J-U-ri
(for lack of better name)
by Utena_Anthy_Antics
Disclaimer: Revolutionary Girl Utena and Sailor Moon do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing the characters indefinitely for the time being. I promise to return them in better shape then I found them, promise! ^_^ Please enjoy, and don't forget to r&r! Thanks!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"A new transfer student is coming to our academy, Juri. It will be your responsibility to show her around." The voice came out of the shadows, close to where Juri stood by the door of her dorm room. Smiling to herself, she shut her door and asked quietly, "Why have I been chosen; is she a duelist?"
"No. She is not a new duelist."
"Then why is she so special that a Student Council member must show her around? Is there a hidden motive?" Juri questioned as she turned and started walking to her classes, brushing a ringlet of her hair away from her eyes.
A low chuckle sounded from behind her, and she turned to see Touga step out of the shadows. His long, red hair fell over half of his face and obscured one of his piercing eyes. A smile tugged at his lips and he caught up to Juri,
"It's just like you to suspect a hidden motive of some kind. Lets…ah…just say that she is crucial to bringing out the arrival of End of the World. Beyond that, I can say no more."
Juri regarded her friend silently, almost wishing that this duty had been thrust upon another. But… it was End of the World's decision. Nodding her head slowly, she turned towards the older male and said tonelessly, "I will show her around. But that does not mean that I will be friendly towards her." And with that, Juri went her separate ways to her own classes.
The Student Council President watched her go, a smile flickering on his lips. "Oh, I doubt that, my old friend. This new student is very special; special indeed."
* * *
The girl ran, her hair flying behind her as she hurried to her destination. Keeping a death grip on her book bag, she almost skidded through the gate of her new school: the Ohtori Academy. Bending over, she placed her hands upon her knees and tried desperately to catch her breath. She sighed; she had tried so hard to be early or at least on time to her first day at her new school, and here she was back on her schedule of being late. Sweeping back her hair, she almost regretted keeping her traditional hair style because all of the attention she was getting from all the students milling about the few minutes before class started.
Looking at her watch, (a gift from Luna) Usagi almost cried out as she saw the time. At this rate, she didn't even know what her classes were, and she surely was going to so-o-o-o late! Rounding around rapidly, she almost bumped into a person who had approached her without her knowing it. Stepping back lightly, she bowed slightly in apology, a hasty smile on her face, "Gomen nasai! Please excuse me!" and was greatly surprised when a hand caught her wrist right as the bell signaling the start of classes rang.
Ignoring the contact, Usagi moaned, bringing up one hand to hold her forehead. "This is not good…" she moaned, shaking her head, "Even on my first day I'm late!" Finally registering the hand that held her arm captive, she turned and looked up at the person who held her.
A tall woman was the owner of the hand that wrapped around Usagi's wrist, a good half foot taller than Usagi's own 5' 6''. She had long orange, almost sandy-blonde hair coiled around her face in ringlets, three rings on each side, accenting her pointed face. Slightly narrowed brown eyes looked down upon her, a hint of coldness in their depths. A small frown played upon her lips and she let go of the younger girl after a second.
Usagi's acute hearing caught the words "There doesn't seem to be anything special about her," issue from the woman's lips under her breath, and she swept back a crooked bang. "Well now," the older girl said, crossing her arms, "I suppose you are the new student Touga was talking about."
Usagi blinked, and she hugged close her wrist, rubbing it absently. Shaking her head, she smiled tentatively, picking up her book bag. "I'm sorry; I don't know what you are talking about. Yes, I am a new student, but who is Touga-san?"
The woman smirked. Leaning back on the wall that was right behind her, the woman fixed Usagi with an almost soft look. Inclining her head, she said, "Touga is someone you do not want to know, yet you probably are going to, regardless. What's your name?"
Usagi looked down, studying her feet; she did not know why this obviously important person, which her outfit showed, was paying attention to her…and…on second thought, was keeping her from her classes! Usagi's eyes widening, she suddenly shot up, bowed down so low that her pigtails almost brushed the ground, and thrust out, "Oh shoot! My classes! I'm so sorry, I have to go! I'll see you later!"
And she bolted, paying no mind to where she was headed, not even thinking that she had no idea what the layout of the campus was; this her first time anywhere near the school.
* * *
Juri watched with wide eyes as the girl suddenly disappeared, her footsteps echoing after her. Growling softly at the girl's stubbornness, she took off after her, almost in awe at how fast she could run.
* * *
Usagi almost cried out in surprise when the woman from before caught up and blocked her way, affectedly cutting off her route. She stopped only meters away from crashing into the taller woman.
"Just stay still! Don't move!" the woman said exasperatedly, almost pleadingly as she didn't even seem even a little out of breath, "You didn't let me get anywhere with you!"
"What?" Usagi asked, confused, her brow wrinkling. This was twice that this enigmatic woman had stopped her from where she needed to go! Her anger rising, she rose to her full height, trying to at least knock some sense into this person. "I. Need. To. Get. To. My. Classes! Why are you keeping me from going to them?? At this rate," here she slumped, her shoulders shaking, "I'll never get to class and the teachers'll never speak to me again! Why are you being so cruel??"
Sniffing loudly, her eyes started to water, and she turned away, expecting all the usual taunts from this imposing woman in front of her.
* * *
Juri couldn't help it. She chuckled, lowering her arms. This was just so funny! The new student wasn't anything she had expected. Watching as the girl turned towards her, anger flushing her face red, she brought out a hand, trying to stop the girl from exploding. Making her voice slightly edged, she said, "Now hold it. You've got everything wrong. I'm not trying to get you to be late, so calm down. It's all right. The teachers won't be mad at you. The only reason I'm following you," Juri smirked, folding her arms, "is because I'm your student guide."
She watched as Usagi blushed, understanding dawning. Her mouth moving, she didn't say anything and just dropped her head, defeated.
"I bet you don't even know where your first class is, right? Do you know where ANYTHING is?"
At Juri's questions, the girl blushed even more embarrassingly, her hands folded tightly in front of her.
"I…No. I don't," the girl answered softly, and than looked up, sheepishly grinning. "Guess that's kind of stupid, ne?" Suddenly, right before her eyes, the girl brightened and held out her hand, "I'm Tsukino Usagi! Grade 10, newly transferred here from Crossroads High School in Tokyo! Who're you?"
Juri slowly accepted the handshake, the girl's mood swing so surprising. Finally realizing that Usagi was waiting for her to speak, she shook back her orange curls, "Arisuguwa Juri. 12th grade."
"Student council?"
"Yes," Juri said, surprised at Usagi's question.
"Your outfit," the other girl supplied, seeing the pointed look Juri sent her.
"Ahh. Very astute. Let me see your schedule."
"We didn't have a student council at my old school," Usagi murmured as she dug through her book bag, pulling out her schedule she hadn't looked at yet. Hastily skimming over it, she thrust it out at Juri and smiled nervously.
Raising her eyebrow, Juri read through her classes skeptically: "Ancient History…Advanced Geometry…Biology…English…Modern Japanese…Theatre…Art…and – FENCING!?" Snapping up her head, Juri stared at the girl in front of her, her eyes narrowing. I thought he said she wasn't a duelist! She thought, her gaze searching for a ring on Usagi's finger, and then composed herself when she found none.
"Wha-what is it?"
Heh. Putting a cool smile on her face, she handed back the schedule and swept back her bangs, "Nothing. I guess you'll be learning fencing under me. I'm the captain of the fencing club. C'mon, let's go."
* * *
Usagi sighed as she listened to the exuberant girl next to her, who kept on going on and on about someone named 'Utena'. Since this class, Ancient History, had two grades together, Usagi was stuck with the younger girl. Oh, sure, Usagi normally wouldn't mind the girl that reminded her of herself so much, but the day's earlier happenings had stained her outlook for the rest of the day. It also didn't help that Juri was the assistant teacher for that particular class, and kept on sending veiled glances at the blonde whenever she thought she wasn't looking.
"It's so strange," the girl whined, pounding her fist on the table, "Utena's been avoiding me ever since she started hanging out with that Anshi girl! It's not fair! Utena and I have been friends for so long, and now she's ignoring me!"
Usagi winced but smiled encouragingly at her. "It's probably okay. You told me that Anshi-san doesn't have that many friends, right?" When the brunette nodded, she continued, "Utena-san's probably just spending more time with her so she knows that she really is her friend. If what you said is correct, then she's just strengthening the bond of friendship she and Anshi-san share."
When the girl seemed only a little bit placated, Usagi smiled and tilted her head, saying, "Why don't you hang out with Anshi-san also? You'd be able to see Utena-san more, and get a whole new friend in the process!"
A smile dawned on her face, and the girl happily hugged Usagi, choking her. "Arigato! You're so smart!" Releasing Usagi, she suddenly remembered that they had not been properly introduced and said chipperly, "Shinohara Wakaba at your service!"
Glad that she had resolved some of the younger girl's problem, Usagi laughed softly and rubbed her neck where Wakaba had almost cut off her air supply. God. Was this how she usually acted with her friends? No wonder Rei kept on turning blue and running away from her! She shook her head and said, "Tsukino Usagi. I'm glad to have helped you out."
"Tsukino-san and Shinohara-san! Please pay attention!" the sharp voice of their teacher rang out, and Usagi instantly sat up straight and faced the front. Watching as, out of the corner of her eye, Wakaba scrambled to retrieve her books from her book bag before the teacher approached them, Usagi hastily shoved her books in front of the younger girl. Wakaba only had a chance to look up surprised at her before the shadow of the Ancient History teacher fell over her desk.
"Tsukino-san. Where are your books?"
"Uhm…I…" Looking over at Wakaba, Usagi's mind made up, and she said, "I'm sorry. I hadn't gotten them out of my book bag yet."
"And why not…?" The teacher strung her words out.
Before Usagi could think of anything to say, Wakaba suddenly thrust her own book bag at Usagi and said chipperly, "Here, Usagi-chan! Thank you for letting me borrow your pencil. I put it back in the third flap, just as you said."
Glancing over at Juri, who stood at the front of the room talking about the Greeks, Usagi accepted the mini suitcase and opened it, removing Wakaba's books as if they were her own. "Thank you, Wakaba-chan," she said for the teacher's benefit, "I hope it helped you." Looking back at the teacher, she said, "I'm sorry. I let Wakaba-chan borrow my book bag and forgot to retrieve my books. I figured that I would get them when she was done with it. It won't happen again, sensei."
"Hmm. Just see that it doesn't, Tsukino-san." And the teacher walked away.
Expelling her breath of air, Usagi was relieved that the class had been watching what Juri was saying and hadn't paid any attention to the exchange between the teacher and the two students. Turning back to Wakaba, she silently held out her bag and exchanged books. Wakaba smiled at her and whispered, "Thank you." Usagi nodded back.
At least she's not going on and on about Utena now, Usagi thought ruefully, and opened her book to the page specified on the board, muffling a yawn. This class was going to be so-o-o boring! But at least she had made a new friend.
* * *
Out of the corner of her eye, Juri watched as Usagi deftly covered for Tenjou Utena's friend. Smirking inwardly, she watched as the blonde became a little flustered and her eyes started to roam around the room until they settled onto her, who was going over the homework. Purposefully ignoring her, Juri continued watching her to see how she handled stress. Surprisingly, Wakaba joined the charade and helped Usagi center herself and satisfy the teacher. Shaking her head, she heard the bell ring the end of that period and made her way over to where Usagi and Wakaba sat.
Leaning onto her desk, Juri crossed her arms and asked, "You ready for your next class?"
Usagi looked up and smiled brightly at her, fishing out her schedule. Looking over it, she said, "It says I have Advanced Geometry next. Yuck! Math. I hate Math." Turning to face Wakaba who was shuffling all her papers into her book bag, the blonde asked, "What class do you have?"
The pony-tailed girl looked up, her eyes widening as she saw Juri standing there, but answered, placing an eager smile on her face, "Algebra with Utena! I can give her the picture I drew of her there!" Humming to herself, the junior excitedly grabbed a picture that was drawn on lined paper and thrust it in Usagi's face, waving it around, "Look! Look!"
Usagi accepted the paper and looked at it, her eyes widening as an awed look crossed her face. "Wow…" she breathed.
Juri, curious, moved forward and glanced at Wakaba and asked, "May I…?" At the younger girl's nod, she took the drawing from Usagi, her eyes also widening as she what Wakaba had drawn. Turning her pointed look onto the blushing brunette, Juri asked pointedly, "Are you in any art classes? If not, you should be."
"Yeah Wakaba-chan! You should! You're so good!" Usagi chimed in, almost jumping on the tips of her feet.
Wakaba furiously shook her head, taking back her picture, a light blush staining her cheeks. "No!" she exclaimed, "It's only because Utena's my true love I can draw her! No one else comes even slightly close to her!"
Juri shrugged and swept back her bangs, once again adopting her look of angry indifference. "Come on, Usagi," she said over her shoulder, "I'll show you to your next class."
"Okay. Just wait a second, Juri-san!" Turning to Wakaba, Juri could hear Usagi saying, "Think about what I said, Wakaba-chan, and maybe everything will work out with you and Utena-san. Sayonara!" Increasing her speed, Usagi joined Juri and started walking next to her.
"You know…" Juri started, glancing over to where Wakaba was heading down the hall to the Algebra room, "It's actually her fault that Utena and Anshi are together."
"What?" Usagi asked, looking at her curiously, "What do you know about that?"
"Wakaba wrote a love letter to the school's Vice President, and when he tacked it up on the board where every one could see it, Utena took it up herself to save her honor. Well…things happened and Utena ended up beating Saionji in a duel, thus gaining Anshi as her friend." Juri skipped over a few things she didn't think Usagi needed to know.
"Hmm…yes. Things tend to work out that way, don't they?" Usagi mused, surprising Juri at how old she sounded. Looking down at her, Juri started to question how normal Usagi really was. Reaching a classroom door, Juri said curtly, "This is where Advanced Geometry is housed. I will come and get you when this class is over."
At the blonde's nod, Juri nodded back and left her, leaving to see if she could find Touga and interrogate him about the new transfer student. Something about the Moon Bunny bothered her, and she was sure it wasn't only the aura of innocence and purity that seemed to surround her. There was just a sense of…power. That was it. Power. If Tsukino Usagi wasn't a duelist, then why did she also emit out the feeling that was a trademark of the Duelists? Utena had it; and so did Miki and Touga. Although there was no way to find out for sure, Juri was sure that she also had that aura around her.
Maybe Touga knew more…
* * *
Taking a seat near the back of the classroom, Usagi slowly dragged out her math book. Why did she have to have every class on one day? Juri had explained to her that on Mondays, everyone in all the grades had all of their classes while on Tuesday through Friday, the classes were divided up. Usagi had Geometry on Wednesday and Friday, and that would have been two whole days to prepare herself. It wasn't fair.
Flipping through the green book, she blanched as she saw all the equations and problems so new to her. Math had never been her best subject, and then having been put in ADVANCED Geometry, only a subject she had touched upon in ninth grade, she was sure she would fail the class. And she just knew that the Ohtori Academy frowned upon people who failed.
Starting the problems that the teacher had assigned for the day, Usagi sweat dropped and hung her head, her pencil forgotten in her hand as she stared blankly at the page. This was no good. She had no idea what anything on the page meant, and she just knew that if she asked the teacher to explain anything, she would be laughed at.
Suddenly, someone took a seat in the desk next to her, and she looked up, her eyes meeting a blue almost identical to her own. Blue hair the same color as his eyes hung over his forehead and he smiled. Blinking, Usagi had to make sure it wasn't Ami for a second, but then mentally smacked herself. This person was a male. Ami was a female. At least…she hoped she was.
The guy spoke, and Usagi realized that he was a couple of years younger then her, possibly in the seventh grade; she also swore that he had a female's voice*, but that was impossible. His outfit was similar to Juri's, but his was trimmed with blue instead of orange, and it didn't fit half as well.
"Excuse me. It seems you need help with the work. If it's okay, I can help you. I noticed you're new, so it would be safe to assume that this is unfamiliar?" the young teen smiled friendly and inclined his head.
"Oh! Thank you. Yeah," Usagi sweat dropped and gestured to the book, "I have absolutely no idea what any of this means." She lowered her voice and said, "My old school really lacked in…some areas, I have found already."
"Yeah. Ohtori Academy certainly has higher standards then most schools. Which High School did you attend?"
"Uhm…Juuban High School."
"Juuban!" His eyes widened, and he said, surprised, "You really came that far? How did you transfer?"
"Uhm…well…I got a letter in the mail one day that said I was accepted and invited. The funny thing was, that it was signed by someone called 'Dios', and had a rose seal sealing it. Who's Dios?" Usagi asked innocently, and watched as the young boy lost his composure and stared at Usagi with and unbelievable look on his face. "What? What did I say?" she asked, confused.
The boy shook his head and gave her a weak smile, "Nothing for you to worry about. I'm Kaoru Miki, by the way."
Usagi smiled brightly, filing the information that her questions and the name Dios made him uncomfortable away for later and stuck out her hand, "Tsukino Usagi!"
When the boy took it, a light blush snaked across his cheeks, and Usagi smiled, thinking that he looked pretty kawaii in a younger boy sort of way. "Well, now that we have that all settled, could you please help me with the work?" Usagi pleaded, making her eyes big and puppy like. She loved the way she had power over beings of the opposite sex. Her puppy dog look had even, in other circumstances, worked on other females. Think of Haruka and Rei! Of course, Haruka was more male, and Rei was…she was…Well, Rei was just Rei!
Chuckling silently at her train of thought, she started listening to the younger boy's explanation as he went over every term and problem, helping her along. Pretty soon, Usagi found that she had gotten a good enough handle on Geometry itself to try some of the problems herself, and she was soon done with the assignment with some time for herself.
"Good job!" Miki said, smiling at her, "With some time and studying, you should catch up with the class."
"Wow! Thanks! You even explained it even better then Ami-chan ever could!"
The younger boy blushed and closed his notebook, "Thanks, I guess. Now, if you want, I could give you some more help. I usually have a studying group after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a couple of other people, and I'm sure you would be welcomed to come."
"Really, Miki-kun! Are you asking me for a date?" Usagi teased; she couldn't help teasing the seventh grader as he was prone to blushing and stuttering. It was rather cute, actually.
"No-o, Usagi-san. There are other people – and…" Yes, the blue-haired boy's face erupted in red and he avoided her eyes.
Usagi laughed and patted his shoulder, "Miki-kun, I'm joking. Of course I'll come. I need all the help I can get!"
The period bell rang again, and Usagi hurriedly copied down her homework. "See you later, kay?" She said, throwing him a victory sign and a wink, "I can't wait for our hot date!"
"U-Usagi-san!" Miki's strangled protest and the red flush that spread over his neck and face followed Usagi out the door to where Juri stood, waiting for her.
"What was that?" Juri asked curiously as she pushed off of the wall and started to lead Usagi to the Biology class.
"Oh, nothing," Usagi chuckled, and swept one of her streamers off of her shoulder so it once again fell down her back, "Just terrorizing a poor seventh grader."
And she left Juri to wonder what she meant as they neared the Biology room.
"After this class is break. Then, you can make your way to the cafeteria where I'll get you for your next class. Break is twenty minutes long, and I suggest you eat something then. The teacher for Modern Japanese always keeps new students after class, so you'll be late to lunch when you're done." Juri turned to leave, but Usagi stopped her.
"Juri-san…?"
"Hai?"
"Thank you!" And Usagi suddenly hugged the imposing woman in front of her, not caring that the aura around her said that she shouldn't, that closeness was something Juri loathed. But she did it anyway, quickly stepped back, smiling at her as she entered the classroom.
Okay…That's the only part I'll have up for a while, 'cos I'm having trouble thinking up what happens next! *sweatdrops* Argh! Don't you hate not knowing what happens next? Anyway, I hope you liked the beginning…and yes! I do know it was pretty long. Ah well… please Review! I really like those… (hint hint!)
Anyway, see you later!
Oh yeah, my E-Mail is (if you ever get the urge to E-Mail me, though I personally don't know why you would, but each to their own, I guess) revolutionary_rose@hotmail.com
Again, thanks. Bye!