100 Themes: Little Moments
#67: Weeping Willow
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. Everyone owes it to themselves to go out and see "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Okay, uhm, just take this one with a grain of salt, eh? This is the one I'm the least secure about of the three.

"Why does it fall like that?"

The quiet sadness in the question snapped Ami from the book held in her lap. She followed her friend's line of sight and took in the weeping willow. The tree limbs bowed into the lake, reaching into the water's edge for a distant lover. The tiny branches, however, were too small to gain purchase of anything and therefore held forever to the water though for no purpose.

"It forever sees its reflection," she continued. There was pain in her heart for the tree that must view its own heartache for eternity. Being forced to watch its own desperation could be the worst punishment the blonde had ever known. She realized that maybe it wasn't the tree limbs that were reaching, but that they were being held. The water shackled the arbor, she realised with mute horror. The water held the willow in its gaze and forced her, for surely such a forlorn expression made the willow female, to forever view her own pain and misery. Usagi's heart welled and her throat hitched in unshed tears. A pain worse than death.

"Peace, love," Mamoru whispered softly in her ear, taking the woman into his embrace. Ami watched the two patiently. There was little effort needed to follow Usagi's thoughts, however she was curious how Mamoru would dissolve her emotional response. Wrapping his arms around her trembling shoulders, he dispelled the sudden cold that flooded her body and she fell into his strong embrace. He kissed her softly.

"You have forgotten the lover trapped within."

"Then it is worse for they can see one another and never be together. It is such a tease."

He smiled from her shoulder where his chin rested. He took in the trailing limbs within the water, small ripples reaching out into the expanse beyond where the limbs pressed upon the water's surface. "But she can feel him, love, that is why she reaches so far into the water. She nearly is falling in." He motioned to the bent form of the tree itself. Without the strong soil the tree would easily have fallen into the cold waters, roots and all.

"If she falls she will die."

"They can never be together fully; nature forbids it. Yet, they still yearn for one another despite the obstacle."

Ami's eyes widened. Usagi curled into Mamoru's embrace. A slender hand reached and clutched at his arm as she smiled and tilted her head to the side to glance at him.

"Always defying the odds," a genuine smile crept onto her face, one that laughed in the face of destiny.

"Eventually," he said softly leaning down to her awaiting lips. "If they are patient enough, they will have their wish. Destiny is not so cruel."

The two kissed sweetly, the willow tree swaying in the breeze that swept through the park at that moment. Ami watched the two unwavering lovers. No matter how the wind blew, the two remained. She sighed and looked back to the willow. True, it painted a tragically beautiful picture; it was still simply a tree. She laughed at the couple's sense of romanticism. Though, for a moment, she pretended it were actually true instead of some intended extended metaphor for the past.

Uh, yeah... Aside from that: Review! I like those, they're very much fun. Also, if there's a character from the series you'd like to see appear, let me know. I'm trying to fit everyone in instead of just Usa & Mamo (though they kinda have to be there too, you know.)

Like here, where Ami is in the story for the simple reason that I needed a freakishly rational person to say: "It's just a tree." Simply because I would have been the one to say the same thing. But then I wrote it, so that's a little odd. Oh well. Until next time!