From Darkness to Light (The Little Senju Series Book Two): A Naruto Fanfiction

Izumi and the Moon Village

Izumi's POV

"What is this...?" I didn't breathe as I rose to my feet. Even the tree that had been resting against my back was gone. "I would've noticed if I had fallen asleep..." The once bright afternoon sun had been replaced by a starry sky and the moon was larger than usual and more unusual than that was the faint shade of lilac emanating from it. "It doesn't feel like a genjutsu either." A shiver ran along my back as something stroked my foot. "Huh, the ground is..." Upon closer inspection, it didn't seem to be ground at all. It was dense like ground, but as I touched it whisps of vapor sprang from its surface. It was dense and yet fluffy at the same time as though the clouds themselves had been solidified into a platform.

"Hey!" A silhouette appeared in the vapor as a dark shadow. "What are you doing by our village?" I gasped as though I'd been struck by a blade just as a real blade appeared in my hand. "This place is sacred, so what are you doing here?"

Although normally a rather fearless person I started to tremble. Here I was in a strange place and now a strange person was talking to me in the fog. "I-I really don't mean any harm..." My voice was soft like the peep of a freshly hatched chick. "Please, I don't know how I ended up here."

"Yeah, I'm sure." That was a sense of scorn to the faceless voice. With no warning, a rope of water slipped around my neck like a python. "That was too easy..." The water tightened around my throat as it continuously rose in temperature.

Seriously, what the hell is up with this situation... "Irk..." Well, I've let them have the upper hand long enough. "Hah!" Through the restraint and the pain, I ran for my attacker and narrowly missed them with my blade. "Please..." The heat on my skin was growing unbearable. "I really don't mean any..." I blinked and fell silent as my blade disappeared and the water around my neck dripped away like ordinary water would have. "Rin... Nishimura..."

"Izu-mi?" The green-haired boy's eyes widened. "Senju." His arms fell limp at his sides as he stared at me in wonder. "Is that you? What are you doing here?"

It took me a moment to realize what was different about Rin. I mean what was really different. Obviously, there had been aging in the two years since I'd seen the boy. He had grown taller although not quite as tall as me and his shoulders were wider than they had been. No, the most pressing difference was something so small that most people probably wouldn't have noticed it at all. It was the headband in its familiar place across his forehead. It wasn't the rain village that had once been there. In its place was a simple circle.

I stood up straight and took a deep breath. "Rin," I said. "Where are we?" My eyes narrowed as my shoulders tensed.

"You don't know how you got here?" He asked. His expression was miffed as he approached me careful not to make any sudden movement as though I were a cornered animal. "I'm not going to harm you, Izumi."

I jerked away and pointed a newly formed katana at the boy's throat. "Where are we?" I asked again. My heart throbbed harder in my chest as I grit my teeth against each other. "Are you even, Rin?"

The boy froze still apparently thinking. "I'm the real Rin." He shook his head and looked directly into my eyes unwavering. "I don't know what it would take to convince you." He pushed the sword from his throat as he caught the waver in my eyes. "This is the moon village. You probably don't the name, but... This is where Kireina Shirubamun, your mother, grew up."

"If this is the moon village, then what are you doing here, Rin?" Every answer was making this situation more complicated. "Weren't you from the rain village?" I already knew the answer, but how would Rin respond?

"Geez... You would remember that..." Rin smiled and pushed a lock of free green hair behind his ear. "I'm glad I was the one they sent to check on you before..." He took step toward me as a hand fell to his right hip. "Come with me."

Wow, you're not suspicious at all... "Fine." Guess all I can do is go along with it for now. "Could you at least be so kind as to tell me where you're taking me?"

"Yes, yes." He nodded without a doubt paying little mind to my concerns. "We always knew you'd show up here eventually... It's a bit of a concern that you don't know how you got here, but it's convenient no less."

A thread of anger hung over my mind, but I could control it for the time being. "Who is we?" I grabbed the boy's shoulder. "Come on, man, give me something here!" I grit my teeth. "You're freaking me out, Rin."

He stared at my face a moment almost vacantly. "Hmph, I get it. Really, I do." He smiled again, more genuinely this time. "I'm taking you to the village head. She'll have more answers than I do." He removed my hand from his shoulder. "I promise you don't have anything to worry about. In fact, this is probably one of the safest places you'll ever be. We're going to take care of you, Izumi."

It's new chappie time~ If you've forgotten who Rin is please go back to the Chunin Exams Arc in book one.