Kill la Kill [AU]
Ryumako/Mankatoi (Ryuuko Matoi x Mako Mankanshoku)
Food Makes the World Go Round
Chapter 2 [Read Chapter 1]
A cheesy high school AU where Ryuuko and her gang vow to take down Satsuki Kiryuuin of the student council, who is the leader of a gang herself. Yet on the first day of her second year, Ryuuko meets Mako Mankanshoku, and life ends up taking a completely different path than Ryuuko planned.
"Say 'aaaah', Ryuuko-chan!" Acting on instinct, Ryuuko slapped the chopsticks holding a croquette between them away from her face and onto the ground. "Ooo, you're crankier than I thought you were Ryuuko-chan!"
"Come an eyebrow, "I was trying to talk to you and you just shove food in my face!" again?" Ryuuko cocked
"Of course!" Mako said as she stood up, "You seem cranky! You probably didn't get a lot of sleep during the summer!"
'Huh?' Mako grabbed Ryuuko's face and seemed to study it.
"Yup! You have bags under your eyes for sure. No wonder you seem so cranky! You probably woke up late because you were so tired and didn't have time to eat breakfast. Mhmm, that explains it!"
"Oy, oy! Could you please try and make a bit more sense? Why'dya try shoving food down my throat?" Mako folded her arms and shook her head.
"Food makes the world go round, Ryuuko-chan!
"Eh? Don't you mean love?"
"Nope! Food makes the world go round!" Mako said as she drew a circle with her fingers, "Since the dawn of time, a lack of food has made people angry enough to revolt against their leaders!" She began to act out a scene of an old beggar protesting, "If these revolutions were to happen today it would be going against modernization!" Now she was hunched over and rubbing her chopsticks together as if she was a caveman trying to make a fire with two sticks, "So you have to eat Ryuuko-chan!" She pretended to be Ryuuko as she stomped on the food left on the ground, "Don't be angry Ryuuko-chan," and then acted out a one man scene of what Ryuuko guessed was supposed to be her taking out the Prime Minister of Japan, "Don't start a revolt!"
Ryuuko's eyes met the ground. 'Ironically I am kinda plannin' a revolt, but not 'cause I'm hungry or anythin'" She opened her mouth to say something to Mako, but the bell rang. 'Fuckin' A, looks like I'm the slacker in the gang. Can't even get one girl t' leave.' After looking up, Ryuuko realized Mako was still there staring straight at her.
"What do ya, want?'
"To walk back to class together, silly!" Realizing she had no choice, Ryuuko looked over her shoulder to her group of idiots who snickered at her. She shot them a glare and motioned with her hand that they could leave. Turning around to Mako, Ryuuko put her hands in her jacket pockets and began making her way back to the classroom. Noticing that the bubbly girl wasn't at her side, Ryuuko stopped and looked back.
"You comin' toots?" Mako had picked up the food that was on the ground and threw it away in the trashcan before jogging to Ryuuko's side, tripping a bit over her own feet. 'Damn, I feel kinda bad. Even though it wasn't that much of her lunch, it was still wasted.' Mako reached Ryuuko and waited for her to start walking. Instead, Ryuuko avoided eye contact and brushed a hand through her hair, "Hey, uh, listen. Sorry 'bout your lunch. I'll buy ya somethin' at the vendin' machine on the way back, sound fair?"
"Ooo, really? Iced coffee it is then, Ryuuko-chan!"
"Yea, yea." The two began to make their way back to the classroom in silence. Ryuuko could obviously tell that Mako was itching to talk because she kept looking over at her and smiling. As they approached the vending machine, Ryuuko had decided to try and break the awkward silence between them.
"Iced coffee, right?"
"Mhm!"
"Here ya go then." The delinquent handed the other her drink, not looking in her direction and making sure that their hands wouldn't touch.
"Thank you Ryuuko-chan!" Mako exclaimed, beaming a smile at Ryuuko. She put the drink in her bag and her eyes locked onto her wristwatch. Mako's eyes widened in fear and she let out a gasp, "Oh no!"
"Hm?" Ryuuko asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ryuuko-chan, we have 3 minutes! We're gonna be late if we don't hurry up!"
"It ain't no biggi—"
"We gotta run, Ryuuko-chan. Run at the speed of light!" Mako said, grabbing Ryuuko's wrist and taking off as if she was in a 5k marathon.
"O-Oy! Calm down already it doesn't really matter if we're late!"
"We can't be late to class Ryuuko-chan, it's the first day!" Mako exclaimed as they turned the corner. They finally made it to the door as the final bell rang and the two girls quickly made their way to their seats.
The rest of the day went by slowly for Ryuuko; it was always like this on the first day. Eventually school was over and teens piled out of the school along with Ryuuko. She went to her usual meeting spot and discussed what she couldn't talk about at lunch with her gang. After a few hours of planning and practicing techniques, Ryuuko headed to her room in the dorms. 'You have bags under your eyes for sure. No wonder you seem so cranky!' Mako's words from earlier rang in her mind and she shook her head. 'Geez that girl is something, huh?' Ryuuko thought as she entered her room, throwing off her shoes. She changed into her pajamas and collapsed onto her bed. 'I feel kinda bad for her though, she doesn't seem to have any friends and she was sittin' by herself in our spot...' was one of her last thoughts as she began to fall asleep.
Beep beep! Beep beep!
Ryuuko's hand slowly reached its way to slam down on the off button on her alarm clock. It took a few seconds for her to actually sit up, but when she did, she grabbed a towel and her clothes and went to take a quick shower before heading out. After rinsing herself off, Ryuuko headed off to class. When she walked in through the door, she saw Mako waving to her.
"Ryuuko-chan! Ryuuko-chan!" Ryuuko inwardly groaned as she made her way over to her seat. When she sat down, Mako frowned.
"What?"
"Ryuuko-chan, your hair's all wet."
"Uh, yea. I just showered. What's the problem?"
"If you come to school with your hair wet, it might drip onto your papers!" Mako explained. "That's no good! It'll make the paper all ugly and when it dries it'll be all crinkly!" In order to express her point Mako took out a piece of paper and pulled on a few strands of Ryuuko's hair so water would fall onto the paper.
"Ow! What the hell?" Clearly the other girl wasn't paying attention to what Ryuuko had to say, because she shoved the piece of paper in Ryuuko's face.
"See! It's starting to dry up but it looks all ugly! And if it doesn't do that then it's so easy to rip the paper. Take better care of your hair and your paper, Ryuuko-chan!"
"If I shower right before I go to bed then I might catch a cold!" 'Jeez, just what's up with this girl?'
"Well, just shower—" Mako started.
"Alright class, time to begin!" Mr. Mikisugi said, stopping every conversation in its tracks. Class went by in the blink of an eye, though that might have been on account of Ryuuko barely paying attention. Her mind was once again absorbed in thoughts of defeating Satsuki, and maybe Ryuuko thought about the odd girl who sat next to her once or twice. When the bell rang to dismiss them to lunch and Mako quickly turned to face Ryuuko.
"Wait Ryuuko-chan!"
"Hm?"
"Guess what!"
"What?"
"Ryuuko-chan! You have to guess!"
"Kiryuuin retired as principal and her daughter is moving to another school?" Mako gasped, seemingly genuinely appalled by what Ryuuko had just said.
"How could you say something like that Ryuuko-chan?"
"Bite me. Now spill. What's up?"
"I made you something!"
"Huh?"
"Well last night when I got to my room I thought to myself, 'Hey that Ryuuko-chan sure was cranky today. I sure wish there was a way I could help her!'" Mako explained, as she began to rummage through her school bag for something, "Then it hit me! I thought that if I made you something then you wouldn't have to be so cranky! So…" Mako found what she was looking for, but she held it in the bag to create suspense, "I made you lunch!" She presented Ryuuko a red bento box, with a label on it reading 'Ryuuko-chan,' surrounded in a bunch of hearts and drawings of bunnies.
"A-Ah, thanks." Ryuuko replied, a bit embarrassed at how Mako had decorated her bento box.
"I also have some tea that tastes great with it! If you aren't a germaphobe then we can share, how does that sound?"
"Oy, listen. I appreciate you doin' all this stuff n' all but I told you yesterday that where I hang out at lunch is top secret and it's for talkin' about serious business. D'ya got that?"
"I know!" Mako stated matter of factly, "It's not like I'm gonna tell Satsuki-sama or anything you and your friends say, Ryuuko-chan!" Ryuuko sat there for a while, hesitating.
"Okay you can stay but you have to be willing to leave if I tell ya too, and if you tell anyone 'bout what my lil' friends and I say at lunch, you've got another thing comin'. Got it?"
"Mhm! Loud and clear, Ryuuko-chan!"
"Let's go then." Ryuuko said, getting up and heading towards the door. Mako followed her closely. They walked to the meeting place and sat down. A few gang members were waiting there, eagerly waiting Ryuuko and some information on her new friend and the bento box she was holding.
"Yo boss! Who's the 'lil lady you brought with ya?" One member said, while the others snickered, "She don't look like much of a fighter," He redirected his attention to Mako, "but I could be mistaken. So little lady, ya know how to throw a few punches n' kicks?" Mako looked confused and opened her mouth to say something, but Ryuuko gave her subordinate a narrow look.
"Leave her alone. She's just gonna eat here." Mako was surprised by the fact that Ryuuko stood up for her, but a smile spread across her face.
"Eh? What if she goes talkin' 'bout our plans to Princess?" Someone groaned.
"Then I'll handle her. We've already talked about it, don't act like I'm irresponsible." Mako nodded and intervened.
"That's right! Ryuuko-chan's not irresponsible at all! She's working hard. She may be super cranky and never pays attention in class," 'Not like you do either." Ryuuko internally countered. "But it's probably because she's so invested in whatever it is you guys are planning! So be kind to Ryuuko-chan, she's trying her best to succeed in this shared goal of yours!" There was silence. 'This chick…just what's her deal?'
"Let's go sit down and eat lunch. We can talk about Princess and shit while we eat."
"Yes boss!"
After discussing sneak attacks, and eating the bento Mako had made for Ryuuko, lunch was over and, soon after, the school day was over as well. Mako headed to her room and Ryuuko headed to the meeting grounds to train. Eventually it was time to head back to the dorms and the gang began to chat a bit as they collected their belongings.
"Yo boss, who's that chick that was actin' all buddy-buddy with ya at lunch?" One member asked.
"Yea she looked familiar. Was she the girl from yesterday? She's kinda weird." Another pitched in.
"Really dude? I dunno I thought she was a cutie. A nice change a pace from someone tough like you boss." Said a third member of the gang. Ryuuko glared at him. "Uh. No offense."
"Don't go talkin' to her. You might scare her off and then she'll wanna tell Princess what's up." Ryuuko ordered, as she continued to put her things into her bag.
"Didn't you say you'd handle her if that happened?" There was no reply, "What, don't tell me you were bein' all talk n' no bite with her when you said that! D'ya have a thing for the girl already boss?" She tensed at this and gritted her teeth.
"Shuddup! I can't just be rude to a girl who's done nothin' against me. 'Sides, she may be useful and she is a nice change of pace. It's nice to talk to someone other than you dickwads."
"Woah calm down boss. We won't hit on your girlfriend or whatever." Ryuuko finished putting her things into her bag, threw it over her shoulder, and turned to the gang.
"Don't call her that. Anyways, I'll see ya later. You guys are a bit rusty on your techniques so be sure to work on that and have everything perfected so we can do somethin' next week. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am!" The gang said in unison.
As she made her way to the girls' dormitory, Ryuuko overheard two voices yelling at somebody. 'What the hells goin' on?" She thought. She hid behind the main entrance door and peeked into the lobby where she saw Hakodate and Fukuroda, two members of Satsuki's gang. They were cornering someone.
"Just tell us what you know 'bout Matoi's plans against Satsuki-sama!" Hakodate said, failing to control her anger.
"No! I promised Ryuuko-chan I wouldn't say anything!" Ryuuko's eyes widened and she clenched her grip on her bag. 'Fuck. I didn't think Princess would stoop so low as to go after her. And this soon?'
"What's the big deal? You just met her!" Fukuroda questioned, taking a step forward to intimidate Mako.
"She's the first real friend I have a chance at making and I'm not gonna let you two ruin that!"
"Oh please just stop it. You're being pathetic." Hakodate looked down on Mako as she said this. She brushed her blonde pigtails out of her face and gave the smaller girl a scowl. "It's obvious she's not interested in being your friend. You've never really had any so what'd be so bad about losing an almost-friend who won't care for you like you do her? We could be your friends if you just gave us what we wanted." 'Shit. Things are takin' a turn for the worst.'
"No!" Mako objected. Her answer took Ryuuko by surprise, but not enough to stop her from listening in.
"No? If you just told us what it is she talked around you, you could join us and work for Satsuki. You'd be surrounded by friends. Doesn't that sound nice?"
"I said no! I don't want to be friends with anyone like you two. I want to be friends with Ryuuko-chan!"
Fukuroda glared at Mako, trying to keep his composure, "You could be a lil' spy for us. That way you can hang out with your precious 'Ryuuko-chan' and still have us." He proposed.
"I said no!"
"You're such a frustrating little bitch!" Fukuroda pulled back his hand and Mako covered her face with her arms. Without thinking, words spilled out of Ryuuko's mouth:
"Mako, look out!"