit fuse.
"It won't matter how long your norito lasts." Moetatsuka stared down Sadashi. She then angled her head back toward the rest of them. "Please stand back, this is going to be dangerous."
Interestingly, the pain Rini had been feeling seemed to subside. Even with the power Moetatsuka radiated, she seemed to serve more like a buffer against Sadashi's murderous intent. Now, all they could do was listen. They got as far back as they could and soon the battle began – or rather resumed.
Sadashi lifted her blade swinging to decapitate Moetatsuka, but the burning girl slid past the tip of the sword and closed in, shooting her palm toward Sadashi's stomach. Sadashi brought her shield forth, now little more than a buckler, to block, but the explosive force of Moetatsuka's strike still pushed her back. However, this left Moetatsuka still in range of Sadashi's massive blade, which was now swinging down to cleave her shoulder to hip.
Moetatsuka caught it. Her left hand glowed a hot white and cracks spread down the length of the blade as the metal began to turn red from the intense heat. Sadashi growled angrily, just trying to push harder, but Moetatsuka wouldn't budge. Then, suddenly, the blade exploded, Moetatsuka crushing it in her grip and blasting it to pieces. Sadashi, astonished, stumbled back and Moetatsuka moved in for the kill.
At the last second, Sadashi's face twisted with rage and she rammed the bladeless hilt of her weapon into Moetatsuka's stomach. In a moment of horror, the blade reforged itself, extending straight through Moetatsuka's stomach and bursting out her back.
"NOOOOO-" Nariko fell to her knees, staring at her impaled sekirei, tears already bursting from her eyes. Mid anguished scream, they watched as Moetatsuka burst into a swirl of fire and seemed to shoot through Sadashi, reappearing behind her, fully intact. "-OOO... oh?" Nariko blinked her tears away, trying to process what had just happened.
"Did she just... how did..." Rini was just as surprised.
"Well, obviously she can turn her body into pure flames to avoid attacks." Benitsubasa crossed her arms calmly, trying to play it cool and ignore the beads of sweat rolling down her face that had nothing to do with the heat of the flames. "I was really hoping she would end this quickly though."
"Well, yeah." Rini glanced at her mother.
"It's not just because I want this to be over. I'm... kinda worried about Moetatsuka's power. I looked up your kids' sekirei to try and see what kind of chance you guys had... and... well..."
"What? What's wrong with my Moetatsuka?" Nariko asked, her expression fraught with conflicting emotions.
"She's basically a living scorched earth policy. If she loses control or overdoes it... I'm pretty sure she could obliterate this whole island. Like, literally just another patch of water in the ocean."
"Cool!" Nariko grinned, eyes sparkling with awe.
"Nariko." Benitsubasa glared. "We are ON the island!"
The girl's smile vanished instantly, ". . . right."
"In other words we're effectively standing ten feet away from an armed nuke," Katsurou grimaced. "I am so done with today."
For a moment, Moetatsuka's newly revealed ability had given Sadashi pause, but as the fight continued it became apparent that all she could do was dodge. Whenever she used it to avoid an attack, she was unable to fight back. Though she effectively turned to flames, Sadashi was too resilient to be hurt by them.
Sadashi seemed fully aware of this fact and had increased her tempo, pushing Moetatsuka onto the defensive. Even with only one arm and such a large weapon, Sadashi's ability to attack relentlessly was terrifying. Moetatsuka caught the blade once more on Sadashi's next swing, but with an angry roar, Sadashi continued the swing, sparks flying as she tore the blade from Moetatsuka's burning grasp. Her momentum continued, spinning herself around and slamming her shield into Moetatsuka's face, throwing her to the cavern floor.
"Is she getting stronger?" Nariko gulped, watching Sadashi begin to take back ground.
"It's like I said, she didn't know how to use her powers... but she's learning." Benitsubasa grit her teeth nervously.
Sadashi swung her blade down at Moetatsuka, and the floored sekirei threw her arms up like a soon-to-be-victim in a slasher film. Before the blade could connect, though, a stream of flames burst forth from her palms, crashing into the sword and pushing it back. The blast was too intense for Sadashi to fight through and she was pushed away, allowing the stream of flames to roar past her, careening into the cavern ceiling and blowing the stone apart in a shower of super-heated debris.
"SHIT! Sairiko!" Benitsubasa shouted. If they didn't work fast, Rini and the others would be crushed by the collapse. With no time to see if the injured sekirei could rise to the occasion, Benitsubasa set about punching her way through the falling rocks before they could crush her kids. Thankfully, judging by the sound of metal on rock, it seemed that the crisis had been enough impetus to push Sairiko back into motion as well.
"Geez, you weren't kidding..." Rini swallowed hard, staring at the gaping hole in the ceiling that sunlight was now streaming through. Moetatsuka had just casually blasted her way through at least fifteen feet of solid rock – possibly more.
Moetatsuka pressed her right palm to the floor and let loose another blast, propelling her up to land on her other hand and spinning her foot into the side of Sadashi's head to land an explosive kick that sent the rogue sekirei into the cavern wall, leaving her in a crater.
A hot wind began to blow and Rini realized that Moetatsuka was heating herself up further. She could only swallow hard and hope she wasn't planning anything that would incinerate them all. Sadashi pulled herself back to her feet and rushed back into the fray, seeming to have only been momentarily inconvenienced by the blow she'd taken.
Moetatsuka phased through the incoming sword swing, reforming behind her opponent. Sadashi predicted and turned, sword at the ready, but Moetatsuka had ducked low. The sword passed just over her head and she sprang back up, glowing fist careening into Sadashi's jaw. The force of the blow rocketed Sadashi up and out of the cavern through the hole in the ceiling. Moetatsuka was immediately in pursuit, leaping clear out of the cavern after her opponent.
"Not a bad idea. That might cut off Sadashi's norito." Benitsubasa said. Never mind the fact that it kept the rest of them out of the firing line.
"Not quite!" Minaka's voice rang out, though it sounded a bit distorted. No doubt the battling had done some damage to Minaka's equipment by now. "I assure you, my equipment can cover the entirety of this small island!"
"Fuck! Give me a break already!"
"We... we should go after them!" Katsurou suddenly spoke up.
"Wh-" Rini looked surprised. Her protest was cut off by the shock of realizing it was her brother's suggestion of all people.
"Yeah, Moetatsuka might need me!" Nariko agreed, though her body trembled. No doubt her desire to support her sekirei was only just barely beating out her desire to stay away from the fight where it was at least marginally safer.
"Ugh, you're right." Benitsubasa sighed. "Come on then, Sairiko. Between the two of us we should be able to get these kids out there. Think you can make the jump?" Sairiko nodded her response, looking more steady on her feet now.
Benitsubasa grabbed Nariko and Katsurou while Sairiko took Rini and the two sekirei leapt, carrying them up and outside. The moment they did so, they were hit by a wave of heat, as if walking into an oven – ironic being that they had just entered a more open area.
They saw Moetatsuka, body flaring up with light and fire, giving off the incredible heat that now bombarded them.
"This may have been a mista-" Benitsubasa's eyes went wide, but she didn't get to finish. Moments after setting their feet down, Moetatsuka roared and unleashed a blast so intense that to call it fire may have no longer been accurate. A blazing ray arced through the air, bearing down on Sadashi. They more heard and felt the impact, as it became impossible to watch, the light searing their eyes. Standing in the vicinity was to risk an instant sunburn.
When it subsided and they could stop shielding their eyes, they saw Sadashi still standing. She'd reconnected her sword and shield, deploying a barrier of energy that covered her whole body from the front. The land around her was a scorched wasteland, charred and black – but she was fine behind her shield.
She lowered her defenses, the sword reforming and her shield returning to its reduced state. The fight would continue.
"Shit... It's like I thought. This is bad." Katsurou was biting his knuckle, eyes wide and fixed on Moetatsuka.
"Care to explain or should I start guessing?" Benitsubasa knew it was bad, but she couldn't figure out what he was getting at specifically.
"Look at Moetatsuka's hair."
"It's... shorter?" Nariko pointed out first. Indeed, her formerly long, luscious hair had seemingly burned down to only barely reaching her shoulder-blades.
"Yeah, I noticed it first when she busted the the cavern ceiling, and now it's even shorter. On top of whatever time-limit her norito has, I think the harder she fights the faster she burns through it."
"Moetatsuka will be bald?!" Nariko's jaw dropped.
"Not the problem here!" Benitsubasa snapped.
"That... makes an unfortunate amount of sense." Rini swallowed hard, ignoring her sister. If Sadashi could weather a massive blast like she just had, then Moetatsuka couldn't risk just going all out – she had to be tactical. The problem was, she may no longer have had the time to do so.
"I should help her then!" Sairiko stepped forward.
"That's a great thought and all, but you're spent kid." Benitsubasa pursed her lips. Even if she wasn't, how could she compete with Sadashi right now?
"Rini, I hate to ask this of you, but..." Sairiko turned to her ashikabi. "I... I don't think I can use my norito again... so..."
"No, I understand." Rini wrapped her arms around Sairiko. "You've got this, OK? I know you'll come back to me." Before anyone could say another word, a red light shone from Rini and flowed into Sairiko. She began to collapse, but Sairiko caught her.
"Well, I guess this is happening. I've got her." Benitsubasa took her unconscious daughter. "Listen kid, this is it. All that power you have in you, you have to bring it out. Push and then push even harder. Now get it done!"
"Understood." Sairiko seemed to stand taller than she had even just a second ago. Sword in hand she wasted no time going to Moetatsuka's side.
"Are you sure about this?" Moetatsuka asked.
"Yes." Sairiko nodded. "Now please, stand back and save your energy for as long as you can. I'll try to create an opening."
"OK- Wait, what?" Moetatsuka was caught off guard. Sairiko planned to fight alone?
"Good." She didn't give Moetatsuka a chance to argue and jumped forward to square off with Sadashi one more time.
"Is this a joke?" Sadashi tilted her head in disbelief with a condescending look in her eyes.
"No. It's time we settled this. There's nothing holding me back anymore, nor do I have a reason to hold back," Sairiko told her.
"And?" Sadashi narrowed her eyes.
"And..." Sairiko tightened her grip on her blade and flew forward, almost vanishing from sight entirely. Sadashi had to throw her blade up to block, barely making it in time. The clash was titanic, shaking the island. The ground beneath their feet shattered.
Sairiko had given her answer.
Sairiko swung again and again, hammering away at Sadashi. The area behind Sadashi suffered, the shockwave of each blow cleaving apart the earth. Each clash rattled the teeth of those looking on. Finally the meaning of their power was becoming clear. They began to truly comprehend what it was for two full power sekirei to fight.
They needed no explosions or fire; their raw, physical power alone may have been enough to shatter the island.
"Why!?" Sadashi set her feet and pushed back against Sairiko's next swing. "You shouldn't be able to fight me!"
"I'm not alone! You are!"
"I DON'T CARE! I'M ENOUGH!" Sadashi shoved her back and then, before Sairiko could reset her feet, pulled back and swung again. Her face was wild and her technique thrown to the wind. She meant only to overwhelm Sairiko.
Sairiko frantically lifted her blade to block, but it meant little. Sadashi's own blade cleaved right through it. She pulled her head aside, eyes wide-open in shock. She felt the sting of her cheek being sliced open.
The top end of her blade clattered to the ground and Sadashi rushed right through her guard. She turned around, holding up the flat of her now reduced blade. Sadashi's next, wild swing threw her right off her feet, sparks flying as Sairiko's sword gained a new scar, but at the very least was not cut down further.
Sairiko knew she'd used up most of her luck. She couldn't hope to compete with Sadashi's norito much longer. She needed to do something. From her position lying flat on her back, she lifted her sword up over her head and hurled it forward. It sailed toward and then past Sadashi, as she merely had to tilt her head to the side to avoid it.
It gave her only a scant, half-second extra to push herself back to her feet. She lifted her fists, not giving up just yet, but as Sadashi closed in on her, those fists kept to themselves. Any time she even considered throwing a punch, she had to pull back and remain on the defensive.
All she could do was run, but she was running out of room. Her margin for error was growing smaller and smaller as Sadashi's aggression increased. Soon enough, Sadashi caught up, her sword cleaving through the ground and tearing it out from under Sairiko's feet. Sairiko hit the ground once more and moments later Sadashi's boot slammed into her ribs.
She tumbled to a stop, gasping for breath. She rolled onto her back, looking up at Sadashi.
"It's over. I'm better." Sadashi glowered down at her.
"If it's over... why is no one crying for me?" Sairiko asked. Sadashi just scoffed and lifted her weapon, prepared to carry out Sairiko's execution.
"They will." It came down, but Sairiko reached out her hand. The handle of her sword flew into it in a reverse grip and she twisted her whole body to deflect Sadashi's blow.
Sairiko's sword glowed a bright, hot red and struck with inexplicable force. Now lying on her side, Sairiko kicked out and doubled Sadashi over. She then jumped up and rammed her head forward into Sadashi's chin. Finally, she grabbed Sadashi's collar and spun, throwing the girl over her shoulder one-handed.
"I told you! I'm not alone!" Sairiko gripped her sword with both hands and raised it high into the air. "MOETATSUKA! NOW!" She brought it down with all her strength. The full power of Moetatsuka's norito exploded forth from Sairiko's sword, combined with Sairiko's own strength.
Sadashi was beyond words. She screamed incoherently, flinging herself head and blade first into the attack.
Even Benitsubasa fell to a knee. The impact was cataclysmic. There was no keeping to their feet. Words to truly describe it were few and far between. The impact in their chests stole their breath away and they stood merely on the back end of it, experiencing only the back-blow.
And yet, as the dust settled, Sadashi still stood. The attack had split around her, the ocean flooding into deep chasms to her left and right, only to boil against the near molten stone.
"I'm... still... better..." Sadashi panted, her sword held in a shaking fist. Her hair was plastered to her face with sweat. The green glow had fled from her weapon and then, piece-by-piece, it crumbled to the ground. Machine or not, her norito had run its course.
"Believe what you want, but this fight is over for you," Sairiko said coldly, stabbing her blade into the ground beside her.
"No." Sadashi staggered forward. Sairiko stared her down, unimpressed, even as Sadashi reached her and swung her fist. The punch hit her square in the cheek, but barely even turned her head. She sighed and shoved the hilt of her sword into Sadashi's gut, bringing her to her knees, clutching at her stomach in pain.
"You're pathetic. I'm done." Sairiko turned to walk away. She made it five steps before she felt a blow to the back of her head, but it barely even made her stagger.
"I... I should have just killed them when I had the chance! You shouldn't even be here!" Sadashi screeched hysterically. Benitsubasa saw it at that moment. As desperate a battle as it had been, she hadn't once seen Sairiko lose her cool. She couldn't imagine she'd have won otherwise.
That did it though.
She fully expected in that moment to see Sadashi's body fly apart, cut in twain. Sairiko spun in a mad blur, but even in that moment of fury she maintained some amount of control. She batted Sadashi away, swatting her like an insect. Even then, Benitsubasa still half expected Sadashi to splatter on impact, but sekirei were tough.
"Idiot..." Benitsubasa sighed, shaking her head. Intact or not, Sadashi may have just pushed her luck too far. "Hey, you guys good here?"
"Y-yes..." Moetatsuka was down on one knee, chest heaving. She'd stretched her norito to the limit, and indeed her hair was now a short bob, barely halfway down her neck.
"I'll watch Rini." Nariko nodded.
Benitsubasa headed down the rocky slope, pausing for a moment by Sairiko, "Hey, nice job. Neat trick using Moetatsuka's power like that." Sairiko only nodded tiredly. She'd no doubt used up all the strength Rini had given her and then some. Finally able to rest, her body was giving out on her. "Take five, huh? Rini'll be real proud of you when she hears about this." Sairiko flushed and she gave another quick nod.
Benitsubasa continued on her way, finally reaching Sadashi where she lay at the end of the ditch her body had carved out before coming to a halt.
"So... you done?" Benitsubasa asked. Sadashi turned her eyes toward Benitsubasa, but didn't speak. It seemed she barely had the energy to move, let alone speak. Benitsubasa shook her head again, "Yeah, you're done. Hell, you're probably dead. Rini was probably right, extending your norito like that and taking that much damage... Not good."
"Whatever..." Sadashi choke the word out.
"Still being stubborn? I guess he messed with your head real good." Benitsubasa frowned as she knelt down. She guessed they didn't really have anyone to snap her out of it like with Sairiko and Moetatsuka.
"You know, I have a theory about that." Benitsubasa looked up to see that Katsurou had joined her. "So, you have anything to say or should I just explain?" He was looking at Sadashi who grit her teeth and remained silent.
"A... theory?"
"Well it's funny, isn't it? Sairiko reacts to Rini and then Moetatsuka reacts to Nariko. Pretty fortunate for us." Katsurou kept his gaze fixed upon Sadashi the whole time, though the sekirei avoided meeting his eyes.
"I... guess that was a lucky coincidence, yeah."
"You didn't forget at all did you, Sadashi?" Katsurou walked around to kneel on the other side of Sadashi. "So whose idea was it, really? Kidnapping them that is."
"Holy crap..." Benitsubasa breathed out slowly when she saw the look on Sadashi's face. She didn't deny it at all.
"You picked them for a reason, didn't you?"
"Fuck. Off." Sadashi said between gasping breaths.
"Was it jealousy?"
"What?" Benitsubasa was having trouble keeping up.
"I've had all this time to think about it, and that's what I keep coming back to."
"Don't..." Sadashi broke into a wheezing cough before sucking in a deep breath, "... make me... say it... again."
"So what, you really just wanted to prove you don't need us?"
"Yes..."
"You really think you're so much better?"
"Yes!" Sadashi bit back.
"Yeah, you're so much better than us stupid humans, right?"
"Of course we are!" she shouted, but only to break into another coughing fit.
"Bullshit. You're just as bad, maybe worse." He saw Sadashi flinch, face contorted as she took offense to his words. "You saw those girls with something you didn't have and you caused all this trouble in response. Seems like a typical, petty, human thing to do in my opinion."
"OK, and for those of us who aren't junior detectives?" Benitsubasa was just completely lost but Katsurou didn't even spare her a glance. He didn't need to though, it became clear soon enough.
"Because I pushed you away?" he asked the broken sekirei.
"You. Aren't. Important." Sadashi spat at him.
"I see." Katsurou let out a long sigh. "You know, there's really no excusing what you did. But, for what it's worth, I've learned a few things from all this. So, I'm sorry."
"Fuck that, don't apologize! This bitch is crazy! You're telling me she did all this on her own? On purpose? Fuck it, I'll kill her myself!" Benitsubasa shouted. She didn't care anymore. If Katsurou was right then she didn't even care to bring her back dead or alive. Least of all alive.
"No." Katsurou told her firmly. "I don't think we're quite so innocent in all of this."
"Eh?"
"This whole... humanization business. When do you think people begin feeling?" he asked Benitsubasa.
"I... don't..."
"Puberty? When they're old enough to walk? To talk? When they're born?"
"Oh... oh shit..." Benitsubasa pinched the bridge of her nose.
"What did you say? Not even one second?" Katsurou he continued to question her. "Imagine having it all ripped away from you forever. I don't think we spared them from much of anything. It was too late."
"So you think she reacted to you at one point?"
"Well? Did you?" he asked Sadashi the question this time. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She looked like she was choking, and this time it seemed it had nothing to do with her injuries. "Look, if you really did this because of me, then you owe me an answer don't you think?!"
"I was always there for you! You never thanked me! You never paid me any mind, and even then... I... and then..." She ran out of breath, tears streaming, still struggling to say her piece.
"Explain..." Benitsubasa sighed tiredly.
"Short version? Nariko's a little shit. All those sekirei she used to run around with, well, she'd tell them to bully me for her amusement. Sadashi was pretty much the only one who'd stick up for me, but fuck knows I didn't want to look grateful and admit I needed the help. And in the end I just walked away from her altogether and never looked back." It sounded small and petty when he said it out loud, but in the end abandonment was abandonment. Where else had she really had to go after that?
"Well shit..." When it all piled up, as much as she didn't want to feel sorry for the rogue sekirei, it was hard not to sympathize. She had a pretty good idea what that felt like.
"You're right, you know. I never did thank you. But... do you remember what I would always say when you showed up to save me?" Katsurou's attention was back on Sadashi.
"T-took you... long... enough..." Each word seemed more difficult than the last. Benitsubasa had to hand it to her, she was a tough one to be clinging on for so long.
"Yeah, because I always knew you'd show up. I was always counting on it." He shook his head. "Listen, I just... you have to tell me, do you regret doing this at all?"
Sadashi looked away from him, and for a moment Benitsubasa could see the boy deflate. Was she trying to say she didn't, even after everything? Then, as Sadashi stared up into the sky, she shut her eyes tightly and gave a small nod.
"Then give me a reason to say it again, huh?" Katsurou held out his hand. Sadashi honestly seemed too weak to take it, no matter how much she might want to. Benitsubasa knew better, though. Part of her hated it, that this stupid, selfish sekirei was the one who was meant for one of her kids. The other part of her was proud of Katsurou. How many times had Madoka had to put her back in line? How much of a vicious bitch had she been and yet he'd always just told her to knock it off and never gave up on her.
Sadashi had fucked up way worse, but this wasn't Benitsubasa's story. If this was going to be their story, then so be it. The goal had always been to bring all the sekirei home, right? She'd been confused when she'd found out Katsurou intended to go along, but now she understood.
Sadashi's trembling, pale hand finally made its way to Katsurou's. With a green flash, reminiscent of his mother, energy flowed from him and into Sadashi. Just like Rini, his eyes rolled back in his head and he began to fall, but with her renewed energy, Sadashi managed to catch him, cradling him in her arm.
"Hey," an edge of viciousness worked its way back into Benitsubasa's voice. "You better fucking earn this, got it?"
". . .yes. . ."
"Hey, Sairiko! Break's over! Get this gaggle of dumbasses back to the boat! I have something to take care of." Her lip curled as she thought of her final task on the island.
. . .
Benitsubasa walked through the half-collapsed cavern. She'd found the twins, half-conscious and fortunately not flattened under a boulder and set them aside to grab on her way back out. At the back of the cavern she found a steel door. It was torn off its hinges in a matter of moments.
"So... it's worked out like this, has it?" She found an aged and wrinkled Minaka reclined in a chair before some monitors. He slowly turned to face her, and in his hand he held a small device. The man was barely more than skin and bones – it seemed his exile hadn't treated him well. She supposed evil intentions and plots for revenge weren't enough to live on.
"Yup." Benitsubasa crossed her arms. "How's this going down, then? Do I just break your neck, or-"
"Well I suppose you could, but then there's this little toy in my hand. Remember those jinki I stole?" Minaka grinned deviously. Always two steps ahead that one.
"Let me guess. Dead-man's switch?"
"You're very perceptive." Perhaps, but what was certain is that Minaka wasn't perceptive enough to follow her movements as she darted over to him.
"Neat." Benitsubasa clamped her hand down on his. "Let go of it then, I dare you." She looked down at him with utter disdain and disgust. "Well? What's wrong, Minaka?"
"Aaah, gah-" Minaka's pupils shrunk to pinpoints in his panic as his hand was slowly crushed in her grip. Blood began to leak down his arm as his palm was shredded by the device as its casing cracked under the pressure.
"What about you, Minaka? Don't you remember who I am? I'm not a fucking hero! Madoka's the nice one! I'm the psycho bitch from hell you made!" And Madoka wasn't there. She felt his fingers snap like straw and still she kept squeezing and squeezing until the device and his hand around it were nearly smashed flat. "Maybe this time you'll use that fucking brain of yours and learn, assuming I don't paint the walls with it right now!" She let go and the man just doubled over in tears, a choked whining coming out of his throat.
For a moment, she really did she him as just a broken old man. Somehow she didn't feel bad.
"Where's the fucking jinki? Be quick about it and I won't kill you." She rolled her eyes. Madoka really had rubbed off on her – and marriage had pretty much cemented all those nice guy habits she'd picked up from him.
It took a bit for Minaka to catch his breath, "No..." he breathed the word out. With surprising quickness, his good hand shot out and hit a button on his computer keyboard.
". . .oh fuck you and fuck me for not seeing that coming." Benitsubasa's eye twitched.
"Yes, Benitsubasa," his voice was hoarse and ragged from pain, "perhaps this part of my plan has gone far worse than I anticipated, but this is hardly over. And perhaps I can at least take you with me."
. . .
A sudden rumble rocked the island, shaking Rini awake, "Bwuh?! Huh?"
"What the fuck!? What the fuck!?" She heard Nariko shouting as flames leapt up and out of the cavern. When the smoke cleared they saw a panting Benitsubasa standing on the other side of the hole leading into the cavern, a twin under each arm.
"Seriously, Minaka!? A fucking bomb!?" Benitsubasa shouted. Apparently she hadn't bothered to grab Minaka on her way out.
"So... um... what'd I miss?" Rini asked.
"I'll tell you when we get home..."
. . .
A lot of things became clear that night, some good some bad. Since, unlike the others, Sadashi still had her memories, Benitsubasa was able to question her once she had the strength to speak and get a full understanding of exactly how everything had happened.
It wasn't that Katsurou had stopped visiting the tower, of course not, his whole family was there almost constantly. There had been many occasions for him to show up. No, he really had pulled away from the sekirei as much as possible. He'd begun avoiding Sadashi, and it was impossible to say that hadn't started the downward spiral that had led to the mess they were in.
Minaka had found the dejected sekirei and she'd been in a vulnerable emotional state, making it easy for him to turn her to his side. Once he'd retuned her to give her her strength back, she'd taken it upon herself to kidnap Sairiko and Moetatsuka, recognizing them as Rini and Nariko's favorite sekirei – she'd been jealous of them. Hyoushi had just been a random target to bolster their numbers.
Apparently she'd still had her doubts, but when Rini had reunited with Sairiko, it had reignited the spark of jealousy. She'd eventually hunted down the twins not just to rebuild their numbers, but because they were close to Nariko. The fact that they were easy targets who resided outside of the tower helped as well.
In the end, it had become a question of what to do with her. She wasn't like Sairiko or Moetatsuka, she wasn't a confused amnesiac who'd just been following orders. She'd done it all out of spite and heartbreak, and as much as Benitsubasa could sympathize as a fellow sekirei, it was impossible to ignore all the horrible things she'd done. Of course, they also couldn't ignore that Minaka had played a big role in manipulating her actions. On her own, she likely wouldn't have done much of anything – she wouldn't have been capable of doing anything.
And it wasn't like she was dangerous anymore. Katsurou had gotten through to her. Sure, they could punish her, but she'd already seen the error of her ways. They couldn't say it was to deter the actions of others either. Her crimes hadn't been those of a human, and the other sekirei weren't likely to do anything. Hell, most of them were barely aware of what had gone down.
Beyond all that, Sadashi had been mangled and humiliated in her battles with Sairiko and Moetatsuka. In a way, she'd already been punished. She'd lost.
Benitsubasa and Madoka had discussed all of that, and decided to leave her in Katsurou's hands, though, admittedly, with a little bit of supervision. He was still young and inexperienced, and Sadashi was still very dangerous if she got out of line. Hopefully though, she'd just be a good sekirei and follow Katsurou as her partner.
Minaka had been telling the truth though, it wasn't quite over. There had been no trace of the jinki on the island. Somehow he'd managed to hide them away somewhere else. The scary thought was that it was with someone else. He'd had a long time to gather new supporters. There were a lot of powerful, twisted, greedy people in the world who might have wanted to work with him.
For now, though, they just needed to rest.
. . .
Sadashi opened her eyes. Her whole body felt heavy. It seemed one night of rest wasn't going to be enough. She wasn't sure who she expected to be there when she woke. It wasn't surprising that someone was there, of course they'd want to keep an eye on her, but it was surprising who it was.
Though, really, it shouldn't have been.
"Y-you... you're... Saki?" Sadashi spoke, the first few words of the day giving her some difficulty.
The older sekirei pushed away from the wall she'd been leaning on. That day she wore casual clothing; a graphic t-shirt and tight jeans. She looked... unhappy.
"Who I am is Katsurou's mother," she spoke, her voice cool and even. "I'll make this simple. I don't like you. I hate you. The fact that my son has any connection to you makes me sick."
"I-I-"
"Be quiet." She never raised her voice. Somehow it made it all the more unsettling. "It's not right. You throw the world's most extreme tantrum and in the end you get what you want? No. You don't have an excuse, not like everyone else."
"I wouldn't hurt him. B-Benitsubasa said I had to earn it and I w-"
"No." It was a sudden and firm denial. "I have every reason to think you'd be loyal and no reason to think you'd turn on us again. I'm sure you two could be very happy, but I don't care." She stepped over to her bedside. "You... You don't deserve to be happy."
Sadashi felt like she couldn't breathe. The weight of those words was crushing. It was her own fault though, wasn't it? She'd done so many horrible things. She'd let that spark of hope light up in her that maybe it would still be OK. Even now, she was just so wrong.
"-shi!" A voice reached the room. She saw Saki's face tighten. She looked exasperated. "Sadashi!" Sadashi's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. Katsurou was calling her.
"Don't you-" Saki began to speak, but instinct had already taken over. Suddenly she didn't feel so exhausted. The bed-sheets never stood a chance as they were flung aside and she vaulted out of bed, directly past Saki. She could hear the older sekirei following her, but she was already out of the room and moving to the next one.
She flung the door open and only then did her legs begin to wobble as she felt her exhaustion creep back in. She saw Katsurou in his own hospital bed, frowning at her. Others were present as well. Madoka and Benitsubasa, as well as Katsurou's sisters and their sekirei. It wasn't surprising that he'd draw a larger crowd than her.
"You're a pain in the ass, you know? You were so beat up that recharging you knocked me out for a whole day!" Katsurou complained. Sadashi wobbled over to his bed. She was surprised no one stopped her.
"I-"
"Well, at least you came when I called." He smirked. "Took you long enough."
Sadashi let out a small but jubilant laugh, tears already streaming down her face. But then her stomach turned. She felt so happy, but Saki's words began ringing through her head. She took a step back, the smile that had unconsciously grown on her face fading away. She saw the confused looked on everyone's faces before she turned and dashed out into the hallway, chest heaving as something akin to panic gripped her. She saw a tight-lipped Saki standing a few feet away, staring at her.
Sadashi whimpered, "I... I don't know what to do..."
The end. Roll credits.
See you around.
HA! As if I'd end a fic like that!
But yes, with Vegeta defeated the saiyan saga has come to an end. Err, I mean Sadashi and the first arc of this fic. Which was supposed to be the end. (Is this how Toriyama felt after the Namek saga?)
But, as usual, fucking Godric has to beg for more and put ideas in my fucking head and HOW THE HELL DID I FORGET THAT MINATO REALISTICALLY HAS CHILDREN AT THIS POINT!? He left that review for chapter 3 like MONTHS ago and it only just clicked with me now.
But yeah, realizing that I'd forgotten that and other things made me realize that while I don't HAVE to continue this, there's too much to work with not to. Or rather the ideas will eat away at me if I don't. I hate me sometimes.
So yeah, Godric, you better still be fucking reading or I swear... I only have myself to blame for taking a year off. Son of a bitch.
I DOUBT this will be another 50 freaking chapters, but we'll see what happens. I will also do my best to not take a year between chapters, but having two jobs might make it slow for a few months.
Ummm, I think that's it.
Tune in next time and watch as the story of Madoka's children continues.
Til' next time!