TWINS AND JEWELS
By CrystalBlueSeraph
Disclaimer: I don't own characters and settings from sailormoon and inuyasha.
Chapter 1
A middle-aged woman with long, black hair streaked with purple most prominent and distinguished under the hot sun suddenly paused on her current activity. She had been sweeping fallen and dried leaves off of the surrounding lawn since the break of dawn, pilling it all up to be burned in the middle of the clearing.
It was a beautiful morning; the sounds of life waking up from slumber were music to one's ears, and the fresh morning scent permeating the air a calming balm to chase away unwanted dreams that had plagued some of the less fortunate individuals the night passed.
Suddenly, the whole place fell silent; an invisible 'hush' cloaked everything like a shadow, subconsciously stopping every living being from uttering any sound. Not a cricket was chirping. Not a bird twittering.
The temperature in the clearing gradually increased. Some of the dry leaves that littered the surrounding area started floating caused by the intensity of the heat and the pressure that came with it. Energy also seemed to spark every now and then in burst of lights and fires creating an unusual scene.
"Aunt Rei, what is going on?" A girl of 10 years old asked silently, a slight tremor marring her sweet and gentle voice. She wore an off-the-shoulder, short, black hair with the same coloring as the middle-aged woman.
She had pale skin, which was now devoid of what little color she had left due to what she was witnessing. She was afraid; afraid because of the amount of power not only could she feel but see as well. To her, it looked like waves of fire moving like a whirlpool surrounding her aunt, encircling her and tentatively licking her skin.
Her knuckles turned white from tightly clutching the broomstick she held. Her eyes burned purple from the knowledge someone of a higher being deemed to share, and as she stared unblinking at the horizon, and with a monotone voice, let out the words waiting to be spilled....to be heard.
"The day will come.
Twin souls born from one.
Souls true and pure within.
Power infinite therein.
With light comes darkness.
With bliss, wretchedness.
Shadows untold will flow.
Bringing death, sadness, sorrow.
Conclusion unresolved.
Till twin souls restored.
What will be, will be.
This is the prophesy."
The powerful aura gradually eased, leaving tendrils of its existence as evidence of sudden bursts of dried leaves into small flames, leaving only ashes.
"Hotaru, go get me a blank scroll, and the brush and ink container. What was prophesied must be written, and if possible, only known to those people concerned." Rei, now in control of her person asked her niece.
She was exhilarated and still slightly dazed because of the latent power still flowing through her. She hadn't had any premonition so powerful in her whole entire life. She hadn't had any visions so vivid and felt so real, accompanied by the unveiled words that were shown to her just moments ago. She could still hear the prophetic words echoing in her head, its origin unknown and unseen.
Hotaru nodded and slowly turned towards the house, but before she took her first step she paused.
'What is that?' She thought. She felt strange; she felt the coldness in the air even with the telltale heat coming from her aunt's burst of power. The hairs on her back, shoulders, and legs stood on end as a chill swept through her entire body.
"A foreboding omen." Hotaru whispered...her eyes glassy with untold truth and wisdom.
-ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER-
"GRANDPAAAA!!!" A young boy of seven years old with dark brown hair and striking brown eyes passed through the startled villagers that were standing on the narrow alley of the busy market.
Everybody looked at the boy with concern because of the frantic way he called for his grandfather. 'Something must have happened. Hope everything's all right.' Thought some of the villagers who witnessed the commotion the boy named Shingo created.
Nobody really minded. Everybody respected the Higurashi family. They were their saviors and their healers, and they were their defenders against youkais with evil intent upon the village and its inhabitants.
The Higurashi family lived in a beautiful two-story house located beside a big old tree, so old that the people think it was over 1000 years old. On the left side of the house was the prayer house where most of the people go to pray, to ask for blessings, and give respect. The shrine was located on a wide clearing on the outer edge of the village, which was a very strategic location. Demons had to get through the shrine's inhabitants first, which was unlikely, before reaching the villagers to bring havoc.
The Higurashi family was a family of powerful priests and mikos. Their family and their descendants had been protecting the village for hundreds of years. And because of their reputation, only the occasional weak and brainless youkais and some strong ones, who wanted to challenge the residing miko or priest in residence, seldom attacked them. They were very well known by other surrounding villages as well, so much so that people from far away places traveled to their village to seek out their help.
Shingo was very frantic. He was suffering from too many emotions right now and the only thing that kept him from panic was the thought of his mother's need for him to accomplish the simple task of finding his grandfather and bringing him back home as soon as possible.
'Where is he? Grandpa should have been in Naru's hut, but she said he already left'.
FLASHBACK
He skidded into a halt in front of Naru's hut and knocked furiously. "What is the problem Shingo?" Asked a young woman with auburn hair and dark green eyes, shadowed by thick lashes, set on a kind, friendly, and comely face. She had been preparing her supper when she heard the incessant knocking on her wooden door.
"Is my grandfather here?" the agitated little boy, who couldn't seem to stand still, shifting his weight from one foot to another, asked.
Naru frowned, slightly worried, wondering if the village was under attack. "No. But I heard him say that he will go to the market to get some vegetables and herbs for tonight." She paused for a bit, watching the boy closely. "What's the matter Shingo?" She asked, becoming more concerned when the boy seemed to become more frantic than before.
"Um, thank you very much but I need to go right now and find him." He turned to leave but a hand latched on his arm preventing him from printing away.
"I will help you find him if you tell me what's wrong. It's much easier and faster if there are two people looking, better than one." Naru reasoned, keeping her voice calm and soothing as if talking to one of the younger ones to instill logic to his frantic mind.
Shingo gave a pause and acquiesced with a sigh. "I think mother is having a baby."
The simple phrase brought her up to a sudden understanding. "Oh. Why didn't you say so? You should've told me sooner." And with that, the two set off in the direction of the market looking for the old priest.
The house was very quiet, excitement and fear died down hours ago. In one of the rooms, a new mother was sleeping peacefully. By her side laid her two babies, also sleeping contentedly.
Outside, a very merry Shingo was sprawled on the grass with a wide smile plastered on his face. He couldn't believe it. He was officially a big brother now, not just to one but TWO little baby girls.
'I just wish dad was here. It would have been great to see his reaction finding out that he had twins.' He thought wistfully.
His father was in another village helping some of the people there because its village's healer was injured from a demon attack and could not perform any of the tasks necessary for the village's safety.
Within the prayer house, Grandpa Higurashi sat in a lotus position meditating...but thoughts kept him from concentrating.
There was something that he was supposed to know about the situation, about the twins born, but for some reason, it was eluding him. The though had been nagging him at the back of his mind. He knew he had read something important the played a significant role in this particular situation.
Something very important.
"What is it?" he muttered to himself, voice slightly edged with frustration.
Days passed since the birth of the twins. One of the twins had midnight-black hair; it was a peculiar shade of black because it often appeared a darker shade of blue when struck by sunlight, giving off beautiful, dark-blue highlights.
The other twin, on the other hand, had a very peculiar hair color, color that had never been seen on a human being before. (AN: They're in Asia folks. It is very rare to have an albino trait.)
It was the color of the sun, golden, with hints of silver in some areas that usually stood out and very noticeable under the rays of the sun, and the moon. Some would comment that the baby might have had some youkai blood in her, a comment that would not raise ire or offence, but induce humor among family members and friends because they were proud, proud of the twin's uniqueness, proud that they were able to produce something that was special.
The idea of the baby having any youkai blood in her was ludicrous. First of all, the mother was a miko, even if she could not compare to the strength the other mikos possessed, her blood would have purified the baby within her womb. Secondly, everybody knew how faithful and in-love she was with her husband. She would never cheat on him and besides, it would have been against her honor. And lastly, the most important clue as to their parentage was the fact that both girls had the same birthmark their father possessed. It was a rose shaped mark at the nape of their necks.
The birthmark was not the only thing that was the same between the twins. Both babies had milky white skin, unblemished and soft; and their eyes, eyes that others thought were of a youkai trait as well, were similar, surrounded by thick dark lashes, set on finely crafted, cherubic, and serene faces. Their eyebrows were elegantly arched and their noses proportioned and strait. They had the features that someday would be the envy of many women.
Both had big and beautiful crystal blue eyes, eyes that seemed to contain infinite amount of knowledge and wisdom, radiating clear innocence, very unearthly for babies to possess, eyes that could seem to read your soul, eyes that you could be lost within.
Physical traits were not the only characteristics that made the twins different from the others. Babies usually cried and get agitated easily. The twins were almost always serene, happy most of the time and seldom did they cry. They only cried in the presence of danger..........just to warn the others.
When somebody tried to talk to them, it would seem like they were really listening and understanding what was being said. It was unnerving sometimes, especially when they stared and focused at you straight in the eyes.
Their names were Kagome Higurashi and Usagi Higurashi.