AN: Officially announcing some of the couples (I'm a romantic, I can't help it). While it won't be anything terribly lemony, Utena and Anthy are together, as are Scott and Jean, but that one you probably guessed. Other couples are pending, including one that I almost never see, but which I think I can make a case for in this story. For the record, unless something drastic happens, no, Rogue and Kitty won't be a couple. This chapter is almost entirely Utena characters. Enjoy.
There's a place from where I
just arrived
And I escaped, the last one alive.
Where are you?
You're not with me.
Yeah, where are you?
I'm free.
You left me high and dry, it changed me.
You lied to me, now I am angry.
And if the sun comes in your room,
and awakes you from your vanity,
you won't find me cause I'll be
on top a mountain
pissing on your grave…
-Vast, "The Last One Alive"
"The Sword of Alma. That's certainly new," Miki said, resting his chin in his hands. Anthy and Utena had collected him, as well as Juri and Saionji, when the fencing tournament let out, and they convened in the Rose Garden. "If God were composed of soul and something else, what would that something else be?"
"Power?" Saionji suggested.
"Omnipresence and omnipotence, but Dios was not all powerful," Anthy murmured.
"Heart, mind, body and soul compose a human being," Juri added. "Does God even have a soul?"
"Apparently," Utena replied, standing by the greenhouse door and gazing out over the campus.
"I wish you would take my coat, Utena," Miki said. "Or at least come away from the door."
"I'm fine, Miki, I promise. I ran into Kiryuu tonight," she added. "He's been using Flandreau for something."
Juri looked up.
"Has he now?" she said coldly. "Flandreau has been mentioned too many times this week for my liking."
"Who else brought it up?" Anthy asked.
"One of my freshmen," Juri replied. "One of the gifted ones by whom Touga is so intrigued. Her name is Katherine Pryde."
"Kitty," Utena said.
"That's her nickname. Do you know her?" Juri asked. But Utena was already out the door. When she saw what had startled Utena, Juri was right behind her.
Kitty's feet clicked quickly on the flagstones as she crossed the campus. She had already checked the history building; all the lights were out and Juri was not in her office. In truth, that had been her only real idea, unless she really meant to swallow her fear and go visit the hall where Juri kept her private residence.
"You're out awfully late, little one," a voice said. Kitty froze where she stood, then turned to see who spoke. He was very tall, in a black uniform trimmed in blood red, which matched the hair he had tied at this neck.
"Just taking a walk," Kitty replied. If I were still a superhero, I would kick your ass, jerk.
Touga smiled and took a few more steps into her personal space.
"We're in the mountains, little girl. There are wolves in the mountains, didn't you know that?"
"I'm not afraid of wolves," Kitty said. Touga laughed out loud.
"Oh aren't you a brave child. But it looks like some chivalrous soul is looking out for you." He reached out and touched the lapel of the borrowed jacket Kitty wore.
"That will do, Professor Kiryuu," a woman said.
Touga turned, and Kitty saw exactly who she'd hoped for.
"Why hello Juri. It would seem my young friend isn't the only one out past her bed time."
"Miss Pryde, if you would, there are some people in the garden who would like to see you," Juri said.
Damn it, Kitty thought, but obeyed. Every time she got close to knowing what she was facing, she got rescued. Kitty wasn't used to being rescued, she didn't like being rescued, especially from some oversexed teacher.
"Kitty," another voice said. Utena. "Come on inside."
"What about Professor Arisugawa?" Kitty asked, staring back over her shoulder.
"I'd worry more about Professor Kiryuu," Utena answered, hurrying Kitty inside the greenhouse.
"A child out late at night, in Tenjou's jacket, with you playing guardian angel. What a very lucky girl," Touga smiled.
"Keep away from my students," Juri replied. "They don't need to know anything you intend to teach them."
"I'm an English teacher, Juri-san, I just want to show every Ohtori student a little poetry before they leave. History is so cold, wouldn't you agree?"
"History is what happened, Touga. Perhaps you recall the axiom that those who don't learn it are doomed to repeat it."
"I won't repeat Tenjou's mistakes, or Akio's," Touga replied. "History is written by the winners, and Tenjou's version is entirely biased. She squandered the power to revolutionize the world. She wasted it, Juri."
"I disagree."
Touga laughed and reached into his jacket, pulling out a thin silver chain, which broke with a gentle tug. The chain fell to the ground, and Touga was left holding a silver ring. He slid it onto the third finger of his left hand.
"Don't look so surprised," Touga said, though Juri's expression had not shifted. "I'd be more than willing to bet that yours is resting in your cleavage next to your locket. Arisugawa Juri, I challenge you to a duel. I will await you in the dueling forest tomorrow at sunset."
Juri's eyebrow arched in skepticism.
"With what sword, Kiryuu Touga?"
"I think it is high time you met the new Rose Bride."
Juri scowled as Touga walked away, and reached into her shirt. She pulled out two chains, one gold and one silver. At the end of the gold chain was a locket; she opened it and gazed for a moment at the two pictures inside. She clicked it shut, then unfastened the silver chain and slid the ring off, regarded it for a moment, and then put the ring on her finger.
"Here we go again," she sighed, and turned to return to the garden.
"Do you want your jacket back?" Kitty asked Utena.
"I'll get it back from you when we bring you home," Utena said quietly, trying to see out the door.
"Come sit down, Miss Pryde," Miki said, standing and pulling out a chair for her at the table. Kitty sat down and he gently pushed the chair closer to the table.
"Is Professor Arisugawa all right?" Kitty asked. The door to the garden shut, and she heard a sigh.
"I told you to call me Juri-san outside of class, Miss Pryde," Juri said in a weary voice. Utena grabbed Juri's arm and held her hand up, staring at it.
"Why are you wearing that?" Utena asked.
"Touga challenged me to a duel tomorrow," Juri said, leaning back against the glass wall of the greenhouse.
"He can't," Saionji said, standing up.
"And yet, he has," Juri replied, gently pulling her arm out of Utena's grip. "He says that there's a new Rose Bride."
"Well, Utena won't participate, I forbid it," Anthy said.
"You're so cute when you're all pushy," Utena said with a wry smirk. Anthy gave Utena a suggestive glance over the rim of her teacup that made Kitty's jaw drop.
"I don't think he meant you, Utena," Juri said, moving from the wall to resume her seat at the table. Saionji sat down as well, his frustration apparent.
"He meant Rogue," Kitty spoke up in a quiet voice.
"Who?" Anthy asked, setting down her teacup. Kitty found herself meek and shy under the dark green gaze of the chairwoman. Anthy smiled kindly, but there was something hard in here eyes that Kitty recognized: the sense of dire urgency. "Kitty, start from the beginning, and tell us what you know."
Kitty related the story- Jean and Scott's odd behavior, Rogue's alleged name change, finding Rogue in Flandreau Hall, Professor Kiryuu's visit, Rogue's apparent survival in spite of not having eaten in a year. She told Anthy what Rogue had told her, about being stabbed by a broken sword.
"And I found these piled up, Professor Kiryuu brought one tonight."
Each of the council members took a letter and opened it. They all said the same thing.
Rose of the noble castle, you are home to a power not your own. Come forth and face your destiny.
"I'll kill him," Saionji said, crumbling the letter he held.
"We can't be roped into this again," Miki said. "We can't be a party to this madness."
"If they don't duel with us, Miki, they will duel with each other," Juri said. "I shudder to think what manner of revolution Professor Kiryuu would bring about."
"I'll go with you," Utena said. "I have the other half of the sword, I'll be your bride."
"I'll fight with my own sword, Utena," Juri said.
"Touga is never to know that you carry the Sword of Alma, Utena," Anthy said. "If he did, then you would be every bit as much an object as I was."
"But what about Juri-"
"Have a little faith, Utena," Saionji said. "Arisugawa has never been unable to look after herself."
"What should I do about Rogue, Juri-san?" Kitty asked.
"She's your friend, isn't she?" Juri asked sternly. "Treat her how you'd treat any friend who's sick and sad. We'll move her to a different building tomorrow to keep her safe once I've defeated Touga."
"If you win," Saionji said, worry clouding his face. Juri's face hardened into an imperious marble mask.
"When I win. Kiryuu Touga never devoted himself to the art the way you or I did, Saionji, or the way Miki did. His challenge was poorly thought out."
"Well I'm glad someone's not worried," Kitty said. "I should get back. Lily's probably worried, and I don't want to leave Rogue by herself for much longer."
"Then I'll take you home," Utena said. "Juri, you should warm up, practice, something. Do you want to spar later?"
"I would prefer if you came home with me, Utena," Anthy interjected.
"But-"
"It's not safe, Utena," Miki said. "Touga never lets on what he does and doesn't know. If he's got one half of the sword…"
"Kitty, Utena, we should go," Anthy said, standing. Utena crossed her arms and glowered as Kitty stood and joined them.
"Yeah yeah," Utena grumbled as Anthy coaxed her out the door. "Just because I've got a sword doesn't mean I'm going to let you all treat me like the helpless flower."
"Arisugawa, if you want to spar with someone, I'll volunteer," Saionji said as the door shut.
"Thank you, Saionji, but Miki will help me," Juri replied, stretching her shoulders. Miki looked uncomfortable, and Saionji smiled calmly.
"Not to be contrary, Arisugawa, but Touga is a kendo fighter, and I know his style better than anyone."
"Saionji's right, Juri," Miki said meekly. "I still only beat you once a month at most. I wouldn't be much of a warm up."
Juri's voice sounded vaguely conflicted, but her face was composed.
"You're right of course," she said. "Where shall we go?"
"The kendo dojo would probably be best," he answered. "Do you need to collect your sword?"
"I do," Juri replied, lowering her arms and relaxing out of her stretch.
"Shall we?" Miki said, rising.
The three remaining board members put their chairs back under the table, turned out the lights, and left the garden.
"Thanks for walking me home, and letting me steal you jacket," Kitty said at her door, handing the coat back to Utena.
"Don't worry about it," Utena said. "I just can't believe this is all happening again."
"I was the Rose Bride for a very, very long time," Anthy explained to Kitty. "We have some very trying and complicated days ahead of us."
"Good night, Kitty," Utena said.
"Take care," Anthy added.
The two waited for Kitty to close her door and lock it, then walked off together. Anthy slipped her arm into Utena's and reached up with her free hand to brush a lock of hair out of Utena's eyes.
"You're not the Rose Bride, Utena. No one could ever make you as empty as I was."
"Touga has. Akio has."
"Touga and Akio both tried to make you lose yourself, and you fought them both with tooth and nail to make sure you didn't. Everyone has a sword inside them, Utena. You've dueled challengers who wielded Touga's, Saionji's, Juri's, Miki's, Ruka's, everyone's. There's still a sword in me. The only difference is that at the moment your sword is not your own."
Utena looked away as they left the Hall, and Anthy stopped.
"Utena?"
"Yeah?" the other girl said in a low voice, trying to hold back tears.
"Please don't fret, love," Anthy said. Utena looked up at her with glassed over eyes. Anthy rushed over to her and wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly.
"I'm sorry," Utena whispered. "I'm not much of a Prince, am I?"
"Princes also need rescuing sometimes," Anthy said. "And you've done so much for us, far too much for us to ever let someone break your noble spirit."
Anthy craned her neck and kissed Utena's cheek.
"Shall we go home?" Anthy said. Utena nodded, and the two walked off, arm in arm.
"I've never seen your apartment before," Saionji said as he stood in the doorway of Juri's quarters.
"Come in and sit down," she called briskly from the other room. "I'm going to change first."
Saionji walked in and shut the door behind him, then draped himself in one of Juri's armchairs. The whole room was decorated in rich fabrics, Indian and Asian silks, but the walls were pure white, the windows hung with white, gauzy organza. It was very clean, pristine, but for Juri, quite soft, Saionji thought.
"This place is not how I imagined it," he said.
"Do you frequently imagine my apartment?" Juri called frostily. Saionji smirked. Frosty, frosty Juri. The beautiful panther, even now.
"Save it for sparring Juri," he replied. She emerged with her sword in one hand and a bottle of spring water in the other, dressed in knit pants, a white t-shirt and a grey hooded sweatshirt.
"I didn't know Christian Dior made sweat suits," Saionji said.
"Save it for sparring, Saionji," she replied. He glanced at the sword she held, the same one she'd used when trying to disprove the power of miracles. It had clearly been well oiled and cared for diligently.
Some common ground, Saionji thought. A mutual respect for the tools of our trade.
"Shall we?" he asked, rising.
"Do you need to pick up anything?" she asked.
"I keep everything I need at the dojo," he replied, opening the door. There was an awkward pause as he waited for Juri to exit first, and she waited for him to do the same.
"After you," he prompted finally. Juri complied, locking the door once he had pulled it shut. They walked in silence out of the hall, out into the night air.
"You've taken good care of your sword," Saionji said at last.
"I've failed it from time to time, but it's never failed me," she replied. Then, as an after thought, "Thank you."
"I'd expect nothing less," he replied, putting his hands in his pockets. "What do you think of this campus? Now that you've had a few years to get used to it."
"It's almost identical to the one we went to. It's uncanny," Juri said. "I like the mountains, but the winters are so cold…"
The two were blasted by an arctic cold wind, as if winter wanted to make its presence known, even in mid-September. The more warmly dressed of the two, Saionji moved to stand face to face with Juri, blocking the wind. His hair, long mossy waves, whipped in front of him, and he remained there until the wind died down again.
"Perhaps we shouldn't talk about the weather," Juri said. Her hair had unwound itself from its usual tight curls into a halo of tangerine wisps, and the wind had burned color onto her cheeks.
"Perhaps not," Saionji replied. He unbuttoned his uniform jacket and held it out to Juri.
"There's no need for that," she said, drawing herself up to her full height, which was still quite a bit shorter than Saionji. He narrowed his eyes.
"You have a duel tomorrow night, Arisugawa, against a formidable opponent. Letting yourself freeze is an invitation to injury. Now take the damned coat."
Juri scowled, and he did not really expect her to obey, but she did, pulling on one arm, then the other. The sleeves were far too long for her, and the jacket made her seem quite small. Once Saionji was satisfied that she wouldn't be frostbitten, they continued on.
"If you're challenged, will you fight?" Juri asked as they approached the dojo. Saionji sighed.
"In high school, I fought because I was in love with Himemiya. Or I thought I was. In retrospect, my cruelty to her makes me doubt that it was ever really love. To spare another similar cruelty, perhaps I would."
They stepped into the doorway and removed their shoes, then Saionji slid open the thin doors of paper that led to the dojo itself.
"I'll just be a moment," Saionji said, stepping behind another paper shade to change into his kendo uniform. Juri removed her sweatshirt and continued stretching.
"Why did you accept Touga's challenge, Arisugawa?" Saionji asked. She glanced at his shadow against the screen as he removed his clothes and thought about the question.
"That miracles exist has been proven to me," she began pensively, picking up her sword and practicing thrusts. Saionji listened to the blade cut through the air as Juri danced the saber. Her motions were balletic and violent, and once Saionji had dressed, he emerged to watch her. She instantly faltered, halting in midmaneuver and becoming a statue once more.
"Why did you accept Touga's challenge, Arisugawa?" he asked again.
"I dislike him," Juri said.
"Is that the whole reason?" Saionji said, stretching himself in the black gi and loose pants that were the kendo uniform. Juri regarded him momentarily.
"I dislike his desire to begin another cycle of lies and brutality, just to put great power in the hands of cruel innocents."
"You're answering too carefully," Saionji said, putting his hands on his hips. "At the moment that he asked you, what instinct drove you to say yes?"
"I told you."
"'I dislike his desire to begin another cycle,' blah blah blah," Saionji replied, crossing his arms across his chest. "No one's thoughts are so precise, Arisugawa, not even yours."
He leaned down and picked up his katana, drawing the blade slowly from the scabbard.
"Dishonesty doesn't look good on you, Arisugawa Juri," Saionji said. "But if you won't be truthful with me, then let's begin."
Juri's body snapped into attention, and she raised her sword in salute. It bisected her face, two blue eyes on either side of one sharp blade. Saionji struck out at her and the battles began.
At first, he tried to fight as much like he remembered Touga fighting as possible, but it had been a long time since the English professor had come by for a bout. Saionji accepted these little challenges when Touga came by, as a courtesy to a fellow kendo fighter, and as a matter of honor. Touga had not defeated Saionji since after the world ended and began again, back in high school. It was as if without something to duel towards Touga's fighting atrophied.
But the duels were back. Saionji fell out of Touga's style and into his own, and the spar intensified.
"Guard up, Juri!" Saionji roared as he pressed his attack.
"No instruction!" she shouted back, parrying with too much force and completely losing her balance. She pitched forward, unable to catch herself, and would have impaled herself on the katana had Saionji not hurled it away. She landed on her hands and knees on the floor.
"What was that?!" Saionji yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "Is that your plan, you'll wave your sword around for a while and maybe he'll trip?"
Juri sat back on her feet and regarded him coldly.
"I do not need any instruction from you, Saionji Kyoichi," she answered, her forehead shining with perspiration.
"Clearly you do!" he snapped. "Do you really think that you can defeat Touga like that? Why did you agree to duel?"
"He disgusts me," Juri hissed.
"What?" Saionji said. He realized that she was not looking at him coldly, but with a white hot flame of hatred in her eyes.
"He disgusts me. He thinks he knows better than me. The way he thinks that his judgment is better than Himemiya's, than Tenjou's, than yours or mine, disgusts me. I want to drive him into the dirt for defying us this way."
"Keep going," Saionji said, walking across the room to pick up his katana. Juri reached out and curled her hand around the hilt of her sword.
"I wasted so much time trying to disprove miracles, when I should have been being young. How many years were we there, none of us is really sure. How many years were we trapped before Tenjou broke us free with her blind, foolish hope?"
She stood up.
"It makes me sick, that he thinks he's so much smarter than the rest of us, thinks he's going to make everything so much better. I can see his smarmy face when I shut my eyes, that arrogant bastard. I want to see him suffer. I want him to know that whatever revolution it is he thinks would be best for us, I won't ever let him have it."
She looked up to see Saionji standing quietly at his starting point, waiting.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yes," Juri replied.
By the time the sparring was over, Juri could have killed him six or seven times, easily. Her control, with her disgust fuelling it instead of distracting her from it, drove every point home and halted it inches from his heart, his throat, his eye, his stomach, until they both sat down against the wall, gasping for breath.
"That was the Arisugawa I remember. Well done," Saionji said, once the burning had left his lungs.
"Thank you," Juri replied, opening her water bottle and taking a long sip. She swallowed, then offered the bottle to Saionji without thinking, and he accepted it in the same way. He picked up the top from the floor and capped the bottle.
"Do you think you would have an advantage if you used my sword?" he asked.
"What's wrong with mine?" she asked.
"That's not what I meant," he said. "I mean… my sword. You could have killed me several times, Arisugawa. Perhaps if I were your bride for this fight, it would keep your rage and disgust with Kiryuu fresh."
Juri seemed to consider this for a moment. It was no small offer. Saionji Kyoichi had never willingly played the bride for anyone.
"I appreciate your offer, Saionji," Juri answered finally. "But I can't. The sword inside you is without doubt a katana, for which I have no talent. The girl Touga believes to be the Rose Bride is safe, and he will have no sword at all unless he thinks to bring one along. He won't be drawing any swords from anyone, and hopefully that will be the end of this nonsense."
Saionji was faintly disappointed. This was a fight that he wanted to see, and he longed for Touga's humiliation as much as Juri did. Moreover, he wanted to be a part of it. But if Juri did not want a bride for this fight, Saionji had to respect her wish.
"Do you really believe that one duel will end this?" Saionji asked her. Juri's mouth twitched with a wry smirk, and she held out her left hand, looking at her duelist's ring.
"It wouldn't be the first miracle we've seen, Saionji."