Well, I just had a marathon session of Utena and then went to bed. As a result, I dreamed up a new ending for the series. It went thusly:

The student council watched. Hordes of people rushed by them, hundreds of people, thousands of people, millions of people, but their eyes focused on three: End of the World, the Rose Bride and Utena. Smoke wafted past them and people laughed while hawkers vied for people's attentions. Food sizzled on stands nearby and the day turned had started to turn to evening and long shadows fell across the market.

Utena held her sword up, eyes wide and her chest heaving. She clenched her teeth and reached a hand back to reassure the Rose Bride who clung to her shoulders, eyes half-open. People passed them happily as they walked through the market. Children sang their silly songs, grandmothers bought onions and garlic, and tourists took photographs of ancient air ways. No one seemed to notice the pair of duelists and the bride facing off in the center of the market. End of the World smiled and dipped his head at Utena calmly.

The student council and the Rose Bride ate yakitori from a vendor while the two fought. End of the World slashed confidently, his blows nearly taking down both street stands and Utena. Utena, meanwhile, used the stands to her advantage. She hid behind them and dodged around them. They danced through the market, past furniture salesmen with their ancient, huge wares, past pets salesmen where small animals watched the metal clash with large, frightened eyes and past flower salesmen where the Rose Bride caressed the flowers gently.

Utena and End of the World splashed through a small stream that ran through the middle of the market place, and then Utena turned away from the battle. She saw the gate. A huddled old woman carrying bag of onions rushed through and headed away.

"Himemiya," Utena said, and she turned away from End of the World. "Let's go. Let's get away from this dead place." She dropped the sword, and reached toward the Rose Bride who looked scared and shocked. "Hey, Himemiya, come on. Let's go." Utena coaxed. The Rose Bride looked uncertain, torn between wanting to go with Utena and being dominated between her fears.

"No!" End of the World shouted. He ran at them full-speed, his sword drawn high.

The student council kept eating their yakitori while End of the World ran his sword through Utena. Utena and End of the World met gazes for a moment and the Rose Bride came up behind Utena to help her to the ground to lay in the market's garbage.

"Himemiya," Utena whispered brokenly. "We can still get out of here." The Rose Bride stared, her eyes dead. "Himemiya,"

"Anthy, the sword," End of the World said, and he held out a hand. Utena turned to the Rose Bride with wide, frightened eyes and waited. The Rose Bride couldn't meet Utena's gaze as she pulled the sword from Utena's body and took the dripping weapon to the End of the World. "Come, Anthy," Akio said, and he began to walk away into the market. The crowd enfolded him and he was lost to the night.

The Rose Bride turned back to Utena to see she had risen.

"Himemiya," Utena said, "It's okay. We can still go." Utena clutched her side and gasped painfully. She took a step toward the gate and nearly fell and the Rose Bride watched, her face impassive. Utena stopped moving and looked at the Rose Bride. "It's okay, Himemiya. I'll wait for you on the outside." Utena smiled and began her slow, tortured walk again. The Rose Bride was between the two paths.

(The Dream shifted to Akio's Office)


Anthy met Akio in his office and she held up a doll dressed like the Rose Bride. He looked up from his computer didn't look up from his computer as she set the doll down in the chair across his desk. She glanced out the windows at the gates out of the school which fed into an ancient white-walled labyrinth leading out onto a grassy mountain surrounded by storm clouds.

"I can't stay here, Big Brother," Anthy said.

"Anthy," Akio stood up. Anthy placed her glasses onto the doll and it came to life abruptly. The False Rose Bride angrily held up its hands and waved. It followed Anthy as she walked out of Akio's office leaving him mouth gaping, one half reaching after her.

"What if you become a lawyer?" The doll became surrounded by flames and her clothes were replaced with a suit. "What if you become fat?" Its skin burst out grotesequaly. Its seams threatened to bulge and spill cotton everything, but Anthy pushed it away with a smile, and entered the labyrinth, pushing upward.

"Don't you see," she said, "I don't care about any of that. There's only thing I care about now."



Apparently my subconscious self fears becoming a lawyer? Anyway, that's the most detailed dream I've had in a long time.