Swallowing the Sun

3rd Sunrise: Two Peas in a Pod (Part II)

(I recommend listening to "The Musician" 14th Melody while reading this chapter for the sake of feels)

Death really is strange.

It makes you question what comes next or how all this is going to go.

It makes you curious what lies beyond.

Was it complete nothingness? Sweet oblivion?

Was it hell? Heaven? Or is it Nirvana, the perfect paradise?

All of these comes into your mind all at once and so are the memories that had come to pass. A futile attempt of your mind to remember and come up with something in order for you to survive. In order for you to stay alive.

That's one of the reasons why your whole life flash before your eyes in quick successions while your heart is struggling to support your body and keep your blood flowing.

Death is strange. One of the greatest mysteries in the universe along with Life.

But this?

This situation might be one of the strangest she had experienced yet, probably for her whole life too. Seriously, her whole situation is strange. A reincarnated soul that she is, probably from a different alternate universe altogether with how things are going.

She used to be just Emilia – Emiya really, her Japanese name that her Mom had given her to pay respect to her Japanese roots on her mother's maternal side, her mom was half European you see – 'Emi' Joestar-Pendleton or Shiobana Ayana now, is certainly in one of the most bizarre of situations.

Who are you really? Knowing from their earlier meeting, the woman could apparently read her mind.

The ethereal being put away the bottles and picked up Haruno. "Haven't I answered that before?" She spoke gently, placing Haruno backdown after she finished burping him and picked Ayana up. Then she spoke quietly. "I am you."

B-But that doesn't explain anything!

She hummed. "It really doesn't, does it?" The unknown creature gave a soft smile as she placed the brown teddy bear beside Haruno, his giggles resounding in the quiet apartment. "I know that I am you in the way that you know who you are. It is a bit confusing but…" She tapped Haruno's nose and her smile widened as the boy giggled uncontrollably.

"Treat me as an extension of your being, though I think that I have my own thoughts and feelings. I am someone who holds your will and resolve. I am not human just as you have expected, but neither am I a Goddess or any other being that you have imagined. From what I've gathered so far since my emergence, the closest thing to describe what I am is that I am a manifestation of your spiritual will. And as that you and I are essentially the same, you should always know that…" With the back of her hand, she softly caressed Haruno's cheek, the single action alone was filled with love. "I am not here to harm either of you. Ease your worries because from now on," Her light blue lips remained in the same kind smile that Ayana saw when she first appeared.

"I'll always keep them safe."

…

Ah. You're definitely me alright.

(By them she meant the people she loves and will love.)

That night, the twins slept peacefully lulled by a soft voice and the assurance of protection and love. The lullaby spoke of dreams and a child in need of love, the melodious voice was melancholic but filled with promises that were clear to those who were able to hear it, promises of guaranteed love and care.

"Falling fast asleep may these children find blissful dreams~"

What should I call you? I can't call you glowing woman or Goddess-like lady all the time.

The said glowing woman pauses from changing Haruno's clothes. It was one of those onesies that borderlines as a wacky costume, things that Miya bought for them but forgot that she had them. She was on the process of wrestling the boy in a golden ladybug onesie with green and purple spots, Ayana thinks that the color was odd, but it's cute on Haruno so she has no complaints.

"It's up to whatever you decide on." She then chuckled softly after she finished putting on the onesie.

Miya wouldn't notice the change of attire so it's okay. She's too busy nursing a hangover to give a thought to it.

So whatever's okay?

"Yes. Since you and I are essentially the same, you will not pick something that you do not like and that also means that it is something that I do not like." She said absentmindedly as she picked out a pale blue version of what Haruno is wearing – but with black and yellow dots and begun changing Ayana.

Ayana contemplated this. She's right. The woman who is currently taking care of them certainly needs a fitting name. Something that gives a nod to her 'holy' aesthetic and the way she carried herself with grace and serenity.

Her mind whirs back to their first meeting and the first time she had held Haruno in her arms. The way she looked and the way that she cared for her twin brother with the loving smile on her lips, the image that it all formed in her drowsy mind. Maternal and very soft.

(Like a mother to her child.)

Madonna, is that name… okay to you?

A smile came over her blue tinted lips. "I couldn't think of anything better."

Ayana stared at her reflection from the mirror that was being held by Madonna.

It was her first time seeing herself in her new found appearance and what a shock it was to her system. Gone was the pale blonde hair that was rather wavy and was now replaced by fluffy, curly golden blonde that goes to an unusual bright strawberry blonde at the tips. It was a very loud color, something she has to get used to along with the other changes. Seafoam flaked with gold – like that part of the ocean where the sunlight hits it just right – rather than the pale blue eyes she was used to, her eye shape was a bit sharper at the end, cat-like and one of the other features that she shares with her twin brother.

She's cute as most babies do, fair-skinned and probably the only thing that stayed the same for her. Ayana's features where softer than Haruno's seeing that she is a girl, but the other differences could be spotted more when they grow older. Ultimately, the only difference between Haruno and her right now was her twin's black hair and the three moles aligned on her left ear.

And the one thing that was still the same was the star-shaped birthmark on her back that she, her Mom and Ken used to share. The same could be said to Haruno, she had seen the mark on his back during their shared bath times. Still part of the Joestar family somehow she concludes, Miya had remarked that their father – whomever he is – shares the same mark on his back.

(Once a Joestar, always a Joestar.)

(The alternate universe theory is starting to take form, maybe the people she knew as Emi could be here, but as a different person with a different name and face.)

"Your hair used to be dark before I presented myself." Madonna said softly as she let down the mirror, carding her fingers through a sleeping Haruno.

Huh? How could that possibly happen overnight?

"I do not know. But it is possible that it links to what exactly am I." Haruno's eyes fluttered open, focusing at the fingers on his hair first before turning his body over to his front so that he can face Ayana who was currently at Madonna's translucent but somehow solid lap.

They are currently four months in on their infancy together and are now able to successfully rollover as a mode of transport other than being carried around by an indulgent ghost. And progressively, the said ghost and Ayana have determined that Miya really wasn't able to see the twins' spiritual guardian. Due to some instances.

It was confirmed that the woman wasn't able to see Madonna when one time, Miya accidentally left the faucet running on the tub while she was talking to the phone with her friend, forgetting that she had left Ayana there.

Ayana almost drowned if Madonna hadn't turned the tap off for her. She almost thought that she would die once again and this time it would be a rather pathetic way to go.

Miya actually remembered again when a shivering wet Haruno made a noise in her arms and she went running to bathroom. Madonna was still there, about to get Ayana out of the cold water and at that moment, Ayana cried, Miya's sudden reappearance and the shock from almost dying once again at her own home. Haruno soon after followed her crying fest and so Miya had to hung up on her friend and their plan for going out on a new club that night.

Following that discovery, they both learned that Madonna have a maximum range of twenty-five meters radius away from Ayana. It was discovered when they were experimenting the limitations of Madonna's anchorship to her. Madonna is also stronger and faster than the average human with a power that they are both still practicing on. Ayana took it all in stride, adapting it to her arsenal as she pokes and prods at this new development.

They learned of it when a friend of Miya – who was very drunk – tripped on an uneven floorboard and along with her trip to the floor she was carrying a just boiled pot of kettle with her. The downside of this is that she wasn't the only who was going to get hurt in her drunken clumsiness, because at that time, Miya had let them down on the floor for some reason. For a quick instant, the woman's body is falling towards them along with a boiling pot of tea.

It was a very surprising and terrifying experience.

Madonna immediately came out in a flash of light, punching away the kettle , making it cave in on itself, for that moment Ayana thought that she and Haruno would be harboring some nasty burns by the end of it but much to her shock, the kettle – and the tea inside – evaporates into gas. Then quickly after doing that, she swooped down to get them away from the woman's falling body, once they were down safely on the other side, the gas became a tea kettle once again, cluttering harmlessly a few inches away from Miya's friend's head. The tea itself splattered on the wall; a stain that is yet to be removed on the wallpaper.

All of that happened in a blink of an eye. Haruno started crying from surprise and fear while Ayana stayed still and quiet, staring at a serene Madonna who was hovering protectively over them as Miya came scrambling out of the bathroom and into the kitchen/living room.

(She ignored Haruno's crying and went to her fallen friend first. Apparently, Miya is an attentive friend but a neglectful mother.)

Madonna's ability wasn't very hard to figure out. Changing the states of matter into a different one, solid to gas, gas to liquid, liquid to solid. They have yet to try to turn something into plasma because that would be a tad dangerous with the twins still being infants. There could be an accident that Haruno could be electrocuted with the gathered plasma. And they wouldn't be trying to do a Bosen-Einstein Condensate (the fifth state of matter that no one really knows about because of just recent discoveries unlike the other four), she's not willing to subject them into the absolute zero temperature that it boasts. So absolute zero that it freezes the very atoms still that they act like one unit.

(Like it was frozen in time. That though alone make her shiver for some reason.)

Yup, not trying that. Ayana confirms this when Madonna tried the following on something.

Madonna can do it on herself too, turning herself into liquid or gas, intangible to any blunt force according to her. And that ability is also transferred onto Ayana. It was disturbing when Ayana first turned herself into a liquid state, she thought she was actually melting, it doesn't hurt, just uncomfortable to look at.

With the discoveries aside, Haruno is positively one happy baby. And that makes Ayana one happy baby too despite the general lack of parent in their lives. Or maybe Haruno sees Madonna as his mother? Not that it's a bad thing, Madonna would gladly take it in stride and just happy to get his happy baby energy while doting on him. It was adorable despite all the drool.

(Whatever Madonna feels Ayana feels and vice versa.)

Speaking of being adorable, Haruno was giggling at them, rolling into Madonna until he had reached her crisscrossed legs where his sister was currently at. It's clear that he wants to join her. Ayana giggled at this, just happy with how everything is currently going despite everything else they were doing just fine. Once Haruno was placed on Madonna's lap he was quick to grab on Ayana and a piece of pale blonde hair from the spiritual apparition. Babbling all the way as he stuffed it in his mouth. Ayana managed a grimace at the weird sensation it brings that only boosted Haruno's cackles.

I wish it could always stay like this.

Ayana smiled widely, grabbing hold of her twin's small pudgy hands into her equally small pudgy hands, intertwining their fingers together as much as she can with minimal motor skills, then proceeds to laugh at Haruno's face that was suddenly filled with wonder and amazement, squeezing at their joined hands as Haruno joins in the laughter.

(But knowing how fate is a fickle thing and how it ends up screwing something one way or another, she would not let her guard down. She'll wait for the other shoe to drop and move along accordingly with everything intact. She'd always done that and it had never failed her.)

She'll protect this precious thing as much as she can, this is her second chance at life, her new found happiness. She'll be damned if she lets anything destroy it.

Ayana closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, across from her was Haruno who was currently observing her. Opening her eyes once again she met wide curious sea foam eyes and smiled.

"Ha'uno." Haruno's eyes widened. "Ha'uno! Ha'uno! Ha'uno!" Ayana repeated happily, glad that all he practicing had paid off and now she's able to speak!

Hell yeah! No more freaking baby talk!

"Haaa'uuuunnoooooo!~" Then she giggled uncontrollably at her success despite the lisp.

Haruno then started clapping and giggling as he babbled at her with a wide blinding smile, seemingly excited and happy for her, proud as much as a six month old could be. Crawling towards her, Haruno plops down right in front of her then started patting her on the head as he babbles away. The action reminiscent of Madonna's love for playing with their hair.

As much as infants go, Ayana is proud of her brother, it's clear that he is intelligent, childish babbles, drooling and otherwise. It's easy to spot the understanding clear in his eyes, the way that he has a general idea of who Miya is in their lives but not being able to pinpoint what it is, the way he now quietens down whenever someone knew walks in their apartment and also the way that he doesn't pay attention to Madonna when someone's watching.

"Ah!" Haruno then stopped babbling, looking all serious and brows all furrowed.

"A-Ah!" Getting what he's trying to do, Ayana smiled encouragingly. "Ah ah! Ya ya!" Ayana nodded, a grin stretching across her chubby cheeks.

Haruno grinned back. "Ayaya! Ayaya! Ayaya!"

"Ha'uno! Ha'uno! Ha'uno!" Ayana chanted back.

That day, when Miya got back early from her outing, she witnessed the twins chanting each other's names, giggling and babbling as they crawled around in an imitation of tag. The woman couldn't help but smile at this, in that few moments as she watched them crawl around something urge her to take action and preserve this scene. Stepping lightly and quickly, Miya went to her room and rummage her closet and with a triumphant cry, took out an old polaroid camera. Checking if there were instax left, she immediately got back to the slightly cluttered living room – Miya swears that it wasn't this clean earlier when she got out, but she ignores this and rationalizes that it wasn't that much of a mess as she thought – seeing that the twins were still busy chasing each other, she took the opportunity and snapped a picture.

The twins immediately halted from their game to stare at her, for a moment she thought she had scared them with the camera flash but then Ayana – Miya still doesn't know how her daughter's hair turned blonde overnight, but then again, the twin's father was a handsome blonde young man and she chocks it off as that – poked Haruno's cheek and laughed as she crawled away. This initiated Haruno to ignore the woman and to focus on his sister.

After a few more clicks, Miya decided that since she's home early she might as well.

"Aya-chan! Haru-chan! Come to Mama!" She places down the polaroid down on the low table, crouching down and beckoning the two infants to come towards her.

Haruno stares at her to what could be curiosity and Ayana just stared plainly. Miya suddenly felt uncomfortable by the weight of their stare, had the twins always looked at her this way? And since when were they be able to talk and say each other's names? Were the twins always this playful? Is this what they do when they were left alone? She doesn't even know that Haruno could be this giggly and Ayana could be this fast by just crawling. She knew that the twins had always been cute – it's a given, Miya is very beautiful and their father was on a whole new level, she's just happy that his hair was passed on to their daughter, maybe Haruno could even have it when he grows up – but when had they gotten those ladybug onesies? When had she even dress them in that?

(There were no answers to her silent questions.)

A small hand tugged a black antennae. "Ayaya?"

Seafoam eyes met identical seafoam eyes, one blinked and the other looked on. Without much thought, they looked away from each other and started crawling towards Miya. Once they were right by her, they stared once again, waiting for the young woman to do something.

Awkwardly, she patted both of their heads, trying to not squirm at her own children's heavy gaze.

She withheld a shiver, the same feeling of being watched once again came over her, this gaze she had often ignored but is always there, an itch that she can't quite place where it's coming from.

"W-Wow! You guys look so cute~ And when did you both learn to talk? Can I get a 'Mama' from both of you sweeties? Come on, say 'Maaaaaamaaaa'. Come on 'Maaaaaaaamaaaaaa!'"

The kids stare at her as if she was an alien creature.

"I-It's okay if you can't do it right now! I'm sure that both of you cuties would be able to do it soon."

Miya fled the room quickly after giving one last awkward smile. She felt like she's intruding despite being the mother of the two. An outlier at their own home. The gnawing feeling of loss came over her and she doesn't even know what she lost.

Maybe it's just the drinks she had earlier, come to think of it she feels slightly tipsy. A shower is in order. Just like that, Miya forgot about the emotional discovery she had earlier and busied herself for a good night rest, letting the twins do their own thing until they fall asleep.

At the living room, the two infants stared at the retreating back of the woman who birthed them. They felt nothing of it as it's just the usual occurrence despite the slight diversion of even being acknowledge by Miya.

Madonna who had been watching, floated herself towards them.

"Children?" At her soft voice and touch, Haruno immediately gave his attention to her.

"Mama!"

The sudden exclamation and the address surprise both the spiritual will and user and, "No Haruno-kun, it's Madonna not Mama. Ma-do-nna Haruno-kun, Ma-do-nna."

Wide eyes stared at her curiously. "Maaaa…..na?"

The apparition patted his head with an exasperated sigh. "I guess we could work with that for now."

The Shiobana twins are finally turning one.

A small milestone compared to the bigger path ahead of the two children, given how their fate was already decided because of the blood running through their veins.

The birthday was a quiet affair, only with the twins and their guardian spirit, the only notion that it was their actual birthday was by the cheerful greeting that came from the usually reserved phantom and the way she had indulged both of the twins' whims for the day. Currently, both toddlers are seated together at Madonna's lap one comfortably burrowing herself to her own spiritual projection – which was weird and comforting since she can feel it too – while the other was moving around from all the sugar he had taken. Madonna, through Ayana's shared memory, made a small chocolate cake for the occasion. It seems like it would be the boy's new favorite food aside from pudding.

"Ma'onna! Can you shing me a shong pwease!" Haruno chimed excitedly, almost bouncing from his seat, the slight lisp still evident.

"Sure thing Haruno-kun." Her palm swept over his dark hair, ruffling the feather soft hair, a smile tugging at her blue lips. "What would you like me to sing?"

"Can you shing that lullaby? The one wit' the d'eams and kisshes." He asked eagerly his hand absentmindedly reaching for Ayana's then draping himself over the amused girl to nuzzle her soft curly hair to his cheek.

"Falling fast asleep may this little boy find blissful dreams,

Amongst the ash and the flames that light up the night sky~

One by one, falling softly."

She goes on, singing sweetly. Honestly, with her appearance alone, she's like an angel blessing their ears with her wonderful voice. After the song ends in a lilting note, Haruno fell into silence, face slack of the joy it has earlier.

"What's wrong dear?"

"You okay Haru?"

Both spirit and user look at him with worry, seeing the slow deep of his lips and the lingering sadness in his eyes.

"Is Kaa-san gonna wish us a Happy Birthda'?" He remarked with a tiny voice. "Doe' she even remember?"

And what a sad thought it was that their own mother forgot about it, it's even sadder that it's the truth. There wasn't a single greeting from the woman when she went out the door, just plain indifference towards them like every single day. Actually, the main reason that they even knew that it was their birthday because of an important paper – their birth certificate – was lying around the house after it was sent to them by mail and the spirit happened upon it one day and kept it where it should be.

Madonna's hold on them tightened.

She coos at them, hands ruffling their hair. "Don't worry, me and Ayana-chan will always greet you on your birthdays, right Ayana-chan?"

"Of course! I will ne'er for'et Haru's birthday! Haru's a very im'ortan person to me!" Ayana agreed wholeheartedly, hugging her brother close.

Haruno returns the hug. "Of course you won' fo'get, it's yours too, silly!" He burrows his face to her golden hair. "I love you."

"I love you too."

At that moment, Haruno was content. Being acknowledge by their mother doesn't seem to be a big deal to him looking from this standpoint. If anything, the most important to Haruno is the acknowledgement of his sister, his other half. Madonna's too. The beautiful woman – and she is, no one could contend to that in his opinion – is a part of his sister thus, her love for him is also important.

He doesn't fully understand how that's the case, but the two had explained to him as much as they can without thoroughly confusing him. And how cool his sister is, having her own guardian spirit powers! But from what he is told, only the two of them could see Madonna and its proven true because their Kaa-san doesn't even say anything about Madonna's unusual appearance.

Madonna is a great person. She takes care of them when Kaa-san cannot, it was one of the things Haruno was very grateful for and if anything, he is never short on a mother's love – just like the ones on the tv – he figured that he has lots coming from just Madonna.

Or was it just Aya, since Aya and Madonna are the same person. Same person but also not.

Doesn't matter. Just the fact that Haruno is never alone and is love and is important, that is enough for a child like him.

He hopes that it will always stay like this.

A/N: Oh gosh! Thank you for all the support so far! Thank you to those who followed and favorited and those who reviewed.

So here's chapter and I hope you liked it. Obviously, Ayana's stand is a reference to Madonna, I think it fits with the holy look she has going on and her motherly demeanor.

The lullaby lyrics is not mine, it's from Amalee's cover "The Musician" from D. Gray Man. I just thought that the lyrics do be hitting hard on Giorno's past, with the mentions of dreams and being a dreamer and all.

Anyways, see you again next time~