A princess a bride and a sister.
The question of revaluation
By: Eternal_Ukyou
If the chick can not break out of it shell, the chick will die without ever truly being born...
"It seems" Saijaionji sneered flipping the card over on the glass table. "that the bride is a bit... unstable."
"Yes, we all saw that. Maybe she was not the right bride, perhaps we where wrong." Juri suggested handing Saijaionji another card.
"That not possible, only a true bride can except the sword." Miki pointed out as he clicked his stop watch.
"Miki's right. If she was not a bride then she would not have excepted to sword. But she is unstable, and I see little we can do with that snow hared girl now."
"There is only one thing to do Touga-San." Juri handed him his hand. "Duel with her, for the one she loves. If her connection with the girl is so strong she would hate to see her suffer."
"You are right, that's what we shall do then. It has been some time since it was my turn to duel. Maybe we should all have a go if this girl wants to take Kenji away from us. With out a bride we are nothing, we can not afford the lose her. So we won't." Touga sat down to join the game of cards.
"Then a plan is what we need. We shall wait for the next letter from End of the World before making out move." Saijaionji offered.
"Agreed."
"Lyrako, stop treating me like a little kid, I'm ok! Really!" Kenji pleaded.
"I didn't come all this way just to bring you your bogu ya know. I was worried about you, I knew something like this would happen." Lyrako sat down next to Kenji at the low table.
"That's because I'm nothing with out you and Andrew.. and now... I'm their bride.... How do I escape that? I have a sword in my chest, there a floating castle and all I can think of is revolution and how it can be brought. I hear these voice some times... and they tell me to bond and become one-"
"WHOA! Kenji you've done to much in one day.. you probably should lie down."
"No, I'm serious... when is I was up there, in the arena, I kept heaving a voice whispering to me, telling me to be saved, to bond and complete my soul before the Nobel castle. It said this is my path now I must run down it and not look back." She looked down. "I have to get back up there, in the forest arena...to find something eternal... wait!" she looked at the ring on her finger. "I have the key! That's it, Touga said this was the key to his world, this is what gets me into the forest arena!" She shot to her feet. "Lyrako, come on! I'll take you there, I'll show you the floating castle!"
"Saku-chan!" She tried to protest but Kenji was already getting dressed.
"Hurry Lyrako. Please..." Kenji felt something drawing her to that arena, she had to go, she had to find the answer that lied there. One world screamed through her head, over and over. Revaluation, Revaluation, ReVaLuAtIoN, REVALUATION! She had to find it, she had to find the answers to the questions that ran through her head. And suddenly she knew she could find them there. She ran out the door without even grabbing a coat, leaving Lyrako behind to fumble for her shoes. Kenji didn't notice the chill that went down her blouse as the wind howled, or the fact that she was running barefoot on the cement path. She didn't care, all should could hear was REVELATION screaming in her ears, all she could think was the ring and the arena, and how every thing seemed to fit together, all she could feel was her heart beating frantically in her chest. She was almost there now, just past the glass green house and up the path to the gate, the door, she grasp the handle and pulled.
"Open by order of she who is of the prince." The words slipped for her lips as if she known them for a thousand years and the door opened. Instantly Kenji bolted for the stairs, running up them at full speed. By the time Lyrako reached the door Kenji was already around the first spiral. She had no time to marvel at what surrounded her, she had to catch up Kenji. Lyrako dashed up and stairs, taking them three of four at a time, she was quickly gaining but at the rate Kenji was going show wouldn't beat her to the top. Up they went. Lyrako saw Kenji was reaching the top as she rounded the last turn. Kenji stepped out on to the duel surface and as she did her uniform fell away and she was in the flowing dress of the Thorn bride. She stared upward at the castle.
"Nobles of a floating castle." She cried up ward, "Accept your princess!" From the tallest of the towers spilled a dawn-tinted light that seemed to try and mimic the color of Kenji's hair. Lyrako came up the stair just as Kenji's feet left the ground and she was brought upward. Also, the rose seal which was drawn on the floor took form and became a true rose, a type of cradle for the bride as she was lifted to her destiny. Lyrako watched wide eyes as another figure came down from the castle, silver hair and a long cape. He joined the princess in her rose bed and they ascend together.
"KENJI!!!!" She reached upward as her Kenji, her only true friend, accepted toward her ultimate destiny.
In darkened silence The thorn bride was guided thought the ancient halls of a forgotten palace. Kenji didn't look around, she was focused and unsurprised at the great halls covered in layer of dust and decay. Down a long isle of crumbling crimson carpet on the arm of a man that had no face, watched by those with no name, she walked, content and unaware. She didn't think or speak or question, she just knew. Following. Like a controlled robot, she went. Cobwebs that hung heavy clung to her rose colored hair, thick dust soiled to the silky white skirt, smeared across her pearly shoes. A huge cathedral fallen prey to the hands of time. She was now trapped in a game where there was no winners, only losers, those who would perish to find the answers, those who will find what they searching for but become blinded by the harsh light of truth. She too had entered this world. The carpet under her feet disintegrated and blew away with each step of her foot, and each rustle of her skirt. The chairs that lined the isle, collapsed at the brush of her escorts cape, the people who sat there crumbled as well, their bodies seeming to shatters as they bounced of the ancient marble floor. Finally the isle stopped. Three stairs up to an alter. The escort with no face motioned for her to go up. She placed her foot surely on the first step and went up. Each step crumbled away as she left it, but once both feet where on the stage flowers sprung up around her shoes. Light radiated from them, casting eerie shadows on the long forgotten audience of featureless figures. They raised their hands and clapped wildly, yet there was no sound. Nothing. Kenji took another step more flowers sprung up this time, with sound, like a song, a high pitched voice sung out as they rose. She took another step, it happened again, this time the voice continued and so did her feet. After a moment The Thorn Bride realized that was her voice, and this was her body, in her reality and for a moment her mind was not that of the Thorn Bride but that of Kenji Tenjou the girl who needed answers. She tried to stop singed but her voice would not obey, the louder she sang the more light seemed to spread, the more the flowers covered the room, then all of the sudden she stopped. Everything stopped and every flower fell away only to reveal the cathedral as it was meant to be. White, shining, and beautiful. The Thorn bride saw them all, the audience of nobles, princess, princes, kings, queens, duchesses. Each garbed in a similar fashion, all standing, clapping for her. It was like nothing she had ever seen, but it was something that in the back of her mind she just knew.
"Princess..." The boy with no face stepped up the shining marble stair case and bowed to her. "Welcome home."
"Who are you?" She said slowly in a voice so soft and gentle she wasn't sure it was hers.
"I," He rose from his deep bow and took her hand, planting a light kiss upon it. "am the answer to all your questions, the end to all eternities, and the granter of all your dreams. I am the bringer of apocalypse and revolution. I am everything and nothing all at once.."
"Then tell me... what I must do..."
"You know what you must do Bride, You must bond with the one that shares you soul and you will be free to join us once again."
"But I don't understand..." The boy seemed to be going away, stretching farther and farther from her reach. In fact everything seemed to be stretching away from her. The stage became vast, and slowly everything returned to how it was, and she was alone it this world of dead things, this world where she knew she must belong. Then she looked at her own hands and they where being to crumble away like those around her..
"No..." She spoke softly as her right hand feel off her wrist entirely, shattering into a pile of dried petals and ash on the milky marble stage. Her brain took charge suddenly, she pulled away from everything she knew as the Thorn bride. "Take me home!!" And then suddenly, everything was gone. She was back in the middle of the dueling arena, on her knees, a rose clutched in each hand, the thorns cutting her flesh deeply.
"Saku-chan!" Lyrako dashed over. "Saku-chan!" She shook Kenji's shoulder's harshly but she seemed to be in a sort of trace, only for a moment, then she blinked and rose, the white layers of skirt rustling loudly. "Oh my god Kenji, are you ok?"
"I'm fine..." She rose gracefully to her feet.
"What happened-"
"I didn't matter." Kenji brushed herself off.
"Kenji Tenjou, Lyrako Reynolds!" A strong commanding voice. They spun around, it was Touga and the rest of the student council cronies. "Do you come to this scared arena with no purpose?"
"No!" Kenji cried. "I was up there." She pointed her finger skyward, the crimson roses still held fast.
"Impossible, I have held the bride and she never entered the castle!" Saijaionji mocked. "No one has ever been to the castle."
"But I have!" she insisted. "I have seen the boy with no face and the cathedral of marble. I saw it and brought it back life! He showed me how to get something eternal! He told me now what I must do."
"The boy with no face?" Utena, who had been hidden behind Touga, stepped out.
"He said he was the answer to my questions and-and-and the end of eternity. The granter of dreams and the bringer apocalypse and revolution. He said he was everything and nothing at the same time" She opened her hands to look at the blood enhanced roses. "He told me what I have to do to return to... return to... oh..." Then suddenly, she fainted, as if the information over loaded a royal circuit in her brain.
"Kenji!" Lyrako shook her. "I told you you shouldn't have gone." She scooped up the girl and sneered.
"Give Kenji to me" Touga stepped closer to Lyrako.
"No!" She sneered in his face.
"There's is no champion duelist at the moment, which means the bride belongs to me." He tried to pry Kenji's body from Lyrako's arms.
" I don't care about this whole make believe world. Saku-chan belong to no one, I'm taking her home." Lyrako tried to break away from Touga but found she was surround.
"If you want to take the bride from us you must defeat us in a duel." Touga stepped back. "If you want to take it to that level... " Anthy took the blood cover roses from Kenji's limp hands and the group moved back. Lyrako and Utena stood on the far side of the ring, laying Kenji down out of harms way. And Touga and the student council cronies (S.C.C.) stood on the other.
"We fight on these terms." Touga smiled, sinisterly. "If I win I take the Thorn bride. But first..." He held between his middle and index finger the silver rose crest ring that would seal her fate. He tossed it to her, the metallic surface glittering in the light the castle cast. Lyrako caught it in nimble hands (that her dex check for the day- inside joke), and seeing the other bore the rings as well, slipped it on.
"If I win I take Saku-chan away from you little game, and we'll go home." Lyrako clenched her fists and shook her head, her ungodly length of hair tumbling down her back like a cloak of white mist.
"Then it is settled. We shall put the duelists of Eternity against those of the white rose. Meaning, You, Utena, and Anthy will duel me, Juri, Miki and Saijaoinji." Touga opened his arms as if to unveil his warriors who seemed perfectly posed.
"That not fair!" Utena could be silent no longer. "We only have three duelist and you have four, a bride can not battle for her own freedom!"
"This is true." Anthy came to join the groups. "A bride may only duel if one of her rights as a bride has failed to have been met by her champion, then she may battle to change hands. She may also battle if she is excepting or passing on the power of Dios. And in a few extreme cases the bride can battle in the champion's place the he or she is unable, physically or mentally, to attend and complete a duel." Anthy was very informative, this was the most Utena had ever heard her say in one breath in a long time. "There for we are entitled one more duelist."
"So true Himiya." Juri smiled. "You knew you place well, its a pity it's been pasted to such a undeserving girl."
"You are not the only ones who made contact with End of The World." She smiled in a way none had seen her smile before, with deviousness. Knowing all the things that where secret, including her true self, no longer had to be surpressed, but she would not let them out all at once, it would be like opening the door to a room full of a hundred people and a wild lion and every person wanted out at once, it would be a catastrophe.
"You have till sundown seven days from now to find another duelist. Bring them to me and they will receive the key as well. Until then, no duel will be held or challenged. No one will enter the arena, and no one will exit. Since those of Eternity have never dueled they may pick their opponents." With that said the S.C.C. turned and exited swiftly. Lyrako looked at Utena and Kenji.
"And I know just the man to do too." She smiled. "I'll take Kenji home." She lifted the girl in her arms. "Utena... I know you don't know me, but you and Kenji to make amends, I don't care how you do it, but if she has to battle, I have to make sure she's alright. Would you please come to our dorm tomorrow evening. You too Anthy. Then you can explain to me what is going to happen." She bowed deeply, balancing Kenji's body well. "I beg both of you for forgiveness of Kenji's actions, and of my own. We have to work together now. I will have our forth duelist here by this time tomorrow."
"I will be there Miss Lyrako." Anthy smiled cutely.
"Me too." Utena bowed back.
"Thank you, both of you." With a rustle of snow colored skirts and flowing hair the two left.
"Hello Andrew. This is Lyrako... yea we're in a jam, like super big kind.... When you said you fenced when you here younger you where joking right?.... and when you said you almost won that competition you where-... yea... well we need that again....I mean you need to come out here and duel with us.... I'll explain it all when you get here. It's for Saku-chan alright. If we don't win well lets just say she'll be someone else bride... I just wired the money to Nana about half an hour ago, and I already reserved you ticket, she paying for it now. Pack light your not staying long.... Yea, yea, I'll take you to an anime store as soon as this is over, I'm sure Utena know where one is... Alright I got to go now Saku got into a little trouble and well... you know. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye Andrew." Lyrako hung up the phone. "Well Kenji, the whole gangs going to be together again." Kenji was still very out of it, but that was alright, she was sure Kenji needed the rest. "I can only imagine what you go through Saku-chan..." She stroked Kenji sakura colored hair and smiled.
Lyrako smiled as the stood in the vastness of the noisy airport. She looked at her watch then at Kenji who leaned against a wall, her arms across her chest. She sighed and looked at the clock on the wall, the plane should have been here ten minutes ago.
"What could be taking them so long? It's not like they can hit traffic!" Kenji slid down at wall and sat down.
"It happens Saku-chan." Lyrako, smiling, sat down next to her. "Aren't you happy about Andrew coming here?"
"No." She said flatly.
"Why not?"
"Because he has to get involved with this now too..." She looked away from Lyrako, down to the stitches in her wrist. "He'll lecture me about how I should stop, and how drugs are bad, and how I should have never gotten involved with any of this and staid home and got over it."
"You know he won't do that, when has he ever? He doesn't say anything hardly ever. Because you'll just get mad when all he wants to do it talk. Then you get pissed off and you hurt him even though you don't mean to." Lyrako put her arm around Kenji's shoulder. Neither notice the plane had landed. "He loves you, you just can't except that can you?"
"No I can't." Kenji didn't even bother to look up at Lyrako. "I'm no worthy of his love so I won't except it till I am."
"Why do you say that? Who could be better for him than you, your perfect for each other, everything he can do well you suck at a vise versa. You fit together like puzzle pieces. Some people spend their whole lives looking for that. You have it and you won't even except it?"
"I can't. I mean look at it like this. You know me like no one else. I'm an awful person. I hurt people, I've cheated on him, I've done everything wrong, why should I except his love when all I'm going to do is mess it up?" She shrugged loosely and watched the feet of those who where off loading.
"You won't mess it up if you try. That's all it takes. You come home and we'll fix everything. You'll be with me and him and Nana again, and everything will be wonderful. Just you wait. This time next week, it will be us on that airplane, deporting our asses of this island. Now come on, just think about it will ya, it isn't hard to except someone's love. You except mine don't you?"
"But that's different, your a girl, I don't love you like he want me to love him. It's different."
"How is it different? If a strap myself in and stuff a pair of socks on my pants, then is it the same?"
"No Lyrako. It's not the same, it will never be the same you know that. You love me no matter what, you won't run off and cry if I 'hang' with other boys, he will and you know it."
"That's why he's special, you have to learn that. He's not like ever other guy in the world-"
"I know that Lyrako! But I can't just yet, if ever... answer me this, how can a shattered piggy bank hold bars of pure gold?"
"Hello ladies." Both Lyrako and Kenji looked with, and standing over them was Andrew. A tall American boy with shaggy bleached blonde hair, who obviously spent to much time in front of the computer instead of in the sun. over his shoulder was a back pack and that seemed to be the only baggage he had on him. He wore a too big trench coat with white trim and baggy black jeans.
"Hi!" Lyrako shot to her feet, pulling Kenji up with her. "Glad you made it."
"Me too..." He laughed uneasily. "I'm not particularly fond of flying."
"We better hurry, Utena and Anthy are coming over so we can get this all settled. And Andrew..." Lyrako looked over her shoulder, Kenji was lagging behind as they began to walk down the corridor of the air port. "Don't ask about her hands or her wrist ok? I'll explain it later."
"Again?" He sighed sadly.
"Again."
Utena, Anthy, Lyrako and Andrew sat around the low table eating shaved ice that Anthy was so kind to make for them.
"So you see... that's how a duel works." Utena explained finishing up her rant. "What It looks like it this. Lyrako you going to take Juri, Andrew, you've got Miki, Anthy you get Saijaionji and I've got Touga. Let's just say, in that order. Now theoretically we'll have some points system, lets say for simplicity sake a win equals one point. So we say Lyrako wins, one point for us, but Andrew loses one point for them, Anthy and I both win that three points for us and only 1 for them. We win. Simple, but I don't know exactly if that how it's going to work."
"They could always surprise us and be like I battle Juri, I win, then I have to battle Miki, then Saijaionji, the Touga or whatever. Like we have to beat all of them. So when you win your duel you stay in, and for then until your beaten the bride is your, and if they win they stay in till their beaten till everyone on one side is beaten... did that make any sense at all?" Lyrako smiled, the sugar from the syrup going to her brain.
"Some what, but we all now what you mean." Andrew smiled at her.
"Good." She blinked owlishly.
"Either way..." Kenji said from where she sat on the edge of her bad. "If you guys don't win... I'm history."
"We'll win Saku-chan, It's alright." Lyrako waved her hand a little.
"Of course we will Miss Kenji. I have faced that fate, you don't need to face it too."
"Thank you Anthy, I appreciate it."
"Yea Sakura." Andrew stood up and sat down next to her "We're your friends, don't worry."
"I wish it was that easy..." She sighed.
"Hey!" Lyrako butted in. "Why doesn't Anthy and me...and Andrew... go for a walk and... um..."
"It's cold out there th-ow!" Lyrako elbowed Andrew in the ribs.
"We're going aren't we Andrew?"
"Oh yes! Yes we're going!" He jumped to his feet. "Hey Anthy... um... come on."
"Alright Andrew-San." She too rose and bowed to Utena out of sheer habit. "We'll return shortly. I promised to show them the roses." With a look of innocents she escorted Lyrako and Andrew out the door, leaning Utena and Kenji alone. (That's like matter and anti-matter... bad combo -BAKOOM- too late.)
"Kenji I-"
"I don't want to hear it." Kenji snarled. "I'm still angry at you."
"Fine then... " Utena slammed her bowl down on the table. "If you won't listen of your own free will..." Utena pushed up her sleeve.
"Hwo, you like scrap?" Kenji got to her feet quickly, with a practiced grace that intimated Utena, but she hid it well.
"If this is the only way to make you listen then so be it. You always where a tough piece
of-"
"Hey, watch your mouth we're in a school ya know!" Kenji spat angrily. "I hope you don't honestly think you can bring me down with those scrawny little arms of yours. HA!" Kenji laughed and held her hands vertically in front of her, (looking very much like Chung-li.)
"Well I hope I can-" It was to late, Kenji, being as high spirited as she was, landed her right foot smack into Utena left cheek, with such force it sent to her the ground with a loud *THUD*
"See! I told ya" Kenji made of sound of delight and sat back down. "If you like scrap so much, call me tomorrow at school, I show you in front a' everybody!"
"Fine Kenji! Kick my *beep* all you want,..." Utena sat up, rubbing her face. "Just hear me out, just once!!"
"Why should I listen to a debauching bitch like you? You don't know anything anyway! You don't even know where you came from! You don't even care! You left behind, and you didn't even care! I bet you forgot all about me!"
"How can you say that!! I didn't even know I HAD a sister till you wrote me!" Utena almost got to her feet, but Kenji knocked her down again with a right hook. She wouldn't take this anymore.
"That's why I hate you! I'VE ALWAYS HATED YOU, UTENA!! You never cared about me anyway, why should you care how I feel?!I don't know why I should even expect you to care... You left me alone, you never wrote back, you never called me! You never cared about me! Not even where we where still together." Kenji stepped back, anger and tears mixing in her eyes.
"Together, that are you talking about? I'd never seen you in my life till I was 11!!"
"You have so, you just didn't know!... Cuz.." Kenji turned away. "My name is Kenji for a reason..."
"What...?"
"Daddy wanted me to be a boy, so I was Kenji. When Mama had two girls she didn't have the heart to disappoint Daddy. So I became Kenji, your brother. End of story. You thought I was just some little boy to play with... you never knew..."
"How was I supposed to know?"
"Damn it, your my sister, we're identical. I'm you, exactly!! You have half my soul and Damn it Utena I want it back! I am nothing with out you! I'm-I'm half a person, Half a sister. " Tears forced their way out of Kenji's eyes. "You never cared about me, ever! Not even when you went away. You don't know how hard what was for me! I was all alone then. It was just me! I was seven Utena, seven years old! Do you know what it's like to face that when you seven years old? Well I can tell you, you bitch, I can write you a full novel! I stared falling apart when I was 12! You know why?" Utena was silent, she just stared at Kenji who was on her feet screaming down at her sister. Tears poured for Kenji's sapphire eyes. As if the ice in her heart was melting and draining through her deep sea of blue memories. "Because I was so alone! I had nothing... I didn't even have my own life! I didn't even own my body anymore! Look at this!" she pulled up her shirt to expose a long scar across her stomach. "I did that because I looked in the mirror and I saw you, I wanted to kill you that bad. Even now all I want to do is ring you neck. I want to see you suffer as I have Utena! I want you to know what it's like to know your only half of a person, to be absolutely alone with nothing but pain to keep you company at night. I want you to lie awake at night knowing that there no reason to live any more!" Kenji was bearing down on Utena now. "I HATE YOU!" Utena couldn't even look at Kenji anymore, her couldn't bring her self to match eyes with her sister. She didn't want to see the pain that was there in the eyes that looked just like her, on the face that was hers as well. "Look at me damn you Utena!" Kenji slapped her right across the face "This is your monster! You did this to me! It's your own fault." Kenji was about to punch Utena again, but stopped herself, clenching her fists till her nails dug into her scabbed palms. "I hope you can't sleep at night... now get out of my dorm..." Kenji's voice trained off as she went over to the side table and pulled out a pill bottle. "Here." A small glass bottle, once a jelly jar, half filed with blue pills. Utena caught it and looked at it a moment then set it on the floor.
"I'm not like you." And left, closing the door softly behind her.
"Obviously not! I wouldn't forget where I came fro-" Kenji's knees gave out from under her but she didn't care. This was a good as any other position. She leaned forward and put her forehead against the hard wood floor and sobbed. For along time all she could do was wrap her arms around her self and watch the tears roll down her pale cheeks.
Utena stood out side the door, listening to her sister sob. She leaned against the door.
"Kenji... I guess it make sense... I can see why you'd hate me so much..." Utena putt her arms around herself, and sighed sadly. She turned and face the door one last time. "I will save you Kenji..."
If the chick can not break out of it shell the chick will die with out ever being born...
Crowned around a small glass table they sat, regal and proud. Those who are pawns of fate, who will settle for nothing less than their destiny, they will not stoop to a girl with no connection to their game.
"We can not let them win, if she leaves she will take the sword with her, and then we will be unable to being the world its revaluation that he hold so dear!" Touga slammed his fist on the table and knocked the chess pieces over, causing Juri to look at bit disgruntled with him.
"Then we simply must not let her be taken. At any cost, we must win."
"Once she draws the sword, can't we just take it when the bearer is defeated?" Miki suggested clicking his stop watch.
"That is once choice. Who do you think will draw it? Or more over, who will she let draw it. I do not think she will call the power for you Touga even thought she is your bride." Juri began to reset the pieces and watched as the silver colored queen rolled off the table and shattered on the hard stone floor.
"I thought of that. There is no way to force her to let me draw. She will mostly likely let her sister draw, it would make the most sense." Touga stroked his chin a bit thoughtfully.
"Can she draw? It's power knows you are her keeper, dose it not?" Saijaionji had a valid point.
"How would it know? And what if she where to draw it herself and pass the sword to another? Has this even happened before Touga-san?"
"I don't not think so Miki... I do not think so..."
"Kenji." Andrew put his hand on Kenji's shoulder and smiled sweetly at her and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to skip the 'drugs are bad' guilt trip this time, Kay?" Kenji only nodded sadly. "Come on, cheer up. We're gunna win and go home. I promise."
"How can you promise that Aa-chan? You don't know we're going to win!"
"Yes." He looped his pinky about hers. "I do. I have a seventh seance about this sort of thing ya know. When it comes to saving you, I'm your prince on a white hoarse."
"That not funny! You guys tease me about that enough!" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I didn't mean it like that!" He insisted, trying to save his butt.
"Then what did you mean it like?" She snapped
"Like this." He pinned her to the floor and kissed her, rather roughly.
"There is always that approach!" Lyrako laughed and patted him firmly on the back. "But enough, we got a bride to save, do we not Andrew? Let's go already!" Lyrako pulled on the wide collar of his trench coat pulling his mouth away from Kenji's.
"Alright already! Jeez!" He laughed at her.
"You sound just like Davis when you say that." Kenji smiled and hugged him a bit.
"Davis?"
"This 8th grader I tutor, he's got the cutest goggles on his head." She laughed and got to her feet.
"Come on, let's go get Utena and Anthy." Lyrako tugged on Andrew's oversized sleeve. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
"Alright already. Saku-chan, we'll be right back, kay? Wait for us."
"Alright Aa-chan, hurry, kay? The sooner this is over the sooner I can go home." She plopped down on the bed, knees together. With that, they where out the door.
Kenji sighed and laid back, throwing her hands over her head. No sooner had she released a deep sigh did a stiff knock came to the door.
"I'm going to regret this..." She mumbled as she walked over to open the door. When she swung it open there stood an all to familiar blond girl.
"Hello Kenji-chan." She sneered.
"Hello Nanami." Kenji jeered, giving her a smiled with a side of cheese. "May I help you?"
"No, actually, I thought I might help you." Nanami pushed passed her and sat down on one of the flat cushions. "I have heard much about the coming duel and I was thinking. You don't deserve this fate." Her smile was devious, she obviously had a dirty plan. "You know when you where staying my brothers room? Well... the whole time he was drugging you to keep you sick." She leaned forward. It's only a little lie, she through, crossing her fingers behind her back. "I would count that as 'mistreating'."
"Go on Nanami..." Kenji sat down in front of her, quite interested, and very impressed but what she thought was this girls way of thinking.
"A bride can battle if her champion has mistreated her, which means you can duel today."
"Ooo you are a vicious one." Kenji smiled. "Never would have thought of that! But... what's in it for you? Honestly Nanami. There has to be something?"
"There is...."
"Oh?"
"Yes, you see, my dear big brother wants nothing less than you right now. And isn't going home what you want? Which means he'll be all mine again! Ho ho ho ho!" She laughed and Kenji smiled.
"You, Nanami Kirinu, are quite an evil little girl. Thank you for your help."
"But don't tell Big brother I told you that, alright Kenji-Chan? If he finds out I foiled his plan he'll be angry with me." She tried to look as innocent as she could.
"No problem." She gave Nanami a firm slap on the back with only agitated Nanami.
"Good Bai Kenji-Chan." She hid her emotions well and exited swiftly. Kenji immediately sighed.
"Bai..." Kenji sat down right there in the doorway and stared at her hands for a long time. They shook slightly and she tried to make them stop but fear was engulfing her, swallowing her in one bite.
"What if they don't win? What if I get stuck here as Touga's bride? And... What was the importance of the cathedral...?" As if it was a well timed cue Utena burst in the door, nearly tramping Kenji in the uproar.
"Let's go!" Utena held out her hand and reluctantly Kenji took it and Utena pulled her to her feet. "Nothing to worry about." Utena smiled. "I won't let them win. Not this time." She smiled at Kenji. "I thought about what you said..." She clenched and unclenched her sweaty palms. "It was my fault-"
"This isn't a chicken coop, saving the clucking for later you two, lets go already!" Lyrako yelled from the bottom of the stair well.
"We're coming!" Kenji bolted out the dorm room door and slid gracefully down the banister. Few, a second saving grace.
The question of revaluation
By: Eternal_Ukyou
If the chick can not break out of it shell, the chick will die without ever truly being born...
"It seems" Saijaionji sneered flipping the card over on the glass table. "that the bride is a bit... unstable."
"Yes, we all saw that. Maybe she was not the right bride, perhaps we where wrong." Juri suggested handing Saijaionji another card.
"That not possible, only a true bride can except the sword." Miki pointed out as he clicked his stop watch.
"Miki's right. If she was not a bride then she would not have excepted to sword. But she is unstable, and I see little we can do with that snow hared girl now."
"There is only one thing to do Touga-San." Juri handed him his hand. "Duel with her, for the one she loves. If her connection with the girl is so strong she would hate to see her suffer."
"You are right, that's what we shall do then. It has been some time since it was my turn to duel. Maybe we should all have a go if this girl wants to take Kenji away from us. With out a bride we are nothing, we can not afford the lose her. So we won't." Touga sat down to join the game of cards.
"Then a plan is what we need. We shall wait for the next letter from End of the World before making out move." Saijaionji offered.
"Agreed."
"Lyrako, stop treating me like a little kid, I'm ok! Really!" Kenji pleaded.
"I didn't come all this way just to bring you your bogu ya know. I was worried about you, I knew something like this would happen." Lyrako sat down next to Kenji at the low table.
"That's because I'm nothing with out you and Andrew.. and now... I'm their bride.... How do I escape that? I have a sword in my chest, there a floating castle and all I can think of is revolution and how it can be brought. I hear these voice some times... and they tell me to bond and become one-"
"WHOA! Kenji you've done to much in one day.. you probably should lie down."
"No, I'm serious... when is I was up there, in the arena, I kept heaving a voice whispering to me, telling me to be saved, to bond and complete my soul before the Nobel castle. It said this is my path now I must run down it and not look back." She looked down. "I have to get back up there, in the forest arena...to find something eternal... wait!" she looked at the ring on her finger. "I have the key! That's it, Touga said this was the key to his world, this is what gets me into the forest arena!" She shot to her feet. "Lyrako, come on! I'll take you there, I'll show you the floating castle!"
"Saku-chan!" She tried to protest but Kenji was already getting dressed.
"Hurry Lyrako. Please..." Kenji felt something drawing her to that arena, she had to go, she had to find the answer that lied there. One world screamed through her head, over and over. Revaluation, Revaluation, ReVaLuAtIoN, REVALUATION! She had to find it, she had to find the answers to the questions that ran through her head. And suddenly she knew she could find them there. She ran out the door without even grabbing a coat, leaving Lyrako behind to fumble for her shoes. Kenji didn't notice the chill that went down her blouse as the wind howled, or the fact that she was running barefoot on the cement path. She didn't care, all should could hear was REVELATION screaming in her ears, all she could think was the ring and the arena, and how every thing seemed to fit together, all she could feel was her heart beating frantically in her chest. She was almost there now, just past the glass green house and up the path to the gate, the door, she grasp the handle and pulled.
"Open by order of she who is of the prince." The words slipped for her lips as if she known them for a thousand years and the door opened. Instantly Kenji bolted for the stairs, running up them at full speed. By the time Lyrako reached the door Kenji was already around the first spiral. She had no time to marvel at what surrounded her, she had to catch up Kenji. Lyrako dashed up and stairs, taking them three of four at a time, she was quickly gaining but at the rate Kenji was going show wouldn't beat her to the top. Up they went. Lyrako saw Kenji was reaching the top as she rounded the last turn. Kenji stepped out on to the duel surface and as she did her uniform fell away and she was in the flowing dress of the Thorn bride. She stared upward at the castle.
"Nobles of a floating castle." She cried up ward, "Accept your princess!" From the tallest of the towers spilled a dawn-tinted light that seemed to try and mimic the color of Kenji's hair. Lyrako came up the stair just as Kenji's feet left the ground and she was brought upward. Also, the rose seal which was drawn on the floor took form and became a true rose, a type of cradle for the bride as she was lifted to her destiny. Lyrako watched wide eyes as another figure came down from the castle, silver hair and a long cape. He joined the princess in her rose bed and they ascend together.
"KENJI!!!!" She reached upward as her Kenji, her only true friend, accepted toward her ultimate destiny.
In darkened silence The thorn bride was guided thought the ancient halls of a forgotten palace. Kenji didn't look around, she was focused and unsurprised at the great halls covered in layer of dust and decay. Down a long isle of crumbling crimson carpet on the arm of a man that had no face, watched by those with no name, she walked, content and unaware. She didn't think or speak or question, she just knew. Following. Like a controlled robot, she went. Cobwebs that hung heavy clung to her rose colored hair, thick dust soiled to the silky white skirt, smeared across her pearly shoes. A huge cathedral fallen prey to the hands of time. She was now trapped in a game where there was no winners, only losers, those who would perish to find the answers, those who will find what they searching for but become blinded by the harsh light of truth. She too had entered this world. The carpet under her feet disintegrated and blew away with each step of her foot, and each rustle of her skirt. The chairs that lined the isle, collapsed at the brush of her escorts cape, the people who sat there crumbled as well, their bodies seeming to shatters as they bounced of the ancient marble floor. Finally the isle stopped. Three stairs up to an alter. The escort with no face motioned for her to go up. She placed her foot surely on the first step and went up. Each step crumbled away as she left it, but once both feet where on the stage flowers sprung up around her shoes. Light radiated from them, casting eerie shadows on the long forgotten audience of featureless figures. They raised their hands and clapped wildly, yet there was no sound. Nothing. Kenji took another step more flowers sprung up this time, with sound, like a song, a high pitched voice sung out as they rose. She took another step, it happened again, this time the voice continued and so did her feet. After a moment The Thorn Bride realized that was her voice, and this was her body, in her reality and for a moment her mind was not that of the Thorn Bride but that of Kenji Tenjou the girl who needed answers. She tried to stop singed but her voice would not obey, the louder she sang the more light seemed to spread, the more the flowers covered the room, then all of the sudden she stopped. Everything stopped and every flower fell away only to reveal the cathedral as it was meant to be. White, shining, and beautiful. The Thorn bride saw them all, the audience of nobles, princess, princes, kings, queens, duchesses. Each garbed in a similar fashion, all standing, clapping for her. It was like nothing she had ever seen, but it was something that in the back of her mind she just knew.
"Princess..." The boy with no face stepped up the shining marble stair case and bowed to her. "Welcome home."
"Who are you?" She said slowly in a voice so soft and gentle she wasn't sure it was hers.
"I," He rose from his deep bow and took her hand, planting a light kiss upon it. "am the answer to all your questions, the end to all eternities, and the granter of all your dreams. I am the bringer of apocalypse and revolution. I am everything and nothing all at once.."
"Then tell me... what I must do..."
"You know what you must do Bride, You must bond with the one that shares you soul and you will be free to join us once again."
"But I don't understand..." The boy seemed to be going away, stretching farther and farther from her reach. In fact everything seemed to be stretching away from her. The stage became vast, and slowly everything returned to how it was, and she was alone it this world of dead things, this world where she knew she must belong. Then she looked at her own hands and they where being to crumble away like those around her..
"No..." She spoke softly as her right hand feel off her wrist entirely, shattering into a pile of dried petals and ash on the milky marble stage. Her brain took charge suddenly, she pulled away from everything she knew as the Thorn bride. "Take me home!!" And then suddenly, everything was gone. She was back in the middle of the dueling arena, on her knees, a rose clutched in each hand, the thorns cutting her flesh deeply.
"Saku-chan!" Lyrako dashed over. "Saku-chan!" She shook Kenji's shoulder's harshly but she seemed to be in a sort of trace, only for a moment, then she blinked and rose, the white layers of skirt rustling loudly. "Oh my god Kenji, are you ok?"
"I'm fine..." She rose gracefully to her feet.
"What happened-"
"I didn't matter." Kenji brushed herself off.
"Kenji Tenjou, Lyrako Reynolds!" A strong commanding voice. They spun around, it was Touga and the rest of the student council cronies. "Do you come to this scared arena with no purpose?"
"No!" Kenji cried. "I was up there." She pointed her finger skyward, the crimson roses still held fast.
"Impossible, I have held the bride and she never entered the castle!" Saijaionji mocked. "No one has ever been to the castle."
"But I have!" she insisted. "I have seen the boy with no face and the cathedral of marble. I saw it and brought it back life! He showed me how to get something eternal! He told me now what I must do."
"The boy with no face?" Utena, who had been hidden behind Touga, stepped out.
"He said he was the answer to my questions and-and-and the end of eternity. The granter of dreams and the bringer apocalypse and revolution. He said he was everything and nothing at the same time" She opened her hands to look at the blood enhanced roses. "He told me what I have to do to return to... return to... oh..." Then suddenly, she fainted, as if the information over loaded a royal circuit in her brain.
"Kenji!" Lyrako shook her. "I told you you shouldn't have gone." She scooped up the girl and sneered.
"Give Kenji to me" Touga stepped closer to Lyrako.
"No!" She sneered in his face.
"There's is no champion duelist at the moment, which means the bride belongs to me." He tried to pry Kenji's body from Lyrako's arms.
" I don't care about this whole make believe world. Saku-chan belong to no one, I'm taking her home." Lyrako tried to break away from Touga but found she was surround.
"If you want to take the bride from us you must defeat us in a duel." Touga stepped back. "If you want to take it to that level... " Anthy took the blood cover roses from Kenji's limp hands and the group moved back. Lyrako and Utena stood on the far side of the ring, laying Kenji down out of harms way. And Touga and the student council cronies (S.C.C.) stood on the other.
"We fight on these terms." Touga smiled, sinisterly. "If I win I take the Thorn bride. But first..." He held between his middle and index finger the silver rose crest ring that would seal her fate. He tossed it to her, the metallic surface glittering in the light the castle cast. Lyrako caught it in nimble hands (that her dex check for the day- inside joke), and seeing the other bore the rings as well, slipped it on.
"If I win I take Saku-chan away from you little game, and we'll go home." Lyrako clenched her fists and shook her head, her ungodly length of hair tumbling down her back like a cloak of white mist.
"Then it is settled. We shall put the duelists of Eternity against those of the white rose. Meaning, You, Utena, and Anthy will duel me, Juri, Miki and Saijaoinji." Touga opened his arms as if to unveil his warriors who seemed perfectly posed.
"That not fair!" Utena could be silent no longer. "We only have three duelist and you have four, a bride can not battle for her own freedom!"
"This is true." Anthy came to join the groups. "A bride may only duel if one of her rights as a bride has failed to have been met by her champion, then she may battle to change hands. She may also battle if she is excepting or passing on the power of Dios. And in a few extreme cases the bride can battle in the champion's place the he or she is unable, physically or mentally, to attend and complete a duel." Anthy was very informative, this was the most Utena had ever heard her say in one breath in a long time. "There for we are entitled one more duelist."
"So true Himiya." Juri smiled. "You knew you place well, its a pity it's been pasted to such a undeserving girl."
"You are not the only ones who made contact with End of The World." She smiled in a way none had seen her smile before, with deviousness. Knowing all the things that where secret, including her true self, no longer had to be surpressed, but she would not let them out all at once, it would be like opening the door to a room full of a hundred people and a wild lion and every person wanted out at once, it would be a catastrophe.
"You have till sundown seven days from now to find another duelist. Bring them to me and they will receive the key as well. Until then, no duel will be held or challenged. No one will enter the arena, and no one will exit. Since those of Eternity have never dueled they may pick their opponents." With that said the S.C.C. turned and exited swiftly. Lyrako looked at Utena and Kenji.
"And I know just the man to do too." She smiled. "I'll take Kenji home." She lifted the girl in her arms. "Utena... I know you don't know me, but you and Kenji to make amends, I don't care how you do it, but if she has to battle, I have to make sure she's alright. Would you please come to our dorm tomorrow evening. You too Anthy. Then you can explain to me what is going to happen." She bowed deeply, balancing Kenji's body well. "I beg both of you for forgiveness of Kenji's actions, and of my own. We have to work together now. I will have our forth duelist here by this time tomorrow."
"I will be there Miss Lyrako." Anthy smiled cutely.
"Me too." Utena bowed back.
"Thank you, both of you." With a rustle of snow colored skirts and flowing hair the two left.
"Hello Andrew. This is Lyrako... yea we're in a jam, like super big kind.... When you said you fenced when you here younger you where joking right?.... and when you said you almost won that competition you where-... yea... well we need that again....I mean you need to come out here and duel with us.... I'll explain it all when you get here. It's for Saku-chan alright. If we don't win well lets just say she'll be someone else bride... I just wired the money to Nana about half an hour ago, and I already reserved you ticket, she paying for it now. Pack light your not staying long.... Yea, yea, I'll take you to an anime store as soon as this is over, I'm sure Utena know where one is... Alright I got to go now Saku got into a little trouble and well... you know. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye Andrew." Lyrako hung up the phone. "Well Kenji, the whole gangs going to be together again." Kenji was still very out of it, but that was alright, she was sure Kenji needed the rest. "I can only imagine what you go through Saku-chan..." She stroked Kenji sakura colored hair and smiled.
Lyrako smiled as the stood in the vastness of the noisy airport. She looked at her watch then at Kenji who leaned against a wall, her arms across her chest. She sighed and looked at the clock on the wall, the plane should have been here ten minutes ago.
"What could be taking them so long? It's not like they can hit traffic!" Kenji slid down at wall and sat down.
"It happens Saku-chan." Lyrako, smiling, sat down next to her. "Aren't you happy about Andrew coming here?"
"No." She said flatly.
"Why not?"
"Because he has to get involved with this now too..." She looked away from Lyrako, down to the stitches in her wrist. "He'll lecture me about how I should stop, and how drugs are bad, and how I should have never gotten involved with any of this and staid home and got over it."
"You know he won't do that, when has he ever? He doesn't say anything hardly ever. Because you'll just get mad when all he wants to do it talk. Then you get pissed off and you hurt him even though you don't mean to." Lyrako put her arm around Kenji's shoulder. Neither notice the plane had landed. "He loves you, you just can't except that can you?"
"No I can't." Kenji didn't even bother to look up at Lyrako. "I'm no worthy of his love so I won't except it till I am."
"Why do you say that? Who could be better for him than you, your perfect for each other, everything he can do well you suck at a vise versa. You fit together like puzzle pieces. Some people spend their whole lives looking for that. You have it and you won't even except it?"
"I can't. I mean look at it like this. You know me like no one else. I'm an awful person. I hurt people, I've cheated on him, I've done everything wrong, why should I except his love when all I'm going to do is mess it up?" She shrugged loosely and watched the feet of those who where off loading.
"You won't mess it up if you try. That's all it takes. You come home and we'll fix everything. You'll be with me and him and Nana again, and everything will be wonderful. Just you wait. This time next week, it will be us on that airplane, deporting our asses of this island. Now come on, just think about it will ya, it isn't hard to except someone's love. You except mine don't you?"
"But that's different, your a girl, I don't love you like he want me to love him. It's different."
"How is it different? If a strap myself in and stuff a pair of socks on my pants, then is it the same?"
"No Lyrako. It's not the same, it will never be the same you know that. You love me no matter what, you won't run off and cry if I 'hang' with other boys, he will and you know it."
"That's why he's special, you have to learn that. He's not like ever other guy in the world-"
"I know that Lyrako! But I can't just yet, if ever... answer me this, how can a shattered piggy bank hold bars of pure gold?"
"Hello ladies." Both Lyrako and Kenji looked with, and standing over them was Andrew. A tall American boy with shaggy bleached blonde hair, who obviously spent to much time in front of the computer instead of in the sun. over his shoulder was a back pack and that seemed to be the only baggage he had on him. He wore a too big trench coat with white trim and baggy black jeans.
"Hi!" Lyrako shot to her feet, pulling Kenji up with her. "Glad you made it."
"Me too..." He laughed uneasily. "I'm not particularly fond of flying."
"We better hurry, Utena and Anthy are coming over so we can get this all settled. And Andrew..." Lyrako looked over her shoulder, Kenji was lagging behind as they began to walk down the corridor of the air port. "Don't ask about her hands or her wrist ok? I'll explain it later."
"Again?" He sighed sadly.
"Again."
Utena, Anthy, Lyrako and Andrew sat around the low table eating shaved ice that Anthy was so kind to make for them.
"So you see... that's how a duel works." Utena explained finishing up her rant. "What It looks like it this. Lyrako you going to take Juri, Andrew, you've got Miki, Anthy you get Saijaionji and I've got Touga. Let's just say, in that order. Now theoretically we'll have some points system, lets say for simplicity sake a win equals one point. So we say Lyrako wins, one point for us, but Andrew loses one point for them, Anthy and I both win that three points for us and only 1 for them. We win. Simple, but I don't know exactly if that how it's going to work."
"They could always surprise us and be like I battle Juri, I win, then I have to battle Miki, then Saijaionji, the Touga or whatever. Like we have to beat all of them. So when you win your duel you stay in, and for then until your beaten the bride is your, and if they win they stay in till their beaten till everyone on one side is beaten... did that make any sense at all?" Lyrako smiled, the sugar from the syrup going to her brain.
"Some what, but we all now what you mean." Andrew smiled at her.
"Good." She blinked owlishly.
"Either way..." Kenji said from where she sat on the edge of her bad. "If you guys don't win... I'm history."
"We'll win Saku-chan, It's alright." Lyrako waved her hand a little.
"Of course we will Miss Kenji. I have faced that fate, you don't need to face it too."
"Thank you Anthy, I appreciate it."
"Yea Sakura." Andrew stood up and sat down next to her "We're your friends, don't worry."
"I wish it was that easy..." She sighed.
"Hey!" Lyrako butted in. "Why doesn't Anthy and me...and Andrew... go for a walk and... um..."
"It's cold out there th-ow!" Lyrako elbowed Andrew in the ribs.
"We're going aren't we Andrew?"
"Oh yes! Yes we're going!" He jumped to his feet. "Hey Anthy... um... come on."
"Alright Andrew-San." She too rose and bowed to Utena out of sheer habit. "We'll return shortly. I promised to show them the roses." With a look of innocents she escorted Lyrako and Andrew out the door, leaning Utena and Kenji alone. (That's like matter and anti-matter... bad combo -BAKOOM- too late.)
"Kenji I-"
"I don't want to hear it." Kenji snarled. "I'm still angry at you."
"Fine then... " Utena slammed her bowl down on the table. "If you won't listen of your own free will..." Utena pushed up her sleeve.
"Hwo, you like scrap?" Kenji got to her feet quickly, with a practiced grace that intimated Utena, but she hid it well.
"If this is the only way to make you listen then so be it. You always where a tough piece
of-"
"Hey, watch your mouth we're in a school ya know!" Kenji spat angrily. "I hope you don't honestly think you can bring me down with those scrawny little arms of yours. HA!" Kenji laughed and held her hands vertically in front of her, (looking very much like Chung-li.)
"Well I hope I can-" It was to late, Kenji, being as high spirited as she was, landed her right foot smack into Utena left cheek, with such force it sent to her the ground with a loud *THUD*
"See! I told ya" Kenji made of sound of delight and sat back down. "If you like scrap so much, call me tomorrow at school, I show you in front a' everybody!"
"Fine Kenji! Kick my *beep* all you want,..." Utena sat up, rubbing her face. "Just hear me out, just once!!"
"Why should I listen to a debauching bitch like you? You don't know anything anyway! You don't even know where you came from! You don't even care! You left behind, and you didn't even care! I bet you forgot all about me!"
"How can you say that!! I didn't even know I HAD a sister till you wrote me!" Utena almost got to her feet, but Kenji knocked her down again with a right hook. She wouldn't take this anymore.
"That's why I hate you! I'VE ALWAYS HATED YOU, UTENA!! You never cared about me anyway, why should you care how I feel?!I don't know why I should even expect you to care... You left me alone, you never wrote back, you never called me! You never cared about me! Not even where we where still together." Kenji stepped back, anger and tears mixing in her eyes.
"Together, that are you talking about? I'd never seen you in my life till I was 11!!"
"You have so, you just didn't know!... Cuz.." Kenji turned away. "My name is Kenji for a reason..."
"What...?"
"Daddy wanted me to be a boy, so I was Kenji. When Mama had two girls she didn't have the heart to disappoint Daddy. So I became Kenji, your brother. End of story. You thought I was just some little boy to play with... you never knew..."
"How was I supposed to know?"
"Damn it, your my sister, we're identical. I'm you, exactly!! You have half my soul and Damn it Utena I want it back! I am nothing with out you! I'm-I'm half a person, Half a sister. " Tears forced their way out of Kenji's eyes. "You never cared about me, ever! Not even when you went away. You don't know how hard what was for me! I was all alone then. It was just me! I was seven Utena, seven years old! Do you know what it's like to face that when you seven years old? Well I can tell you, you bitch, I can write you a full novel! I stared falling apart when I was 12! You know why?" Utena was silent, she just stared at Kenji who was on her feet screaming down at her sister. Tears poured for Kenji's sapphire eyes. As if the ice in her heart was melting and draining through her deep sea of blue memories. "Because I was so alone! I had nothing... I didn't even have my own life! I didn't even own my body anymore! Look at this!" she pulled up her shirt to expose a long scar across her stomach. "I did that because I looked in the mirror and I saw you, I wanted to kill you that bad. Even now all I want to do is ring you neck. I want to see you suffer as I have Utena! I want you to know what it's like to know your only half of a person, to be absolutely alone with nothing but pain to keep you company at night. I want you to lie awake at night knowing that there no reason to live any more!" Kenji was bearing down on Utena now. "I HATE YOU!" Utena couldn't even look at Kenji anymore, her couldn't bring her self to match eyes with her sister. She didn't want to see the pain that was there in the eyes that looked just like her, on the face that was hers as well. "Look at me damn you Utena!" Kenji slapped her right across the face "This is your monster! You did this to me! It's your own fault." Kenji was about to punch Utena again, but stopped herself, clenching her fists till her nails dug into her scabbed palms. "I hope you can't sleep at night... now get out of my dorm..." Kenji's voice trained off as she went over to the side table and pulled out a pill bottle. "Here." A small glass bottle, once a jelly jar, half filed with blue pills. Utena caught it and looked at it a moment then set it on the floor.
"I'm not like you." And left, closing the door softly behind her.
"Obviously not! I wouldn't forget where I came fro-" Kenji's knees gave out from under her but she didn't care. This was a good as any other position. She leaned forward and put her forehead against the hard wood floor and sobbed. For along time all she could do was wrap her arms around her self and watch the tears roll down her pale cheeks.
Utena stood out side the door, listening to her sister sob. She leaned against the door.
"Kenji... I guess it make sense... I can see why you'd hate me so much..." Utena putt her arms around herself, and sighed sadly. She turned and face the door one last time. "I will save you Kenji..."
If the chick can not break out of it shell the chick will die with out ever being born...
Crowned around a small glass table they sat, regal and proud. Those who are pawns of fate, who will settle for nothing less than their destiny, they will not stoop to a girl with no connection to their game.
"We can not let them win, if she leaves she will take the sword with her, and then we will be unable to being the world its revaluation that he hold so dear!" Touga slammed his fist on the table and knocked the chess pieces over, causing Juri to look at bit disgruntled with him.
"Then we simply must not let her be taken. At any cost, we must win."
"Once she draws the sword, can't we just take it when the bearer is defeated?" Miki suggested clicking his stop watch.
"That is once choice. Who do you think will draw it? Or more over, who will she let draw it. I do not think she will call the power for you Touga even thought she is your bride." Juri began to reset the pieces and watched as the silver colored queen rolled off the table and shattered on the hard stone floor.
"I thought of that. There is no way to force her to let me draw. She will mostly likely let her sister draw, it would make the most sense." Touga stroked his chin a bit thoughtfully.
"Can she draw? It's power knows you are her keeper, dose it not?" Saijaionji had a valid point.
"How would it know? And what if she where to draw it herself and pass the sword to another? Has this even happened before Touga-san?"
"I don't not think so Miki... I do not think so..."
"Kenji." Andrew put his hand on Kenji's shoulder and smiled sweetly at her and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to skip the 'drugs are bad' guilt trip this time, Kay?" Kenji only nodded sadly. "Come on, cheer up. We're gunna win and go home. I promise."
"How can you promise that Aa-chan? You don't know we're going to win!"
"Yes." He looped his pinky about hers. "I do. I have a seventh seance about this sort of thing ya know. When it comes to saving you, I'm your prince on a white hoarse."
"That not funny! You guys tease me about that enough!" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I didn't mean it like that!" He insisted, trying to save his butt.
"Then what did you mean it like?" She snapped
"Like this." He pinned her to the floor and kissed her, rather roughly.
"There is always that approach!" Lyrako laughed and patted him firmly on the back. "But enough, we got a bride to save, do we not Andrew? Let's go already!" Lyrako pulled on the wide collar of his trench coat pulling his mouth away from Kenji's.
"Alright already! Jeez!" He laughed at her.
"You sound just like Davis when you say that." Kenji smiled and hugged him a bit.
"Davis?"
"This 8th grader I tutor, he's got the cutest goggles on his head." She laughed and got to her feet.
"Come on, let's go get Utena and Anthy." Lyrako tugged on Andrew's oversized sleeve. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
"Alright already. Saku-chan, we'll be right back, kay? Wait for us."
"Alright Aa-chan, hurry, kay? The sooner this is over the sooner I can go home." She plopped down on the bed, knees together. With that, they where out the door.
Kenji sighed and laid back, throwing her hands over her head. No sooner had she released a deep sigh did a stiff knock came to the door.
"I'm going to regret this..." She mumbled as she walked over to open the door. When she swung it open there stood an all to familiar blond girl.
"Hello Kenji-chan." She sneered.
"Hello Nanami." Kenji jeered, giving her a smiled with a side of cheese. "May I help you?"
"No, actually, I thought I might help you." Nanami pushed passed her and sat down on one of the flat cushions. "I have heard much about the coming duel and I was thinking. You don't deserve this fate." Her smile was devious, she obviously had a dirty plan. "You know when you where staying my brothers room? Well... the whole time he was drugging you to keep you sick." She leaned forward. It's only a little lie, she through, crossing her fingers behind her back. "I would count that as 'mistreating'."
"Go on Nanami..." Kenji sat down in front of her, quite interested, and very impressed but what she thought was this girls way of thinking.
"A bride can battle if her champion has mistreated her, which means you can duel today."
"Ooo you are a vicious one." Kenji smiled. "Never would have thought of that! But... what's in it for you? Honestly Nanami. There has to be something?"
"There is...."
"Oh?"
"Yes, you see, my dear big brother wants nothing less than you right now. And isn't going home what you want? Which means he'll be all mine again! Ho ho ho ho!" She laughed and Kenji smiled.
"You, Nanami Kirinu, are quite an evil little girl. Thank you for your help."
"But don't tell Big brother I told you that, alright Kenji-Chan? If he finds out I foiled his plan he'll be angry with me." She tried to look as innocent as she could.
"No problem." She gave Nanami a firm slap on the back with only agitated Nanami.
"Good Bai Kenji-Chan." She hid her emotions well and exited swiftly. Kenji immediately sighed.
"Bai..." Kenji sat down right there in the doorway and stared at her hands for a long time. They shook slightly and she tried to make them stop but fear was engulfing her, swallowing her in one bite.
"What if they don't win? What if I get stuck here as Touga's bride? And... What was the importance of the cathedral...?" As if it was a well timed cue Utena burst in the door, nearly tramping Kenji in the uproar.
"Let's go!" Utena held out her hand and reluctantly Kenji took it and Utena pulled her to her feet. "Nothing to worry about." Utena smiled. "I won't let them win. Not this time." She smiled at Kenji. "I thought about what you said..." She clenched and unclenched her sweaty palms. "It was my fault-"
"This isn't a chicken coop, saving the clucking for later you two, lets go already!" Lyrako yelled from the bottom of the stair well.
"We're coming!" Kenji bolted out the dorm room door and slid gracefully down the banister. Few, a second saving grace.
