Rose Petals and Cherry Blossoms
A Shoujo Kakumei Utena/Card Captor Sakura crossover
By Ming-Ling (ming_ling@hotmail.com)
http://www.ming-ling.net/ccs/
All characters (c) their respective owners

Chapter 9: Left Behind [Beta version]
[12/28/01: Minor edits.]
[12/22/01: Chapter posted.]

	She thought she had left it behind.
	But it had come back to haunt her.
	A letter, ruined by rain, unable to be read.
	A letter from Shaoran.
	A letter that was brought by Saionji.
	"You left this in the Eastern Dormitory," he had said softly, yet his 
words hung in the air between them.
	"Oh, don't be silly," she replied shakily, stunned at the turn in events. 
"Wasn't that in the trash can? Look, the ink's all run about. You can't even 
read it."
	Saionji shrugged as if the letter had no consequence, glancing back down 
at it. "Well, I don't know. It was laying around in one of the desks. It doesn't 
hurt to ask, you know. If it really had turned out to be important to you, I 
know you would have wanted me to return it."
	Sakura turned away, hugging herself tightly as a cooler wind started to 
blow.
	"Are you sure?" he asked, raising an eyebrow but not offering his jacket.
	She nodded slowly, looking pointedly away from his face.
	"Then you won't mind if I do this..." With a flick of his wrist, he tossed 
the letter into the wind.
	Something inside of her snapped. "WAIT!" she yelled, spinning around to 
catch the flap of paper.
	Only to have it snatched out of her reach by the wind.
	She watched as Saionji's reflexes kicked in, his hand reaching out and 
grabbing the letter before it dropped out of her sight and out of her life 
forever.
	He looked at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.
	Sakura slumped down again, shivering. This time, Saionji knelt down by 
her, draped his jacket over her shoulders, and offered her the letter again. "I 
believe you owe me an explanation," he told her.
	Letting out a sigh, she held the jacket closer to her body. It was warm 
and carried the slight hint of cinnamon. Finally, she said, "It's a long story."
	Saionji sat down next to her, close enough to catch anything she might say 
but far enough to prevent her from feeling claustrophobic.
	She sat there trying to compose her thoughts. Her heart started to beat 
wildly as she struggled with all her conflicting emotions.
	"Why don't you start from the beginning?" he suggested lightly but with a 
serious face.
	"I... I guess it all began when I was ten," started Sakura. "One day when 
I came home from school, I went down into father's library and found a strange 
book called The Clow."
*	*	*	*
	Slowly, haltingly, the story spilled out of her mind and heart. At first 
she paused often, trying to think of how to phrase everything, but after a point 
she gave up and said whatever came first to her mind. The need to be self-
conscious floated away with the rose petals and only the need to finally let out 
all her feelings to someone was important.
	Why wasn't she surprised that Saionji had turned out to be that someone?
	He was silent through the entire telling. Some of the parts he had already 
heard in bits and pieces during the time Sakura told him tales of her youth so 
he would stay awake to finish his paper. He had known something was missing from 
those tales but was too polite to inquire further.
	Now he was getting the entire story. The Clow Cards. The capturing. 
Tomoyo's costumes. The Sakura Cards.
	Li Shaoran.
	The story was mostly about Li Shaoran.
	When she finished she was distantly aware that there were tears in her 
eyes. She didn't bother wiping them away. The gesture wouldn't have meant 
anything, anyway.
	She was expecting Saionji to pat her gently, to say 'There, there' or 
something else comforting, just as Keberus had done. But he continued sitting 
there without bridging the distance.
	Curiously, she tilted her head slightly to look at him. He wasn't looking 
in her direction at all, having found something else interesting in view of the 
school. She hadn't the slightest clue what he was staring at. One of the Student 
Council members? The rose garden?
	Akio?
	He tapped his fingers along the edge of the platform. He was nervous, 
Sakura realized quickly, and that was very strange. They hadn't felt self-
conscious in each other's company since that time they spent together helping 
write Saionji's paper. Why should he suddenly change habit now?
	"Once upon a time..." began the duelist slowly.
	Sakura held her breath.
	"Once upon a time, there was a young woman with purple hair and emerald 
eyes. She loved roses more than anything else in the world.
	"Once upon a time, there was a young man with green hair and purple eyes. 
He didn't realize it at first, but he loved the young woman more than anything 
in the world."
	"Anthy..." she breathed, remembering the notes in Miki's book, but he 
didn't hear her. The young man could have been none other than Saionji.
	"He didn't treat her very well, but not because he meant to be cruel or 
mean. He didn't know how to treat her.
	"The two became engaged. He fought others to keep her by his side. Even 
then he treated her poorly, but she did not protest so he did not change his 
ways.
	"Then one day a new person arrived. Another young woman with pink hair and 
blue eyes."
	Tenjou Utena.
	"She fought the young man and beat him and won the engagement of the other 
woman. The young man was furious and tried to win her back, but all his attempts 
failed.
	"One day, the pink-haired woman left as if she had never arrived in the 
first place. Everyone forgot about her except for the purple-haired woman, who 
followed her to some place unknown, leaving everyone else behind."
	"Saionji-san..." Sakura murmured softly, realizing that this must have 
been the first time he had ever told this story to someone else.
	"You're not the only one left behind, Kinomoto." He turned finally and 
caught her gaze. She noticed he was more successful at holding back his tears.
	She smiled gently as she moved closer to sit next to him. "I've been 
selfish, haven't I?" she sighed.
	"Selfish?" The question surprised him.
	The Rose Bride gazed out at the horizon, as if the sky held the answers. 
Finding none, she explained, "I've been so selfish, thinking that I was the only 
one whose heart could be broken. I didn't even think of what Shaoran must have 
gone through when he read my letter saying I would come here. Of what Tomoyo was 
thinking when she learned of our breaking up. Of what dad's and older brother's 
feelings were when they dropped me off at the gates without Shaoran. How Kero-
chan would cope with being the only guardian now that Yukito had a full-time job 
and Shaoran was an ocean away."
	Saionji, unable to come up with a reply, plucked a little bit at the hem 
on his shirt. The fact that he couldn't say anything troubled him.
	"But at least I realize it now," she continued, hugging her knees to her 
chest. It was always chilly up on the Rose Platform, and she was grateful for 
the jacket. "But we can't go back to the time we were in elementary school, can 
we?"
	"Or high school," he commented.
	She stood up suddenly, startling him. His jacket slumped to the ground.
	"There comes a point when you have to let go," Sakura said with finality, 
holding up the letter to the wind.
	As he watched, stunned, she opened her hand and let the envelope go. It 
rode the wind like a kite, gliding around the platform once, as if to say 
goodbye, before disappearing into the sky.
	She continued to stand there, shivering slightly, so Saionji picked up his 
jacket and draped it around her shoulders again.
	"Thanks," she mumbled.
	He smiled back.
	"Do you think if we had been normal people in a normal world, this would 
have happened?" She took out the Star Key and the Sakura Cards. "If I hadn't 
found that book in the library?" She turned to him, "If you hadn't become a 
duelist or I the Rose Bride?" Sakura set them down gently. "For just one day I'd 
like to be a normal person."
	Saionji slid the Rose Signet off his finger and laid it by the Cards. "I 
don't think it's possible," he remarked. "But for one day, you can always 
forget."
	"I suppose," she said, giving him a sweet smile. Then she spun around and 
started running across the platform with a sudden burst of energy, as if she 
were a young girl again. Happy. Free.
	Saionji watched his poor jacket get tossed around in the wind, shaking his 
head amusedly. The mere fact that she was in high spirits and back to her old 
self lifted his own spirits.
	The discarded items waited patiently among the roses for the time when 
they should take up their roles again.
*	*	*	*
	Saionji hid a look of disgust. Touga was giving him that annoying smirk he 
had perfected in recent weeks.
	"Wipe that smile off your face," he frowned, deciding against courtesy.
	Touga didn't, but Saionji didn't expect him to. "You lost to me already. 
Are you sure you want to duel again?"
	"I didn't loose to you," he remarked. "I lost to the weather. Tomorrow the 
forecast is bright and sunny, if cold. And I've beaten you before."
	"Ah, that. It becomes hard to duel if you're temporarily blinded by... 
supernatural light."
	He gave up. Touga was full of himself and it wasn't his duty to deflate 
the Student Council President's ego.
	Sensing Saionji was finished, Touga dismissed himself and left.
	Saionji went back to the Kendo Club. It wouldn't hurt to put in an hour of 
practice.
*	*	*	*
	"Phone call, Sakura-san!" Nanami's voice echoed through the hallway.
	She sat up, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Although she meant to review 
some more calculus, the theorems had only made her doze off for a minute.
	There was a dream. The details had fled but it felt important, more 
important than any daydream had a right to be. Something about roses, castles, 
princes on white horses and knights in shining armor...
	"Sakura-san! Did you hear me? There's someone on the phone for you!"
	"Got it!" she called back apologetically, sliding into her chair and 
picking up the telephone.
	"Kinomoto?"
	"Saionji-san... How... How are you?"
	"I'm fine."
	A pause.
	"There will be a duel tomorrow in the afternoon."
	Another pause.
	"I wanted you to hear it from me."
	"Why?" she asked, struggling to find her voice. "I thought you didn't like 
dueling. I thought you were done with dueling. I thought..."
	I thought you would rather try and find Anthy...
	"I don't like dueling. But it's not like there's a choice. Remember that?"
	There's always a choice. Isn't there?
	"Yeah," she admitted, still confused.
	"Besides, Touga's acting all high and mighty since he's become the 
Champion. Even the normal students have taken notice."
	She distantly recalled Wakaba mentioning something like that. But she 
hadn't spent much time in Wakaba's company lately. She didn't like intruding 
when her friend was with Tetsuya. Besides, there were so many other things that 
occupied her time.
	"Are you okay, Kinomoto?"
	She guiltily realized he was waiting for an appropriate reply. "Just 
daydreaming," she hastily said.
	"That you were a normal student, too?" This was spoken in gentle tones.
	"I..." The thought hadn't occurred to her.
	"Kinomoto, when this is all over... all this revolution nonsense... I'm 
sure you can stop being the Rose Bride. Just hang in there for now."
	"I... I will." She was tongue-tied again.
	A click told her he had hung up. She continued holding the phone for a 
minute until an irate busy signal made her set down the receiver.
	When this is all over...
	She wasn't sure whether the proper word wasn't 'when' but 'if'...
*	*	*	*
	Sakura arrived ten minutes early, having slipped out early from her last 
lecture. She was the first to arrive and she relished the moments of solitude. 
The roses on the Platform nodded to her as if bowing, as if they recognized her. 
She thought about watering them but the recent storm had probably given them 
enough water to last a month. They were doing just fine without her 
intervention.
	Without her. Was the Rose Bride really needed? What would Akio think?
	She didn't have time to think of an answer, for Saionji arrived just as 
the bells tolled out the hour.
	He smiled a greeting at her, and she felt the corners of her mouth tugging 
in an instant reply.
	"And now he's late," Saionji grumbled, smile suddenly gone as the last 
ring echoed in the air.
	A minute passed, and then another. "Maybe he got out of lecture late," she 
suggested lamely.
	"Maybe he didn't," was his gruff reply.
	At ten minutes past the hour they heard the elevator gates slide open. 
Touga strolled onto the Platform as if he hadn't a care in the world.
	"You're late," Saionji greeted.
	"Am I? I hope I haven't kept you waiting long." The false sincerity 
irritated the other duelist, who drew his sword.
	"Sakura..."
	She held Akio's rose in front of her and chanted the words. The now-
familiar power of the Rose rushed through her, and once again she was the Rose 
Bride, offering the Sword of Dios to her Champion.
	The tolling of the bells and the clashing of swords indicated the start of 
the duel. It was a rematch of their previous duel, Sakura thought to herself. 
Saionji lost only because of the rain. This is a fairer fight.
	This duel determines everything.
	She didn't know where that idea came from - surely there were more duels 
in store for them. But if all the duelists had already had a battle... who was 
left? Would Juri or Miki fight again?
	She looked up at the Castle of Eternity, but its sparkling towers gave her 
no answer. She had to focus her attention on more earthly matters, like the 
outcome of the duel. In her heart, she knew what outcome she wanted. But in her 
mind, she was scared. Both men were evenly matched. She couldn't even guess who 
would be victorious.
	She wanted Saionji to win.
	The Rose Magic responded suddenly. It bent to her wish as it would have 
bent to her will and shot upwards into the Castle. Neither duelist noticed, too 
absorbed in the game to worry about anything else.
	A light in the windows shone brightly, startling everyone. Saionji and 
Touga leaped away from each other, shielding their eyes.
	A shimmering figure descended as stately as any king, catching their 
attention.
	"Dios!"
	Touga realized it first and rushed Saionji, desperately trying to cut off 
his rose before otherworldly figures interfered.
	Dios enveloped Saionji and his rose signet flared with power, blinding the 
participants again.
	When the light died, a rose sat in Saionji's pocket. Another rose floated 
away from Touga's grasp. Dios was nowhere to be seen.
	This duel determines everything.
	And she had determined the outcome of duel.
*	*	*	*
	Kinomoto Sakura, owner of the Sakura Cards, user of magic, companion to 
winged feline Guardians, and Rose Bride, thought she was used to changing 
situations.
	Nevertheless, she was utterly exhausted by the time all her boxes had been 
moved back to the Eastern Dormitory. Saionji had it easy. He had never moved 
out.
	But I'd rather move back here than stay there anymore, she thought to 
herself.
	With a sigh, she lay back on her new bed, staring up at the ceiling.
	She promised herself she would only close her eyes for a minute. There 
were still boxes to unpack.
	Kero-chan peeked out of the bookbag he had hidden in during the 
transition. He watched as Sakura started to snore softly, chuckled to himself, 
and flew down the stairs to the kitchen. Maybe Saionji would give him something 
sweet to eat.
*	*	*	*
	She stood in the Rose Garden.
	The bushes were bare of red petals.
	She was startled. What had happened to the roses? The leaves were grey and 
brown. The bushes were dying?
	Movement above her head made her look up. A human shape was floating 
upwards. Something, wings perhaps, trailed from his back. She couldn't see 
clearly; he was too far away.
	"Yue?"
	The figure continued to head towards the sky.
	"Wait!" she cried, the Star Wand in her hand before she was conscious of 
calling her magic. Pink wings sprouted from her own back. She was used to the 
fact that she didn't need to bring forth her cards and call out their names. She 
was their master, and they knew her wishes almost before she did. As she sped 
skyward, the figure retreated more and more quickly, as if racing.
	She landed lightly on the Rose Platform. The other figure was already 
standing in the center. Suddenly wary, she took slow steps towards it.
	"Yue?" she asked again, her voice quavering slightly.
	The figure did not respond. Light flared at its feet and the things-which-
might-have-been-wings burst apart.
	She was close enough now to see what the wings were made of.
	They were made of roses.
	"Dios?" she asked, moving closer to get a better look.
	The roses surrounded the man before spiraling upward and forming a bridge.
	A bridge between the Platform and the Castle of Eternity. Between heaven 
and earth.
	She suddenly realized whose purple hair was blowing in the wind. Not Yue. 
Not Dios.
	"Akio!"
	He smiled at her and beckoned her to come closer.
*	*	*	*
	Kero-chan and Saionji were jolted by a loud crash that sounded from 
upstairs.
	"Sakura!"
	"Kinomoto!" cried Saionji at the same time, a mere step behind the 
Guardian.
	Together they tore the door to Sakura's room open, ignoring protocols. 
Boxes had fallen all over the room and the window was open. A shape with pink 
wings could be seen rapidly disappearing.
	"Sakura-chan!" cried Kero-chan as his wings shimmered.
	Saionji took a step back as Keberus managed to squeeze his way through the 
small window. What was he doing? Where was she going? Uncertainity froze his 
footsteps.
	Keberus poked his head through the window. "Are you going to stand there 
or are you going to come with me?" he demanded. "She's heading to the Rose 
Platform, and there's a heavy scent of magic that isn't hers!"
	The big feline showed a few too many teeth for his comfort. As quickly as 
he could, he climbed out of the window, half-fell onto Keberus' back, and then 
the two gave chase.
	They did not want to be left behind.

...to be continued...