"Ne, wake up...
It's time to get out of here."
- - -
Long long ago, in a land far, far away there lived a Rose Prince who made the girls of the world into princesses. But the prince knew that he was nothing but part of an established equation in an established world. No one has seen him since his younger sister imprisoned him inside their castle.
Of Roses and Thorns - Chapter VI
Revision 12th April 2008
Author: Guuthulhu
--
Rain poured outside, the sound nearly deafening.
"There's no sign of the girl anywhere."
"Have you checked everywhere I instructed?"
"Yes. I sent three groups to search around the complex and neighboring towns. All reported negative."
"I'm not happy to receive such news. That girl is very important to me. She is very sick. There's no place in the outside world for her. She must be found. Find her!"
"Yes, sir."
"Oh, and one other thing I wish to remind you. Keep silent. I do believe I'm paying you enough."
"We did find one thing, sir"
"Oh? Something useful, I hope."
"She shared a room with another girl, a Takatsuki Shiori."
A glass fell to the floor and shattered.
"Sir?"
"I'm all right... It's all right. Keep looking for the girl. I'll handle Miss Takatsuki myself."
The rain continued, relentlessly. She felt like a small bug being sprayed with a fire hose. "Come on, just a bit farther. We can make it, we just have to keep going." She kept hold of the other girl's arm pulling her steadily onward.
"Something tells me it's a bad idea following you. I mean, You are crazy, and all."
"Actually, I'm not."
"Isn't that what everyone here says?"
The girl stopped and turned around to face the other. "Look. I'm here to help you. Nothing more. We'll be fine if we can just get to Ohtori; if we can get to Utena."
"Utena-sama?" the other girl murmured.
"Yes, now come on!" She pulled the girl and continued running low across the grass. Dogs barked in the distance and occasionally a light would shine awfully close to them.
"Over here!" A male voice shouted, "They're over here."
The girl lay down in the grass, pulling the other girl down with her. "Things aren't looking to good for us right now." The other girl looked worried hearing those words. The dogs were getting closer. "When I tell you to run, go as fast as you can."
Several hours had passed in one of the institution's offices. Several members of security stood silent near the door, while a man stood patiently gazing out of the windows, his hands folded behind his back. Several moments passed before a gentlemen stepped up to him, offering him a sealed envelope. "This was found in the girl's room."
The man took the envelope without giving its deliverer any semblance of recognition. He tore the end open and fished out a small slip of paper.
The one who wins a series of Duels and becomes engaged to the
Rose Bride, shall eventually reach the castle and receive the
power to revolutionize the world.
The man started giggling, which in turn, turned to laughter. He crumpled the note and shoved it into his pocket.
"Sir, we found her. She's in one of the padded rooms."
The man immediately ceased laughing. "Excellent," he responded, turning around. "I am most pleased. Take me to her, immediately."
The security guard who spoke nodded and motioned the other man to follow. They traversed a series of halls and made two elevator trips before stopping outside a door in one of the higher security areas. He slid the window of the door open to allow the man to look through.
He stepped up and saw a girl sitting in a chair facing away from the door. Her hair was short and somewhat purple.
The red-haired man pounded the wall with his fist. "Idiots! This is the wrong girl!"
"This is who we found in the-"
"I don't care. Open this door and go! I want this search continued."
The guard unlocked the door and opened it for the gentlemen. The girl inside didn't move an inch. After the gentlemen stepped inside, the guard closed the door behind him and left to carry out his orders.
"Takatsuki Shiori," he cooed, "Never did I expect to find you in such a destitute place as this."
The girl's eyes followed him as he moved to stand before her.
"Touga-kun! You came here to visit me?" The girl looked surprised and mockingly happy to see the man. She clasped her hands together in front of her to enhance the display.
Touga's eyes narrowed, "What are you plotting, Shiori?
"Nothing. There's no point. I don't care what happens anymore. I'm not with you and I'm not against you. I just want out of it."
"So, is that why you wrote that suicide note to Juri? Saionji told me all about it. He saw you writing it in the library." He rubbed his chin with a hand and grinned. "I wonder what Juri would say if I told her this was all fake."
"Touga!" Shiori gasped, looking worried. She quickly stood and clenched her fists.
"I'm sure that would ruin all chances of you getting back with her, assuming there is any chance at all the way things currently stand." He began slowly circling around the petite girl. "I hear she stayed over Utena's..."
A wave of emotions filled Shiori. Stayed at Utena's? Why would she..?
"Keeping to the business at hand, so you want out, eh? I can arrange that. I'm sure you must feel terrible about lying to your lover."
Shiori began trembling, glancing around for anything she could use for defense.
"I have a grand idea. I'll get you out of this mess." Touga pulled a knife from his pocket and smiled. "Let's make that letter you wrote, true. Then she'll have to forgive you. Of course, there leaves the subject of getting back together, but that wouldn't work very well, since you'll be dead."
Shiori's eyes widened. She couldn't believe all that was happening. Moments of her life began flashing before her. All the terrible things she had done to Juri.
Touga chuckled, "I wonder how she'd feel knowing you didn't really love her now. That you lied to her... again." He rushed forward to stab her. The sudden movement forced Shiori out of her daze. Instinctively, she grabbed the chair behind her, and swung with all her might. The chair slammed against Touga and sent him stumbling into one of the padded walls.
Shiori rushed the door. Adrenaline surged through her veins mixing a deadly cocktail of desperation and fear. She sweated profusely trying the door. Unlocked.
A sigh escaped her lips as she flung it open and rushed into the hall. She turned to close the door, but Touga was already there rushing at her, halfway into the hall. Shiori wondered if she should try to shut the door anyway, but didn't feel her adrenaline-powered strength strong enough to do so. Instead, she turned and bolted down the hall with all her speed. The newly waxed floor was slick under her feet.
Touga was on her heels, knife ready to strike. He growled, yelling at her to stop trying to escape. Shiori didn't hesitate at all. She hoped to find somewhere where there were people. Somewhere where they'd see this madman with a knife and do something to aid her. But there was no one.
She darted down another corridor shouting for help. No one was anywhere.
She turned the next corner and skid into a window. A dead end. She hit the glass with so much force it shattered. Shiori found herself hanging half out. She could feel shards of glass pierce into her flesh. The rain's coldness and severity hurt.
This shouldn't be happening. She should be home, asleep, or cramming for school; not hanging out a window of a psychiatric hospital some three stories up, bleeding, with a madman trying to kill her.
"Shiori, I'm impressed. I didn't think of such an exotic death for you." He giggled. "Do not be sad, my Shiori. Your death will help bring Paradise to this world." He placed a hand on Shiori's back, and pushed.
She couldn't hear herself screaming over the sound of the storm. Everything seemed to slow down. She reached under her blouse and pulled the locket Juri had always worn and clutched it tightly in her hands. She saw Touga disappear back inside the building. That bastard. He's got it easy. All he has to do is produce the suicide note, and he's off the hook.
She felt weak, bleeding from her injuries. She opened the locket and stared at the picture of herself taken long ago. She closed it and unconsciously, released it. Her vision blurring, she closed her eyes. Soon, it really would be over and she'd never have the chance to tell Juri how much she loved her. And for the first time in their history, it would have been true.
- - -
Juri awoke with a start. Her body trembled and she had problems breathing. She brought her hand to her chest to grasp at something no longer there. She had lost her locket a long time ago and it pained her. She wished she had it, now more than ever.
She rubbed her forehead, nearly beginning to cry. Every night she usually woke like this, as if waking from a nightmare. Every time she opened her eyes to find herself in her room, she could never remember the dream. Doctor's kept telling her to make sure she kept taking her medicine. And she had.
She rose and put on an elegant, white dressing gown. She sat at her desk and saw the pretty, white lace-paper Shiori always wrote on. She slid it towards her and gazed upon its surface. All the characters were hastily written, and messy. Still, Shiori's writing always looked cute. Just glancing at it, it was hard to tell how cruel and sorrowful the content really was. She slid one of the pages towards her and read.
You were the only reason I stayed at this academy.
She closed her eyes, stood gathering the letter and slipping it into her pocket. She left her apartment and went outside to sit at the fountain in the courtyard. Her head throbbed with pain. She wished, for once, it would rain to mask the tears she wanted desperately to fall.
"Huh? Arisugawa-sempai? I thought so."
Juri glanced up to find Utena, dressed in her school uniform, standing in front of her. "Oh, it's you."
"Since you're not wearing your usual uniform, I almost didn't recognize you." She smiled warmly at the beautiful woman. "You really look like a supermodel. You look so gallant in your uniform, I bet everyone would be surprised if they saw you looking this ladylike. But anyway, why are you here by yourself this late at night?"
She sat down next to her, cheerfully awaiting her answer, hands grasping the stone she sat upon.
Juri looked at her, her face expressionless. She didn't think anyone would be wandering around this late and hated being bothered so suddenly.
Utena's smile faded. "You're still upset over the letter, aren't you?"
Juri looked at her, her expression turning to confusion.
"To be honest, I feel really bad about the whole thing. I've done something terrible."
Juri stared at her and reached into her pocket. When she left, there were five pieces of paper. Now, she felt only one. She pulled it out and unfolded it.
He doesn't say it, but he seems to be thinking of you
the most, Juri-san. But I couldn't help but steal him
from you. Even though I'm no match for you at anything,
at least my feeling for him is... So, I don't regret
stealing him from you... because that's what I hoped for
from my heart. Believe in a miracle, that your wish come
true. You must hate me for being like this.
Juri's head hurt more. She felt dizzy.
Utena placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her friend. "You're not looking so good."
Juri opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't know what to say. Something didn't feel right. The letter was wrong, but she had no explanation. This should be a suicide note, not something else.
"Juri, maybe I should take you home."
Juri looked at Utena. "When I was at your apartment. What did we talk about in the bathroom? Do you remember?"
She nodded reluctantly, not sure she'd like where the conversation was going. "Yeah, Wakaba, insanity... All that fun stuff you usually bring up when we're together."
Juri turned away from her. "I need time to myself, so if you would please."
Utena nodded, "As you wish. Take care of yourself, Juri." She stood. "Oh, you left this at my place. I thought you'd might like it back." She handed her a piece of pink paper, waved, and walked away.
Juri watched her and glanced at the sheet of paper Utena had handed her.
Shiori, Thank you for your letter. I'm more than
happy to know you're doing fine. As I read each
word of your letter, I can't help but realize
how the days have passed. Back then, the three
of us did everything together. It was really fun.
But now, when I look at the two of you, beaming
with happiness, I feel nostalgic and envious...
Juri's head hurt more, so badly, her vision was blurring and darkening. She leaned forward placing her hands on her forehead supporting herself on her elbows. "This isn't real," she whispered.
She opened her eyes, looking down at the letter she had just read. Her eyes widened. It was a grocery list she had written while at Utena's. She felt faint and stuffed the piece of paper in her pocket. She slowly stood. Her skin paled and she gasped, feeling four other sheets of paper in her pocket. When she slowly pulled them out, they were the other pages of Shiori's suicide note.
Her stomach felt sick and she could feel herself swaying. The sound of the fountain grew distant. Her head felt light and she felt like she was floating away. She felt a brief pain hitting the ground. Darkness enveloped her.
She always had this saying. She'd tell me it all the time. But now I can't remember. I really liked it. It always gave me confidence. At least it used to.
She seems like a sweet girl... You really love her, don't you?
I do.
You know this is all a lie, don't you? Her love? Everything?
I know...
Then Why-?
Because of love.