Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Arisugawa's Locket ❯ Valentines's Day 2004 ( Chapter 54 )

Valentine's Day 2004

"I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go,

People know what part I'm playing,

Pay for every dance, selling sweet romance,

Oh, what are they saying..."

Juri smiled, watching the blonde twins singing with great enthusiasm up on the heart decorated kareoke stage. The cat-ears weren't too odd looking, though the orange haired woman did find herself wondering why they were wearing those military style uniforms.

'And here comes another one,' Juri noted as the shorter black haired young woman stalked through the crowd, her own uniform crisp and neat.

"I'm told I need to check these in," the woman noted, taking a pistol from her holster, then unstrapping a baton from her side.

"Thank you," Juri smiled and offered her hand, "I'm Arisugawa Juri, the owner and operator of this club."

"Leona Ozaki," the woman shook it, "and the two up on stage killing that song are Anna and Uni Puma, my partners."

"What can I get you?" Ryouko asked, putting the weapons behind the bar.

Leona looked at the cyan haired bartender and smiled slightly, "Beer, thanks."

"Leona!" One of the blondes threw her arms around the shorter woman, then the other grabbed her, sandwiching her between them.

"Are you gonna get us a beer, too?" the other twin batted her eyes at Leona.

"Anna, Uni, get off of me," Leona growled out. She wiggled free before saying, "All right, one beer each."

"Right," Minagi chuckled, moving to get two more cans of beer.

"You're twins too, cool," Anna beamed. She dropped her voice, "Isn't Leona handsome? We've been sharing her."

Ryouko grinned while Minagi visibly sweatdropped. "I really didn't need to know that," she murmured back quietly.

"Come on, you two," Leona walked off with Anna on one side, Uni on the other. "Try to stay out of trouble, and I'll buy you dinner."

"Waii," Uni hugged Leona, nearly knocking her over.

"Happy Valentine's Day, everyone," Sasami beamed, the young girl rolling a tray full of goodies out of the kitchen. Cupcakes, chocolate and mini-cakes covered the tray, soon being passed out to various girlfriends.

"Makes me glad Ayeka and I already exchanged gifts," Ryouko noted with a grin.

"Minagi," Sasami held up a carefully wrapped box, her cheeks faintly red, "this is for you."

Minagi smiled, taking it before gently kissing Sasami, "Thank you."

"Thank you," another voice murmured from behind Juri.

Arisugawa Juri turned around, seeing Setsuna standing there with a gentle smile on her face. "I guess you got your gift, huh?" she smiled.

Setsuna laughed, her long black hair flowing around her, "Oh, yes." Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she continued, "I know have several teachers wondering who sent me a dozen roses and a box of chocolate."

"Hope I didn't get you in trouble," Juri kissed her gently.

"I'm out at work," Setsuna shrugged slightly. She smirked, "And I've had several teacher friends ask to meet you, too."

There was movement over by the kareoke stage, and Juri blinked in surprise. The young woman who was climbing up there looked like Ami Mizuno, but very different, too. She was dressed in a boy's school uniform, the black costume going well with her dark blue hair. There was an aura of sorrow around her, and a angry red scar ran from beneath one eye, across the bridge of her nose, and under the other eye.

"Is that.. Ami?" Juri finally asked.

"An alternate of her, yes," Setsuna agreed softly.

"What happened to her?" Juri asked softly.

"She lost so much," Setsuna said softly, "and has forced herself to carry on." She looked over at Juri, "I had best get my own alternate." With a few softly spoken words she became Sailor Pluto, then with Time staff in hand she simply disappeared.

"Tell the mothers and the babes, tell the old and the sick they will be safe,

Get the young males, tell them to be brave...

I was so concerned with saving lives

I never saw you pull the knife!

High on the mountains, across seven seas

Answer the question,

Why me.. why me?"

Ami sang in a voice that was filled with pain and loss, stilling conversations all across the room. She finished, sliding the microphone back into it's stand, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. She stepped down from the stage, swaying drunkenly, then stumbled forward.

"I have you," the other Setsuna caught Ami gently, cradling her in her arms. The expression on her face was tender, touched by the pain within the other woman.

"Take her home," Sailor Pluto said softly. She looked down at the drunken Ami with compassion, "I suspect she has drank enough not to remember tonight."

"Thank you for calling me," Setsuna smiled wryly. The crowd cleared the way as they walked towards the exit, leaving into the chill February day.

"Poor thing," Hitomi murmured as they went by the brown haired greeter.

"Yeah," Excel agreed, the blonde looking oddly introspective.

"Excel sempai..." Hyatt limply collapsed on a nearby chair, the black haired girl looking up at her weakly.

Excel perked up, "Back to work! For the greater glory of Arisugawa!"

"Ah, the benefits of a short attention span," Keiko noted as the two raced by, her long brown hair flowing down her back in a braid.

"Oh, yes," May chuckled softly, the brown haired cyberdoll in the maid's uniform smiling as they danced closely together.

Another couple swept by, dressed in uniforms that were remarkably alike. Utena wore her traditional school uniform, black with a pink trim, but Anthy wore her mirror image. The uniform was a soft rose, patterned exactly like Utena's but edged in black.

"You look lovely," Utena murmured softly. A slight smile, "What inspired the change?"

"I'm not the rose bride," Anthy said, "but I still possess certain powers and abilities. As foolish as it sounds, with power comes responsibility."

"You know about my fighting youma..?" Utena said, a flush to her cheeks.

"Yes," Anthy said, "and I intend to fight by your side."

Utena drew her close, the two moving gently to the sound of the music. "Are you going to call yourself something unique?" she asked softly.

Anthy smiled shyly, "Bara no Senshi."

"Soldier of Roses," Utena said softly. She bent her head, bringing their lips together in a gentle kiss, "It suits you."

"You know Tony," Sylia Stingray said as she walked with her brown haired girlfriend to a table, "this is a really odd club."

"Interesting, though," Antonia 'Tony' Stark said with a grin. Her brown hair fell into her eyes as she leaned forward to kiss Sylia, "Happy Valentine's day."

"I hope you liked your chocolates," Sylia finally separated them reluctantly.

"Once I got past them to find the top of my desk," Tony chuckled softly. She smiled as she pulled something out from her pocket, "My gift to you is somewhat smaller."

Sylia blinked at the box in surprise, her eyes widening as Tony popped it open to reveal the diamond ring inside. "You don't mean..."

Tony took the ring from the box, slipping it on Sylia's finger. A gentle smile, "I'm not proposing, but... I want to share the rest of my life with you."

"Me, too," and Sylia pulled her into another kiss.

To be continued...

The Staff: The bar's owner is Arisugawa Juri, from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Setsuna Meiou are from Sailor Moon. Minagi, Ryouko and Sasami are from the series Tenchi Muyo. Keiko is also from Utena. Cyberdoll May is from Hand Maid May. Excel and Hyatt are from Excel Saga. Hitomi is from Escaflowne, the movie.

Our Cast This Episode: Ana, Uni and Leona are all from Dominion Tank Police. Ami Mizuno and her Setsuna are from Sailor Moon. Utena and Anthy are from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Sylia Stingray is from Bubblegum Crisis. Tony Stark is based on the comic Iron Man.

Author's Note: Ana, Uni and Leona are from 'Roomies,' my Dominion Tank Police fic. The Ami Mizuno featured in this chapter is from shortly after the events in the Prelude of Super Sailor Mercury Shattered Ice. The song she sings from is 'Why Me' by Mike and the Mechanics. The title 'Bara no Senshi' first showed up in my Eternal City, Crystal Tokyo fic. Sylia and Tony are from BGC Mecha Wars, shortly after the final episodes.