. . . TWO WEEKS AFTER . . .
Riding in a limousine was a tired practice. She didn't mind the itch of a long sleeve, turtleneck sweater, nor how her jeans fit tight around her shapely legs. Being dressed down for a chilly day was part of the pleasure.
"Milady. What if she uses it against you?" Soroi said, not yet used to her haircut, seated across from her in a brand new tuxedo.
"Rei is a victim of the same abuse. She may not think it. Besides. Other than you I can think of no one else. The changes to Revocs will be better for it."
As their ride was slowing he assumed she had her plans. It pulled to a near silent halt. Their driver remained quiet. Soroi knew to leave it first. He was the one to open her side's door waiting until she stepped from it fully before thinking to move a muscle. As she had he stayed at her back when she stepped by one end of a stoned gate. Several were hard at work to restore it among a portion of the area she would rebuild something else on. The fake name her father chose remained a left behind vestige. A reminder that his land was now hers. She kept herself from grinning too much.
"It won't be as big. Son's suggestion," she made light.
"Of course," Soroi smiled, tiny creases at the corners of his eyes. "The young master is a simple man."
"Too simple," Satsuki watched the blue in the sky. "... Soroi. Have I done the right thing?"
As the clamor carried on she only listened for her elder's opinion. He kept one hand to his lower back, the other closed over his jacket's buttons. Satsuki leaned her attempt to face him.
"You are happy. You are healthy. Even now you consider others before yourself. What father wouldn't say yes, Milady?"
Not their usual, neither cared. Satsuki enjoyed the warmth of their embrace. She let him be as they put on roles that came naturally. She knew the day would include coordinating with the hired as they planned the layout of her new property. Her mind slipped to the work. The greater joy would be sharing the news with those that would benefit.
x.x.x
She placed her hand to a fresh mound a couple steps from her father's. She had a plaque with letters she would never forget etched into it. That day, it didn't rain so she could set it without the worry of it sinking into mud. She stood up, buried her hands in her letterman's pockets. Reminiscing let her know she wore ripped jeans instead of a skirt. A graphic tee instead of a school uniform's top. A matte red scarf that wasn't him. She let emotion swell. Waiting was almost unbearable. Soon, she earned what she wanted. Son took his time using crutches he was sick of. He mumbled under his breath for the hassle. Ryuko didn't force a light smile for his worn sweatshirt and pants. The same bandages on his face and neck dressing his hands.
"Broke every bone in his body. Tsk. Figured you'd play if off," she teased.
"Hehe ahn! Don't make me laugh," he winced.
She carefully laced her arm through his helping him closer. There was the thought of what first started them on their path.
"Mako said she's ready for the summer. Maybe her folks'll let her visit sometimes. Tokyo's not that far from us. Oh! And she said something about your next date."
"It's what she likes to call it," she shrugged.
He glanced for her watching him. Her hair was an inch or so longer, pulled up in a shorter ponytail. She recently took to wearing perfume though he knew she would never overdo it, proving him right as she wouldn't bother with makeup. He could spot her black nail polish before her hand closed into a fist to tap his stomach.
"I still can't believe she ...," Ryuko paused. "Look. This is ..."
"Weird," he cut in. "You're telling me."
She walked ahead of him a tempter. A rare beauty with a tough act. He considered it. Putting it out of his mind he wanted to hear her voice.
"What is this really Son?" she turned in place. "The happy ending? People like us don't get that."
"What do you mean by people like us?" he said.
Ryuko wasn't quick to sulk her way to him. She stopped, smelling his natural musk, a mix of washing with an earthy soap and whatever he really was. He set dry fingers under her chin to lift the blue in her eyes. They were moist.
"... I'm the reason they're dead. Me," she choked up to say.
"You really think they would agree with that?" he put on stern.
She took her time to study a sure of himself man, not a boy, saying what was on his mind and sticking to his conviction. The silence after struck a chord broken by how windy it was. She wanted to bring his mouth to hers. Son indulged, pulled in with her sliding her crossing wrists behind his nape. Sweet, soft, she hoped it didn't pain him to try. Ryuko stood on her toes, letting it linger, pressing if he pressed, slow to drop to the flats of her favorite sneakers. Not wanting to leave it she watched the lips she wet like they were a prized jewel.
"Thanks," she chewed the inside of her lip.
"For what?" he grinned.
"Keeping it real," her eyes fell to his chest. "I don't know. Maybe part of me can't get a grip."
As he didn't say anything she returned her full attention. They took a moment to guess.
"We're doing this?" she said, a not-like-her concerned.
"I am if you are," he said. "It's awesome Ryuko! Just when I think I know what you're capable of. Satsuki was right."
"Big sis squealed on me huh?" she cracked a grin.
She thought his cheeky smile the draw. "Heh. There's so much we can all learn from each other."
"Yeah yeah. How bout' you heal up first. You shouldn't even be able to stand right now," she said looking to the thick cast around one of his legs.
She wanted to touch, flattening out the wrinkles in his top with her palms. She turned to lean her back to him, slightly arched, nudging with her bottom first, then an elbow, smiling for how he dropped his chin to her neck. They watched two graves. Reminders of those they once depended on. The secret hope was they made them proud. That they might continue to.
x.x.x
. . . BY NIGHTFALL . . .
He remembered why image training worked. Having her seated in front of him he could contest her without looking. Not something uncommon the battle was often in their heads. Fortune gave them time. Knowing that it was their own nerves caused their bodies to tense less. Among another region's cold with no shirt on numbed his skin to the point of a shake he didn't notice. She had yet to remove her wool robe, her hair still wet from a hot bath, and it all played second fiddle. The flame they didn't stoke gave off the right amount of warmth keeping hypothermia at bay. If they opened their eyes they would have leveled the cabin with the canyon it sat on.
"Tsk," he bared his teeth.
They didn't have to hear someone open the door, it creaking from old age and neglect.
"Nyah!" she woke as abruptly, huffing and puffing.
The third walked in not comforted by the chilling through to the bone. She hurried to close it out.
"Yeesh! It's freezing!" she rubbed her arms thinking another layer or two would have been wise.
Seeing Son and Satsuki sitting on a shaggy rug, not meditating, next to naked, she wanted to sigh.
"There's got to be a better way to do it," she said a bit aggravated that Son chose to smile.
She crossed her arms locking eyes with him. He uncrossed his to let his breath go.
"Some vacate," Ryuko added. "Remind me why you chose here of all places?"
"Isolation," Satsuki said. "Trust me when I say it was the only option."
Ryuko rolled her eyes, kicked her feet from the slush on her shoes. She worked her way to the opened pit poking the wood on fire with a burnt rod to keep it.
"This better be legit, Satsuki," she huffed.
She turned to Son's remaining where he was. Satsuki at his front to check the tears on his cast. He didn't sit up straight, he didn't hunch.
"She's got a point. I mean. A god watching over us? Kinda sounds farfetched," he said.
A constant urge to fight anything beyond him, he couldn't wait to. He stopped fretting the fire when she slid into her seat at his front again. Satsuki took him by the hand pressing her fingers over his knuckles to massage away tension.
"Not just any god, Son," she said less like a peer. "He is the god. Our world's Guardian."
"Guardian?" Son's eyebrow rose.
Ryuko found a spot behind him. She chose to stand, pushing fingers through his hair, as confused at how Satsuki knew.
"Gee. Thanks. Gives us the required boost then bugs the hell out," she said, annoyed.
"I know how it sounds. But it is not that simple," Satsuki said. "Whatever he sparked...what occurred after was of our own volition."
Ryuko said nothing more. Outside the gust howled against the wood it pierced, a match for the fireplace crackling to stay relevant. Son sat still not minding how they touched him. He was unaware of anything but what both might have meant. Browns made up the walls the same wood they left stacked by the only door that led out into an end for anyone else. He took his focus from it.
"Say this guy's the real deal. That sure does explain a lot," he said.
"How so?" Satsuki's even gaze met his.
He stood to his feet. "Your dad. When he first made my gi. Senketsu. We always thought it was just Life Fibers. Made sense right? The old turtle hermit must have known too."
Satsuki stood. She and Ryuko helped him limp to the cabin's sole couch. Falling into it, it wasn't the homeliest, but he thanked it being so close to a brighter comfort. He paused to let Ryuko find her seat at his right, Satsuki at his left. His glance was for the former.
"What if...what if this Kami guy knew before we were even born?" he put it plainly. "What would happen. What we'd do."
Ryuko watched him, thought of her recent loss, then looked to Satsuki's watching her lap. Peace and quiet went ignored but it was theirs. Satsuki leaned thinking his arm an appropriate firm to stay against. They watched the fire until Ryuko stood to pace back and forth.
"And the others?" she said for Satsuki.
Son turned his head to hear the answer. He grinned for Satsuki's haircut. How bold she was to take his hand again sliding her fingers between his as they closed tight.
"Coordinating with Soroi at a new base of operations," she said. "You two will learn of the location soon."
Ryuko removed her jacket to hang it, unwrapped the scarf from around her neck. She pulled Son's free hand until he stood. He kept the other in Satsuki's as they didn't lead him far. Helping him climb a nearby mattress both found their places to lay. Plopping too quickly between them Son griped for the pain, feeling Satsuki's warm palm slide across his navel. Ryuko left her socks on with her jeans ignoring that her t-shirt wasn't so thick it could ward off the draft. She set her head to his shoulder as Satsuki pushed one of her lotioned thighs over his knee. Together, they eyed how drab the cabin's ceiling was.
"I could get used to this," Son smiled anyway.
"What? The pampering? I wouldn't jerk," Ryuko closed her eyes.
"I meant this. Being in the middle of nowhere. Your dad had the right idea!" he said.
"Then you will enjoy the new estate," Satsuki shook her head. "Provided you live to see its completion."
Son shrugged. "This Kami guy sounds like he's no push over. I bet sparring with him would be a blast!"
"Hey. Haven't said yes to ANY of that crap," Ryuko pinched his shoulder.
"Oh c'mon. It'll be great! Tell her it'll be great Satsuki," Son cheerfully glanced for her.
Satsuki propped her cheek in her palm, yawning. "It will be great, Ryuko."
"See," Son quickly turned again.
"Thanks for encouraging him. God you two are the worst!" Ryuko sassed stealing his attention.
He had little say in their brief lip lock. She let her head fall into one of two pillows when she was done.
"Wake me up in an hour," she sighed.
"If we are awake," Satsuki nestled against Son's bare chest, kissing it.
"Wait. You guys are tired? I thought you were gonna help me with dinner!" he said getting nothing else from them.
Quietly laughing to himself at their lighter snores, he caved. The ceiling was there so he stared at it. The quiet was, save for an ambience. Not remembering the last time he had a chance to he joined them in dozing off.
x.x.x
"... Children defend them. Hmm. They will sleep soundly yet ..."
The portal he waved open remained with his place on high. As it swirled into itself he didn't need to grip the rough-hewn condition of his staff, the material making it up older than the oldest tree. All ivory served a motif of indestructible marble tile for the platform's flooring. He glanced for perfectly maintained shrubbery lining four of its ends in rows of five. Thousands of years in geostationary orbit most satisfying to him was the complete lack of noise. All of that was too far beneath it.
"Good work Mr. Popo," he said for the ball of pure light flitting around his spotless robe.
It stopped to say something only he could hear.
"... Yes. I believe so. Let them rest for now. When we summon them, they will know why ..."
He kept his back to one of the only structure's present. It's golden, sharp tipped roofs curved, glimmering, never able to decay with the passage of time. He didn't wonder of the many secrets behind its ancient walls. He only thought of the three young warriors he decided on. How one of them would influence many worlds beyond that which he was tasked to preserve.
x.x.x
. . .
. .
.
"... Physical manifestations of their true power, more like. It would explain why you can't see them anymore. Their original states were limited by your own lack of discipline. Ryuko's Scissor Blade. Satsuki's Bakuzan. Think of it as their personalized versions of the Kamehameha wave. Latent power they can summon at any moment. Assuming they have the strength to."
Roshi played host to those he invited for the afternoon. Huddled around his living room they listened with youthful intrigue waiting patiently for the meat he had on his indoor grill to cook. He grinned for Kuririn and Son's tank top and beach shorts matching his, the former's turning away if Mako playfully caught him staring. She doted on Ryuko kicking her feet up on one of the sofas. Satsuki next to one of the red arm rests as she glanced for Son's standing next to his teacher.
"Whoa. That's pretty cool!" he said. "If they get stronger what they can do with them does too?"
"Something like that," Roshi said keeping his eyes on the girls and their form fitting attire.
"Can we PLEASE talk about something else gramps?" Ryuko shot him an icy glance. "It's a beautiful day outside. Sunshine. Seagulls. Nothing trying to kill us."
"... Since you asked so nicely," Roshi smiled for the one she forced.
"You're so cool Ryuko-chan! Someone comes at you and you're like BAM! Knock 'em into space then WHAM!" Mako said, ignorant of the spaghetti straps on her blouse slipping from her shoulders as she boxed the air.
It pleasantly found its way through the front door they left open. Ryuko's laugh was genuine for her friend's antics. Always proper, Satsuki held a shiny coaster under a glass of iced tea, careful to set them both on the nearest surface. She walked to Son taking him by the hand and leading him outside. They were used to that time of year, its effect on the island. Thoughts of it settled on how they first met.
"You might've had me beat that day," he said.
"Do tell," she set her arm to his, squeezing his grip.
They wondered of the ocean reaching to dampen the beach they stepped on. White sand under their feet soft it was warmer than they imagined.
"Nothin' to mess with. You and that sword," he went on. "If I knew what I knew now I might've said something."
"I did know Son. It's why I came to see for myself," she said.
His arms returned to their well muscled. They were bigger. His limp was gone. She kept other ideas to herself. As she was quiet Son dared to look at her collared shirt, the sleeves rolled up, a cleaned white, two of the buttons left open. Her bulging bosom had no trouble in stressing it.
"What did you think when you left?" he broke the ice.
"That you were an imbecile," she partially grinned.
"Heh. I don't doubt it. Is that the whole truth?" he said.
She let his hand go to take a few steps forward. He watched her extend her arm. Not caught off guard a sheathed blade appeared from a radiant mist, drawn to the hand she opened, forming as a solid when she caught it.
"Come here," she kept her back to him.
Son chuckled, stepping to her fore, hands on his hips and unassuming. He didn't see how fast she drew it only catching how the tip stopped ahead of his throat. He didn't blink, slow to turn a glance for the ground shifting as the water not far away parted as a swath.
"I couldn't hurt you then. It would seem I can't now," she said.
"Lucky me," he took it mildly. "This some kind of test?"
She opened her eyes.
"No. I'm just reminding you that I am also pretty cool," she couldn't help but grin.
"Hehe. No argument there!" he laughed stupidly.
Her weapon quickly left whatever it was they called real. She wanted him to hold her, falling into his arms, grateful as they were hard and curling just over a perfect arch. Satsuki wasn't worried for her skirt's folds pressing in. She kept her palms flat on his chest, her eyes shut, her brow against his. She wanted to remain as they were for the rest of the day.
"Son," she said.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"... Would it be all right if we tried?" she said hoping she didn't sound foolish.
"I thought we were," he said in his usual puzzled way.
As he was so close he wondered of her eyes. Like her sister's their sharp hue was unique to her. Satsuki let them fall to his lips. Son lapped up the smell of the lemon in her tea on hers.
"It is not too much?" she wanted to know.
"Course' not. We'll make time when we can. Right?" he said.
She wanted to kiss him, if only because he knew what worked. She fought the urge to.
"Thank you for treating us with respect," she said which did catch him off guard.
Not saying anything, he jokingly smiled, as she was smiling. She pressed her soft lips to his cheek then pulled herself in closer. Kissing it once Son lost himself in the fresh scent on her neck, feeling her fingers running into his hair to keep him there.
"There you two are," they heard a friend say.
Not abandoning each other, they turned to Kuririn, all smiles as he set up a tripod and the camera he fixed it under.
"Roshi-sama wanted one with us all together. Might as well take it while we're here," he said.
"That's grim," Ryuko walked up.
She found her place next to Son, winking, letting him wrap an arm around hers, grinning a nonchalant nod at Satsuki's. Kuririn fidgeted with settings quickly taking his place as Mako shot just beside him holding two fingers over and behind his scalp. The weather held to keep the backdrop sunny and inviting. Roshi waited until they were done goofing around, delaying the moment it would flash so he could take his spot at the head. He shushed them.
"... All right. Everyone say Kame House," he said.
"Kame House!"
"Kame House!"
"Kame House!"
"Kame House!"
"Kame House!"
The clicks weren't louder than the rising and falling of the sea at their backs. Not used to the break from peril, they let themselves go, reveling in it.
x.x.x
. . .
. .
.
His massive vessel wasn't just styled to intimidate. It carried itself throughout the dark via jet propulsion, its entire bottom section an anti-gravitational device able to determine the pull and the yield. His personal quarters could have taken up half of it. His soldiers lined at his back, battle armor hardened, ready, representing various races making up that sector alone. Devices attached around their ear switched off powering translucent visors over an eye they didn't think to open yet. Even their strongest couldn't stop their quiver at the chamber's frigid. They knew how harsh it felt had nothing on upsetting him.
"The Primordial Life Fiber was destroyed, you say?" he said in an unrushed tone.
It was an absolute lie.
"Y-yes, Emperor. By earthlings, we've learned," one of them braved.
"... Thousands of years worth of accumulated knowledge. Wasted. A pity."
He had a massive, glassed dome built into the hull, it serving as his view into the cosmos. He thought everything beyond it conquered. His men kept their eyes from his porcelain skin effortlessly held above a yellowed alloy. Black lips curving as his slanted eyes narrowed the sharper reds between them dilated.
"These, earthlings," he said as if it disgusted him. "Should they become a concern we will deal with them. The course is set, General Papaya. The journey to our destination will take longer...thanks to your predecessor's ignorance."
He didn't turn agitation fully. It would mean certain death for one or all of them.
"Hopefully his inspiration does not cloud your judgement," he said.
"It will not my liege," Papaya held his elongated head down.
He lived. He and his men quickly filing from the chamber he decided to free the breath he held in his four lungs. Directing his men first he waited until a pressurized hallway was less busy...praising whatever gods that cared to listen when he was alone.
To be continued ...