Kill La College
Chapter Twenty Four
It all Started with a Scissor Blade, a Talking Jacket and a Single Girl Named Ryuko Matoi
A/N: Well, here it is, the last chapter before the end of the series. I'm getting all sentimental. Eww.
Music to listen to:
Rain by Ed Carlsen
Most Wondrous Battle Music Ever-Virus
Phantom Music-Overpowered
Dark Gothic Music- Anima Autem Lunae
Dark Sad Piano Music
Shiki OST- Pendulum
Fantasia- Book of Circus OST
Most Wondrous Battle Music Ever- Betrayed
Corruption-Dark Sci-fi music
Mark Petrie- Eshara
Zero-Unchained Dracula
Most Epic OST Ever-The Prophecy
Epic Emotional Music-Rise of the Fallen
(Start song Rain)
They couldn't find Satsuki anywhere. She was gone, disappearing into the storm like a ghost. The elite four were glad her broken body did not lie on the streets below the office windows, but they feared she was now stuck in a fate worse. Uzu crouched down next to the crater in the sidewalk that Satsuki must have left. He touched the jagged edge of the rubble, worry on his grim face. The others stood behind him, breathing heavily from running down the stairs. "She must be superhuman or something because the Satsuki we know is powerful but not strong enough to survive falling thirty stories and leaving a hole like this without her kamui," he noted.
"So then what's going on with her?" Ira cried out as rain thoroughly soaked his clothes, running down his face in rivulets and giving him the appearance of crying.
"She's transformed. But whatever her second persona is, that shouldn't be possible. People with split personalities don't become super human just because they are now multiple people," Inumuta reasoned.
"We have to keep looking for her. We can ask her these questions once we capture her and bring her to a hospital to get help," Nonon said and ran off down the street without waiting for their response. Her small feet slapped the wet ground, splashing through puddles until she disappeared past some people. (0:45)
"Let's split up, and if we run into her we call each other instead of going after her by ourselves. She's dangerous. You heard what she said. She wants to kill us all," Uzu instructed and the elite four moved out. They searched high and low, from roof tops to sewer grates but no where did they find her. She was truly gone and even Inumuta's camera feed was useless to them as it had been mysteriously cut off. Desperation bore down on them. What was going on? Why was the lady acting this way? Would she ever return back to her old mind? They hoped she would because they did not want to fight the second persona.
When morning arrived on the city, drying up the puddles and causing the heavy rain clouds to move away, the four met up with one another. They are dripping with water, muck stuck to their clothes and hair disheveled. "No luck," Ira grumbled out sadly. He couldn't believe he had failed his lady. He had swore to protect her against anything and he had failed not once but several times. What kind of a shield was he?
Inumuta, Uzu, and Nonon also shook their heads. "I can't find her anywhere." Nonon let out a long sneeze. (1:32)
"Come on, let's get back to the company. If Satsuki doesn't want to be found she won't be found. And we all need to rest and get dry clothes so that we won't get sick," Uzu reasonably said. Nonon would have liked to argue with that, that their lady's safety was more important but a series of sneezes cut her off. She was cold and she needed the rest, feeling like she was running on empty fumes.
The despondent elite four moved back to the company building. Inside the lobby they found a soaked Ryuko waiting for them, people casting a wide distance around her as they hurried to the elevators. She had bags under her eyes, leaves stuck in her long hair and there was blood smeared on her neck. "Did you find her? What's going on?" (2:00)
"I'm sorry Ryuko, we didn't find her. And the only other news we have to offer doesn't look good." Uzu set a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Is she hurt or worse-" Ryuko's voice cracked on this. Please no. She's my only real family.
"She's superhuman," Inumuta answered, taking off his jacket and wringing the water out of it. Water pooled on the lobby floor, reflecting Ryuko's anxious expression in it. "She survived the jump and left a hole in the ground where she met with it. We don't know how this is possible. Satsuki should not be physically able to do this. We all know split personalities don't enhance a persons body to that degree."
Ryuko let out a long sigh. "This doesn't make sense. Nothing makes fucking sense right now." Ryuko took a deep breath to calm herself. "What if Satsuki's also a life fiber being like me? She just didn't know it and her other personality can lock into that part of her?"
Nonon shook her head, her wet hair slapping her face. "There's no way Satsuki is a life fiber being hybrid. She would have known a long time ago. She's human, Ryuko." (2:37)
"So then how did she leave that crater?" Ryuko spat back, anger at her own self for being unable to do anything swirling in her veins and spilling out. She had also been out on the streets running around once she had recovered from her shock only to find nothing, even in the special spot in the park that Satsuki claimed to visit often. "There's a vital step that we're missing." Ryuko rubbed her face tiredly and pushed Uzu's hand off of her shoulder, suddenly annoyed to find it there. "Did anyone else notice it? Her new hair?"
"Yes, we all noticed it." Ira nodded his head shortly.
"I don't know if it's just me but that haircut makes me think of Ragyo. Satsuki looks so alike to her with it. Like a younger and sterner version of her."
"Don't be ridiculous! What does that have to do with anything!" Ira shot back, not finding what Ryuko was saying at all related to their current predicament and angry that she was bringing up a dead woman's name.
"No, I hate to say it, but Ryuko has a point with this. I thought the same when I saw Satsuki's new haircut for the first time. She said it was time for a change. Her second persona must know about Ragyo and decided to make her hair look like this as a mockery of her mother," Nonon said conclusively.
"So you think that the second persona might be tapping into the memories in Satsuki's head about her mother, and trying to copy them?" Inumuta mussed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"She said she wanted to kill us, much like Ragyo did. It could be a possibility. And if that's the case then we have a second Ragyo on our hands," Nonon softly said, her words echoing in the others heads fearfully.
Ryuko's hands clenched tightly, her nails drawing blood as they dug into her palm. "If that's the case we need to stop Satsuki asap. We need to get Aikuro on this because it most certainly will be war." (3:20)
Nonon retired to her apartment after the meeting. She felt so drained by the events of the night. Aikuro had showed up and he had been less than pleased by the news. Fighting the real Ragyo had been terrible and they certainly were not looking forwards to fighting a second one. They had to stop Satsuki before it got to that point. Aikuro had delegated the elite four into different responsibilities. Inumuta and Ryuko would be in charge of looking for her. Nonon and Ira would be in charge of managing her companies in the meantime she was gone. They had covered up the lady's disappearance by saying she had fallen rapidly ill and was on a retreat with no type of media contact in order to avoid stress and get the rest she deserved. The media hadn't poked too much into it for now but who knew how long the facade would last.
Uzu would be working with Aikuro in formulating battle strategies and trying to find out if Satsuki had any battle plans of her own or any weapons. Iori in the meantime took to creating a set of new goku uniforms that would give the elite four their powers back. He had also marvelously fixed up Ryuko's kamui and even made slight adjustments so that the jacket was no longer small on her. (3:50)
Nonon let out a sigh and let herself into her kitchen so that she could make herself a cup of coffee. Now that she was responsible for managing the huge Kiryuin conglomeration she felt like tearing all her hair out. There was so much paperwork to write, so many reports to read. Nonon wondered how the lady had been even able to keep up with this day in and day out with all those business meetings on top of it for so many years. It was no wonder the lady had been so stressed and had gotten a second personality.
Coffee done, Nonon took it to the window and looked out. She wanted nothing more than to sleep but she still had two hours worth of papers to read. The night was dark outside and a couple people were walking around on the streets, twirling their umbrellas merrily as they splashed through puddles, the rain no bother to them. They looked so carefree from here and Nonon wished she could be among them. Wished that her friends and her did not have such tremendous worries. It had to be a fluke. Satsuki couldn't truly be trying to be the next Ragyo. Nonon had said she would, but she had been merely putting worst case scenarios out there. If only Satsuki returned to herself then things could be cleared up. (end song) (start song Virus)
Nonon took a sip of her coffee, hating the taste and reminded how her friend had guzzled this down by the gallons to stay awake. "Satsuki, where are you right now?" Nonon wondered to herself, melancholy creeping into her voice.
"I'm here."
Nonon spun around so fast that the coffee in her cup sloshed over her hand, burning it, not that she felt it. "Satsuki," she breathed out, her eyes wide open and heart hammering away in her chest with hope. "Are you-"
Satsuki put out a hand to stop the girls speech. She was wearing an outfit that was white with blue tones, a mix of an army uniform and business suit. Her long diamond earrings glimmered in the dark of Nonon's apartment. "Do not get your hopes up little one. Satsuki has not returned yet and she will not as long as I hold power over her body." Nonon's hope was crushed, replaced by cold fury. (0:31)
"Then give her her body back, you sick bitch! What do you even want with all of us? Why are you doing this?" Nonon pretended to be focused on the conversation but she was just using it to distract the other in the room. Satsuki had claimed last time that she wanted to kill them and here she was, with Nonon being defenseless against her. Her goku uniform had not been built yet and would not for another day. Maybe I can splash the hot coffee in her face? And then make a run for it?
Satsuki let out a dark chuckle. "These are all questions that will be answered in due time. But for now Nonon I have come to ask you to join me." Satsuki held out a hand to the pinkette who only stared at it suspiciously. (0:59)
"And why should I?"
"Because I need you. And did you not promise me that you would stay by my side, do anything I asked of you?" Nonon's mind flashed back to that night in the office when Satsuki had asked her how far she would go for their friendship.
"I promised that to Satsuki, not to you!" Nonon shot back.
"But am I not Satsuki?" There was a sly grin on her face.
"You only have her body, but you're not the real one!"
"What if I told you that I could help you?" Satsuki cocked her head slightly to the side, appraising Nonon with her cobalt blue eyes. (1:16)
Nonon arched a brow at this, clutching the cup in her tiny hands tighter. "Help me with? What could you possibly do that Satsuki couldn't?"
"I know of your problem with Matoi. Always vying with her for the attention of your precious friend. But if you join me now you won't have to worry about that ever again. I personally guarantee that once I leave Satsuki's body she won't care a smidge for her sister. It'll be just like old times. Like when you two were in middle school, carefree and young. I'll also wipe away all of Satsuki's unpleasant memories. She'll never know the touch of her disgusting mother or of the pain brought to her in battle. She'll be healed. As good as new."
"You can do that?" Nonon was shocked and amazed despite trying to remain skeptical. It sounded too good to be true, but could it be true? She wished with all her heart for it to be. She did want her old friend back but did she have the right to take away Satsuki's relationship with her sister no matter how much it bothered her?
"I swear it upon myself. Join me now and I promise to tell you everything about my goals and what my plans are. I promise to make Satsuki whole again. I promise to leave her body to her. But I need you Nonon. I need your help. I need you to protect her body from anyone who wants to hurt her."
"I..." Nonon fiddled with the cup in her hand, the hot steam slowly drifting up into her face. (2:11)
"I understand this is a lot to ask for, and that you won't trust me right away."
"Like hell I would, you wanted to kill us." Nonon snapped her head up, filled with rage once more. Why was she even listening to her right now? Nonon should be out and running, calling the elite four for help.
"I was merely warning you what would have to happen if you did not join sides with me."
"So what you're telling me is if I don't accept your offer now then you'll kill me?"
"No. I won't lop of your head now, but on the battle fields we will meet and you will fall. Nonon I'm giving you a chance to help your friend. Are you aware of the prophecy that says Satsuki will be the next evil?"
"It's not Satsuki who is the evil but you!" (2:39)
Satsuki smiled. "Well, that may be the case and I won't lie that I will reek havoc upon this world, but it's for a good goal. And once I am done, the prophecy will be over and you will have your good old Satsuki back. You can go on and live your lives as you would like."
"But I don't want there to be another war! I don't want to have to rebuild the world again!" Nonon stamped her foot.
Satsuki merely shrugged. "It's all unavoidable. This would come to happen inevitably, just as the planet spins around the sun. The only question is will you help me?"
"Help you destroy the planet? Are you out of your freaken mind?!"
"No, not destroy the planet, but protect Satsuki's body. Destruction rests on my shoulders, the responsibilities in my hands. You do not have to dirty your conscious with doing such horrid things. What I ask is that you merely stay by my side to defend me as I do so. No doubt there will be others who will try to kill me, to stop me and if you ever want your precious friend back you will need to protect me." (3:06)
Nonon closed her eyes. What was up with this fucked up choice? She either could protect Satsuki and help her destroy the world, after which Satsuki would be back and healed and be best friend's with Nonon again (which the girl wished for, for the longest time and with all her heart). Or Nonon could fight against her friend and stop her and possibly risk losing her forever.
Nonon thinned her lips and looked up at Satsuki whose hand was still outstretched towards her, an expectant expression on her face.
"The decision is entirely yours, Nonon," Satsuki softly whispered. (end song)
(Start song Overpowered)
"And I would like to present to all of you, the Goku uniforms, 4.0." Iori had his workers cart up the four uniforms all hidden in their own steel cases, positioning one directly in front of each of the elite four. He snapped a finger and all four cases popped open, revealing the stunning material inside. "This shit is awesome~!" Uzu sang as he rushed forwards eagerly like a child on Christmas and ran his fingers over the material, revealing in the feel of it. "Even better than your last uniform."
"Thank you. Now why don't you guys try it on and let me know how they run. There's a room already prepared downstairs for you," Iori said and exited the room with his workers once the elite four had gotten their outfits out of the cases.
Uzu had a wide grin on this face. "These outfits are gonna be so cool." (0:23)
"How old are you, Uzu?" Nonon rolled her eyes, annoyance in her voice. "Grow up and stop fanboying over this."
"Don't be such a party pooper. What crawled up your ass and died today?" Uzu shot back as the elite four made their way down to the company gym where they would be practice fighting.
"You'd be irritable too if you had to run a mega corporation and sit until the ass crack of dawn to read papers and correct contracts because some bumbling fool doesn't know how to fucking write one," Nonon snapped back. She did indeed look tired and had bags under her eyes, her cap askew on her hair.
"Apologizes for that Jakuzure," Ira gave a small bow of his head. "I was too hasty in writing them."
"Oh shove your apologizes up your ass." Ira's face dropped and his shoulders drooped.
"I think she means to say your apologizes have been accepted," Inumuta intoned as they arrived at the gym, trying to cheer Ira up.
"That's not what I meant at all," Nonon growled. (0:51)
"Let's all just shut up and get to testing these new babies out!" Uzu stripped off his clothes in one motion and put on his goku uniform which looked like a simple black skin tight tracksuit with green trim. He transformed in a cloud of smoke and out came a boy wearing huge green shoulder pads with fitted chest armor, huge wrist gauntlets and holding two shinai instead of one as he had before. The green haired mans enthusiasm was visible behind his kendo mask that was clear with green rimming the outside edge of it. He let out a wild whoop as energy coursed through his veins. He had forgotten how it had felt to be this powerful. "Fuck yea!" (1:15)
Nonon rolled her eyes at his exuberance but followed suit. Her uniform was a purple marching band outfit, made to match her new hair color. When she transformed she was floating in the air due to energy propulsors attached to her ankles. The rest of her purple and black outfit was very streamlined and she had small cannons on her shoulders and ones on her hand, that no doubt would blast music to obliterate her foes. "Not bad," she said begrudgingly.
Ira's goku uniform was a suit and tie and it changed into something that was entirely black except for the yellow spikes that protruded all over the body. His head was the only thing that was bare and thick ropes of material unraveled from his body ready to be used to smack an opponent into the far reaches of the atmosphere. Lastly, Inumuta's was a winter jacket that had a high collar that came up to his nose. Upon change it was a cybernetic uniform with glasses that formed a mask on his face and could allow for different emotions to be displayed on it. Currently a happy face was digitally expressed on it as Inumuta flexed his hand. He had a pegboard on his back from which various cables trailed out and joined up with different body parts. "Interesting," he muttered. (2:01)
Soon the four of them were blasting holes in walls, knocking each other off of their feet and making the ground shake with each power burst. They kept up at this for a long time until they grew tired. A huge chunk of ceiling fell down at the end, raising a cloud of dust that obscured the whole room. When it finally settled down the elite four were standing together in a V formation, backs held up high and satisfied grins on their faces.
"Hell yea the elite four are back and we're going to kick some evil butt!" Uzu cheered and raised his fist up high. (end song)
(Start Dark Gothic music)
Ryuko was standing on the bridge in the park that she had visited just a couple of days ago with Satsuki, hoping that the thinking spot for Satsuki would work well for her too. She needed some peace of mind to brainstorm where Satsuki could possibly be and what her goals were. But she couldn't think of anything. Nui had only predicted that Satsuki would be the next great evil but she didn't say what she would do in order to bring about a more horrid doom than Ragyo had tried to instill. Besides, how had Nui even known this would happen? Last time Ryuko checked Nui was not a prophecy maker, so how could she know about all this?
Ryuko let out a heavy and burdened sigh and sagged over the railing of the bridge, letting her hands trail downwards. Her reflection in the water below reached out it's hands to meet her but their fingers never quite touched. (0:28)
Ryuko how are you holding up?
I don't think I'm taking it too well, Senks. I really don't want to have to fight my sister. When I fought Ragyo or Nui it was different. They were related to me but it didn't feel that way because I barely knew them. But Satsuki...I spent a whole three years with her, getting to know her, getting to work for her and with her. She's...she's my only family Senks and I lost her. Ryuko blinked back the tears that threatened to leak out of her eyes. Her kamui wrapped itself more tightly around her in a gesture meant to reassure. (0:44)
I know how much she means to you and I don't want to hurt her Ryuko but somethings really off about her and my job is to protect you first and foremost. I don't think that what Satsuki has is a split personality. I think it's something worse, something ancient.
Like what?
Like a life fiber.
The trees swayed silently in the wind as Ryuko's brain processed this. A life...fiber?(1:02)
Yes. I can sense it's evil, the same evil as the life fibers we fought before.
But why...but how...just...Ryuko struggled to voice her frustrations, her hands coming up to her hair to dig her fingers painfully through them. Why her? Why Satsuki? (1:15)
I don't know Ryuko. I am sorry. I wish I could make this more simple for you. I wish I could help you but for now all we can assume is that somehow the life fibers got a hold of Satsuki. Either that or they were dwelling dormant in her to begin with. A last minute plan that Ragyo concocted in order that should she fail, Satsuki would awaken and take her place.
(1:37) No. No. Ryuko was beginning to hyperventilate. Her precious sister was a lie all along? Did she know she was going to turn evil? Did she know of her mother's plans beforehand and just let them be? What kind of a sick person even turned their own daughters into weapons. First it had been Ryuko and now Satsuki? Except instead of the life fibers being good, they were malignant, twisting Satsuki's persona.
It's not the absolute truth, what I'm saying, so don't get too worried. I'm just putting out the idea that Satsuki is acting this way because of Ragyo. Senks could feel the panic, anger and fear boiling in Ryuko's blood.
(2:04) It always comes back to Ragyo. That evil bitch has ruined everything. If only she never existed, then the world would be a better place.
But then neither you or Satsuki would exist, Senks pointed out, feeling a bit guilty for telling Ryuko his theories on her sister because it caused her so much angst.
Ryuko shook her head, slow anger and a mighty sense of determination filling her. Then that would have been for the better. The world would never have life fibers. It would never have to be in danger.
Senks wanted to argue against this, saying that Ryuko was not evil, that she caused more benefit than harm but the girl was already mentally elsewhere. She was thinking what best to say to her best friend Mako about this. She didn't want to worry her friend or drag her into another battle that wasn't hers, but she couldn't leave her in the dark. Ryuko knew how annoying it was to not know anything about what was going on and having to go out there and support others anyways.
Ryuko stepped away from the bridge and began the long trek home. (end song)
(Start Dark Sad piano music)
"Ira." The giant's name fell from the lady's lips and the blonde froze, turning slowly on his heel to make sure he indeed heard right.
"My lady," he breathed out, nearly dropping the bag of groceries at the sight of Satsuki. He had just entered his apartment, the one he shared with Mako. The girl was out right now, having said Ryuko wanted to tell her something really important and rushing over to meet her somewhere downtown. Ira had decided to buy some food for them so that he could make them dinner and he had been too wrapped up in his thoughts about Mako to notice someone had followed him inside his apartment.
"Ira." There was a slight smirk to her face. "Set down your groceries, we have much to talk about it." Satsuki gestured to his kitchen counter and with wary eyes he edged over to it, setting the bag down and never letting her leave his sight. Was the old Satsuki back? What was going on? (0:30)
"I've come to ask you for a favor," Satsuki started, letting the fingers of her left hand play with the hilt of her blade, Bakuzan strapped to the hip of her new white and blue outfit.
"What is it?" he asked cautiously, worried if he would have to fight her. Last time her other persona had revealed that she wanted to kill the elite four. Would she attempt that now? He was wearing his goku uniform so he would have a higher chance of escaping but Satsuki was mighty and there was no telling how powerful she was now. Inumuta had tried to run stats on her new power levels and found there were too many unknown variables to discern the truth.
"Ira, I know you feel very guilty about not being able to protect me." Ira swallowed at this. She was right. He felt extremely guilty for failing her and had tried to amend for his sins multiple times but Uzu would not let him. "So I'm giving you a chance to amend this, to make things right between you and the lady." (1:02)
"And what do I have to do?"
Satsuki smiled. "All you have to do is serve and protect me as I carry out my goals. And once I am done Satsuki will be all yours again. I'll leave her body and it'll be as if I was never here. So, what do you say?" Satsuki spread out her hands as she lied and Ira swallowed nervously.
Mako put down the phone and sagged into the couch in her apartment, worry creasing her face. She had just called all of Ira's friends and they had no clue where Ira had disappeared off to. This was unlike the giant and it had them all worried and flustered. Inumuta and Uzu were already on their way. They were going to try and track him down. They feared that Satsuki had gotten to him but there was no sign of a struggle in the apartment and Mako knew that Ira wouldn't at least go without a fight if his lady was trying to kill him. Or maybe he would? (1:34)
Doubt began to creep into her mind and she took to biting her nails. Ira had felt superbly guilty and ashamed by his failure to protect his lady so it wasn't inconceivable that he might just let her kill him.
Ugh, Ira you stupid head, Mako internally bemoaned. She hoped it was some sort of fluke and that the great big man was actually okay. His groceries stood sadly on the kitchen counter where he had left them, the ice cream melting through the bag and dripping onto the floor.
Adding onto her worries was what Ryuko said. The girl had taken them to the diner they always ate at as college students and told her the grim news. Apparently Satsuki could be some dormant weapon that her mother had created as a back up plan should she fail to take over the world. And now Satsuki had awakened and was going to take over the world using her life fiber powers. Mako had freaked out. She couldn't believe the situation was this dire. And Ryuko looked absolutely broken about it. Mako had wondered why the girl didn't tell the elite four about it-they could use the information that Senks had deduced but the dark haired girl was afraid. She was afraid that if she told the elite four than it would become true. (2:16)
"What are we going to do?" Mako asked as her friend walked in from the bathroom. Ryuko had been splashing cold water on her face, her skin feeling feverish and her stomach churning painfully. She hoped that Satsuki wasn't picking them off one by one because if she was then Ryuko didn't know what to think. She didn't want Mako to experience the pain of losing a loved one. Why had Ira been the first to go? Ryuko cursed the man and hoped he had fought back in the least. But given how the kitchen was clean there must have been no fight. The stupid man had chosen to simply give up, feeling the burdens of failing his lady were worthy of death. (2:40)
"I don't know Mako." Ryuko patted her face dry with the towel around her neck and sat down on the couch next to her friend. She played with the tip of her red hair streak, something she was more and more often beginning to do as a nervous habit. "I only hope we can get to Satsuki before something really bad happens. But Satsuki's smart. She's not like Ragyo and she knows us too well. We're at a great disadvantage here. Maybe if she were still human it wouldn't be as bad, but she's not. She's a life fiber like me now." Ryuko let her head hit the back of her couch.
"Yea," Mako said quietly and let her head do the same. Normally she would have tried to cheer Ryuko up with her hallelujah speech but today she didn't have the energy, Ira's well-being weighing heavily on her mind.
A door bell rang and Mako got to her feet. The boys had arrived. She cast Ryuko a glance over her shoulder as she went to the door. "Ryuko, I think you need to tell them what you know. It's for the good of everyone."
Ryuko didn't reply, only looked forwards, her fingers still twirling her red streak. (3:16)
They were underground, the sound of moving metal machinery and bursting steam assaulting Ira's senses. The blonde was blindfolded and had his hands tied behind his back. Satsuki had done this to him so that he wouldn't know where this secret location was. She was guiding him through it, her grip tight on his elbow. They had transversed countless ups and downs and turns and he was getting impatient as to where they were going.
"Here," Satsuki announced just as he was going to ask her where it was they were going. She undid his bindings and he was able to take in the place they were in. It was a giant underground base, neon purple lights glowing in the otherwise dark place.
"What is this?" he asked, not being able to make sense of the giant mechanical structures that lined the hangar before him. (3:44)
"It's something I built years ago. While we were rebuilding the city I took an opportunity to place something underground, something that would serve useful to me. Basically a secret weapon."
"What kind? Did Inumuta know about this?" He had no idea such a thing resided under the city and he was astonished the lady had created something like this under all their noses and without telling them on top of that.
"No. I took great pains to ensure that no one would know about this place. And as for the weapon," a devious smirk made its way onto the lady's lips at this. "You'll see when I launch it. All you need to worry about is serving me and making sure I am well protected on the battle field."
"Of course my lady." Ira gave a devout bow. He knew his friends would be upset at him for doing something like this; they might not even understand his reasoning, but he had to do it. He had to redeem that which he had lost during his failure to protect her earlier on. And if it was like the new persona said, then at the end Satsuki would be returned to herself and without all those terrible memories of her childhood. (4:12)
Mako's face flashed in his mind and he felt a stab of guilt. He had left the girl without saying anything and this was what bothered him the most. He loved the girl but his sense of duty came first. He was loyal to Satsuki first and foremost. Surely Mako would understand him. He just hoped he wouldn't have to see her in battle.
"My lady, when do we start, if you will permit me to have that knowledge?"
"Now." With that Satsuki raised her hands and the lights on the floor of the hangar turned on, snapping to life one after the other as they trailed down endlessly, alighting these strange metal contraptions. The metal devices began to stir, the ceiling above them moving as it slide back. Ira's eyes opened wide but he remained silent as he watched his lady get to work. (end song)
(Start Shiki)
"What's going on?" Ryuko asked, the water in her glass on the table shaking with ripples.
"Huh?" Mako asked, as she shoveled the fifteenth croquette into her mouth. She had been stress eating as her, Ryuko, Uzu and Inumuta were going over details of Ira's disappearance.
"This. I mean this." Ryuko pointed to the glass, four pairs of eyes swiveling to the glass and watching the ripples.
"Earthquake?" Inumuta frowned. "But this city was built so that it would never suffer from an earthquake. Satsuki made sure the foundations were strong."
"Then what could it be?" But Ryuko's question didn't get answered as suddenly a loud screeching noise filled the air and the building they were in began to shake even more, to the point that it was hard to get up. Everything blurred around them as it shook to the very core of it's being. Ryuko felt like every bone in her body was being jarred free from it's sockets and her stomach oscillated uncomfortably, her heart beating erratically along with the vibrations.
(0:29) "Ah! Earthquake!" Mako cried out and dove under the couch as plaster rained down and cabinets and chairs fell over.
"No earthquakes huh?" Ryuko muttered and Inumuta called out a 'what?' not being able to hear her over the loud ratchet outside. Ryuko made her way to the window, her feet wobbling dramatically.(0:38) She got to it, clutching the frame for support. What she saw outside gave her pause. The very ground around them was splitting open, the buildings moving aside. But the cracks in the ground didn't look natural, but man made, separating the buildings and streets into grid like blocks. Purple light emitted from the cracks as they widened and opened up to let something ascend through them. (0:48) The noise got louder and more terrific, the sound of giant machinery crying out. Ryuko's eyes widened as she placed her hands over her ears to block out the worst of the sounds. This couldn't be happening. She had to be hallucinating or something. Right now a giant fucking robot was emerging from the ground. It looked like a mecha straight from an anime, complete with cannons and turrets. And it was huge, definitely taller than Satsuki's company building which was taller than any other building in the city.
"What the actual fuck?" Ryuko spat out. Where the fuck had these robots come from?
The trembling and loud noise at last stopped as the robot clicked into place and Ryuko pulled her hands away from her ears. She turned to her friends which were lying in amusing positions after all the quaking. Mako was somehow stuck in the lighting fixture hanging from her ceiling, her skirt dropping over her head and revealing her underwear. Inumuta was in the fridge, hiding there and Uzu was halfway hidden in a couch, face hidden and butt sticking out. "Guys you need to come see this." (1:14)
They untangled themselves and ran outside, finding that other people had much the same idea. They were chatting to one another in confusion, a mix of curiosity and excitement in their eyes as they left their house in pjs. The robot stood still where it was, an imposing hunk of metal. But it wasn't the only one. Ryuko craned her head and she saw that other robots were standing amidst the outline of the city's landscape.
"What is going on?" Uzu asked. He couldn't see the robots but he could sense them, their evil power and malice radiating off of them. (1:31)
"Something not good, that's for certain," Inumuta responded darkly.
"Houka did you know about these robots?" Ryuko pointed at them while Mako stared at them with wonder in her eyes. She ran up to it's leg and began to gaze at her reflection in the shiny metal with entranced eyes.
The blue haired boy shook his head. "I had no idea these were under the city. I don't know how they got here. We rebuilt the city as a team all those years ago so I should have known unless Satsuki specifically made sure that no one but her knew about it. But why would she have a whole army of robots-this doesn't make sense. Is this a preventative measure against her? Did she build an army of robots to protect the city and now their going to stop her since they see her as the next evil?"
"We need to get Aikuro, Iori and Nonon. We need to assemble together and figure this out." (2:02)
"What about Ira?" Mako asked, tearing her gaze away from the robot momentarily to give Uzu a forlorn expression.
"I'm sorry Mako but this is more important right now. Ira is a big man. He can take care of himself. Besides these robots could cause massive destruction. Their asleep for now but who knows for how long." The green haired boy shook his head. He was tired of all this uncertainty. What had happened to the good old days when fights were between one and only one other person? It was fist to fist, flesh to flesh, not this fancy and complicated bullshit. "Satsuki where are you? Please come back to us." This was whispered, a plea that was lost on the cold breeze that fluttered around them.
The group made their way through the city, careful of the fissures in the ground and the rubble from buildings that had collapsed from the movements of the ascending robots. The giant machines towered over them like lifeless guards, their blank eyes unnerving Ryuko more than she would like to admit. (2:36)
Nonon, Aikuro and Iori where already in Satsuki's office by the time the others joined them. They were all alert despite it being the middle of the night. "So we got giant robots on our hands now," Aikuro muttered grimly without the others having to say anything to him. (end song)"We've fought life fiber beings but never robots. I guess we'll have to change all our plans. Do you know if Satsuki is responsible for this?" (Start song Fantasia)
Houka shook his head. "I can't be certain. I know Satsuki had absolute control over rebuilding the city so she would the only one with the ability to build giant underground robots like that. But I'm not sure what her intentions were behind doing it. There's no way she could have built all this when she gained her second persona because it was too short of a time. Barely three months and we all know even Satsuki is not capable of constructing such a large scale project under a thriving city without someone noticing and on such short notice too. I believe it must have been completed three years ago when she was rebuilding the city with us. And if she had done it then, without the evil influences still on her, then it must have been for good intentions, not malice filled ones."
Aikuro nodded his head in consideration of the blue haired mans reasoning. "She may have not intended to use them for harm then but she might want to now. We have to find the robots weaknesses and stop them before they even awaken." (0:28)
The elite four minus one, nodded their heads grimly. "I think we might have to go underground for that. Their power must be held there. If we cut it off then we can stop them."
"I can do that," Inumuta offered. "I am a whiz head after all. If Satsuki was the one who programmed them then they shouldn't be too hard to crack. She may be good in a lot of things but technology is not her specialty."
"And I'll go with you," Iori added. Everyone's heads swiveled to him on those words. (0:40) "What?" he asked uncomfortably. "I never get to be in any of the fights. I'm always stuck behind the scenes and besides I want to help Satsuki. She is as much my friend as she is yours. We may just not seem as close."
"That's fine," Inumuta was the first to recover from the tiny man's offer. "We need all the hands we can get. Do you have a goku uniform?"
Iori nodded his head yes. "I built one for myself." His was one that specialized in using wires and needles to fight. Perfect for a seamstress like him.
"Good, now that we have the issue of the robots out of the way, what do the rest of us do?" Ryuko asked.
"We get ready for Satsuki. We're going to go on a city wide hunt of her." Aikuro crossed his arms over his chest and gave the people before him a wry smile. "Let's hope when we find her it won't be too late."
"I wanna help too!" Mako piped up. "I wanna fight by all of your guys side!" She pantomimed fighting someone. (1:04)
"Mako, I don't want you to," Ryuko shot down her friend's offer. "This isn't your problem. You shouldn't have to fight just because you're friend's with me. You already did that last time when you shouldn't have had to. And it-"
"Ryuko this is my problem. You're forgetting that Ira, my boyfriend is gone. This isn't just me wanting to help you anymore. It's also about getting him back." Mako placed a hand to her chest, a fire burning in her eyes. "And you don't have to worry about me. I still have my goku uniform from back then. I won't be going unprotected into the fight." (1:18)
"Mako," Ryuko paused, letting her friend's words sink in. Images of Mako's broken body filled her head. "It's going to be dangerous. If I was the me of three years ago I would have let you do it because I was reckless. But not anymore. I know better the value of life. So I'm asking you to stay behind. You're not a life fiber hybrid like me."
Mako crossed her arms stubbornly and pouted. "Ryuko," she whined pitifully.
"No." Ryuko shook her head, adamant. "I'm not going to lose you too, Mako."
"But you won't!" (end song)
"Mako just stay here. You'll be safer here. Leave the fighting to me, Iori, Inumuta, Nonon, Uzu, and Aikuro. Trust us to bring your boyfriend back."
(start song Betrayed)An uncomfortable silence fell upon the two girls and Mako let her head hang down. Ryuko felt bad for doing this to her friend but she didn't want to lose her like Aikuro had lost Kinagase. "Well, then if that's settled, let's get moving. Time is ticking and every second counts," Aikuro coughed awkwardly, trying to get them moving along.
"I'm just going to get a couple of things," Iori said. "I'll meet you in the lobby." He rushed away to the fashion offices of the company building while the others went to the elevator, leaving a sad Mako behind.
Was that the right thing to do? Senketsu asked.
It was. I can't let her get hurt. I owe her this much for being my friend.
"Nonon you're quiet today," Uzu brought up as the doors closed around them and the elevator descended.
The pinkette shook her head. She had dyed her hair back to pink. It made her look younger, like the ghost of her college self. "Just a lot on my mind," she muttered and didn't elaborate, her gaze downwards. (0:33)
"If this is about Satsuki, don't worry," Ryuko knew the girl was consumed with concern over her best friend. Ryuko was worried about Satsuki too. "I'll save her," she tried to comfort the small girl. This got her the opposite response she was expecting.
"Yes, of course you'll save her. You always save everyone," Nonon snarled out with bitterness, her hard gaze focusing on Ryuko now. "You're a fucking savior, our hero. Why don't we all bow at your feet and let you take control over everything because you're so fucking capable of fixing everything."
"Nonon!" Uzu uttered out, scandalized that the pinkette was so vile. Ryuko curled her fists, irked that the pinkette was being a nuisance even in such a serious situation. (0:56)
"Don't act like you don't notice it either," Jakuzure spat at the green haired boy. "Ryuko walks like she owns the world, just because she's different from us, just because she's a life fiber hybrid. Ever since the start she has been treated specially. Everyone has been treating the ground she's been walking on as holy. Even lady Satsuki was guilty of this. But I don't see what's so special about a washed up delinquent. Only luck has helped her save the planet after she fucked up our plans in the first place." Ryuko grit her teeth, the words hitting too close to home. (1:14)
"Oi, Nonon, shut up," she warned, her nostrils flaring. But the pinkette wasn't stopping.
"What, does the truth hurt? Well good. I want it to hurt. And I want you to know that this time it will be me who saves Satsuki. Not you." The elevator came to a stop and the doors dinged open, yet no one moved, the tension in the tiny space choking them. The two girls eyes were locked in heated battle until at last Nonon looked away and pushed past Ryuko, bumping her shoulder.
"Don't try to catch up with me," Nonon called out, her back to them as she strode out into the lobby. She paused at the door momentarily, clutching the frame. "Because when you do I will not be your friend." (1:36) Then she left, the glass door swishing shut silently behind her.
"What was all that about?" Uzu whistled, his eyebrows high.
Ryuko shook her head. "She's just being a pest as usual. Let's get going. She'll calm down eventually."
(1:47) "And this one will be my robot," Satsuki said proudly as she took Ira to her robot. It was huge, bigger than any other and painted a white and blue color, the face sleek and expressionless, giving it an alien look. Whereas the other robots were gray and black with clunkier frames and human faces, this one was glossy with a smooth frame. Only two eyes glowed where it's face should be.
"Rei, is it ready for launch?" Satsuki called up and a head popped out from behind the shoulder before it disappeared and the girl's whole body appeared a moment later, sliding down the metal frame to join the two on the ground.
"Rei?" Ira was shocked to see Ragyo's personal assistant here. She had disappeared after the war and he had always assumed she had died in the crossfire. But here she was, alive and rubbing her oil stained hands on a dirty rag. "It's all set for you my lady." She gave a small bow of her head.
"Rei?" Ira blustered out once more and Rei turned her attention to him. "Yes. It's me." (2:15)
"What are you doing here?"
"Lady Satsuki after the war forgave me for all my crimes in helping her mother try to bring upon the ruination of the planet. The only condition was that I go into hiding. I did, not wanting to waste her lady's majestic offer. But then she sought me out and offered me the choice of working for her to continue what her mother had started and I could not turn down the offer. For it is my job to serve the Kiryuin household in whatever it is they wish to do."
"And Rei has done a marvelous job of helping me. With her help we shall be able to conquer the world once and for all." Ira still had a vague idea of what Satsuki wanted to do, and that was to destroy the world. But how she would do it was uncertain. For sure it involved these giant robots. "And as a reward, Rei I have given you your own robot. You'll use it to lead the others." (2:49)
"Thank you for the honor my lady," Rei bowed once, twice.
"Whenever you are ready go inside and then I shall launch my robot and the battle will begin," Satsuki ordered and Rei scampered off. "As for you, Ira, you shall ride with me into battle on the robot. You must stay close to my side in order to protect me."
"I will protect you with my life my lady," Ira solemnly promised. (end song)
(Start song Corruption)
Aikuro pulled out his phone and dialed the number to his Nudist Beach organization. He had long ago demilitarized them but that didn't mean he didn't have secret weapons stashed in case of worst case scenarios. The new leader of the group picked up after the third ring. "Hey, it's me Aikuro. I have a favor to ask." It was time to bring back the old group.
"I can't wait for you to set the robots loose. Oooo, the suspense is killing me. Can you send them out now, pretty please?" Ira snapped his head around to see who the newcomer was and he nearly choked on his saliva. (0:25)
It was Nui.
Granted she looked different, more mature and put together in her all black attire.
"Hmm, cat got your tongue?" Nui tilted her head to her side, smiling at Ira and drinking in his amusing reaction to her appearance. The blonde man let out a series of grunts and half formed sounds, completely flabbergasted. They had been right. Nui was back. But how?
"I guess a bumbling oaf, is still a bumbling oaf," Nui hummed and strode up to Satsuki, digging her chin into the older girl's shoulder. "You're going to ride with me on the robot too," Satsuki informed her. Ira let out another sound that was supposed to express his displeasure at having to be on the same robot as Nui. He still didn't like the girl and he didn't trust her.
"Don't worry, Ira, I won't hurt little Satsuki. She's my sister after all. Ryuko should be the one whose worried." Nui gave a cheery smile, her hands coming up to wrap around Satsuki's waist protectively. (0:50)
(0:56)"Holy shit, I think this robot is even bigger," Ryuko breathed out once the giant monstrosity had finished ascending in the middle of the city. It looked different from the others too. More menacing. More alien. And on top of it, were three figures that Ryuko recognized all too well. Closest to the head, and hands planted on the hilt of Bakuzan in front of her, stood Satsuki, her head thrown back in a haughty expression. Her lips were twisted up in a cocky grin, satisfied with her own handiwork. Next to her was Ira's hulking form. He had a pensive expression on his face, which turned painful as he noticed the look of betrayal on his friend's countenances.
"Ira what is the meaning of this?" Aikuro shot at him and Ira shook his head. "I know you will not understand my reasoning for this, but I am doing this for the good of all." If he did then Satsuki wouldn't kill any of the elite four during the battle. She would spare their lives. (1:24)
And the third figure was one they had thought long dead. It was Nui. The blonde smiled down at them and gave them a princess wave. "So she's back," Uzu said grimly, his eyes hurting in phantom pain. He still remembered how she had blinded him. He would never forget.
"This is not looking to be a good line up," Aikuro muttered darkly. Inumuta and Iori had made their way into the underground to try and figure out how to disable the robots before they rose, leaving only Uzu, Ryuko and Aikuro to stand against the three in front of them. And Aikuro did not have a goku uniform. Plus Nonon was still missing. They had no idea where the girl had gone.
"I know," Ryuko muttered back.
"Well look whose here," Satsuki raised a hand and the arm of her robot extended downwards. The three on the ground tensed up, ready to flee if the hand turned violent but it did not. It simply made a path for Satsuki to walk down on. Her heels clicked on the metal and the robots glowing eyes illuminated her until she stood on the finger tips of her machine. "Come to stop me I suppose. I knew this would happen but I also know you will fail. So I see no harm in telling you everything. I bet you're burning up with questions. About what happened. About what will happen."(1:56) Satsuki let her eyes rake over the others. Ryuko stood at the front of the group, her body held in a fighter's position. Aikuro and Uzu stood behind her shoulders. "I remember there were more of you last time. Guess loyalties dwindle and die. What a shame."
"We're still strong enough to take you on. You may be a life fiber now but so am I. Don't forget."
"So you figured that part out, how impressive." Satsuki gave a slow clap. "No, it must have been someone else. You're not smart enough for that. It must have been Senketsu. The jacket always had more brains than you Ryuko. How does it feel to be dumber than clothing? Tell me," Satsuki sneered. Ryuko felt her anger boil inside her but didn't rise to the bait. This thing wasn't her sister. It wasn't.
"Get to the point. If you're going to just insult then the conversation is over," Uzu shot in defense of Ryuko.
"Oh my, how protective of her."
"I'm not protecting her. I just want to fight you. All these years I yearned to battle you, to overcome you. And I always had to hold back because you were my friend but now we're enemies. This time I swear I will win against you Satsuki! I will prove who is the strongest sword wielder of all time, for once and for all!"
"Big words for a monkey who can barely peel his banana," Nui added, cupping her hands over her mouth so that the green haired boy could hear her from where she still stood on the machines shoulder.
"You're first on my shit list," Uzu promised. "And I'm not going to go easy on you."
"I sure hope not. I didn't come back for a half assed fight." (2:42)
"And there will be no halfassed fighting here. I want you to give me your all when you try to fight me. I want you to fight to your last breath. Give me a war that is worth committing to my memory!"
"None of us want to fight you Satsuki. We know you would never really want to hurt this world. You're the one who sacrificed pride, health and sanity in order to bring this world back together despite all the people who distrusted you, who worked against you. It's your mother's fault. She put life fibers in you that would awaken once she died so you could continue her work. There is no split personality. It's you Satsuki, but you have to beat the fibers. I know you can!"
(3:10) Satsuki let out a short bark of laughter at Ryuko's impassioned speech. "Is that what your kamui told you? A good guess I suppose since you don't know anything. Ragyo was never that forward thinking. She's not as smart as me, not as focused on the future. She thought that her initial plan would succeed so she made no contingency plans. So don't give her the credit." Satsuki's face took an ugly expression at that as she threw out an arm dramatically. "I did all the hard fucking work! It was all me! I was the one who took over Satsuki's body! I was the one who fooled you all! I was the one who went behind your backs and made all these evil schemes! So don't give anyone else all the credit!"
Ryuko swallowed hard, afraid to hear the answer to the question she was about to ask. "So then who are you?" (3:29)
Mako was still in Satsuki's office, but she was done moping around. She was going to go help her friend. And she was going to go save her boyfriend. Ryuko thought that friend's didn't have to fight by each others side but that was wrong. It was the only friendship that Ryuko and Mako knew and Mako wasn't going to let it go like this. She could never forgive herself if she wasn't there by her friends side. "Don't worry Ryuko! I will come to help you!" Mako rushed out, with a half baked plan in her head.
(3:51)"Junketsu?!" Ryuko felt it was suddenly heard to breathe and the two men behind her were taking it as hard as she was. Her world span around her and Ryuko pinched her wrist to bring herself back to reality.
"Yes." Satsuki-no, Junketsu- smiled down at them. "Shocking right? But now me and Ryuko are the same. We're equals like we never were before. For too long Satsuki felt inadequate compared to you."
"She did?" Ryuko found that hard to believe.
"She did. She would never admit to it, but I was there, Ryuko. I was in her head. I could hear her deepest darkest thoughts. Her sinful secrets. Ever since you came into her life she always started second guessing herself. Everything she did was never good enough. All her hard work and planning against her mother fell to shreds when you arrived. You took all her hard efforts and made it look like shit with your ridiculous luck, hardheaded stubbornness and stupidity when it came to battle. You were also stronger than her without even having to train whereas she trained her body for years to get to the point you were at, which you gained so easily it was a joke. You made her look like a fool. Being close to you caused her so much pain. She lost confidence in herself and it made it easier for me to get under her skin."
"That's a lie. A fucking lie!" Ryuko screamed. "Satsuki is the smartest person I know. She's also the strongest and the best, the absolute best! She would never doubt herself!"
"Too bad she doesn't think that's true. You always ruin everything don't you, Ryuko?" (4:39)
Ryuko don't listen to her. She's trying to make you feel bad. It's not your fault.
But Senks, it makes so much sense. I ruined everything. If I had never gone to the school then it could have been so much different. Satsuki wouldn't have to suffer because of me. I never knew she was in so much pain.
Ryuko-
I know Junketsu is trying to bring me down but I won't let her. I know no matter how true these words are I now owe Satsuki even more to rescue her. So that she can be free to live her life. And then after she's back, I'll leave. I'll make sure she'll never have to suffer again.
"The breaking point came for her during the final battle against Ragyo. She was broken mind, body, and spirit by your hand Ryuko. She would never admit it but she was scarred heavily by your attempt to kill her. In those days afterwards you were almost as vile as her mother in her eyes."
Ryuko grit her teeth as a stab of pain, so strong it left her breathless, pierced her heart. It felt worse than any physical pain she had ever felt. Tears pricked in her eyes and she didn't stop them this time. They dropped softly onto her cheeks. She couldn't believe she had forced Satsuki into such a point.
"Of course she reasoned that you were under Ragyo's control and her anger and resentment at her mother doubled. So she went to the battle with the intention to kill her but failed because who should arrive? You, Ryuko. You were taking away her chance to redeem her broken self."
"She would have died!" (5:25)
"Then she would have. But at least she would have done so by herself, fighting for what she believed in. It was better than what actually happened. She killed Ragyo but of course you were in the way, 'helping her'."
"She wanted my help!"
"She only said that to feed your ego. She may have thought that on the surface of her mind but like I said I could sense all her thoughts. I was there in her unconscious mind, and I saw the truth. Satsuki hates you. She hates you as much as she hated her mom."
Ryuko's tears began to fall more freely and she swallowed down a sob that threatened to bubble up.
Ryuko don't listen to her.
I know. But it hurts. It hurts so much. Tell me, is it true? Can you read my unconscious desires?
…..It's only possible if a human and a kamui develop a really deep relationship. I can't speak for how close Satuski and her kamui were, but I can sense your desires Ryuko. (end song)(Start song Eshara)
"During that final battle was when I took over Satsuki's body. She thought she could fight me off and she cut my fibers out of her body but she couldn't get them all. Only one was needed. She thought that when she burned me that it was the end. That I could never harm her again, but a thread of me was hiding in her mind. I influenced her choices without her knowing. For example, the robots. Satsuki built an entire underground place full of robots. She thought it was so that just in case life fibers were to strike again she would have an army against them. But it was actually for my use.
And that was just the tip of the iceberg. As time passed I grew stronger. I spread throughout her whole body. It took me years to finally get to how I am but it was all worth it to see your expressions at seeing your precious friend turn evil." (0:21)
"What is the purpose of taking over her body? What is the point of taking over the world?" Uzu spoke up at last, shaking in anger. How dare this fiber take over his lady's body! He would cut it out, every last piece of fabric. He really hated life fibers.
Junketsu shrugged. "I'm a life fiber. And a evil one. Why shouldn't world domination be a goal of mine? I will wipe out all these disgusting humans and bring about a rule of life fibers."
"Good luck with that. All the life fibers except for you, Ryuko and Nui are dead. There's no way you can succeed."
Satsuki arched a brow in an 'oh really?' question. Aikuro gulped deeply at this. "You've mistaken me for someone who is choosing to follow Ragyo's footsteps. I'm not going to do things her way. I've taken her failures and built upon them. And while there no longer exist any life fibers except for the three people you just mentioned, that doesn't mean there isn't a way around this. I personally had workers under my strict supervision put strands of fibers into the finished food, clothing and electronic products that Satsuki's company put forth for consumers. Anyone that bought anything from the Kiryuin company will have those fibers. Anyone who ate anything will have the fibers in their body. And while they are just simple fibers for now, I will activate them and manipulate them using my kamui which Nui was kind enough to stitch together for me." (0:53) Junketsu put a hand to her chest. "Behold Shinra-Koketsu, the new and improved version! It doesn't just dominate life fiber beings anymore but controls regular fibers and can make them living!"
Aikuro, Uzu and Ryuko all felt a stab of panic at that. Holy shit she's made an even more monstrous kamui than mother did.
"Wait, don't move," Inumuta instructed, looking at his phone screen and grabbing Iori by the shoulder to stop him. He and Iori had just infiltrated the underground base but it hadn't been easy. Lady Satsuki had set up traps and other security measures to prevent them from getting in and while they had dodged the countless bullets, laser beams and explosions and made it in, that didn't mean the way was clear for intruders like themselves.
"What now?" Iori huffed. He had wanted to go on the battlefield and take part in this war but he had no clue it would be this dangerous or annoying.
"There's a trap behind that pillar. Either we have to diffuse it or we face it and destroy it head on," Inumuta said, pocketing his phone. He had recently downloaded an app that helped to determine where traps and the likes could be found by using heat sensory vision. It didn't necessarily get all of the traps but it got the ones that really hurt. He'd only gotten an ass full of sharp needles which wasn't bad considering there had been wrecking balls, flamethrowers and chainsaws thrown at him previously. (1:32)
Iori let out a huge sigh. "Let's just get this over with. Are we at least close to the power source of the robots?"
"I don't know. I don't have any preexisting knowledge of this place but I'll know once we get further in."
Iori sighed again. "Of course." Why couldn't things be easier?(1:44)
"So you see that's how it is," Junketsu hummed as she began her walk back up the robot's arm. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a world to conquer." She once again stood by Ira's and Nui's side. With a snap of her fingers the robots all awakened one by one in the city, their eyes glowing brightly. Then with robotic groans they moved in unison and began smashing the buildings next to them into bits. (1:56)
"No!" Ryuko hollered out.
"What the fuck are Inumuta and Iori doing? They were supposed to stop the robots!" Aikuro cursed, spitting angrily.
"Perhaps they failed. Surely you do not think me foolish enough to leave my base unattended?" Junketsu sneered as her robot began to move away, raising it's foot high to crush them underneath it. They all rolled out of the way and got to their feet quickly as the robot's foot left a deep imprint where it had struck. The robot might be strong but it was slow.
"I'm not letting them get away with this," Uzu growled. "We'll have to trust the two boys to get the machines down, but I'm taking on Nui. I owe her for all these years." Then with a burst of smoke he transformed and charged after the robot which had already lost interest in them and was moving on to push aside buildings like they were building blocks.
"I swear his fixation on Nui will get him killed one day," Aikuro shook his head. "Alright Ryuko we got to do something about Ira. Do you think we can talk him down?" They hadn't been expecting him to switch sides but perhaps it should have been obvious given his devotion to his lady. Ryuko was only shocked because she had thought the giant would have loved Mako enough to stay by her side. (end song)
"I don't know," Ryuko admitted. She wasn't the one that knew him the best. Mako did. There was a whoosh of air behind them and both turned to see Nonon had arrived. She walked towards then, wiping her eyes on her arm.
"Nonon about time," Aikuro said. "Where were you? We need you to fight Junketsu." (Start song Unchained Dracula)
"I'm not fighting Junketsu," she sniffled and looked up. Her eyes were red and tear marks stained her cheeks. She had been crying but why? "This is all your damn fault Ryuko. All your damn fault!"
"Me?" Ryuko jerked back in surprise at the accusations.
"I heard everything that Junketsu said about you, and about how Satuski really felt. If you hadn't been around than none of this would happen!" She gave a big sniffle here. "Junketsu asked me prior to the fight if I would join her side so I could protect Satsuki and I was debating this for the longest. I had decided that perhaps I wouldn't need to be by her side to protect her, but then you pissed me off in the elevator with your stupid words and now finding out how much of a burden you were on Satsuki was the final straw." Ryuko was frozen with guilt at the pinkette's words and it weighed down her body, making it harder for her to move. She couldn't even be mad at Nonon for being mad at her, because it was true this time. Ryuko had inadvertently caused Satsuki to turn evil. Nonon raised her baton and it transformed into a giant long pink and purple sword, aimed straight at Ryuko.
(0:40)"Ryuko Matoi I hate you!" She shrieked out and lunged at her. What she wasn't expecting was to find Aikuro in her way. The blue haired man took a sword to the gut and let out a long grunt of pain but stayed standing on his feet. "Aikuro get out of the way!" Nonon spat. "This is a fight between me and Ryuko!"
Aikuro's grunt of pain brought Ryuko out of her stupor and she shook her head to get a better grip on herself. She pulled out her scissor blade and it extended in the night lights.
"Nonon think about this for a minute. You don't really want to fight for Junketsu. She's evil." Aikuro panted, one hand holding onto the sword blade. (1:02)
"Well I don't want to fight for Ryuko either because she's evil too," Nonon said and pulled the sword out of Aikuro who let out a shriek of pain at having the object removed so quickly. He fell face first to the ground, his breathing labored. "Nonon..." he reached out a shaking hand to her but she stepped on it hard, planting her heel into it.
"Nonon, I know I fucked up big time. But I want to fix it, and I need your help for that," Ryuko said, being honest. She took up a defensive position.
"I'm not helping you ever!" Nonon charged and Ryuko was ready. "Life fibers synchronize!" Her kamui transformed around her and she meet Nonon's blade head on, the sound of metal against metal vibrating through the air around them. (1:30)
"Oh bother, the monkey seems to be following after us," Nui pouted as she tracked Uzu's movements from the corner of her eyes. He was scrambling up and down buildings, jumping from roof top to roof top in an attempt to catch up to them. "Should I put an end to him once and for all?" She stifled a yawn that came from her mouth.
(1:42)"If you wish," Junketsu said off handily. She had to make her way to a communication tower she had built just for the purpose of sending out her kamui's power to awaken the fibers worldwide. So far she was making good progress.
Nui jumped off the robot and Ira couldn't help but cast a concerned glance after her. He didn't want Uzu to get hurt in his fight with Nui, but there was no way he could help his friend now. He only had to hope the man was powerful enough to handle her.
"Monkey, long time no see," Nui jeered. "Although you're the one who can't see. Tell me, how's that holding up?"
"Not bad. At first I was really upset and set on ending your life, on getting revenge, but three years have passed and I've thought about it. I've reflected on what happened and I can gladly say I no longer am as angry as I used to be. I don't even desire to get revenge on you for my eyes anymore. I just want to fight you as an equal opponent." (2:09)
"Good luck with that. I'm a life fiber hybrid now," Nui said, flexing her hand and crushing the rubble she had there for demonstration purposes. "And you're still a pathetic pig in human clothing."
"I'm not like the others. While they grew soft in times of peace I never stopped training my body for combat. And you're forgetting that I know the way to kill a life fiber hybrid. All I have to do it cut every last fiber out of you, and I intend to do just that."
"I'd like to see you try," Nui sneered but not as confidently as before. She could sense that Uzu had changed. He was more confident, less eager to rush into battle and carried less resentment with him. He had matured. But so had Nui. She was no longer as naive as she had once been. She was capable of containing her impulses in battle and she was going to make sure she wasn't going to slip up when it came to this fight because if she did then he would use that opening and finish her.
(2:39)Without another word she waited for him to strike first.
"Mako?" Ira had to blink, once, twice to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. There on the rooftop was Mako wearing her kamui.
"Ira!" Mako gave a wide smile and waved up at him.
"Mako get out of here! It's dangerous!" Ira ordered as Junketsu's robot flattened the building next to Mako's with the palm of it's hand.
"Nope. I wont! I've been looking everywhere for you! I was so worried about you but now I see the truth."
"Mako, I'm sorry," Ira apologized, feeling the guilt eat away at his stomach. "I had to do it."
Mako shook her head in understanding. "I understand Ira. I know how badly you felt for failing your lady. And don't worry I'm not offended by this. After all you were on the wrong side the first time we meet."
Ira flash backed to their college days and how Mako and Ryuko had tried fighting against his lady, and how they were going to do it now. "That is true," he admitted a smile tugging his lips. "So I guess I won't have any choice but to fight you." His goku uniform changed around him and he made fists with his hands. (3:12) "So come show me what you have Mankankshoku! And don't hold back!" He roared and jumped off the robot. Mako swiveled her cap back and readied her hands too, a smile on her lips. (end song)
(Start song Prophecy)
Aikuro managed to pull himself into a sitting position and let out a huge breath. The pain had mainly subsided away but he was still bleeding out. He ripped off a sleeve of his shirt and made a rough wrap around his wound. He felt a vibration in his pocket that signaled someone was calling him. (0:10)
"Hello?"
"Aikuro we're here." It was the leader of Nudist Beach and he had arrived with the army of Nudist Beach members, all armed and ready to go. They were standing on a hill, observing the city from above it and how it burned and shook from the robot's assaults on it.
(0:20)"That's great." Aikuro let out a breath of relief. He eyed a robot that was nearby him and that had just tore out a giant chunk of concrete from the ground. People were running and tripping over one another in order to get away. The place was a complete mess, in absolute chaos. What's taking Inumuta and Iori so long to get the robots down? To the phone he said, "How quickly do you think you could get me into a robot?" If the tech head couldn't stop them then Aikuro was going to go something about it himself.
(0:40)Nui grit her teeth in frustration and concentration as she slide back a couple of feet before she dug her blade into the ground and came to a complete stop. Uzu had definitely improved and he was no joke. His anger no longer guided his moves and every strike was calculated. Nui was struggling to hold up against him even with her life fiber enhanced body. She eyed him across the field. The man was breathing hard and he was bleeding on his arms and legs from where Nui had cut him with her scissor blade.
Nui wiped her mouth, removing the traces of blood that had showed up after Uzu had decked her so hard her blood vessels had erupted. "I guess the monkey does know how to fight. What a surprise."
"Quit the chit chat, I don't have all day for this," Uzu chided and ran at her, his feet churning up dust from how quickly he was going. Nui dodged it and so resumed their dance of death. They had been going in circles, dodging and swiping at each other, barely nicking each other with their blades but unwilling to risk to make a bigger move and become unguarded. Only one thing was certain; one of them would slip up eventually and meet their downfall. (1:09)
A robot laid pinned to the ground, covered in ropes while Nudist Beach members held onto those rope ends. They had brought down a robot and the machine whined pitifully as it tried to free itself from their hold. It shuddered once, as Aikuro pulled out the wires on the back of it's head and clambered into the head. Inside were a bunch of controls and he smiled a wide grin. He knew he could make this work. Shooting a thumbs up to the people outside, they lifted the back panel of the robot's head and closed it up behind Aikuro. The blue haired man cracked his hands and got to work.
The robot's eyes began to glow a blue color and the Nudist Beach members let the ropes go as the machine stood up. It teetered unsteadily on it's legs as Aikuro got a hang of the machinery. He pressed a couple buttons and the robot steadied itself. (1:49)
"Nudist Beach it's time to win back the city. It has been overrun by the forces of evil, intent of reeking havoc and destruction. Not only if we fail here do we fail this city's people but we also fail the people of the world. Therefore failure is not an option! Take down the robots and help people in need. Make Kinagase proud!" Aikuro's voice came amplified from the robot and the Nudist Beach members below him cheered, raising their hands and rushing off to take down their enemies. (end song)
(Start Rise of the Fallen)
"Nonon stop this!" Ryuko grunted out as the pinkette's music blasts forced her to move back. "We can save Satsuki together! We should be focusing our energies on that and not on fighting each other."
"Shut up! I don't wanna hear another word from you, you fucking stain on humanity!" Nonon snarled as she put her hands together over her head and sent a super charged up blast of energy at Ryuko who put up her sword to block the attack. The blast dispersed but holding it off had caused Ryuko's feet to slide further back.
Ryuko she's too far gone to be of any help.
Well I'm not going to give up on her. This is all my fault and I don't want Nonon to do something she will regret. I know she'll see reason eventually.
Senks just shook his head but went along with Ryuko's design. The girl was really determined on fixing the situation and he was going to have to her help with it. (0:34)
Nonon took out her sword again and the two went back to sword fighting. Senks had transformed into his flight mode giving Ryuko the edge she needed against Nonon's flying goku uniform. The two zoomed around buildings and robots, exchanging blows whenever they could. Nonon would never forgive Ryuko for causing lady Satsuki's to go over the edge. She would never! And she wouldn't stop until Ryuko was defeated. Only then would Nonon take on Satsuki and free her from the life fibers control.
"Why won't you just stay put?" Nonon growled in annoyance, aiming a blast at Ryuko who dodged it, the street below her blowing up instead.
"Nonon please, we need to help each other. I know Satsuki is hurt but we need to do this together. You can't take her down alone."
"That's what you say because you only want the glory of striking her down." Nonon zoomed in closer to Ryuko who let out a sigh and dropped her weapon, her scissor blade clinking to the concrete below.
Ryuko what are you doing?
Sometimes one has to blow off steam. If I let Nonon beat the shit out of me she might feel better.
But Ryuko?!
I'm a life fiber being, I'll heal quickly.
But that still didn't stop the grunt of pain as Nonon slashed her blade down. She ripped a path from Ryuko's shoulder to her hip, blood squirting out. Then without pause she sent a purple blast into Ryuko's abdomen, sending her careening towards the ground. Ryuko lay there even though she knew she wasn't badly enough damaged to not be able to move. (1:16)
Nonon zoomed down at her, her eyes burning coals and began to hack at her with her sword. Ryuko clamped her mouth shut to keep the grunts of pain from bursting out but by hell did this hurt. Her life fibers were working over time trying to repair the cuts and slashes as quickly as they were given. This only furthered to make Nonon more pissed off. "Why won't you fucking stay put?" She put her sword down, leaning intemperately on it, breathing heavily and glaring at Ryuko evilly.
"Nonon, you got the chance to beat me up, we have to be even now," Ryuko panted, sitting up, careful of her still gaping wounds.
"You let me do this to you?" Nonon asked and Ryuko realized she had spoken the wrong thing. "You think I'm done? You think we're in any way even?" She dropped her sword in favor of using her hands. "We'll be even when I rip your fucking heart out of your chest and step on it!" Cracking her knuckles, she lay into Ryuko who took the punches. They hurt more than the sword strikes because she knew now how much resentment the pinkette carried for her. (1:45)
"Nonon-" a punch to the face, knocking out one of Ryuko's teeth. "I'm sorry," a punch to the nose, blood streaming down because it was broken. "For making you feel," a succession of punches in a row to her gut, leaving her gasping for breath. Ryuko wheezed and put up a hand, trying to stop the girl and get her attention. "This way. Just please help me." Ryuko looked up through swollen eyes at the girl above her who had momentarily paused in her beatings to assess Ryuko.
"Oh, you'll be sorry alright. But it's too late for your apologizes now. I'm done with you Matoi." Nonon lay into Ryuko again, her fists a blur and Ryuko put up her hands to cover her face. (2:01)
Ryuko you can't let her keep hitting you like this.
Senks I don't really hate Nonon and I don't want to hurt her. She doesn't deserve to be hurt anymore because I've already hurt her so much.
Ryuko I don't care. If you won't do something to protect yourself than I will do something for you.
Ryuko let out a grunt of pain as Nonon put her hands together and swung them down like a pendulum into Ryuko's gut. Before she could do it again, Nonon was lifted to her feet by a giant metallic hand.
"Hey, let me go!" she shrieked indignantly.
"I'm sorry Nonon but I can't let you hurt Ryuko," Aikuro's voice boomed out and two laser blasts came from the robot's eyes. Nonon's cry of pain was barely heard over the buzz of the laser beams. She was sent blasting off somewhere into the far distance of the city limits.
"Aikuro?" Ryuko mumbled out, her body bruised and aching all over. "Is that you?" (2:24)
The robot jerked a thumb up to indicate itself. "The one and only."
"How the fuck did you get a giant robot?"
"I have my ways," the robot laughed. "But what was up with you getting the snot beat out of you?"
"I was trying to get through to her," Ryuko groaned as she slowly stood up and bent over, grabbing her knees in support. She spat out a glob of blood and then straightened out, her body already repairing itself. "I figured she could blow some steam off by beating me up."
"You know that you're not good with words, just stick to fighting and to beating other people up. I think she might need some sense beat into her not the other way around." (2:46)
"Right, I'll get on that when I can. But I need to get to Satsuki's first. There's no telling what she's up to right now."
"Good idea. I'll keep Nonon occupied for now and you take Satsuki on."
Ryuko nodded her head and took to the sky's. Aikuro made to go after where he had last seen Nonon fly off to when a voice stopped him.
"So you've gotten a hold of one of our robots." Aikuro turned around to see another robot behind him. It was covered in soot and it clutched a still flaming car in its hand.
"Rei." Aikuro recognized the voice and was impressed that she was still alive. He had thought she had died during the war. (3:10)
"No matter," she tossed the car to the side. "I'll make sure to crush you." She ran at him and Aikuro lifted up his fists to protect himself. A smirk on the man's face grew. Inside the the machines head he cracked his fingers in anticipation of the battle before he grabbed a joystick and pressed some buttons. He always wanted to be in a giant mecha fight and now he was going to get one. With a wild whoop he extended the robots fist toward Rei's robots face.
(3:26) Nui spat out a huge amount of blood, the shinai blade sticking its way out of her back, the other one slicing her arm clean off. Her scissor blade dropped with her arm, more blood spurting out of the empty socket. Uzu pulled the blade in her chest out harshly and she let out a cry as her body jerked in pain. She dropped to her knees, glancing through the gap in the man's legs to her detached arm. It was wiggling on the floor. If only she could reach for it she could fight him again. But the man wasn't going to let her do that. He kicked her right in the face when she was distracted and her head cracked back, her body dropping flat to its back on the floor.
Then with his shinai, he pinned her good arm to the floor and used the other to repeatedly stab her gut. Blood sprayed everywhere and Nui squirmed in pain on the floor. (3:51)
"Stop it, it hurts!" she whined pitifully.
"It's going to hurt a lot more," Uzu promised, letting his shinai sink once more into her soft flesh with one last final thrust. "You're a relic of the last war. You shouldn't exist anymore." He crouched down next to her and stuck his hand into her guts, grasping the life fibers he knew were her life force. "Noooooo!" Nui screamed and started thrashing frantically. She knew what was going to happen and she didn't want it. "Nooooooooo! Stop it. Stop it!" But the man had already pulled out her core life fiber and with a grim expression on his face he began to reel it out, like a fisher reeling his fishing pole, dragging the fish closer to its death.
Nui screamed some more, hurting Uzu's ears with her cries. He felt pity for her and was tempted to stop but didn't, pulling out the thread, the life fibers dying around him, until at last it all stopped. Uzu pulled the last of the thread out and Nui's body stilled. Her one eye stared blankly at the sky.
She was finally defeated.
Uzu had won against her. But he felt no joy, no sense of relief, because he had taken a life, and because Satsuki was also controlled by a life fiber and the only way to save her would be to kill her. He understood that now. Perhaps he had always subconsciously known that. And since he had killed Nui he would stain his hands once more and kill the lady. He wouldn't let the others suffer this burden. He would let them hate him as long as they weren't the ones who were forced to kill her. He was fine with carrying their everlasting hate on his shoulders.
"I'm sorry Ryuko, but we can't save Satsuki," he whispered to the air, a cold breeze swirling around him. Then he dropped the fibers in his hands and stepped away, intent on finding Satsuki. (end song)
A/N: So the conclusion of this battle will be reached in the next and last chapter. Will the elite four ever get back together after this split? Will Satsuki ever return to herself? Will Inumuta and Iori stop the robots? Will the world be saved before the evil life fibers are launched? Answers to come soon.