NOTE: I do not own either RWBY or Kill la Kill. RWBY belongs to the late Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth, and Kill la Kill belongs to studio TRIGGER…
The hallways of Honnoji Academy were busy today. Hundreds of students, divided between No-Stars and One-Stars, walked throughout the hallways toward which classroom they belonged to. Both contrasted greatly with each other-the One-Stars making their way through in a professional, militaristic manner, while the No-Stars talked, gossiped, and generally fooled around on their way to class.
The One-Stars were the ones closest to the windows, yet their rigorous adherence to order and procedure, despite being a benefit in some cases, was also a bane at the most inopportune times. Hence, no One-Star even took a moment to turn and look outside, and therefore notice what was flying straight toward the window at an inhuman speed.
Ruby Rose-currently carrying a dizzied Mako Mankanshoku-smashed through a window feet first...and then straight into an unfortunate One-Star's face. While the One-Star flew into a classroom, Ruby landed first on the wall then the floor. She stood up just as quickly as she entered and looked around at the stunned crowd gathered around her.
Mako, still off-kilter from experiencing Ruby's semblance for the first time, could only mutter a few words as her eyes spinned round and round. "Woah...they're making a left turn! Everyone's making a left turn, Ruby!"
Ruby paid no heed to the girl, instead she looked at the No-Star students, panic held within her eyes. "Everyone duck, now!"
The students were at first confused at the sudden demand...before they soon realized why. Ruby shot her head back at the window as several One-Stars started to shout at her. Her eyes went wide. "Ohhh, no!"
She turned and sped down the hallway at an insane speed, just as the hallway exploded into a cacophony of pained yelps and screams, debris as it flew into the hallway, and the sound of tennis balls breaking bones as they slammed into One-Stars at a nightmarish velocity.
The firing of tennis balls closely followed Ruby as she bobbed and weaved through flying concrete, flailing One-Stars, and the almost lethal balls themselves. Out in the middle of the Honnoji grounds, Omiko Hakodate stood flanked by well over thirty One-Stars-shooting at the two repeatedly with no intention of letting up.
"Keep it up! This is a game of endurance-to see which of us will exhaust the other first! If she thinks that she can keep this game of run away going for the day, then we'll prove to her just how long we can go! Fire!"
The One-Stars were happy to oblige, their shots at the two flying faster and hitting harder with each second that passed. Ruby let out a frustrated sigh as she sailed through the hall, doing her best to dodge everything flying around her at top speed.
She realized she was rapidly approaching a corner with a window. Since she couldn't just stop for a split second to turn herself well around the corner, she would have to settle for the only other option.
She flew through the window and landed on the school wall. She didn't stop, though, and continued running along the wall as the tennis balls chased her down like a dog chased cars. She weaved, she zig-zagged, and she juked through the chaos that enveloped around her...all the meanwhile Mako laughed as they zoomed across the wall.
"WHEEE! THIS IS FUN RUBY!"
"I WOULDN'T EXACTLY CALL THIS FUN, MAKO...OH COME ON!"
Several shots slammed into the wall in front of her-impossible to avoid and sure to make her an easy target in the air. She sped on top of it and started flying in the air, no footing for her to keep balance.
They were sitting ducks-easy pickings for the Girl's Tennis Club. Hakodate smiled as she looked at her targets up above. "Well look at that...Fire!"
In the air, Ruby looked down at Mako. "Mako, I need you to reach for Crescent Rose behind my waist!"
"You mean right here!?" She reached behind her...and accidently slapped her butt. Ruby's face went as red as a tomato as she screamed out. "NO! ABOVE THAT! NOT THERE!"
...The One-Stars started firing tennis balls at them…
"Here!" Mako handed her the familiar compact form of Crescent Rose. Ruby took it with her hand as she aimed it and fired-sending them flying to the side as the tennis balls flew right past them and into the sky. Not finished, Ruby shot to the side again, before shooting above her and sending them shooting towards the ground. When she was close to hitting the ground, she shot below her to make sure they weren't a smear on the ground.
Ruby landed on her feet and looked up, just as a smiling Hakodate tossed several tennis balls into the air, and hit them with a large tennis racket that sent them flying at her at the speed of a dive bombing nevermore…
...None of them would hit her. She blurred right past each one, closing in on Hakodate so quickly that the girl could do nothing but reel as Ruby soared right towards her...and then right past her.
Hakodate couldn't even turn around in time as Ruby-with Crescent Rose now fully extended into scythe form-appeared right in the middle of the One-Stars behind her. None of them were even able to turn in time either...as Ruby pulled the trigger, and proceeded to cut everything around her-spinning like a top in the process.
The One-Stars flew-some of them even smashing into the school windows several meters away. As Omiko caught glimpses of them she noticed something else too: all of the defeated One-Stars were now naked-their bare asses out for the world in its entirety to see.
She turned to Ruby, who twirled her weapon before slamming the blade into the ground...and put Mako down as the girl started to run away from the chaos.
At first, Omiko's face gave a hint of worry away-as if she wondered if she could even win against this girl. Then she smiled. "How interesting…so your weapon there can cut through Life-Fibers just as easily as that transfer student's scissor blade, huh?"
Ruby blinked. "Life-Fiber?"
"You mean you don't know? I'm pretty sure you would've heard it whenever Takaharu boasted about his uniform."
Ruby thought back to her first two days here-right when she and Ryuko met Takaharu. The time when she remembered him explaining his uniform to Ryuko. "These gloves and trunks, These are a boxers uniform! In addition to the Athleticism-Augmenting Two-Star uniform granted to me by Lady Satsuki. A glove imbued with Life-Fibers will make that glove as strong as steel!"
She didn't like remembering about the first day, considering how downright nasty it ended up. But it was clear that Takaharu did in fact say something about these "Life-Fibers." She looked at the uniform Omiko wore closely. "So then does that mean y-your everything there is strong like steel?"
Hakodate shrugged. "Well...it's not like I've really ever had to find out, and besides…" She grinned maliciously at her as several One-Stars gathered behind her. "...You won't be conscious long enough to do so!"
Ruby reeled in horror as she realized what was coming. She grabbed Mako by the waist with one arm and shot away from the group as several hundred tennis balls flew in her direction. Omiko's grin grew wider-her teeth even more visible-as she started shouting out orders. "Don't hold back! Keep running her down until she can't run anymore!"
"Ahh, COME ON!" Ruby yelled as she dodged another set of tennis balls. As she moved to run away from the oncoming onslaught of tennis balls, a thought ran through her head: Where did Ryuko go!?
Crimson Incandescence.
Chapter 4: Winners Take All!
It was the middle of the night. The light of a shattered moon cast itself through the slowly dying trees of the forest.
A young girl walked on a beaten path. She was blonde, with her hair tied into two pigtails that sat on her shoulders. Her lavender eyes glistened in the moonlight whenever she looked up, however it also revealed a bruised and tired face-a hint of desperation in her expression as she walked on. Dragging behind her was a small red cart, which held inside a sleeping young girl with black, red tipped hair and a small red cloak…
Ryuko looked at the scene closely. "What is this?"
The girl paid no heed-didn't even glance at her-as she simply walked on further and further into the forest. Ryuko looked at her. A part of her felt like she recognized her from somewhere before, yet she never remembered meeting a kid like this. Her curiosity piqued, she followed, wondering where she was going.
It wasn't far off. The girl stopped several feet from what she could see was an old, rundown shack. The building barely stood, it's door ripped off it's hinges, parts of the roof seemingly caved in, and several windows were either smashed in or boarded up.
The girl stopped and seemed to let out a breath of relief as she saw the place. Ryuko raised her brow-what would be so important that you would have to travel through a dark forest practically alone to simply get to a shack that seemed outright hazardous…
"M-Momma!"
She froze. Momma? This girl was looking for her mom...but why would she be here?
She didn't have time to find an answer. For as soon as the girl cried out for her mom, the sound of growling made Ryuko's blood run cold...
She looked at the doorway leading inside. Several pairs of glowing red eyes shined in the thick darkness, focusing on the two girls before them. Ryuko felt a coldness-like something important was missing-as she looked at the doorway and straight into those malicious blood red eyes. These were not normal animals…
They burst out and leapt at the girl. Ryuko couldn't do anything-she couldn't move, she couldn't scream, she could only watch. The girl didn't do anything either, her small frame was frozen with fear as she saw what she knew was her impending doom.
Ryuko closed her eyes, she didn't want to see this! Whatever the hell this was, please take her away from this! Or someone-won't someone save this girl! Please!
She waited for it to be over...until she heard the sound of cutting and tearing with a weapon. For a moment, Ryuko didn't want to look at what she expected to see, but she couldn't-for some reason she felt compelled to open her eyes and see the truth. Slowly, reluctantly, she opened her eyes...and saw a man with a scythe.
His frame was covered in shadow. Ryuko couldn't tell who he was or what he looked like, but she felt a sense of relief at his arrival. The man turned to look at the two girls and kneeled down. "It's gonna be alright...your Uncle Qrow's here to save you…"
For a minute, she smiled. Whoever this Uncle Qrow was, he seemed like a kind and nice guy...until she saw him turn his shadow covered face toward her, revealing a pair of blood red eyes...human eyes.
"What the hell are you looking at."
She couldn't tell what happened after that, only that her vision became increasingly distorted, and the sound of static grew louder and louder in her ears...until she could hear nothing at all…
Ryuko's eye cracked opened ever so slightly. What the heck was that dream about? She certainly hasn't had one like that before, and why did the children all look familiar.
She looked around, and saw that she was in a dimly lit room. It seemed a little old and worn down-the paint on the walls chipping off slowly in particular was extremely noticeable. Yet, she could see that it was fully occupied and rather well decorated...for what seemed like an office at least…
...And sitting on the windowsill, looking out through the shades, was a man in a white shirt and tie, with shaggy blue hair and a pair of sunglasses covering his eyes (who even wears sunglasses in this light?). Her movements seemed to indicate to him that she was awake, as he started speaking to her as soon as she was fully woken up.
"You're awake, Ryuko?"
She sat up, her body feeling sore as she remembered getting bombarded with several hundred tennis balls earlier. She looked at the man before her and recognized him rather quickly. "Wait, you're my homeroom teacher…"
"That's me, your homeroom teacher, Aikuro Mikisugi-" He looked at her and sighed as he started running a hand through his hair. "-Really, talk about your insane extracurricular lessons…"
Extracurricular lessons? What the hell was he talking about, the events earlier today. She was about to ask him where he found her when she felt her blanket slip down slightly. She looked down...and went red as she realized she was completely naked underneath a single wool blanket.
Her head swung around the room, looking for her "Clothes." Senketsu hanged on a clothes rack just over what seemed to be a barely working computer system. She shot back at her teacher with an angry look in her eyes. "Y-You didn't undress me, did you!?"
"Yes, I thought I would teach you a few things...about your body."
He stood up and started walking toward her. Ryuko-not the kind to let something like this go down easy-stood up, pushed the couch she was sleeping on backwards, and threw a punch at Mikisugi. "You perverted son of a bitch!"
He dodged the punch, and as soon as he passed Ryuko's line of sight, she suddenly stopped mid-motion. She didn't register it at first, until she realized she couldn't turn or flex any of her limbs. The only thing that could move perfectly fine was her head...not that it helped in the slightest.
She started to panic as she figured out, deep in the pit of her stomach, that she was trapped with no way out. Aikuro Mikisugi pushed his glasses up the rim of his nose. "Please calm down."
"What did you do!?"
"Anesthetic Acupuncture. You seem a little hot blooded at the moment, so I'm going to draw a little." He pulled out a syringe.
Now Ryuko really panicked, as she let out a small squeak from what she knew was about to happen. "NO, PLEASE NO! I HATE NEEDLES! PLEASE, PLEaa-Ahhhh…" Her cries for him to not do so rang on deaf ears as she felt her body feel slightly lighter...or was that her head playing a game on her, she couldn't really tell.
Aikuro, without any change of expression in his face, simply continued speaking. "...Let me tell you why your Kamui didn't activate earlier." He pointed the needle end at Senketsu, and with one push from the other end a small spray of blood landed on the uniform…
...Senketsu burst to life in an instant, his "arms" flailing all over the place as his one good eye widened. {MORE BLOOD, FEED ME MORE PLEASE! FEED ME MORE BLOOD!}
"...Wait, now you're awake Senketsu?"
The uniform stopped moving, and looked at her directly. {Ryuko?}
"So you need blood to wake up!?"
"Yes, indeed…" Ryuko turned her head toward the teacher. With one small movement of his hand, his entire appearance seemed to change. His stubble disappeared, revealing a chin as smooth as baby skin. His hand swept back his glasses and hair, revealing a pair of blue eyes that many would consider handsome…
...Ryuko shivered inside. She had seen eyes like that before, practically demanding that she go on a date with them every time. Her response was to land them in the hospital for a month…
...She also noticed that the room seemed to be filling with bright lights from all over the place. How or why, she didn't want to ask, she didn't want to know, and she didn't care-she just wanted to go back to the Mankanshoku's already.
Aikuro smiled. "You understand now, right?"
"A-Are you talking about Senketsu?"
"This Kamui is awakened by your blood."
"Is that what Senketsu is?" She asked, as she also noticed that he was starting to remove his tie…
"That's right. It's a uniform constructed by your father, Isshin Matoi, whose power surpasses that of the Goku Uniforms." His shirt and pants started unbuttoning themselves, making Ryuko face turn as red as a tomato. Without any care in the world, he started to pose. "Only someone who can master wearing this can fight against Satsuki Kiryuin...or so I thought."
"What do you mean...and who the hell are you?" She closed her eyes, she really couldn't take anymore of this sight.
"I am talking about your new "friend" Ruby Rose, but first, prove to me that you are someone who deserves an answer..."
"What?"
"The Girl's Tennis Club Captain Omiko Hakodate-the one you met at the gate earlier today. She should be your first order of business. If you can't master your Kamui and beat her, you don't stand a chance against Satsuki Kiryuin."
She was about ready to ask him another question, when the sirens went off. Mikisugi looked out and up from his window as Ryuko figured that the school day must've been halfway over.
In about an instant, Aikuro seemingly changed back into his sunglasses disguise and appeared at Ryuko's side. "Better get a move on, afternoon classes are starting soon!"
She felt the three needles keeping her in place finally remove themselves, making her sigh in relief...until she noticed that the blanket covering her naked body was slowly slipping off. She quickly grabbed it as she saw Aikuro head to his desk and reach for something...a red, fingerless glove.
"Use this Seki Tekko from now on. It will make it easier to supply your Kamui here with blood." He handed the glove to her. She contemplated whether or not it was a trap, but if this thing could activate Senketsu, then she really had no choice. She reluctantly took the red glove in his hand, then grabbed Senketsu and started to head to the bathroom to get changed.
"Fine then. I'll go and send that tennis captain flying, then I'm going to come back and you'll tell me everything I want to know, dammit!" She walked into the bathroom and slammed the door to get changed. Aikuro smiled...the girl had spirit, that was clear, at least…
"So...what's exactly going on here, Hakodate." Uzu Sanageyama walked up behind the Girl's Tennis Club Captain as he noticed a rather interesting sight-the Girl's Tennis Club chasing after a familiar red blur as it sped across the field, the walls, and even the school building itself as it avoided the many tennis balls shot at it at high velocity speeds.
Hakodate, upon instantly hearing his voice, whipped around and stood at attention. "Sir. We were initiating a purge earlier this morning, when two students interfered in our work. One of them we beat, but...as you can see, the other one is providing us some ample entertainment."
"Yes, that's clear...but don't forget about what Lady Satsuki said. The subjugation of Hokkaido is meant to be your top priority, remember."
Hakodate swallowed, before reasoning with him. "Yes sir! However, If I may, this other one is providing us with something we've never had before-a live target to practice our skills on. If we can actually take this one down, then there will be no one at Hokkaido that will stand in our way! So please…" She bowed in front of him.
Sanageyama smiled. "I can see the reasoning. Ruby Rose is currently a high value target, so taking care of her and practicing for the Hokkaido match will practically kill two birds with one stone...alright, continue on! I'll supervise until then."
Hakodate-still bowing before him-smiled as she stood up straight. "Yes, sir!" She turned to the rest of the Club and started shouting orders. "You hear that! Keep the pressure on Ruby Rose-this will be target practice for Hokkaido!"
Up around the school building, Ruby Rose landed on the roof-Mako still held in one of her arms. She barely got any time to take a breath in before she blasted across the roof as tennis balls smashed through the roof from underneath her.
As she sped across the roof, she brought Crescent Rose around and fired at an area in front of her with an explosive Dust Round. The area blew upward with debris...which she started to use as footholds that she could jump between. She planned it in the moment that she could use it as a way to reach the top of the wall and use that to give herself and Mako some breathing room for at least a few minutes…
...She nearly made it...until the fourth one was shot out from under her.
She blinked as she figured out what happened and started falling toward the ground. As she hit it, she rolled-losing Mako who started rolling ahead of her and near the wall.
Ruby rubbed her head as she turned to the Girl's Tennis Club. Hakodate was grinning ear to ear now-the clear fact that she had Ruby and Mako right where she wanted them apparent for all to see. She waved her racket toward Mako, who started to stand-her balance severely off from the rapid movement she just experienced.
"Fire!"
Ruby's eyes went wide as she noticed what Hakodate was trying to do. "Mako, get down!" She yelled to the girl, who promptly held up a finger before falling over face first. Without much thought to what she should do next, she pulled out Crescent Rose, held it above her, and tossed it in the general direction-firing to give it much more push when it went flying.
It was just as they tossed it in the air that the scythe landed right in between Mako and the club. Their rackets were just connecting with the balls as Ruby suddenly appeared between them and Mako, holding out her arms to make herself a shield in the process. The balls were probably a foot away when Ruby closed her eyes and looked away-ready to accept what fate was about to bring her…
...It never came. Instead, Ruby suddenly felt a weight on top of her weapon, and heard the sound of something impacting against metal repeatedly. Reluctantly she opened her eyes...to see a large guitar case between her and the Girl's Tennis Club. She looked up and saw Ryuko standing on the shaft of Crescent Rose, the guitar case held firmly in her hands.
"Not so fast, now! You're dealing with me!"
Both Ruby and Mako blinked as they realized that Ryuko just saved them. "Ryuko!"
Standing in the Club themselves, Sanageyama and Omiko smirked at the sight. "The transfer student…"
Omiko walked forward from out of the group as several One-Stars surrounded the three of them. "Have you come for another beating, Transfer Student?"
"Oh, Please! This time it's your asses thats gonna get a beatdown!" She made a motion to ready herself, only this time raising her now gloved left hand. "Let's do this, Senketsu!"
She pulled the pin on the side of her glove. For a split second, Ruby thought nothing would really happen...until a small flash of red light was immediately followed by Senketsu seemingly inflating, opening a large mouth of teeth, and chomping down on Ryuko before turning into the stronger...more risque form. Ruby's face turned red…
Not again…
Omiko rolled her eyes at the sight. "That looks both painful and embarassing, you masochistic exibitionist!"
"Call me an exibitionist one more time, I'll send you flying!"
"Quit your complaining, let's begin! 110 Million Serve!" Omiko-as well as several of her One-Star lackeys-threw several tennis balls up and hit them toward the three. Ruby prepared Crescent Rose for battle, only for Ryuko to stop her. "I got this…"
She stepped forward, pulled the guitar case from her back, and pulled the scissor blade out from inside. As soon as the tennis balls were close enough, she slashed through them repeatedly.
They fell to the ground. Each and every one of them split into six quarters before dissipating completely-the Life-Fibers they were made of slowly disappearing in their entirety.
Omiko was shaking with anger-her eye twitching and her hand slowly squeezing down on a tennis ball. The only thing that seemed out of place was her slight smile...which quickly disappeared as Sanageyama shouted out.
"Fault! You're disqualified, Transfer Student!"
Both Ryuko and Ruby blinked. "Huh!?
He smirked. "It's true you evaded Hakodate's attack. But slicing away at balls is against the rules in a match. In other words, You've won the fight but lost the match!"
Both of them looked at him in confusion...match? What match!?
"Listen up! Right now, you two are standing on a tennis court! Which means that you can't say you've won if you didn't win according to the rules of tennis itself!" He shouted over to them. Ryuko looked around them and saw that they were indeed standing in a tennis court.
Ryuko was about to retort something back, when Ruby-who normally seemed calm considering her circumstances-suddenly exploded-waving her arms in the air as she reached a metaphorical breaking point. "WAIT A MINUTE! I THOUGHT WE WERE FIGHTING HERE NOT PLAYING GAMES! WHAT'S WITH THIS SCHOOL, WHAT ABOUT YESTERDAY!?"
"That was yesterday!"
"THEN WHY ARE WE PLAYING GAMES, IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT US, JUST FIGHT US, I'M GETTING SICK OF RUNNING ANYWA-"
"It doesn't matter, you're disqualified!"
"No, She won!"
Everyone stopped, as they turned to look at the source of the voice...who was now standing right in the middle of them all.
-HALLELUJAH-
"Ryuko and Ruby won! They Won!"
"What?"
"Ruby protected me, and Ryuko rescued both of us! Ryuko may have lost the match, but both won with friendship! Winning with friendship means winning at life!"
"Uhh...Mako…"
"If you're going to be like that, you leave her no choice!"
"Ryuko will win! Even in Tennis! Even in Tennis! EVEN IN TENNIS! SHE'LL WIN!"
-HALLELUJAH-
Everyone remained frozen in place as Mako Mankanshoku finished with her tangent. Ryuko, Ruby, and Sanageyama were in stunned silence as they tried to process the cuckoo logic that was Mako's thought process. Omiko Hakodate, however, did pick up enough from it to get what the girl-no matter how stupid she sounded-was getting at…
"So you're saying that you want to face me, Girl's Tennis Club Captain Omiko Hakodate in a tennis match?"
Neither Ruby or Ryuko responded...or for that matter moved. It was only after Mako held out a racket to Ryuko that the silence was broken. "Here! Do your best, Ryuko!"
The two of them looked at her-at her hazel colored eyes that seemed to glimpse into something so much more deeper than either could really see at the moment. Both wondered at how a young girl like this could still remain positive and happy in an environment like this every single day...how this girl hasn't broken by now under the pressure of a tyrannical leader like Satsuki Kiryuin. Someone who could live here and still see their life as nothing but sunshine and rainbows...they must have some deep outlook on life, somehow!
Ryuko smiled. "Fine, fine...I'll do it their way."
Ruby was quiet, before she puffed up her cheeks and looked off to the side. "They really should make up their mind, darn it...I've been running for well over four hours...If they wanted to play a game, they could've just said so-"
"You can take a rest up in the stands then, I'll take care of her." Ruby looked over at her for a minute, before sighing and heading to the side where it was more likely to be safe. "Come on Mako, it'll be dangerous here if we don't move."
"Yes!" Mako followed. Ryuko-smiling-turned toward Omiko Hakodate and walked forward. "Let's do this, shark-teeth!"
A large crowd gathered around the tennis court-now surrounded by stone spikes that lined each inch of the four walls around the two of them. Sanageyama stood on top of a large seat overseeing the match as a massive scoreboard was held up behind him. "Special Rules! The match is one game! Decide who serves first!"
Standing to the side closest to Ryuko, Ruby and Mako watched the girl as she checked her racket. Mako cheered out for her, while Ruby wondered about something...are those rackets designed to deal with the intense stress that was bound to follow when the balls hit...she slightly doubted it for some reason.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Mako nudging her in the side. "Come on Ruby! Ryuko's out there, you should be cheering for her!"
Ruby blinked, before she shook her head and smiled softly. "Right, sorry...GO RYUKO!"
On the court, Omiko Hakodate smirked. "She's the rookie here. I'll give her the first serve."
Ryuko herself smirked. "Oh really, I'll take your offer and send it back at you tenfold, then!" She tossed the ball into the air. "I won't hold back!"
The ball sailed straight for Hakodate's side. She smiled and licked her lips at the sight of it. "PATHETIC!" She shot the ball back towards her, the velocity of the ball enough to knock out any unfortunate fool who stood in front of it. It flew back to Ryuko's side, hit it once...and then was intercepted by Ryuko, who smacked the ball back to the other side.
Though the transfer student's reaction time was quicker than she anticipated, she remained calm. Just as quickly as it flew off, Hakodate slammed it back toward Ryuko's side. Ryuko realized this and caught the ball a second time with her racket...and just like Ruby feared, the ball broke through the mesh and speared itself through one of the spikes lining the walls.
"LOVE-FIFTEEN!" Sanageyama shouted as Ryuko looked at her destroyed racket, before grinning and tossing it away. "Not bad."
"Oh, I'm just getting warmed up here! Soon you'll see just the might of the Tennis spec, Athleticism-Augmenting Two-Star Goku Uniform I received from Lady Satsuki!"
"Another one of those shitty Goku Uniforms, huh?" She made another serve. "Now you have me interested!"
Omiko moved to intercept, hitting the ball with such force that it's impact with the ground left a small crater in its wake. Ryuko leaped toward it and, thinking up a small strategy in her head, hit the ball with the edge of her racket instead of the inner mesh.
It seemed to stop it...until the ball started gravitating up towards Ryuko. She didn't realize it until the last second when it hit her in the face and sent her flying away. Sanageyama looked over and shouted. "LOVE-THIRTY!" as Ryuko flew off into the side of the court and into the wall.
Omiko shook her head. "I knew that would happen, because I anticipated that was what you were planning, so I put a unique spin on it…"
Ryuko hanged upside down, exposing a notable amount of under-breast, as well as her legs without the skirt (which barely covered anything to begin with) to protect what was under there. Several students took pictures of the sight, Ruby-her face red enough that it could almost be mistaken for an apple-looked away from the sight in embarrassment, and Mako, though seemingly covering her eyes from the sight, peeked through the cracks of her fingers as she yelled out to her. "Ryuko, you naughty girl!"
"Please, Mako...don't talk like that…" Ruby said as she put her hand on her shoulder. "I'm already having to deal with it already, I don't need the commentary..."
Ryuko started moving as she looked over at Hakodate in irritation. "Alright then, I'll put my own "unique spin" on this one!" She jumped off the wall and stood straight. Just as she did, her suit seemed to constrict down on her as steam escaped several areas of her suit. She tossed the ball up and jumped to serve. "Here we go!"
The racket hit the ball...and instantly disintegrated upon impact. Everyone went silent as Ryuko looked at her hand, which previously held a racket in it. Sanageyama, a toothy grin spread across his face, shouted. "FAULT!"
"...Come on." Ryuko was amazed and horrified. It was certainly true that she was strong now, but if she didn't rein in that strength, then she might as well go to the cleaners for all she knew.
Slightly embarrassed and her confidence significantly lowered, she grabbed another racket and readied up to serve. She tossed the ball into the air, gripped tight onto the racket and hit the ball...rather half-assed. It sailed only slightly upward before bouncing off, landing into the out of bounds and into the crowd where a single student caught it without a problem. Sanageyama sighed and shouted. "DOUBLE FAULT! LOVE FORTY!"
"Dammit" Was all Ryuko could muster out as the crowd booed out at her. Omiko smirked. "What's wrong, transfer student? Hurry up and serve!"
Up in the stands, Ruby looked around at what she saw. The crowds were certainly disappointed so far, Omiko seemed itching to move forward with the match already, and Mako was sleeping on the scissor blade embedded into the wall. There had to be something...wait, scissor blade? She looked at the blade (not that she had already while everyone was stuffing their faces) and noticed that, if you gripped it from just above the blade it looked like a...a...
...Then it hit her.
"Ryuko!" She called out. The girl glanced over at her-panic creeping into her eyes somewhat as she realized that this was her last shot. "The scissor blade! Use the scissor blade like a tennis racket!"
"Huh!?" She looked at Ruby dumbfounded.
{She's right, Ryuko.}
She looked down at Senketsu, who was looking up at her with it's only eye. {Only the scissor blade can withstand our strength!}
"Right, Mako!" She yelled over to the sleeping girl, who woke instantly upon hearing the voice. "Throw me the scissor!"
The girl complied, pulling out the blade from the wall and tossing it to her with some surprising strength. Ryuko caught it without a problem as she pulled a thread out from her skirt and wrapped it around the grip end of her blade. "Right...This'll do the trick!"
Hakodate looked at the sight flabbergasted. "Are you kidding me!" Sanageyama was equally disapproving, as he blew his whistle and began to shout. "FAUL-"
A near blinding light burst from the sky, and everyone instantly went quiet. Up above-on the top of the tower overseeing Honnoji-Satsuki Kiryuin watched the game with extreme interest. "It's all right. Play along with this, Hakodate." Omiko stood in silence as she spoke. "Show her how strong you and your Two-Star uniform are."
Instantly both Omiko and Sanageyama bowed and replied "Yes, Mi'lady!" Meanwhile, Ryuko looked up at her with a grimace on her face, while Ruby looked on from the stands.
"Satsuki Kiryuin, always on her high perch, issuing orders to her lackeys as always...It's creepy."
"I'll second that notion."
Satsuki paid no heed to their words. Only looking down at Ryuko in interest with a slight smirk as she watched the match below. "You're going to show me just how much of that Kamui's power you can tap into."
Kamui? Ruby had never heard that one before. She was about to ask what it was, when she heard Ryuko shout out. "You know that this thing's called a Kamui!?"
"Hold yourself. Your opponent is in front of you."
Ryuko grit her teeth, before looking down from Satsuki to the girl in front of her, who slammed her racket into the ground-ready to challenge her. "I'll use you as a Live-Fire exercise for the Hokkaido away series!"
Ryuko gripped down on her scissor blade as she readied up to serve. "Gimme your best shot then!" She tossed the ball up and smacked it, shooting it straight towards the other side of the court. Hakodate intercepted the ball with her racket, and instantly struggled against the sudden amount of force the ball held. As she struggled to hold the ball, her thoughts went ablaze.
On the court, you can only count on yourself!
She smacked the ball back...and her eyes widened as Ryuko-close not just to the net, but Omiko herself-jumped above her and caught the ball without a single problem. She saw the look in her eyes: they were utterly furious.
Nobody gets it!
Omiko cowered behind her racket, as Ryuko brought it down upon her. She slammed it down again and again, harder and harder, until she couldn't hold it back anymore and the ball slammed into the racket with enough force to press into her face. This ended up slingshotting Hakodate, sending her flying straight into the wall.
The impact sent debris flying toward Ryuko. She swatted it all away without a problem until she heard the cries of the Tennis Club Captain flying towards her. With one swift motion, Ryuko spun the scissor around until the grip end was in her hands and swung the blade in Omiko's direction. For a second, Omiko Hakodate simply spun around in the air-before her clothes exploded-leaving her naked.
{Seni-Soshitsu!}
A single red thread floated close to Ryuko before disappearing into the "suit" itself. The crowd went wild at the sight as everyone cheered in approval of the match. Ruby jumped over the stands and walked over to Ryuko, who looked behind her as her handiwork made itself apparent. Omiko Hakodate laid on the top of a large spike unconscious, her naked form bare for all to see (and get taken pictures of).
Ryuko cracked a smile. "Oh my. Looks like this match can't go on."
Ruby snorted. "You can say that again...hmm?"
The two of them turned back so see Sanageyama, flanked by One-Star students, standing before them-a look of rage present in his face. "Don't get too full of yourselves, you bitches…"
"The victor of this match is that girl, Sanageyama. Restrain yourself."
Everyone that wasn't Ryuko and Ruby instantly jumped back and bowed as Satsuki stood before them. Ruby looked at her in astonishment-this girl was rather intimidating up close, yet Ruby didn't feel oppressed as she stood there...was it because Ryuko was next to her?
Ryuko glared at the girl before them. "Well, are you going to tell me? Are you the scissor blade woman from that night?"
Both were silenced by a black blur that swung past them. Ruby herself had good enough eyes to notice it was the end of a sword of some kind, but Ryuko was not so lucky. A new indent appeared on Senketsu, surprising the both of them. Ruby looked over at Satsuki...and nearly drooled at the sight of the weapon before her-a black katana with a white hilt.
"If you wish to know, then ask the question with your skill instead of your words." Satsuki said as she raised the blade up to arm length. "Secret sword Bakuzan. This blade can cut even a Kamui, and it's edge is even keener than that scissor's…"
Ruby stared at the sight with stars in her eyes as a few words escaped her mouth. "So cool!"
Ryuko looked over to her. "Oi! Who's side are you on!"
"But the sword...it's so simple, but the way she wields it-"
"NOWS NOT THE TIME TO BE ADMIRING SOMETHING THAT CAN CUT US TO RIBBON'S!"
{Ryuko.} She looked down at Senketsu, who stared wearily at the black katana the Student Council President wielded. {If you're going to fight, win within two minutes. Otherwise, you're going to pass out like last time.}
"How much blood do you need to drink!?"
"Ryuko!" She found herself drawn out from her quick discussion with Senketsu as she looked up and saw Satsuki make her move. It was here that Ryuko noticed something...Satsuki was getting bigger-not fatter, and it wasn't exactly height either. She was literally growing gigantic, a lot like how large that Gamagoori dude was, and so large that she seemed like a molecule in comparison to her. She started to bring her blade down, and Ryuko thought she was going to legitimately be crushed underneath…
"Ryuko, block now!"
...Until she raised her scissor blade, and Satsuki returned to normal. However, behind her the earth seemed to be blasted away as several students-No-Star and One-Star-went flying from the blow. The only one who wasn't blown away by the blast was Ruby, who simply held her hand in front to protect her head from getting hit.
This made Ryuko realize something: Satsuki Kiryuin was far stronger than any other person she had faced well before. The Two-Stars were chumps compared to her, and the One-Stars might as well be nonexistent. When it came to the Student Council President however then all bets were off…and there would be no way to beat her within two minutes.
Satsuki narrowed her eyes as she noticed Ryuko struggling under the pressure of her sword. Then she noticed that steam was escaping more and more, until the two of them were blinded from view. When the steam dissipated, Ryuko stood several feet away with her scissor blade held in front of her. "Mark my words! Next time I'll finish this once and for all! Let's go Mako!"
"Sure!"
"Hey, WAIT YOU GUYS, DON'T LEAVE ME!" Ruby said as she chased them a foot before giving up.
The two disappeared in another cloud of steam. With her first target having run away, she gave a curt sigh as she turned to the second person she wanted words with. "Well, Ruby Rose…"
The girl was looking back at the entrance. She turned as she pointed a finger at herself and asked if she was talking to her. Satsuki didn't respond to the question, only continuing on with what she wanted to say. "...So, shall we test my Bakuzan against your Crescent Rose-see which blade is keener."
"Huh?" Her head cracked to the side. Satsuki started walking over to her slowly, Bakuzan drawn out fully as she approached.
"It's true that your Crescent Rose can cut through Life-Fibers. However, that scythe isn't made for hunting Life-Fibers…" She pointed her blade toward Ruby as she readied herself for battle. "...Just who are you really? And what makes you carry such a weapon...what monstrosity deserves the cold steel of that weapon."
"D-Do you know about the Grimm somehow!?"
"Grim?"
Ruby blinked as she realized that maybe she should keep her mouth shut. Shaking her head, she pulled out a light blue letter and tossed it into the air before she turned toward the gate and disappeared in a shower of rose petals. Satsuki watched the gate for a minute, before walking over to the letter, picking it up, and opening it. The lettering was surprisingly simplistic and somewhat terribly done, but still legible. She looked closely at the lettering, and almost chuckled at the contents…
Sorrrry, hAVe to sKip school tooday. Pleasee dON't be Maad, Gamahghoori Sir!
She folded the letter back up as Sanageyama approached from behind. "Forgive me, Mi'lady. I underestimated the transfer student."
"Hakodate is demoted to a No-Star. As for Hokkaido, set up an interleague match with the sumo club."
Sanageyama bowed, as she started to sheath her blade. "As expected, a Kamui is most formidable. To think it could turn away my blade...I'll remember this day, Ryuko Matoi…"
She started walking back to the school, thinking of the Kamui...and of what she remembered Ruby saying before she left. "...and Ruby Rose, these "Grim" must hold some significance...I will keep my eyes on you like I said, but know that I will find the truth behind you, sooner or later..."
Title Reference: Quiet Riot-Winners Take All.
Well, it's official: RWBY has gone drunk on Darkness…
Okay, I know it may sound like I'm joking, but literally, we just went from bright and cheery to a school taken over, an arm cut off, a team dissolved (at the moment), and TWO FUCKING DEATHS FOR GOD'S SAKE!
It must be tuesday or something…
Not that I have a problem with it as much as most people. Granted, the character who pretty much bit the dust (or is it ash?) I thought definitely deserved some more character development beforehand before they killed her off. Plus, finally declaring a ship canon before ripping it away in the same episode is just plain cruel, Rooster Teeth!
Still, as a certain (purely evil) man once said: "Gentlemen! You had my curiosity. But now you have my attention."
So yes, I can't wait for how volume 4 takes RWBY after all of this...good job Miles Luna-now go fuck yourself for destroying the feelings of MILLIONS!
...On a side note, now that we know the reason behind Ruby's silver eyes, I can now think of a way to incorporate it into the story! Yay! I've already gotten several ideas just from that one scene in the season finale, and I think they may work better than what I originally had planned.
And on another side note, if I can draw comparisons between RWBY and Kill la Kill here, then doesn't anyone think Yang's current situation is reminiscent of Ryuko's situation from episode 13 of the anime. It certainly made me think so…
...Ahem...You can probably tell that I watched the RWBY season finale already...sorry about that. It's just-DEAR LORD! They really pulled a whammy on us this time, and I seriously don't know how they're going to progress from here on out, so I can't wait to see what happens.
And to finally end the discussion on RWBY for the time being, let me tell you something really important: I AM NOT A ROOSTER TEETH SPONSOR, SO IF YOU SPOIL SOMETHING THE NEXT TIME RWBY IS UP ON THE INTERNET, I WILL SPEAR YOU WITH A SCISSOR BLADE!
...Excuse me, I think I saw red there for a moment, sorry…(Those two end songs were fucking amazing)
So, onto the chapter! First, let me say that I had absolute fun writing this one. I mean, this is the one that really introduces Aikuro Mikisugi, so it's somewhat understandable. But seriously, I really did have massive fun when I was writing this, that much is certain…
Now, I did say that I had something in mind for Ruby despite this being a primarily Ryuko-centric, so I hope that those who wanted Ruby in here are happy enough with what you get. And since the next chapter is gonna be the big one for Part 1, she's definitely gonna get a major part in the coming chapter-you can count on that.
I kinda wanted to play Ruby as someone who isn't really trying to take sides initially (to some extent). She is willing to help anyone, and is more inclined to try and save/help/protect someone from suffering under a totalitarian rule than just directly fight against them. She sympathizes with Ryuko and can't stand the state that Satsuki's regime is ruled under, but simply wishes to just hurry and return home with little problem. It's only gonna be after this next chapter, when she sees something in particular that clashes with her more simple, kind morality, that she'll finally say "screw neutrality" and choose a side (which I'm sure you know which side I'm talking about). Then the rest of the story will be about her cementing this status while trying to find her way home...until something comes along that completely pulls the rug out from under her makes her ask the ultimate question: "Who's the real bad guy in the end?"
You probably already know the answer to that already, but let's just play with it for now and see what really ends up happening…
So this is the first chapter that is completely centered primarily on Ryuko, and trust me it won't be the last. There will be some chapters focused on Ryuko here and some focused on Ruby there as a means of balancing the story between the two, with the rest shared between the two or possibly focused on other characters in the far future. For now though, this one is a Ryuko-Centric chapter at best.
With this chapter done, we move into the final chapter of Part 1...and oh boy, I get the feeling it's gonna be a doozy. You know how the first few chapters seemingly divide up the first few episodes (chapter 1 and 2 are the first and second half of episode 1 of the Kill la Kill anime respectively). Yeah...well, this next chapter will most likely be the entirety of episode 3! I get the feeling it's definitely not going to be around 20 pages like Google Drive typically says it is per chapter. It may be forty pages, It may be sixty, a HUNDRED...I don't know. All I know is that it's possibly gonna be massive in comparison to the rest of it all. Will I be up to the task? I HAVE NO FRICKING IDEA!...
...So with that all said, I will say that I'm ultra glad you all enjoy this story so far. I really did think that I would just fall flat on my face with all of this, but you guys have proven that it's certainly not the case here. And so with the biggest of hearts I can muster, I say thank you all.
Now to wrap up, Please remember to review, as always. Again, you can favorite or follow if you want to, and I ask for your patience with the next chapter-since it may take a while to write fully. Now...where's that chapter title reference…
Chapter 5: She goes down! She goes down! She goes down, down, down, DOWN!
For Fun, Fedora's, and Insanity...peace...I'm gonna go cry in a corner now…
-CrazeStasis
SPOILER BELOW, DON'T LOOK DOWN IF YOU'RE NOT UP TO DATE WITH RWBY!
Pyrrha Nikos.
Volume 1: Ep. 3, 2013-Volume 3: Ep. 12, 2015
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee."
-Volume 1: Ep. 6-The Emerald Forest.