"What is that?" Akio asked softly, staring at Arashi's ring in surprise. He reached forward and grabbed her hand, bringing it closer to his body, so as to examine the ring closer. Distantly, he noticed that Arashi's hand was cool; no warmth seeped from it.
"Where did you get this?" he continued his questions, firing them off rapidly. "Who gave this to you? Do you know? Would you recognize the person?"
Arashi slowly blinked, trying to look as dim-witted as possible. It wasn't that hard to fool the Chairman. He thought that she was a certain type of girl--if she gave him that image, he wouldn't think to look beyond the surface. No one ever did.
"A friend gave it to me," the red-head answered truthfully. "It was a long time ago, I don't remember how long. My friend told me...to keep it safe and to listen with my heart, and to fight for it."
Akio frowned. It sounds like something that Dios would say to an idealistic child, he thought to himself. But...that cannot be. Dios hasn't left the castle since he visited Utena when she was a child. And this girl is younger than her by about two years... Aloud, he said, "Who was this person, this friend?"
Arashi shrugged eloquently. "I don't remember," she replied. Then, gently tugging her hand from the dark man's grasp, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Akio watched her leave, deep in thought.
I wonder....what did Mikage think of her when they met? I sense that something is different about her...but what? She seems normal...could I be wrong? Yes; I may be...just this one time, however.
* * *
Arashi wandered around the large campus, looking at the different things. When she came to Touga and his female admirers, she gave the group a large berth. She hated men who toyed with females' hearts, just as much as she hated the females that let themselves be used. It was stupid, and no one profited in the end.
Touga noticed her and shot her his most charming grin, trying to detach himself from three girls that were hanging on him. Arashi shot him a dark glare and ducked into a doorway, hurrying down a hallway. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with the Student Council President! Even though Akio hadn't sensed who she really was, Touga might have been able to. And Arashi couldn't take that risk.
She continued wandering down hallways, peeking into classrooms and other rooms. All in all, Ohtori seemed like any other academy...but bigger. Bigger, most definitely. It made the red-head feel small, younger than what she was. It was a new feeling, and a feeling that she didn't like, want, or welcome. And so, scowling, she continued her private tour.
After ten more minutes, Arashi came to a field, where several boys and a girl were playing baseball. She stopped in the doorway and continued to watch the game. The girl, who Arashi recognized as Utena, played as well as the guys, if not better. She smiled to herself and her gray eyes danced as she watched Utena catch a fly ball, while the opposite team cursed themselves for not picking her.
Stepping more fully out from the doorway, Arashi slowly made her way down the steps and sat on the last step, curling her legs under herself. A little ways away, a pretty black girl, Anthy, fed food crumbs to a large mouse, while a handsome youth watched Anthy with besotted eyes. Arashi grinned to herself before she continued watching the game. The 'besotted youth' was Miki, and he wasn't only besotted with Anthy. He was in love with her. Arashi hoped that they would get the happily-ever-after that they deserved.
"I got it!!" Utena suddenly yelled and started running backwards, keeping her eye on the flying ball. Because of that, she didn't notice Arashi until she tripped over the red-head's long legs and fell on top of her with a loud 'Oomph!'
Utena blinked wide blue eyes and looked around. She was supposed to have fallen on hard stone. Instead, what she had fallen on was soft, squishy, and felt remarkably like a human body...
With a gasp, the pink haired girl stood up and stared down at the girl she had squished. "Are you alright?" she quickly asked, offering Arashi a hand up.
Arashi grinned up at the person she had been sent to monitor and took Utena's hand, pulling herself up and dusting herself off once she had regained her balance. "Yes, I'm alright," she replied, answering Utena's question. Continuing with a grin, she said, "But I think that you sat on my spleen. It feels kinda squished."
Utena laughed. "Sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention on where I was running and that's why I ran into you. Next time, I promise that I won't sit on your spleen." She grinned wickedly. "I'll land on your gallbladder. Deal?"
Arashi grinned back. "Deal," she said and bent down to retrieve the girl's ball. Tossing it to Utena, Arashi asked, "Do you need any more players? I haven't played in a while, but I miss the game."
Utena eyed Arashi up and down, taking in the girl's long, red-orange hair (which Arashi was currently tying up in a ponytail bun), her unusual gray eyes, and black boy's clothing. Thinking for a moment, she nodded and her grin broadened. "Sure! We need another player on our team anyway. The others think that they can beat my team because they let a girl play."
Shrugging off her shirt, until she was left in only her black tank top, Arashi retorted: "Well, let's give them something to think about. Maybe next time, they'd want us on their team."
"Yeah, we will!" Utena added, laughing. It was strange, but it was like she and Arashi were kindred spirits; or, at least, friends from long ago. But so long ago that it seemed more like a dream than anything else... An image flashed in her mind, almost too fast to catch: Her Prince, bending down upon one knee and holding her tightly, whispering endearments in her ear. She cuddled closer, needing the warmth and love that he offered her. Looking over his shoulder, she noticed a dark knight, her armor black as night, sitting upon a huge black horse. Long red-orange hair swirled around her, and she looked down at the Prince and his Princess with distant gray eyes. Utena blinked and shook her head. I must be dreaming... she thought to herself. That night had seemed a little too much like Arashi...
And so, the two girl made their way back to the baseball field, grinning good-naturally. And, of course, the two girls-together-beat the boys. Badly. After the game, the males wandered away, heading back towards their dormitories, complaining about the fact that they now had to deal with two Utena Tenjous.
Finally, Anthy stood, followed by Miki. "That was a wonderful game, Miss Utena," she said, smiling softly. She handed the pink-haired girl a towel and Utena took it gratefully. She then turned her attention to Arashi and her eyes sparked in recognition, though the others didn't notice. Arashi smiled slightly and her gray eyes danced in unholy amusement. Never taking her eyes off of Arashi, Anthy bowed. "It is nice to meet you," she greeted. "I am Anthy and this is Miki. Who are you?"
"I am Arashi Kenji," Arashi replied while Anthy's eyes widened in amazement. Looks as if someone finally recognizes me, Arashi thought with amusement to herself. "I'm a new transfer student at Ohtori Academy. I just got here today; tomorrow is my first actual day. The Chairman and Headmaster said that my dormitory is in the same building as yours and Utena's. Could you please show me where I bunk? I'm still new and I don't know where everything is. Plus too, I've had a long, busy day and I'm tired."
"Sure! We'll show you where you sleep!" Utena exclaimed, happy that someone else besides her and Anthy was going to sleep in the 'haunted' dormitory building. Maybe now the rumors that it was haunted would stop. Probably not, but a person's gotta hope, ne?
"Please follow us," Anthy added softly. I wonder...did Akio remember who Arashi is? Her name gives a hint... But then again, both Arashi and Akio are masters of illusion. Will he ever realize who she truly is? I wonder...
