Disclaimer: I don't own The Fantastic Four, The Thing and all related characters are owned by Marvel Entertainment. Sekirei is owned by Sakurako Gokurakuin.
Chapter 2 - Reflections
Night-time - Outer Section of Shinto Teito
The orange rock-skinned powerhouse, The Thing is enjoying his walk with the silent, and beautiful woman known as Akitsu. Ben watches the different reactions he gets from Akitsu from the stories of his exploits as a member of the Fantastic Four. Even though Akitsu's face doesn't show her emotions, Ben Grimm is able to read Akitsu's by the expressiveness of her eyes. This is something that Ben has learned from years of being the Thing, and how he's now a good judge of character.
Ben, and Akitsu are still walking arm in arm as they make their way to the more populated center of the city of Shinto Teito.
"...and that's how we escaped the Negative Zone! Heh-heh-heh! We left those bums Annihilus, and Blastarr eating dust before they could use that portal they cooked up to invade Earth. They weren't too happy about it, and the last thing we saw was them dukin' it out!" Ben was smiling over at Akitsu, when he notices that she seems deep in thought.
"You look like you've got something buzzing around in that pretty head of yours, Akitsu...what's cookin' good lookin'?" Thing chuckles as Akitsu shakes her head, and Ben waits patiently for her to speak.
"Ah...Benjamin-sama...Blastarr, and Annihilus...they are aliens?" Ben nods his head at Akitsu, and pats her left hand gently with his rock-like right hand. "Yep, but they ain't the good type 'a aliens like the tin-foiled boogey boarder, or them Inhumans I told ya about. Those chumps wanted to turn the Earth into their own private war-zone, and enslave all humanity. No way we waz gonna let that happen!" Akitsu sighed gently, and holds her other hand close to her chest and looks into Ben's baby blue eyes.
"Ah...you don't hate aliens, Benjamin-sama?" Ben shook his rock-like head in the negative. "Nah, the FF's met lotsa different alien types over tha years, and we treat em' like we wanna be treated. Hrrmm, I know what it's like to be treated differently cause'a how I look." Thing holds out his large hand, and makes a fist with it and looks down with a sad expression. Akitsu frowns slightly, and slowly places her free hand on top of Ben's. "No, Benjamin-sama...I don't like that look. When you smile, it makes me feel something here." Akitsu touches her hand to her chest between her breasts, and looks uncertain of something.
"I am confused by this feeling inside me, Benjamin-sama...what does it mean?" Akitsu stares into Ben's blue eyes with the hope that he can explain. Ben starts to get nervous, and starts chuckling to distract himself from Akitsu's grey-colored orbs. "Uhhhrrmm...Hey look! Is that an ATM machine over there?! Come on, Akitsu...just one stop, and then we can get you some nice clothes and some chow!" Ben leads Akitsu over to an all nite ATM Machine, and he digs around in the pocket on his blue trunks for his credit card. Akitsu giggles softly when she sees Ben sticking his tongue out of the side of his mouth as he searches for the card.
"Here we go! Now to just insert this baby, and put in my ultra secret pin number!" Ben glances to the side, and watches Akitsu quickly turning her back to keep it secret. Thing starts laughing out loud, and Akitsu turns around with a questioning look. "Hey, you don't need ta do that. Heh-heh-heh! Old blue-eyed Benjamin's a good judge a character, and it ain't that much of a secret see'n it's just my locker combo at the gym!" Akitsu has a tiny pink blush on her cheeks, and nods her head slightly.
Ben hears the ATM Machine beeping, and watches with a frown as his credit card is spit out with a message showing on the monitor screen that the card is invalid. "What the flippin' heck is goin' on with this hunk of junk?! I put four hundred bucks on this piece a' plastic just yesterday!" Ben re-inserts the card, and types in his pin number again to get the same results as earlier. "That tears it! I'm about 10 seconds from rippin' this thing in two!" Ben is reaching towards the sides of the ATM Machine with his large rock-like hands, and stops himself at the last minute from carrying out his threat.
Ben takes several calming breaths, and turns with a disappointed look at Akitsu. "Hhhrrm, sorry about this. I get a bit ticked off when stuff like this happens. That clinking calliope of spare parts has gotta be defective, or somethin'!" Thing glares over at the ATM Machine, and then looks down to sigh with exasperation. Akitsu walks over to Ben, and loops her arm back around his.
"Ah...I have something that may help, Benjamin-sama." Akitsu puts her other hand inside the right pocket of her white lab coat, and takes out a black plastic card with the initials M.B.I. on it.
Ben looks at the card curiously, and scratches the top of his head with his free hand. "M.B.I.? Never heard of 'em. They new around here in Japan?" Akitsu shook her head in the negative, and holds up the card so that Ben can see it better. "No, Benjamin-sama...M.B.I. has been active for some time in Japan. It is the place where I escaped from." Ben's blue eyes go wide, and he gently takes the card from Akitsu's hand. Akitsu's own eyes go wide for a moment when the Thing crushes the MBI card in his large rocky hand.
Ben has a serious look, and opens his hand to let the pieces of the ruined card fall down onto the sidewalk. "No dice! I appreciate you wanting to help, and all...but that's the place where you waz hurt, and I don't like people hurting my friends! The ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing ain't takin' handouts from crumbs like them!" Akitsu has a small smile on her face, and hugs Thing's arm tighter to her body. Ben looks up and away from Akitsu's gaze, and coughs nervously. "A-anyway, I'll get this card thing sorted out! No problem-o! Let's try that clothing store over there!" Akitsu nods her head, and they both start walking towards the small clothing store.
Ben, and Akitsu stop suddenly when they see another couple up ahead, and they are holding each other in fear while staring at them. Ben sees their reaction, and without thinking he detaches his arm from Akitsu's and walks over to the couple in concern. "Hey there, folks! You don't look like you're doing so good! Anythin' old blue-eyed Benjy can do ta help?" The couple shake even harder the closer that Ben comes to them, until the woman holding onto the man releases a shriek of fear.
"AAAHHH! STAY AWAY FROM US, YOU MONSTER! HELP! SOMEONE HELP US!" The Thing stops in his tracks, and has a look on his face as if he were struck by one of the Hulk's punches. "RUN, MISAKO-CHAN! RUN!" Her partner shouts, and the couple both run away as fast as their legs can take them. The shouting couple gains the attention of the other few pedestrians out and about this late at night, and soon they are pointing with shaking fingers at Ben. They begin to shout in panic, and soon are running for cover as well.
Ben is standing stock still on the sidewalk with his large arms hanging limply at his sides, and has his head down. What Ben didn't see was Akitsu's angry expression, and that she has large ice daggers forming in the air waiting for one of the humans to try attacking Ben. Akitsu waves her right hand in the air, and the ice daggers evaporate out of sight. Akitsu calmly walks over to Ben, and places a slender hand on his large shoulder causing Thing to jump slightly at her touch. This makes Akitsu frown slightly.
"Why? Why is it like this again? I thought my days of havin' ta put up with this were behind me. I ain't no monster! I'm Benjamin J. Grimm, a man! That's all I've ever been! Why can't they see it? Why?" Ben feels an embrace on his left arm, and sees Akitsu holding him tight with her head resting on his shoulder. "My own people call me a Scrap Number, Ben-sama. You are not alone. Man, or Monster...you will always be Ben-sama to this Akitsu." Ben's features soften, and a small smile breaks out on his rock-like face.
"Those chumps that call you that ain't worth tha powder ta blow, Akitsu. You shine brighter than any diamond I ever saw." Ben reaches over and gently holds her other hand in his, and Akitsu blushes red at the gesture. They are both caught off guard when police sirens are heard by them, and that multiple police cars are speeding to their location, with their tires squealing at the sudden stopping.
Thing shields his eyes from all of the lights from the police vehicles, and a large group of police officers are gathering behind their vehicles and drawing guns to train on the couple.
One of the police officers starts speaking on a loud speaker. "A-attention, Monster! R-release the woman that you have hostage...a-and back away from her slowly with y-your hands up!"
Ben growls angrily, but looks over with concern for Akitsu. "What's with this place? Nobody knows me, and not to brag or nothin' but I'm pretty well recognized with this mug a mine! You better get back, Akitsu...these jokers mean business!" Ben starts to move Akitsu behind him, and this triggers a response from the trigger happy officers.
"Look! The monster is attacking the woman! All units, open fire!" The officers start firing their guns at Ben, and discover that his rock hard hide is impervious to their bullets.
"You lousy, no good...don't you see that there's somebody else here, and she ain't bulletproof!" Thing shouts angrily at the officers, and bends over at the knees, and digs his two large hands into the concrete, and rips out a huge chunk of it and lifts it to form a wall to act as protection for Akitsu from the bullets flying at them.
"These guys're nuts! We gotta get you away quick before one'a these trigger happy clowns gets in a lucky shot!" Thing's blue eyes go wide when he witnesses Akitsu with an aura of freezing air around her form, and large daggers of pure ice forming over her head.
"No one shall threaten, Ben-sama. Your lives are now forfeit. *Flying Icicle!*" Akitsu gestures with her right arm over to the police officers, and the ice daggers obey her mental command to fly straight towards the panicking officers.
"Ahhhh! No! Look out!"
"Waaaahhh, my leg! It's in my leg!"
"NO! NO! AAAHHH!"
"RETREAT! RETREAT! WE NEED BACKUP! CALL FOR BACKUP!"
Ben quickly runs over to Akitsu, and holds her shoulders with a look of urgency. "Akitsu, stop! They're just regular people! They can't handle the likes a' us! Stand down, please! I don't want you killin' anyone for my sake!" Akitsu blinks, and tilts her head to the left side. "You do not want me to kill them, Ben-sama?" Ben shakes his head in the negative. "Then I won't, but only for you Ben-sama. I will not listen to anyone's orders but yours."
Ben lets out a big breath of air that he didn't know he was holding, and stares over at the retreating officers dragging their wounded away. "Doesn't look like you did too much damage...a little TLC, and they'll be right as rain in no time! Now let's get outta here before they call the blamed National Guard on us!" Ben takes Akitsu's hand in his, and starts running toward one of the back alleys as it begins to rain heavily down on the escaping couple.
Elsewhere in Shinto Teito - The Main Headquarters of MBI
Minaka Hiroto, the CEO of MBI sits in his high chair, and stares intently at a large computer screen with his right hand man, Natsuo Ichinomi standing on his left and Takami Sahashi on his right. The two standing have looks of awe, and surprise on their faces. Minaka looks up at them, and begins cackling madly. Takami has a tick mark forming on her forehead, and punches Minaka on the back of his head.
"Always so violent, Takami-kun! I think that there's a bump already forming! What if you end up damaging my perfect brain with your manly strength?" Takami grits her teeth, and makes another fist causing Minaka to put his arms up in surrender. Natsuo decides to break up the impending argument by coughing loudly. Both Minaka, and Takami look over at Natsuo who points at the screen with it showing Ben, and Akitsu fighting against the police.
"This isn't one of your creations, Minaka-kun? Then, what is it...and why is it so attached to the Scrap Number?" Minaka's round glasses glimmer in the light coming from the ceiling lights, and adjusts them with his hand on his nose. "That is something that even I do not know Natsuo-kun, and it is as vexing as it is fascinating! Look! This monster is protecting the Scrap Number like it was her Ashikabi! Marvelous! A new player has shown itself!" Minaka begins to laugh loudly, until Takami points something out to him.
"According to our computer data, it's impossible for her to be winged, so this creature cannot be her Ashikabi." Minaka waves his hand at Takami in a dismissing manner. "Details like that my dear Takami-kun are unnecessary! She views him as her Ashikabi, it doesn't matter if she's winged or not! I'll allow them to participate in the game, and actively eliminate the competition in the Sekirei Plan! This will make for wonderful sport! The unknown creature with monstrous strength, and the un-wingable Sekirei of Ice! Think of the fun to be had, Takami-kun!" Both Takami, and Natsuo face-palm in unison when Minaka stands up, and starts posing in front of them with his cape flapping in the breeze caused by a nearby large fan.
Takami turns her head from Minaka's foolishness, and stares back at the video feed on the monitor with it showing Akitsu, and Ben having a tender moment together before the police arrive. Takami folds her arms over her chest, and frowns slightly.
"What are you, and what type of trouble will you make for us?" Takami stops the video with a remote that she picks up from Minaka's high chair, and it freezes on Ben's face. Takami turns to Natsuo, and starts speaking to him in a commanding tone. "I want this image to be distributed to every business, hotel, and market in the city. Also, send this image to all of the Ashikabi currently in the game, and I want the Disciplinary Squad front and center in my office in 20 minutes. Minaka may like taking chances with this creature, but not me!" Natsuo nods his head, and quickly leaves to carry out his orders.
Minaka glances at Takami with a frown. "Why do you always have to be such a spoilsport, Takami-kun! Now my little discovery will be hounded, and hunted right off the bat! I wanted to make an event out of it!" Minaka pouted, and Takami huffs and turns her back on the CEO of MBI.
"This matter will be taken care of Minaka...one way or another."
Author's Note: Thanks for reading Chapter 2 of 'Things Change'! Let me know what you thought of the chapter in a review, and I hope to see you again in chapter 3! :D