同じ月を見ている - Onaji Tsuki o Miteiru

絶望- Zetsubō (Despair)

A lone figure wanders by the Kamo River as mournful melodies of a shamisen resonated from a distance while a low haunting voice recounts the sorrows of Lady Ukifune.

He did not intend for him to die so he can live─

He did not intend to succumb to the charms of his beloved─

He did not intend to take his place ─

And yet destiny seemed to have taken a hand to set the stage, like marionettes on strings they all played their roles─

But the pale eyed lady had cut her twines because she refused to be told─

"She's gone" the words of the Hyūga clan leader kept repeating in his mind.

Gaara reflects on the sadness, confusion and yearning that simultaneously pounced on him.

He faced the moon as he searched for an answer "Where are you Hinata Hyūga?

忘らるる
身をば思はず
誓ひてし
人の命の
惜しくもあるかな

My broken heart I don't lament, To destiny I bow;
But thou hast broken solemn oaths,—
I pray the gods may now
Absolve thee from thy vow

未解決- Mi kaiketsu (Unsettled)

Chaos ensued as a deafening sound shattered his senses, a sudden force had pressed him on the ground where he lay motionless and with his remaining strength, saw obscured images before finally surrendering into the dark void.

A series of explosions had awakened him to see the semi-dark enclave of his chambers once more. A faint light spilled through the window as he rose to look outside, small sparks dotted the district in the eve of the new lunar year. Eyes as dark as midnight explored the cloudless night and addressed the silvery orb that shone lustrously in the sky

見るところ花にあらずと云ふことなし、

思ふところ月にあらずと云ふことなし

There is nothing you can see that is not a flower;

There is nothing you can think that is not the moon.

"Uchiha-sama it's time to go" called a deep voice which disturbed the young man's troubled thoughts.

希望 – Kibō (Hope)

The Bund, Shanghai, China Feb. 1923

"Gong Xifat Chai!" merry chatter among the passengers rang through the air as the Kibo floated near the quay, a breath-taking city welcomed her with a glowing luminescence that would be forever imprinted in her mind, tall modern buildings lined the harbour standing like imposing sentinels silently observing the gaiety of the night. A long green dragon held by men twisted and turned along the embankment in rhythm with the furious incessant beats of the tanggu and zhangbu, while luminous sparklers surrounded its serpentine body as it manoeuvred among the excited spectators.

Hinata couldn't help but smile and gaze at the moon that casted its bright radiance in the city of Shanghai

A bright moon rising over the sea,

Shores apart, watching the same

Is someone dear to me.

I loath this endless night;

And could not sleep but think of thee.

In this full moon light,

Who cares for candlelight?

Stepping out I don my gown,

And feel dew on the ground.

I wish to offer you moonlight in a handful,

But, to my real shame, 'tis impossible.

Retiring to my bed, it seems,

I might find happier days in dreams.

She descended on the mooring and was abruptly stopped in her tracks by an old lady widely beaming with warmth and joy in her eyes

"Huānyíng ni lai Shànghai!" (Welcome to Shanghai!)

"One joy shatters a hundred grief"

-Chinese Proverb-

Author's Notes: An important element of this chapter is the moon which is viewed at once by all three characters with different emotions and perspectives.

Footnotes:

(Gaara Scene)

Kamo River – a river which flows north to south of Kyoto.

Shamisen – a Japanese three stringed instrument. In reference to the first scene, it would have been played by a geisha since Kyoto was also well known for its many geisha houses.

Lady Ukifune – a traditional song called Ukifune, ("A floating boat") based on the story of the Genji family. Ukifune, a beautiful lady of Uji (near Kyoto) is loved by Captain Kaoru but was unfaithful to him. After much disillusionment, she attempts suicide, fails, and spends the rest of her life in a nunnery. The words of the song describe the sad story of Lady Ukifune

Lady Ukon – was a Japanese poet of the Heian period who wrote the 1st poem in this chapter. She is supposed to have been abandoned by her husband and in this poem she regrets, not so much her own sorrow, as the fact that he has broken his sworn oath, and is therefore in danger of divine vengeance.

(The poem and the song were all used in Gaara's context of being left by Hinata.)

(Sasuke Scene)

Matsuo Basho – famous Edo period poet who wrote the statement referring to the moon.

(Hinata Scene)

Shanghai - a rich historical city of China which gained considerable international attention from the 19th to the 20th century, succeeding events eventually lead to its control by different foreign countries which created a point for eastern and western influences to blend and become an important cultural and economic center in Asia. Japan which was already a major player in the region back then had extensive investment in China with many Japanese immigrating and exercising significant influence in this area during that time. Please refer to Shanghai's history for further reading.

The Bund – a waterfront area in central Shanghai by the Huangpu river. It played an vital role in Shanghai's economy as it became a center of numerous important financial, commercial and social institutions of foreign powers (US, Britain, France, Japan and so on) which dominated China at that time. The area is also known for its historical buildings which showcased different architectural styles from various western designs (1920s to 1930s). Please refer to "The Bund, Shanghai" for further reading.

Gong Xifat Chai – translates to Happy New Year in Mandarin Chinese which is the mainstream language of Shanghai.

Tanggu – a type of traditional Chinese drum shaped like a barrel.

Zhangbu – a medium sized traditional Chinese cymbals

Zhang Jiu Ling – a poet from the Tang dynasty who composed the last poem in this chapter entitled "Thinking afar in moonlight"

My Endless apologies for this short chapter. It's meant to be a prologue to give a sense of the new setting. I hope everyone can wait patiently for the next chapter which is coming very soon.

Thank you for all the feedback. -

And thanks again to Lynette -the muse of this whole story.