A theory on what happens to Touga in the Outside world. Very brief homosexuality, you can ignore. Forgive me any grammar or spelling mistakes. Please review!





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Next Time
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Touga couldn't remember when he first started having the dreams. Ever since his birth, he often dreamed of a certain woman of extraordinary beauty. Sometimes she had feathery wings that would brush his face and tickle and sometimes not. Most often, she wore a white suit with a delicate crimsen cape that could not mask her female proportions with a sword at her side. She had a kind smile and opened up her arms to him, embracing him with her warmth and her scent of roses. Even when he was older, he was not put off by her masculine garb, it seemed to suit her. When he was young, they would simply play in a garden of roses, having mock swordfights that she usually won. As he grew older, the dreams became more and more sensual, and finally they made love in a bed of roses without any thorns. For Touga, this was his first true sexual experience, and none of the many that came afterward in the real world mattered.

He was five when he first met Saionji Kyoichi. They had joined the same kendo club in elementary school. Touga was the better swordfighter and the better playboy, which was even apparent back then. They argued a lot; Saionji was usually temper mental and Touga's cool demeanor always enraged him. Still, no matter how malfunctioning their friendship was, it persisted throughout Touga's life.

The first time Touga told anyone of the girl in his dreams was one time Saionji, Touga's little sister, Nanami, and Touga were having lunch on the floor of the kendo practice room. Saionji thought him foolish, he was already discriminating of Touga's interactions with the opposite sex, and Nanami thought it was silly he should have such a fascination with a girl that didn't exist.

"But she's a woman," Touga replied.

"She's a dream. You need a real woman."

And indeed Touga found many women to need. The first time he lost his virginity was to get to his English teacher in Junior High. She was very beautiful, more experienced (she taught him everything), and he did need the A. Then he found woman to need him. Especially women to abuse, toy with, and abandon. He told himself he was simply trying to find the girl of his dreams. Really, he wasn't doing it on a power trip or anything.

His many affairs began to drive his sister mad. Infuriated with him, she actually through a vase at him during his senior year at high school. Saionji was still Touga's favorite to play around with. Touga knew his friend's feelings for him ran deep, on the border of obsession. And one night, at a keg party, Touga got Saionji horribly drunk and seduced him on the lawn that surrounded the house.

Sleeping on the lawn, with his friend full of self-loathing beside him, Touga dreamed of the woman again.

This time, there was no rose garden. They seemed to be on a platform high above the rest of the world. He found himself dressed in princely attire mimicking hers, a sword dangling at his side. She stood across from her, in all her glory, unreal and as ethereal as always, with her sword pointing directly at him.

"Do you see what's above you?" Her voice was strong and opposing.

Touga looked up and smiled with immediate delight. A fairy tale castle stared down at them, glittering with the promise of unfulfilled wishes. "Ah! Exquisite! Is that where you live?" He looked at her and smiled, baring his teeth.

"No. But I believe that is where you will reside if you live your life the way you are now."

"It must be a wonderful place to live."

"Why are you carrying a sword this time?"

"This is your world, you tell me."

"You create your own appearance."

"I wish to fight you."

"Why?"

"I wish to triumph over you."

"Why?"

"I've chased after your presence my whole life. Don't you think I deserve to have you by my side? I will defeat and bring you into my world where you will be mine. You've lit the fires of my heart."

She smiled at him ruthlessly. "Baby."

He charged her. Touga never stopped practicing kendo, it was his life and his power. He was the best in his class and his constant bouts with Saionji did nothing but intensify his skill. His reached out to her with his weapon, and hers flashed back, beating him away.

Her sword was swift and agile, somehow managing to nick his princely clothes despite his best attempt at guarding himself. Touga was more powerful, but less graceful on his feet, he was constantly stuck pivoting on his left heel while she danced around him. Finally, he found an opening while she was trying to recover from one of his attacks and threw himself at her, putting his weight and his strength into his thrust; she guarded, but could not deflect his sword. It came down to Touga pushing his sword against hers, leaning closer and closer into her, forcing her to bend her knees and lean back. He was close enough to see the beads of sweat on her forehead. "You will belong to me."

She gritted her teeth. "No matter how many times we duel, you will never ever beat me." Her lips were suddenly pressed on his, his mouth opening to her and her tongue driving into him. Then all her force drove at him, sending him reeling backwards, his sword flung far across the platform.

Touga lay on the marble floor of the arena, staring at the fading lights of the castle. His red hair spread around him like a bloody halo. She glided over to him and stood above him, her feet on either side of his torso, blocking his view of the castle. She bent down, laying herself against him, her powerful legs entrapping him. When she leaned over him, her hair drifted into his face, caressing him gently. Her lips were soft on his forehead, and her blue eyes gazed at him when she drew away. "I know you're better than this. I know you won't make the same mistake twice." He brought his head up to kiss her and she spoke into his mouth. "Because we desire to be the same thing."

The grass of the lawn had somehow creeped into his clothes causing a horribly itchy feeling down his back. Saionji was sitting up next to him, wrapped in guilt of what they'd just done. Touga looked up. Somehow, the stars seemed more beautiful than the castle. "I want to go ride a bike."

Touga and Saionji never made love again, and neither of them spoke of it. It wasn't treated like a dirty secret, but something that shouldn't have happened, something that twisted their friendship. Touga abruptly ended all his various liaisons and devoted his attention into getting into collage. By the time he graduated high school, Nanami had met a boy a little younger named Tsuwabuki. It was easy for Touga to recognize obsession when he saw it, but he left it alone, when he was older, the emotion might grow less intense. Maybe.

Saionji and Touga entered the same collage.

On their fist day, while walking through the huge Japanese gardens of the university, Touga witnessed two older seniors tormenting a very feminine young boy. He was on the ground, music paper scattered on the wind.

"Aw, the poor little kid lost his homework. What a shame. I guess skipping grades does have a few defects." Touga advanced on the scene, preparing to make a cool and suave entrance. Hey, even when your rescuing someone, you still want to look good, right?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Someone had already made a less-savvy entrance.

She was shorter than the two seniors, but not by much. Standing between them and boy on the ground with her hands on her hips, glaring at them, she was the epitome of defiance. "And you call yourself men. Scram!"

And, strangely enough, they did, wordlessly. Touga stayed behind and watched her begin to gather the fallen papers. "T-Thank you," the boy stammered.

"No problem. Hey, you're Miki, right? I was listening to you play earlier today. You're music is wonderful. My friend really loved it."

"Oh? I'm very glad." He blushed, managing to look more feminine than her. Bowing, he said, "I can't thank you enough, I have a class now, but I swear I'll talk to your more later!"

"Uh, okay." She smiled at him as he ran off, trying vainly to keep his papers in order. "Well, geniuses are bound to be a little odd."

"That was a very heroic scene." Touga stepped out behind the bushes, making his sensual, savvy entrance he prided himself on. He flipped his long hair as he approached her. He didn't want to seduce her, just impress her."

Her look of befuddlement at the sight of him was a pleasure. "Mmmmm... I guess so."

"No, really. I've never met a girl like you." He came closer to her, catching the scent of roses.

Her blue eyes flashed. "I don't go for pick up lines."

"I'm not trying to pick you up. I'd be afraid to try. But I like you. We'll keep it platonic."

"We'll keep what platonic?" She muttered to herself. Then she really looked at him for the first time. "Hey, have we met before?"

"What would you say if we did?"

She thought about it for a moment. "I think I want a better impression of you this time."

"Good answer. What class do you have next?"

"Philosophy."

"I'll walk you to your class."

She swung the briefcase over her shoulder and matched his stride. "Are you a sword-fighter?"

"Of course."

"What kind?"

"Kendo."

"Wow. I only know fencing, but I always wanted to learn kendo."

"I'd be honored to teach you."

"Well, I'll let you teach me when I see you go up against my captain, Juri. I think she'd kick your ass."

"We'll see about that." He grinned at her.

"We have met before! Why can't I remember you?"

"If you don't remember me, maybe I really didn't leave an impression at all."

She became thoughtful. "No. I think you left an impression, but it just wasn't a good one." They neared the philosophy building.

"Anthy!" The girl called out and waved to a small dark skinned girl waiting for her at the entrance. The small girl, her long dark her waving in the breeze waved back. "I've got to go. See you around."

"Wait!" Her grabbed her by the arm, stopping her in mid-stride. Touga could feel the muscles in her arm tighten. "I want us to be friends this time."

She looked she was about to slap him, but her expression softened. "My name's Utena. Yours?"

"Touga."

"I'll be friends with you if you're nice this time."

"I'll try."

"You'd better. Bye!"

Touga watched Utena run off to be with her friend. Duels in the kendo room would be fun.

"You have the stupidest look on your face. She was too unfeminine." Saionji materialized behind him.

"Saionji, you have no taste. But I promise to get you laid by the end of the term."

"Hmph. Women. Nothing but trouble and distraction."

"Most definitely. What class do we have next?"

"History with Mikage."

"Let's go."

~FIN~