Episode Eight: Miki's Findings

ChuChu lay on his stomach, his tail swishing back and forth as he watched Anthy slowly pace back and forth in front of the bed with a nervous expression. Seeing her brother at the café had unnerved her so. She had hoped he wouldn't have gone after her...Well, she had known he would. But to find her so soon...
"Chu!" ChuChu squeaked. He pointed to the clock, reminding Anthy that she had somewhere to be. She and Utena were having a picnic. Nevermind the fact that the sun had already set. Anthy didn't care, as long as she was with Utena. Shaking off thoughts of her brother and assuring herself that he didn't see her, Anthy left the hotel room.
Meanwhile, in a hallway three floors underneath Anthy, three boys had ventured out of their hotel room in order to refill their ice bucket.
"I really don't like being here, Touga," Saonji remarked. "Why don't you hurry up and ask your precious chairman what in the world we are doing here?"
Touga chuckled.
"Was that a bit of jealousy in your tone...? I can't simply ask the chairman these things; I have to wait under he's ready to tell me. He will, rest assured, when he feels the time is right."
"Well, I think this is ridiculous. The way we let him drag us into some place without telling us a single thing..."
"You say it's ridiculous, and yet you do it, just the same."
Saonji didn't say anything, just scowled deeply. Miki, carrying the empty bucket, walked a few steps behind them, not really focusing on their conversation. He heard the elevators open and turned his head slightly to see a man enter them. He looked away, but then froze and did a double take.
'No way...!'
There in the elevator, stepping aside politely to make room for the man, was Anthy. Anthy Himemaya. The elevators closed with a ding and Miki was brought back to his senses by Saonji grabbing the bucket out of his hands. He turned, seeing that the two of them had reached the ice machine and were looking at him oddly.
"What's wrong with you?"
Miki blinked a few times and shook his head slowly.
"N...Nothing. Nothing at all," he offered lamely, with a weak smile.
Touga and Saonji exchanged glances and turned back to the machine. If Miki were paying attention to them, he would have heard them muttering about how strange he was.

The night sky was sprinkled with stars that managed to outshine the night-lights of Katalia. The moon was nowhere to be seen, and whether or not it would emerge was uncertain.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Utena and Anthy sat cross-legged on the hood of Utena's car, snacking on potato chips. Utena's big blue eyes gazed up at the stars' glittering patterns on the velvety black sky.
"I think this is the most wonderful place in the world," she said.
Anthy nodded thoughtfully.
"It is very nice." She paused. "I must say I enjoy it a lot more than Ohtori."
Utena looked over at her companion.
"What was so bad about that place anyway?"
Anthy ate a chip slowly, to busy her mouth, and looked away from Utena's eyes. A silence fell over them for a few minutes and Utena smiled, to relieve any pressure of answering her question.
"Nevermind. You don't have to tell me, Anthy."
She casually lifted a hand to pat one of Anthy's hands that rested on the car. As soon as their skin made contact, Utena felt a shivering sensation run through her.
'Just like the last time we touched!' Utena's mind raced. 'What could be the cause of this feeling?'
Anthy returned Utena's smile and the two of them looked up at the sky once more.
"I do feel like I could stay out here for a very long time..." Anthy said.
'With you,' she added silently.
Utena uncrossed her legs to lie back on the cool metal of the car and closed her eyes.
"Yeah. It feels so soothing. So soothing you could..."
Her voice trailed off. Anthy let out a light giggle and looked down at Utena.
"So soothing you could fall asleep," she finished for her in a whisper.
She hesitated for a moment, then reached down and brushed a few silky strands of Utena's pink hair out of her face.
'Oh, Miss Utena...I'm so glad I found you. I was terrified that I would never be able to see you again. I don't know if I could live if I...'
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She moved around on the hood in order to settle Utena's head in her lap. She looked back out at Katalia, not thinking about anything at all, just savoring the quiet moment with her Utena. And Utena, meanwhile, was dreaming.

A young teenage girl with long pink hair was on a balcony of a school building. She was looking down at a greenhouse--a rose garden that belonged to the Student Council.
"The Student Council always gets special treatment here...It's so weird," she said. There was a girl there, with short violet hair and glasses that glinted in the sun; she was watering the roses. Te teenage girl on the balcony could not remember seeing her before. A man with long, wavy green hair made his way over to the girl in the roses. He started talking to her; it looked like he was angry.
"Lovers' quarrel... They should really keep that to themselves."
Suddenly, the green haired man reached out and struck the girl across the face, making her drop the watering can. The teenage girl started, shocked.
"Hey! That's going too far!"
The girl below cowered in fear of the green haired man who had raised his hand once more...

Utena's eyes opened slowly. She found herself looking up at…the girl…the girl who had been watering the roses.
'What the...? No, that's only Anthy. What am I thinking?'
"Are you awake now?"
She realized she was lying in Anthy's lap and blushed a bit. She sat up quickly.
"Oh, Anthy, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to doze off."
Anthy gave her a reassuring smile.
"It's all right, Utena. I didn't mind."
Utena rubbed at her eyes and the two girls prepared to drive back into town. The dream was forgotten for now.

Anthy entered the hotel lobby, still reveling in the soft, dreamlike feeling of the night.
"Miss Himemaya?"
She stopped at the soft voice. Her eyes widened. She felt herself unable to move as Miki stood from the lobby couch, looking at her with an unreadable expression. They stood still for several moments, eyes boring into each other's. Then, Miki smiled. And all tension vanished.

"So that's basically what's happened."
Anthy and Miki sat across from each other at the small table in Anthy's hotel room. Miki stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Basically... I see..."
"It's complicated," Anthy said with a smile.
"Yes, it is. In fact, I'm not sure I understand any of this at all."
"That's all right. I don't expect--"
"All I do know is..."
Anthy looked at Miki curiously. His eyes dropped to the floor and a light blush touched his face, spreading across his nose.
"All I know is...I'll help you...in any way I can, Miss Himemaya!"
Anthy stared at him, not expecting him to say something like that. It was very nice to hear. She gave him a friendly look and nodded her head.
"Thank you. I appreciate that. I expect I will be needing your help soon."
Miki promised he would come by the next day and Anthy walked him to the elevator. The two waved goodnight to each other until the doors closed. Miki’s heart was racing. Something big was going on here.
The elevator doors opened and Miki gasped out loud, as he was face to face with Nanami. She was scowling, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Miki. Just where have you been?"
"Uh...well...I..."
That was the night Mikirealized he was no good at lying.

"Anthy and UTENA are HERE!"
"Shh!" Miki admonished, covering her mouth. "Not so loud! No one else can know. Not yet, anyway."
Nanami swatted his hand away, looking agitated.
"Ugh! I can't stand this sick game of theirs!"
"Nanami, please! Please don't tell anyone else!" Miki pleaded.
"I probably should. It would get this thing over with, probably."
She turned on her heels and started walking down the hallway. Miki followed her, worried that he had managed to betray Anthy within only a few minutes of earning her trust. After a moment, Nanami spoke.
"Fine."
"Huh?"
"I said, fine. I won't tell anyone. I'll help you guys."
Miki smiled at her, surprised.
"Nanami..."
She shrugged her shoulders, indifferent.
"It doesn't really matter who I help, does it? As long as this thing gets solved. And I'm not doing this because I like Anthy Himemaya or Utena Tenjou either."
She went inside her room. Miki started for his, and then stopped, thinking about that.
'Then...is she helping because...she likes...me?'
He looked back at the door Nanami had disappeared behind, and then back to his own hotel door. He chuckled lightly and shook his head.
'Nah.'
He went inside.

To be continued...

kino amiko: You're very welcome. I hope you enjoyed the Apocolypse Saga. I think that's probably my favorite of the Utena arcs. I am still around; just not a very fast updater obviously. ;;

librastargirl16: I try, heh. Thank you! I'm very glad you enjoy my writing.

Lady Dark Angel: There is more! My chapters are short, I know. They may get longer...I'll try my best.

Utena Tenjou: I'm glad you keep reading. I hope I won't disappoint you.

Lady-Willowish: Well, I know I didn't update very soon. I'll try and get better about that. Please do enjoy, though.

Naoko: Yay! I'm glad you like my fic. I'll update sooner next time. And your review is appreciated; they are always motivation for me.

Michiru Loves Haruka: He is an ass, I agree. Hm. Will she kill him? Let's wait and see! Hee hee. I do need more Anthy and Utena moments. There will be more, I promise.

Bandit: Ah, everyone wants more Utena and Anthy. I'll be givin' ya more, no worries.

White Rose Archer: I'm so glad you love it! I love to please. Miki will obviously have a bigger role in this fic in chapters to come, so I hope I can keep him in character for you.

KyaniteD: Here is the next part. I'll try and update sooner next time. Obviously, I must meet up to your expectations. ;;

Everybody: Thanks for stickin' with me! The next part will be sooner in coming, I promise! I got my word processor fixed and now I can type at home again, so I will be spending much more time on this fic. I have the whole thing planned out; so it shouldn't take me so long from here on out. Keep reading and reviewing and thanks again! I love you guys! hugs