Matsu's fingers were a blur as they moved across her keyboard pulling up a diagram of the entire city. Minato sat a few inches behind Matsu with Kusano at his side clinging to his shirt. Musubi sat a few inches away from him staring intently at the screen. "I have noticed just a little while ago. As you see, this capital city, Shinto Teito, is surrounded by rivers." She clicked a few keys another page popped up showing blinking red dots representing the private MBI forces. "And MBI's private army has been deployed to all of the city's exit bridges." She continued explaining. Minato nodded slightly taking in the information, but...

"Why would they inspect...?" He asked. It was hard to take in the fact they seized Shinto Teito.

"Mina-tan, me, and everyone else... At last, we must prepare ourselves."

"Prepare..."

"MBI... That is Hiroto Minaka is going to make this Shinto Teito into a battlefield." Matsu explained with a serious edge to her voice as she adjusted her glasses, her soft eyes become piercing to an extent. Minato gaped in shock, the air left his lungs, any and all words that would've come out ceased to. He felt a mix of emotions all at once like a shock wave, but dread and doubt the main feelings. He wasn't sure what to do, how to think, now he had to prepare to go to war? Was this really happening, how could he prepare for something like that?

Miya walked at a moderate pace down the sidewalk keeping her eyes closed but her senses stretched out around her. It was less crowded than usual she already knew the reason why, it didn't take a genius to know the reason. Minaka had finally done it. She found herself thinking for a moment. Takehito never wanted the Sekirei Plan to come to be, she could destroy MBI without a thought, Yet she didn't pick up her sword against him, was it wrong? She shook the thoughts away, she's changed so much since then, this was for the best. She stepped around the corner, her gaze hardened ten times in less than a second as she set her jaw frowning.

"Oh?" Karasuba questioned coolly as she walked towards her former leader with a lazy expression on her face. "That's a nice place. Maison Izumo." She retorted, Miya narrowed her eyes even more raising her head. "I didn't touch anything... At least not today."

"This is the only time I'll overlook this." Miya said with an icy tone as she walked forward again. "I will not forgive you if you step into Maison Izumo next time." Even without her hannya masks blazing around her in a frenzy she was terrifying, her presence alone was overwhelming. Kara smirked lowering her head, this day kept getting better. "Ah... You are as good as ever. You haven't changed. Scary, so scary..." She said quietly with a hint of excitement walking passed here. "You give me a chill." Karasuba glanced back with a glint in her eyes, Miya was qucik to react her head snapping back she didn't sit still however, she did a quick half turn snatching the onion in her basket, an apple flying out from the sudden additional force.

The Black Sekirei relaxed her posture. "Too bad. I didn't bring my sword today." She extended her right arm forward her hand lazily opening in a mock surrender. "Are you going to fight with that?" She asked coolly looking at the onion in the Miko's hand. "Go away! Your sinister form is too repulsive to look upon!" Miya said in a sharp voice pointing the onion at her. Karasuba didn't let the quip get to her, she crouched down grabbing the fallen apple with her other hand. "You're the same as always..." She rubbed the apple against her sleeve narrowing her eyes slightly. "Number 01, Miya." She said turning on her heel and glancing back at her, Miya relaxed her posture slightly but kept her stare burning through her.

"Let's meet again. Next time, let's both bring prey." Her eyes got a predatory glint as she bit into the apple walking away. "Wait." Miya said extending her arm out with an open hand, Karasuba stopped looking at her out the corner of her eye. "That apple costs 143 yen!" Karasuba smiled in a mocking manner as she closed her eyes walking away. Miya stared at her retreating form, it didn't surprise her Karasuba was following the orders of Minaka she survived being torn in half by her, so what would surprise her when it came to one who called herself the Black Sekirei. Her hair slowly lifted with the wind as low scale gale winds surged across the air and ground as helicopters flew overhead. Looks like... It has begun, Takehito-san..." Sadness fleeting across her eyes as she thought of her late husband.

Her blood rushed with excitement, for the first time in a very long time she felt on edge after her crossing with Miya. She couldn't remember why she went into that annoying man's at MBI, Hiroto Minaka in her eyes was no better than the rest of the monkeys, and in the end she was never in their grasp. Of course he babbled about something that she didn't care to listen to. It was a good thing Natsuo came to her, and since he offered to drive she took it. The Black Sekirei sat with her focus on the sidewalks and streets around, an almost crazed look consuming her face, her eyes gaining a predatory glint as she picked out every detail. "What happened? You look like you're having fun." Natsuo asked noting her appearance. Karasuba glanced towards him with a lazy look in her eyes. "Can you tell?"

"Yes, I can tell. He's your "Ashikabi "or whatever, and you're connected, right?"

"You're flippant, Natsuo."

The clerk for MBI made a sharp turn his tires screeching across the cement as he aligned with ease. Karasuba looked to the side spotting a girl in a black Chinese dress with one vertical stripe going up the middle of it and another woman in a white dress with chains holding it up. She knew she needed to get back to MBI to make sure Haihane and Benitsubasa did end up killing each other. But she needed to get rid of some of energy. There'd be plenty of times to kill, including now. "Stop the car, Natsuo." She said suddenly, he applied some pressure braking almost instantly Karasuba jumped out of the car before it even came to a full halt. The man just looked at her with an impassive face. Though she was pretty sure he knew what she was going to do by now, he'd had to have seen those two, she was certain if Ryu wasn't her Ashikabi she would've let Natsuo wing her. It was nice having a kindred spirit.

"What?"

"I got too excited because of Number 01. I'll go out to a play a bit." She said walking away the second after she stopped speaking.

With no luck finding Number 107, Mitsuha and Akitsu headed towards the north, Akitsu was as always quiet while Mitsuha ranted. "The plan's gone into Phase 2, and there's only a few un-emerged Sekireis left to present to master. It's getting tough to perform our duty!" She said completely put out resting her hands on top of her head. "Ever since we let 107 get away, we've been out of luck." She continued to complain paying no heed at Akitsu's attempt or better put no attempt to respond to her, but it was still nice for someone to listen to her. Hayato usually just sent her off to do missions or find un-emerged Sekirei like now while Mutsu was always there at his side. It wasn't fair but she'd perform her duties the best she could, so she could be at her side. But now she was having doubts. "I wonder if it's time to quit this task." She mused she'd take a punishment over roaming the city aimlessly.

"Hey, you guys." Akitsu felt her blood turn cold at that lazy voice. In her eyes flashed a glimmer of fear and realization, it was a lot of emotion for someone like her. Her first instinct was to run, she'd take any punishment Hayato seen fit rather than getting killed by her. "If you have time to spare, could you be my opponents?" Karasuba said slowly unsheathing the sword from its saya whipping it to the side with her strong hand, the blade whistling as it cut through the air.

"What are you? A Sekirei?" The vocal Mitsuha demanded.

"Get out." Akitsu said with little emotion. Mitsuha glanced at her with a confused expression. "She's the Black Sekirei."

"Are you saying to run away from one who challenge me? Impossible! Anyway who is the Black Sekirei." She fired off one statement from the next clenching her whip tightly in both hands.

"Ignorant and arrogant... I kinda like that." Karasuba said coolly. Mitsuha narrowed her eyes dangerously unwrapping her whip in the blink of an eye. "Shut up!" She snapped her whip charging forward in one long bound, her arm outstretched ready to flick the whip at any given time. "Who do you think you are?" Karasuba seen all of her movements in slow motion, she grinned sadistically as she moved forward faster than the human eye could trace. Her sword gleamed through the air as the light reflected off of it, and blue crescent wave following her attacks. They came to a halt on the opposite side of each other Mitsuha unmoving with a frown on her face, Karasuba slowly turned her head back with the same smirk as before. Mitsuha's eyes widened in shock, Karasuba delivered six slashes in an instant the first one slashed the whip at the top, the second cut the whip itself in half, the last attack slashed clean through her back slicing her crest open; blood sprayed out from her body as the wounds tore it open her eyes widening for a moment the last thing she seen was the blue sky before her world went black. Her limp body hit the ground, slowly a pool of blood formed under it. "Can you do it?" Karasuba asked darkly staring at the ice weidling Sekirei, Akitsu went over her options, before she thought about it her legs carried her away from the alley leaving her comrade behind. "Ah, she ran away... I have to ask them to pick this up." She said in a bored tone.

Minato gazed out the window with a worried expression, helicopters buzzed passed the roof heading for the city. He had to guess there was a battle of some kind, he found himself relieved to an extent. For such bad news, it was a quiet day. Tsukiumi wasn't anywhere to be seen, which surprised him since she was always around him if not clinging to his arm, he wasn't sure what to do about being told to prepare. He didn't even know 'why' they had to fight, he'd rather just live peacefully. I don't know how to respond, being told to "prepare" all of a sudden... And who was that person who came here? He mused mentally while he wracked his brain for an answer but couldn't come up with any. He glanced to his side spotting Musubi walking towards him with her usual smile, he sighed quietly just loud enough so he could hear it. He was thankful to have her here at his side at this moment in time. "Ku-chan's taking a nap."

"Do you know where Tsukiumi is? I haven't seen her for a while."

"Beats me..."

The two stared at each other for a moment glancing back outside when they seen another fleet of helicopters buzz by. "It's kind of quiet here." The ronin commented looking out the window with a blank expression. Quiet, was one thing he wasn't used to anymore, not that he could complain.

"Uzume-san's been out since this morning too. She said she had something to do." Musubi chimed with a smile on her face as she took a moment to bask in the silence and presence of her Ashikabi. She glanced at Minato abruptly blinking twice.

"What?"

"We're all alone right now, aren't we?"

"Yes we are..."

"So this is the best time. There's something I must tell you. Only you. The promise I made with Karasuba-sama... The promise between a Sekirei and a Sekirei."

"A promise?"

"Yes." Musubi nodded. "It is the promise we must keep."

Flashback

Musubi stood on a steel girder getting a full view of the city, Karasuba sat a few feet away with a bored look on her face her eyes empty. It was a waste in her opinion, having them here still living. The same species that took one of her own, and those fools thought they'd get away with it... She could remember seeing the horror almost show on Yume's face when she had them stacked up by the dozens. "Humans are an unnecessary species on this planet." She said narrowing her eyes in on the city below. Musubi looked at her with her mouth slightly opened a confused look on her face as she turned to look ahead with a small smile. "My Ashikabi-sama who I will meet someday... I'm really sure I will like that person very, very much. They are not an unnecessary species." She said happily. Karasuba smiled softly for a moment standing up to her feet. "You say the same thing as Yume said." She closed her eyes for a moment.

"Yume-sama, did too?"

"Then how about this? We will fight and survive until we are the last two remaining. Then, we fight until one of us loses." She said smoothly. Musubi felt a pang of excitement rush through her at the very mention of it.

"Karasuba-sama and me?"

"If you win, what you are saying is right. If it's the opposite and..."

Flashback End

"My promise with Karasuba-sama is to survive the fights until we are the last two remaining."Minato widened his eyes at that as Musubi looked out the window again with a gleeful smile. "And I will definitely win over her," she said with steely resolve reaching her arms out animatedly. "And free all the broken-winged Sekireis into the sky again." She placed her hands over her heart closing her eyes while she pasued, Minato looked at her listening intently. "Being separated from their Ashikabi-sama forever... It's too sad." She said sadness filling her voice for a moment.

"Musubi-chan..."

"I like you very much!" She said in her usual bubbly manner, coming back with a vengeance as she grinned at him, Minato looked pensive for a moment looking anywhere but her eyes holding his hand out.

"Thanks." Musubi grabbed his hand into her own bringing it down to her heart, and the mound of flesh covering it. Minato felt his face heat up as he uttered incoherent murmurs this was something he still had to get used to. "Can you feel it? It's beating so hard." She said in a soft voice.

"Y-Yes." Was all he managed to get out.

"It's so warm... I'm grateful to the gods and goddesses. For the happiness that I have here, for the people I love. " She said raising her head to look up at him a small blush spreading across her cheeks. "Landlady, Ku-chan, Matsu-san, Tsukiumi-san... For the miracle I could meet everybody." She smiled warmly staring into his gray eyes. Minato was in awe, completely speechless as he listened to his first Sekirei. She held so much conviction and confidence, it was infectious, he felt something warm in the pit of his stomach. "This feeling... How this feeling make us much stronger. I want Karasuba-sama to know this feeling too." She turned on her heel so her back was facing Minato. "That person who doesn't know anything, like a child... I really want her to know no matter what." She gushed happily spinning to on her heel facing him with a shy expression. "That's my ambition! Is it too big?"

Minato shook his head. "Not at all." He smiled. "You can do it Musubi-chan, I believe in you." Musubi felt her entire body tingle with pleasure as she felt a wave of emotions come from their link. I believe in your strong words. Your smile. He said to himself mentally as he smiled more feeling warmth spread through his entire body as he looked at Musubi smiling like ten thousand suns.

"What a farce!" Tsukiumi said offhandedly watching helicopters buzz by.

"You should have known." A voice said from the side of her. The water Sekirei whirled around to face the said person. It wasn't often somebody could sneak up on her.

"Homura."

"The plan always was for this city to be readied as a battle arena for Sekireis someday." Tsukiumi glanced at him before turning on her heel. She didn't have time or want to banter with her rival at this second.

"I shant fight against a convalescent."

"You're the one who's always one-sidedly starting the fights." The flame Sekirei fired back coolly.

"Then leave now."

"The Sekirei Plan has progressed to Phase 2." Homura started somberly. "This means a certain number of Sekireis have completed their emergence." Tsukiumi's eyes widened slightly before sadness fleeted across them. The statement hit her like a train, she knew it would come the day she'd have to fight. She wouldn't run, she wouldn't hide she'd fight and fight until she was the last one standing, but... She raised her hands cupping her heart with them. Is it... Because I became Minato's Sekirei...?

"Anything wrong?" Homura snapped her out of her musings.

"N-None of thy business." She said anxiously walking towards the edge of the building keeping her back to him. "If thou hast no intention of doing battle, do not show thyself without good reason!" She exclaimed leaping off of the building's edge. Homura stood with an impassive look on his face as he stared at the spot where she once stood. Tsukiumi was certainly going through changes, and her pride was getting the best of her like it always did.

"We're together all the time, actually..." He turned his head to the side quickly spotting another pair of MBI helicopters buzzing through the air. He knew this day would was always coming, ever since MBI was founded its sole purpose was to make this city into a battleground. As the Sekirei guardian he had a tough job watching over the rest of the little birds to make sure they weren't forcefully winged, much easier said than done. But Ryu had made his job a lot easier no one in the north was doing such brash things, but a few things he seen on the news a while back unnerved him. No, Ryu couldn't have caused that exploding building and the murder of that triad faction near the south. He'd need to wait for more information, as far as he knew Ryu was a good guy, but that brought him back to his original problem. "The seizing of the capital in order to bring Sekireis to fight full scale..." He paused. "From now on, any Sekireis who show their backs will be squashed instantly.

Shiina didn't know a whole lot about the outside world aside from the videos he watched at MBI. He had more than a gut feeling Yukari was his Ashikabi, but this was a little bit of a stretch. He never felt so strange before, people kept on looking at him funny, mostly his clothes. He wouldn't speak against Yukari since there was more than a eight percent chance she was his Ashikabi, but he'd have to question it at least. These clothes were uncomfortable and he felt out of place. "Yukari-san, are you sure this outfit isn't strange?" He asked hanging onto her hand as he awkwardly walked in a white dress that she picked out for him the other day.

"You look good! You look good! You definitely look like a girl!" She said happily

"Is that so?" He asked not sure to be confused or upset.

"They'd never notice you looking like that." Yukari explained with the same tone as she pulled him along once again. Unknown to them a car was parked just off to the side inside a person was observing them with keen interest. At his side was a messy silver haired man. "Interesting." The boy mused.

"Is something up, Mikogami?" Mutsu asked slightly distracted since he replayed the fight with Ryu in his mind over and over. There was something definitely strange about the man and dark.

"That little bird who flew away from me doesn't seem to be emerged yet." Hayato said eyeing Shiina with a careful eye. He knew what to look for, the first give away was this hair, the next obvious was he was with Yukari though he didn't know the girl's name. It wasn't important.

"A Sekirei huh?"

"Once I look at it, I really want it."

Mutsu closed his eyes with an amused smile on his face. "That's your bad habit. Well, do whatever you want." He said smoothly.

"I left it to the Sekireis, but they failed twice. I'll grab that kid by myself." He declared with a condescending smile.

Ryu stepped onto the grass that made up most of his mindscape he scanned the area with his eyes for a moment before stepping further. Not much changed from what he could see, there were still rays of light acting as a sun of sorts that it up everything in breathtaking clarity. There were flowers across the grass colored from white, yellow, to a sky blue. He meant to come here sooner, but situations provided he didn't have the privilege to come back here. He took one last look at the flowers before turning his focus to the orbs, all of them were unscathed hovering in place like they always did remaining unchanged. Two more additions were added the first being Ahiko's which he couldn't find at the moment, and there was Hari's which was a soft pink color. "Master?" He asked out loud.

"Normally I'd be happy to see you, but now I have this thing hovering around me!" Ryu whirled around to see his master sitting cross legged a frown on his face. Above him floated an indigo orb. He opened his eyes glaring at Ryu lightly standing to his feet in one motion. "Mind telling me why this is buzzing around me?"

"Well..." Ryu was trying to figure that out himself.

"Of course not, idiot." His master sighed uncrossing his arms from his chest. "But I do."

Ryu blinked hard once. Well that was a relief to here out of all the bad news he'd gotten lately. "For whatever reason, it seemed to be 'connected' to me." He reached a hand up swat the glowing sphere away but it moved a second later dodging his hand and returning to its former spot. That confused Ryu, he thought they were connected to him, but how would it be connected to his master?

"However, that can wait." His gaze hardened. "Shinto Teito has been seized..."

Ryu nodded with a thoughtful expression. "Yeah..." The thought always bothered him one day he'd be living on a battlefield once again. "If I had to guess it's to allow the Sekirei to fight at their full power."

"As perceptive as I remember, good job Ryu." His master said with approval nodding his head a few times. "You have your own 'Sekirei' eventually you'll have to fight..." Ryu stayed silent looking at his feet with a frown. "You can't save lives while you take them, I taught you that when you were very young." Ryu grimaced at that it was one of the things he never understood, and what his master would lecture him on for hours. But he did make a point, he didn't know how to act, wasn't sure if he could act he was confused and anxious.

"Your mind is clouded with unnecessary thoughts." His master sat back down closing his eyes. "More so, your heart is conflicted as is your mind. You can't fight like this..."

"I know..." Ryu said quietly. "But I don't wish to-"

"The day you kissed the first one was the day you were pulled into this." The wild haired man shook his head. "If you didn't wish to fight, or them to fight you should have never kissed her, you should have never went out to save them." Ryu clenched his fists. He never took this whole thing serious, the bonds he was still adjusting to, the influx and change of emotions that weren't his own, and to top that off this city would be seized and turned into a battlefield? Who would've ever thought that was a possibility in the bigger picture. All of his Sekirei declared they'd fight to protect him and to win this game, but even when he had two Sekirei, he always wondered why fight.

"What do you think I should do?" Ryu looked to his master with a blank expression but his eyes betrayed that.

"Why ask me?" He laughed. "You're the half witted pup who ran off." Looks like the lectures didn't do any good, or Ryu just didn't listen. It was probably both knowing the purple haired idiot. He looked at Ryu for a moment, his student looked conflicted as can be. He never seen Ryu look so doubtful and confused before, normally he was fierce and confident, courageous like when he ran off. "Okay..." Ryu looked up at him. "I can only guide you, you've chosen to live by your own ideals long ago... As you are now you can't hope to defeat MBI, even with all of your skill, power, and experience they're simply too numerous. You need a base of operations, or a place where you can plan. Maison Izumo maybe a good place, but if you intend to put a stop to this that should be your next move."

Ryu nodded in resignation.

"And don't blow it up like the other one."

"Hey I needed to do that!" Ryu argued.

"And send debris as far as two miles out..." His master sighed.

"Alright, alright." Ryu nodded sagely. "I won't."

"When I learn more about this..." He frowned swatting at the indigo orb again. "I'll let you know."

Ryu nodded things didn't need to get too emotional, so with a shared nod he slowly came out of his mindscape.

It was time to strike back.

It was time to go to Alpha point.

The eventful day was coming to an end, the sun began to set below the Izumo Inn bathing the north in an orange glow.

"What is this?" Tsukiumi asked in complete outrage. It was bad enough she was separated from her husband, but now she had to wear such a costume. Minato looked at her with slight shock, more so confusion as he took in her outfit. The outfit was a dark blue maid's outfit that almost matched her eyes, she had a white apron tied tightly around her waist pushing her breasts up slightly making them appear even bigger.

"The clothes Uzume-san gave me." Musubi said with a smile. Tsukiumi's eyes widened for a moment, the next thing she knew she had Musubi's shirt in her hands shaking her violently. Minato wasn't sure if he should step in or let Tsukiumi go on her tirade. But he liked having his arms on his shoulders and not doused with water so he just stood off to the side looking pensive.

"I'm not asking thee that! I'm asking why the heck I have to be dressed in such things!" She yelled continuing to shake her. Musubi struggled to speak, she could swear her brain was bouncing back and forth like she was. "Because your dress is so frilly and not suitable for chores!" The busty brunette explain the best she could her voice changing pitch from the strain and shaking. Chores!? Tsukiumi's eyes widened at that, she wasn't going to do such. She looked like a skimpy maid, and now she was supposed to do chores...

"Chores?" She shook Musubi even harder. "Why the hell do I have to do such...?!" She stopped shaking Musubi looking in front of her at Miya with two shopping bags in front of her. She didn't even hear her landlady come. "What?" She asked holding Musubi.

"Shopping. I'm counting on you." She said simply.

So, why do I have to...!?" Tsukiumi asked haugtily dropping Musubi to the floor with no reservations putting her hands on her hips. She didn't feel the least bit sorry for Musubi to irate about doing chores to care about anything right now. Minato looked at Musubi worriedly.

Miya tilted her head to the side smiling softly, pointing her finger up. "Those who don't work don't eat.' She said in a sickly sweet voice, a dark aura flared around her body going up to the ceiling, Tsukiumi took a step back feeling a chill travel up and down her spine in a split second. Miya enjoyed the company, but Tsukiumi was bit mouthy, but she knew how to work things into her favor. "The one who comes back first will sit next to Sahashi-san at the dinner table." Musubi's head shot up, brown eyes meant blue eyes as pink sparks meant in the middle. Tsukiumi wouldn't lose to this girl even if she was Minato's first Sekirei. Musubi had no intention of losing she was Minato's wife too.

"This side is mine!" Kusano declared pulling on his left arm.

Musubi and Tsukiumi didn't waste anymore time they took off at inhuman speeds pushing the front door open leaving trails of smoke in their path. Tsukiumi was so wrapped up in the race she forgot to change out of her maid's outfit. Minato made his way to the front door with Kusano holding his hand and Miya at his side. He took a breath nodding to himself, okay he was alive. He was more than scared when he heard the news today about MBI seizing the capital, but things were ordinary. His Sekirei were competing for his attention and affection as usual, though he wasn't completely used to it. It made him relieved that things didn't change, and he hoped they wouldn't. The orange glow became more prominent now as the sun was almost set, a navy blue blanket slowly covering the sky.

"What's the matter?" Miya asked enjoying the sunset.

"Well, how should I put it..." He struggled to come up with the words. "If it's okay to be ordinary like this." He said anxiously.

Miya giggled behind her hand looking up at the sky her eyes softening. "Because it's ordinary it's good."

Forest green hair tousled in the gentle breeze, the sky was filled with stars and a cool breeze swept through the city. It was much relief since the days were getting hotter, not that she minded. She spent most of her time training with Miya. She watched the city come to life above from a building she was perched on her staff clasped tightly in hand.

She wasn't foolish enough to leave unprepared. Her blue eyes widened as she executed a half turn like the cement rooftop was ice as she slid across it, staff screaming through the air as a man dressed in black dodged the wide arc landing on the edge of the building narrowing his eyes. Toyotama stabbed her staff through the cement narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"Homura..." She hissed venom dripping from her voice.

"Toyotama, I see you're as rude as ever." He said coolly dusting his shoulders off even though he wasn't hit.

"What do you want... Speak now..." She said lowly narrowing her eyes even more. She didn't have time to deal with this silver haired punk getting in her business. She had bigger things to worry about like preparing for the battle that's coming. All day long she thought of Ryu how protective he was, he didn't want her to fight, didn't want any of them to fight. But she'd be damned...

"Phase 2 has started..."

"I already know that..."

"-I hear you're aiming to be the strongest..." Homura's eyes softened as he seen the anger ebb from his younger chagrin. Toyotama turned on her heel battling with herself, she had been having many internal battles lately.

"You single numbers aren't all what you're cracked up to be!" She spat with nothing but contempt. She was into gossip, she kept her ears open, she heard of the fear of any single number. They were supposed to be head and shoulders over the rest, bullshit! She was just as good, she trained with all her heart and soul and fought just to fight but... "I used to fight just for the fight, for the thrill. I wanted to show I was the best stronger than you..." She turned back with less heat in her glare.

"You fight for your Ashikabi..." Homura said softly but there was no insult in his voice, but endearment.

Toyotama nodded slowly holding a hand to her beating heart, even now that stupid purple haired boy was running through her mind like a whirlwind. His idiotic grin, his constant need to fuss over them at times, his inability to speak when she makes her advances. "Yes, I want to be the strongest, still..." She took a breath. "But, that man drives me wild sometimes." She shook her head helplessly it was the truth ever since she used him to wing herself he just drove her wild, but it wasn't all in a bad way. "I want to become the strongest so I can protect him..." She turned to face him pointing her staff threateningly. "If you tell him I swear!"

Homura chuckled quietly shaking his head in exasperation. When he thought about it their relationship was a lot like his and Tsukiumi's except Toyotama absolutely hated him. With Tsukiumi it was built on a rivalry, this was one sided Toyotama held a hatred for him and the rest of the single numbers. "Don't worry, he makes my job a lot easier." Homura said coolly waving his hand.

"I'm tired of you buzzing around me flame boy, don't show up in front of me unless you're ready to battle." She said angrily leaping off of the rooftop, twirling into a front flip as she headed for the ground.

There's two of them now... The flame Sekirei thought with mild amusement.