Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Oracle ❯ Two-Faced ( Chapter 1 )

"Oracle" by Jezunya

Chapter 1 - Two-Faced

Standard disclaimers apply for both series, blah, blah, blah..

Yay!! Finally an update!! XD I can't believe how long it's been!! Hope you guys like it!! ^__^

In the way of notes: just a little warning, there are flashback-ish things strewn throughout this fic, including this chapter, and there won't be anything indicating that it's a flashback, except for the events in the scene itself. So read carefully ^_^

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"Amazing," Rei commented dryly, resting her chin in her up-turned hand, "For once, the great odango atama isn't the last one here."

Usagi made a face at the raven-haired girl across from her, sticking out her tongue as she reached for the cookies Ami had brought. "It's not like I get much notice before someone calls a meeting. I'm almost always doing something important, when suddenly my communicator just starts buzzing like crazy!" She sniffed dramatically, and stuffed the cookie into her mouth.

To her left, Mizuno Ami gave a small, sympathetic smile. "I know how you feel, Usagi-chan. It would be nice if we didn't have to rush off for a Senshi meeting right in the middle of our studying all the time, but I suppose it can't be helped.."

"Ne, Ami-chan," Rei drawled, "Somehow I don't think Usagi-chan was talking about studying…"

"Probably more like snuggling with Mamoru," Minako giggled, grinning at the other blonde girl in their group.

Usagi stared at them all, mystified. "Whaa?! Tha ISH imporan!" Rei glared at her across the table and she quickly swallowed her mouthful of cookie. "I mean, if Mamo-chan and I are supposed to someday be the happily married King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo, it is important for us to cultivate a loving relationship now!"

"Speaking of Crystal Tokyo," Rei cut in before she could continue, "where is Chibiusa? I would have thought she'd be with you…"

Usa blinked. "Er.. Actually, I dunno where she is.."

"I believe she and Mako-chan went shopping together," Ami supplied, not looking up from her book.

"Argh! This is important, you guys! Didn't anyone call them?!" Rei demanded, holding her head in her hands in aggravation.

There was a long pause when no one spoke and Rei looked around, glaring at them all. Just when Minako was about to speak up, the communicator on her wrist went off.

Makoto's face appeared in the tiny screen when she flipped it open. "You guys better get down here!" she gasped, not even pausing to say hello, sounding like she was breathing hard.

"Mako-chan, what is it? What's going on?" Mina asked, alarmed.

"There's some lady going berserk down here! She just started attacking people and shops with this weird light-power. She's completely blowing the place apart!"

"Alright, we're on our way," Minako responded resolutely. Mako smiled her thanks just before her face blipped out of view and the communicator screen went dark.

***

By the time they met up with Jupiter and Chibimoon, the shopping center was empty and silent. Windows and walls alike were smashed, and there were scorch marks all over the buildings.

"She's in the jewelry shop just across the street," the auburn-haired senshi told them, crouching down next to the corner of a building. They all tensed when a figure appeared, emerging from the shadowed interior of the shop Jupiter had indicated.

She was tall, with long, straight black hair hanging down around her hips. She wore almost drab, nondescript clothing - a gray sweatshirt and black slacks - unlike the flashy costumes their usual enemies wore. Her half-lidded eyes were downcast, watching her feet as she gracefully picked her way through the wreckage she had caused with her own hands. Once she was out in the street, though, she looked straight at them.

Rei felt a chill run down her spine. It was the girl from her vision. There was no mistaking it; her face was exactly the same, though her expression had changed strangely. She stared at them coldly, looking almost aloof, while the girl she had seen had been so warm, loving, so full of life…

The woman stared at them, but then turned her head slightly when the sound of police sirens squealed in the distance, drawing steadily closer. She gave them one last cold look, then turned without a word, and seemed to disappear in a cloud of white light that blew away on the wind. Rei tried to suppress a shudder as a cold tremor seemed to pass through her, like the aura of a lost spirit.

The Senshi all stood in stunned silence for a minute, before the sirens brought them back to the present, and they turned as one to return to the Shrine. Rei found herself glancing at Usagi and her pink-haired counterpart as they walked. Both were clutching their broaches with one hand, looking troubled, though Chibiusa was glancing around at the rest, as if seeking some kind reassurance from the older girls. Finally, she made eye-contact with Rei.

Something seemed to pass between them, and Rei suddenly knew that both princesses had felt the same cold aura as she had ..and for some reason, it was making them clutch at their Imperium Crystals almost protectively, frightenedly…

***

"Hey, Kag, check it out!"

"Not now Souta, I gotta go! Inuyasha's not exactly patient, ya know!" the teenage girl yelled back, dashing around the house, picking up food stuffs, clean clothes, and extra textbooks.

"But you're on TV!" Souta called, trotting after her. That got the older girl's attention, and she stuck her head back in the family room, frowning down at him.

"What do you mean, I'm on TV?"

Souta rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm, pulling her over to the television set in the corner of the room. "See!"

"…unidentified young woman demolished a shopping center downtown at around noon today. These pictures were taken by a tourist at the scene, who also agreed to tell us what happened there today…"

Kagome could only stare in shocked horror as the screen changed to a young American man, who seemed to be hyperventilating and speaking in slightly broken Japanese. "Horrible, horrible! She comes from nowhere and blows up store with naked hand! I didn't see bomb, just bright light, and then store burnt and wall broken…"

The TV switched back to the news anchor sitting at his desk. "If you have any information regarding this young woman or this attack, please contact…" Kagome tuned him out as she stared at the picture in the upper right hand corner of the screen. It certainly did look like her, she had to admit, although she didn't own any clothes like that, and her hair wasn't quite that long… or straight… and she didn't frown like that all the time…

Her mouth dropped open as a horrible cold feeling clenched in her stomach. Oh, kami…

Kikyou!

***

"So, what did you call us for, Rei-chan?" Minako asked, once they were all seated back in the Hino shrine.

Rei looked down into the steaming cup of tea held tightly between her hands. "I.. I had a vision," she said quietly, not looking up. The others shifted restlessly around her, waiting for her to continue. It wasn't unusual for her to have dreams or to see images in the Sacred Fire that foretold of things to come, but this had been.. different. More vivid than anything she'd seen before. "That woman we saw today was in it," she continued, frowning, trying to focus her thoughts. "But she was.. very different.. than what we saw today…" She trailed off, not really sure how to express her confused thoughts.

There was a beat of silence, and then, "Do you think this could be a new enemy?"

Rei looked up after Usagi spoke, not sure how to answer. "I.. Maybe." She looked away again. "It's just that, in my vision, she was so different… She was.. nice. She really seemed like a good person, like.. someone who would be on our side."

"Shh.. The people need you, especially now with the war coming."

"…the people need you…" That wasn't the sort of thing a villain would say. They weren't selfless or dutiful. All they wanted was their own personal gain and to plunge the earth into their reign of terror. They didn't worry about protecting people, or about wars.

But she had seen with her own eyes what that woman had done today. She wasn't protecting anyone. So what did it mean..?

***

Kagome hummed softly to herself as she brushed out her hair, readying herself for bed that evening. She smiled and closed her eyes, allowing herself a little guilty pleasure at remembering she and Inuyasha's meeting earlier that day.

"Well, you seem awfully happy," a voice said loudly, cutting through her thoughts. Kagome's eyes snapped open and she turned and smiled a bit sheepishly to find her twin sister leaning in the doorway of their bedroom, her arms folded across her chest as she studied the other girl sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I think I'm allowed to be happy sometimes," Kagome replied primly, pushing her hair behind her shoulders as she smiled to herself.

"Yes, but it's being happy all the time that you need a permit for," Kikyou gave a small grin, which was actually quite impressive, coming from her, and moved to sit on her own bed across the room. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched her twin move about, getting ready to bed down for the night. "In fact, you've been in an amazingly good mood, especially just recently…"

Kagome paused for barely a moment, before calmly resuming her task. "What do you mean?" she asked, keeping her back to her sister.

Kikyou just watched her for a moment, before looking away and speaking quietly. "Kagome, I know about Inuyasha."

Kagome stopped where she had been letting down the drapes around her bed, biting her lip nervously. If Kikyou knew about them, then there was really no way to get out of it. "Nothing's happened…" she said softly. "Nothing.. serious, that is…"

Behind her, Kikyou sighed heavily. "You're a priestess, Kagome. The Oracle, for crying out loud!" She half-glared at the other girl's tense back. "The.. The Jewel chose you. You can't just throw that away."

Her sister's shoulders sagged. "I know." Her voice was quiet, almost defeated. "I just wish…"

"Wishing won't change anything, Kagome," Kikyou cut her off, frowning. Well, except for THAT wish, but… She shook her head, trying to rid herself of such thoughts, and looked back up at her sister. "You have to stop seeing him," she said firmly.

The heartbroken look in her sister's eyes when she turned to look at her almost made her back off, but she steeled herself and continued. "You have an obligation to the Queen, and to the people. You can't just abandon them all for your own selfish desires!"

"I know," Kagome sighed, blinking back tears. "But.. You don't know what it's like…" She looked up at her sister, "You volunteer your services here at the temple, but you are still free to choose. I'm not."

Kikyou shook her head, looking away again. "I think it's a pretty fair trade. I mean, I'm always in your shadow, like everyone always pays attention to you, because you're the Oracle and the Queen's advisor, and I.. I'm just plain old Kikyou."

The sisters stared at each other for a long moment, before Kagome smiled softly, sadly. "I'd give anything to be where you are."

Kikyou's eyebrows rose. "Anything?"

Kagome nodded, pulling back the covers on her bed and crawling underneath them. "Anything… to be with the man I love, to be free…" She smiled sadly at her twin before rolling over to sleep, her eyes still shining with tears. Kikyou barely caught her last whisper, "But then, wishing doesn't change anything…"

***

Kikyou trudged through the halls of the temple late that night, unable to sleep. Her sister's words still ran through her mind, haunting her.

"I'd give anything to be where you are."

Anything? Kagome would give anything to not have to be the Oracle anymore?! She shook her head, folding her hands behind her back. She shouldn't even be thinking of something like that. Kagome was the Oracle, the Keeper of the Jewel, and nothing was going to change that.

Except…

She found herself staring up at the huge doors of the Jewel Chamber. She didn't even remember coming to this area of the temple. Slowly, she placed her hands flat on the cool oak panels, pushing lightly until they began to give, swinging inward. Within the plain marble room was a single white pedestal, set in the exact center of the room. She approached it silently, both wary and reverent at once.

The Jewel of Souls glimmered in the faint light, looking deceptively innocent and tranquil, while its dangerous power swirled just beneath the surface.

Her hand reached out of its own accord, hovering over the Jewel as she was wont to do of late. She didn't touch it, just stood at the edge of its aura, relishing in the power it radiated. Her mouth set in a grim line as she pulled her hand back, cradling it against her chest.

"I'd give anything to be where you are."

Yes, she could remove this burden of the Jewel from her sister, but what could Kagome give her in return?

"I'd give anything…"

What did she want? What could her dear little twin sister possibly give her in return for such a favor?

Kikyou's eyes narrowed as she continued to stare at the Jewel. Of course. What else would I want?

Inuyasha.

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Heh. Okay, so Kikyou's got some jealousy problems.. Hope she doesn't seem too OOC for ya'll ^^; Anyway, not really much in the way of notes this time… Hope ya'll liked it, and please review!! ^_^

-chan - name-suffix showing affection or close friendship

kami - traditional Japanese gods; Kami-sama = God

Ne - hey, huh?

Odango atama - "meatball head"

Senshi - literally, soldier; refers to the Sailor Scouts

REVIEW!!! Review, review, review!!!!!!!! XD