Sekirei - The Beauty of Truth - IC - Reboot

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VanceXentan

VanceXentan

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The day before....
It is the year 2013 and it is the last day of August in the city of Tokyo, Japan. It is a cold summer night as the head of the Hyper Medical and Technical advancement incorporated, more commonly known as HMTAI, stares out over the city by himself his white business suit and blue tie flowing with the cold summer's air. He had just got done making sure his plan to...reallocate the city itself as a perquisite for his plan. Of course he couldn't keep what was going on in this city private forever but he intended on making his little game last for as long as he could. Well at least everything was somewhat going along as he was actually gaining majority control of the city from the government rather quickly. Well then it had been quite some time, what now past at least twenty years since he found the sekirei he had so meticulously groomed for this specific little event and it had been at least two...three weeks maybe since he had let them all loose?

Things were going much better for Magoichi Hanabi in that area than the others as there were already multiple heads in certain areas as it seemed certain sekirei had been matched up with the perfect ashikabi just as planned. The man had spent so many years making this company that he fancied the title 'The King' for himself amongst others and had even gone as far as to start thinking up names for major players in his plan as they appeared. So far he supposed no one truly deserved the nicknames he gave them minus the Northern and Western ashkabi who've both been very active in the hunt for more of the wingless girls. The man smiled as he looked up towards the pitch black sky as he chuckled to himself, "All things will come eventually I suppose after all it's only been two weeks and I can't expect ALL my little children to go and do amazing things just yet. They've been cooped up for so long with those blasted scientists and what not I don't think they are use to this cultural shock just yet. Well I'm sure they'll get along after all what else could I offer to them? I have taken care of them all for most of their lives if they can't take care of themselves now they should FIND their true love in this blasted city already" Magoichi said with disdain as he kicked the nearby railing that kept people from falling off onto the city from their tall tower.

He wondered how many people in this city had become aware of his little game. Not that anyone could stop it really. The King smiled as he wondered what kind of various wonders and events awaited him! It was almost to exciting to imagine! Then of course as he started to hit his stride about thinking of the wonderment of the world he was about to make when the elevator opened up behind him and he didn't need to turn around as he figured he already knew who would be coming out. "You know I'm quite frankly getting sick of covering for you Hanabi. This whole ordeal is becoming more and more dangerous and I need the CEO of this company to do his job." David Summerset said frustrated but not angry exactly as the two had gone beyond hatred for one another's actions long ago. David was Mago's long time friend or rather well known acquaintance as far back at Magoichi cared to remember.

"Oh come now David you know that I dislike all that business with the old people down there...it makes me fall asleep I'd rather not make an ass of myself listening to old people chat." The King answered as David took a breath of his cigar and then walked over to Magoichi. He was gnawing at his lower lip as he smacked Magoichi upside the head and nearly flipped him over the railing. "WOAH! Man that was close! WHAT THE HELL!? You could have killed me! I'm your boss you know Summerset! Magoichi said as David grunted and leaned over the railing looking over the city. David didn't apologize.

"We're not kids anymore Magoichi. We're freaking men and we need to take care of business like men. I can't keep covering for your ass you know and this sekirei plan...yeah I hope you don't go overboard. We spent so long making these girls and guys who they are only for god knows what to happen." Magoichi looked at David as he said that and smiled. "Very well I'll try and act more adult like for you my dear friend. Now why did you come up here?" Magoichi asked David as he panted and breathed in heavily trying to concentrate on regaining his fortitude because he almost got SMACKED OFF THE BUILDING by his best friend! "I came up here to tell you to get back inside because it's cold big guy. You should at least bring a warmer coat when you sneak out of meetings." David said as he ran his hands through his white hair and let loose a mixture of steam from his mouth and smoke from his cigar as he tapped the ashes off his cigar on the edge of the building on the other side of the railing. He co-owned the building so who would complain about it anyways?

"Awww that's very kind of you David! I'm glad you think about my well being after all!" Magoichi said with glee in his voice as he tried to hug David but he stepped off to the left instead in order to prevent it and Magoichi leaned back on the railing instead crestfallen. However David decided it'd be better to get out of the cold weather and turned around, "Hey don't stay up here for too much longer. If you get sick I'm going to still make you work. I'm your helper not your god damn maid you still got to do your own job." David said before entering the elevator. The King grunted as he responded, "Of course David I just need to finish some phone calls..." Magoichi said pulling out his phone and smiled, David shrugged and went down the elevator what he didn't hear however would have frustrated ever so much more... "I'm going to change up the game a little for the little birds of mine." Magoichi said as he dialed the number.
===
Next day 1:00 PM September 1st
It is yet another bright shiny day in Tokyo Japan as Brandon Hunter finally exited from his early classes in the morning as usual and yawned deeply as he walked down the hall to his destination in the front of the school. Brandon Hunter wasn't too use to Japanese culture just yet and their language still made him raise an eye brow but the young American was not here to gawk at the nation he was here to learn. So far the impressive array of skills his teacher had impressed him, he supposed it had to if he was a Japanese college teacher, and it was much different than his high school setting back in the states. As Brandon walked down the hall way he was eventually met by his friend, and fellow American, Jake Suleiman, who was often made fun of because of his generic sounding name, but in actuality Jake was a pretty cool guy once you got to know him. "So man how were your classes man?" Jake asked as he pulled his red fedora back down a bit as the sun from the nearby glass windows shined in his eyes. He asked as if he was disinterested, and he was, but he normally had a lower monotone esk voice that sounded like he was Eeyore from the show Winnie the Poo but really he was just a laid back guy and he didn't keep to that voice all of the time. Jake slick back his brown hair with his hands as he started to contemplate what the hell he was going to do.

"Hard man...hard as balls...I mean really? That stuff I just learned makes me want to saw my brain out and put it in an ice cooler to keep down the swelling. TO. MUCH. INFORMATION." Brandon said as he rubbed his temple gently. His headache made him feel as if he were going to explode into tiny bits and pieces. "I really feel you, but really? That saw description man? You know I have a vivid imagination man! I hate hearing things like that it makes me feel...weird you know... Sup Kaito what's up man?" Jake said as he walked up to a young Asian man with puffy black hair. Kaito Takahashi looked at his friends and sighed deeply as he looked at his companions. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and he grunted, "Jack, and Brandon I hope you're adjusting to Tokyo? It takes time to get everything to settle in for foreigners but Tokyo is still a nice city." Kaito stated as Brandon nodded to Jake who grunted, "For the umpteenth time we're not 'adjusted' to the city yet Kaito as you just said it takes TIME to adjust to this shit. Not that Tokyo is shit but-you know what never mind I'm sorry." Jake said as Kaito sighed to himself and looked back at Jake.

"No offense taken I suppose now what are we going to do now? I have no classes until tomorrow and it seems you two are out for the day seeing as you don't have too many classes." Kaito commented dourly as Brandon sighed. His two friends here were always like this talking about useless things they both knew, and soon it would devolve into finding stupid things to annoy each other over like how Jake was becoming a 'weeaboo' in Japan, which was untrue as he was still as American as apple pie...which ironically wasn't America. Brandom himself had only gotten to used to this school recently and that was because of some big money he had saved up. "Whatever man let's go get some ramen." Brandon said as Kaito conceded to the fact he was hungry and would like some ramen as Jake grunted indifferently to it and said sure.
===
Magoichi's portrait
David's portrait
 
SEPTEMBER 1ST
1:00 PM

The funny thing about humans was that they rarely looked up.

If they had, they may have noticed the fight occurring on the rooftops above their heads.

Tall and lean and all wiry muscle, Sora danced across the blacktop with steel whirling in his hands. His two opponents, both leanly muscular women, brandished their weapons. One wielded a rapier and the other a spear. The lancer darted with a gleeful smile laced with viciousness, thrusting repeatedly. Sora parried with one machete and brought its sister blade down in a vertical cut. He was repulsed by the swordswoman sliding in and deflecting his strike with her rapier. The two women slid past him and tried to take his back, but the golden-haired fighter spun on his heel and whipped out his leg, catching the swordswoman in the jaw and throwing her into her partner.

They had been at it for the last fifteen minutes. They both shared the same bloodthirstiness that drove them to attack an unwinged member of their race, the Sekirei. That was when Sora had intervened, clad in black and the lower half of his face hidden behind a balaclava. He had taken it upon himself to protect his kind from the machinations of HMTAI. Sometimes that meant fighting the more violent members of his race.

As long as he delayed the completion of the Sekirei Plan, he could at least let the more peaceful members of his kind live out their lives in happiness.

And so he fought. Over the last few weeks, he had fought three other Sekirei. These two made a total of five. Never did he terminate them. He was content to simply drive them off. These two, however, were far more persistent than the others.

"Good to see the Steel Sekirei isn't a pushover," the lancer said cheerfully, as if she were't trying to gut him.

"Cute and feisty," the swordswoman added. "I like it! Now bleed!" They rushed him.

These two were also far better than the others, much to Sora's frustration. Their weapons sparked as they met again and again, flying across the rooftops throughout the duel. Sora had to end this quickly. He was beginning to tire and these two were good enough that he wasn't entirely certain of victory.

As the fight dragged on into the twenty minute mark, the wounds started to land. A gash across the lancer's chest, a pair of cuts along the swordswoman's arm and leg, and a series of cut over Sora's own flank, legs, and forearms. Each could have been fatal, if he hadn't averted the attack just so. But it was proof that these two together had the potential to out-class him. He had to end this fight!

Then it happened.

The lancer struck him in the thigh, a solid blow that slipped past his defenses and speared through to the other side of his leg. Sora let out a gasp of agony and howled when the lancer pulled her weapon out of him. The swordswoman tried to finish him off with a thrust of her blade, but he managed to parry, though it only left him open for her to body check him off the edge of the roof.

He fell and fell.

He blacked out as he crashed through the tile roof of a kendo dojo below.
 
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1:20 PM, 1 September.

Tsubaki's day had been another normal one, so far. She had attended to her studies with her usual self-imposed vigor and discipline, and was now at her family's dojo, just finishing the warm-ups for her kendo training. It was no longer something the family as know for, but she still wasn't going to let the place die out with no one to look after it, even if she wasn't the first choice for that sort of role b her gender alone. Besides that, she enjoyed it. It was good training which kept her focused, and she certainly enjoyed her matches in the school clubs. Tsubaki stood near the front of the dojo, facing her grandfather, who was its only other occupant. Her hair tied back in a ponytail, she cut a striking figure in the traditional kendo gi, as she finished the last of her swings.

The usual solitude of the dojo, as well as the normal routine, was quickly shattered by the sound of a heavy impact and wood tearing apart from above, followed shortly thereafter by a chorus of impacts, including one loud, meaty thump, as part of the roof collapsed. Reacting quickly, Tsubaki spun on her heels to face toward whatever had just happened, her shinai still held at the ready.

"Ah! I knew we needed to fix the roof. See? It's so weak it's fallen...in..." Her speech slowed as she noticed there was someone lying in with all the rubble. "Wha? Why the hell would someone be falling through the roof," she blurted in surprise, before regaining some composure. "Never mind that," she corrected as she lowered her weapon and approached whoever it was.

Blood. Whoever had fallen through the roof had...made a bit of a mess, outside of the simple debris he'd taken with him. Tsubaki could tell that much just from a quick look as she got close. "Grandfather," she said in a serious tone. "We'll need bandages and a first-aid kit, or maybe we should call an ambulance, but someone's hurt." Serves him right for running around on the rooftops, she thought. "He looks pretty hurt, so it'd be best if we hurry." She hurriedly picked her way through the debris to approach the man where he lay and began feeling for a pulse as best as she could. She jumped back when she saw the man stir.

"How can anyone still be awake after all that!?" She shouted in surprise, then quickly took control of herself and addressed him. "A-anyway, if you can hear me, do you need help? What do you think you're doing falling through the roof?"
 
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Sora groaned as someone started yammering at him. Between that and the ringing in his ears from the fall, he was experiencing a rather impressive headache. The first thing he noticed once his vision stopped dancing around was a pretty young woman in a kendogi wielding a shinai.

"Uh..wha?" he grunted eloquently. Then he glanced up at the hole in the roof, recalling the battle he had just vacated. "Shit!" He scrambled to his feet, surprising the girl, and sifted the debris around him until he had recollected his machetes. He let out a few moans as his injured limbs refused to obey. "Move, now!" he barked out. The two Sekirei he had been fighting would've noticed the hole in the roof by now. He had to get clear of this place before they attacked. He hadn't intended to involve humans in his fights.

"Enemies are on their way - you need to get away from here!" he explained hurriedly.
 
As Brandon, Kaito, and Jake walked towards the northern corner of the city of Tokyo the group talked about various things that were being advertised lately and talked about by others including but not limited to: Pokémon, the latest game in the Tales of ____ series, and all sorts of in-jokes especially Jake's seemingly magical sense of knowing when shit is about to hit the fan so to speak. "...Remember the time when you won the paintball game when we first met Jake? You dodged a literal bullet and the enemy player hit his own guy and you somehow managed to get the other guys as well? Didn't we win that game too? Those were good times man." Brandon said smiling and laughing as Jake sighed. He hated that story at this point because he only dodged it because of sheer luck and the fact that he sneezed. They used it whenever they felt like busting Suleiman's balls. Regardless Jake had tripped and broke his gun during that same match and had to withdraw from the fight afterward. Jake was on Brandon's team at the time but only because they needed a spare and Jake had some spare time and was a friend of another team member.

Jake was kind of a friend's friend who became Brandon's friend rather quickly. But it wasn't the game that started their friendship that was just when they met. Kaito grunted with annoyance as he HATED paintball but was a massive gaming dork like Brandon. Kaito was the type of guy who was OK at sports but he got off on his smarts and was certainly no jock. "How droll... can't you think of or talk about something that did NOT revolve around the sport of shooting each other in the face? At least in the realm of gaming I can relate to you dweebs." Kaito said plainly as Jake groaned and rubbed his face only for a group of guys in black leather jackets to shove him aside. They were headed by a man with red hair whom looked like he was looking for something to chew on. Kaito frowned deeply. They were followed up by a beautiful woman with long thick black hair. However none of them payed attention to the kids. "Have the local thugs become sixties American gangsters? Or is the stereotypical thug look just in? I suppose it is better than looking like those rappers in the market today." Kaito commented as Jake flipped the group off when none of them were looking and turned around, "Yeah I mean honestly who wears those jackets anymore? And is it just me or is the street more crowded than usual?" Brandon asked as he looked around the street and saw a bunch of people in suits, casual clothes, and other assorted equipment walking around. Normally people were all at work right now. Regardless as the group arrived at a nearby ramen shop they decided to order immediately and just eat as fast as possible. Kaito had to go play a game of Halo with his friends and Jake wanted to take a nap so Brandon supposed a quick lunch for be the best.
===
 
Tsubaki backed off quickly enough, surprised Sora could even move. "Enemies!? What the hell are you talking about?" She backed away by a few more steps as the young man collected his machetes from the debris. "I have no clue what's going on, but I don't see why I should listen to someone covered in blood who put a hole in my roof." She was still off-balance from the situation, but she was recovering her composure well enough. "Besides, you're hurt. Enemies or not, I can't just ignore that," she added with a concerned tone.

She had put some distance between herself and Sora by now, and was still unsure quite what to do with him. She was definitely on edge as anyone would be in this sort of situation, but she wavered when it came to raising her guard, and for now her shinai was still more at her side than it was pointed toward the strange intruder. "I don't know if you're running from someone or what, but I'm not going to just leave because you say so, and I'm certainly not going to just let you get away." Simply put, all else aside, someone was responsible for breaking the roof, and that meant he would be responsible for fixing it, although that could wait for more opportune circumstances.
 
Just then, Sora darted for the young girl, picking her up in a bridal carry to her astonishment. "Look out!" he cried, leaping clear across the room with her in his arms. The space they just vacated suddenly erupted in dust and splinters. As the cloud cleared, two leanly built women, one armed with a rapier and the other with a spear, emerged with feral bloodlust in their eyes.

"Found you, Blondie," the swordswoman hissed.

"And a little mouse, too," added the lancer, eyeing the girl in Sora's arms.

Sora set the kendoka down on her feet. "These would be the enemies I was talking about." He twirled his machetes into an aggressive stance. "I hope you know how to use that stick of yours, because if you don't, I suggest running like hell."
 
As Brandon's friends sat down at a small table and watched as the ramen shop owner proceeded to work on their order, luckily for them each of their orders were already being made as per a large order going out so they'd be able to get their food a bit quicker than expected. After a moment they decided that they'd pay in advance just to make sure they didn't need to wait on the bill. Kaito ordered pork, Kaito ordered a extra spicy ramen, and Brandon ordered his plain with just some herbs through in for taste. Each guy pitched in, as usual for the bunch unless one of them offered to take the other two out for a night on the streets of Tokyo. Kaito didn't really like walking about much so if he came out with them normally he decided to run home to get to studying but Jake on the other hand usually chatted with Brandon some about the days events and the weather. Adult crap the kid versions of themselves would balk at. Jake ran his hand through his coarse sticky blond hair as he told Brandon suddenly that he really enjoyed doing this with the two of them. Brandon grinned and smiled boldly, "Bro I hope you don't plan on purposing to us. I know that I'm a boss but you're not up to my standards." Brandon said sarcastically as Jake laughed, "You got to be a LOT more handsome for me to do that you bastard. Besides you're not exactly easy on the eyes!" Brandon laughed as Jake did and Kaito groaned and tapped his foot impatiently, "I swear you buffoons will be the end of me." Kaito grumbled as he watched his friends laugh at each others expense.
 
Tsubaki was taken aback, and struggled when first grabbed. "What's your problem!? Let me go!" She jumped a bit as her dojo's roof was subjected to further abuse and two more unexpected guests arrived on the scene. Once she was back on her feet, she got into her own fighting stance. "Oh, I can use this well enough," she replied. "It may not be much against a real blade, but I'm not just going to run away."

Maybe she had no clue what was going on or what she was up against. Even if the situation were exactly as simple as it seemed, she wasn't making the choice most would expect. The dojo was too important to simply abandon, and she wasn't about to run and leave everything to an injured stranger, either. "My conscience won't allow me to just leave this to you, in your condition."

Her expression hardened as she faced the two armed women. "And I cannot forgive anyone for barging in here with such ill intent." Even in her stubborn determination, she hesitated, not willing to charge in against cold steel.
 
Sora had to give the girl some credit. She had the resolve of a warrior. He spun his machetes in his hands. "All right, then. I'll take the lancer, you get the swordsman. But we Sekirei are faster and stronger than humans - run if you can't handle it."

With that, he charged into the fray, engaging the spear-wielding Sekirei fearlessly. Her thrusts were fast and precise, but with two blades working in tandem, he was able to play both offense and defense simultaneously. Their feet danced between each other, a display of positioning that pitted two skilled fighters in a battle to the death. Sparks flashed where steel met steel.

"You're little pet human won't last two seconds against a Sekirei!" the lancer growled out turning her spear and slamming its butt against Sora jaw. He spun into a wall and banged his shoulder hard against it.

He bounced off it and swept out a blade to parry an incoming thrust while simultaneously launching a thrust of his own with the second machete. He grazed the lancer across the cheek. "I just need her to last long enough to terminate you!" he shot back.

He spared a brief glance to his human partner, knowing that the enemy Sekirei had a point concerning the gap in strength between the two....
 
Tsubaki nodded to Sora. "Got it." She hardly had time to wonder what a Sekirei was before she was facing down the sword-wielding girl, who was already quickly closing the distance between them. She wasn't at all expecting to face down against a Western style of fencing, and only barely managed to turn her opponent's thrust aside in time, diverting the rapier so its tip tore through the sleeve of her gi, but not right through her chest.

"Who the hell are you people," she asked, quickly stepping in to make a quick counterattack with a thrust of her own. She had a slight reach advantage, but her opponent was clearly faster, her footwork blindingly fast as she danced just out of reach. Tsubaki was quick to retreat and return to a guard herself, but the girl she was fighting hardly gave her a moment's rest before moving in for another strike. She quickly stepped back and knocked the sword to one side with her own, but it was clear to her she wouldn't be able to keep up for long before she'd start falling behind and making mistakes. She countered this time with a strike aimed at the wrist. She had to get that rapier away from this woman if she was going to stand a chance.

The sound of the strike landing rang out in the dojo, but it hardly seemed to slow her opponent down. "Damn, he wasn't kidding about you guys," Tsubaki commented as the dance of attack and evasion continued. She refocused further on defense and maintaining distance, but she wasn't just going to turn tail and run, if only because she had a feeling it would just lead to being cut down from behind.
 
Fighting two against one had been challenging enough and it had taken all of Sora's strength to hold his own earlier. A painful fall and an immediate resurgence of battle on his already fatigued body was pushing him to his limit. The lancer kept at him like a piranha, relying on raw speed, range, and clever footwork to force him back against the wall. His breath was coming in raggedly and sweat beaded into his eyes. He blinked them away in frustration as he parried another barrage from his opponent.

This is getting me nowhere, he groused inwardly. If I don't end this soon, I'm dead, and so's the human.

Sora then noticed that the rafters overhead were in a precarious state after he had fallen through them. He had one chance to turn the tide. He parried a thrust wide, buying a fraction of a second's opening. He took it and hurled one of his machetes at a damaged ceiling support, cleaving it apart and sending more roofing crashing down on top of the lancer. The Sekirei cursed as the sheer weight brought her low. Her spear was snapped in half and it looked like her arm was bent at an awkward angle.

Sora retrieved his fallen machete and pointed it at the swordswoman paired off with the human kendoka. "Its two on one, now," he announced loudly, catching both women's attention. "Take your partner and leave. Now." He pointed one blade at the pinned lancer's exposed neck. "Or I'll terminate her permanently."

The swordswoman growled at him but sheathed her blade, warily maneuvering to her fallen partner and hefting the debris off her. She picked up her companion in a fireman's carry and vaulted through the hole in the roof and away.

Sora glanced at the human across from him and then sank to his knees in fatigue. It was all going dark....
 
The group of boys talked about their school day for a long bit of time while eating their food in the relative friendly atmosphere of the shop they were in. Brandon laughed as Jake tried to use the chop sticks and struggled with it but was retorted by laughter by Jake as he couldn't do it either. Regardless both of them did have a good laugh as Kaito finished his meal in peace and got up to leave as soon as he was done telling them that he'd be seeing them tomorrow. Brandon and Jake both said goodbye and talked to each other for a bit more before they both left and said goodbye to the shop owner. As they walked down the street they noticed that they were in there longer than they thought. Jake didn't talk much which puzzled Brandon's mind as he wondered what was up with his old pal as they walked together passing the occasional passerby. "So what's on your mind man?" Brandon asked as Jake groaned and pushed his hat up as he looked into the sky. "You know big guy I got these feelings that shit is about to go down? Well I got that feelin' in my insides again and I don't know what's up am I just nervous? Or is it something else that I'm not thinking of? Whatever I'm probably just nervous about school and Japan." Jake asked plainly as Brandon raised as eyebrow. Jake wasn't the sort of guy to make things seem overly dramatic but he laid it on real thick right there. "Yeah about that man you probably ate some bad soup or whatever the hell was in your food in that place." Brandon said passing it off as Jake looked up at the sky questioning and grunted before pulling his hat back down and nodded at Brandon. "Yeah man I'll be seeing you later dude." Jake said as he bid his friend good night and the two went the opposite way the other went heading back to their houses. But Brandon decided it'd probably be best to cut through the park. It was under construction and not many people would be around there during this time so maybe the workers were on break.
===
It had been a long day so far for The Grey Sekirei Izumi. She had not only been attacked once but twice now and was quickly was being backed into a corner despite her attempts to get out of danger. She had managed to lose the first attacker in the back alleys of this part of the city without drawing her blade but she did have to work for it and it left her sore. Almost immediately after Izumi had been accosted by a woman with a bright orange sash and a man whom claimed to recognize her from something. Izumi didn't hear all of it but she heard enough that she bolted immediately down the streets which were empty. Lucky for her this area was a area where people lived and thus had many corners and was open for her to run around not like the urban areas down south towards the center of the city. She had ran not because she was a coward but because she didn't want to fight anyone just yet. She couldn't help but blame whatever fates had brought the events that transpired to make this happen in the first place. However it quickly became apparent in her mind that she knew something was going on here and this wasn't just bad luck rearing it's ugly face. She couldn't help but wonder what they got out of this by sending a sekirei of this caliber against her was foolish she could win if she went all out but she was already tired and there was still a chance she'd lose this damn fight. "Damn you both! This whole thing is just going to end badly for you both if you keep on doing this! Why don't you just give up already!?" Izumi shouted in frustration as she clutched her sides which were scraped by the heat slashes caused by the enemy sekirei's attacks. These attacks were quick but they lacked accuracy. For Izumi it was if they were throwing baseball at her like in her younger years instead of searing hot flames coming from the woman flailing that clumsy weapon she was using. Who used a sash to channel their fire energy anyways? The scientists had failed this young lady miserably it seemed. "Because we want the god damn prize!" the ashikabi answered as suddenly Izumi was unexpectedly knocked down by a blast that was aimed at her feet but she rolled and recovered quickly. But not to quickly as she was quickly being forced into a preverbal corner now. She was stuck in a construction zone it seemed and there were trees and construction vehicles all around the group.
 
The fight was going poorly. Tsubaki was little more than a distraction and she knew it, so she could only hope the young man who was her ally was doing well enough on his own. At this point, her opponent was clearly toying with her, her attacks doing more to cut apart her clothes than kill, but the strikes were expertly placed and some still drew a little blood. Still, she wasn't going down without a fight, even if she rarely gave as good as she got.

It was then that another crash resounded through the building as even more of the roof fell in, and Sora gave his ultimatum. Tsubaki didn't take her eyes off the woman even after she had sheathed her sword, and remained on guard until the pair had left. She took a few moments to catch her breath, her deep, measured breathing a deliberate attempt to calm down and assess the situation as much as anything else. The entire place was in ruins. And the mysterious young man who was the cause of all this was collapsing again.

She rushed over to catch Sora and give him some support, so he at least wouldn't land face-first on the tatami floor. "Keep it together," she said, concern in her voice. "Whoever you are, you better not just go dying on me." She grumbled a bit to herself as she carefully lowered the young man to the floor and quickly rushed into an adjoining room to collect what first-aid supplies she could. She did what she could to treat the worst of Sora's wounds, cleaning and bandaging what she could. Conscious or not, he'd probably thank her later. He would certainly have the opportunity, as she'd wait right there for him to come around, or, should that be too long in coming, eventually carry him somewhere at least less devastated than the main room of the dojo. It isn't like he'd broken anything, so moving him should be fine.
 
It took about an hour for Sora to regain consciousness. When he did, he saw that he was on a futon in another room, evidently still within the dojo. The young kendoka was with him, favoring him with a questioning look. He groaned as he sat up, his torso and arms wrapped and dressed in clean bandages. His injuries ached as he moved.

"I take it we survived," he reasoned, then smiled thinly at the girl. "Thank you." He felt his heart speed up as he looked at the girl. A slight redness took his face and his breathing quickened.

Oh, you've got to be kidding me, he thought, recognizing the signs of a Sekirei reacting. Clearly, this swordswoman had the potential to be an Ashikabi. And not just any Ashikabi - his Ashikabi.

To be honest, he was a little daunted by the prospect. For the last few days, he had taken to being a solo operative, a defender from the shadows for his kind. There were a lot of people fighting in this secret Sekirei Project. Sekirei against Sekirei. Humans out to capitalize on rumors of pretty young women bonding to men, unsavory characters who wanted to wing Sekirei by force. Humans out attacking other human girls because they got the specifics of the rumors wrong. There had been a few near-rapes as a result of this damnedable Project. His nights over the last week had been full of small skirmishes trying to curtail the worst of the fallout.

An Ashikabi would have given him power, but it would also saddle him with a frail human partner who may not be able to withstand the level of violence Sekirei battles usually entailed. He struggled to even his breathing, even as his baser instincts began to boil forth with renewed vigor.
 
The group of boys talked about their school day for a long bit of time while eating their food in the relative friendly atmosphere of the shop they were in. Brandon laughed as Jake tried to use the chop sticks and struggled with it but was retorted by laughter by Jake as he couldn't do it either. Regardless both of them did have a good laugh as Kaito finished his meal in peace and got up to leave as soon as he was done telling them that he'd be seeing them tomorrow. Brandon and Jake both said goodbye and talked to each other for a bit more before they both left and said goodbye to the shop owner. As they walked down the street they noticed that they were in there longer than they thought. Jake didn't talk much which puzzled Brandon's mind as he wondered what was up with his old pal as they walked together passing the occasional passerby.

"So what's on your mind man?" Brandon asked as Jake groaned and pushed his hat up as he looked into the sky. "You know big guy I got these feelings that shit is about to go down? Well I got that feelin' in my insides again and I don't know what's up am I just nervous? Or is it something else that I'm not thinking of? Whatever I'm probably just nervous about school and Japan." Jake asked plainly as Brandon raised as eyebrow. Jake wasn't the sort of guy to make things seem overly dramatic but he laid it on real thick right there. "Yeah about that man you probably ate some bad soup or whatever the hell was in your food in that place." Brandon said passing it off as Jake looked up at the sky questioning and grunted before pulling his hat back down and nodded at Brandon. "Yeah man I'll be seeing you later dude." Jake said as he bid his friend good night and the two went the opposite way the other went heading back to their houses. But Brandon decided it'd probably be best to cut through the park. It was under construction and not many people would be around there during this time so maybe the workers were on break.
===

Izumi coutinued to run but the girl got smarter and cut down a tree in front of Izumi forcing her to jump over it in a swift display of acrobatics which shocked the other sekirei. "OH come on now you're just showing off now!" The sekirei called after Izumi as she herself was forced to run around the tree itself but a stroke of luck happened. Izumi kept running happy that she was about to get away when suddenly another flame slash was throw towards her general direction but instead of hitting her it hit a machine which fell over and nearly hit Izumi if she didn't jump backwards. Breathing heavily Izumi looked back and noticed the ashikabi and the woman cornering her. Izumi closed her eyes and shook her head in frustration and for the first time in a long time she drew her blade. It was a quick process but the sound of steel coming out was bone chilling to the people chasing her. Despite Izumi's fatigue and she was also starting to notice her left arm ached she must have pulled something. "Damn it!" She said as she growled at her enemies. The woman was now placed in the corner now and had no quick escapes and was more or less placed on death's row. Thus was the fate of all sekirei...fight or die. "Surrender and die with grace." the sekirei said in annoyance as the ashikabi kept silent but was clearly unhappy about this whole situation. His eyes glimmered with remorse but he was determined too keep going.

However as Izumi started to question if these kids knew what they were really getting into and were about to do when a round object smacked into the ashkabi's leg and the sekirei's waist causing both to recoil in pain and the sekirei cursed vehemently as a man came around the corner. "Hey jerkoffs I think ganging up on a lone woman is rather low right?" the guy said smugly as the ashikabi complained about what hit them and called them paintballs. "That's rather low buddy! Just stay out of this!" the man shouted as the guy chuckled, "Yeah right! I'm just going to go away and leave you two to gang up on this chick by yourself? Yeah about that....No!" Brandon said as she pulled up a bright green pistol and pointed it at the sekirei. The sekirei in turn held up her sash in preparation to deal with this new annoyance. Izumi stood there wondering what the hell was going on when she looked at the man's face and felt her body starting to heat up and get weaker. She felt as if her insides were crawling...and knew immediately what was happening as she could barely hold herself up on her own two feet. This man...this random stranger....damn you Magoichi! She cursed as her sword shivered in her hand, "Shit not now...Of all the times why now?" Izumi said as she looked at the man. "Thanks for the help....but this is going to get a lot more complicated now..." she said trying to control herself barely keeping her sword in her hand as her hands got heavy.
 
Tsubaki breathed an audible sigh of relief when Sora awakened. "Good, you're all right," she said in answer to his comment. "As far as I can tell, we haven't both died and ended up in the same afterlife. That was quite the fight you dropped on me. I think we're both lucky to be alive." She had changed into fresh clothes, and out of her damaged gi, and was sitting politely off to one side of the futon, regarding him with concern.

When he groaned, she was quick to show concern. "Are you sure you're all right? I did the best I could, but I'm not that great with first-aid, so bandaging you up was about all I could do." She studied him carefully as his face reddened and his breathing quickened. "Are you sure you're ok? I could call an ambulance, if you need it." Even then, she wasn't about to let this guy go that easily. She couldn't MAKE him stay, true. And if it came to it, he could probably just fight her off and leave any time. But she wasn't about to let him just disappear completely. She wanted answers. And, for that matter, a repaired roof.

The answers, she would try to get now. The rest, she'd try to get later. She spoke up again, "Questions of your health aside, we didn't exactly have time for introductions earlier. I'm Kisaragi Tsubaki. While I can't say I like the circumstances of our meeting, I think it'd be better than just calling each other 'hey you' or something."
 
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This girl had composure, Sora had to admit. A deadly fight with two bloodthirsty Sekirei in addition to property damage had done nothing to deter her straightforward attitude. She had confronted a Sekirei with nothing more than a wooden sword and guts.

He was a little uncomfortable with the idea of reacting to this slip of a girl, but he could do worse for an Ashikabi.

And now that he had effectively involved her in the Project - he doubted the two rogue Sekirei would leave this place alone after this battle - the only logical decision would be to help defend it on the inevitability that they would return. The girl deserved answers.

"My name is Sora. I...and those two fighters...are Sekirei. We're, um, special. Superhuman, you might say. I know it sounds weird, but now you're caught up in a secret tournament where other Sekirei fight one another until only one remains. Those two will likely come again, if only because you saw their faces. This tournament, the Sekirei Plan, is supposed to be secret. Some of the nastier competitors have no qualms killing those who stumble upon it."

He looked away uncomfortably. "And there's another thing, too. We Sekirei gain power by working with a human partner. We call these partners Ashikabi. I have a feeling you're destined to be mine."
 
It was no surprise that Tsubaki had an incredulous look on her face shortly after Sora began his story. "That's awfully hard to believe," she said. "Superhuman powers, some sort of secret tournament...if it were true, what sort of twisted bastard would put together such a thing?" She frowned in distaste at the idea of the whole tournament. "It hardly seems like the sort of thing anyone would really want. And I don't know what sort of weird pick-up line that is, but I have nothing but the word of a guy who fell through my roof to go on, so you'll forgive me if I take it with a grain of salt." Still, she was blushing, despite the attitude.

"Speaking of that, I trust you won't mind repairing the damage," she said, her tone matter of fact, as if the answer was already decided. "If you want to keep an eye on the place in case those two come back, I'll expect you to work." She gave Sora a very measured look up and down. "Of course, I wouldn't expect you to start immediately. I'm no so cruel as to force you to work while recovering from those injuries. At least some of them were on my behalf."
 
Sora glanced down at his hands, which he clasped in his lap. "I'd be more than happy to help. Its at least some recompense for the trouble I've brought you. And thank you, Tsubaki-san, for your kindness."

As she got up to leave the room, he added as she opened the shoji, "And I'm sorry again. I've made you enter a very dangerous world, Tsubaki-san. I never intended to bring this kind of trouble to you. For what its worth, until I can secure your safety, I will protect this place - and you."
 
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