It was on Satsuki's second visit to the Mankanshoku's that she inadvertently learned how Ryuko had really been passing the six months since the war ended. This time, the family had wrung out a promise from her that she would stay for the weekend, and since she couldn't justify being idle for so long she brought along Soroi and a mountain of paperwork. When Saturday evening rolled around, she gladly turned the guest bedroom over to Soroi to spare his ageing back, and so found herself coiled up on the living room sofa. It must've been about midnight when she was shaken awake by night terrors, the usual ones, after which she just couldn't get back to sleep. Her mind was busy with nagging thoughts from the day before. It had been a pleasant day by any measure, one spent ambling around the local park (Barazo and Sukoyo had offered to take them someplace more upscale, but she'd graciously turned that down), then splitting off with Ryuko and Mako to check out the shops in the mall and catch up. It felt like an eternity since she'd spent so long doing so little, probably a month since her last get-together with the former elite five, and although she was still unused to shopping just for the fun of it she didn't feel so awkward with such enthusiastic coaches.

But there was a detail that was troubling her: they were dating. You couldn't ignore it; on top of all those little glances and touches that went on just a moment too long, they were constantly picking out clothing for each other the showed a scandalous amount of skin and shared a changing stall even when they were trying on bathing suits. What's more, and this might've been most uncomfortable, Ryuko, who was famously modest even when she learned to synchronize with Senketsu, let Mako grope her just about wherever she pleased. Satsuki knew from the days of the war that Mako was the only one who could get away with that without at the very least bruises, but she'd thought nothing of it then. And to top it off, when she'd been given a tour of the apartment, to see what the family had made of the Kiryuin Foundation stipend they received (Satsuki had offered to give them enough to live at any lifestyle they might desire, but Barazo and Sukoyo had graciously turned that down, saying "we learned our lesson on that one") she couldn't help but notice that Ryuko and Mako's room had but a single bed.

And how did she feel about all this? During the day Satsuki had known she was happy for them, that they were adorable together, that they deserved to be happy together. Now, in the late-night gloom with the oppressive thrum of a less than effective AC unit grinding at her ears, she wasn't so sure. The burn of jealousy clawed at her chest, and Satsuki realized that she wanted what they had together. This was the source of the listless feeling that had been growing since the end of the war; though she'd kept occupied first with the trials and then with rebuilding the country and getting her degree it still felt like she was sleepwalking through it. She could stab out in any direction and find something worth fixing, and all she had to do was tell people her name and sign a check and it would get done, but then the next day there would be something else to do until it all blurred together. She didn't have anything or anyone that really satisfied her, a part of her life that was just for her and not for the sake of others. She'd tried, but where was she even supposed to begin? She'd been taught all her life etiquette and how to speak properly and taught herself how to make others do what she wanted, but how could she learn how to just talk to people? They never seemed to understand, or maybe she could never make herself understood, even when she was saying something simple and every-day. Even with Soroi and her eiltes, she could never quite tell them she was feeling listless, lacking direction, lonely. Only Ryuko had understood, only she had that same furious demand for action, a perpetual motion towards something, something Satsuki had assumed was the completion of her mission but now knew extended beyond that. But did Ryuko remember, or had her mission somehow come to a close for real this time?

I know it's wrong to live for myself, especially when I have such a chance to do so much for the world, but I wish I knew how to have just a little bit of that? How does Ryuko do it? She's the happiest I've ever seen her, she's in love, and she's got a whole life to look forward to after that and I… I feel like everything important in my life is already over and I don't know what to do. And here I thought she wanted to be with me, I know she did, at least for that day we spent on the Naked Sol when we finally made up and I felt her blood in Junketsu. Was it really that short? She knew it was wrong, and back then she was so frustrated by that she almost didn't care, but maybe it was just a passing fancy brought on by something I said? It felt so much more real than that though. Agh, dammit Satsuki, stop thinking like that – it doesn't matter what she felt then, how much you think you understand her – that you would even entertain the notion proves there's something wrong with your mind. Admit it: Ragyo did something to you, and you can't bring yourself to face up to it. Pathetic –,"

Satsuki was broken from her self-disgusted reverie by the sound of footsteps in the hall, someone coming her way. Her well trained ears immediately pricked up; the bathroom was in the other direction, so whoever was up was doing something specific, maybe something interesting. She'd expected to hear Mako or Barazo going to the fridge for a midnight snack, but the footfalls were fast, precise, heavy, and doing a bad job at staying quiet. Ryuko. Satsuki kept still, eyes an almost imperceptible crack away from shut, waiting to see why Ryuko was trying to avoid disturbing her. When she came into view in the middle of the living room Satsuki shut her eyes and tried to appear to be sleeping, but not before she got a glimpse of Ryuko fully dressed in her white trainers, bomber jacket, and loose athletic shorts. Her hair was spiked up not unlike the way it used to whip around when she activated Kamui Senketsu, showing its shiny crimson underside. So, she is sneaking out, Satsuki thought, not sure if she was angry or oddly charmed, You haven't changed a bit, have you Ryuko. She paused for a moment there, presumably to check if Satsuki really was asleep, then did something Satsuki hadn't foreseen. Satsuki heard the glass door to the narrow balcony slide open and popped open her eyes just in time to see Ryuko vault of the railing in one smooth motion, a silhouette against the dull magenta of the city night that was gone so quickly Satsuki wasn't sure she'd really seen it. Ryuko could obviously survive such a fall, she was still as super-human as ever, but Satsuki bolted over to the balcony anyway, just to see her jogging along the near-empty street seven stories below.

If she knew I was awake and is trying to lose me, I'd better get moving. Satsuki had already decided that she would follow Ryuko, although she wasn't quite sure why. She envisioned herself bursting in on Ryuko in a bustling bar, chewing her out for being derelict in her commitment to her schoolwork and for violating the trust of her adopted family – but no, that wouldn't do. Maybe she'd just pull her aside quietly and have a nice, calm chat about what she was up to. Hopefully she would be able to keep her temper, it would kill her to go back to her old antagonistic relationship with her estranged sister. She quickly grabbed everything she'd need: shoes, phone, wallet, jacket, hair ties. It was lucky that she chose to sleep in shorts and an undershirt, so as soon as her shoes were on she slid out the door and bolted down the stairwell. Fortunately, Ryuko was still visible down the street, and when she turned at an intersection Satsuki had a solid idea that she was heading downtown. She couldn't catch up with her, but she could take shortcuts.

Ryuko wasn't hard to follow, she was running at a roughly human rate and using the main roads along the most obvious route. All Satsuki had to do was jog along one street away from her and check at each intersection that she was still on track. She was sure she wouldn't be spotted: regular training ensured her athletics were just as sharp as ever, and she could blend into the night and the other pedestrians unerringly. Street by street the tree lined boulevards and bland but quaint apartment complexes gave way to the shining storefronts and cool metal of the center city. She was getting into a good rhythm after a few minutes, so she almost missed it when Ryuko suddenly stopped, tilted her head, and turned off in a completely different direction at a breakneck pace. Satsuki had no time to ponder what had set her off, as she quickly ground to a halt and set off after her. This was perhaps the most difficult part of her night's exercise because while Ryuko ran with reckless abandon, dashing between pedestrians and even smoothly hurdling over cars with a speed only she could achieve, Satsuki had to hang back and jog, not just because she didn't want to look odd to pedestrians but also because she knew she couldn't keep up. It was grueling, but she managed to keep Ryuko mostly in sight until she disappeared down an alley. Peering down the alley, Satsuki saw something she hadn't expected at all.

"Back off, or else," Ryuko said flatly, staring down a hulking, unshaven brick of a man who brandished a short switchblade. Behind her, pressed up against the wall, stood a messy-haired young man with glasses and the look of being too drunk to be out on his own this late.

"Get lost bitch, this is none of your business."

"I'm making it my business. Last warning." Rather than respond, the mugger thrust out his knife straight for Ryuko's gut. Satsuki gasped, no longer worried about drawing attention to herself, but there was no cause for concern. Somehow the knife was in Ryuko's hand, and she slid right up into his face tauntingly. The red in her hair glinted like garnet

"Oh god, it's you!" He hissed in a panic, falling to his knees and shouting that he was sorry.

"Yup. I warned you, you know. Now you don't get off so easy." She pushed the mugger with one hand, and his back hit the ground like he'd been tackled. Recovering from having the wind knocked out of him meant that he couldn't run while Ryuko turned away, wrenched a rusty pipe off the wall, and wrapped it around his torso and arms until he was totally contained. With the long ends of the pipe threading out from his sides he couldn't even stand up. Satsuki couldn't help but be impressed by the inventiveness, and by Ryuko's conscientiousness as she asked the young man she'd saved if he was able to get home on his own, then called the cops to pick up the mugger. She was even more flabbergasted when she heard her exchange with the police operator.

"Hey it's me… I'm alright, got a guy for you… yeah, he tried to mug a kid and tried to stab me… nobody's hurt, he's restrained, and the kid called a friend to pick him up… Uh huh… Yeah you can come pick him up whenever, he's not going anywhere… alright, talk to you soon."

Once that was take care of, Ryuko turned back out of the alley and Satsuki barely had the time to pull her head around the corner. Fortunately for her, when Ryuko walked past she didn't think to turn, or she would have seen Satsuki pressed up against the cool brick of the wall in a less than dignified manner. Instead she tilted her head and set off at once again at an inhuman sprint. Satsuki sighed, and after a quick stretch she set off after her.

She needed to see what Ryuko was going to do next. But there was no way even she could keep up with her forever. And the night was still young.

For the next few hours (the adrenaline of the breathless chase made Satsuki uninterested in the time) Satsuki did her best to keep up as Ryuko bustled around the city and the nearby suburbs intervening in other situations that could make use of her talents. She stopped a few more muggings and armed robberies, pulled a few people out of car wrecks, even sprinted a man in the throes of an overdose to the hospital. After that one Satsuki was sure she'd lost track for her for good, Ryuko had departed at inconceivable speeds the moment she realized an ambulance wouldn't arrive in time. One moment she was there and the next there was only a gusty shockwave blasting trash around the street. Satsuki, crouching behind a dumpster almost a block away down the deserted street, had sighed and relaxed her shoulders for the first time that night.

Nothing left to do but return home, but she didn't feel right about it. So many questions about why and how Ryuko had taken it upon herself to police the city, and more importantly she needed to figure out how she felt about it. She knew something about it didn't sit right, it felt odd that she had to sneak out, and if she was sneaking out even when guests were over she must've been doing so frequently. So she was probably not getting enough sleep, and Satsuki knew full well how that could drag down the rest of one's life. What's more, her detached, dead serious attitude throughout the night was disconcerting, Satsuki hadn't even thought it possible for Ryuko to suppress her emotions and she couldn't shake the sense that something was wrong. On the other hand, how could she criticize, what even was there to criticize? This was exactly what someone with incomparable strength, speed, and reflexes should be doing with their time, and Ryuko was by all indications very good at it. Satsuki felt a vicarious pride from the heaping gratitude Ryuko scarcely accepted, and the groveling terror of wrongdoers that she barely acknowledged.

She's like a superhero.

Satsuki was about to get up and start walking back to the apartment when she heard a faint whistling, which was followed by a tremendous whoosh of air that slapped her face like a cold breeze. She peered out from her hiding place and, no surprise, Ryuko was standing there as if she'd never left, minus the man she'd saved. As simple and serious as ever she tilted her head to the side once more and was off, and with a degree of relief that surprised even herself Satsuki followed on after her. Their night's travel continued, and Satsuki took care to note any signs of expressiveness on Ryuko's part. Only once did Ryuko show a shred of happiness, when she busted through a window to perform CPR on an elderly woman who'd just had a heart attack, restoring her to consciousness before the ambulance had arrived. Satsuki had felt herself choking up then and was happy to see Ryuko smile momentarily as she eased her patient into a chair to wait for the paramedics. Likewise, there was only one time when Ryuko got truly angry, when she intervened on a rape. That one was more than understandable, Satsuki couldn't even bring herself to look, but from where she stood around the corner she could hear Ryuko deliver such a punch that the thin clink of the perpetrator's teeth on the asphalt echoed for almost a minute. She could also hear Ryuko's heavy, seething breaths and an utterly disgusted growl that nearly reached into the shouting range. Once again, she felt such a turmoil of sympathy for Ryuko for subjecting herself to this repeatedly and pride in her for the very same thing that she had no idea what to make of it all.

It was about 45 minutes after that event, the sky now showing early signs of dawn, when Ryuko suddenly stopped in her jogging and, rather than tilt her ear towards the next spot of trouble, she turned all the way around with a deeply concerned look on her face. She took out her phone, scrolled for a moment, and slapped a hand to her forehead.

"Ah crap, a big one tonight's the last thing I need," She muttered to herself and then, just as suddenly as the last time she engaged her top speed, she was gone. Satsuki slumped down frustratedly; this time she had definitely lost Ryuko. It was about time to go home anyway, she figured, but then her phone buzzed repeatedly until she had no choice but to answer it. Once she had there was no doubt where Ryuko had gone.

*Emergency Bulletin: Highway Access bridge #7 has collapsed. Avoid all travel in the area until further notice. *

The situation on the bridge was as bad as Satsuki had feared. Crowds were gathered at both sides, cars, rubble, and rescue boats were scattered in the river below, and on both sides of the collapse and all across an isolated, still-standing central column a mess of suspension cables ran like spiderweb, ensnaring dozens of cars and even a bus. Satsuki hurriedly threw a wad of cash to the taxi driver who had gotten her to the edge of the crowd in exchange for the promise that he would wait for her to come back and waded in urgently. On the ride over the night's exercise had finally caught up with her, and she stumbled occasionally, provoking angry responses from all around. She did manage to get to the front eventually, standing right along the police barricade where paramedics were busy ushering survivors out of the way. As she scanned around, she couldn't help but notice Ryuko's name coming up frequently in the crowd's breathless chatter, and plenty of the names and titles that she was known by as well. She was definitely here.

"Where's she gone this time?"

"She's on the center, getting that blue van, you see there?" The bystanders were pointing, and when Satsuki followed their fingers and spotted it: a van teetering on the edge of the island platform. It shifted once, twice, and then as Satsuki watched in amazement it sprang up, sailing in a wide parabolic arc towards her side of the gap. Now that it was in the air, she could clearly see Ryuko holding up the bottom of the van, a pale blip in the early morning light. They hung motionless for a moment, then plummeted to a skidding halt accompanied by a cheer from the crowd. She set the car down and paused just long enough to make sure the family scurrying out of the van were unhurt, departing once again with a running start.

"Er, why is she in her underwear?" Satsuki asked, almost unsure if she'd said it around.

"Lady Ryuko always strips down when she's doing a big job. So she doesn't rip her clothes, is what I think," An answer came from a young man leaning over the barricade a couple people to her left.

"Oh, I see."

"Not from around here, are you? That's funny, you look familiar."

"I'm just in town visiting relatives," Satsuki said with a chuckle. It wouldn't do if she was recognized, but it didn't seem likely with this fellow.

"Well geez, I hope they aren't on that bridge-oh! There she goes again!"

What Ryuko hated most about losing Senketsu was the silence. Being in constant connection with him had filled her mind with an entirely new set of thoughts, a constant chatter between them that was busiest when they were synchronized and in the midst of action. It was almost never on topic, she'd remember something delicious she'd had for breakfast that morning, he'd remember a seagull they saw a few days ago eating the same thing from the trash, she'd ask him if he thought the architecture at Honnouji was as depressing as she thought it was, he'd respond by humming a tune she'd never heard whose general mood made his thoughts on the matter clear. By the end she could barely recall what it felt like to have her head all to herself and being forcibly reacquainted with it was like being dunked in the arctic ocean. Normally, she could find adequate substitutes in the Mankanshokus and her few friends from school; Mako in particular was almost as good as the real deal, but there was nobody to talk to while sailing through the air over the wreckage of the bridge. She was down to her final target, the bus hanging over on the other side, and she'd already decided that she'd have to toss it to deliver it back where she started because she couldn't climb back up while carrying it, so what was there left to think? The silence reminded her of dull dreaminess that came before sleep, but rather than being a soothing departure from the day's worries it ached. She hadn't chosen to relax her mind, there was a part of it she just couldn't access, a piece of her that was ripped out. Running up against it was like running her tongue into a sore spot where a tooth had been knocked out (she'd experienced the sensation a couple times during the war, unlike other people's her teeth grew back).

"Buckle up!" She heard herself shout over the screams as she robotically wound one of the thick metal ropes around the bus like a Christmas ribbon. Now she wrapped a cable around her legs, ignoring the burning abrasions the coiled metal left on her skin, and with both hands swung the bus underneath her and released it in a smooth underhand throw. It soared overhead in a lazy arc, fortunately staying upright the whole while, but Ryuko didn't see this and barely noticed the hush falling over the crowd. Now she called up the full extent of her speed, scrambling up the cables and leaping over to the column and then to the other side in a fraction of a second. Going this fast was rarely necessary, but it made for a good distraction nevertheless; it was like her body was finally operating at the same speed as her mind. The bus hadn't even passed the column by the time she turned around and braced, so she had enough time for one pressing observation to cut through the silence.

That's coming in a little faster than I thought.

When the bus came down, Ryuko disappeared beneath it with a fountain of blood and a gasp from the crowd. Only the footsteps of the paramedics rushing to help could be heard for a moment as it slowly crept down from a 45-degree angle to resting flat on the ground, and when it did Ryuko slumped out beneath it. If Satsuki hadn't known better she would have been sure Ryuko was dead, for her feet had been ground down to bloody stumps, her hands were raw from being run along the metal, and most freakish of all her neck was sharply bent, spouting blood from a vast rend that nearly pulled her head clean off. But she was alive, picking herself up on legs that shouldn't have supported anything, wincing with a mouth that tricked blood in a steady stream. Satsuki was reeling, she felt lightheaded like she hadn't since the war, but she resisted the urge to look away. Have I gotten soft? I've seen much worse, hell, I've seen her chopped in half. Still, the pain must be unimaginable, look at what she puts herself through.

"Whoa, are you alright?" Her acquaintance asked, and then called out to a kindly looking middle-aged woman standing next to her, "Hey, can you help her? She's feeling faint." Once the woman noticed that Satsuki was having trouble keeping her feet she was quick to grab her shoulders and ease her forward onto the barricade, where she could lean and catch her breath.

"It's lady Ryuko, isn't it? Don't worry, she'll be fine in just a moment," She said, and Satsuki managed to keep watching to see how true that was. Ryuko's wounds were seething, blood rippling as her lacerations sealed. Her feet rebuilt themselves like they were made of clay, and her neck, well, she gave it a casual roll like she'd woken up with a crick in it, and with a wet thunk that made bile clench Satsuki's throat it snapped right back into place, the wound sealing up in an instant. Ryuko blinked and stretched, and she was back to normal. The crowd erupted into cheers, surging past the barricade, but Satsuki stayed behind in stunned silence.

My god, she's even more powerful than before, isn't she?

The sea of heads around Ryuko swallowed up the survivors disembarking the bus (miraculously unhurt, save for a few bruises), but they parted in a ring around her, staring in awe and shouting their thanks. Satsuki too was in awe, in awe of the reverence Ryuko had inspired in them. If she's trying to convince them she isn't the second coming, she's doing a bad job. Someone passed up Ryuko's clothing, and a paramedic extended it to her, bowing on one knee. Satsuki was sure Ryuko wouldn't appreciate being treated like royalty, but she didn't even seem to notice him even as she scooped up her clothes. She strolled off, eyes far away, hand clutching the air over her heart, and Satsuki realized immediately why she seemed so distant. She turned away, both so that Ryuko wouldn't see her and because she finally couldn't bear but to turn away. Besides, she needed to get home before Ryuko, and she had a lot to think about. By the time she got back to her taxi she was choking up for the second time that night, a bittersweet sadness welling up in her chest from the experience. The image of Ryuko standing half-naked and dazed in a pool of her own blood, surrounded by the adoring crowd, backlit with dreamlike hues by the siren-lights, was stuck in her head. Still, it didn't stop her exhaustion from catching up to her in a wave, and she nodded off in the back seat within minutes of leaving the bridge. When she finally got back to her couch, the sun scraping a thin line above the horizon, she dropped down and passed out without even thinking to check if Ryuko had gotten back before her.

Satsuki awoke with a brutal cramp in her lower back (which wasn't even from running all night, it was just from how she slept), and she lay squinting into the sun for nearly 15 minutes waiting for it to pass until she could finally roll over and check the time. When she did manage it, she groaned a little louder than she intended.

"11:30 already?"

"'fraid so. C'mon sleepyhead, I've got coffee brewing if you want," It was Ryuko, seated at the kitchen table. Satsuki turned around over the back of the couch to stare blearily at her, and she smiled back with a shining, toothy grin, her hair even messier than usual. Her laptop piped out tinny video game music, and the coffee machine was bubbling loudly, nearly finished with the pot. Aside from that, though, the apartment was practically still, even Guts appeared to be missing.

"Where is everybody?" Satsuki asked, kicking a blanket she was sure she hadn't put on from her legs. She stood and stretched out the soreness in her back while Ryuko refocused on the game.

"They've gone down to the shop to get lunch – took Soroi too. Don't worry, they'll bring something back for us."

"I can't believe I slept through them leaving," Satsuki chuckled, hoping that Ryuko wouldn't ask why she was so tired. She planned on mentioning Ryuko's night-time hero work at some point, but after she decided what she wanted to say about it. And how to salvage the fact that she followed Ryuko without her permission; that had not been very sisterly of her.

"Ah don't sweat it, I basically just got up too. That was some night, huh?" Ryuko looked up, and though she was still smiling and her eyes still shone with good humor they suddenly pierced Satsuki like daggers.

"I uh – and what do you mean by that?" she stammered.

"Satsuki Satsuki," Ryuko said, waving a hand, "C'mon, I knew you were behind me the whole night, gimme a little credit. Why else would I keep my speed down to normalish levels?"

"Oh," Satsuki muttered, crestfallen.

"No 'oh', what did you think?" Ryuko gave her a playful poke on the shoulder. She had to imagine Satsuki would be proud of her, it's what she would be doing if she had Ryuko's powers, after all. She was elated when Satsuki's disappointed frown turned into a soft, sad smile.

"I thought I was doing a pretty good job staying out of sight."

"Hey, no jokes! First off I'm serious about this, second off I can hear things happening blocks away - there's no way anybody can sneak up on me anymore."

"Oh, so that's how you were able to find people who needed your help then. I was wondering."

"Yeah. Now come on, what did you think?"

"Coffee first," Satsuki said, a desperate deflection she would never have stooped to under normal circumstances. Ryuko's face suddenly fell, and she paused the game.

"You-you don't approve. What did I do wrong?" Seeing the confusion in Ryuko's eyes, Satsuki let out a defeated sigh and sat down, still composed but obviously deflated. She hadn't meant to hurt her, and at her core she was… proud of Ryuko for taking the initiative on her own. She needed to soothe over feelings before they got hurt, but still she wasn't in the business of saying things she didn't mean, not anymore.

"I wouldn't say I disapprove. I'm just confused, and I have questions."

"Oh, okay then. Ask away, I guess," Ryuko was still wary; she'd been hoping for praise, fearing a stern talking-to, and now she wasn't sure which was coming. Satsuki was just happy to have the ball back in her court, so to speak.

"You do this frequently, don't you?"

"Every night," Ryuko affirmed with a serious nod.

"Do the Mankanshoku's know? No- they must. Mako at least has to know."

"Oh yeah, they know. Actually, I talked with them about whether I should even show you, but I knew you'd notice when I left. Mataro suggested I try leaving out my bedroom window, but we couldn't figure out how to get the screen off," Truthfully Ryuko had really wanted to show Satsuki, but she hadn't told any except Mako that. She'd only asked the other Mankonshoku's to see if they would be able to talk her out of it, but they'd been less than helpful on that front.

"I see," Satsuki said thoughtfully, then paused for a moment. While she was thinking of how to proceed Ryuko was become more obviously agitated by the second.

"Satsuki what's your deal? You said you don't disapprove but you're still acting pretty damn weird."

"If you're doing this every night, when do you catch up on sleep?"

"Oh, I get it," Ryuko mumbled, "Yeah, I catch up in class, what did you expect?"

"Ryuko…-,"

"Well, what? When else am I supposed to?"

"But your grades-,"

"They're in the toilet, I know I know. But it's not like they'd let The Girl who Saved the World flunk out."

"You shouldn't use your influence that way."

"That's rich coming from you, Miss Kiryuin," Ryuko snarked back, crossing her arms and staring down into her lap sulkily. Satsuki had a point, one she knew all too well, but she couldn't back down. So the guilt became anger. I didn't want a lecture, and I definitely didn't want to make you mad. Why couldn't you just be impressed? I guess it wasn't realistic to think that my little heroics would impress Satsuki Kiryuin – one of us basically rebuilt the country and the other can't even keep one little city safe. Still, if you think you'll get me to stop by telling me I'm not being responsible you got another thing coming.

"There's no need for that Ryuko," Satsuki said as calmly as she could manage, determined to be conciliatory. "Actaully, I'm sorry, I think I've said things wrong. May I start again?"

"Yeah, you'd better, cuz I'm starting to think you want me to stop saving people's lives, which is…-"

"-Not at all what I'm trying to say. What you're doing here is good, a very fitting use of your power. But-"

"-But-"

"-But I thought you wanted to go to college, have a career. It's not going to be easy if your grades are as bad as you say."

"I do, I do. I mean, I want to."

"You make it sound like it's already too late," Satsuki said, thinking of what she could say to reassure Ryuko that she could turn it around if she just engaged on her studies, but was cut off by a grim chuckle from Ryuko.

"You want to know the truth of it?" She asked and, not waiting for a response, continued with the defeated air of a confessional, "I haven't even applied anywhere. Mako's gotten accepted at a few places, and I missed all the deadlines. So that's it, really."

"Oh Ryuko," Satsuki sighed, a sudden upwelling of sympathy urged her to go hug her estranged sister, do something to make that gloomy, glassy look go away. But the tension in her shoulders said that admitting even that had been a stretch for Ryuko; she wasn't ready to accept pity. "I-I don't know what to say. I didn't think you'd give in so easily."

"Yeah well!" Ryuko blurted, "What am I supposed to do? Besides, even if I did go what would I study? What would I do when I got out? How can I work a normal job now after everything that's happened? I want to, I do, but it's all so complicated, and I'm rotten at school. I don't even know anything I can do well besides fighting and lifting things a-and people need me to do that so that's what I'm gonna do," She crossed her arms resolutely

"But it doesn't make you happy," Satsuki said plain and clear, and something clicked in Ryuko's head. She'd been so intent on getting Satsuki's approval because she wasn't happy, she needed someone to tell her she was making the right choice.

"Well, apparently that's something we just have to deal with sometimes!" Ryuko was almost yelling now for some reason, "I thought you of all people would understand that, Satsuki Kiryuin." At that, something clicked in Satsuki's head. Ryuko was struggling just like she was! The sudden realization that Ryuko also felt trapped by her obligations to society filled her with a sense of kinship, like she felt exactly how Ryuko was feeling. That sense was an infrequent visitor to Satsuki, but not an unwelcome one. She couldn't resist it anymore, she stood and flung her arms around Ryuko's shoulders, burying her cheek in that bushy, shining hair. Ryuko let out a little gasp and, very stiffly and with a faintly red face, returned the embrace.

"I do understand," Satsuki said softly, "I'm sorry, I didn't know how to say it. I just want you to be happy, but you're entirely right. You have a duty to use your powers to help others, and it is the same as what I do." Ryuko had been glowering, averting her eyes, but now she looked over to Satsuki and saw a warm smile and a hopeful gleam in her eyes. She'd been seeing, or rather expecting, the old Satsuki, gearing up for a confrontation that was completely unnecessary.

"T-thanks Satsuki," She smiled back, "I knew you'd get it." Satsuki hummed in response, and the vibration of her throat on Ryuko's shoulder suddenly made her uncomfortably aware of their close proximity. "Alright, that's enough. Get off a' me, sap," she said with an awkward laugh. Satsuki complied, disentangling her arms quickly, though still as gracefully as ever.

"So, am I forgiven for being so dreadful at explaining myself?" She asked, making the nearly imperceptible shift between her more serious, emotional tone and her relieved, casual one.

"Well, that depends," Ryuko replied, "Do you think how I'm using my powers is cool?"

"Yes, of course."

"And you aren't going to tell me that I should stop?"

"No, in fact I completely agree that you're obligated to continue."

"Well then good, you're forgiven. Although you really ought to practice talking to people normally and not giving orders to them."

"Believe it or not I am," Satsuki said with a chuckle, "It's hard to find people to practice with in my position."

"Yeah, I get that. I'm already sick of having to deal with people kowtowing and it's only been six months."

"You'll get used to it, frankly you'll have get used to it to like it or not, they're not likely to stop. And besides that, since you aren't going to stop your nightly escapades either you still have a problem when it comes to your future."

"Yeah. So, what should I do?"

"I can't tell you that," Satsuki said, "But I can help you decide. First off, are you certain that you do want to go to college? There's no reason why that's a requirement for living the type of life you want."

"I – yeah it isn't technically, but I still want to try it, experience it - y'know?"

"That's completely understandable, but you should know you do have other options. For example, I would certainly be able to find a position for you in the Kiryuin Foundation that was suited for your talents. We could even fly you around the world to disaster zones where you could put your powers to good use, if you wanted."

"Now that," Ryuko said thoughtfully tapping her chin, "It makes sense, I've actually had a similar thought. But that's – I don't know - maybe a little too far. Like I'd just have to keep doing that forever. Maybe if nothing else works out."

"So, college then, for now."

"Yeah, I guess. Even though I don't really know what I'd do there."

"Well, you can always go undecided for your first semester. So then that leaves the question of where you'd go. The way I see it, you can either take a gap year and apply next year, but that will still be hard with your grades. The other option, and this is only if you're okay with it, is to use your influence to just get an acceptance now. I'm sure if I made a few calls we could get you in anywhere you wanted."

"Then that's what we gotta do, fuck it." Ryuko said decisively. She was starting to get into the idea, remembering dreams of a successful college career full of friends and great memories that she'd nursed during her delinquent years. Satsuki's characteristic seriousness was rubbing off on her, or maybe challenging her to not look weak and noncommittal, "It's not the worst thing in the world, if I just use it this once, and then do better from then on."

"Exactly," Satsuki said, although she worried if she were being hypocritical considering how frequently she used her fame to her advantage. It's different when I do it because it's not for my benefit, right? "Now, where were you thinking you'd want to go? Probably wherever Mako decides, right?"

"Nah, Mako's going over to Kansai so she's close to Ira. Don't want to step on any toes there." Satsuki's eyebrows shot up and she tilted her head slightly, her equivalent of reeling in confusion.

"But I thought you and Mako were-,"

"Dating? We are, yeah, but it's different between us. We have one of those 'If we're not married by the time we're thirty' deals, y'know?" Ryuko looked down into her coffee cup with a small, secretive smile.

"I'm afraid I do not know," Satsuki said, "Is this a common arrangement amongst young people these days?"

"Oh, uh no it's not, it's kind of one of those things you hear about but don't know anyone who does it in real life. And it looks like we probably won't need it considering how into each other those two are. Oh boy, you sure look confused by this one. Well, I know you have a question, spit it out."

"So… do you love her or not?" Satsuki asked, trying to pierce to the core of what Ryuko meant by this all. Her late-night musings on a crush Ryuko may have at one point harbored for her were far from her thoughts; instead she felt a sort of sinking dread at the prospect that she might just be incapable of understanding this concept. Someone couldn't love two people at once, could they? Experience had taught Satsuki that those who claimed to were only interested in debauchery and pleasure. There was no way Ryuko and Mako could be like that, Satsuki had seen to it personally that they would be bound together inseparably during the Fight Club incident, so how could they be so casual about their relationship?

"Blunt as ever, I see," Ryuko snarked, "Don't worry, it's cool, we had to explain the concept to Mom and Dad and boy that was way more awkward than this. Here's how it is: Mako and I love each other, but we're best friends first. So it's okay with me if she loves someone else too, because I know she'll always be there for me whether it's as best friend or girlfriend. And vice versa, of course. Does that make any sense?"

"On a logical level, it might. It still seems very strange to me though." What would I do if I met someone who claimed to love me and someone else at the same time? That would have to be one hell of a woman to make her worth sharing.

"It's definitely not for everyone, I'll give you that," Ryuko said with an awkward chuckle, "Anyway, now you know why I won't be following Mako to college."

"Well, that still leaves you with a host of options. Does anywhere in particular stand out?"

"I was thinking that it would be nice to go someplace in the country, but I don't want to go so far away that I couldn't come home and visit from time to time. So then my other thought was maybe Tokyo University, even though its right in the middle of the city, because it's so big that I could probably find somewhere I fit in. And also, my nights there would be put to good use, I'm sure of that."

"Indeed they would. Well, if you want countryside close to home your best bet is somewhere up in North Kanto, where Uzu grew up. I must say though, I never pegged you for a country girl."

"I'm full of surprises. Plus, I've lived in cities all my life, it'd be a nice change of pace."

"I do agree, it was refreshing when business called me out to the countryside back in the old days. On the other hand, Tokyo has its advantages. The campus has basically every educational advantage you could want, and it's very diverse too; it's been the forefront of my new initiative to bring the tuition and acceptance back down to something that lower-class people can afford so you wouldn't be so stuck in with rich kids. I will admit that I'm a little biased because that's where I'm getting my PhD, but I'm not gonna tell you it's the clear superior choice. It just has advantages is all."

"See, that sounds good too though!" Ryuko exclaimed with a little lighthearted frustration, "I don't know which would be better."

"That's alright, you should take some time to research it then. And while you're at it you should look into what you would want to study, since you also haven't decided about that either."

"Yeah, totally," Ryuko said. Her eyes which had look so glassy moments before now gleamed with their usual enthusiastic energy. Satsuki made everything seem so possible, narrowing her whole dilemma down to just a series of simple questions. After all, she was a graduate student, and some kind of genius to boot, so she knew what she was talking about, "Mako and I will start looking at it right away."

"I'm glad to hear it. You can let me know when you come to a decision and I'll make the arrangements personally. Do you think you could have at least some more ideas by next weekend?"

"Uh sure, but why then? What's next weekend?"

"Oh nothing, I just-," Satsuki began awkwardly, "I was thinking since we both know you won't stop your nighttime work when you're in college, that I should help you improve your study habits so you can get by on minimal sleep. So, if you're okay with it, I'd like to visit more frequently, maybe every weekend if I can."

Ryuko beamed at that suggestion, looking up with that puppy-dog gaze that made her go ever-so-slightly cross-eyed when she was feeling particularly friendly. "Are you kidding?" She said, standing up, "C'mere". Satsuki complied, embracing her sister briefly. "You're my sister, I'm their adopted daughter, that basically makes you a Mankanshoku as well. And even if you weren't, you're welcome anytime, you know that."

"Well, I had an inkling that I might be," Satsuki smiled back, "But don't think this is just going to be all fun like this weekend, I'm dead serious that you'll be studying more than you ever have before, and I have plenty of work to get done as well."

"And I'm dead serious that you've got a lot of catching up to do since you've been living under a rock all this time so we're definitely watching at least two movies a day and you'll just have to work that into your schedule."

"Alright, but don't be offended if I work through them; I'm a very efficient multitasker, you know. Now, let's see about getting some of that coffee, I'd like a cup or two before it goes cold."

By the time the rest of the family got back from the shop with bags of takeout under each and every arm the altercation and serious talk had been almost completely forgotten, as Ryuko did her best to sell Satsuki on all the different movies, TV shows, books, and etcetera that she wanted to show her. Satsuki ate with enthusiasm, crowing internally, we managed to have a real conversation without tearing at each other's throats and without me thinking anything unsisterly about her! I think maybe I could get used to having Ryuko as a sister. Ryuko, as she always did, ate only a fraction of her portion and handed the rest of it off to Mako. Her mind was fixated on something quite different: the lingering ghost of their close embrace from before that set her skin tingling. Goddamn her why does she have to be so gorgeous? Or better yet, why does she have to be my sister?