Utena's Challenge A Shojo Kakumei Utena short fic by Orla and Jaelle. Shojo Kakumei Utena/Revolutionary Girl Utena is copyright 1997 B-Papas/Chiho Saito/TV Tokyo/Shonen Production Committee. This fanfic is produced in fun and no money is being made from it. For the revolution of the world! On with the show! **** Utena Tenjou stood before the entrance to the Duelling Arena and grasped the handle, presenting her rose crest ring. An icy drop of water splashed onto the small rose crest and she winced at the cold. While waiting as the water chutes opened and activated the gate mechanism, Utena remembered how startled she had been the first time this had happened, now it was almost normal. *cue music* [The Absolute Destiny Apocalypse] [The Absolute Destiny Apocalypse] [Birth records, baptismal records, records of death.] Darkness suddenly descended for the count of one breath and just as quickly the light returned, illuminating the huge carved rose on top of the inner entrance. [The Absolute Destiny Apocalypse] [The Absolute Destiny Apocalypse] Utena stood for a moment. Before her rose the huge spiral staircase leading to the Duelling Arena and to her appointment with HIM. An appointment she did not want to keep, but was unable to refuse, for the sake of her pride and for the sake of the Rose Bride, her friend. She took a deep breath, stepped forward and began to climb. [My own birth, absolute birth.] [Apocalypse.] She climbed... [A shining place in a desert of darkness] [A gold-plated Shangri-La] And climbed... [Day and Night turning back on one another] And climbed... [A time-plated Paradise Lost] [The darkness of Sodom, the darkness of light] As she climbed, her uniform was altered by the Rose Bride, Anthy Himemiya, who was already waiting for Utena in her traditional place by Utena's opponent. Utena felt the warm tingle as she transformed, but her steps did not pause. She continued to climb. [The darkness of distance] [endless, endless darkness] And climb... [The Absolute Destiny Apocalypse] [The Absolute Apocalyptic darkness...] The magnificent, upside down, castle of Dios spun above the sparse Duelling Arena. Touga Kiryu stood in the centre, Anthy beside him. On the viewing platform some distance away, using opera glasses to see the action, yet somehow able to hear the conversation, were the other Duelists: Miki Kaoru, Saionji Kyouichi, Jury Arisugawa and Nanami Kiryu. Touga stepped forward as Utena appeared at the top of the stairs. ".... *huff*.... ok.... *wheeze*.... I'm here...." Utena wheezed and leant against the entrance arch clutching her side. "Be.... *gasp*... right there....*huff*....as soon as.... *gasp*.... catch my breath.... " On the viewing platform, Miki looked sympathetically at the exhusted girl. "Poor Utena, I know exactly how she feels." "Yes" Saionji nodded " That stairway is very tiring." "I always have to arrive half an hour before my opponent so I can get my breath back to duel." said Jury "It is tough." agreed Nanami "But look at my big brother! Touga isn't the least bit winded! He's soooo great!" "Yes" Jury frowned. "I wonder how he does it" On the Duelling Arena Anthy went to Utena and looked at her anxiously. "Are you alright, Miss Utena?" Utana pushed herself upright and staggered forward. "I'm... ok... just winded from... *gasp*... those damn stairs... *gasp*..." Touga gave her a curious look, then smiled arrogantly. "Why didn't you take the elevator?" There was a long pause. Five voices screamed out. "THERE'S AN ELEVATOR???!!!???" THE END (^_^) **** The song is Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku (The Absolute Destiny Apocalypse) which plays whenever Utena is going up those damn stairs, we have used the translation made by Software Sculptors - the US distributors of Utena.