The Damage Done

a Shoujo Kakumi Utena fanfic

by Sean Gaffney

Utena (C) 2001 Be-papas.  All rights reserved.


~ To live a love, you've got to give a love
  To give a love, you've got to be part of
  When will I see you again? ~
     --Neil Young, 'A Man Needs A Maid'


     Her head held high, Anthy Himemiya strode out the gates of Ohtori 
Academy.  She felt a lightness in her heart, the sort she hadn't felt in she 
couldn't remember how long.  Years.  Decades.  The duels had finally been won, 
though not quite in the way her brother wanted them too.  And now here she 
was, carrying out the result.  She was leaving Ohtori, and leaving her 
brother.  She didn't need him anymore.  Her prince had freed her from her 
coffin.
     She spared a glance over to Chu-Chu, ho was perched resolutely on her 
shoulder, and then began to walk down the nearest street.  *Utena... I'm 
coming!* she thought joyously.
     Two minutes later, she stumbled into a brick wall on the side of the 
street and crumpled to the ground, her luggage springing open at her feet.

***

     "Miss?  Are you alright?  You there, go and fetch a glass of water, the 
girl's fainted."
     Consciousness returned slowly to Anthy, who began to recall what had just 
happened.  She didn't try to move, mostly as she still felt as weak as a 
kitten.  Chu-Chu was trapped under her shoulder, but seemed to be more annoyed 
than hurt; he was wisely hiding.
     *Stupid, stupid, stupid!* she cursed herself.  She'd apparently left all 
of her intelligence back at Ohtori.  She should have guessed this would happen 
after such a long period with Ohtori, and Akio in particular, as the focus of 
her powers.
     Now she had to think fast.  She needed food, and drink, and then probably 
a lot of sleep.  Much as she wanted to simply run into Utena's arms, her 
search was quite possibly going to be long and arduous, especially as it 
looked like she might not be able to depend on her special abilities to help 
track her down.
     Going with the flow, she allowed herself to be lifted into a sitting 
position.  Chu-Chu quickly ran down the back of her jacket.  She smiled wanly 
at the onlookers, and accepted the glass of water handed to her.
     "I'm sorry... I must not have gotten enough rest last night."
     "Do you need me to call a doctor, miss?"
     She shook her head.  A doctor would be a really, really bad idea.  "I 
think perhaps some food would be all I need... is there someplace to eat 
nearby?"
     The young man, nodded, and helped her to her feet.  She staggered a bit, 
and not just because it was what was required of her.  *I think I may have 
underestimated how difficult this will be for me*, she mused cynically.
     She was led into a small cafe, and sat down in a corner table, out of the 
way of most of the patrons.  She nodded gratefully at the man who'd helped her 
in, then lowered her face to the table, pressing her cheek against it.  *Real 
wood.  Good.*
     She saw an apron walk up to the table, and raised her head enough to see 
the jovial man attached to it.  "Another young woman in distress, Hiro?"
     "I'm not going out looking for them, I promise.  It's pure coincidence."
     Anthy rised her head again.  "I'm sorry to be such a bother."
     The cafe owner (she presumed) smiled, and shook his head.  "No bother at 
all, I promise.  Tea?  Or just water?"
     "Coffee, actually," Anthy said, feeling the need for something strong.  
The caffeine would likely help awaken her senses, both physical and 
supernatural.
     "No one should bother you two back here.  You don't mind another invalid 
at the tables, do you, Miss?"  He was talking over her shoulder, presumably to 
the table behind her.
     "I'm not an invalid.  And no, it's not a problem."
     Anthy leapt nearly three feet into the air, spinning around with eyes 
wide.  Unfortunately the shot of adrenalin provided by the voice didn't last 
long, and she promptly slipped and fell back onto the floor, almost blacking 
out again.  Her heart was hammering in her breast.
     "Miss!  Are you all right?"
     Anthy tried to respond, but could only let out a brief moan.
     "She was just shocked.  We were at school together, and I don't think she 
expected to see me."
     Anthy opened her eyes, and found herself staring into the face of Utena 
Tenjou.  Unsmiling, and with a hard set to her jaw that unnerved her, but 
still Utena.
     *Not this quickly, that's for sure,* Anthy silently answered.
     She was helped back into the chair.  "Miss, I really think you should go 
to the hospital."
     Anthy couldn't even shake her head.  "I just need some coffee.  And maybe 
some food after that."  She found herself once again sitting with her cheek 
pressed against the tabletop.  She could only see Utena's legs from this 
position, dressed in a pair of jeans.  They then moved out of her line of 
sight, and Anthy heard Utena drop into the seat across from her.
     "I'll watch her and make sure she's OK.  Get her that coffee, though.  
And maybe another cup of tea for me?  I can wash dishes again tonight..."
     "I have money," Anthy said.
     There was a long pause, then Utena continued as if Anthy hadn't spoken.  
"And you said you needed someone else to wait tables... I'm not sure how much 
longer I'll be here, though."
     The man with the apron returned to the table, and no longer sounded so 
jovial.  "Miss Tenjou, I understand your feelings, but please do not refuse my 
hospitality.  Allow me to be kind."
     "I apologize," Utena said after another pause.  "Thank you for everything 
you've done."
     "Not at all!" he said, immediately cheerful again.  "Where is that 
coffee... ahh, here it is."  Suddenly a very large mug of coffee was placed 
before Anthy, who stared at it like it was life's blood.  At this point, that 
might not be far from the truth.
     "Would you like cream or su... never mind," he added after seeing Anthy 
guzzle the coffee down, not caring what she looked like.  After several gulps, 
she finished and straightened up in her seat.  She passed the cup to the 
slightly stunned owner.
     "Another cup would be lovely.  And some dry toast."  She gave her best 
'please pretend she's normal and just accept it' smile to the owner, who 
shrugged and proceeded to do just that.
     This left with nothing to do except stare back at the woman who had saved 
her... no, had made her save herself from the life she and her brother had 
created.  The one who convinced her that there truly was a life beyond Akio.  
And whom she had just seen the previous day, pinioned by a million swords, 
while she herself was ripped away.
     Now she was sitting here, seemingly unharmed, and sipping her tea.  
Staring back at Anthy with nothing more than idle curiousity.  That hurt.
     "You left Ohtori, I'm guessing," Utena said, nodding her head at the 
luggage that had been placed next to the table.
     "Yes, I did," Anthy replied.  She was feeling a little stunned at this 
turn of events.  All of the things she told herself she wanted to say to Utena 
suddenly seemed somewhat silly, considering she'd found her almost 
immediately.
     "Good," Utena said, then returned to her tea.
     Chu-Chu chose this moment to pop out from under the table where he had 
hidden, and walked up to Utena proudly.  "Chu!"
     Utena looked down, and patted Chu-Chu on the head, but she still didn't 
smile.  "Hey there, Chu-Chu.  Glad to see you here, too."
     This behavior didn't go unnoticed by Chu-Chu, who proceeded to get in a 
wrestling match with Utena's fork.  This too provoked no reaction from her.  
Anthy was starting to worry.
     Chu-Chu vanished as the owner returned.  "Coffee, and dry toast.  And 
another muffin for you, Miss Tenjou."
     "I'm not that hungry..." Utena protested.
     "You should eat it anyway.  You're a stick.  And I mean that in the best 
of ways."  He grinned and returned to the counter.
     Anthy took her coffee, and sipped it more slowly.  She still felt dizzy, 
but wasn't about to collapse anymore.  She'd get a good night's sleep tonight, 
and then decide how to deal with this.  Right now Utena was more important.