16Copyright, Aviatrix8, 2015. Kill la Kill and all related characters are property of Trigger, and are used without permission.
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The 2-stars commiserate about their losses to the Elite Four, over drinks. (Note that none of the main cast of KLK are in this chapter, though they are referred to.)
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Kill la Kill fanfic:
"Double Diamonds"
by Avi
On the border between the 1-star and 2-star districts of Honno Town, there is a bar called the Double Diamond Club. This is the place where the students of Honnouji Academy who are members of school clubs, and are ranked 1-star or higher, come exclusively to drink. (Granted, the students are underage, but the owners learned long ago that it was better to just let them drink, rather than have some kid in a Goku uniform trash the place, for not being able to.)
There are only two rules at the Double Diamond: no fighting allowed inside the bar, and always pay your tab. The students followed both rules because they liked having a place to drink like anyone else (and being students at Honnouji, you kind of needed one after a while); plus, if you were going to drink, it might as well be some place nice and out in the open. Because of this, the bar was doing quite well for itself…
So the bar generally served as neutral territory for Honnouji Club Captains and Presidents; somewhere where they could lick their wounds after a battle, and nurse a drink. And it was serving that purpose, now…
After the ringing in their ears had stopped, the twin captains of the Cheerleading Club found their weary steps dragging themselves to this very place.
As the hostess greeted them cheerily, the two girls slowly walked into the green Athletic Clubs section of the bar, and flopped onto opposite ends of the curved plush couch that they usually called their own.
"I told you your plan wouldn't work, Mai," muttered Ai.
"Oh, now it's my plan since we got our asses kicked, huh?" snapped Mai. "I told you that the plan hinged on her not being able to transform, didn't I?"
"But you should've planned for that," said Ai grumpily. "Now we lost our best chance to get a 3-star uniform…"
"Hey, I didn't see you contributing any ideas, did I, sis?" Mai retorted.
The twins turned away from each other, and hmphed. Mai turned towards the entrance, just as a familiar face was entering the room.
"Well, lookie what the cat dragged in…" commented Mai, as a student wearing a 2-star necktie limped up towards them. "You look like hell, Arufuru."
"Please don't call me that, Mai." The IT Club president adjusted his cracked glasses. "Besides, you don't look so hot yourself," he retorted.
"Hotter than you, but that wouldn't be hard," she shot back. "What happened? You fall off a building or something?"
"I did, actually… Ten stories down, to be precise." Wincing, he lowered himself onto the end of the couch, beside Mai. "What's your excuse?"
Mai scowled. "We got our faces pounded into a brick wall, all right?" she snapped.
"Oh." He pushed up his glasses again. "I'm guessing your plan to defeat Jakuzure didn't work."
Her expression darkened. "And I'm guessing your brilliant scheme to steal your Club Chair's uniform didn't work either, Arufuru."
"I'm afraid not," he sighed, then frowned. "Mai, how many times have I told you, not to call me by my first name?"
"But Mao is such a pussy name for a boy," Mai pointed out. "And you're enough of a pussy as it is."
Mao glared at her through the monitor-like lenses of his glasses, as a rude remark flickered across them.
"And I saw that."
She heard him mutter "Stupid glasses" under his breath.
"I hate to interrupt your flirting, little sis," said an ironic voice behind Mai, "but I ordered a round of beers for us."
Mai whirled around to face Ai. "I was so not flirting with him!" she snapped.
"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that, Mai-chan," said Ai.
Mai visibly seethed. Meanwhile, Mao merely looked away and pushed up his glasses; he then raised an eyebrow.
"Arrr, methinks we've been boarded," muttered Mao to himself.
Mai gave him an odd look. "What was that?" She followed his gaze, and scowled. "Oh, you mean the cosplay pirate is here…"
Ai's eyes widened, at their words. "Eru-kun?"
She practically skipped towards the rather beat-up looking Fencing Club captain, while Mai rolled her eyes.
"Eru-kun? What have they done to you, darling?" Ai's demeanor had promptly changed, with her voice having gone up two octaves.
Furin swung an arm over her shoulder, and gave her a feeble smile.
"Sorry, Ai-chan. Just a little hard sailing through rough waters, that's all."
"Aw, poor baby! Why don't you sit over by Ai-chan and tell her how your fight went, hmmm?"
Ai led Furin to the other side of the couch, letting him rest his head on her shoulder, while Mai turned her head away and made silent gagging noises.
Meanwhile, Ai was cradling her boyfriend's head in her arms.
"Now Eru," she began sweetly, "tell Ai-chan what she wants to hear… You defeated Sanageyama-sempai, right?"
A guilty look crept across Furin's face.
"I'm really sorry, Ai-chan. I wasn't able to beat him."
Ai's smile froze.
"You… Didn't defeat him?"
"Sorry, Ai. Ai? Ow! You're crushing my neck!" Furin winced, as the grip around his neck tightened.
Mao cast a glance at them, from his side of the couch. "So, Ai still hasn't gotten over her ex-boyfriend dumping her?" he observed quietly.
"Nope," replied Mai, her voice filled with disgust.
"I see." The two watched dispassionately as Ai forced Furin into a not-so affectionate headlock.
"You told me you had the perfect counter to his abilities," began Ai, her tone and expression darkening considerably. "That he would be easy for a swordsman of your calibre to defeat… Right?"
Furin's only reply were gagging noises, at this point… Meanwhile, both Mao and Mai had edged over to their own side of their couch, as far as they could go.
"And I see Ai hasn't lost that temper of hers," murmured Mao. "I haven't seen her like this since preschool, when that boy dropped her favourite doll in the mud…"
"Yeah, no kidding," muttered Mai, under her breath.
Ai might have continued choking Furin until his face turned blue, if another visitor hadn't shown up at their table.
"Yo." A guy with wildly shocking pink hair and wearing a 2-star uniform plopped himself on the couch, right in between Ai and Mai.
"Todoroki?" Caught off guard, Ai released her grip on Furin, while the latter gasped for air.
"In the flesh, baby." Grinning, the Automotive and Airsoft Club president leaned back on the couch and stretched out both arms on the backrest.
"You have some nerve showing up now, you delinquent," said Mao coldly. "We were supposed to co-ordinate our attacks on the Elite Four, so they all happened on the same day!"
"Aw, screw off, four-eyes!" snapped Todoroki. "I was still able to take out Gamagori's car last night, so he wouldn't be able to help out his friends right away, even if he wanted to!"
With a smirk, Todoroki leaned towards Mai, who was pointedly ignoring him.
"Why don't you dump that loser boyfriend of yours, and hook up with a real man, Ai-chan?" he leered.
A dangerous glint crossed Mai's eyes.
"I'm Mai, you asshole!" Enraged, she aimed an uppercut directly at Todoroki's jaw; it hit him so hard, he flew up and over the back of the couch, and out of sight.
"No fighting in the club!" came a distant reprimand from the bar.
"He deserved that," muttered Furin.
"Are you blind, you grease monkey?" retorted Mao, in Todoroki's general direction. "That was Mai you were hitting on… Even the guy with the eyepatch over there, can tell the twins apart!"
"Hey!"
As Todoroki sullenly scrambled over the couch and back into his seat, Ai stood up, her back facing toward the others.
"Sis…?" said Mai, uncertainly.
Ai turned around. The 2-stars were taken aback by the look of silent fury upon her face.
"Are you telling me, not one of you morons were able to defeat any of the Elite Four, or take away their uniforms?" she said quietly, her voice trembling with rage.
The others avoided Ai's gaze.
"Be reasonable, Ai," pointed out Mao. "The Elite Four wear 3-star uniforms, while us club presidents and captains only wear 2-stars–"
"I AM BEING REASONABLE!" Ai yelled in his face.
Mao cringed. It was then that Mai stepped in.
"Lay off Arufuru, sis," she snapped, facing down her twin. "You know he's right. The only reason us 2-stars had any chance of beating them, is because we tried to corner each of the Elite Four, or exploit their weaknesses… And that backfired, badly."
"But it shouldn't have backfired… It was the perfect plan!" There was a slightly crazed edge to Ai's voice now, which caused everyone on the couch to lean back, uneasily.
"We should've defeated each of the Elite Four, and took their uniforms from them… So we'd be the ones wearing the 3-star uniforms, while they would be left with nothing! NOTHING! Then I'd finally get back at that bastard for dumping me in one day! ONE DAY! I mean, who does that? HUH?! Only I do the dumping around here…!"
Ai's aura of burning rage was practically visible, at this point… Meanwhile, the rest of the 2-stars were huddled together in fear on the couch, with similar thoughts running through their minds: Great, Ai's totally lost it. She's going to trash the place, and we'll never be able to come back here again…
"Er, excuse me…" said a small voice behind Ai.
"WHAT?!" Ai whirled around, eyes aflame.
"Um, I have your order here…" The waitress set down the tray of beers on the table, and beat a hasty retreat.
"Oh look, the drinks are here!" Mao pointed out, clearly trying to defuse the situation. "Maybe a cold beer will clear all of our heads, am I right?" He grabbed one of the glass mugs from the tray.
Mai raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you drink, Arufuru?"
"Hello? What part of 'fell off a building today' did you not hear?" retorted Mao. "I think I'm entitled to a drink for that, don't you think?" Hesitantly, he took one sip, then promptly gagged. "Ugh, how do you guys drink this stuff?" he asked, wiping his mouth in disgust.
Mai rolled her eyes. "Here, lemme show you how it's done, you lightweight." She snatched the beer away from him, and quickly downed it in one go.
"You go, girl!" cheered Todoroki.
"Don't encourage her!" hissed Mao. "You know how Mai gets after she'd had a few!"
"That's what I'm hoping for," grinned Todoroki.
Mao narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Meanwhile, Ai had finally managed to calm down, and sat back down on the couch, beside Furin.
"Eru-kun? Won't you comfort Ai-chan in her time of need?" she pleaded, as she snuggled up to the fencing captain.
"What, seriously?" Furin crossed his arms and scowled. "You expect me to comfort you, after all that? Obviously, you were just using me to get back at your old boyfriend, weren't you?"
Ai bit her lip, clearly dismayed.
"I'd be happy to comfort you, Ai-chan!" said Todoroki cheerfully.
Without turning around, Ai backhanded Todoroki over the back of the couch.
Somewhat disoriented this time, Todoroki walked around the couch to return to his seat, only to find a clearly tipsy Mai, toying with Mao's necktie.
"Anyone ever tell you you're cute when you squirm, Arufuru?" cooed Mai.
"I'd rather not squirm at all, thank you," said Mao, looking uncomfortable. "And would you please watch where you put your hands, Mai?"
"Dammit Mao…" muttered Todoroki, as he flopped onto the couch. "Look at Mai, with her hands all over you, yet again! For once, I want a piece of that action!"
Mao looked offended. "Is that why you wanted her to drink?" he snapped, as he slapped Mai's hands away. "Besides, I don't want this! Not when I get the crap beat out of me the next day, for it!"
"Hey, I'll take anything, from a hot chick," grumbled Todroki.
"You sicko!"
"Oh, don't tell me you don't enjoy it…"
"I do not enjoy this!" retorted Mao. "Well, not exactly…" he added nervously, as Mai nuzzled his neck. "Er, certainly not the getting beat up part!"
"At least it's physical contact…"
"Well, I'm not a masochist, like you are!" Desperately, Mao tried to shove Mai away, from nibbling his ear.
Todoroki narrowed his eyes. "Could've fooled me. Why come to the bar anyways, if you don't drink?"
Mao's eyes widened.
"I– Um. Er…"
It was then that Mai took advantage of Mao's distraction, and planted a kiss on his lips. The light from Mao's glasses dimmed slightly, as he seemed to process this information, then brightened again as he returned Mai's kiss with equal fervor.
"Now who's the pervert?" muttered Todoroki, as the the pair began to make out unabashedly beside him. "Geez, this happens every time!"
He stared at the couple sucking face for a moment, then idly pulled out his flip phone, and took a picture.
A hand reached out to grab the phone from Todoroki, and snapped it in half.
"Hey!"
Todoroki turned around, to find an unamused Ai glaring at him.
"That's quite enough of that," she said coldly, as he winced.
Ai stood up, and walked over to the oblivious couple.
"Time to go, Mai," she said cooly, as she grabbed her twin by the back of the collar. "We have to get up early tomorrow, if we want to keep in the running for the Naturals Election. We're going to win it, no matter what!"
Ai dragged a reluctant Mai off Mao, who looked extremely disheveled at this point. As the twins headed out the door of the club, a dazed Mao slowly raised a hand to wave goodbye… And was dismayed to find a pink strapless bra caught on the sleeve button of his uniform.
"Nice souvenir, Mao!" grinned Todoroki.
"It… It was an accident!" stammered Mao, staring at it in horror. "My cufflink must've gotten caught on the hook, that's all!"
"Sure it was… What was your hand doing back there, then?"
Mao flushed a bright red.
Todoroki pointed to the offending piece of clothing. "Well, if you don't want that, then can I have it?"
"Of course not!" Mao snatched the bra off his sleeve, and pocketed it. "I'll… give it back to Mai, tomorrow!"
"Yeah, right. C'mon, be a pal, and share the wealth for once!"
Mao shoved Todoroki away. "No way! God only knows what you'll do with it!"
"Oh, like you're much better!"
"Would you keep it down over there, you two?" snapped Furin, from the far side of the couch. "I'm trying to drink, over here!"
He sipped at his beer and frowned, as the sounds of arguing grew louder. "Geez, those two are going to get us all thrown out of here…" he muttered, then sighed. "What the hell did I sign up for, with this bunch…?"
END
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So ends this story... In this last chapter, I was trying to contrast the 2-stars lack of co-ordination and mutual respect for each other, with that of the Elite Four's; hopefully, I succeeded...
I feel kind of bad that Todoroki ended up as a creepy fifth wheel in this (pardon the mixed metaphor/pun ;P), but oh well... And I'm not quite sure why this turned into a sleazy teen movie at the end, either. *looks shifty*
BTW, I'm planning to write a prequel story to this series, featuring the OCs from these fics. It will revolve specifically around Arufuru Mao, and his relationship with the cheerleader twins, and will show the events leading up to (and after) the Naturals Election, from his perspective. (I'd be writing this mostly for myself, because these OCs won't leave me alone... XP Oh, and the Elite Four might have cameos in it, although very, very brief ones, at that.)