The Day After the Revolution
a 6x100-word Revolutionary Girl Utena drabble set by sarahtheboring
Titles from Pulp's "The Day After the Revolution"
The Building Is Over
He sits at the center of the world until it grows dark. Morning will come, but he doesn't think about it. It seems unthinkable. The world is not built like this, is it?
The room is silent, the noise of the school as distant as another planet. The cursor blinks on the screen until he shuts it off.
Somewhere in the world, she sits in a taxicab, or on a train. She is looking out a window with eyes open to the sun. He sits at his desk without her.
She does not come back, and does not come back.
---
The Rave Is Over
She plays piano, with or without him. She talks with the girls and flirts with the boys, and kisses some, with or without him. At first life is an unwound spring, pointless, discharged, but slowly it returns. She likes kissing them, even if no one is watching.
The little protege of her brother's is too young to even consider, of course, but she finds that she doesn't mind him much. He sometimes reminds her of Miki, but not always.
The two of them spend a lot of time together, Tsuwabuki and her brother. She learns not to mind it much.
---
Guilt Is Over
She knows that Shiori is watching, waiting her turn, and something builds in the pit of her stomach and rises toward her chest. It doesn't stay low, knotting and twisting. It doesn't seize in her throat; she can breathe freely as she continues this match. She can even concentrate. Mostly.
She tries not to see Shiori's little smile from the corner of her eye, but she still knows it's there, and in her chest something swells and swirls like a soap bubble. She is still captain, still strong, capable, and respected by the team.
Shiori steps forward, and Juri smiles.
---
Perfection Is Over
Nanami brings them tea without being asked, because she wants to. The boys are not entirely happy about their practice being interrupted, at first, but they acquiesce. She doesn't even have to whine.
She sits with them, feeling proper and mature. They are impressive and handsome in their kendo uniforms, but they are both sweating, and not entirely impressive.
She drinks tea and doesn't talk as much for a little while. Her brother, her brother's friend. Not princes, but that's okay. Seniors in high school. She loves them and knows they do too, even though Saionji denies it. They do.
---
Irony Is Over
Don't you remember that girl? What girl? The one who played basketball on the boys' team. She got in trouble for wearing a boys' uniform. Remember?
Oh, right, her. She came to school three years ago, right? Last year, silly, it was last year. Wasn't it?
I wonder what happened to her.
Is anyone doing anything on Saturday? I don't know, but they have kendo practice tonight. That's all I'm thinking about. Oh, you! Don't you go falling for a kendo player, I'll lose you forever!
You'll never lose me, Wakaba, my love! You're the bestest friend in the world.
---
The Fear Is Over
She hesitates on the doorstep. She can't believe exactly how she found this place; it took so long, and so many false leads and coincidences, but...
Nothing follows behind her. For such a long time she kept looking back. Chu-chu would point adamantly ahead, and she would relent, smiling wearily. Nothing was ever there, and after enough times, after seeing only empty roads and innocent crowds of strangers - not staring, just there, like the trees or the buildings - she lost the habit.
She takes a breath and tightens her grip on her suitcase.
And knocks on the door.