Disclaimer: I do not own Utena or Aladdin, but both are pretty awesome.

Author's Note: Hello, hello again people. I will begin working on my other story straight away - I do still have some things going on in my life, as mentioned, that I need to work out and figure out, nothing is ever easy, so I thank you for your patience and kindness, and ask that you continue to bear with me. I promise I'll try my best to release chapters as quickly as possible. I have big plans, and it's bound to be entertaining, I promise.

But, first, let's get another chapter to this short little story I have going on - so without further ado, here's the next piece to the story I just published recently.

I hope you all enjoy!

—

Utena: The Chosen of the Lamp

Chapter 2: For Friendship, Perhaps

The next day…

I yawned as I made my way into school. I felt like I had been up all night completing that damned math homework, even though at some point I must have fallen asleep. My bag was lazily draped over my shoulder and I slid my feet as I walked. I hope the teacher was at least going to check that everyone did the homework this time around.

"Utena! Utena! Utena, my love!" Wakaba rushed towards me with that same familiar catchphrase of hers, as she leaped into the air and landed on my back, wrapping her arms enthusiastically around my neck, with this huge, hyperactive smile on her face. I couldn't deny; Sometimes I wish I could be as cheery as her, and then again, sometimes not.

I yawned and smiled tiredly. "You know… you're going to start to give people the wrong idea about us if you keep saying that." I remarked in a joking way.

"I don't care! Let them think what they want, you're my best friend, my true love Utena! There's no one better for me than you!" She giggled with delight and hugged even tighter. I swear, for someone so small as she, she did have a good, rather, lethal, grip.

Just then, a man with green hair, Vice President of the Student Council, walked by us, on his way into school as well. Wakaba seemed to loosen her grip, let go completely, and get off of me, almost jumping in front of me and saying…

"Uh.. good morning, Saionji-sama…" She blushed a little as she looked at him. Suddenly, he stopped, and for a moment, his back was still turned towards her, but then his head turned to the side so his eye could be seen, and just barely, a smirk upon his mouth. He seemed perhaps a bit, tense… no, angry was the better word.

"And just who are you?" He asked bluntly, impolitely.

"Oh, yes. T-that's right… you probably don't remember me… my name is Wakaba… Shinohara?" She kicked her foot in the dirt some, shyly, as she looked down and folded her hands.

"Hm? I can't say I remember a Wakaba Shinohara.." He thought for a moment, readjusting his head forward and looking down at the ground, so now all we could see of him was his back. A few moments passed again, and as Wakaba began to speak, he cut her off.

"That's okay.." She smiled, and was just getting to finish her sentence and wish him a good day to be about her way when..

"Oh yes, you." He started, which made her stop in her tracks. Her eyes were wide with delight at the fact that he remembered her. I watched the scene, with a small smile on my face as well, wondering where this might be going. "I remember you - Wakaba Shinohara… the person who sent me that completely idiotic.. I mean, sweet - love letter." He smirked, and even though I couldn't see his stupid face, I could tell he was.

Wakaba just stood there in shock. Her smile faded, and her face almost drooped. If one were quiet enough I swear you could hear the sounds of Wakaba's heart breaking, the little cracks starting to spread. Her knees wobbled for a second before she could regain balance and she seemed frozen. That was mean, that was going too far, that was just…

"Hey!" I spoke up on my friend's behalf, as some of the tears that were welling in her eyes began to fall down her face silently. A few of them hit the dirt beneath her feet, as she then turned around and began to run away. "Wait… Wakaba…" I tried to stop her, but it was to no avail. It was then that he turned around, when he realized that someone was addressing him directly. "That was completely uncalled for!" I looked at him intensely, my blue, now meeting his violet.

"What's uncalled for is writing down all those sentiments to me. I receive a lot of love letters each day, but they don't matter to me. No, in fact, none of these grotesque girls at this school catch my attention, they're much too stupid for anyone to like them anyway." He spoke in a matter of fact, nonchalant way. My fists balled and I continued to glare at him. Who did this guy think he was, some kind of prize himself?

"And besides, all those love letters I receive, are my letters, my business, and I can do what I choose with them. I can throw them away, I can burn them, tear them to pieces, and share my opinions on them too. I was just being honest with her." He continued.

There was a devilish look in his eyes; There was something really messed up about this guy, though I couldn't place it just yet.

"If you didn't feel the same, you could have just said so, instead of calling it idiotic on purpose!" I yelled. "Wakaba really likes you, and you just broke her heart, and you don't even care." I remarked.

"Like I said.." He was almost, sort of, laughing. "I was just being honest with her." Then his face stopped the comical expression it was portraying and faded into that of a more serious one. "So I suggest you stop bugging me about it."

"Fine. Since words won't do anything and you can't keep your opinions to yourself, let's settle this in a way you can understand." I raised my hand and pointed at him, the hand with the ring on it. "I challenge you, Saionji. I challenge you to a duel after school. I'm going to take back my friend's honor." I made sure he knew the resolve in my eyes, and if Wakaba were secretly listening right now, I hope she'd feel a little better that I was willing to get her honor back from this jerk.

"You can't be serious. You and me, duel? Who do you think you are little-…" He shook his head, and only after he stopped and refocused on me, this time a little more closely, could he see the ring, glimmering in the sunlight, which stopped him; And then he smirked, and closed his eyes, crossing his arms. "I see.. you own a rose crest ring. - In that case, very well. You and I will meet in the dueling arena forest after school for this duel. I look forward to your challenge." He opened his eyes again and walked away with that same, dark, grimy, smirk.

'Just wait Wakaba… I'll make sure he gets what he deserves…'

I thought as I watched him walk away, and then proceeded to walk to my own class to start the day.

—

A few hours later… In the Rose Garden…

'I know I said this was just supposed to be a penholder, but… ever since that talk with Touga yesterday I can't help but wonder if what he said was true. I mean… if this thing is really said to hold magical powers…'

I started to think, but then shook my head.

'No… it can't be. Can it?'

I continued, looking at the thing, which was in my hands. I kept looking at it, side to side, from above and below. I looked at the point, where it seemed there was a small hole for liquid to be poured out, almost like a teapot. And then again at the handle, which now had some of my fingerprints on it. It was a little dusty.

'Well I suppose there could be a lot of dirt and sand over there. Which would explain why it's kinda dusty. But still… it seems so simple - Rub the lamp and a genie will grant you three wishes. Any three wishes you want…'

I continued to think, sitting on the floor to the Rose Garden. It was nice, no one was in here, and it was quiet during the day. There were lots of flowers around here, and it always smelled of roses, which reminded me of the past, and how I obtained the ring that I cherish so closely today. Speaking of that ring, I gently set the lamp down on the ground in between my legs which were bent and open, out to the sides, and raised my hand with the ring on it, to look at it again.

'I wonder if the genie can bring the prince to me who gave me this ring. Even though I remember what he told me, I still can't remember his face…'

The thoughts continued, as I turned my hand.

'No wait… I wonder if this magical genie can make me into a prince. Yeah! That's it. I can't wish to be a prince, and then I can go about saving princesses and people in trouble, just like my prince did for me!'

A smile grew on my face as I thought this to myself.

'And then if I become a prince, I can fight for what I believe in, I can protect those I care for.'

I nodded, as my resolve grew, and then I placed my hand down, with a soft smile.

'Shoot!'

My thoughts screamed as I packed the lamp into my bag hurriedly, and stood up in even more of a hurry.

"I have to meet Saionji to settle the score with him soon. I'd better get going, and practice some of my sword skills. Now… to grab a kendo stick.." I immediately headed for the kendo practice room to grab one of the practice blades they had available.

—

After school… in the dueling arena forest…

I approached some kind of wall.

"Well, this is the place." I remarked, kendo stick in hand. Suddenly, I spotted a handle of some sort, and decided to try and pull it open, but it turned out to be stuck, locked.

"Figures, you need some kind of special key to get inside." I left my hand where it was on the handle, looking up for another way in; But suddenly…

There was a small splash of cold water upon my ring, and I drew back my hand from the shock of the cold feeling. But as soon as the droplet hit my ring, waters came pouring out of the side fountains, and I stood back, watching this happen. The wall in front of me, was really the door all along, and it separated and moved into its appropriate decorative structures. And then, in front of me, the pathway cleared and there was a very visible doorway for me to enter through.

"Well, I'd say this works out perfectly." I smirked and with a determined look in my eyes, I began to climb the stairs up towards the top of the dueling arena forest.

After a small while, I'd managed to make it up to the flat platform, the top of the arena, which is where we were to be dueling. Saionji was already there as I made my entrance and stopped, facing opposite and a few feet away from him. He was wearing his usual smirk, and had some kind of sheath attached at his belt.

"I see you've made it." He remarked smugly. I looked around, the arena was very vast, but, as vast as it was, there was one part that really caught my eye, and made me wonder.

As I looked up, there was nighttime sky, full of stars and a moon; And though it was still daytime, and the sun was perhaps still setting, it appeared like almost night over the arena. The stars twinkled and I refocused my gaze on him, a little confused, and disoriented.

"Wait… is that real? But, it's still daytime." I said.

"You can think of it as a sort of mirage, a trick of the light." He laughed to himself.

"A trick of the light? A mirage?" I questioned further, looking back up at it.

"Yes, just that. A trick of the light. There is no more you need to know about it. And it doesn't matter. Now come, let us duel." He was anxious to start, I see.

I looked back at him, gripping the kendo blade in my hands. "Alright. If I win, I will have won back my friend's honor from you." I stated, seriously.

"Yes, yes I know. And if I win, hmmm.." He began to think for a moment. He was sinister, and I didn't like it. Then he began to laugh.

"Just what is so funny?" I wasn't in the mood for games.

"Well, I don't normally do this. Losers like yourself and the others who have challenged aren't worth more than the time we use for the duel, to me." He began. "But, since you were so brave and foolish enough to challenge me, I say we make this duel a little more interesting." He looked directly at me.

"What do you mean, more interesting?" I asked back.

"Usually, I'd accept the humiliation and defeat of my opponent within seconds as the only prize and satisfaction I need, but this time I'm raising the stakes. We each wager something, an item, up for this duel. The winner takes both of the items, their own, and the loser's. And I'm not just talking any random item, a book isn't worth much to you or me." He continued.

"So what is it you're thinking?" I didn't like where this was going.

"The item you wager has to be something of value, hold some significance to you, that way, it makes things more… painful when you lose." He continued laughing smugly to himself, keeping his hands on the hilt of the sword sticking out of the sheath. Look at him, he was so proud wasn't he?

"Something of value?" I started. "But I don't have…" I thought for a moment, looking down at my bag on the floor, a little ways from me. My eyes widened as I focused on it and remembered the lamp that Wakaba had brought me from her trip.

'Wait I have Wakaba's lamp!'

My thoughts echoed.

"But I can't possibly… wager that, I mean.." I spoke out loud, looking down.

'Oh but what choice do I have?'

I thought again in frustration.

"Come on, what's taking so long? Do you or do you not have something to put up for this duel? If you don't, then I guess the only thing you CAN wager is that ring of yours. After all, that's what makes you a duelist, makes you able to come here and face me." He smirked.

"Fine.." I began. Thinking: 'I'm sorry Wakaba…'

I went into my bag and pulled out the lamp she had brought back for me. "I wager this. It's a souvenir that my friend Wakaba brought back for me from her trip to India." I held it up, practically shouting that at him.

"That? And what use would that be to me?" He crossed his arms, taking his hands off his sword.

I smirked. "I mean, wouldn't you be interested in something that's said to hold an all-powerful genie that will grant you any three wishes you want..?" I questioned.

His eyes widened. "Anything I want." He smiled and began to laugh, sinisterly. "That power will soon be mine." He stated as I placed the lamp down by my bag.

"Well that's my item, what's yours?" I asked, glaring at him.

Suddenly, he uncrossed his arms, not taking his eyes off me, and drew the sword from the sheath, pointing it at me, and then holding it across his body, a little ways in front of it. It gleamed in the moonlight above us.

"This. I wager this special weapon of mine, given to the victor of this arena, of this school. Which happens to be me. This sword is quite the item too. To whomever possesses it and wields it, it is said that true swordsmanship skills will come. And obviously, it's rightful owner is me!" He laughed again. I was beginning to become even more convinced that this Saionji character was really insane.

"Alright." I agreed.

"Now, before you start swinging your sword like an amateur, allow me to explain the rules, as we have a set of them here in the dueling arena." He smirked, and looked down, to where my chest would be. I looked down too, following his gaze, and suddenly, in my pocket there appeared to be a white rose placed. To make sure I wasn't seeing things, I blinked; Nope, it was really there. And then I looked up to his chest, a rose was there as well in his pocket, only his was green in color. I think this was more confusing than my math homework last night.

"What the- where did these roses come from? And.. what are they for?" I asked, trying to get to the point of all this. Like I said, I wasn't in the mood for games, and that was what it seemed like Saionji was doing with me, playing a game.

"Relax. These are roses. For the duel." He spoke blandly.

"I can see that." I remarked, smartly.

"Anyway." He interjected, obnoxiously. "We duel, and the one who has their rose cut from their chest automatically loses. Once the duel has begun, until one of our roses are cut off, it will not end, unless of course, you surrender, or… give up." He chuckled to himself. He was really smug, wasn't he?

"Like I would ever surrender someone like you." I growled.

'I don't know..all I have to do is beat him and I can win back Wakaba's honor from this jerk. All I have to do is cut the rose from his chest and I win, doesn't seem so hard..'

I thought to myself, feeling a little nervous. But regardless of how nervous I really might have been inside, I took a solid stance and placed my weapon up, pointing at him, with this gleam in my eyes that showed I would never give up. A very determined look, that told him I wouldn't lose this duel, no matter what.

"Alright then, let's duel." I said, readily.

"Very well, let the match begin!" And as he said that, the bells rang in the distance, and he lunged at me. He began to strike left and right; He was a lot better than I intended. Then again, he was the kendo team captain, from what I'd heard, and someone like that would naturally be skilled at dueling. I really had to watch out here, but I wouldn't lose!

I parried a few of his strikes, and jumped back to dodge another one. He wasn't even winded, and I was starting to expend my energy in unwise ways. I would be tired if I tried a new tactic, other than dodging and switching my blade positions to block his, which were met by his force too. But, what did I know about sword fighting, or dueling for that matter?

"You know, if you wish, you can make this easy on yourself and give up and in one swipe, I can cut that rose from your chest." He smirked, taking it sword into his form again, stroking the flat side of it with his fingers, slowly. "You aren't going to win anyway." He remarked smugly.

"I don't intend to lose. I can't afford it." I said, in between breaths.

"Well, if you insist on continuing, the least I could do is making your suffering short and end this right now!" He screamed again and lunged at me, trying even quicker swipes at my rose. But I simply wouldn't let him have it. I jumped to either side, and moved my body accordingly to dodge his attempts at my rose, and parried some of his hits again. But, this time, they were harder, they had more strength to them.

"It's over!" And as he shouted that and went for a strike down from above our heads, I went to block his attack, only to have his sword cut straight through, the already splitting wood of my sword. His attack was so strong in fact, that I had been forced down onto my knees, now holding two halves of the blade that once was whole. I was leaning right by my bag, with my possessions right next to me; Apparently, during all the fighting, we had moved quite a bit.

I was panting now, and my eyes spread wider than they ever could. Oh no, what would I do with my sword cut in two? He began to laugh maniacally again, this time in a more boisterous way.

"Wait.. that sword… is that a real sword..?" I asked, surprised.

"Well of course it's real. What did you think I was fighting with something fake?" He calmed his laugh to nothing, and then continued to smirk in that same devilish way. "In these duels, everything is real. The wager, the fighting, the danger, and most certainly the weapons. There is no plastic swords and foam shields in this arena, and you were foolish enough to bring a wooden one to battle with. And now that it's split in two, it's useless. And I have won the duel." He chuckled again.

"Say goodbye to your rose. And the duel." His eyes went wide, crazy wide, and he raised his sword slowly into the air to make the final attempt at my rose. Though I had put up a good effort in protecting it and keeping myself from losing this duel, it was over, there was nothing more I could do. My sword split in two, and he was right, it was next to useless. Still, I would fight on, as I had promised to do. I just knew it was very unlikely for me to win.

I took a breath in and sighed it out, closing my eyes.

'I wish to… win this. Grant me the power to win this duel.'

I thought to myself and reopened my eyes fiercely. He swung downward, and I swung up with the half of my sword that contained most of its blade. And just in that moment, there was a harsh bit of light, it seemed like the illusion of the night time sky had been interrupted by a light that was sunlike, or perhaps it was the moon in that night sky that was shining so brightly. I couldn't tell what it was, all I know is that it was blinding, and coming in my view of his rose.

"Ahhhhhh!" He yelled and continued, though I saw him squint as well, the light was blinding Saionji too.

"Ahhh!" I yelled back, trying my best to get his rose. I closed my eyes once more, and swung full swing.

'I hope I get his rose.'

I thought as the strikes were dealt and then the light faded, and the wind blew by, and the bells rang again, which I guess meant the end of the duel. I opened my eyes and he looked dumbfounded. The wind blew green petals away with its gust in the air and I looked at his rose cut apart, one singular petal remaining in his pocket. I looked down to mine, which was still in full tact. He fell to his knees, dropped his sword on the ground, and seemed to be in some kind of trance.

"I… It can't be… I lost…?" Were the only words he could muster.

I dropped both halves of the kendo blade he tore in half and stood up, sighing. I was still catching my breath some, but it was nice to know that this duel was fought and over with. I don't know how I won, or even what happened, all that was important to me was that I won back my friend's honor, and that was that.

"I've taken back Wakaba's honor. If I were you, I'd go apologize to her. She might forgive you for what you said, if you really mean it." I glared at him, and then placed the lamp back into my bag, placed that bag on my back, picked up the sword from his side and walked off, down the stairs and out of this freaky arena.

—

Outside the dueling arena…

I yawned.

"Man, what a day." I started. "What even happened in there?" I looked back upon the arena, which stood above everything else in the distance. Then I shook my head and turned back to face the way I was just going.

"Whatever… I'm just glad to be done with that freaky duel and that weird place, and that jerk. Guess I'll call it a night." I yawned again and went to take another step in the way I was headed to continue my walk back to my dorm, when suddenly, someone popped out from behind the pillar. She appeared to be a student, dressed in the same uniform all the girls wore at my school. Her skin was darker than most, her hair was a dark shade of purple, and she wore round glasses over her eyes. In the middle of her forehead there was a red symbol, which from afar looked to me some kind of dot, and her hands were folded in front of her, each with a golden bracelet around her wrists. She slowly opened her eyes and looked straight me, my blue meeting her jade green.

"Greetings Miss Utena." She spoke, almost emotionlessly. I had never seen her around, and she suddenly appeared and knew my name, this was weird. But then again, I guess I'll just play along for now, after what just happened far be it for me to question things much less the meaning of "weird".

"My name is Anthy Himemiya. And from this day forth, I belong to you." She spoke, softly.

"Nice to meet you Anthy. Come on, I was just on my way home, maybe we can talk more there. After all, I am tired and I wouldn't mind having some company with me tonight." I smiled and began to walk towards my dorm.

"Alright." She agreed. And that was it. For tonight.

—

Author's Note: Hope things are getting interesting. Are you wondering how Utena won the duel and what that bright flash of light was? Were you wondering where the Rose Bride was and why she has suddenly appeared after the duel? Are you getting curious about what's to come next? I hope so! Stay tuned for Chapter 3!