Title: Reaching the End-Chapter 3
Rating: PG
Light Shoujo-ai content
Revolutionary Girl Utena does not belong to me. I am just borrowing.
The knights raced out to do their evil king's command, but upon meeting the Rose Bride once more they found they could not carry out their task. So they each took an oath to protect and serve the Rose Bride and her prince. They set out on their own journeys in an attempt to distract the evil king's attention from the bride and her quest to find her prince.
The king was not pleased by this small rebellion and sent a great number of dragons and demons for the knights to fight. He was sure they would never survive, but he was full of arrogant pride. For as a gift the Rose Bride had given the knights protection against the king's evil. The knight's would fight, and they would always win.
The girl prince, who was unaware of the evil king and his plots, traveled on to the ends of the world.
One day she reached a place in the road that did not point east or west, north or south. It was a place where time stood still and everything changed. Before her a great castle appeared and, so, the girl prince entered it.
It was the castle of the evil king, the castle at the world's end. It was full mazes and strange illusions. The girl prince suddenly became lost within the castle. She yearned for a way out, but found none.
A door appeared before her. As she entered it, she discovered a small room with a soft bed. She was so tired and weary she decided to rest for a short while. So she lie down on the bed and fell into a deep slumber.
The evil king was overjoyed because he was sure he had won. Even if the Rose Bride did reach the castle she would never be able to find the prince or wake her from her long sleep.
Vast empty spaces lie sprawled out before her. Only darkness lived in the place leading to the end of the world. Just a hallow void that became a prince's final task to conquer.
She walked quickly down the lonely road, longing for the small fleck of light that was her final destination. This was the place that did the most damage to a noble soul. In this place, ghostly images of the world's hatred constantly threatened to invade the mind. She knew that if a soul had become too jaded by the hate of the world, that soul was destined to become an evil king.
She tried not to linger on it.
The light was getting brighter and her pace became increasingly rapid. Her mind was not haunted by visions of hate. She was no prince, but her prince was there, somewhere, at the End of the World. She had only been to this place once before and in that distant past she had forced a cruel fate upon herself. She wondered if she could so readily thrust such a fate upon herself again.
Could she risk every ounce of her soul to save her true prince?
She didn't want to know the answer just yet.
The darkness slowly vanished, and she stood before the great floating castle. She looked behind her. The once endless black void was filled with millions of stars. She turned once more to the castle. Light resonated throughout the mighty towers and beckoned sweetly to any that so dared venture to the end.
She hated this place, the beautiful castle that promised so much, but contained only further torment and trials. She took a deep breath and closed her green eyes. Releasing the breath her eyes opened with a bit of courage. Delicate hands mimicked a pose she had once used to summon the Sword of Dios from within her. She was pleased to discover she had so much power left in her. Making the rings for the Knights of the Rose had taken a lot of energy from her. She focused her attention as she spread her arms and the magical energy she created swarmed around her.
"Gates of the Rose," she whispered like a prayer. "Castle of the World's End, open your doors to me. Heed the command of she who was once was once your mistress. Bid me welcome and ascend me to your grand halls."
Her word was done, and the great doors of the castle opened as she ascended into them. Safe within the main entrance hall, the doors shut with a loud thunderous crash. The inside of the castle was a twisting and never-ending labyrinth. It was a puzzle to be solved and it was never the same maze twice.
She looked around at her options, hundreds of doors and strange staircases stretched before her view. Only one path would lead to her prince, all others led only to an eternity of hopeless searching. She placed a noble hand in front of her, using the power within her to find the correct path. A strange image of Utena flashed into her mind and she knew which path to take. She stepped towards a crumbling staircase with her fists clenched tightly.
"Welcome home, Anthy," a deep voice said. "You have no hope in ever finding your prince again. She's already lost deep within the castle walls. You've failed, you weren't able to keep her from reaching the end."
She looked around and saw nothing, but she knew who it was. She ignored the statement and continued on her way up the decaying steps.
"Enjoy the maze, sister." The voice chimed in again. "You will never find your way out of it."
She stopped a few steps up and replied without much emotion. "You may not be able to see the full extent of my abilities brother, but I can. According to the rules of the Rose Seal, I have exactly tens years to find her. Ten years to make the revolution last forever, and the ten years isn't up for another four hours."
She continued her trek up the stairs and upon reaching the top found three possible choices. She took the path that appeared the most frightening. As she wandered down the abstract hallway she heard her brother's voice again.
"I wish you'd stop this foolishness. I already have her in my grasp. Four hours or no, she will still be mine to turn as I wish, and your fate is sealed. Remember, Anthy, this is my castle, my domain. You trapped me here, and now I know all of the castle's secrets."
She pressed on. She ignored her brother's threats and continued choosing doors and paths that she was certain led to Utena.
Lost within a deep sleep the girl prince dreamed.
Her dream was filled with the evil deeds of mankind. The hate of her vision threatened to over take her spirit, but small brief images of five bright stars fighting for the beauty of the world always disrupted the foul visions. And, then, there was the thought of a beautiful princess struggling to find her.
It was these good dreams that kept the girl prince hopeful. She knew that she would be freed of the nightmares and wake once more.
The door creaked open slowly. She stepped in and was surprised to find herself standing on the floor of the dueling arena. She looked up and saw the castle floating above her, mocking her progress. Then from behind her she heard a familiar limp scratching towards her. She turned around once again, face to face with the old crone from her dream.
"He is the king you know," the woman remarked. "He can do what he likes, even cheat a little." The old woman searched Anthy's eyes for a minute, and then huffed in irritation. "If you become jaded by this journey you'll fail. You're much too angry with him to succeed."
Anthy closed her eyes and sighed.
The witch was right.
"Maybe princesses aren't meant to make such journeys," she whispered. "Maybe he's right."
"Maybe," the crone agreed. "Why journey on? After all, a princess can only be a princess for so long. She has to grow up sooner or later and take her place as-"
"The witch."
The crone nodded and then said, "Yes, or the evil queen, but your brother doesn't want you to be the queen. He wants her."
In the distance Anthy could see the image of her prince caught in a deep sleep. It broke her heart.
"So, why go on," the witch continued. "Why even try?"
Anthy's doubt began to grow. Emerald eyes closed briefly, and then looked to the sky of the arena. Five stars flickered brightly, burning the darkness of the sky away. If she failed they could go on, and fight. They could do what she could not. Couldn't they?
The crone began to cackle mercilessly. "My, my, how the mighty fall. How can they hope to win if your power is fading so quickly? And you just regained it too," the crone seemed delighted in the princess's failure. "You'll never win now. If you take my hand you can take your rightful place as the witch of the castle. You can renew your destiny as the Rose Bride once more."
Anhty's heart began to beat faster and her breath got short. She stepped back and shook her head. She couldn't, she wouldn't become a slave to the castle ever again, but she just couldn't get her courage back, and she didn't understand where it had gone. She looked around the arena for an image to guide her, for a vision to reassure her, but there was nothing, only the old crone waiting for the princess to reaccept her old fate.
She started to stretch out her hand.
The crone smiled gleefully.
"Anthy!"
She looked around. There was nothing around her.
"Anthy!"
That voice was so bright. She turned away from the witch and began to walk to the stairs.
"Anthy I'm still here!"
"Utena," the princess whispered.
She ran towards the stairs, her mind wrapped in the memory of her salvation. She still had time. She could still make it. She could find her prince. She could fight the darkness. She reached the steps, but before she could run down them the crone appeared before her.
"Wait," the witch shouted. "You can't win. Remember, you have to become either a witch or an evil queen. There are no other choices for you."
Anthy looked into the crone's lost and lonely green eyes and shook her head. She smiled and whispered, "But, I already am the witch, you reminded me of that earlier. I can not be a princess forever. I can not be a witch forever. I can be both at once. I can be what you seem to have forgotten. I can become the magical guide that helps heroes on their way. I can become the fairy godmother."
She moved the crone to one side and began to run down the stairs. She hoped she hadn't wasted too much time. She ran faster, but suddenly the staircase began to fall away. It crumbled under her feet and she began to fall.
"And, now, you have everything you need to face him. Now you know of the true power within you. Now you can free the prince." The crone's voice echoed through out the crumbling arena.
A rush of light enfolded Anthy and she soon found herself inside a small dimly lit room.
She had to catch her breath for a moment. She had nearly forgotten about all the tests the castle presented. The way things shifted without warning, guiding and causing everything to distort.
She listened to the sounds of the room and found she was not alone. She could hear the sound of someone breathing. She looked around and caught sight of someone hunched over in the corner. She cautiously moved forward.
His coat was tattered and he looked as if he had been lost in the castle for decades. He held himself, and then slowly turned around. There was something about his eyes that made Anthy sure she knew him. His eyes widened when her saw her. He stepped forward, his salmon colored hair catching pieces of the dim light.
"Ma-Mamiya," he whispered. "Mamiya, is it you?"
She stepped back. Why did he think-
Her eyes caught her reflection on a small sliver mirror, as the image shifted between her own and that of a young boy.
"I see," she whispered.
"Have you been trapped by him too," he asked trying to hide his obvious worry. "Did he make you a deal and steal your memory?"
She stepped closer to him and took his hand.
He was wearing the ring of a duelist.
She pondered her options. If she set him free from the memory he was clinging to she could destroy him. She looked deeper into his eyes and wondered what it was her brother meant to do with him. She slid the ring gently off his finger and the nonexistent past rushed over her. The things she could not remember, because technically they never happened swarmed about her soul. She dropped the ring and he looked at her curiously.
"I see," she whispered again.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment and upon opening them her image completely changed to that of the boy the young man in front of her thought he saw.
"Give me your hand, my dear lost, Numero."
He did as he was directed.
She stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Let me take you to a better place," she whispered, and by the look in his eyes she knew what he was envisioning. She placed a light kiss on his cheek and a warm light rushed over him. After the light faded he was gone, and Anthy stood once more in her true form.
She sighed.
Her brother had gone too far, torturing a lost soul for so long.
She walked out of the room slowly and wondered if she had any time left at all.
From the dimly lit room she entered a grand bedchamber. The room was elegant in every respect, silk curtains tumbled to the ground, and grand tapestries hung on the walls and in the center of the room there was a large bed. She smiled and almost wept as she saw the one person she had been longing for.
Ten years had nearly flown by. The prince slept quietly on the large bed of white and red rose petals. Anthy stepped closer, but was stopped all too abruptly by her brother's sudden presence.
"That was quite impressive, that little trick you did for Nemuro," he said lightly. "What exactly did you hope to achieve by saving a ghost?"
"I sent him to the world he wanted, an eternity of happiness with the ones he loved," Anthy replied.
Akio huffed and smiled slyly. "So, it comes to this, little sister?"
She held her ground firmly. Her heart felt as if it were going to burst from her chest. She stepped closer in an attempt to run to Utena.
"No." He blocked her. "I don't think so. But, I am very impressed with your mastery over the castle. This prison seems to want you to win. You won't though. You still have to face me."
She looked over at her prince sleeping soundly, but she could feel the weight of the dream Utena was trapped in. "What do you plan to do with her?"
"When she wakes, she will be mine totally and completely. She will be my queen and we will rule with the power of Dios together."
"But first you'll have to wait," Anthy replied. "You'll have to duel the Knights of the Rose before you can get your hands on that power."
"Yes." He sneered. "I suppose I will, clever of you to think of that. It is no matter, and it shouldn't take too much time. Speaking of which, you've only five minutes to free your prince." He began to laugh. "You can't beat me in a duel Anthy. Princesses do not fight with swords."
She looked over at him with a polite smile. "Who ever said I was a princess?" She placed a hand over her heart a soft light began to appear. "Rose of the noble castle, power of Dios at work within me…"
Akio stepped back a bit. "No. it's impossible!"
"Grant me the power…."
"No, Anthy you mustn't!" His plea was unheard.
She pulled the Sword of Dios out of her chest and held it in her hand defiantly. "To bring the world the light of Dios."
"Anthy!"
"You have no power that can beat me," she whispered, the sword held tightly in her hand. "No chains that can bind me. I am the other half of the power of the light. I will always shine."
She dropped the sword and it vanished, like it was made of nothing but sand. She watched her brother fall to the ground and clutch his chest. Then he too vanished, consumed by the light Anthy had released.
All was quiet.
The light faded and she nearly collapsed to the ground. She caught herself though, and rushed over to the bed. Lovely green eyes looked on at the face of her sleeping prince and she smiled. She sat lightly on the bed and leaning over her prince, she placed a soft deep kiss on her lips.
She sat back and waited.
Bright blue eyes opened slowly, and a brilliant smile greeted Anthy warmly. The prince sat up.
"You found me," the prince said.
Anthy held back her tears and nodded. She took the prince's hand and smiled as she slipped a rose quartz ring onto the young woman's hand. The prince admired the ring for a bit, not quite sure of the meaning, and not quite caring about it either
"I had strange dreams," Utena commented. She looked into the bright green eyes next to her and smiled warmly. "So tell me…"
"Yes, Utena."
She looked around at the bed and the bedchamber, which she found a bit garish. "What happens next?"
A small tear made its way down Anthy's cheek. "I guess," she paused for a moment. "After we leave this castle, and have a nice chat over tea, and laugh for a bit. I guess,we shine."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
The princely girl with the light pink hair stood up and together with Anthy the two began the journey out of the castle.
Just as they left the castle gates Utena looked over at Anthy with a curious eye.
"So tell me one more thing."
"Yes, Utena."
"What happened to Chu-Chu?"
"Oh, I left him in the care of one of the Knights of the Rose." Was Anthy's polite reply.
"You- I'm sorry did you say knights?"
"Oh, don't worry I'm sure Saonji doesn't mind too much," Anthy replied. The girl with the violet hair almost chuckled, and she walked ahead of the prince just a bit.
Blue eyes looked on ever more curious, and quickly made strides to catch up with the princess. "Wait! Anthy? Knights?"
"You are a prince after all," Anthy replied. "And, if you're the prince and I'm the princess, well..."
The prince sighed, perhaps it was relief. She looked over at her companion and said, "Anthy."
"Yes."
"Forget all that prince stuff for now, ok?"
To be continued…
