A/N:
Phen0m20:
One year. It's been exactly one year since I've graced this story with an update. Over that year a lot of stuff has went down. Bad things both onlline and off. Loss of loved ones, a childhood home forclosing, and while all this was happening Veil was plagiarized at one point which further twisted the metaphorical knife.
For those out of the know, while Veil was on hiatus it was plagiarized by someone. I had earlier planned to expose this person publicly for his actions, as not only was he rude and ignorant leading up to it all, but he also undermined my role in Veil's creation in his half-assed public apology. However, circumstances arose that have convinced me to drop the issue so long as it never happens again and he distances himself from me and my cohorts entirely.
In a sense it's kind of flattering to know my editor and I have put work out there someone believed was worthy to steal, but that still doesn't make it any less wrong to do.
However, I'm not by any means against others using our work to draw inspiration from so long as proper credit is given and I'm notified of said intentions before hand. That and said work isn't a blatant carbon copy, but that goes without saying.
Over the last few months I have been sharing Veil and Saw on a forum website specializing in NSFW stories called Questionable Questing. I was initially going to be publishing my work there first so members of the site can have early access before I publish my stuff here, but given the lack of attention it's been getting there as of late I'm tempted to do away with that idea unless feedback starts to pick up again...and given the fact I don't know when I'm going to be updating this fic again, that leaves me unable to comment further on it.
When I get out of this funk I'm in and you would like early access to Veil about a week before it's published here, by all means sign up. That's the only way you'll be able to read it there anyway, as people who aren't members can't view the nsfw content.
However, I must further stress that if you want to join the site you educate yourself on the rules and don't just start doing whatever the fuck you want like creating sock puppet accounts to continue creeping on people that may have blocked you and derailing their threads off topic. That shit is grounds for a permaban, so look before you leap.
Anyway, at the end of this chapter there is going to be an announcement regarding the future of my stories. I hope this was worth the wait for everyone.
Mordreek:
"It's been a great ride."
XXXXX
The Ultimatum
"Oh really?"
With a small 'eep!' Uzume felt her body seize up, her spine ramrod straight and shoulders pulled back as she suddenly felt the presence of her Violet tressed landlady behind her. She cursed her verbal slip but resolutely refused to turn around, hoping beyond hope that Miya would get bored and-
"And just what would be leading to your imminent demise Uzume-san?"
"Nothing." Uzume answered back, wincing hard as she realized that she had done so way too quickly for her response to be anything but a confirmation of quilt. Still, she couldn't give up yet, "I was shocked by what Kagari-san told us, nothing special hehehe. Why don't I just go and start setting up the te-"
"Uzume, look at me. Now."
Said Sekirei tried to fight the order and keep walking, but Uzume's body (and survival instinct it must be said) betrayed her and slowly forced itself around so that she could see the stern, stone-like countenance of one Asama Miya, who was not amused in the slightest. It didn't help that the rest of the Inn's inhabitants had caught wind of their little drama and were looking at them with a myriad of expressions ranging from curiosity and bewilderment (Kusano and Musubi.), care and concern (Minato, Matsu and Kazehana.), or the just plain befuddled suspicion that adorned Kagari's face.
Tsukiumi's visage out of all of them was the most neutral in a visual representation of her present efforts to not jump to conclusions, the landlady seemed to have the matter well in hand so it seemed that Tsukiumi had kept herself strictly in the passive role for the moment.
All of this only served to reinforce the pressure on Uzume to spill the beans about her not-so-little slip up when Homura had dropped the bomb about Minaka's latest brainfart. Not that Miya needed the support in putting the squeeze on Uzume it must be said, but it kept Uzume's mind firmly aware that what could have been a quiet confession and admission to her elder had now turned into a borderline intervention admission and that it was not going to be pretty.
"Uzume, since I have come home I have, to wit: Seen my yard and second floor of MY HUSBAND'S INN turned into a warzone with you as one of the brawling parties, had to mediate through more drama, misconceptions, and outright nonsense than 3 seasons of Hentai-glasses' favorite soap operas. I have gone through 4 pots of perfectly good tea that were chugged like yankee soda pop and have a headache of Imperial proportions. I have run out of patience, forbearance, and willingness to tolerate any amount of prevarication. You will tell me what you meant with your little outburst or, Kami as my witness, I will boot your flashing bottom out from under my roof tanned so red it will be able to do duty as a stop sign. AM...I...CLEAR?"
What made Miya's rant all the more terrifying for Uzume (and truth be told for everyone else within earshot.) what the absolutely calm and placid tone it had been delivered in, as if Miya had simply been listing a pile of groceries she needed instead of telling her current target that she had long since reached the end of her rope and was more than willing to use it to shibari the next person foolish enough to test her. No ladle bonking, no summoning of Cthullu's Kabuki cousin, just complete and total cessation of tolerance.
Uzume tried as hard as she could to avoid Miya's stare but couldn't help glancing at Miya's unusually opened eyes that showed how deadly serious she was. It reminded Uzume of what she assumed a black hole looked like, an implacable, merciless void consuming all before it.
Screw the mask Uzume thought to herself as cold sweat gather and ran down her back, This is Miya's real scary face.
Taking a deep breath and pulling herself inwards in anticipation of the ensuing storm, Uzume softly but clearly let the bomb drop.
"I'm Enma."
A large gasp echoed in the room as most of the inhabitants took a moment to process Uzume's latest confession, Miya of course showing no signs of having heard it except an infinitesimal closing of her eyes.
And of course Matsu wasn't fazed at all, "Why are you all acting so shocked? Wasn't it obvious?" Kusano shook her head, still really confused as to why Uzume-nee-chan was in trouble...again. She had thought Uzume-nee-chan had made up with everyone. Mou she pouted to herself mentally, Ku hopes Uzume-nee-chan stops being naughty or Ku will never get another big sister to play with. She was about to move forward and question her co-enjoyer of silly costumes when Minato turned away from the scene to kiss her on the forehead and tell her quietly to go upstairs to bed. When she initially resisted, Minato gave her a surprisingly firm look that convinced the pint-sized girl that now was not the time to make a nuisance of herself and nod her head softy, holding her hands upwards to signal her desire to have her onii-chan carry her off to be tucked in.
Picking her up, Minato took her up the stairs as her eyes were already drooping, trusting his flock to catch himself up when he returned.
"Matsu!" Tsukiumi shouted, rounding on her fellow flock member. "Don't tellest me that thou knew all along without letting us know! Tis most-"
"Relax, Tsukiumi. At the time the incident happened it was only a suspicion. Now having learned Uzume's story about how she was coerced into being an assassin for that slimeball Higa, the pieces just fell into place for me." Matsu retorted calmly, deflating Tsukiumi well before she could get started, this was going to be tricky enough to handle without Tsukiumi letting loose.
"Pieces?" Musubi inquired, her isolated lock of hair forming a question mark above her head to the sweat drop of many in the room despite the tense atmosphere. "Musubi doesn't remember that anything got broken to pieces."
"What pieces?" Minato reiterated as he came back down, Kusano had been remarkably easy to tuck into bed thanks to how hard she'd worked today helping fix the lawn. He'd promised that he'd make time to play whatever she wanted before she'd nodded off completely, the smile on her face as he'd done so almost worth the things they'd all gone through today.
Matsu chose to ignore Musubi inane inquiries and instead turned to her Ashikabi, using his echoed question as a springboard for her big reveal,
"Well for one thing we have Uzume's penchant for making costumes at a moment's notice and the one 'Enma' was wearing that night wasn't far off from what I could see Uzume throwing together on last second. Don't get me wrong it was hardly the worst outfit I've ever seen but it definitely had that 'Long as I'm not naked and somewhat intimidating, it works.' chic' to it." Matsu rattled off to the room, her attempts at humor making a teeny dent in the heavy atmosphere created by a still implacably staring Miya.
"My, how flattering…" Uzume huffed to herself with a dead-pan expression before one look at Miya reminded her she was in trouble and Uzume hunched back down...assuming she survived this, she was going to have words with her housemate about the jabs at her fashion sense. Yeah she'd been desperate but her Enma outfit had been pretty good Uzume thought.
"Second was her refusal to fight Musubi when she directly challenged her to a battle." Matsu continued, pointing to the Sekirei in question to reinforce her point, " Based on the way 'Enma' acted, a fight with Musubi should have been right up her alley."
"Speaking of which, Musubi still wants to test herself against Enma the next time Musubi sees her!" the gleam of challenge sparkled in Musubi's eyes as she said that, her errant lock standing straight up as if to add emphasis.
"You do realize Enma is sitting right in front of you now, right?" Uzume said sourly, feeling more than a little annoyed that her life changing confession had somehow managed to go over the airhead's...well, head. Seriously, what would it take to-
"The person Musubi saw that night was nothing like Uzume! Uzume could never put up a fight like that!" Musubi declared firmly, managing to forget or ignore the battle to near-death that had occurred earlier today.
"Excuse me?!" Uzume's eyes bulged, this wasn't Musubi being thick or clueless, this was clearly Uzume being dismissed by the other Sekirei and she felt her hands curling into fists as she tried to suppress the urge to clock the...bimbo in her smug head, hmph!
XXXXX
Tsukiumi promptly clasped her hands over Musubi's mouth and whispered into her ear. "Silence, Musubi! Sheath thy tongue before thou provoke the demon residing inside her!" A slight exaggeration to be sure but Tsukiumi was well aware that trying to use subtlety on Musubi was like trying to feed salad to a great white shark, it was pointless and only brought you pain. She refused to let go until Musubi gave a muffled groan of assent and relaxed her body, leaving Tsukiumi to step back a little ways but close enough to rush in again should Musubi's enthusiasm get the better of her once again.
Tsukiumi couldn't help but shiver in terror at the mere thought of being marionetted by that Enma creature, er, Uzume rather. If Uzume had been fighting at her full potential I may not have stood a chance Tsukiumi thought to herself, shame once more coloring her thoughts at the recollection that she'd not held back nearly as much in return. The rage in her eyes that had appeared earlier in the day when she'd threatened death on Uzume's Ashikabi… even in her state of undress she put forth a valiant effort. With her Veil...Tsukiumi had little doubt the battle would have gone on as before...and most likely to a much closer ending too.
Matsu cleared her throat, ignoring the interruption regally. "And the last piece of evidence would be the marionette powers. Granted I never saw the full extent of Uzume's abilities until that night, but once I saw Uzume's ability to manipulate her veil during that little stroll through the park where she stopped a tree from collapsing on Minato, it was easy-peasy to make the connection." There was more of course, but considering that Uzume had already spilled the most important beans, it really didn't seem to matter in Matsu's mind if she called attention to all the other little details. Uzume was having a hard enough time as it was, and Matsu still owed her.
Miya giggled lightly, raising her sleeve to hide her face even as she kept Uzume firmly within her crosshairs. "Perhaps from now on we should call you the detective Sekirei instead, hmm? You seem to know *so much* of what goes on in my inn that it surprises even me." Despite the light tone of her voice, the warning of keeping secrets was all too clear to Matsu, who didn't regret it for an instant, knowing full well Miya was just as guilty and merely trying to ensure compliance.
"That's right Matsu, I keep finding myself more and more impressed with how brilliant you are." Minato said to her, giving her a supportive hug that had the redhead flushing in happiness. She knew they had bigger fish to fry but she couldn't help but marvel at how much a difference the little gestures made.
The rest didn't notice this undercurrent and followed Minato's sincere compliments on her deductive reasoning and even Uzume had to admit she was impressed that Matsu had put it altogether...but she also noticed that Matsu had only said something after the cat was out of the bag. She promised herself if she made it out of this she'd pay her friend back.
The praises and compliments halted there unfortunately, as the room went silent due to Minato's smart phone suddenly coming to life. On screen was the madman behind the Sekirei Plan itself, Minaka Hiroto, and surrounding him from all sides were three ladies, likely Sekirei. One sported pink hair and a sidetail, next to her was a woman wrapped in bandages with metal claws on her hands, and the last was a grey haired sword wielder, who in spite of looking the most normal out of the three seemed the most threatening.
It was to her that Miya gave perhaps the closest any of the Inn dwellers to a look of loathing, although their attention was pulled away to the gibbering lunatic on the mini-screen and what becoming evident was a repeat of his earlier message that had riled Homura on his arrival. Minato supposed that it was delayed thanks to Matsu's countermeasures against MBI...which may actually be a problem down the road now that he considered it, but he needed to put a pin in it, crazy rich man with army comes first.
"Greetings, participants of the Sekirei Plan. I, Hiroto Minaka am taking time out of my busy schedule to broadcast this message live to all of your smart phones. You see, an important discovery was recently made, a discovery that I would be most unwise to not address as soon as possible, hence the risk I am taking. So I highly advise those of you who are in populated areas to either turn down the volume of your device, or hightail it to a secluded location immediately unless you wish to risk word of it getting out to the public. If said leak does happen you will be held solely responsible and will be dealt with accordingly as stipulated when you volunteered for the Sekirei Plan. I will pause for a moment to give you some time to hightail it from earshot, starting now..."
Uzume couldn't help but roll her eyes at his pause, along with everyone else in the room she noticed. The fruitcake was still deluding himself that the Sekirei Plan is still some kind of a top-secret project when there have been multiple fucking sightings of superpowered women jumping from building to building and causing millions of dollars worth of property damage with abilities no amount of money or 'special effects' excuses could cover up. Even Minaka's control of the local news stations can't keep it from leaking to the internet no matter how much money or tech he threw at the problem, so how he still thought it was a cunningly disguised plan was beyond her.
"That should be enough time, if it wasn't, well you slowpokes would have been eliminated anyway, so who cares?! Alright, now listen closely as I'm only going to say this once: It has recently been brought to my attention that a new Sekirei has appeared. She goes by the name 'Enma' and has labeled herself not only as Sekirei #66, but also a member of the magnificent Discipline Squad. This, however, was a blatant lie. To my right, left, and center are the only three active members of the squad; Karasuba, Benitsubasa, and Haihane respectively. To further pile on the guilt, the Black Sekirei tracked down said number and eliminated her with such ease that it could hardly qualify as lifting a even a finger. Given the graphic description provided to us by an anonymous third-party whom witnessed the initial incident in front of a hospital the other night, as well as providing photo and video evidence to support their findings, I am led to believe this Sekirei has gone rogue and is using a false identity to avoid participation in the glorious games I've been providing, which is a big no-no."
Uzume wasn't the only person in the room wondering if Minaka meant that non-participation was the big issue rather than the false identity or brutal beatdown. The man had a fixation on his 'games' that many would call downright unwholesome, and it wouldn't surprise anyone that he'd be okay with much worse than what 'Enma' had pulled as long as they played to Minaka's grandstanding.
Clips of Enma's path of destruction were shown shown in Minato's vid screen, making him very glad that he'd tucked Kusano into bed, there was no reason for her to see one of her "nee-chans" in such a state, even if it was justified. Looking up, he saw that Miya had joined them in perusing the screen and she nodded at him when their eyes met, giving Minato the impression that she was on the same page and approving of his actions. The clip show of brutality ended soon however, and Minaka's voice once more sounded in the Izumo inn,
"Therefore, to avoid any more incidents such as this, I am officially announcing twenty-one days from now, all Sekirei who have gone unwinged will be terminated automatically and removed from the game. No exceptions."
Kazehana had a face of grief and disbelief as she watched from the back of the group, Matsu having an arm around her shoulder. She couldn't reconcile the man in the screen now throwing out casual assurances of termination and severed bonds with the vibrantly passionate man she'd fallen for in her younger days. Had she truly been that blind to not see the warning signs of the madness so clear to her now...or had the insanity crept over his psyche a little at a time until there was nothing left of the man with big dreams for a better world?
Minato felt a very...plush form almost slam into him and a pair of slender arms wrap around his torse, a quick glance telling him that Kazehana had apparently had enough and needed comforting. Patting one of her arms gently, he hoped that she would feel better soon, but he could understand how someone so devoted to love and romance would find the things Minaka was saying so distressing.
"However, if this 'marionette Sekirei' happens to become winged during this time, a prize awaits the Ashikabi successful in doing so. Not only will said person have a powerful Sekirei under their control, but I will personally see to it that both this Sekirei and Ashikabi become an official part of the Discipline Squad. That's right, Enma, if that is your real name, you've impressed me so much with your ruthless aggression that I personally want you as a fourth enforcer for the shield of the Sekirei Plan; My hounds of justice!"
At this point in the proclamation Uzume's jaw decided Minato wasn't the only one it wanted to make out with and made a valiant effort to kiss the floor, her eyes equally determined to bulge out of her head. To be fair, hers weren't the only extreme reaction to the announcement; Matsu had facepalmed right over her glasses without noticing, a deep groan issuing from behind said dainty appendage. Tsukiumi's face was twisted as she tried to figure out if there was any logic to the scenario considering who 'Enma' really was and based on the scrunching of her nose, was failing miserably. Miya's left eye was twitching involuntarily so much she looked in danger of having a stroke, the air around her feeling sub-zero cold. Homura stared at the phone with enough loathing that Minato was worried that he'd need to put it down before it exploded in his hand thanks to the intensity of the gaze. And Minato was busy trying to both comfort Kazehana and make sure she wasn't gripping him hard enough to negate his rather critical ability to breath.
But of course Minaka had to get the last word, and so they all tabled their broken brains for later reassembly to see if there was anything else the lunatic had to add to the disaster they were dealing with.
"So what are you all waiting for? The hunt is on and the clock is ticking! Good luck, everybody, and may the best Ashikabi win!"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the screen went dark, glad to know that-
"Oh, almost forgot. To prevent this message from being leaked I've made it so your phones will self-destruct five seconds after the broadcast ends, so I suggest you drop it and back away a good distance. Toodles!"
XXXXX
Minato immediately hurled the phone away from everyone gathered around him, in his haste to keep everyone safe he'd neglected to actually aim the newly created tech-grenade...and managed to launch it clear through one of the windows of the Inn. Even as he sighed in relief that no one had gotten hurt he could feel a very familiar bit of dread creeping on him from off to the side. Despite the instinctive urge to hide himself in a very small hole somewhere very far away, (Siberia maybe?) Minato looked towards his landlady and saw exactly what he expected...the Mask was out in full force, complete with the music that appeared out of nowhere.
"Sahashi-san..."
"Yes Asama-dono?"
"Could you explain to me what you just did?"
Minato swallowed compulsively, "I-I, well, I was throwing away my phone which had become a danger to the Inn and its inhabitants?"
"True, and I thank you for that...however, could you perchance look to your right?"
Confused by the random non-sequitor, Minato obliged her and indeed looked to his right only to find..."the door is open."
Miya's mask started dripping blood tears as her 'smile' broadened, "Indeed, and would it have been just as effective in eliminating the threat of the exploding phone as breaking a window would have?" She asked in the terrifying sweetness Minato had come to think was used by cats just about to eat their prey.
Minato's shoulders slumped even as Kazehana's hug tightened on him in a silent gesture of support, "I'm sorry Miya-sama, I didn't mean to make things worse, I just wanted to keep everyone safe. I will of course fix and pay for the materials, I beg of you not to banish us permanently for this transgression." he said mournfully, that was just great, he'd barely started on getting his flock back in the Inn and now he'd made things worse thanks to his panic attack.
Also, in a peevish sort of way, he was starting to wonder if that phone was going to go off or if that had been a dick-move by Minaka to mess with people, and by extension getting him in trouble with his still-glaring landlady.
Miya kept her gimlet gaze on him a moment longer...which completely ignored the poomf of the phone going boom in the yard (Vindication! Minato thought with a quickly hidden burst of satisfaction) but despite appearances, she wasn't going to turn him out for good. Oh he'd be paying top dollar for the best glass as a replacement by the Kamis he would...but it'd be cruel of her to punish him for having all their well-being at heart with his gesture. Why did the good one's always require such training...where has that thought come from.
Regardless, Miya banished her mask after a moment's stewing for the man in front of her, " No need to beg Sahashi-san, although you will be paying for the best glass as a replacement, I will hardly exile you for doing your duty to keep your fellow tenants safe. Although if your...enthusiasm outstrips your awareness again I will have to increase the punishment is that understood?" Seeing him nod rapidly satisfied Miya that she'd made her point and with that, she put an end to the digression so that the real issue could be dealt with.
"There, now that that has been settled, I think it behooves us to deal with this latest...development in Uzume-san's situation." She gave a tiny sigh, "While I do not blame you for Minaka's madness, nevertheless your actions have clearly had far greater consequences than you anticipated and will require some thought as to how you will handle his offer. I-"
Miya's next words were lost to time and the tenants as Kagari blurted out, "Well of course she's not going to take it! I mean who'd be stupid enough to buy anything he's selling?" Kagari looked out at the tower with loathing written all over his face, missing the offended look on Uzume's face or the flattening of her full lips,
"Actually, if I can figure out how, I'm going to. It might be 'stupid' but it's also the best chance Chiho has of being helped! Higa stopped trying a long time ago and if I can get in the Discipline squad, maybe she can get better treatment."
Kagari turned to her with a look of disbelief and...betrayal, but before Uzume could expound and try to smooth things over, his next words made sure to put them at odds for the foreseeable future,
"Uzume, this is not up for negotiation. That bastard is leading you into a trap! You aren't going!"
Miya bonked him hard for his outrageous behavior but the spark was already lit, Uzume had stomped forward so that she and Kagari were only a couple inches from kissing...or Uzume biting his face off, which was probably the more likely option if her towering fury was anything to go by.
"And just when did *you* get to give orders Kagari? Don't you already have enough troubles without having the big brass balls to try and dictate what my Ashikabi and I can or can't do?"
Miya bonked her too, but then Homura began to open his mouth, no doubt to continue the fight but Miya had had enough of playing 'whack-a-Sekirei'
"Enough. If you two cannot speak civilly I will gag the pair of you! Kagari, while I do understand your...distate for a certain man of mutual acquaintance, that does not give you leave to dictate terms of Uzume-san under any circumstances, certainly not under my roof. Am I clear?" Upon seeing a very grudging and wince-filled nod from the man in question, Miya then turned to Uzume, "And for you Uzume-san, you are already in enough trouble without rising to the words of a foolish male. Keep your temper under control, I will not tell you again."
Taking a deep breath or three, Uzume managed to do just that, although the adrenaline rush from the last 10 minutes would take a bit longer to subside. Miya was right though, beyond being a total waste of energy, fighting with Kagari had the potential to ruin things with a friend. She knew he meant well but she wasn't going to back down from this. Minaka's offer as twistedly demented as it was, was her way out of her hellish situation with Higa...if only she could figure it out.
Miya gave a look around the room and saw that by and large they were still processing not only Uzume's alter-ego, but with Minaka's little spectacle they were even further in the realm of 'reboot' to use Matsu's turn of phrase. She suppressed the urge to sigh deeply, she would have enough time to breakdown later, right now she had a duty to her tenants to try and help them out of this mess, even if only i her own mind. She flatly refused to admit that they'd grown on her, no, it was merely a matter of duty to see them through...she'd done little enough for too long.
"Since I can see that recent events have proven more shocking than anticipated, although who could I do not want to know. Regardless, I shall make yet another pot of tea for us all and we will sort this out but I swear to the Imperial throne that if you lot start arguing at the top of your lungs and wake poor Kusano you will regret it. You will not repay her hard work on your behalf by disturbing her rest. Now, to the living room, quietly, and we will figure out how to deal with that madman's latest pontification."
As she began to make her way to prepare another pot of her rapidly dwindling tea (and she'd just bought the batch last week, on sale too!) she found Minato overtaking her, "If it's alright Miya-san, I'd like to set this up, haven't been very useful today and it's the least I can do after everything."
Staring at him, she thought it over. On the one hand it'd mean she'd have to go out there and start settling feathers so planning could be done. On the other, she *had* already made several of the pots today that he had been a consumer of, and it would be interesting to see if he could make a proper tea or not.
Minato was starting to wonder if his innocent offer had backfired on him when Miya suddenly said, "As you wish Minato-kun, I shall await the results of your efforts with interest. Please take care of my tea set won't you?" and with that pleasantly said but still chillingly delivered request made, Miya glided to the living room to take her place as the bastion of serenity and bonker of recalcitrant heads.
Minato blinked to himself but soon bustled around the kitchen making the tea even as the others settled down on the various cushions and seats, many of them offering words and gestures of support to Uzume, and Minato was proud to notice that Tsukiumi was among that number even as Musubi simply sat there bouncing in place.
Normally Minato would have felt a nosebleed coming on at the sight of her...movements, but he was starting to genuinely worry about her. While not major problems in and of themselves, the number of times she'd either misread the situation or outright ignored it were still as frequent as ever and even now she evidently couldn't read the mood.
He knew there was nothing he could do now, Uzume need his-their help more, but Musubi had been this way ever since he'd met her and that was sending up warning flags to him. Still, he pushed aside his worries over his first Sekirei and focused on making the tea as best he could so that at least that they would have one thing going right tonight.
XXXXX
(15 minutes later)
Minato came out with a the full tea set on the tray, and judging by the way Kagari and Uzume were going at it again, albeit at much lower tones, they had not been able to wait before trying to hash things out. He started laying out cups for everyone, both to be able to serve them the tea but also so he could get his bearings on the situation without having to interrupt and stall things. Kazehana, one of the first he made tea for, gave him a wan smile and he wondered if she was still affected by the announcem-oh gods, how could he have forgotten, she was UnWinged! No wonder she was so miserable, she probably thought he was going to make her wait til the last minute.
Getting her attention via small gestures, he gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile and mouthed 'We'll talk later.' to her and got a nod and slightly bigger smile in return. Next was Tsukiumi who he gave a small nod Kazehana's way as he was pouring her tea. For all her impetuous nature Tsukiumi was hardly stupid and it didn't take but a moment of examining Kazehana's depressed form for her to figure out what his gesture meant in regards to their earlier agreement. She gave a tiny sigh at seeing a perfectly reasonable and decently paced plan go to waste but nodded her acquiescence to further discussion, taking the tea as she did so. Happy to see his most...possessive Sekirei partner willing to adapt, he kissed her on the cheek as thanks, receiving a lurid blush in silent reply. But further...politicking amongst his flock would have to wait as the debate between Kagari and Uzume was clearly picking up and he needed to focus.
"I know it's risky, Kagari and even if I didn't you've harped on it more than enough for me to get the freaking hint! But what other choice do I realistically have here?! My Ashikabi is dying and if I don't find a way to get her away from Higa we'll both be dead once he decides we've outlived our usefulness! Hell he might even decide to use me as a suicide attack on 'Enma' because, hey, no big loss if I fail in his mind right and then what am I supposed to do hmm?" Minato could see that Uzume was trying to keep her temper but the way she kept forcing her hands open and redoing her hair showed just how agitated the argument was making her.
Homura was making just as much an effort to keep his cool, although judging by the grinding sound coming from his cheeks, he wasn't doing much better,
"And you think the guy forcing all Sekirei to battle to the death is a step up from that? He is infinitely worse than Higa, his little announcement is as clear an indication short of him painting the moon in bright mauve letters saying 'I'm an evil psycopath!"
"Last I checked, Minaka wasn't a backstabbing manipulator who holds loved ones hostage to force them to do his dirty work!"
"He's trapped us all in this city you moron! Where if you don't play by his rules, you get terminated and taken away from your Ashikabi for good. It's a good thing he doesn't hold hostages, oh wait." Kagari looked close to tearing his hair out as he tried to 'reason' with Uzume Minato was noticing, and while he could see the man's point...he had little doubt that the host was beating his head against the proverbial brick wall in terms of changing Uzume's mind, "The man is playing you, and the moment you let him get his hands on you or your Ashikabi is the last free moment of any kind you'll ever have."
"And how is that different from me being a kept assassin?! I have done horrible things for Chiho, to keep her safe and I would do it all again because that's how much I love her. I might hate every minute of what I do but if it gets me one more smile, one more day where I know she is able to live in hope then it was all worth it. And until you are in my position you have no right to tell me what to do Kagari." Uzume's impassioned speech had everyone in the living room silent for a sober moment as the gravity of Uzume's situation was put in stark relief. That she was in such a corner that taking the blatant trap from a madman was offering her more hope of a positive outcome than anything else she had available. Matsu laid a supportive hand on Uzume's thigh and even Miya gave her a small smile of understanding and compassion, pouring her another cup of tea.
She took a long sip, to give herself some time to wrap up her position and eventually came up with her final words on the matter, "Kagari, I get where you are coming from and probably would even agree with you were I not the target and Chiho's life in the balance, and in the end that is what it comes down to. If I do nothing, I run the risk of being hunted down and Terminated for breaking the 'rules' of the 'game', I run the risk of Higa figuring out I betrayed him to protect those I care about-" Here she gave a quick glance to Minato, her eyes full of affection and appreciation before continuing,
"I run the risk of so many things that end with Chiho dying and myself little better...but if I am able to find a way to make this work, then Chiho will be safe. She'll be healthy and safe...and maybe, when she finds out about the horrible things I've done, she might come to forgive me."
Minato couldn't bear it anymore and came to her side, wrapping his arms around her even as Matsu did the same, with Kazehana giving the brunette's knee a comforting squeeze. Minato knew that if he was going to ever tell Uzume about Chiho's loss of innocence in regards to her deeds, it had to be now, "She already has." He whispered, and carefully tightened his hug so that Matsu would follow suit and keep Uzume from fleeing in a panic.
It was foresight well founded, as Uzume's complexion was began to drain of color, "How could she forgive me she doe-, No. No no nononono, she can't know SHE CAN'T KNOW! That bastard gave his word he'd never tell her, but how could she have- Minato, please tell me you didn't tell her." The look on Uzume's face was so vulnerable and desperate, with tears flooding unnoticed from her eyes, that Minato felt his heart break to see her so hurt.
"I swear on the bonds of my Sekirei that she already knew before our visit with her...and that she doesn't blame you at all, or hate you. She overheard you getting your 'marching orders' from him during one of her treatments while coming out of anesthesia and pretended to be asleep. She knows he's blackmailing you, and that you don't want to do any of the things he's forced on you." Uzume gave a muffled sob as she buried her face in his neck, soaking his shirt with her tears even as the others gathered around them to support her the exceptions being Miya (for reasons of dignity and poise...although she did pour another cup of tea.) and Kagari (for reasons of awkwardness and lingering angst.). Even Musubi showed rare awareness and gave a gentle bear hug to the general pile, "But you know what else she told me Uzume? She told me that you are her strength, her inspiration...her everything, and that all she wants is to know that you are happy and well taken care of. I think that it is safe to say that she does not, and will not ever hate you...although she might be a be a bit pent up from being in that hospital so long considering her next words were when she told me she wanted me to 'make babies' with you. Or she could just be a voyeur thanks to all those costumes you put on."
It was worth the strenuous *BONK!* he received from Miya to hear the sobbing, snuffling chuckle bubble out from Uzume's frame and to feel her return his hug again. She still cried a bit but it wasn't the panicked sobbing of fear and loss from before, now it was a venting of relief and the rest of the cocktail of emotions surging through her. When she'd cried herself out, she began stirring, which signaled the end of the impromptu hug pile and the retaking of seats for all involved, Tsukiumi being one of the last as she murmured another apology for her rashness earlier. Uzume's watery but sincere smile was all the sign the water maiden needed to know there was no more bad blood between them, not after everything that had been shared already.
Kagari shifted awkwardly in his seat as he watched them settle in, trying to find the right way to say his piece before eventually blurting out, "This is all well and good, but if you go to Minaka, regardless of how you do or what means you use to try to even the scale, it will end badly no matter what. I urge you to keep this in mind before you make any permanent plans, and now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do tomorrow...Good luck." And with that he quickly gulped down his tea (to the tune of a frown from Miya) and stood up, unable to meet the eyes of anyone in the room...until he found his gaze catching Minato's. The eyes he found there were much stronger than the hesitant ronin that had first made his way to the inn with a ditzy Sekirei via a tree-crash landing, and those same eyes were looking at Kagari with disappointment and the impression that MInato had expected better of him.
Feeling his chest tighten almost painfully at the sight, Kagari made his hasty way to his room, those eyes still looking at him in his mind as he tried to tell himself that he'd done the right thing, that he'd warned Uzume of the dangers of getting involved with Minaka. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself, he could never get the words to ring true.
XXXXX
(Meanwhile, back in the livingroom, now that's got to be some kind of innuendo.)
Miya found herself very disappointed with Homura. While she could understand the, pardon the pun, burning hatred he had for Minaka and MBI in a way few if any could, his behavior tonight had been utterly appalling on several levels. She however had to let him storm off in a huff because, to be blunt even if only in the confines of her own mind, his drama was of little importance considering the overall situation and he was an adult who could deal with it himself. Uzume needed help, badly, but she and the others were clearly on their last legs to the point of exhaustion both mental and physical.
Still, she mused to herself, some good seems to have come of Homura's dramatic moment if only that Uzume is truly thinking about this and not just rushing to a forlorn hope out of panic. She moved her focus onto Minato, who was still wrapped around Uzume doing his level best to hug and stroke away her sorrows, although Miya was keep an eye on said stroking that it remained with Uzume's hair. Kazehana had joined the scrum along with Tsukiumi, both on either side of Minato as if taking strength from his presence alone, the inner turmoil not so much with the Wind Maiden as Miya noticed sadly. She knew what it was like to love someone you didn't react to and then lose that love. How much worse was it to find out the person was far removed from the vision love granted you at first blush?
However, Miya was surprised, but pleasantly so, to realize she had every confidence that Minato would take care of her fellow and help Kazehana recover from her heartbreak as well as support Uzume in this new trial of hers. Hopefully she'd even get to relax a bit around them now that she wasn't having to be the...kaa-san of the group. Her abdomen clenched for a micro-second and then it was gone, fast enough Miya was able to pretend she'd just imagined it and instead continued her observation of Minato.
Even when Uzume was done crying he still kept at it, making sure Uzume was truly settled rather than putting on a brave face, dedication so rare she hadn't seen it since Takehito. Not only that, but he didn't ignore the others around him, making sure to give each of the ladies near him as much comfort and attention as he could within the bounds of propriety she noted approvingly. However tender the moment was unfortunately, it was still getting very late and they hadn't even started setting the tents up in the backyard yet. That just wouldn't do she decided primly, they couldn't very well sleep out there without tents, they might catch a cold and then where would they be? She wanted to give them proper consequences for their actions, not make them sickly and weak.
As she was about to tell them to start setting up the tents, a pit formed in her stomach as a dark thought crossed her mind: By making them sleep outside she was exposing them to danger, capture and worse. While she had little doubt that her agreement with Minaka in that MBI would respect her 'territory' as a whole...that would not stop the lunatic from using proxies to get his way if he could put up a reasonable smokescreen for his actions even if only in the mire of his demented mind. He'd just make another announcement phrased so generally that it couldn't be an outright violation of their agreement but detailed enough that his potential minions would know right where to go.
That Higa person would be another such likely originator of potential ambushes, with his borderline blatant deeds regarding Uzume and several others both willing and not according to Matsu. Miya had little doubt that scum like him would willingly invade her home if it offered the slightest chance for his advantage, by proxy only of course she thought with a mental sneer. He would keep sending fodder her way until one of her tenants were injured, captured or dead according to his desires and just claim they were acting beyond orders so she could not retaliate. Not for the first time she wondered at the wisdom of her promise to Takehito and her agreement with MBI, but the former had been made in good faith when she was younger and weary of blood, and the promise had given her a way out that she'd clung to like a lifeline. And the latter...that had been a mistake made out of grief at her husband's loss and the desire to avoid a clash with Karasuba that would cost thousands of lives, a mistake that Minaka had brutally capitalized on to the detriment of her entire species...and her own self-respect.
Looking up from her musings she saw Minato had gathered up the tent supplies by himself, telling his Sekirei and Uzume to sit back while he set the tents up for them, that they had done more than he had all day and it was only fair that he do more than just let them handle everything. It flashed her back to a moment of time in her past: of Takehito holding a stack of lumber in his arms for the Inn, telling Seo to leave him alone, that he could handle it perfectly fine. And just like the lumber had fallen over the place and given her a small injury to tend on her husband complete with affection scolding, so too did Minato lose control of the pile of metal rods, tent fabric and stakes he'd so painstakingly gathered in his arms. The look of abject betrayal and abandonment he offered the apathetic and inanimate objects got a giggle out of everyone who saw it, although Miya's was swiftly hidden by her sleeve.
He played it up a bit, pretending to be heartbroken at the accident to further bolster the spirits of the others even as he tried again, not wanting to give up so soon after making the attempt. And the more she watched, the more she couldn't bear the idea of having to see his earnest efforts be repaid with pain and lost thanks to being exposed, even if it was in her backyard. Watching her fellow Sekirei go over to help him despite his protests, Miya took a deep breath and proceeded to do something that nobody who knew her would have ever believed to be possible.
Asama Miya was about to change her mind…
XXXXX
Minato couldn't help but smile as he and the ladies around him bantered and 'argued' about who was doing what and what was getting picked up by whom. It was a welcome bit of revelry after a long day of misery, emotional highs and lows, and shocking revelations. Kazehana was admittedly the most reserved out of all of them but that was to be expected and Minato made sure to do his best to joke and even flirt (badly it must be said) with her and the small but sincere smiles he received were proof enough for him that he was having a positive effect,
"Why Minato-kun, if I didn't know better, I would think you were trying to seduce me. Are you willing to take responsibility of playing with a maiden's tender heart like that?" she said in a somewhat lackluster attempt to sound seductive in her own right. She really appreciated the efforts Minato was making to try and reach out to her, as she could tell he had no real experience in seduction or flirting, but that made it all the more special for her and she wouldn't trade it for all the skill in the world.
"How could thou thinkest that mine husband would do otherwise? He is not so fickle as to cast his interest without determination." Tsukiumi declared softly but passionately, her words and thoughts on the matter much different than they'd been in the morning but as far as she was concerned that was all for the better. Her faith in Minato had been restored and also that in herself, which she had to admit had taken a rather sound blow of late in her doubts as to her own desirability and appeal. But even so it was still strange for her to see Minato flirting with a new Sekirei and not feel that white hot jealousy and oily miasma of self-doubt, so boisterous banter it is, "Besides, if thou are to indeed join us, then it behooves thee to have no doubts in thine mind about the matter. Tis one not made lightly."
Kazehana seemed to grow more somber but before she could speak Minato chimed in, " Speaking of which, it looks like we have less time than I thought to get to know each other and do this properly. I'm sorry Tsukiumi I know I promised we'd take it slow but-"
She sighed. "Tis not the fault of thee or thine potential Sekirei mine Husband, that Varlet Minaka hath put any hope of well-paced interactions quite out the window." Tsukiumi really couldn't find any fault with either party in front of her, especially since she knew that if it weren't for Minato saving her, her stubborn pride would have had her suffering a similar fate to the one facing Kazehana. "Thou both have been doing thine best to accommodate mine...needs, and tis only fair that I return the favor when massive danger is in the air, knowing that thou wouldst do it properly if given the choice."
Kazehana couldn't help herself and gave the blonde a small but strong hug, having an idea of how hard it was for Tsukiumi to make such an admission and allowance considering Tsukiumi was almost as big a stickler for her word and rules as Miya was. Speaking of which, she had been rather silent of late Kazehana noticed, and as she turned to view her comrade and see if all was well with her, Kazehana found herself in a front row spot for a surprise of a lifetime,
*Ahem* "I require your attention for a moment if you please." As the various heads in the living room and hallway turned towards her, Miya continued her stunning announcement, "In light of the recent debacle and Uzume's own increased danger and the potential danger presented to other members of the Inn by rampaging parties, I have decided-"
Uzume found herself clutching Minato, fear and dread filling her stomach like putrid bile. This is it she thought to herself mournfully, She's kicking me out for being a danger to her inn and tenants. The sad part was, Uzume couldn't blame her as Higa and Minaka were both power hungry, both ruthless in pursuing their desires, and more than willing to use proxies and create large amounts of collateral damage. Uzume just didn't think it would be this soon that-", I am willing to waive the sleeping in the tents outside as I will not have it said that I put my tenants in danger. I do not have the energy to think up a replacement punishment tonight, but rest assured this is not a reprieve for good of the consequences of your actions...you will still have to make your penance to me and to the Inn you have damaged."
Wait what?
Miya would be lying if the poleaxed expressions she received and the occasional blinks of shocked amazement didn't amuse her greatly, because they did, a lot. But at the same time she felt a tiny bit peeved at just how badly shocked they were, she wasn't a tyrant after all, she was only a poor widow trying to keep reign over a bunch of relatively young people chock full of hormones.
"Yes, you may sleep in your rooms, and only your rooms-" She paused here to give the Sekirei a glare that brooked no leeway in their usual excursions into Minato's room like they usually did, " Kazehana-san, I will guide you to your own room where you will sleep alone am I clear? No more midnight visits or nighttime attacks of lewdness, no late raids of my sake supplies, and no nakedness, Hmph!"
Miya could see the slight eye roll and smile that appeared on Kazehana's face at her admonishment and it actually gave Miya a bit of relief to know her junior wasn't so devastated that their usual banter and flyting couldn't reach her. She cast her gaze upon the shell-shocked and in her mind, a tad ungrateful, recipients of her magnanimity and raised an eyebrow, "Well, don't just stand there like neko cat statues, put those away and get to bed. You will be needing all your rest if you are to make it through this, beds or no. Kazehana-san, follow me while I-"
Miya found herself being cut off once again, although by a far more benign and long forgotten sensation: Being hugged. In particular, being hugged by a grateful Minato who whispered, "Thank you. I was so worried something would happen to them, thankyouthankyouthankyou. I promise I'll get the wall and window fixed as soon as I can and it'll look like nothing ever happened and I'll do better about making sure everyone gets along..." As Minato softly babbled his gratitude and the other tenants barring Musubi starred in awed amazement, after all Musubi hugged people all the time so in her mind her Ashikabi was finally getting his head on straight, Miya was busy wrapping her head around a different concept entirely...she enjoyed the hug.
The simple gesture reminded her of something that she'd grown so used to that she'd honestly stopped noticing for years. Namely, that she had gone without physical contact with another person, human or sekirei for years. Now that didn't include shaking hands, accidentally touches from handing over money and the like. True, proper contact, she'd gone without that for so long now she realized and so the sensation of Minato's earnest embrace of appreciation set off sensations she'd spent so long not feeling that it was genuinely overwhelming. Which was a good thing because if she'd been herself, Minato would have found himself so *Bonked* for this indignity. As it was she could only squeak, no, speak lightly, Asama Miya did NOT squeak like a maiden,
"It is quite alright Minato-ku-I mean, Sahashi-san" She cursed herself mentally for her slip, praying to the heavens that nobody noticed it. Luckily they were all still slack jawed and oblivious so her dignity could at least be salvaged from the tatters it found itself in, "Now if you'd be so good as to let me go so everyone can finally get some sleep? I think it is safe to say we need it."
She could have brought out the mask to make him let go but her mind seemed to suggest that would be like kicking a puppy for giving her an affection lick...oh why did the gods have to inflict her with such a soft heart?
Minato blushed rather hard as he extricated himself from the embrace he'd pulled Miya into, his shyness returning doubled as he found himself unable to meet her eyes, else he would have seen the light of amusement in them.
As he returned to the group who'd finally awoken from their stupor and put away most of the tent supplies in one of the closets, Minato found Uzume by his side giving him a weak but still saucy smile as she bumped her well-rounded hip into his own, "Hehe Minato-kun, first me, then Kazehana, and now Miya-sama, is there any one of my race you don't plan to put the moves on? I hear Karasuba's Ashikabi is gay and I can't imagine she's had any for years, it might even help her loosen up."
Minato only blushed harder as Kazehana joined in, "Indeed, you are rather bold Minato-kun, I can only remember one other man who could hug Miya-chan like that and live to tell the tale. I don't doubt that you will go far with chutzpah like that, that's a foreign word meaning great daring and courage." she elaborated at the blank expressions around her and nodded as they cleared up.
Well, almost all of them, "Musubi doesn't get it, is this like modesty? Why would Minato-sama hugging landlady-dono be that big a deal, hugs are wonderful!" She declared with her errant lock once again becoming as stiff as...well, Minato the night before Uzume noticed.
No, bad Uzume she mentally chastised herself firmly, no perving on Minato until after the life-threatening situation is over with.
She came back to herself and found that Minato was gently guiding her up the stairs, Tsukiumi and Matsu trying to explain to Musubi why her plans to hug Miya every day were something that would ensure a swift demise. She flashed him a sweet smile and got a bashful one in return. She was definitely tired because it took her a moment to realize that Minato was talking to her again,
"Look, we're all still pretty tired and this is a really rough situation no doubt about it...but whatever happens, I meant what I said in the yard today. You are not alone, and if you need our help, or even just mine, it's there no matter what."
Uzume didn't notice the tears leaking from the corners of her eyes at first and when she did she couldn't care less about them. All she cared about was his lips on hers as she pulled him in for a deep, passionate kiss, her arms wrapped firmly around his head and her hands in his hair. Her tongue had no trouble slipping between his lips and promptly started doing its best to taste as much of his mouth as she could, her breasts squishing pleasantly against the surprisingly firm if wiry muscles on his chest as she rubbed them again it.
Of course, it didn't take long for a certain sound to sound in the second floor hallway, *Ahem.* Miya was no doubt looking at them with her "I am far from amused look." and tapping her ladle. Uzume supposed it hadn't taken as long to recover from Minato's surprise hug as Uzume'd hoped.
Breaking away slowly, Uzume kept her eyes firmly locked on Minato's, letting him see every iota of gratitude and appreciation they held. She held her head up high as she made her way to her room before turning to everyone and bowed deeply, head looking at the floor, "Thank you everyone, for all the support and help. I will repay you one way or another, no matter what I will never forget this." she straightened up just in time to see Miya giving her the typical 'faux-smile hidden behind the sleeve'.
"Your gratitude is welcome by myself and no doubt the others but you should be going to sleep now lest you press my goodwill even more than you already have." Her tone left little doubt that Miya could and would find a way to punish Uzume that wouldn't put her at risk.
Taking the hint, Uzume entered her room and began to get changed for bed, all the while marveling at how the day had gone. From snuggling with a friend to fighting for her life to sharing said life with Minato and the others, to finally having hope for a better future for Chiho and herself. She could hear the others going to their rooms and getting ready for bed too and couldn't help the feeling in her chest at knowing that they didn't hate her, hadn't rejected her for what she'd done...that Chiho still loved her. Yes that hope was meshed in with more danger and pitfalls than all three Indiana Jones movies but that didn't matter to Uzume, all that mattered was that she had a way out, that she might actually be able to be free.
Oh Chiho-baby she thought to herself as she laid herself down to bed, Things might actually be starting to look up for a change.
XXXXX
(20 Minutes later, Minato's room)
Minato was laying on his futon, alone as he was wont to be when he would start to sleep, he idly wondered if his Sekirei would be able to help themselves this time or if he'd find himself with a comforter of jiggling sweater puppies and curvy bodies once more. He actually hoped not if only so that they wouldn't get in trouble with Miya, she'd really gone out of her way for them lately now that he thought about it...he would need to see about doing something nice for her if he could to repay her...besides fixing the holes in her Inn.
He could feel himself drifting away when his slide door burst open, not loudly enough to wake up everyone else but loud enough that Minato was startled into giving an unmanly 'eep!"
"Mina-tan!" It was Matsu's silhouette in the moonlight, her glasses opaque with the glare and her smile both excited and more than a little vicious...he had to admit he found it a little arousing, "I figured it out!"
"Figured what out?" Minato asked leadingly, and Matsu's smile became even wider and more excited if that was possible,
"I know how we're going to save Uzume!"
XXXXX
A/N:
Phen0m20:
Don't worry, I'm not canceling my fics or retiring from writing or anything. My stories are not dead and never will be. If my history is anything to go by, no matter how much time goes by between my updates I always end up getting something new out eventually.
What keeps me from writing isn't laziness or lack of care, but the fact that I care too much and want my stories to have more than I can give them. Fact of the matter is I'm in a bad position in life right now, have been for years and my motivation and passion for writing isn't what it used to be because of that. If my mind and heart aren't into what I'm doing 100%, I can't bring myself to do jack because what ends up being written isn't something I can look at and be proud to share. My stories are my children. They deserve better than mediocrity, and that's the prime reason why I'm not actively pumping out chapter after chapter on a regular basis. I'm emotionally exhausted. My head isn't in the game, and if I were to do that like everyone wants me to the quality would tank and people would turn their backs on my stories because they aren't what they used to be. That's how I see it going down if I come back in this state of mind. By waiting for this to all blow over I may have a chance to stay true to myself and tell the stories I want to tell and enjoy doing it too.
Mordreek:
So here it is, another chapter of a story that I have come to love and enjoy...and unfortunately must leave.
It is with a heavy heart that I have to tell you all that this is the last chapter I will have a direct impact on in Veil and will no longer be coauthoring with Phen0m20 on it. Over the past year it has become clear that while we are good friends we however do have compatibility issues when it comes to writing and as such it is better to stop on a positive note rather than let it devolve and take the fic with it. I have had a blast and your support has been amazing, thank you all and especially to you N0m
Phen0m20:
I won't go into detail about what happened between mordreek and myself, but unfortunately what he said above is true. There was a falling out and as opposed to continuously butting heads and jeopardizing the future of our friendship, we decided it would be best to part ways for the sake of mending things.
Ultimately the root of what led to it was a dissonance in our writing styles and experience. I'll leave it at that to keep the matter private. There's no need to worry about us though. Just know we're cool and things are going well.
As of now, I've decided to put my stories on hiatus once again, this time until I get my passion back. Not sure when that will be. The last time I felt a real dedication to my work was in 2013, well before I met mordreek. In addition to a load of responsibility suddenly weighing me down, I completely burned myself out writing the 8th chapter of my Saw crossover and I have yet to recover from it. Only time will tell.
Not certain if I'll be open to collaborating again with others when I return in fear of a repeat of what happened here, but if someone reading this is interested feel free to send a PM my way (provided you're not a plagiarist and your account hasn't just been created out of the blue right after I publish this chapter of course). I figure now would be as good a time as any other to get to know each other and get a grasp of our writing styles to see if we're compatible and have things snowball from there when I'm in a better place.
Plus discussing my stories with other people gives me a good incentive to pick up my work and try again, so I don't see harm in reaching out if you'd like to speak to me.
I'm sorry that things didn't work out, mordreek. I'm just glad no bridges were burnt and we can now start again with no hard feelings. I appreciate all the hard work and effort you put into my stories like you can't even imagine and I can only hope to one day come close to matching the insight you've blessed it with.