AN: I cheated a bit on this chapter, using material from earlier
episodes. Just thought I should warn you...
As the sun was setting Shinobara Wakaba lay back on her bed,
her curly brown hair flowing free around her head, still dressed in
her school girl's uniform. She let her bag drop to the floor with a
loud thump as she sighed to herself happily, gazing up at the
ceiling and letting her precious memories come rushing over her.
Finally Wakaba smiled a goofy little smile and softly
murmured, "Juri."
If someone had told her a few weeks ago that she would get
to know the enigmatic fencer, she wouldn't have believed a word of
it. Their meeting was something right out of a movie, running into
each other in the hallway. Wakaba had actually been cross with Juri,
but the orange haired fencer seemed more amused by it than anything
else.
It was the next day that Juri actually came to her suite.
Wakaba had been stunned, even as she tried to look casual to her
roommate. The tall orange haired woman had settled down into one of
her old chairs like she owned it, then actually apologized!
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for knocking you down
yesterday. I was a little upset, and I wasn't watching where I was
going," Juri had said charmingly.
Wakaba had managed a smile, stammering out, "There's no harm
done." Juri smiled back at her, and the younger girl was struck by
the elegance of the woman
"I wanted to make it up to you." Juri then reached into her
shirt pocket, and placed a ticket on the desk even as she got up to
go. "There's a exclusive fencing match coming up in a few days.
Admittance is by invitation only. I got this for a friend, but she
can't come. I'd... appreciate seeing you there." Juri actually
looked a bit uncomfortable, a faint blush on her cheeks.
She had looked down at the ticket, then Wakaba gazed up to
Juri. "I'd be glad to," she answered her happily, wishing there was
something more she could say. That night Wakaba had a hard time
sleeping, looking over at where Juri had sat with a certain amount
of awe and wonder. By the time morning came, Wakaba had known she
had to do something.
The was sun shining down on her as Wakaba stood impatiently
waiting for Utena and Anthy to reach the top of the bridge.
"Good morning," Utena had smiled at her slightly.
Leaning up against the railing Wakaba smiled back, "Good
morning, Utena."
From her place walking by Utena's side Anthy had smiled at
her gently and respectfully repeated, "Good morning."
It was odd, she had felt so good that morning, even Anthy
hadn't bothered her. "Utena?" Wakaba smiled as she fell in beside
the pink haired girl.
"Yes?" Utena looked down at her curiously.
Wakaba could feel her cheeks actually going a bit red. She
took a nervous breath before softly asking her, "What do you think
of Arisugawa Juri?"
Utena blinked. "I like her," she shrugged.
Wakaba had to smile at that simple answer. But it was true,
and it seemed to reveal something within her too as she
said, "That's good! Because I think I like her, too."
Leaving Utena looked after her curiously Wakaba had taken
off, heading for her classes. But it wasn't too long before she
stumbled across two figures talking together. Walking beside Juri
was Miki Kaoru, a fellow fencer, and there was an odd intimacy to
their talk.
Wakaba felt a surprising stab of jealousy at that. 'What am
I thinking?' she wondered, her heart racing. She barely knew Juri,
why was she so... She felt a bit of relief as they seperated, but
whatever he had told Juri, it wasn't good. The tall woman walked
with shoulders slumped, clearly lost to her darker thoughts.
'She shouldn't be like that,' Wakaba thought, wondering how
she might jar her from her thoughts. Taking a deep breath she ran
and leapt, yelling out, "Juri-sama!"
Juri staggered about for a few steps, the she seemed to
realize who was perched on her back and asked, "Wakaba-san?"
Wakaba slid down to the ground, giving Juri a cheerful
little smile. "Sorry," though she couldn't really manage to sound
too terribly apologetic about it, "but I just couldn't resist."
"I've seen you do that to Utena a few times," Juri smiled
almost unwillingly back at her, "I'm now feeling much more
sympathetic to her."
Wakaba fell into step beside her and looked up at
Juri, "Then next time, I'll do it while you're leaning out of a
window."
"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Juri had raised an eyebrow,
and Wakaba was stuck by her beauty once again..
'She really is like the panther that the other students call
her,' Wakaba thought even as she smiled impishly,"So?"
Juri laughed softly at that. Wakaba felt her heart leap as
Juri actually grinned down at her, "You know, I think I like you."
"Good," Wakaba felt relieved to hear that. She tilted her
head to the side and asked Juri, "So what had you thinking so
intently?"
"It doesn't matter," Juri smiled.
'I wonder,' Wakaba had thought, but just let it go. That
afternoon classes had let out, and hesitantly Wakaba had waited in a
new place. Juri had walked out of her classes, her eyes visibly
widening at seeing Wakaba there, then she smiled.
"Thanks for walking with me," Juri had said softly as they
walked across the campus. The sun was on it's slow journey to
sunset, and Juri's mane was lit fire-gold.
"I should be thanking you," Wakaba had answered her
softly, "I've seen all the girls around you, the ones who call you
Prince."
"No," Juri shook her head. It looked like the taller girl
was having trouble finding the right words to say, "You're different
than they are, you know. None of them would dare to approach me, and
they would never talk to me the way you do."
"Is that good or bad?" Wakaba asked faintly.
"Good," Juri smiled, and their fingers touched, "very good."
Their hands entwined, the two of them walking together until they
reached Juri's dorm.
"Good night, Juri-sama," and Wakaba went up on her tiptoes,
gently pressing her lips to the surprised looking Juri's cheek.
"Wakaba?" Juri's voice was soft as Wakaba began to move away.
"Yes?" Wakaba stopped, her heart in her throat.
"Thank you," Juri said softly. The taller woman's smile was
apparent in her voice, "Could you come to the fencing practice
tomorrow? I seem to do better when you're there."
"I'd love to," Wakaba smiled happily.
The next day, and everyday after, Wakaba attended the
practices. Juri was a goddess of victory in the ring, winning her
matches and moving on to the next with a cold efficiency so
different than how she acted other times. And after the practices,
Juri and Wakaba would walk together.
The gardens and walking paths of Ohtori were perfect places
to talk, quiet and private spots were almost everywhere. They moved
through the roses and flowers, and quietly talked about almost
everything. Everything but one.
Wakaba turned herself sideways on the bed, curling up a bit
as she considered what was happening to her. She had teasingly
proclaimed her love to Utena before, throwing her arms around her
best friend and embarrasing her to no end. But the feelings Wakaba
was developing for Juri, they were deeper, stronger than that.
"I love her," Wakaba murmured to herself softly.
Tomorrow was the exclusive fencing match that Juri had given
her the ticket to, and she looked forward to it with great
anticipation. Not because Juri would win, because she felt sure of
that, but afterwards... Wakaba would tell Juri how she felt about
her.
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