AN: Today's August 10th and that is my birthday, and because of that, here is the next chapter, or at least part 1 of it! Have fun, and apologies for taking so long, I just didn't feel well recently. The second part of Chapter 29 will be very emotional and blow your mind. For now, enjoy!
The sky is clearing up. Without the Layer of the Entity, most of the conscient Life Fibers start losing their mind, causing them to walk around irrationally, until the energy left in them is depleted. Those who lost their energy, die and dissolve in the sky, slowly in the cold weather, but how the dying Life Fibers treat their end is in it's own way tragic.
On the streets, humans watch behind covers and windows how the hostile monsters slowly fall apart. Some scream in rage, try desperately to obtain human blood to lengthen their time on Earth for a few more minutes and hours - those who cannot manage to do that, fall into several pieces, and those pieces into additional ones, and eventually, they are spread away, like ashes in the wind.
Other Life Fibers hide in the alleys, trying to hide and spend their end lonely in the dark, where no one can see them.
And a few whimper about their fate, walk together slowly through the streets. A tall colossus slowly falls apart, his eyes closing more and more as he watches his friends dissolve. Slowly, he falls to the side as his legs fall apart. Humanoid Life Fibers watch their arms, legs and bodies disappear, in vain that cannot be properly felt.
There won't be anything left of them, apart from the dead cells that once inhabited a living being - it's good and it's bad sides.
It's cells like these that pass Nonon, Satsuki, Ryuko, and the other survivors in the park, which are watched by the remaining Life Fibers that seem to be now on Satsuki's side.
None of the Nudist Beach combatants know exactly what they should do now with them. All they know is that they follow Satsuki's orders - likely due to her being the next part in the hierarchy of the High Entity. Maybe Satsuki always was destined to this - maybe the idea of freedom could have never been achieved the way she believed. Whatever Satsuki, who's holding her dead mother, does, the Life Fibers watch her curiously.
The eyes of the Life Fibers follow all her steps, step by step, and only the slight and blurred reflection of the world around them and the things they do is visible in their otherwise empty organs of sight. If Satsuki seems to be sad or angry, the Life Fibers try to understand her and act as she wishes to. They appear from their behaviour a bit like children that love their mother. It supports an, at least in the beginning, strange but somehow caring and, in a distant sense, sweet and good dynamic between her and her former enemies.
The Elite Four and Takarada watch how Satsuki brings Ragyo to them. Ryuko already brought Nui into the back of the car where Houka and Iori give her first aid. Ragyo must have wounded her really badly, as she sometimes loses her consciousness. It might be due to the bloodloss - her body as it was before was able to produce blood which would support the Life Fibers in her body, but since most or all of the Life Fibers inside it have turned into something like actual flesh and skin, if not real human one, her physical power is gone for the most part too. All that is left is the combat experience - but everyone agrees that she cannot continue any longer. Ryuko in the meantime, knowing Nui is being treated, walks to Satsuki. Gamagoori takes a look at the dead mother - the corpse is horrible. Signs of a once human body have to be searched.
Ryuko looks to her big sister who's divided about the current situation. Satsuki is looking at the Honnouji-Academy. On the walls, red lights can be seen. The Life Fibers there are mostly Couturiers made by Ichiro, hence why they've survived the destruction. Without an Layer or an Entity copy, they might die too however - and yet, Satsuki knows she cannot sit it out. Ichiro collected Life Fibers over the last few weeks and months in this very fortress he has prepared now, and if he isn't stopped, he might summon something upon this world that should not see the light of day at all.
"Are you alright, Satsuki?" Ryuko asks careful. Satsuki breathes in and out.
"Yeah."
"What about mom?" she asks. Satsuki turns to her.
"What mom did cannot be forgotten. There is still the scar in my heart and my mind that she inflicted upon me. But... I am sick of thinking about it. It's good that she is dead. Maybe... if there really is a place where you go to when you die, she may be happy now, and the woman she used to be."
"So... you've made peace."
"Not entirely... but I think it's a good step." Satsuki answers. Ryuko nods and looks to Honnouji. Senketsu seems worried.
"How should we approach Honnouji now? It appears as if they have fortified it. See all those lights? The Director's men must be many." he mentions. Satsuki nods to that. She looks up to the Life Fibers that obey her now. Despite her never wanting that, a part of Ragyo's wish has been fulfilled, and now she leads those that are left.
What should one do with these "monsters" now? All sorts of sizes and appearances. Humanoids, similar to the Couturiers, a Colossus, or a Tower Fiber. Looking at them, Satsuki see's parasites - on the other hand, something inside her tells her that even those parasites just want a home, or at the very least absolution in their last hours of existence.
Every help is needed now, and especially against the Director and his well protected Honnouji Academy. And certain is that the Life Fibers can sustain a lot of damage and support in combat.
"We should speak with Mikisugi and the others. I fear Ichiro will use the time he has right now to strengthen the defense of the Academy. And whatever he is planning with the remaining Life Fibers, there must be something evil. Time is running out, I fear." Satsuki answers to Senketsu.
"It looks like they see you as their leader now. Watch how they look at you. They trust you." Senketsu continues. The big sister nods slowly. The pale, thin Hinata, who's bones are covered by nothing but his skin now due to the lack of blood in his body, awaits an order. His white robe loses strength. Even he dies. Just like everything that was involved with the Layer once.
"Gamagoori!" Satsuki yells. The tall man walks to Satsuki.
"Prepare the car - bring Ryuko and the rest to the others."
"I will." he answers and starts the car. While the Elite-Four get into it, Ryuko looks back to her sister as she walks down to the Life Fibers.
"What are you doing?"
"Just warn Tsumugu and Mikisugi for me."
"Alright." Ryuko answers and looks at the Life Fibers. Those were once enemies. It's a surreal feeling.
The car drives away with her.
...
On Honnouji, preparations for the defense are made. Life Fibers cut themselves into walls, fuse together, and inside the Academy, horrific sounds and subtle screams can be heard. In the halls, Ichiro watches how his men cannot finish their goal, Shinra Seisei, in time. The insane psychopath seems like he's losing his mind to this view, and yet, he must have something left to counter Nudist Beach's attack, in case it happens. He still believes he is the winner of this battle.
There is no doubt he could prepare a weapon out of all those Life Fibers that were once humans. Enough to take down Nudist Beach. And once that is done, he'd find enough time to take down Earth one nation at a time.
At the very least they are working on something that can at least imitate a fracture of Shinra Seisei's, or even Shinra Koketsu's power. Ichiro gets a little glimpse on their work. It doesn't seem to be any ordinary clothing any longer, but something that could cover a small area - enough to put it into the sunken courtyard of the Academy. A round form that seems to inhabit millions of Life Fibers, pressed into each other, like a big, red plate. It does not seem threatening, but looks can be an illusion. The Couturiers keep distance to their master. His presence alone is threatening enough. The blood on his empty eye socket is dried out. He eventually leaves the halls to inspect the Academy's defense.
...
At the port of Tokyo, Nudist Beach has fortified it's position with everything they could. The amount of survivors is relatively low though - a few hundreds, by far not enough to challenge the Life Fibers in Honnouji. Even if the numbers would be big enough, the group lacks equipment. Most of the units can only fight in melee combat, and for that, they would have to reach the Life Fibers first, and preferably as fast as they could.
Mikisugi, Tsumugu and Takarada organize their units in the meantime and ordered them to scavenge for resources and anything that could be useful. Be it food to keep the soldiers awake and with energy, little moral boosts like board games or, and of course weapons of all kind, and vehicles. Helicopters, boats, weapons for longer ranges such as tanks, or materials to repair DTRs. Everything can be used.
Takarada is counting money on a desk he and his men found somewhere in the buildings. Around him, a group of guard protect him.
"20000. 30000. 40000. 50000." he counts and puts the money away.
"20000. 30000. 40000. 50000." he continues. There is a ton of money next to him.
"Hah! I don't even have that much cash left! Hey, Mikisugi!" Takarada calls his ally who's still a little damaged by the wounds.
"You know Tokyo, don't you? Can I pay people here to do the most homicidal nonsense one can think of?!"
"Tokyo is entirely different than Ôsaka, Kaneo. People here might be rough but only very few are impressed by money. Still, they know Nudist Beach, and when it calls for help, they will support us as good as they can... although I believe after all this destruction, there isn't much left to help us." he sighs.
A car drives into the camp - Nudist Beach units that have found supplies.
"Boss, we can barely find anything salvagable in the city." one of them says to Mikisugi.
"As I said..." Mikisugi continues and sits down. Tsumugu sits at the quay wall and smokes a cigarette. He approaches him. The man with the iroquese cut watches Honnouji Academy.
"Tsumugu?"
"... hrmpf."
"Talk to me. Ever since that number in the city, you stopped talking."
"..."
Tsumugu sighs and throws the cigarette away. He seems to be at a loss of words.
"Tsumugu?"
"Let's just get this shit over with once and for all." he mentions calm and yet frustrated, somewhat defeated. More cars appear, and a helicopter starts. Outside of Tokyo, Maiko Ogure and her crew, the Mankanshokus, continue with their suppressing fire on Honnouji. Mikisugi looks to them.
"We may wanna get them to us. Their tank might be useful." Mikisugi considers. Takarada runs to Mikisugi.
"Hey!"
"Hm?"
"Radio for ya! It's Matoi."
"Matoi? Oh good... good, she's alive." he says relieved and grabs the radio, then speaks into it.
"Ryuko? Is everything alright? Are you guys well?"
"Mikisugi?" she asks.
"Yeah, it's me."
"We're coming. Satsuki too, but with a different group. Don't attack them." she says calm.
"Why would we attack Satsuki?" he asks.
"Look to the main street." she continues. Mikisugi looks perplexed towards the exit and notices the car on which Ryuko stands on at the moment. Far, far behind the car in the city, Mikisugi can see the Life Fiber horde controlled by Satsuki, who's standing on the Tower Fiber.
Seeing this sight, Mikisugi drops the radio as he is paralyzed for a brief moment. Slowly but steady, more of the units notice the approaching Life Fiber forces, that in truth however are allied, or at least not hostile. Some of the men and women aim their weapons at the monsters, no one dares to actually open fire though, especially when they notice Satsuki.
It still makes it hard for them to trust the Life Fibers, after all, they caused all this trouble in the first place. And yet, these monsters try their best to be more than that, to be more than just the parasites everyone thinks they are. Mikisugi at the very least has, with Satsuki being guarded by the Life Fibers, a reason to not open fire immediately, and this might help coming to a conclusion between humans and Life Fibers.
Everyone knows they need help - even if it's the Life Fibers. And only Life Fibers can reliably defeat Life Fibers. Is there a choice? Probably not. All Mikisugi does at the moment is considering his options, and his experience with Life Fibers. He isn't a heartless man. He could have incapacitated Nui back when Ryuko was close to death, but he did not pull the trigger. He saw something good in her - nothing much, and possibly something only very, very few people could experience, but he saw it in her. He saw that beyond all the threads and all the madness is still something that wants to be loved and wants to love - maybe there is something similar in those wandering beings too.
After a few minutes, the Elite Four, Iori, Ryuko and Nui arrive at the camp. The Life Fibers are still minutes away. Iori and Houka quickly open the backdoor, while Gamagoori brings Nui to the improsived hospital the organisation prepared in the short time they had inside a warehouse. Ryuko looks back to her little sister with a worried and sad face, hoping she'll be alright. She hears Mikisugi sighing as he comes closer to her, noticing the covered corpse in the car too.
"You seem to be alright?" Mikisugi asks. Ryuko can't really nod on that question.
"Honestly... no. I don't think any of us is alright." she answers and shows the scissor blades as she extends them. Senketsu seems down.
The scissor blades have taken damage, visible on the rifts on them. Due to the immensily high power Ryuko had to bring up to even scratch the Layer, it looks like the scissor blades were brought beyond their limits. It's a wonder that they were able to destroy the Life Fiber monument in the first place. But now, as all things go to an end, the Life Fibers inside are slowly seeing their end too. Without the Layer of the Entity, even them seem to lose power. It's just a matter of time until they dissolve. And once that happens, there is probably nothing that could threaten the Director, and he will not agree to peaceful methods. Not after everything that happened.
"Dads... scissor blades, they..."
"... and who's the dead one there?" he asks. Ryuko doesn't answer. Instead, she just shakes her head. When Mikisugi pulls up the cover, he finds Ragyo's corpse, and her, now quiet and calm but somehow sad face.
He gasps on that sight.
"Kiryuin?" he mentions quiet to himself as he sees the dead mother. He turns around.
"Is that...?"
"Mhm. She was the High Entity. Fooled all of us with her death. The Ragyo we knew wasn't the actual one, it was but a copy. She used this Life Fiber Sickness as Plan B. And this weirdo Ichiro must be an imitation of Nui the Life Fibers have produced just to have someone who can get their dirty work done. And then it wasn't even her actual mother. Ragyo only said that to make Nui think she'd belong to her one way or another.
Nui eventually shot her. That makes Satsuki the new High Entity. And what Satsuki orders will be done by the Life Fibers, no matter what."
"So they are not... hostile?"
"No. One of them is their leader. Maybe you wanna speak with him. He can speak our language. You'll notice very fast who it is, can't miss him." Ryuko mentions.
"And what will you do?"
"... I have to sit down for a moment." she mumbles quiet and walks away.
A few more minutes pass with preparations for an attack. In that time, scouts observe the Academy that lightens up in various intervals. Maiko's tank seems to run out of ammo. She's watching the situation with binoculars. Each hit destroys some of the Academy's walls, allowing entrances for the battle once the siege starts.
"Uhm... we're low on ammo!" Mataro yells to Maiko.
"How much rounds do we have left?"
"Maybe seven or eight?!"
"Grrr, great! Suppose we gotta choose carefully who we want to shoot next." the crazy mechanic says. In the distance, she can see Nudist Beach DTRs approaching them.
"Oh fun! Those nudists clowns are coming!" Maiko grins. A few soldiers of Nudist Beach arrive at the position shortly. With her binoculars, she takes a look at the camp, where she can see Mikisugi walk around, as he orders units to prepare themselves. When she notices Ryuko, she lets the binoculars fall.
"OH MY! RYUKO IS OVER THERE!"
"Ryuko is there!?"
"Cease fire! We have to visit the port!" Maiko yells into the tank. Said tank starts turning as fast as it can and cruises down to the city, with Maiko watching the units that remind of ants. It might take about 15 minutes until they arrive.
...
Mikisugi and a group of men arrive at the main street where they await Satsuki's return with the Life Fiber army that escorts her.
"Boss, uhm... what are we going to do?" one of the soldiers ask.
"... not sure."
"We don't have many people left, and they are all demoralized."
"I know."
"Should we even negotiate at all? I mean yeah, this Kiryuin girl is with them, but you know, isn't it a little... dangerous?"
Mikisugi closes his eyes for a moment. He can feel the steps of the Tower Fiber in the ground. Moments later, when he looks up, he can see Satsuki looking down on him and the others, and next to her is a being that seems to be hovering to the ground - this is Hinata. As he gently lands on the ground, a few humanoid Life Fibers and him approach Mikisugi. Dead Life Fiber cells fly around them slowly. Soon, the entire street is filled with Nudist Beach units on the left side, and Life Fibers on the right side, of which Nudist Beach is the more careful one, keeping their weapons ready.
Both parties watch each other carefully. The tension is dense when Hinata and Mikisugi both approach each other carefully. Life Fibers dissolve very slowly on the Life Fiber lord, showing that his end is coming soon too. His humanoid Life Fibers that follow him watch Mikisugi's men and women carefully. Some of them hiss quietly in the background.
"... Aikuro... Mikisugi..." Hinata greets interested. Mikisugi musters Hinata - his pale skin that was devoured by Life Fibers points out that he himself was just another victim of the corruption spread by the parasites. There is barely any blood left in him. Maybe, if Ragyo's life would have not ended so soon, she may have become like this too. It might be that Hinata's personality has been influenced by Soichiro's, but he must have existed for far, far longer than one might believe. Centuries possibly. The human leader doesn't know how to react to the speaking Life Fiber.
"I do know your name for many years... we know you for a long time... like Dr. Matoi..." Hinata continues as he observes Mikisugi. Out of Hinata's eyes, dark blood flows out, very slowly, and only drop by drop, one or two each three minutes.
"... all your memories are hidden from us... but one..."
Mikisugi stays calm, while the Life Fibers sing a quiet chorus.
"You... are plagued by us... as everyone is plagued by us... and... we took you someone that was... important to you."
"Kinue." Mikisugi answers cold.
"Mm..."
Hinata and Mikisugi look at each other. When Hinata takes a few steps forward, the Nudist Beach units aim their guns and melee weapons at him.
"Blood is what keeps us alive... and evolution is what makes us stronger..."
"..."
"... and yet, all we can do now is to... ask for forgiveness... and for a way to find absolution in this darkest of nights..." Hinata continues. Sounds can be heard from Honnouji, if only quiet, but they deliver shivers among the humans. The Elite Four are watching from the camp.
The man is struggling. His body stance, his unsure face expression, his somewhat defeated appearance, and the heavy, slow breathing...
"We cannot undo what we did. All... we can do now is... hinder the one who is no longer one of us... that is all we can offer now. Our end... will arrive soon... as you can see." Hinata continues. Mikisugi looks at the Life Fibers.
Some of them dissolve slowly - still alive, but watching their own, slow death, that may not be painful, but hard to watch nonetheless. Those are the last ones with actual consciousness. He continues to listen.
"After all... we did, we could not... devour you... and now we are the ones that will be devoured."
"..."
"... all we can do now... is offer our bodies... in exchange for absolution."
"..."
"... we are already dead." Hinata ends melancholic. The Life Fibers all know their end is coming. Mikisugi watches the beings in the background. They all are afraid, even though you can't really see it. Their melodies are clear - melancholic, lonely, but accepting.
Mikisugi watches how in the background, a humanoid Life Fiber dissolves away. He sighs.
"... I..." he mumbles.
"If... it is your wish that we should leave you be... we will understand."
"... wait."
Hinata looks up to Mikisugi.
"I've seen what you are capable of. We all did. We all saw what kind of monsters you are... and if this Layer would still exist, you wouldn't stand here... you would maybe look down to us, fight us, devour us, as if we are food.
I can count on two hands the amount of people who would voluntarily work with you. Hell, even less. All this destruction you caused and the fear you brought upon these good people... you inflicted a wound on us that will never truly heal, even with a cure for the Life Fiber Sickness, and even with you all, ready to fight with us.
But I see your point.
You all will die soon, and you don't want to die as monsters, not in those last hours, isn't it so?" he asks. None of them answers. Silent agreement.
"Well... I remember Senketsu years ago. Life Fibers and humans can live together. Maybe they can. Maybe they can't. I've seen a lot of those that are like you.
It's against the principle of Nudism to agree on working with clothes. And yet we rely on it in all forms of materials - young Ryuko and Nui, who are hybrids, and Senketsu... and the Goku-Uniforms we had... I suppose this shows that we... we can come along, somehow.
We could possibly all die this night.
I'd rather die knowing that I was wrong about Life Fibers - that they aren't all just parasites. Nothing can change what you did in the past. But that doesn't mean the future needs to be what the past is.
Okay.
I want these Life Fibers equipped with our gear - those may deserve redemption." Mikisugi orders his men. There is a slight tone of relief in his voice audible. Hinata's words sound honest, and when Mikisugi looks at all these desperate souls behind Hinata, he cannot help but think that there is something good in them left. Only very few are willing to actually help the Life Fibers prepare themselves for combat though. The moral is low, no one wants to really fight with them. And still, everyone knows that without the Life Fibers, there wouldn't be a chance of victory in the first place.
A group of Life Fibers carefully visits the camp. The big colossus follows them, yet he is very careful about not touching anything to not break Nudist Beachs equipment. The Tower Fiber stays outside, but watches down to the humans that take a closer look at him. It drops Satsuki to the ground carefully again.
Soon enough, Maiko's tank arrives at the camp as well. Maiko and the Mankanshoku family feels challenged, too much for them in the current situation, since all of a sudden, Life Fibers walk around here.
Ryuko's old friend continues to search for her, but can't find it between all the people and Life Fibers that get ready for the upcoming fight. Everyone is busy and stressed, and that makes Mako feel uncomfortable. Weapons, soldiers, then there is the bad smell in the air due to the destruction and death that was caused by the Entity in Tokyo... Mako isn't made for this, even if she has a high synchronicity with Life Fibers.
"Senketsu?" Ryuko asks her friend as she watches the Academy alone on the stairs outside of a warehouse.
"Yes?"
"Do you think... you might die too? I mean... the other Life Fibers will. Even the scissor blades won't take it much longer."
"I'm not sure. However, Ryuko, I'm not trying to waste the time we have with those thoughts. I never did, and it's not good to do so."
"I just don't want you to die like last time."
"I understand. I won't. Not this time. And if I do, then call me a liar, but I did my best."
"That's not funny."
"Sorry. I think we shouldn't try to bring up these memories of the past again, Ryuko. That's all I'm trying to say. You and I cannot forget what happened, but we don't need to bring it up the entire time, now do we?"
"I... guess so."
"Try to think of what will happen if we eventually win."
"I'll try. I'm sick of these battles. What kind of life is that anyway? Half my life consists of fighting, from normal school bullies to people in living clothes and actual aliens."
"A turbulent one. And even if it is challenging and painful at times, even depressing, you're glad to live it anyway, because only through that life you found your family, didn't you? At least that's what I think."
Ryuko thinks. After a short moment, she smiles briefly and nods.
"Yeah. That's true. Life can't always be good. But you live for the good stuff."
"Indeed."
They can hear steps.
"Ryuko?" she can hear Mako. Ryuko gasps hearing Mako's voice and turns around - she stands there with a slight smile.
"Mako..."
"Ryuko." Mako smiles and hugs Ryuko slighty, then looks up to her.
"What are you doing here?"
"Long story. Maiko brought her tank here and wanted to participate!"
"B-but you shouldn't be here, you don't even have any gear to protect your..."
"Pfft, what happened at Honnouji is something friends need to handle together, and we are friends, aren't we? Same class, same foes, but now we have a few new friends, like all these scary Life Fibers with their empty eyes... come to think of it, that really is scary, I said that as a joke but... wowie. Anyway! It's nice to do something together as friends again, isn't it? Even if it's risky and dangerous and we might die, but at least we die together!" Mako chuckles to cheer up Ryuko, who does leave a little smile once more. Her little friend notices Ryuko's wounds due to the battle with Ragyo though.
"But what happened to you?"
"I'll survive, don't worry. Mom just... kinda... she..."
"You mean... R-Ragyo?"
"Yeah, she was still alive. Kinda. I can't quite understand how, even though she explained it... everything's f'd up."
"And the others? What's with your sisters?"
"Satsuki's got hurt too, but Nui... is destroyed. Just found out the truth about everything. Now she's getting treated by the medics, she won't die but she won't be the same after this, I know this. I wouldn't be either..."
"... I'm so sorry."
"Do me a favour, Mako, please." Ryuko asks. Mako listens up.
"Satsuki and me, we... we gotta go very soon. Can you please take a look at my little sister? Just stay there for her. I know she's an asshole and not exactly sympathic. I can't stay with her so I need someone who can. Can you do that for me?"
"Ryuko, I know she is not nice, she tried to kill me, remember? But she did not manage to and instead, she tried to protect me! Sure, she is scary but so are all the Nudist Beach soldiers with their weapons, and this Tsumugu guy too! And besides, everyone needs friends, so of course I will be there for her as a friend!"
"Thanks, Mako. I promise you when this is all over, we'll be able to spend time together again. Just do me this one favour."
Mako nods smiling.
"I'll watch over her. She did the same for me too, after all." Mako promises. Ryuko nods relieved.
"... good."
...
Iori, Houka, a few medics and even a Life Fiber Being - a humanoid - treat Nui. In the background, additional wounded people receive treatment. Houka observes her vital values while the medics put bandages on her, remove splinters or other external objects, and the Life Fiber Being hums a calming melody into her ear. Wounds are everywhere. Wounds inflicted by her adoptive mother and by the fall out of the Layer. Nui can only speak slowly and with pain.
When Satsuki looks around in the camp, all she can see is demoralized men and women. And the interior of the warehouse that is a hospital now feels the same. When she sees the little sister she treated badly all the time, Satsuki cannot help but feel pity, and guilty. Lights aim onto Nui's body - the Life Fibers inside it are all transformed into a matter reminiscent of flesh, but not quite human, although it works the same.
The big sister walks next to Nui's head. She knows exactly Nui will not get away without mental damages. All she can do right now is cheer her up. Satsuki carefully touches her cheek and pats the soft hair.
"S...atsuki..." she mumbles afraid.
"Yes, Nui?" she asks and kneels down to her so that Nui can move her head to Satsuki's, now at the same height.
"... where's... Se...nketsu... and... Ry-uko..."
"Outside. Ryuko and me need to go soon. Mako and Iori will stay with you here. She just told me. You won't be alone."
"...I... ori?"
He clears his throat.
"Well... we share the same profession... and I'm not a fighter." he mentions in the background.
"... I... need to... see... Hi... na..."
"Why's that?"
"S-ur...prise."
"I'll let him know. But for the moment, don't think of us, just think of yourself. You've always been good at that, weren't you? Do that for me."
"... but... Ry...uko... and you, I... need to protect..."
"You can't protect us with those wounds, little sister. But I promise you, both Ryuko and me will come back alive. Promise me that when we come back, we don't have to dig a grave for you. That would make me angry. You wouldn't want to make me angry, right?" she asks carefully.
"... no..."
Satsuki smiles.
"You're strong. Stronger than me and Ryuko. I can see that. All..." she breathes in.
"... all I can be is sorry now." she continues as she breathes out.
"I... really... lo...ve... you."
"I love you too." she answers caring and sighs as she looks at the exit. When she walks to the entrance to leave the building, she looks back to Nui who's looking at her. Satsuki nods, and so tries Nui. With a slight smile, she leaves the building. Nui takes a deep breath and looks up again.
She's tearing up here and there, every once in a while, while the medics are trying to help her survive. The stitches, the needles that go into her - they used to be irrelevant to her. Threads that keep her together. With a little bit of will, she could have just regenerated all of her wounds. Nothing mattered, death was not knocking on the door as long as the opponent was not armed with material that could cut the Life Fibers she consisted of.
Knowing she is nothing special anymore, nothing "superior", nothing out of the ordinary but a simple human now plays with her mind. But it is what she wanted.
When the medics are done treating Nui's wounds all over her body, they move on to the next heavily wounded soldier. While Houka moves on, Iori stays with Nui, as well as the Life Fiber Being that continues humming gently.
A few minutes later, Hinata enters the room and looks around the soldiers. His apathic appearing face expression hides a slight sympathy for the wounded ones, even if they are humans. However, after a few moments, he visits Nui.
"You... were searching for me?" he asks. Nui moves her hand carefully to make him come closer, close enough so that she can whisper something into his ear like organ that is a hole in his already strange looking head.
When she is done, Hinata looks down to Nui and nods, as if he would agree to something. He seems to materialize Life Fibers out of his body and robe, in several colors, similar to those Nui used to create her clones many years ago.
Hinata looks down. He's melancholic, bothered by his knowledge, bothered that his end will come soon. Nui breathes in and out heavily and puts the Life Fibers onto her chest to rest, and collect some blood. Iori seems worried for a moment, and when Hinata leaves, he speaks to Nui.
"What was that about?" he asks curious and removes his mask.
"... you'd... help... me if I... would... ask... r-right?"
"Of course. Friends do that, don't they?" he asks.
"... friends... mhm..."
"What would you need my help for?"
"... you're... almost... as good as of... a tailor... like me... still... I'm better, but... y'know... could need you for... what I had in... mind."
"As long as it doesn't involve killing people."
"... the opposite... this time."
"Alright." he answers and sits down. He seems a little exhausted by all the chaos around him. Nui moves a little bit to him and almost gets to lean her head next to his arm.
He starts blushing red slightly.
...
More time passes in the middle of the night. The Nudist Beach units have prepared themselves as good as they could for the fight, and boats have been readied, if not many. It's likely that they will be crowded. The Life Fibers can help carrying additional soldiers, but who would voluntarily take their help? Despite the Life Fibers attempts to appear not hostile, the soldiers can't fully trust them, but can they be blamed? There is a childish curiosity coming from the conscient parasites - that is proven when they watch a soldier clean his weapon for example. The large colossus and the Tower Fiber stand near the hospital - those two are the ones Nui asked to leave back in the Layer an hour or two ago.
Slowly but steady, more and more soldiers get into the boats - the rest enters the remaining helicopters or other sorts of amphibic vehicles. Those who are wounded stay out of the battle or support with long range weapons. While the humanoid Life Fibers cannot carry humans with them, they can at least transform their bodies by making their Fibers thinner than usual - that way it's easier for them to swim in the water. The colossus and the Tower Fiber can do the same. Still, a few Nudist Beach soldiers climb on them, and when they do, they cannot help but feel a strange acceptance coming from these things. They seem to be glad about the humans that give them a chance.
Mikisugi and Ryuko mix under the folk - the atmosphere is tense. Attacking Honnouji is dangerous due to the lack of proper equipment. The human leader can try to keep control of his men and women, and Hinata hums a quiet and calm sounding melody for his Life Fibers, but the moral is bad and the tension between the parties challenging.
The more soldiers enter their boats, the harder it becomes to contain the moral on an acceptable level, and when the first soldiers start protesting, asking Mikisugi what the hell he was thinking when he seriously agreed to work with the Life Fibers, even if they had their good moments, everyone can hear a very noticable and well known click.
(AN: Y'all were waiting for this. You may wanna listen to Satsuki Kiryuin's theme from KLK on YouTube now.)
A heel click.
"SILENCE, EVERYONE!" Ira Gamagoori screams. Surprised, the soldiers, Ryuko and Mikisugi look to him, and then up to the Tower Fiber that is holding a little platform where Satsuki and her Elite Four look down.
"THE PRESIDENT OF REVOCS IS SPEAKING! YOUR RIGHT TO SPEAK IS REVOKED FOR THE TIME BEING!"
Ryuko smiles a bit when she notices the ice cold, piercing eyes of Satsuki who's genuinely angry about all the dissonance and conflicts among the units who, in their hatred for the Life Fibers, have forgotten that it's not them that are the evil ones right now, but the sick psychopath Director at Honnouji.
"All my eyes can see is the sight of weak cowards that are not ready to ally with those who try to redeem themselves - and you dare to speak badly of them on top of that?!" Satsuki yells angry. This lack of moral, this lack of resolve.
"Is this truly the organisation that wants to defend this world?! Who the hell do you think you are!?"
Everyone listens to Satsuki.
"You speak of enemies when they treat you when you are wounded, speak of monsters that want to devour us when instead, they openly apologize and admit to their failings, and speak of heartless creatures when they decide to help us save this world!
And now it's those who fought us, who saw us as food - it's those who are now on our side, who want to defend us, who want to make sure humanity's fate is a good one!
The enemy we have is a mighty one, he expects us and if we cannot defeat him here and today in Tokyo, just like back in Honnouji years ago, then this world will find an end, and it will be one most cruel - truly, all I see are sad, cowardish, crying children!
What gave Nudist Beach the strength it had years ago? Weapons? Armor? Rhetoric?
Ideals. Ideals gave Nudist Beach strength! The ideals to live free, free from all constraints - and if this organisation, after all it's victories, gives up on the world because the enemies it had try to find this freedom for themselves... then this world deserves to end!
But it will not!" she yells. Satsuki has a point.
"This world will not fall, this world still has a future and if this future is built on corpses, then I want to be one of them, if it means that the world can live on!"
We may be short on numbers and we may not be as strong as these monsters in the Academy, these abominations of this Doppelgänger, Director Harime, but if there is one thing that gives us the power we need, then it is truly our ideals that bond us into one unit, no matter what material we consist of, be it flesh or cloths!
For this one night, I expect loyality, and I expect all of you to forge a bond that is stronger and beyond any prejudice and experience we've made in the past - only that way we can form the future we want, and only this way we can see the rising sun, in our bodies, in our mind, and in our hearts, and not in the machines of this sick psychopath that looks down to all of us like vermin!
What organisation is it that I see here?"
"Nudist Beach!"
"Nudist Beach!"
"Nudist Beach!"
"Then get to work and show this maniac at Honnouji that he is dealing with the wrong humans AND Life Fibers!" Satsuki yells furious - motivated by these words, the soldiers begin their assault. The Tower Fiber helps Ryuko get up to her sister while the Elite Four spread out. Tsumugu and Mikisugi enter a boat as well.
The Tower Fiber puts Ryuko onto one of it's shoulders and does the same for Satsuki. She watches the colossus, a crab fiber and several other Life Fibers approaching the water, as well as the soldiers who start moving.
"Satsuki!"
"Ryuko."
"Like old times, huh?"
"I suppose I will never get rid of this behaviour."
"As long as it helps us stay alive."
"Yes. We'll bring this to an end."
"You ready for this, Senketsu?"
"Always."
Ryuko transforms with Senketsu. Satsuki looks at her spear. Junketsu is whispering quietly, but she cannot hear him well. It's his distorted, grotesk voice. Ryuko's scissor blades are heavily damaged, it might be enough for one or two more fights and enemies but without someone who knows who could repair these hardened Life Fibers, they will be destroyed.
The Tower Fiber slowly enters the water. Even though the water is deeper than his body's size, he can stay on the surface by doing slow arm movements. It makes it look like he's walking on the water. That way, Ryuko and Satsuki can stay on the shoulder while having a safe hold.
...
On top of the Academy, the Director looks down to the approaching units. Some of the Life Fibers on the top await their orders. A Couturier visits him.
"Director..." the Couturier says.
"They're coming... what should we do?" he asks curious. Ichiro sighs angry and walks to the end of the top where he can see the red plate that, as it's thrown into the courtyard of the Academy, grows in size, until it lights up. The Life Fibers on the walls watch the plate.
Ichiro rips open his arm - Life Fibers seek for a connection. In it, he tears apart a few strings that appear to be Entity Fibers, or something similar. Removing those strings, he drops them from the top and lets them fall into the plate.
The Fibers fuse with the plate. Ryuko and Satsuki see a large, red light appearing in the distance inside the sunken courtyard, and suddenly, a large, red beam like object that pierces the sky, painting it red, with Life Fibers falling from it, appears.
And lastly, a hellish, tormented scream can be heard, screams that remind of the ones of the humans that have been processed into Life Fibers, all in an effort to terrorize the incoming Nudist Beach units. The walls that are corrupted with Life Fibers start to gain consciousness, and strange objects in various forms leave them.
Whatever the Director did, he must have used the Life Fibers inside the courtyard to finally activate the defenses of the Academy, and this explains why he infested it in the first place - so that, in case everything goes wrong, he has a plan B ready. The beam's scream disappears, yet an uncalm melody leaves it. This might not be Shinra Seisei, but if the beam displays such an incredible power that it causes the ocean to shudder and the Life Fibers to gain consciousness, then the Director must have worked on a weapon that needs to be stopped as soon as possible.
"What is going on over there?" Senketsu is asking.
In front of Ryuko, Life Fibers fall from the sky, likes mortars. The beam projects lightnings that hits the surrounding Life Fibers under Ichiro's command - seemingly mutating and transforming them into all sorts of things, and even walls that hinder the attackers from coming closer. Couturiers, former humans turned into Life Fibers, are now turned into all sorts of objects, even walls - the Director has no sense of empathy or moral. Incoming attacks cannot harm the walls made out of former humans. Ryuko and Satsuki saw something similar years ago against Ragyo already.
It appears that this beam is a source of Life Fibers, or worse, a source of developing Life Fibers into something more horrifying.
Maiko watches the attack at the port with Mako and the rest. Nui can barely stand.
"This... maniac..." she mumbles.
"What did he do?" Iori asks.
"I think he... gave up the... E-Entity Fibers... inside him... just to make... another weapon."
"What, a few little Life Fibers can make an entire beam that spits out more evil Life Fibers!?" Maiko asks.
"Can we destroy that beam somehow? Or help them?" Iori continues. Maiko bites her teeth together an rubs her hands.
"... this tank still has some ammo left, I wonder how well a tank can do against that thing!" she laughs.
...
It's like the Director is starting to lose his mind, at least that's what Senketsu's thinking. He doesn't know it, but it definitely cannot be planned that Ichiro tries to bring a more powerful version of Shinra Koketsu onto this world just to, in the end, not do it and instead create a different weapon that may not be as powerful as such but enough to leave it's mark on the world if it's not stopped - and the worst thing in all of this is that this weapon is made out of former humans, processed into monsters, and thrown away like trash. The insane psychopath tries everything to take down Nudist Beach.
The longer the beam stays active, the more walls and grounds on the Academy are infested with hardened Life Fibers that can barely be pierced, if at all. Under water, Life Fibers leave the Academy to attack the boats.
The first boats arrive at the ruins, but on the walls, Couturiers are deformed by the beam that hits them with lightnings. Various limbs grow on them, such as a third arm on their torso that is already destroyed and full of holes. Shots are fired, and the few DTR's left by Nudist Beach attack the Life Fibers from the distance while the allied Life Fibers transform their bodies to protect the humans.
The humans that do arrive at the ruins look for cover, and if none is to be found, the allied Life Fibers act as such, after all, they can take the damage easily. Wounded humans are treated - their blood in exchange for regenerating skin and healing organs as good as possible, should they be harmed. And they heal faster than any medic in Nudist Beach.
The Tower Fiber is being attacked by the Life Fibers in the sky, and he decides to let Ryuko and Satsuki fall into his sharp hand, then closing it carefully so that they won't be harmed by the incoming attacks.
Mikisugi and Tsumugu reach the fortress via their own boat and soldiers, and when the gates open, they move to a destroyed wall and observe the situation.
The sunken courtyard is filled with swimming Life Fibers, the water around the beam seems to heat up. On the walls, they can see hostile Couturiers and other abominations caused by the Director's beam. He doesn't care for his underlings, all he wants is to win. Without proper artillery, Nudist Beach cannot damage the beam, they would need large calibre weapons, and the DTR's can deal only minor damage.
The density of the beam seems to be thick, the Life Fibers must have cut themselves into hardened Fibers.
"We gotta find a way to get this beam down and take over the ruins!" Mikisugi orders his men. Tsumugu orders his own group of men to find cover. The Life Fibers on Ichiro's side use this need for cover - since the covers and walls are infested for the most part, they are not entirely safe, and soon, the Nudist Beach units realize that they are being attacked by the walls itself. Only the DTR's are fully protected by the monsters. When the units realize that, they slowly go back to their boats, which are also death traps, due to the Life Fibers underwater that try to destroy them.
Nonon, who's further away and on a boat, tries to play music with her Life Fiber cohort, but the hostile aliens that attack from the sky make this attempt extremely difficult. Gamagoori and Sanageyama are able to break through the defense on at least one part of the walls. Water slams against them. The Tower Fiber on which Ryuko and Satsuki stand on is focused and takes damage by the beam itself as it starts attacking it. One of it's lightning like attacks hit the hand Ryuko and Satsuki stand on. The hit severs the hand from the arm and lets it fly through the air, with both sisters struggling to find a safe hold as they are launched into the Academy's courtyard.
As they finally fall into the water, Ryuko and Satsuki quickly escape the destroyed hand and swim onto one of the broken concrete platforms in the water. They try to take a look at the situation, but it's difficult in this chaos. The weather conditions are bad and since the water is uncalm and wavy, it's hard for them to maneuver inside the courtyard that is already filled with monsters that watch them, and somehow try to reach them.
When Ryuko and Satsuki arrive on one of the walls that lead into a breach directly leading into the academy, they are attacked by hostile, deformed Couturiers. It seems like they lost control of their bodies due to the beam, and when they take too much damage, they seem to rage. Those wounded, deformed Couturiers start raging as they see their wounds inflicted by the scissor blades or Satsuki's, with Junketsu infused spear. The longer their rage goes on, the more the monsters dissolve - it's their own rage that kills them eventually. And when they do die, they die with an explosion that scatters Life Fibers all around them with high velocity. Considering that, it might be more dangerous killing them than leaving them alive.
Only carefully, Ryuko and Satsuki can combat their way through the walls. Life Fibers leave the Academy out of the various windows and breaches inside the wall. The damaged Tower Fiber and the allied Nudist Beach units, as well as the colossus and the other large Life Fiber units have a hard time getting a good position on the area.
The closer both sisters come to the actual Academy, the stronger the defensive measures become. At the entrances into the main building, Life Fibers have melted with the walls and created barries made out of very thin and fast moving threads that try to attack everyone who's coming too close to them. Those fast movements are strange and horrifying to look at due to the high speed - it's hard to process if one is not used to these movements. In his madness, Ichiro is working with terror just to get the humans to surrender.
When more units arrive on the ruins, all of a sudden, the walls break and a swarm of Life Fibers appears - conscient and fast, and they must have been hidden in the halls under the Academy too. Satsuki and Ryuko are being attacked by that swarm. Even though both of them can defend each other, the swarm is horrifying, fast, and if Satsuki isn't careful, she might be cut apart by it, hence why Ryuko acts more protective and defensive than usual.
"Satsuki, stay away from this thing!" Ryuko yells while Satsuki is busy fighting off a Couturier.
"We need to get into the building fast!" she answers as she eliminates the monster and turns to Ryuko. Arriving at the entrance, the swarm falls next to it and various screams can be heard, and a dark hiss leaving it. Ryuko and Satsuki, threatened by that, take a few steps back, but there is no time to develop a proper plan against this new monster, and all of a sudden, Ryuko is "grabbed" and devoured by the monster.
"Ryuko!" Satsuki yells. Life Fibers are torn away by the scissor blades, the Being screams and makes irrational moves, of which one hits Satsuki and slams her away several meters, wounding her slightly. When she looks up, she can see how the monster spits out Ryuko. It slams her away, but into the building. Ryuko rams the scissor blades into the wall - there is an entrance under her. She looks for Satsuki but cannot find her in the chaos, but there is no time to lose, and it makes Ryuko jump from the wall.
"Senketsu!" Ryuko calls her friend and shrinks the scissor blades. She cannot reach the entrance with her normal physical appearance, so instead, she and Senketsu liquify into Life Fiber matter. They deform themselves with it and reach the hole. This way, they are able to enter the Academy. When Satsuki stands up to grab her weapon, she can only see Ryuko disappearing in the Academy.
The beam on Satsuki's right is getting more and more instable and the abominations it creates more ugly and brutal, until the Couturiers that are deformed take forms that cannot be described any longer, as they are way too complex, too hard to process, and even Satsuki, who has a strong will and mind, has a hard time looking at them. They are far too alienating. And still, she needs to find a way through the walls and into the Academy on her own now to catch Ryuko who's likely on her way to combat the Director and end this madness.
Sure is only that there is no time to lose now.
AN: Hope you guys had fun with this part, soon, part 2 will be done. I got the chapter cover and all ready. ;)