Catharsis

“The move went quite well, we are here now in the new place. No, she has yet to see that in action…I thought it needed more time to reconfigure? Oh, so it is fully operational? Excellent! Ryuko will be most pleased! I think I’ll surprise her with that tonight! Oh yes, I know you’d like to see her face. Well, privacy is paramount, Inumuta-san. Camera access is only to be granted in case of an emergency. I’m sure you understand...? Yes, and I thank you for it. Well, we are off to view the drive’s contents now, so wish us luck. Hmm? Yes, well…what is the Kiryuin family without a hearty dose of familial trauma? I…no, that was a joke. We will be fine, I assure you. Ah…thank you, Hōka. I appreciate that. Yes, I will work on my joke delivery. Of course! I am trying to slowly incorporate that into my life. It’s not easy. In fact, I am finding that humor is the most challenging aspect of any human interaction! Mmm, yes…perhaps, over time. Ha, no…Ryuko certainly has me beat there! Ah…don’t tell her I actually said that, however. Oh, I have to go, she has finally arrived. Thank you once again for your brilliant work! I shall speak to you soon. Farewell, Inumuta-san.”

“Oi, was that Geek Boy? Tell him the doorbell chime sucks.”

“We can just change it, you know. It’s programmable.”

“No shit? Ooo-ooh! Can I have it scream out loud for Halloween?”

“Negative. I don’t need that kind of stress in my life.”

“…aw.”

“Come now, Ryuko. It is time.”

“*sigh* Yeah. Okay…”

“Are you ready for this?”

“Nope. Not even close.”

“Do you wish to wait? We can postpone this for another time, if you feel that you aren’t quite ready.”

“Um...no, let’s get it over with. I’ll never be ready for this, if ya leave it for me to decide on my own. But I do recognize that this ain’t just my past, or else I would probably put it off forever. We do this together, or not at all.”

“I agree. Together, there is nothing we cannot face. Come, imouto-san. Let us discover who our father really was, once and for all.”

“Yeah…together!”

“Would you like to do the honors?”

“Naw, you go ahead and unlock it. Doesn’t matter who starts this off, really.”

A thumb was pressed upon the rectangular amber pad on the data drive’s rugged case. It glowed briefly, a golden arc sweeping past delicate whorls and ridges as a laser sensor confirmed the fingerprint and DNA identity of one Satsuki, Kiryuin. The computer popped up a notification as the drive was successfully mounted, whereupon a program manifested itself on the monitor. Scores of video thumbnails filled the screen as a helpful splash page provided a brief overview of the media player controls.

The interface was simple. Colored bars denoted specific sections of the video journals, based upon subject matter: references to Ryuko were tinged with red, blue was reserved for Satsuki, and notable life fiber research information was represented in gray. Two pairs of blue eyes scanned over this information as each girl silently drew their own initial observations about this data.

Ryuko was immediately stung by how little color was actually displayed under the videos: long swaths of gray were dotted with occasional slivers of red or blue. It was painfully obvious to anyone who glanced at it just where his primary focus had lain...namely, his ever-precious research. Cold eyes narrowed to glittering slits as her nostrils flared with hurt. She wasn’t surprised by this at all, but salt was never welcome in a still-fresh wound.

In contrast to this, Satsuki noted how little red there was, in comparison to the blue that was indicated in the time streams. Was this what her existence could be reduced to, after all was said and done? A paltry footnote? A trial run, a prototype used to set the stage for the real thing? Was she just a pale imitation, after all? If she was intended to merely function as the control in her father’s hybrid experimentations, she could at least take pride in the amount of control she managed to exert upon her own destiny, after all was said and done.

Satsuki sorted the videos by date, then omitted the ones that were strictly research related. Hundreds of entries were suddenly narrowed down to just a scant handful. Wordlessly, she clicked upon the first file in the video series.

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The sisters found their respective breathing to be involuntarily stilled as the first video started up. A familiar face filled the screen as the camera autofocused upon it. A shock of wild blond hair stood tall over a youthful, determined expression as the man fiddled with the video recorder before him. Geniuses, it seemed, could never be bothered to control their unruly hair. He leaned back and addressed the camera with conviction and authority.

“*ahem* My name is Kiryuin Soichiro. I am a scientist, specializing in the various applications of life fibers. This journal will serve as a record of my personal thoughts and observations during my ongoing research. My stated goal, here and now, is to save the life of my wife, Kiryuin Ragyo. Regrettably, she has been contaminated with an alien life fiber infection, an unfortunate side-effect of her attempts to symbiotically merge with the life fiber creatures, and I need to find a way to try and purge her of the life fibers’ cumulative influence. I suspect that it has now warped her mind; she is slowly being driven insane with religious fervor and life fiber worship! As a result, it is destroying my family and has left me a lonely and broken man. I love her. I miss her. God help me, I may be forced to kill my own wife to save the planet.”

Sad though his words were, Soichiro didn’t allow these emotions to register externally. He continued with practiced, clinical detachment as he outlined his purposes.

“I have established this secret research facility, a fall back plan in case things go sour and I am forced to flee permanently. My research work for REVOCS continues for the time being, if only to observe the enemy up close. I cannot allow myself to become complacent and assume that Ragyo’s condition will improve without my assistance. From what I have calculated, this level of life fiber hybridization is most likely irreversible…and there are also potential indications that it may even lead to the eventual death of the host. I will find a way to combat this menace! I must, for the sake of my dear wife, as well as that of planet Earth itself! My rebellion commences here and now!”

Satsuki heard a small gasp, and she turned to catch Ryuko quickly covering her mouth, eyes wide with sudden shock. “S-Satsuki! Did you catch that part about-“

Satsuki swiftly caught Ryuko’s hand, squeezing it with urgent comfort as she sought to reel her sibling back from the brink of molten panic. “Do not jump to conclusions, Ryuko-san! Let us hear all the evidence. It does no good to needlessly panic at this point!” 

A nearly inaudible “Yeah...right. O-okay...” was uttered by the shaken girl, and they both turned back towards the screen, hands interlocked in mutual solidarity. The segment has ended there, so the next one was immediately queued up.  

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Soichiro had returned, a look of worry now plastered upon his face. Work had obviously progressed on the secret hideout in the meantime: banks of computers and machines filled areas that were empty in the previous video.

“This is Doctor Kiryuin Soichiro, reporting in once again. Things have changed. I had suspicions about Ragyo’s true goals, and I am finding that I can no longer trust her intentions. I eventually pieced it together…the plan. Their true plan. My God, I cannot describe how utterly horrified I am...that I had a hand in the early stages of planning this; I was unaware of the true purpose of it all. She means to take over the entire damned planet with those fibers! I tried to dissuade Ragyo from further live experimentation, but she is determined to find her ‘perfect example of supreme symbiosis’ one way or the other. She will stop at nothing to achieve this goal. She...insisted that we use our own daughter as a test subject. My beautiful Satsuki! I was convinced at the time that I was helping to create the next stage of human evolution, and that I was creating a supreme being in the process. But now…while my dear Satsuki did survive the process, it was ultimately unsuccessful. The fibers failed to activate…the resistance must be too high already. Damn it all! I have inflicted all that pain upon her for naught.”

Equal amounts of pride and regret warred over his contorted features. One hand nervously swept back through thick swatches of hair as his face momentarily brightened.

“We have another child on the way now, another girl. She is due soon. Normally I would be ecstatic, but I have the distinct feeling that Ragyo intends to experiment upon this one as well. I’m finding myself conflicted at the prospect of this. While it is true that these fibers have immense potential…I feel that we have acted rashly in using our very own children. Ragyo’s insistence that her DNA is absolutely crucial to the hybridization process notwithstanding, and I suppose even I cannot argue with the compelling test results in that regard…what if she is wrong? As a scientist, I need to know if this is the way of the future, but…as a father? What if I am not creating the perfect human, but an unholy monster? What then? What sort of life am I sentencing my future daughter to, in that cold laboratory of mine? I must search my soul for answers, for time grows short.”  

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Soichiro’s face was grim, eyes bulging out in equal amounts of anger and worry. One fist fell into his outstretched palm as he barked out his feelings to the camera, hands shaking in unfathomable fury.

“She did it. She finally proved where her allegiances lie…and they are not with our species. This fiber implantation was deemed to be unsuccessful as well, so Ragyo simply tossed aside our newborn child as though she were a fouled Petri dish! That soulless bitch! Ah, but I have managed to extract success out of this tragedy! That’s right, the child is alive after all! Ha ha! Yes! I managed to save her from certain destruction: I rushed to secure her before the incinerator was triggered. She suffered a blow to her scalp in the process, but is otherwise unharmed! Interestingly enough, I first thought it was to be a fatal wound, yet it has healed in record time! I believe this has spurred on the early manifestation of the life fibers’ synchronized activity, this sudden trauma. They rise up to protect the host, as I suspected. As a result, her hair follicles are now coming in crimson in that very spot! An utterly fascinating phenomenon, the likes of which I have never seen before! This is direct evidence that her potential as a life fiber enhanced being could eventually rival or even surpass that of Ragyo herself! To have autonomic access to active life fiber power harnessing so very soon...astonishing! Ah, my exiled little girl, my most secret weapon. She is a survivor, truly she is...”

The doctor sat down, hands now crossed before him in a most calm manner. His eyes took on a somewhat fond demeanor as his voice developed a sentimental glow.

“Now I originally wanted to name her ‘Jun’, because what follows May, but June, yes? Ha-ha! Ah, you see…in English, ‘Satsuki’ means the fifth month of May and June would be the sixth month, so naturally it follows to have one follow the…oh, but that obscure little observation would be lost upon most, and if I call her that now, Ragyo might be able to sniff out her true identity at some point in the future. I know for a fact that I had made that suggestion before to Ragyo at one point, and that woman has a scarily accurate memory for the most mundane of details. No, I will call her…Ryuko. My precious little red thread of fate…she will be clad in revenge and more, in due time. I will raise her here, with me. This will pose a challenge, to raise a child in secret while seeking to undermine REVOCS, but I am nothing if not resourceful! Ah yes, Ragyo will live to regret tossing away this child so callously! I will personally see to that myself.”

Ryuko absently fondled her red streak, eyes brimming with tears as she otherwise held a blank stare towards her father’s face on the video screen. “Jun. My name was supposed to be Jun...” Satsuki squeezed her hand lovingly, but only received a weak spasm of recognition in reply.

Satsuki whispered “Do you want me to stop here?” to which Ryuko shook her head. She hoarsely whispered back “No. Let’s see what else Dad has to say about his cute little revenge plot. ‘Bout time we learned the whole truth…straight from the jackasses’ mouth.”

…

エラー読み取りファイル!

破損が検出されました！

次のファイルへスキップ…

…

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A pale, haggard man hunched over the desk. He stared off into the distance, one finger tapping impatiently upon the desk’s surface. His stooped, pained posture and shaggy beard and hair suggested a man of possibly transitory living arrangements and employment. His face made of stone, Doctor Matoi Isshin now stared directly into the camera’s lens, seething anger and maniacal intensity making itself obvious upon his face. His voice was cold gravel as he croaked out his latest thoughts.

“Doctor Kiryuin Soichiro…is dead. He was assassinated by his wife, Kiryuin Ragyo, on this very evening. He made the decision to finally break his cover from within REVOCS, secure his research materials and abscond with his secret child to this underground laboratory base. Regrettably, he will never draw breath again. I, Doctor Matoi Isshin, will now carry on his legacy. She had someone blow up the fucking car…with him in it. I know it was one of her underlings...probably that savage, honorless weasel Kuroido Takiji. This reeks of his backstabbing style! Of course, it was to be expected at that point and countermeasures were employed. Still, this ultimate betrayal…it hurt in ways body armor could not hope to prevent.”

He winced, and his hand darted out to cover his throbbing heart. Yet he stopped just before he touched his heaving chest. His hand formed a twisted claw, one index finger pointing out in shaking fury at the camera lens.

“It hurt…him. I feel no such pain, however! Nor shall I be allowed to feel any sort of sentimental attachment from here on out. Weakness! No, I have a job to do, and I cannot be distracted by such petty emotions! I need to kill that damned Kiryuin woman and save the planet. Matoi Isshin need not worry about anything else! He has this wonderful lab at his disposal, under the home he once intended to retire to, once all the work was done…”

He smacked his head, forgetfulness rearing its ugly head. “Did I mention that? The irony of it all? This lab…it’s under the very home Soichiro purchased in secret a long time ago! It was to be the perfect retirement home for him and his lovely wife! Yes, a secret house for a secret desire…this was during a time when he thought he could actually convince his wife to leave that accursed company and live in this love nest with him! Ah, but once he saw the ridiculously huge mansion that awaited her as an inheritance, part of her own family’s unholy legacy as wardens of the Primordial Life Fiber itself? It made this little place seem like a tin shack in comparison! So he forgot about it, naturally. He meant to eventually sell it, but it’s a good thing he never had the chance! Otherwise where would I sit and plot her untimely demise, yes? Where else but the place where he once dreamed of being alone with her…back when she was merely human?”

He smiled ruefully, memories bogging down his stolid demeanor. He motioned towards his unkempt beard, his thatch of unruly hair. “Ryuko, of course, was confused by all of...this. ‘Daddy’ looks different now! Damn, she is a precocious one, that girl. I found myself telling her that I just got old, that’s simply what happens when you get old. Blast and hellfire! I guess I got old when I wasn’t looking and slipped up, didn’t I? Letting emotions get in the way of a job that absolutely needs to be done? Yes, I just got old and slow when I wasn’t looking, that’s all. May as well play the part, now…’Old Man Isshin’ will see this plot through to the bitter end, no matter what.”

He snapped off the camera with a harsh click. Ryuko flinched nervously, as though a heated spark had fallen from the camera to alight upon her bare skin. Satsuki made concerned eye contact with her, which Ryuko responded to by manufacturing and selling the fakest grin ever crafted.

“Ha, ya see that? Now there’s Dad’s famous temper! I’ll betcha that’s where I get it from, right?” Satsuki shrugged weakly, a most neutral and inert offering in the midst of this volatile puddle of emotional gasoline.

“Pay it no mind. You have come such a very long way since then, and I can only see a better future for you in that regard. You are the only captain in charge of your destiny. Always remember that, dear heart. You have the power to overcome any specters of the past, Ryuko. I know this to be true.”

A red streak bobbed up and down, buffeted by the young girl’s hasty agreement. ‘Think positive. That’s the way to handle this. It’s what she would do! And if that don’t work, fake it until it’s true. That’s what I would do…’

The young Matoi smiled brightly, then reached over and maneuvered the mouse to click upon the next video, eager to prove just how brave she could be to her elder sibling. Teeth were secretly gritted though, and Ryuko pretended that Satsuki couldn’t possibly sense her coiled tension in the least. It wasn’t the first time she employed this sort of façade, and she supposed it probably wouldn’t be the last.

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The camera focused upon a glass container. Crimson swirls flitted about inside, ceaselessly probing the walls for a way out. The tip of a pen came close to the glass, whereupon the fibers bunched up and formed a tight knot in the immediate proximity, instinctually seeking a way to envelop the moving object and ascertain its energy level.

“My life’s work. This synthetic kamui of mine…its creation, its objective, its final purpose: it will serve as the ultimate guardian for my own daughter. Her shield and her sword! Yet it will not have the savage, overwhelming insidiousness, the barbarian crudeness of Ragyo’s own creation. I will be spending an enormous amount of time inserting a facsimile of my own personality within it. This will serve as an emotional buffer, to acclimate herself to the uniform. I believe this sort of bond will prove to be most crucial! Also…I suppose it is an effort to take care of my child the way I always wanted to, if things had turned out differently and we had been afforded the luxury of a normal family life? Of course this personality imprint will also serve to negate the tactical advantage of ‘Experimental Prototype X: Pure Fiber Content Symbiote’, which will hereafter be referred to by the REVOCS Corporation’s internal designation of ‘Junketsu’. HA! That sick bitch...her and her obsession with purity! The irony of submitting to an alien, of somehow becoming more ‘pure’ by tainting oneself with exposure to such a creature is not lost on me, I’ll tell you that for free! All lies, but her poisoned mind can’t tell anymore, now can it? No, Ragyo is now permanently infected with an alien influence...I can no longer assume I can save her in any way, so I will not. It is, in all actuality, far too late to reverse the hybridization ritual. As a scientist, I cannot ignore the overwhelming evidence. But as a husband, I am still having a hard time accepting this fact. I have failed Ragyo, my wife...I must destroy her. I still love her, deep down inside. But I cannot stay my executioner’s axe! What has been put in motion by my guilty hand must be stopped by it as well. May God damn me for my terrible actions…for I sought to usurp His power and wield it as my own. Such is my punishment, for my damnable hubris.”

He tapped thoughtfully upon the glass experiment pod again as the life fibers swirled and writhed within. “This…this will be the instrument of my salvation, and Ragyo’s final downfall! I will end her with her own castaway child, clad in these fibers of my own creation. Almost has a poetic irony about it, one might think…”

A squeaking noise distracted him just then, and a small white mouse stuck a twitching nose out from his lab coat’s breast pocket. “Ahh…hello there, Oeufcoque! You have come out for a visit! Well now, let’s get you some raisins to reward you for such bravery, my little assistant! Yes, come here now…”

The video ended as his hand switched off the camera. Ryuko’s face flushed red with frustration, a single tear streaking down one flushed cheek. “That fucking mouse…even it got more love and attention from him than I did! I swear…”

Satsuki reached out and gently tweaked Ryuko’s flaring nose, to which she looked up with a confused expression. She gently offered to her dearest love a spontaneous and crafty gamble that she hoped would extinguish such inflammatory emotions for the time being.

“Hey there, sweetheart…look down here. You see this? Why I just so happen to have a tattoo of a mouse, right here on my inner hip! Did you see it yet, Ryuko? Yes, I would wager that you missed it entirely.” Mouth left ajar with a flurry of flabbergasted puckering, Ryuko’s mouth wordlessly crafted a litany of confused jabbering as she tried and failed to process such an odd comment coming from her uptight sister, of all people. Her unbelieving eyes darted down to Satsuki’s index finger, which slowly pulled down the hem of her slacks. Seeing no new ink adorning the alabaster skin now unveiled before her, she then looked back up quizzically to Satsuki’s oddly grinning visage.

“Um…Sats? What the heck are you-“

“Oh dear, you were too slow. My pussy ate it!” The absurd gag was delivered with precise and daring comedic timing: Ryuko nearly fainted at the sheer impact of such a preposterous idea emanating from the unlikeliest of entities. Anger was immediately dissolved in the presence of such humorous solvent, and Ryuko subsequently dissolved into a fit of hysterics as a reaction. She clung to Satsuki’s shoulder as she belted out peals of riotous laughter, and Satsuki could only hold steady and be a faithful rock in this moment of their incomprehensible life’s turbulence.

“Feel better?” Satsuki finally whispered to the still-chuckling lass as she swept frenetic curls of hair away from Ryuko’s tear-slicked cheeks.

“Ow. M-my sides! Ah, y-yes. I’m better now, thanks to you and your surreal sense of weirdo humor. I swear, I didn’t expect something like that outta you!”

“Ah, but the unexpected attack is the most savory and successful kind, in my opinion. Now, do you want to wait and continue this at another time? I would understand.”

“Ah…no, I’m good. I promise I can get through this…with you here at my side? Ain’t nothin’ that can hurt me in that case, right?”

“Hmm. We shall see, Ryuko. We shall see.”

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The eccentric scientist balanced a single red thread upon his palm. It obediently slithered back into a small container as he nodded to himself, pleased at the successful interaction. He turned towards the lens, an air of secrecy tinging his speech.

“I have gathered a small team of co-conspirators. My former student, Mikisugi Aikurō, has decided to throw in with my daring plot to overthrow REVOCS and save the world. He is an utterly hopeless virgin, but is also very, very smart. His friend Tsumugu will be acting as my bodyguard, as well as with covert security for this location…he is not so smart, and he certainly has a troublesome temperamental streak, but he is very steadfast in his reliability. Now his sister, Kinue…ah, she will be a most important component to my work! Her talents will make her an excellent kamui program interface expert. Her own work has pioneered a controllable fiber-human link that I will be using in my plans to create a kamui that will obey the wearer’s every command without fear of being subjugated! At last, humans will finally be in control of their own destiny. So, humans obeying the will of clothing is so damned important, eh, Kiryuin Ragyo? Dress them all in your clothing to fit them with your invisible reins? Well then, consider this to be the grand opening of a nudist beach! In your honor, of course...you megalomaniacal bitch.”

At this, he pulled out a tumbler and a shot glass. He poured and subsequently consumed a dose of his personal favorite self-prescribed medication, whiskey. After taking a brief moment to savor the warm glow, he then pointed towards the camera, shot glass still in his grasp as one index finger jabbed out for emphasis.

“I have encouraged Mikisugi to pursue a relationship with Kinue. That young fool...must I point out everything to him? I needed to emphasize to him that love is important, it is vital! Hell, it is the crucial catalyst for life on this planet! I believe that this will give him the confidence he needs to be a better researcher and a better man as well. He is simply too timid, he takes no risks! And his research suffers as a result! Damn it all, this I cannot abide. He has the skills, he just needs the guts to use them! I will make him into a real man, one who can handle risks and love with equal tenacity and skill!”

He slammed down the shot glass, then motioned towards the camera with one shaking finger. “Love…love is the reason we do anything at all.”

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This video started with a blur of motion, the camera bobbing and weaving as a cacophony of cursing and shuffling distorted the sensitive microphone’s feed. Finally it was steadied, and the bloodshot, puffy eyes of Dr. Isshin stared glassily at the lens. Hands quivering, he mumbled as he poured himself a drink: it was painfully obvious that this was not the first drink of his evening, either.

“I have made a grievous error. Terrible! I...poor Kinue...she...there was an incident in the testing area. Too much blood was accessed and controlled at once! It burned out her entire body, consumed it to the point of utter huskification! Damn it, why didn’t I realize this would happen? It needs to be down to a singular point of blood access to ease the rate of transformation and proper power transfer. Adding multiple access points only increases the rate at which the blood is manipulated, absorbed and converted. It triggered an unstoppable chain reaction! Oh God, the girl is...she is dead now, utterly consumed by those damnable alien threads. My careless research has now cost another person the love of their life. I am such a stupid fool! I am cursed by association with those unholy fibers, this I now know! Damn my soul, this is all my fault. My fault...Kinue’s last words were ’Please continue the experiments’…they will haunt me until my dying day. She knew the risks, and I will always seek to honor her memory, her sacrifice. But the fight…the fight goes on.”

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His face hidden in shadow, the anguished scientist quietly considered the Newton's cradle now upon his desk. One shining ball was slowly raised up, and then released. The clacking noise filled the air with a monotonous soundtrack as he considered the effects of other, more complex mechanisms that were being set into motion by his hand as well.

“I cannot handle this, the terrible guilt. She…she knows something bad happened, I can tell. It is time. Ryuko…must be sent away. I cannot be responsible for raising a child any more, not when my actions have already cost one their very life! Boarding school will be good for her. I have selected certain schools which meet a very specific criteria: ones with a high student-to-teacher ratio, which will be most likely to expose Ryuko to a minimal amount of direct concern. The girl will most probably be singled out, bullied, tortured, abused...but I have already ascertained that she will rise up to meet these challenges. Yes, she has that stubborn spark about her, the will to persevere! This will serve to toughen her up, harden her for the tasks I will be calling upon her to one day accomplish. She will need to be crafted into a hard person who makes harder decisions. She will need to be capable of the task of matricide...possibly even of fratricide as well. This must be done.”

At this, he leaned back and proceeded to brood, a dark expression upon his face. Fingers drummed upon the desk as he thought hard about his past and future actions and their terrible consequences.

“Her sister. Hmm. I attempted to find a viable way to take Satsuki with me as well that day, but Ragyo would have scoured the entire Earth in finding her again. I could not risk my work being exposed at such a crucial time. I could not secure a way to properly abduct her…that soulless bastard Kuroido Takiji is always watching everyone! I’m certain that he was behind the assassination attempt as well...it is his style of doing things. That treacherous, lowlife fiend! A fat viper, a disgusting toady! Damn his black soul!” He slammed his fist down upon the desk, the blow echoing loudly in the room as he hunched over it, jaws clenched in purest fury.

“I still remember it. The moment I ruined my sweet Satsuki’s life. Once I told her the truth about the Junketsu kamui, about the world, of her mother’s true evil? Well...I saw her beautiful, innocent soul die. I snuffed it out like a little candle. I could see it happen before my very eyes! I crushed her chances at a normal life in that horrible moment of truth. Satsuki, my most beautiful, darling girl. I am so very, very sorry. I wished only to bequeath a warm, caring world to you. Oh, how I have failed you, my precious baby…I’ve utterly failed you…”

A brief nod was the only evidence that Satsuki registered this comment at all, her lips pursed tight to keep any secretly lurking opinions at bay.

“I know that Ragyo will turn her into a soulless soldier, of this I am certain. It’s her modus operandi: everyone, everything is just an asset, a pawn, a tool. Regrettably, she will mold Satsuki in her own image. I can only pray that Satsuki would perhaps remember my love somehow, but I wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate her, if necessary. I cannot hesitate, no matter the personal cost! The stakes are great, and so must be our sacrifice.”

Ryuko stole a brief look over at Satsuki’s face, expecting perhaps signs of turmoil or even anger at this cold proclamation. Instead, she observed a placid calm ruling over her sister’s expression. She nudged Satsuki’s arm, to which the young Kiryuin responded by making eye contact and smiling warmly. The video was paused to allow Ryuko a moment to speak.

“Hey. You all right over there? I guess Dad was a real bastard, huh? He royally screwed us over, the both of us!”

“I understand how he felt. I have no choice but to forgive him.”

“How…how the fuck can you say that? Forgive him for treating us this way, like goddamned scientific puppets?”

“Ryuko...I must. Or else I must be forced to concede that there should be no forgiveness for my own terrible actions, either! I, too, manipulated others as mere tools to further my own goals. The stakes were the same: global annihilation was the ultimate price of failure. He was right in that there was no real choice in the matter. Ragyo would have eventually seen through any external trap or subterfuge...kidnapping me at that point would have caused Ragyo to launch a scorched-earth campaign to find me! He needed to leave me behind…defeating her from within was the only way. He certainly knew what he was doing, planting the seeds of rebellion within me. He knowingly planted them in you as well, he just employed a different method to do it in your case.”

“Yeah. Right. Sure! That’s just great. Yay, that’s slated for television this fall! ‘The Case of the Booby-Trapped Kids’...oh boy, that sure sounds like a real heartwarming story! Damn it, I just can’t get over the sheer...ruthlessness of his attitude?! How could he be so blasted cold towards his own damned children? That cruel, sadistic fucker! Boy, I tell ya, I can’t believe that he was so fucking...um, Sats? Where are you...Satsuki?! NO!”

Satsuki suddenly sprang up and darted from the office, her pumps clattering down the hallway as she ran. Ryuko quickly followed, whereupon she found herself swooping in to track Satsuki’s impromptu flight into the master bedroom, where a number of personal effects had yet to be unpacked from their recent move. Ryuko was just bursting with questions, but these were all dismissed when she saw Satsuki’s face, hovering over the stuffed bear held tightly within her grasp.

It was not the fearless, calm demeanor of Lady Kiryuin Satsuki, ultimate warlord and ruthless military leader-savant. It was the haunted face of little five-year-old Satsuki, heir apparent to Kiryuin Soichiro’s ruthless revenge schemes. Her blank stare did nothing to hint at the turmoil within, yet Ryuko got the message anyways, clear as day. This phenomenon, now playing out before her? It was guilt-triggered time travel, and she had to approach it most carefully for Satsuki’s sake.

Satsuki murmured to Ryuko, voice dull and flat as she spoke. “Are we a good family or a bad family? Is it our fate to be…bad?” She hugged the bear in a death grip, waiting for the response with hushed heartache and swelling panic.

“We’re good, both of us are good, I swear to you!” Satsuki’s face slowly crumbled as she curled up on the bed with the bear drawn to her chest, a life preserver of comfort as she drowned in the past.  

“Samurai Bear. He s-still smells of popcorn...from the day at the festival. Remember that, Ryuko? You won him for me.” Ryuko moved to cuddle with her, comforting Satsuki as she reminisced about the day in question. She had used her immense strength and street knowledge to bowl over several trick milk cans, and Samurai Bear was the end result...’Spoils of war’, Ryuko had muttered under her breath to the rattled booth attendant as she gleefully claimed the top prize, chortling even as Satsuki proceeded to nitpick the bear’s slightly inaccurate period dress and accessories. Satsuki still found herself to be moved, however, when Ryuko then surrendered the glamorous prize into her surprised arms.

“Ya know what, Sats? Sometimes I wonder...why are fireworks so darned pretty? I know that probably sounds dumb and all, but humans are always so fascinated by them. I don’t think there are too many critters that would be as enthralled as we are right now, ya know? They are essentially just big-assed spark explosions, right?”

“Mmm-hmm. Sparkles...” Satsuki murmured dreamily to herself, and Ryuko cocked one wondering eye towards her sister...who, she just realized, had actually been staring at her this entire time, rather than focusing on the fireworks show now blazing out before them in glorious Technicolor.

Her voice husky and subdued, Satsuki offered her private thoughts to the blushing youth next to her. “I read once that humans as a species are attuned to be attracted to sparkling things, presumably to locate sources of water from a distance. For primitives, to find sparkles meant to find sustenance as well.”

Ryuko rolled her eyes, flustered at the focused gaze that was now obviously directed at her own self. “Yeah, that makes sense I guess, but the fireworks are kinda, y’know...that way?”

“They are far prettier when reflected in your eyes, Ryuko-chan.”

“O-oh, yeah? Well, uh…eyes are the windows to the soul, or so I hear. Be careful! Lots of explosions in here too, behind my windows…”

“Mmm. These beautiful windows of yours...within them, I find my own sustenance.”

Ryuko found herself suddenly jarred from the warmth of these fond memories by the very real sound of Satsuki’s plaintive, cracking voice. “Please don’t hate me for my choices, Ryuko-chan. I did the very best I could. I’m sorry I turned out just like Father...a ruthless and cruel person.”

“You are not ruthless or cruel! You just...look, you take things very seriously, that’s true. You have had to do some really hard things, make some impossibly tough decisions. Someone had to! You did a wonderful and amazing job that no one else could have possibly done, okay? Only the people who didn’t know the real score would accuse you of such things, all right? I’m just glad you had your Elites to back you up...they knew the score, you know...the real deal? That is what really matters! People who are judging your behavior without knowing all the details? They can just fuck off, all of ‘em! No one has the right to make that call unless they know everything...and everyone who did know? None of them would ever say you were cruel or ruthless. None of them. Those people know who you really are, Satsuki-sama...you’re just a big ol’ softy at heart, when people really get to know you! I know it’s not easy for you to express that, and it probably never will be. But please understand that those of us in the know all love you for who you really are, even if you sound gruff and bossy and stuff all the time...we know what you really mean, what sentiments truly lurk in your heart. We love you for it, I can promise you that!”

Satsuki took a few moments to process this information. It had the indelible ring of truth, to be certain. She sniffled, sighed, and then slowly released her stuffed hostage back to his cardboard box. Her face was sullen and tired, and her distracted state suggested that a hug could possibly work wonders right about now. Ryuko promptly applied this healing salve in great quantities, to which the young Kiryuin responded by breaking out in the slightest of smiles. Eyes closed, she focused upon the close proximity, the heartbeat, and the odd combination of motor oil and strawberries that signified the presence of Matoi Ryuko within her ever-grateful arms.

“Thank you, Ryuko-chan. I’m truly sorry I bolted like that. It was sheer cowardice, and I am ashamed to have acted in such a reprehensible manner. Please forgive me.”

Ryuko responded by squeezing just a bit tighter. “Of course. And I’m sorry I said what I did. I swear up and down that I wasn’t drawing any parallels between you and him! I was just so mad at him fer bein’ just a total, absolute jerkface. He coulda been a whole lot better about all of this, ya know...he just chose to be all super spiteful and stuff. I ain’t gonna ever let myself be that bitter towards people! I think that’s totally arrogant and rude, to be honest. Shit, who am I to pass judgment on others like that? Ya know, Satsuki, I’m starting to get the nagging feeling that Dad might’ve just been a Grade A prick.”

Satsuki shrugged weakly, her cobalt eyes suddenly taking a keen interest in her footwear as she pondered whether the similarities were valid or not, were genetic or not. “Perhaps he didn’t know any better. He didn’t seem to have been surrounded by a team of supportive associates. At least, as much as I was...he didn’t have the relentless pressure of portraying himself as the ultimate leader to keep his attitude in check, either.”

Ryuko tilted her head, then raised a finger up to the edge of the troubled girl’s downcast chin. She slowly guided up the sad, melancholy face up to view her own patented ‘Matoi’s Pearly Finest’ grin of sincere cheer.

“Hey. You know what makes me feel better in times like these? Comfort food! Oh yeah, I could totally go for a convenience store onigiri or a pork nikuman and some instant Ramen right about now. You should try some! Comfort food really helps in these situations, you just throw caution to the wind and totally pig out! Yeah, 7-11 was like my favorite restaurant, back in the day.”

Eyes rimmed with red, Satsuki could only regard her wayward sister’s culinary opinions with barely-concealed revulsion. “Oh yes, Matoi. I can certainly see Lady Kiryuin Satsuki ‘pigging out’, surely. The very idea! Ugh…how can you consume such atrocious food? The sodium alone would drive you to an early heart attack, I’m certain.”

“Yeah? Well, I was sort of ‘between residences’ for most of the time I spent after the house fire and before living in Honnō City, ya know. I only enrolled in a school so I could kick enough ass to find the info I needed, then I’d just move on to the next one…didn’t exactly get to sample the school’s cuisine for very long. What, did you think I was holed up in some nice luxury hotels in the meantime? I was a homeless vagrant, Satsuki! I was crashing in 24-hour Internet cafés, those little capsule hotels, you name it. I ran out of what little money I did have kinda early on, and the cops weren’t exactly falling over each other, caring about my situation…they had zero proof, but thought I was maybe somehow responsible for what happened to Dad? They had no evidence whatsoever, but they sure weren’t gonna help me figure out how to access his bank accounts, either. He never let me have a bank card that was attached to his account, so…so there I was: living in odd areas, eating instant ramen and gas station food, vending machine junk and whatever else I could scrape up. So yeah, sodium and MSG, sugar and fat…that’s what fueled me for the longest time. I mean sure, I scraped up the occasional lemon, of course! But still…”

Satsuki coiled in disgust, her mouth filling with the phantom flavor of soy-tinged salt, mixed with powdered Ramen flavoring. She had made the mistake of trying instant noodles once, to her most sincere regret. The only things that should ever be instant were her underlings’ responses to her commands, not delicate things like cuisine! “You couldn’t find a way to obtain or make better quality food at all? That sounds like a terribly unhealthy eating style!”

Ryuko scratched the back of her head as she sheepishly recounted her actions in those dark times. “Can’t exactly cook without a kitchen, Sats...my dad’s house was a burned-out shell, remember? I ate what I could, when I could. Heck, when I first ate those croquettes Sukuyo-sama makes, I thought I had struck gold! Even if they maybe…possibly…uh, wiggled occasionally, they were still light years ahead of the crud I had to eat while I was drifting around. The ‘Kanto Vagabond and Guitar Case Drifter’ couldn’t pick and choose…she had more important things to worry about. Ate what I could, slept where I could. Heck, I even slept in an actual dumpster once, ya know. Not exactly the Ritz. In fact, the room service was quite poor. Honestly, I can’t recommend it! Zero stars from me! Oh, not to mention the fact that a young girl like me living on the streets was basically an engraved invitation for every weirdo to try their luck. I shoulda just worn some ‘Attention, street thugs and assorted vermin: please rape me!’ sign on my back or something...oh man, all the skin I lost just to get some shut-eye, back in those days. Fuckers sure knew they were in a fight though, that’s fer damn sure! They never got any of this sweet vagabond’s hot little body, other than some righteous knuckles of pure vengeance!” Eyes wide with a glare of magnesium-fire intensity, Ryuko punctuated this last statement by clenching a fist hard enough to pop a few of the aforementioned knuckles of street justice.

Her face blanching at the prospect of sleeping in trash and fighting desperately just to win a molestation-free evening, Satsuki frowned at her ever-wayward sibling. “I apologize. I must admit that I don’t know much about such ways of life. I had not properly considered the details of how you were living in those days. I am mostly responsible for creating some of the horrid conditions you dealt with, back then. I am truly sorry for that.”

“Eh. Can’t blame the world for being the world, Satsy. Besides, you are doing a tremendous amount of good here and now! There are a lot of people who can rest easy tonight, thanks in no small part to your efforts.”

Eyes glistening with gratitude, Satsuki sighed and smoothed out her wrinkled blouse, a nervous habit for the neatness-obsessed woman. “I hope and pray that this is so. Perhaps then I will be one of those people, resting easy for once? I shall never stop trying to improve other people’s lives, though.”

Ryuko reached into her sweatshirt pocket and withdrew the wireless mouse, plopping it down into the immediate proximity of her sister’s hand. “C’mon, gorgeous. Let’s wrap up this shit show so we can focus on how awesome we are for surviving this divine comedy of pure crap that Dad threw our way.”

Satsuki quietly followed her sibling back to the office, then secured her position by Ryuko’s side as they hurled themselves back into the unforgiving memory gauntlet of their sordid family history.

…

エラー読み取りファイル!

破損が検出されました！

次のファイルへスキップ…

…

録画_ ファイル_12_03_59_17_10_2012.avi

A voice, filled with pride and excitement, filled the air as the camera focused upon a life fiber weaving loom.

“It’s beautiful. A work of art and magnificent engineering, elements wedded together in this most supreme example of my genius. Another time, another place...I would have earned a Nobel Prize for it, I am most certain! My years and years of hard work have led to this moment. Behold: my personal will for revenge, come to glorious life! This will certainly get her attention, won’t it? Yes, yes…right before it kills her…”

Ryuko’s eyebrows crashed together around her furrowing brow as she choked out loud, unable to contain the titanic swell of emotions that flooded her being at the sight of that which now greeted her on the screen. The camera panned slowly around the glass window of the life fiber weaving loom mechanism, Senketsu’s newly knitted form plainly visible under the bright spotlights. She found her fingers reaching out to caress his image in spite of herself.

In the back of her mind, Ryuko knew that this was a distinct possibility, that she might glimpse the sight of her former uniform, her confidant, her soul’s better half. Actually preparing herself for this moment mentally, however, somehow slipped her attention entirely.

“P-pause it here. Please, nee-san. Pause the video for me. Just for a second, I promise I won’t linger fer very long...” the distraught teenager mumbled, and Satsuki could only wait for a sufficiently clear video frame to do as was requested.

Sharp pangs of heart anguish lashed at her tender insides as Ryuko admired Senketsu’s handsome edges, his smart cut and debonair eye, gleaming under the lab’s lights. She whispered out loud to his image as Satsuki gently stroked her arm in careful solidarity, witness to her dear sibling’s quietly fracturing heart all over again.

“H-hey, Senkets! Fancy meeting you here, of all places! Boy, you l-look so nice...wow, you just rolled off the loom there, huh? Ah, look there, Satsuki...look at the file name! It’s a date stamp! His b-birthday is right before mine! How ‘bout that, huh? Now I can finally celebrate his actual birthday...I never knew it before now. That’s kinda cool...”

Satsuki swallowed thickly as she cautiously watched Ryuko’s cathartic moment play out before her in nerve-wracking detail. It wasn’t that she was unhappy with seeing Senketsu again: he was a particularly brave and heroic uniform, and she honored his valiant sacrifice every time she was able to hold her lost sister in her arms, once again.

No, she was just being pragmatically concerned for her dear Ryuko’s mental stability. If anything could potentially serve as a traumatic trigger of sorts, it was the harsh memory of witnessing Senketsu’s fiery demise...and Satsuki wasn’t yet prepared to handle such a scenario, should it occur once more. She warily eyed the computer screen’s power button, the deep blue glow only serving to reinforce the frightful memory of Ryuko’s own cobalt orb as it had transformed before her own eyes into a baleful yellow rift of Chthonian horror.

The experience of witnessing Berserker Ryuko in action was one of the few times in Kiryuin Satsuki’s surreal life that she was truly disturbed down to her very core by something...and she had no shortage of harrowing life events to draw upon for comparison, either. Back then, it was merely the unfortunate outcome of a brash and irresponsible fool who had allowed circumstances to outpace her woefully inadequate attempts at controlling such unimaginable power.

Were that to happen now, however? It would be a disaster of truly unfathomable proportions. Lady Kiryuin Satsuki would be reluctantly forced to subdue her darling soul mate, possibly killing her in the process. This would effectively snuff out her own will to live as well: even if she somehow triumphed, she would ultimately lose that battle in the bitter end. To lose Ryuko would be tantamount to losing everything that ever mattered in her entire existence...she would be damned if this were to happen under her watchful eye!

“Ryuko-chan. It’s okay. I’m right here. Let it out...whatever feelings you need to purge may be safely vented. I’ll take care of you, I promise...no matter what.”

Ryuko took in a deep breath, her shuddering chest making it quite obvious, the impact of such a comment. “I’m okay, really. I’m j-just taking the time to say hello to an old friend, that’s all...I’m all right.”

“Are you, though? We don’t speak of him much at all, and I know just how much his passing truly hurt you. Ryuko, if it means anything to you...I miss his presence, his voice as well.”

Ryuko had forgotten this, that Satsuki had heard his voice too. That was it, the final raindrop to burst her swollen reservoir of false bravado. She shivered as a ghost caress squeezed her torso...Ryuko knew who was behind that phantom gesture: she could feel him right now, deep within her breast. Tears gushed down her cheeks as she crumpled against Satsuki, helpless against the flood of long-hidden anguish and regret that now assaulted her lost soul.

‘Better to lance this now, in a safe and controlled manner. I’m truly sorry, dear heart. I mean to cause you no pain, but you simply must let this poison out! The world cannot afford you and your penchant for bottling up this terrible pain you carry...the price for doing so might just be too steep for anyone to pay.’ Satsuki grimaced as she protectively embraced the sobbing wreck that was Matoi Ryuko...here now was sad evidence that she couldn’t ever truly stop manipulating people, even if she tried.

Pointy canines bit cruelly into her lower lip as Ryuko struggled mightily to stay afloat in this torrent of boiling emotions. “It’s not f-fair! Why’d he have to go and die on me like that, Sats? Dammit, I still n-needed him! Fuck, I still do! I m-miss him so fucking...ow, it hurts so much! It hurts! The pain! I can still feel him, right h-here in my chest...why did he have to die? Why?” Loosely curled fists beat weakly against Satsuki’s shoulder as Ryuko’s frame shook and lurched.

Satsuki found her own breath hitching as she valiantly tried to comfort the poor girl as best she could. “I don’t have the answers, Ryuko-chan. Karma does as it will, and we are ever out of the realm of its understanding. This I will say: you were truly blessed to have made his acquaintance when you did. Consider, if you will, the kind of person you’d be now if your soul had never made contact with his own...?”

At this, Ryuko grew still. Tightly clenched eyes slowly opened, tears still cascading down her flushed, ruddy cheeks. She purposefully evaded making direct eye contact with her sister, shame slowly burning a ragged hole in her heart as she reflected upon her immature reaction. Satsuki chose this moment to gamble everything on a carefully measured throw of her own dice.

“You’d be even more insufferable, if such a thing was even possible.”

Ryuko suddenly made the eye contact she had been previously avoiding. Quivering eyes prepared to take another plunge into Sob Valley as she sought to identify the underlying attitude in this comment. A placid, almost uninterested expression stared back at her...but Satsuki’s eyes were dancing with loving playfulness, she could tell. Ryuko sniffled, then wiped away her own tears as she added her own pithy observations to the mix.

“Oh...*sniff*…oh, yeah? Hell, I learned it by watching you, crazy pants. Ya know, when I first asked who the top dog at Honnōji Academy was, I shoulda known it would turn out to be such a total bitch!”

“That’s ‘glorious bitch’, and don’t you forget it!”

Ryuko hiccupped, snorted, and then let out a slow sigh as introspection started to wash over her turbulent mind. “Sorry ‘bout that, Satsuki. I really thought I was finally over him being gone, I truly did. I...guess maybe I still have a long way to go.” She struck out at Satsuki’s shoulder, an offensive gesture that melted into a grasp of loving respect once it made contact with the tall woman’s blouse. The young Kiryuin deftly grasped the hand between her own, nuzzling against it gently as though it were a small and very comfortable pillow.

“We both have a long way to go. I’ll always be here for you, Ryuko-chan...never, ever forget this fact.”

Ryuko watched as her hand was lovingly cuddled, and a faint haze of embarrassment enveloped her mind. ‘Gotta get my shit together. I need to be better than this! Boy, I don’t know what I’d do without her...gotta start behaving and being more mature and stuff, for her sake.’

She nervously coughed, then reached over to place a grateful peck upon Satsuki’s cheek. “Thanks. Sorry I’m such a goofball. I’ll try to be better about that in the future.”

“Don’t you worry, child. You may be a goofball, but you are my goofball! Oh, and one thing you need to understand going forward, Ryuko-san. You’ll never truly be ‘over’ him, I suspect. I don’t think that is how things work, deep within the human heart. The pain will lessen over time, true…but he left his indelible mark upon your very heart and soul. Do not assume that this is something you ‘get over’. Someday, the good memories will outweigh the bad, and mentioning Senketsu’s name will only be a cause for celebration, not a reminder of bitter sadness. Please do not make the mistake of bottling up this sort of thing inside you forever though, all right? I’m so fearful of you doing untold damage to your own beautiful soul if you try to seal this kind of feeling away…promise me that you’ll try to share these kind of things with me…in due time, of course? I need to be there for you, and in this I shall not fail you! I will not hesitate to drop whatever I need in order to make this happen! You have my word.”

Ryuko paused, an indescribable expression settling upon her features as she quietly considered the wisdom embedded in her sibling’s earnest missive. She intently inspected her knobby, scarred knuckles, her stylishly dirty nails and her palm’s life lines, still somehow stained with stubborn carbon soot and oil. One finger absently traced a life line with repeated strokes, as if to somehow massage the chaos right out of it.

A small voice emanated from the young Matoi’s barely parted lips. “I’ll…I’ll try. I promise…” she murmured, her head reeling with a calm, orderly sort of panic. “I’m not good at coming to people fer that sort of junk, though. I kinda just…clam up and weather the storm, ya know? I might just possibly forget to actually say anythin’ about it, is what I’m sayin’ here. Can ya promise me that you won’t get too mad at me when this inevitably happens? It ain’t on purpose, I just…I dunno, it’s like a coping sort of thing, maybe? I’ve seen some really shitty things in my time, and I ain’t exactly easy to deal with in that regard…you mighta noticed that by now, I figure? Sometimes being distant and quiet is just easier for everyone involved.”

Lady Satsuki bowed her head, gently kissing Ryuko’s knuckles as she did so. Looking up, she grinned and stated the obvious. “I know all about being distant. I’m something of an expert in that regard! Yet even I will acknowledge that it isn’t necessarily the best tactic in certain situations. I shall never condemn you for such things, for to do so would make me a hypocrite of the highest order. No, I only wish to assist with your healing now…yes, I can still be most cantankerous and difficult, but only you make me want to strive to be better than that. Only you, dear heart. I might still be sealed up in that suffocating ‘Steel Queen’ suit to this very day, if not for your efforts. I want only to rescue you, fair maiden…as you once did me.”

“Oh, man. You really need to quit reading those corny old stories, Sats…or I’ll start telling everyone just how much of a gushy, sentimental softy you really are!”

“Go ahead. Who will they believe, I wonder? I’ll have you know that no one else sees this side of me, save possibly Nonon and Soroi…and those are just the briefest of glimpses, too.”

“Yeah? Well…I’ll always know.”

“Ryuko, you know because I want you to know. Perhaps in time, others will start to see me as a kinder, gentler woman. But for now, I am content that only you get to see the real me, all things considered. I didn’t spend my entire life building up such an advantage, just to carelessly squander it!”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, my ‘knight in blushing armor’…let’s watch the rest of that stuff. There’s only a couple videos left, from what I saw.”

“I’m not blushing!”

“Yeah? Well, you are now!”

“I…*tsk*…oh, damn it all…”

録画_ ファイル_09_15_30_24_02_2013.avi

The previous video had actually ended right after the paused moment passed, so the next one in sequence was started immediately. Doctor Matoi leered manically at the lens, sweat glistening upon his brow as he gesticulated wildly around the lab.

“It has now begun! The beginning of the end. The final gambit has now been set in motion! I have purposely leaked my secret location, just now…it is only a matter of time before Kiryuin Ragyo’s slaves detect these carefully engineered hints of my ‘secret’ presence and she sends a hit squad here to take me out, once and for all. The gauntlet has been cast! Oh, I’ll bet she cannot wait until I am erased for good…Kiryuin Ragyo simply cannot stand loose ends, be they in her damnable stitching or her plans for planetary conquest! Ah, but I have also send for my dear Ryuko, as well. She will be coming home soon, yearning for attention from her dear old father…just in time to witness the harsh treachery of Ragyo’s cruel reach! Yes, yes…if I time it properly, my dear daughter will arrive just in time to find me locked in fierce combat with whatever foolish REVOCS lackeys that were dispatched to assassinate me here in my lab. Well, they can certainly try! It’s not as if this old man cannot defend his own self!”

He motioned out to one side, his lab coat forming a long, sharp blade from his sleeve as he glared down upon its keen edge. With a slight nod, the sleeve reverted back to a simple cloth state. The scientist nodded his approval, pleased that the coat was performing in perfect sync with his commands. It had taken far too long to perfect the signals…but with Kinue long gone, he had been forced to go the long way around to recreate her brilliant interface methods for it to work to his exacting specifications.

“Yes, yes…Ryuko will be forced to defend her dear old father. She will then have no choice but to enthusiastically volunteer for the mission that I will have laid out before her: to overthrow that fucking REVOCS bitch and save the whole planet in the process! I’ll have to ease her into it gently, though! It will be a lot for Ryuko to absorb; the secret of life fibers, the ultimate plan that Ragyo is cooking up for the world’s end. Even if something does somehow go wrong, I have instructed Mikisugi Aikurō to look out for Ryuko anyways, to guide her down the proper path from behind the scenes, if necessary. He has secured a position within that Academy, he should be able to leverage this, potentially provide some assistance to her if need be. I can only hope all goes well and that events unfold as naturally as I have planned, so I am not forced to rely upon his expertise in that regard. Hmm…I also hope that the utter fool can keep his pants on long enough to get the damned job done, should it come down to that! Damn it all, that boy has gone and allowed his so-called ‘sexy phase’ to distract him from his work. Worse, it threatens my undercover operations, that’s what is so unforgiveable about it! Hell, anyone could tell that he has slipped way too far into that ridiculous ‘playboy’ persona of his…it is obviously to mask his grief over Kinue’s passing. That damned fool. I know it upset him, it tore us all up when it happened. He does not have the market cornered on the subject of loss! However, Mikisugi has gone too far with his denial of events as they occurred! In fact, he now pretends that real love was never important at all! That blasted fool! He insults me with his cavalier and misguided attitude! Damn his carefree smiling! Love sometimes means getting hurt in the process! Dammit, if I only had the time, I would set myself upon the task of whipping his sparkling clown ass into proper shape, to really set the bastard straight!”

Isshin struggled to bring down the fire of his righteous indignation to a slow simmer. Head slowly nodding, he thoughtfully held up one finger as he sought to acknowledge other, more important facts regarding the situation.

“And yet…I have no right to do so. I was ultimately responsible for her death, and it’s a small wonder that he does not blame me for it! Yes…I need to remember that I am lucky to have him as an ally at all. I do not have many of those, and I must place my trust in the few I do have. I must believe that he will do the right thing, and that his damned crotch won’t interfere with my carefully laid plans! Ah, to be a young man again. Young…and stupid. I shouldn’t say much, really. After all, I was the one dumb enough to fall for that accursed Kiryuin woman in the first place, yes? Perhaps all of this could have been avoided if I had simply been able to…to control my own faculties?”

Ryuko stared off into space, being momentarily blindsided by this disorienting piece of information. That perma-horny neon-nippled fuckhead…that’s all just an act? She made a mental note to later call him out on this, to tell him to drop the charade since she knew the actual truth now. Maybe then he would start acting like a sane individual and she could finally respect him? Pfft, yeah…and maybe her ass would sprout wings so she could fly to the friggin’ moon.

She looked back up at the screen just in time to see a most alien sight. Their bitter, angry father, Doctor Revengy McAsshole himself…was openly weeping. Ryuko froze as she felt Satsuki’s hand slip over to encircle her own. Satsuki looked over to her sibling, eyebrows knitted in uncomfortable worry. Neither of them expected this odd turn of events, and an unsettling atmosphere proceeded to smother them both with the awkwardness of silence.

The doctor’s shoulders trembled as he clenched uselessly at the air. “If I hadn’t loved her, none of this would have happened. Damn me to hell, if this gambit fails and she wins, it will all have been my fault. All of it. Life will cease to exist on this planet, due to my terrible failures! I cannot have such crimes on my conscience! I CANNOT!”

Isshin grasped at his hair with one curled fist, the other seeking to stop the sudden rush of exasperated tears that flowed from his squinted eyes. It was too late to stem this burst, however: sealing oneself off from the inconvenient flow of honest emotions could only work for so long before cracks eventually started appearing in that hastily constructed dam’s surface.

“I l-love my little Ryuko, too. I’ve crumbled so very much, I have even lost the ability to show my own daughter that I do care…why is it that I have no problem with dumping my life’s work into this kamui interface, so it can love her and take care of her in my stead? Am I such a failure that I cannot face my own beautiful daughter and be the parent she truly deserves? I need to rely on alien puppets for this? I already know that I will never see my beloved, darling baby Satsuki ever again; I resigned myself to this fact long ago! Must I destroy my own relationship with Ryuko as well? I can see from my surveillance tapes and intelligence reports that her sister Satsuki has indeed become a most fearful warrior and dictator-in-chief, as I once predicted. Yet…I find myself often dreaming of what could have been! She has become such a breathtakingly lovely woman, so confident and competent in her abilities. If she were not the enemy, I would say that I was…proud of her. Had I managed to swallow my pride and anger and stayed behind at REVOCS, perhaps I could have found a way to somehow care for her, and possibly taught her to be a better person after all? I’ll never be able to tell her how much I regret ruining her life. It haunts me to this very day…that I did such a remorseless and heartless thing to so precious a jewel. This…this is war, however…and such casualties are regrettably unavoidable. I tell myself this every damned day, here as I lay down the plans to have her possibly murdered by her own damned sister. I sit here and plot as I orchestrate the wholesale murder of my own family, lost to me by the threads of cruel fate. What…what have I become?”

The tired old man leaned upon a tall, thin object for support, which eventually became identifiable as one half of the Sword Scissors. He used it as an impromptu crutch as he shuffled over to the glass display case that housed Senketsu’s inert form.

“Ah, my dear Ryuko. She won’t be too happy when she sees the sparse form that this kamui requires to provide optimal power control, which is certain to cause her some potentially embarrassing issues. Ryuko will need to find a way to overcome such frailties…true power will only come from her sense of pride and confidence! I know she has developed an enormously powerful will; living the life I have painstakingly created for her, it would have done her no good whatsoever to be a weak-willed simpleton! I would have to say that Satsuki obviously has inherited this massive and unyielding willpower, as well. They are so very alike, in that regard. I could only hope that, once this all is settled, they could just hug and be there for one another, as sisters should…but regrettably, that is but a silly pipedream. Kiryuin Satsuki has become the right hand of the most dangerous being on the planet, and she must be treated as such! Take no prisoners, old man. Take no prisoners…”

Isshin drew forth a bottle of whiskey from beneath his desk, and he took a long, slow pull from it as both girls winced at the sight. They had shared a shot of this amber liquid once, in memory of their departed father, and neither one could imagine being able to consume such a noxious drink in such a manner. Yet there he was, gulping it down greedily as though it were a refreshing draught of iced tea on a hot summer’s day.

“This is why he is acting in such an odd manner: he must have become something of a drunk, this late into his life. He must have drowned his sorrows like this quite often, for him to be able to drink that amount of liquor in such a manner! To lead such a lonely life…I cannot even begin to imagine the pain he must have been in, Ryuko. His family, sabotaged and stolen by aliens during the quest for supreme knowledge…” Satsuki crossed her arms, one hand to her chin as she sought to stay calm in the face of this mortifying display of savage self-hatred.

Ryuko stared at the screen, unable to fathom this sad window into her dad’s tortuous, solitary life. “I…I didn’t know. I had no idea! I mean, I figured that he was always mad at me or something, y’know, ‘cause all those reports of me always misbehaving left him in such a sore state. I always felt so guilty after one of those phone calls…I only wanted him to be proud of me, not ever taking any shit from anyone! I tell ya, Sats…he was always so damned grumpy for one reason or another. But I never knew it was like…like this? I was never around to see him physically, those last couple of years. Y’know, if I was there I woulda sniffed out drinking like that in a heartbeat! Maybe I coulda…I dunno, stopped him from destroying himself? Dammit, Dad…what the hell happened to you? He basically signed his own death warrant, bringing Nui down upon himself like that on purpose…although I guess he didn’t anticipate that psycho cunt was showing up? He coulda probably taken out just about anyone else who did arrive that day, I’ll bet. But then, there was that good ol’ wave of Kiryuin luck to ruin his plans…it sure waved ‘goodbye’ to him, didn’t it? Poor old man…”

“Do you still hate him…now?”

“Yes…no…ugh, I just don’t know anymore, Satsuki. I thought that this crap would just serve to emphasize what kind of a dick he really was, that’s all! I expected villainous sneering and hands being rubbed together all evil-like as he plotted to manipulate us both like the sexy smart bombs we are…I mean, that’s what mad scientists do! It’s like, I dunno, a law or something? But…but I didn’t think all of this other stuff would come up. I mean, it’s so hard fer me to believe, that he was so…so…”

“Human?”

“Yeah, I…I guess so. Now I feel kinda sorry for him, to be honest. Look, if you ask me, he definitely went about all of this in the worst way possible! If only he’d let me come home, he woulda seen that I wasn’t such a bad girl after all! I…we…we coulda been an actual family, even if it wasn’t the perfect dream he once had? Then again, if he wasn’t such a standoffish asshole, I’d have never found Senketsu either…there weren’t any bad sides to having him care for me, really. Senketsu loved me and tolerated my dumb ass just enough to make me realize what an absolute shithead I was being…uh, you know, eventually? Boy, I sure am glad that Dad didn’t give Senketsu his awful temper, though. That would have pissed me off so royally, I woulda dropped him off at the nearest clothing donation box if that were true!”

“Ryuko, I believe his intention was to make you become a ‘bad girl’. It’s what he needed: a rebellious psycho who would react explosively under Ragyo’s predictably arrogant efforts to control her! Er…no offense intended, of course. Father underestimated your innate sweetness, however. You became a truly good person, despite his best efforts.”

“*pfft* Hell, I ain’t sweet at all. I’m a bitter little pill.”

“Seriously? Ryuko-chan, compared to me, you are a dollop of the sweetest honey! Also, please do realize that the best medicine is often most bitter, indeed. Yet it is certainly in one’s best interests to deal with the occasional bitterness, isn’t it? I, for one, have found that I could not live without my little ‘bitter pill’, for its dose nourishes my life in a most crucial manner…”

Their lips met, a gentle affirmation of closeness and solidarity in the face of life’s utter chaos. Their embrace remained locked for a few moments, each gaining a swell of luxuriant healing energy from the other. Ryuko eventually looked up at the monitor, as random noises indicated that the video was not quite as paused as she had originally presumed.

Metallic noises clanged and clinked from the computer’s speakers. Doctor Matoi was fiddling with the two sword halves of the Rending Scissors, absently fitting them together and drawing them apart to test their fit. “Time to prepare for battle, old man. Hmm, yes indeed…eh?”

He looked up at the camera suddenly, eyes shining with glimmers of regret and sadness. A brief puff of exasperated breath escaped from him as he realized that the camera was still filming. He rolled his bleary, bloodshot eyes and muttered to himself as he reached for the power button, chastising himself for his distracted focus. “Damn it all, you forgetful old fool. I really must remember to erase this damned video archive, once things start to look more optimistic out there. It wouldn’t do anybody any good to see me like this…a tired, drunken old fool who can’t even remember to shut off the damned--”

The feed cut out, a loud click ending the video with a grim finality. They looked at the play list: that was the last video in the entire series. Ryuko gazed sadly at the screen, eyes focused upon the patchwork of thumbnails as she murmured a quiet message out to spirits past.

“Bye, Daddy. I’m…I’m glad you forgot to erase this. We got to see you again…got to see Senkets again, too…thanks to your forgetfulness…”

“I am glad for this as well. It was nice to see them again, even if circumstances could not possibly be more-“

“-Awkward? Oh yeah, ain’t that the truth? Still…it goes a long way towards answering a whole lotta questions I’ve had for years about all this crap. I don’t know about you, but…I feel like I can maybe rest easier, knowing all this stuff?”

“Mmm, quite true. Here, let’s start preparing for bed. I know it is still early by your standards, but we do have a big day tomorrow. It’s your first day at the new job, and I certainly don’t want you to be late for that!”

“I’ll do that. You know why?”

“Why is that, Ryuko-chan?”

“Because I love you…and love is the reason we do anything at all.”

-

Satsuki found herself to be still blushing at that silly remark, even as they embarked upon their quiet journey to the bedroom. She never once thought that romantic thoughts could effectively pierce her thick hide, yet there she was, weakening at the knees at the very idea. She nodded towards the bedroom, eyes glimmering with excitement.

“Come, I have a great surprise for you!”

“Umm…I thought you said to get an early night’s rest?”

“I did, and we will. Get your mind out of the gutter, please! I just need to show you a feature of this house’s integrated technology. It’s important."

Ryuko cocked her head, enthusiastically taking the bait as she followed her sibling down the hall. Satsuki drew forth a small black box as she excitedly motioned towards the bed.

“Please, Ryuko. Have a seat there, then close your eyes.”

“Uhh…okay? What exactly are you planning here, huh?”

“Just relax. Are your eyes closed?”

“*sigh* Yesss...hurry it up, already! I hate suspense.”

“Hmm. Yet you revel in creating it, don’t you? Ah, well. Just one moment, dear. Let’s see here, now how do I…oh, yes!”

Satsuki hummed to herself as she rapidly tapped the instrument in her palm, grinning wildly as she did so. “Ah, excellent. Now I know I told you that this house originally served as a testbed for Isshin Aerospace’s cutting edge materials, yes? Matoi Ryuko, I wanted to be the first one to introduce you to just how your existence is making the future a more amazing place! When I tell you to open your eyes, please do so. Just please…do not panic, all right?”

Ryuko stiffened up, suddenly nervous at this odd request. “What the fuck are you planning? This better not be a joke, Kiryuin! I will kick your ass if I have to take another shower because you mucked up my hair with some weird-“

“No, I would do no such thing in the bedroom! Please trust me, all right? I will not fail your faith in me, I promise.”

“Okay, I believe you. I trust you. Go ahead. Do…um, well…whatever it is you’re planning…I ain’t scared.”

“Oh, it’s already done. Open your eyes and remember…do not panic.”

Ryuko cautiously opened her eyelids, slamming them closed again once she realized just how bright the room had become. Was that the full moon she glimpsed, just now? Impossible. She tried again, and a long slow gasp rewarded Kiryuin Satsuki’s ears as Ryuko tried to comprehend the sight which now overwhelmed her vision.

The walls, ceiling and floor were all gone. The bed she was on was just floating above the hillside, anchored to…well, nothing. Her eyes frantically scanned the surrounding area, trying to make sense of such insanity. Ryuko whirled around to look at her sister, who now was also floating in midair as well.

“Wh-what the hell is this? Is this a secret drug test or something? Am I tripping out? Am I totally losing my f-fucking mind here, sis?”

“Far too late for that, dear! No, nothing of the sort. This is merely an approximation of where we are currently located physically, sans the construction of the entire house!”

“Huh? Ya mean, this ain’t real? Wh-what am I seeing here, exactly?”

“Look around. It’s beautiful out tonight, isn’t it? Look up there, the Kase Boshi, also known as the constellation of Orion. Is it not truly spectacular?”

“Satsuki…how the hell is this happening?”

“It’s an advanced form of fiber optics--life-fiber optics, if you will--combined with the very latest in visual scanners, sensors and computational algorithms. This house is positively saturated with them…here, we can turn night into day, make the visible become invisible, alter visual perceptions to our will! Let’s just say that Inumuta’s cloaking technology has benefitted from an immense upgrade, thanks in no small part to your efforts! Everything you see here was made possible by your physical sacrifices to our research department, Ryuko-chan!”

Ryuko was lost in a galaxy of sheer wonderment. She could only stare at the twinkling night sky as she tried to believe that such a thing was even possible. The full moon, the shimmering stars, the silhouette of the undulating countryside…it looked so very real! The sight was flawless; she could find no evidence of distortion or seams whatsoever in the representation of this fiber-woven augmented reality. The only disconnect that served to disturb the illusion was the air around them: it wasn’t cold or breezy at all, like the view would have suggested. Just still air and madly circulating thoughts, this was all that swirled around her.

“Wow. Just…all of the wows! This is simply amazing! Hey, this stuff…is it out on the market yet?”

“No, not for a while.”

“Huh. How come?”

“Access to the proper materials, patent filing, international rights must be properly secured, things of that nature. These are the harsh realities of the business and manufacturing worlds. It will happen sooner than you think, though! Here, let’s look at the other possibilities.”

The serene vista suddenly transformed, and a ripple was cast across this moonlit dream as a television news broadcast was seamlessly woven into Ryuko’s field of vision instead. A news anchor’s face filled the entire sky as he rapidly fired off the latest news regarding the Japanese financial markets.

“Holy SHIT. That is freakin’ UNREAL! HA-HA-HAA!” Ryuko blurted out as she observed the stock ticker scrolling rapidly across the edge of the horizon. Never even once did she envision stocks to be so mind-numbingly exciting! That, she noted to herself with a shy giggle, was more likely to be in Satsuki’s IMAX version of a wet dream fantasy.

“I’m sorry, Ryuko. I’ve been pitching our company wares to investors for the past few weeks. I’m starting to sound like a silly infomercial! I meant to present this in a more controlled, yet personalized fashion, I assure you. But I really wanted to surprise you, and I knew you were going to need some cheering up after viewing those videos of Father’s…I hope you don’t mind. Oh, and I had perhaps envisioned the very real fear of you accidentally triggering this feature while trying to find the bathroom in the middle of the night, half asleep. You can just imagine the sort of chaos that might have triggered, I would assume?”

“Are you kidding? I’m too busy imagining how frickin’ awesome my video games are gonna look on the walls! This is just…mind blowing! This is light years ahead of any dumb virtual reality headset! Oh man, I had no idea that I could cause this to happen, just by giving up some measly little life fiber samples or whatever. I just thought they were just gonna name some fancy rocket after me or somethin’…ya know, one made of ‘Matoi Metals’ or whatever the hell they’re working on inventing over there?” 

Satsuki firmly placed one hand over her groaning face, shaking it slowly as she considered her sister’s woefully uninformed observations. “You didn’t pay attention to any of the company briefings, did you?”

“N-naw, I guess not. Maybe if Geek Boy would make them more interesting I would follow ‘em better? But no, once I found out that the term ‘Modulus’ wasn’t referring to the guitar company, I kinda…zoned out. Sorry, sis…”

 “Ah. Well, no matter. You would be quite surprised to discover the amazing diversity of products that were borne from our ongoing synthetics research. It wouldn’t be possible without your contributions! We are already turning a tidy profit from some of our more mundane product offerings: this is how we can afford to pay you the licensing fees, after all.”

“Mmm, yeah, I guess. I’m just gonna end up giving most of it to you, anyways. Fuckin’ money, man. It brings a lot of grief and stress along with it, in my opinion. I just hope we can put it to good use with the foundation, ya know?”

“Indeed we shall, my dear love. Here, let’s get things back to normal so we can actually sleep tonight.”

With a few swipes, Satsuki returned the room to a blissfully normal state. They then set out to prepare for their slumber, excited banter flowing from the giddy Matoi as they did.

“Oi, I just had a thought.”

“Why, congratulations! I was wondering when that might finally happen…”

“Quiet, Admiral SuperBitch. No, seriously…think about it. Ragyo was like the biggest cunt in the universe, right? That, and we now know that Dad was a pretty big jackass himself, all things considered. You always say I’m all nice and sweet and stuff, and I say that you are really this big ol’ softy deep down inside…if those things are true, then where did we get those kind of attributes from, huh? It wasn’t them, that’s fer sure!”

“I cannot say. Perhaps I’m not a ‘softy’, after all?”

“Okay, fine. If that’s true, then I guess that proves it, once and for all.”

“Proves…what, exactly?”

“Well, I hate to break it to ya, Sats, but…yer adopted.”

“Why, you little…you cheeky brat! How dare you question my lineage or-“

“Ha! Either that, or you have to admit it! Come on…say it! You’re really a big ol’ what, Satsuki? Huh? Eh?”

“I owe you nothing. Go to sleep before I put you to sleep, you little irritant.”

“Eh heh heh, all right. I’ll getcha though. Yer gonna admit to me that Lady Kiryuin Satsuki is a big, squishy softy at heart. I’ll hear you admitting it to me, one way or the other…”

“Hmph. Don’t hold your breath.”

“Aw, come on. I’m sorry. Don’t get all grumpy, Sats. Here, let me come over there and snuggle with you.”

“No, none of that tonight…you’ll try to turn it into a horny game of Twister…tongue twister. You always do.”

“Aw come on, Captain Pillow Chest! I need to get some good rest. Don’t deny me that now, of all times? I need to do my very breast-I MEAN- b-best, tomorrow at work…right?”

“Hmm. Yes, I can somehow sense your true intentions. Get some sleep, Ryuko.”

“*sigh* Dammit! Ugh! Fine, I’m goin’ to sleep, Miss Bossy Pants. *hmph*”

“That’s right. Don’t forget that important fact at the foundation tomorrow. I am your superior, and you will treat me as such in front of the others.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll behave. We’ll just see about that though, come lunch time.”

“I don’t take lunches at work, imouto-chan.”

“Aw! Come on! I was gonna eat out with you-“

“Oh, no you don’t. Not in my office.”

“Rrrr…all right, fine. Hey, do I get an office?”

“Well…not anymore, you don’t.”

“Aw, come on! Then in that case, who do I go to for filing a human resources complaint, hah?”

“Me. I am the H.R. department.”

“O-oh. Well, then. I guess I’ll go and shut up now.”

“Mmm. See that you do, or I’ll pile heaps of unfair…shall we say, harassment down upon you.”

“Hey! You just got done sayin’ that we ain’t-“

“We’re not going to…tonight. Tomorrow is a different day. Don’t forget that you also sleep with your boss. Try to keep on her good side, hmm?”

“-ulp!- I’m…uh, shutting up now, ‘Boss’.”

“That’s ‘Lady Satsuki’ to you, Front Reception Desk Committee Chair Matoi ‘No-Star’ Ryuko.”

“Holy hell, tomorrow’s gonna be a really weird day…”

“It always is around you, Ryuko. It always is…”

-

They drifted off to sleep, each having their own dreams to accomplish. Ryuko, however, didn’t stay in that realm for long. Something was gnawing at the edges of her consciousness. An unsettling, nagging feeling that eventually prompted her to gently awaken the slumbering Kiryuin next to her.

“Mmm…nnn…what…what is it, Ryuko? Are you *yawn* all right?”

“Um, yeah. Well…no. Not really. Look, somethin’ is buggin’ me, big time. Sats, do you remember the thing Dad said in that one video, that hybridization might lead to the death of the host? Do ya think that’s something I need to be concerned about?”

Satsuki froze for one brief moment before her situational awareness alarm seized control and quickly allowed her to provide a smooth front of casual dismissal. She stroked the young hybrid’s head while whispering carefully crafted platitudes of comfort into her ear.

“Good heavens, no. Don’t you worry about such things, okay? I’m sure that any such issues would have surely cropped up by now, and even if they did, we would figure out a solution. Have we not been able to decisively triumph over every single challenge that has ever crossed our mutual paths? Hmm?”

“Yeah, I guess so…”

 “Well then, there it is. Look, I’ll have Inumuta go over the research in detail, okay? If anything is flagged, and I’m sure that something like that would have already been brought to our attention by now, but nonetheless…we will handle it as it occurs, all right? But for now, please do not allow yourself to be worried about the phantoms of theoretical possibilities. You are doing just fine, and will continue to do so. Your meditation is working wonders for controlling your temper, and even your archery skills are improving day by day! Don’t you agree?”

“Um…yeah. I guess I do. Thanks, Sats. ‘M sorry I woke you. I’m jus’ bein’ all silly and stuff, as usual…”

“It’s quite all right. Now relax. Everything will turn out fine, Ryuko. I promise.”

“…yeah. G’night, nee-san. Love ya…”

“I love you, too.”

Ryuko quickly drifted off to a much-needed slumber adventure, where surreal dreams of secret cotton-candy laboratory looms created edible kamuis for her to don while bizarre whiskey-rocket artillery fireworks exploded over her head.

Satsuki eventually slipped into unconsciousness as well, but only after wrestling with a myriad of guilt-laden thoughts and self-accusations of treachery and deceit. She would do whatever it took to secure a safe future for her dear heart, no matter the cost to her own soul.

Little did she know that she would soon need to marshal all of her impressive faculties to guide their fates when they inevitably entered a state of chaotic peril, as was wont to happen around anyone of Kiryuin blood.

-