aliceylain (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aliceylain) wrote2013-10-14 08:06 pm
aliceylain) wrote2013-10-14 08:06 pm
Undone, G, Revoluationaru Girl Utena
Hoooooooly crap, signing up for Yuletide was an exercise in dithering and dithering and more dithering. The problem, of course, wasn't the requests. Those took me ten minutes to nail down. The hard part was the offers because I had very specific criteria for an offer. It had to be a canon that I was very familiar with (read or watched at least two times), not known for overly clever dialogue (because I don't want that sort of pressure on me), not known for overly clever plots (I am better at character-introspective stories than plotty stories), does not have specific accent or pattern to dialogue (archaic or era-specific canons are right out), and lastly, something that I actually wanted to write in. While there are canons I adore, I don't always want to actually write fanfiction for them.
While coming up with my sign-up and worrying about whether I could write a decent story, it occurred to me that I haven't really written anything since January of this year. Which means...I need to start writing again. Even if what I write is crap. Even if it's hard. And since I had the day off today, I decided I would write and post something. Even if it is crap. Even if it is hard. Since this was a product of about four hours, I decided to start easy and with a canon that I've written in before. This week, I'll try to write in a canon that I haven't before and see where things go.
Shiori holds a fascination for me, more so than Juri does. Juri seems so one-note, while Shiori more complex. I've also found fanfiction that has them getting together in the end to be a little ridiculous. It's clear to me from the canon that even if Shiori were inclined that way, that they would still never, ever get together. And even if they were to get together, it would be the worst relationship in the world. It's a relationship of failed communication and pain and it's hard for me to believe that anyone could look past that.
Title: Undone
Fandom: Revolutionary Girl Utena
Rating: PG
Summary: The path that was prepared for Takatsuki Shiori.
Notes: Includes dialogue from episode 17. Very rough but this is meant more as practice than anything else.
Someone behind her stabbed a black rose into her chest and Shiori flung back her head back with a groan. The pain was sharp and demanding. She reveled in it as the rose thrust through her skin. She actually felt the stem reach into her heart and anchor there. It was a living thing, roots growing and twisting until she could feel it all around her heart. She kept groaning as it settled and then collapsed to the ground as the person behind her let go. She brought a shaking hand up to the petals that sprouted from her breast and shuddered as the bud of the flower pulled back into her body, rubbing against the edges of her torn skin.
"Do you need help up?"
The psychologist stood before her, aloof and cold. She smiled, hand still laying against her breast. She could deal with aloof and cold. She fluttered her eyelashes and said, "It's the least you could do, isn't it?"
The psychologist...no, Mikage, held out a hand and she grabbed it. He didn't feel that strong but she was gaining strength by the millisecond. Her legs did the rest of what Mikage's arm couldn't and she swayed slightly. Looking down at her chest, she realized there was no blood. Such a neat and tidy operation.
"Here." A hand pushed a ring under her eyes. "You will need this if you're to challenge Tenjou Utena as a duelist."
"I don't know how to duel. That's Juri's strength, not mine."
"That's nothing to be concerned about. You'll soon have Juri's expertise close in hand."
Shiori slowly grinned at the thought, of taking something of Juri's. She accepted the ring from Mikage and placed it on her ring finger, admiring the black shine.
"You seem ready for this. The others needed more time to...process the circumstances. You didn't even scream when my associate prepared you." If Mikage was pleased, she couldn't tell from his controlled gaze.
Shiori smirked and stroked a finger against her ring. "The others were weak. They didn't know what real pain is, if they were so shocked."
Mikage snorted. "You've been stabbed before?"
"Yes," Shiori said, grin softening. "Almost every day that I was with her. Loving her and hating her has more than prepared me for this. And now that you've helped me, Doctor," she simpered, "I can now take from her what she loves the most."
"Just remember your goal is Tenjou Utena's downfall."
"Not a problem. So what happens now?"
"What happens now? The way has been prepared for you." Mikage turned slightly and pointed towards the open elevator. "Go take from Arigusawa Juri what she loves the most and make it your own."
* * *
Shiori walked through the Ohtori campus, humming. The rose in her chest hummed as well, guiding her as she slipped past students and down corridors. It increased in volume, shaking her chest as she got closer. She could almost hear a song in the vibrations. Where is Juri...where is Juri...where is Juri...WHERE IS JURI...
There was Juri. The black rose stopped the humming instantly as she strode through the open door. Juri turned to her from contemplating the large windows covering the one wall of the classroom. "Shiori?"
Shiori stopped a few paces from Juri. Perfect, poised, unflappable Juri. She held up the locket, letting it swing as it dangled from her hand. "This is yours, isn't it?" This wasn't a time to beat around the bush, after all.
Juri's eyes widened and Shiori felt a thrill as Juri stepped forward to try and take her leverage away from her. "How did you..." Shiori swiftly hid the locket behind her. "Did you look inside?"
Shiori looked down at the ground and then raised her eyes to stare at Juri through her bangs. "If you had asked, I would have given you a nicer picture."
At that, Juri looked away. She looked away. Juri never looked away from anyone, never stepped down from a challenge. Shiori felt the black rose buzz sweetly inside her and she stepped forward to cup Juri's cheek. "So pretty. I liked the look in your eyes when you were hurt," she murmured, sliding a finger against Juri's chin.
"Shiori...don't push me..."
"You're supposed to be stronger than anyone, but now you're like this..." Now you're like this and I want you to be like this forever. Weak and useless like me. She ran her hand back down Juri's cheek, over her chest, and touched the spot that the rose told her to.
Juri immediately convulsed at her touch, bending over forward and then arching backwards. She grunted and then screamed in pain as the sword rose slowly, slowly upwards from her chest. Shiori stared covetously at the blade as it emerged from Juri. The pain had to be unimaginable. The backwards arch in Juri's back grew more pronounced and Shiori had a sudden urge to run forward, wrap her arms around Juri's waist, and look up close as the blade cut through Juri's skin.
Taking the sword from Juri was almost as sweet. The minute Shiori had pulled the gleaming blade out, Juri collapsed as if her legs had been cut. As if she no longer had any strength, while Shiori felt like she could leap over Ohtori tower itself.
But the best part was when Shiori looked down at Juri on the floor, hair mussed, features slack, jacket undone. Juri undone. Shiori could never have imagined such a sight and it made her breath catch. Juri loved her control and Shiori had taken it from her. That was the sweetest thought of all.
Shiori spent a long time staring at Juri. Then she dropped Juri's locket on the floor and left to tie up loose ends.
* * *
"I shall win this Duel and bring death to the Rose Bride! I swear by this black rose!"
Shiori pointed Juri's strength at Utena, sure without a doubt that she would win. She had Juri in her hands, after all. Utena had been nice to Shiori before but now Shiori had the memory of seeing Juri at her lowest, her most private. Shiori was sure as hell going to pay Mikage back for that singular pleasure, no matter how nice Utena had been.
When Utena struck the rose on Shiori's chest, Shiori screamed in agony. That Utena had won wasn't important. What was important is the rose in her heart constricted, it squeezed, and then it began to fade. And Shiori knew, she knew as she jammed her hands to her eyes, that her precious memory was fading too. She wasn't going to remember her Juri undone. Moaning low in her throat, she fell forward onto the dueling arena floor. As the ring around her finger broke apart, so did Shiori's memories.
* * *
Shiori looked up from laughing with her friends to see Juri standing before her. Perfect, poised, unflappable Juri. "Hello, Juri-san!"
"Hi." And then Juri walked on by as always, as if Shiori was nothing. As if Shiori were a gnat that she couldn't wait to get rid of. As if they hadn't been friends for years and years.
"Hey, so then what?"
Shiori grinned and continued with her story without missing a beat. Juri was Juri. But someday, she would see Juri pause. Someday, she would see Juri shaken. Someday, she would be above Juri. All she had to do was wait for the right moment and seize it.
While coming up with my sign-up and worrying about whether I could write a decent story, it occurred to me that I haven't really written anything since January of this year. Which means...I need to start writing again. Even if what I write is crap. Even if it's hard. And since I had the day off today, I decided I would write and post something. Even if it is crap. Even if it is hard. Since this was a product of about four hours, I decided to start easy and with a canon that I've written in before. This week, I'll try to write in a canon that I haven't before and see where things go.
Shiori holds a fascination for me, more so than Juri does. Juri seems so one-note, while Shiori more complex. I've also found fanfiction that has them getting together in the end to be a little ridiculous. It's clear to me from the canon that even if Shiori were inclined that way, that they would still never, ever get together. And even if they were to get together, it would be the worst relationship in the world. It's a relationship of failed communication and pain and it's hard for me to believe that anyone could look past that.
Title: Undone
Fandom: Revolutionary Girl Utena
Rating: PG
Summary: The path that was prepared for Takatsuki Shiori.
Notes: Includes dialogue from episode 17. Very rough but this is meant more as practice than anything else.
Someone behind her stabbed a black rose into her chest and Shiori flung back her head back with a groan. The pain was sharp and demanding. She reveled in it as the rose thrust through her skin. She actually felt the stem reach into her heart and anchor there. It was a living thing, roots growing and twisting until she could feel it all around her heart. She kept groaning as it settled and then collapsed to the ground as the person behind her let go. She brought a shaking hand up to the petals that sprouted from her breast and shuddered as the bud of the flower pulled back into her body, rubbing against the edges of her torn skin.
"Do you need help up?"
The psychologist stood before her, aloof and cold. She smiled, hand still laying against her breast. She could deal with aloof and cold. She fluttered her eyelashes and said, "It's the least you could do, isn't it?"
The psychologist...no, Mikage, held out a hand and she grabbed it. He didn't feel that strong but she was gaining strength by the millisecond. Her legs did the rest of what Mikage's arm couldn't and she swayed slightly. Looking down at her chest, she realized there was no blood. Such a neat and tidy operation.
"Here." A hand pushed a ring under her eyes. "You will need this if you're to challenge Tenjou Utena as a duelist."
"I don't know how to duel. That's Juri's strength, not mine."
"That's nothing to be concerned about. You'll soon have Juri's expertise close in hand."
Shiori slowly grinned at the thought, of taking something of Juri's. She accepted the ring from Mikage and placed it on her ring finger, admiring the black shine.
"You seem ready for this. The others needed more time to...process the circumstances. You didn't even scream when my associate prepared you." If Mikage was pleased, she couldn't tell from his controlled gaze.
Shiori smirked and stroked a finger against her ring. "The others were weak. They didn't know what real pain is, if they were so shocked."
Mikage snorted. "You've been stabbed before?"
"Yes," Shiori said, grin softening. "Almost every day that I was with her. Loving her and hating her has more than prepared me for this. And now that you've helped me, Doctor," she simpered, "I can now take from her what she loves the most."
"Just remember your goal is Tenjou Utena's downfall."
"Not a problem. So what happens now?"
"What happens now? The way has been prepared for you." Mikage turned slightly and pointed towards the open elevator. "Go take from Arigusawa Juri what she loves the most and make it your own."
Shiori walked through the Ohtori campus, humming. The rose in her chest hummed as well, guiding her as she slipped past students and down corridors. It increased in volume, shaking her chest as she got closer. She could almost hear a song in the vibrations. Where is Juri...where is Juri...where is Juri...WHERE IS JURI...
There was Juri. The black rose stopped the humming instantly as she strode through the open door. Juri turned to her from contemplating the large windows covering the one wall of the classroom. "Shiori?"
Shiori stopped a few paces from Juri. Perfect, poised, unflappable Juri. She held up the locket, letting it swing as it dangled from her hand. "This is yours, isn't it?" This wasn't a time to beat around the bush, after all.
Juri's eyes widened and Shiori felt a thrill as Juri stepped forward to try and take her leverage away from her. "How did you..." Shiori swiftly hid the locket behind her. "Did you look inside?"
Shiori looked down at the ground and then raised her eyes to stare at Juri through her bangs. "If you had asked, I would have given you a nicer picture."
At that, Juri looked away. She looked away. Juri never looked away from anyone, never stepped down from a challenge. Shiori felt the black rose buzz sweetly inside her and she stepped forward to cup Juri's cheek. "So pretty. I liked the look in your eyes when you were hurt," she murmured, sliding a finger against Juri's chin.
"Shiori...don't push me..."
"You're supposed to be stronger than anyone, but now you're like this..." Now you're like this and I want you to be like this forever. Weak and useless like me. She ran her hand back down Juri's cheek, over her chest, and touched the spot that the rose told her to.
Juri immediately convulsed at her touch, bending over forward and then arching backwards. She grunted and then screamed in pain as the sword rose slowly, slowly upwards from her chest. Shiori stared covetously at the blade as it emerged from Juri. The pain had to be unimaginable. The backwards arch in Juri's back grew more pronounced and Shiori had a sudden urge to run forward, wrap her arms around Juri's waist, and look up close as the blade cut through Juri's skin.
Taking the sword from Juri was almost as sweet. The minute Shiori had pulled the gleaming blade out, Juri collapsed as if her legs had been cut. As if she no longer had any strength, while Shiori felt like she could leap over Ohtori tower itself.
But the best part was when Shiori looked down at Juri on the floor, hair mussed, features slack, jacket undone. Juri undone. Shiori could never have imagined such a sight and it made her breath catch. Juri loved her control and Shiori had taken it from her. That was the sweetest thought of all.
Shiori spent a long time staring at Juri. Then she dropped Juri's locket on the floor and left to tie up loose ends.
"I shall win this Duel and bring death to the Rose Bride! I swear by this black rose!"
Shiori pointed Juri's strength at Utena, sure without a doubt that she would win. She had Juri in her hands, after all. Utena had been nice to Shiori before but now Shiori had the memory of seeing Juri at her lowest, her most private. Shiori was sure as hell going to pay Mikage back for that singular pleasure, no matter how nice Utena had been.
When Utena struck the rose on Shiori's chest, Shiori screamed in agony. That Utena had won wasn't important. What was important is the rose in her heart constricted, it squeezed, and then it began to fade. And Shiori knew, she knew as she jammed her hands to her eyes, that her precious memory was fading too. She wasn't going to remember her Juri undone. Moaning low in her throat, she fell forward onto the dueling arena floor. As the ring around her finger broke apart, so did Shiori's memories.
Shiori looked up from laughing with her friends to see Juri standing before her. Perfect, poised, unflappable Juri. "Hello, Juri-san!"
"Hi." And then Juri walked on by as always, as if Shiori was nothing. As if Shiori were a gnat that she couldn't wait to get rid of. As if they hadn't been friends for years and years.
"Hey, so then what?"
Shiori grinned and continued with her story without missing a beat. Juri was Juri. But someday, she would see Juri pause. Someday, she would see Juri shaken. Someday, she would be above Juri. All she had to do was wait for the right moment and seize it.