Disclaimer: I do not own the properties of Kill la Kill or any of the works that belong to Kasuki Nakashima that are related to the Trigger company. I only own the original character that is in the story and this is not used for any advertisement or profit, it is only for entertainment.
Chapter 2: And So It Begins
[THE NEXT DAY]
In the morning, Akane is already unpacking her last box in her living room. The place Satsuki, her stepsister, had sent her wasn't all too bad. At least there is a sink and a bathroom.
Despite her banishment from the manor, she is fine living in a small, rundown apartment stacked on top of the other slums. The apartment Satsuki had sent her was very tidy. It's like the room hasn't been used in over a decade. The only difference from the other apartment buildings in the One-Star class is that there was no household machinery, air conditioning, and TV.
Akane's smile is as bright as the sun starting to rise from the horizon. Clouds from the Pacific Ocean are coming, forecasting a shallow rainfall from a shortwave radio on her sink counter. The place had some small holes in the rooftop. She hopes to get back from school to clog up the holes in the ceiling before the rain comes. Still, she is grateful that there is a roof on top instead of a cardboard box.
As she set her alarm clock, she heard a loud ping from up top. "Oh, it's done," said Akane.
The girl climbs over to the ladder, seemingly connected to a balcony on the second story. She can smell the fried bread on the fireplace. As she comes up, Akane's entertainment is being charged through an improvised solar panel connected to a generator with a charger. Her iPod is one hundred percent ready. She takes it and carefully prowls her finger to get the toast on her pan without burning her finger.
She sees the slums in Honnō City, a large artificial island built at the center of Tokyo Bay. The island is roughly tiny compared to city districts in Tokyo, but its class status is huge. The island stands so tall that you can see it from Tokyo Tower. The island district is separated into four classes; the No-Stars, the One-Stars, the Two-Stars, and the Three-Stars. From the lower seat is the No-Star, which is classified as poor. The One-Star is middle. The Two-Star is rich. The Three-Star is prestigious.
Akane stands over the view of the slums; in fact, she stands right between One-Star and No-Star. While she has essentials, everyone else doesn't have the fundamental living standards like anyone else outside of Honnō City. Those who attend the school are forced to compete to access the basics. The No-Star population has the upper class outnumbered by twenty-to-one, yet, the authoritarian rule of Satsuki Kiryūin prevents many from revolting against her.
Akane yearns to do something to change it all. She doesn't want to see anyone attending Honnōji Academy suffer under her stepsister. She wanted everyone to be a normal teenager.
With the toast in her mouth, she hurries over to check the time, and it's past seven twenty-five. "Oh crap, I'm going to be late!"
Akane puts on her uniform shirt and pulled her black sports leggings before her blue skirt. However, it is not recommended in school uniform regulations, according to the Disciplinary Committee Chair Ira Gamagōri. She doesn't know what kind, but her acts sometimes have been honest with him for most of the times she meets him, so he lets it slide.
After putting on her uniform, she took her brown book bag and hurried out of the apartment building. She didn't have time to climb the slanted ladder connecting to the ground. Jumping over the small gutter, Akane runs as fast as she can to get to the trolley. It is the only transportation that can lead her up to the main school building in the academy.
"Shit, I didn't think there would be a trolley to get up there," Akane complained with the toast in her mouth.
She runs around corners of the slums. Every house is filthy down below. Akane could've sworn that she smelled something raw from one of the houses she ran past. She can take the view of what Satsuki has created in Honnō City. She has turned the place into a living hell for everyone. Unlike Tokyo, Honnō City is the worst.
She nearly trips when taking a flight down the stairs to follow the railroad next to her. "Damn," she cursed.
Akane spots the orange trolley kart packed with No-Star students like her. They all cramp inside to get to the school. It was so packed that Akane believed she wouldn't fit inside. Instead, she takes a scenery view and climbs up on the trolley. The bell from the kart rings to her eardrums, and she jolts once to get moving. Akane climbed up until she sat crisscrossed on top of the tram.
"WAIT UP!" Akane heard a girl screaming for the trolley to stop. She turns around and finds a seventeen-year-old girl with light pale skin and brown hair cut into a bowler hat. She was wearing the same uniform as Akane's. She tried to get on, but the trolley was so packed that even she could not fit inside. "Let me on! Let me on! Let me on! Let me on! Let me on! Please, let me on!" she panicked, but nobody was helping her.
Akane decided to do something and wrapped her leg around one of the blocks sticking out before moving her body over the edge to extend her hand. "Here!" she shouted. "Grab on!"
The teenage girl spots Akane's hand sticking out on the rooftop and makes a big jump to grab it with a strong grip. "Oh, look," she said. "I got on. Yeah."
Akane pulls her up over the tram and returns to take a seat along the ride. The girl sits next to Akane and lets out a breath of relief that she can make it. "Whoo, that was close," she relieved. "If you hadn't been here to help me up, I could've been seriously late for class."
Akane smiles at the girl. "You and me both," she replied. "What's your name?"
The girl gives Akane a beam. "Mako," she introduced. "My name is Mako Mankanshoku, and I am a Second-Year here at Honnōji Academy!"
[SECOND YEAR]
[MAKO MANKANSHOKU]
Akane is surprised at how much energy the girl is giving. Normally, the people she would meet aren't too keen to be very happy with the ruling atmosphere in Honnōji Academy. But Mako Mankanshoku is the first person that Akane has met.
"What's your name?" Mako asked.
Akane was hesitant to reveal her full name. Everybody at the school knows that those who bear the title "Kiryūin" are treated as royals. Either they fear her or avoid her because if anything happens in the slightest, then they get the boot. She doesn't want to be feared or treated like a princess. Akane wants to be an ordinary high school student girl and not have to deal with bearing the name that strikes fear in anyone she encounters. To play it safe for Mako's sake, Akane makes up a name that will fit her and hide her identity.
"Uh…Akane," she introduced.
"Akane?" Mako skewed her head to let her name process through. She is sure that Mako has heard of it before, but she cannot remember where exactly, considering that she was asleep in the classroom. "Well, then, it's nice to meet you!" Mako gives the brightest beam and lets out a hand to her.
To her surprise, Akane was grateful that Mako was kind enough to be friends with her. She didn't think any other people would want to be friends with someone who was the younger stepsister of the council president.
In return, Akane makes a bright beam and shakes her hand. She finds Mako very carefree and is willing to be normal, like how Akane wants to live a normal life in Honnōji Academy.
The trolley makes a couple of jolts. It must've hit something or faulty railroads. As the trolley heads higher, the view of Tokyo Bay is breathtaking for Akane. She can't imagine how the REVOC Corporation could fund and build such a large artificial island with the government's approval. Whatever the case may be, she may never know.
"So, Akane, are you a Second-Year?" Mako questioned the girl.
"Oh no," Akane responded. "I'm only a First-Year; I've started attending here since the beginning of the school year."
Mako inclined her head. "Oh, really?"
Akane nodded. "Mmm. I came from Kansu Junior High last year, so I ended up coming here," she explained.
"How'd you got in? Everyone knows that First-Years must undergo many tests to make sure they fit in to qualify?" Mako questioned.
Akane felt like a blush just touched her cheeks and turned her gaze away to look at the buildings that belonged to the One-Star class. "Oh, I guess I was just lucky," she assumed. "I mean, I didn't think there would be tests on that day when First-Years arrived." Akane finds Mako to be very nice to be around. Her attitude isn't like any of the hopeless gazes of the other No-Stars. She makes a small laugh with amusement.
The girls continue to chat along the way up on the tram. They told each other how they did on the entrance exams for the school. People say that every year, the entrance exams in Honnōji Academy is the one with the hardest exams in the world. Some of them have to deal with tons of rigorous exercises to see if they qualify for Honnōji Academy in different categories, and they get deducted a point overall.
It was only for a few minutes before they reached all the way to the top of Honnō City. The main campus is surrounded by a sixty-foot stone wall. It would be nearly impossible to get out and harder to get in, not for the trolley carts. There is a lift at the bottom of the harbor, but it is only reserved for students who are ranked One-Star or above.
Mako and Akane hop off the trolley to take in the sight of the city. Though the school is at the top, Honnō City is connected by a single bridge that leads them across Tokyo Bay. The sun rises higher, and the light shines on the mass of students getting to class before the bell rings. There is even a highway spiralings around the city from the No-Star slums to the school parking lot beside it.
"Wow," Akane breathed, taking in the sight of the Tokyo skyline. "What a view."
"I know!" Mako beamed from behind, giving Akane a hug, much to her surprise. "Coming to school and seeing this place is so cool!" Her voice makes a slight sense of excitement for Akane to feel.
The girl nodded. "Yeah!" she agreed.
"Well, Goodbye! I'll see you later, Akane!" Mako called happily with a smile. She waves over to her before running ahead to get to class.
"Okay, bye! It was nice meeting you!" Akane called back, waving at Mako.
Even for someone like Mako, the look on Akane's face turns down. Her mood was still hurt after yesterday, and she could see why. Though the students tend to ignore it, a student was hanging in barbed wire at the school entrance. Akane recognizes the body to be Suzuki, the boy who was "accused" of trying to steal a One-Star Goku Uniform. His head was hung down. Suzuki's face was bashed with drips of blood leaking from it. He was completely naked. After Gamagōri beat and stripped Suzuki of the Goku Uniform, the Student Council crucified him as an example to those who attended the academy who would dare oppose the will of Satsuki Kiryūin. There was a large paper note on his body for everyone who looked up to it. It said:
Here hangs a naked pig who dared to defy Honnōji Academy. As such, justice has been served.
Akane could imagine what his family would think when they found him crucified by the Student Council. Already, there was a crackdown on traitors to Honnōji Academy, and more No-Star students were setting an example like Suzuki as another day went by.
The sight of Suzuki makes Akane avert her eyes down to the ground. She doesn't have the faintest clue of why her sister would have to be so cruel. She was even cruel enough to punish those she encountered and not her for the actions that even a No-Star can do. The Disciplinary Committee Chair always beats them to a pulp.
It's not fair. Satsuki is smart enough to realize that the school environment will never give her results if she continues to suppress all of them.
Akane didn't notice that she was the only one at the entrance. There was literally no one around her as they got to class. As Akane processed her thoughts, a smooth girl's voice sounded behind her. "Here hangs a naked pig who dares to defy Honnōji Academy. As such, justice has been served." The girl's voice sounded like she was reading what the sign said.
Turning her head halfway, Akane founds herself staring at a seventeen-year-old girl with medium-length black hair with a single red highlight bang swept to her left. The pupils on her blue eyes seem gear-shaped around the irises. The girl seemed taller than Akane by about two inches, with the top of Akane's head reaching only to her eyes. She had a white collared shirt underneath her black-and-white bomber jacket though her sleeves were rolled up. Her red tie was loose, and she had a miniskirt underneath. She even wears a pair of white Jordans.
"Huh?" The girl questioned. "This city is dangerous, but the school sounds even worse." Unquestionably, the girl has an intrigued smirk on her face. "Interesting."
Akane never saw her before. She's seen many people who are in the No-Stars. Maybe it's because of the large number of No-Stars that she cannot keep count of who is who. "Uh…" she speaks out. "Hello?"
The girl starting at Suzuki's body didn't seem to realize that someone was standing there at the entrance. "Oh, hey," she responded. "I didn't see you there."
Akane shrugs. "Well, I'm a ghost," she said. "I move like I'm not here." She cannot be sure if the girl in front of her is a student at Honnōji Academy or a trespasser. "Uh…are you new?" Akane asked.
The girl adjusts something behind her back. Akane realized that she had a guitar case strapped to her back. "Uh… yeah," the girl replied. "I'm the new transfer student."
Akane raises an eyebrow. "I didn't know we had a transfer program."
The girl makes a smirk out of her mouth. "Ahh, what can I say?" she inquired. "I'm probably gonna enjoy this whole thing." The girl looks up at the broken boy. "Hey, uh, do you know this guy?" she asked, moving her eyes back to the hanging body.
Akane's face grimace with pain, not physical or emotional. She reverts her gaze back up to the entrance. "Only once," Akane answered. "His name is Suzuki, and he was accused of stealing something from this school."
The girl takes in the explanation in her head. She was curious about the incident. "Seriously?" she inquired. "What did he steal? A bag of pencils?"
Akane shakes her head. "No," she replied. "He didn't steal anything; I'm the one who did it."
The new girl turns to stare at Akane with a surprised expression. "Huh? You?" she inquired.
Akane nodded. "Suzuki came to me and said he needed something to rank him and his family. I didn't know that he was a spy of some sort." Her eyes avert to the body in front of them, and she looks down at the ground with shame. "I didn't want this to happen," said Akane. "I didn't want him to be killed because of me."
The new girl can see the hurtful look on Akane's face. She can understand the guilt that Akane must be feeling. "Hey, uh…it wasn't your fault," she assured. "Things like this happen."
Akane turns to the new girl to give a look of disgust. "Things like this happen?" she inquired. "What makes you think people do this outside of this place?"
The new girl shrugs. "Honestly, I don't know," she answered. "All I know is that this school is much more dangerous than the city." Her eyes turn to the entrance where the school campus. "And something tells me that it's going to get a whole lot badass in here."
Akane can see how the girl's smirk makes it easy for her. She is confused about why a person like the new girl can get excited about the school. She doesn't seem to know the system.
The new girl glances back at Akane. "By the way, kid, what's your name?" she asked.
Akane seems surprised at first before introducing her alias. "Akane."
The new girl raised an eyebrow. "Akane, huh?" She smiles and pats the top of her head. "Nice to meet you, kid. It was a nice talk."
Akane didn't get why the girl was all positive. She thinks she is so full of herself.
Akane's mouth curves up in return. "Uh… okay," she beamed.
The new girl adjusts her guitar case before waking forward. Akane notices that the new transfer student has a big, oversized guitar case, making her wonder why the new student would need a case. She finds something fascinating about the new transfer student. Despite the school's heat and oppressive energy, the new girl seems relaxed. It's like she doesn't care about how dangerous the school can be.
"Oh, what's your name, by the way?" Akane called the new girl.
The transfer student turns her head around and makes a beam. "It's Ryūko Matoi," she called.
[RYŪKO MATOI]
"And uh, I'll see you around." And with that, Ryūko starts walking herself to class.
Unnoticed by Ryūko, Akane felt very sick. Her skin got white, and her eyes were wide open like something shocking had happened. Her body gives off shivers of fright. She is sure that her ears aren't deceiving. She hasn't heard the name 'Matoi' for a while. Her eyes are almost dead fish in shock. The little fingers in her hand were shaking uncontrollably. She can't know of another Matoi before. At least, that is not what she thought until Ryūko showed up in front of her.
"M-Matoi?" Akane stammered. "It-it can't be." She felt like she was about to puke out the toast she had eaten for breakfast.
Akane has been very quiet for the rest of the periods. She had been feeling sick all afternoon. She felt like she was about to pass out because she found right that the new girl she had just met was a Matoi. She had to excuse herself to be in the restroom to splash some water on her face. Akane has never been sick before. Not like the flu season. Her stomach couldn't stop swirling around.
"Who is that girl?" Akane thought. She is sure the new girl she met is a very different person. "Matoi…As in…" Just thinking of the name makes Akane shake her head, completely fooling herself into believing another Matoi.
Akane had no idea how she would react if she ever met the Ryūko person again. At first, she thought that she must be dreaming or having the worst nightmare. She hopes to leave it past behind her, but instead, she gets confronted by Ryūko. Knowing that it will always come back deep down, Akane is sure to do her best to avoid meeting with Ryūko again for the rest of the day.
When the school bell rings, a loud siren blares off, and Akane gathers her things to start walking out in the middle of the schoolyard. Akane puts the thought of Ryūko behind her head and just walks over to find something to do. Frankly, Akane had no other people to come to because some of them wouldn't want to associate themselves with Akane due to her status as Lady Satsuki's stepsister.
Despite the school's tyrannical lifestyle, the students' daily lives normally come and go because neither of them cared much. None seem bothered to be taken over because the students know they are always at the bottom of the food chain. If the students keep their heads down, they'll survive.
Akane was walking down the schoolyard, humming to a music song she liked, when a loud call was shouting her name.
"Akane! Akane! Akane!"
The girl removes one of the earphones when she hears her name being called. To her surprise, it was Mako Mankanshoku, and she tackled her to hug her.
"Uh, Mako! Uh, it's good to see you," Akane said, strained by the bear hug Mako gave her.
"Akane, guess what? We have a new transfer student, and her name's Ryūko." She turns to the person behind her. "Ryūko! Ryūko! Ryūko! Over here!" Akane turns her head over, and to her horror, the person walking behind Mako is Ryūko Matoi.
Akane stands still, uncertain as to how to react to seeing Ryūko. She can feel her skin starting to sweat. She has never been more afraid than before. She is unsure what to do now that Ryūko is attending Honnōji.
Mako and Ryūko arrive shortly afterward, with Mako giving a hug. "Hi, Akane. How are you?" Mako beamed.
Akane gives a sheepish smile of uncertainty when Mako's face is pressed against her cheeks. "Uh…I'm… I'm doing fine," she responded with a bit of nervousness. Akane had never met such an energic person as Mako Mankanshoku. She may seem weird to everyone else, but Akane didn't want to ruin her chance of making another friend.
Ryūko gives Akane a smile. "Looks like you seem to be doing fine," she said.
Akane has been nervous about the two of them. She is incredibly worried about Ryūko. She swallows a lump and says to Ryūko, "Guess so."
Akane notices that Ryūko has a guitar case behind her back. "Hey, do you play guitar?" she asked.
Ryūko blinks off once. "Uh…no, not really," she answered.
"So why do you have a guitar case for?" Akane inquired. "I mean, aren't you like in a band?"
"A band?" Mako exclaimed. "Oh, are you in a band? Why not we form a band?" Mako was going to form a music band since she noticed that Ryūko had her own guitar case.
Akane was making a small smile of astonishment. Out of all the people she came in contact with, none of them had ever been so energic as Mako. "Uh…" She had no idea what to say to the girl. There is something definitely weird with the girl that she met.
"So…" Ryūko began, ignoring Mako's terrible singing to Akane. "Do you know this place? Like, who's the top dog around here and stuff?"
Akane is sure that her guts are telling her not to tell Ryūko about the school system. She thought maybe she could go easy with Ryūko and was about to explain to her about the school when Mako suddenly grabbed the two of them by the neck and forced them to bow their heads.
"Whoa! Look out, Ryūko and Akane! Bow! Bow!" Mako panicked.
Akane gave a small yelp as she was forced to bow her head over. She saw a straight line of No-Star students forming a line stretched for miles, all bowing their heads. She knows who's coming. Knowing the school's rules is not very hard if they keep their heads down.
Akane glances up, taking her eyes to see Ira Gamagōri walking ahead. He walked down the stairs with the first line of One-Star students before heading to solid ground.
Ryūko had to crouch below to take a better look at Gamagōri. Unlike the other students, Ryūko seemed rather bored with the appearance of the muscle guy coming by. "He looks like a big shot," said Ryūko, drawling in her tone.
Akane's mouth pursed together, hoping Ryūko would know the school's rules by now. "Ryūko, please, don't be rude," she pleaded. "This is the Disciplinary Committee Chair you're talking about." Her voice was barely a whisper to avoid getting attention from the muscle man.
"Disciplinary Committee Chair?" Ryūko inquired.
"Yeah, he's a Three-Star," Mako divulged.
Akane could see how Ryūko didn't seem to care much about who or what the Three-Star was. Akane hopes Ryūko doesn't cross the line as Gamagōri walks by them. While he was walking, he took a short glance at Akane. The girl can still feel the iron gaze of Gamagōri hardening on her back. She kept her head down as he walked past her.
Ryūko watches Gamagōri walk on with her hand under her chin to support her head. "So, that's him?" she inquired.
"Yeah, it is him," said Akane. "Ira Gamagōri is the school's Disciplinary Committee Chair. A member of the Elite Four of the Student Council. A Three-Star student."
"Three-Star?" Ryūko asked.
"This school is divided based on star ranks," Mako explained. "He's an elite because he's a Three-Star student. Three ranks above us, the No-Star students."
"No-Stars?"
"Think of it as the rich and the poor class," Akane interjected. "The school has a Three-Star ranking system based on the amount of work you've done, your loyalty, and your commitment to the school. The school has these Goku Uniforms that give off some power over one another. The more stars you have, the more powerful you get."
"Like superhuman abilities," Mako added. "They go from One-Star to Three-Star. Our student council president, Satsuki Kiryūin, handles these uniforms based on the student's abilities. Long story short, they're awesome. Did you get all that?"
Ryūko pursed her lips together, processing everything about the school system and the uniforms. "So, what you two are saying is…the student council president is the top dog?"
"Yep," said Mako. "And speak of the devil; here she comes."
Right on cue, shining lights glimmered from the staircase, where Akane could see the older stepsister coming into view. Her eyes averted her figure and look down at the ground. She wanted to come up and speak up to Satsuki, but she doubted her sister would listen. She thought it might be best to talk to her until she could get rid of the guilt that caused Suzuki to die at her hands.
Akane hears a whooshing noise beside her. She turned up, and to her shock, Ryūko was standing in the middle of Satsuki's pathway, blocking her way. Her hands are in her pocket like a street punk trying to intimidate a person.
"What is she doing?!" Akane whispered.
All the other students who were bowing were now shocked as Akane was when they saw some random student coming up to Satsuki's face. "Sorry to interrupt, but I heard that you are the queen bee of this school," Ryūko proclaimed loudly. "Well, if you are, I've got a question for you."
Akane stands up, looking at Ryūko with very wide eyes. Her breath stuck to her throat. She wonders what Ryūko is thinking. Doesn't she know the school system already despite explaining it to her? Some students break formation and watch the girl standing against the student council president.
"How dare you!" one of the One-Star students exclaimed.
"Get her!"
About seven or eight One-Star students at once jumped to dogpile the girl for defying the student council president. What Akane didn't expect was for Ryūko to smack all eight of the One-Star goons with one swing of her guitar case.
Ryūko opens the guitar case to brand her weapon out. The weapon that Akane saw made her even sicker to her stomach. She saw Ryūko twirling it around her wrist before pointing the weapon at Satsuki.
Akane's and everyone else's eyes are wide open. All of them besides Satsuki were shocked that the weapon that Ryūko brought out was a shiny red frisked scissor. The weapon was just as long as the guitar case.
"Is that…a pair of scissors?"
"But with no half."
Akane's throat seems to close off, sealing her lungs. Her stomach was twisting from the inside. She gulped at the sight of the scissor blade that was in the palms of Ryūko Matoi. Once she saw the scissor blades, Akane could only cower her head. "Oh crap," she muttered.
"That's the hugest scissor blade ever!" Mako exclaimed in shock, holding her face like she was surprised.
Akane turns to Satsuki, who doesn't seem to be surprised by the appearance of the weapon. She looked rather calm than before.
"Yep," Ryūko confirmed. "It's one half of the giant pair of scissors." Her blue gear eyes looked dangerously close to rage. "And I've been looking all over the place for the person who's got the other half."
Akane ducks her head even lower to be below the crowd of students around her. Akane is getting even paler. She cowers behind one of the tallest students in the crowd to avoid getting spotted by anyone, especially Ryūko.
"Hey, prez, you okay?" Ryūko taunted. "You looked surprised to see this thing. Like you have seen this thing before? You have seen it before, haven't you?" Her voice starts to rise with anger.
Akane can hear how pissed Ryūko must sound, considering how Satsuki is not concerned by the sight of the scissor blade. She lowers herself to the point where she looks smaller than before. She felt that Satsuki was probably looking at her, but the young woman never left her sight off Ryūko.
"And what if I have?" Satsuki inquired.
Satsuki's answer shocked Ryūko. She comes to conclude that Satsuki knows of the scissor blade. "You have seen it!" she accused. "You've got the other half of my scissors!"
Akane gasped when she saw Ryūko charging upward toward Satsuki with the scissor blade in her palms.
Ryūko raises the scissor blade and brings it upwards to get ready to stab Satsuki with the scissor blade. She leaps up and right as she can stab Satsuki—
SMACK!
[TEK-KEN-FUN-SAI]
Ryūko lets out a painful grunt when a student uses a massive boxing glove to smack Ryūko so hard that her body is sent to the mass crowd of One-Star students. Bodies flew everywhere after the punch delivered a massive blow to Ryūko.
Akane couldn't believe how foolish Ryūko went to kill her stepsister. Seeing Ryūko getting smacked so hard made her stand up to the place where Ryūko was sent. "Ryūko!" she called.
Satsuki spots Akane in the crowd, but it pays no heed to her calling out to Ryūko. She turns to the person at the staircase. "Fukuroda," Satsuki addressed the student in front of her.
Akane's eyes redirect to the teenager slightly shorter than her with gray-light green eyes, buzz-cut hair, and a noticeably missing tooth.
"Yes," he responded. "Captain of the Boxing Club. Takaharu Fukuroda."
[BOXING CLUB PRESIDENT]
[TAKAHARU FUKURODA]
Akane stared at the student. He wears a two-star Goku Uniform consisting of a large pair of red boxing gloves, a head guard, a boxing robe, boxing shorts secured with a championship belt, and very high-top sneakers. She knows who Takaharu is. In fact, he's been pressing her to join his Boxing Club for some time.
"I'll finish this insolent little wretch off," Takaharu offered. "With your permission."
"She's yours," Satsuki agreed.
Ryūko smacks her way out of the crowd and sprints forward to Takaharu. "Move it!" she shouted. "Out of my way!"
Ryūko swings at Takaharu with her scissor blade, but unfortunately, the blade only clashes with the boxing glove that is hard as steel.
Akane held her breath as she watched the squall between Ryūko and Takaharu begin. She notices that the sky is growing darker with the clouds rolling in. She expects a rainy day, according to forecasts. But it doesn't concern her. What's worrying her is that Ryūko's going to get pummeled by someone who wears a Goku Uniform.
"Is that glove made of iron or something?" Ryūko questioned.
"Huh!" Takaharu laughed. "Don't you know a Goku Uniform when you see one?" He was taunting the new girl.
"What? You're not even wearing a uniform," Ryūko pointed out.
"What are you talking about?" Takaharu protested. "A boxer's uniform means gloves and trunks and other stuff! Plus, Lady Satsuki gave this Athleticism-Augmenting Two-Star Goku Uniform!" Takaharu shows off his boxing glove and raises it high enough for Ryūko to see the uniform.
[ATHLETICISM-AUGMENTING TWO-STAR GOKU UNIFORM]
"It infuses my boxing gloves with power, making them harder than hard," said Takaharu, full of pride. "Stronger than strong!"
Akane squeezes herself to get a better look at the state of the fight. She can see the big bruise on Ryūko's face after taking the hit by Takaharu's boxing glove. She wants to come over and stop the fight, but it won't help because Ryūko has no idea who she's going up against. Anyone who doesn't have a Goku Uniform or is weaker by a star always gets killed. She doesn't want that to happen to Ryūko.
Despite taking the hit, Ryūko's smirk never leaves as she is full of anticipation. "I don't get what you're saying, but if there's that hard, I can stop pulling my punches." Ryūko twisted her scissor blades to let the light reflect off its crimson blade as if she were insulting the boxer captain.
Takaharu doesn't seem to like Ryūko's attitude and growls like a dog. "You think I can't handle it!" He brings his left boxing glove back before throwing a punch. Instead of one glove, the boxing glove sprouts into a chain of multiple boxing gloves to Ryūko. "Get ready!"
Akane's mouth croaks with a small hole as she witnesses Ryūko getting pulverized by multiple boxing gloves from all directions. As the assault begins, rain starts falling on the schoolyard. Everyone who is around the fight is going to get soaking wet from the rain. The rain was dropping on Akane's face. She turns away to grimace and closes her eyes to stop seeing more brutal assaults on Ryūko.
"Here's the left jab to rude your ass!" Akane can hear Takaharu exclaiming out to Ryūko as she can hear multiple punches coming from the fight. "And another! And a left hook! And a right uppercut to finish you off!"
Akane's closed eyes twitched under the tension that was building up between Takaharu and Ryūko. Followed by a loud punch, Akane can hear a bone-cracking crash. When the girl opens her eyes, Akane feels more empathy for Ryūko.
The tomboyish girl brave enough to stand up against Satsuki is now in the crater formed from her crash with multiple punch bruises all over her body and face. She was gargling hard to breathe after experiencing her first defeat. Blood was spewing from her mouth and nose. Ryūko was fortunate to survive Takaharu's punch spam.
Akane's face turns to hurt after seeing Ryūko. "Oh, Ryūko…" she muttered.
"I was hoping you prove amusing, but you have no idea how to properly use your weapon," said Satsuki.
Akane turns up to Satsuki at the top of the platform. Seeing how Satsuki is disappointed with Ryūko means she is dissatisfied with the result. She even heard her muttering lowly, "Fool."
"Hold it!" Ryūko croaked. Akane could see how Ryūko was trying to get back up. Even though she is hurt badly, Ryūko tries to get back up. She holds her hand out to Satsuki. "You do know something, don't ya!" she yelled. "You better tell me something or else!" Akane cannot let Ryūko get thrashed by Takaharu because she openly defied the student council president. It was her first day, and already Akane could not let Ryūko die. Suzuki had already paid the price with his life, and now she cannot let the ongoing killings continue.
"Shut yer trap!" Takaharu springs up into action and brings both legs up. Just when Ryūko can get back up, Akane zips past the crowd and heads on to Ryūko.
Just before Takaharu can inflict more damage on Ryūko, Akane steps in the front and brings both hands to grab Takaharu's feet by the air, stopping him in midair.
"What the—?!" Takaharu gasped in shock. "L-Little Miss Akane?!"
Satsuki stops walking and turns to the girl who blocked Takaharu's kick to save the new girl. Her eyes never shine away from the gaze as she watches the brawl coming to a halt.
Ryūko tried to get up, but then she collapsed from exhaustion and pain consuming her body. She was, however, able to lift her head up to stare at Akane with surprise. "A-Akane?" she croaked; her throat dries from the screaming.
Akane stays firmly in Takaharu's shoes. Her eyes give a pleading gaze to the captain. "Please, Captain Takaharu Fukuroda," she said. "She's just a new transfer student. She doesn't know the rules of this school." She never looked away from Takaharu's disgusted look. "She doesn't deserve to get hurt on her first day here."
"You think she can be forgiven!" Takaharu shouted, causing the girl to flinch back. The boxing captain removes his feet from Akane and flares fire at the girl. "You should know your place, brat! She has disrespected Lady Satsuki, the Student Council President! There must be repercussions for her insolence!"
Akane didn't falter about his angry rant or lack of respect after pummeling the girl. "I don't think she will be able to do anything if she can't stand," she bargained. "So, if you want to make an example, you can hit me."
Takaharu's eyes grew wide. He is still standing with his gloves, ready to pounce on Ryūko, but he never expected Akane to take her place. He turns to Satsuki, who is watching them. "Lady Satsuki? Will you be willing to let me set an example for her?"
"Denied," Satsuki answered. Takaharu makes a slight sound of disappointment.
Akane watches Satsuki coming forward to her. Takaharu stands aside and kneels as Satsuki comes closer to where she is towering over her. "Akane, if you are defying me because I don't—"
"It's not defiance I am displaying," Akane interrupted.
"How dare you!" Takaharu shouted. "You may speak only when Lady Satsuki—"
Satsuki held a hand to silence the boxing captain and let Akane speak. She waits patiently as Akane stares up with her hazel eyes.
"I'm only stopping any more bloodshed. There have been enough punishments for this week," Akane pleaded. "Let her be to know the rules."
Akane can feel her nerves roaring underneath her skin. She can't be sure if Satsuki will take her word for it. "I don't want to fight with you, Lady Satsuki, but I don't want to see any more students hurt because of their mistakes," she stated. "Especially since Ryūko is new here. So please, I asked you to let hers know that she is in no position to defy you, milady." To show Satsuki her support, Akane bows slightly but she kept gazing at her sister's cold blue eyes.
Satsuki didn't seem convinced of Akane's testimonial. She looked very disgusted with her actions. Akane is sure that Satsuki will also punish her for standing up to the new student. Yet again, Satsuki turns around and heads back up the stairs.
"If you wish to let me spare her life, then you should be the one who must straighten her out," Satsuki suggested. "Fukuroda, confiscate her scissor blade."
"Yes, ma'am," Takaharu complied.
Akane heard a clinking noise behind her and turned her head over to the battered and bruised Ryūko supporting herself with her scissor blade. "Over my dead body!" Ryūko squawked. "This is the last thing I'll hand over to you! Never!"
Akane can see how the fire in Ryūko's eyes still burns even after taking the full hit of Takaharu's punches. She comes over to Ryūko and helps her up. She puts distance between Ryūko and Takaharu. "Ryūko, please, you don't have to do this," she whispered. "Just give her the scissors."
"No!" Ryūko barked, struggling to break free from Akane. "No, I won't! I won't give up this scissor!" Ryūko didn't even have the strength to fight back against Akane because she was badly beaten. She tried to lift her sword, but her arm wouldn't hold it steady. "Shit!" Left with no choice, Ryūko breaks away from Akane and runs away.
"Ryūko!" Akane called. "Ryūko, where are you going!" She doesn't know where Ryūko is headed until she comes to the front entrance, where she bumps into a delivery man and steals his motorbike to escape.
Takaharu goes after her, but by the time he reaches the entrance, Ryūko is already gone. "Damn it," Takaharu cursed. "One thing's for sure; she knows how to retreat."
Akane was left in the middle of the rainy day, staring at the entrance where Ryūko left off with the scissor blade. She will soon know that her encounter with Ryūko will change her school life forever.
A lot to go over. So basically, I've been busy with my real life and maintaining the freedom to write some of the stories I wanted to post. And don't get me wrong. It's been a hell of a pain over the past month or so. If you like what the story has to offer, then please give a follow-up on the next chapter post, and don't forget to leave down some of your thoughts on the story. Have a good night, readers.