Chapter 6
The Rose Brides
Saionji could barely make anything out. There was a bright light before him, so bright that it blurred his vision. He tried to shield his face with his hand, noticing it was clothed in a pure white robe. He gasped, trying to see, but everything was still blurry. A pair of beings, their heavenly outlines the only features visible in the brightness, approached him. The first one spoke, its voice musical, but indecipherable. The lovely creature placed its hand upon his chest, pushing him slowly into the cloud upon which he lay.
"So, this is the end. It's as beautiful as I imagined it would be." He whispered to himself as the first withdrew and the second approached. Suddenly the first one reached swiftly towards the second, followed by...
Splash!
"Gah!" Saionji sat up with a start, throwing the wet linens off of his chest.
"Nemo!? Why did you do that?" Utena stated, slightly annoyed.
"Well, he was obviously delusional." Nemo replied, setting the glass in his hand down on a small study table in the middle of the room.
"Wait a minute, I'm not dead?" Saionji questioned, looking back and forth between the two of them, confusion written on his face.
"No, you're just fine." Utena replied. "Other than being all wet."
"At least I didn't club him to death with a tree branch last night." Nemo answered, a hint of humor in his voice. Utena's face reddened visibly as she turned slowly away, hiding her expression from Saionji, who looked at her sharply.
"You did what!?"
Facing him quickly, Utena bowed her head and folded her hands. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it, I promise. It was a trick of the light, and I thought you were the guy chasing me."
"That hardly makes it acceptable to knock me over the head like that." Saionji rubbed cautiously at the back of his head, wincing as he felt the sizable lump upon it.
"Why was the man chasing you, anyway?" Nemo questioned.
"Actually I'm not sure. One minute I was walking home, the next this man comes out of nowhere with a funny mask on and tries to skewer me with a huge sword."
"Can you describe him?"
"I didn't see much, but he was tall, maybe as tall as Saionji or Touga, with a heavy coat, that big sword, and some kind of bag with holes cut into it over his head. It was so dark though, I couldn't make out any real features."
Nemo relieved himself of the others company to sit on the end of the low study table while Utena held a damp cloth to Saionji's head. A click at the door announced that someone was entering, followed by soft steps. Everyone in the room looked to the door as it creaked open, revealing a small blue creature, somewhere between a monkey and a mouse. It had short fir, stood on its hind legs, wore a little red tie with a single yellow stripe upon it, and had an earring in the left of its massive ears.
The little creature waddled in, waving one of its tiny arms at the room's occupants. "Chu chu!"
Utena's eyes widened. "Chu Chu!? What are you doing here? Unless..."
The door continued to open, revealing another. The girl was nearly as tall as Utena, with dusky brown skin surmounted with long, elegant purple hair. She had bright green eyes, and wore a school uniform much like the others, but the collar and skirt were dyed purple like her hair. "Utena," the girl said, her voice perfectly controlled, yet friendly, "I've been looking for you."
"Anthy." Utena whispered.
***
High above the academy grounds, a platform stood upon a corkscrew staircase, thrust up at a sharp angle. The platform itself, however was perfectly level, well suited to its duty. Three figures stood in the whipping winds atop it, resisting the powerful gusts that howled about those destined to battle for the Rose Bride.
Leander stood, ready to challenge his foe. He wore his flawless royal blue uniform, now adorned with a russet colored rose over his heart, perfectly matching his elegant short hair. In his left hand, he bore a massive blade, one that few could handle. Like him, the sword was flawless, a blood channel running down its mirrored length until it ended a few inches shy of the razor sharp point. The hilt was no less impressive, decorated in gold and sapphires.
Staring across at his opponent, a man hardly worthy of the Rose Bride or Eternity. He was a passionate youth, oiled black hair falling back to the nape of his neck, his uniform fine, but not perfect. The ruffle here, the overlong thread there, he was flawed, and didn't deserve the girl that stood at his side.
She on the other hand, was exactly what any young man would dream of. Her hair was a silver blue river, cropped about the shoulders, accentuating her frail, flawless face. A pair of rose colored eyes captivated and taunted him as she stared across the field of battle. Her dress was a passionate, blood colored silk that only accentuated her slim waist and slender frame. He could hardly wait to make her his.
For a moment, his mind drifted back to when he first joined the duels, nearly a year ago. He didn't understand what she meant when Juri had given him the ring. He didn't really know what to think when strange letters told him to show up to a dueling arena in the forest. He had been utterly confused as he followed the spiraling stairs into the sky. He had been shocked beyond all imagination to see a castle rotating high over his head, its many towers and spires thrusting down to the platform where he stood, much as today.
Seeing her, however, everything made perfect sense. She was a princess, awaiting someone as perfect as him to rescue her, to protect her from the world. She had asked him to perform his duties, and he had. She had whispered about how she longed for a new champion, and he came. Now, he was stronger, better, faster. He had mastered his heavy blade, and was ready to take the Rose Bride for himself, once and for all. This fool who had her would never take her again.
The two combatants raced towards each other, their blades singing in the wind as the Rose Bride stood, watching them fight. She made no sound, no cheer for her champion, but Leander already knew the outcome, knew who it would be.
"Haha, you really think you can beat me with that clumsy sword of yours, Leander?" His opponent taunted, laughing like the fool he was.
Leander smiled. "I don't even remember your name anymore."
The great sword swept through the violet rose on his foe, ending the duel. The bells in the distance clanged of his victory, but he wasn't done. The blade continued to cut, passing the uniform, biting deep into the skin, and finally sinking deep in his foe's heart. The young man let out a gasp of surprise and terror, staggering back.
He clutched at his blood soaked uniform, staring down at the gaping hole that was left where his heart had been. Dropping upon his back, the youth's last breaths escaped as his lifeblood left him. Casually, Leander stepped over the body, wiping the sword's bloody end upon the cheek of his victim.
The Rose Bride came to him, her eyes set on him. She did not even seem to notice the body laid out upon the platform before her. Why should she care, he wasn't her prince, Leander was now.
He smiled to himself as they walked away, the bells tolling out their last mournful cries. This time, there would be no disputing who would take the Rose Bride, he had made sure of that. As they left the platform, another gust blew, carrying the rose petals into the air. Violet mixed with brown.
***
"What happened this morning, Saionji? What happened to Utena?" Nemo had never sounded this concerned about anything before. Saionji couldn't be sure of it, but something had happened from the time he found Nemo battling in the forest to when he had been so rudely awakened that morning. Nemo had changed dramatically, no longer the near soulless entity with a dry sense of humor, but a real, caring individual. It was just like Utena had said, there was much more to this No One than he would have expected.
"I don't know, but something happened on the day she left, something that shook the foundations of the academy. Whatever it was, the event must have been traumatic to make her act like that." Saionji didn't want to say it, but he had been as stunned as anyone at her response to the arrival of Anthy.
They leaned on the guard rail, watching the river flow out into the sea. Suddenly, a flock of gulls took off into the sky, disappearing into the blue distance as quickly as they could. The wind picked up, and dark clouds raced in, filling the sky with rain and hail.
Nemo and Saionji ran for cover, quickly finding shelter in the form of a bus stop. Dripping wet, Nemo looked to the sky, as if somehow the answers to his questions lay there in the dark, forbidding clouds.
"Thanks for coming with me, Saionji. Yesterday I hardly understood having friends," he paused, "at least, friends I remember. Then I met you and Utena, and for the first time, I didn't feel alone anymore. The people all around me didn't matter, because you two were there. Now, it seems like Utena needs friends, I am sure she does, but she doesn't want any. I just can't understand why she would be running away. Why she would say that no one could help her. Is this something she did often, or is it just normal for girls?"
"It isn't normal, for her or for girls like her. You must understand that Utena is an interesting breed, hardly what anyone would call a normal girl. But for her to act like that, I can't say for certain. I did feel like that once, though." Saionji replied.
"What happened to you?" Nemo asked, his voice low and sad as the rain that fell.
"My best friend, he deserted me. He cast me out like some rag." Saionji's voice became remorseful. "Later he accepted me back, and we became friends again, but those days, they were heart wrenching. They were evil, bleak days, filled with hopelessness, loss, and pain. I couldn't even keep from hurting other people, people who helped me. If she feels the same way about Anthy, I could understand how she felt."
"I see." Nemo whispered, nothing more needed to be said. A bus rumbled up to the stop, its doors hissed. A crowd of people wearing raincoats and umbrellas stepped off, and when they were gone, so were the two friends.
***
The dusky man watched as rain fell in sheets past the tower, smiling as he beheld the beauty of nature. Things had gone well today. A new duelist had taken the Rose Bride, and his beloved sister had finally returned to Ohtori.
The elevator hummed, its gate sliding as someone entered his apartment at the top of the tower. He turned to welcome the Rose Bride, then started when he saw not the girl he expected, but the former Rose Bride, Anthy Himemia.
He rose from his seat, approaching her worriedly. Gone were the glasses, the curled hair, the immaculate school uniform. Gone was the pride of the Rose Duels, the first Rose Bride, and in her place, an older, more fiercely independent girl.
She moved with a self assured grace that flowed perfectly with the Rose Bride, but bespoke one who saw herself as queen, not the obedient pawn. Her eyes sparkled with the same intelligence she had always shown, but now it was malevolent, searching for power instead of supporting his. He shivered with realization as she approached. She was no longer his plaything, and the little sister had moved out to overshadow the big brother who had dominated her destiny.
"Hello, Akio..." The windows slid shut as the elevator clattered into the darkness, leaving the tower hidden in blackness.
***
Nanami rubbed her eyes, sitting up in her bed. Someone was tapping at her window. For a moment, she sat there blinking. Sudden realization that they could be dangerous sent her over the right side of the bed. She cautiously peered over the messed up blankets, staring into the darkness through the curtained, rain stained window.
A flash of lightning illuminated a monstrous looking figure, long, thick clumps of hair dangling over a bent form that seemed to be scratching at the window. Overcome with panic, Nanami screamed, ripping her blankets off the bed, and dashing into the walk in closet on the far wall. Another flash of lightning illuminated her face through a thin crack in the closet door where she dared watch the monster from.
For a moment, only the quiet patter of rain followed the clap of thunder. Then a thin sound, sobbing, made its way into the closet with the scared girl. A burnt down candle on her night stand flared back to life, providing a tiny light in the dark.
Nanami built her courage, and crawled out of the closet, dragging the blankets around her. She made her way towards the window, the candle growing a little brighter with each step. She reached out with quivering fingers to the latch, and with a gulp, pulled it open. The window creaked open, and the forlorn figure looked up.
Gone was the frightening monster of Nanami's imagination, and in its place, a girl, sopping wet, her boy's uniform clinging tightly to her skin. Her eyes were bloodshot from tears, and she hardly seemed to have the strength to lift her head.
"Utena Tenjou!? What happened to you?" A motherly worry filled the young lady as she pulled the warm bed blankets about the soaked girl and helped her into the room. Leading Utena into a chair, she hurried to a bellrope and promptly pulled it repeatedly.
By the time a sleepy servant woman arrived, Nanami was consoling and drying off Utena in turns, worry stamped clearly on her face. Looking up from her charge at the servant's entrance, she gave the woman orders. "Get some hot soup, and hurry!"
She bustled off hurriedly as Nanami turned her attention back to Utena, who was half asleep and delirious. "Poor Utena, what could have happened to you?"