Author's Note: Yes, I confess, this fic was largely inspired by that famous scene from the Utena movie…
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Light strains of melody vibrated in the air, teasing the nerve endings on her skin to life. She raised a hand to the girl in the mirror, an invitation.
The girl giggled and curtsied without sound and took her hand.
Imagination could be so powerful. She trembled at the ghost of a touch, the nonexistent feel of a soft slender hand in hers.
She pulled the girl close and wrapped the other arm around her waist, feeling the brush of wavy locks against her forearm, the soft cotton of her dress beneath her fingertips. She inhaled, breathing in the faint traces of jasmine radiating from the warm, silky spot on her neck.
She took a step forward.
The girl stepped back, skirts brushing as they stepped again, stepped, twirled.
Thunder rumbled, an ominous warning.
In the mirror, the softest patter of rain began, but the girl only laughed, lightening catching her eyes as she splashed through puddles, heedless of the way they soaked her dress, leaving the white fabric to cling in all the right ways…
Tears slipped down her cheeks, soaking her own dark gown.
The girl in the mirror leaned up briefly to kiss them away.
The ground shook, the earth ripping apart at the seams, crumbling away in jagged bits and pieces.
In the mirror they skirted around the boulders, and the broken stones became diamonds and emeralds and sapphires. In the reflection above them, they became a glittering, perfect globe and she and the girl continued to move together over the surface.
Locusts filled the air, blocking out the sun, the angry sound of their wings drowning out thought.
In the mirror violins played, a full orchestra accompanying the single piano that had begun the movement. The girl laughed liquid gold and spun beneath her arm, leaning away for one breathtaking moment, and Tooru held her breath, thinking that she would let go, that she would leave, or worse, disappear. Then she twirled back into her arms and everything was right again.
The sun fell from the sky, boiling the oceans, scorching the land, parching the people, igniting the forests.
Stars filled the sky, twinkling ecclesiastic approval.
Smoke filled the air and animals and people screamed as they were caught by flames spreading faster than they could run. She choked but refused to cease moving, intent upon the mirror.
The girl smiled, would always smile, just for her…
The world burned.
And they danced.