Two
The stone steps were covered by sakura blossoms as she
walked up, lugging a battered old suitcase behind her.
A hat concealed part of her face, violet hair blowing
in the wind as her simple red dress swirled around her
legs. Finally reaching the top of the steps she looked
at the building, taking her hat off to reveal a dusky
skinned young woman, shading her eyes with her hand.
Himemiya Anthy smiled slightly, "Looks like I'm here."
With that she picked up her suitcase and continued on,
walking up to the building and going inside.
Not too long after Anthy found herself sitting in the
manager's rooms, the dark haired woman pouring them
both tea. "Miss Himemiya," Kanako Urashima said
gravely, "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting such a
quick response to our notice that rooms were for
rent."
"Anthy, please," she smiled back. Anthy drank her tea
with a unconscious sort of grace, "I hope I didn't
inconvenience you by arriving so soon?"
"Not at all," Kanako answered, "we have a room ready
now, and several more opening soon." She studied Anthy
shrewdly, "As a graduate I was surprised that you
wanted to move into a dorm full of university
students."
"I only recently graduated," Anthy had a slightly
quirky smile on her face, "and find myself more
comfortable in this sort of environment." She looked
off in the distance, "And this place is convenient for
something I'm doing, as well."
"Oh?" Kanako looked politely curious.
"I'm looking for a missing person, have been for the
past two years," Anthy said, a faintly pained look on
her pretty face.
"A relative?" Kanako asked politely.
"No," Anthy shook her head, "but she is someone that I
care for... very much."
'Interesting,' Kanako noted, drinking her tea calmly.
"Not to be rude," she finally said, "but do you have
means of support?"
Anthy smiled faintly as she answered promptly, "I have
funds saved, as well as a job that supports me fairly
well."
Kanako nodded, even as she silently wondered why she
was hesitating. There was something that was just
slightly off about Anthy, but she couldn't put her
finger on it. "All right," she finally made her
decision, "welcome to the Hinata Dorm, Anthy."
"About time," Kuro muttered, the little black cat
sitting up by the window.
"Ventriloquism?" Anthy blinked, looking at Kanako then
to the cat.
"Something like that," Kanako agreed gravely as they
both got up and headed out of the room. She nodded
towards the roof as she continued on wryly, "You'll be
taking the room just above this one, actually."
"I noticed the repair to the roof," Anthy commented as
they headed to the front hall where her suitcase
waited, "was there a hole originally?"
"The previous manager had personal reasons for not
repairing it," Kanako shrugged.
"I..." Anthy started when something zipped by at eye
level.
"Nya!" the turtle exclaimed as it flew along, little
fins flapping madly.
"Was that...?" Anthy blinked at Kanako, who just
nodded.
"Come back so I can make soup out of you!" the brown
skinned girl skidded around the corner then ran right
by them.
"Su!" Kanako barked, "No running in the halls!"
"Sorry," Su looked sheepish, scratching her slightly
messy mop of blonde hair, the teen's t-shirt and
shorts looking comfortable and lived in.
"This is Koalla Su," Kanako preformed the
introductions, "meet Himemiya Anthy, the first of our
hopefully many new residents."
Anthy half bowed to the energetic young woman, "How do
you do?"
"It's nice to meet cha'," Su grinned back, eyes
twinkling as she looked Anthy over.
Anthy had to ask, "You really aren't going to try to
eat that turtle?"
"Only if I catch it," and with a wave Su was off.
"Don't be too concerned," Kanako said soothingly as
they picked up Anthy's suitcase and then walked to the
stairs, "Su's caught Tama-chan more than once, and
hasn't eaten her."
"Thank goodness," Anthy smiled.
After taking her to her door Kanako handed her a small
booklet and explained, "This has breakfast and dinner
times and other information you need, as well as how
cooking and cleaning duties tend to be divided up."
"Can I trade doing the cleaning for my cooking
responsibilities?" Anthy asked as she took the book
from her.
"Probably," Kanako agreed, "I take it you're not a
good cook?"
"I can make a great shaved ice," Anthy said to her
honestly, "and my attempts at curry tend to be rather
dangerous."
Kanako nodded slightly, "Understood." Gravely she
continued, "I'll look forward to seeing you at dinner,
Anthy." With that she turned and left Anthy to her
unpacking.
Anthy emptied her suitcase into a dresser and hung up
clothes in just a few minutes, and then she sat down
with a tired sigh before flopping onto her back.
Looking up at the ceiling a gentle, soothing breeze
washed over her, the sent of cherry blossoms in the
air, and a surprising sense of peace lingered around
this place.
"Utena..." Anthy murmured.
For an age Anthy had been bound to Ohtori academy and
her brother, trapped in a endless cycle of duels and
hope only to be crushed again and again. Utena had
changed all that, taking up her sword and fighting in
the duels not for the prize, but instead to protect
Anthy and those she cared for. In the final test she
had won... then left without a word, disappearing
without a trace.
Anthy got up, smiling to herself sadly as she walked
to the window. There was so much left unsaid between
her and Utena, so much she regretted... if nothing
else she wanted to find Utena to say she was sorry.
Sadly, it hadn't been that easy. Utena, in defeating
Akio had claimed the prize, the power to revolutionize
the world, and it made her incredibly elusive to
Anthy's limited gifts, hiding for the last year or
so...
"Yo," a unfamiliar voice called out. Looking down from
the second floor Anthy saw a sandy haired blonde
looking up at her curiously. The young woman waved
hello, "So you're moving into Naru's old room?"
"I suppose so," Anthy called back before remembering
to introduce herself.
"Mitsune Konno," she smiled back charmingly, "though
my friends call me Kitsune."
"Nice to meet you," Anthy smiled. She looked at the
woman curiously, guessing she was also past school
age, "Are you a resident, too?"
"Actually I run the Hinata Cafe next door," Kitsune
said, "though I used to live here. Stop on by, we've
got good eats."
"I'd like that," Anthy was surprised to realize she
meant it.
"Not to mention I like to slip over here and use the
hot springs," Kitsune added impishly.
A tall, black haired woman strode up, her manner regal
and oddly carrying a katana. "Kitsune, I was waiting
for..." she started only to look up and see the woman
there.”Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," she bowed
slightly.
"Motoko Aoyama," Kitsune performed the introductions,
"I'd like you to meet our newest resident, Himemiya
Anthy."
Motoko nodded, her expression grave. "Welcome," she
said calmly.
'If she was at Ohtori she'd probably be wearing a rose
signet,' Anthy found herself thinking. "I'm sorry to
have delayed your friend," she said honestly.
Motoko studied her thoughtfully for a moment then she
offered, "Would you care to join us at the hot
springs?"
Anthy fought back her usual hesitation and smiled,
"I'd like that."
To be continued...
Notes: Anthy is from the series Revolutionary Girl
Utena, as is the object of her quest Utena. This
episode is set shortly before my series "Echoes of a
Final Duel" and is part of the same continuity as
"Arisugawa's Locket" and many of my other stories.
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