Prologue
Two newborn babies were laid on the bed, next to each other. Twins. A woman in her twenties bustled over to them, remembering her order.
"Bring the oldest of the twins. We must give her our blessings." The Elders had said to her. The woman bit her lips as she reached out to pick the oldest girl up. Then she stopped.
Although the oldest girl was sleeping, her sister was awake and was staring at her with unblinking purple eyes. Eyes just like her mother's.
Eyes just like the woman's older sister's.
The woman felt a pain stab at her heart as she remembered that day, fourteen years ago.
She was eight, and her older sister ten. Her older sister, proud, beautiful, and intelligent.
"Come on, Ayame, we have to go to see why the Elders called us…" Her older sister, Ayumi, called out to eight-year-old Ayame. Ayame clutched the front of her white robes and struggled to keep up with her sister.
"Wait… I'm coming…" Ayame gasped out.
"Come on, Ayumi, you're so slow!" Ayumi laughed out, and ran even faster.
Ayame admired her sister. She was great at everything, she was very beautiful, and she was a brilliant shinobi. To Ayame, Ayumi was… just perfect.
They finally reached the Elders. They were seated at a large garden, with flowers blossoming everywhere.
"You called for us?" Ayumi asked. One of the Elders stood.
"How old are you, Ayumi-chan?" She asked.
"Ten…" Some of the Elders sighed at the answer.
"See, I told you we have been putting it off for too long." Ayame heard one of them whisper to another.
"Well, we have been busy, so it couldn't be helped."
"But don't you think, that the age of ten is… too old?"
"Well, what do you want us to do, bless the second child? That is absurd." Ayame heard this and received great shock. A blessing!
The Kusakawa Clan's blessing wasn't just a normal blessing. Every time there was a firstborn to the leader of the Clan, the Elders would find a day to bless the baby. With the entire group of the Elders' chakra, they would put it in the baby's body, giving him or her increased amount of chakra. The combined chakra would them mold itself into every part of the baby's body, making him or her basically… invincible. The chakra would boost the baby's intelligence, healing rate, strength, agility, and so much more.
Ayame grew excited just hearing about the blessing. But then, her face fell. The blessings only went to the firstborn… To Ayumi, not Ayame.
"Still, the age of ten is too old."
"Are you suggesting that we bless the second child?" Ayame prayed with all her heart… she really wanted, no, she needed the blessing… Ayumi was already perfect, what good would the blessing do to her?
"No, you're right… Yes, let's bless Ayumi then…" Ayame's eyes fluttered open in despair. Ayumi, listening to the conversation of the Elders, beamed back at Ayame, who forced a smile.
"Well then… Follow us, Ayumi…" The Elders left to a separate room. Ayumi followed them without looking back.
Leaving Ayame.
Ayame breathed deeply and tried to forget the pain. She understood what it felt like to be second at everything…. And Ayame had tried so hard to try to excel her sister! However, without the blessing… There was just no way she could beat her sister.
How sad the second child would be when she found out that she would never reach her older sister… Ayame gripped her hands into fists and put down the older baby. Then, she picked up the second baby and went to the Elders.
"Good. You brought the oldest one."
"It was a smart choice for us to bless the baby immediately."
"Yes… It will be less trouble than last time, with Ayumi."
Ayame smiled bitterly as she left the room.
She'd show them.
All of them, the Elders, her perfect, older sister Ayumi, that older sister of the second child…
Ayame took the baby back after she was blessed. The baby glowed slightly from the amount of chakra she received. She hurried over to the babies' bed and laid her where she was.
"Ayame." Ayame flinched at the voice. She turned and saw the slender form of her older sister.
"Ayumi." Ayame said, in a flat tone.
"The firstborn was blessed, right? Give her to me." Ayame picked up the older baby, the non-blessed one, and handed her over. Ayumi smiled down at the baby, and turned to leave the room.
"What will you do with the second baby?" Ayame asked. Ayumi stopped, and answered without turning around.
"You… can take care of her." Ayame clenched her bottom lip slightly at the irresponsibility of her older sister, but it was expected.
"Fine." She said. Ayame picked up the second child and looked down at the blessed girl.
"I'll name you Hikari… It means Light." Ayame whispered to the baby girl. "Because you will be a streak of light to this world."
