Chapter 3 - Once Upon A Time
They had driven down into the city and went to a small diner. Day had turned to night so easily and Juri was partly right for it had become quite chilly. They took a booth in the back away from the ears of others and were shortly greeted by a waitress. Juri and Kozue asked for soda's-Kozue added in her order of a salad-Utena just asked for a glass of water. They're orders had arrived and Juri began.
"We were informed that you wouldn't remember."
Utena had gulped down the water in seconds; it was the only sign that lead Juri to believe Utena was slightly on edge. She didn't blame her though; she herself would have been devastated by the information that was about to be pressed upon her.
"She told us to tell you a story." Juri continued, Kozue made a quick exit with a peck to Juri's cheek.
The younger of the two women grinned which caused Juri blush out of character.
"Shut up and listen."
"I didn't say anything. What makes you think I'll believe you anyways? And who the hell is "she"?" Utena already had numerous questions.
"There are things I can tell you. There are things I can't tell you. And there are things I am supposed to tell you. I'll tell you that which I can. I know you've always been curious so I think I get an idea of how hungry you are for answers."
"No, Arisugawa-san.. You've no idea." Utena sat back. "Start talking."
"Before we left, we being me and many other fellow toys to a certain world, she called a meeting between us. You had made us all free people, a revolution she said, and we owed you a favor." She shifted in her seat. "She gave each of us a piece of a story to tell you. So it didn't seem like it, Tenjou, but I've been searching for you for a very long time and I'm not the only one."
"You've already lost me." Utena picked up a near by newspaper and began to flip through it.
Juri glowered and shook her head. "It won't make sense for a little while. But you have to place some trust in me. If you don't, what other truths do you have to turn to? Besides there's more than enough proof in the tattoo, the orange one on your upper forearm, we've identical ones."
She pulled the sleeve of her right arm up and showed off the orange rose tattoo, Utena's matched all right. They matched in color, in design, in size and they were drawn in the same spots. Juri regarded Utena's silence as slight wonder and began to tell her piece of a story.
"In the beginning...there was a princess who lost her parents in a terrible accident. She mourned the death of her family for a long time. Than one day a noble prince came to her. He gave her a rose-crested ring, a kiss and asked her never to lose her nobility and strength. The princess was astonished by his courage, good nature and strength that she decided to become a prince herself. She wanted to be a prince who saved princesses in need of aid."
"Is that all? That was remarkable, honestly." Utena uttered sarcastically. She stood and walked away from the booth. "But unbelieveable."
What goddamn nonsense, thought Utena bitterly as she made her way out of the diner and began her walk home.
"Tenjou!" Juri shouted the name like she shouted for her next opponent. It caused her to stop in her tracks.
"Fine...that wasn't enough...I understand but I'll give you something that I hope will help you remember. I hope it will help you remember me at the least. Heh, now that I have the ability to hope."
Utena turned and walked back to the fencer and held out her hand palm up impatiently. Juri pulled something out of her pocket. She leaned in and placed a smooth kiss to Utena's lips while placing the object in her hand.
"This won't be the last time we meet." Juri turned and made her way to the car.
Utena stood surprised. Wasn't the other girl, Kozue, her girlfriend? She watched the fencer's retreating form until the car pulled far enough away. She looked down at her now closed fist and wondered just what kind of treasure was put there. She opened the fist slowly to find a small golden trinket attached to a chain. It was a locket.
The walk home was the longest she had ever had, she hadn't let go of the gold locket until she arrived at her front porch. She was utterly confused. A princess who wanted to be a prince. Nobility and strength. None of it made any sense and now this locket was supposed to. She sat near the light and gently opened the locket. Inside was a picture of a beautiful young woman who didn't face the camera.
"Bad angle." Utena muttered while concentrating on who this person could be. It jogged something inside of her mind. An obsession. Not hers though. Was this the, "she" that Juri had spoken of earlier. They were all to remain mysteries still. The girl in the locket with the dark hair and the story of the girl-prince. Utena came to the conclusion that there were no connections between the story and the locket. One was a fairy tale and the other was a real object.
It would have to wait, Utena felt as though a chuck of her energy had been drained from her. She put the locket around her neck and staggered into the house for a highly deserved nights rest.
They had driven down into the city and went to a small diner. Day had turned to night so easily and Juri was partly right for it had become quite chilly. They took a booth in the back away from the ears of others and were shortly greeted by a waitress. Juri and Kozue asked for soda's-Kozue added in her order of a salad-Utena just asked for a glass of water. They're orders had arrived and Juri began.
"We were informed that you wouldn't remember."
Utena had gulped down the water in seconds; it was the only sign that lead Juri to believe Utena was slightly on edge. She didn't blame her though; she herself would have been devastated by the information that was about to be pressed upon her.
"She told us to tell you a story." Juri continued, Kozue made a quick exit with a peck to Juri's cheek.
The younger of the two women grinned which caused Juri blush out of character.
"Shut up and listen."
"I didn't say anything. What makes you think I'll believe you anyways? And who the hell is "she"?" Utena already had numerous questions.
"There are things I can tell you. There are things I can't tell you. And there are things I am supposed to tell you. I'll tell you that which I can. I know you've always been curious so I think I get an idea of how hungry you are for answers."
"No, Arisugawa-san.. You've no idea." Utena sat back. "Start talking."
"Before we left, we being me and many other fellow toys to a certain world, she called a meeting between us. You had made us all free people, a revolution she said, and we owed you a favor." She shifted in her seat. "She gave each of us a piece of a story to tell you. So it didn't seem like it, Tenjou, but I've been searching for you for a very long time and I'm not the only one."
"You've already lost me." Utena picked up a near by newspaper and began to flip through it.
Juri glowered and shook her head. "It won't make sense for a little while. But you have to place some trust in me. If you don't, what other truths do you have to turn to? Besides there's more than enough proof in the tattoo, the orange one on your upper forearm, we've identical ones."
She pulled the sleeve of her right arm up and showed off the orange rose tattoo, Utena's matched all right. They matched in color, in design, in size and they were drawn in the same spots. Juri regarded Utena's silence as slight wonder and began to tell her piece of a story.
"In the beginning...there was a princess who lost her parents in a terrible accident. She mourned the death of her family for a long time. Than one day a noble prince came to her. He gave her a rose-crested ring, a kiss and asked her never to lose her nobility and strength. The princess was astonished by his courage, good nature and strength that she decided to become a prince herself. She wanted to be a prince who saved princesses in need of aid."
"Is that all? That was remarkable, honestly." Utena uttered sarcastically. She stood and walked away from the booth. "But unbelieveable."
What goddamn nonsense, thought Utena bitterly as she made her way out of the diner and began her walk home.
"Tenjou!" Juri shouted the name like she shouted for her next opponent. It caused her to stop in her tracks.
"Fine...that wasn't enough...I understand but I'll give you something that I hope will help you remember. I hope it will help you remember me at the least. Heh, now that I have the ability to hope."
Utena turned and walked back to the fencer and held out her hand palm up impatiently. Juri pulled something out of her pocket. She leaned in and placed a smooth kiss to Utena's lips while placing the object in her hand.
"This won't be the last time we meet." Juri turned and made her way to the car.
Utena stood surprised. Wasn't the other girl, Kozue, her girlfriend? She watched the fencer's retreating form until the car pulled far enough away. She looked down at her now closed fist and wondered just what kind of treasure was put there. She opened the fist slowly to find a small golden trinket attached to a chain. It was a locket.
The walk home was the longest she had ever had, she hadn't let go of the gold locket until she arrived at her front porch. She was utterly confused. A princess who wanted to be a prince. Nobility and strength. None of it made any sense and now this locket was supposed to. She sat near the light and gently opened the locket. Inside was a picture of a beautiful young woman who didn't face the camera.
"Bad angle." Utena muttered while concentrating on who this person could be. It jogged something inside of her mind. An obsession. Not hers though. Was this the, "she" that Juri had spoken of earlier. They were all to remain mysteries still. The girl in the locket with the dark hair and the story of the girl-prince. Utena came to the conclusion that there were no connections between the story and the locket. One was a fairy tale and the other was a real object.
It would have to wait, Utena felt as though a chuck of her energy had been drained from her. She put the locket around her neck and staggered into the house for a highly deserved nights rest.