Ninja Moon

When I wrote this in my notebook, it was originally chapter 4, then I decided to switch chapter 3 with chapter 4. Yeah. I fucked up real bad there. And since I don't follow the Naruto series that loyally, there's probably a lot wrong with this story...excluding the whole Iruka=Sailor Moon thing. That was my idea. But yeah...This chapter feels remotely shorter than the others...Oh, and if you haven't noticed yet, you'll notice by the end of this chapter that Iruka is ultimately my favorite character from the Naruto series.

Chapter 3: Princess with Two Princes
Four messengers from the other countries arrived at the same time; at 3:14 on a lazy Thursday that made Iruka and Luna agree it was a day for naps and sleeping rather than paperwork. Of course, all four messages were for Tsunade, but Iruka couldn't help but read over her shoulder the contents of the four scrolls.

An interest in lands further west was slowly sweeping the countries and ninja villages. Already, gowns and appearal had been sent to shops in villages to be sold to those curious and wealthy enough to purchase them. Food, outfits, books (both translated and not), weapons, maps, teaching tools, and other miscellaneous items were appearing in Konoha and the homes of its residents.

And so, to celebrate their allience and welcome the interest of the western world, Tsunade had invited the Kages and their secretaries and aids to a western-styled masquerade ball. Iruka, of course, was part of the committee who was in charge of planning everything for this event and was one of the first to know about it. Even Kakashi didn't know about it yet, though an invitation would be sent soon to him.

The four messages said that the four Kages had accepted all the invitations to the ball.

Tsunade smiled when she saw that Iruka was reading over her shoulder. "Well," she said slyly, which meant the Hokage had a plan. "It's such a shame that you'll be so busy preparing, you won't be able to ask Tuxedo Mask to be your date."

"Yeah..." Iruka sighed sadly, not knowing he'd fallen into the older woman's trap.

"Umino Iruka, I hereby remove you from the planning committee and ban you from the mission room and classroom until tomorrow," the blonde said to him.

Iruka nearly threw the sleeping Luna from his shoulder as he stood suddenly from his chair. "What?!"

The Hokage didn't look up from the scroll she was re-reading. "You heard me, Iruka. You're dismissed."

For several minutes, the chuunin just stood staring at Tsunade. Then what she had said sunk into him, and Iruka smiled. Again careful not to throw off Luna, he bowed, then left the mission room. And as he made his way home to kill the rest of the day, Iruka planned on how he'd face Tuxedo Mask and ask him to the ball in a few night's time.

---

Sailor Moon stood on the mountain of the past Hokage, looking down at Konoha. A shiver went down his spine as a wind blew, lifting his skirt and toying with his hair. Iruka turned as a warm presence approached him and smiled as Tuxedo Mask joined his side, hugging the transformed woman from behind and letting his cloak envelope them. "I knew you'd come here," Iruka said.

"I go where you do," Tuxedo Mask whispered in his ear. "I am your shadow..."

Iruka turned in the masked man's arms, looking pleadingly into the hidden eyes. "There's a masquerade ball coming soon...I'll be there...I want you to come. Please say you'll be there..."

A smile graced the beautiful face and light lips touched Iruka's in a kiss. "My sweet princess...I've already been invited."

The teacher blinked. "You...have?" Tuxedo Mask nodded. "This means you're someone clsoe to the Hokage!"

Still the masked man smiled. "You're getting warmer."

Iruka smiled proudly. He touched soft skin and strong bones of the masked man's face. "One day...I'd like to see you without your mask. To look into your eyes as you look into mine...to truely know and love you as who you are under that mask and the costumes we wear..."

"Iruka..." Again Tuxedo Mask kissed him. "Don't let your love and desires delude you. I am someoen you know already, a person you've seen almost every day. If your heart is true and your love pure, you will realize who I am soon..."

Nodding, Iruka held the man close. "I understand..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; his lungs and mind were filled with a musky cologne that belonged to Tuxedo Mask that reminded Iruka of smoke, autumn leaves, and blood. He's a nin as well, Iruka thought. He must be of high rank, if not an ANBU...Only a jounin or ANBU can make death and blood smell beautiful...Oh please...please let it be him...

"I know you," the chuunin whispered, listening to the beat of the man's heart. "We grew up together, unknowing of who we were. We were carried away when the kyuubi destroyed our village and took loved ones away from us. We watch children grow into nin and teach them to live in honor and dedication to our Hokage...I know you..."

"Hush..." The man whispered in a voice so familiar. "Think no more on it...Tonight...I just want to hold you."

Eyes still closed, Iruka smiled and let the presence of his lover take him.

---

Since there was no room or building large enough to house the ball, it had to be hosted outside in the large village square. A thin, but sturdy matting was laid out over the dirty ground to be walked and danced on, and waterproof canopies covered the dancefloor and large area in case of sudden spring showers. Tables and chairs were set out for the tired or those who just wanted to sit. There were booths of food and drink and hanging lanterns and the lights of buildings around gave the makeshift ballroom a romantic air.

Music wafted from a nearby building and colors and people mingled all around, standing on the clean matting under the safety of the canopies. They whispered and danced under the music, but at least once, gazes went to a lone figure who stood at the edge of matting and canopy, looking at the faces of the past great Hokage with their back to the ball.

A tall young woman with short, dark hair falling to her broad shoulders and gowned in a regal white dress with a bow that opened like wings at the small of her back stood there. Though her body was small, any who looked upon her could tell it could react with a deadly whip-snap and kill without hesitation. Beautiful and deadly, she was a warrior princess.

Tsunade took notice of the lone young woman and stepped over to stand beside her; beauty old and young, wise and reckless stood side-by-side. She saw the black, fathomless eyes behind the white-feather mask and knew what creatures lurked near the dark surface. "Is he coming?" She asked from behind her gold and red mask; her gown the color of fall and matching.

"I don't know..." Iruka answered, his gloved fingers toying with an empty wineglass. "He said he'd been invited already. I didn't stop to ask if he was coming..." He looked at her, and the Hokage thought the sadness in his eyes would kill her. "Am I wrong to love a phantom? He claims to be someone I know, but the one person he could be is unlike him in every way. Am I wrong to love a shadow?"

She smiled and touched a shoulder that she, as a woman, envied. There was a beauty to the male-female dolphin that no amount of cosmetic jutsu could replicate. Even Naruto's Sexy-no-Jutsu couldn't rival the air of innocence and purity that radiated from Iruka. "You love whom you love," she finally said. "Be it a shadow, an enemy nin, or the night itself. And any man, woman, and creature should feel honored to be loved by you. Don't worry, Iruka-sensei...He will come."

"Someone I know?" Tsunade and Iruka turned together to face Kakashi, the latter of the two blushing brightly. The jounin was wearing a black tuxedo, a red rose pinned over his heart. His face was covered only by the ball's mandatory simple black mask that only partially hid his scar. Seeing Kakashi in such an outfit made Iruka's heart both lift and sink. Kakashi's attention shifted to Iruka. "Tsunade-san has a habit of talking about me behind my back, you know, so I need to keep an ear on her most of the time."

Iruka merely smiled, playing the part of an unmet maiden when he realized Kakashi didn't recognize him.

Tsunade's gaze flashed between the two for an instant before she took Iruka's empty glass and said, "Kakashi-sensei, I'll leave our guest in your hands. The other Kages need attention as well." Once again, she made her leave and left Iruka alone with Kakashi.

Together, they looked upon the mountain of the great Hokage and listened to the music in the background. It was a long silence before Kakashi leaned to the side toward Iruka and whispered without facing the teacher, "So how long have you been hiding this gender-bending fetish from me, Iruka-sensei?"

The dolphin nearly leapt out of his skin in surprise at Kakashi's words. "E-excuse me?!" Iruka squeaked.

Kakashi smiled. "Well, you very well can't be a sister or cousin, and your chakra signature is unmistakable."

Iruka sighed in defeat. "Fine...Might as well tell all of Konoha since all my coworkers seem to know."

The jounin laughed, but it wasn't unkindly. "Nah...No one else has noticed. Just Tsunade and I." He looked Iruka over. "I'm surprised and a little worried at how well you pull a woman off. Transformation jutsu or not, I'm sure you're making a lot of women jealous tonight."

"More by getting attention from yuo than my appearance," Iruka muttered sourly.

"Don't say that." Kakashi hugged Iruka from behind, arms around Iruka's torso and holding him protectively, lovingly. Iruka's blush darkened, and he held his hands over Kakashi's. "Honest...You're beautiful."

"Kakashi-sensei..." Iruka could barely speak from the emotions flowing through his soul. "I don't know what to say..."

"Then say nothing..."

Iruka closed his eyes as soft lips touched his neck in light feather-kisses that made him shiver. It was more pleasing than Mizuki's touches, but felt just as forbidden. He shook his head and escaped from Kakashi's hold. The jounin's face was void of emotion, and Iruka couldn't look at his mis-matched eyes. Again Iruka shook his head. "Kakashi-sensei...I can't...I like you...I really do...but I love someone else..."

Hands held his arms. "Iruka-sensei...Look at me..."

He obeyed and looked up at Kakashi. Before he could stop the nin, Kakashi gently pulled Iruka into a deep, sweet kiss. It was familiar; the flavor, the texture, the smell, all feeling as if the two had kissed before. The smell! Iruka whimpered in his mind joyously. It's the same! Death and autumn leaves...Oh, Kakashi...

The kiss broke suddenly when a scream and roar echoed across the "ballroom". Kakashi faced Iruka. The chuunin looked sad, as if he wanted to confess all his darkest secrets right then and there. The older jounin touched his face, stroking Iruka's cheek with a thumb. "You know what you must do..." Kakashi said. He reluctantly let go. "Go!"

Iruka drifted away from him, then a mask of duty covered his face when the scream sounded again. "Kakashi!" He grabbed the man and pulled him into a building, then into a second kiss. When they opened their eyes again, Iruka was Sailor Moon, and Kakashi was Tuxedo Mask. Iruka smiled. "I knew it was you...Now let's go. We have youma to destroy and a village to save."

Kakashi nodded and followed Iruka into the battle.