Finale

Warm air caressed my face as I emerged from the cave for the first time in three years. The sun was setting behind the tree tops, bathing us in a golden twilight. I watched from a concealed place as Naruto and Yurushi laid the body of my brother and Aitou beside each other in freshly dug graves. For a while the only sound was that of the sifting earth as it became a blanket for those no longer living.

Sasuke and Sakura stood at a distance. No one had noticed I was there. Being as silent as possible I slipped into the growing shadows behind them, listening to their murmuring voices.

I watched as Yurushi stepped away from the graves, her eyes lingering on the two wooden crosses that drooped to one side. I could have sworn a single tear slid silently down her cheek, but I could have imagined it, because it vanished in the blink of an eye. She walked over and stood beside Sakura, trying to occupy her burdened mind with the girl's injury. After Sakura assured her she was all right the three stood in silence. I held my breath for fear I might be found.

The trio watched in melancholy quietness as Naruto placed a white lotus blossom, just beginning life, over each of the dirt mounds. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind, or maybe the bottom of my heart, that Itami would be smiling now. He is free. Free from burdens and pains, gains and losses, of life and its disappointments. I also knew he would be happy. He was with the only one he ever wanted. She was by his side eternally, the way they both would have wanted.

" I guess you found what was lost." Yurushi whispered to the two beside her. Her voice decieved her, showing sadness she was trying hard to cover. No one answered. They continued to stare off at the setting sun, now falling behind the lopsided crosses and shrines. Pink and orange hues intertwined, letting the sun bask in the covering of their colors. The leaves on the trees were lit with that translucent green, making the world look sewn from threads of golden lit dew.

Four pairs of eyes watched as Naruto stood, dusting of his pants. He turned to his poignant audience, beaming an encouraging smile that rivaled the sun. We all knew that was a smile that would never fade. At that instant, it began to rain. Not a stormy rain, a renewing one. It was truly a miracle, because there was no clouds in the sky.

They say that when there is a cloudless rain, when the sun shines as water falls to earth in golden drops, that the somewhere, the deamon kyuubi is smiling, because he is reunited with the one he longs to be with. But that's only a legend, after all.

"I guess we did" Sasuke added, stuffing his hands into his pockets, ignoring the rain.

At that moment, it felt as if the door that had just closed revealed another opening, like turning the page to a new chapter of a book. Our hearts are no longer bound to a confined fate; we are free to write our own story.

And this how our chronicle was told for the very first time. I had listened silently as Yurushi spilled our history over the grave of my brother and how our past no longer chains us to this cave of condemnation-the cave of the Kyuubi. We are free, like Aijinbi, like Itami and Aitou. Free!


Yurushi and I returned to our home, what was left of it. We sat in the center of the charred remains, crying in the comfort of home. My sister held me tight as we cried and cried until the ivory moon had raised high above us.

Over looking our home was the same hill, that same grassy, gentle hill, we had played on so much of our childhood. Or so I'm told. My eyes fall over that place now. I see three dark figures, stretched out and relaxed, stargazing at the sky. I may still be a child, but I am realizing my life unfolding before my eyes. I also see the lives of three of Konoha's best shinobi….

Naruto stretched on his bed of grass. He smiled as a cool, fresh breeze washed over him. The grass around him rippled like the ocean, giving him the feeling that he was floating. Beside him lay his two favorite people in the world.

Their eyes we all cast upward, observing the dazzling spectacle above. Millions of stars danced across a silky midnight sky, twinkling like a sea of diamonds. In his mind he found the constellations, tracing them with his fingers. He pretended to hold the moon in his palm.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, noticing Naruto's arm reaching for the sky. He smiled, lowering his hand back to the ground.

"They say our destiny is written in the stars." Sasuke answered for him. Naruto looked over to Sasuke. He noticed his friend's dark eyes searching the endless array of space.

"Really?" Sakura asked, in an excited voice.

"Yeah" Sasuke replied.

"So…." Naruto began, his voice trailing off. "Which one's ours?"

AN: The End!

Wow this took forever! But don't leave so soon! There is one more chapter coming. It isn't the epiloge, it is just a bonus chapter. It will tell the story of Yurushi/Yuriko/Itami and also the sad story of Aitou's childhood. I know this chapter is a little confusing. The italisized words are from Yuriko's POV if you didn't figure it out. Sorry it is so wierd.

Anyways, I would just like to thank you all for reading and reviewing. You all are so so so unbelievable great. You don't know how great it makes me feel to read you reviews. It amazes me how many loyal and loving people there are in the world. Okay, I will wrap up this corny speach now. I just really wanted you to know how greatful I am.

I would also like to give a special thanks to Sakura Li 19. She is the sweetest person you will ever meet! I wanted to thank you for mentioning my story to others. That is just so indescribably kind. Please check out her stories as well. The star scene is inspired by her.

And I would also like to make a special thanks to all of you who favored, reviewed and alerted. I couldn't have done it without ya!

Thank You:

Sakura Li 19

EverKitsune

Adorabella

Akai Okami

Akamaru012

AlphaO

Book-Smart-Fox

BreUchiha15

Cyber-Porygon

Dragonlord224

LelaCross

Loopey777

Robby Cartwright

Shadow Lunis

Shioan

THE GOD OF INTERESTING

The Metal One

Wolf of the snows

ZeMuffinQueen

Ziedrich Zwydhandler

alfred7188

avatarjk137

bluekitsune251

hinata-naruto-neji-HNN

shadowinthesky

wolfer

PhantomAngel17

xheartkreuzx

xcloudx

Brianna Lynn

and everyone else who read this story!

You guys rock!