Bleach Veiled Moon Chapter 6 WIP

Ghostface

Lazy Bastard...
#1
Hi.

Woooooooow this was a long time comming. Sorry for the delay but as you know, RL can be quite a bitch sometimes. Please do accepte this preview as a small token of our applogies and a peace offering. Hopefully it don't take too long to finish the chapter. As always, this is the very rough copy so spelling mistakes and such are to be expected until the FF.net copy is up.

On that note...

Enjoy.

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Bleach is created by Tite Kubo and distributed by Weekly Shonen Jump,
Shueisha, Studio Pierrot, TV Tokyo, Adult Swim, & Viz Media LLC.

Seikirei is created by Sakurako Gokurakuin and distributed by Young Gangan,
Square Enix, Seven Arcs & Funimation Entertainment

No permission has been obtained from any of the copyright holders for the use of the
characters and situations from this series. This work of fiction is not for profit and not
intended to infringe on copyrighted intellectual property in any significant or harmful
way.

Should they, or any of their affiliates, request it this non-profit story will
be taken off line as quickly as possible. Please support the official release.

Any original characters, however, are owned by me. If you steal them, I shall hunt you
down and skewer your nuts. You want to use them? Just ask me first as I'll probably say
yes.

Feedback is encouraged. That's why I write. Also for the cookies.
And The Root Beer. The sweet, nectar-of-the-gods root beer.

Flames are pointless, as the author is a flaming retard.

...hold up, that's not what I meant. Uh, let's just start the story.

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The room was dark.

This would be unusual if not for the fact that it was early morning. The sun was out and the sky was clear for a beautiful March morning as the early risers went about their day, enjoying the cool temperatures that the day promised. The room in question however hid all this with every window and link to the outside world closed shut, allowing no light to enter. Not unusual should the occupant be asleep and not wanting the sun to interfer however the occupant was not only awake but had been awake and out of bed for some time.

What saved the room from total darkness was the glow from the many, many computer screens which took up one entire wall and some of the two adjacent ones, her glasses reflecting the glow and masking her eyes should anyone been in there to see her. She was still, hands hovered over a keyboard as she took in the images she had brought up. The room was in total silence, save for her soft breathing and the hum of several computers. She drew in a long audible breath as her eyes flicked back and forth between the images in her screens.

On half of them held the image of a man with strawberry blonde hair, tall and strong in various modes of dress and several without. Most of the images were of him and a brunette that many would describe as jaw dropping in her beauty. Talking with each other, holding each other, and some simply with the two in the same frame. The one's she kept flicking her eyes to though were somewhat fuzzed do to being taken in the bath in heavy steam.

She licked her lips as her eyes traveled to the other half.

These moniters held another man, not quite as tall as the other speciman she had been looking at and not quite as imposing. He in several of the pictures slouched a bit, and some gave off a not so confident grin as he scratched his black hair. Like the other, he was not alone in most of his images. Many of them held two other girls, one of which could also be described as jaw dropping and the other a young child; cute as a button. In these pictures he could be seen talking or having fun or even give a semblence of playing. It was these that also made her heart pound, seeing his face without worry and the uncertainty that many of the images held.

And like the other, her eyes kept flickering to the ones where he was by himself, also in the bath.

Her lips smacked as she gazed at one of them and gasped as she had unconciously brought a hand to her breast. Quickly she looked to the special door to her room and heard nothing. Staying that way for a few more minutes she once more brought her attention to her screens.

'What to do, what to do...?' was the mantra that kept playing on in her mind.

She took in a shuddering breath, feeling herself grow a little bit warm before pushing past it to play her fingers over the keyboard. All the screens suddenly went dark before aglow anew just as fast, this time holding nothing but bathroom pictures of both of her specimans. Things had been gradually getting worse with both of them here and being cooped up. A few more clicks brought the live cameras online, and quickly she took a head count of who was where and doing what.

Quickly she flicked her eyes towards the door again.

She had to make a decision, and soon. There may not be another chance. And all she could do for the moment was the only thing that seemed to help clear her mind as her other hand slipped lower.

'Decisions, decisions,' was the last thought on her mind as she began another session.

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Ghostface211 presents

In Association with Wheeljack...

A Bleach - Sekirei Crossover

Veiled Moon

Feather Six: Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday [nujabes remix]

Comments, Constructive Criticism, and MST 3000's can go to ghostface211@gmail.com
=============

Conciousness returned slowly for Ichigo Kurosaki.

His eyes opened slightly before closing, his foggy mind noting that his vision was blurred before closing them again, scowling slightly. Within his foggy mind were the retreating vestiges of what he could acertain was an odd dream.

But of what, exactly?

Despite not being able to recall anything visually there were still the echoes of what emotions he had felt.

But even those were retreating so he concentrated, his closed eyes shut harder as he tried to put them to words. He had felt...

Loneliness? Fear?

Wait, it wasn't him that was feeling that but it had been some...somebody else?

A brief flash of a blurred face came to him with their arm outstretched as if to reach for him.

And then it was gone.

He let out a puff of breath from his mouth he then brought his mind back to its current surroundings, pushing away a thought that if he went back to sleep with how comfortable it was he could continue that dream. He moved slighlty and grunted softly and his mind fed him further information that he was warm under the blanket and very, very comfortable with the left side of his head on the warm pillow.

Opening his eyes again, he noted that now his vision was a bit clearer as he saw he had also slept on his left side. Other bits of information continued to flood his mind as his head continued to clear; such as a comfortable warmth right in front of him. Lowering his eyes slightly he caught sight of brown hair as Uzume continued to sleep on. Blinking, he lifted his head slightly to roll it a bit before lying it back down on the pillow and realized that he and Uzume were spooning together and held his right arm over her, holding her close under the blanket.

So that was what was so comfortable.

He continued to blink, not minding that she was pressed to him and that his arm was wrapped under her own right arm, holding it close. He took in a breath and her scent as he found himself moving his head forward, allowing his chin to softly rub against her hair and closed his eyes again for a bit.

And with that, thoughts from last night began to return.

He continued to look downward at her head and felt her warmth and sighed before looking to the side, which from his angle would be the ceiling before bringing them back to the girl. Despite those thoughts, he allowed himself a small smile as he also continued to feel her warmth

He did feel better. Looks like rest did him a little bit of good. Oh, doubts were still there, some big ones, but they didn't feel as daunting as they had been yesterday.

What exactly those doubts were hadn't quite made it to his mind yet as more important thoughts came to fore.

Thoughts such as finding himself wanting to pull the girl a bit closer to him but realized exactly how close she had held his arm. Pulling her any closer from where his hand is now would be getting a decent feel of her breasts. As it was now his forearm was pressed slightly against them.

Not wanting to take advantage of her, he shoved away tempting thoughts as he pulled his arm back slowly.

No go.

Now, he pulled back a little harder and his arm began to slide away. And just as he was about to pull away she shifted a bit, her neck bending and her head pressing against the pillow a bit harder as she caught his forearm and pulled it back and relaxed.

His lips tightened a bit as his eyes moved around at his conundrum. Her arm seemed to hold his a little firmer now, and not only that his palm was now close enough that he was sure he had felt it brush against a nipple despite the t-shirt she was still wearing.

Oh man...

Ok now, the other problem was that her grip was starting to cut off circulation to his arm. So no matter where his hand was it was going to get uncomfortable fast if he didn't get his arm free. Again not wanting to take unfair advanatage he slowly moved his palm away to ball his hand into a fist, ensuring there was no way for an accidental grope. Pulling on his hand, he didn't pause as he did before, slowly changing the amount of strength necessary to pull away from her.

After a moment his arm slipped free and he raised it, slipping it out from under the blanket to stretch it to his side into the air. He opened his hands to stretch his fingers before closing them and opening again a few more times feeling the prickly feeling of his numb hand as blood rushed back into it . Satisfied that his circulation was back to normal he brought it down against the blanket to where her waist would be as her head was the only part of her that was not covered, not bothering to put it back under to hold her directly. He had just realized his misjudgment when she moaned quietly and turned her head slightly to her right to look at him as best she could from her position.

"Good morning," she said quietly with a yawn and started to roll her head a bit.

"'Morning," he responded back with the same quiet voice, waiting for her to settle back down to put his arm back under the blanket.to look at him, her eyes half lidded with sleep.

"Sleep well?" she asked, still quiet.

Before he could respond she pressed against him a bit, enjoying his warmth. With that he took his cue to put his arm under the blanket, reposition it to where it was and laid it against her waist in a hug. "Yeah," he told her.

"Mmm," she muttered in acknowledgement and smiled as she felt his arm at her waist and then frowned a bit. Turning her head again he half lidded eyes questioned him. He raised an eyebrow at her as she spoke it aloud. "You didn't have to move your arm away, it was rather comfortable," she told him.

"Well, unfortunately it was starting to get a bit numb. Besides...." he trailed off, not wanting to voice it aloud.

Blinking away more sleep from her eyes she prodded him. "Besides...?"

"I didn't want... I didn't want to... touch you... accidentally..."

"Is that all?" she asked with another yawn, not bothered in the slightest.

"Huh?"

"Ichigo," she started as she turned her head a bit more. "I don't mind it at all. I want you to touch me, any way you like anytime."

"Uzume," he grumbled as he looked away for a bit before turning back to her. "I don't want to take advantage of you..."

"But its not 'taking advantage' if you got full clearance for it, right?"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Whatever..."

She giggled, more awake now. "Come on, Mr Prude. How 'bout right now?"

"Huh?" He responded smartly as he opened his eyes.

"Right now," she said and lifted her arm slightly as if to allow him easier access. "It's ok now, right. You've got verbal permission and everything."

He sputtered at that, trying to find a way to change the subject before turning away. "It's way too early in the morning for this."

She giggled again, and he found that she started to press up against him again and bit back a gasp at the new sensation hitting him. As she was now, his hips were aligned with her rear, and her rear was positioned just right as she pressed it backwards and motioned it up and down slowly and repeatedly. He held a shuddering breath and shivered slightly.

She smiled at his reaction and to what she was feeling and bit back a laugh. "Oh, it's early alright".

"U...Uzume...." he managed to get out, trying to ignore just how good it felt and the desire to let her continue. To his relief and disappointment she did stop, but kept herself pressed to him. With that, he turned his head to his left and buried his face into his pillow, knowing how red it must be and felt her shoulders near his chest shaking slighlty and new she was holding back another giggle.

When he felt that he was ready he turned his head back to her and laid against the pillow normally again. With a tight mouthed sigh he pushed himself up, ready to get out of bed when she held onto his right arm again.

"A little bit longer," she asked.

He looked at her.

"Please."

He looked away at his clock and considered it. It was still early, a little bit earlier than when he normally got out of bed. And for once listening to the other side of his conscious lowered himself back down with her, a large part of him satisfied with the decision. As he repositioned himself, she got his arm under hers again, but rather than bring it to her bosom she kept it at her waist and pressed against him again. Not as hard as it was a moment ago, but to the same as when they woke up.

He snorted at that, and did his best to ignore her sigh of contentment or his own warm feelings building up.

Several minutes would pass in silence as both enjoyed the others company in silence, and it would be several minutes later when Uzume would be the first to move, turning herself so that she laid on her back and looked at Ichigo. With that he found himself repositioning himself so that he was using his left arm for support as he lifted himself to get a better look at her, the blanket pulling away now that he could see her neck and the top of her t-shirt and shoulders.

He stayed at that position for a few moments, taking her in as she looked at him and she smiled, her hand now covering his at her waist and squeezed it.

Ichigo found something within him tighten at that as he continued to gaze at her, finding himself struck again at how beautiful she was, some of her chocolate colored hair spilled out behind her and her awake eyes shining at him.

Without any bidding his head started to lower to her when he caught himself. Outwardly he hadn't moved or done anything to show that he was thinking, but inwardly his mind was awhirl with what he was about to do.

With a good night's rest and the playful banter that had happend a bit ago he had found his mind clear, as if whatever happened yesterday hadn't happened at all. All that he saw was the girl he was with and that he had enjoyed himself with each others company, and that he was now...

He blinked, pausing at what he was feeling right now and looked at the girl below and came to a realization that shook him.

I want this.

This was more than admitting that she was worming her way into his heart. This was more than admitting that it was working. In this breif clarifying moment, he knew what he wanted and wanted to act on it.

Lips parting slightly, he lowered his head.

She blinked, noticing his movements and with startled realization what he was doing. Outside the other night, she had initiated all of their kisses, and now... Heart fluttering, she lifted herself to meet him, her lips parting as she found herself feeling as if she were floating upward.

Eyes on each others, they slowly approached one another, his falling bangs first touching her forehead as they turned their heads slightly to allow their lips to-

"Mmmhmmm....."

Both paused.

"Aaaahhh hhaaaaaaaaahhhhhhmmmm."

A yawn. From neither of them. Both blinked at each other.

Movement came from Ichigo's left side, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "The hell is that?" he growled.

He was answered shortly as he felt a slight weight that he had not noticed previously lift off behind him. A smaller yawn graced his ears along with a slight smacking of the lips. Turning to look behind him, his eyes widened at the figure rising behind him.

Scratching her head slightly, Ikki very grogily made her presence known to her ashikabi and his first Sekirei. Laying atop Uzume's neighboring futon, she was still dressed in the yukata she had recieved after being brought to Izumo. Her left arm dangled idly at her side, and the yukata was loose enought to give Ichigo a flash of skin that revealed a hint of muscle and the much more noticible swell of her left breast.

"Mornin'" she grogily greeted. "Izzit breakfat time yet?"

"What..." Ichigo paused at the disheveled sight of this girl before him and continued. "What are you doing here?!"

Under him, Uzume lifted her head up to get a better view at the developing scene in front of her with a look of mixed irritation and acceptance. She should have expected this from her new 'sister' Sekirei, but the fact that she just got robbed of a kiss from her Ashikabi. A kiss he was initiating no less, left her with very little sympathy to start with.

Ikki remained blissfully unaware as she smiled at her Ashikabi, "What am I doing? I'm sleeping with you of course."

"Yeah, I figured," Ichigo gruffly replied. "But why are you?"

===========

Last Night...

As Ikki walked the hallway towards Ichigo's room, she couldn't help but feel a bit of apprehension as she drew ever closer to her Ashikabi's room. A part of her cursed her instinctive need to be close to her Ashikabi at this moment. Considering Nanaha's condition she should be near her little sister, looking over her and doing whatever she could to aid in the process.

But then Nanaha would remind her that she was a fighter, not a healer. And that she was just doing as all sekirei should. Spending time getting to know her special person. She would tell Ikki to stop being so worried probably. But she couldn't help it.

Even sisters need to forget for a spell...

Right?

Right!

With that thought in her head, the passionate Sekirei shook her head and resumed her march towards Ichigo's room. Reaching his door, she sucked in a breath to calm her nerves and lifted her hand to the door and stopped.

She gulped as her mind began to race with what she was about to do.

'Do I? Don't I? Do I? Don't I? Filled her head as her eyes unfocused as this question raged in her mind to be answered.

Seconds turned to minutes and before long half an hour passed with Ikki's hand still hovering above the door as she continued to nibble her lower lip.

Finally, taking in a shuddering breath her quivering hand softly rapped on the door. "Ichigo-sama?" she quietly asked and winced. Gulping she rapped the door a little harder but before she could say anything door creaked open slightly.

She peeked her head in and softly called out her Ashikabi's name again. No one answered. It almost seemed like no one else was around before she took her hand to ball it into a fist and lightly rapped her head. Of course there'd be no answer if he was asleep. Sighing and her shoulders dropping in a way like a student hearing a bell ring before he had to answer a question they were unprepared for she began to turn back ot her room when she paused and nearly went rigid. That smell, that sensation, that aura that enguled all newly imprinted Sekirei. The pure unfiltered presence of her Ashikabi entoxicated her and she walked slowly into the room, her eyes clouded over in a haze.

She idly noted the room was bare save for a few opened boxes and a large pair of futons in the middle of the room. The futon further away from the door enrapured her senses. It was her Askikabi without a doubt, she could feel it in her bones. As if in a drunken haze she laid down atop the covers. Snuggling him she closed her eyes, sinking swiftly into sleep and thence to dreams.

===========

"Because you're my Ashikabi," she answered smiling as if it were obvious and brought her hands up to rub her eyes as she yawned.

Ichigo's face settled into a scowl at her words, remembering those very same words coming out of the Sekirei under him on more than one ocassion as if that that was the only excuse she needed to be overtly agressive towards him.

He sighed again, the mood between he and Uzume throughly ruined now. "Whatever," he grunted. "Uzume, I'm gonna get up now and go see about breakfast."

"Ok," she muttered, dissapointment clear in her voice while she laid there and Ichigo got up . Ichigo simply grunted, ignoring the still dazed Ikki for the moment as he put on a tee-shirt over his undershirt and walked off to see Miya. When he left, Uzume's head flopped back upon the futon, groaning irritably as she turned around and buried her face into her pillow.

"Damnit."

===========
 

Ghostface

Lazy Bastard...
#2
The light in the room was diluted, but the day was still bright enough to wake him. The young man opened his deep brown eyes languidly and brushed his bedmate's long red hair from his face. Aoshi Yagami laid on his side with one arm around Rias, the othe reaching out and gently touching her face. The heat he had felt from his touch was still there, subdued but never extinguished. His fingers softly traced to her mouth as he remembered the tenderness of her lips.

Reaching up, he stroked her firey red hair, feeling each strand under his fingertips. Rias stirred slightly in her dream, and a low murmur escaped her lips. "Hmmmm.... Yagami-sama..."

Her voice saying his name all but humbled him at the sheer devotion her tone carried even in her sleep. It was a tone that could make his heart start to beat again, after being stopped for almost two days. Aoshi let off a slight chuckle and kissed her cheek. Even now, Yagami still didn't understand the effect this young woman had on him. Before he was a simple layabout. Content to go along with whatever Tanigawa had going, finding some trouble to get into, or just loafing around and being a worthless cog in the turning machine that is life. But ever since that snowy day in December, something in him had changed.

And it was changing him for the better, he felt.

After all, it would be safe to say that it would be grossly out of character for a guy like him to be in such an intimate position with a woman. Or to do what they had done for oh, so many nights in a row as tenderly as they had, who he had previously used for one purpose only. And no one would fathom that he would be willing to go to the lengths he was going to for Junichi simply to ensure that the woman in his arms and the woman out in the streets hunting would have a better, more secure place to call home.

The only explanation he could think of was that he truly did love them, both Rias and Maiko with all of his being. And while that scared the hell out of him he wouldn't, couldn't, turn away from it. All he could do was keep moving foward, and eagerly look forward to see how far their love would deepen. Yagami leaned slowly and kissed her cheek, causing the crimson-haired beauty to further snuggle in his embrace.

Aoshi smiled at her reaction, only to frown slightly as his thoughts drifted to his missing roommate, and the reason for her absence. Even if it was all to see his girls had a place to even think about raising a family it didn't make hunting this girl down all the easier. Quite frankly, it was getting all the more disturbing going to see Junichi these days. He had no idea why but the guy was growing all the more obsessed with this girl. Even with his bias, he didn't think the girl was all that cute. So why was Junichi still tripping over the chick when there were still plenty others to go around?

Was it just becasue she said "no" to him?

Was he really that sad?

He snorted, ending that line of superficial thinking as he pulled Rias deeper into his embrace. It was all irrlevant anyway. Once Maiko caught the girl Junichi's stalking ass would give him what he wanted and he'd be done with it for now anyway. That was all that mattered. With that he closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the feel of having the nude buxom girl beside him when his cell began to buzz and he groaned.

'Junichi...' he figured, ire unexpectedly getting the better of him.

As he was about to turn to grab the phone the bed lurched a bit as Rias pushed herself up and reached over him, given him a quick unexpected view of her bare breasts swaying over his face before she moved herself over him and snatched the phone.

"If it's.." she growled out before stopping herself. Junichi strained to hear but all he caught was that it wasn't Junichi. He didn't have to wait long as Rias suddenly relaxed from her tense posture.

Ah, good. That meant-

"Maiko-chan!" she chirped. With that, Rias sat up and stretched, not bothering to use the sheets to cover herself as she held the cell to her ear with her right hand and her left was swaying back and forth as she turned her upper body side to side.

Yagami just stayed where he was and enjoyed the show.

"You're pretty lucky it was you," she said as she grinned as a pop could be heard. "I was thinking it was you-know-who and was about to lay into him."

And at that Yagami winced. Neither of his girls liked him, and lately he couldn't say he did not see why.

-Is it wrong that I hoped he'd called earlier and say he's done with this crap so I can come home?- Maiko asked.

"Hell no." Rias replied. "At this point it'll be a miracle if he does so."

-He's getting worse ain't he?-

"Che," she spat out and closed her eyes as she frowned, leaning back against the wall. "Does it even need to be asked?"

-Of course he is.- Maiko sighed on her end. -I feel kinda bad for this girl. I'd rather just take her outta the game than let that psyco brat have his way with her, y'know?-

-And that's why I love ya Rias. But for whatever reason, Aoshi-chan would stop me. I just wish he'd tell us what this is all for all ready, y'know?-

"Yeah, I know," she said as she looked at her Ashikabi, who gave her a sort of half smile/grimace. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "But, in any case; any news?" she asked, getting back on track.

-It's cold, I'm hungry, I don't see some schoolgirl carrying a big ass hammer, and all this rooftop posing is not as cool as it looks on TV. I don't mean to be rude Rias, but I can't wait until it's your turn next week.-

"Ah," she acknowledged and grimaced. It was something she was definitely not looking forward to. 'Not only that...,' she thought as she looked at Yagami, not liking that she would be seperated from her Ashikabi for a time.

-Oy... I know you don't like it sis, but I've been without our dear Aoshi-chan for over a week here myself. I'd rather find the chick and put her outta her misery.. so you best hope I find her soon.-

"I know," she said and winced, knowing it was because she'd rather have all this done with without her going out once more.

-Speaking of Aoshi-chan... can I.... can I speak to him?-

Rias blinked out of her momentary funk, now unhappy with herself for thinking about herself when her sister Sekirei had been gone all this time. "Sure," she said and held out her hand and cell to Yagami. She then motioned it to him. "It's Maiko," she explained.

"I figured," Yagami replied as he take the phone from his first Sekirei. "Hey Maiko-chan. How ya hangin?"

-I'm fine Aoshi-chan all things considered.-

"That's good... that's good," Yagami sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Just.. just hang in there for now ok? I swear it'll be over soon."

-It better be, 'cuz I'm gonna ravage the crap outta you when I get ya alone next time. I got some pent up desire here.-

"Ah hahaha... I guess so," Yagami chuckled. "Just hurry back in one piece ok?"

-Of course Aoshi-chan. I... I'll talk to ya soon ok? I love you.-

"I love you too, Maiko... Ok... ok bye." Yagami hung up the phone and then sighed. "Gaah this sucks."

"Yagami-sama?"

Yagami snorted, looking up at Rias as she cradled his head gently. "Please tell me this gets easier, Rias."

"What gets easier?" she asked for clarification.

"This game... sending you girls out there... worrying about you... tell me it gets better later on."

Her visage drooped a bit. "I'm sorry, Yagami-sama. In many ways its a lot worse for us, and things haven't really gotten started yet."

"I figured," Yagami sighed "Thanks for not lying to me."

"I'm sorry, Yagami-sama," she said as she lowered her head to his and kissed him, turning her head a bit so she wasn't completely facing him upside-down. She blinked at that and sat back up to see him grinning at her. "Yagami-samaaaa~," she pouted at him.

He grinned at her from his position, the sides of her face slightly obscured from his point of view as her breasts hid them. "Rias," he then said mock-reprovingly.

"Hmm," she said as she turned her head to face away but kept an eye looking at him.

"You're up against the wall," he stated.

She blinked. She blinked again before realization dawned on her. "Ah!"

He grinned again, loving how cute she looked like that as she turned back to him. Rias' powers were flame-based, and he learned quickly when they had first started being intimate was not to be near anything flammable when they first kissed.

Those wings that the Sekirei had? They were beautiful but they were so goddammned annoying when wanting 'fun' time.

The good thing was that after that first kiss they did not reactivate until some time afterwards, and that time is seemingly reset with each kiss afterward. So lost in his thoughts at that first kiss-and-run due to getting "on-the-job-training" that he missed Rias' devious smile.

With his head comfortable in her lap he gasped in shock as Rias' legs suddenly split-wide, causing his head to fall into the bed. While not a large fall by any means, it was enough for him to reflexively close his eyes as she moved around and felt her quickly reposition herself. He opened his eyes to see her over him, her hands placed just above his shoulders to keep her up as her hips were now repositioned over his. Her long red hair spilled over his sides like a bed curtain, cutting off the view of everything except her and her body over his. He looked up to see her smile had grown more mischevious.

She licked her lips and giggled at him. "Is this position safer now, Yagami-sama?" she teased and crashed her lips into his before he could respond.

His eyes widened in response at the sensation of her lips and the brief heat emanating from behind her but soon settled for returning her kiss, his brain now beginning to shut off further thought. There was one last thing he would think coherantly as Rias brought her right hand back between them and downwards.

'I love my life.'

=============

"Maaan, this sucks..."

The early morning sun beat down overhead, and only a light breeze stirred the hair of the lone sekirei sitting on the rooftop overlooking the the busy streets of Teito below. Looking at her cell phone dejectidly, she pockted the device and sighed, running a hand through her long dark green hair done up into a tight braid that laid atop her back. her face was home to wide, sharply angled ebon black eyes, and lips striking an attractive midpoint between the small bow shape common to Oriental women, and full sensuousness of the west.

Dressed in a plain, navel exposing, white t-shirt that would have been loose on virtually every other woman on the planet, yet her somehow it was very tight in the chest, showing a pair of breasts that defied reason in their combination of perkiness, bounce, and size. Especially since the plunging neckline of the shirt showed that the woman wore no bra. Atop of that she wore a dark blue jean jacket, both to protect some of her modesty as well as to keep her warm from the early spring chill. She wore a matching pair of dark blue jeans that did little to hide her long curvaceous legs that terminated in a round, full, and well toned rear end.

"I bet Rias-neesama is getting her early morning 'breakfast' in already," Maiko sighed as she leand over and picked up the backpack beside her and pulled out a pair of binoculars. "Ahhh... I miss Aoshi-chan." 'Whatever that asshole Junichi promised him better be worth it.'

She quickly shoved down whatever thoughts that man brought up in her aside for the moment and put the binoculars to her eyes. She had a job to do after all. Even if it would be easier for their stakes in the game... even if it would be more merciful to take her out here then let Junichi get his filty hands on her... her Ashikabi had given her a job to do. And she was going to do it.

It was not more than half an hour later that she smiled.

"At least she's not exactly a master of disguise," she muttered as she spotted the girl with the oversized hammer walk out of a diner.

=============

-A little bit earlier-

Yashima put the fork and knife down and chewed on her waffle before swallowing and took a swig of her orange juice before putting it down and smiling.

She felt good today.

Taking a breath she looked around and began to slow in her view taking.

Many of the patrons were looking at her. And many of those eyes were switching between her and her giant hammer that was just behind her at the counter. She blushed red and tried to shrink in her small seat as she turned back to her food, hoping to forget that the seating at the counter was in plain view of pretty much most of the patrons there.

Still, that hadn't happened before.

Normally the self-conscious girl was always very aware of the looks she had gotten due to her bestowed weapon but today was a bit different.

She had seen him again last night. No, not him, but rather the one who would be her Ashikabi. It hadn't been in that weird place and she had cried and called out to him, and it seemed like something was happening as he at least was turning to see who was calling to him!

She woke up with not with tears of despair, but tears of progress. Actual progress. She had to keep moving.

And something within her felt like she had been wasting time in this general area. It was time to move on.

And so feeling better than she had in a long time she was out and about eating a nice hearty western breakfast of waffles, eggs, bacon, toast and juice.

It was a good follow up to the pancakes, sausages and bagels.

The stares might not have been completely on the hammer if she thought about it long enough.

But still, it was time to get moving and find her Ashikabi. Smiling and paying her receipt she got up and with one hand grabbed her hammer, idly twirling it in her hand before moving out, unaware of the dropped jaws that simple movement had caused.

Standing outside the diner she closed her eyes and felt the crisp weather upon her and took a deep breath and held it.

'Where?' she thought.

Ever so slowly she turned her head and opened her eyes.

'That way', she determined and paused and quickly looked around, suppressing a shudder.

There it was again.

Not wanting to see if it was just her imagination she was off taking to the rooftops to her motel to grab her meager items and clothing and take off in the direction she felt like going.

=============

Maiko frowned as she spotted Yashima take to the rooftops with unimaginable speed, nearly mindlessly considering what she was carrying. A grim frown crossed her lovely face as she took off after her target. "Oh no you don't," she muttered. "You're not getting away from me today, honey."

And with that, the hunt was on.

=============

The door to Ichigo's room opened and he sighed, stretching his right arm out before bringing it to scratch his head and smooth his hair out. Behind him he left his left hand let go of the doorknob to take hold of the edge of the door with his index and middle fingers and pulled on it just enough to close and shut the door behind him. As he took another step he heard the sound of the door being stopped with a soft thud instead of a soft bang and click. Turning he saw Uzume walk in with a hand on the door and giving him a mock annoyed look.

"Uzume?" She closed the door behind her and walked in continuing to give Ichigo a mock glare before the edges to her mouth turned upwards. "What're you smilin' 'bout?" Ichigo asked, his brow turned upwards in curiosity.

"Nuttin'," she said as she moved a bit past him and put her fists to her waist and stretched her neck and shoulders a few times.

Ichigo looked at her and raised an eyebrow. Breakfast had only finished a bit ago, and today Minato and Musubi had helped Miya take the dishes into the kitchen before she shooed them out and Minato rushed off to work. Breakfast had been good, and the tension that had been there for the last two days had been gone. Miya had been cheerful, sensing the lighter mood and Ikki had been once again coverseing with Musubi and throwing him a few looks and looking like she had wanted to say something but then shut her mouth. Kuu's new tactic had been set to ingnore him, crossing her little arms and turning her head away from him, humphing before humphing again when she noticed that he hadn't paid attention to her anger at him.

"What's up?" he asked her.

"Just wanna see how you're hangin after all that's gone down so far."

"Ah," he nodded. "I'm good I guess." He then frowned a bit. "And you?"

"About as well as can be expected," she shrugged. "I know it's been a bit rough so far and all."

"Eh, I've had worse."

"Really now?" she said as she turned around with a bright smile on her face before dropping it as she saw the look on his face. "What's wrong Ichigo?" she asked before a wry smile appeared on her face. "It's not that you don't want me around, is it?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and she giggled a bit and he caught himself watching her, noting how she looked in comparison to the last two hectic days before smiling a bit himself, happy that that issue was past. He then grimaced as it again brought the main reason why to fore once more. He really needed to speak with Ikki. And soon.

"So what's on the agenda today?" she asked, looking around the room and not catching his contemplative look.

He blinked and thought a bit before his eyes widened slightly more. "Oh yeah, my stuff's supposed to be arriving today".

"Your stuff?"

He nodded, "Yeah. From home." He frowned a bit and gave his first sekirei a frosty look, "Including all your souviners."

She looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh that's right," she said and smacked the bottom of her right fist into her left palm.

"You mean you forgot?"

She looked at him a bit bashfully. "Eh hehehe" she laughed nervously. "To be fair though, I had other things on my mind recently" she said in her defense.

He shrugged, "I suppose so. Still... it'll be nice to get more of my stuff in here."

She latched onto the different topic immediately. "Yeah, it will be." She then blinked and took a more thoughtful look at his room. Sweeping her eyes around she stretched a bit again, bringing her right arm to her left side and holding it and twisting her waist a bit. "Yeah, I can see that this place needs to lighten up a bit. Been a bit too spartan for my tastes, y'know".

"Spartan eh?"

"Um hmm" she said and repeated her stretching with the other arm.

"You're one to talk," he snorted, shaking his head slightly.

She stopped and paused before her lips pursed together and she pouted a bit before turning to him and stuck her tongue out at him before falling into a fit of giggles. Finally ending with a sigh she then looked downward. "So is papa also sending your bed?"

"Nope," he frowned. "Why ya askin'?"

"Eh, no reason" she said as she continued to look at the floor before her eyes flickered to the closet and then back to where she was looking at. She then placed her hands at waist again, arms akimbo and sighed. "So close..." she lamented softly. Or not softly enough as Ichigo blinked as he continued to watch her as she had her back to him and was still facing the floor.

And then it hit him.

This morning. Both of them together. The quiet morning building a nice mood between them. His thoughts. What he wanted.

What he wanted.

Cast off your fear.

He took in a breath and looked Uzume over, noticing what she was wearing. Her hair was still in its side-ponytail do with her long hair still spilling and twisting down her back. She was wearing a long sleeved white t-shirt that exposed her stomach and waist. The sleeves were trimmed with pink stars, the largest being at her shoulders and running down the length of the sleeve gradually growing smaller. She was wearing light blue jeans, these different than the one she normally wore that ended above her knees. These ended at her ankle over white socks. She wasn't wearing a belt, her pants tight enough around her slim waist.

He had caught himself looking and realizing again just what a gorgeous girl Uzume really was and his thoughts again turned towards this morning and what had been broken up to bad timing. Swallowing some saliva he made a decision.

Uzume had been staring at the floor so lost in her thoughts about what could have happened that she froze and nealy jumped as she felt two hands at her waist. "Oh jeeze Ichigo!" she said in a rush as she turned around. "Warn a girl next time! For a sec I thought my heart was gonna burst outta my chest there!" That was no lie. Even now her heartbeat was still running hard overtime. She took in deep breath and was about to respond before catching the look on Ichigo's face.

"Ichigo?" she asked, a bit of concern creeping into her voice. She was turned towards him but not fully and his hands were still at her waist. He was looking at her, but the look he was giving her was that of him appearing as if he was making a decision to do something but not sure about if he could do it. What, she didn't know. "Ichigo," she said again as his hands slightly moved her at her waist to turn her fully to him.

Ichigo looked down at her, resisting the urge to gulp and feeling his own heart trying to beat its way out of his own chest. He pursed and licked his lips as he looked down at her and remembered his hands were still at her exposed waist. He marveled at how 'normal' she felt and looked, or as normal as she could be. Her waist, while slim was powerful and lean, reminding him of the girl's non-human status and resisted another urge to shake his head ruefully at the word 'normal'.

As if his life was anything but...

"So that's why I say you're thinking on it a bit too hard."

Ichigo's mind suddenly recalled what Seo had said last night.

"Just enjoy what time you, Uzume, and Ikki got. While you still got the time to."

Uzume was still looking up at him in concern, her hands now resting on his arms close to his biceps.

"While you still got the time to."

Look forward.

And with that he lowered his head, barely noting Uzume's eyes widening in realization.

The world around him faded the second the sensation of her lips graced his and he closed his eyes, reveling in the sensations it gave him as they opened their mouths a little wider so their tongues could talk to each other. An electric thrill raced through him as his hands left her waist to encircle her and draw her closer and the last thing he felt was her arms reaching around his shoulders and her breasts pressing against his chest. So lost were they in the moment that her wings went by completely unnoticed as did their fading as they continued, the sounds of lips smacking against each other and pleased moans filling his room.

They parted a few times very breifly to catch their breaths before resuming, their barely open eyes clouded, not seeing anything as they soon resumed with her pressing herself more against him and his hands behind her falling a bit. Whether it had been a few hours or a few minutes both finally came out of the moment, slowly moving away from each other but never averting their gaze as they continued to keep eye contact for another several minutes. Finally Uzume sighed happily and laid her head on Ichigo's chest as he drew her in close. She nearly sighed again as she felt his cheek lay atop her head as she continued to hold him, hearing his heartbeat.

Another few moments passed before she broke the silence with a muffled content sigh and, "So you can make progress after all".

She then felt his chest heave slightly as he then chortled at her words. When they parted she was still flushed a bit but giving off a smile that would have lit the room had it not been almost noontime. He was also smiling, albeit more with an upturned mouth than showing any teeth. "I'm not gonna complain or anything, but wow" she murmered.

He lips turned slightly higher.

"Can I hope that," she started before licking her tongue against her lips a few times, the soft smacks barely audible. "Can I hope that you'll take the initiative more often?"

He let out a small laugh and shook his head a bit. "We'll see."

"'We'll see?'" she quoted, tilting her head a bit.

"Yup," he answered as he turned around.

"Hey now!" she said as she moved up to him. "Where are you headed off to? And you didn't give me a good enough answer!" she said playfully.

"I need to speak with Ikki, remember?"

She blinked. "I mean, yeah, you did, but do you gotta do it now? Can we have a do-over?"

And now he was fighitng off a grin and the urge to do just that. "I admit I'm not against it, but I've been putting this off long enough," he stated and she went quiet, nodding her head.

She then sighed. "Ah well, but you get high marks for leveling up!"

"Leveling up?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as they both then heard a doorbell and he began to turn towards the door.

"Uh huh," she nodded as she moved up to him with both of them now beginning to walk towards the door. "So, how was it?" she then asked suddenly.

"Huh?" He paused in mid-stride, caught off guard. "It was great... I enjoyed it," he said as if it weren't obvious.

"No, no not that, that was perfect. I meant my butt."

Pause.

"What."

"My butt. How was it?"

"Uh... uh, hah?" was all he got out.

She made a fist and tapped his shoulder. "Don't tell me you didn't notice, I all but melted with the way your hands cupped me there. Did you like it?"

"Uzume..." he began.

"C'mon Ichigo, don't leave a girl hanging~"

"Uzume," he said as he reached for the doorknob.

"If you need a refresher course we can start now! Here, give me your hands," she said as her own hands reached for his.

"Uzume!" he cried out.

=============

In a dark room whose sole means of light were the many monitors that ran along the walls, a quick series of clicks accompanied the low hum the monitors gave off. A few more clicks and the screens flickered to show the normal camera views once more.

A quick shuffling and the voyeur rested herself agaisnt the floor and sighed.

"That was soooooo~ hot...."

=============
 

Seed00

Well-Known Member
#3
You can always count on Zangetsu to help Ichigo get his head on straight. Ichigo and Uzume are making progress, but didn't we say earlier that he was going to need some aspirin later on. The madness hasn't started yet.

Oh well, Uzume is firmly in the lead as of this moment, and Matsu is still being a voyeur. I'm surprised the two of them weren't interrupted by Miya. Did she think the two needed some alone time? Or did she just come to accept that her hannya will never have any effect on Ichigo?
 

Wheeljack

Well-Known Member
#4
Seed00 said:
You can always count on Zangetsu to help Ichigo get his head on straight. Ichigo and Uzume are making progress, but didn't we say earlier that he was going to need some aspirin later on. The madness hasn't started yet.

Oh well, Uzume is firmly in the lead as of this moment, and Matsu is still being a voyeur. I'm surprised the two of them weren't interrupted by Miya. Did she think the two needed some alone time? Or did she just come to accept that her hannya will never have any effect on Ichigo?
Headaches begin in more ways than one, and the beginnings of it are waiting to be hatched.

As for Miya, this was more of a case of trying to avoid at least once the cliche of constant interruptions and thinking that since this really wouldn't carry on further than making out than she wouldn't come up. Besides, things are looking up for him at the moment, not to mention he thinks he has a way to deal with this and that it can't get worse. And we know just how well things work out like that...
 

BukkakeNoJutsu

Well-Known Member
#5
It's was great that he took Zangetsu's advice and manned up a little. Fucking loved seeing this updated.
 

Knyght

The Collector
#7
Brace yourselves for a long-ass post:

ItÆs good to see that IchigoÆs finally manning up and taking initiative after all this time. Zangetsu is wise, indeed. And IÆm glad there wasnÆt some kind of interruption which does nothing but set-back development in annoying ways. Hopefully more harem clichÚs will be subverted or ignored entirely.

In some respects itÆs better than In Flight since it isnÆt bogged down by info dumps and focuses a lot more of character development but things are still moving at a slow pace.

IÆve finally got around to reading this in full and a few things came to my attention. Bear in mind this was a week or two ago, if not more, so I might have forgotten a few details.

The formatting is the most obvious one and put me off from trying to read this story several times in the past. Is there no way to get that sorted out?

The prologue isnÆt particularly gripping which I blame Minato for. I think it would have been better if it started out with UzumeÆs POV instead since it establishes that itÆs starting off in a different way to how the manga progresses. It doesnÆt help that I find Minato a pretty lame protagonist in general so all his scenes in the story are more of a chore and donÆt feel needed a lot of the time.

A big question that stuck out at me in the early chapters which I donÆt recall being addressed in the narrative is why the hell did Rukia never use a gigai when hanging out with humans? ItÆs not particularly unusual for a shinigami to use a gigai when stationed in the human world and she has Urahara as a contact within the same time. With that, it just seems stupid that Ichigo has only been able to speak to her through three-way conversations. ItÆd make more sense if she had simply never come back to Karakura in that case.

Then there are times where the story feels like itÆs trying to insert some humour, goes completely overboard and then falls flat. For instance, RukiaÆs pranks on the MIB and the overactive imaginations of Yuzu, Keigo and Chizuru all dragged down the story, imo. You could argue that those OTT daydreams are a matter of personal taste but the Rukia/MIB just didnÆt feel well thought out. Her focus should have been entirely on observing them to see who they were and what they were after, prevent any communication to their bosses and then mind-wipe them. This was done to an extent but seeing her cut his shoelaces was facepalm-worthy.

Similar problem with the parts with Isshin and the way the conflict was completely forced (and was even acknowledged as such in the narrative). Personally, I think the conflict would have worked perfectly fine without IsshinÆs antics; even without that Uzume could have been upset by the way Ichigo treats his dad and their apparently poor relationship, especially when he would be living permanently soon enough. It could have even resulted in some real development for Ichigo and Isshin now that theyÆre parting instead of feeling it completely artificial.

Tatsuki was just as annoying as Isshin, if not more so. I understand she was supposed to be protective of both Ichigo and Orihime about UzumeÆs presence but I donÆt think it was handled particularly well. She came across as being far too aggressive and nosey, to the point that it was a pain to read any scene including her. And thereÆs the way she acts as she were superior to Uzume when she showed off her powers, somehow ignoring how completely insignificant she was to most events in canon. Perhaps sheÆs been getting up to stuff between then and now but I donÆt think it was ever mentioned.

On a similar note, I think it might have been better had OrihimeÆs confession had be handled before the start of the story. SheÆd be rejected, of course, but her feeling still remaining strong so that conflict doesnÆt disappear entirely. But that may partly because of my dislike for the ôKarakura arcö in the story and was dragged things out less.

One thing that surprised me was that Ichigo didnÆt visit his motherÆs grave before leaving. There was a well done sense of finality throughout various scenes but him not saying goodbye to his mother before leaving was really strange, especially when I was anticipating it throughout the chapter. And what happened with Kon felt off; why not leave him with a friend whoÆd definitely take care of him or leave him with UraharaÆs group so heÆd have a regular, semi-normal contact. Just leaving him in an abandoned bedroom felt a bit cruel.

A general drawback of the story is the regular POV changes to less interesting characters. I really donÆt have any interest in most of them and it rarely feels necessary for them to show up such as when we saw that Junichi guy and, in this chapter, Yagami. IÆd argue about Minato too but I already mentioned how I feel about him. At best, IÆll just skim the scenes or IÆll just skip them entirely and IÆve never felt I was missing out on anything.

Another thing is the flashbacks we get, something that also shows up in this chapter. You could have cut out the ôLast Nightö scene with Ikki since, imo, what happened was remarkably obvious and it doesnÆt add anything at all. That type of thing crops up a lot and more often than not itÆs fairly boring to get through. And the way certain scenes end up being fragmented when a character remembers someone elseÆs dialogue is annoying but that was actually avoided in this chapter with Ichigo.

And thatÆs about everything.

tl;dr It's a good story but there're several things that stop it from being great. Regardless, I'm looking forward to more.
 

byakuryuu

Well-Known Member
#8
knight504 said:
In agreement with Knight with all those points, although I'd like to add a few of my own. I went through the chapters slowly over the last couple of months, and while the concept of a Sekirei crossover is not by any means fresh, it's been a solid, if slightly tedious enough a read at times. I'd like to double Knight's conversation about "Uzume vs Tatsuki". The fight comes off as unnatural and at times just plain forced; while the Isshin episode was glaringly obvious, Tatsuki's characterization comes off as a very, very immature teenage girl from a J-drama.

But let's talk about something that peeves: your very wooden dialogue.

While you've remained true to the characters to the extent that you could through creative fiction, I have to accentuate some of the conversation choices and character actions during the course of their mutual interaction. It doesn't seem natural; if anything, it feels like I'm reading off a script in a cheap production. You don't humanize those moments enough for them to be enjoyable to watch; the interludes of Ichigo outside of Uzume's hair are actually moments I want to look forward to, because it'd be able to round characters off nicely. Instead, they actually look like they have nothing aside from themselves.

I'll praise you on the fact that you've improved on previous shortcomings, especially your choice of wording in regards to the words coming from the mouth of the characters, but you still have quite a ways to go. You need to study human dialogue and writing accents, because their speech patterns need a good deal of improvement in this fanfic piece, as well as some character reactions to events of the plot being just underwhelming and flat.
 

nick012000

Well-Known Member
#9
Personally, I can't wait for Ichigo to feed Junichi his teeth. ;) :p
 

Jimbobob5536

Well-Known Member
#10
I like how Ikki effectively got drunk just from Ichigo's presence.
 

Wheeljack

Well-Known Member
#11
knight504 said:
Brace yourselves for a long-ass post:

ItÆs good to see that IchigoÆs finally manning up and taking initiative after all this time. Zangetsu is wise, indeed. And IÆm glad there wasnÆt some kind of interruption which does nothing but set-back development in annoying ways. Hopefully more harem clichÚs will be subverted or ignored entirely.

In some respects itÆs better than In Flight since it isnÆt bogged down by info dumps and focuses a lot more of character development but things are still moving at a slow pace.
I agree somewhat with the slow pace but at the same time there's a lot ground to cover that hasn't made things easy. Can't comment of In Flight though as I'm still holding off on reading it.

IÆve finally got around to reading this in full and a few things came to my attention. Bear in mind this was a week or two ago, if not more, so I might have forgotten a few details.
No problem, as that's a lot of ground to have covered, too.

The formatting is the most obvious one and put me off from trying to read this story several times in the past. Is there no way to get that sorted out?
The formatting as in odd breaks in the posts on TFF? I thought this one had gone better than in chapters past. We write on Wordpad and copying and pasting it to post has caused us a lot of headaches as what we think are clean lines that will wrap where we want them to.

The prologue isnÆt particularly gripping which I blame Minato for. I think it would have been better if it started out with UzumeÆs POV instead since it establishes that itÆs starting off in a different way to how the manga progresses. It doesnÆt help that I find Minato a pretty lame protagonist in general so all his scenes in the story are more of a chore and donÆt feel needed a lot of the time.
The prologue was a partial bait and switch, mainly to show off that we weren't getting rid of Minato and to slowly hold off who Ichigo's Sekirei was as at the time we originally posted it here there wasn't many clues given outside of the title and FF.net didn't have a character listing dropbox for Sekirei.

A big question that stuck out at me in the early chapters which I donÆt recall being addressed in the narrative is why the hell did Rukia never use a gigai when hanging out with humans? ItÆs not particularly unusual for a shinigami to use a gigai when stationed in the human world and she has Urahara as a contact within the same time. With that, it just seems stupid that Ichigo has only been able to speak to her through three-way conversations. ItÆd make more sense if she had simply never come back to Karakura in that case.
With Rukia it was a bit more in trying to stay a bit true to the manga about her disappearing and that it was Ichigo's final meeting with her. We started this story during the three week break between the end of the arc with Aizen and the Fullbring arc was more of the opinion that that would cheapen things, as there was no reason in the manga that Rukia couldn't use a gigai either. We mulled on that and figured that she would probably be given responsibilities elsewhere (though we never thought for a second she'd be given the Vice Captaincy of the Thirteenth) and she only came back around those chapters due to just having enough time to hang at Ichigo's for his party before needing to get back to work and a bit later on when our favorite Afro Shinigami's failures kept creeping up (which IIRC was also mentioned later on in the Fullbring arc).

Then there are times where the story feels like itÆs trying to insert some humour, goes completely overboard and then falls flat. For instance, RukiaÆs pranks on the MIB and the overactive imaginations of Yuzu, Keigo and Chizuru all dragged down the story, imo. You could that whether those OTT daydreams are a matter of personal taste but the Rukia/MIB just didnÆt feel well thought out. Her focus should have been entirely on observing them to see who they were and what they were after, prevent any communication to their bosses and then mind-wipe them. This was done to an extent but seeing her cut his shoelaces was facepalm-worthy.
The bit with Rukia was actually going to continue on in the next chapter afterwards, this time with more of the Karakura crew getting involved but it never really materialized. However you are actually the first to complain about Yuzu and Keigo (and technically Keigo never really had a daydream other than interrupting Chizuru's IIRC).

Similar problem with the parts with Isshin and the way the conflict was completely forced (and was even acknowledged as such in the narrative). Personally, I think the conflict would have worked perfectly fine without IsshinÆs antics; even without that Uzume could have been upset by the way Ichigo treats his dad and their apparently poor relationship, especially when he would be living permanently soon enough. It could have even resulted in some real development for Ichigo and Isshin now that theyÆre parting instead of feeling it completely artificial.
Pretty much if you want to lay blame with Isshin that you can put that fully on me. Early talks about the Karakura visit felt that it lacked something or some sort of resolvement as it was just there. We wanted to have Uzume meet Ichigo's friends and wanted to have him say his goodbyes but at that was it. Ichigo and Uzume on their personalities (and in part of her being imprinted on him) leave nothing to give any real conflict in their relationship (which is one big reason why out of others that he has more than one Sekirei) so Isshin doing something to meddle on the basis of helping his son felt appropriate and in character even though it was a bit mean spirited. Isshin does not have the full story, as we felt given their relationship Ichigo not telling Isshin about Uzume's being a Sekirei was in character, partially with Ichigo acting out in a bit of childish spite against his father's antics and at being discovered when if he could have he would have kept everyone in the dark and shouldered it alone.

Tatsuki was just as annoying as Isshin, if not more so. I understand she was supposed to be protective of both Ichigo and Orihime about UzumeÆs presence but I donÆt think it was handled particularly well. She came across as being far too aggressive and nosey, to the point that it was a pain to read any scene including her. And thereÆs the way she acts as she were superior to Uzume when she showed off her powers, somehow ignoring how completely insignificant she was to most events in canon. Perhaps sheÆs been getting up to stuff between then and now but I donÆt think it was ever mentioned.
Tatsuki's a bit of a missed prediction that never materialized. At the time of that writing we were honest to god positive that with her knowing the truth that she would end up being part of Ichigo's crew in some fashion as her personality along with her defensiveness with Orihime seem to scream it. Yes, in our story there were a few incidents that she was part of, which she nearly let slip out in front of Uzume and making the girl curious to what that could be. The arrogance is in part due to those incidents, seeing what is out there and then this new person comes in all doom-and-gloom and expects her to be cowed (not a lot tops Aizen there...)? So her being overly aggressive stems from that along with all her plans at trying to push Orihime and Ichigo down the drain (and at Ichigo for leaving all of them out in the cold, again!).

On a similar note, I think it might have been better had OrihimeÆs confession had be handled before the start of the story. SheÆd be rejected, of course, but her feeling still remaining strong so that conflict doesnÆt disappear entirely. But that may partly because of my dislike for the ôKarakura arcö in the story and was dragged things out less.
I was unaware that this was the last time Orihime would show up in this fic. :ph43r:

One thing that surprised me was that Ichigo didnÆt visit his motherÆs grave before leaving. There was a well done sense of finality throughout various scenes but him not saying goodbye to his mother before leaving was really strange, especially when I was anticipating it throughout the chapter. And what happened with Kon felt off; why not leave him with a friend whoÆd definitely take care of him or leave him with UraharaÆs group so heÆd have a regular, semi-normal contact. Just leaving him in an abandoned bedroom felt a bit cruel.
For Ichigo's mother's grave, to be honest its now a missed opportunity that did not cross my mind. If I could have I'd redo it and use it over the shopping bits that we had after leaving Urahara's.

Fuck. That really would have worked great...

A general drawback of the story is the regular POV changes to less interesting characters. I really donÆt have any interest in most of them and it rarely feels necessary for them to show up such as when we saw that Junichi guy and, in this chapter, Yagami. IÆd argue about Minato too but I already mentioned how I feel about him. At best, IÆll just skim the scenes or IÆll just skip them entirely and IÆve never felt I was missing out on anything.
I admit that I'm a bit guilty of doing the same things when I read other fics but I don't want to think that their buildup is without purpose at this time. We do have some plans that hopefully will be fulfilled at a later date, one short term and the other long term. I do admit that for Junichi its very much that I dislike the guy. Personally, I don't really get uptight about villains and some of the outright horrors that they can do as I think I at times am too objective when it comes to reading or watching shows but there are a rare few who find a way to get under my skin. Junichi will be a bit around longer, as even though he was a footnote he did try some things later on (which would lead to that radio play side-story with Narashino, IIRC) that we can use as setup for something else (which is a Bleach tradition in itself to some people's chagrin. ;) )

Another thing is the flashbacks we get, something that also shows up in this chapter. You could have cut out the ôLast Nightö scene with Ikki since, imo, what happened was remarkably obvious and it doesnÆt add anything at all. That type of thing crops up a lot and more often than not itÆs fairly boring to get through. And the way certain scenes end up being fragmented when a character remembers someone elseÆs dialogue is annoying but that was actually avoided in this chapter with Ichigo.
Ikki and 'new' characters present a bit of a conundrum. Despite being shown in Sekirei proper, their time is short not leaving much in a way to gleam how they might be, so we need to build them from the ground up as they're pretty much OC's. In their quirks and mannerisims I'd think about if this was a manga or anime how would it be presented to show off more of them. Maybe we're (and will) overcompensating a bit when it comes to them.

And thatÆs about everything.

tl;dr It's a good story but there're several things that stop it from being great. Regardless, I'm looking forward to more.
No problem. Thank you very much for the long C&C as its very much appreciated to see something like this.

byakuryuu said:
But let's talk about something that peeves: your very wooden dialogue.

While you've remained true to the characters to the extent that you could through creative fiction, I have to accentuate some of the conversation choices and character actions during the course of their mutual interaction. It doesn't seem natural; if anything, it feels like I'm reading off a script in a cheap production. You don't humanize those moments enough for them to be enjoyable to watch; the interludes of Ichigo outside of Uzume's hair are actually moments I want to look forward to, because it'd be able to round characters off nicely. Instead, they actually look like they have nothing aside from themselves.

I'll praise you on the fact that you've improved on previous shortcomings, especially your choice of wording in regards to the words coming from the mouth of the characters, but you still have quite a ways to go. You need to study human dialogue and writing accents, because their speech patterns need a good deal of improvement in this fanfic piece, as well as some character reactions to events of the plot being just underwhelming and flat.
Would you be able to give examples and suggestions on what is wrong and what to do to improve them? Could you show a scene with those changes? You are the first to raise this complaint.
 

byakuryuu

Well-Known Member
#12
I'd copy and paste, but fanfiction.net's been blocked by my office's proxy, so I'll just mention a few scenes where I felt the dialogue read off as wooden. Or the ones that stood out the most and felt extremely awkward to read.

-Ichigo's discussion with Uzume when they first return to Karakura in Part One. She mentions something about "ravishing" and the exchange reads off as an unnatural off-cue piece. The whole conversation is balderdash and instead of the "newcomer to the scene" for Ichigo to the Sekirei-verse, it reads as though it was a commercial script.

-Isshin's, Uzume's and Ichigo's whole "apology saga" that actually felt like a playwright's bad piece.

-Miya's dialogue in general, with a few exceptional moments. I know that it's how she's presented in the manga, speech-wise, but I thought that Ghost and Wheel would have improved on that instead of putting it as a mash. Insights could have been made before she opened her mouth, but you guys stayed with the manga's stiff style. I know you guys are better than this when it comes to translating action into words for us to read, so I guess I expected more.

-Be more descriptive in general with emotion and act. You don't give enough insight to add meaningful context to dialogue. Purple prose is a good addition here and there, but you need to change the flow of your words in some areas to improve on the message each character has to say.
 

Knyght

The Collector
#13
The formatting as in odd breaks in the posts on TFF? I thought this one had gone better than in chapters past. We write on Wordpad and copying and pasting it to post has caused us a lot of headaches as what we think are clean lines that will wrap where we want them to.
No, I was referring to the way FF.net has the text squashed onto the left hand side of the page for the first five chapters. It was a real pain to read.

The prologue was a partial bait and switch, mainly to show off that we weren't getting rid of Minato and to slowly hold off who Ichigo's Sekirei was as at the time we originally posted it here there wasn't many clues given outside of the title and FF.net didn't have a character listing dropbox for Sekirei.
Well, okay. In that case I can see why you did it but it didn't really work for me. Personally if I was going for the 'mystery' angle I would have started off with Ichigo heading to Izumo, meeting and greeting Minato, Miya (telling the reader where they are timeline-wise) before finally getting to Uzume who wouldn't have been mentioned before. It's just that all the scenes before she's introduced are rather dull and predictable which isnÆt the most enticing start to a story.

With Rukia it was a bit more in trying to stay a bit true to the manga about her disappearing and that it was Ichigo's final meeting with her. We started this story during the three week break between the end of the arc with Aizen and the Fullbring arc was more of the opinion that that would cheapen things, as there was no reason in the manga that Rukia couldn't use a gigai either. We mulled on that and figured that she would probably be given responsibilities elsewhere (though we never thought for a second she'd be given the Vice Captaincy of the Thirteenth) and she only came back around those chapters due to just having enough time to hang at Ichigo's for his party before needing to get back to work and a bit later on when our favorite Afro Shinigami's failures kept creeping up (which IIRC was also mentioned later on in the Fullbring arc).
I didn't realise she hadn't turned up before that party but I still don't really understand why she couldn't have gone to Urahara's to rent a gigai for a night. The fact that this isn't a semi-regular occurrence makes it seem even stranger that she didn't ensure she'd see Ichigo face-to-face for that special event. In the manga at least, it seems like she never came back at all likely because it's a distressing circumstance, but returning in a form where Ichigo can't see or hear her would just exacerbate the problem and seems half-assed of her.

(EDIT: And you probably emphasise the fact that this is their first reunion or a very rare meeting since I was under the impression that this was a semi-regular occurence, given how underwhelming the scene.)

The bit with Rukia was actually going to continue on in the next chapter afterwards, this time with more of the Karakura crew getting involved but it never really materialized. However you are actually the first to complain about Yuzu and Keigo (and technically Keigo never really had a daydream other than interrupting Chizuru's IIRC).
I probably would have condensed the Rukia part even further. Just one scene in the aftermath where two unnamed operatives sent to follow Ichigo wake up with amnesia/replace memories with an invisible Rukia vacating the scene.

The elaborate daydreams are where IÆd advocate telling rather than showing. One or two lines for those scenes telling us how Keigo interrupted ChizuruÆs lesbian fantasies or Karin watching her sister lose herself in bro-con fantasies would have been fine. The humour doesnÆt fit my tastes anyway but more objectively, the daydream scenes slow down the narrative with something inconsequential when the progression of the plot is the thing IÆm most interested in.

Pretty much if you want to lay blame with Isshin that you can put that fully on me. Early talks about the Karakura visit felt that it lacked something or some sort of resolvement as it was just there. We wanted to have Uzume meet Ichigo's friends and wanted to have him say his goodbyes but at that was it. Ichigo and Uzume on their personalities (and in part of her being imprinted on him) leave nothing to give any real conflict in their relationship (which is one big reason why out of others that he has more than one Sekirei) so Isshin doing something to meddle on the basis of helping his son felt appropriate and in character even though it was a bit mean spirited. Isshin does not have the full story, as we felt given their relationship Ichigo not telling Isshin about Uzume's being a Sekirei was in character, partially with Ichigo acting out in a bit of childish spite against his father's antics and at being discovered when if he could have he would have kept everyone in the dark and shouldered it alone.
I figured Isshin didnÆt have the full story and I didnÆt really think that he was being unrealistic or out-of-character. Bringing in some friction between Ichigo and Uzume was a good idea but itÆs just that having it stem from IsshinÆs play-acting just really weakened the impact.

The way I would have done it would have focused on UzumeÆs unusual upbringing and limited understanding of the world, in this case the way families work. SheÆd have an idealised image of what a human family should be and the way Ichigo and Isshin donÆt fit that image at all. The conflict come from Uzume trying to get Ichigo to reconcile with his dad, whoÆs kind and funny and whatnot, when heÆs just not interesting in changing at all. The fact that he would be moving away from home when he hasnÆt made up with his dad would just upset her more. End result being Ichigo taking the bullet and deciding that he should clear things up with his dad since heÆd be moving on so we get a manly ôYeah, youÆre a good dad and stuffö scene and everythingÆs good again.

Something like that, anyway. Food for thought.

Tatsuki's a bit of a missed prediction that never materialized. At the time of that writing we were honest to god positive that with her knowing the truth that she would end up being part of Ichigo's crew in some fashion as her personality along with her defensiveness with Orihime seem to scream it. Yes, in our story there were a few incidents that she was part of, which she nearly let slip out in front of Uzume and making the girl curious to what that could be. The arrogance is in part due to those incidents, seeing what is out there and then this new person comes in all doom-and-gloom and expects her to be cowed (not a lot tops Aizen there...)? So her being overly aggressive stems from that along with all her plans at trying to push Orihime and Ichigo down the drain (and at Ichigo for leaving all of them out in the cold, again!).

I was unaware that this was the last time Orihime would show up in this fic. :ph43r:
I wasnÆt trying to imply that Orihime shouldnÆt be present in the story, either up to this point or in the future. Just that I consider having her confession done pre-story is more realistic* and we donÆt have to deal with the clichÚ of trying to confess and getting interrupted/failing to work up the nerve all the time. ItÆd also make Tatsuki more bearable since we donÆt have to deal with as much anger and a slightly less confrontational attitude with Uzume.

In that case the conflict would be another aspect of ôfinalityö as Orihime realises that her ship has sailed entirely since the hope that Ichigo might change his mind after the initial rejection would die. So there are definite similarities with what already happened but would make the characters less annoying, imo.

*The manga does this to a lesser extent but Kubo has the excuse that things like pairing can drastically effect the popularity of the series.

On POV issue, IÆd simply recommend doing what you can to limit the number of perspectives as much as possible, if you can do so without losing the plot. Stories that spent the majority of the time focusing on one-or-two viewpoints are generally more enjoyable.

As I said, I canÆt speak for everyone but I think itÆd be worthwhile to go back through the story at some point and rework a number of the earlier chapters with these suggestions in mind. Whether you actually do it or not is up to you.
 

Ghostface

Lazy Bastard...
#14
Here's the morning scene revised a bit. As for the formatting issue, knight. It's something I'll fix eventually, but it was some wonky issue when I tried posting the earlier chapters that made me have to format it up like that. I actually had to break up chapter one because of it.

But as I've said, I got it fixed by chapter three and one day I'll go back and fix the earlier chapters as well.

=============

Consciousness returned slowly for Ichigo Kurosaki. His eyes opened slightly before closing, his foggy mind noting that his vision was blurred before closing them again, scowling slightly. Within his foggy mind were the retreating vestige of what he could ascertain was an odd dream.

But of what, exactly?

Despite not being able to recall anything visually there were still the echoes of what emotions he had felt. But even those were retreating so he concentrated, his closed eyes shut harder as he tried to put them to words. He had felt...

Loneliness? Fear? Determination?

No... No, it wasn't him that was feeling that but it had been...somebody else? A brief flash of a blurred face came to him with their arm outstretched as if to reach for him. And then it was gone.

He let out an irritated breath from his mouth as he brought his mind back to his current surroundings, pushing away the stray thought that if he went back to sleep with how comfortable he was he could probably continue that weird dream. He moved slightly and grunted softly and his mind fed him further information that he was warm under the blanket and very, very comfortable with the left side of his head on the warm pillow.

Opening his eyes again, he noted that now his vision was a bit clearer as he saw he had also slept on his left side. Other bits of information continued to flood his mind as his head continued to clear; such as a comfortable warmth right in front of him. Lowering his eyes slightly he caught sight of brown hair as Uzume continued to sleep on. Blinking, he lifted his head slightly to roll it a bit before lying it back down on the pillow and realized that he and Uzume were spooning together and held his right arm over her, holding her close under the blanket.

Ah... so that's what was so comfortable.

He continued to look at her, not minding that she was pressed to him and that his arm was wrapped under her own right arm, holding it close. He inhaled deeply, allowing her scent to envelop him as he found himself moving his head forward, allowing his chin to softly rub against her hair and closed his eyes again for a bit.

As he continued to inhale her scent, thoughts from last night began to return. He raised his head slightly to look downward at her, letting off a small sigh as he felt her warmth before looking to the side, which from his angle would be the ceiling before bringing them back to the girl. Despite those thoughts, he allowed himself a small smile as he also continued to hold her in his arms.

He really did feel better. It looked like a good night's rest did him a little bit of good. Oh... the doubts were still there, some big ones, but they didn't feel as daunting as they had been yesterday. What exactly those doubts were hadn't quite made it to his mind yet as more important thoughts came to fore.

Thoughts such as finding himself wanting to pull the girl a bit closer to him but realized exactly how close she had held his arm. Pulling her any closer from where his hand rested at the moment, the young man would be coping a decent feel of her breasts, especially as it was that now his forearm was pressed slightly against them. Not wanting to take advantage of her, he shoved away the tempting thoughts as he attempted to pull his arm back slowly.

No go.

He frowned slightly as he pulled back a little harder, feeling his arm beginning to slide away. And just as he was about to pull away she shifted a bit, her neck bending and her head pressing against the pillow a bit harder as she caught his forearm and pulled it back as her body relaxed once more. His lips tightened a bit while his eyes moved around at his conundrum. Her arm seemed to be holding his a little firmer now, and not only was his palm now close enough that he was sure he had felt it brush against an erect nipple despite the t-shirt she was still wearing.

Oh damn...

Ignoring the more intimate problem, the other issue was that her grip was starting to cut off circulation to his arm. So no matter where his hand was it was going to get uncomfortable fast if he didn't get his arm free. Again not wanting to take unfair advantage he slowly moved his palm away to ball his hand into a fist, ensuring there was no way for an accidental grope. Pulling on his hand, he didn't pause as he did before, slowly changing the amount of strength necessary to pull away from her.

After a moment his arm slipped free and he raised it, slipping it out from under the blanket to stretch it to his side into the air. He opened his hands to stretch his fingers before closing them and opening again a few more times feeling the prickly feeling of his numb hand as blood rushed back into it. Satisfied that his circulation was back to normal he brought it down against the blanket to where her waist would be as her head was the only part of her that was not covered, not bothering to put it back under to hold her directly. He had just realized his misjudgment when she moaned quietly and turned her head slightly to her right to look at him as best she could from her position.

"Good mornin'," she said quietly with a yawn and started to roll her head a bit.

"Mornin'," he responded back with the same quiet voice, waiting for her to settle back down to put his arm back under the blanket to look at him, her eyes half lidded with sleep.

"Sleep well?" she asked, still quiet.

Before he could respond she pressed against him a bit, enjoying his warmth. At that action he took his cue to put his arm under the blanket, repositioning it to where it was and laid it against her waist in a hug. "Yeah," he told her. "Yeah... I slept well I guess."

"Mmm," she muttered in acknowledgement and smiled as she felt his arm at her waist and then frowned a bit. Turning her head again he half lidded eyes questioned him. He raised an eyebrow at her as she spoke it aloud. "You didn't have to move your arm away y'kno," she told him.

"Ah... yeah I did. It was starting to go to sleep. Besides...." he trailed off, not wanting to voice it aloud.

Blinking away more sleep from her eyes she prodded him. "Besides...?"

"I didn't want... I didn't want to... y'kno..."

She gave her ashikabi a flat look, "Didn't wanna... what?" she pressed.

He sighed, "I didn't wanna touch you... accidentally..."

"Oh... 's that all?" she asked with another yawn, not bothered in the slightest.

Ichigo blinked, "Wha?"

"Ichigo," she sighed as she turned her head a bit more. "I don't mind it at all. I told you before I want you to touch me, anyway you like anytime."

"Uzume," he grumbled as he looked away for a bit before turning back to her. "I don't want to take advantage of you..."

She giggled at his words, "You're not exactly taking advantage of me when I've told you a hundred times it's ok hon."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Whatever..."

She giggled, more awake now. "Come on, Mr. Prude. How 'bout right now?"

"Huh?" He responded smartly as he opened his eyes.

"C'mon... go 'head and cop a feel right now," she said and lifted her arm slightly to allow him easier access. "It's ok now, right? You've got my permission and everything. Touch me."

He sputtered at that, trying to find a way to change the subject before turning away. "It's way too early in the morning for this."

She giggled again, and he found that she started to press up against him again and bit back a gasp at the new sensation hitting him. As she was now, his hips were aligned with her rear, and her rear was positioned just right as she pressed it backwards and motioned it up and down slowly and repeatedly. He held a shuddering breath and shivered slightly.

She smiled at his reaction and to what she was feeling and bit back a laugh. "Oh, it's early alright."

"U...Uzume...." he managed to get out, trying to ignore just how good it felt and the desire to let her continue. To his relief and disappointment she did stop, but kept herself pressed to him. With an embarrassed groan, he turned his head and buried his face into his pillow, knowing how red it must be and felt her shoulders near his chest shaking slightly and knew she was holding back another giggle.

When he felt that he was ready he turned his head back to her and laid against the pillow normally again. With a tight mouthed sigh he pushed himself up, ready to get out of bed when she held onto his right arm again.

"A lil' bit longer," she asked.

He looked at her.

She smiled softly at him, "Please?"

He looked away at his clock and considered it. It was still early, a little bit earlier than when he normally got out of bed. And for once listening to the other side of his conscious lowered himself back down with her, a large part of him satisfied with the decision. As he repositioned himself, she got his arm under hers again, but rather than bring it to her bosom she kept it at her waist and pressed against him again. Not as hard as it was a moment ago, but to the same as when they woke up. He snorted at that, and did his best to ignore her sigh of contentment or his own warm feelings building up.

Several minutes would pass in silence as both enjoyed the others company in silence, and it would be several minutes later when Uzume would be the first to move, turning herself so that she laid on her back and looked at Ichigo. With that he found himself repositioning himself so that he was using his left arm for support as he lifted himself to get a better look at her, the blanket pulling away now that he could see her neck and the top of her t-shirt and shoulders.

He stayed at that position for a few moments, taking her in as she looked at him and she smiled, her hand now covering his at her waist and squeezed it. Ichigo found something within him tighten at that as he continued to gaze at her, finding himself struck again at how beautiful she was, some of her chocolate colored hair spilled out behind her and her awake eyes shining at him.

Without any bidding his head started to lower to her when he caught himself. Outwardly he hadn't moved or done anything to show that he was thinking, but inwardly his mind was awhirl with what he was about to do. With a good night's rest and the playful banter that had happend a bit ago he had found his mind clear, as if whatever happened yesterday hadn't happened at all. All that he saw was the girl he was with and that he had enjoyed himself with each others company, and that he was now...

He blinked, pausing at what he was feeling right now and looked at the girl below and came to a realization that shook him.

I want this.

This was more than admitting that she was worming her way into his heart. This was more than admitting that it was working. In this breif clarifying moment, he knew what he wanted and wanted to act on it.

Lips parting slightly, he lowered his head.

She blinked, noticing his movements and with startled realization what he was doing. Outside the other night, she had initiated all of their kisses, and now... Heart fluttering, she lifted herself to meet him, her lips parting as she found herself feeling as if she were floating upward.

Eyes on each others, they slowly approached one another, his falling bangs first touching her forehead as they turned their heads slightly to allow their lips to-

"Mmmhmmm....."

Both paused.

"Aaaahhh hhaaaaaaaaahhhhhhmmmm."

A yawn. From neither of them. Both blinked at each other.

Movement came from Ichigo's left side, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "The hell is that?" he growled.

He was answered shortly as he felt a slight weight that he had not noticed previously lift off behind him. A smaller yawn graced his ears along with a slight smacking of the lips. Turning to look behind him, his eyes widened at the figure rising behind him.

Scratching her head slightly, Ikki very grogily made her presence known to her Ashikabi and his first Sekirei. Laying atop Uzume's neighboring futon, she was still dressed in the yukata she had recieved after being brought to Izumo. Her left arm dangled idly at her side, and the yukata was loose enought to give Ichigo a flash of skin that revealed a hint of muscle and the much more noticible swell of her left breast.

"Mornin'," she grogily greeted as she turned her head to them. "Izzit breakfat time yet?"

"What..." Ichigo paused at the disheveled sight of this girl before him and continued. "What are you doing here?!"

Under him, Uzume lifted her head up to get a better view at the developing scene in front of her with a look of mixed irritation and acceptance. She should have expected this from her new 'sister' Sekirei, but the fact that she just got robbed of a kiss from her Ashikabi. A kiss he was initiating no less, left her with very little sympathy to start with.

Ikki remained blissfully unaware as she smiled at her Ashikabi, "What am I doing? I'm sleeping with you of course."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that..." Ichigo gruffly replied. "Why though?"

"To spend time with you, silly!" Ikki chirped before turning almost serious. "Not that it was easy lemmie tell ya. I mean first I had to find your room and that wasn't easy y'kno'? I mean the first room I went into was Musubi-chans room and we had a nice long talk about our future fight. It's gonna be so. flippin'. awesome," she proclaimed as she clenched both her hands in a guts pose. "I'll win of course, but that's beside the point," she said as she waived it off complete with a wave gesture as she closed her eyes and looked away.

"Um..."

She then turned back to Ichigo with a hand and finger pointed up. "But y'know, it's kinda cute the way Musubi-chan's actin' like she'll win! Just the thought of figtin' a sekirei like her gets my blood pumpin' y'kno?" Ikki giggled slightly in anticipation, her hands clenching once more into fists. "She's strong, Ashikabi-sama. I know it. Fightin' someone like her will get me strong enough ta win this game fer ya!"

Ikki then frowned, unclenching a fist and putting a finger to her lips in thought, "But it kinda sucks too... I mean she's real nice and all. Real fun ta talk to-"

"Hey," Ichigo interrupted, cutting off his Sekirei.

"Ah," Ikki blushed, "I-I-I-I-I'm sorry A-a-a-ashikabi-sama. I... I kinda went off there." She gave a nervous chuckle and gave herself a bop on her head as Ichigo then gave her his default look and she inwardly panicked. 'OhcrapohcrapohcrapI'mblowingit!Ohcrapohcrap!!

The former shinigami then sighed, rubbing his forehead slightly in irritation.
She gulped and took a breath before she could stutter. "I-I mean I wanted to just talk with you and try to get ta know you a bit, I mean you saved me and my lil' sis and all and now you're my ashikabi-sama! I knocked and everything but the door opened an' you weren't there and I was about to go back ta my room but that's when I got ta smellin' your scent and it was sooo strong and comforting and nice and I just kinda fell asleep."

"Is that right?" Ichigo grunted as he recalled the other night with her over her sister Sekirei and his promise to himself last night. At Ikki's nod he tried to say something and stopped and felt like groaning in frustration. He had to talk to her. He WAS going to talk to her but he wasn't ready yet! Today yeah but not the first thing in the morning! He turned his head to think and saw Uzume come into his vision and winced.

The whole mood between them was ruined, and he had forgotten about in this short time span with Ikki explaining herself.

"Uzume, I'm gonna get up now and go see about breakfast," he said, using it as an excuse to get out and think.

"Ok," she muttered disappointment clear in her voice while she laid there and Ichigo got up. Ichigo simply grunted, ignoring the still dazed Ikki for the moment as he put on a tee-shirt over his undershirt and walked off to see Miya. When he left, Uzume's head flopped back upon the futon, groaning irritably as she turned around and buried her face into her pillow.

"Damnit."
=======
 

Knyght

The Collector
#15
Much improved; kept my interest the whole way through this time. :sisi:
 

Ghostface

Lazy Bastard...
#16
Hello...

Huh, another delay, another applogy. Well, when RL's a bitch you take waht you can get when you got free time and as such here we are. I do wanna mention that I'm not alltogether satified with the end part so if anyone has any suggestions on how to fix it they're more than welcomed to give them to us.

For now, here's the next part.

================


Ichigo's eye twitched as he took overview of what he had been waiting for had arrived.

Well, most of it.

He was currently in his room with his arms crossed and halfway inspecting and the other half glaring at the various boxes that now littered his room.

After making the decision to have his talk with Ikki the doorbell had rang and he answered, at that moment the closest to the door and to his surprise, though it had been expected, a delivery man had been at the door. It was a short time after that his pleasant mood had turned sour and leaving him cross armed and in his room.

Sour as finding out that only two thirds of what his father had shipped for him had arrived which was only half of his ire.

"Ichigo, I'm gonna put this here, okay?" Uzume called out as she put one of the last boxes down.

"Should this go here... or maybe there...?" Ikki said to herself though loud enough to be overheard as she rolled his now opened chair from one corner to the next.

No, the other reason for his ire wasn't his Sekirei.

But it did involve them.

While he had been outside the delivery man had been offloading the truck with his stuff in sections, and during the second pile was being brought to the door Uzume had finally arrived as Ichigo asked what the issue was when he noticed that what was being delivered was a bit short from what had been originally packed. Or most of it according to the driver who couldn't explain what was wrong when Ichigo had noticed that everything wasn't there after three back and forth trips from the truck. That had been bad enough.

But then Uzume had stepped outside and into view to help.

Ichigo soon after caught himself from caving in the delivery guy's sternum when he noticed her and then began to hit on Uzume and only backed off as she, while not being curt, deftly deflected the guy's attention as she gathered some boxes and sauntered pass him back into the house but making sure brushed against Ichigo, exaggerating hip contact with her Ashikabi.

The resulting laughter from the driver at that display had him rethinking about his earlier decision to allow him to walk away as he pushed down his embarrassment.

But then Ikki had come out as well, eager to help her Ashikabi.

Still in her yukata...

Still with nothing underneath it...

And loose at the top...

So when she bent over at a ninety degree angle to pick up a box her breasts, slightly hanging from gravity before being cupped by the loose fabric were visible enough for both him and the driver to see and when Ichigo had turned away he noticed that the driver behind him had a shit-eating-grin and realzied he too had seen had grabbed the poor guy by the lapel and the back of his pants (and pulling hard enough that the pants' crotch section strangled the groin area) and hauled the guy out and threw him into the cab of his truck. Making sure to grab the delivery confirmation sheet and sign it he tossed it back in the truck and bid the driver a goodbye before he semi stomped his way back into the Izumo gates to help take his stuff in.

And so now he stood in his room to catalogue what had arrived and what hadn't with his two Sekirei doing what they could to make sense of all the boxes now in his room. Uzume was opening a few of the boxes while Ikki was... was...

"Here.... there..." the girl mumbled to herself, sitting in his chair and wheeling it back and forth to her at that moment desired location, using her feet to move with her legs open stanced and the yukata still too loose.

And with her still bare underneath...

"Ikki," Ichigo suddenly called out and quickly looking elsewhere. "Just leave it for now."

Ikki rolled to a stop in one corner and blinked a few times before smiling and chirping a cheerful 'ok' before stopping to frown as she noticed her ashikiabi looking elsewhere before turning his gaze back to the stuff on the floor and wondered if she did something wrong.

"Ichigo," Uzume then said and Ikki turned ot her. "Are you sure this isn't everything?"

She quickly turned her head to her ashikabi who in turn gave his first Sekirei a flat look. "You were there, remember? Most of this stuff is yours, actually," he told her and Ikki had to fight a crushing sense of envy that filled her as she had heard that her new sister Sekirei had actually went to go over to her Ashikabi's home for a little bit.

"Really?" Uzume chirped, blinking in surprise before quickly bending down to pick up one of the packages to inspect it. "Oh wow," she said, eyes wide. "You're right," she confirmed before beginning to inspect a few other nearby boxes.

Ichigo sighed as he rubbed his head and closed his eyes. "I'm gonna have to call ol' goat-chin to see what happened," he grunted and then grimaced at the thought.

"Goat-chin?" Ikki wondered aloud as she tilted her head in confusion.

Uzume paused in her inspections, giving her Ashikabi a mild look of exasperation that he pointedly ignored before resuming her inspection, setting aside her boxes from his. "You shouldn't call papa that," she said.

"Papa?" Ikki asked aloud.

"My old man," Ichigo grunted out as walked to the wall were his bag was before lowering himself to open and search inside it. Pulling out a box opener he quickly grabbed the closest box and began opening it.

'Uzume called Ichigo's father 'papa'... she thought in amazement. She looked at them, now close together as Uzume moved a few boxes closer to him as they both worked to open them. Both began to converse with each other and Ikki's mind began to work overtime as she watched the both of them.'If she calls his dad 'papa', does that mean...' She blinked as Ichigo rolled his eyes and shook his head at something Uzume told him before she stuck her tongue out at him before standing up and moving off to the side to grab another box. Seeing the both of them and how they were Ikki arrived at the obvious conclusion. 'Does that mean they've had their wedding night!?'

An obvious conclusion for a Sekirei.

Well... most Sekirei...

Ikki blushed a bright beet red that went from her head to her toes. 'Will... will that mean that I...' she blushed even harder at the thought before forcefully shaking her head. 'Get a grip, Ikki! she heard an imaginary voice that sounded just like Nanaha chiding her. 'Your Ashikabi needs you and you're playing the layabout!' her imaginary friend cried out while pumping her fist in the air angrily.

"Gah!" Ikki cried as she stood ramrod straight with both hands coming to her face.

Both Ichigo and Uzume stopped what they were doing and turned to her concerned, however before either could ask what was wrong Ikki quickly bounded towards them and dropped herself in a crouching stance in front of Ichigo, her hands on the box he had been handling to help.

"I-I'm sorry!" she quickly apologized.

For what, a wide eyed Ichigo was to ask as she then continued.

"I should- I should..." she trailed off and paused before looking downward and Ichigo followed her gaze.

Both blushed crimson.

On the box Ikki had both her hands laid atop of Ichigo's and she felt the warmth of her Ashikabi spread through her and with the scandalous thoughts of a few seconds ago began to heat up at a perilous pace. Her eyes kept moving back up from her hands to Ichigo's face and down again before bringing them back up to note Ichigo's own rosy wide eyed blush and attempted to stammer out an apology that ended up getting stuck in her throat.

For Ichigo he would think if it could be something so easy as to what Ikki was thinking if his brain would just reboot. Holding hands probably would have been a massive stride several months ago however after Uzume such things had become normal. No. The problem he was facing and trying to pry his eyes away was something a little bit beyond her hands upon his on the box.

Ikki was crouched in front of him, not kneeling with her legs and knees in a slightly open stance.

In her yukata.

To which she had nothing underneath...

Which was now opened as far as her legs and knees were, completely unnoticed by the girl...

Ichigo blinked as he swallowed audibly and looked up to Ikki's face and that small part of his mind which hadn't commited the image to memory thought she had realized the problem as well. The blushing girl then stood up so fast she nearly lifted off the floor and Ichigo then tried not to notice how her unbound but still covered breasts bounced a few times from that motion.

"I-I-I'm sorry!" Ikki shouted, quickly bowing sharply a few times with her hands clasped at her thighs keeping her yukata shut..

Ichigo blinked again and turned his head and opened his mouth before closing it. He repeated that motion twice before turning back to look up at the flushed girl. "Its... it's okay, really." Smacking his lips he then looked at some of the other boxes and replied in an even voice. "Why don't you help Uzume there begin opening those."

"R-right! Yes!" Ikki chirped before turning to quickly make her way to Uzume, who was looking at both in concern.

Quickly handing Ikki the box cutter Uzume got up and quickly kneeled next to Ichigo placing her hands on his shoulders, her left arm around his back to reach that side. "Are you okay?" she mouthed.

Ichigo stared at her before a part of his mind realized that from her viewpoint she hadn't seen what he had seen. "I'm... I'm fine," he said, not wanting to say why he had acted like that and he could see in Uzume's eyes she was curious to know what happened. He then looked downward, not wanting to say. It wasn't so much he was afraid of how she'd react - scratch that. It was exactly that. Uzume had been downright scandalous in some of his visits, be it showing off racey lingerie or strutting about happily nude but nothing quite like what he had just seen. No, a large part of him was worried that she wouldn't be angry but rather competetive and wanting to happily up the ante.

He mentally shoved down a recently growing part of him that wanted that.

He smacked his lips again before thinning them into a line as his pants which had grown tight had now become increasingly uncomfortable.

"Just fine, Uzume" he clipped. "Let's get the boxes open, okay?"

"S-sure" she responded, not quite convinced.

Ikki, off to the side was bemoaning and chastising herself. Iblewit!Iblewit!Iblewit!Iblewit!Iblewit!' She slowly turned her head back to Ichigo as Uzume relucatanly stood up as he remained huddled in his spot, legs seemingly drawn closer together now and stayed still. 'Was I too forward? I was too forward, wasn't I! She mentally wailed as the imaginary Nanaha just shook her head and palmed her face before disappearing completely. 'But... She thought as she tried to calm herself. She didn't notice the other concerned look from Uzume as she then kneeled next to her to grab another box. 'But he was just as surprised as I was...', she thought as the image of Ichigo's blushing face came to her mind as he stared at their hands.

Her mental wail had now subdued as another thought came to fore.

'He... he was as flummoxed as I was!' she realized as she turned to Uzume who was just staring at her. 'Maybe... maybe they haven't... she thought as she brought her hands to her cheeks and then giggling girlishly at the thought of how innocent her Ashikabi must be if a simple hand grab caused him to blush.

Uzume continued to stare in bewildered confusion at the complete 180 the girl did in just a few seconds before blowing out a breath that pushed a long bang out of her eyes and resumed work.

=============

Time soon began to go by quickly as things settled down. Uzume's boxes that she had found were now against the wall near the door and the rest of the boxes had been opened and flattened and were laid on the other side of the door. Most of what had arrived where Ichigo's clothes and in one bit of happy surprise his stereo, head phones and several of his cds that he owned. The clothes that had come were now folded and awaiting the dresser that was supposed to have arrived with everything else and the only bizarre part was catching Ikki holding his clothes close and sniffing a few, causing him to facepalm at the sight.

Now with everything done he had taken a breath and decided to once more try to talk to his new Sekirei.

Motioning to Uzume he had quickly whispered his intentions and she nodded and used the excuse of taking her boxes to her room to open them to leave them be, Ichigo ushering her out the door.

Closing the door with an audible click Ichigo lowered his head and found himself blowing out a breath as he again found himself wondering what to say. Snorting he lifted his head and took his hand off the doorknob and turned around to find her standing and looking back at him with a faint reddening of her cheeks. Looking her over, really looking her over for the first time aside from the quick encounters from the days before, their work together in this room and the state he first found her in he had to admit to himself that she was pretty cute. She had light olive skin with blue eyes with black hair with blue highlights that framed her face and fell into unconnected locks above her shoulders. She was, he figured, just a little bit smaller than Uzume heightwise as she stood barefoot in her yukata.

He blinked and blushed, a near perfect image of what he had seen not too long ago coming back with a vengence.

Dammit.

He shook his head to clear it, now was not the time for this. He'd ask Uzume if she could pick up something for her later. Time to get started.

He looked at her and said the first word that came to mind.

"Uh..."

For Ikki, the world she had known it had ceased the moment Uzume had stepped out leaving her and her Ashikabi together in his room.

Alone.

Alone.

Was he locking the door?

Ohmygodhe'slockingthedoors!!!

'B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-but it's to sudden for that isn't it?!? I mean... I mean I know that he was just blushing at holding hands and now we're jumping to... and we're supposed to do this... and straight to that... but... but...'

For Ichigo, he found himself now stretching his neck and looking at her, unknowingly giving her his defacto soft glare. "Uh, I realized," he started. "I realized that with everything going on we were never properly introduced after... after.... after that," he got out, grimacing a bit at the memory of being caught off guard as she had been right up to him after he had caught her from falling and for her to kiss him right then and there. "I'm Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo," he stated before wincing at how stupid that must have sounded.

Ikki blinked, shocked out her daydream by her ashikabi's voice. "Eh?"

"My name," he said, his brows narrowing in confusion. "Kurosaki Ichigo. And you said your name was... Ikki, right?"

"Y-yes... yes I know that A-ashikabi-sama."

"Ichigo's fine," he said suddenly, finding himself uncomfortable with that title.

"Ah... ah right I... I'm sorry..."

"Uh...," And again he found himself lost. Was talking to girls always this hard? He never had this problem with Tatsuki, Honshou, Inoue and the others. Nevermind Uzume seemed to be easy to talk too. His eyes flicked back and forth as internally fought for something to say before remembering something.

"How have you been?"

"Um... f-fine all things considered Ichigo-sama..." Ikki replied. "I just... I just hope my sister wakes up soon," she said before a bit of sadness entered her eyes.

He sucked in a bit of breath. Damn, did he screw up? He'd forgotten about that bit just now and for him to remind her of it... "I'm sorry," he got out, upset at himself. "I hope she gets better soon, too."

Ikki felt her face flush suddenly at his words of concern. What a gentle soul she had managed to be winged by! He was growing to be more and more what she dreamed her beloved Ashikabi to be. She smiled brightly, "Y-yeah! So do I Ichigo-sama!"

He blinked, surprised at her cheerful demeaner. Did he misunderstand or something? He brought his right hand to his head and scratched, looking around the room as topics for discussion dropped to zero again.

Ikki for her part continued to stare at Ichigo with pure admiration in her eyes. 'My god... he's so beautiful. And such a tender soul... I can tell. I'm so happy I finally got to meet him.' Even now it seemed a golden haze had encircled Ichigo, to the point that his very aura around him seemed to shine in recognized brillaince. Ikki's smile grew as her Ashikabi turned to her, a warm smile on his lips and his warm brown eyes shining with affection and her imagination began to take over.

Ichigo blinked as the girl went quiet. Too quiet for what little he knew of her and noticed that the red coloring on her cheeks had increased a bit and her eyes looked a little glazed. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Ehehehehehehehe..."

"Ikki?" he said now more than a little concerned.

"Ichigo-sama... you're so bad..." Ikki whispered in a delirious tone.

Concern moved to full blown worry as she giggled again and the top of her yukata slid off her a bit, exposing her right shoulder before she began to sway a bit.

"Hey!" he called out and rushed to her.

"Ehehehe... Ichigo-sama... you're so tender..."

And then she listed a bit too far.

Ichigo lunged at that last moment and caught her at her exposed shoulder before the other caught her at her waist before she suddenly blinked and looked at him, shocked out of her imagination before she realized how close he was and the electric thrill at him touching her before she suddenly bucked and went rigid, trembling for a few seconds as he held onto her now almost in panic at what had happened.

And just as soon as it happened it ended, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as she slumped further into his arms limplessly.

"Ikki!", he cried, looking her over to see if anything visible was on her, seeing nothing except an odd content smile on her face. Not giving it much thought he turned his head to the door. "Uzume!"

Even as he was in the middle of calling out he heard the thumping footstep of his first Sekirei came flying through the door, just barely twisting the knob in time lest she remove the door from its hinges.

"Ichigo!" she called out to him before pulling back and pausing as she saw the scene in front of her. "What happened?!"

Ichigo's face twisted as he struggled to comprehend what the hell had happened within the last few minutes before his mind snapped back to the present and reminded himself of who else was here and told her to go get Miya before readjusting his hold on the girl in his arms. He barely heard Uzume begin asking for more details as he looked down at the Sekirei in his arms in concern and for the life of him could not understand the smile that still graced her face.

=============

"Ugh, Oniichan" muttered a young girl as she looked at her notes and up at what looked to be an old fashioned Japanese Inn.

"This is it," she said to herself. 'The place called 'Maison Izumo'. Now... how to approach this...

Quickly making her way along the fence she found the opening and saw someone there sweeping away at the grounds. "Um, excuse me!" she called out.

"Yes," the woman with wonderous and beautiful lavender hair turned to greet her. "Hello, welcome to Maison Izumo. May I help you with anything?"

"Yes, um, would there by any chance a Sahashi Minato live her?"

The woman blinked. "Why yes, he's one of my tenants."

Ah, so this was the Landlady. 'Not bad, Oniichan'. She then snapped out of her thoughts as the woman spoke again.

"Ah, that's good. I wanted to make sure my notes were correct" she said and held up said paper.

"Ah, you've come to visit him, I guess. And you would be...?"

"I'm his sister!"

=============

"Yahoo! Oniichan!"

She hadn't waited long, removing her shoes and staying at the genkan as the Landlady went up to find her brother. And within several minutes she heard the light thumping of footsteps as her target came down the stairs and into view.

"Yu-Yukari!" Minato gasped, clearly surprised to see her. He lifted his hand up towards her slightly as he continued to gain his bearings. "Why are you so suddenly...?

She puffed her cheeks at him and frowned, dismayed at his response. "That's so mean. I asked mom and she said you moved". It was then that she stretched and a sly smirk then graced her face as she leaned forward a bit and clasped her hands behind her.

"Well, I also moved her recently so I came to say hi."

Minato blinked and processed what she had said and gasped in realization. "Re-really? You said you were going to college here this year, right?"

She puffed her cheeks out again. "What do you mean, 'really'?" Stupid Oniichan...

Before she could berate him some more another voice interjected itself.

"Sahashi-san," the Landlady said, smiling at both of them. "The tea is ready, why don't we come inside" she said and motioned for them to leave the genkan and further into the Inn.

Both looked surprise at having been caught as they had about to go into a small argument that they didn't hear the door open behind them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Asama-san" Minato responed, bowing and scratching his head.

His sister recovered faster and smiled as she bowed as well. "Thank you".

It was then that Minato turned his head and his eyes widened. Seeing this Yukari began to turn to see what got her brother's attention.

"I'm back," and unfamilar voice said as she was in midturn. "A guest?"

Gah!

Yukari found herself unable to speak as she saw who had walked in and blood rushed to her face. "Ah... ah..."

"Yes," Minato told this handsome man. "This is my younger sister".

The man turned to look at her in more detail and his eyes widened a bit. "You...?"

"YES?! ME?!" she stammered, heart pounding against her chest. Did he know her?! How could she forget someone this awe-

-BeepBeepBeep-

Her thoughts had been cut off from a cell phone going off and everyone stopped to watch him pull it out. The man moved back as she smiled at them and her. "Ah, nothing. I'm sorry, it was nothing."

Sighing, Yukari clasped her hands under her chin with hearts in her eyes. "Wait," she said in a tiny voice and sighed. "Oniichan~" she said, voice now dripping with suger. "Who is that? He's sooo cool."

Minato just looked at her and her rather uncharacteristic state. At least to him. Drawing a breath he responded as his sister continued to watch him walk away. "That's Kagari-san. He lives here."

"No-no way! You live with such a cool guy?!"

"Say what?" Minato said as much as soon Kagari came walking back towards him and he noticed his sister shrink and push at her clothes to straighten them out and attempted to look demure and gave her a flat look.

'You're not fooling anyone, Yukari'.

"Sorry," Kagari apologized as he made his way past them and picked up his coat from the coat rack and put it on. "I gotta go back out again."

And with that he was off and Minato heard another sigh and rolled his eyes. He was about to turn and motion Yukari in so they could enjoy the tea the Landlady had made when another voice came to fore. "Waaah, Yukari-san!" Musubi had said as she came down the stairs. "It's been a long time!"

"Kyaa! Musubi-oneechan!" Yukari cried as she hopped towards the other girl before twirling suddenly lowering her head to the Sekirei as she closed in.

"Ah!" Musubi gasped as two hands cupped both of her breasts to fondle and the girl snuggled her face in them.

"Mmm~" Yukari mewled as she rubbed her face back and forth a few times as her hands continued to feel the other girl up.

"YUKARI! STOP IT!" Minato cried before he realized what he did and lowered his voice. "That's so embarassing." He muttered as he blushed at his sister's antics.

Musubi simply tilted her head as she watched both of them, not reacting to the younger girl feeling her up.

Said girl widened both her hands as she took slower bigger grasps as she turned her head to face her brother with a very sly expression. "Oh? Jealous?" she teased.

"W-w-w-wha?" Minato cried out as his face flushed red in embarrasment.

Before she could reply yet another voice interjected itself.

"What the hell is with all the noise," an excasperated voice asked.

A male voice.

Several heavy steps could be heard as the owner of said voice came down the stairs. Yukari stepped away to take a look at this person who lived with her brother as he came into view holding a hand to his head and rubbing it.. Reaching the bottom of the stairs he took his hand away and Yukari got her first look at his face unobstructed.

"Ah..." Yukari got out.

"A visitor?" this man, this man with the fetching bright orange -ORANGE!- hair asked her brother.

"Y-yeah, I'm sorry about this" she heard her brother say as she tried to take in this... this...

'OHMYGODHE'SAHOTTIE!' her mind screamed at her as her legs weakend as she wordlessly fell to her knees.

"Yukari!" she heard her brother cry as she hoped the drool from her mouth didn't make her look bad.

Ichigo just looked on with a flat look.

Two girls down for some reason he couldn't explain.

=============

"You sure you're ok?" Ichigo asked he looked over Yukari.

"Ah! Y-yes! AhHahahahahahahaha!" Yukari squeaked out, a hand at her head as she tried to laugh off her embarassing reaction.

They were all sitting at the chabudai table in the dining room. Yukari was sitting between her brother to her left and Ichigo to her right. Across from them sat Musubi who sat center with Kuu to her right at the edge paying no attention to anyone as she was glued to the tv.

"Waaaaahhh~" Yukari mewled as cutely as she could. "Oniichan", she said in a sugarly voice, "you've moved into such a nice place. "The landlady is so pretty and Musubi is with you and you have such hunk- nice guys living her as well" she said as she turned to the orange haired man next to her.

Oh lord, a little closer and she'd feel his body heat.

"Uh, ah, sorry for that back there" she said to him and fluttered her eyelashes and blushed.

"Uhhh.... no problem," Ichigo shrugged. "So she's yer lil' sis Sahashi?"

"Ye-yes!" she said before her brother could say anything to ruin this. "I'm-I'm Yukari. Sahashi Yukari. P-pleased to meet you!" she squeaked and bowed to him from her sitting position, her cheeks still very rosey.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," the strawberry-blonde grunted. "So what brings you by here?"

"Ah, ah, I came to see my Oniichan," she said before her eyes lit up. "Ah! Oniichan!" she then turned to see her brother giving her a flat look.

"Yes?"

"I got into college! Aren't you happy for me, Oniichan?"

Minato blinked in surprise before giving his siter a large grin, "You did? That's great!"

"Kyaa! Thank you, Oniichan!" she cried as she suddenly leaned to him and Minato's happy face turned to gawk at her unexpected manuever before swinging back to Ichigo.

Ichigo gave her a nod. "Congrats."

"Thank you, thank you very much for your kind words Kurosaki-san!"

"So where ya goin't to school?" Ichigo asked.

Yukari happily told them both and Ichigo whistled.

"That's that all girls college?" Ichigo asked, recalling Tatsuki and Inoue mentioning it once.

"Umhmm, umhmm," she nodded eagerly at him. "I was soo happy to get in, my Oniichan's been trying so hard himself so I was worried about how hard they would be."

"Oh?" Ichigo leand over to look at Minato. "So you're a ronin?"

Minato was giving his sister a flat look at the info at what she spilled when he realized what Ichigo said and felt his shoulders slump. "Y-yeah" he confirmed. "Twice now," he added just to get out of the way now.

Ichigo grimaced at seeing the other boy's state. "Sorry."

"Thanks," Minato replied, shoulders still slumped.

"But it's not so bad right? So long as ya don't quit you'll get in soon."

Minato looked up, a bit surprised that he wasn't being made fun of. But before he could say anything-

"That's right, Oniichan!" Yukari said as she whipped her head to him with her hands clasped under her chin. "All you have to do is work hard, Oniichan and you can do anything!" she proclaimed to the point where Minato thought he could see sparkles surrounding her as she turned to Ichigo to nod at him.

"That's right, Minato-san!" Musubi agreed, also seeming to sparkle as well. "Minato-san can do anything!"

As Minato blushed at the encouragment Ichigo turned back to Yukari. "So you're lookin' for a place too?"

"Uh, I, uh..." Caught completely off guard, Yukari found herself unsure of what to say, seeing that she already had a place and was now seriously considering moving in here.

"So you did find a place?" Ichigo asked.

Yukari found herself struggling with what to say when deliverance came.

"You sure you're fine?" an unfamiliar female voice came forth.

"I am," came a second unfamilar voice chirped happily.

Yukari looked to see two woman come into the dining area. One had short shoulder length hair and olive-colored skin. What had caught Yukari's attention was that she was wearing a yukata that was slightly open and contained a nice sized rack, but nowhere close to Musubi-oneechan's. The next one though could keep up with her nicely. Wearing jeans with a white long sleeved t-shirt with pink hearts riding down the sleeves was a girl that had her hair in a side-ponytail and the rest curling down her back.

"Oh," Ikki blinked. "We got us a guest?"

"Uzume," Ichigo acknowledged and turned to Ikki. "Ikki," he then nodded to her.

"Heya," Uzume chirped at Yukari. "Nice ta meet ya!"

"Ni-nice to meet you too," Yukari responded as her thoughts began to whirl. Both these girls were beautiful. Beautiful like Musubi. Did they live here? If so, what was their relation to Ichigo? He did greet them, afterall. Oh, no, could her hunk already be taken?

Ikki's eyes suddenly narrowed as she zeroed in on Yukari's sitting position. The expression was brief as she smiled sunnily down at the younger Sahashi sibling, "Hey!"

"Huh-hi."

Ikki walked at a speed that didn't seem possible for someone in her condition, and was all but hovering over Yukari, "Excuse me..."

Yukari blinked. "Yes?"

And it was all Yukari could do to keep from letting out a cry of surprise as Ikki gently nudged her way inbetween her and her Ashikabi, "..But I think I called dibs on this seat."

'Wha-what the hell?!' Yukari thought, her eyes widening. She looked as the other girl made herself comfortable, causing Yukari to shift a bit away into her brother to make room. 'What's with this girl?!' Seeing how the other girl turned to greet the other guy brought instant realzation and her eyes narrowed. Seeing how her target reacted to her seemingly uncomfortable brought other confirmations to light. 'Th-that bitch!' Clearly, this one didn't know where she wasn't wanted.

Ikki turned to Yukari, a devious smirk on her features, "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"

Minato suddenly backed off a few feet, recognizing the signs of not wanting to be close to this event.

"No, no you weren't," she grit out, her eyes narrowing as much as possible without looking bad and trying to angle it where he couldn't see her properly when she gave this bitch her best glare. "Ikki, your name was?"

"That's right lil' girl," she taunted as her Ashikabi blinked in confusion over the display before him. "How may I be of assistance to you?"
Ichigo turned to Uzume, "Uhhh... what's going on here?" he whispered

"Stuff," Uzume said as she sat next to Musubi opposite Ichigo as she waved it off and then clasped her hands under her chin to rest it on them. She then winked at him and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Just enjoy the show." Ichigo gave her a flat stare in response.

"Well, speak up," Ikki taunted. "I can't exactly hear you over your kiddy voice y'kno."

'You can assist your ass out the door you skank.' "No, you don't need to help me at all," Yukari grunted out, her left eyebrow twitching.

"I just want to be sure," Ikki continued. "After all, as an adult woman," she taunted as her breast seemed to instinctivly jiggle for emphasis, "It's my solem duty to make sure the youth respect their elders."

A sickly red aura began to form around the younger girl. "And its the duty of the youth to help the elderly. Shall I help you back to your bed?" she said, looking at Ikki's garments over once more.

A vein twitched on Ikki's head. "Oh how cute. The little girl wants to be helpful. If I may offer some advise... watch who you call elderly LITTLE GIRL. After all, you don't want to be mistaken for something you're not when you become a grown woman. Understand?"

Yukari flexed her hands and made a fist a few times with audible cracking filling the room. "I should hope I would be in better condition than you are, obasan".

Ikki's own knuckles cracked as a dark green aura began to well around the weapon user, "Oh hoh? And just what do you mean by that LITTLE GIRL?!"

Yukari moved her head closer to Ikki and out of Ichigo's range of vision and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Being as old as you are you probably hurt yourself by tripping over something. Allow me to help you back to your room to rest" she grit out.

"Well aren't you a cheeky one little girl?" Ikki gritted out.

"Says the old woman who started it," Yukari ground back.

-BOP! BOP!-

"ACK!"

"OUCH!"

"Now now," Miya mildly chided as she patted her lattle. "That's enough of that."

"S-sorry, Miya!" Ikki quickly mentioned as she rubbed her head.

"Hey!" Yukari cried. "What was that..." she tapered off as the hair on her neck began to rise as she watched the smiling Landlady's eyes crinkled and just felt a wave of dread trample down her spine and shut up before gasping at realizing her actions and quickly glancing at Ichigo lowering her head and softly apologized.

Ichigo sighed, rubbing his forehead slightly and turned to his landlady. "Thanks Asama-san."

"No problem at all, Kurosaki-san" Miya replied. With that both girls lips pursed as they at the same time turned towards the table with their heads down and hands clasped at their laps. Neither of the two girls realized they had perfecly mimiced the other as Miya began to set the cups she had brought down and began to pour the tea she had brewed with them. Ichigo and others gave their thanks as each took a few sips at their cups and enjoying the taste in silence.

All save one.

Kuu was currently in her own little world, ignoring the near argument that had erupted and the small cup that had been down for her as well. Her eyes were glued to the tv, never having it out of her sight for a few seconds as she continued to watch the local news that had been playing.

-In other news tonight, the plants that have been overgrowing at the botanical garden since last month have been removed by MBI overnight. The corporation declined to comment the method of removal as well as the casue for the overgrowth, but they do confirm that no pesticides were used in the clean-up. As it stands, it is yet another mystery to the enigmatic business and it's practices. In other news...-

Musubi blinked in confusion as the young sekirei balled up her fists close to her face, her eyes refusing to leave the television screen. "Kuu-chan?"

Ichigo on the other hand had heard it too, as the tv was now the loudest thing in the dining area once the tea had been set. His eyes narrowed a bit when he recalled where he had heard about the botanical gardens, or the Arboretum before. He looked to his left over the heads of Ikki and Yukari to see Minato had been looking at the tv too before turning and seeing Ichigo looking at him.

"Hey," Ichigo said, "isn't that...?"

"Y-yeah," Minato mumbled. "That's the place..."

Uzume then frowned herself. "But... how could it have been removed that quickly?"

"Shii-chan..."

Minato blinked as he heard his young seikirei's wispered response, "Kuu-chan?"

"That's really weird," Yukari said as she put her cup down to look at the tv, remembering the news reports she had seen about it herself. She then saw her brother trying to calm the spritely young girl down. "And who's the kid?"

"Uh..." Minato paused for a second as he tried to come up with a response. "She's... she's a tennant's daughter."

"Ah." Yukari nodded in understanding. A light blush flashed across her cheeks as she looked back to Ichigo for a moment and then spoke to Kuu, "Hey there... uh... what's the matter? You miss your mom? You wanna play?"

"Well would you look at that, " Ikki cut in, a sneer on her face that she hid behind her hand as if she were a noblewoman. "Did you wanna set up a play date?"

Yukari's eyes narrowed as her head quickly turned towards Ikki. "You volentering to watch over us grandma?"

Ikki twitched, "Well I suppose I have to little girl. After all you might trip and squash poor Kuu-chan with that big body of yours."

Ichigo grumbled a bit as he looked at the two out from the corner of his eye as Musubi and Minato continued to comfort Kuu. "Oy" he grunted as the girls were about to start another round. Uzume, who had alternating her concentration on the tv, Kuu and Yukari and Ikki had been snickering at the latter as the two butted heads but then quickly noted Ichigo's irritable tone and quickly glanced to see if Miya was close by.

A sudden beeping sound brought Yukari's attention to her phone. Grumbling she pulled it out to see the time and sighed. "Dang it, I gotta go."

"Eh?" Minato looked up as Kuu continued to sob softly in his arms, "You're leaving already?"

Yukari sighed, taking a quick longing look at Ichigo who had been looking down at Ikki and when she lowered her head to the girl they again locked eyes before she sharply turned her head away and hmphed. "Sorry, 'Niichan, but I have some other things I need to do today and I wanted to drop by your new place."

"Well just take care of yourself ok? The city's a dangerous place y'know, so-"

"Don't worry niichan, I'll be fine," Yukari smiled at her elder brother. "You don't have to worry so much."

"Yea I do. It's you after all..."

Yukari giggled, "A worry wart 'till the end." She slapped her fist into her palm as she remembered something. "Ah that's right... Mom's in the city for work."

Minato blinked in surprise, "Eh? She is?"

"Yeah," Yukari affirmed as she stood up and looked at everyone except Ikki and smiled as brightly as she could. "It was very nice to meet all of you," she chirped before turning to Ichigo with light rosy cheeks. "And you as well. Please take care of my Oniichan, okay?" Ichigo nodded absently towards her as his attention came back down on Ikki as the girl continued to watch Yukari like a hawk.

"And Niichan..."

Minato looked up at his sister as she smiled michiviously, "You better do your best... if ya don't wanna get dumped by Musubi-neechan!"

"Y-Y-Yukari!" Minato sputtered.

The younger sibling giggled at his response before turning on her heels and waving one last time to the people behind her and a fond look at the orange haired man before walking off with Minato escorting her.

"I'll be sure to be back to check up on you again, 'Niichan," were the last words they heard from her as both she and Minato disappeared from view.

"Well... that was interesting," Ichigo sighed as he glanced at Ikki who continued to watch Yukari's re-treating path to make sure the younger Sahashi sibling was really gone. This was going to be a problem, he just knew it.

=============
 

BukkakeNoJutsu

Well-Known Member
#17
Hahaha. Once Yukari finds out about Ikki and Uzume being with Ichigo, she may want to join in.
 
#18
Not sure I'm aboard Yukari falling for Ichigo. If it just stays as a regular crush it's okay but her taking over Riruka all of a sudden is kind of dumb.
 

Wheeljack

Well-Known Member
#20
A Curious Stranger said:
Not sure I'm aboard Yukari falling for Ichigo. If it just stays as a regular crush it's okay but her taking over Riruka all of a sudden is kind of dumb.
I really wouldn't worry too much over it. As for Riruka, considering Yukari's personality that bit felt extremely appropriate to use when we wrote it, even though Benitsubasa's use of it got published first (this scene was written before the Extra chapter with Benitsubasa). And now that joke can be retired. :sisi:
 

nick012000

Well-Known Member
#21
Wheeljack said:
A Curious Stranger said:
Not sure I'm aboard Yukari falling for Ichigo. If it just stays as a regular crush it's okay but her taking over Riruka all of a sudden is kind of dumb.
I really wouldn't worry too much over it. As for Riruka, considering Yukari's personality that bit felt extremely appropriate to use when we wrote it, even though Benitsubasa's use of it got published first (this scene was written before the Extra chapter with Benitsubasa). And now that joke can be retired. :sisi:
To be fair, Yukari's had a fairly similar reaction to suitably pretty men in canon, though none of them were nearly as manly as Ichigo is. I think she might actually have a thing for bishounens.
 

Knyght

The Collector
#22
nick012000 said:
Wheeljack said:
A Curious Stranger said:
Not sure I'm aboard Yukari falling for Ichigo. If it just stays as a regular crush it's okay but her taking over Riruka all of a sudden is kind of dumb.
I really wouldn't worry too much over it. As for Riruka, considering Yukari's personality that bit felt extremely appropriate to use when we wrote it, even though Benitsubasa's use of it got published first (this scene was written before the Extra chapter with Benitsubasa). And now that joke can be retired. :sisi:
To be fair, Yukari's had a fairly similar reaction to suitably pretty men in canon, though none of them were nearly as manly as Ichigo is. I think she might actually have a thing for bishounens.
That was the impression I had as well. I found it a bit jarring that Yukari's reaction was exactly the same Riruka's here. Not because she wouldn't feel that way but the similarity was just a bit too strong, giving it a strange feeling of deja vu.

Not sure I'm conveying that well. :hmm:
 

Seed00

Well-Known Member
#23
"Well... that was interesting," Ichigo sighed as he glanced at Ikki who continued to watch Yukari's re-treating path to make sure the younger Sahashi sibling was really gone. This was going to be a problem, he just knew it.
Countdown to aspirin use begins...

Nothing to comment on except Ikki's trying too hard. At least Uzume was patient.
 

Ghostface

Lazy Bastard...
#24
Oh, Ello-hey.

Sorry for the delay, I've been laid up with illness and work, delaying this severly. The next parts should be quicker as we're near the finish line at this point. Just need to finish some scenes and revise a bit more.

Now then, onto the next part...

==============================================


'Haaaah....' Yukari sighed internally as she skipped back to her new place. 'I gotta make it a point to visit Minato more often I think...' She almost salvated at the thought of seeing that God of all Bishonens once again that lived with her brother. What was his name? Kagari? He was just so... so... gorgeous. It was almost a crime for such a man to be living in such a pedestrian place. You'd never see someone so... perfect as he in anyplace other than a mansion or as a model or... anywhere but rooming with her big brother.

And then there was his other flat-mate... Ichigo Kurosaki. Handsome failed to describe him. Georgous failed to describe him. Their probably wern't any words to describe the... vision of godliness she had the rare opportunity to meet today. His eyes... his face... hus voice... just the very thought of him almost made the younger Sahashi crumble to her knees in worship. It was impossible to belive that he was living with her big brother or that pretty bishonen.

Or that clingy jealous top heavy bimbo of an old hag.

She let off soft growl as the cocky grin of Ikka... Icha.. whatever the skank's name was. It wasn't improtant, what was important was figuring out how to ditch the bitch and spend some time getting to know Ichigo a bit better.

And hope that the old hag really wasnt' his girlfriend or something.

At that thought she stopped, closed her eyes, and inhaled the scents of the world around her. Letting the crip air calm her, and the scents of the nearby bakery bring her back into good spirits. Given the way Ichigo acted around the hag, if she had to guess he was either oblivious or ignoring how she acted. At least she hoped that was the case. And what about that other girl?

That halted her calming down as another anxiety welled up in her. What if she was the real girlfriend? Unlike the hag, she could se there was somethign going on between them, and she was hot enough to be his girlfriend and belive it. God, how did her big brother get himself surrounded with such beautiful people? It made no sense!

Now that she thought on it some more, just who the heck was that little girl that seemed stuck to Minato like a little plushie? Was she related to the landlady? Was she Minato's new girlfriend? Was her brother a lolicon?! Was she going to have to break Musubi's heart and bring her brother to the cops for sexing up a kid?!

"Oh man, my head hurts..." Yukari muttered as she cluched her head in pain at the mental image of her brother locked in chains and the little girl telling him that she'd wait for him. The thought was so distracting that she never noticed the figure running across her path.

-THUD-

"Ooooww..." Yukari moaned as she sat on her rump uncerimoniusly. "Why don't you watch where you're going?"

"Ah... s-sorry," came the unfamilar voice. Yukari looked toward the voice's dirction...

And suddenly her vision became roes encrusted.

He had a slim frame combined with very delicate features, almost androgynous. The figure wore khaki shorts that cuffed at the end, a small and rather feminine backpack and long-sleeved white shirt. The person's gray hair had a rather androgynus style of cut, but it highlighted it's matching gray eyes. As Yukari stared at this person, only one thought entered her head.

'OHMIGAWDHESSOFREAKINGPRETTY!!'

The androgynus person eyed Yukari warrily, noting the stars in the young woman's eyes. "Um... are... are you ok ma'am?"

"Eh?" Yukari blinked as she noted the new bishonen was talking to her. "Y-yes I'm fine! Just fine!" She paused, notcing a scrape on the person's knee. "What about you? Aren't you hurt?"

"Hmm?" the person looked down at their skinned knee, as if noticing the scrape for the first time. "Ah... it's-"

"Found you~!" came a sing song voice from above.

Yukari and the stranger both looked up to the sky to see a young woman with her blonde hair tied into twin ponytails. She wore a high collared turtleneck dress with one yellow vertical stripe in the middle. On her feet rested black under-the-calf socks and black shoes as well as white gloves on her hands that feathered out on the wrists.

She was also apparently shamelessly showing off her panties to all below who could see her.

'Slut,' Thought Yukari as the blonde leared at the androgynous stranger.

"You're not an easy one to find number one hundred and seven," the blond continued. "Won't you be a good boy and come with me? I rather not get scolded by my master y'know."

"As if I'd go with someone who tried to hurt Kuu-chan!" the androgynous boy spat back.

"Excuse me," Yukari intterupted, patting the young boy on his shoulder. He turned to look at her cautiously but allowed Yukari to give him a reassuring nudge. "I dont' know what your beef is with this slut, but why don't you leave this little girl to me ok? I'll take care of it."

The boy paused, a light blush crossing the bridge of his nose as he numbly nodded. At that, Yukari gave the boy a reassuring smile as she stood in front of him protectivly. She turned to the blonde exobisonist and gave her a harsh glare. The blonde blinked in surprise as it seemes a firey aura appeared behind her. "HEY YOU DANM SLUT!!" she shouted out to the blonde while popping her knuckles. "HOW DARE YOU THREATEN A BISHONEN ON MY WATCH! IF YOU DON'T KICK ROCKS RIGHT NOW, I'LL BREAK YOUR STUPID FACE!"

The blonde gave Yukari a flat look, her eye twitching slightly. "...Wut."

=============

-Later that evening-

Yashima thanked the bell hop for showing her to her room and bowed to him in thanks when he opened the door for her, which opened inwards and entered.

-CRACK-

"AH!" she yelped as she fell on her rump.

-THUD-

She then winced as the Gravity Hammer fell to the floor.

Slowly opening her eyes she looked up and winced at the new cracks that appeared over and to the side of the door frame and tried not to think of the few that were now under the rug. The bell hop was looking at her in astonishment settling into weariness. A far cry from the leer and slight curiousity at her weapon from earlier. No doubt he thought it to be a prop.

Which he did. And that she was some kind of cosplayer.

After making sure the Hammer was facing the lean way she entered and the bell hop hastily shut the door behind him. Setting the Hammer down she sighed and removed her shoes and waited until she was sure her face had cooled down a bit. When she felt it to be so she looked up to survery her new temporary housing.

"Wow..." she murmered in wonder.

And it wasn't even close to the most expensive rooms here, to which the manager had attempted to push on her, only to relent when he noticed how far she was retreating from him as he moved around the desk to come close to her.

Funny how MBI Cards made people act...

She made her way to the bed and sat in the center so she could pull her feet in. This was waaay too much. She shook her head, trying not to think about it now as other thoughts made her way to her as weariness began to set in.

Six hours. Six hours she had spent on foot heading in this direction.

On just a feeling.

She sighed and hoped that what she had felt was true. What she had felt had been unlike anything she had ever experienced but the intesity...

Something about it made her think of him...

The man in her dreams.

Blowing a breath out of her mouth she made her way to the balcony and stepped out and viewed the dusky skies and the stars that were beginning to twinkle. Stepping out further she placed her hands on the stylized stone and wood rail and a soft wind began to blow. Being on the sixth floor gave her a good view of the ward she was in now, and the balcony was large enough for her to jump in and out when she went about her search. Looking down into the streets she saw a train pull up to the railway station that was a little more than a mile away and sighed, placing her head down on the rail and hoped.

=============

Back at Izumo...

Uzume inhaled deeply through her nostrils and tensed more, arching herself further foward as her shoulders scrunched up more and the fists she held to her breasts now rose a bit to nearly meet her chin. Through her glare she continued to study her opponents and slowly let her breath out.

The blistering heat was not helping though.

To her right of her vision was Musubi, who returned her glare with an expression that was pure determination, her shoulders slowly rising and falling with her breathing. Musubi was also holding her fists up in a ready position; the steady rythym of her breathing the only sound coming from her as her eyes flicked back and forth at the two who opposed her.

If the heat were bothering her she was doing a remarkable job of not letting it show.

Ikki glared at both of the girls as she wavered back and forth, her eyes half lidded in a slight glare in a cute fashion. Her own determination to win clear as she held her fists high, waiting to see who would be the first Sekirei to fall.

Of the three, it looked like she was trying to fight off the effects of the temperature the most.

Uzume's eyes fell for an instant, and idly noticed that Ikki's pose put her considerable chest out. Far more than she would have imagined at that. She then blinked and shook her head, dammit now was not the time to be distracted as her eyes quickly flicked back to Musubi, who was smiling a bit and...

Was she humming?

She blinked as she now heard more humming coming from the other side and slightly turned to see Ikki now scrunching up more and completely glaring at Musubi and also humming.

"MMmmmmmm~~~" Ikki hummed out.

"Mmmhhhmmmmmmmmmm~~~" Musubi returned, her attention now completely on Ikki.

Uzume looked back and forth between the two, now seemingly forgotten in this battle of wills before she too began wavering.

So hot...

'Why do I get myself into this...' Uzume thought before finally... "Ppaaahhhhh~" she let out finally. "Oh, whatever..." she mumbled out as she suddenly stood, water splashing everywhere and off her body as she rose from the furo. She bent low and held an arm out, nearly stumbling as the heat from the water and the bath area finally getting to her as she slowly sat down at the edge of the furo.

Her sudden action shattered the mood between the other two Sekirei, who also collapsed and then slid slightly further in the furo.

It was then as Ikki was receding into the water that she blinked and sat up, rippling the water around her and specks of water flying off her hair and body before she suddenly found herself leaning foward too much. Blinking heavily she quickly scooted herself back to sit at the edge and blinked a few times before looking up at her sister Sekirei who sat on the edge, her feet still in the water. "Siiiiissssss~" she whined.

Uzume stretched her neck as the excess heat from the water continued to leave her body. "Hmmm?"

"D-don't get me wrong Uzume-neesan but... you gotta be tougher than that right?" Ikki pouted while putting her right hand down to steady herself as she continued to feel light headed. "I mean, you just up and gave a victory ta Musubi-chan! We gotta stick togeter and get as many victorys as we can before her Ashikabi gets stronger y'know?"

Uzume sighed and tilted her head at Ikki. "I'm not stoppin' you from keepin' at it. You girls are the ones who're gonna duke it out eventually."

"She's right Ikki-san!" Musubi nodded in agreement, clenching a fist as best she could as her eyes swirled. "We- we have to decide a winner between us!"

Ikki gave off a weak giggle, "I-If you wanna lose so badly Musubi-chan..." She inhaled deeply before clenching a fist herself, her limit seemingly reset back to zero. "Then bring it on my eternal rival!"

Musubi, in a unexpected and sudden return to form with fire in her eyes, nodded several times enthusiastically.

"Hah?" Uzume blinked at the sudden revival between the two.

"Right!" Musubi agreed with Ikki.

And with that, the battle restarted anew.

Four minutes later

"How... how 'bout we call this a draw... Musubi?" Ikki weakly put forth, her arms up high to wrap around the furo top as best she could to keep her afloat.

"Y...yeah..." Musubi agreed as she bobbed with the water, her face, breasts and a bit of her stomach the only things above the waterline.

Uzume suddenely guffawed at the two as she slid into the furo to help Musubi sit on the edge before turning to help Ikki the same way.

"Th-thanks sis...~" Ikki got out airly.

"Tha-thank you Uzume-san...~" Musubi added in the same fashion.

A couple minutes passed, both girls slowly regaining their bearings. Each sat on different areas on the edge of the furo, their feet still in the water. Ikki was slightly slumped foward, her lips pursed as several droplets of water fell from her bands. Musubi was at the edge that was opposite of Ikki, slightly slumped as well. Her long hair fell behind her, stuck to her body and wrapped around her stomach down between her legs into the water. Uzume herself sat on the edge between them, to Ikki's right and Musubi's left. Of the three she was the most at ease now, her arms held out on the edge to help support her. Her hair was tied into a makeshift bun and ponytail, not wanting to get her long hair too wet. Her pony tail puffed out nicely behind her, the lowermost parts that hung ending at her hairline behind her head where her neck began.

Another few minutes passed and Ikki raised her head and leaned back, looking at the ceiling and pleasantly sighed. "That was fun."

Across from her Musubi nodded in agreement. "It was fun, wasn't it Uzume?"

Uzume blinked, realizing she only got into it due to her own competetiveness. "It was alright." Competetiveness though had its limits in the warm, almost too warm, bath water. Hearing a soft splash and plop she turned to see Ikki get back in and raised an eyebrow at the big smile the Sekirei gave.

Sighing happily Ikki looked at her two companions and leaned back against the edge of the furo to look at the ceiling again. "Y'know... I always had my dreams, my thoughts.... But I never even thought It''d be as nice as this...."

"Ikki-san?" Musubi asked.

Ikki heard her and clarified. "This..." she waved her arm to everything and sighed again, blushing. "And being married to such a wonderful man." She then looked up at Uzume and lifted her right hand with her index finger pointed in the air. "And I get a new sister to boot!"

Uzume looked at the happy Sekirei and felt a rush of unease, remembering Ichigo's reaction just after Ikki winged herself to him.

Musubi blinked as she saw Uzume's slightly pained face. "Uzume-san? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Uzume responded, knocked out of her thoughts and saw both girls looking at her. "Oh, its nothing, nothing," she waved at them.

Ikki's concerned face turned suddenly to a smile before blushing and two hands broke the surface of the water to poke each index finger to each other and push back and forth between them. "I... I understand, sis," she said and continued as she saw Uzume's confusion. "That- that you'd wish Ichigo-sama was here," she quickly clarified.

Uzume's eyebrows raised. 'If only it were that simple... But still...' she trailed off as she imagined Ichigo's arms encirlcing her from behind.

"Ah hah!" Ikki cried as splashed the water a bit. "I knew it!" She crowed seeing Uzume's blush and how the Sekirei's eyes unfocused, knowing that she was dreaming before she began to blush herself as her own thoughts took hold to the point where she blushed harder and sunk herself into the water. With her mouth underwater she began to blow bubbles as her own thoughts made more twists and turns.

Musubi's head turned back and forth between them. "Ah... Ikki-san? Uzume-san?"

"Huh? Hah?" Both girls blinked and said at the same time before Ikki began a coughing fit at swallowing some water.

When Ikki calmed down she looked at Uzume and smiled. "So how was it?"

"Hm? How was what?"

"Your... your wedding night? I-I mean! You couldn't have been here in the furo together and not had it, right! So how... how was it...." Ikki trailed off, her voice growing ever softer after her outburst to explain what she meant.

Uzume though sighed at the question, rembering how close she had been. The intimacy, their kiss-

"Wedding night?"

Uzume and Ikki both turned back to see Musubi looking at them puzzled, her pointer finger resting on her lips.

"Yea silly," Ikki said slowly. "Y'know... the most important night in a Sekirei's life?"

Musubi blinked, "It is?"

"Yeah..." Uzume drawed out, giving Musubi a curious look as well. "It's that first time when as Ashikabi and their Sekirei join together. Y'know...

Musubi blinked at that, not understanding and Ikki sighed.

It's when they have their first time together as husband and wife?"

"As husband and wife?"

Uzume and Ikki boggled at that statement. Musubi noticed the look and cocked her lovely face to the side.

"You know...," Uzume continued on, hoping Musubi would understand. "When they sleep together?" To the side, Ikki blushed.

Musubi tilted her head, thinking furiously.

"You... you don't know what a husband and wife are? Or... or sleeping..." Ikki said disbelieving and trying to hide her embrassment.

Musubi though was no longer listening. "Husband... and wife..." She murmered it again.

"Hello, Musubiiii~?" Ikki called out before moving closer to the quietly murmuring Sekirei and stood up and leaned towards the other Sekirei and waved a hand in front of Musubi's face. "Helloooooooo-"

"MUSUBI IS A WIFE!!!!" Musubi suddenly cried as she shot to her feet, her actions catching Ikki completely off guard as her breasts slapped up to smack the other Sekirei upside the chin, causing her to fall back into the bath.

-SPLASH-

Ikki got up with her eyes swirling. "Owww..." she muttered and began to rub her now sore chin. "Such...such an awesome sneak attack Musubi-chan," she admired dazedly.

"Musubi is a wife!" Musubi cried happliy, bouncing up and down with her hands clenched and held to each other at her chest. "Musubi is a wife!"

Uzume blinked before taking the cloth that had been resting on her head to slowly dab away the water that had been kicked up from Ikki's fall. "Yeah.. yeah, Musubi. What did you think we meant?"

"Considerin' that reaction," Ikki said as she got back to a proper sitting position as she continued to rub her chin. "She probably ain't had her wedding night yet either." Ikki then sighed before she then blinked in realitization and suddenly got up and sat down next to Uzume and softly elbowed the girl and gave her a sweet smile, "Ne... Uzume-sensei?"

"Huh? Sensei?"

"Ehehehe..." Ikki giggled as her eyes got intense and she leaned into Uzume. "Y'know... I... I could really use your guidance Uzume-sensei. We got a big chance to beat Musubi here. We can't blow this!"

Uzume then gave her a flat look. "Ikki... Somehow... I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Musubi DID sleep with Minato-san!" Musubi cried suddenly, startling both Sekirei.

"Gah!" Uzume cried at the proclamation and fell forward into the water with another splash.

"Mu-Musubi!" Ikki cried before looking down at Uzume who now was getting back up. "Uzume-senseiiiiiii~~~!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Uzume said, shaking her head to get the water out before looking at Musubi. "Are you sure you know what that means?"

Musubi puffed her cheeks, resembling Kuu when she was angry. "Yes, Musubi knows what that means, and she and Minato-sama sleep together a lot!"

Both Sekirei then gave her a flat look before looking at each other.

"Haaah~" Ikki then sighed with her hands up, palms upturned. "You're right, sis, I don't think I have much to worry about."

Musubi puffed her cheeks more, knowing she was being made fun of. "Don't be mean! Musubi and Minato-sama have slept together many times!"

"Musubi," Uzume said, herself calming now as she shook her head at how airheaded the Sekirei was. "I'm talking more than just being in the same bed. I mean-"

"Yeah!" Ikki then interjected. "You have to be naked! And... and..." She trailed off as images of Ichigo and herself came to for.

"Musubi and Minato-san WERE naked!" She cried out indignantly.

"Hah?" Both Sekirei froze and woodenly turned their heads to look at her.

"Musubi and Minato-san were both naked!" Musubi said, remembering how Minato had collapsed in the bath in his apartment before moving to Maison Izumo. Musubi had heard Minato talking in his sleep at how cold it was, due to Musubi putting him to bed without dressing him at all. Remembering what she heard about a human's warmth being best, she stripped naked and slept together with him, pressing herself up to him to keep him wam.

"You-you were?"

Musubi nodded strongly several times before remembering something else just at the edge of her memory before it came to light. "And Minato-san was grabbing Musubi's breasts!" And he had, in his sleep before waking up in shock and backing away as quickly as possible.

"WHAT?!"

"So Musubi did have her wedding night! And Musubi is Minato-san's wife!" She cried happily with her hands in the air.

-PING-

Uzume blankely stared at Musubi as a strand of her hair suddenly decided to stand straight up with a ping sound. Not that she heard it, but as she continued to look at Musubi the more and more she began to feel light headed. And the warm bath water nor the steam of the bathing room were not responsible this time.

"This... this girl had her wedding night... before me...?" She softly mumbled out, her image of Minato completely shattered.

To the side, in her own world Ikki swayed to-and-fro with a stream of tears running down her cheeks. "I... I lost completely..."

"Musubi is a wife! Musubi is a wife!" Musubi continued to cry happily with her hands in the air, bouncing up and down, her breasts also doing the same, almost appearing to cheer with the girl herself and oblivious to the Kurosaki girls' despair.

"Sensei!" Ikki suddenly blurted and in a burst of motion moved towards Uzume to grab her by her shoulders. "Please...please teach me! Please help me catch up!!" She wailed.

"Catch up... catch up..." Uzume repeated, still in shock that kind, timid and wishy-washy Minato had had his way with Musubi before Ichigo could claim herself.

"Yes! Catch up! Musubi!" Ikki suddenly cried and released Uzume, who nearly toppled backward onto the tiled floor, and pointed to the other Sekirei. "Another match! Another match! I will defeat you!!!"

"Musubi will win!" Musubi responded with renewed eagerness as she quickly got back into the water with Ikki.

"C'mon Sis, we gotta win this!" Ikki cried as she then yanked Uzume in with her.

Uzume rose out of the water in a daze.

"Catch up... catch up..."

=========

Uzume stumbled a bit leaving the bath area, towel still wrapped around her.

"Stupid Musubi," she mumbled as her head still felt light. "Stupid Ikki," she also murmered and shivered as her body was now being covered by goosebumps at the sudden change of temperature. "Stupid Musubi..." She mumbled again as she walked somewhat listlessly to her room.

Ikki and Musubi were still in the bath, determined to win but for Uzume it was time to go, no matter how much Ikki had wailed and tried to conjole her into tag-teaming and defeating their opponent. She sighed. By that point any sense of competetivness she did have was blown away by Musubi's proclamation and evidence. And just thinking of Minato, shy, timid, little-but-still-a-good boy Minato and comparing him with her Ichigo... Not to mention the hot air and hot bath taking its toll on her she felt a lot more light headed than she ever wanted to be.

Or at least she told herself.

Now to get to her room and sleep this off like a bad hangover she thought as she softly swayed back and forth with each step. "Ah," she murmered, not quite feeling good enough to yell as she started to fall.

"Uzume!" A voice shouted as she felt herself caught and held onto by strong arms.

She blinked, her vision blurring a bit and coming back into focus as she saw the face of her concerned Ashikabi. "Ichigo," she murmered as she blinked owlishly a few more times and felt herself be lifted up.

"Hey," She heard Ichigo as he supported her.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she told him and gave him a wan smile.

"You don't look like it," he berated her and picked her up and led her to her room, not noticing her blush.

Turning the light on he closed the door behind him and he let Uzume down so she could stand up as best she could while supporting her. "You wanna tell me why you're out in only a towel?"

She shrugged. "C'mon Ichigo, you know my room is nearby."

"What happened?" He asked, knowing that but something was different.

She sighed "Nothin', just a contest that got out of hand." When he didn't reply she looked up at him and saw him giving her a flat stare and she pursed her lips in annoyance. "We had a game of who could stand the heat the longest..."

Ichigo sighed, now knowing why she was so light headed. "You should have put your stuff on and stayed near the door while you readjusted to the temperature."

She grimaced as she felt a bit of a headache come on. "I'll remember that next time, belive me." She then stood a bit straighter but held onto his arms at his biceps for support as he readjusted his hands to just above her waist. "Help me put my clothes on?" She said with just a bit of wan smile. With the headache it didn't come out as quite the teasing she would have like to have made it.

Almost.

Ichigo blushed and hemmed and hawed a bit before relenting, listening to where she kept her panties and that she wanted a t-shirt. Uzume watched him as he came to her and helped her and she sighed, remembering what Musubi said and knowing about pushing Ichigo too much. Still though... this afternoon had been major step foward for him in her mind and she smiled. 'In any case... this is nice,' she thought as Ichigo helped put her panties on and leaned into him as he bent over and she put a leg through each hole.

And it was very intimate she realized.

If he had heard her Ichigo would have agreed completely as he tried his best to not look like he had been looking or thinking about what happened earlier with Ikki. Trust Uzume to top things she didn't even know about...

He was about to rise to help her with her t-shirt when she suddenly hugged his head to her breasts and sighed.

"U-Uzume..." Ichigo gulped out, noticing how warm and soft she was but before he could say anything she let go and he rose completely with her t-shirt in hand. She smiled at him as she took the shirt from him and put it on.

"Uzume... you alright?" He asked, noticing his Sekirei's odd behavior.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, knowing she'd prod and gently push until he was ready. She then leaned up to him and kissed him on his cheek. "Thank you," she told him.

He looked at her in concern but nodded. "Still have a bit of a headache?"

"A little bit," she admitted.

"I'll get some aspirin," he said and moved to the door but felt her take hold of his arm.

"Ichigo, I mean it... thank you," she said as he saw her smile at him with a hand at her forehead.

"Sit down, I'll be back in a sec," he told her before he paused.

"What?"

"That...," Ichigo got out before pausing and shook his head and smiled. "That looks good like that."

She blinked.

"Your hair," he clarified and shut the door behind him.

"My hair?" She repeated and turned to her mirror. Her hair was still done up in a bun and ponytail, done quickly for when she got into the bath with the girls as she didn't want it to soak in the water this time. She looked at herself in the mirror and turned a bit to see more it and brought a hand to her face and saw she was blushing. Heart pounding, she smiled red faced and closed her eyes as she felt herself shiver in delight at his compliment.

"Ichigo..."

============

Meanwhile...

Maiko finally caught up with her target and whistled.

Very posh place. She'd have to bring Yagami-sama and Rias here when she was done.

Finding out where she was wasn't a problem, as she after giving the girl a half hour or so made her way to the front desk to ask about her 'friend' that checked in a bit ago. Mentioning the hammer she carried caught the attention and memory of the agent behind the desk. Bending low to accentuate her cleavage she sweetly asked what room she was in so they could meet up later.

She had the room number within the minute.

Sucker.

After that she went up to the floor she was on and walked by the Sekirei's room and made her way for the closest window to check where this side was facing and took note of the next closest building to make her way to. Now that she was here she had her binoculars up and within moments she saw her target on the balcony and smiled, pulling out her cell phone.

=============

Somewhere...

Water dripped incessantly from the steam pipe, adding it's sweltering dampness to the already dank alley. The moon hung low and full overhead, partially obscured by wisps of silvery clouds. The night was surprisingly still for that part of Teito; but it was comforting in it's oddity.

The bright light of the city was reflected into this secluded place, diluting it and casting long, dark shadows across it's walls. Homura paid no mind to this as he slumped forward silently, ignoring the water seeping into his gloves and his heart slammed a jackhammer beat against his chest.

God he was hot.

"Damn it...," he whispered as he looked up toward the silver light of the moon. "I released just a bit of my power and I lit up like a freakin' firework. Damn this body... it's become so unstable all ready..."

The Sekirei protecter gave an exasuted sigh as his body continued to rise in temprature. A stark reminder that time was running short. "No choice..." he wispered. "I gotta call Takami-san for help..." Havign said that, he dug into his pocket to pull out his cell phone...

Only to let out a gasp of shock as the piece of technology turned to melted slag on contact.

He cursed as he tossed the worthless phone to the ground. "So this is it?" he asked himself. "This is how it all ends... self cremation? How... uncool."

-KER-SPLOOSH-

Homura sputtered a bit as he was drenched by the sudden downpour. "Wha-?"

"You look so pitiful, sitting there, Homura."

Homura became aware of his surroundings and looked up to see the blonde haired Sekirei who was his self-proclaimed rival. Her prideful gaze locked onto his eyes as she continued, "And to think you are the one who I deemed my rival!"

"Tsukiumi..." Homura muttered, looking dazidly at the beautiful blonde sekirei.

"STAND UP!" she commanded sharply as she folded her arms under her impressive breasts, creating a nice cavern of cleavage that her top did nothing to conceal . "I will not tolerate my rival being beaten by something he can control!"

Homura's eyes widened before a soft chuckle escaped his lips. He stood up slowly, if a bit unsteadly as Tsukiumi shot him a sharp gaze.

"What is so funny?"

"It's just..." he paused to pull his mask back across his face, and smirked beneath it at the blonde bombshell. "It's funny that you'd say something like that while flashing your panties to everyone who can see you."

A vein on Tsukiumi's head became visible and pulsed at Homura's comment, "H-h-h-h-how dare you look you filthy pervert!!"

"Sorry, but you do bring it on yourself with that outfit," Homura replied with no ounce of humility in his tone.

Tsukiumi growled and pivoted on her heel and turned away from her rival, "Well now I feel ever the fool for worrying about you," she growled out.

The Sekirei Guardian's smirk turned into a smile. "Thank you though. Really. You act weird after you damn near melt like that. Trust me I know." The blonde beauty snorted at him and began to leave when Homura spoke up again, "Hey... Did you find him?"

Tsukiumi paused, her frame straightening sharply. "Find who!?" she asked sharply

"You know who... Your Ashikabi."

"No... No I have not," Tsukiumi replied as she resumed walking away. "And for his sake... he better hope I never do."

Homura's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Tsukiumi fade into the night, leaving him all alone in that dark alleyway once again. ""My my my... I pitty the poor sap that marries that spitfire." He chuckled, "Still... that fool girl will never gain the power she seeks with that attitude." With a soft shake of his head, the Sekirei Guardian stood gingerly before he began to make his way slowly out of the alley.

"At least you still have a chance to find that one for you...," he whispered as his face scrunched in anger before slowly turning meloncholic. "You fool..."

=============

Elsewhere...

"So that's where she is?" Junichi asked as he wrote down the address.

"That's what Maiko tells me," Yagami replied, his eyes flicking over to Rias who stood near the window, leaning on the wall with her head turned to look outside.. He was sitting on his bed and hunched over on his cell phone.

"So she's staying at this hotel?" Junichi muttered to himself.

"That a problem?" Yagami asked as he heard a muffled huff over the phone.

"It ain't like any of the usual places she's stayed in before. It's a bit more ritzy," he said, remembering having been there with his father in the past. 'They're more likely to ask questions...'

Not that he really cared. Sekirei didn't really seem to matter to the cops or other authorities thanks to MBI. Problem was that the staff wouldn't know that and any questions before the cops let him go would let her escape. He'd have to catch her while she was away. "I'll leave tomorrow."

"Not tonight?" Yagami snorted, his own frustrations with his friend making itself known as he made a face. He shook his head at Rias when she turned to him in concern.

"Fuck off."

Yagami grit his teeth and his cell. "Let me know how it goes," he said and turned off his cell before Junichi could reply.

"Bastard," Rias snorted from the window. Yagami simply grunted and leaned back to lie on the bed. A few minutes passed in silence.

"Rias?" Yagami muttered when she didn't come join him and lifted his head to look at her. She was still at the window.

"Sorry," she said with an odd look on her face.

"Everything okay?" he asked, noting how she kept staring out.

Her voice was soft and subdued as she replied, "I wish Maiko was back with us."

Yagami sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "I do too. An' hopefully after tomorrow she will be."

"I hope so too. Just... it's just a bad feeling, Yagami-sama. Don't worry about it."

Yagami blinked, not having seen Rias like this before. She soon crawled into bed with him but a feeling of forboding came over him.

Despite his Sekirei next to him, he would not have a good night's sleep.

=============

For the young Kuu, the words above would ring true as she stepped out of Miya's room in the middle of the night to use the restroom....

=============
 

Seed00

Well-Known Member
#25
There are so many things going on around in this snip. Musubi confuses her sleeping with MInato as her honeymoon/marriage.

Yagami is helping Junichi track down Yashima. Yashima is reacting to Ichigo. Ikki is still excited about being winged, Uzume is just along for the ride. Oh yeah, apparently, Ichigo likes Uzume's hair.

Oh yeah, Kusano is about to run into Matsu. Did I miss anything?
 
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