Chapter 7 – The Right Choice

Sasori woke up again to find that his left arm was numb. It wasn't painful but from his forearm down it had a strange feeling. He didn't know how long he was out for, only that his chest felt much better and his energy had come back to a certain extent.

He moved his neck in order to see why his left arm was numb and the rest of him wasn't. The answer led him to give off a loving smile. There over his forearm, was Amelia sleeping.

She slept beside me. It makes me happy, that the right person came by me in the end. After so many years of waiting... Definitely worth it.

He swivelled his head to the right to see the time on the clock. It read '7:48am'. "I guess it's time I woke her up too."

#109 tried to move his left arm, to no avail. It was stuck, as Amelia was holding onto it whilst on top of it. I didn't think that'd work, but it was worth a shot.

He propped himself up by sliding himself up against his pillows. Using his other hand he stroked Amelia's hair, hoping it would wake her up, it didn't. Wow, she could sleep through anything. Next thing he did was grabbed her shoulder and shake it a little. It seemed to work, eliciting a groan of sleepiness as a grodgy Amelia looked up.

"Wakey wakey" he smiled. She still didn't fully move until Sasori asked her to move since his forearm was getting a little sore.

"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed sitting back in the chair. Her cheeks went into a red tint.

#109 let loose a chuckle, "Don't be. I've never been more happy to have a numb forearm."

The comment made Amelia feel a little happier about the situation. Sasori was happy he managed to obtain a smile from her.

Moments seemed to pass with the two sitting there. Suddenly Sasori felt a palm go across his face. It was a light slap from Amelia. It wasn't as sore as punches that he'd received in fights beforehand, but it was worse somehow.

He held the mark that was now visible on his left cheek. Feeling his eyes get watery, he turned to look at the person responsible. "What was that for?" he asked, looking on the verge of shedding a tear.

"That was for jumping in front of me!"

"There's a problem with me saving you!?"

Amelia Evans' face had gone from crimson cheeks to a furious red. She was tempted to strike him again but relented. She sighed at his reasoning.

"And what would've happened if I had lost you!?"

Evans' reply to his question phased the Sekirei a little. He looked down to his lap where his hands were. They tensed up into a fist, grabbing the bed sheets with them.

Amelia noticed a tear fell onto his right hand. I... I took it too far.

"Yet you do not take into consideration..." #109 began, his voice turning glum and solemn. "that, that is exactly how I feel. If I'd lost you, I'd die."

Amelia was taken aback by Sasori. Her own eyes getting teary. She embraced him in a tight hug. However much it gave him pain to be hugged due to his injuries, Sasori didn't care. He hugged her back as tightly as he could.

It scares me, that even though I said I'd die if I lost her. She has no idea how real that is... if she dies while I am still breathing...

The blonde haired Sekirei promised himself that he would protect her at all costs. The one way he didn't want to go out of this world was by termination of a bond.

"I love you Amelia."

Those words gave warmth to her very core. For one to say it, and mean it gave her great happiness. Almost making her forget about the bad things in life.

"I love you too, Sasori."

X-X-X-X-X

"Andst why do we have to attend this pitiful school?"

Tsukiumi had her tsundere personality back after attending the school with her Ashikabi and Minato's other five Sekirei who had joined her.

"I've told you already Tsukiumi. The Chevalier authorized a takeover of MBI due to the Nova invasion. In one way it means we have our independence a little... although how long it will last is unforseeable. They chose to station us here." Sahashi replied.

"But I still don't see why we have to follow their orders?

"It's for the good of everyone. I can't sit by idly when we are... you guys are unique and can help people who cannot help themselves."

This debate was one of many Tsukiumi and Minato had gone over in the past. Of course this one had more relevance to the situation currently. They were sitting in the canteen eating lunch. Well, one of them was eating lunch, and that was Musubi who everyone knew had an abnormally large stomach when it came to platefuls of food.

Just then, the youngest of the group piped up. "Do you think Sasori will be better today?" Kusano's innocence sang around the table. The looks she got from the rest predicted he would be alright, but they were not sure if he would get out of bed anytime soon.

"I think he'll be fine."

A well-known voice said. There stood Sasori on one crutch on his left side, his other arm around Amelia's neck and shoulder. His battered chest bandaged underneath a leather vest like garment that covered his torso, revealing his arms.

With Amelia's aid he sat down at the end of the table, where his crutch could rest against the table. "I'll go get us some food. Be back in a second!" Amelia said as she walked towards the food buffet table.

Sasori let out a sigh, then smiled looking out the window. Sitting down here briefly reminded of when he and Amelia had eaten lunch together prior to Kazehana's appearance.

"Hmm, what you thinking about #109?" Matsu questioned.

"You could say that... hentai glasses." a cheeky grin appearing on his face.

The 'strategist' as she proclaimed herself to be immediately pouted and was about to splutter a reply before being interrupted by the return of Amelia.

She sat directly next to Sasori, as expected from the group. "Here, I didn't really know what you wanted so I brought a mixture for you." Amelia had brought what essentially was a platter of various foods ranging from cold meats to salad and a small bowl of soup.

"I won't be able to eat all this, but thank you very much!" Amelia's smile seemed to fade a little when he told her that she'd gathered a little too much for him. But was replaced by another smile when he asked her to share it with him.

The two ate with Minato's group sitting beside them, mostly waiting for Musubi to finish her less than gracious size of meal. The discussion of what had happened within the last four years started and it got a little tense at the table.

"So, why did you end up leaving?" Matsu took on the role of inquisitor in this discussion it seemed.

"I left because... well, I needed change. I wasn't happy."

"Not happy living with us?"

"Don't get me wrong, you're all nice people. In fact I couldn't ask for a nicer group of friends. I wouldn't change any of you for the world. But..."

"So was it Miya?"

"BUT..." My god she could at least let me finish. "... with all six of you being Minato's Sekirei. I... I didn't want to become his."

The other five Sekirei immediately darted their eyes to him, as if he'd insulted them. "And is Minato not good enough for you?" Tsukiumi thundered.

For the love of God.

"You know that isn't what I'm meaning. I just have no attraction to him. That's all. I'd prefer to be bonded to someone who I am attracted to."

The Sekirei pondered over it but then their Ashikabi spoke up. "That's fine by me. I'd rather you be happy than stuck with me when you didn't want to be."

Sasori's mind travelled to memories of living in Izumo Inn. Helping Kusano learn about the world as much as he could, sparring with Musubi and Tsukiumi. Even taking somewhat of an interest in Matsu's … 'research station', if you could call it that. He still couldn't comprehend how one person could look at over ten screens in a matter of minutes, but to give her credit she managed it.

#109 hadn't really realized that his absence from the Inn had such an effect on them. Especially Tsukiumi. It was strange for her to have such care for someone, especially if they weren't Minato or one of his Sekirei.

Amelia noticed the smile he had fade from him. She placed her hand on his left thigh and squeezed it in reassurance. There was one thing that made Sasori smile for sure, and that was Amelia's smile. It was rare that he saw it so openly.

"Thanks, I guess." Sasori finally replied. "But in any case, I've found someone right for me." he said, looking to his right at his crimson fringed Ashikabi. His right arm curled around her waist for a 'somewhat' of a hug.

"Well I'm happy for you. I just hope we still don't have to fight each other in the future." Minato said, referring to the old rules that would have been in place for the Sekirei if the Chevalier and the NOVA hadn't appeared.

While it quietened down at the dinner table in the canteen, they noticed a few heads turn around in the room toward the door. Sasori turned aswell to see a group of people.

It was Kazuya Aoi, his four aunts – the legendary pandora – and Satellizer El. Bridgette in tow. He noticed the unhappy look on Satellizer's face but paid no mind to it. I guess I'd have a face like that if four other women were hanging off my limiter too... theoretically of course.

Windy May caught his eye. Truthfully he hoped that her entrance wouldn't start up any trouble since what happened. The inevitability of Tsukiumi wanting to get fired up and fight was obvious right now, especially to the group with the exception of Amelia.

However, Sasori only remembered the battle up to the point of getting hit by Windy May in the chest, he blacked out shortly afterward.

F-F-F-F-F-F-F (Flashback)

After Sasori had hit through the wall, Amelia ran to him immediately crying out his name in worry. She grabbed rubble out of the way and cradled him to make sure he was still breathing. With a sigh of relief she found a pulse and heard him breathing, although roughly.

She looked out toward Tsukiumi and Windy May with her teary eyes. They were about to do another turn in battle.

"Stop this now! He needs medical attention!" she cried to the two of them, and anyone listening. She hoped it would make them stop, but it was to no avail. Windy May powered up another acceleration maneuver. Tsukiumi and Amelia noticed another person walking towards Windy May.

She grabbed her arm, and looked at her with a faceless expression. There were no words, her lips didn't move an inch. The person in question was taller than Windy May, and had long blonde hair bound in a pony tail at the back of her.

Suddenly Windy May lowered her hammer and finished on the words of "I hope this convinces you not to start trouble in the future." With that, she turned and walked off, to Tsukiumi's disgust.

F-F-F-F-F-F-F (Flashback End)

Kazuya and the Aunts walked past, seemingly unaware of the glare from Tsukiumi to one pig-tailed Pandora. Meanwhile Minato and Sasori picked up on something relevant to the Pandoras accompanying Aoi. Their expressions had no emotion whatsoever, besides Windy May who always seemed to have a cheerful demeanor.

I wonder why there's nothing there. Is there really no happiness or sadness? The story there must be interesting. Sasori thought to himself before being questioned on why he wasn't eating by his other half.

X-X-X-X-X

In an adjacent building to the Cafeteria hall, Sister Margaret and Yumi Kim were watching surveillance videos. They were playing back the video of Sasori's training in the simulation center.

"How does he project his energy? Where does it come from?" Yumi Kim questioned rhetorically. She knew Sister Margaret wouldn't know. How could she? When it came to Sekirei, they were as clueless as the next person.

"I heard from someone I knew once, a rumor about them. Although it was a few years ago."

"And what was it? I hate to be in a state of suspense." Kim said sarcastically.

"That in the research files kept on them, it was their cores that made that energy flow. In euphemistic terms, it's their heart. Like ours, it gets heavy with emotion and burdens, but with that emotion, it becomes even more powerful."

"So it's like-" Yumi Kim started off but was interrupted by a warning sign on the screen to the left of them.

"Warning. Nova incursion detected. Warning. Nova incursion detected."

"Time to see if they are up to the real challenge." The head of the school stated.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Sorry it took so long to get this churned out for you guys! But I hope you're looking forward to the next chapter where (obviously) an invasion takes place.

Give me a few reviews and tell me what you guys want to see happen within this story for where you want it to go, besides my storytelling.

Cheerio!