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Lol, maybe I should use that post to do the same, but for my house?

The Shadows of the Moon

One.
Umbra.

“Lee.” Said a shy, affectionate voice.
“Lee, did you know even the moon casts Shadows?”
“You're right...It does, even in the dark!”
“Haha! See, even I can teach my Sensei something!”


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The place they were staying in was'nt anything flash, in fact, It was downright horrible. They had'nt had to 'live it rough' since they left Mira's place. And staying in one of Dansho's hotels was like living on a porn set. But that's where they had to live. Missions were scarce and that meant money was too.

Umbra sat, wrapped up in uncomfortable paisley bedsheets, knees up to her chest where she rested her head.

The monotonous sound of the next-rooms activities thudded into their cold, cluttered room, leaving no feel of privacy as she waited for them to finish up, so that theere may be momentary peace.

Her mind drifted as she listened to the rain pelting on the only window in the room.

“Lee, did you know even the moon casts Shadows?”

She honestly could'nt remember how long her and Lee had been together, The old days where she was too shy to even train with him seemed so far away. Digging up old memories were like opening some dusty old pop-up book, all watercolours and words, nothing opaque or solid to hold on too.

“Lee.”

“Yes?” He answered, reading a small red book he held over his head as he lazed beneath the covers.

“I'm Late.”

“For what?” he asked, still not taking his attention away from his read.

“No Lee, I'm 'Late'.” She said again, exaggerating the last word.

Lee paused, before collapsing the book on his chest and staring at here with wide-eyed shock.

“Is it mine?” He yelped, unsure of what one exactly says in the circumstances.

Umbra frowned and glared at him.

“Of course it's yours! What do you think I do with my spare time? Get with all the dudes in dansho?”

He scratched his cheek thoughfully and sat up.

“Have you...you know....Taken a pregnancy test?”

She shook her head. She didn't want too. They were young, inexperienced and no where near financially stable enough to even think about having a child.

“Well, I'm only speculating...”

“How late have you been?” He asked seriously. As naïve as he could be, there were things he still understood. The fact that a sexually active woman who experiences a delay in her period could signal pregnancy, was one of them.

She bit her lip anxiously.

“3 months.”


It was June, and Mira had all the tell-tale signs of her own bun in the oven.

She sat with Tenten, Yuko, Temari, and the odd Lee.
Each of them silent and staring at the bathroom door, save the pregnant one who munched nervously on the Peanut-butter crunch bars she had been craving since her first stage.

The doorknob turned, the four waiting nin gasped with anticipation.
A tired, purple haired young woman exited, standing in front of the four before presenting a small plastic stick with a distinctive blue plus in a little square of one end.

“Positive. I'm gonna be a mama.” Umbra breathed, emotionally.

Temari and Tenten squealed, Hugging the mother to-be and congratulating her. Mira and Yuko gave her a slightly more mature congratulation.

“Looks like the three of us are going to be expecting.” Yuko smiled.

Umbra nodded sheepishly.

“Don't worry.” Mira assured her.

“We're all here to help.”

Umbra swallowed nervously and nodded, before noticing her partner was missing.

“Hey...Where's Lee?”

The girls parted to reveal a slumped nin who had fainted during the news.

“Poor guy.” Tenten laughed.

“What about names? Have you thought about Names?” Lee buzzed, jotting down notes into his handy-dandy notebook.

“And baby food! Organic or industrial? Sure industrial is affordable but organic is surely the way to go! OH! And what about milk! Breast or formula?”

Umbra sighed.

“Lee we can't be thinking about that stuff yet. We need to focus on getting some money together, we can't keep living here ,it's not good for me.”

“I know, I've taken every open mission they have rostered, It means I'm going to be away for a month or two, but at least we will have enough money to-”

“I can't have you gone for that long! I can hardly take care of myself!” She stressed.

“Well, we could always stay with Mira for a while, Their house is almost complete.”

“I don't wish to burden her any more. She has her own family to worry about now.”

“But surely-” Lee stammered, feeling hurt to see the future mother of his child in such low spirits.

Umbra rubbed her slightly swollen stomache.

“Lee, If I went back to Tsuki, would you come with me?”

Two
Penumbra.


“Lee, Did you know there are three parts to a shadow?”
“Three? But all I see is Black.”
“There are three shades of black, the darkest is the Umbra, the outer is the Penumbra, And the radical is the Antumbra.”
“Does that mean there are three parts to you...?”
“...Or are you all black?”
----------------------------------------------------------------
“Mira. I am laving for my homeland; the village hidden under the Moon.”

Mira sighed, running her fingers through her red hair.

“You know, you have a home here. We're all family, I don't want you to feel like you're unwelcome.”

Umbra lowered her head and spoke gingerly.

“I have a lot I owe to you Mira, And to this place. I can't thank you enough for setting me and lee up in the start.” she smiled.

“But right now, I can't afford to live in this village. And I don't want to live off your charity, especially when you're family is feeling the recession too.”

“And most of all...I want my son to be born Tsuki...Where I was born. There are missions there, they are in need of Shinobi, plus, I have family there...I believe it's the right decision to make, until I can stand on my own two feet.”

“What does Lee think of all this?” Mira asked, concerned.

“He'd follow me to the end of the earth, god bless him. But I understand that he will miss the people here, I'm not his only lover, after all. But Tsuki will treat him better than any other village treets newcomers. Moving is the right thing, no matter how hard it will be.”

“So long as you come back.” Mira smiled, placing a hand on the younger Kunoichi's shoulder.

“You always have a home here.”

“Thank you.”

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Three
Antumbra

“Lee, Did you know that at night, with no moonlight, everything turns black and white?”
“It's true. Everything's black and white!”
“But it's never really that simple.”
“No...Because there are lights in the darkest places...”

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It was the night of the Lantern festival, And also the night of Umbra and Lee's departure. All of Dansho's Nin were out drinking, partying and attending the festivities. On the rim of Lake Murasame, Mira's household had banded together, ready for the 'Releasing of the Lanterns” across the lake's surface.

“See, You light the lantern, write a wish on a piece of Rice Paper...” Temari instructed Kankuro, who stood scratching his chin.

“Then you drop the paper into the lantern, and send into the lake.” She demonstrated, pushing the red paper lantern gently across the lakes surface, watching it ebb and flow before burning into the watery abyss.

“They say when the Lantern burns, your wish is sent to the moon, where the moon god gathers and grants them. It's a Tsuki tradition.”

“Uh-huh.” noded Kankuro. “I don't get it.”

Temari facepalmed.

“You're hopeless.”

“Howcome we never did this thing at home?” He asked, turning to Gaara.

“Because we have no lakes.” he answered, bluntly.

“Oh. Yeah. But we could still burn s**t!”

Umbra had entered her fith month, and sported a large round tummy hidden under a maternity-Kimono.

“How nice of you to bring this tradition to Dansho, This has got to be my favourite event, right next to the Star-Gazing Festival.” Tenten Mused.

“Well, It's the least I could do. Now you guys will have something to remember me by for the 3 years I'm gone.” Umbra smiled, rubbing here tummy.

She was shocked from her chit-chat when a lound, recognisable voice sounded from the crowd.
Her eyes narrowed and she clenched her teeth.

“Who invited HIM?” Umbra grunted. Tenten looked to Lee.

“It was'nt me!” He spluttered.

“Ah, Lee! I knew you could do it!” Yelled Gai Sensei, throwing a heavy arm around his ex-student's shoulder.

“My student has the potancy of a thousand mighty Lions on heat!” He bellowed, spilling a little sake from his cup as he swayed.

Umbra, Tenten and Lee collectively sighed, a comical blue-shadow of embarrasment forming over their brows.

“H-Hey Lee, I hear you gota quite a reputation in this joint, huh? Howbouta I show you some of my new movess-wh hey wahtchoo doin?!” Gai was dragged away by an apologetic Tenten who tip-toed around Umbra, who actually had smoke blowing out her ears as she gave the drunk Jonin a death glare.

“Byebye Lee-lee” He waved from the distance.

Lee swallowed nervously and waved back.

“If I see you with him tonight-” Umbra hissed through cleched teeth.

“I'll kill the both of you!”

Lee shook and saluted at the angry, hormonal woman.
“Allright people let's get this thing over with!” Umbra yelled, summonning everyone with their lanturns to the Lakeside.

“Oh dear.” Commented Neji from the Lake side.

“She really has a problem with Gai, does'nt she?

“Well, to be fair, You'd have a problem with someone who was constantly trying to get a piece of your man, too.”

“I don't have a problem with you.” He smiled, cheekily.

“...And may the moon watch over us eternally, as we show our thanks through prayer.”

With Umbra's words, everyone followed her lead and pushed their floating lanterns into the moonlit lake.

Silence befell the crowed as everyone watched their wishes burn into Murasame's watery mouth. An applasue broke when the last lantern sunk. Lee and Umbra sealed the occasion with a kiss, as per tradition. So did all the other couples and family members at the lakeside.

As the crowd cleared, Everyone gathered their festive masks and balloons, finished of their street food and headed home.

“So what did you wish for?” Lee pried as he met Mira in the bathroom.

She smiled.

“If I tell you that it wont come true.”

----------------------------------------------------

The next morning had arrived, Lee and Umbra had decided it was best to leave at dawn while, everyone was sleeping, otherwise there would be tears.

Escorted by 4 moon nin which had been sent over by Tsukino, the two took off.

Lee tripped as they passed the lake side, littered with floating lillies from the night before.
He cursed at a pebble which had made it's way into his footear. He crouched down to remedy it.

“You hurry along, I have a stone in my shoe.” The others obeyed.

While he as re-adjusting his shoe, he noticed a firey red lantern, not completely burned, ebbing gently on the lake shore.

“Oh, how sad. Mira's wish never made it.”

He plucked the dripping lantern from the water, and for a split second, contemplated reading the intact wish which flitted inside.


“Sorry I took so long!” He apologized as he caught up with the group.

“Hey, Umbra.”
“Yes.”

“Are there three parts to you, or are you all black?”

She gazed at Lee. Wide eyed as he smiled back at her, her eyes warmed as she recalled a long lost conversation. She held his hand and rubbed her tummy, feeling like things were finally turining for the good.

“I'm not black anymore...”

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Back at the lake, Mira's Lantern sank happily to the bottom, having being tied to a stone by a courteous stranger. It could rest peacefully on the lakefloor now, knowing it's secret would be safe. Forever.