It was just another ordinary day. The sky was an ordinary blue, the air smelled of summer and the grass was that ordinary shade of green. Ordinary birds sang in ordinary trees and for the first time in a long time, a pink haired girl donning a boy's uniform felt, well, ordinary.
It had been a year since that mess involving duels, a purple haired rose bride and a prince sent her life into a living fight of heaven and hell. Finally Utena felt she had her life on track. The student council went on as always, the tight little click seemed even tighter and for some reason all but one acted like nothing had ever happened.
Utena stooped to pull one red sock back up.
"UTENA"
The next thing she saw was the ground rushing up to meet her as her rather overly excitable friend Wakaba took a flying leap to land on her back.
A groan of pain passed Utena's lips and pink hair filled her mouth. At least it wasn't dirt I guess.
"Wakaba," Utena started softly, "what have I told you about flying leaps and my back?"
"Ummmmmm," the ditsy brunette responded.
Utena arched and eyebrow
"Doooooon't jump on you back especially with a run up and you don't know I am there?"
"Right."
Utena saw Wakaba's face go sad.
"It's just an old injury I got coming back to haunt me. Otherwise I would let you…"
She was interrupted by the squees of other girls watching them.
For some reason she was always having that happen to her.
Sighing, Utena retrieved her books from the dirt.
That is when timed seemed to become as thick as cold molasses.
In the distance she saw a figure, mounted on what seemed to be a white horse. Pale purple hair flowed from the rider and their white clothes seemed to glide around them. She watched as the rider stopped still and as a man with long flaming red hair strode over. They seemed to speak for a moment. The rider turned the horse and in that moment time resumed its normal pace and the rider and horse moved swiftly away.
Utena fought for air. Seeing them had taken her breath from her chest and she felt as though bands of steel squeezed at her chest.
She recognized the red-head. It was Touga. She knew him anywhere.
Who was that rider? What was "he" doing here? Since when did we have equestrian at this school? Why was Touga talking to him?
It was Wakaba who brought her out of her thoughts, complaining of "being late for class again".
Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, Utena nodded. She would have to track Touga down and get some answers.