Last post for the chapter, but not for the thread. We got an Omake scene coming after this.
A cannon Omake scene.
Watch the skies, but for now we end ch. 4.
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Minato unhurriedly dipped the cloth back into the cool water, let it sit for a few seconds before taking it out and twisted it, releasing the soaked water. He repeated it once more and then folded the cloth into a rectangular shape and placed it on the forehead of the dark haired girl. Both she and her friend were laid side by side, center room but perpendicular to the door, with the blond haired one closest to it.
He shook his head mutely, still in a bit of shock at seeing two badly injured girls before him. Why had they not taken them to a hospital? Why hadn't the landlady called the police?
Why indeed?
Turning to the blond he removed the cloth that had been placed on her head and lightly dabbed the sides, removing what sweat had been built up and put the cloth into the small water container and repeated the process he had done a minute or so ago. Once satisfied he had wrung it out enough, he folded and turned to place it on the blond girl's forehead and gave a slight pause as something green caught his eye mid turn.
There. Just a bit off to the side was some clothing and footwear. They looked pretty trashed and worn but that wasn't what had caught his attention. On the green piece was a logo that he had seen before, up close and intimate and his suspicions from a bit earlier were confirmed.
A Sekirei crest.
His eyes widened and he turned back to look at the two girls.
"However," Seo continued, "the way the system has been set up, anyone with the powers or potential of an ashikabi can wing any Sekirei, whether they want to or not."
Were these two girls...?
He shook his head hard, trying to stop his stomach from twisting as he thought about it.
He... Kurosaki-san, he didn't seem that bad a guy... right? 'I...I mean', he thought on,
'he and his Sekirei get along really well, so it couldn't...' Realizing he still had the folded cool cloth in his hand he quickly made his way back to the blond and placed it on her forehead and looked at her hard, as if to reconfirm what they were.
They were definitely Sekirei. That kind of crest wasn't in fashion. Not that he knew, but normal people wouldn't be wearing it if MBI wanted to keep it quiet, right?
A cold chill passed through him as imagery from the fight from earlier came back. The scythe using Sekirei who had threatened him and Kuu and who Musubi had defeated. That girl had been serious. Had Musubi not been there, or had Musubi not been good enough, would it be Musubi or even Kuu like this? Would they have been taken, like that Sekirei had been by MBI?
He turned to focus on the two girls, trying his best to calm his again twisting stomach and to force his mind off of what-ifs.
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With a flick of a switch, the dark room was bathed in light, bright and a stark contrast to the conversation that was to come. Walking to her spot, Miya removed the cloth at her head and sat in the chair she had in her room/office, un-minding of her bangs that momentarily bounced in front of her eyes and waited for Kurosaki-san and Uzume to take their seats opposite of her. Ichigo blew a breath from his mouth, his mind idling reminding him that this was the third time he had been in here. Once when he first came here several months ago and the second when he had finally signed on Miya's dotted line for the room.
After a moment of silence Miya finally spoke. "You may start, Kurosaki-san, by telling me who is responsible for this." She knew from Uzume, but she wanted to hear it from her tenant.
"From someone by the name of Karasuba," Ichigo said, and noted the faint twitch from the landlady. "Uzume and I had just got off the train and were leavin' the station when she confronted us."
Again, that twitch.
"Did you do anything to rouse her curiosity in you?" she asked in an even tone.
Ichigo shook his head, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back slightly. "I highly doubt it. Outside of taking Uzume with me to Karakura anyhow."
"I see..." Miya muttered in response. She sighed then lowered her eyes uncomfortably. "Did she... say anything to you?"
"Nothing... terribly important," Ichigo shrugged briefly. "although she did give me one hell of a goodbye before she did what she did to those girls."
Indignantly her head rose up, "Is that so?"
He nodded, frowning all the while. "Yeah. Unless she always says goodbye to new people by putting a sword to their throats?"
She fell silent, and he rose an eyebrow as her head lowered again. After a moment he could hear some small mutterings coming from his landlady and was surprised at the venom coming from some of her statements. Ok, so she definitely knew Karasuba. And apparently hated her guts. Good to know.
After a few moments of entertaining cursing, he could only give a light smirk as his landlady got herself under control. "From the way you look, I take it she gets around."
"You could say that," she muttered irritably. "She always was a rude young thing."
"So I'm told," he grunted. "Uzume told me you were connected to MBI, and that little reaction proved that to be true at least."
"Indeed," Miya sighed. "My late husband was a researcher for them in regards to Sekirei. He was the man who discovered the winging system, Norito and existence of the Ashikabi."
"He was also responsible for adjusting me and the twins," Uzume chimed in, smiling in memory of the man once known as Asama Takehito.
Ichigo turned to her with a curious glance, "Adjusting?"
She nodded, "Yeah, so I don't do something like crush you when I'm busy training you or hugging you. We sekirei are a good deal stronger than humans you know."
"I see," Ichigo nodded, having seen first hand account of such strength, and turned back to Miya. "Anything else you can tell me about what your husband did or MBI?"
Miya shook her head, "I don't think I'd be much help to you at this point. A lot of what my husband did was rather secretive. And if I might ask a favor of you Kurosaki-san?" She continued at his affirmative nod, "Please don't mention any of this to Sahashi-san."
Ichigo blinked, and turned to Uzume once more, "Uh... Sahashi-san?"
Uzume rose an incredulous eyebrow at her ashikabi's memory, "Minato. That other ashikabi you just freaking met?"
"Oh right, him." Ichigo nodded and turned back to Miya. "I guess so, but can I ask why?"
Her face fell a bit as she responded, "Because my dear Takehito and MBI did not exactly part on friendly terms Kurosaki-san. I would like to keep that part of my past as quiet as I possibly can for the moment. If he should happen to find this information out on his own and confront me with it that's one thing, but I can't exactly give out free secrets to all the ashikabi in Teito can I?"
"I think not," Ichigo nodded and shrugged. Not an unreasonable request or explanation. "Ok, Asama-san. Your secret is safe with me."
"And I thank you," Miya replied, giving a small bow with her head. "Now then... perhaps I could ask some questions of you, Kurosaki-san?" Ichigo nodded, letting her know it was ok. "As... naughty of a child Karasuba is, she wouldn't just attack you without a reason. Can you explain what the two of you were doing for her to react in such a manner?"
Both blinked at the question. "Nothing really," Uzume said. "We just got off the train and out of the station and she was right there as if she was waiting for us."
Miya blinked, "That's it?"
"She walked right up to us, and Ichigo stands his ground. He never even flinched when Karasuba brought her blade to his throat!" she exclaimed.
"Really?" Miya replied, holding a hand to her lips in surprise. "Kurosaki-san is this true?"
Ichigo nodded and shrugged again, missing Miya's raised eyebrow. "Yep. I knew she wasn't going to go through with it so I just called her bluff. Simple."
"'Simple' he says!" Uzume harrumphed and crossed her arms. "It happened so fast I thought you were dead."
"But I wasn't, and I'm not." Ichigo replied. "And if I thought I would be, I've taken you and ran off. Like I told you."
"Would you now?" Miya asked. Ichigo fell silent, and she coolly observed him as she continued, "I think I understand now why she attacked you."
"Oh?" Ichigo asked.
"And," she continued. "I think you know why she attacked you as well."
Ichigo shrugged, "I have my guesses."
"Huh?" Uzume blinked and looked between them, "You know why that psycho attacked you? Spill."
"Maybe when you're ready," Ichigo replied.
"Miya?" Uzume then turned to the landlady.
"I wouldn't want to step on your ashikabi's toes to much, Uzume." Miya replied, smiling.
"Miiiyaaaa~", Uzume all but whined. Why couldn't Miya understand this was her ashikabi's life there were talking about here?
"In any case," Ichigo sighed as his eyes lowered, "What happened to those girls... I just can't help but feel it's my fault."
"It's not your fault Kurosaki-san," Miya answered in a soft, gentle tone. "Those poor girls were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. We're just lucky that it wasn't worse than it turned out to be."
The former shinigami shook his head ruefully, "Even knowing all that, I can't change how I feel Asama-san."
"I see," Miya replied. "Then can I ask what you intend to do about them?"
He looked at her in confusion. "What I intend?"
"Those girls we're tending to are sekirei." Miya continued. "What I am asking is what do you intend to do with them after they recover?"
"Uhm..." Ichigo paused as he looked at his landlady oddly, "Wish them well in their future endeavors?" He blinked as they stared at him. Apparently he'd confused them as his sekirei and landlady fell into a startled silence, both looking at him oddly. "I could help Mitsuha out with changing their bandages and stuff. I did help my dad in his practice from time to time." He pursed his lips as the two continued to look at him oddly.
"Uh... hello?" he asked waving a hand in front of Uzume. After a moment, he heard a faint sound of laughter behind him and as he turned the former shinigami could see just enough of Miya's face to catch her smile. "Asama-san?" he asked in a puzzled tone.
"Forgive me Kurosaki-san," Miya got out in-between giggles. "I honestly did not expect to hear that."
"Me either," Uzume replied, giggling in response. "Maybe you are progressing somewhat Ichigo."
He frowned slightly at her words, "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Maybe when you're ready I'll tell you," she replied in a teasing tone, smiling broadly. "In the meantime, I think I'll just be your little nurse for the time being."
"So long as it doesn't have the word naughty in front of it, I'm good." Ichigo replied, ignoring her pout. "Anything else Asama-san?"
"That's all for now Kurosaki-san. I think those girls need you far more than I at the moment."
"Right," Ichigo replied as he unfolded his arms and stood up. "C'mon Uzume, let's do this."
"Coming." Uzume chirped. She stood up and claimed Ichigo's hand once more. Ichigo then paused and sighed, a dawning look on his face. Uzume turned to Ichigo at his stillness, "Ichigo?"
"Can't believe I forgot this," he muttered softly as he released Uzume's hand and turned back to Miya. He gave the landlord a brief, formal bow. "Thanks for all your help Asama-san. I'm sorry for dumping all this on ya."
Miya just smiled at her young tenant, "It's quite fine Kurosaki-san. My Takehito was not a man who would turn down those in need of aid. So please think nothing of it. I'm happy to help those little feathers."
'Feathers?' Ichigo thought. He shrugged briefly at the thought. "I thank you for the help all the same." He turned back to Uzume, "Alright, let's go help Mitsuha out then."
-GRUMBLE- -GRUMBLE-
Ichigo frowned at the collective growling of his and Uzume's stomachs. He sighed, "I suppose we should see if Kagari made something out of that mess."
"I wouldn't hold my breath on that Ichigo," Uzume replied, remembering what she had seen when she walked in.
Ichigo nodded in agreement, "Even so, I guess we could get a snack before we see those sekirei."
"I'll come with you," Miya replied as she stood from her desk. "I should be checking up on everyone anyway."
"Sorry for the extra work," Ichigo replied as they exited the office. It was the last word between the trio as they quickly checked in on the sleeping sekirei. Seeing nothing to cause immediate alarm, Ichigo had beckoned Minato to come with them to see what Kagari had wrangled up for the group's dinner. After a quick reminder of his proper name, Minato joined the group for a long overdue dinner.
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Dinnertime...
"Kagari-san", Miya said, her voice tight. "This is not what I had in mind."
"It... it was really the best I could do on short notice...", Kagari stuttered, glancing at Miya's closed eyes and twitching right eyebrow.
"Honestly I don't see what the big deal is," Ichigo mentioned. Taking a piece and giving one to Uzume who happily accepted before putting one on his plate. "It's not the best, but it's still good for now."
"Really," Miya replied, eyebrow twitching harder in that Kurosaki completely missed the issue at hand before facing Kagari again.
Minato though wisely chose to sit himself the furthest away and closest to the hallway to the stairs just in case. Really, he just couldn't get why the idea of pizza had offended the landlady so.
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Upstairs...
"Minato-sama...," Musubi lonely whined, wondering when he would come back up.
And through it all, the young girl curled up next to her continued to sleep on.
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The Next Day-
Darkness. Ache. Pain.
What... the hell... hit me...?
Her eyes slowly opened at the thought, and darkness gave way to a new, bright light, and she closed her eyes as new pain was now felt. "Owww~", she murmured. Slowly, she brought an arm to her head and placed it on her eyes, covering them and grit her teeth. Just moving her arm hurt like hell, but she could move-
Wait.
She moved her hand as quickly as she could and squinted her eyes and opened them slowly, trying to allow her eyes time to adjust. 'Weren't... weren't we attacked by Karasuba?' She moved her head around at her unfamiliar surroundings.
'Where... where am I?'
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"Mornin', Asama-san," Ichigo greeted as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He was barefoot and clad in sweat pants and a black t-shirt.
"Good morning, Kurosaki-san", Miya greeted the young man in turn.
He paused as he reached the ground floor, a small frown on his face. "So how they doin'?" he asked, getting straight to the point.
"I was just there a few minutes ago and they both were still sleeping." She answered as she dough into the cubbard. "I'm still trying to get breakfast together, so if you want you may go check up on them, but please be quiet about it."
"Sure thing," he said and nodded at her. Moving past her he walked to the spare room, noting that his new neighbor, Minato, he correctly thought for once was sitting on the engawa, still in his pajamas with a blanket wrapped around him. He was staring into the backyard. A quick glance revealed that it was the other girl, Minato's sekirei he recalled, doing some practice drills. He nodded at Minato when he turned to see was walking by and raised an eyebrow at the other man's nervous expression as he quickly nodded back at Ichigo and turned back to the yard.
Both men had missed a tiny figure in the corner, staring at Minato with a wistful look on her face.
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"Uh... guh...", she bit out as she attempted to sit up.
She was currently supporting herself by her elbows, sharp pain shooting through her arms with each movement. Thankfully, it had been dulling the more she moved, a sign that she would recover quickly.
'Was last night... just a bad dream...?', she had thought when she noticed that she had been wearing a snow blue yukata. From lifting the covers of the futon, she noted that bandaged though she was, she was completely nude under the yukata. For a brief moment she idly wondered if she and Nanaha had gotten plastered last night and imagined it all, and was working off the mother of all hangovers before dismissing it.
Another moan came forth, though not her own and she turned her head to her right. "Nanaha-chan", she whispered and her eyes opened wider. "Nanaha-chan!" Thank God, she was alive!
She turned to her side, painfully to get a better look at her little sister. She was in a similar yukata, bandaged as well as Ikki could see a bit underneath and had a cloth laid upon Nanaha's head.
'Okay', she thought again. 'What exactly happened last night? Not that I'm complaining, but shouldn't we be dead?' She thought hard for a moment, remembering that horrifying instant when she realized who had come up to the roof with them. After that... Pain. A lot of pain...
But after...
An orange blur...
An alien, but welcomed warmth...?
-GROWWWWWLLLLL-
"GGGGHHHERRRRMMMM~!", Ikki bit out through clenched teeth, clutching her stomach as she laid back down at the pain it caused and the added pain of hitting the futon so quickly from her reaction. After a few seconds the pain subsided. "Okay," she said softly to herself. "Let's try that again..." she said as she lifted herself again, managing to reach a crouching position.
As she was about to stand the door to the room clicked.
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Opening the door Ichigo came in to the sight of one of the girls trying to get up and in a crouching position.
"Oy," he said disapprovingly. "You'd better sit back down. You shouldn't move for a bit, y'hear?"
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Ikki gaped at the voice. It was him! In an instant she remembered what had happened afterwards. The two good samaritans helping them, taking her and Nanaha to safety. Of this one... yes, it was him.
Her memories were a blur, but those eyes... The concern...
No doubt, it was him. Every fiber in her being was screaming this fact to her. She gasped as her breath began to quicken, her chest began to throb, and her body began to heat up.
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"Hey," Ichigo said as he saw the reaction, a part of him feeling an odd sense of deja vu. "Are you okay?" Concerned, he began to step forward.
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'He's coming,' her mind shouted. Stiffly, but oddly without pain she rose as best she could, tunnel vision making her unable to concentrate on anything but him.
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"Hey!" Ichigo shouted as the sekirei began to slowly march towards him. "You should be resting! Now sit down!"
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He was saying something, but the words weren't penetrating her mind.
Release...
Yes, I need release from this... unbearable heat...
She began to step forward.
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Ichigo growled, muttering about people who don't know what's best for them and marched forward.
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A part of her vaguely smiled as she saw him coming to her.
And then...
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"Guhha!"
"Huh?" Ichigo muttered as he quickly looked down and saw the the girl's foot had caught the blanket of the futon and she stumbled forward towards her friend. Immediately he rushed forward, trying to catch her before she landed on her friend.
Sensing she was falling, she quickly brought another foot out but suddenly shot forward as the blanket gave way and momentum asserted herself, causing her other moving foot to hit Nanaha, who hissed at the contact. Ichigo hissed himself as he noted Ikki's change in momentum, but he had committed to where he thought she would land and was already in mid crouch. Pushing his leg he quickly tried to reposition himself as the girls body landed on him, her arms outstretched as he caught her, his left hand under her right shoulder and his right hand at her left hip.
Idly, he heard two concerned voices from the doorway.
"Kurosaki-san?"
"Ichigo?"
Both paused as they saw the position he was in and that the girl had seemingly tripped over the other. "I told you to stay in bed!" Ichigo hissed as loud as he could to not further aggravate the other one below them.
But, the girl in his arms did not seem to listen to him.
In fact, she looked rather glossy eyed.
Now why did this remind him-
-CHU-
His eyes shot open as the girl suddenly lifted herself up and and stole his lips with a gentle kiss. He blinked as a familiar burst of light made itself known, as bright emerald wings burst forth from this girls back, illuminating the room in a green glow. It was soon over, but his mind did not register that. Instead, he was gaping wide eyed at the girl in his arms. His mouth was wide open, but no words came forth, a choking sound stopping anything from coming.
"Thank you for rescuing me, my dear ashikabi," the girl said finally, smiling fondly at Ichigo. "I am Number Seventeen... Ikki. Let our blades sing forevermore."
Ichigo found his voice, and found it to be shaking in shock. "A...ash...ashikabi?"
Behind him, where he could not see Miya had both hands to her face and Uzume stood, unable to move as she witnessed the entire thing. "Oh no..."
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The tumbling snowball had now grown to the size of a boulder.
And it continued, rolling ever the faster and continuing to gain speed....
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To Be Continued....
Next: Time to invest in aspirin, as Ichigo's headaches are just beginning
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Author's notes:
OH SNAP
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