"And to think you were my little sister, once." Satsuki says glaring at her sister.

Ryuko scoffs. "You're playing that card? Don't make me puke."

"A simple glance at you makes me want to do that very thing, Ryuko." Thomas says crouching down ready to fight.

"I'm letting you know I won't hold back. I'll crush anyone who becomes a slave to the life fibers. Even you! Let's begin, Senketsu." Satsuki transforms in Senketsu as Ryuko watches her Thomas smirks noting her distraction raises a hand and shrugs punching her in the face sending her back as he rolls his eyes while Jack and Tomoko take steps back while Thomas steps next to Satsuki. "Life Fiber Synchronize! Kamui Senketsu!"

"You synched rather well. But don't be happy you can do it as well."

"We can't just stand here and watch! Let's get in there and fight!" Gamagori shouts.

"That's the best idea I've heard yet." Sanageyama grins.

Hallelujah! "Hold up a second!"

"We're a little busy slacker-doodle." Jakuzure shouts.

"I have a super important message for you guys from Lady Satsuki, well two actually."

"Here I come, Satsuki!" Ryuko shouts. She dashes forward at Satsuki as Thomas gets in the way and blocks her attacks with ease.

"Get out of my way, Thomas you're not my concern."

"I may not be your concern, but fuck your concerns!" She slams her scissor blade down, causing him to be launched back a bit.

Ryuko then attacks Satsuki but is blocked by the two halves of Bakuzan. "Still got Bakuzan? Heh. Mommy breaks your toy, so you cling to it like a little kid."

"It is my resolve. It is my vengeance! Even if it's been smashed to pieces, as long as one sliver remains, it can be remade. The Elite Four and your former allies kept it safe, knowing I'd return to claim it, for it is the symbol of Honnouji Academy's purpose, and with it, we shall prevail!"

Ryuko scoffs. "Yeah, right! You do that!" She parries Satsuki's counterattack and kicks her away into the rubble of the crash site as Thomas jumps in and battles with Ryuko, the duo parrying and blocking each other's attacks. "You can't handle Junketsu, and you sure as hell can't get any power from knockoffs and stolen property. You're all talk and no action."

"No action? Fine then. Let's go! Synchronize! Kamui BloodLust!" He pulls the top button from his vest when the entire outfit is doused in red, a bright light shines from it, turning the once dark outfit to white. Thomas then draws from the Uniform his Kukri knife and blocks Ryuko easily afterward.

"If that is what you think, then you underestimate us both. I shall correct that. Senketsu Senjin!" Satsuki roars. She dashes forward as Ryuko barely misses and she lands on the ship before jumping. "Senketsu Shippu!" She blasts forward, hitting at Ryuko knocking her off balance when Thomas trips her and attempts an attack when she rolls away.

"You and your cheap shots."

"We're just getting started. Senjin Shippu!" She merges the pair of attacks as Ryuko is forced to block the attack after kicking Thomas away. He stands seeing Ryuko mouthing off to Satsuki.

"If it's pathetic then what do you call mine and AJ's transformations? We're covered head to toe and yet we're not food for them all the time."

"A coward who hides behind magic."

"Cute, you're a coward hiding behind aliens." Thomas mocks. Thomas smirks as he un-transforms, Ryuko raises an eyebrow at him, smirking as she runs at him attempting to hit him when she's suddenly blasted back by twisted metal hitting her in the stomach.

"Who dares?" Ryuko shouts.

Jack grins standing alone before her. "The best killer in the world."

"Oh, a killer, huh? Then I'll make you pay for those humans who could've been taken by the life fibers but won't ever get the chance."

Jack chuckles. "As if."

Ryuko runs at him attempting to strike him as she immediately sets him on the back foot using the metal as barriers and grabs her wrist before she can make contact. On several occasions, he's forced to use the metal to keep himself from falling off the ship nearly cornering himself leaving craters on the ship's hull.

"Damn it. Why can't I get you!"

Jack rolls his eyes. "Simple, you're not a killer like me. You'll never understand the mindset of a bloodthirsty murderer like myself. You can't even predict whether I'll kill you or not."

"You think your little knives are gonna stop me?" She bats him away as he draws a blade and causes the smoke to clear revealing big guns.

"You have a point. He lured you into firing range, though." Inumuta snarks.

The guns fire on her as Tomoko looks up after pressing the button. "Pop, goes the weasel!" The blast rocks all the way to the other side of the ship as everyone but Jack and Thomas look on in awe while Satsuki is clearly still in pain

"That was dumb, too. Cannons can't do shit to Junketsu."

"You're right, but they got you closer to us!" Gamagori shouts.

"What the?!"

CR4ZY uses his elemental powers to make the water surrounding the ship turn into chains wrapping around Ryuko's hands and legs as Gamagōri places the ERS to her chest. "Say goodbye to Junketsu, because it's coming off!"

"Damn you three! You set me up!"

Satsuki nods. "Indeed we have! In your current state, Senketsu and I cannot defeat you and without AJ this is the only way to spare your life."

"I can't believe you three used yourselves as bait to get me."

Satsuki glares. "I'll do anything to win, you know that. It is my modus operandi, you idiot!"

"And now, I'll pull you out of Junketsu. And make you come to your senses!" The machine jams as CR4ZY's eyes widen and he pushes Gamagōri out of the way when his head is cut clean off.

"CR4ZY!" Jack shouts for his friend.

An explosion goes off, revealing Nui Harime standing there with Ryuko. She goes on to explain how ripping off Junketsu will kill Ryuko making Thomas smirk and everyone else put in shock.

"Oh man, they look shookith." Thomas mutters.

She dashes forward overpowering the Elite Four as Jack fights Nui by himself and Thomas watches passively when Ryuko cuts Senketsu off of Satsuki's body.

"Now you're dead!"

"Nooooooooooooooo!" Hallelujah! "I totally know why you're mad, Ryuko! I do! I mean think about it- if you can't change out of your clothes, you can't jump in the bath and get washed up and if you have a date and you wanted to wear something nice, you couldn't! I know it sucks, but that doesn't mean it's okay to flip out like this!"

Ryuko glares at her friend. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Run, Mankanshoku! She's not the same Matoi you used to know." Gamagori orders.

"No! You're the same old Ryuko you've always been! Even if you got life fibers wrigglin' inside you and even if you're super mad you're not human, that doesn't change a thing. You're still Ryuko! Same as always! You still got Senketsu, he's still your Sunday best! And your still Ryuko damn it!"

"My gosh what a pest." Nui attempts to attack Mako when not only is Mako pushed out of the way by Senketsu, but Nui suddenly begins floating into the air. "Huh?" Nui glances around as four glyphs hold her arms and legs lifting her into the air.

"Price check on a jackass!" Everyone looks up to see a zeppelin flying in the air with the word mothership written all over it.

Thomas scoffs. "Well, it's been over a month, jackass."

"I heard that dickwad! So does anyone care to explain why red is wearing Junketsu and is Ragyo's little bitch right now?"

"Maybe you'd know if you were here?" Thomas shouts.

"But where's the fun in that? Besides, Phoenix needed my help, we had a code blue."

"When the fuck was this?" Thomas shouts.

"About a month ago, like the day after the explosion."

"So, what took you so long?"

"You're about to find out." The bottom of the zeppelin opens revealing a boy with brown hair, electricity bouncing off of him as his eyes flash blue before showing a red color for his pupils.

"Is that?"

Mikisugi grins. "Well, I'll be."

Ryuko glares. "AJ."

AJ stands at the opening smirking as he steps off the ship falling towards the Naked Sol, the electricity radiating off his body causing some of the metal lightning rods to get zapped. "Bring me, Ryuko!"

"I'm right here!"

"Not you faker! Bring me the Ryuko I know, my friend and the badass who promised to kill Ragyo!" He avoids a slash from Ryuko and twists it into punch mid-air sending her flying. "I only came back now, to kill Nui and Ragyo. You turning and me fighting you, is only a small deviation." He avoids a second slash and grabs an opening in her chest armor ripping it open as he sticks his own hand inside and suddenly vanishes to the rest. He opens his eyes, seeing himself surrounded by life fibers. He walks forward towards a church ringing its bells as he raises his foot and kicks the door open.

"I've come for my Ryuko!"

"If you try to ruin my happiness, I'll straight up kill you!"

AJ scoffs. "Happiness? Do you think being a slave under the control of a basic bitch is happiness? Take a look around you, red. White? That's not you. The Ryuko I know doesn't care about beauty or pageantry, the Ryuko I know and promised to protect is you, but not this."

Ryuko glares. "Shut your mouth!" She attempts to hit him away as he grabs her arm and twists making her drop the blade

"Get ahold of yourself." His tone softens

"Shut up!" She's panicking, his softer tone throwing her off from the usual shouting match.

"You're a fool." AJ says stepping even closer. Producing a knife he makes a large gash over the left side of his chest "Try to kill me with your hands, not a blade." AJ places a hand atop her head, bloodied and warm. "If living a lie is what you want then kill me and make it so." She moves her hand swiftly piercing through AJ's right shoulder blade when his eyes go black and he's launched out of her body and she stands breathing heavily as AJ lands on the ground smirking.

"Looks like they didn't get her after all." Nui gloats. "Oh, Ryuko? I have a great idea! Let's sink this tugboat!" She's suddenly sent flying into a pillar of the boat and turns, seeing Ryuko's scissor blade impaled in her.

"What the? "

AJ bursts with laughter. "I'm a mad genius!"

"I'm sick and tired of your yapping!"

Nui"s eye's widen. "No way..."

"How dare you bastards make me wear this?!"

AJ sighs. "Nice having you back, Red."

"AJ!" Ryuko, freed, attempts to rip off Junketsu as everyone warns her not to and she does so anyway. When she finally gets Junketsu off, blood starts raining down covering everybody.

"That's my girl." AJ chuckles head falls back as all the electricity bouncing off him ceases.

"Ryuko!" Mako shouts leaping against her friend.
"Are you all right?!" Senketsu asks in Mako's arms.

"Are you kidding that freaking hurt!"

AJ groans his eyes closed. "No more loud noises."

"AJ!" Thomas roars.

"Ah fuck..." He's blasted back slamming into Nui and Thomas when Ryuko synchronizes with Senketsu. "Dammit. Let me sleep." He looks up seeing Ryuko staring the group down as he stands yawning as Thomas rolls away before standing as AJ walks forward.

"Harime!"

Nui begins laughing. AJ stops walking looking back at Nui as she stands happy carrying both scissor blades before he glances to the side seeing the body of CR4ZY headless.

"I'm normally calmer than I am right now... but... my father just died... and one of my... yeah I'll say friend, friends died... so... I'm in a really bad mood. Hey, red."

Ryuko pauses for a second. "What?"

"We're killing her together." AJ says.

Ryuko shrugs. "Fine by me, but I want the killing blow."

"Now this won't do. I tailored Junketsu just for you, you know. I can't let you wear such a horrid thing. Nope, nope, nope." She attempts to use the scissor blade to slash at Ryuko who blocks it by lifting a hand and AJ smirks seeing the zeppelin still in the air.

Thomas glances over. "Why is it still flying if AJ's not piloting it?"

"Three... two... and one."

A person pops their head out of the zeppelin that's slowly descending. A female with blonde hair and green eyes wearing short shorts with a white top and a red jacket she smiles directly at AJ before looking at Nui and being disgusted.

"Ew. Hey, Ian, check it out, I think this is that Nui bitch."

Ian walks forward a sword dangling from his waist as he rolls his eyes at the sight of her. "That's Nui Harime? She looks like a joke. Come on Crystia we already helped AJ out. AJ!"

"Yo!"

"I'm going to crash this thing and you can't stop me!"

"That's the point!"

"Cool! Bye!"

Crystia grins. "Well this was a fun reference."

Ian scoffs grabbing the controls starts to angle the vehicle for a crash landing. "Spoilers."

Crystia grins. "I knew you'd learn eventually."

"AJ, the fuck was that?" Thomas asks.

"Ian and Crystia."

"I know that, but why?"

"Who do you think helped me get here? They were missing all month, so... I went It found them, and asked if they could help me with this. They've got an event with Aiden soon, and then after that we'll begin training for him."

Thomas raises his hands for a second. "I-I'm not even going to ask at this point."

They turn back to the fight as Ryuko is manhandling Nui on her own AJ walks forward as he brushes hair out of his face his eyes glow for a moment before electricity bounces from his body again.

AJ: Let's roll!

"I don't know what it's called, but Mako, Senketsu and AJ are more than friends!"

Mako smiles. "Really? Me too?"

"Yeah, you too! You're like the most persistent chick I've ever met! You and AJ both didn't care if I pushed you away! You kept coming back again and again like a yo-yo."

AJ finally reaches the fight as he grabs Nui's hand, it being locked in a blade lock with Ryuko, and twists it forcing her to her side before kicking her in the stomach sending her flying.

"You dumb sluts want to give up the planet to life fibers. You want to make it so everyone is the exact same. Cut from the same cloth. Take a guess. You think I'd let it happen?"

"Um... yes."

AJ scoffs. "No. I won't. And for your response, how'd you like to be buried, cremated or charcoal?"

Nui attempts to dive at AJ surrounding him on both sides with scissor blades when he grabs her hands before pulling her in closer before kneeing her in the stomach doing the same to her jaw and following with a kick to her jaw sending her back and separating her from the scissor blades. She follows by attempting to mind-stitch everyone to which Ryuko cuts them to pieces when Nui gets behind her attempting to stab her neck when Ryuko appears behind her as AJ appears in front of her a single finger placed to her forehead.

"Its over."

Ryuko then moves her arms around faster than AJ is able to track before Nui's arms come clean off.

"My arms! Oh, my god! Oh, my god! Oh, my god! (X4) My arms! Do you have any idea how valuable my arms are?! I'm the grand couturier!"

AJ rolls his eyes. "That's why she chopped them off, dumbass."

"I'm kidding. If you chop them off, they'll just pop right back on again."

Ryuko steps on one of the arms as AJ lifts the other before crushing it in his hand and sending electricity all through it.

"Oops." The pair mock.

AJ takes a deep breath placing a finger to her chest where her heart should be located. "Give up, it's over."

"This isn't happening- not to me! Now I'm really angry. Like really super-angry! I hate you!(x9) I hate you all!" Suddenly multiple jacked up covers appear in front of the pair as a helicopter appears and the purple haired woman retrieves Nui.

"Shes getting away!" Satsuki shouts,

Tomoko grins. "Pop!" The cannons fire at the helicopter when more and more covers appear..

"Its a shame. They made a mistake rushing off like that." AJ says walking away from the covers.

"You're right. This is a golden opportunity." Mikisugi grins. Suddenly they come out with multiple ERS devices and rescue many humans. AJ watches as the elite four save everyone from the covers sent to them.

"Its nice to be back."

"AJ!" Tomoko slams into him the pair rolling in the deck of the ship as she hugs him while laying on top of him.

AJ smiles softly "Hey, Tomoko."

"Don't ever scare us like that again!"

"Okay, okay. Geez, now I feel bad..."

Tomoko pouts being separated by Thomas. "You should."

AJ holding onto his head. He looks around, seeing the battle having been won as Junketsu is locked away.

"Shouldn't you terminate that thing?" Tsumugu asks.

"No, It may still be useful. Besides... The war isn't over yet." AJ says standing up.

"Oh, you're gonna put that thing on again, huh? You think you can control it?" Ryuko questions.

Satsuki nods. "Yes, as a matter of fact I do."

"Yeah, good luck with that. You couldn't even sync with Senketsu."

"Yes, but that's not the point. The point is we need as many allies as possible to fight Ragyo and if that means Satsuki has to wear Junketsu then that's fine by me."

"Stop razzin her Ryuko, don't forget she risked her life to save you from Junketsu."

"So what if she did? You think I'm just gonna forget all about the attitude she's given me?"

"Oh, yes, let's not forget your temper." AJ scoffs.

"And what about you?"

"That's true, what were you doing over the last month?" Thomas asks.

"Well, the day after the fight at Honnouji, Ian took me with them to Kuoh, Thomas, Jack, you guys remember that guy that we fought in New York?"

"Joel?"

"Yeah, him. His brother showed up, beat up Aiden, Crystia and Me. Ian killed him and I asked if they could leave me in San Diego I spent the entirety of the remaining month practicing that ability. I still haven't named it yet. Got a call from Lily that Star boy went missing during a big summit, so then I went around the world found Ian in Russia explained to him what happened while he was missing as well, and then he and I stole a zeppelin vandalized it, and he should be crashing it into the school's harbor any minute now, then he'll head to Einz's place to further his training for the fight with NZO."

"Okay, just compartmentalizing the insanity of all what you said, and focusing on that last bit, when you had electricity flowing off of you, yeah?"

AJ takes a moment. "Da."

"Oh, oh, we can call it the Odin Force!" Mako shouts.

AJ shakes his head. "No that sounds dumb."

"Electric force?" Jack shrugs.

AJ shrugs a bit squimmish. "No..."

"Speed Force?" Ryuko asks.

"So dark, are you sure you're not from the DC universe?"

AJ scoffs her answer off. "No." The group sit thinking for a few minutes as Ryuko raises an eyebrow at Tomoko's face stuffed against AJ's chest.

"Ragnarok?" He says.

"Sure. Now, what do you want Ryuko?" Satsuki moves them along in the conversation.

"Let me belt you one." Ryuko answers.

AJ sighs. "Ryuko..."

"If I punch you with everything I got and can't knock you down, I'll know you got what it takes to fight alongside me."

AJ rolls his eyes crouching down. "Maybe I should do the same to you."

Thomas crosses his arms. "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard."

"All she's wearing is a coat, and you're in full-on sync mode. One hit from you and she's dead." Mikisugi says.

"You're forgetting something. She's the "great" Satsuki Kiryuin."

Satsuki stares forward. "Very well, do it. We face Ragyo Kiryuin, and if I fall to you, then I have no chance of beating her. Go on. Hit me. I shall withstand it."

"Keep telling yourself that. We'll find out in a sec. Get ready."

AJ stands to the side head in his palm as Tomoko glances over and Thomas rolls his eyes at the events while Jack walks away from the group. Ryuko leaps forward fist drawn back as AJ raises an eyebrow when he see's Gamagōri suddenly thrown in the way of Satsuki surprising most of the group when he goes flying.

"Gamagōri!" Satsuki shouts his name.

"This is between me and her!" She then tries again this time Uzu Sanageyama gets in the way before being launched. "Oh my god. What's wrong with you people?!"

"Is that the best you can do, Matoi?" AJ asks.

"What?!"

AJ steps forward. 'Did you seriously put everything into that punch? Cause it didn't look like it!"

"Yeah, course I did!"

"It didn't feel like it!" Gamagori shouts.

"I did!"

Gamagori now has his turn to scoff. "If you did, then why are we still alive?"

"He's right! If you really hit us full-force you should've killed us!"

"I pulled my punches cause you two got in the way."

AJ steps forward. "That's not an excuse, Ryuko. If you had gotten in the way of me killing Ragyo a month ago I would've shot clean through you to kill her."

"It's a lack of commitment that proves you are not worthy to punch Lady Satsuki."

"Screw you! I'm committed!"

Thomas now speaks up. "Doesn't look like it from where I'm standing."

Sanageyama stands before as Tatsuki. "Lady Satsuki's got standards. And we don't let half-assed punches touch her!"

"Step aside. I have this."

"You want to punch her face. Punch ours first."

"That's fine. I want to take a shot. No Kamui, no electric powers, just a simple punch." AJ steps forward, the others all move out of his way.

Satsuki places her hands in her pockets. "Fire away."

AJ nods with a small smile. "Okay." He reels his fist back a simple glance at Ryuko and Tomoko as he swings the elite four with quizzical looks after they see him his fist stops directly in front of her as he extends a finger and pokes her nose. "Bloop." He smiles at her as Satsuki at first is surprised before she gains a genuine smile and relaxes towards AJ. She then raises her own arm and pokes his nose.

"Boop." The pair smile at each other keeping their fingers at each other's noses.

"You never forgot." He states, almost asking her why she never forgot.

"Neither did you."

"God you're all freaking nuts..." Ryuko drags on the end of her sentence as the others all stand to the side,  she has a silent and sudden moment of realization as AJ and Satsuki smirk at her. "You got bat-shit crazy people protecting you, just like I do."

Mako gasps at Ryuko recognizing her efforts and friendship.

"It seems that way, doesn't it?" Satsuki smiles. "I had to defeat Ragyo, and I thought the only way I could was if I used others as my pawns. So naturally I thought I could You and the others in the same manner. Since the day you appeared wearing Senketsu working with AJ, Thomas and Ruthless Jack Ripcord, my goal has been to train you as an asset as well as test if AJ and Thomas had improved since I last saw them, and turn you all against Ragyo and her allies. I told you all that I killed Isshin Matoi because I wanted to gauge your and Senketsu's power. If you could hold onto your free will without being swallowed up by your Kamui, you could prove useful when it came time for the coup. And I thought if I kept the truth from you, I could control you better as a weapon against Ragyo."

AJ smirks as he flicks her nose she grabs it before he dodges a charging Tomoko as she lands face first next to him.

"Aww... why'd you dodge?"

"Because it's normal to dodge people who suddenly come flying at you."

Ryuko smiles remembering her first few interactions with Mako . "Thanks bitch."

"Treating you like a fool was a mistake. In the end, I was using the same methods as Ragyo. I should've known I could never win that way. If anyone here is a fool, it's me. I understand now. People are not cut from the same cloth. And no matter how odd they may seem, their differences make this world beautiful. Our world is worth protecting, and I'd be honored to share the task with you all." She then bows towards Ryuko, AJ and the others as Jack begins walking back.

"Geez, even your apologies are turned up to eleven. I don't feel like hitting you anymore."

Jack sighs. "I wish I felt the same." AJ hums following Jack. "He didn't deserve this..."

Everyone looks towards Jack to see him carrying the headless corpse of CR4ZY.

"O-Oh my..." Ryuko recoils at the consequences of her actions. AJ however remains silent looking at CR4ZY's head lifeless, and colorless.

"Come on, we should destroy the body... he's made from the same stuff Nui was. It'd be better we destroy it than let Ragyo get her hands on it."

Satsuki nods. "Yes..."

AJ steps forward. "Fine."

"Well, now that you've made up, let's sit down and have some dinner."

Mako gasps at the smell. "Mom's famous croquettes!"

"Yup, And they're filled to the gills with all kinds of chopped up mysterious things. Don't just stand there! Dig in!"

Everyone glances at each other before grabbing a plate and digging into the food.

"When it comes to mystery foods, no one fries them up better than my mom! Try it, Lady Satsuki!"

Satsuki takes a bite. "Mm... this is..."

"Super-Yummy, right?"

Satsuki smiles faintly. "Yes, very."

Everyone eats together as AJ watches them from above eating by himself when he spots a lone person eating alone. He walks towards the individual seeing some memorable black hair.

"So, enjoy being alone or may I join, red?" Ryuko turns, seeing AJ standing there with his own plate of croquettes as he walks forward not waiting for an answer. "It's nice seeing you again red."

"You too, blue."

AJ chuckles. "That's a new name."

"Yeah, just thought of it right now."

AJ smiles as he offers her some of his plate to which she accepts and starts eating. "You know. This past month...I kept thinking to myself "What's going on in Honnouji." More accurately, about you, Tomoko, and Thomas. Being gone for a month while your friends fight for their lives... is... let's just say it's not the best feeling in the world."

"Okay? Why are you telling me this?"

"I want you to promise me that if I'm ever mind controlled by Ragyo, that you'll do what needs to be done to free me. Even if it means killing me."

Ryuko's eye's widen. "What?"

AJ looks to the ocean below. "Ryuko. Please."

Ryuko stops for a moment, a single croquette falling into the waters below. "F-Fine..."

"Besides. I won't make it easy for me to be mind controlled.?

"Okay. Um, real quick? Why'd you join me?"

AJ shrugs. "Just to talk." Ryuko nods choosing not to pry any further. "Pretty soon, there won't be any time to talk. She'll be coming for us... and it won't take long."

Chapter End.