Shadows Of Our Past - a KILL la KILL Season 2 Story

by DanieD00

Embark on a new journey with Ryuko Matoi, set 5 years after KILL la KILL. The Life Fiber Sickness plagues 1/5 of humanity, including Ryuko and Satsuki, but with the arrival of the deadly Ichiro Harime, both sisters and the mysterious revived Nui Harime have to fight back. A story about forgiveness and classic KLK vibe, tons of action and emotional moments. Time is running...

34. The Things I Did For You 2-3

AN: Finally. :) Have a new cover for the story too, look, it's Nui on it!

Humans whimper as Life Fibers sing an uncalming melody, while the Layer hovers above the large army of the High Entity. Humans, young and old, are kept as hostages by the Life Fibers. Around them, various monstrosities of the Life Fibers guard their food. The large "Tower Fibers", others, such as spider like Life Fibers, push slower humans every once in a while.

At the very front of the red ocean, Ryuko and Satsuki are guarded by Ichiro's Couturiers. Senketsu looks around - they can see the coast of Japan and aggressive waves breaking on the rocks. All of these humans walk on foot, some groups faster than others, some Life Fibers are carried by others...

"What are you going to do with us!?" a young man yells scared, and yet, the Life Fibers only give melodies as answer.

"Stop it!"

"We haven't done anything to you!"

...

In the distance, Ryuko, Satsuki and the Director see the zeppelin in the air. On foot, it would take days to reach Tokyo, which is why all humans that have been catched by the Life Fibers are brought into Orbs for further transportation, of which some seem to be sent back into the Layer of the High Entity. It appears that these orbs can be entered, therefore. The area around them is corrupted, as Life Fibers spread on the ground to cover the earth - as if they plan to cover the planet in clothing. Just like back then - only less destructive. Via the Layer, the distance from Ôsaka to Tokyo can be travelled much faster, and it's why another orb lands in front of the army as the larger monsters prepare to move on into the other areas of Japan to spread more chaos.

Ichiro watches how one of these orbs land in front of him. He opens it with his scythe and then points with the weapon at Ryuko and Satsuki.

"Enter it." he orders. A few Life Fibers touch Satsuki, yet she pushes them away with her arms. With curious looks, they watch the young Kiryuin. Ragyo is treated like trash, pushed by the Life Fibers, and hitting them, even with her Fiber Arms, just amuses them even further. Some don't even mind being hit by her. It's all to their amusement. Only very few Senketsu notices rather stay away from her, or seem to not agree with how their fellow comrades treat Satsuki's sister. These could be some of the Life Fibers that follow Hinata's orders. He may have ordered them to leave both sisters alone.

Ichiro enters the orb as well. Inside it, only red darkness awaits them, and a monotonous sound. Sometimes, they can hear a slight whisper. Ichiro watches both sisters with a sinister look, moving the scythe to the left and right closely while the orb flies up to the Layer.

"So what'cha gonna do now, now that you got us, hm? Gonna serve that weird thing you call Entity more?" Ryuko asks annoyed. Ichiro turns his head to her.

"None of your business, Matoi."

"You think you could get away with this, huh?"

"Yeah."

"If only you had a slice of the personality Nui has, then it wouldn't be completely annoying to talk with you. Why even do all of this? Just... just leave. You and your friends. Fuck, if you want to kill us, then do it, but leave this fucking planet alone."

"Mhmhm."

"This Entity thingy is only using you."

"I know, I'm aware and I don't like it. It's why your sister is allowed to keep her weapon."

"Why? You want us to kill it?"

"Oh you won't kill it. You'll just distract it, mhmhm. Do whatever you want. In the end, it will kill you. Too bad I couldn't do it. Then again... looking at your new limbs... I'm okay with what I did." he smiles.

"You smile but once you lose your limbs yourself it's not as funny as you think."

"Absolutely, Matoi. However: I haven't lost them. So why would I care?" he asks. Ryuko shakes her head in disbelief. There really is absolutely no remorse. More and more, she gets the idea that this man truly is nothing but a Doppelgänger instead of something that was corrupted as well. The orb causes strange noises. Is it reaching the Layer?

"So what does this Entity thing wants from us again? Or is it still trying to act like a strange and mysterious piece of dirt as usual?" Ryuko asks.

"I don't know. And again: I don't care." he chuckles and leans back. Life Fibers crawl into his coat, making it appear like they would hug and welcome him back to his home.

"Pfft..."

"Save the breath, Ryuko. He won't speak." Satsuki says.

"I guess."

...

On the zeppelin bridge, Takarada, Sanageyama and Houka watch the gigantic Layer that is following them. The zeppelin is approximately about 30-40 minutes away from it. All that is left of Ôsaka are burning houses and flames, and the corruption of the Life Fibers that spread across the area.

"These clowns will catch up on us..." Sanageyama mentions, Takarada nods.

"If they fire these red orb thingies on us, then we're getting into real trouble." he mocks as he watches the sphere following them. Houka comments.

"Then we should prepare helicopters for a battle and get the rescue capsules ready just in case. Based on my knowledge and the estimated damage these orbs would cause on the ship's hull, it would take a few minutes until the zeppelin crashes."

"Don't we have an outpost in Tokyo? Took a look at the map recently, we might get some suppor there in case things turn south." Sanageyama mentions.

"Yes. I'll message them as well as other groups later to prepare for a fight. We need as many allies as possible." Houka answers and leaves the bridge, however, he seems to have forgot one thing.

"... oh yes, and they should make sure people evacuate Tokyo and make the citizens there hide in bunkers or houses..." he continues and then leaves the room.

"Man, this is bullshit. That ain't gonna be an honorable fight like I would prefer it." Sanageyama mumbles annoyed.

"Meh, should have spent more money into weapon research."

"Hey to be fair, who would have thought these aliens visit us with something you can't even compare to this primordial Life Fiber thingy because it's so fucking big."

"And then it spits out these red spheres."

"Exactly my words..."

...

Ryuko observes Life Fibers cells crawling through small rifts inside the walls. Noises seem to activate a door mechanism, although they sound rather organical, as if slime would move. Briefly after, a gate next to the sisters open, apparently some sort of entrance room in which nothing can be found except for Life Fibers at the walls. Ichiro stands up and grabs Ryuko who he's pushing forward, while he keeps Satsuki in peace.

"Move, hybrid." he orders.

"Don't you dare touching me, assface!" Ryuko reacts and turns around, punching his face with her black Life Fiber fist which does leave an impact strong enough to actually react by threatening Ryuko with the scythe.

"You know, I'm keeping you alive because I know the Entity is much more cruel than I could ever be and I want you to suffer, but if you attack me ONE LAST TIME, I'll tear you apart, cut the skin that is left of you into clothes and throw it all onto Mako Mankanshokus burning corpse once I find her, you worthless whore!" he screams aggressive. This is probably the best proof he had it with Ryuko now. Ryuko moves the scythe away slowly.

"Yeah. Gotcha." she says frustrated and turns around to move on with Satsuki who's calm and resolve. Life Fibers gently try to crawl up their shoes, but every step they do rips them away from the women. Soon, they reach a door made out of several rifts, held together by Life Fibers. If close enough, the door will open and grant an entrance, and that happens.

When the entrance opens, Ryuko and Satsuki startle up latently, Senketsu makes a big eye. The Director forces them to move forward.

It's an incredibly large, several meters tall and broad hall with space for more than hundreds of humans... or Life Fibers. Everywhere on the walls are holes from which eyes look out. Small, little Life Fibers crawl up and down, various grotesk monster move around the ground next to Ryuko and Satsuki and follow their own goals, some even go closer to examine them. Singing can be heard - at the moment, the Life Fibers are calm and curious. On the ground are additional holes that seem to lead into other parts of the Layer from the looks of it. Giant, orange Life Fibers hang here and there - they might be responsible for keeping it together.

Everything here reminds partially of a bee hive, but with more structure and made for humans, probably with stairs and elevators too, or other forms of transportation. Iori and Houka would be greatly interested in this, that's for sure.

"Oh my..." Senketsu mumbles surprised.

"Your old home, Kamui, when you were nothing but a little sad Fiber who's only cell was allowed to frequent in these holy halls."

"Shut up." Ryuko insults Ichiro protective. Ichiro sings in an strange, hardly comprehendable voice with the Life Fibers - the sounds they make are foreign for humans and for Satsuki, they even cause slight ear aches, as she never heard them. Ichiro chuckles and pats Ryuko's shoulder.

"What's so funny?" Ryuko asks. The Life Fibers around them seem to mock about Satsuki and especially Ryuko. Ichiro turns around, preparing to leave.

"I'm afraid I need to go and leave you to the underlings of the Entity. They'll treat you well, I'm sure of it, aha... soon you'll meet your maker." Ichiro chuckles.

"You laugh but look at yourself! You think you got the biggest D but got your ass kicked by Nui, what, did she fucked you up so hard that you need to laugh about it because you couldn't process it otherwise?" Ryuko yells towards Ichiro as he leaves the hall. Ichiro turns around as Satsuki is surrounded by the Life Fibers.

He simply laughs and disappears. Since he doesn't say anything about Nui, and since he looks rather bad with his missing eye and the large wound in his face, Ryuko believes that Nui might be still alive, maybe even with Mikisugi. There isn't really much time to think about it, briefly after, several Life Fibers crawl towards Ryuko and Satsuki and force them to continue their journey through the large Layer, visiting various halls full of strange artifacts and objects with unearthly forms. Some of the larger halls consist of mouth like holes with stings on the walls inside that move back and forward very slowly. In one hall, they find a large wall with a Life Fiber face, distorted, and it's eyes that are three times larger than Ryuko's body look empty. It's mouth is horrifying and as it opens it very slightly, quick movements are visible, too quick to look at it without feeling uncomfortable.

In other rooms, there are holes out of which the abominations the Life Fibers have created look out. Some have rooms with mechanisms that produce Life Fibers - both sisters visit one of those rooms and watch how inside one of those holes, a few white and orange Life Fibers combine, until they are fused with red Life Fibers to create a very primitive mind and even more primitive body, even though the process seems to take several days. It would explain why, compared with humans, there aren't many Life Fibers that can truly think and stand on their own.

After a few more rooms, they eventually arrive in an indescribable large room in which a big monster resides - a Colossus. A Colossus is a Life Fiber Being with five large legs, an even larger Torso with several hundreds of holes from which eyes look out inside, and a head that lacks said eyes, but instead, having mouths and rifts. The Colossus is not as tall as a Tower Fiber however - about 12 meters tall and 8 meters broad. His steps are very slow but impactful.

A gate on a Life Fiber construction opens above them - there, they can see a shining white person. It's one of the Entities from the looks of it, who's looking down at them. The sublime life form hovers down and orders the Colossus without any words to stomp aside. Said Colossus starts moving, however, he seems to be overly careful with Ryuko and Satsuki as he looks with his many eyes at them, even taking proper distance between them and himself to make sure he doesn't even touch them. It appears surreal yet somewhat... cute and empathic. The other Life Fibers do not care, after all, he does however. The Entity copy approaches Ryuko and Satsuki as they wait at a wall.

"... so it is truly you... those demanded by the sublime overlord..." the Entity says calm. Ryuko doesn't answer, Satsuki listens.

"You... are the offspring of who we called "Ragyo Kiryuin"...?"

Satsuki doesn't answer yet looks into the eyes of the copy. They aren't empty, but you can't really say they are filled either. Something moves in them - tiny little Life Fibers inside it.

"... truly... you remind of your... creator..." the thing says interested. Then, the Entity turns to Ryuko and touches her red hair streak.

"And you... are Ryuko... Matoi?"

"Congrats. You got my name right." Ryuko says. The Entity looks down to Senketsu.

"... I... remember you... once, you wandered through the dark halls."

Senketsu can't remember, hence why he doesn't answer.

"The Entity will be pleased..." it says and leaves via the entrance it came from. The Colossus and a few more Life Fibers start to watch Ryuko and Satsuki. Up there are more stings that sometimes go back into the walls. Who knows how long they need to stay here now...

...

Mikisugi and some of his men managed to get Tsumugu out of the bunker. Right now, they are hiding from the few Life Fibers left on Okishima who are searching for more humans. Tsumugu and his men sit with Mikisugi on a small wall and watch a pair of Life Fiber humanoids searching the area.

"Ready."

"Ready."

"Ready." the men and women say. There is a woman near the car who's fueling it up at the moment. The car is armored and has backdoors as well as a turret on the roof that can be controlled by one soldier. The fog is lifted mostly.

"Wait for my sign." Mikisugi orders his men while he's looking with binoculars. Tsumugu smokes a cigarette while aiming with his trusty sniper rifle.

"Let them walk another moment and I can hit both with one bullet." he mentions cool as he waits patiently. The Life Fibers both crawl towards each other to talk apparently via singing. Both their heads almost lie parallel towards each other, Tsumugu could eliminate them briefly with a good headshot. His other soldiers aim at the monsters as well.

"Not many here anymore, hm?" Mikisugi asks.

"Doesn't look like it."

"Boss?" one of the soldiers ask.

"Wait another moment."

Both Life Fibers stand still now.

"Fire." Mikisugi orders. Tsumugu and his soldiers are about to shoot until they suddenly see the Life Fibers shush up scared, and briefly after, they just run away. Tsumugu takes a closer look through his scope. There is no reason for them to just run away. Out of the fog, additional Life Fibers retreat... and the reason for that is an angry Nui who's leaving said fog, walking towards Mikisugi and the others.

They notice how angry Nui appears - it's well visible in her annoyed yet calm face expression and the aggressive body stance, and how she's holding her weapon - tight, while her upper body is leaned forward a bit, as if she's keeping her head down a bit.

Tsumugu's cigarette falls out of his mouth.

"... man... is there anything that can kill her?" Mikisugi asks.

"MIKISUGI!" Nui yells angry. Tsumugu looks worried towards Mikisugi.

"Be careful." he says. Mikisugi climbs down the tower while the Life Fibers continue to retreat.

"You're alive!"

"Is the car ready?!"

"Any moment, what..."

"We don't have a moment, get in." she orders and climbs into the car. Without resistance, the other Nudist Beach soldiers follow her orders. Mikisugi shrugs with his shoulders, he would have ordered the same anyway, only Tsumugu still seems to be annoyed by Nui's presence. He however follows her as well and joins the group in the car with the soldiers.

"So what's the plan, Mr. Mikisugi?" one soldier asks.

"Ask her, she's the boss right now."

"But she's Life Fi..."

"I think she proved several times now that she's cool with us, Life Fibers or not, I mean, she just cleared out the base with her presence. And besides... I'm sure she knows more about this thing in the air than we do." Mikisugi mentions and looks to Nui who's hanging her rifle onto her back, then, she creates a small diorama with Life Fibers in the air.

"The thing up there is the High Entity and we're going to follow that bitch, no matter how many ambushes we'll trigger. If the radio still works, tell the others we're on our way."

"Ôsaka said the zeppelin is moving to Tokyo so this would be the next target." a man says.

"So it's Tokyo, sweet. We drive to Tokyo, we catch up with the others, then you guys let me out at the Entity."

"That's suicide, Nui." Mikisugi mentions worried. Nui turns her head to him.

"Suicide is a running gag that stopped being funny after the first time, love." she answers. The others nod, Tsumugu sits in the corner and watches Nui with closed arms. With the amount of revivals she experienced, he find her not to be trusted still. Everyone can do a few good deeds but that doesn't allow them to find absolution in his opinion.

"Well, I guess that's a plan." a soldier says.

"At least we won't sit around and do nothing. Yoko, you heard what the woman said, we'll visit Tokyo now." Mikisugi orders.

"Sure thing, boss." she answers and starts driving. The car eventually leaves Okishima and proceeds to move to Ôsaka where it can follow the Entity via the highway...

...

The zeppelin managed to travel a large part of the journey already and finds itself now back above Nagoya. The Entity still follows the air ship of Nudist Beach, and it left a part of it's forces in the cities and streets around it, ensuring chaos is incited under the civilians.

Houka and Iori both are stressed, along with other soldiers, who are sending messages via Radio to the outposts near them - that includes the ones in Nagoya as well. Down on the streets it's gotten quiet and silent. The tall walls of Nagoya provide a certain amount of security hence why the Life Fiber activity there isn't as high as in the cities before. Still, smaller orbs fly down to the city to cause chaos where they can, and it's why the zeppelin tries to fly into the lesser populated parts of the city to minimize the risk for the citizens there.

In the meantime, Nonon's status seems to have partially stabilized. She's still in the bed, but at the very least, she can stand on her own carefully. Gamagoori helps her. Nonon seems broken and helpless. The poor woman still wears her regalia, although it's been ripped into two halves, revealing the bandages.

"Don't force yourself to more than you can endure, Jakuzure."

"... and what do we do now?"

"Wait. And hope that we receive reinforcements with which we can take down Honnouji."

"And... what's with Satsuki and... *coughs* ... the othersß"

"I don't know. All I know is that we are currently asking for help all around the country, gathering everyone who can use a weapon or provide equipment." he sighs.

"... oh..."

"Lay down. It's honorable that you want to find out how the others are and how we are doing at the moment, but right now, you need to focus on yourself. I shall protect you at all time."

"... but... at the very... le-least... I don't need a weapon... to support in combat..."

"Mhm. I haven't seen your musician clones yet."

"... not those too..."

"I'm sorry. I can tell you warmed up on them."

"... this... son of a... if I catch him, I'll... deafen his eyes until they bleed..." she bites her teeth in pain as she sees the bandages on her torso, breast and shoulder area.

"Hey. Calm down. You get your chance, I'm sure of it." Gamagoori asks. Nonon breathes in and out and nods briefly after.

"... yeah... I just hope the others are okay."

...

In an radio station below the roof, noises can be heard. Houka's voice specifically.

"Nudist Alpha to all outposts and supporting forces, Nudist Alpha to all outposts and supporting forces.

We need backup close to Tokyo in 180 minutes, all available units move to the docks. Weaponized vehicle are required, all leading officers send a message as soon as possible.

Nudist Alpha to all outposts and supporting forces..."

The door is slammed open.

"OOOOOOOOOH YEAH! FINALLY I CAN FIND A USE FOR THIS HUGE TANK I STOLE, AHAHAH!" Maiko Ogure laughs in the background and jumps out of the window.

"SORRY!"

...

More time passes...

...

Mikisugi, Tsumugu, Nui and the rest chase the Layer of the High Entity. The highway is clear thanks to the Life Fibers, however, corruption spread out everywhere as well. Tsumugu takes a look around while he's on the turret.

Everything's destroyed or covered by Life Fibers.

Tsumugu climbs back into the car and sits down near a dark corner where he sighs annoyed. The soldiers have a small conversation in the meantime, Nui sits on the other corner in front of Tsumugu. Both look at each other with an annoyed face expression. Mikisugi and the driver focus on the street, in the distance, they can see a group of Life Fibers keeping their eyes open. Mikisugi turns to his men.

"Looks like we're about to get some company." he warns.

"Where are we at the moment, boss?"

"Close to Shizouka."

Around the group, houses have been destroyed or emptied. As they leave the outskirts and enter the larger parts of the city, they experience the full impact of the Life Fibers on the city. Orbs corrupt the area, and some buildings burn down. The group passes the Life Fibers that can't follow up. Via small windows, the soldiers can observe what happened out of the city.

Life Fibers crawl on the walls, the streets painted with blood and destroyed clothes - the Life Fibers seem to have gathered the citizens here and killed them collectively, but how?

Debris are on the grund, and the red sky causes more terror and anxiety for the poor citizen of the city.

"Man, look at this shit." one soldier says. Steps can be heard in the distance. There must be something huge in the city.

"These monsters will destroy everything if we don't stop them."

"We can't even protect the people here, they don't deserve that."

Mikisugi sighs. Further away, a large building collapses and generates smoke in the surrounding streets. In some alleys, Life Fiber Beings hunt down humans or watch Mikisugi and the rest.

"No one deserved this." he says. Tsumugu pulls on his cigarette calmly, but cautious of her. Nui notices that.

"Look at someone else."

"I don't trust you, Life Fiber."

"Good for you."

"Monsters like you are the reason why we need to exist. Once we're done with these friends of yours, I'll make sure you get your punishment too. Don't think just because you help us, everything is forgotten. But for the moment, you should enjoy this. After all, this is what you always wanted, hm? Everyone needs to die. Everyone needs to turn into food. Look around."

Nui breathes in and out and smiles briefly.

"Shut the fuck up." she says.

"Say again?"

"I said "Shut the fuck up". Now shut your fucking mouth before I'll sew it together."

"Careful with your words."

"Hey!" Mikisugi yells annoyed.

"Stop this nonsense. We can't afford to annoy each oth..."

(AN: Feel free to listen to "Titanfall 2 OST - Frontier Defense Midwave 02" on YouTube, this part fits very well. In general, expect to listen to a lot of music today.)

"OH SHIT TOWER FIBER!" the driver yells and turns the car, Mikisugi turns to the front and sees a Tower Fiber standing up on the next corner. The car takes some damage as the large monster hits it with it's left leg. The soldiers grab their weapons, while the Tower Fiber starts screaming terrifying. It wants to stomp them, and, despite it's tall appearance, it runs rather fast. Small craters are left on the spots it walks on.

"These screams are ear deafening!" a man says as he reloads his weapon.

"That ain't a scream, that's him calling for support!" Nui reacts since she understands the Life Fiber language. She, and other soldiers, climb to the backdoor and open it, while Tsumugu mans the turret. Out of the alleys, Life Fibers follow them.

"Did he woke up the city!?" Mikisugi asks. The men start aiming out of the backdoor and the windows, Tsumugu readies the turret. The turret is armed with the best ammo Nudist Beach can equip for their operations, a type of ammo they only use for DTRs. Large Anti Life Fiber needles, which can take down a monster for a brief time if hit enough.

"Stop talking and start shooting!" Nui says annoyed and fires at the first Life Fiber she can see with a normal Nudist Beach needle rifle, with a ten round clip and a red window inside the clip, allowing her and the other soldiers armed with it to see how many rounds are left. From a rooftop on their right, a dog like Life Fiber Being chases them, with the abomination being as big as the car. The soldiers open fire, Tsumugu deals with the Tower Fiber following them.

Mikisugi focuses on the street in front of him and the driver. The group needs to drive a few more minutes to leave Shizouka entirely. At least, they can see the zeppelin and the Entity, so they are catching up. The Tower Fiber eagerly follows them, Tsumugu fires the turret on it and causes small holes in it, however, he aims on the leg, since, if one leg breaks apart, the Tower Fiber can't follow them any longer. The smaller Life Fibers can be kept away with the Needle Rifles. The car turns to the left and drives through a hole - one that leads into a destroyed shopping mall with several floors. It doesn't stop the dog like Life Fiber and the Tower Fiber from chasing them, and the Tower Fiber continues to run at the building. Due to it's physical strength, it can slowly break the building apart, and it forces Tsumugu to shoot something else, since the debris it causes serve as cover. Inside the shopping center, several rooms are filled with Life Fibers, of which some of them play with humans, but as they see the car, they focus on it and leave them alone.

Shortly after, it seems like there is no exit out of the shopping center, at least none without risking a motor damage, since the walls can't be rammed, they're concrete after all.

However, Mikisugi notices roll stairs that stopped working, and the car can drive on bad terrain.

"Drive up there!" he orders the driver who turns the car to the right, driving around the stairs and then up. She presses with her foot against the pedal as hard as possible, and indeed, thanks to the good wheels, the car is able to slowly but steady drive up. Tsumugu continues to fire on the dog like "Hunter Fiber", whose legs however can't properly be shot at. Life Fibers crawl up the stairs as the Hunter climbs up. Some of the smaller Life Fibers remind of snake like monsters, but with stings on their back, and a mouth that goes even to the side. Opening their mouth would open half their body. Nui and the other soldiers shoot those monsters.

"Jesus, are they ugly!"

"What kinda bastards are these guys!?"

"Imitations of other species, darlings! Trust me, there are way uglier Life Fibers!" Nui clarifies. The car stops driving on the last two steps, and the Life Fibers come closer.

"Boss, we got a problem."

"I can see that, gimme a second." Mikisugi answers and climbs to the back of the car, opening the weapon crate and looking for an item. A Life Fiber monster crawls onto the roof of the car and attacks Tsumugu - he pulls out a knife and defends himself. By ramming the knife into the monster's face, it's stunned for a brief second and stumbles from the roof again. Mikisugi pushes Nui and the soldiers away.

"Grenade's out." he says cool and throws a grenade into the group of monsters and directly behind the car. The soldiers then close the door and keep it closed, Tsumugu climbs into the car to take cover. Briefly other, an explosion occurs and slams the car to the next floor. More Life Fibers appear that climb up the walls. The car drives next to the fences on the right and a few meters in front of them, they can see a window wall that leaves out of the infested building. The driver keeps increasing the speed and then rams the windows.

The car flies out of the building and onto a large, open area, reminiscing of an attraction park. There is also a large ferris wheel in the middle of it. A Colossus stands next to the ferris wheel and touches it curiously, but when the car drives pass him, he accidentally rams the ferris wheel and causes it to slowly break. Mikisugi, Nui, Tsumugu and their companions look up. The ferris wheel is falling to the ground.

"Ah crap." Tsumugu says.

"Drive faster!" Mikisugi orders.

"The car is at the limit!"

"Then find cover or something, there's a ferris wheel landing onto us soon!"

"A FERRIS WHEEL!?"

The Tower Fiber continues to chase the group and destroys the shopping center entirely. It comes closer and closer.

"Anyone got an idea!?" Mikisugi asks.

"... grrr... these assholes piss me off." Nui mumbles and drops her weapon, then opens the backdoor and raises her hands - this causes, all of a sudden, living Life Fiber Beings to melt into each other. The Tower Fiber, the Colossus and the other Life Fibers around them seem to appear surprised as she starts stitching their friends together. Nui then forms her hands into fists, thus creating some sort of wall made out of Life Fibers that cover the car. The wall is several meters tall and hinders the Tower Fiber from chasing them. The wall, made out of Life Fiber bodies now catches the falling ferris wheel for a few seconds, and these are enough to let the group escape, while the Tower Fiber is buried by the debris, screaming angry.

"Couldn't you come up with this shit any sooner!?" Tsumugu asks angry.

"Is crying all you can do?" Nui counters annoyed.

The car continues driving and slowly leaves Shizouka. Only small Life Fibers Beings follow them, but they aren't fast enough, and the Hunter seems to be stopped thanks to the debris. That could have gone wrong...

...

...

...

(AN: Now listen to "Titanfall 2 OST - CTF Almost Done" on YouTube.)

The Life Fiber army slowly reaches the outskirts of Tokyo. Everything behind them is destroyed, and the red ocean they leave covers the dirt, the trees, everything. Only snow covers the ocean, and only partially. From this height, the Honnouji Academy is visible on the horizon. The waves in the water break on it's walls.

Ichiro and a few of his Couturiers stand on a fast, large orb and watch how the Entity's underlings can barely follow them on the ground. The psycho stays calm and focused, he wants the plan he and his transformed Couturiers had in mind to succeed. Orbs move to Honnouji and Tokyo, the Layer itself hovers about the capital city though, probably to capture more humans as a means of feeding it's monstrous inhabitants. The zeppelin in the distance gets closer to the docks.

Sanageyama, Iori, Houka and Takarada watch how the Life Fiber come closer to the zeppelin and the city.

"How's the situtation on reinforcements?" Sanageyama asks Houka.

"All units in Tokyo and close to the city are on their way, but the others... I don't know. I told them to evacuate whoever they can."

"Gotcha. Man. Hope Ryuko and Satsuki are doing alright. I'm not really in the mood for a funeral." he answers. Iori closes his arms.

"I wonder how these monsters can even live in the first place. They work totally different than the Life Fibers we got to know. Normally, they need blood... but why don't they need any?" Iori asks confused.

"I assume they are well developed. But that's all I can say." Houka answers. Suddenly, one of Takarada's soldiers run into the room and catches air.

"Boss, Boss!"

Takarada jumps up shocked and turns around.

"Stop screaming! What is it?"

"Got a message from... phew... this Aikuro Mikisugi dude!"

Sanageyama, Houka and Iori appear relieved, Takarada catches the radio. In the background, he can hear the car and shots being fired every once in a while.

"Mikisugi!" Takarada mocks into the radio.

"Takarada! Hey, good to hear from you, really good day, isn't it, tell me, is the zeppelin alright?" Mikisugi smiles mischievous and clears his throat when he looks back to see a horde of Life Fibers chasing them.

"Oh yeah, obviously, I'm having the time of my life right now! We're only being chased by this overdimensional large wool ball that, on top of it, even spits out additional wool balls!"

"Oh glad to hear you're getting married, listen, the zeppelin has helicopters in the hangar, how about you guys visit the Honnouji Academy while Tsumugu, Nui and me are on the way! We'll try to get you guys more time."

"These monsters are doing business in Tokyo, you could..."

"CAREFUL THERE'S AN ORB!" Sanageyama yells and pushes Takarada away as Houka and Iori run away. An orb rams the walls of the bridge and destroys the walls, a few Life Fibers enter it as well. The radio drops out of the zeppelin, some of the surveillance monitors are destroyed and electricity lightnings leave a wall.

"Looks like they're already in combat distance." Iori mentions.

"Then we should fire back. Gonna order the others to turn the zeppelin, then the turrets can open fire!" Sanageyama answers and runs to the radio station one floor above of them. Takarada and Houka leave the bridge to alarm additional men and women. Briefly after the incident, the alarm goes off and the lights go red.

Gamagoori and Nonon look up as they see the lights.

"What's... going on now?"

"I fear the Life Fibers are attacking now."

"... oh man."

"Wait, I'll pick you up. You can sit on my shoulder, we need to go." Gamagoori suggests and grabs Nonon, who climbs up onto Gamagoori's shoulder. Both walk through the zeppelin halls and past the men and women who are readying up the weapons of the air ship. Via ladders, stairs and elevators, one can move up or down the various floors of the zeppelin. Right above them, the first turrets start firing. Little elevators allow soldiers to move up ammo crates to the turrets.

Gamagoori and Nonon reach the bridge soon after and find Sanageyama and Iori assigning orders to the soldiers.

"Uzu!" Nonon yells. He turns around.

"Nonon, Ira?"

"What is going on?!" Nonon asks. Sanageyama points with his finger towards the window and the Layer of the High Entity.

"This thing is firing at us with these red orbs."

"If I had my musicians..." she mumbles angry. Explosions lighten up the sky, the turrets start firing at the moving orbs, and while they aren't too many, they can sustain a lot of damage.

"Oh they're going to be surprised what we got in store for the zeppelin in case they come too close to us." Sanageyama mentions. He must know it, after all, he built the zeppelin. Even though the Entity is in an advantage - Nudist Beach surely has something evil planned for it, in case things go south. It's why he is so confident still.

...

(AN: And now "Titanfall 2 OST - Frontier Defense Final Wave 01")

Mikisugi and his companions reached Tokyo. Behind them, more and more Life Fibers chase the group, however, only very few can really keep up with them. They just left the outskirts of the city and are about to reach the more populated and inner parts of the city. A soldier takes a look at the Layer of the High Entity that is above them.

"Look at this huge thing..." he says. Tsumugu looks out via the turret.

"As big as half the city. Who knows how many of these monsters live there." Tsumugu wonders. Mikisugi watches how Life Fibers crawl on the roofs of the skyscrapers, and an orb crashing into one of them. Debris fall onto the street and bury Life Fibers and empty cars. Humans run away, panicking as the Life Fibers hunt them down. As they reach one of the larger places of the city, they meet a Colossus who slowly turns to them.

"God, that thing is something else!" a soldier says. The car turns to the side and takes the route via the main street. Neo-REVOCS advertisement still hangs here and there, but that quickly changes as the car escapes from the following Life Fiber monsters - although the Colossus just stands around, doing nothing. He just likes staying at the same place.

However, not all Life Fibers are that peaceful, especially a Tower Fiber who starts chasing the group. Tsumugu shoots at it's feet, but the monster doesn't mind it too much.

"Damn it, this thing eats up my ammo!" Tsumugu yells and looks at the ammo counter, worried he might not have enough to eliminate it. The Tower Fiber sustains more than he expected at first.

"Uh, so what should one do in such a situation?" a soldier asks.

"Do we have explosives!?" Tsumugu asks. One of the soldiers open the weapon crate and find a bundle of C4, ready to be thrown and detonated. Said soldier climbs next to Nui while she is reloading and throws the C4 towards the Tower Fiber onto the street, then he detonates it, and indeed, the Tower Fiber's legs are shredded through this. Helicopters fly above them, they must be from the zeppelin.

"Where to now?!" the driver asks.

"As far as away from the harbor as possible so that the others can siege Honnouji! With the helicopters and the zeppelin alone they can't do much inside the Academy, they need backup for vehicles or..."

"Head's down!" Tsumugu yells as a Hunter jumps onto the front part of the car, attacking him and hitting his shoulder, causing an evil bleeding wound. Tsumugu shoots the monster from the car luckily, but now he's injured. As another Hunter joins the chase, it tries to climb into the back of the car, but seeing Nui suddenly causes it to panickly jump out again, as if she is the devil for it.

There isn't too much time to think about it when another skyscraper breaks apart. The debris barricade the path in front of them and force the group to stop entirely. When they turn around, they find another Tower Fiber who throws a part of a large building at them. The car is hit and slams a few meters away but lands back onto it's wheels. The driver continues and reaches with the group the amusement mile of the city, where a group of policemen try to defend themselves, without much of a chance of survival however... until Nudist Beach arrives, attacking and therefore lurking the Life Fibers away from them.

"We really got them onto our asses, didn't we?!"

"That's how it should be!" Mikisugi answers and looks foward. A few hundreds of meters away is a large open park close to the town hall of Tokyo.

"We'll drive through the park, provoke as many Life Fibers as possible and drive to the public airport! We got enough space to navigate there and escape in case they catch up with us!" Mikisugi orders and reloads a Needle Rifle.

"Got it, boss!" the driver says and speeds up the car while Nui, Tsumugu and the rest continue to hold off the pursuers with their weapons. Tsumugu's ammo is about to be depleted however.

"Gonna be out of ammo soon! How long until we get to the airport!?" Tsumugu rants.

"Bout fifteen minutes if everything goes well!" Mikisugi answers. Tsumugu slams his fist onto the roof.

"I don't have enough ammo for these bastards!"

"No need to, we don't need to kill them!"

"God damn it." he mumbles and continues firing. The car reaches the public park, where several hundreds of Life Fibers hunt down humans. The park is about one square kilometer big. Trees, bushes, a little lake, pavillions and more can be found, and it's clear this used to be a nice park for groups, friends and pairs - but now it turned into a playground for Life Fibers that sit on the roofs, looking for prey. The Entity throws out additional orbs, of which some of them hit the park.

"I'm out of ammo!" a soldier yells stressed.

"I don't have much either!"

When the group drives along the lake, they can see another Tower Fiber who walks on said lake, trying to catch them. With it's large arms, it tries to slam the car but misses with the first attack, however, the second one, as the arm lands in front of them, causes the car to stop once more.

"He's trying to cut us off!" Tsumugu yells and holds onto the turret. He can suddenly hear a monotonous humming.

"AND THEY'RE GOING TO CUT US IN HALF TOO IF WE DON'T MOVE NOW!" he continues surprised as he sees an orb flying directly into their direction.

"... cut... cut... cut..." Nui mumbles obsessed, her weapon on the ground and her eyes empty.

"GET MOVING!"

"We do what we can!" Mikisugi yells and then looks up himself. There really is an orb.

"MOVE!" Mikisugi yells as well now.

"I'M TRYING MY BEST!"

"THIS THING'S GONNA HIT US!" a soldier yells. The orb crashes into the car and slams it meters away into a building. Everything Nudist Beach and Nui wants the Entity to fail and it genuinely makes her angry. As the car lands into the building, Tsumugu and the driver are launched out of it, Mikisugi slams with his body against the controls, only Nui and the soldiers hold up well. Water however enters the car after - it must have continued rolling into the lake. The soldiers climb out of the car and watch how the tall Tower Fiber approaches them furthermore.

Nui climbs through the car and notices Mikisugi bleeding heavily, his torso open due to the crash, but he can survive it. Nui turns his body to her and sees the wound. She touches it. Mikisugi can barely move.

"... grr... that... hurts..."

He's just a human. She shouldn't care at all.

But as she sees blood leaving his body, it pisses her off. The soldiers outside try to lure the Life Fibers away from Mikisugi. More Life Fibers reach the area and try to surround the humans. Nui slowly climbs up the car, standing on the roof, looking around and seeing more and bigger Life Fibers approaching the group.

Nui shrinks her Fiber rifle on the back and hides it in her clothes. When the Tower Fiber is about to attack her and kill Mikisugi, Nui forms her hands into fists, thus making the arms needles. She rams those into her own body. Blood falls onto Mikisugi as he watches Nui harming herself.

Nui bites her teeth together and rips open her body with the needles... but instead of displaying deadly wounds, the contrary happens - after the deed, her wounds shine up orange and red, and this causes the Tower Fiber to back away.

"... sorry... you need to... see this..." she mumbles angry to Mikisugi and looks up to the Life Fibers. Her entire body glows up orange, a small orb covers her, like Senketsu covering Ryuko whenever she transforms. The cloths disappear. Is it a Kamui she wears? That wouldn't work. Her body is made out of Life Fibers.

No.

It's apparently much more evil and worse than Mikisugi could imagine.

Life Fibers corrupt the ground around Nui and the car, yet they shine in yellow instead of red-orange, and when they reach the soldiers, they seem to protect them. The yellow Life Fibers additionally crawl into the car and cover Mikisugi's wounds. They sew themselves onto his body and therefore heal him slowly.

Briefly after, the orb explodes and an orange shimmer is visible. When he looks up, he can't believe his own eyes.

"... oh my god."

Orange lightning like Life Fibers leave the remains of the orb and a Life Fiber Being leaves it. The Life Fibers around Mikisugi hiss scared, the Tower Fiber in the city, seeing the event, turns around immediately and runs, even orbs above them retreat. An hellish, incomprehendible scream leaves the shimmering Life Fiber Being that then starts moving fast enough to make it hardly to process for the human brain, that's how fast the thing Nui turned into became. Her Life Fiber form has the twin drills she always had, destroyed, shredded arms, some of the threads on them hang onto the ground, zig zag like feet and on her head, single Life Fiber cells perform erratic, lightning fast movements, and an terrifying melody leaves her grotesk, destroyed mouth, and the empty, monstrous dark eyes in her orange face reflect nothing but the Life Fibers they look at.

So this is what the Life Fibers always have been afraid of, and this is possibly another reason why she is such a threat for the High Entity - this power must be comparable to it, after all. The Life Fiber monsters panic up and run away, but those who dare to attack Ryuko's little sister don't just get killed - they get annihilated, shredded, and their deaths are anything but merciful, and even that is an understatement. Screams leave the dying Life Fibers. The Tower Fiber next to Mikisugi retreats, afraid of dragging Nui's wrath onto it, but it's the one thing she won't want to get away, after all, it's responsible for the orb hitting the car. Nui rams her shredded arms into the ground, forcing giant Life Fiber cells crawling through it, causing the lake to explode partially and ripping the Tower Fiber apart, slowly, and painful. The giant Life Fibers try to rip the legs apart.

The Tower Fiber screams scared for help, briefly after, Mikisugi watches how rifts appear in it's body. Desperately, the Tower Fiber tries to keep himself together by pressing his arms against his body, yet the power of the Grand Couturier is too much, and so, slowly but steady, the monster needs to watch how it slowly gets killed, until it starts crying, noticable on the melody it does, and the whimpering it leaves out.

Finally, the monster is ripped into two parts, the crying ends and it falls into the lake, with the water being launches onto the streets.

When the last living Life Fibers watch that, they do everything to run away. After less than five minutes, the area is completely cleared. Her corruption continues to seek up more humans. Those that are found scream anxious... but the corruption doesn't harm them, the Life Fibers only crawl onto the human body to look for wounds. If there are any, they heal said wounds, although in exchange for that they need to suck up the blood lost on that - it's a give and take, but it saves lifes.

After one more minute, everything has gone quiet. In the distance, the battle still goes on, but the park is completely cleared. Not a single Life Fiber is left and not a single one dares to enter it. They don't even sit on the roofs anymore - they all retreated.

Nui, with her quick moves, travels across the corrupted yellow ground. Mikisugi watches how in a matter of three seconds, Nui travels from one end of the lake to the other to catch up with him. Her head turns frighteningly fast to him, and moves like an engine that needs to be oiled again. It works, but it doesn't look right.

She looks terrifying. More than whatever that was with the primordial Life Fiber years ago.

"I'm... sorry..." she mumbles, probably because she hoped Mikisugi or any other human would never have to see this. This must be a product of her getting so angry that she completely flips out, which only empathizes the insane tolerance she has for pain, if one wants to remember how Ryuko cut off her arms for example and all she did was yelling at her and getting more angry than usual.

Nui lastly moves swiftly to the building where the driver and Tsumugu landed into. As she uses Life Fibers to throw away the debris, she can find both the driver and Tsumugu under them. Lightings made out of Life Fibers fly up out of her body, showing off her instable mind.

The driver seems to be alright, Tsumugu on the other hand is deadly wounded. Several flesh wounds everywhere, his torso open, and looking closely enough, you may even see one of his organs. When Nui and her Life Fiber corruption discover this, they sing an dark, uncalm melody. He lies dying on the ground, looking up at Nui, and yet... or maybe because of what stands in front of him... his anger for Life Fibers improved even further.

(AN: You could listen to "Atrium Carceri - Worship" until the scene ends for this if you like. I heavily recommend it.)

"... look at you... Life Fiber..." he bites his teeth together and coughs blood. Some of the Life Fibers crawl onto Tsumugu's body.

"... you'll gonna kill me... like the rest. You won't... help me... that's what you Life Fibers live for. Because you want... that blood. Just like... you and your friends... wanted the blood of my sister..."

Nui watches Tsumugu's wounds. Rarely does a medic see such terrible wounds and the person is still alive. He should be dead. And he will be dead soon. Nui could just sit it out. What should happen? No one can stop her. No Life Fiber. No human.

There seems to be a certain enjoyment in Nui when she watches Tsumugu in pain, once again showing her sadistic side, thanks to Ragyo.

No one would mind one more dead body, right? Would anyone except Mikisugi really mourn for Tsumugu? Wasn't he always an asshole to Nui and Ryuko? Doesn't he deserve to die in vain now?

Nui raises one of her arms. The Life Fibers crawl closer onto his body, some even sling around his neck, and very few even climb up his chin. Nui's grotesque mouth tries to form a smile. It is able to do one, even though it's known that Life Fiber Beings shouldn't be able to express emotions physically - but it does, and it's the most horrifying thing Tsumugu ever saw. Slowly, the Life Fibers crawl into Tsumugu. Her head moves to the left and right, mechanically, not working entirely.

Now it's slowly getting obvious that Tsumugu doesn't want to die. Especially not like this. He wants to avenge Kinue, and now she's here to end him?

"F...uck... you... and go to... hell... where you... belong to..." he whimpers yet tries to stay brave. Nui slowly closes her shredded "hand" in the air. The Life Fibers set into the wounds.

But instead of killing or harming him, they start sewing the wounds together. They suck up the blood to process it into energy which they then use to slowly regenerate skin cells and some of the flesh, by converting into such - flesh made out of Life Fibers, not entirely human, but it works absolutely the same. Slowly, the wounds regenerate, until nothing but scars and lots of blood around the saved man are left.

The remaining Life Fibers crawl away and into Nui again. As Tsumugu slowly stands up, Nui leans her head towards him. Tsumugu can see a crying little girl in the dark eyes, being punished for absolutely everything she did, even if it wasn't of any harm. He sees the younger Nui.

"DON'T YOU DARE EVER THREATEN ME AGAIN!" she yells in the most hellish and scary voice a human could only imagine, ear deafening, like one you can only hear from the worst of nightmares. Tsumugu breathes in and out, afraid of Nui, and falls onto the ground.

Nui transforms back into her human form. There are a few tears in her face.

"I don't want to be a monster anymore..." she mumbles. Tsumugu looks into Nui's face.

"BUT YOU TURN ME INTO ONE IF YOU SAY ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOUR DIRTY MOUTH!" Nui threatens. It's well visible Nui is hurt. After so much time, Tsumugu still hates her, for no reason other than her being a Life Fiber. She hasn't done anything to him when she came back from the dead. And he treats her like trash. Just like Ragyo's men did. Just like Ragyo did.

It's like a trauma coming back, and Nui doesn't know how to comprehend it anymore. Nui walks away crying to the next orb. Mikisugi tries to catch up to her.

At least it can't get any worse. Right?

... Nui enters one of the orbs by ripping it open and then forcing it to fly up to the Layer of the High Entity.

Mikisugi walks to Tsumugu while the soldiers catch up with their driver friend.

"Are you okay?" he asks careful. Tsumugu looks to the ground and nods.

"... yeah." he answers very quiet...

...

...

...

Ryuko and Satsuki watch how several groups of Life Fibers run through the halls they are into. Both sisters sit for hours in this cold, hopeless hell the Entity is, although the Colossus seem to care for them a bit by keeping fellow Life Fibers away from them.

From one door near the side, a copy of the High Entity appears with Life Fiber humanoids that look far more humanoid and healthier than their other companions. Maybe they serve as some sort of guardians for Entity copies? The copy approaches them.

"... rise up." it orders. Satsuki and Ryuko move on, if only very resistant. On the back of the guardian's heads, cape like forms hang down up to their knees.

"Stay calm, Ryuko. I know you are unwell." Senketsu mentions.

"I don't know how the others are... or Nui. We gotta get out of here soon."

"With such large abnormalities, I doubt we can simply get out of here." Satsuki mentions. Ryuko and Senketsu look around while they are brought away with Satsuki. In one hall, they find several holes in which Life Fibers are produced slowly. There are no organs in them however. A calm, sublime melody can be heard. Satsuki keeps her spear safe in her hand, but doesn't attack anyone. It would mean the death of both of them anyway, they can't get out of here just like that.

A few more halls later, they find gigantic stairs. Boulder like thick Fibers hang on others layer wise and create actual stairs that way. When the copy gets closer to the stairs, they really transform into such, with which both sisters and the Being walk up the Layer. They eventually arrive in a large hall where Life Fibers seem to reside and guard the throne room. Senketsu notices that there is a gate that leads into a dark room. Ryuko takes a closer look, the Life Fibers allow her to move around freely.

"What is that?" Ryuko asks the Entity which follows her to the gate.

"... ah... these are the dark halls... ours that die... come back home... to live together in their memories with us... and some, that live, come back to speak up to us... whenever they wish... such as our enforcer."

So this would explain how Ichiro was able to visit the High Entity all the time. He had his actual body in the Neo-REVOCS HQ and a second form that was staying at the Layer, and one could now assume that by closing his eyes, he can basically switch control and move on with his other body. The body was likely created in the dark halls therefore. The dark halls seem to be integrated with the Layer therefore. All memories are saved there. Everything is saved. Then what happened before with Nui must have been her going so angry that she got her Life Fiber Body with her as well.

Ryuko always was in the Layer of the High Entity back in the Neo-REVOCS HQ. Ichiro stitched her mind to make sure she lands with her second body in an foreign realm...

"... how big are those halls?" Ryuko asks, remembering the Layer can't be as big as the halls.

"... infinitely... Matoi... they do not end."

"Infinitely?"

"What you see is an entrance... into a world, bigger than anything this universe... has to offer." the copy answers and walks back to the entrance.

"You seeing this, Satsuki?"

"Yes."

"I was there, back in the Neo-REVOCS HQ. I... you can't imagine how big the halls are. And to know they are more or less reachable via a simple door. Dad... must be there..." she mumbles.

"He's... there?"

"Yeah. I saw him. I spoke with him."

Satsuki nods slowly wistful.

"Follow me..." the Entity orders. Ryuko walks to one of the doors while the Life Fibers watch her excited. Carefully, she holds her hand onto one of those portals.

A Life Fiber Being appears there, holding the hand back, as if both would touch a mirror. It's Ryuko in her Life Fiber Form, looking at her real me. When Ryuko moves her head to the left, the Life Fiber Being does the same.

"You've always been a part of us... and once your physical form is gone... you will return... and wander in the halls with all the memories... you gathered in your life..."

"... wow..."

"How does this work?" Satsuki asks curious.

"Such a question... cannot be answered, not even by us, as we do not know it either, young Kiryuin." the copy answers. How the Layer is connected with the dark halls will stay a question forever, most likely, but knowing that they are connected gives insight into it.

"Come..." the Entity orders calm but precise. Ryuko and Satsuki follow it. When it reaches another large gate, they can find a round hall with an giant pillar in the middle. There are hallways on the left and right with stairs that seem to lead up to another room. Between those stairs is another large gate. On the walls, Ryuko notices human sized orange and white Life Fiber threads. The entire hall and the hallways look much more cleaner and well structured than anything else they saw so far - a sign that they must have arrived now. Ryuko and Satsuki walk up the stairs with the copy and notice additional rooms, but only one seems to be interesting right now.

"Soon... she shall be here..." the Entity continues. The Life Fibers in the wall open a gate. Satsuki enters it first.

This is the throne room. It's a large hall without any singing, without any melodies except for a few sounds that come from the descent on the left side, about sixty feet away from the throne on the right side, decorated with thousands of tiny little artifact forms that form a surreal yet somewhat beautiful pattern around the walls behind and above it, with single white threads inside them that shine slightly, a bit like crystals. There is also a large window like wall that, on the other side, must appear like a normal wall however. This window is above the descent and can therefore not be reached on foot.

Four copies stand in the room and slowly turn to Ryuko and Satsuki, but the original Entity isn't here. A fifth copy appears through another door - thanks to it's different head form, it's Hinata. Hinata and the other copies observe Ryuko and Satsuki. The copy that brought Ryuko and Satsuki to the room brings them into the center of the hall.

"... so how many of you exist?" Senketsu asks as he watches the copies. Calm, both copies watch the sisters. Satsuki observes how one of them lose Life Fibers and slowly vanish - it seems as if the copy dies. Out of the window, they can also see the zeppelin fighting off the orbs of the Layer. One of the orbs hits the zeppelin's hangar and lands into it.

"... oh no..." he mumbles worried.

...

...

...

(AN: Now listen to "Titanfall 2 OST - Frontier Defense Final Wave 02. Yeah, Titanfall 2 is just a pretty good game with good soundtrack. lol)

Inside the zeppelin, Nudist Beach soldiers fend off attacking Life Fibers that try to take down the zeppelin. Out of the orb, hostile monsters spawn, including a large, crab like five meter tall monster with stings on the back and a large head. Takarada's soldiers fire with their Coin Rifles on the monster, Nudist Beach uses Needle Rifles. Killing the monster is incredibly difficult without scissor blades. Sanageyama, Gamagoori and Nonon run to an overpass and watch how it causes destruction even though it's taking damage. The minions cause more trouble however since they actively attack the Nudist Beach units. Gamagoori carefully puts down Nonon while Sanageyama drags his sword to attack.

"Get into cover, Jakuzure. Sanageyama and me will deal with them." Gamagoori orders and transforms into his Protector Regalia - heavily armored, he jumps down to confront the Crab Fiber, especially since his height is increasing with his regalia. However that works. Let's just go with it. Nonon however doesn't accept being pushed away because of a "little" flesh wound, hence why she runs to the weapon chamber.

"... I might be hurt..." she mumbles and searches for a few instruments infused with Life Fibers. WIth those, she walks back to the overpass.

"... but if these idiots think they can have the lead on MY STAGE, they've messed with the wrong musician!" she screams to the Life Fibers and starts playing music. The hostile Life Fibers are distracted by that move, and this helps Sanageyama, Gamagoori and the rest in combat.

With his fist, Gamagoori performs slow but incredibly powerful attacks, hitting the Crab Fiber, and each time he hits, it's hate for Gamagoori grows more and more. With it's stings it tries to pierce his armor, but whenever it does hit, it screams up are, as each hit feels like it would hit hard stone.

The hangar gates are open, and instead of killing the monster, Gamagoori tries to push it out of the hangar, and the more he hits it, the better the chances are on defeating it like that. Some of the Nudist Beach soldiers realize Nonon's tactique and how well it works against the Life Fibers. Even though she can't play as effective as usual due to her wounds, they start placing microphones around her with which the music is played in the entire ship. Gamagoori prepares an uppercut, gets hit by a sting, but continues with the attack and hits the monster that now falls onto the edge of the hangar, trying to stay in it with another sting.

"WEAK, SO WEAK!" he yells and kicks into it's face, causing it to fall down and hundreds of meter into Tokyo as it screams scared. Gamagoori walks to the orb and rips it out of the ground of the ship, just to throw it out as well. The Life Fibers however continue, they aren't afraid of the tall man and his companions - although Nonon's music does an excellent job, still. Sanageyama and a few additional melee fighters attack the remaining monsters, but more orbs are about to land in the hangar. This was just the start...

...

...

...

More and more Entities gather around in the throne room and watch Ryuko and Satsuki. They both surround the two sisters, but there is still no sign of the High Entity.

"Stay calm, Ryuko. They apparently just want to talk." Satsuki thinks. Ryuko nods.

"... and it better stays that will, for their sake."

Hinata walks to Ryuko and Satsuki.

"Matoi... and Kiryuin... we finally meet each other... face... to... face." Hinata greets Satsuki curiously and musters her while keeping distance respectfully.

"... so it is you... just like the High Entity said..." Hinata realizes. Satsuki doesn't quite understand what he means.

"What? Just like the High Entity said?"

"It spoke... about you... many times..."

"Hrmpf." Satsuki grumbles. What should that thing know about her? It annoys her - after all, it never even once saw Satsuki and know it seems to pretend it knows everything about her.

"And you, Matoi... you seem to be well... good... to see that."

"... the pleasure is all on my side, Hinata." Ryuko answers, although she still is unsure whether she can trust him or not. Still: so far, he was rather decent.

Slowly, Ryuko and Satsuki notice how the copies of the Entity transform. Something must happen with their heads. It seems as if they reveal their faces to them - Ryuko notices for example one of the copies having a pyramid as head. The copy that led them to the throne room doesn't even have a head at all, it's headless! And Hinata?

Hinata reminisces only distantly of something one can call human - not a real human, not at all, the head proportions are too horrible for that, but from all the Entities around them, he still looks the best - or least horrifying. His head is bleak and pointed, with several edges, the mouth is destroyed, and out of his eyes, a black liquid leaves his "cheeks".

"Tell me, "Hinata"... what does this Entity know about me? Speak." Satsuki orders resolve. Hinata turns to the zeppelin.

"It knows... all about you... as if it was always... there..."

"Always there?"

"Always... there... always... there..."

"Hinata, just get straight to the point, please." Ryuko mentions. Some of the Entities listen up as they can hear clear, precise steps. Satsuki turns to Hinata, both sisters watch him and the zeppelin now.

(AN: I HEAVILY (!) recommend you listen to Blumenkranz now. The original Blumenkranz.)

"Forgive my choice of words, Matoi... but I fear I am not allowed to... intervene in this..."

"But you "intervened" other things already. Why not now?"

"And yet... it is something I cannot influence... not this time... again... forgive me."

"Speak, Hinata! I want to know what Ryuko and me do here! I want to know what this Entity wants from us and more importantly, I want to know what this whore of monstrosity wants and how it dares itself to claim that it knows everything about me!" Satsuki says aggressive.

Suddenly, they can hear a well known chuckle.

And the click of a heel on hard ground.

"Oh... oh Satsuki..."

Satsuki's and Ryuko's blood freezes, Senketsu's eye grows.

"... is that how you speak about your mother?" the voice asks curious while chuckling. The Entities bow, some dissolve, others walk away out of fear. Satsuki turns with her head to her side, very slowly.

"Is that... how you greet everyone you haven't seen in such a long time...?"

Satsuki looks to the hull of the High Entity. White shoes can be seen under the hull. Satsuki's heart stops for a moment.

"... this can't be."

"... what a shame. I remember I raised you to behave better..." the High Entity smiles with a slightly amused, sinister smile.

This is not just the High Entity.

"... Mother..."

This is Ragyo Kiryuin.

And she is alive. Still. After all this time.

Hinata dissolves, and so do all the other Entity copies.

Beyond all the Life Fibers, all the destruction, the Doppelgänger, beyond the Life Fiber Sickness and all the hallucinations... you still find Ragyo Kiryuin.

With that, the question whether she found immortality or not has been answered. Ryuko falls onto her knee due to the shock. In the background, Life Fibers hum Ragyo's song of the Blumenkranz in calm voices.

Ragyo slowly approaches her daughter and examines her. Satsuki is too shocked to move any longer. She just looks up to Ragyo.

Ragyo... this isn't the mother Satsuki remembers. Ryuko does however - it's her younger version. Young, more harmless and friendlier, back when Soichiro was around her for most of the time, but before she killed Izumi and got corrupted. Ragyo's entire body is covered by Life Fibers that move very fast around her and disguise her otherwise naked body. Her wish has been fulfilled as well - she's worn by clothes. Living clothes that feast on her. Her right arm is no longer human - insterad, shredded Life Fibers hang on it, which likely can form however as she pleases. The left hand is still human.

(AN: =) laughs evil)

"... but how?" Satsuki asks, not being able to comprehend what is going on here. Ragyo touches Satsuki's cheek with her human hand.

"... finally... I can feel your body with my own hands... and see it."

"... but how... is that possible?" Satsuki mumbles in disbelief. Her world is breaking apart.

"You truly are a beautiful woman, my dear." Ragyo mentions proud if sinister.

"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!?" Satsuki screams desperate. Ragyo can't help but chuckle slightly.

"... I saw you dying, mom! I saw it with my own eyes! Several times! How, like, wha-, what the..." Ryuko mumbles surprised.

"Oh, did you? And you believe that just because you die... everything is over?" Ragyo asks curious and walks to Ryuko who's kneeling in front of her.

"... I was in your memory..."

"Oh. Mhm... then I assume you saw your grandmother, yes? And what kind of woman she was? Ohh... and how she ended?"

"... yes..."

"From the very moment I found the primordial Life Fiber under the manor, many years ago, the Life Fibers... accepted me. Unlike my former family. Unlike the one I served before - my mother, and her corporation. When the High Entity accepted me, it fulfilled my wish... immortality."

"But how? How can you stand here?! You ripped your fucking heart out!"

"And this heart, including it's body, died indeed - yes, it was gone. But me? No. No, Ryuko... the person you see here... is truly your mother. What you saw... was... a copy... A copy I created, in exchange for my body." Ragyo answers and raises her Life Fiber arm. The Entity hull slowly moves away and reveals red Life Fibers on Ragyo's entire right body, except for her face and neck. Her leg, her torso, her shoulder... they all are being feasted on by Life Fibers.

"I existed twice. There is my human me... the person standing in front of you... and my hybrid form. To create this hybrid, the High Entity required a human component. I accepted the love of the Life Fibers.

They ripped a part of my body away to feast on it, as you can see. It should have killed me.

But the mercy of the Entity saved my life. When it allowed me to be worn by clothes truly, I was able to live on... and ruled about my hybrid form until it found it's death in space, after you and your sister destroyed Shinra Koketsu. I truly could have received a Life Fiber form... but that was not my intention... my intention was to be worn by clothing, to pay for the sins of humanity, to pay for my sins... instead of becoming clothing.

And the moment I killed my mother - that was the moment my hybrid form truly, well, activated, while I safely slept in the Layer of the Entity, ruling over my body in safety, knowing nothing can hurt me truly. And yet... you and Satsuki never became what I intended both of you to become... and I especially mourn for Satsuki, even today, even right now. But this will end soon." Ragyo explains.

So this is how she survived. She never really died. She used her second body - a hybrid form, just like Ryuko with her second body, or Nui, or Ichiro, or all the other Life Fibers. And since Ragyo always wanted to be worn by clothes, she did not seek for a pure Life Fiber form like Nui, but a hybrid so that she could wear Kamuis. The stings that pierced Ragyo briefly before Izumi must have been the Nexus Fibers that activated the regeneration abilities of her body. And the children that were raised inside her body apparently couldn't grow Life Fiber cells at all - this would prove that a Life Fiber hybrid cannot bring Life Fiber children onto the world, if wished.

"... fuck..." Ryuko mumbles shocked and shakes her head in disbelief.

"Oh, do not despair, Ryuko." Ragyo smiles and turns her head to Satsuki who's mind is shattered.

"... so it was you with the Life Fiber Sickness?" Ryuko asks. Ragyo raises Satsuki's chin slightly and looks back to Ryuko. Ragyo nods slowly.

"Mhm, indeed. The COVERS were good and useful and the plan was perfect... or so I thought... but unexpectedly, Shinra Koketsu failed due to you, your sister and the little creation I brought upon the world... and since neither of you three were perfect at all. The Life Fiber Sickness... is my safety measure for the worst case." Ragyo continues and looks into Satsuki's face.

"And yes, Satsuki... all these hallucinations... all these nightmares... were due to me. I was never gone. I was always with you. I wouldn't leave you alone like that..." she smiles calm but strangely enough, somewhat caring for Satsuki.

"So this is why you smiled, hm? You knew this wasn't the end for you. It was just the beginning. Just a little obstacle for whatever your sick plan now is."

"Precisely."

"Then how the hell can you be the High damn Entity!?" Ryuko continues.

"The High Entity grew old... became weak. When you changed my plans, I woke up after my years long sleep, and realized that the current Entity was... withering, like a flower. We Kiryuins serve it and the Life Fibers for thousands of years. And I was chosen to be it's successor. After the death of my hybrid form, it died as well. And this is how I became what I am now. Now, after all these years... I am at home, to finish what I started. Yet, instead of destroying this planet, that could be so beautiful... I want to rescue it. Give it a new chance... one in which perfect life forms live in harmony, until they can expand. And I will have a family that will walk on the red Earth - and when the time comes, the manor will be built again, and the children will walk on the green garden of the Kiryuin palace.

And my dream will be true, finally." Ragyo smiles, desiring for her ultimate goal.

"... and you banished Nui too?"

"... who?"

"... you bitch."

"Oh... yes... I remember. Apologies. I haven't used that name in such a long time."

"Do you even know what the fuck you did to her?!"

"What? A Life Fiber? That came onto this world to serve my wishes and plans and ultimately failed?"

"How do you even dare to talk about her like that, huh!?" Ryuko asks insulted and tries to punch Ragyo, but Ragyo reacts by raising her arm to the left, forcing Life Fibers out of the ground that drag Ryuko forcefully on the ground again.

"She failed. Was imperfect - and I did not expect that to happen. Nothing... but a little girl without any emotions..."

"Without any emotions?! SHE HAD THEM! AND YOU TOOK THEM AWAY!"

"And you defend her? Ryuko... didn't she killed your father?"

"She did! But I don't care anymore! It happened, fuck it! Dad doesn't mind that much either from the looks of it!" Ryuko answers, causing Ragyo to chuckle amused.

"Amusing."

"I swear, if she gets here and finds you, you'll experience a hell no one can imagine in the slightest, that ain't a thread, that's a promise!"

"I killed her when she was about to kill her Doppelgänger on Okishima, Ryuko. And it showed me once more that I was right. A stupid, little girl."

"Right, I can lie to myself as well. You..."

Ragyo suddenly materializes Nui's yellow bloody bow and throws it to Ryuko.

The blood has dried out. Ryuko slowly holds her hand on the bow. Her anger slowly turns into disbelief and sadness. Some yellow hair streaks are still visible. The big sister fights with the tears - it really is the bow...

"... no... no..."

"Mmm... she was nothing but living clothes, dear daughter."

"No, she..."

"Don't feel too bad. After all... I could always create a new one, if I wanted to. Or... well, you do it yourself." Ragyo smiles provoking.

"FUCK YOU!"

Ragyo walks to the descent and looks outside the window. Ryuko mourns over her apparently dead sister.

...

(AN: Listen to "Blumenkranz Orchestra" on YouTube by Mike Reed IX.)

In the lower parts of the Layer, Life Fibers crawl around, some of them even enter orbs to get ready for the battle. One of the orbs dock into the Layer... but the door doesn't open. Curiously, the monsters crawl to the orb. One of them tries to open it.

But they realize that it's Nui who's looking at them with tears in her face and an ice cold face expression. They used to be her "family", until it turned out everyone is against her. There is no family. There are no friends. There never was - until Ryuko came. And based on the singing of the Life Fibers, she's here, at the throne room. The entire Layer speaks about them, after all.

Nui leaves the orb and keeps her rifle in her pocket by shrinking it. With fists and an aggressive body stance, she walks down the path to the throne room, and not a single Life Fiber dares to walk into her way.

However, some of the Entity's copies notice her appearance and appear in the air. One of them walks with Nui as she aims for the throne room.

"You... dare to walk on these holy... paths?"

Nui doesn't answer. Her corruption behind her forces the Life Fibers to retreat, as the ground turns from red into yellow. The Entity is shocked by that gaze. In front of Nui, the doors to the halls open, without her coming even close to them. Not a single Life Fiber cell in the Layer wants to draw her wrath on them - the Entity begs to differ however.

"Chosen by the Life Fibers." she mumbles with a broken heart.

The Entity tries to stop Nui, yet she continues. In one hall, she finds the Colossus that protected Ryuko and Satsuki who runs away slowly as he sees Nui, until he clashes with a wall and, frightened by her, looks away.

"... destined to greatness..."

"You will not reach these halls with any chance of survival, Harime..." another Entity threatens. The other copies retreat into the halls to prepare resistance.

"... chosen by the Entity..."

Nui walks up a few stairs and gets closer to the throne room, she doesn't have to visit many more rooms. Nui keeps her hand in one of her pockets and slowly drags out an item which she holds tight.

"To fulfill their will..."

Behind her, additional Life Fibers follow her, curious to see what she does, even though they all are heavily afraid. How can the Entity copy show such braveness?

"To destroy those who defy it..."

Above her, she can her a Colossus stomping around, and several other tall Life Fibers that mobilize for an attack. Nui doesn't show any anxiety anymore - only braveness, hatred, sadness. She shows emotions - because her family teached her that it's okay to have them.

"That is my destiny."

Nui reaches the rooms near the throne room. The first one is empty. A large gate in front of her keeps her away from the room that leads to Ryuko and Satsuki. The Entity copy walks in front of Nui.

"What is your wish, Harime!?" the copy asks angry. Nui opens the gate.

She's greeted by dozens of Life Fibers of all kinds - Hunters, a Colossus and a Tower Fiber, Crab Fibers, humanoids... everything the High Entity has to offer... and additional Entity copies that summon white needles above them. Whoever resists will die, and who retreats, will live.

But these certainly want to die.

Nui bites her teeth together, closes her eyes as more tears leave them and then opens them with fury.

"I want my family."

Suddenly, Nui enhances the scissor blades and tears the Entity copy next to her into several parts, which dissolves with an disbelieving face expression. The other copies start attacking Nui with the needles which she however destroys easily with the scissor blades. The Colossus and a Tower Fiber retreat, seeing how she fends off the attacks of the Entities. The Crab Fiber tries to pierce Nui but misses, Nui uses that chance to cut off it's stings - the monster screams in pain.

"KILL HER!" one of the Entity copies order. Nui turns her head to the Entity copy and jumps at it. In an blink of an eye, Nui cuts the copy into two halves, creating a white light inside the wounds that slowly dissolve the Life Fiber lord. More Life Fibers try to attack Nui, but thanks to her reflexes, she can quickly react and grab one with her hand, throwing it against the others. Only once her fury has found it's end, her power will be gone. With screams of fury, the former Grand Couturier of REVOCS destroys one group of Life Fibers after another, who are trying to protect Ragyo - but everyone falls one by one.

Even the wounds she catches are sustained easily despite the fact the Life Fibers can harm her - she doesn't care anymore. Everyone will die. They seriously dared to take Ryuko and Satsuki as prisoners.

The scissor blades rip apart walls and reveal new rooms, in which the inhabitant Life Fibers only watch in fear. The Tower Fiber and the Colossus walk to the very end of the room in fear, hoping they would be spared.

The Entity copies can only watch how Nui eliminates their henchmen, and once that is done, Nui turns to the copies and kills the rest of them, until she severely damages one that falls onto the ground. Only very few Life Fibers mourn, most of them are incredibly angry at her, but they don't dare to attack her.

The Tower Fiber and the Colossus watch Nui scared as they both stand next to each other. Nui walks to them, holding the scissor blades ready.

"... don't... don't... don't..." they sing afraid of her. Nui rams the blades into the ground and walks to the Colossus that starts whimpering scared.

"... no... no... no..." it mourns with it's large mouth.

"Go. And take all of those that can feel like you do with you. And gather in the city, in the largest park you can find. I won't hurt you." she orders. Slowly, the Colossus and the Tower Fiber follow her order and carefully walk away - it's more and more obvious that with Hoomaru's sacrifice, Nui got a part of her old, empathizing personality back. Again: those who do not attack her, are allowed to live. She won't kill everyone. Only those who deserve it, or really resist her.

"... thank you... thank you... thank you..." the Tower Fiber sings grateful yet still afraid and leaves with his big friend. A copy lays on the ground and looks up to Nui as she approaches it. She grabs both scissor blades again.

"... you... killed them all... you truly... are one of us."

Nui looks down to the Entity.

"Where are they?"

"... in the... throne room..." the copy answers. Nui knocks it out with the scissor blades and moves on. A few more Life Fibers follow the Tower Fiber and the Colossus.

"GO! ALL OF YOU! THE ENTITY ONLY USES YOU!" she screams, still having a few tears in her face, even somewhat cathartic, seeing all the dead Life Fibers on the ground. Nui moves on...

...

Ragyo turns back to Ryuko and Satsuki. Ryuko is crying for her dead sister. Nothing is left of her. Just her yellow bow.

"Now... enough of the meaningless words... this isn't what you are here for, after all. You are here for something more sublime. Satsuki... you are here for that." Ragyo explains. Satsuki, furiously, looks up to her.

"... and what did your sick mind came up with? What will you do?! Isn't destroying Earth good enough for you anymore, after everything you did!?" Satsuki asks angry.

"How wondrous of you to ask that. It's remarkable, considering it's in your morbid interest, after everything you personally experienced." Ragyo answers and reaches her human hand, yet Satsuki denies and stands up on her own.

"You and me, Satsuki... we both have similarities, we always did... and Ryuko understands that well. Tell her, Ryuko..." Ragyo smiles.

"... go... fuck yourself."

Ragyo chuckles.

"Well... your sister seems to be in a rather doubtfoul mood. Satsuki... I connect the name "Izumi Kiryuin" with pure hatred... and bloodlust. Ever since I was a little child, like you, I was terrorized - day for day.

And one day, I realized how mighty the Life Fibers are.. and that I had a destiny. We Kiryuins... have a destiny. We serve them, for we are Life Fibers, truly. And with me, Life Fibers will reach the next step in evolution. Evolution that was long overdue, and that, thanks to the plan of the former Entity, was delayed by years, when I could have done everything much faster.

Life Fibers will spread through the universe and feast on it - you and me, however... will prepare the foundation. We always should have, Satsuki - and with this divine species dying, it's our very goal to make sure today will not be the end of it. You, dearest Satsuki... will help me."

"... what... are you talking about, you fool!?" Satsuki asks confused.

"I understand your wrath, I truly do, Satsuki. The wrath you feel is the wrath I used to feel towards my mother. You are what I used to be. A furious daughter, seeking to end the many nightmares that haunt her.

And I want to offer you this end - I do not wish you to succumb to corruption as I did. My time for absolution... is far over - and do not think I am not aware, or do not care about the things I did. Everything I did, I am grateful for, and at the same time, I feel remorse. Remorse for those that died through my hands or actions. All I know is that these sacrifices will result in a better, beautiful world, on which I, and hopefully you, my daughter, can wander on.

You could ram your weapon into my body and kill me - but it's not only unnecessary, but also not in your interest, for your health, and for your future. No, Satsuki... you can skip these steps." Ragyo explains. It's surprising to hear that Ragyo apparently feels remorse and a certain amount of empathy, unlike her hybrid form, which once more confirms this is the true Ragyo, with a human heart, with feelings, with own memories and with own fears. Somewhere in that speech, there surely is the fear of death, still. There must be.

"You... want me to turn into you!?"

"You already are like me, Satsuki. Young, angry and bloodlusty, but also protective of those you love, and you seek revenge for what I did to you and your sister... you want all of this to end - you want me to pay." Ragyo continues.

"Satsuki would never do such a thing, Ragyo!" Ryuko yells angry and runs towards Ragyo once more, almost hitting her with the black arm, yet Ragyo reacts quickly enough, rams her fist into Ryuko's face and causes her to fall down.

"You are not allowed to speak, hybrid." Ragyo threatens cold and looks down to her daughter.

"... you may be my daughter, but you speak only when I allow it for you. Otherwise you will end exactly like the abominal imperfection you call your "little sister"." Ragyo continues. A gate opens to the left and steps ring up.

"Mama?" Ragyo can hear. Ryuko, Satsuki and Ragyo react surprised, hearing Nui at the entrance to the throne room - especially Ragyo who can't believe this. Nui sees her.

Why does mama wear the hull of an Entity?

Why does mama threaten Ryuko to kill her?

Why is mama alive, even though she shouldn't be?

Why... is mama...

Ragyo slowly approaches Nui.

"How is that possible?" Ragyo asks perplexed.

"... mama... why... are you wearing that... why..."

"How are you still alive?" she wonders even more. She literally just killed Nui hours ago, and now she stands here?

Ryuko slowly stands up and notices the bloody bow next to Ragyo. Nui shakes her head in disbelief.

"... I thought you were dead... but... mama... why..."

"Nui..." Ryuko mumbles with a heavy heart and holds up the bow.

"... it was her. Mom... killed you. Mom took you everything. And now she wants to hurt all of us... this... isn't your mom... this is just a human..." Ryuko mumbles sad. Nui doesn't know what to say.

Mama lives. But Mama hurt her. She always did. Nui looks up to what she thinks to be her mother.

"But... all the things... I did for you... wasn't... wasn't it enough?"

"..."

"... aren't you proud of me... mama?" Nui mumbles, trying to ignore what Ryuko says, but everything comes up now.

"I'm not your mother, Harime. I'm your creator. And you are my tool. You shouldn't be here. You should be in the halls... and yet you still dare to approach me once more - after all the failures you summoned upon me." Ragyo threatens and walks closer to Nui.

"... mama..."

Nui slowly realizes what kind of person Ragyo really is.

Mama hurt her. She always did.

Mama killed Nui. Mentally and physically.

Mama banished Nui.

Mama created the Doppelgänger.

Mama hurts her sisters.

... mama really is just a human.

The most evil of them.

The most evil of them.

The most evil of them.

Mama.

Mama.

Mama.

...

Lady Ragyo.

Lady Ragyo.

Lady Ragyo.

...

Human.

Human.

Human.

...

"... you... aren't my mother. You... never were... my mother..." she realizes quietly, her eyes glassy. Ragyo turns with her back to Nui and looks to Satsuki.

"Now, Satsuki. Answer me." Ragyo orders and walks to Ryuko. She summons white needles out of the walls.

"Or I will kill her." Ragyo threatens Satsuki with killing Ryuko. She knows Satsuki wouldn't want Ryuko to be harmed. Nui drops the scissor blades, not believing what she sees. Not believing how she was so deceived.

"... you won't harm Ryuko." Satsuki answers against her will and keeps her spear ready.

"Then do... what I say... and approach the descent." Ragyo orders, feeling the victory, even embracing it already - until suddenly, Satsuki attacks Ragyo with the spear. Ragyo avoids the attack and hits Satsuki's face with the Life Fiber hand.

(AN: Lastly, listen to "KILL la KILL IF OST - Theme of Ragyo - Extended. ;) )

Life Fibers from the ground rise up to attack Ryuko, attempting to crush her - however, with her black arms, she can save herself from certain death. Satsuki defends herself as more Life Fibers from the ground attack her to defend their highness, while Ragyo takes a few steps back, summoning more Life Fibers. These Life Fibers grab Ryukos back, sling around her body and drag her away and out of the room, however, Ryuko is able to catch the scissor blades with her Life Fiber abilities by throwing strings at them - her, and the blades are launched into a different room.

"How naive of you." Ragyo mocks Satsuki - her head is not covered by Life Fibers, could she hit it and kill her like that? Somehow, she must be able to defeat her.

"You insane monster! I won't allow you to hurt either of my sisters!"

"Too late - you chose wrong." Ragyo answers and summons Life Fibers from the ground that drag Satsuki to the descent. The closer she comes to the hungry Life Fibers, the more aggressive they become. Out of the walls, Life Fibers start singing a sinister, choir like melody with various voices. While the Life Fibers do launch Satsuki down to the descent, she rams her spear into the wall to save herself, although she is just a few meters from death away now. There is however the room below the throne room which she could climb up with the spear.

Ragyo approaches Nui and looks down to her.

"... all... just... a lie..." she mumbles. Ragyo touches Nui's chin.

"When Ryuko comforted you... you wished to no longer be clothing." Ragyo remembers and rams her arm into Nui's body.

"So be it.

Then die as human." Ragyo threatens and starts tearing Nui's body. Nui screams painful, coughs blood, Life Fibers leave her body as her skin seemingly breaks.

"GRRRAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHH"

"If this truly is what you wanted, then fail as Life Fiber and as human, Harime!" Ragyo continues tearing until suddenly, an orange light leaves the wounds all over her body - Life Fibers slowly move out of the wounds, trying to hold onto Nui, but they are dragged away by Ragyo as she furiously rips her arm out. With that, a Life Fiber Being falls out of her body. Nui mourns painful, with the pain being beyond the imagination of a human, only a pain Life Fibers could endure properly - more tears leave Nui's eyes as she looks up into Ragyo's cold, but somehow still empathic eyes. Almost as if she rather would want to give Nui absolution in death.

Nui falls onto the ground, with her face on the Life Fibers that try to catch up on her. Nui looks up to the Life Fiber Being that copies her movement.

It's Nui herself, but her Life Fiber form. Both look into each others eyes. Nui's sad yet empathic ones, and the cold but protective ones of the Life Fiber form that hums sad and worried for it's host, until it gently touches her cheek to catch up the tear that leaves her eye.

"... now... you... are... mature..." the Being mumbles sad.

"... no... don't leave me..." Nui begs. Ragyo rams white Life Fiber needles into Nui's Life Fiber form - a scream rings out of it, and an explosion ends the Life Fiber Form truly. One of the needles hit Nui's cheek and rip it open partially...

... inside, flesh is visible. Flesh of a human. The explosion causes horrible pain in Nui and renders her unconscious, with her Fiber rifle falling out of the pocket and growing in size again.

Ragyo turns around to leave Nui and eliminate her daughter Satsuki who's in the room below. There, she finds Satsuki, armed with her spear, observing how Ragyo slowly hovers down to her, calm and gentle.

"You truly are a Kiryuin, Satsuki - we all are fighters. And you are, maybe not the most intelligent, but the bravest of them. I'm proud of you... and yet, if you believe you could end my life... then try to do so, but you will fail, daughter."

"You won't get away with this alive, even if I lose my own life as well - I'll take you with me."

"So brave. Admirable." Ragyo chuckles.

Both opponents stand in front of each other, a few meters away. The Life Fibers sing louder and more horrifying as mother and daughter watch each other.

They watch them.

They always did - and when the time comes, they corrupt them.

They always did...

AN: :) :DDDDDDDD

Leave a review. Take your time writing it. XD Lots of stuff happened now. Mama Ragyo happened, Tsumugu happened, the battle on the zeppelin happened, the Life Fiber Sickness happened... :) See ya soon, and thanks for reading again. I'm looking forward to your reactions!