He liked to sleep in. He liked to sleep in general. Uzume compounded the fact. The point still remained that he enjoyed sleeping in.

So when Toyotama came and started hitting the bed after he wouldn't get up or even respond, he was rightfully very, very angry. He barely had the energy to muster opening one eye, and he noted that he was able to move freely. "What?"

"We need to talk."

Ryu sighed without even meaning to, knowing where Toyotama's tone was going to take them. She only got like this when she was really trying to get a point across and he had to understand it, or she'd keep on going. The last time he could recall her taking such a tone was when she was talking about the Sekirei plan, or that one day in winter when he gave her his sweater and she made that one comment. This wasn't the playful side of her-where she would swear that she was starved for affection, and it wasn't the angry side either.

He forced himself to roll onto his back, closing his eyes for a few moments. He could feel his strength gathering, and with hesitance he sat himself up while groaning. Mornings were never a good time for him, in general, and he was never a morning person to start out with.

"What?"

Toyotama didn't retort about his usual short speaking. Considering she did wake him up he was going to be very short with words, as he was tired, and he did spend a lot of time training. He needed the sleep, but this was more important. So, she sat down on the bed, just taking a moment to look him over. "It's more...Who..."

Ryu looked at her.

"Who...Rather than what.

"Toyotama, you paused." Ryu said pointedly. "Again."

In all of his time with her, he couldn't recall a time when Toyotama ever paused or trailed off when she was speaking to him. She was always forward, assured, and bold. She spoke her mind, said what she wanted to say, and she didn't care who she offended or pissed off. He could recall many times when Miya had delivered punishment, and it was for a multitude of reasons other than Toyotama's obvious advances.

And, even then she wasn't pausing or trailing off.

With renewed vigor Ryu pushed himself, so his back was pressed up against the wall, and his posture was rigidly correct. The haze of sleep was still heavy on his eyelids, weighing them down like lead weights, and he could feel the soreness of his muscles, but he pushed it all aside and focused on Toyotama. His wonderful, abrasive Sekirei that at this moment in time wasn't be so abrasive.

"I know."

Ryu felt the urge to grab her by the hips and pull her close-it wasn't out of arousal, but the stirring he felt in his chest.

Toyotama felt his need, and brought herself closer so she was almost leaning against him. She grabbed his hand in her own. "Before I say anything, I want you to know that I've been nothing but loyal to you and that I love you. And, Ahiko has had her suspicions."

Ryu's eyes narrowed, and he felt a surreal clarity. He remembered Matsu expressing her fears about the Veiled Sekirei and Masked Sekirei. Both of them left their opponents lying, rather than adhering to the rule of standing by until the MBI choppers come to pick it up. Matsu had been expressing a point back then, and it involved something to do with Uzume's indolence-which was nothing out of the ordinary, but she then brought up Higa, and how the man had an army of Sekirei and Ashikabi, as well as a lot of people on his payroll.

for some reason...

Matsu had been something similar to torn and scared, almost.

Ryu nodded, but he was half aware that he was even doing it.

"I'll be blunt...I overheard something last night."

The stirring in his chest felt like it was becoming constricting. "Go on."

"It was Karei, Uzume, and Hari...They've been working for Higa."

Ryu blinked, his eyes then completely narrowed, a lethal glint shining in them. He didn't even want to entertain the thought, but he seen how close Uzume and Karei were, he knew Chiho was in the east, and he knew Hari was always a little on the weird side. It all added up, completely, and it was nearly impossible to deny, but he was still going to deny it. If Uzume betrayed him...If Hari betrayed him...

Toyotama's hand tightened around his. "Ryu."

"What?"

She would have recoiled from his tone, but deep down, she was feeling the exact same way that he was. She was conflicted and angry. Uzume and Hari were both working for Higa, Karei was as well, how could she fight Uzume and Hari? She considered them her sisters in arms. It all made her regret and feel such sorrow over Yashima's deactivation...Had they never argued so much they could have figured this out and together...

Toyotama shook the thoughts away, the self loathing and self hate away, because at this point they had no merit. The only thing they'd do is cause her to spiral down, but she knew a reason she was thinking about Yashima, was because Ryu was thinking about her at this moment as well as Nanaha and Yomi.

"I overhead them talking last night, Hari was sent in here to basically take us out from the inside. It was either you, or Hayato, but Hayato had been the initial target, but then you and Ahiko showed up. Uzume and Karei have been trying to stall for time and weren't carrying out their primary objective, so Hari had to..."

"Remind them where their loyalties are." Ryu finished, tone blunt, but lethal.

He stood to his feet, slipping on a pair of shorts.

"Ryu?"

"Are you coming with me to the Inn?"

Toyotama stared at him for a second, remaining silent as she considered his question.

He seemed to be...

"Matsu is moving in today. I almost forgot."

Ryu nodded.

"I think I'll stay here, keep a watch over the house."

Matsu wanted to leave Maison Izumo for three reasons.

The first reason was the obvious. To get away from Miya's rules. Miya's no illicit behavior went beyond just the usual flirting and fighting over Ashikabis that happened everyday in her humble home. Now, it was easy to mistake Miya's rules strictly for sex and anything having to do with it, but a closer analysis showed a thorough and very strict set of rules that one had to follow while living under her roof. So long as she remained here she wouldn't be able to devote herself entirely to Ryu, and she knew it too well now that Uzume and Karei were both staying here.

Uzume having made her decision. Miya would let the brunette stay for as long as she wanted, and if Uzume didn't want to talk to Ryu, Miya wouldn't make her. If Ryu wanted to speak to Uzume, and Uzume didn't want to, Miya would say as much and then ask that he refrain until a later time. More importantly, Uzume can continue what she is doing instead of stopping, and it'll all be under Miya's roof, technically.

The second reason she wanted to leave was because of Uzume and Karei. Uzume was making her allegiance clear. She was going to side with Higa, ultimately, because Higa had Chiho right in his palm. She could easily devise a plan to rescue the girl, but there's way too many things that could go wrong, and one of those very big things was the Discipline Squad. It'd do no good getting Chiho out of there if she'd just get killed from the outset. But, this was leading Uzume to become something like a double agent, and she was betraying Ryu.

Miya would be betraying Ryu assisting Uzume.

Matsu wasn't going to have any part of it. She devoted herself to Ryu, and wanted to marry him to show just how far she was willing to go. Though, technically married by Sekirei standards, she wanted to do the human marriage. She couldn't split herself up between someone else and Ryu, helping Minato was different than assisting Uzume in what she was doing.

The third reason was to escape Miya before she made her choose between Ryu and Uzume...Well, Miya wouldn't do that to her as she wasn't so cruel, but Miya would say something along the lines of 'don't say anything that may rile Ryu up.' It would have to do with Uzume, and Ryu seeing the condition that Uzume was in. It was no secret how much Ryu loved his Sekirei, despite all of his failings and shortcomings, he loved them with everything he had.

Seeing Uzume like she was would just throw him into a rage. And, there'd be satiating to that rage until Ryu got his hands on Higa, and whoever else decided to beat the shit out of Uzume, or come so dangerously close to doing just that.

Miya had a good point, but she wasn't going to continue on with it like Miya was going to.

Leaving Miya's home put her in danger, though. She did make off with a Jinki, MBI and Minaka wouldn't just forget about that, Karasuba wouldn't, and Koto sure as hell wouldn't. She didn't even want to think of the new recruits-just the fact they were a part of the Squad made them ghastly in her eyes, never mind their skills and attributes that make them so fearsome.

It'd be a problem if she had to use MBI's super laser that was attached to the satellite in space. It'd be a problem if Ryu, and her sisters in arms would have to fight just to get her from one place to the next. They lived in the north, and people always kept their distance, but she wasn't going to chance or underestimate anyone or anything. Not at this point in time.

Such naivety. Such arrogance. Such absent mindedness. This all would only result in death.

Thankfully, she already had a solution in place, knowing this day would come eventually. Ryu was surprisingly pragmatic, and he wouldn't exactly just hold her by the hand as they walk out of here-her appearance remaining the same. For once he'd really care about how she looks, or perhaps the right word is critical. He'd be more critical about her appearance than he was before and want something in specific for her to do-to look like. But, she was certain that her Ashikabi would draw a blank, so it fell onto her to handle the harder parts.

Ryu didn't care too much about clothes, so long as what he was wearing was comfortable he was content.

But, sometimes he really had no sense...

Maybe she'd be able to convince him to give her a reward for being so prudent. After all, he didn't even need to tell her that she needed to give herself a complete makeover. She had to look like someone else, act like someone else, and speak differently than she normally would. That required a lot of effort on her part, so Ryu would have to meet his end of the deal.

Her appearance also had to be something close to drastic in order for everyone to be convinced that she wasn't Matsu. The appearance wasn't too hard, in her opinion. Her hair and outfit distinguished her the most, which between those two is obvious, or not so obvious. It was the mannerisms, tone, and way of speaking that were going to be the most challenging. They had to be imprinted, instilled, so deeply engrained that she could do such without even thinking about it.

Simply put she was shameless and honestly had no sense, she also had a few speech tics and preferred the honorific of Tan. Tsukiumi would call her immature, and like she'd do to Ryu all the time, she stuck her tongue out at the haughty blonde.

So, naturally in accordance with this she cut off a lot of her hair. In fact, she cut off so much that for the first time in ages it just barely went beyond jawbones on both sides of her faces, with the back going just to the back of her neck.

The spikiness of her hair also became far more prominent-before it had been around the top for the most part, while the rest has been braided and left to hang down to her shins, so her hair looked straight. But, her hair was really spiky, and as she looked at herself in a small mirror, she was a bit surprised with the difference.

Her hair, which had been auburn was now a stark indigo, and her glasses now gone, were replaced with teal contacts contrasting, but oddly matching her hair color. Her outfit changed from the loose fitting and revealing dress to a dark blue Chinese-style top with a collar that stopped just below her jawline, and had the Sekirei crest symbol on her right breast, with most of it remaining tight on her torso, except near her hips where it fanned out.

She wore an actual pair of pants, dark blue, that resembled bloomers but were tight to her skin and went all the way down to her ankles. Lastly, she didn't wear her slip on shoes anymore, but a pair of black thigh high boots that went all the way up her thigh, only ending where the joints were, and they also had a lethal heel.

"Ryu-san. Ryu-kun. Ryu." Matsu's lips opened and closed, but it wasn't her voice. It was mature and sultry, intelligent and soft, and she had a slight accent that made her sound like she was of European decent.

"Ryu." She cleared her throat gently, that time the tone was a little off.

This was going to be more complicated than she thought.

"Ryu-san." She repeated once more, tone not cracking or breaking like it did just ten seconds ago. If she was going to nail this it was going to require her being able to get all of the elements down, just not her look, and just not her mannerisms. It required something a lot of Sekirei didn't have-cunning and patience, as most Sekirei are all about honor, fighting one on one, no deception, and quite frankly Sekirei weren't patient to start with. Tsukiumi, Musubi, and Toyotama were classic examples of the short patience her kind exhibited.

She inhaled gently, letting her breath go a second later. "Ryu, I've missed you so much. You look handsome as always."

"Ryu-dono, are you upset?"

Matsu fist pumped, a satisfied smile coming to her face as she sat herself back down and crossed her legs-a trying task considering she was wearing boots that went well beyond the middle of her thighs, and the outfit itself was sticking to her like another layer of skin. But, she managed to sit down. So long as she was able to keep her tone in check, and her mannerisms intact, she'd be in the clear.

She was almost sure Ryu would think that she was somebody else.

It took only a few second, but just as she expected he came walking into a room-pushing through the rotating door.

She missed him.

She had forgotten how much.

But, seeing him now she could remember all too well.

However, she didn't lunge herself at him and try to squeeze the life out of him. It wasn't out of fear-fear of Miya and her sticks, or Ryu, but she could see something was different about him...

He was staring at her with the same gaze he had the first day they met. It was unfamiliarity and him trying to read her, understand her without saying a word, and accessing if she was crazy-she did pop down from the ceilings a lot.

"Where's Matsu?" He asked at last.

"She's gone on ahead of you." Matsu felt her lips pulling up.

"You didn't do anything to her did you?"

"Of course not, why would I?"

"When did Minato wing you?" Ryu asked, giving her a once over. He wasn't surprised Minato winged another Sekirei, he was pretty certain that Minato could wing all of the Sekirei due in part to his kind and loving heart.

Matsu slowly stood up on her feet, the room was completely dark, and her futon that had always been on the floor was gone. She took a step, and then another, and then another. Her hips swaying from left to right, a natural sashay. She let her fingers run down her body in the most fleeting way she could muster, not being totally seductive.

"I don't believe Minato-san could handle a small part of me, let alone all of me."

"Matsu? Is that..." Ryu trailed off, blinking and laughing in disbelief. "It is you."

Matsu smiled proudly, and without breaking her stride she pulled herself up to Ryu's face by grasping his shirt and kissed him. It wasn't her usual aggressive and passionate kissing, but a little teasing and fleeting. "Hello, Ryu. I've been waiting for you, you really know how to keep a girl waiting. Lucky for you I am patient."

He found himself staring at her in disbelief, and it wasn't because of her fading wings. He knew it was Matsu because the way she sashayed her hips and walked towards him so foxy-like. But, her appearance and tone, her mannerisms as well...It was Matsu, but at the same time it wasn't. This was a total makeover, or something like that, whatever women wanted to call it.

"I'm impressed." Ryu admitted, giving her a once over. His eyes lingered on her head, where her long, long, long hair had once been. "But..."

Matsu shook her head so that her spikes tickled his nose. "My hair will grow back, but I'm going to keep it this length from now on."

Ryu gently brought his hand through it, going to the back like he normally would, but instead of letting his fingers trace through her auburn locks, he let his fingers grace her scalp, and move back around. He pulled her tight against him, inhaling her scent. "I guess I can get used to this."

"You better!" Matsu punched him on the chest, grinning when he pushed her back gently. "You going to say anything about my outfit? I thought you'd like this."

"It's modest. I like it."

"Oh?"

Ryu scratched at the back of his head. "It leaves little to my imagination, but none of your skin is showing except your arms. I had to wonder how you could wear that dress at times."

"Oh, that's simple." Matsu's grin was wide.

"I prefer this outfit, though."

"Well, in that case I guess-"

Ryu gave her a swift smack on the ass, causing her to yelp in shock.

"Ryu!"

"Come on, Ahiko is waiting outside."

"We're walking there?"

Ryu shook his head, giving her a semi annoyed look. "Driving. Ahiko got a car, I guess. Though, we could walk since I don't live very far from here."

"Oooo, I wonder what model..." Matsu tapped her chin. "Ahiko looks like a girl that like sports cars."

"I am almost certain you two will talk off each other's ears about cars in just a few seconds."

Matsu smiled, giving him a peck on the cheek.

He struggled not to blush as she did it and picked up her heaps of technology instead of letting her observe his slightly red complexion. All of it was put away neat and according, of course. Everything had its place, where it belonged, and he had no intention of moving anything around by even the fraction of a centimeter. But, there was still quite a bit to grab, and it's not like she could put her monitors inside of a duffel bag or something like that since there's a since they'd just shatter from bashing into each other. But, his major concern was all of the wires-there was so many, so many with different colors, and it all just gave him a headache.

"Well, lead the way. Ryu-dono, I am in the palm of your hand." Matsu said, instead of making an inappropriate comment like she normally would. Though, technically, this statement could be considered inappropriate.

"You're using dono again."

"Yes, I've replaced tan with dono in your case, and tan with san for everyone else."

After all, he would be her husband soon enough, and dono was the proper way to address him.

"I'm glad you were so prudent." Ryu said, a small smile crossing his face. "The appearance change is drastic, but your mannerisms and how you talk...It's almost a night and day difference."

He really couldn't expect anything less from Matsu.

"Please wait to ogle and sweet talk me until we are inside of your house, Ryu-dono. I want praise and affection in privacy."

"And, that's how I know that you are my shameless Matsu."

They made their way to the front of the Inn where Ahiko was waiting with the others. They carefully navigated down the stairs, dodging a few empty bottles of sake. Before they departed completely Ryu looked at Miya-they had greeted each other but kept it short since he was here and had to haul Matsu's crap back.

"Miya, have you seen Uzume?"

Miya furrowed her brows gently. "Is something the matter?"

"In a word." Ryu said vaguely. "She's been acting strange lately."

"Well, I hope you don't get violent." Miya's tone was firm.

Ryu, however, didn't back down from the glare Miya was sending him. "That all depends on the choice she makes, that's why I want to know where she is. So I can talk to her. I don't know what is going through that head of hers anymore. We don't even sleep in the same bed, and haven't."

"Ryu-san..."

Ryu's eyes went tight, his neck becoming taut. "Are you going lie to me, Miya?"

They stared at each other.

"I seen her last night, she's crashing at my place with Karei." Kazehana spoke up, giving Ryu a rather sultry smile when he cut his eyes at her. He wasn't buying it, so she had to send the point him. "She really can't handle her alcohol and she really shouldn't smoke, she's too loopy afterwards."

"And, I'm certain you are any better, Kazehana-san." Miya said with a sweet smile, head tilting to the side a little.

"I thought you stay here, now?" Ryu finally asked.

"I do have my own place. Miya and her rules are just too strict for me all of the time."

"Someone needs to keep you in line." Miya said with a small smile.

Ryu narrowed his eyes slightly before he seemed to concede something he'd been wrestling with, and nodded in resignation. "I see..."

Toyotama knows-so that means Kazehana and Miya both know, and have known. And, Miya wasn't telling him where Uzume was. She could be right here in the Inn with Karei, but Miya wouldn't divulge that and Kazehana would just dodge it. If they didn't know it-which they both did, it would be different. He understood why Miya wasn't going to tell him but she was his...

Now, she was betraying him by not telling him the truth.

His eyes flashed with sorrow as he looked away from Miya, and onto the entrance that led into the Inn itself.

Surprisingly it was Minato, Yume, Kusano, and Musubi talking to Ahiko the most with Kuruse adding in every so often. This was mostly due in part to the car Ahiko was leaning against, explaining how she had just bought it this morning. Tsukiumi of course stayed on the stairs with her usual scowl in place, remaining haughty as always. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence when he went into the Inn or came out of it.

Seeing Minato walking up to him, Ryu paused in his step and waited for him to stop. He never had any problems with Minato other than his inability to keep his Sekirei under control, like Tsukiumi and her incessant disrespect to not just Miya, but everyone else that was living in the Inn. Musubi and her constant need of punching holes in the walls.

However, Ryu merely kept his comments to himself unless the blonde approached him with her mouth running, like she had that one day. He knew she seen him and his Sekirei as enemies, and he was fine with that.

He already came to terms with that fact.

"Minato?"

The young man didn't smile like he normally would. His face was etched with worry and his lips with pressed in a grim line. "I'm sorry to bother you."

Ryu gently set down his load, giving Ahiko a few boxes to put in the back seat. "What's bothering you?"

Minato looked at the cement for a second. "It's Yukari...I think something is really wrong. I've been hearing from her like normal again, and Kuu-chan has been talking to Shiina, but...I can't help but feel that something is amiss."

Ryu observed Minato carefully, eyes narrowing. "Why do you say that?"

"She hasn't been coming around to see me."

"She goes to Teito University, Minato. I'd be surprised if she wasn't drowning in books or booze."

Minato nodded understandingly. Teito University was the most prestigious college to attend, and the workload was also quite overwhelming, and it'd keep even the most genius of people busy for some days. However, Yukari always made time to stop over-as it gave her time to instigate things with Musubi and grope her. He just knew to follow his instincts.

He also knew his sister would drink, and her hands would be more curious than usual.

That worried him, too.

"I just have the feeling she's in trouble."

Ryu considered helping the younger man, but he didn't find a sliver within him to do so. He had to handle things that concerned him, he needed to get back to his house before someone attacked it, he had to help Matsu get all of this stuff situated in a room at his house and then hooking it all up, which would be the fun part about the whole thing. It's not that he held disdain for Minato, it's just the simple fact that he cared for and loved his Sekirei, and he'd ensure that they were alive and well.

He couldn't be a martyr or anything like that.

Those days were long over with-he wasn't extremely selfish or cruel, but he wasn't going to be...

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked, shaking the idle thoughts from his mind.

"I was hoping you could help me."

It took all of his discipline to not send Minato packing to the ground with a punch to the jaw. The last time he assisted Minato in something there were actually two more people and it resulted in a battle that seen an entire bridge get destroyed, everyone severely wounded, and the worst thing about the whole ordeal he lost three of his Sekirei. They were gone, and there was no way they'd be coming back. He had to live and endure the unimaginable pain of losing a part of himself every single day.

This is the one thing he didn't like about Minato. He couldn't do something himself so he had to rely and fall back on others, rather than take the situation by the horns and steer it, he allowed the whole thing to send him flying every single which way. Instead of laying out a plan as to how and why he wants this done, and what the end goal is-which is ensuring Yukari is safe, of course, is laid out. But, rather than doing this he was coming to him to basically do the whole thing, or have Ahiko or Toyotama go undercover.

He wasn't going to lose any of his Sekirei, and he wasn't going to let them out of his sight. Yukari would just be another victim of this so called game Minaka has had in the works for decades. It was unfortunate, yes, but he wasn't going to risk his own life, or his Sekirei's for something that was so...Trivial. Haruka and Kuno could have escaped themselves, but instead...

"I may consider it." Ryu said softly.

"Minato-san."

Minato looked at Yume, scratching the back of his head sheepishly while laughing just the same. He had gotten so caught up in his emotions that he forgot Ryu had to carry tons of tech stuff that belonged to Matsu-no easy task. He was certain the weight of some of the boxes would crush him where he stood, Ryu had no time to be entertaining him.

"I mean, when you're able to, of course. Not now."

"It wouldn't be right now." Ryu looked at him, tilting his head to the side.

Matsu laughed softly, her hand gently covering her mouth.

Yume did the same gesture, but instead of remaining silent afterwards she spoke, as the two men present couldn't get their points across accordingly. "You both can talk later about this."

Minato looked at Ryu, awaiting an answer. Talking would be a good start, and from there he'd be able to plan or make a plan in order for him to be assured that Yukari was okay. She kept saying she was, and Shiina kept saying they were, but he knew his sister best, and he knew when she was in a situation that was something like being cornered. When she was younger she would cry and hide, waiting for him to come and find her in the forest, picking on him because she was too scared to do something, and now it was her lashing out. It went from her crying to her hanging up the phone, but not before telling him to shut up.

If she were able to tell him she was in danger she would. But, she wasn't doing that, instead she was insisting she was okay, and at times she'd tell him to buzz off for lack of a better term and hang up the phone. At times he wondered if there was someone hovering behind her, a constant threat that kept her in line and the words that came out of her mouth to be perfect to them, but wrong leaving Yukari's mouth, and wrong in his ears. Yukari wasn't a stiff talker, she was as vocal as the came and could be careless.

Recently she's had more tact, which could be due to Miya's scolding that one time, or it could be because of an outside source. A person or people monitoring her, and because of this she was slowly becoming rigid in how she spoke and her mannerisms.

"You realize the Squad has gotten more recruits?" Ryu asked, keeping his eyes locked with Minato's. "We're enemies number one for them."

Minato knew that was true. Both him and Ryu had managed to get on MBI's bad side, their total bad side, and he knew that of all the people in the Sekirei Plan they were MBI's highest priority next to Higa. They helped Haruka and Kuno escape, and instead of going with them they both remained back with their Sekirei, mostly due to wounds, but also due to the fact they didn't want to run away. The Squad was fearsome by all means, and they were all killers, but even the Squad wouldn't stop him from saving his sister.

"I know, but I can't let fear rule my decisions. Yukari is my sister and I'll go to hell and back for her, if I have to confront Higa, MBI, or the Discipline Squad then I will do just that. I'd be no different with my Sekirei, but Yukari is my sister. I have to protect her."

His moment of triumph was gone as Kuruse punched him gently on the chest. "Sounded pretty manly there, Minato-san. I'm glad I have such a fine and valiant Ashikabi, if only you'd put on some more muscle."

"Minato-sama would train with us too, then!" Musubi exclaimed, just thrilled with the idea.

Minato laughed awkwardly.

He'd by lying if he were to say he wasn't considering, and hadn't considered training. It was become increasingly clear to him that his Sekirei would lay their lives down for him, and while he'd do that same thing, he didn't have the power or attributes to make it worthwhile...And, if he died, than so did they. He couldn't afford to be reckless, not when his Sekireis' lives were in the balance...He couldn't imagine what agony he'd suffer if he lost just one of them. But, if he wanted to lay his life down for them in the same way they do for him, he'd have to train.

He'd have to be strong, somehow...

He had to become strong.

"You're a little too rambunctious, Musubi. And, you don't know how to hold back." Ahiko commented, though her smile was laced with humor.

"I have to go full power like Yume-sama taught me!" Musubi exclaimed, fisting the air.

"I also taught you restraint, Musubi-san. I know Miya-dono has drilled restraint into you." Yume said lightly.

"Yeah." Musubi nodded, wincing to herself as she recalled a rather sharp strike she got to the abdomen by Miya.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Minato started uneasily.

"I usually let my girls go at it and train by myself." Ryu admitted with little shame.

While he did spar with them all, before...But, Toyotama was a fierce warrior, and that staff was just damn elusive, and Ahiko tended to be all over the place and lashing out with her long legs. More over they would always spar, and things would get intense, quick. And, once more he preferred not to be struck by Toyotama's staff, as it was made of steel or something very close to it.

It was the classic wooden or bamboo staff.

"Ah, well...Guess I'll be seeing you around." Minato said to Ryu.

"You do have my phone number, you can text me." Ryu decided to point out the obvious.

All of the women gathered sighed at the scene. Despite their differences Ryu and Minato were similar in ways. Awkward in all sorts of ways, and were never good at starting or ending conversations.