Natural Elections
A few more days passed since the encounter between Ryuko Matoi and Mako Makanshoku. Their friendship had recovered and their lives were relatively normal. Shinko Kurosaki had survived his beating and living on the streets as a No Star. Now however something drastic was about to change Honnoji Academy.
Everyone of the students in Honno Town had been gathered together in the courtyard of Honnoji Academy. All five thousand of them looked to the towers top where four people stood in formation glaring down like hawks upon a field of mice. And then a large wall of golden-white light followed by an awe-inspiring presence that shook the very foundations of the fortified building.
Ryuko stood near the front Mako Makanshoku close by. They were glaring up at the queen of Honnoji Academy with widened eyes while in the back of the formation Shinko stared away towards the exit, he had a bad feeling about such a grand scale meeting.
"I am here to announce a reform to the system here at Honnoji Academy!" Satsuki's voice carried heavily even though she was talking in her normal tone. Everyone that followed her blindly bowed and waited her next words obediently, the rebels watched to see what she had meant." I am proposing the First Natural Elections of Honnoji Academy!" one could almost see the large kanji drop down from the sky around her spelling it out.
"During these Natural Elections the students of Honnoji Academy are mandated to fight one another to determine who is truly worth their position in this school!" Bakuzan's tip smacked against the top of the tower a loud clack ringing out." By the end of the next seven days at eight o'clock I can almost assure that the situation at this Academy will change!" Satsuki smiled coldly looking down at her army of students.
"On this day next week there will be a Sudden Death Run-Off!" the long haired teenager continued to monologue against the empty redden sky. Her eyes calculated the crowd as they were beginning to get in a frenzy." Those with the most defeats of their fellow students will be elected to Three Star status and granted a coveted position among my Elite Four!"
"Let the First Natural Elections! BEGIN!" with her shout a war broke out among the students.
Shinko swung his blade and cleared a path, instantly racking up a few wins in his own chance at becoming an Elite Four member. He rushed away quickly using his Kamui's ability, even when not transformed, to get away as fast as possible.
Quickly as the fighting broke out into the streets he found that one fleeing student had been shed from their motorcycle. Without further adieu the black haired teenager grabbed the pair of orange goggles on a black background, and the black face mask and floored it. The tank had been filled up with gasoline he would get out of town before anything crazy went down.
'You know that you will not be qualified for the Natural Elections at this pace correct?' Sentokitsu informed as they buzzed through the slums of Honno Town. Shinko smiled beneath the mask keeping composure as they drove along for a few more moments.
"I know but at the moment if dad had anything left at home we could find something special," Shinko informed as they passed through the left gate and onto the highway that led to Tokyo. The neon bathed signs in the distance were relieving to see normalcy to the crookedness that took place within the harbor. Behind him the fighting continued the sounds of car alarms blending in with the sound of glass breaking.
'This is actually the first time you are heading there since his passing isn't it?' Sentokitsu remarked as they rolled by a car heading into the crooked town. It was probably doomed to be emptied of anything substantially but Shinko was moving to fast in the opposite direction to help them.
"Yes, he kept a lot of journals and stuff though so if he took good notes maybe you and I could bump up enough to fight with Satsuki," the teen commented as the salty smell of Tokyo Bay reached his nose, they were on a totally different quest than the one that took him to Honnoji.
'We could fight with Satsuki now if you really wanted to. Something has been holding you back even in her hall the other day,' the Kamui stated bluntly as the first sign marker telling them Tokyo was a few miles away reared up.
"I know but I'm not entirely sure on how to guard against her abilities yet," the black haired youth answered back showing his worry in the lack of planning. His Kamui remained silent for a moment as the neon from the far shore grew brighter and brighter( and Honnoji's noise grew further and further away.)
'So are you planning on just bulking up to fight someone like Satsuki Kiryuin?' the Kamui knew the power held within Junketsu and thinking about it sent a shiver down his spine. Shinko noticed and had a similar reaction the face Satsuki best Senketsu with ease was terrifying.
"No, all of my books about swordsmanship and martial arts are there too. Dad wanted me to be pretty good at a little bit of everything so I chose those two things to be great in while everything else I was decent with," Shinko informed as the pink from the neon flashed down brightly upon them. It was no wonder Satsuki traveled by helicopter vehicles took to long to cross the massive bay.
'Very well if seven days of training is enough time to not only find answers but also the skill to best Satsuki Kiryuin I will be impressed,' the Kamui was being sarcastic and a little pessimistic.
"It will be. You said it yourself I'm a fast learner," Shinko laughed as they continued to flow across the bridging path without a moments hesitance.
Time Remaining: Six Days; Thirteen Hours; Eleven Minutes; Thirty Two Seconds
The motorcycle kicked against the asphalt driveway and nearly skidded off of it. The hard, iron gate had been easily pushed in by a slash from the Murasama and the surveillance code shut off the security system.
A massive estate with a sandstone facade and white marble stairs came into view. His childhood home of memory and the only place where he could escape the hustle and bustle of city life. The door had been long locked and the lights shut off, the only good thing was that the power was self generated and the water from an underground lake, nothing had to be bought for it.
"There is the key," he reached up the top of the door frame. He removed a piece of tape and let loose the card key which opened the first lock and the metal sharp key that undid the second.
It scanned and beeped as usual. The top lock a deadbolt shifted over and locked into place leaving only the handle lock. A switch of the wrist removed that lock and the doors were pushed open their golden handles shining as the motion-sensitive lights clicked on with a glow.
"Home again," he felt the floor even through the boots of Sentokitsu. Nothing had changed the granite floor was still waxed and clean even after months of nothing happening within. The large television was position firmly before the massive couch, which had only been graced by his father and him. The empty refrigerator burred on as it continued its processes in the background.
'Quite intimidating and eerie,' the Kamui remarked as Shinko walked across the tiles to the bookshelf beside the television.
The greats were lined on its white oak frame. Tales from the likes of Dickens and London, translated of course. Darwin's controversial 'Origin of the Species' in English, beside it a compilation of ape behavior analysis works. Below that three shelves dedicated to manga and other magazines that were circulating at the time, wind-downs from the busy educational pursuit.
"These were all dad's come to think of it I understand why he was so into this. Life Fibers really screw up all of this stuff," Shinko sighed walking away from the collection of educational studies to aside room, an office space that had been locked and practically vacuum sealed.
"In here though is probably something more relevant to us," he commented twisting the knob only to find that it had been locked. A good push did not even loosen the door from its hinges.' Something in here you didn't want me to see dad?' he shouted to his father continuing to twist the handle and push but nothing happened.
'Use the Murasama. This home after all is your inheritance,' Sentokitsu brought up a valid point. No one would ever dare by a house from an old scientist that died of an unknown disease.
"Right!" one slash split the door in two and left the study within wide open.
Contrary to the rest of the house this office was a mess. Papers were piled high on all four of the desk, the computers had sticky notes wrapped around their frames, the walls had white boards covered with numbers and formulas that did not even make sense. Eccentricity was obvious within this room and this room alone as the rest of the house would make even the most cleanly people feel dirty.
"All of this stuff? When did he have the time to do all of this?" Shinko looked around at the haphazard bookshelves and the large REVOCs logo positioned on the wall with darts circling around the center. His blue eyes scanned and saw journal upon journal stacked in a box, a piece of gray-silver tape was over the edge. It read: To my God-given son.
'Do you believe that those are the books we should be looking at?' the Kamui questioned. His Life Fibers felt the acceleration of the wearer's heartbeat it was almost harmonizing.
Shinko did not say a word instead he tore the lid off and grabbed the first book. A black spiral notebook with dates written on the front: Nov 4-Mar 1. The last date was the same day his father had passed away, it must have been Mikisugi's doing to put it back.
'This has to be it!' the cover was opened up and it read as follows:
November 4th
Gathering the raw Life Fibers to further Doctor Matoi's means has gone extremely well. His development, in association with Nudist Beach, of the Kamui has begun rapidly. It will be quite the assistant in defeating Ragyo Kiryuin if it is finished completely.
I have also begun development of a Kamui. As of today it is only in the planning stages while Isshin's is in the development stage. Unlike his my Kamui will be programmed to fight and learn techniques from an opponent as a means to guard Isshin's Kamui and its wearer.
Its specks however will not be built for me. I have designed it for you my son knowing that I will never get the chance to activate its power. Use it wisely and bring REVOCs to its knees and protect the wearer of Isshin's Kamui as well.
'I was made solely to defend Senketsu? Does that mean my power is greater still?' Sentokitsu said to himself, it was even secretive from the wearer who was in the same amount of shock and awe.
'That's what you meant old man. Find Ryuko to protect her. Sentokitsu and I are supposed to be the fighters not the back-up,' Shinko realized flipping a few dozen pages ahead in the book.
December 18th
It appears that Ragyo Kiryuin is making her move in private towards us. Doctor Matoi has tried to rally our moral however it has been failing. Very few of the Nudist Beach members are ready for direct combat, that we leave to Tsumugu Kinagase and Aikuro Mikisugi.
Kinagase has gained a new level of disrespect for Life Fibers since the death of his sister. It appears as unfortunate as it is the ends had justified the means. I just hope that my Kamui does not result in the same way.
Jan 1st
Damn it all to hell! I came face to face with Ragyo's pet daughter. Even with my Kamui's assistance it would appear that she got away unscathed. My body however was not so lucky during our encounter a needle threaded through my skin but the thread vanished. I believe this is a sign of bad things to come.
I will deactivate the Kamui for now under Doctor Matoi's instructions. It appears that our Fusion was far from perfected. It takes a lot more than screaming to truly unite with this Kamui. Maybe you Shinko will have better luck with it.
More pages were flipped and the next major date had been reached. February Twenty Ninth.
Feb 29th
A shame that leap day such as this would result in such sadness. Isshin Matoi's mansion was burned down today in an obvious attack by REVOCs Corps. His daughter managed to flee elsewhere bearing part of his weapon meant to defeat Life Fibers.
Shinko you will have to do the same rather soon. This progression had worsened beyond even what it had for your mother. Believe in your abilities and protect Ryuko Matoi of course I will hope to be alive to tell you that in person.
The Kamui had learned several skills before I deactivated it in January. If, when, you and it Fuse properly you will obtain that knowledge as well. I can not tell you how to use it my son because for each wearer there is a different process but when you do use it! Stop Ragyo Kiryuin! And be warned about her daughter.
"Daughter. That can't be Satsuki that did it to him. She doesn't even have a needle to knit with so does that mean Satsuki is only the front to something even worst?" Shinko inquired looking over the past dozen or two pages to find any other clues.
'That could be possible. I remember vaguely now something about frills, and our encounter with someone,' deep in though the Kamui spoke unable to dredge up anymore after so long
"Really? Frills and an encounter that lowers it to every girl in Japan," Shinko said frustrated. He slammed the lid upon the case and kicked it away under the desk which shuffled with the movements.' Why did you not tell me sooner dad? I was being trained in kendo I could have done something with you,' he leaned back against the wall and slouched absolutely frustrated.
Time Remaining: Five Days; Twenty Two Hours; Eight Minutes; Nineteen Seconds
Shinko was in the front yard shirtless doing push-ups. Upon his back a stack of encyclopedias and journals about exercise, this was an activity that was somewhere with in one of those many books. Sweat dripped from his forehead as his taped hands were scraping against the driveway's pavement.
Sentokitsu was currently in the hot press machine, an experience an Kamui would have enjoyed. Shinko could not focus on that though for the past day or so he had been working on hand-eye coordination and building up stamina two things that would be very useful in fighting Satsuki and her army. Right now however he was working on muscle mass, something he lacked.
'One hundred fifty,' he thought dropping to the asphalt. Beside him up a little was the motorcycle he had taken to head home, it ha been washed just an hour ago and it was already dirty from his actions kicking up dust.
'Now onto hand-eye,' he thought grabbing a heavy rubber ball from the tote he had taken out to the pathway with him. Inside heavy, dense, white leather ball that would bounce fast and hard from pretty much even a light throw. Beside it was a small tipped stick made of bamboo, used to throw the ball back against the ground to keep the activity going.
'Twhack!' the ball was thrown forward off of the the side of the house. It came screaming back and nearly flattened when it struck the ground, the strike with the stick had narrowly missed it. The ball rolled all the way down to the gate where Shinko eventually picked it back up.
This time he threw it from the end of the driveway. It hit the side of the building with a similar smacking sound and rebounded back, it was moving very fast and coming with intense angle. The striker however hit its mark and the ball was fired back off of the home with an even louder bang.
'Shebang!' it ricocheted off of the fence and came low towards the black haired teenager's feet. He jumped and flipped bashing it back towards the fence midair with the piece of aged wood in his hand.
It stuck with a ping and came back. He ducked grabbing it once it was several feet behind him by notching it up with the stick. His hand wrapped it only for a brief moment as it was thrown back at the house the original target in the first place.
'Maybe I can work on a new Finishing Move!' he smiled as it came back. His hands moved in a hurry even though it was nothing compared to his Kamui's boost the striking stick hit the ball several times over before a solid contact swing threw it back towards the tote where it had been picked up from. It bounced just before and the striking stick was hurled at it sending it bounding off of the house once more.
This continued well into the night time Shinko did not even stop to eat or drink anything. His sole focus was between building up his stamina, with push-ups and sit-ups, or building hand-eye and cardio, by racing after that rubber ball. At around eight o'clock he walked inside sweat rolling down his bare back and dirt covering both his face and hands.
The worst part was this was only the beginning he had not even picked up any of the martial arts books or sword training books he had went home to find in the first place.
His taped hands grabbed a cold drink from the refrigerator before he headed to the washroom where the steam press kept releasing its namesake.
"How you feeling there Sento?" Shinko asked lifting the heavy plates from atop his Kamui. It was simply laying there eyes closed body stiffened but a relaxed smile on its face, it was true that it was a relieving experience.
'Like I was walked on by a million clouds,' the rather grounded Kamui was loopy. The steam press was far more than just a cleaning tool for Kamui apparently it was like going to a spa.
'Man, he's really out of it,' the black haired teen commented internally taking a sip from the glass of water he had made in the kitchen. His hand touched the Kamui, Sentokitsu shuddered as if snapped awake from a very deep sleep." You okay there buddy?" the teenager asked with a slight hint of laughter in his words.
'That was pleasant,' Sentokitsu remarked in typical gruff fashion.
"Good to hear so tomorrow we're on for some sword training and stuff right?" Shinko questioned the Kamui. Like it had a choice one way or the the other.
'Yes, if we are meant to protect Ryuko Matoi that would be a benefit,' even now Shinko had to hold back laughter, his Kamui's prior statement being obvious to the wearer but not inherently to the Kamui itself.
"All right," Shinko smiled taking another swig from the glass before hanging the Kamui upon a hanger for the night.
Honnoji Academy...
"Are you sure it was the right idea to send your Elite Four out into the madness of the Natural Elections, miss?" Soroi asked as chit-chat while providing the lady with her tea. The gray haired old man was still very much smiling but he did come to care about the somehow gracefully rash group she had been acquainted with.
"If they can not handle rambunctious students why should they remain at my side?" she had a bold face but quickly realized that there was no one there except her butler due to the massive force-field of minced Life Fibers swirling around the tower." I know they will not fail in this period of time," she added on before drinking from the freshly brewed tea.
'My curiosity rest with those two,' Satsuki sighed thinking about the two rebels that showed up and quickly turned Honnoji Academy on its ears. Her vision of course was set on Ryuko who was strolling just in front of the Makanshoku house fresh with a bag of lemons, her favorite citrus fruit and nearly food in general.
"Of course my lay. Sincerest apologies," Soroi bowed before retreating towards the back of the palatial room. The empty couches and chairs of her Elite Four barely even hindrances in her way.
Hey everyone thanks for reading! I know its been quite a bit hasn't it? This story is still just getting started next chapter'll be out sometime in the near future and you can believe that!
Shinko finds out some truths about his Kamui's origins and the purpose of it. Will this change his perspective on things to come? Who is this mystery girl the notes from Atticus Kurosaki's journal mention? *cough* my second favorite character in the manga *cough*
Thanks for reading!
~Herodan3