"I'll go."
The crowd gathered around Ryuko turned their gazes from the cocoons of Life Fibers that were ascending in the sky to Ryuko. Her friends and the rest of their Life Fiber army gave her slack-jawed and wide eyed looks. Even Satsuki couldn't hide the surprise on her face.
Satsuki's look of surprise soon changed into one of determination and understanding. She looked as if she were going to same something, something important, but before she could open her mouth, Mako had appeared between the two sisters, her hands raised over her head, her wrists crossed, the way they always were before Mako gave one of her crazy and energetic speeches.
Ryuko felt her lips twitch upward to form a small smile. She could use one of her best friend's trademark speeches. Sure, Ryuko was determined to kick Ragyo's ass, and she was almost certain she'd be able to pull it off, but a little reassurance never hurt.
"Ryuko! Let's go on a date!"
Ryuko's eyes widened and she felt her jaw fall open, at a loss for words. Whatever she had been expecting to come out of her friend's mouth, that had not been it.
"Listen! When you get back, let's go on a date!" Mako shouted again, waving her limbs about wildly. She took a step forward, getting right up in Ryuko's face. Mako took a deep breath, hesitating only for a moment before she grabbed Ryuko's face and crashed her lips clumsily against Ryuko's.
Ryuko felt her face heat up, not out of embarrassment (Honestly, this had to be one of the least embarrassing things to happen to her in long time), but out of pleasure. Mako kissed her with an urgency, a ferocity she'd never seen in the girl, as she tried to convey a myriad of emotions through this one act.
After what felt like a lifetime, Mako pulled away and picked up right where she left off in her speech, as if she had never stopped.
"You're making this place a world where girls can eat ice cream and go shopping while wearing a cute dress and cute accessories and can wear whatever clothes they like and get all dolled up without fear!" she cried, acting out certain parts of her speech to convey how passionate she was about what she was saying.
The stadium, which had recently been abuzz with nervous chatter and fearful gibbering, had fallen silent, everyone's focus suddenly on the pair.
Ryuko eyes were locked on Mako's. She felt drawn in and knew she couldn't look away, even she had wanted to. In those eyes was the singular devotion and support that Mako had shown her since the first day they'd met, mixed with resolve and…fear.
Mako was afraid that this was it, this was the last time she'd ever see Ryuko. It was tearing her apart, even if she didn't outwardly show it.
Ryuko felt something stir in her heart that made her get butterflies in her stomach. What, she wasn't certain, but she knew Mako was the source of it.
She felt a huge, goofy grin spread across her face as she said, "You're on."
Mako's eyes lit up and she tackled Ryuko into a hug, the brunette's face mere inches away from hers. For a minute, Ryuko thought Mako was going to kiss her again, which she had no qualms about, but, if she had been, she'd quickly been discouraged by Satsuki, who was clearing her throat rather loudly in an obvious attempt to get Ryuko's attention back on the task at hand.
"It's in your hands now. The survival of the human race—"
"For the sake of girls' fashion!"
"You can count on me!" Ryuko assured.
Ryuko shut her eyes, taking a deep breath as she felt an intense heat and aura engulf her as it drew energy from the surrounding Life Fibers.
"I'm gonna put on all your Goku uniforms!"
A surge of power and heat struck her as each uniform became unraveled, their Fibers hovering in the air like bright red threads of spider web for a brief second before zipping over to Ryuko, absorbing themselves into Senketsu.
She felt Senketsu violently shudder on her frame as his other eye, the one that had always been sealed, broke open. Soon after, he released his grip on Ryuko's skin, letting himself change shape before clamping back down.
A rush of energy shot through Ryuko's system as Senketsu's new form settled on her. She looked down and she could swear she was glowing. A strand of her hair fell into her eyes and she was surprised to see that instead of her usual black hair, it was a stunning blonde. Her eyes took in every detail and Ryuko wasn't surprised to note that her Kamui had somehow become even skimpier than before.
"You can't ever turn into anything publically decent, can you?" she joked.
Senketsu chuckled at that. "I guess not."
"C'mon, let's go, Senketsu!"
"Right!"
They shot off like a rocket, ascending higher and higher at break neck speed. Ryuko felt the skin on her face being tugged back by the G force and her hair whipped about her head wildly.
"Hmm."
"What is it, Senketsu?" Ryuko asked, concern evident in her voice. "Somethin' wrong?"
"So Mako made the first 'move', as it were. Surprising. I honestly thought you would."
Ryuko blushed several shades of red and could do nothing but stutter for several moments before she finally spluttered out, "S-shut up, ya stupid sailor uniform!"
"Heh."