The Counterfeit Dios Saga
Chapter5 – Manipulatively Lovely
Anthy refused Soga's offer to walk her to her next class but simply stood while he said goodbye then watched him walk of in the other direction. She didn't plan on going to her last class. Her target was the first of the towers Soga had told her off. She waited, moving through the halls quietly until the whole school seemed silent, absorbed in watching the time tick by in their last classes.
The huge beasts perched upon the tower gleamed in the sun, sculpted so carefully they appeared prepared to jump from their perch and consume her, vengeful sentinels ready to devour anyone who dare approach their fort. Anthy brushed away would-be fear as if it were a spider web and laid fingers on the cool stone of the tower that bore the huge tiger at its peak. The entrance was a polished mahogany door, glazed so that hues of gold and auburn shone from within it. One gold plague flanking the door a name was scrawled, letters forming the name 'Masumi Kurohana' gleamed deeply in it's polished setting.
The door was locked, she could tell that without even making an attempt on the latch. She could...maybe if she applied just a little magic?
Scenes of the rose duels flashed behind her eyelids and she drew back as if stung. No. She wouldn't do things the easy way. She pressed the heels of her hands against her temples to still the angry buzz of accusing voices that seemed to have rose up with the thoughts of reverting back to everything she'd left behind. After a few moments it passed and the silence was filled only with the lazy hum of the bees that wound in gold arcs over the grass.
Anthy lifted fingers to her lips helplessly as she studied the door infront of her. Hands skimmed the cold stone around the entrance's borders, curiosity touching her eyes when hands hooked on the ledge of a stone, more prominent then the other. She slid her fingers back down again, grasping the edge and pulled. The rock slid free, revealing a hallow in the side of the wall, darkness broken by silver glitter within the shadowy depths. Anthy stuck her hand inside, lifting it out. A key lay in her palm, small and made of wrought steel, the end ornately sculpted into a miniature tiger's head.
Anthy didn't bother considering the unlikeliness of the event but wasted no time and fitting the key into the lock. It turned smoothly and the door swung in. Anthy slipped inside quietly and glanced around. The first room was no more then a tiny circular chamber that curved upwards into a spiral staircase. The walls were lined with glowing lanterns that curled upwards along with the staircase. Areas not reached by the glow cast by the lanterns were black with shadows and utterly foreboding.
Anthy closed the door gently behind her and then moved up the spiral stairs slowly. The winding dissolved into another oak wood door. Anthy pressed against it and it opened smoothly. A room was inside, circular and bearing one window on the far wall. It was set up in the manner of a living room. The floors were wood instead of the expected stone and a glass table sat the center of the room, flanked on two sides by black chairs and one by a long ebon couch. On either wall parallel to the one bearing the window was a door and Anthy tried both before discovering they were locked.
Was Utena behind those doors?
She desperately wanted behind that door and new boundaries began to dissolve with the need. Action was prevented only by the soft click of shoes against the stone steps. Anthy turned just in time to see the door open and a woman stepped inside.
If Anthy had to judge she'd have to say that Masumi Kurohana was one of the most breathtaking women she'd seen. Her hair was a black so deep that it glowed blue, thick mass swept up elegantly. Her eyes were amber, though when they lit on Anthy and an eyebrow arched they flashed a gold as deep as that of a tiger's whose likeness she chose for her tower. She wore a business suit, pressed, black, and adhering flatteringly to a perfect form. A smirk of amusement curved plush, scarlet lips.
"I thought I saw someone sneaking around." Her voice was cool, un-upset, and like a drug. She crossed the floor as if Anthy weren't there, sinking down into one of the cushioned chairs and slid her feet from black heels. "Sit down. There's no use in playing with those doors there, they won't open." A hand moved to her neck, or rather the chain that, lifting it up to reveal a gold key that hung at the end of it. "Not without this anyway."
Anthy was speechless, and unsure. She wanted to believe the woman was dangerous, that the slow predetorial poise of hers was a threat to everything Anthy aspired to do but her soft words and coaxing tones spoke warm amusement that confused her.
Anthy sat. What else could she do, after all, and the woman eyed her thoughtfully, running fingers over the length of the gold key while Anthy followed the path with her eyes. There were so many secrets in this school. Did everyone guard them in the same manner this woman did?
"Would you like some tea, dear?"
Her question caught Anthy off guard. She'd expecting questions involving her intrusion into the tower. Her mind, the one constantly calculating, worked and felt a respect for the woman. She was playing a game and playing it quite well. But if Masumi Kurohana wasn't going to question her she wasn't going to do it for the woman.
"No, thank you." She clasped hands in her lap and offered her Rose Bride smile. However an instant regret followed the action because the woman's eyebrow arched again and her amber-gold eyes narrowed.
"You must be one of the new exchange students. I'm sure I'd remember such a pretty face." Anthy said nothing and for a long time a silence stretched between them, but The Rose Bride thought it far more preferable to Masumi Kurohana's velvet voice. "Were you looking for something?"
It took no more then a heartbeat of thought before Anthy nodded slowly, affirmative motion back by a gentle "Yes."
"Which was?" The lovely woman prompted when Anthy didn't offer a fuller explanation.
"Something of yours."
Masumi's eyes narrowed. "Pardon?"
"It was a dare." Anthy continued with her usual stone composure. "Some of the boys wanted an item of yours."
"What item?"
"I don't think it mattered."
A moment passed and then the woman moved, with a surprising grace and speed. Anthy allowed herself to gasp as long, slender fingers captured her chin and tilted it upwards. She offered the woman fear when Masumi studied her face. It was accepted and Anthy was abruptly released.
"I see." Her hands lifted to her head a small, ornate silver comb was slipped from her mass of dark locks. The silken, obsidian tresses fell on one side, spilling over her shoulders to her knees given the woman an unnatural look; half disheveled, half composed. She held the comb out to Anthy. "Don't give into too many dares. New student tests can become dangerous."
Anthy couldn't detect a threat in the words but she felt a sense of foreboding all the same. She accepted the silver comb with a nod. "Thank you." And then drew back towards the door.
"Until next time, Miss Himemiya."