Outside the Realm of Reason
Swirling around the concealed teenager was an impenetrable wall of stars that buzzed in a harmonious white rather than a plume of neon green. Force raced out in a pressure that seemed to warp gravity as the figure there gained access to the power of his garment. Twin white eyes peered through the swirling winds showing a sign of aggression but also of a grand guilt.
"An impressive Kamui indeed," Ragyo remarked as the puppet warrior finished the transformation. Shinko's grimacing face stood out against the placidity covering his body. He drew his sword which was drained of its color and life as well, he looked like a drawing more so than a living person at this point.
Ryuko had a strange hint on her face. She was shaken in stun for sure but something else was there as well, something more knowledgeable than irrational.' Ryuko activate me,' Senketsu shouted to his wearer snapping her out of the momentary lapse and giving her very good advice considering they were still staring down another person in a Kamui.
She still hesitated even only briefly." Right, here we go Senketsu," she yanked the clip out of the gloves wrist triggering the movements that would result in their Synchronization.
A needle tip tore into her wrist drawing just enough blood to activate the transformation. The matrix of black-blue fibers was quickly hinted into a red hue as the blood flowed through every weave of the stitching as it had dozens of times before. This simple action led to the Life Fibers activating in full their energy released in a stream of pink-red stars.
The matrix extended out and left Ryuko standing there in the posture she was in previously now covered only in a veil of light. Her black haired whipping around in the transformative winds as the form of Senketsu, a giant beast of crimson flame, sprouted up behind her. Its maw closed over her frame in a fiery orb that grew and grew. Then a lone cord so Life Fiber wrapped around it and squeezed tightly bursting the beast into the transformation.
"Life Fiber: Synchronize! Kamui Senketsu!" Ryuko's voice rose up, accompanied inaudibly by that of the Kamui Senketsu. Her frame had been transformed into that of Senketsu's battle form only this time the line-like highlights remained lit and glowed twice as bright as they normally had.
"Now that you have transformed there is no need for me to be by your side," Satsuki started to strut away. Her white attire standing out against the grays and blacks of combat and smoke.
"Are you freaking kidding me? You're the only reason we are in this mess!" Ryuko shouted angrily looking at Satsuki as she walked towards the stage. The heiress' gait was steady and calm but her posture was anything but that of a conqueror.
Satsuki stayed silent and did not address the remarks from Ryuko as she stared her down.' Ryuko her goal is to take down Ragyo. I do not like to admit it but we should remain here. If we both attack Ragyo, Shinko would easily attack us both from behind,' the Kamui elaborated.
"You better be right Senketsu," the teenager growled turning back towards the puppet. He was still there just blankly looking forward with an aggressive scowl on his face and hands tightly locked around the hilt of his blade.
"Kurosaki! Snap out of this!" she raced forward and delivered a right hand to the side of Shinko's face. It turned out however that it had been a fixed afterimage and the controlled teen was off to her side grabbing the wrist of her still extended right hand.' He's so fast. I can't believe he hasn't used his Kamui like this before,' Ryuko yanked free barely and turned. She spun the Scissor Sword up from her side and pointed it to him.
On guard, he spun and slashed the katana he wielded forwards it edge meeting that of the Scissor Sword. Pressure coiled down the sword and pressed into Ryuko wrists but she quickly turned it back without any trouble. Shinko's feet shuffled and they had engaged in a massive power struggle that was between their two weapons.
'Ryuko stop holding back,' Senketsu informed feeling the main impact of the stress. Their strength was easily twice what she was showing here and the fact Shinko was matching that made it even more dangerous to keep going at that level. Ryuko's breath exhaled and she gripped the hilt of the Scissor Sword tighter.
'THRUND!' Ryuko's hands angled down slightly and Shinko's boots drove into the ground hard. The courtyard around him spiked up in large chunks as Ryuko pushed down with her incredibly enhanced strength.
'SCHLING!' one flick and the katana Shinko was holding was tossed hundreds of feet away. Ryuko's Kamui was easily overwhelming the controlled warrior disarming him without much difficultly at all.
'DOOM!' a right hand floored Shinko. His boots were yanked from the trench and he rolled across the ground body bouncing. Scrapes and bruises should have formed on his skin but they did not instead he just got angrier.
He thundered forward without a grasp of any of his weapons. His right hand raced forward and it was grabbed around the knuckled and he was pulled down face first to the ground. Ryuko towered over him with a strong restraint grip on his right arm, torque constantly being applied.
"Snap!" Ryuko shouted starting her words with a savage yank his head was pulled down with force bashing into the courtyard heavily." The hell!" two more words, two more face smashes into the dirt." Out of this! Kurosaki!" her voice grew angrier and louder, she stomped down sending a piece of already moved ground up into Shinko's sternum throwing him onto his back.
He pressed both hands to the ground. His skin glowed slightly, regaining flesh tone for a moment as his eyes started to shake into the crystal blue that had always been there." Matoi...I'm..." then in an instant the color lost and was quickly overcome by the refitting his struggle proving fruitless once again as he pushed up from the dirt.
His head rolled the glowing thread around his brain constricting tighter. The broad sword over his back was dragged down into his hands in a single fluent motion, the chain around the hilt wrapped around his right forearm to prevent it from being cast away and he readied to fight again.
"GrAaH!" he shouted swinging wildly. The strike was blocked with ease by the ever-impressive swordsmanship of Ryuko Matoi the force being thrown off by the stronger Kamui. He brought the blade around again, it was struck from the side and again the momentum was diffused and hurled off to the side where it harmlessly faded. He snarled and swung again missing entirely as Ryuko disappeared.
'Let's see if this will wake him up!' Ryuko appeared behind him and went for a slash the red line of energy flowing off of it blasting Shinko across the back. His frame was fired out in a whirlwind like corkscrew where he ended up upside down against one of the walls that had held the crowd in.
Shinko's body fell limply to the ground not even twitching. Blood fluttered down from his mouth to the ground forming a small puddle around him as his unconscious frame lay there in a heap. The heir to the Kurosaki name was flattened and out, he had lost consciousness of what controlled consciousness he had.
'Ryuko you may have to do it,' Senketsu said as Ryuko took a glare a pink blur moving along the seats. Her grip of the red sword tightened, a star tracing down the edge of the mighty Scissor Sword.
"Yeah, I know," she sighed standing over the limp frame blade parallel to her right hip. The grip folded out and the sword's blade lengthened by at least three if not more feet. Shinko's limp frame did nothing to stop it as she angled the giant sword to where a single swing wound tear through the Kamui upon his back and end any hint of power he would have against them.
"Finishing Move: Sen-i-Soshitsu!" she brought across the blade only to find it stopped by the purple colored counterpart to her own sword. The force exploded out in a massive wave that tore dirt and rocks from the ground.
"Hey, Ryuko-chan~" Nui laughed hopping down from her leaning position against the wall both pink heels clicking on the ground. She bobbed her head and held both arms out to either side as if for balance." Are you done playing with Shinki?" she smiled making Ryuko even more uncomfortable with the situation.
"Nui Harime," Ryuko growled the highlights on her Kamui shining out twice as bright. Her feet slipped apart as anger seemed to jostle her hair up into more elaborate spikes." I'm going to knock that stupid smile off your face!"
"Ooh! You are Ryuko-chan! How about you play with me instead?" Nui giggled holding her half of the sword up in an offensive stance. She tilted it and kept her feet spread equally apart as her foe readied to strike as well.
"You aren't going to tell me not to overdo it are you Senketsu?" she asked looking down at her garment as Nui arrogantly awaited the response. Senketsu's lone eye narrowed on Nui before looking at the downed Shinko behind her.
'No, you are in perfect control. In fact, I would say this is the closest Synchronization we have ever had,' the Kamui remarked as Nui looked at Ryuko with her blue eye wide and almost innocent.
"Great!" Ryuko fired off.
Her swing struck Nui's and fired her high into the air. Ryuko's frame then phased up after her as if she was flying when, in reality, it was one solid leap. The next strike threw Nui head over heels. The blonde pivoted and brought her sword down only to miss as Ryuko appeared behind her delivering a right elbow jab that hurled the teenager down towards the ground.
"I don't remember you being so slow," Ryuko said while appearing beneath Nui to deliver a powerful right kick to her face and throwing her backwards towards the ground. Nui skipped a few feet before falling onto her back to stare up at the sky.
Shinko struggled up to his feet body shaking from the impact that had put him down. His face was marked with a stream of crimson coming from what had been an internal injury. His feet shuffled forward dryly and slowly body wobbling with the unsure foot, weapon drawn. The blank features were still there and he had drawn his weapon to deal a blow to the rebel.
Ryuko turned leaving her back exposed to the blonde behind her." Kurosaki snap out of it! You have to be stronger willed than this!" she shouted as Nui took advantage with a few quiet steps towards the girl.
Shinko remained stalwart and stony in his features, empty eyes looking on as the blonde encroached to deal the finishing blow. Purple sword raised Nui giggled getting Ryuko's attention.
"What-" she winced turning as the purple came down from the sky.
"No!" a voice shouted as a left hand was seen holding the blade back with the right wrapped around Ryuko's shoulder." Get away from her!" Ryuko was shoved out of the way as the warrior pushed back on the Scissor Sword.
"Shinki! Ooh you broke out of the Mind Stitching too," Nui clapped in surprise and glee. Shinko's temple was bleeding where he had begun and ended the tearing from and his left eye was close and covered in a thin river of blood.
"Sentokitsu Bushido!" he growled teeth locking firmly together. He needed the power and the time to attack. Nui, Ragyo, it did not matter if they were not an ally he wanted to beat them badly.
'Shinko?' the Kamui questioned restraining the will to transform for a brief moment. He was worried about the teenager that he was being worn by.
"I'm fine just activate Bushido mode. I won't lose control, not here," he replied quickly keeping both free hands engaged ready to fight. He watched as Nui came rushing in with her sword drawn.
'All right,' the Kamui replied a star formation exploding around them and awakening the battle mode. Shinko's body grew tense and then lax as the powerful form took on its shape through the baseline form of the Kamui.' He is stronger in our activation now. But the last time we activated was in Kansai, and the last time we trained was way before that,' Sentokitsu thought to itself as Shinko instantly pressed forward.
His rigid knuckles slammed into the incoming blade one of the ridging portions over the knuckles taking the brunt of the sword's force. The ground cracked as he reeled back from the impact. The new sword was present on his back but here he wanted to prove something. Nui stunned by the block came from a slightly different angle and slashed it was blocked by a backhand from the enhanced teenager.
'Ryuko his strength increased incredibly,' Senketsu remarked as the blade was restrained by the rigid back hand of the other Kamui wearer. Their Synchronized power was massive, but staring this down was almost like looking into a mirror.
"Weird, right? I didn't think he could have gotten much stronger?" Ryuko remarked as the sounds of angry voices echoed from over the stage.
"What the hell is going on up there?" Shinko spun out from a strike and weaved behind Nui, again she found herself outmaneuvered by a normal teenager. He kicked back and threw her face down before spinning. What he saw next was something of a gruesome scene.
'Schling!' the sharpened edge of a black katana blade sheered its way through the exposed next of Ragyo Kiryuin. The woman's head regal in its white and rainbow colored hair fell to the ground as her body shook upright.
"It is done," Satsuki commented from her position on her knees. The sky darkened with a red mist that descended the entirety of the stairs and across much of the stage in a long slick. She cleared the blade with a simple swing, a sloshing sound coming when the blood flowed out from the edge of the sword.
She stood and prepared to put the Secret Sword Bakuzan back in its sheath when the body budged slightly. Then out of nowhere with a massive shockwave its right hand jammed into her cheek and threw her across the stage where she crushed through the decoration before landing on her knees. Ragyo's body stood upright as if it had been commanded to use such violent force.
A thin red line then sparkled to life and traced from the body to the decapitated head. The bloody rain had stopped and instead it appeared that the damage was being repaired on the bodily front anyway." You are right not even I can live without a head. However, it appears your Bakuzan can not sever every Life Fiber holding my head in place," Ragyo's voice escaped the removed head as the body walked over and picked it up.
Satsuki grunted and grumbled trying to pull herself up." This rebellion of yours was cute Satsuki I really enjoyed it. You should know however that I do not like those wearing clothes that fail to suit them," Ragyo strutted over to the struggling Satsuki. She saw the strain on her daughter's face and the grumbling of the Kamui desiring more blood.
"What are you talking about?" Satsuki growled pushing herself up on shaky legs. Ragyo towered over he eighteen year old with an angry scowl on her face, it was like she stared down at a massive failure.
"I am talking about Junketsu," the white haired woman pointed out glaring down at Satsuki without hesitation. Satsuki leveled the Bakuzan at a defensive stance keeping it as a small barrier between them." All of this you have been wearing beneath his potential. A shame really considering how superior you tried to be when you stood against me earlier," she said brutally honestly.
Satsuki's eyes were broadened in shock, she knew the stress was for a reason. Ragyo's smile reflected in her mind's eye as if the woman was realizing just how manipulative she had been. Blue eyes looking up fiercely she pressed her legs in enough to where she could get a stronger jump and a more accurate shot at the Life Fiber fused woman's neck.
"RAH!" prim ally Satsuki let out a scream and started forward like a rocket. The Student Council President fired off and tried to deliver a killing blow aimed directly across the woman's throat. It never happened the Bakuzan met with a left hand that stopped it entirely, it was like meeting a metal pole with an old stick. The sword's blackened blade shook and shivered in the vibration of being caught before snapping in two and falling away as Satsuki fell to her feet just before her mother.
"Tsk, tsk, Satsuki. You just don't want to believe it!" a right hand lifted the girl up as it lodged into her toned abdomen with a thunderous burst. Gagged the girl could not even defend herself from the incoming left that smashed into the side of her face. Her body shook and was fired off across the stage where it rolled again only to be grabbed again by Ragyo.
"Of course, if you did not wear Junketsu! I doubt you'd ever stand a chance against!" Ragyo shouted punctuating every single word with a right or left hand that left Satsuki completely helpless. The teen was nearly unconscious on her feet reeling from the prior blows unable to even defend against the incoming right handed punch that thundered her head first into the stage top.
The soft hands of her mother wrapped around her body again hefting her from the ground with savage intent. Satsuki was held up by her long black hair leaving her to gurgle on the blood that had filled her mouth from the vicious beat down she had received from Ragyo. Ragyo smiled running her free hand down the contours of her daughter's sleek frame.
She stopped just above the crotch were a smile lightened her face." You have no right where the Kamui Junketsu! Take it off!" Ragyo ordered and a sphere of orange and blue light swirled between them the Kamui taking shape upon Ragyo's frame. With a snap of her fingers the orb of light fired out and took Satsuki through the air and into the stands with an explosion.
'BOOOM!' debris cast itself down from the stands and crushed around her. Satsuki was battered and nude and under massive pieces of concrete.
"Holy shit! Satsuki!" Shinko ducked a strike from Nui and rushed over. He had to save her, she was their information center and an ally against Ragyo letting her die was a huge mistake.
"Kurosaki where are you going!" Ryuko charged swinging the Scissor Blade to continue the fighting with Nui Harime. Stars rung out and exploded around them sending trash and debris flying as their power showed off.
'He knows what he is doing Ryuko just trust that,' Senketsu remarked feeling a shiver run through the air. It was like experiencing Satsuki and Junketsu once again only this time worst.
Just about a dozen feet from the pile of rocks Shinko stopped a shadow looming over him from behind. He felt the presence and it sent chills down his spine." I believe the answer to your friend's question is nowhere," Ragyo remarked in the Kamui's deactivated from.
"No, it's helping someone out. Of course, someone that kills people's fathers doesn't get that do that!" Shinko shouted throwing a right hand while spinning around. His fist was grabbed so easily and cleanly as if it were no stress at all involve.' This isn't real she isn't even using the Kamui to stop this,' he shook as pressure crushed down upon his hand.
"Your Kamui is rather soft it must have taken your father several months to get the weave to this caliber," Ragyo remarked. The Kamui over his body constricting as she touched the top of his hand.
'It is like she is feeling all of me at once,' Sentokitsu said to his wearer struggling to stay focused. The cold, malicious touch was enough to stress the fibers in his being to constrict.
"Let go!" Shinko pulled free before going to grab the long sword over his back. That was the weapon he needed for this fight, a giant slayer. It was too late however as Ragyo smiled and placed her fingers delicately over the metal patching on the left arm of the Kamui. She pressed all of the switches in and the needles engaged into her flesh.
'She's activating Junketsu that quickly?' the Kamui did not know how to react. All he could do was tense as the massive flare of energy and wind from the woman's activation of the powerful cloth's power.
"Life Fiber: Override! Kamui Junketsu!" she smiled in an exact replica of what Satsuki was wearing moments ago. The only difference was that the Kamui has highlights of a rainbow running through the normally blue streaks and spots along its frame.
'THURASH!' one right hand blurred through the sound barrier. It hammered into the stunned teenager's face and blasted him back into the stands where the concrete and other assorted debris broke away in a long streak. His frame cloaked in the red and black of the Kamui stopped a few rows short of the top where he dangled barely conscious.
'Shinko, stay awake at all cost please. I don't think I can keep you alive if we deactivate,' the Kamui warned as Shinko's hollowed eyes stared down at Ryuko's frame which was currently intensely battling Nui.
He clawed at the stands and slowly lumped forward, he fell to the next row which was in just as bad shape as the one that he had been on." Sento, I have to get back up and fight!" his voice was filled with determination but his body was still in a terrible way.
'Yes, keep that fighting spirit. Maybe we can make it down there in time,' the Kamui reminded feeling a new vigor being pushed into every stitch as Shinko clawed to push forward.
"You aren't that good are you Nui?" Ryuko boasted completely outmatching the blonde. Their skill gap had been inverted as had their power gap and it was clear here of all places. The pink donning girl was on the ropes while Ryuko could have easily pressed on for much longer.
"How did you get so strong?" Nui questioned in her squealing voice. It was overwhelming to be in a match with this fully Synchronized Ryuko and Senketsu pair and her body was actually getting beaten around by the blows.
"I've always been this strong, I was just scared!" an overhead swing crushed down and drove the blonde's feet almost completely out from underneath her. Nui pulled her weapon back to try and rebound Ryuko but it did not work instead she was under even more fatigue from the teen.
A shape, no a shadow descended behind Ryuko. A chill raced through the air and Ryuko pivoted away from Nui to turn and seen Ragyo standing behind her in full active Junketsu." What the hell are you!" Ryuko growled as Ragyo gave that cold and insincere smile.
"I am the emissary of the COVERs and the will of Life Fibers," her right hand shot out and pierced Ryuko's chest. '
"Gah...ah..." grunting for air and in agony Ryuko struggled to keep herself conscious.
Blood spurted out of the wound for a moment as Ragyo yanked out the teenager's heart. It sparkled with every beat several threads tied around its chambers." And you my dear child are my long lost daughter," she cackled holding the heart still in her hand.
The sky darkened as the sound of cloth flapping in the breeze grew increasingly intense. The Elite Four looked around for the source as their Mind Stitched foes all fell, and it was something that no one was ready for.
Hundreds of large white suits fluttered in the wind. At the back of the neck of every single piece was a red cord connecting it to something far away, these were COVERs.
"Makanshoku! Get them out of here now!" Gamagori's voice boomed as Mako struggled to lead the people over the large debris that had just fallen. The brunette looked up and saw hundreds of the suits hovering above the hordes of people all of which were pushing just as hard to climb over the debris.
"Come on Gamagori! We need to help get them out of here now!" Sanageyama jumped down and stood behind the escaping group the kendo stick in his hands ready to be used to its fullest with his Goku Uniform.
"Easier said than done," the behemoth slid down the stands and stood beside Uzu. They both were ready to fight off as many COVERs as they could, though that number could very really not be enough to save them.
What could any of this mean? What is Ragyo planning? Is there any hope for our heroes? Hopefully.
Thanks for reading,
~Herodan3