Author's Note

It's nice to see you everyone again! Here is the third chapter of "Never Losing the Way" fresh off press!

I thank everyone who review, favorite, follow, or just click on this story. It's you people that keep me going and it's nice to know that people enjoy my work, you know? This is another chapter from Ryūko POV. Also this chapter was really fun to write and some of the scenes here made me chuckle a bit. I also hope that this chapter causes some questions to form among you guys.

If you see a * please go down to the bottom Author's Note for explanation.

Remember I do not own Kill La Kill (I do own Iori Katsuki so, no stealing!) and I hope you enjoy this chapter!


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The sheer power that filled Ryūko left her in a beam of blood red energy. It blasted a hole through the basement ceiling, the noise forcing Ryūko back into reality. Regaining her senses, she quickly looked around to see that she was still in the basement. During the scan of her surroundings she noticed that her arm was covered by something. Twisting her right arm around to get a better look at it, she saw that it was covered by an arm glove in her favorite colors black and red.

Ryūko decided to look down to check out the rest of her new outfit. So far it looked pretty promising to the tomboy.

Her face instant flushed at the sight of her bare stomach and upper chest area, she didn't expect to see that! It was weird because Ryūko knew that she was bare in those areas…yet she felt him covering her there. Ryūko had no idea how the talking sailor uniform changed her outfit in the first place and it was starting to bother her.

It wasn't normal to show so much skin in public in the first place.

Ryūko decided to bite the bullet and finish looking at rest of her new trends.

The sight that Ryūko saw destroyed any positive feelings she once had for the freak of nature. It turned her into a freaking hoe!

"Oh God! What type of kinky outfit are you?!" Ryūko screamed her disapproval at him. Not only was he a talking uniform but he's a fucking pervert as well!

Ryūko's increasing amount of rage was well deserved. He was an outfit that can only be described as stripperiffic.

Even if it wasn't an actually word, it was the only thing that came to her mind.

Most of her upper body was bare for the world to see, and her lower half was covered but in a way that would get the imagination rolling in a bad way. Her collars became enlarged to a point where they covered her upper breast up; his only good eye looked at her curiously as she continued to check out the rest of the outfit. A red pair of suspenders connected her upper half to her lowly areas; they also seemed to form a V-shape as they went down. They were attached to the smallest skirt that Ryūko had the displeasure of ever wearing.

At least the skirt was in her second favorite color (black) and it was very comfortable. Thigh-highs covered her entire legs and they were mostly in black with red accents. Her comfortable sneakers were replaced with a set of high heels that matched the rest of her outfit.

Ryūko was surprised that she was still standing, she never worn high heels before due how girly they were.

She may be a girl but it doesn't mean that she has to like fashion and all that useless crap.

However, his "transformed" form left a bad taste in her mouth. How was she post to fight in this in front of other people? Maybe she was over thinking about his form and this was some sort of a default form, like those robot games she played a couple of times at the arcade when she was in junior high.

"This is who I am." This was his nonchalant reply to his wearer.

He didn't understand the problem at all. Shouldn't she be proud of her body and show the world that they have become one? He could hear her heartbeat and yet she still couldn't feel him? Why was she resisting to open her heart to him? He felt remorse that their first union was involuntary and brutish but he couldn't afford to go back to sleep once he tasted her blood.

He knew that she was the one and yet she was afraid and disgusted at him!

Why were human beings so strange and baffling creatures?

The matter of fact tone he used pushed Ryūko past the point of no return. Did he really think that she was going to walk out in public dressed like some washed up hoe? Plus he didn't even answer her question in the first place!

She was going to destroy this damn uniform for forcing her into such a thing in the first place!

"What the hell is that post to mean?"

"That this is my form and I am happy to say that I am a perfect fit."

"A perfect fit?! Who the hell cares about that shit! Change me back, no better yet get the hell off of me!"

Ryūko struggled against the creature that she was wearing, her efforts were for nothing. He was stuck on her like some sort of super glue and he wouldn't budge an inch.

She did everything she could think of to get rid of the freak of nature and in frustration jumped into the air to rip him off her.

BOOM

Ryūko heard a large explosion and was in a daze. As she tried to figure out where the hell she was she noticed that the ceiling looked odd.

It was filled with random piles of clothes and sailor uniforms, very similar to the floor she was just on.

Wait a second…

"How the heck did that happen…I'm stuck in the ceiling?" The realization awed Ryūko and the feeling of strength that filled her veins earlier started to surge through her once more. It was then she realized that the strength gifted to her by him never left her in the first place.

Still it didn't explained how she jumped forty feet into the air and smashed into the ceiling of the basement without any injures.

"This power is ours." Ryūko lowered her head to stare at his eye in confusion.

"The taste of your blood awakened me. When you wear me…no rather when I am worn by you this power activates. "He explained to his human, he could see the fear in her eyes changing into something different. He really couldn't' understand human emotions in the same ways as person can. But he was still able to recognize the emotion that was now replacing her fear.

Relief, like an unseen burden was lifted from her shoulder. He didn't even know if she noticed it but her face slipped into something beautiful.

A smile, it was small but the emotion and intent behind it filled him with happiness. He knew that he would risk ever single fiber of his to protect that smile of hers. He would rather unravel into nothing then let that face be perverted or destroyed by anyone else.

She was his beloved partner and he would refuse to let anything stand in her way of happiness.

Now if he could only get her to open herself fully to him…

"W-What are you?" Her relief quickly dissipated into curiosity that was mixed with anxiety.

"I don't know."

"The Hell? Didn't you just tell me how you worked!?" Ryūko wasn't going to let a half-assed answer like that fly by her.

She never did like it when someone tried to throw a fast one at her.

He paused in confusion as he realized he could not remember anything. Somehow Ryūko already knew his feelings before he voiced them.

"I can explain the current phenomena that are occurring right now…but there much lost to me. Information I should know but it simply gone. Yes, I believe in your language its called memory. There are multiple gaps in mine…I do know one thing though."

Ryūko let his answer bounce around her head; it somehow made sense to her. She didn't know why but she had a gut feeling that he wasn't lying to her.

"What's the one thing you remember?"

He closed his only good eye as he thought hard. "My creator, he had a beard, an eye patch, wore a white lab coat. I also remember that he had a rather bad hunch, favored sandals, held a cane in one hand, and had a rodent you would call a mouse on his shoulder."

She gasped out loud at his memory. How could she not? There was only one person in the world that she knew that fitted her description. It was her most beloved person in her life until he was taken from her.

His creator was her dad.

"That man…he was my dad." She whispered silently, a sense of triumph and sadness filled his body. He opened his eye out in alarm to see them landing softly on the floor.

He could tell she was trying her hardest to hold back her tears.

He knew they were tears of happiness instead of sadness.

"Your dad was my creator?" He felt a new surge of protectiveness fill his fibers. To be the offspring of his creator and his partner...it made perfect sense to him that he was perfect for her.

In the first time in the last six months Ryūko Matoi smiled sincerely.

"Yeah, Isshin Matoi, he is my father." She paused as she looked him in the eye. She did not fail her father at all! Instead even in death he was still looking at for her. "I am Ryūko, his daughter."

A smirk blossomed on her lips. "I wonder why he made you…hey maybe with you I can actually beat those assholes!" She pumped an arm up.

"Let's get going Senketsu (鮮血)* we got some assholes to deal with!"

"Senketsu?" He wondered…

"Yeah everyone needs a name even someone like you! Since it was my blood that woke you up, Senketsu will be your name! It's perfect because Senketsu means fresh blood!"

Fresh blood? It fitted him to a T, if he wasn't in his transformed state the newly named Senketsu would have given off a simile that was legendary.

It was nice in having a name.

Ryūko leaned forwards as she grabbed a brown cloak that was in the pile next to her. With a flick of her wrist she covered her rather embarrassing state. It was now time to get some answers and this time she wasn't going to lose!

"Here I come Satsuki Kiryūin and this time you're going to answer my damn question!"


Ryūko was pissed. As soon as she reentered Honnō City to challenge that eyebrow witch, the city radio was broadcasting that Mako Mankanshoku and Iori Katsuki were to be executed for being friends with the "treasonous" transfer student.

They have only known each other for a day and this insane school is already trying to kill them! Were they really going to kill people just because she talked to them for little bit more than a second?

She remembered the poor sod that was hanging as a twisted Christmas ornament. Of course this insane school would kill someone for something as stupid as that. There wasn't even a single shed of doubt towards her next action.

It went against her being as Ryūko Matoi to let shit like this fly and not do anything about it.

She simply refused to let people die because of her. They were just innocent bystanders who tried to be friendly to the new student to their class. Hell, she clearly didn't want to be near them but Mako tried her hardest to talk to her, even Iori was trying to help her out before she decided, like an idiot, to charge at Satsuki Kiryūin.

She got them into this mess in the first place and she would be the ones who took them out of it.

The trip through the slums was much simpler due to Iori previous directions and the power of Senketsu. Her new cloak protected her from any wondering eyes and Senketsu was oddly quiet.

Ryūko chalked it up as sensory overload for the sailor uniform, she had a feeling her father didn't take him out of the basement at all.

She was at the gate of the school when she heard that damn midget of a boxer start to speak.

"Hey transfer student can you hear me? An hour from now your two friends' execution will be carried out as a result of your direct transom against Honnōji Academy and Lady Satsuki's will!"

She grind her teeth against each other in anger at the sight she saw when she entered the courtyard.

In the center of it was a huge boxing ring that had chains instead of the standard ropes. Standing in the center of the ring was that midget; Fukuroda was his name if she remembered correctly. Standing right next to the boxer was a tall student dressed in a Three-Star uniform, he was rather plain looking. The most striking physical feature he processed was a crazy mane of green hair.

She noted that his uniform also spotted spiked shoulders, must be a fad or something.

The sight behind her was the reason for her current anger. There was two giant metal crosses, tied to both of them were Ryūko's acquaintances. They were both tided upside down on the x-shaped crosses their reactions were very different then what Ryūko was expecting.

Mako was throwing a fit at gravity itself. She tried her hardest to deny the perverts of her school a chance at seeing her underwear. Well that's what Ryūko was hopefully hearing, but due to her Senketsu enhanced hearing she was hearing Mako talking about "wearing sexy panties".

Ryūko had a feeling she was never really going to figure Mako out. She turned to see how Iori was handling the situation and snorted.

He was completely silent, his head covered completely by his cloak. To people who have never meet Iori Katsuki before they would probability think that he fainted from the sheer situation. However, even with knowing him for about half a day, Ryūko knew better.

The idiot was asleep.

Well at least she didn't have to worry about him freaking out when she tries save him.

As Ryūko moved in the crowd inching closer and closer until she bumped into someone. She almost lost her balance due to the new high heels she was wearing; thankfully she prevented herself from falling over.

It was then she noticed that little runt that tried to rob her earlier. Matarō was his name if she remembered correctly. His face was pale and his little gang was right behind him looking at the two hostages of Honnōji Academy.

It hit Ryūko that the kid was just about to see his big sister and a family friend get killed.

Like hell that was going to occur on her watch!

As Ryūko got into a crouch to use her Senketsu enhanced legs to jump over to the hostages, the green haired teen in front of her started to talk.

"Using a hostage is kind of cliché isn't it Fukuroda?"

"Well I don't have a choice but to be cliché. If I fail again my Goku Uniform would be confiscated. Since Katsuki and Mankanshoku are the only two people that the transfer student spoke too…I don't have any other options to bait the new girl in."

Ryūko glared at the little boxer in the middle of the ring. That was his whole reason in kidnapping Mako and Iori? Just so he wouldn't lose his uniform? What the hell was wrong with this school?

"You got some guts Fukuroda. Right, show me the power of your resolve!" Hearing the green haired man speak, Senketsu looked up at his wearer in confusion.

"A man's resolve? How does using hostages even involve such a thing?"

"Only a coward's resolve Senketsu." She whispered back to him. Ryūko had enough of these two jerks talking about useless things; she had some people to save.

A pair of doors opening caught Ryūko's attention, she turned to see a vat of…boiling water?

Boiling water would only burn them badly not kill them, there has to be something more to this.

Then Ryūko saw a shrimp being fired by the midget.

"That's fucked up; they are going to fry them to death."

"Ryūko do not worry with our power we can reach them in one jump." Ryūko smirked at her partner and prepaid herself to jump into the fray.

Well until the loudest snore in the existence of mankind destroyed the atmosphere behind the whole event.

"What was that?" The boxer whipped his head behind him to see…a snoring Iori Katsuki without care in the world.

"I can't believe it…he's asleep?" The taller teen in the ring question, it was unbelievable that this guy was sleeping through his own execution.

"Ehh! Iori wake up! We're going to get fried, fried like a crispy chicken! Wake up IORI!" Mako wailed at her cloaking wearing friend.

Another loud snore answered her reply.

"Ryūko how can someone sleep through this?" The tomboy had no answer for her uniform, she didn't understand either.

"Iori if you don't wake up I'm going to tell dad that you want to donate blood again!" Like magic, Mako's words awake the pale boy.

His cloak flew off the black haired boy; he rapidly looked around his surrounding like death was upon him.

"No, you can't have my blood boss! I am pretty sure taking more than four pints is deadly!" The boy paused as he realized he wasn't at work. He was really confused why everything was upside down and why there was a crowd of students staring at him in amazement.

"That was dirty Mako, how could you do that to me?" He whined at his friend.

"Because we're going to be fried!"

"Fried? I thought classes were over for today? When did we get in enrolled into a cooking class?"

"No you idiot you're going to get executed for treason!" The boxer roared at Iori. He looked at him in confusion and then looked at Mako.

"Mako did you flood the second floor bathroom while looking for money again?"

"SHUT UP AND PAY ATTENTION!" The boxer threw a punch right into his face and Iori took it like it didn't even faze him.

"Meh, this is too much right now. I'm so tired from that late night reading assignment." The cloaked boy mumbled as he was about to enter sleep again.

"WHAT DID I SAY?" Another punch and this time it looked like it hurt. Let's say that Iori was now wide awake.

He was going to hate waking up with a black eye in the morning.

"Iori are you okay!" Mako cried out seeing her friend get brutally slugged in the face, a blood started to drip from a gash on his face.

"Bring that damn vat over! Screw waiting an hour for the transfer student; let's get this over already!" Fukuroda ordered his underlings carrying the vat to come closer to the two crosses.

"Ryūko I think it's time we jump in." Senketsu told her, he was dumbfounded by Mako and Iori. They seem nice but they also seem to be…different.

Yes, different is the perfect word to describe them.

"Already on it Senketsu!" With that said, Ryūko soared into the sky, her cloak flying in the wind and making her seem like a fabled warrior rushing in to save the day.

She landed right on the top of Mako's cross. The brown haired girl looking at her in amazement and shock, Mako was not expecting her new bestie to save her.

In fact Mako thought her early efforts at being friendly failed her again in the friend making department.

"Ryūko!" Mako squealed out.

"Hang on Mako!" Ryūko roared as she spun around and used her sword to reflect the upcoming boxing club members. The poor souls were thrown into the boiling vat of oil and their screams started to fill the air.

Ryūko grabbing Mako's hand, Ryūko swung her scissor blade downwards and easily slicing through the metal bindings that were holding Mako upside down. Turning towards Iori, she gave him a nod.

Ryūko saw his strength from earlier and she knew that he could break out by himself. However, Iori probability wouldn't be able to get to Mako fast enough after freeing himself.

Iori smiled and nodded back, the bindings holding him down started to groan under pressure before they popped off the metal cross and nailed a couple of students in the head.

"Sorry! It seems that my bindings are faulty. If you want we can try to arrange this for another day?"

"Faulty? I saw you popped them off somehow!" The green haired shouted as he pointed at Iori.

Ryūko snickered at the sight; maybe the wimp wasn't so bad after all?

Iori pointed to himself in confusion. "Me? I am sorry Sanageyama but I think you are mistaken." He then jumped down from the cross and onto the ground. A couple of One-Stars tried to tackle him down but Iori used his cloak to confuse them and slam those students forwards into the crowd.

He then turned towards Ryūko opening his arms to catch someone.

With a chuckle from Ryūko and a happy squeal from Mako as she flew into the air, found herself safely in Iori's arms.

"Thanks again Ryūko!" Iori said towards the tomboy.

"I couldn't leave a wimp like you to save the day." Ryūko smirked at the cloaked boy, he simply smiled back.

Ryūko escorted them through the crowd, with a wave of his hand, Sanageyama called off the advancing One-Star minions.

This was a manner assigned to the Boxing Club Captain Fukuroda and it was his responsibility to punish the transfer student and her friends.

That what Lady Satsuki decreed and Sanageyama would follow it to the letter.

"Sis you're alright!" Matarō cried out as Ryūko and the gang securely made their way into the No-Star crowd. Normally the No-Star students of Honnōji Academy would keep a low profile and never bother to help out a fellow No-Star in hot water.

However, not even Gamagoori would bother punishing half of the No-Star population for a crime that was not really that noteworthy.

"Matarō? Mister why are you here and not at home?" Mako scolded her younger brother, she wonder if he came to tried to save her from the fate she almost received.

A warm feeling started to flow though-out Mako, her little brother actually cared about her!

"Well…" He nervously trailed off; Matarō actually came to this so called "execution" to see the poor suckers that were going to bite it. It wasn't like he was going to rob their corpse or something.

Iori saved him from any retribution from his sister.

"Mako remember when I told you to call your dad for some medical supplies?"

She nodded her head. "Ah daddy sent Matarō with the medical stuff to fix Ryūko up?"

"Fix me up?" The tomboy question, Mako turned to her to face her. As Mako was about to go onto a speech, Matarō sneaked in a fist bump with Iori for saving him from his sister wraith.

"Yep! Iori works for my dad's clinic so he knows some medical stuff! We saw how the mean boxer guy beat you up pretty badly Ryūko! We're going to look for you after school ended to make sure you were alright! But, it seems that Ryūko instead came to save us from becoming KFC!"

"Ryūko, these two are kind people…we should stay near them." Ryūko's partner whispered to her. Senketsu was happy to know that his creator daughter had someone to look after her, even if it was people she actually met for the first time today.

"You're right Senketsu" Ryūko fired back softly.

"Senketsu?" Iori wondered out loud, causing the little assembly around them to turn to him in confusion.

Ryūko started to twitch her eyebrow nervously; she wasn't expecting anyone to hear that.

How was she post to explain to them that she was wearing a stripperiffic talking sailor uniform that gave her super powers?

Just thinking about it made her sound like she belong to a nutter's house!

"So transfer student you decided to face me again."

Ryūko didn't show it but she was glad that the boxer midget saved her from explaining anything.

She was still going to knock some teeth out of his mouth though for earlier.

"Using hostages is playing dirty, but I guess scumbags like you wouldn't care about that." The Hot-Blooded Devil fired back. To her satisfaction it seemed to enrage the boxer.

Good, the madder he got, the sloppier his fighting skills would be in the upcoming fight.

Ryūko didn't want to just beat him; no she wanted to humiliate him in front of this crowd. This asshat was the reason why she didn't get a chance to beat the answers out of Satsuki Kiryūin earlier. He also tried to kill Mako and Iori.

She would make him regret getting in her way.

"You bitch! Come in here so I can show you what it means fight a boxer!"

"Sure, I just kick your ass in your own home turf in front of the whole school."

She glanced behind her, to her surprise she saw Iori holding an ice bag to Mako's wrist. It seem like he was trying ease the bruises on Mako's wrist before they became notable.

It looked like he did know some medical stuff.

"You guys are going to be alright here?" Ryūko asked, the last thing she wanted was them getting in trouble when she was beating the snot out of the midget boxer.

"Ryūko go beat him! Show him whose boss!" Mako cheerfully started to throw punches, Iori somehow managed to keep the ice bag on Mako's wrist during her speech.

"Please be careful Ryūko and don't hurt him too bad." She rolled her eyes at hearing Iori's so called words of encouragement

He was such a wimp.

"You got it dumbass!" Ryūko mockingly retorted. Mako jumped up in excitement and said.

"Don't worry Ryūko if you get beat up again, Iori will fix you right up!" Ryūko sighed in annoyance at Mako statement and Iori giving her a thumb up in agreement.

Well at least these people were willing to put up with her.

"Well transfer student getting cold feet?" The midget taunted her, that's right there was person that ass need to be kicked.

"Hold on you bastard, no need to hasten me kicking your ass all over the place."

"You ready for our first fight Ryūko?"

She didn't respond to Senketsu as she entered the ring. Ryūko knew that no way in hell was she going to lose against a punk like him.

She stepped into the ring without a hassle.

Fukuroda entered into boxing stance, he was going to beat the transfer student again and this time makes her pay in front of all her friends.

"So you finally entered the ring transfer student, it's good to know that you aren't a coward." He sneered at her, his giant iron boxing glove ready to deal the first blood to Ryūko. He was going to pay her back for the cut she sneaked in their first bout.

"I never run from a fight and you decided to miss with people I know. It sucks but I have no choice but to kick your ass now." Ryūko made sure that the traveling cloak was fasten on her correctly, she didn't want the crowd to see her new state of dress because of Senketsu.

Senketsu simply frown at that thought, it looked like he was going to need to drink more blood than he wanted in this bout.

"Well see about that transfer student! GET READY!"

A boxing bell rang out in the courtyard as a buxom blond started to walk into the ring carrying a sign that read "Round 1" on it.

It seems they were at least trying to make this match feel like a boxing match.

"I'm going to haze you transfer student!" Fukuroda yelled as he launched a blazing left jab towards Ryūko, it smashed the poor blond girl out of the ring and into the air somewhere.

Ryūko just took it in the face and just looked at him. This was the person who beat her earlier? His punches right now were light as a feather and lacked the bone-shattering strength from before.

Fukuroda seeing that his left jab did absolutely nothing, decided to up the ante.

Hundreds of left jabs flooded the ring and still Ryūko refused to budge.

"This midget actually beat me? Was I really that weak before you Senketsu?" She decided to risk talking to him, since her hood covered her face and no one could hear her talking to him due to the noise the jab barrage was unleashing.

"You weren't weak Ryūko, you are merely human. However, with me you have transcended the limit of human capability." Senketsu told her, he could feel that his human was thinking back to the basement ceiling she crashed into earlier.

It was the truth he gave her power that no mere person could best by themselves especially, a punk that was wearing such a tacky and flimsy excuse of a uniform.

"I see Senketsu…how strong are you?"

"I don't know Ryūko." He could not answer her question due to the gasp in his memories. It frustrated him that he could not help her out.

"We it's something we'll find out later then." She simply stated, her father made him and she wanted to catch his killer. By finding more about Senketsu, there was a chance that she would learn more about her dad.

She might even find the reason why he was killed.

Seeing that his barrage of jabs were of no effect angered the height challenged boxer. He had used the same maneuvers countless times before hand and most people couldn't stand after a couple of second.

How was the transfer student even standing still?

"DAMN IT! WHY AREN'T YOU FLINCHING?"

"It's because you're a poor excuse of a boxer."

"THAT'S IT! I SEND YOU BACK HOME IN A CASKET!" Fukuroda pulled back his right fist for a corkscrew punch. Unlike a normal punch, his Goku uniform transformed the punch into a deadly drill that could pierce through multiple layers of steel.

Too bad for the boxer that his opponent, Ryūko Matoi, was wearing an outfit that would have been perfect on a god and no mortal weapon would be able to scratch such a garb.

Ryūko lazily place her blade into a guard position to block the upcoming drill. Normally she would have gotten the heck out of dodge when she saw that drill coming straight at her. But now with Senketsu on her?

She didn't even need to move an inch, the guard position she used was for assurance than anything else.

Her prediction was right as the "corkscrew" ripped the cloak she was wearing to shreds. Her arms barely even moved from the blow, it was like she was blocking a punch from a two year old instead of a boxer with special powered clothes.

The downside was that Senketsu was available for the world to see.

A fiery blush spread across the tomboy face as she started to hear the reaction of the crowd. The wolf whistles and the yelling of the male population and some of the female students caused Ryūko grit her teeth in anger.

Freaking perverted teenagers! She was going to kick all their asses later for this!

"W-What the heck is this? Is that even an outfit?" Fukuroda asked. His face burning red at the outfit the transfer student was wearing, he did his best not staring at Ryūko's chest.

Ryūko was not pleased at all by his gaze.

"STOP GAWKING YOU PERVERT!"

"GAWKING? YOU'RE THE ONE TRYING TO DISTRACT ME WITH YOUR SEXINESS!"

The tomboy used her new power to throw the boxer to the other side of the ring. Fukuroda was not expecting this and hit the other side hard.

Ryūko snorted at the sight of Fukuroda on the ground, this was going to be an easy fight.

"I'm not wearing this because I want to!" Ryūko explained to her opponent. Her fist clenched as she heard people yelling in the crowd that she was an exhibitionist and she should be proud of her 'smoking hot body'.

"Holy cow! Ryūko is sexy! What do you think Iori?" Mako probed as she faced her only friend till today. Hey if Ryūko caught his fancy it was her duty as a friend to hook them up! She could see herself now! Mako the ultimate matchmaker!

The sight she saw was something that disturbed and worried her. She was not expecting him to be even paler then normally or the horrified expression that was etched on his face. Mako reached out and calmly patted Iori on the shoulder. However, her touch didn't do anything to snap him out of his funk. She could barely hear what he was saying over the crowd but what she did hear surprised her.

"…Kamui…how is she even alive…no it can't be." Was all she was able to decipher from his mumbling about Ryūko's new look.

"Iori are you okay?" This time Mako shook him frantically and to her relief he seemed to return back to reality.

"Y-Yeah…I'm alright. Just surprised by Ryūko's…uh choice of outfit." He looked everywhere but the ring where Ryūko was now complaining about Fukuoka's gloves true state. Iori personally think that those so called gloves shouldn't even be considered to be gloves in the first place.

He did wonder why they have so many spikes on them.

"Ah uh and why are you not looking at Ryūko's fight now?"

"Because I respect her?" The questioning tone did little to discourage Mako. After all she could smell the blood in the water!

Mako looked him in the eye closely. "Really?" Iori started too wiggly underneath her stare, sometimes Mako really gave him the creeps.

"Mako please stop you're too close to me." The cloak boy pleaded at his odd friend, she was getting to close to comfort.

Mako just kept staring at him.

He really needed a distraction and from the corner of his eyes he saw Matarō staring at Ryūko's backside in a disapproving manor. Iori simply raised his free hand, as he was still icing up Mako's bruises, and pointed at the perverted boy.

Mako followed his finger curious at what he was pointing at.

The next second a very familiar scream filled the air and Ryūko wondered what did that runt do now to annoy Mako.

"Hey transfer student are you even listening to me?" Fukuroda asked as he finished explaining the power of his Two-Star Goku Uniform.

Ryūko yawned in response; she started to tune him out as soon as he started yapping his mouth again. Normally she would take the chance and give him a good whack…but she didn't just want to beat him. No, she wanted to humiliate him for earlier.

No one gets in her way in her search for the truth.

Fukuroda roared a wordless scream as he charged in once more, another drill forming in his right fist. This time Ryūko moved her scissor blade away from the body and took the hit head on.

The glove slammed into her with a lethal force; however Senketsu was something more than a ratty Goku Uniform.

The drill shattered due to Senketsu sheer amount of power.

"The Hell?!"

"Well it looks like those gloves aren't really made out of iron after all." Ryūko smirked as she flipped her blade over. She was going to pummel him into the ground with her scissor blade handle; she didn't want to kill anyone but that bitch who did her father in.

"Wow I didn't know you could box Ryūko!" Mako exclaimed as she held Matarō in another choke hold.

"Ah Mako I don't' think Ryūko knows how to box." Iori explained to his overly excited friend.

"Are you sure Iori?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure standing still isn't a normal boxing skill." He shifted his vision onto the ring and glanced at Ryūko's outfit. Mako caught his glance and she could see no desire in his eyes. Instead it seemed like he was analyzing it in a manner that was academic.

Mako would grill him for answers later, well if he doesn't clam up like he normally does.

Ryūko was annoyed, after seeing that his glove shatter the midget she was fighting went berserk. He started to throw out punches like candy during Halloween. She would sweat this out a little longer but the crowd of perverts was really frying her nerves.

She took a step forward and swung the handle of her blade.

"Left jab!"

The blow connected and dented the boxer's helmet greatly. Fukuroda was dazed admittedly and lost his footing. Seeing this Ryūko continued her combo on the vertically challenged man.

"Right hook!"

Twirling her scissor by the handle, Ryūko brought it down into Fukuroda's ribs with the flat side of her blade. Blood was gushed out of the boxer mouth turning the once white ring red.

"Let's not forget the uppercut!"

Flipping her scissor in the air, Ryūko caught it on the flat side of her blade and thrust her weapon of choice upwards. The hilt slamming into Fukuroda's chin and sending the boxer flying.

He hit the ground with force, teeth and blood spraying the area where he landed.

"Oh we're not done yet! Here is a right straight to finish you off!"

Ryūko dashed forwards to finish off her foe, her father legacy trailing behind her in a dangerous glint. She swung the flat side of her blade into Fukuroda, forcing the boxer once more in the air. She jumped after him and swung down hard, this time with the sharp end of her scissor blade.

The Goku uniform of his stood no chance and was shredded by her blow. The boxer flew higher in the air as Ryūko landed on the ground in triumph.

"SENI-SOSHITSU!" (腺衣喪失*)

She roared out towards the heaven the name of her finishing move. After all the clothes of her enemy gave him super powers, wouldn't make sense to name her final move after "striping" then?

Unnoticed by Ryūko, a single red string from the now destroyed Two-Star Boxer uniform seemed to be sucked into the vent on the back of her outfit.

Senketsu hummed pleasantly as he felt stronger for absorbing the fiber of the destroyed uniform. He had no idea why but his strength felt like it increases by at least ten percent.

This was something he had to tell Ryūko later and something they both should look into.

As the boxer in his birthday suit started to descend, Ryūko smirked at what she saw. On the top of Honnōji were Satsuki Kiryūin and that blond Yankee guy from earlier. They were not alone as two people stood near them, a blue haired shut-in and a pink troll stood beside them.

So this was the student council of this crazy school?

She had an idea that would piss of that caterpillar eyebrow freak.

"Now to finish you off!"

Ryūko turned on her heel and raced towards the defeated boxer, nailing her scissor into his chest and flinging him towards the obnoxious tower that crown Honnōji Academy. The boxer flew upwards towards the student council president like a naked shooting star.

As the "shooting star" streak towards his target, a wall of One Star formed around their lady, blood gushed out from the crushed students and the efforts of Satsuki's minions were for naught.

A stray droplet passed through the living shield and splashed Satsuki Kiryūin cheek.

Satsuki brought a thumb to wipe the blood away; her eagle-like gaze zoomed in on the tomboy rebel.

Maybe Ryūko Matoi would prove to be interesting after all.

Sanageyama gasped at the sheer audacity of the transfer student. How dare she spill unclean blood on Lady Satsuki!

With this thought in mind Sanageyama started to enter the stained boxing ring to teach that bitch a lesson in manners.

He was stopped by the most unlikely of source.

"Enough."

The entire school population looked up to its king to lesson to her words.

Satsuki Kiryūin looked down on Ryūko Matoi and asked. "Transfer student, where did you get your hands on that outfit?"

It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

Ryūko stomped the ground and a microphone flew into her hand. As she put the microphone to her mouth she tried to focus.

Her rage was threatening to overwhelm her.

"This is the last keepsake of my father."

Narrowed blue eyes meet enraged blue eyes as the student president and the transfer student glared at each other.

"What?"

"And this scissor blade is the very weapon left behind by that bitch that killed him.

Rising the blood red scissor blade over her head, Ryūko continued her speech.

"Then again you already know that don't you Satsuki Kiryūin…after all you're the bitch that killed him!"

"That might be the case…but why do you care Ryūko Matoi? Unless your father happens to be the late Isshin Matoi?"

The student council president rebuttal enraged Ryūko even more, steam started to erupt from her noise and her eyes practically wishing bloody murder upon the caterpillar brow freak.

"I was right! You are his killer! Why did you kill my dad?" She roared at Satsuki Kiryūin. It was then Ryūko felt the temperature of her own body. It was unbearably hot as large droplet of sweat started to fall from her arms. She weakly felt her legs starting to lose the battle against gravity.

Why was she so freaking exhausted?

"You're bleeding too much Ryūko; I suggest we head back for the day." Senketsu informed her. His human was in danger of fainting from blood lost and he would rather fall apart then let her die from his hunger.

It would really help if his human would fully open herself to him, this wouldn't' be a problem.

"Really Senketsu? I thought you wanted it, what's the problem is it too much for you?" She growled out. She struggle to stand but lost that fight. Thinking quickly she stabbed her blade downwards. A blast of steam smacked her right in her face, luckily she already leaning on her blade.

It was the only thing that prevented her from falling on her face.

"No, that is not the issue here. Instead you are running out of blood. I estimate you have five minutes worth before you faint and lose consciousness from blood lost."

"Damn it Senketsu! Why didn't you say that before?!"

Ryūko grunted as she stood up, she really could feel her strength leaving her. She pointed her father's legacy at the school dictator.

"We'll pick this up later Satsuki Kiryūin! Next time I'll beat the answers out of you!" With that said Ryūko dropped the microphone and jumped out of the ring.

She dashed towards the entrance and within a couple of seconds she was already out of the academy.

She could have sworn that she heard her number one enemy said something, but she was too focused on finding a safe place to faint in.

Ryūko spotted an empty cable car and jumped into it. Thankfully it was a windowless one and she didn't have to smash throw one. Her body was too battered to suffer the strain of such an action.

"Where is the damn button that starts this?" Ryūko groaned in pain, her finger pressing every single bottom on the console. Eventually she heard the car groan as it started to move downhill. It was then that Senketsu started to talk again to his human; his tone was filled for worry for the drifter.

"Ryūko are you okay?"

That is when her vision started to fade in and out.

"Ryūko don't close your eyes! You're losing way too much blood!"

Was that Senketsu? She could barely hear what he was saying.

"Ryūko you have to wear me properly! Open yourself to me! Ryūko DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES!"

Why was everything getting so dark?

"Why aren't you answering me Ryūko? I know you can hear me!"

The cable car stopped and opened its door, the evening winds of Honnō City felt extremely chilly to the tomboy. Even her sense of touch was starting to fade.

"Ryūko? No! You're going into shock! Someone one help us! Ryūko stay with me! Stay in the car and don't go outside!"

She stumbled out and fell face first into the ground. She weakly turned her head to see the shape of someone heading towards her.

"Oh Fiber! Stay with me Ryūko! No, don't close your eyes! Please don't close your eyes!"

Why did the shape seem familiar to her and was it coming closer to her?

"Wait isn't that the cloak boy? Hey you help us! Ryūko has gone into shock! She desperately needs blood now!"

She could tell that the figure was smiling and the last thing she saw before the darkness overwhelm her.


"I see the Kamui took way to much blood from her…luckily she has type AB. If she wasn't a universal receiver we might have some issues with her."

Hearing a familiar male voice stirred Ryūko from the darkness. Not noticing that she was waking up the voice continued.

"It was scary to see a god robe in action, I honestly wasn't expecting…'Senketsu' yes that's his name I believe, rip through a Two-Star uniform like it was papier-mâché. In fact I am surprise that Ryūko was even alive by the time she got back on school grounds."

She heard a desk starting to crack.

"You couldn't tell me about it? You're playing a dangerous game with me…you know how Mako already befriended her and I see her in a similar light. 'For my own good' you say? Remember our agreement…"

Light started to return to her vision and she weakly turned her head towards the voice.

Red filled her vision as she continued to stare she realize that the redness was a cloak.

Why was Iori Katsuki doing here?

"Ah it seems like Ryūko is back in the land of the living. We'll finish this conversation later then. Take care my friend." Iori hung up and closed an ancient red (of course it was that color) flip phone.

Ryūko was honestly surprised that people still used those rocks.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was raspy, she really need something to drink. Iori walked closer to her and to her relief he was already carrying a cup of water.

"Well someone had to fix you up Ryūko and luckily for you I work at the best clinic in town." He chuckled softly as she chugged the water down. The coldness of the water seemed to do a miracle for her and she could feel her throat getting better.

Ryūko closed her eyes in thought, she vaguely remembered Mako talking about having Iori working at her family clinic.

"Mako's dad your boss right?"

"Yep he's my boss…" Iori nervously trialed off, he started to rub his neck as he thought something to say.

His silence for some reason unnerved Ryūko.

"And he's a good doctor?" Iori finished off his earlier statement.

"Is that a question?"

"…maybe?"

Ryūko just plainly stared at the pale boy in front of her. His answers filled her with dread and frankly scared her a bit. But hey at least she wasn't dead or at the hospital.

As she scanned the little room she found herself in, she recognized it was your typical room you would find in any clinic. However you can say that this room was very poor looking version. It is located in the slums after all.

"If you are wondering we are in the slums and don't worry about any payment. A friend of Mako's is a friend here."

Hearing that little tad bit made her smile a bit. It seemed she was right in saving Mako and Iori from those crazy people.

Wait a minute!

"Is that Senketsu hanging on the wall over there!?" She jumped up and pointed at a very familiar uniform that was heavily bandaged. She didn't notice the thin cotton blanket that was covering her falling towards the ground.

Iori turned towards the direction and behold was a black and red Kamui.

"That is correct, there is your sailor uniform…I found it strange that you named it honestly."

"Uniform?" It was then the conversation she overheard earlier ran though her mind.

"You called him a Kamui! What the hell does that mean?!" She demand, but for some reason Iori continued to stare at Senketsu. It was then that Ryūko felt really cold.

She looked down.

"WHY AM I NAKED?!" She threw a punch at Iori, which he calmly caught without looking at her.

"I was doing my job?" That answer only pissed her off more.

"YOU'RE JOB? MY ASS! YOU STRIPPED ME OF MY CLOTHES!" She was about to bring her other fist around to finish the job of the first one. But what Iori said next stopped her assault in her tracks.

"Ah I see…you haven't noticed yet. Look at your body closely Ryūko"

Deciding to humor the pervert she looked down.

To her surprise her body was heavily bandage on her arms, legs, and stomach.

"I had to strip you of your uniform to fully heal you of your wounds. I am sorry but I had to do my job, I hope you understand. "He bowed towards her. Iori didn't want his new friend to think that he was a typical teenager boy. He had standards gosh darn it!

Ryūko started to blush in embarrassment at the apology. Did she really think that the wimp would actually be that daring to do pervy things to her?

Today was really getting to her.

"…Thanks dumbass." She muttered shyly.

Iori smiled brightly.

"Well the Mankanshoku family is about have dinner, I'll leave so you can get dress. Just walk down the hallway and turn left that's where the dining room is."

She huffed. "I can find my place around a house asshole."

That damn chuckle of his returned in force.

"I just wanted to make sure you don't get lost again." His chuckle died out and his smile dropped.

"Meet me on the roof top later if you have questions. I can't say much but I can at least give you a head start on everything."

He walked out of the room.

A head start you say?

"What do you know…Iori Katsuki?"


Ryūko was in shock at meeting the rest of the Mankanshoku family. Mr. Mankanshoku and his son Matarō were compete perverts but they didn't seem too bad. It was nice to know that Mr. Mankanshoku confirmed Iori's story about stripping her to heal her and she learnt that he was the one that carried her back here.

It did scare her that Barazō (Mr. Mankanshoku first name) killed more people then he saved. It brought her no comfort when he told her happily that 'the dead ones don't sue'. It terrified Ryūko even more when his wife Sukuyo (Mako's mom) said that she was proud that her 'hubby was the best doctor in the slums'.

How bad where the other doctors? Ryūko swore that she would never find out. At least with the Mankanshoku she had an actually chance of not dying before she brought Satsuki Kiryūin to justice.

At least those mystery croquettes were tasty, she wasn't expecting it to be that good. In fact she was shocked that it was sitting well with her stomach!

It wasn't like she had a weak stomach or anything, but she saw worms in her food. Well the food she ate before the family dog, Guts, devoured more than half her plate.

She did thank Mako for saving the rest of her food.

Ryūko sighed as she walked outside the little family home and started to climb to the roof. She found it odd when the Mankanshoku told her that Iori prefer to eat outside during the time the moon was out. When she asked why he did that and why they weren't offended by that. Barazō answered her.

"Iori is my hardest worker and a family friend, we all have our quirks and his quirk is that he likes to eat outside in the moonlight. I mean I hear from him that you named your uniform Senketsu."

Ryūko blushed at the answer and quickly excused herself from the table. That when she found herself outside.

"So you came after all Ryūko, did you enjoy your dinner with the Mankanshoku?" The cloaked boy asked her. His hood was up and his head was tilted so he could look at the full moon over Honnō City.

Well it looks like that Iori wanted to make some small talk before they got serious, she could work with that.

"Yeah I did…it was weird but nice at the same time. They even offered me a place to stay for the time being."

"Really? That's great to hear Ryūko! I am happy that you are fitting in. I-"

Ryūko cut him off before he could distract her any longer.

"Cut the crap Iori, tell me everything you know about Senketsu and my father!"

The boy sighed.

"I don't know anything about your father really other than he created your Kamui."

That was a good start.

"Fine, what's a Kamui then?"

Iori turned around to face Ryūko. His black eyes regarded her tiredly.

"What is a Kamui? Well…the best way to describe it is by its name, Kamui, or in English god robe." He pointed towards the now sleeping Senketsu. "A Kamui is an outfit of incredible power that grants a human being the ability to fight even the gods. It increases all physical capabilities and grants the wearer of the garments amazing durability that no regular material could pierce." Iori looked at Ryūko curiously.

"Well that was all in theory until today."

"Theory?" That puzzled Ryūko. She had no problem with Senketsu other than him drinking too much of her freaking blood.

"I bet you figured it out already Ryūko but Kamui cannot be worn by regular people. I mean I am surprised that you only fainted because of blood lost. In most cases…" Iori shook his head negatively, his cloak moving softly in the night's wind.

"No, I said too much already. Just remember to activate you Kamui you have to use your life's blessing to active it."

"…That's it?"

Iori tilted his head in confusion. Was his answer not clear enough for her? Was there something else he should explain?

"Yes that all I have for you."

The glare that was aimed at the hooded boy surprised him. He didn't know it but his answer pissed her off! He didn't answer anything of importance and it was obvious he knew more than he let on!

"Bullshit! I can tell you know more than you're telling me."

"True."

"Then tell me everything!"

"No, I will not."

Ryūko reached towards her back and slowly pulled out her scissor blade. If he wasn't going to volunteer his knowledge then she was going to force him.

"Oh really now? Why the hell not?"

"Because I have only known you for the last ten hours or so, how do I know I should trust you in the first place?"

A sword was brought towards his throat.

"Trust? You think I give a rat's ass about such a thing?"

The glare that Ryūko was giving off would cause most men to piss their pants. She wasn't letting this prime source of information get away from her. It took her six months to learn who killed her dad and now this punk in front of her holds information that was missing to her father's last keepsake.

She wasn't going to let him get away.

"Really now…you're going to threaten me for information now? Even after I healed your wounds and carried you here?"

"Don't think I own you anything asshole. You have information that I need and you are going to give to me or else." She jabbed the blade even closer to his throat. Why wouldn't this jerk just spill the beans already?

Iori closed his eyes in thought. Was her intimidate finally going work now?

"If I don't' give you information, what will you do?"

Ryūko gave him the devil's smirk. "I'll do anything to make you squeal like a pig and tell me what I want to know."

"…Are you willing to hurt my family? Would you think about raising a hand against the Mankanshoku family even after they fed you and offer you a place to stay?"

Wait what?

Those questions that Iori asked snapped Ryūko out of train of thought. Why would he think that she'll harm Mako? Mako has done nothing to her and in fact she was growing kind of fond of the quirky girl.

Did he really think that she would hurt innocents on her quest for retribution? Wasn't her actions earlier today enough proof that she wouldn't let injustice to people she knew get away.

It was his fault that there were even in his position in the first place. He was keeping information from her that could help learn more about her father!

Why wouldn't he just tell her already?

Her pause seemed to change the atmosphere between the two.

Cold black eyes regarded her like scum as Iori moved his right hand out.

He was too fast for her.

Blood started to drip from his hand as he held firmly to the scissor blade that Ryūko held at his throat. Something was wrong; Ryūko would have sworn that this tactic should have worked against any old wimp.

It had in the past so why was now so very different?

Too bad for Ryūko Matoi, Iori Katsuki had steel in him.

He would rather die than allow anyone hurt the people he cared for.

"If you ever try to hurt the Mankanshoku family…" Iori face started to slowly shift into a smile that was not naturally to any human being. Ryūko took a step back as she felt a source of hunger invade her senses, this hunger for bloodshed started to radiate off the pale boy in front of her.

This was a fight that Ryūko knew she couldn't win. She also had a gut feeling that she wouldn't escape with her life if it came down to it.

Was this really the same boy the healed her today from Senketsu splurge on her blood?

"I'll kill you, okay?" The cheerful childish tone of the threat chilled Ryūko to the core, even Senketsu in his slumber shivered in freight.

She was not a person anymore to Iori; no she was something else…

She was prey.

Ryūko nervously exhaled, her father's legacy pointed to the ground. She had no fiery comeback aimed at the pale boy. How could she towards his threat, no promise of retribution if she dared harm the Mankanshokus.

She opened her mouth to shakily say something. Iori inhuman smile disappeared and that choking presence surrounding the boy disparate into the air.

"I hope you understand why I want to defend my family even if I have to do something …unpleasant." He offered his left hand towards the tomboy.

"I really think we can become really good friends, hopefully even best friends…but I can't let someone with a Kamui near my family thinking they could do whatever they want. I really hope you understand where I coming from Ryūko. "His eyes were radiating sadness and the need for forgiveness for the promise he just issued to her.

Ryūko simply grabbed the hand and gave Iori a firm handshake. "I understand how you want to protect your family, hell if my dad was still alive I would have done something similar."

She paused in thought as she looked away from him, she understand why he got protective of his surrogate family and it was her brash actions that caused this whole scenario in the first place.

"You know I would never harm Mako and her family…" Ryūko trailed off, unsure how to continue. Iori simply gave her a nod that was saying 'It's alright I understand'.

Ryūko breathed a sigh of relief and then looked the boy straight in the eyes. She then gave him a toothy smirk.

"Normally I would punch a tooth out for you threaten me in such a way…But I let it slide this time dumbass, but you wouldn't be so lucky next time."

"I'm alright with that Ryūko." Iori smiled nervously as he offered his hand towards her.

"Friends?" He asked her.

"What the hell, sure why not." Ryūko chuckled at Iori as she gave his hand a firm handshake. He may be a wimp but damn did he have his triggers. He was something that definitely could help her quest in bring justice to her dad.

Hell, he might even be a good friend to her.

Didn't mean that she couldn't dig into his past some more, after all he knew what Senketsu was and was obvious hiding more secrets in the closet then she can guess.

But hell don't friends tell each other secret all the time and best friends?

They never hide anything from each other.


Author's Note

* Senketsu in Japanese literally means "Fresh Blood" and I find that kind of interesting. Since Ryūko is a new transfer student at the academy you could say that she is also "Fresh Blood" at the school. I wonder if she actually named Senketsu due to his need for blood or due to her status as the new girl. I have a feeling that's it's both.

* SENI-SOSHITSU! (腺衣喪失): Right this is Ryūko "finishing move" and it has a very symbolic meaning to it. The Kanji for Seni-Soshitsu (腺衣喪失) can be read as "Thread Shipper". However, a proper meaning would actually be "Stripped of the Will to Fight". Clothing in Kill La Kill is extremely important and most of the fights Ryūko finds herself in are due to the Two-Star Captains attacking her. The Two-Star students are under the illusion that they are invincible in their Goku Uniforms, however in reality they are the ones who are "hiding" behind their outfits. Thus, once Ryūko beats them; she in a way is "freeing" them from the illusion. Which I think is a good think considering what the Goku Uniforms are made out of...

Thank you all for reading this chapter and I really hope you enjoyed my take on Ryūko so far. She's a character that can be viewed very differently and it's just fun writing for such a character. I know I change some scenes around but I really wanted to try something new and add scenes that weren't in the show into my story. Plus, I enjoyed writing the scenes between Iori and Ryūko. Remember if you have any questions, just send me a PM! I would love to talk to some of my readers!

Next Chapter:" A Regular No-Star": Odd Circumstances

Have a nice day!