Chapter 1: The Awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Sekirei, or any characters, major concepts, or logos associated with the series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

The sound of footsteps echoed softly across the bridge as a new figure floated through the foggy night. Minato looked up in surprise, having dreaded this moment since the moment this mission began. His Sekirei had given their all to help Haruka and Kuno escape the city limits, but after defeating the Discipline Squad's two enforcers, they were hardly in the position to deal with this new threat.

Karasuba walked towards them as if she hadn't a care in the world, with her eyes closed and a deceptively calm smile. "You're back, just like I thought." She mused out loud. "Isn't that right, Number 08?"

"You're looking well, Karasuba." Musubi returned the greeting, her mannerisms displaying the same nonchalance.

"Why thank you… I'm so happy to see you again, but there's something I've been wanting to do for quite some time." The Black Sekirei opened her eyes and grinned with a sense of malice, her right hand unsheathing the katana at her hip.

"I do not wish to fight you! There's no point in throwing your life away so needlessly when you have yet to discover the joys of true love."

Without another word, Karasuba grasped the hilt of her weapon with both hands and swung her blade in a series of complicated thrusts, forcing her opponent to dodge. Minato watched in horror as one of the most precious people in his world walked the razor's age between life and death, her beautiful body gracefully swaying with the flow of the Black Sekirei's sword. Stripped to her panties and standing with one arm covering her bosom, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. Even amidst the chaos of battle, Minato found himself eying Musubi's elegant form.

"Please, don't hurt her!" the black haired Ashikabi called out, knowing that the enemy was deaf to his requests.

"Minato, stay out of this… You cannot interfere!" his Sekirei ordered with a firm glare.

He winced at the sound of her tone, wondering if he had been imagining things. The sound of her voice was clearly of the girl he had come to know, but the inflection was more reminiscent of something he might've heard from Tsukiumi. Minato grit his teeth and attempted to stand, but realized that his leg had been injured from the debris caused by their earlier battle between with Benitsubasa and Haihane.

Musubi's eyes darted towards her Ashikabi in concern, but her attention was quickly diverted by the thrust of a sword. She flipped backwards as the blade came inches from puncturing her face, and retaliated by placing her hand hands together and thrusting them forward in a powerful swinging motion, causing a ball of energy to form in her hands. She let out a loud cry before releasing the orb, the resulting explosion forcing Karasuba to change direction mid-step.

She broke into a dive and rolled across the uneven ground, landing on her feet with the same sense of unshakable madness dancing in her eyes. "Isn't this fun, Yume? To think that we have both been given the chance to finish what began all those years ago."

"I only wanted you to experience the same happiness that all Sekirei are born to experience."

The Black Sekirei lowered her katana slowly, prompting her opponent to relax. "Going on about that again, I see… You never change, do you?"

"Neither have you? After so long I had hoped you would have begun to discover these feelings for yourself, but it pains me to say that you have not."

"If that is all you have to say, then I am wholeheartedly disappointed. For all the time we served together on the battlefield, it would appear you never truly understood me as a person."

"No one deserves to be denied the chance as true love, not even you! That is the reason I never agreed to fight you in the past!"

"And because of these misguided principles, you gave your soul to this weak-hearted girl and allowed her to carry on the same sentiments. In the end, all it did was lead poor Musubi to her own destruction."

Karasuba pointed to the large-breasted body Yume was occupying, her battle-hungry expression fading for an instant.

The dark-haired Ashikabi lying several yards away wracked his mind to understand what was going on, but found himself completely lost. One moment Musubi had been lying dead on the ground, and the next she was overpowering the entire Discipline Squad with minimal effort. In that instant it almost seemed like she had become someone else entirely, an idea supported by her conversation with the Black Sekirei.

Karasuba glanced over at Minato's injured form with a nonchalant expression before directing her gaze back at Yume. "I saw how you were concerned by that man's physical well-being. Because of that, your attention wavered for an instant, and as a result you placed yourself in a vulnerable position."

"That man's is what woke my slumbering spirit from the deepest recesses of Musubi's heart. The pure affection he has for his Sekirei is what gives them strength!"

"So that pathetic creature means that much to you, does he?"

"You still don't understand." Yume shook her head with disdainful expression.

"Perhaps if I place that bumbling Ashikabi in danger, you'll be willing to fight me to the death? Is that what I must do to get you to fight me at full strength?"

"It pains me to say this, but it's clear to me that you never will never comprehend the warm feeling of happiness that comes with experiencing the love of another!"

"I'm a little surprised it took you this long to catch on. You were always naïve, but I never took you for the stupid type." The gray-haired Sekirei pointed the end of her sword at the boy. "The choice is yours!"

Although he trembled at the sight of her sword, Minato refused to back down. "You're still injured, Musubi! Don't let her goad you into this."

"Don't let that boy make your decisions for you, because no matter what choice you make, mine will remain the same." Karasuba grasped her weapon menacingly.

"Stay back!" Yume screamed, her neck turning just in time to catch sight of her opponent's blade.

Yume intercepted a sword slash from the opponent, catching the blade with her bare hands and sending Karasuba flying with an energized kick. The mad swordswoman crumpled under the force of the blow, her body smashing cleanly through one of the iron supports of the railroad bridge on which they fought. She hit the ground with a resounding crash, a look of malicious happiness dancing in her red eyes.

She grasped her mid-section and stumbled forward, taking a moment to cough up a mouthful of blood before standing up straight once more. "You're as strong as I remember… Even trapped in that child's body, I wouldn't want you to be anything less!"

Yume glanced at the dark-haired ronin with a sad smile. "Forgive me, Minato."

W-What are you apologizing for?" he stammered, fighting back the tears that had been running down his face since Musubi's apparent death.

Without another word, she struck him in the back with the side of her hand, painlessly knocking him out. "I know you've been watching… Come out, now!" she ordered to an unseen presence.

In a matter of seconds, a voluptuous woman with long dark hair wearing a short Chinese dress descended from above, a swirl of flower blossoms drifting in the tunnel of wind surrounding her delicate form.

"Can't a girl kick back with a bottle of sake in peace?" Kazehana replied with a note of boredom.

"From within Musubi, I could sense that your strong feelings of love for this man." Yume gestured to the unconscious boy lying at her feet.

"Oh dear… You're making a lot of assumptions for someone who was laid out on the ground only a few minutes prior."

"Take him far away from here and do not look back." She stated firmly.

Kazehana gently reached down and lifted Minato, using her own body to support his weight. "I'm not big on charity, but it looks like you've got your hands full right now. Plus, I wouldn't wish my worst enemy onto a battlefield with that one on the move." Her eyes settled on the Black Sekirei for a moment.

"Just Go!" Yume screamed as she turned her back on the duo, instead shifting all attention onto the enemy.

The Black Sekirei watched Kazehana glide through the air using the power of the wind, her expression both contented and uncaring at the same time. She lazily cracked her shoulder back into place before taking a fighting stance, the moon's feeble light glimmering across the surface of her katana.

"Glad that little distraction is over with. Now we can get down to business."

"Sekirei Number 08, Yume, accepts your challenge!" the other woman replied.

"You have no idea how long I've longed to hear those words." Karasuba spoke calmly, but her eyes betrayed signs of a long withheld hatred. "Now let us kill each other to determine who is the strongest once and for all!"

Several Hours Later

Minato opened his eyes and shook his head to clear it, only to be pulled into a woman's arms and almost crushed to death by the embrace seconds later. He blinked cluelessly before gaining his bearings, a familiar scent filling his nostrils as a large pair of breasts pressed still harder into his torso. Although it took him a second to figure out what was going on, the sight of long blond hair and a black dress completely snapped him back to his senses.

"Tsukiumi!" he panted, too surprised to return her sentiments.

"Thou art very irresponsible to have caused thy wife so much worry and strife! Especially after seeing thee being carried in the arms of that loathsome drunkard, Number 03. Musubi should not have entrusted that foul woman with thy safety! She is not even among your Sekirei!"

"What does Kazehana have to do with this? Am I missing something?" Minato played over the events in his mind from the bridge, but was still unable to make full sense of it.

"Make no mistake, you will make this up to me!" the water Sekirei ordered, her expression intensifying as she shook his injured form. "If not, I shall personally make thy life a living Hell until the rooster crows at midnight!"

"Of course, anything you want!" the bewildered Ashikabi replied before quickly realizing the ramifications of his own daring. Upon seeing her rapidly reddening face, he noted their position and blushed deeply. "Um, what I really meant to say was…"

Her expression softened as she pulled away. "You needn't worry, I have no intention of taking that which is not offered from my husband."

"Really!?" Minato raised his head with a smile, looking much more comfortable than before.

Tsukiumi grit her teeth, a small vein on her forehead pulsing. "No, I shall first earn thy favor over those lowly trollops, and defeat them in battle when the time is right! I swear this on my good name!" she replied, clenching her fists.

"Do we really have to talk about this right now." Minato paled considerably, the pain from his injuries suddenly returning. He took the momentary pause as chance to relax his aching joints before speaking again. "So, where exactly are we right now, anyway?"

"This place is a hospital privately owned and operated by MBI. Shortly after Number 3 brought you back to us, Matsu suggested I take you back to this place for recovery. After all, the services here are free to anyone participating in Minaka's plan, whether they be Sekirei or Ashikabi."

"I guess that explains a lot… So how long have I been out of it now?"

"A few hours at the most… Although, I am ashamed to admit to have received minor treatment myself! Weakness does not become a Sekirei, especially one who desires to be the strongest!"

"You don't need to fell that way, especially since Haruka and Kuno managed to escape…"

She crossed her arms stubbornly. "Your safety is all that matters in my eyes, and they're contribution proved minimal at best."

"I know you didn't agree with what they were trying to do, and yet you fought so hard back at the bridge. I figured maybe you understood what was really at stake."

"Well of course I did." She snapped with a note of irritability. "Still, I advice you keep in mind that anything that transpired during that time was to protect the life of my husband, not that of those cowards who would flee rather than fight."

Before either of them could add to the situation, another person entered the room, causing both of its occupants to tense up. "I figured you would've called me as soon as he woke up, although it seems like you two would rather get cozy together."

"What business of this is yours, Number 03?" the Tsukiumi drew herself up to her full height.

"Nothing really, but I'm in a hurry right now and I figured this would be the best time to walk in." Kazehana placed a hand on her hip and swiveled them seductively before approaching the side of the bed. "I have something I would like to discuss with you, Minato."

"Away from him, intruding wench!" Tsukiumi exclaimed, only to be pushed away by a tiny, but strong movement of air.

The black-haired boy looked up at the newcomer, trying to avoid staring at wind Sekirei's ample bosom. "Sure Kazehana, what do you need from me?"

"I saw what you were willing to do back on the bridge in order to protect those closest to you." The older woman turned her back to him for a moment before smiling to herself. "In a way, you've proven yourself more of a man than he ever was…" she murmured quietly.

"I'm sorry?" Minato replied with a bewildered look, having not heard the last part clearly.

Kazehana continued as if she hadn't said it. "You care deeply for those around you, and are willing to put the lives of others before your own… Watching your acts of kindness have led me to an important decision that has weighed on my heart since the day we met."

"Um… I see." With some embarrassment, the boy remembered the day he woke up to find her naked in his bed. He would be lying if he said that it wasn't a turn-on, although due to his nature, he wasn't particularly proud of his own perversions. "What exactly do you want from me?"

"Only you." The wind Sekirei replied as she leaned forward, their lips meeting mid-way.

The water Sekirei opened her mouth to protest, but the sight of large glowing wings silenced her for the moment. A brilliant light burst from the couple as Kazehana deepened the kiss, a large gust of wing sending several papers scattering around the room. Tsukiumi held down the front of her dress, but the back folds fluttered in the swirling winds, revealing the sight of her lacy pure white undergarments.

"Sekirei Number 3, Kazehana." The wind Sekirei smiled lovingly at her new partner while finding his surprised expression rather cute in an innocent. "I'm yours now and forever, do not forget, my beloved Ashikabi."

"MINATO!" Tsukiumi screamed, causing the sink across the room to rattle dangerously. "Get thee away from that tramp at once, or thy life is forfeit!"

"No need to kill the poor man just for falling for the charms of a beautiful woman. After all, it was me who kissed him." Kazehana taunted with a chiding expression.

"Which makes this foul act of adultery all the more disgraceful! Not to mention you had the nerve to do so in front of his real wife!"

"No need to get your knickers in a twist, Miss Panty-flash."

The water Sekirei raised her hand, causing an orb of water to appear. "I shall teach thee a lesson for dishonoring a noble marriage!

Minato waved his hands in front of his body with a fearful expression. "Can't we save this for some other time… Like when I'm not in the hospital."

"Do not believe I have forgotten you effrontery! I shalt deal with you once this one has tasted my wrath!"

"Only Number 1 and the Game Master possess that kind of authority over me!" Kazehana turned to face her with a stony expression, her actions causing the windows to fly open in anticipation. "Go ahead and make your move, Miss Panty-flash."

"Cease calling me by that undignifying name, or I shall murder thee!"

"Stop!" the injured man rose from his bed and stood between them, his action causing the two Sekirei to cease their attacks. Realizing that all eyes were on him, Minato swallowed the lump in his throat and decided to address the issue. "Please, there's no need for this! There's nothing to be gained by getting into a fight."

Tsukiumi's sour expression did not change, but she half-heartedly dispelled the water attack. "As much as I hate to admit it, he is correct. Now that the contract is complete, there is no longer any point in objecting to this marriage."

"I suppose if blondie can accept the reality of this, then I should be willing to do the same."

"Just because I do not intend to engage thee, does not mean thou hast escaped my ire any more than any of Minato's other concubines!"

"This wouldn't be the first time for me." Kazehana walked across the room and picked up her empty bottle of sake that had fallen onto the floor in the confusion. She turned it over in her hands and shook it before sighing loudly. "Oh, and Tsukiumi here owes me a replacement for this expensive number."

Tsukiumi folded her arms and pouted. "Do not think for a second that I shall fund thy habits."

The sound of a door opening quickly interrupted the conversation as a fourth person entered the room. She was a slim woman wearing a white lab coat, black pants, a collar shirt, and a matching tie. Her most striking features were her short silver hair and cold gray eyes, a thin pink scar running horizontally over the surface of her left eyelid. The woman approached Minato's bedside with a neutral smile, causing the boy's eyes to widen with recognition.

"I'll see you later, Minato…" Kazehana gave her Ashikabi's shoulder a light squeeze before turning to leave, never even sparing the woman a glance.

The newcomer flipped through some papers on her clipboard. "You've sustained some minor scrapes, but for the most part it seems like you survived that ordeal without any serious injuries. Considering what happened at the bridge, I say you should consider yourself very fortunate."

Minato struggled to find his voice for a second. "Wait a minute… Mom!"

"Did you just call her mom!?" Tsukiumi shouted, looking equally lost for words.

Takami ignored the blonde Sekirei, instead focusing only on her son. "Seems like you've lost a little weight, haven't you? Have you been eating right?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." He rubbed the back of his head and fell back onto his pillow,, the trauma of the day's events finally overwhelming him. After taking a second to collect his thoughts, he realized just how odd the situation was. "Come to think of it, what the heck are you doing here, anyway?"

Tsukiumi shifted her focus to the gray-haired woman immediately. "Takami! If he calls thee mom, that must mean that must mean you are…"

Minato glanced between them confusedly. "Wait! How you guys both know each other?"

"Uh well… Let me think about this… Where should I begin?" his mother paused for a second before addressing her son. "I told you I worked for a pharmaceutical company, didn't I Minato?"

"Come to think of it, you never did go over the details of your employment."

"It was all a lie, and I apologize for deceiving you." She reached into her pocket, removing an identification card. "MBI Sekirei Plan senior staff- Takami Sahashi. Due to extenuating circumstances, I've been given permission to tell you what I do for a living."

"You work for MBI!?" he reiterated with a blank expression.

Takami nodded in agreement. "I serve as an administrator of the Sekirei Plan, but there will be time for us to talk about that later. Right now I have something important to ask you?"

"I see… What is it?"

"I would like to ask you for your own account of what happened to Musubi at the bridge. Please tell me what you remember."

The dark-haired Ashikabi quivered at the thought. "Her Sekirei symbol disappeared, and after that her body started glowing. After she sprang back to life, her personality changed, and a strange crest appeared on her body."

"The new symbol that appeared on her body bore the Number 8, and she identified herself as a Sekirei named Yume." Tsukiumi stroked her chin pensively. "The sight and experience were impossible to comprehend. I know not what to think…"

"Speaking of which, where's Musubi right now? I remember her fighting the Discipline Squad, but since we're all here I figured she would have come back by now as well." He paused for a moment before gasping at the thought. "Please don't tell me she…"

Takami sighed in response to his reaction. "Believe it or not I was just about to get to that part."

"Please, just tell me she's all right!"

"The situation is a bit more complicated than that, but I'll begin by telling you that she confided to me a similar account of the events on the bridge earlier this evening. I only asked for your own depiction in order to confirm that she was telling the truth."

"Do you know what happened to Musubi? What was that strange light, and why did she change so drastically during that battle. It doesn't make any sense!"

"Incidentally she made it out of that battle on the bridge as the victor." His mother took a deep breath and she struggled to put the situation into words. "I can tell you that Musubi is physically alive, but this change you noticed during her battle with Number 04 may prove most troubling."

"What do you mean by that?" Minato asked with mingled sense of worry and relief.

"Due to the most unusual circumstances surrounding this case, I believe it might be a better idea if I allow her to explain personally." She resisted the urge to light a cigarette in her son's hospital room before motioning to Tsukiumi. "I suggest Number 09 come with me for the time being so that we can reassess you injuries."

"It is an outrage to be separated from thy husband, especially with his body in this current condition." The water Sekirei protested.

Takami face contorted into an insane glare, her voice rising wildly. "Is that any way to speak to your future mother-in-law!?" she hollered, causing the blonde to sink back in fear.

"Of course not! I am sorry for being so impolite." Tsukiumi found herself bowing fearfully, not knowing how a human woman was able to exude such a frightening aura. The water Sekirei scrambled across the room before glancing back at her Ashikabi. "If thou dost need me for anything, shout and I shall come."

"Thanks Tsukiumi." Minato replied nervously.

"After I'm finished with her, there are other matters that I need to attend to, so I won't be able to visit you again tonight." Takami replied, using her opposite hand to usher the Sekirei through the door. She gave her son a casual wave before following suit. "I'll see you later Minato…"

Once they had gone, Minato was alone with his thoughts once again. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. In this short span of time he had seen the girl he loved most die before his eyes and return to life, obtained the love of another beautiful woman whom he never would have dreamed would feel that way about him, risked his life for that of his friends, and learned the truth about his mother's career. Had it not been such a shock to his system, the weight of it all might've caused him to pass out again.

He took a deep breath as the door opened again, the initial sight of Musubi's visage calming his fragile nerves. Although happy to see her, the absence of his Sekirei's cheerful smile and bubbly demeanor somehow resonated with him in a way that he could not fully understand. Judging by previous experiences, Minato expected her to pull him into a bone-crushing hug and suffocate him with her bosom, but to his surprise she merely sat down in the chair beside him and smiled.

"I'm glad to see you weren't badly hurt in that incident. You have my apologies if I was a little rough with you back there, but I wanted to ensure your safety by any means necessary."

"Don't worry about it, I've been through way worse before." He shuffled into a sitting position and did his best to return her smile. "In any case, I'm just glad you're all right. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't recovered."

The girl tensed up at the use of that name, her demeanor becoming rigid. She grasped her knees and began squeezing them to relieve the tension that had formed in her limbs, the shadow of her hair falling over her eyes.

This sudden change did not go unnoticed by Minato. "Was it something I said? Are you okay, Musubi?"

"I'm not Musubi…" the girl replied suddenly, quietly working to maintain her sense of calm. "At least, not anymore."

"I know a lot of weird things happened back there when that crest appeared and you said some strange thing, but it looks like you made it out just fine." The girl shook her head sternly before making eye contact with her Ashikabi, and in that single moment he somehow knew she wasn't lying.

As if sensing his thoughts, she decided to elaborate. "Sekirei Number 88, the one you know as Musubi, was deactivated during her battle with the Discipline Squad on the bridge. The person controlling this body right now Sekirei Number 08, Yume."

For the umpteenth time that night, Minato struggled with his words while trying to hold back his tears. "How can this be possible? What happened to Musubi?"

"I will try to answer all of your questions to the best of my abilities, although what has transpired tonight is something beyond the realm of normality even for Sekireis."

"This isn't real!" Minato grasped the sides of his head, his hands shaking uncontrollably. "You can't look exactly like Musubi and not be her. It just doesn't make any sense!"

Yume watched him with a sorrowful expression before grasping his fingers in her own, the action silencing his cries for the moment. Despite being able to feel the same sadness deep within her own heart, she forced a smile in an attempt to calm him down. It felt odd sharing such an intimate moment with someone who was technically a stranger, but at the same time the gesture felt somehow natural to them both. Minato looked up at his Sekirei and nodded resolutely, deciding to hear her out.

"I don't know what's going on, but I'm willing to listen if you're willing to tell me."

She slowly pulled away before placing her hands in her lap. "Perhaps I should begin by telling you how Musubi and I became connected." Yume paused and waited for him to nod before beginning her story. "It all started several years ago when Musubi was still a child…"

FLASHBACK

The Black Sekirei proceeded down the halls of an underground facility, casually strolling along as if there wasn't a care in the world. It had been her wrap up some issues that MBI had recently encountered, and at the same time she found it dreadfully amusing. Several men wielding guns fired a flurry of bullets in her direction, but the gray-haired woman remained untouched by the onslaught as she closed in on their position, effortlessly killing one man after another with a few swings of her blade.

Inside another halls within the same laboratory, her partner was facing the same troubles, but due to her much less violent nature, she refused to strike them down. Using her vastly superior agility, Number 08 quickly disarmed the soldiers and smashed their weapons with her bare hands, causing the gunmen to flee in terror.

"She's still coming!" one of the gunmen shouted, his eye widening in terror. "She's not human!"

"Blow her away!" another man screamed, causing the others to continue their assault.

Yume sidestepped the machinegun ammunition with superhuman speed, her movements appearing as a blur in the darkness to the hapless humans. Once they had all been knocked out, she proceeded into the next room where a child lay strapped to a metal table connected to several devices be a series of wires. It disgusted the Sekirei to see one of her own kind treated like nothing more than a guinea pig.

She pressed a button to release the metallic binds and lifted the girl in her arms before departing the lab. As she carried the child into the open air, they were greeted by the terrible site of countless bodies lying dead. There had to be dozens of men piled together without a shred of dignity for the departed, some of the corpses mangled while others had been completely decapitated by the Black Sekirei.

"Took you long enough, Yume… It's too bad for them you weren't here to stop me. So I ended up killing them all" Karasuba greeted with a pleasant smile, her tone leaving the impression that they might've been talking about the weather. "Unfortunately it was a rather boring affair. Humans are far too weak. They truly are an unnecessary species. Wouldn't you agree?"

END FLASHBACK

"The kid you rescued that day was Musubi, wasn't it?"

"She was very badly injured from the treatment she received in that horrible place, and the prospects of her survival seemed all but lost." Yume nodded slowly, staring at Musubi's body for a moment. "I gave her my tama to ensure that this child would survive, and was somehow happy even knowing that by giving this girl a chance, I had also sacrificed my own existence."

Minato closed his eyes for a moment before asking the question that was burning on the tip of his tongue. "What exactly was that thing that you gave Musubi, and why was it so important."

"A Sekirei's tama is the core of their existence… It is what allows them to live and grants them the superhuman powers that you have witnessed. In a way, it is essentially what you humans would refer to as a soul."

"But why would you…" he began.

"No one deserves to be denied the chance of finding true love, and I was willing to give anything to prevent Musubi from experiencing that fate." Yume smiled again, looking suddenly cheerful. "Seeing the feelings you expressed for your Sekirei, I know that I made the right decision all those years ago."

"I'm glad you approve." He replied, his smile wavering as his thoughts returned to the original topic. "Although, that still doesn't explain what happened to Musubi."

"The truth of the matter is that Musubi was defeated by Number 105 during that battle on the bridge. As a result, she was forcibly deactivated.

"If you died the day Musubi was rescue, how could be here now."

Yume smiled again. "My essence remained inside of her all this time. Once her sense of self was essentially rendered comatose, your love for her awoke my personality from the recesses of her soul." Seeing his uncomfortable expression, she found it hard to continue. "I sensed the pure feelings of affection, and the desire to protect you caused me to surface."

Minato gave sharp intake of breath, his mind only focused on one thing. "What about Musubi!?" he asked, silently dreading the answer.

"I'm afraid she has been lost, just like any other Sekirei who loses a battle while participating in the game."

"Please… If you ever cared for either of us, give Musubi her body back!" Minato stammered, his outer wall of rationality beginning to deteriorate.

"If I chose to return to the recesses of her soul, this body would be without a mind, and Number 88 would cease functioning completely." She explained, quietly pitying that she was unable to grant his wish. Seeing the quiet tears streaming down his face made her heart sore. "As we are now, I cannot do anything for her, but if you win the game then the damages may be undone."

Her words seemed to bring back a trace of his former composure "You mean Musubi can be saved."

"Yes… Not just her, but every Sekirei who has been deactivated and separated from the ones they love."

"Musubi always said that was her dream." He replied, a shadow of nostalgia creeping onto his face. After pondering for a moment, a sense of strength returned to him. "I may have lost her, but everyone else I care about is still here. For their sake, I won't let this happen again. I will win this game, and do what she always wanted."

Yume stood up suddenly, her own spirit returning. "You have a strong heart, Minato Sahashi." She began, with a tender expression. "You also have me by your side, and I will do my best to assist my Ashikabi in any way possible."

"But you already said that Musubi was gone. It was her who chose me, but I had never winged you."

Much to her Ashikabi's embarrassment, she opened the front of Musubi's outfit, revealing her bodily crest different from all other Sekirei. "Musubi and I share the same vessel, and the mark you made on her body upon kissing her has awoken the very same power within me."

She grasped his hand and placed in on her heart, making the boy blush. "What're you doing?"

"I can feel the love you had for her coursing through your veins, and it still lingers on within this body. You are my Ashikabi, just as you were hers. I know I cannot replace Musubi in your heart, but I will do whatever it is you desire in the hopes that one day I too can partake in those same feelings of love and affection."

Minato hesitated for a moment before standing up, taking a deep breath as he leaned in to kiss her. In every case so far he had been kissed by his Sekirei, but despite having technically winged her before, he could find no other way to express how grateful he was to this woman standing in front of him. As he pressed his lips to hers, Yume couldn't help but embrace her new Ashikabi, the reaction causing a pair of wings to emerge from her back the way all Sekirei did when such contact was made with their destined one.

"I am Sekirei Number 08, the Sekirei of Fate…" Yume replied, a small blush coming to her borrowed cheeks. She was clearly reacting to him, just like Musubi had before her. "I promise that no matter what happens from here on out, I will not stop until all of the Sekirei that have been separated from their loved ones are free once more."

"Thank you, Yume…" he whispered with a nervous smile, a sense of all encompassing hope filling his heart.

Meanwhile…

Several miles away at MBI's headquarters, a well-dressed man had just entered his superior's office. Known as a clear in the company's pharmaceutical department, Natsuo Ichinomi was also appointed the Ashikabi of the Third Generation Discipline Squad by the company's president. Despite the title he had never truly had any deep emotional ties with any of his Sekirei, although Number 105 had consistently worked hard to catch his eye. However, unfortunately for her he had never really been attracted to woman.

Sitting behind the desk in front of him was a man with wild ivory colored hair, wearing glasses and a high-collared lab coat. A sense of madness emanated from the man, but those closest to him had long learned to tolerate his dangerous eccentricities. Being the president of the world's largest corporation made him a man to be trifled with and feared, especially by those he considered to be his enemies.

Hiroto Minaka stood up with an oddly cheerful smile. "Hello Natsuo, I'm guessing you came to tell me about what happened during that little fiasco on the bridge."

"I did… I recently received word that all three members of the current Discipline Squad were themselves terminated by an opponent during the battle. I regret we were unable to do anything more about it. You have my sincerest apologies."

"Don't apologize for something that was beyond you control. This is merely the hand of destiny playing its role, although it appears from the hand he chose to deal that your own role in the Age of the Gods is over for the time being."

"You're not upset by this news?"

The company's chairman let out a jolly laugh. "Come now Natsuo, you honestly think I wasn't aware of this before you told me?" He wagged his gloved finger like a parent addressing their child. "Nothing is beyond my realm of knowledge as far as MBI is concerned. You of all people should know that by now!"

"I have one more thing to give you, sir." Natsuo stepped forward and placed a sealed envelope on his superior's desk. "Takami recently issued this report containing all of the information that they were able to find regarding this incident. I was told to deliver it to you personally."

Minaka opened the document and skimmed through the contents quickly, his face lighting up all of a sudden. "In light of this change of pace, it appears the situation has just become far more interesting for everyone!"

"Since you seem preoccupied, I should probably be going." The clerk turned on his heel and prepared to leave.

"I just came up with a fantastic idea!" the president leap on his desk, pointing towards the ceiling in a dramatic fashion. "It seems that some of my little birds have caused a new wheel of fate to turn, and who better to usher in that change than the ones who caused it… Hahahahaha! "

Natsuo left the room without a single glance back, knowing that his boss had just come up with something that was bound to ruin the lives of everyone involved. At the same time, his own involvement in the Sekirei plan had ceased, but he pitied whoever the person was that had caught Minaka's interest.

Note to Readers: This is my first time writing a Sekirei fanfiction, although I've being writing fanfiction on here for a while now. In any case, I hope this wasn't too bad a beginning. Normally my chapters are longer, but this one was just an experiment to see if the story is worth continuing. In any case, I hope you guys liked it.

Took some time to figure out how to write Yume, considering how little she appears in the series. I even re-watched some anime episodes to get the right feel for the story, since it's the first time I've written using this series as a basis. Sorry for any typos or errors in spelling or grammar, but I as usual I typically write this story late at night.

I could use some feedback… Any thoughts or ideas are welcome, although if you just plain hated it, I would rather not see any flames. If you want anything to happen or have any predictions of what could happen, please contribute. I've got some ideas, but it always helps to hear from other people. I can't tell you how many times I've incorporated ideas from reviewers in my fanfiction stories.