Crystal Moon-Prologue

The silver-haired hanyou child sniffled as he stared down into the lake at his feet, the water reflecting the full moon hanging in the night sky above him. He was... all alone now. She was gone... she wasn't coming back. He felt a lump rising in his throat as he choked back a sob, but that didn't stop the tears from falling from his golden eyes.

"What's the matter?"a female voice questioned. The boy glanced behind him in surprise. Several feet away stood a little girl about his age. She had crystal blue eyes and golden hair. Her hair was tied up in two buns, a short pigtail hanging from each bun to about the length of her chin. She wore a blue dress that he vaguely recongized as being cut in a western style.

"Who... who are you?"he asked hesitantly, quickly wiping his tears away to hide the fact he'd been crying in the first place. The girl walked up beside him, gazing up at him curiously.

"My name's Serenity. What's yours?"

"I-InuYasha..."

"Is it okay if I call you Inu-chan?"she asked with a wide smile. InuYasha blushed. She was so pretty...

"I... I guess so.."

"Why were you crying, Inu-chan?"she asked, sitting at the edge of the lake. She removed her blue flat-heeled shoes, letting her feet dangle in the water. InuYasha sat beside her, again staring glumly into the water.

"My... my mommy... died..."he said, tears rising in his eyes again.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." the girl murmured sympathetically. She noticed the boy was close to tears again. She reached a hand out to him, gently stroking his long silver hair. After a few moments, the hanyou calmed down.

"Serenity... You're... not scared of me?"

The girl tilted her head. "Why would I be scared of you, Inu-chan?"

"Well... my ears... and claws... I'm a hanyou..."

"So?"InuYasha looked up in shock at the response. "Who your parents are deosn't determine who you are. Your parents could both have been the most murderous, blood-thirsty youkai in existance, but you could be nothing like that. You could just be a sweet, gently little boy."

InuYasha managed a small smile. "Thanks, Serenity."

"No problem"she smiled. She placed slight pressure where her hand was on his head, urging him to lay his head on her lap. He did so with a slight blush. The gold-haired girl continued to gently stroke his long, silver hair.

"Where're you from, Serenity?"

"I'm from the moon!"the girl said cheerfully.

"Huh? From the moon?!"he looked up in shock from where his head lay in her lap.

"Uh-huh! I'm the princess of the Moon Kingdom. But don't tell anyone, 'kay? It's a secret."she said, holding a finger against her lips.

"Oh... Um.. Okay."

"Good."she nodded, continuing to stroke his hair. InuYasha felt himself beginning to drift off to sleep.

"I miss my mommy..."the hanyou murmured sadly. "She used to sing to me when I was fallin' asleep..."

"I can sing to you if you want."

"I-If you're sure you're okay with it..."

"Sure. My mommy sings this lullabye to me all the time.

"Kikasete natsukashii uta wo
tooku de kuchizusande
seinaru mitsu no you ni yume no you ni
sono naka de nemurasete

Doushite sekai wa sakasa ni muryoku ni nagareteku no?
Yuuyake
itsuka mita akane kumo
soba ni irenai sono kawari ni

Gin-iro no ame ga futte kitara watashi da to omotte
namida wo fuite

Massugu ni hada ni ochiru ryuusei
furitsudzukete sono kata ni amurita."