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Disclaimer: I own nothing Revolutionary Girl Utena is the property of Chiho Saito and the publishers.

Just a little foray into an anime I adore. Slightly AU. Enjoy and review.

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"Do you have to go in today?" The dark young woman asked, nuzzling closer into her companion. The sheets slipped, revealing more skin, causing the other's breath to hitch. It made the first give a small laugh. All this time, and she could still make her duelist lose her breath.

The second swallowed. "Tonight's a scheduled duel."

"You don't need the money; not after last week's duel."

The second wrapped her arms around the first. She hated this. Hated when the other could tear down her castle of lies. "It wouldn't hurt to get some extra funds, Anthy. I could buy you that-"

"You're being challenged for me."

"...Yes"

"Then why lie?"

"I don't want to scare you."

Anthy shook her head sadly. How pitiful that the one she had the most hopes for could be reduced to lying like all the others. Though she had to give Utena credit; she managed to preserve her integrity longer than the others ever had. "When people go through trials, they usually don't meet them head on. They bottle them up, these problems. If the person can refrain from speaking of it, goes without worrying about it, it becomes insubstantial. But in the end, their peace is delusion. Self-imposed ignorance is a blessing to those who lack the courage for reality and its hardships."

Utena blinked twice. Slowly. She had lost. She sighed, "Do you want to know who it is?" She mentally slapped herself the second the question left her lips. Anthy was the prize of this competition but she was far from a mindless trophy as many saw her. Of course she knew who was fighting for her.

"If you lose to Miki, it will be problematic for us both." To Utena's sadness, Anthy pulled away and slipped off the bed. But as compensation Anthy gave a languid stretch, giving the pik haired warrior a full view of the dark woman's backside. Her thighs caught fire as the chocolate hips swayed to the closet. It was time to prepare. She closed her eyes and breathed, curbing her lust.

The uniform came first. Black on the edges with a large white stripe down the middle. The short bottoms came just above Utena's knees. When pulling them up for her, Anthy's hands lingered on her thighs, gliding, teasing. Then came a pure white shirt. Over that went Utena's duelist jacket, the same color scheme as the shorts.

"Anthy, you don't have to-" A thin finger on her lips stops her.

"Shush." Anthy buttons the jacket and rubs her thumbs along Utena's throat after the last button had been secured. From the closet she retrieved two articles, technically three, since one came in a pair, and presented them before the duelist.

"Would you like the pauldrons or the cape today?"

"Hmm..." In her mind Utena knew that the pauldrons were the safer bet. They provided good shoulder protection and were lightweight. The cape on the other hand was less safe. It could snag or catch on the environment, trip you up if it was long enough, or allow your opponent to get a grip on you to land a finishing blow to your rose. There was also the option of strangulation and that didn't sit well with Utena at all. It all depended on whether she wanted to be fashionable or functional.

Anthy quirked an amused brow. "Function?" She waved the pauldrons.

Sheepishly, Utena nodded. "Yeah. They'll do fine." A little joke between them was that even though she contemplated it, Utena never actually wore the cape. In that way plus many others was she an unorthodox duelist. All the nobility and skill, none of the flair.

The pauldrons were clasped and Utena rolled her shoulders to test the tightness. Everything checked out. A ring of gold was thrust into her face and Utena sighed.

"Do I have to wear the crown?" She bent down out of routine.

Anthy placed the crown over Utena's head, the empty slot positioned over her forehead. The slot was reserved for the Prince's stone. Every duelist was required to wear a crown while they dueled. It was a symbol of privilege and of hope. Though in actuality it was nothing more than a mockery being made of the duelists by their sovereign lord, Akio. He himself wore a golden crown, yet sitting pristine in the slot was a glorious black jewel rose; the symbol of his power. The key to miracles.

That was why they all dueled for Anthy. To prove worthy enough to challenge Akio for the rose and rule of eternity. For a whole year, the duelist who won Anthy must keep her in their possession, and only then would they be eligible to challenge Akio.

Anthy brushed a few strands of hair behind Utena's ear. "The duels have become more frequent. Have you noticed?" She again returned to the closet and picked out the ceremonial dress she was required to wear at every duel.

Utena fingered the crown. The emotions it set in her were heavier than the article itself. She nodded. It would be on year next month that she had won Anthy from her previous champion, Saionji. Since then she had been challenged by all who had wanted the chance at Akio for themselves. Miki, Touga, Juri, Nanami, and many others. It had been sporadic at first. Now the challenges were nearly nonstop.

The swish of fabric brought Utena from her reverie. Anthy was dressed, glowing with a subtle, crackling power under her red dress. Pure green eyes dipped into her soul and renewed a resolve she hadn't realized had been waning. The Rose Bride held out her hand towards her.

"Would you be Prince?"

A smile alighted both their lips as Utena grasped the hand in return and started out their home and towards the arena.

"Yes."