{Once upon a time, there was a shadow. It was a really cool shadow,
and it lived at a prestigious school called Ohtori Academy. And
everyone told her their important plots and secrets-}
[Will you stop that? I *told* you that shadow wasn't you.]
{Why can't I be in the story?}
[Do you really want to live in a world where everything turns on an
axis that is the whim of a fallen angel? Do you want to live driven
only by that which you can never possesses, under the illusion that it
is almost within your grasp? Do you really want to struggle and suffer
to reach the Ends of the World, only to find you are merely a butterfly
in someone's mason jar?]
{Hmm, when you put it that way... no.}
[It is a painful existence, to live within someone else's dying dream.]
{Isn't there any hope for them? They don't seem like bad people. I
mean, they're really just children, aren't they?}
[Children who can never grow up.]
{Can't anything save them?}
[Perhaps, if one can find the hidden meaning behind each story, each
drama, each fairy tale. Perhaps there really can be a prince again,
for more then just a fleeting instant.]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shatter
A Shoujo Kakumei Utena Fanfiction
By Lady Brick
www.mindeclipse.com
Part 3 - Splintered Plots
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"He really wants me to duel. I don't understand, why won't he duel her
himself? He claims he wants to save her. And he was certainly willing
to do it before, right?"
"It seems that working with Ohtori has given him some insight into how
this game works. He knows that she doesn't want him for her prince.
And he knows that he wants to beat the Ends of the World at his own
game, as much as he wants to win her."
Kyoko threw herself back on her bed and sighed. She stared at the
ceiling, as the shadows of the trees danced outside her window. "So?
He's motivated then."
"But his motives aren't pure. Hers are, they always have been. He
won't be able to beat her, and he knows that."
"But why me? He doesn't even know me! Where would he get such a
ridiculous-" She broke off, staring accusingly at the ceiling. "You
did this, didn't you?"
"Don't you trust me by now?"
"It... it's hard. Did you?"
A soft sigh. "I may have nudged his thoughts in that direction, but
the seed was already there."
Kyoko's lip trembled slightly. "How could you do that? You know I'm
scared to death of what could happen! It's bad enough that you brought
me here, now this?"
"I thought you were expecting this."
"But I didn't think I would have to duel *her*!"
"I'm sorry, I really am. But this is the only way. I know there is
great risk in doing this, and Ohtori finding out is the least of it.
But I don't think he will. And there's certainly no way for him to
know that I am here."
"Just saving your own skin, as usual." Kyoko's face immediately grew
rueful, even shocked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Really."
There was a hint of pain in the response. "I know. Get some rest.
You'll need it for tomorrow."
The shadows on the ceiling shifted, becoming more hollow somehow.
Kyoko rolled on her side, her face tight, her eyes focused on the gold
figural rose on her hand.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The soft night breeze sifted through Touga's hair as he walked slowly
across the campus. It was deserted this late, which was fine with him.
To the casual observer, he might have appeared to be wandering
aimlessly, but in short time he found himself at the foot of the
Chairman's tower, straining to see the windows at the top. He knew
that she was most likely asleep by now, but somewhere inside, faintly,
he hoped she would peer out, see him.
It was ridiculous, of course. He should have seen the trap laid for
him from the beginning. Tenjou-kun was the fulcrum on which the
Revolution turned. It was clear now that none of the Student Council
ever really had a chance to defeat her. She was in Ohtori's hands now.
And, fool that she was, she actually believed she loved the man. And
even more absurd, that he loved her.
So why was he staking everything on some strange girl he hardly knew?
It had seemed so clear when he had conceived of it: tossing in an
element that Ohtori wouldn't expect, throwing a wrench in the works at
this pivotal late point. But for it to work, she would have to win the
duel. And he knew nothing about her, why she would even want to join
in on this strange game that she somehow seemed to know a little too
much about.
He had decided to trust that little voice inside his mind, the one that
told him it was the only way to save his princess. Kyoko seemed to be
a nice enough girl, but nothing more. He would willingly toss her to
the Ends of the World if need be, if it was the only suitable sacrifice
to rescue Tenjou-kun.
He only hoped he wasn't making a terrible mistake.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthy had been excused for the night, leaving Akio alone, sprawled
across one of his plush white sofas, deep in thought.
It had been a long time since he had felt even the tiniest movement of
wind act outside of his control. And yet, earlier, he had been thrown
completely off-balance. Tenjou should not have been in that accident.
He should have been able to stop it. More importantly, he should have
known it was going to happen. He knew, of course, what Kiryuu had
planned to tell her on their little ride, and had thus planned to
intercept them. But then the new student had shown up, and his
attentions had been drawn away ever so briefly.
Mawahisa Kyoko. The girl whose arrival had also caught him by
surprise.
That girl seemed to bear much closer watching than he had originally
thought. Two portents, both involving her, was far beyond the realm of
consequence. He knew she wasn't the one causing these... disturbances.
She had been in his presence, and he had felt nothing of that sort of
power within her. But something was using her as a focal point, a
force that seemed intent on disrupting his plans, perhaps even stopping
the Revolution.
He wasn't worried, not really. He shaped this world within the world,
it breathed with his own breath. No force, no matter how powerful,
could keep him from gaining what he sought. And when that power was
finally his...
He needed to find out exactly why this girl was so important to those
who sought to stop him. A small smile twitched across his lips. The
girl was indeed quite lovely. It would be... enjoyable.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kyoko had just changed into a pair of flannel pajamas when a soft knock
at the door caught her attention. Grabbing a black robe from her
closet, she quickly slipped it on before opening the door.
Kiryuu Touga stood there, a slight smile on his face. He seemed
oblivious to the surprising number of girls who had stuck their heads
into the hallway to see whose room he was visiting this time.
Kyoko blinked at him. "What in the world are you doing here?"
Touga raised an eyebrow. "You keep your hair up even when you sleep?"
She raised a hand defensively to her tightly coiled bun. "Aren't you
going to invite me in?"
Scowling, and flushing slightly at the giggles dancing up and down the
hall, she stepped aside, allowing him to pass. He closed the door
behind him, taking a seat on her bed.
Kyoko defiantly plopped into her desk chair. "What *are* you doing
here?"
"Is there a problem with my being here? I just came to discuss the
duel tomorrow." As if to contradict his words, he stretched out
luxuriously on the bed.
"What about it?"
"Well, it's more of a warning, really. The circumstances of the duels
can be bewildering to some... there is a somewhat... supernatural aura
about them. Don't let that distract you at all. This is too
important."
Kyoko nodded, wordlessly.
He gave a small laugh. "You really are an odd one, Mawahisa-san. You
arrive at a new school, make no effort to instigate any close
relationships, friendship or otherwise, and allow yourself to be pulled
into a strange game of mysterious duels with no argument or complaint.
One would almost consider that suspicious behavior."
"So? What's your point?" Kyoko's voice was harsh, but with an
underlying note of worry.
Touga studied her face, a study of fatigue masked behind a sheath of
ice. "Are you certain you wouldn't prefer to discuss this over here?"
He indicated the empty space on the bed next to him.
Kyoko's grasp on the desk chair tightened. "No thank you, I'm fine."
"Really, no interest in either myself or the Chairman? Perhaps I
should introduce you to Arisugawa."
"Just because I don't immediately jump into bed with every guy I meet
at this school doesn't mean that I'm-" She stopped suddenly.
"You're what?"
"Nothing, never mind. Besides, it's not like I ever said I didn't-"
She stopped herself again. "Was there anything else you wanted to
discuss, about the duel I mean?"
He ignored the obvious reply, filing away yet another puzzle piece for
later pondering. How did she know what he meant about Juri? He was
fairly certain Kyoko hadn't met her yet... "No, not at the moment."
"Then why are you still here?"
Touga raised an eyebrow. "I've barely been here five minutes. You
can't expect me to tarnish my reputation in such a manner, can you?"
Kyoko stared at him before flushing and turning away from his lazy
smile.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The sun-warmed grass felt nice on her aching back. Utena lay on the
ground, eyes closed, lunch forgotten. The pain of yesterday has
softened, but everything was so darned *stiff*.
"Tenjou-kun. I hope you're feeling better today?" Touga's voice cut
through her reverie.
Utena opened her eyes and pondered a response. He had seemed sincerely
concerned yesterday after the accent, so her usual rude response seemed
too... well, rude. She settled for an affirmative grunt.
"I was asked to deliver this to you... I pray the timing isn't too
inconvenient." An envelope with a conspicuous rose seal appeared in
his hand.
"It would seem that the timing is a lot more convenient for you, Mr.
President," she replied slowly, voice thick with suspicion. "Is this
another underhanded-"
"I'm not going to be your opponent, Tenjou-kun."
That caught her off-guard. "Who, then,"
"That would be telling, wouldn't it?" The envelope fluttered into her
lap. "I hope you're up to it. And I'm glad that you're doing better."
Utena watched him walk away, somewhat confused at his change in tone
with his last words. Why the hell couldn't he ever just be
straightforward? Tying to figure out whose side he was on only left
her with a headache and more questions.
Sighing with annoyance, she ripped open the envelope.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
He was waiting for her at the gate. She had exchanged her uniform
skirt for gray slacks, and kept having to force herself from fiddling
with the buttons on the fitted blazer.
Touga appraised her briefly. "Nervous?"
She shrugged, then nodded, stepping towards the gate.
"You won't be able to open that," he told her as her hand closed around
the handle. "It's locked." However, as soon as the words fell from
his lips, he heard the cranking of gears, the sudden splash of flowing
water. He frowned slightly.
"Is something wrong?" Kyoko asked, her expression too innocent.
Glancing at her right hand, Touga saw it was bare; the odd figural rose
ring she wore was on the left. "Nothing. I guess I was mistaken."
The elevator ride was, as usual, almost painfully slow. Kyoko stood
off to one side, the railing shadows cutting across her face. Touga's
eyes remained focused on the roofs that drifted away from them, lost in
thought.
They finally reached the arena. Touga let Kyoko stare wordlessly at
the castle that spun lazily in the sky, a slight uneasiness tickling
the corner of his mind.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Utena arrived with the Rose Bride only moments later, in full duel
regalia. She looked at Touga with suspicion, but her expression
shifted to one of bewilderment when she saw Kyoko. "Hey, I remember
you. What are you doing here? I thought you were sick or something.
Is he forcing you to do this?" She jerked her head at Touga.
Kyoko turned to study Utena for a moment before answering. Her smile
was somewhat sad. "I'm doing this for my own reasons. Don't worry
about me. I know what I'm doing." She gave a warm nod to Anthy, as
the girl pinned a white rose to her blazer pocket.
Utena sighed and shrugged. "If you say so. Not like anything I say
ever convinces you people of anything."
Kyoko gave a short laugh at that. She saw Anthy step towards Utena,
then started as an arm gently snaked around her waist.
"Just relax," whispered Touga.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A soft light gently grew under his hand, shining though his fingers.
He supported her carefully (how could he have forgotten about the
attack she'd been having when he first met her?) The glow intensified
as he tipped her backwards, and with a sudden burst of white, the
handle of a sword, straight gold hilt and leather-wrapped grip,
appeared beneath his hand. He wrapped his fingers around to draw the
sword--
He heard a scream. No, two screams. No, not heard precisely. One
seemed to echo inside his head, as if an old recording were being
played back inside his skull while he pulled out the sword. As it
grew, he could hear that it was many voices joined in unison, shouting
in unison, creating an almost hypnotic rhythm. He could almost make
out their words--
A tug on his arm broke whatever spell he had momentarily been under.
At first he thought it was Kyoko taking her weapon, but she was still
draped across his arm like a limp doll. His eyes widened in
astonishment as he saw the sword itself, quivering in his grip, as if
straining to escape. His gaze remained locked on the blade until
Kyoko's hand closed over his. He silently relented the sword to her,
watched her stride past the upright cars thrust through the arena floor
that he hadn't even seen appear, his face a calm mask, an overwhelming
sense of *wrongness* deep inside.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Himemiya, are you okay?" Utena gripped her sword firmly, looking
worriedly at her friend. She was certain she had heard her scream a
moment ago, but Anthy's face was as serene as ever now.
"Utena-sama, be careful," was the girl's only reply, as Kyoko's blade
sliced towards the rose on Utena's chest.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kyoko slashed viciously at Utena, watching the younger girl dance out
of harms way with a grudging admiration. Her next strike was equally
fierce, though not entirely of her own choosing. The sword fought her
grasp, and only by locking the muscles in her lower arm was she able to
restrain it at all. This didn't make for very good control, but her
wild attack did force Tenjou to remain on the defensive.
"Hey, careful!" Utena yelled as one lunge brought the sword point
inches from her nose."
"Sorry, accident." Kyoko desperately shifted her grip, her next strike
tearing through one of the uprooted cars as though it were made of tin
foil.
As if expressing its indignation at being wounded, the car's headlights
flared to life, cutting through the sky to strike the castle far above.
The other cars followed suit, throwing the spinning turrets into bright
relief.
Kyoko paused briefly to blink the blinding light from her eyes.
However they refused to clear. A tightness grew in her chest. "Please
not now," she whispered, bringing her free hand up to her chest.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Utena didn't notice Kyoko's antics, focused on the tiny figure
descending from the castle on the sky, transparent cape fluttering
behind. He stretched out his arms towards her...
And stopped.
Utena blinked. The apparition remained floating far above, not yet
near enough for facial features to be distinguishable. He seemed to
be... waiting?
"Utena-sama! Something is wrong with Mawahisa-sempai."
Anthy's voice snapped her back to the arena. Lowering her gaze, she
saw the older girl clutching her chest, her sword arm shaking. "Hey,"
she said tentatively, lowering her sword and taking a step forward.
"Are you okay?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kyoko saw the Rose Bride approach with the last shreds of vision. Her
knees almost buckling, she felt the sword snap her arm up. Helplessly,
it pulled her stumbling swiftly towards Anthy.
There was an angry shout, and she felt the sword strike something.
Taking a deep breath, the pain starting to lessen, Kyoko hesitantly
opened her eyes.
Anthy was sprawled on the ground, apparently pushed out of harms way.
Kyoko's sword had sunk part way into Utena's shoulder. The last few
petals of her rose, sliced in half by the blade, fluttered to the arena
floor.
"Oh no, I'm sorry," Kyoko croaked. "I didn't mean to..." Gently, she
eased the blade out of the wound, wincing at Tenjou's hiss of pain.
She continued to take deep breaths, the ache in her chest lingering.
"What happened?" Touga had come forward to join the small group.
"Tenjou-kun, your shoulder... We need to get you to a doctor right
away."
"I'm sorry," Kyoko muttered again, her eyes downcast.
She was completely unprepared for the sharp blow that struck her in the
face. She dimly realized that Utena must have hit her the same instant
her head struck the arena floors, pounding stars through her vision.
Fear quickly flooded through her as long fingers closed around her
throat and began to tighten.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She had lost.
She had felt the rose explode against her breast, somehow even more
clearly than the pain of the sword slicing through her flesh. But when
the sword in her grip has disappeared, and the realization of what she
had lost struck her, then the pain of the wound had shot through her,
bringing with it an icy coolness that slid through her veins, straight
to stab at her heart.
She had lost.
No, it was more than that. She had been robbed of the one thing that
meant the most to her, the person who she had devoted to protecting
from these mysterious forces that sought to toy with her like a puppet
on a string. This stranger, this thief, this... *witch* had appeared
from nowhere, feigned helplessness, and coerced everyone into pitying
her, just to slip in and destroy everything she had worked for.
So it seemed perfectly natural to be throttling the life out of the
lying, scheming witch, digging her fingers tight into the older girl's
neck and watching her face turn red, futilely struggling to break free.
"Tenjou-kun!" A strong hand clamped down on her shoulder, trying to
pull her away. She responded by driving an elbow hard into his
stomach. With a choked gasp, she was released.
She noted that Mawahisa's struggles were becoming weaker. She bore
down even harder.
Someone shook her gently. "Tenjou-san, what are you doing? Please
stop this!"
Without looking, Utena struck out hard. There was the sound of
something breaking, and a sharp pain lanced across her hand.
She suddenly snapped back to herself. What the hell was she doing?
Shaking, she let go of Mawahisa and backed away. The girl lay gasping,
bringing one hand up to her throat, where bright red marks stood out
sharply against her pale skin.
Turning, she saw Anthy crouched on her knees, one hand to her face, her
glasses lying in pieces next to her. That must have been what had cut
her hand.
Which meant she had hit Anthy.
"Himemiya..." The smaller girl didn't look up at her. "I'm sorry, I-"
She choked off a sob. She couldn't look at kneeling there any longer.
Turning, she ran from the arena.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Touga watched Tenjou flee the arena. He considered going after her,
but his bruised torso spoke against it. Whatever had brought about
that uncharacteristic burst of violence, she would most likely want to
be alone for now, and wouldn't appreciate his intrusion. He winced
slightly as he rubbed his stomach. Tenjou was a lot stronger than she
looked.
He left Anthy to gather up the remains of her glasses, moving to check
on Kyoko. She seemed to be breathing fine now, but her right eye was
swelling from Utena's first punch, and there were bruises circling her
throat. Her eyes were open, staring. At first he thought she was in
shock, but he quickly realized she was simply staring at the castle
overhead, where the ghostly figured had hovered only a few minutes ago.
"I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely, a strange echo of Utena. "I
didn't mean for this to happen." She struggled to sit up, and Touga
helped her. "Himemiya-san?"
"Yes Kyoko-sama?" Anthy stood, a small smile as she faced the new
victor?
"Could you please wait for me at my dorm? I have to take care of
something. Don't go back to the tower."
Anthy nodded and left the arena.
"I don't think Tenjou will attack her again," Touga mused as he helped
the girl stand. "Whatever caused her to-"
"It was the sword."
Touga paused. "What?"
"The sword. Where is it?" She glanced around, only to find it was
still in her hand. It no longer tried to move in her grip, but she
still looked at it darkly. "It was a mistake. I have to destroy it."
Touga blinked at her. Whatever half-formed plans he had had for this
duel, things had spun way out of his control. He didn't like it at
all. "What do you mean the sword made Tenjou act the way she did?"
"It... poisoned her, in a way. But she should be fine now." Shakily,
she strode towards the arena wall.
"Okay. For the moment I will take your word on that." His voice was
thick with sarcasm. "But what are you-" He broke off when he saw her
pull her sword arm back. "I don't think that is-"
Kyoko drove the sword into the large stone blocks with all her might.
It shattered impressively, metal splinters falling to the ground with a
gentle ringing sound.
Kyoko promptly fainted.
Sighing, the beginnings of a headache coming on, Touga strode over to
the unconscious girl, easily hefting her limp form. Obviously, he'd
have to wait for any answers.
He paused when he reached the elevators. Being the president of the
Student Council, he had many freedoms the other students didn't.
However, he doubted even he could return a beaten and unconscious girl
back to her dorm without some kind of investigation or repercussions.
And after the stunt he had pulled here, he couldn't count on any help
from Ohtori in this matter. Or perhaps any other from this point on.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akio lowered his opera glasses as Touga entered the elevator, leaving
the arena deserted. The herd of cars slowly sank back into the floor,
leaving it smooth and perfect as ever.
Well. The result of this duel would certainly require a bit of
adjustment to his plan, but it was of little consequence. He had
recognized Mawahisa's sword from the instant it was drawn. Judging
from her reaction, Anthy had as well. It seemed that Kyoko was
determined to keep his sister away from him, so he wouldn't be able to
confirm his suspicions immediately. If he was correct, it was
certainly a brilliant move against him. But could he really expect
anything less from his own flesh and blood?
He heard the soft chime of the elevator door, and the quiet breathing
of Utena, trying to stifle her sobs. He really should go offer comfort
to the distraught girl. His delicate princess.
But later, he would go for a drive. And he planned to have some
special company this time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthy sat in a plush chair in the hall of the dorm, unperturbed by the
puzzled stares of the students who came and went. Her eyes focused on
the door to Kyoko-sama's room. Kyoko-sama. She felt a slight twinge
of sadness for Tenjou, who had seemed so upset when she ran off. But
she would understand eventually that this was all really for the best.
She was again rubbing the bridge of her nose, trying to adjust to the
absence of her glasses, when a soft "chu" went off in her ear. Turning
her head, she saw the small animal clinging to the side of her chair, a
long shadow trailing behind him.
"ChuChu!" she said happily, gathering him in her arms. She glanced
back at the shadow, which remained hovering on the wall. "Thank you
for bringing him. I was getting a bit lonely." She hesitated. "If
you see Kyoko-sama before I do, please thank her for me."
The shadow swirled in acknowledgement, then disappeared back down the
hall.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Touga had laid Kyoko down in one of the larger spare bedrooms when he
arrived home, since she had shown no signs of waking anytime soon. He
hadn't seen Nanami around, which saved him from having to give
explanations he didn't have. Kyoko's head had lolled awkwardly on the
pillow, so he had carefully unpinned her pale hair, a task he had more
then a little experience with. Leaving her, he went to the kitchen to
get an icepack for her black eye and a glass of water for when she
woke.
He was a bit confused at how he felt about the outcome of the duel.
Certainly, he wanted Tenjou out of Ohtori's grasp, removed as victor
from the duel Revolution. He had thought this girl was a possible key
to unlock Tenjou's cage, and he had acted accordingly. And yet the
circumstances were such that he felt that *he* was the one being played
for a fool in this situation. He doubted that Ohtori would risk
everything on an unknown girl, so who else was manipulating the
strings?
Left with too many unanswered questions, a situation he disliked
greatly, he headed back to the guest room.
He was surprised to see Kyoko was beginning to waken already as he
stepped into the room. A floorboard creaked under his foot and she
jerked upright like a shot, pale hair tumbling down he shoulders. She
stared at him with wide eyes, still fogged with the confusion of sudden
consciousness.
Her eyes had always been oddly shadowed before, but he could see them
clearly now. Her deep, familiar, frighteningly blue eyes.
"Gods," he whispered, glass plunging from limp fingers to shatter on
the floor. Staring at her, he vaguely realized that perhaps for the
first time in his life, he was completely at a loss for words.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
{Wow. That was... interesting.}
[Illusions often are, especially once one sees what lies behind them.]
{And will that happen anytime soon?}
[Of course. Even in a world of make believe and fairy tales, rules
must be followed. The witch's spell will be cured by a kiss, and the
frog will once more become a prince, and the villain will be revealed
for what he is.]
{But will there be a happily ever after?}
[Maybe. I can't guarantee it. But I'll try.]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Author's Notes:
And things twist even tighter. I promise that everything will be
explained in the next two parts, especially all seemingly OOC behavior,
and hopefully all readers will have plenty of bursts of realization.
Some people probably suspect what is going on at this point already,
but hopefully there will be enough surprises left for everyone ^^;; I
really can't comment on anything specifically in this part, except I
feel a little bad for Touga at this point.
Comments and critiques are encouraged as usual.
Lady Brick
lady_brick@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: I did not create Utena and do not own any of the
characters. Though I doubt anyone thought I did.
and it lived at a prestigious school called Ohtori Academy. And
everyone told her their important plots and secrets-}
[Will you stop that? I *told* you that shadow wasn't you.]
{Why can't I be in the story?}
[Do you really want to live in a world where everything turns on an
axis that is the whim of a fallen angel? Do you want to live driven
only by that which you can never possesses, under the illusion that it
is almost within your grasp? Do you really want to struggle and suffer
to reach the Ends of the World, only to find you are merely a butterfly
in someone's mason jar?]
{Hmm, when you put it that way... no.}
[It is a painful existence, to live within someone else's dying dream.]
{Isn't there any hope for them? They don't seem like bad people. I
mean, they're really just children, aren't they?}
[Children who can never grow up.]
{Can't anything save them?}
[Perhaps, if one can find the hidden meaning behind each story, each
drama, each fairy tale. Perhaps there really can be a prince again,
for more then just a fleeting instant.]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shatter
A Shoujo Kakumei Utena Fanfiction
By Lady Brick
www.mindeclipse.com
Part 3 - Splintered Plots
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"He really wants me to duel. I don't understand, why won't he duel her
himself? He claims he wants to save her. And he was certainly willing
to do it before, right?"
"It seems that working with Ohtori has given him some insight into how
this game works. He knows that she doesn't want him for her prince.
And he knows that he wants to beat the Ends of the World at his own
game, as much as he wants to win her."
Kyoko threw herself back on her bed and sighed. She stared at the
ceiling, as the shadows of the trees danced outside her window. "So?
He's motivated then."
"But his motives aren't pure. Hers are, they always have been. He
won't be able to beat her, and he knows that."
"But why me? He doesn't even know me! Where would he get such a
ridiculous-" She broke off, staring accusingly at the ceiling. "You
did this, didn't you?"
"Don't you trust me by now?"
"It... it's hard. Did you?"
A soft sigh. "I may have nudged his thoughts in that direction, but
the seed was already there."
Kyoko's lip trembled slightly. "How could you do that? You know I'm
scared to death of what could happen! It's bad enough that you brought
me here, now this?"
"I thought you were expecting this."
"But I didn't think I would have to duel *her*!"
"I'm sorry, I really am. But this is the only way. I know there is
great risk in doing this, and Ohtori finding out is the least of it.
But I don't think he will. And there's certainly no way for him to
know that I am here."
"Just saving your own skin, as usual." Kyoko's face immediately grew
rueful, even shocked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Really."
There was a hint of pain in the response. "I know. Get some rest.
You'll need it for tomorrow."
The shadows on the ceiling shifted, becoming more hollow somehow.
Kyoko rolled on her side, her face tight, her eyes focused on the gold
figural rose on her hand.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The soft night breeze sifted through Touga's hair as he walked slowly
across the campus. It was deserted this late, which was fine with him.
To the casual observer, he might have appeared to be wandering
aimlessly, but in short time he found himself at the foot of the
Chairman's tower, straining to see the windows at the top. He knew
that she was most likely asleep by now, but somewhere inside, faintly,
he hoped she would peer out, see him.
It was ridiculous, of course. He should have seen the trap laid for
him from the beginning. Tenjou-kun was the fulcrum on which the
Revolution turned. It was clear now that none of the Student Council
ever really had a chance to defeat her. She was in Ohtori's hands now.
And, fool that she was, she actually believed she loved the man. And
even more absurd, that he loved her.
So why was he staking everything on some strange girl he hardly knew?
It had seemed so clear when he had conceived of it: tossing in an
element that Ohtori wouldn't expect, throwing a wrench in the works at
this pivotal late point. But for it to work, she would have to win the
duel. And he knew nothing about her, why she would even want to join
in on this strange game that she somehow seemed to know a little too
much about.
He had decided to trust that little voice inside his mind, the one that
told him it was the only way to save his princess. Kyoko seemed to be
a nice enough girl, but nothing more. He would willingly toss her to
the Ends of the World if need be, if it was the only suitable sacrifice
to rescue Tenjou-kun.
He only hoped he wasn't making a terrible mistake.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthy had been excused for the night, leaving Akio alone, sprawled
across one of his plush white sofas, deep in thought.
It had been a long time since he had felt even the tiniest movement of
wind act outside of his control. And yet, earlier, he had been thrown
completely off-balance. Tenjou should not have been in that accident.
He should have been able to stop it. More importantly, he should have
known it was going to happen. He knew, of course, what Kiryuu had
planned to tell her on their little ride, and had thus planned to
intercept them. But then the new student had shown up, and his
attentions had been drawn away ever so briefly.
Mawahisa Kyoko. The girl whose arrival had also caught him by
surprise.
That girl seemed to bear much closer watching than he had originally
thought. Two portents, both involving her, was far beyond the realm of
consequence. He knew she wasn't the one causing these... disturbances.
She had been in his presence, and he had felt nothing of that sort of
power within her. But something was using her as a focal point, a
force that seemed intent on disrupting his plans, perhaps even stopping
the Revolution.
He wasn't worried, not really. He shaped this world within the world,
it breathed with his own breath. No force, no matter how powerful,
could keep him from gaining what he sought. And when that power was
finally his...
He needed to find out exactly why this girl was so important to those
who sought to stop him. A small smile twitched across his lips. The
girl was indeed quite lovely. It would be... enjoyable.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kyoko had just changed into a pair of flannel pajamas when a soft knock
at the door caught her attention. Grabbing a black robe from her
closet, she quickly slipped it on before opening the door.
Kiryuu Touga stood there, a slight smile on his face. He seemed
oblivious to the surprising number of girls who had stuck their heads
into the hallway to see whose room he was visiting this time.
Kyoko blinked at him. "What in the world are you doing here?"
Touga raised an eyebrow. "You keep your hair up even when you sleep?"
She raised a hand defensively to her tightly coiled bun. "Aren't you
going to invite me in?"
Scowling, and flushing slightly at the giggles dancing up and down the
hall, she stepped aside, allowing him to pass. He closed the door
behind him, taking a seat on her bed.
Kyoko defiantly plopped into her desk chair. "What *are* you doing
here?"
"Is there a problem with my being here? I just came to discuss the
duel tomorrow." As if to contradict his words, he stretched out
luxuriously on the bed.
"What about it?"
"Well, it's more of a warning, really. The circumstances of the duels
can be bewildering to some... there is a somewhat... supernatural aura
about them. Don't let that distract you at all. This is too
important."
Kyoko nodded, wordlessly.
He gave a small laugh. "You really are an odd one, Mawahisa-san. You
arrive at a new school, make no effort to instigate any close
relationships, friendship or otherwise, and allow yourself to be pulled
into a strange game of mysterious duels with no argument or complaint.
One would almost consider that suspicious behavior."
"So? What's your point?" Kyoko's voice was harsh, but with an
underlying note of worry.
Touga studied her face, a study of fatigue masked behind a sheath of
ice. "Are you certain you wouldn't prefer to discuss this over here?"
He indicated the empty space on the bed next to him.
Kyoko's grasp on the desk chair tightened. "No thank you, I'm fine."
"Really, no interest in either myself or the Chairman? Perhaps I
should introduce you to Arisugawa."
"Just because I don't immediately jump into bed with every guy I meet
at this school doesn't mean that I'm-" She stopped suddenly.
"You're what?"
"Nothing, never mind. Besides, it's not like I ever said I didn't-"
She stopped herself again. "Was there anything else you wanted to
discuss, about the duel I mean?"
He ignored the obvious reply, filing away yet another puzzle piece for
later pondering. How did she know what he meant about Juri? He was
fairly certain Kyoko hadn't met her yet... "No, not at the moment."
"Then why are you still here?"
Touga raised an eyebrow. "I've barely been here five minutes. You
can't expect me to tarnish my reputation in such a manner, can you?"
Kyoko stared at him before flushing and turning away from his lazy
smile.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The sun-warmed grass felt nice on her aching back. Utena lay on the
ground, eyes closed, lunch forgotten. The pain of yesterday has
softened, but everything was so darned *stiff*.
"Tenjou-kun. I hope you're feeling better today?" Touga's voice cut
through her reverie.
Utena opened her eyes and pondered a response. He had seemed sincerely
concerned yesterday after the accent, so her usual rude response seemed
too... well, rude. She settled for an affirmative grunt.
"I was asked to deliver this to you... I pray the timing isn't too
inconvenient." An envelope with a conspicuous rose seal appeared in
his hand.
"It would seem that the timing is a lot more convenient for you, Mr.
President," she replied slowly, voice thick with suspicion. "Is this
another underhanded-"
"I'm not going to be your opponent, Tenjou-kun."
That caught her off-guard. "Who, then,"
"That would be telling, wouldn't it?" The envelope fluttered into her
lap. "I hope you're up to it. And I'm glad that you're doing better."
Utena watched him walk away, somewhat confused at his change in tone
with his last words. Why the hell couldn't he ever just be
straightforward? Tying to figure out whose side he was on only left
her with a headache and more questions.
Sighing with annoyance, she ripped open the envelope.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
He was waiting for her at the gate. She had exchanged her uniform
skirt for gray slacks, and kept having to force herself from fiddling
with the buttons on the fitted blazer.
Touga appraised her briefly. "Nervous?"
She shrugged, then nodded, stepping towards the gate.
"You won't be able to open that," he told her as her hand closed around
the handle. "It's locked." However, as soon as the words fell from
his lips, he heard the cranking of gears, the sudden splash of flowing
water. He frowned slightly.
"Is something wrong?" Kyoko asked, her expression too innocent.
Glancing at her right hand, Touga saw it was bare; the odd figural rose
ring she wore was on the left. "Nothing. I guess I was mistaken."
The elevator ride was, as usual, almost painfully slow. Kyoko stood
off to one side, the railing shadows cutting across her face. Touga's
eyes remained focused on the roofs that drifted away from them, lost in
thought.
They finally reached the arena. Touga let Kyoko stare wordlessly at
the castle that spun lazily in the sky, a slight uneasiness tickling
the corner of his mind.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Utena arrived with the Rose Bride only moments later, in full duel
regalia. She looked at Touga with suspicion, but her expression
shifted to one of bewilderment when she saw Kyoko. "Hey, I remember
you. What are you doing here? I thought you were sick or something.
Is he forcing you to do this?" She jerked her head at Touga.
Kyoko turned to study Utena for a moment before answering. Her smile
was somewhat sad. "I'm doing this for my own reasons. Don't worry
about me. I know what I'm doing." She gave a warm nod to Anthy, as
the girl pinned a white rose to her blazer pocket.
Utena sighed and shrugged. "If you say so. Not like anything I say
ever convinces you people of anything."
Kyoko gave a short laugh at that. She saw Anthy step towards Utena,
then started as an arm gently snaked around her waist.
"Just relax," whispered Touga.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A soft light gently grew under his hand, shining though his fingers.
He supported her carefully (how could he have forgotten about the
attack she'd been having when he first met her?) The glow intensified
as he tipped her backwards, and with a sudden burst of white, the
handle of a sword, straight gold hilt and leather-wrapped grip,
appeared beneath his hand. He wrapped his fingers around to draw the
sword--
He heard a scream. No, two screams. No, not heard precisely. One
seemed to echo inside his head, as if an old recording were being
played back inside his skull while he pulled out the sword. As it
grew, he could hear that it was many voices joined in unison, shouting
in unison, creating an almost hypnotic rhythm. He could almost make
out their words--
A tug on his arm broke whatever spell he had momentarily been under.
At first he thought it was Kyoko taking her weapon, but she was still
draped across his arm like a limp doll. His eyes widened in
astonishment as he saw the sword itself, quivering in his grip, as if
straining to escape. His gaze remained locked on the blade until
Kyoko's hand closed over his. He silently relented the sword to her,
watched her stride past the upright cars thrust through the arena floor
that he hadn't even seen appear, his face a calm mask, an overwhelming
sense of *wrongness* deep inside.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Himemiya, are you okay?" Utena gripped her sword firmly, looking
worriedly at her friend. She was certain she had heard her scream a
moment ago, but Anthy's face was as serene as ever now.
"Utena-sama, be careful," was the girl's only reply, as Kyoko's blade
sliced towards the rose on Utena's chest.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kyoko slashed viciously at Utena, watching the younger girl dance out
of harms way with a grudging admiration. Her next strike was equally
fierce, though not entirely of her own choosing. The sword fought her
grasp, and only by locking the muscles in her lower arm was she able to
restrain it at all. This didn't make for very good control, but her
wild attack did force Tenjou to remain on the defensive.
"Hey, careful!" Utena yelled as one lunge brought the sword point
inches from her nose."
"Sorry, accident." Kyoko desperately shifted her grip, her next strike
tearing through one of the uprooted cars as though it were made of tin
foil.
As if expressing its indignation at being wounded, the car's headlights
flared to life, cutting through the sky to strike the castle far above.
The other cars followed suit, throwing the spinning turrets into bright
relief.
Kyoko paused briefly to blink the blinding light from her eyes.
However they refused to clear. A tightness grew in her chest. "Please
not now," she whispered, bringing her free hand up to her chest.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Utena didn't notice Kyoko's antics, focused on the tiny figure
descending from the castle on the sky, transparent cape fluttering
behind. He stretched out his arms towards her...
And stopped.
Utena blinked. The apparition remained floating far above, not yet
near enough for facial features to be distinguishable. He seemed to
be... waiting?
"Utena-sama! Something is wrong with Mawahisa-sempai."
Anthy's voice snapped her back to the arena. Lowering her gaze, she
saw the older girl clutching her chest, her sword arm shaking. "Hey,"
she said tentatively, lowering her sword and taking a step forward.
"Are you okay?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kyoko saw the Rose Bride approach with the last shreds of vision. Her
knees almost buckling, she felt the sword snap her arm up. Helplessly,
it pulled her stumbling swiftly towards Anthy.
There was an angry shout, and she felt the sword strike something.
Taking a deep breath, the pain starting to lessen, Kyoko hesitantly
opened her eyes.
Anthy was sprawled on the ground, apparently pushed out of harms way.
Kyoko's sword had sunk part way into Utena's shoulder. The last few
petals of her rose, sliced in half by the blade, fluttered to the arena
floor.
"Oh no, I'm sorry," Kyoko croaked. "I didn't mean to..." Gently, she
eased the blade out of the wound, wincing at Tenjou's hiss of pain.
She continued to take deep breaths, the ache in her chest lingering.
"What happened?" Touga had come forward to join the small group.
"Tenjou-kun, your shoulder... We need to get you to a doctor right
away."
"I'm sorry," Kyoko muttered again, her eyes downcast.
She was completely unprepared for the sharp blow that struck her in the
face. She dimly realized that Utena must have hit her the same instant
her head struck the arena floors, pounding stars through her vision.
Fear quickly flooded through her as long fingers closed around her
throat and began to tighten.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She had lost.
She had felt the rose explode against her breast, somehow even more
clearly than the pain of the sword slicing through her flesh. But when
the sword in her grip has disappeared, and the realization of what she
had lost struck her, then the pain of the wound had shot through her,
bringing with it an icy coolness that slid through her veins, straight
to stab at her heart.
She had lost.
No, it was more than that. She had been robbed of the one thing that
meant the most to her, the person who she had devoted to protecting
from these mysterious forces that sought to toy with her like a puppet
on a string. This stranger, this thief, this... *witch* had appeared
from nowhere, feigned helplessness, and coerced everyone into pitying
her, just to slip in and destroy everything she had worked for.
So it seemed perfectly natural to be throttling the life out of the
lying, scheming witch, digging her fingers tight into the older girl's
neck and watching her face turn red, futilely struggling to break free.
"Tenjou-kun!" A strong hand clamped down on her shoulder, trying to
pull her away. She responded by driving an elbow hard into his
stomach. With a choked gasp, she was released.
She noted that Mawahisa's struggles were becoming weaker. She bore
down even harder.
Someone shook her gently. "Tenjou-san, what are you doing? Please
stop this!"
Without looking, Utena struck out hard. There was the sound of
something breaking, and a sharp pain lanced across her hand.
She suddenly snapped back to herself. What the hell was she doing?
Shaking, she let go of Mawahisa and backed away. The girl lay gasping,
bringing one hand up to her throat, where bright red marks stood out
sharply against her pale skin.
Turning, she saw Anthy crouched on her knees, one hand to her face, her
glasses lying in pieces next to her. That must have been what had cut
her hand.
Which meant she had hit Anthy.
"Himemiya..." The smaller girl didn't look up at her. "I'm sorry, I-"
She choked off a sob. She couldn't look at kneeling there any longer.
Turning, she ran from the arena.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Touga watched Tenjou flee the arena. He considered going after her,
but his bruised torso spoke against it. Whatever had brought about
that uncharacteristic burst of violence, she would most likely want to
be alone for now, and wouldn't appreciate his intrusion. He winced
slightly as he rubbed his stomach. Tenjou was a lot stronger than she
looked.
He left Anthy to gather up the remains of her glasses, moving to check
on Kyoko. She seemed to be breathing fine now, but her right eye was
swelling from Utena's first punch, and there were bruises circling her
throat. Her eyes were open, staring. At first he thought she was in
shock, but he quickly realized she was simply staring at the castle
overhead, where the ghostly figured had hovered only a few minutes ago.
"I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely, a strange echo of Utena. "I
didn't mean for this to happen." She struggled to sit up, and Touga
helped her. "Himemiya-san?"
"Yes Kyoko-sama?" Anthy stood, a small smile as she faced the new
victor?
"Could you please wait for me at my dorm? I have to take care of
something. Don't go back to the tower."
Anthy nodded and left the arena.
"I don't think Tenjou will attack her again," Touga mused as he helped
the girl stand. "Whatever caused her to-"
"It was the sword."
Touga paused. "What?"
"The sword. Where is it?" She glanced around, only to find it was
still in her hand. It no longer tried to move in her grip, but she
still looked at it darkly. "It was a mistake. I have to destroy it."
Touga blinked at her. Whatever half-formed plans he had had for this
duel, things had spun way out of his control. He didn't like it at
all. "What do you mean the sword made Tenjou act the way she did?"
"It... poisoned her, in a way. But she should be fine now." Shakily,
she strode towards the arena wall.
"Okay. For the moment I will take your word on that." His voice was
thick with sarcasm. "But what are you-" He broke off when he saw her
pull her sword arm back. "I don't think that is-"
Kyoko drove the sword into the large stone blocks with all her might.
It shattered impressively, metal splinters falling to the ground with a
gentle ringing sound.
Kyoko promptly fainted.
Sighing, the beginnings of a headache coming on, Touga strode over to
the unconscious girl, easily hefting her limp form. Obviously, he'd
have to wait for any answers.
He paused when he reached the elevators. Being the president of the
Student Council, he had many freedoms the other students didn't.
However, he doubted even he could return a beaten and unconscious girl
back to her dorm without some kind of investigation or repercussions.
And after the stunt he had pulled here, he couldn't count on any help
from Ohtori in this matter. Or perhaps any other from this point on.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akio lowered his opera glasses as Touga entered the elevator, leaving
the arena deserted. The herd of cars slowly sank back into the floor,
leaving it smooth and perfect as ever.
Well. The result of this duel would certainly require a bit of
adjustment to his plan, but it was of little consequence. He had
recognized Mawahisa's sword from the instant it was drawn. Judging
from her reaction, Anthy had as well. It seemed that Kyoko was
determined to keep his sister away from him, so he wouldn't be able to
confirm his suspicions immediately. If he was correct, it was
certainly a brilliant move against him. But could he really expect
anything less from his own flesh and blood?
He heard the soft chime of the elevator door, and the quiet breathing
of Utena, trying to stifle her sobs. He really should go offer comfort
to the distraught girl. His delicate princess.
But later, he would go for a drive. And he planned to have some
special company this time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthy sat in a plush chair in the hall of the dorm, unperturbed by the
puzzled stares of the students who came and went. Her eyes focused on
the door to Kyoko-sama's room. Kyoko-sama. She felt a slight twinge
of sadness for Tenjou, who had seemed so upset when she ran off. But
she would understand eventually that this was all really for the best.
She was again rubbing the bridge of her nose, trying to adjust to the
absence of her glasses, when a soft "chu" went off in her ear. Turning
her head, she saw the small animal clinging to the side of her chair, a
long shadow trailing behind him.
"ChuChu!" she said happily, gathering him in her arms. She glanced
back at the shadow, which remained hovering on the wall. "Thank you
for bringing him. I was getting a bit lonely." She hesitated. "If
you see Kyoko-sama before I do, please thank her for me."
The shadow swirled in acknowledgement, then disappeared back down the
hall.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Touga had laid Kyoko down in one of the larger spare bedrooms when he
arrived home, since she had shown no signs of waking anytime soon. He
hadn't seen Nanami around, which saved him from having to give
explanations he didn't have. Kyoko's head had lolled awkwardly on the
pillow, so he had carefully unpinned her pale hair, a task he had more
then a little experience with. Leaving her, he went to the kitchen to
get an icepack for her black eye and a glass of water for when she
woke.
He was a bit confused at how he felt about the outcome of the duel.
Certainly, he wanted Tenjou out of Ohtori's grasp, removed as victor
from the duel Revolution. He had thought this girl was a possible key
to unlock Tenjou's cage, and he had acted accordingly. And yet the
circumstances were such that he felt that *he* was the one being played
for a fool in this situation. He doubted that Ohtori would risk
everything on an unknown girl, so who else was manipulating the
strings?
Left with too many unanswered questions, a situation he disliked
greatly, he headed back to the guest room.
He was surprised to see Kyoko was beginning to waken already as he
stepped into the room. A floorboard creaked under his foot and she
jerked upright like a shot, pale hair tumbling down he shoulders. She
stared at him with wide eyes, still fogged with the confusion of sudden
consciousness.
Her eyes had always been oddly shadowed before, but he could see them
clearly now. Her deep, familiar, frighteningly blue eyes.
"Gods," he whispered, glass plunging from limp fingers to shatter on
the floor. Staring at her, he vaguely realized that perhaps for the
first time in his life, he was completely at a loss for words.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
{Wow. That was... interesting.}
[Illusions often are, especially once one sees what lies behind them.]
{And will that happen anytime soon?}
[Of course. Even in a world of make believe and fairy tales, rules
must be followed. The witch's spell will be cured by a kiss, and the
frog will once more become a prince, and the villain will be revealed
for what he is.]
{But will there be a happily ever after?}
[Maybe. I can't guarantee it. But I'll try.]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Author's Notes:
And things twist even tighter. I promise that everything will be
explained in the next two parts, especially all seemingly OOC behavior,
and hopefully all readers will have plenty of bursts of realization.
Some people probably suspect what is going on at this point already,
but hopefully there will be enough surprises left for everyone ^^;; I
really can't comment on anything specifically in this part, except I
feel a little bad for Touga at this point.
Comments and critiques are encouraged as usual.
Lady Brick
lady_brick@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: I did not create Utena and do not own any of the
characters. Though I doubt anyone thought I did.