... Was Not Televised
An Utena continuation fic by the Scriviner
Establishing Shot
Around Student Council President Touga Kiryuu rose the buildings of Ohtori Accademy, but they did not matter. What mattered was the gamut of color bursting about him.
He looked out at his handiwork and could not help but marvel. The small greenhouse seemed to have grown, quite literally, under his care and its glass walls had vanished, leaving nothing more than the framework of metal that once supported it, to serve as a trellis for some of his more fragile blossoms.
His roses flourished in the bright sunshine now. A staggered glass canopy covered what was once an open courtyard. Of course, rank had its privileges and far be it for him to spurn them. It was at his word. At his recommendation.
Fortunately, the Student Council's budget for the year made allowances for landscaping. They did save a large amount by using volunteer labor instead of hiring someone. The volunteer in question, of course, being him. Add to himself whomever he could sweet-talk into helping him out. Those were growing fewer, though, as the rumors of his... let's be kind... his imbalance were growing. But he knew he was not imbalanced... merely, inconvenienced, perhaps. He was taking steps to repair the situation. No one else could see it apparently.
He felt driven to this. He looked upon his sunlit garden, at his roses arrayed in their neat lines and rows. He needed this about him. It spoke to him of things and he could see the shape of his future and his past amongst his blooms. In the rose.
He wiped his sleeve across my brow, letting the sweat stain his once immaculate uniform. It didn't matter, really. This place remained. The roses also remained. Even though everything else had gone and memories that should have been as sharp as swords blurred into incoherence, there was only one memory of his sweet rose that remained. This was a memory as certain and as pure and as sharp as the keenest edge. His princess.
He leaned against one of the columns, the shadow cast by the afternoon sun from the building behind, providing some measure of relief from the heat. Despite the dazzle he gazed out at his garden once more. He looked and he saw that it was good.
He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He pictured her strolling the garden with him. Her arm about his. Their hair streaming in the wind. He could almost smell the scent of her hair...
A voice jolted him from his pleasant diversions.
"It looks like you've finally finished your work, big brother."
Touga opened his eyes and turned. His sister. Her blonde hair, unbound, glowed in the sun. Her smile was small and timorous, her blue eyes betrayed concern. He rarely saw her like this. He rarely saw her nowadays, now that he thought of it.
"It's not quite finished yet, Nanami," he replied, "It is still missing something."
"Will you come home once you finish it?" She asked, softly.
"Perhaps," he replied with a shrug, looking out once more, "Perhaps I shall live amongst my roses when the proper bloom comes to grace them." He turned to her, "I'm sorry I have not been home in so long. Have you been lonely?"
"A little. Father's been away. And well... you know mother. Saionji visits sometimes." She closed her eyes, her mouth quirking slightly, "He cheers me up a little. I thought maybe you were been spending all your time with your women again, but you haven't been doing that, have you?"
"No. No, I don't have any time for them anymore. I spend my nights here. Alone."
She glanced about and he followed her gaze. In the shadowed recesses surrounding my garden, girls melted back into the relative darkness. There were whispers below the range of hearing as they shuffled away. "Really? Despite all the temptations trying to hurl themselves at you?" She asked skeptically.
"Despite them," he said, making a gesture of dismissal. "They do not matter."
She took a step closer, "Don't I matter?"
"Of course, you do," he replied, taking her hand and offering her a small smile, "You're my little sister."
She stamped her foot, narrowly missing some forget-me-nots and his own instep. "Then why haven't you come home?!" she demanded, her voice rising suddenly. She stared at him, her eyes narrowed as though trying to look into his head for the answers she wanted. Answers that even to him only barely made sense.
"Because my work here is important. And it is unfinished."
"What work?! This ex-greenhouse? This garden? Its very beautiful, big brother, but is it really THAT important?!"
"More than you know."
She pressed him, "WHY?!"
"I can't say."
"I'm starting to think maybe everyone else is right! Maybe you have snapped? What is it big brother? The pressure getting to you? I can help! Really! Just come home and I'll take care of you like I did last year when you got hurt!" She looked almost ready to burst into tears and she clung to his sleeve as though she could drag him home that way. It was all he could do to keep from suddenly laughing in her face.
"I am not insane, Nanami..." he murmured back trying to be soothing.
She dropped his sleeve and seethed at him. "I never pry into your secrets unless they concern me and the fact that you haven't been coming home is making me VERY concerned! Why is this garden so important to you?" She pulled her hand from his, making a sweeping gesture of it, right into one of my taller rose bushes. She winced, drawing her hand back hurriedly as she felt the bite of the thorns from a red rose.
Touga took his sister's hand once more and wrapped it gently in his handkerchief to stop the small amount of bleeding. "Be careful. The garden is beautiful but not without its dangers." I said to her softly. She silently glared at him as he added, "I need my garden to help me remember something important to me, Nanami."
She blushed, continuing to stare, but her eyes had softened a bit. He stepped closer to her, reaching past her to pluck the pale yellow rose, with the bloodied thorn from the bush just past her.
I presented it to her, "A reminder."
"Of this garden?"
"Of me. Of old games."
She shook her head, drawing her covered hand away from the pale rose. "I'm not here for games."
"Of course not. This is deadly serious, dear sister." His voice dropped to an almost sibilant hiss. He could not help it. It seemed so... appropriate. "Tell me... how is Saionji nowadays?"
"Saionji? He's... he's fine, what about hi--?" There was a faint blush back in her cheeks. He could not help but smile. Sometimes she was too obvious.
"Did you ever remember me dueling last year, dear sister?"
"Yes, you used to duel Saionji sometimes--"
"Not Saionji... a woman. Do you ever remember me facing a woman in a duel?"
"Like Juri?"
"Not her!" His voice rose slightly, though his words were still coming out in a hiss.
"What are you talking about? Touga, you're scaring me..." Her eyes wide, she tried to back away, but his grip on her hand only tightened.
"Have you ever dreamt of becoming a bride, Nanami?" He asked her brightly, my proffered rose, oh so slowly slipping into her hand.
"Of course, I have--" She shook her head trying to free herself from my grip, "Touga... big brother... what are you... what's happened to you?" She could hear the whispers in the shadows, the shuffling of feet. She glanced around, expecting his admirers to still be milling about, but the shadows had deepened. The contrast between the light and the darkness had grown sharper. Like a knife's edge as he edged her closer to the boundary.
"I need a little favor from you, dear sister..." Touga murmured to her, leaning in uncomfortably close... his lips inches from hers. Their eyes locked, Nanami's eyes sought his for a trace of sanity. His own eyes reflected back nothing. They were, hard, bright and eager... perhaps a little... hungry as well.
"W-w-what is it?" She was trembling now. He had her in his arms. And she was always just on the verge of pulling away, but not quite. He knew she wanted to see how far gone he was... and perhaps how far he would go...
Touga brow furrowed slightly as another blurred memory rose to the surface... of the two of them... in a car. Like this. Almost exactly. He knew he was on the right track! He knew it!
"I'm here to make your dreams come true." His voice rising like an angel's promise. He smiled as her fingers closed around the rose. "Nature abhors a vacuum." I added in a murmur. "And the game cannot begin if there is no prize to be had."
The wind rippled through my garden and a storm of rose petals surrounded us. "Prize?" She whispered back through the roar of the wind, her hair and his whipping about.
He leaned over suddenly and kissed her forehead, "Trust me. Do this for me and I'll come home with you. Truly."
She sighed, looking up at him. "You have totally lost it, haven't you?" She whispered helplessly.
He laughed suddenly, releasing her and stepping back into the sunlight, letting it crown him. He turned to face her, holding out his arms, his coat had popped open again as it often had a tendency to do and revealed his bare chest.
"I have lost it... but not irredeemably. You're going to help me find it again!"
O-O-O-O
They walked down the uncrowned corridors. Their footsteps echoing slightly, but drowned in the susurration of voices.
"Didn't he tell you why he wanted me to come to his rose garden?"
"He said he wanted to tell you himself." She grumbled back at him.
"And since when have you been your brother's lackey?"
She snapped at him, "I am NOT a lackey! I'm doing him a favor..." She seemed to deflate a little and her angry stride slowed to a shuffle. "He's been... kinda weird lately."
"I've heard some rumors." He replied indistinctly.
"This is really bad. It's worse than what you've been hearing. I really think he's gone mental."
Kyouichi Saionji shook his head, his long green hair flowing down behind his back in a loose ponytail, "It's probably all part of some elaborate scheme of his to get you or me to do something for him." He looked hard at her, "For all I know, its a scheme of yours."
"You don't trust my brother or me much, do you?"
"I know you both too well."
She fixed him with a hard look of her own. "You don't know the first thing about me."
"You say this to someone who's seen you crawling around on all fours, dirt on your knees and face?"
"When was that?"
"You were around eight at the time, I think." He replied but couldn't quite conceal a smirk, "As arrogant, possessive and annoying then as you are now. I'd say I know you well enough, Nanami."
"Take that." She paused briefly to slap his shoulder hard. "Whatever." She snorted, "Just come with me to meet him."
Her mood was unreadable to him. So he only responded with a frown as he rubbed his shoulder. "What is the matter, exactly?"
"Well, I'm worried about Touga."
Saionji looked at her and replied thoughtfully, "Well, he was pretty depressed towards the end of last year."
"Do you know why? He wouldn't tell me. He was just moping around the house all the time."
He shook his head, "I know nothing. And I heard nothing."
"After that, he was spending a lot of his time in the forest near the back of the school during the summer."
Saionji looked surprised, "The one no one's supposed to go into?"
"Well... he is the Student Council President. Rank has its privileges and all that."
"I'm the Vice president and I've never gone in there."
"Its like he's looking for something..." Nanami replied distantly.
"He spent the first week of this year dating madly... a different woman every few hours."
Nanami looked at him sourly, "Don't remind me." She sighed, "Now this new obsession with the rose garden."
"I can't believe he seriously took to gardening like that. It doesn't seem like him at all." He shook his head, "He's never really worked so hard for so little obvious return."
"It's like I said, he really must've... I don't know. Look, please... no matter what he asks for, just agree to it, okay? I hope it'll help him work out whatever problems he's having right now."
Saionji's eyes narrowed slightly, "You don't seriously expect me to do anything he asks just because you think he's gone insane? I'm half tempted to think that you're the one who's lost her mind."
"Shut up! You don't know anything!" She screamed at him, slapping his shoulder again. Harder this time. The eyes of a few student passersby widened at that. Realizing quickly however who was doing the slapping they hurriedly turned their attention elsewhere.
"You haven't spoken to him recently. Or seen him." Her voice was tight as she continued, her hand clutching at his sleeve. "I think he might hurt someone if we don't humor him. Maybe himself..." then her voice dropped, "Maybe me."
There was a small flash of sympathy in Saionji's eyes for a moment, but he continued to frown, "Is this why you're taking me along to him? To restrain him in case you have to refuse him something?"
She sighed once more, "No. He wants to ask for a favor."
They walked the rest of the way down the corridor in silence before turning the corner, where the brilliant afternoon sunlight illuminating the new rose garden blinded them briefly.
Touga's voice greeted them from amongst the blooms. "Saionji. Its good to see you. Welcome to the rose garden."
"It's lovely Touga. You've outdone yourself."
"Thank you." The red-haired man replied, casting a glance about his surroundings, "I think so."
Nanami stood to one side, her arms folded across her chest. "Will that be all?" Her voice dripping mild sarcasm.
"Almost." Touga replied with a smile as he picked up a box from one of the stone benches, "Please put this on."
Nanami blinked in surprise, "I thought you were kidding."
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" He asked innocently.
She sighed and accepted the package, looking at her brother with resignation. "You know... when the time comes and I go loony? I want you to remember this, because I'm going to ask you to do the exact same thing."
He laughed lightly as she bustled off.
Saionji watched her leave, before turning his attention back to Touga, "What was that about?"
"Preparations."
Saionji took a long moment to look at his friend. Touga looked much the same. He'd lost some weight, though. The dark circles under his eyes were testament to how little sleep the man was obviously getting. "So... what did you ask me over here for?"
Touga didn't reply. He bent down, picking something up from the stone bench and tossed it to Saionji. He caught it reflexively in and stared. "A shinai? What's this for?"
Touga smiled and picked up another bamboo practice sword and replied, "I'd like to ask you to duel with me."
"If you wanted to spar, you could've met me at the dojo." Saionji said sourly. "You are still part of the Kendo club despite how often you miss practice."
"Not to spar, old friend. To duel."
Saionji blinked in confusion at Touga's particular way of stressing the word. There seemed to be some sort of particular emphasis he wanted to place on it. There was something almost familiar about the challenge. He glanced around once more and could see the school's rose insignia laid out in the brick paved paths of the garden. Even the placement of the rose bushes seemed to have an order to it reminiscent of the insignia.
Saionji shook his head, "Nanami told me that you were acting strange, but I hadn't quite realized what she meant until now. What would be the point in our dueling? I know I haven't done anything to offend you recently. We haven't even seen each other in weeks."
Touga shook his head back. "We need to duel." He spoke slowly, enunciating each word clearly as though speaking to a child or an idiot.
The green-haired man didn't take too kindly to his tone. "Look... just go home. Get some rest. You look like you've been through hell."
"What's the matter, Saionji? Afraid you'll lose?"
"That's not at issue here." The green-haired man forced restraint upon himself, thinking slowly, He's not well... He's goaded me in the past... He's not in his right frame of mind...
"But you haven't even heard the stakes yet and you wish to back out already?"
"What stakes?"
"A duel must have something at stake. Be it honor, recognition, satisfaction--"
"Fine, fine... what are the stakes of this... this duel. Which is still not admitting that I want to participate in your madness, Touga. I'm just curious."
"I am." Nanami's resigned voice came from behind him.
Saionji turned and stared at Nanami. "You're what?" He blinked, then stared a bit longer.
She was no longer wearing her school uniform, but a deep yellow gown that complimented her hair. It was sleeveless and had a high Chinese collar. There were a number of lanyards crossing her chest and whatever ties it had down the front were tastefully concealed. The skirt was long and flowing. Completing her ensemble was a small golden coronet. Ruining the effect were the shades she was wearing.
Saionji could've sworn that he'd seen an outfit like it before, though he couldn't say where. He also knew that there was something subtly wrong about it.
"She's at stake. If you win the duel, she will be your bride. Until such time as someone else defeats you in the duel whereupon she becomes the champion's bride." Touga replied.
"You agreed to this insanity?" Saionji whispered to Nanami.
"I thought you said you'd agree to what he wanted?" She whispered back harshly, grabbing at his shirtfront.
"This is stupid. This is beyond humoring him. What's with the shades, too?"
"You think I want someone to recognize me while I'm in this ridiculous get-up?"
"I can't believe you actually agreed to this."
"It's not like you're going to be able to beat him." Nanami replied sharply, "He could beat you with one hand tied behind his back! So just let him win, then he'll go home with me and get some rest."
"With one hand tied behind his back?!" Saionji snarled.
She sniffed at him, "Just agree already!"
Touga cleared his throat from across the garden, "Are you quite done discussing matters?"
Saionji squared his jaw, staring at Touga. "Fine. I'll duel with you. But I'm not doing it to win her." He said pointing the shinnai at Nanami.
"Don't think I'm rooting for you either." She sniffed back.
Touga grinned at Saionji as the kendoist dropped into a ready stance.
"Wait..." Touga called out, "Nanami. Prepare us."
Saionji watched in confusion as Nanami, who looked entirely uncomfortable in her attire stomp past him. She gracelessly leaned down to grab a pair of roses from a nearby bush. He could hear her muttering under her breath as she walked up to him. "Yeah, yeah... keep your shirt on... geez..."
She sloppily tucked a pale green rose into Saionji's shirt pocket, frowning up at him the whole while, "The loser is the one whose flower gets knocked off first."
He stared at her. Doing this... the feeling of familiarity seemed to close even stronger in on him. That dress... the signet... the roses... dueling... he knew these elements. He remembered them from somewhere, but he couldn't quite recall where. Even the scent... roses in bloom. He blinked as he realized something else odd. The roses from that bush... they were all red. Why was his now green?
Nanami stepped away from him and moved towards her brother, moving to place a red rose in his jacket pocket, before she stood off to the side, hiding in the shade, away from the heat of the afternoon sun. She had her arms across her chest looking both bored and worried at the same time, "Just get it over with already."
Touga shook his head, "I know there's something I'm supposed to say before brandishing my weapon... but I can't remember it properly anymore."
"Does it matter?" Saionji asked, impatient for the farce to be over.
"Maybe. Maybe not..." Touga smiled and moved into a ready stance.
They both rushed forward, heedless of the trampled roses as their weapons clashed. They broke apart, and again, a side slash, parried... countered, returned once more... Saionji realized Touga was muttering something under his breath, perhaps chanting or singing as their bamboo weapons beat against one another.... but what did "Absolute Destiny Apocalypse" mean?
They clashed again, pressed into a corps et corps, Saionji found himself looking into Touga's eyes. They burned with an unfamiliar, manic intensity. It didn't even seem as though Touga saw him. His eyes were focused behind Saionji. He seemed to almost be looking through the green-haired man's face and seeing another in its place.
"It's not right." Touga murmured as they struggled against one another. "The broad strokes are correct, but the details are all wrong!"
"What are you talking about?"
"It's not right!" Touga shouted at him, pushing him back with surprising strength.
Saionji staggered, his gaze falling to the bored Nanami as a sudden gust of wind blew a spray of rose petals into the air. For a moment, the petals passed through his line of vision. Nanami seemed transformed. Not bored... merely... waiting. Passive. The gown wasn't yellow. It was red. The shades were glasses... and her skin... no longer milky white, but a dusky shade with deep purple hair that seemed to suit her so...
Something stirred within Saionji as he turned to face Touga who had leapt back into a crouch. Touga was trying to achieve something by all of this Saionji realized. He wasn't certain what, but he could almost taste the shape of the missing elements.
The moment passed and suddenly it was just Nanami again, fiddling with her too small coronet and frowning behind her shades. Touga leapt suddenly, extending himself in an all out attack, aimed directly at Saionji's rose.
He sidestepped the attack easily, a testament perhaps to his own skills... or to Touga's lack of practice. Or perhaps just the blatant stupidity that Touga's move displayed. With a casual, near automatic motion Saionji beat Touga's weapon aside, and with a sudden twist of his wrist, caught the red-haired man's rose with the tip of his weapon, sending its petals scattering in the breeze.
It would've been difficult to say who was more shocked. The sudden burst of applause from all around them was also no less of a surprise. the breeze picked up, out of nowhere, sending a spray of loose petals floating through the air around them, hovering expectantly.
Touga grinned where he crouched. "Well done."
"You were supposed to lose, you idiot!" Nanami yelled, stomping over to him.
Saionji dropped his weapon. "I didn't mean to--!" It was all so tantalizingly familiar and the ecstatic face Touga wore was the most terrible thing of all. So expectant it was.
"That's it... it's a cargo-cult patchwork, but it will take the place of what was lost. Let it take the place of what I lost..." Touga muttered to himself as Saionji stared.
The applause simply went on...
END... for now.