Darkness prevails before a column of light slices through it...a moment
later taking the form of the hallway light leaking between two openning
doors..with a figure casting a long shadow onto the matted ground.  On the
far side his shadow barely encompass es a rack with a halfdozen
swords..above the words 'Kiryuu' are embroidered on the wall behind.  The
shadow receeds as the doors slowly closed...enshrouding the figure again
..this time clear footfalls echo out for a few moments.  The stillness of
nothing is broken with a sharp click...as the lights now illuminate the
room fully.  It is the Kiryuu training room..a place where Kiryuu Touga
goes to practice..and above all..think. 

Touga wanders in his full kendo outfit..spending a moment to wander and
kneel before the rack.  Taking a nicely crafted shinai.  Touga's skills
are in need of practice..but most of all..he is in dire need of thinking. 
So much has changed in this last yea r alone... before he thought he knew
so much..infact..before he thought he knew it all.  But now..he realizes
exactly how little he knows.  If knowledge is power.. he is almost
powerless. 

Touga finds the situation distressingly distasteful as he slowly
stands...swinging the weapon out with a slight whistle to accustom himself
to it's weight and balance.  Taking a few extra steps into the middle of
the mat before attaining a stance.  So much has changed indeed..and there
is but one catalyst.  Ten'jou Utena.  He swings out his weapon in a few
expertly precise strikes.  So mysterious..so intriguing..so completely
beyond his grasp. 

Touga thought at first that she was simply a fine specimen.  He knew she
was special to be sure..but above all..just another girl for his
collection.  Another way to prove that he was the best..and that there
wasn't a female alive out of his power.  But s omething changed all that. 
Something in the way she smiled....the way she moved...the sound of her
voice..the scent of roses about her.  Something that made her alot more to
him than yet another conquest.  Indeed.  It didn't take much conjecture
after that to realize that he loves her.  His shinai swings with
uncharacteristic clumsiness...as he almost lets his weapon slip out of his
hands.  He frowns inwardly as he resteadies his grip.  He indeed loves
Utena.... but that was only the beginning of the problem.. as that was
something that he couldn't let foster and grow.  He can inspire love in
others...but to admit or even show his love for Utena.. it would be
improper to say the least.  As well as extremely..inopportune.  So he had
to burn her out of his mind. make her hate him. Make her so utterly
disgusted of his presense that she couldn't stand the sight of him. It
almost worked too. Until she kissed him.

Touga frowns as his grip almost slips again.  That indeed was the knell of
his defeat.  That was a blow from which he never really recovered.  As she
ripped his true feelings for her so close to the surface..it was sheer
agony to hide them again.  Afterwards...he was presented with another
opportunity...as she literally handed herself over to him with that duel. 
He thought again he had remastered his control over his own feelings....
but..with that strange incident..and his subsequent defeat at Utena's     
hands... proved that he had not.  He was a shell of a man he knows now...
he had nothing within him.  A deep emptiness from which he lost all.  In a
sense his brother did him a service by kicking him out of Ootori Gakuen
for the time being.  So the vultures wouldn't peck at his dead carcass. 
He swings the Shinai again..this time the weapon really does fly from his
hands and clatter to the floor.  His arms fall down by his sides..as he
simply stares at the clumsily discarded weapon. 

Now what?  That is the question that haunts him now.  What can the
Seitokaichou of Ootori Gakuen do?  Now the battle is out of his hands...
the Ends of The Earth will never entrust him with another important role
again.  He is a nobody..now in deed as well as in person.  A non entity.
Something utterly irrelevant.  No longer having any point to his
existance.  He could kill himself...but then that would be consigning
himself to complete defeat.  And something from inside keeps him from
taking that fatal step.  Peehaps some part of his stubborn devotion to
see the Revolution?  Perhaps that.  He could just go back to doing day to
day affairs of Ootori Gakuen.  Contenting himself with a pointless role of
managing school affairs.  Like an injured star player sitting on the
sidelines..watching the plays go by whining 'I could have done better if
only...' He sighs. 

Touga lived for playing the game, to be sure.  He was at his best during
the hunt... the thrill of the chase.. the wheeling and dealing... watching
his plans come to fruitation.  And now he can no longer have that.  And in
truth...IS there anything MORE to him?  Who is Kiryuu Touga anyway?  Is
he just the lapdog of The Ends of The Earth and nothing more?  Only out to
appease his own petty desires and wants from moment to moment?  Is he
truely nothing but a shallow playboy whom has no dreams and visions?  In
truth...he does not know.  His entire life was serving The Ends of The
Earth.  And if that is no longer an option...is there anything left? 
Anything at all? 

Touga truely and simply.. does not know.  As he continues staring at the
surrendered shinai..just laying there purposelessly on the floor. 


				   *

A room.  A particularly simple room really... a bed...an adjacent
bathroom, no TV, no window, and a door perpetually locked from bothsides. 
This is where you have lived for the last few weeks... since being taken
by dark figures in the night.  Taken to this place and left to stew..left
to reflect on what has transpired..and on the fate of Utena. And reflect
upon your own actions.  Food is occasionally brought to you through a
small slit on the bottom of the doorway.  Other than this and the small
dim light above... you have been perpetually imprisoned in this dank
place.. 

Himemiya Anshi is a claret drop on a concrete horizon, a blood-red ruby in
a field of garnet. Her deeply tanned skin retains it's slightly blushed
composure as the Bride of Ohtori quietly sits, practically motionless.
Occasional flashes of light bounce off her golden tiara to create small
sunbeams in this urban, solitary hell. 

You hear footsteps beyond...breaking the unending abyss of nothingness in
this drab, dreary little room.  Too early to be dinner.. and you've had
lunch... but then again..time has a way of warping on your senses as you
have no clock or means to keep time.  You may have been here
days..weeks..months..who knows... but you do know it has been a long time. 
The outer lock slowly turns..as the inner lock mimics the motion...someone
is openning the door..... a sound you have not heard in a long time.. 

Himemiya Anshi does not move. She may as well be a statue.
...Hell, she might BE a statue...

The door opens slowly...and a tall, spindly figure is standing there.  A
man..obviously not a student due to his apparent age is outlined with the
bright light of the hallway beyond..features muted by the darkness as he
must be observing you.  Leaning hea vily upon a cane as upon his shoulder
is perched a predatory avian outline.  But in the darkness.. you can FEEL
the force of sheer ANGER radiating squarely upon you. 

Himemiya Anshi is a lake of serenity in the eddys of anger, a calm and
seemingly impassive face that she has maintained, through all the
countless hours. She's suffered, and endured...but what could you do to
her? A bit of resigned annoyance, even ARROGANCE at your attempt, lies
hidden deep within her calm visage. 

Kataki closes the door behind him with a solemn locking of metal and walks
forward..the dim light illuminating his austere features.  Tawny,
sweptback silvered hair with a hawkish nose supporting golden rimmed
glasses, glimmering opaque in the light.  Wearing a Ootori Gakuen Staff
uniform. Clearly ranked as a Instructor.  His devilish bird of prey upon
his shoulder ruffles it's feathers in your direction..as the man intones,
"Before I thought you were simply a selfish little slut.  An animal in
need of correction.... but now..I really do think your all the Witch they
claimed you to be." solemnly. 

Himemiya Anshi, once again, might as well be stone. She meets your gaze,
but that's about it. After a long pause, her voice slowly lilts, "Who are
you to judge such things?" 

Kataki leans forward slightly as he harshly whispers, "I am a human being. 
Unlike a monsterous little witch like you.  I at least have the CAPACITY
of compassion and goodwill.  That alone allows me to hand judgement down
upon a thing such as you." he whispers with all the venom of knowing, as
he straightens..his eyes blazing, "Hime.." shakes his head just slightly
as he corrects, "Ootori assured me that your curse of being Rose Bride was
punishment enough for taking my Prince from me.." he ALMOST raises his
hand to strike her..almost...but keeps calm as he continues, "..but
apparently... you're turning back to your old ways.  As I knew you
would..being a creature of deepest evil you're not capable of anything
else." 

Himemiya Anshi chuckles softly. "Interestigly enough, do you know the
meaning of the first part of my *FAMILY* name?" She smiles faintly. "Your
Prince shares that name. He and I share everything. *Everything*. Whether
he knows it or not, or I know it or not..." 

Kataki frowns as he answers darkly, lips twisting around the words
distastefully, "I know.  Your filth has tainted him to the bone.  He can
never again become what he was...because of your parasitical link to him. 
You sucked out all that was good of Akio ..and turned him into a shell of
a man.  Fettered with Darkness..just..like.. YOU." he shouts suddenly. 
But remaining oddly calm,...he takes another moment before speaking, "I
would kill you right this moment..here and now... if Akio didn't ask me
not to ." 

Himemiya Anshi shrugs her shoulders. "Killing me ends the game. *Himemiya*
Akio is well aware of that." 

Akio's voice rings out of the darkness, though his figure and form is
invisible in the shadows. "*HIMEMIYA* Akio died long ago, and you know
that as well as I." Then the voice is silent, and the 'presence' is gone. 

Kataki's eyes remain trained upon Anshi for a moment longer.  Just holding
back every urge to drop her dead right now.. 

Himemiya Anshi's voice is a soft, purring chuckle. Oddly similar to her
brother's. "Indeed. In a very feminine move, he took the name of his
bride, then took her life, then her soul." She turns her dark face to
Kataki. "But then, obviously in my fault it lies, deshou?" 

Kataki waits a moment longer..before leaning forward again, "Once... I
thought maybe you had a heart within you..that perhaps on some level you
actually have the capacity of regret... that maybe you could see your
wrongdoing for what it is.  How naive I was then.." he narrows his eyes
for a moment longer..before answering, "Regardless of this..I will repair
the damage done.  Prehaps things can never be as they were because of
you... but the situation will be rectified.  Dios...may not have the form
of old ...but Dios shall rise again.  And Akio may never had the power he
once held...but power he will have once again.  And you....I will make you
regret what you have done..the evil you have created... no matter how long
it takes." 

Himemiya Anshi stops, and looks at Kataki softly, even motherly. There is
a bit of respect, even pity in her eyes. "Your bravery doesn't do you
credit. But know this:" She smiles softly. "The power to Revolutionize
this World, is closer than you could ever imagine. And it is NOT to be
trifled with." 

Kataki takes a long moment to keep himself steady..and not let a single
flick of emotion cross over his austere expression as he returns,
"Perhaps... but that doesn't matter to me in the least.  I do not care if
Revolution happens or not.  All I care about is to see my Prince go forth
into the world once more...unfettered by greed such as your own." he
frowns deeply as he then explains, "Luckly I caught the new Dios before
you could corrupt her further.  If you had any decency left in your
decriped filth of a soul.. you would stay in this room and accept the role
of Rose Bride entirely.  And stop with this... rebellion of yours." 

Himemiya Anshi pauses. "Rebellion?" She laughs, a mirthful sound like the
tolling of tiny church bells. Jade green eyes, steely with purpose and
amusement, stare directly at Kataki. "If you call this rebellion... 
*revolution*...then I believe your purpose is undone as we speak."

Akio listens with a kind of slow shock, from his utterly hidden and
invisible place. Emerald eyes darkening almost to BLACK. . o O ( 'New'
Dios? )

Kataki snorts at her as he just gives up, "You never listen.  Once you
did.. prehaps you will again."  He turns away as he comments, "Soon...a
New Dios will emmerge..and the old..will attain power that is his due." as
he approaches the door to leave you in the dim light of nothingness. 

Himemiya Anshi smiles faintly.

Himemiya Anshi asks, "Will you love the new Dios as much as you do my
brother?" 

Kataki opens the door solemnly with a metal screech of a lock
parting..swinging it open ..again shrouding his figure in a shadow of
darkness as he finally answers, "No." flatly, "Why would I love a creature
that you have already condemned." as the door closes behind him with the
finality of locking steel.  Returning you to the darkness. 

Himemiya Anshi smiles again, faintly, as Kataki walks out. Her gaze is
hooded, then turns toward Akio's general direction. "I wonder...I wonder
if he sees the irony of that statement?" 

Akio finally sees fit to emerge from the shadow, unafraid of the chance
his sister might wish to retaliate against him. "Of course he can't." 

Himemiya Anshi nods faintly. "I know, at heart." She pauses, then turns
back to her sibling. "It's been a long time since you were known by the
name 'Himemiya'. A long time indeed." 

Akio rests his hands within his pockets, watching you with a slender,
disturbingly CALM, almost angelic smile. The lethal smile that he
displayed as Kanae was murdered while he watched. "It has. When he says
it, I almost remember the taste of that name and time."  Akio says,
"Almost." 

Himemiya Anshi chuckles. "Almost as long as it's been since we had an
amicable conversation. Funny, how that works." 

Akio says, "I was not the one who declared war on the world."

Akio says, "I was not the one who caused the birth of the Million Swords
of Hate." 

Akio says, "These things are your own will, and we both know that."

Himemiya Anshi shakes her head. "No, you weren't. But you want to. You
can't hide that ultimate purpose." Her jade eyes and gaze wash over you
calmly, resignedly. "And while they may be my burden, you want them as
tools to use, toys to have." 

Akio says, "That is what they are. As all things in this world."

Akio says, "Even you, dear sister."

Himemiya Anshi nods faintly. "You say these things as if I don't know
them. There is very little I don't know about *THIS* world." 

Akio reaches out, brushing a hand along your cheek. "We shouldn't be
enemies against each other. We have a common goal. The preservation... the
turning of this world." 

Akio says, "The need to make it suit our whim."

Himemiya Anshi whips her head away coldly, then fixes you with a calm
glare. "No. Our MEANS are similar. Our ends are as dissimilar as night and
day." 

Akio asks, "Is that truly how you see it, Anshi?"

Himemiya Anshi shrugs softly. "How I see things is not really a subjective
point of view anymore, is it?" 

Akio says, "We both use the same tools and we both seek the same end. We
both want this world to continue. We both know that revolution is a
facade." 

Himemiya Anshi says, "Revolution is what we make it."

Akio sighs. "Who are you guarding against the truth now, Anshi? Myself..
or you?" He shakes his head, showing a genuine sadness. "I have no more
use for this unpleasant situation than you do. If you wish to leave.. then
speak the words. I'm sure you're curious of Utena, who is closer to the
Prince than I." The last sentence full of a deep, enduring bitterness. 

Himemiya Anshi looks at you, and then quietly places a hand on your
shoulder. Not the hand of passion, but for maybe the first time in her
life, the comforting hand of someone who is certain of intent. "That you
can feel remorse or guilt at all, reminds me more of Dios than any glory
of conquest." 

Akio glances away. GLANCES AWAY. Something Akio has NEVER DONE. "I asked
you once if you loved her. And you asked me if I did. And I answered in my
own fashion. Now I answer you again. I love what she will become.. what
she can do... what shines from her.  .. but I don't love her. I gave her
the ring years ago as a whim.I never expected her to return to me. I
wonder who you favor more, Anshi. Me.. or her?" He turns, touching your
hand for a moment, and you can feel the defeat of him, the misery of
*knowing* , perhaps touching him for the first time the impossibility of
his goal, the utter uselessness of his ambitions. Turning toward the door. 

Akio asks, "Do you want your dream.. or reality?"

Himemiya Anshi says, softly and after a long pause. "Selfishly, neither. 
I want the idea, the thought of a perfect universe that none of us can
ever have. Do not think yourself the greater fool, for an entire world was
built on my folly." She sighs. "I cannot fault you alone for taking
advantage of it. All anyone wants is a happy life." 

Akio nods, his voice, his body in accord with that of his sister. "And to
believe that their life is meaningful. She is the same. They all are." He
sighs, passing a slender-fingered hand over his eyes.... lowering it,
shoulders falling.. before you can see him visibly work to rebuild what
was shattered... 

Himemiya Anshi walks to the door, facing it with you. "But we'll keep
playing the game. We have to. I may have the Swords, but I don't doubt you
have burdens of your own." 

Akio glances at you one more time. Eyes shining with light and pain and
*knowing*. He nods quietly, reaching for your hand with his own. "We must
continue the game." His powerful voice echoing. "The consequences
otherwise..." 

Himemiya Anshi nods, reaching for the door. Her hand lingers on the
doorknob. "...would be greater than any of the pieces imagine." 

Akio lets a faint deep laugh come out of his lips. "It was good to see you
again, sister." He waits, letting Anshi open the door... 

Himemiya Anshi nods, lock clicking absently as the light outside streams
in, Anshi's dress melting away to her fuku in the light. Her smile is
real, for once. Maybe something has happened here, which has brought some
small joy into her life. Misery loves company. "You as well...brother." 

Akio hesitates in the dark... and as Anshi passes through the doorway a
flickeringly strange emotion moves across his face, an unfamiliar stirring
of something that could be called remorse or regret. Before his long face
becomes that of stone... and he reaches to the knob... slamming the door
closed behind Anshi... leaving himself in her place, in the coffin.. 

[Utena logo - to be continued]