Edit 8/26/15: Fanfiction is seeming to have some trouble recently with traffic stats and notifications. So, if you left a review, and I haven't messaged back, it's because it hasn't registered yet.
Author's notes:
Hey everyone! Welcome to the next installment of Before My Body is Dry!
First, I'd like to apologize for the long wait with this update. Classes start Monday for me, and on Thursday I had to move back into my dorm. So my last week of summer has been filled with back to school shopping (why do they have to make these shitty books so damn expensive!), packing, and moving in. And good god, was it a mess. An expensive mess. I didn't really get started writing until Wednesday.
And on top of that, I bought a WiiU as a little treat for myself. So I'll be honest, I played a lot of that, trying to hone my Sm4sh skills. Lucina/Roy/Sheik FTW.
Anyhow, enough about that, and on with the chapter!
This chapter is basically a lot of talking, and not a lot of action. Hopefully it isn't too all over the place, but I wanted to fit in a lot of important stuff, and I did hint at a lot of things to come :). I feel like the flow of this chapter might be kinda meh, but that just might be me being my own worst critic.
Now then, on with the show!
Disclaimer: I do not own Kill la Kill
Akio's eyes slowly open, a giant yawn escaping his lips.
That was, without a doubt, some of the best sleep he had ever had. He didn't even stir once. Just straight, peaceful sleep. That's what being completely drained will do for you; well, that and having a nice sleeping buddy.
Akio smiled as he brushed a stray lock of black hair behind Ryuko's ear. She was still in a deep sleep, her mouth wide open as she breathed in and out slowly, a small dribble of drool escaping her mouth. Her eyelids occasionally fluttered, so she was probably in the middle of a dream. She must have been just worn out as he was.
"Ugh," Akio grimaced, feeling a small pool of spittle that had seeped through his shirt. He didn't take Ryuko for a drooler, so this was a surprise to him. At least next time he'd be prepared.
Akio leaned his head back on the recliner, letting his eyes drift to the ceiling. The only sound in the cabin was that of Mako's snoring and Ryuko's soft breathing. It was comforting, in a way, but he knew it couldn't stay like this.
He sighed and rubbed his eyelids. Today was just the beginning of what would only be a difficult string of days, maybe even weeks. Peaceful moments like this would come far and few between.
Akio laid a hand on Ryuko's head, absently playing with a few strands as he basked in the quiet morning. This little moment only made him yearn for more of it. There was something amazing about feeling the person you love in your arms, and that was something he had personally never felt before. He wished it could stay like this, but he knew that wasn't possible; at least, not for now.
He felt Ryuko begin to stir, her body twisting and turning as she got in her morning stretch.
"Morning," Ryuko mumbled, resting her head back on his chest and yawning.
"Morning," Akio replied back as he turned his head down to look at her. "Sleep well?"
"Hmmm," Ryuko hummed, not bothering to open her eyes. "So well that I could use another five minutes."
"Alright," Akio chuckled, letting himself relax on the recliner. He supposed he could stay like this for another five minutes. It was pretty comfy.
Ryuko repositioned herself on Akio's chest, causing her body to press into his gut.
Nope. Never mind.
"Hey, Ryuko?"
"Hmmm?"
"I have to go to the bathroom and you're pushing against my bladder."
Ryuko peeked one eye open, staring up at Akio.
"Oh. Now that you mention it, so do I."
"Really?" Akio smirked. "We could probably just share the bathroom, then. That's why there's a toilet tank and a toilet bowl, you know."
"That's fucking gross, man."
"It was a joke, Ryuko."
"Still gross."
Akio snickered and slowly slid himself out from underneath Ryuko, eventually making it off of the recliner and onto the carpet floor.
"You just can't appreciate my humor," Akio said as he arched his back, popping his spine.
"No, it's just that it's bad," Ryuko shot back as she stretched her arms out over her head.
"Better get used to it," Akio laughed as he walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. "Oh, and by the way-"
Akio cracked the door back open, poking his head out to look at Ryuko.
"-You drool. Like, a lot."
Akio laughed again as he closed the door just in time to block the thrown pillow from Ryuko.
He did his business quickly, then walked over to the sink to wash his hands and then his face. The cold water felt amazing against his skin, refreshing him and clearing away any leftover drowsiness in his head.
Finishing up, he walked back out of the bathroom and allowed the waiting Ryuko in, who stuck her tongue out at him as she passed by.
Akio grinned and walked over to his desk chair, grabbing the uniform draped over the back and unfolding it to carefully put it on.
It still felt so strange to him to wear it. He still couldn't get over how it felt on his skin, and it was only something you'd really only notice if you were actively looking for it. Compared to other clothing, his Three Star uniform was a lot warmer and a lot more itchy.
Life Fibers still blew his mind. Even though he knew a fair bit about them already, he was still looking forward to Aikuro's lecture later, even if it was going to be a little overkill, knowing him. Life Fibers were aliens? It was some shit straight out of a sci-fi novel.
"Maybe I'll write some sci-fi once all is said and done," Akio grumbled to himself as he slipped on his black jacket.
The minute the jacket fell onto his shoulders, he could feel his posture straighten a little and his shoulders square up. He didn't know if it was his mind or if it was actually the thirty percent Life Fibers, but he could feel the power that radiated from it touch his skin.
"I wonder if Ryuko goes through the same thoughts when wearing Senketsu?" He mused to himself as he tied his shoes.
As if on cue, the bathroom door opened, and Ryuko walked out wearing Senketsu himself.
"So, what's on the docket today?" She asked as she walked over to her sneakers and slipped them on.
"I know Aikuro promised you some answers, and then we have to talk about what we plan on doing next," Akio answered as he walked over to Mako in his bed. "So probably a lot of talking."
"Excellent," Ryuko deadpanned as she stood back to her full height.
Akio snorted, reaching down to Mako's shoulder to gently shake her awake.
"Mako. It's time to get up."
As expected, she didn't respond. She only snored louder as if to challenge Akio's attempts in waking her.
"Mako," He said a little more firmly, shaking her a little harder.
"Hmmm."
Mako rolled on to her back, her eyes still closed as she mumbled sleepily.
"No, Mr. Monopoly, I won't trade you Boardwalk..."
Akio rose an eyebrow and retracted his hand.
"...What?"
What kind of dream was that?
"Here," Ryuko said as she walked over to them. "Watch how a pro does it."
Reaching down, Ryuko flicked Mako in the nose pretty hard.
"MAKO!"
Mako's eyes snapped open and she sat straight up in bed, her head darting back and forth until she saw Ryuko standing above her.
"Oh, hey Ryuko," Mako greeted with her usual smile.
Ryuko gave Akio a smug grin that he rolled his eyes at.
"Morning, Mako. It's time to get up and get dressed."
"Affirmative!" Mako saluted and hopped out of bed, humming a merry tune as she grabbed her clothes and hustled into the bathroom.
"When she's having the Monopoly dream you have to get a little loud with her," Ryuko told him.
"Suuure," Akio pursed his lips and nodded. "I'll make sure to store away that little gem of information."
After Mako had gotten dressed, the three made their way out of Akio's shack and to one of the few buildings in the Nudist Beach hideout that wasn't a shitty shack or warehouse: the barracks.
The Nudist Beach barracks was a pretty run of the mill barracks. There were a few rooms for training, another mess hall, several rooms for teaching, and a some rooms filled with various equipment and outfits. Nothing spectacular, but it got the job done.
Akio lead the two into an empty classroom, where Tsumugu and Aikuro were already waiting for them.
Aikuro was standing at the front of the room by the smartboard, wearing a white lab coat with his back turned to them as he fiddled with a marker.
Tsumugu sat in one of the stray chairs, leaning against the back with his arms crossed. Akio noted with displeasure that he had changed into his Nudist Beach outfit.
Great. Another naked man.
"Ah, there you three are."
Aikuro turned towards them, giving a nod of greeting to each.
Of course he wasn't wearing anything underneath the coat.
"Go ahead and take a seat and we'll get started."
Akio sighed and plopped down next to Tsumugu, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat. Ryuko and Mako followed suit, sitting down in the two other vacant seats.
"This ought to be exciting," Akio mumbled over to Tsumugu. Now, he didn't particularly like the man, but he felt he should at least try and be civil. He had saved his life a couple of times now, so it was the least he could do, even if he knew Tsumugu didn't like him that much either.
Tsumugu snorted. "Knowing Aikuro, I'm sure it'll be over dramatic."
Akio nodded. That was a definite.
Aikuro turned back to the board, slowly drawing a symbol.
"Answer me this, Ryuko," Aikuro said as he went to work. "How many creatures do you think there are on this Earth that wear clothing?"
Ryuko rose an eyebrow, glancing over at Akio out of the corner of her eye.
Akio shrugged at her. Aikuro was very obviously going somewhere with this.
"Duh, just humans," Ryuko answered after a moment of silence, resting her hands behind her head and leaning back in her seat.
"Correct."
Aikuro turned to face them, pulling out a metal pointer.
The image on the board changed to that of Earth, which Aikuro pointed to.
"Of all the countless species on Earth, only Homo sapiens wears clothing. Why is that?"
Aikuro didn't wait for anyone to answer and continued undisturbed with his lecture.
"'Only humans wear clothing'" isn't entirely correct. This 'clothing-wearing' creature became what is now humanity!"
The picture on the screen changed to that of a classic picture of evolution in progress; the ape slowly turning into the caveman, and then the regular man.
"Life Fibers caused Homo sapiens, which was just another anthropoid species, to evolve to its current state. Yes, in this case, the clothes made the mankind."
Akio exhaled slowly through his nose, taking his brother's words in. He had heard this spiel before, and even now it was somewhat hard to grasp. Clothing made humanity what it was today? So, evolution was simply caused by the ability of Homo sapiens to put on clothing?
It sounded like complete, utter bullshit, but even though, Akio knew it to be correct. Dr. Matoi and Aikuro's father had been the ones to work on it.
"T-that..." Ryuko stammered, her eyes wide. "That... is... the biggest load of shit I have ever heard!"
Ryuko stood up out of her hair, placing her hands on her hips.
"Clothing made humanity? What are you even talking about?"
The stage lights that Akio had somehow missed all turned on, bathing Aikuro in rays of purple light.
Aikuro threw his arms into the air, tilting his head back and laughing madly as the board behind him displayed pictures of several different galaxies and star systems.
"Oh, dear god," Akio sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Over dramatic' indeed.
"Life Fibers are a life form that came here from outer space! They arrived on ancient Earth and accelerated the evolution of humanity!"
"Then Senketsu is an alien?" Mako asked as she stood up as well.
Akio blinked. He could have sworn someone, somewhere just shouted 'Hallelujah'
"So, he's a sailor uniform, but he's an alien!" Mako exclaimed as she hopped around the room, motioning wildly with her hands and pretending to be an alien herself.
How did Mako connect the dots like that? It was impressive, coming from her. Even if her delivery was... interesting.
"Don't buy into it!" Ryuko hissed at Senketsu, then clenched her fist out in front of her as she glared at Aikuro. "What the hell is that crazy garbage?!"
"Would you mind listening quietly?" Aikuro frowned, his teacherly persona seeping through. "It's rude to interrupt."
"Rude to-?"
Ryuko stopped and looked around, noticing that she was now the only one standing, as everyone else in the room was sitting quietly and starting expectantly at Aikuro. Even Mako.
"I'll explain everything in due course," Aikuro reassured.
Ryuko sighed and sat back down in her chair.
"Now then," Aikuro began, clasping his hands behind his back. "Life Fibers are a life form that came here from outer space. They infest a world's life forms as parasites and breed by devouring using the electrical current of the creature's nervous system."
The board behind him began to flash various photos of lab experiments involving mice and Life Fibers. The slide show showed a white mouse getting cut open, injected with Life Fibers, and then closed up again.
"However, if they infest the host directly within its body, the nervous system is unable to withstand the strain and burns out."
The pictures turned into a video, showing the same mouse have a seizure as it slowly died.
"It is for this reason that they decided to cover their host's body."
The smartboard began to show another video, this time depicting a different white mouse, and this time with the Life Fibers attached to the outside of its body like a shell.
"Although the current received via the skin is small, the infested animal does not die with this method."
Aikuro paced back and forth as he continued his lecture, waving his arms around enthusiastically as he talked.
"They chose Homo sapiens, the terrestrial creature with the most developed cerebrum at the time, to be their hosts and accelerated their evolution. Humanity evolved. They developed humanity's brain far beyond that of any other terrestrial life form. Humanity's numbers multiplied, and they came to stand at the top of the ecosystem."
"But, it's only temporary," Akio spoke up for the first time.
"That's right," Aikuro nodded.
"To put it bluntly, we humans are the Life Fibers' food," Tsumugu added.
This revelation seemed to strike home for Senketsu, as his eye began to dart back and forth and his cloth began to shake rapidly.
"Calm down, Senketsu," Ryuko said as she placed her hand over her heart. "We haven't heard everything yet."
Akio's blank expression softened at the sight of the two. He couldn't even imagine what Senketsu would be going through right now. To hear that you were made of an alien life form that was biologically designed to eat humans... more specifically, his partner and best friend. It had to have been soul crushing.
"If that's true, why doesn't all clothing have Life Fibers in them? We humans wear clothes and go about our lives every day. It's only the people at Honnouji Academy that are wearing messed-up clothes, right?"
As Ryuko talked, the purple floodlights covered Aikuro in light once more, and his white lab coat had fallen from his shoulders and to the floor.
"What you say is indeed true. The only conclusion is that the Life Fibers that accelerated human evolution went into a long period of dormancy, leaving behind only the tradition of wearing clothing. They only emerged from their silence about twenty years ago. Ragyo Kiryuin made a contact with the Original Life Fiber, and they awoke once again."
"That's what we were told by Dr. Matoi," Akio nodded.
"They were waiting for harvest time," Tsumugu growled. "They were waiting for their human livestock to grow!"
Akio frowned, sneaking a glance over at Senketsu. If sailor uniforms could sweat, he definitely was.
"Look, just calm down!" Ryuko shouted at him. "You're not like that, Senketsu!"
As she spoke, Aikuro had walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder and leaning in to whisper into her ear.
"Has Senketsu's world been turned upside-down?" He asked the dumbstruck Ryuko. "Then tell him for me. You and Senketsu are our only hope."
"Hope?"
"Yes," Aikuro replied and took a step back. "Kamui Senketsu was artificially created by Dr. Matoi to fight Life Fibers. And the only one who can wear that Kamui to its full potential is you, Ryuko."
Ryuko gasped softly, her eyes widening in shock.
"Only... me? But why?"
"You have an unusually high Life Fiber tolerance, at least triple that of Akio and he was our fallback plan. Your father was aware of your superior tolerance, so he made Senketsu for you."
Ryuko's eyes only widened more, a few beads of sweat rolling down her face. She was still having trouble taking it all in.
The truth can do that to you.
"To thwart the Kiryuins' ambitions," Aikuro muttered to himself before speaking up. "The Doctor had originally studied Life Fibers under Ragyo Kiryuin's orders. But when he learned the threat they posed, he escaped from under her thumb and secretly founded a rebel organization."
"...Nudist Beach," Akio whispered.
With that revelation out and in the open, the room went quiet. Everyone looked expectantly at Ryuko, who was looking down at her chest and at Senketsu's eye. Judging from his closed eyelid and the look of concentration on Ryuko's face, Akio assumed Senketsu was talking about something important.
Akio sighed. If only he could hear him too.
"I apologize for keeping you in the dark all this time," Aikuro said as he put back on his lab coat. "But the Kiryuins are powerful. Until you were able to summon up all of Senketsu's power at will, I couldn't tell you the whole story."
"And if I got overwhelmed by the power of the Life Fibers," Ryuko paused and turned to look at Tsumugu. "You'd put me down on the spot without mercy."
Akio's eye twitched, his teeth grinding silently in his mouth as he remembered exactly how infuriating Tsumugu could be to him.
"Yeah, that's right," Tsumugu replied flippantly. "And I still intend to do just that."
Tsumugu glanced at Akio out of the corner of his eye, silently challenging him on the matter.
Akio's clenched his fists, but didn't say anything.
Ryuko closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.
"You're right, I wouldn't have been able to believe any of this stuff otherwise."
Aikuro nodded. "This is the truth."
"Now that that's out of the way, we need to get to the heart of the matter," Akio interrupted, if only to change the topic of conversation.
"Yes," Aikuro nodded once more. "The clothing made by REVOCS, the company headed by Ragyo Kiryuin, is worn in almost every country around the world. Life Fibers are woven into all of them. They are still dormant right now, but when that clothing awakens, I can't begin to imagine what will happen. But one thing is for certain: it will be a profound threat to the human race."
Akio's expression darkened. He knew that already, but just hearing it made him feel on edge.
Ryuko huffed and sat back down in her chair, resting her arms on the back of it as she sat backwards in it. Resting her chin on her arms, she stared off into space, her face slowly twisting into a scowl as she thought.
The long, drawn out conversation had proven too much for Mako, as she was slumped over in her seat, snoring softly. Occasionally she'd wake up and sit straight, but within seconds she'd be out again.
"Oh, now I get it!" Ryuko exclaimed, tilting her chair back and forth as she spoke.
Akio looked over to her, raising an eyebrow.
"You want me and Senketsu to work hand in hand, and fight for the sake of the peace of all mankind, is that it?"
Ryuko shot out of her chair and kicked it aside.
"To hell with that! That's crap!"
"Ryuko!" Aikuro exclaimed.
"So Senketsu is just a weapon, huh? A combat uniform created to fight? Screw that! He's got a will of his own!" Ryuko shouted, patting the cloth where Senketsu's eye was.
Akio frowned and turned away. While he didn't like thinking about it that way, the fact of the matter is that Senketsu was created to be a weapon. These two were chosen to fight for the sake of mankind, whether they liked it or not. It was the cards they were dealt, and as unfair as it was, there was no changing it.
"Created to kill others of his own kind?" Ryuko tilted her head downwards, letting her bangs cover her eyes. "That's seriously screwed up! Don't you think?!"
"Of course it is."
All eyes turned to Akio as if they had just remembered he had been there all along.
"I don't like it anymore than you do, but happy thoughts and good intentions won't change anything," Akio continued calmly, a hint of regret in his voice. "Sitting around and wishing for a better life accomplishes nothing. Only action can change things."
Ryuko took a few deep breaths, either to calm herself or to think, but neither worked. Her scowl only deepened.
Finally coming to a decision, Ryuko reached for the bottom of her top and tugged it upwards. After a few seconds of struggling with the clothing, Ryuko pulled off Senketsu and threw him into the chair beside her.
The room collectively gasped; everyone except Tsumugu, that is.
Ryuko stood tall and proud, unwavering even though she was now only wearing her undergarments.
"Your name's Nudist Beach, right? What's wrong with me getting naked?"
Everyone in the room remained silent, all eyes trained on Ryuko.
"I can't put you on to fight, Senketsu, and there's no reason for you to fight, either."
Akio heard Tsumugu huff beside him, and noticed his hand reaching for the gun strapped to his waist as he stood.
"Let me tell you two useful pieces of information," Tsumugu began as he grabbed his gun and cocked it, leveling it directly at Ryuko and Senketsu. "One: A Kamui that doesn't fight has no value. Two: In which case, I will terminate it right here and now!"
Ryuko took a step forwards, her eyes trained on the gun pointed at her, daring him to shoot.
"You'll have to-"
Akio rose from his seat, pushing Ryuko back with one hand and grabbing a hold of Tsumugu's with the other and forcing it downwards.
"That's more than enough," Akio barked at Tsumugu. "With everything that's happened, do you really think your grudge against Ryuko and Senketsu is that important?"
Tsumugu frowned slightly, and was preparing to push Akio aside when he spoke once more.
"You probably wouldn't even be here right now if it weren't for those two. How do you think the fight in Osaka would have really played out if Ryuko and Senketsu hadn't forced Satsuki to a draw? Did you ever stop to think about that? I can paint a picture for you, if you'd like. It won't take me that long."
Tsumugu's frown deepened, but Akio could tell that his words had gotten through to him.
Ryuko crossed her arms, tapping one foot impatiently while she glared at Akio.
"I think I very specifically said I don't need you to fight my battles for-"
"And you," Akio continued, turning around to stare down Ryuko. "While your 'going naked' was a noble sentiment on Senketsu's behalf, did you even stop to ask him if that's what he wanted you to do?"
Ryuko stopped in her tracks and turned her head to Senketsu, who was already being held up by Mako, ready and waiting.
"Senketsu?"
Senketsu seemed to respond to both of their statements, as his top began to move as if he were talking.
Ryuko walked over to the two, and the three of them immediately started talking about colds or something. It was hard for Akio to tell given the fact he only heard about half of the conversation, but he assumed that Senketsu told her she'd catch a cold if she didn't put him back on.
After talking for a few moments, the three began to horse around, the deadly confrontation that occurred only seconds ago already forgotten.
"You make a valid point, Takahiro," Tsumugu admitted as he lowered his gun. "I won't be shooting anyone today."
Akio closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. As much as he loved the people in this room, minus Tsumugu, they could get off topic very, very easily. It irritated him sometimes, but he tried not to let it show too much. There's nothing wrong with taking things lightly, but every once and a while things needed to be taken seriously.
Hell, Ryuko and Tsumugu were ready to tear each other's throats out, and yet the two were on the same damn side! There were more important battles to worry about.
Akio took another deep breath, feeling anger bubble in his chest slightly. They were so ready to fight each other that they didn't even think of the repercussions of such a foolish action.
"Why don't we take some time to clear our heads?" Akio asked as he turned to his brother.
"That's probably a good idea," Aikuro nodded.
"Alright, good," Akio replied as he walked out. Ryuko and Mako didn't notice him leave, as they were still chatting with Senketsu.
It was probably for the best he got a moment of alone time; at least for now. He had a call to make, and he'd rather he did it in private.
Akio stepped out into the hallway, briskly walking down the hall as he pulled out his cell phone and punched in the number of his mother.
He was slightly worried that the connection would still be down, but after a few rings someone picked up.
"Hello?" Kasumi answered.
"Hey, Kasumi," Akio greeted. "It's me, Akio. I just thought I'd check up on you guys."
"Oh, Akio! It's good to hear from you. I was wondering if you were ever going to call us."
"Yeah, well," Akio mumbled. "Anyway, how are things over there? Did you find the Mankanshokus alright?"
"We did. We told them that you and Mako sent us and they were very welcoming. They really are a nice family. A little eccentric at times, but a lovely family nonetheless."
"That's good," Akio sighed, a grin slowly growing on his face. He had the worst feeling that something bad was going to happen to them on the way there, but it seemed to be for naught. "How're you settling in?"
"Great! Hiroshi and Bazaro have gotten along splendidly, and Mataro is very considerate of Akiko. And Sukuyo is just the sweetest thing! Such a good cook, too. Like I said, the Mankanshokus have been very accommodating."
Well, that was somewhat surprising to hear. He was expecting them to get along, but not this much. Not that it was bad, just surprising.
"In fact, they even told us some stories about you!" Kasumi continued.
"They did?"
"Don't worry, they were all good things," Kasumi giggled before going silent for a few moments. "They say you've gotten especially close with a girl named Ryuko?"
Akio sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Even though she was trying her best to hide it, he could still hear his mother snicker over the line.
"A story for another time," Akio answered. "So everything's alright, right?"
"Awh, if you say so," Kasumi replied with mock sadness. "Yeah, everything is going great. Will you be joining us soon?"
"I don't know. Things are still up in the air at the moment, but I'll try."
"Alright, just be safe, okay?"
Akio blinked a few times, feeling a lump rise in his throat.
"Y-yeah, yeah I will," He croaked after a few seconds of silence. "I promise."
"Good. And remember that you promised. Akiko is really wanting to see you, you know."
"Right," Akio smiled. "I'll remember. And If you need anything, or anything happens, anything at all, just call this number, okay?"
"I will... Akio?"
"Yes?"
"Do... do you mind if I say something?"
Akio rose an eyebrow at the hesitation in her voice.
"What is it?"
"...You're sure you don't mind? It's kind of long. If you'd rather, I can let you go and we can finish talking later. I imagine you're pretty busy."
"Of course I wouldn't mind," Akio replied quickly, now more than a little curious as to what she had to say.
"Well... I just wanted to say that we love you, honey," Kasumi said after a brief pause. "You didn't have to help us like this after everything that's happened, but you did. I know it might not be my place to say this given our past, but you've grown up to be a wonderful man. We're all so proud of you."
"..."
Akio faltered and blinked away a few stray tears, the lump in his throat only building.
He wiped an arm across his eyes before continuing.
"T-thank you, Mom. Tell Dad and Sis that I'll see them soon."
"I will. See you soon, son."
Akio slowly brought his hand down, closing his phone and putting it back in his pocket.
Running a hand over his face and through his hair, Akio tried to recollect himself as he began walking away.
When he did, the only thing that remained was a giant, child-like smile.
An hour later, and after plenty of time alone to think, Akio found himself outside of the Nudist Beach compound and back out in the ruined city of Osaka.
He told himself he wanted to get some fresh air to clear his head, but in reality he just wanted to survey the damage once more. He was unconscious for at least a third of the fight of Osaka, so he was sure he missed a lot of what happened.
"Damn..." Akio muttered, his eyes widening at the sight of the downed, steel-beamed, tower of Osaka.
That only proved his point. It just goes to show that if you fall asleep around these people, you sure could miss a lot.
Climbing over a few piles of rubble, Akio climbed atop a giant boulder of concrete, sitting down at the top of it. He kept his eyes trained on the destroyed tower, feeling goose bumps begin to spread across his body at the sight of it.
It was frighteningly beautiful, in a way. There could only be a few instances in this world that could cause damage like this; natural disasters and human-made ones, mostly. And here he was, one of the few people in the world that could witness something like this and live to tell the tale.
Akio shivered, feeling immensely guilty for finding beauty in the destruction. These ruined buildings were people's homes, their livelihoods. It was wrong of him to think in such a manner. He had no idea what these people were going through.
"I wonder where they went..." Akio mumbled to himself as he hugged his knees to his chest, resting his chin on his knee.
How many people got out in time? How many were stuck here as the battle raged? How many homes destroyed? Schools? Hospitals?
Were there any injuries?
...Were there any casualties?
Akio sighed and shook his head. He couldn't get caught up in the statistics. If he did, it'd only weigh him down. He'd never be able to stop thinking about it if he knew the truth.
Ignorance is bliss, after all.
Content to put it out of his mind, Akio turned his head to the sky, his eyes moving back and forth as he examined the starry night. The clouds and smoke were gone now, and the night sky could finally be seen.
As he stared up at the stars above, his mind drifted to Ryuko, and how she was taking everything. It was funny how easily that it seemed to happen now.
It was incredible to think about how much had happened in the span of a few days. Two days ago, Ryuko was livid with him, furious about his choice in helping Satsuki and taking her up on the offer of the Goku uniform. Yesterday, the two fought for their lives, the day ending with them declaring their love for each other. And today, he woke up with her in his arms.
It almost felt like a dream.
Akio smiled slightly at the sight of the full moon. The night sky was so far away, and yet, it felt closer, as if Akio could reach out and touch it.
It really was a beautiful night.
He had looked up at these same stars before, and in the same frame of mind. It was the first night he had stayed over at the Mankanshokus, the night Ryuko found him on the rooftop and the two stared at the stars together. Back then, and even now, he thought the stars symbolized wishes and dreams. They were always there, just waiting for you to reach out and take them. No matter what tragedy could befall you, they would always be in the night sky, shining brightly to dispel the darkness.
Once upon a time, back before he had even met Ryuko, he felt that they were just stars that he could not reach and wishes that could not be granted.
Akio raised a hand, closing a fist around one particularly bright star.
"There you are."
Akio flinched, retracting his hand and turning his head towards the sudden sound.
"I've been looking everywhere for you, you know," Ryuko grumbled, placing her hands on her hips as she glared playfully at him. "Luckily Tsumugu said he saw you walking out here, otherwise I'd never find you."
"Sorry about that," Akio smiled apologetically. "I just needed some fresh air."
"Now that you mention it, so could I," She agreed as she walked towards him.
Ryuko grunted as she scaled the rock, making it to the top and sitting down next to Akio. The two sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying each other's company. It actually reminded Akio of the night he was just thinking about. An interesting coincidence.
"Pretty bad, huh?"
Akio glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow.
"Osaka," Ryuko nodded towards the destroyed tower. "Senketsu said it's the result of the power of Life Fibers. Can't say I disagree."
Akio nodded slightly, his eyes drifting to the ruined city once more. He took part in this destruction, too. He was as guilty as anyone else.
"Hey, Akio. Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
Ryuko turned to him, her expression surprisingly serious.
"Do you ever get scared?"
Akio blinked, slightly taken back by the question.
"Where's this coming from?"
"Just answer the question," Ryuko sighed.
"Alright," He paused for a brief moment to think it over. "All of the time."
"Really?"
"Of course," Akio replied, closing his eyes in thought. "All of this scares me. If we fail, there's no telling what could happen to humanity as we know it."
Akio hugged his knees a little tighter to his chest,
"And even if we succeed, there's no telling if it'll come without sacrifices."
That was one of his greatest fears. To him, it wouldn't be much of a victory if his loved ones didn't make it out with him.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one."
Akio's muscles relaxed, opening his eyes to look over at Ryuko.
"Huh?"
"It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's afraid of the future," Ryuko smiled at him, her hand reaching out to take a hold of his.
Akio returned the smile, his hand tightening around hers.
Feeling particularly affectionate after that, Akio scooted over, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and resting his head on hers.
Ryuko accepted the embrace, letting herself relax in his grip. To be honest, Akio was somewhat worried that she might be upset with him for earlier, so this was relieving. He had been pretty blunt earlier.
"Can I ask you another thing?"
"Jeez, I guess so."
Ryuko rolled her eyes at the smarmy tone, but proceeded undisturbed.
"Was what Mikisugi said really true?"
"Which part?"
"The part about you being Senketsu's fallback," Ryuko clarified.
"Oh," Akio responded, surprised at the question. He didn't think that she had caught that. "Yeah, yeah I was."
"Seriously?" Ryuko asked, looking up at him.
"Hmhm."
"Small world," Ryuko mumbled to herself, turning her head back to the stars.
"Yeah, I guess so. If by some freak chance he had came down to me, it wouldn't have worked out, though."
"Huh?" Ryuko looked back to him. "Why's that? Senketsu certainly likes you well enough, and if he had to go to anyone else, you'd be my next and only choice."
Akio bit back a snicker. She was certainly protective of Senketsu. It was cute, really, and he was sure the feeling was mutual between the two.
"For obvious reasons," Akio replied. "Aikuro was quite right when he said only you could actually wear him. You two have a connection that no one else could have, or even understand. You guys are quite literally like yin and yang. If the situation had called for it, I might have been able to wear him, but it would have been for probably five minutes tops, and no way would we be synchronized."
"So what you're saying is..." Ryuko began, a smirk slowly growing on her lips. "Is that I'm basically better than you at everything?"
"Yeah, I guess," Akio grumbled, turning his head away. "Smart ass..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
"...Aaaanyways," Ryuko deflected and patted Senketsu's eye. "Senketsu says he appreciates you as a friend, but he's certainly glad you're not his partner. He says your blood would be too salty."
Akio rose an eyebrow at that. "Too salty? Why's that?"
"Sorry," Ryuko shrugged with a grin. "That's between me and Senketsu."
Akio rolled his eyes, but a quiet chuckle still escaped his lips.
"Wait..." Ryuko stopped herself, her eyes narrowing as a thought struck her. "That reminds me, why is it that only I can hear him anyways?"
"Senketsu's Life Fibers have been spliced with your central nervous system's DNA," Akio answered bluntly.
"What?!"
"That's why he can only be heard and worn by you," Akio continued, eyeing Ryuko worriedly. "I know it's been a lot to take in today. I'm sorry about that."
"Yeah," Ryuko blinked a few times, her eyes lost in thought. "Jesus..."
"I'm sorry to interrupt-"
Both of them flinched, their heads swiveling to look behind them, where Aikuro and Tsumugu were both watching them.
"-But you two need to come with us," Aikuro finished, Tsumugu nodding with his statement.
"Why, what's up?" Ryuko asked as she rose to her feet, her previous quandry already forgotten.
"Our camera feeds show that the Kiryuins are mobilizing," Aikuro answered, his face twisting into a scowl. "Even Ragyo."
"What?!" Akio gasped, shooting to his feet. "Where?!"
"Come," Aikuro said, turning on his heel to walk back to the base. "We need to keep a close watch on our surveillance."
"Aikuro," Akio repeated, his heart falling into the pit of his stomach. "I asked you a question."
"It's best that I show you," Aikuro replied, not bothering to turn and face him. "Follow me."
And there you have it!
Like I said, a lot of talking, and not particularly a whole bunch of structure. I hope it wasn't too all over the place.
Anyhow, not much to say about this chapter. Lots of talking, lots of meaningful moments, and lots of inward reflection. I guess every fic needs one of these chapters every once and awhile.
With this chapter out of the way, things are going to happen hard and fast. Next chapter we'll get to ceremony at Honnouji, and then after that a whole bunch of other things that I can't tell you guys about.
But believe me when I say things are going to get intense now. There won't be very many more chapters like this.
Thanks for reading guys! I should have the next chapter out a little quicker than this one unless the first week of classes decides to bend me over.
Until next time!