Chapter 6: Erasure Again

Minato, Musubi and Miya watched the person descend towards them, picking his way carefully through the rubble. He grinned as he hit the ground before them, "Well, who do we have here?"

"I am number 88 Musubi"

Minato shot a glance at her, but then his eyes focused back on Maiko. Miya closed her eyes and Maiko grinned, "And you two? Don't be shy"

Miya smiled slightly, hoping her demonic visage would scare him off. He didn't seem to notice. Miya stepped back beside Minato, slightly put-off.

Minato stared at Maiko, "What is this?"

Maiko smiled, "You have trespassed onto MBI property, you are an ashikabi and your Sekirei is still functioning. This tells me you are either Minato Sahashi or Haruga Shigi. You being here removes all chances you're the latter, Mr Sahashi. Now, why don't I show you what the New Discipline Squad is capable of, eh?"

Minato stepped back, away from the Sekirei and towards the wall. Musubi grabbed his shoulder, "Minato, please, let me fight this guy. We can find Yukari and Seo afterwards"

Minato nodded and Musubi leant in. their lips touched and a pair of bright pink wings sprouted from Musubi's back.

Miya touched her lips and smiled, "Good plan, Musubi"

Musubi stretched and cracked her back. She took a stance and narrowed her eyes at her opponent, "These are the Fists of My Pact. My ashikabi's troubles will be shattered" her knuckles cracked as she lunged at the blade-wielder. He smiled and easily dodged the first two strikes, returning his own. She jumped out of the way of the weapon and punched, her fist crashing through the stone above his head. He dodged left and watched her fist sail straight through the rock. He expected her to gasp in pain from punching unyielding rock, but instead she simple went to punch him again. Then again, he thought, the rock wasn't so unyielding, having simply turned into pebbles after her fist hit it. He looked up at his opponent, who towered over his crouching frame. He slashed at her with a wild vertical strike, one which she could never have expected. He felt resistance and smiled, Gotcha. His blade was twisted from his grasp and he dove away, he looked up to see Musubi holding the blade in front of her, the sharp end of it only a centimetre from her forehead. She smiled, "You're good"

"Not bad yourself"

She punched again and he dodged again, his speed increasing as he fought. Musubi saw him run toward her and stepped back instinctively. His attack landed, a single light punch, enough to stun her but not do any damage. He grabbed his sword and swung again. This time, Musubi stopped fooling around. She punched the pointed end of the katana, shattering it right to the hilt. Maiko stared at his weapon in despair, and Musubi took the opportunity to defeat the foolish Sekirei.

Unbeknownst to her, or anyone else, for that matter, a single pair of eyes watched the entire fight from start to finish, the owner's hands at the ready to assist. As soon as number 32 stopped functioning, however, the person left, seeing no point in staying. The intruders should be safe for a little while at least.

Even the observer, however, didn't notice the third person sitting nearby. She stood, her weapon hanging loosely off her back. The blade was crying to her, thirsting for blood. She knew that it wasn't, but she heard it all the same. Sekirei number 25, Atsubaki, decided it was time for the ridiculousness to end. She drew her weapon, a staff as long as she was tall capped with a small piece of steel with a pair of wing-like blades on the end. The blades flowed back down the pole, about a third of the way for the rear one, and the front went right down the length. She smiled and flicked her crimson hair around behind her neck "Wanna play, Hachi-Juu-Hachi?" she walked away.

Musubi grinned as she turned to her ashikabi, "Minato, let's go!" her smile was so pure that Minato couldn't help but smile in return. Even Miya seemed to have relaxed a bit since Maiko ceased functioning. Musubi collapsed into a heap on the ground before a tall woman wielding a giant axe. Minato ran to her side and Miya drew her sword and joined him. The tall woman smiled, "With the ease in which she took out my associate, I thought she might have at least fought back"

Minato and Miya looked up at the woman, who was glaring at the unconscious Musubi with distaste, "To think he was beaten by such a lousy opponent, he wasn't worthy of being a member of the Discipline Squad"

Miya stood in front of the woman, "What do you want?" she smiled, but it was obvious she was not amused.

The woman looked at the purple-haired girl unimpressed, "Why would I tell you that?"

Minato stared at Musubi, whose Sekirei crest was gone, and a tear fell from his cheek. She smiled before her eyes closed, "I love you, Minato-sama…."

"Musubi!" Minato yelled, "Musubi!"

"Oops, looks like I played a little hard. Doesn't matter, you'll soon be joining her in the underworld, Minato Sahashi"

Miya put her blade to the woman's throat, "Do I get a say in this matter?"

Her eyes had changed, from their normal placid colour, where the menace came from their serenity, to a deep colour filled with rings of anger. The eyes of an insane woman driven to protect what she loves, her friends. Miya swung her blade at Atsubaki and she was thrown back by a huge pressure wave. Number One was about to start fighting.

"Quite the surprise, Ok then, I am Sekirei number 25, Atsubaki. Pleased to meet you. I'm here to kill you. Any more questions?"

END OF CHAPTER