Note:  This chapter has spoilers for events in the TV series up to
and including Episode 9.  Comments, criticism and MSTs are welcome,
but please see the Authors' Notes.


     Dear Mom and Dad,


     Hope you are well!  Sorry I haven't written in a bit, just let
time slip away from me, but things are a bit slow right now, so...
     Life here at Ohtori Academy is just one surprise after another. 
I certainly wasn't expecting to have my brain switched with Juri! 
Being in a girl's body was definitely a new experience, and
downright scary at times.
     As I mentioned in my last letter, Nanami took "credit" for the
mixup, so she and her friends went on a quick trip to look for the
antidote.  Those of us affected by the exploding curry (also
including Anthy and Utena) went back to Higashi-kan for supper.
     That went off well, in that nothing exploded.
     After dinner, I found that Juri had brought some of her things
over and moved into my room!  She's kinda particular about what her
body sleeps in, I gotta admit I wasn't too happy to learn she's the
frilly nightgown type.  (You know, I still have no idea where she
lives?)  I did my best not to exploit the situation, though I was
awfully tempted.
     Saturday after classes, I practiced with my crossbow a bit,
though it's not clear how much being Juri affected my aim.  I seem
to be pretty good at it.
     Then I sort of stumbled into trying to save Utena from what I
thought was an assault.  Seems this fellow named Saionji, who was
the "Victor of the Duel" before Utena, still has a big crush on
Anthy.  He'd mistaken Utena for Anthy, understandable under the
circumstances, and hustled her off into a storage room.
     His rather clumsy attempts at showing his devotion made Utena
scream, which is when I burst in.  Turns out he was just trying to
give "Anthy" the exchange diary they'd been trading messages in.  I
don't think I did Juri's standing in Saionji's eyes any good.
     After that was mostly straightened out, Juri and I went on a
walking tour of the town.  Some really weird architecture here, and
I'll have to get some photos to show you.  Highlights of the trip
were a manga store and a video arcade.  Juri's really good at
fighting games!
     Later, I discussed Saionji and the diary with Utena.  Not sure
how much good I did.
     Sunday morning, it was off to church.  I met Utena's buddy
Wakaba there.  She sure is perky!  I filled her in on what was
happening, and after church we went in search of Utena...
     But I ran into Touga first.  I am suspecting that his "playboy"
rep is at least somewhat justified.  It sure seemed like he was
about to come on to me!
     Fortunately, he was interrupted by Nanami calling with the news
that she'd managed to corral some "Phantom Spice."  This got everyone
involved congregating towards the school gate.
     I ran into Utena on the way; she'd just handed Saionji back
his diary.  I'm not sure what she wrote, but he wasn't at all happy
about it...
     There was quite a crowd there to greet Nanami as she emerged
from the car with the incredibly fragile spice container.  Including
Chuchu, who tossed a banana peel in her path.  Naturally, I attempted
to prevent her from stepping on it.  Instead we crashed into each
other, the container smashed, and the Phantom Spice scattered to the
four winds.  The Phantom Spice there wouldn't be more of for decades,
if then.
     I was only somewhat distracted from my despair by the arrival
of my lost luggage.  Inter-dimensional transport is no different from
regular air travel in that respect, it seems.  Thanks for the
cookies, even if they were ground to dust in transit...
      It was then that several clues combined to make us realize
that Nanami had never actually managed to tamper with Anthy's curry
recipe in the first place--she just thought she did!  Which meant
that it was in fact the regular curry that had done this.
     Coincidentally, Anthy had prepared her special recipe again for
supper, and the resulting explosion put all the previously affected
back into their normal bodies.  Saionji, on the other hand, did
switch with Chuchu for a while.
     With things back to approximately normal, nothing too outrageous
happened in the next few days, allowing me to catch up on my
reading....


                        MA VIE ET ROSES
                         Chapter Five
                   Unmei ga Aru to iu Shiro
               "The Castle Said to Hold Destiny"
             by Scott Johnson and Scott K. Jamison
     (All characters and settings except Skyler Sands and the state
of Minnesota are the creation of Saito Chiho and Be Papas. 
Publishing rights to "Shoujo Kakumei Utena" are held by Shogakukan
and Terebi Tokyo in Japan, and Central Park Media and Viz Comics in
the United States.  No challenge to these rights is intended.)
 
     "Fancy meeting you here."
     The Student Council annex to the Ohtori Academy Library was an
understated place.  Varnished wood and old steel handles graced the
row upon row and stack upon stack of filing cabinets, stretching
from the floor almost to the ceiling.  The few that were open were
filled with tidy folders of paper and neat newspaper files, and it
was in front of one of these that Skyler was sitting, halfway up a
rolling
staircase meant to give access to the higher drawers, with a stack
of papers on his knee.
     He looked down at the unexpected voice.  "Juri-san.  Hi.  I
just came here to do some research...."
     "So I see.  Why here, though?"
     "Seemed like the best place to do a bit of research on the
Student Council--there were a few things I was curious about.  And
the librarians didn't seem to mind me coming in here."
      "Doubtless they've started associating you with the Council. 
It's not that unexpected--you do wear the same ring and uniform,
associate with Council members, and of course are said to be sleeping
with one."
      Skyler looked at her in shock.  "What?"
     "You have to expect this sort of rumor when a girl spends a
weekend in a boy's room.  You've thoroughly ruined our reputations,
you know."  Though she was contemplating one of the filing cabinets
with a typically inscrutable expression, Juri seemed in fact quietly
amused by the discussion.
     "Yes, I suppose people might think along those lines.  No doubt
somewhere there's a poor fellow or two wondering, `What on Earth
does she see in him?'  I know I've wondered that often enough about
others."
     "Mm."  She turned to look more fully at the cabinets.  "You're
not worried, then?"
     "Not so much that I'm going to rush right out shouting `I didn't
have sex with her!  Really!'  That never works anyway.  And no insane
people have popped out of the woodwork insisting I give you up so
they can have a chance."
      "Yet."  Juri looked up.  "So, what have you been prying into?"
      "A lot of things, really.  I started out just trying to find
out about the duels and their history, but there doesn't seem to be
much concrete information about them.  Plenty of cryptic hints,
veiled references...enough that I'm pretty sure most of them have
to do with duels, but I can't be totally confident."  Skyler turned a
page.  "And the funny thing is that they're not always in reference
to the Student Council."
     "Oh?"
     "Yeah.  Like this private student club back in the Thirties,
sort of a `Future Leaders of Japan' thing.  And article in the school
paper mentions their `nature walks' in the school's `private and
restricted forest preserve' which they somehow wrangled access to. 
Or back in the Sixties, there was a big research seminar about `the
nature and attainment of eternity,' whatever that means.  They were
known for their weird experiments, or maybe art projects, all around
campus--including the forest, which was still officially off-limits
to everyone else."  He turned another page.  "Of course, that was
before their lab building burned to the ground."
     "Really?"
     Skyler nodded.  "Officially it was ruled an accident, but the
tone of the articles makes me think they were covering up arson. 
There seem to have been quite a few `accidents' in the school's
history, actually.  The old fencing hall burned down about fifteen
years ago...the foundation supports on one of the dorms gave way
during a minor earthquake in the Fifties...."
     "Two kitchens exploded last week...."  Juri hid a smile.
     "Heh.  Yeah, that too."  Skyler rubbed the back of his head,
ruffling his hair slightly.  "But even the founding of the school
came from a disaster.  The old palace of the Ohtori daimyo used to
stand on this hill until a tsunami hit the city, partway through the
Meiji era.  Devastated everything seawards of the hill, and the
palace was right at the crest of the wave.  Washed away completely,
except for the one stand of forest that had been protected by the
right set of walls."
     Juri nodded.  "...and then Ohtori Ankou returned to Japan along
with the rest of the Iwakura Mission, and decided to adapt and
improve Western educational methods, to raise a new generation of
students who might `shake the world to its foundations.'
Coincidentally, of course, walling off the forest as a shrine to
whatever kami might have saved it."
     "I take it you've been studying this a bit as well."
     Juri shrugged.  "Certain parts.  I think we're interested in
the same thing, albeit for different reasons."
     "I remember my greeting card saying something about a `tragedy'
occurring if I didn't seek the `Power to Revolutionize the World!' 
I wonder if it meant this sort of disaster."
      Juri looked down in thought, running her fingers through a
file.  "It might.  Though it would be a rather crude technique
given a force that can suspend a castle in the sky."
      "Perhaps those were unsuccessful attempts to control the Power.
The next logical step, I suppose, is to find a survivor of one of
the previous groups."
     "Hmm."  Juri gave it some thought.  "It's...rather curious,
actually."  She met his gaze.  "I can only think of one member of
last year's Student Council who's still attending Ohtori."
     "Really?  Who?"
     "Our dear President, Kiryuu Touga."  She frowned. 
"Interesting."
     "That would explain his knowing more about what's going on than
the rest of us, yes...actually, I was thinking of finding someone a
bit more removed from the situation, who doesn't need to keep his
or her aces hidden."
     "If they exist."
     "Yeah..."  He flipped through the file again.  "so far I haven't
seen any names I recognize...maybe I ought to get my hands on an
alumni directory."
     "An useful tool."
      He sighed and flipped the folder shut.  "Anyway, it'll have to
wait.  I think I'm overdue a breath of fresh air."
      "Mm."
     He stretched a bit as he slipped the folder back into the drawer
and slid it shut.  A thought struck him.  "By the way, do you know
where Saionji-san is likely to be this time of day?"
     "The kendo dojo, most likely.  Why?"
     "I'd sort of like to talk with him.  We got off on the wrong
foot earlier, technically, and he hasn't really met me as myself. 
He may be a jerk, but I'd like to at least give him a chance to prove
otherwise first."


     Skyler had not managed to get his schedule arranged so that he
could formally introduce himself to Saionji since the latter had
returned to his own body, and it was looking less likely that he
would today either.  The kendo captain was facing off against Touga
in a sparring match.
     The dojo was dimly lit, casting shadows and reflections across
the dark, burnished wooden floor and walls.  Sharp `clacks' rose
above the noise of the crowd every few moments as the kendo team
tossed their bamboo practice swords back into the racks on the way
to the showers, punctuating the cheers of the assembled girls with
staccato sound.
     At the center of the room, on the practice floor, the two
antagonists stood, clothed in only hakama and gi, without the
elaborate padding formal kendo matches used.  Saionji stood in a
tense stance, sword raised above his head with the point back,
poised for a crushing downward blow.  His wavy green hair had been
tied into a high ponytail, doubtless to keep it out of his eyes.  His
gaze was fixed on his opponent, watching for any action, and movement
that would prompt him to strike.
     Touga stood in a pose that spoke more of grace and control, his
sword extended low and in front of him.  The loose hair flowing down
the side of his face didn't seem to impair him in the slightest, as
he regarded Saionji with a gaze that was much calmer, but no less
focused.
     Skyler was glad he was relatively tall, as the immediate area
was packed with onlookers, mostly female students.  Each of the
contenders had a definite faction, and there were knots of girls
who seemed equally enamored of both.  Only Utena, who'd just stepped
in the door, looked less than enraptured.  Skyler made his way over
to
her.
     "Can you believe this?" Utena murmured as Skyler walked up. 
"It's embarrassing."
     [The match?  No, she must mean the girls.]  "Only because you're
a disinterested party.  Fannishness is not embarrassing until you've
stopped thinking like a fan."
     "Guess so."  She frowned as a particularly obnoxious pair of
giggling girls called out their cheers.
     "Hooray!  Hooray!  Touga-sama!"
     "Get him!  Get him, Saionji-sempai!"
     "Quiet!"  Utena's voice rang out above the din, silencing
everyone in an instant.  "They're starting."
     Skyler wondered how she could tell.  The two of them hadn't
moved, hadn't even so much as blinked ever since he'd arrived.  There
was tension in the air, yes, and it was mounting, but the Duelists
had yet to--
     And then Touga softly, deliberately lowered and closed his eyes.
     Saionji was in motion within an eye-blink, a battle cry rolling
from his lungs and roaring out his throat.  His shinnai descended,
just as Touga's eyes flicked open.
     And then it was all over.
     A cheer went up from dozens of throats at once as Skyler
blinked.  Saionji's sword was less than an inch from Touga's head,
but Touga had dropped to a crouch extending forwards, dodging the
blow and gently pressing his sword into Saionji's abdomen.
     "Heh...he's pretty good."  Utena seemed grudgingly impressed. 
"He's not just some playboy after all," she murmured.
     [Definitely well above my level of fencing ability.]  Skyler
maneuvered to avoid being run over by marauding fangirls.  He was a
little disappointed when they simply clustered around the edge of the
room and screamed their cheers, not daring to step on to the battle
ground.
     "Touga-sempai!  You're the greatest!"
     "Ooh, I feel faint!"
     "Sempai, you're my prince!"
     The last one sent a ripple of surprise through Utena. 
"Prince..." she murmured.  Her gaze softened as she looked down at
her ring.
     "Figure of speech, I'm sure," whispered Skyler.
     "Maybe so."  She shrugged.
     Out on the dojo floor Saionji straightened, lowering his sword
to his side.  He fixed Touga with a look of pure venom.
     "Oi, oi."  Touga smiled as he lowered his shinnai and relaxed.
"Why the grim look...my dear friend?"
     Saionji narrowed his eyes.  "Who are you calling `dear
friend'?" he spat.
     "How heartless."  Touga didn't seem too deeply wounded.  "Aren't
you my one and only true friend?"
     "Enough!"  Saionji turned away.  "I'll not be defeated by the
likes of you."  With that he stalked away.  The crowd was eating it
up.
     Skyler frowned.  That hadn't made much sense.  Obviously he'd
come in after the movie started on that quarrel.  In any case, he'd
have to figure it out later--Touga had turned to leave as well, and
the crowd was starting to thin.
     Then he had another thought.  [If Touga was able to defeat
Saionji so easily, how is it that Saionji was the Victor of the Duel
when Utena arrived?  Who'd he fight for the job?  Have to ask Juri
when I get the chance...
     [Oh, and I was going to introduce myself...no, he looks way too
angry at the moment.  No hurry, then.  We're bound to run into each
other eventually.]  


     As they walked to the main building, Skyler took a moment to
admire Ohtori's white marble finish.  
     "This place sure has pretty buildings."
     "Huh?"  Utena looked up at him.  "Yeah, you're right.  You get
used to it after a while, and some of it's kinda weird, but it's
probably the best-looking school I've ever been to."
     "Gunntown High looked like a big stone fortress up on a hill. 
They made it with sandstone from the local quarry.  Kind of
foreboding-looking, but it had its charms."
     "Aorashi wasn't much better.  Nothing really bad, just..so
normal you could choke.  Clock tower, three floors, tiny sports
field, and that was it.  Normal teachers, normal students, normal
life....  If there's one thing you can say for Ohtori, it's that it
ain't normal."     
     "But if everything and everyone is unusual, then `unusual'
becomes `normal,' doesn't it?"  Skyler hummed a few bars of the
Twilight Zone theme.
     "I guess.  I know I'm getting kinda numb to it all.  It hasn't
even been, what, a week?  And already I'm having trouble believing
in that whole body swap business."  She looked down at her ring, then
across the sports fields.
     "If you get too skeptical, you could always ask Himemiya-san
to whip up another batch of that curry.  But I'm sure something just
as strange will come along soon."
     "That's kinda what I mean."  She kicked a stone, knocking it
skittering down the steps to the playing fields.  "It's just one
thing after another...and it gets so you don't know what's weird
and what ain't."
     "I personally lost the ability to distinguish reality from
fantasy the moment I arrived," said Skyler, mostly joking.
     "Yeah...."  The humor was lost on Utena.  "It's like...aw heck."
 A smile forced its way onto her face.  "No sense getting upset about
it.  It's an adventure, that's for sure."  She paused in an archway
leading back into a courtyard.  "I'm gonna go check on what
Himemiya's up to.  You coming?"
     "No, I have a study session.  Catch up with you later."


    The day's classes passed uneventfully, and Skyler was on his way
out of the school when he saw the shadow play girls setting up for
another production.  Eiko and Biiko were sorting out plates, sticks
and some plates attached to the ends of sticks, while their quiet
friend was working joints of simple shadow puppets of a wizard and
a pixie of some kind.
     "Konnichiwa," Skyler said brightly as he approached.
     Biiko turned to look, and got an angry expression.  "You! 
You've got nerve, coming around here."
     Skyler was taken aback.  "Excuse me?  What's wrong?"
     "When we asked for your help last time, you acted like you
didn't even know us, remember?"  This was Eiko.
     "Last time...?"  It clicked.  "Oh, it must have been on the
weekend?  I was definitely not myself that day."
     "Oh, really?"  Biiko wasn't buying it.  "And just who were you
then?  Hmm?"
     "Arisugawa-san."
     "Biiko, calm down," Eiko said placatingly.  "It's not that big
a deal."
     "It is, it is!  If he's gonna snub us and then laugh it off by
saying he didn't feel good, that's not a nice thing!"  Then Biiko
realized what Skyler had actually said.  "Come again?"
     "I was Arisugawa-san, and she was me.  Our minds were switched
by exploding curry."
     Even Eiko looked a little dubious.  "I have to admire your
ability to say that with a straight face."
     "Like I said, nuts," added Biiko.
     "It's true!" Skyler protested.  "Admittedly, explaining it all
to you would take a while, and you probably still wouldn't believe
me afterwards..."
     "Try us," Eiko said, picking up one of the plates-on-a-stick
and spinning it idly, fixing Skyler with an expectant gaze.  "I'm
kinda curious."
     Skyler gave them an abbreviated version of the weekend's events,
sticking to the bare bones of what had happened.  The girls listened
with varying degrees of acceptance.  Eiko was surprised and a bit
skeptical, Biiko had a `yeah, really' look on her face, and the
third, [Shiiza-san, wasn't it?] was watching him wide-eyed, perhaps
not believing the story, but certainly fascinated.
     "Right," Biiko finally said.  "So you swapped bodies with a
beautiful girl and then did absolutely nothing with her bod.  And
you out-shot William Tell without even trying.  Oh, and this all
happened thanks to some magical curry some girl cooked you.  Just
what
planet were you from again?"
     "I didn't say.  It would have been disrespectful of
Arisugawa-san to use her body in untoward ways, and as for the
crossbow incident, I'm sure you could find a witness or two."
     "Uh-huh."
     "Oh, come on, Biiko!  It's kinda neat how this is coming
together.  He's a cute American guy from realms beyond who's been
having mystic visions of our shadow plays and who gained great
archery skills while in a girl's body thanks to magical curry.  He's
almost as weird as *we* are now!"
     At the word "cute," Skyler still had to repress an urge to look
behind himself to see who she was talking about.  "And just how
weird are you, if I may ask?" 
     "Well..." Eiko's eyes darted back and forth, as if to verify
the four of them were alone.  "You *really* want to know the truth?" 
At Skyler's nod she laid an arm across his shoulders and leaned in
closer.  In a conspiratorial whisper, she said, "The truth is we're
really aliens from the planet Kashira, here to learn about this
planet and report symbolically.  My dad's really the director of
this whole operation, who we report to via radio waves."
     "Eiko!" Biiko shouted, scandalized.
     Eiko shrugged.  "Hey, he asked."
     [Well, it isn't any less likely than my story.]  "Interesting.
I'll have to hear more about your homeworld sometime.  But I'm
keeping you from your work...."
     For a moment, all three girls just blinked.  Then Eiko grinned,
shaking her head.  "Oh, no you don't.  You're not getting off that
easy,Mr.`I was too busy to help you because I was trapped in someone
else's body.'  We've got a role for you this time."
     Biiko nodded.  "That's right, that's right.  We're gonna need
a real prince on a white horse for this one.  And a Santa Claus.  And
someone to help Shiiko with the props."  The pony-tailed third girl
just looked abashed.
     "Sure!  What needs moving?"  [I'd look more Santa Claus in my
real world body.  But I don't think I should mention that....]
     "Here.  Take this."  Eiko tossed the threadbare remnants of a
Santa Claus outfit at him--just the beard, the cap, and enough of
the cloth and fur trim to make a convincing, if thin, outline.
     "And this."  Biiko handed off a cardboard pantomime horse, with
shoulder straps to keep it supported.  A cardboard crown landed on
his head.
     "And don't forget these."  A handful of the plates on sticks,
wobbling slightly.
     "Oh, and now we've got someone to work the UFO."  A little
model UFO that resembled nothing so much as the top of the school's
central tower, attached to a fishing rod and reel.
     "Anything we're forgetting?"
     "Not that I can think of.  You two ready?"
     Shiiza, who had taken up a handful of the plates, nodded, all
business.
     [Right then...]  Skyler got it all in hand, mostly.  "Ready
when you are, Mr. DeMille."
     "DeMille?"  Eiko blinked at him.  She turned to Shiiza with a
puzzled look, but was encouraged by the quieter girl's smile and
nod.  "Well, whatever.  Lights!"
     Shiiko snapped on the floodlight, casting Eiko and Biiko's
shadows on the wall, magnified to at least twice their actual size.
     "Props!"  Eiko grabbed a pair of the plates-on-sticks and
began spinning them in either hand.  In silhouette she truly appeared
to be balancing them by dexterity alone.
     "And..."
 
     "Oh!  A UFO!"
     "Where?  Where, where, where...where?"  Biiko shaded her eyes
and craned all about, then leaned back a bit with hands on her hips. 
"Oh, for crying out loud, it's just a shooting star."
     "No, really!"  Eiko wobbled slightly, then lunged forward on
one foot to keep the plates in balance.  "It was a UFO!  It was sort
of wobbling--I mean, flying zig-zag!"
     Biiko whipped out another plate, spinning its stick casually
between her fingers.  "Fine, it was a zig-zagging shooting star. 
There's no such thing as UFOs!"  With a flick of the wrist, she
tossed her plate towards Eiko.
     "Eek!"
     Skyler would have missed it if he'd blinked.  Somehow Shiiza
had darted forward, low to the ground, caught the plate, and set it
to
balance, spinning, on one of Eiko's feet.  She'd then darted back
out of the pool of light, barely leaving a shadow for a moment.  Eiko
really was struggling to balance the plates now, though she seemed
to handle it well.
     [Obviously it's time the UFO put in an actual appearance.] 
Skyler maneuvered it so the shadow floated directly behind Biiko.
     "Ah!  See!  There it is again!"
     "Where?  Where?"  Biiko whipped around, shading her eyes with
one hand and poising the other on her hip.  At the same time,
prompted by a nudge from Shiiza, Skyler wobbled the UFO around
behind her again.
     "Mou!  It's just a weather balloon!"  Biiko looked with scorn
at the helium balloon Shiiza had just released to float up through
the
spotlight.
     "But...but...."
     "Face it, just face it:  there's no way UFOs could exist."
     Eiko sighed.  "Ever since I was in kindergarten..."
     Shiiza nudged Skyler again.  She had braced herself behind a
cardboard chimney, preparing to shove it into the spotlight, even
as Eiko and Biiko sprung out.
     Skyler realized this was his cue to don the Santa outfit.  He
scrambled to get into it in the handful of seconds he had, aided by
quick discreet tugs of the costume by Shiiza's fast hands.  In far
less time than he thought possible, he was passably attired, though
the plates on sticks rolled away when he set them down.
     "What happened then?"
     "...they told me Santa Claus didn't exist."
     Shiiza made her move, and Skyler made his.  In moments, he was
alone in the spotlight, one foot on the chimney, with the sack on
his shoulder.  His shadow loomed above him on the wall, larger than
life, a thin but imposing Santa Claus caught in the act, looking into
the distance.
     He stepped behind the chimney, waving as he sank down to make
it look like the traditional Santa entrance.
     "Bzzt!"  Eiko and Biiko each raised an arm across the field of
the spotlight, crossing them to cast a shadowed X across the
ephemeral saint.
      "But it's all right," Eiko said as Skyler sank down out of
view.  "I understand now."
     "Understand what?"
     "That Wizards..."
     Shiiza held up a shadow puppet on a stick that looked much
like a superdeformed Gandalf, then, with a twist and some sleight of
hand, replaced it with one of a pixie.  Her eyes met Skyler's for a
moment, and she nodded toward the pantomime horse off to one side.
     "And fairies..." 
     Skyler quickly doffed the Santa suit and put on the crown and
horse.
     "And princes on white horses..." 
     Skyler "rode" back into the spotlight.  the girls kneeled before
him, flourishing their arms dramatically.  "And true-hearted
friends," they chorused.
     "Exist only in fairy tales," Eiko concluded.
     She grabbed the sticks again, and Shiiza balanced even more on
her feet and even elbows before moving on to Biiko.  "It's okay.  I
understand now," Eiko said with wistful finality.  "But please,
plase, won't you let me keep UFOs?"
     "Y'know, this is harder than it looks," Biiko murmured, wobbling
to keep her plates balanced.  the one on her nose began to topple...
     Skyler, mindful of the last time he'd charged a girl, slid the
Santa fur under the spotlight, to approximately where the plate would
fall, if it did.
     It did.
     "Hey, no fair!  You don't exist!"
     The rest of the plates missed.
     As the last of the crashing came to a close, Shiiko nudged a
music box, winding down a hauntingly familiar plunkety tune Skyler
hadn't even realized he was hearing.  Biiko and Eiko relaxed, and
Eiko walked over to switch off the spotlight as Shiiko grabbed a
broom and dustpan.
     Biiko gave Skyler a critical look.  "Not too shabby for a
rookie, DeMille.  But next time try loosening up a little more.  You
barely did a thing out there."
     "Been a long time since I did improv."  He started gathering up
the non-broken props.
     "You'll do better next time," Eiko assured him.  "Just stop
thinking things through so much and go on impulse!  You always look
like you're planning half a dozen things before you actually do
anything, and you can't afford to hesitate like that when you're
performing."
     Skyler and Shiiko deposited the last of the props in an
oversized wooden chest.
     "I suppose not.  Art isn't quite the same as life, you can make
a mistake or two without harm."
     "Pfft.  Come on.  If you can't make mistakes in life you can't
do anything," Biiko retorted.  "You've gotta risk being wrong if you
want to do anything right, right?"
     "Right," Eiko echoed.  "Loosen up a bit.  If you bumble it up,
so what?  Better than freezing up and letting the world pass you by,
knock you in the gutter and steal your wallet.  Or something."
     Skyler cocked an eyebrow and smiled.
     "I mean, where would I be if I'd worried about everything that
could go wrong when I started Experimental Stage Shadow Theater
Kashira Gravity?"
     Skyler tilted his head.  "Wasn't that `New Experimental Shadow
Theater: Ultimate Kashira'?"
     "Pfft.  That's so...last week.  Stop living in the past,
DeMille."  Eiko pushed on.  "But I didn't hesitate.  I didn't worry
that Shiiko might suddenly get shy, or that the Theater Club might
kick us out, or that we might get spied upon by perverts!"
     "It all happened, though, didn't it?" asked Biiko.
     "Sure!  But did it stop us?  We overcame!  We strove!  We grew
in numbers!"
     "We hit future members over the head with tractor tires."
     "Exactly!  See, see?"
     [Artistic temperament.  Gotta love it.]  "I'll take that under
advisement, then."  Skyler brushed some dust off his uniform.  "See
you later!"
     "Aww, so soon?  C'mon, hang out a bit!  It'll be fun, right?" 
Eiko nudged Shiiza, who blushed slightly and closed up the last box
of props.
     Biiko rolled her eyes.  "Hey, if he's gotta go, then he's gotta
go, right?  We'll see you tomorrow."
     Skyler waved as he headed out of the school.


     Time for some alto sax practice.  Skyler set up the stand, then
carefully assembled his instrument.  The familiar scuffed brass of
the saxophone was comforting.  It really had been too long since he'd
last played.
     He ran through a few practice scales, wincing at a couple of
sour notes.  He readjusted the reed, and tried again.  His playing
was definitely rusty.
     Skyler did a few finger exercises, then looked through the sheet
music in the battered gray case.  Most of it was the familiar
standards, but a couple of the sheets were new to him.  
     ["Fly Me to the Moon: Techno Version?"  Frank must be spinning
in his grave.]  Skyler began to play, slowly at first, then picking
up speed as he gained familiarity with the tune.
     The door to his room opened, and Utena stuck her head in.  "Hi!"
     "Hi, Utena."  She didn't look happy.
     "You know, they got rooms over at the school for practicing
music.  Miki's over there all the time."
     Skyler suspected she had an agenda here.  "Really?  Where?"
     "Down in the main building, near the home ec rooms."
     "I'll check it out."
     "Swell!"  Utena smiled.  She took a look around the room.  "See
you redecorated."
     "Yup."  [Though I don't think Juri would entirely approve.]
     He'd unpacked several posters and other decorations from his
luggage, a weird mixture of things he'd actually owned at sixteen,
things he might have owned if he were sixteen "now," and things he
*did* own now.  A stuffed T-Rex fought for domination over the lower
bunk with his equally plush great white shark and timber wolf. 
Sailor Moon graced one wall in poster form, while opposite her hung
the astronaut curtains Skyler had had since age ten.
     "Hey, this your family?"  Utena picked up the picture from his
desk.  "Your parents look a little...stern."
     "That's just their way.  They're good folk when you get to know
them."
     "Okay.  By the way, you seen Himemiya?"
     "No, though I came straight up here.  Your night to cook,
right?"
     Utena waved a hand in warding.  "Yeah, it's almost done.  But
it's not like her to be late for dinner.  She's always home by--" 
Her thoughts were interrupted by a distant ring.
     "I'll get that," volunteered Skyler.  "You're more likely to
know where Anthy would be."
     "Could be her on the phone, even."  Utena headed down the hall
to check the other rooms.
     Skyler walked the other direction to pick up the rotary phone
sitting on a small table in the upstairs hall.  
     "Moshi moshi, Higashi-kan.  Sands speaking."
     "Himemiya Anthy has been spirited away."
     The voice was completely unfamiliar to Skyler.  It was older,
male and slightly breathy, with a whispering, conspiratorial tone.
     "Go to the Duel Arena."
     "Who is this?"
     There was a click, and then the buzz of a vacant line.
     Utena, back from checking the rooms, asked, "What's wrong?"
     Skyler took a deep breath.  "First, promise me you won't rush
off recklessly."
     "Okay, I guess so."  Now she looked worried.
     "The person on the other end claimed that Anthy's been `spirited
away' and we should come to the Duel Arena.  Sounded male, I didn't
recognize the voice, though that could have been due to a voice
changer."
     "Damn."  Utena was tensed to run already, holding herself back
with difficulty.  "Something smells here.  It's gotta be a trap.  But
I can't just leave her."
     "I'll go and make sure nothing will burn or spoil while we're
gone.  You write a quick note explaining where we've gone, just in
case Anthy comes back while we're away; after all, we don't know that
she's really kidnapped.  I think you should probably bring along your
spare sword if you have one, since the kidnaper might want to deprive
you of the use of the Sword of Dios.  I'll bring my crossbow, in case
you need backup."
     Utena ducked back into her room.  "Thanks.  I dunno who this is,
but if they've hurt her...."  There was a clattering noise as of
items being tossed out of a closet, and then Utena emerged with a
shinnai in her hands.  "Let's go."


     It was dark when Utena ran up to the base of the forest, Skyler
catching up a few steps behind.  For a moment, she just looked up the
steps into the darkness.  The gate was shadowed by the overhanging
trees, but there was a gentle flow of water coming down the channels
on either side of the stairs.  Obviously someone had opened the gates
very recently.
     Utena glanced back at Skyler.  "You ready?"
     He nodded.  The two of them began to climb the stairs, eyes
fixed on the darkness ahead, completely missing the body until Utena
tripped over it.
     "Ow!  What the heck..."  Utena winced as she rolled onto her
side, looking back to see...Saionji.  He was lying face-down, with
the upper half of his body in the water, green hair floating around
him like seaweed.  Bubbles trickled out of his mouth to pop on the
surface as his air slowly escaped.
     Skyler knelt quickly to pull Saionji out of the water.  [This is
serious then.  Nobody leaves a man to drown for a joke.]  He put a
finger to the kendoist's throat to check for a pulse, then looked for
injuries.  [Nothing obvious...pulse a bit weak I think, but
okay...check breathing...]
     Utena knelt down beside him, worry and impatience warring on her
features.  "He okay?"
     "Not sure.  I think he got some water in his lungs...."
     Skyler's limited first aid knowledge refused to provide the
absolutely correct method, so he tried a Heimlich maneuver.
     Saionji jerked with a series of sputtering coughs, small amounts
of water spraying from his lungs.  His eyes fluttered weakly. 
"Uuhhh..." he groaned weakly as he slumped backwards.  Skyler let him
down gently.
     "Saionji?  Yo, Saionji, wake up!"
     Saionji's eyes flickered open, focusing blearily on the two
figures in front of him.  "Ten...jou?  And..."
     "Where the heck's Himemiya?"  Utena was almost frantic, although
she seemed to be controlling it well.
     "Anthy..."  Something stirred in Saionji's eyes at this.
     "What are you doing here, anyway?  I thought you couldn't take
her back without fighting me in a duel of something?"
     Saionji struggled to raise himself on one elbow.  "What
possessed the two of you to come here?" he managed.
     "A phone call we received," explained Skyler.  "Someone claiming
Himemiya-san had been `spirited away' here."
     "Spirited away..."  Saionji's eyes lost all focus.  for a
moment, Skyler realized, the kendoist was lost in the past, seeing
something that had happened...when?  He could almost feel it,
flicking at the corners of his mind.  There was something there, but
weak...
     Then Saionji sat bolt upright, shocked into full consciousness. 
"Anthy!  Where's Anthy?"
     "That's what we've been asking you!"  Utena had lost any vestige
of patience in her manner.
     "Where..."  Saionji looked wildly about, then froze, staring up
the stairs towards the gates.
     Which were open.  The scores of petals of the great stone rose
interlaced about the open archway, staring down impassively on the
Duelists below.
     "Did...did you open it?"
     Utena shook her head.  "No way."
     "Must have happened after you were knocked out, then.  Did you
see anything before--"
     Saionji grabbed his katana from the side of the path where it
lay, stood up, and ran for the gate.  Utena was only a fraction of a
second after him.  Skyler was delayed only a moment by picking up his
crossbow, but he was well behind the others.  Then he saw where they
were headed.
     The Arena tower.  The one with the spiral staircase leading up
into the clouds.  The staircase with no railing.
     "Skyler, hurry up!" shouted Utena as she ran up the stairs
without pausing.  by this point, she had passed Saionji.
     Skyler looked up.  And up.  Anthy was in danger, he couldn't let
a niggling little phobia stop him.  [God, grant me courage, and keep
Anthy safe.]
     Deliberately keeping his eyes to the tower itself, he began to
ascend.


     [Anthy needs us.  Anthy needs us.  Don't think about anything
else.]  Again and again, hammering it into his head to prevent
himself from thinking about just how high up he was as he passed
above the branches of the trees, into the mists of the clouds, ever
upwards with Saionji and Utena just before him, running tirelessly.
     [She needs us.  We've got to help.]
     Skyler could almost *feel* the presence of the castle before he
could see it.  There was something powerful there,
something...spiritual.  Even before the first shafts of light broke
through the cloud barriers, he could imagine the bulk of the palace
in his head, drawing up flickering images from his
subconscious...birth and death...time folding in upon
itself...something shining at midnight--
     And then he burst through the clouds, into the light of the
clear blue sky, and the Arena loomed above him.  And edging out from
behind it, as the staircase drew wider and wider circles and the
pillar expanded--the castle.


     "Himemiya!" Utena cried as she burst through the archway into
the Arena proper.  A moment later, she skidded to a halt, Saionji and
Skyler stumbling to stops right behind her.
     The arena now wasn't the vast empty space Skyler had seen
before.  Instead, just past the center, there was now a rose.  A
giant rose, easily three times as tall as Skyler, formed out of what
might be red enamel, or perhaps rubies of impossible size and
quality, sat in the center of the Arena, its blossom facing the
archway.  And nestled within the petals was a coffin standing on end,
black and smooth, with the red seal of the rose raised from its
surface.
     "That..." Saionji whispered.
     And then, with a clank of motion, the coffin lid began to swing.
     [Don't open it.]
     A child's voice, whispered, but Skyler jerked back at the power
and clarity it resounded with in his head.  He could see a girl,
indistinct but young, curled on a bed of roses in despair--
     [There's no such thing as something eternal....]
     A lock of hair slipping through fingers, a heartbeat, the creak
of the coffin continuing to open--
     And then the lid opened fully, and faded into nothingness.  The
shadows within lifted, revealing a bed of white roses--and Anthy, in
full Rose Bride dress, curled up almost fetally.  Her eyes were
closed, and her hands clasped in front of her, as if in supplication
or prayer.
     "Himemiya..." Utena whispered in shock.
     Saionji stared for a moment, then bolted for the coffin. 
"Anthy!"
     He made it to within a step of the coffin before the Arena
erupted.  The rose shot into the sky on a pillar of blocks form the
Arena floor, a good twenty or thirty feet in the air.
     "What in--" Saionji managed, staring at the rose high above.
     "Himemiya!" Utena cried out, then wobbled as the Arena rocked
again.  More pillars erupted within moments--to all sides of the
trio, behind Saionji, just in front of Skyler, directly under Utena's
feet--
     "Tenjou!" Saionji cried in genuine concern, turning as Utena
soared into the air.
     Skyler's fear made him hesitate a moment too long, and his
fingers just missed the top of the pillar as it rose to its full
height.  [Not again!]
     He moved to one of the remaining clear spots so he could see
what was going on.  Saionji stood in shock, looking up at the rose,
though from this angle neither of the boys could see Anthy.  Utena
looked a bit wobbly on her feet, but maintaining her balance.
     "You okay up there?" Skyler shouted.  He looked briefly at the
pillars trying to determine if they could be climbed.  Probably
not--the bricks were too closely set.  Maybe if he got his arms
around one--but then he'd still be far from Anthy.
     "Yeah, I think so, but Himemiya...!"  Utena pushed her way to
fully standing, looking at the pillars between her and the rose.
     "Just hang on...there might be something I can--"
     The rumbling ran through the Arena again, lower and stronger
this time, forcing Utena back into a crouch and almost making Skyler
lose his footing.  A cracking noise drew Skyler's gaze upwards, to
the Castle of Illusion--
     Which was breaking apart.  Not entirely, but the vibrations were
ten times worse above, and stones and mortar were shaking themselves
loose and lazily tumbling downwards, looking like fine dust from this
distance.
     Saionji looked up in disbelief.  "The Castle...the Castle is
coming down..."  Then he began to laugh, half in disbelief, half in
almost insane glee.
     "I'm here!" he cried out.  "Ends of the World!  Keep your
promise to me!"  He reached out a grasping hand to the sky.  "Give me
eternity!"
     [Is he insane?  Doesn't he know what kind of "eternity" he'll
get if one of those stones falls on him?]  Skyler looked up, pressing
his back against the pillar in hopes it would partially shield him
from any falling debris.
     "Be careful!" he shouted.  "If one of those pieces hits you, the
only eternity you'll be getting is eternal rest!"
     He looked up again to see how Utena was doing.  She was keeping
her balance at least, even if she looked extremely disoriented.  But
above her, the castle, and the sky...
     The sky was darkening, shading to a livid purple, and the
castle's lights had faded to black, plunging it into a stark,
featureless silhouette.  The pillars, too, seemed to lose definition,
becoming towers of blackness stabbing into the sky.  And then they,
too, began to crack from the bottom up.
     Utena gasped as the stones under her feet cracked and shattered
to dust, pushing herself into a desperate leap towards a pillar in
front of her at the last possible moment.  Saionji ignored it,
focused solely on the castle, which shivered and shook, tearing
itself apart.
     Skyler gasped as the central tower wrenched violently and began
to drop free of the rest of the castle.  So far none of the stones
had fallen anywhere in the arena, as far as he could see, but now
Saionji was in the center of a rapidly growing circular shadow, and
his expression had shifted to one of shock.
     "Look out!"  Skyler launched himself forward trying to knock
Saionji out of the way, but something was wrong.  He felt the fabric
of the pillar behind him crumbling as he pushed off, and then the
stones of the Arena crumbling beneath his feet.  he tried to stumble
ahead onto solid ground, but it fell away under his feet--
     And then he was falling.
     Above him, he could see Utena leaping from pillar to crumbling
pillar, trying to get closer to Anthy before everything fell away
from under her.  He could see Saionji, his face turning to horror a
moment before the shadow tower crashed into him, fracturing the Arena
further and shattering into blocks of stone as it landed.  He could
feel the rush of the air around him, the pull of gravity dragging him
downwards, ever downwards with the stones.  He watched as Utena made
the last desperate leap towards the rose, crying out Himemiya's name,
and reaching the coffin just as it and the rose shattered into a
hundred palm-size crystalline petals, floating and falling as Utena
strained to reach the girl with her hands.
     Part of Skyler's mind wanted to scream in fear, but now that the
worst had actually happened, another reaction came to the fore.
     "I'm sorry," he whispered, not quite sure who he was talking to.
 "I'm sorry."  Tears welled up in his eyes.  [God be with you
all....]
     The tears stung with the wind passing him on the way down, and
Skyler screwed his eyes shut to clear them.
     The feeling of falling stopped.


     Skyler's eyes opened.  Above him, he saw the castle, shining
brilliantly.  Completely intact.  Beneath his back, he could feel the
cold stone floor of the Arena.
     He pulled himself into a sitting position.  There was Saionji,
collapsing onto his hands and knees.  There, off to the side,was
Utena, crouched down, cradling Anthy in her arms.
     "Himemiya!  Himemiya!" she cried out in distress.
     Saionji slowly refocused.  "What...what on Earth...."  He
trailed off as he saw Utena.
     "An illusion?"  Skyler shook his head and wiped the last of his
tears away with a sleeve.  "Everyone okay?"
     "Himemiya!"  Utena was still shaking Anthy, trying to get her to
wake up.  Skyler could just make out the Rose Bride's closed eyes. 
[Is she breathing?  I can't tell from here.]
     "No..." Saionji whispered.  "it was supposed to be me...I was
the one who was supposed to save her this time...."
     Images flickered at the edge of Skyler's mind.  [A church
steeple, framed by lightning.  Three coffins.  A child, a girl,
curled up on a bed of roses.  A lock of hair streaming through a
boy's fingers, the color not identifiable....]
     Saionji slowly rose to his feet, sheathed katana in one hand. 
"The Castle where eternity dwells...the power to revolutionize the
world...it was all mine...."    
     [Looks like it's this place that activates the visions....] 
Skyler began to worry about Saionji.  [He really wanted to be the
hero, didn't he?  And he would have been here first, if someone
hadn't coldcoc--uh-oh.]
     Skyler got to his feet quickly, and began looking around.  "I
don't think we're out of the woods yet, folks."  In a louder voice,
"Come out, come out, wherever you are."  He turned to look for hints
of motion.  Nothing on the battlements of the bell towers separated
from the Arena by a sea of clouds.  No one by the archway where the
stairs ended.  Nothing moving in the castle, far above.  No sounds
except for Utena desperately trying to rouse Anthy, Saionji murmuring
to himself, and a clatter of wood on stone.
     [What in--?]  Saionji's sheath bounced across the floor of the
Arena to land near Skyler's feet.  Looking up sharply, he saw the
green-haired boy advancing on Utena, naked blade in hand.  He was
walking almost limply, muttering to himself. like a man on the ragged
edge of self-control who's been pushed too far too often.
     Skyler walked as rapidly as he could manage to intercept
Saionji.  The boy did have a history of violent reactions, after all.
 "Saionji-sempai, are you okay?"  He knew better, of course.
     "Out of my way."  It wasn't a shout or a threat.  His voice
barely rose above a whisper.  But there was iron there.  "It was all
supposed to be mine."  He took another step forward.
     "What was supposed to be yours?  Who told you that?  Was it the
girl in the coffin?"  Skyler didn't move, though he kept a careful
eye on Saionji's shoulders, looking for telltales of attack.
     "Shut up."  He shouldered past Skyler, shambling with a purpose
now, and more rage gathering in his eyes.  His hands gripped the hilt
tightly, beginning to raise the katana.
     Skyler grabbed for Saionji's sword wrist, trying to immobilize
it.  He could stand punches, he hoped, but no one would be happy if
blood was spilt.  "Drop the sword and you can pass."
     Saionji's eyes snapped into focus as Skyler's hand closed around
his arm, but the rage in his face was anything but promising.  "I
said out of my way!"  His arm rose, katana in hand, dragging Skyler
along, then lashed out instinctively to throw the interfering
intruder off--
     And Skyler's mind was filled with the sensation of cold metal
cutting flesh.
     He didn't really notice the feeling of being thrown to the
marble floor for a moment.  He didn't even feel the pain.  All he
could see was the castle, high above, glittering so brightly in the
sunlight.  [Where's the sun?] he wondered.  Both times in the Arena
he'd seen such bright sunlight bathing everything in its glow, but
he'd never noticed where it was coming from.
     There were noises in the distance, he realized.  Something metal
clattering onto stone.  A female voice, saying "Utena-sama."  A male
voice in shock, muttering something about something going wrong. 
Another male voice, strong and taking control of the situation.  The
sound of bells.
     "Why," he heard a female voice asking, "...do such a thing." 
Then a closer voice, as several hands came to cradle and support him.
     "Because he and I are alike."  Green eyes, looking down at him
softly.  Red hair.  "And your prince was a guy like him..."
     Darkness.


     It was still raining.  Skyler stuck his head out from under the
awning to check the street.  No sign of her.  He looked longingly at
the lobby of the movie theater, warm and dry.
     "She'll come soon, she will.  She said to meet her right here." 
Skyler looked at his watch.  Only five minutes till the next showing.
 She should have been here by now.  She'd promised.
     The watch's hands spun, and an hour had passed.  The rain had
stopped long before, but still no sign of her.  Skyler was beginning
to get worried.  He decided to head back to the college.
     He was at the girls' dorm, approaching the lounge door.  It was
slightly ajar, and Skyler could hear laughter.
     As he touched the knob, he heard, "I bet he's still waiting
there!  What an idiot!  Believing I'd go out with someone like him!" 
The laughter grew.
     Skyler blinked as tears formed.


     And opened his eyes to a now-familiar ceiling.  It took a moment
to remember why it was familiar.
     [The infirmary.  Must've been a pretty bad cut.]  Skyler took
inventory, stopping when he came to his left arm.
     "Oww!"  Well, that told him he was still alive, anyway.  He used
his right arm to confirm that both left arm and torso were wrapped in
bandages.  [Hope Anthy is all right.]  Skyler laughed a bit as a
thought struck him.  [At least I didn't have to worry about trying to
get down those stairs!]  He then winced again as a sharp shooting
pain ran down his left side.  [Great.  The old cliche is true--"it
only hurts when I laugh."]  Another wince.  [Well, minus the "only"
part.]
     He rubbed his arm as he glanced about the room.  His uniform
shirt was hanging over a chair, leaving him bare-torsoed except for
the bandages, which admittedly covered a lot.  His glasses were
resting on a side table, perched atop a card or envelope of some
sort.  [A get-well card?  How long have I been out?]
     Out in the corridor, a cart rattled by, one sticky wheel
clattering back and forth.  "...So weird, don't you think?" a female
voice echoed.
     "I know, I know.  But--oh, hey.  Wonder if he's awake yet?"
     The door to Skyler's room cracked open a bit.  Then--
     "He is!  Hey!"
     Two figures in nurses' outfits cut similarly to the school
uniform burst in, slightly blurry without his glasses.  Slipping them
on, he made out two nametags--"Ikuhara" and "Saito"--just before he
saw the faces.
     "Jeez, you had us worried!" Biiko burst out.
     Eiko nodded.  "What the heck happened to you?"     
     "I'm not entirely sure...it was a little confusing.  Oh, I
should say `Hi.'  So, you're candystripers too?"
     "Candy-what?"  Biiko blinked.
     "Never mind us, what happened to you?"  Eiko poked his bandages
insistently, inspiring a wince.  "Come on, DeMille, this is serious! 
Nobody else would say a thing about what happened, so naturally
everyone's talking about it."
     Skyler frowned.  "I'm not sure how much of the story is mine to
tell.  What do you know about what goes on in the forest?"
     "The forest?"  Biiko blinked again.
     "Um, you mean the one behind the school?" Eiko puzzled out. 
"Not much, I guess.  I mean, only the Student Council's allowed in
there, and some people have seen a couple of the Council go in there
now and then, but that's about it."  She glanced from side to side,
and leaned in closer.  "There's a lot of rumors, though."
     Biiko snorted.  "Yeah, like everything from evil rituals to mass
orgies.  Nobody's got a clue about anything real, so they'll say
whatever comes into their heads."
     "Well, all I can say then is I don't think this was one of their
normal activities.  Someone was messing around, and the whole thing
turned into one big nightmare.  I'm not even clear how much of it
really happened.  But the main thing is I got a little too close to
an angry person with a sword."
     Both sets of eyes widened.  "No way!" Eiko cried.
     Biiko pounded a fist into her palm.  "So *that's* what happened.
 It was what's-his-name, the kendo club guy, right?"
     "I guess word's gotten around," Skyler said.
     "You could say that.  Word just went up this morning that he's
been expelled."
     Skyler nearly sat up, much to his regret.  "Oww!  Expelled?!  I
didn't think they could do that to Student Council members.  And he
wasn't exactly in his right mind at the time..."
     "What was the first clue?"  Biiko hmphed.  "Besides his carrying
a real sword around and everything."
     "It was the Student Council that expelled him," Eiko added. 
"something about violating council rules.  Probably that and a
half-dozen deadly weapon laws, I guess.  But it looks official and
everything."
     "Guess they thought it'd look bad if people knew one of them was
a sword-swinging psycho chopping folks to bits."
     "It might at that.  Oh, a candystriper is a volunteer hospital
worker.  Back where I'm from, they used to wear cute little striped
dresses or aprons.  Not that what you girls have on isn't
attractive," Skyler added hastily.
     "What, this stuff?"  Eiko tugged out the hem of her school
uniform's miniskirt a bit.  "Come on.  Honestly, you'd think they
could give us a few extra centimeters.  I mean, okay, it's
flattering, but there's something called `too much.'"
     "Or something more extra for the job than just caps and aprons. 
'Course, I doubt *you'd* complain, but if I ever got my hands on the
guy who designed the getup..."  Biiko smacked her fist into her palm
again.  "I wish, I wish..."
     [Wonder if the Ends of the Earth is behind the school uniform
policy too.  Or maybe the Student Council is...I bet Touga likes the
short skirts.]
     "I suppose I should let you get back to your rounds...but could
you hand me my chart first?  Should be at the foot of the bed."
     "Chart?"  Eiko blinked.  "I don't think they do that here."
     "Wait, here it is."  Biiko took the clipboard from the foot of
the bed and glanced at it before tossing it to Skyler.  "Weird.  The
nurses must've just started or something.  Or maybe it's cause you're
in such miserable shape."
     "Thanks.  Although I don't see an IV, so I can't be that badly
off."
      They tossed each other off-hand glances.  "Or he's just too far
gone to be saved."
     "Poor, tragic boy."  Eiko raised a dramatic hand to her
forehead.
     "He was so young, too."  
     "*Snrk*  Heeheehehooch..."
     "Ah, we have a response!"
     "And laughter is the best medicine, right?"
     "Or is it `it only hurts when I laugh' this time?" wondered
Biiko.
     Skyler gasped a bit.  "A little of both..."
     "Well, then, our work here is done, right?"
     "Did we really have work here at all, I wonder?"
     And with that exit line, the girls departed.


     Skyler flipped through the pages on the chart.  Shallow gash
across the upper right torso to the lower left, smaller cut on the
left arm (part of the body slash, really), a few minor scratches
presumably from getting knocked to the ground.  Stitches had been
required, but the prognosis was good--if he was reading this right,
he wouldn't have to be confined to bed for more than a day or two.
     He set the board on the nightstand and turned his gaze to the
ceiling, thinking.
     [Saionji's gone.  For a while, at least.  And I never did really
find out what was bugging him.  And the Student Council's power is
way out of the leagues I'm used to.  I could see being able to kick
him off the Council, but actually expelling him from the school?
     [Just hope someone can tell me more about what was going on up
there.  Falling castles, who *did* coldcock Saionji, and what was up
with Anthy being in that coffin?]
     It was a pretty disturbing image.  "o/~Scatter red roses all
over my coffin, to muffle the sound of the dirt as it falls...~\o"
     "Shitsurei shimasu!"
     Skyler blinked.  [Nanami?]
     She was standing in the doorway, smiling brilliantly, with a big
bouquet of yellow roses cradled in her arms.  Touga tossed off a wave
from behind her, a smaller arrangement of red roses dangling from one
hand.
     "Apologies for bursting in like this," Touga said, smiling as he
glanced to Nanami, "I happened to mention your predicament to my
little sister, and she of course insisted we make a courtesy visit."
     "Well, of course, Oniisama!  You owe it to him.  After all, you
said if he hadn't been there you might have been the one getting
hurt."
     "True.  Or more likely Tenjou-kun."
     "Big loss," Nanami muttered sotto voce.  She bustled around the
room peeking into cabinets.  "Vases, vases, where are the vases?"
     "Not a clue.  Thanks for coming!"  Skyler turned his head
towards Touga.  "How's Himemiya-san doing?"
     "Fully recovered, I hear.  She and Tenjou-kun were in class as
usual today, though Tenjou-kun apparently wasn't very energetic.  She
might be a bit concerned about your health."
     "Honestly."  Nanami frowned, pulling back from the last cabinet.
 "What kind of clinic doesn't have at least one vase?"  She sighed
and snapped her fingers.  "Tsuwabuki?"
     The door creaked open again, revealing young Tsuwabuki, with his
head bowed and two lacquered black vases in his hands.  "Your vases,
ma'am."
     Touga handed off his bouquet to Nanami and pulled up a chair
near the bedside.  "At some point, I'd like to hear your side of just
what happened," he commented quietly.  "I've heard what Kyouichi and
Tenjou-kun had to say, but I think you might have noticed things they
didn't."  He looked over at Nanami and Tsuwabuki, fussing over where
to put the flowers.  "When we've got more privacy, of course."
     "I'd be interested in asking a few questions too..."
     Touga nodded.  "Understandable."
     Skyler thought for a moment.  "Oh, by the way, hello,
Tsuwabuki-san, was it?  I don't think we've been introduced.  I'm
Skyler Sands, pleased to meet you."
     "Ah!"  Tsuwabuki stopped what he was doing and turned to bow
slightly to Skyler.  "Tsuwabuki Mitsuru, elementary school fourth
year, `A' class.  A pleasure to meet you."  He rubbed the back of his
head.  "Though I guess it's not really the first time I've seen
you--I was helping Yuuko-san and the others with the photographs that
day."
     "I think I saw you at the kangaroo incident too, right?"
     "Ah, yes."  Tsuwabuki looked down, face flushed.  "It was a
little...."
     "Oh, Tsuwabuki, don't be so modest!"  Nanami smiled brightly,
slapping him on the back.  "It was your finest hour, right?"
     She pulled up another chair by the bed.  "so, Sands-sempai, how
are you feeling?  Does it still hurt?"  She poked curiously at his
bandages.
     "Ouch.  Yes.  But other than that, I'm feeling fine.  How's
school going for you?"
     "Oh, nothing special.  It's always so dull."  Poke.
     "Though the Student Council has been busy," Touga added. 
"Having to expel our vice-president has gotten us talking,
certainly."
     "Hmf.  I still wish I knew exactly what it was he did.  He was
conceited, yes, but honestly, Oniisama, expelling your own best
friend!"  Poke.
     "Now, Nanami, there were...delicate circumstances.  And even we
have rules we must follow."
     "I hope he's able to get some help, poor fellow didn't so much
jump as get pushed.  Not that I'm at all happy about what Saionji-san
did."  Skyler winced again.  Nanami's poking was starting to get
annoying.
     "Even so, it was his own choice in the end.  I'm trying to find
a way to aid his return without causing an uproar, but...in the end,
he made his own bed."
     "However that was," Nanami mumbled.  Poke.
     "Nanami-san, it doesn't get better any faster even if you poke
it."  Skyler tried not to sound too angry.
     "Oh?"  Poke.
     "It's true.  And despite my pretense of stoicism, that really,
really hurts.  So please stop."
     Nanami slumped backwards into her chair, arms crossed in a huff.
 "Well, I'm bored!  We've said `hi' and dropped off the flowers, so
why are we sticking around?"
     "Hm."  Touga stroked his chin, then smiled.  "Actually, Nanami,
if you're bored, I do have an errand you can run."
     Nanami's eyes lit up.  "Really?"
     He nodded.  "I need to pick up a few things for the party
tomorrow I've got waiting at the bakery.  If you could go and fetch
them for me...."
     "Hai, Oniisama!"  She jumped to her feet.  "C'mon, Tsuwabuki." 
She made it to the door before turning and bowing to Skyler.  "Get
well soon, Sempai."


     Touga watched her leave, then reached into his pocket and pulled
out his cell phone, touching the speed dial buttons.
     "Yes, Kiryuu here.  I'd like to know what you have in stock
freshly baked that's appropriate for a birthday party...Yes...yes,
that will do nicely.  Have it wrapped and charged to the Kiryuu
account.  My sister will be by shortly to pick it up.  Thank you."
     He closed the phone and grinned to Skyler.  "My apaologies for
all that."
     "No problem...patience will doubtless come to her in time.  You
don't mind if I ask a question or two first?"
     "Not at all."  Touga tugged his chair a little closer, and
leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.  "What did you have
in mind?"
     "So, exactly when did you arrive on the scene?" asked Skyler.
     Touga's face turned solemn.  "I believe you were just starting
to restrain Kyouichi from doing something foolish.  I saw what he was
doing, but I couldn't reach you in time."  He bowed his head.  "At
least seeing me was enough to shock him out of doing anything more to
you or Tenjou-kun."
     "Okay, that kind of eliminates you as a witness for any of the
events that didn't make sense.  How did I get down from the Arena
without bleeding to death?  It takes forever on those stairs."
     "Primarily thanks to Tenjou-kun's quick reactions.  She was the
one who thought to bind your wounds as best we could.  Though I doubt
Kyouichi will forgive her for what it did to his jacket."  Touga
half-smiled for a moment.  "I don't think your wounds were as bad as
they looked, either, though you'd have to ask the doctors."
     "The chart makes out that I'm well off.  Oh, would you mind
putting it back at the foot of the bed?  Thanks.
     "So, where to start...there was a call to the dorm...."
     Touga listened to the story, nodding gravely.  At the end, he
leaned back, one hand stroking his chin. 
     "My part is far less impressive, I fear.  I had gone to the
Council's chambers for a breath of fresh air, and to think a few
things over.  I happened to notice the gates to the Arena were open,
which was surprising and quite disturbing.  I went to investigate,
and arrived just in time to see...."  He shrugged.  "If it helps any,
I think Kyouichi was almost as shocked as you about what he did.  He
was running on adrenaline and reflex by the end, and when I shocked
him back to his senses he more or less collapsed."
     [Can you see the gates from the Student Council room?  I don't
remember that.]
     Touga shook his head.  "To tell the truth, the rest of what
happened is almost more understandable.  I've never seen the likes of
it before, but then, you can't have believed an arena and castle
floating above the clouds were entirely natural, can you?  But
Kyouichi...he's always been rather rash, but this goes beyond it
all."
     "He seemed to have seen the image of the girl in a coffin filled
with roses before.  Would you know where?"
     "Hmm."  The red-headed youth thought about it for a moment. 
"The roses could have been from anything around here, of course, but
the coffin?  I don't--"  He hesitated.  "Wait.  I think....  There
was a time when we were children...I don't recall it well, but...." 
He stood and began pacing.  "There was a storm brewing, and we were
biking home.  We passed a funeral...but I think a girl had run away. 
We went to look for her, and found her...in a coffin?"  He hesitated
again.  "I believe...Kyouichi tried to drag her out, but she wouldn't
let herself be removed by force...."  He shook his head.  "There's
more, but I can't recall.  It was so many years ago."
     "Hmm.  That sounds about right.  But the main question is still,
who set this up?  And how did they get off the Arena without being
seen?  I suppose Himemiya-san might, just possibly, have been able to
do it alone, but thwacking Saionji-san doesn't seem her style.  She
seems more the poison type.  And it would require a lot more
deviousness on her part than is likely...."
     "True.  Of course, she'd do it if Tenjou-kun told her to, but--"
 Touga shook his head again.  "It seems unlikely.  What disturbs me
more is why Kyouichi was there at all.  All the motivations I can
think of, I find hard to credit."
     "Well, we know he has a thing for `his Anthy', right?  Somehow
he was tipped that she was going to be at the Arena; probably by the
same person who called Higashi-kan.  That would explain the
bushwhacking.  Whoever set this all up wanted him and Tenjou-san to
arrive together.  And when he arrived to early, Saionji-san was given
a love tap to slow him down."  Skyler paused.  "Whoever it was either
didn't realize he'd drown if they left him there, or thought the
water would revive him when it flooded the sluices."  
     Touga nodded.  "Perhaps--"  He hesitated, and frowned for a
moment.  "Sands-kun...can I trust you to keep a confidence?  I have
certain...speculations, but I would rather not have them spread too
far...even to the rest of the Student Council.  Or Tenjou-kun and
Himemiya-san." 
     "I can keep a secret, yes."  [Top Secret clearance, after all,
once upon a time....]
     Touga moved his chair closer to the bed, leaning in slightly. 
"Before he left, I talked to Kyouichi briefly.  And while he wasn't
in a talkative mood, he implied very strongly that he had been there
on no less than the orders of the Ends of the World."
     Skyler blinked.  "As in...?"
     Touga nodded again.  "The same.  Further, he seemed to feel he'd
been promised, or perhaps destined, some reward.  I later looked
through what he had left behind in his room, but I didn't find a
letter--not that that means much."
     "Yes, he did say something about being promised...probably by
the Ends of the World.  though I suspect it was conditional on him
being the Victor of the Duel when the big moment came.  And that was
not, it would seem, the big moment."
     Touga continued nodding.  "What this means, though, is
troubling.  I've long accepted that we are all pawns in this, in a
way.  None of us fully knows what is going on, and the Ends of the
World seems to guide our actions in many ways.  But now, either it is
manipulating us in new and disturbing ways...or someone else is doing
so in its name."
     "Or it could be Saionji-san made the whole thing up?"
     "No."  Touga shook his head.  "I've known him long enough...this
isn't his style.  And someone made that phone call you mentioned."
     "Offhand, I'd go with the `new and disturbing ways' hypothesis. 
>From what little I've seen, the Ends of the World enjoys playing with
our heads."
     "Yes...but I'm worried.  There are...other indications.  Nothing
I'd feel comfortable revealing; nothing concrete, but...."  Touga
frowned.  "To put it bluntly, I feel someone is playing favorites."
     "Playing favorites?"
     "Either the Ends of the World has a final winner in mind
already, or someone is using the name to improve their own chances. 
Either way, it's at the expense of the rest of us.  Kyouichi was
lured into a trap, and as a result there's one less challenger in
this duel game of ours."  He shook his head.  "To duel fairly for a
prize is one thing, and even oddities such as the Sword of Dios or
Tenjou-kun's mysterious advantages are at least clearly
apparent...but I'm not fond of having the rules changed while I'm not
looking."
     "Time to get the Ends of the World to have them written down, I
think.  Makes it easier to check."  Skyler adjusted his pillow.
     "Which, I suspect, it has no intentions of doing.  It's rather
harder to guarantee a winner that way."
     "I take it you're under the impression someone's doing their
best to rig this whole duel game thing?"
     "It's becoming too clear a possibility to ignore.  Kyouichi has
been completely eliminated, partially because of hidden manipulations
he knew nothing about.  Any one of us could be next, aside from
whoever is the favored child."  Touga scowled, brushing an extra lock
of hair from his eyes, and let his hand land heavily on the end
table.  "The worst thing about this is, though, that I can't even
find a hint as to who might be the conspirator.  Despite the small
group of suspects, all of them know me far too well to let anything
slip."
     [And you're at the top of my list,] thought Skyler.  [Though I
could be wrong.]
     Aloud, "In which case other angles of investigation might prove
more fruitful.  I'll certainly apply some thought to the matter."
     Touga smiled.  "I was hoping you'd say that.  Frankly, you're in
the best position to investigate of anyone I could possibly trust
with it.  You're new here, and so haven't formed many bonds that
might blind you.  You may very well be less caught up in whatever web
is being spun here.  And you'll suspect everyone--even me, I expect."
     "I'd be a very poor detective if I didn't."
     "True."  Touga chuckled.  "I'd be disappointed if you didn't
suspect me.  Frankly, to any outside observer, no doubt I'd be one of
the top three candidates."
     "Who are the other two, then?"  
     "Isn't it obvious?  The current Victor of the Duel, with
mysterious powers and a mysterious past, and," he raised an eyebrow,
"the new foreign exchange student with an even more mysterious past,
who just chances to be assigned to her dorm and to entwine himself in
the lives of some of the other Duelists."  He laughed.  "Suspicious,
wouldn't you say?"
     "Yes, I would say.  Chance seems to have nothing to do with it."
     "Exactly.  Now, I know I'm innocent, but you of course have no
way of knowing that.  And you doubtless know you're innocent, but I
don't know for certain.  And of course, neither of us can know for
sure about Tenjou-kun...or anyone else.  This way, you have an excuse
to keep an eye on me, I have an excuse to keep an eye on you, and we
both have a better chance of taking notice of anything strange going
on."
     "There is one other question I need for background.  How did
Saionji-san get to be Victor of the Duel?"
     "Drawing lots, for the most part.  A while back, we...were told
about the Arena, and the basic outline of the duels.  When the four
of us gathered for the first time, we randomly chose who would duel
first, and Kyouichi and Miki were picked.  Kyouichi won."  Touga
shrugged.  "He had a few challenges, but we were rather hesitant in
those days, not entirely certain of what we were fighting for.  And
then Tenjou-kun came along, fighting with all her heart, and,
well...."
     "Ah.  That explains a lot."
     "Really?"  Touga thought a moment.  "Yes, I suppose it does, at
that."
     He glanced at a clock on the wall and rose.  "It's getting late.
 I have things I need to do, and you need your rest.  We ought to
continue this conversation later."  He produced a card from inside
his jacket, holding it between his index and middle fingers.  "As you
may have guessed, I'm holding a party tomorrow evening, and you're
welcome to attend if you feel well enough."
     "Thank you.  I'll look forward to that."  [It's been a long time
since I been to a non-workplace party.]
     Touga paused in the doorway.  "Think about what we've discussed,
and let me know if there's any way I can assist you.  I may have ways
of helping you get closer to the rest of us....there is a vacancy on
the Student Council, after all."  He closed the door behind him.
     Skyler didn't quite know how to take that piece of news.... 


     With the visitors gone, silence came over the infirmary again.  
     [Thank you, Lord, for preserving my life and keeping me in one
piece.  Look after Saionji, who surely needs light in his dark hour.]
     Skyler's gaze fell upon the card on his end table.  "Might as
well see what this is."
     The Ohtori rose symbol was unsurprisingly prominent, and inside
the envelope was a square similar in form and calligraphy to the one
he'd gotten in his welcome packet.  It read:
  
          "There will be a Duel in two days' time."


     and was signed by "Sekai no Hate," the "Ends of the World."
     "Great.  Another Duel.  Why tell me though?  Laid up like this,
I'm hardly likely to be a participant."  He thought it over for a few
minutes.  "Maybe it's just a standard letter sent to all the
Duelists--sort of a `you have been warned' thing.  Or maybe it's a
subtle hint to get in gear.  Or maybe, the Ends of the Earth just
have a weird sense of humor."
     "Bad news?"
     Skyler shrugged as Juri stepped into the room.  "Food for
thought, at least.  Did you get one of these?"  He set the card back
on his table.
     Juri nodded.  "We all did...except, perhaps, Tenjou.  I wonder
which of us it implies."  She set a thin notebook on the table next
to the card.
     "The mystery Duelist, perhaps?  I know I'm not in shape for it."
     "Likely.  Our president certainly hasn't made any preparations. 
Miki-kun and I both volunteered to take the duty if needed, but he
seems to want events to take a natural course."
     "I suppose we'll see soon enough.  Anything interesting in class
today?"
     "Is there ever?"  Juri cupped the blossom of a rose for a
moment.  "I see you haven't been lacking for visitors."
     "No, not since I woke up anyway.  Could I trouble you to bring
my homework?  My key should still be in my jacket pocket, or Anthy
can let you in, and I left the books on my desk."
     "Mm."  It sounded like a vague assent, at least.  "Is that all?"
     "Have you ever seen the image of a girl in a coffin filled with
roses before?"
     Juri quirked an eyebrow.  "You have a knack for odd
conversational gambits, it seems."
     "I'm not very good at normal small talk."
     "Of course."  She released the rose she was holding.  "It's
unfamiliar to me, in any case."
     "Okay...just a thought, comparing memories...."
     "Oh?  Whose memories, then?"
     "Saionji-san's, I think.  That mind-reading trick kicked in
again.  I suspect it's something about the Arena."
     "Mm."  Juri walked over to Skyler's end table, examining the
cards lying on its surface.  "Have you spread much word of that yet,
I wonder?"
     "You're the only one I've told.  No one else has had a need to
know."
     "Conveniently keeping you from looking the fool, of course." 
Juri's expression was hidden as she looked down and away, studying
the cards curiously.
     "That's on a need to know basis too."
     "Naturally."  There seemed to be a slight tinge of disapproval
in her voice.  Perhaps it was just his imagination.
     "I do really appreciate your dropping by."
     "Of course.  It's always rather interesting to see what you'll
come up with next."      
     "I live to amuse.  Who, I'm not sure."
     "Yes.  I've noticed that." 
     Skyler chuckled, then groaned.  "Oww..."
     "I'll be leaving then.  You doubtless need your rest."  Juri
moved to the door.
     "See you!" 


     It was late the next afternoon before the doctor got around to
examining Skyler.  He was as curt as ever, and finished quickly.
     "Keep your arm in the sling, and don't do anything foolish for a
few days.  You're healing quickly enough that it shouldn't be a
problem.  You're free to go."
     Skyler redressed, wincing a bit as he guided his arm through the
sleeve of a 4-H t-shirt.  He decided not to put his uniform jacket on
all the way, leaving it open with one sleeve empty.   He noted there
didn't seem to be any sign of the damage a sword would have done. 
Odd.
     The campus was nearly deserted, so Skyler didn't meet anyone he
knew on the way to the storage cubicles.  He left his bag and books
there for the morning's classes, then set off for the party.     


     Kiryuu Manor wasn't hard to find, given Touga's directions
thoughtfully printed in the invitation.  The place was old grey
stone, not as brilliant as the buildings on-campus, but with a
certain dignity of its own, and certainly qualifying as at least a
small mansion.  Light streamed in golden parallelograms from the
windows, and the sounds of classical music drifted on the wind from
within.
     Inside, Skyler found the party in full swing.  A few students he
recognized and many, many more he did not were talking by the banquet
tables, socializing around the house, or even dancing their best
attempts at a waltz.  (Some, naturally, were less painful to watch
than others.)  The girls were wearing a variety of fancy and probably
expensive dresses, while most of the boys had stuck to their school
uniforms.
     Touga was seated at one end of the ballroom.  A small stack of
presents was piled near his feet, and Miki and Juri were flanking
him, obviously discussing something with him in whispers.
     Skyler walked up and waited for a break in the conversation.
     "...about the other Duelist," Juri was saying.  "The Duel is
scheduled for tomorrow night."
     "Please," Touga said jovially, "I'm sure this will work out
somehow.  Besides, it's my birthday.  Can't we go one evening without
bringing up the Ends of the World?"  He nodded and rose as Skyler
approached.
     "Sands-kun!  So glad you could make it."
     "Glad to be here.  Happy Birthday!"  Skyler handed Touga the
card he'd made the previous night from notebook paper.
     "Thank you."  Touga looked briefly at it.  "Sunflowers. 
Different."
     "Mr. President," Miki essayed.  "I really think we ought to be
thinking about--"
     "Mikki," Touga chided, "there'll be time enough for that later. 
For the moment, we have a rare chance to relax and enjoy ourselves. 
Shouldn't we enjoy it before throwing ourselves over the edge of
tomorrow's problems?"
     ["Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," or something
like that,] thought Skyler.  He briefly greeted Juri and Miki.
     "Sempai."  Miki nodded.  "I'm glad you could make it.  Are you
feeling okay?"
     "Better.  Just a flesh wound, really."
     "Good that it's healing so quickly," Juri said.  "With things as
they are, you may need that arm soon."     
     "You think so?"  Skyler frowned.  "I hope just for routine
tasks."
     "Perhaps.  You never know when you'll need your strength."
     Another figure shouldered her way through the crowd, coming to
an awkward halt before the group.  "Um, sorry to butt in..."
     Utena looked a bit awkward, with a bouquet of white roses
cradled in her arms.  Anthy, following with a large white box tied in
red ribbon, looked much more at ease, as per the usual state of
affairs.
     "Tenjou-kun!  I'm glad you decided to come after all," Touga
said, smiling as he rose to greet her.
     "Don't get me wrong."  Utena seemed very interested in the
pattern of the wallpaper off to one side.  "The flowers are just a
get-well gift for Sands-sempai, that's all.  It's not like I even
wanted to be here or anything."
     Skyler was slightly surprised when Touga started to laugh, and a
bit more as he dropped back into his chair as the laughter didn't
stop.
     "What?"  Utena glared at Touga, irate.
     "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."  He finally got the laughter under
control.  It's just that it's so like you to offer a little
disclaimer like that.  Really, there's no need to be embarrassed
about showing up here.  You're always welcome."
     "Whatever," Utena muttered, her face slightly flushed.
     Skyler stepped forward a bit.  "How are you today, Utena-san,
Himemiya-san?"  
     "Good evening, Sands-sempai."  Anthy, at least, was her normal
self.
     "Uh, yeah.  Hi."  Utena had clearly been thrown off her stride. 
She thrust the flowers towards him.  "Um, here.  Thanks for..you
know, saving my life and everything.  And Anthy's.  And...well,
thanks."
     "You're welcome."  Skyler fit the bouquet into the crook of his
left arm.  At least it was doing *some* good tonight.  "I'm sure you
could have done it yourself, but your hands were full."
     "Ah, yeah.  Yeah, I guess so."  She looked away awkwardly,
studying the view through the patio doors.
     Nanami was looking rather elegant in a stylish dress of yellow
and black, but her stare was stony and cold.  She walked up to Utena,
roughly grabbing the flowers out of Skyler's arms.
     "Hey!"  Skyler was ignored.
     "Nanami?"  Utena hadn't expected this.  "What the heck?"
     "Oh, there's no need to act so innocent.  I think we can all see
exactly what you're trying to do here, hmm?"  In the background,
Keiko, Aiko and Yuuko nodded in unison.  
     "Get her social obligations out of the way as quickly as
possible so she can get back to enjoying herself?" ventured Skyler. 
"Begging your pardon if that's not true, Utena-san."
     "My, Sempai, you're so naive, aren't you," Nanami said with a
thin smile.  "But really, why would she come all the way out here to
simply deliver something to you?  She does live next door to you,
after all.  Or she could have visited you in the hospital, like
Oniisama and I did.  And I seem to recall the rumor that she feels so
out of place at this sort of soiree."  Keiko, Aiko and Yuuko nodded
again.
     "What the heck are you getting at, Nanami?" Utena asked,
obviously irritated.
     "Why, isn't it obvious?  Sands-sempai is just an excuse for you.
 You came here for the sole purpose of impressing on my brother what
a `kind' and `thoughtful' person you are."  Nanami was openly
sneering.  "As if he'd ever fall for such a simplistic trick."
     Skyler blinked.  Had no one ever spanked this child?  [Even if
she's correct, which I really doubt, you don't *say* that sort of
thing in public.]
     Aloud, "Well, if he can see through it so easily, then no harm
done, right?"
     "That's not the point!  The point is she's trying to play
everyone for fools, and everyone else is letting her get away with
it!"
     Miki tried to step in placatingly.  "Ah, Nanami-san, I really
don't think this is the time--"
     "What the heck are you talking about?" Utena barked.  "Get it in
your head, I'm not chasing your brother!  I never wanted to come to
this stupid party in the first place!"
     "Oh, no?  Then why did you go to so much trouble?"  Nanami
pointed an accusing finger at the box in Anthy's arms.
     "That wasn't my idea!  Himemiya brought it, not me!"
     "Oh, I'm so certain.  She's so fond of acting independent and
spontaneous, isn't she?  She wouldn't be doing this at someone else's
request, hmm?"  Nanami glared at Anthy for a moment.  Anthy looked
back, slightly worried...or was that just confusion?  Nanami tensed--
     *SLAP*
     The box tumbled to the floor, dented slightly from the force of
the blow.  Anthy stepped back, a look of surprise on her face, as
Nanami locked eyes with her for a moment.
     "Nanami!" Touga said, frowning.  "That was too much.  Apologize
right now!"
     "I will not!  Oniisama, can't you see--"
     [*mew*]
     It was quiet.  So quiet Skyler couldn't be sure whether he'd
really heard it, or whether it had been something inside his head.
     But something, certainly, had frozen Nanami in her tracks, her
face trembling with an unwholesome mix of rage and horror.  Her body
quivered with tense energy, unable to unleash it, but unable to hold
it for long.
     [Omigod, she's going to blow if something isn't done fast!] 
Fortunately, the band provided an idea.
     "They're starting a waltz.  Nanami-san, will you dance with me?"
 Skyler tried to sound calm and imply a "don't say no" attitude,
while taking Nanami's hand with his good one.  [Not too much
pressure, but enough not to let her escape....]
     Between his gentle but firm guidance and her stunned attitude,
Skyler had the two of them out on the dance floor before Nanami
started blinking again.
     It wasn't the most graceful waltz in the history of the world. 
Between Skyler's injured arm, Nanami's temporarily zombie-like state,
and the fact that neither of them were exceptionally experienced at
ballroom dancing, it was less of a beautiful spin around the room,
and more of a desperate and largely unsuccessful struggle for Skyler
to keep his feet from being stepped on more than once a minute.
     Nanami finally grew coherent enough to focus on him again, and
her face fell into a frown even as she started approximating the
proper dance steps more closely.  "What on Earth did you do that
for?"  With the specific trigger for whatever had happened gone for
the moment, she seemed to be falling back on a state of general
annoyance.
     "I'm squeamish about blood.  Also, Emily Post says it's good
manners to ask the hostess for a dance."  [Mind, the hostess is also
supposed to be gracious even to guests she finds noxious...]
     Nanami scowled.  "What are you babbling about?  There wasn't
any...oh, never mind."  She craned her neck to peer over the crowd as
the two of them danced somewhat leadenly across the room, obviously
trying to catch a glimpse of her brother, and obviously not
succeeding.  She thwapped Skyler's shoulder as she returned to
looking at him.  "What were you thinking?  Honestly."
     "Isn't it your brother's special night?  Let him be as foolish
as he likes.  Time enough for recriminations tomorrow, should they be
needed."
     Nanami drew in a deep breath, then deflated a bit.  "It's
just...she's always doing this, you know.  She acts like she's all
unconcerned and apart from everything, and everyone believes her  And
then she moves in to get what she wants, and nobody notices.  And
whenever I try to point any of this out, I'm suddenly the bad guy.  I
hate it."
     "Perhaps you need to work on your wording.  You didn't exactly
sound like a neutral observer back there.  And some patience wouldn't
hurt either; you lost your temper way too quickly to keep the moral
high ground."  Skyler steered somewhat deftly away from colliding
with another couple.  Thankfully, it looked like he wasn't the only
fellow unused to dancing.  "You'll be a lot more convincing if you
act your own age, instead of like a five-year-old."
     She glared at him.  "Well, excuse me for being passionate about
what's important to me.  I've never gotten any results from beating
around the bush and trying to talk while other people are doing
things.  Maybe some people don't like it if I'm not all meek and
delicate, but I don't care."
     "Suit yourself.  You'll find a workable balance sooner or later.
 Me, I've found that warning people they're making mistakes in their
love lives never produces the desired results."
     "Hmf.  As if you could talk."
     "Pardon?"  Skyler took a moment to click.  [Oh, she must mean
the rumors about Juri and me.]
     "Never mind."  Nanami pulled away from him as the waltz slowed
down to a coda.  "I've got better things to do than argue with you." 
She shouldered her way through the crowd, pausing for a moment by the
chair where Touga had been, then strode determinedly towards the
patio doors.
     [Hoo boy.  Well, I'll just make sure she isn't going to explode
again...and then maybe I can ask someone else to dance!  Though if
she's not stupefied, the girl will probably say "no."]


     The patio was dimly lit by the glow of the party spilling
through the windows.  A few small tables perched under the overhang,
and the lawns and gazebos beyond were half-hidden in the shadow of
the night.  Nanami had come to a complete halt in the doorway,
staring at the scene beyond.
     Several yards down, Anthy and Utena were seated at one of the
tables, their backs to the door.  Touga was there, too, standing by
them and laughing hysterically.  He clutched something to his
shoulder, gasping out, "Hey, hey!  Cut it out, you," in a less than
harsh tone.
     The `something' in his grip paid no attention to him, batting
one orange tabby paw against Touga's hair in a futile attempt to
catch it.  The kitten mewed and butted its head up against Touga's
shoulder, setting off a fresh wave of laughter.  The red-haired boy
moved a bit, and the seated girls turned to face him again.
     "You don't like cats?"  Anthy looked up at Touga, a calm
question in her eyes.  Nothing unusual, but Utena's face, now in
partial profile, looked different than Skyler remembered seeing it
before--softer, somehow.
     [Guess she likes cute kittens.]
     "Oh no, quite the contrary.  He's a wonderful present.  Thank
you."
     There was something flickering against Skyler's mind that he
couldn't quite catch, almost like nearly-forgotten memories.  [Black
and white photographs, and the red of summer apples...a cat at
play...the sounds of wind and water....]
     Nanami still hadn't moved.
     [It seems that mind-reading trick isn't restricted to the Arena
after all.  C'mon, Nanami,] he silently willed at her, [turn back now
while you still have a chance.]
     She wasn't moving.
     Touga and Utena engaged in a little more small talk as Touga sat
down and set the cat on the table, where it promptly became
enthralled with chasing its own tail.  Touga distracted it with a
twig that still had leaves attached, laughing as it grabbed at it and
tried to pull the twig into its mouth.
     She still wasn't moving.
     [Have they noticed us yet?  Touga, at least, should have...if
the kitten isn't distracting him too much.  Which I guess it is.]
     Nanami *still* wasn't moving.
     [That can't be healthy.  Maybe I should distract her again.]
     "You're probably thirsty.  Shall we go have some punch?"  Skyler
said this quietly while moving to block Nanami's view.
     She blinked, then took a long, ragged breath.
     She looked at him for a moment, something distant and lost in
her eyes.  Finally, she focused slightly, and ventured a very weak,
very sad smile.  "I suppose."
    
     Skyler guided the two of them back inside, towards the
refreshments, keeping a respectful distance from Nanami.  [I wonder
if the punch is spiked?  This girl could really use some relaxing.] 
She had a very distant look on her face, but she seemed to be
recovering a bit.  In fact, a smile was twitching at the corners of
her mouth every few moments before vanishing again.
     To Skyler's utter lack of surprise, the crystal punchbowl had
the rose motif etched into it.  [At least it looks good with the red
punch.]
     He poured a small amount into a cup and tasted it.  [Nope, not
spiked.]  Shrugging, he half filled another cup and took this one
back to Nanami.
     By the time he turned back to her, she was looking much better. 
Almost happy, in fact, though she was murmuring to herself. 
"...yes...that's exactly how it will happen...."
     "Have a Plan B, just in case."  Skyler handed her the cup. 
"`The best laid plans o' mice and men aft gang agley.'"
     "Mice?"
     "It's from a poem."
     "Oh."  Nanami blinked, then smiled.  "You'll have to tell me all
about it, Sempai!"  She glomped on to his arm and giggled, fluttering
her eyelids cutely.
     [Whoa, mood swing!  Ah, to be young and emotionally resilient.]
     "Well, it's by Robert Burns, who popularized using Scots dialect
in regional poetry of his period, and..."  Skyler rattled on, aware
Nanami probably didn't really care about the great British poets, but
grateful to be off the subject of Utena's wiles.
     "Oh, Sempai, you're so smart!" Nanami giggled, snuggling up
closer to him and getting a firmer grip on his good arm.
     [What th--?  It almost sounds like she's...flirting with me?! 
Feels like it too.  Weird.]
     "Nanami-san, are you feeling all right?"
     "Why, Sempai, whatever do you mean?  Isn't a girl allowed to
spend some time with her favorite boyfriend?"  She smiled glowingly.
     Skyler distinctly heard Chuchu falling over backwards into the
punchbowl, some distant corner of his mind wondering how he could
exactly define the sound.
     "Her--?" he managed.
     "...favorite...?"  Miki, who Skyler suddenly realized was just a
few feet away, was looking at them in shock.
     "...boyfriend?"  Juri, a cup of punch in her hand, looked over
Miki's shoulder in obvious surprise.
     "WHAT?!"  Keiko, Aiko and Yuuko were, to put it mildly, rather
curious as well.
     And Nanami just giggled.
     *Splash*  "Chu."


      
                          TO BE CONTINUED



      Next time, on Ma Vie et Roses:


     (Skyler and Nanami, in their school uniforms, are walking down
the street.  Skyler's left arm is still in a sling, and Nanami is
glomped onto his right arm, looking up at him with a worshipful
expression.  Skyler is looking up and away from her, either
embarrassed or frightened.)


SKYLER:  Nani, nani?  Boyfriend?!  Are you sure about this?


UTENA:  She's up to something!  I know it!


     (Nanami on the school grounds, shouting angrily.)


NANAMI:  Mou!  Can't anyone tell when I'm being sincere?


     (A close-up of Touga, the frame centered on his Duellist's ring,
as he holds his hand up to display it.)


SKYLER:  And let's not forget there's a Duel in the offing!


     (Utena drawing the Sword of Dios from Anthy's body!)


UTENA:  I won't lose!


     (Nanami in close-up, lit by moonlight.  Her face is upturned,
her eyes closed, and her lips slightly puckered.)


SKYLER:  Next time, on Ma Vie et Roses:  "Nanami no Taisetsu na Kare"
("Nanami's Precious Boyfriend")!  Don't miss it!


ANTHY:  Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku!




_GLOSSARY_



Daimyo:  A feudal lord.


Dojo:  In general, a school; mostly used these days to refer to the
places where martial arts are taught.


Gi:   Jacket-like martial arts garment, usually held shut by a cloth
belt.


Hai:  A versatile word that can mean "yes," "I understand," or just
"I hear you."


Hakama:  Flowing trousers worn by kendo practioners.


Higashi-kan:  East Hall.  The dormitory where Utena and Anthy (and
for this story, Skyler) live.


Iwakura Mission: 


Kami:  A spirit.  Often translated as "god."


Kashira:  "I wonder."  Feminine speech, and often used by the Shadow
Play Girls.


Kendou:  Japanese sport of swordplay.  Sonmewhat equivalent to
Western fencing.


Konnichiwa:  "Good afternoon."


-kun:  Suffix for names.  Generally used by superiors to their
charges (teachers to students, managers to employees, etc.) or by
young men among themselves.


Meiji:  The time period during which the Meiji Emperor ruled Japan. 
Among the notable events in this period was the "opening" of Japan to
the outside world, followed by a rapid period of modernization.


Moshi-moshi:  "Hello."  It seems to be exclusively a phone greeting.


Mou:  General expression of frustration or exasperation.  Roughly
equivalent to "sheesh" or "geez".


Nani:  "What?"


Oi:  "Hey!"


Oniisama:  An extremely respectful way to say "older brother."  May
substitute for the actual name.


-sama:  Suffix for names.  A term of extreme respect, sometimes
bordering on the obsequious depending on the context and tone.


-san:  Suffix for names.  Generally considered the "default" suffix,
it can be used to address anyone from a complete stranger to a fairly
close friend.


Sekai no Hate:  "The Ends of the World."  "Ends" here is used in the
sense of "furthest border."


Sempai:  Refers to one more senior than the speaker (usually in
school, though sometimes in a place of business.)  Often used as a
name suffix.


Shinnai:  A bamboo practice sword for kendo.


Shitsure shimasu:  


Sotto voce:  "Soft voice."  To be sung or spoken quietly, but still
audibly.


Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku:  Literally, this translates as "Absolute
Destiny: Apocalypse."  Among other things, it is the name of the song
played as Utena climbs to the Duel Arena, and is said by Anthy at the
end of each "Next Episode" segment.



Authors' Notes:


Scott K. Jamison:  Well, this time at least a month of the delay can
be attributed to me.  Kept losing drafts, and working with Yahoo is a
lot different than Pine.
     Don't forget, comments are extremely welcome, but "spoiler"
comments dealing with parts of the series that haven't appeared yet
in this story should be sent directly to Mr. Johnson to avoid giving
me (or readers who haven't seen the series) more clues than I'm
supposed to have.
     Past chapters of this story, and a piece of fan art, can be
found at http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/5990