And this is... DUN DUN DUN... the last chapter! Time to sing "Final Countdown" and enjoy the fic! Just as it had a sort of prologue, so too must it have an epilogue.

Part 26 - "Zeitgeist"

How many years had it been since that day? She was twenty-five, he was twenty-four. Konan's little girl was about to turn ten soon. Ten years ago... it seemed like an eternity. It was ten years ago that Madara had attempted to attack the entire Akatsuki, only to be brought down by Jashin's judgement. That was the same day that Sasori had become completely human again - in more ways than one.

She watched with a smile as Konan's girl Akane leaned over to help pick up the younger child on the grass, five year old Ren. The blue haired girl ruffled his bold red hair messily as she ran off to the other side of the field. Ren only looked back at Ino with his blue eyes wide and curious and she smiled back at him. Akane had been a mischievous girl since the day she was born, just like her mother. She glanced over to Sasori, who had been sitting next to her watching their young son out on the field. "It's about time to get back home."

"Right." He smiled at her before going to pick up the boy gently, walking beside her as they returned to the city. After the fall of Madara, Akatsuki had disbanded but still kept their places in Amekagure. They had found a different means of extracting bijuu from their hosts, making it completely safe for the jinchuuriki to lose their demons. After a demon was extracted, it was destroyed, including the Kyuubi. The demons were no more than weapons of mass destruction, Pein had said, and needed to be eliminated if there was to be any hope of the great shinobi nations uniting. It had taken three years to hunt down the remaining bijuu and destroy them.

After Akatsuki destroyed the final bijuu, they were forgiven by Konoha and their allied countries for their actions, slowly redeeming themselves through kind acts. In the end, Pein had taken the form of a different kind of leader, one that was kind and fair to his people, seeking to cure the world instead of end it. Most surprising of all, he had been granted the right to rule over his nation as Amekage, a new position created to end the warring ways of the rain country. With technology flourishing and Pein's careful watch on their borders, the country of rain had become a bustling nation full of regulated commerce, generating funds for both itself and its allied nations.

She took Ren from Sasori's arms carefully, holding the boy as she looked at his smiling face. "You want to go see Sakura-chan today, little Ren?"

The boy nodded his head energetically. "Sakura-chan!"

That smile sure was infectious! "Well you know what, she's waiting for us back at the hospital! She came just to see us!" After that day ten years ago, Sasuke had returned to Konoha after his fruitless search for his brother. He had done nothing to redeem his actions and even said he didn't intend to, and had been rejected entry at the gate. A year later he tried again, but was finally captured and executed. Sakura had gotten over him long before, and even agreed that he shouldn't be allowed back in Konoha. Akatsuki had done everything they could to be redeemed for the actions, and Sasuke had done nothing.

Today, Sakura was still single but happy with being on her own. She had been a liaison between Konoha and Amekagure ever since, making sure that their countries still held close ties. Ino shifted little Ren to one arm, waving as she approached the compound she shared with the other former Akatsuki. "Hey Itachi!" The last Uchiha waved from his high vantage point on the balcony above. Itachi had said long ago that he found the sharingan to be too powerful and hesitated to revive his clan again. Yet after seeing the girl Akane grow up holding the powerful Rin'negan, his doubts had been quelled by her innocent smile and he had taken a wife for his own to reform his clan. In these days, he believed that if he gave his children the love that he had never received in his youth, maybe they would grow up to be just as pure and innocent as Akane.

Ahead on the street, Kisame was walking next to Temari, who had come to bring messages from Sunagakure. Gaara had long since forgiven Akatsuki for their actions, knowing all too well how easy it was to be deluded by the world. In her excursions, Kisame had been a good friend to rely on in a tough spot, and they had slowly formed a very strange but strong relationship. His joking personality and easy-going lifestyle easily matched Temari's bold and mischievous nature. Those two were always playing some new prank or getting a rise out of someone.

"Hey Ino!" Temari waved briskly, stopping for just a moment. "I need to get a message back to Suna, but I should return in a couple of days. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Ino waved as Temari exited the street. "That's not saying much, you know!" Her smile didn't disappear as the rest of them returned to the compound and sat at the dining table. They had a full house almost every day, the former Akatsuki ninjas and their significant others filling the rooms with laughter and conversation. Itachi's wife Mizumi was cooking dinner that night, the hallways smelling of beef and vegetables. Before long the entire group had gathered, the noise and general atmosphere reflecting the feelings of the times. They were all one big (make that VERY big, with almost every member having a spouse and children!) happy family, brought together by a set of unusual but fortunate circumstances.

A small hand with a mouth on it snuck across the table, the tiny jaws on the little hand about to grab an apple, but Deidara scolded the boy sternly. "Not like that, un. Pick it up with your fingers." He watched with satisfaction as the boy corrected the grab and picked up the red fruit with his fingers, smiling apologetically. Deidara wasn't too harsh on the boy, knowing how difficult it was to control those mouths at a young age.

Akane's blue haired head glanced up at her mother curiously, the steely gray Rin'negan whirling as her joyful gaze met the other's eyes. "What are we having for dessert?"

Konan patted the girl's head softly, smiling down at her. "It's a surprise, you have to wait until you're done with the rest of your food, alright?"

Ino watched as Sasori showed their son how his chakra strings could pick up spoons and forks, smiling as the boy's wide eyes watched every motion. She couldn't help but smile at the large congregation around the table, reflecting on the years past and wondering how she had ended up this way. Everything about it made her happy. Ren's hands suddenly glowed as he shot a short chakra string at the spoon like his father had and her eyes widened with surprise. What a talented kid! She finally burst out laughing, the rest of the table joining in.

After dinner the night set in slowly, Ino taking Ren to his bed in their modest apartment, yawning after a long day. The moon rose as she made her way to bed, relaxing as she settled in next to Sasori. Clouds rolled over the sky lazily, bringing down the rain that only occasionally came to Amekagure, lightning flashing and thunder rolling as a thunderstorm settled in. Ren had gotten scared by the storm and woke them, insisting on sleeping with them that night. She picked him up sleepily, settling him in between her and Sasori and held him close, comforting the boy. Sasori also put his arm around the boy gently, watching as Ren slowly fell asleep. It reminded of a long distant past, when his parents had done the same for him. He was soon lost in his own thoughts when Ino had fallen asleep.

Art is...

Love.

A/N: Is it over? Not until the fish -fish jumps- Oh. Yep. It's over. Thanks for holding out! Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing! Now to look for something else to write about! Can you believe this has reached the 60K plus word count mark? Me neither! Thanks for being awesome fans!