Kill La College

by wellthizizdeprezzing

Whelp this is my first fanfic ever and I know this show came out two years ago but what can I say, it's so good and I just found it now. Anyways enjoy Kill la Kill college style, with more badassery and deception than ever before. Plot: Ryuko gets an all expanse paid ride to college. The only problem? Its president is a girl named Satsuki who is hell bent on making Ryuko suffer.

25. Chapter 25

Kill La College

Final Chapter

It All Ended with Despair and Hope

A/N: Man I can't believe it but it's here: the last chapter of the series. It took me a whole year to finish this series and a lot changed even as I was writing it. My style of writing, the plot, character development, etc. But all in all, despite the hours put into writing this, I feel a mixture of happiness, relief and sadness that I've concluded the series. This fanfic was my first ever and introduced me to the world of fanfiction. But while I hate to leave the characters and world I have created, this gives me an opportunity to focus on other works in different fandoms. I do have another Kill La Kill fanfiction called Kill La Frat for anyone who is interested in a sillier take on the KLK storyline. Enough rambling for now, enjoy the final chapter of Kill La College. And thank you for following this story. :)

Junketsu's giant mecha moved across the city, crushing anything and everything underfoot, knocking down buildings that stood in her way with its titanium steel arms of destruction. People ran screaming away from it but she ignored their cries, standing with her chin jutting upwards and hands on the hilt of her sword Bakuzan. Explosions and shrapnel followed in her wake, but it wasn't the only thing following her.

Uzu was on his way, leaping from collapsed rooftop to collapsed rooftop. He was a man with one sole mission; to finish off his lady and stop her from unleashing untold damage on the world. He knew that if she was sane she would want him to do the same, so it was with words of forgiveness on his tongue and heaviness on his heart that he decided he had to follow through with his plan, him and him alone. If by some miracle Satsuki would survive the extraction of the evil life fibers in her body then he would do his best to nurse her back to recovery and to take the brunt of the anger she would have directed at him. But her survival was something that was slim, and so he kept his hopes completely obliterated.

He had caught up to her robot by now and digging his shinai into the metal, he helped pull himself up its back. When he reached the top he saw that Junketsu hadn't moved, her back still to him, her eyes trained on the transmission tower in front of her. "Uzu, I did not expect you to survive the fight with Nui. I'm upset at her. How could she let you slip away? Have the years softened her?"

"She didn't let me slip away," Uzu clarified, puffing out his chest in pride at the victory. "I defeated her. Nui is no more. Even now as we speak her corpse is rotting."

Junketsu was quiet. "What a pity. I actually liked the girl," she said at last, turning on her heel and lashing out her arm. Uzu barely managed to dodge that attack, his feet skidding back, his heels hanging over the edge of the robot's shoulders. He lifted a hand to his cheek and it came back red. So she had struck first. This made it easier. At least he wouldn't have to carry the guilt of attacking first.

"Now it seems I will have to get rid of you myself," Junketsu stated.

"You won't be getting rid of me anytime soon," Uzu steadied his feet, gripping both shinai in his hands tightly. "I'll be the one getting rid of you. I'm sorry Satsuki. If you are still in there and you can hear me, then forgive me for what I am going to do. But I know you'll understand that this is for the best. You only ever wanted to save the world no matter the cost and I know you wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice yourself if things came to such extent."

"Are you done blabbing?" Junketsu interrupted impatiently, taking a step closer to him.

Uzu still had so much he wanted to tell her but it didn't look like he had anymore time for it. With a deep breath he threw away the notion that this was his friend in front of him. It wasn't Satsuki. It was Junketsu who he was fighting. Then he shrugged forwards, only to be blasted off the robot with a pink bolt of energy.

He cartwheeled in the air, confused by the attack. Was it Nui? Had she come back? He used the momentum of the fall and spun around, directing himself closer to the robot so he could slow down his fall by digging his shinai into the robot's metal flesh. Looking up he saw who it was and swallowed deeply. Even though he couldn't see her he knew who it was.

"Nonon, what is the meaning of this?"

"I could ask you the same! Why are you attacking the lady?"

"She's not our lady anymore! She's Junketsu!"

"It's still Satsuki. She's still in there. We can't hurt her until she comes back!"

"There's no guarantee she'll come back," Uzu argued, steadily bringing himself closer to the top. "You heard Junketsu yourself. She said she wouldn't ever give her body back!"

"That's not true! She told me once she was done accomplishing her goals she would hand Satsuki back over to us, good as new. That she would even erase her bad memories of Ragyo," Nonon shrilled, closing her eyes in the hopes that Uzu would see reason and choose the right side, by their lady's side.

But Uzu was not any closer to being convinced. He had already accepted the fact of Satsuki's death and Nonon's words of false hope would not sway him. "And you believed that? She could be lying for all you know! I'm sorry Jakuzure but we have to face reality and take Satsuki down."

"I won't let you! She's my friend!" Nonon pulled out her giant pink sword. She hadn't blanched to fight Ryuko- it was the dark haired girl's fault that things had escalated to such a point. But she hadn't wanted to fight Uzu. He was her friend no matter how much he pissed her off sometimes.

"As she is my friend!"

"Then you should understand!"

"No! Nonon you're being unreasonable! You would protect her even as she's destroying the world? She's hurting people, Nonon and there's no telling how far her plan extends. No telling what sort of widespread damage she will cause. As her friends we have to stop her from making this kind of mistake."

"Just shut up!" Nonon hissed, refusing to hear his reason.

"Nonon," Junketsu spoke up. She had been watching the exchange silently. "I know how much anguish this conflict this is causing you. I won't ask you to fight your friends. I only ask you to protect your friend Satsuki, to do what is right. What is in your heart." Junketsu approached and placed a hand over Nonon's heart.

"Get away from her!" Uzu spat from where he was a mere couple of feet away from them. "You're corrupting her just like you corrupted Ira!" Bunching his legs together he propelled himself up, closing the distance. Nonon and Junketsu moved back to make space for him. "I'll take both of you on if that's what it means having to stop this evil."

Satsuki smirked at this. "You could barely take me on as you are right now."

"Uzu stand back! I'm warning you!" Nonon pointed her sword at him but he knocked it to the side with one of his shinai. "I won't Nonon. I'm serious. You have to accept the fact that Satsuki will have to die. That it's not her anymore but Junketsu!"

"Stop saying that!" Nonon felt tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to fight you but you leave me no choice!" With that the battle commenced. She sent the green haired boy flying off the robot a second time and then took to the air, following him down and sending a barrage of energy blasts at him. He smacked them away with his shinai before he hit the ground, rolling onto his knees and back to his feet in time to intercept another blast from the pinkette.

---

Aikuro pulled out the fist that was embedded deeply in the face of Rei's robot, and not a moment too soon. With a loud explosion, the robot burst into an inferno. Aikuro took several steps back to avoid getting hit with shrapnel, raising his arms up to cover his face. When he lowered them he saw that most of the embers had died down already. There was no question of Rei surviving that. If she hadn't been pummeled into butter by his fist, then she had been blown to high heaven.

The fight hadn't been easy and Aikuro's robot had sustained heavy damages of his own, that's why he was wondering if it wasn't time to ditch this metal suit and find the rest of the Nudist Beach members. But when he turned to go in the direction of where he had last seen them he saw that a swarm of robots was coming at him, from each side.

"That's just great," Aikuro muttered, his hands coming up to the robot's controls. The robots had been attracted to him by the giant explosion. "What the hell are Inumuta and Iori doing that's taking them so long?"

Meanwhile the two boys in question had finally made their way into the control room of the lab. They had bypassed the traps successfully (most of the time) and were now free to take down the robots once and for all. Inumuta cracked his fingers and got to work, pushing levers, punching buttons and cranking knobs on the control panel. Iori stood nervously behind him.

"What now? Is it working?" He peered closer at what the blue haired boy was doing.

"Do you mind?" Inumuta growled, eyeing him evilly from the corner of his eye.

"Sorry." He leaned back.

With one last flourish of Houka's wrist the control panel turned off.

"Did...did it work?"

"Of course it did. The robots should now be successfully turned off. Let's get back up to the surface world and help out the others," Inumuta instructed and the two boys made their way back up.

On the surface world the robots shut down one by one, their upper halves bending over as their eyes dimmed. "About damn time," Aikuro muttered as his opponents stilled. His own robot shut down too but that didn't bother him at all. Now this meant they could all focus on taking Junketsu down.

He hopped out of his robot, sliding down to the ground gracefully and was meet by Inumuta and Iori.

"I thought you guys would never stop them in time," he said as they stopped in front of him.

"There were some...hold ups," Iori vaguely explained.

"How much did we miss?" Inumuta asked, getting straight to business.

"Just the near annihilation of the city. But now that the robots are out of the way we can focus on fighting the real issue."

Junketsu's robot too had stalled and she let out an irritated sigh. So the scoundrels had broken into her base. No matter. She had a feeling this might happen. She tapped the tip of Bakuzan twice against the metal and her asleep robot awoke once more, eyes glowing menacingly. She had made sure to build these robots with reserve energy sources in case they were shut down from the main control at the base.

All around the three boys, and the city, the robots came to life once more, their gears whirling and mechanics stirring.

"What the fuck?" Aikuro cursed as he craned his neck upwards. "I thought you said you shut them down." He shot an accusatory look at the two boys next to him.

"We did. But they must have a separate energy source," Inumuta mussed. "And if that's the case then we can't shut them down from the outside. We'll have to get in them."

"So you're telling me we have to go fight them again?"

"No Aikuro, we don't. If I put my Goku into the machines I can then hack them. But the process will be tedious and time consuming."

"We don't have a lot of time!" Aikuro shouted as he pushed the two boys to the side to avoid the giant robot hand that came crashing down at them. They rolled back to their feet and separated as more than one robot was going after them now. Aikuro had to get back inside his robot so he could take the others down.

"I know that!" Inumuta shot back as he back-flipped over another fist sent his way. He landed on it and sent one of his wires into it. The wire ripped through the metal and the blue haired boy typed something quickly onto the small keypad on his arm. "Iori cover me!" The blonde haired boy nodded his head in affirmation of this request. He shot some needles at the robots, causing them to back away cautiously from the two humans. The robot whose hand Inumuta was on, picked up his other arm in order to smack him off it when a giant robot intercepted him.

It was Aikuro. He had made it back into his robot, albeit this one was almost falling to bits. "Hurry up, Houka!" He grunted out as he wrestled with the hand, using two of his own hands for the one. The robot was fresh and had more juice than he had now. Aikuro's robot's arms groaned at the stress and bits and pieces crumbled downwards.

"Done!" Houka announced with satisfaction and lept off. The robot he had been working on lost all power and crumbled in on itself. "One down and only a hundred more to go," the blue haired boy mumbled, his victory suddenly not feeling like one. "This process will take a long time. If only I could find some way to hack several robots at once..." he trailed off, thinking hard as he gazed at the group of robots that still surrounded them.

"Guys, cover me," he ordered and shot off without waiting to see if his friends were following him.

"Cover you how? What are you going to do?" Iori asked following after the boy.

"Just cover me," Inumuta repeated and proceeded to run from one robot to the next, sending out his Goku's wires everywhere. Iori and Aikuro kept the robots attacks off of him as he did this. "What is he up to?" Aikuro mussed before a smile spread on his face as he got an idea. "You clever dog. I knew you could come up with a solution to this."

Inumuta had stopped running and was now standing on the crux of where his multitude of wires converged. There was one trailing from each robot and with a tap of his fingers, he was off, hacking away. The robots froze as the virus affected their system. Within seconds they were completely incapacitated and they fell with an almighty screech to the floor. The blue haired boy withdrew his wires, his job done.

"Now we just have to do this to the others and we'll have the city safer."

"Before we do, do you think you could get me a new robot?" Aikuro asked just as the arm of his robot fell to the ground.

---

With a thud Nonon slammed into the back of Junketsu's robot. The machine did not pause in it's journey forwards and the pinkette slide down and to the ground. She was breathing hard and she struggled to pick up her head to glare at her opponent through one eye. Uzu was approaching her, his hair blowing in the wind. She had lopped off his ponytail in battle and he looked like he had all those years ago when they had first fought to save the world.

"Nonon please see reason. I don't want to hurt you."

"No, but you're willing to hurt Satsuki and I can't let that happen," she panted out, rising to her feet slowly.

Uzu shook his head grimly. There was just no reasoning with the girl. Whatever Junketsu had done to her, the girl was thoroughly confused and on the wrong side. His only option was to knock her out and hope she would stay knocked out for the rest of the battle. He picked up his blades, intent on knocking her out cold when a sharp pain registered in the front of his chest.

He looked down, amazed by how a blade had found its way into the front of his chest, the hilt still bobbing slightly from how it had been recently thrown. And it was none other than Satsuki's blade. He could still sense her on top of the robot, so how had she gotten him without him noticing her?

A dribble of blood crawled down the length of his chin and he let out a wet cough, his blades falling from his hands as he dropped to his knees.

"Now is your chance Jakuzure. Finish him off," Junketsu ordered and the pinkette etiolated at this. "Finish him...off?"

"Kill him."

Nonon felt a spike of panic near her heart at those words. "But you said there would come no harm to the elite four if I did as you asked." She turned to look up at her lady whose robot had paused so she could address this small problem.

"That is true, but he didn't simply try to defeat me, but to kill me. I can't have that now, can I?"

"I'm sure we could just talk-"

"You've been trying to convince him otherwise for the last half hour and he hasn't changed his mind. The only thing that will fix this is his death."

Nonon swallowed deeply at this, her palms sweaty.

"That's right, Nonon. I won't stop trying to kill Junketsu no matter what you tell me," Uzu spoke up and let out another wet cough, his hands coming to grip the blade in front of his chest. Should he pull it out?

Nonon was torn on what choice she should make. She didn't want Uzu to kill Satsuki but she didn't want to kill her friend either. What was she to do?

She took a deep steadying breath and closed her eyes so that she could concentrate on the decision, deep in thought. When she opened her eyes back up, steel in her veins and hand on her blade she saw she was too late. Uzu was lying on the ground, blood seeping from his multiple wounds and Satsuki stood next to him, flicking the blood off of her blade. It splattered in a bloody arc next to Nonon, a single drop landing on her cheek. She didn't even flinch at it, her eyes wide as saucers.

Uzu was gone.

Dead.

Without so much as a sound.

"You killed him." Nonon's voice was a strangled whisper.

"Because someone here wouldn't," Junketsu pointedly said, turning to look at the pinkette. Her eyes were dark and a grin stretched her lips so wide it looked painful.

Nonon felt tears well up in her eyes. Why was this happening? Why?!

She held back a choked sob. Uzu was dead and it was all her fault...Junketsu was a liar and Nonon was a fool to have believed her. She had to take her down now before she could do anymore harm.

"Junketsu you fucking lying piece of cloth!" Nonon roared out, her rage fueling her and filling her with power. She hefted up her blade. "I will cut you out of Satsuki's body if I have to myself!"

"That won't be necessary," Junketsu growled, zooming up close to Nonon in a split second. Nonon reared back but she was too slow. Bakuzan's tip pierced her rib cage and went right into her heart. Blood burst forth from her mouth as her eyes rolled back into her head. She collapsed into a heap on the ground, her breaths shallow and quick.

"Sats...uki...I'm sorry..." Nonon breathed out pitifully, her shaking right hand reaching out towards her friend trapped in this alien controlled body. Junketsu knelt down next to her, grabbing her hand and pushing it backwards painfully until the wrist snapped. A squawk left the pinkette's lips but she had no air in her lungs to scream, her vision blurring in front of her. "I fail...ed you...I fai...led us all."

Then with one last shuddering breath she was gone.

Junketsu stood up at this, sheathing her blade. "I hope you were paying close attention Satsuki," she murmured to the girl's consciousness which was trapped inside her. "I hope you saw the life leaving your friends as you took them down, one after the other."

Only silence answered her and Junketsu smiled. It seemed she had obliterated Satsuki's conscious entirely. This body was now her's entirely. With a giant leap she took her place on top of her giant robot once more. With a hand outstretched and finger pointing forwards, the machine strode once more in the direction of the tower. She was a mere couple miles away to it, the towers metal top gleaming at her. Soon she would reach it and she could launch her fibers out and encapsulate the world in terror. No one would be able to stop her.

She would come to rule the entire world!

She let out a maniacal laugh only to stop short at a pain in her chest. She grabbed at it, finding there was no blood or weapon sticking out to explain this pain, yet it throbbed something fierce.

"What's going on?" Junketsu gasped. She got her answer a split second later when Satsuki's agonized cries tore through her body. They reverberated through every fiber of her being and brought her to her knees. "You," she hissed out. "Hurts when your friends die, doesn't it? But there's nothing you can do now about it."

"Oh there is," Satsuki shot back and struggled valiantly in the bonds that Junketsu had wrapped her in. Her rough movements caused Junketsu pain and she grabbed her head in her hands as she let out grunts and screams of pain. "Stop this fucking shit right now!"

"Never! For what you have done I promise to make you feel the pain a thousand fold! You will suffer!"

"I didn't do it. You did all this. It was your hand that slaughtered your friends and it was your mind that gave fuel to my evil plans. Face it, you're evil Satsuki, as evil as your mother!"

"Don't compare me to her, you vile creature!" Satsuki howled out, ripping free of some of the bonds that held her in place.

The giant robot Junketsu was on gave a wobble before it paused, whining pitifully. "What now?" Junketsu growled, peering down. She could make out the shape of Inumuta at the bottom of her robot. He had a bunch of wires wrapped around the robot's legs and looked to typing away madly on some sort of control panel. "Oh no you don't," Junketsu free fell down, blade unsheathed in her left hand and poised to cut the wires and Inumuta in one blow. But she wasn't expecting to see Iori come soaring up at her.

"Finally suited up I see. Still pathetic and no match for me, however." With a wide sweep of her sword she sent him flying into a building to her right. The boy fell to the ground and didn't move.

"Inumuta look out!" A metallic voice warned and Inumuta's head snapped up to look at her. He dodged at the last moment, retracting his wires in the process. She landed softly to the ground, her hair rustling around her and her long diamond earrings waving in the wind from her fall before they settled down.

"It looks like the pests came to bother me once more. You'd think you would have a bit more consideration for my plans. No matter. You won't last more than a minute like your friends did."

"Our friends?" Aikuro shouted out from his new robot. He stood directly in the way of Junketsu's robot and although his was still way smaller than her's, that didn't mean he wouldn't try to take it down. "What did you do to them?"

"I killed them, like I promised I would." Junketsu's smile was sickening.

"Everyone?" Iori asked, coming up from the pile of rubble caused by his earlier impact. He rubbed his forehead and came to a stop by her right side, wary of her as he should be.

"No, I only got Uzu and Nonon. But don't worry, I'll fix that problem soon enough." With a twist of her wrist she flung out her blade at Inumuta, the boy using his wires to catch it.

"You couldn't-you didn't-" the blue haired boy stammered as he tried to understand what Junketsu had just said.

"It's true. Check your calculations on your phone. They'll show that I am a hundred percent not lying."

"Inumuta ignore her, she's just trying to psych you out. We all know the elite four are tougher than that. She can't have killed them so quickly."

Junketsu shrugged. "Whatever you say, Aikuro."

"Let's strike her now," Iori suggested. "She's weaker without her sword." But Inumuta's head still wasn't in the game. His fingers trembled as he pulled out his phone. Were his friends really dead? He had to know. With sloth like movements he punched in some numbers into his phone. The answer popped out on his screen immediately and the phone fell from his hands, screen cracking on the ground.

"You did it. You killed them." His voice was soft, horror dancing in his eyes.

"I did." Junketsu's lips turned up in a sneer. "I hold true to my promises. And you're next Inumuta!" Then without another word she activated her God Robes power. Inumuta and Iori were dropped down to their feet. "Feel my power!" She roared. "Tremble before it. All fibers are under my control, even the Goku uniforms you wear!"

"Shit, this is bad," Iori grunted out as he couldn't move his body even an inch. It felt like he had limbs made of lead, his arms and legs unwilling to cooperate with him.

"You're telling me. You guys need a hand?" Both boys looked up to see who had spoken. It was Ryuko, her scissor blade slung over her shoulder.

"Nice of you to show finally!" Aikuro exclaimed.

"No, Ryuko! Don't come here! You'll get affected by Junketsu's powers-and oh she's not listening to me," Inumuta said darkly as the dark haired girl slide down the building, coming to a stop on the floor.

"I'm glad you could join," Junketsu said, watching as Ryuko took a step forward and fell to the ground next to Iori, unable to move.

"What's going on?"

"I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen! She's activated her powers!"

"Enough of this blabber," Junketsu sent out an additional wave of her power and the outfits tightened around their human hosts, causing them extra pain. "Inumuta it's time for you to join your friends."

"I won't let you kill me that easily," he spat back.

"Same!" Aikuro added, lunging forwards, fist cocked back. Junketsu avoided it neatly, hopping up backwards onto her robot where she was safe from Aikuro's reach. "I won't be the one killing him. He'll be killing himself."

The wires that Inumuta had used to grab Junketsu's sword came swinging down towards him, the sharp end of the blade trained on him. Sweat poured down his forehead as it came closer and he closed his eyes, his friend's screams ringing throughout his head. Pain flared up in his shoulder and he saw that the sword had missed his neck by a couple of inches. Why?

Junketsu gave a frustrated growl. She had wavered in her attack on the blue haired youth-no she hadn't wavered. It was Satsuki who had stopped her powers from letting the metal meet the boy's neck. "What do you think you are doing?" Junketsu snarled. "Do you honestly think you have a chance of stopping me?"

"I won't allow you to hurt my friends any longer!" Junketsu's body was flung side ways and off of the robot. She fell to the floor hard, unable to catch herself in time. This caused her kamui's powers to falter, giving the three captive's freedom momentarily. Ryuko ran towards her, not wanting to waste this opportunity. Iori joined her and Inumuta got up to his feet, pulling the sword out, hissing in agony as the blade inched out slowly.

Aikuro took this chance to do something he was thinking of for a while now. He was going to take over Satsuki's robot.

Junketsu had just managed to get to her feet when several blasts of energy in rapid succession caught her off her feet and sent her flying into the building behind her. It collapsed around her but she emerged from the rubble not worse for the wear. "Ah, now the heroic sister arrives. Come to beat your sister to death a second time?" She clambered out, dusting off her clothes casually.

"You're not my sister anymore. You are just wearing her body!" Ryuko brought her blade down but Junketsu dodged it and dodged again to avoid Iori's needle darts. She picked up a chunk of rock and chucked it at him, catching him in the forehead and knocking him to the ground. He may have a powerful suit but he didn't know squat about fighting, having spent all his time behind the scenes.

Junketsu activated her powers once more, Ryuko falling flat to the ground as Senkestu became unable to respond to her. "As much as I would like to kill you now, I'm a bit busy."

"I hope you're not too busy for me!" Aikuro approached the two, operating Junketsu's massive robot.

"Well fuck. You really do know how to piss a girl off and put a wrench in her plans." Junketsu was done fighting now. All she wanted to do was get to the tower. Once she activated all of the world's fibers, the enemies would be taken care of.

"Yea people tell me that a lot," Aikuro smugly grinned. The inside of this robot looked complicated as fuck but that wouldn't stop him. With a flick of a switch laser beams erupted from the robots eyes and aimed right at Junketsu. She took to the air, her kamui going into flight mode. "Turning my own creation against me? I don't think that will give you any advantage!" She dove back to get her sword which Inumuta had discarded once he had pulled it out and went to face Aikuro.

"We'll see about that!" Aikuro turned and span the machine, trying to swat down Junketsu who zipped around him quickly. She had built the machine-she knew it's weaknesses if it had any-so she went right for the joints on the robot. The left arm was the first to go. With several mighty thrusts to it with her sword, the steel attaching the arm to the robot ripped apart.

"Shit, I can't get her to hold still," Aikuro grunted out, sending out another blast from his laser eyes, annihilating a building instead of her. She weaved under the beam and went to work on his right arm. He tried to shake her off but she stuck to him like glue, only separating when his arm came off. It crashed to the ground almost missing his friends down below.

"Hold still will you!" He sent another beam at her which missed her again. When it died down he saw she was barreling straight at him, feet first. He tugged on the controls to get the robot out of the way in time but the machine was even slower than the smaller ones and she collided into the robot's face, smashing it in and causing the giant machinery to fall backwards and on top of a block of buildings. The lights inside the head flashed red and Aikuro was knocked unconscious by the impact of her blow.

In the meantime that she had been fighting him, Iori and Inumuta had had a brilliant idea. "The lady's kamui can control any article of clothing but we are not completely defenseless. I bet her kamui cannot control these robots." They shed their clothes and tossed them to the sides as they clambered up into a pair of robots.

Junketsu looked down at the unmoving robot in satisfaction and turned to the tower. During the fight she had drawn closer to it and now it's glow shone directly into her eyes. She zipped towards it, excitement filling her body. Victory would be hers soon. She alighted onto the top of it, before rubbing her hands together and grabbing each pole on her side with them. "Shinra-koketsu! Awaken and spread your powers outwards!" The tower began to vibrate as her kamui's power spread through it and up into the sky like a giant laser beam. It parted the clouds around, the sky glowing darkly.

"She got to the tower!" Iori wailed out. "We have got to do something!"

Inumuta nodded his head grimly, sweat running down the side of his face. His wound was killing him but it would have to wait. He flicked on a switch and his robot rumbled to life. Then with Iori hot on his heels he raced towards where Junketsu was.

Ryuko watched the robots rush past her as she struggled to her knees. Junketsu's kamui's influence on her was spreading. She felt it in her bones, in every fiber of her being. And she knew that Senks was getting the brunt of the hit. Quickly thinking she ripped him off of her and pinned him to the ground with her scissor blade. She wished she could do the same with herself, but she didn't have another scissor blade. Wait a second- Nui had her other half. Could she find her before Junketsu's full powers took affect on her?

"Rise and come to life, my fibers!" All around the world fibers came alive to Junketsu's orders. Their human hosts let out cries of fear as they were cocooned in fibers as they were lifted up into the air to go up into the sky and form a blanket over the planet.

Ryuko clutched her chest as the fibers in her begged her to follow Junketsu's orders. Sweat poured down her face and she grit her teeth in pain. She wasn't going to give in...she wasn't going to...she was still partially human. She could fight this.

The same couldn't be said for her kamui, who tossed and turned, trying to free himself so he could come and devour her. She could hear his cries ringing through her head.

Come back here! Let me consume your flesh for the all mighty god robe!

She ignored his cries and moved on, her pace laborious.

Junketsu was staring at the sky, enjoying her handiwork when the tower shifted underneath her feet and she slide forwards, her grip on the poles almost loosening. "Who-?" She turned to see two robots were assaulting the tower. It shook twice, thrice as more and more punches landed on it. She slide back and forth as the tower shifted.

"Stop this! You'll break it!" She spat, foam flecking her lips.

But they ignored her and she was left with no other choice then to separate from the tower. All the fibers she had been controlling came back to their senses, their ascent to the sky paused as they fell back, unraveling around their human hosts. She had been so close. Where the fuck was Ira and Rei? They were supposed to be protecting her, to make sure she wouldn't get interrupted. Was she to do everything herself?

Ryuko let out a sigh of relief when she realized she no longer had to fight herself. Casting a quick glance at the tower she saw it was no longer glowing and had sustained quite a bit of damage. Looks like Iori and Inumuta got her to stop for now. I have got to help them before she starts again. With renewed vigor she continued on to finding the other half of her scissor blade.

Aikuro awoke, his head throbbing where he had hit it harshly when Junketsu had toppled over his machine. He rubbed the sore spot, trying to get his bearings as quickly as possible. There was still a fight to win, a world to save. He was pissed off at himself for blacking out. He didn't have time for such luxuries. He pressed a couple of buttons on the panel trying to see if he could get the machine working again, but the words error flashed on the small screen. It looked like he needed to get a new mecha.

---

Ira and Mako were standing facing each other, breathing hard. They had been fighting this whole time, unable to gain an advantage over each other. They knew the other too well. But just a few moments ago their clothes had tried to eat them alive, causing them to end the battle between themselves as they tried to fend for their own lives against the uniforms which powered them.

"What just happened?" Mako asked as she glanced at her clothes. They had reverted back to their normal state but the feeling of thin fibers strangling her remained with her, her skin crawling unpleasantly.

"It must have been Junketsu's powers...I have been away from the lady too long. I have to return to her to make sure she is safe." He was worried. Was the lady in danger? He had promised to protect her and again he had failed, remaining separated from her side for so long. But would Mako try to stop him? He cast her a cautious look.

"And I have to get back to Ryuko. See you there senpai. I bet I'll get there before you!" With that she raced off. The giant man shook his head. It looked like his tiff with Mako was over. He was glad. He really didn't want to have to fight his girlfriend anymore. It had hurt him immensely to have even raised a hand against her in the first place.

He shot off in the direction of his lady, being careful to avoid all the rubble and bodies littering the floor. There were so many casualties. People caught in the crossfire between the robots, people trampled by a rush of other people, and people who were...Ira's friends.

The giant man stopped when he saw too familiar outlines on the ground, blood encircling them. "No..." he breathed, his eyes widening and his chest heaving up and down. He slowly approached them, too afraid to look but needing to. A man and woman lay across from each other, limp bodies laid out on the cold concrete floors, their weapons scattered around them. The man was face down, his green hair chopped short haphazardly. But the girl was face up, her lifeless eyes staring at the sky, blood coating her lips from which not another sound would be uttered ever again.

He gently closed her eyes as he held back the giant sobs that threatened to rip from his mouth. What had happened here?

Had they killed each other?

Why?

Why would they want to do that?

Or had it been Nui? Damn it! They hadn't deserved to die! They were still too young! They had too much potential! He finally let out the howl that bubbled up in his throat.

His cry carried over to where Junketsu was fighting three robots now. Aikuro had found a new one and joined the fight. "Who was that? Is that Ryuko?" He swung a fist at Junketsu, missing.

"That was Ira!" A gentle voice piped up from below.

"Mako! You're okay!" Iori shouted out, relieved.

"Of course I am! Did you guys turn into giant robots? I wanna become one too!" Mako jumped up and down, trying to climb the leg of Inumta's robot only to slide back down.

"No, we didn't turn into robots. We just hijacked the robots. You should do the same. Junketsu's uniform can control clothing and it will cause your goku uniform to go haywire so it's best if you lose it and use a mecha to fight her," Iori explained as he fired a laser at Junketsu to keep her away from them, his beams doubled in strength due to Inumuta conjoining his with the blonde's.

"Will do Iori!" Mako saluted him happily and went in search of one.

Ryuko had the other half of her scissor blade when she heard Ira's cry. Thinking that he might be in danger and forgetting momentarily that he had chosen the enemies side, she rushed over to find him. She found him on his knees, back hunched over as he pounded the ground with his fists. "Damn it! Damn it all! Why did they have to die?!"

"Ira...?" Ryuko ventured, not sure how to approach the man in his grief. He looked up at her, tears streaming down his face. "Ryuko, their...dead. Both of them."

"Who?" Ryuo asked, a lump growing in her throat. Was it Mako? Was Mako dead? But she had left the girl in the office building so she should be fine...

"Uzu and Nonon..." Ira answered. "Their both gone."

Ryuko's eyes widened and she ran over to join him, staring down at the corpses of half of the elite four. Her mouth was dry and her tongue heavy. "How...? Did they kill themselves?"

The big man merely shook his head, rising to his feet. "Help me bring their corpses to Satsuki. We have to stop this war once and for all."

---

Junketsu was now engaging in battle against four robots and it was enraging her. She had almost succeeded in her plan before she had been interrupted by these pigs in robots. How dare they use her own weapons against her?! Her anger was making her sloppy and Mako's robot's fist caught her in the back, sending her smack down into the ground. She skidded a few feet, her face rubbing against the concrete roughly before she slowed down and was able to get to her feet. She spat out the rubble in her mouth, tasting blood and dirt.

I've got to remain level headed. If I don't I'll never get past them. She brandished her sword, trying to conceive a plan quickly. There was four of them...if she got one by itself she could take it out no problem. She'd pick them off one by one.

"Satsuki!" the loud declaration of her name demanded her to turn around to see who addressed her. It was Ira and he was walking with Ryuko by his side, the younger girl missing her kamui and thus entirely naked. Both of them were carrying bodies in their arms. Junketsu recognized them. They were Uzu and Nonon.

"Nice of you to show up Ira. I thought you were supposed to be protecting me. What happened to that agreement?"

"The agreement is over. This war is over. Surrender now."

Junketsu scoffed loudly. "Me, give up? Who are you to give me orders?"

"I can't allow this any longer. Because of the war Uzu and Nonon killed each other." Ira looked sadly at Uzu's cold body in his massive arms.

"No, I killed them."

Everyone who was present let out a choked gasp. "What, what do you mean?" Ira asked softly, his shoulders dropping.

"I killed them because they were in my way. Just like I will kill anyone who stands in my way. You included Ira, deal or no deal." Junketsu could see Ira's whole world shattering, his face contorting in multiple layers of pain as he realized the monster his lady had become. She knew he was guilting himself, blaming himself for his friends deaths but it was too late now. She took sick delight in this. Ryuko too looked to be in pain although fires of vengeance burned in her eyes.

Junketsu could feel the robots at her back pressing in closer, making sure she wouldn't be able to harm the others but it wasn't going to do much help. She could kill Ryuko and Ira in one move. She knew she could. She braced herself for it when pain struck her in between her eyes. It blinded her and she dropped her sword as the pain spread from her head to her shoulders to her chest until her body felt like it was on fire.

She let out a scream and pounded the ground in anger, gnashing angrily on her tongue until blood spurted out from between her lips.

"What's going on?" Iori asked.

"I think Satsuki's fighting from the inside," Inumuta said, hope creeping into his voice. "The shock of the dead bodies must have triggered her."

Junketsu let out another scream, the high pitch piercing the ear drums of everyone. They winced in pain but watched silently as the struggled played out. "You will not hurt my friend's any longer," Satsuki panted out. "I will not hurt them any longer."

"Stop this! Stop this! Give me control of my body back!" Junketsu screeched, panicking.

"This is my body and I will do whatever I want to with it," Satsuki said as she wobbled up into a standing position, Bakuzan in her hand.

"Is...is she back?" Ryuko breathed out. Had her sister returned to them? It was hard to tell. Her face was more relaxed than before and her eyes glimmered softly but that was the only visible difference.

"Ryuko...Ira..." Satsuki's voice was a broken whisper as she hobbled over to her friends. They shot each other a look. Could they trust the lady? Last time they had thought she had come back but in reality it had still been Junketsu. But they didn't move away as she stopped in front of them. She placed one hand on Nonon's cold forehead and the other on Uzu's. "You didn't deserve to die. Especially not by my hand...I'm sorry. I apologize to you in this life and in the next and the next..." She swallowed deeply as her eye twitched. "Ryuko, I need you to do me a favor."

"I won't kill you," Ryuko shot back with out waiting to listen to what it was.

Satsuki looked a bit taken back at this. "No...you won't have to kill me...but I need your fibers."

"My...fibers?" Ryuko's eyebrow arched up.

"Your fibers are the only ones in existence that aren't malignant. I need you to use your fibers and insert them into my body to get rid of Junketsu's presence." She let out a grunt of pain as a spasm caused her back to arch out.

"But how? I've never done this before. Will it even work?"

"It will." Inumuta's cool voice affirmed. He had exited his mecha and was wrapping a cloth around his waist to remain modest in the presence of his lady. He didn't have his phone to run calculations but he knew as much was true without needing numbers to confirm.

"But..." Ryuko wanted to argue against this. She didn't like the idea of using her fibers on her sister. It was weird...and it seemed highly improbable to work even if Houka said it would.

"The fibers will kill Junketsu's fibers, giving me a chance to get rid of her. The only other option is to crush my heart. Which you will have to do because Junketsu won't let me. I'm barely able to keep her at bay as it is now. I don't have a lot of time Ryuko. Please, you need to help me so I can stop this. All this destruction. Don't let me become like my mother." Satsuki was begging at this point and Ryuko hated to hear her sister so pleading.

"Fine...I'll do it," she said heavily.

"Good." Satsuki nodded her head.

"Will it really work?" She asked Inumuta as Satsuki held out her wrist, pulling up her sleeve to reveal pale smooth skin.

"It will. Satsuki will fall into a coma after your fibers enter her body due to the shock of a foreign entity. She will remain in such a state as her body fights the fibers and as Junketsu fights them too. If all works well then she should awaken from the coma within a week with your fibers having eliminated the malignant ones. But if it doesn't then she'll remain in a coma or remain...evil." This time it was Iori who spoke. He too had exited the mecha, Aikuro and Mako behind him. They were all naked, only having slung cloth over their privates now when Junketsu's kamui had no more influence over clothes. "I know because this happened back when I was still head of the research department at the university."

Ryuko nodded her head grimly, swallowing thickly.

"Don't worry Ryuko, we'll be here as support!" Mako cheered, sensing the distress her friend was in. "You can do this. Fight, fight, win!"

Ryuko shook her head at this. "Mako you weren't supposed to be in this battle. I told you to stay safe."

"Whoops," Mako scratched her head. "I forgot. But I'm okay so it's all fine!" She shot a goofy grin and a thumbs up at her friend.

"Ryuko, hurry. I don't have much time," Satsuki gritted out, sweat coming down her face.

"Fine," Ryuko sighed, shifting the weight of Nonon's body into Aikuro's waiting hands.

"Cut your flesh and I will do the same to mine. Then before they close, we'll place our wounds together," Satsuki instructed and Ryuko did as asked, blood trickling softly around her wrist.

"Let's hope this works," she muttered out and they pressed their wounds together.

---

A week later

The steady beep of a heart monitor was the only sound in the sterile white hospital room. Ryuko sat immobile in her chair, her eyes staring vacantly at the still form of her sister's body. Wires and tubes crisscrossed over Satsuki's pale form, going into her skin or up her nose. It had been a week since Ryuko had gave some of her fibers to her sister and a week since the second coming of the end of the world had been averted. Inumuta and Ira had been running around ragged, trying to get a semblance of calm and order back to the destroyed city. A lot of reparation work awaited them and they didn't share Satuski's talent of quickly fixing up things that were broken. Even with Aikuro and the Nudist Beach members help they were left overwhelmed most of the time.

They also were in charge of setting up a funeral for Nonon and Uzu, the two fallen elite members. Ryuko still couldn't believe they were dead. It still all seemed so surreal. They hadn't deserved to die and no one could have foreseen their deaths coming. Even though Ryuko's relationship with Nonon had been rocky at best she knew how horrible it must have felt to have Satsuki be the killer, to die at a best friend's hand. Ryuko only wondered what final thoughts ran in Nonon's head as her long time friend brought the blade down on her, cleaving the fragments of their friendship and Nonon's heart apart in one hit.

As for Uzu...Ryuko had been closer to him. And while they weren't exactly friends they were amiable towards one another, always retaining civility in their conversations. He had respect for her and her powers. And she liked the fact he was just as much into fighting as she was. To never hear his voice, or to be able to spar with him again...it was bad. As bad as when they had lost Kinagase. Ryuko could only begin to fathom how much guilt Satsuki would feel once she awoke to find two of her friends dead at her own hand. If she would ever wake up, that is.

It had been a week already, and Iori had said that Satsuki only had up to now to wake up. If she didn't, then the battle internally had been lost and she would never wake up again. To say Ryuko was worried was an understatement. She didn't want to lose her sister, couldn't bear to lose the last of her family. If she lost the black haired girl then all she would have was Mako at her side. Senks too had departed from her. After the battle was over Ryuko had gone to fetch him and put him back on, only to be privy to his last words.

"Ryuko, I don't have much time, so I want to tell you this," the kamui had started ominously. "My time is drawing near and even though it means I will never again be able to be worn by you or to talk to you, I am happy. Because that means no more evil life fibers in this world exist and you'll be able to live peacefully from now on. I'm glad I got to spend my time with you and to see you grow up. I'm proud of you-"

"Senks no, don't say this," Ryuko blubbered, tears rolling down her cheeks. She had already possibly lost her sister, she couldn't stand to lose him too.

"No, Ryuko, it's going to be okay. You have friends that will help you. A new life that awaits you. It's time you outgrew me and wore another jacket. Be free Ryuko. And if the fates allow, I'll see you in the next life." With that Senks disintegrated in her hands, his fibers floating up into the sky before disappearing.

"Senks...why?" Ryuko couldn't bare to look up at his disappearing form so she looked at her tightly clenched hands, imagining that he was still there in her grasp. Her tears stained the ground and she held back a sob. How could he just leave her like this? After all they had been through? She threw her head back and howled out. "Senketsu!"

Ryuko closed her tired eyes, snapping herself from that distressing memory. She hadn't left this room all week, waiting patiently for her sister to wake up. She had seen the girl wracked by pain that sent her limbs awry as she screamed her throat raw. The life fibers were duking it out during that time and it took a toll on Satsuki's body. Blood came out from each orifice on her face but she remained unconscious. The attacks had settled down as the week progressed and this last day she had laid peacefully. Ryuko reopened her eyes, her cobalt gaze filled with a glimmer of hope. "Come on Satsuki," she murmured, her first words in days. "I know you're stronger than this. You can do it."

At her words Satsuki began to stir. It started with a twitch of her fingers and then her brows furrowed as if she had smelled something gross. The beeps of her heart monitor got faster and Ryuko stood up from her seat by her sisters bed, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

"R...R...Ryuko..." Satsuki's pale blue orbs lifted open drowsily, eyes coming up to her sister's face. Her vision was a bit blurry but she recognized the outline of her sister's figure.

"Satsuki," Ryuko couldn't help the smile from breaking out on her face. Her sister was awake. "Did you win? Is Junketsu gone?"

"I...yes...she's gone," Satsuki answered in a scratchy whisper, searching internally. She couldn't sense any malice hidden in her bones. All she could feel was the warmth from Ryuko's fibers as they burrowed into her bones, strengthening them. Satsuki knew she was no longer human, but a life fiber hybrid as well.

"That's good. I'm glad." Ryuko stepped away from the bed even though it pained her to do so. She wanted to wrap her arms around her sister and never let go, but she had promised herself she would leave. That she was a danger to Satsuki as long as she was here. After all, it was Ryuko's presence that had caused Satsuki to fall into the evil grasp of Junketsu in the first place.

"R...yuko where..are you going?" Satsuki's weak voice asked as she lifted up a hand to try and stop her sister from leaving.

"I'm going to call the others. I'm glad you're okay Satsuki. I wish you a short road to recovery." She walked away without looking back at her sister.

"Ryuko...wait," but Ryuko was gone and Satsuki let her head sink back into the pillows. She was too tired to call after her once more. She only hoped she would come back.

Ryuko stood outside the hospital room, her phone in her hands. It was tearing her apart to have to leave her sister but she promised herself that the only way to keep her sister safe was to stay away. She punched in Inumuta's number. The others needed to know Satsuki was awake so they could take care of her because Ryuko couldn't anymore.

---

Ryuko left the same day, packing up her stuff and not telling anyone where she was going. She knew that she couldn't even tell Mako because if she did the girl would unintentionally blab and tell Satsuki where she was. No, she had to cut ties with all her past acquaintances and start a new life elsewhere. She took her meager personal belongings and journeyed out, taking her purple motorcycle. She drove for two days straight, taking small breaks for water or food and naps. She didn't stay at any hotels, choosing to sleep in parking lots on her bike. She didn't want a paper trail to link her. She would be less easily traced this way.

On the third day she sold her bike for cash and bought a less auspicious one. She rode it for more days until she could get as far from Satsuki before having to actually leave the country. She ended up in a small village that barely had running water or electricity. But this was fine. It was as far from her old life as she could get. She sold her bike to get cash for a house. She made friends with her neighbors who were all really friendly folks who didn't hesitate to help her out as she struggled to get a grasp on farming or on fishing in the waters around the village. Ryuko put her old friends out of mind and to keep her company she adopted a cat. Many of the townsfolk were curious as to where she came from and what she was doing here but she didn't elaborate and her clenched fists soon stopped their questions short.

Time flew by in the small village and Ryuko gradually grew used to the basic life she lead. She wasn't going to let anything threaten her new life here. Not even the bandits that promised to destroy the town, to plunder and pillage all it's resources. No, even though Ryuko didn't want to fight, it seemed trouble still showed up wherever it was she went. She faced them down one day and they ran, bruised and battered, tails between their legs. That would teach them to mess with her town. Soon the townsfolk began to respect and fear her and call them their defender. They began asking her for help with any and every type of task because of her impossible strength and speed. Ryuko didn't want to reject them because they were kind to her, and additionally, hard work got her thoughts off of her friends. Under her help and guidance the town began to prosper.

But while Ryuko prospered, Satsuki floundered. She was allowed to rest in the hospital until she regained her health but because of what she had done to the city she was facing a trial by the judicial system. The city people and council had forgiven her for her mother's crimes but they wouldn't forgive Satsuki for her's especially since they had trusted her and she back-stabbed their trust. Satsuki did not argue with their verdict. If she was to go to prison for the rest of her life to atone for the ruination of the city and countless lives, not to mention her two closest friends, then she would do it. This would be the best way to keep the city satisfied and to atone for her friends' deaths.

Inumuta and Ira had argued against her acceptance of this decision but she merely shook her head to silence them. What was done, was done and she had to pay for the repercussions. That didn't quell their worries and distraught and so they fought against the prison sentence given to her despite her objection to their help. They got it shortened down to ten years on the charges that she had not been of sane mind when this had all happened. Still it was with pain in their hearts that they watched the once proud and strong lady, now clad in an orange jumper and with her head shaved, walk down a corridor with her arms and legs chained together to her new home; a prison cell.

As the bars slowly slide into place she gave a reassuring look. "Do not worry for me. I reap what I sow. I will see you in ten years. In the meantime do something to make me proud. Take care of the city."

"Of course." They bowed their heads in unison, the bars locking into place with a loud click. When they picked their heads up they saw Satsuki had already sat down on the single bunk in her cell and was looking at the wall in front of her, eyes empty.

"We'll visit you as often as we can. We'll write to you as well," Ira promised before he and Houka were shooed away by the prison guards.

Satsuki merely closed her eyes at this comment.

And so in this way years passed. Inumuta, Ira, Iori, Aikuro and Mako took to rebuilding the city. There was no point in rebuilding Satsuki's conglomerate-no one trusted the company or wanted to work with it. Stocks plummeted and numbers went into the red. They decided it was best to dissolve it all to cut losses. It unsettled them to do this. Taking the company apart was like invalidating all the sweat and hard work Satsuki had put into building it up. She had put all her life into it but now it was all turned to naught. The city liquidated the company's assets and took possession of all the property the lady possessed. But there was nothing they could do about it except watch as truck after truck towed away all the belongings.

With the city finally recuperated after two years of hard work, they decided to separate and do their own things. Satsuki had been the glue that held them together but she was behind bars and now with the task of repairing the city no longer on their agenda they had nothing else to unite them. Aikuro went to head the Nudist Beach organization and made them into a worldwide powerhouse, providing help to communities in need. Iori went into fashion designing, moving to France to get better exposure for his clothing. Inumuta went into the national government, working for them to protect systems from hacking. And as for Ira and Mako, they set up a family restaurant. They also set up a family, with three energetic kids that were always causing chaos.

The eldest of the trio was five years old with striking blonde hair and tan skin. He had his father's features and his father's strict attitude, always reprimanding his younger siblings for starting issues. He had been given the name Uzu in honor of the green haired man. Mako had agreed to let Ira name the children after his dead friends. She knew how much the deaths had hurt the big man, more than he was letting on.

So their second child who was a girl with Mako's brown hair and big appetite, was called Nonon in respect to the deceased musician. Nonon who was three years old already showed musical prowess given how she loved to make a ratchet with the kitchen pots and pans at three in the morning. She was the one who always dragged her younger brother into trouble. Takayuki was two years old but already a walking hazard. Whatever he touched broke and whatever he did only lead to situations arising no matter if his intentions were good. Mako and Ira had their hands full with the three of them. But they loved their children dearly and wouldn't trade them for the world.

With the restaurant business and the family growing, the ten years of Satsuki's imprisonment flew by. When he and Inumuta came to pick the lady up from prison they couldn't be any happier to see her time was finally done.

"It's so good to see you lady Satsuki," Ira said as he went for a hug. She hugged him back and he felt a touch of concern over how thin she felt in his arms. She had lost weight, her cheeks more gaunt and her skin even paler.

"Please, it's just Satsuki now. I am, after all, a criminal." Even though she had ditched the orange clothes and chains in favor of regular street clothes the ten years clung to her, forever ingrained in her skin.

"Don't say that!" Inumuta argued as he took his turn to hug her. "I could always wipe those records away!"

"Much appreciated but I'll have to refuse," Satsuki said as she pulled away from him. "I guess the time of my families reign and of getting away with anything has come to an end. Now I have been humbled. It's time to be a common person once more."

Satsuki did indeed look different. No longer did she have the familiar glow following her around. The years in prison had truly changed her. "Come, let us get you home. Me and Mako have a spare bed for you at the house while you get your bearings. I'm sorry I can't offer you more, but it's all we can afford. You can stay as long as you need." Ira lead the way out of the prison.

"I wouldn't want to impose on you and Mako." Satsuki argued as she got into the car. Ira closed the door after before he headed for the driver's seat, Inumuta taking the passenger side.

"You wouldn't be imposing on anyone. The room is yours until you no longer need it," Ira said as he pulled them out of the driveway. Satsuki said no more on the drive home, instead staring out the window and the two boys didn't press her for conversation. It had been ten years since she had stepped foot outside of the prison. The city looked different from how she remembered it be. She wondered what else had changed.

When they got to the house they were greeted by three exuberant children and Mako who were all standing outside the house. "Dad, you're back!" Nonon cried out as she ran up to hug him as he stepped out the car.

"Daddy!" Takayuki also dove to his fathers knees.

"Hey! Cut that out! We have a guest. Don't forget yourselves! You too, mom!" Uzu chided as he watched Mako give Ira a kiss on the cheek.

"Aww quit being a butt muncher," Nonon stuck out her tongue. "Besides, aren't you going to say hi to uncle Houka?"

"Houka's here?" Uzu's face lit up in barely restrained excitement.

"Yes, I'm here," Houka said as he got out the car. "How's my favorite nephew?" He asked as Uzu ran up to him, all formal pretense gone.

"I'm great! Did you bring any cool gizmos?" Uzu jumped up and down as Inumuta shook his head. "Sorry, not today. I was a bit busy."

Ira called everyone's attention to the car. "Alright everyone, we have a guest today. This is daddy's long time friend Satsuki. Everyone be nice to her and say hello." Ira swept his hand out to Satsuki who hesitantly got out of the car.

"Is she sick daddy? Why does she have no hair? Why is she so pale?" Nonon asked as she peered out from behind her dad's legs.

"Hey!" Ira barked out, embarrassed by his kid's questions.

"It's okay Ira. No need to scold them." Satsuki bent down so she could be on eye level with the small girl. "I had some trouble but now I'm all better. And what's your name?"

The small girl hesitated before responding. "I'm Nonon."

"Nonon?" Satsuki's small smile fell away.

Ira swallowed deeply at this. He had forgotten that while he had named them this in honor of his friends Satsuki might still be sensitive about this. "Uh, I-" he began to sweat bullets, as a cold breeze blew over them.

"Satsuki-" Houka also started but she got up, her small smile returning. "I had a friend with the same name as yours. She was very smart and loyal and also a great musician. Are you a great musician?" Ira and Houka both let out a sigh of relief.

"You bet I am!" Nonon nodded her head up and down vigorously. "I can bang the pots the hardest and the loudest!"

"That's not called being a musician, just being an annoyance!" Uzu chided his sister.

"And that over there is my eldest son, Uzu and this one here is Takayuki." Ira pointed at each respective child.

"Their both so handsome. I bet the ladies will love them when they get older."

"Uh, thanks," Uzu blushed and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Why don't we all go inside. Dinner's waiting and I wouldn't want it to get cold," Mako suggested, smiling widely. She was wearing an apron around her waist and her brown hair was up in a bob. She was beginning to resemble her mom more and more each day. "Come on boys, inside. We can talk more there." She made shooing motions with her hands and all the boys filed into the house one after the other. Satsuki hesitated, uncertain if she should follow.

Mako saw that Satsuki was looking indecisive. "Aren't you going to come in?"

"I don't know if I deserve to do so. Everyone has moved on except for me and I feel like I will only hold them back. Am I the only one stuck in the past? How can they forgive me for what I did? They were Ira and Houka's friend's too." Satsuki clenched her fists, refusing to let the tears fall.

Mako's face softened at the pain in Satsuki's words. She went up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Satsuki you'll be surprised that everyone has already forgiven you. That's how they've moved on, that's how they continue to live. But they haven't forgotten their past or where they came from and that keeps the memories of the loved ones still in our hearts." Mako pointed to her own chest. "And all you can do is the same. To be the leader and friend you once were to them."

"But I can't. I'm a killer. How can you look up to someone who has killed before?"

"Well then that's something you have to figure out. You have to find a way for them to still be able to respect you even though you have done such terrible things."

"But I-"

"Satsuki, I'm sure that in all those years in prison your brilliant mind was able to come up with something to solve this."

Satsuki was quiet a moment at this before she smiled, letting out a small chuckle. "I have to say your motivational speeches are even better than I remembered. And their less flashy too."

Mako smiled wide. "That's good. Because I've had ten years to practice them. Now come and join us inside. It's good to have you back Satsuki."

---

And so Satsuki stayed with Ira's family, Houka, Aikuro, Soroi and Iori dropping by occasionally to say hi to her. She would help out the family as they ran their business or just in taking care of the kids. She soon found that they were more than a handful and never having had to take care of kids before she struggled valiantly to control them. Getting them to take a bath was like trying to save the world from the evil life fibers all over again. And getting them to eat their veggies-forget that! It was like trying to convince them to eat poison. They wouldn't eat them no matter how nicely she ordered them to do so. How Ira and Mako had dealt with three kids while running a restaurant on their own was beyond her.

The couple were very nice about her staying over in their house and never urged her to leave or to go back to work if she didn't feel like it. In fact they encouraged her to take it easy and meals were always fun with the lady around. Despite the trouble the kids gave her they liked Satsuki and often bothered her to read them stories at bedtime or to play with them. Uzu was uncharacteristically shy around her and Mako teased him good naturally for it. "Looks like someone has a crush on Satsuki~" she sang at the dinner table one afternoon, making the poor boy turn beet red.

"I do not!" He shouted back.

"It is an honor to have a crush on the lady!" Ira insisted, crossing his arms over his massive chest. "She is the very pinnacle of perfection!"

"Yes-sir!" Uzu snapped to attention, straightening his back out and his embarrassment soon replaced by pride.

Satsuki merely shook her head in amusement. She didn't deserve the deep respect that Ira paid her or instilled in his children towards her. She had made a mistake that should have made her hated in his eyes but yet did not. Why? Why did he continue to serve her loyally? Why? Why could he and not her sister?

Satsuki's amusement faded, replaced by bitterness. She pushed away from the table, suddenly needing to be alone.

"Satsuki, what's wrong?" Mako asked, shoving a spoonful of rice into her mouth.

"Nothing. I'm just feeling a bit tired. " She left her food untouched to go to her room, shutting it softly behind her. She stayed there, the evening turning to night outside her window as the noises of the family moving around settled down as the kids went to bed. She sat, reading a book to distract herself when a heavy knock came on her door.

"Satsuki?"

"Yes, Ira?"

"May I come in?" He sounded nervous and she had a feeling this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation they were going to have. "You may," she sighed, steeling her nerves and putting her book down. She tugged on her hair tips. It had started to grow back, covering her head like moss but it was still relatively short. It made her look like a boy, especially combined with her eyebrows. Now she got what it was Ryuko was talking about when she made fun of her brows. They were big, and they looked very funny when she scowled deeply.

The door to her room swung open and Ira shouldered in, closing it behind him. "Uh, so I wanted to talk to you. To make sure you're okay."

"Of course I'm okay. The accommodations I have been given are better than I could have asked for."

"It's not about that, my lady." Ira said, fumbling with his hands. The big man had never been good with talking about feelings or questioning his lady on personal matters so he was sweating like a pig now. "It's about Ryuko."

Satsuki frowned at this but didn't say anything. "I know you must be worried about her and that you miss her more than you are letting on."

"I don't miss her. She left for a reason. I'm sure she doesn't want to be missed." This was said with much more venom than intended and Satsuki cursed herself for letting her anger into her words.

"Well regardless of her reasons I still do not think it was okay for her to do this to you. You are her sister after all and she owes it to say hi to you after all these years. So, me and Houka decided to track her down. It wasn't easy. She went through a lot of trouble to remain anonymous but we found her through newspaper articles about some very strong dark haired woman helping locals in the region. We pinpointed the origins of the story and got this. This is her address." The big man fumbled in his pockets, handing her a scrap of paper. She took it tentatively from him and looked down at the coordinates. It looked like Ryuko had stayed in the country but gone to the other end of it.

"Ira. I can't go looking for her. She doesn't want to be found if she went through all this trouble."

"I didn't say you had to go looking for her. It's up to you what you want to do with the address. I just know that your sister's disappearance is tearing you up more than you care to admit. Or at least Mako says this is what's going on. I've never been really good at reading you my lady." Ira admitted sheepishly, scratching the side of his face.

Leave it to Mako to figure out what was bothering Satsuki no matter how deeply she hid it. It seemed the girl had gotten sharper with age.

Satsuki curled her fingers over the paper. "Very well. I will deliberate on this. Oh, and Ira?" Ira paused in the motion of turning on his heel to go out the door.

"Yes?"

"Ira, I just wanted to say I am grateful for all you have done for me. You still show me so much respect when in the end I turned out to be the same rabble and filth that my mother was."

"Satsuki don't you dare say that!" Ira roared out, surprising her with the volume of his voice. "You were controlled by evil but in the end you managed to overcome it. Your mother never could do that."

"I did overcome it but not in time," Satsuki sadly breathed out. "I couldn't save Nonon or Uzu."

"Satsuki that wasn't your fault-"

"You weren't the one who killed them so you have no idea how it feels to be alive while they lie cold and dead in the dirt."

"I'm sorry. You are right," Ira bowed his head, his voice softening. "Truth be told I was mad at you. I did blame you for not listening to us and getting the help you needed in time. But there is no use in blaming others. I had learned to let my regrets go. I used to blame myself constantly for falling to protect you from this evil in the first place but then I realized what was the point. Blaming myself wouldn't bring them back, it wouldn't make you safer, and it would only make me feel terrible. I decided I wanted to honor Uzu and Nonon with living my life- the life they had protected in trying to stop you- to the fullest. Only then could my mind be at peace." Ira picked up his head to look at Satsuki, the speech having struck something deep inside her. She was shocked by the depth of the man's words.

"That was very insightful Ira. But thank you for those words. I don't ever think I will be able to forgive myself for what I have done, or be able to even forget it, but for the sake of Nonon and Uzu, I will do my best to honor their deaths and atone for them." Satsuki smiled softly at him.

"You are not the only one you still blames themselves."

"Who do you speak of?" Satsuki posed the question even though she had a hunch as to what the answer would be.

"Ryuko still blames herself for what happened to you. She took Junketsu's words to heart and continues to live with them weighting her down. I think she too needs to learn that she has to move on."

Satsuki was silent a moment upon hearing this. She looked at the hand holding the paper with Ryuko's address. "Then I better pay a visit to her."

"If you need help packing let me know so I may assist you." Ira smiled and let himself out of the lady's room, closing the door behind him. Mako was waiting outside. "How did it go?" she asked. "Did you use the script I told you to memorize?"

"Yes. It worked great wonders. You know just want to say as usual, Mako. Without it I would have failed miserably." He gave his wife a brief kiss.

---

Ryuko was walking back to her house after a long day of painting a townsfolk's fence when she saw a stranger clad in white and blue waiting at her door. They had their back to her, knocking on the wood and waiting patiently. Ryuko had never seen this person before and their clothes looked to be too modern to be someone from her village. Was it an outsider? But what would they want with her?

"Hey there. Did you get lost and need directions back into the city or something?" Ryuko called out in greeting, hand waving above her head. Her hand stilled as did her feet when the figure turned around, thick eyebrows high in surprise on their pale face.

"Ryuko...you've changed." Satsuki gave her a small smile, the corners of her mouth barely moving up. Her sister looked like she had just seen a ghost. Her dark complexion had paled and she was sweating, her mouth in that awkward state when it was switching between two extreme emotions. "I see you've kept growing out your hair." Satsuki continued speaking, not knowing what else to say. She knew her sister had chosen to hide from her but Ryuko's lack of a response was concerning. She took a step forward as Ryuko stood there still, and then another. Ryuko's hair was done up in a high ponytail, her hair spiking out, red highlights running through it. She was also wearing a kimono, which Satsuki thought she would never see her sister ever wear. It was red and black and looked to be plain, splotches of paint on it but ti was oddly fitting.

"What do you do nowadays? Are you a painter?" Satsuki was almost in front of Ryuko now. The dark haired girl swallowed deeply and then turning on her heel she fled, kicking up dust with how quickly her legs churned.

"Ryuko, wait!" Satsuki ran after her, weaving past townsfolk and houses and plant life as Ryuko took them from the village and into the woods. Thanks to her fiber enhanced body she was able to keep up with her sister, but she was getting annoyed. How long would the girl go running for? Deciding she had to end this soon, she picked up a rock on the way and hurtled it at her sister's legs. Ryuko let out an undignified squawk as she fell flat to her face. Satsuki slowed down, breathing heavily and watching her sister with careful eyes as the other got up, rubbing dirt out of her nose. "When did you become such a coward Ryuko? When did you become someone who runs from her problems and not someone who faces them head on?"

"What do you want Satsuki?" Ryuko asked begrudgingly, realizing there was nowhere else to run. Her back was up against a rock wall and Satsuki blocked the way out of the wilds.

"I want to talk Ryuko. I want to know why you ran away. Why you hide from me."

Ryuko scoffed at this. "You already know the answer."

Satsuki furrowed her brows. "No, I don't."

"Don't pretend you don't know," Ryuko spat back, irritation flaring under her skin. "I did this for you." How thick headed was her sister?

"You left me, for my sake? How is that helpful to me? How, when I needed you the most you decided leaving me alone would be the most beneficial? The only person it protected was you."

"I didn't do it for me. If I could I would stay by your side, but I can't. You yourself told me the reason for this, so don't pretend you don't know."

"Ira told me that Junketsu had told you something. I'll have you know I wasn't in control of the words that came out of my mouth so I can assure you that I didn't mean anything."

"Well, since he knows what Junketsu said, have him tell you what she said to me, because I'm not telling you." Ryuko crossed her arms over her chest, cantankerous as always.

"Ryuko, this is important. I need you to tell me what she said. I need to hear it from your mouth, I need to hear your explanation for why you are acting this way!"

"If it was so important than why did you take so long to find me?" To be honest Ryuko had thought her sister would have come running to find her and that Ryuko would have to evade her countless times to have the peace she searched for. But when no one had come for her she felt a bit hurt. Not even Mako had tried to reach out to her. She supposed it was only fair since she didn't want to be found but still the lack of effort stung a little.

"If you had cared to stick around then you would have heard that I went to jail. I wasn't in the position to come looking for you," Satsuki bitterly replied.

"You-what?" Ryuko's brows furrowed, words faltering. "That's-you-you went to prison?"

"I had to atone for my crimes Ryuko. I am not above the law contrary to what others think."

"I-wow- did not expect that." Ryuko's anger disappeared and she scratched her ear, unsure what to do next. She couldn't imagine her sister in orange garbs sitting in a dim cell. The image did not befit her ladylike aura.

"A lot has happened and I want to talk to you. I want you to give me another chance. I can understand that if you no longer want to be associated with the messed up family legacy left then let me at least say my goodbyes and I will never bother you again."

"No-I-I'll listen." Ryuko felt guilt eating at her stomach. She couldn't believe she had left her sister alone to face prison. Why hadn't the girl fought it? She could have very easily gotten out of having to do jail time.

"Good. How about we sit down somewhere before I start?" Satsuki offered and the two girls strode in the direction Ryuko led them to. "There's a small stream nearby that's nice."

The two sister's sat down on a flat rock overlooking the stream and Satsuki talked, filling in Ryuko on everything she had missed. Ryuko sat sullenly and took the information in, feeling like she was swallowing one bitter pill after the other. "I'm so sorry Sats," she whispered once her sister had finished. "I should have been there for you. I really thought what I was doing was for the best. It's just that I felt I would do more harm with me being there an decided I should leave. Junketsu...Junketsu said that you hated me. That you felt insecure with me around and that I had scarred you after I had nearly tried to kill you."

"Ryuko, I could never hate you. Not even after all the pain you had given me that time you turned evil. Because you were my sister and I understood that it wasn't you who really wanted to cause me harm. So please don't let what that kamui said sink into your head. I never felt or thought any of those things for a second."

Ryuko sniffled, the urge to cry pressing at the back of her eyes. "Thanks. I'm sorry though. Can you forgive me?"

"A wise man once told me that it was time to forgive and to move on. I believe I can do that and that you can do the same. That's why, Ryuko, please come back." Satsuki stood up, extended her hand down to Ryuko. "Come home back with me." Ryuko looked up uncertainly at it, wavering. "Come back with me so we can start anew."

Ryuko lowered her eyes from the hand. "I don't know. It's been years Satsuki. Ten years. Nothing is the same anymore."

"Maybe it doesn't have to be the same. Change is inevitable. Just like this river, it moves and ebbs."

Ryuko didn't say anything, just grabbed onto the tops of her knees and looked down at her lap. Satsuki dropped her hand to her side, her lips thinning. "I understand that you might need some more time to think about this. This is my new address. If you ever want to drop by, you can find me here."

A slip of paper dropped into Ryuko's lap but she still didn't look up until she was certain that Satsuki had left the area.

---

"What did she say? Is she here?" Ira asked, as he watched Satsuki exit the car. He glanced over to see if anyone else would emerge and his face mirrored Satsuki's disappointed one when he noticed she was the only one arriving.

"I think she needs some time to think." Was all she said before she went upstairs and into her room, closing the door softly. Mako and Ira both peered up the stairs in concern. "Well we tried and I'm sure Satsuki did her best too. Now it's up to Ryuko," she said and Ira let out a sigh. Why did Ryuko have to be so stubborn?

A day went by after Satsuki's return, then another, then a week, then another week, until months had gone by. Satsuki tried not to think about it, but her sister continually failed to show up. She stopped hoping that Ryuko would show up one day unannounced on their doorstep and faced the harsh reality that Ryuko didn't want to be sisters with a murderer. So Satsuki busied herself with helping Ira's business expand into other towns, raking in more money for the family. It felt nice to be doing business related tasks after so long, her mind being put to use. The physical abuse in prison hadn't been the worst part, but the mental boredom. She felt her mind had been wasting away but now it was back in use. And since no other company would hire her, she put all her efforts into making sure Ira's company was top notch.

Satsuki's hair had grown out to her chin by now and she wondered what she would do with it. Should she grow it out to her old length? Or keep it short like she had once she had been company leader? But neither hair style seemed to fit her anymore. The longer one was back in her younger days when she suffered and struggled much. She no longer had her mother or Nui to cause her distress. And her shorter one was one she hadn't picked for herself in the first place. What to do...

She was twiddling a strand of dark hair around her finger and looking in the mirror contemplatively when the rumble of a loud motor tore her attention away. Who was causing that loud ratchet at this hour?

She popped her head out the door, the other doors in the hallway opening too. Uzu, Nonon and Takayuki were all looking out, with sleepy faces and rubbing their eyes. Mako's disgruntled face was next to them. "I just got them to bed," she complained. "Whoever that is outside is going to get a severe scolding." The rumbling of the motor reached a high crescendo before it died down.

The door bell rang and Ira's voice called from the downstairs. "Satsuki, someone is here for you." His voice betrayed no emotion and no indication of who it could be. Satsuki wrapped a robe on her shoulders, wondering if it was one of the business partners of Ira's family restaurant chain coming to ask her to make a deal. Ira was no good with making deals or brokering shares. He left it up to her.

Satsuki went down the stairs, stopping in the living room of the house when she saw who it was. Her lips turned upwards as she gazed at them warmly. It was about time.

"Welcome home."

A/N: Yea, it sucked killing off Nonon and Uzu, especially since I loved writing Nonon's quips and barbs aimed at others. But this is the 'college' version of the original storyline so I felt like it needed to briefly touch upon more mature topics such as change and with death and dealing with friendship bounds. Putting Satsuki in prison was also a part of that and also because could anyone ever imagine her going to jail? Nah, not really. it doesn't fit her image.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed reading this series as much as I enjoyed writing it.