Chapter 10:
"That's ridiculous," Neji said at dinner that evening. Naruto decided to present his 'findings' to the others while they had their complementary meal. He was convinced that Sai wasn't crazy and was actually trying to tell them something. He must have been speaking in code. Unfortunately, no one believed him. "Naruto, you're just taking stabs in the dark. You don't have any proof."
"Yes, I do! He said the word 'lost' when I showed him the necklace. A couple hours later, we find the bracelet that woman lost inside the well. That couldn't have been coincidence."
"Yes, it could. Saying the word 'lost' doesn't prove anything. Even if it did, it could mean anything. It may or may not have been referring to the woman's lost bracelet. It could have meant any number of things."
"That's right," added Sakura. "And when Ayaka's father came to take back the necklace, he said that it was a tiger's bone right in front of Nozomu, who is known for throwing things down the well. It's not that hard to figure out. Anyone could have predicted that Nozomu threw that bracelet down the well. Finding that bracelet down there doesn't prove anything."
"Not to mention that you happened to be walking by at the time. You were the one who decided to take Sai out for a walk. You were by the well which is where Nozomu goes everyday to throw things. You were bound to stumble across him in that area. And like Sakura said, he overheard what Ayaka's father said about the tiger bone. He knew the folktale about throwing tiger bones down a well to make it rain. Anyone could have predicted this. Sai had nothing to do with it."
Naruto frowned. They did have a point. Nozomu was known for throwing things down the well. His father's wife was good friends with that Haruki's mother and came over frequently. Haruki mentioned that his mother rarely takes off her bracelet, only for cooking and bathing. Nozomu knew the legend about throwing tiger bones down the Dragon's Well in order to make it rain during a drought. Ayaka's father mentioned out loud with Nozomu standing within earshot that his daughter's necklace was made from a tiger's bone. Naturally Nozomu would try to take it and throw it down the well when he had already thrown many things, including the bracelet. It was only natural for Naruto to find it there while on a walk which took them right by the well. A walk Naruto insisted they go on. Maybe Sakura and Neji were right and he was jumping to conclusions. Maybe Sai really wasn't involved in any way. Maybe it was all coincidence.
The innkeeper came in with a tray of Yokan for dessert. He had been listening to their conversation while he prepared the last dish of the evening. "None of that matters. The necklace was returned and the bracelet was found, solving the feud. Everything worked out for the best. I don't see any reason to continue wondering about it. You can't change the past."
"Maybe..." Naruto took one of the plates of Yokan and offered it to Sai. He looked at the thick block of jelly and turned away. The toad was no longer in his hands. It had hopped away when the innkeeper brought them their dinner, knowing it wasn't welcome. Naruto set the dish by the window, hoping Sai would at least take a bite. He had barely eaten anything since their first night in this village. He only had one bowl of rice in the morning and that was it. He was already starting to lose some weight.
While they ate, the innkeeper cleared their plates from dinner, giving them more room. When he left, Neji changed the subject. "Tonight we'll observe. We won't chase them down or try to stop them."
"You mean the shadow guys, right?" Naruto asked while chewing.
"Of course. We're just going to watch them tonight and see what they do. I think it's the wedding they're after. We'll need to come up with a plan for tomorrow night."
"We've got forever to think about that." Naruto swallowed. "Are we invited, by the way?"
"I hope so," said Sakura. "We've been helping them set up and everything."
"To the wedding?" came the innkeeper's voice. "Of course! You're all invited to attend. There will be lots of food and music and a great time. I hope you enjoy yourselves."
Neji turned his head, looking at the innkeeper. "Is it really our place?" he asked. "I'm aware that this is a small village so naturally everyone would be invited, but we're outsiders. This isn't our village and we're only here on business. Should we really be attending something so personal?"
"How is a wedding personal?" Naruto asked, but his question went unanswered.
"Everyone has a place where they belong. No one should be left out. Everyone should have a home. And if this isn't your home, hopefully it will feel like one to you. No one should be left wandering." The innkeeper filled their cups halfway with tea. "It's a sad feeling, being lost."
"Lost," Sai repeated. Naruto was the only one who didn't ignore him. He looked at Sai and waited for him to say something else. He didn't, staring out the window with nothing else to say.
"Yes," said the innkeeper. "Like the homeless spirit story. Or the Wandering Spirits. When Nozomu was younger, I used to tell him that story all the time when he came by to visit. My brother wasn't very interested in tales but I was. I heard the tale from my great aunt before she passed. It's a good one if you'd like to hear it."
"Sure!" Naruto said before anyone could stop him. Sakura didn't mind but Neji frowned. Even if he didn't want to hear another story, he listened anyway.
"The story's short," said the innkeeper. "As the White Tiger was coming home one evening, he came upon some wandering spirits. They seemed lost so he asked them. The spirits couldn't find their home. It once stood on the other side of the river but now another village stands in its place. Their home is gone so where would they go? These spirits had no graves. With no resting place, they would continue to wander endlessly. The White Tiger offered to give them a place to stay, but the spirits were reluctant. They had to have a piece of their land in order to find rest. They couldn't just go anywhere. But the White Tiger told them that he lived near the river. His home was just on the other side. He must have something from their land. So the spirits followed him and sure enough, the White Tiger did have something from their village. With this, the spirits could find rest. They wouldn't be wandering spirits now that they had a home. The White Tiger promised to look after them and give them a place to find rest. And so the spirits lived with the White Tiger with a piece of their village on the other side of the river."
When the story was finished, Naruto was filled with questions. "What was the piece of land the spirits wanted that the White Tiger had?"
"The story doesn't say. No one really knows."
"What did the spirits look like? Were they people?"
"Of course they were people. They're supposed to be ghosts from the village. But their village was destroyed, leaving not a trace. That's why we bury the dead. So they won't become wandering spirits searching for their home."
"Oh," Naruto said. "I thought we did that so they wouldn't stink." Sakura threw her fork at him. "What?! I was half kidding."
"Only half?"
Neji finished his dessert and set his fork down, pushing the plate away. "We should really get ready for tonight. Someone has to keep watch by the bridge, someone needs to be in the center of the village, able to go any which way at a moment's notice, and someone should be making rounds. Having someone moving around should help while keeping people stationed in certain areas."
"What's the point if we're just observing and not doing anything?" asked Naruto. "Might as well stay in bed."
"Because what if something happens?" said Sakura. "We need to be ready. We think tomorrow is the real target but we don't know for sure."
Naruto rested his chin on the table. It seemed like more busy work. Even if it was cooler at night, Naruto still didn't want to spend his time outside people-watching when he could have been in bed. It just seemed pointless.
And it was. The shadows came and went without incident. After they had left, everyone went to bed. Sakura went into her private room and the boys went into their shared room. Sai didn't say a word to any of them and went to his bed and curled up under the blanket. Neji said a quick good-night to them and went under the covers.
Naruto couldn't sleep. He felt so restless. He wasn't satisfied with what they had decided at dinner. He knew Sai wasn't out of his mind. He had a gut feeling that Sai was the only one who knew what was really going on. He just needed a way to prove it. Even if he did, they probably wouldn't listen to him any way. Sai wasn't the only thing on his mind this evening. Naruto was also thinking about those stories. A lot of them had the White Tiger in them. For some reason, Sai kept repeating those words. There must have been a reason for it. What was Sai trying to tell them? Was there a connection?
Naruto counted the stories off on his fingers as he lay in bed. The story of the White Tiger and the Rabbit, the Kite story, the Wandering Spirits, the Sage in the Tree, the Lady of the Moon. He blinked. Wasn't there a full moon tonight? According to that story, the Lady of the Moon appears when there's a full moon reflected in a body of water. Naruto looked out the window. The river ran right by their window. Could it be? Sakura and Neji and all the other villagers excluding Nozomu didn't believe these stories. They couldn't be real. If the Lady of the Moon appeared tonight then he would have his proof. The stories were true.
He faced the window, hoping to see something. He contemplated getting up for a better look when he saw something move. He gripped his sheets tightly only to release his hold when he found out it was only a leaf. He faced the ceiling wondering if she would come. On such a clear night there would have been a perfect reflection of the moon upon the water's surface. He hoped she would come. Now he knew how Nozomu must have felt, having only the stories to believe in and give him hope. Now Naruto was doing the same. If the stories were true, it would explain almost everything. He would also be able to use this to figure out what was going on in the village and maybe figure out how to solve all their problems. The Lady of the Moon was suppose to help out people who sought help. Maybe she would have the answers.
Just as Naruto began to feel drowsy, a light from outside cast itself upon the wall and moved away like the headlights of a speeding train. Naruto looked outside the window. The light came again and moved away. Naruto sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes to make sure he was awake. He stared out the window. From his position on the floor, it was difficult to see much of anything but the tops of the trees and the sky. He waited, holding his breath. The light came again moving a little slower this time.
Naruto shook Neji's shoulder. "Neji. Neji!"
"Nugh..?" Neji had been woken out of a sound sleep. "What's wrong?"
"Neji, wake up," Naruto hissed.
Thinking there was something wrong with the village, Neji started to sit up. "What is it? Did they return? The shadows?"
"No. Look." Naruto pointed out the window. "I saw a light. I think it might be the Lady of the Moon."
"The what?"
"She was in one of those stories. I think she's a spirit..."
Neji groaned loudly and flopped back down on the bed. Now that he knew it wasn't a threat, he wanted to go back to sleep. It was only more of Naruto's antics brought on by his ghost phobia.
"No, come on, Neji. I want you to come outside with me."
Neji hid under the covers.
"Neji!"
He swatted Naruto's hand away. "You're a big boy. I'm not keeping you company if you're scared. If you want to investigate, go out there by yourself and kindly leave me out of it." He buried his face in the pillow. Naruto continued to shove him, poking him in the spine with his relentless hand.
"No, I want you to come outside with me so you can see it for yourself."
"Naruto, there's no such thing as spirits. It's probably just someone's flashlight. Or the wind."
"That's why I want you to come outside and see for yourself. This way you'll believe me."
"Take Sai with you and leave me alone."
"He's not the one who doesn't believe me. Now come on." Naruto grabbed his arm and started to pull him out of bed.
"Fine!" Neji threw off the blanket. "If it will get you to leave me alone, I'll show you that it's all in your head."
Neji barely had time to put something on his feet. Naruto kept dragging him every step of the way. He wouldn't let go of Neji's arm, perhaps fearing that he would run back to the safety of his warm bed the moment he did. They stepped outside into the cool night air. It was still fairly warm but the cool air made Naruto shiver. They hurried across the dust-like dirt and straw grass to the other side of the inn where the river flowed. And there they found...
… nothing.
"Huh?" Naruto let go of Neji's arm and ran to the riverbank. There was the moon's reflection, but where was the Lady? Naruto looked at the bridge and up and down the river. He looked back at the inn and across the river at the forest. No one was there. They were all alone.
"Good-night, Naruto." Neji turned back and started to walk back to the inn.
"No, no, wait! She'll be here! I'm sure of it." Naruto called into the water. "Psst! Miss Lady of the Moon? Come out pretty please?"
"Naruto, there's no one there and you look insane."
"Don't mind him. My friend's just being a jerk. He's really harmless."
"I'm going back to bed. Search all night if you want for fairy tales." Neji started to walk away.
Naruto grabbed his arm. "No! If I find her, you have to see her, too. That way, you'll know what's really going on. If you don't see her, it's all pointless."
"This is pointless, Naruto. Get it through your thick skull that there's no one there. There's no one in the water. There's no lady. I'm not staying out here for another minute. Good luck without me."
"Please, please, please!" Naruto pulled Neji back with all his strength. Neji wouldn't come easily. He gave Naruto a few quick jabs in the arm, paralyzing his muscles and causing him to let go. Naruto held on with his other arm while he waited for the other one to recover. Neji was about to jab him again when Naruto kicked him. "Just for a minute! Please! One minute's not going to kill you."
"No, but if you keep this up, one of us is going to end up dead because I'm going to throttle you."
"Play nice."
"Let go of my arm!"
"Just stay and I will. Just for one minute! She only comes on a full moon. Like werewolves."
"Naruto, she's not coming. No one is coming, because they're just stories."
"Yeah, but if she's real then I can prove to you that they're not just stories and there is some truth to them. Maybe we'll be able to fix what's been going on in this village."
"Droughts are a natural occurrence. There's nothing magical about them."
"Maybe but we can ask her and make sure. We might even be able to figure out what's wrong with Sai and what made him this way. She's supposed to help you if you ask her something. She's supposed to be wise."
"It's just a story. They're not true. They're made up to entertain children."
"But when she comes-"
"Give it up, Naruto. She's not coming. No one is coming. There is no..." Neji looked at something over Naruto's shoulder and his jaw dropped. "Lady..."
Now that Neji had stopped struggling, Naruto was able to let go and turn around to see it for himself. He followed Neji's gaze to the river and his mouth fell open.
She was beautiful. This woman was absolutely stunning. She was by far the most beautiful woman Naruto had ever seen. It was obvious that she was not from this world. She stood on top of the water but her hair and garments continued to flow like ocean waves. Her hair was long and black, waving behind her like a long serpent. She wore silver robes which looked so delicate they may have shattered like glass if touched. Her fine clothing sparkled like stars, twinkling beautifully. The water reflecting her sparkling garment made the shimmering display seem endless. It was almost impossible to tell where her robes stopped and the sky began. There was no way to tell the stars apart. She was so pale. Her fair skin looked no different from the moon's light. She seemed to glow before them. Her eyes were dark, but friendly, calling them forward.
Naruto and Neji walked forward, staring at her. They stood on the riverbank, unable to speak. Naruto felt frozen but unafraid. Though he was intimidated by her beauty. He didn't know how to address her.
"I am the Lady of the Moon," she said. Her voice was like a harp.
Neji suddenly fell to his knees as if bowing to her. Naruto's knees wobbled but he forced himself to remain standing. But the more he looked at her, the more he felt as if he should bow to her. Just being near her made him feel this way.
"I... I, uh..." Naruto tried to speak. The words didn't come easy. It wasn't just her beauty, it was also the sense that she was so powerful. He was also overwhelmed knowing that he had proven the stories to be true. They were real after all. Being in front of the Lady of the Moon was proof enough. If only the others were here to see this. The excitement he felt was enough to bring words to his lips. "My name's Naruto. And that guy on the ground there is Neji."
She giggled sweetly. Her laugh was like the tinkling of bells. It was lovely.
"I wanted to ask you a couple of things."
"It's been a while since a human has asked me a question." Her robes shimmered, reflecting stars in their eyes. She was like a jewel. Everything about this woman was amazing. She seemed sweet but powerful. Naruto felt like he had to be on his best behavior while she was in front of him. "However, I can only answer one question."
"Only one question?! Are you kidding?" Naruto, realizing what he had said, quickly threw up his hands. "Ah-ah-ah! Wait, wait! That wasn't my question."
She giggled again. "Yes, I know."
He looked down at Neji. "Can you believe this? Only one question! But I have so many!"
Neji didn't say anything. He was too busy staring at the Lady of the Moon.
"Take your time to decide," said the beautiful woman. "I understand how difficult it must be. You don't want to ask the wrong question."
Only one question. Just one single question. Only one.
Naruto didn't know how to handle that fact. He had so many things he wanted to ask. There were so many unanswered questions, so many things he was curious about and so much he wanted to confirm. Will he ever marry Sakura? Will they have kids? Will he become Hokage? Naruto knew he was going to become Hokage but it never hurt to ask anyway just to rub it in the other's faces when it was confirmed. But he had questions about this village as well. He wanted to know what was wrong with Sai. Everyone wanted the answer to that. But he also wanted to know why those shadow people kept appearing every night at the same time. He wanted to know why it wouldn't rain at this village and what he could do to change that. There was so much he wanted to know.
"Have you decided yet?"
"Just a second." Naruto paced the ground. This wasn't easy. How was he supposed to know what question to ask? If he asked her for the answer, then he just wasted his one question. He could ask her if he could be allowed to ask for more but he already knew the answer to that. He didn't want to waste his one question.
As a groove started to appear under his feet, Naruto listed a bunch of questions in his head and tried to narrow them down, ranking them based on their importance. But they were all important. How was he supposed to narrow them down? He needed to know why it wouldn't rain and how he could fix the problem. Their mission was to find out about the shadow people who kept appearing. Sai's condition was also important. Naruto had to know what was wrong with him and why he kept repeating the phrase 'white tiger'. He wanted to know if Sai knew about the bracelet in the well and why he reacted the way he did when he grabbed onto Ayaka's bone necklace.
Naruto stopped. Another question popped into his head. This was something no one had bothered to ask yet. Not even the villagers. No one. Naruto faced the Lady of the Moon, knowing which question to ask.
"What is your question?" she asked kindly.
Naruto's legs felt strange again. He felt as if he should kowtow before her. She was like a goddess. He resisted the urge and asked his question.
"There's this girl in the village. She's been sick for a long time. At least until she got a necklace from her dad. What I want to know is... Why does Ayaka get so sick? As long as she wears the necklace, she's fine. But without it..."
The Lady of the Moon smiled. Her black hair flowed behind her like waves. She gave him the answer in the form of a story.
"There was once a sage who was great and powerful, but very cruel and wicked. He was also very proud, believing no one was better and that he was more unique than anyone else. So much so that he cursed anyone who had the same name or birthday as him. No one would have anything he had. No one could be similar. No one was allowed to have the same coat as he wore. He boasted his power to every village he passed and was always quick to threaten with it. He frequently left his village to visit others in an attempt to gain more power. When he came across villages that had something of value, he would threaten them until he got his way. Being a sage, no one ever questioned his knowledge and always did as they were told. For every village he helped, he always demanded something in return. If they could not pay him his dues, the village would suffer.
"One day after returning from a village, the sage found himself lost. His carriage stopped in front of two stone lions which marked the gate into his village. However, no village stood behind the lions. Just empty flat land. This was impossible, he thought and decided to continue down another path. He knew his village was close by. It had to be. But the sage searched and searched and could never find his village. It was gone and he found himself getting more and more lost.
"Years passed and the sage grew very weak and sick. His carriage now gone and with nowhere to go, he found himself wandering the land, hopelessly lost and growing weaker by the day. At last he came upon two stone guardians by the mouth of a cave. 'allow me to enter,' he commanded them. The guardians shook themselves from their stone perches and answered him.
"'We will not permit you to enter,' they said. 'You will never change. You have not changed. Not since your journey began and not now, not ever. You will always be a cruel selfish person doing things and seeking power for all the wrong reasons. We cannot allow you to enter this village. We, along with the spirit of this village, have managed to keep the peace for all these years and we will not have you come here and ruin it. Enough of your cruelty. Begone from here at once.'
"The sage ranted and raved. He always had to have his way. He had nowhere else to go. He couldn't survive more travels. He had to gain entrance to this village, but the guardians would not let him pass. 'I am powerful and wise! I am a sage! You do not order me around!'
"'As powerful as you are, you are still not a spirit. We will always be more powerful than you. Even after all this time, you still have not attained a spirit's power. The one thing you always wanted.'
"Unable to enter the village, the sage fled. Not too long after, the sage died. But his rage and cruelty never left. Though his body could no longer move, the sage remained in this world and at last became a spirit. An evil spirit which is still trying to enter the village he was denied entrance to, even to this day. The only thing keeping him at bay are the guardians which continue to guard the village and protect its people. And that sage became known as the man who became a spirit," the Lady of the Moon finished.
Naruto hung on her every word. When she was finished, he became confused. "But that doesn't explain why Ayaka gets so sick."
"Remember the story," she told him. "The sage was so proud, he didn't want anyone to share even a birthday with him."
"Ok." Naruto waited, thinking she was going to continue. When she didn't he knew that meant that she was giving him a clue. He had to think of the answer himself based off of that. "Um... No one could... Oh! Then does that mean... Does that mean that Ayaka shares a birthday with that sage guy?"
The Lady of the Moon nodded.
"Then... so if he's a spirit... then he's been making her sick just to spite her? Well that's mean. But then why wasn't she always sick? It just happened a few years ago."
"She needed the guardians' protection. Without them, the spirit of the sage could enter. His curse could reach her and make her sick. As long as they are there to stop him, she'll be fine."
"So the guardians are missing. That explains it." The tiger bone must have been a substitute. The bone acted as a shield and was protecting her since the guardians couldn't. That explained why she got so sick. So if the guardians were to return, then she would no longer need the bone and would become healthy again.
Then something else occurred to Naruto.
"Hey, I asked more than one question."
"I didn't count those ones because they helped answer your true question. Think of them as steps on a ladder."
"Oh." Naruto chuckled weakly. "Thanks."
"If you wish for her to get well and stay healthy, return the guardians to their rightful place where they can protect her."
Once again, Naruto felt an overwhelming desire to kneel at her feet. Resisting as his knees began to bend, he asked, "But how do I do that? Who are the guardians and where do I find them?"
"I'm sorry," she said as she began to sink back into the moon's reflection. "I can only answer one question. But I know you will find the answer yourself. You seem pretty open-minded."
Naruto watched her slip little by little into the water until only her face was visible. "Uh, thanks for answering my question," Naruto said quickly. She winked at him, smiled, and sank below the water and was gone. Now only the moon remained.
Naruto felt as if he had been dreaming. The whole experience seemed too unreal. If only she had left something behind as proof. At least he had Neji as his eye-witness. Just as he thought of that, Neji began to crawl towards the water.
"Neji?"
He reached for the moon's reflection, getting closer and closer to the water. Was he trying to follow her?
"Neji, are you trying to drown yourself?" Naruto jumped up and started to pull him away from the river. He remembered what the innkeeper had said about men drowning when they tried to follow her. He wasn't about to let Neji become another victim. "Stop it, Neji. Come on, get away from there."
Neji's eyes were locked on the moon. His unblinking eyes sparkled, reflecting the starry sky waving in the water. He didn't appear to be listening to a word Naruto said. He kept trying to reach the water, ignoring Naruto's pulling.
"Neji, snap out of it!" Naruto slapped him across the face.
Neji's eyes shut tight and flung open again. He blinked, and then again. He held a hand to his stinging face. "Ow..!" He blinked a third time, looking around with a confused look on his face. "What were we doing out here again?"
"What?"
"We came out here to do something... What were we looking for again?"
Naruto was very confused. "You mean the Lady of the Moon?"
"Oh, yeah. That's what it was." Neji stood up. "Wait out here if you want, but I'm going back to bed."
"What do you mean wait out here?"
"If you want to find her so bad, you can look for her by yourself. Don't wake me up again." Neji started back to the inn, leaving Naruto by the river.
"But... But we..."
"I said I'm going to bed. You're free to look all you want but I doubt something from an old legend will appear. I'm not waiting out here with you. I'm going back to bed. I don't know how much clearer I can make this. I'm not wasting my time, I don't care how much you beg me. Good luck finding her."
"But... but we... she was just..." Naruto watched Neji walk away without another word. Naruto tilted his head to the side, confused. Neji didn't remember seeing her? The Lady of the Moon was just there a moment ago talking to them. She was there! Right in front of him! Naruto knew Neji had seen her. Had he forgotten her already? Naruto remembered the look on Neji's face when he had lain eyes on her. He seemed mesmerized by her beauty. Now Neji had no memory of her. It was as if nothing had happened while Neji was wrapped in her spell. Everything from the moment they came outside to the moment she left had been wiped clean from his memory. Naruto wondered why he remembered her and not Neji. Why was Neji spellbound and not him? Naruto was tempted to remind him of what had happened but thought better about it. He was afraid if he jogged Neji's memory, he may try to follow the Lady of the Moon back into the water and drown.
Naruto looked back at the river, watching the moon shimmer on the water's clear surface. He remembered seeing her. She was definitely real. But Neji acted as if nothing had happened and the Lady of the Moon left nothing behind as proof. As he watched the moon wave at him from the river, Naruto began to wonder if the whole thing had been nothing more than a dream. Naruto shook his head, knowing the incident was real. It truly happened. He was given a story as well as an answer. Now he knew why Ayaka became so sick and what needed to be done to prevent her illness from coming back.
He had a new mission which he had to see to while on his current one. He had to find out what happened to the guardians and find some way to get them to come back.
As Naruto went back into the inn, he found himself filled with even more questions than before. Why did the guardians leave? Where did they go? How could he get them to come back? What did they look like? Who were they? Where and how could he find them?
Naruto went back into the room and climbed into bed between Sai and Neji. "Have you given up?" Neji asked softly.
Naruto didn't answer him. He hadn't given up. Far from it. He never gave up. He just needed to come up with a plan. His mission was clear: find a way to get the guardians to come back.
Where could the guardians be?
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