1Copyright, Aviatrix8, 2015. Kill la Kill and all related characters are property of Trigger, and are used without permission.
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Spoilers for the OVA (aka episode 25) up ahead; you have been warned.
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Kill la Kill fanfic:
"Open and Close"
by Avi
"So, how's the fit?" asked Iori.
"Impeccable as always," replied Inumuta, as he finished pulling on the jacket of his graduation uniform.
The two were currently in what used to be the Sewing Club room of Honouji Academy, except now it looked more like an actual sewing room, rather than a mad scientist's laboratory.
The uniform Inumuta now wore was an almost exact copy of his old three-star uniform, except that it was grey, and lacked any stars at all... Which seemed appropriate, since the Life Fibers had been completely destroyed by Ryuko Matoi.
"It seems you've adjusted quite well to sewing just regular clothes, Iori," commented Inumuta.
Iori rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I wouldn't say that, exactly. Could you do up your jacket for me, please?"
Inumuta raised an eyebrow at this, but did what he was told, and zipped up his collar all the way.
"I don't see..." Inumuta began to speak, but stopped when he realized his collar was opening as he spoke, just like his old uniform.
He turned to Iori, eyes wide with shock. "But there aren't any Life Fibers in this jacket, right? How...?"
"I installed a sensor in the collar, right where it touches the back of your neck," explained Iori. "It's sensitive enough to react to the electrical impulses coming from your brain. Then I needed cloth fibers that could expand and contract accordingly; fortunately, I found some nanofibers that would have a similar effect if you ran a slight electrical current through it, and..."
Iori then noticed that Inumuta was still staring at him, and he nervously tugged a strand of blond hair.
"It was just a silly experiment," he murmured. "I just wanted to see if it could be done with regular clothing, that's all."
"Actually, I think it's quite brilliant," said Inumuta. "Only you could come up with something like that, Iori."
Iori looked away. "It's hardly practical though. All that effort, just for clothes."
"I wouldn't say that. I'm sure we could come up with some practical applications for such technology." Inumuta gave Iori an appraising look.
"Have you ever considered becoming an inventor?" asked Inumuta. "Or perhaps, design useful gadgets used for intelligence purposes..."
"What, like Professor Agasa, from Detective Conan? Or like Q, from those James Bond movies?"
"Actually, I was thinking more like Edna Mode, from 'The Incredibles'."
Iori's usual frown deepened. "I'm not that short, am I?"
They looked at each other, and burst out laughing. Then, a thoughtful expression crossed Iori's face.
"Oh, before I forget... I have something else for you, Inumuta." Iori handed him what looked like a gift bag, except that it was plain and brown. "It's something that used to belong to you - Wait, don't open it here!"
"Why not?" Inumuta had already opened the bag, pulling out something very familiar... And black. And skintight.
"My Nudist Beach uniform?" said Inumuta. He raised an eyebrow at Iori, who flushed. "Iori, what were you doing with this old thing?"
"I... Used it as a test subject for my initial experiments; its collar should open and close now, just like your uniform's." Iori avoided Inumuta's eyes. "Sorry, it was the only outfit of yours I could find that had the exact specifications I needed."
At this, Inumuta looked skeptical, but after seeing Iori's reddened face, decided not to press the point.
"I do appreciate the effort, Iori, but it's not like I'll be needing this outfit anymore." Inumuta then noticed Iori's brow furrow, and added, "Unless... You think something bad is going to happen soon?"
"Well..." Iori rubbed his chin. "It's nothing definite, you understand. But if something bad were to happen, it would probably be during the graduation ceremony."
"Hmmm, I concur." Inumuta placed his NB uniform back in the bag. "We'll just have to prepare for every eventuality, then."
"Thinking ahead as always, Mr. Information and Strategy Chair," commented Iori, with a wry grin.
"Former Information and Strategy Chair," corrected Inumuta, though he said it with a smile. He then glanced at his watch.
"Well, I should probably head out. Thanks for the new uniform, Iori... Correction, make that uniforms."
"Not a problem. Although..."
"Yes?"
Iori looked away, as he spoke. "I... Wasn't completely honest with you, Inumuta... Houka. The real reason I had your Nudist Beach outfit was... Well, I've always liked seeing you in it, that's all."
Even though Iori wasn't facing him, Inumuta could see the faint blush spreading across Iori's face; sense his embarassment at admitting something that might be considered weird or even questionable, though Inumuta himself did not think so. And as he noticed these tiny details, a singular thought ran through his head.
Graduation. As one door closes, another one opens; with endless possibilities stretching out ahead, into the horizon...
END
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Okay, so... It was bothering the crap out of me that Inumuta's collar was doing the open and close thing in the OVA, even though there were no more Life Fibers... (And especially since his collar doesn't do it during the Nudist Beach episodes!)
...So, this is my explanation. Way overthinking this, I know.