"I'm sorry mom, I failed this year too," he said glumly. He listened to his mother's reply. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Give me a few days to think about it." He paused. "Okay, bye mom."

He clicked off his phone and let out a melancholy sigh. With his shoulders slumped he left the posting board. The shouts of joy from the successful applicants were really starting to depress him.

So what do I do now? He wondered as he slowly made his way back to his apartment. Do I go home and try something else or do I stay here in Tokyo and give it one more go? Back in High School he'd been a top student and seemed destined for great things. But two years later he was a two time ronnin, he had twice failed the entrance exams for Tokyo U. With the allowance his mother sent him he was struggling to get by. For the last two years his life had revolved around cram school and the desperate effort to make it into the school of his dreams. His studying had left him no time for anything else. He had no friends, no girlfriend, and no life outside the cram school. And what had all his slavish effort accomplished? He was no closer to getting accepted than he had been when he first arrived.

"Maybe mom is right," he muttered. "Maybe it's time to just give up."

"Hey move it!" An angry woman shouted.

Minato just had time enough to turn around to spot the incredible sight of two women running at him in matching leather S&M gear. Running past he was knocked down by the one in the violet outfit without seeming to even be noticed.

"Gomen!" The second girl, the one in the pink leather, shouted to him from over her shoulder. She then turned to the other girl. "Why did we attack a single number?! We're going to get killed!"

"I didn't know she was number nine! I just thought she was another unwinged one!"

Minato watched blankly as they vanished around a corner. What was that about? He got back up to his feet.

"Look out!" A woman screamed.

He looked around but couldn't spot who was shouting at him. He then noticed a shadow falling on him and looked up.

Right into a pair of white panties.

Oooomph!

Once again Minato found himself lying on the sidewalk. He was momentarily dazed by the impact. As he regained his senses he realized there was a heavy weight on top of him. He also realized he was looking up into those same white panties that were only a couple inches from his nose.

"Uh, ex… excuse me?"

The woman who was on top of him quickly got to her feet and began looking around the now empty street. "Where did those two go?" She demanded. She then focused her attention on him glaring angrily. "Why didn't you get out of my way?"

Minato was dumb struck as he sat there on the cold ground looking up at her. Even with the anger in her face she was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She could be a model or an actress. She had on high leather boots, black leggings that went about halfway up her thigh, a small white dress that barely went below her nether regions and revealed a lot of her ample bosom, and a long black cape that included long sleeves and a collar. She had long blonde hair draped down well past her shoulders and the clearest blue eyes. She was an absolutely stunning woman. Being captivated by her beauty he failed to notice as her features darkened.

"Hey! What the hell are you staring at you damn monkey?" She grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up off the ground with just one hand. She brought his face up close to hers. "What's the big idea staring at me, huh? Have you got something to say monkey?"

"I'm… I'm… sorry for staring, it's just that you're…" he hesitated to continue.

"I'm what?" She growled.

He swallowed. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

In that instant Tsukiumi felt a flash of intense heat consume her entire body. Her heart began to pound and a momentary weakness she had never felt before struck. She let go of him and stumbled back a couple steps as though he had physically hit her. "Wha… what?" She clutched a hand over her chest. What is this feeling?

Seeing her face turn red and begin to shake Minato took a step towards her. "Are you all right?"

As he got closer she felt the heat in her body rise. Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp as she realized what it had to be. Her body was reacting to him! That could only mean he was…

"You bastard," she growled and drew herself up to her full height ignoring her body's momentary weakness. "You're him, my ashikabi; you've come here to take my body!"

"What?" In the next instant Minato was somehow drenched. Even though it was a clear day a deluge hit him and only him leaving him completely soaked. And before he could even react she had grabbed him again by the collar and begun violently shaking him back and forth.

"You bastard!" She shouted. "I'll never let you take control of my body! I'll kill you first!"

"Wha.. what? Control your body? I would never even think to do something like that!"

"Liar!" She momentarily stopped shaking him and again brought his face towards hers. "That's what all ashikabi do! They take control of a sekirei and use them in whatever sick perverted way they want!"

"Wait! I don't know what an ashikabi is but I swear I would never treat a woman that way! I would always treat a woman with respect and kindness! I would never even think to order you to do things! Not even if you were my wife!"

Her heart began to race even faster and she felt a surge of excitement at hearing that. "You… you…. you bastard!! How dare you!"

"What?" Minato didn't understand how the hell he'd gotten in this situation. Everything he said seemed to make this woman even more angry with him.

"How dare you, a lowly monkey, propose to me!"

"What?! Propose?! But I didn't…" he was cut off she began to shake him violently back and forth again.

"Shameless! Shameless! Shameless! To just say such a thing to a helpless woman like that! Do you think I would ever agree to such a thing?!"

"But, but I didn't…"

She brought him to a sudden stop. Still holding him with one hand Minato saw a ball of water appear above the palm of the other as if by magic. "I know what I have to do now; I'm going to have to kill you to protect myself."

"Kill me?" He gasped. Is she serious? What the hell is going on here? "Wait! I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding here."

"Now, now Tsukiumi, don't you think you're going a little overboard?"

Tsukiumi looked up to see a masked figure decked in black sitting on a roof edge above her.

"We're not supposed to involve civilians remember?" Homura reminded her.

"This is different! This bastard is the one who wants to shamelessly ravish my body!"

Homura lifted one very interested eyebrow. "Really? So you finally found your ashikabi? Congratulations!"

"This isn't something to be happy about! He just wants to take control of me and then have his way with me whenever he wants!"

"Kind of sounds like fun doesn't it?" He teased.

Her face turned a very deep red as she sputtered trying to answer that.

"Uh, excuse me?" Minato spoke up carefully. He was still being held by an irate Tsukiumi. "I really don't understand what's going on here, but I swear I don't have any intention of taking advantage of her. Can I please just go?"

"Absolutely not," Tsukiumi snapped. "If I do that you'll just attack me later!"

"And how exactly is he supposed to do that?" Homura asked curiously. "You could probably snap him in half with one arm." He looked over at Minato. "If she lets you go do you promise to never try and have your way with her?"

"Yes! I swear it!"

Homura sent her a questioning look.

"All right fine," she at last let go of him. "I had better never see you again!"

Drenched and shaken he stumbled back. Before leaving though he gave her a very deep bow. "Even though I don't know what happened, if I did anything to offend you I sincerely apologize for it!" He then turned and ran away as fast as he could.

Homura noted the way Tsukiumi's eyes never left him as he fled. Even after he was gone from sight she remained rooted to the spot staring in the direction he had left.

"You know," Homura said casually. "I don't blame you for not wanting anything to do with him. I mean that guy is pretty homely."

"What?" She snapped angrily. "He is not! He is very handsome!"

Homura didn't say another word. He just looked at her as she slowly blushed again.

"Idiot!" She shouted and leapt away. Whether she was referring to her rival or herself she didn't know.