A/N:
Hey everyone, Phen0m20 here with an update to everyone's favorite Uzume-centric Sekirei fic, Veil of Passion. I wanted to get this out by Valentines Day, but some personal matters needed to be attended to at the time, so it couldn't be helped.
I'd like to thank both Godric Kharg and Razor Scion for helping me layout and plan this particular chapter. If I didn't have their help, chances are you'd all be waiting a bit longer for this update.
That's not to say I think this chapter is perfect. I still feel like I skimmed on a few details, but I'll let you guys be the judge of whether or not I failed.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. Hope you enjoy. :)
Bonds: Part 2
Uzume shut the curtains in one swift swipe.
"Oh man, oh man…" she thought. "Just when I thought things couldn't get any more awkward tonight...'"
She peeked an eye through the curtain again.
For the most part, the fight outside was a stalemate. No one seemed to be getting the better of the other, though that was likely to change soon given Kusano's involvement.
If she got terminated...
"They must have spied on us while we were on our not-date. Dammit, this is all my fault." she thought aloud, practically tearing her hair out. "I should have just came here alone instead of with Minato. Gaaaaah! Either way, what's done is done. Think Uzume! Think!"
Following a mental bombardment of ideas, her eyes grew wider upon a sudden stroke of intuition. She snapped her fingers and pulled her fist down triumphantly. "I got it! It's a long shot, but it might just work..."
She pulls out a pen and paper from her cleavage and starts jotting down something on it...
XXXXX
Meanwhile...
Minato looked at his pale face in the restroom mirror. His rental suit was all bloodied, and two twisted tissues were shoved up his nostrils.
The one tissue Chiho gave him was enough to take care of the nosebleed he had when he stood outside the door earlier. But once he overheard talk about baby-making, a crimson flow gushed down his suit. He rushed off to the nearest men's room to regain composure, keeping his fingers pinched on his nose all the way. It didn't really help much, since a trail of little red droplets pitter-pattered from outside Chiho's hospital suite to the men's room.
"Okay," he said, trying to sniff a few times. "I think that should do it. Now to get back to the girls..."
Moseying out of the lavatory, he found Chiho there waiting for him in her wheelchair, her large, brown irises fixated on his plugged up nostrils.
She tilted her head to her shoulder and flashed him a smile. "Hi, Minato. Feeling better?"
"Oh hey, Chiho. Sorry for up and leaving like that. I had to-"
She cut him off before he could finish. "Oh, no need to apologize. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."
His mind wandered on what she meant by that. Did she think he was in there to relieve himself, or if he was engaging in hand to gland combat? Both perhaps? This was getting awkward. Though it was probably just his own anxiety at fault. Either way, he had to change the subject.
"So, um...what are you doing here? And where's Uzume?" he asked.
"I just decided to come check on you is all. I called out to you multiple times to come back in, but you never answered. As for Uzume, she's still back in my room waiting for us." A sinister doll smile curved on her lips. "Why? Were you thinking about her a lot in there? I bet you were..." she giggled.
Yeah, now he knew he had to change the subject.
"Oh, um...no, no! I-It's not what you think, I swear!" Minato said, scrambling his hands about in the air. It was as if he were trying to grab an invisible thought bubble that had a good excuse written in it.
She laughed a little more, waving a hand before her nose dismissively. "Calm down, Minato, I'm only joking."
"Joking...joking...yeah, you were joking of course! Ahahaha...hehhh…"
The sound of approaching footsteps clicked along the tiled hallway. Minato and Chiho averted their gazes to see who it was.
A bespectacled man, fully adorn in striped business attire came skulking their way with a finger lightly placed upon the rim of his glasses.
He halted before the two and after clearing his throat, addressed the wheelchair bound girl. "Miss Hidaka, it's after hours. Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"Sorry Mr. Kakizaki." She said, grabbing Minato's hand. "I just left to check on my cousin is all."
"Her cousin?" Minato pondered to himself before he had the chance to speak.
"Your cousin?" Kakizaki paraphrased. His eyes scan over Minato's features accusingly, noting his plugged-up nose. "So I take it he's the one responsible for this trail of blood on the hallway?"
Minato was taken aback for a moment, but soon muttered his response rapidly. "Oh, um, yes! I'm truly sorry for the mishap. I just had a sudden nosebleed is all."
"Is that so? Hmm, I see." the man named Kakizaki trailed on. His voice fell a bit deeper. Now it looked like he meant business. "I don't think I've seen you around here before. Tell me, what's your name?"
Minato began to speak. "Well, you see I-"
"His name is Kamisori" Chiho interjected, nudging Minato's arm with her elbow and pulling at his shirt. "Kamisori Ichi. He's my cousin from the Japanese Isles of Okinawa."
Minato was dumbfounded. "Kamisori Ichi- what the hell? Why is she lying to him?!"
"Is that so?," Kakizaki pondered. "That's funny, Miss Hidaka. I thought you didn't have any siblings."
"I was unaware of it too up until recently when I first met him tonight." Chiho explained. Minato just gawked at the both of them as Chiho continued to bullshit the suited fellow. "Kamisori recently flew in to attend school at the Shinto Teito University. Decided to see if any family was in the area. After some digging online, he came across me."
Kakizaki leaned forward, peering over the rims of his glasses. His nose almost touched Minato's. "Is that true, Mr. Ichi?"
Minato decided to play along. Chiho must have had a very good reason for not giving away his actual name to the man before them. She'd have to explain herself later.
"Um, yeah. I flew in from the Isles not too long ago to further my education. Met Chiho through Uzume online and became good friends with her."
Kakizaki stands back upright. "Well if that's the case, would you mind if I see your license, Mr. Ichi." Kakizaki asked, thrusting his hand outward, almost into Minato's diaphragm. The well-dressed man's glasses glistening above his sinister smile in the light. "I'd like to keep it for our records."
"Uh...I'm afraid I don't have a license yet. I don't drive."
Kakizaki leant in closer to Minato's face, but Minato dodged it by leaning back.
"Oh, so you flew in from the isles to go to university here, and yet you have no means of transportation? That's a bit odd if I do say so myself."
"Uh, I prefer taking public transportation. It helps me save money and I feel it's safer."
"If that's the case, then a photo ID would do just fine…"
The expression on Chiho's face turned to that of dread. It looked like her little gig was up.
The lights looming above them then start to flicker, and before long fade completely. The hospital was now completely dark.
"Oh my, what an inconvenient occurrence." Kakizaki sighed. "Oh well, I suppose I can log you into the system later." His phone then started vibrating. He put it up to his ear. "Yes, Mr. Higa? … Mhm… Yes, I see..."
"Oh my..." Chiho said, shuddering. "The power's gone out…"
"Yeah, I wonder what happened. There's no storm outside, so maybe…"
Before Minato could finish vocalizing his thought, Chiho blurted out, "Sorry to cut this short, Mr. Kakizaki, but Kamisori and I could use a little alone time together for a private talk."
"Alone time?... Private talk?... What could she mean by that?..." Minato pondered, mind wandering on things it shouldn't be. Then it hit him. "Oh, she must want to explain the situation to me in the privacy of her own room. That must be it."
"That's all well and good, but," Kakizaki snapped his phone shut, snapping Minato out of his train of thought. "I'm obligated to tell you that my boss, Mr. Higa, has ordered a full lockdown of the hospital. There is apparently a yakuza turf war taking place not far from outside our walls. It's likely that's what caused the power outage. For the safety of our patients, the entire hospital is now on lockdown, meaning no one can get in or out. It'd be wise of both of you to retreat back to Miss Hidaka's room as soon as possible. And be sure to keep away from the windows less you want to run the chance of getting a bullet through the head."
Minato swallowed a lump in his throat from the thought of that. "A-Alright, we will. Thank you, sir. C'mon Chiho. Lets get back to your room."
"Okay, Kamisori."
As Minato gripped the wheelchair's handles and strolled past Kakizaki, he couldn't help but notice a very unsettling aura. The man, while nice enough with his first impression, gave him this...look, as he passed him by. One that can only be described as a squinty-eyed creeper's grimace.
Something wasn't right about this, and it made Minato feel all the more troubled by the fact that Chiho blatantly lied about who he was and why he was here. Something was up. Something big, and really, really bad. He felt it churning in his gut.
Maybe it was just his anxiety acting up again?
Hopefully Chiho would be willing to shed some light on the situation once they're out of Kakizaki's earshot. Speaking of lights, the corridor was awfully dark. He had to be extra careful not to stumble on anything in his path for both his and Chiho's sake.
Hopefully the back up generators would kick in soon. They probably have, but are likely just used to keep life support patients stabilized. Saving the generator's power for those who REALLY need it.
XXXXX
Outside the hospital…
As the battle raged on, a multitude of craters had been punched in through the now ravaged street and sidewalk. The splintered remains of a powerline pole stretched across the road, its snapped cables whipping and hissing about like angry vipers. This was likely the cause of the hospital's power outage.
Musubi crawled her way out from beneath it, having been sent through the thing by Kaie's whiplash attack. Though her clothes were torn and her lip was busted open, she shrugged off the pain and spat out the blood. This was a good fight, and she was doing it all for her Ashikabi.
Kusano was handling herself surprisingly well against Oriha. In fact, the match was completely one-sided. Ku just strung the blade top girl up in some thick vine that erupted from the pot on her head and that was all she wrote. Oriha kicked and pounded her fists on the vine in a hissy fit, but freedom would not be attained. Not even her bladed tops were able to cut through it. She passed out from her tantrum not long after.
Tsukiumi leaped back as Toyotama soldiered in with her spear-tipped staff. The water Sekirei side stepped a few forward jabs and upon crouching, swiped her leg at Toyotama's shins. Toyotama lost balance, but quickly regained control by grabbing Tsukiumi's arm and cartwheeling back to vertical balance.
Sekirei #09 retaliated by grasping Toyotama's staff. After a struggle of power, both leapt back, re-entering their battle positions and heavily panting.
Musubi and Ku also leaped back beside Tsukiumi, having distanced themselves from Oriha and Kaie respectively.
"So," Toyotama began, panting. "Do you give up yet?"
"Ha!" Tsukiumi boasted, a bouncy pride welling in her ample chest. She aimed a finger at the dangling Oriha. "Our battle has only just begun, and thou art already down one ally!" She pointed out with furious intent.
"Shut up!" Toyotama shouted.
"Yes, for once I agree! We shalt let our fists do the talking! Have at thee, cur!"
Then, an unfamiliar laughter resonated from somewhere above them.
"AHAHAHAHA!"
The opposite forces looked around the battlefield for a moment before it said, "Up here, you fools!"
Atop the hospital, looming over the field of battle with crossed arms, a cloaked figure embellishing a veil darker than nightmares themselves stood perched on the chainlink guardrail.
Her face, hidden by the dark of night, soon revealed itself in the moonlight as a thick, grey cloud drifted by. Her face was painted a ghoulish white, with black and red streaks outlining her crow's feet and jaw like a creepy puppet from a semi-underappreciated horror movie.
She shut her eyes momentarily, revealing the lids to be painted black, and retreated to her mind for a moment. "C'mon Uzume," she thought. "you have one shot at this. Make sure to not screw it up!..."
XXX-FLASHBACK-XXX
A multitude of bangs and booms were heard throughout the hospital's ventilation system. Uzume was, for some reason, crawling through it.
"Well, here goes nothing, Uzume."
"Uzume mentally began playing the Mission Impossible theme in her head while she let her feet do the talking."
With three hard kicks to the ventilation shaft cover's weak point, it was sent flying across the broom closet and clashing against the opposite wall.
Uzume's high heels emerged from the shaft, and her body slid out not long after.
There was a clang, and she looked down to see what it was.
Her foot ended up in a mop bucket.
"Ugh, wonderful." She groaned, trying to shake the bucket off with a multitude of kicks to the air. When that failed, She grasped at the rim and started pressing it off all the while hopping up and down on her free foot. It popped off and she lost balance.
She landed ass-first with her back against the wall, the vibration causing a wet mop to come unhinged and land on her head.
She inhaled deeply through her nostrils and grumbled in frustration. A tendril of the mop blew upward from a bullet of air that spat out through her lips.
Thankfully for her, no one was around to hear her slight stumble, and with the power out, every room was on lockdown. The power being on was really the only reason she decided to go through the vents in the first place. She didn't want to be caught on camera going to where she was going and doing what she was going to be doing.
After unmasking the mop from her now soap-soaked hair, Uzume opened the broom closet door. She found herself in the psyche ward of the hospital.
"Yes, I knew I was on the right track." Uzume whispered aloud.
The backup generators then kicked back on and the hallway was once again lit. Uzume, however, didn't fret over this much. She knew that while the power was back, the security cameras were not plugged into the backup circuit breaker. The only way they could work is if the main power came back online.
That was an oversight Uzume had earlier planned to take full advantage of. Now it seems like someone had done the work for her. Given the fight outside, someone was likely sent through one of the various power lines connecting the hospital to the city's electricity grid.
Knowing the camera systems were off, she calmly walked down the brightly lit hall until she came to a door labeled 'recreation'.
She knew that in there, plenty of activities for the patients were present; including arts and crafts as well as sewing. These were mainly things to get the patient's minds off of whatever got them admitted into the hospital in the first place.
Contrary to popular belief, these 'mental wards' as most people have dubbed them mainly attend to the needs of the severely depressed and emotionally scarred. Absolute psychos were a rare breed among the occupants.
Uzume knew that many of these sewing projects had been long since abandoned. Therefore she could quickly whip up a disguise to trick the Sekirei outside into thinking she's someone else. As an added bonus, she wouldn't have to feel guilty about stealing someone else's work.
This idea she had was a long shot, but at the moment there was no other option. With these tools she would make a new outfit for herself.
Thankfully she had power over cloth, so creating the secondary outfit out of what's in there should be easy.
She reached for the knob and jerked the handle a bit as she tried to turn it. The room was locked. She contemplated kicking it open, but that would just leave more evidence behind telling Higa she was here, not to mention wake up every damn person in this section of the building's wing. Then she remembered something; the outfit she wore this evening was in fact her veil.
Unraveling part of it, she slipped it into the keyhole. After a few twists and turns, the door unlatched and she was granted entrance.
Wandering inside the moonlit room, she found a large wooden table lined with rows of sewing machines on it. Strewn about the room were pieces of cloth littered about, all of which were black. Perfect!
Uzume really did not understand how her power worked, her skill, her ability. The science of it couldn't be explained. Even her adjuster had not been able to give much insight to it. All they could do was theorize and guess. Her mind slipped to an earlier time where she was first learning her ability, to manipulate and control fabric. Her eyes sealed themselves as she pictured carefully the change in her outfit.
All the particles of dark fabric then began to float above the ground. Twisting, turning, overlapping, becoming one as they orbited the Veiled Sekirei like a hurricane. As they came closer and closer like a million bees buzzing around a hive, their speed increased until they finally slapped over and sealed to her ivory flesh. This continued until her body was completely mummified by the fabric.
A moment later, the fabric smothering her head pulled back into a hood. She opened her eyes, then approached the large window and gandered at herself in the moonlit reflection.
She inspected the new outfit thoroughly with an 'o' face, twirling around and looking over her shoulder to see her backside, making sure nothing was amiss. So long as she kept the hood on, she would be unrecognizable by anyone as being Uzume. However, in order for this to be a TRUE disguise, she'll need something to keep the others from recognizing her face. On the off chance someone caught a glance at her visage or pulled back her hood, her cover would be completely blown.
Turning, she spotted a can of unused white paint. "Ah yes, this would be very useful."
Interlocking her fingers, she cracks her knuckles and stretches. A rip is heard.
Her eyes wander to her arms, and she finds the culprit of said noise; two v-shaped tears treading down both her arms.
As she motioned her psychic control over fabric to fix said ailment, she stopped herself halfway. Noting the individual threads poking out from her exposed flesh, her first instinct was to repair the damage, but a sudden thought kept her from doing so...
An idea begins to formulate, one she'll test during the fight outside, no doubt.
Time was of the essence however, so she decided to put the thought on the backburner for the time being. She turned focus to the paint can in front of her.
After prying it open, Uzume pulled back her hood and hair, took in a big breath, closed her eyes, then dunked her face in. It dried quickly, leaving her to with the last step.
She pulled open a few drawers and found some leftover makeup. After the paint dried, she filled in the blanks with red and black streaks. In the end, her appearance was ghoulish enough to frighten even the most fearsome of Sekirei.
With her new look finally complete, she bolted out of the room and rushed to the roof.
It was time for her little game to begin…
XXX-FLASHBACK END-XXX
The black-clothed Uzume leaps from the top of the hospital, flipping mid-air as she dives down and lands to her feet, dividing the two forces. Minato's harem on her left, and Higa's on her right.
Now all eyes were on her.
She surveys both parties, both looking equally as confused as the other.
"Alright Uzume, this is good." she thought, eyes creeping from good harem to bad harem. "It doesn't seem like any of them have recognized you yet. Okay, next plan; act as Un-Uzume like as possible, and ham it up to hell and back!"
Tsukiumi spoke up. "What is the meaning of this disruption?! Canst thou seest a Sekirei battle is taking place? Begone!"
"Silence!" Uzume said, her voice a lot more notably deeper.
Uzume continued to ham it up. "Hold your tongue, Sekirei #09, for you- YOU are in the presence of a force far greater than you can imagine!"
"Just what the hell are you talking about?" Toyotama interjected. "Just get lost and let us fight!"
Uzume reared her head back and cackled. "Hahaha! Tis precisely why I have intervened!" she raved on. "I have watched from the shadows for quite some time now, and I grow bored, BORED of watching you all fight like idiots!"
Tsukiumi stomped on the ground as she raged on. "Like idiots?! How dare thee! Explain thyself at once!"
Toyotama grumbled. "Ugh, just who the hell are you anyway?"
"Who am I, you ask? Hehehe…" Uzume laughed. "I am Sekirei #66 Enma. The Marionette Sekirei. Fourth member of the illustrious discipline squad!"
"Discipline squad?!" everyone shouted in unison. They even took some steps back.
"Oh no, this is really bad, guys." Matsu intervened though her communication device. "We should really high-tail it out of here. Being on the bad side of the squad would mean nothing but trouble..."
Musubi jousts her eyes around the area cluelessly for Matsu's voice. She was nowhere to be seen. "Hey I hear Matsu, but I don't see Matsu."
"Just where on earth didst thou go anyway, Matsu?" Tsukiumi asked.
"I'm on my way back to Maison Isumo."
"What?! Thou hast abandoned us?!"
"What was I supposed to do? Beat Higa's goons over the head with my laptop or give them an impossible math quiz to figure out?! I'm not exactly well fit for combat if you couldn't notice. At the inn I can at least gain control over some of the satellite systems to fire off lasers at your attackers with my super computer."
Tsukiumi let out an aggravated grumble.
"No way," Musubi declared, eyes sparkling. "keep your computers out of this! I always wanted to fight someone really strong, and a member of the discipline squad sounds like the perfect challenge!" she stepped forward. "I, Musubi, Sekirei #88 would like to formally challenge you."
'Enma' scratched the back of her head, and grumbled. "I reject your challenge."
"What? Why?!"
'Enma' cleared her throat. "It is not you who I seek to battle. The northern ashikabi has no sins to his name, and therefore I have no qualms with the likes of you."
"'The likes of you?' Hey now what's that supposed to mean?!" Musubi yelled, cheeks puffing out like an angry bubble with steam shooting from her ears.
'Enma' ignored her and turned attention to Higa's goons. "The Eastern Ashikabi, however, now that's a different story…"
The two remaining Sekirei guarding the hospital grouped together, and readied themselves for a fight.
'Enma' took a quick glance at Oriha, who was still hanging in that vine. "Considering one of you are all tied up at the moment…that leafs only two of you for me to battle. However, I only do things one on one…now who should I choose…"
'Enma' took a moment to ponder then pointed her finger in the green head's direction. "I deem you, #16 Toyotama, most worthy of termination."
Toyotama, shooed Kaie away. "So you choose me, eh? Very well then. It's your funeral."
"So it is decided." 'Enma' began chanting random things to sound more threatening. "Now I have you deep inside my everlasting grasp. The seven bloody gates of hell is where you'll live your last. For this warrior of hell's domain before you will bring you to your death, and as the flames of hades burn strong your soul will never rest!"
"My, how poetic." Toyotama mocked. "Enough with the chitter chatter! Let's fight!"
XXXXX
Back inside the hospital…
"Uzume, we're back." Minato announced, knocking on the door a few times. The lights thankfully had come back on, so following the blood trail back to her room was pretty simple. "Hello?"
Upon entering, they both find Uzume missing.
"Huh, she's not here." Minato decided to beg the question. "I wonder where Uzume went?"
Wheeling Chiho back by her bed, he found a crumpled up old note laying crinkled upon Chiho's nightstand. He picked it up to read it.
"Hi Minato; Chiho. Sorry to leave so abruptly like this, but something urgent came up. I don't want to get into the details about it with you now, but know that I am safe. All I ask is that you keep Chiho out of harms way. Oh, and whatever you do, stay away from the windows. - Uzume"
The ronin swallowed a lump in his throat after reading the vaguely eerie message. Just what on earth could have happened to make Uzume up and leave all of a sudden? From the sounds of it, she's put herself in danger.
"Minato is something the matter?" Chiho asked, tenting her fingers.
Minato snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Chiho's voice. "Oh, um no, nothing's the matter, why do you ask?"
She presented her hand with a stern expression. "Let me see the note, Minato."
He immediately hides it behind his back. "Oh, um, what note? I don't see a note. You must be imagining things. Hahaha~"
Chiho's tan brows furrowed, expressing even more malcontent. "Yeah, very funny. Now hand it over."
Defeated, Minato hunched over to the point of bowing and handed the girl the letter.
After thoroughly scanning through it, her lips curved downward. Then she took a sigh. "You're worried about Uzume aren't you?"
"Um, yeah, a little bit. Why?"
In an unexpected action, Chiho chuckled, pushing herself from the chair and onto the bed. "There's no need to worry. My Uzume can handle herself really well. I have faith in her, and you should too."
"Well it's not that I don't have faith in her, it's just that I don't want her to get hurt is all. She's my friend, and I hate to see her get put into such dangerous situations. I just want us all to be happy."
Minato lightened up at Chiho's handling of the situation. The bond her and Uzume must have shared must have been strong given the amount of confidence she had in her ability.
He still had one question looming on his mind though. "Hey Chiho,"
"Yes?"
"Why the secrecy?"
"What secrecy?"
Minato rubbed the nape of his neck. "Well when we bumped into Mr. Kakizaki outside, you lied about who I was. Why was that?"
Kicking her legs at the metal frame of her bed, she stared up at the ceiling for a moment. "Because the less Mr. Higa and him know about you the better."
"Why is that?" Minato sat down beside her.
"Because Mr. Higa is holding me hostage."
Those words may as well have dumped a ton of bricks on Minato's head. "Holding you hostage? Hey what do you mean by that?"
"I mean he's using my medical condition and treatment here at the hospital to coerce Uzume into doing his bidding."
"That's crazy. Why on earth would he do something like that?"
"So he could eliminate other Sekirei from the tournament and give himself a better edge in claiming MBI's prize, whatever it may be."
"Eliminate other Sekirei? So you mean-"
"Yes, Higa is using my Uzume as his own personal assassin. If she attempts to go against his word, he'll stop my treatment."
"No, that can't be. That's against the law! Why haven't you told anyone about this?!"
"Because other than Uzume, I get no visitors. I have no family. Plus I don't trust anyone near or around the hospital due to their affiliation with Higa."
"I see, but why are you telling me all this now? Why do you trust me?"
"Because Uzume trusts you," she put her hand upon Minato's and smiled. "and that's enough for me."
"But what do you want me to do? Who should I tell?"
"First off, don't tell Uzume. Like Higa, she's completely oblivious to the fact that I know she's being blackmailed."
"How did you find out she was being blackmailed anyway?"
"I go through weekly therapies. All of which end with me being put under anesthesia so they can administer the treatment to fight the virus eating away at my health. Higa happened to be in the room one day while I was under, talking with Uzume while the doctors were out. When I was coming to, I noticed the two of them there, deep in conversation. I pretended to stay unconscious and listened to everything they said. That's basically how I heard of his scheme and what he was putting Uzume through."
"I see. So you heard it directly from his mouth huh?"
"Yep."
"That's awful." He put his arm around her waist. "You're a very strong young woman Chiho, being able to endure what you've been put through."
"I'm strong for Uzume. She's my inspiration; my everything. And that's why I want you to make babies with her."
The sudden change in tone gave off a whiplash effect. Minato's neck nearly snapped in two it was that abrupt. "Make babies?!"
"Yes, once I'm gone I want you to be the one who takes care of her." She pointed a finger at him and pushed his nose like a button. "You got it?"
"But she's your Sekirei though! I don't want her to cheat on you with me- or anyone for that matter!"
"It's not cheating Minato, it's a mutual agreement."
"My four other Sekirei didn't agree to anything though! The four of them are fighting over my affection day in, day out. Tsukiumi in particular would kill me if she found out I had another Sekirei on my hands!"
"So you are an Ashikabi then? Hmm, you're quite the man, taking care of four ladies under one roof. I knew I found the right person for Uzume!"
She leapt further into his arms.
Minato decided to stop arguing the point, and just spread himself out on the bed with a heavy sigh. Chiho then did the same and curled up next to him. His first instinct was to inch himself away from her, but fought against it knowing she needed some level of comfort from him.
"Uh, hey there Chiho, what are you doing?"
She nuzzled her cheek into his chest as she spoke. "You know Minato, there's something I've always wanted growing up."
"Yeah? And what's that?"
"A kiss from another boy." Chiho revealed.
Minato sat up and Chiho backed away.
"Come again?!" Minato paraphrased.
"You heard me. I always wanted to be kissed by another boy." She began twirling her finger on her leg. "And I'd like that boy...to be you if you don't mind…"
Minato's pupils were now spiraling like corkscrews. What was there to do now? He couldn't just leave her hanging…
"So," Chiho went on. "how 'bout it."
"Umm...alright I suppose I could give you a kiss on the cheek…"
Chiho gently swatted her hand across Minato's cheek. "Nu-uh, mister. We're not doing this half assed! We're going full lip lock mode. Now pucker up."
"But what about Uzume?"
"This is a mutual agreement, remember?" Chiho reminded him.
There was a momentary pause, but he finally gave in.
"A-alright if you insist…" "I really hope Tsukiumi don't catch wind of this…"
Chiho closed her eyes and puckered her lips. Her face drew closer to Minato's. He leant in, and their lips brushed together and squeezed into each other.
Their lips parted a moment later, and Chiho said, "Thank you so much Minato. That really meant a lot."
"I'm sure it did. And you're a pretty good kisser if you don't mind my saying."
"Thank you. Same here." she said, flashing a smile.
Minato nodded. "With that kiss, I promise to get you out of here. I will do everything in my power to see that you and Uzume can live happily together, now and forever."
Chiho nudged a fist into Minato's shoulder jokingly. "Hey, isn't that supposed to be the Sekirei's line?"
"I won't leave you hanging, I promise."
XXXXX
Toyotama dashed at 'Enma', pulling out her spear and lunging it at her. The supposed discipline squad member's silhouette disappeared into thin air. She dodged the blow so quickly that Toyotama's eyes couldn't keep up with her.
As Uzume passed her by she said inwardly, "Alright she's close. Good. I'm going to try something now. Not sure if it's going to work, but it's worth a shot."
Now flanked entirely behind Toyotama, 'Enma' gripped at her adversary's shoulders. With her long slender fingers she brushed the frayed sleeves of her cuffs down her back. Acting like tendrils, the threads locked themselves to Toyotama's body.
Taking note of this, 'Enma' smiled. "Hmm, this might work afterall. Time to work a little voodoo magic!"
By the time Toyotama realized what had happened, Enma was several yards behind her.
"My my," Enma yawned. "so eager to get up close and personal. Are you really that eager to die?" "That a girl, Uzume, just keep hamming it up…"
"What was that?" Toyotama grimaced, spitting at the ground.
"Okay, moment of truth." Uzume thought before saying outloud, "I said stop hitting yourself."
"Huh?"
Those words 'Enma' spoke made the spear-wielder backtrack on what she just heard. Then for some reason her fingers loosened from the spear and the same arm stretched all the way out.
Toyotama's pupils dilated. "What on earth-?"
Her fist flew right into her face at full force.
"Agh! What's- *POW* happening- *WHACK!* to me? *BAM!*"
"Holy crap, it actually worked!" Uzume said gleefully to herself. "But stay focused Uzume. Keep in-character."
'Enma' spoke up as Toyotama proceeded to beat the shit out of herself. "Oh, nothing. Just made you my personal plaything is all…"
"What do you mean, how did you do this to me? *WHACK* Explain yourself!" As her fist sailed by her jaw once again, Toyotama caught a glimpse of several thin threads glistening in the light of the full moon. "What the?! What are these?!"
"Oh so you see now?" 'Enma' giggled. "Hehe, you really shouldn't have charged at me like that. You left yourself wide open for my tiny threads to sink into your flesh. They don't call me the Marionette Sekirei for nothing, foolish girl. Now I can control every move you make! For example, if I pull at this string right here…"
"Ooof!" Toyotama dropped down to her hands and knees when another one of 'Enma's' marionette strings send her fist rocketing into her gut..
"You punch yourself in the stomach. Teeheehee." "Man, I had no idea my powers could work like this! And I'm able to do it so easily! This is awesome!"
"I'd hardly call this fair…" Toyotama said, writhing and trying her best to stand up.
'Enma' took a step back and pondered on her words.
Her words, while hypocritical, did carry some truth with them. This was not how Uzume fought her battles. Sure, she never revealed her identity on any occasion and terminated the innocent without mercy, but she always gave them a fighting chance. What she was doing to Toyotama now was just degrading and humiliating. Poor thing was helpless as a puppet on a string.
Just like Uzume was to Higa come to think of it.
The more Uzume thought about it, the shame lessened. #16 was part of Higa's harem, the same son of a bitch that was holding her Ashikabi hostage; The same bastard that blackmailed her into being his puppet. Toyotama had mocked Uzume on various occasions for this fact. Each time she did it felt like having her nose shoved further in the dirt.
Well no more.
Now Toyotama will be her puppet. When Chiho is dragged into Uzume's affairs, all bets are off!
"Like you're one to talk." 'Enma' said aloud, pulling her arms downward, along with her marionette strings. This action forced Toyotama to her hands and knees.
"Now, come crawl to me." Enma shouted, tugging at the strings a bit.
"N-Never." As she said that, her body began to move forward. "N-no…"
Enma pulled at the strings like a chain, reeling her limbs in like a carp on a line. First the right forearm came forward, then the left. The legs followed suit.
"Come crawling faster." Enma chuckled. "Obey your master."
"Wh-why are you doing this to me?" Toyotama weakly uttered. "Why not just finish me off with some dignity?!"
Enma stopped pulling and raised her hands upward so that Toyotama could stand again. She walked over and crouched down, grabbing her prey by her dark green locks.
"Mr. Minaka doesn't allow me out very much these days, mainly because I like to have too much fun with all my little marionettes. If it wasn't for the lot of you pesky little puppets fighting outside of this hospital, and cutting its power, he would not have released me. "
"Cutting the power to the hospital? What are you-"
'Enma' yanked Toyotama's head towards the downed telephone pole, which in turn yanked at the threads deeply lodged in her arms. She shouted as her body was forcibly pulled to the side. Blood trickled from the open wounds and onto the threads.
"Oh…that…"
"Yep, Toyotama. Your little kick that sent #88 through that telephone pole may have cost dozens their lives in that hospital. Which is why you must be punished and made an example of!"
"What kick? That was Kaie that sent the big boobed girl into the pole. I had nothing to do with it!"
"Well, do you see Kaie anywhere around here now?"
Toyotama looked around. The little brat must have hightailed it while the fight was taking place. Fucking coward.
Enma pulled back on the threads and launched herself forward. Her knee collides with Toyotama's already wounded stomach. Blood erupts from her mouth and onto 'Enma's' black veil.
Enma wipes a finger through the bloodstain and licks it off. "Licking her blood is disgusting but it will sell that I'm really batshit insane…"
As the defeated Sekirei panted before her, Enma pouted. "Aww, don't tell me your done playing now are you, we were just having fun…"
All Toyotama could do now was cough up more blood and wait for the end.
"Okay then," "This isn't how I fight, but it'll really put the icing on the cake that I'm nuts!" "I'll just be taking my threads back then!"
Then she remembered something. Minato's Sekirei. They were all standing on the sidelines watching this go down. If Kusano saw what she was about to do, she'd never be able to forgive herself.
"Sekirei #09, Tsukiumi!" Enma called out.
"Y-Yes? What is it?" Even Tsukiumi was shaking in her boots at what 'Enma' was capable of.
'Enma' gave them a fair warning. "You may want to shield the little one's eyes lest you want her to be traumatized. Heheheh"
Not that Enma's warning mattered. Kusano had her face hidden in Tsukiumi's leg for more than half the fight (if you could even call it that). This, however, didn't stop Tsukiumi from holding the little girl closer, nor did it keep Musubi from entering the embrace by hunching down to one knee and encircling her arm around Ku's petite body.
With the biggest threat eliminated, 'Enma' hammered her boot atop Toyotama's spine, and with a harsh tug, yanked every last thread from the helpless Sekirei's body. Deep skin ripped from bone like fleshy ribbons, and a dark crimson tide erupted from the lacerations. Toyotama screamed in pain until her voice cracked, then collapsed to the ground jaw-first.
Everyone flinched at the gruesome sight.
As her body lay twitching. The others looked on.
Kusano was weeping on Tsukiumi's leg. Thankfully Musubi did the girl a favor and covered her ears so Ku could neither see or hear no evil.
Tsukiumi herself was mind-fucked. She could only shudder at the thought of all the threads being ripped from her being at once. It made her heart quake in terror.
And Musubi just kept shaking her head trying to erase the horrific image from her mind.
'Enma' placed a finger on Toyotama's back and whispered her incantation directly into her ear. "By the veil of my contract, my Ashikabi's nightmares will be dispelled."
The spear Sekirei's eyes widened, knowing full well who the incantation belonged to. But she was unable to say anything in response from the immense shock on her body. Not long after, Toyotama's Sekirei crest disappeared into the cool night air.
Laid out, her body was now lifeless.
"Now that that's done with…" With a shaft head tilt, 'Enma' asked the onlooking Sekirei "Would you like to play a game with me next? Hehe…"
The three legged it the fuck out of there, leaving behind a trail of grey dust in their wake, seemingly forgetting that their Ashikabi was still inside the hospital.
'Enma' sighed a breath of great relief. "Thank god, fighting's done. Now I just gotta get out of here before MBI shows up to retrieve the body…
XXXXX
Kazehana's legs dangled off the precipice on a building not so distant from the events that took place far below. The well endowed Sekirei took a swig of the large sake bottle in her hand downing the last of it and set it beside her, watching as 'Enma' fled the scene of battle.
The moonlight once again crept its way out from the clouds.
After a swipe of the arm across her mouth, Kazehana watched the strange bird distance herself from her now terminated opponent.
This wasn't how Sekirei battles were supposed to go down. Once a victor is declared, MBI comes to retrieve the body and declare who the winner is. If the winner wasn't there, then what purpose for battle was there?
This was a rule among all Sekirei. One that none were supposed to break.
The Western winds began to frill her hair to the right. "There's a rather bitter wind beckoning me tonight."
With that thought, she came to her feet and began pursuit of the vigilante Sekirei in hopes for answers.
XXXXX
Uzume found herself leaping from rooftop to rooftop. But something wasn't right. She felt weak. All too weak.
Why? She practically dominated Toyotama back there with no effort whatsoever.
Something was up so she stopped to catch her breath.
Could it have been that she was overexerting herself on this newfound power she had at her disposal? That her adrenaline kicked in once she thought about protecting Chiho? That was likely it. Like Bi-Polar disorder, she had her up and was now experiencing her down.
She sank to one knee, and looked behind her. The hospital loomed in the distance. It should be safe to take a breather here. The distance was far enough for no one to catch her.
Eyes closed, she turned back around and took some more hearty breaths.
She hears someone clearing their throat in front of her.
Uzume nearly has a heart attack.
She opens one eye and sees purple slip on high heels. Her sight ascends upward, following dark purple dress, revealing the figure's cleavage and navel in multiple diamond-shaped openings. She gazes past Kazehana's massive mammaries to her face as she says, "I saw everything. Now explain."
A/N:
Well, that right there ends the "Bonds" story arc.
For the most part, I'm proud with what I did. The marionette powers I gave Uzume in this just came to me as a random idea one day and I decided to roll with it. I mean, Uzume controls cloth, so one would assume she should be able to manipulate the very threads that make it up.
I do feel that I did go overboard with her termination of Toyotama, as both Godric and Razor stated that it's too over the top violent for this fic's genre. But I ultimately decided to leave it in to further Uzume's/Enma's character dynamic. She's now able to fight back against Higa without being traced back to, so a burst of well-deserved hatred and rage isn't something that would be too out of the ordinary. Plus Kusano's eyes and ears were shielded, so it's not like I went too over the top. Perhaps.
This fic isn't going to be all lovey-dovey sexy-time, kiddo's. Shit's gonna get real every now and then.
The next chapter is going to diverge from the darkness a bit. How so? Well, you'll see. All I can say is prepare for the unexpected.
On that note, there are two metal songs I had Enma reference in this chapter. One of them should be fairly easy to guess, but the other will only be pointed out from a real metal head. If someone can guess it right, then you get a shout out in the next installment.
Take care, guys.