Mysterious Reflections
by Blue Clad Fangirl Cerridwen
Prologue: As the World Falls Down
"There's such a sad love
Deep in you eyes
A kind of pale jewel
Open and close
Within your eyes
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes
"There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams
A love that will last.
Within your heart
I'll place the Moon
Within your heart"
-David Bowie
"As the World falls Down"
from Labyrinth (OST)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name meanings:
Torano Ran (Tiger's Orchid)
Yakan Arashi (Night Storm)
Inori Oame (Sincere Rain)
Torano Yancha (Tiger's Mischief)
Inori Sei'i (Sincere Prayer)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I stood up before the old abandoned temple, a girl of sixteen, coming from a visit at the hospital. Slowly,
I went up the steps staring at the shining slate. It was raining heavily.
Rain.
Yakan Arashi.
It was he whome I went to visitin the hospital. He had been in a comma for eleven months. Today was his
birthday, and I came to pay my respects to an old friend. Yet to me he was more than an old friend. He was my
dearest friend and first love. I might have even become his fiance.
(flash back) It was just the three of us; Arashi, Oame and myself. Inori Oame and I met on a company
picnic my papa brought me to, the summer before I started attending junior high. I met Arashi later in a town festival.
So it turned out that Arashi and Oame had both been on the kendo team in my school and were sparing
partners (I think). They were both very good and very competitive (...ok, extremely competative). Many say they
were rivals even then. Yet, they were best friends. Or at least they were at the time. This was our special place, where
all pain left us just by being alone together.
Within the stretch of three years, my feelings for them grew stronger than I tought they ever would, and
the same was for theirs t'wards me. They would argue more frequently and I often was the one to save their fights
from becoming physical. I conflicted with myself. I didn't know who I loved more, and even if I did, it would still be
difficult, because I knew confesing my love for one may mean losing the other. It was a most difficult time.
During the summer of the fourth year, Oame had some family affairs to attend to, so Arashi and I spent
more time with each other. This was when I knew I loved him more than the other and that I became more enamored
with him. He loved me too, I could see this through his eyes, even though he rarely ever said it aloud; I could sense
it in the bottom of his heart. I knew that he would die for me, and I would do the same for him.; even walk through the
pains and fires of Hell it's self, all for each other.
Inspite of my wonderful gain, it was foolish of me to forgat that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Oame could see how close Arashi and I became while he was away that summer. I guess I was given a natural
ability to understand what burned in the hearts of man through their eyes. From Arashi, I'd see pure love. From
Oame's eyes, I'd see jelousy and want; not love.
One lazy October afternoon, I went home by myself from the video game store, where I went after school
to take my mind off antother one of Arashi and Oame's heated arguements. There I got Final Fantasy VIII and a new
memory card for Oame (Sei'i, his little sister, and my little brat brother, Yancha broke it by acident when pulling it out
of the Play Station, and I need to show him that I do still love him, although it wasn't the way he wished). Arashi and
Oame were waiting for me on my front steps, giving each other the evil eye. Papa said that they had both come for
my hand in marriage. It shocked me that they went to this level of competition and courting. And, they wanted to
fight again, this time for me as a prize.
"How dare you two do this to me!? This may have been a "man's country" once before, but things have
changed and I deserve respect! I am not a prize to be won!!! I refuse to watch two once-good friends fight and
become enemies over me!!!"
"Then don't watch, Ran," Arashi said to me in a voice that was ice going down my spine; a tone I rarely
heard from him lately. It was all going to far, and I could feel that life would take a greatly, dramatic turn now.
" You know that's too late, Yakan Arashi, but I won't let this go any further than it is."
"It's too late for that, too. The lines have been crossed. No turning back now!" O ame was getting bit in
over his head, and a little bit annyoing.
"You're just not quite geting it, are you, Inori Oame?!" I screamed, pulling out the memory card I got for
him. "I still love you too, even if I am going out with Arashi. you're my best friend, and I care for you. Here, I even
got you a new memory card, knowing how devoted to your video games!" I tossed it to him, letting it land right in
his palms; a perfect catch. "Hey! I 've got it! You love your video games alot, too, right Arashi?! And you're both
really good (or at least you're both better than me)! Why don't you just have a Street Fighter tournament on the ol'
PSX and--"
Arashi, although I could see his eyes laughing at my childish suggestion, interupted. "I'm sorry, Ran, but
Oame's right, this is the only way we can settle this."
I pouted, turned and went up the steps. "And I thought my suggestion was childish....If you two truely
love me, neither of you will fight here." Right before I got my shoes off, I heared the door slaming, then Arashi
screaming, "Oame! If you want to settle this, you know where to find me!"
"What?...ARASHI!!!!" I was just about to dash out of there, I was just about to dash out of there, when
the rain began to pour and my mom pulled me back, lecturing me on going out before I changed and that the rain
and mud would wreck my uniform, so I changed at super speed and got on my racer (motorcycle) praying I wouldn't
be to late.
Franticly, I ran up these same steps. "Arashi! Oame! Stop this at once! you're both so dear to me! ...
ARASHI!!!"
(present) Now I was entering the same room in which the fight and accident occured. It was a poor shelter
from the rain, I know. And today it looks just the same as it did then; the floor's all slippery, water dripping through
the myriad of craks in the old roof and walls.
Looking across the old temple room, I saw something I had never noticed to be there before. It was a
mirror with a silver and emerald border with a crescent at the bottom. Before it was a tablet made from pure
moonstone with some writing inscribed on it. Four years and I never noticed it. I walked over there and read the
inscription on the tablet.
" 'This is the Emerald Mirror of Kaguya, Princess of the Moon, born in the bamboo forest inside the
emerald from which this mirror was made. Forced to abandon her love of a mortal Emperor on Earth, she watches
other maidens who have been seperated from their true love. If a brave and worthy maiden should come across her
mirror, she must look in it to see her love. Then her journey shall begin, and Kaguya shall grant her peace with her
lover 'till the end of time. Such a maiden is only of a pure gold heart.' "Pure gold heart"? Do I have.....oh, come off it
Ran! Kaguya is only a legend, you can't possibly think that this would helpyou?!........Still, Grandfather always did
say that when true love is involved, anything and everything can happen. Plus, I have nothing to lose...All right,
here it goes." I reached out a handand touched the crescent moon symbol at the bottom of the mirror. Then my own
reflection fazed out and...changed. "Arashi? Arashi, please! Please wake up!! ARASHI!!!!!" Light poured out of the
mirror, bathing me with its bright silver color. I was being pulled into the mirror.
Describing what happened in the passage through the mirror is a little difficult. I kinfa felt like....... falling.
Like Alice as she went down the rabbit hole. Everything around me looked like walls of mercury, but I thought this to
be imposible. Mercury is a liquid, it can't form moving walls like this. Then again, I was just sucked itno a mirror made
from an emerald that a fairy tale character emerged from.
I think after that, I either was blcked out into a flash backor knocked out and was dreaming of the fight
between Arashi and Oame. (flashback) Of course, by the time I entered the old temple, they already had been
fighting quite a bit. I slid over to Oame once the two were far enough from each other so that I may interupt their duel.
"Oame, please stop this pointlessness! I do love you, I do! As much as I love Arashi. I just love you
differently." I pleaded, giving him a peck on the nose. Then I moved right in between them. "It hurts so much to see
you two fight, especially over me! I don't want to become Helen of Troy. I don't want to see best friends become
bitter enemies. I don't want this pain!!"
"But what about me?! I've knownyou longer, Ran, loved you longer. And now you say I can't have you
because it hurts you and the friendship between us?! Not being able to have you...it hurts so much...IT HURTS SO
DAMN MUCH!!!!" Oame cried as he struck a pillar so forcefully, it caused it to go down...falling right t'ward me.
"RAN!!!!" Arashi screamed. The next thing I knew, Arashi had been struck in the head by the pillar in my
place. "Arashi? Arashi, please get up, please. No....no............ARASHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I wept for what seemed like an
eternity, but was only half an hour in reality. When we got to the hospital, we were thankful to find that the blow
wasn't fatal, but it all went back to silence when we were told he was now in a coma and it was uncertain when he
would awaken.
Oame was now consumed with guilt. I was consumed with a deep fealing of loneliness. Mrs. Yakan was
furious and would have pressed charges against Oame if I hadn't intervined. I told her it was just an accident with
drastic consequences, and if any one was to be in trouble for it, it should be me for not stopping it earlier.
For the past eleven months, I've prayed for Arashi, only in vain. Usually, Oame would be praying at my
side, trying to comfort me. I still loved him, but I was also angry with him, ocassionally pushing him away, trying to
stay faithful to Arashi. (end flashback)
When I was out of my memory, I found myself in a strange room that was almost completely pink, which
kinda made me nauseous. I hate pink. I like white, blue and black. I only accept pink when it was the color of flowers
I would receive from my two dear friends.
I already missed them.
I was at least glad to see I wasn't *wearing* pink, and that there was a cute dog sleeping at the foot of my
bed. I was wereing an interesting outfit made of black shorts and tank, a navy mini skirt with silver buttons going
down the front, and a light blue sweater wrap with matching arm guards.
Then I had a sudden oversight. I ran to the vanity, knowing where exactly where it from what I
remembered in a certain game. My physical fetures changed greatly. I was taller, lighter, my hair was shortened
with red streaks (my streaks are purple and copper) and my blue-grey eyes turned brown. I was sent into the Final
Fantasy world as Rinoa Heartly.
This is where I must find Arashi???............
A.N.:Just to let you all know, this is one huge song fic with a different song each chapter. And veiw points will
change from time to time, although I'm mostly keeping it to Ran/Rinoa's point of view and my own. I plan on having
this little ficcy posted in RPGamer, but it might be in another name, so if you find it there, it ain't plagerism.
by Blue Clad Fangirl Cerridwen
Prologue: As the World Falls Down
"There's such a sad love
Deep in you eyes
A kind of pale jewel
Open and close
Within your eyes
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes
"There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams
A love that will last.
Within your heart
I'll place the Moon
Within your heart"
-David Bowie
"As the World falls Down"
from Labyrinth (OST)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name meanings:
Torano Ran (Tiger's Orchid)
Yakan Arashi (Night Storm)
Inori Oame (Sincere Rain)
Torano Yancha (Tiger's Mischief)
Inori Sei'i (Sincere Prayer)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I stood up before the old abandoned temple, a girl of sixteen, coming from a visit at the hospital. Slowly,
I went up the steps staring at the shining slate. It was raining heavily.
Rain.
Yakan Arashi.
It was he whome I went to visitin the hospital. He had been in a comma for eleven months. Today was his
birthday, and I came to pay my respects to an old friend. Yet to me he was more than an old friend. He was my
dearest friend and first love. I might have even become his fiance.
(flash back) It was just the three of us; Arashi, Oame and myself. Inori Oame and I met on a company
picnic my papa brought me to, the summer before I started attending junior high. I met Arashi later in a town festival.
So it turned out that Arashi and Oame had both been on the kendo team in my school and were sparing
partners (I think). They were both very good and very competitive (...ok, extremely competative). Many say they
were rivals even then. Yet, they were best friends. Or at least they were at the time. This was our special place, where
all pain left us just by being alone together.
Within the stretch of three years, my feelings for them grew stronger than I tought they ever would, and
the same was for theirs t'wards me. They would argue more frequently and I often was the one to save their fights
from becoming physical. I conflicted with myself. I didn't know who I loved more, and even if I did, it would still be
difficult, because I knew confesing my love for one may mean losing the other. It was a most difficult time.
During the summer of the fourth year, Oame had some family affairs to attend to, so Arashi and I spent
more time with each other. This was when I knew I loved him more than the other and that I became more enamored
with him. He loved me too, I could see this through his eyes, even though he rarely ever said it aloud; I could sense
it in the bottom of his heart. I knew that he would die for me, and I would do the same for him.; even walk through the
pains and fires of Hell it's self, all for each other.
Inspite of my wonderful gain, it was foolish of me to forgat that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Oame could see how close Arashi and I became while he was away that summer. I guess I was given a natural
ability to understand what burned in the hearts of man through their eyes. From Arashi, I'd see pure love. From
Oame's eyes, I'd see jelousy and want; not love.
One lazy October afternoon, I went home by myself from the video game store, where I went after school
to take my mind off antother one of Arashi and Oame's heated arguements. There I got Final Fantasy VIII and a new
memory card for Oame (Sei'i, his little sister, and my little brat brother, Yancha broke it by acident when pulling it out
of the Play Station, and I need to show him that I do still love him, although it wasn't the way he wished). Arashi and
Oame were waiting for me on my front steps, giving each other the evil eye. Papa said that they had both come for
my hand in marriage. It shocked me that they went to this level of competition and courting. And, they wanted to
fight again, this time for me as a prize.
"How dare you two do this to me!? This may have been a "man's country" once before, but things have
changed and I deserve respect! I am not a prize to be won!!! I refuse to watch two once-good friends fight and
become enemies over me!!!"
"Then don't watch, Ran," Arashi said to me in a voice that was ice going down my spine; a tone I rarely
heard from him lately. It was all going to far, and I could feel that life would take a greatly, dramatic turn now.
" You know that's too late, Yakan Arashi, but I won't let this go any further than it is."
"It's too late for that, too. The lines have been crossed. No turning back now!" O ame was getting bit in
over his head, and a little bit annyoing.
"You're just not quite geting it, are you, Inori Oame?!" I screamed, pulling out the memory card I got for
him. "I still love you too, even if I am going out with Arashi. you're my best friend, and I care for you. Here, I even
got you a new memory card, knowing how devoted to your video games!" I tossed it to him, letting it land right in
his palms; a perfect catch. "Hey! I 've got it! You love your video games alot, too, right Arashi?! And you're both
really good (or at least you're both better than me)! Why don't you just have a Street Fighter tournament on the ol'
PSX and--"
Arashi, although I could see his eyes laughing at my childish suggestion, interupted. "I'm sorry, Ran, but
Oame's right, this is the only way we can settle this."
I pouted, turned and went up the steps. "And I thought my suggestion was childish....If you two truely
love me, neither of you will fight here." Right before I got my shoes off, I heared the door slaming, then Arashi
screaming, "Oame! If you want to settle this, you know where to find me!"
"What?...ARASHI!!!!" I was just about to dash out of there, I was just about to dash out of there, when
the rain began to pour and my mom pulled me back, lecturing me on going out before I changed and that the rain
and mud would wreck my uniform, so I changed at super speed and got on my racer (motorcycle) praying I wouldn't
be to late.
Franticly, I ran up these same steps. "Arashi! Oame! Stop this at once! you're both so dear to me! ...
ARASHI!!!"
(present) Now I was entering the same room in which the fight and accident occured. It was a poor shelter
from the rain, I know. And today it looks just the same as it did then; the floor's all slippery, water dripping through
the myriad of craks in the old roof and walls.
Looking across the old temple room, I saw something I had never noticed to be there before. It was a
mirror with a silver and emerald border with a crescent at the bottom. Before it was a tablet made from pure
moonstone with some writing inscribed on it. Four years and I never noticed it. I walked over there and read the
inscription on the tablet.
" 'This is the Emerald Mirror of Kaguya, Princess of the Moon, born in the bamboo forest inside the
emerald from which this mirror was made. Forced to abandon her love of a mortal Emperor on Earth, she watches
other maidens who have been seperated from their true love. If a brave and worthy maiden should come across her
mirror, she must look in it to see her love. Then her journey shall begin, and Kaguya shall grant her peace with her
lover 'till the end of time. Such a maiden is only of a pure gold heart.' "Pure gold heart"? Do I have.....oh, come off it
Ran! Kaguya is only a legend, you can't possibly think that this would helpyou?!........Still, Grandfather always did
say that when true love is involved, anything and everything can happen. Plus, I have nothing to lose...All right,
here it goes." I reached out a handand touched the crescent moon symbol at the bottom of the mirror. Then my own
reflection fazed out and...changed. "Arashi? Arashi, please! Please wake up!! ARASHI!!!!!" Light poured out of the
mirror, bathing me with its bright silver color. I was being pulled into the mirror.
Describing what happened in the passage through the mirror is a little difficult. I kinfa felt like....... falling.
Like Alice as she went down the rabbit hole. Everything around me looked like walls of mercury, but I thought this to
be imposible. Mercury is a liquid, it can't form moving walls like this. Then again, I was just sucked itno a mirror made
from an emerald that a fairy tale character emerged from.
I think after that, I either was blcked out into a flash backor knocked out and was dreaming of the fight
between Arashi and Oame. (flashback) Of course, by the time I entered the old temple, they already had been
fighting quite a bit. I slid over to Oame once the two were far enough from each other so that I may interupt their duel.
"Oame, please stop this pointlessness! I do love you, I do! As much as I love Arashi. I just love you
differently." I pleaded, giving him a peck on the nose. Then I moved right in between them. "It hurts so much to see
you two fight, especially over me! I don't want to become Helen of Troy. I don't want to see best friends become
bitter enemies. I don't want this pain!!"
"But what about me?! I've knownyou longer, Ran, loved you longer. And now you say I can't have you
because it hurts you and the friendship between us?! Not being able to have you...it hurts so much...IT HURTS SO
DAMN MUCH!!!!" Oame cried as he struck a pillar so forcefully, it caused it to go down...falling right t'ward me.
"RAN!!!!" Arashi screamed. The next thing I knew, Arashi had been struck in the head by the pillar in my
place. "Arashi? Arashi, please get up, please. No....no............ARASHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I wept for what seemed like an
eternity, but was only half an hour in reality. When we got to the hospital, we were thankful to find that the blow
wasn't fatal, but it all went back to silence when we were told he was now in a coma and it was uncertain when he
would awaken.
Oame was now consumed with guilt. I was consumed with a deep fealing of loneliness. Mrs. Yakan was
furious and would have pressed charges against Oame if I hadn't intervined. I told her it was just an accident with
drastic consequences, and if any one was to be in trouble for it, it should be me for not stopping it earlier.
For the past eleven months, I've prayed for Arashi, only in vain. Usually, Oame would be praying at my
side, trying to comfort me. I still loved him, but I was also angry with him, ocassionally pushing him away, trying to
stay faithful to Arashi. (end flashback)
When I was out of my memory, I found myself in a strange room that was almost completely pink, which
kinda made me nauseous. I hate pink. I like white, blue and black. I only accept pink when it was the color of flowers
I would receive from my two dear friends.
I already missed them.
I was at least glad to see I wasn't *wearing* pink, and that there was a cute dog sleeping at the foot of my
bed. I was wereing an interesting outfit made of black shorts and tank, a navy mini skirt with silver buttons going
down the front, and a light blue sweater wrap with matching arm guards.
Then I had a sudden oversight. I ran to the vanity, knowing where exactly where it from what I
remembered in a certain game. My physical fetures changed greatly. I was taller, lighter, my hair was shortened
with red streaks (my streaks are purple and copper) and my blue-grey eyes turned brown. I was sent into the Final
Fantasy world as Rinoa Heartly.
This is where I must find Arashi???............
A.N.:Just to let you all know, this is one huge song fic with a different song each chapter. And veiw points will
change from time to time, although I'm mostly keeping it to Ran/Rinoa's point of view and my own. I plan on having
this little ficcy posted in RPGamer, but it might be in another name, so if you find it there, it ain't plagerism.
