#-: ✧ :-゜・．(;headcanon) 「„matoi ay?“」

[vagabondfromkanto]

Whenever they travel together, it's THEIR jacket.

[vagabondfromkanto]

PROFILE: MATOI RYUKO

Laid out her core abilities and some design details for the Life-Fiber Hunter post-canon.

Follow under the cut for some relevant canon references.

FIBER ABSORPTION

She and Senketsu used this ability to evolve. Now she does the same alone.

Still requires a finishing move to be performed first.

BLOOD POWER-UP

No canon reference, but stands to reason if she and Senketsu are "the same".

She would, however, gag and likely have a stomachache 'cause the human part of the body protests.

SENJIN BLADES

Made possible by absorbing the hardened Life-Fibers from the Rendering Scissors. Virtually hold the same characteristics, but are costly and painful to summon.

ENFORCING LEGS/HANDS BY BLOOD FOCUSING

Speed and jump height are self-explanatory. Vertical run is seen twice (both times out of sync) — at the election finals and in the 25th episode.

Obviously can't power up both hands and legs at the same time, 'cause. Blood.

HAIR REACTIVITY/CHANGING COLOR

As mentioned: strictly hereditary. And we've seen Ryuko's hair react to her emotions out of sync mode once already, so.

EYE STITCHES

This is just my personal fun explanation for why her eyes look that way, it doesn't do anything. Does not imply they were stitched by someone, it's just a fiber quirk.

REGENERATION

Nuff said. Very much possible even out of sync, as illustrated by Ryuko fighting without Senketsu in ep 24.

For the sake of not making her too invincible (now where's the fun in that) and to keep some differences from Ragyo (Ryuko has far more human left in her, just by percentage), I'm saying it slows down after too much damage and blood loss.

However the damage still must be. Considerable. She kept that up for quite some time even as teenager.

SHINRA-KOKETSU ABSORPTION AFTER-EFFECTS

A fun little tool that might help me later. I have my thoughts about it, but I do not intend to whip it out in a thread unless Ryuko ends up on a verge of death. And even then I'll likely discuss it with whomever I'm writing with.

[vagabondfromkanto]

//Bothered me that my Life-Fiber Hunter post-canon didn't have a full-body visual. Now it does.

She stitched the jacket back together later.

[vagabondfromkanto]

//thought of a thing yesterday, think I'll throw it out here as well.

It's no surprise that Ryuko drives her bike very fast, but every now and again when there's a stretch of a clear even open road, she sometimes balances it, throws her hands out and closes her eyes for a few brief seconds.

Because damn if the speed and the wind hitting her face and tangling in her hair does not remind her of flying with Senketsu.

[vagabondfromkanto]

//...hot take, but Ryuko is also wearing a men's shirt in the first (and the 25th) episode.

Saying this based solely on my own experiences, because men's shirts love to make that upside down V-shape when they can't button up on your hips, and shirts sold for women typically account for those and close properly.

One could say that the shirt is just too small to her, but nah, plenty of room in the arms (which, also typical).

Anyway that's not a concrete evidence (that's a design choice for general messiness for all I know) or any meaningful headcanon, it just hit me why drawing that part feels so goddamn familiar. D'aw.

(but she really walked in into a militaristic school with issued uniforms wearing sneakers, a men's shirt and a sukajan, with a huge guitar case in place of a bag, huh. I'm surprised the Disciplinary Committee didn't fight her at the gates.)

[vagabondfromkanto]

HEADCANON TIME:

Ryuko's signature jacket that she can't bring herself to get rid of was originally a trophy from a fight. Its original owner, naturally, got their butt kicked, but perhaps not too easily.

She treasures it so much because at the time it became somewhat of a symbol to her. That she's strong enough. That she can be badder than those who messed with her.

And since for some the sukajans are associated with gangsters and delinquents — all the better. It was a sign to not mess with her again.