Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 51
Reunion
As Anshii approached the gates to Ohtori, she saw the group awaiting her. Juri, Miki, Touga, Rika, Izumi, and Keuske were all looking at each other warily. Anshii caught Juri's eye as she approached, and waved them all onto the school grounds.
"Everything's fine. Please... come with me and I'll explain everything..." Anshii said, leading them towards the Rose Tower.
Inside the Rose Tower, at the summit of the world that was Ohtori, Utena had just finished destroying the projector. "You know, that felt good," she admitted, surveying her handiwork. Dios had watched the entire thing, offering suggestions where to hit it next. Dinner was being prepared by a singularly stunned staff, and he was still getting used to being in the physical world again.
Utena turned and looked at him. "I was in love with you for most of my childhood, you know."
He blushed involuntarily, and then chided her gently. "Without even remembering who I was."
She blushed in return. "There was that... yes." She moved to the window and looked down. "She's found them."
Dios walked over and looked over her shoulder. "The one with red hair... Touga. What will you do about him, I wonder, if you're in love with me...?"
Utena blushed again. "Um... about that... I was really young... and I didn't remember you all that well..." It sounded lame, and she knew it.
Dios burst into laughter. "Utena Tenjou, you are definitely the most female girl I know!!! First you tell a man that you were in love with him when you were a child, and then you try to artfully let him down gently."
Her face was turning a splotchy sort of red, and he knew it wasn't from embarrassment. Laughing still, he hugged her gently. "I'm teasing, Utena. I have to admit, having two little sisters to pester has some merit."
She snorted in a rather unladylike fashion, and then they heard the elevator start up. "They're coming."
Anshii had explained the basics. She'd told them that Akio had been defeated, and while he had been behind the deaths, he had left the campus almost immediately, and she rather doubted that authorities would find him.
She hadn't told them about Utena or Dios.
The elevator doors opened and Anshii whisked everyone into the foyer. "These were once the halls where Akio lived, but now will be inhabited by the new staff. If you'll come this way..." she led them into the dining room, where serving staff were setting the final touches on the table. "If you'll all take a seat, there are some people I'd like to introduce to you."
The door opened slightly, and the mirror-image of Akio stepped in rather hesitantly. Juri and Touga gasped, Miki simply stared in shock, and Rika flinched. Anshii stood her ground and offered her hand to Dios. "Everyone, this is Akio's hidden victim. This is my brother, Dios."
Juri, Miki and Touga all nodded. They knew who Dios was, and each of them had a fair idea of the inherent truth. But they'd leave that for after the Student Council members left.
Dios turned and opened the door, reaching out to someone and a slender female with pink hair stepped through the door, wearing a black school uniform. Before Juri and Miki could be certain of her identity, Touga had started towards her. Almost absently, Juri caught his wrist, and her firm grip told him to Stay Put.
Utena stood there, looking at those who had once been adversaries, those old faces that looked back at her, two with surprise, one with a mixture of relief and love. Finally, after a moment, she allowed Juri a smile.
And that was all that the other woman needed.
Juri let go of Touga's wrist, and he crossed the room in four long strides, catching Utena into a very close embrace. She couldn't hug back because he'd pinned her arms.
Dios walked over to his sister and put his hand on her shoulder. Looking to the others in the room, he cleared his throat. "My... twin..." his eyes flickered to Anshii, "Akio... did some rather detestable things while he was here. I'd like to say that I'll be the one to turn this school around..."
Shock crept into all eyes, including Utena and Anshii. Utena pulled away from Touga, looking at Dios with her mouth open, as if she was about to speak.
Dios held up his hand to stay her comments. "But that would be acting too much like Akio... and so I am going to ask all of you to help turn this school into the place it ought to be."
Smiles burst across the room, and as the food was brought out, they began talking about what could be done to help.
As Anshii approached the gates to Ohtori, she saw the group awaiting her. Juri, Miki, Touga, Rika, Izumi, and Keuske were all looking at each other warily. Anshii caught Juri's eye as she approached, and waved them all onto the school grounds.
"Everything's fine. Please... come with me and I'll explain everything..." Anshii said, leading them towards the Rose Tower.
Inside the Rose Tower, at the summit of the world that was Ohtori, Utena had just finished destroying the projector. "You know, that felt good," she admitted, surveying her handiwork. Dios had watched the entire thing, offering suggestions where to hit it next. Dinner was being prepared by a singularly stunned staff, and he was still getting used to being in the physical world again.
Utena turned and looked at him. "I was in love with you for most of my childhood, you know."
He blushed involuntarily, and then chided her gently. "Without even remembering who I was."
She blushed in return. "There was that... yes." She moved to the window and looked down. "She's found them."
Dios walked over and looked over her shoulder. "The one with red hair... Touga. What will you do about him, I wonder, if you're in love with me...?"
Utena blushed again. "Um... about that... I was really young... and I didn't remember you all that well..." It sounded lame, and she knew it.
Dios burst into laughter. "Utena Tenjou, you are definitely the most female girl I know!!! First you tell a man that you were in love with him when you were a child, and then you try to artfully let him down gently."
Her face was turning a splotchy sort of red, and he knew it wasn't from embarrassment. Laughing still, he hugged her gently. "I'm teasing, Utena. I have to admit, having two little sisters to pester has some merit."
She snorted in a rather unladylike fashion, and then they heard the elevator start up. "They're coming."
Anshii had explained the basics. She'd told them that Akio had been defeated, and while he had been behind the deaths, he had left the campus almost immediately, and she rather doubted that authorities would find him.
She hadn't told them about Utena or Dios.
The elevator doors opened and Anshii whisked everyone into the foyer. "These were once the halls where Akio lived, but now will be inhabited by the new staff. If you'll come this way..." she led them into the dining room, where serving staff were setting the final touches on the table. "If you'll all take a seat, there are some people I'd like to introduce to you."
The door opened slightly, and the mirror-image of Akio stepped in rather hesitantly. Juri and Touga gasped, Miki simply stared in shock, and Rika flinched. Anshii stood her ground and offered her hand to Dios. "Everyone, this is Akio's hidden victim. This is my brother, Dios."
Juri, Miki and Touga all nodded. They knew who Dios was, and each of them had a fair idea of the inherent truth. But they'd leave that for after the Student Council members left.
Dios turned and opened the door, reaching out to someone and a slender female with pink hair stepped through the door, wearing a black school uniform. Before Juri and Miki could be certain of her identity, Touga had started towards her. Almost absently, Juri caught his wrist, and her firm grip told him to Stay Put.
Utena stood there, looking at those who had once been adversaries, those old faces that looked back at her, two with surprise, one with a mixture of relief and love. Finally, after a moment, she allowed Juri a smile.
And that was all that the other woman needed.
Juri let go of Touga's wrist, and he crossed the room in four long strides, catching Utena into a very close embrace. She couldn't hug back because he'd pinned her arms.
Dios walked over to his sister and put his hand on her shoulder. Looking to the others in the room, he cleared his throat. "My... twin..." his eyes flickered to Anshii, "Akio... did some rather detestable things while he was here. I'd like to say that I'll be the one to turn this school around..."
Shock crept into all eyes, including Utena and Anshii. Utena pulled away from Touga, looking at Dios with her mouth open, as if she was about to speak.
Dios held up his hand to stay her comments. "But that would be acting too much like Akio... and so I am going to ask all of you to help turn this school into the place it ought to be."
Smiles burst across the room, and as the food was brought out, they began talking about what could be done to help.