The Moon That Embraces The Sun

Chapter 1:

Back In Time

Title: The Moon That Embraces The Sun (AKA Guilty Pleasure)

Rated: T

Pairing: Multi x Sakura

Plot:

The "thorn bird" of the title refers to Sakura's character, who only brings out her best at the cost of great pain. A thorn bird is a mythical bird who searches for a thorn tree from the day it is born. When it finds it, the bird impales itself upon the sharpest thorn, and rises above the agony to sing the most beautiful song ever heard.

Flashbacks

"No man chooses evil because it is evil. He only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks." Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

She is me, and I am her. Our existence is both the same and different. 'Aoi' and 'Sakura'. That was the name we were given.

I wonder if it was different, Naruto would still be alive. Having lost everything, it seems like I have to just look the other way. I have no choice but to bear with it, so I close my eyes, but…mama, please answer me now. Tell me why people have changed. Tell me if there ever was such thing as a 'beautiful' era. So now I've forgotten how to love, I've lost my heart that cared for others, I'm busy living my life with my back turned to everything.

All this people are like an evil spirit of envy hidden behind an anonymous mask. Even if they see the very end it's like they want more. Are they satisfied now?

Will our eyes not meet anymore?
Will we not understand each other? Will we not love?

At the sight of this painful reality the tears flow again.
I say that it could change, that it should change.

For some time now we've been voluntarily trapped in this smart prison. Just a desolate field with human trash tumbling about.

As the days go by we just grow lonelier and are hurt by the fact that we have no choice but to be human..but one day I found a devil. He said, "Laughing and crying together while meeting, holding hands and just feeling. Beginning to resemble each other and becoming connected. If you want to regain that…give me something I want. Killing and being killed, fighting and screaming, it's not like this is a war!

Save me mama! Make me aware!

"Striking and hitting, taking sides and fighting, it's not like this is a game, either!" The devil said.

No one who care about me?

I'm thankful for these blessed days my life has allowed me to have, I make new connections every day
Bringing an even happier love to my shattered heart. If we were all able to smile together…

Did you know? Just like you saved me, I wanted to save you from that person's clutches. You..are like a doll with frozen heart.

Sakura...? …Because it's been such a long time since… anyone has called me…alright, in that case for you, Naruto, I'll have the name be "Sakura"… spoken and spelled like the name of my village…

The messed up me who was clingy to that thin string of life, the devil proposed that if he let my broken wings and shattered memories to go on, will I give him my soul, I replied without hesitation:

"I have no soul to give you"

As the light dims by the cloud, the memories that are cold as the raindrops that are pounding against my skin, I stood there among the pale moor that once held our homes, our loving memories, it grabbed onto my heart to look at the blood bleached grass, bruised here and there.

"Sakura-sama, you must escape from here!" Black-haired girl about fourteen tugged onto my sleeve, her coal eyes trembling with worry, she pleaded. I refused, "Naruto!" tears escaped my eyes dropping down my face uncontrollably, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Naruto smiled, "Heh, what are you crying for, Sakura?"

"Being nostalgic gets heavier as time passes, I used to wonder if I can't travel back in time. If you hug me just like you did before, I would feel better now." my trembling hand touched his bloodied cheek, his skin slowly turning cold and his blood warm and sticky on my hands.

"Sakura-chan…" Hinata soft yet weak voice spoke, "What you did was the bravest thing anyone could have ever done. Everyone would have found it impossible. In return, we will give you our eyes. We will become your guide, Sakura" Hinta lifted her hands and wrapped around my hand tightly in hope. "Take our eyes. Take mine and Sasuke's"

"Forgive me, Sakura" he looked up at the sky that shone brightly under the sun, squinting his eyes against the harsh ray of sun, "Because of me..you've become like this."

"SAKURA-SAMA, please Sakura-sama! You must escape" I didn't listen to Hana's plead, "If you don't…all your plans would only turn into bubbles" I blinked, escaping from my trance, "Aoi…take…their eyes" Aoi put the body she was holding gently onto the ground and took out two small containers from her bag before transferring the eyes into water filled jars.

"SAKURA!" Hana turned around to the sound to see Ino running toward them.

"Sakura, you got to go!" Ino shouted, grabbing my sleeve roughly and pulling me up to my feet she started to pull me to the direction of the forest. I turned around, my eyes never leaving the figures lying among the ruins.

"Naruto…"

"Neji, Temari… take everyone who survived deep inside the cave. I'll take care of this" Neji looked hesitant and his expression filled with mixture of emotion- worry, sadness and...jealousy. I ran toward him, resting my hands on his shoulder and lifted my foot so that my small height was approximately above his nose and gave him a small reassuring kiss before breaking apart.

"Neji, go" A demand, "This is an order as Hoakge" he frowned and his eyes saddened with heartbreak and pain. He hated how she would put herself in danger while protecting everyone using her title. But he knew it was for her peoples' safety. Knowing her position came first than anything else..even her own sister whom she dearly loved.. was hidden by the shadow of her ambition.

He looked at her once more and saw something flashed by on her eyes as if she wanted to say something more before it was quickly replaced by her strict gaze. He hesitantly and slowly nodded knowing those looks; looks she had on as her people's leader. He took Temari and everyone deep inside the cave.

Their footsteps faded into deep part of the cave, it was a while until I noticed that a presence arrived behind me. That dark and cold presence that never could be forgotten. We stayed silent for awhile, keeping the distance until his whisper broke the silent.

"Sakura" He spoke, his tongue saying out her name so familiarly and with affection. I turned around and met with those red eyes that gazed at me with indescribable emotions. I knew and he knew those feelings were stranger to them. He took a doubtful step forward as if he was afraid I would run away in disgust.

"Madara" I spoke. He gathered up his courage and stroll toward, slowly and gently he embraced me. "Don't leave me, Sakura" My lip parted, my brow furrowed in softened heart that he had such influence on me.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything that would hurt him enough to let me go, "Madara… you knew I would betray you someday"

"I did. I always knew but without knowing the meaning of your existence started to change, to the point where I wanted to forget about revenge and escape with you to the end of the earth." I snorted and moved my arm toward the sash of my kimono and grasped on the cold, narrow object and slide it out from its scabbard. I made a twirl in the air and pointed my arms and the sharp sword on his back and allowed the katana to pierce through his well-built structure. Madara smirked as blood dripped down the corner of his lips and tightened his hold, feeling satisfied at his opposite reaction rather than letting me go.

"You're such a cold woman, Sakura. Even I said such romantic sayings, you still dare to stab me" he unwrapped his right arm which went over his shoulder to take out the sword that was sticking out on his back without a hesitant or pained expression. He threw the sword carelessly to the side without looking away from her gaze before tenderly stroking her cheek then his hand lowered down to my chin, then my neck then to my collar bone and made a imaginary circle with his thumb before going up to her neck. He grappled my neck with his hand and narrowed his eyes in displeasure. "You should know being such a stubborn woman attracts man madly but…I don't feel like confessing it to a mere clone" he tightened the grip and my clone disappeared in puff of smoke.

When he arrived, he saw the result of ambitious woman's doing. He slowly looked around taking and recognizing the bodies that was lying in the pool of their own blood mixed with others around the circle. In the middle stood the woman he loved dearly facing back never looking back who unrolled the scroll with dramatic hand slash across the air as it stayed in the middle air, swaying in imaginative wind she carried on with her things even knowing he was there.

Cruel. He thought, a very cold and cruel woman who did not even swayed at his sweet words. He stared at her, desperate for her to turn around and look into his eyes to see the truth. She didn't. It was only when he spoke she stopped, "Sakura, don't do this" he begged, frowning at his tone of voice and felt angry at his pitiful self and at her who was responsible for his weakened heart.

She stopped yet she did not turned around. Madara was getting irritated and headed toward the pink-haired girl ignoring the dead beneath his foot as he enclosed his arms around her shoulder, burying his head on her neck kissing it gently and tightened his arm possessively. He knew and she knew no matter how cold or cruel she was he always came back to her something he wondered how she wrapped him under her fingers making him very dependent on her and forgave her no matter how irresponsible she was with everything and he was always there to fix or cover it up the result of her irresponsibility she purposely acted. I turned around still in his arms and came to face his saddened face even he tried to hide it, it was all there. In his eyes that seems to plea to stay.

I stared at him wordlessly, he spoke with impressed tone, "I have never seen such cold-hearted woman in my life. Sacrificing your friends and your only remaining family exchange for your happiness, how touching" his voice dripped of sarcasm..no..it was more of diversion, trying to grab onto my ankle. Stopping me from having my happiness. Anger rose inside me, I have waited five years to achieve this and no one is going to stop me. Not even my sister and more definitely from this person.

"Don't leave me" pulling me into his embrace that was filled with warmth. Something that was strange..it was interesting contrast really, he, who is so cold, cruel and perfect was warm and caring to his lover. For the first time since the meeting I spoke in soft, gentle voice, "Madara…This way, I can protect everyone. It's all because of you. You made me like this. The sole reason for me wanting to continue living despite this wretched state is you. This pathetic life … I'm finally sick of it. Because of you, I've also been used for all kinds of things…that's why…" pushing his shoulder back gently with my palms so that I could face him, I smiled, "I'm not sad, I'm not lonely because you, who protects me is with me. You told me you won't let my soul from being alone; that I'm not alone in this world. You said you would protect me, you promised right? So that we can be happy, help me so that my eyes can smile, Madara…I don't have any strength to do this alone" there was a silent between me and him, my eyes slightly widening when something wet and salty fell on my face. Even in the mild darkness, I saw something glistened on his both cheeks and the glistening moved down and down until meeting his narrow chin it disappeared and fell on my cheek.

I realised it was tears. Not mine but his. No one ever saw him cry, never nor had he ever cried; maybe at his dear brother's death but never to anyone else. I felt something uncomfortable tugging at my heart and soon realise it was guilt I felt for myself that I hurt him. Maybe... I said to myself, knowing that I had driven many men to their death, knowing I had hurt and rejected many men, I could not deny maybe I felt some love for him like I felt for Neji and Sai.

I mentally shook my thoughts and took myself back to reality and my ambition. He was still struggling at sudden overwhelm of emotion he thought he had forgotten he could not see my hand travelled toward the sleeve of my kimono before taking out a small but sharp dagger without hesitation I made sure its pointy end dig through my heart throughly. Deep enough to cause instant death. How wrong I was, my body swayed and fell side ways toward to the cold stone, my hairs slipping through his fingers like my whole existence was slipping through his life. At sudden change of her body, his eyes widened and seems all the action was done in slow-motion as he saw blood violently oozing out of her sleeve where her heart was before falling to the side onto the cold stone ground.

He quickly knelt down, his right palm pushing my back up while his other hand taking me into his well-built chest so that I was half lying on the stone. His left hand intertwined my fingers to his and squeeze it tightly. For the first time, he saw her fragile self. It was strange yet hurtful thing to see, a woman he knew was strong, witty and extraordinarily intelligent who no matter how many books or things she learnt, she can never be satisfied. A woman who was always starving for knowledge and head-strong, she had fallen.

"I don't seem to die easily..." I murmured, his finger tightened further enough to block the flows of blood toward my paled hand making it much more pale than ever before. His tears was dropping endlessly and more fiercely, "How could you...! For once, why can't you be the girl like the past who gave everything to love? Why can't it be me?" he shouted in frustration, clenching his jaws in anger.

Unwrapping my fingers from his making my skin missing the warmth, my index finger went up to wipe away his tears, I chuckled and asked, "What's the matter...you're crying like a child..did you really loved me...? If you're afraid of being alone..do you want me to be with you..?"

He opened his mouth with a frown to answer her question, "What kind of question is that? You know my feelings yet why do you keep playing with my emotions? What do I have to do to prove that what I feel for you is love and not some emotion I mistook as love because I was lonely. You are the first woman that I've personally became emotionally attached to...and you expect me to move on suddenly. Why can't you love me as I love you?" my eyes softened, "I did love you...but not like you." I turned my head to see the two figure, Neji and Sai, "I loved them equally as I loved you."

"Women like you are despicable" He venomously spatted and I chuckled, "Yet you fall in love with one"

I slowly looked up, ignoring the warm, sticky crimson liquid seeping through my clothes, "Shall I give you an advice? Women is like butterfly. If you hold them tightly in your hand they can't bear it. Ah..how pitiful. Such selfish man in love cannot understand the woman's heart and only compels his own feelings. In the end it's bound to fly away. Look at it" I lifted my tainted hand to his cheek, smearing it in red downward. Red looked good on him.

My body was being dissolved to the air, then I felt my heart was slowing down and I knew I only had few breath left before it started. He noticed that too and did not speak, trying to savour every moment of every minutes and seconds. It started from my leg and slowly crept upward like darkness that devours the light slowly, "It's flying away again" He knew the butterfly she was talking about was herself as he watched me closing my eyes as finale breath left the what was my body and succumbed to the darkness.

A strangled gasp and sob left his mouth as his whole body shook with over-whelming betrayal and depression. Another voice spoke behind him coming out from the stone of the cave behind him. The man had a unique appearance- two large venus fly-trap like extensions that envelop his head and upper body while half of his body was white other black, a contrast of colour. It seems that he was there for awhile watching the scene in awe and curiosity at his master's weakness.

"Do you still not know? She tried to kill you. Her plan, from the very start, was to become close to you, Madara-sama" Zetsu said while the black side of him kept quiet still in progress of shock at his outburst of emotion.

"I knew that" Zetsu blinked in surprise at this. Did he really loved her so much even knowing her full intention of assassinating him he would keep her at his side using her plan as a hold? Zetsu wondered, love-he thought, it seems to make even the strongest and cruelest person to dull their sharpest edges and slave-like status. Zetsu promised himself that he would not come across to that kind of feelings. After seeing his great master's fallen state.

"You didn't need to use a curse like this... you could have just asked me to die..." He murmured to himself, feeling of insanity clouding his thoughts and mind.

"Madara-sama" Zetsu shouted, seeing his near-mad state he tried to bring him back down and get a hold of himself. To become the cold, cruel and powerful Lord he once were before this woman came along. He spoken to her before, unlike others who was struck with fear at his appearance she was different. She'd talked to him as if she was talking to her friend, she played with him games, she even changed his eating habits into people to normal meat. She taught him, she read him books and played shogi with him and proved she was indeed very intelligent. He knew from the start she tried to kill his dear master yet he could not help but for the first time in his life, he saw her as mother-figure. Something he never had because of his appearance.

"If you had just asked, I would have given you...my life..." Zetsu felt pity for his master but he can't help that he too felt the betrayal and desolation at her death and depart. This woman placed herself into the center of their heart using their weakness moment she dig through them in their fragile state. Now that she was gone, both knew they once again lost something dear to them. Wordlessly, his leader picked up her now lifeless body and proceed to walk out of the cave to the world he now dominate. It was funny, he did not feel happy at all. He had finally achieved his great dreams, he was finally a King.

But... he thought, closing his eyes as his sensitive eyes was met with rays of sunlight, What use is kingdom if the King has no Queen to share his joy?

I knew I have hurt one more person. It was easier. Hurting others more than you can ever make them happy but Naruto..as I followed the wet and rainy road and look back to our memories; the blurry rain reminds me of you and you fill up in my tears; it gets thicker every-time I'm soon is trapped in this longing feeling, I wonder if I could travel back in time because if you hug me just like you did before I would feel better.

It scatters, the time you were with me, the memories you were with me.

Can't I travel back in time and hug you just like before? Just for once, even if it's the last time-

-I would feel better...

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." Confucius

A/N: To my readers who have previously read 'Guilty Pleasure',

My friends has after reading my plot and my plans had advised me to add a more scene saying, "It's your story, go crazy. Don't just keep up with the story plot. This is for goodness sake!" So, taking my friends advices, I decide to change the title but plots are still the same but with more additionals chapters and scenes.

-Kara-