Utena groans softly, jerking awake only a few short hours after having
reluctantly surrendered to sleep... she sits up fast, with a tense gasp,
sweat soaking her forehead...  she doesn't remember the nightmare that
shoved her to awareness... only the sensation that lingers now, even in
the waking.. of being trapped, suffocating.. smothering.. a searing pain
within her chest, immobility in her body;.. echoes of that pain lingering
into consciousness as her body, sore from sleeping on an uncushioned floor
r eports in with pains large and small. 

Kiryuu Nanami is lying on the lower bunk, a blanket covering her from the
waist down, her head propped up by her shoulder as she gazes at you. 
"You're really funny to watch while you're having a nightmare, you know
that?" 

Utena ignores the comment and leans forward, hunching over her legs,
covering her eyes with a slim-fingered hand.. pastel-shaded hair
disheveled and slightly stringy from being on the floor. "You're welcome,
Nanami." she says softly, just a tiny hint of acid in her tone. "I'm glad
I amuse someone." 

Kiryuu Nanami can't help but laugh.. a sharp, piercing laugh that stabs at
you as if it were a dagger. "Oh, trust me.  You amuse me often.  So this
is where you and the Rose Bride live..? Kinda nice, actually." 

Utena flinches. "We used to live here."

Utena stands up, stripping off her jacket and resting it carefully along
the chair at the desk in the other corner of the room. "I guess you're
feeling better, given that your mouth's running again. I think I liked you
better on medication." 

Utena tried, oh, she TRIED to remind herself not to lose her patience..
she tried to remember that Nanami's basically a wounded creature lashing
out at whatever's close.. but in this tight situation.. she just can't. 

Kiryuu Nanami raises an eyebrow as Utena comes back with a rather witty
comment of her own.. something that doesn't happen often.  Grinning, she
sits up, stretching her legs outward.  Still clad in her hospital gown,
she leans over. "Is that so.." she murmurs. 

Utena slumps into that desk chair and hunches over. So tired, so visibly
tired. So much has happened that she barely understands.. yet.. it's all
up to her... to be the prince.. when she herself feels split up and
divided.. her loyalties, her friendships, her affections. She sighs
deeply, still shading her eyes from your view; her ringed hand trails and
traces meaningless patterns along the wooden desktop.

Kiryuu Nanami stands, and walks slowly towards the pink-haired duellist. 
Not in a threatening manner, mind you..  Just a curious one.  She reaches
out, and pokes Utena's back with a slender finger. "Aren't we due for a
little chat?" 

Utena sighs once more, rubbing at her eyes as she turns around. You see
her bite down on an angry kneejerk reaction, watch the struggling in her
tired eyes to keep some measure of dignity. "Whatever you like, Nanami."
she murmurs finally, in a carefully placid, submitting tone. 

Kiryuu Nanami rolls her eyes, and walks around to on side of the desk,
leaning over some, to get a better view of Utena. "Well, don't we have to
plan something?  How to take care of the duellists?  And you still have to
tell me what you say under the school.." 

Utena doesn't turn toward you yet; you are treated to a view of her lovely
profile, gazing into the space before her eyes. "Arisugawa-sempai and I
were looking for tunnels leading to rumored spaces under the school. I
wanted to find a way that we could tr avel freely around the campus and
disappear in a moment if we needed to do so. We found something, but... we
found a fortress underground.. the original Ootori Gakuen. This school is
the *second* campus. It was built on top of the first when it was gutted
 by a fire some time ago."

Utena's eyes squeeze closed. "The entire campus was burned alive..."

Kiryuu Nanami blinks, and visibly falters in her stance.. her knees
weakening somewhat, the thought and pain of her injuries returning.. "You
mean.. just the school, right?  The people got out..?" 

Utena's reply is a hoarse, miserable whisper. "No. They were sacrificed to
the wil of the Ends of the Earth." 

Utena says, "I *saw* them, their ghosts underground... they were reaching
for me.. begging me with their eyes.. thousands of them all burning to
death." 

Utena says, "Ootori means phoenix.. this school consumed itself to be born
again as the campus we now know." 

Utena says, "And... it also means.. that the Shinsei were just more of our
own Duellsts. The Ends of the Earth created the Shinsei to oppose us and
make us want to fight for revolution again." You might begin to see,
finally, the burden that Utena is carrying on her slim shoulders.. and
why she's so haunted and pain driven lately... a faded flower struggling
to cling to the life-giving sunlight as the earth slowly closes around
it.. 

Kiryuu Nanami just.. stares at the profile before her.. the pointed nose..
the ocean blue eys.. the pink locks.. in complete disbelief.  She sums up
her thoughts in one, simple, eloquent phrase. "Holy shit." she murmurs..
"This is a bit... much." 

Utena emits a sound that's part chuckle and part sob; those giant,
clear-to-read eyes turn toward you, skewering you with her suffering for a
moment before she looks PAST you... to another figure resting quietly on
the floor.. almost subliminal the change shows in her eyes, some measure
of relief.

Kiryuu Nanami blinks, and turns to gaze in the direction that Utena is
looking.. wondering what caused her sudden relaxation. 

All *you* see when you look is Yamaguchi Kei, another of the 'new' Student
Council members.. and at first, something about her face in the light..
reminds you of Utena's own features.. that same 'noble' quality.. and the
same kind of suffering held under the skin. If you blink, the impression
will pass.. but for a moment you think.. there must be something between
them. Utena's eyes don't change like that except for one other person..
and that person was ripped from her. 

Kiryuu Nanami blinks.. "What's she doing here...?" she wonders curiously. 
Nanami has seen her around, this new member of the Seitokai, but has yet
to actually speak with her.  But, her mind already begins to consider the
possibilities of a new victim.. 

Utena says it simply, but in a tone that implies.. a lot more than the
words themselves. "She's with me." 

Utena brings her eyes to bear on you, silent pressure, and a note of ..
something else. A plea for mercy? 

Kiryuu Nanami blinks, and looks back at Utena curiously.. before sighing.
"Alright.  Since we called a truce, and you broke me out of that damned
hospital, I'll leave her alone." 

Utena closes her eyes, silent relief flooding her face; she's too tired to
hide it. "Good." she sighs finally. "Right now.. the only plan I have is..
that we have to familiarize ourselves with all the tunnels, the ways to
get underground. Right now... we' re trapped here and in hiding because
they're moving around. We have to be able to move BETTER than they can." 

Utena says, "I can't fight anyone until my ankle heals."

Utena adds softly, "Right now, I WISH I had some of those painkillers."

Kiryuu Nanami asks, "Did you find out anything about the attackers..?"

Utena says, "Arisugawa-sempai knows a little more than I do about them..
They're definitely Duellists, and answer to the Ends of the Earth. She
said that Touga called them when she confronted him in his office." hen
she pauses. Blinks at herself.. and slowly feels a sinking in her
stomach. She blurted it out, when she'd meant not to... silently, inside
her head the Duellist CURSES herself. 

Kiryuu Nanami blinks..

Utena squeezes those eyes closed again. "Forget I said that. We don't know
anything more than we did when it started." 

Kiryuu Nanami clenches her fists, but does nothing, just shaking her head
slowly. "Couldn't have been.  Juri must have been mistaken." 

Utena says, "Because we've been having to HIDE to keep from getting
KILLED." 

Utena can't let it go. She would.. but she can't. "No.. she wasn't
mistaken." She put her foot in her mouth, might as welll chew and enjoy
the taste. "They nearly beat her again." 

Kiryuu Nanami breathes in deeply, but still restrains any emotions that
may be burning within her.  This is -not- a good thing, as you well know. 
Nanami is usually quite overemotional.. but, when emotions get bottled up,
and are released suddenly.. "Come on.  You don't expect my Onisama to be
involved with these people!  The same people that beat me up?" 

Utena steels herself... her shoulders tensing. Muscles of her upper arms
visibly tightening. "I'm only going to tell you once, and you can believe
me or not believe me as you like. But *listen*. Your brother is one of the
Ends of the Earth. I know this because he told me, himself. It's why I
challenged him to the private duel. Our agreement was that if I won, he
would stop dueling and working for them... if he won, I would become his
girlfriend. Touga has been closely involved with it... since before I ever
 came to this school."

Kiryuu Nanami nods slowly.. "But you won.  I made sure of that."

Kiryuu Nanami asks, "If what you're saying is true.. why is he still with
them?" 

Utena nods quietly... then exhales. Knowing the danger isn't passed as she
breathes softly, "He's lost his soul." From anyone else BUT Utena.. you'd
be able to easily dismiss the words as insane ramblings.. but Utena... she
doesn't lie. 

Utena says, "It took him everything he had.. just to tell me who he really
was.. and he told me to run away before he came to his senses, Nanami." 

Utena says, "Juri found it out, from me.. and she went to confront him
about it.. he lied to her, and stalled for time.. until the two big guys
could arrive. The way sempai put it.. she barely made it out alive.. and
only because they LET her go." 

Kiryuu Nanami nods again, and -still- shows no sign of rage or upset..
"Lost his soul?  How do you mean?" 

Utena says, "Someone else is controlling him.. like a puppet. He's a slave
to the Ends of the Earth, and he doesn't have the will to resist any more.
He said..." 

Utena pauses, shrinking into herself. "He said he thought he was a prince
once, and he challenged them.. and then he failed and they took him." 

*SMACK*

Out of no where, Nanami's hand appears, slapping Utena across the face
squarely, with all its force.  Nanami lashes out, not because she doesn't
believe Utena, but because she -does- believe her, but doesn't want to.. 

Utena takes this hit in complete silence; she expected it, her head
twisting to the side, eyes cosing... amost as if.. she was just waiting...
*wanted* it to. Somehow, infuriatingly... it's too much like Anshi.. but
with Anshi, you always saw the silent hate and resistance in her eyes..
and in Utena's blue gaze.. there's nothing but a kind of numb acceptance. 

Kiryuu Nanami flexes her fingers for a moment, breathing heavily as the
emotional outburst subsides.  SHe then does something unexpected.  She
apologizes. "Gomen ne." she murmurs in an uncharacteristically soft, and
genuinely sorry tone. 

Utena rubs at her fruit-punch colored cheek and nods quietly. "So am I."
Responding with the same tone.. "I've known for some time. I didn't want
to tell you. I thought.." She glances down. "I thought that maybe I could
save him for you. But... I don't know if he can be." 

"How long has he...?" Nanami asks quietly.

Utena says, "I don't know if I can save anyone, any more. I just.. you're
all looking at me.. wanting me to be the one.. and... I don't know
anything..." 

Utena pauses.. draws a breath. "A long time. Longer than I've been here.
Probably years."  "But.. his soul.. he wasn't always like this, was he..?"
she asks, her voice indicating that she's never been so vulnerable and
weak in your presence before. 

Utena can only tell the truth, no matter how painful it is to say.. or for
you to hear. "I don't know. But the way he made it seem... it's been a
long, long time." 

Kiryuu Nanami shakes her head. "I'm his sister.. and I didn't even know.."

Utena says, "Of course. He couldn't risk upsetting you..."

Utena looks away. "He had no such care for me."

Utena says, "Welcome to hell, Nanami-san."

Utena brushes a hand through those thin and slender pink locks. "Listen..
Nanami.. why don't you try and get some more sleep. You're still
injured..." 

Kiryuu Nanami nods, and is rather lost for words. "H-hai. I think I will.."

Utena stands up, limping slow toward the door.. she couldn't sleep now,
anyway, her ankle is throbbing with swollen pain, and her mind is in a
haze. She wants fresh air... it can't be that dangerous just to step
outside for a few moments and feel the moon light, can it? 

Kiryuu Nanami sinks back onto the bed, and drifts off slowly... she has
alot to think about, and needs to do that thinking with a clear, rested
mind. 

Utena steps out timidly into the moonlight, the cold air brushing over her
bare upper arms and exposed stomach... leaning back against the door as
she closes it behind hersef.. the tears coming now as no one can see
except the stars above.. the look on Nanami's face and the shattered tone
of her voice melding with the earlier image of Kei's similarly battered
look. What is she doing to them... she's not MEANING to hurt them.. but...
her truth is destroying them. 

Silent foot falls echo lightly through the campus grounds...growing closer
and closer...as it becomes easy to determine..someone approaches in the
darkness.. 

Utena sniffles softly, rubbing at her eyes.. All that it would take to
make things better.. is to know that they'll be alright. Himemiya, Kei,
Nanami, Touga.. all the people being hurt, either by her or by them... She
blinks suddenly, catching the sound in the almost pregnant silence of the
night; her hand is already on the knob. It would be literally a single
second to be in the door and have it locked... but... she pauses and
waits. 

after a few moments....you see another student.  A rather slim looking
girl wearing a female uniform.  In the moonlight her deadstraight ebon
black hair hangs down around her head like a shroud..with a precise trim
of bangs over her light brown eyes.  She holds a few books backs slung
under her arm..as she seems to be simply a student getting back to her
dorm from some late study sessions...really late....suspiciously late..

She doesn't seem to notice you as she begins to passby...

Utena narrows her eyes for a moment, but doesn't challenge the girl.
Just.. watches her for a moment. Perhaps enviously, as the girl seems
unafraid of the night... and the terrors that Utena feels so strongly in
the shadows lurking. 

She seems utterly fearless.  As if there is nothing lurking in the shadows
that would try to harm her.  She blinks as if sensing a disturbance in the
night air...her regal eyes narrow slightly as she slowly swivels her head
in your direction..looking around for the thing she barely senses.. 

Utena is already pushing the door of the old, regal building inward,
starting to step across the threshold, her back turned to the girl. 

The pale girl then looks the other way..searchingly as well.... as if not
pinning down your location... as a bush rustles in the shadows behind
her... 

Utena slips behind the door, inside the dormitory building, and starts to
ease it closed, wincing as she leans on her bad ankle. 

A figure stands from the shadows and appreaches the girl silently...and
she slowly turns around....which you might see between the closing
doorway... 

Utena falls for it, the girl who would be prince. She whips the door open
and cries out "Hey!"

The girl opens her mouth to the intruder as he approaches her....they
blink in unison and both look towards Utena.. the figure from the
shadows.. he wears a Campus Security uniform all in jet black... 
somehow..his stance reminds you of something...the girl squints at 
Utena...trying to distinguish your identity in the darkness.."Hello?.."

Utena steps out of the door, oh, foolish innocent girl, she limps from the
protection of the doorway and the closeness of her duellists.. she moves
into the moonlight, onto the walkway before her front door, and fixes her
gaze on the tall, darker figure with suspicion. "There've been attacks on
campus." she explains in a voice that tries to sound fearless. 

The Dark figure turns to Utena fully...sees her walk out from the door as
he slowly looks up and down your figure, "....so there are...Ten'jou
Utena.." a shocking sound of familiarity in his quiet voice... the girl
tilts her head as she fixes you with a similar look...he then promptly
asks, "Have you witnessed another attack somewhere?" he asks
curiously..stepping closer obviously concerned about Utena's safety.. 

Utena narrows her eyes. Maybe her paranoia is ramped up.. but something is
ringing the back of her Duellist mind... something about the way he's
moving. And... Ootori never had a need of *security* before... not that
she'd seen in two years.. she steps back slightly, shaking her head
causing that shoulderlength, distinctive pink hair to bob about. "No." 

Utena says, "For a moment, I didn't see your uniform, is all. And I was
concerned." 

The Security officer looks past Utena and comments, "What are you doing in
there...that dorm wing has been closed off to student usage..." 

Utena says, "Not to me. I was asigned there by the Student Council near
the start of my second year. You can ask them about it in the morning if
you like." 

The girl behind the security officer just watches...holding her book bag.

The Security officer ooohs, "So your assigned in there now eh?" still
looking past you...inquisitively.. 

Utena says, "It's enough for me."

Utena says, "If there's nothing else.. then I really should be getting
back to sleep." 

Utena's nerves are on edge, and she doesn't know WHY. The signet ring
feeling oddly heavy along her finger... 

the Security nods as he slowly reaches up to place his hand reassuringly
on your shoulder, "There have been attacks inside dorm room wings
Ten'jou...I should escort you back to your room where it is safe.." as you
feel something almost metallic touching your shoulder on his
hand..specifically over his ring finger.. 

Utena's eyes dart to her shoulder though she tries not to obviously turn
her head to see.... a cold feeling washing down her spine. 

The Security officer is wearing a rose signet on his finger as he squeezes
your shoulder a bit more reassuringly, "Lets get going..it's a bit..cold
out.."

Utena shuts her eyes tightly for a moment, before... she pulls her
shoulder free of your hand with a twist at her waist. "I'm fine, thanks...
why don't you walk that other young lady home, as I'm standing on my own
doorstep." 

The girl answers that question, "Oh no..I'm quite fine..thanks.." as she
holds her bookbag up to flip over her shoulder..a brief flash of a Rose
Signet ring on her finger as she flips it over... 

Utena groans very softly under her breath, eyes falling closed for only a
moment... since no hands are on her... she ignores the pain of her swollen
ankle and BOLTS toward the open front door. 

The security officer holds his hand out to you..as he offers no chase...
after all ..he doesn't need to.  Murmurs to himself quietly, "Hiding out
in an abandoned dorm wing..very clever..." his eyes slowly turn over to
his fellow.. whom smiles quietly at t he fleeing Utena.. this was only
supposed to be a latenight mission briefing..but instead it turned up
Aces.. 

Utena whips into the building, and SLAMS the door, bolting it with every
possible lock.. and then dragging, painfully, from the dining area, a
chair, and wedging it under the doorknob. Then.. she lets out a LOUD,
VIRULENT single curse. "DAMN IT!" 

The girl walks up to the security guard..places an arm around his
shoulders and whispers quietly into his ear...he nods...then they both
turn and walk away.  The search has been narrowed down significantly..with
luck the mouse will just hole herself up in that building so tomorrow
morning..they can have it properly searched for other stray occupants..
no need to rush things..afterall..they have all the time in the world now. 

Utena stomps back to the room... *WHAM* the door flies open as she
staggers unevenly in, hobbling through the passage with her ankle at a bad
angle under her leg... "We have *problems*." She announces, loud enough to
wake the sleepers.. 

There's a shift in the sheets of the upper bunk as the honorable fencing
captain releases a soft murmur.. and then leans up on her elbows.. looking
at you through squinted eyes.. her hair a cascade of wavy saffron as she
says softly, "...nani...?" 

Utena stutters breathlessly, "We've been found, sempai. Wake Nanami and
get through the passage back down under the school. Kei and I will stay
here.. They may be coming back for us NOW." 

Utena says, "We'll hold them off.. but you two have got to get out of here
NOW." 

Arisugawa Juri blinks.. and slips down the bunk side, asking no questions.
She shakes Nanami's shoulders, "Wake up, Kiryuu-san.." 

Arisugawa Juri glances at you, "In your condition, Utena-san?"

Utena says, "I'll be alright..."

Utena says, "This is my fault."

Kiryuu Nanami murmurs.. "Nani?  Just a few more minutes... *snore*"

Utena says, "Take the passage back to the Forest of Challenges and from
there.. find somewhere else to be. Somewhere they won't look." 

Utena says, "When you're both clear.. I'm going to burn down this dorm."

Arisugawa Juri shakes Nanami's shoulders harshly, "Wake up..wake u--!" she
turns, "Ano?" 

Utena adds softer, "We can't risk them finding the ventilation shaft..."

Arisugawa Juri lowers her head... "Hai...just, be careful."

Kiryuu Nanami blinks, and shakes her head.. "I'm awake.. I'm awake!"

Kiryuu Nanami asks, "Huh?  Ventilation shaft?  Burning the dorm..?"

Arisugawa Juri says, "Hurry Kiryuu-san."

Kiryuu Nanami tries to piece together the fragments she heard...

Arisugawa Juri says, "Don't ask questions now, just follow me."

Kiryuu Nanami blinks.. "Iie.. tell me what's going on, damnit." she states
firmly.  She's tired of being obvlivious to what's going on around her. 
Look at what happened with Touga... 

Utena says, "Good luck, sempai. Stay down there for about ten hours, until
morning. If Kei and I don't meet you down there before that time is up..
don't look for us. Just find somewhere to hide.. ditch the signets and get
off campus if you have to." 

Arisugawa Juri grabs her bag, after stuffing a few things into it that
she'd brought out. Her hair falls in a mess of curls around her, but she
doesn't even pay them enough mind to push them back. She heads towards the
hall, glancing black once more to Utena. 

Utena says, "Nanami, they KNOW WHERE WE ARE NOW. Juri's going to take you
somewhere safe." 

Utena says, "Just go with her."

Kiryuu Nanami blinks, and raises her eyebrows, but nods.  She sighs..
"Damn.. Alright.  When you do come, Utena.." she begins as she follows
Juri.. "See if you can bring me some clothes or something?  This hospital
gown is getting a bit drafty." 

Arisugawa Juri blinks at Utena.. and nods, "Hai.. good luck as well." She
steps out into the hall, and continues down it towards the end room. 

Kiryuu Nanami follows Juri silently..

Utena watches the two Duellists depart... leaving her alone with the
sleeping Kei. She sighs and bends down to wake the other girl... 

[Utena logo- 'to be continued']