A/N: Posting this without having had it proofed by my editor. I think it's fine as is, but will update when he eventually looks it over.

Also the new Minato x Uzume art I have featured as a story pic was commissioned by "Kerlongsj". I recommend checking out his work as well, especially his Sekirei x Infinite Stratos fic "Brave New World".

Pineapple Hearts
Part III

"Hi there, may I come in?"

A rusty squeak of a computer cart being pushed into the room accompanies the question in the early hours of the morning.

In the middle of doing her hair in the mirror, 'Miss Akemi' sets her brush aside and turns to the lady.

"Sure," she says, taking her seat back on the cheap mattress.

"I'm the intake therapist assigned to you. Might I ask what triggered your visit to our hospital?" she pulled a seat out from under the desk and planted herself on it, crossing one leg over the other very matter-of-factly.

"Let's see, where to start." Kazehana thought aloud, stroking her chin with a thumb. "My name is Ka-" She halted her words suddenly, remembering she was there under a false identity.

The therapist blinked as an awkward moment passed. "Ka-?"

Kazehana tried again, taking a deep breath. "My name is Misumi Akemi, and I'm an alcoholic."

With a nod, the therapist jotted down that note on the clipboard. "Mhm, go on."

'Phew, almost blew my cover there.' she cleared her throat and then spoke. "Well, I've been reliant on booze almost my whole life to cope with things and I felt it was time I reached out for real help. I've lived a rough life and I don't want things spiraling out of control more than they already are."

"I see. Is there anything you wish to go into about your life?"

"Lots of heartbreak. I loved someone, but it was an impossible relationship. I've also been in and out of homeless shelters and treated as nothing but a sex object. I feel like I can't trust anyone. Like this is my last hope."

"That's such a shame. I'm sure we'll help get you better and out there in the world as soon as possible." the therapist says as if she's talking to a kicked puppy, checking off another box. "I just need to ask a few more questions and we'll get you a room as soon as possible. Would you like some water?"

"No thanks."

Following a thorough evaluation that lasted another 45 minutes, the therapist produced a form from her coat.

Kazehana eyed it for a moment and asked: "What's this?"

"Oh this is just a waiver for us to treat you here. We call it a 201 voluntary admission. Once signed you'll be admitted and be required to spend at least 72 hours here before being eligible for discharge."

Kazehana hesitated. Something didn't feel right about this. But then again, this was all being done for Chiho's sake.

"So that's it? I sign this and I only need to spend three days here before I can walk out? No strings attached?"

"That's right!"

"Ok then, if you say so..."

Following the jotting down of her fake name, two nurse's aides came through the curtain with a gurney.

"We have a room for you now, miss. Are you ready?"

Kazehana grinned. "Sure am, boys. Just be gentle with me."

The two men blushed at that. One rubbed the back of his head, the other swallowed a lump in his throat. Kazehana covertly noticed both had lumps elsewhere.

Kazehana shimmied herself over onto the now lowered gurney. They wheeled her out into the hallway, and into an elevator. It was here where she began pondering things. Like why the hospital deemed it fit to keep the temperature colder than Alaska. She knew the machines needed to be cool to a point to operate, but this cold? Really? And it didn't help that the blankets they gave her were thin as tissue paper. She needed at least half a dozen to keep warm in the extra thin scrubs they gave her. It was like they were intentionally trying to keep people sick. At least the aides were getting a kick out of it though, being able to see her freezing stiff erect nips and all.

'It's no wonder Chiho's as bad off as she is.'

Before she knew it, she was at the very top of the building where they traversed a few tight corridors.

A female nurse came out from an office just outside the adult 2 unit.

"Hi, you must be Miss Misumi." she offered her hand.

Kazehana accepted it with a dainty clasp of the fingers in a very sickly like way. "I am." 'For the next three days at least.'

The nurse produced her company-issued phone. "Just need to get your picture in the system. Smile for me, hun!"

With a peace sign and wink to dress her smile, her photo was taken and the double doors opened not long after.

The two gentlemen pushed the gurney the rest of the way inside the unit and gestured her to get off, bidding her farewell, the doors sealing behind them as they left.

A sweatdrop appeared on her head. "Is it normal for hospital patients to feel like prisoners?" she asked herself aloud. "Well, I guess I should explore a bit and find out what there is to do in this place."

Peeking over her shoulder she found a map of the ward on the wall behind a plexiglass barrier. It seemed simple enough, as it only had two hallways connected in an 'L' shape. One end contained bedrooms and a large recreation area. The other hallway, some doctors offices, a therapy room, a 'time out' room, whatever that meant, and a nurse's station at the very corner to connect it all together.

She decided to head over to the nurse's station to see what time it was.

Approaching the desk she sees a clock but for whatever reason, no nurses.

"7 am? Damn that early?"

She had been waiting so long for that therapist downstairs she felt it was at least noon. Well, it didn't matter now. She was here and on a mission: Get Chiho up to speed with the Uzume/Enma winging plan without alerting Higa or Kakizaki to it.

"May I help you, miss?"

Kazehana jolted from her thoughts. The nurse had come back.

"Oh um, hey. Sorry I was lost in my thoughts for a second there. Could you tell me what number room I'm in?"

"Sure. Your room is number 3. I'll take you to it right now. Come on!" she said gleefully tilting her head to the shoulder in direction of the hall they were going down.

'Room number 3. My, how fitting.' she thought. She couldn't help but wonder whether or not Higa was on to her or if it was just a coincidence.

On the way there, Kazehana asks, "Say, the therapist downstairs had me sign something called a 201 form. That means in three days I can sign myself out right? Even if I'm not better by then?"

The nurse halts her steps. "It does not. That's up to your doctor to decide."

'That lying fucking-' "But she said that I-"

"The staff downstairs says a lot of things. Sometimes stretch the truth to get patients to admit themselves voluntarily. It sounds shady but a 201 is far better than an involuntary 302. If you're here by force you'd be staying weeks to months. The best advice I can give is to not cause problems, take your meds, and focus on becoming a better you."

"Wait, what? Take my meds? They're going to give me drugs while I'm here? Isn't that just replacing one problem with another?"

The nurse turned and smiled. She didn't bother answering her question and simply presented her hands towards the open door of Kazehana's room. "If you need anything, we'll be at the station. Bye!" She then trotted off down the hall, heels clicking with each step.

Kazehana facepalmed. "Pills… great."

She then entered the bedroom where the first thing she noticed other than the two beds were the security cameras. Two on opposite sides of the room so every corner was monitored. She checked the personal bathroom she was to share with another roommate, and thankfully that wasn't monitored.

She sighed. "Guess even Higa has some standards."

A rumbling was then heard just above the shower stall. She looked up.

*Crumble*

"Whoa-AGH!"

*THUMP*

It was one of the lightning girls. It seems they made it in okay.

"...ooowwwwwwwwww. That's smarts."

...for the most part.

Dusting herself off, she rushed over to the still open restroom door and pulled it shut.

"What are you doing?" Kazehana questioned.

"Shh! We don't want anyone outside hearing us." Hibiki says hushing her up close.

"Weren't you supposed to be admitted to my ward? What's with the crawling through the ceiling?"

"Your ward was full, and the only openings they had were for the one filled with all the violent psychos."

"Is that where your sister is?"

"Yeah, only one of us is checked in while the other snuck through the cracks, so we're taking turns scouting the building and frying the backup generator connections to the security systems. Matsu gave us a map to go by, but it'll take some time though, and we have to strategically time when we switch out. I already took care of your room so you can escape once we overload the grid without being caught. Not sure how long that will take though. This place is like a maze."

"I see. And what's your sister doing while you're fiddling with cameras?"

"Probably sleeping. Lucky girl."

XXXXX

Meanwhile in the Adult 3 unit...

Under the refuge of her covers and laying in a horrified fetal position, Hikari's eyes widened as she shudders at what was happening across the hall from her. An overweight middle-aged man in a shirt two sizes too small for him was crying like a baby and making a complete mess of his room and going into a tantrum. He flipped the mattress off his bed and slammed his body into it going into a childlike hissyfit, kicking, screaming, and throwing pillows at his own roommate who's laying there just trying to sleep. The nursing staff rush in not long after, hold him down, and administer a shot just above his asscheek. His screams become incoherent babble as they carry him off sedated.

"The fuck have you talked us into, Matsu?!" She says under her breath, traumatized by the overgrown toddler...

XXXXX

A light knock at Kazehana's door is heard.

"Everything ok in there? Group is gonna start in 15 minutes." a nurse asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be out in a bit."

"Alright."

The sounds of footsteps fade off in the distance.

"Guess that's my que to leave." Hibiki surmises.

"Yeah. Good luck with everything."

"You too."

The lightning girl climbs back up into the ceiling with the grace of a gymnast and Kazehana hands back the piece of ceiling which broke off which the twin carefully puts back.

"Later."

Kazehana sighs. "Guess I should shower now that I'm here..."

XXXXX

Meanwhile, Uzume and Minato are at the mall's gym again. This time they brought Musubi along with them.

"You can do it, Minato! C'mon, push yourself!" Uzume loudly encouraged, eyes darting between him and her smartwatch.

"I think *pant* my heart *pant* is gonna *pant* explode!"

"Aaand stop!"

Uzume stops the clock and without a second's notice Minato jumps off the treadmill's track, feet landing on the side platforms. He doubles over, heaving. "How *pant* was that?"

"Well you didn't wind up getting tossed like yesterday so there's that. Seriously though, you did good!"

"Yeah that was incredible, Minato!" Musubi exclaimed cheerfully.

All three smiled and gave each other a thumbs up.

"Let's take a break." Minato said.

...

The three take a seat on a bench. Minato lifts his water bottle and squeezes the contents into his mouth and all over his hair and reddened, sweaty face immediately afterward. He gives his head a good shake to get the water out of his pores before craning it back and taking deep breaths in and out.

"Progress hurts, doesn't it?" Uzume giggles.

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"You'll get used to it. And I'll be here for you every step of the way."

"And Musubi will be too!" she encouraged swaying her legs on the bench like a child.

She pats him on the back; he does a spit take and coughs.

"Sorry!" Musubi jumped back, hands up.

"Went down the wrong pipe." he says, hacking a bit more. "I'm good."

It was then Musubi took note of someone in the distance. A girl with a pink sidetail sparring with a heavy bag. Her jabs and kicks were fierce and intense, cutting through the air like a murderer in a slasher film.

Musubi became starry-eyed watching the mysterious woman lay waste to the bag. "Wow, she's so good! Minato can I spar with her?!"

"Uh, heh heh, I don't think that would be a good idea, Musubi. You are a Sekirei after all. I don't want the girl to get hurt."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to go easy on her!"

Minato knew Musubi's heart was set now. No matter what she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Alright I guess you win. But if she says no, no begging."

"Got it!"

Uzume scrutinized the pinkette in question with consternation. She could have sworn she'd seen her somewhere before, but where? Then it hit her.

"Oh no…"

Minato halted as they were in the midst of approach.

"What's wrong, Uzume?"

The woman seemed to be oblivious to their presence, meditating on her training it seems.

Uzume began. "Perhaps it's best we go befo-"

"HI, I'M MUSUBI!"

"Shit." Uzume said the training woman landed a final punch to the bag and looked at them.

"Huh?" the pink haired chick said, rattled from her concentration. "What do you jokers want? Can't you see I'm in the middle of training here? Buzz off." She went to kick the bag again.

"Sorry to bother you, but Musubi here was so impressed by watching you she wanted to know if you would like to spar with her a bit."

"Sure if she wants to die that is."

"Oh pretty please?" Musubi begged.

"No means no, boobsy."

"Come oooooooon."

The pinkette quit her strafing and groaned. "Ugn! Alright alright! If an asskicking is what you want it's an asskicking you'll get! Now come with me to the sparring circle!"

"Yay!" Musubi exclaimed jumping for joy a few times and clapping cheerfully.

"This was a bad idea." Uzume whispers in Minato's ear.

"Why's that? You look real concerned."

"That girl is another Sekirei. #105, Benitsubasa, part of the Discipline Squad."

The words 'Discipline Squad' rung a nasty bell in his mind. Now he recalled the video that Minaka sent out to everyone's phones a few nights ago. The same one that made it explode. The pink haired girl was in it alongside two others.

"I'm guessing that means she's bad news."

"Oh yeah. It was a mistake coming here with Musubi."

"Well maybe things will go alright between the two of them. It is just a sparring match. Too late to turn back now."

"Unfortunately." Uzume said with finality. She then called out to Musubi. "Hey Musubi! You play nice now!"

"Don't worry, I will!"

"NO!" Benitsubasa roared out. "You come at me with everything you got. No pussyfooting around."

As the two began to circle around each other, a crowd was attracted.

"Oh boy, here we go..." Minato said, swallowing a big lump.

XXXXX

Adult 2 Unit: Recreation Room

Kazehana sat in wait for the group session to begin, her hair still wet from the shower she just had.

The other patients began to slowly but surely flow into the rec room one after the other. They were a mixture of both young and old. Thin and overweight. Some were wide awake while others dragged their feet lethargically.

The last one, a thin elderly woman who resembled the wicked witch of the west, dragged in not only her feet but an awful odor with them as well.

Once everyone was seated, the nurse at the front of the room began role call.

"Okay," the nurse began. "I think that's everyone. Lets start. Umeda Mika?"

A slim elderly woman raised her dainty hand and answered "Here."

"How's your appetite?"

"Good."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Fine."

"Wish I could say the same for myself." One of the other female patients muttered aloud. She had a shaved head, was heavyset, and one half of her face sort of... drooped. "Can I please have my room changed? I swear this woman hasn't bathed in a week."

"I have so!"

"Bullshit, you've stunk since I got here five days ago and I've had it!"

"Ladies! Ladies! Simmer down!" The nurse shouted to maintain order. "We'll handle this after group." she turned back to Umeda. "Now is there anything you wish to share with the group today, Miss Mika?"

"Not at all."

"Ok, pick your daily goal from the list and your meds and food trey are over at the nurse's station waiting for you."

Everyone took a deep sigh and breath after she left.

'Man, I feel like I need to take another shower after just sharing the same room with that hag.' Kazehana thought to herself.

The nurse flipped a page on her tablet. "Ok, Miss Morihei Chifumi. Since you were so eager to speak up just a moment ago, how's your appetite?

She rolled her eyes. "Fine I guess."

"Sleep?"

"That should already be clear to you."

"I swear we will get this sorted out."

"That's what you said four days ago!"

"Don't get snippy with me! Now, is there anything you wish to share with the group?"

"Yes. This hospital sucks and the staff has no idea what they're doing or how to actually help people. This place rips away the human element and replaces it with reliance on substances. Nobody working here cares about any patient. All you do is sit there and read questions spat out by some cold lifeless computer. Fuck this place, I'm getting breakfast. Bye."

And with that, she stormed out.

'Well shit. That was unexpected.'

The nurse continued flipping through her tablet as if nothing had even happened. "Lets see who's next… Patty."

"Can I have a cigarette?"

"At noon, hun. How's your appetite?"

"Can I have a cigarette?"

"I already said, no."

"Can I have a cigarette? Can I have a cigarette? Can I have a cigarette?"

The woman just kept going on and on in repetition until three of the other nurses on the ward had to escort the woman out of the room for being disruptive.

"Misumi Akemi?" There was some silence before she again repeated. "Misumi Akemi are you here?"

Kazehana snapped out of it. "Oh um… yes! Sorry I got lost in my thoughts."

"It's okay. So, how's your appetite."

"Fine I suppose."

"Sleep well?"

"I've had better nights, but it was alright."

"M-hm! Now since you're new here is there anything you wish to share with the group. If not that's okay too. No pressure."

"Long story short I'm a recovering alcoholic and needed time away to gather the pieces of my life back together."

"Good as any other reason to be here. We're all glad you're taking the right steps forward to bettering yourself. Pick a goal from the list of 30 on the board behind me and your food is waiting for you at the nurse's station. You're free to go."

"Thank you." Kazehana said rising from her seat. After scanning the goal list she went with the top pick: Get to know one thing about another patient in the ward by the end of the day.

A good way of getting people to start socializing if there were any.

'Now all I need to do is ask one of these people a question about themselves, and I know just who!'

She was of course talking about the 'cigarette lady' who she faintly remembers the nurse at the front calling 'Patty'.

With her part in the group meeting over, Kazehana steps out in search of the mysterious dark haired, middle aged woman.

It didn't take long as just a few meters down the hall there she was blithering away at the nurses who ushered her out of the group. Most of what she was yammering sounded akin to garbled alien gibberish, with some real words thrown in now and again. The sound of her voice was muffled as well, as if her tongue was swollen three times its size.

Now she knew she had to get to know what this chick was about.

"They'll all come yes you'll see! The little smurf midgets will come and eat all your batteries! They'll use them to commit of forgery, rape, and murder I say! FORGERY! RAPE! AND MURDER!" She shouted in a garbled nonsensical mess of nonsense as she stamped her feet in a fit.

"Someone please get Patty her meds!"

A nurse hustled over not long after and provided them to her with a cup of water.

Patty threw the half dozen pills into her mouth, took a swig of her water...and spat it at all the nurses.

"Aw- now Patty!" one of the nurses exclaimed in disgust.

Turning away from them she stormed in Kazehana's direction with a thousand-yard stare in her eyes. She stopped in front of her and pointed a finger directly at her bosom, almost touching it.

"Hey, what do you think you're-"

Patty began to jab her extended finger at her breasts, one after the other. "One, two. One two. One two." Then back and forth between her own and Kazehana's. "One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four."

"Uuuuhh…"

She then suddenly halted, stamped her foot straight, then aimed her finger at Kazehana's nose in a very accusatory way.

"You make sure you never swallow anything they give you, because these people…" her finger began to swirl round and round, emphasizing her point by poking her in the chest. "ARE NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUTS!"

Then with a 'humpf', the batshit crazy cigarette lady straightened her posture and with a nazi salute marched past her to go...somewhere else.

Kazehana didn't do anything. She was just dumbfounded by what she just witnessed. Seriously, what the fuck was that?

A nurse approached her. "Sorry about that. Patty's a bit… of an eccentric."

"You can say that again. What the hell is wrong with her? Is she even on the right ward?"

"She experiences very frequent psychotic episodes. That's all I can really say about it."

"I see. Will she ever snap out of it?"

"She can be a very sweet woman...when on her meds. We just need her to cool off a bit before she'd agree to take them. Unfortunately, she'll need to spend a little time in our time out room for spitting on our uniforms and refusing her medication."

"That sounds harsh. Wouldn't putting her in a confined space just make her symptoms worse?"

"We need to keep order somehow. Last thing we need is her spitting on our patients."

"Here's an idea sweetheart," an approaching Morihei Chifumi uttered as she came out of the room flanking the two. "How about instead of shoving pills down her throat to solve your problems you show a bit of love and compassion instead."

The nurse rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, roll your eyes, hun. It's all you can do. This place is a fuckin' joke."With that she took her breakfast trey and left for the rec room to chow down. "The food sucks too!"

Kazehana decided it would be best not to pursue her...for now at least.

Bidding farewell to the nurse Kazehana headed back towards the rec room with her tray of food. The sound of an argument then caught Kazehana's ear as she passed one of the rooms. She halted her footsteps to eavesdrop on the nurse and patient in the room.

"I brought you your medication, Matsui."

Said girl was curled up in a ball on her bed with her back to the barred window. She retreated further into her arms, shaking her head no and letting out a slight squeal.

"Come on now hun." The elderly nurse pushed the cup of meds and water closer to her, only to get more frantic shaking.

"Matsui this medical unit is designed to treat patients with medication, and I am not leaving until you take it!" The nurse said raising her voice.

"I want my sweet amber!" Matsui cried out.

"You will have none of that! Now either you take your medicine or I'll force you to!"

Kazehana took that as the cue to walk away. She was familiar with what this 'sweet amber' was and decided it best not to get involved.

Entering the rec room she took a seat at an open table. Across from her a group of men were playing a boardgame. The 'Game of Life' if she remembered correctly. Maybe they would allow her to play with them after eating?

She didn't have time to think much of it as not two bites into her cereal had passed when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up and saw a familiar face. She wasn't sure who it was, only that she seen him before somewhere, only now he was very frail.

He took a seat next to her, a little too close for comfort, setting his tray down. After an awkward moment of silence, he whispered into her ear, "I'd like to have a talk with you later tonight if you don't mind, when everyone's asleep."

"Hey buddy, I don't know who you are, but-!"

"We have a lot to catch up on… #3 Kazehana."

She stared up at him with an expression akin to a child who's hand was caught in the cookie jar. 'Crap, my cover's blown!'

A/N: The occurrences in the hospital are based on experiences I myself had in one for better or worse. The people are based on ones I met in the setting, too, both nurses and patients. So yes, that means both Patty and the tantrum-throwing manchild that horrified Hikari are real. The latter was my roommate for a time... Fun.