Author's note: New Chapter is up! Please Read and Review!
I do not own Kill la Kill or any of it's characters. I also do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or any of it's characters. I do own Lillian, however.
Chapter Four: DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
17:45 on the dot. Satsuki, Ryuko and the rest of the group stood outside of their destination…. The Wonka Candy Store.
"Talk about being covert," Jakazure said sarcastically as the large group walked inside the tiny candy store.
"Welcome!" The Store Clerks all greeted bowing as the group entered.
"You must be the group that Miss Lilly is expecting! Please, follow me," A kind lady with bleached blond hair said with a cheerful demeanor. She walked the group to the back of the store where tubes filled with colorful candy lined the wall. She pushed a button on the back of one of the tubes and waits.
There was a long pause after she pushed the button. The Kind Lady smiled as they awkwardly waited.
"Well? What do we do next?" Ryuko snapped at the Kind Lady.
The Kind Lady just continued to creepily smile. Another long pause ensued.
"This is absurd," Satsuki started, "How long do we ha-AHHH!"
The floor suddenly opened up beneath them dropping the group into a black abyss.
Down. Down. Down. They slid together into the pitched black darkness. Ryuko held onto Satsuki's hand for dear life.
"What is this tunnel? I can't seem to get any kind of grip!" Gamagoori exclaimed trying to use his finger strength to puncture the tunnel and get a hold on it.
"Welcome One and All! I see you've arrived on time!" The cheery voice of Lillian Wonka echoed into the tunnel, "If you are an Oompa Loompa please brace yourself for impact and have your worker's compensation forms readily available. If you are not, there's an emergency brake on your left hand side."
Everyone began to reach for the left side of the tunnel.
"Where is it?!" Ryuko yelled, hastily moving her left hand all around the tunnel.
"Oh. Heh! I totally forgot to install that bugger…" Lillian said sheepishly.
"Let us out of this mad house!" Jakuzure yelled.
Suddenly, a wall had come between Ryuko and Satsuki separating each of them into different tunnels.
"Satsuki!" Ryuko cried sliding down the cramped little tube by herself.
She kept falling until a bright harsh light appeared from under her. She was engulfed in the florescent light into a room that was all white. She held up her arms bracing herself for impact on the immaculate black and white lacquered floors. There was no such impact. Before she could touch the ground, she was being suspended from a pair of wire arms that held her legs in place. The wire arms dropped her softly to the ground face first. She kissed the floor in relief as the wire arms let go of her legs.
She stood up and looked around the room. It was bleak and shadowless. Reminded her a bit of purgatory.
"Mako?! Satsuki?!" Ryuko called out, "Hiro?! Anybody?!"
Clicking of footsteps suddenly caught her attention. She looked in the direction of the sound. It was Atarashi. She rushed up towards him in angry fervor.
"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON HERE?" She seethed. She was getting a little tired of the Wonderland bullshit.
"Come with me," He smoothly said walking right past her.
Ryuko wasn't having it. She angrily grabbed his arm and turned him around to face her. As she did that, Atarashi grabbed her other hand and pulled her towards him so that their bodies were flushed up against one another. Ryuko gasped in surprise. He leaned his face in towards her. Ryuko held her breathe in anticipation. Atarashi was inches from her lips looking deep into her eyes, searching for something deep within her. Ryuko felt completely bare against his red hot gaze. She drank in his scent of his delicious cologne making something deep inside of her stir. Her skin turned hot and she felt her fingers itching, all she could do was tightly grasp Atarashi's dark blue silk shirt.
Atarashi whispered against her lips, "Trust me, Ryuko…"
She closed her eyes willing herself to accept what would eventually come next. He gently let her go and began to walk away. She was so weak in the knees from the heady experience that she fell onto cold hard floor. Ryuko was so confused, so very angry and confused. How could he do that to her and then walk away?!
"You should get up. We have to head to our briefing room," Atarashi cooly said as he began walking away from her.
Ryuko's heart pounded fiercely in her chest and tightened considerably when Atarashi walked away from her. She felt the threat of tears welling her eyes. She wiped them away and stood up with renewed anger towards the devilishly handsome man. She angrily walked towards him.
"What do you think you're doing?" Ryuko demanded her voice shaking with hurt.
"If we are going to work together Ryuko, I need you to trust me," Atarashi replied not looking at her.
"Who says I want to work with you?" Ryuko crossed her arms.
"Unfortunately, you don't have any choice," Atarashi went towards one of the white walls and pushed it slightly until it slid open. He walked into the next room which was completely pitched black. Ryuko stopped before the door.
"I'm not going in there with you!"
"Oh yes you are!" Atarashi growled, he went over to her and picked her up in a bear hug. He walked with her into the dark room, where the door slid shut. Atarashi stopped in the middle of the room and held her tight for a moment.
"Let me go, you perv!" Ryuko struggled against him. He reluctantly let her down their bodies were in close proximity. So close to feel the little sparks of electricity between them. Ryuko broke it off by taking two steps back and turning to the side. He couldn't see where she went, but he could feel her.
Zzrrwerrk. The room lit up with the giant image of Lillian Wonka's face on a screen on one of the walls. She was wearing bright red Ray-Bans giving her signature enigmatic smile. Little screens began popping up next to her, images of the rest of the group. Satsuki was in a room with Hiro. Mako was with Gamagoori. Jakuzure was with Sanageyama. The last image was a rather pleasant surprise, it was Tsumugu and Mikisugi.
"Hey! Glad you found your way here! Wasn't it fun?" Lillian chirped. Bewildered looks graced everybody's features.
There was a really long awkward moment of silence, before Lillian called over her shoulder, "This is on, right Inumuta?"
"Yes, they can see you," Inumuta replied appearing in the background with a tablet in his hand.
"Oh. Well then… Everyone!" Lillian called out, "You might be confused as to why you are all in separate groups and in separate rooms. Do not be alarmed! This is exactly how I planned."
"Well your plan is sure turning out batshit crazy!" Jakuzure yelled at the screen, shaking her fist to the screen, "You stuck me with this Northern Kanto Monkey!"
"Would you quit calling me that?!" Sanageyama snapped at Jakuzure.
"Indeed. I do agree that my methods are a little on the wilder side," Lillian admitted, "However, it is so much fun this way! And more efficient once I explain why I split you guys up into groups."
"Please do explain. I really don't want to be stuck with Mr. Mysterioso here," Ryuko demanded turning an angry eye at the screen.
"Aheh. Inumuta, would you mind pulling up the KOC dossier's?" Lillian asked. The screens flashed with five different pictures of five different men giving their general information, occupation, location, and their role in the Knights of the Cloth.
"The men you see on your screens are the head members of the Knights of the Cloth. I separated you all into groups of two so that we could tackle them all at once, thereby eliminating the possibility of any of them to go into hiding. The gentleman appearing on the big screen in your room is the member that you will be facing and taking down. Your objective will be to defeat each of these Knights and confiscate all the life fibers that they have collected. You will be given a copy of their dossier and their itineraries in the next couple of days on a tablet to which we will be providing," Lillian explained.
The Knight who appeared in front of Ryuko and Atarashi was named Scott Harkman. He was the typical blond hair and blue eyed American boy with a strict military grade high and tight hair cut. He had a very angular and muscular face and the build of a bodybuilder.
KNIGHT OF THE CLOTH: SCOTT HARKMAN
Age: 27
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Occupation: Sergeant, United States Marine Corps. MOS: 0321, Reconnaissance.
Location: Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Hawaii
Marital Status: Married. Wife: Kailey Harkman, 24, screenwriter, lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Role in KOC: Maintains Security for the Life Fiber bank hidden deep in the He'eia Pond.
Outfit/Weapon of Choice: Military Woodland Camouflage outfitted with various weapons, particularly an M-16 Rifle.
From underneath the screens, a tablet emerged from a slot in the wall. Ryuko took it and read what was on the screen.
"Hawaiian Airlines flight 562 departing… tonight at 22:00?! You can't be freaking serious!" Ryuko stated baffled by the bizarre situation.
"I am serious. I'm sending you all off tonight to get started on your missions. The deadline to defeat the knights is three days from now. Don't worry about packing, Soroi had taken care of that for all of you. Inumuta has taken care of your passports."
"You want us to go around the world to fight these guys with what? All Sanageyama's got is his useless little stick. At least when we fought Ragyo, we had our Goku uniforms," Jakuzure said with contempt.
"That is why… I've brought on Shiro Iori to help me in making these special uniforms for you all."
From another wall in the room, slid open two doors with two uniforms on display. Ryuko gasped at the familiar sight of her sailor uniform.
"They are complete replicas of the Final Goku uniforms you had used during your fight with Lady Ragyo. I had to steal some life fibers from my brother in order to make this happen. The only ones without uniforms are Mikisugi and Tsumugu per their own request."
"Hey, Go Nude or Go Home," said Mikisugi, stripping down and doning the Nudist Beach outfit.
Ryuko approached the sailor uniform with caution. It seemed too good to be true. Did this psycho candy maker bring back Senketsu?
"Senketsu…" Ryuko said in a choked whisper. Her eyes were beginning to well with tears.
Atarashi watched her from the distance, his chest beginning to tighten at the reaction she was having to the sailor uniform.
Ryuko picked up the sailor uniform and held it close to her chest, "I thought I lost you for good…"
"Senketsu?" she whispered, tears streaming down her face splashing down onto the dark blue cloth.
"I'm afraid that's just a sailor uniform, Miss Matoi," Lillian clarified, the image of her face appearing back on the screen, "Granted, it is quite a special sailor uniform in that it can do everything that your Kamui could do, but it lacks the…how shall I say it… the sentient presence."
Ryuko threw the sailor uniform on the ground in angry tears, "Why would you do that to me?! I would be better off wearing a stupid Goku uniform than to wear this sham!"
"Ryuko…" Atarashi comforted placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Get away from me!" she snapped.
"I'm sorry Miss Matoi," Lillian apologized with a smirk, "It was the only thing close enough to Senketsu that we could reproduce. Just give the outfit a go. I'm sure that you'll find that it fits you quite comfortably."
"Fuck No."
Atarashi went over and picked up the sailor uniform. He stared at it with a forlorn look in his eyes. He puts it gently under his arm and walks over to the second door that was open. It was his uniform. It was like a regular school boy's uniform only it had the same matching color scheme as Ryuko's sailor uniform. Dark blue jacket with Senketsu's eye under the left lapel and Senketsu's eye patch under the right lapel. There was a red border lining the jacket and a red glove (very similar to Ryuko's) hanging up with the jacket. He takes the items from the second door and places it under his arm. He walks right up to Ryuko.
"I know you don't want to wear this sailor uniform because it's not cute, but you've got to understand that it's all for the greater good. Your little worries and preferences will have to be put aside," Atarashi stated bluntly putting out his hand towards Ryuko.
Ryuko smacks his hand away.
"Fine. Have it your way," Atarashi grabs the sailor uniform in both hands and rips off the left lapel.
Ryuko's heart stops. She shot up towards Atarashi and grabs him by the neck with one hand and grabs the uniform in the other hand. She squeezed Atarashi's neck and glares at him.
"Don't. Do. That." She seethed.
Atarashi smiled at her, "You want to bitch and complain about the uniform and then save it? Make up your fucking mind little girl."
Ryuko yanks the sailor uniform out of his hand and grabs the ripped lapel from the floor. She holds the uniform tightly to her chest.
"You're worst than a child," Atarashi rubbed the front of his neck, "Why do you still want it anyways if it's not your precious Senketsu?!"
"Because it is him," Ryuko softly explained anger and hurt still lingering in her eyes, "Even if HE is not there, it is him. It's all I've got of him."
"Then wear him. Even if it's just a cloth that serves as a memory. Wear him and do what would have made him proud of you."
"Well said Atarashi," Lillian complimented, "Now, all of you have your tablets, tickets, uniforms, and weapons packed and ready to go. I have vehicles waiting just outside these doors…"
A door slid open towards the back of the room emitting a bright white light.
"They will be taking you to the airport shortly. Have a wonderful trip everybody! Don't forget, while this is a mission, do try and enjoy yourselves. It is a mini all expense paid vacation after all," Lillian cheerfully said, "With that, I'm out!"
The screens all turned black.
Atarashi walked towards the door leading outside, he turns to look back over his shoulder at Ryuko, his scarlet eyes glowing at her. She looks down at the ground defeated and slowly walks towards him, gripping the partially destroyed sailor uniform in her arms. Together, they walked outside and towards the black BMW waiting at the curb.