Author's Note: Once again this took a while. I'm sure you're used to it by now. But you should all thank Kerri for being awesome. It's nice to be able to bounce ideas off of somebody, to rant randomly in a dozen different directions about the plot/characterization/relationships/weird and potentially gross incestuous 'relationships', etc, and even to ask if I've made any progress and then support me when I make crying faces and say I just have no idea what to write. Add in the fact that she betas too, I doubt this story would still exist without her. So, everyone, say 'thank you, Kerri, for not letting Shane quit like the dummy-head that he is'. I'm sure it'll make her blush, which would be proper payback.

Also, the character that was first Satoka, then Akiko, is now Satoru. Eventually I'm going to pick one name and stick with it, I swear. I've changed all previous chapters to reflect the new name.

Also! If there are any readers out there with, you know, mad l33t artistic skillz, maybe you could, uh, contact me about maybe doing some character drawings? Please?

Kagayaku Means to Shine
Anime: Shoujo Kakumei Utena
Primary Pairing: Utena x Anshii
Rating: PG-13
Written: 7 May 2007 - 3 June 2007
Chapter Twenty-Four

"Nikko?"

Nishiko stopped in her tracks, halfway down the stairs leading to the dorm common room. She flushed hotly and looked down, unable to meet her twin's searching eyes at the foot of the steps.

"Morning," she mumbled as she made her way by him, Satoru trailing not far behind.

The morning meal was silent and tense, neither the twins nor the Rose Bride speaking at all. Satoru left immediately after the meal, claiming the need to tend to her roses before class, and Nishiko let her go without comment.

The twins sat silently for a moment longer, until Nishiko couldn't take it anymore.

"I didn't do it."

Nishiki looked up from his empty plate.

"What?"

"I didn't do it. I didn't sleep with her last night."

Nishiki just sat and stared, and so Nishiko continued to blurt out the story.

"I was so...so angry. He stole our memories, took everything away from us. The duels, the Rose Bride...they're the keys to getting it all back, but that didn't even factor into my decision. I just wanted to fight, to do something with this anger! I almost didn't even expect to win. But then I did, and I had her, and...well, obviously just winning her wasn't enough."

Nishiko hung her head as she continued.

"She smiled at me when I pushed her down, smiled and laid there like...like a doll. I was still so angry, I wanted to hurt her, wanted to 'possess' her and get our memories back, but...but it felt like rape, even though she smiled. So I couldn't do it. I'm so sorry."

Nishiki blinked.

"You're sorry? Why would you be sorry?"

"I...I was trying to be strong, for both of us. I wanted to find a way to break free, to get our memories back. I wanted...well, I wanted to protect you."

The young man couldn't help but smile as he moved around the table to embrace his twin, rubbing her shoulders lightly as she sniffled, on the edge of tears.

"Thank you for caring, Nikko," he said softly, "But you don't have to take the whole thing on your own shoulders. Just because I'm more sad than I am angry doesn't mean I won't pick up my sword and fight when the time comes. We're twins," he laughed, "We should be in this together, right?"

"You're right," Nishiko agreed after a moment, "I'm still sorry, but now I'm sorry for not letting you stand up for yourself. Let's do this together from now on, okay?"

"Glad to hear you feel that way," Nishiki said, grinning mischeviously all of a sudden, "Because right now, together, we're going to be late for class. Race you there!"

"Wait, what?"

By the time Nishiko had gathered her thoughts, her twin was halfway out the door, bag in hand. Screaming his name, she took off after him and they tore down the path from their otherwise empty dorm, straight into the welcoming arms of a pair of closed gates and one very irate teacher.

"So your fault," Nishiko murmured out of the side of her mouth, and Nishiki was forced to hide a snicker as the teacher set into her once again.

A horn sounded, signaling a row of gates to open, and eight racehorses took off across the student council balcony. Crowds yelled and cheered, as money changed hands and bets were placed.

The student council members paid no attention to the thunder of horses passing between and around them; they were too busy arguing.

"And I said that I will not be commanded to duel!"

Makoto stood, hands clenched into fists at his sides as he yelled at the student council president.

"Makoto," Keiji said, his usually mild tones coloured with annoyance. He started to speak again, but was cut off by Takeda, who jumped to his feet just as a black stallion charged by, well in the lead.

"Don't be such a spoiled brat!"

"Takeda!" This time, Keiji's voice snapped like a whip, and those around him fell silent. The black horse stumbled, and was overtaken by a smaller grey.

"Now, Makoto," he said, voice once again soft, "We have already discussed why we believe you would be best to fight this girl. She is strong, and somewhat fleet of foot, but severely lacking in trained skill. You are the best match for her talents." The grey slowed a bit, the crowd catching up to him.

"I don't care," Makoto replied coldly, "I am a duelist in my own right, and I refuse to be ordered to make a challenge. Now, if that is all, I will be going."

"Idiot," Brennan murmured, as Makoto stalked out and a white horse came from behind to win the race. Several losing bet-tickets fell from her hand to the floor and blew away in the gentle breeze.

Standing in his dorm room, Makoto shook with silently burning rage, his teeth clenching together so hard that it seemed they might break. Clenched in his hand, crinkled by the strength of his grip, was a piece of rose-marked paper.

"Tenjou Nishiki."

"I prefer to be called Nishiko, if you don't mind."

"I challenge you to a duel."

"Well, it wouldn't hurt you to be polite, would it?"

But he was already walking away.

Nishiko dueled alone this time, her brother nowhere near the dueling arena. Facing her opponent, sword a somehow comforting weight in one hand, she couldn't help but smile.

"Let's go," she said bluntly, the grin making her look somewhat bloodthirsty.

Rather than being intimidated, however, the young man across from her simply frowned and shifted his grip on his own sword, the modified fencing rapier nearly dangling from his fingertips as he waited for her to make the first move. After several long moments of still silence, she obliged.

Challenge her.

That was all the letter had said. And that was all that ran through Makoto's mind as he slid away from the brash attack like a puddle of mercury. His attention was only just barely on the fight taking place, and it showed in his impassive expression, particularly when compared with the savage, delighted grin widening over Nishiko's face as they fought.

Challenge her. Challenge her. Challenge her. Challenge her.

I am not your dog, World's End!

His own attack went wide as another thought struck him like a bolt from the blue.

And yet I challenged her.

He mulled this thought over for several moments, even as he traded blows with the enthusiastic, if highly untrained, young woman. She was strong and fast, but extremely unsubtle, making up for in sheer power what she lacked in training. He doubted that he would win, as his physical strength was nil compared to that of the dark-skinned girl. Defeat was an eventual reality.

And he couldn't find the energy to care.

His charcoal flew over sheet after sheet of paper, his hands, face, and clothes covered in dark smudges. His expression was full of tension, his eyes flicking rapidly back and forth from his paper to his subject. The vast majority of the details were purely imagination, as the person he was drawing was much too far away to observe more clearly. Still, they were remarkably true to life.

As the duel below him stretched on, the sheets of paper stacked up.

"Like a hunting cat," he murmured, charcoal never ceasing its motion, "Or a wolf. A beautiful, terrible beast...graceful, powerful...tearing down everything in its path. The perfect model."

Another sketch joined the pile. A rose was cut away from a white shirt and the Rose Bride left once more with her master. He barely noticed, and the stack continued to grow.

A pair of girls on a rose-marked wall.

"Did you know, did you know, have you heard the news?"

"Children should respect their elders and always do as they're told!" One of the girls waggled a finger at the group of running, jumping young children suddenly surrounding them.

"Even if it's something that's hard for them to do?"

"Even then! They should ganbaru(1)!"

"Even if it's something bad that they shouldn't do?"

"Even then! Adults always know best!"

"Even if it's not an adult telling them what to do, but just an older child?"

"Even then! Elders are elders, and you should always obey them!"

"You know, you're only two months older than me. I'm not going to listen to you."

The girl being addressed wilted.

"I know."

END CH.24

References:

(1): 'Ganbaru' means to try one's best. Usually said in the form 'ganbatte', 'do your best'. Often (mis)translated as 'good luck'.