Code Sekirei: L.L. of the Plan

Seprith Li Castia

Attention: Warning: I make no claim to any of the rights and responsibilities for the characters, creations, or other such things featured in this story. I humbly recognize and accept that all forms of ownership for this series and its characters, places, and things belong to their owner(s). I am merely presenting a non-profit form of entertainment based on their original content. I implore any and all readers of this fan made material to purchase the works in which this is based on to not only support the rights owners, but to avoid spoilers caused from this work. I thank you.

Author's Notes: You did not think this story was dead, did you? ...Honestly, if you did, I cannot really blame you. Has it really been a year? Oh, boy! This chapter took some time for reasons too many to list but all surrounding one thing: my life has been rough the past year! Yikes! Broken computers, new work schedule, in and out of court for months fighting a stupidly over-price ticket, then getting a new car, and now all this present day non-sense? I am tired...

But, rest assured: not a single day has gone by I have not thought about this story. I called it a passion project for a reason. I really want to write it and I am having a lot of fun doing it!

This chapter is not my best, but hopefully it is at least worth part of the wait!

Eighth Feather: The Sekirei Guardian

Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2020

Kamikura Island, United States of Japan:

He ignored the sting of pain as best he could, only flinching slightly as the needle pierced his skin. It was fine, this was not the first time. The nurse paid him no mind, going about her work without comment or words of comfort. It was fine, this was not the first time. The lab was silent save for the soft tittering of the machine beside them; he watched absently as the dull-red coloring of his blood stained the previously pristine plastic tubing before disappearing within. Still, the nurse said nothing; she had not said a word since her arrival.

"What's this one for?" he asked when the silence became too much. He did not look at her, most were too unnerved by the unnatural shade of his eyes, so he missed the frantic glance she shot the door.

"Just some samples for test work," she answered at length, her tone and expression mild. She stepped away, pressing a few buttons on the nearby machine, but otherwise stood motionless.

"That's fine," he nodded back awkwardly, anxious and desperate to keep talking and avoid thinking about the tittering machine and the growing numbness around his arm. "Where's… Dr. Andou? Doesn't he usually handle all my adjustments?" He had never really liked Dr. Andou; the man was quick and efficient, yes, but was always making notes on every little thing in his book and tended to look at all the Sekirei like a fascinating new type of bug worthy of study.

"Dr. Andou has been assigned to another project," she replied evenly, her attention anywhere but on him.

"Then who will be talking over my—"

"I'm not at liberty to say," she interrupted flatly. He "hmmd" his acknowledgment, catching the implied order to be quiet, and spent the next few moments counting the titles on the ceiling – anything to keep his mind off the blood. He had only reached thirty-seven when the nearby machine let out a soft beep and began cycling briefly before shutting off completely. The nurse wasted no time in removing the aching needle, wrapping the small puncture wound, and tossing aside the used plastic hosing.

Her much smaller patient flexed his fingers experimentally a few times, wincing briefly at the stab of phantom pain from his arm, and was about the stand when—

The door slid open suddenly, jarring the otherwise silent room and causing both nurse and patient alike to flinch. Stepping inside was a tall, but lean figure obscured by the typical MBI lab coat, but what really caught his attention was the soft smile on the new entrant's face. He could not remember the last time he had seen anyone smile; besides the little birds, anyway. The nurse seemed to recognize him easily enough, stiffening up even further as she lifted up the small container of blood she held and saying, "Deputy Director… I was just finishing up with the morning tests."

"That's fine, Himeki-san. I know I'm a little early; please, take your time," he waved away her concerns calmly, before turning his full attention on the small boy still seated. "I wanted to make sure you were doing alright."

"Me? But I'm just—" A Sekirei, a research sample, a glorified lab rat, a...

"Homura, right? Your name is Homura?" The doctor smiled warmly down at him, apparently trying to do his best to reassure and console, and it was the most bizarre thing Homura had ever seen – an MBI doctor who seemed to actually care! "I suppose you haven't noticed me around yet? Well, officially as of this morning, I am now Deputy Director of Sekirei Adjustments. You can call me LL."

"W-what about Dr. Andou? I thought he was?"

"Dr. Andou has been assigned to another project," LL echoed the nurse's words exactly. Curious… "From now on, in addition to my other duties, I will be handling all your adjustments personally."

Homura blinked once, twice; dull-red eyes the color of dried blood meeting the even blues of LL's own, before nodding in greet. "It's nice to meet you, LL-san."

Seemingly pleased with the young Sekirei boy's words, LL took a seat across from him and it was only belatedly that Homura realized they were now completely alone – the nurse having already left at some point. In contrast to the nurse, however, LL's focus was solely reserved for the boy in-front of him. Homura found himself fidgeting slightly under that attention, worried he might have done something wrong already, and was about to apologize when LL finally spoke: "You have an interesting case file, Homura-san," he began, causing the boy to stiffen abruptly. "Dr. Andou described it as a 'fluctuating gender' – is that how you would describe it, too?"

Now it was Homura who could not bear looking at some-one, his eyes drifting towards the dormant machine in the corner. "Sometimes, when I wake up… my body has changed. Different parts, softer hair, smoother skin…" he recited blankly, without outward expression; it was fine, this was not the first time. "The other doctors all said it was a side effect of something, but I didn't really understand the technical parts."

"I can try explaining them to you again, if you'd like?" Homura shook his head negatively, so LL pressed on: "Homura-san… Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not much to talk about… Sekirei or human, I'm a freak."

"Now that answer I can't accept," LL said flatly. "There is still a lot we do not know about Sekirei physiology – your condition may be more common among your species, despite a lack of similar cases now." A shrug of indifference was Homura's only response, causing LL to frown thinly. "Homura-san, we have no control over the conditions of our birth. Allowing any one facet, or any one aspect, to define us as people is to diminish the whole."

Still, Homura said nothing, but his attention was once more rooted firmly on LL's face; judging and assessing, skeptical, but also hopeful. LL smiled once more, adding, "That is why I am only going to ask you this once: are you a boy or a girl, Homura-san?"

"I'm a boy," he answered immediately, small and gentle fists clenching even as dull-red eyes narrowed, challenging the man across from him to refute that claim.

"Then, Homura-kun,"—the boy's eyes widened minutely at the address—"Tell me about yourself, about something more than your gender. What are your hobbies?"

Momentarily dazed by the strange choice in topic, Homura blinked confusedly a few times before finally answering, "Reading. I like to read, I guess… mostly mythology stuff, like Izanami and Kagutsuchi."

"Fascinating subject matter. Do you prefer the version in the Nihonshoki or the Kojiki?"

"Oh! Ah… I guess it would have to be the Kojiki. It doesn't seem right for Izanami and Izanagi to get away from what they did and you have to remember…" and so he went, speaking with a passion and zeal for stories and legends capable only to children. Homura began to recite some of his favorite lines and passages, all approximations from his memories, and LL challenged each of his view-points with a pointed question he had previously not even considered. It was, for a time, the happiest and most engaged the little boy could remember being.

"What about you, LL-san?" asked Homura between gulps of breathe, his throat aching from talking for so long. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Chess, mostly," he answered freely. "But when I was younger I used to gamble, too. Not really the kind of hobby I can recommend." LL smiled mildly, adding, "Lately I have been too busy with work to enjoy a good match, though."

"You can always play with me!" Homura hurried to offer, before fidgeting slightly and adding nervously, "Although I don't really know how to play…"

"I can teach you next time we meet—"

"That would be great, LL-san!"

"—But in exchange, maybe you could help me with something. Unfortunately, it is work related." Almost immediately, the beaming smile on the young boy's face dimmed and he was reminded of where he was and why. Homura did not respond, not with words, so LL continued, "I can't promise it will be easy, but if we're successful it should make life much easier, not only for you but all the other Sekirei."

There was a long pause, one LL did not rush or seem annoyed with, and it left Homura time to consider. LL had been so nice to him, nicer than anyone else had ever been; if he said it was meant to help, then Sekirei No. 06 believed him. "Okay," he answered, voice quiet. "How can I help?"

LL smiled slightly, looking down on the boy with as much kindness and caring as he could, and asked:

"Tell me, Homura-kun, have you heard of the Second Five Program?"

Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033

Eastside Streets, Shinto Teito:

Instinctively, LL found himself taking a step back from the hardened flint-like eyes of the newest arrival. 'That can't be him,' his thoughts echoed in a vain attempt to deny the truth standing plainly before him. 'That can't be Homura.' Yet it was. Everything, from the silvery-grey hair and dull red of his eyes to the slim and androgynous slope of his features; they all pointed to only a single conclusion. If that were not enough, the ball of spitting flame cradled in his hand would have been.

Even the throbbing pain from LL's own scorched hand, now knitting itself back together thanks to the healing properties of his Code, screamed the truth. "Why?" he asked aloud, unable to comprehend how the nervous little boy so obsessed with books and stories could seem so angry, so hateful. "What happened, Homura-kun—?"

"Don't call me that!" he interrupted, eyes darkening behind a potentially literal fire from deep within. "You have no right to call me that! Not after everything you've done!"

"Very well, then," agreed LL calmly, posture straightening and eyes resting evenly on the darkly dressed man across from him. When he spoke, his words were cold and precise: "What happened, Sekirei No. 06, Homura-san?"

Homura's first reaction, of all things, was to flinch; the indifferent tone contrasting too greatly with the kind face that had helped him all those years ago. Then he remembered his anger and why. "You know exactly what happened," he answered, eyes narrowing in a glare as his fingers curled around a ball of flame. "After what you've done, you still have the nerve to show your face here…"

"If this is about my leaving, there were reasons I had to—" He got no further.

"You think this is just about me? About how you left us? You're wrong," It was only a partial lie, Homura thought; the pain of having been abandoned by the only person he could trust, by the only person who had seen him as normal, was nothing compared to the truth. But it did still drive him. "You were always a liar, a deceiver, but I at least thought you cared about us. Now I know the truth." All around him, fire began to erupt; the effect surrounding him in a shroud. "We Sekirei are nothing more than another game for you. Pieces to play with and throw away."

LL stood still; this moment mirroring so many others before it, from Zero's unmasking on Kamine Island to the betrayal of the Black Knights. Lelouch vi Britannia was a liar, a deceiver, a murderer; he forsook every oath, betrayed every friend, and used everyone around him like pieces on a Chess board called life, and he died with the hatred of the world on his shoulders. Compared to that, LL was just a shadow moving through the motions of a script already written and destined for a finale already decided.

"So you finally figured it out," LL's words were empty of feeling, but mocking in nature. His smile was sinister as he asked, "What gave me away?"

"No. 72 is dead," pronounced Homura harshly, a growl and curse all in one. "MBI recovered the body, but her mind was gone… not terminated; dead. You killed her."

Because Sekirei No. 72, Natsu's mind had been trapped in C's World when she died; her consciousness disconnected from her physical body. "Yes, I killed her," admitted LL plainly and without remorse, drily adding, "Why wouldn't I kill an enemy combatant?"

"You monster! She hadn't even been winged! Don't you care at all about the lives you've destroyed!?"

"Would that have made it any better?" asked LL, shrugging. "Would finding her Ashikabi have made her death any less tragic? Besides, why should it matter to you?" He gestured pointedly to the roweling flames wreathing the Sekirei's body, and added, "Judging by your powers, you still have not found your Ashikabi. Since No. 72 was also unemerged, you have no reason to confront me. I know you're not a member of the Disciplinary Squad."

"Because I've made it my mission to protect all the unwinged Sekirei in the city," he explained shortly. "And if I can't protect them… the least I can do is avenge them!" Sekirei were faster than humans; that was a fact. Even the ones not focused on their physical attributes, like No. 06, could still move faster than any ordinary human. That is why LL barely even saw the hand raise, or the fire roar, before he felt the heat, and it was only an instinctual flinch that had him bringing his hands up to shield his face.

Even then, he was still blown back by the sudden burst of fire and heat; his lean body knocked down to the ground even as he felt the flames burning away, first at the cloth of his jacket and then the flesh of his skin. Down on his back, eyes staring up without focus on the dusk sky above, LL gasped and wheezed as he felt the fire bite at him. Thankfully, the blow had not come from a gout of fire, but an explosive force that mostly seared away cloth and tissue.

Panting heavily, his mind briefly overcome by pain, he tried to force himself up only to feel the trembling of his arms. Looking down, he noticed the red and black flakes of burnt and charred flesh and muscle before hissing in pain and dropping down to his knees. Wearily, he looked up to meet the shocked eyes of Homura; it was obvious, for all his promises, he had never killed anyone before.

"You have to stop!" screamed Shi from behind them; the other Sekirei briefly forgotten amidst their reunion. "He… He's just a human! I-its forbidden for a Sekirei to harm an Ashikabi!"

Seemingly pulled from his shock, Homura was quick to answer, "He's not just human and he's more than just an Ashikabi. He's a Demon!" There was an emphasis placed on that word, a certainty in it, which made it more than just an insult or a curse. Homura said it like a name, but LL had never been the demon; that had been…

"I see," mused LL aloud, nodding absently and ignoring the pain of his arms. "So you know the truth…" It was the clearest answer and it explained Homura's rage; to one who knew the stories of the Demon Emperor, the sins of LL merely read as another in a long list. "But if you know the truth, why try to kill me?" He lifted his arms as explanation, revealing the scorched limbs that even now began to mend themselves, new flesh knitting together and replacing dead tissue; the true curse of a Code, the undying body.

"So it's true…" Homura seemed surprised and startled, like he had not quite truly believed everything he had been told. "You really are him, the Demon—"

"Stop saying that!" shouted Shi desperately, pulling both their attention. Her wide green eyes misting with unshed tears, she continued, "You keep saying he's a liar, you keep saying he's a demon, but he… But he saved me!" Shi still held her side in clear pain; the remnant of her earlier fight. She had been so scared, so worried about never finding her Ashikabi, and even after trying to fight it still had not been enough. She had been about to either die or be forced into a partnership she did not want. Then he…

"He wanted to kill you," stated Homura shortly, his voice softening as he tried to explain to her, "He uses the unwinged as bait to lure out enemy Ashikabi and their Sekirei, lets them fight it out, and comes in to finish off the victors. That's what he's been doing, that's what he did to No. 72… If I hadn't shown up, you'd probably already be dead."

"He saved me," she insisted, finding new resolve in the statement. She tried to stand tall, to make the older Sekirei listen, but she was naturally short in stature and her looks made her seem innocent and naïve. Yet… when she spoke, it was the voice of certainty and truth: "He didn't have to save me, he could've waited, but instead he chose to help. Maybe he might have killed me after, but I know he saved me!" She stood firm, despite her injuries and despite her weakness. "You call him a liar, you say he's a monster, a demon… B-but anyone who understands Zero-sama, who believes in the world, can't be all bad…"

LL blinked in muted shock, completely baffled by this girl's show of support for a man she barely knew. Suzaku, the Black Knights, Nunnally, even Kallen, all of them had turned their backs on him when they learned the truth; and he never blamed them, either. Lelouch had used them, manipulated their feelings and beliefs for his own gain, for vengeance against Britannia and for the sake of Nunnally's wish. They were right to turn against him when they learned the truth. But this girl… "Why?" he found himself asking when the girl, the Sekirei called Shi, moved to stand between LL and Homura.

Shi smiled; it was a weak, wane thing, all tiredness, but it held such kindness and understanding. "Because when death comes, you want to at least smile, right?" she repeated his words back to him; one life saved in-turn for another. At least, that was what LL told himself this was, because otherwise he would be forced to admit the truth; that the last time he saw kindness like this was Euphie.

Homura just stared, his resolve not shaken, but his hand remained idle. "He's just manipulating you!" he warned gravely, his tone begging her to listen. "He'll tell you what you want to hear, make you think he cares, before using you up and tossing you aside. Please, step away from him, Shi…"

"It's okay," answered Sekirei No. 40, Shi easily. "I don't mind. Because I know he can't be all bad… That's why, that's why…" She fixed resolute eyes of sparkling green on the black clothed Sekirei across from her, bladed arms raised in defiance as she declared earnestly: "That's why… he mustn't die!"

Homura looked on pensively; his expression a war between frustration to explain his point and pity for the girl refusing to understand it. Meanwhile, LL watched her with a familiar kind of reminisce as he remembered the green haired witch who had said much the same thing once and proceeded to change his life. They were both frozen, each for their own reasons, but she proved much more motivated.

Shi charged ahead, weapons ready, even as flames surrounded her.

Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033

Eastside Fountain Plaza, Shinto Teito:

Every shift in the air, every grunt of effort, or every exclamation of pain set Jeremiah Gottwald on edge; his feet rooted in place and his expression like stone, except for the grit of his teeth and the ever-changing direction of his gaze as he bore witness to a battle between two Sekirei.

All those years ago in the Kyoto throne room, he thought he understood the implications of Hiroto Minaka's words; about the existence of other-worldly beings with unimaginable powers. In honesty, the premise was simple enough compared to the mystical power of Geass. Yet… There had always been something more to Sekirei. Geass had always been exceptional – a power completely removed from ordinary men, granted by immortals, and aptly called the Power of Kings. There was a sense of nobility to it, of class and distinction, which always felt right to the ever loyal knight and margrave of Britannia.

Why should a king not possess such mystical powers? Is it not proper for such a person to rule over others? To wield some kind of godly power; to be as close to a divinely anointed king as is possible to be? If Geass was the Power of the Kings, it only made sense. But what, then, are Sekirei? Even as a child, Lady Karasuba had knocked him aside with barely a thought; him, Jeremiah Gottwald, the cybernetically enhanced Knight of Orange. What about the lightning twins, with their conjured powers? What about Miss Yashima, who could lift her massive weapon with no sign of strain? What of that power?

If having Geass made you a king, what did being Sekirei mean? From where he stood, watching the fierce melee between such beings, Jeremiah was not sure. Sekirei No. 84, Yashima moved with a swiftness and ease few could match, leaping and evading the veritable waves of black silk ribbons that threatened to impede her. Her opponent, the appropriately titled Ribbon Sekirei, Kujou, displayed no emotion other than pure joy as she leapt backwards to narrowly escape Yashima's hastily thrown jab and instead built another wall of ribbons between them.

But it did not even slow her down. Even without her main weapon, Yashima proved herself a capable warrior as she charged through the makeshift defense with a grunt of effort and a well-placed fist – all her thoughts and efforts focused on recovering her stolen weapon. Against such an assault, the web of enforced silk crumbled immediately, but Kujou only smiled broadly in response as the ribbons encircled her foe. Yashima, realizing her position, moved to escape the trap, but not quite in-time as the deceptively sharp ribbons seemingly only grazed her pale cheek.

From Jeremiah's position to the side, the motion of the ribbons looked no more than a gentle caress, but Yashima's gasp of pain and the streak of blood across her cheek said otherwise.

"Don't underestimate my babies~!" warned Kujou, needlessly; flailing around behind her in a simile of a dance, her ribbons swayed like hissing vipers, especially the ones coiled around Yashima's captured hammer. "I'm the famed Ribbon Sekirei! None can escape fate's string, Yashi-chan!" Her opponent did not answer, merely wiping away the smear of blood with the back of her hand before resuming her fighting stance – grey eyes sharpening with determination. Kujou, it seemed, was delighted, adding, "You have such strong bonds! I can feel it! I can see it~!" Her blue eyes seemed to shimmer. "Fate! Love~! The undisguised passion of a girl fighting for her one, truest, most special love!"

Kujou seemed caught between ecstasy and rapture, her entire being seemingly alive and joyous. Jeremiah Gottwald, meanwhile, fought to maintain his stoic knightly calm; his face struggling to either blanch in absolute confusion, or surrender to the reddening flush creeping up his neck. Yashima, though—

"I fight for my Ashikabi…" intoned Yahsima solemnly, more like a vow than a simple statement. "I fight for Jere-sama… My love that gives me strength."

Kujou smiled easily, warmly; she crossed her arms beneath her generous bust and nodded sagely, saying, "Sekirei are love! Our strength, our passion, our mission in life! Everything! All love~!" Gesturing broadly, she extended her arms wide. "Sekirei are love, pure and simple! Love for this world, love for our sisters, love for our Ashikabi! I had almost forgotten that." She smiled, but for the first time it took on the hint of something like regret. "Thank you, Yashi-chan, for showing me there is still love in this world!"

"Not me," denied Yashima, shaking her head. "Jere-sama, he showed me…"

'Me?' Jeremiah thought hopelessly, utterly confused. 'But I haven't—'

"Then I'll have to thank him, too~!" cheered Kujou happily, turning to the gaping Ashikabi and waving happily. "Thank you, Ashikabi-san! Thanks for taking such good care of Yashi-chan!"

This time he actually had a response. Standing stiffly, the former margrave and current Knight of Orange stood with his typical poise, saying, "Miss Yashima deserves all your praise. I am merely a knight." That is all he has ever been, in one form or another; from his boyhood dreams to his current day realities: Jeremiah Gottwald is a chivalrous knight, or at least he strives to be. "I cannot claim any expertise on the matter of love."

The Ribbon Sekirei smiled mysteriously, her lips quirking in a fond sort of expression, before she replied, "You have passion! An untapped well of love just waiting to burst!" Turning quickly towards Sekirei No. 84, Kujou struck a dramatic pose, both thumbs extended as her hair fluttered in the wind, and said, "Good job, Yashi-chan! You got a strong Ashikabi!" Sighing happily, she continued, "But this just won't do at all! I can't fight you like this! To do battle, but ignore the most important element!"

She paused briefly, her chin held between soft fingers, before suddenly snapping in realization. "I've got it~!" she chirped cheerfully; she nodded easily, happy with her astute reasoning. Then, pointing towards her opponent, she challenged, "Sekirei No. 84, Yashi-chan! Show me the strength of your bonds! Do not hold back, do not relent! I, the famed Ribbon Sekirei, Kujou, will bear witness!"

"You sure?" asked Yashima calmly, a hint of red dusting her cheeks.

"Yes, yes, Yashi-chan~!" Kujou seemed to practically bounce in place, her face all wide smiles. "I will not accept anything less!"

"…I'll need my hammer."

"—Your hammer?" questioned Kujou blankly, confused. Then, like a sudden light appeared above her head, she said, "Oh, that! Why, of course~! My, my, Yashi-chan, to accuse me of ever fighting somebody while I was still holding their weapon! Naughty, naughty, Yashi-chan~!" Even as she spoke, conveniently ignoring the preceding skirmish, a bundle of silk ribbons deposited Yashima's over-sized hammer on the ground, which Yashima reclaimed with ease.

Expecting the battle to resume shortly thereafter, Jeremiah Gottwald was confused when he suddenly found himself facing the undivided attention of his Sekirei. "Miss Yashima…" he began hesitantly, not sure what was going to happen.

"Jere-sama," started the girl before him, her voice even despite the deep blush spreading across her cheeks. "I'm your Sekirei, I fight for you, but…"

"But, Miss Yashima?" Jeremiah asked, his voice oddly faint.

"—But we also fight together, Jere-sama…" Much like before and for much of the same reasons, Jeremiah then found himself utterly still and completely unprepared for how the much shorter Yashima practically pulled herself up the difference in their respective heights. Yet… By the time her lips met his own, Jeremiah did not hesitate to return the gesture, and without worrying about his lord's approval or his oaths of knighthood, he was finally able to see them…

The burst from Yashima's back the moment their lips touched; dancing and shimmering streaks azure light that glittered like glass and glowed like fire. They seemed to extend well beyond his sight, but he knew that was only because he could not bare to look away from Yashima's face any longer. She was smiling, happily and wholly, in a way completely unlike any other smile he had ever seen before. "M-miss Yashima…" he tried to speak, to tell her how thankful he was, but the words would not come. Not least because he did not know what it was he wanted to thank her for. Instead, he just said, "Miss Yashima… they're beautiful."

"They're yours, Jere-sama," she answered plainly, but the way her eyes misted told him she was happy.

"It's love~! Pure and perfect love!" cried Kujou joyously, her entire face alight with happiness as she watched the wings extend, as she watched the pair embrace. "I knew I saw your string, I knew I felt your passion, but to see it… So, so pure and bright! It's love~! The ultimate expression of a Sekirei's love; their Norito~!"

"Norito…?" Jeremiah found himself asking aloud, his thoughts straying to his liege's explanation. The Sekirei were an existence stronger than any ordinary human, and MBI had feared the fullest expression of that power. They had sealed it away behind a prayer, or chant, only accessible by a Sekirei's Ashikabi. They had called it Norito. "Then that means…!"

Yashima pulled away from his embrace and stepped towards her opponent at a measured pace, her massive weapon held easily at her side. "The hammer of my pledge!" she practically whispered, but none had trouble hearing the words. "Shatter the enemy of my Ashikabi!" There was no explosion of energy, no sudden out-pour of power. Instead, Yashima was wreathed in a glow of blue crystalline aura that shimmered like glass, but flickered like flames; like the power of her wings had been turned inward.

"It's beautiful…" Jeremiah found himself admitting, lone eye tracing the glow as it outlined first her face, than her frame, before finally encircling her hammer.

"Alright…" began Yahsima evenly, the faint tint of red on her cheeks contrasting with the focused edge of her gaze. "Sekirei No. 84, Yashima is ready! Fight me!"

Across from her, Kujou had gone deathly still; it was not fear that froze her, it was not regret, and it was not sadness. Kujou's eyes blinked once, twice, and with each flutter of her lashes the misting of her deep blue orbs spread. "It's gorgeous, Yashi-chan!" she practically wept, her hand rising to wipe a single escaping tear. "It's magnificent. As the Ribbon Sekirei, I'm proud… You have such a beautiful bond…" All around her, the black silk ribbons of her power danced and swayed in joy and harmony to a tune none could hear, but they reflected the building happiness she felt. When Kujou finally brushed away the last of her tears, she nodded easily, saying, "I'm ready, Yashi-chan… Let this be our final battle!"

Yashima stilled momentarily, shining grey eyes meeting misty blue, but neither said anything more. She twirled her massive weapon with a strength and level of dexterity surpassing anything previously, and when she broke off into a sudden sprint it was with a speed never before shown. Within only a few paces, she closed the distance. A veritable wall of silk and ribbons tried to block her path, but Sekirei No. 84 merely lifted her instrument overhead and declared: "Gravity Hammer!"

When it fell there was nothing to slow its progress. Bundles of ribbons, each tightly bound and each capable of ending a life, surrendered to the immense pressure. Beneath them, formerly protected by them, Kujou smiled as she felt the air around her thicken, felt her precious ribbons collapse under the weight of the blow, and felt her body follow soon after. By the time Yashima finally arrested her momentum, her massive hammer hovered over the downed Sekirei, mere inches away from crushing her outright, but there was no need. All around them, like scattered petals, was the broken and twisted remains of black ribbons.

Kujou took in a shuttering breathe even as she felt the pain it brought to her lungs, but she still managed to smile brightly. "You did it, Yashi-chan…" she admitted easily, without bitterness or malice. "You won… Your string is so strong…"

Yashima, her azure aura subsiding, knelt at the fallen girl's side. With the same hand that lifted her weapon, she took the other Sekirei's limp hand into her own. "You, too… Kujou-san…"

She smiled warmly, but shook her head. "No, not me…" she denied. "My bonds are weak. I never had a chance…"

"No chance?" wondered Jeremiah as he approached, his lone eye surveying the damage inflicted with sympathy; the sheer pressure behind Miss Yashima's attack alone appeared enough to practically destroy even a Sekirei's enhanced body. When his eye finally met hers, he asked, "Did you have no intention of winning, Miss Kujou?"

"I never found my string, but I have my Ashikabi…" she began weakly, her smile dimming slightly. "I thought I would never see a true bond, but Yashi-chan…" Yashima squeezed her hand gently, the show of support and affection, even between enemies, a testament to her character. "I could feel Yashi-chan's love… Thank you, Yashi-chan, Ashikabi-san, for showing me… For showing me…" Kujou tried to speak, to finish her last thought, but with a startling gasp of pain she fell back motionless; simultaneously, her fingers vainly clutching at Yashima's went limp and the Sekirei crest on her back faded.

Sekirei No. 100, Kujou of the Ribbon, had been defeated.

Yashima cried openly; not only could she feel the other girl's pain, this was the first of her sister Sekirei she had ever seen defeated. Even when Jeremiah knelt down next to her and placed a comforting arm around her shoulder, even when she threw herself into his accepting arms, the tears did not stop. Jeremiah held her, trying his best to comfort the crying girl despite his meager abilities, and realized what being a Sekirei truly meant.

Most startling of all, he realized what being an Ashikabi must mean, too.

Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033

Roof-Tops, Eastside Streets, Shinto Teito:

Sai trembled, a shake and shudder of pain rippling across her every nerve. Each gulp of breath seemed to tear at her throat and each exhalation emitted a billowy fog that blinded her. Everything, from her bones to her skin to the ground around her, seemed to be covered in ice and frost… She raked her numb fingers across the blocky ground, trying to test the feel of the sparkling ice beneath them, before finally gritting her teeth and slamming her fist down. Hard.

"Damn it!" she screamed in pain and frustration as a veritable spider-web of cracks broke across the splintering ice, repeating both the word and gesture in tandem: "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!" When the sheet of ice beneath her finally shattered apart, she hissed in pain as her torn and shredded other arm was freed. Despite the sting of chilled air on exposed flesh, Sai fell back in relief, cradling her mangled limb to her chest. She would have laughed in relief or screamed in rage, but the thick and heavy atmosphere of cold almost seemed to choke such efforts from her.

"Damn it…" she hissed again instead, voice too low to really be heard by anyone. "Why… won't you just die…?"

Behind and just barely visible in her periphery, the Scrapped Number had fallen to her knees; her white clothes and pale complexion seemingly at peace within the flurry of ice and cold swirling around her and contrasting heavily with the trail of red that had been cut from her left shoulder down seemingly as far as her lower back. Akitsu did not scream or rage, in fact her face still seemed deathly still, but a soft panting noise did escape her lips along with puff of chilled breathe. She lifted thin fingers to lightly brush against the still bleeding wound only to gasp sharply and pull away with a grimace of pain.

Seconds later, her dim grey eyes focused as she waved her eerily still hand over the wound; instantly, the entire length of the dripping red gash was covered in a strip of ice. Akitsu flinched at its sudden appearance along her body, but made no other reaction.

"You're… you're a monster…" gasped Sekirei No. 31, Sai, upon seeing the improvised bandage. She struggled to stand, but could reach no higher than her knees, yet still she hissed, "A monster. A freak of nature…"

Akitsu did not reply, not immediately. She braced herself against seemingly nothing, but the swirl of ice around her appeared to accelerate and that apparently gave her either the strength or confidence enough to pick herself up on one trembling leg, then two, until eventually she stood fully erect. Her footing still seemed uneven and her torn kimono appeared to sag, but she stood tall and proud in a cold flurry of her own creation.

"I hate you…" spat Sai angrily, her entire body a mix of pain and rage at the sight. "Why are you even here!? You're just a broken piece of—"

"B-because…" began the Scrapped Number roughly, her voice strained and her eyes shifting meekly to find Sai. "Because my Ashikabi-sama ordered me to be." She answered simply, like the question needed no further consideration and was perfectly obvious, besides.

Sai gritted her teeth in a repressed snarl, furious that it was an answer she could understand and sympathize with, and said back bitterly, "You don't have one, Scrapped Number…"

"No, I don't," she agreed simply, eyes heavy with sorrow. "I'm broken, I can't be winged. But he is my master. That is enough because he said it would be."

"Ohhh, I hate you…" Sai repeated, but there was no bite or rage this time. She held her ruined arm in resignation, knowing there was nothing she could do to stop the Scrapped Number now. She did not even know where her weapons were; likely buried under some chunk of ice like her arm had been. "Just kill me and get it over with…" she eventually said, closing her eyes and trying to not only block the face of her killer away, but trying to desperately imagine the face of her Ashikabi, Izumi Higa-sama. That was her only regret – that she could not see him at least one more time; then she could apologize for being so weak.

Akitsu did not speak, either out of respect for Sai's moment of silence or for any other reason even she could not say, and lifted her hand. She could not use a Norito, could not dissolve Sai's Sekirei crest, so force would have to do. The flurry of ice surrounding them obeyed her direction and call, and when Akitsu gestured lightly towards the kneeling Sai it answered in a howl of icy wind. Sai did not open her eyes to see it come and tried her best to ignore the deafening roar around her, but still felt herself flinch at the rush of cold air that came her way… but without any ice.

When death or determination failed to claim her, she crept one eye open hesitantly and promptly gasped in surprise. "No. 86?" she wondered aloud, blinking in confusion as the yellow and black jump-suit wearing Sekirei, Katsuragi, stood between Sai and the Scrapped Number almost protectively. The lithe girl was gasping in pain and it was only then that Sai noticed the myriad of cuts and tears across her body. She had jumped in-front of the attack! "What are you doing, you idiot!?" screamed Sai frantically, a sense of relief and worry building. "You're supposed to be with— Oh, never mind that! Get out of here, stupid!"

"Need… to help," replied Katsuragi in her normally chirpy sounding voice. "Where's… No. 85?"

At the reminder, Sai scowled, sending a furious glare towards a blankly staring Akitsu. "That bitch terminated her!"

"I see…" she sighed sadly, nodding her head shortly.

"Listen, No. 86, we can't beat that monster,"—she gestured towards Akitsu with her thumb.—"Unless we fight on a team and I can't fight. Get out of here. Save yourself."

Katsuragi and Akitsu both turned to her; the former in worry, the latter with bored eyes. "You sure?" asked Katsuragi simply.

Swallowing deeply, Sai nodded. This was all for Higa-sama; better he not lose No. 86, too. "Yeah, I'm sure…"

"Okay…" agreed No. 86 before turning in place and moving to lift Sai from the ground; as a physical fighting-type, Katsuragi was deceptively strong despite her lithe body.

"W-what are you doing!?" exclaimed an indignant Sai.

"Can't fight on my own, can't leave you… Gotta escape together," Katsuragi answered simply, eyes blank but tone cheery. To Akitsu, she added, "Gonna follow?"

The Scrapped Number paused briefly, as if considering the matter, before finally replying, "Ah… No. My master told me to fight. This wouldn't be a fight."

Even as Sai began mutter curses and expletives – "What do you mean, it 'wouldn't be a fight'!?" she screamed – Katsuragi only nodded shortly before leaping away from the battered roof-top, the angered screams from her ally trailing behind her.

Akitsu watched them go without expression. Standing there alone, body bruised and her back torn, she released a weary sigh… LL-sama had only told her to fight, to defend herself, to win, and she had done that. Without any further consideration, without worry or fear of disappointing her master, she turned in place and prepared to return to LL-sama's side... only for her eyes to widen at the pillar of fire that extended upwards, past the roof-tops and into the sky. This power was… "Homura-san!" muttered Akitsu faintly, her mind scrambling to explain the sudden flames and the sinking feeling in her gut telling her to move.

Without delay, she leapt over the side of the building. Only one destination in mind: her master.

Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033

Eastside Streets, Shinto Teito:

LL watched the desperate fight with keen eyes and a worried frown across his lips. Sekirei No. 40, Shi, was clearly a weapon-type fighter and wielded her two arm-blades with the kind of casual second natured experience he knew to expect from Sekirei. She seemed to rely heavily on her own strength and dexterity to carry her through any battle, and despite her timid appearance and demeanor, she fought ferociously.

Homura leapt back to avoid the next in a long series of slashes and lunges, the Flame Sekirei constantly being pushed back by Shi's frantic assault. There was no frame of reference, no destroyed surroundings or torn out gashes in the ground, but LL knew enough about Sekirei to guess there must have been enough force behind each blow to split an ordinary person in two. Homura must have realized much the same because he had not let a single blow connect thus far, preferring to give ground and evade.

By all appearances, the battle seemed clear: Shi was driving back her opponent, and Homura was doing little more than dodging. LL knew better. Not only was Shi matched against a Single Number, but Homura had been deadly with his flames even as a child – now, with time and more experience, LL had no doubt he was even better. Yet no such flames appeared, which meant Homura was not really trying. If that was not enough, Shi had also been wounded in her previous battle against Higa's Sekirei, and the strain of fighting in such a state was clearly showing on her face.

Homura had noticed it, too. "You shouldn't be fighting in your condition!" he called out, stepping to the side of another swing, and still tried to reason with her. "You'll only make it worse!"

"I don't care!" panted Shi in retort, smothering a grimace of pain as she lunged for him again. "I won't stop, not until you give up…"

"Why? Why would you defend a man like that!? He came here to kill you! He's already killed so many, human and Sekirei alike! And if I don't stop him here, he'll keep on doing it, too!"

"I… I… can't let you…" She struggled for the words to describe it; to explain the feeling and thoughts drifting around her head. Eventually, she settled on: "Because I know he's a good person."

"How? How could you know that!?" asked two voices – Homura and LL, one angry, the other confused. Both unbelieving.

"Because I know he saved me," she repeated from earlier, and despite her wounds and despite her current situation, she still smiled weakly and added, "Because I know… my Ashikabi could never be that heartless!" There was no mistaking the blush that sprouted across her cheeks, or the struggled panting that took on new meaning; both clear signs of a Sekirei reacting. Her confession stilled both her listeners.

LL felt a lump form in his chest at her words. At first, he tried denial: surely he must have misheard or misunderstood? When that did not change anything, he skipped straight to bargaining: maybe he could find her a different, better Ashikabi? No, wait... Why does this change anything? He had come here to lure out Higa's Sekirei and eliminate an unemerged. So she was reacting to him, but what did that change? He could not have a girl like Shi - a girl who thought like Euphie, a part of him added - around him; it would only endanger her... But had he not planned to eliminate her already?

While LL's mind cycled through a dozen different thoughts and scenarios; of running away, or killing her, or accepting her; he was stricken blind and deaf to the world around him. Homura, the self-proclaimed Sekirei Guardian, was in much the same position.

The Flame Sekirei felt himself still in utter shock at the younger girl's admission. LL was her Ashikabi? What kind of cruel fate was that? To be tied to a monster, a Demon, who cared for nothing and no-one and would just use her up before casting her aside? It makes sense a beast like No. 04 would react to such a man, but Shi - who by all appearances was a innocent and gentle girl?

It did not make any sense and forced the Sekirei Guardian's thoughts to a standstill. He could not let her wing herself on such a man - LL would destroy her! But he equally could not bring himself to terminate her now - it would go against everything he believed, everything he swore of himself. What would the Sekirei Guardian be if he killed an unwinged Sekirei?

Homura did not know and it was in that clouded state of mind he missed the oncoming blade.

Nothing about her declaration seemed strange to her. For Sekirei No. 40, Shi, it was as simple as breathing, or as simple as stating an absolute fact. The sky was blue, the planet round, and this man - called LL and nothing else, apparently - was her Ashikabi. Whatever he had done in the past, she could forgive. If he had done it, there must have been a reason. She firmly believed that because her Ashikabi could not be a bad person. Not because she was raised to think that way by MBI, or because she wholly believed in the idea of a Sekirei's reaction. Shi believed in this feeling that welled up deep inside her because it felt right, it felt comforting, and because it was telling her what her mind already knew from experience.

LL was a good person, even if he did not smile as much as Shi would like. Even if his face seemed so tired, or his eyes so guarded, Shi absolutely believed he was her Ashikabi. Because he saved her, because he believed in Zero-sama, and because this feeling - of right and love and wholeness - could not possible be wrong.

Shi believed this and struck out against the one who said otherwise, and amidst his own shock, Homura did not notice the blade until he felt the bite of its tip and the pain it brought. Still, he was a Single Number and had more experience than most; when the blade stabbed him in his side, he turned instinctively to avoid a fatal blow and sent the sharp edge ghosting across his side.

Homura, pulled harshly from his thoughts, reacted first; he brought a hand up and let loose a gout of flames strong enough to reduce an ordinary man to ash. But Shi was Sekirei and caught the flames on the edge of her blades. The angry, hissing fire caught on her tattered shrine maiden's outfit and burnt it away in patches while the force of the flames themselves pushed her back and away.

For his part, Homura's eyes widened in surprise; his mind working through the pain even as one hand clenched around his bleeding side, he watched as Shi was tossed away by the force of the burst and thrown back... into LL's arms.

LL had not been trying to catch her, not really... His Code had only just repaired the damage from Homura's earlier attack and LL had been planning to run away; maybe regroup with Akitsu or Jeremiah and come up with a plan of attack. But just as he was about to retreat, he felt a pressure in the back of his mind; like an urge to turn and see. But when he did...

Shi was smaller than most Sekirei; not quite child-like, but not quite womanly either. She did not weigh much, aside from her arm-mounted metal weapons, and LL managed to catch her easily in his arms. That said, while she did not weigh much on her own, she was being thrown back by the force of a minor explosion. Even if he were more physically capable, the force would still have been enough to topple them over and onto the ground.

So, Shi crashed into LL's arms and the two wound up sprawled across the hard stone ground together; the unwinged Sekirei pinned against the immortal Ashikabi. LL had smashed his head against the ground and was momentarily disoriented, but Shi had no such handicap. She was only briefly confused by the sudden change in view and direction, but all such thoughts of battle and position were forgotten the moment she looked down.

'LL-san is beautiful,' Shi thought distractedly even as her heart pounded and her face flushed. Absently, her small fists tightened in the fabrics of his clothes and her legs moved to straddle him. She looked down, mesmerized; her hazy green eyes tracing every curve of bone and smooth flesh, admiring its form and fantasizing about the softness of his hair. Then she remembered she could reach out to him and LL's pained groans quieted immediately as a soft hand brushed away at raven black locks before resting comfortably on his cheek.

"Who... are you?" LL asked for reasons he could not understand; his dazed mind recalling Euphie's gentleness and even his own mother's calming hand upon his cheek. It was a feeling lost and forgotten to him; one stretching back years and decades; before the Requiem, before Zero, before Japan... When everything had seemed so simple and peaceful even when it was anything but.

"M-my name's Shi..." she answered hesitantly, eyes darting between his frantically; a fear of rejection clear on her face even as it reddened further. "Will you... will you be my Ashikabi?"

She did not wait for an answer; her timid words and expression a bright contrast to her actions as she leaned down towards him and her eyes focused in on his lips. She felt hot and warm and nearly whole; he felt dazed, confused, and pulled himself up to meet her even as his more thinking mind screamed "No, don't let her," and his mouth moved to say, "Stop..." before being smothered.

Shi kissed with a kind of hesitant gentleness, but pushed herself inwards and deeper. LL's hand moved to catch her face reflexively and merely held her still. Neither moved further and just remained frozen in place. Distantly, LL could hear and feel the emergence of her wings, but he found himself hypnotized by her eyes. They were green like Suzaku's, but lacked the harshness he had last seen there; they were gentle like Euphie's, but lacked the betrayal he had last seen there...

It was painful, it was comforting, and he thought he felt tears rolling down his face, but that most have been the wind. Instead, he focused on the girl clinging to him even as she finally pulled away. "I'm not very strong, or very smart..." she began disparagingly, even as she smiled. "I'm not that fast either, but please, please let me fight for you. I-I don't think I'll be much help, but please, let me fight. For you... Let me be with you, forever and ever."

"S-sure..." he answered awkwardly, unable to deny her heartfelt request. He smiled slightly, genuinely, as she beamed down happily at him. "You can stay, Shi... and we can-"

Then he felt heat... Pulling his attention away from the joyous Sekirei atop him, LL turned to see anything but...

Homura had looked stricken, his face pulled between a snarl and scowl, and his arms and legs trembled with rage. All around him twirled variable streamers of flame, each twisting and snapping around like violent whips, the echo crackle of fire like snaps. His silver hair was curtained by fire even as his clothes began to combust.

"Damn you, LL..." he seethed angrily, the flames converging around him and surrounding the Flame Sekirei with his own power. But he was no safe; clearly shown with his flesh began to blacken amidst the heat. "You wound do this, even this... You would twist everything around you into hate and hopelessness... I hate you, LL! I hate you!"

"Homura-kun, stop!" he tried to reason, calling out to him. "If you don't, the fire will-"

"Don't pretend you care! Don't pretend any of this has meaning to you! I'm just another enemy to you, just another failed experiment..."

"No, you're not!" screamed LL, his voice being strangled out by the rising heat and spreading black smoke. "I tried to help you, Homura! I'm still trying. You can't lose control now!"

"Quit pretending you care!" Homura growled, his hand flying up to burn away everything before him and the flames answered his call. Like a serpent of flame, the fire came together and charged towards the struggling to stand Ashikabi.

"LL-san!" cried Shi frantically, grabbing a-hold of his waist and trying to pull him away. As it turned out, that was unnecessary when a wall of ice several inches thick appeared between them; the flame slamming into its opposing element of ice and winning, but not fast enough. Another slab of ice came down, and then another, until the charging serpent was stilled.

"This... this power... Akitsu!" said Homura and LL simultaneously, each looking up to see the Scrapped Number jump down from a nearby roof-top to stand between them. She dropped down gracefully despite her obvious injuries, her kimono hanging in pieces even as she bowed, saying, "LL-sama... I've returned."

"You have... thank you, Akitsu-chan," he answered absently, his eyes scanning the torn clothing and deep wound going along her front.

"Akitsu..." breathed Homura roughly, his flames pulling back and seeming to recoil at her presence. "So, you would even side him, even after everything he has done?"

"Yes, brother," answered Akitsu shortly, turning to face him. Despite her typically bland tone, her eyes spoke of happiness at seeing this particular Sekirei again. "LL-sama is my Ashikabi, my master. That hasn't changed."

"Even after what he did? Even after leaving us! Even after hurting so many...?"

"He is my master, brother," she repeated, her trembling hand raising. "I will protect him."

"Even this..." he tried to speak, he anger turning after his thoughts in half-swallowed cursed. "You would do even this, Demon! Make me fight my own sister!?" He brought a hand up and another burst of fire shot forth still aimed at LL. But another block of ice caught it. "Damn it! Damn you, LL! You bastard!"

"I can't change what I've already done, Homura-san," started LL solemnly. "If this is another sin I must bare-"

"Oh, don't waste your time! It's easy to talk about sins and guilt, but it's a lot harder to make up for it! All you do is run away and-" The fire surged around him, briefly blocking him from view. When it came down again, Homura's expression was pained and struggling; the raging man having fallen to one knee. "Not yet, damn it! Do you hear me, stupid body? Not yet! I can't die yet!"

To LL, he scowled darkly, adding, "You live for today, Demon! There are still Sekirei I need to protect and I won't die until their safe! But when they are, I swear! I will find a way to end you, immortal body or not!

"And you two," he looked to Akitsu and Shi. "Get away from him before he hurts you, too! He can't be trusted!"

Without another word spoken by anyone, Ashikabi, Sekirei, and Scrapped Number all watched as the enraged Sekirei male leapt up on the nearby roof-top and sprinted away. The wreath of flames around him like a beacon in the falling night...

Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033

Teito Tower, Shinto Teito:

Meanwhile, at the center of Shinto Teito and atop of MBI's global headquarters, Sekirei No. 04, Karasuba watched the streak of fire with an amused sort of detachment. This Sekirei Plan was really beginning to liven up it seems. All thanks to her Emperor and the fun he was sure to bring, she thought contently. In truth, she was beginning to grow bored. This early into the Sekirei Plan, there have not been any serious escape attempts, but MBI had kept her just busy enough on patrols she did not always have time to stop by and check on her Ashikabi-chan's progress.

Personally, Karasuba hoped he was running in problems. The worse his situation, the more likely he was to have need of her services and killing for her Emperor sounded so much more interesting than patrol duty for MBI. At least tonight he had been thoughful enough to give her some fireworks to entertain her. However, even as distracted by the aftermath of such an encounter and as absorbed as she was in her musings, she still did not miss the soft tapping of approaching foot-steps.

"Natsuo..." she recognized easily, not even turning to look at the nominal leader of the Disciplinary Squad. "What do you want?"

"I just got some interesting information I thought you might like to know," he began conversationally, coming to stand a respectable distance away from her. "It seems, in that last battle, one Sekirei was eliminated, but one was also winged."

"Oh, so Higa got lucky after-all..." Karasuba mused, smirking at the thought. More Sekirei meant Higa was more of a threat and that broken toy would never be enough...

"Not quite," he pressed on, smiling slightly even as his eyes flashed mischievously. "It seems LL-san has triggered the emergence of another Sekirei and-"

He said nothing more. After all, what would be the point? He was already alone.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Notes: A lot happened in this chapter, so hopefully you can see why some of it took so long. There is a lot of allusion to past history that has not been shown yet, but hopefully there has been enough you still got the gist of what is going on and why. Fights are my weakest point, but there were pretty light fare compared to last chapter.

This one really shines for its chapter moments, though! Like Jeremiah coming to term with the Sekirei/Ashikabi dynamic, Homura working through some issues and failing, and LL finally gets his second (third, counting Akitsu) Sekirei! Hopefully you liked what you saw and hopefully you want to see more and hopefully it will not take another year...

Anyway, I try not to explain references in author notes, but one this chapter was pretty involved, so here:

- The Nihonshoki and the Kojiki: mentioned in the scene with young Homura talking to LL, these are both real world documents. They are ancient Japanese texts meant to record ancient Japanese history, but they were written with myths and legends to fill in the gaps left unknown at the time. Much of Sekirei is actually based on these stories and much of its terminology comes from there; Maison Izumo and Homura, especially. It is also directly referenced by Homura in both anime and manga. Just thought I would add this explanation here for people unfamiliar.

Now, that is all for now! Make sure to leave me a review if you have any thoughts, questions, or whatever! I am going to start trying to reply directly to everyone from now on!