[Zenin Compound - Year 2002]
The date is July 24th, around 6 months since the birth of the twins known as Maki and Mai.
Both girls were still barely aware of their surroundings, only having known to lay in a crib surrounded by female servants that worked more like machines than human beings.
They would only leave the crib when they had to be changed. For the rest of the time they were left alone with their thoughts and screams.
Screams, there were more cribs than just the two sisters. Not enough to fill every gap inside of the room, but enough to make it feel slightly cramped.
The Zenin clan couldn't care less if the babies were uncomfortable. They just needed a place to grow until their potential for sorcery was checked.
Every caretaker moved without love or care, only completing the task given to them.
Neither the actual fathers nor mothers showed up, only taking part in the lives of their children if those children can assist them in gaining more status in the clan.
No cursed technique?
Only useful enough as another drone in the Kukuru unit.
Cursed technique but lacking talent?
Just throw them into the Akashi unit, they could serve well as a servant until we get a specific scenario where their technique can be used.
Both a cursed technique and potential to be a high-grade sorcerer?
My dear son! You know how I have always taken great care of you, right?? Don't forget who was nice to you, now…
Call it unfair, call it whatever. Anyone capable of changing a damn within this hellhole had already been brainwashed by lessons about 'keeping tradition' and 'having an ego bigger than your misogyny against women and the size of the tits you want on them'.
The twins barely even knew of each other's existence, only being able to catch a faint glimpse of the other when being held in the arms of a caretaker.
They had only locked eyes once in that brief moment, short but endlessly memorable to both of them.
A connection was felt.
Not a physical or visible one. But a connection of a sibling bond.
Whether unconsciously, or fully aware of it, they were two halves of a whole.
If they were a bit older, they could've figured it out from their appearance alone.
Even as babies they had nearly identical appearances, even having the servants call them by the wrong name several times. Later they just started recognizing which twin was who from the colour of their clothes.
Them already being twins already had them giving barely any effort, they sure as hell weren't going to spend more of it to learn their names.
Twins with both of them being female.
At most they would become servants just like them.
They were placed back into their respective cribs, bellies full and eyes already drooping. Not even making a few babbling noises towards their twin like usual.
The empty bottles of milk were in the process of being cleaned when a long expected visitor had shown up.
It wasn't him at first, only his presence.
But that was enough.
The maid staff already felt the aura flowing from behind the door of the room, already immense yet still so far away.
It flooded the small space, letting everyone inside know of their existence before their footsteps were even audible.
Overwhelming, formidable, arrogant, something that screamed at you enough to make you aware of your own inferiority in strength and status.
The same as saying 'im better than you' directly to their faces, and it wouldn't even be incorrect.
Like a group of obedient children, all personnel within the room stepped aside to make way before the person even arrived.Before its source even entered the room- or even opened the door- the female servants already distanced themselves from it and stood like obedient children ready to take orders.
A slow click came from the door as its handle was turned, the natural light from outside blending with the glow from the lanterns within.
In walked a slim middle-aged man with slicked back hair tied into a short ponytail, wearing a white shitagi and kosode underneath a black hakama. His face was stern as the room was deathly silent, with only the sound of his sandals filling it.
Ogi Zenin, Special Grade 1 sorcerer and member of the Hei, completely as advertised.
He did not even spare a glance towards any of the waiting servants, his gaze uninterested as if they were no different from the floor he stood on. Only looking at the individual cribs and the bundles inside of them.
"Which among them?"
The fact he even had to say those words already tempted him to turn around and abandon the idea of returning.
His voice carried over the room like a verdict, choosing which life will be ruined this time.
At the end of the row, an older woman stepped forward and approached the cribs where the twins slept peacefully.
She bowed as she stood next to them, not speaking any words and letting her actions be enough.
Over a year ago, he had taken in a wife in an attempt to create an heir to inherit his cursed technique and natural talent in jujutsu. A son that would inherit the title of clan head after he attains it.
The woman chosen was Shihoa Zenin, a female that was born from an already deceased member of the Hei. She had a family tree that often bore cursed techniques relating to shikigami or matter creation within its genes.
She took care of her appearance, did not have any imperfections on her body, and knew how to act like a proper wife.
He had chosen a healthy and beautiful woman to ensure his child's health and looks would not be tarnished.
Her stomach had grown much larger than any other bridge within the clan bearing children. Hence it was already certain that she herself was bearing twins.
Such a bad omen was already enough for him to consider her future death of 'accidentally being killed by a mindless cursed spirit created inside of the Zenin compound'.
Yet he still let them be born. Miracles could happen anywhere.
And a miracle is what happened, only in the opposite direction from what he expected.
He approached the one on the left, wrapped in a loose cotton kimono coloured red and fit for babies. Their name did not matter to him.
She was a girl with a pitiful amount of cursed energy, certainly more than a regular human, but still much too little to utilize any form of reinforcement, and a cursed technique would be nothing short of a pipe dream.
The infant opened her eyes and looked at his face looming over her bed, and instinctively shrunk back in submission.
'Disappointing, both in her aptitude and mind.'
His gaze shifted to the second crib beside it, where a nearly identical infant lies awake in matching clothing that is coloured blue.
She did not shrink back into her bed similarly to her twin, but there was still an obvious fear within her eyes that was challenged while she met his eyes. A natural kind of fear when being faced by a more dangerous, larger predator, and not in the way it is on a certain island.
If Mai and her cursed energy reserves were akin to a burning candle, then Maki did not have anything more than a singular spark. A depressing amount multiple times less than a majority of civilians walking outside the compound.
Mai had already crushed any small amount of expectation he had, and Maki had sent it all the way down to the negatives.
It almost felt humiliating that such children were born from his seed, something that apparently showed on his face with a negative expression as the one dressed in red looked to be on the verge of tears.
He had no interest in listening to the wails of an infant.
"They do not have worth. See that they are raised with standard education and discipline, and made to serve the Zenin house as any common servant would."
His voice rolls out heavily across the room. Carrying a weight similar to that of the presence he is emitting.
Merely from its tone, it was already obvious. His disappointment is immeasurable and his day is ruined.
Deemed worthless, the two bundles watched the retreating back of their father leave the room, not even having spared them a second glance, only a single sentence.
His footsteps were audibly heavier when walking out of the room. Shutting the door behind him with the presence slowly fading as he moved away from the area.
<=>
His footsteps echoed even louder in his ears than before. Each step fueling the growing irritation and disappointment.
The stoic face he always carried displayed none of it. The only tell on his emotions being the steadily increasing footsteps.
That is, to any regular person in the Zenin clan.
"WHAHAHA–"
He tuned out the familiar laughter as soon as it reached his ears, the small part he heard already annoying him no less than the earlier incident.
In the corner of the room he just walked into sat his biological brother, Naobito Zenin, gourd still in hand as always.
The room already smelled of alcohol such as any place Naobito walked into, the scent already clinging to the walls from his mere presence alone.
"I already heard about it, nice failures ya got there." He exclaims with another laugh while gesturing towards the hall Ogi just walked in from.
Face unchanging, he responds without even turning his head at the middle-aged man.
"Is mockery the only reason for your arrival?"
Naobito pauses, his head leaning backwards with his grin reaching his eyes.
"Yeah…? What else would I be laughing at right now? Not like I'm the one with talentless children– Naoya is already viewed as a genius for his age."
His eyes glint with satisfaction, looking directly at the slightly strained expression on Ogi's face.
"Dont tell me that stone cold face has solidified ya brain into it too."
A hand rests on his knee with the other still coiled around his drink, voice still filled with absolute mirth.
A small twitch occurs in Ogi's eyebrow.
His hand slowly raises onto the tsuka of the blade hanging on his left hip, gripping it firmly as the laughter continues.
The form of the pressure surrounding him changed. It no longer was the feeling of a powerful opponent but rather actual cursed energy being directed at the other man.
Naobito did not so much as flinch, only smirking a little wider as his own cursed energy flared drastically from its usually calm state that all sorcerers had.
A silent war was engaged, invisible to the naked eye yet still felt by anyone within and outside of the room.
Neither side budged. Naobito even took another swig of alcohol in the midst of it.
"Is this a grief-fueled tantrum? Didn't know anyone related to me could be such a manchild."
Ogi's teeth clench, his voice wavering from its calm to something more in line with his annoyance.
"Is mindless and crude insults the only thing which you are capable of?"
His katana went back fully into its sheath, the silent war ending at that exact moment.
The cursed energy that was flooding out a moment ago went back within its shell like a faucet being closed. The pressure returned that threatened to damage the walls returning to its normal levels.
Still annoyed, still upset, Ogi left the room without looking back.
Naobito looked at his retreating back and let out a drawn-out sigh. Taking yet another sip of his gourd with the flush on his face deepening.
<=>
For Maki, the time flew by fast.
She could hardly keep up with the blur of events happening.
Enjoying her sister's company.
Basking in her mom's affection.
Life was nice for her, even as somebody at the low ranks.
Everything was still incredibly new, several years passing in the blink of an eye.
They were taught a lot by their mother within that time.
How to properly use utensils and eat on their own.
Basic literacy was drilled into them to already be able to speak in nearly full sentences.
Even nutrition to make sure their bodies developed properly.
Though, that one turned out a bit more difficult.
Then, they turned three years old.
The clan wouldn't give servants like them an official birthday celebration, but that didn't mean they didn't get one from those who did care.
After being dropped into a new room after their cribs were too large, the one to give them such a celebration was their own mother.
Shihoa Zenin.
She painted the walls in soft colours that didn't hurt the eye when light reflected from it, or would dull the rest of the atmosphere.
She was the only person assigned to take care of them and their room.
A kind woman that treated them with much more patience when teaching than any of the other servants.
Her care and affection towards the girls was a tad more genuine than what they received before.
Shihoa was equally pleased to take care of her daughters, even if the father abandoned them at birth.
She had no affection towards him in their marriage, being able to live with her family was greatly welcomed.
Spinning back on her effort to teach the twins about proper nutrition, it was one of the downs after life had its ups.
"Mai-chan, eat your veggies."
"Hmphf."
The older woman wanted to drag a palm down her face, not that it would help as she already looked like an average parent dealing with children.
Lovingly stressed out of her mind.
Even Maki with her underdeveloped mind could recognise the added wrinkles she had gotten while raising them.
She herself was picking at her own brown tasteless rice that was easily shoveled into her empty and rumbling stomach while watching the show in front of her.
An older woman looking over a small child sitting at a table struggling to hold chopsticks. Though Maki wasn't able to figure out if she genuinely couldn't handle them properly or was trying to avoid eating the food in front of her.
The woman was visibly related to the twins, with most physical features being inherited from her such as the dark green hair tied into a bun or the orange amber eyes that seem to pierce into the soul.
Her outfit was that of a common servant. A plain kimono in muted colours to blend into the background with tied up sleeves and a simple black obi in the center of her torso.
She was giving a look of strong disapproval at the child in front of her.
Hands placed on hips while sighing level of disapproval.
"Maki-chan, wasn't one of your goals to be as strong as your sister?"
A change in strategy was necessary, asking nicely wouldn't work so the only option left was to try and hit her in the metaphorical balls.
It was the only way she could think of to coax her into solving a basic issue that bit the ass of every single parent in existence.
Sure, she had done this many times before– more than she could even count.
Doesn't make it any less of a headache though.
Mai's stubbornness was persistent, especially in the lines of eating anything related to vegetables, such as the food placed in front of her.
While Shihoa certainly agreed that the meal wasn't anything special– the brown rice stuck together in clumps, and the vegetables were only lightly seasoned and still held a bitter taste– it was still food that even she herself ate.
"Uhmp…"
Maki felt her sister's gaze on her and looked up to meet it.
Mai had a pleading look behind her eyes, seeking guidance and assistance from her elder sister in her terrible crisis.
It was the older sibling's responsibility to look after the younger ones after all, even if the difference was only 4 minutes.
Maki nodded like a wise sage, already brewing the most appropriate course of action to take–
Looking back down at her plate and eating like nothing happened.
She did not see her sister's expression afterwards of being shot in the heart.
"Please, Mai-chan. Sometimes you just need to power through something, even if you don't like it."
Mai poked the soft greens on her plate with her chopsticks with a wet sound.
"It's icky."
Shihoa sighed again, sitting down and taking a seat next to Mai.
Maki watched with visible mirth for the next few minutes as her mother tried– and failed at several attempts to coerce her sister into eating.
"Mai-chan~ Look, its an airplane~"
Mai gave a sideways glance at the spoon Shihoa was attempting to enthusiastically shake while closing in on her mouth.
The destination was currently closed for air traffic, many complaints were made that day by the passengers.
"It's really not that bad, just one bite please!"
Round two, eating a bite herself and making an exaggerated show of how incredible it tastes.
While Mai certainly stared for longer at her expression, trying to figure out whether it was genuine or not, she eventually decided the risk wasn't worth it after she poked her food again.
Just as the third attempt was coming along, Maki decided with her benevolence to shut off her main source of entertainment and assist her mother.
"Sissy."
Her sister calling for her got Mai's attention.
Especially when Maki immediately dragged over her plate next to her own, and grabbed a bite with her own pair of chopsticks.
She held it out to Mai with an expectant gaze. Visibly seeing her sister's defenses unravel at her twin's request.
"Please."
And the final nail was hammered into the coffin.
Mai's lips parted slightly, almost reluctant and acting on the instinct of a sibling's plea, before opening up fully.
She closed her eyes and took a bite.
Her face visibly scrunched. Not at the bad taste, but at the new textures and sensations she was experiencing.
Her face scrunched up, most definitely at the new textures and sensations rather than the bad taste in her mouth. Though it wasn't like Maki could really know, she didn't really mind any of the two.
Shihoa looked at the scene with exasperation. 10 Minutes of work just for Maki to do it in two sentences.
She could swear Maki was giving her a smug look on top of it. Gloating at her achievement that mom wasn't able to do.
Mai was about done chewing her food, having felt its texture enough and swallowing.
A look of bliss covered her face for a split second–
Only for her head to turn away and hide the enjoyment at being fed by someone else.
Maki's eyes narrowed with mischief and she started poking the inflated cheek of her sister
She looked at her sister again and was fed another bite.
Maki kept feeding her sister until the plate was basically licked clean, feeling a sense of contentment in the situation.
Maki was happy.
<=>
Snap.
Mai frowned deeply at her own hands as yet another cheap crayon snapped in half from pressing down too hard with it.
She stares at the two halves in each palm like they owe her money, dissatisfaction increasing with each second that the wax and pigment segments weren't magically reconnecting.
Another pair were grabbed from the box on the side of the table, placed conveniently so she could reach them at any moment without accidentally bumping into it with her elbow.
Her sister was standing on the opposite side of the room, posing with slight discomfort showing on her face from the prolonged lack of movement.
Mai's gaze continued to flicker between her sister and the paper, with her hands clumsily trying to draw straight lines to copy it onto the page.
Both of her hands were balled up under her chin in a classic cutsie pose, alongside a wide blush of embarrassment across her face.
Mai knew that Maki only actually did it because she loved her.
And it definitely wasn't getting back at the time she fed her those slimy vegetables. Even if she did secretly enjoy it.
The puppy-dog eyes that she used when asking to draw her worked flawlessly, expertly pulling on her sibling's heartstrings.
She started visibly struggling to deny her request after she declared.
"I wanna be a awtist when I gow up!"
Luckily mom wasn't there at the time or else she would've certainly started clapping and smothering her in so much affection that she wouldn't be able to follow her dreams.
Or she would bring this event up every single time she was introduced to a new person.
It was really just a coinflip with her.
Her crayon switched out for a green one, only needing to colour in a few lines here and there–
"It's done! A true matherpiece!"
She shouted out loud as she stood up and tossed her crayon at the nearest wall.
She held up her piece of paper with pride, positioning it in front of the ceiling light to look at for all its glory.
Maki dropped her pose immediately, stretching as far as her small body could handle with even a few pops coming from her joints before walking up to Mai.
The drawing was messy and uncoordinated, clearly made with the shaky hands of a child, but still clearly represented Maki and her cutie patootie pose.
Mai eagerly held it out for Maki to take, carrying a sunny smile that nearly blinded her sister.
Maki took it and looked down at it for several seconds.
Her face shifted between a variety of emotions, each one coming and going faster than the last.
In the end, Maki's gaze held no acceptance or dissatisfaction. Only pure neutrality.
The drawing was sloppy and the pose she had to use was one she would gladly forget ever doing in her entire life, but it was made by her dearest sister. A true effort to explore her interests and make something for Maki.
Rejection towards her cutsie time and acceptance of her twin's present, pure equality that would make the Zenin clan shrivel up in fear.
Both sides collided heavily, fighting a battle in Maki's head.
Mai watched her sister standing still for half a minute, confusion and anxiety welling up in her chest.
'Was it bad?'
It built up the longer her twin was silent.
Her eyes became watery and the dam threatened to burst.
From Maki's expression alone, her brain had settled into pure balance, a mixture of yin and yang with utmost precision to create a perfect balance.
A state of pure enlightenment. name drop
"I wanna burn it and tweasure the ashes."
A final conclusion that was both good and bad came out.
Mai threw her arms into the air, filling the room with a loud cheer like her brain automatically removed the first part of the spoken sentence.
"Yippiee!!"
Maki looked at her cheering sibling and back at the drawing given to her. An imaginary lightbulb lighting up above her head.
She rolled it up in her hands and walked down to where her sister was sitting.
Mai was still basking in her glee, twirling around on one foot with her hands clasped over the front of her chest.
An overall blissful air surrounded her, obvious to anyone paying attention to her.
After spinning for long enough to feel slightly nauseous, she slightly cracked open one of her amber eyes–
"Ah–"
And her attention was immediately brought to the spot where she hit the wall with her crayon.
A bright green stroke– all the way from the point of contact to the floor. The crayon had hit the wall at just the right angle to leave a mark all the way down.
It wasn't something able to be wiped away in two seconds with a dribble of spit.
"Sigh." Yes, the word was said out loud.
She hopped over to the nearby cabinet and took out a small cloth. Something she often saw from her mother when needing to clean up a spilled liquid.
The smeared green wax was cleanly wiped away with a few strokes– harder scrubbing being required to remove the faint hues afterwards.
The green crayon was swiped from off the floor while she walked back to put away her slightly green towel.
She went to return the crayon to the box and spotted her sister sitting in her seat, hovering over her drawing while her tongue poked out of her mouth in concentration.
"Whadya drawing?"
She peered over her sister's shoulder, already scanning the table and trying to take a peek.
Not paying attention to her surroundings, Maki violently jolted in her seat at the sudden approach.
Her eyes met those of Mai, leading her to protectively curl her arms around the doodled paper with her head placed on top like a lid.
"It's not done!!"
She looked at her sister, curiosity growing steadily yet still wanting to comply with her sister's request.
With a sigh she turned around–
And her curiosity had already skyrocketed, her desire to take even the smallest peek being unbearable in her mind.
She grabbed her sister's arm and started pulling with all her strength, leaning fully backwards to the point of almost falling over yet she still couldn't even budge her.
"But I wanna see!!"
She tried a plethora of ways to sneak past her sister's airtight defenses. Pulling, pushing, ticking (that one almost worked), and even begging with her forehead to the floor to no avail.
Her sister was powerful, that was for sure.
New strategies had to be used.
Her brain went overtime, every single cartoon she had ever heard about (which was very little) was examined. Using a pulley system made of discarded rope, and the other end being tied around her sister's waist–
"Gimme a minute, just wait."
Maki already went back to drawing with the large box of crayons being pushed in front of her to shield from Mai's peeking eyes.
Damn it, looks like she will actually have to wait.
Mai sat down with crossed arms and a huff, a pout formed on her face but still complying with her sister.
The act of 'waiting' truly proved to be the hardest challenge Mai has ever faced. Her foot already started tapping against the floor while her eyes darted around the room for any form of stimulation to bask in.
This was more of a punishment than anything. How does one do 'nothing' for an entire minute? Mai had never heard of such a concept.
Has it been a minute already? It has felt like hours already– it must surely be done by now.
"Can I see?"
Maki didn't even look up before responding with exasperation that a three year old shouldn't have.
"Been ten seconds."
Mai had a very mature response.
That is, groaning very loudly in Maki's general direction.
Her attention focused on the ticking clock on the wall behind her, looking like what one would expect from an ipad kid during a power outage.
What is the meaning of her existence? Is it to suffer in suspense? Is her sister merely her tormentor disguised as a human being?
"Okay, I'm done."
Maki said nearly identically to how Mai had spoken, just with much less initial enthusiasm and a bit of underlying anxiety.
Most of the former was lost when Mai started pestering her every 5 seconds on what she was making.
Without her goblin of a sister parading around her, she actually managed to complete her own additions in little time.
Though with rushed work comes insecurities.
She pulled her arms back and placed the crayon neatly back into the box on the table.
Her gaze remained looking at her own paper, with her hands slightly crumbling it from tightening.
Her eyes kept flickering to Mai's face and back. Constantly darting back and forth as her expression slowly spirals into uncertainty.
Before she could completely shrink away, Mai had already grabbed the paper away.
She was already searching the page for the additions while buzzing in excitement.
She scanned it up and down–
Her heart skipped a beat.
Beside her own drawing of her sister was the addition. A crudely drawn image of herself in a similar pose to the one she had been making.
The lines were scribbly and sloppy but she could certainly feel the emotion that went into it.
She could still visibly make out the wink and large smile on her own face.
"IT'S PERFECT!!"
Under the bewildered and stunned state of her sister, she turns to her and pulls her into a firm embrace. Something Maki couldn't even break out of with her freakishly strong muscles.
Maki waited a second before returning the hug– her voice still audibly being unsure.
"But… I'm more bad at drawing…"
If her arms had been freed, she would almost be poking her index fingers together at the moment.
Mai could only level a disapproving stare at her twin.
The attention caused her to squirm in the grip of Mai's hug– turning her head away only to still feel the gaze on her.
"Anyting my sister makes is incwedible."
Clearly those words weren't enough, as the furrow between her sister's brows still remained.
"Annoyin you is also fun an distwacting."
As soon as the attempt at reassurance left her mouth, Maki's face went from uncertainty to realization.
"You wewen't just cuwious.."
A shadow started gathering over her eyes, unseen by Mai.
"Yup."
"But were annoying me on puwpose?"
"Tee-hee–..."
Mai's voice trailed off at the end as her sister's displeasure grew.
Nevermind! That's actual anger!
She raised her hands placatingly in a show of surrender.
"Im sowwy!"
Her mind scrambles under the displeased yet amused stare of her sister before a thought surfaces.
Truly a rarity in the mind of Mai Zenin.
"Mom once said that people have pictuwes of others dey love."
She placed the drawing in the middle of the table, and grabbed a pair of scissors from a nearby cabinet.
She pointed at the picture and traced an imaginary line in the center of it with her fingers.
"And I love you, Sissy, so lets half it and each keep one."
Maki looked at the safety scissors in Mai's hands, her earlier displeasure being forgotten from the proposal.
"That sounds fun."
"Just cut it wight. I put a lot of effowt into it.":
A smile bloomed on Mai's face, both from relief and excitement.
Mai was happy.
<=>
Shihoa Zenin was peacefully resting within the gardens of the compound.
It was a rare day for her, a day where she had a lot less work than usual.
It gave her an afternoon to spend with her children.
So she sat underneath the shade of the engawa where the direct rays of sunlight can't touch her. Calmly watching her two daughters running around the blooming flower patches in the compound's garden.
Though it was less of a garden and more of a hobby that was shared among the lower-ranking staff, taking care of the small field of grass within their living quarters. With some even planting flowers near the edges.
Maki and Mai didn't approach those, only running around the parts that come naturally with the season of spring so as to not trample any hard work.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the scolding they got for accidentally destroying it once.
Shihoa's content smile twitched at the memory, and the sheer amount of apologies she had to make afterwards.
She reached out and grabbed her cup of tea, downing it like an alcoholic remembering their problems– not even being phased by the scalding liquid sliding down and burning her throat.
Across the field, Maki accidentally bumped into a low-hanging branch of a cherry blossom tree. A few loose petals falling down onto the top of her head.
Mai walked up and ruffled her hair, scattering the petals onto her shoulders and the grass underneath them.
"Your hair looks like a bush with flowers in it. Heh"
"Really?"
Mai giggled behind her hand after seeing her twin's expression of wonder.
Maki's gaze drops to the ground surrounding her, more specifically at the dozen petals laying around in the grass.
She squats down and picks them up by hand, counting 13 petals and moves to sit down.
The first petal is rolled up, with the second being wrapped around it at an angle, and the third following on the opposite side.
All of the petals are quickly used on her project to create a pink and white rose held together by a loose piece of string she used to tie her hair up.
Back at full standing height, she holds out the newly made accessory to the observing Mai and places it between the strands of her hair above the ear.
It sits neatly like a hairclip, with Mai even reaching up and touching the accessory shoved into her green locks.
"It's so pretty!!"
She examines herself in the reflection of a nearby puddle from a previous rainstorm. Her face being turned in all directions and angles to fully appreciate her gift.
Her eyes landed on the blooming field they were standing in, grabbing a random blue flower and walking back to her sister.
She places it in Maki's hair with her twin similarly touching it to how she did.
The previous smile turns into a mischievous smirk, a glint appearing in her eyes.
Her finger taps Maki on the shoulder alongside a loud shout.
"Tag! You're it!"
As soon as the final syllable is spoken, the twin dressed in red– Mai– books it in the opposite direction, even having to jump over the puddle she examined herself in previously.
Competitiveness shines in Maki's eyes, already lowering herself into the best sprinting posture a child could have.
Her arms are placed firmly onto the ground with her knees bending far enough to almost touch the soil too.
With an intake of breath she shot forward like an arrow. The wind screaming next to her air as she ran after Mai.
It only took a few seconds for her to cross half the field in a sprint, only a few paces away from her sister.
Mai looked over her shoulder and complained loudly, throwing her arms into her air to emphasize her words.
"Nooo fair!! You're way too fast!"
She stops talking for a second, taking a few greedy gulps of air from being out of breath.
"It's like you were born to be an aplete!"
Maki being the best sister she could be, had to correct her sister in her incorrect ways.
"Athlete."
"Yeah, that!"
Having sprinted a few dozen meters already, Mai's running came to a stop while supporting herself on her own knees.
Maki didn't even sprint the rest of the way, she just walked over to her tired counterpart and tapped her on the shoulder without even a trace of exhaustion on her face.
"Tag."
Her face was smug, even taking the opportunity to pinch the flushed cheek of her sister.
"Hey!"
Mai formed one of her classic pouts that were starting to become an entire personality trait of hers. Glaring at her sister's retreating hand.
She lunged forward towards her sister, with her right arm already stretched out and approaching rapidly.
Her twin sidestepped it with minimal effort, sending her stumbling past with her foot catching on a rock jutting out of the soft ground.
Time seemed to slow down for Mai, watching the ground rapidly come closer as her arms flailed uselessly in the air.
Everything around her spun faster than she could catch up to.
Contact with the ground was inevitable–
Yoink.
Her nose stopped only inches away from the ground.
The back of her collar was being grabbed by a hand, keeping her body in the air and safely off the floor.
Her previously flailing arms dangled loosely in the air like a puppet cut off its strings.
"It seems I was also born this way to protect my clumsy sister."
The panic in Mai's eyes hadn't settled yet, even as she was lifted back onto her own feet. Her pupils continued to dart around and showing actual vulnerability within them that made Maki pause.
She turned to Maki, her voice carrying a certain feeling that she couldn't describe.
"Becuase we will always stay together as sisters…"
Those wide amber eyes reflected the identical ones staring back.
"Right?"
The smug smirk had long faded, turning into a reassuring smile with Maki's usually sharp eyes softening greatly.
"Ofcourse."
Maki's right hand was grabbed by her sister. Her pinkie hooked around her twin's.
"Then it's a promise!"
<=>
The darkness of night came fast. Clouding the entire compound in black shadows with only the illuminations of lanterns to battle it.
Only a few people were out at these hours, whether guards patrolling the main quarters or servants finishing up one last bit of work.
Under the sound of faint footsteps and crickets chirping, Maki had already tucked herself into her own bed.
Low quality but comfortable enough to sleep for even an adult.
That is, till a quiet shift of her blanket made her open her eyes again.
"Sissy?'
Mai stood at the side of her bed, holding a corner of the blanket and already having a knee onto the mattress.
"Im sleeping here tonight."
Maki blinked. They slept together pretty often, but it was always Mai asking before they even got into their own beds.
"Why?"
Mai wobbled slightly in a daze, speaking in whispers so quiet that only Maki had to strain her ears to hear them.
"I saw a weird thing."
Maki sat up and patted the spot next to her, inviting her sister to sit next to her.
Mai sat down and pulled her legs to her chest with her arms wrapped around herself.
A pair of arms wrapped around her from her left.
Maki leaned her head away from Mai, letting her sister lean on her shoulder.
"I believe you, what did you see?"
Unshed tears gathered in the corner of her eyes, blinking slowly till her eyes were completely puffy and red.
"It was through the window… small… but had a lot of eyes and made weird noises."
A quiet sob came out of Mai, her hands grabbing the clothes of her sister tightly.
Maki could only warily watch the door while comforting her sister.
"It's alright. It's not here."
She nudged her sister's head towards the empty room, having her take a brief glance.
"We'll ask mom about it."
Mai didn't calm down for a while, only stopping when her muscles were tired from being tense for so long and being unable to resist the lul of sleep.
Maki stayed watching the door for an hour, not going outside in case it was still there.
Eventually, she succumbed to sleep just like her sister.
<=Epilogue=>
As we all know.
All good things must come to an end.
Next morning, after both of the twins woke up and remembered the night before. They rushed to their mother and explained the entire situation.
Shihoa was shocked to say the least, but not that much.
It was already known that it would be inevitable. At the age of 4-5 a child can awaken a cursed technique and the ability to see cursed spirits normally.
Of course, the latter does not happen every time and only occurs without prior training in cursed energy manipulation.
She led the twins outside to play and went to report her findings afterwards.
Later coming back with a sorcerer to verify the new information, they discovered Mai could see spirits and even found her cursed technique when she claimed to feel a strange pull and created an identical flower to one she was holding.
Then came the heavier news.
Maki wasn't able to see cursed spirits.
Jujutsu sorcery, as literally everyone knows, counts twins as the same person.
Not a single change occurred within Maki that related to jujutsu, and with her absurdly high physical capabilities.
Her Heavenly Restriction was discovered.
As a literal baby it was impossible to tell without making large guesses, but as a preschooler her body was developing much more obviously in line with another case that happened in the clan.
Shihoa felt nothing but dread when she was notified by Ogi Zenin that she could no longer look after her children.
The difference between having low cursed energy and a Heavenly Restriction was massive.
It was one that caused their father to completely sever all connections he and his divorced wife had to them on paper.
Maki and Mai weren't in for a good time.
<=CHAPTER END=>
Big chapter to start off with.
This prologue will probably be around 3 chapters before the divergence happens.
Fluff at the start to make sure the readers hate me when the abuse happens in chapter 2.
Idk what else to really write in the Author Notes anymore
Hopefully I get chapter 2 done in the next few days.
This is like my second fic and im still figuring out my entire writing style and flow n stuff.
Apologies for any errors! Whether they be mistakes from jjk or repeating parts in my writing!