I woke up, it's been two years since the final battle was declared and Satsuki with my help, ended Ragyo. I don't know what to do now. She was asleep, holding me tightly and I smiled, kissing her cheek, her now short hair was tickling my face. She looked so cute with short hair.

I reached out to grab my arm, fitting it onto my stump. The Gray Fibers fused together with my skin. I could feel with my prosthetic arm and it was like I hadn't lost it in the first place. I felt Satsuki shift, her face popped up from my chest, her eyes were bleary and I saw the spider web of scars from Ragyo temporarily blinding her by sewing a blindfold to her face on either side of her temples.

She ruined my life and her own daughter's life by pursuing her goal. Satsuki kissed my lips and pulled me under the covers. She was extremely flirty today. She kept on kissing me and teasing me with her hands trailing across my musculature.

I knew that she'd do it, I knew that it was her doing that, so I didn't freak out and end up throttling her. In the comfortable darkness of our bedroom, we could lay in each other's arms and just be us. We were both scarred and lost, wandering through life with no sight.

She then started to bite my ear and gently kiss my neck, scraping her teeth against my neck over and over. It excited my body and I was on top of her, kissing her all over, shifting her borrowed shirt down to her shoulders and kissing her neck and shoulders. She giggled, we both started to laugh.

"My, aren't you feisty today?" she asked.

"You started it, Satsy-Chaaaaaaaannnn~" I teased, gaining the burning edge to my voice that made Satsuki laugh every single time. I was finally comfortable in my own skin. The Gray Fibers left me my arm and I was able to hang up my sword for good.

Still, the world was healing. I had to get up and deal with more corporate hullabaloo from REVOCS and the media as Satsuki's spokesman. With the end of Ragyo came tons of questions, some of which Satsuki couldn't answer. Even when she'd been cold in her grave for only two years, people wouldn't shut up about her.

Which brings me to stand in front of the manor's entrance as it was torn down. Seeing that eyesore be brought to the ground was bittersweet. Yeah, I had some good memories in that place, but at the same time…

It felt good to see that abuser's house go down. I felt so much catharsis.

"Mr. Kaguya! What's your relationship with the REVOCS C.E.O?" one reporter asked.

"Listen, I don't think that is relevant…" I sighed. I hated questions like that, ones that tried to fish for a scandal. I had a date tonight, I can't afford any slip-ups. Satsuki wanted to celebrate the end of an era. Today was the day we killed her, anyway.

The era of Ragyo was at an end. I raked my hand through my hair, scarcely believing that I was still alive to even see the day come. I was proud of how far I've come. Me, Kazuma Kaguya, in love with a beautiful girl and finally at peace?

Years ago, if you told me that I'd win against Ragyo by slashing her to tiny bits alongside Satsuki, I'd laugh in your face.

I looked up at the crowd, falling silent, "Sir?"

I took a deep breath, "The C.E.O and I have a close bond, but that's all I'll disclose," I said.

[Episode 1: Trapped.]

OP: Ichibanka.

Kazuma wakes up in the dark, holding Satsuki, remembering what happened in the previous story, he gets up, putting on a rather familiar green coat, realizing that it's not Kibonochi. He's then shown outside, seeing everything in bright colors. He's clearly excited to experience the world he missed. With the 8-bit parts, we get Kazuma playing a handheld console, showing a save file with him, Satsuki, Ryuko, and Nui all together in a party, he presses the New Game + button as the OP ends.

Satsuki looked like a goddess. Seriously, she wore a close-fitting blue dress and little makeup, but she… she looked so…

Happy.

The way she smiled at me, the way her eyes shined in the dying light of the sun, it made me forget about what happened a mere two years ago.

"What do you think, Kazuma?" She asked sweetly.

"You look… absolutely stunning and I can't believe I'm runnin' outta words to say," I said. I was wearing a maroon button-down shirt and gray formal pants with a matching jacket. I wore no eyepatch, my scar on full display. I looked like being a hardcore Yakuza was my job.

Some days felt like I was one. Especially when Satsuki's rainy days were happening. Her eyes would close and she'd sleep for hours and hours on end. Never waking up until that night, even then she'd be acting like it's normal. It's not. It never was.

At least it wasn't as bad as those days after I freed her from Ragyo's control. She would be awake, crying and sobbing, mostly burying her face into my shoulder to hide from an invisible enemy.

Satsuki giggles and leans forward, "In my opinion, you're the only man who made me think that you were handsome constantly, and that's no small feat,"

I blushed and glanced down at my hands. I had a ton of trauma to work through. She was just trying to make me feel better. In the days following Ragyo's attempted apocalypse, Satsuki and I tore our way through creation, experiencing so many things.

But I wanted to do something. Something that we both knew would eventually happen. I had a ring in my pocket. Just for her. I waited so long to finally give it to her. As a promise to always be there to chase her demons away.

I pulled out the box, it was a brand new day for us. The night was over. I wanted to propose now that way none of the office mooks get any funny ideas. I knelt down on one knee, a grin on my face.

Satsuki's small smile widened, her eyes started to tear up.

"Satsuki? I got somethin' for ya, something I've been wantin' to give ya…" I said, she knelt down herself and pulled out a ring in turn. We both giggled, our cheeks turning red.

"I have something for you, as well… I… I always felt right in your arms… and I want you to… I want you to hold me forever! So please, Kazuma Kaguya! Please stay by my side!" she said, thrusting the ring out, her eyes pleading.

"Like you even need to ask… of course, Satsuki! I will… and I want you to stay by mine… the war is over. I've been waitin' for years," I sighed, I took her hand and slipped on the ring. She smiled and did the same for me.

I wanted to keep smiling, but the night held more than just that. The date was over, and Satsuki laid beside me, her arms around me and mine around her. She gently kissed me, we were shrouded in blankets.

"DON'T GO!" a voice echoed in my mind as the door closed. Once I heard the door shut I started to breathe faster, my breath came out in a fog, I remembered this. It was those times Ragyo would just up and leave for hours on end and then come back so I came running into her arms.

"Mama!" I would sob, She'll abandon you.

I looked over at Satsuki's smiling face, her short hair framing it like tiny little wings. My breath caught in my throat. No… no… she… she looked like her! She'll abandon you.

"Mm… Kazzy? Baby, it's just a bad dream…" she sighed, her eyes opening. For a second, they were maroon. I started to hyperventilate, my eyes screwed shut. I buried myself into her chest, searching for her heartbeat. Mad Beat.

MAD BEAT.

*Tom….tooom….totototototottooom…* The same as the primordial Life Fiber.

I yanked myself out of the bed, seeing the white in her hair, stumbling out of bed, I ran to the bathroom, making it worse. Everything felt so… naked. I couldn't hide. The light was too bright, the hallway all twisted. I slammed the door shut, locking it.

We always make things worse…

Always.

I curled into a little ball, feeling adrift. I thought it was all over. I thought it couldn't get worse. I shut my eye, trying to banish the thoughts and the bad dreams. I heard a knock on the shut door.

"Kazuma? Sweetie?" Satsuki's voice asked.

You made her worse.

"Honey? What's wrong?" she wondered.

"N-nothing, Satsy… just… just a bad dream…" I choked out.

"Okay then, I always hated you,"

What? No. No… she's wrong…

"Satsuki?" I whispered, no answer. I looked down at my stump, seeing the tiny fibers wheeling, it always calmed me down. Knowing that those little guys were helping me stay in top condition. I stared at them.

Even in the dark, they shined a gentle silver.

I started to feel sleepy, so I curled up in the bathtub, my eyes closing. I woke up with the door open and Satsuki holding me, her arms wrapped around me as I laid in her lap. She was warm. So warm… wait. Did she unlock the door?

"Kazuma… this is the fourth time this week, are you sure you're okay? Do I need to call your therapist?" she asked.

"Yeah, call 'im, I need someone to talk to…" I sighed. I needed to vent, I needed to let it all out. I've been seeing a therapist for a while ever since the world got back to mostly normal. His name was Dr. Thaddeus Sterne, and he was the Kaguya family therapist. Dad, Mom, Nui and I… we all went to him at some point. Dr. Renfrow was his son-in-law and he was a solid man of eighty. Of Germanic descent.

He had somewhat of an accent, but his bright gray hair and sweater vests reminded me of Einstein a lot. Yet, Doctor Thad was like his last name, stern, commanding. He was clinical and blunt. Yet, there was nothing like him, his joy was infectious.

"First of all, congratulations are in order, my boy!" he greeted, he was like the grandfather I never got to have. I smiled, we always got personal stuff out of the way first. His eyes had a silvery twinkle in them, meaning that he had some degree of Gray Fibers in him, they lengthened lifespans if the person so desired.

Considering that he dedicated himself as our family therapist, and swore to help us and any subsequent generations, he had them.

"Thanks, Doc…" I sighed.

"Now, down to business. Your fiance, she's expressed some concerning observations to me… I have them here on my notepad… 'Glares at me like he'll murder me,' 'Sometimes runs into the bathroom, shuts the door, and stays in there for about an hour,' 'Seems to be attached to salt as a good-luck charm…' And the most concerning one, 'Seems to stay away from me during… what she calls your 'Episodes?' Like he's seen a ghost,' Care to explain those, Kazuma?" he asked.

"From what you describe of your fiance, you're head-over-heels in love with her. Childhood friends to passionate lovers. She's been your rock, your constant support, often ignoring her own troubles to help you, so what's wrong?" he wondered.

I sighed, reclining, taking a breath, "Well… I figured we'd get to this…"

"Okay, so you know how I've been keeping my early years after the unfortunate accident that separated my sister 'n I, a secret right?" I asked.

"Yes, are you going to elaborate?" he inquired.

"Yeah, so… strap in, Doc…" I huffed. I told him everything, Ragyo's kindness at first, gaining my trust, drugging me to have her way with me, with more and more piling on, I swear that he almost broke his pen writing it all down. I told him about the war, about the final fight, Ragyo's final words… I shut down, sobbing by the end of it.

"So… Ragyo did all of… this?" he mumbled, motioning to all of me.

"Pretty much, Doc… she hurt me… and now I'm hurting Satsuki because of what her 'mother' did… I'm scum… I don't want to… but I do," I sighed.

"There's a stigma in this society that men cannot be sexually abused… yet you are living proof that they can, but look at you! You've survived this long… you've gotten help, you came to me and I couldn't be happier, what happens during your episodes?" he asked.

"Well… I get tense, super tense. Like any moment I might attack. My hands dart to my waist, where my sword usually is. Ever since then I never picked it up again… then there's the… the visions," I forced out, closing my eye.

"What sort of visions, Kazuma?" he asked.

"I superimpose Ragyo's features onto Satsuki… my brain associates Ragyo with the fight response… and Satsuki says things, but another voice hijacks hers, it's all dark things, 'I've always hated you,' 'Jump of a roof and die,' yet the worst one, the one that hurts the most… 'She pities you, that's why she stays,' I gotta admit that I'm not the best guy, Doc, but… does she?" I mumbled out.

"And the attachment to salt?" he asked.

"It's known as a protection against ghosts… I just keep shaking the little pot and the visions go away. The feelings go away and I can just… breathe," I sighed.

"What're your coping mechanisms?" Doc asked.

"I usually just bottle it up… I gotta be the stronger one, I gotta be strong for her. I always was the weaker one back then, but now I gotta suck it up and be strong! She's hurting and I'm hurting…" I sighed, Doctor Sterne grabbed my shoulders.

"Kazuma, it's clear that you have some bottled up fears and need a way to let them out. Start drawing and writing again, those are good ways to cope,"

Journal 1: The Days After.

After the war, a few days after. Satsuki's horns fell off. I remember the first night. We didn't sleep or celebrate. There was no celebrating the putting down of an insane woman. There was nothing but silence as the REVOCS men and the Warboys all waited. It was as if the world was waiting for her to come back and start to fight again.

Then the sun broke through the clouds. Then the warmth flooded my chest. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I smiled, for the first time I smiled. For the first time, I laughed. For the first time…

I could breathe. I could laugh. I could run and jump. I could… I could hold Satsuki tight and never let go.

I cut my hair. No more was it the messy black and silver mop. I made it an undercut. My hair was naturally rough and spiky. Satsuki wouldn't stop running her slender fingers through it.

It was hard to say goodbye to my dad. It was hard to let go of the past. Dad…

I miss you. I miss Mom. I miss all the times we had together. I miss even Ragyo sometimes, even if she was abusive, and a rapist, she… she had her moments of clarity.

God. I hated her. Still, I hated you for the longest time, Dad. You left me. You died. Then when I finally got you back, you died on me. Mom meant nothing to me. Nui was the only one that mattered…

It's hard, Dad, so hard. Seeing Satsuki dead-eyed, seeing her laying in bed, staring at the wall, her eyes staring at something far beyond. I hold her, I shake her, I talk to her. She never answers. Some days, she leans over, kisses me, and says 'I'm sorry.' as if what happened two years ago was her fault.

I feel so free. But… Satsuki, she's trapped in her own head. Like I am. I see Ragyo when I look at her, but I know it's not her. I know it's Satsuki, but my brain keeps on replacing her.

I love her. I love Satsuki so much… She means so much. She's done so much for me. Bent over backwards, loved me regardless of how bad things got…

I'm scared that one day, when we're married, when everything's falling into place. When I finally beat this monster. When we have a kid of our own… when we can finally forget, I'll come home and find her…

Gone.

That would destroy me. That would tear my heart out and make it bleed. My kid and I would be alone, without her. I love her.

That's why I gotta be strong. That's why I gotta shoulder her. That's why I won. I'll carry her weight. Because that's what I promised.

Sincerely,

Kazuma Kaguya.

Satsuki watched me write, her eyes shining in the light. Her perfect blue eyes unclouded. Her lips quirked up in amusement. She rested her chin on her hand, watching me. I glanced over, my lips stretching into a wry grin.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm glad you've started writing again," she said, spreading her arms out.

"Come here," she said.

I reluctantly settled in next to her, she pulled me into her arms, her eyes twinkling and her breath softly ruffling my hair. I felt her tense. Her breath hitched, her shoulders started to shake and I hugged her tighter, pulling myself up and staring into her tear-filled eyes.

"I wish… I wish… I wish things were normal…" she sniffed.

"You wouldn't have to regenerate your arm, or be so scarred, or even have both eyes! If I'd had done something sooner… you'd…" she sobbed, and I held her.

"Don't say that. I'd do it all again. I'd do it all again if it meant we'd win… I'll be here if you need me, right here. That's what I promised, yeah?" I asked.

"Yes…. that is what you promised…" she sighed.

I got up and went over to the record player, putting a record called Space Lion in it. Holding my arms out.

"Dance with me, Satsuki…"

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close.

"Dance the night away…"

Her soft black hair tickled my chin, her warm hands wrapped around my back with her arms there too. She looked so beautifully broken… We were beautifully broken, crazy and in love. We were trapped in our own heads…

Yet out here… we were safe. Held in the arms of the one we loved the most… each other.