Amitie, Part 3
Anthy had awoken early and made her way to her sanctuary. Juri had not gotten up yet to her knowledge and she wanted to ready her roses before the council meeting. She also didn't want to stay in the dorm much longer. She watched Chu-Chu play with a bug out of the corner of her eye as she examined the roses.
She had been afraid that her sanctuary would be violated, that Touga would be there as he was with a girl...or Utena for some reason, or Saionji. But no, she was alone, no duelists to bother her, to call claim on her soul...or what was left of it.
Her dark fingers lingered over the petals of the blue roses. Not Miki's roses, Ruka's. Sickly, withered. Doing that badly was he? She checked under the petals...aphids...so many of them. She regarded them flatly. Really if she brought those with her they would do nothing to help him. She ignored them and turned instead to the orange roses. Ruka would want those instead wouldn't he? He had always been fond of her from what Anthy could tell. She clipped a bouquet of orange roses and tied them together with a blue ribbon. She could place more effort...it would be a simple trick...much like the turning of the rose black for Shiori...Anthy could likely makes these blue. She ran her fingers along the edges of the orange blossoms, staining them...it was a rather pretty affect...did so much of his living depend on her then?
She heard a sound and turned her head. Juri. "Good morning Juri-sama," she said poilitly, bowing to her, "Did you sleep well?" She held out the roses, "Ne...Will these do?"
***
Juri awoke the next morning with a start…she had been dreaming…something of the Bride and roses, thorns of roses, blood staining her dark fingers…and then it was Juri’s own fingers, but whether her hands had been pricked by the roses or it was someone else’s blood, she couldn’t tell…white roses dyed red in blood… what? It didn’t make any sense. Whispers of things she didn’t comprehend. Shaking the last tendrils of sleep off she had a quick shower…the Bride. How long could she hope to keep this power to herself? The meeting, that morning…it would be interesting to see how her fellow conselors would react.
After dressing, Juri automatically reached into her jewelry box and came out empty handed. She sighed inwardly. It was so automatic….no more. Shutting the lid she headed out the door.
Where would the Bride be? Juri glanced at her watch, she didn’t have time to hunt all over for her the meeting would start soon. Perhaps the garden, it was the only other place outside the Arena the Bride seemed to frequent. Swinging open the glass doors of the birdcage, Juri glanced around….the white roses looked a little wilted this morning. She couldn’t see any blue ones, but perhaps Anthy had picked them all. Juri’s eyes widened, it certainly was a large bouquet.
"Good morning Juri-sama.” She said with utmost mechanical courtesy. "Did you sleep well?" She offered the roses. "Ne...Will these do?"
“I slept….” What was the dream? “fine thank you.” Juri bestowed a rare genuine smile on the Bride as she took the blossoms carefully from her. “They’ll do very well. They’re perfect.” She didn’t bother to disguse the obvious pleasure in her voice, and the wonderment…where had she found so many? “I’m sure he’ll enjoy them very much.” She’d have to make sure they stopped and found a vase for them before heading to the hospital, the paper cups just wouldn’t do with this many. She touched them lightly, so beautiful and flawless she wondered for a moment if they were silk. No, the petals yielded like real roses but odd they seemed too precise to be real, but then all the dueling roses looked that way. She handed the roses back to Anthy, probably best if she held them for the meeting. “We had better get to the meeting,” she said brusquely, a cool buisnesslike manner falling about her like a cloak.
The Bride followed her to the tower…it was a bit unnerving, to have someone always hovering one step behind. Soon they arrived and met the others….Touga glanced at her casually, no trace of surprise. Of course not, he had probably watched the duel from his perch. Miki looked wide-eyed in shock however. Nanami was faintly surprised but managed to supress it enough to seem properly bored with the whole idea. Juri sniffed. So typical, all of them.
The ride in the elevator was oddly silent…what no chick speech? Juri was tempted to ask. But then Touga had been absent for a while and Nanami had taken over, and it seemed neither of them was particularly inclined to say it again. A rather stupid thing to recite, anyway. Juri leaned against the iron cage as ususal and watched their faces.
“….for the Revolution of the World,” she intoned quietly as they reached the top. Touga’s sharp gaze focused on her as they stepped out of the elevator. She wondered if he had been expecting this.
Nanami tried not to yawn as they took their seats. It was all so dull, after all. The duels were okay. But these meetings were so stupid and repetative. She was only too glad when her brother wanted to take up his role as president again. It was the same thing, time after time. Although this was different. This was mildly amusing, Utena had been defeated at last! Nanami’s lips quirked in a mean smile. Well it served her right to loose its not that she was that great anyway. She was surprised it took everyone that long for someone else to win…of course onii-sama had but that was different. He was so much better after all than the rest of them, it was expected that he should win. But if he didn’t she guessed Juri was okay. Better than that ugly stupid tomboy Utena. The girl just had no idea what was going on. Baka.
“So Juri-sempai you won the duel yesterday?” she simpered, glossing her nasty thoughts with a thin veneer of youthful innocence. “ I missed it, I wish I had seen it.” It wouldn’t hurt to show a little respect to her after all maybe this time if Nanami was nice Juri wouldn’t show her up at her next party….sempai had an uncanny ability to dress better or have nicer accessories every time, why did it work out that way? It really pissed her off to keep throwing parties and have crabby Juri come and ruin everything….egh life wasn’t fair.
Juri sank slowly into her chair, her eyes sizing up the other council members. Miki looked rather torn. Surely he would rather see her have the Bride than Touga? But still they were close and Juri hoped this wouldn’t cause any rift in the relationship now that she had his precious Anthy. Touga looked arrogant and aloof as always but did she detect a glint of surprise in his eyes? Perhaps things were not proceeding according to his own agenda, indeed his smooth smile was a little lackluster this morning.
Juri turned her head slightly, the Bride was so quiet it was as if she weren’t there at all…but no. She was standing slightly behind her chair, hands folded demurly in front of her. Juri nodded to her and crossed her legs, leaning back in her chair. “Well.” She turned a cool gaze on Touga and held his eyes. “As you can see, I have won the Rose Bride. Any questions?”Her tone held its share of ice as she spoke. These duels spun them around like the wheel of fortune…it was only a matter of time before it landed on her. Surely he knew that.
Nanami huffed nosily, “Well I knew Utena wasn’t that great anyway, it was only a matter of time. But now you’re stuck with that weirdo Himemiya Anthy, aren’t you?” Nanami sniffed and tilted her head back, flicking her blonde curls over her shoulder in an imperious gesture. “Humph. What are you going to do with her? I mean the only one who’s actaully dumb enough to make friends with her was Utena, of all the stupidity….” Nanami trailed off when she noticed her brother glaring at her faintly and smiled angelically.
“What I do with her is my concern alone,” Juri replied coolly. “I won’t abuse her as Saionji did, if that is concern. Other than that it isn’t your place to ask.” Nanami nodded numbly, not wanting to invoke the wrath of Juri….jeesh she was so irritable did she not get her coffee this morning or something? PMS? But then Juri wasn’t even looking at her, she was looking at her brother. Ah well he could take the heat then, she hated to let onii-sama take it all but then again he was probably better at deflecting it than she was.
Juri glanced at Miki once but her gaze landed on Touga again. “Anything else?” At least he did not look so painfully smug as he had other times, as if the Revolution were a box tied up with a bow ready to be delievered to him like one of his conquests…..still…how long would it be before she was challenged in her position. Tenjou….or one of her fellow Student Council Members. Touga most likey would lift a sword against her, he was mostly likely to succeed after all, with his trickery aside. Miki wouldn’t challenge her..but then again. How many times had it been said. They were not allies but…duelists.
***
She had not expected Juri seem so surprised, they were roses. Perhaps because she was so used to seeing them, grew weary at times of their scent...sometimes she felt about roses the same way her brother felt about the stars...people thought they obsessivly loved them...but in truth they both hated their seeming passions.
For her to tend the roses would mean she was the Rose Bride...certainly there were other, just as beautiful flowers in the world that she could grow. She readjusted the bouquet while Juri answered her question, saying she had slept well. Anthy was taken aback by the smile though, certainly never expecting something like that from Juri. So rare and quite beautiful, she was glad to hand her the roses, blue now from her efforts.
“They’ll do very well. They’re perfect," she said. Anthy smiled simply, glad at least that she could please her champion. Perhaps if she could do somethings right Juri would not be so cold and it would make living with her a bit easier. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy them very much.” Anthy nodded. She hoped that he would. At least some people were pleased to see the roses. She held the smile as Juri inspected the roses and took them back into her thin arms once more.
“We had better get to the meeting,” Juri said, her demeanor returning, the moment lost as all temporal things are. But then things were treasured for their short lives...perhaps that was why she was not cherised by anyone. Perhaps her eternity drapped around her like a stench that warded people away...but that was fine. She didn't need anyone. She had Akio and that was all she needed.
She followed close behind Juri, her shorter legs fighting to keep up with her, and the other duelists were in sight. Touga, Miki and Nanami. At least Saionji would not attend the meeting to cause her troubles.
Miki was shocked to see Juri. They had been waiting for her and it was unusual for her to be late but...to see her with the Rose Bride...Himemiya-san. He tried his best not to feel jealousy...now he was the only one of them who had not had the pleasure of her company...perhaps he was the only one of the who would have truly appreciated her. Even Nanami had had a chance to share a home with her. But he couldn't be jealous if his friend...though at the same time could any of them really be friends? A faint blush painted his cheeks as Anthy smiled at him...and she was holding blue roses. But...oh...likely for Tsuchiya-san then. Yes. His heart sank a little despite himself.
The five of them entered the elevator, it was oddly silent that day. Anthy looked between them, feeling out of place as she stood next to Juri. It had been a long time since she had been taken to a meeting, not that she minded, they were dull. The most she did was serve them tea...truly she found it odd how so few of the duelists saw her as a granter of desires and more as a maid, granted the male champions had seemed to catch on after a few days. She doubted seriously that Juri would desire anything of that sort from her though.
At last the elevator came to a halt and they filed out. Anthy took her place standing behind the seat of her champion, her head down. She had set the roses at her feet, she would not hold them the entire meeting and Juri had not said anything to the contrary.
“So Juri-sempai you won the duel yesterday?” Nanami said. Touga glanced at his sister as he took his seat hoping that she was not looking to start something with Arisugawa so soon. His eyes drifted to the cold demeanor of the new duelist champion, then to the hollow look of the Rose Bride...perhaps they suited each other. Still...that she was able to defeat Tenjou, without the mind games, without wearing down her resistance. How had she done it? Perhaps he would find out. Certainly he was willing to duel the woman if no one else was.
“ I missed it, I wish I had seen it." Touga wished his sister would be quiet. This was no place for such things. Juri sat down at last, Miki next to her. Touga did admit that it would be interesting to see if Kaoru could be pitted against Juri, their being friends after all. Perhaps he would look into it, not that he thought Kaoru could succeed, but it would give him time to work something out to defeat her, he would be fool to think she could be easily stripped of her rose.
“Well.” Juri said after she had settled, “As you can see, I have won the Rose Bride. Any questions?”
Miki only looked at Juri, she was being so calm about it. He glanced at Himemiya again, she didn't even seem to care, but then...had she ever seemed to care?
“Well I knew Utena wasn’t that great anyway," Nanami said picking up the slack, "it was only a matter of time. But now you’re stuck with that weirdo Himemiya Anthy, aren’t you? Humph. What are you going to do with her? I mean the only one who’s actaully dumb enough to make friends with her was Utena, of all the stupidity….”
Touga glared at her and Miki looked at Nanami in shock...Himemiya was standing right there! How could she speak of her that way right in front of her. It was cruel. He glanced at her, still she didn't seem to care, her eyes cast down, her hands folded in front of her...had she even moved since the meeting began?
“What I do with her is my concern alone,” Juri answered Nanami, “I won’t abuse her as Saionji did, if that is concern. Other than that it isn’t your place to ask. Anything else?”
Touga held Juri's green eyed gaze, "I must admit, I am curious to learn how exactly it was you defeated Tenjou," he crossed his arms over his chest a delicate smirk on his lips.
"Hai, I saw it," Miki said, "But...it just seemed different from the other times you've fought her. I must offer my congratulations though," he wanted to say something to Anthy as well but...he wasn't certain what could be said. He wanted to treat her like Tenjou treated her but...something just seemed wrong in the way they talked. She was standing right there...and...she was standing...why didn't she sit with them? Were they allowed to include her?
"I am certain Tsuchiya-san must be pleased," Touga said calmly, taking in Juri's statement, "Or have you not told your sensei yet?" Certainly he assumed that he was whom the roses were for. Rather amusing certainly that her likely first act as champion was to take advantage of the roses that the Bride grew.
***
Juri noted Touga was careful to arrange himself in the chair just so before he spoke. Such a shame. Vanity was such a waste on one who had so little to offer the world other than good looks. "I must admit, I am curious to learn how exactly it was you defeated Tenjou,” he said smoothly although there was steel in gaze as his eyes met hers across the small table. A razor thin smile touched her own lips….ne, she just bet he would, wouldn’t he. He was starting in already then, pratically before she caught her breath from the duel. The best way to take down an opponent was to first know how they defeated their own foes. Well she was certainly not foolish enough to feed him the information on a silver spoon.
"Hai, I saw it,” chimed in Miki. "But...it just seemed different from the other times you've fought her.” Did it? In the heat of the duel Juri didn’t have that perspective, she wondered what had changed. His pensive lightend slightly. “ I must offer my congratulations though." Juri inclined her head towards him, acknowledging his words…it wouldn’t do to have bad blood between them after being friends for so long.
"I am certain Tsuchiya-san must be pleased," Touga said with smooth nonchalance that adhered to him like a second skin. Juri carefully kept her statement neutral but her eyes clouded in thought…..what did Ruka have to do with anything? If Touga were asking there must be some plot behind it. "Or have you not told your sensei yet?"
“No I have told him.” What could the president do to possibly twist that knowledge, it was harmless to tell him that. Or if not harmless, Touga was friends with Ruka, if he really wanted to know he could always go right to Ruka instead. “He was…..pleased, as you say,” Juri replied deliberately, carefully reflecting Touga’s own words back at him so as to not give him any more information that she had to.
Nearby two players racked the balls and started to play pool on the smooth, prestine green surface of a pool table.
Touga nodded his head as though he were pleased with the answer, but it was impossible to tell if that was what he wanted to hear. Juri truly wanted to know why he asked, but it wouldn’t do in this chess game to show her curiousity. Better to act as if she knew everything, as he did.
Crack…… the sharp sound as the balls split. “Good break,” muttered one of the players as one of the balls rolled into the courner pocket.
“As for how I won, I did so by my own skill, nothing more.” No, not even tricks. She wouldn’t dare give Touga the details of how. He had eyes, he had seen the duel, after all. “This shows that the power of Dios is not invincible, if a strong enough hand moves against it. At least the power is not absolute when Tenjou possesses it.”
The clicking sound of a ball hitting another…. “Your turn, I missed.”
Juri turned her cool gaze to Miki. “Ne you said the duel was different this time from the other ones I have fought with her…how so? I was concentrating on my swordwork and didn’t notice anything in particular, but with your persepective perhaps you saw something? The only thing that seemed different was the fact that I won.”
“Lucky shot.” The ball bounced off the side of the table and slid over the lip into the pocket.
“I measured the angle.”
“yeah right. Pure chance.” The balls rattled as they gathered in the pockets, hitting each other as they fell.
“but that is weird by itself, isn’t it?” Piped up Nanami all of a sudden, flicking her hair importantly over her shoulders. She hated to be left out of the conversation after all. “I mean…..it’s been so long since Utena lost.”
“Ahhhh.” The white ball went wide, completely missed the target. “Maybe you should try a different cue? That one’s worn out.”
***
She passivly watched them as they exchanged questions and congratulations to her champion. Yes, all formality truly. She hadn't missed having to stand through it at all. It was dull and she longed to shift her feet.
“No I have told him,” Juri said answering Touga's question. “He was…..pleased, as you say.” Anthys foot nudged the bouquet. They would be going there after this. What fun. She didn't want to go and had no idea what the dying man could tell her that would be so important. She disliked hospitals...as if the reminder of death were not strong enough.
“As for how I won," Juri continued, "I did so by my own skill, nothing more.” Anthy glanced at Touga. She knew that that barb was meant for him. He didn't seem to take note of it though, going about the meeting with his trade mark non-chalance. “This shows that the power of Dios is not invincible, if a strong enough hand moves against it. At least the power is not absolute when Tenjou possesses it.”
Miki nodded his head slowly. Yes...he supposed that was proven, though that had been proven in Touga's duel as well. Hadn't he said that Utena had used the power of Dios in the duel he defeated her in? He made a note of that in the minutes book. Perhaps if it happened...well would it happen again? Now that Tenjou was no longer the champion? Would she challenge Juri again?
“Ne you said the duel was different this time from the other ones I have fought with her…how so? I was concentrating on my swordwork and didn’t notice anything in particular, but with your persepective perhaps you saw something? The only thing that seemed different was the fact that I won.”
"Ah..." Miki thought for a moment, trying to figure it out exactly because he wasn't positive.
“But that is weird by itself, isn’t it?” Nanami asked, “I mean…..it’s been so long since Utena lost.”
"Hai," Miki agreed, "It didn't seem all that different where you were concerned Juri-sempai though...perhaps it was in some ways, but...Tenjou-sempaii was...I don't know..."
"Distracted," Touga said plainly.
"Hai..." Miki faltered a bit, "distracted. It wasn't like she was fighting with her all anymore. I don't know quite why though."
Touga glanced at Anthy who peered back without raising her head. He knew. Her brother had done it, in the same way that he had sought to undermine Tenjou. Akio had undermined her confidence. What ever words he had used, his actions...no he knew some of the actions and he did not approve at all, and he knew that Akio would have only tried to take it farther, though would he persue her...now that she was no longer champion?
"I expect we will be getting our letters soon to find out who your next challenger shall be," Touga said, his voice breaking the momentary silence. "If there is nothing else to discuss then the meeting is dismissed."
***
Miki seemed to think about things a few seconds before he clicked his stopwatch. "It didn't seem all that different where you were concerned Juri-sempai though...” certainly she hadn’t fought any differently. “perhaps it was in some ways” other than she was careful not to disarm Tenjou as she had the first time, just to make sure the same accident didn’t occur again, and this time too she didn’t have things that bound her, weaknesses, “but...Tenjou-sempaii was...I don't know..."
"Distracted," Touga finished for him. Juri nodded, she had seemed less determined than her previous duels. Her heart didn’t seem in it to the same extent. Juri wondered what could be bothering her this late, when time after time she had been able to concetrate well enough to call down the power of Dios, but this time that hadn’t seemed to help her.
Miki agreed reluctantly with Touga’s interjection. “Hai, distracted. It wasn't like she was fighting with her all anymore. I don't know quite why though." Niether did Juri and she doubted she would have an opportunity to find out. It wasn’t as if she and Tenjou were on friendly terms. Perhaps Miki could find out, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to know. Touga she was sure could find out if he didn’t indeed already know. But unlike Miki he would never share that information with anyone else. He was such a selfish man for their supposed leader in this.
"I expect we will be getting our letters soon to find out who your next challenger shall be," Touga said, his tone had an air of finality about it. "If there is nothing else to discuss then the meeting is dismissed.”
Juri stood and the Bride followed her to the elevator, the others filing in. The next challenger… Miki wouldn’t raise a blade in earnest against her, would he? Fencing practice was different, play acting at death, nothing so dangerous or serious as fighting with live blades. Surely he wouldn’t come against her. Nanami she wasn’t the least intimidated by, nor was she concerned about that moronic fool Saionji. Her challenger well may be Tenjou… Juri wasn’t that worried. She had beaten her more than once, after all, and the girl’s confidence appeared to be slipping. Tenjou at least was straightforward in her attacks. But the Ends of the World…Akio….never sent letters to Tenjou after all. IF a letter arrived, most likely it would be for Touga. His skill was not that impressive but he was slippery and always using deception to gain the upper hand.. Not the most honorable of duelists or men, indeed, she trusted him least of all of them. If she came against him she’d have to watch for his trickery, not to mention how different their fighting styles were…yes she’d have to watch.
By the time she had finished her musing the elevator had reached the bottom. Juri glanced at her watch…hospital visiting hours would be starting soon, she’d just get there in time if they left now. She glanced at the Bride still holding the roses, almost protectively. Juri stopped at a store on the way and bought a vase for them, they’d never fit in the paper cups. Removing the roses from the Bride’s grasp…she did seem rather attached to them, didn’t she…why? Weren’t there thousands of others just like them in the garden?… she placed them in the vase and arranged them a little as they made their way to the cheerless white building.
Juri wound her way through the maze of corridors until she found Ruka’s room, these halls started to look faintly familiar, she had been here so often. “Ruka?” She knocked faintly on the door jam, perhaps he was asleep, he was often tired after one of his treatments. But no, his deep blue eyes looked up at the sound and he smiled faintly past obvious pain as he saw her. She tried not to look very much at the machines in the room, they always seemed so menacing, somehow, lifeless metal boxes entrusted with his life..she focused her gaze on his face.
“I brought you these,” she gestured with the blue roses.. “I thought it might cheer the room a little…” So stark here, so much white and gray metal and antiseptic and silence… “..these are the lovliest I’ve seen.” Truly they were perfect, she hadn’t seen these blue roses prosper so well before now. Perhaps even they hoped to cheer him….sheer rubbish, wasn’t it? Childish thoughts.
Juri glanced over her shoulder, the Bride hovered there, like a breathing shadow. “I brought the Bride to you, as you told me yesterday you wished to speak to her.” She set the vase of blue roses down carefully next to the paper cup with the orange blossom. “Alone.” The orange rose looked somewhat out of place, all the blue overwhelming it. “Very well, I’ll leave her here then. “
Juri turned her gaze to the Bride. “Himemiya, I’ll be in the gift shop. Come and find me when you’re done. “She should have bought a smaller vase for the orange rose while she was at it, the paper cup looked so pathetic. She turned her gaze back to Ruka. “I would like to visit with you when you are finished with her, if you are feeling up to it. But rest if you need to. “ Juri turned and headed towards the door…she paused in the door jam, frowning slightly as she looked at the scene, the Bride nearing the bed….she didn’t truly like the looks of it and she couldn’t possibly understand what he had to say to her but…she had given her word. Turning deliberately away, she headed for the giftshop and looked around for small flower vases.