DISCLAIMER: All Utena characters are not mine! The guardians, however are! J
Chapter 3: Unlikely Allies
It was a beautiful morning the next day. Tia was already at the fencing arena, watching the mysterious Juri Arisugawa fence again members of the club. Some strange and extremely powerful force had caused Tia to be drawn to Juri.
"Next!"
Juri's voice could be heard echoing throughout the halls. Another club member lost in vain against the acting captain.
"Is there anyone who will give me a good match or must I train you all harder?" she called out to the crowd, her auburn locks swirling around her slim form.
"I shall, Juri…" Tia called out, her lithe form approaching the arena. Juri nodded, placing her helmet over her head as Tia did the same.
Within a few moments, both women took the fencing stance and began. Juri, of course, was quick, thrusting and lunging at Tia's smaller form. Tia nimbly dodged, twirling the foil into her left hand for the moment to block one of Juri's powerful blows.
"She's good. Skilled with both hands, I see. She's similar to…" Juri thought.
Tossing the foil back into her right hand gracefully, Tia turned to the offensive. The sound of metal against metal echoed as both women managed to knock one another's foil from their hands. The crowd cheered as both women simultaneously removed their hemlets.
"Excellent! I have not been matched in quite a while…" Juri stepped closer to the girl, her emerald eyes then widened. "You! You're…"
Tia nodded. "Perhaps…we should talk elsewhere…"
"Yes…" Juri nodded, still wide-eyed, and followed Tia.
"Who are you?" Juri finally asked.
Tia turned around, her golden strands spilling forward from the fallen out braid. Those blue orbs met Juri's emerald. "I…am not a duelist of this plane. Whereas you fight to obtain the Rose Bride, I fight to protect all involved; Anthy, Utena, and you duelists."
"And what the hell does that mean?"
"That you should believe in the power of miracles and not try to disprove it for it will all be in vain!"
Juri at once lifted her hand to slap Tia, but it was Tia who caught her arm. Sternly, Juri replied, "And I suppose that you are the person to prove me wrong? You don't even know me!"
"I know you more than you know yourself. You have suffered long enough."
"You know nothing!" Juri cried, slamming her arm away from Tia's grasp. Quickly, she ran towards her dorm for fear of tears. Tears---she would scold herself for showing a weakness.
Tia just stood there, her face saddened. How would she be able to prove to Juri that miracles exist? It was bad enough that throughout the week she had been at Ohtori, Tia managed to fall for the cruelly silent Juri Arisugawa.
~*~
Hours had passed since her meeting with Juri, and Tia had found herself back at her dorm. She was lying down when a soft knock on the door was heard. Moments later, Janus came running towards his sister, face pale as a ghost, and handed her a note sealed with the rose crest. It read in a slanted-like angle:
To the one who has awoken:
Duel tonight for the purity of one's heart…
It was unsigned, but somehow, Tia knew where to go. Before rushing out of the door, she calmed her little brother, hugging him. Seconds later, she rushed out of the door, her small legs carrying her to the regular dueling arena…and beyond.
Little did Tia know, however, that Juri had been sitting near the fountain and followed her up to the duelist arena. Still hiding in the shadows, Juri watched as Tia stood in the center.
"Darkness beyond twilight…open the gate unto the plane of the gods. Allow this celestial guardian passage…!" Immediately, light enveloped Tia, and she felt the familiar touch of feathers and white rose petals, indicating her transformation. Juri just stood there, speechless and wide-eyed while Tia was transported to the celestial plane.
Facing her was an opponent of pure darkness, a shadow. Raising swords to one another, the battle began. It had seemed for a moment that the shadow would win, but in the end, Tia's holy sword was able to slice through the darkness. Each battle would be somewhat similar---kill or be killed.
As she left the garden, Tia felt the petals touch her again, and she was left in her pure white night garments. Any wounds she had received in battle would now be visible. Wincing, Tia clutched her right shoulder, which was now bleeding. She began to stagger as she walked until finally, she fell to her knees. To her surprise, Juri was right behind her, lifting Tia gently in her arms, like a baby. This caused a slight crimson to seep into Tia's porcelain cheeks.
"J-Juri?"
"You all right, Tia?"
"Just a scratch…" she winced.
Juri shook her head and shushed Tia, carrying her to her dorm room. This wound would need to be dressed soon.
"Why are you helping me?" Tia asked softly as Juri dressed the wound.
"Contrary to what is believed, I do not have a heart of ice."
Tia nodded, rubbing her arm, accidentally brushing her hand with Juri's. This caused Tia's cheeks to regain the flush, which in turn, caused Juri to laugh softly.
"Do not get used to it, however. I do not expect the girl who beat me in a duel to be wounded so easily."
"Juri…" Tia started to say something when Shiori walked in. Both Juri and Tia let out a soft groan.
"Juri, I need to speak with you. Please….I'm lonely…" Shiori wrapped her arms around the taller, clenching gently. Tia just glared; there was absolutely nothing pure or innocent about Shiori, yet Juri's heart felt one of the purest forms of love for her. Juri sighed in annoyance and followed, leaving Tia.
A few moments later, Tia was racing out of Juri's dorm, barefoot and wounded, heading towards the dueling arena. All Juri could see Tia's beautiful golden hair flowing violently in the wind as she ran.
"What? Tia? She should not be dueling in her condition!"
"But what about me, Juri? I need you…" Shiori replied, fluttering her eyelashes.
"No, Shiori. Just no." That was all Juri has said before running after Tia. What had come over her? Usually Juri was unable to refuse Shiori; could it be?
~*~
What was it that had caused Tia to run off? Janus had quietly slipped from his bed that night and found his sister gone. Knowing that she must have run off to duel," he followed, uncertain exactly of where he had to go, but he knew his intuition would guide him.
"Again I am summoned, and again I will answer…" Tia thought as she stood before the entrance to the celestial plane.
Her words echoed loudly, "Darkness beyond twilight…" Janus approached the area, carefully attempting to remain unseen.
"Open the gate unto the plane of the gods!" she continued as her body began to illuminate and turn transparent. "Allow this celestial guardian passage!" Tia disappeared.
Janus darted toward the light but soon found himself again in total darkness. "No!" He exclaimed, beginning to walk toward it. Suddenly, he was held back. Turning his head, he saw Juri.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Juri sternly inquired. Hesitating to answer, Janus parted his lips as if to speak.
"I'm worried about her," they both said in unison. Pausing for a moment to stare at each other, Juri released her hold on him.
The light from which Tia had left from appeared again. Juri picked Janus up and ran away. Tia then appeared and quickly fell to her knees. "Too much," she whispered.
"Go home and forget this ever happened!" Juri commanded as she placed Janus on the ground. Noticing her rose signet, Janus became irritated.
"Why should I listen to you? You've got one of those stupid rings, too…" Janus asked. being interrupted by a slap across the face courtesy of Juri.
"Remember what I said before!" Juri yelled before leaving the scene.
Approaching Tia, tears came to Juri's eyes as she saw the injured young girl on the concrete. Tia's lovely blond hair was messed and her eyes were half open. Gently, Juri took Tia into her arms again, softly caressing the smaller girl's face.
"Stop being foolish by pretending to play the heroine…" Juri whispered. Why did she care? She did not know even that answer, but the smaller girl softened her heart.
Janus observed from a distance, crying softly. "This nonsense must come to an end," he thought. "I will be the one who will bring about the greatest revolution the world has ever seen!"