I'd go with Kozue. They can bond over their mutual brother complexes.

Utena. Definitely. Dat scene in episode 37.

Utena. Seconding those motions. 

Also Juri, because I can just see them fighting constantly and I like antagonistic pairings

I wasn't planning on posting this, but what the hell. Except from the Long Weird, and Currently Unfinished Juri story.

****

It is just past midnight one week after my initial meeting with Nanami, and I am combing through mind-numbingly uninteresting school records from my sophomore year of Ohtori Academy. The lights are low so as not to disturb anyone else in Nanami's home, and the exotic smell of the wood of the desk drowns out the scent of jasmine that can otherwise be smelled throughout the house.
    I find myself moving through a steady progression of increasingly grand homes as I visit my old classmates. It is not as surprising with Nanami as it was with Saionji or even Miki; Nanami has always been a child of privilege. Her current residence is not as large as her family's home near the Ohtori Academy which I have visited in the past, but it matters little: Nanami surrounds herself with only the best. The furniture in her office alone is worth more than I will make modeling for Kiryuu, Inc.
    Nanami does not live alone; she enjoys a full house-staff including a driver. Her personal assistant, the silent woman from the office, and on-site security also can be found whenever Nanami is here. I feel like an intruder for staying here while I look through the records, but it was the easier to accept Nanami's invitation to stay with her than make constant trips back to my home. For the past few days, I have been waited on and treated like a member of the family.
    In some ways, looking at the success of Miki, Saionji, and Nanami, I feel that I have underachieved. I am by way of comparison quite financially poor compared to any one of them. The mere fact that I would consider working for Nanami at all, school records at Ohtori or not, speaks volumes in that regard. The fact that I have to arrange even more time off in order to continue this research is another.
    The phone call to my superiors on the Japanese Olympic Council was quite entertaining in that regard. I am fairly certain they were going to come out and ask me if I would consider competing instead of coaching until I gave them my reason for calling.
    "Ah, Arisugawa-san," Watanabe Hikaru had answered the phone in his artificially deep tone. "At last we hear from you. We have made many attempts to reach you recently."
    "I know, Watanabe-san," I had responded. "As the numerous messages left in my voicemail indicates. I assume no one bothered to remember that I only to be contacted in emergencies."
    "Ah, but time is essential, now of all times." His normal speaking voice is considerably higher than the one he uses when addressing subordinates. It's fascinating to listen to the difference. Even now, he makes an effort to keep his tone deeper than it should be. "After all, the qualifiers for Beijing are drawing near. You should be here, after all. You need -"
    I interrupt him. "To continue focusing on my health so I am properly able to assist the team."
    Those few moments of silence were delicious.
    "Your health?" was his suddenly quite reply.
    "I will be getting a CAT scan this week, Watanabe-san."
    The decision to tell my superiors about this made sense. It was not misdirection, as I was not lying, and I would not be able to perform my duties sufficiently with the memory loss enigma still hanging over me. The truth is that I need this time in order to settle this, and that is all they need to know.
    "I see..." The conflict in his voice had been clear. Obviously, the Olympic Council wanted me involved in some capacity rather than not at all, and if my health concerns were serious they may have to revise everything for the team going forward. At the same time, since I'm not currently listed as a competitive member of the team, the specifics of my health concern need not be disclosed.
    And they would be foolish to include me among the actual fencers until they know the state of my health. Which would give me the time I should need to finish this.
    "I will be in touch when I know more, Watanabe-san. I thank you for your patience and understanding on this matter."  I am aware that most people cannot get away with this level of imperiousness towards their superiors, but the desired result had been achieved and I was allowed the extension on my leave.
    True to my word,  I had a complete medical check. The fear that came with getting a CAT scan turned out to be unwarranted. The results showed nothing abnormal with my brain, and the physical that was performed a day earlier gave the same indication of the rest of my body. No trauma, no tumor, so thankfully no physical cause for the loss of memory.
    And true to her word, Nanami began slowly getting her hands on Ohtori school records for me, and she didn't even require that I model for Kiryuu, Inc before obtaining them. The photo shoot was still weeks away, scheduled for after the Olympic qualifiers when my available time would coincide with her staff's. I must admit that I am excited to see what final pieces are selected for me after hearing Nanami's initial proposal.
    As a professional athlete, well, former professional athlete and especially one who is an Olympic champion, I have to consider my reputation very carefully whenever I accept a modeling contract. I've been very conscious of which companies I will work for and what fashions I am willing to be seen in. No one, regardless of the money offered, has convinced me to do a swimsuit shoot, much less a lingerie shoot. My agent knows that negotiation on this stance is not allowed, and as a result I have no idea what tasteless garbage he has refused without me seeing a tempting monetary amount. I have crafted an image of elegance and refinement over the years, as far back my first contract. The job for Soft Bank that Nanami envied was meticulously planned to take advantage of this image.
     It was not surprising that Nanami was well-aware of my preferences and didn't suggest anything I would have otherwise refused. Designer time pieces, bracelets, gowns, and business clothing were among her offered choices, and all of them fit extremely well into the image of an active, professional woman. Contracts were drawn up and signed with relative ease, specifics confirmed and dates selected with a minimum of debate.
    I pause a moment to take a sip of tea and rub my tired eyes. I've been looking at these records for days, and have found little to go on. Saionji's file, unsurprisingly, did not hold the answers I sought. The mysterious reversal of his expulsion contained within turned out to be little more than an official form submitted by one school counselor and signed off by two admissions officers and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. I feel very foolish for thinking it might have been anything more than that. I was hoping for a letter of recommendation, or something more detailed than just a simple office document. To be more precise, such a letter was attached, but its contents gave no specifics other than the case had been reviewed and that given the circumstances expulsion did not seem an appropriate form of disciplinary action.
    I have leads from this, of course. The counselor who submitted the request to have the expulsion reversed is the strongest, but the request had to signed by the Chairman, so that's another. The Chairman also consented to Saionji's return to the Student Council, based on another official document, so he's another possibility.
    Trying to find the connections between all of this documentation is difficult, though. Aside from tracking down these individuals, which I may have to do, how would I determine what happened? What were the circumstances leading to Saionji's expulsion? Miki's notes make reference to dueling and that Touga was injured, but there is nothing in the official paperwork to support that. I may end up having to track Touga down after all. Miki's notes also mention school rules about dueling; I may have to return to the Ohtori Academy library to find that.
    Perhaps Aoi knows something of this, being part of the current Student Council.
    "Any luck?"
    Nanami has entered the room, her silhouette against the dim light in the hallway beyond the door is still recognizable. She carries a wine glass in each hand.
    "No," I chuckle, closing the current file and stretching. "Ambiguity and lack of detail abound."
    She chuckles and tilts her head in that familiar motion that means I could have told you that. Taking a sip from her own glass, she offers the other to me.
    "From Shinohara-san, the last time they came to visit," she says softly. "1997 Merlot, I believe. We'd have been classmates when this was bottled."
    I nod, and she moves into the room and hands me the glass. I sample it. I know little about how age affects wine, but this is very good.
    "Don't you mean Saionji-san?" Wakaba was pretty firm on the topic.
    Nanami laughs heartily. She is a bit intoxicated...
    "Oh, dear Wakaba," Nanami grins. "She'll always be Shinohara to me. It's cute how she insists upon leaving the past behind her."
    I suppress a very snide remark and instead say, "Is that a hint, Nanami?"
    Nanami grins wickedly. "I'm not the one wearing an artifact as old as this wine, Juri-senpai."
    I have several retorts that I continue to stifle. Insulting Nanami while in her home will not give me continued access to the Ohtori records, and I can't afford that. Besides, this is the first time I have ever seen her intoxicated and am willing to forgive her in the name of curiosity.
    "No, no you're not," I take another sip. "Is that an electrum band around your finger?"
    She looks at the ring on her left index finger and nods.
    "Not engaged, not married," she muses.     "I'm surprised you recognized the metal."
    "I've modeled a fair share of jewelry in my life, Nanami."
    "True." She somewhat clumsily slides down the wall to the floor on my right. It is hardly elegant, but she isn't under the influence enough to have been in danger of falling either.
    "Do you still like girls?" Her question comes out of nowhere, and I slowly set my glass down upon the desk.
    "Because you never mention any boyfriends in your letters," she continues without waiting for an answer. "I always assumed that you and Ruka were together once, before he left the Academy for good. When was that, again?"
    "1997," I say evenly. My curiosity over where she is going with this prevents me from giving her any insight into Ruka and I.
    "Right," she nods and resumes speaking immediately. "But there were all those rumors about you and Takatsuki...Takatsuki..."
    "Shiori," I offer, watching her struggle while biting my lip. Everyone has a huge, gaping hole in their memory of 1997, and for some cursed reason no one has forgotten Shiori and I.
    "Shiori!" Nanami exclaims. "That was it. Were they true?"
    I take a large swallow of wine and then turn to her.
    "Yes, I loved Shiori." Nanami's eyes go wide as I say this. "She never loved me in the same way, however. That is all there is to say on it."
    "So, the two of you-"
    "No," I interject rather vehemently. She freezes in place, relaxing only after I turn away.
    "Sorry..." she says softly.
    "Did you really want your brother sexually?" I am unable to resist a little retaliation.
    She gathers her knees to her chest, somehow looking so much younger while doing so.
    "No," she whispers. "No, no. I know everyone thought...but no...he was safe. He was safe. And he loved me like he didn't love anyone else, and..."
    She trails off and then snaps out of it.
    "Anyway," she shrugs. "People are sometimes just not who you think they are."
    "Go to sleep, Nanami," I say gently. I wish I had held my tongue earlier, now.
    "Help me up?" She holds out her free hand to me, and I support her as she rises to her feet.
    Just like in her office so many days earlier, she is embracing me before I can stop her.
    "I'm sorry, Juri, I should never have..." her voice is muffled against me, but I can still understand her.
    "It is alright," I carefully return her embrace. "Go to bed now, Nanami."
    She nods, releasing me. Without stumbling, she makes her way out of the room.
    I open the file back up once she is gone. Saionji wants to play with bokken while we drink, Nanami wants to dig into my personal life. I suppose Saionji did that as well. At least with Miki, he didn't get intoxicated when he asked me about Shiori.
    Perhaps he did later, though, and that was how he worked up the courage to ask me to make an appearance with Kyoto University's fencing team. As I recall, we did have wine with dinner there. I wonder if that wine came from Saionji and Wakaba as well. Seems very likely at this point, they seemingly give wine to everyone. Even me.
    I suddenly feel even more disconnected from my classmates than before. Has everyone been in touch with each other, save me?
    Wait, this is interesting. This is the financial records of funds allocated to student activities through the year. A large amount was given to something called The Society of the Black Rose ran by a 12th year student named Mikage Souji. Enough to pay the salary of a school employee.
    Or two.
    Funds allocated to this group cease around the same time Saionji returned to school...not precisely the same time, but close enough to merit further investigation. I close this file and search the ones for the remainder of the year, and find no mention of The Society of the Black Rose anywhere.
    Huh...The Society of the Black House was listed as based out of Nemuro Memorial Hall...I don't know of any building on the Ohtori campus with that name. In fact, this is the only student activity registered to that building.
    A building which does not exist. I need files on both Nemuro Memorial Hall and Mikage Souji, now. Who knows if any of this is connected or not, but it is the first promising lead aside from the counselor who submitted the expulsion reversal, and the Chairman.
    Nearly one hour past midnight. Too late to ask Nanami about getting me the relevant files tomorrow, considering she's probably passed out by now. I quickly write up a note explaining what I will need. I grab the empty wine glass, tea cup and saucer, and the note and head downstairs. During my stay, I've been leaving similar notes on the dining room table where Nanami has morning tea along with any materials I've finished looking through.
    The house is very still. Thankfully, the majority of the floors are carpeted so my footsteps make little noise. A dim light from far down the hall illuminates the corridor enough for me to make my way the main kitchen, where I quietly rinse out the wine glass and set it aside. Nanami's glass is already there. Apparently, she had enough presence of mind to bring it here before heading to her bedroom. The tea cup and saucer I leave with the wine glasses.
    I make my way into the dining room and leave the note next to Nanami's favored chair. It is then the hairs on my arm rise, and I realize that I am being watched. I turn my head in the direction of the dim light down the corridor and see Nanami's assistant standing the doorway.
    The only time she has spoken to me was when I arranged to meet Nanami at the Kiryuu, Inc. building many days ago. Since that moment, she has been silent in my presence, though I have overheard her speaking with Nanami softly through the walls during my stay here. Always regarding official business, though, and always professionally. I have wondered if the two of them are even friends, and if Nanami keeps her around only because she is an exceptionally competent administrator.
    I am mostly covered in shadow in the dark dining room, as is she in the barely lit corridor, but our eyes meet long enough to know that she understands that I see her there. As she turns her head towards the lit doorway before her, the angle is enough for me to see that her normally braided hair is now in two high ponytails, one on either side of her head.
    I know who this is.
    I know who this is.
    I know who this is, and why she has been silent to me.
    She steps forward into the light and I realize that she is wearing nothing at this moment.
    Nothing save a black collar with a dangling, silver ring around her neck.
    "Sonoda-san..."
    Keiko's head turns back to me at the sound of her family name, and she gives me a small, wicked grin in return. Eyes narrowing, her tongue lightly rolls along the sharp edges of her upper teeth.
    From the doorway, another hand quickly reaches out and grabs the silver ring around her collar; a hand with a simple, electrum band around the index finger. That hand violently pulls Sonoda by the collar into the room beyond, the door shutting quickly behind her.
    I catch a glimpse of metal around Sonoda's left ring finger before the closing door kills the ghostly light.
    I am certain that metal is also electrum.

Chrome Homura wrote:

Ashnod wrote:

amazing

I MUST READ MORE OF THIS. Is this something you wrote and already uploaded somewhere, or is this post all that the interwebs can see?

No, it hasn't been posted yet. Nor it is complete. Frosty and Giovanna have read a significant portion of it, though.

Thanks for the compliment.

Chrome Homura wrote:

No problem. Btw, remind me to stalk you for updates forever now

Thanks. The creative well has been slow of late, but it's been returning to me.

Anthiena wrote:

I remember reading this and it is still amazing. Simply amazing.

Thanks! *hug*

I didn't remember how much of you had read through! I'm glad you still find it a good read.

Ashnod wrote:

A really great story.

Wow, that was interesting. If you write more of it, can you please give us all the link to where you posted it? Because I really want to read more.

Anyway, your story got me thinking that Keiko/Nanami would be interesting. Of course, if it takes place during the main series, it probably wouldn't be a very happy relationship. I also think Nanami/Utena would be interesting, especially because Nanami practically stalks Utena sometimes. I would like to maybe see Nanami/Jury too.

This thread will only become relevant if Touga becomes a woman, because he's the only person Nanami likes whatsoever.

Looking at the guy, he's halfway there already.

COMIDI KAMAN AHT CHA

Ashnod wrote:

Thanks. I keep trying to finish the blasted thing, and it keeps fighting me.

No pressure intended, but you should kick its ass.   I have things that have fought me for years, and all of the sudden, I'm feeling older and my former fandoms have won over me.  Curses!  Also helps, if you have a close fandom bud.

I think the (ultimately) most healthy relationship would be Nanami + Wakaba. Wakaba would rehabilitate Nanami into being a nicer person and Nanami would get Wakaba into all the cool parties.

Would give Saionji and Touga a pair to go out with, though for the latter it would be the usual disfunctional pairing Could at least give Saionji something to feel good about when comparing himself to Touga ("I'm worthless? Well at least my date isn't my own sister..!").