Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Memory of the Rose ❯ Interlude of the First ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

When I look into your eyes, I can see a love restrained.
But darlin', when I hold you, don't ya know I feel the same?
Nothing lasts forever, and we both know hearts can change;
it's hard to hold a candle in cold November rain...
And when your fears subside, and shadows still remain,
I know that you can love me when there's no one left to blame.
So never mind the darkness, we still can find a way.
Nothing lasts forever, even cold November rain.
"November Rain", Guns and Roses


"Doctor! We're losing her!"


"There are times, Nemuro-san, that I wonder, truly wonder, what life would have been like for us if we hadn't been forced to graduate so early."
"Yes."
"Don't you? Wonder about it?"
"Yes."
"I was so close, so incredibly close to saving her. But I couldn't. And you with Mamiya... so very close. Doesn't it upset you?"
"Sometimes."
"How long has it been?"
"Since _her_ arrival?"
"Yes."
"Two years."
"That long, Mikage? It seems like yesterday."
"This crypt has a way of doing that to you."
"Yes."


"NURSE! I want that scalpel NOW!"


"Ruka-san?"
"Yes, Nemuro-san?"
"Give me your hand."
"Ow! Damn, I'm bleeding! What did you do that "
"An experiment. You and I feel pain. The others don't. Not yet. But Nanami is gaining the first few layers of flesh."
"How long has she been gone?"
"Three years."
"That long? It seems "
"So short, isn't it Ruka? But count the days."
"And Shiori?"
"Not yet. She's going mad, you know."
"That's nothing new. Anshi?"
"None of us have seen her."
"Maybe she escaped after all."
"I hope so. She would be the luckiest of us all to elude this. But there's nothing to do about it now but sit."
"And wait."


"Mitsuru? Wake up. The doctor wants to speak with you."

"We are gathered here today to say goodbye to Tsuwabuki Nanami "
The summer was winding down slowly this year. It was almost four in the afternoon and the sun was giving the mourners no mercy or quarter-- each and every one of them felt as if they were being broiled alive in their black garb. Sari and Miki were supporting Mitsuru the best they could with one on each side but the crowd was heavy and it didn't help the close heat any-- the London graveyard was packed full of students and mourners alike. Most had never even known of the existence of Mitsuru's wife-- until they'd flown her into a local research hospital for experimental surgery that is. The whole of Bara Academy had rallied round their favorite instructor as he stayed with his comatose wife day and night... they did the same now as they stood behind him and supported him as the preacher rambled on and the body baked in the late summer heat.
The surgery had been a failure.
Her death had nearly killed him.

Mitsuru had decided after long deliberation to bury Nanami in London rather than return with her body to Japan. Thus friends and family Sari had never heard of or even imagined flew across the world to join him in his mourning. A few lined up behind him in the final moments of grief-- like young soldiers they kept their lips pressed tightly together and none of them shed a tear. They needn't weep; anguish and pain were clearly seen in the tight way each held themselves and the whiteness of some fingers gripping flowers.

Sari supposed it was for the best, yet their respectful silence weighed down on Mitsuru for some odd reason. He hid the strain well, but Sari could tell he was about to crack. In an effort to provide silent moral support, Sari simply stood and watched with tired eyes as the casket lid was opened one final time for Mitsuru to look at his wife before they lowered her into the cold earth below. Even in sickness and finally in death, Nanami had a vitality Sari envied. Her bright blond hair lay about her face and shoulders in silky yellow waves; her delicate skin was still golden even after three years in the hospital. Even her expression was beautiful-- as much of a cliché it was, she appeared not to be dead but rather to be softly dreaming. Her lips curved in a sweet smile. It was not hard to see why Mitsuru had married this woman three years his senior the moment he escaped from his parent's hold. It was not hard to see why he had loved her from the tender age of six even unto her death. It was not hard to see that he would love her until he joined her in the earth.

Yellow dominated the grave site. Everyone who wished to bring flowers had been instructed that yellow was Nanami's favorite color-- but no roses. On no condition were you to bring roses. In the flower shop with Miki, Sari had idly wondered if Nanami had been allergic to roses, and if so, why they were making such a fuss about them now. But she supposed it was simply a memorial of some nature and had purchased a dozen yellow carnations instead.
The lid slammed shut; the coffin slid down into the ground. In a half swoon, Mitsuru hit the earth with his knees and knelt there as the whole of Bara Academy watched him yearn to throw himself in after her. The main mob of students left within minutes of the ceremony's end. They were not invited to the wake and most did not really want to go anyway. Many thought it was odd that Mr. Tsuwabuki had never told any of them about his wife-- odd, but understandable. Most felt it was necessary to leave him to his grief and left after tossing their flowers into the hole onto her grave. Within minutes you couldn't even see the coffin through the bright array of petals.

It took Miki and an unknown red-haired man almost ten minutes to carry Mitsuru away. He didn't fight, he had just become dead weight. Saionji and his new wife followed with their sleeping babe tightly clutched in her arms.

Sari looked after the pair a moment and pressed her lips tightly together. That woman was so peculiar. It was very strange how she'd just up and quit one day without an explanation. Ever since, when Sari encountered her in a store or the park, the woman had shied away almost frantically. Sari would have been more upset, but there had been too many things to worry about this semester to bother with an addled ex-instructor. But still... it was disconcerting to have someone who had seemed to like you one day suddenly run away the next. Odd.

With a sigh, Sari threw in her own bouquet and trailed at the end of the mourners with Alex and Betty on either side.

Alex tugged nervously on her black bow and Betty couldn't stop fiddling with the ends of her braids. The two girls had been Sari's only female friends for the better part of a year now, closer to two when you really looked at it. They followed her around and were there for her always-- her own personal shadows. But they were kind and understanding in a way many of the other students weren't or just couldn't be. The entire school supported Mitsuru while Alex and Betty supported Sari.

"Don't worry," Alex said warmly as they followed quietly to the after-gathering, the wake. "He'll snap out of it eventually. Death is very hard on some people."

"And he has been in love with her for forever," Betty interjected as she played with first her left braid and then her right, "it's only right that he's sad."

Sari stopped in her tracks, amazed at their words. "Do you two think I'm upset because he's sad? Or that I can't spend time with him right now?"

She was horrified at her friends. "I'm sad because he just lost his wife! Mitsuru has been quietly going about his daily life for two years now and no one knew! No one knew how much pain he was in! That's what's bothering me. The fact that if I'd known I could have helped him."

"But you're not going to help him," murmured Betty.

"Of course I'll help him," cried Sari, stepping away from her two friends. They looked at one another nervously and began chewing their lips almost in unison. "I'll always help him! He's one of my best friends."

Betty smiled softy and said, "You're right. You treat people decently. I'm sorry for thinking otherwise. Why don't we go inside to the wake now?"

Sari looked at both of them. When they got like this, they seemed almost other worldly. "Yeah. Sure. Let's go in."


Adam rubbed his eyes as he finished the last word problem of the chapter. The math had been simple, it was the translating he couldn't handle. Thanks to Juri's relentless tutoring his reading ability in kanji and katakana was almost at Sari's grade level. Soon, if he kept up this murderous pace, he might actually be on level with kids his own age. He snorted. Yeah, right. He wished. Damn, but things were getting harder to handle every semester.

There was a soft tap at his door; Kozue was looking indolent and unbelievable in a leather mini-dress that barely concealed her curves. "Working late?"

He smirked. "You could say that. Going out?"

Kozue stepped into his room and walked up behind him. The click of her stiletto heels was sharp in the hazy silence of the room. Her hands stole out and began rubbing the tight muscles of his upper shoulders and back. "Maybe."

Groaning with pleasure, Adam let her rough ministrations go on for a few seconds before pushing her away. "I'm not going with you this time, Kozue. I have more work to do."

"Oh, you're not?" Kozue stepped around the chair and straddled his legs with one effortless motion. "You had fun last week," she reminded him as she settled down into Adam's lap and curved her fingers around his neck, using his body as a base to support her motion. She began to slowly inch her bottom up his lap, and lightly tease the back of his neck with her nails as she did so. The skirt slid up an additional inch; what had barely been covered before was now exposed to the world. "Or did you forget that?"

Adam licked his lips as he spanned her tiny waist with his hands. He'd learned quickly how to handle Kozue. Don't let her get to you. Or even if she does manage to bother you, don't let her see it. It would only egg her on. "Enough, Kozue. Yes, we had fun last week, but I'm not going out tonight. Juri is supposed to come in."

A frown flitted across her face but she hid it well. "You don't say. Her appointment calendar says tomorrow."

"You changed the entry, Kozue," Adam said. "I recognize your handwriting, you know. It was tonight. So get off my lap and go play. We had two weeks to ourselves. Isn't that enough for you?"

With no warning she swung her left leg up and over his head, pushed her skirt back down to its previous not-quite-decent level, and strolled out the door. The door clicked shut behind her.

"Guess that's a no," Adam replied to the empty room before cracking his neck and leaning back in his chair. These encounters with Kozue always left him feeling very randy, vaguely disgusted, and a little dirty. She was a powerful woman; apt to use any advantage in a fight, including her body. He'd come out of his first week of training with more than a few battle scars, several hickeys, and a new appreciation for the female form. But that had been six months ago; this was now. He'd learned since then. Kozue's lessons were impromptu at best; the first month she would spring at him from nowhere, usually taking only a few seconds to disarm him, then disrobe him. Adam quickly adapted to the fact that the only time he was safe was when Juri was around, and even then Kozue was a very crafty, very determined opponent.

What Adam didn't understand was what she saw in him. He assumed it was the fact he was Juri's ward and it was some sick kind of revenge against her or perhaps the thrill of teaching a naive young boy the ways of the flesh. But she kept teaching, and teaching, and teaching. Not a week went by that she didn't give him a new and interesting lesson; both in sword play and other pursuits. In some ways he wished he'd fought harder to beat her that first time or that Juri had never left him alone with her vixen secretary for one minute to begin with. But Juri wasn't to blame; Kozue was nothing if not careful. Juri, as far as he knew, could have no clue as to his extra-curricular activities. Though, knowing Juri, she did know and was just biding her time.

He sighed softly as he looked up at the sky through the skylight. God, it was so beautiful. The stars were shining so brightly that even the city-scape couldn't drown them out. "Sari."

The phone rang.

Heart thudding, Adam rose unsteadily to his feet and took the cordless from its base. "Hello? I mean, moshi moshi?"

"Do you love her?" The voice was gravely and low... and androgenous to the point he wasn't sure it wasn't mechanized.

"I'm sorry? I'm afraid I don't understand you," he whispered, suddenly thinking of Sari. "You probably have the wrong number."

"Do you love her?" Again, he wasn't certain the voice wasn't mechanical.

"Do I love who? I mean, whom? Whoever, you get the point."

The voice chuckled. It was an oozing sound. "You understand me."

"Well, no," Adam replied as calmly as he could. "Sorry, I don't. Care to elaborate?"

"If you don't understand now, you will."
Click. "Damn it!" Adam threw the phone on his bed as hard as he could and watched as it bounced twice before stopping on his pillow. "Stupid asshole."

"I beg your pardon?"

Adam whirled around at the voice. "Mom!"

Juri lounged easily in the doorway in a pair of loose black pants and a breezy white shirt. Her hair was fashionably tangled and her feet were bare. She appeared weary, yet at the same time pleased. "Hello, Adam."

He grinned and strode across the room to hug her. In the year and a half that they'd been together she'd warmed up considerably to the whole concept of hugging someone hello. Her cool arms enveloped him in a gentle embrace and as he inhaled the fruity scent of her shampoo he relaxed for the first time since she stepped out the door two weeks previous. "I'm glad you're back."

"I'm glad to be home," came her mellow, yet warm, reply. "Kozue?"

"At a party or a club or something." He paused, then decided giving her a little more information wouldn't hurt. "She wanted me to go with her."

"Did she now?" Juri raised one perfectly tweezed eyebrow and met his nervous gaze with her calm candor. "I imagine she'll be coming home drunk."

Adam nodded. "Most likely. Or with one of her boy toys."

Again, the slow lift of her eyebrow. "Doubtful."

"Why?" Adam was genuinely curious. Why wouldn't she? Did Juri forbid it or something? His face must have indicated his confusion; Juri smiled slowly.

"She hasn't brought a man home in six months, Adam. Or haven't you noticed?" She turned and walked back into the living room. Adam had no choice but to follow.

"Do you have any bags I can carry to your room? No, I hadn't noticed. Think she's actually cleaning up her act?" He stood in the dimly lit room and waited for her reply.

She took her time in going through her bags. After about two minutes she pointed out two large boxes near the door. "Take those to Kozue's room. One's from Miki, so if you find a box torn to shreds in the living room don't say anything about it. And no, I don't believe the change in her nightly activities has anything to do with cleaning up her act'. I think there are other reasons behind it." Juri stood up with a suitcase in one hand, a duffle bag in the other, and her purse slung across her chest. "When you're done, meet me in my room."

"Okay." He hefted the first box and nearly staggered under its weight. Christ! What had her brother packed anyway? An elephant? That box went on her bed. It was a bit mean of him, but he knew she wouldn't be strong enough to move it herself, so she'd have to come ask for help. Either that or both he and Juri would hear the thump when the thing hit the floor in the middle of the night. That would show her that he wasn't just some toy to be used and discarded. The next box was much more reasonable and was even topped off by a frilly purple bow. "Cute," he murmured sarcastically as he put it on her desk and ruffled the feminine ribbons. "She'll love it."

Juri was almost completely unpacked by the time he arrived in her room. Without a word she pointed to an overstuffed settee in the corner. He sank down into it slowly and watched her finish the rest of her bags off with a quicksilver energy he envied. "So. Um. How was it?"

She held out the last of her suits and shook it once as she critically examined it for wrinkles. "The Parisian conference was filled with producers who tried to hit on me, the Los Angeles convention was filled with movie stars who tried to hit on me, and the London conference was filled with models who tried to hit on me. Overall, the conferences were only barely tolerable."

Adam held back his smile only out of respect for all the men she'd shot down. He could tell she wasn't at all upset by the tone she'd used to describe it all: droll, sardonic, and coolly caustic. If she'd actually been bothered by it all, she wouldn't have told him at all. So he felt safe in asking what he did next. "And... how is Miki?"

The closet door shut with a tight snap. The not-quite-amused expression vanished from her face as quickly as it'd come. "He's managing. He has help."

Nodding slowly, Adam bit his lip. "How was the funeral?"

"Hot. Sweaty. Sari was there." Juri watched him carefully with the last statement. He gave her nothing to dissect. It had taken him a year and a half, but he finally had her cool and emotionless look down pat.

"I see," he said. "Did you talk to her?"

She shook her head slowly. "I stayed at the back of the mob. There was an incredible number of people there. Most of them had never even met Nanami. Alive, I should say. They were there to support her husband."

"He must be very well loved."

"He is. By both faculty and students alike."

Adam took a moment to digest that information before he decided to let it go. "Anything else exciting happen?"

"Nothing worth discussing," she replied as she strode over to her final bag, a small carry-on. "But I did bring you a gift." She reached into the bag and pulled out a manila envelope. "This is for later. This..." a small box followed, "is for now."

Carefully parting the wrapping paper, Adam opened his gift. Juri settled down on her bed and casually crossed her legs as she watched his expression carefully.

"I don't understand," he murmured, holding up the delicate figurine. It was a blown glass horse which sparkled under the dim light the lamps gave. "It's nice, but..."

"The figurine represents something more than just a piece of glass," she said with a small smile. "You may not know this, but I went to school with one of the best equestrians in Japan. If you are interested, I arranged for him to give you horseback riding lessons while he is in Japan. Cost was no object, but I will say that some wealthy families pay unheard of amounts for his services. If you're interested, of course."

Horseback riding lessons? Horses were so tall and big. And their hooves were so sharp. He'd never thought of it before, but-- "I'd like that. Thank you."

Again, the slow lift of brow. "Are you certain? I don't want to waste Touga-san's time if you decide after the first fall that horses aren't really for you."

"I'm not a quitter, Juri. You know that."

With a hearty laugh and a twinkle in her eye she rose to her feet. "No. You're not a quitter Adam. You'll do wonderfully."

He grinned. "Thanks. For everything."

Her slender hand captured his own and for one second Adam glimpsed a small portion of the sadness she carried around within. "You're my son now, Adam. I have faith and trust in you, so I will spoil you a bit. I do it because I love you. We are family."

Family.

They were both orphans. Not in the literal sense; Juri's family was still very much intact. However, they'd abandoned her when she discovered the truth to her happiness. In a way, her loneliness was much worse than his own. She knew they were out there; could, in fact, pick up a phone whenever she desired and get in touch with them. But she couldn't. Who was to say that the moment her father or mother or sister heard her voice the line wouldn't click? Who's to say that a meeting in the park wouldn't conclude in a horrible rebuttal? In a way it was better for her to have gathered to herself two other orphans; himself and Kozue. The three of them together made a relatively sane, if dysfunctional, family.

"I love you too, Jur...Mom."

She drew away; her smile was shaky. "Go to bed. Take the envelope with you. It's from Touga I think. It was waiting for you at my hotel room."

He took the envelope and hugged her goodnight. Once back in his room he came to a few conclusions as he stared out the skylight to the gleaming stars. Without looking at the note he tucked it into his math book to look at later. He had more important things on his mind right now. He needed to call Sari. It had been two years since he'd heard her voice. It was time.


Sari flopped on the top bunk and looked down at Alex and Betty calmly playing poker on the floor. The two girls were clad in identical summer pajamas and from this height only the color of their hair and respective hair styles told them apart. Betty crowed with delight as the next hand was dealt and Alex muttered something about bottom-dealing. On the whole, the near silence was wonderful and sweet. The stars twinkled furtively through their dormer windows and only a fingernail slice of moon peeped out occasionally from behind slow moving clouds.

The phone rang and Sari scrambled to get it. Even a wrong number would give her something to do, if only for a minute. Mitsuru wasn't back from Japan yet, Miki hadn't the time or energy to instruct her, and all her studying was done until fall session started up. In short, she had nothing better to do than laze around. With a grunt she scooped the portable from the base and pressed the cool plastic to her ear. "Hello?"

"Do you love him?"

Sari blinked. What the hell?! "Do I love...who?"

"You know who." The voice was barely audible over the quiet bickering of her roommates, but something about it sent chills up and down Sari's spine.

"I think you have the wrong number," she whispered into the receiver, her fingers pressed so tightly against the phone they paled. "Don't call here again."

"See you soon... Sari."
Click.

"Bastard," Sari whispered as she pressed the phone back into its cradle. Neither of her roommates looked over. They were still engrossed in their game. When the phone rang again Sari made no move to answer it. Alex looked up on the second ring and Betty on the third.

"Aren't you going to answer that, Sari?" Betty blinked up at her and pointed to the phone.

"No."

Alex rose and picked it up as Sari made a swipe at the phone. "Don't answer it!"

Evading Sari, Alex tucked the phone into the crook of her neck and shoulder while examining her dealt hand. "Hello, Sari and Alex's room."

Betty shot Sari a nervous look. They both were white as sheets. "Sari, calm down. It's just a phone call."

Shaking her head vehemently, Sari began gnawing on her lower lip. "It's NOT just a phone call. It's...it's..."

"It's for you," Alex said, as she tossed the phone at the upset girl. Sari glared down at the harmless bit of plastic and metal for a moment before scooping it up and screwing up her face as if prepared to take bad medicine. "Hello?"

"Sari."

Gasping at the slightly gruff voice on the other end, Sari nearly began crying. It was a dream, surely it had to be a dream. No god would be so kind as to send her that wonderful loving voice after such a fright. "Adam?"

"The one and only. Glad to see you still recognize my voice."

She chuckled. "I don't think I'd ever forget anything about you, Adam. How is Japan?"

"Noisy. London?"
"Dirty."
There was a moment's pause and he cleared his throat. "How is school treating you?"

"Not too badly," she replied slowly. "Straight A's this term as always. What about you? Home school going well?"

"Well as expected. I'm looking at starting horse back riding lessons soon."
"Really? Wow. I'd be scared to death of riding. Horses are so big and their hooves...oh I just shudder at how sharp they probably are."

"That was what I thought. I guess we're both just city kids at heart, huh?"

"Yeah." Sari paused and licked her lips. "So... how are you doing on making friends? Got a girl yet?"

Was it her imagination or was his voice slightly stilted? "No. No girl to speak of. I spend most of my time with Kozue and Juri, and I don't think they count."

"Of course not," Sari chuckled. "I meant girls your age. You know, you'll be graduating high school pretty soon. Going on to college. You'll need a girlfriend eventually, you know."

Never, she thought. Not if I have anything to say about it.

As if sensing her thoughts, Adam was very quiet for several moments. Then: "Well, I'm not sure I'm ready for a girlfriend right now, Sari. Let's just say that Juri and Kozue are very... jealous of my time. And I couldn't date girls my own age, they're too immature. I need someone older and wiser than me to keep me on the right path."

Flushing, Sari tugged on a loose tendril of hair. No girlfriend, that was good. No, that was great. But his tastes in women had changed. That wasn't so great. Now she'd have to find a way of making herself appear more mature. Nearly grumbling with disgruntled anger, Sari huffed a sigh and glared at the poker game down below her. Alex and Betty never had these problems with guys. Granted, neither one of them dated, but still...

"Of course," she agreed tensely. "Maturity is just what you need."

A voice spoke in the background and Adam sighed. "Juri needs the phone, Sari. I mostly just called to make sure you were alive. Drop me a line, okay?"

"Sure," she whispered as first one then two tears began making their way down her cheeks. "First thing tomorrow."
"Love ya, kid."
"Miss you, Adam."
"Me too, Sari. Take care, okay?"
"You too."
"Always. Night."

The phone clicked off as Sari mouthed "goodnight". She felt hot and achy and tired, a condition that would probably not cease until she'd cried her fill. Silently she hung up the phone and lifted her covers. It was still early yet, but she would do anything for a few moments of blissful sleep. Tears slid down her face and dampened her pillow, leaving a hot wet area for her to lay her head on. Down below two faces looked anxiously up at the silently weeping girl and four hands moved with quiet precision as the pair spoke in sign language.

"Do you think we should leave her alone?"
"Probably. It was Adam."
"Are we so far already? It's only been two years."
"Exactly. We should go."
"Right."

The pair gathered up the cards and chips; moving noiselessly from the room they paused only to turn off the desk lamp and draw the curtains closed. A slender hand made sure that Sari's necklace was tucked into her backpack along with her diary and Adam's letters. Time was short and she knew that Sari wouldn't think of such things when they came to retrieve her.

As she closed the curtains, the girl paused and frowned. It was upon them. In the distance a red glow pressed against the horizon. Sari would get a few hours rest before they would fetch her. The fire hadn't spread far yet, it would take a while to reach the campus. And when it did...
Things...
Well, they'd change.
Two years of peace, of quiet growth, of tender learning were over.
The time had come.
The new terms had been set.
Fire was the purifier, the cleanser, the bringer of change.
It swept the streets of London-- in its wake it left countless homeless, weeping, and injured. But the fire had a purpose, a duty, a mission from someone-- something-- higher than those it wounded along the way. It had been called into being two miles from the campus, in an old abandoned warehouse soon to be razed. A vagrant had been ruthlessly slaughtered and his body doused in kerosine then set ablaze. The hands that did this act were slender and pale... but strong.
The hands belonged to someone on a mission, much like the fire.
Someone who knew this too important a duty to trust it to anyone other than herself.
So she killed him with her own hands, relishing the feel of bones snapping under her pale white fingers. Oh, her hands... her hands...
They were the bringers of destruction, the tools of rebirth.
Sweetness and light were no longer; they had seen to it.
The first step was complete; the child had learned her lessons well.
And now...
It was time.
Sari was being called home.