Under the Rabbit Moon

Part II

Recap:"Hashirama caught his breath on a gasp and pulled her tighter.

"That sounds like Sakura," Madara answered. "What do we need to do?"

Kaguya looked up and her own third eye was spinning as more blood cracks along the edges and seeped out, running down her face. "Return this body to the cave. Not much time left."

And then she fell limp and all the effort Sakura put into tearing herself free became useless as her body went dark.

It came down to a critical question, one she could not put to bed one way or the other: Did Kaguya wish Sakura harm, or was there really a honest sense of compassion in the moon goddess? Sakura wanted to trust Kaguya. After years of living next to each other, working together, growing together, suffering together, it was hard not to think of her with some measure of compassion.

But Kaguya was the one who took her family away so long ago, even though Madara Uchiha started that work in another time, another life, another world. When Sakura had been young and mortal, she had nearly died to kill the goddess but lost all her family in the process. They once were terrible enemies?

How long could Kaguya hold a grudge?

Sakura drifted in the darkness and thought more and more. For lack of better illustration, her body was turned off, rendered utterly inaccessible. She assumed that meant she was out cold in someone's arms doing who knows what.

Hashirama and Madara wouldn't be able to do anything right away. They were both Hokage. It wasn't like they could just up and leave their baby of a village behind for a couple of weeks and take on a solicitation from any unrepeatable source. They'd have to get someone to take her to the cave. Both were far too important for anything themselves.

"What will she do at the cave?"

The only other figure that drifted with her, now separated, was Inner. The black colored psyche shook her head and then shrugged. "She could never tell us that. It was beyond her abilities."

"There's not a lot that's beyond her abilities." But Sakura remembered well enough how a forced silence would overtake Kaguya whenever the subject was brought up. "What could possibly be beyond the abilities of a god?"

Inner was silent for a moment before drifting close enough to grab Sakura's elbows. "Don't you know? Only another god."

And then their black world was painted with color and the story Kaguya once told before Naruto and Sasuke sealed her painted itself out in her mind. A seed fell to earth and tree grew from that seed, but all across the worlds were different trees and different seeds that just kept falling. There were always possessed lifeforms who felt to earth and began the curse anew.

Sakura saw Kaguya eat the forbidden fruit and burn from its juices, not unlike how Sakura consumed the goddess herself a lifetime ago. Kaguya burned and became something new.

But that wasn't the end of the cycle.

She was brought down in other worlds, words where she was a man, where she was a girl, where she was a grandfather. Kaguya was a title and it meant destined to consume.

In every world and every variation the Kaguya was felled and what came after was just another start to the same cycle. A seed falling through space and time, taking root, growing, and being consumed.

Sakura felt hot even in her own mind. She didn't have a body, only her thoughts and feelings, but the sensation of aggravated heat spread all through her as the story rolled on in vivid color.

"Inner…"

A Kaguya who was only a young man grabbed the fruit hanging low on a tree and turned it around to face him. The fruit was ugly and had the face of a child. It screamed when he bit into it, but he devoured it down to the last drop of red juice before becoming something new.

Then Sakura saw herself, ripping into the tree where Kaguya had been sealed. She saw herself digging into the acid of a god's body and eating it like something possessed. She had wanted to die and be with her family, with her team, with Naruto and Kakashi and all the others who died without her. She hadn't wanted anything more when she swallowed that godhood.

"A seed."

Sakura turned towards Inner and shook. "No, I'm not."

"Maybe not yet, but that's the path you fell into. The cycle can not be unbroken. Its one of those fate things."

"But I'm nobody. I'm not-I'm not the reincarnation of some great age or warrior. I'm not from a clan even. I'm not-I can't be such a thing! Fate isn't something a person like me has to worry about."

"Yeah, well that was before you dug your hands into a god and bit her heart out. We ripped our way into fate with our teeth so maybe fate had no other choice but to look at you after that."

The heat didn't abate but Sakura ignored it. "What do you think that means for us now? Where is she taking the boys and why them?"

"I don't know," Inner admitted softly. "I only know what you know. My guess is literally as good as yours. Maybe it's so that we can separate fully, maybe she needs the boys to kill her, or kill us. Maybe she's taking this body back to the moon on a path they need to hold open for her. There are many different possibilities, but what I do know is that we're a part of something bigger now. Reincarnation or heir or clan name be damed. We ripped our way into fate with our teeth."

Sakura closed her eyes and sank, content to wrestle with her fears in silence for a little while longer.

Hashirama called for his brother as Madara did his, but neither of them told Izuna or Tobirama the whole truth, just that it was necessary both leave the village at the same time without the rest of the council noticing. Tobirama would act in Hashirama's place, and Izuna would pretend to be Madara. And even if their disguises were perfect, it didn't mean their closest friends wouldn't notice some change in behavior before too long, so the story of a small cold passing along the upper levels started to circulate.

"What is the reason, brother?" Tobirama asked, knowing that in the next room over Madara would be having the same conversation with Izuna.

"It's not something I think I can tell you about yet. I must go and see this through and pray you trust me." Hashirama looked up from his scroll of sealing, eyes wide. "Please trust me."

"I trust you, I doubt the rest of the world. At least leave me with your geographical location."

"I've pinned it on the map for you if anything should go wrong. I'll send word when I can, but I'm not even sure how long I'll need to stay there." He was almost done with packing away his things.

"What will I tell Sakura when she finds out. I can't trick her."

Hashirama flinched and it was subtle, but not subtle enough for a sensor like Tobirama.

"Does she know?" Tobirama pressed.

"She's been made aware, but she understands. You won't have to worry about it." Hashirama looked up from his scrolls and smiled. "We trust Sakura, don't we?"

Something like danger rolled through Tobirama's gut and it was like being in the forest right before an attack from the shadows on his back. There was no sound, no sight of it, but he had the feeling of danger running like lightning through his whole body, making the hairs on the backs of his arms stand up.

Tobirama crossed the room to slam his hands on top of the scrolls Hashirama was putting away, stopping his brother. It was a rare thing when Tobirama glared at his brother and meant it, but Hashirama brought the sense of danger with him and Tobirama couldn't ignore it.

"What have you done with her?"

Hashirama's easy smile went stiff and then a look of utter still settled across his features, which was as close to glaring as he came with his brothers. Tobirama could burn and simmer with his anger, but Hashirama was a quiet sort of anger.

"I've told you I can't tell you yet. You said you would trust me."

"I trust you to go off and do whatever the hell you need to. I trust you enough to fill in for you without an excuse. I never said anything about Sakura. What did you do with her? I'll not agree to this without her."

"She's not to be disturbed or made aware of this."

"You're defensive now, brother. You weren't before."

"Tobirama, I know how you feel but-"

The door to their room opened suddenly and it was from the side so none of the seals or traps were triggered as Izuna made his war path straight up to Hashirama's desk. The killing aura around him was enough to make even Tobirama edge back. Over the Uchiha's shoulder Hashirama huffed and leveled a look at Madara.

"I thought we agreed to leave that part out of it."

Madara cut his eyes to Tobirama's defensive bent. "It looks like you had no greater luck with your end. It would be faster if we just-"

"I want to see her!" Izuna interjected. "Where is she? Show her to me. I don't believe you when you say she's fine."

Tobirama felt a drop in his gut and fear bloomed in its place. Was Sakura fine? Why wouldn't she be? Why wasn't she a part of this conversation? Where was she, anyway?

"It's not really feasible. We need to leave as soon as possible. We can't-"

"You can't do anything without our help so show us Sakura or your seats sit empty."

It was a threat Tobirama wasn't sure he could follow through with. He loved his village too much to sacrifice it on a bluff, but if it had t do with Sakura…he didn't doubt Izuna would watch a whole world burn so it was better to back his play than try and fight it.

Hashirama saw the shift in Tobirama's stance but returned his eyes to Izuna. He inclined his chin, staring down at the Uchiha who was barely a head shorter. It was a stale moment before he opened his mouth to respond. "She's going with us, don't fight me on that."

A third room, sealed up and hidden in the back, melted out of its genjutsu, surprising no one. Izuna was rarely ever fooled by genjutsu, as he was even better at their weaving than Madara.

Hashirama made the wood behind the false door grow an opening for them to step through and stood off to the side to allow both Izuna and Tobiaram to follow him in. Madara hung back, watching the rest of the room with his red eyes.

There was a tall shelf for scrolls and then two more for books. A couple of trunks were sealed shut and locked tight, hiding relics and treasures. In the corner of the room, sitting on a smaller safe, the woman with three eyes turned to watch their entrance. When her head turned the long curtain of snow white hair slipped off her shoulders, down to the floor. Her horns caught the light, but only barely.

"Sakura?" Izuna called, extending his hand.

Tobirama reached for Izuna and yanked him back, not caring for Izuna's reaction of utter anger. Tobirama already had a muni half out.

"What did you do with Sakura, woman?"

Izuna held onto his anger and kept silent as the woman on the safe turned her half lidded eyes onto Tobirama's form. Once upon a time they had been green and bright, but now there was heavy fog that made it look like she couldn't see anything.

"Put that away," Hashirama sighed, "she's not dangerous to you."

"She's plenty dangerous, even when she doesn't want to be," Tobirama countered, but stilled when he felt Izuna's blade under his arm, ready to drive sideways through his ribs into his lungs.

"In whatever form she may be, you will do her no harm, Senju. Drop your blade."

"That's not Sakura."

Izuna's eyes were simmering with hate. "Drop it."

Tobirama glanced back at the woman, watching her for a reaction, but there was none. She seemed half awake, like someone caught in sleepwalking. She didn't make any moves, even with the appearance of weapons. Slowly, he lowered his arm and and stood up out of his offensive stance. Izuna followed his example and stored away his short blade.

"She's non responsive, so even if you called out to her, Kaguya wouldn't be able to answer. She's barely awake now."

Hashirama stepped further into the room and she seemed to wake up a bit more. He reached for her and she took his hand, holding onto his wrist even when it looked like the rest of her body was going to melt.

"Brother, what is that on your palm?" Tobirama asked, stepping forward.

Oh Hashirama's palm a black sun wood out among the wrinkles of his hand.

"It's a mark that appeared after Madara and I caught her. She collapsed and told us with the last of her energies that she needed to be returned to a cave located not far from Sakura's garden." Hashirama tugged on her wrist and supported the rest of her body when it fell into his arms. "Madara has a matching mark on his other palm. We think it is significant as to why she insisted on it being us."

"Wh-why does it have to be you?" Izuna turned back to look at his brother and then Hashirama. "Couldn't someone else just take her there. She would trust us too."

Hashirama frowned as he supported her head, moving it so it rested on his shoulder. "Maybe it's because we were there and got this mark, maybe it's deeper than that. I just know that she's not going to get any better until we do something and she's unresponsive to literally anything else."

"How do you know it's not a trap? How do you know she hasn't-that she's trustworthy. I trust Sakura, but sh-Kaguya is a different matter."

"Is there really a choice at this point?" Hashirama snapped. "Will you help us or not?"

"What will she do to Sakura once you give her what she wants? Will Sakura be left? Have you considered that possibility?"

"It's a risk but we have to take it. Sakura is currently beyond our reach and-and I don't believe Kaguya wishes her any harm. You know Sakura was unwell for a while. I think Kaguya tried to support her as long as she could, but reached her limit. Does it sound like Sakura to ask for help?"

Tobirama knew it didn't. Sakura spend her whole life like a water jug, filling up only to be poured out. She exhausted herself so much to help others, but never asked for it herself. Even with her drama at the hospital, any one of them could have gone in and helped balance some of the tension there, but she told them not to worry and took care of it on her own. Tobirama's problems with the academy should have been his to handle, but instead…

"It sounds too much like her," Izuna said first. "How long will it take you to reach the location?"

"A day, if we leave now," Hashirama answered.

Outside it was nearly twilight, the time when the shadows played tricks on the eyes. It was easier to slip out during this time than the cover of darkness, when every ninja on watch strained their ears and senses for something. As long as there was a ghost of light left, the other senses didn't pick up as much.

"You should get going then," Izuna said.

He turned back around and stepped out of the room, but before he could cross the threshold the gejutsu was already in place, so that he emerged as a moody Madara Uchiha copy. Tobirama hadn't even caught him using hand signs, and doubted the Uchiha's need to even use them. As pretty as he made himself, it would be unwise to forget that he was also deadly and lethal in a myriad of other ways. Underestimating him would earn no favors.

"I don't like this," Tobirama muttered but when he followed Izuna out he was a perfect copy of his brother. The only tell was his deep scowl, because even when Hashirama felt like shit he still smiled. It was a trick Toobirama never learned how to master.

"We need to leave soon, before any more time is wasted." He turned to Izuna and bowed. "Thank you."

Izuna's lip curled, but it was on Madara's face so it came off looking like a scowl. "I'm not doing this for you so you don't need to thank me, just-just make sure she's taken care of."

"Of course." And then the two Hokage were gone, the pale girl between them taken as well.

It was an empty feeling knowing that Sakura was gone as opposed to before when Tobirama could believe that she was fine somewhere in the village, maybe at home or in the hospital where she worked. Now that he knew, the certainty made itself a weight in his chest.

"This is going to be difficult," he admitted out loud, knowing that he was already shit at pretending to be Hashirama. His mood showed no signs of improving enough to fake the facial expressions Hashirama was so famous for.

"Pretending to be ugly always is," Izuna sighed. "At least you don't have to try an justify this much untreated hair. Hashirama at least knows how to groom."

Tobirama looked up at Izuna as Madara and thought he had misread the man. It sounded almost like a joke.

"It's only for a couple of days. They won't take much longer than that. Deal with it."

"No, you said-you said a joke?"

Izuna scoffed. "Please, don't think that makes you special. I'm perfectly humorous to everyone when it serves me or I want to be and this whole situation is a nightmare." Izuna was quiet for a moment before turning to face Tobirama. "How did you know it wasn't Sakura? She didn't say anything and I couldn't tell."

"I think it comes partially from being a sensor type, but the feel of each is different. If I had to call it an aura I think it would make more sense since their chakra mixes so often it's hard to separate one half from the other." He closed his eyes to try and imagine what he spoke of. "But Sakura is…I know her. I'm familiar with the feel of her like I am with any of my family. When it comes to Kaguya it's overpowering and humbling. I'd even say it's humiliating if that made sense because I hate how I feel when I sense her presence." When he opened his eyes again Izuna was watching him.

"I didn't know that," Izuna admitted. "I could never tell. I was curious if your skill was one that could be developed or if it was something I would have to deal with lacking for the rest of my life."

"I don't think it's something you'll have to worry about much longer. The two of them…they're not in sync anymore. I couldn't tell much more than that just now, but Sakura felt lost and left behind. I couldn't sense her unless I really concentrated."

"And you think that means what?" Izuna's voice picked up in pitch, in a way Madara's voice never did.

"I don't know. I've never met anyone with a situation like Sakura's or even heard of such a circumstance. Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe they needed to realign their spirits with special meditation in a holy place, maybe they needed to separate enterally, maybe it was time for one of the two sides to fade away forever. I-I wish I knew more."

"I can empathize with that." Izuna crossed the room to sit behind Hashirama's desk, empty of his most valuable scrolls. He turned in the seat to watch out the shaded windows where the twilight sun was almost gone. Streetlights were already lit and people were either closing down or setting up nighttime shops.

Tobirama couldn't remember feeling empathy with Izuna Uchiha ever in his life. Izuna was a flirt and a peacock and sometimes Tobirama thought he was a bit of a forked tongue the way all politicians had to be to get what their people wanted. On top of all that Izuna was probably one of the most attractive bachelors in the whole village and unwaveringly in love with Sakura. It was hard to feel anything knowing that a man who could worm his way into any bedroom only wanted to be with the same woman as-

Tobirama turned his face away from the window and crossed his arms. He hated admitting things to himself, because then they became truth. A truth he had lived his whole life with was that he didn't like intimate touch and would likely never marry because of it. He didn't understand it and didn't want it, and for years that had been fine.

Then the woman he had hated and distrusted started to grow inside his heart and he felt barriers and walls crumble hopelessly the more he spent time with her. He still never got around to trusting Kaguya, but Sakura was different. He could see her struggling for a great power the same way he struggled for power in a war torn world. He understood that and didn't hold it against her.

And in spite of all her might she was still so kind. He almost killed her once when he was a kid and she never thought less of him for it, even now. It wasn't fair. He knew he could never be want she wanted, not when someone as well connected and groomed as Izuna was ready to burn the village down for her. There was no competing with that.

Still, Tobirama let himself wish.

"She never would have asked for help, would she?" Izuna asked, looking away. It might have been something he said out loud to himself, but Tobirama was the only other person in the room and he felt like Izuna's words were meant for him.

"No, I don't think she knows how to."

Izuna turned around in his chair. "I would have done anything for her and she-she would have known that but she didn't say a word. You know I told her I loved her and she never said a word about it either?"

Through the genjutsu Izuna's flush crept through, proving once more how he was a master of illusion. It was just one more thing for Tobirama to be envious of.

"At least you told her. You didn't hesitate and there's nothing else you could have done."

Izuna's look turned hard. "So I tell myself each day I'm reminded of her silence. But let me be as honest as I can be, since we'll be working closely with each other for the next couple of days. Hashirama and Madara are close enough that I doubt even I can pull it off but I can start with saying something like this, I don't think you're closer to her than me just because you could tell. It's not that big a deal, okay."

Tobiramau ruffled at the words flung like an accusation. "And you think you're closer than me?"

"At least I'm trying."

"You're insufferable about it."

"So says you, but what would you know? Aniki said you wouldn't be someone to worry about, but you like her too, as more than just family." Izuna pointed a finger in accusation. "I can see that much even without these eyes of mine."

"That's really not your business, Uchiha."

Izuna raised a single brow at the name. "It might be if we're going to be best friends for the next few days, so you might as well tell me now if you were planning on pursuing her."

Tobirama snorted. "That's all you wanted to know."

"Hardly. There's plenty more I want to know, but I'm not going to ask you about your sexual practices or abilities on our first day."

Tobirama felt himself turn red and hoped it didn't show through the genjutsu. He felt a heat in his ribs like anger bottled up too long. He didn't want to be kind and he didn't want to have to pretend to be a friend to someone like Izuna. He wanted to hurt him back.

"That really isn't your business, handout whore. Could you really couple with her after all the screens you've been behind?"

"I've saved myself for her where it's mattered," the Uchiha darkly replied.

"If I were her I wouldn't believe something like that."

"You're not her, and you're nowhere near good enough for her either. I don't care if you-I don't care what you think you feel, you don't get to have a shot with someone you tried to kill and ignored for years, not while-not-ugh, even your brother I could stand more than you, but not you! I can't stand you next to her!"

"Likewise," Tobirama shouted back. "You don't know anything. You probably wouldn't have been able to tell Sakura apart from the god if it wasn't made obvious, you're so full of yourself you can't see anything else."

Tobirama found a real fear. He could tell because of how Izuna went still. There was the stillness before a launch or attack and there was the stillness that had to be unfrozen. Izuna's stillness was more like stone than snake and Tobirama was the reason for it. He had found a way to hurt the Uchiha.

When Izuna spoke his voice was paper thin and sounded too much like a child's. "I would have been able to tell."

"Would you have even known she was sick unless someone told you?"

"I would have known if I saw her."

Tobirama's anger deflated from something roaring to dull embers. He would never like Izuna, but the sound of his voice, so child weak and thin made it a hard thing to attack. It was like fighting an opponent that was already on its last leg.

Or maybe that was one of Izuna's tricks. Did he speak to lords and politicians like that too? Was it a way he let them think they won, only to steal what he wanted out from under their feet later? Tobirama would never know, but he was sure he didn't want to keep burning with his own anger.

"I don't think I'll ever trust you, Uchiha, and trying to get along with you is impossible." Tobirama pat out the wrinkles of Hashirama's robes, trying to find something for his hands to do. "But keep in mind that neither of us has what they want so there is no point in fighting for it here and now."

Izuna looked up. "Is that an admittance?"

Tobirama thought it might be a trick on Izuna's part to get the words out, but maybe Tobirama could play the game as well and win something on his own.

"I like Sakura, yes. I don't wish to start a family or form an exclusive union with her at this time. It's enough that she counts me her close friend."

"Then…you're happy with the way things are now…between the two of you?"

That wasn't exactly true. "I am." But he wasn't going to admit that he had fears of things changing, of Sakura growing away from him, or of Hashirama or Madara winning her hand and building up a wall around her. He doubted his brother would do such a thing, since they shared a family home and Hashirama was always capable of sharing his love. Madara was a different story.

Izuna looked out the window. "What if…things changed….and she came back but those marks on their hands never faded?"

"Their marks have nothing to do with this. Why bring it up?"

"No, not really, but the fact that they were there and chosen to help her might turn into something more. Hashirama is a naturally very loving guy, and Uchiha ancestors were known to share a wife among many grooms to produce strong families in the matriarchy. Hashirama is practically his brother, like he is mine, but what matters is what Sakura wants. If she came back in love with both of them, they could make it work."

"Which would be so much worse than her marrying your brother and living under your shared roof." Tobirama waved a hand over his shoulder. "I've also heard about your matriarchal lineage and past practices. I could see your clan forgiving a lot if only Sakura and her offspring were tied to them."

"I'll not lie about it, I'd be happy with such an arrangement if that's what Sakura wanted, but it has to be what she wants, and right now she's closer to your brother than me. I don't have that place in her heart."

"Maybe that is a justified fear, but right now it's secondary to the matter a hand. Until Sakura is well again and until she is returned, we'll both do our duties to protect our village together and sort the shit out later."

Izuna grinned and it looked terrifying on Madara's face, but it had Izuna's character in spite of all that. "I think I can agree to that with you, Senju."

AN:So it's been a while...again, huh?

Yeah, so Madara and Hashirama have a plan for their village while they run across the globe saving the day, but I don't think either brother stopped to consider what sort of crap that would stir up, putting Tobirama and Izuna in a room together. I mean, the two are utter foils of each other at the end of the day.I wanted more drama and romance talk before I have to write what happens at the cave-which happens next don't worry.

I kept my word though and didn't let it go two months without an update! I'll try to be even better next time. I got wrapped up in a wedding and the first quarter at school is wrapping up so things are always crazy busy right before a break, but guess what a break means for me! Yay, more time off to rest and relax and maybe write a little fic. It's been killing me that I am going whole weeks without writing anything because I'm so tired when I get home all I can do is veg and sleep. I've managed a few oneshots for arranged marriage prompts recently, but I haven't gotten around to updating them here.

If you're enjoying this then chances are you might get a kick out of my agebent jonin Sakura sensei story Things We Lost in the Fire. Sakura has dogs and finds herself begrudgingly falling in love with a gaggle of kids. There's friendship but also romance and a little bit of drama from shady AF council members. Give it a check out if you want-BUT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT DON'T KEEP READING IT AND TELLING ME IN A REVIEW EACH CHAPTER YOU HATE IT. I'm not twisting your arm-don't like, don't read. OK?

Thank you for being patient and waiting and letting me know you're still reading! You guys are the best!

Please review and let me know what you thought please!