For the Want of a Rose�

 

An Utena Fanfiction by Inu_Ranma

 

Prologue.

�And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a
bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom�

                 -Anais Nin

 

It all began, as many things do, with silence.

Hou�ou�shi was known for its silence. The city that
always sleeps, she�d call it when she joked with her
aunt. The schools were all so boring, so easy. 

He wasn�t there, bottom line, and that was all she
really cared about.

She fingered the hilt of her bokken nervously, looking
across the small circle at her opponent, masked and
faceless.

�Begin!�

At the short, barking yell, she brought her bokken to
bear down upon her opponent, and was satisfied as she
heard a scream come from behind the mask and the win
was declared.

�Point, Tenjou Utena. Victory, Tenjou Utena!�

Cheers surrounded Utena as she smiled and brought her
weapon to rest, its point gently tapping the ground.
Soon, they faded, though, to allow the sounds of
crying come forth. Utena looked in the direction of
the sound to find her opponent with other girls on
either side of her, clutching her breast and moaning
in pain.

�You always go for the heart, don�t you, Tenjou?� The
owner of the voice, a black-haired boy, glasses being
the only memorable thing about him, tapped Utena on
the shoulder, startling her.

�If she can�t take a hit, she shouldn�t be fencing.
You know that.� Utena tossed her hair, a short,
newly-dyed pink French bob, and turned towards the
locker room to get changed. It was time to face up to
the authorities.

Within minutes, Utena was out of the locker room and
wearing her school uniform as she wished.

�Pink!� The adult�s voice was unmistakable, �and a
boy�s uniform to boot! How would you like being
suspended, Mrs. Tenjou?� Utena reeled to face the
woman and began to speak, but was interrupted again.
�And you bruised the breastbone of the head of our
school�s famous cheerleading squad! Do you know what
this will cost us? Is that a smile I see, Mrs. Tenjou?
How about if I call your aunt? In my day��

Utena ceased listening to the woman at that point. Her
aunt had ceased paying attention to her actions years
ago, it seemed, and there was no reason for that to
change now. Whatever. It just meant that Utena�s aunt
would take her place on the chopping block, instead.

 

***

 

Gradually, the rhythim of the vice principal yelling
and Utena�s aunt apologizing subsided and
metamorphosed to the hushed tones of negotiating.
Within minutes, Utena witnessed her aunt coming out of
the VP�s office with a triumphant smile on her face.
She had a knack for getting her way with people.

�Things are taken care of.� The VP followed her lead,
also smiling.

Utena looked at her aunt confusedly. �What�s up?�

The older woman walked right by, smiling all the way,
and took Utena�s hand. �I�ll tell you later.�

 

***

 

Back at the house, Utena surveyed her aunt hesitantly.
�You�re moving?�

��To Amsterdam.� The older woman�s eyes were
sparkling. There must have been money for her in this.

Utena nervously fiddled with the ring that adorned her
left hand. �Why?�

�Work, as usual. I�ve signed you up for the Ohtori
Academy. It�s one of the most prestigious boarding
schools in the nation. I�m sure you�ll love it there.
You can even wear your uniform!�

Utena shrugged. Maybe this split-up would be good for
her. She took her leave and went out to walk along one
of the many rivers that adorned Hou�ou�shi, wandering
in the hopes of finding something interesting.
Gradually, a rain began to fall, until at last Utena
came to the bridge where she met Him.

Memories of her parents washed across Utena�s mind,
and tears welled up in her eyes. It had been a long
time ago, ten years, when she�d lost them. He came,
then, and dried her tears.

�Keep that strength, little one, for in another life,
it shall surely serve you well.�

She remembered the haunting words as if they were
being spoken to her at that moment.

Lightning struck near to where Utena was, startling
her from her reverie. As she struggled to regain her
composure, gripping the side of the narrow bridge at a
break in the fence, a strikingly red car zoomed by,
glancing off of Utena herself and causing her to lose
her footing as she went hurtling into the water.

Even as she fell, Utena had no fear, for she felt the
scent of white roses about her, and even as she lost a
single slipper in the torrents, she felt safe. He was
here, and he was saving her.

 

***


Tell me whatcha think! I think this tangent has
potential, but of course, very little will be known
until the first chapter is done...

Tell me what you think anyway!!

-Inu



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