Morning Glory – A Kill La Kill Fanfiction
It's such a stupid, childish idea. To wake up early and jump on the first train she could back home. She could have easily slept in, let him sit and stew until later that day. He's always made her wait for him, waiting out every holiday in the front courtyard of the boarding school for him to come collect her like all the other parents, sat with her hands about her knees long after all the other families had gone home and night set in. Each and every time she was left waiting until the matrons quietly but sadly ushered her back inside to warm her frozen fingers and cry alone under the covers in the dormitory. It only took two years for it to sink in that he wasn't coming to get her, and after that not even Christmas could summon her out to beg his appearance like a starving dog.
The incidents gave her bullies a fresh reason to come after her, since apparently orphans were considered second-class citizens, no matter how much she had insisted that he was real. Which in turn had given her a reason to practise her left hook. But the school had yet to kick her out no matter how many asses she kicked, so whatever account he was paying her way with clearly hadn't run dry so far.
Maybe that was why he'd sent that letter asking her to come home. Maybe the money had run dry and now his deadbeat ass actually had to take care of her. The joke was on him, cause she had twelve years of screaming to get off her chest before she considered talking to him about living together.
Gods… what was she even going to say to him? There's so much to work through, and she's never been good at expressing anything other than piss and vinegar.
Ryuko leans into the window and watches the world go by, slowly piecing insults together.
The manor would probably be pretty opulent if the old bastard ever bothered taking care of it. It's just as imposing as her memories left it, a younger Ryuko walking, running and cartwheeling in its shadow about the gardens, desperate for a playmate that didn't hunker down in a secret laboratory for most of the day. She's too old for cartwheels now, or so she'll say if anyone asks, but the elusive friends were still nowhere to be found, and the grass now so high her younger self would have been completely submerged.
She waits on the doorstep, puts her thoughts in order one last time. They still feel disjointed and awkward, like she's missing the spark to really hammer home what a dick he's been to her. In the end, she jams her finger into the doorbell and decides that she'll just fill the gaps with cursing, pounding the door a few times on the off chance that the bell didn't work anymore.
To her surprise, he's actually out the lab and at the door like a shot, still as crusty-looking as ever.
"Ryuko. Welcome home."
Part of her wants to punch him. Part of her wants to start screaming and never stop. Yet as she stands there, years of younger Ryukos pushing her forward, all she can think of is to smile.
"Yeah. It's good to be back."
"Come in, quickly. I'm afraid we don't have much time."
The door slams behind her and she is half-guided, half dragged down a corridor, protesting all the way until they break into his study. Just as unkept as ever, but now there's a massive pair of brilliantly red scissors sitting upon his desk, so bright that the rest of the room seems to drain away in their presence. She finally snatches her hand back, remarking on how strong he is for a geezer.
"Okay, no, I didn't come back for this. Dad, what the actual hell is going on?"
"Yes, I should start from the beginning. Oh, there's so much beginning and so little time to tell."
"Wait, this isn't about school?"
He stops his mad whirl throughout the various papers about him, his good eye fixing upon her, and suddenly that subject couldn't be further from her thoughts.
"You're mad at me. I understand, and you're right to be. But this is bigger than schooling right now. While I'm apologising, I'm sorry, but I lied to you about your mother."
"Wh-what about my mother?"
"She's not dead. Far from it. She's alive, and the biggest bitch on the planet."
He spins her a tale straight from an anime. Evil clothes, magic scissors to defeat them. A mother that didn't want her and a sister that doesn't know her. A resistance group called Nudist Beach. Out of everything he tells her, that's somehow the least believable part. He does most of the talking over the hours, and yet it's her that ends up exhausted, sitting in a chair rubbing her temples with her mind aching from complete information overload.
"Okay, I think I forgive you for the whole abandoning thing. Still kind of pissed, but I'll get over it. What do we do now? Do I have to get naked as well, or what?"
He goes to speak again when they're silenced by the giggling. It haunts the long halls of the manor, sneaks in through the cracks in the floorboards and holes in the walls. An intrusive, curdling sound that curls around her ankles and chokes her with its sheer malevolence, the promise of pain delivered by whoever could produce such an awful noise. She's grabbed by her father once more, bringing her to the middle of the room and shovelling manila folders into her arms.
"Ryuko, whatever happens, do not pursue that girl. Her name is Nui Harime, and she is just as much a monster as your mother. She will slaughter you as you are right now. Wait until she leaves, go to Honnouji Academy, in Tokyo bay. The Student Council President is your sister, Satsuki Kiryuin. This folder explains what you'll need to know about her, but if she doesn't believe you, tell her that her father hopes she's done away with her wedding dress. She'll know what I'm talking about. Underground, in the basement, there's someone you need to take with you. The black and red uniform, on the manikin by the workbenches. He's yours, and you are his. Pull the pin on the glove to wake him up. Give him a name, and look after him. He'll look after you."
He pushes the scissors into her hands, kisses her on the forehead.
"I'm sorry I wasn't a better father to you."
"Dad, wait!"
She reaches out for him but the floor has already fallen out under her feet, and all she has left of him are the tears that follow her plummet into darkness, his name screamed over and over again as she falls.
She dubs the uniform Senketsu, and he cries alongside her as she buries the blooded, shredded mess that used to be her father in the ashes of her former home.
Senketsu's pretty good company, for a living school uniform that only wakes up when he's draining her blood. And while he only knows her father half as much as she ever did thanks to fading in and out of consciousness all the time he was being sown, he has a lot to talk about as they drift across the country, ducking under bus shelters when it rains and walking past rice fields in the sun. He can tell her the distance to Andromeda and the odds of being struck by lightning, but not the taste of ketchup or how it feels to voice joy for the first time.
In her darker moments, she finds herself disgusted at how her dad literally had to make her a friend, but then he'll misunderstand what two cats are doing in a back alley and set her laughing for hours. But more than that, he's just damn good at watching her back, and she's never had anyone do that for her before. Japan's not as safe as it used to be, and more than once they find themselves sinking fists into faces of anyone thinking a sweet girl like her is easy pickings. She gives the scissors a try, but wielding them as a full tool is awkward to say the least. They do work pretty well as dual blades though, even if she's just slapping losers with the blunt sides.
Her sister doesn't seem to be much better than her mother or Harime, if she's honest. A would-be tyrant of her own personal island, complete with elite goon squad. Walking through the Honnouji slums doesn't do much to dispel that idea, the streets stinking with crime and dead-end lives. It's bad enough down here that kids are out in the streets trying to run mugging rackets, but a couple of slaps from the blunt side of the scissors sends them packing. The scenery improves as she scales the great mountain, but all that does is serve to kindle the flames of injustice licking at her heart.
There are two pictures of her sister in the case file. One of Satsuki bellowing from the mountaintop in full Reich mode, and one of her at five, sitting on Soichiro Kiryuin's shoulders and giggling. Ryuko keeps the second one in mind as she climbs into the splendour of the Two-Star mansions, feeling Senketsu assuring her all the way up.
It was a long way to Satsuki's office even once she'd made it to the main building, with a bigger man guarding the door as she presents the paperwork her father prepared for her.
"Ryuko Matoi." He sounds out, thick eyebrow twitching at the sight of her very non-uniform uniform. "History of violence and general disruption to public morals."
"They started it. I just finished it. Besides, this place doesn't exactly seem alien to a scrap or two."
"That is different. Any combat that may take place between the students is purely for the sake of self-improvement, not mere slovenly brawling for pride."
"Ah-ha." She drawls, not buying a word of the propaganda. "And that's the student council?"
"Indeed."
"Is Satsuki Kiryuin in there? I need to speak with her."
"Lady Satsuki is incredibly busy running the school. As much as she'd like to personally greet every transfer student, I'm afraid- "
"Okay, when can I pencil in an appointment?"
"Firstly, I shall allow one interruption, since it is your first day here at Honnouji. But that is the one and only lapse in decency that shall be allowed from here on out, Ms Matoi. Otherwise I, Ira Gamagoori, will be personally attending to your reformation in the detention cells. Secondly, I can have her meet you in three months, but only for a matter of utmost importance."
"Three months? I don't have three months!"
"I'm afraid that is the way it is, Ms Matoi."
Senketsu urges her to take a breath and count to ten. It doesn't help much, but she's able to force a smile onto her face as she addresses him again.
"Look, Gamagoori. I get that you're big on the rules, but this is really important. It's a family matter."
"Oh? Strange, it seems that the family name written here is Matoi, not Kiryuin."
And there goes the last of Ryuko's patience.
Synchronising with Senketsu is a curious thing. A full-body hug that fills her body with lava, pure energy surging through her system as she kicks Gamagoori through the door. As the dust settles and the sparkles dull around her, she's greeted by the rest of the student council, all out of their chairs and reaching for weapons. Satsuki sits at the head of the room, brimming with authoritarian energy as her hawkish eyes snap to the unconscious body decorating the coffee table. Ryuko dusts off her hands, glad she was able to desynchronise in the interim. Reuniting with her long-lost sister would be awkward enough without baring her midriff for their first meeting.
She follows Gamagoori through, hands up in surrender, Senketsu whispering tactical advice should this turn nasty. First piece of advice – maybe don't be outnumbered four-to-one.
"Hi there. Sorry about that, but it's been a long week, and I really need to speak to you. I've been sent by Isshin Matoi. Dunno if that name means anything to you. He said it would."
"Oh? And what would the founder of a pack of naked terrorists be doing, sending you to me?"
"Oh thank God, you know what I'm talking about. I was positive that he made that bit up."
"Yes, Nudist Beach has long been a thorn in my family's side. So again I ask. Why are you here?"
"Funny you should mention that. It's about your family. Your sister in particular."
Workshopping this conversation with a distant family member was much easier then last time, when she'd had to do it alone. Senketsu's pretty insightful for a talking shirt and skirt combo that's never left a basement. Satsuki doesn't react, but the pink-haired girl does, eyes flicking to their leader in what she probably thinks is an unnoticed motion. So at least one of them knows the dirty secret. Satsuki reclines, reaches for her tea.
"You must be mistaken. I'm an only child."
"Yeah, because your mother threw your stillborn sister away a couple minutes after she was born. Life Fiber experiment gone wrong, am I right?"
That one gets her. The tea never reaches her mouth, the cup returned to the saucer.
"The rest of you, take Gamagoori down to the infirmary. I require no assistance in this matter."
Nonon Jakuzure looks at Satsuki again, receiving a nod in return this time.
"Alright boys, grab his arms and get moving!"
"What are you doing?"
"Supervising, obviously!"
The student council shuffles out without much dignity, leaving them alone. Satsuki drains her cup properly this time, as the butler starts repairing the damaged door.
"Start from the beginning, and explain yourself clearly. You get one chance at this."
Ryuko takes a breath, feels Senketsu line up the series of events for her. He's her teleprompter, feeding her the whole story, even the little parts she lost on the way over, dropped from her mind in her grief. Ragyo and Soichiro Kiryuin, her experiments and his regret. His false death and new name, the child he named so clumsily and raised worse. She skims over her own childhood, bringing the story back to the events of a couple days before, and the giggling nightmare who'd reduced their father to meat.
Satsuki sits and listens with resting bitch face throughout the whole thing, not moving a muscle nor changing expression until fresh tea is presented to them both, the kindly old man already finished repairing the damages to the council chamber.
"I believe she is telling the truth, young miss."
"We shall see."
Satsuki rises, and Ryuko follows.
The DNA test is surprisingly quick affair, although it does involve needles, which means Ryuko holds the process up a little by being a big dumb baby about it. They stand and wait as the computer fusses it over, the blonde boy drumming his fingers as Satsuki stands passively and Ryuko waits nervously, on the off-chance that this is all some stupid prank on her father's part. She's really not sure what to do if it is, because then that's two REVOCS fighters she'll have business with. The best she can come up is fighting her way out of the city single-handedly. You know, mix things up a bit.
The screen flashes, and Shiro examines the results.
"96% match, with some interference on Ms Matoi's end that I think I can explain with some extra testing. I can say with great confidence that you two are indeed fraternal sisters."
"Thank you Iori."
"Yeah, tha– "
And like that, her spine is damn near breaking in two as Satsuki hugs her the tightest she's ever had in her whole life.
For obvious reasons, she doesn't move into Satsuki's place. Even if they weren't practically strangers, keeping knowledge of her existence away from REVOCS is paramount, especially since Satsuki's planning on tearing it all down. But she has quarters at the student council, which become Ryuko's quarters until they can build her a manor fit for the newly announced Vice-President, a process which will allegedly take a few days. Ryuko's only been a part of Honnouji for a couple of days, yet she's already convinced that she'll never get used to the speed of her sister's city, let alone the casual lunacy that powers it from top to bottom.
Speaking of, her sister's friends. They're all completely nuts. Inumuta and Iori are obsessed with collecting data on her and Senketsu, Jakuzure is convinced she's the next Mozart and renames everyone under the sun, and the less said about Gamagoori the better. They come to an apology at least, although she can tell that her rough-spoken ways drive him up the wall.
And then there's Sanageyama, who has the same interesting relationship with fighting that Gamagoori does with discipline, practically chomping at the bit to get a battle out of her. Not that Ryuko's all too opposed, since she's part of Satsuki's war against REVOCS now and she needs to improve if she's to put Harime in the dirt. Satsuki's file on the blonde bitch cemented just how inhuman she is, and while the scissors seem to have some sort of power to them, it's not going to be good enough if she can't wield the damn things right.
It starts of as a light spar, but then there's a sharp sting to her wrist and her temper starts winding up again, and she's moving faster, going for more dangerous cuts. And of course the bastard gets off on that, and pulls the trigger on his uniform the second he's backed into a corner, now twice as fast and dotting her thighs with kendo strikes. The idea of a friendly spar goes completely out the window, but as no-one's stopping them, she bites down on the pin and lets Senketsu go.
Senketsu's a good friend and an excellent second in a fight, but he's just so embarrassing to wear. Everything is exposed, and the gasps from the peanut gallery keep pulling her out of the fight as she and Sanageyama start going at it hard and fast, trading weapon blows at a rate of knots until he vanishes from her sight completely, dashing about and catching her no matter how she moves to avoid him.
A whisper in her ear, and a battleplan is formed, let loose with an apology as she slices a piece of Senketsu free, covering up all those eyeballs. Sanageyama's thick hands can't pull them away quickly enough, and she goes in for the kill.
The apology comes through only seconds before they desynchronise, Ryuko's bold charge dissolving into a scrambled tumble to the ground in a haze of steam, hitting the dojo floor hard and slamming into the far wall, the scissors clattering beside her.
"It would seem that you are all in need of improvement." Satsuki says, coolly posed behind her desk as usual.
The rest of the fights were equally as shameful. Five minutes of combat and then an hour of recovery, rinse and repeat four times over. Losing to Inumuta was the worst one. The smug nerd didn't even bother to fight her, he just turned invisible and walked out the room for five minutes, leaving her exhaustingly looking for him until he reappeared and put a finger gun to her forehead.
Ryuko can't really bring herself to look at anyone right now. Being exposed was bad enough, but she's lived her life with her fists, and four losses on the bounce is really doing a number on her ego, despite Senketsu's reassurances. To be fair, Sanageyama's equally shamed, head-down on the floor begging forgiveness for his arrogance in his sight.
"Sanageyama, if your eyes are defeated, then learn to fight without them. Nonon, do not allow the enemy to clamber upon your back. Gamagoori, finish your battles quicker, there will be time for correction after the fact. Inumuta… I have no objections. Very well done."
Damn dog is so full of himself, and Ryuko finds temporary kinship with Jakuzure as they try to glare a heart attack into him.
"Ryuko, what exactly is your problem with Senketsu? Is there any particular sensation that is holding you back?"
"Other than the fact I'm constantly aware that my tits are out for everyone to ogle? I dunno. Senketsu keeps saying that we need to 'become one', but he's just as vague on the details as I am."
Satsuki dwells on it for a long, long time. Then she stands up, examining Ryuko with her eyes.
"I believe there should be no issue with sizing. Ryuko, may I try Senketsu on?"
"My lady, I'm not sure that's wise." Inumuta chips in. "There's still so much we don't know about Kamuis, and…"
He's cut off with the wave of a hand.
"We are sisters. If she can do it, so can I. With her permission, of course."
"You okay with that Senketsu?"
He is, and so they disappear to exchange clothes. Once back in the student council chambers, Satsuki wastes no time pulling the pin.
The difference is immediate. His eyes are longer, his blacks darker and his reds more vibrant. Just as much of her is exposed but there is no shame on her face as she works through a number of sword kata, nodding contently once she is done.
"Everyone on your feet. We are heading out on patrol."
"Wait a sec, you're gonna walk around the city synchronised?"
"I am. I'd like to see how long I can hold it for."
"But you're all…"
She motions vaguely to her chest. Satsuki shrugs and makes for the door, the council trotting behind in their usual pack.
Ryuko hangs about only for a second, and then she's running after them.
They go from gated communities to the faceless apartments, and the results are the same no matter who they pass. Salutes and bows, respect abound for the queen of Honnouji. Satsuki pays them no mind, determinedly striding towards the slums without blinking. The empress has no clothes, and she couldn't give less of a damn.
Five minutes pass in the blink of an eye, then ten. They've hit thirty as they reach the slums, and she's still no worse for wear. Senketsu's pretty chipper too, giving Ryuko a running commentary as they go. Apparently their blood is pretty similar, and quite tasty either way.
The first wolf-whistle comes as they roll on past a pub, some drunk too long out his mind to consider the consequences of what he's doing. Gamagoori makes a note, but Satsuki keeps on walking as if the slurred back-handed complements aren't filling the air. Ryuko's cringing and she's not even the target.
"How can you stay so calm?"
"I own the land he eats, sleeps and urinates upon. Such a lowly creature cannot touch my heart with his words."
"And if it was a Two-Star that was staring at your ass? What if it was one of the elites?"
"They've been behind us the whole time, have they not? Let them look. For the sake of what is to be done, I cannot allow myself to be weighed down with petty concerns. Public nudity is simply another thing to be discarded in my quest. If we are to fight together, you too must overcome the worthless opinions of society."
There's a public bathroom up ahead. Ryuko makes a decision.
"Hey, let's switch back."
"Do you think you can make it all the way back to the academy?"
It's not a question of concern. It's a demand of performance from an underling. They might be blood related, but they're not exactly friendly just yet. The unrestrained hug has been a one-off so far.
"Dunno. Let's find out. White's not my colour either way."
The Elite Four stand guard outside as they enter what might be the worst bathroom Ryuko's ever set foot in. To call it soiled is too polite.
"We really need to talk about the slums. If you're raising an army, how the hell are you meant to do it if half the city's in the gutter?"
"If they cannot pull themselves out of the gutter, they have no place in my army to begin with."
"So that's it? Everything worthless gets discarded? Guess that kind of attitude runs in the family. Shocked you're still keeping me around."
She feels her face growing hot, wondering why she's so desperate to have this petty tyrant like her. Satsuki remains infuriatingly cool.
"What would you do then, if I was to abandon you here, and walk away with Senketsu and the scissors? Would you lie down here and rot, abandon your claims to revenge on Nui?"
"Firstly, bold of you to assume I keep the scissors on him."
She flicks her chest up, a tiny red flash in the stained browns and green as the scissors expand to full size, a blade on each of Satsuki's shoulders.
"Oh? You would cut down your source of power to get to me?"
"Nah, I'll just cut you out. It's not like you're going anywhere."
Satsuki twitches, and slow realisation dawns on her in same way a regular man would be reduced to shock. There's a slight quiver in her fingers, but for the most part, she's stuck at Ryuko's mercy.
"You've got only yourself to blame. He told you he was going to do it. But I guess you just can't hear him, huh? And no amount of strutting around is going to fix that."
Satsuki looks about the room, seeking a way out of predicament. She could just call for the elites, but that would only turn this into a hostage situation, and the scissors are very keen upon her neck.
"Very well. This is my loss. It seems I am not exempt from having to improve."
They change back, careful not to let any articles of clothing touch the ground. Ryuko pulls the pin on the glove, and from the moment blood rushes through her system she can tell she's over herself. A full pair of eyes greet her in the dirty mirror, a sensation of completeness thrumming through her veins. Senketsu's voice is louder now, clearer.
"See? The system works." Satsuki says. "You've pulled yourself up by your bootstraps, and become better for it. The only difference between you and the people stagnating here is that self-determination."
"Yeah, except I wouldn't have been able to do it if you hadn't gone about the city so boldly, and I wouldn't have been able to save Senketsu from you without his help. What's the line? No man is an island? Sometimes they need assistance to become better. Trust me, until recently I spent a lot of time trying to be an island."
As if on cue, a girl with a brown bob-cut bursts past them in a flail of limbs, scrambling for a stall with an apology, only to lament a lack of toilet paper. It's Ryuko's turn to be smug as she breaks open the other stall and chucks a roll over to the poor thing, getting a very enthusiastic thanks in return.
"Maybe give them some hand-outs, huh?"
"I will give it some consideration, if only for a new custodial force. This place is disgusting."
In the end, she stays synchronised for two full hours before they get bored of measuring her new power output. It's been a long day, and the whole council is on the strong coffee.
"Are there any other differences between us other than your ability to communicate with Senketsu? How are your energy levels, now that you're out of form?"
"If you're asking if I'm tired, then… not really? It's a bit late, but I could stay up for another couple hours."
"That makes one of us. I was ready to sleep the moment I took him off. He's quite taxing."
"Really? I mean, now that the mental block's gone, there's really no difference between transformed or not."
There's a shared air of thought in the between the members of the student council, right before Jakuzure's stomach growls and she snaps about the room, teeth bared and daring anyone to laugh at her.
"Alright, that will be enough for the day. Everyone go home and see to yourselves. Sanageyama, save your surgery for tomorrow."
"Yes ma'am!" They say with varying levels of energy, leaving the office behind them. Ryuko stretches, working out the kinks, aiming for her temporary bedroom.
"Guess I'll see you tomorrow as well."
Satsuki pauses, thin-lipped. If Ryuko didn't know any better, she'd almost say her sister looks nervous.
"Would you care to get dinner?"
"I… yeah, I could eat."
A stiff nod.
"Very well, I'll make plans. It's been three days, yet I confess that I've been more interested in Ryuko Matoi the potential pawn than Ryuko Matoi the person. I'd like to learn more about you… if Satsuki Kiryuin hasn't put you off."
Some things just run in the blood. Satsuki's got just as much armour around her as Ryuko does, she just built it differently. Maybe now they're not playing this game of power-chicken with each other, they can start taking it off, actually get to know who they are.
"Lead the way… Sis."
Another nod, but with more confidence and a buzz through to the butler to let him know she's eating out.
Jackets donned, they make their way through the upper streets of Honnouji, exchanging likes and dislikes. It's not much of a sisterhood, but it's a start.