Friendships
"Mako what are you doing?" Ryuko asked as the light died down. Before her where the wardrobe had once been stood her friend within a crater caused by the activation of the Goku Uniform. In her periphery Shinko was grasping at his right hand ready to access the transformation into a battle form." Senketsu do you have faith in me?" she asked lowly as her ally looked forward into the crater.
'Of course,' the Kamui responded. She smiled and took a relieved sigh now staring as Shinko hesitated to grasp the stud to transform.
"Good," the black haired girl looked forward at the sight before her. To say it was disheartening would be a massive understatement, Mako's attire had morphed from a humble No Star student to that of the most rambunctious Two Star." Mako..." she stuttered taking it all in.
Black leather wrapped around her neck by a red Life Fiber chain, her arms were crossed under her chest leaving the sleeves and back to flow behind like a cape. Her top had changed from a two solid black stars to the typical red stitched stars that buzzed with power. Her shoes from humble loafers to golden bottomed sandals, a lone piece of grass hung from her mouth a trucker hat tilted down over her face.
"Ryuko, anyone that tries to take that glimmer from everyone's eyes is my enemy!" Mako charged forward the red sword slashing the ground up between them providing a temporary barrier. The black haired girl looked down at the ground for a moment, mumbling something before glaring up pulling the clip quickly out from around her red left glove.
"Life Fiber: Synchronize! Kamui Senketsu!" Ryuko's voice rose up her clothes changing into the more skimpy, but combat worthy, Kamui state. Her right hand wrapped tightly around the handle of her Scissor Sword, its end pointing at her best friend.
"Kurosaki back up this is my fight," she growled staring forward at the Fight Club President. Mako cracked her knuckles which were now adorned with brass knuckles that had been marked with her name.
'Shinko I can see that she is stressed. Back off for now,' Sentokitsu sighed. The red Kamui had picked up so easily on the vibrations in the air, the heart rate that was resonating within the chest of everyone around.
"Come on. Really?" he whispered to the Kamui as Ryuko and Mako stared each other down for another few seconds. He took a few steps back, hands no longer carrying tension or the need to draw a weapon." Better not get too beat up Matoi got it?" he responded crossing both arms over his chest.
'Thwam!' without hesitation they soared forward and a collision occurred. It Scissor Blade had been met with a bat, to be more precise a bat embedded with nails, which had quickly hitched the blade's surface. Ryuko grit and pushed as did Mako neither bowed for the moment.
"W-why are you doing this Mako?" the daughter of Isshin Matoi questioned realizing that the ground behind her sharp heels was beginning to be pierced. Mako's pressure was equal to that of Sanageyama's normal swings in the Blade Regalia, this was not something that would be over easily.
"Because! The glimmer in everyone's eyes when we ranked up for the first time was bright and now it is even brighter! What type of daughter would I be if I did not fight for that?" she continued to press down with the bat, a constant pressure to wear down her best friend. The ground began to crack and spider out as the force between the two was getting greater.
"That glimmer isn't a glimmer of joy! It's one of greed!" Ryuko felt the pressure leave the Scissor Sword. She smiled only for a moment as a right cross smashed into her left cheek bone. The air hummed as she was flung forward body skidding over the dusty floor, it hurt every time it skipped and hit the ground again. She rolled up only to be met by another harsh shot to the face this one sharp and strong enough to throw her to the ground heavily.
"You're lying Ryuko! They are having so much fun!" Mako cried out. This time it was a right handed jab just below the breast to the sternum, a cracking sound echoed out as an iron taste began to fill Ryuko's mouth. Stunned the black haired teen was batted to the ground a moment later with an overhead ax fist her body hitting hard with a thump.
Resilient Ryuko stood up again a large club-like weapon spawned from the Goku Uniform to smack against the Scissor Blade again. The strike threw it down and left her open for an uppercut swing with the weapon hurling her across the ground in a roll. Mako charged and smashed her down with the bat three more times making the ground crack with the impact.
"Mako you're nuts! This is not you!" the Kamui wearer cut the bat in half with a pierce from her heel. Mako tossed it away and spawned a chain with a small spiked ball at the end Ryuko quickly picked up the Scissor Sword to block its red metal clinking against the gold with a spark. Unfortunately the spiked ball wrapped around the weapon's hilt and yanked Ryuko forward.
Mako threw a wrench forward from the jacket's pocket it drilled into Ryuko's face. She stumbled back a welt that seeped with blood forming under the impact zone. The brunette threw a right hand forward, it smashed against the blade with a thud and tossed her best friend back. Mako smiled reaching into her sleeve bringing forth a long wooden weapon, a large two-by-four.
'Ryuko we can't remain Synchronized at this rate,' Senketsu informed as a two-by-four hooked under the teen's chin and hurled her into the air. She rotated two or three times before coming down in full the weapon drawn back.
"Then detransform!" she shouted as the weapon smashed against her right cheek. The air cracked like would if a slugger drilled a home run over the center field wall, instead Ryuko was launched across the fighting area into one of the retaining walls. She crumbled to the ground, a rain of stars reverting her back to the normal form of an average high school student.
'Thrash!' another strike from the weapon threw Ryuko across the dusty arena her body crushing again one of the retaining walls once more. She stumbled drunkenly forward and the wooden weapon crushed against her gut, it shattered.
'Shrack!' more random things were hurled from Mako's jacket pocket. Wrenches, scissors, bolts, washers, all smacked her at the same time driving Ryuko down to the ground.
"I can't handle anymore!" the stud was pressed in but nothing happened a jamming needle drilling in the back of his neck. Mikisugi placed a heavy hand along his shoulder.
"This is something they have to handle Kurosaki," Aikuro spoke with his normal teacher voice, though it appeared to be coming from that creepy nudist side of him. Shinko did not respond just staying there frozen by the needle." Your father would understand that Ryuko could have taken a lot more and that she has a plan."
"S-screw that! She'll die before she can use it!" Shinko grunted trying to push through the sedative effect of the needle. His hands did not move but the throbbing in his upper arms showed that he was winning.
"Have faith," Aikuro remarked staring as Ryuko was stomped to the ground by her best friend.
Hours passed and beating continued. Ryuko stopped trying the frustration of her best friend hitting her with the brunt. Bloody wounds had opened along her face and arms from where numerous thing had struck. The teen's breaths were getting shallower and her good eyes was closing faster and faster.
'Smack!' a right hand crunched against Ryuko's face throwing her backwards. Blood stained the golden knuckles along Mako's hand, dripping the the first drops of rain on a windshield.
'Thwash!' another strike, a left, blasted Ryuko down. The red highlighted youth pushed up against the ground using the Scissor Sword as a support, her legs were shaking wildly. This fight was heading towards the end.
'Crunsh!' Mako's hand was dodged to the right, the force broke the wall and the rubble fell but Ryuko was still standing. She was wobbling on her legs hand readily wrapped around the Scissor Sword.
"Decapitation-" the sword had glimmered with a magical red star however she fell out to the ground. Blood ran from the girl's mouth as Mako looked over, there her best friend laid out on the ground bleeding."-M-Ma-ko," she pushed up using the sword as her sole crutch. In fact she was sitting beneath the strong red sword her legs tucked under her body.
"G-Go ahead! Finish me! I-if you think that Three Stars are greater than a life, I can't stop you," the downed teen shouted tears streaming down her dirtied and bloodied face. Mako stopped for a moment before glaring up at Satsuki, the cruel queen looking down upon the scene.
She looked at the brunette, a lone tear was running down her face.' Ryuko she's hesitating,' Senketsu said nonchalantly like he knew she would.
"It's like I said. Mako's not a fighter she would eventually see what's wrong with this," she mumbled back to her sailor uniform. Her best friend looked down at her the shade of the hat covering her eyes." Go ahead Mako. I'm wide open," blood left Ryuko's mouth when she said that, the beating was rather severe.
"Rah!" Mako threw a fist forward. A white glow burst around it sparking with a massive amount of raw power. Ryuko grinned closing her eyes accepting what was about to happen, in her eyes there was only one that this fight could end. The right hand pushed through the air but right before her face, the wind rushing over the red bang showed that. Instead it smashed into the dusty ground releasing all the energy into the floor.
'PHHOOOM!' an explosion occurred. A ripple raged over the entire school, shaking every One Star student that had gathered to watch what was going on. A dome of white light sputtered into existence and washed out with explosive force tearing away at the ground with large cracks.
"What the actual hell!" Shinko was pushed back by the force still restrained by the needle. His arms were raised in defense as the light spanned out in a massive push of wind and energy.
Mikisugi watched through raised arms it was a spectacle for all to see.' My goodness Makanshoku, that much energy from a Two Star Goku Uniform. Someone really could have died here,' the blue haired man commented as the wind died down.
In spurs the light faded and everyone looked in awe as at the center of the ring a gigantic pit had formed. Two figures were in the center one with her fist buried deeply into the bottom while the other looked forward in shock.
'S-she was holding back this entire time,' Senketsu noted with a hint of panic. It was absolute lunacy to have that much power pent up and blasted out with such effectiveness.
"I knew she was," Ryuko smiled down at her Kamui before looking up at her friend. Mako was panting tears globing down her face like a river, to the dusty Earth below.' That really doesn't make it better though that she could have actually beaten us around pretty bad if we weren't holding back,' she swallowed before placing a hand on her friend's left shoulder.
"R-Ryuko I'm sorry! I hurt you and got arrogant!" Mako was crying now looking up with a ridiculously large snot bubble at her nose. Her parents were rapidly rolling down the crater's lip too but there was still time to talk." You were right that glimmer wasn't happiness it was us being stupid!" the bubble popped and mucus streamed down the river of tears.
"Forgive us!" the rest of the Makanshoku's arrived bowing at her feet. Their expensive clothes had either been shed or torn on the way down, as they were present in their undergarments. Mako noticed where they were and quickly moved over next to them a pond of tears forming around their bowing position.
"Gee guys you're embarrassing me," Ryuko scratched the back of her head before staring up at the tower top. Satsuki was casting a glare down at them like any ruler did to their peasants.
"Hey eyebrows! The human resolve is a lot more than you think it is! Trust me Satsuki you're going down!" Ryuko growled as the queen turned and strolled away, the faintest appearance of a grin on her face.
'Incredible, I would have never expected a Goku Uniform to be capable of that,' Sentokitsu remarked seeing the smoldering pit that Mako's fist had formed. Shinko placed a reassuring hand upon his chest right between the Kamui's eyes.
"We haven't seen what we're fully capable of yet either," he grinned staring as Ryuko spun the Scissor Sword around in her hands. Mako was smiling for the first time since the beginning of the Fight Club.' She's giving up the Goku Uniform for Senketsu, man at this rate I'll never be able to keep up,' he sighed his black hair ruffling in a passing breeze as the moon rose up over the horizon.
"You know what to do Senketsu!" Ryuko pulled the clip free from her glove.
'Right!' in a trail of stars they had transformed.
The Goku Uniform was cast into the sky and it fell down at speed. Ryuko spun the massive sword by the hilt its blade extending into Decapitation Mode as Senketsu filled her muscles with strength. It came down to eyes level and Ryuko brought the red colored sword to it and through it hurling the Goku Uniform hundreds of feet into the air like a well placed home run. The cut's red tint raced through the entire garment breaking the bonds that held it together before making it exploded.
In the hail of exploding blues, reds, greens, and purples Ryuko had shouted." Sen-i-Soshitsu!" and the Nexus Life Fiber had been lost or rather gained by Senketsu as the starry night continued to expand with its hues.
Upon exiting the arena Shinko was quickly pulled aside by a giant in a Three Star Uniform. Gamagori held his arms perfectly still before walking calmly through the crowd like a parent with a toddler. One Stars looked on in shock as did Mikisugi who just so happened to be standing there.
"Hey! Come on I was only here to look at the Fight Club just like everyone else!" he pleaded to the Head of the Discipline Department. Ira however was silent instead pushing through the crowds of people like a walking tank.' He's stone silent so talking with him will get me no where. Might as well wait until I get to see our 'wonderful' Student Council President's face again,' he sighed as the people began to move around them.
They pushed through double doors and quickly were in an elevator. Floors whizzed by like a swarm of hornets eventually leading him to the penthouse where the rest of the Elite Four were waiting for him.
Soroi kindly opened the door allowing access to the Dean and his current captive. Satsuki watched this unfold from her chair as Shinko was placed on the ground after several rather embarrassing minutes of being carried around like a seventeen year old toddler.
"If you don't mind me asking what is all of this about?" Shinko said bluntly arms crossed over his de-transformed Kamui, eyes darting around at the other Department Heads.
"Simple this is all about you and your utter lack of respect for the rules set forth here at Honnoji Academy," Gamagori said from behind him. Satsuki remained silent at the moment acknowledging the truth to the statement.
"What do you mean rules? I'm here to break as many of them as possible and bring this entire thing down over your ears," he pointed to Satsuki. His arm was trembling even if only a little.
'Get it together Kurosaki, this isn't your first time taunting someone. Something about her just makes me uncomfortable while Ryuko can say whatever she wants to Satsuki without a minute's hesitation,' Shinko tried to pep himself up and it really did not work.
"I see then if that is the case," Satsuki tapped Bakuzan against the flooring. Out from behind Shinko came two students both marked with Two Stars on their chest, they were his." You will have no problem choosing which one of these students gets expelled," the heaviness suddenly got to the seventeen year old his chest thudding heavily as if hit by a hammer.
"Shinsuke Wannatabe, who frankly should not even still be enrolled here," Sanageyama said walking behind the first co-Captain of the Fencing Club. His kendo stick was at waist height, ready to knock someone in the back of the head.
"Or Ichiro Hanzo, the No Star that needs to know his place," the wooden weapon snapped against the ground. Both captive co-leaders flinched as the sound resonated through the room.
"Here's what I'l tell you Satsuki Kiryuin," the stud was pressed in. Stars of green shot out in a spiral around the teen morphing his clothing into a battle ready attire that was for sure enough to let him get a good hit in before anything else happened.
"Life Fiber: Fusion! Kamui Sentokitsu!" the two roared blade being drawn swiftly and loaded in hand. It switched from the broadened blade to the base form katana a preference of both Kamui and wearer.
"How about neither!" he bounded through the middle of the two blade ready to meet Sanageyama who had been there already transformed to meet him. The air gushed past both as kendo sword met katana. The Kamui wearer dropped back holding the blade defensively as Sanageyama readied the approach.
'Didn't you say that you would not be rushing in headlong to a fight with Sanageyama?' the Kamui questioned as its wearer tensed.
"D-Don't get any funny ideas. I just don't want either of them to get expelled," quickly his mood changed to a more bargaining persona. Sanageyama was not buying it and kept weapon drawn and aimed directly at the teenager.
"They are my friends after all. I'd resign if that is what you want Satsuki. They did nothing wrong," he said over the Three Star student and towards the leader of the school.
"Set them free Gamagori," Satsuki had such a cruel smile on her face. The door however opened and the duo of Fencing Club captains retreated, leaving Shinko, the Elite Four, and Satsuki the only one present in the room.
"Guess you don't know what resignation means for a sanctioned club do you?" Nonon taunted from her posh couch. She was intently staring a large teddy bear in the process making it even more creepy.
"Kneel," Sanageyama said a strike to the back of the unprepared warrior's legs knocking him down to all fours. Shinko mumbled something and the Kamui returned to normal his back now only protected as if the Kamui were cloth.
"As leader of his Department Sanageyama can chose to discipline you in any way he desires. This is simply following the rules that you chose to break," Gamagori informed as the kendo stick whipped the ground with a heavy, 'thwap'.
"If it sets them free I won't care," he grit his teeth ready to bear any punishment that would be dealt. His honor-bound code made Satsuki grin slightly as he closed both hands around the frills of the large carpet that took up the core of the room.' Dad, you always believed that if you get struck to turn the other cheek and take another. I'm doing this for you, okay?' Shinko pleaded to the dead man eyes closed but already rimming with tears.
'Shinko, I know you see this as your fault to begin with. We certainly are in for quite the trouble,' Sentokitsu remarked ready to take the blows in the best way he could to protect the human inside.
"Don't worry about me Sento. This will all be over faster than you know," he smiled as the first blow was drawn back.' Dad, I'm doing all of this for you. I'm taking that request to heart I swear Ragyo Kiryuin and all her little minions are going to pay!' Shinko once more yelled internally ready for the blow to come.
'Taking a beating for students that would not do the same for him? I see he truly values them as friends and allies,' Satsuki noted legs crossing over one another as the kendo stick was brought down. It collided with a heavy smack but instead of screaming out in pain or even squirming Shinko remained still as a board.
"If scream or beg I may let you go," Uzu laughed delivering another heavy blow. Once more Shinko took the impact head on, no scream no yell.' What is up with him?' the next blow collided and the sound echoed around the room, the resilient youth teared up slightly but still did not give in to the urge of screaming.
"You may be the monkey that's what pink over there calls you right?" Shinko said, noting Nonon Jakuzure's now apparent interest in the situation." But I'm not a dog and it'll take a hell of a lot more than this to make me yell in pain!" he shouted another strike brushing over his lower back, his kidneys ached.
"Bastard! No one calls me a monkey!" the strikes came faster and heavier now. Shinko's frame jolted with the movements but he refused to collapse.
This went on and on for over an hour. Shinko's body now was marked on the exposed skin by long welts that ran beneath the Kamui and yet he had yet to give in and beg or plea instead he kept the rebellious visage up.' If I give up here they are going to be expelled. If I just last a little longer they'll be fine,' he of course was referring to his now former subordinates in the Fencing Club.
"Sanageyama stop," Satsuki demanded looking down at the beaten warrior, who had yet to even budge more than an inch from the spot on the floor. She rose from the chair Bakuzan in hand, the sheath was discarded revealing the sharpened blade a cool glimmer rushing off of its edge.
"Stand," she ordered. It was a test of his ability, to tank out a beating like that was one thing but to get up from it and move was an entire different story.
"Fine by me," he staggered up legs wobbling like wet noodles. His hands were wrapped around the Murasama its green blade humming along with a star and glimmer of its own.
'So determined still. He may prove useful in the future,' the long haired eighteen year old noted before sheathing her weapon once more." You are dismissed Kurosaki," she said calmly turning back to the throne she had been within.
"Keep talking to me like some sort of pig and I'll make sure Ryuko Matoi is the last thing you'll be worrying about," his voice had hardened and his blade was now re-sheathed. This surely was the Kurosaki that had been driven forward by ambition to stop REVOCs not the casual one that had entered the room.
"Let him go Gamagori," Satsuki remarked not needing to turn back to see her 'shield' ready to lash out against such insolence.
Shinko stumbled out through the doors into the hallway.
"There goes my muscle control," he whimpered now leaning against the wall while his legs, which had been a focus of the attacks, pushed him along. Sentokitsu had gone quiet during the beating however it appeared now he was ready to talk.
'That was bold, your heart was pounding rapidly and your posture was fearful but your words were as sharp as Satsuki's,' the Kamui noted as the now No Star Student limped down past the stairwell.
"They had to be, if I let them lose their power this entire tough guy act would have been pointless," Shinko scrunched up against one of the many cutaways in the hall where students could hang out if they wanted to. He slumped to the floor and lost consciousness.
Yes the end of this chapter has a meaning behind it. Shinko getting his own struggle for friends that may or may not abandon him was kinda the driving force in the second half. Of course next chapter will be fun because it is Natural Elections(which will focus on Shinko because Ryuko and Mako aren't doing anything different from Kill la Kill) and after that the Run-Off. Ohoho what fun that will be.
Thanks for reading guys/ gals,
~Herodan3