False Utopia: Whispers in the Dark

Prologue: A lurking shadow
It was dark, and the area was still. That was about to change however. A rustling sound was heard. It was a pair hikers. They were babbling on about something of little importance, completely unaware of what was up ahead. Before either of them knew it, they had been tackled to the ground by a small figure. There was a chuckle.

"She's the most innocent one of us all, yet she's the quickest to move in for the kill." It was a male voice.

Another male emerged, though he was shadowed over by a large tree, he was carrying what appeared to be a body. "Yes, that's always been something strange about her."

The hikers were attempting to fight their assailant off, but it was to no avail. The girl bit down into one of their necks, and he was silenced. The second hiker was shocked at this, and couldn't move. She did however, let out a scream as the girl moved in on her. As the girl stepped away from the bodies, they rolled down the hill, and she placed a hand to her cheek, wiping something from it. She walked next to the second shadow, and he placed a hand on her head affectionately.

"Now that our feeding has been taken care of, you all know why we're here." He said, his voice soft and yet it carried.

A third voice spoke up. "We know why were here, Sesshōmaru." This one sounded young, about as young as the girl who had attacked the hikers. "Just get on with it."

The first male shadow spoke up again. "You're as impatient as always. Let Sesshōmaru finish speaking, and the you can complain as you please."

Another voice, a little girl, spoke up as her shadow jumped from a tree. "Why let him complain at all?" Her voice was spiked with an innocent, bell-like tone. "He needs to learn to hold his tongue."

Before anyone else could respond, the shadow that had been called Sesshōmaru cleared his throat as he threw the body he was carrying aside. "Now now. I don't mind interruptions, but as I was saying. You all know why were here and you know our long term objective. But first we need to spread out. Search for the silver-haired child." The moon came out from behind the clouds and shined down on Sesshōmary. His face was hidden behind a hood, but his smile radiated from him.

"Now go."

"Hai!" They all spoke in unison as they spread out.

"The time has come to put our plan into motion."

Winds of a new beginning blow
The sun crept through the window, and hit the face of a young, red-haired girl who was sleeping soundly. The moment the light hit her eyes, she began to stir. After a moment, she sat up, yawning.

"Mornin' already?" She said thickly. "I should have gone to bed earlier.." She got up out of her bed, and yawned again. She was not a morning person. Not immediately anyway. After getting into proper clothing and splashing cold water on her face, she jumped onto the stair rail and slid down.

"Ohayō!" She called out cheerfully as she landed neatly on the mat at the bottom of the stairs and walked into the kitchen.

"Miharu!"

Megami Kirisaki, mother of the lone child that approached her into the kitchen, was the one to greet her in a stern voice, with a mix of that and slight concern. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop doing that?" She chided. "One of these days, you're going to break something if you keep it up." Her eyes peered over the child, checking for any injuries. She loved the kid to death, but she was just so reckless! Then again, considering her father.... it almost caused her to smile.

"Kā-san, none of us as so fragile that we'd break something falling down the stairs." She said, bounding over to her mother and giving her a hug. "Need any help with breakfast Kā-san?"

Due to her height, Megami could only reach over and gently ruffle the girl's hair. "No, dear, I'm fine. Though, you could help with getting rid of it once I'm done...." She smiled a little at the supposed joke. "Now go join the rest of the family at the breakfast table. I'll be there shortly."

"Alright." She said, and walked over to the table, where, sure enough, everyone was sitting. Miharu took a seat down next to Taiki, who was surprisingly present for breakfast today.

"Hey Onī-chan." She said cheerfully.

"Miharu!"

Immediately, she was enveloped in a hug by Taiki Kurosaki, older "brother" of the young girl. He had fixed an arm around her shoulders, other hand ruffling her hair in a playful manner. "How's my little 'sis doin' this mornin'?" He asked in a glib manner, obviously happy to see the child awake and kicking. Though he had gotten older... he still retained his personality all those years. After all, his daughters would miss him if he switched personas just like that...

"O-Onī-chan you're suffocating me!" She choked out the words, pushing him off. Ahatake chuckled. "Didn't you just say something about not being fragile?"

Miharu frowned briefly. "Compared to most of you, I am rather fragile."

"Aw..." Taiki put on a falsely sad look, rubbing his arm and putting on an air of insecurity. "That hurts, Miharu-chan..."

"C'mon, Tou-san..."

The next voice that spoke up belonged to his daughter Kyuui Kurosaki, who was sitting up and looking in his direction with a rather exasperated look on her face. Truth be told, she was quite used to her dad's antics in such a manner - but why did it have to be morning when he did so as well? It was quite exhausting! "Don't rough her up so early on in the day!" This caused Taiki to chuckle, but he sat back down in his seat nonetheless.

"Where's Onē-chan?" Miharu asked, looking around.

"Oh, Mido-chan?" The white-haired man quirked an eyebrow, but thought about it. "Oh, that's easy. She's with the Injiki's kid. You'd think she goes anywhere else but that house for at least a second!" It was true - Sticking to her vow, Midoriko had stuck by Kibou during his growth. Thanks to that technique she had performed, and now that Kibou was the same age, their moment would be decided sooner or later.

"She never does leave Kibou alone." Miharu said. She hadn't been born when Midoriko first made that promise, but ever since she could remember, Midoriko had been constantly going to the Injiki's. Taiki was the only sibling who was around constantly, though he was disappear as well, though no one knew to where. As the smell of cooking food wafted through the area, Miharu got comfortable. "After breakfast, I'm going to spar with Ezra." She seemed delighted at the thought. "He promised, so he can't bail out today."

Perfect timing.

Megami had came in, holding two plates for two people only. However, she would go back to the kitchen to get the rest... though, she wished at this particular moment, she had more arms! "All right! Here we go!" She said cheerfully, placing the plates in front of the young ones first - Miharu and Aoi. Kyuui was only barely older, but it still counted. Immediately, she scrambled back in order to get the rest.

"Ezra?"

The name caused Kyuui to look over at Miharu in question. "Who was that, exactly?" She asked, having a feeling she knew.

Aoi grinned because she was served first and started to dig in.

Miharu looked at Kyuui. "Kyuui, Ezra's my friend. He's dropped by quite a few times in the last few years. How can you forget him?"

"Oh, him?" The girl had a rather unsure expression, looking down hesitantly at the table with her eyes downcast. "I don't see how you can bear with him. He...he's frightening. It always seems like he's staring right through me when he looks over at me." Was a chill sweeping down her spine already? It affected her just thinking of the guy. "I always refer to him by Eiji, too... so I just got confused for a minute..."

"Frightening?" Miharu asked, laughing as she began to eat. "How can Ezra be frightening? I find him fun to be around. And definitely a good sparring partner. No offense to you Onī-chan." Before Ezra had come along, Miharu had frequently trained with her brother.

"None taken." Taiki simply waved the comment off, not really paying to the conversation.

"Like I said, I have no idea how you could ever speak to him like a fri--" Abruptly, Kyuui was cut off as Megami once again came in. This time, she set down a plate in front of her, and then used a Shunpo to deliver the second plate in front of Taiki. Now for her and Ahatake! Relieved that she wouldn't have to keep working at it for much longer, she hurried up to grab the last plates, once again vanishing into the kitchen.

"Some people have different tastes." Miharu said, continuing she and her nieces conversation. "You and Aoi should know all about that."

Aoi choked on a piece of meat for a second at this.

"Kch--!"

Immediately, a red blush spread across Kyuui's face, and she looked once again at her food. "Th....that's something much different!" She managed to say, clearly embarrassed that Miharu had mentioned such a thing at the breakfast table. How bold she was! Had she remained a bit calm, she would've immediately started slapping Aoi on the back in order to relieve the choking.

Miharu chuckled, and went to relieve Aoi. "Not by much." She said sitting down. "And in my opinion, it's better to have one friend not many people get along with than many friends everyone fawn over."

"Hmph!" Unwilling to carry the conversation any further, Kyuui immediately grabbed a fork and started eating immediately. At that moment, Megami finally came in with the last two plates. She used a Shunpo to appear in her seat, placing both of their plates in front of her and her husband. "Here you go, honey..." She said, smiling warmly. All of them were various foods, due to differing favorites - she disliked making something someone didn't want to eat, after all! But it was quite exhausting...

"Thanks dear." Ahatake said, delighted to finally be getting his meal. He pulled out a chair for her to sit down in.

Miharu looked at Kyuui. "Sorry Kyuui." She said, her voice coated in innocence. She figured she had offended the girl somehow. Best to apologize.

"It's fine..." Kyuui assured her, smiling a little. The blush faded, but only slightly. "I really don't mind it. You just caught me off guard, that's all..."

Aoi's face was still red from the choking, but she now found the whole situation amusing, despite nearly being killed by her breakfast. "I'm wondering. Ojī-chan, you said back when Miharu was a baby that Kyashi had consented to Auntie marrying Kibou. Why hasn't it happened yet?"

Ahatake took a long draught from his cup. "Not sure. Kyashi's an indecisive woman anyway. We may be waiting another century before they actually get married--"

"I'm not so sure."

Megami spoke up, looking over at Aoi with a rather serene expression. "Since they're the same age now, Kyashi told me that she was going to be changing her mind and allowing it if they do." She explained. "She was worried before because of the age gap, but now..." That made Kyuui's eyes widen, and she smiled a bit, happy to hear the news.

"That's great!" She said happily, stopping her eating for a moment to clap her hands together. "No more trouble between them for a while!"

Ahatake chuckled. "Same age my foot. You can thank my sister for that. Midoriko visited her when she could, and learned some strange, age altering Kidō spell from her. I pity the people she uses that spell on."

"Me, too...." Megami frowned slightly, even as she continued to eat. "One could wonder how she could be able to bear with that.... but, then again, you know her better, Ahatake."

"She was worse as a child." Ahatake replied. "Remember when I told you her first word was "kill"?"

That caused Megami to shudder a little. "How could a child even say such a thing?" She wondered quietly.

"She had Tereya for a mother." Ahatake said gravely.

Oh, right.

The woman that had visited them years back. She seemed non-chalant back then.... a bit overbearing... and even shameless! A slight blush spread across her face as she remembered Tereya flaunting for Nori in a "request for opinion".... had that been what Ahatake had to deal with? But, still, she never thought of the woman as cruel... and considering Taiki.... "Tereya? She was a bit overbearing, wasn't she?" She asked, smiling a little.

Ahatake chuckled. "Yeah, but that's putting it lightly."

Miharu's chopsticks hit her plate. "Done. And just in time too. I feel Ezra's Spiritual Energy coming."

"Wha--"

Kyuui, although startled at the revelation, didn't even get to finish her sentence. A knock was on the door, a resounding set of five knocks total. Nervously, she stopped eating and looked in the direction of the sound, while Taiki merely looked up in wonder. "You gonna get that, Mi-chan?" He asked.

"Yeah." She hopped out of her chair, using Shunpo to reach the door. She turned it, to see the figure of her best friend. "Hey Ezra." She said, grinning. A red-haired man, clad in his own custom gear, stood on the doorstep, his arms folded across his chest, and rather emotionless eyes staring into the cheerful ones of Miharu. "Good morning, Miharu-san." He said calmly, his voice quite formal despite it being a friend. "Am I interrupting something?" He didn't sound too apologetic, keeping a rather deep and almost monotone form of speaking.

"Not really." She said. "We're only eating. And how many times do I need to remind you not to call me Miharu-san? It makes me feel like I should be at a job somewhere."

"Calling you that's just how I speak." Ezra replied coolly, shifting his hands into his pockets. "Should it really matter? After all, we are friends and should address each other comfortably." He wasn't interested to turn this into a debate, and since he believed it to be pointless, he switched subjects fluidly. "Anyway, are you sure about this? I'm not one to hold back, even if it is a sparring match. And I do so despise bearing the brunt of your parents' loathing because you suffered grievous injury..."

Miharu walked over to him, and looked him straight in the eye. This would have been a more impressive feat had she been taller than him and jabbed her finger into where his diaphragm would be, the tallest point on him she could reach.

"You're underestimating me Ezra. I'm not going to be the one coming out of this injured. That prize'll be going to you."

The action made Ezra wince a little. However, he stood straight, keeping his gaze into her own. He had to admit, the girl was pretty strong when she wanted to be. He held that stare for a minute... and then closed his eyes in resolution. "That confidence of yours will be the death of you." He said dryly. "But very well. We'll see for ourselves who's right... where will we commence this....lesson?"

"Outside." Miharu said, beckoning for Ezra to follow her. The premises of the Kurosaki residence had grown larger in the last century. They now had a yard which stretched for a few miles. Perfect for sparring practice.

Ezra did so without complaint, and without word. His footsteps were almost silent as they treaded behind his comrade. Honestly, he preferred not to fight against comrades, even if it was just a sparring match. It was never out of respect that he didn't hold back - it was the fact that he viewed most that dared to cross swords with him as pathetic. Though he respected Miharu as a friend, it was much different when they fought. He preferred to keep her out of harm's way, but she was so reckless...

Oh, well. Maybe this sparring match would be a good blow to her cockiness.

Miharu smiled. "Let's get this show on the road Ezra." She wasted no time, letting loose a massive blast of flame from her mouth. So much for her mother's well kept lawn.

Ezra closed his eyes...

...and vanished out of the flame's path.

The massive blast would cost the girl precious energy. Unless she had limitless energy, which was very much impossible, the attack would simply carve out her reserves and leave her that much vulnerable to his own assault. Furthermore, she had not bothered to draw her sword in order to engage him. It would buy him a little time for his next set of attacks. As he raced towards her, his lips moved to utter the command of a Bakudō spell.

"Ankoyuko."

That was when Miharu's vision grew dark, consumed completely by the hypnosis of the spell. The time Miharu's defenses would be open would depend on the speed of her perception and realization. Every second was critical. Completing his Shunpo, his sword was now fully drawn, the blade swinging down diagonally for a deep gash through the back.