Chapter 8: A Just Cause

Yukari and Seo walked. And walked. They just kept going. The island was deceptively huge, there was no way they could walk from one side to the other at the pace they were travelling. They couldn't take the paths, though, they could run into one of those Discipline Squad guys again. Seo fell into a crater and Yukari followed him, making sure he was alright. Luckily for them, they fell at that moment, because as soon as she looked up a boy flew overhead, a boy wearing a silver coat with a crest on it and the number 50. Yukari licked her lips and pointed, "That way" Seo nodded and they moved.

Miya turned her head at a sound, a rustle behind her that startled her. That voice resonated from behind her and she screamed.

"Nice try, lady" Atsubaki's axe slammed into the ground beside Miya's head, "Now let me finish what you started, bitch"

Minato yelled and jumped, picking up Miya's sword as he himself lunged to save her. He brought the weapon up and, for some reason, easily deflected the axe. A small breeze played with Atsubaki's hair as she jumped back. Minato held the blade in front of him and his eyes went cold, "Don't"

She grinned and swung the axe, "Sorry, mister ashikabi, oh, that's right, I forgot to ask" She put her weapon beside her, "I introduced myself, so, prone Sekirei lying half-dead on the ground, do me a favour and return it"

Minato glared at Atsubaki, and she turned. His eyes widened as she lunged at him. His hand reflexively swung and, once again, easily deflected the heavy axe. Once again he watched the breeze play with her hair and realized, much to his utter confusion, that the wind was actually coming from the katana in his hands. He noted this with but a second to spare and, without a second thought, swung the blade in a huge arc from his back down to the ground before him. The girl, the ground and even the air itself seemed to shiver. Then everything was split. The girl fell in two pieces, one to the left and one to the right, and the ground cracked. Minato hefted the blade and looked to the heavens. That was the end of it. Minato lost control and something else took over. He moved and, before anyone could even speak, was running towards the facility, Miya's sword dangling in his arm.

Miya watched and within herself, could only come up with a single explanation. Minato wasn't actually strong enough. As she had said many times to him before, having many Sekirei emerge to him would make him stronger, enough that he could wing even more powerful Sekirei. She forgot, though, that not only was she the most powerful, she forgot for that split second that he was completely Sekirei-less when she emerged. Her power was running rampant inside him, and taking over. His body was changing, morphing to be more accommodating, more like its owner. The hair colour and eyes were just details, his body too, had changed. He'd become taller, slightly more muscular. His arms had become longer and his hands tougher. His body became that of a honed swordsman. Miya cursed herself silently and, slowly moving her head, repeated three words.

"I'm sorry, Minato…"

Tears welled in her eyes as she completely collapsed.

Takami Sahashi heard her daughter before she saw her. That voice and mannerism was unmistakeable. She turned slightly and joined them. She approached slowly and, when she was level with them, started yelling.

"What the hell are you doing here, Yukari!?"
"Saving Shiina"

"You're…"

Seo turned, "And if you try to stop us, we'll leave you behind and you won't be able to lift a finger"

"I'm not going to stop you. Why are you running this way, the facility's…"

"Minato's this way"

"He's here too!?"

Seo nodded, "But they're oddly quiet. I hope nothing happened"

Miya sat next to Musubi, her hand resting on the poor girl's silent frame. Her chest rose and fell slightly, the only indication of her being alive. Miya's tears ran down her face like a flood. She couldn't help anyone. Musubi wouldn't survive that wound, even Yume would have a problem if she could come out, and Minato was probably either horribly injured, about to be or planning on it. She shook, convulsing in time with torrents of water from her eyes. The liquid fell constantly, like watery pearls shattering on the bulbous chest below her. Miya looked towards the sky and wailed silently. She had single handedly caused the death of the only other man she'd ever cared for.

Yukari saw a flash of purple and leapt forward. She saw Miya weeping over the still and silent form of Musubi. Yukari yelped and ran down. Seo and Takami followed within seconds. Takami pulled Miya to her feet and looked her in the eyes. Miya looked down and, completely unusual for her, embraced the woman and apologised. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

Takami pushed the Sekirei back and smiled softly, "Talk later. Right now, Seo, Miya, grab her and bring her with us. Yukari, please keep an eye out"

"What about Minato...?"

"He needs to learn that he can't rely on his mother for his entire life"

Back inside the small bunker, Miya lay the near-dead Musubi on a bed. She turned and walked away, collapsing onto the ground and not moving. Takami walked towards the separate room where Musubi was and breathed deeply, "Nobody come in. I can't be disturbed for this. Seo, Yukari, try to cheer her up a bit if you can"

The door closed between the two groups, Seo, Yukari and Miya, and Takami and Musubi. The slightest of cracks was visible between the door and the frame and Yukari caught a glance of the palest of green light emanating from within. The slight crack brightened ad dimmed. Yukari couldn't explain it, but she felt the slightest of tingles run down her spine. The strangest of all, though, was a small scratch on her hand, which the light had hit, healed over.

Chapter End

Nothing fits, or does it…

Kisuke Bomb