IM BACK
Mina walked through the slums at night looking for a sign or a person that would tell her where this doctor was. But every time she would stop someone, they ran away from her. She didn't know if it was the cloak she was wearing or if it was that she was approaching people on the streets close to midnight. She walked up to a guy who was leaning on the side of a building smoking a cigar hoping that he would be kind enough to lead her in the right direction.
"Um...hello sir. Do you happen to know if a girl named Mako lives around here?"
Mina has only heard Ryuko matoi's friend's first name from accidentally eavesdropping on one of the elite four's conversations. It was at this time that she regretted not staying long enough to hear her last name.
The stranger looked mina over. He thought it strange that she was looking for the doctor's daughter if she wasn't injured but he had no idea what she was hiding under that cloak so he pointed her in the right direction anyway.
"Walk down this street for another block and turn left at the torn down building on the corner. You'll see it when you get there. Its the only house with its lights on at this hour."
Mina graciously thanked the man and turned to follow his directions.
Meanwhile Ryuko was in the middle of getting ready to take a bath. She had felt a little dirty from having another chat with her teacher. Usually during their conversations he would begin to randomly strip which made her feel extremely un easy. Before she got into the tub she noticed the curtain outside of the window rustle ever so slightly. She sighed. "You persistent little PERVERTS!" She took the mop beside the sink and jabbed it through the curtain. Two painful yelps escaped from behind and slightly after two screams were heard as Mataro and fell from the window.
Ryuko closed back the curtain and slumped into the warm tub. It was the at this time that she took the chance to think to herself and let her thoughts wander. She mostly thought about how oddly her life has changed ever since she enrolled in honoji academy, with all the drama and everybody wanting to fight her lately she didn't get that much time to just collect herself.
After she was done with her analyzation of her current life and a little wash, she pulled the plug in the bath and wrapped her towel around her. Ryuko put on the slightly too small pajamas that mako had given her which she had set aside beside the sink. Before, she used to walk in her towel to her room and get into her night cloths there. But she got tired of all the different tactics the perversive trio put together as they tried to catch a peek of her and so she decided to bring them in with her. Ryuko stepped out of the bathroom when she heard a knock on the front door. "I wonder who could that be at this hour?" was still up cleaning after dinner so she was the one who answered the door. Mako peered from out behind the door frame of their bedroom. "Maybe it's a patient for dad. Maybe ITS AN EMERGENCY PATIENT! Or Maybe ITS SOMEONE SELLING COOKIES!"
Ryuko laughed. "Why would someone be selling cookies this late?"
Mako made a 'I dont know' sound "Maybe they are working the late shift."
"Be quiet. I cant hear."
"Hello. Are you in need of some sort of medical help kind stranger?" Mako's mom kindly said.
Ryuko walked a little closer towards the doorway so she could see what was going on. There she saw a strange person covered head to toe in a large hooded cloak, the figure looked incredibly suspicious.
"Oh, um, no thank you. I have been looking for a girl named Ryuko and I have knowledge that she is staying here, am I wrong?"
Ryuko froze, she had never seen this person before. Why were they looking for her? She didn't know what this stranger wanted from her but she didn't think that it was good.
She walked into her bedroom and took down senketsu from the hanger on the door. He was asleep but she put him on anyway just incase she needed to transform.
curiously looked at the person in the door.
"Ryuko? Are you one of her friends? If so I'm sorry it is too late for any visitors, the girls have school tomorrow."
"I know! Im sorry, but I really need her help. She is the only one who will understand."
Ryuko opened the door wider and stepped in front of Mako's mom.
"What do you want from me and what is it that you think I will 'understand'. "
The cloaked figure stumbled in shock of Ryuko's sudden appearance.
"I-um Its kinda hard to explain. I don't think I should tell you here. May I come inside?"
Ryuko looked over the stranger. She didn't get and bad feelings from them, plus their voice sounded kind enough to be somewhat trustworthy. She glanced at Mako's mom with a nod. rushed their guest inside and pulled up a chair for them at the table. Mako stood beside the table and Ryuko took up a seat and sat across from the newcomer. "Now you wanna tell me why the hell your looking for me at nearly 12 o'clock at night?"
The strange visiter lifted their hand and pulled back the hood of their cloak. A face of a young girl with blue eyes almost as old as Ryuko appeared along with matching, bouncy blue curls emerged from the hood.
"My Name is Mina Tsukinami and I am currently wanted by Satsuki kiryuin for thievery and treacherous acts against the kiryuin family. So I've come to the only person I know of who I can possibly relate to."
Ryuko, Mako, and were stunned by the unexpected scene before them.
All of a a sudden Ryuko burst into laughter. "SO! Someone else muscled up enough balls to go against the kiryuins huh! Welcome to the family Mina!" Mako rushed over to Mina and gave her a hug. "Everything is going to be ok new friend!" Mina smiled joyfully and whispered to junketsu silently *See, didn't i tell you everything would work out fine?* To which he replied "You haven't told them everything yet."
Mako caught mina's wisper. "What did you say?"
"Oh, Nothing"
Mako released Mina from her hug and stood beside Ryuko while her mother went off to fix some hot chocolate. Ryuko and Mina chatted for a while about the stuff she learned about the kiryuins so far until mako's mother came back with the coacoa. Mako grabbed the cups from her mother and set one in front of Ryuko. But before she picked up the cup Ryuko noticed something on the side of it. She stared at the red hand mark on the cup handle and yanked at mako's hand.
"Ow, Ryuko whats the big idea!"
"Mako...Why do you have blood on your hands?"
They all went quiet while Mako stared at her blood spotted palms. "Blood? I don't have blood on my...hands? I HAVE BLOOD ON MY HANDS!" Ryuko thought about the last chain of events and stood up. She walked over to mina and placed her hand on her cheek.
"Uh..what are you-"
Ryuko stared at mina's face and saw a large wound stretching from under her ear to her cheek bone.
Mrs. Mankanshoku's eyes widened. "I'll go wake up Dad from the bushes outside."
"Where did you get that?"
Mina placed her hand to where Ryuko was referring to. She must have got it from the fight with Satsuki earlier. But what would she tell them? There was no reason to lie?
"I...uh...that happened when I fought with Lady Satsuki..."
Ryuko gritted her teeth. "THE BITCH ATTACKED YOU! What the hell did you do! Wait..'Lady' Satsuki?"
Mina sighed. "I should have told you from the beginning. For that I'm sorry."
Ryuko looked at her curiously. "Told us what exactly?"
Mina stood up and shrugged off the cloak from her shoulders unveiling junketsu.
"You STOLE Satsuki's kamui!" Ryuko said with shock
"Mina is pretty brave, huh Ryuko." Mako added
Mina squirmed at Ryuko's loud voice. "Actually, I rescued him."
"What?" Ryuko asked
Just then Mako's dad came busting through the door. "I heard we have a special patient! Ooh thats gotta hurt. Let me go get my bandage bag."
Mataro and guts sprinted into the room after him with leaves in their hair and stared at mina. "Hey guts I guess we got another hot chick stayin with us!" His mom walked up behind him and pinched his ear. "Ow!Ow!Ow! Mom, ok! Ill go to bed!" Mataro and his dog scurried off and left Mina with suspicious stares from Ryuko and Mako
Before Mina explained everything, Ryuko thought it probably would be wise to wake senketsu up so that he could listen and get in on the story as well. Ryuko bit her thumb and wiped it on his sleeve causing him to blink his eye until he fully woke up.
"Ryuko, whats the problem?"
She motioned over to the opposite side of the table towards Mina and junketsu. He looked where she was motioning, his eye widened in shock when he saw a strange blue haired girl who happened to be wearing junketsu. "Ryuko! What's happening!"
Junketsu saw as the other kamui awoke. Although this meeting was on different terms he still felt uneasy in his presence. Every time junketsu saw senkets it was in the midst of battle. He eventually began to associate every awakening to mean that it was time for them to fight. Every fiber in him vibrated with a sort of adrenaline instinct. Mina felt him shake and slowly stroked his left sleeve with her right hand to calm him down. Her touch made him remember that he wasn't being worn by Satsuki who always wanted him to fight as soon as he woke up. Mina was different than Satsuki, She didn't force him to do anything against his will. The soft strokes of her hand calmed him down and he relaxed a bit.
Senketsu was very confused by all this as was asking a lot of questions. Mina heard Ryuko try to get him to be quiet. "If you shut up then we can let her tell us. Jeez."
Mako's dad came back with a large duffle bag and dropped it near mina's seat.
Mina took the time to explain everything that happened while bandaged her wound and a few others that he found. She told them about how she was "found" by Satsuki and takin in as a maid and how she found out that it was just all a lie. She told them about her mother and her involvement in the creation if junkets with Satsuki's father. She also told them about how she and junkets accidentally met and bonded. Mina continued to go on about her failed escape plan and her fight with Satsuki. With the addition of her crystal necklace and its transformation.
About time Mako's dad was done Mina had finished explaining everything.
Ryuko lowered her head after hearing Mina's story. She was obviously pissed. She stood up and slammed her hand against the table.
"Those DAMN kiryuin's think that they have the right to go and ruin people's lives like that! It pisses me off!" Mako placed her elbows on the table and held her head in her hands. "So...can junkets talk? Do you two have conversations like Ryuko and Senkets do?"
"I have actually been wondering the same thing. I assumed that since we are both kamui's that I would be able to hear his voice. But during all of our fights with Satsuki I havent heard him speak one word so I began to think otherwise."
Ryuko was curious now too. "Yeah, how come senkets hasn't heard his voice?"
Mina was surprised by this odd question. "Uh. Actually we have had conversations before. Come to think about it, he HAS been kinda quiet this whole time. Its strange because usually he's the one doing all the talking." Mina laughed.
Junketsu pinched Mina's waist for her comment. "Ow! Come on, it was only a joke. Why are you so quiet? Don't tell me your still shy? Where is that little cocky attitude that I love?"
"Hmmf..." Junketsu grunted annoyedly. Mina giggled.
Ryuko stared at the light blue crystal around Mina's neck wondering how something like that could possibly be a weapon. "So whats the deal with that. Do you mind if I have a look at it?" Ryuko pointed to her necklace and mina hesitated. "Uh...sure, just be careful with it. Its the only thing I have left from my mother." Mina un hooked her necklace and placed it in Ryuko's hand.
"Ryuko somehow I can sense what the crystal is made of. It is incredibly similar to the metal used to make your scissor blade. But its like its in a purer form, I can sense fragments of that same type of crystal in the material of your blade. It has the same ability to sever life fibers."
"It can cut life fibers!?"
Mina tilted her head. "It can?"
Ryuko gave Mina back her necklace and mina placed it back on. Mako's mom walked back in the room. "Ok, it's pretty late. Why don't we get to bed and continue this conversation tomorrow. Mina is it ok if you sleep in mako and ryuko's room?" Mina stood up from the table and smiled. "Thank you so much for your hospitality, that'll be fine. Unless Ryuko or Mako have any problems with it."
Mako jumped up and down with pure joy. "Yay! We get a new friend! Isn't it strange how our family is like a magnet for weirdos in sentient power suits." Mina laughed and followed mako to her room while Ryuko went to go change back into her pajamas.
"Ryuko, do you think we can trust her?"
"Why not, her story seems legit. Plus do you think she gave HERSELF all those wounds?"
"I guess not..."
Mako sat down on the futon next to Mina. "Im sorry that I couldn't find a pair of pajamas that fit you. Its probably because your body is so much more mature than mine that you won't even fit into any of my old pj's."
"That's fine Mako. I'll be ok like this." Its not like it was the first time Mina had slept with junkets on.
"That girl is irritating but also amusing." Junkets finally spoke again. Mina started to think that maybe he just didn't like to talk in front of someone else who could hear him."
Mina laughed. "I know, I like her too."
"Are you talking to junketsu again?" Mako suddenly added in "You know, at first when Ryuko started talking to senkets my whole family thought she was crazy. But now that we know you are the same I'm glad that its not just her. She finally has someone who she can relate to." Mina thought about what Mako said. She guessed she wasn't the only one who had suffered because of the kiryuins.
Ryuko walked in and hung senkets on the door. She turned off the lights and laid down on the end futon. They all said their goodnights and fell fast asleep.