[Episode 15: The Fallen Glass Angel.]
OP 4: This Is War by 30 Seconds to Mars.
Kazuma and Satsuki stand together against Ragyo, standing on a chessboard, pieces fall around them as they fight her, tears stream down Kazuma's face as good memories blaze into flame, burning away as he fights on, no matter how wounded he gets, he still walks by Satsuki's side, always there and always fighting. The end of the OP sees Kazuma finally standing before Ragyo...
And Satsuki appears by her side. Blinded by a blindfold and wielding the Dual Bakuzans. Kazuma clenches Koudari and Koudashi, Kibonochi Ryuken flaring to life as the logo is burned out.
She raised her blade, and I said one name. One name I never thought I'd say again.
"Satsuki?" I mewed.
She smiled widely, "Satsuki?" she echoed.
She brought her blade down, and I caught it with my Gray Fiber hand. This wasn't her. This couldn't be her... no way. There's no way she could've survived that explosion... Yet, here she was. Looming over me with a sweet, blissful smile. Her skin was more... doll-like than usual. I still tried to appeal to her humanity.
"Satsuki! This isn't you! Listen to me!" I demanded, pushing the blade back. She still smiled. I closed my eye.
"Fine then! I'll tear that blindfold off and make you see me!" I decided.
Satsuki, no, Glass, smiled still and stepped back, her blade pointing at me. She was still synced with Junketsu. Or what I thought was Junketsu. Until... she put her hand on the blindfold. I unsheathed Koudashi, readying myself for battle.
"Come on, Satsuki... you think that kid can beat you? Baby, I know you're stronger than him, way stronger,"
Yes, yes, this fool doesn't know me, but why is he so familiar? Why did I sing for him? Mother... gave me orders.
"Yeah, and she's gonna be sad if we don't bring this kid's head back on a silver platter... c'mon Satsy... make me happy, make me proud..."
Kazuma appeared around me, holding me, his golden eyes blazing sweetly into my soul, "C'mon... don't make me sad. Otherwise, we won't have that house on the coast that you wanted... or a kid... that man is gonna tear all of it apart..."
He touched my face, and I leaned into his touch. "Will he?" I asked.
"So many questions, Satsy... leaves ya open for an attack..."
I was jolted back into reality by a vicious slash of wind, I dodged the incoming white blade that my target wielded, well... one of them. Mother said that he wielded two and had a third in his possession. One that was in a pure, white sheath that he never unsheathed. He smelled desperate. He smelled scared. His Kamui was weakened. Yet, I still hesitated.
"Satsuki! This isn't you! Listen to me!" I heard. His voice! It sounded so similar to my... to my Kazuma...
"Kill him! C'mon, we'll squash him like the bug he is! 'Dragon'? Hah! No way! He's no dragon! He's nothing!"
Nothing... nothing...
"Now you're getting it, baby! Just relax, think of it... think of it as a sparring match! But for keeps!"
A sparring match... for keeps? More rushes of wind, more dodging, step step. I liked this game, I loved this game! My opponent dodged my stikes and I giggled. The rushes of air picked up in intensity. My target was fighting harder. Over, under, left, right. Over.
He was gone.
I ran away, putting some distance between Satsuki and me. 'Run away from your dreams, Kazuma! The woman of your dreams can't be trying to kill you!' I thought, hightailing it like hell was on my heels. I never thought that I would have to run from her. She chased me relentlessly, I still ran. Not only was she fast, but she seemed to be everywhere.
Serpentine, serpentine, SERPENTINE! Kibonochi was in no shape to sync with me, I was in no shape to keep up in straight combat with her. I was too sc- I mean, I was just tactically retreating! Yeah! "Kid, you're running away 'cause you're scared,"
"Gee, thanks for reminding me... just... stop doin' that!" I snarled, slowing down and gasping gently, catching my breath. I realized that I ran all the way out to the Border Plains between China and Mongolia. I still kept going, my swords still clenched in my hands, I sheathed them and took Bakuzan off my back, studying its sheath for anything.
Sometimes Satsuki left something hidden on her property, a sort of code, maybe even a message. It was mostly on unassuming objects so her dear mother wouldn't catch onto the scent. I studied the sheath closely, but... maybe the blade itself held some clue as to why she was so... odd. Maybe I was reading too much into it. Ragyo broke the blade for a reason...
Maybe because it was made to cut through Life Fibers? She did the same to Kouheisei, unintentionally giving me my pair of blades. We both came close to defeating her, yet now? The 'Rebellion' we cobbled together is now scattered. I don't think Satsuki becoming a blindfolded Hunter Killer constituted a good reason to bring everyone back together.
It was my problem. My fight to win. I just needed time to think. I found myself amidst the plains of Mongolia. I had to keep moving. If not for Satsuki, then who else? My angel, my light... the one prize that I wanted to take from Ragyo and run away with. My one question was... how? How did Ragyo break Satsuki? Satsuki's iron will is formidable.
Even I can't sway her sometimes... but... it was good to know that she was alive. Maybe I can find a way to bring her out of it? Maybe do some things that'd jog the old Satsuki's memory? I don't know where to start or what to do... I still remembered her words at the Stadium, she... she was crying. She knew. She knew what her mother was going to do to her.
Pleading with me to run was her way of saving me. There was many a night where I'd wake up in a cold sweat imagining what kind of hell Ragyo was dragging Satsuki down into. Believe me... I know what Ragyo does. She acts like your friend, your confidant, she knows everything that makes you tick. Your fears, your insecurities. Ragyo was one masterful manipulator.
Oh Kazuma, don't resent me...
I whirled, swords out. I looked around myself frantically. I couldn't be going crazy, right? At this point, I'm surprised that my head hasn't exploded... I shouldn't be surprised by Ragyo anymore, she played all her cards and I flipped the table. I survived. That's the thing with the Kaguya Family, we survive things that'd make other people physically and mentally ill.
Well, Nui and I survived, it seems we can't keep a lock on our parents... sorry Mom. I noticed some... Fibers...? Blowing in the wind.
I'm only doing all of this to get revenge on life for being so cruel... you can understand that, can't you?
I saw her. I saw Ragyo and braced myself. She was not here, but... my fear overrode my logic. Her eyes roved hungrily over my body.
You look so much older...
I grit my teeth, shutting my eye. One month. One month without any contact and now she wants me? C'mon woman, priorities! She had a playful smile on her face and teasingly squeezed my cheeks.
Heh, you're so cute... so adorably naive despite me breaking you... Mm...
Her hands trailed up my chest and I froze in self-defense. She brushed Kibonochi aside and rubbed my scars, the ones that she inflicted herself. She seemed... so whimsical about all of it.
Have I ever told you that I wanted a son? So much that I'd kill for one? I killed your mommy and your daddy, and still, you fight back? You were so adorable asleep in my arms, I never wanted to let you go...
I clenched my blades, my eye leaking tears, this was my first contact with anyone I found comforting. My sister wanted nothing to do with me, my brothers were scattered, my lover was mindfucked by the same woman cradling me and holding me as I found myself sobbing. I was like the main character in One by Metallica. Hell, death would be better than this.
Shh... you have no idea how much I hate this... being apart from my precious little boy...
No. There was a reason why she let me go. There was a reason why she didn't kill me. My ability to hijack and assimilate Life Fibers into Gray Fibers was invaluable. Well, only if you... wanted to destroy the Primordial Life Fiber! That's why Mom and Dad made me! They knew that Ragyo was losing it and Soichiro was too much of a little bitch boy to stop her until she dumped Ryuko out like trash and took me! So that meant I was the one to diesel the PLF to kingdom come while Satsuki and hopefully Ryuko curb-stomp Miss Handsy, Needle-Glasses, and her Attack Courtier.
At the same time, if I had stayed with REVOCS... there was no force on heaven or hell or even earth that could stop me if she got to brainwash me. I'd not only destroy the world but her too. I'd be the only human left in the whole universe. Or maybe she planned to use the Gray Fibers to destroy the PLF anyway after they factory reset the world... Ew. EW! No! No, get those thoughts RIGHT out of your head, Kazuma! That was one disturbing train of thought that crashed and burned...
Ragyo continued to cuddle me, even if she was a psycho, she could've been an extremely convincing actress... I smiled.
"Y'know what? A month ago, this tactic could've worked..." I sighed, stabbing my swords into her.
"Good thing I don't care anymore!" I said with false cheer, unraveling her and assimilating the Fibers used to create this long-distance Skype doll. Ragyo reformed and appeared on a cracked apart slab of concrete. Lounging on it and watching me shrug my Kamui back on. It was true, the only thing I cared about now was getting Satsuki back.
That's what I used to hide my insecurity and hurt. I never let my walls down nowadays because I couldn't. Not like I used to. The second of my three inner demons appeared, he looked like me... but with elements of Ragyo. The elegance, the hair color, the eyes. This was my mask that I used to wear all those months ago. I was Kaguya, he was the Kiryuin in me".
She's right, you know.
I tried to ignore him. To no avail. He walked briskly, formal heels clicking on the pavement.
"Leave me alone," I snarled.
What? Nui was right, you ARE like Ragyo! Don't deny it!
"I'm nothing like her! That bitch can burn in hell! Wait, no, hell is too good for her..." I muttered.
Face it, you can't get rid of her, you can't get rid of me...
"Yes, I can! I'm the master of my destiny! No one can tell me what's right except myself!" I declared, slamming my feet upon the pavement harshly.
Says the man who carved a bloody canyon through REVOCS's enemies... Says the man who had every opportunity to escape but didn't... Says the man who let his lover die in front of him instead of laying with her and dying with her... Satsuki should be ashamed that she ever shared a bed with you.
I grit my teeth but stayed calm.
You think you're the hero, huh? Well no, no one is the goddamn hero. This world is no place for a hero...
"Then what, pray to tell, am I? Mr. 'I'm like Ragyo, ergo, I'm better than you'?" I asked.
You're an insecure child. A man so obsessed with protecting people who don't need it or want it, your intent is pure. You just want to help. But here's the catch: Satsuki isn't some princess to be saved. Nui isn't a wilting flower. They don't need you. The only reason why they keep you around is that they feel bad for you. Poor little Kazuma, trying to play the hero.
Hell, even Ragyo likes you because you're so entertaining. You're annoying, too!
I rolled my eye, great, not another rant about how I'm a dumbass...
"Let me guess, I'm stupid for throwing myself at a brick wall that shines as you do?" I sighed.
Yes! Exactly! Ragyo is practically unbeatable, so why?
"Because I know eventually... I'm gonna die," I reasoned.
"I'd rather die knowing that the world is gonna be safe rather than at war and if my death paves the way for it? I'll leave at least something behind that lasts. Something that people might not remember who left it behind... but what. A hero left that behind, he killed a goddess and saved the world. If I live, cool! If I die, okay! At least people will remember me as the anonymous hero that saved the world from the Clothocalypse," I sighed, looking up at the red sky.
I barely remember the last time it was blue. Wait, no, I do. It was a month ago. That mass in the sky was all the COVERS all bundled together. All waiting for the Primordial to unleash them on the world. Or get destroyed at this point I don't know Ragyo's goal anymore. Did she want to conquer the world or destroy it? Pick a side, woman!
Ugh, and the other me is still here! "What do you want?! Why're you here?!" I demanded.
Uh...
"Yeah, you better move on!" I snarled.
The other me vanished, not realizing that I'd be so forceful. I needed to gather the brothers. I needed to find Ragyo and Satsuki, save Satsuki and then the world. I know it'll be easier said than done. I'll get you back, Satsuki. I'll get you back in my arms.
The night was longer than I thought. I was trying to find some sort of clue to where Satsuki was staying. Hannouji was right out. Ragyo was smarter than that. She wouldn't stay in Hannouji, especially since I rigged it to explode into a glass floor. I wasn't sure how Satsuki survived, but... Ragyo has Life Fibers. So... bullshit? Hell, might as well be.
The other me came right back. Always there no matter what. His light was softer, and he was somber.
Great, now I can't do anything...
I ignored him, putting more sticks into the fire I was sitting in front of. My eye staring up at the stars, barely visible due to the COVER bulb starting to bloom. I was running out of time. Humanity is... running out of time. I had to get Satsuki back, or Ryuko, someone who could help me beat Ragyo! Someone who... who's stronger than me.
I can't do it alone. I can't do it alone because I'm breakable. I've already been through Ragyo's little mind games and manipulative shit. She knows exactly how to break me. She made my angel fall, she made Satsuki a shell of her former self. Dependent on her other senses. Losing her way and ambitions and listening to another me. A me that hated humanity and wanted it to die.
I felt so alone. Standing alone against Ragyo. Standing alone against an alien superpower that wanted humanity dead. Almost no one fought back nowadays. Well, I was sick of running. Satsuki's order was getting stale, so I decided to stand and fight. I saw something in the distance, seeing the oddly gray version of Junketsu coming up. I smiled and stood up.
No more will I hold back. No more fear. Only focus... only focus... Instead of Koudari and Koudashi, I unsheathed Bakuzan, which I had figured out how to reforge. It wasn't easy.
AHHHH! Why is there a piece of it in my gut?!
That was one bad night... I still don't get why the Gray... fibers... didn't... OH! They... it can... CUT THROUGH LIFE FIBERS! All I need to do is cut through Fake-Junketsu and that dumb blindfold! Now all I needed to do was fix Kibonochi and I could-
Shit.
Shit.
SHIT!
Satsuki was getting closer! She started to run! There's only one way out of this!
"RUNNING AWAY!" I yelled, tearing off into the night. 'Okay, put some distance between us! Then, catch her by surprise, strip her, take off the blindfold and cover her with Kibonochi! Then she'll be back and we can go from there!' I thought, smiling. 'Genius!'
"Found you!" I heard, feeling a heel strike me in the back of my head. I dodged and grabbed her by the leg, slamming her down. I got on top of her, grabbing her wrist with my Gray Fiber hand.
"Sorry! But I gotta knock you out!" I apologized. She struggled, my arm vice-gripping her sword arm. Her face was twisted into a snarl, and I wanted to let her go, but... I knew I'd never get this chance again.
"Let... me go... please!" she pleaded.
I hesitated.
Kid...
"What? She asked nicely!" I joked.
Okay, if you let her go, will she:
A. Brutally kill us?
B. Go back to Ragyo and then come back with her and have her fuck and then kill us?
C. Just let us go after conflicting messages from the Blindfold You and You?
Or D. You cut off the damn thing and save your angel from falling?
The choice is yours, Kazuma.
It felt wrong to raise my hand against him. Mother never told me what he'd done. I felt his arm pin mine down and I hissed at the strong grip it had on mine.
"Let... me go... please!" I pleaded. I felt him hesitate.
"What? She asked nicely!" he snapped.
Babe now's the time! Kill him!
I felt his grip go slack a little, and then, I felt something cold slip in near whatever was on my eyes.
No! No! Babe! Attack him! Kill him!
But something made me stay my hand. Something... comforting. A warm hand pressed to my cheek, I felt the love in it.
"I made you a promise, that I'd always protect you... someones gotta watch your back when Nonon or Ira isn't around..." The other Kazuma said warmly, his hand was so warm, and his grip so gentle. Those names were recognizable too. There was a cutting sound, and then...
Light.
Light streamed down at me, my eyes bleary. I blinked, feeling something wet on my temples, I felt something soft against them, rubbing gently.
"What did that bitch do to you?" the warm, kind voice muttered. I felt so cold, and I felt someone's strong arms around me as they dabbed at the blood. My eyes adjusted and I saw him. He was tall, not as tall as me though. His hair was black with silver streaks in it. His body was muscular and his chest was covered with faded scars. His arms, his neck, his cheeks, and the area around one of his eyes were scarred.
He was the most handsome man I'd ever seen. His warm, golden eye was paler, but... this was my Kazuma. The Kazuma who I remembered sharing many sleepless nights with. His grin was lopsided and lazy. He pulled me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my ear.
"The nightmare is over... it's all over..." he whispered, kissing me. I looked down at myself, seeing the scars, still relatively new against my skin. On the ground, a pile of clothes writhed.
Satsuki! Satsuki! Put me back on! Satsuki!
I looked up at Kazuma, "Stupid smock..." he sighed and motioned towards it.
"Kibonochi, chow time!" he declared, and a green and black dusty blur shot past us, tackling the pile of writhing clothes and eating it. The clothing screamed as the green coat glew silver for a bit, being good as new and less dusty. With new silver lining in him. Kazuma laughed dryly and the coat wound back around his shoulders.
"We'll get your Kamui back, Satsy..." he sighed, looking down at me.
"In the meantime... I got some clothes for ya..." he mumbled. I noticed a reddening of his cheeks. Even the strongest men could crumble. I noticed that his arm was a soft fabric-like material. Yet, the top half of his arm to the bicep was normal flesh. His other arm was untouched. He held me gently, and I pulled on the shirt and pants, pulling on the coat.
"I found those in an old boutique in Linfen. One hell of a ghost town, even before things got all... COVERED," Kazuma explained, standing with me in his arms. I missed him. The last thing I remember was exploding the Stadium, watching his face shift to agony, reaching out and wanting to grab me. Now I didn't want him to let me go. I loved him. Now I was covered in scars like him.
"I guess we're similar..." I sighed.
Kazuma laughed, leaning down and kissing me, I felt his excitement and love through it. He pulled away.
"Yeah," he sighed, the feeling of joy drained from his face. He held me tightly. Shutting down, he started to cry. He cradled me and sobbed into my shirt. I held him, crying myself, feeling the bandages strain against my temples.
"If only I was strong enough..." he sniffed.
"Kazuma..." I sighed.
"You'd be right here. Right here and okay... I let you go... and it was the worst mistake I ever fucking made! Ragyo hurt you... made you... wrong," he sniffed, burying his face into my shoulder, with me doing the same.
"It should've been me... at least you'd be okay..." he sighed. His grip loosened. I still hugged him, having no idea why he was crying. What happened?
"I... I kept Bakuzan..." he admitted, thrusting it out at me with the sheath on. I pushed it back. Ragyo used that to cut me up... she stitched me back together. I was disgusted by the blade now.
"Satsuki, I can't do this on my own. I can't... I can't beat her without you. Without Ryuko or Nui... Our parents started this, it's only fitting we end it..." he started to sob again, and he smashed his lips into mine, knocking the breath out of me and he pulled away, his eye shining in the moonlight.
"Don't do that again, please... I thought you were dead... I can't face her alone... I can't face life alone! Every day I wake up expecting her to be over me, the sky red and her blade at my neck! I can't run, I can't hide, and I can't fight! All I can do is go day by day hoping that I wake up peacefully again..." He grabbed my shoulders, pulling me closer.
"At least with you, I feel safe..." he whispered.
"No matter what, I love you... even if I have to drag you away from whatever hurts you..." he said.
"You were always the one in control. The one she'd barely mess with... now I have to watch my back as another me looks exactly like her... always sighing and crooning into my ear about how I'm not good enough or strong enough, no matter how many times I tell him to shut up... He was RIGHT, Satsuki. He was right... I'm not strong enough, I'm not good enough... I spent a whole MONTH chasing leads on where you may have ended up... China, Mongolia, France, Spain, Germany, Scotland, Norway. Not a single place had you there..." he ranted.
"I felt like I failed you, I felt like I died. I felt so wrong and lost... I don't know what I'm fighting for anymore..." I heard him sigh.
"Well. How about me? I don't even remember what happened in the past month... now I wake up in your arms and you're so... different," I reasoned.
"Yeah, time does that," he said bluntly. I cupped his cheeks with my hands.
"But it's a good difference..." I sighed.
"It's a good difference. It proves something to me..." I said.
"What? That I'm an obsessive asshole?" he snarled.
"No, that you're loyal," I said, feeling tired. A month's worth of Kamui use was getting to me, and he laid me down, spreading Kibonochi over me and curling around me.
"It's good to be back with you... Kazzy." I yawned.
"Yeah... I love you, Satsy." he sighed, wrapping his arm around me and letting his prosthetic arm pop off his stump.
"To tell you the- Hahhh... truth, I'll never get used to that..." I muttered.
I felt him chuckle and I felt his lips on my neck.
"Well, now you gotta..." he huffed, finally settling down. Tomorrow will be the start of a better future, one that we will lead into the light. Now, all we needed to do was gather everyone... and I have the oddest feeling that it'll be my sister first...
A.N: Hello! I don't do Author's Notes for this bad boy too often, but... I just wanted to thank everyone who favorited and followed me and Kazuma on this wild ride of Kill la Kill glory, and I'm sure this won't get ridiculously popular, but... I'm glad for my fourteen favorites and twelve followers! You all rock!
We're in the home stretch now! Will our Dragon of Hannouji and Iron Maiden recruit the Empress of the Warboys? Will everyone be the same after the Clothocolyspe? What's with Ragyo and the meaning of No means No? Will she stop being a creep? Probably not...
But stay tuned for the next intense episode of Dancing Dragons!
Next Time:
Anyone got a Plane?
