Identity Crisis
Chapter One: Role Reversal
9-25-01
AN: this is based on Curried High Trip, but I changed Saionji's lines (mostly because I don't remember word-for-word) and deleted the second explosion to make it work.
"My whole life as Anthy!" moaned Utena.
As the councilmembers discussed the possibility of the magic curry having nothing to do with Utena and Anthy's transformations, Saionji rapped on the window.
"Anthy, why have you become so harsh, and rude? Your most recent entry n our journal is not what you really feel--why do you try to decieve me like this? I want you to rewrite our exchange journal properly and this time declare your undying love for me! We were MADE for each other!"
Saionji paused, then turned to the girl who appeared to be Utena.
"And as for you, you crude tomboy, I challenge you to a Duel. You have corrupted my sweet Anthy's heart, and I cannot forgive you! I will win Anthy back from you, because we are destined to be together. She and the sword are mine!"
A demonic light flashed in his eyes, and as he walked away, Utena-who-looked-like-Anthy turned to Miki and Nanami. "So which of us fights him?"
"You cannot. The Rose Bride cannot fight in a Duel. Miss Himemeya, you are Miss Tenjou for the time being. You must fight in the Duel against Saionji."
"M-me? I cannot fight! I do not know the theory."
Utena sat quietly, green eyes glazed over, while Miki and Nanami tried to reason with Anthy.
"You have been challenged to a Duel! You must accept."
"I cannot!" She shook her head and Utena's pink mane swished around her neck.
"Then who can? Not Miss Tenjou. She is the Rose Bride now," pleaded Miki, punctuating his comments with a stopwatch click.
Utena turned to Nanami. "Can I do it?"
"What do you mean? He just said the Rose Bride can't Duel!" protested Nanami, cocking her head at Utena.
"No, not Dueling...I am in Anthy's body, but do I have the power to produce the Sword of Dios for her?"
"I don't know. Maybe big brother could tell you...he knows so much!"
"She should be able to do it."
Nanami's head whipped around. "Big brother!"
Touga ignored her. "Utena."
The girl who outwardly was Anthy raised her gaze.
"You are the Rose Bride. You will summon the Sword of Dios. Anthy-" and the girl who appeared to be Utena looked up "-you will fight Saionji tomorrow in the Arena. I will show you what you need to do to win against him."
"Touga..." Utena began.
"If you lose, Anthy, Utena will be the one owned by Saionji." Touga's eyes shone, even through his curtain of crimson hair.
Anthy's eyes widened. An image of Utena, in Anthy's body, being slapped by Saionji...being harassed by Saionji...being...
{NO!} she told herself. {I may have to endure Saionji's mistreatment, but Miss Utena shouldn't have to!}
She looked at Utena. "I WILL win your Duel for you, Miss Utena."
Turning to Touga: "Teach me."
For a millisecond--not even that--Touga was taken aback by Anthy's forwardness. But he did not show even the slightest indication of this.
"All right. Tomorrow afternoon, in the kendo room, I'll teach you."
Anthy heard Touga's words and comprehended them, through a muffling fog, though only slightly. She was busy mulling over her actions.
{I was so forward,} she mused. {I have never been that confident. I felt...noble. Is that the word? 'Noble'...I just know I must protect Miss Utena. I must win her Duel, in order that I may stay her Bride. But...why must I stay her Bride? Why do I feel so strongly? I am the Rose Bride...I am Miss Utena's Bride now, and I can be someone else's...but I must stay Miss Utena's Bride. I just Must.}
"And as for me? What do I do?"
"You, Utena Tenjou, are the Rose Bride. That is all," Touga said decisively.
"I can't sit around while Anthy has to fight MY battle for me!"
"But you must," the elder Kiryuu insisted, and Utena could tell the subject was closed.
{Of course I must,} she though. {What was I thinking? Mister Touga is right, I AM the Rose bride. Of course I can't fight...}
||wait,|| a meek-voiced corner of her mind called. ||am i the rose bride? i'm not, i'm utena! i'm utena tenjou, i'm not the rose bride...||
{But...I AM the Rose Bride...I am Anthy, and she is the Rose Bride. So for now I am the Rose Bride...just for now I am.}
Trying to sort through these conflicting voices, Utena kept a placid expression on Anthy's face. She knew fighting Touga was a losing battle. And there was no point in distressing Anthy. So Utena placed a look of resignation on her face and turned to her bride. Anthy saw her Prince reflected in her own eyes.
"Let's go to bed, Anthy. You have a big day tomorrow."
Utena's eyes smiled. "You have a big day, too, Miss Utena."
Utena wanted to respond with a wry smile, but didn't trust Anthy's face to be capable of such an expression. Fearing a sour face if she attempted a wry one, Utena contented herself with the thought, {At least I'll finally know how Anthy feels with that SWORD in her...}
Chapter One: Role Reversal
9-25-01
AN: this is based on Curried High Trip, but I changed Saionji's lines (mostly because I don't remember word-for-word) and deleted the second explosion to make it work.
"My whole life as Anthy!" moaned Utena.
As the councilmembers discussed the possibility of the magic curry having nothing to do with Utena and Anthy's transformations, Saionji rapped on the window.
"Anthy, why have you become so harsh, and rude? Your most recent entry n our journal is not what you really feel--why do you try to decieve me like this? I want you to rewrite our exchange journal properly and this time declare your undying love for me! We were MADE for each other!"
Saionji paused, then turned to the girl who appeared to be Utena.
"And as for you, you crude tomboy, I challenge you to a Duel. You have corrupted my sweet Anthy's heart, and I cannot forgive you! I will win Anthy back from you, because we are destined to be together. She and the sword are mine!"
A demonic light flashed in his eyes, and as he walked away, Utena-who-looked-like-Anthy turned to Miki and Nanami. "So which of us fights him?"
"You cannot. The Rose Bride cannot fight in a Duel. Miss Himemeya, you are Miss Tenjou for the time being. You must fight in the Duel against Saionji."
"M-me? I cannot fight! I do not know the theory."
Utena sat quietly, green eyes glazed over, while Miki and Nanami tried to reason with Anthy.
"You have been challenged to a Duel! You must accept."
"I cannot!" She shook her head and Utena's pink mane swished around her neck.
"Then who can? Not Miss Tenjou. She is the Rose Bride now," pleaded Miki, punctuating his comments with a stopwatch click.
Utena turned to Nanami. "Can I do it?"
"What do you mean? He just said the Rose Bride can't Duel!" protested Nanami, cocking her head at Utena.
"No, not Dueling...I am in Anthy's body, but do I have the power to produce the Sword of Dios for her?"
"I don't know. Maybe big brother could tell you...he knows so much!"
"She should be able to do it."
Nanami's head whipped around. "Big brother!"
Touga ignored her. "Utena."
The girl who outwardly was Anthy raised her gaze.
"You are the Rose Bride. You will summon the Sword of Dios. Anthy-" and the girl who appeared to be Utena looked up "-you will fight Saionji tomorrow in the Arena. I will show you what you need to do to win against him."
"Touga..." Utena began.
"If you lose, Anthy, Utena will be the one owned by Saionji." Touga's eyes shone, even through his curtain of crimson hair.
Anthy's eyes widened. An image of Utena, in Anthy's body, being slapped by Saionji...being harassed by Saionji...being...
{NO!} she told herself. {I may have to endure Saionji's mistreatment, but Miss Utena shouldn't have to!}
She looked at Utena. "I WILL win your Duel for you, Miss Utena."
Turning to Touga: "Teach me."
For a millisecond--not even that--Touga was taken aback by Anthy's forwardness. But he did not show even the slightest indication of this.
"All right. Tomorrow afternoon, in the kendo room, I'll teach you."
Anthy heard Touga's words and comprehended them, through a muffling fog, though only slightly. She was busy mulling over her actions.
{I was so forward,} she mused. {I have never been that confident. I felt...noble. Is that the word? 'Noble'...I just know I must protect Miss Utena. I must win her Duel, in order that I may stay her Bride. But...why must I stay her Bride? Why do I feel so strongly? I am the Rose Bride...I am Miss Utena's Bride now, and I can be someone else's...but I must stay Miss Utena's Bride. I just Must.}
"And as for me? What do I do?"
"You, Utena Tenjou, are the Rose Bride. That is all," Touga said decisively.
"I can't sit around while Anthy has to fight MY battle for me!"
"But you must," the elder Kiryuu insisted, and Utena could tell the subject was closed.
{Of course I must,} she though. {What was I thinking? Mister Touga is right, I AM the Rose bride. Of course I can't fight...}
||wait,|| a meek-voiced corner of her mind called. ||am i the rose bride? i'm not, i'm utena! i'm utena tenjou, i'm not the rose bride...||
{But...I AM the Rose Bride...I am Anthy, and she is the Rose Bride. So for now I am the Rose Bride...just for now I am.}
Trying to sort through these conflicting voices, Utena kept a placid expression on Anthy's face. She knew fighting Touga was a losing battle. And there was no point in distressing Anthy. So Utena placed a look of resignation on her face and turned to her bride. Anthy saw her Prince reflected in her own eyes.
"Let's go to bed, Anthy. You have a big day tomorrow."
Utena's eyes smiled. "You have a big day, too, Miss Utena."
Utena wanted to respond with a wry smile, but didn't trust Anthy's face to be capable of such an expression. Fearing a sour face if she attempted a wry one, Utena contented herself with the thought, {At least I'll finally know how Anthy feels with that SWORD in her...}