Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Sword and the rose game log
The Sword and the Rose
A Role Playing Game Log, fic style, brought to you by the crazy people at Rose of the Noble Castle
Visit us at http://www.delphi.com/revolutionutena/ !
Written by Rachelly, Katie, Cat Who, Saren, Jessie, Janelle, Ty-chan, Nick, Kevin, Janey, angelicangel, and many others who are no longer with the game (sniffle)
Act I log by Katie
Edited by Cat Who for FF.net
Editor's notes: I can't take credit for logging the first act -- Katie did that. All I did was add some paragraphs :Þ This takes placed between the Black Rose arc and the Ohtori Akio arc. WARNING: There are major major spoilers for the majority of the series besides the Black Rose arc. Also, this is an extremely long log -- it sucked up over 800 posts on Delphi. This is the arc that started our game off, and all other arcs and most of our sidefics run off of this one. If you've got a few hours, it's a very good read and we had lots of fun writing it. Enjoy!

Act I: Fading Roses
Scene I: Shattered Morning
The grounds of Ohtori were strangely still and silent. The air seemed...to shiver almost, with the passing breeze. Far off in the distance, a pair of eyes watched the progressions of the campus with dark interest. Soon the pair turned to other areas of campus and began scanning for the children of the Black Rose and the inept Student Council. The Bride and her Victor could wait...for now.
Tenjou Utena blinked as the soft patter of rain slowly woke her up. Yawning she stretched in her bed and curled up on her side, glancing mildly around her dorm room. Anthy was softly breathing below, and Utena could hear Chuchu snoring somewhere near the foot of Anthy's bed.
"Huh," she murmured gently, "Himemya's not awake yet. Normally breakfast's ready by now. I hope she's not sick or something."
Leaning over the side of the bed, Utena braced her body against the ladder and hung her head down, her pink tresses dragging the ground. Sure enough, Anthy was buried beneath a layer of covers, and Chu-Chu was rising and falling slowly on her chest. Utena blinked in confusion. "Himemya," she called softly. "Himemya?"
There was a low grumbling under the bed, and Anthy sat up, her hair tousled. She patted around the bedside a moment and found her glasses. "Utena-sama?"
Glancing at the bedside clock, Utena nimbly leapt off the top bunk and offered Anthy her hand. "We'll be late."
"Class?" Anthy blinked owlishly. "We have class today?" She blinked again, looking at the small ball of monkey-mouse curled up next to her. "Chu-Chu? Why didn't you get me up?" He simply snorted and snuggled tighter into the covers.
Anthy sighed and laid back down. A sudden confusion overcame her features as she placed her glasses back on the nightstand. As her hand reached the nightstand, she swooned, and knocked her glass of water to the floor. It shattered into small spiky shards. Anthy stared for a moment, and then closed her eyes. "I'm tired Utena-sama. Please let me sleep..."
Utena was puzzled by this strange development. Usually she was the one that had to be kicked out of bed. And Anthy had never let mess collect before. She wasn't quite sure where to go from here.
She sighed and turned to Chu-Chu, "Well, should we eat breakfast?"
****
The green-haired one was in the kendo room practicing, as usual. Ever since his return to the Academy (though really, he had never left), he had been avoiding a certain individual whom he had once called friend. Not that that certain red-haired individual had been seen much anyway. That was just find with Saionji.
He was using the actual blade today, not the bamboo practice sword. It was more dangerous, but what did he have to loose anyway? He frowned as he made a slash over one shoulder down to the ground, then on the other side. He was back, true, but now it was time to get re-instated in the Student Council. Then again, he didn't necessarily want to be part of the duels again. He was tricked once; he would not be tricked again.
"Humph. They tried to fool me. I'll show them."
****
A beam of light shone through the window as Juri carefully pulled on her jacket. She paused for a moment before buttoning it, and reached for the locket at her breast. She held it for a moment, letting the sadness creep over her.
After carefully buttoning the jacket she took a deep breath, stood tall. A calm, collected Juri replaced the one that was full of despair. With this, she left the room and made her way to the Academy.
She walked through the halls of Ohtori with a cool air. She watched people as she walked by them. Something just didn't seem quite right.... she could see it in the eyes of everyone she passed. Even Miki looked a little disheveled as she walked by...so unusual for him.
"Hmmmm...", she thought to herself. She shook her head as if to clarify her thoughts. Of course nothing was wrong...after all, this was a normal day at Ohtori.... wasn't it?
Well, it certainly SEEMED like an ordinary day. There was the usual crowd of admirers when Saionji headed off to class. He just grinned a little as the usual girls waved and screamed out his name. It WAS good to be back. But.... something was wrong. There was just a bad feeling in the air.
****
Saionji frowned. It wasn't like him to get suspicious like this. There was a bad feeling in the air though. He tried to shake it off and went to find Juri. It was time he started talking about getting back on the council, though. It was mostly a status thing, of course, as he wasn't intending to duel anymore. And of course, he was still refusing to speak with Touga. Some friend.
****
Shiori stared down from the balcony into the courtyard below. It was a very uneventful day, and she was very bored. Around her some classmate-friends of hers were talking about dates with so and so.
"What do you think, Takatsuki-san?" one of the girls asked.
"Oh yes, he's cute. But I'd never date him," she said with a wave of her hand and returned to staring down at the courtyard.
****
Juri walked toward the Fencing area, intending to practice a little, and to check up on things. She had completely forgotten the odd feeling that had crept over her earlier in the morning. Perhaps it was all for no reason...
As she walked, she looked up, and saw Shiori standing at the balcony. A blush of red spread across her face, but only for a moment before she had herself composed again. Ever since Shiori had come back to school, Juri still wasn't used to seeing her around. She quickly looked away and continued on to practice her fencing.
"Juri-san."
Saionji stood in the doorway to the fencing room. He was leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed over his chest, looking smug. Of course, when didn't he look smug? He was wearing his student council uniform, as if he expected to be let back in even after what he had done. Maybe he did expect it, who knew?
"I need to speak with you, about the Student Council."
Juri turned at the sound of Saionji's voice, and took off her fencing mask, shaking out her curls as she did so. She smiled a sly little smile as she realized that Saionji was coming to her in order to avoid Touga. Well, how could she blame him? Touga had been so sulky lately, and she knew that something had occurred between them.
"Yes, Saionji? What would you like to discuss?"
She walked toward him to talk with him.
Saionji frowned a little. He wasn't in the mood for games. He had THOUGHT Touga was his friend, but wouldn't a true friend have stepped in and prevented him from being expelled in the FIRST place? Whatever...he wasn't going to trust the Seitokaishou again for a LONG time, if ever.
"You know what I came here to speak of. It's about my rightful place on the Student Council. Now that I've returned, I think I should have my position back. I've heard that Kiryuu-san has shut himself up in his room, so I suppose I must speak with you about this."
Juri laughed a little, but regained her composure.
"Well, Saionji, I guess I would agree with you. Your place on the Student Council should be given back to you, but you may be running out of chances. But I have no authority to give you your place back. Since Nanami has been acting in her brother's place, perhaps you should clear it with her."
Juri wasn't sure if Nanami would agree...she figured she would. After all, Nanami would just love to see Saionji defeat Utena, and take the Rose Bride, just to see the two of them hurt. But all that was only in the case that Saionji would duel with Utena. Who knew?
Saionji grimaced a bit. Nanami. Great, now he was going to have to deal with HER. Still, it was better than having to deal with Touga.
"Fine, I'll speak with her. Arigatou." With that, he turned on his heals and stalked away. All this run-around was starting to annoy him, but he'd be damned if he didn't deserve his spot on the council again after all this.
****
It was around noon when Anthy finally got out of bed. For some reason, her body ached, as if she had been thrown around like a rag doll. She smiled slightly as she rapped Chu-chu on his head. He rolled over, letting out a raspy "chu-chu". Anthy had a feeling he was out for the day.
Anthy cocked her head in contemplation. She probably had been thrown around. It happened so often she forgot...well, she forgot about so many things. Memories would caress the corners of her mind, but every time she had them in reach, something would make them slip away.
Stepping out of bed, she let out a small squeak as shards of glass sunk deep into her flesh. The glass...why hadn't Utena cleaned it for her? She sat down on the bed, watching dazedly as dark blood smeared the floor.
"CHU-CHU!!!" Chu-chu's frantic cry wakened Anthy from her stupor. Her brow creased slightly as she remembered what had happened. These kind of...black-outs happened frequently to her.
Anthy leaned over, kissing Chu-chu on the forehead. "Thank you, Chu-chu. I didn't mean to scare you." She looked around the room. "I need to clean this. The blood is so messy. Utena-sama might be angry."
"Chu-chu!!!!!" Turning her head, she noticed Chu-chu had somehow changed into a nurses uniform, and was holding a roll of bandages.
She laughed, clapping her slender hands together in joy. "Cute...help me then Chu-chu." She lightly giggled again as Chu-chu smiled broadly and rushed to bandage her foot. When he was finished, he wrapped the last of the bandages around his tail, and proceeded to sweep the glass from the floor.
Finally, Chu-chu swept the glass into the trash, and saluting to Anthy, ran off.
Anthy frowned at his departure. How could she have stayed in bed for so long? Utena-sama probably had to fix her own breakfast. Well, at least she still had time to water the Rose Garden.
Anthy dressed slowly, and then began to walk to the garden. It was in the middle of classes, so she was alone. The only sounds were those of her feet on the pavement. She liked it this way. So many people...scared her. It always seemed that the crowds watched her, devouring her in their eyes. They reminded her of a time long ago, when people also crowded around her. She didn't remember much, but she knew they had wanted to hurt her.
"Anthy!! You need to come see this now!" Startled, she looked up to find Miki standing in her way. He grabbed her arm, and began to tug her towards the garden.
Her eyes widened in fear. "Miki? Why...are you doing this?" This was unlike him.
Miki dropped her arm suddenly, becoming very quiet. A blush rose to his cheeks as he realized what he had done. "I'm sorry Himemiya Anthy. It was improper of me to grab you like that...but I went to the garden to search for you and....I saw something that you need to see..."
Anthy nodded her head slightly, and followed him as he loped away.
Upon reaching the garden, Miki shyly grabbed her hand. He squeezed, a look in his eyes like something was wrong. Could something have happened to Utena-sama? Worried, she ran to the door...and stopped, eyes wide. After a few moments, she slowly walked into what had been her garden. Tears slid quietly down her cheeks as she gazed upon the ruins of her paradise. While the others talked and strode around the room, Anthy stood perfectly still, barely noticing the duelists surrounding her, and Chu-Chu tugging on her leg. The roses...they were dying. This was more than a nuisance or a random act of vandalism. If the garden died...
A foggy memory suddenly overcame her muddled senses. "Rosebride, remember this well. You are the caretaker of the Rose Garden. You and the Victor must guard it, for as the garden fares, so do you. The duelists as well..."
Another memory, someone teaching her..."Each rose is the heart of a Duelist. What they stand for, what they will be. Touga-the red of pride. Saionji-green for jealousy. Juri-orange for longing..."
As the others left, they didn't seem to notice Anthy's trembling. Nor did they notice the tears that streamed blindly down her cheeks. Not even Miki, though he was the last to leave. They couldn't feel themselves dying. But Anthy could. She would be the first to wither and fade. Saionji would be next...
As the pain coursed through her slender frame, she fell to the ground, unable to even scream. The last thing she remembered before loosing consciousness was Chu-chu screeching beside her as she whispered "Utena-sama...the roses...Utena-sama"
****
The rijichou stood in front of one of the large windows that overlooked the academy. Things were going according to plan so far, but this...this was an overlooked complication. Not that he wasn't good at dealing with complications. Everything could be worked into his plans if handled correctly.
Akio pulled a pair of binoculars off the table and looked down to the rose garden where Anthy usual resided. He surveyed the damage, then a small smirk flashes over his features as he sees the person lurking in the shadows. Ah yes, this would definitely be interesting. Interesting indeed.
****
Nanami peered through the glass. Anthy and Miki both looked so sad. She snickered softly, but in her imagination tossed haughtily laughs at both of them.
This was better than even she could have done! Whoever had wrecked the garden might be able to teach her a thing or two about not getting caught. Might be. Kiryuu Nanami was an expert at not getting caught.
Putting on her best "concern" look, she walked into the destroyed garden.
"Oh my! What an awful mess. Whomever could have done this?" She framed her face prettily with her hands and looked sincerely distressed.
Nanami's fake expression of sadness turned to one of annoyance when she saw that no one was paying much attention to her. For gods' sake, she thought, they're just a bunch of stupid flowers.
Whoever had done this was better than her. And that really bothered her. She snapped her fingers. "Twsuabuki," she said, and her faithful follower appeared at her side.
"Hai," he said, with the attention of a military person about to receive orders. Nanami suddenly appeared to be wearing a snazzy military uniform in place of her yellow Student Council uniform.
She began pacing. "Someone has wrecked the Rose Garden. While I personally don't care one whit about it, onii-sama seems to have a strange fondness for the place. Find out who did it, and report it to me ASAP."
Twsuabuki's eyes widened a little. "Hai," he said. As Nanami's substitute onii-sama, he would do whatever she asked of him, but he would have almost preferred it to be a selfish reason instead.
Saionji found Nanami by the ruined garden, and went up to speak with her.
"Kiryuu-san...." But he stopped when he saw the garden and his eyes widened for a moment. "Nanda.....? What happened here?" He seemed genuinely surprised, so to Nanami it was a good bet he wasn't the one who ruined the garden.
"Someone's destroyed Anthy's rose garden." Nanami smirked. "Oh no, not I. I'd never do such a thing," she said truthfully. She'd get someone else to do it.
"And just what are you doing here, anyway? I thought onii-sama kicked you out of school." Nanami had only heard rumors, but her big brother was capable of anything, and by putting two and two together she'd come up with five.
Saionji scowled a little. He hated having the past rubbed back in his nose. It annoyed him. "Yes, I was kicked out, but I got back in. And now I want my spot on the council again. And no, it wasn't your brother. They expelled me for breaking the rules."
He may not like admitting that he got expelled, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let TOUGA take the credit for it.
****
Opening his bright, blue eyes, Touga found himself lying in his bed, the day already half-gone. He was still feeling a bit depressed from his last duel with the pink-haired prince. Never had he felt so lost and weak. Turning to his side, his flame colored hair splashed color onto the bone white pillows, his covers only pulled up halfway. Deciding to get up or not, he just laid there, his thoughts still doing the hated flashbacks of the moment where his rose petals flew up in defeat. Sighing, the red-haired playboy sat up, finally noticing a weird sensation coming over his. Dismissing it, he decided that he would get up and walked to the bathroom, his movements, rather slow and sluggish.
Walking out of his room, Touga was neatly and well dressed in his white school uniform, his rose signet ring on his finger, as usual. Flipping his red hair over his shoulder, he looked around for a bit, and head for the dojo, looking for his 'child-hood friend'. With his hands on his pockets, he strolled over there; drooling, starry eyed girl following right behind him, sighing and often screaming his name aloud. He didn't smile or even take pleasure in his stroll, like he usually did. He felt different somehow. He really didn't know what it was, but something was definitely wrong.
****
Shiori sighed and blew a strand of her violet hair out of her face.
"There's got to be something more interesting somewhere else." she muttered, ignoring the chatter of the girls around her. She smiled sweetly at the others and told them, in a musical voice, that she wanted to take a walk alone. After leaving their company, she scowled a bit, she hated this school. Hated it tremendously. But if she had to be here, she wanted to leave a mark.
Her aimless walking lead her under a great building, the planetarium she thought. She looked up towards from the windows, then turned around and began walking away from it. After a few minutes, she heard quite an annoying voice speaking. There were a few people standing amidst a ruined rose garden, a blonde girl was ordering a boy around, the source of the voice.
"What on heaven's happened here?" Shiori asked, pretending that she cared.
Saionji turned to look at the girl and blinked at bit, trying to think of if he remembered her or not. Well, it doesn't matter anyway. He just answered her question rather annoyed for no obvious reason, waving his hand towards the rose garden.
"What does it LOOK like? Someone trashed the garden, obviously."
Shiori raised her eyebrows at this uncouth man before her with the long, emerald hair. -What arrogance. - she thought to herself in annoyance, but he certainly was handsome. Shiori smiled sweetly, and innocently at him. "What a horrible thing to do. No one was hurt or anything, right? That would be just terrible..." she sighed breathlessly and batted her eyelashes at him.
Saionji just shrugged at Shiori. He was a little to distracted at the moment to really respond to her "act" so he gave her the rather noncommittal answer of "I don't know" and turns to look at Nanami again.
Nanami gave a small, ladylike snort. "Back in the council? After expellation from the school? Beautiful dream, Saionji." Nanami stuck her nose in the air and looked away. "Even if it wasn't onii-sama who got you kicked out, it doesn't change the fact that you *were* expelled. It'd hardly be good practice to let detentive students back in, ne?" An idea occurred to her then. She opened her eyes again. "Although...I might let you in if you did me a wee favor." There was a wicked gleam in them that only a fool would trust.
Upon hearing Nanami's "suggestion," Saionji's purple eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists at his sides. He didn't trust her. Not one damn bit, but if it meant getting his position on the council again, then he might just willing to do something for her.
"And what would THAT be, Kiryuu-san?" There was barely controlled fury in his voice. He hated having to lower himself to this position. After all, Nanami wasn't even a REAL member of the council herself. She was just sitting in for Touga.
Nanami fiddled with the brooch on the front of her uniform. "Kyouichi-san, as you can see, someone destroyed the rose garden. I've already got my people working on who did it, and how, but I need to know for what purpose it was done. If you can figure out who is scheme--behind this, I might just let you back into the council." And if he finds out, Nanami thought, then I might be able to work this to my advantage. Onii-sama would be so happy!
The drama queen waited smugly for his response.
Shiori rolled her eyes in annoyance at Nanami, -What a ridiculous, overly dramatic girl. - she thought dryly. Being brushed off by the handsome upper-class man wasn't exactly her idea of being amused either.
"Well, I hope you find whoever did it!" Shiori sang, putting so much worry into her voice it actually somewhat surprised her. *I wonder where Juri is...*
Nanami gave a funny look to Shiori. "I hope we do as well." Weakling, Nanami thought. She has something on Juri and she doesn't twist it to her advantage at all
Saionji scowled. It figured. Nanami WOULD ask for something impossible. But he nodded his head anyway, eyes narrowed into slits.
"Fine. I'll figure out who did this and prove to you and the rest I deserve my spot back."
And with that, he turned on his heal, his long, green hair whipping around his head, almost hitting the blond-haired girl in the face, and stalked away from the garden. He didn't even give Shiori a second glance. In truth, he didn't even see her. His attention span was rather single-minded at times.
Nanami gave a final nod to Shiori and left. She had two minions doing her homework, two searching for the person (Saoinji was a temporary minion anyway) who wrecked the garden, and one polishing her latest gem from Christon Dior. No cowbells THIS time. It was a fat imperial topaz in a robin's egg cut, strung on a gold chain trimmed with alexandrite. It brought out the gold in her hair and the violet in her eyes. She's whined it out of Daddy last week and she intended to show it off at the earliest opportunity.
Scene Two: Interlude
Utena blinked repeatedly, looking around the small dark room she was in. She had no idea where she was except for the fact that it was dark, damp, and it stank of rotting roses. In the corner, under a thin shaft of light, a tank filled to the quarter mark with water stood stagnant. The smell seemed to be coming from there. "Where in the hell am I?"
She and Chuchu had made breakfast this morning and had cleaned up to the best of their ability for Anthy. This of course meant that they had destroyed the kitchen and shoved all the dishes in the dishwasher along with breaking at least five of her potted plants. Utena had felt badly about that, but while she was busy picking up the shards of shattered pot a soft growl met her ears. "Huh?"
She'd glanced up, sending a quick hunting glance about the vast kitchen. No one seemed to be around, but on Ohtori campus, nothing was ever quite the way it seemed. With her luck, one of Nanami's "pets" had gotten loose again and was in the building. Utena could still remember the time Nanami had smuggled in snails and snakes to torment poor Anthy. Though she had laughed it off at the time, inwardly Utena had been seething at the audacity of the snobby blonde. Keeping the snake in mind, Utena remembered searching for a weapon. Silently, she rose to a crouching position and brushed the fall of pink hair off her shoulders. Facing Chuchu she placed one finger to her lips, and gripped a particularly large shard of pot in her hand. It cut into her palm; a small trickle of blood stained the kitchen floor.
Utena spared a glance at it and groaned inwardly. -Now I'll have to clean that before Anthy wakes up. Damn!- So engrossed by her thoughts Utena didn't hear the soft tread behind her...or notice the heavy breathing.
Now, hours later, the room was chill on Utena's bare flesh. She rubbed her legs and felt the goose bumps lower slightly at her touch. Though she'd ceased shouting for help hours before, her voice was still hoarse and raw, it made swallowing a painful experience. But despite it all, Utena strived desperately for control of the situation. She turned the possibilities of her capture around in her head like a child with a Rubick's cube. All angles *seemed* impossible, but there was a solution in there somewhere. She just needed the correct combination of twists and turns to ferret out the culprit. -Nanami? No, even she wouldn't leave me down here to rot. She'd be gloating by now or parading the entire school past me to watch me suffer. Touga? Saionji? Juri? -
Through the muddle of her thoughts, Utena tried desperately not to give in to despair. Someone would find her, someone always did. But why was it now, when she needed someone seeking her out for one of their ludicrous duels that they all stayed away? -Why me? What the hell's going on here? -
Running her hand through her hair, Utena felt a slight tug and realized her hand was stuck. Carefully twisting her fingers through the knots, she realized her hair had somehow tangled itself around her rose signet and would need rescue. As she worked her ring free, Utena ran through the morning's events in her mind. -Let's see here, I got up, Anthy wasn't feeling well, Chuchu and I made breakfast... Anthy wasn't feeling well. She's always in perfect health. What if whoever did this to me slipped something to her too? Himemiya!-
Blinking back tears of frustration, Utena finally ceased slamming her slender body against the small door she'd found in the dirty wall. It seemed like she'd been down here weeks, months even, not hours. "Has it even been a day?" she whispered miserably. The sound of her voice comforted her, it was sound other than the faint hollow drip of the tank in the corner. The whole room gave her the creeps, and Utena wanted out. NOW.
Hating herself for what she was about to do, Utena slipped her ring off her finger and wrapped her hands around it. "Please, please Prince...I know I'm supposed to be," her voice broke a bit, and she swallowed to continue on, "strong. And I know I'm supposed to be noble. But I -need- out of here. My...friend, Anthy could be in serious trouble, but I can't help her if I can't get out of here! I don't care if it's the devil himself, just please, send me somebody, anybody! Get me out of here!"
****
Across campus, Ohtori Akio glanced up as a strange feeling ripped through his gut. He felt this overwhelming urge..........to go across to the other side of campus, though he wasn't sure WHY. Akio lifted his head abruptly from what he was doing, causing Kanae to give him a questioning look.
"Akio....what's wrong?"
The rijichou just frowned a little and stood, not really looking at her. "There....is something I must do. Please excuse me." Without waiting for an answer, he stood and moved out of the room, straightening his clothing as he went. He walked with a purpose, knowing exactly where he's going and knowing who's telling him to go there. He didn't think Dios would call HIM out for any small reason.
When he finally did find himself off campus across from one of the run-down, unused buildings, his normally expressionless features showed the barest hint of anger and confusion. He mumbled softly under his breath, and glanced quickly towards the dueling forest.
"I'm here. You can quite nagging."
Then he turned to the door and looked at it. The lock was new, and he knew for a fact that it was nothing HE'd done. That was most interesting. Someone else with an agenda, mmmm? Defiantly interesting. He pushed on the door slightly, testing its strength. The wood was rotting, but still very sturdy. He looked around for another means of entry and found a small window, mostly covered by a board to keep the light out. There was a small crack at the bottom though which gave the small shaft of light into Utena's "cell." Akio pulled at the board and it gave easily as he pushed the window open, looking into the dark space.
"Hello?"
-I'm imagining things- was the first thought to spear Utena's pain fogged brain. She could have sworn she heard a voice...and not just any voice, but Anthy's brother's voice. The Dean's voice.
She blinked, realizing that there was a little more light in the room...or maybe that was her imagination. She didn't know anymore, her imagination had been doing strange things, showing her strange people. Like the slender boy in the corner, the one with violet-white hair. He had impassively watched her writhe in pain for a while after the first fit of coughing had come.
But some sound had breached the loud hacks Utena made curled on the ground. It came again, more urgent this time...a far off... Hello?
Slowly forcing her numb body off the ground Utena gasped at the sharp pain...she had no idea how long she'd been there, just that in the last attempt to escape she'd fallen on a bit of broken...something, and it had cut her up pretty badly. She'd tried to break her fall, but instead the broken bits had sliced through layers of clothing to the pale flesh beneath. The scratches along her arms and sides were shallow, but messy, and Utena feared they'd become infected.
Groaning, she tried to raise her voice, tried to call out...but -something- held her back. The same something that had made her pound away at her jail walls under she was bruised and bloody. The same something that had locked her away, both from the world and from the memories that crowded too close to the surface down here. A mind-numbingly powerful something. Utena's mind conjured a flash of pink hair... an image of -Wakaba?- a friend slashing downward with a bright sword. -Kanea? No, Konzue, it had to be...but she was Miki's twin, what is she holding?-
Utena's throat closed up, and so did her mind...slowly the world around Utena slid back and faded away... "Help" she gasped weakly, praying whoever would come..."h-el-"
Akio knew Dios was nearby, watching. How could he not know? And that meant that this whole affair had something to do with Tenjou Utena. She was the only one Dios favored.
"Hello? Hello!"
He peered into the darkness, trying to see, when he heard the faintest whisper. ...what sounds almost like "help."
"It IS "help"! Akio swore softly under his breath and grabbed the bottom of the window. With one, smooth -yank-, he ripped it off its hinges, a loud CRACK was heard across that side of campus. He gave the sound not a thought, and grabbed a hold of the windowsill, swinging down into the dark hole of a room. Landing with hardly a sound he crouched slightly, looking around. It didn't take him long for his eyes to adjust and he jumped over an empty crate to get to where Utena lay nearly unconscious. This wasn't good at all.
The next thing Utena knew, a pair of strong hands lifted her off the ground, carrying her over to the window. Somehow, though she would never really be able to say how afterward, the two made it out the window and were standing in the bright sunlit afternoon. Yes, it was only afternoon. Late afternoon actually, but it was the same day. Strange how so much can happen.
Utena blinked groggily as the soft smell of roses drifted over her. Somehow...she knew she'd be safe. Maybe not for long, but long enough for a few moments of rest...rest.
Akio glanced down at his light burden and fought a tremor inside him. There was something about this girl... where could he take her that she would be safe from all outside influences, safe to heal, then answer the multitude of questions he was burning to ask her? The castle was out of the question, as was any room on campus. The cottage within the maze? Yes... that would be the only place to go, though the seer wouldn't be pleased at the intrusion, perhaps the old witch would help. Utena was beyond his power now.
Scene Three: The Maze
Akio made his way through the shadows towards the maze. He didn't want to be seen just yet. This matter must remain private. He looked down at his light burden and brushed a stray hair out of her face. There was definitely something about her. Dios felt it as well.
As he slipped into the maze though, he heard other voices coming and he swore under his breath. It was the Duelists. Figures.
****
Just as she rounded a corner Nanami saw three people she was not in the mood to see.
"Miss Kiryuu!" Yamada said.
"We must speak with you!" Tanaka said.
"Its important!" Suzuki finished.
Nanami turned and ran.
They followed.
"Aaaaaah!!!" Nanami cried, and finally ducked into the maze, hoping to lose the identical triplets. She turned this way and that, and stopped in a dead end to catch her breath.
Nanami had stopped gasping for air. Surely she had lost the three suitors from hell by now. "Kitto," she whispered under her breath. She had a headache and she wanted to go find a nice place to nap and then have a minion read her study notes for tomorrow so she would pass her English test. Not that she was terribly worried about that. Nanami, for all her haughtiness and bitchiness, was actually quite bright.
Suddenly she wished Touga was here. He'd smile and make everything ok.
She wandered to the end of the row, but couldn't remember precisely which way she'd come. The hedge walls were so high that even after an undignified jump to guess her position, she was still clueless.
She groaned inwardly. Now she was lost, too. She sighed and struck out in what she hoped was the right direction. Unwittingly she wound her way towards the center.
****
Sure, he had SAID he would find out who did everything.....but how the hell was he suppose to do THAT? Saionji ran a hand through the long green hair, scowling in his usual manner. He didn't even notice as the girls called out their usual "Saionji-sama!" towards him, he was that distracted. He went back to the garden and looks at it from the outside, hands in his pockets. Such a stupid thing, but it's what determined if he got his life back or not.
Maybe if he hadn't been so distracted, he might NOT have noticed what he did. But because he really wasn't looking for anything in particular, a scattering of rose petals caught his eye. He turned and looked at them closer. They were all different colors, from no particular rose, and from that position, it looked like there was a trail of them.
"I suppose this is better than nothing."
Following the trail wasn't easy. Sometimes it was hard to see where the next petal was lying around, but he kept it up. Finally though, the trail just ended......right in front of the maze. Saionji blinked a moment, then shrugged and walked inside.
****
Miki entered the maze through one of its many entrances. He had an overwhelming need to be in this labyrinth, to find it's core, and somehow he knew something important was there. Miki wasn't one to go around chasing butterflies, so to speak, but something had come over him. Just as none of the duelists seemed like themselves today.
As he walked, he thought of the ruined garden, and a sort of despair crept over him. Who would want to do such a thing to the garden? Its beauty had always held him in awe, and reminded him of his sister...in that garden so long ago.
Miki stepped into a dead end, and was shocked out of his thoughts as he stared at the wall in front of him.
*Have to be more careful* he thought *I practically ran straight into that wall...*
He turned to find another way, but the way behind him wasn't the same as it had been only moments ago. His frightened blue eyes darted around, trying to decide which way to go. He turned to the left, hoping it was the right choice, and continued through the maze.
****
Juri finished her fencing practice and went to the locker room to change. After changing, she looked around and realized that she had some time left before anything else needed her attention. What should she do with this time?
After a moment of repose, Juri left the fencing gym and began to walk, immersed in her thoughts.
She thought of Shiori, and how cruel she had been very recently. So strange that now she knew nothing of it, and didn't even seem to remember what happened. Juri shook her head slightly remembering how Shiori had found the locket, teasing that she could've have given her a better picture if she wanted it. Well, perhaps it was good that Shiori didn't remember now...she didn't even know what was in the locket, and Juri was once again allowed to suffer in silence. Perhaps...
Juri snapped out of her thoughts and realized where she had wandered to.
Juri found herself in the maze, for a reason she couldn't comprehend. She had simply been walking in the Ohtori campus, deep in thought, minding her own business when she wound up here. She blinked a few times, and looked around. She squinted a little, trying to peer into the darkness of the maze. She walked forward, through the entrance...she couldn't avoid her curiosity to follow the green-leaved hedges deeper into the maze.
As she walked, she ran her hand along the leaves of the hedge, the maze drawing her further and further in. As she walked, a dreamlike feeling descended upon her, and she no longer knew where she was, only that something was drawing her...practically forcing her to continue...and she couldn't tell if that force was good or bad...
She quickened her speed, and looked above her, at the hedges that seemed to surround her...they seemed to be spinning...the maze moving rather than her moving through the maze...when suddenly, as she ran her hands along the hedges, a particularly sharp stem caught her hand, snapping her back to reality momentarily. A flash of someone's face...snow-white hair...and she watched a trickle of blood slip from her palm to her wrist. She looked around, once again wondering how she had gotten to this place...surely she was lost in this damned maze, now.
****
Upon arriving at the dojo, Touga walked in, only to find Saionji -not- there. Tilting his head in surprise, he turned on his feet and just walked off, his mind not altogether there. He was in a daze like state, and he didn't feel much up to anything; his head hung a bit low, girls stared in odd wonder, gazing and gawking at the sulky flame-haired god.
Thinking that he should find other members of the council to announce his return, he went to the gym, looking for the fencer, Juri. The only problem was, she wasn't there. A bit confused and disoriented, he walked off to the music room to find Miki. He wasn't there. Shaking his head for a bit, he ran his slender finger through his hair as he wandered off, smelling a soft scent of roses.
Following the scent of the rose it became stronger as he found himself walking towards the glass greenhouse dome, like he usually did. There he would find the beautiful Utena watching over the rose tending Anthy. Looking up at the glass dome, he found the once beautiful rose garden in a state of ultimate disarray. His blue eyes widened at the horrific site as he walked in closer to have a better look. Looking in, he found no one there or around. Looking at the ground, he noticed that the roses had been trampled on and so he followed the path. Finding where it ended, he looked up, only to find himself surround at the sides by walls and hallways.
"What's this?" he thought to himself as he walked in further. He found himself wondering why he was in here.
"Is this where everyone is?" he said to himself, and absent-mindedly kept walking in.
****
Nanami continued wandering. She was getting tired, and the maze seemed a lot bigger than she had envisioned. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," she said softly to herself. But at least she was rid of the suitors from Hell. She held out her hands, as if measuring the value of each..."Triplets or maze...triplets or maze..."
Suddenly she stopped, and bit her lip, her eyes growing wide in fear. She took a few steps back. A sweat drop appeared on her forehead.
The garter snake in her path flicked its tongue.
"Ayaaaaaa!" Nanami screamed, and ran the other way. "Why is this school so infested with animals?!" She fled through the grassy maze, becoming even more lost.
****
After a while of walking, Touga heard a familiar scream, which of which belonged to his younger sister. Breaking into a full sprinted run, he ran for the sound of the scream, turning here and there to find the cute, blond hair baby sister. Seeing her screaming and running in his direction, he grabbed a hold of her and look in to her purple eyes, his hand placed under his chin to tilt her head up.
"Nanami imoto-chan, what's wrong?" he questioned, sincerely. "Onii-sama is here!" he said as his red hair fell over his shoulders.
Onii-sama, Nanami thought, nearly wilting in relief. And an exit to the maze! "I've had a horrible day, onii-sama," she said, blinking back a rush of tears. "I'm so glad to see you." Nanami managed to gather a hold of herself, and fumbled for the delicate lace handkerchief she kept in her pocket.
Her explanations came to a halt when a flock of cruel jays descended upon the walls the garden around her. She clutched Touga's uniform with one arm and shielded her head with the other. Fear turned her into a quivering mass of golden hair.
The jays finally left. "Its been like this all day, onii-sama. Animals and people and things!"
Touga found himself holding his dear golden haired sister close to himself as she shivered in fear. He looked up at the birds for a moment and as they fluttered away in a scatter of feathers, he looked down at the trembling, scared little girl and rocked her a bit side to side. "There, there...Nanami imoto-chan." he called to her as she was clinging to him. "Onii-sama is here for you. Now...." He brought her eyes to his and smiled at her. "What is going on, dear sister?... What is this maze?... Who destroyed the garden?"
His bright blue eyes watched Nanami's violet eyes intensely, waiting for his answer. His mind was still in a bit of a daze but he trying to seem composed, especially for his younger sister, the darling girl who had taken his place during his closure in his room.
****
*I hate this school.* Shiori thought to herself as she wandered aimlessly around. A wall of green shrubbery began to fill her vision,
"Oh!" she exclaimed in delight, she had always loved mazes. They were fun. Her thoughts focused back to Juri, *I wonder if she hates me...funny...I can't really remember what I wanted to tell her that one day...*
Shiori continued to wander through the maze, her thoughts not quite on Earth. It was easy to lose yourself here, both physically and mentally. As she walked by, she picked up an orange wildflower growing at the base of the hedges. She had been picking leaves off the hedges when the shocking color of it caught her attention. Slowly, Shiori began to tear one of the petals off of the flower.
"She hates me..." she said as she tore one petal off, "She hates me not..."
As her attention was focused on the flower, she turned a corner and bumped directly into someone who was also turning a corner.
"Juri-sempai!" Shiori exclaimed as she looked at the beautiful orange-haired woman in surprise.
As Shiori collided with Juri, the petals scattered, and Juri watched, dazed, as she opened her hand and one of the soft orange petals brushed her palm. She caught it, and then let it slide to the ground.
She blinked a few times, the dazed look leaving her face for a moment. She looked at Shiori curiously...
"Shiori...why are you here? What's going on?"
Those eyes...Juri thought...not this torment again.
But, the situation wasn't appropriate to dwell on such things.
"I suppose what we should do is find the center of this twisting maze...and find out what's behind all this." A flash of the ruined garden came back to her. She hadn't realized it was ruined when she passed it, before ending up here. She had been lost in her thoughts...but who ruined the garden?
"Juri..." Shiori began as she stared at Juri for a moment, *I wonder how she feels about me, after what I've done to her in the past.*
"I was just wandering...when..." Shiori began and let the petals and the flower fall from her hand.
"The center of the maze? Why?" she asked.
Juri turned and stared down the row of hedges, as they finally disappeared in darkness. She figured they went on past that, but for how long? She took a step forward, the force drawing her in, calling her to continue through the maze. "I don't know...I don't know what's with this place...but it's something very important...and it's drawing me in."
Juri looked at Shiori, and the bewilderment on her face faded. She felt in control again, and she forced herself to stay with reality. "Whatever it is, nothing's going to happen if we just stand here...you don't have to come with me if you don't wish to..."
Juri retreated into her thoughts again, for just a moment...she kind of hoped Shiori would come...if only to have her near...even if she never would know her feelings. Juri always tried to appear strong, and in control...but she was frightened...and could use a friendly presence along.
"What do you mean nothing's going to happen?" Shiori asked, she was confused. Juri was talking so strangely and enigmatically, she didn't have the faintest clue what she was talking about. Perhaps it was something that had gone on since she had transferred from Ohtori and subsequently returned.
"Well...I might as well come with you..." Shiori said with a smile, "We can...talk..." she said slowly.
****
-The roses...Utena-sama- Utena blinked as the words rushed through her brain like icy raindrops. "Himemiya?" The word barely passed her lips, but to her throbbing head it felt as if she'd shouted them for the world to hear. "Ro-roses?"
She could see high, lush green walls move swiftly past, her cheek was laying against something soft and silky...and red. Glancing up through her lashes, Utena was heartily surprised to see Ohtori's Dean cradling her to his chest, swiftly moving them through what appeared to be (as far as appearances went that is) a maze of thick, green, leafy walls. Licking her lips, she tried to arch her back to gain the Dean's attention. "Ohtori-san."
He looked down at her in surprise, and slowed his step, but even as he did so, the high walls around them faded away, coated by a thick rising fog. He glanced up, noting the sudden appearance of small, white, Lily-shaped flagstones buried in the earth beneath his feet. The path now set before them meant only one thing. They, the two of them alone, had arrived.
But where?
Lowering Utena to the ground, Akio watched impassively as she struggled to stand. As for Utena, though the world around her spun and shifted, her one thought was of the strange voices in her head and the -memories?- images from her shattered and fevered dream locked in the -basement?- dark room. No longer able to stand, (though whether due to blood loss or the strange heat rushing through her mind, she wasn't quite sure) Utena dropped to the ground at last, and lay on her stomach as she stared at the strange place the Dean had brought her to.
It was a cottage. That was the only way to describe it. Small birds flitted around a tottering chimney which slowly puffed away. There was a quiet -humming?- in the air, a sound just below audible levels, yet heard none the less. The trees rose up above the house, menacing and leering at the birds and the small rabbit which had ventured its way across the lawn. In an odd way the cottage reminded Utena of her childhood and of -her mother?- a soft voice playfully growling words from far away. "Now Gretel, stoke the fire..."
Trying desperately to grasp the voice in her mind, Utena barely noticed through her haze as the Dean strode towards the cottage door, taking the stepping stones two at a time. He seemed to be flying to Utena, drifting across the pale green lawn like -a God?- a Pegasus or a creature from one of Miki's Grecian myths. Her thoughts whirred along dizzily. -Maybe he's going to get me some aspirin...or a Band Aid for these cuts. Some soup would be nice. Anthy makes the best soup...no, wait, Anthy makes the best curry, her soup tastes like glue. Who made that soup?-
Mouth watering at the thought of eating something, anything at all, Utena caught the faint whiff of roses. -Roses. Something important about roses. And Anthy. Did I get challenged to another duel? Where's Anthy?-
Akio was still gone. Why had he gone inside? What was he doing? Utena longed to know, but as far as things were going for her, she knew she was going to be out of commission for at least a few hours. The world was starting to sway dangerously, but as she drifted off Utena could have sworn she heard one of the duelists. -Miki? Juri? Nanami? Oh please Dios, don't let it be...-
****
Saionji wasn't doing all to well. He couldn't recall feeling this weak in a long time, perhaps ever. He stopped for a moment, leaning up against one of the hedge walls to catch his breath. There was that feeling of something pulling him towards the center, but at the moment his muscles just didn't seem to want to comply.
"Just a little rest.....I must be walking farther than I thought. All I need is a little rest."
He sunk to the ground, running his hand through the long bangs that usually fall in front of his eyes. It was hard to stay conscious for some reason. The light grew dim and Saionji couldn't tell if it was the setting sun or if something was obstructing his vision. Either way, he didn't remain conscious long enough to really find out, or care.
****
Miki looked up, and the hedges around him seemed unusually high, making him dizzy. He stumbled, and fell to the ground.
*What's with this place?* he thought, as his vision blurred a bit, and the whole world spun around him. A flash of someone's face...an old woman...ivory hair...*Please...someone...* was his last thought before the world dimmed in his eyes, and he swooned...strange images filling his mind...a rose in a glass container...evil eyes staring from the darkness. Staggering to his feet, he forced himself to move once more. "Must keep going."
****
In the distance the same dark eyes watched, but chose to leave the wounded children to their complete rescue. It had better things to do than baby-sit a bunch of sniveling toddlers with notions of resurrecting the Revolution. That included the elusive Dean. His power, and that of the Rose Bride, the Victor, and the erstwhile God Dios, were nothing compared to the fury that would soon be unleashed upon their sheltered little rose-tinted bubble. Let the seer play with her toys for a bit. They might prove interesting...for once.
Scene Four: The Rose Bride's Dilemma
When Anthy awoke, she found herself in a small, darkened hut. Trying to rise, she found herself stuck, jammed into what appeared to be a small container. Her lower extremities her somehow wet and cold, yet for some reason that seemed comforting.
Although she couldn't move her gaze, from where she was...sitting? standing? she could see a hunched figure moving about the hut. Soon the figure turned, and moved toward her.
"So, you're finally awake, huh? Well, I guess awake wouldn't be the best term, but beggars can't be choosers, now can they?" The hooded figure suddenly lifted its hood, showing strong but weathered features. They might have been beautiful once.
The woman wound a brown hand through her long, ivory tresses, and began to shake her head. "You don't realize what's going on, do you love. "Her voice was rough and low, but comforting, like the sound coarse brown bread would make if it could talk. "You never were the brightest. Especially after...well, I'll politely call it the ...split. Just take a look at yourself!"
Anthy tried to respond that she couldn't move, but no words seemed to form. Her former puzzlement was slowly taken over by a silent terror. What had happened to her?
After a moment, the woman lifted her head up and let out a rich, grainy guffaw. She bent closer, and seemed to caress Anthy's cheek. "Oh my dear, I'm sorry. You can't look at yourself. Well, let me go get a mirror." For a few moments she hobbled around the room, rifling through various objects, many of which Anthy had never seen before.
"Ah, there it is. I don't use it much anymore, so I keep it in a corner." She moved toward Anthy with slow deliberate movements. "Now, try to stay calm when you see this. It won't help to have a breakdown." Quickly, she brought the mirror to face Anthy.
It was strange. Anthy looked in the mirror, but she couldn't see herself. Just a blood red rose in a vase. It looked as if it had seen better days. Why couldn't she see herself. She began to panic, but only in her mind, for she couldn't move, or speak or cry.
The old woman sighed. "Do I have to be obvious? Yes, YOU ARE A ROSE!!!" I found you when I sensed some disturbance in the garden, and brought you home with me. I put you in some water, but it won't last for too long."
As if sensing Anthy's worry, she turned and lowered her voice to a throaty croon. "But don't worry sweetheart. We'll find someway out of this, just you see."
Suddenly the woman seemed to become angry, and began to pace the small room. "I told your brothers to be careful. I told him..or them..or whatever they are that something like this could happen. But he/they never listens. Not now and not before. Neither of them ever listen! Both of them are so filled with pride. Even the good one. It was so much easier when I only had one to deal with!"
She found a small stool in front of Anthy and sat down, cradling her head in her hands. "You're the first. I guess that bumbling fool Saionji will be next. If you ask me, he needed a good spanking as a child." She lifted up her head and smiled a toothy grin.
"You're confused, aren't you? Well, that's understandable. I tend to confuse people. That's why your brother stuck me in here. Well, one of the reasons. Akio always loved to have total control, and I'll never give it to him. Seer, he calls me?" She shook her head in disgust. "I'm sure he made everyone forget that I exist."
Her eyes softened. "Even you. You don't know who I am, except in small, fuzzy remembrances. Poor girl with Swiss cheese for memory. Of course, it's not your fault. Never was."
She smiled, and moving her hair from her forehead, fingered the small bindi between her eyebrows. "But once, a long time ago, you and I used to be two of a kind, daughter."
Akio pushed the door open to the cottage and ducked to fit his tall figure through the door. When he straightened inside, his presence seemed to fill the room more than his actual body did. His deep, aqua eyes searched the room, resting ever so briefly on the red rose in the vase. He knew what THAT was. With a frown, he turns his gaze upon the "seer", his handsome features darkened by a frown.
"Old woman! I wish to speak with you!"
Anthy was surprised to see her brother stride through the cottage door. She wanted to shout his name when he looked in her direction, but couldn't. Flora isn't too talkative. And she had a lot of things on her mind.
What did the woman mean when she said "daughter"? She didn't remember having a mother. It had always been her and Akio-sama. Well, and Chu-chu. And the other, but he was just a foggy memory to her.
However, standing next to Akio's tall, proud figure, Anthy could see how much they looked alike.
The woman laughed, the grainy tones almost making him wince. He never did like her, and as she walked up to him and patted his cheek, he remembered why.
"If it isn't the all-mighty Dean, Ohtori Akio. To what do I owe this unprecedented appearance?" She chuckled and rubbed the bright red silk between two fingers, then patted his arm. "You always were one for the finer points in life. Shall I make us up some tea?" As her "mother" teased Akio about his attire, Anthy wanted to giggle. Both of them wanted to be in control. She could almost see the tension crackle between them, although it was just a young man watching an old woman make tea.
Akio frowned and took a few steps towards then, then stopped as he passed the red rose. He just looks at it for a moment, no expression on his face at all, then abruptly turns towards the woman again.
"This is no time for your eccentricities, Seer. There is a girl who needs help."
The woman makes a rather rude noise in the back of her throat and continues to putter around, getting the tea ready. "Many will need help soon, and did you do anything to prevent it? No. It would serve you right if they all just faded away." As she watched, the Dean went pale, and dropped unexpected to the ground in a graceful heap.
It all went unnoticed by the rose. A quickly muttered phrase had suddenly captured Anthy's attention. Akio had said that a girl was hurt. Anthy felt a tiny tremor run through her petals and stem. Something was wrong, and it was...Utena-sama?
Sparing a glance at the crimson rose, the Seer picked up the glass and set it in the fading pool of sunlight on the windowsill. From there the rose would be able to see the front yard...all of it, including the duelist.
****
Juri realized she was only confusing Shiori, but she couldn't explain the need to get to the bottom of this. She felt better that Shiori decided to go with her, though. *Talk?* She wondered what Shiori wished to talk about...
"Right...let's go then." Juri began down the path again...hoping that this time she wouldn't feel quite as lost. That dreamy feeling refused to leave her...something felt wrong.
*True love*, Juri thought with a bit of a smirk. She sighed, and turned to Shiori. "Never mind...you don't understand."
She reached a turn in the path...which way to go? Left or right? She looked back at Shiori again. "Which way?"
"I don't know..." Shiori hummed as she pulled a leaf off one of the hedges. A shock of green surprised her from the other side of a wall to her left. "I...I think that's..." Shiori began, her mind flashed back to that handsome,yet rude, upperclassman. "...someone?"
Juri blinked, and looked around the corner. Her eyes saw the emerald hair, and the limp body.
"Saionji!"
Juri felt bad that she was almost grateful they had found him passed out. This gave her temporary relief from Shiori's questions.
She knelt by Saionji, noticing a few strewn rose petals around him...bright emerald green. She lifted one, looking at it curiously...then looking up at Shiori, she said:
"We should help him."
"That's strange..." Shiori said as she picked up a green petal between her fingers.
"Move him? Where...?" she asked curiously.
Juri looked up at Shiori, and then back at Saionji.
"Well, we can't just leave him here, can we?"
She shrugged. "Since we're trying to find the center of this maze, the least we could do is take him with us instead of leaving him here."
She started to try to lift him, under the arms...but she wasn't strong enough.
"I'll need some help, Shiori."
"But what do we do once we get there?" Shiori asked as she blinked, *You were trying to get to the center, I was just taking a walk...* she thought as she picked up Saionji's legs and lifted with as much strength as she could. They began to half carry-half drag him along with them.
*Hmph, so "sempai" isn't so tough when he's unconscious...he looks so darling.* she thought sarcastically and snickered quietly to herself.
"I'm not sure what we do when we get there," Juri said, as she lifted Saionji with her.
"But...don't you feel it?" Juri couldn't explain what was drawing her deeper and deeper into the maze. "Something's wrong...and I need to get to the middle of this maze...I don't know why."
She looked down, not satisfied with her own answer...but there was nothing she could say to make Shiori understand.
"I don't *feel* anything..." Shiori said as she blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Well...how much farther is it till we get there? And then what do we do when we do? drag him back out? Leave him there?"
****
The Seer glanced aimlessly about the stuffy room for a moment after the Dean slid to the floor. She couldn't quite believe all the mischief this group of mindless children could get themselves into during one measly day.
"My my my, Anthy. Your friends don't quite know what to do with themselves, do they?"
The rose, obviously couldn't say anything. Groaning with the effort it cost her, the Seer began dragging Akio over to the fireplace where she laid him out. "Two down...no wait, make that three, and Kami knows how many more to go."
She limped over to a table overflowing with spices and judiciously selected a bottle. "This should wake him up."
Waving the foul cork under Akio's nose, the Seer chuckled softly as he woke with a start. "Feeling a little light headed, hey there?" She patted him on the cheek. "I'll help your little friend outside, but you must bring her in immediately. I'm too old to pick her up. It's beginning to get dark out there and we wouldn't want to leave her out in the cold, now would we?"
With a piercing glare, Akio was gone, and the old woman could see him through the window, tenderly lifting the girl like fine china. She coughed, a raspy, brittle sound and turned to the rose. "So that's your chosen Victor, little one? A pink-haired girl?" Another dubious glance at Akio's slender charge. "I do hope you know what you're doing, daughter. No one in our entire tribe has ever, ever, depended on an outsider as you and your brother depend on that hopeless child. I just hope she brings you your heart's desire before the council brings you both to terms. Playing with human lives like they're chess pieces. You should both be ashamed."
The rose, of course, had no reply.
"Now what, old woman?"
Turning at the boy's voice, the Seer chuckled. He cradled the girl in his arms as if she were a tipsy bride and he the dedicated husband rather than the manipulating boy he was. "Oh, Akio, Akio, Akio. I do wish you wouldn't call me that. You know my name as well as you know your own. Call me Cassandra, my boy, and perhaps I'll tell you and your little friends who is doing this to all of you."
Akio scowled fiercely. "Old woman, you maybe a prophet of our people, but I still hold power over you. I gave you a home away from the persecution of the oh-so-modern world and you will help me, and mine, without any more delays!"
She nodded once, a decisive movement. With an economy of motion, she had the bed cleared off and watched with an amused eye as the girl was laid down just as delicately as she'd been carried.
"I will help you, -Himemiya- Akio, I will help you as your mother once helped your father, as the people of our tribe are called upon to always help the weak and suffering. But know you this; as your people wander in here, lost and afraid and suffering, you *MUST* help them as I shall help this child here. If you do not, I shall see you stripped of your power, what little remains. Do I make myself utterly clear?"
Narrowing his eyes, Akio stepped forward, but was interrupted by a timid tap on the door. The woman jerked her head towards it as she began unrolling a ball of gauze the mysteriously appeared in her hand. "Well, go open it. It's almost dark and the others will be arriving very soon."
Scowling for a moment more at the audacity of the crone, Akio smoothed his features into their normal icy calm mask and swung open the door. His angry storm-cloud eyes met a pair of tired but serene blue. "Dean?" Miki queried as he clicked his stopwatch. "I seem to have lost my way. I was wondering...Tenjou-san!"
He rushed into the cottage and skidded to a stop beside the old woman. "Gomen nasi! I just saw-"
Cassandra chuckled and handed him a pair of scissors. "Good thing you're here boy. My old hands aren't quite what they used to be. Would you please cut me some bandages?"
Leaving Miki to his task, she turned to the dean and smiled. "Akio, be a dear boy and fetch me some water to soak the herbs I've laid out in that glass bowl over there. Put the water to boil then stir them in. I know you're no housemaid, but by time the next hour is up, we'll have at least three more visitors that will need tending to. Perhaps four if the animals I called can direct that bubbly blond here without getting trampled."
So saying, Cassandra scooped up the vase and set it on the dresser beside the bed. The Rose Bride must be in a conniption fit over her Victor by now. Making perfectly sure (her face) the blooms were facing the bed, the seer set to work bathing Utena's wounds and sewing shut her cuts. Miki was now helping the Dean in the kitchen, which was good. He would be an unaware spy for the seer. Akio was correct, he had locked her away out here, and she was indebted to him for that. But she was powerful in her own right. Almost as powerful as the One who had taken to loitering around the campus these past weeks, waiting for a chance to strike. Cassandra knew why he'd chosen today to make his move.
Though the Dean couldn't remember it, today was the day his parents had sent two small children to a castle in the country, one far, far away from the hectic and dangerous city life. They did it so they could work with the Council in peace and not have to worry about their children underfoot when the doors of Revolution opened at last. But something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.
Cassandra had foreseen it, though none would believe her and as punishment, they'd sent her to care for the children locked away in the Forest Castle. And she had cared for them, loving them as if she'd born them of her own body. The boy had been different then, wild as he was now, but tempered by a good spirit of loving kindness that was now often absent from his features. Now it only showed up in regards to the girl, Utena. There were times Cassandra would gaze into her mirror and watch him follow the girl with his eyes as she ran and played her games.
And the girl, Anthy. She'd been sharp as a tack and twice as underfoot. There had been no lollygagging about, no indecision. She'd stood up for herself and loved ones in those days of bygone youth. But of course, that was long ago, far in the distant past. Those children had been swallowed up by the years, and by...well, thinking on it wouldn't help things at all now would it?
Sensing the storm coming, Cassandra sent out a whisper to the wind. -Search them out; the flame of the president, the jealousy of the vice-president, the longing desire of the treasurer, and the golden energy of their representative. Bring these children to me and all others wandering the maze. Hurry!-
A shiver along her spine told Cassandra her job had been taken care of. Within minutes, each of the children would find a trail of multi-colored rose petals that would show them the quickest route to the cottage. She knew once she had them all in her grasp she would probably falter, -but- for the time being, she just needed them here.
Once they were warming themselves by the fire she would drain the dark, debilitating forces from them...she would stave off the fading effect that had overtaken Anthy. After all, what did Cassandra need with a multi-colored rose bouquet in her home? She preferred Lilies instead.
Once the fading had been taken care of...who knew? She would have to send them away, Cassandra knew that much. Keeping them here would be a mistake, especially with the One sneaking in the shadows of Ohtori. All the children, including the Dean, were at their weakest and not able to combat the One at this moment. Perhaps she would send them all for help of a...different sort.
Perhaps she would send them home.
****
Juri and Shiori stumbled along as they tried to carry Saionji's body. His emerald green locks dragged the ground as they walked.
Something is there, in the center...someone...," Juri began, but suddenly a strong wind blew, high above the hedge maze, and she looked up. She saw a flash of the old woman's face, as she had before...
"Shiori, you don't have to come with me if you don't want to. But I'm going. Nothing can keep me from it now." Juri said this with strength. No matter what, she knew that she had to get to the bottom of this.
She relaxed her arms a bit, taking a breath, then hoisted Saionji's body higher again...and began trudging along the leave-strewn path again.
****
While awaiting for his little sister's answer, a weird feeling washed over the student council president. Letting his tight cling on his sister loosen up a bit, he looked around and felt this odd urge to find the center as well as a strange tight pain in his chest. Looking around, his blue eyes searched around his environment, trying to find a way to the center. He had to know what was going on, and if Nanami wasn't the one to answer, then he would have to go on without her. But, then again, even if she did answer, his strong urges would make him find the center anyhow.
He had to get the bottom of this, somehow.
"You feel it too, onii-sama?" Nanami said, surprised. "I don't know why I ran in there in the first place, and then I wanted to just get out, but now I want to find the center of the maze."
*I won't mind the animals if he's with me,* Nanami thought. *I wouldn't mind a pit of snakes...er....well yeah I would.* Nanami was not exactly a coward. She was brave enough to admit that some things scared her witless.
Letting his younger sister out of his arms, Touga stood tall, straightening his white, student council jacket neatly. Pushing a golden tassel into place with his long, slender finger, he turned away from Nanami and her question, purple eyes. Tossing his red, free hair a bit, he habitually placed his hands into the pockets of his pants and walked off a bit, towards where he was sensing to go. He still hadn't answered his younger sister's question. He was tying to figure out what was causing the weird, unexplainable feelings that came over him.
"Nanami..." he called, "let's go. We are going to find out what this is all about." After that, he kept walking on, trying to figure out everything in his head, like he always did. He just expected his younger sister to follow, and surely the golden-haired child would. She'd follow him to his death, he thought. Continuing walking, the red-haired president turned corners and walked down long hallways, knowing that Nanami was there, due to her shuffling. He didn't speak to her because he was deep into thoughts. If she did ask, he probably didn't hear, not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't.
After a while of walking...the night was settling, and he could see the day turning over into evening. He glanced behind him a couple times to see his sister. Feeling a bit bad for neglecting her, he waited for a while for her to catch up, then placed his arms around her shoulder and walked on, when he felt his feel walk over something odd. He looked to the ground and from it, came the scent of roses... He kneeled and felt around and picked a rose petal up and held it to the moon. It was green...just like the one of Saionji. He must be here!, Touga thought to himself. Following his path, he kept trudging on in the darkness, his younger, golden haired, purple-eyed sister gather near him in his arms.
****
Akio frowned as he did as the Seer bid him. He disliked doing labor of the sort, but he would if it meant Tenjou Utena would be okay. After all, she was important to the revolution. Not that he would ever admit how important she was in any other respect. Akio was as good at deceiving himself as he was the rest of Ohtori Academy.
When the herbs were done, Akio shoved the pot into Miki's hands roughly, his face a mask of calm as he did so, though his insides were seething. "Go, take this to the woman." He shoved Miki out the door before the younger boy could even think of complaining, then turned and looked out one of the small cabin windows. How in the world did THIS happen? This was HIS world; he was suppose to control everything and everyone. All this was ruining against his carefully laid plans. He would have to be sure none of the others remembered this later, of course.....it wouldn't do for them to see him in anything but a position of control.
For a brief moment, Akio leaned upon the quaint wood countertop, letting the pain he was feeling flash across his dark features for an instant. He was hurting just as much as Anthy was but unlike her, he still had the strength to hold it off, most of the time. Before anyone can see him though, he straightened and smoothed his features into their usual emotionless mask. The sooner this was resolved, the sooner things would be back to normal.
He walked back into the room to see how the Seer was doing with Utena, but something stopped him in his tracks. He wasn't sure if he was the only one who could see the faint apparition sitting on the end of the bed, but he didn't care. One word hissed out from between his tightly clenched teeth. One word that caused mixed reactions to the occupants of the room.
"Dios."
The ghostly apparition looked up at Akio briefly, then back down at the pink-haired girl lying on the bed. He could never physically leave the castle, though if he was so inclined, his spirit would roam, trying to help like he used to. Who knew WHY he had showed up now. Possibly because he too was suffering from the pains that were about to strike everyone down, perhaps to keep an eye on Anthy and Utena, or perhaps just to annoy Akio himself. Akio didn't care why, really, he just didn't wish to have this constant reminder HERE.As if everything else wasn't bad enough. But before he could say any more, Miki looked over from the window, clearing his throat slightly.
"Pardon me, Rijichou, but I believe the others are arriving. And I think Saionji-senpai is in serious trouble."
****
"...serious trouble..."
The words washed over Utena like the incoming tide. She could feel things...odd things...in the back of her mind, like a scratchy sweater. It was hot and uncomfortable and tight, but to Utena, it was better than the cold reality she knew awaited her the moment she allowed herself to fully awaken. Her mind teased and tormented her, flashing random images against the backdrop of her thoughts.
(Wakaba screaming about being special...)
(Shiori pointing a sword that resembled Juri's straight at Utena...)
(Twsabuki darting forward, Nanami's weapon's clenched tightly in his hands, almost catching Utena unawares...)
(A man...with pink hair and glasses, calmly telling her they were alike...Utena saw her hand reach out and strike him with telling force...her fist ground into the floor by his face...she was righteously furious, with good reason to be.)
(Kozue...that slap-happy friend of Nanami's with the attitude and crush on Touga, Keiko...Kanae...)
The images faded, receding into the mists of Utena's mind. Then... "Hush little baby don't you cry..." a sweet contralto, humming when the singer couldn't quite remember the words, washing through Utena's senses like the soft patter of rain on a window outside.
"Don't worry, my sweet Utena. Momma will make sure all those bad germs go away..." a cold wet cloth pressed against her scalding forehead and Utena could feel the tickle in her throat as she fought with a child's valiance against coughing. The rumble in her chest _hurt_ and she could hear the worry in -her mother's?- the woman's tone as she spoke with -her father?- someone on the phone.
"She's getting worse (a pause here as her voice dropped) I know...but can't we take her to see that doctor? The one in the city? My sister lives there, we can stay with her for a few days, Utena won't be a bother. (another pause)You don't have to go, dear. I can take care of it..."
The -memory?- dream faded away, as the urgent sound of movement caught Utena's attention. Grudgingly, she forced herself to fight her way to the waking world. The first site to meet her eyes was an absolutely breathtaking specimen of crimson rose settled in a vase by her bed. Another was the fact that voices were rising in protest and confusion around her. Groaning at the various and multitude of aches and pains that rippled through her body, Utena rolled to her side and watched as Miki and Akio hurriedly opened the front door of...where was she?
Blinking, Utena caught a flash of green (or was it orange?) and a matching swish of purple and teal as the group gathering near the door was struggling with something. Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, Utena forced herself to stand, as the walls around her spun and danced, (just to annoy her, she was certain). As she fought to sustain her balance, she noticed for the first time the -figure?- at the foot of her bed. A -ghost?- wavering apparition of a handsome young man in a dueling uniform with silvery-white hair and dark creamy skin. He watched her with a worried air that would have been laughable in any other context but the one they were currently in. But before she could do anything more than mouth the words, -what in the hell?!- before her eyes, he vanished.
The disappearance of the -ghost?- brought sweet recollections of a soft rose scent to Utena's mind. It reminded her of Anthy and Akio in a way, like a brush with a perfumed mist. At the thought of the Dean, Utena's head slowly turned to observe the clutter near the doorway. Under normal circumstances, Tenjou Utena would have been up in a flash, rushing to help Akio and Miki with their burden. But for some reason, she chose to turn back to her bed and stare at the rose by her bedside instead. It...
The world faded around her once more as Utena passed out from overexertion and the sudden understanding that the rose, despite its mundane appearance, was not ordinary. Unless someone had watered it a moment ago while Utena wasn't looking, there was definitely something unusual about the plant. The rose was dripping water, drop by drop, into the vase and to Tenjou Utena's fever ridden brain, it appeared as if the rose...were crying.
Juri handed her burden over to Miki and Akio, gladly. She tried to catch her breath, with her hands on her knees, and her head down. She looked up, and around the room inside. She was surprised to see Utena passed out on a bed...she wondered if she was alright. The Dean was here, and Miki...and who was that puttering in the kitchen back there?
She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She wasn't feeling quite right...she'd been going through a few dizzy spells, as she and Shiori had tried to bring Saionji here. She just didn't feel quite herself...
****
Shiori peered over Juri as she bent over to catch her breath, what on god's name was going on in here?
"Umm...Juri..." Shiori said, pulling Juri back outside the cottage. "Let's not go in there. You look sick and that place looks a bit weird." she said as she tried to lead Juri back into the maze.
Juri stumbled as Shiori tried to lead her away in to that twisting, dream-like maze. She honestly didn't want to go back there...the cottage seemed cozy enough compared to that maze.
The Seer glanced up as Shiori began tugging Juri away. -Now this absolutely won't do at all. What in heaven's name does that child think she's doing?-
Quickly striding over to Shiori, the Seer circumvented the struggling duelists without a graceful twist and stood in front of the lavender haired girl. Shiori backed up a step, truly appalled at the ugly old woman. Chuckling to herself, Cassandra pulled from the folds of her dress something flat and shiny.
"There is such a thing as free will, my dear girl," she crooned with a mischievous look on her face. "But be warned, if you lead your...friend...out into the night as she grows even more ill, you will regret it. Eventually, she'll wither up and die...and so will you one day without the shining trust of her devotion. Take a look."
So saying, she held out the mirror to Shiori, who took it after a moment's battle in her dark eyes. She glanced in the mirror and screamed in shock... then threw the mirror to the ground. For her part, Juri simply sat on the steps in front of the cottage, and watched as the seer held something up to Shiori. Then that scream pierced her ears, and she stood.
"What ARE you?!" Shiori was demanding, "What are you talking about withering away? Did you do something to Juri?"
"What are you doing?" Juri demanded, calmly, but with conviction. "Shiori! What's wrong?" There was no answer, instead a mild staring contest between the old hag and her friend ensued. *Please, someone...* Juri thought. *Make some sense of this nightmare.*
****
Akio wasn't happy. Not one bit. As he and Miki settled the unconscious Saionji into a chair near the bed, Akio checked the unconscious boy's pulse; it was not good. Not good at all. He straightened and spun around so abruptly he almost knocked over the blue-haired boy next to him. Saionji had been out for some time. He was already starting to wilt badly. And of course, Miki-kun would be next. He didn't really feel sorrow over their apparent fate, just anger that things were falling out of place.
"OLD WOMAN!" Akio's aqua eyes turned upon the Seer. His voice was so loud in the small space that everyone fell silent. "You will help this boy, and you will help him NOW." The Rijichou turned his seething glare upon Shiori, eyeing her with contempt. "And there will be no more dramatics over leaving. She will remain here until she has been healed."
And with that, he turned and stalked out of the cabin into the quickly darkening evening. It would be full night soon, and the other two were STILL not here. He needed to hurry this along so that the pain would stop....and so that Utena-san would not fade away like the rest were doing. With the sureness of someone who knows exactly where he is going, he made his way through the maze to where Touga and Nanami have seemed to stopped. They needed to get the center. And NOW.
As he stepped around the corner of the maze where the two were, his tall, dark figure was visible only in silhouette. His eyes glimmered a little in the dull light and he motioned for the two to follow him.
"Come. And hurry!"
***
Touga looked up, and he saw Akio, his...friend. Not sure of what was going on, he was glad to have seen him and nodded, taking his younger sister with him, quickly following the Lavender haired man.
Scene Five: Explanations in the Cottage
The pain was almost all she could feel at the moment. Saionji..Utena..even Akio, they all hurt so much. And it was killing her. Not that she cared about dying. In a way it would be...freeing, except for...
Anthy looked down again at her victor. Oh Utena-sama! She was hurt, and Anthy could do nothing but shed crystalline tears. They dripped slowly from her petals onto Utena's unconscious form.
Working her way through the pain, Anthy remembered that she must stay alive. For the others, and Utena. For if she passed, the rest would soon follow, and that could not happen.
Suddenly, there was noise at what she supposed was the door. It was the voice of Juri, saying that Saionji had fallen. As they dragged him to the bed, Anthy felt another wash of pain flow over her. He was going quickly. Soon it would be too late. But somehow she was not worried for him. The seer had convinced her that they would be alright. Of course, she hadn't said anything about her...
A slight movement in Saionji's pants pocket quickly drew Anthy out of her dark reverie. The pocket...squirmed, and she heard a faint, muffled noise inside. The noise grew louder as what-ever-it-was crawled to the top of the pocket.
"Chu-Chu!, Chu-Chu!!" If Anthy could have, she would have grinned as Chu-Chu proudly jumped out of Saionji's pocket. He must have crawled in there while Saionji was passed out, and was now quite proud of his clever act. Things seemed a little bit better now that he was here.
Chu-chu glanced around the room, and spotting Utena, scampered over to her. For a few moments he tried to play, then grew worried when there was no response. He started to curl up in a ball next to her, until he looked in Anthy's direction.
He blinked...He blinked...and then "CHU-CHU" He began to squeal loud enough to wake dead duelists.
The rest of the room turned at the sudden outburst. Miki tried to comfort the creature, and patted him on the head, but merely received a bite for his efforts.
No..Chu-Chu...If Anthy didn't quiet him now, then surely Akio would. And she feared what he would do. But how?
Gazing upon her steadfast little friend, Anthy concentrated, begging the powers-that-be to give her strength to do something. And suddenly...she was standing. Startled, she looked down at her hands, marveling at their transparency.
Passing her hand through her vase, Anthy realized that she could move and speak, but she was not really there. The wind would blow her away. And the effort was draining.
Gazing down at Chu-chu, she kneeled till she was nose to nose with him, crooning softly. "I'm okay, it's alright, I'll be fine. But you must protect Utena-sama while I'm this way, alright little one?" Chu-chu brandished a somehow newly acquired sword, and began to walk circuits around his charge.
Turning, Anthy noticed that Touga, Nanami, and her brother had joined the group again. They were all so busy fumbling about the room, they had not noticed her yet.
"Excuse me. But I think we must quickly do what is needed before I lose my strength."
Turning as one, they stared. Most of them looked in puzzlement. Akio's jaw almost dropped, but he soon gained control of himself. And strangely to her delight, the Seer smiled.
"Well child, I didn't think you had it in you anymore." She turned to the others "The rose bride is right, we must begin now. Saionji is about to go."
Raising an eyebrow at the assembled members of Ohtori's finest, Cassandra began to work quickly. Waving the cork from earlier under Saionji's nose, she smiled as he awoke and then turned to the others. One by one, they each received a refreshing dose of horrid stench to help them come to completely. Satisfied that no more fainting spells were imminent, the old crone began drawing a pentacle on the oak floor of the cottage. The chalk was small and brittle, twice she had to pull another piece from her apron to continue the circle.
As she worked, she noticed the ghostly Anthy brush away some hair along Utena's forehead. Then, as if by a whiff of smoke, she vanished. Not for good, Cassandra knew that much, but just long enough to be gathered into the protective embrace of the rose.
Finally, Cassandra surveyed her handiwork. A large (wobbly but impressive) pentacle was set out on her floor. Smiling a small smile to herself, Cassandra reached forward and grabbed Juri's arm. "Come with me dear."
For a moment it was as if the girl would protest, but then she seemed to deem it allowable to proceed. Cassandra indicated the girl sit cross-legged at the head of the pentacle, at the uppermost star. Silently, she complied. Miki was then settled to her left, then Touga to his left with Nanami at the other foot of the star. Saionji finished off the pentacle, sitting to Nanami's right.
The lavender-haired child looked for a moment as if she'd step forward, but Cassandra knew that -Shiori? Was that her name?- would sit still if it meant her friend was going to remain. And Juri was most certainly going nowhere.
Akio moved slowly to the bed, and tenderly lay Utena's head in his lap as he watched with narrowed eyes the spell that was being cast. Cassandra mumbled in the language of their homeland, she called upon the elements, the watchtowers, and the Watchers. Not all of them were like the one outside, full of bitterness and greed. Some of them would be pleased to help, she was certain.
Satisfied that her will would be strong, Cassandra turned to the few remaining guests as a slow mist began to build around her sitting duelists. "They are being healed. The full effects of the fading will not be removed completely, of course, but they will be staved off for about a week. You have that long to find a complete cure."
"Or what?" whispered a groggy Utena as she slowly lifted herself off the Dean's (comfortable) lap. She had regained her senses just in time to watch Saionji settle down in his spot. "Or what? What will happen if we don't find a cure? A cure for what?"
Cassandra raised her eyebrows at the child. The potion she'd administered earlier should have rendered the girl unconscious by now. There'd been enough sedatives in it to knock out an elephant. She spared a look at Nanami, now begining to glow faintly purple along with the other duelists. Perhaps two or three if the case called for it.
"Your friends will die," she said simply. "Their souls will fade away, like roses removed too soon from their bush. And you will have no worries about dueling to save your friends' honors or promises. They will all just be...gone."
"What I am doing right now," she continued, "is drawing the power of the rose from their systems. The power granted to them when they became Student Council members. Now even if they wanted to participate in the duels, the Forest would not let them enter, even with their Rose Seal on their finger and intact. They are as good as banished from Ohtori until their cure is discovered."
The duelists were still glowing, and in the corner of Utena's eye, she noticed Nanami's hand sneak out and grasp Touga's. Likewise, Juri seemed to be reaching out her fingers to Miki's upturned palm? Utena's mind whirled. -Juri? Holding hands...with Miki?! Something's up.- Shiori had noticed also, and, despite the Seer's thoughts of earlier, was preparing to bolt.
Akio, was surprisingly silent, but his body beside Utena had lost some of the tenseness. He seemed to be calmer now, more in control. As if in a dream, Utena watched as he turned to her, and brushed one finger down the tip of her nose. -Na...Nani?! What's going on here?-
The Seer chuckled. "The pain is receding for all of them, child. As they join their hands, their pain, and the Dean's, is sucked into the pentacle. But it is only a container, much like the rose you see is only a container for your friend Anthy's soul."
Sparing a glance at the vase, Utena expected to feel more outrage at the situation, but she found herself calmly accepting all the unusual facts thrown at her head. "Let me see if I have this correctly," she whispered. "Anthy is a rose, Akio-san was in pain, as were the Student Council. They can no longer duel, or bother me again, until they have a cure. What's the disease?"
Akio chuckled wanly. "No disease."
The seer nodded. "He's right. The Rose Garden was destroyed today, Utena. While you were locked away." She nodded, accepting one more odd fact, and Cassandra continued. "When each student comes to Ohtori, a small piece of them is locked away into a rose. It's a safety precaution in case of debilitating injury." Utena marveled a moment at that -truly strange- logic and did not interrupt. "Such as it is, the Rose Garden is tended by the Rose Bride, thus every student at Ohtori flourishes. They are all, for the most part, healthy and fairly content. Well, almost all. There are a few malcontents, every rose bush has its thorns, but you've met most of them already."
"I have?" Utena wondered. Her dream... -Wakaba, Konzue, Tswabuki-
"But the main idea is that the souls of the school's leaders, their elite, the Student Council, must always be taken special care of. They must always be as healthy as possible in order to lead and duel. Thus, their entire soul was locked away inside a rose the moment they slipped on their signet rings. As is yours."
Utena glanced around, confused. "But I didn't feel any pain."
Cassandra chuckled. "Of course you wouldn't. Your rose doesn't grow in the Rose Garden, thus it wasn't harmed. Yours grows...somewhere else entirely."
Utena looked once more on the Student Council. She'd always known they were different, special in some almost alien way. But this?! It was almost too much to handle. "And Himemiya?"
Cassandra blinked at the rose, once more crying. "She is their keeper. She failed. She is trapped by her own helplessness."
Utena withdrew with a cry and stared at the rose.
"You can help, Utena," Cassandra crooned. "But you and the Dean here must gather the Council the moment they awaken from their healing trance and flee Ohtori. I shall protect Anthy, with my life if necessary." -And it might be necessary- she thought dryly. "The one who locked you away will stop at nothing to control Ohtori and hold the souls of over two thousand students tightly."
"What can we do?" she whispered brokenly, watching the faint healing glow surrounding the Student Council. Was that her imagination, or was it beginning to dim?
Cassandra smiled at the apparent honor within the child. She spared a glance at the rose and sent a quick mental congratulations to the girl. -You've chosen a fine Victor Anthy. Unlike Saionji, this one's heart is strong and unconfused.-
The spell was wearing down, she noted. The Duelists would be reliving the last moments of conversation in their heads and would now know everything that was said while they were walking the planes of healing. Though something told Cassandra she needed to hurry and finish the explanation before the Council exploded into an argument or the girl Shiori bolted. None of them would be at all pleased to discover they would have to leave their lives behind immediately or else never duel (or live) again.
She licked her lips and returned to the sardonic gaze of the Dean and the flawless purity of the Victor.
"You must leave here," she continued, "and travel twelve hours due east. There you will find a small castle and a small village that goes by the name Valkira nearby. The castle will have rooms open, more than enough for the Council, you and the Dean. But I warn you, you must bring some others with you on your trip."
Akio, listening this entire time, tightened his lips at her words. He knew where she wanted to send them, and though he didn't like it one bit, he knew Utena would be thrilled to finally see his and Anthy's homeland.
"Who do we have to bring with us? And why? Aren't we enough?"
Cassandra glanced at Shiori. "The malcontents. If left here, they will be easy prey for the One who locked you away. He will use their power against you. Don't worry about gathering them, they will come on their own, drawn by my spell." She gazed out her window. "Even now, they pack their bags, and independent of one another, are buying tickets on buses and trains and airplanes. They shall meet you there in a day. Shiori will also go with you on your trip." She flashed a dangerous smile and brought out the mirror from the folds of her gown again. "Won't you dear?"
The girl just stared in dread at the mirror and plopped right back down in the seat she'd just risen from.
There was a yawn, and Juri was the first of the Duelists to stand. "Well then." She glanced at Shiori, and tightened her lips. "Do we get to pack or must we go on this wild goose chase naked?"
Cassandra admired the girl's spunk. "Yes. All of you go...now. Leave this school in no more than an hour. When you arrive at the castle tell them Cassandra sent you and you shall be introduced to the person who will best be able to help you." She grinned wryly. "Make sure you pack some ball gowns and tuxedo's too. This is high class and your uniforms simply will not do."
Silently, without understanding quite why they were doing so without argument or at least protest, they began to rise and leave. One by one, they began to file out of the cottage, their faces still drawn from pain, but now, it was bearable. Akio led, his hand lightly grasping Utena's with Chuchu sitting warily on her shoulder. Touga followed his teeth bred slightly at the sight of the Dean and the Victor with Nanami, as usual, plastered to his side. Miki and Saionji both bowed to Cassandra as they left, leaving Shiori to follow. As Juri was the last one to leave, Cassandra caught her wrist and looked deep into her eyes. "I know you don't believe in miracles, I know you don't believe in many things, including magic or true unfettered love. But know this... that girl you're with shall betray you before the week is out. She'll sell you out, in order to join with the One I Can Not Mention. Be wary of her and tell the others to pack their weapons. You will need them in the battles ahead."
Juri yanked her arm away and coolly exited the cottage. Cassandra chuckled to herself and strode over to the window to watch them fade into the night. The malcontents were already on their way. Most likely they'd arrive at the castle before the student Council. Akio might drive like a demon, and surely Touga would abscond with his parent's car, but of the others? How would they arrive?
She looked down at herself and chuckled as she addressed the wraith of Anthy, once more wavering near the rose. She knew how they would arrive at least. "Well, dear. I didn't stretch too many truths, now did I?"
The girl had no answer, as Cassandra thought she would. Pulling out a measure of dust from a small jar, she sprinkled it over the rose and herself, crystallizing the rose and thus giving Anthy more substance, and changing Cassandra's appearance from a haggard wrinkled old crone...to that of an exquisitely beautiful woman who could have easily passed for Akio's older sister.
"Not all secrets need to be told, hmmm, dear? You and Akio aren't the only ones with the power to stop the age's flow upon your bodies. Now then." She patted around her dress, found the zipper, and then slipped out of it, revealing a much simpler sheath dress beneath. "I think we need to go watch out for them, don't you Daughter of the Council? And you can't visit Utena in her dreams in order to help with their search if you're not within radius."
So saying, she strolled into the back bedroom and returned with a suitcase in one hand and a hat for the now crystallized rose in the other. Setting Anthy up there would give the girl a bird's eye view when she returned to the rose for rest.
And watching her putter insanely about, preparing for their trip to Kami-knew-where, Anthy's apparition was certain for the first time in her life of one thing; that things around Ohtori were definitely never what they seemed.
Act II: The Clan Himemiya, coming soon!


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