Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Arisugawa's Locket ❯ Juris' Night ( Chapter 43 )

Juris' Night

Juri stuck her head out the pantry door, then she looked back in at Washu to say, "There's actually a few more out there, now."

Washu sighed softly as both she and Yume worked feverishly on the faintly glowing device that was sticking up out of the pantry's floor. "The Dimensional Tuner will be fixed as soon as we possibly can," the child-like genius explained to Juri patiently, "so why don't you go out and deal with your guests?"

"That's easy for you to say," Juri sighed as she left them to their work, "you weren't dealing with that mob last night. And now this!"

"Any luck?" the waiting Setsuna asked her with a gentle smile.

"Soon, she says," Juri shrugged.

Setsuna looked over at the mob filling the Locket and smiled wryly. "This is going to be an interesting evening, then," she remarked.

All along the long bar, covering the dance floor and sitting down at the dining tables were various incarnations of Arisugawa Juri herself. Her, and all the young ladies across the multiple dimensions who were her romantic partners.

"I suppose that you don't serve whole blood here, do you?" the bone pale skinned version of Juri asked Ryouko coolly.

"Actually, we do," Ryouko kept a careful eye on the vampire as she drew a bottle of blood from the fridge, "what would you like mixed with it?"

Utena put her hand on Juri's shoulder, her blue eyes narrowed on her pale face. "Have you seen Anthy anywhere?" the vampire asked.

"Haven't seen her," Juri's gaze seemed to linger on Utena's face.

A bit of a blush appeared on Utena's cheeks, "I'd better go look for her." Utena moved off into the crowds, and Juri watched her go silently.

Juri watched the crowd with an odd expression on her face, leaning up against one of the bookcases in the library. "This place is incredible," the woman who was garbed in black from head to toe murmured to herself softly.

"Juri-san?" the dignified voice came from just behind her. Juri turned around to see Releena smiling up at her gently, the woman that some called the Queen of the World looking at her with such caring in her eyes.

"Is everything all right, Releena-sama?" Juri asked her, reaching up to nervously adjust her flight suit's high collar.

"You don't have to call me that, you know," Releena murmured, her own military style uniform colored a soft pink. She gently put her hand on Juri's arm, "I don't think anyone will mind a bit of informality, you know."

"Sorry," Juri smiled wryly, "but I think you've earned it."

"Maybe so," Releena sighed sadly.

Juri hated to see the regal beauty looking so very sad. "Is there anything I can do, Releena?" she asked her Queen softly.

Releena took a deep breath, "Would you dance with me?"

Juri concealed her deep surprise, instead gallantly offering the shorter woman her arm. Together they moved out onto the dance floor, and Juri gently cradled Releena close, letting the smaller girl relax against her.

"Thank you," Releena sighed happily.

"It's my pleasure," Juri answered.

Over at the bar Juri gave Minagi a smile as the bartender passed her a drink. "Thanks," Juri was blushing faintly at the odd costume she was wearing.

"Nice outfit," Minagi grinned at her. Juri was wearing an approximation of Ryouko's costume, her long mane of orange hair spiked up to mimic Ryouko's mane.

"Thanks," Juri smiled wryly. She tossed a look at the real Ryouko and shook her head slightly, "I never expected to meet the real thing, though."

"I think I like you better, though," Utena remarked as she settled into a seat beside her, dressed in a costume based on Tenchi's usual garb.

The real Ryouko snickered at that, "Gee, thanks."

Utena shrugged as she took Juri's hand, "Sorry, but it's true."

Juri raised their linked hands, gently kissing the blushing Utena's hand.

Sonomi lead Juri across the dance floor, enjoying how responsive she was. Her younger lover liked to lead, too, both in and out of bed, something that Sonomi was learning to enjoy. "This must be one of the more unusual bars we've visited," she smiled.

Juri laughed softly, "An understatement, I think." The lead shifted fluidly, and Juri guided them across the floor as she added, "I wonder how this could be possible."

"Magic," Sonomi answered her simply, "or some technology so very advanced that it seems like magic."

Juri smiled to herself wryly, thinking of the Clow cards that Sakura had worked so hard to capture in Ohtori. 'Now that's real magic,' she mused. Aloud she asked her, "So where did Sakura and Tomoyo head off to?"

Sonomi smirked, "Upstairs, I think."

Juri sweatdropped. "Let's hope that Tomoyo didn't bring her video camera along with them," she muttered to Sonomi.

"Actually," and Sonomi had the oddest look on her face, "I think she did."

"Juri-sama!" the happy voice squealed, and Juri was glomped.

The taller woman helped Wakaba slide around, then she held the brown haired girl close to her. "I was getting worried about you," Juri scolded gently.

Wakaba just beamed, "I got us our drinks before looking around a bit." She took Juri to a table, where they sat down together.

Keiko looked at the two of them with a wry smile, pushing her brown braid back. "Is there anything you'd like to order?" the suit clad young woman asked.

"Could we share a sundae?" Wakaba asked cheerfully.

"Why not," Juri grinned back at her.

"What ever is going on," Shiori smiled up at Juri from where they swayed together on the dance floor, "it isn't magical in nature."

Juri raised her eyebrow, being careful not to accidentally jab someone with her sword's hilt, "Then how can there be so many of... me, here?"

"Sorry," Shiori shrugged up at the swordswoman, "that I can't tell you."

"Then let's enjoy it while it lasts," Juri dipped the startled girl and kissed her.

"Whoops," Shiori gasped, then laughed as she snuggled close to her Juri.

Setsuna and Juri sat side by side at the bar, watching the general madness unfold. "I don't suppose," Juri looked over at Setsuna, "you couldn't just turn into Sailor Pluto, wave your Time Staff and send them all home?"

Setsuna shook her head, "I could try, but there'd be no guarantee I could return them all to their correct alternate realities." She smiled slightly, "And I don't want to think about what might happen if a Juri landed in the wrong world."

"You've got a point," Juri admitted.

Another group of young women came in and Setsuna's eyes grew wide. "Oh, my.." she murmured softly, trying very hard not to laugh out loud.

Sailor Juri, Sailor Shiori, Sailor Utena, and Sailor Anthy all looked around them in awe, each dressed up in their full sailor senshi uniforms. "Such an interesting place, Utena-sama," Sailor Anthy beamed happily.

"I need a beer," Sailor Juri sighed.

"Sailor Juri-sama, you look so cool!" Sailor Shiori gushed.

Everybody sweatdropped...

The Characters in this Episode: The various versions of Juri, Utena, Keiko, Shiori and Wakaba are all from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Setsuna is from Sailor Moon. Washu, Yume, Minagi and Ryouko are from Tenchi Muyo. Releena is from Gundam Wing. And finally, Sonomi, Sakura and Tomoyo are from Cardcaptor Sakura.

The different versions of Juri include: Vampire Juri and Utena are from my fic Blood Soaked and Honor Bound. Gundam pilot Juri and her Releena are from an Utena/ Gundam Wing fusion. The Tenchi Muyo costumed Juri and Utena are from Utena Muyo! or No need for Utena! Juri, Sonomi, Sakura and Tomoyo are from Revolutionary Girl Sakura. Juri and Wakaba are from a incomplete romance fic I did on them. The sword and Sorcery Juri and Shiori are from Captain of the Guard. The Sailor Utena cast are from a series of comic strips by AmazonMandy, posted over on the www.shoujoai.com forums.