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| Nemuro Memorial Hall has been exposed as a ruin, the 100 students finally laid to rest, and Mikage Souji...disappeared without a trace. Life in Ohtori moves on, almost cruelly indifferent to the goings on. The victims left with no memory of their duels. Ohtori Akio has taken a fancy to Tenjou Utena. Perhaps he recognizes her from some strange past? He invites her and Anthy to come live with him again in the Rose Tower. Wakaba invites herself over several times, also quite taken with the Dean. The duels have once again begun, and once again, Utena is forced to deal with Saionji. This time, she isn't dealing with a love obssessed man, but a crazed psychotic, claiming to have seen the Ends of the World, and Anthy's true purpose: Nothing but property to be used. To Utena's dismay, the Sword of Dios disappears, and Anthy calls it forth this time from Utena's chest. But is it really the Sword of Dios? Or is it Utena's own soul sword? |
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| Saionji is once again defeated, but the question remains, why duel again? And why did Saionji behave so oddly? The answer is not one Utena will find easy to swallow. Miki soon finds himself in a predicament: Akio decides to use his sister to get at him to duel, and Kozue uses Akio for the same reasons. After much convincing, Miki and Kozue soujourn to the dueling arena to challenge Utena, this time, with Kozue as Miki's Bride. Kozue's very presence and actions tend to distract Miki through much of the duel, causing him to lose, and even Kozue warns him about that. Miki turns from the dueling game once and for all, fading to the background for much of the rest of the saga. |
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| Not long after, a blue haired young man enters the picture, named Tsuchiya Ruka. He was the Captain of the Fencing club before Juri had taken over it. Rumor had it he'd been out of school due to an illness. Utena finds it odd that Anthy knows of him.... Ruka has come back with a purpose: To participate in the duels, and the Student Council. Juri finds it rather upsetting to find him back at the school, and even worse that he associates with Shiori. Akio sees this chance as a way to get at Utena, as her position has now irked him into wanting her out of power. And so Shiori and Ruka are sent to the duels, and meet with failure. Ruka knows when to dump garbage, and leaves Shiori on the spot, only to have her cause an embarrassing scene the next day. Unwilling to see anyone, even Juri, Shiori locks herself in her room. Trying to be civil and compassionate, Juri goes to visit her and is met with a cold shoulder. Ruka likewise exposes Shiori for everything she is, whether Juri wants to hear it or not. |
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| Ruka also doesn't leave promptly after the duel with Utena. His brings his true intentions out on the table for Juri to see: Ruka wants her, and he wants her to be free. It's been plain to him that the chain that ties Juri to Shiori needs to be broken. But there's only one way to do it, because Juri wouldn't go willingly. So Ruka challenges Juri to a duel, the result being, if he wins, Juri is his. And if Juri wins, Ruka will walk out and never be heard from again. Juri loses, and Akio steps in to take control. Juri does indeed become Ruka's, or is it the other way around? For the next day, Utena is challenged by Juri, but with Ruka as her Bride. As all duels with Juri are harsh, because Juri is such a good fencer, this is no exception. Dios power is once again called upon, but this time, with a different result. Instead of striking the rose from Juri's chest, the locket, the precious thing that Juri held dear to her heart, was smashed to peices, thus breaking the chain that held her to Shiori. Utena, thrown off by the act, lands on the arena floor as it begins to rain, and Juri tears off her own rose. "Don't worry, Juri" Ruka's soft words can be heard. The rain continues, washing away the past hurts so she can begin anew. However, it isn't long until Juri realizes just how serious Ruka's condition is. Ruka dies a few days later, having used the last of his strength to finally see Juri freed. Juri too turns from the duels, to start a real friendship with Shiori, and watch over the Fencing Club. |
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| Everyone's got their share of problems, but it seems Nanami's got more to worry about than anyone else. Keiko finally gets up the guts to chase after Touga, much to her dismay. Nanami also learns, that she and her precious brother may not even be related! So what is Nanami to do when she's got nothing to hold herself to? She moves onto the Ohtori Campus, and into the Rose Tower. Touga doesn't take her seriously, and attempts to bring her home, but Nanami refuses. Akio has no qualms with Nanami moving in, as it makes it an easier job for him to manipulate Nanami. And he does just that; Nanami ends up challenging Utena with Touga as her Bride, after throughly thrashing her hench-girls. Utena defeats Nanami, and this time, Nanami doesn't pursue to kill Utena afterwards. Instead, she breaks down into tears, at a loss of what to do. Meanwhile, Touga reveals to Akio that they actually are related, and Akio chides him for being a bad brother. But just what is a GOOD brother, coming from Akio? |
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| After these turn of events, Nanami too drops out from the Student Council and duels. Touga once more takes over as acting President, and Saionji with him as the Vice President. Saionji seems to have taken a different look at the way things are and have been, realizing that Touga really had been his friend all this time; even if he did play head games from time to time. So it is up to Saionji to dig Touga out of his mad craze for power. But can he succeed? He constantly questions why Touga should listen to Akio, if it's worth all the trouble just to be like him. It begins to make sense to Touga, but deep down, Touga wants to be the one to bring about the sought after Revolution, even if it is for no one but Utena. After all, deep down, he does love her. After having no one to really show him what real love is, it's Utena who brings it to him. And something like that can't just be neglected. Touga and Saionji approach Anthy and Utena, with this proposal: Touga will challenge Utena the next day to a duel. If Touga wins, Utena will be his. If Touga loses, there will be no one else to come for Anthy. This upsets Utena, after having spent the night with him up on the arena floor, gazing at the stars. Nevertheless, Utena takes the challenge. Saionji and Touga come up on a motor bike, and this duel, like previous ones with Touga, goes differently. This time, however, Touga loses. Left to lie on their backs, wondering about the future, Touga and Saionji wonder what will become of them and the others in the next few days. Next -----> |
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