Shizuku, my Shizuku

After a rather long day spent with Natsuru, I began my walk over to Shizuku's house. He wanted to come with, something I said no to. He was quite adamant about it though, so much so that he forced a transformation and started following me in Kampfer form. I had to change some things about my approach but I was more impressed than annoyed. I was going to subtly imply a few things to Shizuku but I can still get a fight out of her while keeping Natsuru firmly in my corner.

~I suppose I'll have to give her a little clue or two. She's smart as a whip so it shouldn't take much~ I think to myself while arriving at my childhood friend's house.

Of course, like Natsuru's parents, hers weren't home due to being busy most days. Both of them were lawyers and ran their own firm. So she saw her parents more than I did. Knowing she had finished her Student Council Presidential duties for the day, I ring the doorbell while Natsuru watches me from a block away on a roof. And after waiting patiently, Shizuku opened the door, looking at me with slight surprise.

-POV: 3rd-

"Kaede? I thought you were sick today" Shizuku folded her arms and looked into Sakura's eyes.

"Hehe.. I'm sorry, Shizuku. I had to comfort an important friend of mine today" Sakura apologized with a guilty smile and Shizuku could swear she heard a slight squeal somewhere in the distance.

Though it seemed Sakura hadn't noticed. Nodding in understanding, Shizuku held the door open for her invitingly.

"Well come in. I suspect you'll want to tell me all about it. Just please, keep the entrails animal gushing to a minimum" Shizuku said in a mildly annoyed tone.

"Hehe.. I'm sorry. I get too excited about them. I swear, I won't bring them up" Sakura promised, clasping hands together dramatically.

~Though I can't promise you won't~ Sakura smiled to herself as she walked into Shizuku's home, slipping her shoes off at the front.

As she made her way inside and sat down on the living room's couch, Shizuku narrowed her eyes briefly. Seeing or, rather, feeling something was off about her childhood friend.

"Would you like any tea or coffee, Kaede?" Shizuku asked, outwardly showing no reaction.

"Tea would be lovely, Shizuku" Sakura smiled and sent a side glance towards the window, feeling Natsuru get closer.

Shizuku nodded and went into the kitchen, her expression changing as she started to brew tea. As she grabbed the sugar, she saw her hand tremble slightly. Grabbing it, she sighed and looked back out to Sakura, who seemed to be relaxed.

~What is this strange feeling..? It reminds me when I first became a Kampfer and encountered my first enemy..~ Shizuku ceased her hand's trembling and shook her head slightly.

Taking out the prepared cups, she sat next to Sakura and placed the cups down on the table in front of them. Sakura smiled appreciatively before taking a sip.

"Thank you, Shizuku. You always were good at this" Sakura complimented, though Shizuku nodded and wanted to get straight to the point.

"Now about why you're here. Care to explain?" Shizuku asked, feeling a sense of trepidation towards Sakura she hadn't felt before.

"My friend, Natsuru Senou has just gone through a heavy loss. She's been out of school for a bit and wants to return. I told her I would try to get her in. I thought you could help her out. Please?" Sakura tilted her head and smiled as she asked.

~Natsuru Senou.. That blue Kampfer. So you're involved, Kaede. That almost explains this strange reaction to her..~ Shizuku quietly nodded before Sakura continued.

"With all you're capable of, it should be easy, right? I mean you had the library fixed up in less than a day. I heard some students fought there or something" Sakura said while taking another sip.

"It shouldn't be a problem. But isn't Natsuru Senou the name of a boy in our school?" Shizuku asked, probing for her reaction.

"Yes. But nobody will really allow a male on the female side. Unless, they could magically transform into a girl or something" Sakura giggled into her hand as Shizuku hummed.

"I see. Yes, that would call for a female registration. And this Natsuru.. I suppose you gave her an Entrails Animal plush too?" Shizuku asked, body tensing.

"Oh, how did you know?" Sakura asked, looking surprised.

"I knew an upperclassmen that had one too. Given by you, if I'm not mistaken..?" Shizuku asked, her fingers clenching.

"Hmm..? Oh, your friend? Yes, I gave her one too" Sakura replied with a calm smile.

"You can stop pretending.. Nobody but a Kampfer knows she even existed anymore. You.. You created the Kampfer, Kaede?" Shizuku asked, her tone leaking some aggression.

Sakura smiled in response and looked at her friend before replying, "I did not create them, no. I just pick who becomes one"

"Why..? Why do the Kampfer fight? Whose side are you even on?" Shizuku asked, leaning in a little more.

"Oh the Kampfer would fight regardless of the two factions. You already know though, your plush should have told you. The Moderators? Gods from two factions. Our world is an experiment to them. A proxy war. I'm on the side of humanity" Sakura explained as Shizuku took the information in.

Though she still got up and transformed. The back of her hair going white as she summoned her chained blades. Sakura smiled again as she set the cup down.

"Are you certain you want to do that? I didn't come intending to kill you. Far from it. I think we could work together, Shizuku" Sakura explained, crossing one leg over the other.

"Why would I even consider that? After what happened with my upperclassman, I should kill you.." Shizuku retorted, anger evident in her expression.

"I did? I don't remember doing anything besides give her power. She was strong, I'll admit that. But she never used that strength to defend herself. To kill" Sakura's expression fell into one of disappointment.

"She was too good a person to.. She was harmless but still she was killed by a Kampfer. She wouldn't have even been in that situation if not for you. For her death, I'll bring you to justice, Kaede" As Shizuku finished, Sakura laughed loudly.

"Pff-hahahahaha! Justice? Oh Shizuku.. my Shizuku.. That's dictated by the strong. You talk about her being a good person and, maybe she was.. Maybe she saved puppies and kittens on a daily basis. Maybe she was selfless to a fault and only wanted to help. Sure, those are good behaviors. But harmless? Being unable to harm someone is not a virtue, Shizuku. She was weak" Sakura flipped back as a chained blade swung at her throat.

Landing opposite of the couch. Sakura pulled out a simple katana with a sigh. Blocking a swipe, she hit her elbow into Shizuku's ribs before Shizuku jumped away, wincing from the force of the hit.

"I know you're not that naiive, Shizuku. Your love for her blinds you. Your friend had all the tools necessary to survive but she didn't. Why is that?" Sakura asked as she jumped over the next swing.

Parrying the next one and wrapping the chain around her blade, Sakura pulled Shizuku in. Their faces an inch apart, Shizuku shuddered as she saw Sakura's completely indifferent eyes.

"Because she was taught that to be helpless is a virtue. To never retaliate, to take the abuse. She never would have survived what was to come. She was a rabbit. And what could a rabbit do, but be eaten?" Sakura whispered before Shizuku untangled her chain and tried to kick Sakura's head.

She missed, driving her foot through a wall as Sakura ducked. Sakura grabbed her shirt and pivoted her body, throwing Shizuku over her shoulder and judo throwing her through her coffee table. Sakura stepped forward and looked down at her with an indifferent face.

"Not you though. You're a monster, just like me. Because we have to be. We have that capability to kill, Shizuku" Sakura said before blocking another, quicker chained blade.

"You made me this way!! The Kampfer.. I had to fight to survive! I had to kill so I wouldn't die!" Shizuku growled as she rained swing after swing upon Sakura.

Sakura blocked and moved away from each one. Scoffing, Sakura blocked a punch with her forearm and struck Shizuku's stomach with her knee before pulling her hair back and punching her in the stomach, straight to the floor. The floorboards cracked under the force as Sakura shook her head.

"You think being a Kampfer made you this way? You have that killer instinct, Shizuku. It's not like you didn't have a choice either. Kill or let live, which did you end up doing most? To be a virtuous person is to be a monster that chooses not to be one. You chose to be one" Sakura slid back, taking a surprise kick to her stomach as Shizuku bolted up and continued to attack her.

Sakura jumped away from a heavy swing that ripped through the walls and floorboards before getting close again and grabbing Shizuku's face and slamming her head into the nearest wall. Striking her stomach again with her knee, she heard a deep 'CRACK' that made Shizuku collapse to her knees and start to gasp for breath.

"Those 'helpless' people you think are good and just are the ones who have been calling the shots for a long, long time. A helpless person would be watching in utter helplessness as I beat you up here. If your friend were here, would she kill me to stop me from killing you? The fact is, the world is full of these 'rabbits'. The ones who sit comfortably and spoon feed the rest of the rabbits ideas of 'peace' and inaction. While they send people to die in some goddess forsaken place for money and resources. They have power they don't even know how to wield properly" Sakura finished, hearing loud inhales of breath and coughing from her friend.

"S..o what? You want to change all this..? Is that why?" Shizuku coughed and asked.

"We're on a one way track to oblivion as we are now. But that can change. You can be a part of it too, Shizuku" Sakura said while turning her back away.

Smiling, she heard Shizuku pick up her blades quietly. She closed her eyes as she faced the window.

"What do you say? Will you join me in changing the world?" Sakura asked, feeling a blade enter her back, going in three inches.

Sakura fell to her knees as blood seeped into her clothing. Laughing to herself as Shizuku stood over her with a vengeful expression.

"It's not as if I don't see your point.. But your plan will kill more people. That's not something I can-" Sakura interrupted with a giggle.

"What a hypocrite.. How many have you killed? Justify it any way you want though. I suppose protecting yourself and those you care for is reason enough for most. Which is why I have to thank you.." Sakura giggled as her blood dripped onto the cracked floorboards.

Shizuku narrowed her eyes until she saw a silhouette burst through her window. Natsuru, entering in a hurry, saw Sakura's state on the floor and her eyes reddened in anger. Shizuku saw her palm and quickly moved away as a fireball obliterated the wall she was standing in front of. The explosion still knocked her over and threw her violently across the room, coughing as her broken ribs pressed against her lungs.

Shizuku looked up and saw a great orange ball of flames in the furious blue haired girl's hand. Pointed right at her face, her life flashed in front of her eyes as she looked up at the wrathful face of Natsuru. A girl she didn't really consider a threat until now. One that felt just like her friend, in her unwillingness to hurt others but now..? She looked ready to incinerate her down to her bones.

Before she could, Sakura gently touched her arm and urged her not to.

"Natsuru.. it's okay" Sakura gently said.

"But she.. She was going to kill you. I can't.. I'll never let that happen.." Natsuru grit her teeth, the flames burning more intensely.

"She won't. You did good though.." Sakura lowered her hand as her own rubbed Natsuru's face, calming her down.

"Haah... I give up. It's not worth fighting you" Shizuku said, closing her eyes.

"I never wanted you to die. Neither you or your friend. I chose because through all the fighting, I believed you all would gain the strength necessary to change the world with me. Let's go, Natsuru" Natsuru nodded in response and hoisted Sakura on her back, starting to walk out.

Shizuku said nothing, reaching out her hand and thinking over Sakura's words.

Sakura smiled, having completed her two objectives before blinking in surprise as her butt was gripped by Natsuru while she carried her. Getting a slight blush from the sudden action and the slight arousal, she snickered.

~I suppose I'll let you have that. You would have killed her back there. I'm so proud. You still need work but for now, I'll let you have this~ Sakura buried her head in the crook of her neck and enjoyed the little massage.