Tsunderes are about to tsundere and monsters are about to monster.
Buckle in.
Truly, fortune had smiled upon her, to so readily deliver her target unto her.
Truthfully though, while she'd seen her would-be Ashikabi from a long way off, Tsukiumi couldn't help but wonder… where was he going with such haste at this hour?
No, perhaps more importantly, how was he doing that?
He was leaping across the rooftops with the same skill as any Sekirei, but he was only human, and as such, such things should be far beyond his meager capabilities…
Taking note of those accompanying him for the first time, Tsukiumi's gaze zeroed in on one of the leaping figures in his trail and eyes as blue as the ocean narrowed in chagrin.
Of course! If 03 was by his side, then her winds could aid him, so perhaps…
…
How dare he! To have not one, but two Sekirei by his side, and still have the gall to reach out to her!?
To invade her dreams and seek to acquaint himself with her, and not even have the decency to make her his first choice!?
Did he mean for her to be a mere concubine!?
By the time Minato and his Sekirei had reached Tsukiumi, any curiosities had been shoved aside in favor of working herself up into a near frenzy of righteous outrage.
Thus, she was unprepared to lose the initiative almost immediately.
Meaning, she was naturally left with no idea what to do when her would-be suitor reached her, and started things off by promptly lowering his head to her and apologizing.
"I'm really sorry Tsukiumi, but I have to ask, can we pretend we didn't see each other just now?"
… Personally, Kazehana felt a little vindicated when she noted that everyone else was just as confused by her Ashikabi's actions as she was.
"... P-pardon me!?" Tsukiumi half-stammered, half-shrieked. "Thou s-seeketh to… thou wisheth to… I am not some trollop that thou canst merely cast aside as thou pleasest!"
Kazehana and Akitsu both tensed as Tsukiumi clenched her fists and squared her shoulders, strands of golden hair rising and swaying violently like enraged serpents as an unseen breeze lifted the hems of her skirt and coat.
Minato, unaware of the danger, just bowed lower.
"Please? Kusano needs help."
"Kusano!? Kusano!? WHO IN THE BLAZES IS KUSANO!?"
Minato dispelled the rising storm in an instant when he lifted his head without rising out of the bow.
"Kusano's a little girl I promised to come find, and if I don't hurry, something irreversible might happen to her."
"... A little girl?" For the briefest of instants, Tsukiumi was struck by the maddening sensation that it might be she herself who was in the wrong, and she did not like it one bit.
Minato nodding immediately, and without any trace of guile in his expression (and why was he still bowing!?), did little to help her mounting confusion.
"W-well, I suppose that is all v-very well and good, but whatever does that have to do with thy desire to render our first meeting false?"
Minato straightened up and responded immediately, and Kazehana nearly burst into laughter at the effect it had.
"Because I was really looking forward to meeting you in person and it seems like a waste to rush it?"
Tsukiumi tried to stay angry.
She really did.
When she failed, Kazehana nearly failed too- at keeping her laughter in check, that was.
"I-I see. Yes, yes, t-t-tis only proper that thou wouldst treat our first meeting with the significance it deserves." Tsukiumi stuttered (Minato nodding obediently along was in no way helping her composure). "I s-suppose I can… disregard thine impertinence, but only just this once!"
"I really appreciate it." Minato said honestly. "Now, I don't mean to rush you, but…" He was already feeling impatient as it was with using the Sekirei method of fast travel as opposed to his own.
"I-Indeed! We must make haste if we are to rescue the young one! Indeed, there is no time to tarry!" Tsukiumi spun stiffly on her heel to stride off in the direction the rest of them were facing.
"... Are you coming with us?"
"Is there a problem? I wish to ascertain the truth of thy words with mine own eyes! And if there is a child in danger, then I, Tsukiumi will not stand idle!"
"That's very kind of you."
"Rescue first, f-flattery later!"
"Flattery?"
Tsukiumi led the way (retreated), and in her fluster, nearly didn't make the very first jump.
Minato, being the wonderfully unfair person that he was, stayed a little closer to her out of concern, which actually did help, in a roundabout way.
Tsukiumi kept trying to pull away by pulling ahead, meaning Minato sped up to keep up with her, and Kazehana and Akitsu sped up to keep up with him.
That odd game of tag caused the distance to the Botanical Garden Maze to evaporate like it was nothing.
"Homura." Takami's voice came from the wireless earpiece.
"Little busy," Homura grit back as he leapt under a sweeping leg, sending out a burst of flame in midair to drive his opponents back.
"I can tell," Takami drily retorted, watching him from a monitor screen. "Incoming at 5 o'clock," she paused politely as Homura kicked out sharply in response to her warning, "and back-up is on the way, eta- oops, he's sped up, one minute and counting."
Homura didn't bother retorting- a four on one fight didn't give him that leeway.
He'd been protecting the entrance to the Botanical Garden on her request, and it had been an uphill battle to say the least.
By the time he'd made it there, there was no immediate MBI presence- the surrounding neighborhood had been cordoned off, but Takami had put her foot down and pulled the humans out of the firing line before he'd arrived.
Naturally, it was the moment he 'resolved' a battle between two pairs of vultures (and hid the Sekirei he'd deactivated in the process), no less than five Sekirei belonging to the Ashikabi of the East, as they'd announced themselves.
Though, Homura was aware that not all of them were necessarily winged by the Ashikabi of the East- Higa Izumi had no shortage of allies.
Unfortunately, Homura hadn't been able to stop the runner among them from getting past, but it wasn't like he could pursue, either. Guarding the entrance was still the best hope he had at keeping the Green Girl safe, and the maze itself was, well... flammable.
He had enough problems as it was, as someone (not him of course, that would be silly) may have used his status as an unwinged Single Number to make himself bait, and was currently taking shameless advantage of the fact that they weren't trying to deactivate him anymore.
It seemed fair- he was holding back as well obviously, which was way more work when you were trying to nonlethally light someone on fire.
The new trick they came up with took a moment for him to figure out, though, a hesitation that could easily be fatal under normal circumstances.
It involved flying sideways across the parking lot and bouncing off cars.
That, or a certain wind user had decided to sweep the field. It was definitely one of those two.
A relieved sigh was muffled by his mask as Kazehana touched down in front of him with a quiet tinkling of bells, shooting him a wink as she did.
It wasn't the enemy, or him, that had her focus, though, and a moment later, Minato descended to street level, his arm looped over Akitsu's shoulder as she helped him land.
Followed closely by-
"... Tsukiumi?"
Ocean blue eyes narrowed angrily as the proud blonde thrust a finger his way.
"Homura! What foolishness is this, waging battle whilst outnumbered so!? What if thou were to perish before I could slay thee!?"
"... Good to see you too, Tsukiumi." Homura returned with a wry smile.
He was used to her mannerisms to some extent, so she probably wasn't cross with him just because she'd claimed dibs on defeating him.
… Probably.
"Are you alright, Homura?" Minato asked in that toneless voice of his, his expression neutral as he swept the field with his gaze. "I suppose I should have known you'd be watching over Kusano."
"Kusano? How do you know her name?" No use and no time to be cagey and play ignorant.
"I had a busy sleep," The dark-haired Ashikabi confessed.
"... A 'busy sleep', huh?" That made things much simpler, if Kusano's chosen Ashikabi was here, then…
"Not so fast!" Came a high-pitched, youthful voice.
"... Oh come on now." Kazehana chuckled at his quiet outburst.
The Ashikabi of the South, Mikogami Hayato, had only brought three of his Sekirei with him.
Quantity mattered much less when one of those Sekirei was the only other male Single Number, Number 05, Mutsu.
The Sekirei of the Earth, and the last member of the original Disciplinary Squad.
"Oh, been a while, Mutsu, I was wondering what you've been up to~!" Kazehana cheerfully called out, giving her former comrade a wave and wink.
Mutsu rolled his eyes in response, but didn't say anything out loud.
One of the relatively rare male Sekirei, Mutsu was tall and lean, messy silver hair and impassive grey eyes. Wearing dark clothes and an orange muffler draped around his neck and shoulders, the Sekirei of the Earth was carrying a sheathed katana in his right hand, but made no move to draw his weapon.
"Kazehana," Minato spoke up, glancing at the swordsman. "Why don't you catch up with your old friend?"
Kazehana gave a brief nod, her posture playful but not offering the slightest opening.
"Akitsu, help Homura keep them out." Minato shot the fire user a glance as Akitsu nodded dutifully. "I was planning to bring Kusano to Miya, is that alright with you, Homura?"
"You're not planning to wing her?"
"Of course he isn't, because the Green Girl is mine!" The younger Ashikabi insisted.
Without paying Mikogami any heed, Minato tilted his head and gave Homura a faintly puzzled look.
"Isn't she a little young for marriage?"
"... I blame Kazehana for you immediately assuming that winging is marriage." Homura sighed, and then repeated the sound as Kazehana gave a blissful giggle. "But yeah, I'd rather not fling fire in a forest, so I'll leave it to you…. No, hold on, if you're leaving all your Sekirei out here then-?"
He directed his gaze Tsukiumi's way, only to find her stern gaze locked on Minato.
"If thou art a man, honor thy promise to the child." She commanded him. "We shall attend to matters between us once I've brought these miscreants to heel."
"Thank you, Tsukiumi." Minato softly replied, smiling at her. "I knew I could count on you."
The blonde huffed and pointedly turned her back on him, setting her shoulders and facing her would-be foes with hands on her hips.
Her clothing and hair began to rustle ominously once more as the Sekirei of Water summoned her power.
"A child is no prize to be won! Scurry back to thy holes like the vermin thou art, or I shall strike thee down here and now!"
"Ooh, right, she's the water-type!" Mikogami chimed in excitedly, ignoring the warning entirely. "Mutsu, Taki, Mitsuha, get her for me! Ooh, and the fire-type too!"
"I'm going to be a little busy, Master." Mutsu refused drily- he and Kazehana, at some wordless signal, began to move off to the side, gaining distance from the others.
The Sekirei of the East had remained silent until then, watching the newcomers warily as one received instructions through her cellphone.
Unsurprisingly, they didn't have any plans on leaving either.
But it was Minato that started things off.
"Akitsu, see that big open entrance?" Minato gestured to the yawning gap in the twisted expanse of hedges and vines.
"Yes, Master?" The ice maiden quietly confirmed.
"Make it go away."
Akitsu swept up her arm without a moment's hesitation.
Like the fang of a great beast, a huge icicle erupted from the ground to block the maze entrance.
When she clenched her outstretched fist, the icicle sprouted jagged thorns, several of which pierced into the foliage, while the bulk of them directed outwards like a frozen phalanx of shimmering spears.
"... That's all very impressive," Homura blinked, taken aback by the casual display of force, "but how are you going to… get… in?"
Minato was nowhere to be found, and Akitsu was the only one to have watched him go.
But as for what she had seen, it was something she would ponder at a later time, if at all.
Her foremost concern were the orders her master had left her with.
The moment he was alone within the verdant walls of the Garden Maze, Minato immediately began to employ a strategy that no one else could easily achieve.
He went in a straight line.
Coursing through the tangled undergrowth, slipping through the cracks and sliding beneath roots and across tree trunks.
Heading for the nearest location he 'felt he should be'.
It was truly mysterious- it felt like there were multiple Kusano's within the garden, but Minato had no misgivings about assuming that the labyrinth was actively sheltering the Green Girl.
This was the same forest he'd seen within her dreams, after all, and he could feel it watching and judging.
It wasn't long before his attention was briefly diverted, as he happened upon a pair of meals, wandering the maze side-by-side.
Thankfully for them, they were going the wrong way, and so Minato passed them by without revealing himself.
Fortunately, though, soon enough a definite hint had presented itself.
Unfortunately, that hint was the terrified scream of a little girl.
Kusano shrieked as the mean girl lost patience, shielding her head and curling up into a little ball as the other Sekirei raised her hand high.
With her eyes shut, Kusano didn't see the blow coming until it had already landed.
… Anymore than her attacker did.
Like a bulky whip, 'something dark' lashed out and swatted the older Sekirei across the clearing, sending her crashing noisily through the undergrowth.
Several long seconds passed before Kusano realized that she wasn't being hit.
Timidly, she opened one big green eye, just a little, and then immediately shut it again when she lost her nerve.
The second time she opened her eyes, It was still there- the haunter of the dark that she had dreamed of once before.
It, no, he, was wearing the shape of a boy, but a grown-up boy, his hair and eyes dark like the sky above.
Perhaps an ordinary child would have been terrified even still, but not Kusano.
Kusano remembered the promise she had made with-
"M-Mister Monster?"
Mister Monster smiled at her, slightly shaking his raised pinky finger in wordless acknowledgement.
Kusano scrunched up her cheeks and gave a little sniffle as her eyes began to water.
But she forced back the tears with a much bigger sniffle (cuz she was a big girl), and instead, gave Mister Monster a big, runny-nosed grin.
"Mhm!"
"Someone's had quite a night, huh?" Mister Monster gently asked, his dark eyes sweeping over her. "But there is nothing left to be afraid of."
Of course not, because Mister Monster was the scariest thing in the forest, 'cept he wasn't scary to her cuz she was a good girl.
And that was all it took for Kusano to believe his words, wholly and completely, with the sort of immediate, absolute trust that only a child could easily give.
But, as if to immediately prove his words false, three lines of silver flashed through the air, gleaming coldly in the dim forest light.
The sound they made as they struck Mister Monster in the back sounded to Kusano like a wet and squishy sound, like mud squishing beneath a boot.
This time, Kusano didn't get a chance to scream.
This time, Mister Monster was there to slowly put a finger to his lips.
And wink.
Sekirei Number 31, Sai. A Sekirei who favored twin sets of blades, a trio for each hand attached to long strings.
One of those sets was currently buried in a person's back, deeply enough that she couldn't see any metal at all.
In part, it was shock at her own actions- she had simply lashed out without thinking.
… But there was a bigger reason why it hadn't yet crossed her mind to try pulling her blades loose.
Because the strange young man with a back full of knives wasn't paying any attention to her, nor to the knives in his back.
Not even the tiniest hint of recognition.
So strange and uncanny was the sight, that Sai didn't have the leeway to ponder any of the many, many questions she could have, should have been asking.
Sai was too focused on how the young man continued to speak to the Green Girl, as if he hadn't noticed her at all.
"... Are you sure it doesn't hurt?" Kusano asked worriedly, trying and failing to peer around Minato to where the knives should have been.
"Did you forget, Kuu?" Minato softly reminded her, even as he shifted angles to deny her gaze. "Only heroes get to beat up monsters."
Kusano went still, and then blinked once, twice.
"Oh yeah, I forgot!" Kusano chirped back, feeling an immense sense of relief at Mister Monster's explanation. Those were the rules, after all.
Minato sighed internally, glad that Kusano had bought the explanation.
The truth was, it had hurt.
… But not enough.
Not nearly enough to change what was about to happen.
"Now Kusano, I'm going to chase away the mean girl, but I think you've had enough excitement for one night. Close your eyes," Kusano immediately began to shake her head in protest, "and I promise, when you open them up again, I'll still be here and you'll be safe, okay? Now, sleep."
Kusano's big green eyes fluttered shut, and as her head dipped, Minato gently cradled her and tucked her curled up, sleeping form in among the thick roots of the tree she'd been huddled beneath.
As if on cue, Minato felt a hard tug against his back, and then a sudden release of tension as the strings tugged free.
Sai unbalanced and fell onto her butt as her strings returned to her without any resistance.
Without any resistance… or blades attached to the ends.
From somewhere nearby, a series of muffled crunches and twangs could be heard.
Unable to comprehend what was happening, and more than a little unnerved, Sai slowly rose to her feet, readying her functional set of blades.
Strange, this was strange, she didn't understand what was happening, but-
-If she ran she would die-
Master wanted the Green Girl.
She couldn't fail him twice!
She-
"You know, cleaning the traces of use from a blade isn't as simple as most people think," the strange young man suddenly spoke up, his voice mild, almost toneless. "Which is why I know exactly who you used these on last."
"... A-and so what?"
"And so I know you're the one who hurt Mother."
"M-Mother?" What the hell was he-
"You hurt Mother, and you nearly hurt little Kuu."
Sai readied her blades once more. His voice was still mild, but there was something ghastly about the way he spoke, as if the words were being directed through her, rather than at her.
Too late, she became aware that he had no wounds on his back, nor even the slightest tear in his simple, black long sleeve shirt.
"I'm not very good with 'forgiveness' just yet, but still, I think even if I did understand it, I would still kill you, right here and right now." The strange young man softly declared, without turning to face her.
And when his neck did twist to allow him to see her face to face, it was in a manner the bones of his neck should have never allowed. Sai's shaking legs gave out as the snapping of bone echoed like gunshots.
"You know... there's a very good reason why the little one calls me Mister MOn҉҉͏s͘t̸̨̡͘E̴̡̨̢͞R̨̀̀͜͞!̨̛"
With those words, Minato abandoned all pretense of being human and Number 31, Sai, finally saw him for what he truly was.
And so she took the only option left to her, and that was to scream.
Louder, and longer, than she had ever screamed in all her life.
… But only once.
Balancing on the ball of her foot, Kazehana rode the tip of the stalagmite into the air, letting the momentum of Mutsu's Earth Fang launch her high into the sky.
Since she was already up in the air, she decided she may as well linger a bit and take advantage of the view.
… That Ashikabi from the South was one to watch it seemed.
Winging Mutsu was reason enough (which made her curious because Mutsu definitely preferred women) to watch out for him, but the other two he'd brought with him were worth noting as well.
The white-haired cutie had summoned mist to keep the battlefield divided, while the twin-tailed cutie was dancing in and out of the mist, lashing out with her whip in an obviously rehearsed combination that the leaderless Sekirei couldn't seem to deal with.
Their Ashikabi was taking cover by one of the more intact APC's, where the white-haired one had politely but firmly herded the kid out of the way, taking care to steer around the worst of the carnage.
That sort of consideration suggested a strong bond- she was happy her old drinking buddy had a good Ashikabi.
Unfortunately for them, while the mist could resist Homura's flames, mist mixed poorly with solid barriers, which meant that there hadn't been a meaningful challenge to Akitsu, guarding her icy barricade in silence.
As for Tsukiumi and Homura, prideful shouting and fierce flashes of light within the mist suggested they were keeping themselves busy.
Twisting herself in midair as she descended, Kazehana touched down lightly on the arm of a metal streetlamp- and kicked off of it so hard that it folded in half. The wind swept her into a diving arc, right past Mutsu's rampart of earth as she whirled on him with an arm sheathed in a razor wind.
"Wind Sword!" A blade of wind met a blade of steel as Mutsu half-unsheathed his blade, but rather than match strength, Kazehana immediately let her blade burst in a swirl of petals, flinging the two of them apart.
"Someone's feeling vicious tonight," Mutsu noted without judgement as he stuck the landing with equal ease. "I was surprised you let your Ashikabi go off on his own."
"A good woman doesn't doubt her man." Kazehana replied with a lackadaisical smile.
But doubting her man and worrying about her man were two separate things, weren't they?
… Mutsu didn't seem to buy her excuse either.
Impertinent.
How impertinent.
All of them.
The Sekirei, the ones who believed they could keep the strongest of their number at bay with petty tricks.
Homura, for restricting himself to short, controlled bursts of flames to avoid catching her unawares.
That Ashikabi, for believing that he could rescue the child on his own.
And his servants for allowing it.
That she herself had allowed him to depart unaccompanied served only to increase Tsukiumi's ire.
There was a strange tightness that had gripped her chest the moment he had vanished from her sight, and her discomfort grew with each passing second.
How dare he do this to her!
And how dare these wenches seek to waylay her!
Sometimes, attempting to confront one's feelings allows one to let them go.
And sometimes, it only serves to exacerbate the problem, and that was precisely what happened to her.
"Homurrraaa!" Tsukiumi roared. "If thou dost not wish to be swept away, then get thee hence!"
A panicked voice emerged not too far to the left, some irrelevant protest to the effect of 'I don't even know which way is in the way!', but Tsukiumi paid it no heed.
The man she had deemed her rival would not be so easily caught in the crossfire.
And, perhaps more importantly, she had no more patience to spare.
The distant roar of the tides echoed through the parking lot as Tsukiumi brought the ocean's fury to bear.
Eight towering pillars of water twisted themselves into the eight heads of the serpent, and surged into the mists with great jaws agape.
"Yamata no Orochi!"
Licking his fingers clean and wiping them off on a broad leaf, Minato made his way over to the hollow at the base of the tree where he'd safely tucked away the slumbering Kusano.
The hollow was deeper and the roots were higher than Minato remembered, and so he gave a quick word of thanks to the tree that sheltered her as he carefully scooped her up into his arms.
He didn't actually know how to talk to trees, but that was no excuse for bad manners.
The Green Girl began to stir after a moment, lifting her head from his shoulder with a big yawn, and rubbing at her eyes with a balled up fist.
When her sleepy eyes settled on him, Kusano went very still and blinked several times in rapid succession.
"M-Mister Monster?" Kusano hesitantly murmured, as if afraid that speaking his name out loud would cause him to vanish.
"Yes Kusano, it's me." Minato replied in a soothing whisper. "And see? Just like I promised, no meanies in sight."
Kusano obediently looked around the ruined clearing, and then back to him.
She repeated the process once, twice, and then burst into tears, flinging her little arms around his shoulders.
"M-M-Mister Monster!" Kusano cried, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "Kuu was so scared!"
"I know, Little One. But you don't have to be frightened anymore, alright?" Wetness smeared against his neck as Kusano nodded her head without pulling her face away.
"Oh, but maybe don't call me Mister Monster when there are other people around. That name will have to be our little secret."
Minato found himself struggling to keep up with the developing situation as Kusano's sobbing ceased in an instant, the little girl pushing herself just enough away that she could stare intently at him, face to face.
"... A secret? Just between the two of us"
Minato nodded gravely.
"Then… what does Kuu call Mister Monster?"
"Whatever you'd like. My name is Minato, by the way."
"Then… hmm…." Kusano's childish features scrunched up into a serious little frown as she hummed in thought.
But only for a moment.
"Then, Kuu will call you… Big Brother!"
"Then I guess I'll be your Big Brother from now on." The acceptance felt rather final, somehow, but Minato didn't understand the feeling so he filed it away for later pondering.
Kusano beamed at him, and this time, the big hug she gave him was a much, much happier thing. She was still smiling when she nestled against his chest and promptly fell asleep.
If one were to listen closely just then, past the snores of a little girl, the way the leaves rustled in the breeze sounded something like a quiet sigh of relief.
Concern and wariness warring on her delicate features, Taki helped the coughing and bedraggled Mitsuha onto her hands and knees.
The usually lively girl was soaked and shivering, but even that poor state seemed like a blessing to Taki. It was clear to her that the only reason Mitsuha was even conscious at all was simply due to her good fortune that 09 hadn't bothered trying to aim her attack.
Her serpents had simply swept the mist clean in one single, hissing flood.
She was well aware that Mutsu was head and shoulders above the rest of the flock, but to have one Single Number as opposition was terrifying.
And yet the Green Girl was being defended by three Single Numbers, and one Scrapped Number who was just as powerful.
One had only to look at how one of the East's deactivated Sekirei still had her arms frozen to her weapon to see the evidence of that- she had been the only one to close in with the ice-wielding Scrap, who had not taken a single step from her appointed post.
Not one step, that was, until-
Taki, still rubbing Mitsuha's quivering back, was left blinking in confusion as the dark-haired Ashikabi dropped to the ground with a sleeping little girl nestled snugly in his arms.
The wall of trees at his back was as high as the buildings, even some Sekirei would balk at a fall that height. And yet…
He must have dropped down from somewhere, right?
The expression was as slight as always, but Minato's smile was very much genuine as he found himself flanked the moment his shoes touched down onto the asphalt.
"Good work you two," Minato greeted pleasantly, his words going unheeded as he was examined for injury. He wasn't sure how squeezing his butt was meant to help with that, but Kazehana probably knew something he didn't.
Finding no injuries, the women relaxed, Kazehana sighing lightly while Akitsu merely let the tension leave her shoulders.
An adoring little shimmer in her rich brown eyes, Kazehana leaned in close to regard the sleeping Kusano.
"So is this the cute little fairy you went out to find?" She whispered, careful not to disturb the sleeping little girl.
"Yes, this is Kusano," Minato said without meeting her gaze (naturally, he was checking the girls over for injuries as well).
Kazehana's shoes were a bit scuffed, and a small tear in her dress was exposing a sliver of hip, but neither were injured.
"Did you run into any trouble, Hun?"
Minato shook his head lightly, trying not to smirk. Apparently his smirk was frightening.
"Hmmph, 'twould seem thy quest was successful," Tsukiumi commented archly, slightly annoyed that Minato had yet to address her.
She would have been much more than annoyed when Minato's gaze swept her body over, lingering briefly over the tears in her dress.
But, by sheer coincidence, a sudden rush of heat to her cheeks happened to coincide with his quiet sigh of relief, diverting her attention briefly.
For his part, Minato was a bit curious as to why the damage was centered around what little fabric covered her breasts, but he supposed they were pretty sizable targets.
Nevertheless, her fair skin remained as flawless and unblemished as ever, so he supposed she must be okay. Being inhumanly tough didn't affect clothing, so it made sense that it might take damage while she didn't.
"Yes, Kusano is safe," Minato confirmed.
"Did you wing her?" It sounded more like an accusation than she meant it.
Minato frowned slightly.
"Not really the time for that sort of thing, is it?"
"Exactly, so give her to me!"
Homura quietly made his way to their side as the group turned to find Mikogami glaring at Minato.
Minato wouldn't have called that expression a glare if he was being honest, but he was aware that being raised by Mother gave him warped standards as to what intimidation meant.
"Kusano isn't something to be 'given' to anyone." Minato quietly retorted, his eyes narrowed. "When she's ready to find an Ashikabi, she has the right to decide that on her own."
"Don't patronize me," Mikogami scowled back, the expression making him seem noticeably more grownup. "You're here for the text too, so don't try to pretend you're not playing the event too!"
"... The 'event'?" Minato tilted his head quizzically.
And just like that, the maturity vanished.
"Exactly! It's an event with a unique reward as the prize! It's classic!"
Mutsu sighed as Minato tried to puzzle out the boy's words.
"... An 'event' like in a video game?"
Mikogami nodded eagerly, pleased to be understood so quickly.
"See, you do get it! Now, let's-"
"So if I met Kusano in a dream, isn't that kind of like I got to watch a cutscene?"
Mikogami wasn't the only one to gape at Minato like that.
Kazehana meanwhile, once more found herself fighting to keep her laughter restrained, muffling the escaping sounds with a fist to her lips.
The question sounded clever, but she had a hunch that the question was a good deal more earnest than that.
Regardless, her darling Ashikabi had asked the perfect question, if the sheer resignation on Mutsu's face was anything to go by.
"Mutsu!" Mikogami snapped out, his voice cracking slightly as he thrust a finger Minato's way. "Tell me if he's lying!"
Mutsu quirked an eyebrow at the unreasonable demand, but nonetheless gave Minato a single glance.
"Kazehana would never bond to someone that could tell a lie like that." He said without the slightest hesitation.
Kazehana nodded happily at his words, but the response of his Ashikabi was almost the complete opposite.
"I won't accept this!" A muted ripple of disappointment passed through the boy's Sekirei.
But, even if they didn't like it, their Ashikabi's wishes were-
"What a waste of time! We're leaving!"
"... Huh?" Sometimes hard to understand.
"Don't you get it, Mutsu!?" Mikogami complained, "If he got an exclusive cutscene then it means the event was for him! And do you know what that means!?"
Clearly, Mutsu did not, and so he shot a mild glare at Taki, who had a hand to her lips to conceal her smile.
"It means we're basically the NPC's here, Mutsu, NPC's!" Mikogami yelled, waving his hands. "I will not let my valuable collection turn into another player's bonus exp.!"
"... I don't think I've ever heard someone come to the proper conclusion with logic so off-the-mark before."
"... Mutsu has it rough, doesn't he?" A smiling Kazehana 'whispered'.
The girls with Mikogami hadn't made it past the part where their Ashikabi had called them 'valuable'.
"I mean look what those brutes did to poor Mitsuha!" Far from being embarrassed at having been singled out, Mitsuha positively preened at the attention.
Fortunately, the 'brute' that had nearly drowned her was too busy being speechless at being addressed as such.
"Now, now, Master," a softly smiling Taki cut in, fondly draping her arms across her smaller Ashikabi from behind. "We might have come here for the wrong reasons, but it was a good experience, wasn't it? And just think, Mutsu was able to reconnect with an old friend."
Mutsu shot her a look, but the white-haired woman just smiled back, unashamed to have thrown him under the bus.
"Mm, I guess that's true," Mikogami mumbled grudgingly. "We should have brought more people though, it's harder to plan if your levels don't match up."
"A good lesson for next time, don't you think?"
"Hmph. Fine, get the car, Mutsu."
"About that."
"... Why is the car inside another car?"
"Kazehana didn't expect me to throw a car at her."
"It's true," Kazehana easily agreed. "I didn't expect the car at all."
"... Fine. Taki, call and get another car sent."
"Or I could carry you," Taki offered with a sweet smile.
"Hm? No, that's not really necessary-"
"Or I could carry you," Taki offered with a sweeter smile.
"They get along well, don't they?" Minato noted pleasantly.
"... Is that what that is?" Homura muttered in confusion.
After the other Ashikabi had left (no carrying involved, much to Taki's disappointment), fortunately, the remaining Sekirei of the East had known a lost cause when they saw one.
Thus, the two remaining Sekirei of the East had stood quiet guard over their fallen sisters, a fair distance away from the group.
Tsukiumi had felt it her duty as the one who had struck them down, but it would have been cruel to force the issue when their comrades remained. Though she was unaware, in actuality, only one of the Sekirei were her victims- from within the mist, Mistuha had recited her Norito over one after quietly using her whip to strangle her into submission.
"Such foolishness. Why must they be so eager to throw their lives away for naught?" Tsukiumi quietly murmured, feeling more than a little discontent for reasons she couldn't quite place.
"I don't think it's that simple, Tsukiumi," Kazehana chided. "They were acting on their Ashikabi's behalf, and it's hard to give up when that's the case."
"I know that! And yet their Ashikabi is nowhere to be seen! Alas, a master too craven to take the field must be of little worth."
Kazehana shrugged- the Sekirei were one thing but Tsukiumi had a point.
"But you know, speaking of Ashikabi…" Kazehana's motions were so smooth and natural that Tsukiumi didn't even think to resist.
Thus, she found herself gently taken by the shoulders and turned to face the direction she'd been avoiding.
The direction that she had been avoiding smiled.
"Well, we've rescued Kusano, so I'm planning to take her to the boarding house we all stay at. It's a safe place for her to sleep in a proper bed and get a proper meal. Would you like to come with us?" Minato offered politely.
"And pray tell, what are thine intentions in making such a presumptuous request?"
"Because if you're worried about Kusano you'll probably feel better seeing her to safety?"
Tsukiumi glared at him for a moment, trying to find fault with his words. Minato innocently returned her gaze, patiently waiting for her to sort her feelings out.
"... Perhaps thou hast put some measure of thought into thy words. Very well," Tsukiumi said, using one hand to toss her hair in a gracefully dramatic fashion. "I shall deign to accompany thee for now. After all, our business has yet to be concluded."
"Thanks, I do feel better having another escort for Kuu."
Watching Tsukiumi blunder through her next reply, Homura was glad the mask hid his grin.
Minato really was a difficult opponent for his would-be rival.
While they had called ahead, Miya's presence on the porch was so natural that it felt as if their arrival had been pre-arranged down to the very minute.
"My my, it seems to have been an eventful evening. Welcome home," Miya greeted with a soft smile as she opened the door, stepping aside to allow entry. "You must be tired, so please, come inside."
The first response she received was a muffled, mighty growl, leading the landlady to cover her mouth with a quiet chuckle.
"Big Brother, Kuu is hungry," the source of said growling (stomach) complained, her voice thick with sleep.
Minato, well aware of what awaited them inside, shot Miya a quick glance over Kusano's shoulder.
"I've prepared a late dinner," Miya smiled graciously. "Why don't you escort our guests to the table? Introductions can wait until we're seated more comfortably."
Tsukiumi stiffened slightly, but recovered with admirable grace as she caught the implications.
"Thine offer is most appreciated, but please, forgive me for imposing upon thee at such a late hour."
"Think nothing of it," Miya replied with a small shake of her head. "Rather, I feel privileged to play host to one who has aided my tenants in their time of need."
"Is that so? Pardon me, then."
Tsukiumi offered a small bow and entered the house without further hesitation, quickly unlacing her boots and sliding into a pair of offered slippers.
Kazehana watched her fellow Single Number try her best to hurry after Minato without making it obvious that she was doing so, and smiled.
The door to Izumo House sliding shut behind her felt a lot more… conclusive, than it normally did.
Kazehana made her way down the hall to join the others with happy steps, confident that the excitement of the night was far from over.
The little one's table manners might require some work, Miya felt, but that was a task for another day, the youngest feather had been through more than enough for one night.
Said youngest feather was currently seated in the lap of her most mysterious tenant- the most Kusano had been willing to separate from Minato was to free up one of her hands for her fork.
While she could guess easily enough why Kusano remained unwinged, in Miya's mind, it was a foregone conclusion.
And, speaking of foregone conclusions-
Miya caught Kazehana's eye when she noted that both of their gazes were lingering towards the same direction.
Her easy smile widening just a touch, Kazehana shot her a subtle wink.
Miya's lips quirked upwards at the edges in response, and they both surreptitiously returned their attention to Tsukiumi.
09 most likely believed that what she was doing was scolding Minato for being reckless, but to anyone else, it just seemed like a young wife fussing over her wayward spouse.
Well, Miya supposed a young wife was precisely what Tsukiumi was, even if Tsukiumi didn't know it yet.
"Truly, while thou art fortunate to have not encountered any Sekirei within the labyrinth, one should rely on something far more concrete than luck to see oneself through their trials." Such were Tsukiumi's instructions.
Minato didn't get a chance to reply, because an interruption came from an unexpected quarter.
With no small amount of amusement, Miya noted that that was the first time Kusano's mouth had been empty of food for more than a few seconds.
"Big Sis," Kusano addressed Tsukiumi in a remarkably serious voice, "you can't have Big Brother yet. Kuu was first."
The table froze, and Tsukiumi began to splutter and flush a rather pretty shade of red.
She held it in though- she wasn't about to argue with one as young as Kusano.
Despite holding onto Kusano with just as much care and affection, however, there was a clear sense of hesitancy from Minato that Miya could not divine the meaning of.
He had already spoken to his Sekirei, as she'd been informed, so then…?
Thankfully, there was one who understood the situation better than he.
"Remember what we talked about, back at the parking lot?" Homura spoke up with a chuckle and a knowing grin.
"Yeah?" Minato tilted his head.
"She really is asking for you to be her big brother, and that's likely all it will be, for now anyways."
"You could have kept that 'for now' bit to yourself." Minato muttered.
Oh… oh…
Kazehana pointedly averted her gaze as Miya shot her a pointed look.
Minato's hesitance suddenly made perfect sense, of course he'd hesitate if he thought he was genuinely being asked to marry a child.
"Sorry Hun, that was my fault," Kazehana ruefully apologized a moment later. "I might have oversimplified things a bit."
"No, it's okay." Minato shook his head, before looking down at the fidgety child in his lap. "I don't mind Kusano, but I think you should wait until morning. A lot has happened, and it's a big decision. But, if you still want me to wing you in the morning, then I'd be happy to."
A noble sentiment, but Miya was fully aware it would be for naught.
"Nope." Kusano soundly denied, twisting to seize a startled Minato by the cheeks.
Calling it a kiss would be a bit much- but their lips bumped briefly together and emerald wings bloomed.
Kusano beamed at her new Ashikabi, who gave her a rueful smile. Then she turned the same beaming smile onto Tsukiumi.
"Your turn, Big Sis!"... and promptly fell asleep in her Ashikabi's lap.
A disbelieving silence followed.
Uzume, who had been oddly quiet ever since she'd expressed her relief at the successful rescue, was the first to break the silence.
By beginning to laugh so hard that she toppled over onto her back.
There was a strange tone to that laughter that made Miya's own mirth wither and die.
Honestly, such a silly girl, that Uzume.
"I believe it's time to tuck Kusano into a proper bed." Miya told them once the dining room had quieted down. "She can use mine for tonight, but, Uzume, do you have something she can change into?"
Uzume barely restrained her little flinch, forcing herself to hum thoughtfully before nodding.
"I have a few onesies ready that might fit her." They were a popular item, so she tended to have multiple on hand at any given time.
Kusano grumbled in her sleep a bit when she was passed over, but Minato gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, drawing a wave of muffled coos from the women watching as little Kusano's expression shifted into a big smile.
Homura took the chance to excuse himself as well, leaving Minato sitting between Kazehana and Akitsu, with Tsukiumi across from him.
"I have questions for thee," Tsukiumi said, her expression intent but her voice giving nothing away.
Minato tilted his head.
"Thou wert… truly not seeking out young Kusano with the intent to wing her, even though she sought thee out in thy dreams?"
"Kusano asked me to help her, so I did. There's no need for another reason."
"I see." Tsukiumi answered in what Minato assumed was meant to be a neutral tone.
"Well, that speaks highly of thee, I shall admit, however… do not get ahead of thyself! I shall not be so easily swayed!" Tsukiumi thrust her finger at him. "Dost thou truly believe thyself to be a worthy husband to the strongest Sekirei!?"
"I don't know, actually. I don't even know why I'm worthy of Kazehana or Akitsu or Kusano."
Kazehana wasn't the only one to feel a pang in her heart at that, but… it wasn't self-depreciation fueling her Ashikabi's words, she felt.
Tsukiumi crossed her arms beneath her bust with a disappointed huff, unimpressed by the answer.
"I mean, if you wanted to know why I like you, then that's really easy." Minato admitted. "And I mean, it's your choice who your Ashikabi is, so if you didn't choose me, then I guess that would be… would be…"
Tsukiumi's biting retort got stuck in her throat as Minato trailed off with a small frown, crossing his arms and not looking at anyone in particular as he began to mutter in that toneless voice of his.
"Huh, no, I really don't like… no, I hate that idea. Just imagining Tsukiumi choosing someone else makes me really hate that person, and I don't even know if they exist. Is hating a hypothetical person even possible? I didn't think this way about the others, maybe because they chose me too quickly? Truly mysterious, but… oh wait if that happens then everything is fine."
There was no way for anyone to keep up, and so Tsukiumi went rigid as Minato abruptly locked eyes with her.
"Tsukiumi, be mine." Kazehana choked on thin air, and Akitsu's cheeks flushed to match her flock-mate in an instant.
But from the woman addressed, there was no response, at least at first.
... No verbal response, that was.
At first, Tsukiumi did nothing but grow steadily redder and redder.
Then came her lips opening and closing, several attempts at speech that failed without exception.
And finally, there was wrestling with an increasing difficulty to meet those dark, honest eyes.
What was left by the end was an unbearably lovely, and furiously blushing young woman, staring at her lap and fidgeting with moist eyes.
"... I s-shall be in thy care, then." The tone was meek and the words very audible, but it was enough.
Minato blinked slowly, several times, and then he smiled.
It was a smile just as muted as his facial expressions always were, but to Tsukiumi's addled senses, he may as well have been beaming at her.
"F-fool. Brute. Why must thou keepest a maiden waiting? Hast thou no shame?" The usually proud Sekirei pouted in a low voice.
Kazehana nearly squealed.
Quietly, Minato rose to his feet, and came around to kneel in front of Tsukiumi.
Delicately, he reached out to take one of her hands in his own, and with the other, cupped Tsukiumi's cheek and lifted her head so that they could see eye-to-eye.
"Forever and ever, then."
Perhaps she was tired of being constantly on the backfoot, so with her free hand, Tsukiumi seized Minato's collar and closed the distance on her own.
And so, for the second time that night, wings bloomed.
Good for her.
Really, she was happy for Tsukiumi, and for little Kuu as well.
That feeling was no lie.
And yet…
"I'm such an idiot." And yet despite her honest joy at the good fortune of her fellow feathers, she was still miserable.
Uzume hadn't meant for it to be like this.
From the very start, she'd looked at Sis and Minato being happy together, and knew almost immediately that she could be a welcome part of that.
But Uzume had held back, not just because she had… complications of her own, but because Kazehana deserved to be Minato's 'only Sekirei' for a while.
She would let Sis have the honeymoon she deserved, and then, she would quietly broach the subject one on one.
At first it was easy.
Being around Minato felt good, and there was no real sense of urgency there- she wasn't fighting against her instincts, just asking those instincts to be a little patient.
That little mishap with the alcohol had just proven even further that her feelings were correct- Minato had focused on Kazehana as he should, but he'd still had care and consideration to spare for her, too.
… And then he brought a Scrap Number home, and things got a little tricky.
Or, at least it should have, but there Minato and Sis were, casually scattering tragedy to the wind.
As if they'd wrapped their arms around Akitsu and told her misfortune "you're not welcome here".
That spark grew into a flame, but Uzume still held back.
She couldn't force her own wishes into a situation where Akitsu was just beginning to realize that her own might still be within reach.
That would have been too cruel, but even still, she couldn't keep her feelings hidden from everyone.
Miya was not by nature a touchy person, but still, she held Uzume close when it nearly became too much for the poor Sekirei.
"That kindness of yours will certainly be rewarded," Miya had whispered like a prophecy. "But please, don't let your chance pass you by."
Those had been just the words she needed to hear, but...
This was just too much.
Two wingings in a single night?
She didn't resent Kusano or Tsukiumi in the least.
But it wasn't fair.
She was just trying to be considerate.
Why couldn't that be me?
Why?
Why why why why why-!?
"... Uzume? Can we talk?"
"... Maybe later, Sis." She forced cheer she didn't feel into her voice. "Think I stayed up too late working on orders, just feeling a little worn out, ya know?"
"Please?" Kazehana insisted.
…
…
So that feeling of being cornered was right on the money, huh? Of course she'd been seen through- she'd never been able to win against Sis.
With a helpless little smile, Uzume rose to her feet, tugging the long shirt she was wearing as pajamas back into place.
Taking a deep breath, Uzume opened the door, and-
Staggered two steps back, sinking slowly to the floor as her hips gave out on her.
… There was no Kazehana at the door.
But his deep dark eyes that seemed to see right through her were so very, very kind.
As the heat in her cheeks made her vision swim, Minato slipped into the room and gently closed the door behind him.
"I wasn't trying to be cruel, you know," Minato admitted, crouching down in front of the seated Uzume. "I heard that Sekirei can react to more than one Ashikabi, so when you started reacting to me, I assumed you had your reasons for keeping quiet and didn't want to put you on the spot."
"... You knew?"
"From the moment you tried to drunk-kiss me," Minato nodded, drawing a whimper from the flustered Sekirei. "But even if you did choose me, I didn't think that was the way you'd want to do it. When nothing came of it afterwards, I thought maybe you'd changed your mind."
"No!" Uzume blurted out. "T-that's not it, I… I just…"
"Yeah." She almost cried when he smiled at her.
"I-I was j-just, please you have to believe me, I… I wasn't..."
"Mhm, I know that, or rather, we know that. That's why they told me not to wait a second longer." Minato replied to words both spoken and unspoken.
He was pretty sure his method for gaining entry into the room was 'unethical', but ethics didn't matter when Uzume was sad.
"R-really? I d-didn't think it would be that simple," Uzume gave a stuttering laugh. "N-not to be mean, but your newest g-girl seems like the possessive type."
"She's competitive too, but apparently she can't start the competition until everyone is at the starting line." Minato told her. "Tsukiumi is nice like that."
Minato's blank expression grew the slightest bit grave, but Uzume needn't have worried.
"I'm also under strict orders to 'collect all the big sisters'." He hadn't really wanted to wake up Kusano, but she was part of the flock too and she'd gone right back to sleep, so it was probably fine.
Uzume burst into giggles, and though the sound was more than a little hysterical, those giggles still came to an instant halt when Minato spoke once more.
"Uzume, don't you think you've waited long enough?"
For the first time, Uzume was left to wonder if she wasn't the only one done with waiting.
She embraced, and was embraced in turn, as Minato banished her sorrow with a single kiss.
As a whispered oath drifted through the silence of the hall, Kazehana gave a soundless sigh and let a relieved smile spread across her lips as she thought to herself that their bed was about to get more than a little cramped.
What a wonderful problem to have.
Two wingings in one chapter? Those are rookie numbers, let's make it three.
I don't think I'll be shocking anyone with Uzume getting winged, given that Homura is taking her place at Chiho's side, but I'm sure people were wondering when it would happen.
I thought it was fitting that Uzume constantly found a 'reason to wait', with how quickly things were moving initially, she has been shown to be more than a little self-sacrificing, but at least here, when that came around to bite her the teeth didn't sink as deeply.
And I mean, I'm fairly confident that Minato needed more hot tomboy in his life, so there's that too.
But, you know, poor Tsukiumi… anyone else notice that Minato wasn't quite responding to the words she actually said out loud, at times? He's a bit too… empathic for the tsundere routine to work very well.
Well, at least she didn't meet the monster in full.
You know, like Sai did.
More on that next time if Minato remembers, since her page presence after their 'encounter' is an accurate reflection of the sort of thought Minato is putting into that event.