Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ The Most Unexpected thing... ❯ Chapter 5

Revolutionary Girl Utena: The most unexpected thing...

Part Five: Wakaba

As the sun was setting Shinobara Wakaba lay back on her bed, her curly brown hair flowing free around her head, still dressed in her school girl's uniform. She let her bag drop to the floor with a loud thump as she sighed to herself happily, gazing up at the ceiling and letting her precious memories come rushing over her.

Finally Wakaba smiled a goofy little smile and softly murmured, "Juri."

If someone had told her a few weeks ago that she would get to know the enigmatic fencer, she wouldn't have believed a word of it. Their meeting was something right out of a movie, running into each other in the hallway. Wakaba had actually been cross with Juri, but the orange haired fencer seemed more amused by it than anything else.

It was the next day that Juri actually came to her suite. Wakaba had been stunned, even as she tried to look casual to her roommate. The tall orange haired woman had settled down into one of her old chairs like she owned it, then actually apologized!

"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," Juri had said charmingly.

Wakaba had managed a smile, stammering out, "There's no harm done." Juri smiled back at her, and the younger girl was struck by the elegance of the woman

"I wanted to make it up to you." Juri then reached into her shirt pocket, and placed a ticket on the desk even as she got up 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 actually looked a bit uncomfortable, a faint blush on her cheeks.

She had looked down at the ticket, then Wakaba gazed up to Juri. "I'd be glad to," she answered her happily, wishing there was something more she could say. That night Wakaba had a hard time sleeping, looking over at where Juri had sat with a certain amount of awe and wonder. By the time morning came, Wakaba had known she had to do something.

The was sun shining down on her as Wakaba stood impatiently waiting for Utena and Anthy to reach the top of the bridge.

"Good morning," Utena had smiled at her slightly.

Leaning up against the railing Wakaba smiled back, "Good morning, Utena."

From her place walking by Utena's side Anthy had smiled at her gently and respectfully repeated, "Good morning."

It was odd, she had felt so good that morning, even Anthy hadn't bothered her. "Utena?" Wakaba smiled as she fell in beside the pink haired girl.

"Yes?" Utena looked down at her curiously.

Wakaba could feel her cheeks actually going a bit red. She took a nervous breath before softly asking her, "What do you think of Arisugawa Juri?"

Utena blinked. "I like her," she shrugged.

Wakaba had to smile at that simple answer. But it was true, and it seemed to reveal something within her too as she said, "That's good! Because I think I like her, too."

Leaving Utena looked after her curiously Wakaba had taken off, heading for her classes. But it wasn't too long before she stumbled across two figures talking together. Walking beside Juri was Miki Kaoru, a fellow fencer, and there was an odd intimacy to their talk.

Wakaba felt a surprising stab of jealousy at that. 'What am I thinking?' she wondered, her heart racing. She barely knew Juri, why was she so... She felt a bit of relief as they seperated, but whatever he had told Juri, it wasn't good. The tall woman walked with shoulders slumped, clearly lost to her darker thoughts.

'She shouldn't be like that,' Wakaba thought, wondering how she might jar her from her thoughts. Taking a deep breath she ran and leapt, yelling out, "Juri-sama!"

Juri staggered about for a few steps, the she seemed to realize who was perched on her back and asked, "Wakaba-san?"

Wakaba slid down to the ground, giving Juri a cheerful little smile. "Sorry," though she couldn't really manage to sound too terribly apologetic about it, "but I just couldn't resist."

"I've seen you do that to Utena a few times," Juri smiled almost unwillingly back at her, "I'm now feeling much more sympathetic to her."

Wakaba fell into step beside her and looked up at Juri, "Then next time, I'll do it while you're leaning out of a window."

"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Juri had raised an eyebrow, and Wakaba was stuck by her beauty once again..

'She really is like the panther that the other students call her,' Wakaba thought even as she smiled impishly,"So?"

Juri laughed softly at that. Wakaba felt her heart leap as Juri actually grinned down at her, "You know, I think I like you."

"Good," Wakaba felt relieved to hear that. She tilted her head to the side and asked Juri, "So what had you thinking so intently?"

"It doesn't matter," Juri smiled.

'I wonder,' Wakaba had thought, but just let it go. That afternoon classes had let out, and hesitantly Wakaba had waited in a new place. Juri had walked out of her classes, her eyes visibly widening at seeing Wakaba there, then she smiled.

"Thanks for walking with me," Juri had said softly as they walked across the campus. The sun was on it's slow journey to sunset, and Juri's mane was lit fire-gold.

"I should be thanking you," Wakaba had answered her softly, "I've seen all the girls around you, the ones who call you Prince."

"No," Juri shook her head. It looked like the taller girl was having trouble finding the right words to say, "You're different than they are, you know. None of them would dare to approach me, and they would never talk to me the way you do."

"Is that good or bad?" Wakaba asked faintly.

"Good," Juri smiled, and their fingers touched, "very good." Their hands entwined, the two of them walking together until they reached Juri's dorm.

"Good night, Juri-sama," and Wakaba went up on her tiptoes, gently pressing her lips to the surprised looking Juri's cheek.

"Wakaba?" Juri's voice was soft as Wakaba began to move away.

"Yes?" Wakaba stopped, her heart in her throat.

"Thank you," Juri said softly. The taller woman's smile was apparent in her voice, "Could you come to the fencing practice tomorrow? I seem to do better when you're there."

"I'd love to," Wakaba smiled happily.

The next day, and everyday after, Wakaba attended the practices. Juri was a goddess of victory in the ring, winning her matches and moving on to the next with a cold efficiency so different than how she acted other times. And after the practices, Juri and Wakaba would walk together.

The gardens and walking paths of Ohtori were perfect places to talk, quiet and private spots were almost everywhere. They moved through the roses and flowers, and quietly talked about almost everything. Everything but one.

Wakaba turned herself sideways on the bed, curling up a bit as she considered what was happening to her. She had teasingly proclaimed her love to Utena before, throwing her arms around her best friend and embarrasing her to no end. But the feelings Wakaba was developing for Juri, they were deeper, stronger than that.

"I love her," Wakaba murmured to herself softly.

Tomorrow was the exclusive fencing match that Juri had given her the ticket to, and she looked forward to it with great anticipation. Not because Juri would win, because she felt sure of that, but afterwards... Wakaba would tell Juri how she felt about her.

To be continued...