Title: Battle Spark
Pairing: Hints of Utena/Himemiya.
Timeline: Start of the Black Rose Saga.
Summary: Utena is bored.
A/N: I tweaked some of the details.
She snatched the piece of paper from her locker and she no longer has to glance at the words to know what they say.
It's become terribly mundane. The constant challenges and bouts that follow.
Every time she holds up her rapier and engages in battle, it seems that the thrill of the ensuing fight loses some of its edge. Some of its shimmer and honor.
And every time that happens, she's disappointed and left holding nothing, but the wilting rose petals of an enemy.
She's sick of it.
It's not until she faces her first Black Rose Duelist that her heart begins to race again. When he goes after Anthy, declaring loudly that the Rose Bride will perish by his hand.
She's never felt so alive and disturbed, and what follows has her rethinking her banal sentiments towards these duels.
Has her, the next day when she's standing in front of her locker actually nervous and a little afraid to peek inside.
Because now, it isn't just a duel to see who can have Anthy. It now has become a life and death situation, with Anthy playing the sacrifice.
These duels now have more riding on them other than her pride and their friendship.
There's a life now on the line.
Anthy's life.
And so, when she gets up her nerve and slams her locker open. She finds within herself renewed motivation, fiercer determination and a promise to never, ever let anyone harm Anthy.
Because there's more on the line now.
There's more to these duels.
There's another layer covering up her stale boredom with the realization of what a life would be like without Anthy Himemiya.
So she slams her locker shut and as she makes her way to the Dueling Arena, she can't help but feel both excitement and terror at the possibilities awaiting her.
Because she holds a life in her hands now, delicate and small, and there's no way she's ever going to let it go.
FIN
