Author's Note:

This is my first fanfic and is an ongoing birthday gift for my best friend Silver. I'll try my best to keep them in character. I don't own Naruto, any mythology that I use, or any music. There are OC's in this.

Reviews would be appreciated. Thank you. Hope you enjoy.

Pairing: I'm contemplating Deidara and my OC, Rukia, or her and Hidan. I haven't decided just yet.

Warning: Rated M for Violence, Religion, Blood, Profanity, and Mature Content later on.

Shadow of the Moon

Prologue

Katsuo sat in the kitchen, listening to his father rattle on, as always. He looked down at the remnants of what was, at a point, his lunch. A small evenly distributed orange pool of liquid still remained in the porcelain bowl that had once been tomato soup, accompanied by a few scraps of butter toasted crust of bread from a cheese sandwich.

A sudden sharpness in his father's toned voice caught his attention and he looked up into harsh blue eyes, watching him as he spoke. Not listening or even trying to comprehend words out of the noise that left his lips, but looking at him nonetheless.

He didn't need to listen. He knew what his father was likely rambling on about, training. That's all it ever was. Either this wasn't satisfactory or this needed more attention. That was all it ever was.

A sudden scowl twitched at his lips and a twinge of resentment pricked at his conscious, worming its way to the pit of his stomach as he looked on acrimoniously.

He was only three when his father had started teaching him about chakra and basic fighting skills, now he was ten and at a minimum, a jounin level ninja.

How long had he felt this overwhelming abhorrence for the man he called father? It was a question he could not answer. But a harder one was; when had it started? If he had to guess it would be around five, when being a ninja was no longer "an honor", as his father put it, but a necessity to make said man look good.

His father, Renzo, used to be a great role model for the academy students and village alike here in the Moon Country. He was the clan leader after all. That was until he developed a serious gambling addiction accompanied by the alcoholic habit he began to acquire shortly after.

That was when "It's an honor to be a shinobi" had turned into "You can redeem the good name I had built for our family." And he did, if nothing else, just that.

People always gave respect and special treatment to the powerful, and graduating the academy in only two years at the age of nine, when most had either just entered or were just learning the basics was if anything power. Or maybe it was just talent. Either way he had "redeemed" his family's name, but even that wasn't adequate enough for his father.

It seemed to him he would never be fast enough or strong enough in his eyes because he wasn't seeing what he wanted his son to be, but what he wanted himself to be if given the chance to do things over again. He lived through Katsuo and there was no room for mistakes or clumsiness on his part.

Everything needed to be perfect. Not nearly so, but perfect, and he loathed him for it. He hated being used and more so being pushed to the breaking point like some kind of animal.

After all it wasn't his fault his father had severely ruined his reputation. Why should he help him regain even a smidgen of honor? Because it would make him look twice as superior, which would result in the eventual eating away at his father and he just may need that leverage one day.

He could almost smile almost laugh even at the thought of his own success driving his father crazy. It was inevitable that the villagers would completely disregard Renzo eventually. He was washed up, finished, and who better to take his place and show him up but his own son. If Renzo wasn't so blind he might see that he was digging his own grave, for Katsuo's success would only add insult to injury.

The thought alone sent a warm blanket of comfort to settle over him. He would be better than his father ever was and he refused to ruin it all with such trivial things as drinking and gambling.

It was sinful behavior, not that his father would know. He had no religion at all and the only reason he himself did was because of his mother. What would people say about Renzo now that his son had faith in god and he himself shunned him? Especially since the village itself was based on religions, different as they were.

"Katsuo! Pay attention when I speak to you, and wipe that look off your face." Renzo's angered voice penetrated his thoughts, and it was only in that moment that he had come out of his daze, he noticed his own clenched fists and his father's irritated frown.

Katsuo unclenched his hands, stretching out the fingers for the blood to circulate once more and rid them of the horrible pale white color they had taken as he cleared his face of any and all expressions. He had become good at that over the years. After all shinobi do not show emotion.

"Forgive me father, I was just thinking." It came out a bit more hissed than he wanted.

"Think when I'm not talking to you." The sound of his voice proved his father was irritated with the lack of interest he had shown in the conversation, as if his expression wasn't enough to give it away.

Katsuo frowned out of annoyance but forced himself to show respect to his father. "Sorry sir".

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways you have a mission tomorrow. Meet your team at the village gate at 7:30." He said sternly and gave a sort of smirk that begged to be defied and it disappeared just as fast as it had come.

"I'll be there." Katsuo sighed and stood up from the table, clearing his dishes and his father's at the same time. He couldn't help but notice the joyous grin plastered on his father's face that had taken the place of his angered frown. It never ceased to amaze him how just the thought of going on a mission could make his father so delighted even if angry moments earlier.

He shook his head slightly. At least someone was happy.

Katsuo placed the soiled dishes in the sink and ran water over them, clearing away a small portion of the grime to make it easier for his mother to clean.

Being nine months into pregnancy, he tried to help her as much as he could. It was more than his father did at least. He really didn't even know why they married in the first place. He knew it wasn't because she had become pregnant for him; they were married for two years before that happened.

Maybe they had loved each other at one point, but you'd never know it now. He couldn't recall them showing any real sign of love for one another. Maybe they just didn't like public shows of affection even if said public was none other and only their very son. Or maybe it was over money seeing as how they had much of it.

"That's good honey, I'll get it." Yuzuki's soft feminine voice reached his ears, turning off the water he turned to gaze at his mother. Her black hair fell long around her shoulders framing her incredible young girlish face. Her soft chestnut eyes were filled deeply with joy and love as her hands rested on her swollen belly.

"Alright, I was just trying to help you out." His anger towards his father dissipated only to be replaced with happiness as he gazed at his mother's beaming smile and loving eyes. There was just something about his mother; you couldn't feel anything but comfortable in her presence. Her voice always soft and soothing, so full of emotion.

"I can see and I appreciate it. Thank you very much." Yuzuki moved forward as she spoke pulling her son into a sideways hug to keep him from pressing uncomfortably into her belly and kissed his forehead.

Katsuo smiled at the loving contact of his mother's lips upon his forehead and warm embrace. His arm wrapped around her back to hug her as well. These were rare moments since he was normally busy training or gone most of the time on a mission, and they always seemed to end too quickly. "Your welcome."

Katsuo broke away from his mother and sat back at the table, seeing that his father had already left the room, and wondered exactly when he did so. Most likely before his mother had arrived. How was it that two people could live in the same house yet hardly see one another? It was like his father was avoiding her as if she were the plague or something. Well he never seemed to be excited about her pregnancy. That was probably what it was.

But why wasn't his father excited? He himself was. He had been the only child for ten years now and frankly he was sick of all the attention directed at him for being so. Was there anything wrong with a little peace once in a while?

He was genuinely happy that he would soon have a sibling. All his friends had siblings to play with. No matter how many times they told him siblings were a pain and he was lucky not to have any he could see in their eyes they never meant it. He had seen it one day, a bond he had never know, when his teammate's younger brother showed up all too early in the morning at the village gates before a mission just to wish him well. He could make out a kind of love that was completely different from that of a parent's or a spouse's when his little brother hugged him good-bye and gave him a picture he drew of the two of them together. No parents, just them. He could picture his teammate's bright smile as he held it tightly in his hands as they walked toward their destination. How carefully he folded it along the sloppy crease already made down the middle. How gently he slid it into his pocket, not allowing it to tear.

He wanted that, or something of the sort. A different kind of love and closeness he could have and show for someone else. To be looked up to and respected instead of being trounced all over.

The sound of rushing water filled the room and the squirting of a bottle as his mother added the dish soap and began scrubbing the dishes.

He sat there just watching her, just happy to be in her presence. It would be a while before he saw her again. He knew the mission was liable to be an escort mission, probably a B-rank, and they tended to take a few days sometimes a week.

He gave an irritated sigh and shook his head a bit. He wasn't looking forward to this.

"Is something wrong sweetheart?" Yuzuki asked, turning the knobs of the sink to stop the water's flow.

"I have a mission tomorrow. I guess I'm just not looking forward to going."

Yuzuki picked up a dish towel and began rubbing her hands dry. "Well we all have to do things we don't want to sometimes. I'm sure it'll be over before you know it". She smiles sweetly as Katsuo twisted in the kitchen chair turning to face her.

"I guess so." After a few moments of silence his mother went to the refrigerator and pulled out different vegetables and a package of wrapped meat. "What are you making?"

"I thought we would have stew tonight. How does that sound?" Yuzuki unwrapped the white packaging and placed the raw meat on a wood cutting board.

"Sounds good."

Katsuo watched his mother's hands use the sharp chef's knife to cut the meat. Her hands rose and fell; the knife glinted with the sun light coming in through the kitchen window. Rich red stained the blade, as the blood from the meat ran along its edge and dripped on to the cutting board, poling and running over the edge to the counter top.

"Can I help?"

Yuzuki smiled her hands never ceasing movement. "You can wash the vegetables for me."

Katsuo hopped down from his chair, making his way to stand beside his mother. He slowly began unwrapping the various vegetables that littered the countertop and running them thoroughly under cool water.

Yuzuki pulled a pot out of an overhead cupboard and slowly added the slices of meat and a variety of different spices. She took the washed vegetables and began dicing them and adding them to the concoction of spiced meat.

Yuzuki placed the pot on a light burner set on low. "Alright dinner will be ready in a few hours."

"Ok. I have to get ready for tomorrow anyways."

Yuzuki began wiping the counter clean bidding Katsuo a "thank you for your help" as he left the kitchen heading towards his bedroom.

The house was too big for a family of three. Katsuo thought it was unnecessarily big for any family really. It was more of a palace than anything, ornate in nature with elaborate decorations. Even with all his father's gambling and drinking there was hardly a noticeable dip in their financial status. His father, just like his uncles and aunts that lived near-by, were very rich. Each had immense spacious houses with lavish furniture and decorations and theirs were no different. There fortune had been passed down through the generations and each had only added to it. But even their house or finances didn't compare to his Aunt Hiroko, or so he had been told.

According to his uncle his Aunt Hiroko had much greater fortune than the rest of the family. She was a free spirit, always traveling around just to see what all the different countries looked like.

She sent his mother, her sister, letters often and little trinkets on occasion. Sometimes she would even put in a little something for him.

Katsuo walked up the great staircase in the front of the house and down the hall till he reached his room. He pushed open the heavy door and walked in. His room was rather plain to say the least. Just white walls and a light blue bedspread, with curtains to match it. He had a varnished wood desk in the corner, a dresser across from one of his windows, and a nightstand by the bed. Other than that, not much was in the room except his clothes, weapons, and a few possessions.

It was always clean due to the various maids in the house. It was strange to him that his mother insisted on cooking meals and cleaning things on her own when they had maids to do that sort of thing. It probably kept her from being bored out of her mind. She couldn't do the things she normally did being pregnant and all. She probably just needed something, anything, to do to occupy herself.

Katsuo opened his closet and pulled out a backpack, putting anything he may need inside. When he finished he put the bag down on top his desk and flopped down on his bed, stretching out and relaxing.

His eyes closed leisurely, pleased with the peacefulness. He listened to the chirping of the birds outside and the occasional breeze that blew past the open window and ruffled his curtains along with the color changing leaves on the tree just outside. The air was crisp and cool with the distinct scent of autumn. Even the sun snaking through the window and falling upon his form could not warm him.

He laid there for what seemed like hours. It must have been hours, since one of the maids came to get him for dinner. He was awake the whole time just oblivious to time.

Katsuo returned to the kitchen and sat across from his father, next to his mother. Up until now his father and mother had been discussing something but now an uncomfortable almost awkward silence was all that could be heard. No one spoke. Whatever they had been talking about obviously wasn't for him to hear and he sat there quietly, picking up his spoon and dipping it into the soup in front of him.

Dinner that night was strange to him. Normally his parents would have some kind of conversation during dinner but tonight it was relatively quiet. There were a few things said on both their parts and some on his but mainly quiet. That was all he could think as he laid in his bed once more yawning and slowly falling asleep.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Katsuo woke up earlier than he needed to. He didn't need to meet up with his team for at least an hour and a half. He thought about going back to sleep but he just wasn't tired enough to do so.

Katsuo pushed the comforter off his body, picking up some clothes; he went to the bathroom across the hall, pulling a towel out of the closet next to the door. The bathroom was painted a variety of light blues and whites with classy paintings and decorations on the wall.

Pushing the door closed behind him he set the bundle of fabric on the marble counter beside the sink and turned on the shower, getting the water the perfect temperature before removing his clothes and standing under the spray. He ran his hands through his short black hair soaping it up and rinsing it. He spent a good twenty minutes standing under the warm droplets breathing in an array of expensive soaps and steam.

He was dressed in minutes and still had more than an hour to kill. He walked down to the kitchen, backpack in hand, and put together a bowl of cereal before sitting at the table. He ate slowly, using up more time than he needed to. The silence throughout the house was something he was used to but his father would be up soon enough, and that silence would be broken. He didn't care for the way his farther thought he needed to get up and see him off. He didn't need his father to wake him up for missions, but still he got up every morning to make sure he was on his way. As if he wasn't going to go.

Katsuo shook his head and stood from the table. He wasn't going to stick around to see him today. Katsuo picked up his bowl and poured the remainder of his breakfast down the sink before pulling his shoes on and walking out the door. He still had at least an hour as he stepped out into the cool morning air. It was about the second week of October, the 14 he thought.

He hoisted his backpack over his shoulder and slipped his hands into his pockets to keep them warm as he began his decent through the village. His feet crunched over the dry dead leaves as he went, mixing a leaf scent with that of the moist morning air. Dew collected on his pant legs and the grass stained the fabric around his ankles green. The village was still slightly dark, the sun not completely up yet, and all was quiet. Dropping his gaze to the ground he watched the multicolor leaves as he passed by them clearing his mind and concentrating on the silence.

It was short lived however as a sudden clanging caught his attention, snapping his gaze towards the source.

Mariko, a well known fortune teller and herbalist, and some say sorceress, stood outside her little shop. She sold tarot cards, herbal remedies, plants, and a variety of things for magic and fortunetelling that he didn't know anything about along with her services.

She was moving boxes in and out of the little shop, most likely new shipments of goods that she needed.

She was a very young woman, in her twenties maybe, with curled flowing honey hair and sea eyes set in her youthful carefree features. Her cheeks were tinted with a pink rouge to give the effect of blushing. Her lips were colored just a tad darker in red while her eyes were framed by dark lines of either brown or black eye shadow. She wore a white flowing dress tinted pink at the bottom with long sleeves that complimented her slender figure. She always wore a dress, at least every time he had seen her, which wasn't often but still he assumed she wore one all the time. And he had spoken to her less than that, but she was always polite and giddy.

Mariko suddenly looked upwards meeting his chestnut eyes and smiling as she always had, but he couldn't help but notice the touch of sadness it held. "Katsuo have you come to help me move these boxes?" Her voice was giddy and joking as she smiled on brighter than before.

"Actually I have a mission today." He replied arching an eyebrow and tilting his head slightly confused. It seemed like she was trying her hardest to hide her unhappiness that was clearly there.

Mariko giggles slightly. "Oh I know, after all it is my job is it not?"

Katsuo gave an amused smirk. "I guess, but seeing as how you are the best fortuneteller around I really shouldn't be surprised."

Mariko set down the box she was carrying, giggling before picking up a new one. "You flatter me Katsuo. Although I do like to know my work is appreciated."

"I've never heard a bad word in your behalf nor heard anyone say they were unsatisfied with a reading."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Well I should be on my way, wouldn't want to be late."

Mariko's despondent features returned more obvious than before, but this time she did nothing to conceal it. "Yes, we wouldn't want that. Be careful Katsuo. I wish to see you remain in this village for a long time yet."

A look of perplexed suspicion took residence over his features. What did she mean by that? Was she implying that he may die? "I'll be as careful as I can."

Mariko walked back into the quaint little shop and set down the box she was holding on the pile that had formed. She leaned against it for a moment to rest as the faint sound of footsteps from outside passed by the door, and she knew he was gone.

A stream of first morning sunlight seeped through the doorway and shone over her honey hair giving it a highlighted luster. She walked back to the doorway and looked out, ruby lips curving downward doleful in nature. "Forgive me." she whispered quietly as Katsuo's form retreated out of sight. "Please don't listen, she'll need you." A single tear fell from her sea colored eyes. He couldn't hear her. He didn't know what she planned or said and even if he did never would he imagine what was to befall him and his family. Guilt swarmed her thoughts and stung at her gut as the lump formed in her throat. Sadly some of it would be her fault. If only she had more time she could find someone else, but no one would be as good.

Silently she made her way over to an old oaken trunk in the corner of the room that was filled with an assortment of herbs, spices, animal parts, jarred collections of insects, packaged powders, bird feathers, and numerous other odds and ends. Shifting through the contents she found what she was looking for. A small white glass vase with blue patterned designs etched into the outside.

Mariko swallowed hard. "Tonight it is then."

A small amused laugh escaped her lips as her hand came up, the tinted fabric of her dress whipping under her eyes leaving bits of black from her mascara and eye shadow. "How unlike myself am I?" She chuckled lightly once more at her obvious out of character behavior. She was the joyful carefree kind of girl not what she was suddenly turned into. Not this guilt ridden sobbing mess.

With a shake of her curled locks she stood and placed the old urn on the table. Tonight would be full of activity.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Katsuo stood with his teammates, sensei, and a man from a village he had never heard of before at the front gates. Like he had suspected it was an escort mission.

The man's name was Eiji. He was a tall man with an average body build, likely in his early thirties. He had dark brown hair and deep blue eyes with very masculine facial features and high cheekbones. He reminded him slightly of his father. Only his father had lighter eyes and darker hair.

His sensei was slightly smaller but far more muscular with just as much masculinity in his facial features. Daisuki sensei had longer white hair tied back in a low ponytail, despite being 27, with hazel eyes and a goofy smile upon his lips. He was never a very serious man outside of battle. He was an easygoing guy that seemed to get the most out of life.

His teammates Ayame and Isamu were pretty much the same. Always messing around. They would rather go out and have fun rather then train or hone their skills and honestly their team suffered for it. They weren't actually considered the weakest team in the village but they weren't the strongest either. Somewhere in the middle perhaps. That's another thing that begun to bug him though. He always ended up having to help one of his teammates even when he was busy enough with an enemy of his own.

As they started walked the dirt path towards the village his inquisitive teammates began to ask Eiji questions whilst he remained quiet and listened. With the talkative group members he wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise anyways.

Apparently Eiji ran a ryokan in the Hot Springs Village and had gotten himself into a few bad deals resulting in a man hiring some ninja to execute him. He had no family or wife and the village he lived in prospered due to their abundant and beautiful hot springs, but there was still war and conflict they hoped to rid themselves of someday.

Katsuo arched an eyebrow. They wanted peace? True peace did seem like a nice thing, but this village wanted to rid themselves of all missions and focus on finances and business entirely. Even if they were to get peace their shinobi would likely grow restless. Soldiers know nothing but war and battles after all, and peace only confuses them. How can they expect them to abide by peace when they have been trained since children to protect their village and kill other shinobi without guilt? It's hard to spend years doing and building up skills in a specific field and then have it taken away to learn something else entirely new, and he imagined it was frustrating as well. Being a shinobi and running a hot spring or a restaurant were entirely different things altogether, so exactly what did they expect their shinobi to do? They did go into being shinobi for a reason. They chose that career path over all others. That's what they wanted to do with their lives. The village could have peace but by all means take missions still, that way people wouldn't have to completely change their lives and wouldn't grow angry with the village.

"You're village sounds so beautiful. I can't wait to see it." Ayame, his bubbly red haired teammate stated with eagerness.

Isamu seemed just as excited about the village. It defiantly sounded like a step up from the last one they had gone to. The swamp country wasn't pleasant in the least. Nothing but sticky mud, murky slime water, and a horrible pungent smell throughout the entire country. Truthfully he couldn't understand why anyone would live there.

"Oh, it is very beautiful. Just wait till you see my inn. It's normally rather expensive and for good reason, but I'd be honored to give you all a free stay. You are saving my life after all."

Daisuki sensei smiled brightly at the invitation. "Thank you Eiji. That's very generous of you."

"Oh, it's not a problem."

"So Eiji-sama are there powerful ninja in your village?" Isamu walked faster to keep a steady pace next to the Eiji.

"Some are, yes. But as I said we are working toward ridding ourselves of war and shinobi altogether."

"But what will all the shinobi do then?" Ayame ran a hand through her cherry hair as she looked up at him in anticipation of the answer.

Eiji rubbed a hand against his chin in thought. "Well whatever they want to I suppose."

"Oh." Ayame seemed slightly disheartened by his answer but continued her questioning as time went on. "Do shinobi from other villages stay at your inn?"

"All the time."

Daisuki sensei hummed as he smiled at the man. "So I take it that business is good."

Eiji laughed joyously before answering. "Yes business is very good. Once we reach the village you'll see why."

Hours of talking went by and Katsuo slipped in a few questions of his own every now and then. It was starting to get dark and as the village slipped into view and the closer they got the more he could see why so many people came here.

It was like many other villages in layout. Stores and inns lined the cobblestone streets as well as their famous hot springs. Houses were set in groups throughout the village. They had training grounds and a ninja academy near the largest cluster of houses and a park in the center of the village. All the houses were designed in a similar old fashioned kind of style which gave the village kind of a welcome comfortable feeling. Surrounding the place were fields of various kinds of flowers, herbs, and trees along with a view of a large mountain if you look to the South. All in all it was in fact a beautiful village.

Katsuo and his team made it to Eiji's inn and were given a small tour. The ryokan reminded him of his house in a way; it was full of elaborate decorations but not nearly as big.

Eiji gave them two rooms and told them what time the innkeepers would serve meals before he went to his own home for the night. Daisuki sensei had one of the rooms all his own while Katsuo and his two teammates shared the other. By the time they all got settled it was completely dark out and everyone was tiered from the long journey. Daisuki sensei was already asleep across the hall and Ayame was sleeping soundly on the bed closest to the door.

Katsuo climbed into the bed next to the window and began to drift off until Isamu came back from the bathroom not bothering to be quiet and jumped onto the bed next to him, making him bounce slightly. Katsuo groaned irritably. "Could you be any louder?"

Isamu smiled a huge cocky grin down at him. "Yep."

Katsuo groaned once more and pulled the pillow from under his head and smacked Isamu with it before returning it to its proper place. "Go to sleep already."

Isamu just laughed as he smacked him with his own pillow, returning the favor. His hazel eyes gleamed with mischief and energy. "Why so quiet today, huh? You barely said anything on the way here."

Katsuo t'ched. "Like I could have gotten a word in even if I wanted to with your big mouth." Katsuo rolled onto his back and draped his right arm over his closed eyes as if shielding them from a nonexistent light.

Katsuo heard him laugh slightly as another blow from Isamu's pillow hit him in the face. "Oh yeah, what about Ayame?" Katsuo peaked out from under his arm just in time to see Isamu gesture toward their sleeping partner. "She has a bigger mouth than I do."

Katsuo smirked and yanked the pillow out of Isamu's hand before it made contact with his upper body once more. "Yeah yeah she's a big mouth, but she's not awake to make fun of now is she?"

Isamu chuckled reaching and ripping his pillow out of the black haired boy's hands. "So that's your game huh? Only make fun when people are awake."

Katsuo smiled. "Well yeah. It's not fun if no one fights back now is it?"

Isamu hummed in agreement and yawned. Smacking Katsuo once more with his pillow he placed it on the bed and laid down on his side facing the window before he added a playful insult. "Night jerk."

Katsuo placed his arm back over his eyes as he smirked. "Night moron."

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Mariko bustled around her shop. News had made it to her hours ago that Yuzuki was at the local hospital in labor. It was late night, around 11:30 or so, and Yuzuki would be out of labor for only a few minutes now. If she was going to be successful she would have to hurry.

A few lanterns dimly light the ambiance of the room giving it an uncanny sort of look. Shadows cast their way over the floor and seemed to come alive whenever there was a flicker of a wick. She walked over to a cabinet and began searching. She then pulled out a sachet and when she opened it a sweet odor wafted outwards.

She placed the vase she had taken from the old trunk that morning and sachet of colored dried leaves and flower petals on the table next to the wall. She made her way over towards another cabinet in the back of the room. Floor boards creaked as she walked over them. In the cabinet vials of liquids were scattered around different shelves and she pulled out a vile of red liquid tinted purple. Setting it on the table next to everything else she went into a back room and returned with several red and white candles. Mariko set them up in a circle with a small bowl in the middle.

She lit the candles and poured the leaf flower mixture and liquid into the small bowl. She started her chanting and slowly burned the bowls contents. The burning herbs gave off a smell similar to incense. At first nothing happened, then a white smoke started to rise up from the opened vase.

In mid air the vapor started to form into an animal or some sort. The white mass drifted upward towards the ceiling. A huge gust of wind started to blow throwing things around the room. Glass pots and other things flew and hit walls causing loud crashing noises and shards of tattered glass to land upon the floor. Papers blew everywhere and the incense enveloped the entire room. More and more white smoke wafted up out of the jar and the temperature throughout the room changed from a pleasant warmth to a chilling cold that made Mariko's teeth chatter. In front of her she could see the foggy mist of her own breath.

This went on for only a few moments until the white smoke stopped its decent upwards and disappeared completely, the violent wind subsiding leaving the room a tattered mess. Glass and papers splayed across the floor, pictures either barely hung to the wall or were thrown off adding to the clutter on the floor. Various other objects were strewn about and more than half of the lanterns had blown out.

Mariko walked outside, her hands rubbing quickly up and down her arms trying to warm her body. She stopped in her tracks awestruck, around the little shop there was at least an inch worth of snow, but it was no where else. This was strange; it never snowed in the Moon Country. Not even in December. The only time the weather changed from a pleasant warmth to a chilled cold was in the late autumn and half way through the winter seasons, but it never got cold enough to snow.

Mariko stared at the frozen white surrounding her and smiled. It was a beautiful sight to her who had never seen snow before. She then turned her attention towards the sky watching clouds slowly move over the stars and moon. She had a feeling in her gut that she was successful.

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AN: Well that was the prologue. Hope you liked it. Sorry no violent battles in this chapter, I thought it was long enough as it is. Most likely in the next one I'll have one. Review if you like. Thanks for reading.

~Snowy