Noir
By spheeris1
Pairing: Utena/Anthy [others implied]
Warnings/notes: See 'Teaser' & 'Ichi'
~~~
'she's a big teaser, she took me half-a-way there
'she's a big teaser, she took me half-a-way there now…
'she was a day-tripper…a one-way ticket, yea…
'it took me so long to find out…and I found out…'
Utena felt like she was being followed.
It was a creepy feeling, sliding down her neck…burrowing through the skin and tapping at her spine.
Someone was watching.
Someone was stalking.
Utena jogged down two blocks and ducked into an alleyway.
She held her breath and drew her gun out. Past the distant horns of the trucks on the interstate, she could hear footsteps and crickets in the trees.
The steps stopped just outside of the alley. Utena just waited.
'I know you are in there. Come out and stop being silly.' A female voice called out.
Utena didn't know whether to risk it or not…but curiosity got the better of her. She walked out, with the gun pointed at her follower's head.
'Uh…could you point that somewhere else?' She asked. Utena didn't comply.
'What is your name and why are you tracking me?'
A small laugh and an amused arched eyebrow answered her. The young woman began to reach inside of her overcoat, but Utena stepped up to stop her. She shoved the woman against the brick wall, next to the bags of garbage.
'Not so fast, lady…' Utena whispered out, placing the barrel to the girl's temple.
Then Utena opened the overcoat herself, glancing for firearms…or something…
'If it's me you are interested in, we can discuss that later…' The woman murmured, the humor evident. Utena moved away and holstered her gun.
'Satisfied?' The woman questioned.
'Who are you?'
'Takatsuki Shiori. I work for Himemiya Akio and he believes a meeting of sorts is in order.'
'What kind of 'work' is this that you do?' Utena asked, her gut twisting into knots.
'Akio-san sells dreams, Tenjou Utena…and I think he has just the one for you.'
~
'He and I were great once. Every place has a kingdom, an ideal of the perfect realm in which to reside…every person has a dream, to be kind and loved and perfect.
He and I were those things…once…we had that place, we had those qualities. We had everything in our grasp. But dynasties can never live forever, not when one of us is greedy and the other is painfully weak. We had Camelot, Utena…and we burned it down. How can you imagine it? How can anyone imagine the fantasy we made real? Everyone now lives for today. Everyone now lives for themselves. But he and I, we lived to be legends…we told the story, we would spread the lie, we created the Garden here on Earth…
I have grown to hate that place. I have grown to despise our own blindness.
How could I let myself fall so far? I was a Goddess. I was born into glory. But I tossed it away…and for what? For his ultimate dream? His mighty plan to restore the world in the right way and to use peoples hearts for energy, to steal the dreams of the young and turn them into miracles…
Yes…like a fairy tale…he wanted to turn wheat into gold. And I spun the wheel all the damn time! I would kiss and cheat and smile and kill.
Why would I want you to know this? You, the very person the ring looks for…the very person the ring craves for…
I am hoping against hope that you might take it off. Throw it away. Bury it.
I am hoping with everything inside of my broken spirit that you might hear these words and that they will influence you to save yourself.
You cannot save me. I am already lost…I am already a part of the illusion.'
~
Utena watched as Anthy sat silent at the table to her right, staring at this Takatsuki Shiori. And Takatsuki stared back, a faint smirk on her glossy lips.
Utena was going to start the talking, the questing for information…but she didn't have to. Anthy did.
'I am surprised he kept you on as his…'helper'. Anthy stated coldly. Shiori just smiled pleasantly.
'I am invaluable to him since you…'quit the business', so to speak.'
Anthy smiled back. The sight was actually chilling to Utena. She figured seeing a beautiful woman smile would be sexy or alluring…not like this.
It was like the smile of Death.
'I know why you are here.' Anthy said, her voice dropping to arctic levels. Takatsuki was not fazed.
'It is not like we are 'hiding', not like you are. Akio-san just misses you…surely you miss him as well?'
'You must think I am mad…miss him? No distance is great enough, no place is sheltered enough to be far enough away from him.'
'How sad. Two siblings so estranged…I hate to inform him that you feel this way. But I will have some good news to give him.' And with that, Takatsuki glanced at Utena.
Utena, for her part, had just listened. Gauging the sound in Anthy's voice, watching the reactions…trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about.
But now the spotlight was on her.
'Tenjou Utena, I have a propostion for you.' Takasuki stated. Utena looked to Anthy, but she merely looked away.
'What?'
'Akio-san wants that ring back, but he also wants to meet you. Not just anyone gets this ring, Tenjou-san…and not just anyone gets to meet Himemiya Akio either. Now, I know this is quite a decision for one to make…so here is my card. Call anytime, day or night…I'll always be around to answer.' She winked and grinned.
Anthy got up abruptly and stormed off in the direction of Utena's bedroom.
Utena studied the card. Silver lettering. Ivory white.
'How much has she told you, Tenjou-san? About herself and her brother, about the ring?' Takatsuki asked quietly, moving her chair closer.
'Everyone seems to say a lot about nothing where this ring is concerned. It gives hope where there is none and takes life from the living…sound like a lot of supernatural mish-mosh to me…' Utena murmured. Takatsuki chuckled.
'That's what I thought as well…once upon a time…but it is all true. Every single word you have heard has its' truth. I really do think you meeting Akio-san would be important. He can tell you everything…' Takatsuki drifted off, leaning over and placing a soft kiss upon Utena's mouth.
Utena sat stunned for a second and then moved away.
'What are you doing?' She exclaimed and Takatsuki just continued grinning.
'Keeping good relations, Tenjou-san. It's my job.'
~
Give me back my reality…give me back the cold, hard ground…
I don't want to fly anymore. I don't want my wings to melt in the sky.
And you tell me no one can be saved from this outcome…and you tell me to run away and never look back…
But I can't run away. I can't leave you behind.
You…so like me…you and I are so very alike…
I just want to save you.
I just want to save us both.
Is that so bad?
~~~
TBC
