And moving on to Utena stuff:

After all, what is a miracle?  An event that cannot
be explained by nature, at least by one definition.
When I was young, a confused teenager fighting a
battle against the sorrow and despair that was trying
to overwhelm me, I would say this often, daring
someone to prove me wrong.

And she was ^_^

"Stand up straight, Juri!   A good posture leads to a
good figure!"

"Juri, dear, remember to brush your hair a hundred
times.   It will help make it grow faster."

At least until it falls out from all the pressure of ovebrushing.. ^_^

My was a beautiful but bitter woman.   My father left
her for another woman while she was carrying me, and I
don't think she ever forgave me and my sister for
ruining her perfect figure.

Heh. Interesting twist.

Never mind that I never

chose to be conceived; often times, I think that it
might be better if I had not.   It's a heavy burden to
bear, doubting the purpose of your existence.

Oh? And what purpose does she think she has now?

Doubting your right to exist.

Unlike Miki.   Miki has always had a cause, had a
reason for existing.   He exists because Kozue needs
him, and he exists because eventually, many others
will as well.  I see within him that spark of virtue
that will draw those others to him, and he has the
gifts they will need.   Their faith in him will not be
misplaced.

And if it is, oh well. I guess I was wrong.

A girl who believed in miracles..

Either need another mark or one less.

I shook my head, trying to dismiss the thoughts that
had returned to me

I'd drop  the 'to me' as being unnecessary.

When I was this upset, there was only one thing to
do- take one of my showers.  It would relax me, and I
always found it easier to organize my thoughts under
the steady beat of hot water.

And give the fanboys something to drool over.

I'm not sure where my obsession with showering comes
from, but I do know that whenever I get upset, my
first instinct is to go take a shower hot enough to
turn me into an imitation lobster.

With claws and everything.

"Yes, Juri-sempai," she said.   "Where's Miki?   I
spoke to Kozue and she said he was staying there for
the night."   A note of suspicion entered her soprano.

Heh. Naive Nanami

"Juri. he

Juri, he

slapped me!" she said.

'cried' might be better to use here.

"I won't forgive myself," she replied, her voice

Juri: Then that makes two of us.

I clenched the phone in my hand so tightly that I'm
surprised that it didn't break.  "It's all about you,
isn't it?"

Nanami: Isn't it?

Duelist.. Now what was a Duelist?

Someone who duels? ^_^

"One of whom?" I demanded angrily.   "You were an
afterthought," I said cruelly.   "You were never a
real member of the council- you just filled in for
Touga when he got ill."

I would say she was the least of them all more than anything else.

"You'll never outgrow Touga. You want him back, and
you're using Miki in some Machiavellian scheme to get
him.

I dunno. Nanami isn't really creative enough to me Machiavellian, especially
when compared to Touga and Akio

I was left staring at the receiver, which was beeping
annoyingly at me.   The little... brat had gotten the
better of me.  No one EVER got the better of Arisagawa
Juri!

At least not for long.

Miki lay sprawled carelessly on the bed, his slender
body taking up an unbelievable amount of space.  His
chest was rising and falling in a deep, even pattern,
and I smiled at how young he looked.   Even though he
was taller then I was now, he still seemed like a
little brother.

Hmm. Quite the growth spurt

 Leaning over his bed, I brushed a

kiss against his forehead, hoping to ward of bad
dreams- or bad memories.   I wasn't sure which.

Probably both.

the hangover.  God, the last thing I needed on top of
everything was to get a reputation as an alcoholic.

Yeah. It would damage her  rep as a lesbian. ^_^

All too soon, my alarm was going off, and I forced
myself to my feet, hating the bright light which
peered under the curtains.  At that moment, I would
have gladly gone to the Ends of the World if it meant
I could have had a little more sleep.

Heh. Be careful what you wish for.

"Her name was Tenjou Utena, and she brought the world
revolution," he told me.

Or at least tried to.

"Vaguely."   I couldn't, for the life of me, follow
his train of thought.

"I think being a Duelist is something like that.
It's not a job, something you can quit.   It's
something you ARE."  His fingers toyed with the Rose
signet on his hand, and I was a little amazed that it
still fit him after all these years.

True. I think he's prolly right

"I'm sorry.   I went through your jewelry box- it was
buried at the bottom.   The WAYYYY bottom.   I never
knew you had so much jewelry."   I could tell from his
tone that he was trying to tease me.

And not really succeeding. :)

Utena, I've learned.   I do believe in miracles.   My
problem was that I sought the wrong meaning; a miracle
is something that inspires awe and wonder, not
something that is impossible.

You were my miracle, Utena.   Won't you come back to
me?

Nice chapter. Things are finally starting to move forward. Am eager to see
more.

D.B. Sommer

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