The Beginning of the End of the World By the lovely and talented Ryuko-chan Episode Three: Someday we'll find what we've been looking for..... Once again, the two lone players were fencing. One was very clearly better than the other. One faltered, stepped wrong, stumbled, and nearly fell, yet somehow managed to block the thrusts sent his way. He got back to his feet, and leveled his sword at his opponent. With a quick, but almost reluctant gesture, she snapped her own forward to meet his chest. He had no resistance. He hung his head in defeat, and whipped off his helmet. His opponent drew hers off, golden curls bouncing with the motion. She smiled regretfully. "Mickey.." she said. He turned away. "I'm off." He said darkly. Juri's eyes widened momentarily. That just wasn't the way Miki talked. She stepped forward. "Miki-kun, are you disappointed from the duel?" she asked. He turned away further. She set her hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her. "Juri-sempai." He said, note of anger gone from his voice, "Have you ever heard me play the piano?" he asked. Juri blinked, and smiled vaguely. "No, Miki-kun. I'd like that." She said. In the music room... Once again, the lovely notes flowed through. Juri sighed in contentment, eyes dreamy from the lovely notes. When Miki played, it seemed as if a full orchestra and chanting chorus would not have augmented nor improved the sound at all. However, as before, Miki stopped. He smiled with chagrin up at Juri. "You see?" he said. She looked mildly shocked. "No.." she said. He sighed. "I didn't expect you to. You see, ever since I was young.. I played that same song. That same music has been in this room since I began attending this school. This same music echoed through the garden at my home. All my life." He said, looking up to the sky past the window.. It now seemed like such a long time, "I have always played that song, because, long ago, I played with my sister. She and I made the most beautiful music, and that... that was when I was happy. But one day... I did something that ruined it all...." He shook his head, "But that's not what I'm talking about. Ever since then, I've been trying, alone, to recapture the sound we together made. Alone." He flexed his fingers, "As you can tell, it's so far been unsuccessful." He said. Juri shook her head. "I don't see. But.... I understand Miki. In your youth... In anyone's youth. They have something that no one should be able to take from them. And then, sooner or later, it becomes imperative that you lose this." She sighed, "Under some circumstances... It can feel like an empty space." Unconsciously, she made a gesture to her stomach, right below her ribcage, near the center of her body, "And you would do, anything... anything to recapture that feeling.. But.." she threw her arms up, "You can't." she looked at Miki, "You understand?" she said. Miki stared at her, and looked down at his own stomach, putting his hand over the very spot she had gestured to. He nodded. "Yes.. I understand perfectly.. This thing you speak of.. It is our innocence, isn't it?" he asked. Juri let a fleeting, but slightly pained, smile pass over her face. "That is what some call it." She agreed stolidly. Miki smiled at her. "It's nice." He said. "What is?" she asked. He smiled. "Nice to have someone who finally understands exactly how I feel." He said, "About my Shining Thing." She stopped. "Shining, eh?" she said. She smiled again. Then her visage hardened momentarily, "You remember, Miki, that you must duel me tonight." She said faintly. Miki nodded. "Yes. I remember." The room echoed that sentiment, flowing over two beings who didn't want to be enemies, but for the moment, were. A gaggle of girls stood in the courtyard of the school, milling around, giggling, pointing, and smiling. They were waiting for Touga Kiryuu. One's eyes widened. She pointed to the duo of figures exiting the music room. "You don't say..." she whispered. She elbowed her friend, who looked indignant, but then blinked. "Miki and Juri?" she said. Miki and Juri strode down the pathway, looking amicable, and chatting. Her friend leaned closer to her. "You don't think they're an item, do you?" she asked. The girl shook her head. "I sure hope not! Miki's so cute, I want him for myself!" she said. Her friend sweatdropped. "So, Juri-sempai, how are you so knowledgeable about innocence lost?" Miki asked tentatively. Juri's face fell. "Oh... Yes.." she said, hand unconsciously clutching her locket, "I.. fell in love, long ago.. and.... my love was not returned." She said. Miki nodded, expression betraying a mind wise beyond his years. "Of course, I can see why you would be reluctant to be innocent under those circumstances.. Innocence only leads a heart to pain under such rejection." He said. Juri blinked at him. She smiled. "Miki, you understand more than you should." She said. Miki looked forward, and stopped. Juri looked forward. There, in their path, stood Kiryuu Touga, Anthy behind him. Touga smiled, and cocked his head. "Juri.. Well, I never thought you and Miki... He doesn't really seem your type.... So... masculine." He said with a hint of a smile. Juri frowned. She trained her eyes upon him, and said in a cold voice. "Kiryuu Touga, I may make friends with whomever I please, and I need no consent from you." She said, eyes fixing on his in a cold stare. Touga glanced at her with a look of infuriating aplomb. He clacked his tongue once, solidly. "Of course.. Of course not.. I was just remarking on the curiosity of it all.. It seems that it would be a miracle for you to be with Miki, after what you told me yesterday." He said. Juri's glare faltered. She looked down. Touga walked by her. Anthy stood before her, and smiled. "Ja ne, Juri-sempai.." she said brightly. Juri watched as she walked by, and ran her fingers roughly through her hair. Miki looked curiously at her. "Juri-sempai... What did he mean?" he asked. Juri shrugged. "I don't know." She said in a monotone, "I have no idea." She said. She began to march along the path. Miki followed her, still confused. "Juri-sem-" he started, and she whirled. "Miki-kun," she said in a measured voice, "I have nothing to gain by these duels but pain. If you wish to win the duel tonight, tell me now." She said solidly. Miki glanced back at her just as solidly. "Juri-sempai. I have no reason to wish for you to lose this duel. I have nothing to gain by winning. And if we are to battle for this thing I do not understand, I wish for us to do it on our terms, not Kiryuu Touga's. He seems to think that he can gain something by speaking to us with impunity, as if he was the one giving us permission to do this. He also speaks as if he's got it all figured out. And if he thinks that you will throw the duel, then why allow him that?" he asked. Juri stood up. "Miki.. Sometimes you're too sensible for your own good." She said. She calmed, and invited him to walk beside her. He smiled. They made their way through the throng of people, ignoring the glances they got. "Juri..." "Miki..." "I don't know, but I think they're cute together!" said one. When they had finally cleared the group of whispering people.. Miki turned tentatively to Juri. "Juri-sempai, I have a question." Miki said. Juri stopped. "Miki.. I don't know what Touga was talking about.." she said. Miki held up his hand. "No, Juri-sempai.. That's not what I wanted to ask." He said, "Juri... Would you ever consider becoming involved with someone like me?" he asked. It was not a demand, not a plea, just a question, from person to person. Juri glanced at him, noting the scientific look on his face. As if it was an experiment, and he would analyze the results. She blinked. "Miki-kun.. There is nothing preventing me from going out with someone like you." She said. Then she sighed, "Nothing but what exists right here." She said, laying her hand over the empty spot. She smiled regretfully, for the second time in one day, "Perhaps someday we'll both find our 'Shining Things'" she said, "Just not today." Miki nodded, eyes less pained and disappointed than just regretful. He walked down the path, and smiled, "I should go to my room, and prepare for my duel, Juri-sempai." He said. She nodded, raising one hand in silent sendoff. She turned, and bit her lip. "I hope you find your shining thing, Mickey.. And I hope you still desire it once you do." She said. The same beat of music began, and the same two people practiced their clandestine play. "Oh, captain, captain!!" said B-ko. "What is it, first mate?" A-ko asked. B-ko put her hands on her cheeks. "Oh, captain, it's horrible.. The sirens, we're coming upon the sirens!" she said. A-ko looked regally worried. "The sirens.. Well, you know what that means.." she said. B-ko held up a coil of rope. "The rope, sir?" she asked. "Yes." A-ko said. B-ko ran around the mast, tying up A-ko to the mast, "That's good.. Tie me up here, and there, and here.." she said. B-ko looked up. "Are you sure?" She asked. "Yes... Tighter!! That's good..." A-ko said. B-ko finished tying in the indicated areas. "There!" she shouted triumphantly, "Now nothing can possibly hurt you!" she said. A-ko blinked at the waters ahead, "Watch out, first mate.. We're coming upon the shores... Don't forget to stuff your ears with that wax.." She said. She craned her neck, "First mate?" a distant splash sounded, "Oh, dear." The silhouette of Touga Kiryuu reclined in his bed, brushing his hair with a silver handled brush. A knock came at the door. Touga's head cocked up. "Yes? Come in.." he said. The door opened to reveal Nanami. She smiled faintly. "Hello, Onii-sama.." she said. Touga smiled, and sat up. "Good afternoon Nanami.." he said. Nanami smiled, and swept into the room. "Oh, Onii-sama, I've been having the most wonderful vacation!" she said dramatically, "My friends Keiko, Aiko, and Yuuko took me to the mall, and we got the cutest outfits! I met these three guys there.. And.. Well, Onii-sama, they don't even compare to you..." she said. Touga smiled. "Of course not.." he agreed mildly. Nanami smiled, eyes shining. "The only thing that was missing was you, Onii-sama." She said. Touga laughed vaguely. "Oh, Nanami, you know I'm not interested in that kind of thing.. I'd just be bored." Nanami's face slightly fell, "Besides, I had a lot of stuff to do with our guest." He said. "Guest?" Nanami said with a confused twist of her lip. "Guest." Touga said solemnly, "Her name is Himemiya Anthy." He said. Nanami blinked. "Hime-miya..." she said vaguely. Touga smiled. "I'm sure you'll be great friends. I like her." He said. Nanami frowned, "She's very quiet, and nice. Her brother's the dean." He said, "He asked me to take care of her." Nanami gave him a hurt look. Touga threw his hands up, "He was very persuasive, Nanami." He said. Nanami sighed. "That's all right, Onii-sama." She said wearily. She affected brightness, "I'd.. like to meet her.." she said. Touga smiled, and ran his fingers through his hair. He stood up, and patted his sister on the shoulder. He gave her a hug. Nanami closed her eyes, expecting a kiss, but Touga just stared at her, and then released her, looking a little nervous. Nanami blinked, eyes flickering. That one little kiss. It wouldn't have been too much. But.. He didn't. It was then that she knew. She was losing her brother. He blinked, and walked out into the hall. "She's in the guest room." he said, "Come on. Don't take too long, though, we have student council business to attend to." He opened the door lightly to the room, and Anthy lay on the bed, back to them, idly plying with something that they couldn't see. She looked up at the noise, and sat up. She was in plainclothes, a simple red dress, and ruffled green jacket, but she looked radiant. Even Nanami could see it. She fumed silently, as Anthy stood and smiled a sweet smile. "Hello, Kiryuu-san. Who is this?" she asked. Touga smiled grimly. "This is my little sister, Nanami. She wanted to meet you." He said. Anthy smiled graciously. "Hello Miss Nanami." She said, "I hope we can become great friends." She offered a hand. Nanami took it. "Hello." She said guardedly. Just then, something in Anthy's other arm dropped onto her arm. She shrieked, "Ahhh, Oh! What is it???" she asked. The cute little simian blinked up at her. "Chu!" it greeted brightly. Nanami continued shrieking. "AHHHHHHH!!! Oh EEEEWWWW!!" she said, shaking her arm frantically to release the creature. And finally, it jumped off. Nanami panted, and then demanded regally, "WHAT IS THAT THING????!?" Anthy's eyes widened, as if she didn't understand why Nanami was so upset. She picked up the little monkey, and smiled. "Why, this is Chu Chu, my friend Chu Chu." Nanami growled. "That thing tried to attack me!" she shouted indignantly, "Himemiya Anthy, I don't know what's wrong with you!" she shouted. Touga's eyes widened. "Nanami!" he said. Nanami looked up at him, eyes wide. "But.. Onii-sama.." she said. Touga shook his head. "You're being very rude to our guest." He said, gently chiding. Nanami's eyes brimmed over.. not with tears, but with fury. She threw her arms down in anger, and stormed from the room. Touga glanced after her, and Anthy put her hand to her lips in confusion. She looked down. "Gomen Nasai, Kiryuu-san." Anthy said. Touga glanced sidelong at the door she had exited. "No.. It doesn't matter.. Nanami gets this way sometimes. It's not your fault." He said, "She's a little clingy.. I've been trying to have my space lately, but she doesn't seem to get the hint. She's always been kind of clingy... and...." Touga trailed off, wondering why he was explaining this to Anthy, who was just staring without seeming to understand, or pay attention. Why was he explaining all this to her.. She wasn't even a person, was she? Outside the door, Nanami sank to her knees, eyes no longer angry. They were broken. They were sad. But they were far from angry. The word to describe them would be... betrayed. Inside the door, Touga sighed gustily. "We should go, Anthy." He said. Nanami's eyes widened, and she stood quickly, and ran down the hall into her room. She bit her lip, and as she ran, she made herself a promise. *I will get my brother to pay attention to me.. I will get him to love me. All I have to do is make sure that no one else tries to take him from me... Least of all Anthy Himemiya!* she said. Touga came out from the room, unaware of the complicated turn his life had just taken. Anthy followed behind him, radiating a calm knowledge of everything that all but an unlucky few could see. She smiled, and followed Touga with no other word. But as she passed Nanami's room, she smiled a little more brightly, and followed Touga a little more eagerly. There was no response from the silken bed where Nanami's silhouette resided. As Miki Kaoru walked very strongly to the duel arena, he was strong. He stood strong, and let nothing bother him. Not even the presence of Kyouichi Saionji right next to him, also making his way to the duel arena. Saionji glanced at him a couple times. Miki, knowing that Saionji would only ridicule him, as all his other sempais did, ignored him. The silence was suddenly broken. "It was a very good duel." He said simply, "You made a valiant effort for someone who doesn't use the same sword ryuu as I do, and I respect your effort." He finished. Miki turned, surprised. His mouth opened slightly. "Saionji-sempai?" he asked, "But I thought.." he said. Saionji smiled bitterly. "I'm not such a bad person after all, am I?" he said, "The only grudge I have is against Kiryuu Touga, I have no enmity against you or the other members of the student council." He said, walking. Miki smiled. "Thank you, Kyouichi-sempai.. It's nice to know I'm not the only one." He said. They reached the gates of the dueling forest, and Miki bowed as his sempai left to go to the council tower. He put his arm forward, and opened his hand. "Miki." Juri said, stepping up behind him. He stopped. "Juri-sempai.." he said. Juri blinked at him, raising her sword in greeting, "Well, open it." She said. Miki glanced at her, and his features hardened. He grasped the handle tightly, and the doors opened. "So, Kyouichi, how have you been?" Touga asked, as they sat in the tower across from the arena. "Well." Saionji said, a note of irritation in his voice, "As well as one can be." He said. "That's good, my friend." Touga said with a smug smirk, "I wonder if this duel will be as interesting as yours?" he asked, pointing. Saionji shrugged. On the dueling tower, the red-clad rose bride smiled sweetly. She walked over to Juri, and placed a rose in her breast pocket, smiling with a little more malice then. She gave Miki a blue rose, and he nodded civilly to her. The bells rang. Miki glanced upward, and Juri couldn't repress the sinking feeling that it was going to fall on her. "They who loses their rose first is the loser." Anthy said in her mindless doll tone. She threw her hands between them. "Juri-sempai, I will try my best." Miki said. "I know, Miki-kun." Juri replied, "I'm counting on that, at least." She met his sword in a gesture of honor, and then brought hers around and slashed. He deflected it with some difficulty, hissing under his breath as the muscles still sore from yesterday's duel protested. Juri's eyes flickered, and suddenly both she and Miki realized that this had no more importance than one of their practice duels. She smiled halfway. They were exactly like their practices, except for this time she could see the reactions on his face, and he could see hers. Miki whipped his sword in a figure eight, and stepped back. He smiled, showing his teeth. "I never expected to beat you, Juri-sempai." He said. "I know." She replied, "Don't worry.. It doesn't matter." She said. He nodded, smiling. They crossed swords once more, Miki's arm nearly giving way. He leapt back, and Juri slashed. Miki paused for a moment to check his rose, which was diagonally slashed across the petals. He blinked. "Close." He remarked. Juri leapt forward, and Miki made a slash for her rose. His thin sword whipped across her rose, and nicked a bit off her hair. She looked down to see an almost identical slash. She smiled. "But no cigar, Miki-kun." She said, and brought her sword down like an axe, and severed his rose. Miki sighed, as the bells started ringing. "Looks like you've won, Juri-sempai.." he said. She nodded, eyes flicking to the bells. "But what?" she asked. "Winner, Arisugawa Juri." Anthy said, eyes rising to the castle in the sky. Upon the council tower, Saionji felt his heart skip a beat. He wondered vaguely if she was thinking about eternity. Touga raised an eyebrow, and then cleared his throat. "Well, I have to make a phone call, Saionji, I'll see you later." He said, getting up, "Oh, and good luck in tomorrow's duel." He said, with a smile. Saionji narrowed his eyes, and then turned back to Anthy, who was still looking up at the castle. He sighed. "Goodbye, Juri-sempai." Miki said, as they walked below the stars. He paused, and looked up. She stopped. "What is it, Miki-kun?" she asked. He smiled faintly. "Oh, just..." he paused, and shifted his stance, "You know, when I was young, I used to think that... no... It's stupid." He said. Juri shook her head. "No, tell me, really." She said. He smiled, "I used to think that a shooting star was an angel dying." he smiled again. Juri looked at him. "An angel dying?" she said. "Yeah, I know, it's stupid.." He said sheepishly. She shook her head.. "No. No.. It's not. It's sweet." She said, taking his chin in her hands, "Never change Miki.. Always stay the same." She said. Miki pulled his head from her grasp. "To survive, you have to change." He said. She nodded. "True. But change hurts." She said. "Survival hurts.." he said. They looked at each other, and for a brief moment, their faces sparkled. They both looked up, where a shooting star streaked across the sky. Juri shook her head. "Let's go home, Miki." She said, and together they walked. Meanwhile, in a darkened room... "Yes.. She won, just as we thought she would.." Touga said into his phone, "No.. I think tomorrow is the deciding duel.. Too bad, takes all the fun out of it, us knowing who will win." He said, "Yes... yes... Of course! Why would I let her out of my sight? Uh huh... Uh huh... I see. Well, we'll just have to deal with that later. All right.. Talk to you later.." he said, hanging up the phone. Next time, on the Beginning of the End of the World Juri: Eternal? Saionji: A promise I made to myself! I would be able to do it.. Only if.. A-ko: I don't know if I can stand it anymore! B-ko: But he's a boy, and you're a girl... A-ko: That's not the point!! Miki: That's the very thing he wants, isn't it? Nanami: I don't care!!! A-ko and B-ko: Next time on the Beginning of the Ends of the World: To Borrow Eternity, To Deny Miracles.. Anthy: The dawn of the absolute destiny apocalypse! Author's note: MUAHAHAHAHA!! Oh, and for all of you who are going 'Huh? I thought Juri was a lesbian..' ... She is! I wish she wasn't, but she is!! Actually, I'm sure she wishes she wasn't. But people are talking, talking 'bout people.. For more on that, go to Cardcaptor Sakura, and read Nikkia's fic. Compliments go to DragonGirl@AOL.com.. Flames go to Honoo, of Master of Mosquiton.. he can deal with them.