A/N: This is the second-last chapter of Juujou's Six. With that, this fanfic is about to draw to a close. What awaits Kanami, Hiyori, and the rest of Mokusa?
Chapter 19:
"Your battle plan is crazy, Yuzuki-senpai," Sana said. "Using noro like this...it is—it is—"
The Osafune president struggled to come up with an adjective, as she followed Yuzuki through the complex Mokusa tunnels. The Ayanokouji president didn't turn her head back, only focused on continuing forward.
"I am merely doing whatever it takes to stop Yukari," Yuzuki said. "I am willing to take any measures, whether good or evil, as long as they meet our purpose. Besides, don't you think it's time we give Yukari a taste of her own medicine?"
Even though Yuzuki had her back turned to them, Akane and Sana could tell that she had a cruel grin on her face. The Ayanokouji president no longer sounded like the stoic leader she normally was—now she sounded almost like Origami Yukari herself.
"Yuzuki-senpai, that is quite enough! Stop this at once," Akane said.
However, Yuzuki showed no sign of complying. Instead, she flung open two metal doors, revealing the large hall of S-Equipment deployment pods...and the row upon row of vats of noro, more overwhelming than those at the Ministry of Renpu and the Origami Estate.
"Yuzuki. That. Is. An. Order." Akane said, dangerously, between gritted teeth.
The Ayanokouji president gave a sigh. "So, it's come to this, has it?"
Through all the darkened streets of Kamakura, every door and window was shut closed. The few brave souls that dared to peep out at the spectacle unfolding witnessed a sight never seen before. Floods of uniformed Tojis marched towards the Origami Estate, heavily armed with their okatanas. The wailing of sirens echoed around the city accompanied by Maki's commanding repetitive voice through the outdoor public address speakers.
"By order of Origami Yukari, all Tojis in Japan must report to the Origami Estate. Additional instructions will be carried out upon arrival. By order of Origami Yukari..."
Standing upon the roof of her mansion, Yukari looked down upon her assembling forces with a cruel grin that showed all her teeth. Her eyes then lingered to the girl beside her. Clutching at her left eye which was glowing a vivid blue, Hiyori struggled against the electrocuting pain of the noro controlling her. Taking pleasure in her suffering, Yukari grabbed the Toji's chin, forcing her to look upon the sight below them.
"Finally, this is the moment I raised you for, Karasu," Yukari said. "With my forces and you as my new weapon, we shall spread equality to all the world. Everyone will conform to the status quo and I shall preside over to protect the regime. For as I've told you many times when you were a child, it is only through a lack of identity that there will be peace."
"F-Fuck you..." Hiyori managed to choke out.
She clutched her head, letting out an ear-splitting scream, as she felt the noro in her bloodstream electrocute through her. Yukari shot the ebony-haired girl a rather disappointed look.
"Just give in, Karasu, my child," she said. "You are more powerful than you ever were before. Powerful than maybe even the great Tagitsuhime. Yes...you are not just an aradama princess, Karasu—you are a goddess."
With tears rolling down her cheeks, Hiyori clawed at where her heart was, feeling levels of pain that would have surely killed her if she was still human. Another scream erupted from her lips as bolts of lightning shot from her heart into the black sky. Her now-flowing blue hair crackled with electricity as she went mad with power.
'This is better than I could've hoped for,' Yukari thought, turning to look back at her forces until something caught her eye. 'Wait, what's that?'
Far in the distance were what appeared to be small black jets flying towards them. However, as they came closer, Yukari's eyes widened in understanding as they then crashed down into the courtyard, crushing some of the Tojis underneath them. The noises of what sounded like raining bombs erupted from the sky, as several other S-Equipment deployment pods came down. Immediately, battle cries pierced through the air followed by the clashing of okatanas.
Yukari let out an amused scoff. 'So, you've made your move at last, Akane...'
Slashing their okatanas about madly, Ellen and Kaoru started cutting open a path towards the entrance of the Origami Estate. Nene, morphing into his true large aradama form, assisted by swinging his tail at Yukari's Tojis.
"Go, Kanami!" Sayaka said.
Cutting down a Heijou Toji, Mai cried, "Save Hiyori-chan!"
Her head pounding from the noro Yuzuki injected into her, Kanami gave a weary nod before running through the chaos. She hadn't even started fighting yet and already the noro was putting heavy pressure on her body. It felt as though she had to try to contain something monstrous wanting to come out. Gritting her teeth and tightening her hold on Tagitsuhime's okatanas, Kanami internally told herself to suck it up and ran towards the Origami Estate...
Wearily, Kanami panted as she ran through the hallways of the mansion. Somewhere, Hiyori was being kept prisoner... She...had to...find her... Releasing a gut-wrenching moan, the Minoseki Toji tried to bear with the noro she could feel bubbling in her veins. She...must find...Hiyori...quickly...before...
Kanami heard the blade before she saw it. Reflexively raising Oodenta, she just managed to deflect Yume's okatana before it could stab right through her. The Elite Guard let out a delighted laugh before swinging again. From the shadows, she was soon joined by her other three fellow Elite Guards, who trapped Kanami in a circle.
"Etou Kanami. Finally, we shall execute you for your treason," Maki said.
'Shit,' Kanami internally cursed. 'I should be able to defeat them. I now have the noro, but how long can I stay in control for?'
She didn't get time to dwell on it because, with inhumane speed, Yomi and Suzuka pounced towards her. Stepping back with a suppressed growl, Kanami let her eyes glow with an orange hue before launching an assault back at them. The five Tojis swung their okatanas about so wildly that to a spectator, there would appear to be twelve weapons in the air. However, just as Kanami got cornered, she cried out in pain.
It felt as though something was trying to split out of her head. Stepping back in horror, the four Elite Guards watched as Kanami's hair broke out of its side ponytail. Conglomerating into the air, the Minoseki Toji's brown locks manifested into a writhing mass of noro with orange eyes and four arms, with an okatana in each hand.
"W-What?!" Suzuka gasped.
"Impossible..." Maki said.
Turning her orange eyes towards them, Kanami let out a cruel laugh. Her voice was no longer that of the seemingly-innocent girl she once was.
Now afraid herself, Yume stammered, "Y-You are—"
"That's right," Kanami said, her voice echoing with a dark cadence of madness. "I am Tagitsuhime."
Before the Elite Guards could react, the four arms in Kanami's hair swooped down upon them, knocking them out with powerful strikes. Throwing back her head with laughter, the Minoseki Toji was cut short when she felt two blades pierce through her.
"Gaaugh!"
Turning her head around, she was faced with the most unexpected sight. Immediately, Kanami's orange eyes faded back to light-brown, as tears of disbelief came to them. For behind her were two women. One with medium-length green hair with a very familiar set of burgundy eyes—however, it was the woman beside her that made Kanami's heart drop.
"M-Mother..."
"Kanami..."
Her emotions overpowering the noro inside her, Kanami's hair reverted back to normal as she stared at her mother. However, bewilderment did not let her run into Minato's arms right away.
"T-This is just a d-dream, right?" the Minoseki Toji laughed sadly. "I-I've had such dreams before."
Her daughter's melancholic tone made Minato's expression become sad itself. "No, Kanami, it's me. It's truly me."
She slowly went up to the girl, wrapping her two arms around her. The familiar warmth of her mother's embrace, at last, caused the waterworks to flood from Kanami's eyes.
"Mother! Mother!"
"My sweet, cute Kanami...you've grown so much..."
"How are you alive? They said you were dead. There was a body," Kanami choked, through sobs.
"Did you actually see the body?"
"W-Well, no..." Kanami stammered, her eyes landing on the woman behind Minato. "I-Is that...?"
Minato wiped the tears streaming down her daughter's face. "There's no time to explain. We'll take you to Hiyori-chan."
Grabbing Kanami's hand, Minato took the lead through Yukari's mansion. The other mysterious woman followed behind closely while keeping a sharp lookout for possible pursuers. Kanami couldn't describe the things she was feeling. If there was a word that combined all her happiness, nostalgia, confusion, and sadness into one, that would be how she'd explain it. At last, the three of them stopped in front of two huge doors.
"This is it," Minato said. "Kagari and I dare not go any farther than this. Ahead, you must go alone."
"Mother, don't leave!" Kanami pleaded, her eyes widening in desperation. "If we work together—"
"No, Kanami. We specifically faked our deaths so we could be together. Even appearing in front of you was risky. Kagari and I must never be found."
All the joy Kanami initially felt deteriorated into sorrow. This was worse than when she received the news of her mother's "death". Did her own mother never want to see her again?
"It's dangerous for Kagari and I," Minato said, putting her hands on Kanami's shoulders. "Forget this ever happened, Kanami. Remember that we're still dead!"
Kanami wanted nothing more than to protest and cling to her mother. But, instead, she blubbered out, "I love you, Mother..."
"Goodbye, my darling," Minato said, with tears of her own.
Giving a quick kiss on Kanami's forehead, she and Kagari disappeared into the night as quickly as they appeared. About to break down into fresh tears once again, Kanami restrained herself taking a few deep breaths. Her mother was happy with the woman she loved. Things were better this way. Kanami couldn't take away such a happy life from her mother. Now, she had to save the one she loved.
"I'm coming, Hiyori-chan!" Kanami said, kicking open the two great doors and rushing inside.
Still fighting with the rest of Mokusa, Kanami and Hiyori's other four teammates looked up to the sky to see what looked like more S-Equipment pods come down. Kaoru let out a relieved sigh, trying to ignore her aching muscles.
"Great, more backup and less work for us," she said, swinging her huge okatana and taking out at least six Tojis.
However, her next reaction was confusion and horror once the projectiles crashed into the courtyard. For she saw that they were not deployment pods at all, but noro bombs. With ground-shaking roars, huge aradama beasts shot out and began destroying everything and everyone in their paths. However, Kaoru noticed how they only seemed to be targeting the Tojis on Yukari's side. Whenever a Mokusa Toji met the eyes of an aradama, it would turn away indifferently.
'Their movements are way too controlled,' Kaoru thought. 'What's going on? It's as though something is refraining them from attacking our side.'
"Kaoru, look out!" the pink-haired loli heard her girlfriend cry.
Whipping around, Kaoru only was able to see a Minoseki Toji swoop down upon her before everything went black.
A/N: Hiyori is now under Yukari's control and Kanami is struggling to control the noro Yuzuki injected in her—the noro of Tagitsuhime. How will the final showdown between them go? And Minato and Kagari faked their deaths and were alive all along! Who let loose the noro bombs and is controlling the aradama beasts? Next chapter will be the last one.