Chapter 5 is up. Please review. Thank you for all the support your notes did not go unread.

Blue Wonder

The first snow of the season is always a beautiful thing. The way the first flake you see fall waffles through the air to find the ground is always a special moment. For Minato that snowflake found the top of his shoe while he walked through one of the quads of his campus. Normally it was the kind of thing a person like him would have noticed, but with the activities over the past couple weeks he couldn't have noticed it if he tried.

On this evening he was coming out of one of his two economics classes, the one he was not doing so well it at the moment and the sun had already started to set. All around him there were students and teachers heading home bundled up in all sorts of coats and scarves to keep warm. Minato had an old beat up looking dark brown leather jacket wrapped around him, it had actually been his fathers before he passed and it fit well enough to wear. Sometimes he wondered what his father had been doing while he wore it, these days however he wondering only what he would say if he was still around.

"Minato!" called someone from the crowd of people pushing through the quad towards the edge of campus.

A woman's voice on campus could only really mean one person, Kochou. Turning his distracted eyes in the direction of the call he came to a stop and eyed the woman warily, she had a bit of a history of less than indirect affections with him thus far.

Out of the swarm of people the woman appeared glasses first, something that he had come to find he liked that she wore, eyes locked right on him with a fierce determination. Unlike with Akitsu she had been a bit easier to bring around to losing her traditional Japanese clothing and today sported a heavy wool coat with jeans and brown boots. Akisu however seemed to ignore the cooling weather entirely in her wardrobe for obvious reasons.

"I thought you were supposed to meet me at the library after class Kochou. That's where I was headed anyway?" Minato asked adjusting the strap on his heavy school bag that was somewhat lighter today because he was not carrying his kendo stuff with him today.

For her part Kochou feigned to understand what he meant and snuggled right up to his left side finding a way for her arm to entwine with his nicely, I sent you a text saying that I could meet you. Did you not get it Ashikabi-sama?"

Another unfortunate development over the past couple weeks, Minato had agreed to get a cell phone. Of his Sekirei Kochou was surprisingly not the one to push for it the hardest. Akitsu demanded that she have some way to contact him if she was not going to be allowed to come onto campus with him every day. After the first week of enduring the stares and the questions from his fellow students he caved and purchased one.

Taking the small smartphone out of his right jacket pocket Minato slid his finger across the screen of it to turn it on then narrowed his eyes towards the screen with some grumble to his throat.

"Says I did not get any texts from you Kochou," he stated flatly having not believed her at the start anyway.

Minato did however have a handful from Akitsu.

(What would you like for dinner Ashikabi-sama ) 11:45 am

(There is a good sale on shrimp and peanut butter ) 1:25 pm

(I have been informed one does not cook shrimp with peanut butter) 4:56 pm

"Ah well technology you know, cannot always trust it to work now can you?" he might have been able to take her somewhat seriously had it not be for the way she had started to rub her cheek against his shoulder eagerly while they headed for the exit of campus. "What's for dinner?"

Amused at the question Minato stuffed the phone back into his pocket and left his hand there, "Shrimp and rice...I hope…"

"You hope? What the devil does that mean?"

At the edge of the campus there was a good deal of shops. Every college town had a collection of shopping around the edge of these types of places to catch students on their way out or in. The cafe that he liked to stop at to study was a place like this, but there were all sorts of stores. More restaurants, bookshops, there was even a karaoke places that he was sometimes invited to though he never agreed to go along.

It was the kind of day, one of those that had a stinging chill to the air, that made him want to stop at the cafe for that orange tea he liked and he had already started to guide the two of them in that direction before he saw someone leap down from one of the store building rooftops to the sidewalk below. All he caught out of the corner of his eye was a flash of blonde and black, but it had not been the sort of jump a normal person could make. Certainly not off the top of a five story building like he had just seen accomplished.

Kochou had of course missed it off in her own world nuzzled up against his shoulder muttering things about the jello she might enjoy for dessert after dinner.

"Kochou was that a Sekirei?!" Minato said quickly as he came to a stop eyes snapped in the direction of the alley where he had seen the image disappear.

Lazily the eyes of his information Sekirei rolled up then in the direction of where he was pointing. Confused she darted her eyes back up to him then back just as another figure came down over the top of the building onto the sidewalk looking like they were chasing the first.

This was most certainly a man. Dressed probably the least odious of any Sekirei he had seen thus far right at first the man wore black pants and a black top. The top had a set of strange belts across the front of it that formed an X, but other than that and his color choice in the scarf he wore, Orange, he did not seem out of place. That was of course until he stood back up to his full height and you saw was the silver haired man was carrying in the grip of those fingerless black gloves. A sword. Not a practice sword like Minato had in his bag even now on a non-club day, no this looked like a real sword still in its sheath.

Minato had seen the scarf wearing man before with Mikogami at club waiting for the young Master to finish his practice. Never with a sword in hand, a real one! It still was taking the Kendo champ a second to register what he was seeing.

"Mutsu, number 05, very dangerous," Kochou rattled off like she was once again reading from one of her books in the library when she helped him to study. Only now there was hint of fear in her tone that Minato had never heard before, "Wh...What is he doing here?"

Luckily it looked like the male Sekirei, the first one he had the chance to see oddly enough, was not there for the two of them. Like he had seen the image of the other disappear into the alley after a second of inspection of the street, glancing right over the two onlookers of them, Mutsu disappeared into the alley in obvious chase with his speed.

Beside him a coiled Kochou uncoiled and took a breath, "That was close. I don't have to tell you me throwing my glasses at a combat Sekirei like that would have done nothing."

They should have left, they should have run right out of there and been fine with the days luck. However Minato had already stepped off the curb in the direction of the other side of the street and thus the alley where the man had disappeared with a need to understand what was going on.

"Call Akitsu and get her here," Minato called over his shoulder never bothering to look back when he spoke in more of a command then even he might have realized.

Behind him a befuddled Kochou stuffed her hand into her bag fumbling for her phone and the number two speed dial that they were going to desperately need it looked like.

Worn sneakers crunched the loose pavement of the alley as Minato jogged along in pursuit. Whatever had come through the alley had left some wake. Everywhere there was signs like a bear had rampaged knocking over trash cans and pushing dumpsters out of the way here and there. Water, why was there water everywhere! It had not rained for days and if it had there would have been an earlier snow than today.

The alley doglegged to the left and he came upon the two figures. Mustu was there dressed as he had been moments before though now his clothes and silver hair were drenched to the skin. The man looked aggravated and the state of his clothing was certainly not going to help with that.

When Minato came around the corner his sneakers crunched another bit of gravel as they had the whole way down the alley, but this time it had been close enough it seemed to warrant attention.

"Move along," the swordsmen say lifting the end of his still sheathed sword in the direction of the kendo champ, "this is not the business of a uni student." Surprisingly he was not overly rude in his tone, even anything he came off surprisingly courteous. That did not stop Minato from further looking into the situation a bit more though.

"I think it might be, you remember me? Take another look," Minato urged while he took another step forward causing the silver haired main to totally turn in his direction, "Who do you have over there? What's going on?"

At the man's feet hidden partly behind some downed trashcans was what looked to be the body of a woman though right now Minato could only make out her high brown boots with black stockings coming from them. Under the gaze of the uninterested male Sekirei the kendo tutor took a couple steps to the right which allowed him all that much more of a view. When he got to the last step however and could almost make out the woman's face however the man urged him to stop.

"I am here on business, it would behoove you to not to take another step and get into it Minato Sama," again the courteous tone to his voice, but the warning was felt, felt like a warrior on the field of battle. It was something he had only felt mimics of while in the kendo ring over the years. This was the real thing however and it chilled him to the bone. Mutsu had killed and the feeling made him know that he was willing to do so again.

The little bit of movement afforded Minato the view of the woman's black coat and soft looking white dress that she wore under it if not her face, "What sort of work has you out chasing women through the city Mutsu," the look on the male Sekirei's face when Minato used his name caused a smile to curl at the corner of his lips just so, "Yeah I know your name as well."

Somewhat amused he rolled his shoulders up in a shrug and sighed, "The young Master is always demanding new playthings and guess whose job it becomes to procure what he wants. Tiresome, but I am sworn to follow his word on my honor."

Procure, this man was chasing after this other Sekirei so that Mikogami could add her to his 'flock', god he hated that term, but even in his mind it had started to stick as the only thing that made sense. As far as he knew Sekirei only joined with the Ashikabi of their choice. This did not make sense.

"What's the point?" Hazel eyes darted from the silver haired man down to the woman behind the bundle of trash he could not clearly see, "Even if you brought her to Mikogami she probably is not going to choose to be his. So why all this running around. It's not like she is going to kiss him."

After a long silence between the two of them the swordsman did something Minato had not expected. He laughed. Not a loud laugh that was obviously at his expense, but a small one in such a way you might laugh a child that did not totally understand something.

"Boy a Sekirei binds with whoever she first kisses, that does not mean it cannot be forced upon her," Mutsu explained calmly wording it in such a way and leading Minato with his hands to the realization he was trying to put forward.

"Sekirei can be forced?!" Minato growled shouting his displeasure into the nearly empty alleyway.

"Precisely."

That was...that was unacceptable! It flew in the face of everything he had come to learn about the alien race. The bond was the most important thing to them. To think that one could force it on them was tantamount to theft, no...no it was far worse than that. A Sekirei came to love who they were bonded with. It seemed if it was their choice or not. It was a sobering thought to think that those with natural bonded Sekirei of their own might use the powers at their fingertips to hunt down others to force under their control.

Up until this point having heard about the battle royal Minato thought that the fighting was the only thing he had to worry about, but this...this was a totally different issue. This could not stand.

Without a word he reached out and slid the strap for his school bag off of his shoulder and the sound of it hitting the ground in the gravel with a low thud rebounded off the walls.

Somewhat interested Matsu looked on while the kendo champ reached into his bag, "What are you up to?"

Trying to contain his rage white knuckled fingers came back out of his bag with the only bit of kendo equipment he always kept on his person while on campus in case he needed it for a demonstration or if he had to stop by the club.

Minato came out with his practice sword and gritted his teeth at the Sekirei swordsman, "Back away from her."

If Minato possessed the ability to exude the sort of feeling of a killer aura like Mutsu had a few minutes ago in warning for the university student, now the Kendo Grand Champion was returning it in fold.

"You intend to fight me...with that," Mutsu said gesturing to the shinai practice sword Minato held up between both of his hands in a ready stance with a slightly raised brow, "You cannot be serious."

Nearly hissing his answer Minato took a step forward and spoke slowly back, "You are swordsman, I am a swordsman. Step away from her or fight me for her. Make up your mind."

Mutsu considered the offer for a second and glanced down to the woman set against the wall of the alley just out of sight of the unlikely hero. With surprising gentleness he pressed the end of his sheathed sword to the woman's body, perhaps her cheek from the feminine groan given off and answered in a demand, "You do not move woman."

With one last look down at the other Sekirei Mutsu turned and finally gave Minato his full attention, "A fight on our honor, but I am not allowed to harm humans...yet…," he said with a mild distaste to his tone, "So we will fight on equal footing if one could call it that."

This statement confused Minato for only the second it took for his opponent to take a ready stance with his sword still in his sheath, he was going to fight with the guard on so it was a practice sword against another in a sense.

The black haired Asama adjusted the grip he had on the practice sword then gave a small nod, "Agreed."

"Do not regret your mistake young man," Mutsu stated just as he moved to strike at him for the first time.

Suddenly the alley was a flurry of movement, Mutsu struck here and Minato dodged or shed the attack just barely there. In the first five moves each had been to a vial portion of the young man's body and each time Minato had managed to deflect a direct hit. Only once had he been caught slightly on the shoulder, a glancing hit, but it stung like he had taken a knife a testament to the Sekirei's strength.

After the initial attack Mutsu stopped and widened his eyes just slightly to take a better account of the one he was facing, but in that same instant Minato countered. Not near as fast or as strong had the Sekirei before of course though with a practiced skill behind each strike.

Mutsu struck five times before Minato was able to fight him off and counter with a shorter three strikes. Neither of the two had managed to land a solid blow however and now they began to circle one another.

One thing was obvious to Mutsu it seemed, this young man had serious experience with the practice sword he carried, but it mattered not he could use his full strength and put him in the gravel in an instant once he tired of playing with him.

For the other he found his hands growing numb from holding the practice sword under the powerful strikes his opponent was able to bring down upon him. Minato was just shocked that he was able to keep his own against Mutsu a powerful alien.

"I will give you another chance to keep walking young man," he was offered by the scarf wearing Sekirei.

Minato stepped out of his guard stance and turned the shinai over in his hands once or twice in a move one would only see a confident hero do in the movies, "Sure you are just not getting tired? Come on."

His sparring partner gave a huff at the words, but gave no notice of the flaunting action and why should he? It was not as if he had the chance to see any of those movies the young swordsman was emulating.

Because they circled while they fought and now came to a rest in this short intermission Minato was finally given the ability to look upon the woman's face.

Bright blue eyes stared back at him behind blonde strands of hair that was currently gathered up behind her against the wall in a mess. Across the top of the woman's left cheek was a bright purple bruise forming from what looked like Mutsu's sheath and the state of the rest of her clothing provided hints that she had been struck elsewhere. Though he had not meant for his eyes to linger down her form for any other reason than to make sure that she was not hurt badly by the time his eyes returned to those blue orbs they had melted into something of a mix of embarrassment and anger.

Minato wanted to say something, he wanted to say something to quell the emotion he was seeing rippling through her features there was just not the time. The only think he could do was match the flush of red in his cheeks to rival her own.

"Hey boy," Mutsu demanded angrily jabbing at him with the end of his sword, "Eyes here, I am still your opponent. "

The Kendo Champ refocused and barely managed to stop the first overhead strike from the Sekirei swordsman that took him down to a knee. Quickly he jumped back to his feet and side stepped another noticing something quickly about the attacks. They were coming a lot harder now. Mutsu had been holding back and not only with strength, but speed as well Minato had hardly been able to see the last one that had been aimed for his side.

"Getting serious?" Minato taunted.

Mutsu smirked and jabbed in for his chest with a speed and strength Minato had never seen anyone use before. There was only one problem with the attack. The Kendo Champ could still deflect it. Just like everyone before Mutsu Minato could read his body, could tell where it was coming from and he found that even with the advanced strength and speed of the Sekirei across from him that because of the messy undisciplined way he was fighting that this Asama could hold his own. Somehow.

Back and forth they went for a handful of more strikes and Minato had to guess after gathering her strength the woman managed to get to her feet shakily while watching the two of them go back and forth.

"I told you not to move!" Mutsu shouted while driving off an overhead attack from Minato.

The woman winced, but kept a proud look to her expression giving nothing away.

Minato unlike the Sekirei did not have the extra stamina or speed to be able to throw comments out mid spar. No if anything he was starting to slow down and the heated feeling in his cheeks he gathered after looking upon the woman felt like it was starting to pulse through his whole body.

Unluckily it looked like he was not the only one to notice the state he was in because Mutsu pushed his advantage striking again and again without pause driving the younger swordsmen across the alley till his back neared the wall.

At this point Minato's vision was blurred and it was all he could do to hold his sword up in the correct place to deflect any attacks. When a final thrusting attack came for his neck however Minato tapped aside the end of Mutsu's sheath and drove forward with one hand on his shinai aimed right back at his opponent's throat. That was it, it was a direct hit, if only he had not staggered and fallen into the man. His shinai flew past Mutsu's throat just grazing the silver haired swordsman against the neck harmlessly. Minato clutched at the black shirt he wore and the end of his practice sword hit the dirt though he did not drop it.

Taking that advantage, Mutsu raised his hand with sword in grip. Moving to bring it down on the young man holding onto his front only to stop and give pause, with his hand high in the air.

Minato didn't have a chance to stand, hell he could hardly breathe with how hot he felt gasping for breath like he had been fighting for hours upon hours not minutes. He felt sick and he couldn't understand why. All he could do was kneel their crumpled against the Sekirei and wait for the sword to fall.

It never came.

"Number Nine," Mutsu said in near a whisper.

The blonde woman inched away from the wall just slightly her blue eyes having gained some of their determination back, "you do not call me by such a designation you mongrel!"

Wood of the sheath came back down near his side and Mutsu pushed some of his hair from his face, "Whatever...just get out of here."

Unable to hold his grip any longer Minato hit the alley gravel slumping back on his side breath caught in rapid gasps unable to follow the conversation.

Confused the woman looked between the two of them, "I don't understand he los…"

"GO!" Mustu turned losing his controlled temper pointing off in the direction of the end of the alley for the woman with his sword.

Startled it looked like she might have had a rebuttal for the man had she not been so thoroughly handled by him before Minato go there. Instead he gave the young man one last look there in the gravel then disappeared around the corner onto the busy college street.

This left just the two swordsmen alone in the empty alley with one another. They had fought and to Mutsu's honor it seemed that they had finished.

Without being able to hold back his interest Mutsu crouched down beside the sprawled out kendo champ, "Just who are you kendo boy?" He mused while trying to edge aside the shinai Minato still held with the end of his sword.

Those white knuckled fingers held strong and Minato fought to stay conscious.

What might have happened between the two of them after that would have had to be anyone's guess because they were interrupted by a third. Cold air around the two of them grew colder and a woman on wooden sandals stepped into their portion of the alley along with the jingle of a chain.

"Step away from my Ashikabi," Akitsu said with a deathly tone that Mutsu or Minato could only dream of using.

Kochou had done as she had been told and sought the help of the ice queen back home left behind because Minato didn't want her attracting attention at school around him. After this incident it might be harder for him to keep her within the walls of the inn when he went to leave again.

Lazily Mutsu stretched back up to his full height and threw his hands up above his head using the length of his sword to stretch his back out, "Easy there scrapped number...we just had a spar. Not sure why he broke down with a cold all of a sudden. Perhaps you are getting too close to him at night? You are his are you not?"

Icy hues narrowed and Akitsu moved to her loves side though she did not look to him just yet, "You fought with him."

Mutsu had already turned to leave the alley and was almost out on the street when the comment came, he only paused for a second to answer before moving on, "Hey don't look at me. The kid won."

If Akitsu wanted to ask more about what happened she could not without leaving Minato behind and that was not about to happen. All she could do was cradled her Ashikabi in her arms and make for home, hopeful that the lady of the house could explain and help with what was happening to him.

It was so blue.

"What is going on?" Minato asked stretching his bare hand up towards the blue expanse confused about to where he was.

The sound of boots approaching drew his attention, but he found that he could not turn his head or eyes in any way that he wanted. It was like he was rooted to stare up into that blue abyss. Just when he thought he might have imagine the sound of someone approaching him the blue sky above that he was looking at was shadowed by the looming form of the person in the boots.

"Just what do you think you are doing here you monkey!"

It was the blonde from the alley. Bright blonde hair caught the wind and it mixed with the blue sky in a swirl about the women's perturbed face. Those eyes that near matched the sky past her bore down towards his stretched out from with a sense of question and annoyance. Had she just called him a monkey?

"Monkey? Really?" Minato asked again trying to shift his head this time finding some strength in his form to sit up at least.

The two of them were on one of the roofs of the larger buildings in downtown Tokyo. How Minato had gotten there at all was just another mystery that he was going to have to figure out. Besides the two of them there was only a couple large air conditioning units and an antenna decorating the rooftop.

Stern features turned momentarily to confusion at his question, but the woman quickly regained herself, "Of course! Humans are nothing, but bumbling apes after all."

Trying not to crack too large of a smirk at the general way her speech seemed to border on the fact that she thought she should be royalty Minato found his feet. A look down at what he was wearing warranted another mystery. He had never seen this white robe before.

Somewhat worried he grabbed at the robe and quickly found out he wore nothing under it.

"What do you think you are doing!?" the woman shouted as it looked like he was making to undress taking a few more steps than needed to get out of his arms reach.

"Did you put this on me?" Minato asked making sure to retie the robe in his confusion ignoring her question.

The woman's usual stern demeanor faltered and her pale cheeks flushed harshly, "I...of course not! What sort of thoughts do you have bouncing around in that perverted ape skull?!"

Minato turned away from the woman and quietly made for the edge of the skyscraper, when he reached the edge he leaned over just enough to look down then he gulped. How in the hell did he get up here? Rounding back towards the woman quick enough to give her a start he lifted a pointed finger in her direction.

"How did I get up here?" his voice was stable for now, but the situation was starting to get to him with the piling up questions.

Bright pink lips parted just slightly like she might pout at being demanded of in the question, but the expression changed to a terse scowl just before she turned so she had her back to him, "You should know better than I. After the incident in the alley you followed me evidently because after I made for the top of this tower and turned around you were laying there dressed as such."

No, that was not right. After the end of the fight he could hardly stand let alone jump a skyscraper.

"Incidentally…," the woman started her tone changed dramatically to something far softer and more feminine, "I feel obligated to thank you for stepping in for me in my time of need. This Sekirei is in your debt. Thank you."

Something in her pride kept the woman from facing Minato when she said that. That or something in her expression she did not wish for him to look upon.

After thinking the whole situation over in circles a few times the black haired young man was ready to just throw his hands up and give in, so after a long day like he had he uncharacteristically did just that.

"Why was that Sekirei after you anyway," he said in a tired sigh finding a place to lean against the side of the building edge where his fingers could grip something solid to hold onto, "I was under the impression the Sekirei battle royale or whatever they are calling it now had not started yet," quickly realizing he had not the chance yet he threw in with a wave of his left hand, "Asama MInato by the way in case you wanted to know."

The blonde woman's shoulders made the motion ones shoulders made when they scoff at something though from the distance he could not hear it.

"As if I need to know a simple ape like your own Asama Minato," she said in a quick start then trailed off lightly at the end before looking back over her shoulder at him through a few rebel strands of hair, "How does one...such as yourself come to know about the Sekirei plan?"

It was perhaps time to be bluntly honest, "I came across Akitsu, do you know her?"

Something flashed in the woman's eyes that Minato would have had to guess was compassion for his ice 'flock' member, but it was replaced so quickly with a look of suspicion he could not be sure he had ever seen it at all.

"Of course I know of Akitsu. I am one of the most powerful Sekirei there are. It would be foolish to think I do not know the names of those I think my lessor," she stated plainly as if the whole statement did not drip with any hint of arrogance. "Still I do not see how that ends up with someone such as yourself in an alley fighting a Sekirei with a mere twig."

Twig, it was Minato's turn to scoff, but his ended with a small smile that she might have missed through the layers of superiority she was trying to put up.

"I suppose it must have looked kind of ridiculous from your end eh?" Minato couldn't help but laugh.

He was stranded up on the top of a building he had no business ever being able to get on top of, dressed in clothes he did not own and he was laughing just the same. Confusion flared in the woman's expression once more and she rounded on him with hands pressed to each hip.

"And just what does thou find to be so humorous?"

"That guy had a real sword and I fight him with a wooden one, what the heck is wrong with me?" Minato mused reaching up to brush the backside of his hand across his lips getting rid of his wide smile, subduing it to something more reasonable in the process. "If my Dad was here I am pretty sure he would be slapping me on the back and grinning ear to ear about how proud he was."

"Or what a fool he raised perhaps," those fingers on her hips dug in a bit more, but somehow her iron clad expression of contempt had started to waver and even Minato noticed it, "Perhaps you will still be smacked around when you see him next to tell the tale."

Shrugging Minato turned and faced the edge of the building so that he could look out over the wide expanse of the city below, "Not much chance of that. He died a short time before I was born; never met him in person myself. I only have the stories from my mother and the pictures left behind to piece something of what he was together."

Behind him the soft voice returned, "Oh...please forgive me...I did not mean t-"

Minato lifted one hand and waved her off without looking back just yet since he found he was relaxed at the sight of the city below, "Try not to worry over it. I never have. Can't miss what you never had right? Still I am pretty certain he would be impressed. He was the sort of guy to jump into situations without thinking. I take more after my mother, the thinker."

Out of the corner of his eye he was somewhat surprised to see the woman step up beside and lean against the railing to look out towards the city far below, "How do you Humans put it? I am certain he saw it from above and was extremely proud of his boy."

Amused Minato drew that wider smile once more and he just nodded. Once you got past the prickly part of her he was finding that she was not terribly hard to get along with. That was of course based on one's ability to dodge all the thorns. What a marathon.

"My name is Tsukiumi and I am Sekirei Zero Nine….by the way…," she stated mimicking the way Minato himself had introduced himself off the cuff.

Again Minato just nodded in answer thinking over everything he knew about the Sekirei thus far and where all their numbers factored in. As far as he knew the lower the number the more powerful they were, but perhaps that was not the case. Frankly he had not the chance to see more than short sparring matches just so far.

"That Mutsu wanted to take you to be forcefully winged didn't he?"

"Yes ape, that he did."

Brushing the nickname aside, since he was finally getting her to open up, Minato questioned," You are from what I know and how you act, pretty strong. Why have you not found an Ashikabi yet?"

The blonde that he now knew went by the name Tsukiumi flushed harshly at the statement and raised one hand like she might strike him only to draw it back to clutch close to her chest and turn to look from him back to the city once more.

"Humans are weak, dirty little creatures and I do not agree that we should be bound to, to be considered whole," Tsukiumi answered straight to the point watching him pointedly out of the corner of her eye all the time for a reaction if any.

She got one, Minato threw his hands up from the railing and gave out a mighty sigh in answer, "That's what I have been saying!" Stalking away from the railing he made it halfway across the graveled roof before he turned to look back at the startled blonde, "It does not make any sense to me! Humans search their lives for the ones they love, but no one would say that they are incomplete before that. To say that makes it sound like they need them to survive, like they are less of what they could be." Frustrated at the whole notion of the Sekirei rite of passage of 'winging' Minato stuffed his hands into the pockets of the rope that was not at all his and gave another exhale, "Not to even mention the whole idiotic fighting business."

"Oddly enough I find I am inclined to agree with the ape standing before me," Tsukiumi said with an almost royal tilt to her head in a nod, "I am content to go about without a human Ashikabi and be just fine on my own."

Hands still stuffed in his pockets Minato had been thinking through the woman's statement thinking about his last so hard he had hardly a chance to hear what she had said.

"But…"

Mirroring the word in short order Tsukiumi looked on with some interest, "But?"

Minato rolled his shoulders and let out a mild sigh. What a day it had turned out to be. Tugging at the cloth of the robe he wore with one hand, he grumbled about the fact that the thing was most certainly his now. Anything that had touched his junk had better be. Taking that same hand up in the usual way he brushed back his hair in rows with the lengths of his fingers finding the locks still damp from the exertion of the fight before.

Those thoughtful hazel eyes raised up to the Sekirei across from him and he spoke again, "but...I have been there first hand to see how happy finding an Ashikabi can make a Sekirei. It's...unlike anything I have ever seen while I have been alive or something I have heard of or learned about. Honestly," Minato found himself thinking back to the moment he kissed Akitsu and even Kochou even despite the way the second one had happened, "It might be the most wonderful thing I ever experienced. Ever. To completely lock something like that away forever like you are talking about doing...I dunno, it sounds like a mighty waste to me."

Maybe it was the way he said it or the words he had used, Minato probably might never know for sure. That said, something in his comment made the blonde woman move one boot after another until she stood not surprisingly near his same height eye to eye given the height of heel she wore only then to reach a bare hand towards his face.

"You are an interesting ape I will say…," she forfeited pretending in her tone that it had been drug out of her, "Though still a dirty ape of course."

Keeping her eye somehow not drawing his gaze to her hand that raised ever close, but slow like she might think him skittish and not want to spook him, " Of course, no confusion here."

Skin met skin and the tips of her fingers felt like a white hot fire on his cheeks like he was being poked with embers. Minato threw his eyes open in a wince and even through the short blast of intense displeasure he saw the explosion of color in the features of the woman across from him. A reaction he could not part his lips to comment on because when they opened again the rooftop was gone.

"Tsukiumi!"

Minato jolted up in bed, his bed in his small room there at the boarding house his mother ran. Gone was the rooftop he had just been on replaced with the familiar desk with the lowlight of the lamp and the two windows drawn back allowing a bit of evening light in as the moon had started to rise.

"Ashikabi-sama!" Akitsu shouted in perhaps the first time he had ever heard her do so having lifted her hand that was placed, still, upon his forehead so that he could jolt up from bed like he had done so.

As it would probably be impossible for her to beat Kochou to the next word his glasses wearing Sekirei quickly cut in," How are you feeling? You were out for nearly an hour."

Slowly, very slowly as he realized he had a splitting headache Minato sunk back down onto the pillow they had propped up under him on his futon. God his whole body felt like it was on fire, but the hand on his forehead was ice cold. Not only that he felt like he would feel all the more hot if it was not for the temperature of the room being kept down by he had to guess Akitsu since the Inn's A/C unit had never been this dependable.

"Well...I was going to as…," he winced, "Ask what you meant, but my head feels like it is about to explode and I am warm like I am overheated all over."

Just then the door to his room slid open and Matsu appeared carrying what almost shocked him to see. Books…he was not sure he had ever seen the red headed tenant ever actually read information not on one of her illuminated screens.

"Oh good he finally woke up, Minato you were giving us a bit of a scare there" Matsu said in an almost motherly tone, or at least as best she could manage before ruining it," I had suggested we strip down and cuddle to sweat out your sickness, but your Sekirei were not having it...alas we had to read up."

It was then that he noticed the pile of books beside his futon in a mess. There had to be at least twenty of them and most if not all looked like they had come from somewhere outside of the house. Kochou and Matsu combined seemed to be combing through them with only small paused to push their glasses up over the bridge of their noses from time to time.

Desperate to have some answers Minato looked to each of the three of them in turn, "Any ideas?"

The three Sekirei caught each other's attention and seemed to be having a small impromptu meeting on to actually tell him or not. In the end it was the intimidating looming shape of his mother standing in the doorway that drew this small discussion to a halt.

"Surely you do not intent to tease my Minato as to the nature of his condition Matsu...Kochou…," his mother questioned with her usual light hearted flair while coming to find a place beside Akitsu sitting beside the futon.

Kochou balked while Matsu hid behind her trying not to make direct contact.

"No...no...Of course we would not think of that Lady Asama, never," Kochou managed though she did have a question, "...Wait...why didn't you add Akitsu into that?"

Akitsu lifted her gaze from focusing on the hand she had on Minato's forehead so that she might answer for the mother in the room, "Akitsu would never keep anything from her Ashikabi."

Lady Asama just nodded much to the dismay of the two glasses wearers then pivoted her attention towards her son and dropped a bomb, "It seems you are hitting puberty my little Minato-chan"

The light hearted pat on his knee certainly did not help to deliver this confusing news any better. Minato blinked, blinked again, and then growled in frustration.

"Um...excuse me...I might be wrong here, but I am pretty certain that I already passed that level of life experiences a while ago mother," Minato near shouted, or as much as he could protest as poor as he was feeling.

Beside him Akitsu withdrew her hand from his forehead and reached to a bowl of cool water so she could drizzle some of the droplets across his forehead and into his hair.

"Ah….," she started in her usual way then finished while applying the cool liquid, "Akitsu is certain of that as well."

Angrily, or jealously, frankly probably a combination of both, crossed Kochou's features when she glared down at her Ashikabi, "Excuse me...what does she mean…"

Mimicking the pose of the landlady herself Mutsu held up her hand to cover a small chuckle then teased her old rival, just like at any chance she had in the past, "Oh I think we know all too well what our Akitsu means now don't we Kochou...or perhaps you haven't…?"

Minato only flushed a crimson long enough for Kochou to round like she was going to kill her rival. Luckily the red headed housemates' antics were something of commonplace at this point so he was able to brush it off.

"Kochou…," He waited until hose frustrated eyes behind bookworm glasses found him to go on, "It's not what you think...Now what in the hell does my mother mean."

Her almost hurt expression lingered long enough to understand what it was he was trying to get across. Of course Minato had not slept with Akitsu yet. Hell Kochou would of had to be one hell of a deep sleeper for that to of happened under her nose; having had demanded a spot on the other side of him on the first night of arriving at the boarding house.

"Yes...of course Ashikabi-sama...my apologies I was distracted by a lesser creature," this just caused Matsu's hair to stand on end from where she was sitting behind her, but Kochou seemed to pay no mind," What your mother meant to say was that you seem to be reacting like a Sekirei does only since you are part human it is having a confusing effect on your body. "

This took a second or two for it to really sink in. When it did Minato shot his eyes back across to his mother with another dose of confusion.

For her part she only hid behind her hand with one of her small chuckles, "Now I never expected my boy to react like we do, but I must say it is something of a welcome surprise to find out you take so much after your dear mother. "

She was going to be no help at all. Minato dug his fingers into his sweat dampened comforter and turned his attention back to his information Sekirei, "Is it dangerous?"

He must have sounded more worried than he meant to sound, or maybe he could not have kept that back if he tried, Kochou added her hand to his body right above his heart and shook her head just a bit, "We took some reading materials from your father's old storage unit and read over some of the early days of experimenting to see if Sekirei could bond with humans. The idea of a human hybrid was discussed at length, but of course it was all theory. It seems you would be expected to have higher than usual physical abilities and perhaps even a special trait like the rest of our race does. As to if it would be dangerous?"

"Yeah Kochou just cut to the end when you tease me and tell me I am going to be fine."

White showed in the smile of one of his beloved Sekirei and she leaned down while lifting his glasses so that she might brush his cheek with a small kiss, "You are going to be fine my Ashikabi." Sitting back up she fixed her glassed then fixed upon him a withering look, "Although...the two of us are a bit ticked off to find out that you did not react in such a fashion like this to us….but there is a working theory that it has been building up and that is why you are reacting so harshly. Shall we go with that?"

The near death stare behind her eyes caused Minato to gulp," Yes...I think compounding effects makes the most sense."

The house bell near the door range twice, at this time a day it could only be a handful of people. One of his father's old friends tended to stop by around dinner to freeload meals from time to time. It was probably him. His mother excused herself behind another held up hand with a chuckle and left him to hopefully not be torn apart.

"So is this the one then Minato?" Mutsu asked holding up a book with two pages held open.

On one side was a bunch of statistics about the Sekirei in question like their name, height, weight, ability, bust size...this was Mutsu after all….and on the other was a picture of the blonde woman he had seen in the alley and then on the roof a bit later.

"Yeah...that's Tsukiumi that's the woman that I saw in my dream just now," Minato answered perhaps without thinking about what he was saying clearly enough.

"Dream! What a," Mutsu paused laughing behind her hand, poking fun at Kochou while she went on, "Powerful connection the two of you seem to already share...unbound even!"

Kochou shot daggers back at her old rival then down at Minato for the statement about the dream, all the while Akitsu remained impassive immovable it seemed in tending to her Ashikabi despite the words flowing around her.

"In any case," Kochou somehow managed, despite her obvious jealousy over this new tidbit of information somewhat hurt perhaps that her Ashikabi had not been dreaming about her while he was not feeling well. "When you jolted up from your sleep just now you shouted her name. We all heard it, I guess even Mutsu as well while she was still coming up the stairs."

Mutsu hid behind her book grinning ear to ear at her good fortune to have one over on her old rival, but did nod in response to the notion.

"What shall we do my Ashikabi?" Kochou asked with obvious interest.

Confused Minato had to question back, "What do you mean what do we do. I am sure this sickness will pass in time or something."

A bit surprised he might think this way, Kochou slowly shook her head in answer," Forgive me Minato, but a Sekirei does not get over meeting her fated one...and I am fairly certain this sickness will continue until you die or you make something of a bond with this Sekirei in question. We...or rather Akitsu is more than strong enough to hunt her down and bring her to your si-.*

"NO!" Minato shouted cutting into that line of thought flashing his eyes first to Akitsu then to Kochou and finally back again leveraging the strength he had to sit up as much as he could on one arm. "You are not to hunt down and force this Sekirei back to be winged by me under any circumstances...I….I won't be a part of somethi….something like that."

The former Kendo champ started of strong with conviction to his voice, but by the end the exhaustion of the sickness overtook him and he slumped back to his back.

Another exchanged between Sekirei, though this time just his closest two not the third in the room not bound to him.

"I find I am falling more and more for you each day Minato my Ashikabi," Kochou breathed deeply, like she had felt what he had said rather than said it.

Akitsu must have agreed in her own way because without needing to speak she just clutched one of her hands near her heart and nodded.

"That is all good and well, but what are you going to do about being bedridden Minato, you have school." Mutsu voice of reason...what crazy timeline had they just skipped over to; Minato wanted to run back.

It was true though, it was not like he could ignore the fact that he felt terrible and there was a clear cut way of getting better running around out there. Running, jumping, fighting off would be captures. Minato found himself hoping that she was alright, that those defiant blue eyes of hers had not fallen to something of a docile shade. Somewhere down deep within him the thought of it made a pain rise up, much like the one he felt with Akitsu was parted from him that first time and Minato knew...knew that he felt what they did. His Sekirei loved him and in his own way, at his own pace Minato came to understand and return that feeling, but not just to two of them. To the three of them and his third love was left at least for now unrequited.

"I can just miss a few classes until we have this sorted out Mutsu…," Minato said with a small half smile shaking his head in her direction as the door to his bedroom opened once more with his mother entering looking displeased.

"If you were not feeling well I would have swatted you for saying such a thing Asama Minato, we do not skip out on our duties now do we?" His mother chastised while revealing the visitor when she took her seat back.

The visitor was Tsukiumi, Sekirei Zero Nine, and she looked out of breath.

"Tsu...Tsukiumi?" Minato shot up again this time drawing a painful wince and his hand up to the left side of his head, but he gasped out his question, "What are you doing here?!"

Blue eyes darted to every woman in the room and Tsukiumi seemed to be realizing that there were now five Sekirei in the small space. She seemed to have not been expecting so many, or perhaps any at all. The coat she wore tucked in around her when those animated hands flew up to cross across her front.

"It is not your prerogative to tell someone like myself where I may or may not turn up mongrel is it?" she huffed out with strands of her blonde hair falling to block the better portion of her red face on the left side, "Besides...it is not a good account of a man to disappear when he is touched now is it Asama Minato?"

Beside him he could feel the coiling rage of Kochou at the 'Touched" comment, but something in her must have clicked because the boil in her blood rolled up just as fast and she remained silent.

"Yes I would hope I did not raise my son to have such terrible manners….Minato-chan…," His mother said from behind a raised hand with her intimidating lighthearted tone along with her smile that never met her eyes.

Slowly, tentatively, Tsukiumi uncuffed her hands from across her front and moved until she could find a place near his head on Akitsu's side. If Minato could guess he was certain his ice Sekirei subtly moved to make a bit more space, though he nor anyone else seemed to have noticed it. After Tsukiumi sunk down to the floor and tucked her boots down under her backside allowing her soft white dress to collect around her she regarded Minato with softer eyes. He was so close now, looking up at her, he could not have missed it.

"On the way up your mother explained the situation, she explained how you have our race's blood in you as well, as you are her son. Every Sekirei knows your mother's name at least they should," the normally so sure of herself blonde paused to push some hair from her face and collect her thoughts while looking down at him. "That you would find yourself in such a state after just glancing upon me is preposterous! You are the son of such a great woman! To be brought down by such a...such a ….reactionary sickness should be below you."

The room was quiet and if he had been able to look away from the woman he would have, thought it was like they were the only two in the room with how silent the other four had fallen looking on at the sight. No, all he could focus on was the Sekirei staring down at him, well, and the headache. That was terribly hard to ignore at this point.

"Tsukiumi…"

A hand of hers reached out and covered his lips with her palm to silence him, "You look here mongrel it is not in your best interest to interrupt me when I am so graciously talking to you. That said…" she seemed to soften and expose something of a sweet smile to him with those pink curved lips of hers while retrieving her fingers to her lap. "I would not have raced here if I was not certain I belonged. The sickness you feel now is evidently contagious it seems. Asama Minato you must take responsibility for your actions."

Blinking he tried to put everything she had said together so that he could understand what she had meant, "Responsibility?"

With two hands outstretched Tsukiumi set her palms on the other side of Minato's form and leaned over his body so that her head might fall to be inches from his own leaving her hair to frame the two of their faces in the moment.

"You must do your duty to cure the both of us from this sickness my Ashi-...Ashikabi," Tsukiumi stuttered and her face turned as bright red as Minato thought possible, it was as beautiful as he thought she could ever get.

In the future he would find greater memories, to rival even this one.

"Well...I wouldn't be much of a man if I did not now would I?"

"Of course not. My love would never be such a man."

Hand up, this time his not hers, met cheek so that he could draw her down the needed inches for their lips to meet. The room was white then a mix of a blue aura, it was of course lost on the couple with their souls interlocked because of the sanctuary his Sekirei's hair had put up for the both of them. However one thing was certain. Their sickness was just beginning.

Well I just lit up some alert boxes.

Hope you enjoyed it please favorite and review.