Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Arisugawa's Locket ❯ Heart of Dust, Heart of Fire ( Chapter 60 )

Heart of Dust, Heart of Fire

"Well," Cathy smiled as the redhead looked over at her companions, "you have to admit it's different than Valerian's."

"This is bizarre," Arisugawa Juri muttered, looking around the Locket with the oddest look on her face. She was dressed pretty casually, having barely gotten home before Dorothy had arrived telling them about a nightclub they had to visit.

"Oh, I don't know," Dorothy Catalonia smirked, "I think it's fascinating."

Juri rolled her eyes. It was odd enough coming into a bar with the same name as hers but to find out it was run by some kind of alternate universe version of her was too strange. Around them a ocean of young woman swirled and talked animatedly as waitresses and servers hurried about to fill orders for food and drink.

"I'm just glad Duo wasn't around," Cathy mentioned her boyfriend with a smile, "he'd probably be trying to sneak in."

"You noticed that bouncer?" Dorothy smiled as she continued on, "Poor Duo would be lucky to survive if she caught him."

That got a ghost of a smile from Juri.

"Arisugawa-san," one of the waitresses gave her a smile, her long brown hair tied back in a braid. The suit she wore hugged a slim body, her expression gently friendly. "My name is Keiko," she said, "I'll be your server today."

Juri blinked, remembering seeing a very different Keiko on the UC Ohtori campus. "Ah, right," she smiled, "drinks all around, please. I could use a glass of wine."

Keiko smoothly collected the orders from the other two ladies then smiled as she said, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"You know," Cathy whispered once Keiko was gone, "I could almost go gay over that one."

Juri just shook her head. She looked over at Dorothy thoughtfully, remembering something she wanted to ask her, "So what's going on between you and Shiori?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Dorothy answered honestly.

Cathy blinked in honest surprise. "You and Shiori?" She asked Dorothy angrily, "Even after all that Shiori did to Juri?!"

"Leave her alone," Juri shook her head.

"You're far too forgiving," Dorothy remarked softly.

"Here you go," Keiko arrived with a tray carrying their drinks. She passed them out before bowing slightly, "If there's anything else you need, just ask."

"Thank you," Dorothy gave her a charming smile.

Keiko moved to go before she remembered something. She looked over at Cathy, "Thanks for the compliment, but I'm seeing someone." With that she was gone.

"Oh god," Cathy's face was beet red, "she heard me?"

Juri chuckled softly, "Well, at least she wasn't offended." She took a sip of her drink, "Let's just hope her girlfriend doesn't find out."

Dorothy drank a bit of her martini, "I'm surprised to hear you asking me about my love life." She smiled a dangerous little smile, "Considering you and Kanoe."

Cathy looked back and forth between them and sighed, "You two...."

"Oh hell," Juri breathed out, recognizing the woman on the kareoke stage.

Dorothy followed her gaze up then blinked, "I'll be damned."

Kanoe had the faintest of smiles on her face as she zeroed in on their table, her eyes meeting Juri's in a long moment. "This is for you," her voice dropping to as sexy purr, everyone at the table sure that she was talking to Juri as she sang, a voice reaching all four corners of the bar.

"I am human and I need to be loved,

Just like everybody else does...,"

Up at the bar Haruka Tenoh leaned up against the bar, her lover Michiru standing beside her. "So what do you think of her?" the sandy haired woman asked.

"It's always a bit odd to meet other versions of me," Arisugawa Juri conceded. She looked elegant in her dress, her long orange hair carefully styled. She was fully in her hostess mode, having already gone around to greet any new arrivals.

"All those what might have beens," Michiru commented softly, her aqua green hair framing her beautiful face, "or never could have been." She looked over at Juri curiously and asked, "Have you and she talked yet?"

"No," Juri shook her head, "I find it gets to be a bit too confusing, honestly. I sent May over to say hello, she handled it fine."

"Chicken," Haruka laughed.

Juri promptly agreed, "Exactly." She took a drink of her colored ginger-ale and sighed, "I can't wait to get home and see Setsuna."

"Baby-sitting Chibi-Usa again," Michiru sighed. She looked at Juri thoughtfully, "You know, we could just leave Chibi-Usa and Hotaru together."

"Remember the mess from the last time we did that?" Haruka reminded her.

Michiru sighed, "Good point."

Mahoro wiped the counter off briskly, the black haired former combat android smiling cheerfully. "You see the new Tuxedo Kamen?" she asked them cheerfully.

"How did Tuxie get in here?" Haruka looked surprised.

"I'd better find out." Juri looked up to track the tuxedo clad figure who was accompanying Sailor Moon through the busy crowd. "How did Bones let him through?" she muttered before Juri excused herself to head over to the couple.

Gallantly Tuxedo Kamen sheltered Sailor Moon from the crowd and she smiled up gratefully, "Thank you."

"Welcome to Arisugawa's Locket," Juri decided to start things off pleasantly and see how it went, "I'm the owner, Arisugawa Juri."

Tuxedo Kamen turned to look at her and Juri blinked in surprise. Beneath the long cape the suit was the same, but cut to hug the clearly feminine form beneath it. She reached up to remove the mask and Rei Hino smiled at her, "It's good to meet you, Ms. Arisugawa."

Sailor Moon beamed, "This is a terrific place."

Juri tried not to let her surprise show on her face, especially at how well Rei filled out the Tuxedo Kamen suit. "Well, I hope you have fun," she managed.

"You know the other Rei, right?" Rei smiled wryly, "I met her a little while ago."

Juri chuckled, "She's a friend of mine, yes."

"I like my Rei better," Sailor Moon confided, snuggling closer to her tuxedo clad lover.

Rei blushed faintly but she looked proud, too. "I think we'll go grab a drink," and with that they left Juri behind.

"You know," Juri murmured thoughtfully as they walked away, "Rei really does fill out that suit pretty well."

To be continued....

The Staff: The bar's owner is Arisugawa Juri, from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Mahoro is from the series Mahoromantic. Keiko is also from Utena. Cyberdoll May is from Hand Maid May. And finally Bones is from www.coolcatstudio.com.

Our Cast This Episode: Juri is from Revolutionary Girl Utena, Dorothy is from Gundam Wing, Duo is from Gundam Wing, Kanoe is from X-1999 and Cathy is an original character of Alithea's. Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon are from Sailor Moon: Altered Destinies. And finally Haruka and Michiru are also from Sailor Moon.

Author's Notes: I've been reading Alithea's 'Heart of Dust' for awhile now so when she suggested that they appear in a Arisugawa episode I said, "Sure!" A mega-crossover like some of my own fics it's almost as entertaining to see who'll show up next as to see how the romances are going. Kanoe sang a bit from the song "How soon is now" by the Smiths.