Episode Six: The Student Council's Memories




The next day, Akio and the Student Council piled into the red car with OHTORI on the license plate. Touga got into the passenger's seat beside Akio while Jury, Miki, Saonji, and Nanami crammed themselves into the back.
"Nanami," Saonji grunted, trying to get comfortable, "I don't see why you have to come, you're not even on the council."
"Of course I'm not. I wouldn't join your silly council if you paid me… I'm just going because big brother's going. And if I stayed behind, I'd be all alone in our big dorm. And you wouldn't want that, would you, big brother?"
"Of course I wouldn't, Nanami," Touga replied, just to annoy Saonji.
Saonji scowled and moved again.
"Ow," Miki complained softly, as he was pushed over onto Jury.
"Can't you hurry up and get settled, Saonji?" Jury snapped.
Akio and Touga rolled their eyes in perfect unison as Akio started the car. The back seat grew silent as the car drove past all the buildings of Ohtori and came up to the gate. Their breath was held as the gate opened and the car rolled through it and into the Outside World. As soon as the tires touched that strange ground, memories came flooding back in a rush.

Saonji smiled as he held Anthy's exchange diary in his hand. Flipping the pages, he came to a halt. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped when he saw what she had written. It was…so vulgar, so forceful and bold, so un-Anthy. He couldn't believe it; he couldn't believe she would write this! He closed the diary with a frown and went to the East Hall. Through the window, he could see Anthy, Utena, and that annoying ChuChu thing. There were some others there, but they were of no importance at the moment. He went up to the window and knocked on it, making everyone turn to him.
"Anthy!" he called through the glass. "What is the meaning of this? I want you to explain yourself immediately!"
They let him in and Anthy placed a bowl of curry in front of him. They insisted he eat some. Frowning still, he did so… BOOM!
The wind blew through Touga's red hair and Utena's pink hair as they rode. Utena's arms were clasped tightly around Touga's waist, a little nervous for she had never been on a horse before. She frowned as she noticed the smirk on his face at their contact.
"You didn't need my advice on anything, did you?" she demanded.
"Calm down, Miss Tenjou. I really do want to talk with you so just try and relax. Hyah!"
The horse quickened its pace a little. Utena held him tighter.
"Hey, slow down, huh?"
"Hahaha," he laughed lightly. "Miss Tenjou, you really don't expect me to believe that you, the great athlete, has never ridden a horse before, do you?"
Utena scowled.
"Of course I haven't. Most people have never ridden a horse these days!"
"Really, you don't say? But aren't horses and horse riding part of the prince mystique you admire so much?"
"What is that supposed to mean?!"
"Oh nothing. Hyah! Hyah!"
At his commands, the horse sped up considerably.
"Stop it, you idiot!" Utena cried, as her grip loosened.
He felt her hands fly off of his waist and turned his head, gasping. Utena let out one short cry as she fell…into Akio's strong arms.

Touga blinked as he remembered that. He had never hated the councilman so much as he did those days… He turned his head to look at Akio. He had a small smile on his face, his eyes glued to the road. Touga looked behind him and saw the others had the same dazed look on their faces, the same daze he felt.

Miki and Jury stood beside each other, leaning against the wall and staring out the window. Jury's arms were crossed over her chest as she saw Utena Tenjou walking alone outside.
"Why is it…" she started. "Why is it that she looks like a typical girl to me now?"
Miki looked at her with questioning eyes.
"Well, of course! Miss Tenjou is a girl!"
"Of course," Jury said, her eyes closing slightly, then opening all the way again. "And yet…"
Miki looked out the window as well.
"Now that you mention it, I've noticed it, too. But isn't that a good thing?"
"You really believe that?"
They were silent for a moment. Jury hugged her chest.
"Something's changing. No, not something, everything. The entire school is changing."
"What do you mean the entire school? Like a revolution was…"
"…was near?"
He turned from the window and they locked eyes.
"Yes."
"Yes. I sense the day of revolution is fast approaching. But what is this…vague, ominous feeling I have?"
The stars shone brightly into the room where Nanami was lying in the bed Utena normally shared with Anthy. Nanami sat up in the bed, her long hair draping over her shoulders a little bit. Utena opened her eyes and looked up at her.
"Can't sleep?"
"You two really sleep like this, facing each other every night? That really freaks me out."
"Oh…"
"That's so weird," she continued, flipping her hair back casually. "It's like you're crazily a part of each other, together even in sleep."
"What's with you?" Utena asked, slightly angry. "You grab someone else's bed, then complain about it!"
Nanami stood and walked over to the large windows, crossing her arms.
"She's probably glad I did. It gives those two a chance to sleep together," she said, disgusted.
"Yeah. Those two really are close," Utena agreed, naively.
Nanami uncrossed her arms and whirled around to face her. She stared at her in silence, and then frowned and crossed her arms again.
"God, you are so blind. No wonder you're able to live with that perverted brother and his messed up sister."
"I wish I had a sibling," Utena said, dreamily while gazing up at the ceiling, as if she hadn't even heard Nanami's last sentence. "They always seem to know what the other one's feeling."
She turned to look at Nanami.
"You know, you and Touga can still share that as well, if you don't give up on it, Nanami."
"Don't compare us to those two!" Nanami snapped, insulted. "What do you know, anyway?!"
"Sorry," Utena muttered as Nanami turned her back to her.

Nanami's eyes snapped open and she gasped quietly. Her eyes focused on the chairman's head in front of her and her brown eyes widened.
'That's right,' she thought. 'Akio, the chairman, and Anthy…I had forgotten about her…I had forgotten about what they did together while Utena slept…I had forgotten about Utena.'
But now she remembered. Everyone remembered now.
After a while in a stunned silence, the council realized they had entered a town. Akio pulled up to the nearest hotel—The Rose Inn. After getting two rooms—Jury and Nanami would share one, and Miki, Saonji, Touga, and Akio would have the other one—Akio told them to stay at the inn while he went out for a little "sightseeing". The council didn't question him, even though the need to know why they were there was eating at them inside.
Touga lay down on one of the beds while Miki took a shower and Saonji flipped distractedly through the channels on the TV. As he closed his eyes, his mind drifted to another memory.

Touga and Utena leaned slightly against the wall inside the Dueler's Field. Utena looked up at the floating castle, her eyes sparkling along with the lights. For a while, Touga looked at the same sight, but soon his gaze was directed to a different view.
"Lovely," he stated.
"Huh?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.
"I'm very grateful to have met someone as lovely as you."
"Oh there you go again!" Utena said, turning her head away again. "Will you stop talking about that and get to the point?"
He asked her if she was in love with the chairman and got no real reply, as he expected. After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"There's something I want to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Do you think it would be possible for me to be your prince, Utena? You're the only princess for me."
"Will you cut it out?"
"I'm serious."
He moved from the wall and stood before her.
"I truly love you, passionately. Your nobility and beauty have won many admirers. And even though I may not be worthy of you, at least let me be here with you for this moment."
Utena blushed, despite herself. He took her hand in his.
"One moment would be enough," he said before leaning down and kissing her hand firmly. "If I can't have you forever, I will forever cherish this moment of being with you in my heart. A single moment is all I want. Will you at least let me have that?"
He returned to his place on the wall. After a few seconds, Utena moved closer to him.
"All right," she said softly.
"Thank you," he breathed happily, putting his arm around her.

Touga slowly opened his eyes, which had grown very misty and moist. He looked up and saw Saonji was looking down at him.
"What is your problem?" he grunted with no trace of concern in his voice.
Touga wiped away a tear and gave him a small smile.
"I'm a pathetic man."
"And you're only just realizing this?"
Touga sighed, still smiling and closed his eyes once more.
"I have allowed myself to fall in love with a young girl who wishes to be a prince…"
Saonji raised an eyebrow.
"So you really do love that Utena? That truly is pathetic."
Touga opened his eyes again.
"Well what about you?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you and Himemaya."
Saonji frowned.
"It's not the same thing. Anthy does love me."
"Oh?"
"She just doesn't know it yet."
Touga laughed lightly and sat up, draping an arm across his council mate's shoulder.
"Face it, Saonji. We're both pathetic."
"No. Anthy and I were made for each other!"
"If you ask me," came a voice with a small chuckle, "it seems like the two of you are made for each other."
The two looked over to the bathroom door where Miki was standing, smiling. The smile faded as he saw them frowning at him.
"Um…"
"Nobody asked you!" they cried.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" Miki held up hands defensively and retreated to the bathroom, though his smile had returned.

In the other room, Nanami had complained of hunger. Jury, sick of it, left the hotel to find some place to get something for Nanami to snack on. She spotted a gas station nearby and went there. But she stopped before she even got in the store. There, in the flesh, with a rag draped over his shoulder, was Ruka.

Jury lunged at Ruka as they dueled, trying desperately to win.
"Hidden feeling, huh, Jury?" he asked smugly.
He pushed at her, sending her to the ground effortlessly.
"How painful these feelings must be for you."
She picked herself up and leapt at him again. Shiori, she reminded herself. She was dueling for Shiori.
"Jury, Shiori's a fool. She doesn't realize that you get miracles by standing on the sacrifices of others because miracles are given to people like her! Don't you find that unfair, Jury?"
The rain began to fall. Falling…like Jury's broken locket. She clutched at her chest where it had been only seconds ago before Utena's blade had knocked it off. She slowly took off her rose and let if fall as well.
"Jury, why are you…?" Utena started to ask.
Jury stood pitifully in the rain, getting soaked as she stared at the sky. Ruka walked over to her.
"It will be all right, Jury. I promise. I swear I'll make it right, Jury."
Jury walked down the hall of the hospital. Two nurses passed by her, talking.
"That patient died yesterday," one said.
"It's so sad. He kept saying how much he wanted to fence again."
"He was really cute too."
"He knew he was sickly, but he insisted on going to school!"
"There must have been a girl on the fencing team that he loved!"
"He said he wanted the power to grant miracles to one he loved to free her from something."

Ruka looked up from the car he was waxing, certain he had seen someone walk up into the station. But there was no one there, for Jury had turned and started running back to the hotel.
She burst into the boy's room, startling them.
"Jury?"
She pointed at Touga.
"Touga! What has the chairman told you about this 'plan' of his? Why is he so secretive about it?"
"The chairman has told me nothing," Touga said.
"Why are you so upset, Jury?" Miki asked.
"I saw…I saw Ruka."

To be continued…

Author's Thanks

All--Thanks so much for reviewing! I thought this was going to be like so many of my other writing projects: I would just stop writing it. Fortunately, I've gotten loads of inspiration for this fic and I've gotten so hyped up by all the reviews! Thanks a bunch! BTW, I have a question for anyone who can answer: Does anyone know the names of the three girls that follow Nanami around??

Utena Tenjou--Wow, the best one? You really think so? I'm so flattered, thank you!! lots of hugs

purplepoipal--I'm glad you are enjoying the fic. I hope the student council does enough "stuff" in this chap for you, . They'll be doing lots more stuff, too. I apologize for my grammar mistakes in previous and any further chapters; I'm excellent at correcting my friends' grammar, but not so good about my own, heh! And thanks for the info on Saonji's name!

viximon--Well, you seem very involved in the story, heh! You really think it gets cooler? Thanks, I try.

keiko-chan--I'm glad I've got you intrigued. I do my best. Peace!

Sheila--Thanks for reviewing! Nope, no mistakes 'bout me on your site; everything looked good.

Nick--Well, I'm just glad to keep getting your nice reviews! I'll try to update as soon as possible; I hope you keep reading.

kino amiko--Your welcome. Thanks for reviewing!

peach--Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm glad I've got you wanting to know more.

blasphemy1--laughs I'm glad you decided to read the fic even though all I had was a short little prologue for, like, ages! ;; I hope you keep reading, as I will definitely keep updating.