Sterile, clean and morbid. The usual words of many to describe the feelings of a hospital. A unique playground for medicine, technology and pharmaceutical tools at the disposal of the medical field. This particular hospital located in the Easter section of Tokyo, belonged to a very powerful man , Higa Izumi or the former ashikabi of the east. Said man was roaming the corridors of the hospital with a look of distress.

It's been a full month since the last phases of the sekirei plan where he lost to none other the ashikabi of north, Minato sahashi. A full month of resentment and self reflection of his own being and for the first time in his own life... he felt loneliness. No anger ,no hate just the bitter loneliness. The sekirei he treated as tools were gone, and dare he'd like to admit it he missed them.

"Curse you minaka!! How dare you do this to me!!" He imagined the madman laughing at him in high tower right now talking about fate or something along the lines of craziness. He shouldn't feel for these tools yet he couldn't get his mind off any of them.

"Higa-sama is everything ok?" Pulled from his grief he looked at his long time friend and assistant , kakizaki.

" I'm fine. Why do you ask? " The question left the air tense and he knew he was giving a stern face when he saw kakizaki shift uncomfortably.

" Y-you seemed really tense lately. To put it bluntly I'm...worried about you." The words came out a small stutter and quiet, but he heard them clear. For a moment he stood there thinking, about himself, about sekirei, and about the things he's done. To say he was a foolish man was an understatement.

"I...miss them." The phrase above a whisper, but kakizaki heard the concern growing as he stared at his old friend. He was usual a cold person ,but the look in higa's eyes told him enough.

The man before him changed.

He saw the smallest things change within him after the events of the sekirei plan. He started acknowledging his workers, checking in on patients and doctors alike. Hell he gave him and kochou a week off from work! A week!! A small smile graced his lips."He's changing for the better..."

"That reminds me. I have important news requiring MBI. Apparently they are setting all sekirei that were terminated or active back into the city. Kochou even saw the possibility of them being released this afternoon. " He saw a flicker of hope wash over him ,but also something else.

Higa could barely breathe and felt a small constriction within his chest. His sekirei were being released, but why was he feeling so much dread?

"Because you never deserved them. You think they'll come crawling back to you begging to be winged? No you fool none ever reacted to you. You forced them." A voice in the back of his mind stated. He couldn't deny it the truth staring him in the face.

"Thank you...anything else?" Kakizaki stared at higa for a moment. He wanted to say more,but he didn't know the boundaries to cross or step over.

"No that is all, I'm going to go back and check on kochou. She's been working nonstop lately." He trailed his thoughts of his own sekirei. "Higa please, change for them." With that final thought in mind he walked away.

--

Somewhere else a certain sekirei was walking the streets after being released from MBI tower heading towards a hospital in the east section.

"Higa-sama I'm coming..."

--

There was the small thing about control and order. Everything had to be neat. Every file had to be alphabetized and categorized by color. Everything amongst the desk had to be straightened , every pencil sharpened, and everything had to have an order. This was a not a habit, but an illusion to subside the thoughts of his mind. He had tried almost everything from calling every department to see if they needed help to now him straightening his desk for the 6th time today.

"kakizaki said this afternoon ,but it's taking too damn long..."

He gazed at this clock it a quarter til 11 and his nerves were more shocked than he could ever imagine. Taking deep breathes he thought about all his sekirei to calm his mind.

He thought about the cuteness of Oriha and her attempts to get his attention. Her smile and willingness to go above and beyond for him. The image of her defeat fresh In his mind as he saw her tear streaked face.

The tough and loyal vanguards of Toyotama and Ichiya. The small smile of toyotama's face as she took her final minutes before being terminated. The strong sense of protectiveness of Ichiya as she guarded him from sekirei and even soldiers on the island til her very last breath.

His thoughts drifted to one sekirei particular though...the one that practically made him feel something more. The way they bonded was suppose to be a business contract that all of his sekirei needed to know. Though the first and last kiss he had with her felt like...an inferno. He could feel her passion and determination through their bond than any of his other sekirei. All of his sekirei promised to now fail him ,but there was one who tried harder, pushed harder and advanced harder than the rest.

"Kaie..."

The girls face showed no emotion, but her big blue eyes told another story. He nearly laughed when he saw her short blonde hair represent a pair of dog ears and the red collar around her neck added to the effect. She had fought the wind sekirei with all her might even with her norito active.

She knew she would lose, but she had fought hard. They all did...for him.

A bitter laugh echoed in the office. Reaching his hand to his face he wiped away the tears that threatened to burst.

He cried for the first time in years and for once he didn't bother to keep strong.