Bishoujou Senshi Sailor Moon : Shadow Plays
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Vignette 3 : Tears In A Mirror


	The setting sun blazed fire across the Tokyo skyline, sinking 
slowly into the neon glare beneath.  The fragile latticework of the 
Tower cast a strange outline against the dusk, a web of tiny lights 
blinking silently in the sky.
	Atop the roof of an apartment building, Setsuna kept a lonely 
vigil, watching, feeling the rhythms of the city, the strange shift 
between the life of the day and that of the night.
	Cars raced through the streets below, gleaming lights leaving 
ghostly trails of colour along the roads.  Faceless crowds thronged the 
walkways, men, women, couples, groups, all rushing their way to 
uncounted petty goals.
	On the opposite horizon, the first stars faded gradually into 
sight. Setsuna laughed quietly as she found herself suppressing the 
urge to make a wish.  She dangled her legs idly over the edge, letting 
them swing slowly in the cool evening breeze.
	In the building across the street, a light flickered on behind 
one of the windows, giving her a view of the room beyond.  As she 
watched, she found one of her hands toying absently with a lock of her 
hair, annoyed by the unease she felt.
	A young woman came to sit at the window, short, midnight-blue 
hair hanging loosely about her face as she stared into the sky.  A 
moment later, she was joined by another, light brown hair flowing about 
her shoulders as she whispered to her companion.  They turned slowly to 
face one another, their eyes meeting for a shivering eternity before 
they came together in a delicate kiss.
	"Ami-chan..."
	Setsuna started violently at the unexpected interruption, almost 
slipping over the edge before managing to regain her shattered 
composure.
	Rei looked down at her, her expression unreadable, dark hair 
blowing softly in the wind.
	"You were so much closer to her than you knew... I think, 
perhaps, you had her respect, in a way few of us have ever had.  If you 
wanted something more... what were you afraid of?"
	Setsuna paused for a long moment before replying.  "Of her 
answer.  Of what others might think.  Of /her/.  Did you come here to 
tell me that I... that we might...?"
	"Her heart belonged to another, Setsuna-san."  Rei turned back 
to the window, watching sadly as the lovers shared a lingering embrace.  
"It still does."
	Setsuna looked up at her, bitter tears gathering in her eyes.  
"If I had only told her..."
	"She knew."  Rei answered softly, her words heavy with regret.
	"Perhaps she did.  I suppose it doesn't matter anymore."
	"What were you afraid of?"  Rei asked, turning away without 
waiting for an answer.
	Setsuna watched, shivering as she vanished slowly into the 
silverblue darkness.
	"An ending", she whispered.


FIN