[Beta version posted 7/7/01]
Shiori...
Have you heard the news?
There's a new Rose Bride.
She's nothing like Anthy was. She acts more like Utena did. She's athletic and outgoing and made herself popular very quickly.
But she's got a quality that makes her a lot like Anthy. I think she's hiding something that hurts her greatly.
I don't know what it is, though.
Shiori...
You probably don't even remember who Anthy or Utena was, do you? Everyone seemed to conveniently forget after they left. Even though you dueled with Utena yourself, when Ruka appeared again, you've probably forgotten. Do you even remember Ruka? He almost came between us.
They say that the Rose Bride holds power beyond imagination. They say that if you're engaged to the Rose Bride you can enter the Castle of Eternity and your every wish would be granted.
There's only one wish I want granted.
Shiori...
That wish will be granted.
"Windy!"
The fairy-like elemental emerged from its card and swept around the Rose Platform, carrying with it a large accumulation of dead leaves and dried up petals that had fallen from the plants.
"Firey!"
A second elemental joined the first, burning the collection into so much ash.
"Earthy!"
The third elemental took the nutrient-rich ash and gently spread it evenly among the plants.
Their job done, Sakura called them in and they obeyed her, gliding back and returning to their Card forms. She took out the rest of her Cards and fanned them out, remembering her dream.
Windy, Woody, Watery, Firey, Earthy.
Sword and Shield, Fly and Jump.
Mirror, Maze, Illusion, Flower, Erase, Shadow, Thunder, Glow.
Dark... and Light.
Magic couldn't do everything. It couldn't even stop the tear that trickled down her cheek.
"I thought I'd find you here," came a commanding, female voice from the entrance.
"Oh!" gasped Sakura, instinctively hiding her wand behind her back and making it shrink into its key form. "Ari...Arisugawa-san!"
Juri examined the older woman closely. Sakura took a step back nervously, reaching up and wiping away the tear with the back of her hand that was holding the Star Key.
"You take care of the roses just like Anthy did," remarked Juri.
Quietly, she said, "I like all flowers."
A frown. "You changed since you've been here."
Sakura blinked.
"Your friends think you've suddenly withdrawn into yourself when you used to be so outgoing."
She stammered, "Well, I mean, all this Rose Bride stuff came on so suddenly, that..."
"Is it because of Saionji?"
"Eh?"
Juri's voice softened. "Listen. Saionji is... a rude man to say the least. When he was engaged to the former Rose Bride, he hit her. A lot. He called it love but it sure didn't look like it."
Saionji loved the former Rose Bride?
"I know how hard it must be for you, and I know that being 'engaged' to Saionji certainly isn't helping matters any."
It made sense if she thought about it. There was always a slightly haunted look in his eye whenever that Himemiya Anthy was mentioned. She imagined it might have been the same look she got when she thought about Shaoran.
Juri misunderstood her wince. "Listen to me, Kinomoto. I can help you. Tell Saionji that I wish to duel him, here, tomorrow, after his afternoon lecture. I will defeat Saionji and then you won't have to worry anymore."
"I..."
"We women have to stick together. I won't allow someone to hit another girl if I can do anything about it." It cannot happen again, Juri thought to herself. Never again.
Sakura was silent, trying to sort out everything.
"Tell him I'll be waiting," the duelist said as she turned around and left the way she came.
Another duel. Already. Didn't Saionji say he didn't want to have to fight again? Did he really love the former Rose Bride?
She looked at the Sakura Cards for help or inspiration, but none was forthcoming. This was something she was going to have to deal with by herself.
Magic can't do everything.
Shiori...
The glove is thrown down. The challenge is out.
I'm going to duel with Saionji tomorrow.
I will defeat him. For the sake of the Rose Bride.
I can't let something like that happen again to another woman.
Not when I can stop it.
The wind rushed past her hair and ruffled her feathers. The Card Mistress landed lightly in the rose garden, dispelling the Fly card with a mutter.
"Ki...Kinomoto-sempai!"
"Aah! Kiryuu-san!"
The high-schooler glanced at Sakura oddly. "Well, that explains how you must have gotten up to the Rose Platform the first time," she remarked quietly.
Sakura flushed. She was both shocked that someone else was finding out her secret abilities and surprised that the Student Council member had reacted so well to her magic.
Nanami smiled. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone if you don't want it known. The Rose Bride has so many secrets as it is, a few more won't be noticed."
"Th...thanks," she replied, trying to get around being so tongue-tied. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
"Taisuke-kun - my boyfriend - told me to meet him here."
Boyfriend.
"Oh," remarked Sakura. "I'll be leaving then..."
"Wait."
Sakura paused.
"Kinomoto-sempai... You are the new Rose Bride, aren't you?"
Another pause. "Yes. I guess I am. Are you going to duel to own me too?"
"No!" The answer was forceful, yet honest. "I did duel, once. But that was a long time ago or at least it felt that way, and I'm not the same person who dueled either. I... I used to think my big brother, Touga, was everything. I'd do anything to make him happy. But then I realized that... that wasn't everything anymore. I... I learned a lot from Anthy about big brothers. And I learned a lot from Utena, too. And that makes me wish that I had been more mature, more grown-up when they were here so we could have become friends. I think they would have been good friends.
"Kinomoto-sempai... do you want to be friends?"
She blinked a few times.
"I... I know I have no clue how hard it must be to be the Rose Bride. I don't think I really want to find out. But... if you need someone to talk to... I'll be there. But you probably don't need me since you're already good friends with Wakaba and Keiko and..."
"Thank you," replied Sakura. "And if you want to be my friend, you can just call me Sakura."
"I..."
"Nanami-san!"
"Taisuke-kun!" She turned around, but Sakura had already left.
Can you feel it, Shiori?
There's something in the air, like anticipation. Is it for the duel tomorrow?
I wish you could see it, but it's not allowed. Only Student Council members are allowed on the Rose Platform.
And the Rose Bride, of course.
When you hear the bells ringing tomorrow, that means the duel is begun. And when they ring again, that means I will have beat Saionji. I will have won the hand of the Rose Bride. I'll be able to enter the Castle of Eternity. I can have my wish granted.
Wait. I'll wear my locket. I fixed the clasp on it years ago but I haven't worn it lately, have I? How silly of me to not wear it. That way, you'll be there, even if only by spirit.
I want you to see me win this time.
"Saionji-san, there's a girl waiting for you outside."
The young man looked up from his kendo exercises, wiping a bit of sweat from his forehead. "A girl, you say?"
"With short hair and green eyes."
Anthy... No. It wasn't. She was gone to a place far away.
Then why did his heart keep hoping?
"Saionji-san?"
He looked up again and met those emerald eyes. "Kinomoto," he said. "What are you doing here?"
She shuffled her feet consciously, her cheeks blushing just a little. "Well, since we're, um, living in the same dorm," and he realized she'd changed what she was originally going to say, "maybe we could walk back together. I came from the rose garden and realized you might still be here." She looked up at him, "Wouldn't that be nice?"
He ran a hand through his green hair. "I... I suppose so. If you don't mind waiting a few minutes while I put everything away."
"Okay," she answered quietly.
He gathered up his belongings and went into the locker room to clean up both physically and mentally. Well, he thought, this is going to start up some rumors. I've been so solitary for so long that it's going to fly off the presses. Although it's not they can't build off the fact that we're living in the same dormitory. I wonder how far from the truth the rumors will be?
This was something Anthy had never done. But then there were many things Sakura did that Anthy wouldn't have thought of doing. He couldn't compare the two when they were so different. Anthy would never have challenged Touga to a duel or try and refuse her role. They were two separate people.
He had to stop thinking of her in terms of Anthy and more in terms of herself.
Except they had the same, haunted green eyes.
"Saionji-san?" her voice drifted into the room.
"Yeah, I'm coming," he half-growled back, his mind still roiling in confusion.
The sun was starting to descend, sending long shadows skittering among white and red facades and making the thinner alleyways look foreboding. The two walked slowly through the maze of buildings and it occurred to Saionji that it was entirely likely Sakura didn't know the way back. The Eastern Dormitory was set somewhat apart from the rest of campus. For a person who was still finding it hard enough to find her lecture hall after several weeks of practice, this must have been a labyrinth.
"Saionji-san, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Why... why do you duel? You mentioned before that people duel for different reasons."
"I'd rather not duel at all," he sighed, feeling suddenly weary. "I've developed a general disliking for it after the world revolution didn't occur. It felt so pointless."
"If you had a choice, would you duel again?"
Saionji shook his head. "But I don't have a choice in this. Kinomoto-san, you don't really have a choice in this either."
"There's always a choice," she remarked quietly, with a far-away look in her eyes.
He grunted a non-committal answer, wondering where the question had come from.
"Why do the others duel, do you know?"
"Well... that would involve me assuming a lot of things about the other Student Council members, and you know what 'assume' does to a person."
"Makes an ass out of you and me," Sakura responded to the quip lightly.
Anthy would never have said anything like that.
"Are you okay?" asked the young woman as her companion started to rub his temples.
"I'm fine. Practice just took more out of me than I realized."
"Does Kendo help you in the duels?"
He blinked. "I started learning Kendo long before I received any messages from Ends of the Earth." He paused. "Although I won't say the knowledge hasn't come in handy." What he did not ask was how Sakura managed to be so proficient at swordplay.
"I see," she murmured to herself.
He wanted to ask her why she had so many questions but bit back his tongue. He respected her privacy - he had to. She'd probably kick him out of the dorm, rules or no rules, if he didn't. Even when he knew she was hiding something. Something important. But he somehow managed not to say anything and was partially saved by the fact that they were suddenly standing in front of the door.
"I'm going to go put my stuff away," said Sakura, hurrying inside without looking back.
"Right," muttered Saionji, full of questions and not a single answer.
The time is now, Shiori.
How I wish you could see it.
But that's not possible, is it?
Once I win the Rose Bride, anything will be possible.
Anything.
Wish me luck.
I'll say a prayer for you, too.
The professor cleared her throat. It was her signal that lecture was over for today. The class stood up and started to shuffle out.
"Sakura-chan, what are you doing later?" asked a voice from behind.
"Wakaba-chan... I, um, am going to office hours in a little bit."
"Office hours?" She said it in the same tone of voice as one might use to talk about mildew or spiders.
"Well, I did miss lecture on Monday, so I want to see what I missed."
"You can just borrow my notes!"
Sakura paused, much to the frustration of people behind her trying to leave. She moved outside, saying, "I really should just talk with the professor about it!"
"Sakura-chan!" cried Wakaba, but her friend had already disappeared. "Honestly, what's gotten into her lately?"
Sakura ran back to the Eastern Dorm with nary a hitch, her directional sense improving every day among the jumble of buildings. Saionji would have finished his last lecture an hour ago and would be back; she had already gotten used to his schedule. Juri would be waiting for him - no, for them - at the Rose Platform.
But Saionji didn't want to have to duel anymore.
She pulled out the Star Key and chanted the familiar words, feeling the magic flow into her. Then she pulled out two cards she remembered using in tandem so long ago, when battling against Eriol, when she transformed them into her own Cards.
"Maze! Illusion! Create a twisted path when Saionji leaves that will confuse him! Make sure he can't reach the Rose Platform until I come back!"
A large labyrinth began to grow around the Eastern Dorm that resembled a garden's hedge maze, except these hedges were crowned with red roses and sharp thorns. Confident her magic would hold, Sakura turned around and ran off towards the elevator.
"I'm sorry, Saionji-san. But I know you don't want to duel anymore. I'll talk to Arisugawa-san. She doesn't need to fight you. I'll make it work out. Promise."
As she stood in front of the elevator, she patted the rose that Akio had given her. After a short wait, a chime rang and the doors slid open with a loud clackety-clack. She glanced around nervously, but no one seemed to notice as the car shuddered slightly and than began to ascend with eerie smoothness and silence.
The scent of roses, much stronger up here than in the rose garden below, caught her attention long before the lip of the Platform came into view. Sakura walked out gingerly, gripping her Star Key for strength, and slowly climbed up the last few steps and paused at the gate.
"Kinomoto-san." Juri stood up from where she had been kneeling among the flowers.
"Arisugawa-san," said Sakura by way of greeting, thinking that 'Hi, how are you, do you wish to duel?' would be too inappropriate.
She paused a moment and then asked in surprise, "Where is Saionji?"
Sakura looked out, eyes seeking the Eastern Dormitory but finding only a mixture of blank walls instead. "He isn't coming."
"Wh... what did you say?"
"He isn't coming," repeated Sakura a little louder.
"What? Why? He can't refuse a challenge!"
"I didn't tell him about it."
Juri stared at the person who was supposed to be the Rose Bride. She had somehow assumed that despite appearances this woman was still going to be like Anthy - docile, obedient, and naïve. "Why didn't you tell him?" she sputtered angrily.
"Arisugawa-san... why do you want to duel with Saionji-san? You can't want to be engaged to me, can you? I mean... it doesn't make sense. Saionji-san doesn't want to duel anymore. I don't think he should have to if he doesn't want to."
"He doesn't have a choice!"
Those were the same words that came from his own mouth. "There's always a choice," said Sakura a little hotly, feeling a little irrational anger starting to rise. "I made the choice not to tell him so he wouldn't have to make the choice to fight."
"But that's going against all of the rules! A challenge is a challenge - he must duel me!"
"Why do you want to duel him so badly?"
"Kinomoto-san, I don't believe you! You can't want to stay with that man! I saw how you looked when I mentioned him before. He beat Anthy before when he got mad at her - he'll do the same to you. Has he already hit you?"
The thought of the strong yet quiet man who looked slightly embarrassed whenever they ran into each other unexpectedly in the dorms hitting her was beyond her comprehension.
"Kinomoto-san. Has he hit you? Tell me. I won't let another girl get hit by a man."
She shook her head, bewildered by the sudden edge in the younger woman's voice. "No, he's been... almost like an aloof older brother. He's actually a pretty nice guy. He's never even raised his voice with me..."
"Don't cover for him. I know what men like him are like. He may be all smiles and flowers now, but once he gets angry, or bored, or tired, he'll change. He hit Anthy and still made her keep a love diary! What kind of sick man does a thing like that?"
Sakura was in dismay, watching as Juri gripped her fencing sword in one hand and a locket in her other. "Do you really want to duel?" she asked finally.
"Yes. I'll duel and I'll win and then you'll be free."
As if being traded from one person to another was freedom? Sakura pulled off the Star Key and held it behind her back, whispering the chant that made it grow in her wand, and then whispered the words to transform it into the Sword.
"Kinomoto-san, what are you doing?" She eyed the other warily.
"If it's a duel you want... then I'll duel with you." She slowly swung the sword out so it bridged the gap between them and then patted the rose in her pocket again.
Juri stared at her in shock as the bells began to ring in earnest.
No! No! No! NO!
Shiori! What's going on? This is all wrong!
What does this new Rose Bride think she's doing?
This... This can't be happening!
I'm supposed to win the Rose Bride's hand, not fight her!
Shiori!
What am I supposed to do now?
Oh, how I wish I knew!
Saionji's head flew up as he heard the tower bells ringing in near cacophony. He blinked as he felt a familiar tug, a pull towards the Rose Platform.
Who was challenging him to a duel?
And why hadn't they told him about it?
Where was Sakura? Had she gone ahead of him?
He quickly pushed the questions aside and bolted out of the room, skidding to a halt at the open front door.
Surrounding the entire dormitory was a giant maze with hedges made from roses. Angrily he started to run through them, choosing paths at random and hoping they would lead him towards the Rose Platform. Turn after turn produced nothing but more roses and more walls. Who could have put this here to stop him? What kind of duel was it if one of the contestants couldn't even make it in time?
He remembered how Sakura had challenged Touga.
The thought made him run faster until he reached a dead end.
He paused, breathing heavily, spinning around and trying to catch his bearings, but failing to find one building that he recognized above the roses. Not one to give up, he chose another direction and continued to press forth, making sure to stay clear of the walls' thorny embrace. He turned another corner, only to find another dead end.
Frustration and anger built in him and he was prepared to start ripping the bushes away with his bare hands, the blood pounding in his head so loud it drowned out the ringing of the bells.
"Saionji-san! Saionji-san!"
An unfamiliar voice was calling his name, or was it just his imagination?
Although would his imagination talk with an Osaka accent?
"Saionji-san!" A tiny figure burst into the dead end with him.
He stared. He couldn't take his eyes away from the strange figure. It was a small, winged excuse for an animated stuffed animal. It looked a bit like Chu-chu with the same round ears, but the similarities ended there. After all, Chu-chu never spoke anything comprehensible, except maybe to Anthy.
"Saionji-san, snap out of it!"
He blinked a few times to clear his vision. The small figure remained, wings flapping furiously. "Sakura-chan is in danger!"
"What...?"
"She went up to the Rose Platform. Something big is happening there. I felt her use her magic."
"I know!" he growled with more force than he intended. "I feel the pull to the Platform, too! But I'm stuck in this maze and I don't have a magic string handy to find my way out!"
The beast's wings shone with a clear light and grew, folding around the tiny body. When they opened again, they revealed a mix between lion and eagle, with enormous white wings springing from the back of a powerful looking wildcat. Saionji took a few steps back and felt thorns pricking at the back of his neck.
Maybe he'd rip through the bushes anyway.
"Saionji-san, you have to help her. I don't exactly know what's going on but I'm sure you do."
The voice was deeper but the accent was the same.
The cat gave him a wide, toothy grin. "I won't eat you." He flicked his tail and turned around. "Climb on my back. I can get you out of this maze."
As if he was going to ride on something as lethal looking as that!
A deep growl rumbled from Kerberus, who was growing impatient. "Look, I wouldn't even have revealed myself to you except I think there are larger problems about. Listen - the bells have stopped ringing. Something is building in the air."
Saionji gulped a few times and then gingerly took a seat on the animal's back, just in front of the soft wings.
"Hold on tight," rumbled the Guardian as he pumped his wings several times experimentally. Saionji swiftly leaned forward and grabbed hold onto the beast's collar as he felt the muscles bunch underneath him. In a mighty leap, Kerberus became airborne and started to fly above the maze.
But the maze, enhanced by Sakura's magic, would not let its task be so easily unraveled. As the two climbed higher into the sky, so did the rose walls, continuing to bar their way.
"This isn't working," cried Saionji in despair, wondering if the next thing he would be seeing was his alarm clock telling him it was time to go to class.
Keberus let out a mighty roar that may have had words in it or may not have. Saionji didn't notice for a great beam of fire burst from the cat's mouth and burned a large hole into the hedge. Suddenly the maze began to shrink and draw away from them, and then it disappeared entirely as two thin cards flew away, towards the Rose Platform.
Kerberus and his passenger followed. The landscape fell away from them and the Platform, which was just a distant blob in the sky, grew larger rapidly. Before he could become frightened at the speed with which Kerberus flew, he had already landed on the lower portion of the Platform, away from the eyes of the two figures battling.
"Saionji-san... don't tell Sakura that I helped you."
And the amazing beast leapt off the platform and glided back, presumably, to the dormitory.
The familiar sound of clashing swords met his ears. He instantly jumped onto the higher platform and yelled, "Stop!"
The two women paused in surprise, looking in his direction. He noticed (with a little amount of pride) that Sakura looked no worse off than Juri did, and that she must have been holding her own for several minutes before he arrived.
"Saionji-san! How did you...?"
"Were you there the whole time? The elevator..."
He looked at them both. "Why didn't you tell me there was a challenge?"
Juri's glare provided no answer, but Sakura stammered, "Saionji-san... I... I know you didn't want to fight... so I didn't tell you..."
"Why?" he all but yelled. "Don't you understand, that there isn't a choice in this matter? There are rules to be abided and you can't just go flagrantly breaking all of them! Fighting with the duelists indeed!"
"I thought you didn't want to fight," said Sakura softly, head down. "I was doing it for your own good. I thought I could talk Juri out of fighting..."
Juri's lips curled into a smile. "Now that the real opponent is here, shall we begin this duel properly, for once?"
"Saionji-san..." she wouldn't meet his eyes.
"Kinomoto... summon the Sword of Dios." It wasn't a request.
"...Yes," she murmured, taking the rose in both hands and staring at it for a moment.
"Power of Dios concealed by the rose,
"Now show your true form to me.
"I, Sakura, the Rose Bride, command you.
"Release!"
As the rose became the Sword of Dios and her uniform became the red dress of the Rose Bride, something shimmered overhead.
"The Castle of Eternity!" gasped Juri.
She looked up and was startled. Hanging impossibly overhead was a giant, white, upside-down castle. Everything from windowsills to turrets and pennants sparkled as if she'd used the Glow Card on them. This was where eternity lay?
Saionji took the sword and turned to face Juri.
Shiori, are you watching?
Now everything is as it should be.
Now everything will be set right.
Shiori, do you know?
The Castle of Eternity is in the sky.
The place of miracles is open.
I can win in this duel.
I must.
For her sake.
For your sake.
For my sake.
I will be victorious!
Juri attacked first, pushing Saionji back several steps as he struggled to put up a defense. She had only dueled Saionji once, long ago before Utena had arrived and mucked everything up. She hadn't won that time, but it was a very close duel. She had taken her defeat and learned from it. She had watched Saionji duel with others. She watched him every once in a while when he was in the Kendo club. She was ready. She would win. The locket danced around her neck, spurring her on with its own promises.
Saionji was startled by Juri's fierceness. The last time they had dueled she had seemed almost bored with the ordeal, as if it was merely to keep up appearances. This did not mean he hadn't fought hard for the victory - it was a very near draw at one point, but Juri's disinterest had given him enough of an advantage to cut the rose from her breast. This time Juri was intensely serious, her face never giving away her moves as her keen blade kept aiming for the flower in his own pocket.
Sakura watched desperately, unable to intervene. She was afraid that a single cry, a single breath would interrupt his concentration and make him loose. She didn't think she wanted him to loose. She couldn't use her own magic - the instant the rose circle shone at her feet, her wand had become a key again and she felt only the rose-magic filling her soul, not the star-magic she'd lived with ever since she was 10. And she didn't know what to do with the rose-magic except to summon Swords of Dios, and that was already done. Surely she could shape this wild power that thrummed all around her, that made the castle shine! She spread her arms wide and began to pull on the rose-magic, willing it to do something useful.
Saionji felt himself being pushed back and was unable to do anything to stop it. Juri was much quicker than Touga had been. Her snaking strikes came within inches of cutting of his rose before he could stop it. He wasn't sure he would be able to stop the next blow.
Wouldn't it be easier if he let Juri win? Then the Rose Bride would be off his back and he could go back to his old habits, his old ways. He wouldn't have to fight anymore - he'd already fulfilled his duty by being champion once. It would be easier if Juri won.
But then he caught a glimpse of Sakura, arms wide and eyes shut, mouth moving as if in prayer. She had tried to stop him because she wanted to help him. He couldn't let her down, could he? And he remembered the fearsome winged lion that had asked him to help her, because as wild and powerful as the beast was, it couldn't help her as he could. He had to fight, for their sakes.
He felt himself loose his footing, felt Juri knocking him onto his back, and brought the Sword of Dios up just in time to stop the finishing blow. She pressed harder, trying to break his grip.
Any moment now...
Shiori! Shiori! Look! I've won!
Now you can open your eyes! Now you can see my victory!
You won't have to be afraid of that man again.
I'll never forgive him. I'll never forget how he hit you, how he beat you, how he treated you like a doll. Never. I beat him off within a trounce of his life. He'll never look the same way at women again. But it was too late.
Shiori, the evil men are gone. You can wake up into a safe world.
Kinomoto-san will be safe, too. She won't have to live in fear of a man who may hit her on a whim. She'll have to stay with us for a while, but that will be okay, won't it? It's better than letting her stay with Saionji without even a chaperone.
Shiori, watch as I take this victory! Watch as the Castle of Eternity opens for me!
Shiori, open your eyes!
Sakura felt more than saw Saionji fall back. She sensed with the magic instead of her physical senses that Juri would strike the final blow in a mere moment.
She didn't want that to happen.
She had already gathered the rose-magic around her. And then she remembered what Saionji had said. The castle above them... the Castle of Eternity. Miracles could come from it.
Miracles.
She sent the power spiraling overhead into the castle, which sucked it up like so much good pasta.
Then the power returned in the form of a ghostly human who glowed. A young prince glided silently down towards the platform and merged with Saionji. The rose on the end of the Sword of Dios and the signet on Saionji's hand flashed as Juri's blade reached out to separate the blossom from the stem.
There was an almost inaudible ping.
Juri had drawn back just in time, and the Sword of Dios had not cut off her rose. But it had caught the chain on her locket and sent the golden jewelry spinning among the roses, clinking as it landed.
"No!"
Saionji stood up wearily as the aura of Dios dissipated. He watched Juri searching frantically for the broken locket. She finally found it and slumped to the ground, clutching it tightly.
Juri was quietly weeping.
"Juri..." started Saionji awkwardly, trying to come up with some soothing words.
A red dress brushed passed him. Sakura knelt down by Juri and held her hands warmly. "Shhhh... it's okay. You really weren't fighting for my sake, were you? You were fighting for yourself. And even if you didn't beat Saionji... I think you've won the battle over yourself. This locket... is more important to you than the duel is. And I think that's what you needed to know, isn't it?"
Juri slowly reached up and grabbed her rose, sending its petals scattering into the wind.
Shiori...
I'm so sorry.
I lost the duel.
I know what you're thinking. How can I have lost when I was so close to winning?
Shiori...
Do you know what?
I think I won something even more important than that duel.
...to be continued...
AUTHOR NOTES:
Did you notice I gave Nanami a boyfriend? His name is Isomura Taisuke (random pickings from my Kanji book) and he is there because I think Nanami deserves a really nice guy that will treat her right. Touga is such a jerk in the anime. =P Nanami is one of my favorite characters in the anime series because she does so much growing up from the little girl who thought her oniisama was the world to questioning her womanhood and discovering what opportunities the world could hold for her. Nanami, I think, will have done a lot more growing up in her transition to high school. Thus her radical change in character. And no, I will not make her a cow. =P
And yes, I made Shiori a non-character. I apologize to all Shiori fans out there. However, as I began to plot this story (and Shiori was a more regular character) I realized I had a slight problem.
I had no idea how to write Shiori's lines.
I had very little to go on. Shiori's not a major player in the anime series (of which I'm basing most characters on) plus it's been more than a year since I saw the anime. Her movie persona didn't fit into the fic, and she doesn't appear in the manga at all (an easily available source I can usually look at for help with others.)
Then I started thinking about Juri and her motives. And I realized that if I somehow made Shiori 'not-there' that I could give her some very real and very human motives. Ones that I felt fit very well with the fic and were something I could write with.
The Juri-monologues were originally a way to frame the chapter but instead became an ongoing, every-other-scene theme instead. It seems to work well.
For the record, and due to the fact that the Juri/Shiori scenes ended up writing themselves a little differently than what I planned (in a monologue it's hard to put descriptions in), I'll put what happened to Shiori in this fic here:
Shiori was attacked by a nameless, faceless man several months before Sakura arrived at Ohtori. No rape, but she was badly beaten. Juri arrived to rescue her (and beat the attacker within an inch of his life, as noted) but Shiori fell into a coma from which she has not yet revived. This has really changed Juri, giving her a grr-at-all-men attitude and hence her motive to 'save Sakura' from Saionji when she's really just trying to save herself by trying to prevent another Shiori-incidence.
I hope this doesn't put you Juri/Shiori fans off from the fic. I'm not a big fan of Shiori (she's just too confusing for my poor brain to deal with) but she /is/ an interesting character to work with, and so is her relationship with Juri.
Being the person I am, I will give them a happy ending. This won't be a repeat of my 'break Lina and Tamahome up in the end of Slayers FUSHIGI just because it won't fit Slayers continuity' sort of deal, okay? ^_^
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Card Captor Sakura was created by CLAMP and is (c) their respective companies. Shoujo Kakumei Utena was created by Chiho Saitou/Be-Papas and is (c) their respective companies. Please address all inquiries to me at ming_ling@hotmail.com. Please do not repost this fanfic without my prior written permission.