Disclaimer: Okay now onto business (yet again) if you have read the prologue well that makes me happy to know that you have returned to read the first chapter. I am sure it will also make my friend very happy after this though, do not expect a new chapter so soon. My computer that had everything well the motherboard crashed so everything has been lost. All I can do now is find my notebook that has been used to rewrite everything in and type it all up.
So anyways as usual enjoy the story, I have modified it since its last modification from its previous debut online. Yup well enjoy.
[01 Trickery up their Sleeves
Months after Taka's death things began to change, to many it was as though he never came to exist. The only one that knew of his existence now was the holder of the new book.
Slowly time began to rewind through his eyes.
He took notice of the many changes outside the book and inside the book of Fushigi Yuugi: Crossover between the Four Gods. His eyes would easily water with tears of joy when the time had rewind long enough that each time a Suzaku Warrior was brought back to life and that they had continued to live their old life style. Although this time, their mission was to search for the missing Suzaku no Miko.
No matter how the memories played to him and as the rewind of time took its course, by the time it had stopped he took notice of a very different beginning. "What in the world does this mean?" he asked himself in utter confusion.
XxX
"Twins," murmured the village people all around excitedly, but shocked at the same time.
"That's not happened," begins another, but this time a child of about the age of three with short flaming light orange hair while counting his little chubby fingers, "in a thousand years in our little village," he proclaimed with a big grin plastered on his face.
"Hah! Twins it's all a fluke," murmured the ignorant and the old.
As the village people murmured on the outside, an apprehensive apprentice nurse watched from the inside of the set up birthing tent at all the village elders, commoners, and even children. "Lady Xing Xing are you positive that you bare twins?" asked the apprentice nurse turning her back to the opening of the birthing tent.
A woman in her mid-twenties lying on top of the birthing bed brushed away a strand of her raven black hair behind her ear revealing her sparkly vibrant right violet eye and then did the same with her left side revealing a meadow left green eye as she smiled warmly up at the apprehensive nurse. With a voice of soft-spoken lullabies she answered, "Yes young nurse I am positive that I am expecting twins, but sadly as destiny and fate would have it they shall be separated after each of their individual births."
"They are not identical?" asked the young nurse as she prepared a warm cloth for the weary lady.
"They are not identical for they will be born separately. At this moment in a few hours or less the one that will be given to the Hsiao family will be named Hsiao Tsou Mieko, but they will call her Terra," said Lady Xing Xing trying to keep her senses clear.
The young nurse paid attention to every word that escaped the Lady's lips as she also paid close attention to her actions while trying to remember everything that the much respected elder nurses had taught her as a child. "Lady Xing Xing maybe you need me to call upon the other nurses," offered the young and nervous apprentice nurse.
"No! No, I want only you to be with me young nurse. Young nurse if you get me through this you will no longer be an apprentice," nearly yelled Lady Xing Xing as she felt the pain wash over her body once more. "I thank you m'lady, but I am quite the nervous wreck at the moment," confessed the young nurse.
Lady Xing Xing stretched out her arm asking for the young nurse's hand . The young nurse placed her hand on the woman's once she felt secure. Lady Xing Xing looked into the nurse's deep golden brown eyes, "You have nothing to worry about my young one, everything will be fine," assured in a motherly way Lady Xing Xing.
The young nurse nodded trying to hide her insecurity about her own nursing abilities while taking back her hand gently allowing for Lady Xing Xing to rest. As Lady Xing Xing fell into a slumber yelping every few minutes from the pain, the young nurse looked around baffled upon realizing all the trust that Lady Xing Xing had placed upon her she did not know how else to react to all of it. The rumors had been true Lady Xing Xing always trusted only those that deserved her trust.
Slowly to the young nurse as the minutes continued to pass she felt the minutes go by, as hours until a final yelp from the lady did the young nurse know it was time for the birth to begin. As the final yelp turned into a shriek, the young nurse constantly reminded the lady of her breathing patterns and exercises to diminish the pain that she was feeling. As the minutes continued to grow, Lady Xing Xing became steady much to the young nurse's relief.
Meanwhile outside the birthing tent many of the villagers continued to gather outside the tent as they had heard Lady Xing Xing's scream of agony. The villagers that had been murmuring earlier ill of the lady's capability to birth twins began to believe for in all the years they had lived they had never heard a scream of agony as loud as hers.
The nurse paced the ground nervously as the lady entered greater anguish than the one from earlier in the day. She knew that the little head of the new born was beginning to make her way out, the young nurse however nearly fainted, but kept it together for the lady's sake with all the strength she could muster on her own.
"A little longer milady," said the young nurse trying to keep her voice calm and collected. "Her little head is about out," cheered on the young nurse.
Lady Xing Xing breathed in and out uncontrollably trying to hold her breath, but failed at each attempt, "Young nurse I do not know how much more you will be able to handle on your own. If you feel the need to call for help, do not hesitate."
"Of course milady," said the young nurse trying to hide the little sheer joy she felt upon hearing such allowed request coming from the lady o-so sudden.
With little sheer joy the young nurse drops her duties quickly, but gently and runs to the exit of the tent to-only-stop in her tracks, as she looks up at all the villagers that have gathered around the tent. Her eyes flared in shock there was no way she was going to be able to get the elder nurses on her own, she would have to rely on the villagers to get it done for her.
Meanwhile Lady Xing Xing thought bitterly as she was left alone.
I should have made the choice to give birth in the birthing tub than this ridiculous tent, thought Lady Xing Xing bitterly as she heard the young nurse step outside the tent unknowing of what she had just encountered curious nevertheless even in her painful state.
The young nurse could not take her eyes of off the crowd and instantly she spread her arms out wide to stop any curious villagers from entering the birthing tent she knew it was crucial for the unborn babe to be contaminated by the villagers. Quickly she regretted it never in her life had she been asked so many questions at one time. She felt ashamed that she could not keep it together for her lady.
"Young nurse, what has the lady given birth to?" asked many of the villagers at the same time.
"The lady still remains in labor, but quick someone fetch the elder nurses the lady is about to enter her critical point," begged the young nurse never letting go of her stance knowing that a curious child might wonder into the tent.
"We are on it," announced few of the strongest men in the village.
"Thank you," breathed the young nurse still keeping her stance letting the villagers know to back off that no one, but the elder nurses and herself was to enter the tent and tend to the young to be mother. As they did, she returned inside to her post.
Returning to her post taking in and out short breaths when the young nurse looked up she nearly ripped out her hair seeing that the lady had fainted she could not believe she had allowed for such mishap to happen. Quickly she rushed out of the tent to fetch some lukewarm water from a nearby sacred spring to the nurses while not daring to speak or look at any of the aghast standing villagers it was not their business to know what had happened to their lady and besides she knew that she was to say a word many would think that she had failed at her learnt abilities.
Returning with a bucketful of the water, she poured some of it into a round bowl allowing it to cool as she fetched new washcloths. As she fetched them, she also gathered some strong spices that will pick the lady's curiosity as she placed the washcloth on the lady's heated forehead.
Doing all that she could the lone young nurse smiled wearily towards Lady Xing Xing. The newborn had finally arrived to the world while the lady remained in her fainted state meanwhile Lady Xing Xing began to come back around with more newfound strength.
The little cries of her new baby daughter brought her closer to her new reality, "Allow me to see her," she begged instantly.
The young nurse walked to the lady holding the now clean newborn to hand her over to her longing mother, "Here you are Lady Xing Xing and might I add that her color of eyes is the same as your left eye."
Lady Xing Xing smiled as she looked at her baby, "She does, doesn't she, but now it is like I used to have her eyes when only one of my eyes used to be that color."
The words that she spoke confused the young nurse dearly, "What do you mean milady? She has your ey. . .," the young nurse as she spoke then dropped the tray of food she was carrying for the lady once she paid attention to the new color that stood on the lady's left eye. "Your left eye milady it is different. It no longer is that meadow like green color the villagers had once talked about so dearly, but now it is a bronze yellow the same color as our God's eyes."
"Do not fret young nurse that is why I am giving birth to pass on the gifts that I am not allowed to use and that way our village does not need to worry about losing any future generations," she answered while looking at little Terra. "As for my eye color change that is my original eye color and when it is time for me to go I will stand at his side," whispered Lady Xing Xing as she stared into Terra's playful but weary eyes. "But now it is I who shall fret for I will not be able to witness the growth of my little Terra. Now Terra as the oldest you shall always protect your younger sister until she finds the one for her," said Lady Xing Xing rocking her body back and forth slight to put little Terra to sleep. "Take her young nurse or I will never bring myself to let her go," she cried. "You shall go to a good family the Hsiao are close friends of mine."
The young nurse did as the lady had said and took back little Terra who had fallen asleep and placed her inside a crib that the Hsiao family themselves had picked out. "Milady must you obey Destiny? Destiny is not always right about her predictions," said the young nurse unable to hide the sadness that reflected through her weary eyes.
Lady Xing Xing smiled warmly at the young nurse heaving a tiresome sight, "My sister she will never be right with the predictions meant for the other villagers, but within our family her predictions will always be accurate no matter how much we don't want them to. Besides in this village the second born always go through a horrible ordeal."
"Still milady it is unfair that you must suffer such fate everyone in the village loves you dearly they even worship you as though you were born from a Goddess womb. What is this village to become once you are gone?" the young nurse asked not liking her question.
"All I can say to you young nurse is to not fret we all at least once must embrace our destiny no matter how cruel it may be."
"You are very kind milady."
"At certain points everyone is."
"If only. . .say milady when is the next little one due?"
"She is due in three more full moons she still needs her time to grow."
"They truly are not identical," whispered the young nurse.
Lady Xing Xing only smiled wearily, "Do not worry young one time will not be long."
The young nurse remained confused at Lady Xing Xing's words after she had long fallen asleep, but remained by her side as her official nurse until her next labor as requested by the lady herself.
As the time began to pass, Terra in her age of three months grew strong and remained healthy the way Lady Xing Xing had predicted before her birth. From time to time, she would go to visit her growing daughter, but those visits began to disappear until she once again had found herself entering labor.
This time around, the young nurse knew what to do and this time Lady Xing Xing managed to stay awake to welcome her second daughter. During the birth, not many words were exchanged between the lady and the young nurse. Lady Xing Xing felt the need to save her energy before she had to say her final goodbye to her daughters and everyone else.
Meanwhile the village people who had heard that the lady had entered labor once again began preparations for the upcoming festival that they would throw for the twins even if they were not at all identical. As well as they began to look for the twins future bachelors. The only thing that the twins as they grew were not able to know was they were twins.
"Milady she has violet eyes," said the young nurse once she had seen the babe open her eyes while she cleaned up the newborn before handing her to her mother.
"It seems she too was born with the curse," said Lady Xing Xing sadly taking her new daughter in her arms. "I am sure you will make the right choices," she said a little happier. "My little one you are destined to go to the Chai family and I am sure they will care for you as though you were their very own. Nenari that is what they will call you and your name will be known to others as beautiful hope when it truly stands for beautiful curse. Chai-Tsou-Kameko will be your full name, but they will call you Nenari."
"Even second born twins are born with the curse it shouldn't be like that," complained the young nurse blinking away her tears.
"Sadly yes, but she will survive which is a good thing she may even break the curse placed on our village," she said to the young nurse. "I have nothing of importance to say to you my little Nenari, but I do wish you all the luck in the world and with this seal you will be protected until your very first real and passionate kiss," she said placing a little sealing curse on little Nenari. After the sealing curse, Nenari fell fast asleep unable to get any time to weep.
"Shall I take her from your hands milady?" asked the much calmer nurse.
"No I will stay with her a little longer, but there is a favor I would like to ask of you."
"What is it milady?"
"I understand that Terra is now with Hsiao family, but I would like to have her with me for at least two hours perhaps even more. Do me that last favor young nurse, please it is also my last wish," begged Lady Xing Xing unable to understand how she still had so much strength since she knew her time was almost up. She knew very well that fate could not be fought.
"I will milady, I promise," said the young nurse.
The young nurse hurried out of the birthing tent and made her way to the other end of the village to get to the Hsiao family home. With luck she found them settled in their house and not busy in preparations like the other villagers she passed had been. Now the only thing that she would find difficult was convincing them to allow her to take Terra with her.
"I beg you milady, Lady Xing Xing doesn't have much time left in her. As a mother of five and grandmother of two you should know and understand what she is going through at this moment. Milady it is her last wish do not strip her of it," begged the young nurse.
"Honey do allow the young nurse as she is bid to do after all Xing Xing is one of your closest friends and one of the finest lady's of this little village," argued the husband feeling sympathetic for the young nurse.
"Milady why else would she be separating her daughters and giving them to different families?" argued the young nurse wiping away some of her tears that had gone astray.
"Alas you have a point young nurse and so do you husband she is one of my dearest friends. Alas I will go fetch the little one," said Terra's new mother.
Terra's new mother came back with Terra and handed her over to the young nurse reluctantly. Upon receiving little Terra the young nurse thanked the family and left toward the birthing tent found on the other side of the village.
When Lady Xing Xing held her two daughters for the first time together, she gave them both a soft loving peck on their forehead. She spent her remaining time with them telling them little crazy stories about her childhood, singing to them soft and sweet lullabies, and telling them how they should be when they get older. Meanwhile the young nurse watched the three carefully from the shadows crying silently, sometimes-wiping away tears to witness the lady's bright eyes fade into nothingness.
The young nurse walked up to the lady before her strength diminished and the babies fell off her arms. Collecting Nenari and Terra, she placed the crying girls in separate cribs. The young nurse continued to wipe her tears away as she neared Lady Xing Xing's body. She placed her hand on her eyes and closed them, "Rest in peace milady," she said unable to believe that her lady deserved her death.
The festival that was normally going to be for the twins turned into a funeral for one of the greatest lady's in the village. Each villager wept for the lady's passing and even the young twins though separated still wept and only stopped when they were placed together. It continued even after year of their mother's passing. The adoptive mother's understood then how strong their bond was as twins, but knew that they could not keep them together the two had to find each other.
When the families saw that they would do fine, they separated them, but not forever, because by the time the two girls had hit their age of six they had found each other and vowed to be the best of friends they could ever be. Their life continued to be as normal as it can be for a Zarconian to be warrior. Every day since they could walk they have been trained by the elders how to use magic, curses, and even how to bring back a person to life if their destiny had allowed It.
The two girls grew closer and closer each passing second they spent together and soon they became inseparable. The villagers did not know how to separate them that they began to worry that they would never be goodwives by the time they reached their sixteenth birthday.
One day on their day off together they raced to the nurses' homes to visit the young nurse that had been there to witness both of their births. The young nurse now at the age of twenty was among and one of the elders and a legend among the other nurses for being so young and an elder. Even though she had witnessed their births, she could not allow them to know that the women they believe to be their mothers are not their actual mothers.
"Nurse Esther where are you?" called out a young girl about the age of eight with raven black hair and with hypnotizing emerald green eyes that allowed her to escape trouble wherever it followed her.
"Terra please do wait for me," called out a young girl about the age of eight with raven black hair and with dark amethyst violet eyes.
"Hurry up Nenari, before we lose her again," yelled out Terra from atop of a hill.
"Lose who?" asked a well dressed nurse in white long robes placing her hands on her hips while allowing her long turquoise flawless hair fall around her petite figure and shining deep golden brown eyes smiling joyfully trying not to laugh at the little girls before her.
Nenari turned herself around nearly falling on her little bottom, while forgetting about her almost embarrassing moment she ran towards the elder nurse to hug her tightly with all her manageable strength. "Nurse Esther," she said happily nearly crying.
Terra ran her fastest to catch up to Nenari and the elder nurse, "Do you like our surprise Nurse Esther?" she asked also hugging the nurse and slightly pushing Nenari aside.
Nurse Esther smiled down at each of the girls, "Of course, you two know that I love it when you visit me. Now how about we have some fun?"
"Of course Nurse Esther," the girls said in unison.
"Ok, today it is my turn to pick out the medical herbs for the month. Now you two go on ahead into the forest while I go and fetch some baskets to place them in," she said smiling.
"Yes Nurse Esther," said Terra grabbing Nenari's hand for the two to get their head start.
As they ran, Nenari tried to slow down Terra something just did not feel right about leaving the village. Even though she was seven and three quarters she knew when harm would come their way. "Terra please stop we should go back," she said unable to stop the gut feeling she was beginning to feel.
"Nenari nothing will happen to the village today or ever now come on before the elders realize you are using your unforgivable gift of future sight," scolded Terra gripping Nenari's hand harder and running.
Terra also knew why Nenari was worried she too had used her future sight to see if there was a way to contradict Nenari's vision and there was even if they had to say goodbye to every one person they cared for. For some reason Terra felt it in her heart that they had to keep living and that it was for their own good even if others thought it to be quite selfish.
XxX
He read the book surprised that two little girls could have such power and that not even the Suzaku Seishi could top it even if their power was to somehow combine. Their power was that of the Gods perhaps just one God.
"As the girls ran away from the village Nenari felt as though she was being pulled back to the village, but Terra would not let go of her hand. When the strong feeling had fled both of the girls, they both stopped running and turned around to witness as the village began to be engulfed by a fiery bird. They themselves did not know it, but they too were engulfed by the red aura.
The two girls hugged each other crying into each other's shoulder until they felt themselves fall into an empty slumber. As they slept somewhere near the south a cave had exploded revealing the body of the missing legendary no Miko lying there emotionless and lifeless.
Her body appeared to still be young and her body laid there for a very long time."
He read the book over and over again he just could not figure out whose body it was.
"Could it be Miaka's body?" he asked himself.
XxX
It had been eight years since the Zarconian people had died out and its village. Legends have it that it was the great God of the south that had engulfed the village to-finally-give the village a rest. As well as to stop them from ever entering the Great War that had then taken two years after its great engulfment. For surrounding villages they stood together with luck fearing that their God too might engulf them.
Many others say that the village was engulfed as a sacrifice and a treaty with the other powerful Gods had formed among its distraction. It was also said that the village had sinned and made their protective God so angry resulting in their banishment. Nobody could ever tell why the village had to disappear, but ever since then many have already forgotten about them. That is to say not to those who did survive the engulfment, but remained hidden for fear that they may suffer.
"I've got bad news for you Nenari," began to say a worn out Terra.
Nenari stoop up from her kneeling position. "What is it Terra?" she asked.
Terra lay down on top of the tall grass while closing her eyes shut, "Nenari there have been rumors going about in the nearby village that two Zarconian clan members have been terrorizing the villagers at night."
Nenari froze allowing her fear to grow within her." I thought we left that name long ago and I thought no one else knew about that name."
"Forget about it, if some did know or knows about that name. What we need to do now is to focus on how we will be fleeing from this place. Nenari we need to move north we have been in the south for too long. Think about it if we move north we will not need to worry about changing our names anytime too soon. Our name is what keeps us chained to our past," explained Terra while keeping her posture.
"When do we leave?" Nenari simply asked.
Terra stood back up slowly, "As soon as we get paid," she said and Nenari smiled.
"Okay," she said her smile turning into a slight frown. To her money was not as important as it was to Terra. Also, when Terra did not realize it she would give money to the poor always getting great food in exchange for the money and well she loved food.
Terra sniffed the air it had a scent of something burning. She turned around and glared at Nenari who did not realize it. "Nenari you're doing it again."
Nenari opened her eyes looking at Terra confused. "Doing what?"
"You are setting the grassy crops on fire, stupid. Learn to use your elements," she said.
Nenari looked around herself and sniffed, "I'm so sorry grass crops I didn't mean to light you up, but food gets me like this," she apologized to the grass.
Terra simply hit her forehead, "Why do I even bother?" she asked herself walking away from Nenari slightly angered, but she knew better too.
Nenari began to put the small fire out with some difficulties and when she was finally done, she stood back up remembering something. She got on her stance aimed her forefinger at Terra's disappearing body and said, "Fire spell level one." As she said that Terra's shorts began to burn at the tips. The small fire managed to spread like wildfire.
By the time, Terra noticed it was too late. "What was that for?"
By this time, Nenari had caught up with her. "That's for calling me stupid you stupid," she said before running on ahead of Terra.
A/N: So, so far is it anything like any other? No need to answer since I am sure that you will not. Anyways sorry to end it at a cliffhanger kind of thing I think. It is time for me to go to bed I have to wake up early tomorrow. School calls to me unfortunately.