Noir
By spheeris1
Pairing: Utena/Anthy [others implied]
Warnings/notes: See 'Teaser' & 'Ichi'
~~~
///a pause///
Everyone disappeared or froze in time.
All the people, faces she recalled and places she knew, all paused for her return.
The ground itself seemed to call to her, her name chanted throughout.
Everything became motionless for the true Prince.
Each step she took was like walking through a clear fog, the force with which she had to push at her legs to move was like shoving against a wall--and her hair fought to move along with her, strands stuck in the lack of air.
The sun was still above, hovering like a ball of blinding light and she looked upward, birds in mid-flight, leaves turned back and stiff…and still, she could hear her name everywhere…her name, written on the walls…
Her name, on the mouths of students…her name, hanging in the sky…her name, everywhere and everything…
'True Prince, Prince, Prince, Prince…' they said over and over. It was hypnotic to her, like a lullaby to a child--she felt like sleeping the sleep of angels, back once more to heaven…the clouds for a bed, the safety of purity for a blanket…
And it wasn't until her eyes caught a distant flash of silver that the voices changed from soothing to jarring.
Until she was walking, faster and faster, toward that glimmer…and the voices got louder and louder, hurting her ears with their intensity…
Until she was upon that piece of her that she lost so long ago, that ring that led her here over and over again…and the voices sounded like swords cutting through skin…
///before battle///
~~~
'We shouldn't split up.' Utena said softly to Miki and Nanami, but she could see the shadows in their eyes. Stepping in here was like falling into a snake pit--every man or woman for themselves.
If any of them saw whomever kept them coming back to Ohtori, how could they not just run to it?
Utena held her gun up almost defensively, daring anyone to approach her. Miki seemed transfixed by the students passing them by, as if they were not there. Nanami still had that look on her face--the look of someone searching desperately.
The three of them took small steps over the surface, ears listening to conversations in passing and laughter and class-bells in the distance…
'Put that down.' A voice said from behind them. Utena spun around, the gun thrust out and her hand aching…until she saw it was Juri.
But Juri was glaring at her, the anger not hidden.
'What?' Utena asked, prepared to use her weapon at any moment.
'Why did you bring her?' Juri hissed, but before Utena could answer, Nanami stepped forward.
'I came of my own free-will. No one has to fight my battles for me…no matter how easy that would be for me to accept.'
Juri seemed to falter for a moment, a brief wash of anguish going over her, then it was masked away once more.
'Fine. Have it you way.'
Then Juri turned back to Utena and smirked.
'Gun. Down.'
Utena lowered it slowly, still not trusting Juri…things have a way of getting out of hand in Ohtori. Even the strongest fall, Utena kept reminding herself.
'When did you get here?' Miki asked suddenly.
'I hope you have your stopwatch because there seem to be no clocks here.' Juri sighed. Avoiding the question yet somehow answering it, Utena noted. Thank God for investigative know-how…it'll come in handy here.
'Have you seen her?' Utena asked, not wanting to spend anymore time here than needed. Juri smiled softly.
'Akio has her, but I haven't gone there.'
'Why not?' Utena questioned.
'We all have our own battles now, Tenjou.' And with that, Juri opened the first two buttons of her uniform--still crisp white and orange trim, even after all these years--and revealed a locket of gold.
'I'm here to take this off. Finally.' Juri said quietly, darting a small glance to Nanami and then she turned around abruptly, walking away from them.
'Perhaps, Utena…we should split up? It could be the only way…' Miki said, his eyes still watching Juri disappear amongst the milling students.
Utena looked to Nanami, the girls eyes focused on the ground.
'Nanami?' Utena asked.
'We'll see each other outside of that gate once again…but till then…' And she didn't finish the sentence. Utena watched her walk away, fading around a corner.
She watched mute as Miki did the same, the horizon swallowing him up.
And Utena was alone in Ohtori, her arms limp at her side and wishing, childishly, for a hand to hold…
~~~
'Don't you want to go for a ride?' The man asked, smiling that familiar smile of his.
'No. I want peace.' The other man answered solemnly.
'You've always wanted eternity, the power to revolutionize the world…your world…and you are turning me down?' The man laughed.
'Friendship is for fools.' The other man said coldly.
'True…very true. That's why you can trust me--this time you'll get your eternity, Saionji…just come with me, back to Ohtori…back to Akio.'
Saionji thought comfort would seek him out now, in the swirling hole of death…only to be tormented still…and are these hollow promises?
More than likely, Saionji told himself. Lies, like always…lies and lies and lies…
Touga laughed once more, settling himself down into Saionji's coffin.
'What are you doing?'
'The only reason you did not gain power was because you did not have any idea what you truly wanted.'
'I want you to leave me alone.' Saionji spat, his anger boiling up despite his best efforts to control it. Touga ran a bony finger over Saionji's lips of gray-blue, lips as dead as his own.
'I cannot. Not until this is over, once and for all…I cannot leave, you cannot leave…not until someone ends this.' Touga whispered.
'Why not you then?' Saionji questioned, his mouth moving against Touga's fingertips.
'Why not you?' Touga answered the question with a question.
And Saionji began to wonder if he really could, if he could really come back from death's door and regain life, capture eternity, find eternal peace…?
'Come with me…' Touga hushed into Saionji's mouth.
~~~
And the ring was on her finger, the swords--a sea of angry metal--barreling toward her and she ran, ran faster than ever before…and only one voice called to her now, one voice rang out to her as she ran further and further…*her* voice, calling to her and drawing her out like a siren, luring her to the rocks…
Everyone else was gone.
Everyone else was beyond and behind.
And she was running up the stairs, those endless concrete stairs, to the sky…to the sky…to her Princess of the Roses…
She didn't see the warning signs along the way or hear the doubts in her mind.
She just kept going, head last and heart first.
Like always.
Like a million times before.
Like forever.
~~~
TBC
