Chiox, Part 6
Miki relaxed as Juri said she did not mind. He knew that most likely she wouldn’t but it was just one of those things. "I know you enjoy her company, I would not deny you that. And the Bride seems to enjoy the playing as well." Miki nodded and glanced at Anthy who had lowered her head again. He thought that she looked bored, but then again, she always had either a complacent look upon her face or a completely bored one. What was that like?
"Himemiya,” Anthy looked up, “you may play with Miki whenever you like,” it took much of Anthy’s reserve not to snicker at Juri’s chosen phrasing though she knew full well what she meant, perhaps she was just seeking amusement in anything now a days. “You needn't ask my permission every time."
She merely nodded. Well that would make things easier then wouldn’t it? "Is there anything you actually want?” her brow furrowed slightly at the question…want? “I know you are not supposed to have any wishes outside those of the Victor, but that must be an exaggeration. There were times you were with Tenjou some look akin to genuine pleasure would cross your face.” Anthy shifted and glanced down. Yes, she had been happy. Utena had, she had made her happy, even through all of this…why did things have to change?
“Certainly I do not need you following me everywhere, so if there is somewhere you feel you will be of more use you are welcome to it." She only looked at Juri, so, the victor was tryin to ditch her prize then? She didn’t know about that. Miki watched them both, Anthy had not been this blank with Tenjou had she? Could it be she could actually hold a preference? But then again he of all people knew that Juri was not easy to be around at times; perhaps the Bride was intimidated by her.
"Very well. It is my wish that you find something else to do with your time. I will not have you trailing behind me always like a train behind a queen. I don't care what, just don't follow me constantly."
“Hai Juri-sama,” she said rising to her feet. She bowed, “Gomen nasaii I did not want to be a nuisance to you. I will go now then.”
“Himemiya-san I’m sure she….” Miki watched her walk away, “Huh,” he glanced at Juri. “I can see why it must be hard to live with her. Still, I think that you should not let her go too long on her own, she’s rather a magnet for aggression, Nanami and Saionji alone are enough but I’ve noticed that she ends up in the middle of things that have nothing to do with her.”
***
And the Bride decided it would be the best thing to walk away right then. Nuisance, indeed. Juri hadn't said that at all, she wished the Bride wouldn't put words in her mouth. But surely her feelings couldn't have been hurt, as she claimed she didn't have any. Yet there seemed to be some resentment in her tone.
Miki tried to talk to her but it was no use, Anthy was off as directly as a bee heading towards its honey comb, not stopping for anything. He seemed quite mystified by actions and words.
“I can see why it must be hard to live with her. Still, I think that you should not let her go too long on her own, she’s rather a magnet for aggression, Nanami and Saionji alone are enough but I’ve noticed that she ends up in the middle of things that have nothing to do with her.”
Juri sighed and shoved the rest of her tray away. "Yes I suppose that goes with the job describtion, the Victor has a duty to protect the Bride. It's just she's so bothersome...you see now, how she is. I hate to admit it, but I start to see why Saionji slapped her so often. I suppose even the lovliest of roses has thorns, and she doesn't hesitate to stick you with them, either. " Juri shook her head and picked up her bag, it was almost time to leave for classes anyway. "She never seemed this bad with Tenjou, I don't understand why she is acting this way. Not that I care one way or another what she thinks of me," Juri was quick to add, "But it does make life with her difficult. Do you suppose she's resentful somehow that I've stolen her from her precious Tenjou? I didn't think she was capable of it, and yet I can't explain her any other way. " Juri stared darkly in the direction the Bride had gone. "And I suppose she thinks her Prince is going to rescue her..." Juri sniffed dersively. "She may find herself stuck with me for quite some long time. So she had better get used to me."The downside being that meant Juri had to get used to her as well.
***
He had seen her coming down the hallway with her little brunette friend that was always trying to get Saionji’s attention. She looked like she was giving Utena a campus tour. He was impressed though, she seemed to have recovered faster this time from her loss, he wondered when she would challenge Juri to get her…friend…back. As if the Bride could be such a thing.
“Wakaba look out!!”
“Itai!”
Touga shifted forward and caught his balance after the mouse bumped into him.
"You see this is why it's good not to wear skirts, " Utena said. He wasn’t so certain of that. Moment’s like these were what made those little outfits all the more interesting.
“Gomen Shinohara-kun I suppose we both should have been watching what we were doing,” he said. Though in truth this was exactly what he wanted. “Ano Tenjou-kun I was wondering if I could speak with you about…private matters.”
“No you can’t!” Wakaba said with a frown. What did he want now? Really? “Utena…” she looked at her friend.
Touga chuckled and brushed Wakaba away gently, “My intentions are good Shinohara-kun. I see that your constant companion is not at your side Tenjou-kun. I wondered if you’d like a little item to get her back,” he placed his hand on her shoulder.
****
Juri sighed and Miki felt sorry for her, though at the same time jealous, to have Anthy around like that…but, she was the sister of Akio and that changed a lot of things. She couldn’t be trusted. So was Juri in danger then?
"Yes I suppose that goes with the job description, the Victor has a duty to protect the Bride. It's just she's so bothersome...you see now, how she is,” he nodded, “ I hate to admit it, but I start to see why Saionji slapped her so often. I suppose even the lovliest of roses has thorns, and she doesn't hesitate to stick you with them, either. " Miki deigned from comment. He didn’t think he would ever to that to Himemiya but he supposed Juri had a point. Around someone with a quick temper the bride would be infuriating. "She never seemed this bad with Tenjou, I don't understand why she is acting this way. Not that I care one way or another what she thinks of me." He only nodded again, it was strange to speak of her this way, as if she were a fussy child or, a dog…
"But it does make life with her difficult. Do you suppose she's resentful somehow that I've stolen her from her precious Tenjou? I didn't think she was capable of it, and yet I can't explain her any other way. And I suppose she thinks her Prince is going to rescue her...She may find herself stuck with me for quite some long time. So she had better get used to me."
“I don’t know if she is resentful or not, I can’t really tell,” he ran a hand through his short hair, “She did seem happy with Tenjou, maybe she doesn’t like you?” He shrank away a bit at Juri’s look, “You aren’t exactly the easiest person to get along with Juri-san you know this. Gomen…its just that, it seemed like Tenjou-san didn’t know what to do with her for a while, and then, it changed or something, I think that change might have been in the Bride herself. Maybe you just…need to give her time to adjust.” He shook his head, “Anyways, I’m going to be late to class…I’ll be there to watch you of course,” he said earnestly, “Ja.”
***
Utena was too busy helping to dust off Wakaba's uniform to look at Touga, which was probably just as well, because she'd probably glare at him.
“Gomen Shinohara-kun I suppose we both should have been watching what we were doing." Especially him, the big lout...well okay Wakaba had been walking backwards but still! Who'd be dumb enough to stand stock still in the middle of the hallway when classes were getting out? The president was so conceited he probably imagined the crowds should part around him automatically. “Ano Tenjou-kun I was wondering if I could speak with you about…private matters.” Utena was starting to wish Wakaba had knocked him over instead, but Wakaba who had recovered was desperately trying to pull her away from Touga's hypnotic eyes. Like a snake, charming and disarming but so treacherous too...
“No you can’t! Utena…” She looked so bewildered and upset Utena couldn't help smiling a little. Come on, she could handle Touga. She certainly had lots of practice.
Touga gallantly brushed Wakaba aside, ever so smoothly. “My intentions are good Shinohara-kun. I see that your constant companion is not at your side Tenjou-kun. I wondered if you’d like a little item to get her back.”
Utena shrugged his hand away, every time he touched her it was so possessive, as if he owned her or something...she was never comfortable with it. But yeah, she did need his sword but she didn't really want to owe him anything. But what was her other option? Ask Saionji? Yeah as if he'd do that for her. Tugging on Touga's arm she pulled him a little further out of Wakaba's hearing range, with a quick reassuring smile to Wakaba so she wouldn't worry. "I....." How did one ask for this sort of thing? It wasn't like borrowing a cup of sugar or something. "I've made....." A challenge?" "arrangements to get her back, yes. This afternoon." Touga's blue eyes sparkled with admiration oh please was he going to spout some nonsense now? "Could you lend me a hand" or you know, a sword "with that? Or maybe we" she flashed the ring a little, we meaning duelists "aren't supposed to help each other out like that. I'll understand if that's the case." But sempai had helped her out last time. Yeah and now she was trying to scrounge up a sword to defeat her.
***
“I don’t know if she is resentful or not, I can’t really tell,” Juri frowned slightly. Other than Utena he’d spent the most time around the Bride, she hoped he would have had some advice. “She did seem happy with Tenjou, maybe she doesn’t like you?” Turning her head, Juri sent him a sharp look. What was he implying? “You aren’t exactly the easiest person to get along with Juri-san you know this.” This was true. Even her friends were intimidated by her, if Miki’s ducking was any indication.
“Gomen…its just that, it seemed like Tenjou-san didn’t know what to do with her for a while, and then, it changed or something, I think that change might have been in the Bride herself.” What change? How much longer did she have to put up with this. “Maybe you just…need to give her time to adjust.” How long? Juri knew if she spent much more time like this she’d forfeit a duel just to get rid of her. The tension was unbearable at time. “Anyways, I’m going to be late to class…I’ll be there to watch you of course. Ja.”
“Ja,” Juri replied as she picked up her things and put her tray back. More classes, mundane things that they were and then the duel to look forward to. It was not something she was thrilled about but a necessary part of being the Victor. Also she appreciated the challenge, Utena although amateur in style made up for it in enthusiasm. As a result she was never dull to duel against.
***
He gazed down at her as she pushed his hand away. He was certain that the last duel had been a fluke and wanted to help her now to regain the Rose Bride. He believed that she would be the one to change things…but if not…then it was misplaced hope in her wasn’t it? If not then he would challenge Juri and win. At the same time though…Tenjou was safe this way, safe from Akio’s grasp. She pulled him away from her friend.
"I....." he smirked a bit, "I've made.....arrangements to get her back, yes. This afternoon." He nodded and looked at her a smile on his lips. So it was true then. He didn’t think she would let Arisugawa go so long with her precious friend, as strange as it was to call the Rose Bride friend.
"Could you lend me a hand with that? Or maybe we aren't supposed to help each other out like that. I'll understand if that's the case."
“We work for individual goals Tenjou, but that doesn’t mean we can’t aid the other…personally I would rather fight you then Arisugawa. That won’t keep me from challenging her when the time comes but yours would be the better battle. Of course you may borrow a sword, I would not have offered if I did not mean it in earnest. Your duel will be after classes?” She nodded at his question. “Then I will meet you outside the arena.” Of course she would owe him, but he didn’t want to bring that up at the moment, let him appear benevolent, he could call her on the favor later.
***
Utena deciphered that he would indeed let her borrow a sword. “Personally I would rather fight you then Arisugawa.” He liked fighting her because she was easier to beat? Utena frowned a little, she didn’t know what to make of that exactly, but she wasn’t sure it was entirely complimentary. “That won’t keep me from challenging her when the time comes but yours would be the better battle.” Oh that sounded like a compliment, like Utena was more of challenge. But when the time comes….did he expect her to fail then? Utena stood up a little straighter, determined. She’d been bested by him the first time, but then she’d won the second time, and that’s how it would be with sempai. “Of course you may borrow a sword, I would not have offered if I did not mean it in earnest. Your duel will be after classes?” Like all of them, he should know. “Then I will meet you outside the arena.”
Utena bowed ever so slightly…well the jerk was doing her a favor, after all. “Arigatou, I appreciate it.” She smiled happily at him, which should have warned him off but he looked so…well…something like he was trying to be a prince and all…but he was too slick to be genuine, Utena decided. There had to be a catch somewhere. But for now she’d just leave him with a few parting words. “its nice of you to help me and all. Sure you’d rather face me than Juri-sempai, I understand. She scares you too, huh? You’re probably scared she’d kick your ass all over the arena, right? I’ll do my best to beat her for you then.” Utena smiled a little wider and waved as she rejoined Wakaba. “Anyway, thanks for the favor! Ja!” she moved off with utmost cheefulness. Ahh that was fun. He annoyed her too much or she’d hang out with him more just to tease him. And he so needed to be taken down a few million pegs, too.
***
Juri walked out of her last class into the warm afternoon sun. Lovely dueling weather they were having. Smiling wryly she started to make her way back to her room to fetch her sword when she realized that wasn’t necessary. All she had to do was find the Bride, ne? Perhaps it was hasty to send her away like that at lunch, she hadn’t seen the girl since and it wasn’t hard to spot her lavender hair and dark complexion. The Bride certainly followed orders well, even stayed out of Juri’s sight. The problem was now that she needed her she didn’t know where she might be…the Rose Garden perhaps?
Juri opened the door cautiously, half expecting to see Touga and his latest conquest inside – he was so shameless – but the quiet birdcage appeared to be abandoned. “Himemiya?” Juri called tentatively. Silence and the perfume of rose petals answered her. Juri looked around, she hadn’t been here for long the other day and the place was restful. Although it tended to remind her of unwanted memories. So many orange roses.
She didn’t see a sign of the blue roses Anthy had cut for Ruka the other day – wait – what was that, the splash of blue.. Juri carefully moved the roses aside. There were buds, but no roses in bloom. Wrong color, anyway, too pale and mixed faintly with purple, perriwinkle. Ruka’s were darker, dark azure as the ocean. Or his eyes perhaps, both ocean and his gaze seemed depthless.
Stepping back, she searched longer. Out of the corner of her eye in the most remote part of the garden, she thought she saw deep blue petals. Closer inspection only brought a frown to her already serious face…these couldn’t be the right roses. The others had been perfect – these sickly specimens looked as though they could barely hold their heads up. The leaves were browning and crinkling, the stems so spindly as to look top heavy under the weight of the blossom; and the rose itself, withering. Gingerly Juri reached out to touch a blossom. The petals cascaded from the rose at the slight touch as though she had sheered them away with the force of her sword in a duel.
Frowning deeply, she caught one of the falling petals and turned her head at sound of the door creaking open. “Himemiya?” she asked severly.
“Hai, Juri-sama.” The Bride walked over to her and clasped her hands in front, looking up with that ever grating patience for Juri’s commands.
Juri’s fingers tighted on the petal, it didn’t even feel right. Dry, brittle onionskin rather than silk soft. “What’s this? Is this how the Bara no Hanayome cares for the flowers in her charge?” Juri reached for the stem to snap one off and quickly pulled her hand away, face distorting in disgust. Slimy! Green dots swarmed over her fingers. “Aphids,” she muttered as though it were a curse. Disgusted she rubbed her fingertips together to rid herself of the pests. “And these can’t be the roses you had the other day, where did you find them? This is completely unacceptable. Ruka is still a duelist and you owe him the respect of tending his roses just as you would any of the others.” Just as she would her damned Utena-sama’s. Juri was practically snarling…stopping short she glanced down at her other hand, still clutching the sickly petal. The hard lines in her face softened a bit. “So they’re all dying…huh?” she whispered. Unclenching her fingers, she watched the petal drift to the ground.
***
So she had kept herself away for most of the day, not that it mattered to her. Juri-sama obviously did not want her around, so she would not stay. No need to incur the wrath of her victor. No need to be hit needlessly. She sighed and headed towards the garden…her caged sanctuary…her haven away from everyone, from the duelists, the students.
“Himemiya?”
But alas not this day. “Hai Juri-sama?” she asked, drawing closer to her. What displeasure could she find here? But her green eyes caught the sickly blue roses. What indeed? So she had found them…and would know the truth. She gazed up at her mistress, peered at her through the wire-rimmed glasses
“What’s this? Is this how the Bara no Hanayome cares for the flowers in her charge?” She looked at the roses again. So she found displeasure in her even here. Well…it was Juri after all…Anthy believed that she could find something wrong in the way that she wore her hair and glasses given enough time.
She winced slightly as the other woman pulled at the rose steam and it yielded and bled instead of breaking with a quiet snap. “Aphids.” She spat. Yes…Aphids. They had their own purpose in this place after all. They had to survive some way. She watched almost sadly though as Juri easily killed them, their weak little bodies scattering to the ground.
“And these can’t be the roses you had the other day, where did you find them?” She took her focus from the aphids and paid attention to Juri again, “This is completely unacceptable. Ruka is still a duelist and you owe him the respect of tending his roses just as you would any of the others.” Roses did as they would…she could only water and tend to them.
“So they’re all dying…huh?”
Anthy looked down as Juri’s voice softened and the petal fell to the ground to join the aphids. “Hai, Juri-sama,” she said softly, “I have done what I can for them…” but it would take a miracle to save them. She thought it best that that part of the sentence remain incomplete.
“I am sorry that I deceived you Juri-sama, but I did not think that you would want to have given these to him. I merely colored your own,” she bowed, “Gomen nasaii.”
She pulled herself up and touched the dirt and stroked the dry petals, “They will live…but I do not think that one would call that living…they merely exist now, on the border between living and death.” She watched them for a moment then took a cutting from the orange blossoms and planted them nearby then touched the petals so that they turned blue. “You understand then?”
***
The quiet affirmative as both women kept their eyes on the fallen petal. “I have done what I can for them…” Juri sighed inwardly, if Anthy couldn’t do it who could? She was their mistress after all no one else could tend them, and surely she knew best of any of them what to do. She reigned in her anger at the Bride, if she was doing her best Juri could ask no more. And yet to look at them she thought they had been neglected they were doing so poorly.
“I am sorry that I deceived you Juri-sama, but I did not think that you would want to have given these to him.” No…Juri shook her head slowly. Surely they would not have cheered them any. “I merely colored your own,”the Bride bowed lowly. “Gomen nasaii.” Colored? Juri looked at her, puzzled. Did she dye them?
Anthy inspected the roses. “They will live…” Juri looked doubtful. “but I do not think that one would call that living…they merely exist now, on the border between living and death.” So they did, lingering…could they be saved now or was it too late, would it be more merciful if a thread of frost touched them instead of the plant struggling to keep alive flowers that would not last the season. The Bride took from one of Juri’s roses and set them in the ground near the azure roses. Juri’s eyes widened as Anthy’s fingers touched the roses, the orange changing to blue with the lightest touch. The Bride’s magic, but other than the sword she had seen no other demonstration of it until now.
“You understand then?”
Juri shook her head once as if trying to rid herself of vision. “Change it back,” she demanded with the hints of horror and disgust in her tone as one who looks on something sacrilegious. “It’s all wrong, unnatural…change it back.”
The Bride complied and once more the rose was the color of a frosted sunset. Juri touched the petals lightly…yes, these were more like the flowers she had brought. “He was so happy to have had them,” she said somberly. And she was pleased to have brought some life into that dead room, to see the life sparkling in his eyes at the site. “And all that time they were artificial.” Like everything else around him, the machines, the airless room, even his heartbeat. False, his roses stood here dying, surely that would not have cheered him. But those roses weren’t his…did all she bring him was false hope then?
“Himemiya…” she turned her eyes to the fading blue roses again. “Everything has been done, ne? That you could do.” Juri considered…the Bride was such a bothersome creature, hardly worth the trouble. And her power was not worth much to her, nor was the revolution now that Shiori had been ripped from her. What point was there now to prove or to disprove miracles now that she saw the futility of her actions. The girl she had loved would never return, she knew that now. So what point was there to dueling, she had no need for miracles. Unless….
Juri straightened, an air of determination falling about her like a cloak. “Perhaps there is something I can do.” She would win this dueling game, and if indeed the power of miracles existed on the other side of that battle she now had a purpose to use it for.
Juri gestured to the orange rose Anthy had just changed back. “You had better bring that with you, you’ll need roses won’t you? And afterwards I will give it to Ruka.” It would still be intact, that was a given. As she would the others, until she could replace the bouquet with the genuine blue ones again. “A fitting substitute until I can bring him his own. Tenjou should be waiting for us, let’s go.” Turning she left the Bride to gather the roses and went out of the Garden.
***
“Change it back,” Juri told her, noticibly upset by what she had done to the orange roses. “It’s all wrong, unnatural…change it back.” Anthy closed her eyes and did as she was told. Wrong…unnatural. Just like her self. Wasn’t she unnatural? Living as long as she had…in the position that she was in. All that she had was the hope…the hope that Utena might have seen her plight…but perhaps that was too much to ask, so many duelists and not one had ever known. Perhaps it just was not her place to let people know…it was her punishment after all.
“He was so happy to have had them,” Juri said in a quiet voice. “And all that time they were artificial.” Were they? Anthy didn’t think so. She thought they spoke volumes. He lived to see her win…that was the only reason why he continued now, else he would have allowed himself to die. He should take mercy upon his roses and do so.
“Himemiya…” Anthy was surprised by the tone in which Juri said her name, accustomed more to harsh and cold words from her. “Everything has been done, ne? That you could do.” She nodded. She could do little else. It was up to him now. She was not their keeper, only kept the plants alive…if the duelists condition was beyond her…then she could do nothing for the rose
Her mistress seemed to shake off the cloak of despair after a long moment. “Perhaps there is something I can do.” Anthy studied her curiously. She would duel for him then? To save his life? That was all well and good but should she get her hopes up? The revolution wasn’t for her after all…it wasn’t for these students…not immediately…
“You had better bring that with you, you’ll need roses won’t you?” Anthy nodded, “And afterwards I will give it to Ruka.” So confident then was she? Well that was nice she supposed. “A fitting substitute until I can bring him his own. Tenjou should be waiting for us, let’s go.”
“Hai Juri-sama,” she said even though the other woman was gone from the garden at this point. She carefully snipped a blossom from the coral and the white roses and followed her outside. She didn’t see Utena, though she likely was on the platform already. They entered the gondola together and Anthy held the two roses to her chest, her head bowed and eyes closed as it rose higher and higher to the sky platform. Her uniform dissipated to nothingness and for a short moment she was nude save the roses until the dress of the Rose Bride covered her body like a sheet of red petals that melded to cloth.
The iron gate opened and they stepped onto the empty arena. Utena had not yet arrived then. Well, she wasn’t known for her punctuality. The wind pulled at her dress and she stood waiting…ready. Perhaps after this duel things would be right again.