I have about ten more chapters to go before this fic is entirely through CHAT GTP. I'll be using that AI much more in the upcoming fics—stuff that I have ideas for but not the time or drive to write out. Make of that what you will. It's what it is.

When I was writing this out, back in 2021, Iron Maiden brought out their last album. Stratego. Damn, that was a good one.

There are lots of things to look back to from then.

Started on 21/11/2021

Ended on 14/12/2021

The days of future past to wander on the shore

A king without a queen to die forevermore

Ichika woke up feeling relieved from the entire day. He was happy with how things had worked out for him. He laid his head back on the pillows; he was safe and secure at the Izumo Inn, the place where he felt at home.

He was about to lie back down to get a few more hours of sleep when he heard a gentle knock on the door.

"Ichika, are you awake?" Miya was knocking. It wouldn't be good manners to fall back asleep; he had to get up.

"Yeah, I'm up." The door opened, and in walked Miya with a motherly smile. She opened the curtains, and Ichika smiled back at her.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" He stretched out, feeling the stiffness in his body. He would need to work out more.

"Yeah, I can't complain. I believe that Minato will be showing me around the city today?"

Miya giggled when she heard that. Minato wouldn't be home soon. It had been too long for the women, and they had most likely wrung him dry. Noon was a better hour to expect him. Not that it mattered to Ichika.

"I think you'll have to wait before Minato comes home. Either way, Ichika, have you figured out how you are going to pay for rent?"

"Same as Minato. I'll find a job and work around the house." Miya grinned. Ichika had no idea how much work this house required.

"That would indeed be a good idea. I would stay out of the living room for now, though." Ichika raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, the Sekirei have gotten emails from their mother-in-law, and I don't think you need to see them working themselves over." Ichika cursed, his hormones kicking in. He began to blush at the thought.

When the Hannya mask appeared, Ichika knew that Miya was following his line of thought.

"Oh, is Ichika imagining that scene? I thought you would be better than that." Ichika looked at the mask and began thinking about what his brother had gone through.

"If you are telling me that, I don't think it's my fault. But fine, I'll stay in here for now. Let me know when things are over."

The door opened, and in walked Kusano. She immediately hugged Ichika's leg.

"Morning, Kuu," he said. She didn't reply and remained buried in his legs.

"Don't. Want. To. See." The youngest Sekirei muttered while Ichika lifted her. She hid her face in her tiny hands, peeking through them.

"You saw something bad?" Ichika asked while he gently ruffled her hair.

"Yeah, Chiho-chan is fine, but the other girls. I hope that I never get boobs that big. They're a pain." Ichika pondered who she meant by that. Even Kagari wasn't flat, which could be said about Chiho. But compared to the other girls... Oh, Ichika didn't need to be reminded of that.

"I think I'll stay up here with Kusano," Ichika informed Miya, who nodded at him.

"Could you call me, Miya, when they are done?" The woman nodded to him, and she went downstairs. She could see the scenes. Why didn't they wait until Minato came back home?

The two looked at each other while they stayed upstairs. They could hear moans and curses. Kusano giggled when she heard Tsukiumi talk in her old speech, and Ichika laughed a bit.

Meanwhile, the two sat back with content smiles while Ichika slid down to the floor. The autumn breeze settled in the house, but Ichika could use it. Unfortunately, he also got something else that came into his head.

"Kuu, could you turn around, please? I need to get changed." The youngest girl looked at him. She was unsure about it, but she understood what Ichika wanted to do. So she turned around while Ichika jumped into his clothes.

The seasons were changing, and they were in for colder weather. He took up a sweater from Minato and jeans that Kagari couldn't fit in.

He sat back by the window while the cold began to set in. Yet, he wasn't bothered by it. He sat back while his head was against the wall. He just sat there and smiled while the girls' noises began to calm down.

Kusano had taken his lap as a valuable substitute for Minato's. There was even a soft purr while Ichika barked a laugh. Then he heard a voice singing from the window. He had been taking advice from Jin again. Not the best music, but Ichika knew something. That is not wrong, either.

I won't let you down.
When the seasons change

Ichika sang back while he lifted Kusano. From the window, Minato could hear the young man. And he sang back.

I won't go down

I'll fight through the pain

"Big brother!" Kusano shouted, and Ichika had to grab her to ensure that the little girl didn't fly down the stairs.

"Easy there, Ku. We'll see them downstairs." Then he turned to the group. Musubi, Uzume, and Kazehana looked like they had enjoyed a night out. Ichika had to ask Minato if he could find something else to party.

"Before you enter, make sure that they are dressed," Ichika shouted while Minato began to blush. Then, finally, it appeared that things set in. When the door rolled open, the Ashikabi went to stand outside.

"You're safe. They're dressed." Ichika raced downstairs while still carrying Kusano as if it were a completely normal activity. Kusano skipped over to Minato as soon as they sat down while Tsukiumi demanded her seat. Neither of the three ladies from that night minded.

Matsu knew that talking to Ichika right now wasn't the best idea. They would need to speak to Minato as well. Uzume met up with Chiho, and after a long and loving kiss, both women sat down next to Ichika.

Miya served breakfast, and she sat down with her husband.

"So, what are you young people going to do today? Staying indoors might not be the best for you." Ichika began to think about it. The entire summer he had spent at the Inn, and now, he was going to live his life here.

Before the girls could say something, he coughed to get everyone's attention.

"Well, Minato, I was just wondering. I don't know the city that well. Can I ask if you could give me a tour? I might need it." The girls had lived in the city, fought, and trained within its walls. They could use the time outside—an autumn walk.

"Aren't you worried about that, Ichika? It would give you attention." Takehito asked the pilot, who had a resigned look on his face.

"I know that, but I have to get out and explore the city. And how else am I going to find a job?" That was indeed true, and the girls could have this day outside.

"Okay, let's pack ourselves warm and make sure that we are settled," Minato announced. But first, they had breakfast. They would savor each meal that Miya cooked for them before leaving this place they had called home.

After breakfast, everyone switched to either trousers or long dresses to make sure they were warm. Minato thanked Uzume profoundly with a kiss when she had produced enough warm clothes for them, and Ichika wrapped his arms around her in a thankful hug.

She made him an army winter jacket. Ichika slid into it, and he was happy that it fit him so well. When they were done, the group started to walk around Shinto Teito.

But they weren't even out the door until they heard two familiar voices.

"Minato!"

They all turned around to see Yukari and Shiina standing there. They were in for a surprise visit. Not that anyone minded, but it was terrible timing at this point.

"Yukari. Shiina." Ichika greeted the two. They were surprised to see that Ichika was still there.

"Ichika, what are you doing here?" Ichika shared a look with Minato, who turned to his Sekirei. Of course, they couldn't just leave without her, but they weren't too happy with their sister-in-law around.

"That's a long story, Yukari," Ichika said, looking at the other girls for confirmation. "Can we take her along? I'll explain everything on the way."

They sighed collectively; they couldn't get rid of Yukari that easily. If Ichika could entertain her for most of the day, it would undoubtedly make things a lot more fun and at least keep her hands away from causing any mischief.

Kazehana, taking the forefront for the remaining girls except for Musubi and Kusano, spoke with authority, "She'll be your responsibility."

This was directed at both Ichika and her Ashikabi, a clear suggestion of shared duty. Not that they had to worry about Shiina, who was already engrossed in playing with Kusano; neither of them could be faulted for that innocent engagement.

They started to walk around the city. Minato knew half a dozen good restaurants to eat at in case Miya needed to cut them out for breakfast or if they needed some food for other reasons. Ichika took a few flyers along from places that were hiring.

Ichika began narrating to Yukari and Shiina the harrowing events that had transpired; he recounted how he discovered he was merely a plaything and how his sister failed to protect him, causing Yukari to be appalled by Chifuyu's actions, the woman she once admired turning into such a horrific person.

"That's terrible," Shiina said, feeling deep sympathy for his lover's childhood friend, expressing genuine sorrow for Ichika's plight.

"Indeed. How horrible that all these things happened to you, Ichika!" Yukari shouted, her emotions echoed by the Reaper Sekirei, who agreed wholeheartedly with her.

"Any big surprise why I moved back here? I don't want to deal with all the crap," Ichika stated his tone firm, showing his resolve to leave behind a troubled past.

"So you're telling me your first real Sekirei fight was when you fought against the South?" Ichika asked as they passed by the remnants of the Garden, a testament to Kusano's formidable power.

"Yeah, big brother came chasing with big sister Musubi, and they were woosh and washed and punched and," Kusano's animated recounting helped Ichika visualize the fight vividly, bringing the events to life in his mind.

"Mikogami has his issues," Uzume interjected, while Musubi kept Yukari entertained with her enthusiastic chatter.

"But compared to Higa," Uzume continued, her fist trembling slightly as Chiho's gentle touch calmed her. The honey blonde's presence was a soothing balm to her turmoil.

"Complete piece of excrement," Kazehana's cold tone added, her disdain palpable.

"A vile monkey the likes of which we have never seen," Tsukiumi contributed, her voice dripping with contempt.

"Real piece of work. Intelligent, yeah, but sociopathic, to say the least," Matsu was next, her analytical mind cutting through the details sharply.

"He was lucky that he got out with his life," Homura told Ichika, the gravity of his words lingering in the air.

"I don't like him at all," Kusano said, her childlike innocence contrasting with the harshness of her statement.

"No sense of a good fight," Musubi backed up the rest, her enthusiasm undiminished.

"Good thing that the Sekirei plan was over," Uzume announced, a sense of finality in her words.

Ichika turned to Minato and crossed his arms.

"You want to tell me that story or not?" Before Minato could answer, they heard the sound of a vehicle screeching to a halt.

"Sahashi? Is that you? And is that Ichika Orimura I see?" Minato turned his head to see Sanada Nishi. The motorcycle he was riding had his three cuties on it.

Ichika and Minato lit up when they saw Sanada's face.

"Sanada? Hey, what's up?" Ichika ran to the cycle while the Sekirei quickly began to interact with each other.

Nishi gave him a high five while Minato joined the two.

"I thought you went back to the ISA. Not fun?"

Sharing a look with Minato, the Ashikabi nodded. "Yeah, I know a brother here about your Sekirei. Let me tell you, the girls I deal with are worse. Speaking of them, where are they?" Sanada grinned while his eyes zoned onto Minato.

"Your brother gave me a great tip. I fucked them so silly that they can't walk anymore." Both Ichika and Minato blushed but for different reasons. Ichika was still a schoolboy, and Minato wasn't open about his own experiences.

"That's something I didn't need to know," Ichika answered while Sanada barked a laugh.

"I love them despite how they are. So why are you back here? Didn't school start again?" Ichika looked back while Minato shook his head.

"Don't ask."

Sanada Nishi was many things, but inconsiderate wasn't one of them. "Okay, your call. I'll be seeing you guys around. Nice to see you again, Ichika."

"That's mutual, Sanada." Minato and Ichika got a hand hug from him, and he buzzed off.

"Now, I get why you worked with him during that fight," Minato sighed as Sanada sped off.

"He isn't the greatest, but he is good for me. Now, let's continue our tour." Minato showed Ichika the different routes he could take for school.

Some would align with his own house that he had bought so he and Ichika could take the same route. It so happened that the school Ichika applied to was only a couple of kilometers east of Todai. It made Ichika happy that Minato still wanted to look out for him.

They continued their walk through the city, telling Ichika everything about what they saw during the game, places where Minato met his girls, and so on. Ichika listened to the story, and Yukari also helped with the details.

While the Sahashi siblings agreed that they should have told each other about it, they weren't aware of their heritage.

They didn't stop at MBI, as Takami let her offspring take care of their matters.

Eventually, the sky turned dark, the temperature dropped, and it was a signal for all of them to return to the Inn. Minato texted Miya ahead of time that they would have an extra guest over and that she should plan to prevent a food shortage.

Miya, bless her foresight; she had already done so. Ichika felt like an outsider during the walk but was welcomed into the group.

He could never indeed be a part of the Flock, but his ties with the Sekirei were vital not only because of what he went through but also because he was welcomed back with open arms. For Ichika, this was what a family should be.

And he hoped that things would stay quiet, but alas, that was too much to ask for.

Scene skip

Chifuyu began to understand her little brother's reason for leaving. Babysitting those girls was a headache in triplicate. The five girls in the first year were one thing, and Kanzashi, bless her, wasn't in it for Ichika but more for her reasons, so she stayed quiet.

But no, she got a migraine because of Tatenashi, Airis, and Djibril. Oh, she wished she could have taken Maya along, but the green-haired teacher argued that someone needed to teach the rest of the class.

They constantly squabbled about who was responsible for Ichika leaving the school. Because they used public transport, Chifuyu could not reprimand them as she usually did. At least they were getting to the city of Shinto Teito.

The Brunhilde tried to focus on other things like the reports that already consisted of information she received from Tabane and other sources like Houki, who had spent the summer in the city and learned of Minato.

She confronted Minato, but he refused to tell her about the other events. Chifuyu had a good schedule of what they were up against. She prayed none of the girls had to face Miya. Just as Chifuyu wasn't an ordinary pilot, Miya wasn't a normal Sekirei.

The Brunhilde had taken the Kurazakura along for the fight, just in case. If they had to cross swords with Miya, Chifuyu would have a snowball's chance in hell of winning that fight. The rest of them didn't stand a chance.

She had also assigned pairs to look for Ichika in the North of the city, which still left a large area open. Plus, many of the remaining Ashikabi were sympathetic to Minato. If Chifuyu could be honest (and generous, which she wasn't), Minato had made quite a name for himself.

The pairs she had made were as follows:

Cecilia and Rin

Charlotte and Laura

Djibril and Airis

Tatenashi and Houki

The reason why she had chosen them was that it would give the least amount of trouble. Of course, Chifuyu understood they would have problems, but at least they would be lesser.

Charlotte and Laura were agreeable to working together, and while Cecilia and Rin had their issues, their fighting was good enough.

Airis was such a brat that no one else, not even Chifuyu herself, wanted to deal with her, so she was stuck with Djibril. Chifuyu had no clue how that woman withstood it all, but she didn't have patience. Maybe this was why Ichika refused to deal with Airis.

Despite all his misgivings, her brother was a delight to raise. She had so desperately tried to make him strong, but in the end, she ended up with a sarcastic, quick-witted, and sharp individual. Ironically, it was what she was herself.

Oh, and she couldn't forget about the phone call she got. Someone told her that messing in the city wasn't a good idea. That voice sounded suspiciously like hers, but only younger.

The last pairing was because maybe Houki could learn a thing or two from Tatenashi, and the severe nature of the Shrine Maiden could reel the Student Council President in.

Kanzashi would be working as stand-by and looking over the stuff, which was a blessing that Chifuyu greedily took with both hands. She needed that sort of thing. Chifuyu would walk the streets on her own.

But that was a matter for tomorrow. At this point, she could use some sake or any booze if she could be honest and crash in her bed. So when they reached their destination, Chifuyu let the girls know when to get off. It was a good thing that Tabane had foreseen a hotel for them.

"It's your fault that Ichika escaped!" Houki had been blasting that to Tatenashi.

"My fault?" Tatenashi looked appalled. "I wasn't the one who chased Ichika around!"

"You were the one who set up that game!" Cecilia shouted back while Rin glared at her.

"You fired at him!" Cecilia turned to the Chinese candidate.

"And you threw knives." Rin looked shocked that this was brought up.

"And yet, my wife escaped me," Laura said, her arms crossed while Airis coughed.

"Well, Ichika isn't yours at all." The older girls turned to her.

"No, he is my attendant. I should get him back. He belongs to me." Before the girls could comment, Kanzashi shot the princess down.

"I believe that Ichika refused your job offer." The girl turned back.

"As her Royal Highness commanded, Orimura does not have the right to refuse her," Djibril said while the younger Sarashiki shrugged at that comment.

"If you ask me, we live in a free country. So Orimura was within his rights to ignore you. And I think that our mission is to bring him back to the ISA." Finally, Chifuyu decided it was enough.

"Enough." That single word was enough to get the girls to shut up. They all turned to Chifuyu, who looked like she was done with this mess.

"We are here to retrieve Orimura. That is all we are going to do. What happens if or when we find him is a matter for later. I have divided you into groups. For now, let us go to the hotel and take it easy."

The hotel proved to be more like an apartment, so they had to share the duties of cooking and keeping the house clean. Unsurprisingly, Cecilia didn't land on cooking duty.

They had to unpack their bags and personal items. The girls would have to share rooms, though. It was like the pairings from before, with the difference that Chifuyu would be in the same room as Houki. The Sarashiki sisters had to share their room. It would be good for them.

Chifuyu asked them to come into the living room when the girls were unpacking. They had to gather around, and her tone made it clear that she wasn't accepting complaints.

"You already know what we are facing. The Sekirei are one thing, and I can ask Tabane for more information. Those clothes are supposed to keep you hidden. Keep in mind, though, that we are here for scouting only. So do not use your IS." The girls nodded to her.

"I have also assigned the youngest Sarashiki to stay back, and she will be our headquarters. All of your devices should be linked to her, and she should be able to communicate with you." Chifuyu looked them over like a general did with her troops.

"We are here to clean up a mess that we all caused, and we are responsible for. Myself, I am not an exception. I do not want to hear about 'she said, she did.' I want this mission to succeed. So that is all. Get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be the start of a painful time." With that, the girls were excused. They went to their rooms while Chifuyu took out a bottle.

It was whiskey, but at this point, she didn't care. She was going to drink herself into a stupor and not deal with it until tomorrow.

The city was dark, but the lights were shining. Her amber eyes began to prickle when she thought of Ichika. Where did she go wrong? Where did she mess up?

Scene skip

Minato was glad that it didn't take much for Yukari to get out the door because he needed to take care of his Sekirei. While the day had its effects on them, being outside the entire day, they were naturally fatigued.

Ichika had put his head together with Minato's, and they talked about something nice to do. Kusano would also be needed, and when she heard of her assignment, Kusano seemed delighted.

Ichika and Minato gathered as many pots as they could find and placed them inside the room. Takehito and Miya looked interested in what Ichika had in mind. With a bit of power-up from Minato, Kusano grew plants inside while Miya brewed tea.

Ichika had asked the girls to wear comfortable clothes and take off their shoes. The good thing was that they had already taken a bath. Their feet had swollen, not just because of the walk but also because they were all with children.

Ichika got to work on their feet, and his hands made the girls coo while Minato followed his example. The girls were a bit lucky that their first trimester was nearly over, and while they had back pains, breast pains (as their breasts had swelled), foot pains, nausea, and hemorrhoids, they had escaped them.

It was now getting into October. While Ichika worked on them, Minato began to check the list of things to move. Ichika had made it clear that he could leave while doing his duties.

The Ashikabi had taken Kusano up to the bed, and it proved to be no difficulty, given how exhausted she was. Frankly, Minato would agree with her. He could feel the autumn air hitting him while he stood outside.

"Something on your mind?" Takehito asked the young man. Minato shrugged and sat down on the floor. The cool breeze might help him think things through.

"Yes. I got a gut feeling."

"Listen to that feeling. It helps you," Takehito said, speaking from experience. Something that either Ichika or Minato lacked.

"It's telling me... feelings of war. I haven't felt this uneasy ever since Minaka put the whole city on lockdown." Takehito knew what Minato was talking about. He was catching on to that.

"Do you think that there are those who are after Young Ichika?" Minato looked determined and shook his head.

"Not think, know. I know they're after him. Matsu informed me of Ichika's last request; I take that he and I need a chat about keeping secrets. It's not healthy."

"Phantom Task won't be an issue, though. But the IS girls... They will come after Ichika." Takehito sat down next to Minato while they heard the girls' moans. Minato was so happy that he trusted Ichika.

"Is there something I need to know, Takehito?" Minato's tone was devoid of emotion. Not demeaning, not threatening. Just stating a fact. "And with the stuff we have had, it's best to know. So don't keep secrets."

The scientist sighed when he heard that. "I knew Chifuyu before she became a pilot. So does Miya. And so do Kazehana and Matsu. They didn't tell you because of Miya's request. Miya has crossed blades with the Orimura girl." Minato raised an eyebrow.

"Miya told me that she found Ichika to be weak. Being kept like that."

"It's how you remain dependent on someone, even if that person doesn't deserve it at all." Takehito began to see Minato as vital.

"Chifuyu isn't normal. I dread the day she and Miya cross swords. It would result in destruction, the likes of which we have never seen. And don't forget," Minato added, "my Sekirei carry my children. I can't risk them." Minato felt a hand on his shoulder—reassurance—something he desperately needed.

"There is no telling what can happen. Or what will happen? They will fight for you. Ichika made a choice; so did you. And if they bring a war to our doorstep, we will cut them down," Takehito said.

Minato could see where Takehito was coming from. They would be in some different stages. And Minato would have continued to talk if he didn't hear Ichika shouting.

"Minato, can you please give me a hand? I'll need it!" Ichika shouted from the room. It didn't take long before he could smell the fragrances in the room. Now, Minato understood why Ichika wanted Kusano's help.

It smelled charming, and Minato saw how the Sekirei had pressured Ichika to give them more than just foot massages.

Even Kazehana, Matsu, and Uzume had their patience run thin. Minato shook his head and rolled up his sleeves. Finally, it was time to give his girls what they wanted.

The massage oil he found was a great blessing, given the situation. He could figure out where to push, but he had to make sure all the girls got a turn while he was doing this.

Minato just copied the moves, while Ichika really kept things in mind. Shiatsu was out of the question to use around their abdominal areas. It was easy enough when you thought about it, but there were some habits that Ichika couldn't forget.

He sat in front of Tsukiumi, who squirmed and tried to bite back her moans. There was some pride (and a good amount of modesty) still in her system to prevent that. Meanwhile, Minato was taking care of Musubi, who had a much better way of handling the pressure.

Ichika had moved to sit in front, and he regularly used more oil. The mixture was fantastic, but he wasn't going to ask what was really in it. He moved his hands in circles on Tsukiumi's back while she lay on the ground.

Afterward, Ichika used slow but deliberate moves on her shoulders, causing Tsukiumi to relax. Ichika didn't have to ask why she was so tense back there. He wasn't afraid to apply extra pressure where needed.

For good measure, the girls with longer hair had tied it up in a ponytail. It was a good thing they were going to bathe afterward.

It made it easier for Ichika to move the hair out of the way. Meanwhile, Minato copied Ichika's moves on Musubi. The remaining girls watched with gleeful interest.

Ichika then placed his thumbs on Tsukiumi's neck while his fingers rested on her back. His thumbs slid along her shoulders until they reached the joint. At that point, Tsukiumi could feel the tension leaving her. The thumbs slid out while the rest of his fingers laid on her back.

Ichika continued to increase pressure on Tsukiumi while Minato focused on Musubi's shoulders. It was a good thing that the Bear Sekirei was strong. The twins would be a hassle to carry to term, and he wasn't going to lose any of his girls.

Minato saw Ichika blushing as he remembered something else but mouthed that he would tell him later. There were lines Ichika was willing to cross with the Sekirei. The fact that he saw their chests squashed on the floor was one thing, but he doubted they were willing to lay on their backs or let him touch their bums.

But Ichika got another idea.

"Tsukiumi, could you turn around? Use the towel to cover yourself." The Sekirei waited until he was done speaking.

"I'm going to massage your belly, and I would appreciate it if you could cover yourself." This is a logical and practical matter.

Minato signaled to Musubi to do the same thing. He noticed that Musubi forgot to cover her chest. On a related note, her breasts were growing. Ichika didn't even pay attention to it as the Waterdere was taking all his attention. Ichika moved his hand in a slow, clockwise motion. The two hands touched each other, and they worked Tsukiumi over.

Ichika didn't use too much strength this time. Eventually, Tsukiumi fell asleep, while Musubi followed soon afterward.

When the two girls were done, Ichika smirked mischievously while he coated his hands with oil.

"Next."

The Sekirei admitted he was a bit cheeky, but given what he would do to them, they could let him do it.

It proved to be a pleasurable and enjoyable night for all parties involved.

Scene skip

Later that night, Minato sat back with Ichika. They had chosen the living room. Both were exhausted but happy from the day.

Ichika groaned as his arms felt numb from the massages. He looked at Minato, who sat back with a grin as well.

"You had something to say during the massages?" Minato remembered Ichika's gesture and was curious.

"Yep. I know some other moves, but I don't think you'd appreciate it if I saw your wives' chests or touched their bums. That's something you'll have to do."

The Ashikabi blushed at the suggestion but understood where Ichika was coming from. Living with eight women, it was unavoidable that Ichika saw some naked skin, but both parties agreed to chalk it up as just conditions. There was no harm in it.

"I'll keep it in mind," Minato muttered while he blushed. Ichika could tell, and he had to go from there.

"So when are you moving, brother?" Ichika asked, changing the subject. Both of them had their fill of skin hunger. It was time to talk about something else.

"Already tired of me, brother?" Minato shot back, and he could tell that Ichika could take the jab.

"Not really, brother. Just," Ichika tried to collect his thoughts. He looked to the moon. "Wondering when you'll leave me on my own." Minato scratched his cheek. They had begun to pack, and the place, their new home, would be ready soon.

"I think that at least around December, I should be out." Then Minato remembered something. "Oh, Ichika. I completely forgot about your birthday." Ichika looked over the dates. The fourth of October had already passed.

He had been sixteen for nearly two weeks, and no one had noticed.

"Oh, no worries, brother. If I wanted to celebrate something, I would have said so." Ichika sat down next to Minato and gave his brother a soft bump on the shoulder. "You gave me a roof, an opportunity, an escape, and so much help. I should be fine." Minato smiled back at him. He knew what he was getting into. And he knew that he couldn't stop his Sekirei. With some luck, things would go fine.

"Alright. And we'll face tomorrow together."

Scene skip

The Sekirei sat back in the warm water. Tsukiumi and Matsu were still busy soaping in while Uzume took Chiho in her lap, and Musubi and Kazehana sat back on the other side. Kagari was only with her feet in.

Their eyes wandered over their bodies. The effects had begun to set in. Their breasts had swollen again, and it started to weigh on their backs. They were floating in hot water while Chiho was drinking a lot of eye candy.

"Knock it off," Uzume said while she began to tickle her lover.

"Jealous, Uzume?" Chiho asked while she turned around. Musubi giggled when she thought back to when she had taken care of Chiho. Kagari was washing Uzume.

"I think that would be healthy," Kazehana admitted as she stretched out.

"We'll be moving soon. It's a good thing Ichika is around," Matsu said while she sank in hot water.

"He could help us move." The Sekirei of Wisdom announced.

"Indeed. His help would be appreciated." Tsukiumi said while she covered her breasts. The remaining Flock Members looked at her in a deadpan view.

They didn't announce the words. Avoiding stress would be required. All of them wanted this to go safely. Meanwhile, the girls sat back while they soaked in hot water. Finally, it came to the sanest member of the group to say the unspoken thought.

"So, who is going first again to make love to Minato?" Kagari asked. Uzume, Kazehana, and Musubi remained quiet as they had their turn yesterday. Chiho found that she could wait another time. Pregnancy would be daunting to her.

Matsu wanted to open her mouth, but she was shut down.

"Me, it's been too long since my husband and I shared a bed." Matsu preferred to have more in bed with her to skip it.

"Works for me." Kagari also answered. She had no problem waiting a bit as long as her turn came around.

"Ditto," Matsu announced. No one said anything else as the Water Maiden sank triumphantly. Tsukiumi had learned to shut her mouth after that if she didn't want to look like a fool.

"Maybe we can discuss another matter," Kazehana said as she stood up. Every head turned to the Wind Flower.

"Our little brother." No one faulted Kazehana for the name she had dubbed Ichika.

"We all have agreed that what the girls have done to him is horrible. His presence is welcomed and appreciated. But we can't forget two things. One. Those girls will come after him, and they'll be out for blood. Two. We are all with children. We can't fight to our fullest potential."

"Art thou saying we shouldst ignore his problems?" Tsukiumi crossed her arms while Kazehana sent her a powerful glare.

"No. Those girls shouldn't be an issue for us to begin with. However, it does not take away that we are at a disadvantage. And for all of you, you agree with me; if the choice comes between Ichika or my son, I will not choose Ichika."

The girls weren't disheartened or insulted by the remark because Kazehana spoke the truth. The choice would be heartbreaking.

They adored Ichika and were fond of the young man. But their children would be more critical. They simmered in the heat of the water.

Four months into pregnancy. Five more to go.

Scene skip

Two of Ichika's male friends are spending time at Gotanda House, where they can recover from their sad experience. Thus, they began to wonder what those boys planned to do for the rest of their days.

"Hey, Dan. What do you want to do?" Kazuma asked.

"I don't know, dude," Dan replied. "What do you wanna do?"

"Maybe we just go back to the normal school lives," Kazuma said.

"Yeah. After seeing the ladies at ISA, I'll never want to visit that place again," Dan reminded his other male friend of the horror of this so-called man's paradise, IS Academy.

"Me neither," Kazuma agreed while looking up in the sky. Wondering what their male buddy is doing these days in Shinto Teito. "Knowing Ichika, he probably has better luck than we do." And that ended with a sigh.

Not as much as the last chapter, but I have gotten pieces that wouldn't be well on CHAT GTP that wouldn't be well suited for it, so I copied them and put them here. It's what it is.

I like how things are going.

Saluut.