Chapter Twenty: It all Started with the end
A/N: Finally, the epic fight between good versus evil! This chapter took me so long to write, I almost wanted to give up on the series. But at last, it was completed and now I can continue onto the last couple of chapters, which hopefully will be easier to complete. Music to listen to while reading this:
Medaka Box OST- Nakatta koto ni shita.
Dark Emotional Music-I meet my shadow
Emotional Music-The White Stag
Book of Circus OST- Poker Face
Christian Baczyck- Maximus
Daniel Mekis- Push
Most Heartfelt OST Ever- Krone
The Last Butterfly- Beautiful Sad Violin Piano Music
Really Slow Motion-This Ends Now
Battle Music-Legends Remembered
Emotional Uplifting music- Winter Leaves
Phantom Power Music- Overpowered
(Start Nakatta koto ni shitta)
The click clack of heels stabbing into marble floors was heard as someone walked down the hallway of the Kiryuin household. The woman walked with powerful and purposeful steps, her shoes eventually muffled by thick carpet as she approached a pair of heavy double doors. Before she could even reach the end of the hallway the doors opened up, bathing her and the walls in a red eerie light.
She smiled at this, her purple lips stretching manically, listening to words she could only hear. "Of course it's time. Trust me," she answered assuredly. "The little vermin who tried to stop us are too busy obsessing over their little Ryuko to focus on us now." She addressed the object in the room and wanted patiently for it to respond before laughing. "Yes, let me just get properly dressed. I wouldn't want to attend dear Satsuki's funeral under dressed. That would be in poor taste. She is my daughter after all." (0:51) She hissed the last sentence and the doors slowly closed back up, leaving Ragyo in darkness as she swiveled on her heel and went back up to her study, her heels stabbing into the ground with purpose. (end of song)
(Start I meet my Shadow)
Ryuko peered out the window of her room. It had been three weeks since her recovery from the primordial life fibers tendrils that infested her being. Yet, despite her healthy state, her friends still wouldn't let her leave the room and now she wondered if they weren't only concerned for her health. Maybe there was more to it, like the fact that they didn't trust her to not attack them again. But Ryuko felt sure that she was herself again. She knew what it had been like to be controlled and this was nothing like the way she had been. She could think for herself, could move her limbs of her own accord, and the only voice in her head was her's.
Sighing in frustration at being imprisoned in her room, she placed her elbow on the open window's sill, nestling her chin into her palm. She would have long busted out of the room but didn't want to scare her friends. She wanted them to be able to trust her, talk to her with friendly ease and not treat her like an unstable beast that would explode into action.
She let her eyes rove lazily for the hundredth time over the ruined landscape before her. They were on the edge of a town, the house covered by trees and centered on top a hill, giving her a sight of the destroyed city below them. Buildings lay easily knocked over like domino's, cars and bikes were abandoned on the streets which were patrolled by Cover's, hungrily looking for their next human meal.
She was so used to seeing this visual that she quickly noticed the sudden change in scenery. There in the sky was an abnormality; a huge red and orange object, that was a cross between a octopus and a needle, rising from the ground and floating steadily forwards. Ryuko let her brows go up in surprise. What was that thing? It certainly didn't look promising. She had to tell the guys about it, now! The urge to warn someone grew when she saw Cover's emerging from the huge object and cascading downwards like rain drops.
Aikuro and Kinagase were having a rushed breakfast in the small dingy kitchen of the place when the sound of bare feet slapping on tile aroused them to the arrival of Ryuko.
Kinagase was the first out of his chair, hand placed on the gun on his belt in caution. "Ryuko, what are you doing out of your room?" He asked cautiously. The two Nudist Beach members hated being careful of Ryuko, but they couldn't be too sure of Ryuko's status. Could she still be trusted? Could she still be called a comrade in arms? Senketsu had told them she was fine now, the foreign influence in her body gone, and Iori had reported similar results, but still...it would take some time to fully trust her.
Aikuro also stood up from his seat, although he was more concerned about the urgency in which Ryuko ran into the kitchen, not on the danger she potentially possessed. The way her eyes roved frantically was unnerving. Was she hurt? What was going on? (1:29)
"Kinagase, Aikuro, I think you need to see what I saw!" She gestured from the way she had just come and the two boys exchanged a look with each other. Aikuro shrugged and followed after Ryuko who had disappeared back down the hall she had come from. Kinagase let out a breath and joined in. Ryuko stood by the window, pointing out it and the two boys crowded close to her, Kinagase on edge in case she tried something, but Aikuro was more relaxed, always less caring about being careful. Both boys eyes opened wide when they saw the sight that greeted them.
"The fuck is that?" Aikuro asked first, hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. (1:49)
"It doesn't look promising. Is that like the mother or something? It's giving birth to a shit ton of Cover's. Fuck, and just when we had thinned their numbers," Kinagase muttered, rubbing his forehead with his forefingers as he thought of how much more fighting they would have to do.
"We should ask Satsuki," Ryuko suggested. "She knows more about this then we do."
"Great idea,"Aikuro nodded his head in appreciation and the three of them made their way to Satsuki's room. The long haired girl was chatting calmly with Inumuta about something but stopped when she saw the trio enter.
"What's wrong?" she asked. In the weeks of recovery her skin had regained a healthy pallor, she wasn't as skinny and the light that always followed her presence had begun glowing more brightly.
"We need you to see something," Kinagase said and the girl slid her feet from under the covers, teetering weakly on her legs as they met the floor. But when Inumuta rushed to her side to help her up, she put up a hand to stop it. "I'm fine, just not accustomed to walking yet." (2:19)
Inumuta nodded his head in understanding but hovered close to her in case she should fall. Even in illness the girl refused to seem weak. Everyone kept an eye on her as she made her way out of her room, face portraying none of the internal weakness she felt. In the weeks she had gotten stronger but every move still gave her mild pain. She didn't want to worry her friends with this, so she faked the exams Iori gave her to test her progress. If he noticed anything he didn't say, but otherwise he seemed safely oblivious to the truth for the time being.
Once Satsuki had made it to the window and saw what was outside her face darkened. "She brought it out," she whispered, her voice not low enough, however, to escape the ears of those around her. (2:46)
"Brought what out?" Aikuro asked, lacing his hands behind his back.
"The primordial life fiber." The statement weighed heavily in the air, the words bringing with them the promise of impending doom.
"That octopus looking thingy is the primordial life fiber?" Ryuko gawked. Her skin crawled in recollection of how that thing had taken root under her flesh, wrapping its nasty tendrils around every organ and tried to turn her own body and mind against herself and her friends. She was filled with anger, her veins thrumming with it. How dare it show it's ugly form? She was going to make it wish it never stepped foot onto Earth. While Ryuko silently seethed Satsuki was talking with the others.
"Now that she has taken it out one thing is certain. She thinks that her Cover's have successfully covered the planet, that the end of the world is nigh. She thinks she has succeeded in her plans and will now unleash her full reign of terror on us. We're damned." Satsuki whispered, leaning heavily on the window as a sharp pain started up near her heart.
Kinagase and Aikuro visibly shivered at this information, their minds having a hard time believing that this was it, that the end was finally upon them. They had fought it and pushed back on it, delaying it, but now it had come like they knew it inevitably would, as all things inescapably meet an end.
Inumuta, however, was not as shaken as the others; he knew that lady Satsuki had a plan for this, as she always did for everything. In fact he had the list of potential plans on his phone. "I think we need to discuss countermeasures right now. We have about five hours to act and we mustn't waste a single second of them." (end of song)
(Start White Stag)
As Satsuki, the elite four and the leaders of Nudist Beach met for a talk in the kitchen, Ryuko paced inside her room. She needed to be out there, to fight it, but she didn't have Senketsu. Where even was he?
Deciding she had to find him, she snuck her way past the kitchen, making sure that no one noticed her and tried to stop her. On the way past it she overheard snippets of their conversation.
"I will fight my mother and that is final." (0:18)
"Lady Satsuki you must not! You are still not at a hundred percent. There is no way you can do this! As your shield I will not allow you to hurt yourself purposefully." Ira who couldn't fit at the table was standing up in the tiny room, shoulders bent down, and he slammed his fist on the table, almost making it break apart.
"Yea," Nonon added, slapping the table with her hands and it shuddered again, it's legs bending. "What kind of friends would we be if we let you do this! You'll only get hurt worse or, or, or," Nonon choked up, unable to say any more. (0:34)
"or die," Inumuta grimly finished for her. "It just doesn't seem like a smart idea."
"I agree with nerd boy over here," Uzu said placing his legs up on the table, making it groan, and leaning back in his chair comfortably. "And I'm usually all for fights where the odds are stacked against you, but this is ridiculous. There are no odds here, just a straight win lose outcome," he said. Satsuki frowned at this, tugging her hospital gown around her tighter.
"Did you not see my recovery rates in Iori's reports? I am doing well onto becoming at a hundred percent capacity. I would expect you all to have more hope in me."
"We do," Nonon rushed to amend. "We have hope that your plans will succeed and that you will lead us to victory from a safe distance away. And you need to have hope in us that we can complete the tasks you gave us."
Satsuki frowned more deeply. "But I do have hope in you all. You are not my elite four for no reason."
Ryuko moved on from the conversation at this point, incentivized even more to find her kamui. She couldn't let her sister out there like that. She wouldn't hold a candle to Ragyo's power. (1:05)
She made her way down a pair of stairs that led to an underground base. Sounds of moving machinery, of people talking and moving around hit her ears and she was overwhelmed by the quantity of weaponry there was here. They had enough shit to cause serious damage to an enemies army and that was good because they were facing a fuck ton of Cover's. They needed all the weapons they could get.
One voice stood over the din of the crowd and that was "Mako!" the coconut haircut swiveled around as the smaller girl turned around to the sound of her name being called. The orders she had been shouting out to Nudist Beach members died on her tongue at the shout of her best friend. (1:30)
"Ryuko!" she squealed out, running to her best friend full force. She collided into her, knocking the both of them to the ground. Then she proceed to roll them around, collecting up dust in the process. At last, when Ryuko couldn't breathe anymore from the strength of Mako's grip on her, she pushed the brunette away from her.
"Mako, it's good to see you," she smiled gently at her best friend who started to get teary eyed. "Ryuko I was so worried about you. I thought for sure you were a goner! You were out of control and we didn't know how to get you back."
(1:45)"It's alright," Ryuko shushed her friend, bringing her close to her again and patting her hair soothingly as they held each other from their spot on the floor. She was overwhelmingly relieved to see her best friend was alright. She had known that Aikuro and Kinagase were okay, but she had not heard much about Mako despite asking for her often.
They stayed like that for a good thirty minutes, just glad to be together, to know that they were still here.
"Hey, Mako, do you know where Senks is?"
Mako looked up at Ryuko and nodded her head. "Yea, I'll take you to him, he'll be so glad to see you too." With that the girl popped up, grabbing Ryuko by the hand and not even waiting for her to get to her feet, she dragged her away.
They ran through the base until they got to a small office room. Inside drinking some coffee was her jacket perched comfortably in a chair and holding up a newspaper. She took a moment to appreciate his familiar black leather, the red letters on his back, and comfort and nostalgia filled her. (2:21)
"Hey, Senks," she said, shyly and he looked up from the newspaper he had been reading. Spitting out his mouthful of coffee in shock right onto Mako's face who was standing next to him, he jumped up into Ryuko's welcoming arms. The two embraced and Mako wiped her face, smiling widely at the reunion.
"Ryuko, I was so worried that I wouldn't make it in time, that I would be able to save you," he said truthfully, a bit morose.
"Don't worry Senks, you did a good job. You saved me. I'm the old Ryuko." She patted him assuredly. She remembered the task that awaited her, however, and she pushed away the feelings of warmth she had now, letting determination replace them. (2:50)
She let the jacket back down to his seat. "Senketsu I have to tell you something and you're not going to like it, but you're not talking me out of it."
The jacket sighed. "Oh boy what is it this time?"
"I guess happy time is over," Mako stated innocently and skipped off to finish her job figuring that Ryuko and her jacket could use some privacy. (end of song)
(Start Poker face)
Satsuki and the team had finished the negotiations which she really did not feel comfortable with. She would be left behind, only able to voice her commands through ear pieces that each member would wear. She didn't like this concept of hiding, of being weak. She should be out there on the field leading the battle. She wasn't that weak. If she forced herself to fight then she would, even if she was on the last drop of her blood, because she knew her own will. Waiting for the elite four and the Nudist Beach leaders to leave her momentarily as they got the army together, she snuck off to the room where she knew they kept her kamui.
It was behind a thick glass wall, nailed down by special needles. Her sword was propped next to it, the blade glinting coldly in the light from the window.
"Junketsu, awaken," she whispered, placing a hand to the frigid glass. The jacket stirred, swiveling its revolting yellow orbs to her face.
What is it? Come to beg for my help again? (0:33)
"Not begging, ordering," she clarified and the jacket snorted in amusement.
Sure sure, keep up these false pretenses. I'll let you feel like you're in power but remember what the true nature of this relationship is now.
Satsuki narrowed her eyes, her hands clawing on the glass. "I am aware of the deal we made last time in order for you to grant me power so that I could save my sister. I will uphold my end of the bargain if you uphold yours."
And what was that deal again? Refresh my memory will you. It seems to have holes in the stitching.
Satsuki ground her teeth together in annoyance at the pesky jacket's behavior but did as asked. "The deal was that you would get off of Ryuko's shoulders and grant me power if I would spare you from destruction, in that I intended to end all life fiber existence but would now save yours and let you live in the guise as something else." (1:05)
The jacket smirked. I'm pretty sure your missing some details, but it's alright. We can iron those out later.
Cocky piece of shit, Satsuki thought. Act like this all you want but I will destroy you in the end anyways, even if I have to take myself with you.
Raising her blade she broke the glass containing the kamui and brushed the needles away. (1:20)
The clothing immediately and ravenously jumped onto her shoulders. It's fibers wrapped around her bones and flesh cruelly and she grunted out in pain, bending over in agony.
My, how weak you've gotten. I'm not even doing it as strongly as usual. Ryuko must have really done a number on you.
Satsuki was stopped from retorting, all her energies concentrated on standing on her feet right now. At last the pressure faded and she stood up, panting heavily. She could feel Junketsu's strength fill her body. Flexing her hand and enjoying the power that coursed through it she grabbed her sword. She was going to stop Ragyo and she was going to do it now before anyone noticed and tried to stop her. (End of song)
(Start song Maximus)
Ryuko zoomed through the air, letting Senketsu's power fill her. Her jacket had, as she predicated, opposed her crazy plan but he had decided there was no way he was leaving her alone, so even if they failed together at least it would be with each other by their side. He wasn't going to risk leaving her alone again and having her get hurt, especially not if they were facing Ragyo, the one who had done this to Ryuko in the first place.
Are you sure you have to do this by yourself? The jacket asked but Ryuko only smiled despite the sensation that she was flying to her own death.
"I'm not alone, I've got you," she said making the jacket blush. In fact she couldn't imagine why she had hated the jacket in the first place; he was like a old friend to her, and she trusted and valued him greatly. Now is not the time to be saying stuff like this.
"Well I don't know how much more time I have, so might as well get it out now." In fact Ryuko hadn't said goodbye to anyone. She figured it would be better this way. Less painful, less people trying to stop her. She hefted her scissor blade as she flew closer, cutting down the Cover's that seemed to follow the primordial life fiber like a flock of birds. They weren't really doing anything to stop her but that didn't mean she wanted to take that risk, so she slashed down as many as she could. (0:50)
Ragyo who was standing on top of the life fiber, her heels planted on top of a napkin so as not to sully the great being with her shoes, was in the throes of euphoria. Her plan was finally coming together and she couldn't be more excited for the demise of the planet. She had only dreamed and imagined this for countless years. Everyone had failed to stop her, the plan was meant to happen, to succeed. However, her euphoric ride was cut short when she heard the sound of sword swings and grunts coming closer to her. Turning her head she noted a black and red clad person coming closer and closer, cutting down her precious Cover's.
What was Ryuko doing here? She knew that Nudist Beach had gotten her back, but she had thought the girl still too unstable to fight. No matter, she wouldn't care about killing the girl now, especially since she had proven so useless to her. Her plan was too close to fruition to fail now. Trying to tell herself that she shouldn't be worried about one worthless human she pulled out her needle blade and waited patiently.
Ryuko rushed through the Cover's, Senketsu propelling her forwards, and past the clothing she could make out the unmistakable shape of Ragyo. Mother, she hissed, heat filling her chest. Holding onto the beast of her anger she told herself she had to remain cool headed or else she could jeopardize everything. She shot up over Ragyo's head, the woman not noticing her. Ryuko wasn't sure if the woman was just ignoring her or of if she really didn't know that she was here. Only one way to find out...she barreled downwards, scissor blade behind her head before she swung down. (1:30) Ragyo stopped her blade at the last second, her arm not even trembling from absorbing all the power Ryuko had put into that blow. "You've gotten so weak ever since you got rid of the primordial life fiber. Maybe you should beg for it back?" Ragyo tipped her head up so that her inhuman eyes could stare into Ryuko's cobalt ones.
"Not ever, you fucken cow," she snarled and leapt back from the crossed blades, drawing her sword back to strike again, only causing Ragyo to smirk. "I'll make you pay for all the wrongs you did to me and to Satsuki, not to mention the whole world." And Ryuko meant every single word. (end song)
(Start song Push)
Satsuki had zoomed closer to the primordial fiber aware that she had roughly five minutes to fix all this before they noticed she was gone, when she saw something that gave her pause. There were explosions and tiny figures dancing around the orange red object. What was going on? Had they got here before her? But as she drew closer her eyes opened in horror. That red and black shape was familiar to her as was the white shape. It was Ryuko and she was fighting Ragyo.
You dumb ass! She cursed Ryuko's hotheadedness and stupidity in ten different languages. What was the girl thinking? She had to get her out of there as soon as possible.
Ryuko grunted as Ragyo with the gentlest movements of her hand would bat away Ryuko's strongest attacks. Why couldn't she break through this woman's defenses? Ragyo wasn't even moving any body part except for her arm. What was going on? Exhausted she landed on the life fiber, trying to catch her breath when Ragyo's eyes sprung open in horror. She side kicked Ryuko before returning to her spot on the napkin she was standing on. Ryuko let out a huge grunt as two of her ribs cracked and she was flung off the floating object. (0:45)
"Don't you dare sully the great being with your dirty feet, you sniveling pig in human clothing!" Ragyo screamed, spit flecking her lips. Ryuko managed to recover in mid-air from the hit, glad for her kamui's recently developed ability to fly. Her ribs hurt like a bitch but she could already feel them recovering, so she shot forward again, her sword clanging uselessly on Ragyo's own.
"I'll do more than sully it, I'll fucking destroy it!" Ryuko promised only to have Ragyo chuckle. "Is that what your and Satuski's plan is?" (0:59)
Ryuko shook her head no as they exchanged a fast flurry of sword attacks. "This is only my idea."
"I'm surprised that Satsuki would follow such a stupid plan, but I guess desperation makes a person do that."
Ryuko was confused. Why was Ragyo talking about Satsuki as if she was here. "What are you talking about?"
Ryuko chanced a glance past Ragyo only to see a blue speck heading towards them. "What the fuck Satsuki?" she yelled out as the black haired girl screamed at her at the same time, "what are you doing Matoi?" The girl collided into Ragyo's second needle blade which the woman seemed to pull out of nowhere.
"I could ask you the same thing. You're still too weak for this." Ryuko shot back.
"I agree," commented Ragyo causally. "You can't seem to stay dead although your body took so much damage. Maybe I should help with that?" she suggested as both teens swung madly back and forth to get past her weapons as she calmly stood there wielding two blades at a time like nothing. (1:24)
"Stay out of this!" both girls yelled at her and she shrugged to say okay.
"I'm not weak. I can handle this. You all are just babying me."
"We're not babying you. You are really hurt. You just can't accept the fact because your so stubborn."
"I'm the one that's stubborn? What about you Matoi? Despite everything we've ever told you, that is for the best, you don't listen to."
"She's right," Ragyo commented.
"Shut up!" both girls screamed again and she shut up.
"Give me one example of that right now, and how it negatively affected anyone."
"Oh, I can give you a handful, but now is not the time Matoi! Go back and let me handle this."
"Well I refuse to."
"See this is the stubbornness we were talking about. Just retreat."
"Are you kidding me?" Ryuko screamed, her throat sore from all the yelling she was doing at her sister. She was getting so pissed off. "You're the one that is being stubborn. Quit being a huge pain in the ass and just go back. You're sick."
"I am not sick! I can take her on! I can kill Ragyo!"
"No you can't. Only I can kill her!" (1:52)
"You don't have the discipline and training to carry something like that out!"
"Yes I do. I can kill the bitch and I will."
"You guys do realize I am right here, right?" Ragyo asked, sighing in pretend hurt. When neither girl responded to her, too deep into their own arguments of who could kill her, she decided she was tired of all this. Her life fiber was getting closer to her destination and she needed these two annoying pests gone. (2:00)
She bypassed both girl's blades, landing a hit on each of them. Ryuko's chest was slashed, red blood spilling out immediately whereas Satsuki took a deep vertical cut down the abdomen.
Both girls choked on their words, overcome with the sharp pain of the cut. Then Ragyo jumped onto her hands, doing an upside split in the air and sending a kick into each girl and propelling them downwards, all this done in such fluid motion that it only took three seconds to complete. (2:22)
Ryuko was able to stop herself from falling any further than three meters down but Satsuki wasn't able to, the kick knocking the air out of her and crushing her rib. "Satsuki!" Ryuko flung herself after her, desperate to catch the girl before she hit the ground. Urging Senks to give her as much speed as possible, he accelerated her until her eyes stung from the wind, her cut burning. She held out her arms towards Satsuki's limp body and caught the girl in her arms just in time. Ryuko crouched as she dropped into the ground, too late to turn around and stop, ending up leaving a crater from her impact. Her legs jarred from the sudden stop, her teeth knocking together, but she had saved Satsuki at the last second. (At 2:36 end song)
"Satsuki, you need to go home. Now. You can't even handle this much, how will you stand up to the rest." (start Krone)
But her sister pushed at her chest urging the girl to drop her. She got to her feet, clutching her ribs with one hand and teetering unsteadily, blood staining her clothes. "I'm fine," she muttered, grabbing her blade which was lodged into the ground next to them, hilt up.
"You're not fine!" Ryuko burst out. "You're sweating from the effort it takes you to just stand! Go back now, or I swear I will take you back myself!"
Satsuki paused at Ryuko's uncharacteristic seriousness. "Ryuko, you told me that you would save the world by my side. Was that a lie?" Satsuki would have rather saved it by herself to spare anyone the fate of battling her monstrous mother, but now that Ryuko was here, she wasn't leaving. She was going to guilt Ryuko into letting her stay. (0:30)
Ryuko was at a loss of words at this. "Good, you see my point. Now move out of my way."
"But you won't make it!" Ryuko broke out of her stupor. "I did want to save the world with you, but you won't...make...it." Ryuko trailed off as she suddenly realized the severity of the situation. Satsuki smiled bitterly. "I never intended to live through this fight, Ryuko." She placed her hand on her sister's cheek, looking into her big frightened eyes. Her sister looked so young in this moment and she wanted nothing more than to preserve the planet for her sister, so that she could grow up, live her life and grown old in peace even if it came at the cost of her own life. When she had first started her plan to take down Ragyo, it was for moral reasons. She had to save the world, it wasn't right to destroy it. Then it became personal as her hatred for her mother grew. And now it was for someone else, for her precious sister's sake. (1:00)
"I'll be okay Ryuko. I've made my peace internally." She knocked her forehead softly to her sister's, closing her eyes briefly at the dizziness this move caused her. "It was bound to happen eventually. I want you to live on for the both of us."
She pulled her head away to see tears streaming down Ryuko's face. She smiled, one that did not reach her eyes, at the pain in her sister's face. "I'm glad you can cry. Here I thought my extraterrestrial sister didn't have any emotions beside mad and pissed off." (1:33)
"Satsuki," Ryuko started weakly. "You shouldn't be the one to die. I should. I made a mess of everything, of all your plans."
Satsuki took the hand off of her sister's cheeks and placed it on her lips to shush her.
(1:44) "Don't worry, Ryuko it'll all work out. I'll clean up your mess, after all what are big sisters for?" With that she backed away slowly from Ryuko, making sure the girl stayed put, then she turned on her heel and flew off, her body protesting at the exertion she was putting on it. Her bleeding hadn't stopped, but that didn't worry her. She would fight until the last drop of her blood hit the ground.
"Wait, Satsuki!" Ryuko wiped away angrily at her tears, reaching a hand out in the direction where her sister had gone to. This wasn't right. Ryuko was the one who had accepted her own death. She was the one going to die for others; after all she was the same monster as her mother. Satsuki was innocent of all this, she shouldn't be the one sacrificing herself. "I'm not going to accept this. Come back here right this second!" Seeing her sister was not coming back she took to the air, pouring on the speed to catch up with her before she got to Ragyo. "Satsuki!" (end song at 2.40)
(Start the Last Butterfly song)
"Guys, where is Satsuki?" Nonon asked, her voice wavering dangerously as she tried to hold in her fluctuating panic. She had looked for her friend all over the building and couldn't find her anywhere. She had seen the cracked glass case belonging to Junketsu but refused to acknowledge she had seen that, not wanting to believe Satsuki could be as stupid as to rush out to fight when she was still ill.
"Well, Jakuzere, from the looks of it Satsuki went out to the battl-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there!" she put up a hand to cut Houka off, her eye twitching.
"But she went-"
"Nope. She didn't."
Inumuta sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Nonon, why are you denying this. All evidence points to her-"
"Stop right there!" She put out her other hand.
Uzu entered the room at that moment.
"So Satsuki ran to the fight," he said only to get a scream from Nonon.
"You had to say it you stupid monkey!" she ran at him and began hitting him in the leg, or would have, if he didn't place his palm on her forehead and keep her at bay. (0:32)
"What's up with her?" Uzu asked, confused.
"She's in denial about lady Satsuki's departure," Inumuta answered.
"I'm shocked too, although I knew it would happen. You can't keep Satsuki back from what she thinks she should be doing."
"We need to go after her right this minute!" Nonon piped up. "Don't worry lady Satsuki I'm on my way." Nonon changed direction and moved to get away but Uzu grabbed her by the back of her shirt and held her up, her legs failing uselessly in the air. (0:50)
"Don't be rash," Uzu said. "If we go now we risk ruining the plan. We just have to believe that Satsuki can take care of herself until we get there."
"But she could be in danger now! She's never been this weak before."
"Nonon calm down, she'll be fine. We have to have faith in her."
"Oh snap, that reminds me, where's Ryuko?" Inumuta placed his chin in his hand. "She's been too quiet for my liking."
"You think she went to the fight?" Uzu asked as Nonon scrambled at his hand that was holding her.
"It's highly likely, in fact I say its a guarantee."
"Hear that Nonon, Satsuki will be fine. She has Ryuko with her!"
(1:24)"That beast will just end up hurting the lady instead again!" Nonon was agitated even more by this information and Uzu sighed. While he too wasn't keen on Satsuki being out there, they couldn't risk ruining the plan now. They just hoped she would be in one piece when they arrived.
"What kind of friends are you that you aren't rushing over to her this instant?" Nonon demanded, twisting her head around to shoot them dirty looks and Uzu shook his head. "We're friends that recognize her need to do things her own way. We can't always be there for her, you know."
"But we promised we would let her rely on us. This is the opposite."
"It's not." Inumuta pushed up his glasses. "We promised to be there when she needed help, not when we thought she needed it. We can't force it on her even if we think it's the best idea for her."(1:49)
Nonon calmed down at this, realizing the truth of Houka's words but it didn't make her any more happy that her friend was out there. "So don't freak out because your going to make it worse. We'll help when she asks us to, and all she asked us to do was this plan, so we'll do that and not go to rescue her." The blue haired boy pushed up his glasses, hoping the glint of the light on them would hide his red eyes. Then without another word he turned on his heel and left the room.
Uzu slowly let Nonon to the ground, where she collapsed down to her behind, unable to find the strength in her legs to stand. "I'm sorry Nonon," Uzu said softly. "I'm sorry we can't be out there to help her. I want to save her as much as you do, but we can't afford to ruin the plan because of the lady's rash actions." (2:21)
"I know." Nonon breathed out. "I just want it to be all over."
"Soon. Soon." Uzu promised and too left the room, leaving Nonon slumped on the floor. (end song at 2:38)
( Start song This Ends Now, from 0:10) "Mother this ends here," Satsuki panted, her body quivering with the effort it took to hover in front of her mother. She hated to admit it but she was weakening rapidly and even her strong will couldn't seem to uphold her now in the moments that mattered.
(0:24)"Does it really?" Ragyo drawled, batting her eyes playfully. "Because to me it looks like you're the only one that's going to end. Just give up Satsuki. You did well, but not well enough. This is not a test you can pass."
(0:35)"Believe what you will," Satsuki said, her breath coming in short gasps. She raised the blade over her head and charged forwards, swinging it down in an arc but Ryuko stopped her, zooming from behind and unintentionally ramming into her broken ribs and making her scream out in pain as the younger girl propelled her away to safety. Ryuko stopped at hearing her cry and looked at the girl she was clutching to her chest.
"What's wrong Sats?" She let the girl pull away from her, panting and curling her hands uncontrollably on her weapon.
"My ribs," she wheezed. "You hurt them."
"I'm sorry," Ryuko fretted. "But this is good. You're too injured so you have to let me fight. You really have to see that now. You can't deny your pain when I can see it. I promise I can handle this." And then without waiting for a response Ryuko turned away to the fight at hand, leaving Satsuki the one with a hand outstretched to try and stop her this time.
"Don't go you stubborn idiot," Satsuki wheezed trying to keep her consciousness as she bent halfway over, black dots dancing in her vision.
My, how weak our proud Satsuki has become.
Shut up! She snarled out loudly in her head, as her vision span and blackened dangerously.
Ryuko flung herself at Ragyo who only rolled her eyes in annoyance at her daughter's continued tries. But Ryuko was serious in her want to hurt her mother and so she zoned in on the only task in front of her: destroying Ragyo. She let out a deep breath, calming down her nerves. If she let anger or nervousness infest her thoughts or body then she would fumble and could die. And she wasn't ready to die until Ragyo was dead. (1:24) She let her thoughts sync completely with Senketsu's, letting the beat of her heart match his wave length, allowing his power to fill her very being. She could see more clearly now, the world in HD around her, sounds coming in just as crystal clear into her ears. She smiled at her mother, and held the sword out in front of her, grip strong on her blade.
Then she attacked. Ragyo's eyes opened in surprise at Ryuko's speed burst and at the skill with which she now wielded her scissor blade with. She was forced to use two blades to counter Ryuko's. She was confused by this. The black haired girl wasn't even using all of her strength yet she had such power behind each strike, and they were no longer wild, but precise and well thought out. Had Ryuko improved in such a span of short time? Was it in concern over her sister? How adorable. Ragyo couldn't help the smile that split her purple lips. The things that family bonds drove others to do. (End at 2:12)
(Start song Legends Remembered)
While Ryuko and Ragyo fought, the primordial life fiber kept moving, getting closer to its goal. This was the moment that the elite four were supposed to come in. Aikuro sent out a hundred foot soldiers, all armed to their teeth, running to take care of the new Cover spawn that had slowly descended onto the city and covered it like a blanket. Nudist Beach swarmed out of a hole in the ground that had opened up. After them rolled out about ten to fifteen cars and a whole squadron of DTR's, Aikuro and Kinagase themselves strapped in.
"We don't have time for a speech, but know that we wish you best of luck as this is our most important battle of all." Aikuro yelled as he ran with his army. He couldn't believe that Nudist Beach had started off as a mere rebel group to fight against Satsuki's discipline department and now here they were, an army fighting to save the world with the very woman they swore to first defy. And the fact that they were battling clothing, the very thing he detested yet what one of his friends was made of, did not go over his head. Life was funny, really. (0:36)
"This battle will be our chance to overturn the tide in our favor. If we lose, well, lets say there won't be such an option. We have to win, to fight till our last breath!" He finished passionately and his army responded as passionately back, "Yes we will!" before they separated into the battle formations they had talked about. Aikuro watched them go with Kinagase leading them. Kinagase was going to take on the Cover's while Aikuro made his way sneakily over to the secret project that he had been working on with Iori. He had meant to reveal it when it was done, but there was no more time to test it out. He was going to use it now and just hope for the best. He zoomed over uneven pavements, shooting down stray Cover's as he poured on the speed and hoped that he could make it to the base before the fiber passed over it. (1:12 end song start Winter Leaves)
Meanwhile the elite four were still in the underground base. They were standing in a room that held four metal long pipes and a bunch of computers. Iori was running from one place to another, tapping madly and glancing at the changing colors of the screens. The elite four watched him nervously. They were wearing the new suits they had been given. These were truly superior to the first ever Goku uniforms they had had. But even with the additional power they worried. Worried that Satsuki was hurt, that the plan would fail, that they wouldn't be enough.
"Alright, the cannons are all set to launch," Iori informed them and they exchanged a look with each other. It was time. Nonon even though she had wanted to rush to Satsuki's side was afraid to do so now. What if she's hurt as badly as last time, or worse, dead? What if we can't do anything? What if we fail? She squeezed her eyes shut but a big warm hand on her shoulder made her reopen them. It was Ira, who looked at her knowingly. "She'll be fine. It'll all work out. Trust me." (0:43)
Nonon nodded her head, unable to speak for once in her life, the weight of everything they had to do forming a lump in her throat.
The elite four dawdled for a bit, waiting for someone to make the first move, for one of them to lead the others. Uzu sighed and laced his hands behind his head. "Well, I guess I'll go first. We don't have much time." He turned to Iori. "I'm ready." He cast a look to his friends, who all wore somber expressions. "I'll see you guys on the other side."
"Uzu!" Ira's loud shout made of all them jump.
"What?" the green haired boy asked.
"It was an honor to work by your side," Ira stated, arms behind his back. Uzu smiled crookedly before shoving his hands into his pants pockets. "Same man. It was fun hanging out with you guys. Even Nonon." (1:19)
"Hey!" Nonon indignantly squeaked, placing her hands on her hips. "Just leave already!"
"Alright, alright." Uzu clambered into the compartment of his cannon and Iori shut it behind it, before latching it up tight.
"I'll go next," Inumuta said, pocketing his phone. "I also enjoyed the time we spent together." He entered the compartment and Iori shut it behind him.
"After you Nonon," Ira gestured to one of the remaining compartments and the short girl gulped before going in. The inside of it felt like a tomb, the blue walls closing in on her. She pushed the sensation of doom pooling in her stomach away and tried to focus on a happy ending, on seeing the elite four standing on top of defeated Cover's, of seeing Satsuki's brilliant smile. Closing her eyes briefly, she let out a nervous sigh. Ira squeezed into his cannon, his face looking extremely squished together, as his shoulder were hunched over his head, his knees bent to his chest. Iori gave a thumbs up before he flicked a couple of switches. The roof above them folded back, letting bright rays of light in. Nonon squinted as she gazed up at it, wondering if the cannons would launch them in the correct trajectory. What if they weren't fast enough to reach the fiber? (2:04)
Iori waited for the roof to recede fully before he pressed his thumb down on a huge red button. The four compartments started to shake as the engines were turned on. Nonon took a deep breath and let herself relax as the cannon's slightly angled forwards. When they clicked into the right position there was only a second where nothing happened and then Nonon felt the ground underneath her move as the walls blurred around her and she was getting close, close, so close to the hole on top that lead to the outside world, and then she was out.
She slitted her eyes as the wind buffeted her face, her hair streaming behind her. The land stretched beneath her, and she flew over ruined buildings, bits of forest and swarms of Cover's that were being tackled by the Nudist Beach army. She could barely breathe from the gusts of air on her face and turned her head slightly to the side to see that her friends were right next to her. Uzu had a grin on his face, his arms spread out by his sides while Inumuta had his arms close to his sides, glasses fogged up. Ira brought up the end, arms crossed over his chest and unimpressed look on his face.
The elite four were reaching the peak of their flight now, having done thousands of miles in seconds and passing through some low hanging clouds that left droplets of water on their skin. Nonon could feel herself start to slow down as she exited the cloud, her weight suspended momentarily. The clouds were bathed by midday light and looked like a sea of gold waves below her, and she felt so at peace in this instance, so free that even the fact she had no oxygen up here didn't bother her. Her friends looked the same, even Ira's features relaxing a bit before they all began the descent down and were forced to become serious again. (3:01)
"Angle down everyone," Inumuta ordered through the ear pieces they were wearing. "We have to go in at a 45 degree angle so we can latch onto the life fiber." The elite four positioned their bodies as ordered, the wind ripping through their new Goku uniforms as they zipped through the clouds. The ground came zooming up at them, and right in the path of their descent was the primordial life fiber. It looked even more intimidating close up and Nonon could make out two shapes at the very start of it, duking it out. It could only be Satsuki. Nonon felt hope swell in her chest. So her friend's will was strong enough if it allowed her to fight in such a condition. (3:31)
"We're within fifty meters of the target. Deploy stopping measures." Inumuta barked into their ear piece and all four reached behind them for the new device they had been given. It was a grappling hook, the rope made from the strongest possible material. They were supposed to launch it at the fiber and wrap it around it in order to pull the fiber in the direction they needed it to go to so as to finalize their plan. But would the four of them have enough power to move it, even with their new Goku uniforms? That thing looked massive and heavy.
"Launch now!" Inumuta shouted out and they shot the grappling hooks out. They embedded deeply into the fiber and Nonon felt her arms almost rip out of her sockets as the momentum of her descent was quickly slowed down and she began to swing towards the monster, like the pendulum to the clock of world doom.
Aikuro had made it to the super top secret base and was now inside the dark control room. Getting out of his DTR he ran towards the control panel and started flicking buttons. (4:00)
"The elite four were launched," Iori informed him through the ear piece he wore. "Their on their way to realigning the life fiber."
"Good. I just need two more minutes to boot this thing up and we should be great to go," Aikuro responded back. "How are the Nudist Beach soldiers doing?"
"Their...holding up for now. But there's a humongous amount of life fibers and I don't know how much longer they can hold on."
"They won't have to keep fighting for too long. I intend to end all this in the next five minutes."
"Being overly optimistic?"
"If I'm not then who will be?" Aikuro smiled. He knew the situation was grim but he'd be damned if he didn't try to have some joy even in these darkest moments. He didn't want to die sad and depressed but happy and laid back just like he was in his most blissful times.
The screens in the control room flickered on to life and a small scale model of what he was about to launch popped out on them. His secret project, the experiment he was most proud of was a giant warship called the Naked Sun. With it he was going to slice through the primordial life fiber as soon as the trajectory was right. A gauge to the right of the ship on the screen indicated that it was already forty percent powered up. Come on, baby! He leaned over the computer screen, urging it to load faster with his gaze. (End of song)
(Start song Overpowered)
Ragyo wanted to let out a frustrated snarl. More pesky humans had attached themselves to her life fiber! It was Satsuki's annoying friend group and they dared to stick grappling hooks into the marvelous being and try to move it! They were little dots on the ground from where she stood, but their cables had been wrapped firmly around the body of the life fiber and were constricting it, forcing it to change its flight pattern. This would not do! She would have to go and fight them but Ryuko was not letting up. Ragyo could not find a opening in the other girls guard to hit her. This was so infuriating. She wished she hadn't left Nui behind. The girl's input would be really helpful about now. But the girl was busy finishing up Ragyo's kamui and wouldn't get here until then.
"What's the matter, Ragyo?" Ryuko teased. "Old age getting to you?"
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to speak to your elders in such a disrespectful manner?" Ragyo shot back playfully, not wanting the other girl to see that she was beginning to flounder. The primordial fiber jerked underneath her feet and she stumbled, losing her balance. Ryuko took the opportunity to draw near to Ragyo, like a shark attracted to blood, slashing her blade down with precision. Ragyo let out a shriek as her sword arm was lopped off and bounced once, twice, off of the life fiber before dropping down to the ground 160 meters below.
She regained her balance in time to avoid the next strike from Ryuko and utilized her other needle blade, using the lapse in Ryuko's defense to stab her right through her unprotected gut like a speared fish.
Blood erupted from Ryuko's mouth as Ragyo hefted her upwards and took flight towards the ground. She was going to get her arm back and in the meantime kill off the elite four. "Come Ryuko, let's go on a little field trip." (0:46)
"Fuck off!"
"Such dirty language. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Ragyo tsked, cocking her head in mock concern.
Ryuko felt her world go black for a minute at that comment. After everything she had learned about what Ragyo did to Satsuki...the woman had no right to say such things! Images of a broken and sad Satsuki flooded her mind. The way Satsuki had looked as she had told the story, it was like she had accepted all that had happened to her and taken it like it was something natural that occurred to everyone. And this method of thinking was simply unacceptable. It made Ryuko's stomach churn in disgust and her blood boil. If Ragyo was trying to get a rise out of Ryuko it was working. Calm down, her kamui instructed. She's only trying to anger you. Ryuko didn't listen.
"You fucking bitch! How dare you!" (1:15)
"Oh, did Satsuki tell you about what happened? I didn't think she'd be the type to share, but perhaps she enjoyed it so much she wanted to share her experience with her little sister." At this Ragyo licked her lips suggestively. "I haven't had the chance to try you out, Ryuko. What do you say? Up for a ride once the battles done?" She let out an ugly laugh, grating on Ryuko's ears.
Ryuko felt such disgust that it overwhelmed her senses. She wanted to get as far away from this woman as possible. She needed to free herself now. But no matter how she waved her sword at the laughing woman's face it wouldn't reach.
"Looks like you're a little short, Ryuko!" Ragyo taunted as they ever neared the ground, the other girls blade tip passing harmlessly three inches in front of her face. Not one to give up, the girl grit her teeth and sucked in a deep breath before she gripped the sword she was pierced on with her free hand and pulled herself forwards. She left a streak of blood behind her as she inched forward millimeter by precious millimeter, grunts of pain escaping her lips.
Ragyo had to give the girl respect where respect was due. It must have been very painful to do this, especially since Ragyo had made sure to pierce a very sensitive spot in the abdomen. But not as painful as this. Before Ryuko could make her way closer to Ragyo the older woman had tossed the blade up in the air before twisting her body in such a way that her hand held the very top of the handle of the blade as the rest of her body slanted down, alighting itself with the length of the sword. Then she extended her legs and kicked her daughter square in the face. The impact of Ragyo's feet slamming into Ryuko's face was enough to create a sound boom and to propel the girl off of the blade straight into the ground where she crashed through a twenty story tall building before slowing down as she dropped to the lowest level.
Ryuko was silent for a while, her mouth open in a silent scream of agony as she writhed in the rubble she was nestled in. What had Ragyo done to her?! She couldn't see, she couldn't see! The cruel woman had planted her high heels into each of Ryuko's sockets and popped both her eyeballs. (2:02)
"Senks!" Ryuko muttered out, panic in her voice. Oh god, how was she going to fight now?
Ryuko, relax. Your eyes will regenerate. Do not panic. You have to remain calm or else we won't be able to synchronize well enough to stop Ragyo.
Ryuko nodded her head mutely in understanding as she crawled out of the hole she had created. She felt like shit, her body working over time to repair the broken bones she had sustained during her fall, and the hole through her midriff from Ragyo's blade. But she felt her body wasn't repairing fast enough. She needed to already be out there and stopping Ragyo. There was no telling what she would do to the elite and they certainly weren't strong enough to stand up to her. Blindly stumbling throughout the building she tried to find an exit. (end song)
(Start Requiem of the Night)
Satsuki was on the roof of a building, some 10 meters away from the life fiber. She had seen the arrival of the elite four but couldn't go up to them, her body unable to reach them. She had sat down on the roof, hoping to catch her breath, to regain her stamina, but instead she had only made things worse for herself and while her friends were out fighting to save the world, she was fighting to save her own mind and body.
You will give me your body! Her kamui hissed as its fibers tightened painfully on her broken ribs, making black spots appear in front of her eyes.
Never! You will never have my body! She snarled, trying to get in breaths of air past her labored pants. (0:24)
You insufferable creature! If you just let me, you can have all the power you want, all the strength you need to kill your mother and save your stupid little friends!
I don't need you to accomplish that! I am strong already! Satsuki knew this was a lie on her part, but she wouldn't let herself give in.
You say that but look at you now. Crumpled up on the floor, unable to join your friends in the fight. They could be dying for all you know but you aren't able to save them.
I have faith in them. Satsuki said and she full heartedly believed this. She had no reason not to; her friends and sister proving themselves multiple times to her cause. (0:46)
The kamui gave out a feral snarl, one that shook the length of Satsuki's body, jarring each and every wound. It knew that Satsuki truly believed that her friends would be okay without its interference and this pissed it off. Fine, be stubborn. I was going to do things your way, but now its my turn.
Satsuki's eyes opened wide in shock when she suddenly realized she had another wound. One down her side, crimson pooling underneath her. Her right hand was holding up Bakuzan, the blade glinting with her own blood. When had this even happened? Her mind immediately flew to the correct conclusion. (1:08)
You piece of shit! How dare you control me without my permission!
Your guard was down because you were too weak. It's not my fault, the kamui malignantly chuckled.
Satsuki let out a frustrated hiss as she raised her left hand and struggled to wrest the control of her blade out of the right hand. She struggled like this for a while, rolling around on the concrete of the roof before she finally won. The blade skidded across the roof as she pinned her right hand down with her left.
"You will never control me," she hissed, more tired out by that action than she'd like to admit. "No one can control the great and powerful Satsuki Kiryuin!" (1:35)
"That's what you think!" She spat out and froze, her eyes widening in shock. Did those words just come from her...own mouth?
"Of course they did." She was using her mouth, but the voice that came out wasn't her own. It was dry and malicious; Junketsu's inner voice finally give physical form.
Satsuki felt cold dread flood her body. "You really thought you'd win, Satsuki? That little distraction of your right hand trying to kill you worked perfectly to draw your attention away so that I could take over the rest of your body." With that Junketsu, wearing Satsuki's body stood up, no longer injured as the fibers worked their magic on her body. The gashes down her body closed and her ribs realigned themselves correctly. The kamui laughed, it's crazed cries erupting from Satsuki's own mouth. The girl tried to stifle it with her left hand but the jacket only laughed harder, causing her to toss back her head, her brows ascending in delirium. (2:03)
The jacket could laugh all it wanted but Junketsu had made her first mistake. Satsuki was now fully healed, able to think clearly, and she still had control of her left arm. The kamui hadn't been able to completely override her body. It was about to make it pay for thinking it could overpower her. All she had to do was regain her body. She would cut the life fibers out of her one by one if she had to. Flexing her left hand and testing how much motor ability she had in it, she slowly slide out a tiny blade that she kept hidden up her sleeve for emergency reasons. It was forged out of the same material as Bakuzan; perfect for slicing through life fibers. And flesh.
"What are you doing?" (2:23)
"You're about to find out," Satsuki smirked and brought the blade down onto herself, too fast for her right hand to stop her.
The blade pierced skin, tasting blood, drops of crimson dropping to the floor. Satsuki let out a huge oomph at the impact of her blade, but for the next part she remained entirely calm and collected, and silent when it came to the pain.
"Are you insane?" Junketsu asked as the right hand struggled to pry the left hand away from the body. (2:40)
"No. I'm just fucking Satsuki Kiryuin." And with a grim smile on her face she pulled the blade up, slicing through her abdomen and up to her neck.
(2:47)"Stop it!" Junketsu screeched. But the jacket's cries were ignored as blood cascaded out of the black haired youth, her knees crashing to the ground.
"Stop it!" it cried again, but no one heard it, the cries swallowed up by the sounds of battle that floated on the wind. With a middle finger salute, Satsuki let the blade drop from her hand as she face-planted in her own life force. (end song)
A/N: Holy crap, this chapter took forever and I'm still not done with the fight scenes, but I just felt that it would make the chapter too long if I included it in one go. There's still so much more to address, and hopefully I can finish that in the next chapter and then focus on the other plot point I want to get to before I finish this series.