Revolutionary Girl Utena: Generation 2 - The Rainbow Rose

"Ah, a combination of both, I see. Well, the show looks like it's going to start soon. So we should catch up after, and stop talking now. But it was nice to talk for a little bit with you both again. I mean it's been forever and a day."

"You're right. I should turn off my cellphone."

At the moment I took it out, it began to ring. It was Hana. I blinked, and got up.

"Anthy, save my seat. It's Hana."

I walked out into the hallway and picked up the call.

"Hello? Hana, what's going on?"

"Oh Dad! Our house is on fire! I called the fire department and they're on their way right now, they're going to put it out and I saved some things, but other than that, I think it burned down... I'm.. I'm so sorry. If only I had made it home sooner..."

Hana's voice began to sound more and more upset as she kept speaking. I quieted her and tried not to freak out. I took a deep breath and relaxed myself enough to be able to speak as levelly as I could.

"Okay.. okay... uh. Let me think, let me think here. Alright, well your mother and I are getting ready to see Wicked. And I can't leave the theatre, unless somehow there's a delay. But that doesn't look like it's going to happen. So um, wait for the fire department. I'd say have them call the police and investigate things. And until we can get there and work things out, you go to Kaori's house with her and her mother, take Aiko go with you and the things you saved, and just go. I want your safety, Hana."

I told her, calmly.

"Okay Dad, I will."

It was at that moment that as the curtain went to open and the lights dimmed, they began to all malfunction. The curtains stopped and started opening and closing again. The lights began to flicker, and it seemed there were screeches of mics from backstage. Everyone was in a panic, and I watched as this happened in confusion. As soon as I had made it back into the theatre to witness what was happening, I saw Touga in the lighting booth standing next to the sound and light guys. I smiled and he winked.

"Stay there Hana, we'll be there very soon."

"Okay."

And with that the call ended. I ran back to our seats and in the confusion, I grabbed Anthy and pulled her with me.

"No time to explain. Hana, emergency. House. Have to go. Saionji, you can come if you want to."

He nodded and hurriedly came with us, thinking he could be of some help. We got into the car, quickly, and I started it up, driving like a madwoman back to our residence. Hana, hang in there.

I looked confused to this but wonders what was going on before feeling Utena pulling me from my chair and out into the hall. When she said the quick words, All I did was nod, following her quickly back home.

When we got home and pulled up in the car, I found the fire department on the scene and putting out the fire or what was left of it before it could build up again and spread. It has basically destroyed our house and our possessions. I got out and looked upon the grass finding some ashes. Then, I looked at the deteriorated house and sighed. What the hell had happened? I didn't know what to make of it, and then I turned and directed my attention to my daughter and Aiko... and then there was Kaori, but she was safe and with Wakaba of course.

"Alright, Hana, Aiko, are you guys okay? You're not hurt anywhere are you?"

I asked. I wasn't overly concerned, but when it came to the life of my kid and her friend, I was downright worried when facing something as dangerous as a fire. Saionji remained in the car for the time being, surveying the damage of the house. Eventually he got out of the car on the other side, towards the house, walking over to its grasses and picking up the ashes of one of the walls, then letting it fall back on the grass. He sighed and picked it up again, clutching it this time, and then he walked over to me, holding out his fist.

"This is the ashes of one of your walls, I presume. I thought you might want to savor it."

I took the ashes gently and nodded to him, and that's when a look on Wakaba's normally cheery face dramatically changed.

"... Is that really you... Saionji?"

OOC: Can you play Saionji for me for a little bit?

ooc:Sure. *smiled*

bic:I looked to see Saionji hearing his name, turning to see Wakaba looking to him but he looked at her quiet, seeing her. "Wakaba? Is that you? You seem to have grown as well."

"Don't give me that crap."

There was so much hurt in her voice. Just what was the matter with her? Didn't he make it clear to her years ago he was in love with Anthy and had no desire to date her? Wakaba looked down in that similar fashion she used to when she was younger, and I watched the tension between Saionji and my best friend. He was such a nice guy, and yet that might all change. Did something happen between them?

Eventually, Wakaba looked up and made direct eye contact with him, unafraid and brave.

"You know I never thought I'd see you again in my lifetime, or around here ever again. This certainly .... is a surprise."

She tried to put up a pleasant front but everyone could see she was emotionally distraught. So something did happen, but what?

"Well, it may be so but it's a surprise to me too. Seeing you here with a little one and also seeing Utena and Anthy with their own little girl. It seems so much has happened but I keep missing them." he looked back into her eyes but Kaori felt worried of her mother, wondering how she knew him.

"Utena, Anthy, Hana, Aiko, Kaori, dear... would you all please excuse us for a moment? Saionji and I have to talk in private."

As all of us would have proceeded to walk away, Kaori remained still. I blinked, I thought Wakaba wanted to speak to Saionji alone and that's when Kaori looked up bravely and said...

"No. I'm staying where I am. Obviously something is going on between you two, and whatever it is you need to talk about, can be said in front of me. I've lived my whole life not knowing any male figure in your life, and now that there is one standing in front of you, I have to know what's going on. It's only fair to me."

She spoke profoundly. I watched as she did this. The kid had a right to know, much less was she just like her mother. I watched her boldly stand there with her arms crossed. A moment of silence passed and then Wakaba sighed...

"Fine... stay."

And the wind blew, the fire department managing to put out the fire, and clean up some of the mess. And that's when, dramatically, cinematically, Wakaba looked at Saionji and walked towards him, looking up at him.

"Why'd you leave?"

OOC: I'll take Saionji back now.

"What do you think they're speaking about over there, Mom?"

I directed my question to my mother, or what looked like my mother, I couldn't really tell, since everything was a blur. It ended up being Aiko that I directed it towards. I couldn't see anything, just barely. My father, even so I was unaware of it, was looking at me funny, observing that maybe I couldn't see.

Meanwhile with Wakaba and Saionji and Kaori...

"I had to."

He looked away, down at the ground as the wind blew. It was like one of those dramatic scenes you only see in movies. Wakaba looked at him, obviously not understanding.

"You... had to? I don't understand Saionji. You don't have to do anything, you didn't have to leave me all alone. You didn't have to marry me and fall in love, all you had to do was be there to take care of your responsibilities as a person, as a husband and as a father. The reason you married me and fell in love, the reason you left, all of that... was want. You wanted to run away. And yet the only thing you had to do was stay, but that you couldn't accomplish either, have you?"

Kaori's eyes looked up suddenly, a bit confused and a bit shocked. She'd almost put together the whole story. She muttered to herself...

"Father...? He's ... he's my ... father?"

She questioned to herself and watched the scene continue to unfold in front of her. She just... couldn't believe it.

"Wakaba, why do you persist in saying the words that need not be said? I mean fighting further won't prevent anything from happening, it won't resolve anything, and it probably won't change anything. I suggest you don't waste your breath from your pretty little lungs that you need to breathe. And I mean that in the most sincere way possible, dear. I would rather see you alive than mad at me. And I get it, you don't truly understand. But maybe this will help..."

Wakaba looked at him and he walked over to her, looked her straight in the eyes and grabbed her hands.

"I knew it would come to this eventually. I have to thank you for putting up with me all throughout high school and even so in college when we reconnected. I was going through a metamorphosis, or so I had to. I realized that when we began to see each other, right after college. I realized I'd been a real jerk and that if I did change, I might still be that same jerk waiting to come back out again. Hurting you is the last thing I want. SO, I left because I love you. Not because I hate you. It's just that, we're two people that contrast. And I didn't want that kind of environment to be raising a child. Much less two."

Wakaba took a moment to look away from his eyes and make eye contact with Kaori, whom just barely held her own, looking into her mother's eyes. This was way too dramatic for me to ever handle.

"So, Mom. How long were you planning to keep this from me? You told me that our Dad moved away and he could be dead for all we know, but you knew exactly where he was and who he was and what he did. And you chose to keep this from me? You raised me fatherless, and how you wanted. You shaped me how you pictured your daughter when you were dreaming up offspring when you were in high school, and I hadn't the chance to experience half the things I would get to do with my dad only...."

"Wait, Kaori, hun, I can explain."

"I don't want you to explain anymore. All my life, all you've ever done is explain, and I've trusted and listened to you. Have you just been lying to me all along, hiding things and secrets that are vital for me to know? I probably would have turned out just fine even if I knew where and who my father was all these years. But, I didn't, now did I? Now, I don't need anymore of your explanations, in fact, the only one that seems to be making sense here, is Saionji. Now, if you don't mind Mom, I'd like to speak with him alone."

"Alright."

Wakaba, just barely held back the tears, as she walked away a long enough distance to be out of earshot.

"Kaori, is it?"

"Yes, that is my name."

"What are your questions?"

"To start, are you my father?"

"....Yes, I am."

"Alright, second of all, you said two children. So, are there any other children that you and my mother have, do I have siblings??"

After a moment Saionji nodded and replied...

"You have a brother."

Kaori sighed and looked down for a moment and then back up at him. Saionji stared at her, puzzled as to what would come out of her mouth next.

"So then, you left before I ever knew who you were. Right? You said to my mother that you did so because you loved her, and to protect me, she told me a lie for all of my life. I turned out how she wanted me to be, and I never got to know my father... that much I can comprehend. It may take me a while to process this... But, Dad, I'd like to experience you as my father. Just because you left, doesn't mean I don't love you or miss you."

Kaori softly smiled. "I've waited my whole life for a father, and I believe the hands of fate have maybe brought you back to me. Regardless of the problems between you and mom, regardless of what might happen, I would like for you to come back into my life and help me to experience life as a kid with a father should. That is my only request."

Saionji softly smiled and nodded, walking over to his daughter and grabbing her, hugging her, not too tightly.

"Of course. If that's what you want, I'll do it. I love you too, kiddo."

Kaori took a moment before lightly wrapping her arms around Saionji and hugging him back.

Meanwhile with Hana, Aiko, Utena and Anthy...

"Wow, that's.... truly something. I didn't think Wakaba was the type to do something like this. I can see where Kaori's coming from, but then again, I can also see where Wakaba's coming from. Either way, I guess we did something right in bringing Saionji back. They had to face one another sooner or later, right?"

I smiled nervously and looked upon my family. Hana... for some reason, was talking to inanimate objects now as if they were real people. I wondered, had something happened to her contact lenses during the fire?

"Yeah, that was a good thing to do Dad."

Hana called out to me as I watched her say that to a tree with berries on it. I blinked, I wasn't going to say anything until someone else noticed it. But, Hana... where are your glasses? I thought.

I blinked and then turned around, scratching the back of my head, a small pink color coming up in my cheeks.

"My glasses?"

I sighed eventually and hung my head, giving it. I pulled out the small black case I had in my pocket and opened it grabbing the glasses out of the case. I placed them on my face, shut the case, and looked to the ground. My normally turquoise colored eyes faded to a more green color. I shyly kept to myself.

"Here they are..."

I smiled seeing her with glasses but Aiko was surprised to see hana wearing glasses. "You still look adorable with them on but Honey, you know you need to wear them to see but what happened to the contact lenses you had?"

"Well you see the stereo, and Dad's old uniform, and that picture, I was able to run in and save those items before the whole house burned down. The heat was beginning to fog them up, so I had to get rid of them on the way out the door."

I laughed nervously.

"So I grabbed my glasses on the way out, knowing I had to see somehow. I just didn't want to have to wear them in front of Aiko..."

I looked up weirdly. In these glasses, I looked like Anthy...

I smiled but just was happy Hana was safe even if she went into the burning house. "Well, you did save somethings but at least the more important came out safe and that's you, Hana. I'm sure your father is happy you are safe too. Right Utena?"I looked to her but sees aiko looking at well.

I nodded and smiled.

"You know, you look just like your mother. Or some weird mix between your mother and I. You're still wearing that uniform after all."

I smiled weirdly.

"I look like Mom?"

"Well, yes you do but you still look like your father so it's pretty much more of a mix."I smiled to Hana but Aiko blinked looking to her. "So that is what you look like with glasses, I think it's...cute."I smiled but then looked to see the things she saved. "Well, a few things were saved even from your uniform, Utena."

"Yeah, thanks Hana."

I smiled and walked over to drape it on my arm.

"You're welcome."

I looked down and blushed. I couldn't stand all this attention, and yet usually I loved it, I was a dancer after all. I looked at the ground and tried to deter the attention from me.

"Awww, this reminds me of the time when Hana was a baby walking but she was trying to do the same thing like her father."

"What do you mean?"I heard Aiko asked me but I smiled.

"When she was little, she pretends to be in a sword fight with her teddy bear. Me and Utena thought it was cute she was trying to be like her father."

I blushed and turned my back on them. I couldn't, just couldn't. It was weird. It was like as soon as these glasses came on, my personality changed with them.

"Are you okay, Miss Hana?"Aiko asked gently but she smiled looking to her.