[KnM][RGU][MH] Revolutions
Revolutions – Chapter 24 Epilogue (& Teaser)
A Kannazuki no Miko, Revolutionary Girl Utena and Mai Hime X-Over Fanfic
March 10, 2013 and Oct 7,2014 - Oct 12, 2014.
Word Count: 3,700
Note: If you have access to it, I'd recommend listening to Owl City's 'Hello Seattle (Remix)' while reading this epilogue.
*A DIALOGUE-LESS EPILOGUE*
The sun shines brightly in through the open windows, and gently prods at the closed eyelids of Himemiya Chikane. She stirs from her sleep, and opens her eyes. Rubbing at them, she pulls herself upright, blinks a few times, and looks out the window. The breeze is warm, the morning sun shines triumphant, and the skies are blue with perfect little white clouds dotting it.
She smiles, and gets out of bed to start her day.
Just outside of her home, dressed in grey yoga pants and a soft pink t-shirt, with her blue-black hair pulled up in a ponytail, and white buds piping music softly into her ears, Chikane stretches her arms, and then her legs, and gets ready for a run.
Tokiha Mai walks by, carrying a box of ingredients. She spies Chikane, and smiles warmly at her, waving and offering a morning greeting. Flittering just behind Mai's head is a small white cat with bright green eyes and fluffy white wings, wearing a bandage on his forehead, a golden belled collar around his neck, and a red belly warmer with black shinobi ball patterns around his tummy. Kagutsuchi meows (sounding suspiciously whale-like) at Chikane.
Chikane waves back at Mai and Kagutsuchi, before the redhead continues on her way, and she does one more stretch of her legs, and then she is off at a brisk pace for her morning jog.
The weather is perfect, the wind sublime. As she jogs through Fuuka Academy, she sees various students and teachers, not very many of them, only those who understand the joys of an early morning. Director Himeno Fumi is sitting on her pouch, reading a newspaper, and sipping coffee, while 11 year old Kazahana Mashiro sits beside her, happily spooning some yogurt parfait into her mouth. Fumi sees Chikane jog past, and gives her a wave, which Chikane returns, while Mashiro smiles.
As Chikane starts to leave the university section of campus, she spies one more familiar pair, stopped just at the entrance, doing their own morning stretches. Suzushiro Haruka is doing push ups while Kikukawa Yukino stretches out a leg as they chat with each other. Chikane stops to give them a short greeting before continuing on her way. As she leaves, Haruka asks Yukino if she's seen her water bottle. Yukino shakes her head, but then a green tentacle appears out from the sidewalk holding onto the requested item. Haruka is a bit surprised to see it, but thanks Diana for it, and takes a swig.
Onwards, Chikane continues, off of campus, and onto the main road. It is a little noisier here, a few more pedestrians, and as she stops at a street corner, who should she spy at the opposite one, but Fujino Shizuru, dressed in similar workout gear to herself, with her tawny colored tresses pulled back, wearing a maroon shirt, and black short shorts.
They grin at each other from across the street, blue-green eyes meeting ruby red ones with fondness.
And then Chikane's eyes flicker towards to the traffic light, just about to turn green, and flick her eyes back to meet Shizuru's. She smiles in challenge, bending her knees and getting ready for a sprint.
Shizuru raises an eyebrow, and then also moves one foot back in ready position.
The challenge is accepted.
3... 2... 1... and the light turns green.
Both girls take off, like the wind, dashing forward madly, the cracks in the concrete sidewalk disappearing under their cross trainers faster and faster. Every once in a while, Chikane turns to look at the other side of the street, to gauge her performance against Shizuru, and if the tawny-haired girl is in front of her, she doubles her efforts to catch up.
Obstacles begin to pop up in front of them – mothers holding the hands of children with backpacks, elderly grannies washing the sidewalks in front of their properties with ladles of water.
Chikane and Shizuru dodge and weave through the neighbourhood in unison, spinning around one person here, hurdling across another there. A smile tugs at the corner of Chikane's lips, and as she looks across the street, she can see that Shizuru is laughing too.
And then, a familiar motorcycle catches up to them, driving forward in the middle of the road between them. Chikane smiles as she recognizes Kuga Natsuki, in full biking gear. Somehow keeping up beside the motorcycle, without breaking a sweat, was a large silvery and bluish wolf, with what looked like a pint-sized... octopus (with snake-like tentacles) strapped onto his back.
Just behind Natsuki is Yuuki Nao, riding her own ATV that looks suspiciously like a cross between a steampunk style bike, a train, and a spider. There are eight massive piston-like instruments along the back of the bike, four on each side that move up and down, resembling the scuttle of a spider.
Nao grins at Chikane, even as her old roommate flashes Chikane a victory V, before they both speed onwards to meet them at the goal line.
Chikane can't stop smiling as she looks across the street at Shizuru, who's eyes are also sparkling with pleasure as they continue their competition.
The goal line of their race comes into view; a fountain, in a park, that ends the road. First to the fountain wins, and neither girls are accustomed to losing. They approach the fountain on each side, laughing, and running, sweaty and exhilarated. Natsuki has parked her bike in front of the fountain, and takes her helmet off to reveal a broad smile. She smoothes her hair back behind an ear, and affixes it in place with Shizuru's silver hair clip. Nao stands beside her, her arms folded across her chest. Duran pants a little, sitting at a heel beside Natsuki, while Julia has transformed out of 'bike' mode, and is now roughly the size of a small dog, curled up in front of Duran. Kiyohime licks at Julia's face with one of her many heads.
Shizuru beats Chikane by just a hands breadth, slapping the fountain in triumph, and Chikane laughs. She collapses in exhaustion on the edge of the fountain, sweaty, and panting, and giddy from the race.
Shizuru throws her arms around Natsuki, who blushes in response, but is obviously happy, and kisses her deeply. Natsuki's arms flail about in embarrassment, even as Shizuru continues to embrace her, but, eventually, she gives in, and simply settles her arms around Shizuru's waist, even as Nao and Chikane trade amused glances, and giggle to themselves.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Mikoto pops up, with a purple-grey monkey-mouse and a charcoal grey hedgehog sharing space atop her head, and she runs up to Nao for a glomp. The redhead's mouth drops in surprise, and she almost falls down, but is able to support the added weight on her back, somehow. Chu-Chu jumps off of Mikoto's head (while Miroku stays on it) and scurries up Chikane's leg and body to sit on her shoulder. A little heart appears over-top of the monkey mouse's head as she nuzzles her former master's cheek. Chikane smiles and tickles the monkey-mouse's tummy.
The friends walk through the park, after Natsuki finds a place to park their bike, while Duran sits down beside it to guard it. Kiyohime brushes some debris out of Duran's coat to the surprise of several passerbys, who exclaim 'what the hell is that thing?!' The hydra gives her own start of surprise, and quickly flops bonelessly to the ground, playing dead. Duran sweatdrops and pretends to play with Kiyohime as though she is a rag toy until the passerby's go away. Everyone gives sighs of relief.
The friends walk through the park, after Natsuki issues Duran and Kiyohime a command to be careful. They are laughing and chatting, and giggling as Mikoto practically does laps around them, rushing back and forth. Chikane smiles at her friends' antics, even as she looks up in the sky, and shields her eyes from the sun's magnificent rays.
It is going to be a beautiful day.
Eventually, they make their way to Mai's Diner, just about to open in the morning for breakfast, and Mikoto beams, taking off on all fours for the restaurant, her mouth stretched wide open as she shouts her old roommate's name.
The restaurant owner in question looks over from where she is sweeping the street in front of her restaurant (Kagutsuchi's helping too, cleaning the window with a dishcloth), and laughs as Mikoto launches herself through the air and wraps her arms and legs around Mai's body, snuggling happily into her chest. Mai smiles fondly and, after picking Miroku out of it, ruffles Mikoto's hair, even as the other girls approach her, various hands waving in greeting.
They exchange pleasantries, and Mai asks who won the race, at which point, Shizuru smiles far too smugly, while Chikane rubs the back of her head, and smiles weakly, shrugging.
Another laugh, and they go into Mai's restaurant.
They sit around one of the tables, Chikane, and Shizuru and Natsuki and Nao and Mikoto, with Chu-Chu sitting on the table just between Chikane and Mikoto and dig into breakfast.
Chikane asks Shizuru and Natsuki what plans they have for the day. The pair look at each other, and wonder if they should do grocery shopping, or if that could wait until later, because it is just too beautiful a day to be doing chores.
Nao sighs and wishes that she didn't have to be at the church today, even as Mikoto finishes her ramen, and asks Mai for another bowl. From the kitchen, Mai shouts that Mikoto has had enough and she'll get fat with anymore.
They laugh and the chuckle as they pass by the morning hours, and soon it is mid-morning, and time to go. They let Mai know the meal was delicious and settle the bill with Takumi at the register before heading outside again. Mikoto puts on an apron and starts helping Akira serve some of the other customers. Chu-Chu spies a chibified Gennai, and the two leave the restaurant, with Miroku scuttling behind them to cause some mischief somewhere else.
Chikane waves to Shizuru and Natsuki, whose fingers intertwine as they head back through the park to get to Natsuki's bike. Nao next leaves them as she heads for her duties, and Chikane finds herself alone again. She smiles contently, looking up at the sky, and watching the clouds move idly across it as she puts on another playlist, plugs her earphones back in, and continues her walk.
Eventually, her feet take her to a playground, and it is there that her smile truly widens, even as her eyes soften with fondness, for who else can it be that she sees but Kurusugawa Himeko, setting up a photoshoot at the park, putting up some lighting stantions and adjusting the settings on her camera, while various models are putting on makeup and getting their costumes ready.
Chikane approaches the older woman almost shyly, and waits as Himeko directs her crew around, asking for that lighting station to be moved up a little, and if the model wouldn't mind tilting her head to face that direction a little more, yes just like that, thank you.
She doesn't notice Chikane for a few moments, but her crew does and they are all smiling a little, and Himeko isn't sure why everyone is smiling until Chikane puts her hands over Himeko's eyes, and Himeko gives a little start of surprise. Even with the hands over her eyes, Himeko starts to smile, realizing who her visitor is, and she pulls Chikane's hands down as she turns to regard the young woman with a happy sort of glowiness.
She gives Chikane a quick kiss, right there, in front of everyone, and Chikane is a little surprised, but mostly pleased, and she blushes as Himeko pulls back and asks her what she was doing there and how her day is shaping up.
I don't really have anything planned, Chikane confesses, and Himeko is pleased too now, because she's just about to wrap up this shoot, and then they can spend the rest of the day together, and Chikane says she would like that very much.
Chikane goes to sit on a bench and wait for Himeko, and as she waits, a capricious breeze blows her hair around, and she tucks a couple of stray strands behind an ear, even as she tilts her head back to look up at the top of the small hill that overlooks this park. She smiles, fondly, for she feels a warmth in the air.
Then something happens at the park, and Chikane turns back just in time to witness Himeko trip on her own feet and knock over her camera. Her crew sighs in disbelief, even as Himeko sweatdrops and bows profusely, and Chikane can't help but chuckle.
Upon the hill, a pair of long, porcelain legs with red socks and black & white shoes can be seen. These legs stand beside a second, darker colored pair, wearing white socks and black shoes. Strands of wavy purple and soft pink hair dance in the breeze. Light and dark hands hold each other, fingers intertwined.
Utena smiles down at her daughter's happiness, as Anthy leans her head back against Utena's shoulder.
-Fin-
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
It was my intention that this epilogue be styled similarly to ending movie credits, where a popular song plays while the text scrolls over top of scenes of the heroes going about their lives after the climax of the story, so I ended up writing this scene all in one go in March 2013 with Owl City's "Hello Seattle (Remix)" playing ad nauseam in the background. If I had to choose a song to go with this 'ending credits scene', that would most definitely be it.
*phew!*
I think I wrote my heart out and said all I really wanted to say in the notes of the denouement, so I don't have too many more thoughts along those lines to add - thanks so much for hanging in there with me, guys! It's been really gratifying to write this fic!
I guess the only thing left to do is to make an announcement...
... and that is, even though Revolutions is now complete, I think I like this world (where Chikane and Himeko and Natsuki and Shizuru and Juri and everyone else have FINALLY managed to become friends) a little too much to leave it just yet!
So what does this mean for you? Well in the short term, it means no omake this time around, but instead, I'm going to give you a teaser for Revolutions Season II: FuMoooFu!
...
No, seriously. XD! Did you guys ever watch a show called Full Metal Panic (which came out back in 2002)? The first 24 episode season was a series about a soldier who goes undercover as a high school student to protect the heroine from bad guys. I'm paraphrasing, but it was an entertainingly serious action/drama/military/mecha show. The show was so successful that in 2005, they released a second 12 episode season called Fumoffu that was nothing but gut-busting hilarious slice-of-life/comedy about the ridiculousness of the premise that is this totally badass soldier being a complete duck-out-of-water social idiot in high school and it was AMAZING.
Anyway! That's what I envision Revolutions FuMoooFu to be like - fluff and smut and crack (the un-holy trio!), and it will highly likely feature some bovine omake humour too - hence the name. If Plot or Drama even try to show up, I will smash their faces in with a rubber mallet (well, that's probably a lie. There will probably some sort of flimsy excuse for a plot.)
The chapters will be much shorter than the chapters of Revolutions (probably around 5000 words each), and they will not be released very quickly. Muse-chan had a fire under my butt for the longest time in order to get the plot bunnies out of my head for this fic, but FuMoooFu is just fluff, for which I don't generally feel the need to get out quite as urgently.
I hope you'll consider following me through to FuMoooFu! And actually, if I've figured out how to do this correctly, as you are reading this, the first chapter of FuMoooFu should already be available for your reading pleasure - it's just on the Kannazuki no Miko board rather than the Mai Hime board (which you could probably get to via my profile too). It's probably rated M. Proooobably. ;) I figure FuMooofu will probably be 90% fluff and 10% smut. lol.
(At the beginning of Revolutions, I really struggled with trying to figure out where to put the fic, since I knew Chikane and Himeko would not get together for most of the duration of the story, and decided that the Mai Hime board was probably a better place for it, as, at the beginning anyway, it really was an ensemble cast. By the end of the fic though, I think it became more obvious that Revolutions should have been on the KnM board instead - *sigh* For FuMoooFu, I think I'll go straight to the KnM board, since Chimeko will feature quite prominently from the get go).
Hope to see you there!
Cheers,
jen-chan
jen-chan-shaw. livejournal. com
* REVOLUTIONS FUMOOOFU - A TEASER *
Himemiya Chikane stared at the pale-pink haired woman sitting in front of her incredulously. Director Himeno Fumi, the headmaster of Fuuka Academy, smiled back at the livid girl with an expression on her normally serene face that could only be described as gleeful.
"You can't be serious!" Chikane breathed, her hands tightening into flabbergasted fists that rested on the edge of Director Himeno's impressive mahogany desk.
"I'm afraid I am quite." Fumi replied, still smiling that same smile.
"But I'll be 18 next week!" Chikane blurted. "I can't go back to the 10th grade! My peers will all be graduating high school this year!"
"18 though you may be, Himemiya-kun," Fumi reminded the blue-black haired girl gently, even as she sipped from a cup of tea, "you still never finished the first year of high school whilst last you were enrolled at Fuuka Academy, nor have you taken the proper equivalent courses while overseas. There is absolutely no reason I can see to let you transfer into the 12th grade, as you have requested, especially since you failed to pass the challenge exam, proving you incapable of keeping up with your peers."
Chikane could feel the heat rise in her cheeks, of denial, of shame, of embarrassment. She stared at the grading sheet in front of her with the giant red 'F' and the unhappy face :( scrawled over the top and could not believe that this was actually happening to her.
Himemiya Chikane. Did. Not. Fail. Scholastics.
Perhaps she should have studied harder (re:at all) for it. But in the weeks leading up to the exam, she had been so busy with her piano concert schedules, and practicing for her first performance as a soloist on Japanese soil, that that had seemed a distinct waste of time, especially when she vastly preferred spending whatever her free time she had left in Himeko's company (which, to be far, could possibly have involved 'learning' and 'studying' to a degree, but with topics waaaaay more fun and hands-on, and highly unlikely to show up on a high school challenge exam - unless the examiner was really, really kinky).
Of course, a large reason for her scholastic achievement to date in this life was largely because she still remembered her basic schooling from her previous life, so she never really had to try to do well in school. Unfortunately, that life had ended in the middle of the first year of high school, so Chikane had had a very unpleasant, sinking feeling when she had began her exam with absolutely none of the questions being something she had seen before (that, and she could have sworn that the difficulty of the questions may have been deliberately stacked against her somehow)...
Chikane shook her head, absolutely disgusted. "This is ludicrous," she declared, staring at Fumi with eyes flashing brightly in anger. "Any other school in Japan would certainly take two years at the Conservatoire de Paris as the equivalent of the first two years of high school!"
"Then go to any other school in the country! Why do you insist on trying to get back into Fuuka?" Director Himeno replied.
The blue-black haired young adult opened and closed her mouth a few times angrily before sighing. "Because my friends are all here." She finally admitted, rather lamely, and knew she had lost her cause as soon as she had said so.
And Fumi's smile took on a decidedly triumphant tint. "Which is not a legitimate reason for asking me to grant you special permission into the senior year. If you so desire to attend my school, Himemiya-kun, then you will play by my rules."
Chikane continued to hold Fumi's gaze stubbornly, knowing she had lost. "This!" Chikane finally said, though she already knew the answer. "This is just petty revenge for you, isn't it?"
Fumi chuckled. "Oh, Himemiya-kun, you wound me." And then she took a sip of tea. "Think back to what you put me through - what you put Mashirou-sama though. There's nothing petty about it!"
-to be continued-