"What the hell?" Ryūko asked herself as she lied in her bed, trying hard to stay awake and figure out why she seemed off.

But there were no traces of any evidence, she could've just been more tired than she realized. However she knew that wasn't it, when Ryūko's mind is set on something: she'll never rest until she does it. Yet here she is now, barely able to keep her eyes open in bed. But, perhaps that's evidence enough. Ryūko has every intention of finding out what happened to her back there, along with her fathers killer, however that will need to wait until morning.

Unbeknownst to Ryūko someone was watching her, awaiting with orders for when she fell asleep. Now that she's allowed herself to fall into a state of slumber: an unnamed maid quietly closes the door.

"She's asleep now, do what you must." the maid whispered as she opened the door for her accomplice.

Once the confederate stepped inside, the maid waited for the associate to complete their task so that she might close the door for the final time tonight.

Ryūko is encased in darkness, there's nothing to feel or see. All she can hear is an eerie distorted sounding static tone. It was the only thing there, this noise. This sound had no true source, no point of origin, but it did feel as if it had a presence. One that truly was malicious in nature, as well as hungry. And it only seemed to draw near with each passing moment. This caused Ryūko to grow increasingly worried, and her skin to feel warm, as it came closer. Without any warning, Ryūko's body felt as if it was pierced by several needles. She couldn't scream in pain, nor could she seem to move her body. The noise continued to grow stronger as well as louder, which let Ryūko know just how little the distance between her and whatever was. Next Ryūko felt her screaming body, especially her chest, become incredibly constricted. Ryūko could feel her heart beat skyrocketing, she began to wonder what would kill her first: the pain she was feeling, the lack of oxygen in her slowly being crushed lungs, her heart flatlining, or whatever's making that sound. Thankfully for Ryūko the answer was "none of the above" because she woke up in her bed, covered in a cold sweat. Ryūko gripped her chest, still feeling shaken up by that experience. Slowly Ryūko caught her breath and, after several minutes, felt her heartbeat return to a stable pace. Ryūko remained quiet, she wasn't sure about going back to sleep. But eventually her body decided for her, as she eventually dozed off again. This time thankfully she had no dreams, good or bad.

When Ryūko opened her eyes she was greeted by the light and warmth of the sun on her face, along with her mother standing along her bedside. As Ryūko made eye contact with Ragyō, her mother spoke.

"Good morning Ryūko, how are you feeling?" Ragyō asked in her usual eerie tone.

Ryūko didn't want to say anything, she's still felt... uneasy about last night. However Ryūko knew that if she wanted to have a better relationship than what she had with her dad, she'd probably have to tell Ragyō about her dream. Or nightmare.

"I'm fine mom..." Ryūko said, feeling a tad strange to have uttered that last word. It also showed in her false smile.

"Now Ryūko." Ragyō said as, much like last night, she placed her hand on Ryūko's cheek.

Unlike last night however Ryūko wasn't feeling the effects of the coagulant, causing Ryūko to wonder if she truly was simply nervous about meeting her for the first time. Even if she was still feeling an almost somber aura radiating from Ragyō.

"I know we haven't gotten to know each other yet, but I've been a mother before. And a mother can tell when there's something wrong with her daughter." Ragyō said in a tone that sounded like a mix of both sympathy and authority. Fitting since she was secretly trying to learn the results of the experiment she had done on Ryūko while she was asleep.

"You don't need to tell me, we did just meet last night, but just remember: I'll be here for you. Even if you don't think of me as your mother." Ragyō said as she began to walk away.

Ryūko now felt guilty, she knew she could at least try harder to talk to Ragyō. But living with her father, if you can call it that seeing as how she really did just live at boarding school, made Ryūko feel alienated. She wasn't sure how she should act, especially with this feeling Ragyō gave her. Ragyō made it to the door when Ryūko finally decided to act.

"Wait." Ryūko said to her mother.

Ryūko couldn't have seen it but Ragyō had a malevolent grin on her face. Thus far, she's been able to manipulate and anticipate Ryūko without her suspecting a thing.

Satsuki watched from the helicopter window as her kingdom, Honouji Academy soon came into sight. She sat quietly as her faithful butler, Soroi walked over to her with a pot of her favorite tea.

"Your' tea Lady Satsuki." Soroi said as he handed Satsuki a teacup.

"Thank you." Satsuki said before lifting her cup to her lips.

Soroi patiently waited, silent as usual, for Satsuki to feel more relaxed. Knowing that her mother wouldn't have had Satsuki come to her office without a reason. Having looked after her for so long, Soroi could tell when Satsuki was dealing with some inner turmoil. Even if her body gave off a more at ease impression, but he'd never be so rude as to demand she tell him anything that she doesn't want to. It's because Satsuki knew this that she trusted Soroi enough to tell him whatever piece of information would satisfy his curiosity, much like she's about to do now.

"My baby sister's alive. And she already has her." Satsuki said after taking another sip of her tea.

Hearing this surprised Soroi. So much so that his face nearly changed to a different expression. But even if his face didn't show it, this worried Soroi even more. One of the reasons Satsuki was plotting to kill her mother, Ragyō, was to avenge both her deceased father and her baby sister. But now that she's suddenly just reappeared, this could complicate things for Satsuki. Soroi knows that Satsuki would want to do everything in her power to protect her little sister. But what if her sister sides with Ragyō and the Life Fibers, would she be willing to fight... or even kill her? Because he's looked after her for so many years and watched her grow, Soroi already knew that these questions had to have crossed Satsuki's mind the moment she learned that her sister was indeed alive -as well as within her mother's possession.

"Aside from the Raid Trip being delayed, everything will proceed as planned." Satsuki told Soroi, already knowing precisely what he's pondering.

After Satsuki finished speaking, both she and Soroi heard the whirling of the propeller begin to die off. Letting them both know that they've truly arrived at Honouji Academy. Upon the door sliding open, Satsuki was greeted by her elite four as she stepped out of her helicopter.

"Welcome back, Lady Satsuki." The Elite Four said together with their heads bowed. The Elite Four consisted of Satsuki's most trusted followers: Ira Gamagōri -the chair of the Disciplinary Committee, Uzu Sanageyama -the chair of the Athletics Committee, Nonon Jakuzure -the chair of the Non-Athletics committee, and Hōka Inumuta -the chair of the Information and Strategy Committee. Each member of the Elite Four wore their 3-Star Goku uniforms, as they are meant to at all times during any/all school related affairs.

"Inumuta gather as much information from this as you can and report your findings to me." Satsuki said as she handed the glasses bearing member a plastic coated ellipse.

With other important matters to attend to, Satsuki and three of her Elite Four walked towards their base of operations.

"Right away m'lady." Inumuta said, disk in hand, as he slowly began to become a speck in the distance.

"I see. It's no wonder you were shaking when I walked in." Ragyō said, pretending to understand Ryūko.

"I don't know what it was, but it felt real bad and it felt real." Ryūko confined to her mother.

Ryūko became quiet for a moment, she was remembering the pain she felt: like a thousand needles poking into her at once. The more she thought of the pain, the worse she felt. She immediately regretted telling Ragyō about her dream. If she hadn't said anything she could've just brushed it off and forgotten about it. But now she was forcing herself to remember. Ryūko wished that there was something, anything, that could get her out of this conversation.

"Do you want me to check your body for any cuts?" Ragyō, actually showing some interest, asked.

Ryūko now felt unbearably uncomfortable and needed to get out.

"N-no. Really I'm fine." Ryūko nervously, as well as awkwardly, said as she scoot further back in her bed.

"Well I'm happy to hear that, I took the day off so I could spend it with you." Ragyō said with the same smirk Ryūko saw her with last night.

Hearing that, those words, made Ryūko feel... good. Her father never had time for her and sent her off to several boarding schools that were just cesspools of anger and misery for her. But Ragyō... her mother, and one who's leading an entire conglomerate, literally dropped everything so she could spend the day with her. Her mothers words made Ryūko feel happy and excited, but they also made her feel depressed and frustrated.

'Why did you take me away from her?' Ryūko mentally asked herself, feeling her anger and sorrow slowly start to cloud her mind.

'Where were you when I was alone?' Ryūko thought to herself, feeling pressure starting to build behind her eyes.

Ragyō watched, or rather analyzed, the way Ryūko was behaving. Unlike when she raised Satsuki and Nui to serve the Life Fibers, Ragyō had over a decade of living amongst the pigs in human clothing to undo before she could truly begin to mold Ryūko into a proper Kiryūin. And at the rate that her plan was progressing she'd only have a few years at best to do it. However Ragyō knew that she could 'fix' Ryūko in less than six months without resorting to using her mind stitching.

'Although a little mind stitching would fix her in an instant.' Ragyō thought to herself.

But Ragyō would rather have Ryūko able to think and act on her own, like Nui, instead of her having to constantly issue commands to Ryūko. None of this worried Ragyō however, nothing ever did, she knew she could 'free' Ryūko from these human weaknesses. Such as these feelings her daughter was displaying before her now. She knew that she could also had Satsuki and Nui to help her with Ryūko's reprogramming. But before she could remove these pathetic feelings, she first needed to figure out what methods she will need to use on Ryūko.

"Why don't you get dressed, then we can get started." Ragyō said after brushing Ryūko's bangs away from her eyes.

Once again Ragyō's touch was devoid of warmth. But this time it didn't feel petrifying like last night, or the same as when she woke up. It didn't matter however because it was enough for Ryūko to realize that some tears had escaped from her eyes. Ryūko never wanted anyone to see her cry, but for once she thought it was alright for her to. Maybe she actually cares about her, maybe not. What mattered to Ryūko right now was that she felt like Ragyō wouldn't mind if she cried for at least this one time.

"Alright mom." Ryūko said, smiling as she regained control of her tear ducts. She had no trouble calling her that this time.

'Hopefully this won't be too easy.' Ragyō thought to herself as she began to walk towards Ryūko's door. Once she closed the door, Ragyō was greeted by a blonde girl mostly wearing pink.

"So can I meet her now Lady Ragyō?" the blonde asked in a perky voice.

"You sure seemed to have taken an interest in her, haven't you dear Nui." Ragyō asked as she pet the grand couturier.

"How can I not after seeing her naked?!" Nui eagerly exclaimed, having to cover her mouth to avoid being heard by Ryūko.

"Her body looked and felt amazing. It even put Satsuki's to shame." Nui, with stars in her eyes, whispered as she clasped her hands together.

Ragyō now understood Nui's predicament, but she knew it was for the best that she refrain from Ryūko... for now.

"I'm sorry Nui. Not quite yet, but you can visit her at night." Ragyō bartered.

"Okay." Nui replied, acting like a sad five year old, with her head slumped down.

'I'll see you tonight Ryūko...' Nui eagerly thought as she skipped away. Imagining being able to touch that girls divine body again.

Author's Notes

Wow... This. Was. A long one to write.

I'm still working on the story this one over shadowed, I also wrote a one-shot about Nui keeping Ryūko in her playroom. You should check that out.