"The Promise of the Roses"
A Shoujo Kakumei Utena fan-fiction by Solitary_rose
Part 1: A Bewitching Stranger
Kyoko Yamada leaned on the smooth banister of the stairs. She peered out into the colossal hallway of Ohtori Academy. She was transferred to this new, exclusive academy from her old school in Nagasaki. It wasn't as if she was going to enjoy it, though. As she listened to the vapid chatter of the girls and the boisterous laughter of the boys, she wondered if she would make any friends at all. It was hard enough, with her reclusive personality, but it didn't seem like anyone even noticed her. Her pale pink hair, put into a long ponytail, normally stood out enough. Just then, the hall quieted down to an unusual silence. Kyoko leaned even further against the railing to see what the cause was.
Against the light stood a woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a coral-pink coat and a matching beret. The dark skin and purple hair that hung down her back in smooth waves were odd enough, but her eyes made Kyoko flinch. They were a sharp, emerald green that would have glowed if the hall were completely dark. And, they locked with Kyoko's. As soon as the woman saw Kyoko, her eyes widened and her mouth opened in a slight gape. However, Kyoko had no time as to figure out why this woman was so intrigued by her, because right after, a tall man came strolling over.
"Anthy! W-What a surprise! I don't remember you sending a letter that said you would come to visit..." The dean of Ohtori greeted the woman with a forced smile. Kyoko assumed that something must be wrong, since the dean was a calm, practical person who never worried.
"Yes, Akio. I didn't think that it would be necessary to send one. I attended this school, too. I believe that I have the right to visit anytime I like. After all, you are my big brother." Anthy replied nonchalantly, while at the same time still holding Kyoko's apprehensive gaze. Kyoko wished to look away, but something told her not to.
"Anthy, why have you come?"
"Big brother, I would like to speak with a student in this school."
"Anthy, that's completely irrational. The child must attend class; you know that. You can speak some other time."
"Akio, I want to speak now. It's necessary. Alone."
"A-Anthy... you sound just like her. What has she done to you?"
"Nothing. She merely saved me from you. Don't insult her. So, let me speak now."
"Anthy..." Akio was starting to look worried. Cautiously glancing at the tentative students listening in the hall, he grimaced and told his sister, "As you wish."
Anthy smiled sweetly, and walked over to Kyoko. Kyoko felt like bolting. She figured that the woman was coming towards her, because she was looking at her, of course. Anthy held out her hand to Kyoko, and whispered, just so that she could hear, "Come with me. I know a beautiful place here." The poor girl had no idea of what to do. The thought of following a creepy stranger to some even stranger place shocked her. Still, she did as she was told, and followed Anthy anxiously.
Kyoko followed Anthy through winding roads and paths of Ohtori that she didn't even know existed. At last, they ended in a secluded cage-like glass greenhouse. Anthy sighed wistfully, and said, "Oh, dear. I guess Akio hasn't been able to find anyone to tend the roses. Look how dreadfully high the weeds are. She would be so upset." Confused, Kyoko looked up at her, and inquired, "She??"
"Yes. You look just like her. The same noble blue eyes, and the same lovely pink hair." Anthy responded softly, with a glassy sheen in her eyes. Confused even more, Kyoko pressed, "Who? Nobody in our family has pink hair." Giving Kyoko a mortified stare, and after a moment, Anthy gasped, "You don't even know her?"
"Who??" Kyoko nearly yelled from frustration.
"Utena Tenjou. You don't know her?"
"My aunt mentioned her once. She supposedly disappeared in eighth grade."
Anthy gave a stifled sob. "No. She didn't disappear. She went on to a new world. She -" the sentence was broken off by Anthy's sudden, racking sobs. Kyoko looked down, not wanting to see the other's grief. She had already seen enough. She didn't want to ever see it again.
"Should I just take my leave now?" Questioned Kyoko softly. Anthy shook her head quickly, and looked up again. Flashing Kyoko a small grin, she murmured, "It's all right. I miss her, that's all. I know that you are related to her. You look really alike."
"Well, my aunt said that she either died or eloped. And you said that she went on to a new world. No offense or anything, but that doesn't sound right," Kyoko sighed, "I'm not sure how I'm related to her. She could be a family friend, for all I know. It would be impossible to trace the family roots. It's the first time I've ever heard her name."
"Utena Tenjou? She's a princess! She'll be easy to find in the records. And her family, too." Anthy looked pleased with herself. "After you attend class, why don't you look in the library's records? She should be in there somewhere. Meet me at the dueling arena. Please."
"Uh, sure. See you soon." Kyoko uttered with a wave as she walked towards class. Dueling arena? Never had she heard of it. Sighing, she thought of how ignorant she was of the school. Turning the fast walk into a run, she sped towards her classroom, school-case in hand.
A Shoujo Kakumei Utena fan-fiction by Solitary_rose
Part 1: A Bewitching Stranger
Kyoko Yamada leaned on the smooth banister of the stairs. She peered out into the colossal hallway of Ohtori Academy. She was transferred to this new, exclusive academy from her old school in Nagasaki. It wasn't as if she was going to enjoy it, though. As she listened to the vapid chatter of the girls and the boisterous laughter of the boys, she wondered if she would make any friends at all. It was hard enough, with her reclusive personality, but it didn't seem like anyone even noticed her. Her pale pink hair, put into a long ponytail, normally stood out enough. Just then, the hall quieted down to an unusual silence. Kyoko leaned even further against the railing to see what the cause was.
Against the light stood a woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a coral-pink coat and a matching beret. The dark skin and purple hair that hung down her back in smooth waves were odd enough, but her eyes made Kyoko flinch. They were a sharp, emerald green that would have glowed if the hall were completely dark. And, they locked with Kyoko's. As soon as the woman saw Kyoko, her eyes widened and her mouth opened in a slight gape. However, Kyoko had no time as to figure out why this woman was so intrigued by her, because right after, a tall man came strolling over.
"Anthy! W-What a surprise! I don't remember you sending a letter that said you would come to visit..." The dean of Ohtori greeted the woman with a forced smile. Kyoko assumed that something must be wrong, since the dean was a calm, practical person who never worried.
"Yes, Akio. I didn't think that it would be necessary to send one. I attended this school, too. I believe that I have the right to visit anytime I like. After all, you are my big brother." Anthy replied nonchalantly, while at the same time still holding Kyoko's apprehensive gaze. Kyoko wished to look away, but something told her not to.
"Anthy, why have you come?"
"Big brother, I would like to speak with a student in this school."
"Anthy, that's completely irrational. The child must attend class; you know that. You can speak some other time."
"Akio, I want to speak now. It's necessary. Alone."
"A-Anthy... you sound just like her. What has she done to you?"
"Nothing. She merely saved me from you. Don't insult her. So, let me speak now."
"Anthy..." Akio was starting to look worried. Cautiously glancing at the tentative students listening in the hall, he grimaced and told his sister, "As you wish."
Anthy smiled sweetly, and walked over to Kyoko. Kyoko felt like bolting. She figured that the woman was coming towards her, because she was looking at her, of course. Anthy held out her hand to Kyoko, and whispered, just so that she could hear, "Come with me. I know a beautiful place here." The poor girl had no idea of what to do. The thought of following a creepy stranger to some even stranger place shocked her. Still, she did as she was told, and followed Anthy anxiously.
Kyoko followed Anthy through winding roads and paths of Ohtori that she didn't even know existed. At last, they ended in a secluded cage-like glass greenhouse. Anthy sighed wistfully, and said, "Oh, dear. I guess Akio hasn't been able to find anyone to tend the roses. Look how dreadfully high the weeds are. She would be so upset." Confused, Kyoko looked up at her, and inquired, "She??"
"Yes. You look just like her. The same noble blue eyes, and the same lovely pink hair." Anthy responded softly, with a glassy sheen in her eyes. Confused even more, Kyoko pressed, "Who? Nobody in our family has pink hair." Giving Kyoko a mortified stare, and after a moment, Anthy gasped, "You don't even know her?"
"Who??" Kyoko nearly yelled from frustration.
"Utena Tenjou. You don't know her?"
"My aunt mentioned her once. She supposedly disappeared in eighth grade."
Anthy gave a stifled sob. "No. She didn't disappear. She went on to a new world. She -" the sentence was broken off by Anthy's sudden, racking sobs. Kyoko looked down, not wanting to see the other's grief. She had already seen enough. She didn't want to ever see it again.
"Should I just take my leave now?" Questioned Kyoko softly. Anthy shook her head quickly, and looked up again. Flashing Kyoko a small grin, she murmured, "It's all right. I miss her, that's all. I know that you are related to her. You look really alike."
"Well, my aunt said that she either died or eloped. And you said that she went on to a new world. No offense or anything, but that doesn't sound right," Kyoko sighed, "I'm not sure how I'm related to her. She could be a family friend, for all I know. It would be impossible to trace the family roots. It's the first time I've ever heard her name."
"Utena Tenjou? She's a princess! She'll be easy to find in the records. And her family, too." Anthy looked pleased with herself. "After you attend class, why don't you look in the library's records? She should be in there somewhere. Meet me at the dueling arena. Please."
"Uh, sure. See you soon." Kyoko uttered with a wave as she walked towards class. Dueling arena? Never had she heard of it. Sighing, she thought of how ignorant she was of the school. Turning the fast walk into a run, she sped towards her classroom, school-case in hand.
