Trading Our Lives for Stars
A few days slid by in the time after Ryuko's confrontation with Sanageyama. Nothing special had happened aside from a few lowly One Stars trying to fight Shinko, they all failed miserably. Today though something felt different.
Lunchtime, the most action filled time of day, rolled around. Ryuko sat on the gigantic chains at the far edge of the courtyard, where she and Mako had enjoyed countless meals before. One of the giant rusted links away sat Mako, who was facing in towards her absolutely enjoying a bento box. Stuff any normal students would enjoy until...
'Clang!' a knife thrown off the mark smashed into the rusted chain glancing off harmlessly. Ryuko quickly rolled into action throwing her guitar case in the way to block any of the sharpened daggers from hitting her best friend.
'Ryuko. Now!' Senketsu ordered as the knives began to thrash about the case harder and faster. She most definitely was the target.
"Right!" the twisting clip came undone and she rolled out from the behind the case a sheath of stars following. A flame-like protrusion engulfed her and a moment later the teenager was standing firm in the transformed state." Life Fiber: Synchronize! Kamui Senketsu!" the case popped open and the Scissor Sword came out falling into her hands without fail.
"Okay punk what's your deal?" a knife came barreling towards her chest it bent out of shape upon contact with the space between her breast. There was a lack of concern at the impact instead her eyes were glued forward at the knife thrower no time to worry about something so simple as that.
"Jack Naito, head of the Knife Throwin' Club!" at those words three more knives were hurled her way all breaking apart upon impact with the lifting Scissor Sword. He slithered down like a snake and chunked another knife at his foe it was batted away bouncing off of the chain before clanging to the concrete flooring of the courtyard. Something seemed off about his appearance but that was something for later.
'We need to finish this up,' Senketsu reminded as the knives became more erratically thrown.
"Scissor Blade: Decapitation Mode!" Ryuko's voice rose and the weapon extended with the scream. A star raced down the razor-sharp edge of the sword before gleaming off of the end as she charged forward. Knives tried to hit her she simply moved around them leaving two parallel trails of Life Fiber reinforced weaponry on either side." Finishing Move! Sen-i-Soshitsu!" an uppercut threw every knife backward and destroyed the Goku Uniform.
The Nexus Thread had been lost. It quickly swirled into the back of Senketsu as every prior one had. Ryuko turned in shock as another person appeared ready to assault her.
"I am the leader of the Nanjing Lily Clu-" it was too late his uniform had been shredded and his Nexus thread lost. Ryuko kicked the now naked person away only to see a tightrope get fired over head, connecting into the chain.
"What the hell is next? The Clown Club leader?" she scoffed. Almost upon those words music akin to the circus began to play and a student dressed as a clown began to wobble down the rope." I was freaking kidding! What are you?" she chopped the line down the clown-dressed student dropping to the ground with an off balance thud.
"I am the head of the Tightrope Club-" the blade had pierced this student's Kamui as well. The force threw the student back in a burst of wind as Ryuko spun the blade around. The Nexus Thread was absorbed by Senketsu and a puff of steam emerged from the vent along her back, it was like nothing at all happened.
"Hey Mako what's up with all these specific clubs?" Ryuko asked sitting on the chain. Senketsu losing the transformed state in the process. Her best friend looked up with a mouthful of rice, Mako quickly swallowed and took a breath in. Non-stop eating was probably not a good sign.
"Those guys were all members of the Acrobatics Club, its funny to see them separate again. But all the clubs are because of you silly," the brunette smiled closing the bento as it was currently empty. Ryuko looked at her confused.
"Me? What did I do?" Ryuko asked stretching out slightly as the wounded former club heads she had just beaten crawled away. Mako watched them stumble away before looking up again.
"Satsuki promised anyone that could beat Shinko or you, Ryuko, a Three Star Goku Uniform. Of course to get anywhere in range of that you would need to be a Club President with a Two Star Uniform. And then you're quality of life goes up," Mako spoke, small stars shimmered in her eyes.
"Giving up someone's life for a few stars? Isn't that kinda of messed up?" Ryuko asked but then she caught herself. Her right hand cupped her chin, an idea was just present in her mind." Mako I have an idea! Come on!" Ryuko hopped from the chain and rushed to find something or another.
Elsewhere on the school grounds...
"We are the Psychology Club leaders, Sigmo and Mon," the two students said standing side by side. Both of them had blonde hair and a hollow almost ghostly blue eyes that bored into one's soul. Their pattern of speaking was not too good either as it seemed that had a link telepathically or something.
"Got it. Want me to lay on a couch or something?" the stud in his glove pressed in.
A stream of green thread spiraled around his body breaking his clothes and forming a sort of chrysalis. Stars reached out in a cyclone around him as fresh blood ran through every vein or thread of his Kamui transforming it to combat form. A beast of green flames rose up from behind and clamped down bursting as threads gripped tightly around it.
"Life Fiber: Fusion! Kamui Sentokitsu!" his voice echoed through the corridor where they were standing.
Quickly he drew his blade and pointed it forward aiming it between the two Two Star Students, both of which were staring forward blankly.' Weird group aren't they?' Shinko asked himself keeping the broad sword raised to face his twin foes for sure.
'Shinko it seems that they are going to attack your from both sides,' Sentokitsu informed as both of them continued to glare forward. Shinko kept eyes situated upon them as the blade in his hands began to slip.
"It all started when you were a young child. Your mother died..." the first Sigmo stared off. Shinko's grip instantly faltered how could they possible know that, he sensed something dangerous in the works as well.
"A little further down the line your father died as well. You were left all alone here..." Mon's voice cooed annoyingly down the hall way. Shinko felt his grip loosening even more it was like they were breaking his muscles down without even touching him.
'Shinko? What's wrong your heart rate has dropped!' the Kamui was showing genuine concern as the skin beneath hit began to get goosebumps, the blood getting airier in a way.
"I-I can't focus on anything," the wearer responded realizing his blade was now planted firmly on the ground. The Two Star students up the hall began to walk slowly down, their feet clicking like that of a metronome. His eyes even followed theirs something was going on.
"Except the sounds of our voice," the two said in unison as Shinko spaced out. His youth filled eyes turned pale and pupils dilated making his eyes spread out and wide open as the two approached. Every muscle in the black haired teen's body was relaxed as if he were asleep and in some ways he was.
"Except the sounds of your voice," he repeated back. It was monotonous, he was not responding consciously. They snapped and his body slumped down again the ground completely unable to handle its own weight.
"Now remove your Kamui and hand it over," they ordered with another snap. Their voices cooed like a pigeons the entire time, their steps still mimicking a metronome.
Shinko went to remove the Kamui but Sentokitsu was having none of that.' Shinko I swear if this is how you hand me over. Snap out of it!' Sentokitsu exclaimed as Shinko began to reach for the seam of his shirt read to undo it. Power was decreasing fast, they were losing Fusion.
"Finishing Move: Murasama!" a blade raced out through the hall and dissected the two Goku Uniforms into nothing. Shinko stood a few feet behind his afterimage body rigid and firm the broad sword now glowing in his right hand. The chain had been wrapped around both of their legs and extension from the Murasama's broad sword form.
"H-How could you stop our Psychological Manipulation?" their voices were still in-sync.
"Because I'm not weak minded," Shinko snapped the chain drawing their two heads together with a clunking sound.
'You were conscious this whole time?' his Kamui questioned as Shinko released the chain around the two naked young men. It was drawn back into the sword a moment later leaving only few links to hang there.
"No but you were, the only reason I snapped out of that was because you moved me," Shinko remarked twirling the three and a half foot long sword around before sheathing it over his back. His Kamui on the other hand had a different reaction." You didn't move me? Than who did? I was out of it," the black haired teen shrugged slightly chilled by the realization.
'It could come from the fact we are functioning as one under the Fusion. Your subconscious will to go on was unable to be suppressed by their manipulation of your consciousness. You're psyche must be an interesting place,' Sentokitsu remarked as they strolled down the hallway leaving the now defunct Club Leaders to inch away.
"You think so? That afterimage though was one of Sanageyama's tricks right, does that mean?" Shinko asked as they continued to walk by for the moment un-bothered by anything.
'You subconsciously picked up on some of his movements? Yes, I do believe so considering that your weapon stance had altered as well,' the Kamui responded assuredly. His father had done something extremely special if the Kamui could recognize and subconsciously work out the movements of the wearer without as much as a word.
"Cool so you are like a big super adapter," Shinko smiled until a loud beating sound from the courtyard filled the buildings walls with loud booms.
"Matoi! What is this?" Ira Gamagori's word echoed through the entire building as Ryuko leaned against her freshly painted sign. In bold were the words: FIGHT CLUB, and a desk had been set up beside the sign.
"Can't you read? If everyone else at this school gets a club why can't I?" Ryuko asked with a yawn as Mako opened the empty manila folder position on the desk. Gamagori was steamed so much so it was almost visible. Ryuko smiled at this giving the brute even more reason to fume and be angry, such defiance crippled such an order bound being.
"You can't do that Matoi," Ira retorted back angrily. His eyes were now narrowed and his arching brows perked up even higher like two mountains. His hands were trembling with what restraint he had left.
"Why not? I mean the Acrobatics Club can fold and become three clubs so why can't I start my own?" the defiant youth questioned. Ryuko was good at annoying people and it was rubbing off especially well against the muscular Disciplinary Chair.
'Clack!' high above the masses the edge of a weapon clicked against the thick white concrete of the tower. An irresistible force washed over the weaker members that happened to be in the area, they bowed. At the center of the spinning light a shape that ticked off Ryuko more than being hunted down by dozens of clubs on end. Gamagori laid his right hand and forearm over his massive chest as the young woman stood against the sheathed blade.
"Gamagori allow this to transpire," Satsuki's voice echoed as if she had been speaking into a massive cavern. Her blue calculating eyes were locked on Mako, who was failing to even pay attention to the entire situation." Present Matoi with the proper papers and allow it to run on its own from there," the woman clicked her right heel before walking away.
"Of course Lady Satsuki," Gamagori said in a low tone before looking up. Ryuko gave him a real shitfaced grin an 'I told you so' type look that frustrated him even more. The horde of One Star students that had followed him all stiffened when his massive frame rose up from the temporary kneeling position." Bring them the papers. Promptly!" he ordered.
Suddenly a massive stack of files and papers were being pushed down the line of nobodies. Each grit under the pressure presented by the heavy stack before passing it along to Gamagori. Ryuko lost that look on her face and a bead of sweat began to roll down the back of her head as he grinned broadly. The papers smashed into the desk surface, the legs nearly buckling under the pressure.
"Ryuko Matoi, President of the Fight Club, here are the standard issue forms of application. This is your weekly budget report, due at the weekly meetings all Club Presidents have to attend,"Gamagori remarked arrogantly drawing the top pamphlet from the pile and tossing to the teenaged girl standing before him." Since you have access to the Kamui Senketsu you have no need for a Goku Uniform as such here is the opt out form for that," another huge stack of papers were thrown her way.
Gamagori paused for a brief moment before grabbing another large chunk of papers from the stack." As you lead the Fight Club you must log every encounter you have within the school grounds," the stack of grid lined papers were placed upon her already massive pile." Also every morning there is a Club President Meeting that begins exactly at 7 AM so do not be late."
"I defer my role as Club President to Mako Mankanshoku!" Ryuko said nervously.
"Gee thanks Ryuko," Mako smiled eyes bright. Then it hit her what her best friend had just done." Wait what? Ryuko?" Mako questioned as the Disciplinary Chair walked out of the courtyard with a certain swagger.
After School...
"Fight Club huh?" Shinko questioned meeting the new members of the instantly new club in the hallway. Luckily he had managed to reach them in time, their class differences becoming more clear.
"What? I think its a great idea. I mean the stars mean a better life, so getting Mako and her family to a better place would be the only way to repay them for everything they had done for me," Ryuko said as they began to walk. Mako had already begun working out fight plans on a piece of notebook paper, after all it was her job now.
"You know you guys could have come to my Two Star mansion right? Sure now its kinda crowded with the other two Fencing Club chairs but prior to a few days ago I had a few open rooms," Shinko talked as they walked now heading towards the exit. He was not ready to even attempt to talk about the encounter with the Psychology Club because it was sort of embarrassing.
"Bullcrap," Ryuko, brash as ever, shouted.
"Believe what you want. Right now I'm just glad no one is trying to take our Kamui," the young man said calmly as the walked into the courtyard which was surprisingly barren.
"You have trouble with them macho man?" the boorish young woman asked as they walked over the broken portions of concrete and crack pavement from the many things that had occurred as of late as the school.
"No, it just get's really annoying when you are walking between classes and some weirdo comes at you trying to take your clothes off," he defended a blush quickly appearing across his face. Ryuko snorted looking away for a moment as Mako continued to silently work things out on that piece of paper.
"Sure, do you ever think that you could fight Satsuki?" Ryuko changed topic as many teens did in a conversation that was dead-end. Shinko, now was the one looking away.
"I was planning on it but you have an even bigger grudge with her than I do," they continued to walk towards the massive star shaped arch. Ryuko kept it quite for a moment pondering over what her friend just said." Just remember Ryuko you don't have to be alone in this fight. You have Senketsu to help you and I'll always be there if you too are in dire straights," he said, this in turn made Ryuko blush.
"What about the Elite Four?" she asked as they walked under the massive structure. The moment of awkward silence was done for now at least.
"Jakuzure talked to me like I was a piece of trash or a bad pet. Inumuta, looks at me like I'm a text book. Gamagori doesn't like me very much because I'm not Satsuki's number one fan. Sanageyama is," he cupped his chin stopping for the moment. It was hard to describe how he and the Athletic Committee chair interacted." All right but the way he beat you and Senketsu around the other day pissed me off," Shinko revealed as they continued to head on downwards to the slums of the city.
"I see so you're just as mad at them as I am," Ryuko's hands were clenched. She was against anyone that supported Satsuki so the Elite Four were naturally her enemies and now it seemed that every Club Captain at the school was as well.
"Not at all. You and I hate different parts of the school at different levels, the only I can agree with you on is that Satsuki Kiryuin is one of the worst people on the planet," Shinko accented his point by looking back at the long tower that was visible from their position, Satsuki's Throne Room.
"Do you think you could beat me in a fight? You are a Club President after all how long before we have to fight one another?" they were approaching Mako's house, it was still a way off so it gave him a few minutes to think.
'How do I feel about that? Ryuko would be so difficult to plan for and yet an exhilarating fight for sure,' he wondered clenching both gloves that had made up Sentokitsu's hand portion." I fought you in my underwear and managed to hold me own. So at the moment I think we'd be close, you'd win though. I couldn't go all out against a friend like you," Shinko assured.
"That's a cowards answer," she spat angrily.
"Maybe one of these days we can find out but until then. If it comes up that you have to fight the Fencing Club Captain I have two guys that are pretty good," Shinko winked. His blue eyes were now focusing on the Two Star mansion way up on the hill, inside his two co-Captains struggling to get stronger.
"Again wimping out," Ryuko rolled both eyes.
"No, being smart. I've seen you fight for real a total of three times. The first I was mostly unconscious, the second you and Satsuki nearly knocked me out, and the third Sanageyama beat you. That doesn't really give me a lot to go off of things to plan for," taking the wise approach Shinko smirked.
"Got it, so no you're scared," she stuck out her tongue as they reached the Mankanshoku residence.
"See ya later Kurosaki," Ryuko once again spat as she and Mako entered, removing their shoes by the door.
That night Mako stayed up extremely late. For some reason she got really involved with the entire experience as the Fight Club President.
Next Morning...
"I, Ryuko Matoi, President of the Fight Club Challenge you to a fight," Ryuko sighed approaching a ring of girls that were dancing in a circle. They all quickly turned with fierce glints in their eyes.
"Tsk, Tsk, Ryuko Matoi you've fallen right into our trap!" the Club President said as a boombox started bumping on a chair that appeared seemingly out of no where. Every member there tightened their circle and begun to spin around Ryuko in a dancing fashion." You'll learn not to mess with the President of the Folk Dancing Club Maimu Okurama," she hissed a whistle present in her mouth.
It blew a second later and all the girls in the circle charged in driving their feet into Ryuko's head. She stumbled back slightly as they prepared for another this time gripping the clip that activated Senketsu. Needless to say on their trip back in a red blade whirled through all of their uniforms and Ryuko stood tall in the middle of the circle.
"Sen-i-Soshitsu!" she spun the blade around like a cowboy in a Western movie. In a blink of stars she returned to normal having gained yet another Nexus Thread from a Two Star Uniform.
"Way to go Ryuko!" Mako cheered hands raised up in a pumping motion as they headed back to school.
Lunch...
Instead of the courtyard Ryuko found herself in the swimming hall facing a weird frog-like teenager. Mako planted the sign down in front of the pool and Ryuko went to work. A flash of blinding light and Senketsu woke up again.
"Finishing Move: Sen-i-Soshitsu!" the red highlighted teenager shouted pulling back on the tongue that had wrapped around her left wrist. The young idiot who owned the tongue came flying in only to be bisected only on the clothes level with the weapon. A red line raced through its core adn exploded it, the Nexus Thread had been lost in one fell swoop.
Meanwhile with Shinko...
"Who's next?" Shinko taunted. Around him were a few downed Club Presidents. They were all in the nude but certain elements of their Two Star Uniforms showed their affiliation. One was the over matched Algebra Club leader, another was the head of the Literature Club, the third that was leaning against the wall was another out-matched teenager from the Ballroom Dancing Club.
'To your left. Arrow,' Sentokitsu's voice filled his wearer's head. Shinko dodged as the hole in the window came to fruition. Down below a massive crossbow that had been aimed at his head stared.
"This is going to be fun!" Shinko laughed punching the glass away and standing in the window school. His sword had jabbed into the wall and he descended as the arrows were fired rapidly at him. They all missed luckily but some came awfully close to shooting through him.
"Archery Club Captain, Shira Huudu," the archer smiled flipping the weapon back forward an arrow lining up in its sights. Shinko tensed two handed sword present before his body." You're Kamui isn't like Matoi's, anyone can wear it sorry about your damn luck!" the arrow shot forward.
It hit the building, cutting through and afterimage. Shinko reappeared slicing his weapon down. It sparked along the Life Fiber bow shaking the ground beneath with pressure waves of force. Shinko grit and the chain beneath the weapon spiraled around the bow, at Shinko's click of the hilt. The Captain released his crossbow and drew another a recursive that spawned seemingly out of no where.
"Good try," the broad sword slashed through the air. The bow sprang apart the Life Fiber cord at the end twanging as it split in the slash. Shinko turned green edged blade shining with a stream of stars." Finishing Move!" the Club Captain spun around his quiver drawing an arrow that morphed into a blade it was trick arrow.
'Interesting, he has a quiver of trick arrows,' Sentokitsu remarked as the archer came forward. Shinko smiled jumping out of the loose slash and dropping behind his enemy.
"I know," Shinko's voice whispered to his Kamui as a slash of green reached down the chest of the Two Star Goku Uniform. It tore apart slightly at the seams as more cuts began to pull away." Murasama!" the slashes multiplied as he turned around arms moving in a green tinted blur. The sword was sheathed and the foe crumpled to his knees Goku Uniform sputtering away.
"Finished," he walked away detransforming.
Two days passed. Ryuko Matoi had easily succeeded in her challenges. This success had led to a sudden increase in the quality of life for the family of Mako Makanshoku going from a No Star to a One Star and finally up to a Three Star. This of course came with luxury and prestige that the slum family had never had, it changed their thinking to centralize around money and greed.
This desire for money led to a rift to form in the once happy family. Two days of wealth broke down the tight bonds that packed the family and now it was a boiling point.
As a result Ryuko was do to challenge the Elite Four today. It was her shot that would put the Makanshoku's on the Three Star tier with the Elite Four had she won. Of course in spite of this she carried something heavier than the hopes of her surrogate family.
"You're late Ryuko! We almost had to start without you," Mako chided. She had traded in the No Star Uniform for something that looked like a business woman's attire which held two stars over the chest. Ryuko looked at her holding onto an envelope.
Instead of responded Ryuko threw it to the brunette. The letter smacked Mako across the face and descended down to the once naive teenager's hands, it had a weight that did not match its components." A letter of resignation? Ryuko we'd be sent back to the slums!" Mako shouted.
"We'd be better off that way Mako," Ryuko tried to explain but Mako was having none of it. The once lowly No Star was almost growling, feral, upon seeing the letter. Ryuko however kept calm.
"She's right Makanshoku," Shinko walked from the stands seeing the tenseness in the situation. The teen looked at him with angry eyes that even shone out from behind the glasses." If you want Two Star food my house is always open you don't have to get money hungry," he remarked arms crossed.
'Clank!' a metallic edge hit the roof of the central tower. A light shone from ahead and reached down with an imposing pressure that very few could ever hope to withstand. Shinko, Mako, and Ryuko all looked at the tower with widened eyes, some filled with resentment and others with a new found adoration.
"Lady Satsuki," Mako said with respect staring at the dictator, who was perched up on high.
"Mako Makanshoku, President of the Fight Club! If you wish to be moved to Three Star status your mission is to fight and defeat Ryuko Matoi," the blade's sheath hit the ground again the light intensifying.
"You bitch who do you think would take that offer?" Ryuko shouted up to the queen. The blue eyes girl's red highlight got in her eyes a loud thud coming from behind them.
Satsuki grinned even from up high it was visible." You see Matoi, greed and money are the purest forms of corruptions in the human race. Once they get a taste of it they crave more and more. That is what makes them pigs in human's clothing," Satsuki snickered, as the thud turned into a burst of light. A wardrobe had just detonated.
"A Goku Uniform!" both shouted in unison. The case exploded and Ryuko braced as Shinko held out his sword to get a solid footing. The powerful light was impressive.
The Makanshoku's fall to greed as our young heroine stares down the greatest challenge yet. Friend or foe? Can Ryuko Matoi find it within herself to beat her best friend? What will Shinko do if she fails challenge Mako himself?
Thanks for reading,
~Herodan3
