"Look lady, I don't make the rules! I'm just doing my job, and that happens to be towing away this car."
The kick-off competition for stage 2 was finally complete. Uzume was mine, and in the process I had somehow become the Ashikabi of the West. However, I now found myself in a dilemma. In my excitement, I ended up getting carried away spending the night with Uzume.
I can't complain about that, it was a marvelous evening. The problem is that I didn't even think about returning to my car until the next morning. Leaving my car in the middle of the road was not a good idea. As karma would have it I was now paying the price for that oversight, because my car is now being towed away.
"Can you at least tell me where you will be taking my car? It's my only means of transportation, so I have to get this shit sorted sooner rather than later."
"The impound lot is over in Kita, block 17." I closed my eyes deep in thought for a moment, I'm certainly not too familiar with the kita district. But what I do know, is that it should be about 30 blocks north east of my location."Wonderful…" I thought. Without another word the tow truck driver finished putting my car onto the bed of his truck. Quickly hopping in and driving away.
"Saya!" Uzume yelled in her angelical voice.
"Yes Uzume?" I said with a renewed grin on my face, after remembering what transpired last night.
"Hop on my back! We need to follow that truck!" Uzume says as she kneels down in front of me, her hands motioning for me to hop on her back. I jumped at the opportunity without hesitation. Partly because I want to get my car back, but also because I wanted to hold Uzume in my embrace once more and be close to her.
She wasn't in her battle gear. Instead, she was wearing a tight, pink, long sleeve shirt with purple sleeves, and a pair of tight blue jean shorts that stop just above her knees. A large yellow star with an orange outline adorned the front of the shirt. The way the clothes are hugging her curves is enough to awaken a primal desire within me. And now, as of this moment my body was pressed up against those very curves, making it impossible to remain calm.
The feeling of her body against mine is undescribable, everything about her is perfect! Her body, the feeling of her long, silky, brown locks as they brush against my skin, the smell of her hair as she holds me in her arms. It's intoxicating all of my senses. I wish this moment would never end.
" I know I said it multiple times since last night, but I'm sorry. I took way too long to find you."
"I said it's fine, I love you and all that matters is that I'm with you now."
I press my body closer to Uzume as I Iook over at Kazehana who was still with me and my girls. Then my mind goes back to what she was saying right before west-san interrupted us. Her words, " I think my body is having a reaction to you."
As the words ring in my head, I can't help but say." Kazehana?"
"Yes Saya?"
"Last night before the battle with Nishi, you said that you were having a reaction to me. When I asked if that meant you were going to become my Sekirei, you said it was complicated. You were about to say something else and then he showed up."
"Ahh yes, well it truly is complicated. I have only ever had that kind of a connection with one person in my life. I worked up the courage and asked him to be my Ashikabi, but he rejected me. The only person I have ever loved told me he didn't have time for the trivial matters of being my Ashikabi."
"Let me guess, the one you asked was Minaka. Rumors floated around about it shortly after you left, but nobody could ever confirm if they were true."
"The rumors are true! His words were like a knife to my heart. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to take the pain, I left. I took what little I could claim as my own and ran away from Minaka and his company. I thought maybe that would help me get through the pain, but it didn't. Alcohol was the only thing that seems to make me forget my sorrow, but even that is a temporary fix."
I didn't need a connection with her to hear the sorrow in her voice. "I feel bad, for all of the things you have gone through."
"Don't worry about it Saya, I don't blame you. I'm the only one to blame for my mistakes. If I had met you earlier things may have been very different, but alas the past is something we cannot change." Kazehana takes a deep breath before continuing.
"Saya you are a very sweet girl and one of the kindest souls I have ever known. I can tell how much you truly care for your Sekirei. I'm glad that I'm reacting to you, but I'm not yet ready to fully give myself to you. I would however like to stick around for a little bit, if that's all right?"
"Thank you Kazehana! Your words mean a lot, I'm glad you think so highly of me. And of course, you are welcome to stay as long as you need."
" Saya I don't mean to interrupt your moment with Kazehana but we have arrived." Uzume says as she gently sets me down on the ground.
"Thank you for the lift, Uzume!" I said as I look to my left and notice my car being lowered off of the tow truck bed. "Girls stay here, not everyone needs to come in. Uzume come with me!"
Uzume nods as she follows me into the office. Behind the counter is a girl with long, acorn, brown hair and golden eyes around the same color as that of a cat's. Her attire consists of a simple pink T- shirt, but I can't see the lower portion because half of her body is obscured by her desk. Her golden eyes were made bigger by a pair of large square rim glasses adorning her face.
"Welcome! My name is Kaede . How may I he- Adjuster-sama?"
"Kaede?!" I say staring at the girl in front of me. She was one of the Sekirei that I adjusted, specifically Number Forty-one, Kaede. A brain type much like Matsu, though not nearly as powerful." What are you doing working in an impound lot?"
"My Ashikabi runs the place, but look at you, you're famous now. You are the Ashikabi of the West. You have quite the reputation now, Adjuster-sama!"
It honestly shocked me how quickly word of my defeat of Nishi had spread. Perhaps Minaka had something to do with it, I will find out eventually. "Yea, I guess so, but I'm not your adjuster anymore, so please just call me Saya."
"Of course Saya! So what can I do for you?"
"Right! I came here to get my car! It's the purple 89 Sukairain that just arrived. The license plate is 05-12."
"May I see your license and proof of ownership?"
"Right, of course!" I say pulling out my wallet and handing my license to Kaede. Umm… Kaede, there's a copy of the registration in the glove box."
"I see… " Kaede says before yelling out, "Kazuki!"
After a couple of moments a man walks out from a door behind the counter. "Yes… Kaede?"
The man was tall, at least taller than me. He has to be at least 170 centimeters. He has chiseled features, short, blackish-brown hair, and light brown eyes. He was wearing a sky blue polo shirt, and a pair of tan cargo pants.
"I need something retrieved from a customer's car."
"Of course, my sweet!" The man says, turning to me. "Kaede told me a lot about you, Shirayuki Saya. My name is Takahashi Kazuki, I'm her Ashikabi and I'm glad to meet the woman who helped bring my Kaede to me. What do you need me to retrieve from your car?"
"A copy of the registration from the glove box. It's the purple Sukairain." I say handing him my keys."
"Got it! Be right back!"
I turn my head to look at Keade," I'm happy for you Kaede. My wish was that every Sekirei I adjusted would get a nice Ashikabi. So far only 66's Ashikabi was a douche. But how did you and Kazuki meet?"
"He hit me with his car! After that he tried to make it up to me by offering me food and a place to stay. The more time I spent with him the more I realized that he was the one, my Ashikabi. " She replies in a tone that clearly shows her admiration for the man she had chosen.
"I'm back," Kazuki says as he appears with a paper in his hand. He hands the paper over the counter to Kaede. "Here you are my dear."
She quickly grabs the paper and starts typing the information in on her computer. Due to her being a brain type Sekirei it's with a speed and efficiency that no human can match. "Okay Saya the total comes to 1,108,467."
"Kaede!" Kazuki says, causing Kaede to turn and look at him."Give her a small discount. Charge her an even one million. "
Kaede nods before changing the price to one million. I reach into my back pocket pulling a phone case, one of those ones with the built-in slots for credit cards. I pull out my credit card, and handed it to her. The card payment took only a moment to process, before she handed me a copy of the paperwork and a couple of documents to sign.
I quickly sign the documents as she gives me the registration back. "Kazuki, do you truly care for Kaede?" I asked with a stoic face.
"More than anything else in the world." He replies with conviction and fire in his eyes.
I smirked, "That's exactly the kind of response I was hoping for, take care of her. "
"You have my word!" Kazuki turns to uzume. "Number Ten, you make sure to keep this woman safe!"
"I will defend Saya with my life. She is everything to me, and her life is more precious than anything to me. " Uzume replies.
As I'm about to turn and leave, a thought crosses my mind. "Kaede, Kazuki" I say as I turn back to look at them.
"The real competition has yet to even begin, but when it does there's a real high possibility that you two may be separated. There's a high chance that both of us will be separated from our Sekirei and Ashikabi. I need allies or I can't do anything. We don't have a lot of time! The third stage starts soon." The look on their face says they are listening intently to what I have to say.
"There are only about nine Sekirei that have yet to be winged. Once they spread their wings the city will become a battlefield. I'm gonna change that, I'm gonna find a way to stop the madness of the Sekirei plan. I know it's a lot to ask but, can I count on you guys to provide whatever help you can?"
"Yes" Kaede says without hesitation. "I owe it to you, Saya. Without you I would have never been able to meet Kazuki. So I will definitely help you, if it means that I can stay with Kazuki forever. "
"I agree with Kaede, I will do anything to keep her by my side. I will give you my support however I can."
"Thank you!" I say as Kazuki grabs a piece of paper and quickly scribbles something down.
He walks over and hands me the paper. "This is my cell number. If you need anything, do not hesitate to call me. "
I nod and take the paper as the little bell above the door rings. "Looks like you have other people to attend to, I will see you around Kazuki."
"Yes, goodbye. Ashikabi of the West."
Right as I leave Kaede waves bye, due to not being actually able to say it because she was dealing with the customer that had just walked in.
As I walk out the door the rest of my Sekirei are patiently waiting outside. "Can we take the car now, Mistress?"
"Yes Akitsu, we can." I reply as I look around the parking lot trying to find my car.
It wasn't hard to spot it near the gates to of the parking lot. I walked over to it, and put my left hand on the hood. "Sorry I had to leave you old girl." I turn to my Sekirei, "Girls I'm sorry. But it's going to be a tight squeeze, my car only fits five people."