Chapter9: reveal
As the months passed the elites had completed their tasks, the new defenses were in and the citizens had been trained in terms of combat. Now all that was awaited was ragyo and nui to return. Luckily they didn't have to wait for very long for within two days of the new defenses being activated tai's contact in the Japanese military had called and told him that ragyo and nui were heading for Honnouji. "Have we determined where exactly they are?" Tai asked. "Yes we have, it seems they are just three miles outside of Honnouji." Inamuta replied. "Keep an eye on them." Tai ordered. "Yes sir." Replied inamuta. To say Tai was worried would be an understatement, for the last three days he had been havin' these horrible nightmares about them killing his sisters in all different matters. The one he despised the most was the one he had last night, ragyo and nui had chained ryuko and satsuki to two medieval torture racks and slowly ripped their limbs off. "I'm not gonna let these nightmares become a reality." Tai said to himself as he walked out of the elite room in the tower to find his sisters.
It took Tai five minutes to find them be he eventually found ryuko and satsuki in the school's library reading all kinds of different books on strategy. "Hey, I take it you two heard the news?" Tai asked. "Yeah, we did so we decided to buff up on some strategy tips." Ryuko replied not looking up from her book. "Listen, I don't want you two fighting ragyo or nui." Tai said. This caused ryuko and satsuki to look up from their books rather quickly. "You're kidding right?" ryuko asked looking annoyed. "No I'm not." Tai answered. "Why?!" shouted ryuko. "We fought them before and were gonna fight them again?!" "Ryuko listen I have my reasons for not wanting you to fight them, just trust me please." Exclaimed Tai. "Well what are those reasons then?" ryuko asked. "Ryuko, he doesn't have to tell us anything." Satsuki said trying to defend her brother and his hidden motives. "Yes he does, he doesn't want us fighting why?!" ryuko exclaimed. "BECAUSE I'M AFRAID YOU'RE GONNA DIE!" Tai yelled causing ryuko to back up a couple of steps. "For the last three days, every time I fell asleep I had these horrible nightmares where in every one of them the two of you died and I don't want you two to end up like dad so forgive me for trying to keep you alive." Tai replied with slight venom in his voice. He then turned and walked out of the library. "Now are you happy?" asked satsuki. "He never told us about the nightmares before, why?" asked ryuko. "Well you know Tai, he's not one to discuss his problems." Satsuki answered.
The rest of the day was comprised of everyone in the school preparing for ragyo and nui's return. Meanwhile ryuko was standing outside of Tai's room in their house nervously thinking if she should enter or not. "What are you doing?" asked satsuki as she walked by ryuko with her blue bath towel in one hand and her blue night gown in the other. "I… want to apologize to Tai for being such a bitch earlier but I don't know how." Ryuko replied as she looked at the ground and started to twirl her thumbs. "Just do and say what you think is best." Replied satsuki. "It's as simple as that." Ryuko finally knocked on the door and waited for a reply to come. "Who is it?" asked Tai through the door. "It's me… ryuko." Ryuko answered albeit a little nervous still. "What is it?" asked Tai. Ryuko could tell just from the tone of his voice he was still a little bit pissed. "Can I come in please?" ryuko asked. "Yeah, sure, whatever." Replied Tai. Ryuko slowly opened the door to Tai's room to see him sitting on the floor with gauss wrapped around his lower left arm and the other end of them in his mouth. "I just wanted to apologize for acting like a bitch earlier, I'm sorry." Ryuko exclaimed. Tai had been listening to ryuko while trying to fix his gauss. "She means it." Gaia interjected. Tai released the gauss in his mouth so he could talk clearly. "Don't worry about it, what's done is done don't obsess over it." Tai replied. Out of the corner of his eye he could see ryuko still a little bit down about the whole thing. "For what it's worth… I accept your apology, now could ya help me out here." Exclaimed Tai. Ryuko instantly perked up quite a bit. "Sure, what do ya need help with?" ryuko asked as she sat next to Tai. "I just need ya to hold the gauss here while I tie them off." Tai replied. Ryuko did as instructed and held the gauss where Tai pointed. "Why are you doing this anyway?" asked ryuko. "I kinda got into a bit of an argument with a hot plate and burned my arm a bit." Tai replied as he tied of the gauss. "I guess the hot plate one." Ryuko joked only to see Tai wasn't amused. "Sorry bad joke." Ryuko apologized. "Don't worry, and stop apologizing for everything." Tai exclaimed as he rolled his sleeve down over the gauss. "Seriously though, I stand by what I said I don't want you to fight them tomorrow." Tai said leaving very little room for argument. "But this is as much our fight as it is yours." Ryuko exclaimed. "I know that but I don't want my nightmares becoming a reality." Tai replied. "Yeah that's another thing, if you have dreams like that you tell us ASAP got." Ryuko exclaimed. "My dreams, aren't any of your business." Tai argued. "They are when they involve me and satsuki getting offed." Ryuko snapped. Tai shot ryuko a look of irritation and ryuko immediately realized what she had said and done. She slowly rose from the floor and walked over to the door to Tai's room. "I just want to be able to help you ya know." Ryuko said not facing Tai to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. Before she left she felt Tai wrap his arms around her shoulders to stop her. "I'm sorry for not telling you two about the nightmares, but I needed you to focus on getting the city ready and not worrying about me." Tai exclaimed in a soft and gentle tone that he really only used when either ryuko or satsuki were upset about something. Ryuko turned around and quickly buried her face in Tai's chest to hide her face while she cried. "Ragyo, you're tearing us apart but I swear I'll stop you even if it costs me my own life." Tai thought to himself while ryuko finished her little breakdown.
Soon enough the next day arrived and so did ragyo and nui. "Well things certainly haven't changed much have they?!" exclaimed ragyo as she walked up the stairs to the academy nui trailing behind her. "Nope, not really." Nui replied with her usual smile on her face. Soon enough the two made their way to the academy only to be shot at by anti-life fiber ammo. "Well I guess I stand corrected, things have changed." Replied ragyo as she nimbly dodged the bullets flying around her. "Guess so lady ragyo." Nui replied as she dodged the ammo just as easily. Soon all the ammo was spent and the two didn't have a scratch on them. "Well that was pointless." Ragyo gloated as she started to walk towards the school only to be stopped by a throwing knife sailing past her face drawing blood from her. "What?!" ragyo exclaimed as she had a look of disbelief on her face. "The ammo was just to tire you two out, the real fight is me." Tai declared as ragyo looked up to see him sitting on the roof of the schools entry doors holding a knife in his hand. "Who the hell are you?" asked ragyo slightly annoyed. "My name is taiketsu kiriyuin, and I'm your son." Tai replied jumping to the ground. "My son, I'm sorry but you must have me mistaken for someone else." Ragyo replied. Tai took the knife and cut off one of his fingers "What are you doing?!" ragyo exclaimed. Tai then placed the finger back on and the wound instantly healed up. "That enough proof for ya?" asked Tai. "Yes, so it would seem you are my son no doubt the one sorochi said died." Ragyo deduced. "Yes and believe me ragyo, this will be your final battle." Tai declared drawing his sword and shield.
Author's notes: BUM BUM BUUUUUUUUUUM!? Anyone want to take a guess at what happens next.