Revolutionary Girl Utena: Generation 2 - The Rainbow Rose

"Thanks."

I left the medicine on the table after taking a teaspoon of it and forcefully giving it to Hana and helping her to swallow it. She was going to be fine, I'd hoped. I looked to face of my daughter. What could be the matter Hana? Why were you walking all by yourself? Why did you seem so empty, so upset? And where is Aiko?

My eyes glanced downwards to her finger to catch the rose crest still on it, a part of it gleaming in the light of the ceiling lights above us. I thought for a moment and then, after another brief moment of silence, spoke out to Anthy, sort of, mysteriously...

"Anthy, you don't think..."

As she would have followed my line of vision to the ring, I'd hoped she got what I meant.

I kept quiet watching Utena but somehow, deep inside of my heart, all this felt so familiar to me. My eyes closed to think but all or some memories from the past were still shown to me. It was just like the day utena acutally lost but-! My eyes widen in shock before slowly covering my mouth a bit. "B-but that...you think she.........oh no. Hana lost her first match then....s-she lost aiko?"

I nodded slowly. That must have been it. And then my eyes glazed over with a darker shade of blue, remembering that moment like it was yesterday. I could only imagine what Hana was feeling was something similar, and I could understand.

"That must be it. Who do you think she lost to?"

"I don't know. It could have been someone from school that....did the same think to you years ago to make you lose focus and...lose." I even still remember that day.

"You mean... Touga.."

I said his name lowly. As if he truly meant something to me, truly mattered, and yet, still had his own ways of pissing me off the same. I remembered what he did that day, in a flashback in my mind almost like it actually was yesterday, when in fact, it was several years ago. I sighed. Damn. Hana... this must be really hard on you. I sighed and shook my head.

"Hm, so even after calling me your prince, you still think this lowly of me, do you Utena?

I heard Touga's voice circulate in the atmosphere and my head picked up, wondering where he was, frantically craning my head to search for where he might appear. I questioned out loud.

"Touga...? Touga... where are you?"

"Are you surprised, Utena? That your daughter lost this one?"

And then he showed, in the corner of the room, walking towards the light and out from the darkness. I could see him and hear him, and so could Anthy this time. Hana remained "asleep" on the couch and the scene turned very tense.

I said nothing looking to see Touga showing up from the shadows but kept near utena, wondering what he was doing here or how he got in the house.

"Touga... how did you get in my..."

"As I said, I'm always watching over you. I did tell you things were going to get tough for you."

He placed his hands in his pockets and walked towards Anthy and I. I, for one, didn't know what to say. I just watched him make his paces throughout the room. And then he approached Anthy and kissed her hand, a phantom touch. He smiled in that "dashing" way.

"It's a pleasure to see you after all these years Anthy."

I said nothing seeing him walking towards us but I gulps a bit, feeling him holding my hand and placing a gentle kiss on the top of it. My eyes didn't look at his face but away from him when I moved my hand away from his.

"Touga, always such a charmer. You never changed from the time you were 18."

"And you from the time you were 14. You know, beauty and time is always in the eye of the beholder, isn't it Utena? And for all you could see..."

He reverted his former back to a younger version of himself, back when he was in high school. My eyes widened with shock.

"Is the younger me if you really wanted to. Just listen to your heart and project that image before you. As I see you sometimes as you were when you were younger."

He smirked and for a moment called on his otherworldly powers to change the "illusion" of my form to Anthy's eyes, back to my 14 year old self. I was still me, physically, the older version, and yet the illusion was that I was back to my younger form. I couldn't help but wonder if his being here had a purpose. I decided he did, but I'd have to wait.

I said nothing looking shocked but My green eyes were worried. what was happening and why?

"But that's just a little bit of my powers. I figure I give you a glimpse into your past. And mine and Anthy's. I figure I help you remember."

And then I reverted back to my original image, as did he. I crossed my arms.

"So do you have a purpose for being here?"

He nodded and headed over to the tv, and pointed to the remote. He was basically a spirit and so he couldn't touch anything anyway. I had to walk over and pick it up in my hands and turn on the tv. I turned it to the channel he requested and waited a moment for an explanation.

"Now watch the channel. It airs to anyone who has that station live, however, it will replay for you as you missed it."

He smirked.

"You may want to sit down for this one."

And within a moment's notice, I witnessed the duel that went on today between Hana and the other boy, in the arena at Ohtori. I felt my knees become uselessly weak and I fell to sit on the couch and watch this in total shock. What the hell was going on here?

"Ut-Utena? what is..." I didn't know what to say but I can tell from the shocked look in her eyes, this must have happeend to hana today. I didn't know if to pass out or sit on the chair with her.

"Who is... who is filming my daughter? Has this been going on all along? Do you know anything about this Touga?"

He smirked and took a seat right by me.

"Easy there, prince."

He took a pause.

"I told you things would get serious. Unfortunately, I don't know more than you know right now, all I know is that this happened. And it seems to have replaced that show you liked when it first aired. They decided to go for a real realistic approach, I'm guessing. And somehow, they ended up filming your kid fighting this other guy. It's a shame though that she..."

"That she had to lose. I get it. Aiko is gone and she's sick and going through hell right now with her emotions. But, Touga, this isn't helping. You don't think I'm already half worried about my kid and her heart being broken... and now this! What is this? Honestly, this never happened to me or Anthy or you... and now it's suddenly happening to Hana. Just what the heck is going on here? I'd like to understand."

I remarked a little frustrated, turning off the tv after seeing her lose the duel. I sighed and held my head, shaking it.

"I just don't know what to do, god damnit. What is all this anyway?"

I got worried to see how fusterated she was but gently sits down by her, trying to calm Utena down.

I sighed, and breathed in and out, taking breaths in between. This was all so much to take.

"I will watch out for you and keep you posted on what I know. But know that it will only get further harder from here on out. If it's the boy's name you seek..."

"Please."

"Alright. His name is Takehiko Ohtori. He is the student council president and seems to be pretty handy with a sword. Quite the charmer, from what I observe. He's a senior at the school and well, from what it looks like, he has his sights set on your daughter."

"So, he's basically a miniature you and Akio condensed into one?"

"More so like me, I sense his intentions are only good. Unlike, Akio."

I nodded and sighed out again. Taking all of this was difficult, but I was managing to comprehend. So she lost to Takehiko, a miniature Touga figure. Seemed like history was repeating itself...

I kept by my husband's side as a good wife should but I was still worried and from what info was told to her. "utena? Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine Anthy. Truthfully, I'm fine. It's just... this is a whole lot to sit here and comprehend. I can't just react like it's nothing, you know? I mean if history is really repeating itself, then I fear for the worst. And after all, she may not be exactly like me. This really hurt her, and what if she doesn't have the courage enough to stand back up to this Takehiko fellow and gain her bride back?"

"Utena, you're speaking nonsense. Hana's your daughter, YOUR daughter. Of course she'll have the courage enough to fight him again, she just has to find it first. It's like she's fighting a duel within herself, just like you did. Eventually you challenged me again and you took back what you once were and the bride you so rightfully deserved."

"Yeah I remember that. But, then what about the black rose. I don't want her to have to fight all of those people who want to kill Aiko for no reason whatsoever. That manipulator guy better not still be around. He did some horrible things and he..."

"I can assure you, that Mikage fellow is long dead. He was only alive because he had some unresolved issues in the life that he once led. He was professor Nemuro, and he was a genius. But he never understood what it was like to feel something. And when did, he wanted to cherish those memories, memories is what he was all about. And memories is the thing that killed him. Think of him as no more than a collective figment."

I nodded and he smiled. Touga just had this sureness about him that made almost every single little thought or insecurity in my head completely vanish. I didn't know what it was about his firmness that did these things to me, but it did. And Anthy's calming touch always helped too.

"Then what about..."

"The final duel?"

It was almost like he was reading my mind or something. I took a breath and then nodded, yes, that was what I was thinking about.

"I wouldn't worry about it."

"Why... how can I not ...?"

"You did it didn't you? You accomplished your mission of setting free Anthy, and gave up your dreams of being a prince in the process. But, look at you now, Utena. You have reunited and made your once rose bride, your actual bride. You have a kid. And you lead your life just how you said you would back then. Like a prince. Anthy views you that way. And I'm thinking Hana does too. You're the breadwinner in this family, and so it's time you start acting like it."

Then he took a pause and walked over to one of the vases we keep in the house. He bent down and lightly cupped his hand around a red rose, and even though he wasn't able to pick it up, he still looked as if he were holding it. Then he continued with his speech. I listened intently and watched him with my sky blue eyes.

"Do you know the reason I fell in love with you Utena?"

"Please don't tell me it's because I lit the fire in your heart, baby or something like that. Truthfully, I don't know Touga and if you're trying to charm me now, it won't work."

"That's not what I'm trying to get at. I fell in love with you because you weren't like this. You weren't like other girls. You were strong and firm. Sure of yourself and your dreams and all you wanted to be. You weren't constantly changing because your emotions did. You were focused and on a straight course to the path you wanted to be on in life. And looks where it's gotten you."


He paused again.

"I fell in love with you because you were different. Because you dared to dress against the dress code and stand up for your beliefs and what you honestly felt in your heart. You weren't afraid of ridicule or judgment, so long as you were happy, you'd continue to roam the halls with that confident stride. Something I admired about you. I'd watch you from afar and find myself wondering why all the girls that I used to be interested in couldn't be like you. And then I realized that they didn't have the same glow or pull like you did with me. They didn't have the same way of being, the same way of thinking about things or handling things. They didn't have the kind of heart and kind of passion you did. And when you're living in a world of dispassion, nothing really catches spark. But you, you were someone new who entered into my world and made it bright again. So yes, you did spark my world, and that in turn, lit the fire in my heart. Much alike to this rose here...."

He suddenly was able to pick up the rose and bring it to me, handing it to me gently. I took it in my hands and looked at it curiously. Then he continued once more.

"What do you think gives that rose it's color? Not the technical version with, it has chloroplasts that color the petals, yes we all know that. But, before that rose was crimson red, it was just a seed, a brown seed planted in the Earth, deciding which color it was going to be. It's plain and it's still growing, but one day it hopes to be a flower good enough for someone to love and caretake too. The red rose signifies passion, and so do the other colors. White for purity, green for jealousy, and black for... well, you know what. But it's the emotion that helps them to grow that decides the color for it. So one day, I decided to take a random trip to the rose garden, mind you Anthy wasn't there and I'd taken out some seeds from my pocket I bought just the other day. I planted them in the soil and waited for them to grow under the tender hand of Anthy's care-taking. However, they grew slowly, so I had to wait. But suddenly, one bud began to grow faster than all the rest and for the longest I couldn't guess what color the petals were going to be. My world was filled with ardor, yes. But no passion. It lacked that in fact. And that's why the rose I was sure, was not going to be red, which so happens to be my favorite color. But, with time, I forgot all about the flower growing and became more interested with you. And your life and I just wanted to be a part of that. My fascination grew and I grew, just like this flower, feelings for you Utena, that even as I am dead now, are not dead. I still love you. You brought the passion into my life, and I can't thank you enough for that because... well, that same rose, I checked back on and sure enough, the petals were red. Crimson red."

He smiled and a small tear shed from his eyes.

"My point is, you're a special one Utena. And, my feelings for you may never die. So my rose is red because you made it that way. And if you're daughter is anything like you are, she'll do the same for some other lucky guy out there. Perhaps Takehiko, perhaps someone else. And I have no doubt in my mind, when the time comes, she'll be able to do what you did for your friend. Let go."

That speech. That was a beautiful beautiful speech. Usually, I'd tell him to shut up if he was running his mouth since, his voice did tend to get a bit protruding and annoying at times. But this time, I listened to every last word he had to say. And I swore, some of the words he'd said, he'd said them with the same twinge as when he was 18 and when we first knew one another. It was the moments like this that made me feel so vulnerable again. He was absolutely right, I needed to start acting like how I was back then. I couldn't let emotion encumber my heart and turn me to shambles. It just wasn't going to happen. He spoke of me like I was some god, but still a girl all the same. I smiled and a few small tears shed from my face as well. Happy tears. Tears of relief. This feeling that washed over me, it was great.

"Touga..."

A brief pause in my speech made him turn around to face me curiously.

"Thank you for everything. And even if Anthy might not like hearing this, you were always my prince. And you prove it time and time again."

I smiled and he smiled too.

"That pleases my ears to hear Utena, but, honestly, I do it because..."

"Because you love me. And I was too much of a blind idiot to have seen that. You're dead and I'm alive and goodness knows where Akio is right now. But, I'm sorry for everything that's happened to us, to you, to me, to anyone involved in this stupid game. And I'm glad you stuck by my side even as we aged and you... well you passed on. I'm grateful to have a guardian angel like you."

"Yes, and I'm thankful for you as well. If it were not for you, I wouldn't have anyone to guard. Or the want to at least. You gave me purpose, so I gave you protection. It was the least I could do to shield the person who made my flower grow."

He smiled and I did as well. Such a touching moment. But he was right. It was time to start acting like the person I once was. Not the immature, petulant me. But, the me who had her priorities straight. The me who was sure of herself and everything else. The me who would stand firm by my daughter's side through anything. It was time to be the prince I really was, it was time to prove it.

"Thanks again for everything. I can't thank you enough. The faith in my daughter has been restored. And if she truly has the power to revolutionize the world, then I have nothing to worry about. She'll make things happen, and she may be able to handle it better than I ever did. Who knows until it happens right?"

I smiled and wiped the tears from my eyes. This was... one amazing night.

Hearing such words from Touga made me suprised at first but then I couldn't help but smile. He really did want my husband to be happy just like she is with me but I didn't look angry, scared a bit yes, but not angry. MY green eyes just looked at them both finsihing up talking, enjoying this calm quiet moment.

"I'm afraid I've overstayed my time here and that I must take my leave of you now. Just remember all I have said to you Utena, they're not fake words. They're real and honest from the bottom of my heart. And you too Anthy. In times of struggle, I shall always be watching over you two, always."

And then faded into the background. He disappeared, a spirit sent free to wander wherever he pleased. I found myself trying to dry quickly and hold back a few tears that had managed to bunch themselves up in my eyes. I couldn't help it, this was all so emotional. I sighed. Well, what was there to do now but wait for Hana to wake? It was going to be Saturday tomorrow and so, she could stay home if she wished.