1. Souls

"Time is the fire in which we burn."

- Gene Roddenberry.

Tsukuyomi watched with detached interest as his sister ran her fingers softly over the feather-like tendrils of her stolen human soul. The god had skin like the moon he represented, and hair and eyes like the night he dwelled within. He stood suspended in the endless darkness they found themselves in, with no sense of up or down, but his features lacked the mundane emotions of fear or surprise at the situation.

"Amaterasu," he said, his voice weightless as the wind at twilight. "Was it really wise to take the human soul? Mother will be angry."

Amaterasu did not look away from the soul held suspended between her hands, casting it's light around them and into the impenetrable shadows. Her porcelain face held traces of childlike wonder as she studied it, as if she knew she'd never understand it, but wished to all the same. Hair spilling out into the darkness like tendrils of flame, she closed her pale colorless eyes, and spoke. "Mother cannot reach us here, dear brother. She is confined to the limits of Yomi-no-Kuni. There will be no consequence."

Tsukuyomi tilted his head. "Until father finds out."

Amaterasu shook her head. "Yes, I know. But this… human… he is worth the pain."

After a long pause, Tsukuyomi seemed to let curiosity - or something similar - get the better of him, and came closer, reaching out a hand to brush lightly against the soft white light. "It is so bright…" he mused. "And young. He must have suffered greatly. Only the bright ones do."

Amaterasu finally looked away from the soul, feeling uncomfortable with the mortal feelings of guilt and remorse spelled out in her eyes. "He caught my attention all the way from the mortal world from the moment he was created. I've never seen a human soul look so pure… I couldn't help but touch it. I didn't mean to make him suffer, though I suppose I should have known. All who are touched by fire must eventually burn."

"Yours is truly a cursed touch," Tsukuyomi agreed. "Humans are too used to the darkness. You gave him light, and they rejected him. You are right, sister, his soul is beautiful. But tell me, why do we find him alone in shadow? Surely one so pure would be found in the light."

Amaterasu brought the soul closer to her, holding it like a mother would a child, and bowed her head. "He chose the darkness," she whispered. "He did not believe himself worthy of light."

"It is unlike the nature of humans to deny themselves what they want when it is presented. He must have been remarkable in life. It is sad, though, that a soul so bright would choose a darkness he does not deserve, don't you think?"

"He chose to embrace the night, but could never fully cut away the sun." She seemed confused as she looked to her brother. "For a human, he was… truly kind."

Tsukuyomi nodded and averted his gaze, withdrawing his hand from the soul and looking out into the darkness. "Well, you have him now. What will you do with him?"

"I'll give him back," she replied.

"To Izanami?"

"No, to the humans."

Now it was Tsukuyomi's turn to regard his sister with confusion. "I thought they didn't want him?"

Amaterasu shook her head. "Humans are fickle, brother. They do not know what they want until it is unattainable. They do not see beauty until it is gone. They do not appreciate the light until the darkness takes it away. They know him now. They see. They appreciate. I will give them one last chance. Not for them, but for him."

Tsukuyomi hummed in acknowledgement. "There was another that, I admit, also caught my interest. The moon in his eyes and a soul whose glow was soft as starlight. I often fear it was my favor which caused the breaking if his wings. He tried to fly, and he fell, never knowing the warmth of the sun on his wings. But those sleepless eyes made great company in the night when I am most alone."

"I will not take the pale eyed boy's soul," Amaterasu said. "He chose the light. He is with those he loves. He is happy. I will not steal him from his happiness and return him to a life of uncertainty. They would cage him again, brother, you know it. Your son of the moon... he deserves to fly."

Tsukuyomi did not reply.

She sighed sadly and let the soul she gently cradled go, watching as it began to drift away, as if guided by an unknown tide. "I did this. I will now undo it, and it will weigh on me no more." She smiled softly as the soul faded from sight. "Besides, there is another soul, a young female, which hums a tune not unlike his own. A girl with moonlit eyes to match his sunbeam heart. It would be a shame to let her sing unanswered."

"Yes, sister, I agree." Tsukuyomi turned away, and Amaterasu followed.

"Let them sing."

A/N: For those of you who are confused, Tsukuyomi is the Shinto god of the moon, and brother to the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu. Izanami is the goddess of the underworld, or "Yomi-no-Kuni". In this prologue of sorts, they call her "mother", but in reality they were born from Izanagi; Amaterasu from the tears of his left eye, and Tsukuyomi from the tears of his right eye (details vary upon interpretation}.

The soul Amaterasu has stolen is Itachi's, and the boy Tsukuyomi mentions is Neji.

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