Reprieve
*Story Start*
Life in the Disciplinary Squad moved to a certain rhythm. Most days started with alignment meetings between the squad, with Natsuo laying out the day's agenda. Then, after feeding the girls, we moved to an interdepartmental meeting to coordinate the cleanup of the Botanical Gardens, state of the Ashikabi and Sekirei in the city, security concerns and possible Disciplinary tasks for the afternoon. The rest of the days were training and paperwork, interspersed with the occasional mission.
Today, however, was special: we had a planned mission, not an emergency mobilization. It was also my last mission for the company under mandatory supervision. If all went well after today, I would be trusted to carry out the office of an MBI Disciplinary Ashikabi solo. Natsuo was downstairs pulling the files on the rogue Ashikabi now. In the meantime, I–
A claw cut through the space where my head was a second ago as I shifted to the side – and then ducked – Haihane's fingers curling to bring the blades back in a decapitating strike. It left her open, though, so I dropped the 'practice sword' I'd been fending her other hand with and grabbed her forward thigh under one arm and lifted it onto my shoulder. My other hand on her other thigh, I drew myself up, bodily lifting her up as I rose.
"Ack!" A red-faced and panting Haihane squawked, trying to hold onto me with her legs as raised her off the ground, arms pinwheeling for balance. I denied her the chance, tilting her backwards and tossing her.
There was no thump of her body hitting the ground, despite her arial flailing. Instead, a sharp 'crack' of flash-forming ice caught her at her apex; Akitsu's power forming a ramp for the bandaged Sekirei to slide harmlessly down. We'd been sparring all morning and Akitsu was getting very good at her catches.
"Do... do that again. I wasn't ready." Haihane moaned from the floor. We'd been at it for a while and her legs were trembling. "I want… to do that… again." She breathlessly giggled.
Haihane's close quarters style was unorthodox, but deadly. I hadn't given her enough credit and she'd not given the best showing when I had… winged her (the files MBI had given me about the Sekirei had weird terminology associated with them and I wasn't even halfway through them). Apparently, a Sekirei experiencing a strong reaction to an Ashikabi could suffer from loss of physical power – possibly a mechanism to stop from accidentally killing a prospective Ashikabi – and loss of focus and mental acuity.
Without those handicaps, close combat with the clawed Sekirei was a much more dangerous prospect. That said… I made a note to add some designs to the weapons I'd been requesting the research team make for her. Without the full and proper use of her hands, she was still at a disadvantage in grapples and in-fighting (though getting that close was a feat in itself). Thankfully, the paperwork Sgt. Campbell gave me, and that Junko helped me in filing, was coming in handily in requesting access to Haihane's weapon history to be released back to me.
"That was very good. I think it would be good to spar with Benitsubasa more to practice your out-fighting." I said as I helped her off the floor. Akitsu came over with chilled water bottles and the first case that the research group had sent up just this morning. "I can't help you much there, but we can practice some weapon drills as we wait for Natuso."
"Yes, we'll need lots of practice drilling me." She rasped, collapsing into me. I had to grab her wrists and spin her around when she tried to brace herself against me with her hands, too tired to remember her claws were still on (something I had noticed about her constant self-inflicted injuries). Her back to my front, she slumped into my arms, tucking her head as far up into my chest as she could as I began to undo the leather bindings of her weapons. I might have been a bit too hard on her this morning, given the short, ragged breaths she was taking slumped in my arms.
"Ah." Akitsu took a step forward, frowning. "Me too."
That was a fair point. Haihane was tired, possibly too tired to continue and I had been alternating workouts between the two of them when I wasn't having them practice against each other.
"Alright, Haihane can rest while you take her place." I ignored the whispery 'noooo' from the face tucked into my chest. "But first can you open the case?"
A pillar of ice rose instantly from the floor, allowing Akitsu to set the case down and open the clasps. Inside was a pair of shuko and a brace of long handled throwing knives set in individual holsters, all of which made by the same metal MBI used in the construction of the Sekirei's weapons.
"Here, Haihane." I grabbed one of the knives, pulling it free of the case and sheath. "I'd like to see how well you can throw these, so feel out the balance." She hesitantly grabbed the knife by the hilt, examining it. It was a double-edged European style knife, long and thin pointed and about as wide as two fingers at the base. "If we find something that frees your hands, I was thinking you could have a ranged option just in case of emergencies. If they work well enough, we can find a better style to match your technique. The nice thing about these is that the sheaths have a reservoir for liquids; we can put in paralytics or the Sekirei tranquilizer in them and it will coat the blade when sheathed."
It was always good to have a spare weapon in case of emergencies too.
"I'm afraid that will have to wait." Natsuo called out, a manilla folder raised above his head. He was, as always, trailed by the smell of saltpeter and sulfur in the form of his short, red haired Sekirei Benitsubasa. "We've got a live one."
"Parameters?" I stood an unsteady Haihane back on her feet and approached the other man.
"Light work." He handed me the file to read over. "You can read it on the way. Low priority, low risk." That meant we didn't have to take a chopper for rapid deployment and would be in a company car instead. I would have plenty of time to read over the file and plan accordingly. "Synopsis is an Ashikabi out there who has decided to spurn our good will and is teaching his Sekirei bad habits."
Low risk meant taking the whole DS (sans Karasuba, who was on her own assignment) on the mission was, while unavoidable, complete and utter overkill.
"Then let's go teach him some manners." Honestly, Natsuo and I could probably handle this one ourselves.
*Haihane*
I yawned as we entered the apartment complex. Traveling by car was so slow and boring, it made me sleepy, but I couldn't nap on Benitsubasa's bony shoulders without putting a crick in my neck. From a glance at the main entrance, I could tell this was one of the new constructions Mid Bio Informatics had built to house the influx of Ashikabi for the games. It wasn't quite as nice as mine, having been built as a place to house mid to high-level MBI employees, but it wasn't too shabby.
Freedom, food, love and a home. The life of a properly winged woman was great. I mean… to be honest, it wasn't quite how I thought it would be. Back in the Nest, before I followed Sempai in volunteering for my beloved Disciplinary Squad and meeting Natsuo, I had imagined that being with my Ashikabi would involve long, sleepless nights full of passion and days of hectic life and death (well, not death) fights with the other girls till Karasuba-sempai claimed the new number 01 title.
With Shirou… well, the nights were sleepless, but not in the torrid and fulfilling manner I imagined (and so desperately craved). Though, true to his word, my Ashikabi was putting me through my paces. Maybe not in the way I wanted (or Karasuba promised), but the up-close-and-personal nature of the daily practice fights did leave me hot, sweaty and wanting so much more.
But… I was still nervous. Shirou was…
The training, the pacing, the spars… they weren't like what I went through in the Nest. I wasn't like Sempai, who held off an invading human army with the first sword she picked up only days earlier. I was a 'troublesome case' where the researchers had to try out various weapons on me until they settled on my current (and if I dare say myself) iconic claws.
To go through all that again… and with my Ashikabi watching…
I tried not to think about the long weeks I spent distraught, wondering if I'd be fit to compete or if I would be deemed a Broken One as each weapon trial was met with more and more failures. Fuck, the last time I threw a knife I'd hit someone standing behind me. If I did that to Shirou I would literally die (of mortification if not Karasuba…or Akitsu). But… the traitorous (smart) part of my brain whispered seductively, if I'm not very good, then he'd have to show me… grabbing me from behind and guiding me.
It had to go better this time. No! It would go better! Even now, when he and I sparred (lightly! He was only human) he kept pulling tricks to get ahead. Sure, they were fun (and they were), especially when even the fights I lost taught me subtle improvements to my tactics or variations on my techniques.
It was off though, since sometimes my body seemed to know how to pull off things my brain didn't. Did that make sense? Ugh, that didn't make sense. This was why I hated weapon testing: making things all introspective and not funny.
Life outside the nest was too much fun and interesting to turn into a broody, angry, yappy sourpuss like Benitsubasa (or, forgive me, Karasuba)! As if sensing my disparaging thoughts, Benitsubasa glared over at me… or maybe that was just her face. She'd been extra her since Senpai had brought Shirou and the other Sekirei around.
You'd think she'd have been grateful with less competition for Natsuo but… heh, pipsqueak was still running dry (I ignored the tiny, little fact that I was too). No wonder she was more ornery than usual.
"Now that you've been with us for a while," Natsuo broke the silence as we entered the elevator. "How are you handling working for Mid Bio Informatics?"
"Strangely well." Shirou and Natsuo always seemed to talk before missions and never during. All the banter was front loaded and the two became focused and quiet once the violence started. "Honestly, it's not what I was expecting, but I'm enjoying learning the work. The security teams aren't what I thought either."
"Do you have much experience with mercenaries?" Natsuo laughed in that way the office drones laughed.
"I suppose, but not like this." Shirou replied. "If only everything else was going as smoothly." Tell me about it, I thought as his words reflected my own feelings.
"Oh? I thought you were fitting in pretty well." Natuso mused, almost to himself. "Trouble in paradise?"
"Ha, ha." Shirou deadpanned. "You try staying under the same roof as mom and Karasuba. They've been at each other's throats constantly this week. It's been all I can do to end the day without casualties."
"They do get along like…"
"Oil and Napalm?" Shirou's suggestion sounded more like a sigh.
"I was going to suggest napalm and more napalm."
I must have zoned out and missed a joke, but when the two of them finished chuckling Natuso spoke up again.
"Speaking of Mrs. Sahashi, how is her recovery coming along?"
"Well, thank you. I must admit that Mid Bio Informatics medicine is almost like magic." Shirou put a weird inflection on the last word. "Her wounds should have had her down for months, but as of yesterday she's out of the wheelchair and cleared for regular duty." He sighed. "Gods save us all."
"Come now," Natsuo bumped elbows. "It can't be that bad. That her recovery is going so well is a good thing. I know we were all very worried for her. In fact I seem to remember a certain someone storming the building spitting daggers and yelling at the CEO."
"I wasn't that bad." Shirou lied. We had been put on standby until Karasuba had flagged herself as responding (Sempai always thinking ahead). I heard rumors that the security teams had a rapid response force outside the door ready to breach and rescue Hiroto-sama and Dr. Sahashi from the (cute and passionate) madman that invaded the building.
"And it's easy for you all to say, you only work with her." He continued. "With Yukari in her own apartment now, the only thing preventing her from trying to burn the place down around the girls has been that I put her lighter on top of the fridge." The glare he sent at Natsuo for laughing made me shiver with a giggle. It was hot when he was intense like that. "Don't laugh, I'm serious. Takami even changed the locks to keep her out. I got in to find a very angry email this week about Karasuba lingering by IT desks until it was changed back."
"I do recall having a meeting about that."
"So now, if only for my own sanity and safety, I'm looking for a place in the city myself."
I perked up at the words of my destined one. Oh? Fate, thy name is Haihane (Emiya pending).
"Things aren't working out between you two?" Natsuo asked, puzzled. "I thought you two were coming along well in getting to know one another after all this time."
"Things with my mo – with Takami – are good. Better than I really anticipated, really." Shirou had a complicated looking expression. "But living with her for this long was never part of the plan. Now that she can get around on her own, I should be looking for somewhere myself. Especially since it looks like I'll be in the city until this whole thing gets wrapped up."
"I have a place!"
It took me a second after they stopped to stare at me before I realized I was the one who spoke up.
"I have a place." I cleared my throat. "An apartment. That's mine. I have room in my place that I own from MBI. You can live with me." Heh, gottem. Eloquence, thy name is Haihane (Emiya imminent?).
"Ugh, can you speak, like, properly nerd." See? Benitsubasa agreed.
"You've a place, Haihane?" Shirou asked to live with me. Well, not yet, but he was going to. "I thought there was housing in the DS office?"
"Yeah," and I wasn't above crashing every so often, "but I don't live there." Although, Karasuba had until recently.
"Haihane is approved for off campus housing." Natsuo came to my rescue – I mean interrupted. "Senior team member's housing. We own the building, it's secure."
"Right." Yeah, whatever that meant. "I got it for when I had an Ashikabi and now, well, you're here."
Shirou looked hesitant, so I used my best puppy dog eyes. Or tried to, but my fringe fell in the way and I was just about to push it aside when –
"If you're sure." Second Best Day Ever. " I wouldn't want to –"
"Yes!" I replied, breathlessly.
"Then thank you." Shirou's smile sent me positively vibrating. Oh! I had to clean and prep! Maybe I could make this the best day after all.
"Ah." Akitsu started and then… just stopped. What a weird verbal tic. Was it because when they Broke her they really broke her? Thankfully, I was too happy to be horrified.
"Right." Shirou nodded. Understanding the ice-wielding Sekirei's not-words was a skill I was still trying to learn (if only because I was supposed to be on guard for her). "Will you be able to house myself and Akitsu?"
"I have a second bedroom." Which was intended for Karasuba. I doubt she'd want to share with Shirou and I, but it could also hold the other Sekirei that hovered around our flock. It was like she was honorarily winged and… Karasuba might not like her but after a week of watching her she was just… nice.
Absent minded? As fuck. Weird? Broken with a capital and B. With emphasis! But I probably owed her, and it was a small price to pay to finally sleep with my destined one. Also the sex!
"And the office I could probably make into another." I made my decision (wow, so hard). "I should have enough room for her and Karasuba too whenever she'd like."
"Then thank you." Shirou reached over, paused, and patted my– oh god! It's just like the internet said!
"Hehehe" I giggled dumbly and melted into the touch, incapable of higher thought and floaty.
"After work today we can come visit then. I don't have much here, so cleaning and packing won't take long either."
Then the touch was gone (though the feeling wasn't!) and the boys were back in work-mode.
I skipped (ish) up near my Ashikabi, riding high. I'd need a list of things to do while he was grabbing his things. First I'd need to clean, then I'd need to request more food – or should I do that with him? What did he like for food? I would definitely need more if I had him and two (well, one and a half, but round up to two) other Sekirei to feed. Apples! I would need apples.
What else did humans need?
Oh, condoms? For now… I giggled to myself. Brushing my shoulder against Shirou, I reached out to entwine his fingers with mine. This was going to be so great!
Some sixth sense or something shifted his hand, instead of my grabbing his hand, he caught mine at the wrist and turned my claws away – close enough to brush his coat – and let go without breaking stride or looking anywhere but forward.
My hand, through the gauntlet, was cold. As was my heart. The former warmth and joy was torn away so abruptly I lost a step. The boys continued on unaware. Benitsuba snorted as she passed.
I looked down at the blurry form of my weapon clad hands.
I was so used to their weight. Too used to it. The tiny knicks, the shredded clothes, the trouble with doors. They were so inconsequential because I had a weapon of my own. One I could fight and was good with. I was so happy that it didn't matter how much they hurt; that I didn't know how much more they could now that I couldn't even hold the hand of the person I fell for. I wiped away the tear threatening to spill and hissed, freezing at the sensation poking my eyelid.
The tip of my claw – touching my eyelid – was covered in a thin sheath of ice. I had… I had almost just cut out my own eye.
A pair of brown eyes caught my own. Akitsu, ever watching, locked eyes with me, nodded, and looked away again. She did it again. The wintery Sekirei then silently passed me by to trail after my…no, it was our… Ashikabi.
I respected Karasuba-sempai for a lot of reasons. She was dedicated, strong, caring even…for certain definitions of it. Everything I was raised to be, raised to want with an extra coating of untouchable bad-ass.
But she was also wrong.
Karasuba-sempai had warned me about the Broken One who stalked Shirou-kun's shadow. To watch her and make sure whatever obscure scheme didn't imperil him (and thus us). But there was no scheme. Akitsu, ever vigilant Akitsu, was just trying her best to protect him (and me?)… how could I judge her for being pulled in the same wake of our beloved as we were?
After all, I was winged and if she could… I bet she would have been his first.
I shook myself out of my stupor, nudging Akitsu as I retook my position in the formation.
"Thanks," I whispered, not to be overheard by the guys (or Benitsubasa), "Akitsu-chan." Official or not, she looked after me several times now. The least I could do was reciprocate.
"Our target is Junichi Tanigawa," Natsuo said. "Current Sekirei count is only Number 84, designation Yashima. They're up here on the left. Room 704."
We were close then.
"Power type, right? Giant hammer." Giant hammer? What a weird choice. Some weapon types were so outlandish. "Should be easy if we detain her first. If not, priority is getting her out of the building and limiting property damage."
"I don't think that will be a problem." Natuso gave the three of us a knowing grin. Despite not being my Ashikabi, I did feel the thrush of pleasure at being praised. Benitsubasa preened, throwing forward her nonexistent chest. "How do you want to play this? Good cop, bad cop?"
For the boring missions, Shirou tended to be the 'bad cop'. He had a (sexy) dangerous look to him in the all black uniform MBI stuffed him in. The duster and gloves made him look like some kind of yakuza super thug or master fighter from an American film. For some reason, the more reasonable (lame) targets seemed to avoid him and agree with whatever Natsuo said.
To be fair, Natsuo did have a very calm and understanding demeanor he could put on and off like a mask.
"For a small-time thug like this? Your good cop is wasted." Shirou snorted. "I bet we'll be back here in a month if he manages to last even that long. I vote gun cop, sword cop."
Oh? Oooh! I licked my lips. It was always good to sit back and watch this.
"I see." Natsuo's smile as he checked he drew and checked his gun thingy was particularly vicious for a salaryman. Probably how he climbed so high in the company so quickly. The man was a sexy (but not as sexy as Shirou) shark. "I shall endeavor to act the brigand then."
Shirou snorted as the two of them took up posts on either side of the apartment door, and then knocked twice.
"The fuck?" a muffled yell came through the door. "Whatever, hey, get me another beer, yo."
Shirou and Natsuo shared a look, before the former knocked again, harder this time.
"God dammit." Another yell. "Get the fucking door, are you stupid?" with a slightly less audible "Lazy ass bitch."
Wow, some girls just had shit taste in men.
"We could always break it down." Benitsubasa piped up, but then the sound of footsteps and the door bolt being unlatched made that a moot point.
"H-hello?" The door was opened by a short young woman wearing a blue headband and a form fitting white dress with blue cuffs at the sleeves and a wide blue collar trimming the neckline. There was a mark, not quite a bruise, but a rough blemish marking the side of her cheek. "Who are–"
She didn't get the chance to finish as Shirou's hand darted out, grabbing her collar, and pulled her stumbling into the hallway. Benitsubasa grabbed one arm, pinning it against the far wall. A – Crack!– wave of ice swept up her legs and the other side of her torso, completely immobilizing the poor, helpless, frightened and confused girl. For my part, I lazily lifted a finger, bringing the razor talon to her throat and ending all thoughts of fighting back in an instant.
"After you, good sir." Natsuo gestured to the door he caught and held open, following in Shirou's wake.
There was a commotion from inside.
"Who the – Get the fuck out of my house!"
"Good morning, Mr. Tanigawa." Natsuo started his diatribe. Boring. "I'm Agent Ichinomi, representing- oh my."
There was yelling, and then the sound of a meaty 'thwack', followed by the sound of something hitting the floor hard.
"That was very rude to interrupt." Natsuo calmly stated. "Ah, Agent Sahashi, it appears he has a knife."
"I'm going to gut you motherfuckers!"
"Emiya. And that's barely a knife." Shirou deadpanned over the sound of striking flesh. There was the clatter of something metal falling, and then the soft, dry sound of something not-wood snapping.
"My Arm!" Aaaand, there came the water works. "You broke my fucking arm! I'm going to find where you live, you bastard! I'm going to find you and I'm going to –"
The sound of metal sliding across metal killed all other noise.
"Ah, that's better." Natsuo began again. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Mr. Tanigawa. I am Agent Ichinomi and this is Agent Sahashi."
"Emiya."
"We represent Mid Bio Informatics…" I tuned out the old hat spiel, idly wondering why it was referred to as 'old hat'. Human idioms were weird. Besides, there was something much more important to focus on at the moment.
"No judgment, I'm just throwing this out there…" I began. I was a hot-blooded and healthy Sekirei, and watching the two of them work was… "Does anyone else think it's really hot when they play off each other like that?"
"What? Haihane, no!" A red-faced Benitsubasa lied badly. I mean, who wouldn't want to tap my Shirou if they got half the chance?
"Ah." I think that sounded wistful. I needed to bone up on my Akitsu. Hehehe, bone. Didn't normally go that way, but add in Shirou… that could be fun too.
"See, Akitsu gets it!" I crowed, shelving those thoughts for later at home. "Just think, the two of them, shirtless and sweaty. Bantering."
"Why would I like that?" Benitsubasa's voice wavered and she had to brace herself from where she went weak kneed. Hehehe, for all she protested, the lady sure had glazed eyes!
"W-who are you people?" What's her face gasped in incredulous horror as her eyes darted between the three of us from where we pinned her to the wall.
"Hmm?" Honestly, I forgot about her. "We're the Disciplinary Squad."
*Magical Girl Kaho-Chan*
Another of the giant growths shuddered, the boughs rapidly withering as another part of the mass of what used to be the Shin Tokyo Botanical Gardens shrunk in on itself and crumbled to dust. The Mid Bio Informatics people milled below, cleaning up the debris left by the growing hole in the unnatural forest.
It was a shame though… The gargantuan trees were great for quick navigation and travel through that swath of the city and the greenery was beautiful. If it weren't for MBI having closed the area off, I would have loved to have Oosumi take me on a date in the canopy.
It would be a good break from him being on his computer too. I realized that there was a lot of information being shared online by the other Ashikabi right now that was really important (well, not really, but he said there was and I trusted him), but if he didn't focus on me and the Game soon, I was going to politely ask to drag him away.
Rumors of what kicked off what was becoming to be known as the Green Girl Event were filtering out to the Ashikabi (and from there, us Sekirei). It was my duty as a warrior for truth, justice and love to watch over the good people of Mid Bio Informatics and the unwinged Sekirei that accompanied them below from my perch on a nearby (undamaged) skyscraper, lest history repeat itself once more.
I had been tempted to go down and offer my greetings and assistance in person (as was right and proper), but two things held me back.
The first was that I promised Oosumi that I would not if he allowed me to come watch over the cleanup. He didn't trust MBI…something about how corporations were not our friends and were evil…I didn't really get it but I loved to watch when he gets passionate. Really, he was so lucky I was here to love him and take care of him; he just didn't understand reality sometimes.
Mid Bio Informatics saved us, raised us, so of course they were good guys. They saved me when I was kidnapped and taught me that it was up to girls like Yume, Musubi and myself to make the world a better place.
One of the most important rules of being a Hero(ine) was to always honor your promises no matter what.
Plus (promise not withstanding), the other reason holding me back was…
A black dot made its presence known, shifting from one of its hiding places to skulk in another. My fingers clenched white on the haft of my halberd, my instincts screaming to dive at it; to purify the evil below as an avenging eagle. Despite my better judgment, I pulled myself back from leaping down there and affecting said retribution.
Karasuba, the stain on the honor of all Sekirei, disappeared from sight once more, but not mind.
One of the other rumors going around was that she had already killed a girl here. Alone, I didn't bother holding in the unladylike snort. Rumor my inappropriate language. I didn't need to know how to use the message boards Oosumi and the other Ashikabi were sharing stories on to know that the first death would be at Karasuba's hands.
All the girls (and boys) who met the Black Dog of MBI knew she was rabid. I hadn't noticed until after the kidnapping attempt, but after hours when everyone was supposed to be asleep, Karasuba would stalk the halls of the Nest. Even back then she was hunting us, waiting for her time to kill…
If not for the presence of the good and honorable men and women of MBI protecting him, I bet she would try to kill the unwinged boy after he finished taking down the forest. That was, if she was let off her leash long enough to try.
Which led to one of the other rumors filtering through the grapevine (and the one that had Oosumi on his latest cute little rant): there was a new human member of the Disciplinary Squad.
Karasuba got herself an Ashikabi.
The news that she had finally been winged shouldn't have come as a surprise, but it did. When I had been offered a position in the DS (a position I would have taken if not for its captain), I was told that members of the DS would be provided an Ashikabi. There was, however, a grace period where if a girl (or boy) met their destined one, the true Ashikabi could – upon agreement of forgoing being a contestant in the game – be brought in by the company.
But Karasuba's Ashikabi was not a member of the company, which meant that she must have found her true and destined love, which was impossible – villains like her didn't know the meaning of the word, let alone experience the feeling.
I felt horror and pity for whatever broken human, tortured by life, love and probably some eldritch deity (or more realistically, Karasuba) could ever fall for such a witch… but then I learned the truth.
Karasuba (quite rightly) couldn't find her own Ashikabi to wing – which, with a mentality like hers it was a shock she hadn't somehow made herself Broken. Nor, apparently, would any of the good and just people Hiroto-sama handpicked to oversee the contest lower themselves to consort with her (further proof of Hiroto-sama and the company's just nature).
The company had to go find something called a mercenary. I didn't quite know what that meant, but the way Oosumi described it, it meant he was someone who was paid to do things other humans didn't want to.
It was just so appropriate that Karasuba was so repulsive that she couldn't get an Ashikabi and had to pay for it.
Still…that poor human…
Maybe I should go down there, end her once and for all and rescue him. It was what a real Hero(ine) would do. That he had (reportedly) properly winged the other member of the Disciplinary Squad, Haihane, meant that other than being forced to wing Karasuba for money, he must be a good person (if a very weird one though, for him to be the Blue Sekirei's Destined partner).
But…
An unwinged Karasuba had been too strong for me. With my Winging, I thought that I would hold the advantage with the power up that came with finding true love. Her also being winged (even if a bastardized version of it)… I might not be able to match her without my love present to cheer me on.
Which… might be a problem at the moment.
I didn't sigh, as that would be unladylike, but I did reflect on my absent Ashikabi's behavior of late.
Since his rumor board really started getting activity, he'd been… preoccupied. Someone was paying him to (against my silent advice) try and crack MBI's servers to find more information about us Sekirei and the known Ashikabi. If I left him much longer, then he might get the answers in a more straightforward way. As much as I might appreciate the opportunity to ask any of my Ashikabi's questions to the man in a forthright manner… calling the DS and its captain down on us without proper preparation was not the way to go.
…and was against the rules.
The group of Sekirei that I'd been watching approach suddenly veered away as they noticed the Black Dog's movements, fleeing as she approached. As much as I hated to admit it… I probably wasn't needed here anymore for the time being.
I turned and leapt, aiming for the next high rise in the direction home. Oosumi probably hadn't eaten since I took up my morning vigil. I'd make us something to eat and head back after lunch.
Flying through the air, the wind pulling at my clothes, hair splayed out in a trail behind me as I brushed along the gentle caress of gravity always seemed to put my mind at ease. By the time I reached the modest place we called home I had mostly managed to put the thoughts of Karasuba aside… at least as much as I ever did. Musubi-chan had finally found a man, so now the race to see which one of us was better and could defeat her was properly on. This was a much happier, if bittersweet thought to accompany the journey home.
It was a sad inevitability, the defeat of poor, sweet Musubi-chan. She was too good for the way the world worked, but the path of the Hero(ine) was fraught with painful choices.
"Hi Honey, I'm home!" I called as I opened the door to find a warzone. Oosumi tripped on a knocked over chair, his arms full of clothes. The floor was littered with more clothes, both mine and his own. Two very messily piled suitcases lay open on the couch, stuffed way past capacity. His computer was still on, a picture of Karasuba's Ashikabi on the screen plastered with the words 'MBI Internal: Classified' marked all over under the text.
"Kaho! You're home. Get your stuff, we have to go now!" Oosumi stumbled, both to his feet and words.
My nice expensive weapon oils and polish were on their sides, leaking their precious contents onto (and off of) the table and pooling in one of my good bras (which was on the floor, why?).
Deep breath, Kaho-chan. First, Truth… then retribution.
"Oosumi… my love…" I started. "What? Why!?" I gestured to the disaster that had become our home.
"I… Got into MBI's system." I was specifically against that! "It's… I didn't think it was real y'know, but it is." He did not explain. "Actually real. It must be why he's here. They knew and they called him"
"Who is here? Is the Disciplinary Squad coming?" This was literally the exact thing I was worried would happen! "Is this about the job Mr. Izumi gave you? Did you break the rules? I told you not to!"
"The mercenary!" The mercenary? Was there some cultural insinuation I didn't understand? Was he the human equivalent to a Broken One to make Oosumi act like this; full of fear and revulsion? I understood that, in a manner of speaking, but that didn't explain the rest of what I was seeing.
"He's coming." Oh no. I left him too long and he started one of those rants again. He dropped the last of what he was carrying (in an untidy pile on my feet no less) to gently cup my cheeks. "He's here to kill the Sekirei. It's what he does."
"That…" That was impossible. "That can't be right. I know how you feel about the company but they aren't evil like that!" How could they be? What sense was there in rescuing us all, raising us, in the first place if the end goal was to kill us? Oh, why couldn't he see! "No! This must be a mistake. Whatever you did, you need to apologize! I'm sure the company will forgive us if we're sorry, but we need to talk to them before Karasuba kills us both. We can't fight her yet."
I wasn't ready to face her yet. Especially not if the rest of the DS were to show up. And if this new Ashikabi scared Oosumi so, then he wasn't either.
"You don't understand, you haven't seen it yet, the company set us up. They need us, Ashikabi and Sekirei, to die–" the phone ringing cut him off. This had to be one of his wilder rants (as much as I loved him, this was a point of contention) like when he stayed up too late binging those creepy videos on the internet and couldn't sleep without the lights on.
It… it had to be. Nothing he was saying made sense.
I went to pick up the phone when he grabbed my wrist. "Don't answer that. We need to leave the city *now*. Where they can't find us."
"Oosumi, I can't leave." I was a Hero(ine). I needed to stay to protect all the Sekirei (and Ashikabi) from Karasuba and the outsiders. A second phone started ringing. My phone. Only two people knew that number. Oosumi and my Nest overseer.
The caller ID said Minaka Hiroto.
"Oh no." Oosumi paled as I pulled the phone from my pocket.
"Hello, Hiroto-sama." I answered. "H-How may I, may Oosumi … may we help you?"
If I wasn't ready to fight Karasuba, then I was completely unprepared to speak to the Hero who saved my species.
"Hello, dear Kaho-chan." Hiroto-samas voice issued from the phone. "Mr. Orihiko, I don't mean to impose, but I feel as if there has been a misunderstanding. I would greatly prefer if you stayed here until we can resolve this issue."
I knew it! I suppressed my desire to glare at my love, instead letting the good news buoy my spirits back up to their proper level. Whatever happened, Hiroto-sama must have realized it was an honest mistake and instead of the Disciplinary Squad, he called personally!
"I must confess I'm impressed you managed to get so far into my system." Hiroto-sama continued. "Another time, this call would be to offer you a job working for me. If you survive the next few weeks, maybe that opportunity will still be available."
Hiroto-sama wanted my Ashikabi working for the company! I didn't squeal – to interrupt would be rude! – but that was a dream come true. In a few weeks Musubi-chan and I could definitely end Karasuba, removing the last obstacle for making MBI (and thus the world) a better place. And Oosumi would have more reputable and steady employment!
"You can't be serious…"
"Hardly!" Hiroto-sama chuckled. "I'm Minaka Hiroto. I have dispatched a representative to discuss a path forward with you about your future. I trust you will be there when he arrives. Wouldn't want to break the rules now, would we?"
"Of course not, Hiroto-sama!" I chirped as Oosumi collapsed onto the half-packed suitcase on the couch. Really, the offer must be too much for him. Or given how pale he was at the moment, maybe he hadn't eaten enough? I'd see to both after the call.
…and a shower would probably do him some good before meeting with the company. I loved him, but he looked in a right state now.
"Y-eah." Oosumi echoed, overwhelmed.
"I'm so glad to hear it. I look forward to speaking to you about this some more. Maybe in person." Must. Not. Squeal. "Oh, and before I go… I trust you won't be speaking to anyone about what you found in my files."
"Of… of course."
"Excellent, Mr. Orihiko." The phone went silent, and I leapt upon Oosumi, unable to contain my glee anymore.
"Yay! This is such good news!" I nuzzled into him. Trusting in Hiroto-sama, I could let my earlier frustration and confusion fade and let my appreciation for how amazing my Ashikabi could be swell. Maybe we'd have a late 'lunch' in celebration before I left again. I wouldn't want to be in the way of his interview.
…Only after I made him clean up this mess. And ensure he spent less time on the internet; it was clearly not good for his health (and sometimes my sanity).
*Shirou*
"Are you sure you have to go?" Takami sounded hesitant over the phone. "It's been so nice having you around. Especially with your siblings off on their own. Are you sure I can't convince you to stay?"
I couldn't argue that living with Takami had been surprisingly pleasant. There was, however, a black crow hanging over the thought of staying longer.
"I remind you, that would mean spending more nights with Karasuba invading the apartment." I said as I pulled my gear back from its hiding place in the back of the closet. Packing was going well since I didn't have much with me to begin with. On my flight into the city I had only the one bag of clothes, and coming back from home I only grabbed the spare gear (rightfully convinced I'd need it with how Karasuba had been harassing me) and enough clothes and effects to round out my stay.
A quick glance over at Akitsu to check her progress. Her method of folding (I was pretty sure she was learning as she watched me and I made a note to teach her proper technique later) involved examining each bit of clothing for a few minutes before slowly and surely folding it and placing it into her bag.
Yeah… given that the article she was on was one of the articles I'd nixed her being able to wear outside of this room (preferably ever)… the less I said about Akitsu to my mother was for the best. I understood that her powers made thicker and more concealing clothing uncomfortable for her, but there was such a thing as having too little coverage – I didn't care how comfortable and cool she found it.
Thankfully, her habit of wearing my mantle while out had expanded the amount of her wardrobe she's been able to wear; I don't know why she didn't have the same problems with what would have become Archer's signature red coat that she had with the other clothes I'd tried buying for her, but she had taken to keeping it partially fastened and its length had solved some of the more… problematic aspects of her clothing of choice.
Now if only I could get her to properly wear pants… or at least longer skirts.
"Hmm… I couldn't convince you to get rid of her, could I?" Takami hedged into the phone. I dutifully ignored the 'I'd like to see you try you white haired crone' that followed her question. It was good to see her and Karasuba getting along.
"No," I gave a practiced sigh. My opportunity for that was probably when she kissed me. Unless I just up and murdered her in her sleep but as much as I might joke about it, the thought of actually going through with it was strangely anathema. "I think I'd get fired, among other things. Besides, I will need the extra space if I'm looking after Haihane too like I'm supposed to and the apartment is getting a bit cramped."
Or maybe having her more annoying behavior directed elsewhere was resetting my tolerance for her antics. She had been strangely more tolerable (I hesitated to say nicer since she was still just as prickly and aloof as ever) since she kissed me. Weird.
"Fine." She bit out. "But remember we have brunch scheduled later this week."
I opened my mouth to respond but –
"And wear something nice. You clean up well when you bother to. Yes, wear the one suit with the tie you wore the other day. Oh, you were so handsome."
A pause. "Yes –"
"I want you to meet my friend. They're important to me so be on your best behavior."
"Yes –"
"And if you could, come alone please?" Takami finished.
"I'll wear my suit and the tie you like." I sighed. I really wasn't used to this mothering. Taiga wasn't this bad even when I was little. "And I'll –"
Akitsu had paused her folding (staring?) and was focusing very intently on me.
Ah… yeah, leaving her alone at MBI headquarters wasn't a great idea. I still wasn't sure entirely what went down the night I found her covered in blood, only that it happened when she left their custody, and that mom was somehow involved. To leave her there alone, and or unsupervised with Karasuba given their mutual antagonism was not going to end well.
"I'll be bringing Akitsu." I said, eliciting a happy head bob. "And I'll make sure she is dressed appropriately. Does that work?"
"…fine, I suppose I can't argue against that too much." She grumbled. "You'll still come by for dinner?"
"Tomorrow and as often as we can." I agreed. "Haihane's address isn't far. Once we are situated, we can have you over too."
"Okay. See you tomorrow."
We brought the conversation to a close, which was good since I was all set. A few more minutes checking over Akitsu's work and helping her finish up and we threw the bags in the back of the truck. The trip to Haihane's apartment was short even with traffic. It made sense that MBI would want its assets and personnel as close as possible. The short commute to headquarters was also a selling point too, which was weird to think about given most of the work I've had in my life thus far was either walking distance from school or in foreign countries.
The nine-to-five life was weird, but I found its structure comforting. Akin to a gear that never really stops turning, but you can time yourself to the clicks.
Guaranteed running water and amenities were nice too.
"You're here!" A breathy shout came from above as Haihane plummeted to the sidewalk next to where I stopped the car. It must be a hallmark of her species (if not a mystery of some kind) that she landed both without a crash or the shattering of concrete that should have resulted in her meteoric dive from…
"Did you fall out of your apartment?"
"What? No." She gave a raspy giggle. "I jumped!"
I… I had no response to that. With a sigh, I grabbed my stuff from the back. "Just… look below before you leap. I'd much prefer it if you didn't fall on anyone."
"Karasuba says that if they're not smart enough to get out of the way then it isn't our fault if they're injured or killed." Of course she did.
"And I'm not Karasuba," I replied, grabbing a bag in each hand. "Our job is to minimize injuries and casualties, not just punish infractions, so from now on look before you leap."
"Roger roger," She nodded. "Hey, Akitsu, need a hand?"
"Ah." Akitsu, holding the case containing all of her possessions (that I knew about at least), was giving a very serious look at the lip of the truck bed from where she was standing in the bed. "Clear."
A short hop (for her) landed her gracefully next to Haihane. At least one person on my team listened to what I said. Between Karasuba's antics since we met and honestly forgetting about Haihane for a day, I should call Rin and apologize for my comments about Archer; apparently Independent Action was a bitch to deal with.
"Did you ride in the back the whole way?" Haihane, currently clawless, asked Akitsu as she grabbed the last bag from the truck.
"I offered her the cabin." I defended myself, shouldering my own burdens for the trek through the building.
"Wind." Akitsu nodded to herself. "Nice."
Yeah, that.
"I can see that." Haihane agreed as if that made sense. I… wasn't sure if she was agreeing with Akitsu's logic or just agreeing to appease the other Sekirei. I often found myself doing the latter around the girls of the DS. "Right, follow me, I guess?"
Haihane led the way through the complex. Her apartment was on the upper floors, probably so that she could enter and exit level with the rooftops of the nearby buildings. It fit the logic I was coming to associate with Sekirei as a whole, and the girls I oversaw in particular.
"So, uh, this is me I suppose." Haihane's words were more whispery and rushed than normal, making them harder to hear. She unlocked the door, ushering us inside and giving us our first view of the apartment.
I had expected that the layout of the apartment would be akin to Takami's place, given that MBI had both buildings built. Stepping into the small landing, a little over a square meter, with a closet on the left and a spot to place footwear on the right. Past the landing was a combined living and dining room, the middle of which was dominated by a long, low table much too big for only one person. By the looks of the scratches on the surface at one of the place settings, I could tell where Haihane liked to sit.
Beyond the table was a rather large couch and an impressive television on a stand flanked by books with nicked spines. Floor to ceiling windows, currently blocked by closed curtains, backed the far wall behind the television stand. Between the couch and the TV sat a well-used looking coffee table; magazines, remotes and knickknacks stacked and organized on top.
The floor, from what I could see, was spotlessly clean (though I could see where Haihane had left a few supplies out prepping for our arrival).
"It isn't much, and don't mind the mess." Haihane didn't follow us in taking off our shoes, choosing to stay in the open doorway instead. "I'm not used to having people over. If it's not nice enough then I can try again or find somewhere else for you."
She was nervous. I reached out and palmed the back of her head in a way I hadn't done since Ilya was alive but felt oddly natural none-the-less. Haihane stopped mid-sentence, as I drew down to her level and locked eyes with her. I could see the flush on her cheeks from the anxiety.
"Haihane. Breath." She did, a shuddering breath. "Good. You've a lovely place. Thank you for having us."
I released her and stepped into the apartment.
"Y-yeah." She rasped behind me. "Oh! Tour. I can give you a tour." She not-quite tumbled in behind me with Akitsu comparatively sedately bringing up the rear. "You can place your bags by the table for now."
"To the right is the kitchen." She pointed to a window cut into the wall where I could see a galley kitchen. I wouldn't say it was small, given it had a full fridge, an oven and counter space to spare, but it was only a little over half the size Takami's kitchen had been. "I don't have much in the way of fresh food right now though, just prepped meals."
The countertops were bare of things like toasters or knife blocks. I started making a list of all the things I'd need to get. And look to fill in the clear gaps in the education they got from MBI's researchers about living with humans.
"The television has all the channels that I could get hooked up." She seemed proud of that. "Oh! Do you know how to work a Teevo? I accidentally ripped up the manual and I can never figure out how to record all my shows."
"Sure." I nodded. "I can show you how." Huh. Haihane seemed to be the most… well adjusted, if you discounted the tendency to accidentally hurt herself… of the Sekirei I personally knew.
"Over there," Haihane pointed to the far left wall, where I could see a desktop computer setup, the desk flanked by more bookshelves (though these were more sparsely filled). "Is the computer. T1 connection straight to headquarters. I use it to file all my reports since it can access the company servers. Also, to sneak on IRC chat rooms ." She looked oddly proud at that one.
It struck me as odd, the casual display of more modern convenience she was living with given that I don't think Karasuba cared for anything and I'd be surprised if Akitsu or Musubi were technologically literate. Until now, being around the Sekirei was like being around particularly sheltered magi (just without most of the arrogance).
Then she pointed down a hallway extending along the left hand wall that I hadn't seen from the front door. "Down there is the box room and spare bathroom."
Box room?
"Box room?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Hmm? Yeah, box room." Haihane waved us after her as she went down the hallway. There were two doors; one at the very end of the hall that I assumed was the bathroom, and the other door which she slid open to reveal a room entirely full of cardboard boxes.
Not folded boxes, set up and empty boxes. I could see the box the couch parts came in. Microwave. Refrigerator box on its side on the far end of the room. Delivery boxes, furniture, cookware…
There it is… the other shoe.
"This is the box room!" Haihane preened. "I heard the techs in the Nest say to always keep your boxes and receipts in case of returns. The manuals might be hit or miss, but all the containers are as intact as the day they arrived!"
I looked on agog.
"Ah." Akitsu looked in with keen interest. "Smart." No… Akitsu, just… no.
"Isn't it? It really saved me a few times when I accidentally shredded through the delicate bits...or when the toaster exploded." Haihane continued.
"How can we help move this around?" I asked, eyeing the boxes. I could see a number of printed (sometimes actual printer paper copies) of receipts taped to the sides.
"Move?" I received a bewildered look.
"This is your spare room, right? Isn't this where I'll be until we can fix up better arrangements?"
"Oh, uh…" Haihane faltered. "I already had a place for you, but I suppose you could sleep in the box room if you wanted to."
Ah. I was being rude. I was a guest after all.
"I'm sorry." I apologized. "I assumed. If you've already made a space for me, then I'm grateful. Thank you, Haihane."
That put a tiny smile on her face, a nervous, tentative thing. "If you want, can I show you now? Then Afterwards we can unpack your things and put your boxes here."
Boxes? We only had… you know what, just roll with it Shirou. Maybe Sekirei were like cats as much as birds. "That sounds perfect."
"Yay!" She gave a raspy giggle, the excitement visible in her steps as she led us back through the apartment. "Shall I show you the bedroom then?"
The master bedroom was large, easily half the size of the dining section of the apartment. One wall had two dressers end to end. On the first lay an open lacquered box where I could see Haihane's claws resting in their casing. A towel laid next to the box, on it were a metal file, rasp and oil.
Where her weapon was meticulously maintained and neatly arranged… The rest of the dresser that I could safely assume was hers was another story. Bras and pants lay bunched up on top, spilling into the partially opened top drawers (or maybe spilling out of the drawers onto the dresser?). Clothes (mostly uniforms from what I could tell) were less folded and put away and more haphazardly bundled and stuffed into the lower drawers.
I held back the initial twitch in my fingers seeking to put order to the chaos. I added 'politely ask to fold clothes or show how to' to the growing list of things to do in the coming days. Honestly, if I was already doing Akitsu's and my own, it would be easy to slip Haihane into the schedule, so long as I wasn't infringing on her autonomy.
The second dresser looked unused in comparison, with its drawers firmly closed. Resting on top was a sword stand, currently empty, giving clues to whose dresser it might be.
Huh, how migratory was that little crow? It seemed like she built herself a nest with everyone she claimed.
"Does Karasuba stay here often?" I had wondered where she was at night when she wasn't invading my space.
"Sometimes." Haihane answered from behind me. "She came by a lot when I first moved in. Now she swings by if she needs something. Usually, to rest or grab things before or after missions outside the city."
I knew she followed me to Fuyuki. Had assumed it was on company orders, though knowing her it was possible she did so on her own volition. Still, the thought of her unaccounted for in the broader world wasn't a pleasant one.
While I had taken the time to examine the rest of the room, she had apparently made her way to the largest piece of furniture in the room. It should have been impossible to miss, and in hindsight it was only because I was the way I am that I focused on the only weapon in the room before noticing the western style king-sized bed.
There was a walkable path between the dressers and the dark wooded frame that lifted the bed above the floor. Along the wall at the top of the bed was an arching, solid looking headboard with a bit of padding nestled between it and the wall it nearly rested against. It didn't have a canopy, but it did have a post rising from each corner of the frame until they almost touched the ceiling and connected by a thin strip of metal to keep it sturdy.
"This is it!" Haihane had to hop up to climb the behemoth of a bed, bouncing on the dark blue, downy covers with a giggle. "What do you think?"
"I'm surprised you went with a European style." I answered honestly. A few weeks in my home country and I had gotten used to sleeping on and seeing Tatami style sleeping mats. Seeing the massive foreign furniture piece was incongruent with the rest of the décor.
It reminded me of Rin though. For all her attempts at playing the traditional rich princess type at school, she was more comfortable with western styles than eastern ones.
"Yeah, in the nest we had either the pods or bed mats, so I wasn't sure about the bed when I first looked at it." She rasped in response, wigging on the mattress. "But I was reading some things online and thought it would be more comfortable and convenient when I wanted to have sex. Plus I didn't want my first time to be on the floor."
That definitely reminded me of Rin.
"That's fair." I nodded along with the thought. "It never made much difference to me, but Rin preferred western style beds for those kinds of things. I think I can see the logic."
Wait.
I looked around the room. There wasn't much around the room other than the dressers and the bed. A door (partially opened) to what looked like a walk-in closet and another (currently ajar) that led to a spacious master bath.
"I'm glad!" She chirped – or at least, as close to a chirp as she could get with her low tones. "So you um… have experience with this I suppose." She propped herself up on the bed, curling in on herself slightly. "I should have expected as much. Is it true that it's better with experience?"
Hold on. Something about this conversation wasn't right.
"Haihane," I interrupted, "Where are we supposed to sleep? There doesn't appear to be any room left in here."
"What do you mean?" Haihane looked to the empty expanse of mattress to her left and right. "There's plenty of space."
Ah…
That was hard to argue. It hadn't occurred to me, the most obvious thing in hindsight. Akitsu hadn't left my side in my sleep and for days before she kissed me Karasuba had been sneaking her way into my bed at night.
"You're my Ashikabi, we're bound by the wings of love! Or something…" Haihane continued, enforcing the realization that more space wouldn't mean having a night alone to myself. "I didn't spend time around Yume when she was active and Karasuba is so cynical. The only one I have to talk to is Benitsubasa and she's a romantic."
I sighed. At least the bed looked both spacious and comfortable, even if I was less than thrilled with the prospect. Much like with most of the women in my life, this might be an issue it was better to just go along with before it became even more complicated…
"Unless you meant… oh." Haihane whispered, a happy smile on her lips as red stained her cheeks. "Oh!"
…or there was a misunderstanding.
"I thought you'd want to get settled first." A giddy Haihane continued, literally vibrating with excitement. "I should have anticipated you would be so assertive when you winged us, binding us as your mates. Oh, we have the best Ashikabi!"
"What?" I had to have heard wrong. That was beyond sleeping arrangements. I… "Winging is a mating ritual?" That made absolutely no sense. Whose idea was it to take a technically endangered species (a magical race no less) and use its mating ritual as the bases of a death game?
"Akitsu," I ignored the itch in my skin for now and instead turned to my lifeline in this conversation. Clearly, I had been training Haihane too hard and she broke.
"Ah." Akitsu, instead of denying the outlandish statement, turned her head to the side in her classic thinking pose. Considering.
I think I was breathing faster.
"Yeah, so are we going to start and take turns, in which case, dibs on first" Haihane further drove the nail in, "Or are you going to take us together, which…" She gave Akitsu an appraising look from bottom to top, "Yeah, I think I can work with that too."
No… no they were just… confused. This was a misunderstanding. The shadows flickered along the edges of the room.
Useless, I could hear Rin's scoff before she grabbed my face, do I have to do it myself.
The room teetered and I stumbled for balance.
We might be dead in an hour, I could feel the plume of Rebecca's cigarette in my face. You can't tell me you don't want to feel the warmth of someone else alive, moments like this?
"Shirou?" I could hear a voice, distant, like it was coming from under water. "Shirou are you –"
I couldn't breathe.
You know I always liked you. My skin crawled. Blood still dripped around Sakura's feet. Do you like me?
The shadows grew at the periphery of my vision. Circling, grasping, lifting from the ground and reaching for me with jagged hands and I stumbled into the kitchen. Sempai.
I can't… Rin was crying. I made her cry again. Bleeding? No. My hands shook, red with blood. We could have saved her…
This wasn't… Kill it! Rebecca screamed. I hesitated. A child's bloody face burst through her ribcage, bits of her spine still in its jagged fangs. I swung my sword.
This wasn't real! Sempai. I swung. Shirou! I swung again, and again.
I stumbled again, the blood pooling up to my knees, and reached out. Empty hands grasped something physical. Tangible. My circuits burned, replacing thought with diagnostics. I was holding a fridge. Haihane's fridge. I was in Shin Tokyo. Not Fuyuki. Not the half-burned-out office building with the dead crawling in the walls.
Voices spoke without words, a meaningless droning. Not important. The blood didn't stain the fridge like it should have.
Focus! Archer's voice. Don't think about other things. Or was that mine?
…When I looked in the mirror.
The darkness receded slightly, the shadows grasping at my circuits – no, just my vision – cleared enough to reveal the blank white façade of the fridge. No. Not blank. A little magnet of a cat hanging on a branch stood out and I focused on it instead…
Everything else was…
The magnet…
"Haihane… Why is there a bug on your fridge?" I spoke the words aloud. The world slipping back into abrupt clarity.
"Shirou… that's a cat." Haihane was giving me a look from the doorway, silently backed up by Akitsu. "Shit, 'Kitsu, I think we need to call Karasuba."
"Ah." Akitsu frowned but nodded.
"That's not…" I would be having words with Karasuba. Very serious ones. But for now, I grabbed the cat-and-branch magnet off the front of the fridge. "There's a bug in here. A spying device."
I peeled the back of the magnet off, cheating a little with a precisely over tuned Reinforcement to crack the screws I couldn't access. Inside the 'branch' was a microphone attached to a battery hidden in the cat.
The girls stared at the revealed device in my hand.
Imprinted on the battery was a familiar little corporate logo.
"Haihane, how long did you have this?"
"I bought it." She whispered, "I thought it was cute. It was one of the first things I bought with my own money."
Her eyes never wavered from the three letters emblazoned under the logo.
M. B. I.
"Alright." The girls snapped to attention at my tone. "We're scouring the place. You never only plant one bug. I'll show you what and where to look for."
There were no arguments as we got to work.
Thankfully… there wasn't much more talking either.
*Karasuba*
"Wait, try putting it there." I heard Haihane's voice as I entered the apartment. The cracking of ice permeated the air, and I forced my hand to untense around where I held my sheath. I was stronger than her now, even if the humiliation still burned. Plus, Shirou became less fun to play with when he thought he was protecting the stray. After a week of dealing with his shrew mother, making him prissy wasn't on my agenda.
"Yeah. That looks much better. Now this one…" Haihane's already soft voice became inaudible as she trailed off. What were they doing? Probably something stupid if the Trash was involved.
"Ah." Ugh, and that annoying verbal tick. Spit it out girl, or is your brain as broken as the rest of you. "Here?"
I grimaced. That was petty, proof that my foul mood was getting the better of me. I took a breath and strode forward, poise impeccable and smile taunting.
"Yeah, that's good." I walked in to the two of them at the table, Haihane holding up what appeared to be a small electric device up to a rather large bird made of ice. As I watched, she pressed the thing up to one of the wings where it was – for lack of a better term – grabbed and absorbed into the sculpture with a series of cracks as the ice shifted to accommodate the addition.
The bird had more parts in it: there was a camera lens where at least one eye should be, lengths of wire trailed through the body like a rough and inaccurate circulatory system, more small parts fleshed out wings or were stuffed in the body.
"What are you two doing?" And where was Shirou? A week of looking after his mother for him you'd think he'd be grateful enough to give me a welcome and not have to deal with… well, whatever I had just walked into.
"Hey Sempai." Haihane greeted excitedly, but didn't look away from the abominable ice bird. "Oh, can you make it move? We can fly it over that creep in IT and crash it through his desk."
"Ah." Trash paused, thinking. No, concentrating if the furrow in her brow was an indication. Ability-types were weird; how could you not know how your own ability worked? For me (and presumably other weapon using power-types), the sword moved with more instinct than thought. My body just knew what to do when I held the right sword.
Then, a shudder went through the ice and with a crack that sent a thin spray of slush through the air, the bird lifted its wings and tilted its head. It was… rough looking. The motions were jarring, stop and go and it sounded like a wood-chipper.
"That's so cool!" Haihane nudged the Stray's shoulder. "Head out to the balcony, I want to see if we can make it fly. I'll be right behind you, just want to talk to the captain a bit."
Haihane waited until the sliding glass door was firmly shut before turning to me.
"Karasuba," No nicknames, no honorifics. She looked as serious as I had ever seen her. "We have a problem. Are we the baddies?"
"Are we… the baddies?" I could feel the throb start in my temple. "Are you serious?"
"Are we two timing hussies?" Haihane pushed, enunciating each word deliberately. "You said he was ours, but he had sex with a Rin –"
For a second I froze, feeling cold even though the Ice Sekirei wasn't even in the room. Then, I let my fingers unclench from their grip on my sword. Confirmation was… unpleasant, but hardly surprising.
"– another Sekirei? I don't recognize the name." Haihane continued, but I must have zoned out a second. "Or is that a human? Does Shirou have a girlfriend? You said he was ours! Is that he wants us or that you chose to take him?"
"I don't appreciate your tone." I growled. She flinched but didn't back down. I would have been impressed if she wasn't pissing me off. I reacted to him, I didn't say, which meant he was mine. "Rin…" I found the taste of the name to be sour, "Isn't a concern."
"Are you sure? Cause when I propositioned him –" I forced down a flash of irritation. "– Haven't seen that look on his face, Sempai. We were scared."
Scared? The word perked my ears. Was he violent? Shirou could be forceful when you got him in the right mood. The memory of jumping him in the forest, both of us panting in exertion, his dagger almost penetrating me, flashed through my mind. Yes, I licked dry lips, he could be dangerous. I could see that they wouldn't be able to handle him.
"I've been doing my best to ignore it and keep Akitsu-chan distracted," Chan? Since when was Haihane using an honorific for anyone but me or Shirou? "But she's upset and I'm confused and I don't know what to do about it. This isn't like a Natsuo situation, is it? They do get along very well…"
"No." I was sure of that; I had caught his eyes wander, much to my own thrill of pride, enough to know for certain. He wasn't as focused as he thought he was.
"Then will you talk to him?"
"Me?" I asked, incredulously.
"Yes, it has to be you." Haihane pushed. "He… I know he sees me as a project, you know? He hears me but I don't know how much he listens. And Akitsu-chan is…" She turned to look out towards the balcony, where the other Sekirei was very intently staring at her ice-and-mechanical monstrosity as it moved (whatever nonsense she was thinking, if anything, wasn't enough to make the thing fly yet). She didn't say what came to both of our minds: Broken. "But you're our leader, not just as captain, but as the one who brought us together and he listens to you. Even when it's just the two of you arguing or sniping back and forth, he listens to you."
That was… Of course he listened to me. I was me.
"So will you talk to him?" She asked again. Ugh, the puppy dog eyes made her look like she was found on the side of the road. At least with less bandages than she'd needed in the past, she looked less like roadkill now.
"Ugh, fine." I wasn't capitulating, but it would shut her up. I deliberately ignored how she cheered or how her eyes sparkled. "Where is our worthless Ashikabi anyway? I expected him to be ready for me with dinner." It was the least he owed me.
"Oh, he left for the roof after we found the bugs." Bugs? I held back a revulsive shudder. How filthy was this girl that she had bugs? It was clean last time I was here. I'd have to force her to scrub the apartment on her hands and knees. "Did you know MBI was watching us?"
Of course they watched over us, I snorted to myself, lest what happened to Musubi and that brat Kaho and…
Yume…
…
Wait…
Wasn't he on the phone with a Rin last time I caught him on a roof. This time I didn't stop the reflexive clench of my hands, instead finding comfort in the squeak of protest my sheath made.
"I'll go speak with him." I forced a confident smile on my face (this time allowing myself to bask in the pride that was shown through her eyes). "It's better to nip loose ends like this in the bud."
Besides… I had my own questions for him. He may have thought time away would distract me, but I had been thinking over the strange abilities he'd shown in our fight over and over.
"Thanks Captain, you're the best!" She cheered and hopped away, heading to the balcony. "Oh, wait, do you know how birds fly?"
I blinked at the non-sequitur.
"Do you think it's like us and they just push off and tilt their body where they want to go?" I stared at her. "I guess not. Oh well, we'll find out." She fled with a spring in her step to the glass door, leaving me to head to my next destination: the roof.
And Shirou.
The thought held… I wasn't sure. Things were changing, as Haihane's closeness to – ugh, I suppose I might have to start calling Trash by its name – put on full display, and I wasn't entirely certain it was for the better. Change was… the loss of control had me… agitated.
I had only been on a local mission during the days, and I feel like events were slipping out from how I'd planned. With my upcoming task outside the city…
The feeling of the breeze whipping across my face and through my hair took the thought with it and I closed my eyes, letting the feeling pass through me.
The scent of cigarette smoke caught on the wind. Funny, I thought he only smoked when he thought of me. I smirked to myself as I came around the corner. For being separated for most of his life, he definitely inherited some of his mothers' tells – the smoking when stressed was a big one.
I caught sight of him, leaning over the guardrail overhanging the roof, overlooking the street below. His hands were up by his head, hidden and – the smile tore from my face as abruptly and inexplicably as the breath in my lungs.
He was talking to her, I realized, as something gripped my chest.
A half-step forward, I thumbed my sword loose in its sheath, hand already in motion to draw. Rage! That must have been it. I was livid at how ungrateful he was, leaving me to care for the girls and his own mother while he was talking to –
"Karasuba." A casual flick sent the spent butt spiraling over the edge of the roof as he half turned to me.
His other hand was empty.
"You're slacking." I bit at him, trying to keep up the anger that was strangely already fading.
"Wha –" His confused face may have been worth seeing however. It wasn't often I could take him by surprise. His unnatural ability to seemingly always know when I was nearby was just another mystery about him I wanted to drag out of him.
"Or are you sulking?" I continued. "Some welcome home I come to. No greeting, no gift, no food? You're slacking. I had to deal with a worried Haihane for you. Be grateful."
"I'll be sure to remember that for next time." He snorted, his lip starting to quirk up before his expression drained. "Karasuba. We need to talk."
"I don't need to do anything." I countered, even though he was right: we did need to talk. But the slide into banter was familiar. Safe, if it could be called that, in a way that soothed my hand from my sword. Besides, this conversation was a confrontation and I intended to win. "You, however, aren't holding up your end of our partnership."
"Ah." Ugh, the tick was spreading. He lit up another cigarette, the wind from the height of the building carrying it away as quickly as he could exhale it. "A 'partnership', is it?" I narrowed my eyes at his tone. "Funny, given your habit of unilateral decisions, that you'd refer to us as partners."
"That is a strange way of thanking me." His footing changed. A shift in posture I automatically, almost without thinking, responded to. I felt my smirk become more natural; my blood pumping hot as I recognized the subtle movements for what they were – the preparation for a fight.
A physical fight with him was even better than a verbal one. Especially for drawing out his secrets.
"Thank you?" He echoed. "You're right, I do have a lot to thank you for." I preened in triumph, for all the second it took for him to continue. "Thank you for stalking me, stealing from me and conspiring against me for your own ends."
"Stalking?!" I growled. "Can't stalk someone when it's your job to watch them." I countered. "And I don't remember you complaining about having me around."
"I complained all the time!"
"Oh, so I'm supposed to take you seriously when you make me dinner?"
"That was my food, you just stole it!"
"Well, you didn't try very hard to stop me, did you?" My nose almost brushed his, the scent of secondhand smoke stinging my nostrils unpleasantly. "And don't think I didn't notice how you always seemed to have food for two."
"You infuriating…" He bared his teeth. "Was trying to kill me also something I should thank you for then?" Oh, what an overreaction! It's not like he died!
"Oh, boohoo! You came out fine!" I scoffed. He came out more than fine. The first non-single digit to (arguably) come out of a fight with me alive, let alone intact. The only known human (though I had my doubts about that) to physically be able to counter a Sekirei… and who just happens to have white hair. "More than fine, considering I deigned to kiss you." Something he should be grateful for.
"Yes, thank you for that!" I scowled at the sarcasm. "Don't think I didn't notice how you put me in the middle of whatever powerplay you have going between you and Natsuo."
"That was for your benefit as much as mine," I countered, "Besides, I didn't see you complaining when you were kissing Haihane."
"Something you pressed me to do, I see you fail to add." He took a step back, eyes smoldering, "just as you failed to mention that Winging is a mating ritual."
I…
I staggered back a half step. How did… Fucking Haihane!
"So you did know." His dead calm, focused stare was much less fun to be on this side of. "See that's the thing I don't understand. What part of a death tournament involves a mating ritual? And when were you going to mention that part of our 'partnership'?"
"I… I wasn't." I defended sounding weak even to myself. How did I lose control of this conversation? "If that's your interest, you have Haihane for that. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to provide. Even your pet too."
He sucked in a breath, scowling. Huh, didn't like that did you? I wanted to capitalize on the weakness even if I felt some relief from his reaction.
"The Plan is about fighting. There needs to be a victor among us. That's why I claimed you: you could keep up with me. Challenge me. I won't have to worry about you dying and taking me out with you."
That was… true, I found.
We both just… breathed, the fight going out of us.
"That makes no goddamned sense." He huffed after a long drag.
"Don't look at me," I sighed, leaning against the edge next to him. "I don't make the rules, only enforce them."
It was a weak joke, but we both laughed.
The silence afterward wasn't tense or awkward. It just was.
"We should head back down." He asked, after a time. "If we linger much longer they might think we killed each other."
"Or fucked," I agreed, pulling a face in disgust, "given Haihane's one track mind."
"Heaven forbid." Shirou snorted… and then, "Karasuba. If we're going to live to the end of this, no more secrets." Ironic, coming from the person with the most mysteries about him. "We lay everything on the table. Deal?"
Was it that easy? Just… ask and answer?
"Deal," I smirked. "But that will have to wait, unfortunately." At his confused glance, I continued. "Since I'm the bigger person –" I magnanimously ignored his snort of disbelief – "I'm ordered out of the city for a mission."
"You are? I wasn't told of anything."
"Of course, dumb human." I nudged him, "That's why it's a secret mission. I'll try and finish as soon as possible, but the mission parameters have me away for the next week."
"Is that…" He looked unsure of what he wanted to say. "Is that unusual? Or safe, given you're alone outside the city."
"Are you worrying about me?" I battered my eyelashes, but I don't think it worked given it caused him to burst out laughing again.
"Maybe for the rest of humanity."
"I have a sword, you know." I feigned a scowl.
"I – and my bruised ribs – are well aware." He held his hands up in a plea for mercy.
Good. I nodded, satisfied he learned his place well, before continuing.
"It's rare, but I've been sent out before."
"Like when you followed me to Fuyuki."
"Yes, like when I – wait." I turned to his smug look. How did he always know where I was? I kicked him in the shin instead of answering, adding that to the list of things to grill him about when I returned.
"Ah, fuck, bitch." He laughed. Next time I'd kick him harder. "C'mon. Truce." He held a hand out, nodding towards the door back down below. To Haihane's… ours, now… apartment.
"Hmm…" I let him stew before tapping his hand and walking past him. "I don't know about truce, but I'll accept your surrender with terms."
"How magnanimous." He deadpanned as he followed behind me.
"I told you, you should be grateful."
For a moment, I thought about asking the question that had been burning in my mind the last few weeks. If it was… really just so simple as to ask him but… after a week of trying to needle answers out of the stone wall that was his insufferable mother, either he'd lie or…
Well, more likely he didn't know himself.
Events were lining up in my mind though. Mia was an adult long before the first of us hatched. Almost thirty years ago, when Yakihito and Minaka first discovered Mia. The time period where they did the most research on Sekirei DNA before trying to hatch the oldest of us. How long was Mia awake for, before the next single digit came along. Shirou was already a boy when he 'died' in the fire in Fuyuki.
Curious, that he was away from his parents when Kamikura was assaulted… only to fall victim to his own 'accidental' tragedy.
But it would explain things. His strength and speed, for starters. Then the only mystery would be the weapons he conjured to him. They were solid, not illusions. An obscure Ability? Akitsu, for all I derided her, could conjure enough ice to form a blizzard… would conjuring swords be so unrealistic an Ability?
I'd wait, I decided. I already knew the layout of Fuyuki from before. It wouldn't be too hard to break into the hospital and get the records I needed to confirm if the time frame aligned exactly. Yes, first I'd get all the answers myself and pin him to the wall until he couldn't escape giving me everything I wanted.
That, I smiled, was victory.
Besides, I doubted the mission would take me very long at all. After all, how hard could it be to find some books by 'Makiri' anyway?
*Story End*
Notes:
"I'm magic." Said the talking sword.
"Magic doesn't exist." Chided the magical alien. "You're just a genetic abomination.
In my brain, Haihane reached for toast with her claws on, electrocuted herself and blew up the toaster.
Once more, shout out to ParadoxicalThought, HibernaLupus, and OctZ for performing the sacred rites three times to awaken me from my eternal rest