Ink and Kuno are running as fast as they could to wherever Kusano is likely at. Ink...he could not ignore this, he could not ignore the existence of this girl. This girl, Kusano, she has been left alone. She has been suffering from loneliness. Ink will not allow her to suffer this anymore longer. He needs to rescue her from this loneliness that she is in. She needs to help her and aid her life, so she can finally see another day. He will not stop until he saves her from this mess that she is in. But he cannot do this alone, which is why she has Kuno with him in order to try and help him. She may be clumsy, but if she has a power that can help, even a little bit, than it is worth being with him. Besides...he has very curious at what she can do, considering that she has no seen her power as of yet, and is waiting for her to use it. So he figured this would be a good opportunity to see what his precious Sekirei can do.

Speaking of Kuno, she is not doing so well, due to the fact that she is running at a pace that she cannot normally keep pace with. And because of this, I'd getting a little stressed by this running that Ink is doing right now.

"Ink, please slow down! I can't run that fast!"

Kuno shouted out, as Ink does slow down a little bit, but stil kept up the speed in order to try and reach Kusano. After all, he would prefer to go to Kusano as much as he can and not waste any time. He needs to get to her as fa as he possibly can. But at the same time, he needs Kuno to be at his side, so that he can bring her along to help Ink.

"Sorry, Kuno. But I am a little bit desperate to try and save Kusano. Besides, what can I young child like her do on her own? She also has chosen me to be her Ashikabi. So it is time that I am someone that gets to fulfill what she desperately needs."

Kuno than looks at Ink, as she than spoke out.

"Do you even know where she is?"

Ink looks down a little bit, as he than spoke out to his Sekirei.

"Kusano once said that she was residing in a very large garden of sorts. And there is only one place that I can think of that can fit a description like this."

Kuno and Ink kept on running in an effort to find Kusano inside of the forest she's in. Eventually, Ink turned around and spot the place that he needed to be at.

"There. This must be the garden."

Ink and Kuno than ran and ran, and they were able to make it. But they stopped, since the entrance to the garden has been blocked off.

"Oh, that is not good at all."

Ink said, as a frown and a frustrated look is now present in his face. Clearly, he was not expecting for a gate to appear, especially since it is now closed off in the middle of the night. Kuno looked worried, as she than spoke out to Ink.

"N-Now how are we supposed to get in?!"

Ink looked down at the gate, before he spoke out.

"I might have an idea...but you might not like it."

Kuno looks at Ink, as he quickly grabbed her hand, and spoke out.

"Close your eyes. It's be short, but the process of this experience will not be pleasent for you, okay?"

Kuno nodded her head, as she than closed her eyes, taking Ink's word seriously. Ink than closed his eyes, as he than made paint underneath both his and Kuno's feet, before the both if them fell into the paint puddle. Once that was done, a new paint puddle was formed from the other side, and than, in an instant, Ink and Kuno erupted from the newly formed puddle, as Kuno than looked around and saw that they are now at the other side of the gate, which leads to the garden. Ink than spoke out to his Sekirei.

"Let's move and find Kusano as fast as he can, Kuno."

Kuno looks at Ink and nodded.

"R-Right."

Kuno and Ink than began to move through the forest, and look around for her as much as they can.

Timeskip...

They both have been looking around for Kusano for a very long time, and truly have not found her as of yet. The forest is very big, and they cannot split up, or they will have to find each other as well, which Ink does not want to do, and Kuno does not want to d o either. But regardless, Ink and Kuno are still looking.

"Geez. This is like finding a needle in a haystack. Except that this haystack is in the form of a forest."

Ink feels very frustrated of this situation, as they are not making any sort of progress at all. But that does not mean that Ink and Kuno are giving up easily.

"Ooooohh. This is so difficult. Why must this garden be so large for the both of us?"

Kuno said, as she looked around. And while Kuno's back was turned from Ink, and Ink looked the opposite direction. Something very unexpected happene

Suddenly...green mist began to appear from above ground, and Ink watched...as the Green Mist began to form a humanoid shape of some sort.

It was Kusano, in what seems to be a spectral form of sorts and is floating into the air, her hair is waving, and she has a terrified look on her face. Her hands are over her mouth, as she stares at sink in the artistic eyes of Ink's, who's eyes now blinked and turned into a different shape from each other. He looked surprised at what he now seeing before his very eyes.

"Kusano..."

Ink said in a rather low tone of voice, as Kusano than began to move and lift up her arm to do something. But what's she doing right now? Ink watches, as he sees that it is that Kusano is doing right now.

Kusano than raised her arms, as she than points to the direction behind her, as a green glow is shown from the opening, in between the trees and plants, as well as the vines that are looking very desperate to try and cover it up.

It did not take long for Ink to realize what here location is right now. He looks down and looks at Kusano, as look of understanding is present on his face, as he than spoke out to the young girl that had taken on a astral form before him.

"So you're over there, huh?"

Kusano nodded with a smile, as she began to fade away. Ink tried to reach out to the Sekirei of Plants, but it failed and his hand simply past through her. Ink wa shocked, but he than clenched his fist and looked angry. He than calmed down. He than spoke out to his Sekirei.

"Kuno..."

Kuno looked at Ink, as he than spoke out to her.

"We have a new lead. We're going this way."

He said, as he points his hand to the direction of where Kusano pointed at. Kuno looked a little worried, so she than spoke out to Ink.

"A-Are you sure?"

Ink nodded his head, as he than spoke out.

"I am sure. Come on."

Ink than ran holding his Sekriei's hand tightly, and Kuno followed, as she nearly tripped on the ground. But she was still able to catch up, as Ink and Kuno are ready to rescue the little kid that is trapped inside of the forest. Ink looks forward, as he than spoke out to himself.

"Don't worry, Kusano. I'm coming for you. Please, be safe, and be strong."

With Kusano...

Deep inside of the lush green forest, at the very center of it, with the Sekirei of plants. It was none other than Kusano herself.

Kusano...she is lying onto the ground, scared and crying her tears out, as she cannot stand being alone in this place any longer. But, she wants to continue holding onto the hope that Ink is being honest and is coming for her. And as Ink said, she needs to be strong, in matter what. So she'll be strong for his sake. But the problem is, she has no idea how long she must be for him to arrive to wherever she is at right now. She has no idea how long she can stay this brave...if she was ever brave at all. But as she looked down, and she continue to quietly sob...

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

This made Kusano stopped crying, as she than opened her eyes.

Her eyes opened, as she heard some sounds coming from in front of her. She has no idea who it is. She hopes that it was Ink that's appeared. But it wasn't. In fact...what she saw was not human-looking. The top half of the shadow that is now being casted looked human, but the lower part...it looked like something else. It almost looked like the bottom part of a Scorpion. This made Kusano very, very scared, as she than scrambled up onto her feet, and began to try and hide inside of the area she's in.

She looks behind one of the tree trunks, and she saw the appearance of the entity.

It was a mix of something that resembles a human, and something. That resembles a scorpion. The lower part of the body has the main scorpion body and legs, as well as the stinger tail, and the arms of the humanoid part are replaced with the pinchers of a scorpion, instead of having the hands of human, like it normally has on it's shoulders.

She than tried to run away, but she ended up tripping onto the ground, which caught the attention of the entity that is suddenly inside of the forest. It skittered and was able to find Kusano. Kusano, backing up against a tree bark, tries to use her powers to try and whip it away. But it simply destoryed and cuts them with their pinchers, and began to go towards Kusano. The Entity had a hungry smile on her face, as she is ready to devour Kusano...and the young Sekirei Girl than let out a very loud scream of fear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Kusano screamed, as she cowered into a tree, she feels like she is going to end. She'll never see her Ashikabi, who she wants to be with so deeply. But as she thought I'd that...just as soon as the Scorpion-Humanoid hybrid began to get closer to her...

"Get away from Kusano!!!"

This made Kusano's eyes widened, as she than looked to see a short man with a large paintbrush appear out of nowhere, and swung his paintbrush at the entity with all of his might, sending it flying away as far as he can. Kusano looked, and she stares, as the man turns around, and he faces to her direction. Kusano's eyes widened, as she clenched her hands, and she held them under her chin, as she looks to see who it is that has arrived. It was none other...Than Ink...

her soon-to-be Ashikabi. And Kusano has only one thing to say...

"...Big Brother?"

With Ink...

"Come on, we've got to hurry!!"

Ink said, as he and Kuno than ran a bit more faster. But Kuno was starting to get stressed sat the fact that they are running. Regardless, though, for Ink's sake, they both ran as fast as they could, and luckily, Kuno did not trip on anything. And this was a good thing, as they are rushing to save her. Ink cannot wait, or Kusano is going to be done for. They continued to run, until they heard a scream of a young girl from the distance.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

This made Ink's heart stop, as he heard that scream. And there is only one person that had that voice.

"Kusano..."

Ink whisper, as he than ran a bit more faster, and Kuno is now starting to get ready to trip at any moment. Kusano is in danger. Ink cannot hold back on his running. He needs to get to the kid, and fast. He is not going to let her die by whatever it is that made her scream. He will save her, no matter what happens. When they reached it, the area of where Kusano is at, they found Kusano, and she is about to be attacked by a strange hybrid of a Scorpion and a human, and Ink had than realized what this thing is. It's a Stray Devil, and it is somehow inside of the garden. He than gripped his Paintbrush, and leapt up into the air, shouted out loud towards the entity that is about to attack Kusano.

"Get away from Kusano!!!"

Kusano heard the voice, and so did the Devil, because she was than launched away very, very far. Ink sighed, as he than stood up from the ground. But as he did...

"...Big Brother..."

Ink turns around and looks to see who it was that has spoken to him.

Kusano was there...and she is looking at Ink, and she has a strange expression now present on her face.

She looked a little bit fearful and uncertain at Ink, as she has no idea if this is the very person that she has responded to. She does not move. She stares at Ink, with tears beginning to well into her eyes, waiting for his next response.

Ink looks at Kusano, as Kusano stated back, before he than smiled, and spoke out to her, in a calm and reassuring tone of voice to the Sekirei of Plants.

"I told you I would find you...Kusano."

Ink finally spoke out to Kusano, which made her happy. Meaning that this is the one that she has contacted in her dreams. She could never feel anymore happier now. Kusano than ran up and hugged Ink tightly in the chest, as Ink than hugged her back, feeling happy that she is okay and has not been killed by that Stray Devil.

"Phew. I thought I had lost you."

Kusano smiled, as she continues to hug Ink, as if she is afraid to let go of him. Kusano smiled, as the feeling is just as the same as it was inside of her dreams. The same touch and the same feeling of Ink's body when he cushioned her fall. Now she gets to feel it in the real world, and it is making her very, very happy to see him.

Kuno than approached the 2 slowly, and Kusano looked up from Ink's shoulder, and sees Kuno. Kuno has a curious look on her face and gawked her head to the side. And Kusano did the same thing. But as they both looked at each other...

"Hrrrrrrrrrrgggghhhh..."

A growl was than heard, as Kusano, Kuno, and Ink looked to see who it is that has growled. And it was none other than the Stray Devil that had tried to make Kusano his snack. Ink looked incredibly angry, as he drank an Emotion Vial, before putting back into his sash, and spoke out.

"So...you're still alive, huh? Well that's to bad for you, pal."

He than swung his paintbrush, and fired a slash of black paint. The Stray Devil tried to defend against it, but was hurt, as Ink than spoke out.

"You're gonna pay for trying to munch on Kusano."

The Stray Devil snarled and snapped it's human-looking jaws, before it's face than turns into a fusion between a mouth of a human, and the mouth of a scorpion. Needless to say, Ink looked very disturbed and disgusted at what they are seeing before them. But Ink is not going to go down without a fight, as he than spoke out to the Sekirei.

"Get back, both of you."

Ink smiled, as he looked at the 2 Sekirei that are behind him.

"I'll take this one from here."

Ink than gripped his paintbrush as tightly as he could. He starts to walk to the Stray Devil, as her pinchers, which replaced her hands, are not ready to try and decapitate his head in just one single snap. Ink walks at first, but than he speeds up to fast walking, and than, to running full on, as he charged at the Stray Devil. He leapt up into the air, and slashed down at the Stray Devil. It tried to defend, but it ended up getting pushed back and the pinchers that it has began cracking.

He than kicked it as hard as he could, and the Stray Devil attempted to snap it's claws at Ink's leg. But Ink was able to retract his leg and avoided the attack as fast as he can, before he than used his Paintbrush to act as his shield. Ink and the Stray Devil struggled against each other's strength, until it than decided to use its stronger to try and strike at the ground, which Ink was standing on. Ink than jumped back, hand still onto his paintbrush, and tried to get back from the Stray Devil as much as he could. It than launched some toxic spit from its mouth, but Ink was able to avoid the attack without any problem at all. Though his scarf did get a hole in it from just a single drop of it.

Ink landed on the ground, as his eyes turned into what seems to be a scope of some sort, and his left eye turned white, with a normal pupil present. Ink than tries to attack with much more ferocity than ever before, using sharp Ink Bones and even using hands made of paint in order to try and restrain the Stray Devil. But it easily barreled through them, and than held Ink by the Paintbrush, and she pinned him towards the wall. Ink continues to struggle, and Kuno had to look and watch, as her Ashikabi is in serious trouble. Tears began to form quickly, as she tries to hind back her mouth, but she cannot hold it back, and...she decided to try and unleash the most powerful scream that she can think of out of her mouth.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Kuno than unleashed a powerful sonic scream at the attacker, as it covered her ears in immense agony. Due to Devils having enhanced senses, it made the Stray Devil agonized, as it's ears began to bleed. Kusano, wanting to protect Ink, used her powers to wrap the plants around the Stray Devil, and made them as thick as she could in order to prevent it from moving anymore. And Stray Devil shrieks and snarled, as she tries to escape from the trap that it is now in, but to no avail. It tried to use its pinchers on the plant trap, just as it did when she was able to corner Kusano, but now it is taking much more longer to cut through. Ink smiled, as he than spoke out.

"Kuno, Kusano. Cover your eyes. This is not going to be a very pretty sight."

Kuno and Kusano turned around, and Ink than leapt up into the air, and using a small paintbrush, which is red, he swung it with all of his speed, and the red slash went through the neck of the Scorpion Devil. As Ink landed...nothing happened at first...but than...the head slowly starts to slide down, before it than came off, and the rest of the body finally collapsed. Ink looks down at the Stray Devil, as he than was relived they then battle was done. He than spoke out to them.

"It's done. Let's head back now."

Ink was now in front of them, and Kuno and Kusano slowly turned their heads to Ink, as he than spoke out.

"You're done?"

Kuno spoke out, as Ink nodded. He than picks up Kusano and lifts her off of the ground, as he than spoke out.

"Let's head back, okay?"

Kuno and Kusano nodded at Ink, as all 3 of them than left the forest that they were in. Clearly...this is the happiest time of Kusano's life, as she now find her Ashikabi, and she will no longer be alone. She will finally have someone to watch over her. And what she does not know...is that she will have an adoptive sister for her to hang around with.

Back at Ink's house...

Ink sighed, as he rubbed his temples, clearly relived that he was finally able to catch Kusano before she'd get killed. And luckily, Kusano is also awake, as she is now next to Ink, as she sits down next to him.

"This is just so amazing...what you had done, Kusano...turning that much large area into a forest. And the fact that you were able to restrain the Devil with your plants is great as well."

Ink than rubbed his hand on top of her head, as he than spoke out.

"Thank you, Kusano...for helping me from back there."

Kusano looks up at Ink, red color starting to form on her very youthful cheeks. Ink smiled at the young girl, as he is truly grateful for what she had done for him. Kusano, without anymore hesitation...stood up and spoke out.

"Big Brother..."

She than held his face, catching him by surprise, as she continues to speak to him.

"I want you...as my Ashikabi."

She than closed the distance as she than kissed Ink right at his lips, as a bright light starts to finally appear from just above her name.

Kusano...has now been winged. Her wings spread pretty wide for someone her age and size, as they than began to spread as feathers, and some energy shaped as petals began to float and go onto the ground at a rather slow pace.

But when they touched the ground, something very unexpected than happened. The plants and flowers...they had all began to bloom rapidly. It is as though time or beginning to catch up much more faster than before, as countless flowers began blooming.

Kuno than looks outside, and sees the event happening, as she smiled and eyes widened from beauty.

A cat-like smile than began to form on Kusano's face,

before Kusano closed her eyes and giggled cutely...as the plants began to grow. Her bond with Ink...it is now complete.