Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ The Most Unexpected thing... ❯ Chapter 1

Revolutionary Girl Utena: The most unexpected thing...

Part One

"You slept with HIM?!" a clearly shocked Juri asked her, standing in her lover's messy dorm room at Ohtori academy.

Shiori merely looked sullen, not answering her.

Juri found herself slumping up against the door. She hadn't really wanted to believe it, but now she knew that it really was true. "You slept with him," she repeated it with a sick sounding voice, "while you were sleeping with me."

"Juri," the violet haired Shiori looked up at Juri entreatingly, "you don't understand..."

Juri looked down at the beautiful girl and felt her heart breaking. "It's over, Shiori," Juri said, her voice breaking. "Don't come see me, don't talk to me. You make me sick."

With that, Juri turned and quickly left, slamming the door shut behind her. She didn't trust what she might do if she stayed. She made her way down the halls, hurrying toward her rooms. She just wanted to be alone.

Fate had other ideas.

Coming around the corner, rushing, Juri slammed into a smaller figure, sending her sprawling to the ground. "Watch where you're going!" she barked angrily at the girl.

"You're the one who ran into me!" the other girl snapped back angrily, scrambling on the floor for her fallen books.

Juri was so stunned over getting any back talk that she actually bent to help the younger girl with her books. She found herself looking over the slim girl as they worked, and was struck by the girl's spirit and style.

"Who are you?" Juri finally asked as the girl rose to leave. She took a few steps away then turned and gave Juri a sunny smile.

"Shinobara Wakaba," she answered her, "and I know you're Asirugawa Juri, captain of the Fencing Team." As she said the last, her eyes shone with simple admiration. Quite suddenly she blushed and then hurried off.

"Shinobara Wakaba," Juri murmured to herself thoughtfully.

The next day came, as much as Juri didn't want it too. She tried to keep busy, maintaining her usually exhausting workload. Still, it couldn't keep her mind off Shiori. The library was quiet that afternoon, and she came up behind Miki almost silently.

"Hello, Juri-sempai," Miki said quietly, not even turning around.

Juri still didn't know quite how he did that. "Thanks," she said quietly. Miki blushed a bit, looking uncomfortable. He had told her what Shiori had been doing with the former Chairman, even though he knew that he might be endangering his friendship with Juri by doing so. She placed her hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly, saying non-verbally "It's all right."

They talked for a bit on various things, in the comfortable way that friends do, when Juri found herself asking him, "What can you tell me about Shinobara Wakaba ?" Juri was surprised to hear the question cross her lips, but she found herself eagerly awaiting Miki's answer.

Miki surprised her again, this time with a burst of sudden, warm laughter. He smiled as he said, "Wakaba is Tenjou Utena's best friend." He shrugged up at her eloquently before continuing on, "What else do you need to know?"

Juri laughed with him for a minute. "Really, I'm curious. What can you tell me about her, oh quiet but all-seeing one?" she asked.

Miki looked thoughtful, searchig his memory. "Shinobara Wakaba is a fair student, in the eighth grade, popular with her classmates. She's been friends with Utena for many years, apparently. She has so far avoided joining the various clubs, although," he added teasingly, "she has been seen around the fencing matches."

Juri blushed a bit before offering, "She probably has a crush on you."

"Wakaba's had some bad luck as far as love is concerned," Miki continued. "She fell hard for Saionji, a feeling he did not return, and for his amusement he posted one of her love letters on the bulletin board."

"He what?!" Juri blurted. She looked at him for a moment, then rose, her fists clenched and face dark with sudden anger.

"Whoa, there" Miki said, putting his hand on her arm, "it's already been dealt with. Utena called him on his actions and challenged him to a duel." Miki grins, "Kicked his ass, too. There was a rumor that Wakaba and Utena are involved, but I don't think so."

"So that's how Utena got involved with the duels," Juri murmured.

"So why are you asking?" Miki asked giving Juri a steady gaze. Juri blushed a bit.

"I met her recently. She seemed to be..." Juri paused for thought before shrugging slightly and saying, "interesting."

Miki smiled to himself thoughtfully then tore a sheet of paper out from his notebook and wrote something down on it quickly. "Here's her room number and dorm." he said before pushing the sheet of paper towards her. Slightly surprised, Juri took it as he added, "This way, you can say you're sorry for knocking her down earlier." He packed his books up and left.

'How does he find these things out?' Juri wondered as she watched him go.

Juri stood in front of the door, running through her speech yet again. She couldn't believe that she was this nervous. 'I can do this, no problem. She's just an eighth grader, after all,' Juri thought. Steeling her resolve, she firmly knocked on the door. A young girl, clearly not Wakaba, opened the door, looked up at her in absolute shock, and quicky slammed the door shut. From inside, she could hear a faint conversation:

"Oh my god, that's Asirugawa Juri! The fencer! Oh my god!" one voice said.

Another voice that sounded like Wakaba, "Yeah, I met her yesterday."

"Why didn't you TELL me!" the other voice replied, nearly in hysterics.

"Shouldn't we let her in?" Wakaba asked.

There was a moment of dead silence, then Juri heard very fast footsteps. The door opened up and the other girl smiled winningly at Juri, who was doing her very best to keep a straight face. It was taking some effort.

"I'm really sorry," the young girl said, blushing. Juri smiled and assured her that everything was all right, greatly amused. A few moments later, the other girl excused herself.

Juri took the chair by the school desk, swinging it backwards and resting her hands on the back. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for knocking you down yesterday. I was a little upset, and I wasn't watching where I was going," she said charmingly.

Wakaba smiled reassuringly. "There's no harm done." Juri smiled back at her, struck by the girl's casual warmth. So different from her.

"I wanted to make it up to you." Juri reached into her shirt pocket, and placed a ticket on the desk even as she rose to go. "There's a exclusive fencing match coming up in a few days. Admittance is by invitation only. I got this for a friend, but she can't come. I'd... appreciate seeing you there." Juri found herself blushing a bit.

Wakaba looked at the ticket, then up to Juri. "I'd be glad to," she answered happily.