Hundreds of years ago...

The skies of the Spirit World glowed orange, bidding farewell to the setting sun until tomorrow. Green hills rolled for miles, and resting upon the tallest one was a large, luxurious castle. It was a glorious building with large red double doors at the entrance that swung open to welcome visitors, many windows over looking the magnificant land, and complete with lovely balconies for enjoying the weather, which was almost always perfect. On this particular evening, a beautiful woman stood on the highest balcony, staring solemnly over the rolling green hills. She was the beloved queen of this land, Queen Atsumara. As a calm wind passed through, it combed itself through her gorgeous, long royal blue hair and flowed pased her silky white gown. Her glowing amber eyes flashed her worried and somber soul.
"Mother?" A sweet, gentle voice spoke from behind her. Queen Astumara slowly turned to view her young daughter, who almost looked like her double, besides the age difference and other slight characteristics. Her name was beautiful; Tsukiyo; it fit her perfectly. In about a year's time, she would be of the proper age, heir the princess throne along side her elder brother, Koenma, who had earned his place as Prince a handful of years before her. "Hello, dear.." The Queen spoke to her daughter before turning her gaze back out onto her land. Tsukiyo took a few strides so she was standing along side her mother, her beautiful blue gown flowing at her heels with every step.
"What is it, mother?" Tsukiyo asked softly as she followed her mother's gaze, "Is there something wrong?" Queen Atsumara took a moment before answering her daughter.
"Something is coming," Came her chilling reply, "I can feel it..."
Silence fell upon the two of them as a calm, yet eerie wind passed through, as if to agree with the queen that something was indeed coming...

Late in the night, there was a series of loud crashes, waking Tsukiyo from her deep slumber with a jolt. The crashes continued, and the walls of the palace shook and felt as if they could crumble at any moment. Remembering her mother's words from earlier, Tsukiyo leapt from her bed and bounded over to her window, her silky night gown trailing behind her and falling at her mid-thigh. A bright orange glow illuminated her white curtains, pressing her to rip them open and peer outside. She gasped at what her eyes placed before her: Trees engulfed in flames, grass smoldering into piles of ash and clouds of billowing smoke. Now looking down to the ground, Tsukiyo's heart raced as she took in the most terrifying site of all; an army of demons of all shapes, sizes, and species crowded at the entrance of the castle, banging against the door in order to get inside. Each demon carried a club, a sword, a torch, or some other kind of weapon, and waved them viciously at the Spirit World's own army, who were fighting back as best they could. Tsukiyo could hear the demons laughing manically and shouting from below, which made her sick. Suddenly, a huge winged demon darted up from the ground and latched itself to her bedroom window, causing her to let out a shriek and stumble backward. For a moment, Tsukiyo was frozen in fear, staring straight into the bat demon's sickening yellow eyes. Slowly, it flashed its disgusting, slimey teeth, and ran its tongue along her window, leaving a trail of saliva behind, like snail tracks. Feeling as if she might vomit, Tsukiyo's only reaction was to turn and dart from her room and down the hallway, almost losing her footing a few times. She dashed her way to the main hall, where the Spirit World army was defending the palace, but the demons were starting to easily over power the warriors.
"Tsukiyo!" came a shout from the staircase above. Her head jolted up, seeing the face of her older brother, Koenma. He seemed paniced, and waved for her to come up the stairs.
"Hurry! It's not safe!" Unable to find her voice, Tsukiyo simply nodded her head, racing off up the stairs where her brother was waiting.
"What's happening?" She demanded as they ran. She didn't know where they were going, but she just trailed along behind her brother anyway.
"Kokoro.." Koenma panted as they stopped in a shaded nook, decently hidden away. Tsukiyo's eyes widened. She knew of Kokoro; a very powerful, very evil demon... He once worked for the Queen in the Palace, many years before she was born. Until one day, he betrayed her, killing her most beloved ogre for sidestepping him. Extremely angered, the queen had banished him to an underground prison, destined to sleep for an eternity... But it seemed her spell hadn't worked.
"Kokoro..?" Tsukiyo hissed her repeat. Koenma nodded, showing her felt her disbelief.
"Yes... And he's not just after revenge on our mother, Tsuki.." Koenma locked eyes with her, "He's after you, too.."
The beautiful girl's heart sank. Kokoro.. was after her? "What? Why?" She asked, feeling fear tug at her heart and mind.
"I don't know, sister.. But you must stay here," He gently pushed her deeper into the shadows, "I can't let anything happen to you.. I won't."
With that he told her he would be back, and began to race off down the hall, but Tsukiyo wasn't about to let him leave her there alone. Flinging herself into the light of the hallway and making herself completely vulnerable, she shouted for her brother to come back, her eyes brimmed with tears; But her shouts were soon choked short as she felt someone, or something, grab her from behind, wrapping one huge meaty arm around her neck, and the other around her midsection. It was almost impossible for her to breath.
"There you are, princess.." A menacing voice slithered into her ear, followed by a sick chuckle, "Lord Kokoro will indeed be pleased.." "LET HER GO!" Koenma shouted, having turned around at the noise behind him. "PUT HER DOWN, YOU FILTHY BEAST!" He began to dart at the demon, who rasied one razor sharp claw to his sister's throat. She let out a strangled whimper.
"Ah, ah, ah..." The demon sneered at Koenma, stopping him in his tracks, "Not one more step. I wouldn't want to get my Lord's new wife all bloody, now would I.."
Tsukiyo's eyes shot open.
"Wife?" Koenma choked out, seeming shocked for a moment, but then his anger flooded back into him, spilling from his eyes. "You'll never take her.. I WON'T LET YOU!" The demon cackled, and then without warning, grasped Tsukiyo in both his gigantic hands, and slammed her up against the wall with brutal force. She let out a strained gasp, feeling all the wind leave her body. Her vision began to blurr in and out, and her hearing became fuzzy. It seemed as if her soul was parting with her for good, when a strange tingling sensation grew from within her chest, spreading to the tips of her fingers and toes. Koenma gaped at his sister as her body began to glow, her eyes seared with a bright yellow light. Her long blue hair flowed away from her body, along with her nightgown that had been ripped and torn slightly from the attack. "Tsukiyo.." He whispered as the light only became brighter, and he watched in astonishment.
"What... What is.." The demon stared at the girl he had been sent to snatch, but slowly began to back away until he was pressed against the opposite wall. A small mark, a cresent moon, materialized on Tsukiyo's forhead, emitting beams of light; Spirit Energy. She had never exihibited any until this moment, and every demon and immortal in the building felt such great power from it, almost feeling as if they were being crushed. Tsukiyo's limp body began to pulsate, and finally her back arched as the Spirit Energy came to a peak, flooding from her body like sun beams. The demon let out a shriek, dissolving in the sheer power; being only a class C. Koenma shaded his eyes as his sister's body sprouted large, extravagant wings; those of an angel. She continued to burn brightly.
Downstairs, the demons disintigrated one by one. Every last one was gone completely in a matter of moments.
"My daughter.." The Queen said to herself amoungst all the noise, "It's happening.." She dashed upstairs, feeling the energy sink back inside her daughter's body. She'd known this day was coming, but she hadn't known so soon... There was only one thing she could do, although it would pain her to do so...

When Queen Atsumara reached them, Koenma had cradled Tsukiyo in his arms, her wings tucked behind her back, and her head limply laying against his chest. Her body still held a faint glow, the cresent moon on her forehead glowing the brightest of all. "Mother.." Koenma spoke softly as he looked up at the Queen. She knelt in front of him. "What's happening..?"
Queen Atsumara said nothing, but just reached out and gently touched her daughter's face. It was warm and soft. Tears filled the mother's eyes. She gently removed a beautiful pendant from her neck, ripping it from its chain. "Lay her on the floor, my son." The Queen spoke strongly. Koenma nodded and followed his mother's orders. She layed the pendant on her daughter's chest and pressed her palms against it.
"This is the Heart of the Elements.." Queen Atsumara whispered as her palms began to glow. She closed her eyes and seemed to be in deep concentration. Koenma watched, glancing from his mother's face to her hands on his sister's chest, and when she moved them, the pendant was gone. He looked at her questioningly. She just smiled back sadly.
"It's time." She spoke, placing her hand on her son's cheek. A tear slid down her face, "We must let her go."
"Let her go..?" Koenma whispered. He fought the tears, he loved his sister very much. He didn't want to let her go. "What do you mean..?"
"They know of her power now.. She was destined to hold the Heart of the Elements, and my time is done.." the Queen let out her breath. "It's time for her to go.. It's not safe for her here. My life's energy was meant to send her to a different land, to preserve her life."
Koenma felt a deep pain in his heart, knowing that in a short time he would lose his sister and his mother. He couldn't fight the tears any longer. She began speaking. "When the time comes, you will find her again.. I will send her to the ningenkai, to be reborn in disguise as a normal human.. then you must wait until she turns the human age of eighteen. Her spirit energy will peak then, and Kokoro will not hesitate to hunt her down. You must protect her at all costs."
Koenma nodded in understanding. The Queen instructed him to lift her, and bring her to the roof of the palace. He followed her in silence, tears dripping from his chin and falling gently onto Tsukiyo's forhead, but she didn't wake.

They arrived on the roof, tall above the fields, which looked barron and defeated, still smoldering with flames that were near dying out. He placed her softly on the ground, his hand brushing against the softness of her new wings. Her mother then stepped toward him, wrapping her graceful arms around him.
"I love you so much, my son.." She whispered into his ear, placing her hand on the back of his head, "I'll always be here with you.. Make me proud with your rulings.."
"I love you too, mother..." Koenma sobbed, "I love Tsukiyo, too.."
"I know, dear.. She loves you very, very much.." A few tears escaped from her eyes, but her voice never wavered, "But it's time to let go.."
With that, she stepped away from her son, kneeling by her daughter's side. She placed her hands an even space apart from each other above Tsukiyo's body, and remained in deep concentration. After a few moments, Tsukiyo's body began to glow a solid pink color, and she was materialized into a small orb of light. As the orb drifted away, the Queen began to twinkle. She opened her eyes and gave one last loving gaze to her son, before dissolving into the air and fading away on the clouds.
"I'll love you forever, my son..." Her voice echoed one last time as the glittery dust drifted away for good. Knowing it was all over, and that he was alone, Koenma sat down on the roof of the palace, and cried every single tear he had left. But in his heart, he knew he would see his sister again someday, and it was the only thing that kept him going.

Several years down the road...

A young mother layed in her hospital bed, her eager husband by her side. Their hands were intertwined, and the woman's short dark hair was damp with sweat, sticking to her forehead. "This waiting in unbearable.." The man groaned, and his wife squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"I hear someone coming.." She whispered, her lovely grey eyes lighting up in anticipation.
Right on que, the door to her hospital room slowly swung open, and a nurse dressed in white slowly walked in, craddling a small bundle in her arms.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto." She greeted them. "Would you like to meet your new baby girl?" The coulple was at a loss for words as they smiled eagerly, nodding their heads. The nurse handed the baby to the mother, and walked out of the room to give them privacy.
"She's beautiful, Yumi.." said the father of the brand new baby. He brushed her soft blue hair from her forehead, and she opened her eyes, a shocking amber color. They glistened in the light, causing her parents to gasp.
"Let's name her..." Yumi paused, thinking of a name. They'd promised to be spontaneous. "Tsukiyo."
"Tsukiyo?" The father, Kota, smiled at the name. "Where'd you get that from?"
Yumi shrugged and gently passed the baby to the father, giving him a chance to hold her.
"I don't know, it just came to me.."

to be continued...