SAYONARA MOON TOWN

MANY, MANY YEARS AGO . . .

Seated on a quiet rooftop at the edge of the village, Konoha stretched out beneath the evening sky - A mosaic of tiled roofs, winding streets and the gentle ambience of crickets echoed from its heart. The Fire Country's lush canopies framed the horizon in deep greens, a lake shimmering like molten glass awaiting the forests’ edge. Warm, humid and bright, there was no better place to enjoy the summer sun. No better time to enjoy a cold, refreshing treat -

Uzumaki Hikari, the current bearer of the 9 tails fox, absentmindedly stares out into the expansive canopy, an ice cream cone gently grasped in her right hand. It begins to melt, the solution trickling down her wrist and hitting the ceramic. Next to her was Senju Kigen, a prodigy of wood arts, who was also indulging in the whipped delight - Both had been in the same team cell for over four years, developing a strong bond. He had already finished his cone, head cocking towards his red-headed companion.

                            “Hika,  you haven’t had any of your ice cream. It’s dripping, you know.”

                            “You’ve just been… Staring ahead. Couple of minutes now, anythin’ on your mind?”

The Uzumaki princess shifts her gaze towards the Senju before aptly darting her head back at the ground. Seems like she didn’t want to speak up. Melting, melting and melting… The cone begins to dissolve into an inedible state; Kigen was progressively becoming worried about the money he put forward.

                            “Besides, you’re the one who told me to come here.”

                            “-- And I paid for the cone…”

                            “-- Hey, you listenin’?”

                            “Didn’t anyone tell you this’d be rude? Comin’ from a Princess and all.”

                            “C’mon. Speak up, speak up.”

Still unresponsive. Hikari shifts away from her squadmate. Kigen rolls his eyes, standing back up as chakra infused into his feet, preparing his exit.

                            “Ahh… In that case, I’ll see ya around. Thanks for wastin’ my time, ja ne -”

               “Wait!”

                                                         “- Ah. Just. Uh."

                                                                              “Sit down, please."

Before he could leave, Hikari springs into action, diving towards Kigen and tugging the back of his trousers. Vanilla cream stains his clothes, her hands sticky with melted residue. Frowning in dismay, Kigen heartily exhales, reluctantly sitting himself back down. Feet tapping in a wavering pace, his patience begins to  reach the end of its thread as Hikari returns to fidgeting with her sugar-stained fingers, eyes refusing to make contact with Kigen.

                           "Ah- Ah... Do you uh. Know the type of girls Daien likes...?"

In the end, his patience was rewarded - The purpose of his calling became crystal clear. Kigen’s lingering frown curled into a shit-eating grin as his gaze fixed on the Princess, her fists now clutching the fabric of her blouse. Her face began to flare red, the heat of embarrassment blooming across her cheeks like wildfire.  He holds his silence but his smile spelled it out for her. Her body language grows frantic as she got a taste of her own medicine. 

                            “Ah - Just so I can find him a girlfriend... Y'know -"

                                  "He's a loser, right? Ahah! Don't you agree?"

                                        "It's about time he sees someone. Just thought I'd give him a nudge, y'know?"

                                              "Right?"

                                                   "...Right?"

                                                                                                                          "C'mon man, say somethin' . . ."

                   “You know, I don't think you gotta change anything about yourself for him to like you, Hika."

                                                                              .

                                                                              .

                                                                              .

"Who said this was anythin' about me, huh?!"

"Stop jumpin' to conclusions, dumbass! You...!"

"... How unfair is that? I told you why! You callin' me a liar?"

"You!"

"You..."

"... You..."

Yeah, no. You'd think Kigen had a Dojutsu with the amount of bullshit he could see through. Hikari begins to lash out at his sudden retort, but he just sits back, crosses his arm and watches the engine burn out. A light chuckle escapes his lips as she falls silent, emerald gaze once again fixating on the oddly pleasant ceramic tiling. Kigen's body loosens up as he hurls his titanic figure closer to his companion. While he may have seemed standoffish just moments earlier, he knew Hikari well enough that it was the only way to get anything off her chest. A moment of vulnerability, he shifts his demeanour into something more approachable, reassuring and reliable.

                            “C'mon then. It's always been pretty obvious you've had the hots for him. Anything change?"

Hikari falls back to silence, fidgeting with her sticky thumbs once again. Kigen sighs as he reaches his hand out, grabbing hers and spraying some light water Jutsu onto the two of them to clean her off. His chocolate pearls lock with her lime orbs, insisting that she opens up.

                            “Shoot it my way, talk to me. Come on."

                                                              "Who would wanna date the girl housing Kyuubi?"

                                                              "She seems like a hassle."

                                                              "Besides, didn't Lord Hoeru die for her?"

                                                                                                                           .

                                                                                                                           .

                                                                                                                           .

                                                              "Just a few things I've heard... Y'know. Just been wonderin' if Daien feels the same."

Ah. That was it. Kigen was hoping that it'd be something more... Typical. Trivial. Like if Daien liked another girl - He didn't expect something so... Loaded. Yet, it made sense. A lot of sense. It wasn't like Hikari was wrong about how those around perceived her. Feared her. For the monster that culled the First Hokage, the strongest beast that roamed Earth was sealed within her being. But that didn't mean Kigen would accept it - It didn't mean Daien would accept it. 

Blooming azure lights fade from her eyes as they grow melancholic, sorrow. Kigen's grip on her hands tighten, a soft, sombre smile spreading on his cheeks. He wouldn't let that light die out, Hikari's fire was far too bright to ever be snuffed out.

“Daien is a loser, you're right."

“He stinks, he's bad with people, he can't read social cues. Plus he doesn't do squat around his house."

“There's no chance he'd ever get a girlfriend with how sloppy he is."

“Everythin' on his mind is Shinobi this, Shinobi that..."

“But the one thing he talks about outside that is you, Hikari."

Hikari's head perks up, her legs beginning to loosen. It still didn't seem to be enough.

“Yeah, sure. You have the Nine Tails in you, but he cares more for you than he's scared of that thing."

"You don't gotta worry."

“Besides, if we do have to deal with it, one thing he has is that he's strong."

"And so am I - So just go for it. 'Kay?"

Kigen's words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Hikari regresses, curling up into a ball as she digs her face into her knees. The Senju sighs, deciding there wasn't much else to say - She needed space and time, at least for a bit. His smile doesn't fade away, softly letting go of the Uzumaki's hands as he stood up. Patting her on the back once, 

"Do your best, Hika."

"I believe in you."

"See you around~"

Releasing the chakra from earlier, Kigen makes his exit. Hikari stays seated on the rooftop until the sun sets, offering but a low meep to her comrade,

                                                                                                                                   "... Thanks, dork..."

ONE WEEK LATER . . .

Uchiha Daien, the rising prodigy of the most powerful clan in Konoha, returns to his home after a long, streneous day of training. I mean, what else does he do? Nothing. Spare fellow Shinobi, the boy was an isolationist, believing his study and training to be above all else. Many called him a fool, for he was sacrificing his own youth. As an Uchiha, it was about time he started looking for someone to marry. Peace-times didn't seem to be ending anytime soon and so all of his training would prove fruitless.

Barrelling through the front door of his compound housing, he wipes a sweat off his brow. Well, more than that. He was drenched in it. His breaths dragged as his feet grew sore - A pitiful state to find someone in. I mean, who'd ever want to marry someone like this? Love someone like this? Ah -

A letter awaited him, placed neatly upon the first desk near the house's entrance. Daien picks it up, eyebrows furrowed, finding the envelope shoddy - No one ever messaged him lest it was for missions, promotions, invitations to Ninja events or rewards. For the first time in a long, long while someone had personally mailed Daien. Safe to say it sparked a great amount of intrigue within the Uchiha, unravelling the note to find -

'Daien, meet me by the Southern Konoha lake.

Come looking somewhat presentable, 'kay? It's not for training.

I've got something important to tell you.

- Love, Hika ❤️'

.

.

.

"Dude - I've never done this before. What do I do?"

"-- You just have to thug it out. Come on, I told you she liked you back."

"I... So you're sure she likes me. Right? This message - It's a love letter, right?"

"... Are you serious? Of course it is, dickhead! Alright. Come on, put on something nice."

"But this is... Nice, right?"

"- No the FUCK it isn't! Your Shinobi gear isn't good for this shit. You have to have something decent somewhere in here..."

"Ah - Uh."

"... Everything is Shinobi shit. All black. Are you dull? I can't believe she likes you. Alright, come on fuckface, we're going out."

"Alright..."

Daien tugs at the collar of his dark blue Kimono for what must have been the tenth time in an hour. It clung to his neck like a noose, starchy and unfamiliar, the fabric refusing to settle no matter how often it was adjusted. The hem tripped at his ankles with every step, his usual quiet grace aptly replaced by awkward shuffles and exhales of frustration.

"Ack... Why didn't I just wear the gear..."

"... She likes me, right? That means she also likes the gear..."

"Ahh... Kigen. You're probably wrong about this, dick. I'm gonna get real embarrassed here, huh?"

Yet, it wasn't just the clothes. His posture felt wrong. His hair felt wrong. Words and phrases repeated again and again in his head, rehearsing the day prior but by now it all seemed like absolute garbage. He trudged past the villages' southern edge where cobblestone paths gave way to flattened dirt and scattered grass. The blistering sun continued to shine upon him, Daien becoming ever-more self conscious of his sweat. Oh God - What did he smell like? 

More questions continued to bombard his fragile mind. More doubts began to cloud his wavering will. Part of Daien wanted to turn tail and run before the shimmering lake came into view; This somehow was a harder challenge than any Ninja mission could offer. The further he walked, the quieter the world became. 

Was Kigen really right? 

No. Maybe this wasn't it. Maybe he was reading it wrong.

The signals weren't clear enough. 

'I should just go...'

Oh.

He freezes mid-step.

The trees parted, the glassy surface of the southern lake blinding Daien with it's brightness. It stretched wide and serene, cradled by a natural bowl of forest. But in the centre of it all, there she stood. Lush red hair that contrasted against the ocean blues, adorned by a simple white blouse. Hikari didn't need to do much, for she was pretty no matter what she wore. 

Daien takes a step forward, closer to her as she looked out to the lake ahead, awaiting him. Still, he couldn't do it. He couldn't overcome this terrifying hurdle of self-doubt. His throat tightens up as he attempts to swallow his own saliva, but fails. The Uchiha begins to show his cowardice, motioning to turn around. Until -

She stood with her back to the world, framed by an endless stretch of water and clouds - Was this a dream? A Genjutsu of some sorts? Daien's face flushes red - Her eyes glowed with an azure tint, locking with his. A soft, uncertain and almost teasing smile rested on her face. Close to her chest, she cradled a flower bouquet. The sight knocked almost knocked the air right out from his lungs. 

Don't be anxious. Be better. If just for a moment, for now. You've dealt with much worse.

                                 "Ah. Yeah, of course. Uh... You invited me y'know... And uh..."

He was now face to face with her. The backdrop became but a blur as the world zoned into her features, her crimson locks much brighter than the light the sun offered. Stuttering over his words, he couldn't find the right things to say. His rehearsals came crumbling down.

                                 "It would've been rude to not come... N everything, since y'know. You dressed up and everything... Uh..."

                                 "... And... Uh..."

-- Daien was actively fumbling. None of his words seemed too reassuring to Hikari, reading as if he appeared purely out of necessity instead of actually wanting to be here. Hikari wasn't pleased, stepping back and lowering her bouquet. 

                                                                  "So... You just came here because you felt forced?"

                                                                  "Not because you like me...?"

Even Daien wasn't dumb enough to know how bad he fucked up when hearing this. Pulled into a frenzy, he holds his hands out as if to deny her claim, sweat dripping down the side of his cheek -

                                 "No, no! No - Ah. That's not... No, no! That's not why. Got it?"

                                 "I do like you. I just... Don't know what to say. To you. I've just - Never done this before."

                                 "I uh..."

                                 "I just didn't know why someone like you would like me."

Hikari giggles softly, Daien's panic reassuring to the princess. A soft exhale escapes her lips as she presses the flowers against his chest. The Uchiha spills his guts out, admitting something his ego would, otherwise, stunt him from ever doing. But that's why...

                                 "You're such a dork, y'know that."

                                  "You act so tough but you're so... Squishy inside...!"

                                  "No matter what, you wear your heart on your sleeve, Daien. I love that about you."

Daien was... Left stunned. Gobsmacked and unable to respond, his obsidian orbs glowing to a light red hue. This level of affection wasn't something he was ever privy to. Silence befalls the two of them until Hikari bursts out laughing. Daien mirrors her, clasping the bouquet gently.

                                 "That's... A. Huge relief."

                                 "... But why did you sound so surprised I showed up...?"

                                 "You're out of my league, y'know."

Hikari was, usually, very self-absorbed, spoiled and in every sense of the word, a Princess. Daien's compliment, saying that she was out of his league, she'd usually relish and laugh along, affirming her superiority. Yet, today she falls quiet. Her feet shuffle as her head turns low, one hand placing firm on her stomach where the Nine Tails Seal regrettably rests. 

                   "... I just thought you wouldn't want to be with the the Kyuubi Freak."

                                                                                                          .

                                                                                                          .

                                                                                                          .

Everyone had been aware of the hate and fear harboured towards the Kunoichi. In the eyes of the public, she killed Hoeru. She housed the visage of evil itself - Thus she should be shunned. Why should anyone like her? For she was but a calamity for the people. A ticking time bomb that could erase all life in the Land of Fire. Daien was very much aware of this reality as Kigen was; Neither needed to be told to see the influence it was having on Hikari. 

Daien refused to accept it. He refused to succumb to fear. He refused to abandon her. 

"You don't need to worry about any of that."

Daien places one hand on her waist, pulling her closer. The pink flora presses against the her back. 

His voice straightens. Not a single flicker or waiver in it. His anxiety disperses as his breath steadies, for Daien was a man of his word; A man who wore his true feelings, his heart, on his sleeve.

"If the Nine Tails breaks free, I'll beat it."

"The people of the Leaf don't matter. They never will. They don't know who you are."

"What matters more than anything is you, Hikari."

"You're strong. I'm strong."

"I will always be with you."

A tear drop trickles down from Hikari's emerald pearls, staining the dirt they stood on. She merely nods, words unable to express the euphoria Daiens' words offered her. Heart flutters, her face still as red as her luscious locks. The moment solidifies itself as they embrace the serenity . . .

"Kyou no tsuki wa kirei desu ne?"

( Isn't the moon beautiful tonight? )

( i.e. I love you. )

Daien's rehearsals finally pull through, enticing Hikari with his charm. He offers her his confession, an offer for a brighter future. Hikari begans to tear up as her heart skips a beat. Once again, once more. Silence, but blissful silence. Until...

.

.

.

"BYAHAHAHAHHAHA! You dumbass! You know you're supposed to say that when the moon's out, right?"

'Ah, shit.'

At the end of the day, Daien was a dunce. A dumbass who didn't know how to implement the phrases he rehearsed properly. Internally, he cusses out Kigen as he turns away, a red haze washing over his cheeks. Hikari giggles, grabbing his hand as they begin to walk off. A couple, looking onwards to a bright, bright future.

No matter what, I'll stick by you.

Even if the Kyuubi attacks again...

Or if the world falls upon us.

Those who perceived themselves as strong began to doubt the possibility of their own death, moreover, the loved ones they perceived as powerful.

 Forty years of peace casts a thin veil of false security.