The young woman stepped gracefully out the chrome-colored 2003 Toyota, taking careful steps so she wouldn't end up falling amongst the sloshy, mud stained snow. She silently stepped up onto the curb of the full parking lot. The icy snow fell all around, trapped in a perpetual snowglobe.

The girl tilted her pale face up to the sky, closing her thin eyelids over everlasting ice-blue eyes. She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling, breathing in the smell of winter. She opened her eyes and shivered, suddenly realizing how cold it actually was. "Julia, are you coming?" she asked in a musical voice. "Yes Masami, I'm coming."

Masami looked over at the elderly woman following behind her. She ran her hand slowly through her unnaturally thick, dark hair. The elderly blonde woman walked slowly next to Masami, into the elegant Performing Arts building. Tonight was her night to shine.


Masami sighed with content as she pulled on her faded blue costume. The thin material fell softly at her bare legs and arms. She leaned in closer to the lit mirror and applied yet ANOTHER coat of hairspray. "AH!" She gasped as she smeared her near-perfect lipstick. She ran the bathroom and ferociously scrubbed the smear off of her chin.

She stood back from the mirror and examined herself. Hair perfectly pinned, lips plumped, blue eyes sparkling with excitement. Everything had to be perfect tonight. And everything WOULD be perfect. After all, Masami deserved perfection.

"Masaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaami!" yelled an all-too-familiar voice. Masami sighed and rolled her eyes. Taking her sweet time she moved to open the door. But before she could get there, it opened itself. A bouncing young girl appeared from behind the door. She had long, chocolate-colored hair that fell almost to her hips and hazel eyes that burned with enthusiasm. "YOU LOOK WONDERFUL MASAMI!" the girl yelled. Masami sighed and shhed the girl. "Be quiet Hitomi! The audience can hear us if we're too loud." She warned. "Oh! That's right." Hitomi pouted. A voice came over the loudspeaker. "Masami, are you ready, my dear?" Masami smiled at hearing her teacher's reassuring voice. "Yes, Miyaka-san." The loudspeaker clicked off. Masami looked at Hitomi and gave a nod, assuring her that she WAS ready.

In one swift movement, Masami was out of the dressing room and prancing down the rickety stairs that led backstage. She gasped in delight at the scene before her eyes. Gowns of many colors hanging delicately on a rack, girls scurrying about nervously (one, wondering where someone had hidden her shoe), and what looked like hundreds of multi-colored lights shining on the polished stage. It took her breath away every time. "Masami- are you ready my dear?" said Miyaka. He swiftly walked- more or less strutted over to the young girl. "Ready as I'll ever be." She replied plainly with a smile on her lips. "Off you go then my dear!" he daintily nudged Masami to the thick velvet curtains, the only thing between her and 300+ people sitting patiently in the audience. Taking a deep breath, Masami stepped onto the polished wooden floors of the stage…


Miyoti sat perched upon the edge of her seat, anxiously tapping her feet on the carpeted floor. She sat her head on the palms of her hands, her auburn eyes peeking behind overgrown black-haired bangs. She sighed impatiently. "When is this going to begin?" she wondered aloud. "Relax, my young one, I'm sure it will being soon…patience, my dear." Said the middle-aged man next to her. Miyoti sat back in her chair, crossing her arms across her chest stubbornly.

Finally, a young, pale, girl stepped on the dark stage, and a spotlight found her where she stood. With earnest, Miyoti sat up in her chair, as to see a better view of the young woman. With the introduction of the girl's presence, the loud rumble pf the crowd turned to a hum….then to silence. When all was still and quiet, the young girl took a breath and then….started her song. A voice that seemed far too big for the girl's tiny form suddenly filled the room with a melancholy sound.

Miyoti felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and her forearms got goose bumps. The song…she had heard it before…it was familiar- as if from a long-lost dream. Her breathing became heavier and she felt as if she was missing something….or someone. A couple more moments she raked her mind to think of where she had heard the song before. She was sure she had never been to another opera before, especially not sung by someone as young as this woman. The song ended and she pushed her thoughts aside to clap alongside the others in the audience.

Then, everything happened in rush. The east wall was knocked out, bricks and wood flying around the auditorium. Women screamed and men covered the women's head from the flying debris. Then, there, behind the rumble stepped out a monster, with large muscles protruding from its upper arms and legs, red-glowing eyes and what looked like flesh-armor. Miyoti gasped and almost lost her balance. Suddenly a pair of large hands were on her shoulders and were turning her around.

The middle-aged man who had been sitting next to Miyoti talked to her in a hushed tone- obviously trying to keep her calm. "Miyoti. I want you to go backstage. There is a dressing room back there. It is surrounded by iron-metal. You'll be safe there. Please go." He said. Miyoti's eyes widened. "No Kai! I want to stay with you!" She begged. Kai fiercely shook his head, and a piece of grayed-red hair fell onto his face. "No Miyoti. It's dangerous. Please go." Another wall crashed and another creature entered the room. "GO!" Kai yelled.

Without a second thought, Miyoti was off and running, down the dark halls of the performance hall, he high-heeled shoes clicking on the floors. I wonder if a Kai is okay. She wondered. I sure hope he is. He's the only one I have…. Suddenly, she was pulled out of her thoughts when she collided with another figure that was also running down the hall. With the blow, they both had been knocked to the ground. "Ow! Watch where you're going!" the other said. It was a girl. "I'm s-sorry." Miyoti said, She offered her hand to the other girl, who was still on the floor. "Yeah well…" the girl started, but stopped when she came face-to-face with Miyoti's. "Oh. My. God."Said Miyoti. For it was the same face. The exact same one. "You look just like me!" Masami exclaimed. And she did. The same dark-chocolate hair, pale skin and skinny figure. The same except for… "Our eyes…." Said Miyoti. "Are different." Masami gulped and nodded in agreement.

A large explosion pulled the girls out of their thoughts. "Are you-" "Taking cover? Yes." Masami finished Miyoti's sentence. "Lets go!" She demanded. Miyoti took Masami's hand and ran down the dim hallway. Suddenly, the lights flickered, and one by one, went out. Both girls stopped in their tracks and gasped. They looked at each other and Miyoti nodded in encouragement. "Come, we must go!" she said. Masami stayed put. "Come ON!" Miyoti demanded.

Masami's blue eyes widened and she raised a pale finger to point down the hall. Miyoti swiveled her head around to look down the hall. She squinted through the darkness, trying to make out what Masami was looking at, what she was so afraid of. Finally, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. A figure stood at the end of the hall,something shiny, in its hand. It started to move towards them, but the girls, both to afraid to move, just stood.

As the figure neared Miyoti figured out that it was a man. A very….handsome man. Also that the shiny thing in his hand was acutally TWO things…. two swords. When he was roughly five feet away from the girls, he stopped walking for a moment. His eyes lifted frorm where they had been postitioned on the floor and his eyes met Miyoti's. Miyoti almost gasped at the hurt she saw in the man's slat-blue eyes. He nodded, in almost a bow-like way, then turned his gaze to Masami. At looking at her, Miyoti could've swore she saw the man's jaw flex, as if he was very angry at her. Bringing his amazing eyes to the floor again, he raised his right hand. The girls noticed that it had been wrapped in gauze that looked centuries old- very unusual seeing as this man could've be over twenty-two years old. With one quick movement, he started to unwrap it.

Masami gasped when the hand was revealed. For it was almost blood-red and very frightening...almost demonic. Then, he removed a dagger from somewhere in his belt, and cut the hand open. His own blood spilled onto the white granite floor. He took his hand to his mouth and seemingly took the blood into his mouth. In one swift motion, he moved towards Miyoti. His face nearned very close to hers, and Miyoti suddenly found her breathing quickening and her heart was thumping in her ears. Then, he was kissing her, his blood spilling into her mouth. And she was swallowing it. And, to her suprise, it tasted good.

She felt better than she ever had before….stronger. But even when all the blood was gone, he was still kissing her, the demonic hand crept to her waist, and the other lifted her chin. Reluctantly, he pulled away, seeming ashamed of himself. Then he moved to Masami. When he gave her his blood it seemed like he almost didn't want to do it, as if he just wanted to get if over with. When he was done he sneaked another gaze into Miyoti's eyes. Her heart practically stopped.

Then, he turned and reached for the two swords. He held them both out before them, one sword in each hand. But they were different. One sword, seemingly brang new, gleamed under what lights were left illuminating the hall. The handle was nave blue, with shape of a rose imprinted in it. The other sword, seemed older, worn and less shiny. This one had some sort of gem, maybe crystal that glamed just under the handle. Both swords had a canal the branched ino the blade. It was by far- the stragnest looking sword Miyoti had ever seen (but then again, she hadn't seen many).

"Girls." He said in a hypnotic, velvety voice. "You must fight now." At his words, both girls were pulled out their jumbled thoughts. Witha gasp, a wave of remembrance and realization hit both twins.

------------------------------------------------

The sword hovered about the baby's head, the reflection gleaming the newborn's faded blue eyes.

A tear fell from the eyes of the young woman, holding the sword about this yoound child's face.

Her hair hanging in her face, concealing her torn expression.

He dress lay ragged on the floor around her, bloodied and torn from the fight just moments ago.

He eyes wandered to the figure lying next to her.

Though covered in a blanket, she could still make out the figure of her sister, reaching out to her newborn daughters.

Her eyes turned back to the babies that lay helpless beneath her sword.

"We must...not live on."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remembering their purpose, remembering their task, both girls looked up at him.

Two pairs of eyes, red and blue…glowing.