When I came to, it was morning. Guts was barking at me and Mako was scrambling about the house to get ready for school and trying to convince Mataro to do the same. Mako looked just as cheerful as always, as if she was never in a near-death situation. I always wondered how they did it, how they managed to be so cheerful in spite of how rough their lives were.
"Ryuko, hurry up! You don't wanna get expelled, do you?" Mako warned me as she hurriedly shoved the textbooks and notebooks on the floor into her schoolbag.
I groggily looked down and saw that I was wearing a pair of orange pajamas; the shirt had rabbit designs on it.
"Oh that? Mom put your uniform in the wash and changed you into this. It's a hand-me-down, I hope you don't mind."
"…where's the bathroom?"
"Outside."
Sure enough, when I walked out of the room and opened the back door, there was a small shack, and next to it, a clothesline, I saw Senketsu hanging there and my suitcase was underneath. Inside was a toilet, a sink, and a shower. They looked old and ill-maintained, but I guess I had to make do. I got ready as fast as I could and walked back to Mako's room.
Ryuko, I request that henceforth, you don't leave me in that woman's care. She douses me in sludge water and coats me in chemicals. I find it most uncomfortable, not to mention hazardous-
Stop whining. And those chemicals are called soap. Clothes get dirty, you know, and need to be washed regularly.
We are not clothing.
They think you are.
Why not tell them otherwise?
They won't believe me. They've been living in the city for so long that what they know about Life Fibers and what we know is incredibly different. They don't know how COVERS are made, and they don't even know about the whole consumption deal.
They are unaware that we consume our hosts should they be too weak to hold us?
Look, if that information got out, would people wear Life Fiber induced clothing? The only reason why my dad knew was because he conducted studies on Life Fibers in secret.
Indeed, you are right. On another note, what are you planning to do henceforth… regarding your plan to avenge your father's death?
No idea.
Not having a plan is unwise.
I'm thinking about it.
When I entered the room, I saw that Mataro was less perturbed than his sister; he was reluctantly packing his bag kept looking around as if trying to find an opportunity to give her the slip. Then he started looking at me curiously, and approached me, his eyes were wide.
"Hey, uhhh…"
"What?"
"I'm… sorry about earlier. Mom told me that when I was small, my sister saved your life. I didn't know that, and I said some pretty nasty things."
"Your mother told you to say that?"
"Yea… but I mean it too. Plus I heard you took on Lady Satsuki to save my sister. That's true, isn't it?"
His expression was now beseeching, like he wanted me to give him a good story about what happened.
"Yup."
"But… why would she be after you in the first place? You must have really made her mad-"
"That bitch doesn't have the guts to take me on herself, so she sent one of her cronies to do it instead-"
Mataro jumped towards me and covered my mouth with his hand.
"Quiet! Lady Satsuki's associates are all over the place! If they heard you say that-"
I bit Mataro's hand; he screamed and immediately released me.
"I already called her that to her face, but for some reason she let me go."
"Wait… you took her on before this? Mom said that you got into a fight with some goons near Honnouji Academy, did you lie to her about that?"
I nodded. Mataro ran to his sister and pulled her to my side, then he ran outside the room, supposedly to call his parents. They came in after a few minutes and crowded around me.
"Mataro says that you took on Lady Satsuki before this… why didn't you tell us earlier?" Mako's mom asked.
"Eh, this explains some things. Lady Satsuki wouldn't attack someone without reason."
I remembered Mr. Mikisugi's instructions to me, why I took up the job in the first place, and what I wanted to do. Then I realized then that Mako getting captured was my fault… I bungled Mr. Mikisugi's plan, and by extension, my own goals in every possible way. The more I hung around with Mako, the more in danger she was.
Why was I concerned about her wellbeing in the first place anyway? Mako was only going to drag me down. She had no fighting skills and was as dumb as a brick.
I had no reason to be here anymore… but I owed them an explanation. They were a part of all this now… so I had to tell them everything. So I this time, I told them the truth, but still left out some details. I told them about Mr. Mikisugi's plan, but I actually told them it was my own. I also mentioned Satsuki interrupting my match with Masaya. Then I told them what actually happened in that match. I mentioned Senketsu as well, but only in passing.
"But Ryuko… I heard that only Mistress Ragyo has one of those special outfits…"
"The tennis girl said the exact same thing. Maybe my dad somehow knew how to make them as well, and that's probably one of the reasons why the Kiryuins were after him…"
Then I started to walk out of the room, and turned to Mako before I was about to leave.
"Listen, I can't be staying here for long. Now that you guys know everything and that my debt to you has been repaid, you don't have to take care of me anymore. Thanks for everything. I'll be going now."
Then I ran to the bathroom and got my suitcase, and started to make my way towards the door, but I felt an arm around my shoulder just before I was about to open it. .
"You sure you wanna do that…? I mean, with the Kiryuins after you I think that going at it alone isn't a smart option…"
"Barazo's right, Ryuko."
"I'll manage. Don't worry."
Mako looked really sad, like she was about to cry.
"Why…? Why do you have to leave?
"Mako, I'm going to keep getting you involved in my mess, and that can't happen. Besides, having one more mouth to feed's probably just going to be a nuisance-"
Mako grabbed me by the collar and started glaring at me.
"YOU ARE NOT A NUSIANCE, RYUKO! You're my friend-"
"No you're not! And let go of me! I need to go!"
Mako had a determined look on her face; she took a few steps back. Then she lifted her hands in the air for a few seconds, and then pointed at me.
"Ryuko, I get it! You feel guilty! You blame yourself for my getting captured yesterday, but it's not your fault!"
I rolled my eyes, if Mako thought that she was going to convince me to stay by giving me a rousing speech, she had another thing coming.
"It was Lady Satsuki who tried to kill me, not you! You were the one who saved me, remember? So it's all right, trust in me and don't feel guilty anymore! Know that I'll always be your friend, forever and-"
I didn't understand. Why? Why did they want me near them? Didn't they know I was nothing but trouble? Why were they so different from the other humans who either hated my guts or wanted to use me?
It was simple to me, they were idiots.
I didn't want to waste my time with idiots, so I sprinted off without Mako to the tramway, ignoring her calling for me to come back, and I made it a point to sit in a place where she couldn't see me.
I do not understand this at all.
Don't talk to me.
The last thing you want is for me to overburden you, correct? Oh, and you wish I could not read your thoughts, you have expressed this before.
Shut up!
Since you are in no position to block my input, I will say my piece regardless of whether you are willing to listen or not. The exuberant one with you, I do not understand why she would want you around. She technically has no use for you, perhaps she wishes for her own protection-
She's an idiot.
From your insistence it seems that this is something you are forcing yourself to believe. I do not understand why, underestimating the flesh-beings could lead to death.
I know that!
I detect a sort of… what do flesh-beings call it? Ah yes, bitterness in you. I detected the same bitterness when I looked into your memory. And I also detect fear… fear is dangerous, Ryuko. You'd do well to dispel it-
I'M NOT SCARED OF ANYTHING!
Now you appear to be in denial. What causes flesh-beings to develop this sentiment?
You won't understand.
Indeed, that is why I am asking you.
Figure it out yourself. You can read my thoughts right? That's enough for you.
Luckily Senketsu shut up after that. Then I made my way to class, thankfully, on time. When I stepped in, everyone was staring at me in a mix of awe and fear, I guessed that they watched my fight with the tennis girl yesterday.
"Class, this is Ryuko Matoi," Mr. Mikisugi gestured to me, "She'll be studying here from now on."
He gestured to my desk, which was, regrettably, next to Mako's. On top of it was a pile of books in a rather sorry state, like they were printed decades ago or something. I remembered the school I went to in the colony had similar textbooks. There were also notebooks with the textbooks, and I remembered that I had never taken notes in my life.
"As a no-star student, you'll only have access to these materials. If you become a one or two star however, you'll get access to prototype tablets, and three stars will get access to the latest education software."
I remembered hearing in the colony that the rich learned things differently, with fancy tablets, computers, simulations, and lab programs and such. However the poor used study materials which were long obsolete. It was no skin off my back, but if I wanted answers, I'd have to advance in rank, which meant actually studying, joining a club and performing well, AND fending off Satsuki's goons. I didn't know if I'd be able to handle all that, but I had no choice.
"All right class, take out your mathematics books, we're going to continue with solving equations through differentiation."
I remembered the entrance exam I needed to take, and the nightmarish math problems that were thrown at me then. These sums were even worse, and I couldn't follow anything. For the first three hours of the day I had to wade through biology, chemistry, and English. When the half an hour for lunch came, I was fried.
I realized during that time that I didn't have any lunch, so I had to make do with stealing. I noticed that most of the other no-star kids didn't have any lunch either, or they had cheap crap. Asking Mako was out of the question. I decided to leave the classroom and look for some other place to find food, but I guessed that I had taken a wrong turn somehow. I ended up in a cafeteria, and it was full of one-stars.
I saw a random one-star girl at the table nearest to me; she had a sandwich and an apple with her. I stealthily walked up to her, and when I saw her about to take a bite out of her apple, I pushed her, causing her to gasp and drop it. I grabbed the apple and ran from there, ignoring her screaming 'hey you!' and trying to run after me.
I ate the apple as fast as I could and threw the core on the floor of the corridor somewhere. I saw it fall near a pair of white boots. When I looked up, I was facing a three-star. He had a bit of a tan, blonde hair, he was really tall, above six feet, and muscular, and he had a scowl on his face.
"So you're the new girl, eh? You're worse than I thought. First you attempt to infiltrate the grounds, then you anger Lady Satsuki, and now you're stealing and littering..."
He got out a tablet and began searching for something.
"Strange, your name according to the database is Haruka Midorikawa, but we all know otherwise. Perhaps Inumuta hasn't updated your information… Remember, new girl, I'm only letting you off with a warning because Lady Satsuki has ordered us not to kill you… yet."
Great… he was one of her goons, that just made things even worse.
"Who are you?"
"Ira Gamagoori, head of the Disciplinary Committee and Lady Satsuki's right hand. "
"I thought that Sanageyama dude was her right hand…"
"Lady Satsuki has multiple right hands… and we are all watching you closely. Now, get away from me, new girl, if you cross me, you will pay."
"Hold up, you said Satsuki ordered you and your ilk to keep me alive, why?"
"That is none of your business."
"All right then, if you're not gonna tell me, I guess I'll have to fight you for it!"
I got my scissor blade out of my pocket and let it expand.
Ryuko, stop. This flesh-being is beyond you. He will crush you in seconds-
Shut up! I know what I'm doing!
"I don't know what's worse, your complete and utter disregard for the rules, or your suicidal overconfidence…"
He ran towards me with his fists out, like he was about to punch me, and I was about to transform when I heard footsteps coming towards me.
"Ryuko!"
Both of us turned around, frozen in place, and saw that Mako was there. She looked pretty pissed off. Gamagoori was just staring at Mako with a stunned expression.
"Mankanshoku, stay out of this, she refuses to comply with the rules of this academy."
"Ryuko, what are you doing? Can't you see that stealing and littering is wrong? You're lucky you got off with a warning! Don't worry, Gamagoori, she'll apologize and she won't do it again, right?"
I realized that she was trying to get me out of this situation. I didn't think it would work though.
"Yea… I… I'll lay off."
Even if it was to get out of trouble, I was never going to say sorry. Never said it before, and wasn't going to start.
"I will not pursue you as per Lady Satsuki's orders. However you'll have a black mark on your record for this. Oh, and Mankanshoku…"
"What?"
"What have you decided?"
She shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
"Oh, I'm not quite sure what you're talking about."
Gamagoori sighed and walked away. Then Mako held out her hands like she was going to make another speech or something.
"Ryuko, what were you thinking? I know that you're trying to get revenge and all that, but you can't go at it alone! You have to understand, I can't watch my friend get hurt like that, and you're-"
"Why did you save me?"
"Because you're my friend, Ryuko! And friends help friends who are in trouble, no matter what! I know what you're thinking, you think that because you're a hybrid, we secretly hate you, but we don't! Trust us!"
Ahhh, now this makes sense.
I thought I told you to shut up.
Your memories have given me at least part of the answer, having spent most of your life alone and on the run, you do not understand the emotions of your own kind. You believe everyone around you to be treacherous. However… in this case you may be wrong.
That kind of thinking has saved me before.
Yes… but it has caused you distress. One cannot carry out an objective with a distressed mind. The exuberant one has saved you because of this concept of 'friendship.' Her stupidity is unmatched… however, a roof over your head and a stable mind will save a lot of trouble. Staying with her may also give you some insight on how to read the intentions of others correctly. Take up her offer.
"All right, you win. I'll stay."
Mako smiled at me and we started to walk back to class, there was something I wanted to ask her however…
"Hey, Mako? Do you and that Gamagoori guy know each other?"
"No, not really."
The rest of the day was just as exhausting. Plus school days in Honnouji were absurdly long… it was six in the evening. And just when I thought that I was done for the day, Mr. Mikisugi dropped another bomb on my head.
"Matoi, please see me in my office."
I knew what this was really going to be about, but I had to face it. I reluctantly made my way to his office and sat down in one of the chairs. He sat in the couch in front of me, crossed his legs and did that weird hair flip thing. I braced myself for a lecture.
"I was hoping for a stealth operation… but of course, you made that impossible for me. What surprises me the most though is Lady Satsuki's verdict… she's letting you, a potential threat to her regime, run away scot free."
"I know I bungled up your plans, so we have to change our game. Satsuki can't be keeping me alive out of mercy; she's probably got ulterior motives… wait, what do you mean by 'of course?' "
"I told you to lay low… but I had a strong suspicion that this wouldn't work, given the nature of Kamui. That's why I had a plan B."
"Wait, you know about these things right? Why does everyone think that Ragyo's the only person with a Kamui?
"Because that's what the Kiryuins want you to believe. There are other Kamui out there, mostly worn by Ragyo's associates… and of course yours, which your father made for you. If you want to know where he got his trade from, I'm afraid I can't tell you. He refused to answer that whenever I asked him."
He got up and was standing behind me. Then he handed me a red glove with spikes in the fingers and a switch like piece on the side.
"What's this?"
"The last piece of your Kamui, your father asked me to hold on to it. It's called a syringe glove; it makes it easier for you to provide it with blood."
"So I just turn this thing here to make it work, right?" I gestured to the switch.
"Correct."
Then out of nowhere he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, I could feel him leaning on me and his breath against my neck. I could feel my face turning red.
"Uhhh…"
"Satsuki's keeping you alive, so this makes everything much easier. You are to quietly assimilate into the academy and gather information… in addition to learning how to master that Kamui. You'll come to me for that. Also, club tryouts start tomorrow, so get into the kendo club to hone your swordplay as well. Give them the impression that you've learned the error of your ways…"
He was whispering in my ear, his voice was soft and strangely enticing. I kind of didn't want him to leave or stop what he was doing.
Your oxytocin levels and body temperature are rising, strange…
I didn't really understand what Senketsu was talking about, but I didn't care to listen to him.
"Do you understand me?"
"…yea." That was all I could manage.
"Good…"
He nipped at the lower part of my ear; I let out a surprised yelp.
Your heartbeat has risen dramatically in response… even more bizarre…
He pulled his hair back and hunched again, then I walked out of the room and took the stairs to the ground floor, apparently only two stars and above could take the lift. I saw Mako waiting for me in the entrance, and we took the tramway home.
"Hey, Ryuko?"
"Yea?"
"What did Mr. Mikisugi talk to you about? You said he was your dad's friend or something, and that he knew some answers."
I knew I couldn't be one hundred percent truthful.
"He asked me how Dad died, and told me that the Kiryuins were responsible. He said I should be careful, but I told him I wanted revenge and kind of walked out on him. He chewed me out for doing that after class today."
"Ohhh, I see."
We were silent for a while as I looked out the window. We passed by the three-star district with its huge houses and pretty gardens, the two star district with the smaller and less gaudy looking houses, and we started moving into the one star district with its apartment complexes. I thought about how absurd it was, how your marks and talents could affect so much. When I came back to Mako's house, I had to explain how Mako convinced me to stay. Her parents and brother seemed a lot happier afterwards. When I went to the dinner table to eat however, I wasn't sure if I could stay happy.
"Ryuko, what's wrong?"
She was asking me what was wrong… did she think that anyone would be comfortable eating miso soup that looked like it was made with sludge water and croquettes filled with who-knows-what?
"Oh, this? It's nothing fancy, but dig in! You need your strength tomorrow!" Mako's mom cheerfully served me soup and three croquettes along with a bowl of rice. Everyone else was eating like it was the best food ever, but I wasn't too sure.
I decided to take a bite of just the croquettes, and strangely enough… they actually tasted good.
"Wow, these aren't half bad… what did you put in them?"
Mako's mom smiled widely, I found it a little unsettling.
"Oh, that doesn't matter!"
I decided not to think about it and ate what I could. After dinner, Mako, Mataro, and I went to the living room to do our homework. I didn't really know what to do, so I just wrote what I knew. By the time we were done, it was about ten. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep without even changing.
I can't breathe.
My eyes burn, I can't feel my body, I feel like I'm being swallowed by the clear blue abyss.
Water…
The water breaks me down, it makes me weak, it controls me, and it makes me powerless. I'm trapped in its grasp, it beckons me to stop fighting it and give up.
My body grows hot and cold, I feel paralyzed, then suddenly, I come up to the surface, gasping for breath.
I begin to wail and scream for help. I start treading the water in a desperate attempt to stay afloat, I begin to flail about and search for the nearest object I can find to anchor myself. I feel myself beginning to sink again, and then I hear a voice.
"Stay still, my dear, and entrust your heart to me…"
I woke up screaming.
My heart was in my throat, I was panting and drenched in sweat. I suddenly heard rustling and the next thing I knew, Mako was right in front of me. Her eyes were puffy from sleep and her hair was tousled.
"You all right, Ryuko?"
"Drowning… a voice…"
I was still so fear stricken that I was unable to properly tell her what my nightmare was. I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"It's okay, it was just a dream. You can come over to my cot if you're still scared…"
"Nah, I'm good."
Mako looked at me apprehensively, as if she thought I was lying or something, and then went back to bed, shrugging her shoulders. I tried to fall asleep, but I was lying awake in bed, and started tossing and turning. That nightmare was still bothering me.
Ryuko, perhaps there is a connection between your nightmare and what I just experienced.
What do you mean?
How would you flesh-beings explain this…? I felt as if something… or someone has tampered with our link.
I don't get it…
I have a strong suspicion that something is trying to contact us. I doubt it is one of my own kind, the only cross-breeds we can communicate with are our own hosts.
But… what if it is?
Highly improbable… but if is the case, I take back what I said about fear being dangerous. To survive something capable of that… we must be afraid. Very, very afraid.