Flower Child and Sky Child

By: SakuraNenriki

Note- This story came to me during a very odd conversation with some friends on MSN Messenger. Updates will be sporadic because I have three other stories I'm typing as well. Now, on with the show. This chapter is a prologue and it time skips a bit. It's broken into four parts and tells you how much time has passed since what came before it.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, bitches. Some of the characters in this story are mine, and I'll let you figure out who they are.


"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't." -Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady

Part One

Higurashi Kagome sighed happily while looking at her newborn children. This was InuYasha's gift to her, the proof that they had loved each other. She had given him what he had wanted; to become a true demon, using the Shikon no Tama. In return he had given her his heart and body for four days. Then she had left, knowing she most likely would never see him again.

At seventeen she had born twins, his twins, a handsome boy and a beautiful girl. The boy had come easily and without much effort. The girl had had to fight for her life, almost suffocating from the umbilical cord wrapping around her throat. Now she was pink and healthy like her brother, baring no signs of her struggle. The two had their mother's ebony hair and their father's golden eyes. They also carried dog ears, a sign of them being hanyou. She held them as she breast fed them for the first time.

"Now all you two need are names," she whispered. Her family had suggested a few and she had also been thinking about it, but no names seemed to fit. She looked out the window of her hospital room. Today was a bright cloudless day, the sky bluer than she could recall seeing. On the small table in front of the window sat a vase of flowers. Their rich hues were brought out by the blue sky. She smiled, inspiration hitting her. "Tenko and Hanako. That's what I'll name you. You like?" The babies cooed softly. Yes, my sky child and flower child. I'm so glad you're here with me now, she thought.

Part Two: Six Months Later

The Higurashi family sat in dead silence. None of them could believe what was happening. The news had come on without warning during a television movie. The anchorman start saying that monsters had suddenly appeared, attacking any and all. He began to urge people to stay in their homes and not to panic. Then he had paled, threw his hands up, screamed. Then the standby screen appeared.

Kagome knew what the "monsters" were. She could feel it in her bones. They were demons, angry ones at that. She supposed they had grown tired of hiding, and she could not blame them for who would want to have to constantly hide who they were? But this, this was going to be a bloodbath. The only safe places now were holy grounds. Now they were camping out in the main temple room, her grandfather looking into ancient scrolls for protection spells.

She stood over the double crib Souta had moved into the room. Tenko had been fussy while Hanako had been crying almost nonstop. She could tell that Tenko would be like his father by his body language, the gruff protector of his little sister. Hanako however was the polar opposite, usually very calm and gentle, like Kagome's mother. Her only explanation for the crying was that Hanako had inherited her mother's miko talents.

Higurashi Matsu noted her daughter's worried expression. She stood and walked over to Kagome. Matsu hugged her daughter. "Daijoubu, otome-chan, I'm sure we'll be alright."

Kagome smiled. "Arigato, Ka-san." Kagome let Tenko suck on her finger. This day was a sign from the Kami. From now on she would train and strengthen her miko skills so that she could protect her family and children. She headed towards her grandfather so that she could help him with the spells. Today was Kagome's eighteenth birthday.

Part Three: Six Years Later

Higurashi Hanako ran towards the rear of the temple. At the age of six, she knew more than most of her peers. Something, a little voice inside, was telling her to the back of her home. She wore a yukata of peach with a green obi, her feet clad in white tabi and wooden zori. On each side of her head there was a barrette with a fake white chrysanthemum attached, pulling back her hair. Her dog ears stood tall, the same shade as her hair.

She flew down the back steps as children do, bounding towards the sakura grove that grew behind her home. Down the seemingly endless rows of trees she went, the pink petals like snow. Then she stopped, spotting someone sitting beneath one.

His eyes were closed, like he was sleeping. His silver hair contrasted with the brown bark he leaned against. He had pointed ears and strange marks on his cheeks. He wore a red haori and red hakama, his feet bare. A sword lay vertically against him. He opened an eye, startlingly gold, studying her. He smiled.

"And who are you, little girl?" His voice made her feel safe and secure.

She stepped closer and bowed. "Hanako desu. And you?" Her voice was sweet and innocent just as she was.

He opened his other eye and stayed silent.He motioned for her to join him. The little girl sat on her knees beside him. "So why are you here?"

She giggled. "I live here."

"Honto?"

"Hai, with Ka-chan, Ni-chan, Oba-san, and Oji-kun. Oba-san is Ka-chan's oka-san. She bakes me cookies and sews the holes in my clothes. Oji-kun is Ka-chan's toot-san. He's a doctor for people and animals. Ni-chan is my twin, and he always takes care of me, like today when the kids were picking on me because of my ears." She looked a little sad, then smiled. "Ni-chan is the greatest! Oh! And then there's Ka-chan! Ka-chan is the most beautiful lady ever! She's nice and kind and gives the best hugs ever! She's the head miko at our temple. Everybody in here loves her lots because she makes the bad youkai go away."

He made a face, as though he had swallowed a bitter tasting medicine. "And what about your ota-san?"

She frowned. "I've never met Ta-san. Ka-chan says that he was a brave warrior who made bad youkai go away like she does. She says he's brave and just and that she loved him very much. But he had to go away so he left Ka-chan a present. He gave Ka-chan me and Tenko so she would never be lonely and have a part of him around forever." She smiled brightly. "But I'm not sad, I know that one day Ta-san will come home and then we'll live happily ever after!"

The man smiled sadly. Hanako leaned against him. "Are you Ta-san? Have you come home now?" Her eyes were filled with hope.

He pulled her into hug. "Hai, Hanako." She hugged him back. "I came to see if your oka-san and you all were doing okay." He looked close to tears. "But I can't stay, I have to go away again."

"Iie! Ta-san, don't go away, onegai!" She clanged to him. "You have to see Tenko and Ka-chan…" She began to cry into his shirt.

"Shhhh, Hanako." He wiped away her tears and smiled at her. "I promise I'll come home one day, to stay. I promise." She sniffed and nodded, still holding him. After a few moments she fell asleep in his arms as he whispered things to her.

InuYasha gently lay his daughter down at the base of the tree. He took off his fire rat haori and covered her with it. Then he placed Tetsusaiga by her side. Then he walk off, disappearing like a ghost.

A few hours later, as the sun was setting, Kagome was scouring the grove. "Hanako! Hanako! Where are you!" She was worried that something had happened to her little girl. Tenko was right behind his mother, looking for his sister as well.

"Onee-san! Over here!" Souta cried. Kagome and Tenko ran to Souta who stood beside a sakura. "Look, Onee-san."

Kagome gasped. There was Hanako, curled up and asleep, a red haori draped upon her and a sword in its sheath by her. Kagome fell to her knees and gently nudged Hanako. The girl yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Ka-chan, guess what," her sleepy voice spoke. "I met Ta-san today. He was here, Ka-chan. He said he couldn't stay but one day he'll come back." Kagome covered her mouth and tears started flowing down her cheeks. "He said he wants Ni-chan to have his sword so Ni-chan can protect you until e comes back. I get his haori…" Hanako was drifting off.

Souta picked up Hanako, the girl laying her head on his shoulders. Kagome clutched Tetsusaiga in her shaking hands. He was alive. InuYasha was alive. "Ka-chan… Ta-san said to tell you he loves you with all his heart…" Kagome broke into sobs of happiness at what her daughter said.

Part Four: Six Years Later

Kagome, dressed in her miko attire, surveyed the remains of a village. It had once housed taijiya, demon slayers who killed demons for a fee. She shook her head at the massacre. No one was sure what had happened, but there had obviously been a fight. Tenko, Tetsusaiga tied to his waist, followed his mother and held onto his sister's hand. Men from Subaru, what the area Kagome lived in was now called, had come with her to bury the dead and search for survivors. If anyone had survived, it would be a miracle.

"Kagome-sama! Over here! We found a live one!" one of the men called.

She rushed over, her children on her heels. There, beside the man, stood a little girl. She had short brown hair and wore the taijiya's uniform. She was balling loudly. The girl could not have been much older than the twins, who were now twelve. At the girl's feet was a strange animal. Kagome's eyes widened. "Kirara?" The animal mewed and the girl stopped crying.

"You know Kirara?" she asked softly.

"Hai, I do. And what's your name?" She smiled gently at the girl.

She sniffed. "Taijiya Shinju desu."

Kagome wiped a smudge from Shinju's cheek. "Higurashi Kagome desu. Shinju-san, would you like to come live with me at my temple? I have two children who are about your age. Tenko, Hanako?" Tenko stepped out from behind his mother arrogantly. Hanako peeked from behind her mother.

"Are they youkai?" The girl seemed appalled.

Kagome shook her head. "Iie, they are hanyou, and they won't hurt you, so don't be scared."

Tenko snorted. "Girls are so dumb." Hanako winced at his statement. "They're scared of everything."

Shinju scowled. "Take that back!" She tackled him and the two wrestled on the ground. Neither was the victory because Kagome pulled them apart. In the end, Shinju became yet another resident of Higurashi Shrine.

-Boy that was long. Please review, and until next time, Sakura, signing off!