004 - The Green Girl Incident (part 2)
Kaho has been locked down in combat Number 66, Kaiha, for a while now.
Objectively speaking, the Scissor Sekirei is stronger than Kaho, there's no point in trying to deny the obvious. One doesn't need to be a combat savant to notice how the older Sekirei moves faster, hits harder and has better reflexes. Fortunately for Kaho… Strength alone means less than people would like to believe.
Big weapons like theirs are at a disadvantage in an enclosed space like this packed forest. This is something that both of them have experienced firsthand during their duel. But, while Kaho did her best to adapt to the unfavorable circumstances… Kaiha refused to concede the point. She stubbornly stuck to her preferred techniques, trying to brute-force the fight into going in her favor.
And that's why Kaho is confident she'll win in the end. Fight smarter, not harder.
While Kaiha's brutal cuts make way through the dense fronds, it's not without a cost. Even as they are mowed down by the sekirei's huge scissor blades, the tree trunks slow down her actions and take a toll on her stamina.
Meanwhile, Kaho learned to rely on thrusts. And then, as her opponent's wasted efforts slowly cleared up the area around her, she took advantage of the other's hard work, enjoying the wider range of movements the newly-created clearing allowed without having to pay the cost of clearing out the area herself.
Kaho is the Dancing Sekirei. And dancing is all about fluidity, about moving to the beat marked by music you can't always dictate yourself. That's why Number 66 is now panting in exhaustion, covered in cuts and tattered clothes while Kaho is still fresh and ready to keep going. Kaiha's strength may have allowed her to set up the pace, but in the end Kaho was the better dancer.
The result has been a foregone conclusion for a while now.
The Scissor Sekirei lets out a feral growl and charges forward, abandoning all caution to try and overwhelm Kaho with a last offensive, trying to replace her lost advantage with sheer aggression. Unfortunately for her, the world simply doesn't work like that. A step to the side, a well-timed twirl, a cry of pain as a naginata spins under the moonlight, bathed in crimson.
"It was a good showing, Kaiha-san." Kaho announces calmly, a soft smile on her face as she resumes a perfect combat stance. "But I'm afraid this seems to be my victory."
"Tsk! Don't get too full of yourself, you bitch!" Number 66 spits out, right arm hanging uselessly, sporting a nasty cut that's staining her tattered clothes red. "Next time I'll show you what's what!"
"Next time? Ara, ara~!" Kaho titters, her free hand coming to her face to cover her smile. "You didn't think I would let you just run away, right?"
"I'd like to see you trying to stop me!" Kaiha taunts, shifting her weight with a clear intention to bolt. "See ya, loser!"
Credit where it's due, Kaiha is still faster than Kaho. Even spent and bloodied as she is, the Scissor Sekirei will easily outrun the Dancing Sekirei if she abandons her pride and turns tail to flee like that. But…
As the older Sekrei explodes into a burst of motion that belies her wounded and exhausted state, Kaho shifts her own posture. Holding her Naginata parallel to the ground, she steadies the head with a hand while pulling back with the other, tensing her body like a drawn bowstring as she takes aim.
… Kaho has yet to see a Sekirei who can outrun a thrown spear.
Naginata are not designed to be thrown, their shape is not optimal for the purpose and simple aerodynamics mean they rapidly lose precision as they leave the hands of the user, but… The distance isn't that great yet, and Sekirei are not fully bound by the rules of physics. Kaho's weapon soars through the air and strikes true, sinking into Kaiha's thigh and pinning the woman against a tree.
As Kaho makes her way towards her downed opponent, the older Sekirei starts yelling at her in an increasingly panicked fashion, trying and failing to pull herself free. From threats to pleas, to attempts and bargaining and outright begging, but Kaho isn't in the mood to indulge banter anymore. Swatting away Kaiha's weak, desperate last struggles, she puts her hand firmly on the other woman's crest.
"This is the dance of my pledge, slash the calamities that befall my Ashikabi!"
There's a bright burst of light as the tattoo disintegrates and all strength leaves the defeated fighter. Kaho doesn't immediately lower her guard, remaining tense and vigilant for a moment afterwards, just to make sure things are actually over. Only when no new threat or nasty surprise manifests out of nowhere does she allow herself to relax.
A small, satisfied smile appears on her lips as she processes the situation. She's done it. This is the first time she's ever been in real combat -that embarrassing scuffle with that brute in front of Ashikabi-sama obviously doesn't count- but she's done it. She's won her first fight and defeated her first opponent. Just one tiny step towards her goal, but she's finally started walking the path towards ultimate strength, towards becoming a pillar of might and confidence her Ashikabi can rely on.
Just like Karasuba-sama.
The sound of a twig being stepped on snaps her back into alertness. Recovering her naginata with a sharp tug that causes Kaiha's unresponsive body to roll down into the ground, she resumes a combat stance. Thankfully, it all proves to be a false alarm as soon as the newcomer's figure steps into the clearing.
"Ah, Kaho-san." Mutsu-sama greets her with that calm and collected voice of his, so soft and yet so strong. Kaho immediately feels ashamed of having pointed her weapon at him. "I see you scored a Termination."
"Mutsu-sama! I didn't hear you coming." She greets in turn, doing her best to cover her sudden embarrassment behind a mask of politeness and a silly excuse. "Did you deal with the reckless upstarts who decided to face you?"
"I defeated them, yes." He nods. "Though they got away."
"Ah…" That answer throws Kaho for a loop. "May I ask why?"
"It's not always easy to stop someone who is attempting to flee." That answer only leaves Kaho even more lost, making her tilt her head confusedly. Surely, if even someone like Kaho can stop their opponent from fleeing, Mustu-sama would be even more capable? "And, efficient as they are, ruthless methods like the ones you used here—"
"Surely Mutsu-sama isn't condemning my actions?" The question escapes Kaho's lips unbidden, a pit forming in her stomach at Mutsu-sama's words. "Ah, my apologies. I shouldn't have spoken out of turn."
"It's fine, you are more than justified in defending your actions." He shakes his head with a soft smile, causing Kaho to let out a sigh of relief she didn't even know she was holding. As her senpai in both life experience and being part of Ashikabi-sama's flock, Mutsu's opinion is important to her. "But actions have consequences that need to be dealt with."
"I'm afraid I don't understand…" She confesses with a frown. She took down her enemy efficiently and cleanly, what more would be expected of her?
"Terminating your opponent thins the competition and it's the best long-term approach to the Sekirei Plan." Mutsu acknowledges easily. "But it causes some problems in the short-term."
Walking closer to where Kaho is standing, he gestures towards Number 66's body.
"The rules of engagement dictate that you need to remain around a terminated Sekirei to ensure her safety until MBI comes to pick them up." He reminds her. "Considering the current situation, it means you'll be tied down here while Ashikabi-sama might need your assistance. The usual recovery teams will probably take longer than usual too, since there's so much going on at the moment."
Kaho's eyes widen in realization, already cursing her own foolishness. How could she miss something so obvious?
"I see you have realized the problem." Mutsu nods, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Your heart is in the right place, but overzeal can be just as dangerous as carelessness."
"Mutsu-san? What am I supposed to do now? I can't– I can't abandon Ashikabi-sama in our very first fight! What sort of lousy, incompetent Sekirei would do something like that?" She asks the older Sekirei, feeling her breathing grow uneven as she works herself into a panic. "N– No! I don't care about the rules! Ashikabi-sama is more important! If necessary, I'll simply abandon— Hueee!?"
Her words are cut off with a jolt and the feeling of something impacting her. It's more shocking than actually painful, but still enough to make her look up to Mutsu's index finger, extended in front of her after having flicked her forehead.
"Now you're acting just like Matsu." He chastises her with a sigh. "What did I just say about overzealousness?"
"This and that are two whole different matters!" She protests, very reasonably in her own humble opinion. "Rules that try to force me apart from Ashikabi-sama are wrong and obviously nonsensical! There's no need for me to observe them and— Huee!?"
She's prevented from working herself into a rant a second time through the same method from before. As expected of a single digit, even Mutsu-san's finger is a frightening weapon. Wait, no! That's not what matters here!
"Kindly cease that, Mutsu-san!" She complains, rubbing her forehead with a (pout) frown. "I'm trying to make a point!"
"Your actions reflect on your Ashikabi, Kahos-san." Mutsu-san continues in his chastising tone and, this time, there's the hint of a frown on his usually placid face. It's surprisingly intimidating for such a subtle gesture. "What do you think will happen to his reputation if one of his Sekirei goes around tramping all over the rules as if they didn't apply to them?"
"But I am the one who did it!" Kaho tries again, but it's not the same. The sense of self-righteousness has abandoned her and trying to summon it back only makes her feel like a petulant child. "It's not his fault!"
"That would make him 'merely' incompetent instead of outright malicious." Mutsu-san shakes his head. "A flock answers only to their Ashikabi but, be as it may, that only means Ashikabi-sama answers for us before the rest of the world."
These words finally get through the last remnants of Kaho's stubbornness, making her deflate and sit down against the tree. It's frustrating, it's unfair, but… there's nothing to be done if that's how things are.
"I… see." She mutters resignedly. "I must look like a fool in your eyes, Mutsu-san. Just a childish girl who can't think before she acts and then throws a tantrum when things don't play out the way she was expecting."
As she speaks, she leans her back on the same tree Kaiha's Terminated body is propped against, slowly letting herself slide down until she's sitting on the ground. To have acted so unsightly in front of her senpai… this is mortifying.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Kaho-san." Mutsu reassures her, not looking mad in the slightest at her outburst. "You are still young and inexperienced, it's normal to find yourself in situations you don't know how to deal with. "
A sigh escapes her lips as she mulls over these words. There's… there's much truth in there, isn't it? Compared with someone who fought to protect the ship as part of the original Disciplinary Squad, someone like her is just a downy chick barely leaving the nest for the first time.
Even if she's more… experienced than most Sekirei her own age, what Kaho went through all these years ago barely means anything in the grand scheme of things.
"Besides…" Mutsu-san continues, a small hint of amusement curling up his lips. "Something tells me Natsu-san will be the one filling the role of a childish fool in this flock."
"That's… probably true." Kaho chuckles weakly. In spite of herself, the levity has made her feel a bit better about the whole thing. "You should go now, Mutsu-san. I may be tied down here, but Ashikabi-sama may still need your help."
There's a twitch in Mutsu-san's posture at these words, his cool façade of perfect control wavering for a moment to reveal the worry and wistfulness hiding inside. If she hadn't been paying attention to his reaction, Kaho would've missed it altogether.
As expected, Mutsu-san wants to go back to Ashikabi-sama, just like Kaho herself. Regardless of everything else, it feels good to have gained a little bit of insight on her fellow batchmate.
"If you are sure…" Mutsu-san trails off, looking away coolly.
He looks indifferent, but Kaho can tell the truth now. He's hesitating between staying here and looking after his kouhai -her- or going back to their Ashikabi. Kaho can't say she understands the dilemma, but maybe she's just being overzealous again.
Still, the choice is clear to her.
"Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary." She waves his concerns away. "Go now, Mutsu-san."
As the Earth Sekirei walks away, Kaho shifts in place to get comfortable. Crossing her legs and resting her naginata against her shoulder, she settles down for a potentially long wait until the MBI recovery teams arrive. Even after the conversation she just had, she still would rather rejoin Ashikabi-sama, but some quiet to think in peace will be welcome.
There's much she needs to reflect on.
As the evening went on, Chad couldn't help but notice how things gradually calmed down. The botanical garden was thick with fronds and branches, making it difficult to navigate, but it wasn't such a big place that the sounds of combat couldn't be heard all through it. And yet, with every passing hour, the loud cracks and explosions of clashing Sekirei trading big attacks became rarer and rarer.
It was too soon to tell whether that meant the various competing factions were taking each other out or simply one of them was gaining the upper hand but, for better or worse, conflict was being settled.
"Ashikabi-sama." Natsu calls out, pointing ahead of them. "Look there!"
"Someone barreled right through the overgrowth." Chad hums, examining a clear path of torn and broken branches making a beeline through the thick vegetation. Then, taking in the familiar scent of smoke, he extends a hand to cup some fluttering flakes of ash. "And it seems like Homura wasn't too far behind."
"That guardian guy with a flawless sense of fashion?" Natsu asks in recollection, leaning her hands on her hips as she nods her head in approval. It looks like the black clothes and face mask made a good impression on the Ninja Sekirei. "You think he was chasing after someone?"
"Not enough burn marks." Chad points out calmly. Homura is supposed to be an Elemental-type Sekirei with power over fire. If the style of other Elemental-types is anything like Mutsu's, their fights will be anything but subtle. "This wasn't a fight."
"Right… Let's investigate anyway." Natsu hurries to hide her disappointment, pulling out a handful of Kunai and walking down the clear trail of destruction. "Stay behind me, Ashikabi-sama! I'll protect you with my life!"
Chad follows with a grunt of acknowledgement, a small smile tugging at his lips at Natsu's antics. Out of his three Sekirei, she's by far the most vivacious. One could say she's the only extrovert in the group, always looking for attention, or simply itching for some action. Her sheer force of personality makes her hard to ignore.
Even when they've only known each other for a short amount of time and have yet to do anything special together, it already feels like they're much closer than he is with Kaho which… could be a bit of a problem, down the line. It would be easy to accidentally neglect her in favor of his quieter Sekirei, since she feels closer already.
… Right, he'll have to be careful with that in the future.
"Ah, right ahead, Ashikabi-sama!"
Traversing the last few feet of the haphazard pathway, Chad and Natsu step into a small clearing full of people. Chad's attention first goes to Musubi, who is facing off against two unknown Sekirei on her own. Right off the other side of the clearing, Sahashi-san stands with a young-looking blonde girl hiding behind him and a worried expression on his face.
The last person in the clearing is… Homura himself, who is leaning on a tree near to the spot where Chad and Natsu emerged into the clearing, arms crossed and eyes on the fight without seeming interested in joining in the slightest. For some reason, Chad feels something vaguely unpleasant stir on his chest at these words.
"Homura." He calmly greets the male Sekirei, keeping his feelings to himself.
There's a flashing side glance when his name is spoken out loud, but he doesn't move a muscle otherwise. "Yasutora Sado."
"You haven't joined the fight." He observes, trying to keep any accusation out of his voice.
"Your Sekrei hasn't joined either." Homura answers, somewhat defensively. Maye Chad didn't do as good a job as he thought with his attempts. Oh, well.
"I have just arrived, Natsu!" He calls out, causing her to cheerfully introduce herself and jump right into the fray. As the two-on-one becomes a two-on-two, Chad sends another glance towards Homura. "Your reasoning?"
"I'm the Guardian of the Unwinged Sekirei." Homura answers, putting a lot of emphasis on the word 'Unwinged'. "I have no stakes in a fight between a group of Sekirei who have all found an Ashikabi already."
"Sahashi-san is protecting an Unwinged Sekirei, isn't he?"
"Not really. Number 108 was winged just as I arrived, right before my eyes in fact." The male Sekirei informs him, not bothering to hide his bitterness and resignation. "At least it wasn't a forced winging."
"That's cold." It's only at that point that Chad finally identifies that vague feeling bothering him since he saw Homura simply watching from the sidelines. It's disappointment. "I suppose you're the sort of man who sticks to the letter of their code while ignoring the spirit."
"What did you say!?" Homura turns around to glare at him, but Chad doesn't even feel like answering in kind, his eyes still focused on the skirmish in front of him. Now that Natsu has joined Musubi, the tides seem to have turned. Good. "Who do you think you are to judge me?"
"Not judging. It's not my place to judge." Chad shakes his head. "That's between you and your conscience."
What's wrong with him? It's not like Chad to go out of his way to antagonize others, nor to butt into their personal matters like this. But there's something about Homura's attitude that just… rubs him the wrong way. Knowing one of the most powerful Sekirei of the plan wanders the city alone to watch over his weaker siblings made Chad make certain assumptions about the character of the Fire Sekirei that ended up being mistaken and that doesn't sit right with him. Like watching someone who could be great give up halfway to settle for good enough.
Homura looks away with a huff, not saying anything but not leaving either while Chad walks around the clearing's edge to join Sahashi-san's side. The other young man gives him an unsteady nod to acknowledge his presence, but his attention is in the fight and he's clearly more worried about his Sekirei's wellbeing than Chad's presence.
Not that there's much more to the fight. Now that both sides are evenly matched, it's not long before the hostile Sekirei are suppressed and Terminated.
As soon as the Terminations are confirmed and combat ends, it's like a switch gets flipped on the combatants. The dangerous, tense aura of fighting spirit surrounding the two girls vanishes like an illusion, leaving two cheerful and relaxed girls turning around to face their respective Ashikabi at the same time.
"I did it, Ashikabi-sama!"
"I did it, Minato-sama!"
The two of them celebrate at once. Natsu still looks fresh as new while Musubi is covered in scratches and bruises, her torn and dirty clothes proof of what she had to endure on her own before Natsu joined the fray. And yet, their cheerful and carefree smiles are mirror images of each other. Maybe Chad was wrong in his initial evaluation, Natsu may behave like Yoruichi sometimes, but right now she reminds him more of Orihime.
"Ah." Putting these considerations out of mind, he gives Natsu a smile and a nod. "Good job, Natsu."
"Ehehe~! Of course I'm the best!" The girl replies shamelessly, a cheeky smile on her lips as she steps closer to him. "Praise me more!"
Before he knows what he's doing, he finds his hand has moved on his own and is patting her head. A small blush grows on her cheeks as she closes her eyes and leans on his touch, her smile widening. Following his instinct, Chad digs his fingers into her dark blue hair, messing it up a bit to scratch her scalp, much to her blatant delight.
If asked, he wouldn't be capable of saying why he did it. It just felt… natural.
"Ah, Minato sama! Me too, me too!" Musubi cries out in protest, grabbing Sahashi-san's hand and placing it on her head. "Did Musubi do a good job? Pat Musubi's head too!"
This, in turn, causes the younger girl to finally step away from the young man, a jealous pout on her face as she grabs his other free hand and plops it on her own head.
The mood in the clearing is relaxed and positive while everyone settles down to wait for MBI to come pick up the Terminated Sekirei. Except for Homura, who is growing visibly restless as he stands around, not seeming to know what to do next. He looks about to simply up a leave without a word when a new group reaches the clearing. The six Sekirei that make up this new group look different degrees of haggard as they stop to regard the group already in the clearing with wary eyes. That is, until the redheaded one catches sight of the blonde girl still sticking to Sahashi-san's side and breaks out a toothy smile.
"Well, well… What do we have here?" She asks rhetorically, taking a couple of nonchalant steps to the side in what might be a subtle encircling maneuver for someone less experienced than Chad, but looks rather blatant to his eye. "Is that the Green Girl I spy?"
He frowns at the action, noticing how the rest of the group is following her lead and trying to spread around the clearing without being too over about it. This speaks not of a spur-of-the-moment collaboration but rather of a cohesive group used to working together. Maybe they aren't out of the woods yet.
Much to his surprise, it's Sahashi-san who answers the redhead's words.
"K-Kusano is my Sekirei now!" He declares, stepping in front of her and spreading his arms protectively. In spite of the slight stammer, the resolve is clear in his voice. "There's no point in trying to take her away!"
His declaration earns him the attention of the whole group, which causes him to stiffen and take half a step back. In fact, he seems about ready to crumble under the pressure, but somehow manages to stand firm in the end. This makes the newcomers relax all at once.
"What?"
"Do you mean we did all that for nothing?"
"Man, what a waste."
"I want to go back home and sleep."
"Someone stole a march on us while we were busy."
"This sooo not fair."
"As you see, you're too late." Homura speaks up gruffly, stepping into the middle of the clearing while they are groaning and complaining. "Now these two need to watch over the Terminated ones until MBI comes to pick them up. The show is over, now scram."
"The Guardian of the Unwinged Sekirei, huh?" The redhead muses, trading a glance with the one who looks like the leader of the group. "We have heard of you."
There's a silent communication there that Chad utterly misses, but it ends with the two Sekirei nodding at each other. When their attention goes back to Sahashi-san and Kusano, there's something in their expressions that makes Chad tense.
"Sure, sure… we could do that." The redhead continues, the toothy smile from before back in full force as she takes deliberate, swaggering steps towards them. "But…"
"We could also Terminate these guys and thin out the competition." The short-haired blonde with tanned skin finishes the sentence for her partner. "It would be what, six on two? I doubt the little one can put up a fight worth the name. I like these odds."
Strictly speaking, the Sekirei Plan forbids ganging on Sekirei who have just Terminated their opponents. But MBI's ability to enforce the rules is somewhat limited and this group seems perfectly willing to step over the line when the opportunity is good enough.
Chad evaluates their chances. Since Homura is unwilling to take sides, they might need to retreat, but that approach presents its own set of problems. Kusano doesn't seem to be capable of running away on her own. There aren't enough Sekirei on their side to carry everyone and whoever gets left behind won't be capable of getting away on their own. Granted, a Sekirei isn't supposed to attack humans, but that's of little consolation in this particular instance.
A better leader than Chad could no doubt figure out a solution for this conundrum, but all he can think of is remaining behind to buy time for the rest to make their escape. Which is a horrible plan even by his own standards. If only the rest of his Sekirei were around…
As he's reflecting on that, a sudden burst of light and heat draws everyone's attention towards Homura. The Fire Sekirei is slowly approaching Chad's group, glaring at the hostile Sekirei with a fire snake coiling around his body.
"Count again. That's three on six for you." Homura growls. "And I'd think twice before fighting the Fire Sekirei in the middle of a forest."
"Homura?" Chad asks in surprise.
"You were right earlier. I was being… disingenuous with my goals." Homura admits with a pained expression, sounding as if he finds it physically painful to say these words. "You can count on my support until Kusano is safe, Ashikabi. Don't expect this to happen again."
"Ah." Chad nods, feeling strangely vindicated by the Sekirei's decision.
This feels… right and proper. It's just a personal impression, one-sided and selfish, but he truly believes Homura shines brighter like this. He hasn't known about the Fire Sekirei for long, but he can't help feeling that way. Fire is supposed to dispel the dark and keep the cold at bay, not just… lash out in pain against everything around it.
Unfortunately, his declaration doesn't seem to intimidate the group beyond making them pause in their steps. After the briefest of hesitations, the shortest one resumes her approach, floating swords emerging from her blue cowl to form a strange twelve-bladed halo above her head.
"On the contrary, I believe the Fire Sekirei won't be particularly dangerous in the middle of a forest." She reasons disdainfully. "Not when he's trying to protect others."
Unfortunately, she has a point. Fortunately, that's when six earthen stakes erupt from the ground with perfect timing, each of them aiming at the face of one of their opponents.
"Make that four on six." Mutsu joins in, walking into the meadow with calm and measured steps to stand at your other side. "And you'd be fighting Number 05."
That seems to finally break through the group's confidence, making them stop for real and hesitantly ready her weapons. In all honesty, Chad would rather they decide to cut their losses and retreat. Mutsu or not, an open conflict with so many fighters will be messy and someone important might end up hurt in the process.
"W–Well, so what?" The redhead tries to bluster through her sudden worry. "We still have the numbers and the quality! If you think you can just throw your number around and bully others into–"
"We are leaving." Their leader cuts her off, lowering her own weapon.
"What!?" She cries in outrage, seemingly forgetting the tense situation to turn around and send her leader an incredulous look. "Ceci, you're not serious, right? We can totally take them!"
"The prize is lost, this isn't a fight worth picking." The answer is delivered in a calm, gentle voice that seems to make the redhead immediately deflate. "Let it go, Shubby."
"Grr…. Fine!" She protests mulishly before facing Chad's group again. "You are lucky this time, but next time we cross paths you'll know the true might of Squad Snowwolf!"
"We are not calling ourselves that." The short woman with the halo of swords mercilessly retorts without missing a beat, already pulling her weapons back and turning to leave.
"Salome!" The woman apparently named 'Shubby' complains with a whine. "I'm trying to play it cool in front of our rivals!"
"And we're not calling them our rivals either." One of the members who had remained quiet so far, the white-haired girl with the ponytail, chimes in cheerfully.
"Kira? You too!? I'm betrayed from all sides! Lixue, back me up!"
"From where I'm standing…" The last member of the group trails off calmly. "It's only that big mouth of yours that betrays you."
They continue in that fashion as they retreat from the clearing, acting as if they hadn't been about to break out into a massive melee including two single-digits without even blinking. For a good minute, Chad's group remains tense and alert, a mix of relief and worry as they wait for the other shoe to drop.
It's only when that fails to manifest that they allow themselves to finally relax.
"Well…" Sahashi-san trails off nervously. "That happened."
"Indeed." Natsu nods seriously, putting her kunai away and crossing her arms to pose in a somewhat dramatic fashion. "Squad Snowwolf, eh? I'll remember them."
"Natsu, that's not…" Mutsu starts, only to apparently think better and give it up with a sigh. "Nevermind."
In the end, nothing else of note happened while they waited for the MBI pickup. Chad learned a bit about Sahashi-san, who is staying at a traditional inn after getting kicked out of his old apartment due to the regulations not allowing couples. To make things even more interesting, Musubi has lost her card, which meant they couldn't count on the discretionary funds MBI provided to all Ashikabi.
Their situation was a mess all around and Chad made a mental note to ask around about the topic. Surely, there was a way to get replacement cards, right? That money is intended to help the Ashikabi deal with the considerable monetary burden the living expenses of a Sekirei represents. Chad knows he could never provide for three Sekirei on his own while going through college otherwise.
As soon as the MBI pickup gets close, Homura vanishes into thin air and it's not long after that they part ways. It's been a long and eventful evening, but at least Kusano is clearly satisfied with her new big brother, so the main purpose of the outing ended up a resounding success.
That is, until Kaho rejoins them and Natsu idly mentions how she'd like to fight Musubi again in her earshot. That somehow causes the butt of Kaho's naginata to 'accidentally' trip Natsu, which inevitably ends with the two of them descending into bickering once again.
Chad really needs to have a word in private with Kaho, sooner rather than later.
As the incident in the botanical garden comes to an end and the different actors retreat to their respective homes to recount loses and lick their wounds, a silent shadow scurries away from the area. Much has been seen today as the first big-scale conflict between sekirei finally took place and there's much to consider.
The Sekirei of the East, Izumi Higa, has proved to be mightier and more troublesome than originally expected. Not only does his deep pockets and ability to issue bounties hold a lot of sway amongst the independents, but his personal forces are nothing to scoff at.
Numbers 16 and 18 are impressive fighters and it was something of a surprise to find them retreating with their tail between their legs. And that girl with the scythe… the shadow shivers uncomfortably as she reminisces about what she saw when the girl with the scythe personally stepped into the battlefield. That was another level altogether.
And sure, the man took some hits during this confrontation, but most of the losses were soaked by the hopefuls going after the bounty. The only Sekirei of any real important Higa lost here was Number 66, Kaiha. Which she lost to… Hmmm.
Number 87, Kaho, is something of a known figure, not because of any personal feat of strength, but due to her past. She's one of two Sekirei who were taken away in the closest thing to a successful kidnapping in the story of MBI. How that may or may not matter in the long term, it's not the shadow's place to say.
But Kaho is part of a flock and that automatically makes that flock interesting. Especially when even a cursory glance at this Yasutora Sado marks him as a person of interest. Three Sekirei under his care make for a somewhat impressive flock at this stage of the plan, but what makes it really stand out is the fact that Number 05, was his first.
A potential Ashikabi, without a single feather to his name, went and winged the Earth Sekirei. One of the first five, the first incarnation of the Disciplinary Squad, who were adjusted for open warfare and hence considerably stronger and harder to wing than the rest of the feathers. That's someone worth keeping an eye on. No wonder even Hiroto Minaka himself maintains semi-regular contact with him.
The third point of interest in the group that refuses to be called Squad Snowwolf. A group of numerically-consecutive Sekirei who gathered around the impressive charisma of Number 45, Cecilia, even before they were released. The shadow isn't sure of their current allegiances, whether they're acting independently, winged by the same Ashikabi or some of the other, more out there options, but she'll have to keep them in mind from now on.
The fact that they were confident on going after two single-digits, even when they had a small number advantage, speaks of unexpected competence or reckless abandon. And the latter would solve itself on its own, so it's better to play safe and assume the former.
And last, but not least, Sahashi Minato.
Boy, oh boy! What was the eldest son of MBI's head researcher even doing there? And an Ashikabi, no less? The one who ended up winging little Number 108? Who just so happened to be taking a stroll out of the labs with none less than Sahashi Takami herself when the accident started! Something stinks there and it's not just because the guy was so green he probably dirtied his underwear during the evening.
At least his talent as an Ashikabi is the real deal or, already having winged a Sekirei or not, he would've never managed to get a partially adjusted Sekirei like Kusano to react to him. And speaking of already having winged a Sekirei, Minato-kun also happens to have Number 88 under his care! The other Sekirei who almost got kidnapped alongside Number 87 during that one incident.
And, if rumors are to be given credit, the more interesting of the two. For reasons the shadow hasn't been capable of figuring out on her own but definitely have something to do with the sudden dissolution of the second Disciplinary Squad around the same time. How many interesting things does the Sekirei Plan have yet to reveal? The plot keeps on thickening and the shadow can only rub her hands in anticipation!
Finally, the shadow's scurrying takes her to a recently-refurbished building near the center of the city. To a tuning shop that's much more than meets the eye. Few know it, but the place doesn't just make the craziest and more out-there car modifications you could imagine, it's also a nearly-impregnable fortress where pretty much every piece of furniture doubles as an automated defense system and every hall and corridor can be turned into a panic room just by smashing a button!
There's also an incredibly well-equipped gym in the basement. Sousuke does good work like that. He also thinks she doesn't know about the security systems, but that's not his fault. It's very hard to keep a shadow from learning things.
And speaking of Number 100 and good work…
He's absolutely demolishing these dumbbell reps and looking yummy while doing it. Yahan didn't join him because of the eye candy, but damn if that isn't a big plus to the whole deal. Watching him laying shirtless on the bench, muscles shiny with sweat and rippling with effort certainly has a way of boosting her morale!
For a moment, Yahan considers popping out of nowhere to give him a scare, but even she's not that much of a dick. An unrepentant prankster, yes. But she draws the line where someone could actually get hurt and workout is serious business. He'll want to hear all about what she's learnt tonight, but there's no particular hurry.
It can wait until he's done being an absolute beefcake.
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