Chapter 7:

Neiyo woke up to find a hand still placed on his chest, looking to his left seeing the blue haired girl he had fallen in love with. He naturally smiled at this, not knowing the full reason but being around her made him happy with life.

Luckily for him he managed to sneak out from under her grip, so that he could get dressed and get some breakfast. As he had moved Mura's hand she had illicited a slight groan but still didn't wake up, much to his relief. Making his way across to their dresser, he grabbed; some clean underwear, socks, a pair of blue jeans and a white hoodie, gradually putting them on in the process of selecting them.

There were noises outside that grabbed his attention, like the sound of a sword being drawn repeatedly. Apart from that, utter silence. His inquisitive side of his brain got the better of him and decided to go to the balcony to investigate.

Interesting, she's no longer involved but still trains.

Neiyo leaned on the balcony banister to see Miya, sheathing and drawing her sword to cut the falling leaves from the tree nearby.

"Wow, she's good." A voice rang from his left along the balcony.

He turned to see Minato and his Sekirei Musubi staring in awe. He smiled that Musubi was so eager and impressed.

"Oh, good morning. I was just practicing." Miya stated once she had noticed their presence.

Musubi suddenly jumped down in front of her, "Landlady, will you please spar with me?" she asked excitedly.

She is an eager one... She'll go far in this pathetic game of his. Then again, probably taught to want to fight.

"Alright, but I won't go easy on you."

Challenge accepted then...

He turned to see how Minato was taking this, only to find him gone, and instead downstairs trying to stop their 'spar', but being stopped by Uzume in the process.

Musubi put her all into trying to land a punch on Miya but failed at every attempt, with Miya side-stepping out of her punches and hitting her lightly on the head with her sheathed katana. Miya's methods of teaching were more of a, 'learn from your mistakes' kind of pattern. It worked, but only if the Sekirei actually listened, which Musubi seemed to fall in and out of understanding with half of landlady's advice.

They both stopped as Uzume exclaimed her need for breakfast. "Some of us have places to be, Miya!"

Musubi looked rather displeased at her sparring partner being drawn away, but understood the reasoning behind it. She blatantly wanted to spar more, so Neiyo gave her an alternative.

"How bout I spar with you instead?" he smiled.

"You will? That'd be great, are you as strong as the Landlady?" Her voice so innocent, yet the alterior motive behind it was to get stronger, and with her logic, the only way to get stronger was to face strong opponents.

Neiyo warped down to in front of Musubi in a cloud of smoke.

"Why don't I let you find that out?" The playfulness coming out in his voice, ringing through Musubi's ears.

"Game on!" she shouted, lunging toward him with a full fist. He warped behind her, not doing trying to strike at her.

"You're gonna have to do better than that."

She tried oncemore to attack him but he just warped around her like she was a toy.

"Instead of striking where you see me, strike where you predict I will be."

She turned with her fists raised, "Right!". She lunged at him again, this time as he warped she changed her direction, reaching Neiyo's chest with a punch. He flew backward, his back smashing into the tree in the yard, cracking it in the center.

"Ouch... But least you're taking in advice." he groaned, slowly getting up. His back cracked as joints went back into place.

"Neiyo, what's happening!?" a familiar voice sounded from the balcony. Mura was fully awake with her face showing despair, and anger at Musubi.

"Just training, calm down. It's fully consented, don't worry yourself." he replied, still getting up.

"But you just flew into a tree, how can it be consented!?" Her voice started to get more angry by the second.

"I let it happen! That's why it's consented! Now get some breakfast already!" he smiled back at her, now more relaxed appearance.

She stood on the balcony, deciding to watch them 'spar' for a little. It looked to her as if he was training Musubi, but for what reason was unknown to her.

Musubi kept coming at him with punches and kicks, Neiyo blocking each in quick succession. He was finally ready to test her will and strength to fight on, using a combination he hadn't had to use in a good long while.

He stood away from her, Musubi raised her fists readily. She cocked her arm, going for another full force punch. Just as it was about to strike Neiyo he warped behind her, landing two punches of his own to her lower back. He took a step back to allow his opponent to rise to her feet again.

"Now you've got to learn how to predict how I will use it to my advantage, like just now." Neiyo once again took upon himself the role of teacher in this sparring match.

Mura looked on, watching Neiyo warp around Musubi for a bit longer, before finally heading down for breakfast. She wondered how it was fair for him to have an ability like that, where Musubi didn't, but also hoped that he would never fail her. That he planned to be a participant of this game, to help save his race and his daughter, who was still unknown to her, was a huge burden.

Whenever she looked into his eyes, she saw courage, determination, and a lack of … anger. Perhaps the attitude his daughter inherited stopped him from becoming angry, for her sake? Or was it something in the past that changed his attitude? There's definitely things he's hiding from me.

It was all so new to her, but still felt so right. There was no other way to describe it, the love she felt for him wasn't unnerving to her because of what she felt for him, more the speed. It wasn't 'normal'... but then again neither was Neiyo.

Shortly after Murasaki sat down in the lounge and started to eat her breakfast, Neiyo and Musubi entered, with only Musubi have a few scathes and scuffed clothes. Neiyo on the other hand looked normal, nothing out of the ordinary in his clothes.

I guess he can handle himself then. Mura made sure to keep that a mental note for the future. Especially if he sparred with Musubi more whilst living in Izumo Inn.

"Are you alright Musubi?!" Minato cried, almost falling over as he tried to run to her, making sure she was alright.

"I'm alright, Neiyo's really strong." Number 88 answered in her usual innocent manner.

He smiled next to her, patting her on the head, trying to avoid her blatantly visible bump. "You'll get better in time Musubi, you've just got to work hard."

They all finally sat down again and had breakfast peacefully. The TV was on for a change, making the usual silence a bit more relaxing. It was on the news channel, speaking of strange terrorist activity, showing a picture of a person who had been murdered.

"The assailant is said to be vicious and have no mercy when striking her enemies. The witnesses have described her to have ashen hair, wear mostly black with some sort of grey cloak or haori."

The news reporter went on, but what had been said sent a chill up Neiyo's spine. He got up and excused himself promptly, "Sorry, I'm not really hungry at the moment." and proceeded to walk out the room and sit on the ledge between the hallway and outside.

He stared at the tree opposite him, with the crack in the middle from where he hit it. He knew the person responsible was his daughter. He felt it within himself. His stare got worse, his eyes grew cold and vicious. It pained him, that he never got a chance to even bring his daughter up. It was all done by MBI and Minaka.

She is what she is due to that damned company and that bastard. I will end him, one way or another.

He stood up, needing to vent his fury. He took step after step towards the tree, seeing it as the only viable thing to hit within this short distance. He unleashed a load of punches to it, denting the tree itself and shredding the trunk of bark, revealing a white, creamy wall of wood.

"Why did it have to come to this!? Why was it never simple!? How the hell can I rectify the situation!?" he screamed as he unloaded punch after punch, not realizing the tree was slowly breaking under the nature of his actions. His shouting had earned him an audience, with Mura and Musubi looking on, in worry and awe respectively.

What's gotten into him? Why is he doing this? And those words, "Why did it have to come to this?"... Who's he talking to? Mura wondered as she stood and watched the one she loved rip apart an object to release some emotion.

However, Neiyo now realized that the tree was slowly breaking and began to fall towards the house. He quickly rectified the situation by grabbing the tree, preventing it from falling any further, hailing the word; "DISSIPATION!".

Musubi's eyes suddenly widened further in amazement, as did Murasaki's when Neiyo flooded the trunk with a vapour-like essence, the element of his power, his smoke, filled the tree trunk and broke it into hundreds of particles, some bigger than others. They all fell to the floor, barely making any sound. He sighed as at least it wasn't any danger to the house. Miya really would fight me if I did anything to her house. Or rather Takehito's house.

He stood breathing slowly for a minute, facing away from the house. He knew there was a presence watching him. He could feel Mura's feelings through their bond with each other. He looked up, seeing the clouds on this sunny day passing by.

I need some air, some time away from Izumo for an hour or so to get my head straight. Neiyo had a lot to think about, how he was going to progress and plan his adventure, if you could call it that. Except he knew better than anyone that plans often don't go through as they are thought through.

Smoke vapours crept up from his legs, covering his body, as it morphed his outfit from his civilian clothing to his combat outfit. It resembled a form of an overcoat, that was coloured a dark grey, with overlaps of red from strips of leather that covered and pressed the jacket to hug his slender body. The jacket had a hood that was now up over it's owner's head, whilst the lower half of his body now had knee high boots, that were brown and engraved with a Sekirei symbol but was different, it had a flame through it as a background underneath the ying and yangs. His trousers were now deathly black.

It was blatant to Mura that due to Neiyo's outfit, he hid in the shadows a lot and used them to his advantage.

The admiration for Neiyo's outfit was abruptly ended as he took off over the houses, jumping from one to another in quick succession without a fault.

"Wow, he's faster than anyone I've ever seen." Musubi stated beside her. "He's amazing, where did you meet him?"

Mura turned to Musubi, not really knowing how to answer, but almost felt a big sister vibe from her, it was a nice feeling. She didn't feel that Musubi had any intent to harm her or Neiyo, not without reason anyway.

"I met him a week ago, right after I passed my entrance exams to University." Mura started, "He rescued me from a pack of thugs who would've done terrible things to me."

She shuddered at the thought of what might've happened if her knight in shining armour as it were, hadn't shown up.

Musubi smiled, "He has kindness in his heart, but I can detect a deep sadness in him. Something has happened to him in the past."

"You can tell that just my watching him?" The blue-haired student asked.

"I can feel it within your bond, the emotion you have for him. It's overpowering for a Sekirei. But even his core power, is stronger than Musubi. One day I'll match him!" Musubi finally finished with her childlike competitiveness.

She can tell that by my emotions? What kind of Sekirei is she? Can they all do that? Mura needed to think on this, but couldn't help but treat Musubi as a sister. She was so friendly and innocent it was kind of heart-breaking that she was in this bloodthirsty game.

"What number is he?" the brown eyed Sekirei asked Mura.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm Number 88. What number is Neiyo?" she asked again.

Murasaki held her forehead in her hand and Musubi sensed the awkwardness and frustration of so many questions.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to annoy you."

"No, no, it's fine. I just... don't know the answer. He's never told me. I don't even know if he has one or not." Mura answered, questioning herself with her own answer. I really need him to open up to me. There's still so much unanswered.

"Oh. I see. I'm going to see if Miya needs help with anything around the Inn... Sorry again."

Murasaki weakly laughed off her apology, "It's alright, Musubi. I need to study, so I'll see you later." She quickly retreated to her room, but not to study, mainly to think of questions to answer Neiyo. But it then also dawned on her, that Neiyo had looked as if he was ready to fight, and didn't even realize that he might not return depending on what he's doing.

She whispered to herself, "Please come back safe. There's so much I need to ask you."

Meanwhile...

Neiyo was still jumping from roof to roof and suddenly felt his heart twinge. He stopped on an apartment block in the middle of the city. His body felt strange all of a sudden. The bond he shared felt like it was starting to crack. Does she not trust me? Is what I'm doing making her feel the same way?

Regardless of how she felt, he still needed space to figure everything out. What to tell her, and when to do it were two seperate things. How to keep her safe from this game was also another. While her dying would not render him unconscious or 'out of the game' as it were, it would still have an adverse effect on him. I can't bear the thought of losing her. I will NOT lose someone I care for again. I vow it.

Due to his nature as a pure Sekirei, an un-adjusted one, he would not become comatose upon losing his Ashikabi. However, because of the bond they share, he will be effected emotionally, and would be unstable in combat, either causing himself pain or those around him to suffer, innocent or not.

Neiyo was no stranger to war, he had been put through fighting his entire life. He did have morals though, and fighting made them more concrete than ever. Due to his power, he had caused bloodshed, broken bones, disfigurations. He had changed since then.

He continued jumped from building to building until he reached his old destination. His old flat apartment. Although he had not expected what had happened to it. The front door was open. Well... open was an understatement, the door was in pieces beside the space where it would've been.

Adjusting his pace and mannerisms, he slowly approached the door, hearing voices inside.

"Where the hell can he just disappear to!? Minaka said he was here!" one shouted, sounding forceful and impatient.

"Maybe he got his intel wrong... for once, fufufu." The other voice sounded, resonating a childishness and sarcastic ring to it.

He crept into his old flat, the two still not noticing him, his footsteps silent as the night. "And who gets the pleasure of meeting me?" His voice rang out, deeper than usual as the commanding authority rang out of it.

The two turned around in shock of hearing a voice. "You!" The one on the right shouted, her face almost teenage like. She had bright pink hair, with a flower band in it, creating a ponytail to the side. It reminded Neiyo of Uzume slightly, but kept to the matter at hand.

"Yes, me. Congratulations. Now since you two were blatantly looking for me, what is it that you want?"

The two were stunned at his upfront attitude, and the pink haired girl stood in a combat stance, "Minaka wants you taken out. You're a danger to his ambitions." she explained.

"Oh dear. It seems I've been found out. Well then. I accept your challenge!" Neiyo declared, lowering his hood to show his scarred face, golden tint eyes and silver hair.

"No. 105, Benitsubasa, Discipline Squad member."

The other girl who Neiyo had now noticed had hands that were covered in metal claws. She was wrapped in bandages with a Sekirei black jacket covering her. She also had a silver colouring to her hair.

"No. 104 Haihane, Discipline Squad member." she exclaimed her position.

"Interesting. So this is who my daughter has as her minions." Neiyo opinioned.

"Who the hell are you calling minions!?" Benitsubasa shouted aloud. Her first clenched in anger. Haihane stepped in to calm her down. "I think you're missing the important part. He implied his 'daughter' is leader of the discipline squad."

Benitsubasa's eyes widened, almost in terror. Neiyo began to draw smoke beneath him, forging swords out of the element and placing them in his hands. His eyes showed determination, seriousness, and annoyance at being chased by a man he had never met, but despised all the same.

"You can't be her father! None of us have any!" She exclaimed.

"Don't be so naïve!" he roared, his voice resonating through the apartment. "Do you actually believe you were created in this world for the sole purpose of one man's amusement!?"

The question had never even been thought of by the two Sekirei in front of Neiyo. That they actually had parents and never got to meet them. Neiyo watched as the two in front of him contemplated his words.

Haihane seemed to wonder about what could've been, the rampant thoughts about what her parents might've been like, what her life would be like if it had been different.

Benitsubasa on the other hand refused to believe it. "I will end you right now!" she shouted, her fist cocked, and ready to punch Neiyo where ever she could.

"So be it." he retorted.

"Smokescreen!" he yelled. In one quick moment, smoke filled the room, clouding the Discipline Squad's vision, as Neiyo warped to Benitsubasa and repeatedly punched her in varying places.

He may have disliked her attitude towards him, but killing her was a step too far, and one idea he didn't want to use. Afterall, he was trying to prevent any from dying at all.

The smoke cleared, with Benitsubasa backflipping and using a move of her own; "Extreme Quake!".

The building tore apart from the inside, crashing down on the squad and Neiyo. The three got up and stood still, watching each other for a moment. "You never said who you were." Haihane spoke up.

"That's because you never asked." his playful smile returning. "You've probably guessed that I am a Sekirei. But I have no designation, no number. I wasn't adjusted by MBI."

"Not adjusted? Then..." Benitsubasa started.

"You're not limited in your power levels." Haihane finished her sentence.

"I could have killed you back then Benitsubasa. But I chose not to. And as for my name; I am Neiyo, the Sekirei Champion."

"Well, let's have round two shall we?" Benitsubasa said, not backing down.

"As you wish, Benitsubasa. I shant hold back this time."

She dashed toward him with her fist clenched oncemore, trying to pulverize his face with one fell swoop. He ducked under it, elbowing her in the back as she passed him. The resulting counter, threw her to the ground.

Haihane stood to the side, knowing battles should be one on one, but saw how Neiyo fought. He fought with no hatred. There was nothing in his movement that showed aggression.

"So he's going to try and tire her out..." she muttered to herself.

"What was that!?" No. 105 turned, hearing her teammate mutter.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking to myself. You should be paying attention by the way."

"... Paying attention? Why? I have this gu-" Her reply was cut short as Neiyo finally showed some aggression and caught her jaw with his boot, sending her flying back into a wall of the building next door.

Neiyo stood and watched her get up from the floor of the building. "That's a basic rule, don't get distracted." he laughed, making her increasingly angry.

She charged at full speed toward him, creating dust behind her. Neiyo prepared for her incoming attack; "Smoke bomb!"

He hurled a ball of smoke in front of her, which seemed to teleport her into the air, upside down. Disorientated she screamed as she felt a pain in her back. She was sent flying away into the building again.

Neiyo had used his ability to warp around to his advantage, warping the pink-haired girl in the air, upside down, in order for his boot to oncemore shoot into her back, sending her face first into the building. "I guess this time I win... or we can call it a draw. But I have places to be, till next time." He shot off into the distance, with Benitsubasa raging, having finally gotten up just in time to see him jump away.

Jumping from roof to roof he thought about the events that had taken place that day. So Minaka knows of my existence now. There's no doubt about that. I guess it's finally time to get involved more. But, we need allies.

He continued to think whilst travelling, almost missing his step and falling to a street below. "Well that was a close one." he muttered.

It hurts to think that my daughter is enforcing the rules of this, disgraceful game. But alas, I can't change things right now. Maybe there's a way to reach out to her, maybe not. But one thing's for certain, Minaka is not entirely in control. Otherwise he wouldn't need a squad... and if the squad can be beaten, like I just have, then there's hope.

Neiyo returned to Izumo Inn later than he expected due to the sudden fight that ensued his outing. It had helped his thinking though, gave him a glimmer at the end of a dark tunnel. That this world, that this life, may turn out to be alright in the end.

He walked into his room, receiving a prompt slap around the face from Murasaki. "I was worried sick about you! What the hell were you doing!?"

He felt his face, where her hand had fallen on his skin. It felt sore, but, more painful than anything from combat.

Am I feeling her pain from my absence? Her worry, her fear of me disappearing on her? The revelation in his head appearing in the form of an angry blue-haired, scarlet eyed girl in front of him.

"Mura, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that... I just needed some time to think." he replied, embracing her in a hug, trying not to hug so tight that it would end up hurting her.

She relaxed, feeling his arms around her. "It's alright... but I wish you'd open up more to me. I know there's things you're not telling me and I want to help you, especially if we are supposed to be together "now and forever"."

Those words rang through his ears. "I-I know. But you must realize that some things are dangerous for you to know. Especially a lot of the knowledge that I have. So for your own sake, for your own protection, don't ask. I will tell you all in good time."

They separated from each other, and Neiyo took off his jacket and undershirt, revealing his scarred back and side to her. "But I'm pretty sure I remember you asking me how I got these scars, correct?"

She nodded, waiting to hear the story that would be forthcoming.

"I had a friend once, who was very close to me. And it wasn't always like that. We were part of different military organizations on our homeworld. We met in combat, and I won in the end. He spent the rest of the time of the war in a jail cell."

He paused, Mura's eyes unwaivering to his story, wanting to know more.

Neiyo continued after seeing her face, the look of intrigue expressed on it. "I visited him week after week. For what reason, I don't really know. I felt such a connection to him, like a kindred spirit if you will. We spoke, and got to know each other. He told me about his family and friends... about unborn child."

"I disobeyed my commanders orders by speaking to him, and even snuck in a comlink so he could speak to his family. Even I was surprised when he introduced me as a friend. After a few months, the war ended with a peace agreement because the bloodshed was increasing far over the limits of what anyone would've wanted."

"What happened to him?" Mura interrupted.

"He joined the military and served with me. We became inseparable, like brothers in arms. Of course we were both Sekirei. I had the power of smoke element as you know, he had Lunar power. He could call upon lunar beams from the sky. It was an interesting ability, one I wouldn't have seen the potential of if we hadn't fought."

He sighed, his voice started to fill with sorrow; "In the end we had to evacuate, and well, we arrived on earth. But, what I'm about to tell you cannot go outside this room. His daughter lives on, in this city as one of the 108 Sekirei. I intend to protect her as if she were my own. I owe it to him. I vowed to him..."

Oh Neiyo...

The burdens of her life partner finally reaching the surface. "I'm sorry. I never meant to probe an answer like that... Only tell me things when you're ready. I won't force you. But I want to help you, any way I can."

They hugged again before retiring for the night. Neiyo actually slept a little easier from releasing one of the darker secrets to someone he cared for. But Mura however, had trouble. Mainly from worry, what would unfold, how could she help, what had she gotten herself into. She looked up to see the side of Neiyo's face, so serene and relaxed.

She shrugged off the nervousness and worry of the future. No matter what comes, I will be by your side... I... I love you.

Author's Note: Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed the more action packed side of this chapter and finally getting to see Neiyo's background a little more. Again as said in previous chapters reviews and critiques helps my writing and where to go with the story so please don't be afraid to suggest things.