"Damn it! This woman… she really ticks me off. Even if she's just a human, I won't forgive her!"
Benitsubasa snapped, sprang forward, and drove a fist straight at Yukari.
"Yukari!" Minato blanched. Terrified or not, he lunged with his eyes squeezed shut, throwing himself in front of his sister to shield her. For all his timidity, he was still a decent big brother—credit where it's due. He is this world's protagonist, after all.
"Hmph! Even if you're human—keep getting in our way, and I won't hold back!"
Benitsubasa didn't slow. Her punch hammered toward Minato's back—
Bang!
Knuckles met a blocking fist, stopped cold. Shiina had stepped in front of them, eyes clear and resolute now. "I won't let you hurt them."
---
On the other side—
Haihane slipped past a blast of flame, frowning at the masked man. "Kagari, is it? You strut around as a 'guardian of Sekirei', fancying yourself justice. So why interfere with our mission?"
"As Disciplinary Squad, why are you targeting an unwinged Sekirei?" Homura (Kagari) shot back coolly. "Have you forgotten your purpose?"
"We intend to recruit him into the Disciplinary Squad. That's all."
"Using force without consent… Looks like your Squad has fallen," Homura said with a sigh. "Did that bastard give you the right to do that?"
"There are things you don't need to know."
"Then we settle this by force."
---
From the rooftop, Kunō knelt beside Goku, puzzled. "Master, they're Disciplinary Squad—why attack other unwinged Sekirei?"
"Heh. They've sensed a crisis and want to bolster their numbers," Goku said lightly, eyes on the street below. "This is getting interesting. I wonder how it'll all play out."
"Crisis… because of Master?" Akitsu asked softly, arms around Goku so he could lounge comfortably against her. (Who knew the kuudere had this much emotional IQ?)
Below, the standoff snapped.
---
"But we do know something about you," Haihane sneered at Homura. "The 'guardian' who's still unwinged himself. Pathetic. Think you can beat me like that?"
Her body blurred; hooked claws flashed as she lunged, a killing arc screaming for Homura's chest.
Homura's face didn't flicker. His aura climbed—and fire erupted skyward from within him, a roaring inferno that seemed to scorch the heavens. It surged like a tide toward Haihane, power overwhelming.
"Tch. So even unwinged, you can muster fire like this?" Haihane retreated at once. If she dove into that blaze, she'd be roast chicken in a heartbeat.
Wreathed in towering flames, Homura looked like a monarch walking out of a furnace. For a close-combat Sekirei like Haihane, he was a nightmare—she couldn't approach, only dodge as dragonlike tongues of fire chased her.
But she didn't retreat. As she slid between blazing strikes, a sly smile curled her lip.
"You can't beat me. Leave," Homura said flatly, letting the fire ebb. Wisps of blue smoke coiled up from his body—uneasily.
"Hehe… is that so?" Haihane's smile widened. "I wonder how long before you burn yourself to death."
"What… did you say?"
A chill rippled through Homura. She'd uncovered his secret.
"A Sekirei who can't control his own power dares brag to me?" Haihane snapped. She leapt in, fear forgotten, claws scything down.
Homura thrust out a hand; flames roared—then he choked on a groan, body wracked with pain. The fire guttered to thin blue smoke; he dropped to one knee, sweltering heat boiling off him, breath ragged. He was burning himself—and suddenly had no strength to fight.
"As I thought—another failed Sekirei," Haihane crowed, mania sharpening her eyes. In a blink she was on him, claws raking for his heart—
Shrrrip!
Blood spattered. Homura caught the blow on his forearms; three crimson lines opened across his flesh, and his body skidded backward. The heat rolling off him instantly boiled away the blood beading on his skin.
---
On the rooftop, Goku watched Homura arc through the air—then glanced at Minato, a grin curling his mouth. "Heaven-sent opportunity. Let me help you along."
He traced a tiny curve with his finger. Homura's tumbling trajectory shifted—aiming him straight at Minato.
"Ah!"
With a crash, Homura slammed into Minato. The two of them tumbled across the pavement in a rolling knot and finally came to a halt—
Goku chuckled to Akitsu and Kunō. "Now that's a lovely picture." With any luck, the big lightbulb would leave Izumo Inn and move in with his Ashikabi.
Light flared. The crest at Homura's nape surfaced, and wings of radiance unfurled.
The raging heat within him gentled; the volatile flames obeyed. Winged at last, Homura gained full command of his power.
When the glow faded, the Homura who rose was… not quite the same. The once-flat chest had… swelled a little.
'Wait, what? Did he just—' Goku stared. "This Sekirei… is a headache."
"Wh-what just happened?" Minato yelped, face scarlet. A moment ago he'd thought a man had kissed him. Why did that person suddenly look like a woman?
Homura's eyes were complicated. However it had happened, the stir in her heart was real—and the person before her had winged her. From now on, he was her Ashikabi.
"Damn… winged at a time like this? Not the outcome we wanted," Haihane muttered, scowling at Minato as if she'd like to swallow him whole.
Minato instinctively ducked behind Homura. His gut said she would protect him.
Homura frowned slightly. 'So… this is my Ashikabi?' A sigh hovered in her eyes.
"Hey! Can someone explain what's going on?" Yukari finally shouted. What she'd just witnessed defied belief.
"We're Sekirei," Shiina said softly, stepping to Yukari's side. "We search for our Ashikabi… This trembling heartbeat… maybe—maybe you are mine." He fell into her arms and tilted his face toward hers.
"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?" Yukari's cheeks flushed. Her heart thrashed with nerves and excitement. 'Is this beautiful boy going to kiss me? Do I refuse… or shove him—'
Her debate ended when their lips met. Light burst again—another winging.
"You're pushing it!" Benitsubasa roared, face livid. "Do you think we don't exist?"
"Homura! How shameful. And you call yourself my rival?"
A furious voice rang from down the street. A stunning, proud, big-busted beauty strode into view.
"No. 09, Tsukiumi," Benitsubasa hissed. "This is getting messy. The targets are winged. We're withdrawing."
"…Fine," Haihane said after a beat. The pair flickered away and were gone.
"Tsukiumi…" Homura blinked, surprised, then managed a small smile. "Your Ashikabi—did you find him?"
"Hmph. When we meet, it will be his death day," Tsukiumi said coldly, tone utterly serious. Joking, she was not.
"I have no need of an Ashikabi. Better to kill the man first than let him… claim me."
A faint blush touched Tsukiumi's cheeks; her voice hitched, but the killing aura that bled through was very real.
"I came to see what the fuss was about. You're fine—and winged." She flicked her hair, turned on her heel, and with a few effortless bounds vaulted onto a nearby rooftop. "No time to spar today. Another time."
.....
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