Aria: Wonderful! Back again, with another installment.
Touga: *appears...sexily* So...are we introduced in this chapter?
Aria: *stares* Uh...I...*looks frantically at notes* Um...yeah. *grins, slightly manically*
Yami: *saunters up...just as sexily* What did you say before about Duelists? Can I challenge them?
Aria: *look at Yami...back to Touga...back to Yami* All in good time. Don't get ahead of the story!
Jen: What are you doing? What about your Chinese test tomorrow?
Aria: *cringes* Everyone, my roomie, Jen.
Jen: *waves*
Aria: *whispers confidentially* Actually, she's just here because she thinks Yami is hot.
Yami: *pleased* Really?
Jen: *mutters something in Korean*
Aria: *brightly* So...who wants to do the disclaimer for me?
Everyone: *silence*
Yugi: *sighs* I'll do it, Aria.
Aria: Thanks Yugi! You're the best.
Yugi: *blushes* Ok...Aria here doesn't own either Yu-Gi-Oh! Or Revolutionary Girl Utena...or Jen, her roomie...but that's all probably just as well.
Aria: Ok! On with the fic! Time to set the scene...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
SECRETS OF A ROSE
Chapter two: The Academy
Ohtori Academy. The buildings glow in white and creamy marble as the soft spring light glances from their smooth sides. In the middle of the campus is a slim white tower, overlooking the school and the dome-shaped gray-green forest behind. At the front gates, outlined by the black iron decorations, stand two figures. The scent of roses settles sweetly over all.
"They're late," the taller of the two commented, his gaze toward the setting sun. The light hit him softly, illuminating his flowing red hair, and his white uniform glinted slightly gold as he leaned against the cool iron of the gate. The smaller boy didn't glance back, but he smiled slightly.
"And yet you are still here," he said in reply. "Can't take the chance of visitors not being met by the all-powerful Kiryuu Touga, hmm?"
The other smiled, but made no comment. Silence was warm between them, respected. They had no need for idle conversation, until a cloud of dust glittered gold in the fading light.
"That must be them," Touga said, and the smaller boy looked out at the road. His heart pounded hard, once, and his stomach twisted slightly. He ran a pale hand, long fingered and delicate, through his hair, and straightened his uniform. He pulled himself straight as the long black limousine pulled up quietly to the gate, and waited, conscious of Touga's slight movements behind him as the older boy straightened and brushed non-existent specks of dust off his immaculate uniform. He hoped Touga would remember his promise...as honorable as the Council President was, he couldn't often pass up a good chance for pleasure. He hoped Utena had his attention solidly enough for him to forgo an easier challenge.
The sleek door of the limousine opened, and a long, slender leg slipped out. Control yourself, Touga, the smaller boy thought as he stepped forward to help her out of her seat. Face to face, she shook back her brown hair and smiled warmly at him. She's changed a lot, he thought, and smiled back.
"Miki," she said, and hugged him. "It's been so long!"
"I know...I'm sorry about that," he said, pulling back and smiling at her. "Tea, look at you. I'm so glad you could come!" A slight cough from behind him brought his attention to other matters. He turned, and shot Touga a small warning look before allowing Tea to be brought into his full view.
"Tea, let me introduce you to our Student Council president...Kiryuu Touga. Touga-san, this is my cousin, Tea Gardener. She and her friends will be visiting me for a while."
To his benefit, Touga was polite and charming, as only he could be. He smiled softly and took Tea's hand. "Charmed," he said. Tea smiled at him, and turned back to look at the limo, which sat purring in the late afternoon light. She glanced at Miki.
"My friends are still in the car...they wanted us to be able to say hello first."
Miki answered her unasked question. "Please, have them come out...I'd like to meet them, very much." Them, he said, and deep in his mind a nervous giggle echoed.
Tea motioned to the car, and all the doors suddenly sprang open, and a crowd of people suddenly appeared beside her. She gestured to each in turn.
"Miki, these are my friends. Joey..." the lanky blonde grinned and gave a thumbs-up, "Tristan..." Next to Joey, the tall boy grinned easily. She turned to a tall boy with deep blue eyes who stood just outside the group. "Seto Kaiba..." Miki returned the others slight bow. Kaiba. He'd heard of him...the boy genius of a computerized empire.
Last, she turned to two boys immediately next to her, one tall, slim, confident, and the other...Miki could read his soul in his eyes. Shy, pure. He smiled at the boy.
"These two are Yami, and Yugi Motou," she said, putting a protective hand on the small boy's shoulder. "Gang," she said, turning to the rest of them, "this is my cousin, Kaoru Miki." Miki bowed slightly to her friends.
"It's such a pleasure to have you all here," he said, smiling and relaxing a bit. He shook a soft blue bang from his eyes. "Your adventures have been gossiped about so often, I felt like I was meeting celebrities. I'm sorry all my friends couldn't be here to welcome you, but they are..." he searched for a word. "A bit busy. However, our Student Council president came with me to greet you...Kiryuu Touga." Touga stepped forward and radiated charm.
"Welcome to Ohtori Academy," he said. "Tea-sama, your cousin is much too modest. After all, I'm not the only member of the Council!" Miki blushed, but kept silent. He wasn't about to get into the inner workings of the Council here, in the open. Touga smiled, and opened the gates with a grand gesture.
"Please, follow me," he said. "Miki and I thought we'd show you around the school first, to get you acquainted, and to meet some of the people you'll be seeing in the next few weeks."
Yugi didn't know what to think. The school was enormous, the campus almost as big as Domino itself, and Tea's cousin...Tea's cousin...He shook his head slightly. The boy's innocent blue eyes had read him already, and, rather than finding him wanting, had smiled. Yugi watched as he and Tea laughed together at the front of the group. Kaoru Miki...
Joey and Tristan stared at the campus they were being shown around. The green grass glowed warm and soft in beautifully manicured lawns, and the buildings rose to smooth heights. A giggling group of girls passed them, all dressed in pink and blue with short, fluttery skirts, and Joey found himself not thinking of Seto in the first time since...well, since whenever it was he'd started thinking of Seto. It was nice, in a way, to gawk after girls again. He made a mental note to petition for uniforms at Domino High when he got back.
"Miki, I can't believe this campus!" Tea sighed, her eyes glowing as she looked around. She glanced behind. The others seemed as enthralled as she was...she hid a smile as Joey and Tristan watched a group of girls longingly. Good for you, Joey, she thought, and glanced at Kaiba, who stalked along with both hands in the pockets of his flowing blue coat. She turned back to Miki, who smiled.
"Ohtori is pretty remarkable," he said, and glanced at Touga. "Some might even call it revolutionary."
Only a slight smile and a flick of a silky eyebrow told Miki he'd been heard. He turned his attention to the building they were approaching.
"This one of the main buildings," he said, turning slightly so they could all hear him. "Most of the classrooms are in here, and it's has a courtyard that leads to the fields, the lawns, and the rose garden."
Tea breathed deeply. "That must by why it smells so good here," she said. "Like roses, everywhere we go." Miki stiffened for a second, but immediately relaxed. He had been the one to bring it up. They moved into the courtyard, and paused for a moment when Miki was hailed. A tall, slim girl with tightly curled, golden hair was moving towards them. "Miki, there you are," she called, and smiled.
Yugi's stomach seemed to drop slightly as the tall, athletic girl came up to them, her cool blue eyes taking them all in. Miki made introductions, and named her as "Arisugawa Jury...captain of the fencing team and fellow Council member. And good friend." He grinned at her, and she smiled at him, a touch of warmth appearing in her face. She exchanged a few words with him and Touga, and then moved off in the direction she had come from.
Their tour led them out onto the school's grounds, the soft lawns and shady trees. They could even hear the trickle of a fountain nearby, and as Yugi turned around, trying to locate it, his gaze was caught by a figure moving towards them.
She walked with a smooth and confident gait, raising a hand in greeting to the admirers around her, clad in a smoothly flaring short black jacket and slim shorts...a boys uniform, but on a clearly feminine body. Her hair flooded free down her back in warm pink waves, and her large clear blue eyes smiled around her. Miki turned around, caught sight of her, and laughed. She looked up at them, and smiled, her clear eyes passing over each of them in turn, lingering slightly on the newcomers and on the tall, slim figure of the Council president. Walking up, she greeted Miki. "Who're your friends?" she asked, looking with wide eyes at the assembled group.
Miki grinned, and introduced his cousin, and then her friends. "This is Tenjou Utena," he said. "The most popular girl on campus...practically the most popular boy, too." She laughed and punched him lightly.
"Not boy," she said. "Prince."
Before anyone could comment on this oddity, a blur moved past them and launched itself at Utena, who almost fell forward, a girl in the school's uniform clinging solidly to her back.
"Utena-samaaaaaa!" she cried happily as Utena frantically tried to regain her balance.
"Wakaba..." she said, warningly, then sighed, her mouth twitching toward a smile. "You need to not do that. Okay?"
There was no answer. Wakaba had seen the quiet group standing before her, and slid down off Utena's back, blushing furiously. She was smaller than her friend, with chocolate-coloured curls and large brown eyes. She tried a smile.
"My friend, Wakaba," Utena said, straightening and cracking her back.
They laughed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Aria: Wasn't that fun! *grins madly* Bet you can't wait for the next one, now that you've started meeting people.
Yugi: *stars in eyes* Wow...we should have met Tea's cousin a long time ago...
Aria: *rubs hands together and cackles evilly* Everything is going as I have foreseen...
Yami: Aibou? Yugi...?
Yugi: *stars* Wow...
Aria: Cute, isn't he? I love Miki. One of my favorite characters, just like you, Yugi. Anyway...tune in next time for another installment! Cheers!
Touga: *appears...sexily* So...are we introduced in this chapter?
Aria: *stares* Uh...I...*looks frantically at notes* Um...yeah. *grins, slightly manically*
Yami: *saunters up...just as sexily* What did you say before about Duelists? Can I challenge them?
Aria: *look at Yami...back to Touga...back to Yami* All in good time. Don't get ahead of the story!
Jen: What are you doing? What about your Chinese test tomorrow?
Aria: *cringes* Everyone, my roomie, Jen.
Jen: *waves*
Aria: *whispers confidentially* Actually, she's just here because she thinks Yami is hot.
Yami: *pleased* Really?
Jen: *mutters something in Korean*
Aria: *brightly* So...who wants to do the disclaimer for me?
Everyone: *silence*
Yugi: *sighs* I'll do it, Aria.
Aria: Thanks Yugi! You're the best.
Yugi: *blushes* Ok...Aria here doesn't own either Yu-Gi-Oh! Or Revolutionary Girl Utena...or Jen, her roomie...but that's all probably just as well.
Aria: Ok! On with the fic! Time to set the scene...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
SECRETS OF A ROSE
Chapter two: The Academy
Ohtori Academy. The buildings glow in white and creamy marble as the soft spring light glances from their smooth sides. In the middle of the campus is a slim white tower, overlooking the school and the dome-shaped gray-green forest behind. At the front gates, outlined by the black iron decorations, stand two figures. The scent of roses settles sweetly over all.
"They're late," the taller of the two commented, his gaze toward the setting sun. The light hit him softly, illuminating his flowing red hair, and his white uniform glinted slightly gold as he leaned against the cool iron of the gate. The smaller boy didn't glance back, but he smiled slightly.
"And yet you are still here," he said in reply. "Can't take the chance of visitors not being met by the all-powerful Kiryuu Touga, hmm?"
The other smiled, but made no comment. Silence was warm between them, respected. They had no need for idle conversation, until a cloud of dust glittered gold in the fading light.
"That must be them," Touga said, and the smaller boy looked out at the road. His heart pounded hard, once, and his stomach twisted slightly. He ran a pale hand, long fingered and delicate, through his hair, and straightened his uniform. He pulled himself straight as the long black limousine pulled up quietly to the gate, and waited, conscious of Touga's slight movements behind him as the older boy straightened and brushed non-existent specks of dust off his immaculate uniform. He hoped Touga would remember his promise...as honorable as the Council President was, he couldn't often pass up a good chance for pleasure. He hoped Utena had his attention solidly enough for him to forgo an easier challenge.
The sleek door of the limousine opened, and a long, slender leg slipped out. Control yourself, Touga, the smaller boy thought as he stepped forward to help her out of her seat. Face to face, she shook back her brown hair and smiled warmly at him. She's changed a lot, he thought, and smiled back.
"Miki," she said, and hugged him. "It's been so long!"
"I know...I'm sorry about that," he said, pulling back and smiling at her. "Tea, look at you. I'm so glad you could come!" A slight cough from behind him brought his attention to other matters. He turned, and shot Touga a small warning look before allowing Tea to be brought into his full view.
"Tea, let me introduce you to our Student Council president...Kiryuu Touga. Touga-san, this is my cousin, Tea Gardener. She and her friends will be visiting me for a while."
To his benefit, Touga was polite and charming, as only he could be. He smiled softly and took Tea's hand. "Charmed," he said. Tea smiled at him, and turned back to look at the limo, which sat purring in the late afternoon light. She glanced at Miki.
"My friends are still in the car...they wanted us to be able to say hello first."
Miki answered her unasked question. "Please, have them come out...I'd like to meet them, very much." Them, he said, and deep in his mind a nervous giggle echoed.
Tea motioned to the car, and all the doors suddenly sprang open, and a crowd of people suddenly appeared beside her. She gestured to each in turn.
"Miki, these are my friends. Joey..." the lanky blonde grinned and gave a thumbs-up, "Tristan..." Next to Joey, the tall boy grinned easily. She turned to a tall boy with deep blue eyes who stood just outside the group. "Seto Kaiba..." Miki returned the others slight bow. Kaiba. He'd heard of him...the boy genius of a computerized empire.
Last, she turned to two boys immediately next to her, one tall, slim, confident, and the other...Miki could read his soul in his eyes. Shy, pure. He smiled at the boy.
"These two are Yami, and Yugi Motou," she said, putting a protective hand on the small boy's shoulder. "Gang," she said, turning to the rest of them, "this is my cousin, Kaoru Miki." Miki bowed slightly to her friends.
"It's such a pleasure to have you all here," he said, smiling and relaxing a bit. He shook a soft blue bang from his eyes. "Your adventures have been gossiped about so often, I felt like I was meeting celebrities. I'm sorry all my friends couldn't be here to welcome you, but they are..." he searched for a word. "A bit busy. However, our Student Council president came with me to greet you...Kiryuu Touga." Touga stepped forward and radiated charm.
"Welcome to Ohtori Academy," he said. "Tea-sama, your cousin is much too modest. After all, I'm not the only member of the Council!" Miki blushed, but kept silent. He wasn't about to get into the inner workings of the Council here, in the open. Touga smiled, and opened the gates with a grand gesture.
"Please, follow me," he said. "Miki and I thought we'd show you around the school first, to get you acquainted, and to meet some of the people you'll be seeing in the next few weeks."
Yugi didn't know what to think. The school was enormous, the campus almost as big as Domino itself, and Tea's cousin...Tea's cousin...He shook his head slightly. The boy's innocent blue eyes had read him already, and, rather than finding him wanting, had smiled. Yugi watched as he and Tea laughed together at the front of the group. Kaoru Miki...
Joey and Tristan stared at the campus they were being shown around. The green grass glowed warm and soft in beautifully manicured lawns, and the buildings rose to smooth heights. A giggling group of girls passed them, all dressed in pink and blue with short, fluttery skirts, and Joey found himself not thinking of Seto in the first time since...well, since whenever it was he'd started thinking of Seto. It was nice, in a way, to gawk after girls again. He made a mental note to petition for uniforms at Domino High when he got back.
"Miki, I can't believe this campus!" Tea sighed, her eyes glowing as she looked around. She glanced behind. The others seemed as enthralled as she was...she hid a smile as Joey and Tristan watched a group of girls longingly. Good for you, Joey, she thought, and glanced at Kaiba, who stalked along with both hands in the pockets of his flowing blue coat. She turned back to Miki, who smiled.
"Ohtori is pretty remarkable," he said, and glanced at Touga. "Some might even call it revolutionary."
Only a slight smile and a flick of a silky eyebrow told Miki he'd been heard. He turned his attention to the building they were approaching.
"This one of the main buildings," he said, turning slightly so they could all hear him. "Most of the classrooms are in here, and it's has a courtyard that leads to the fields, the lawns, and the rose garden."
Tea breathed deeply. "That must by why it smells so good here," she said. "Like roses, everywhere we go." Miki stiffened for a second, but immediately relaxed. He had been the one to bring it up. They moved into the courtyard, and paused for a moment when Miki was hailed. A tall, slim girl with tightly curled, golden hair was moving towards them. "Miki, there you are," she called, and smiled.
Yugi's stomach seemed to drop slightly as the tall, athletic girl came up to them, her cool blue eyes taking them all in. Miki made introductions, and named her as "Arisugawa Jury...captain of the fencing team and fellow Council member. And good friend." He grinned at her, and she smiled at him, a touch of warmth appearing in her face. She exchanged a few words with him and Touga, and then moved off in the direction she had come from.
Their tour led them out onto the school's grounds, the soft lawns and shady trees. They could even hear the trickle of a fountain nearby, and as Yugi turned around, trying to locate it, his gaze was caught by a figure moving towards them.
She walked with a smooth and confident gait, raising a hand in greeting to the admirers around her, clad in a smoothly flaring short black jacket and slim shorts...a boys uniform, but on a clearly feminine body. Her hair flooded free down her back in warm pink waves, and her large clear blue eyes smiled around her. Miki turned around, caught sight of her, and laughed. She looked up at them, and smiled, her clear eyes passing over each of them in turn, lingering slightly on the newcomers and on the tall, slim figure of the Council president. Walking up, she greeted Miki. "Who're your friends?" she asked, looking with wide eyes at the assembled group.
Miki grinned, and introduced his cousin, and then her friends. "This is Tenjou Utena," he said. "The most popular girl on campus...practically the most popular boy, too." She laughed and punched him lightly.
"Not boy," she said. "Prince."
Before anyone could comment on this oddity, a blur moved past them and launched itself at Utena, who almost fell forward, a girl in the school's uniform clinging solidly to her back.
"Utena-samaaaaaa!" she cried happily as Utena frantically tried to regain her balance.
"Wakaba..." she said, warningly, then sighed, her mouth twitching toward a smile. "You need to not do that. Okay?"
There was no answer. Wakaba had seen the quiet group standing before her, and slid down off Utena's back, blushing furiously. She was smaller than her friend, with chocolate-coloured curls and large brown eyes. She tried a smile.
"My friend, Wakaba," Utena said, straightening and cracking her back.
They laughed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Aria: Wasn't that fun! *grins madly* Bet you can't wait for the next one, now that you've started meeting people.
Yugi: *stars in eyes* Wow...we should have met Tea's cousin a long time ago...
Aria: *rubs hands together and cackles evilly* Everything is going as I have foreseen...
Yami: Aibou? Yugi...?
Yugi: *stars* Wow...
Aria: Cute, isn't he? I love Miki. One of my favorite characters, just like you, Yugi. Anyway...tune in next time for another installment! Cheers!