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Haruka at
Ohtori Academy
I look at
the paper and smile. I know Michiru will love this. We deserve a chance to
get away. We have found the messiah, the world has been saved and now we
can take a long needed vacation. She got mad when she found out I had no
plans whatsoever, hell, I never expected to live, I half wanted to die.
Now there is no other choice but to take a vacation, because I would never
leave my Michiru.
I fold the
paper and walk up behind Michiru. I know she knows I'm behind her, I can
never surprise her anymore. She turns and looks at me, and I just kiss
her. She smiles against my lips and I lead her to the couch. We have just
finished challenging Usagi- san that day and she feels tired and mad at
herself. I could relate. I sit next to her, pulling her head to rest
against my shoulder. She feels so warm, and I am so cold, since I never
drive with the top up on my convertable and it can get quite a bit chilly
in Tokyo.
I pull out
the paper thats in my pocket and she reads it. She smiles but gives me the
'are-you-sure?' look. I nod and she smiles. I take it we are going. I knew
the whole school part would throw her off but we can handle it. I know she
can. So I pack a few bags, calling the place, telling them our situation.
They confirm and tell us class begins in two days for us. We get into my
car, leaving the motorcycle in the garage, much to my dismay. We drive and
I smile again, watching as a cloud of aqua hair surrounds Michiru. I like
watching the wind tease her. I think our brief stay at Ohtori Academy
could be a learning experience.
We get there
and pick up our uniforms. Michiru has no problem with the skirt outfit and
I have no problem with my pants outfit, although I don't look as good in
green as Michiru does. We get dressed and head for the campus. Classes
begin tomorrow and we want to know our way around. As we walk I suppose
classes are letting out because a huge crowd of people come out, and
automatically surround us. The girls go around me, and the boys around
Michiru. I guess some things will never change.
I smile
slightly and the girls swoon, but when someone yells 'Touga- sempai!' the
crowd thins for me. I sigh inwardly and move toward Michiru, giving her
fan club a glare that makes them back away and start to follow a curly
blond haired girl. As we start to walk I notice a girl with pink hair. I
think that its Chibi- Usa and start after her but I notice the girl is too
tall for the tyke and she's also wearing a black uniform with no skirt
just red shorts. Michiru is behind me and I know she can tell what I was
thinking and so I just continue to walk up to her, tapping her on the
shoulder. She turns around and I smile, wondering how exactly I should
flirt with this one.
" Ano, you
remind me of someone. What's your name?"
" Boku wa
Tenjou Utena."
I smile and
sigh at the same time. Its then that I notice that there is another girl
with her, this one with purple hair that is curled up, and green eyes,
hidden behing glasses. She gives me a big innocent smile that reminds me a
lot of Usagi- san. Michiru and I introduce us and the purple haired girl
introduces herself as Himimeya Anthy. We tell them that we are new here
and were wondering if they could give us a tour. Michiru nudges me in the
side and I smile even wider.
They agree
and Utena- san shows us around. Mostly the sports facilities though. I ask
her where the buildings for our classes would be and she says that they
would be in the High School buildings and she wouldn't know that stuff.
She's in the eighth grade. I smile and ask if she knows where the fencing
building is. She smiles and says hai, taking us there.
Inside there
is a match going on and we all watch, noticing that one has a serious
advantage. After the match is over they take their masks off and I see one
of the cutest girls I have ever seen. She has orange hair that is curled
in a peculiar manner. She looks at the person she was dueling against,
scowling. I feel bad for the blue haired boy who reminds me of Ami- san in
the fact that they both have short blue hair. The boy apologizes for his
mistakes and leaves the room, claiming to have to study some more for a
party that Nanami- san is throwing. The orange haired girl smirks a little
and then notices that she has an audience.
"
Konnichi'wa," she says curtly with no real emotion behind it. I smirk and
take up a little bit of a defensive pose, taking a foil that is close by.
I thrust toward her and she easily blocks, putting her hand on the small
of my back and pushing me to the ground. I look up at her, with renewed
strength and even more anger. I stand and take a better position. She
doesn't come at me but lets me make the first move. If patience is a
virtue this girl is a saint.
I move with
all my speed, the wind backing me, and all she does is block and push me
to the ground again. She laughs a little, and I can hear Michiru laugh as
well. I look and the pink haired girl has a concerned look. I get madder
than I have ever been. No one has ever beaten me at swordplay, no one. I
don' t think it was mere coincidence that my talisman is a sword. I move
faster and try to take the aword from her grip but I don't manage. I pick
up the pace, trying to make her fall to the ground. She makes me fall
again. She laughs at me and I stand up. I take it slow, making
deliberately slow parries to her lunges. It almost makes me laugh when she
apparently falls for it.
We fight for
a while, either neither giving nor taking much quarter from the other. It
still seems like a good match and the best decision I have ever made.
Finally with a lunge that I didn't see coming I desperately try to parry,
but she touches, rather harshly and I call 'touché'.She laughs and
introduces herself.
"Arisugawa
Juri desu."
" Boku wa
Ten'ou Haruka."
Michiru
comes up behind me and laughs a little. She passes me a towel and I use it
to wipe the sweat of my brow. She punches me lightly in the side. I groan,
I hit hard when she threw me to the floor. The girl named Utena comes up
behind me and asks if I'm okay. I smile and cock my head to the side. She
blushes when I grin at her and ask her if she'd like to help me with my
injury. Michiru hits me again and I feel the pain well up.
Juri-san
leaves the gym and I start to go after her. Michiru grabs my hand and
tells me we should find our room. We ask Utena-san if she knows where our
room is and she says hai. She asks us why we're sharing a room, the girls
are supposed to be in one dorm the males in another. When Michiru explains
that I am a girl Utena blushes. She apparently remembered what I had said
not a few seconds ago and blushes harder. I laugh and I get another elbow
to my side. That woman likes to hurt me.
****
After the
first day of classes I leave to the gym, quickly putting on my suit and
moving to the hard wood floor. I called Juri-san from sitting down and she
stands and moves into the en garde position. It makes me feel a little odd
and I ask her to not fence, but rather to get her épée. She obliges and I
take mine out of a case that I had in the trunk of my car. She smiles and
I go into en garde. I laugh slightly and the match begins with her lunge.
I parry and I riposte. This makes me feel like a real fighter. This fight
is more like a duel.
She manages
to move away from my riposte and she moves around from in back of me. I
turn making a contolled wide arch, she has to dodge from the blade. I move
in closer, using speed, although the last time it didn't work. I manage to
have a few close calls but mostly I am dominating, having the best
offense. After I get one hit, I feel very tired. She gets two hits on me
before I get another. The score is two-two and neither of us feel like
giving up.
I can tell
that some other people have come into the gym and are watching but neither
of us wishes to spare the concentration to look. Finally I score again.
She laughs and tells me she won't lose. I tell her neither will I. I
lunge, she parry's and her riposte is too fast for me to block. Three-two.
She starts the next match and I let my speed play a huge part. I continue
to circle making sure she has to move in tight circles to keep her eyes on
me. She soon gets dizzy and almost waivers, I move in but she feints, and
I get an épée to my back as I stumble. Four-two, her win. I bow and she
cocks her head to the side.
" The match
isn't over. Women get four hits, men five."
" Are you a
man?"
" Aren't
you?"
"
Iie."
"
Ara."
****
I wait in my
room, this is nothing but a sham. This cannot be, I could not have lost to
her. We talked after the match and she said she had not had a match that
close. I asked if she had ever lost. She said to two people. One I would
never meet, the other I had already. Utena-san. How could Juri-san lose to
a girl like that. Hai, that girl is peculiar but not enough for
that.
****
Michiru
smiles at me from underneath the covers. She giggles and tells me to leave
her alone. She's no fun when she has a test. I have to leave soon anyway.
Someone asked me to practice piano with him. Miki I think his name was.
Reminds me a lot of Ami-chan. (In case you didn't know, the seiyuu for
Miki is the same for Ami, and the seiyuu for Juri is the same as the
seiyuu for Usagi.)
I leave the
room and walk to the music room. I can hear the sound of a piece I haven't
heard before. I walk in and a blue haired boy is sitting at the bench. The
song sweet and I wish I could learn it. I walk in and Miki-san stops. I
walk to the piano and lean on it. I start to read the song and move
Miki-san over. I start to play it, a little inexpertly I admit but this
was the first time I had seen this piece. A girl walks in and I spare the
concentration to see the purple haired girl I see around Utena-san.
She moves
over to the piano and listens to me for a while. I like the way she
smiles, a huge innocent thing she is, almost like Usagi-san. I leave soon
after I finish, asking Miki-san for a copy of the song. He smiles and says
he would love to give me a copy.
****
I sit by the
fountain, always waiting for Michiru. She may seem like the perfect person
but in truth she is far from it. It's almost funny, I'm the only one who
knows the real her, and I am under her control. She is the only thing that
now matters, after we completed out mission. But even then, she was more
important. I wait for her, as always. And when she comes she walks
leaisurely. I look mad but when she smiles at me I can't help but smile
back. She loves me so much. It makes me mad though that when I'm late she
gets angry. But then again, she does let me flirt shamelessly. I guess
that makes up for it.
She walks to
me, telling me that she's sorry. I tell her it's okay, that I met a nre
friend.
" Have you
been flirting again?"
" Hai. But
she wasn't interested at all, don't worry."
" Serves you
right. Who was she?"
" Nanami-
san."
" Ara, isn't
she the sister of that man, Touga- san?"
" That's her
brother, I thought they were going out!"
" I heard
that's what she wants..."
"
Michiru!"
"
Nani?"
" I never
thought that you were the type to keep up with gossip."
" Ja nai,
demo, the people here like me, not like at Mugen."
" I know,
but don't worry, that place is history."
" Where will
we go to school when we get back to Tokyo?"
" Do we have
to go back?"
"
Hai!"
" I was
kidding, I know we have to go back."
We walked
around the campus, surprised at how big it was. Nothing like Mugen in its
one building but it was fun none the less. Michiru ran in front of me a
few times, yelling at me to catch her. I've never seen her so happy and
care free, maybe because we met in the midst of a war. I think that the
idea to stay here isn't that bad, and should be more in depthly
considered.
We walk to
the dorms later, but are stopped by Utena- san and Anthy- san. She looks
as if she were incredibly tired. I ask her whats wrong and Anthy- san gets
an odd smile and said that Utena- san had saved her from being taken by an
obsessed man. Utena- san looked at Anthy- san like she had just sprouted
another head. Anthy- san just smiled more. We both commended Utena- san on
her bravery and left after a while, politely declining Anthy-san's offer
for tea. When Michiru and I made it back to our apartment we both lay down
on the low-lying bed. She pushed me off and told me I took up too much
room.
****
I wait for
her again, this time we're supposed to be going to the movies. I look at
the ground, thinking one day I should leave her alone. Make her worry. But
then I would be the inconsiderate boyfriend, and that's the last thing I
need. I look following the shadows of random creatures that scurry across
the ground. I notice a mouse and wonder why such a good school would have
them, but I realize it's Chuchu, Anthy- san's pet. I smile and it wonders
over to me. I pull out some of the left over bento and Chuchu looks at me
with adoring eyes. It devours the food faster than the eye can see, faster
than Usagi- san too. Michiru too, which is an accomplishment that deserves
to be noted. While Michiru may be able to burn jello she is sure able to
pack awaut the food that I cook. Except in front of others, then she's
always the perfect lady. ]
Chuchu
enhals the food and I find myself talking to him. I have no other company.
As I'm in the middle of one of my tirade's badmouthing Michiru slightly,
Utena- san comes up to Chuchu and I.
"Chuchu,
there you are. I hope he was no trouble."
" None at
all, Utena-san. I needed the company."
" Where's
MIchiru- san?"
"
Late."
" Why do you
wait?"
" I don't
know."
" You should
let her worry about you once."
" You're
right, where shall we go?"
" I have to
go and see Himimeya's onii-san but you could come with me. His name is
Akio, he's the chairman of the academy."
" I would
love to meet him."
****
I'm sitting
on a couch next to Utena- san, with Akio- san across from us. They're
talking about how Anthy- san should make more friends. I smile and join in
on the conversation, constantly wondering where Michiru is, whether or not
she's okay, mad at me, and other things.
Utena- san
asks me is I knew any places that Himimeya could go to find new friends.
" Iie, I've
only been here for a short time. It's funny though, I thought that Anthy-
san had a lot of friends."
"Not really.
She only has a few friends, I would be happy if you would be my sister's
friend."
" I would be
happy to. Do you think that I could take her for a ride?"
" You have a
car?"
" Hai, its a
gold Ferrari."
" That's
gold?"
"
Hai."
"
Okay."
So we talk
and I find out that Akio- san has a car too. That red one I've been
admiring. We start to talk more, and soon I can truly say that I have a
new friend.
****
Michiru
looks like she could have killed Mistress Nine with her bare hands. She
starts to yell at me and I smile at her. She starts to yell at me more,
and I laugh. She stops her denunciation and looks at me
oddly.
" I made a
new friend. I know everything about this school. Look at
this..."
I show her a
rose signet on my left hand's ring finger. She looks at me like I am a
madman. But I think it's a great way to prove my worth. Beside from what
I've heard the champion is the best swordsman in the school. I want a
chance to fight him, the rosebride is an extra, maybe I'll concede the
rose bride when I've been champion for a while.
" Are you
nuts?"
"
Iie..."
" Tell me
why the hell you're doing this."
I take the
time to explain the whole reason. The fact that anyone would want the
power to revolutiopnize the world. The history of the duelists. Everything
that I learned from Akio- san when Utena- san had left. He told me I had
to do this, for the sake of the world. I believe him.
" Don't you
get it?"
" Get
what?"
" This
champion, he has the power of the rose bride. The power to revolutionize
the world. They're a threat to our princess, out future
queen."
" I hadn't
thought of that..."
" Of course
not, you were too busy thinking about cars. We have to fight this
champion..."
" I have to
fight the champion, you have to help me."
****
I wait for
Michiru. There's no doubt about it, she was mad when I explained the
situation with the duelists. She said that I was too confident in myself.
It might be true, Juri- san beat me and she was beaten by the champion.
Maybe I won't be able to do this. But I have to, this isn't for my pride,
this is for my princess. This is an unknown threat that must be taken care
of, no matter what.
A man, I
think his name is Touga, walks toward me. He introduces himself and we
start to talk. Michiru comes along, still enraged. I try to laugh but she
gives me her
'if-you-do-you'll-be-sleeping-alone-for-the-rest-of-your-life' look, and I
stop. Touga looks at Michiru and takes her hand in his, lightly kissing
it. Michiru chooses now to be kittenish. I try to get mad but I can't I
just laugh slightly. Touga looks at me and starts to speak. It seems like
riddles but I'm not sure.
" Do you
hear it?"
I stared
blankly, resisting the urge to go 'huh?'
" If your
sould truly hasn't given up..."
The barely
audible 'huh?' escaped my lips. I heard the sound of a car starting up.
Hmm, I think the transmission needs to be checked.
" ...you
should be able to hear this sound..."
Definetely a
car. And a good one too, I think I could tell the make, but I don't think
its appropriate.
"...running
about the end of the world."
Where?
" Now
journey with us to the world you desire."
I have a
test tomorrow, I have to study. And then there's the making up with
Michiru... A car drives in front of us, scary because I wouldn't be able
to drive like that. Then there's Akio-san in the car. I look to Michiru,
who's smiling.
We get into
the car, and we drive for a while. Watching the streetlights as the run
overhead, I wonder why there is such a long stretch of road. We are in a
small part of Japan. But that's no real matter. Akio- san talks to me but
I let Michiru handle the actual replying. I'm busy staring at the car. I
know I am a little vain in these types of things but what'd you
expect.
I notice
that Michiru agreed to the fight, solely for the purpose of power. Just
like her, don't let them know our intent until necessary, maybe not even
then.
****
I rode up in
an elevator, hoping that I could get a chance to actually beat this
champion. I know I will. Akio explained something, I need someone who can
touch my heart to take my sword out. I wait there for the elevator to stop
and know that I already have someone who can touch my heart, Michiru. The
elevator gets there and I move to the spot prearranged. I wait for the
champion now. I'm wearing a uniform that looks a lot like the ones the
people on the student council wear. And Michiru is wearing a long blue
dress that looks spectacular.
The elevator
in the middle of the arena arrives and the champion steps out.
" Utena-san
it the champion?"
" Hai, and
Anthy-san is the Rose Bride."
This is like
any other battle for Michiru and I. We cannot let our feelings get in the
way. If Utena-san and Anthy-san are a threat to our princess they will be
dealt with accordingly.
"
Haruka-san, what are you doing?"
" You pose a
threat to my princess, you cannot be allowed to possess the power to
revolutionize the world. We need to eliminate any threat, no quarter will
be given, nor expected."
Then I see
the impossible, Anthy-san pulling a sword out of Utena-san's chest. I
hardly hear their words but instead feel the pull as Michiru starts the
same process on me. She starts to pull the sword, and I feel like I'm
having my heart ripped from me, again. Then the sword is in my hands.
I start to
fight Utena and I remember nothing but feeling the wind with me. I vaguely
remember that the sword Michiru pulled from me was my own talisman, but it
seemed dimmed. No corporeal light shined from it, it was a normal sword.
During the fight I remember screaming that in place of the moon, I will
right wrongs and triumph over evil, but I know no evil in this
school.
Utena-san
fight like no one I know. One moment she's dodging frantically, then she
seems to be a different person, fighting and having me dodge. Now I know
how Juri-san could lose to the champion. How a lot of people could lose to
the champion.
****
" I don't
believe you lost."
" Michiru,
she was the best, and I am just a beginner."
" No excuse,
you have to try again."
" I would
prefer to talk to her and make sure she is a friend, I don't want to have
to fight, besides, if I won I would have to stay here."
" We cannot
stay, we have a princess to protect."
" That's why
we need Utena-san as an ally."
I had lost,
and it surprised me. It surprised Michiru, but in truth, I knew I could
never win. This was Utena-san's world, not my own. She would be champion
of the duelists for a long time yet to come. She would be the ojii-sama
everyone needs. I could never fill those shoes. Besides, we will be needed
in Tokyo. I know that.
Michiru
wants me to fight, but I can't. I'd just lose.
We walk to
the chariman's wing and ask to see Utena-san. We're given permission and
enter. We talk to Utena-san for a while and learn she doesn't know what
the power to revolutionize the world is supposed to mean, and she doesn't
want it. She wants Himimeya to be a normal girl. Michiru glances at me,
and I know the look. We need to get back to Tokyo.
Utena-san
smiles as we tell her our story. She smiles more brightly than Anthy-san.
She knew there were more things to us than what we seemed. We smile and
say nothing is as it seems. She allays us of our fears and Michiru seems
content enough to leave.
****
I drive
along the highway, happy to be driving fast. It helps to cool my heated
skin. Michiru looks at me and wonders whats wrong.
" Haruka,
daijobu?"
"
Hai."
" Iie. You
look flushed."
"
Michiru?"
"
Hai?"
" Take the
wheel."
"
Why?"
" I have to
go to sleep."
I remember
Michiru helping me lead the car to the curb, and then black. Maybe next
time I won't go swimming with Juri-san late at night.
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