TWINS AND JEWELS
By CrystalBlueSeraph
Disclaimer: I don't own characters and settings from sailormoon and inuyasha.
CHAPTER 3
Twins. That was what the villagers usually called them. Do they even remember our real names? We do not even look the same. Why can they not just call us by our given names? A little girl with an ethereal beauty and a waterfall of long golden hair asked her sister telepathically.
The ability to talk to each other telepathically was as easy as breathing and walking. They found out that they could broadcast their thoughts to each other and only each other just recently; a gift that they suspected stemmed from their almost tangible link that had been established within the womb of their mother before they were even born. They could not read each other's thoughts because that would be an invasion of one's privacy, but they could relay their thoughts to each other on their own will like a silent conversation.
It all started on their 6th birthday. The day started normally enough coupled with a hum of excitement and joy, it was the day they were born after all. After blowing their birthday candles, which they did in perfect sync and enthusiasm, they looked at each other's eyes and mentally asked one another what was their wish. Startled upon hearing one another's voices in their heads without seeing either of their mouths move, their face filled with wonder and confusion. Being the inquisitive girls that they were, they experimented on this newly found ability with delight, unanimously agreeing that this was the best gift they had ever received, even if they did not know who bestowed it unto them. Since none noticed the sudden stem of their unusual gift, they decided to keep it a secret. Not even their mother knew of it.
I do not know...Maybe because we are twins? Another little girl with the same ethereal beauty with strait, long, black hair lying on her stomach, knees bent, feet swaying now and then on air, with her head propped up by her hands, elbows sitting on the ground for support, replied back with a hint of playful sarcasm.
I know that silly. Its just that........never mind. The golden haired one continued forlornly. She sat down beside her sister with her legs stretched out before her.
They had been watching the village kids play tag with each other. Earlier on, they had been offered to join the play but they declined settling on just watching the game. They just did not feel like playing right now. When asked, they usually participated, but for some reason, they were restless. They could feel it. Something was coming; something that would initiate the events that had been written down by the fates when time began.
"Usa-chan. What is really bothering you?" Kagome asked her sister, looking up at her sister's startlingly blue eyes that mirrored her own, slightly guessing that it was probably the uneasiness she felt since she woke up this the morning. Her sister must have felt it too.
"Oh. You know Gome-chan......... I know you can feel it too. That is why you did not play with them." Usagi said out loud, waving her hand at the group of kids. It was well known that Kagome loved playing tag. She had always excelled at the game.
"Yeah, you're right." Kagome replied while she changed her position, now lying supine with hands behind her head, staring at the blue sky. It was a clear sky with small amount of clouds, adding art and beauty to its great vastness.
"Maybe we should get back to the shrine. I think we have a few hours before noon. And besides, mom would want us not to be late for lunch" Usagi said standing up and brushing some grass off of her hakama. She was wearing a blue one while her sister wore green.
"I think we should. I do not really know what will happen. All I know is that something will." Kagome conceded. She stood up and started walking in the direction of their home, her sister following from behind.
"MOM we're home." Shouted Usagi as soon as they got in the house.
Ikuko Higurashi's head popped out of the kitchen door and eyed her daughters, checking for any signs of injury or anything that was not normal. "Good. Lunch will be ready in a few minutes. Why don't you two wash up and then come back here when you're done. Both of you can help me set up the table."
The twins bobbed their heads and head to the well at the back of the house. They arrived in the kitchen shortly and helped their mother set up the table.
It will only be the three of them eating lunch today. Their father and older brother Shingo went to the nearby village because help was needed, and their grandfather was helping one of the villagers right now who was giving birth.
"So. What did you two do today?" Ikuko asked while serving rice.
"We watched our friends play tag." Usagi answered.
"You didn't play along with them? I thought tag is your favorite game Kagome-chan?" She eyed her daughter curiously. She really didn't show anybody how much she knew of what was going on contrary to other people's belief. They didn't know how perceptive she was.
Why did you tell her that? Kagome asked her sister telepathically of which Usagi answered with a shrug.
"Well, umm... I did not want to play today." Kagome answered, hoping that her mother bought her none explanative reason. She did not want to tell her mother of the unexplainable feeling she and her sister were feeling. She did not want to burden her mom of any problem that might not come to pass.
"Oh?" Ikuko eyed her kids closely, then sighed disappointedly. She knew that whatever it was that her daughter or both daughters were occupied with, they will not tell. It was no use forcing the information out of their tight lipped mouths. She tried before with no success. 'Something is probably bothering them today. Maybe a distraction will help.' She thought.
"You know what? I will give you a test today."
"Awwww." The twins groaned together. They definitely did not want to take any test that they would probably fail because of the distraction they were suffering from.
"Not that kind of test." Ikuko cut in. She wasn't thinking of the question and answer test she usually gave her daughters, already proud of their knowledge of the written language, one of the advantages of being of the holy lines.
"I want you to collect a couple of herbs and plants I need to make more medicine for the villagers." She explained. She stood up and took some paper, brush, and ink and wrote what she wanted them to find.
She handed the paper to Usagi who scooted near Kagome so that they both could read through the list "Now. I believe you two know what is needed, right?"
"Hai." Both said at the same time. They loved looking, or what they usually refer as hunting, for herbs and plants. It was fun and rewarding and not as boring as taking one of their mother's tests.
They started heading to the door when their mom called out to them. "Don't go too far in the forest. Stay near where you can still see the house. It's alright if you cannot get all the things in the list."
"HAI MAMA." They shouted at the same time and took off running.
They had been walking in the forest for quite a while now, already strayed too far from the shrine. 'Oh well.' They thought. They were positive that there wasn't a lot of youkais who frequented this particular forest. They thought it safe and were not afraid of getting lost for they had always explored it before. The whole area was very familiar to them.
"So, how many more do we have to find?" Kagome asked Usagi after picking up some plants at a base of a tree. She shook off some of the clinging soil on its roots, and placed it in the basket with the other herbs they found.
"That's five more to go." Usagi said while crossing out one item.
"Wow. We already found four herbs and it's not even noon yet." Kagome stated as she looked up at the sky to judge the position of the sun.
"Yeah." A sudden playfulness entered Usagi's eyes. She secured the basket she was carrying; making sure none of the herbs they picked would fall off. Hey Gome-chan..........tag you're it. Usagi took off in a fast run after tapping her sister's right shoulder.
Kagome, stunned for a while took off after her sister after realizing what just happened. I'll get you Usa-chan.
"In your dreams Gome-chan." Usagi giggled and doubled her effort at running away from her sister. She ran as fast as she could, her slender legs moving at a very fast pace, often jumping and dodging tree roots, branches, and rocks, Kagome right at her heels.
One of the things that made the twins peculiar, aside from their appearance, was that they could run really fast. For six years olds, they run faster than anybody else in their village, young and old. It was quite fascinating to see. You could literally see the dust billowing at their wakes.
Usagi suddenly stopped, the momentum causing Kagome to crash into her.
Omp! "Hey! Why did you stopped?" Kagome asked irritably while disentangling herself from her sister.
"Shhhhh." Usagi placed her finger on her lips. Be quiet, can you feel that? She asked telepathically while looking around their surrounding.
Kagome, understanding, stood up suddenly and closed her eyes and concentrated. Yeah, I can feel a youkai. We should head back. She replied mentally as well, not wanting to be heard by whatever had intruded her senses.
No. I want to know what and who it is. Usagi told her sister.
What? Are you crazy? We should head back now. Kagome shot her sister a pleading look and started gathering their baskets, which was thrown off during their collision.
But I want to see. And anyway, IT doesn't feel bad. I can't detect any malicious intent coming from it. Onegai? Usagi pleaded.
But.........but..........alright already. Kagome gave up with a sigh, and anyway, Usagi had never been wrong with her feelings. She was an empath. And Kagome did not feel any impending doom right now like a premonition that she usually felt whenever there was any danger. If they were in a deleterious position, she would have known.
They silently walked to the area where they could feel the demonic aura. And at the base of a tree, they found a boy sleeping, who they thought was as old as their brother Shingo. They both gasped in fascination.
"Wow" they uttered in unison.
