Perhaps one of the things that fascinate me the most in a tale are back stories, those often only hinted at pasts that compel characters to act in the manner that they do. This is why I am writing this imagining of where the duelist's stories started. In a way I suppose one could include my other Utena Fic, The Start of it All as part of this, as it is about Anthy and Akio/Dios. Personally I like that fic more, partially because Anthy is my favorite character and her and Akio/Dios' past has always interested me, and partially because I enjoy the style I wrote it in. Hopefully I will end up liking this fic just as much.

Please do let me know what you think, for it is impossible for me to improve my writing otherwise. Even if all you want to do is tell me one location where I did not punctuate correctly, I would love to know. Thank you.

Lastly, Shoujo Kakumei Utena is the brainchild of Be-Papas.

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This story isn't realistic, it isn't supposed to be. The world it takes place in is Ohtori, things like reality have no hold here. In the real world, two orphaned siblings would probably be under the ward of child services. They probably would not be taken in by a rich and powerful family like the Kiryuus. Had they knocked on the manors door they would have been met by servants. But this is not the real world, ruled by reason and possibility. This is Akio's world, and the only thing that matters here is his own personal wants and desires. He chose this batch of duelists when they were young. Reality bent in order to accommodate their stories beginning, middle and eventual end.

Which is why the tale of the future red and yellow duelists' shared start began in such a manner.

Their mother had grown ill, and sadly the hospital had run low of type O blood to match her own. Their father, type AB himself, committed suicide a while later, felling that this was his own fault for not having the same sort of blood. He abandoned them, even though his son had been sure that love had existed in their family. After that he was unsure if such an abstract concept of love could be real. Perhaps it was like friendship, something which only fools believe?

Regardless he knew he cared about the baby his parents had left behind. He had to make sure the two of them were taken care of.

He came with her, protectively pressing her to his chest. It was raining out. Both were wet and dirty, his eyes seemed filled with some sort of plea. Surely somebody at a majestic manor such as this could take care of us. Surely someone wouldn't mind helping two needy children. Or at the very least take care of her. He could find somewhere else, but her small body couldn't take the cold any longer.

After she answered the door, that stately lady had hugged them both tight, her dress getting dirty in the process. She hadn't seemed to care, for these were her children now.

Imagine, going from a homeless orphan to the son of such a wealthy family in a handful of moments.

Now imagine that all this happened just so that a man you had yet to meet could ensure you'd enter the right school when you grew older. Not that you knew that, but still it does put things into perspective.