Chapter Fourteen: It all Started with Dinner
"Huh, you want me to go meet your mother? What is this, an arranged marriage?" Ryuko spat out the croquette she was eating, and Mako who was sitting in front of her ducked, avoiding being hit by it, before she resumed her mad devouring of her own plate of croquettes.
"Correction, Ryuko I don't want you to meet her, ever, if possible. She was the one who called me and insisted you come over for dinner." Satsuki corrected, her eyebrow quirking up as she watched the food projectile lodge into the common room wall to her left, where it cracked the plaster.
"Ugh, what does she want?" Ryuko moaned slumping down in her seat, her own plate of croquettes on her lap tipping preciously.
"I have good reason to believe that she might have figured something out. Knowing Nui she told that woman everything. If you had not been so trusting of her, this situation might never have arose." Satsuki pointed out.
"Well excuse me for being randomly thrown into some straight out the fantasy books fight against your evil mother." Ryuko waved her hand in the air for emphasis.
"You're not excused," Satsuki murmured before she turned towards the dorm door. It was a quiet Saturday morning and most of the students were still sleeping in, except for Ryuko and Mako who had stayed up all night with Satsuki as she briefed them on the plans. They had changed some points to accommodate various unseen variables but the end of the meeting had left Ryuko feeling hungry and confused.
"I expect you to be ready by five pm tonight." Satsuki instructed and turned to leave the dorm.
"And what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to act? Do I just go up to your mom and say 'wow I'm so glad to meet the psychopathic woman who leads an army of fucking clothes, and whose the mother to Ms. Frowny brows.' " Ryuko put her hands in the air with exasperation.
Satsuki, halfway out the door paused. "Just wear your best," she warned, clutching the doorframe with unnecessary force. "You'll need it," then she left, the sun streaming in through the open door before it closed.
"Ugh," Ryuko sighed and Mako looked over at her friend.
"Cheer up. Everything will be fine if you just eat your croquettes," Mako prompted as she picked up her plate and pushed it towards Ryuko's face. But Ryuko's mouth stayed closed and all the plate did was jab her in the face uselessly. "I put extra special mysterious ingredients in them," Mako added but Ryuko pushed the plate away with her hand.
"I'm not hungry anymore Mako," Ryuko said as she got up. Her stomach churned nervously as she thought of going against Satsuki's mother. "While you start studying Mako, I'm gonna go for a run. I'll be back before five," Ryuko ran out the door and Mako looked after her friend before she looked at the plate of croquettes in her hand. Shrugging she shoveled them down herself.
Ryuko came back with just enough time to shower and put on a nicer pair of shoes, black pants, a white shirt and Senketsu on top. She pocketed her scissor blade for extra measure and went outside to meet Satsuki, whose black limo was waiting outside the dorms.
"Fancy much?" Ryuko asked as she hopped in and buckled up. The car started off and Satsuki turned to Ryuko, her expression determined. "I have some rules you have to follow. If we are to get out of there alive, that is," Satsuki clarified and Ryuko blanched.
"Great so instead of just us going over for dinner, the paramedics will too." Satsuki ignored Ryuko's dark joke.
"Don't speak. The more you keep your mouth shut the less she can get out from us. Also keep close to me at all times. I don't want her separating us. The two of us have a better chance at escaping from her, than it is with just one. Another thing- pretend to know nothing. This way she'll have no reason to suspect you. I can cover and say that the thread Nui put into your head, once removed, had caused memory loss which wouldn't be too hard to believe. You got all that? Just act dumb, shouldn't be too hard for you."
"Yea, yea," muttered Ryuko as she bent over in her seat, too unsettled to make a comeback. "I feel like I'm going to be sick. I'm so nervous. I wonder if this is how guys feel when they have to go meet their girlfriend's family."
"Ryuko now is not the time to make jokes," Satsuki brushed her hair back and glanced at the girl who was still bent over.
"I'm not kidding. I think I really will be sick," Ryuko let out a loud groan and Satsuki's eyebrows shot up. "Driver pull over," she ordered.
By the time they made it to the mansion Ryuko felt slightly better.
"Whoa your house is killer," she announced as she looked at it. It was even bigger than Satsuki's place on the campus. The mansion was behind a stone fence, with perfectly manicured grass all around it. A stone pathway, which they drove up, lead to the front of the doors which were massive and heavy looking. They were-
"Hey!" Ryuko cried out as Satsuki yanked her away from the car window which she had had her face pressed against.
"We're not here to admire my house," Satsuki warned and Ryuko sighed. They exited the car and were lead through the house by a butler. They went down so many corridors Ryuko lost track, until they reached a grand dining room. The place was lit up and a magnificent feast was laid out on the table. Ryuko's stomach grumbled and she swallowed down a mouth of saliva. This feast alone could feed her family for more than a year, and here it was only to be consumed for four people for one meal.
"Mother, we have arrived," Satsuki intoned and Ryuko hadn't noticed that someone was in the room; her gaze had immediately gone to the food.
A tall shapely woman wearing a way too revealing outfit was standing at the end of the room by a window sipping wine from her glass. She put it down on the table and approached the two girls, her heels click clacking. "Welcome my dears," she spread her hands out before clasping them together. Ryuko felt Senketsu shiver and she allowed herself to do the same. Something was off about this woman. She just didn't know what. Was it the gray hair with rainbow streaks on the underside or her inhumane looking eyes?
"I am Ragyo Kiryuin, Satsuki's mother," At this Satsuki snorted almost inaudibly. "You must be Ryuko Matoi. Nui, my daughter has told me a lot about you," Ragyo said and gestured to the table. "She's taken quite a liking to you and has behaved quite inappropriately. I heard from Satsuki that she gave you quite some trouble and therefore I decided it was only acceptable to treat you to dinner."
Nui was Ragyo's daughter? It all made sense given the creepy vibes both of them gave off. But then what happened to Satsuki? She was different from the both of them.
"Nui is not your daughter, mother. She's just a puppet for your whims." Satsuki whispered as she brushed past her mother and sat down at the table. Whoa, someone isn't hiding their hatred very well.
"My, my, it seems little Satsuki is jealous." Ragyo elbowed Ryuko. "Sit down," she said as she lead the way to the table.
"Also Nui will be joining us too," Ragyo said as she grabbed her wine of glass again.
"Nui?" Ryuko muttered before she remembered she wasn't supposed to remember Nui, or speak a lot at all. She focused on shutting her mouth up with good food. She glanced around the laden table and piled several slabs of meat, half a pound of mashed potatoes, a smattering of vegetables and a chunk of bread on her plate.
Satsuki was eating her one piece of meat very daintily, casting furtive glances at her mother and then Ryuko.
"Yes, that's me!" a bright cheery voice announced and the blonde haired girl entered the room. She plopped herself in front of Ragyo, leaving Ryuko to her left and Satsuki to her right. "Hey Ryuko-chan," She cheered to which Ryuko tried her best to ignore.
"Oh, don't tell me you don't remember your dearest friend Ryuko, after all the fun we had." Nui grumped as she placed her hand in her chin and pouted at Ryuko.
"Fun?" Ryuko growled, stopping her eating and clenching her fork hard. She imagined it was her scissor blade, and she was going to swing it straight into Nui's eyeball.
"Nui, Ryuko doesn't remember what happened after she pulled your thread out," Satsuki interjected saving Ryuko.
Calm down Ryuko; don't let her get to you. Senketsu's voice filled Ryuko's head.
I swear she does it so easily. I could have the patience of an angel and she'd still shatter it.
"Oh, that's a pity. I might just have to redo everything," Nui smiled drawing out the last word.
"So you lost your memories, is that correct Ryuko?" Ragyo asked swirling her wine.
"Uh...uh," Ryuko looked at Satsuki for help. Should she speak? But Satsuki was suddenly taken with her green beans.
"Yea," Ryuko muttered out a last. "I mean I know basic stuff about me, but I was, uh very confused when I woke up today. I still have no idea what's happening."
"Hmm, that is a pity. But it is a joy to have you here. I've heard a lot about you from Nui. She says you're a very special little girl. I did some research on you before you got here, if you pardon the intrusion, but it's not every day a child of mine wants to make a friend so badly. And Satsuki here is no exception. I hear her and Nui have been fighting over you. Almost to the death!" Ragyo hummed and sipped her wine finding it pleasing that her daughters were trying to kill each other.
"Mother," Satsuki warned. "What are you getting at?" she glanced up from her plate to send her mother a death stare. But Ragyo just took another sip of her wine.
"I've always told my daughters to share their things, after all it's not nice to fight, especially when the thing they are fighting for turns out to be closer to home then they'd expect."
Ryuko didn't understand this woman. She was speaking in riddles. But apparently Satsuki understood them.
"What are you getting at?" Satsuki repeated through gritted teeth.
"Satsuki, remember the little sister you thought had died?"
Satsuki let her utensils clatter to the table; her brows had descended so far her eyes were barely visible. "The one you murdered for your own means?" she asked calmly
"Well it turns out she's right here, under our noses the whole time." Ragyo finished and smirked.
Satsuki stood up fast, her hands angrily hitting the table. "You lie! You evil wretched cow!" she wanted to scream out but instead said, "How? Is this a lie?" with as much calm as she could, trying to keep the inner thunderstorm of emotion from leaking into her voice.
Ryuko's head was spinning. Was Satsuki's sister at the school?
"My dear, there's two things I don't lie about. Whether those clothes make you look fat, and details regarding blood work."
"You liar," Satsuki screamed mentally. "You know how much I yearned for a little sister, to protect her, to have someone to share my misery with." A huge part of her was happy she had finally gotten her sister back, but a small chunk was worried that Ragyo was acting on her weakness, just testing her out. Maybe a punishment for her plans. But instead of once again saying this Satsuki followed her mother's line of sight and turned her gaze on Ryuko. Ragyo took a sip of her wine, the red staining her lips as she beamed a predatory smile.
"It turns out little Ryuko here is your sister."
Ryuko froze, the blood sloshing in her ears. Hold up. Hold on one fucking minute. Wasn't it just established she was a piece of fucking cloth, probably created by her mad scientist father, how in the blue hell was she related to the CEO of REVOC'S and Satsuki.
The wine in Ragyo's cup swished, suddenly seeming dark and deep like blood. Satsuki was still staring in astonishment at Ryuko before she sat down. "So that's why you called us over. I'm glad to have found my real long lost sister."
"Indeed, I am glad too. Nui told me she was unsettled by how upset you seemed by your sister's death and so she decided to do some research. It turns out that she had dropped by your college because that's where her sources had lead her, and she managed to find your beloved 'dead' sister." Ragyo titled her head to Satsuki. "Really you were over here complaining about Nui but all she was doing was helping you out. She does love you despite what you think. So don't be cruel to your sister." Satsuki clenched her jaw. She couldn't tell if Nui had told her mother the truth of Satsuki's plans. She narrowed her eyes at her younger sibling and Nui smiled her eye twinkling merrily. Satsuki turned to look at Ryuko trying to keep her whirling emotions in check. If the blonde wanted to play games, she would learn that Satsuki was the wrong person to play with.
Ryuko's face was pale, her usually tan complexion covered by a layer of sweat and shock. "You have quite a mighty heritage to uphold. I hope you can do it. You're the long lost daughter of the Kiryuin household, the face of fashion internationally and worldwide." Ragyo addressed Ryuko, finishing the rest of her wine before setting the glass down. "And even beyond the planet." She added on her voice going deeper.
Was this true? Ryuko couldn't tell. Satsuki's poker face was too hard to decipher. And her head hurt, damn it, it hurt so bad. She pulled on her hair trying to take calming breaths.
"I see it's a bit to take in for our guest, no for my daughter," Ragyo cooed as she walked over to where Ryuko was seated and leaned over closer to her ear. "Let me tell you a little story, Ryuko. You see once upon a time, I married a young smart scientist. I wanted the best for my babies, wanted him to give them eternal youth and strength, to make them better than the rest of the humans pigs on this disgusting planet. But the experiment went wrong and my husband disheartened left me, leaving me with just a baby Satsuki at the time." Ryuko was clutching her hair even harder now. "What I didn't know was that the baby, you, survived. And he had found you. He took you in, raised you, along with the magical fibers within you. You grew up and went to Satsuki's school where Nui had the joy of running into you and knew right away that you were special. And thus," Ragyo stood up and clapped her hands. "We were all reunited."
Ragyo went back to her seat and refilled her glass. Ryuko was struggling hard not to lose her shit. I can't tell if it's true, but if it is, I can't believe I'm related to rainbow milf, eyebrow queen and oneeyed creep.
Senketsu tried to reassure Ryuko. It's going to be okay. I'm by your side Ryuko.
Taking a deep breath Ryuko steadied her racing heart. "So what does this mean for me now?" Ryuko asked turning towards Ragyo who smiled at her.
"Why my dear, it means you'll be inducted into the Kiryuin family. You'll have all the pleasantries you could only dream of before."
Ryuko was quiet. "Alright how do I start?" she asked inciting Nui to let out a squeal.
"Oh boy I always wanted another sister!"
It was midnight by the time Ryuko and Satsuki returned to campus and both girls were tired out by the ordeal.
"Do you really think I'm your sister?" Ryuko asked as the car dropped her off in front of her dorm.
Satsuki sat in her seat frowning. "I had my doubts at first," she said at last. "But I think it must be so. Ragyo would never let someone who is not a true Kiryuin handle the affairs of the primordial life fiber. It is only something my family can do."
"Ah shit," Ryuko rubbed her forehead. "This shit just gets better and better. If I had known I never would have gone to college."
"It is too late for regrets Matoi; we must focus on the future. I believe that Ragyo will want you to help her with her plans. So when the time comes that she reveals stuff to you, act shocked as if it were the first time you have heard it. "
"Yea, yea." Ryuko leaned against the open door of the car. She peered in, her hand resting on the roof on the car. "So uh, do I call ya sis or something?" she asked suddenly embarrassed.
The corners of Satsuki's mouth curved upwards momentarily. "I suppose you can, sister. Now good night," with that Satsuki leaned over and closed the door, causing Ryuko to hop back as the car sped off.
Ryuko rubbed her head and turned to go to her dorm.
Satsuki allowed herself a small smile as the car drove back to her mansion. Finally after all these years she had her sister back, someone who could share the burden of this great curse with her.
"So mama," Nui asked as she pranced around behind her mother who was walking to her study in the mansion. "What are we going to do now? I didn't know Ryuko lost her memories."
"It all works out better for us this way. We can get her on our side. We need all the hands we can get. And if Satsuki does really rebel against us I find it hard to believe she could kill her own sister. The odds will be in our favor." Ragyo let out a little chuckle, while the ten year old girl trapped inside her feared the worst.