Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Tears of Love Part II: Pretty and Cruel ❯ Questions from the Past ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter I: Questions from the Past

" You can never escape me, you know that of course…" I run, and run hard. My chest heaves, my heart pounds, and my breath crystallizes then falls back into my face. My legs burn and sear with pain, but I keep running. Suddenly I feel myself falling forward as the cold, hard ground rushes up to meet me. I turn around to look behind me at my pursuer, my eyes peering deep into the darkness. She steps out slowly, strands of violet hair seeping forward from the darkness, violet hair forever etched into my memory. Shiori's violet hair. "Y-y-you!? But I freed myself from you!" I stammer. "Pitiful girl, you thought just because you won one little duel that you could erase me from your life?" she says in a cold, nearly threatening voice. I try to get up but she is on me before I can even get off the ground, her hands holding my wrists down, slamming them to the ground. I cry out as the pain surges from my wrists up through my arms. Shiori's gaze fixes deep into mine, her own eyes so dark and cold, yet somehow filled with a deep seduction. She smiles a wicked smile, wets her lips with her tongue, and purrs at me, "Mmmmm I know you want me, want me inside of you, feeling you, tasting you…" As the words leave her lips, Shiori moves in close to my neck and begins to suck softly on it. I reach up to try and push her away, but as I look down, I am startled to realize that my wrists are now shackled to the ground. Shiori continues to suck on my neck as her hand slowly caresses the inside of my thigh. I try to resist, but the chains, combined with Shiori's weight on top of me, hold me down tight. Her fingers then move up from my thigh, and rhythmically begin massaging my groin. I let out a small gasp of surprise mixed with both pain and pleasure. I want to get away, but I want to stay, and those mixed feelings only intensify the experience. "Please…" I barely whisper, "please stop…" Shiori grins at me and says, "Look at you, all I have to do is touch you and you bend to me. Such a dirty and disgusting girl you are, Ms. Jury." She begins to massage faster, her kisses becoming more aggressive. I feel the pleasure build up inside of me, filling me up inside until it is almost too much for me to bear. "Yesss, come on Jury, show me that you're mine!" Shiori whispers into my ear. I moan loudly once more as the pleasure finally becomes too much to handle and explodes out of me, my whole body convulsing and writhing in ecstasy. Practically gasping for breath, I try to relax my body and as I do, Shiori suddenly vanishes and the darkness fills her space. I hear her voice come from the darkness, "Mmmm see? You can never leave me, no matter how hard you try. You will never be free of me…" With that, she laughs an evil, heartless laugh, as a feeling of terror, pain, and loneliness washes over me…

I awake with a start. I gasp for air as the realization quickly comes to me: just a dream. No, not just a dream, the third this week. I wipe my forehead with my hand, noticing for the first time that I am covered in sweat. "Hm, and definitely the most intense thus far…" I quietly say aloud to myself. As I get up to walk towards the shower, I stop at my closet and open it. There, on a shelf behind my clothes lies a small shoebox. I take it out and open the lid. Glistening in the new morning sunlight, the broken pieces of my Rose Locket lie. I pick up the small, wrinkled picture of Shiori that once occupied the locket and look at it deeply. Just a short while ago, I would have looked at this picture and felt a deep longing and desire for the person it contains. Now, as I examine it carefully, I look inside of myself and feel nothing. No anger, no desire, just emptiness. "I guess I really am free…" I whisper aloud to myself. I place the picture back into the shoebox and return it to it's place in my closet. I then close the closet and head off to shower and start the day…

Today starts off as any normal day at Ohtori Academy would, except that this year my classes have changed to accommodate my higher grade level. After math class, I grab my lunch tray and join Miki at our usual table. "Good afternoon, Ms. Jury," he says to me in his usual, calm, yet inquisitive voice. I smile back at him and reply, "Hello Miki, and the same to you. How is everything today?" Miki swallows his food and replies, "Pretty good, you seem to be doing well today, Ms. Jury." The smile on my face fades a little, "Well, looks can be deceiving," I say in a more serious tone, "the dreams are coming back." Miki's face becomes more serious as he leans in closer and says, "How bad are they?" I look down at my plate, "Pretty intense…" It's all I can say without going into detail, and my face is already blushing enough. Miki understands and doesn't press any further, but instead puts his hand on my shoulder and looks into my eyes, "Don't worry, they probably mean nothing, just repressed feelings. I'm sure they will dissipate in time, along with the dreams." I give him a lopsided smile, "Thanks Miki," I reply half-heartedly, trying my best to be convincing. Things involving Shiori never tended to have happy endings.

After my classes, I head over to the elevator of the main hall to begin our student council meeting. It is there that I plan to explain my intentions concerning my position as current dueling champion to Touga. As the elevator reaches the roof, I exit and take my seat next to Mikki. Touga steps out of the shadows, making his usual "grand entrance." I am not surprised. "Welcome, and thank you two for coming," he says in his usual suave, carefree manner, "This is indeed our first meeting since our new dueling champion has been crowned. I have no new business to report, but I would like to know if there is anything either of you wishes to discuss. How about you, Ms. Arisugawa?" Touga smiles at me and extends his hand. I ignore it, stand up, and face him, "As you both know, I am currently still the dueling champion. And as the champion, I wish to relieve Anthy Himemiya from her role as the Rose Bride." Mikki gasps, obviously shocked, and even appearing a bit betrayed that I did not consult him beforehand. I mouth the words "sorry" to him and he nods his head. Touga remains completely calm, as if he were expecting this to happen. He smiles again and replies, "Well, it is indeed true that the dueling champion may do whatever he or she wishes with the Rose Bride, so it appears that even your outlandish request may be granted. I believe you would wish to inform her yourself, yes?" I nod, the firm look on my face holding strong. He continues, "Well now, if that's all then, this concludes our meeting…" "Actually, I have one more request," I interrupt. Touga stops, his face hiding any feeling of surprise, "Well then, please continue." I straighten myself up and say, "If there is no Rose Bride, then I wish to resign my title as Dueling Champion." Touga's face becomes serious and silence fills the room for a moment before he replies, "Now that, I'm afraid, is impossible. You cease to become the champion only after being defeated in a duel, those are the rules." I try hard to contain my surprised feelings, but my annoyance cannot be withheld as I say, "But without a Rose Bride, there is no need for a champion duelist and no need for the duels!" Touga just smiles at me and replies smoothly, "Who said anything about there not being a Rose Bride? Now, I have other business I must attend to, this meeting is concluded, I will see you both tomorrow afternoon." With that, Touga walks toward the elevator, indicating that our meeting is indeed over.

As I lay comfortably in my bed later that evening, I begin to wonder what Touga could have meant by his comment earlier. I pull my sheets up to my chest and softly relax my head against my pillow, tangerine curls of hair falling down around my shoulders. I replay his words over in my mind, "Who said anything about there not being a Rose Bride?" Does this mean that he will not honor my request? I think to myself. No, he said that he would let me release Anthy from her duties. I stop for a second and my thoughts linger on Anthy. I realize that this is the first time I had even thought of her since the meeting. I had told her after my duel with Shiori that I would let her be with Utena, and I had kept my promise. "Even someone as deceitful as Touga has his limits, his honor," I say aloud to myself, "and it is my right to do with Anthy as I please. He must honor my request." Finalizing that thought, I realize that I haven't even talked to Anthy and Utena about all this. I must tell stop by tomorrow and tell them the news. I yawn softly and close my eyes, "Yes, I must do that…" I whisper aloud as I feel myself begin to leave the real world and the darkness of sleep engulfs me…

"Yes sir, of course I will. Don't worry, everything is going fine. Goodnight." Touga Kiryuu returns the phone to its receiver and lets out a breath of air, laying his head down on his pillow. "Foolish man, all he does is worry." Shiori purrs as she strokes his naked chest, "Aw, don't you worry. Your plan will work this time." Touga's calm is broken by a slight flair of anger, "Although I do appreciate your "support" I believe it was you who lost to Jury, my dear." Shiori stops her playful touching and sits up, "It's not my fault, she got lucky. Pitiful girl, saying she was "free" of me. She'll never be "free", and I will have my revenge." She then lays back down and resumes her playful petting of Touga's chest. Touga smiles and then whispers to her in a more serious tone, "You seem pretty confident that your hold on Juri's emotions has endured, but I myself sensed an air of `freedom' from her at today's meeting." Shiori grins and replies calmly, "Mmm it's most certainly a lie. She's hurting inside, I know it. But it's not nearly enough. I will make her hurt a thousand fold for what she has done to me." Touga again smiles and replies, "There's my girl. You will have your revenge and then the Power Of Dios will indeed be mine…"