Snapshots Volume Two

[Note about the Snapshots Series: This series of one-shots is written to
capture the thoughts and feelings of a character at a certain moment during
the anime or manga itself. It may be a happy moment, a sad moment, a moment
of blind fury, or utter panic, but whatever it is, it is a moment that will
forever stick out in my mind, and so I feel compelled to write about it. It
is up to the reader to figure out who is thinking and what point in time it
happens, although most are self-evident. Comments and criticisms welcome,
as always. On with the show.]

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ONE
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	"This must be how me and my mother were when I was little."

	Mother.
	It's been so long, and yet... It never gets less painful, hearing that
word. How it conjures images of that blessed blond-haired bundle of joy, in
my arms again... How he cried, how he laughed... How he was mine. All mine.
Until they took him away from me. All because I wasn't a noble.
	For so long I've wondered, how he is, or was... But it's too late now. Why
must things like wealth and social status be so important to us, so much
more important, it seems, than the joy of being a... a mother.
	I've avoided the pain for so long, hiding in a child's form, but I guess
I've been fooling myself all these years... As I look down at Taro,
sleeping in my arms, I realize that I can't deny it forever.
	Mother.

	"Yes, Tenchi, this is exactly how you and your mother were."

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TWO
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	Damn, why do they always pick on me? So I'm no good at sports! Give me a
break! A genius like me can't be good at everything, you know! Especially
something as trivial as... sports. Hah. I'll show them. When I grow up,
I'll show you brawn isn't everything. It takes brains to get something
done, and I'm the most qualified person here to do it.
	Sigh. Home. I hope my bratty sister isn't around. She's always sticking
her nose in things she shouldn't. She's always ratting on me, she never
sees my side of any matter, and even worse, she's always with that damn...
that damn...
	Never mind. I'll worry about that later. Right now, I'll just have that
ice cream I've been saving. It took a lot of 'bargaining' with those
suckers in class to get me the money for it, but at least I know I earned
it. Every yen, earned through superior brain power.
	Hey! It's not here! Where'd it go?
	Who's that? There's someone at the porch, I...
	IT'S MY WORTHLESS SISTER AND THAT DAMN... THAT DAMN...

	"Damn you Mizuhara!!!"

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THREE
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	I lost him. I lost him to a dream
	All the strength in this body did nothing to save him. He chased his
dream, and I lost him to it.
	I had him, I had a grip on his hand, but he still fell.
	I guess it was only a matter of time. All his life he's dreamt that dream,
and compared to it I was  just second, I suppose.
	But he looked... so peaceful as he fell. 

	Damn him! Damn him for being so selfish! He knew that his striving was
over, and so he left peacefully! Leaving me to strive alone! So damn selfish!
	And yet I still think about him. Even after his death, I think of him.
Maybe even more. Because I can still reach the dream, and he can't.
	But still I lost him to it. And, as I stand here, staring down at where he
fell, I vow, I will reach that dream, the one he failled to reach himself.

	I lost him to a dream. I lost him to Zalem.

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FOUR
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	I will never forget...

	"Give it up and tell her you love her!"

	How can I tell her I love her now? Now that I have to? If I did, how would
she know I meant it?

	I will never forget...

	"It's nearly sunset..."
	I can't say it. Now now. You'll never know if I did mean it, and it would
mean nothing.

	I will never forget...

	"Do you really want to forget me? Is that what you want?"

	How can you say that now? Are you really willing to throw away all the
times we've had just for our selfish pride? Can you say how I feel? Must I
spell it out? Must you force it out of me this way? Can't you wait until I
tell you, of my own free will?
	Are the memories of the world worth this?
	Fine. Say whatever you want to say, activate the memory-erasing device and
wipe the memories of you from all the others who love you, but I swear... I
swear it on my life... I will never forget... I will never forget... I will
never forget... 
	
	I will never forget...!
	I will never forget...!

	"I WILL NEVER FORGET!!!..."

	"...you, Lum."

	TimeRunner, December 11, 1997

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TimeRunner's Page:
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7482
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Metaphor: The Necessity of the lie.

	- k-Niv, 'The Tower'