Gamagoori knew she would have a hard time accepting, evolving and learning her emotions. For someone to go from cold, cruel, and apathetic to become human again, to have life handed back to her, she was taking the hard end of her emotional recovery, and taking it not too well. She struggled with her memories first, the razor-sharp emotions collected within years of harassment, torture, suffering, and assimilation into a world so cold it froze her heart burning her from the inside out. She spent long drags of time trying to fight the guilt and pain from her childhood, trying to dig past the dark to find the lighter emotions she needed, but found no safe place in the memories flooding her.
She faced not just herself, but Ragyo at every turn even though she still was on business outside of Japan. Her memories evolved her imprint of Ragyo, and she saw her around every corner. Anger followed by fear, followed by outright fury, ending in a crippling blanket of despair and emptiness. She hated her, wanted to push her away, but guilt and fear controlled her at the moment, Ragyo's influence and power keeping her working on Shinra-Kouketsu, and keeping her from breaking every rule put upon her.
He found her working diligently in the sewing hall, stitching together a large piece beside the larger than life stand of the ultimate Kamui, lacing Life Fibers all around it to hold it in place with its identical pieces. She swung beside the massive in-production piece by Life Fibers acting as a sort of sling, her feet pushing it apart as she moved around the piece to ensure its stability. After securing one piece, she tugged on one end of her sling and moved it until she could hover beside the next one, throwing Life-Fiber loaded needles around, sticking through several metal beams to ensure that the heavy Kamui was secured all around. As the needles fell, he caught them one by one, knowing that it would let Nui relax quicker after finishing the next sections of Ragyo's Kamui.
When she came down from the rafters that supported her work, she smiled as she found him waiting for her, setting her sewing needles on the large prep table and kindly escorting her out of the room, Nui accepting his offered arm. She knew they would stop and take time to relax in he graveyard, returning to her room only when the sun started to set, and go back inside and somehow gravitate back into her room, Gamagoori making sure she had support when her memories ignited fiery nightmares.
She felt her spirits fall a little further as they walked. She knew that she should be happy, that having peace and quiet with him without Ragyo's constant gaze on her back was a blessing but she felt low, and she knew why with a clear conscience.
The way Gamagoori was acting recently had her worried about something, something big. He had devoted time to make sure she was alright and calm, always by her side when she woke from her memories hurting her or her emotions twisting her dreams into deadly nightmares. He devoted free time outside of training and muscle conditioning to her, never missing a chance to make sure she was alright, or had something to do, keeping her distracted.
It seemed unlike him to be so focused on her. It worried her that something was happening behind closed doors to him.
"Gamagoori, you haven't train in a few days, right?"
He stopped, turning toward her with a look of intrigue. "No, I haven't, and you haven't seen my improvement either?"
She shook her head, and took her arm back as they detoured to the training room, Nui taking her place up above to have an aerial view of his work, with little notice, she started up his previous level of training, watching with rising curiousness as the simulation kept him back as his enemies rose from the floor one by one, revealing robotic training dummies purposely dressed to perfection as humans to give him the feeling of a realistic fight. It was an improvement over the original animatronics he had fought earlier on, leaving less wounds and reducing the risk of internal injuries. Even with the human look, he shredded through them like paper, going through one after another with ease, precision, and skill, muscles and fists tightening and flying around like loaded guns. He tore and slaughtered the normal cannon fodder, using pieces from downed enemies to aid him, proving his skillset in adapting to his environment.
He made quick work of the last section of fighters, and moved on through the town setting for the simulation. He found and executed a smaller enemy with a quick kick to it's shin, and slamming its metal skull into the side of a building, moving quickly as the robot sputtered and died behind in the dust. He looked beastly the way he fought, and Nui found herself on her feet, leaning forward to watch his improvement work its best.
'Prepare for final boss.'
Nui watched the data on the boss appear, her eyes catching who it mirrored. She returned to the battlefield as the final boss appeared in front of Gamagoori, brandishing her weapons and taking an offensive pose.
Mako Mankanshoku, at least as close as they could get to her. Wearing a similar uniform to her so-called Two-Star Goku Uniform, sightly downgraded but retaining weapons, the Mako animatronic called out to Gamagoori, the mechanical eyes brightening in a false show of emotion. Nui waited for his sputter, his hesitation and denial to try to kill her.
Nothing of the sort happened. He bared his teeth, and swung at Mako without hesitation, immediately trying to hit vital points. Nui watched in horror as the two exchanged blows and kicks, several times sending each other through buildings or breaking the surroundings around them, making the fighting field look like a tornado had gone through it. As Mako started to take too much damage, Gamagoori grabbed hold of the uniform Mako donned and swung her around, putting her in a place of increased vulnerability, and slammed him fist into her face. As the animatronic cried out in a ear-piercing, painful cry, he continued to beat it until the fake skin broke and revealed the metal exoskeleton and plates, and sending his fist through it, sending every last bit of electronics out the other side of its head.
He had no reaction at all to seeing Mako. Not even a flinch, or a stutter step, not even a mumble of a word. He went wild on her, no mercy or remorse.
This couldn't be the real Gamagoori.
He looked up at her, giving a toothy smile, his voice strong even with the space between them, his pride slipping through his excitement.
"I should be ready to fight in the field in a week or so!"
She could only smile falsely back to him, giving him approval for his improvement, because behind her smile her heart starting to crack at the center as her worst fear came to life.
After getting him cleared for injuries, outside of his fair share of cuts and bruises alongside the small scars left behind from Nui's temporary vicious treatment, they continued on wandering through Honnouji Academy, taking their time as they went back toward her room, the sun starting to set on another day. She couldn't bring herself to reach out to him, taking his hand as she always did, and walk and talk about how she could control her emotions and learn to control her memories.
Her hands clenched aside her instead, prompting Gamagoori to look toward her as she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before she acted on an impulse that had nearly took her whole. She nodded at him after collecting herself, letting him silently know she was alright, and they continued on in a growing pregnant silence. Nui bit her cheek as she struggled to capture her voice again, needing to do what was needed before she lost her chance.
"Gamagoori, there's something I would like to do once we get to my room." she finally told him, grabbing an arm to stop his walk. She knew he could see her worry and seriousness, his emotions flashing everywhere across the scale on his face. He nodded, agreeing with her, and they quickened their pace to make it there. She watched him look at her with careful consideration, following her instructions as she asked him to take a seat on her bed, crawling behind him and putting her hands on his head, drawing his curiousness out of the bag.
"What are you doing?" he asked gently as she dug her fingers into his hair, ever so often dragging her nails against his scalp. It made Gamagoori shiver under her gentle scraping, but she knew it was not out of pain. Even now, the threads latched on to his mind started to respond to her touch and call, her Life Fibers vibrating through her fingers. She knew that she could not save him through human means, and would only ever use them for this purpose.
"Something important. Are you alright sitting up like this for a bit?"
He looked up oddly at her, not quite convinced or happy with her answer. She continued to comb through his hair, not telling another word on her intents. He let her work quietly a little longer until let her hands fall to his shoulders, a sigh escaping her as she rested her chin on top of his head, thinking for a moment.
She knew what she needed to do, but was she willing to let her first friend, no her anchor and humanity, her reason for continuing on, go and continue on a life better than one he would be destined to if he followed her to the end. She sighed again. She knew she would have to let him free.
She didn't want to see him hurt, and continuing on with her would hurt him in the end. She knew it could hurt her forever if she let go, but he deserved freedom much more than her.
"Do you want to lay down, or something? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." she asked, poking her head over his shoulder. His confusion and curiosity built up higher, and he finally found his voice again.
"What exactly are you doing, Nui? Please let me know."
She moved back behind him, her hands moving through his hair, pieces sliding out of his slicked-back style. She kneaded through it several times, obviously stalling until she stopped, nails tapping against his head.
"I'm removing the Life Fibers out of you. You're not free, and I'm finally letting you go."
Gamagoori was stunned into silence. He felt like himself, he thought like himself. He swore his thoughts were free from Life Fiber control. He had broken through Nui's guise and Ragyo's guise, and saw Nui finally break through hers. He felt normal. He didn't feel any restraint on his thoughts, emotions or actions. How was he still under Life Fiber's regime, under it's sickening influence?
"I don't understand. I fought through them, I shouldn't be under their control anymore." He told her, looking over his shoulder, watching as her face fell, eyes betraying her sadness.
Nui's gentle, sorrowful sigh followed her bodily reaction to his words, grief starting to drip through her veins. Her fingers ran through his hair again, gently catching the threads poking out of the surface. They responded to her like a child to its mother, and she knew what power they held over him. While her grief grew, she stored away her anger at Ragyo for later.
"Ragyo made it that way. She did this, she made you act like this. Her Life Fibers are making sure your real personality isn't given chances to escape. This isn't you, the Gamagoori who hates me, who resents me, who would rather see me killed for my past actions. Right now, I'm going to make up for those mistakes, and take whatever Ragyo put into you out for good!"
She didn't want to in the slightest. It would mean she would see what Gamagoori truly thought of her, his real reactions to her. She promised herself she would not resist him if she tried to hurt him, or try to stop him if he wanted to flee back to Nudist Beach and Satsuki. He deserved his freedom more than she did. She had done enough damage to him, and it was time to have him out of Ragyo's ever deadly crosshairs. He froze under her touch, but did not push her away or speak. He did scoot farther up the bed, Nui quickly moving aside for him to move, and turned around so he was facing her, eyes soft with worry and warmth.
"Go ahead." he told her, giving the go-ahead to free him. She blinked away her tears, and reached up to his head again, carefully plucking out strings of the Mind Stitching, a tangle of red fibers lacing around her fingers. She could see him look up, trying to catch a glimpse of the web of Life Fibers sticking out of him, just moments from their removal forever. Nui collected up the last pieces she needed for removal, and hesitated.
One tug, and it would be gone. One pull, and freedom long needed would be granted.
She looked him in the eyes, and gently leaned in to him, taking one last quick kiss before she forced herself to keep away, tears burning in her eyes as she backed away, fighting to not react to Gamagoori's pained reaction.
"I love you, and I will never forget your warmth and acceptance, Ira!"
She pulled hard, left and right, ripping the web apart and pulling the Mind Stitching out of its snug place on his mind, tangling in her fingers like a sticky spider web, glowing and vibrating angrily as it lost connection. He stilled and shuddered as they left him, several gasps following their removal as his mind, memories, and thoughts returned to normal. She knew it would not be a kind gaze when he recovered enough to react, hate and anger boiling in his eyes as they opened. Even though her heart cracked open, she found the heart to try to smile, only to watch him regain his memories, his face transforming into one of pure anger. She closed her eyes, tears falling as she heard a guttural growl escape him. She knew it would happen, and knew what came next.
She let his fist hit her upside the head, and accepted the darkness that followed, her tears following her down as she fell into unconscious black depths.
She woke to a freezing cold bed, and dead silence. She picked herself up numbly, her mind frozen as she realized what she had truly done, and received in return.
She knew he needed to get free before Ragyo returned, but all she could feel was crippling sorrow and emptiness.
The small light at the end had gone dark. She had no way out, and no one who could help her. She was alone again in her dark corner.
She scooted to the edge of the bed, but did not dismount. She froze, feeling the very dull warmth of where he had been, still imprinted into the sheets. The last bit of physical evidence that he was ever here with her.
Helping her, opening her up, changing her in so many ways, and finally freeing her from her poisonous, inhuman cage and finding her humanity. Her healer and savior, the one person who dared try to touch her heart, who stole it from her as he wholeheartedly tried to keep her safe, sane, and secure, away from Ragyo's humiliating touch and disgusting gaze. The human who showed her the steps to be human again.
The Gamagoori she thought was real, who cared for her. All this time, since her release from Ragyo's strings, was a lie to burn her more. The real human hated her, and took his freedom and ran when he got it. No thank you, no apology. Simply rage and anger, and a quick 'goodbye' attack.
She didn't care that her heart was set to death, shattered to pieces by the person who showed her it, the painful beating in her chest a simple reminder of the pain of his leave. She clutched at her chest, feeling her frantic, heaving heartbeats under her palm. It could beat out of her chest if it wanted to, she didn't mind.
She wasn't human after all, right?