Tsuwabuki finds himself once again on the doorstep of his Princess. The one whom he has dedicated his life to serving and protecting unto his own death. However the in the shortrun..this Prince gig really is kinda turning out to be ..not precisely what he hoped for. Especially with the news he has to bring his Matron. After all..skulking in shadows and hiding around to get information isn't what Princes do! However...he would do anything for his Nanami-sama..and certainly as he proves himself he will be assigned far more illustrious tasks. But for the moment..he must grit his teeth and bare it with as much stoic noble baring as his youthful form can amass. As he briskly knocks on the large frontdoor.. A voice.. feminine, sharp, yet almost melodic, answers the knock. "It's open!" Tsuwabuki quickly readjusts his uniform jacket..quickly touches up his hair to make sure he looks as noble as he can manage it before taking a moment to compose himself. And opens the door slowly. He intones in his youthful pre-adolescent voice, "Nanami -sama." as he enters the room..his cobalt blue eyes searching for his Princess. Kiryuu_Nanami raises her hand from the couch she had collapsed onto earlier, peering at the door with violet-grey eyes, a slender brow raising. "Tsuwabuki-san? What're you doing here?" she asks curiously. She dressed in what you'd call 'around-the-house ' clothes.. just a pair of shorts and a plain white t-shirt. Nothing too fancy. Tsuwabuki bows profoundly before standing back up straight. Many feet away as he announces, "I was told that should I see any suspicious activity of Utena towards your Brother that I would alert you." he frowns only a bit..as if not really wanting to for fill this obligation but Nanami's word to him is law. But remains as stoic as his diminutive form can acchieve. Kiryuu_Nanami rests her elbows on the arm of the sofa, and, it turn, rests her chin in her palms, as she stares at Tsuwabuki in her lazy position. She smirks, somewhat.. "Excellent. What have you seen? The pink-haired bimbo been putting the moves on him, again?" Tsuwabuki wouldn't quite term Utena a 'pink-haired bimbo' but would never contradict his Princess as he answers promptly, "I...witnessed Utena and the Seitokaichou together in several places over the last couple days. And once I saw Utena entering the sw imming pool area...then exiting..Touga a bit behind looking...distraught. And also I've heard that Utena challenged Touga to a private duel..and one of the prizes was Utena being Touga's..." swallows knowing Nanami isn't going to like this, "...girlfriend." Not knowing that it was Touga who proposed Utena being the girlfriend...but..only aware of the result. Kiryuu_Nanami says, "..." Tsuwabuki for the most part..just hopes she doesn't decide to take this out on the nearest warm body to her o.o; Kiryuu_Nanami seems to remain calm.. she is still staring at Tsuwabuki with the same look on her face.. a simple, curious expression. But, small things indicate otherwise. Her eyebrow lowers. Her lips quiver and tremble. Her hands shake... Kiryuu_Nanami turns away for a moment, before asking in a harsh, terrible voice. "When is this duel." Tsuwabuki gulps as he answers, "I was told there would be a second duel...but..I don't know when. Gomen nasai Nanami-sama." bows with profound apology. Rather apprehensive about what the explosive vixen might do.. Kiryuu_Nanami begins to order her slave, raising a thumb to her lips, biting it in thought. "Follow my brother and Utena.. find out.. when you learn, find me.. get my sword and dagger cleaned..." Tsuwabuki silently gulps, nods slowly to the request..waiting until her order is fully spoken..cobalt eyes glimmering wondering if that was all... Kiryuu_Nanami blinks.. and, upon having not heard Tsuwabuki leave, turns.. her eyes flash with a terrible, impossible anger, her gaze burning a gaping hole in the 'prince'. She screams. "GO!" Tsuwabuki squeeks, "Hai!" bows very hastily and dashes out the way he came..barely remembering to close the door after him.. Kiryuu_Nanami stands, approaching a small vase that rests on a table in her living room. Reaching, she picks a flower from the vase.. toying with it gently. "If you want to play like that, Utena.." she murmurs, and rips the flower from its stem, the petals.. white rose petals.. falling to the floor. "So be it." * A sweetly pleasant summer day, not too hot at all, just right for lounging and relaxing- and that's exactly what Utena and the Dean are doing.. rather lazily reclining on the grassy hill overlooking the entrance gate of the school, remnants of a lunch spr ead out on a white blanket between them. Utena is lying on her back, gazing up into the blue sky with its streaked white clouds; Akio apparently is working on some program on a laptop... neither particularly needing to talk as it were... Akio glances from his computer screen for a moment toward Utena, perhaps a small smile along his thin mouth... one of contented, relaxed bemusement. How complacent, how ... at ease..he has felt lately.. perhaps the summer days are getting to him... but it's enough, today, just to sit and enjoy being in her presence. Wakaba-chan strolls along, holding a purse in her hands. It is the weekend, after all, and Wakaba was looking forward to doing something. Going out, maybe, or something... but no one's around, not even Utena... You hear her delighted laugh from somewhere nearby, but she's not immediately in sight as the terrain is a bit hilly from where you're standing... The sound came from below you though.. Wakaba-chan skids to a halt. *blink* *blinkblink* Looks around... listens again... You hear what sounds like an unmistakeable, distinctly Utena *giggle*, clear and bright in the sun... It seems to be below you, and since you're standing at the foot of a gently sloping hill.... ah, there it is... you see a flash of pink hair, white blanket.. and... red and purple? Wakaba-chan >.> Wakaba-chan heads over. That rat bastard... >.> Akio is lying next to Utena on the blanket now, on his side looking at her affectionately... actually, no, on second glance.. he's slightly leaning over her, and one of his hands is tickling her side... she's squirming and flushed, yelping in mock-protest - that must be the reason for her pealing laughter. As you approach, the Dean of Students glances up at you with a momentary... something.. in his dark emerald eyes. Perhaps annoyance, perhaps curiosity, probably all of these and a little more. Utena stirs herself, and tilts her reddened face back.. then her eyes widen as she sees Wakaba approaching.. Akio pushes back from Utena and, with a quickly pasted on expression of nonchalance gathers his laptop... clearing his throat slightly.. standing with dignity, a faint mockery on his lips of a smile as he nods his head to Wakaba and makes his way back up the hill..Utena watching him with confusion, unable to switch mental gears as fast as he can. Wakaba-chan stares, god almighty, and stares -hard-. A jaw drops, and it's probably Wakaba's, and she BEELINES to Utena. o.o Utena sits up hastily, and stammers something incoherent. There's no way she can deny what Wakaba saw... "Uhm... Wakaba-chan..." Wakaba-chan STARES. Big chestnut eyes, slightly glazed over like fresh donuts... o.o Utena rubs at the back of her neck nervously... pastel strands trailing back... face blushed... reaching up and rebuttoning the top two buttons of her black jacket embarrassed, with clumsy motions... Wakaba-chan says, "Utena......" Utena closes her eyes, waiting for the inevitable explosion.. breathing a bit too fast, and with a curiously heavy sense about her.. Wakaba-chan's mouth works a few times. "Ah... uh... so you ah... were having lunch with Akio-san...?" Utena doesn't even *try* to make the requisite trite denials, she just nods slowly... "He invited me.. actually... uhm.." She sighs softly, offering a hesitant "I'm sorry..." to you. Sorry that you saw, perhaps? Sorry to disappoint you? Sorry to act the way she is? Wakaba-chan scratches her head, "Sorry for what, ne...?" Utena says, "Uhm... oh, god.. this is so embarrassing, Wakaba.." Utena puts her hand over her eyes, radiating shame. "I didn't think that anyone would... " those strong shoulders collapsing... as she continues in a soft voice, as if even *she* is surprised... "I think we're..." Wakaba-chan asks, "... you're..?" Her voice soft, breathless... scared? Curious, sure, but... this's Utena, she's got Anshi... doesn't she? Utena sighs and breaks. Wakaba is her oldest friend on-campus.. no reason not to tell her now.. "I think Akio and I are... uhm.." she yet, can't quite bring the words out of her lips... but she tries. "I think we're... dating.." Wakaba-chan falls over. On her side. *thud* Utena O.O's at Wakaba's reaction and looks pained... "I *think*" she murmurs, lowly. "It's not like... like that... we just get together now and then... we both thought it wouldn't be too good to let anyone know... oh, god, Wakaba.. this is so confusing to me." Wakaba-chan, then, picks herself up and looks much more serious... and HISSES, "Utena-sama, are you NUTS??? He's the DEAN, not a -boy-... what about Himemiya? What about Seitokaichou?????" Utena winces visibly, almost feeling the sudden, sharp change in Wakaba's tone- she might as well have slapped her across the face... and Utena just takes it, staring miserably into her lap. "I *know*, Wakaba!" She suddenly lifts her head and locks those clear cobalt eyes to yours.. "But.. he's my prince..." Utena then adds, "And.. Himemiya's not ..." Wakaba-chan STARES at Utena. "He's _AKIO_...! He's the Dean! Don't you know the STORIES they tell about him???" Utena says it so fast, so rote... so *denying*..."She's my *friend*.. she couldn't possibly love me... we're both girls..." She blinks. "What stories... what are you talking about? He's never been anything less than a perfect gentleman to me.." Wakaba-chan falls over, again. *thud* Wakaba-chan picks herself up and siiiiiighs. Utena frowns. "Wakaba..." Is that a defensiveness in her tone... and is she defending him.. or herself? Her *need* to be with him? "I can't help how I feel." Utena freezes for a moment.. pales. Visibly. Angrily. Her hands clenching at her sides... "*others*?" Wakaba-chan HISSES, "he's -engaged-!" Utena's face just... shatters. Her prince.. the one she spent her life yearning for, longing for, devoting herself in a ritual pattern of shaping and sacrifice for... ENGAGED? Wakaba-chan erps softly. Too much, perhaps... she reaches out and grabs Utena by the shoulders. Foolish girl might try something un-genki after all... Utena turns hollow eyes toward Wakaba, stammering, her mouth moving without sound. "... " You can see something breaking in her eyes.. and in the castle of her soul you can see the desperate rush to rebuild the wall, too, patch up the holes and mortar the cracks.. Wakaba-chan pulls Utena into a hug. S'bout all she can do... Oh, a million things race through Utena's mind... she receives and rejects a million possibilities.. some rational.. some *far* less so... challenge Akio about it? Get rid of his fiancee? Do something to win him over to her? Love him anyway? Walk away? Leave the school? Give herself to Touga? ... Yet... her body just shakes, and she quivers as she leans forward into Wakaba's arms.. choking sobs pushing out of her chest.. Wakaba-chan erps. >.< Ungenki. She strokes Utena's hair, and sighs, "Gomen ne... I should told you earlier.. but I thought you knew... everyone whispers about it..." Utena exclaims, "I can't stop feeling the way I feel.. I just *can't*... Wakaba...!" Wakaba-chan says, "it's not entirely your fault I guess... he -is- rather handsome..." Utena says, "He's... he's everything... my *prince*, Wakaba... I can't just... I *can't*...! I was willing to give him everything...!" She bursts into ugly, broken tears. Wakaba-chan >.< ".. eeeeeverything?" Utena nods slowly, pulling back, her eyes now streaked with the same bloody red in her face.. "You don't understand what it feels like when.. when he just.. holds me.. looks at me.. his touch is like.. oh, god..." Utena says, "I can't *help* it.." Wakaba-chan sighs.. "He's a rat bastard.... oh, utena-sama..." Utena sobs, "Don't.. don't talk about him like that.. Wakaba.. please..." Don't kill what little hope I have left for any kind of life, she begs you silently. Wakaba-chan hugs you quietly, knowing, somehow, that the bright day has turned cold.. the warm sun, sharp like razors... Utena leans against you, drained of strength, her eyes squeezed closed... "What can I do... what am I supposed to do, Wakaba...? Stop seeing him..? Leave...? I can't do that.. Himemiya still needs me... Kei.. you..." Wakaba-chan says, "You don't understand the ... *sigh* I don't know, Utena-sama..." Wakaba-chan quietly thinks to herself... she hasn't felt the truest form of betrayal.. and as she looks around, she begins seeing a world of glass, much like what Utena must be seeing... Utena rubs at her eyes, drawing in shuddering breaths.. fighting to get back under control... but .. isn't she now close to losing *everything*...? Every last hope, every dream, every childish fantasy.. every illusion that she held to her heart for the years of her still-short life.. each one, since coming here, has been shattered, assaulted, broken and twisted... Utena tries to gather her strength, her dignity.. the tools of her noble heart.. putting a valiant shroud on her dying. "... I... I guess it's good.. that you told me.. before I went too far..." Wakaba-chan feels a flutter of relief in her heart. "You didn't, then...?" Utena says, "No... no.. I didn't...I .. would have.'" Wakaba-chan says, "Don't..." Utena feels only a sinking despair. She can't even count on her own instincts, her own feelings to protect her. Her heart worshipped Akio, worshipped him as her Prince. It still does. Utena manages a weak, "Well... I sure won't be.. *now*.." Wakaba-chan hugs her best friend a little tighter... Somehow, she manages the words.. and manages to make it sound sincere. "Thank you.. for telling me.. before I made a big mistake." Yet.. the note of pain concealed in her voice hooks into your heart; suddenly you feel VERY WORRIED about what she might do, if you leave her alone. Wakaba-chan looks at her friend. "Ne... ne, Utena-sama... you gonna be okay?" Utena shakes her head, biting her lip. "... no.." At least she's admitting it. But yet, you might be able to help her with this... broken hearts, all girls have to face them, and why should Utena be any exception to the rule? Wakaba-chan comes to a @decision. And hooks her hands under Utena's shoulders. Utena O.o Utena is actually surprised out of her downward spiraling by your action.. she gapes softly.. "Wakaba-chan..." Wakaba-chan TUGS Utena to her feet. "Sou yo! As your best friend, confidante, and general worshipper, Utena-sama, it is my duty to see you through this, and there is one sure-fire cure for a broken heart." Utena O.o Utena says, "W.. what?.." Wakaba-chan strikes a silly, dramatic pose. "Shopping!" Utena says, ".. s.. shopping?" Utena looks like the thought would NEVER have occurred to her in a million years.. maybe it wouldn't have, in fact, before now... Wakaba-chan exclaims, "Hai! Shopping cures a woman's ills!" On the other hand.. getting the hell OFF this cursed campus would probably be VERY, VERY good for her. So, with a surprised expression, Utena finds herself nodding agreement. Wakaba-chan grabs Utena by the hand and @drags. Utena trails along, a bit numbly, but more than willing to let someone else tell her what to do for a little while.. trusting herself to her friend's care as she gets pulled out through the school gate, and doesn't look back at the campus. Wakaba-chan drags utena to the Mall of Amsterdam. Utena wanders in a bit of a daze by her friend's side for the first little while.. it's like a completely different world from the school in here... she actually finds her pain starting to fade a bit as she loses herself in clothing, dresses, toys, food courts, strange knickknacks.. Wakaba-chan steers Utena away from the purple-headed men... so some short guy with purple, Nabiki-ish hair goes by.. and she turns Utena's head from one tousled, blue-purpled head, whose owner mutters about a red chicken named Suzaku... Of course, there aren't many pink-haired girls around, so she gets a fair share of odd looks.. even disapproving ones from the elder denizens of the mall.. and each glance of *that* kind stabs into her... she's never been *disapproved of* before... Ootori 's homogenous populace of students her own age somewhat shielded her from *that* particular experience.. but it's one sour note in an otherwise pleasant symphony. She blushes as Wakaba steers her head away from the blue-headed guy. "He's cute.. o.O" Wakaba-chan says, "Iya! No more blue haired guys for you. >.>" Utena exclaims, "Awww.. But he reminds me of Kaitou-san back from my old school!" Utena hmphs. "Well, fine, where's the next store we're going.. and.. hey, why am *I* carrying all YOUR stuff?" Utena rustles the LARGE amount of bags in her arms and hands about. Wakaba-chan beams! "You're my Prince, aren't you?" Utena crosses her eyes a bit. "Oh, and that means I carry your stuff. Okay. This makes *lots* of sense." She grins, a bit more of her old self again. "Arigato.. Wakaba." Wakaba-chan turns and flashes Utena a grin, nothing needs to be said... except... "Right! Just -one- more floor..." Utena GROANS. "Can we REST for a minute then? All these things are HEAVY." Utena says, "I had no idea clothes could weigh so much." Wakaba-chan says, "Oh, c'mon!" ... "Hai, hai, there's a bench right here..." Utena oofs and waddles over to the bench, sitting down with a hard exhale, letting the bags pile up around her feet. "Ne.. how are you PAYING for all this, Wakaba? I have NO money.." Wakaba-chan says, "Eh-heh n.n" Utena o.O Utena asks, "Ne.. you *ARE* paying for these...?" Utena eyes you quite unhappily; a Prince does not like to steal. Wakaba-chan nodnods ^.^;;; "Dad sent allowance ne..." Wakaba-chan says, "And besides... >.> I get discounts.. frequent shopper discounts n.n" Utena o.O "How many times do you need to buy clothes in a month?" she asks, truly ignorant of a girl's needs.. hell, she wears the same outfit almost all the time, herself... it's never been a thought of hers that she would need to wear many different kinds of clothes... Wakaba-chan says, "This isn't a need... it's a physical compulsion n.n really Utena.. o.o" Utena looks sheepish, sitting there resting on the bench, one hand on her knee, the other passing through her hair. "I guess I just don't understand these things very well." Wakaba-chan says, "Mou, what kind of girl are you? Even princes don't wear the same thing every day o.o'" Utena blushes, gazing at the ground. "It just never seemed that important to me.." Wakaba-chan 9.9's. "I guess it wouldn't, ne..." She looks at you.. "I guess we're done now n.n I bought some things special for you, you know." Utena o.O Utena says, "For me... Wakaba..." Wakaba-chan asks, "Why not? Who says a princess can't treat her prince every once in a while, hmm?" Utena asks, "I.. well..uhm... eheh.. it's supposed to be the prince that takes care of all the princesses' needs.. isn't it...?" Utena makes a face. "Not that I'm much of a prince any more." Wakaba-chan makes a face right back. Utena says, "Hai, hai... gomen... I promise, I won't bash myself any more today.." Utena says, "So.. show me what you got me." Utena says, "No dresses, I hope. x.x" Wakaba-chan says, "Not -here-, mou! Let's go back to your room." Utena says, "Uhm. Okay... hang on.." Utena stands up, stretching out her back a little, a faint popping of her neck and shoulders, then reaches out and collects the bags, etc. Utena staggers about. "I can't walk all the way back like this..." wobble, wobble. Wakaba-chan says, "Yes you can n.n" Wakaba-chan says, "It's only a mile, mou. n.n" Utena says, "Slavedriver. -.-" Utena grumbles and shifts the weight in her arms, then trods off, following her friend as we depart the mall.. Utena kicks the door of her room open and PHEWS! as she collapses inward with the bags. "Made it...!" She groans. "My arms are KILLING me." Wakaba-chan steps in daintily. "Wai! My hero. n.n" Utena straightens up, brushing sweat from her brow. "Next time, we call a cab. It was HOT out there... it's almost getting too hot to wear this jacket these days.." Wakaba-chan sits on your bed. "So ne... feeling better?" Utena cranks the airconditioning in the room and slips out of her jacket, (and yes, she has a little gray tanktop underneath, so don't get excited..) "Ask me when I've cooled off.. ne, dig up the stuff you got me while I go wash my face off.. I'll be righ t back.." she steps off into the bathroom and shuts the door. Wakaba-chan does indeed go digging through the bags of stuff. Utena walks back out, hair pulled back into a loose knot atop her head, bound back a bit sloppily; her concern wasn't for how she looked but just getting that mass of pastel off her neck; she whews, her face shining and taut from a cleanser. "Okay... I feel better now.." Wakaba-chan grins and points at several boxes on the bed. "G'wan..." Utena pokes about carefully, as if afraid of the boxes; she lifts and seperates with delicate motions of her hands, and for the most part is pleased with what she comes across... giggling at the t-shirts and the shorts.. "Ooh." Then making a slight face at the skirts. "Eehhh... I dunno, Wakaba.." she says, holding up one against her trim legs. Wakaba-chan says, "Oh, c'mon..." Wakaba-chan says, "At the least, it'll distract Touga, and distraction is an advantage in a duel n.n" Utena BLUSHES. Wakaba-chan cackles softly, pleased. Utena holds up the sundress... a short white affair with no sleeves, thin shoulder straps, and pale red pinstripings. "This isn't too bad though.. at least it's short.. not *puffy*. She icks at the notion... then looks over you. "I suppose you want me to change, ne? Wakaba-chan grins. "But of -course-..." Utena hangs her head for a moment. "Hai, hai.. but I'm gonna shower before I put on anything new like this... Gimme five minutes." Those five minutes pass, giving you a chance to look around Utena's room if you're bored.. really look. You might find it odd.. you remember Utena, from when she was YOUR dorm mate, being rather messy.. but there's no clutter here.. there's *NOTHING* as a matter of fact. You can't even tell where the closets are..no pictures, no personal possessions.. empty and sterile as a hotel room.. Wakaba-chan . o O ( Mou!! She got rid of the pencil holder I gave yer? ~.~ ) How can anyone live without *things*? It's unthinkable, isn't it? What exactly does she DO here... who's controlling whom? Is Anshi an obsessive neat freak or what? Wakaba-chan decoratively spreads boxes around so that the clean lines are ruptured. The bathroom door opens, Utena emerges a bit shyly, wearing the striped dress, and a pink blush across her nose and cheeks.. the skirt hangs to about mid-thigh on her, showing off her bare strong legs and light arms... not to mention her developing hips.. to good effect, you chose well. Utena smoothes her hands over her skirt nervously. "Uhm.. how's it look...?" Wakaba-chan whistles. "... woooooooow." Utena asks, "It's so... so *girlish* though...isn't it...?" Utena fidgets. Wakaba-chan says, "But girlish is in this year, Utena o.-" Utena TWITCHES a bit. Utena says, "Sa.. well.. at any rate, it *IS* nice, and it's cool." Wakaba-chan says, "It looks really good on you." Utena toys with her skirt a bit more, embarrassed by the praise. Wakaba-chan says, "Sa! Try out this t-shirt. It's a bit long, but that's okay n.n" Utena does that classic turn and look at her back move, the skirt hem just loose enough to swirl around her thighs... then ohs? and wanders over to try it. "What'd you get for you?" she asks while pulling it the shirt on over her head. Wakaba-chan grins, "Just similar stuff ne.." Utena slips the shirt over her dress then blinks down at the design ironed to its front. "Oh, man... where'd you find *this*, Wakaba? It's Goldfish Warning!" Wakaba-chan says, "Little special store in the mall.. they've got tons of (>o.o<) stuff like that." Utena grins softly. "It's cute." She pulls the shirt off and sets it aside, along the bed with one of her boxes. "Now.. go on.. I wanna see what you bought yourself.. you don't have to wear it, just show me. ^_^" Wakaba-chan scratches her head, "Oh, oh, okay..." Utena says, "I'm curious. ^_^" Wakaba-chan rummages, pulls out a pair of crisply-tailored black slacks.. the first thing she bought. Utena asks, "Whoa. I've never seen you do the pants thing before.. what brought that on?" Wakaba-chan then pulls out a crisp white blouse, a black leather belt, and a navy blue jacket. Utena looks admiring. "Nice combo. That'll look good.. but it's pretty boyish.." Wakaba-chan says, "It's gonna be my .. uh, I guess.. my duellist's outfit." Utena sits on the edge of the bed, toying with her alarmingly NEW signet ring. "No.. your Student Council outfit'll be that. I hope you don't have to use it though." Crash... there goes the mood. Wakaba-chan says, "I do. I like looking good. o.-" Utena shakes her head.. "Not what I mean. I mean.. I hope you don't have to *duel*. The outfit's great." Wakaba-chan grins. "Well, I hope I don't either. n.n" Utena stands up. There's a kind of chill that settled on her shoulders, not just from the air conditioning, either. "Wakaba.. thanks for taking me out and getting me these things.. I appreciate it all. But..uhm.." Utena says, "I'm kinda tired. Do you mind if..." Wakaba-chan asks, "If we call it a day?" Utena says, "Hai.." Utena says, "I don't mean to shove you out the door or anything, though..." Wakaba-chan grins. "Just promise me you won't do nothin' stupid..." Utena sighs, digging her toe into the carpet. "I won't do anything stupid... " She crosses her hand over her chest. "Promise." Utena says, "I'm angry and I'm upset.. but I'll be in class in the morning.. don't worry." Wakaba-chan opens the door, and heads out, leaning back to throw one last jibe. ".. and you have to promise me you'll wear those skirts at least once before we graduate." Utena *TWITCHES*. "But.. it's a SKIRT!" Wakaba-chan grins, "And I'll see you wearing it before I die!" Laughing raucously, her voice fades down the corridor, but the joy it holds lingers for a little while longer. Utena leans in the doorframe, feeling the contrast between the cooled air in the room and the heated air in the hallway, looking after her friend. When did Utena lose that ability to laugh and enjoy her life even despite its sorrows? She wants to have that quality back about herself... anyway, now.. she's alone.. and she has to try not to think. It isn't so much that she was tired as much as.. she didn't want to talk or think about the duels, or Akio, or .. any of that. Kei sits at her desk, pouring over the huge tomes of duellist records. Reading of victors past and their exploits. Though the phrasing is entirely dry, she finds herself drawn in despite herself. A soft knock comes at your door, hesistant pause before a repeat in a pattern of three, three... Kei turns. "It's unlocked, come in..." Rather surprisingly, perhaps, the knob turns and you see Utena standing in the doorway, wearing a light sundress, and a shy expression. She glances into the room, a faint, sad smile on her features. "Ten'jou desu.." she almost whispers. Kei smiles, the light seeming to touch her eyes. "Ten'jou-san! I'm glad to see you again..." She gestures at a truly huge pile of old books and papers on and around her desk. "The Seitokaichou gave me some 'paperwork'." Utena groans. "Oh god, not that boring stuff.." Utena asks, "Mind if I come in..?" Kei nods. "Hai, hai." She glances over at Utena, taking in the sad expression. "Ten'jou... daijoubu?" Utena sighs and .. hesitates again.. her eyes taking in the room before she takes in her breath and moves across the threshold. "Problems... but it's not important.." She looks around again, curiously. Utena says, "And.. just 'Utena'.. please." Kei nods. "Hai, Ten'j... Utena." Utena brushes the back of her neck, inadvertently setting her ill-bundled hair loose; it drops about her shoulders as she mutters softly, groaning. "It's been a day. So what's our *dear* Kiryuu-seitokaichou got you doing?" Kei looks at Utena for a moment, trying to judge the situation, but then replies. "The Seitokaichou has me studying records of past duels and duellists. He wants me to compile reports and statistics, 'in preparation for a change in the system'." Utena snorts. Utena says, "Never going to happen." Kei nods. "I'm not convinced, either. But I thought that maybe there was something in all this..." Her gesture takes in the huge stacks of books and papers. "...that I could use, that might be useful to know, in preventing any more people from being hurt." Utena moves a bit closer to you, brushing her hand with curious weight along your shoulder. "It's a move to buy himself time and keep you busy, I'm betting. He did the same thing to me." She leans forward, peeking at whatever of the documents happens to be closest... then pauses. That thought wouldn't have occurred to her.. "What've you found out..?" Utena hms softly, reaching out slender hands to pick up one of the volumes nearby, turning the cover and scanning it, her eyes moving swiftly. "I didn't even know there WERE records of the duels.." Utena . o O ( What *are* you doing, Seitokaichou... don't you realize this could give us power...? ) Kei says, "Neither did I, until Kiryuu-seitokaichou dumped them all on my lap." Utena shuts the book, holding it to her chest; she puts a hand over her mouth and frowns thoughtfully. The books are accounts of Duelists gone by..as well as handwritten reports of Duels that have transpired. In the updated files you even see a list of ALL current active duelists..as well as reserved. Of course most of it is utterly out of order and is in serious need of organizing. One of Kei's multitude of tasks. Utena is just.. spellbound, as if the books contained magic rather than just words. An entire history of the Duels.. and more to the point.. the history of the Prince and the Castle. "This is incredible." Kei nods. "I know. I've found the task bearable simply because the books - even if they're dry - are fascinating." Utena wonders something.. and jerks the book open quickly, flipping through the pages. It's curiosity at best.. but... something compels her as she scans lines and lines of old text in inscrutable writing. Looking for the answer to a very simple question... if the Victors are here.. the Bride records must be as well. Utena asks, "Kei. Is there *any* kind of order to these things..?" Utena asks, "At *all*?" Utena ponders something.. then makes a decision. "How far have you gotten...??" Kei gestures at a stack of papers. "Been indexing it and collecting the statistics. I'm partly through this book , but I don't know if it's the earliest. I don't think it is..." Utena says, "I'm going to help you." Utena says, "Our fate is in these books..." Kei blinks. "You don't have to do that if you don't want to, Utena..." Utena blinks, as a lightning image shoots through her mind.. a recollection of a more than half-forgotten dream. Touga slipping behind her, stabbing his sword through her back.. "My gift to you.. is the ability to see your fate." Utena shakes her head. "No. I *want* to." Utena . o O ( Maybe even *have* to. ) Utena says, "Show me what you're doing. I'll take one of the books and start now.." Kei gestures to the indexing papers. "Collecting statistics - the names of the duellists, the number of victories and losses..." Utena shakes her head slowly. "Ignore the statistics." Utena says, "The *reasons* matter. They should be in here." Utena says, "Why did these duellists fail? THAT's what we need to learn." Kei nods. "But the statistics are what the seitokaichou wants. I don't have to write down the reasons for him." Utena says, "*WE* need the reasons. I don't give a damn what the Seitokaichou wants. He's given us a weapon, and we'd be idiots not to use it" Kei nods. "I meant that I don't have to write down the reasons for him. If he's handed me this information, he doesn't need to know we're using it this way." Utena nods tightly, her eyes touched by a visionary fire. "We don't want to rush this. He expects it'll take a long time. So let's give him what he expects. We need to hold this information as long as we can..." Utena ponders something else. "Do you have a computer..?" Utena checks the room again. Kei shakes her head. "Iie; I've used the labs when I need to." Utena says, "*Damn*." Utena says, "Actually no. We *can* do this. Alright, Kei, I've got a plan. And they can't stop us from doing this... because it's official business." Kei says, "I could maybe borrow a computer if needed; a friend of mine is going back home on family matters for the next quarter. She has a computer in her dormroom." Utena says, "No.. here's what we do." Utena says, "We're going to take these books to the lab, and we're going to copy them. Type everything into the computer and get it all on disk. If anyone questions us.. we can say that we're doing it to modernize the information and make it easier to access. I mean, these books.. some of them look like they might fall apart before too much longer." Utena smiles, slyly. "Don't you think? All this valuable data.. the school can't afford to lose it." Kei smiles. "That works." She pauses. "Don't they have a scanner-thingy that tries to read books and type them in, over in the lab?" Utena says, "That'd be even better. The faster we can get a copy of this.. the better." Utena says, "For our own sake." Utena says, "C'mon, let's go get started..." Utena moves about, collecting as many of the books as she can carry. Kei nods and also starts gathering up as many books and papers as she can. Utena . o O ( Touga... You're never predictable, are you? Thank you... ) The two Princes move into the hall, carrying the burden of a thousand lost Victors and a hundred years of history in their hands... and possibly, carrying a chance to reclaim their futures as well..