Kill la Kill: Again
Chapter Six
An LED board sent cascading lights down into the center of the street as the green haired man walked toward the building. His shoulders were slumped forward slightly and he walked with purpose, one that quickly sent the people around him in a wide berth about him. His eyes were focused on the large building at the end of the street, with its massive board and streams of people waiting to be let in.
'You really got yourself a following, I'll give you that. Really sucks that the first time I see a concert of yours is to tell you something like this,' he sighed approaching with purpose. His duster jacket kicked some of the loose puddles about as he stepped catching droplets that rose with the board's brilliant lights. 'But that's life for you, ten years is a long time though. Let's hope you've still got it,' he shook his head and kept going.
"Three minutes to stage time, Twelfth Overture," a stage hand shouted into the dressing room, his earpiece rattling off with sounds from other production sounds. The thrumming of humanity outside of the doors and further into the arena beginning to resound down the halls.
A short pink haired woman walked about the room at the group of young women that were present within. "Miss Nonon, does this look right?" one of the young women asked trying to tie a pink bow in her black hair, the white stage outfit she wore swooshing all of the same.
The skull pin on the short woman's beret shifted as she looked up and she smiled. "It looks perfect, you're doing great, new girl," she smiled patting the girl on the hand before walking around to the front of her outfit.
"You hear that Shiranui, she called her new girl," one of the other girls in the room chuckled, tightening a bell in another's hair.
"Well, that is miss Nonon, we were all new girls at some point or another," the woman having said bow tied laughed, her blue eyes catching the mirror to watch their manager and producer walk by.
"Shinozaki, Shiranui, I expect the two of you to give it your all out there too. Just because you're the older members of the group doesn't mean you can slouch, you got that?" Jakuzure, commented hands on her hips as she caught her musician's glare.
"Yes," they both replied nodding their heads, a blush crossing both of their noses.
Then, a large security guard entered the room with a furrowed brow and arms folded across his chest. "Miss Jakuzure, there is someone outside demanding to see you. He doesn't seem like just a fan, what do you want me to do?" his eyes traced their way down to the small woman that stood before him.
"Just kick 'em out like everyone else. Fan or superfan, we don't just go and meet randos that comes to the backdoors of our arenas," she defiantly said, placing her hands on her hips. This response though just got the man even more flustered as he looked over at the members of Twelfth Overture, that were in the room with her.
"Miss Jakuzure, he doesn't look like a fan at all. I believe he maybe a gangster of some kind," the security guard tried to whisper, making sure to not meet eyes with the others people in the room. "He also called just called you Jakuzure, I believe he may want some sort of restitution. I do not know what you own him, but this is an affair I'd rather not be involved in."
The pink haired woman, slouched her shoulders giving a flustered, if not quizzical, look to the security guard. "Right, sure, you guys are hired to be our security but only for crazy fans not gangsters that have the wrong idea," her biting tongue escaped as she shook her head. Then, she straightened up and looked to the guard. "I'll go deal with this," she sighed before turning to the room.
"Shinozaki, Shiranui, make sure Ayama is ready for the stage. I'll be back hopefully by the end of the first song, you'll do great!" she shouted before turning to leave the room.
"Sakura, uh, that's new," Shinozaki, the one tying a bell in Shiranui's hair, commented with a gasp.
"Yeah, Rei, a mobster? What's that about, does Miss Nonon owe money?" Sakura, the one getting her hair tied, asked her bandmate, with a raised brow.
"I have no idea, Ayama do you?" Rei Shinozaki shouted startling their newest member.
"Wh-what? Me? Why would I?" she panicked dropping her brush to the ground in fright.
"Oh dear. Sorry, I know I'm new, but I really wanna-" she continued to panic leaning down to pick up the brush.
"It's okay," they both said letting out a sigh while sharing the same puzzled gaze.
Jakuzure walked along the narrow corridor with hands on her hips. Her petite frame dwarfed by the towering guard she was following. All the while her pink hair waved and bounced, the sound of her own footsteps ringing out in the silence. They were quickly approaching the door where the rhythmic beating of a drizzle against a sidewalk resounded in her keen ears.
'D sharp, interesting,' she hummed to herself while approaching the door. Her perfect pitch having never failed her before. 'I wonder what this is about though. If this is serious or not, sometimes I wish I was back in high school, wouldn't have to deal with this crap,' she shook her head pressing the exit bar, a few strands of her pink hair waving in front of her face.
What she saw as the door opened was a man that stood a head and a half taller than her with slicked back green hair that somehow still jutted out at the sides slightly. His right hand was raised over his gray eyes to examine the backside of the building revealing the detailed motifs of dragons and koi that were tattooed along his forearm. His black duster swept against the ground while the pommel of a sword stretched out from a scabbard that was concealed within. A smile formed over his face though as lightning-like his eyes trailed down.
"Yo, Jakuzure, told ya I'd make it to one of your concerts," he jeered with a grin on his face.
'Should be careful what you ask for, Nonon,' she frowned, eyes sinking slightly to look at him.
"Miss Jakuzure?" the guard looked to her and tensed, preparing to do something if she so commanded.
"Don't, this monkey'll beat you senseless," she spoke with venom, never moving her eyes.
"Really, first time you see me in almost ten years and you're still on that monkey stuff?" Uzu leaned forward and furrowed his brow.
She rolled her eyes." That's what you are, a hick from North Kanto," she leaned forward to meet his gaze.
"Good to see you again," they both said averting their eyes at the last second, the tension breaking between them.
Nonon, hiding the faintest of blushes, looked in the corner of her eyes at the man." What do you want anyway? Shouldn't you be running around with a group of delinquents?" she spat coldly, though jovially at the same time.
"I'd prefer to be, we have a business to keep, but this business is a bit more important," he sighed his own blush fading.
That made her eyes shake and she straightened." What do you mean?" she looked to the security guard, who seemed equally confused." Get lost will ya! This guy's not gonna do anything!"
"Right, sorry, miss Jakuzure!" the towering man quickly found his way back into the building.
"You still can flick some venom when you need to I see," Sanageyama smirked, hands now resting at his side.
"Well, what is it? What's the problem?" she looked to him sternly.
Uzu sighed and shook his head." Matoi's gone crazy. She attacked Gamagori sometime this afternoon, he sent a text to me to try and get around it."
"I get it, he didn't want to get Satsuki involved, she's probably a world away anyway," Jakuzure sighed shaking her head.
"He didn't say that but that's probably true. Satsuki shouldn't have to fight anymore either," Uzu spoke and nodded his head." I can't take her on alone, so I was wondering if you could help."
"Me help? Without a Goku Uniform against Matoi? Sure, why the hell not! Are you crazy? She's a monster like Ragyo!"
"I might be," the former Athletics Department chair replied. His hand grasping the hilt of his weapon tightly." But honestly, you're my best bet Nonon. Nudist Beach isn't around anymore and it isn't like they would be much help. Ragyo thrashed them, and Matoi may be stronger than her. I can give it a go on my own, looks to me like I'm the only one that can still hold my own."
"You have a death wish or something monkey?" she looked to him as he began to draw the blade from its hilt.
He shook his head and drew the sword, its green edge catching the rain and splitting the droplets as it was pulled from the sheath. The matte black finish showing it too was made of Life Fibers." Maybe I do. This is all of the Tailor's Daggers made into a single weapon. I asked Nudist Beach to make it before they disbanded. It's the only thing that can probably hurt a monster like Matoi."
"You're serious? You need to cut her Life Fibers in a scissoring motion, remember? She's immortal like Ragyo, you can't cut someone in two with a single sword!" Nonon replied stepping on her tippy toes and yelling at him.
"You'd have to be flat out stupid to fight her, even with a weapon like that-" a blur of motion swept through her field of view.
A splitting sound followed as her beret was thrown from her head and cleaved seemingly simultaneously from two directions. It fell in quarters to the ground a moment later, the blade becoming sheathed at his side.
"-one," she finished mouth agape.
"There's an old tale about a legendary duelist who could make two attacks in the same swing of his weapon. It's called the Ganryu Tsubame Gaeshi, it cuts in two directions almost simultaneously," Sanageyama pocketed his hands and sighed." It'll be a desperation move, but with my sight, I can probably find an opening to hit it on Matoi, if she really is a monster."
"That isn't going to work on someone like Matoi, you know the difference between people and Kamui. Uzu, listen to me, you're going to die," Jakuzure lowered her head and sighed, voice wobbling slightly.
"Is there any other option than to try if Matoi really went bonkers? Besides, she owes me a rematch, and what better way than this, with or without help it's going to be a struggle. If you don't want in, go back to your concert."
"What? I don't wanna-" she looked at him as his right hand pulled something from his pocket.
"It's fine. Here, I bought this from a vendor in front of the arena, it's a Twelfth Overture beret, I'm sure you have a dozen but," Sanageyama pulled a piece of cloth from his pocket and unfurled it to return it to her head." You gotta look good for you girls."
"Uzu, you're seriously going to do it?"
"Yeah, Nonon, no other option, right? If Gamagori's just being paranoid then this conversation isn't important, and if he's being serious, I'll put Matoi down if I have to. You don't have to come," the green haired man smiled turning on his heels.
"It's probably for the best you don't associate with me. Twelfth Overture's a pretty big deal for you, your most successful idol group deserves to have its maestro. And not my reputation," he began to walk away giving a salute, leaving Nonon in the rain.
"You stupid North Kanto monkey!" she shouted as he walked away.
He gave a chuckle before raising his hand in the air in a salute. "See you around snake! Tell your girls to break a leg!" he shouted back walking away as the rain increased.
Isshin Brand HQ (several hours later)...
"Lady Ryuko, there's a motorcycle approaching the building at rather high speed," Amu her assistant said tilting her head to the side trivially, while Ryuko sat winding a crimson thread around her finger.
Ryuko looked up, her blue eyes raising in surprise." Oh, approaching? That's odd, none of our employees drive motorcycles," she swiveled in her hair to look out the window. Surely enough along the front street leading to their gates a motorcycle was driving, its helmeted driver revving the engine in their approach, a black coat of some kind waving in the wind behind it.
"And they appear pretty angry too, how is the new security clothing coming along Amu?" Ryuko asked curiously, looking at the reflection of her bubbly-looking attendant.
"It isn't quite ready yet, Lady Ryuko. The measurements for the new security were worth a lot of material, it will be done by tonight though," she bowed her silver haired side ponytail waving as she did so. "I can expedite the process if you'd like?"
"No, no, whomever this is, it should not be too big a problem. Just carry on, and oversee the new material that we brought in," Ryuko smirked, her clothing, in its pale grey hue tightening against her as she stood up.
"Very well, what about this intruder then?" Amu questioned her boss, as the motorcycle jumped the guard fence and into the parking lot.
"I will deal with them accordingly.
"Outta the way!" the helmeted man shouted spinning the motorcycle onto the sidewalk, whipping it about to avoid pedestrians. Some of the workers looked in shock while others raised their fists and started to shout.
"I said outta the way!" the wheels smashed through the glass front of the building and the motorcycle careened over the tiled floor, several employees scattering to the wind as he kept going forward.
The motorcycle hammered through a door that lead to a stairway and began up the steps." To the top I go," he shouted riding along the interior steps with expertise while focusing on curvature of the staircase.
Ryuko's office...
'Crash!' glass shattered sending shards about the ornamented floor as the motorcycle spun out to a stop in the center of the room. Ryuko looking undaunted by the arrival while standing in front of her desk, arms crossed.
"Nice office, you got here Matoi, don't want to disrupt too much," the motorcycle rider said with swagger, his hands reaching for the helmet. His right wrist being revealed alongside the dragons and koi tattoo that rested there.
"And who are you exactly?" she asked, chuckling while keeping her composure." I could have you arrested for breaking and entering, and reckless endangerment."
"Reckless endangerment? That's pretty rich coming from you, reckless endangerment was your middle name," the man commented the visor keeping his gray eyes shaded." I just have a few questions to ask, and I'll be outta here."
"Ask away then," she gestured, eyes rolling at the inconvenience of it all.
He pulled the helmet free from his green hair, spikes of which falling to the side as he looked at her with renewed focus." I heard you started using Life Fibers in your clothing, that true?" Sanageyama asked, placing the helmet down while getting from atop his vehicle.
Ryuko paused for a moment taking a gulp and straightening." Wouldn't you like to know?" she frowned as Sanageyama approached.
He slumped his shoulders and raised his head." Alright, that's the answer I need. Guess I'm not going anywhere," he ran his right hand through his hair.
"What was that? You think you are goin' to stop me with bravado? I'm just moving humans on the path to evolution," Ryuko looked at him with a snort and a laugh.
"Sure, that's the crazy talk I'd expect for someone like you. Gamagori was on point then," his eyes looked to hers seriously.
"You really want to fight?" Ryuko asked, still laughing.
Sanageyama shook his head." I do, but this isn't about settling the score with you. But if you've gone all crazy about Life Fibers, this isn't going to be a fight, I'm going to kill you."
"I'll send a sentiments card to Satsuki."
"Oh, this I have to see," Ryuko laughed the cloth on her body unfurling in places." I could use you as a sword, but let's see if you survive first."
A villainous reproach. An apprehensive Jakuzure leads to Uzu Sanageyama facing off with Matoi alone. Are his skills going to prove enough for a victory, or is this going to be another crushing defeat? Can anyone stop Ryuko's descent into madness?
Stay safe, stay healthy, and be good people,
~Dan