'Are you sure about this Shizune-san?' Itachi asked carefully.

'Yes. We have been procrastinating for long enough'. The medical ninja's disciple answered grimly.

In the last few months that Itachi has spent taking care of Shizune, he has grown accustomed to the medical ninja's eccentricities and erratic behavior. Most of the time Shizune has remained silent and unresponsive. This is interspersed with days when she is lucid and interactive. These are the days when Shizune performs medical examinations on Itachi's healing lungs and heart tissues, heals damages and smooths out irregularities with green healing medical chakra. These are the days when she talks. She talks about the block that she had placed on her memories during her torture. She talks about the weird dreams that she keeps having. She talks about vague memories of her time in the Tsukuyomi. The only thing that Itachi could deduce from Shizune's vague indications was that Tsunade was alive and her location was hidden somewhere inside Shizune's broken mind.

The rest has done good to Itachi's recovering health. His body has filled out and there is more colour to his face. He has started to work out and train in his free time when he didn't work in the local civilian library. He has discovered a new hobby of reading civilian history. Occasionally he brings a book or two back from the library to read to Shizune. He has found that he enjoys the medic's silent company.

But recently Shizune's dreams have become more and more vivid. Her night time mumblings have increased. Almost each night Itachi listens to her murmuring in her sleep.

'It is time '… she says to herself again and again. But she never remembers anything in the morning.

The smaller slug keeps appearing and disappearing. Shizune talks to the slug more than she talks to Itachi. But most of the time he can't hear what they are talking about. It is like they are waiting for something to happen.

'The Tsukuyomi. Can you use it?' Shizune had asked him once.

'Yes.' Itachi answered carefully.

'Itachi-kun'… because Shizune always called him that when she was lucid… 'One of these days I will have to ask you to use the Tsukuyomi on me'.

'Why?'

'To make me remember.' She had smiled.

'You told me that Danzo had already used the Tsukuyomi on you'. Itachi stated.

'Danzo was not the only one…' she murmured. Then she looked up. 'Tsukuyomi will break me only if I allow it to break me'.

'Nobody has that much power over Tsukuyomi'. Itachi was skeptical.

'We medics have our own strategies'. Shizune had smiled. 'Do not underestimate Tsunade Senju's disciples. The Sharingan cannot control everyone'.

Itachi was sitting in his own bed opposite to a grim faced Shizune. The slug rested on her knees. 'It is time'- Shizune said absently. Then she looked at Itachi.

'Do it. I am ready to remember'.

…

Shizune's mindscape was a blur of bleeding deep red and ink. Entering her mind, Itachi found himself standing against a bound and gagged Shizune. But what shocked him was the calculative look in her eyes. He has never seen anyone remain this sane while trapped inside the most potent genjutsu imaginable to humankind. He removed her bindings. Shizune straightened herself and looked at Itachi.

'This is the plane where the dreams take me'. She beckoned him. 'I remember the moon'. Itachi looked up. The moon was blood red with Sharingan tomoes spinning on its surface. The night was red. 'Blood moon' he whispered.

'Aa'. Shizune nodded. 'The plane of the Sharingan. You are not the only one to access this plane though'. She gestured towards a bandaged figure strolling across the bloody plain. His right arm was uncovered, revealing the nauseating sight of six implanted sharingan eyes spinning madly on a stretch of pale, wrinkled skin.

'Danzo'

'Yes. He tried to imprison me here'. Shizune nodded.

'Why is he still here?'

'His chakra cannot leave this plane fully. He does not understand the full extent of the power of Mangekyo Sharingan. This plane was not created by him. He is trapped here as much as I am. Only he does not understand it yet. Someone is using his chakra to keep me trapped here… to monitor my memories…' Shizune said softly.

'Madara-'

'Yes. Danzo's sharingans are stolen. When you are not an Uchiha, but you try to delve into a power that is not yours- the stolen power will try to capture you and make you a slave to it.'

'You know a lot about the Sharingan.'

'I have had a lot of time to study them'. The inner Shizune responded dryly. 'Pity Danzo didn't understand this when he first went after your clan. Clan justu… Kekkei genkai… these are not to be played with. They are called bloodline limit for a reason'. Shizune sighed. 'They can make you very powerful and very weak. Too much reliance on your ocular power blinds you to the truth that no power in this world is absolute'.

'Danzo is a puppet then.' Itachi concluded.

'Yes Itachi. This plane is Madara's domain. Only a true bearer of the Mangekyo Sharingan can control this plane. If you are not a true bearer of the Mangekyo Sharingan- you are slave to one who wields it.'

'You have enough power for someone enslaved in a genjutsu'. Itachi observed.

'Extreme compartmentalization'. Shizune answered. 'My chakra control was good enough that I could lock away some of the memories while keeping the rest of it. Medical ninjas know too much about precise control of chakra to be fully enslaved in a genjutsu… even if it is the Tsukuyomi'

'You are not free though'.

'No. Not for most of the time anyway. That's why I needed your help', Shizune answered.

'You want the memories unlocked'.

'yes. But I want Danzo's chakra to be gone before I do that'.

'What do you need me to do?' Itachi asked.

'Will it. Perceive this plane with your eyes. Throwing out Danzo should be easy'.

True to her words Itachi could easily lock on Danzo's foreign chakra signature. His presence wavered and dissipated, leaving Itachi slightly breathless and the medic smiling.

'I am free.' She murmured. Then she turned to look at Itachi.

'Tsukuyomi is the ultimate form of genjutsu. Like any other illusion, you can use it to distort the reality. But like any other illusion it depends upon the intent of the caster and will of the victim.'

'You are saying that you can break out of Tsukuyomi if you have a strong will?' Itachi asked skeptically. Nobody has broken out of his Tsuluyomi yet.

'You have to be willing to break it. You must have extreme control on your chakra to distort what an illusion wills you to see.' Shizune paused. 'But there is more to breaking a Tsukuyomi than extreme chakra control. When you cast Tsukuyomi with an evil intent, it can create a lot of terrible illusions, Itachi-kun. A Genjutsu feeds on your insecurities and fear. But it cannot touch a memory that has not known despair.' Shizune closed her eyes and smiled. 'In other words, it cannot change a memory which has no negative emotions attached to it… like fear, anger, envy or vengeance.'

'Imagine the happiest memory that you have Itachi.' She whispered. 'Let it fill you up with hope. Love. Empathy. Compassion.' She continued. 'You have to believe that the reality is better than anything an illusion can ever offer. Imagine putting your memories within a happy memory… a memory too powerful to be distorted even by the most potent of illusions'. The surroundings changed. The blood red sky drained to a brilliant blue. A second younger Shizune dressed in white stood up from a field of flowers.

'My happiest memory'… the elder Shizune standing beside Itachi murmured. 'This is my domain Itachi. It just needed to be unlocked.'

A silver haired ninja with a Konoha headband has picked up the little girl and twirled him around.

'Uncle Dan!' The girl squealed.

A younger Tsunade smiled and tapped the shinobi in his shoulders.

'Let her go Dan. She will have a headrush'. She said.

'Aunty Tsunade!' the girl jumped in Tsunade's arms who laughed and kissed her on the forehead. Young Shizune jumped down from her aunt's arms and ran towards her older version. With a bright smile she handed over a daisy to her future self.

The surroundings changed yet again. Shizune and Itachi were standing in front of her summon- Katsura. Katsura was engaged in a frantic discussion with yet another version of Shizune.

'You have to understand that you cannot hide her forever Shizune-san'. The slug said.

'I cannot afford to send her over to the forest either.' Shizune looked down. 'The village needs her here'.

'She will die if she stays here'. The slug said.

'You don't understand. As the Godaime Hokage she would want to stay here till her last breath.'

'Shizune-san. Do you know what do we call her in our plane? The Princess of the prophecy. She has a great destiny and not only as the Hokage.'

'What do you propose? We do not have much time. It is only a matter of hours before Danzo makes his move'.

'Allow yourself to be captured. Know his plans. Know his allies. We will assume the responsibility of the princess the moment we deem that she is relieved of her duties here'.

'The slug forest?'

'Yes. Do not worry about her shizune-san. The princess is too stubborn to be finished off by the ROOT. She has a destiny to fulfil'.

'Katsura… I am afraid…'

'You have my allegiance Shizune-san. I know you will not break'.

The scene dissolved. Itachi found himself sitting in front of a trembling Shizune in his bedroom. His head was pounding. He could barely keep his eyes open after sustaining a Tsukuyomi for so long. His eyes were bleeding.

Shaky hands pressed themselves to her forehead. Green medical chakra soothed his senses. Itachi opened his eyes to see Shizune standing over him with somewhat worried expression in her eyes.

'I know where she is', she said without an ado.

'The slug forest'.

'Yes. I believe she is ready to return to this plane'.

'What are you going to do?' Itachi asked.

'I will try to reverse summon her here'. The medical ninja replied.

'Kuchiyose no Jutsu!'

The white slug appeared out of thin air.

'Katsura…' Shizune looked at her summon with troubled eyes. 'I remember.'

'About time'. The slug said softly.

'Is she alive? Is she safe?' Shizune frantically asked.

'Yes. The Princess is healed and is ready to fulfil her destiny'. The slug affectionately poked Shizune's head with a tentacle.

'Can you reverse-summon her here, Katsura?' Shizune's voice was shaking.

'Yes. Her time has come'. The slug said.

'Kuchiyose no Jutsu!'

A flash of white filled the room. Itachi shielded his still hurting eyes. When he opened his eyes, the flash had disappeared and Shizune was clinging desperately to a woman with long white hair.

'Itachi Uchiha'. The Godaime Hokage of Konoha turned to face one of the most loyal ninjas the village has ever seen. 'I am glad to see my apprentice is not treating you as a hostile'.

….

'The girl. She threw you out. How?'

'The chakra. I know it. It was Itachi's chakra.'

'Itachi can still use his Sharingan? I see.'

'He removed me from the girl's mind.'

'I see. Is the Godaime Hokage alive?'

'I don't know. She was hiding her memories'.

'By now Itachi has possibly united with the Godaime.'

'They can influence the other Kage's'

'They can do a lot worse than taking over Konoha'.

'What do you mean?'.

'You have failed me. Nobody fails Uchiha Madara. Perhaps it is time you get another dose of your own favorite medicine, Danzo?'

'I… I didn't fail… I will capture them. I will send the ROOT after them-'

'Too late. Tsukuyomi!'

…

'Godaime Hokage!' Itachi handed over a bowl of steaming soup to Tsunade who was nothing short of ravenous. 'Do you wish to join Konan in the Rain and send word to the other Kages?' They have briefed the Sannin on the current situation. Tsunade's eyes had watered when Shizune had told her about the happy memory she had used to hide her master's whereabouts. She had embraced the younger Kunoichi.

'shizune-chan,' the Sannin had murmured. 'In the end, any illusion can be broken if you believe that despite its ugliness the real world is worth living. It took me a long time to learn that lesson.'

'Itachi Uchiha'. The Godaime took a spoonful of soup. 'What you are suggesting to me is something that a leader should do. I would have done the same as the Hokage of Konoha. But I have a feeling that the others have already taken up that mantle. I believe that Hidden Rain will soon become the key to change the fate of the Shinobi World'. She gazed dreamily outside the window. 'But my task is not that of a leader.' She smiled. 'The mantle has passed. There will be a new leader. A new Hokage, who would unite Konoha. But a sage has to look further'. She paused. 'First, I must go to Konoha and fulfil my final responsibility as the Godaime Hokage. But there is more I need to accomplish. My destiny lies beyond Konoha'.

'You want to travel to Konoha?' Itachi asked.

'Yes Itachi. Shizune'. The Sannin nodded. 'I have a feeling that my presence will be needed there in near future'.

'Will you try to overthrow Danzo?' Shizune asked.

';I don't know yet, Shizune'. Tsunade smiled. 'As I said, it is just an intuition. But I have learnt to pay heed to a sage's intuition.'