A stadium dedicated to Ragyo's glory wasn't a ruin yet. Ryuko couldn't do anything for the people taken. Those she managed to cut free weren't aware of it, naked and in the fetal position if loosed. Others at ground level thought to attack her; hulking monsters with eye-like growths enlarged where the bow-ties were. She could see the emaciated faces of their victims through necktie-shaped holes left open as if to frighten new prey.

{What a horrific fate!}

"Keep your head in the game!"

Twirling over-top one shoving its fist through the earth she brought her blade across its back. She ran through several more spinning her weapon around her wrist to bash its blunt end through another.

"There's no end to 'em," she watched it fly off.

{It seems the others aren't able to reach Satsuki.}

"Dumbasses. For all their talk they're no use to anybody."

Nevertheless she could see their three-star garbs transformed and in their defense. Like her they were outnumbered.

"Oh my! You and that Kamui never disappoint!" Nui appeared.

"Get outta my way!" Ryuko charged.

Swinging her weapon drove Nui's down next to their feet etching a line to and through the bleachers. An elbow to her face sent her skipping along the dust until she flitted herself upright.

"I actually felt that one!" Nui exclaimed. "Mon-Mignon Prêt-à-Porter!"

To test Ryuko's patience one of her spread around as several.

"Let's see if you can spot the REAL me!"

"Tch..."

She set another glance on Sanageyama, Nonon, Gamagori and Inumuta struggling to help who they could while being attacked. Satsuki fared no better. Their leader missed with every attempt, tagged if she so much as tried. She lowered into her footing as the bruises on her face set in. Ragyo raised a hand to snicker. Her army reduced to food for the mindless, her Elite Four's combat uniforms outclassed, Satsuki thought over her last resort.

"Didn't you mean to bring an end to my scheming, Satsuki?"

"Yaahhnn!" she blitzed.

Junketsu's boost a help the flare warmed her back. Propelling forward cleaved at the breeze and not Ragyo's arrogance. Her speed was an illusion, a slight of the eye, and the strain on Satsuki's wasn't just her trying too hard. Years of training did nothing as her last swing met Ragyo's fist. She didn't think she could feel anymore helpless until she heard the bolts on her sword-guard snap. Shards of it fell to her boots high-heels. Holding her ruined Bakuzan to her face she felt the heaviest ball smack her cheek. Hurled down crushed dirt so hard she bounced from it. Ragyo there to meet her the tip of her shoe struck her stomach. Unable to breathe Satsuki coughed the blood kicked from her stopping against the wall she and Junketsu were left embedded in. She couldn't open her eyes as Ragyo threw closed hands across her face as many times as she thought to.

"What's the matter?! You've had years to prepare for this! Don't tell me all of your efforts were for naught!"

Drilling her knuckles against Satsuki's nose did greater damage to the surface behind her. Blowing a hole through it Ragyo clenched her bloodied daughter's chin so she wouldn't fall and stripped her just as easily. Satsuki fell asleep on her failure as her body gave out.


Mako hopped from a row of seats on her way down, minding her step.

"Ryuko! Don't do it! You'll make Senketsu flip his wig again!" she said.

When she made it to the lowest level she heard it; the speeding comet ripping a hole through the "sky" and she knew it was him. He and the elderly butler hanging on for dear life homed in on her.

"Mako!" Son called out.

"Son-kun!?" Mako ran for him.

He relaxed to set Soroi down next to her.

"You guys find some cover!" he said, their shield from the creatures stomping in their direction.

He upturned a fist to his waist saying, "Hmmh . . DAAA!", and opened it to let his shout blow them back.

Mako couldn't trace his disappearing and reappearing. His knocking the sense from anything he touched and each one hurtling off. When he stopped abruptly he stood firm. The quakes never subsided but the dust was clearing. It rained the helpless he freed or the ivory shreds of the bludgeoned.

"Young master! Look!" Soroi pointed with worry.

On stage Ragyo wore Junketsu like it was hers and, like Mako, Satsuki only had tattered undergarments to her name. Son then glanced to Ryuko's disagreement with the multiple Nui's keeping her busy.

"Mako. Can I trust you with something?" he didn't turn.

"Of course you can," Mako said.

"Keep Mister Soroi safe. For me," he showed one side of his face.

Mako's focus usually did it. Son smiled for her wink and the thumb she pushed out.

"Get plenty of licks in for us!"


x.x.x

Standing on the main deck it felt empty save for the war effort. Their choppers above them but below the threat guided anti-tank missiles barely made a dent in too many to count. Their battle mechs abbreviated "DTR" the Nudist Beach rookies sandwiched between them knew their details. Attached cannons let off shots to dot the sky with explosive rounds. Some manned rotating turrets to route the COVERS thinking to fall too close. Those of a higher rank fired rifles, sidearms, anything they could to tear through the living fabric, stopping to reload for every break in the action. The ocean calm they hoped it would remain that way. They didn't want the extra hassle and they couldn't spare the resources.


"We must help Lady Satsuki," Soroi said.

Concerned but grateful to be indoors it was a load off. He followed Mako to pass empty rooms she found one and closed them in. They had to step over broken lockers and the benches strewn about with other disorder.

"Leave it to Son and Ryuko. They want me to keep you safe so that's what I'm gonna do," she said, rubbing her arms. "Man. Who would turn on the ac on a day like this?! Brrr!"

Soroi covered her shoulders with his suit jacket, straightening his cuff-links after and not caring that they were sullied. They found a window to the world. People they loved on the other side fighting for their lives both struggled with not being able to do more.

"Mankanshoku! Uncle Soroi!"

"...Shiro?" Soroi turned disbelief.

When Mako turned hers Iori's slim build, translucent mask and labcoat were the last things on her mind.

"You're that funny looking president of the Sewing Club!" she gasped.

"Please! Follow me!"


Harder for Nui was taking on Son and Ryuko's knowing how to work together. Having little trouble with her dopplegangers she missed a flurry of slashes meant for Son's head swiping at Ryuko's as quick as it came. Driven back they met one end of the stadium.

"Not so mouthy now are ya'?!" Ryuko pushed her hardest.

"That attitude is unbecoming of a pretty girl like you," Nui drew out her grin.

The hard at her back made to be concave Ryuko leaned from Son's planting a fist against Nui's stomach to widen it. Her one eye grew as big when the wind popped from her lungs. They let her fall to the purple end of her weapon as she couldn't stand without it.

"You...you're an unwanted headache, boy toy. NO ONE ASKED YOU TO BUTT IN!" she snapped.

And she took her crazed expression at Ryuko first.

"Son!" Ryuko fought off the maelstrom. "That idiot might kick the bucket without your help!"

"Okay!" Son avoided Nui's drooling to cut into him next.

He flew into his flip and doubled back to swing his knee against her thin neck.

"RAHNN!" she winced as it stung like nothing else.

Tumbling from it Ryuko was waiting to angle her Scissor Blade.

"Haaaaaa!" she curved it left and out.

Turned as she went Nui slammed two of the mutated COVERS and dragged both with her. Seated and shaking for the blood on her hair bow and skirt's frills she felt the squirting from her shoulder and glanced for the reason. Her missing limb kicked to her Ryuko had the gall to smirk on the walk up.

"Like I said. You're not getting me there again."

"...No problem! You can cut my arm off all you want. It'll just pop right back on again!" she beamed.

"Not likely," Ryuko said as she pressed her foot to its flopping around.

Nui lost her chipper when it burst; first as a puff of red and then as a single strand Ryuko's armor was only too pleased to take in. Senketsu's brighter glow wasn't unlike his wearer's.

"Oops. I guess that means one-armed-bitch is your new nickname huh," she said.

"This isn't happening. Not to me. Not to ME!," Nui rocked back and forth. "Just for that...you're dead. Dead, dead, dead, DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!"


Ragyo ran three fingers across its three metal bands. Her skin tingled for Junketsu's new design lifting her with it; silkier, its hard seams shining for her, she had the form to show it off and she focused on keeping her grip tight around Satsuki's neck.

"Let her go!" Son fell into his stance.

"As expected. It could never contain you, could it," her stare tilted. "Do you see now? We are the only ones able to possess the world to come."

"I won't ask you again."

"Oh?"

To defy him Ragyo clenched her hand tighter. Satsuki woke to not being able to breath and she pulled at why which didn't work.

"How I discipline my daughter is my business," Ragyo said, her Kamui twinkling with the resolve in her eye.

Son's strain stopped his fist against the palm she held out, the clap louder as it blew away anything loose from it, including where they stood. Like Nui her skin felt colder than it should. Where his next three attempts rammed her hand was there. "Whoa. She's fast!" he told himself. Turning her waist she hurled Satsuki like she meant nothing to her. He left quicker to try cradling her as carefully as he could when he caught her on the drop.

"Don't worry. I'll take it from here," he said annoyed with her battered face.

"Son," she muttered her cough.

"Yep. That was a close call."

As they were grounded he let her head lean into his thigh and pulled his gi ends from his pants. Resting her against the nearest wall he covered her with it in the hopes it did away with her quiver.

"This thing is nice and warm. Ryuko's dad made it," he said.

Letting their eye contact linger she wanted to say it.

"I told you not to come here."

"I know. I'm kind of hardheaded sometimes."

"Lady Satsuki!"

Son turned to see Gamagori, Inumuta, Nonon and Sanageyama missing their uniforms but none of their resolve. The first there was the first to kneel at her side.

"Son Goku! How dare you touch her skin with such a dingy garment?!" Gamagori barked.

"Give it a rest already. It's called a kind gesture," Nonon rolled her eyes.

"Your Goku Uniforms are gone?" Son noticed as he stood and glanced for Inumuta.

"Ragyo must have figured out a way to exhaust them faster. They were literally running on fumes," Inumuta answered.

He didn't have time to ask. Neither did they. The COVERS no longer aggressive wasn't the issue. He left his footing in a dash those watching thought impossible. His fist curved for Ragyo's and he ducked Nui's slash spinning over Ryuko's lunge to extend his boot into Ragyo's heel. The four meeting again tossed the soil, then tufts of it, lifting it high as it traveled the length of the yard and beyond. Ragyo's techniques kept up with his but one blow across her jaw split the difference. As she crushed the stage's first tier he could only hear her laugh over the ringing.

"...Fantastic! I see my daughter chose well!..."

"Satsuki deserves better! You're sick and demented!"

"Young fool. I wasn't talking about Satsuki."

Behind him before he could turn he felt the sting on his head as he slid against the dirt. Palms pressed to it flipped him to his feet and his rhythm; right left, right left, right left, right left, he bobbed and he weaved and she wouldn't quit. Ryuko's arrival to chip in Nui cut over her hair as she was caught by Son's turning to keep her momentum. He released her for Ryuko's blade cutting off her other arm but Ragyo's dash took him with her. She let him go to watch him rupture the other end of the stadium. She didn't look to catch Ryuko by the throat and held her above the ground for all to see.

"Shall I show you?" she grinned for her feet flailing.

Ryuko felt it first...searing pain that heightened if Ragyo's hand moved the slightest. Reaching to the veins in her eyes as she glanced she could see it had already ripped through.

"RYUKO!" Son returned but he stopped as fast as he started.

He thought the glittered light attached to throbbing strands his mind playing tricks. It wasn't until he saw it beating against Ragyo's palm.

"Just as I suspected," she glanced for its smooth, wet warmth. "The experiment was a success. The fusion of a human being and Life Fibers, perfected!"

"I-Impossible," Satsuki approached wearing Son's gi and with Gamagori and Sanageyama's assist.

"Soichiro was a foolish man. To think he hid her from me this long. Hmph. Life's funny that way, isn't it?"

As Ryuko remembered herself she swung her sword-hand through Ragyo's wrist.

"L-lying BITCH!" she hollered.

On her feet and trembling the horror was her heart jumping into her flesh and the wound mending itself. She wanted to touch where a scar should've been but didn't dare to.

"There's NO way a batshit crazy freak like YOU is my mother!"

{Ryuko.}

Ignoring Senketsu she turned to Son's slow approach.

"And you! Y-you knew. You knew all this time and you didn't tell me?!" her voice cracked.

"It's not like that," Son held a hand out. "We can talk abou..."

As she backed from him with her weapon raised he chose to stop.

"Ryuko...," his brow furrowed.

She shot her frustration to Ragyo's hand as it reattached to her wrist. She crouched to hold Nui steady and Rei stood guard with the other half of a two-part invention.

"Disabling their Goku Uniforms worked as well as we thought," Ragyo said and she started from Nui's shoulders.

"Of course it did, ma'am. We developed the talons to do just that," Rei said, her disposition less casual for their enemies.

"The alloy can disable their function that quickly?" Satsuki thought against her aches. Ragyo's hands fell but not in a hurry to form limbs from nothing and Nui smiled when the burn was less invasive.

"We can't have our Grand Couturier incapacitated. Not when she still has work to do," she said.

"Your touch is so soothing, Mistress," a relieved Nui grinned with her.

Pushing Sanageyama and Gamagori away Satsuki wanted to do it herself. She wobbled forward with it ready in her hand and all eyes set on her. Ryuko couldn't move, Son decided not to, and it was so for everyone else.

"As long as my lungs draw breath, I, Satsuki Kiryuin, will defy you and everything you stand for!" she spat not caring anymore.

She looked Ragyo dead in the eye...and pressed the top of what she held. There was a rapid increase in volume first. High temperatures and an extreme release of gases. Worse was the noise and not as much the expanding heat. All of their innards jumped at it. There were screams coming from close by and outside of the grounds walls. A section of the academy gone in a flash Honnō City's remaining citizens either ran for their lives or were already lost.