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| - The night was filled with the music of crickets and bugs. It was a clear night, and the moon was a grand light in the sky. It's light rained down on the illustrious Land of Yang. The stars were also spectacular in their positions. Footsteps joined the music of the night, the sound of grass being crushed underneath multiple feet. A goddess-like beauty moved with grace. Her face, of porcelain skin, was void of expression. Her hair of white cascaded down her white kimono which was decorated at the sleeves with gold. An emblem of the moon was seen on the back of her clothing. Holding her right hand was a boy of short stature. His hair was just as impressive as his mother's, but it was of the deepest shade of black. It fell from his head to his toes. Holding her left hand was a girl even shorter than the boy. Her hair matched the color of her mother's, but it reached just above her shoulders. Her eyes were unique in the sense that they were two different colors: sky blue and gold. They arrived at a large estate, great in size. Two pillars stood on each side of a double door. The woman stepped forward with her children. She hesitated. She hadn't been on this world in eighteen years, nor had she seen her cousin, the owner of the estate. But she pushed her anxiety aside, and pushed the doorbell. She stood back and waited for the doors to open. A wonderful arrangement is what she decided. The symphony of sounds that accompanied the restful night were beautiful. With her significant other on the moon and their children accompanying him the house was quiet. Though she was reminded that she wasn't truly alone by a gentle kick. Peering down, she stared at her rounded belly. Recalling her precious child resting inside. Cupping a hand to the stomach, the woman began murmuring to her sleeping baby. Further affection was cut short by the sound of a bell however. She stood as her violet gaze reflected the stars outside her window. She wondered who could be at her door given the late hour. Given the oddness of the situation, a maternal protectiveness arose, nature responding to her call as the crickets and bugs lapsed into silence. The presence on the other side felt familiar, though what was with it did not. Gathering to her side was her wood dragon Ryūjin, possessing a greater sentience as it was imbued with her abilities and life-giving properties. Steadying herself, the woman opened the door as she readied herself for what lay on the other side. A feeling of sadness and happiness invaded Himizu's thoughts. She could not truly describe how she felt, but when she looked at her cousin, now slightly aged and carrying life within her, she saw the girl who helped her run a country and village. She saw the girl who she almost attacked when they first met. She grew along with her. She cleared her thoughts to speak. "Kurumi.." she said with a voice pleasing to the ears. "Hello. It's been quite long since I've seen you." She said with a somber smile. Her daughter tugged on her large sleeve. "Mama, who's this?" She asked innocently. Her son hid behind her slightly, his eyes exploring the woman's face. "Tsukimi, Mōragetsu, this is my cousin, Kurumi." "Too long Himizu," she responded, embracing her cousin. Kurumi remained mindful of her rounded torso, feeling her child shift as a dream-filled slumber continued. Her mind's eye drifted to that fateful day. A young, caution-filled kunoichi with a nation on her tail finding the tender familial love of an ostracized cousin. Joining hands, they forged a nation in their own image, built a land that would sustain its people for generations to come. She broke the embrace. "What are their names?" Kuru asked, before receiving an answer in the form of an introduction. "So you have children of your own," Kurumi confirmed, her smile warm and inviting. Sensing the dispelled tension, the nighttime resumed as a symphony of crickets rose and fell. "Where has the time gone?" Himizu's heart began radiating warmth at the sound of her cousin's voice. However, the sudden realization of why she was there loomed over her, creating sadness in her core. "Time has definitely slipped between my fingers. But.. I'm requesting your assistance, Kurumi." She said with slight tension. Tsukimi gazed at her mother to hear what she had to say. "I sense a threat coming to the moon. I've done my research on the matter and found a few texts written by the Ootsutsuki. A being who leads an army will come soon, and because of that, I must leave my children in your care. I can't give you all the details right now." She said, gently redirecting her children to stand in front of her. Kurumi paused. "What is it?" she asked, sensing Himizu's worry and discomfort. She felt a shift as if her baby felt the renewed tension. "The clan that came from the stars? How many of them plan on invading our home?" Kuru asked. She knew this wasn't the first time Ōtsutsuki had arrived. They were initially responsible for the introduction of ninshū and ninjutsu through their descendants. To be precise, she was descended from this first visitor, though such connections had been lost to time. "Why do they persist in attacking our planet? Surely they realize the tree here is no longer viable for what they desire," Kurumi continued. Though her train of thought was broken as she realized what her cousin was requesting. "Of course I will take them in. I will not turn away the children of my cousin." she responded, beckoning for the two to come closer. Maternal warmth stirring as she took in her little cousins. So young yet already involved in such large, overarching schemes. Himizu took the time to answer only one of her questions. "They are aware that the God Tree is no longer viable. It is for stronger reasons than that." She watched her children walk forward to their cousin. Himizu's heart broke when her son ran forward in the opposite direction from Kurumi, leaping into his mother's arms. His tears dampened her kimono. "Mama! Don't leave!" He cried, holding on tightly to her dress. Himizu shed a tear. "Mouragetsu, I will be back for the both of you. I promise." Her own heart broke as she watched this scene unfold. However, Kurumi suspected Himizu had her reasons for leaving them here. Though she would admit that she was surprised that Himizu had children given what little contact the two had since her departure. Her cousin wasn't the type to run away from her problems though she also preferred keeping others out of the crossfire. "Trust in your mother to do as she says. She's one of the strongest combatants I know but more importantly she wants you to stay safe." Kurumi said, taking Tsukimi by the hand before waiting for Mouragetsu to make his last goodbyes. Mouragetsu calmed his cries, and loosened his grip on his mother. Himizu planted a lovely kiss on his forehead, to show that he was in fact loved by her. She rubbed his head lovingly and soon walked over to her daughter, giving her a hug and a kiss as well. Afterwards, she embraced her own cousin. "Thank you so much, Kurumi. I'll explain everything soon. And.. if I somehow lose this battle.. and perhaps die...please take care of the children." She asked, tears pricking her eyes once again. After Kurumi's response, the woman vanished into light, seemingly taking her place on the moon. Kurumi took her cousin into her grasp before hugging her fiercely. "You won't lose and you won't die. Don't be foolish; have faith in your abilities and their capacity to fulfill your objectives." she responded. As her cousin disappeared, Kurumi turned to the two children. "Come along, you have a big day tomorrow," she said, her hands lovingly enfolding their own before leading them inside. Ever the gentleman, Ryuujin closed the door behind them before quietly taking its leave. Though she planned showing them to their own beds, the trio plus one ended up in a sleeping mass on her own. The woman's grasp extended protectively around her two small cousins. The day after... The nightly chorus was replaced by the chirping of birds and bugs. The humming of insects reminded the inhabitants of the Land of Yang that it was a day of warm weather. The quartet of humans traversed briskly. The two moon children held their big cousin's hands, each on either side of her. An umbrella was needed to protect them from the harsh sunlight. In their sights was a large village, smaller than the land's capitol. It would be there where they would be enrolled in the academy. It would the best solution to occupy their time during the day, while their cousin did her daily paperwork. "Why do we have to go there?" Mouragetsu, the oldest sibling asked. He was quite irritated with the entire idea. He wasn't good with social interactions, considering that the only other humans he knew was his mother and sister. "Because you need to broaden your horizons. Remaining holed up somewhere is no way to exist," Kurumi responded patiently. Perhaps anticipating his own retort, she continued, "even I have interactions with other people over the course of the day. You must learn how to coexist with others. This world is a large expanse and wherever you go you will encounter other people and beings. You must learn how to talk to them." She would continue walking with them as the valley that the village called home loomed. They reached the gates as a shinobi dropped down from above. "State your name and intentions." the kunoichi said, before recognizing who she was talking to. "Lady Daimyō! This is a most unexpected visit. Why are you here?" she asked, her ears twitching slightly as she remained alert for outside threats. "I'm here to drop off these little cousins of mine at the Academy for their first day. I figured some social interaction would be good for them while I'm working. So even the clan head can't escape guard duty?" she responded before snickering. Earning an exasperated sigh from her friend as she gave the signal for the gates to open. Tsukimi was absolutely amazed. She watched with excitement as the Kanchi woman's ears twitched and moved about, her eyes were fixated. And then she remembered her teachings. She made the connection and could hardly contain herself. "C-cat!" She yelled out. "But the picture books made you look different." She added, tilting her head slightly. Mouragetsu was also confused by the woman's appearance, but unlike his younger sister, he would leave his outrageous opinions to himself. He tugged on Kurumi's clothing before asking a question. "Do all the people here have cat ears?"
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