A Loser I Can Not Hate
Sanageyama found himself surrounded by a triangle of rainbow-colored stars that swirled around. Threads of course twirled through the same space linking like tiny chains forming the outskirts of something that could prove destructive. His eyes morphed into narrower formation as the Three Star Goku Uniform grew and formed around him.
"Three Star Goku Uniform! Blade Regalia!" his voice echoed over the gym which was filled with ravenous students ready for something incredible.
His appearence was far different than that of any other Goku Uniform wearer she had encountered. A mask reminiscent of a fencer was lowered over his head face its golden trim sparkling under the solo light of the arena. Two large quivers were stuck to the back of his uniform, the same metallic green as the rest of the chassis, A kendo stick hung at his right side a weapon ready to come unfurled and used whenever possible. His legs were protected by thick armor plating.
"Flashy! Now though it's my turn!" a red star shone from the center of Senketsu. It grew as a white hot light ensnared her frame. Every thread within her Kamui absorbed blood and burst forth with a red-pink star. Steam poured out of the transformation as the bestial fire creature that represented Senketsu consumed her in a single bite.
"Life Fiber: Synchronize! Kamui Senketsu!" she smiled Scissor Sword extending from her right hand.
The clothes were those that she had been made famous for. Every young man in the stands got a bloody nose staring at the extra miniskirt and the revealing upper portion of the Uniform.
"Come on then Matoi," Sanageyama taunted drawing forth the kendo stick pointing it at his foe. The end of it shone with a star, proving that it too had been embedded with Life Fibers." Show me what ya got," he snickered.
In a Sky Box...
"Where is Lady Satsuki?" Nonon Jakuzure asked laying down over the posh pink couch. In her right hand a baton pointing to the nose of one of the many stuffed animals there. To her right Gamagori towered over her eyes locked on the battle field ahead.
"She is on business Jakuzure," Hoka Inumuta remarked staring down as well trying to gather as much information as he could on the situation. Gamagori scoffed slightly both massive arms crossed over his chest.
"She felt no need to be here. She said the winner was predetermined," the blonde goliath continued the thought of his shorter colleague. Gamagori as the shield of the Elite Four was in the know about many things.
"That's not cryptic," Nonon's feet kicked slightly while she spoke the fighting down below ready to begin.
"Hiyah!" Ryuko shouted her frame rapidly ascending into the air. The red Scissor Sword came down with a heavy sheen slicing through Sanageyama like butter. She twirled the blade only to see that the image faded.
'An afterimage?' Senketsu realized as Uzu's frame appeared before both of them.
The massive figure brought the stick down upon Ryuko's head with a heavy thud and kicked her away with his right foot a moment later. A jab from the stick hurled her through the air for a second before bringing the massive weapon down upon her chest in an overhead swing.
"MEN!" it jabbed forward again hurling the young teenager across the gym floor. Resilient as ever she picked herself up and drew the Scissor Sword in front of her face. The next blade swing connected with the force of a shotgun blast her arms instantly wobbled from the pressure."DOU!" her heels dug in after the strike a rut forming from the push.
'Now!' Senketsu instructed, as Ryuko swung under the slash a rapid ring of her afterimages quickly swirling around the Elite Four member. Sanageyama did not flinch at all instead he stared at the movements.
"Right!" in a burst she brought he blade up only to find a kendo stick drilling upon the top of her head. Every frame of her circle had been struck at least once and she felt it even though she continued to run around.
"Ow!" one would say as the other ran 'into' it another strike already colliding with it.
"Damn!" another's voice rang up as a strike bored into her crown.
"Shit!" even another hissed as Sanageyama struck across Ryuko's ribs. All of their movements stopped after then ext swing one that sent Ryuko falling away from the ring she had raced into the ground.
"You call that speed? I'll show you speed," his hands reached over his shoulders drawing forth the two quivers as if they were attachments to the Goku Uniform. Kendo blades attached to the ends of his fingers forming a long fingered visage that was rather creepy in a way.
'Be cautious Ryuko,' Senketsu warned as she charged forward blade drawn back.
"Bullshit!" the red weapon swung down upon the bundle of staffs on his left hand while the right hand's blades turned into a cyclone of power. It drilled into her gut and threw her skyward where the left hand drove Ryuko to the ground with another drilling formation." Damn you," she mumbled on all fours.
'This Elite Four member puts all of our past foes to shame,' the Kamui stated the obvious. Ryuko straddled her legs, which quickly bowed, and pushed up upon the end of the Scissor Blade.
"There you go Matoi! You're too brash to realize that you can't win!" he struck heavily with the right spinning kendo weapon, luckily Ryuko blocked it. The force sent out several wind waves out that made people's hair spike up and bodies shake. The next strike missed and Ryuko jumped up coming down with her weapon again.
"Scissor Blade! Decapitation Mode!" its handle extended and the end grew even sharper. When it came down however instead of meeting kendo sticks or any sort of Life Fiber resistance it met the ground the Sanageyama fading away." Come on," Ryuko panted red highlight blocking her eyes out.
'His skills make this warrior quite the opponent,' the dark blue Life Fiber entity remarked as Ryuko turned the blade over defensively. Ryuko knew that the moment she turned that a strike would come her way so blocking it proactively would give some sort of advantage.
"I could see right through it! You see I have special eyes," within the framework of the face mask his pupils began to race around in large circles darting almost everywhere at once. Several pores upon the Goku Uniform opened as well small purple spheres tracing the movements of his eyes perfectly, almost too perfectly.
"Shut the hell up!" she turned smartly ready to block. The predicted strike came down missing the blade and catching her in the chin turning her inside out and upside down. She landed upright only by jabbing the blade into the hardwood flooring, which at this point was more or less a battlefield.
"What Sanageyama is doing is using something called Tengantsu. It allows him to analyze his foe's every muscle movement," Inumuta explained staring at the events transpiring down below.
"A twitch as one clenches their blade..." at those words both of Ryuko's gloved hands twitched the grip upon the Scissor Sword tightening.
"Their back foot as they prepare to fire off..." the red highlighted teen's left leg throbbed as power was being stored up for a charge or strike.
"Even their bodies reaction to the air passing by..." Ryuko's thighs twitched the skirt skipping up over the movement a moment later.
"He could see it all," the teal haired teenager remarked having analyzed the fight almost as accurately as the green haired teenager's special eyes.
"Is that why Lady Satsuki decided not to show up?" Nonon wondered running the end of the baton through the bang of pink hair that dangled between her two rounded eyes.
"Possible she did say that the conclusion was foregone," Ira answered sharply. He would have followed Satsuki off the edge of the Earth if that was what she wanted interpreting her words was apparently straight forward.
"Hey Senketsu I have a plan," Ryuko remarked as a blistering onslaught struck rapidly against the block. It was holding for now even against the spiraling strikes of the kendo gattling guns upon the Three Star's hands. She whispered something to the large eye-like crest to her side as a huge blow bumped into the blade that had slain her father.
'I see. If that is the case than so be it,' the Kamui responded, if he had a head it would probably nodded as then ext strike flung Ryuko backward through the air.
'All coming together!' her blade was stabbed forward it had been blocked with great prejudice in fact she, herself, was batted away again. Ryuko spun and landed on her feet blade edged up slightly ready to take another hit.
'Here it comes,' Senketsu timed. Ryuko nodded as the blow drew nearer. Danger was thudding in her mind forcing her to grit as the kendo weapon was thrown forward in a spiraling crush. It smashed the blade back in a flipping motion. Ryuko braced for impact as it sheered the top portion of Senketsu's 'shut' eye sending small pieces of fabric into the air.
"Now!" Ryuko clenched the blade tightly and swung down the sheered off fabric clogging every small port along the Three Star's body. His hands stopped whirling like a turbine in fact all the ballista of weapons fell of and he began to claw at the black-blue fabric blocking his eyes. His struggling provided time to recover and prepare to finish the match as quickly as it had begun.
'Ryuko! I am ready when you are,' Senketsu remarked letting out stream from the vent along his back. Ryuko nodded the blade in her hand glowing brightly with a pinkish-red light, a red star trailing all the way down it.
"I know," the teenaged girl flung her right arm out the side the star swirling around the sword vanishing. It end shined to life growing twice as long as the original." Scissor Sword: Decapitation Mode!" the handle flipped out into a two handed variant, their was no way for Sanageyama to stop the strike this time he was blinded by Senketsu's Life Fiber cloth.
Ryuko charged in a zig-zag pattern the massive red blade in her hand streaming out with a corona of energy and stars. She jumped airborne preparing to bring the weapon down with a heavy single shot." Finishing Move-" a red line appeared vertically across the entire Goku Uniform from front feet to the back of the same feet. It exploded a moment later." Sen-i-Soshitsu!" the uniform buckled and broke away for real leaving Sanageyama on both knees, naked.
The Nexus Thread of the Goku Uniform flirted through the air and into the Kamui. It sparkled with a hue of rainbow light before letting loose steam. Ryuko turned and to Mako who came rushing down from the stands.
"You did it Ryuko! Awesome!" her cheers were loud and direct. It was always a peppy time when the Mankanshoku was around and this was no different." I can't believe it a member of the Elite Four down and out!" the teen failed to let her best friend be alone for a second.
"Hey! I'm not done yet!" Sanageyama stood up. He was naked indeed but his hands positioned with the sole true kendo stick prevented anything too private from being shown." I'll fight you butt naked if I have to!" he reared the kendo stick up.
'Snap! Crack! Pop! Tham!' four quick strikes to the back of the legs and the shoulder blades of either arm echoed out through the gymnasium. Gamagori towered from the sky box with whips drawn and pointed down at the now defeated Three Star.
"Uzu Sanageyama! You will do no such thing! I hereby renounce your role as a Three Star member of Honnoji Academy's Elite Four!" the Head of Discipline roared out in a booming shout.
Satsuki's Landing Pad...
Lightning now raced through the skies as thunder rolled off in the background. A storm was coming in it was powerful yet graceful a lot much like the young woman, who exited her helicopter. She was wearing Junketsu, apparently business had picked up.
Droplets began to pour down and as such she sported and umbrella to protect herself from the falling rain. To her left Soroi her most humble of servants walked quietly paying no mind to the naked beggar that lay there at her feet.
"Move Sanageyama. I have no time for losers without resolve," she went to walk around him but a hand reached up and grabbed her left boot before it could fully leaving. The grip was restless and tight, something traumatizing had occurred in her absence far more than just a loss.
For a brief moment there was no words. Both warrior's looked down at the ground as Sanageyama struggled to find the heart to say something." Satsuki I do not have resolve? I'll show you I have resolve! Give me a rematch against Matoi and I'll show you that I will never let you down again!" his face streamed with tears that were mixed with the descending rain.
"Why should I? You have done nothing but boast about yourself in the past," her bushy brows had furrowed. Sanageyama double clutched his motion, a sob leaving his body.
"B-Because Lady Satsuki! I did this!" lightning raced as he looked up green hair turned down over his face so only his queen could even come close to seeing it.
She was taken aback at the sight, for a moment at least. A cruel grin inched across her face as they stopped in the wind that rushed by with pellets of rain." Very well Sanageyama. Tomorrow you will have a new Goku Uniform and you will be facing Ryuko Matoi," Satsuki said calmly before walking by casually leaving him there in the rain.
That night...
Everyone in the Mankanshoku family household were asleep aside from Ryuko and Senketsu, who were both positioned on an ironing board. Ryuko sat beside the board with a freshly steaming iron. It vapors dampened her brow, she however smiled as Senketsu's frame stretched out just a little more.
"You really like a good ironing don't you?" she asked pressing the hot metal to the Life Fiber entity. Steam rose up as it rubbed along the top of the Kamui a relieved sigh coming from it.
'It makes all the fatigue melt away. Remember to get behind my lapels and the crease in my back,' Senketsu answered before giving a series of demands.
"For a sailor uniform you sure are high maintenance," she scoffed continuing the process of ironing her clothes.
Elsewhere that same night...
"Something is different," Shinko sighed staring out the window of his Two Star estate. It now had two more inhabitants in his co-Captains for the Fencing Club, they both were stone cold unconscious.
'How so?' Sentokitsu asked as they continued to stare out the window overlooking the rainy Honno Town. Lightning traced across the background in long streams that snapped like twigs before thunder rolled.
"Ryuko beat Sanageyama. Her Kamui got stronger from it. I just have this weird foreboding feeling that he's still going to beat her," his blue eyes scanned across the slums that appeared down below each now unlit to conserve the electricity his home would burn in only a few minutes. Both gloved hands clenched as he grabbed a hanger that was laid out on the sofa." We need to look into that but for now," he yawned.
'We need to sleep. That I can agree with,' Sentokitsu, the Fighting Kamui, was tired just not in the human sense.
"Yeah, I'll hang you up for the night," he took off the top of his Kamui and started to unbuckle the belt it was obvious. With a few quick motions Sentokitsu was placed on the hanger and dangled from the hook on Shinko's wall." I'll see you tomorrow buddy," the messy haired teenager sighed shutting the door and heading for the showering room.
'Ryuko is probably going to be in danger my gut tends to be reliable,' Shinko sighed shutting the bathroom door behind him. Water rushed out of the faucet a second later.
The next morning...
'Gurgle!' Ryuko had just finished brushing her teeth. She spit the froth of mouthwash and toothpaste into the sink before her.
'Clunk!' something heavy crunched against the Earth and when she turned she saw a kendo stick. A note was clipped to the handle and a serious challenge had been written in plain lettering.
'Wants to get beaten again? Fine by me,' she smiled taking the note from the stick inside the home.
Courtyard Honnoji Academy...
Uzu Sanageyama stood alone in the center of the courtyard. It was too early for anyone aside from him to be there. A ring had been drawn into the ground and he 'looked' down at it, a shadow cast over his face. His body had yet to fully mend in fact bandages were all over his torso and arms, wounds that had not made themselves present during the fight that appeared the time after it.
There she came walking boldly through Honnoji's central star-like arch. Her frame was decked out all the same with Senketsu, the Scissor Sword present in her right hand shimmering with a gleam of red light. Ryuko's hair rushed in a passing breeze, a chill filled the air as she stood in the center of the ring. Sanageyama did not even turn to acknowledge she was there.
"I thought there were no second chances around here. Guess you're just a big softy!" Ryuko's words were aimed at the Student Council President, who was standing atop the large tower as always. Ryuko's grip on the Scissor Sword tightened even more when Satsuki went to make a comeback.
"You have no idea what Sanageyama sacrificed for a rematch with you. If it had not been for his sacrifice he would not be challenging you here," the long haired dictator answered back clutching the Bakuzan like a staff.
"Whatever. This'll be just s easy as last time," Ryuko remarked clenching the clip along her red gloved hand's wrist. It twisted and pulled out blood sending a stream of which throughout the Kamui. Stars expanded out in a massive wake, Ryuko and Senketsu were becoming one in the same.
"Life Fiber: Synchronize! Kamui Senketsu!" their voices united together but only her's could be truly heard.
"No, this match will be nothing like last time. This time I will defeat you," his Three Star Jacket glowed a bright array of rainbow stars. It expanded out and covered him completely in a blinding flash of green light. The light swirled as an armor-like structure built up around his body.
White replaced all of the green sections of his prior Goku Uniform. It had lost some of the rather substantial bulk and was now more streamlined for combat not as much as one would like but it had to do for now. A lone kendo stick hung at the side like the katana of a great samurai.
"Three Star Goku Uniform! Blade Regalia Mark Two!" he screamed the kendo stick swirling out like piston from the sheath and directly into his right hand. It hit the ground with a thud an arena spawning to life around them.
Long, spiky tentacles reached from the ground as they were elevated a few feet above ground level. Each spire of spikes reached out for several dozen yards on either side taking up a majority of the area around them.
"Kurosaki do not interfere in this affair," Satsuki's voice echoed across the schoolyard to the shape standing atop the highest arch of the school. Shinko frowned choosing to remain put as the fight was about to begin.
"Don't worry about me. I'm not going to get involved, it is Uzu's fight to win or lose at this point," Shinko smiled arms crossed as both warrior down below drew their weapons.
'I do not believe this is the same as the fight we were told about yesterday,' the teen's Kamui, now activated stated as they looked down upon the fight below.
"Yeah, I know hopefully Matoi does too," his muscles were tensing under the Kamui. A certain arrogance was no longer there instead there was nothing more than a fighting spirit in Sanageyama that burned with determination.
'Ryuko be cautious this does not feel the same as the last time,' Senketsu shared the reasoning. Everything about it just seemed off in someway that was difficult to explain.
"Well then lets get started," with a quick swipe Senketsu' shoulder guard flew into the air. Ryuko blurred through the sky and stuffed each piece of fabric into any opening she could see along the Goku Uniform. In her eyes if it worked once why not try it again." Can't see can you!" she charged weapon drawn back. It shone brightly as she attempted to bring it up against her blinded foe.
It sliced through the Goku Uniform like butter. That was until the image faded and a kendo stick jabbed her in the abdomen throwing her across the raised arena like a rag doll." No way! You couldn't see me how," she stuttered trying to stand up from the heavy shot to the gut.
Her fabric swatches that had blocked his eyesight dropped away in a drove giving a good view into the face mask. Senketsu hesitated to say anything at first but managed to get a few words out.' Ryuko his eyes,' the Kamui informed staring directly into the face guard, what he saw was surprising.
"What the hell happened to your eyes!" Ryuko yelled in absolute shock. Where his eyes had been there were two star shaped patches that seemed almost sewn into the skin.
"They caused me to lose our last encounter. So I had them neutralized," Ryuko took a stutter step back in shock. His eyes had literally been wired shut.
"Iori! Shiro come on where the hell are you!" Sanageyama walked through the sewing room. He was in the nude except for a towel around his waist. Anger brewed in his muscles, both hands were clenched.
"What is it Sanageyama? I have many-" Iori, the Sewing Club's leader stumbled over his words. He stopped staring at the always arrogant Athletic Club Committee leader." You did not lose did you?" the blonde stitcher asked in awe.
"I did and that is why I need you to do something for me," he looked down at the ground his eyes shutting as tears streamed out. Shiro Iori stopped and hesitated at the image, confidence was something he had in spades." Sew them shut! My damned eyes made me lose! I don't want them anymore shut them!" his words were harsh and heavy.
"But-" Sanageyama hefted him by the scruff of his shirt. The mask covering Iori's face instantly fogged in fear as breaths increased.
"No buts damn it! Do it," fire shone through the 'cursed' eyes. Shiro sighed reaching for a sewing kit.
"Fine, I hope this is the right choice!"
'Smash!' Ryuko was smacked away even the Scissor Blade could not stop the momentum. She flipped as the next strike connected the blade rattling with the impact. Sanageyama was no longer playing.
"MEN!" her frame even blocked by the red blade smashed through the spire as Sanageyama brought the weapon down. It looped through one of the red straps of the Kamui and threw her back into the air." DOU!" it blurred into her stomach throwing the weapon away through the air in a rotation sending it higher and higher away." KOTE!" Ryuko broke through one of the spiky formations and wheezed laying on her stomach.
'We can't keep this up!' Senketsu remarked as the blade kept rotating away. Ryuko heard its rotation as it kept going further and further away.
"Not much without that sword!" Sanageyama shouted bringing his weapon down. It hit the ground Ryuko rolling out of the way, a thread spawning from the edge of her right hand. It fired around the handle and quickly buzzed back wards retracted by some force from within Senketsu's frame.
"And you aren't much without your Goku Uniform!" the blade slashed down through another image duplicate, She cursed feeling the end of the kendo stick catching along her chin. She was flung up into the air like an airplane." Senketsu can you do anything else from here?" she asked as Sanageyama jumped up ready to bat her down to the ground once more.
'Unfortunately no,' he responded the impact thrusting them both down to the ground below.
"MEN!" a heavy swing turned her inside out and upside down." DOU!" she was struck across the left cheek and her body skipped along the long spiky formation extending from the stage. Ryuko struggled to stand and when she did Sanageyama was there already rearing back for the third part of the damaging combination." KOTE!" the piece they were on buckled and exploded as Ryuko crashed head first into the ground. Her frame fell in so much only her legs were remaining above ground, twitching in the process.
Ryuko pulled herself up like some sort of glutton for punishment. Her face had large welts that were seeping blood and her legs were wobbly throughout but she drew the sword up as if there had never been conflict." Th-that all you have? I was still expecting more from on of Satsuki's Elite Four members," Ryuko grinned as Sanageyama shifted a little.
'Ryuko we don't have enough blood left to keep this going! It will be suicide to engage any further,' Senketsu warned as the Blade Regalia in front of them shimmered away.
"MEN!" Ryuko's body smashed off of the ground and popped back up. Uzu was a master when came to attacks that set up the next. Taking advantage of her new found position the Kendo Champion swung overhead into her abdomen." DOU!" she skipped away he struck again tearing up the spiky field that had reached out from the platform." KOTE!" a skyward uppercut that launched her a few dozen feet across the courtyard.
"MEN! DOU! KOTE!" before she could hit the ground three strikes doubled her over, knocked her backwards, and threw her into on e of the spires. Sanageyama towered over her broken heap of a frame. His neck rolled as the heavy weapon tilted down.
"Now I finish this!" he drew back the weapon for a solid last strike when a green broad sword got in the way. Steam exploded out of the Goku Uniform and Sanageyama found himself standing there kendo stick meeting Shinko's Murasama blade." Kurosaki? Did you do this!" his voice was livid, heat burning up from his clothing.
"I didn't do anything. I was just seeing you up close after beating around Matoi like that," he responded as Ryuko pulled herself from the ground Kamui returning to normal. Uzu tried to work around but Shinko was far from slow and quickly held him at bay with the sword." Plus I really wanted to test you out too. I mean that Goku Uniform of yours is actually really cool to see.
"Your Goku Uniform overheated. In fact it could not keep up with your movements Sanageyama," Hoka Inumuta stepped forth from the tower hand holding a PDA. Sanageyama turned to his cohort confused.
"You most definitely had victory within your grasp this time it would appear technology failed you," the teal haired student spoke again arms crossing over his chest top of his jacket closing over his mouth.
"Failed? Damn it!" Sanageyama shouted to the sky as Shinko propped Ryuko up.
"You did not fail in your mission Sanageyama. Ryuko Matoi was just lucky," Satsuki's voice descended upon those in the middle of the courtyard. Her eyes narrowed on Shinko Kurosaki." You Kamui is still active care to test your luck against Sanageyama after he obtains a more suitable Goku Uniform?" the challenge had been placed on the table.
"Sorry, I'm not going to run headlong into this fight. I saw how he handled Ryuko. Plus, I want to cut down some of your other club members first," Shinko remarked clutching tightly on the unconscious Ryuko's left arm.
'I see you do not want to fight Sanageyama? He is our enemy and an Elite Four member too,' Sentokitsu questioned as they began to walk off. Shinko simply smiled as the two Elite Four members watched them off.
"His Kamui is improved itself since his last appearance," Inumuta stared as they kept heading away.
"Satsuki seemed impressed at how different you appeared," Shinko commented as they descended through the horde of the earliest coming One Star students." The new hilt, the new design in your gloves, the more confident posture," he continued to say as Ryuko slowly mumbled to consciousness.' Its good to see her off-balanced it means she isn't really expecting what we are capable of.'
'I noticed that as well. Our Fusion under the Fencing Regalia. And then our awakening of it against the Art Club lackey seems to have altered me in ways that I had not noticed until today as well,' Sentokitsu remarked as they continued to head away from the school more and more faceless students storming around them.
"Yep. And the best part I haven't even had to use you like that yet. This may not even be as far as we can go," the wearer remarked as they came down into the slums.
'I agree just watching Sanageyama and Ryuko's encounter has already showed some weakness in his Goku Uniform they may not even notice,' analytical as the fighting clothing stated. Shinko nodded, Sentokitsu's ability to learn was what proved to be an interesting part about the Kamui.
"Besides it overheating?" the question was raised almost in a laugh. Sentokitsu laughed as well while they continued downwards into the slums.
Thanks everyone for reading this go round. I really enjoyed writing this one because nothing really changed between the original and the scenes here barring dialogue.
Thanks again guys,
~Herodan3