An SOS from a Sekirei!

Minato slowly stood, and ran his hands over the bark again, staring at the tree as if it would have more answers for him. "...who was that?" he mused to himself.

"Master," Miya stated, coming up behind Minato and putting a hand on his shoulder, making him just about jump out of his skin as he turned to Miya with a startled yelp. "Oh, sorry, were you deep in thought?" she asked sheepishly.

"Uh, yeah, sorry, was spacing out for a second there..." he admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"Just letting you know that dinner is ready," she told him, beaming brightly. "Let's head to the dining room. I made plenty, so feel free to eat your fill~!"

"Ah, okay then," Minato nodded, his stomach growling and he flushed a bit. He started to follow Miya, watching her ass sway. Even in her conservative garb, which she now wore to maintain appearances more than out of modesty, she could make her derriere quite enticing to look at.

They entered the dining room, where Miya, Uzume, and other boarders were waiting. "Ah, so sorry for earlier, Miya-san," Musubi said sheepishly. "I guess I got carried away there..."

"No kidding," Uzume snorted.

"Musubi's kind of excitable," Minato explained a bit weakly to Miya. She giggled a bit.

"I noticed. Just try to keep it to a minimum within the confines of the inn," Miya told him as they took their seats, and she began to serve them the ramen dish she had prepared for the night.

"Help me..." Minato heard a voice softly say from behind him, and he whipped around, looking frantically for the source.

"... Minato-sama? Something wrong?" Musubi asked, looking at him in concern as he found nothing.

He turned towards her, a bit shaken, before saying, "Nothing. I think I'm just imagining things," he said, but he wasn't so sure. It seemed so real. Was he going crazy? It was a possibility, a whole lot of what he thought he knew about the world was being challenged lately, but he somehow doubted it.

Musubi didn't look convinced, but didn't press the issue. Uzume also turned an inquisitive look towards them, before ultimately deciding it was none of her business.

...

In a nearby forest, the Sekirei Kusano was curled up, hugging her knees to her chest. The pure young woman was projecting her pleas for help to anyone who might hear them.

She had successfully managed to make contact, and make a tenuous connection with, a potential kind Ashikabi. Perhaps he could aid her. She only hoped he would answer her call, before the ones she was hiding from found her.