A/N: This is without question the most emotional game in the fic. Enjoy.
XXXXXX
The Twisted Hexagon
The elevator doors glided open with a grinding, metallic groan, revealing a dimly lit room enshrouded in an eerie mist. The five Sekirei cautiously stepped out, their senses heightened as their eyes scanned the ominous surroundings. The air hung heavy with an unsettling silence, broken only by the faint hum of machinery echoing through the chamber and the distant, haunting drip of water.
To their left, a narrow window allowed feeble rays of light to pierce through, illuminating a peculiar contraption hidden beneath a black sheet that draped over its entire length. Intrigued, Matsu approached the enigmatic object and, upon closer inspection, discovered a cryptic message scrawled on a piece of aged parchment. The words "remove" were etched onto it, urging them forward.
As the others directed their watchful gaze out the window and into the abyss beyond, Haihane broke the silence, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Should we comply with its instructions?"
"I highly doubt we'll make any progress if we disregard them," replied Matsu, her voice laced with a mixture of apprehension and determination. Stealing a fortifying breath, she silently counted to three before swiftly whisking away the concealing cover. Revealed beneath was a colossal contraption resembling an iron lung, encased in robust metal and fortified glass. Horizontal slots, arranged in a row of five, protruded toward them. Baffled glances were exchanged among the Sekirei until Kazehana stepped forward, summoning her courage, and peered through one of the apertures. In an instant, a faint light flickered inside the device.
Swallowing hard, Kazehana forced out her words, her voice laden with unease. "Blades... There are buzzsaws inside."
Homura bent down to inspect the bottom of the contraption, his eyes tracing the contours of the surrounding cage. Within its confines, a series of plastic tubes descended into a beaker, creating an intricate network of channels.
"What is the purpose of this contraption?" Homura wondered aloud, his voice tinged with morbid curiosity.
Matsu's despondent voice cut through the tension. "Our next nightmare. If I were to hazard a guess, we need to fill that beaker."
"With what?" Tsukiumi cringed, sensing that she wouldn't like the answer.
"Blood," Haihane responded, her voice tinged with solemnity. "Our blood. Our arms can fit into those slots. That's how we're supposed to fill it."
"Easy there, let's not jump to conclusions just yet," Homura interjected, his tone laced with caution. "We don't even know the purpose of filling it."
Their question was answered with alarming swiftness.
BZZZZT!
Every heart skipped a beat as they nearly jumped out of their skin. All eyes turned towards a flickering television set, transfixed as the image on the screen came into focus. A hush fell over the room, their gaze fixed on Billy, who appeared before them.
"Hello and welcome. This journey has been one of discovery, and hopefully, you've discovered that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Take, for instance, the Sekirei anatomy—a remarkably resilient creation. Like humans, they possess approximately ten pints of blood, yet they can function with just half of that. The device before you is a vessel of sacrifice—a sacrifice of blood."
Fury consumed Matsu as she stomped her foot and let out a piercing shriek, her voice filled with frustration and anger. "I fucking knew it!"
Tsukiumi stepped toward her with urgency and placed her hands on Matsu's shoulders. Their eyes met. "Calm thyself, Matsu! We must listen!"
Billy continued, "The window before you overlooks the game of endurance your Ashikabi must play. You can hear him but I assure you he cannot hear you. When the game starts, so will yours, and a ten-minute timer will begin to count down. You have a choice in matters, however. Those among you may simply sit by and wait for the timer to expire, as when that happens your Ashikabi's test will end. However, he and Musubi likely won't survive the ordeal if a course of inaction is taken. To end his test early, the beaker must be filled to the marked level; a level which is of no coincidence. This amount can come from any number of you, even just one. So I ask how much blood will you give in order to survive?"
A chilling silence fell over the room, broken only by the sound of their shallow breaths as they stood on the precipice of a heart-wrenching decision. Each Sekirei trembled, shivers coursing through them like lightning, their bodies and minds gripped by the weight of the impending sacrifice they were about to face. The room seemed to close in on them, the mist growing thicker, suffocating them with the gravity of the situation.
Haihane was taking it the worst, her hands scrubbing through her disheveled hair like a person possessed, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of fear and anxiety. She mumbled gibberish, her voice fractured and disjointed as if she had suffered a stroke of madness.
"Haihane…" Kazehana, her voice steady and comforting, grabbed her wrist, snapping her out of her trance. She knelt down, her presence a pillar of support, and placed her free hand on top of Haihane's, a gentle touch in the midst of chaos. "It's alright. We are here for you, Haihane. You are not alone."
Looking down at her, Haihane's voice hitched, her vulnerability seeping through her usually confident demeanor. "K-Kazehana?"
Kazehana met her eyes with a warm, reassuring smile, her words filled with genuine care. "I'm here for you. We all are. We'll face this together, no matter what lies ahead."
Haihane shook the cobwebs from her brain, her bangs swaying through the misty air, as if symbolizing her regained clarity. She took a deep, shuddering breath, her resolve strengthening. She hung her head for a moment, contemplating her past and the dark memories that threatened to resurface. Then, with newfound determination, she raised her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I'm... sorry about that. It's just... the thought of cutting myself intentionally again... it drags me back to a bad place I never want to see again," Haihane admitted, her voice laced with a mixture of vulnerability and strength.
Her words hung heavily in the air, the weight of her past struggles and the pain she had endured evident in every syllable. The Sekirei exchanged glances, the gravity of Haihane's words sinking deep into their hearts, and a wave of remorse washed over them. They understood the magnitude of what she was about to face, the demons she would confront once again in order to protect the one they all held dear.
"I... don't know what to say," Matsu's voice wavered, her own frustration and helplessness echoing in her words, as she struggled to find the right response.
"It's fine," Haihane replied, her voice filled with a resolute determination that belied her inner turmoil. She sighed, her gaze drifting upward to the wooden plank rafters in the ceiling, seeking solace in the ethereal emptiness above. "I used to obsess over Natsuo much like Benitsubasa does, believe it or not. I... coped in unhealthy ways to deal with his indifference. Eventually, I became detached from it all, and I promised myself that I would never cut myself over him or anyone else again."
Her voice cracked, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, but she fought to maintain her composure. "And now here I am, having to cut myself for someone again..."
"Minato is worth it, Haihane," Kazehana spoke softly, her voice carrying unwavering conviction. "He would not want to lose us after all he's been through to rescue us. We must fight for him, even if it means facing our own painful pasts."
"I know he is," Haihane murmured, her voice filled with a mix of determination and vulnerability. She straightened her posture, her eyes shining with a renewed resolve. "That's why I'm doing it. I won't let him down." Haihane's expression hardened, her face a mask of determination, as her nerves tightened like coiled springs. With deliberate purpose, she rolled up her sleeve, baring her arm and revealing a hand that trembled ever so slightly. Gazing at her palm, she beckoned everyone to gather closely, their eyes drawn to her.
In hushed anticipation, they watched as Haihane extended a finger, tracing a line from the delicate webbing between her middle and ring finger to the very heart of her palm. The path etched by her touch ignited an invisible trail of apprehension, snaking its way through the flock and settling just beneath each person's skin.
"This," she declared, her voice steady but laced with the weight of responsibility, "is how deep we must cut. This part of the hand will bleed the most."
Matsu's curiosity could not be silenced, as she ventured to ask the unthinkable, "Why don't we just cut our wrists? Won't that be faster?"
A flicker of concern passed over Haihane's face, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. Taking a breath to steady herself, she embarked on an explanation that resonated with both reason and fear.
"That would be too risky." she began to explain. "For all we know something inside that machine might lure our arms closer to the blade once they are inside. One misstep, and we could lose our hands. We would bleed out too fast and we won't be able to stop it because it's a main artery. Cutting through the webbing of our fingers is safer because clotting is more immediate."
"Our lives hold little significance, Haihane. The paramount goal is to save Minato." Tsukiumi stated.
Haihane met Tsukiumi's unwavering gaze, her resolve unyielding. "Our lives are important to Minato. He would not want to lose us after all he's been through to rescue us. The wrists won't be necessary, especially with all of us doing it at once. Across us all we'll only need to sacrifice two pints each. If we didn't all survive, then the matter would be much different."
"Haihane's right," Matsu agreed. "As the creepy puppet said, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Why risk bleeding to death if we can all share the burden?"
"Guys, look." Homura said. He was looking out the window and called them over. Their attention was swiftly diverted as Homura's voice called to them. With a sense of urgency, he motioned toward the window, beckoning them to join him.
Curiosity piqued, Kazehana and the rest of the group hastened to his side, their footfalls echoing.
"What do you see?" Kazehana inquired, her voice laced with anticipation.
He pointed down into the darkness, where two figures stood obscured. "Minato has arrived," Homura announced, his tone tinged with a mixture of relief and unease.
The group surveyed him in hushed silence.
XXXXXX
"Well," Benitsubasa's voice shattered the oppressive silence, its resonance cutting through the heavy air, bouncing off the towering walls that stretched into the abyss. The chamber, an expanse of impenetrable darkness, expanded before them, engulfing every trace of light. Its sheer magnitude overwhelmed them, instilling a mix of awe and trepidation as if they stood in the presence of an ancient deity. The dampness of the air clung to their skin, thick with smog and foreboding. "We're here."
A feeble voice, weak and frail, emerged from the depths, reaching their ears with a desperate plea that tugged at the strings of Minato's quickening heart. "H-Hello? Who is that?"
Minato's heart skipped a beat. "That's Musubi!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with a mixture of fear and hope, his eyes straining to pierce through the murky shadows that surrounded them. But the darkness resisted, obscuring his vision, shrouding the details in an impenetrable veil. "Still can't make out much of anything."
"Stay close," Benitsubasa commanded, her voice a resolute anchor in the unsettling void. "Follow me."
With each step they took, the chamber unveiled its secrets, revealing its hidden depths. A cluster of spotlights pierced through the gloom, illuminating a path forward that sliced through the obscurity, beckoning them toward the heart of the room. There, at the center, the final feather awaited. Suspended from her wrists, a bulky chain connected her to the ceiling, as if she were a captive angel. Eerie red radiance emanated from the cufflinks adorning her wrists, casting an otherworldly glow in the dimness. Her naked body stood exposed, her flawless form untouched by the passage of time, not a single blemish to mar her skin. A peculiar pig mask concealed her face.
Minato and Benitsubasa quickened their pace, their footsteps echoing in the vastness, reverberating through the chamber like a haunting melody. They halted at the platform where Musubi stood, her delicate frame teetering on the precipice of her blistered toes.
"Take the mask off, pipsqueak," Benitsubasa ordered, her voice slicing through the hushed anticipation like a blade through the night.
Summoning his courage, Minato nodded, his hand trembling slightly as he reached for the grotesque mask, pulling it away and letting it fall to the ground where it was soon forgotten.
Finally freed from its confinement, Musubi's eyes met that of her Ashikabi, a flicker of recognition mingled with a torrent of emotions. "Minato!" she cried, her voice a symphony of relief and confusion, her tears shimmering like tiny crystals. "What's going on? I can't break free!"
"It's best that you don't try, 88." Benitsubasa revealed. "That collar your Ashikabi's wearing might go kablewie if you do."
"Don't worry, Musubi," Minato reassured her, his voice a steady anchor amidst the storm of emotions that surged within him. As her tears blinked away, he made a solemn vow, his voice quivering with determination, "I'll get you down from here. I promise, I'll do whatever it takes!"
A mocking snicker then echoed from above them. "I see you've finally arrived."
Minato and Benitsubasa jumped back in startled unison, their bodies betraying their instinctive fear.
"What?! Who's there?!" Minato's voice quivered with a mix of anxiety and defiance, his gaze darting around the room, searching for the source of the haunting voice.
As Musubi moaned helplessly, another spotlight flickered to life, casting its ethereal glow upon the figure that had haunted Minato's nightmares since the incident, a figure that embodied his deepest fears. His heart dropped like a stone to the depths of his gut.
Karasuba loomed above them, her presence suffocating, her crass smirk distorting her facial scars into a grotesque caricature of cruelty. She lazed perched upon a sinister throne that cast a long, menacing shadow that seemed to stretch out with icy malcontent, reaching for their souls. Her fist rested upon her cheek as her eyes leered down at the subjects below.
As more lights flickered on, the cylindrical walls encasing the chamber unveiled their dark secrets. Dozens upon dozens of pods lined the walls, each containing a terminated Sekirei, their crests extinguished, their silent forms a chilling reminder of the ruthlessness that pervaded this place.
Seven pillars encircled the spiraling battlefield they stood upon, their gaze inexorably drawn upward to where seven of the eight Jinki crystals floated aloft, spinning like ethereal dreidels, their mesmerizing glow intensified by the newfound illumination.
The room's six corners burst into a hazy yellow light as more beacons buzzed to life, illuminating the intricacies of their surroundings. They were affixed to six corresponding machinations, resembling twisted woodchippers. Positioned to surround the prone damsel, a menacing conveyor line snaked along the walls high above them, poised to deposit whatever horrors awaited inside. At the front of each contraption, a wide opening loomed like gaping maws, all directed toward the defenseless figure at the center. Musubi dangled in their line of fire, vulnerable on all six sides, her very existence hanging by a fragile thread. Or an unbreakable chain as it were.
Karasuba rose from her throne, her movements languid and predatory, her eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. She walked over to the edge of the platform, her presence radiating malice. She leered down at them, her gaze piercing through their defenses, tearing at their resolve. "I have to admit, monkey. I didn't think you had it in you."
Benitsubasa's face contorted in disgust as she examined the grotesque scars marring Karasuba's countenance, each one a testament to the depths of her malevolence. "You are so fucking ugly now, that tears would run down the back of your head to avoid your face…" Her voice dripped with venom, a fierce retort to Karasuba's twisted satisfaction.
"Nice to see you again too, Red." Karasuba scoffed, her voice laced with cruel amusement, reveling in their torment.
"Let Musubi go!" Minato's voice reverberated with determination, laced with a fit of righteous anger. "She's done nothing wrong! She's innocent in all this!"
"I'm afraid that's not up for me to decide." Karasuba cast a glance behind her, her eyes veiled by a mask of indifference, as two masked figures emerged from the shadows, flanking her left and right. The figure to her left, Mr. Mathis, remained ominously still, a silent specter. But the figure to her right, as the mask was removed, revealed a face that struck Minato's heart like a dagger.
It was John.
"Hello, Mr. Sahashi," John's voice was chillingly calm, his words laden with a mix of remorse and calculated malice. "Welcome to your final test. A test of endurance. My apologies for exposing you and your loved ones to this kind of treatment, but I assure you it has not been without reason. The lives of everyone in this room depend on your success."
Minato's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening with a mixture of horror and determination. He looked at his beloved Sekirei, held captive and defenseless, her life hanging in the balance. The weight of responsibility pressed upon him, threatening to crush his spirit. And yet, a fire burned within him, fueled by love and an unyielding desire to protect those he cherished.
John hit a switch on the wall, and another light illuminated the space beneath the platform they stood on, revealing Natsuo, bound and imprisoned within an elevator shaft behind a steel barrier. The sudden realization sent shockwaves through Benitsubasa's heart, her desperation fueling her fury. She rushed to his company, her fingers grappling with the cold, unyielding metal that held him captive. "Let him out, you sick bastard!" she bellowed, her voice a symphony of pain and anger.
"In order to free your Ashikabi from where he is, a key is needed," John continued, "The key is in this very room with you. I will reveal its location after phase one is passed, assuming you and Minato can endure this final lesson together."
A surge of determination coursed through Minato's veins, intertwining with the tendrils of fear and uncertainty that threatened to overwhelm him. He locked eyes with Musubi, his gaze filled with unwavering resolve.
He turned back to Jigsaw, "What do we need to do to save her?" he asked.
"You must become her shield," he said, flatly. "Now, let the games begin," John's words hung in the air, a chilling proclamation of the final trial that awaited them.
An ear-piercing siren assaulted the subject's eardrums, ripping through the air with relentless intensity. It beckoned the test participants' eyes to its source, a rotating beacon light that began to revolve, casting eerie shadows across the room. In response, the menacing machine it was attached to awakened like a predator from a disturbed hibernation, its mechanical growl chugging as its innards whirred to life. Above, the conveyor line began to scroll, its metallic clanks and rumbles amplifying the sense of impending doom. Dread clutched at everyone's hearts as they watched in horrified anticipation for what was coming.
From a dark opening, glass bottles materialized into view. Minato's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape as he struggled to find words. The weight of the situation threatened to suffocate him, and in a breathless whisper, he uttered, "Holy shit..."
With a deafening crash that echoed through the room, the bottles cascaded into the machine's steel jaws. The glass grinder roared to life and the bottles shattered upon impact, bursting into a shower of deadly shards that sparkled malevolently. Transformed into lethal projectiles, the shards shot forward with terrifying velocity, hurtling toward the defenseless Sekirei who hung frozen in fear.
"MINATO!" she screamed.
In a split second, Minato sprang into action, propelled by a surge of adrenaline and an unwavering determination. He threw himself in front of the oncoming barrage, defying the laws of self-preservation. With unparalleled bravery, he leaped onto the platform and wrapped his arms tightly around Musubi's trembling form, shielding her from the impending danger.
"Minato, no!" Musubi cried, terror, seizing her eyes.
The symphony of destruction intensified as the jagged shards collided against the duo, filling the room with a cacophony of tinkling glass and muffled cries. Yet, Minato held on, his grip unyielding and growing stronger, offering himself as a bulwark against the onslaught of razor-sharp fragments.
"It's okay, Musubi!" Minato hissed as his body was thrashed by the incoming debris, "I'm here for you now."
The shards pierced through his thick jacket like compound fractures, leaving a trail of crimson droplets mixing with the glass fragments that embedded themselves into Minato's flesh. Pain lanced through his back as splinters of glass penetrated his skin, searing his nerves and making his body quake with agony, but he clenched his teeth, refusing to let go. Every fiber of his being was consumed by the knowledge that his sacrifice could mean the difference between life and death for his beloved Musubi.
He would not fall.
XXXXXX
As the flock of terrified onlookers stared into the chamber, their expressions twisted with horror, the buzzsaws lurking within the machine before them sprung to life, accelerating from zero to one hundred in less than the blink of an eye. The room seemed to hold its collective breath, an unspoken acknowledgment of the valiant act of heroism that had just unfolded.
"We mustn't wait another moment!" Tsukiumi's voice broke the silence, resolute and commanding. She stepped forward, her gaze unwavering, and positioned herself before the middle slot of the device. "I shall lead us on."
Nodding in agreement, everyone approached their designated slots, their hands trembling with fear and determination.
Matsu placed her hands upon the glass barrier just above the spinning blades, her breath hitching as she watched it searing edge scream and grind.
Haihane, overwhelmed by the weight of the impending ordeal, whimpered, "I CAN'T DO THIS ALONE! I CAN"T DO THIS ALONE! I CAN'T!"
Kazehana reached out, her hand intertwining with Haihane's, their fingers entwined in a gesture of solidarity. "You're not alone, Haihane. Not anymore."
Matsu and Homura followed suit, stepping forward and clasping hands in unison, providing each other with the support they desperately needed. The shared tension thickened as each person inched their trembling hands deeper into the contraption's slots, the spinning blades hissing and taunting their deepest fears.
Tsukiumi's eyes scanned the determined faces before her. Without an ally's hand to hold, she draped her free arm around Haihane's back to provide extra support for her. "We go on three..."
Haihane bobbed her head, preparing for the worst. "...Okay."
Tsukiumi took a hearty breath, sliding her arm into the circular opening, the others mirroring her, "One…"
XXXXXX
Time seemed to stretch, suspended in a fragile balance. The glass grinder finally exhausted its ammunition, bringing the barrage of twisted hail to a halt. The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the hushed breaths of the survivors, their hearts pounding in their chests. Minato took a deep breath, seizing the momentary respite, his mind racing with the knowledge that danger still loomed ahead.
But then, another siren wailed, and the glass grinder at 3-o'clock began to wind up once more. Minato's senses sharpened, and his body moved on instinct. He circled Musubi, his movements fueled by a potent mix of love and desperation. Climbing back onto the platform, he shielded her with another loving embrace, refusing to yield to the impending threat.
Benitsubasa, her voice laced with horrified concern, rushed over to him and Musubi. "What are you doing, pipsqueak?! Get down from there!" She tugged at his pants, attempting to pull him off the platform, but he remained steadfast, unmoved.
"I need to shield her!" Minato shouted, his voice resonating with defiance. Ignoring the protests and pleas of those around him, he stood tall, ready to face whatever horror awaited them.
"She's a Sekirei!" Benitsubasa hollared, trying to talk sense into her. "She can take it!"
"No!" He shouted. "I won't let her!"
The conveyor line deposited more bottles into the next machine, pulverizing them with merciless force and sending them flying through the air like a sideways hurricane. Benitsubasa leaped out of harm's way, her body sliding across the floor upon landing. Her eyes caught sight of a lone shard spiraling towards the opposite wall, where it lodged itself deeply in the stone.
XXXXXX
The tension in the room reached its peak as the webbing of their fingers crept closer to the menacing buzzsaws inside the slots. Hearts pounded, breaths came in shallow gasps,
"...Two." Tsukiumi hissed.
"I can't believe we're doing this!" Matsu wailed.
XXXXXX
Minato bellowed in misery as the relentless onslaught continued, each fragment shattering against his back at the pace of a heavy metal blast beat. The chorus of tinkling glass and stifled cries merged into a cacophony of suffering as his clothes and flesh were torn asunder. His eyes, wide with agony, momentarily closed, his eyelids folding shut as he endured the relentless assault. But then, he felt Musubi's tears on his cheek, slithering down like rain. He felt her sob.
"Make it stop…" she wept. "No more…"
His eyes snapped open, burning with fury and a determined rage that defied the odds. Adrenaline coursed through his veins amidst the brutal thrashing, fueling his resolve as he let out a primal howl, his voice echoing through the chamber, making sure all could hear,
"I'm not your bitch, Jigsaw! You can't break me!"
XXXXXX
His bold act of defiance resonated amongst the flock, their hearts pounding with renewed strength as all the fear held within their souls disappeared in an instant.
As the cores in their crests ignited with shared purpose and courage, Tsukiumi's countdown came to an end.
"ThreeeeeeeaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"