Kill La College

by wellthizizdeprezzing

Whelp this is my first fanfic ever and I know this show came out two years ago but what can I say, it's so good and I just found it now. Anyways enjoy Kill la Kill college style, with more badassery and deception than ever before. Plot: Ryuko gets an all expanse paid ride to college. The only problem? Its president is a girl named Satsuki who is hell bent on making Ryuko suffer.

22. Chapter 22

Kill La College

Chapter Twenty Two

It all started with rebuilding the Earth

A/N: Woo, chapter 22. You know what this means. Only two to three more chapters to the end! With that in mind, I don't know how I feel about finishing this series shortly. I kind of want it to be done, since it's been dragging on for almost a year at this point and I want to go focus my energies on other stories, but at the same time I don't want it to be done. Because once it is that means I'll be done with this little alternate universe I created and I kind of like it. Aw well, perhaps I'll write another Kill la Kill fanfic one day.

On another note, y'all are probably wondering what else I can write about now that the end of the world has been stopped (and since it's as far as the anime got and I'm basing this story on the anime, what more can I do?) but there's still one last plot point in store. One big last plot point. Hopefully if I did it right then it should be completely unexpected. And I wanted to include this plot point because...well I'll explain my reasoning after we get to it. Don't wanna spoil anything now.

Rebuilding the world sounded grand and all, but it proved to be an even more arduous task than killing Ragyo had been, and everyone knew that hadn't been easy. After the Grand Battle, as it had been simply dubbed, (no one liked Ryuko's idea of calling it 'The Bitchy MILF mom gets her due battle' and since they couldn't agree on anything else, this had been their choice), Satsuki had immediately taken charge and she, along with her elite four, began the time consuming process of putting everything broken back together, one piece at a time.

Satsuki dismantled the antiquated Revoc's and replaced it with her own company, using the monetary resources of her mother's now forgone business to help those who had been displaced or disadvantaged by the war. Once she had rebuilt enough homes and fed enough families, she finalized her own firm, one that branched out not into only clothing but food, music, technology, and whatever else she saw fit to add to her conquests.

"This is so that if the life fibers strike again, we will be prepared. My company will have an eye in every industry, allowing us greater coverage and leverage," Satsuki had proudly explained. She put Inumuta in charge of her tech department, Ira in charge of her personal staff and security, Nonon in charge of several large record labels, Uzu in charge of sports, Iori in charge of the clothing line and even Aikuro got a position at her company. He would be working with Iori in fashion, except instead of focusing on clothes he would be in modeling, another branch that Satsuki had promptly spread out to and conquered. Ryuko was the only one excluded from Satsuki's plans. In fact, the girl felt like she had been shoved aside, everyone running off and doing things without her as she stood in one spot, unable to catch up to them no matter how hard she ran, the scenery always depressingly the same.

When Ryuko had confronted Satsuki on this, the older girl had merely rolled her eyes as if the reason for Ryuko's lack of inclusion in her plans were plainly obvious. "Ryuko, you're finishing college. That's what I want you to focus on right now." After the dismantlement of Satsuki's school of warriors, whom she had seen to that every attending student got proper jobs or into proper schools after they had fought with the Nudist Beach army, Ryuko had nothing to do for six months. Naturally she couldn't attend a college that didn't exist anymore and so on Satsuki's orders she spent her days doing nothing, and feeling lost till the older girl could deal with the mettle of the issues on her agenda and set up for Ryuko something to do. The days waiting dragged on and she had wandered around her house, the one her sister bought her, discovering the abhorrent amount of rooms in it, eating food, watching movies or just doing nothing but lazing around and relaxing, with Mako occasionally dropping by, until she got so fed up with this constant standstill she had marched straight up to her sister's company and barged into her office, a fight on her tongue.

Her sister and the elite four had somehow managed to reconstruct entire leveled cities and make the people there even more prosperous all the while building up Satsuki's new company and maintaining a look out for any life fiber stragglers in the six months that Ryuko had spent stretched out on her couch. She had been excited to have a chance to be a lazy slob at first, and eager to be respectful of her sister's need for long distance separation so she could handle business but enough was enough. She hated not having anything to do, it made her restless; made her feel worthless and perhaps she even missed seeing her sister, their weekly phone calls not the same as seeing the girl in person. Going to visit Satsuki at her workplace suddenly seemed like a good idea and Ryuko had done so, slipping past Ira's guards easily. The same couldn't be done for Inumuta's cameras, so Satsuki knew long before Ryuko reached her office on the top floor that the girl was coming. She had admonished the girl for doing this, saying she was very busy and Ryuko felt foolish for arriving, so she didn't tell her the real reason for this visit; that she had missed her sister and hadn't realized it until now. Ryuko instead focused on demanding the girl to let her join in since enough time had passed that it should be acceptable for Ryuko to help. Except when Ryuko gave her proposition to her elder sister, the girl had dismissed it and sprung a ridiculous concept onto the girl.

"What? Don't be absurd!" Ryuko had blurted out at her sister. Who could be thinking of school when the end of the world had barely passed them. "I want to assist you guys with fixing up the planet." She wanted to be useful to her sister, not go off to a school and turn her back on her. It felt like a betrayal, to leave her sister with all this work while she goofed off. Besides she wouldn't be able to see her sister. Nope, Ryuko would never admit to this. It suddenly seemed very embarrassing to even think of admitting it out loud much less to her sister. It was just that Ryuko had never really had what one could call a proper family and she wanted to make sure the one person who seemed decent in it wouldn't disappear out of her grasp.

"That's sweet of you, but unnecessary." Satsuki said with a brief smile as she declined the offer before shoving her nose back into the stacks of paperwork she was reading. It had roughly been half a year since Satsuki had made her own company, roughly half a year since the world had been saved and almost a whole year since everyone had gone their own way, leaving Ryuko and Mako behind, the girls scratching their heads as to what had happened.

"I'm not kidding. How come I can't do anything? You even got Aikuro working for you, I don't see why I can't." Ryuko was insistent on disputing this point and Satsuki didn't have time although she wished did. She had missed her sister over these few months. Despite that the two didn't know each other well they felt they had a deeper connection. Perhaps it was the feeling shared between those who had similar struggles, who understood the others burdens well. Satsuki wished she had more time for her sister, but she wouldn't until all was in order again.

Inumuta had informed her the girl was on her way up to her office and she had wondered what it could be for, what could be so important that it would draw the girl to travel here? She could have had him kick her out but she didn't. She was eager to see her sister but when Ryuko had come storming in, Satsuki knew she wasn't in for a pleasant meeting.

"Ryuko, you don't have to do anything more. You already helped out a good deal by fighting Ragyo even when it wasn't your fight. Just take it easy from now on and focus on your studies. I wont have a Kiryuin by blood not get a college degree."

Ryuko felt her fist curl up in anger. So this was what this was all about? Satsuki still saw her as stupid? As a failure? Was she trying to get rid of her? No, this couldn't be true. That was the old Satsuki, the one that wasn't related to her by blood. She swallowed down the doubt that choked her throat and redoubled her anger.

"Ugh, is the degree so important? Can't it wait?" Ryuko groaned out loud gesturing with her hand at her sister. "Why can't I help you out and do school later?"

"There will be no later. I'm your older sister and I know what is right for you, therefore you are going to complete college and if you want to help me run my company after you get your degree, then you may." Satsuki was not budging. She felt in a way like she was casting her sister even further from her side, but that wasn't what she meant to do. She wanted her sister to be distant from troubles, to separate from this world of fibers and fighting even if for a little bit and she knew college would give her that break.

"But Aikuro didn't finish college and you let him run a modeling agency! That's not fair!" Ryuko couldn't help from childishly crossing her arms over her chest and stomping her foot. This was so annoying! Since when was Satsuki so infuriating? What had happened to saving the world together and not leaving each others side?

"Life is not fair, Ryuko. Besides he's not my brother. If he chooses not to finish his degree, that is his own choice." Satsuki scribbled some things down on a form and moved it left to a small pile of completed papers. A taller pile on her right signified that she still had a ways to go before she could go home.

"Ugh! You are so annoying! What about you? Where's your degree?" Ryuko knew this was an irrelevant point she had made as Satsuki was super smart and probably had several degrees.

Satsuki smirked at this as if awaiting the moment her sister would ask this question. "Ryuko must I remind you I received my college education the same time I attended high school? I wasn't called the world's youngest college president for no reason. So I'm not the one that needs the degree." She sent a pointed look at the younger girl's direction as she continued to fill out forms.

"Argh!" Ryuko argued back articulately, ready to pull out her hair in frustration.

"Perhaps when you can best me in a verbal argument I'll consider letting you skip college." Satsuki's lip corners rose in amusement at the younger girl's clear distress.

"Maybe I'll let my scissor blade do the talking!" Ryuko suggested, pulling out the now small key chain sized blade from her pocket. It had a tendency to shrink to this size when she was no longer using it. Ryuko couldn't talk her way through this problem so she was resorting to violence once more. Satsuki just sighed and rolled her eyes. "Really Ryuko, I don't have time for your childish attitude. I have a whole world to fix."

This cut Ryuko's anger cold. Giving her sister a closer look, she noted the older girl looked tired and stressed and Ryuko certainly wasn't helping her by throwing an anger tantrum in her office right now when the older woman probably needed peace and quiet to do her paperwork. Ryuko sucked in a deep breath and looked sideways, battling with herself internally. So she was a bother to Satsuki's plans. She knew what the right thing to do was, but did she really want to do it and back down from this argument and look like a loser?

"If it'll make things easier, I can throw in some fake transfer credits so you'll only have to do two years as opposed to three," Satsuki stated sweetly, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She had a lot of paperwork to go through in order to finalize a plan that would benefit those caught in the crossfire of the war and Ryuko was detracting from her available time with the papers.

"That's fine," Ryuko said in one big breath.

"What?" Satsuki asked, not sure she had heard right.

"I said it's fine. I'll go to college. If it'll help you." Ryuko figured she owed her sister a lot for all the stuff she had messed up in the past, she owed her so much for almost permanently screwing up the plans. "But-" she wasn't going to go quietly. "I'm gonna help you out around here in my free time. And so is Mako. So don't expect to be completely rid of us."

Satsuki gave a wry smile as if she should have expected this. It was an offer she could take. "Of course. You're always welcome in my office Ryuko."

---

Going back to college and trying to pretend that life was normal again was something pretty hard to do, considering all that Ryuko had seen and experienced first hand. Still she tried her best, if not for herself than for Satsuki's sake. The girl was the only biological family she had left and she treasured her tremendously no matter how much of a pain in the ass the girl had been, and was still proving to be. That's how siblings were.

Ryuko went to a normal college this time, one that Satsuki had set up to take her in. Luckily she had thought of including Mako into the school as well, ensuring Ryuko wouldn't be without one of her closest friends. If Mako hadn't been there, then Ryuko surely would have gone crazy, being unable to deal with the level of normalcy everyone was trying to portray. Mako kept her focused on her studies, made sure she wouldn't be alone, and best of all, was her wacky and zany self. Ryuko had been worried the war would change her friend, make her darker and more depressing, especially since she had witnessed Kinagase's death firsthand.

Dealing with the brooding man's death had been a harsh blow, one that everyone felt. But they had been glad his was the only one and that everyone else was okay. One death of a close friend was a small price to pay for the death of a true monster, and for the safety of the world. Aikuro had been the hardest hit and no one was surprised, as the two had been inseparable. The blue haired man had simply stared at the stain of blood that had been his friend, as the Cover's had devoured everything else. He had been sober and quiet, his gregarious grin gone as Mako patted him on the shoulder, her own face a mess of tears, scraps of the Cover's she had pulverized still in her hair. "I'm so, so, so, so, sorry," she had blubbered and Aikuro simply closed his eyes.

Aikuro had been unable to say anything and just left the scene, cradling the stump of his arm. Iori would later restitch the arm back on and it would just as good as new, but only after Aikuro had been forced to accept the treatment as he was too overwhelmed by grief to act rationally.

Kinagase had been given a proper memorial service two months after this, one that was broadcast throughout the world in his honor. And it was only then that Aikuro had broken and all the pain he had held inside had burst like a dam. Tears had cascaded down his face and he was able to open up to others and to speak of his pain. He held no ill feelings towards Mako, just towards the Cover's and his own inability to be there for his friend.

Mako hadn't seemed too affected by the death, at least not on the surface, and Ryuko was too scared to dig deeper down in case she found that Mako's joy was indeed a facade and she was carrying heavy baggage. Ryuko couldn't stand to see her friend in pain. It was enough that Mako had already been dragged into the war because of her friendship with the black haired girl, Ryuko would be eaten up by guilt if Mako had been drastically affected by it.

Time in college seemed to drag by and Ryuko couldn't wait to be done and be out there helping her sister full time. She had no interest in joining a club or partying anymore. She instead focused her energies on studying, taking as many classes as she could and helping out her sister on weekends on small errands that would ease the burden of what Satsuki had to do. Satsuki had been grateful for her and Mako's added help on the weekends at first but then she grew wary.

"Ryuko you can't keep doing this." The girl had spoken up at last, speaking what had been on her mind for the past few weeks but unable to be addressed properly till now.

"Doing what?" Ryuko asked innocently, although she full well knew what this argument was going to be about, and yes it was going to be an argument because Ryuko was not going to back down without a fight. It seemed like the girls argued a lot these days, but then again, when had they ever had a civil conversation, even in the past?

Satsuki arched her brow and wiped her dirty hands with a handkerchief. The three girls had been renovating a downtown office for Satsuki that she could use temporarily while she did business in this town for the foreseeable future. The walls had already been repainted and the carpet refitted. All that was left was to move the furniture and other personal decorations in. Satsuki had opted to do this herself as a means of de-stressing and taking time out of her busy day to do something that was completely related to business or negotiations. Ryuko had insisted on helping and the girl had arrived with Mako in tow, the trio quickly making the room more respectable again.

Satsuki had been happy to see her sibling, but she didn't want her forcing herself to help. The girl should be studying, having fun and not helping Satsuki with her struggles. She knew she had agreed to it in the beginning but she had honestly expected Ryuko to get bored quickly and move on to better things. Yet here the girl was, dutifully coming every Saturday and Sunday to help.

Mako, sensing that there was going to be another fight, mentally prepared her 'hallelujah' speech which she knew would be greatly needed in the next moments to come. She had seen too many arguments between the two sisters and she knew how physical they got. Often times Mako was the one who had to stay behind and cover up the holes they left in walls or the cracks in the floors. Just because they didn't use their blades anymore didn't mean the attacks were any less powerful.

"You know what I'm talking about, Matoi," Satsuki started and Ryuko tensed up immediately. Oh, so she was Matoi now, was she? Satsuki clearly wanted to start this argument on her bad side.

"What, Kiryuin?" Two could play at this game. Satsuki arched her other brow but didn't comment on this.

"I don't want you spending all your free time working to help me."

"And what's so bad about that?" Ryuko asked, opening up one of the cardboard boxes from the stack of boxes waiting to be opened and shelved. It was full of boring office items. She kept her back placed to the older girl in disrespect as she dug through it. Mako slowly put down the box she had carried into the room and watched the two girl's interactions with a hawk-like gaze.

"You shouldn't feel obligated to be doing this. When I sent you to college it was so that you wouldn't have to do this until some time in the foreseeable future. It was so that you could have some free time, some time to be young and carefree before you had to face the real world. Time to be a child still." Satsuki stared at her sister's back and noted how her shoulders only tensed up more. Still the girl didn't turn to face her.

Ryuko scoffed at this, picking up a small desk mirror from the box she had opened. The edge was slightly cracked. It must have broken in the move. "Well I think it's a little late for that. I've already been dragged into your problems, whether I wanted to or not, whether you wanted me to or not. So you can't just stick me into a school, into a life that isn't meant for me anymore and say here 'act normal'. I can't do that anymore!" Ryuko had turned to Satsuki in her anger, mirror clutched in her hands and threatening to snap under the pressure she exerted. Mako turned to look at both girls, trying to time a good moment to jump in. If she came in too soon her speech wouldn't have the same impact, but if she came in too late then it wouldn't be beneficial anymore as the girl's would by then be trading blows. "You can't make me normal! That is unless you find a way to turn me into a human!" Ryuko snarled, flinging out her arms. It seemed this was still a sore point for her.

Satsuki approached Ryuko at this, her face uncharacteristically soft. She placed a gentle hand on Ryuko's trembling shoulder. "I didn't mean to harm you Ryuko. I'm sorry you had to be thrown into the mess that is my life. If I could prevent it from happening, if I could go back in time, if I had to cut off a limb in exchange for your safety, as long as it meant you never had to be burdened my problems, I would. Believe me I would." Satsuki looked into her sister's cobalt blue eyes, willing her to believe her. "And I only put you into that college because I wanted to give you something that I never had. And that was a childhood." Ryuko felt her rage subside at this and Mako put her hands up to her mouth in shock at Satsuki exhibiting emotions, at lowering down her walls, and anticipation of what was to come next.

"I never got to have fun as a child. It was always work, work, work, until you're tired to the bone. Or it was worry, worry, worry, because you had to run and hide and outsmart a psychopathic sister and an evil alien controlled mother. So I wanted to give you a chance to have fun. To be untroubled even if for a little bit before you had to come back here and help me with my mess. With our families mess. One that no child should have to deal with because no kid should clean up their parents messes." Satsuki's soft but sincere words touched something in Ryuko and she was yet again being reminded that she was behaving like a selfish little brat. Here Satsuki was, sacrificing herself just to let Ryuko have a little more of peace of mind and Ryuko was shitting all over her efforts. What kind of a sister was she? Satsuki had never meant to get rid of her. She only wanted to protect whatever lay of Ryuko's tattered childhood before she had to step into the adult world of things.

Tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes and she shook her head to try and keep them away but they kept coming back stronger and more insistent than before, until she had no choice but to let them trickle down her face. Mako, sensing that she was about to intrude on a private moment, left the room, closing the door softly behind her. It looked like today her 'hallelujah' speech would not be needed.

"Ah, family. How beautiful," she said emotionally, pulling out a handkerchief to dab at the corners of her eyes.

"But I don't want you to suffer. To have to work hard," Ryuko blubbered out, wiping her eyes with her long sleeve. Satsuki gave a wry smile at this before pulling her sister close to her, sensing the girl required physical touch to calm her down. Initially Satsuki had hated close contact due to Ragyo, but after the woman's death it seemed a huge chunk of the insults and injuries she had dealt to Satsuki had magically floated away. Satsuki was glad for this, as she had many a baggage she'd like to leave behind. And hugging Ryuko was different from being touched by that woman. Where Ragyo's touches had been cold and sent shivers of revulsion through her very being, Ryuko's were warm and protective, making Satsuki feel young and safe and needed. Besides it was different if she initiated the action. She could steal her body more to the contact.

"Ryuko do not worry about me. Big sisters are there to protect the little ones. And so I will do anything I can to protect you." Satsuki said this into her sister's hair, the smaller girl easily fitting under her chin.

"Yea," Ryuko sniffed, reigning in her tears. "But little sisters gotta help the big sisters too. Make sure they can provide whatever inept assistance they can to the older one." She wrapped her arms around her sisters waist and pulled her closer.

"Ha." Satsuki laughed, blowing up a strand of Ryuko's hair. Had it grown recently? It was longer than she last remembered, the hair ends reaching the top of the girl's collarbone. "So college is working. Now you have the word inept in your vernacular."

"Oh shut up, you pompous ass," Ryuko huffed pulling away from her sister, the sober moment ruined. "Gotta be uptight and arrogant as always." She wiped angrily at the dried tear tracks on her face. Satsuki couldn't help an amused grin from breaking out on her face.

"Pompous. That's a new word too. Don't think I've heard it before from your mouth."

"I've just never had a reason to use it, is all," Ryuko blustered, her cheeks flushing. "It is so not because of college."

"I bet," Satsuki said in a light tone, neither disagreeing or agreeing with Ryuko.

Ryuko was still convinced the girl was disbelieving. "I know a lot of words, I just don't use them around you."

"Pray tell which ones? I think I've heard most of the vulgar words in your repertoire when you chose to address me in our younger days."

"Younger days, psh," Ryuko huffed, blowing up the singular red strand in her hair. "Don't make me sound as old as you. At least I'm with the times. I know what 'lit' and 'fleek' mean."

Satsuki quirked up her brows. "Those are not real words. Now you're just making things up."

Ryuko laughed at this, stepping around Satsuki and placing the mirror she had been holding in her hand the whole time onto the bare desk in the room. It had a stand in the back to help it keep steady. Maybe the mirror wasn't too broken to not work. Then, it being set up, she sat on the desk, crossed her legs and jerked her chin up at Satsuki. "They are real words. You just don't know what they mean even with all your fancy degrees. Admit it," she sing-sang.

"They are not." Satsuki crossed her arms over her chest.

"Google them."

"I will not waste my time googling words that do not exist." Satsuki raised her chin up haughtily.

"They do exist. Let me give you a hint, all-knowing one," Ryuko said smugly and waving her hand in the air for dramatic effect. "The word 'lit' is meant as a form of 'turning up' and can be used to describe when you want to get 'turnt' or 'krunk' with a group of friends."

Ryuko could see that Satsuki still had no clue what the word meant due to Ryuko's purposely vague explanation but Ryuko was not going to make this easy for her. "And as for 'fleek'-" as this Ryuko had to stifle a laugh that threatened to come out as she thought of her next statement. "That's something your eyebrows are not!"

Satsuki still didn't know what the word meant but it sounded like an insult not to be on fleek. "My brows are fleek!"

"Nope," Ryuko shook her head adamantly. "Mine are, but yours aren't!" Satsuki frowned. What could fleek mean? Trying to decipher past the context clues she had be given, as she didn't want to risk asking Ryuko a question and having the girl discover she did indeed not know the meaning of this word, she stated, "Ryuko Matoi my eyebrows are the fleekest of anyone on this planet! As a Kiryuin that is fact!"

Ryuko only howled in laughter and bent over on the desk, wheezing as she tried to catch her breath. "You still have no clue what the word means! Just admit it Satsuki, you don't know every word in the English language!"

"Certainly doesn't sound like any respectable English language word at all to me," she mumbled under her breath but shook her head in exhaustion. "Fine you got me. I don't know the word." Satsuki had grown a lot during these past couple of months. In a bid to get the world to forgive her mother for her crimes, she had to swallow a lot of her pride to get the other countries to accept her help and resources in renewing them. Conceding to Ryuko that she didn't know all the words in the English language would just be another small pill of pride to swallow, one that she didn't really mind as long as the younger girl was happy. The black haired girl often eased her mind off of her more heavier matters.

"Shall you teach me more of these 'hip' words, Ryuko?" Satsuki asked coyly. "And I can teach you the words of your elders, of people such as me who were born a millennial ago."

Ryuko smirked at this, raising her pointer finger. "Sure, here's one very important word. And you have to make sure to say it. Can't be wasting what I teach."

"I'm all ears," Satsuki said.

---

Satsuki was back in her original office building, one that stood over thirty stories tall and was made entirely of glass and steel. Her last name was spelled out in imposing letters on the front of the building and they shined with a blue light. Her office was on the top floor, white and spacious with an amazing 360 degree view of the city, one that she had rebuilt after the war. A meeting had just ended in her office and she was walking to the elevator, on her way to grab lunch with Nonon. As the doors slide open she saw Uzu inside, wearing a matching pair of dark green sweats. He was just on his way to using the company gym.

"Hey Sats," he greeted. "Where you off to?"

" 'Sup homie. I'm off to the restaurant to grab me some grub," Satsuki casually answered, entering the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind her.

Uzu's brows went up at shock at her words and he did a double take at her to make sure he had heard right. "Uh, so you're going to go eat lunch, right?" he tried to clarify to make sure he had understood her correctly.

"Fo' shizzle," Satsuki said, nodding her head curtly at him.

"O-kay," he whistled and looked away from her, shoving his hands into his pockets, ignoring how she was looking at him. What else did he say now? Why was Satsuki speaking this way? Not knowing what else to do, he settled in for a quiet and very awkward elevator ride.

Uzu couldn't be happier to get off the elevator before Satsuki reached her destination. Waving a hasty goodbye he left on the tenth floor. A floor later, Inumuta and Ira entered, the giant having to squish his shoulders in order to fit inside.

"Good afternoon, lady!" Ira greeted, overriding Houka's quieter greeting as the elevator began its descent.

"What's hanging, my man?" Satsuki asked, freezing Ira and Inumuta in their tracks.

"Excuse me?" Ira stammered, sure he had to have misheard.

"I said, what's hanging? Like, what's good?"

Ira put a finger in his ear to make sure there wasn't any earwax in it. Nope, it was clean. He exchanged a look with Inumuta who shrugged. The blue haired boy had no clue what the lady was up to now.

"Um, everything is hanging well?" Inumuta said uncertainly. Had the lady been hit on the head? Was she in mortal danger by a rival enemy group and only allowed to communicate in nonsensical phrases? Would it be up to him to decipher this code and rescue her? Inumuta immediately began typing something up on his phone. Ira took Satsuki's change in speech differently.

"Nothing!" He screamed, his cries echoing off of the small metal box they were in. "Nobody is hanging! We don't hang people as punishment anymore. That was done in the 17th or 16th century, but if you wish to bring it back then I shall be more than happy to dirty my hands for you and do it!" The giant attempted to throw himself on the floor in reverence, but there wasn't enough space in the elevator so he only succeeded in squishing Houka against the wall as he did a handstand and placed his feet on the elevator doors in order to keep his head pasted to the floor in front of Satsuki, whose countenance was confused.

"Ira what are you speaking off?" She asked, but didn't receive an answer, as Houka, tired of being squished by Ira and unable to breathe (his hair and face beginning to match), clicked some options on his phone and the elevator doors swung open. Losing the support for his balance, Ira tumbled out and onto the floor of the third level he had been deposited onto.

He let out a grunt of surprise as he toppled head over heels and was unable to collect himself in time before Inumuta closed the doors and let the elevator continue its descent. Satsuki turned an inquiring look on the blue haired boy, whose face was slowly returning from blue to his usual pale complexion. "What?" he asked. "There must have been a glitch in the system or something. I'll get it fixed."

The rest of the ride was quiet. Satsuki got off at the lobby, but Inumuta continued on to the lower levels where the intelligence offices were housed. Nonon was in the lobby dressed in a pink attire, waiting for Satsuki to approach her.

"Hey Satsuki, ready to eat? I got us a reservation at this really good restaurant." Nonon reached for the door leading out of the lobby.

"Hell yea. I'm starved. I could eat a horse." Nonon paused at these words. "Huh?" she asked, turning her head around, hand forgotten on the doorknob.

"What?" Satsuki asked, arching a brow in intimidation.

"Nothing, nothing," Nonon stammered, shaking her head and pushing the door to step outside. Maybe she had heard wrong. Yes, it was possible something was wrong with her hearing, after all she always listened to music on the max volume and perhaps the ear damage had finally caught up to her now. But her hearing must have been worse than she thought because all through out the walk to the restaurant and even when they sat down, Satsuki kept talking this peculiar way.

"Um, Satsuki, is everything okay?" Nonon asked, cutting off her friend in the mild of a tirade about making that 'dough' and coping the new 'breads', when she could no longer stand listening to Satsuki new patterns of speech or understand a single word of her story.

"Shawty, everything is a-okay," Satsuki said, taking out her fork and knife as the waiter brought them their plates.

Nonon's face scrunched up in disgust. Had some idiotic life fibers taken over her body? No, that was absurd. They had all been defeated. "What did you just call me? You do know my name is Nonon, right?"

"Sure thing shawty. Now we eatin' or what? I'm about to go ham on this food right here."

"Ham?" Nonon restated, forgetting about her own food and eyes bulging out in shock. Was Satsuki unable to tell that that wasn't ham on her plate she was eating? "That's salmon, Satsuki. Your favorite dish." She said in a horrified whisper.

"I know. That's why I'm about to wild out on this dish here," Satsuki said in all seriousness, indicating with her knife to the cooked fish.

"Huh," Nonon squeaked, pretty sure her face was looking a bit odd right now. "Excuse me for a moment, will you?" With that she tore into the bathroom and dialed Inumuta's number. The blue haired boy answered on the first ring.

"Houka-" Nonon started in a panicked rush but the boy cut her off.

"I know. Something's wrong with Satsuki. She's talking in an un-Satsuki like manner."

"Yea, she is! Do you know what's going on? It's freaking me out!" Nonon yelled into the phone, causing a woman who was washing her hands to give her a look. Nonon glared at her until she hurriedly left.

"I analyzed a sample of her words and I believe it to be slang. Lady Satsuki is speaking slang."

"But why?" Nonon could almost feel the giant exasperated shrug Inumuta gave on the other end of the phone. "I don't know. But at least we can decipher her speech now."

"Does she even know what these words mean? How do we get her to stop? How did this even start?" Nonon would have continued on like the game twenty questions but the boy interrupted her.

"I don't know. But I leave that in your capable hands. After all you were best friends for years so this should be no problem for you to figure out."

"You're leaving me to figure this out by myself?!" Nonon's voice rose up in pitch and a woman who had just entered the bathroom backed out when she saw the pissed off girl.

"Yup. You are the one eating lunch with her after all."

The boy hung up and Nonon let out an irritated sigh. Great, just great. Taking in a deep calming breath, the short girl exited the bathroom and went back to the table where Satsuki was casually eating her dinner as if nothing was wrong.

"So, uh, were where we?" Nonon asked, smiling innocently at her friend and trying to maintain a false facade of everything being alright.

"We were in the middle of discussing finances ho," Satsuki said between bites. "This lady was beastin' about how she didn't like my prices and I told her she was blowin' mines-"

"Stop it!" Nonon shrilled out, putting her hands in front of Satsuki's face, causing the other girl to stop. That was it. She couldn't go along with this anymore.

"Why the interruption, ho?" Satsuki looked genuinely confused.

"Satsuki who taught you these new words?" Nonon put down her hands.

"What do you mean?"

"Just answer my question," Nonon demanded impatiently.

"Ryuko did. Why? Is it not how the youth talk?"

Nonon gave a great sigh. Of course that Neanderthal had taught Satsuki these words and corrupted her. "Satsuki..." Nonon rubbed her face. "What does the word 'ho' mean?'

"It means friend, naturally," Satsuki said confidentially and Nonon shook her head in disappointment. "No. It means whore, a prostitute. And you've been calling me that the whole time."

Satsuki's eyes furrowed in confusion and her mouth made a small oo shape when she realized something. "So it's a bad word."

"Yes. And probably all the other words you learned are inappropriately taught as well."

"This explains why everyone has been looking at me so strangely." Satsuki put down her eating utensils, leaned back into her chair and crossed her arms thoughtfully over her chest. She didn't seem the least bit mad that she had been tricked, only confused. "Ryuko specifically told me to call you a ho. She said it was a term meant to describe people like you."

That bitch! Nonon grabbed the table edge, her tight grip threatening to snap it. She was so going to give the bitch her due one day. She still wasn't over the whole fact that Ryuko basically stole Satsuki away from her. First, she had to fix this issue. "Alright, Satsuki, what other despicable words did Ryuko teach you?"

---

Ira loved spending time with Mako. The girl simply lit up his humble existence. One smile from her was enough to send him blushing and stammering through out his day, head in the clouds. She wasn't like other girls he had encountered. She wasn't sharp tongued like Nonon, always ready to disparage others. She wasn't divine and heavenly, a true powerhouse like Satsuki was. And she wasn't hot headed and rough like Ryuko. She was a bit...odd as one would put it. He had seen the girl put down more plates of food than he did in one sitting and he was a very big man with an even bigger appetite. She also rambled on about weird topics, the words a never ending stream. She loved jumping on people and hugging them and for some reason her motivational speeches were very...convincing. While her speech wasn't as refined and elegant as Satsuki's, she was able to carry power in much simpler words and phrases.

He was often left in rapture after her verbal storms and wondered if this was what had intrigued him about the girl. Maybe it was the way she radiated sunshine and happiness and boundless energy. For as long as he could remember he had had a crush on the girl. She had come in as a fresh faced college student, under his jurisdiction in the discipline department. And while other students there had been mean to her because of her naivety she powered on, never paying them even so much as half a mind. Her blatant disregard of what others thought had earned her respect in Gamagori's eyes and then something more. He couldn't quite recall the moment he had fallen in love with her. Had it been when she had faced an enraged Ryuko, single handily bringing her back to the brink of sanity? Or was it a more mundane moment? One in which she had been tough at work, reading over paperwork for the discipline department, pencil in hand and eyebrows furrowed in concentration?

Sighing, he shook his head. He liked the girl, he really did and he wanted to spend as much time around her as he could. The only problem was, how did he tell Ryuko about his feelings for Mako? He had a hunch the dark haired girl would not take the admission easily.

---

Ryuko was returning from an afternoon class one day, and upon entering her room she was surprised to see someone there that did not belong.

"Ira! What are you doing in here!" Ryuko exclaimed and her eyes bulged out when she saw the giant was holding a bouquet of flowers for Mako in one hand and chocolates in the other.

"R-Ryuko!" He stammered, turning beet red. "I didn't think you would be back so early!" The giant was dressed up in a gray suit with yellow accents on it.

"Class let out early, so what is this?" She gestured at him violently. "Explain yourself!"

"I was um-um just leaving!" Ira hide the items behind his back and tried to slowly edge towards the door, his eyes never leaving Ryuko's scowling face.

"Ryuko-chan! Don't be made at Ira! He was only taking me out on a date!" Mako popped out from the bathroom where she had been changing into a nice outfit.

"He's WHAT?!" Ryuko screamed, redoubling her evil glare on the giant who, if possible, shrunk beneath her look.

"Yup!" Mako cheered, oblivious to the bloodbath about to break out. "We're dating. I forgot to tell you, but you were so busy with saving the world and everything and I didn't want to bother you at the time!" Mako ducked back into the bathroom to finish dressing up.

"So how long exactly, has it been?" Ryuko asked, her voice dangerously low and calm as she stared the giant down who was sweating bullets.

"Ryuko, no need to be hasty now. I was going to do the honorable thing and ask you if I could date your friend, but you were always busy with trying to kill Ragyo and her trying to kill you and so the time never came up-"

"How long?" Ryuko cut off the man's blubbering and he gulped deeply.

"Uh, kind of like a year now, right Mako?" Ira turned ashen as he admitted this.

"Yea, a year! And today is our first year anniversary!" Mako cheerily called back from the bathroom.

Ryuko slide her hand into her pocket where she kept her key chain. Her scissor blade grew to full length as she pulled it out, the metal glinting menacingly.

"Matoi can we talk about this for a moment?!" Ira sweated as Ryuko held the blade up to his Adam's apple. "You've been going out a whole year with Mako behind my back and now you want to talk about it?!"

"It was a mistake to have never told you. A mistake!" Ira stammered, raising his hands up in peaceful gesture as the blade dug deeper into his throat.

"Yea, it was a mistake," Ryuko sneered darkly. "One that will cost your life!" And she swung her blade.

Unfortunately Mako intercepted the blow and with a quick hallelujah speech was able to restore Ryuko to a semblance of calm. The dark haired girl didn't lie that it hurt her friend had never told her this. She understood if it had been three months, but a whole year? A whole year that she had been going out with someone and not a word, not a peep about it?

"I'm sorry Ryuko. I just didn't want to worry you anymore," Mako had soberly said, noting how sad her friend looked. She tried to flash her a smile. "I knew you would worry about me dating Ira-sempai and he's a great guy. He's really sweet and he takes care of me and you'd love him too if you got to know him more." But Ryuko refused to meet her friends eyes, as she stood arms crossed over her chest.

Mako's tentative smile fell as did her hopes for getting Ryuko to not be mad at her right now. "I understand that you're mad at me and I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you. Trust me when I say that I won't jeopardize our friendship just for him."

When Ryuko still didn't say anything or look at Mako, the girl sighed and Ira placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let us go, the dinner reservation will cancel if we don't. She'll eventually understand." He tugged a reluctant Mako away and the two left Ryuko to brood on her bed in the dark.

She didn't want to have to share her best friend with someone else, but perhaps it was for the best. Everyone had to move on, to discard the past and Ryuko knew deep in her heart even if she didn't want to admit it, that Ira cared greatly for Mako. She had seen how kind his gestures were to her and how he always asked how she felt, and while she knew he had a crush on Mako since their school days at Honnouji University, she never would have dreamed the man had dredged up the courage to ask her out. Was Ryuko the only one stuck in the past, ready to pull out her blade and fight an evil that no longer existed? Sighing heavily and plopping down on her pillow face first she realized something with a dry laugh. Now she understood why Nonon hated her. Ryuko had took Satsuki's attention away from the pinkette much the same as Ira was doing with Mako. Ryuko hadn't hated the man before but she could see herself hating him if worst came to worst.

---

The camera's flash went off, blinding Aikuro momentarily. But the camera's light was never as brilliant as his smile, one that the public swore was brighter than a thousand volts when he was being charming. He gave one right now as the photographer snapped another shot of him.

"That's it, work it baby!" the photographer said, twisting to capture Aikuro's enrapturing presence. The blue haired man was in the middle of a photo shoot for a jean company. Clad in only Levi jeans and top body oiled and shined to perfection to enhance his muscular figure, he was working his magic.

Aikuro had been approached by Satsuki roughly a year ago with a proposition. The woman had needed someone to head her modeling department and felt who better for the job than someone who had experience leading a group of nudist's. Besides, Aikuro loved stripping and modeling gave him the perfect opportunity to do so without it being creepy. Instead, it was considered art and he even got paid well for it. Aikuro hadn't hesitated to accept her offer and in no time he had managed to secure a name for Satsuki's company in the modeling world. Soon requests came flooding in for models from their company and it was all Aikuro could do to find people fit for the role in time for the shoots. Often times he himself was requested to do the shoots, not that he minded. He loved being in front of the camera's and the camera's loved him. No matter what he advertised it sold like hotcakes.

But this work wasn't easy. The more his branch grew the more he was required to do for it, not less like he had expected. He was soon flying worldwide, having photos taken in exotic places such as the Amazon, the Caribbeans and Easter Island. He also had to manage his crew of twenty models, a number that was only growing as clothing corporations required his companies models. While the work left him tired and pressed to find free time, he had to be grateful for it. It gave him a purpose in life, a distraction from thinking about Kinagase. The boy's death had hit Aikuro harder than he would have liked to admit. They had been close yes, fighting and leading for Nudist Beach after starting out as roommates. But despite their argumentative and volatile relationship they had trusted each other like brothers. And so Aikuro had felt that he had let down his brother, had let his own flesh and blood die and for deep feelings of regret and despair like these to disappear...it would take a long time, if it even happened.

Satsuki had led a worldwide broadcast in honor of the man, and many people mourned together as they celebrated all of Kinagase's achievements. Even afterwards Satsuki had named a foundation after the man, one that gave money to those who were in need of going to college but didn't have the money to do so. Aikuro too wanted to make a tribute for his friend, but didn't know what. He wanted to do his friend justice, something that would be perfect for him, but what?

He only wondered what Kinagase would be doing now. What his role in shaping the new world would be if he was still alive. Would he be modeling with Aikuro? The blue haired boy guffawed at that idea. The brooding man, modeling? In a small bikini of all things? Hilarious and never to happen. Or would he be still fighting for whatever injustice there was? Ready to deliver a knuckle sandwich to his foes. And that was how Aikuro had gotten the idea of how to honor his friend. In the end he had decided to keep the Nudist Beach organization running in Kinagase's honor. The organization went from one who fought others, to one who went around the community stopping crimes, saving people and doing service projects to help out disadvantaged neighborhoods. He hoped his friend approved of this.

Aikuro finished up the shoot, his inner turmoil and thoughts so well covered that his emotions hadn't been able to penetrate the persona he was portraying to the photographer.

"Good job! The jeans are going to sell out, guaranteed now!" The man gave Aikuro a thumbs up and the blue haired man smiled, as a crew came up to him with refreshments, someone draping a towel around his shoulders.

"Of course they will," Aikuro smugly shot back, but on the inside he couldn't care less. His work was done. I wonder if you're looking down on us, wherever you are now Kinagase, Aikuro thought, looking up at the ceiling of the building and pretending he could see up to the sky. A whiff of cigarette smoke floated past his nose and he sniffed deeply. Was someone smoking indoors? He gave a quick look but found no one was. A small secretive smile crept onto his lips. Perhaps Kinagase was indeed looking down on them.

"Well then, Kinagase, do you approve of what I've done?" he whispered. The smell of smoke only intensified and Aikuro took that as a yes.

---

Inumuta checked his email for the 50th time that day and rubbed his eyes in annoyance. As the head of intelligence Inumuta was often flooded with emails, ones requiring his immediate attention and assistance. He had tried to go through all of them and help the people who needed his insight but eventually the burden had become too great and he didn't have time to attend to all of them. Companies needed his information, that was great. Companies needed his security software, even better. The more other corporations relied on the Kiryuin companies resources and means, the better the credibility for Satsuki. Yet there was only so much one man could do and so with Satsuki's permission he built a whole underground lab dedicated to garnering information, analyzing it and determining which could be sold and which should be kept locked up never to see the light of day.

His team members were all dedicated to working under him and it certainly helped that with the position came certain privileges. They respected him, if not out of fear for what dirt he could find on them and use to ruin their lives then for fear of disrespecting and letting down Satsuki with work that was insufficient. This kept the team well oiled and most importantly getting good work done.

Scrolling lazily through his mail box one more time, he sorted out an email that looked potentially promising and headed downstairs to his office, where Satsuki was already waiting for him, a hot coffee in her hand.

"Not a fan of tea anymore?" he asked as a way of greeting and the corner of her lips turned up in amusement. "I do still enjoy the pleasantries of tea. It just is not as efficient in keeping me up and running." Inumuta made sure to file away that information for now. He was worried the lady would run herself into the ground one day with all the responsibilities she had, and this change in tastes was all too much an indication.

"Let us get straight to the point. Did you find Nui?"

Inumuta shook his head tiredly as he took out his phone and booted it up to the computer so he could blow up the email he had received. He then turned the screen to Satsuki who took the chair in front of his desk, eyes scanning the information presented. "We haven't been able to find a trace of her. She's gone completely missing. As if she never existed." Satsuki scanned the email, her face leaking disappointment as Inumuta continued. "Good news is we don't have to worry about her. She doesn't seem to be trying to come after us any time soon and if she is, we have satellites attuned to the energy signatures of her body. So we'll be able to pick it up as soon as it appears. Bad news, well she's gone. And we won't be able to find her or what she was talking about when she mentioned a new evil coming."

Satsuki had confided in the blue haired boy, him being the only one of the elite four to know anything about Satsuki's concerns with Nui and with her prophecy of a new doom arriving. Satsuki hadn't wanted to worry the others if it proved to be nothing. She had merely told them she wanted to keep an eye open to make sure that other life fibers weren't out to attack them, so they didn't know how real of a threat such an attack was.

"I suppose all we can do is keep an eye on her. Notify me immediately if you find any clue, no matter how small, that could lead to her."

"Of course lady Satsuki." Inumuta bowed his head as she left, her heels clacking down the hall to the elevator. He turned the computer screen back to himself, glancing at the numbers and figures on it with a pinched brow. He didn't know which he wanted more: to find Nui alive or to find her dead. For lady Satsuki's sake he only hoped the outcome was favorable.

---

Uzu loved his new job as head of all the major sport competitions. It was the best. He got to watch people kick ass, or kick ass himself and get paid for it. What could be better? Well, maybe being able to beat Satsuki would be great, awesome actually, but the girl still proved to be too far out of his reach. He didn't know how it was possible. He had trained for years to best her, even going so far as to gain new abilities to combat her, yet in whatever way he improved the lady took it in stride, mediated on it and overcame it. All with such an ease he had to wonder if she was even taking his attempts to beat her seriously.

"One more round, please," Uzu huffed, trying to regain his breath. He had just finished a sword fight with Satsuki, one that left him on the floor, flat on his back, gasping for air.

"You want to lose that badly to me again in less than a minute?" the girl had asked, turning her back to him and already on her way back to signing more paperwork.

"Yes! I mean no! Look just give me another chance." He got up to his legs, his stomach still aching where she had struck. Even with his enhanced senses and loss of sight he still was no match for her. But he wasn't about to back out. Sometimes all one needed was luck. A split second to change the outcome of battle.

"I don't have a lot of time Uzu," Satsuki warned pausing in the doorway, her long hair swishing down her back as she undid the ponytail she had gathered it into.

"Well then that's perfect. You beat me in under a minute, maybe you can get even quicker this time?" Uzu smirked when he knew the lady had taken his bait. She was never one for backing down from challenges. And he could tell she needed this; needed a release for all her tension. He could sense the way her shoulders were always tensed up, carrying a lot of unneeded stress on them and this fight with him had relieved some of it but not all. If he couldn't beat her today the least he could do was offer her a way to dissolve the strain she wore around herself like a cloak.

"Fine then. A thirty second fight it is," she stated turning around to face him, Bakuzan already in her grasp.

It only took her twenty.

---

Nonon let out a tired sigh as she stretched up, letting her bones crack pleasantly as she worked out the aches and tension in her muscles. She had just sat through an audition for one of her record labels that she managed and the effort it had taken to sit through dozens of people with mediocre talent had drained her, her ears still ringing from the horrible rendition of a Miley Cyrus song from the last person to go up.

Since she was in charge of the Kiryuin music label, along with a handful of others the lady had acquired through smart business transactions, Nonon was always busy with calls from producers and artist's personal agents that required her advice or presence on some matter or another. Nonon didn't mind listening to music and giving advice on it; she loved music after all and discriminated nor played favorites with any genre. Music was her life and she took her job seriously, investing her self and spare time into making sure the artists she signed up to her label had the same degree of love, talent and passion for their work as she did. She made sure that the Kiryuin label only took the best of the best. She wasn't going to make Satsuki look bad. She understood how important it was for the girl to have the world forgive her mother for her crimes and to accept Satsuki as a normal person without linking her to her mother and expecting the worst of her. Most of the world was already on her side and forgiven and purposefully forgotten the events that had occurred now almost a year and a half ago, yet still Satsuki had some who opposed her viciously. Nonon couldn't speak for the other elite four, but she was going to uphold a good reputation for her friend and she knew she could do this by managing the record labels she had been given to the best of her ability.

"Any good ones today?" a man asked eagerly as Nonon finally finished her small stretches. He had been one of the judges who had sat through the line of people trying out to get a record deal and listened to them. The other judges were out getting water and taking a small break before they reconvened and deliberated if there had been anyone good.

"Not really," Nonon said, looking through the notes she had taken. "Perhaps one or two for some smaller Indie label but none for the mainstream ones and certainly none for the Kiryuin record company." The artists who had come today had been laughably bad and they all lacked the spark she had been looking for that meant they would be the next big star.

"I see," the man said morosely. He knew better than to judge Nonon's choices. She had built up about three megastars, and six smaller stars, giving them the keys to success and she had reaped the benefits for her sharp eye as revenue flowed to the Kiryuin companies coffers. A revenue that would be used to benefit what ever charity project Satsuki decided to start up.

"I'm sure you'll find someone," Nonon said getting up just as her phone buzzed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other business to attend to." Nonon rushed out and drove her Hummer down to a well known opera house where she was to met Satsuki. She had invited her lady out for a small break, knowing she would love this opera and that she could use the time to do something that wasn't work. It hadn't been easy convincing the CEO otherwise but she had succeeded in the end and now they were going to watch it together.

The lady was already inside in a balcony seat, a cup of hot drink in her hand. Her eyes looked tired and her face was drained but she greeted her friend with the usual amount of strength in her voice.

"How goes the record label?" she asked, taking a sip of her drink as Nonon settled down next to her friend. "It's going great. Our artists are topping the top 100 hundred charts with their songs and I know we can do even better. I'm planning on having them do one massive concert together. It will be great. The fans will absolutely eat up the tickets." Satsuki listened respectfully to Nonon's ramblings until the lights dimmed and the curtains went up on the show.

The opera was only going on for half an hour when Nonon turned to her friend to comment on something that had happened in the show when she noticed her friend had knocked out. Nonon stared at her friend wide eyed for a moment, shocked. This was her friends favorite opera. She must have been more tired than Nonon had sensed. She felt bad for not noticing it before. She decided to give her friend her much needed nap and turned to watch the opera.

When the opera finally ended, Nonon stood up to leave, Satsuki now awake. "How did you like this rendition of the opera?" Nonon asked, wondering if her friend would admit to falling asleep.

"It was good. Really nice scenery and the singing was as marvelous as I remember it to be." Satsuki didn't look at Nonon as she said this and missed how Nonon's lips thinned. So Satsuki wasn't going to admit to being so tired she feel asleep during a loud performance. It wasn't good that she wasn't admitting to this. With concern for her friend weighting heavily on her mind, Nonon left the theater deciding she needed to consult someone on this matter, and who better than Ira head of Satsuki's personal staff and security.

---

Nonon was sitting at a table at the company break room when she saw Ira come in. He had a couple of minutes to enjoy a six foot sandwich he had made for himself before he had to go back to work.

"Pst," the pink haired girl made a noise to gain the attention of the blonde and it worked. He twisted his massive head around to look at her.

"What is it Jakuzure?" he inquired as he dug around in the company fridge and took out his monster of a sandwich.

"Come here," she whispered, one hand covering her mouth in a conspirator manner and other indicating to the empty seat next to her.

The giant complied and sat down, the tiny chair creaking under his weight. He placed his giant sandwich on the table, the forty different kinds of meats on it spilling out the sides and onto Nonon's dainty lunch of a croissant and salad. "Yes?" he asked loudly only to be shushed by the frantic looking girl.

"Not so loudly. I don't want Inumuta's camera's to pick up what we're about to talk about."

Ira arched a brow at this, interested in what the girl had to say that was so secretive even Inumuta couldn't know. She leaned forward in her seat, eyes casting furtive glances left and right. "I wanted to ask you if you saw anything off about Satsuki?"

The giant rubbed his chin, looking skyward. Honestly he had been a bit wrapped up with Mako and sadly was unable to answer Nonon's questions.

"I'm sorry Jakuzure, I have no answers to proffer."

"Ugh, you're so useless," the girl sat back in her chair, irritated look on her face, disappointment leaking from her voice.

"I know something that may be helpful," a voice sounded behind the pinkette and she yelped, nearly dropping out of her chair. "Did you have to sneak up on me like that?" Nonon huffed angrily, fixing the beanie she wore on her head as she gave the newcomer a glare heated enough to warm the frozen microwave burrito the man was carrying.

"I did, since you insisted on leaving me out of the convo via camera. I may not have sound on my video feeds, but I can still lip read Nonon." Inumuta said as he placed his burrito in the microwave and heated it up.

"Can you read this?" Nonon said, flipping the man the bird. Inumuta sighed, adjusting his glasses with his pointer finger. "Do you want to know or not? As head of information I would assume my data would be of extreme value to you, but...I can see I am unneeded here." The man made to move but Nonon tugged on his sleeve stopping him. "Tell me," she hissed menacingly. "Tell me everything." The timer went off, indicating that the burrito was done and Inumuta fetched it, wincing as the heat burned his hands.

The blue haired boy plopped down into the other empty seat next to her and pulled out his phone, unwrapping his food with the other hand. "I've created a compilation of oddities I have noticed surrounding lady Satsuki. It all started two months ago." Inumuta's voice took on the tone of one telling a horror story and he dramatically dimmed the lights in the break room to fit the mood. Other workers who were eating their lunch there looked up in surprise but shrugging went back to eating, figuring it might be a new energy saving strategy of their CEO.

"There I was, on my way to the elevator when I saw Satsuki waiting for one as well. She didn't seem to notice my presence, and as you know Satsuki is always aware of those around her. When I greeted her, she turned around and I saw her face was sullen and gray with dark bags under her eyes. Her eyes seemed kind of glazed over, and in her hand was a cup of coffee!"

Nonon let out a small gasp. "Coffee? Why in all these years Satsuki never touched a single drop!" Inumuta nodded his head solemnly before continuing his flash back.

"It gets worse. One day she called me into her office for a meeting." He put air quotes around the word meeting. "But when I came into her room she was busy typing away on her computer." Inumuta's mind traveled back to that faithful day.

"Lady Satsuki, I'm here." Inumuta knocked on her door, letting himself in.

"What? Did I call for you?" she asked, her eyes vacant and dull as she turned away from her computer screen.

"Uh, yes you did. We are here to discuss the new online security measures you wanted me to install." He was nervous. Lady Satsuki never forgot a meeting!

"Oh, okay. Continue then." She waved her hand dismissively and resumed typing on her computer as he slowly explained what he had done to boost the web firewalls. But all he got in response from her were grunts and half muttered phrases like 'good job' and 'uh-huh'. Inumuta couldn't stand being in there anymore so he left, his heart uneasy and hands shaking. Something was seriously wrong with Satsuki. Her speech was never this unintelligent or garbled! Inumuta took a break at this, noting the horrified expressions on his friends faces as he explained to them the grievances that had occurred.

"Well, go on," Ira stammered, his face ashen. He didn't want to hear anymore of this but at the same time he did, because he knew he had to hear it for the good of his lady.

Inumuta gulped deeply at this. "If I must," he answered gravelly, raising the phone screen to his face and using the blue glow to illuminate it, giving even more of a dramatic feel as the shadows and light contorted on his face to make him look malignant and scary. "This last incident happened just last night, at the strike of midnight, in this very room."

Ira and Nonon both shivered, scooting closer together for comfort unconsciously.

"I was walking to it, on my way to get a late night snack when I heard the sounds of someone eating-no, devouring- food. Snarling and hissing and tearing it to shreds. I wondered who it could be as all other employees were at home already. I figured it must have been one of us, but which one of us eats like that? Surely not even Uzu with his horrid table manners could produce such despicable sounds. I figured I better solve this mystery and quick, for who knew what dangers awaited if I let this continue. Being careful I crept over to the door way, fearing that perhaps it wasn't someone we knew but a bandit that had snuck in. A life fiber.

"Peering cautiously inside I found none other than Satsuki inside the room, sitting at one of the tables. Surrounding her was a heap of the most disgusting and foul thing I had ever laid eyes on." Nonon and Ira grasped each others hands as their eyes opened wide in anticipation.

"It was-it was Fast food! Lady Satsuki was eating fast food!"

The collective howls that Ira and Nonon let out could have shattered glass and it certainly drew confused looks from those in the room with them.

"Lady Satsuki never eats fast food! Never! What happened? What ungodly forces harmed her this time! What has she become?" Nonon grabbed her head in her hands and began shaking it crazily while Ira stood up from his seat. "I have failed my lady!" he howled. "Because of me she has turned into a coffee drinking, fast food eating zombie! I should commit suicide now for my failures, but I cannot until I save my lady!" Ira was ready to bolt out the room when Uzu came in, effectively blocking the doorway.

"What's going on here?" he asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion.

"Get out of my way, Sanageyama! Satsuki has turned into a zombie and we must save her!" Ira lunged at Uzu ready to pry him out of the doorway when Uzu planted a boot on his face and kicked him back. The giant fell onto the table, breaking it with his fall.

"Hold up for just one second. Can anyone explain this to me before we go charging out looking for a fight?" Uzu demanded, shocked that he had said such a sensible thing. After all he was the first to want to fight, to demand a fight, yet he had a feeling that if he let there be a battle now it would only lead to more complications.

"Fine, I'll explain everything to you so that your stupid monkey brain can get it," Nonon said pointing an accusatory finger at him.

Five minutes later and Uzu was up to speed on the matter. "So you think Satsuki is a zombie?"

"Yes!" Barked Ira. "She has pale skin, dark heavy bags under her eyes and she cannot form whole sentences. Plus she consumes only junk food that will do irreversible damage to her body if we do not stop her now!"

Uzu sighed, resisting the urge to slap his face. "And you think zombies exist?"

"Duh! If life fibers, killer clothing from space, exist than why not zombies?" Nonon said, backing up Ira's fallacies.

Uzu made an unimpressed face and turned to Inumuta who was standing silently behind the two raging idiots shouting at Uzu, eating his cooled burrito. "Did you do this?"

"I merely provided them with detailed observations of what I encountered. Any and all conclusions they have reached are by their own muddled brains."

"Thought as much," Uzu muttered to himself before tiredly addressing Ira and Nonon. "Guys, Satsuki isn't a zombie. She's only acting zombie like because she's stressed and tired. Eating unhealthy foods is often a big indicator of that, and I'm sure the coffee is to keep her awake when she should be sleeping. I know you can't sense it but I can with my Shingantsu. She's emitting so much tension the levels are almost toxic like."

"Can your Shingantsu sense how much of an asshole you are?" Nonon muttered to herself before Uzu glared at her, shutting her up.

"What can we do to help Satsuki?" Ira asked.

Uzu smiled a huge grin. One that spoke of trouble making. "Oh, I have an excellent idea."

---

Satsuki had decided it was time to take a break. More accurately her friends had decided for her.

"You're taking a break!" Nonon had insisted as she pushed a confused Satsuki into her Hummer after abducting her as she was coming from a dinner break, and hit the gas pedal once they were both in. Inside Ira, Inumuta, Uzu, and Aikuro already sat, dressed in night club clothes.

"Don't tell me you're all on this too," the long haired girl sighed, gripping her seat as Nonon took a sharp corner, as they solemnly nodded their heads. "Nonon let me out, I have a meeting to go to in five minutes and I can't be late."

"It's fine. I already canceled it," Inumuta informed her. "Besides you need this. You've been working yourself to the bone, practically sleeping at the company. I've only seen you leave to go home to take showers and then come right back."

"And that's not healthy. You need your sleep and you need your fun," Uzu added. "All work and no play, leads to no life at the end of the day."

"Guys," Satsuki tugged uselessly at the locked door handle before grimacing and trying the window. That was locked too. "I still have a lot of work-"

"As we all do, but that doesn't mean we can't take a break," Aikuro smoothly interjected to which Ira glared at him from the back seat. "You will not interrupt the lady as she is speaking."

Aikuro raised his hands in a 'calm down' expression and plastered an apologetic look onto his face until Ira shimmered down and went back to addressing his lady. "Lady Satsuki, we mean you no disrespect but we are concerned for you."

"And you know if even Ira is agreeing with us, that it must be something serious," Uzu added making Satsuki sigh. She could just imagine all the work that awaited for her in her office, but her friends were adamant and she did know she needed a break. She hadn't slept properly in over a week and the stress from negotiating all these business deals was catching up to her. She knew being a CEO was a lot of work and had been prepared for that, but it was nice to see her friends concerned for her. "Fine. But only for an hour or two. Then I have to get back to work."

"Hell yea, we're gonna have fun now!" Uzu cheered, grabbing Inumuta excitedly by his shoulders.

"A fun evening with just us elite four, and Satsuki," Nonon smiled, speeding through a red light. The lady had said only an hour or two so Nonon was gunning the engine. She didn't want to waste any time.

"And me too," Aikuro added. "Also I invited Ryuko and Mako."

"WHAT?!" Nonon stomped on the brakes so hard that Aikuro, who wasn't wearing a seat-belt in the passenger seat, collided with the windshield. Everyone in the backseat let out a groan as their seat belts tugged them back harshly into their seat.

"What did you say?" Nonon asked although she had heard clearly. Aikuro clambered back into his seat, holding his bleeding nose, his voice a bit distorted. "I said that Ryuko and Mako are going to be there too."

"Great," Nonon grumbled under her breath as she started the car up again, other cars behind her honking at her for her abrupt stop. "Suck it!" She opened up her window and flipped the drivers behind her off before gunning the engine. Now her evening was ruined. She had hoped to have a friendly outing with Satsuki like they had in the past but of course Ryuko was going to ruin it with her attendance. But then again, now she could get Ryuko back for messing with Satsuki's speech. Grinning evilly to herself she doubled her speed until they were at the bar.

Loud music and neon strobe lights came from the fancy establishment. The passengers of the car got out, holding their stomachs as they groaned. "What?" Nonon asked, a touch annoyed. This was no time to be complaining. They were supposed to be out having fun.

"Maybe you should slow down next time," Inumuta said, his face looking extra pale before he let out a huge belch.

"Just walk it off, sissies," Nonon said and walked into the bar. It was neatly decorated little place with pictures and posters of celebrities hanging from the walls. The tables were covered in green tablecloths and there was matching upholstery. A couple of video game machines stood against the back wall, and Inumuta's attention zeroed in on them immediately but Ira's hand on his shoulder kept him from running off to play them.

It wasn't too crowded inside which was perfect for what the group had planned. It would be even better if they could have the place to themselves but someone *cough cough Uzu cough* had forgotten to rent it out entirely. Ryuko and Mako were already waiting for them inside, wearing party clothes. "Ira-sempai!" Mako grinned and rushed up to the giant when she saw him. His pale expression from the car ride disappeared into a wide grin as she jumped into his arms.

"Everyone here?" Ryuko asked, watching her friends file in. "Good, let's get this party started!" She pulled the bottle of champagne off of the table she was at and popped it, white foam coming out.

Half an hour later everyone was seated at the table in the back of the bar, enjoying their alcoholic beverages and some bar snacks they had ordered. Ira was nursing a giant mug of beer, and staring moony eyed at Mako who was gazing into his eyes with the same reverence, the snacks she ordered going cold. Ryuko let out a disgusted sound at the scene before her, at the same time as Nonon did and the two shared a look, unable to believe they had agreed on something.

"Hey, don't get disgusted at my friends!" Ryuko said, attempting to wipe away the evidence of them having ever agreed with snark.

"Ira is not your friend. He's my friend. Your only friend is Mako, you loner." Nonon shot back, taking a gulp of her martini.

"Mako is my best friend! Get it right," Ryuko huffed, angry that she couldn't exactly refute Nonon's point. Ryuko wasn't a popular person, but she didn't care. As long as she had Mako she was set for life. And besides Aikuro was her friend kind of and so was Kinagase...Ryuko winced as she remembered that the mow-hawked boy was no longer alive and she took a big mouthful of her beer to try and wipe away the bitter memory with something even more bitter.

"Anyways I still owe you something for that stunt you pulled on Satsuki!" Nonon was still talking.

"What stunt? Oh, the slang? Come on, that was funny. Don't tell me you're mad at it?" Ryuko shot Nonon an incredulous look.

"It wasn't funny! You're being disrespectful to Satsuki!" Nonon slammed her martini glass on the table for emphasis.

Ryuko rolled her eyes and managed to avoid muttering out an 'oh my gosh'. "She's my sister Nonon, deal with it. Sisters do stupid stuff like this to one another. Besides if it really bothered her she would have done something about it already. I'd probably be sticking out of a wall or something," Ryuko took a contemplative sip, recalling their last argument and how many walls they had brought down with it.

"Regardless-"

"Why do you care so much?" Ryuko cut her off, annoyed at the pinkette's persistent attitude. The question seemed to catch Nonon off guard for a second but it wasn't long before she recovered.

"Because she's my best friend and we've been taking care of each other since we were six years old, and then you waltz in as her sister and suddenly you're more important than her friendships." Nonon lowered her voice, averted her eyes and took a petulant sip of her drink, all her anger suddenly exhausted. Ryuko let out an irritate sigh. Here she was, just wanting to have a good time but Nonon was ruining it. She gave a quick look to see if someone else could take over for this but everyone else was occupied. Mako and Ira were still in their own world, having gotten more disgustingly lovey dovey as glowing little hearts surrounded them. Uzu was goading Inumuta into taking a shot with him and Satsuki and Aikuro were engaged in a discussion. Seeing it would be up to her, Ryuko heaved a sigh, chugged down the rest of her drink, gave out a huge burp, wiped her mouth and addressed the girl.

"Nonon, that's how familial bonds are. You have to deal with it. When Mako started dating Ira I felt the same way."

Nonon arched a brow and gave Ryuko a questioning look. The dark haired girl just continued, hoping that by revealing some personal secrets she could get the pinkette to shut up and stop bothering her. "I felt like he was stealing her away, and I was upset. Upset that now instead of me being number one for her, I was number two. But I realized her happiness was important and as her friend I should respect that. So I understand where you're coming from Nonon. You don't want to lose your friend, but if you were really her friend you would understand and want to be happy for her, even as she spends time with me and not you."

Nonon frowned and softly asked. "What about my happiness?"

Ryuko shrugged. "I'm happy if Mako's happy. And I'm happy if Satsuki's happy. And that's good enough for me."

"What if I can't be happy just because their happy?"

"Then I can't help with that," Ryuko stated, wanting to be done with this conversation. She was not in the mood to converse with a drunk Nonon who was very depressing. She was seriously bringing down Ryuko's good vibes. Raising a hand she ordered another beer. This grabbed the attention of Uzu who by now was a couple of shots of Patron deep, forcing Inumuta to do the same, although the blue haired boy wasn't wearing it as well. Already his eyes were spinning dizzily and he was squinting with one eye at his phone as he typed something.

"Ryuko take a shot with me! Houka, take another shot with me!" Uzu called, only a slight blush to his cheeks to indicate he had taken ten shots in half an hour. Ryuko shook her head to discourage his idea and Houka had the same thought.

"No," the blue haired boy whined. "Leave me alone. I'm texting someone."

"No girlfriend, so texting your mom, eh?" Uzu elbowed Inumuta roughly, causing the boy to drop his phone onto the floor. He quickly dropped down to grab it and sat back in his seat in order to inspect it, heaving a sigh of relief when there were no cracks on the screen. Then he glared angrily at the green haired boy, or as much as he could drunkenly do so. "Don't elbow me, you asshole! This one is one of a kind. No stores sell it. It took me three years to make!"

"Don't elbow you, like this you mean?" Uzu asked innocently and then elbowed Inumuta hard, causing the boy to fall out of his chair. The boy fell flat on his face before he bounced up again, his glasses a bit askew. "Stop that, you asshole!"

"Stop what?" Uzu asked, feigning ignorance and taking down a shot.

"Stop being an asshole!" Inumuta was shaking with fury. "I could have seriously gotten hurt!"

"Like this, you mean?" Uzu said and tugging down on the front of Houka's high collar, slammed his face into the table, rattling the glass ware.

"That's it. You're so on!" Inumuta screeched, his nose and forehead red from hitting the table. He rolled up his sleeves and grabbed at Uzu, shaking the laughing boy by the neck. "Chill out man, I'm just playing around with you." But the blue haired boy was too pissed off to stop now. Ryuko grimaced as the two fighting boys began to rattle the table back and forth. Should she tell them to stop? No, maybe something amusing would happen.

Satsuki off course cut them off with a sharp cry and the two boys settled down back into their seats. Inumuta blushed at being called out but Uzu took it in stride and picked up the bottle of hard liquor. "Shots, everyone, to celebrate saving the world and living to see another day!"

"I'll cheer to that," Aikuro said, raising a shot glass to be filled by the green haired boy. Uzu went around the table filling everyone's extended cup. Then in one motion they raised the cups up, clinking the glass and swallowed it down. Ryuko made a face at the taste as did Mako, who additionally underwent a full body shiver of disgust.

"I want to toast to something too," Nonon said, getting up on her seat although she wasn't that much taller. "This outing was as a late celebration for those of us who fought in the war. We've haven't really had time to thank ourselves for all our efforts, so as my toast, I say this is for us."

Another round of shots went around. "So that's why you brought me here," Satsuki mussed as she downed her shot, twirling the glass in her slender fingers.

"Yes, it was kind of a surprise." Nonon admitted. "If we told you ahead of time you'd say no, and besides you did need a break so this was perfect. We've spent time honoring those who are dead but not those who are alive."

Ryuko cast a glance at Aikuro wondering if the boy would erupt at the mention of this, but Aikuro only gave her a blank look. "I'm fine, Ryuko," he said once he realized why she was looking at him like this. "I know Kinagase is watching over us. He's still with us even if we don't know it." The man said this with so much seriousness, his eyes level and meeting that of everyone's at the table, that Ryuko didn't have the heart to point out how ridiculous this sounded. "And since I'm talking I would like to make a toast. To the future." More shots were downed and Ryuko could feel the warm alcohol run through her veins, flushing her face.

"I wanna make a toast too!" Mako excitedly slammed her hands onto the table top, nearly shooting out of her seat. "To love!" she exclaimed and Ryuko had to roll her eyes. Of course Mako would toast to that now.

"Yes, to love," Ira seconded as they all drank.

"But not just love love," Mako insisted, wiping her mouth with flourish after her shot. "But friend love," at this she looked at Ryuko. "And family love." Ryuko felt her chest warm at that comment. She couldn't stay mad at Mako for long. The girl always knew how to make Ryuko melt her iron walls.

"To staying connected," Inumuta added, raising his glass. He looked about ready to fall out of his chair. Everyone gave him an odd look, surprised to see the boy commenting when he was usually quiet. "What? What are you looking at? Drink up!"

"I think you've had enough buddy," Uzu offered and snatched the glass from Houka's hand before the liquid could reach his lips.

"Hey, give it back," the boy mumbled feebly, reaching drunkenly for the glass in Uzu's grasp only to overextend and hurt his back. "Oh shit," he groaned as his body stiffened up and he fell rigidly forward and face first into Uzu's lap. The green haired man started laughing heartily.

"Help me up!" Inumuta screamed. "I'm suffocating in his crouch!" But everyone only laughed at this as Uzu patted the boy on the back and drank Inumuta's shot. "To staying connected indeed," Uzu grinned, eventually lifting the boy up by the back of his collar and sitting him up properly in his chair.

"I'm so gonna tweet about this, and then all my fans are gonna come after you," he huffed angrily, but the redness of his cheeks and the way he slurred his 'threat' didn't scare anyone and they moved on.

"I'd like to make a toast as well, if we are celebrating." Satsuki clinked her glass with a fork to bring order to her table. Everyone turned their attention to her, wondering what wise words of wisdom she would utter. She herself looked to be contemplating what she could say, at last giving a small grin. "I dedicate this toast to everyone sitting at this table and to everyone who is not. I dedicate it to those who played a role in fighting in the battle of good versus evil, no matter how small their role. I dedicate it to those who didn't even fight but helped in the cleaning up of the aftermath, in the helping of others who needed a hand to support them. I dedicate this to bonds, those between friends, family and lovers. And lastly I dedicate this to moving forward but never forgetting our past, and where we came from."

The table was silent as Satsuki's words sunk in. She had neatly addressed what all them had been trying to say but were too drunk or inarticulate to formulate properly. But her next words shocked them.

"I'd also like to thank Ragyo."

A chill ran down the group's back and Ryuko glared at her sister. "Why are you thanking that vile monster?"

"Relax Ryuko. I may have hated her deeply and with all I had, but if it weren't for her then I would have never known any of you. Think about it," Satsuki mussed, looking levelly at everyone's shocked stares. "If I had not discovered my mother's evil ploys I never would have employed the help of Nonon, Ira, Houka and Uzu against her, thus never meeting them. I never would have made that academy to fuel those students passion for fighting, and if that academy would have never been made then Aikuro, Mako and you, Ryuko would never had been asked to join it. I never would have meet you, and never would have known I had a sister. And for that I am very grateful."

"Lady Satsuki!" Ira bellowed, overcome with emotion. "I am deeply honored to have served as your shield! Without you I would have been lost!" He slammed his head onto the table top as a form of bowing and the group jumped as he nearly split it apart with his massive forehead.

"I am...happy you feel that way. Speaking these words of emotion is difficult on me, so bear with me if my speech does not make sense or if it gives you pause. What I'm trying to get at is, my life would have been very different if Ragyo hadn't been evil. Would it have been easier? Conceivably. But her wicked plans and actions threw us together and now that she is defeated, another thing I am enormously grateful for, I have wonderful friends and family I can turn to and rely on."

"You're such a cornball sis," Ryuko said affectionately, slugging her sister on her arm, causing the older girl to nearly drop her glass.

"I'm a what now?" Satsuki asked, confused.

"A cornball, as in-"

"Oh no you don't Matoi. You are not teaching lady Satsuki another slang term or so help me-"

"So help you what?" Ryuko arched a brow, feeling anger bubble through her veins. She rolled back one sleeve of her blouse, ready to rumble. She was so tired of this midget ruining her night.

"Another toast, another toast," Aikuro insisted, trying to stop the situation before it escalated. Ryuko held her glare trained on Nonon for a few more seconds, the pinkette doing the same before they finally separated their heated staring contest. "Ryuko, you haven't given a toast yet. I'd like to hear it."

Aikuro was right. Ryuko hadn't given one yet. She hmphed, unsure what to say. What was she grateful for that no one else had mentioned before? All her friends looked at her, eagerly awaiting her answer. At last an idea popped into her head that was reasonable. "I raise a toast to now."

"To now?" Ira inquired, his bushy eyebrow rising in question.

"Yes, to now. To this moment right here. To living in the present." Then with a wide smile she gulped down her refilled drink.

---

Ryuko had returned back to her dorm room sufficiently drunk. Mako hadn't been any better off and it was only thanks to Ira that the two girls were able to make it back to bed safely. Ryuko had woken up with a raging hangover the next morning and slept through her classes, opting to stay in her bed and scowl in pain as Mako suffered through the same in the bed next to hers.

Once Ryuko had slept through a majority of her hangover, she decided it was time to get dressed and grab some grub before the dining hall closed for the day. She was ravenous and could use something to fuel her as she caught up on the work she had missed. She was going to get Mako to come with her but a huge snot bubble appearing over the girls head indicated she was soundly knocked out and would not be waking up anytime soon.

Ryuko hobbled over to her closet, all her muscles sore for some reason. She couldn't remember too much of what had happened after they had done their toasts. She had vague images of Aikuro stripping and dancing naked on the table, and Uzu and Inumuta fighting again. As she skimmed for something to wear her hand paused over her jacket Senketsu. The kamui was asleep and Ryuko didn't know for how long that would go on for. After the Grand Battle, Senks had told her that he had been created to help her and to protect her but that now the threat was gone he no longer had any purpose on this world.

Ryuko had protested that, saying he did have a purpose. To be her friend. To be by her side. But the jacket had simply nodded off, untransforming around her body and falling uselessly to the ground. No amount of shaking and screaming would awaken him and although Ryuko knew he was still alive, still there, it wasn't the same. He hadn't woken up since then and Ryuko had long given up on wearing him in hopes that he would wake up. She kept him in her closet knowing that he was trapped somewhere inside and she was unable to save him. She felt like a failure but she hoped that one day she would be able to aid him like he had aided her all this time.

So she kept a small kernel of hope in her heart, each day looking at her closet, watching and waiting for the moment he would stroll out, ready to be worn by her again.

Until then she was going to enjoy her college experience like Satsuki wanted her to, and Mako was definitely ready to make it interesting.

"Lady Satsuki said you have to have fun." This was a week after the celebration and Ryuko was at her desk watching videos on her phone, bored, when Mako had approached her, a ginormous grin on her face. "So I'm going to make sure we have the most fun we can have. We're gonna have so much fun that when you look up the definition of fun, our faces are going to be there underneath it!" Mako pointed excitedly at a Dictionary before tossing the book away and grabbing Ryuko's hand. "Now let's get crazy!"

And they did.

Mako dragged Ryuko to from random club to random club. What even was the silent broccoli friends club? Ryuko didn't know and she didn't care. They went to the movies, ate out at good and not so good restaurants. They got shit faced drunk at parties and struggled with reaching college deadlines. They acted like regular girls of their age did. And Ryuko gradually began to think less and less of her past and what had happened in it. Before she knew it three years passed by in a breeze and soon she was up on stage, clad in cap and gown, waiting to receive her diploma. Satsuki had of course come to celebrate her sister's graduation, telling Ryuko that she knew she could do. The elite four were also there, although Nonon looked like she had been forcibly dragged here and made to act nice. Aikuro too had dropped by, a bouquet of flowers for Ryuko who had blushed in surprise and then embarrassment as he began stripping for her in front of others as a graduation gift. Needless to say Ryuko had gifted him with a present of her own: a punch to the face.

There had been a celebratory dinner afterwards and then Ryuko had gone back to her room, giving it one last look before she had to pack up the contents of her life and move on. She had been so eager to leave college before to rush to her sister's side but now that it was over, she felt a bit reluctant to leave. She would never admit it to the older girl but she was grateful her sister had forced her to attend. She had had fun. A chance to be the child she could never be. Now it was time to be a hardworking adult.

Satsuki had agreed to let the girl work for her company and Ryuko was going to get her own office in as soon as a weeks time. Her position, wage and hours had already been established. All that she needed to do was pack up now.

She reached into her closet to pull out Senks. She always packed him first and foremost as he was her most important article of clothing, only when she reached in, her fingers closed on empty air. Furrowing her brows she began to hastily move the coat hangers aside wondering if by some mistake she had put him on another rack even though she hadn't touched him in months. She was still frantically shuffling through when the sound of someone clearing their throat stopped her. She turned around slowly, her hands instinctively curling into fists, only to have them relax a second later.

"Senks," she whispered, astonished to see her leather jacket sitting up on her bed. "How-why-what?"

"How long has it been Ryuko?" her jacket asked in his familiar gravelly voice.

"Three years, why?" She could only answer him and stare dumbly as the thing she had wished for with all her heart over those years had finally come true and was right there before her. This was the best graduation gift ever!

"Three years, huh?" he closed his eye briefly. "I figured you would have more time for peace before it came to this but atlas it was not to be," the jacket cryptically said and let out a soft sigh before hopping off the bed.

Unease prickled through Ryuko. "What are you talking about Senks?"

The jacket fixed her with a grim stare, his following words filling her with horror. She had an inkling of what he was referring to. Nui's haunting words from years past ran through her head as the jacket spoke."It's starting again Ryuko. The great evil has arrived."

Scratch that. Senks waking up wasn't starting to look like such a good gift after all.

---

The small downtown office that Ryuko and Mako had helped Satsuki set up all those years ago was finally going to be closed down. Satsuki had no more use for it. She had finalized the business she had here albeit it had taken her longer than she expected. Cartons containing her personal and professional items were packed up. Satsuki only had one more box to go and she would be done. Inumuta had insisted that she get workers to clean it up for her, so that she wouldn't waste her time, but Satsuki had rejected the idea. With her days always busy and forcing her to rush everything she did, she wanted to take a break and figured cleaning up this office would be a nice break from it. It was just her and her thoughts and-

"Nui." Satsuki breathed out the blonde haired girl's name as the window to her office opened up allowing the sounds of city life to flood in, and the girl waltzed in, closing her pink umbrella and giving it a shake, spraying water droplets everywhere. One drop landed on Satsuki's cheek and she flinched back as if she had been struck. It was raining outside, distant thunder rumbling as occasional lighting flashed. It would light up the darkened room Satsuki was in, the only light otherwise coming from her desk lamp. Satsuki paused in her motions of packing away her desk top mirror and placed it by the edge of her bureau. Over the years she had attached small photos of her and Ryuko to it, to remind herself why she continued to work hard everyday. With fond feelings she still remembered how the girl had forced her into a photo booth one day as they were shopping. The girl insisted that all teens did this for fun and four photos were snapped in such rapid succession that Satsuki had been unable to mold her face into a reasonable expression. Instead her countenance was caught in a mix of distraught, confusion and shock. Ryuko had laughed herself silly, declaring Satsuki looked like someone who had just stepped in dog shit in a pair of Louis Vuttons shoes. Satsuki hated the photo but kept it unbeknownst to Ryuko. Ryuko's own expressions of joy and mirth override her embarrassment of being caught at such an unflattering angle.

Nui ignored Satsuki's utterance of her name and closed the window behind her, shutting out the sounds of outside life and leaving this room as silent as a tomb. She placed her umbrella neatly by the sill and gave the darkened room a look, as she clasped her hands in front of her chest acting like it was nothing out of the ordinary for her to make an appearance. "My, my, your taste hasn't changed in all these years, Satsuki." At saying the girl's name, Nui finally looked at the Kiryuin, smiling sweetly.

Satsuki stiffened. She didn't have her sword by her side (it didn't make sense for a CEO to always carry a sword around) and her phone was all the way by the door where she had hung up her coat. Could she perhaps reach it and call for help? What was Nui even here for?

"Still boring and blue," the girl tsked as she opened up a closed box and examined the contents. Satsuki's throat felt dry but she didn't let that stop her. She wasn't going to let the other girl notice how nervous she was.

"Nui, how... intriguing to see you. I've been looking for you all these years. Nice to see you drop by finally."

Nui gave a little laugh and looked up at her sister, before plopping down on a stack of boxes. She had forgone her usual pink and frilly outfit, in favor of an all black dress, with long black gloves, knee high boots and a black shawl that covered her shoulders. By Satsuki's guess the girl was still in mourning about their mother and the defeated primordial life fibers. Her usual pigtails had been left lopsided, her one pigtail adorned with a black string. "You weren't looking for me. You were hunting me down," she spat, raised her chin haughtily and Satsuki was surprised how much the girl was composed. She had expected her to be raging mad, a lunatic over the failure of her plan, but it seemed those three years had matured her. Made her more sensible, and that was somehow even scarier. Satsuki took a step backwards to get closer to her jacket but forgot her desk chair was behind her and she stumbled and fell into it. Nui gave a giggle at this which made Satsuki want to blush for her blunder. "You wanted to hunt me down because you need me." The way she said that implied something suggestive and Satsuki shivered, memories she wished to keep repressed forcing their way out of the chains she had put around them. Biting the inside of her cheek she managed to hold them off.

"Don't be ridiculous," Satsuki spat, trying to regain some composure after falling into the chair. "I don't need you. I can find out what this next great evil is all by myself no matter how long it takes."

Nui gave another laugh, one that surprised Satsuki with it's abruptness. "I wasn't talking about that. You don't need my help for that. You need my help for the other tasks you have planned. And that's why you were hunting for me. So drop your false pretense of needing me only to tell you what the evil is. " Nui smiled slyly, her fingers idly playing with one of the flaps of the boxes.

No, she couldn't be referencing to that, could she...? Better to play coy and draw what I need to know out of her. Satsuki frowned and folded her hands over each other as Nui jumped off of her makeshift chair and slowly approached Satsuki on her toes, giving her the appearance of being taller than she was. Satsuki stayed still, trying to intimidate the girl with her glare. "What are you talking about? You're not making any sense at all."

"Oh stop bluffing. It's not becoming of you." Nui paused to pick up the mirror with a picture of Ryuko and Satsuki plastered to it. "How cute. Looks like little Ryuko is doing well. Oblivious as always is she?" She ran a finger down Ryuko's face. The mirror was promptly snatched out of her hand as Satsuki put it back where it had been. She didn't want Nui's slimy hands on Ryuko even if it was just a picture of her. Slamming her palm down down for emphasis, Satsuki stood up, towering over the blonde haired girl. "What are you talking about? I don't have time for your little games." She said this through gritted teeth.

"Eh, how scary," Nui smiled, not at all scared. "Do you want me to spell everything out for you? So that I can stroke your ego?" She fiddled with the collar of the white business shirt Satsuki was wearing, addressing it. "You've become really clever with concealing your form. It's hard to tell, even for me sometimes." She paused at this, putting a finger to her lips. "No, it's not that she's wearing you, but you're wearing her. How clever."

A shiver ran through Satsuki's back. What was the girl talking about? Who was wearing her? It couldn't be a reference to her kamui, she had made sure to destroy the detested thing years ago. After the kamui had attempted to take over her body she had sliced open her guts, reaching in and cutting out the life fibers in her body. Her hands digging into her soft pink insides, blood spilling, mind spinning in delirium, her getting a firsthand lesson on the anatomy of a human body, not that she wanted one, was a horrid and painful experience that she had to overcome in order to save herself and one she wouldn't quickly forget. She didn't know how far she got because she blacked out from pain and blood loss. When she awoke her body was healed as good as new and her kamui was...it was hard to tell. Blue fibers lay burned to a crisp by her side, so she knew she had taken them out somehow unconsciously. Yet the kamui's eyes looked dead and it's annoying voice in her head was gone. And when she had tried to transform to see if the uniform worked, she was able to even gain a new form surprisingly. This was truly perplexing but she did not dwell on it. And when battle was done she burned her kamui to make sure every last trace of life fibers had been eradicated.

Satsuki frowned and slapped Nui's hand away. "Nui you better start getting to the point of your little visit or I will have you removed." She couldn't feel any killing intent radiating off of the girl. Either she was concealing it well, or else she really had changed. And how had Inumuta's cameras not caught her energy signatures? Had Nui found a way around it?

What was the purpose of Nui coming here? It couldn't be for a simple chat and just because she didn't seem like she wanted to fight didn't mean she wouldn't do it. Satsuki placed her hand on the back of her office chair, planning what the quickest way would be to bypass the girl who was standing so close to her.

"Ooo, you'll remove me. How terrifying," Nui gave mock shivers before sighing dejectedly. "I suppose it really is just you, Satsuki."

Satsuki cocked her head in confusion. Was Nui delusional now? Had she been anticipating someone else? "Who were you expecting?"

But Nui didn't address the girl. She cupped her hands over her mouth. "Hallo, wake up! It's been three years. How long are you going to take?" she shouted at Satsuki's face and the older girl began to feel more irritation than fear at the girl's antics.

"I kindly ask-no, suggest- you to remove yourself from my personal space or I'll remove your other pigtail," Satsuki threatened causing the other girl to pout. Even though Satsuki didn't have her sword on her it didn't mean that Nui knew that. The girl backed up and sat back on her boxes, crossing her legs and arms over one another.

"Jeez, is this because you're mad about me leaving for three years and hiding from you? I told you I had to do that. Those four pests and Satsuki were on my back all the time with their high tech shit. Besides it's not like you didn't know who the great evil was. It's obvious." Nui gesticulated with her hand casually. Who was the girl talking to? She was looking at Satsuki but not speaking to her, just at her. Satsuki felt unease fill her chest. Her legs began to sway and she had to grab the desk edge with both hands to stand up during this brief spell of dizziness. Her vision was blurring now too. Had Nui drugged her somehow?

"What's important is that I'm back and ready to serve you in order to help further your goals. You've done an impressive job with everything. With fooling the elite four, that retard Ryuko and her even stupider friend. With building a conglomerate that is even stronger and more powerful than Ragyo's own. You've done well. The primordial life fiber would be pleased."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Satsuki was panting now, sweating heavily as her head pounded horrendously. She grabbed it with one hand, hoping that somehow it would cause the pain to cease. Her right leg gave out momentarily and she reached out blindly with her left hand to grasp onto her desk edge as her knees hit the floor. Her fingers brushed against her mirror and it smashed onto the floor, broken shards shattering everywhere. She struggled back up to her knees but couldn't. Was this how it ended? Three years later, by Nui's hand? Satsuki stretched out a hand to grasp onto the photo of her and Ryuko. No, she wouldn't give in whatever it was Nui had done to her. She would draw strength from her sister again.

Satsuki struggled a while on the floor, her muscles aching and protesting as she pulled herself up by using the desk, and plopped into her seat, the whole event leaving her feeling like she had accomplished some impossible feat. Her head throbbed even more harshly and her stomach churned, as sweat dripped down her face.

Nui got up from the boxes where she had been watching the scene unfold and strode up to Satsuki, grasping her by her elbows and pulling her up against her. "It's sad seeing you struggle so much Satsuki," Nui chirped. "Don't fight it."Satsuki was too weak to wretch her elbows away from her grasp. Even to look at Nui was taking a lot of effort. She felt ill, and fuzzy, like a TV showing static. "What did...you..do to..me?" Satsuki struggled, her words slurring. Her head lolled to the side and it took all the strength in her body just to remain standing, the hand clutching the photo of Ryuko shaking as she fought to keep a hold on it. The desk lamp cast her and Nui's shadows against the wall, making them seem bigger than in reality. As Satsuki watched her shadow seemed to wiggle and morph before her very eyes. She blamed it on her rapidly failing vision.

"I didn't do anything to you, Satsuki. You did this to yourself." She gave the weakened girl a shake, her head jerking back and forth with each movement. "But don't you know?" Nui brought her face closer and whispered conspiratorially in her ear. Satsuki's ears were popping with pressure, so she barely heard the other girls words. The weird sensations over her body only intensified. It felt like something was trying to crawl its way out of her head, the way it was pushing and prodding from the inside. Her very skin crawled, hot knives sapping all her strength. Nui drew back, a wide grin on her face. "You're the next great evil."

And with that Satsuki promptly fainted into Nui's arms. The unconscious girls shadow stretched out on the wall, arms outstretched as if laughing and all Nui did was watch and smile, patting the helpless girl's hair. Then heaving her over her shoulder, she approached the sill, grabbed her umbrella and popped the window open. Rain and heavy thunder greeted her, the storm having drawn closer during their talks and directly overhead. She cast a last glance at the room. Lighting flashed so brightly it lit up the whole space and when the light had faded away she was gone, the open window the only indication she had been here.

A/N: Holy crap I was not expecting this chapter to go on for so long but I guess I had a lot of loose ends to tie up together. It's roughly about 20k words. Once again holy crap. I think this is the longest thing I have ever wrote for fanfic. I wonder if I'll break the record anytime for something else.

I tried to give this chapter a light hearted feeling. After all it is the chapter after the end of the world. I felt like I had so much to pull together and I don't know if I did it right. I wanted to show it from everyone's perspective but in a humorous way. I figured the series could use some fluff once in a while compared to all the fighting and drama and end of the world plot. Because of all this, the chapter is by far the longest I have written for this series. And it took me way less time to write than the two fighting chapters. I guess fight scenes are way harder to manage as opposed to dialogue based chapters.