Mirror Image
A Sailor Moon fanfic by Kristin Renee Taylor
(gelles@yahoo.com)
There are a lot of things that can be said about the
blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl that is looking at me, especially if
one choses their words based soley on her outward appearance. I've
often heard the words "snob" and "concieted" and even the occasional
"airheaded ditz." However, I knew that girl first hand and, although
she was many things, I had never considered her to be any of the
words that I had previously mentioned.
I turned slightly and the image in the mirror mimicked my
movements exactly. Stuyding myself, I sighed quietly and muttered,
"Life sucks."
I leaned forward, so close to the silvered glass that my breath
misted it slightly, partially obscuring my twin's mouth and nose.
Pale blue eyes locked with thier mirrored equivalent, I said to my
other half "A thousand years from now you're going to be alive, and
you still won't get a man. It's a good thing you're used to being
alone, isn't it?"
Gazing into the depths of those strange eyes, I found the
presence trapped within to be highly disconcerting, especially since
I could see the depressed lonliness there so easily. I wondered,
briefly, why nobody else ever saw it, then shoved that thought aside.
I knew the answer, even if I hated it.
I straightened with another sigh and watched as the proof of my
existance evaporated like so much sun-touched fog. To my room in
general I stated my current motto, "Life sucks and Mina Aino can't
get a man. So what else is new?"
Shaking my head, I contemplated my reflection, searching for
whatever fault that made it impossible for any sort of lasting
relationship to occur. As I did so, I abrubtly became aware that I
was no longer alone. A glance in the mirror showed her standing in
the doorway behind me, silently watching me as I watched myself.
I wasn't entirely sure how to react to her and that made no
sense. I always knew how to act. I was a great actress. Just ask
anybody if they ever knew how I really felt and I'm pretty sure they
could tell you about any of the numerous roles I've had to play.
After all, the Avatar of Love and Beauty should never let anyone know
that she's really depressed. Self-image and all that crap.
And besides, as the true leader of the Sailor Scouts, showing my
inner weakness would be... inappropriate. I save that sort of stuff
for when I was alone. Which, until some time ago, I had been.
I turned to look at her, stricken by our more than passing
resemblance to each other. Long blonde hair, clear blue eyes, an
incredible figure, and the somewhat glorious title that came with
being a Sailor Scout. We could've been more than related, we could've
been twin sisters, and I've occasionaly wondered if our resemblance
was the result of our genetics now...or of the long-dead parents that
neither of us never knew.
It could have happened. We really could be sisters, I mused as
she and I regarded one another in perfect silence.
"I didn't hear you come in, Serena," I said, breaking the
aforementioned silence first, striving to make my voice its usual,
sing-song, happily musical lilt. The effort failed, and the result
was that I sounded wearily tired, which probably wasn't too far from
the truth. I was tired.
Her reply was simply, "I'm sorry, Mina. I didn't know till now."
Whatever I had been about to say froze as my stunned mind came to
two swift conclusions: Serena had managed to see through my disguise,
and I despretly needed someone.
I wasn't aware of her ever moving, but I suddenly found myself in
her tight embrace. Her voice was thick with emotion and I felt her
tears as they begin to soak into the fabric of my shirt. She said
fiercly, "You're not alone, Mina. And you never will be again."
The compassion behind those two simple sentences rendered me
speechless. My chest tightened almost painfully as a swirling miasma
of emotions tore through me, all of them so thoroughly entangled that
identifiying a single one was beyond my momentarily shattered
reasonings. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes and I hugged
her fiercly as I begin to sob.
She held me tightly while I cried, never saying a word, and the
sheer strength of her love was almost tangible. It sank into me,
healing a part of my soul that I had long since given up as
unredeemable.
After an eternity my shaking lessened. I pulled away from her,
scrubbing at my hot cheeks with the back of one hand. She gently
grasped my shoulders and studied my face intently, "Better now?"
I nodded, speech was beyond me, and smiled at her, marveling at
the ease with which I was able to do so. Her answering smile made me
wish I was wearing sunglasses, it was so bright. "Good," she said,
"because now we're going to be late for the study session. And that
means Rei's gonna kill us."
"Let her yell," I responded, my voice only slightly hoarse, "I'm
in too good of a mood to let her spoil it. In fact, why don't we grab
some ice cream on the way over. My treat."
"Wow, you are feeling better," Serena commented and some of the
lingering concern in her deep blue eyes faded somewhat. She released
my shoulders and curiously studied the duo in the mirror behind me.
"Y'know what, Mina? People must think we're twins or something."
I laughed, pleased with the sound and happy that, for once, it
wasn't forced, "I can't see why, Serena. We're nothing alike."
--------------------------------
Kristin Renee Taylor - Bad Gal Extrodinare
B'ENT - Home of SAILOR MOON: THE REJECTED EPISODES
http://www.geocities.com/sailorfalcon/
"Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet
engines."
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