Tora-chan Productions, Ltd. Presents: *~* On My Own *~* [Mists swirl through the evening shadows, gently caressing the lush grasses that cover the floor of the chamber. A solitary figure emerges slowly from the haze and walks towards a shimmering portal that stands complacently inside the rocky wall.] And now I'm all alone again Nowhere to turn, no one to go to [The person pauses in front of the portal. It's a young woman who's eyes are haunted by possibilities; she looks at the ground with a sigh.] Without a home without a friend Without a face to say hello to [The fog begins to dissipate, making the huge cavern seem that much more immense . . . and empty.] And now the night is near I can make believe he's here [A cloak appears out of nowhere; she wraps it around her shoulders and steps through the shimmering portal. Her body sinks into it until she vanishes completely.] Sometimes I walk alone at night When everybody else is sleeping [A faint shimmer ripples the air above a deserted path in the park. She steps out, her soft boots making no noise as she lands on the ground.] I think of him and I'm happy With the company I'm keeping [She begins to walk down the path, a faint smile on her face. Her eyes are distant; her feet move of their own accord through the park.] The city goes to bed And I can live inside my head [In her eyes is reflected an image: two people swirl across a ballroom floor, dancing to some unknown ballad. The woman, which is obviously herself, is being held in a deep embrace by a shadowed figure. She stops walking, lost in her dream.] Own my own Pretending he's beside me All alone I walk with him till morning [She reaches out to clasp an invisible hand, never noticing that all she holds is thin air. In her dream, his arms envelope her while she rests her head against his heart. A contented sigh escapes from her lips as she walks on.] Without him I feel his arms around me And when I lose my way I close my eyes And he has found me [A light rain begins to fall in the park; she lifts her face up to the sky and spins around, caught up in her fantasy.] In the rain the pavement shines like silver All the lights are misty in the river [She strolls farther down the path, idly watching the trees sway in the light breeze. A cherry blossom falls; she picks it up and tucks it into her hair.] In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight And all I see is him and me forever and forever [She suddenly stops in front of a single cherry tree. Memories flood her mind; memories of him hiding, following, always watching . . . One image wavers in her mind: a small, startled face, eyes wild with fear and confusion, a soul that until then had never known the touch of kindness . . . .] And I know it's only in my mind That I'm talking to myself and not to him [Reaching for the tree and her vision, she stumbles- and falls heavily to the ground. She lifts up a hand; a drop of crimson wells from the cut fingers.] And although I know that he is blind Still I say, there's a way for us [She watches as the droplet of blood rolls down her finger to drip onto the grass; a single tear falls down her cheek.] I love him But when the night is over He is gone The river's just a river [The fantasies vanish from sight. She pushes herself up into a sitting position and begins to weep softly, ignoring the chill of the rain and breeze.] Without him The world around me changes The trees are bare and everywhere The streets are full of strangers [After several minutes, she wipes her eyes and gets to her feet. She slowly begins to tread back the way she came, her shoulders slumped in defeat.] I love him But every day I'm learning [The portal is still shimmering, waiting for her. She yanks the cherry blossom from her hair and throws it to the winds before climbing back inside.] All my life I've only been pretending [She steps back into the cavern; the mists begin to rise thicker than before. A wave of her hand, and the portal warps itself into a mirror.] Without me His world would go on turning [She touches the mirror's face; her reflection shifts, changes, revealing another scene. In it, a young couple is sitting together under an old maple tree. She reaches out and traces the young man's reflection with one finger.] A world that's full of happiness That I have never known [The young woman in the picture turns to her companion; as she watches, her heart sinking, the couple embraces, kisses, does those things that only lovers do. Her eyes well up with tears; she banishes the image with another wave of her hand.] I love him I love him I love him But only on my own. [She begins to trudge back into the shadows; she pauses and turns to the mirror to see her weeping reflection. "Sayonara, my love," she whispers before vanishing into the darkness.] *~* The couple broke off their kiss with a reluctant sigh as the breeze became colder. As he began to strip off his coat, a single white cherry blossom danced in front of him, borne by the winds. Kusanagi reached out and plucked the flower from the air; he turned to Momiji and gently tucked it behind her ear. Neither one noticed the lonely teardrop that fell from the blossom.