Thanks again to all my readers. Chapter 30 is the LAST chapter. Hope you enjoy. :D Review Review!


There was complete silence around the arena. You could hear almost every heart beat. Kiba didn't know when but he fell to his knees, his fists unclenching, and an indescribable desire to hold onto the body that was once before him overtook his entire mind. He didn't know what to say and more importantly he felt helpless. There were no words for the loss he felt and he wished it was himself that had crumbled to ash. He never craved so bad, wanted so earnestly, but he wished to hold her one last time. There was no description for this pitiful feeling; only loss.

"Kiba," Konohamaru finally said, approaching him slowly. "Kiba please, listen."

"I don't want to hear anything," he growled. "Just leave me alone."

"You have to know…" Shikamaru began.

"I know that the woman I love is dead. I know that I will never see her or my mother again. I know I will never be happy again and more importantly, I know that she did it for me. Do not speak another word Shikamaru." There was a long pause, the room still from the tension.

"It was her plan," Shikamaru confessed. "I will tell you the truth; everyone the truth. She deserves at least that."

"Don't you dare make her out to be some sort of martyr. This was murder," Kiba spat. "Get out of here Shikamaru. Get out now."

"Kiba, you will listen to what we have to say," Konohamaru assured. "Yuka had told us days ago what was going on. Something we couldn't just outright tell you. You'd have done something drastic. She planned this entire scenario, down to the double agent and the lies. Everything was orchestrated by her. Naruto-sama was completely unplanned. We had to fill him in."

"She chose this. She wanted this…" Shikamaru said, his eyes falling to the ground. "We wish it didn't have to be you. We wanted to use full force but this could not get out. This was totally unplanned from the beginning."

"Yuka is dead!" Kiba howled. "Dead! And I… I'm broken, beyond all repair. You're pleading and confessions have fallen on deaf ears."

"You're ears weren't your strongest suit," came a voice, and Kiba glanced over recognizing Jiraiya for the first time. The glow about him was faded but the traces of Naruto's voice within his own remained. "Kiba… do not turn your back on the bonds you have left. I did and I regret it horribly." Jiraiya looked over his shoulder at Hinata who was leaning against Neji.

"How? How is this even fair? I loved her and she gave her life for that love. How do I just move on from that?" Kiba asked, his voice becoming more frantic with every word.

"You don't," Hinata spoke up. "You never do. You accept it and live on." She slowly strode over to Jiraiya, placing her hand on his shoulder gently. "Realize there is nothing you could have done Kiba-kun. It may be tough love, but it is the truth. I know what you're feeling."

"Hinata-chan," Kiba whispered, his eyes becoming slightly misty. He didn't want to reveal his raw emotion before all of these people but the look on Hinata's face was like a blast to his flood gates. He couldn't hold it in. The first tear slid down his cheek, burning horribly and then they fell unabashedly. No one spoke for a long time, the glow about Jiraiya fading and only the cries of the Inuzuka Alpha was heard echoing within the arena.


"Where am I?"

"That's simple. Did you really think using a seal would work on me? You've incapacitated my body but what you didn't expect was our chakra melding."

"Melding?!" Yuka screamed, her eyes searching around frantically. She was standing in an all white world. She couldn't tell if she was in a room or if it was just a blank open space. All she knew was that his voice was still present. "Orochimaru, what have you done?"

"I haven't done anything. You did this. When you activated that lovely seal, it sucked my soul out of my body and attached to yours. Inadvertently yours tried attaching to mine but it died and so now both of our souls are trapped in my alternate dimension. Here, I can finally consume you're body."

"I won't allow you! You may have trapped me here but I won't lose. Not while I have a reason to live," Yuka protested.

"Reason? What reason? The Inuzuka boy? He will not sate you're bloodlust for very long. You'll crave more soon. After all, you and I are very much alike."

"I'm nothing like you. I found a purpose with satisfaction. You're still searching but you're time is far more than up," Yuka spat, watching out for Orochimaru. He was nowhere to be seen but his voice echoed as if he stood before her.

"Poetic and truthful," Orochimaru hissed. "You'll make an excellent body."

She felt his snake like arms start running up her feet and calves, the smoothness of the reptilian hands making goose-bumps arise all over her skin. His cool scale-like skin touched every part of her, her body immobile. She couldn't even speak as his hands skimmed and caressed her exposed skin. "You snake… get off of me. I don't want this anymore…"

"Want?" Orochimaru hissed dangerously close to her ear. "It doesn't matter what you want. It never has Yuka. You've wanted to avenge you're parents; we saw how that went. You wanted to become my most powerful weapon; that plan turned out to be difficult. Now, you want me to just leave you alone and die off? Or did you think I could just find another body so easily?"

"No, I knew you had no alternative," Yuka said, her eyes closing as his hand ran up her arm. "That is why it had to be me to stop you."

"Stop me? Oh, how naïve. Tell me, did you really think a weak seal and that Alpha nonsense could save you or Konoha? You obviously have no idea of my capabilities."

"No, I am fully aware what you're capable of. That is why you're not getting my body."

Orochimaru chuckled at this and then she saw him come into view. Like a shadow appearing from the dark, he materialized right in front of her. "This will not hurt. Say goodbye to yourself, Yuka Uzumaki."

"No! No!" She screamed but the scaly arms that had immobilized her were spreading and covering her entire body, her movements becoming more restricted. She struggled helplessly, thrashing and moving about trying with all her might to keep the arms at bay. Her body felt weaker and weaker as she thrashed, fighting against his chakra. The world about her was becoming blurry, Orochimaru's face now fading into a mash up of colors. She was dying. This was how it would happen. Orochimaru, after all her efforts would win and she would have to die with the knowledge that Konoha was in danger. Kiba was in danger. Kiba…

She couldn't allow that to happen. She had to break through somehow and she could feel every bit of chakra being drained from her. This was an ultimate genjutsu and as long as Orochimaru had not possessed her body, she had a chance to break out. She had to take the chance of breaking his hold and killing him once and for all. She struggled harder, the constricting arms around her making her body go stiffer and stiffer. She couldn't pass out, not now when she was so close to destroying him. This is the weakest he'd ever be.

She concentrated hard, remembering everything she'd ever learned and drawing out more chakra. She had to rely on the Inuzuka Alpha's chakra to break out of this hold, out of the genjutsu. It was her only hope and she only prayed that it worked. There was a slight shift about them as the chakra funneled from Yuka to the arms about her. They started to transform, slithering more spastically than they before until finally Yuka pressed her sealed hands to the smooth and moving walls. With a burst of chakra she blew them out, the sound of high pitched hissing and screeching filling the air. Her body had moved on its own, Orochimaru coming straight at her with a sword. She barely dodged, her instinct taking over.

She couldn't explain this sensation, it was different than earlier. Something carnal had overtaken her mind and body. She reacted on instinct, moved wildly as dodging every attack. She couldn't describe the elation she felt when Orochimaru began to dodge and evade her. He was playing defense and it was her turn to reciprocate. She approached him from the side, shooting a fireball directly at him, her body dodging out of the way of his shadow snakes before pivoting around him to hit him directly in the side with her sealed hand. It instantly blew him off his feet and into a heap on the ground, if that was what she could call it.

The room she assumed they were in was still all white but the floor began to move sometimes, as if alive. She didn't have time to mull this over but went at Orochimaru again, this time just missing as he moved out of the way. He was about to counter but Yuka dodged to the left, and then right before hitting him in the thigh with a shuriken. She backed away far enough to counter his barrage of fireballs, which immediately charred the now alive and moving floor. She could barely keep her balance as she countered, looking for an opening. Orochimaru was weak, his old body gone giving him the option of pure chakra. His attacks from before had weakened him so much that even his snake like eyes darted around in fear.

She couldn't prolong this anymore. If she did she might lose her chance to get out. Constant attack was the only way to run down his chakra. She bound over the moving floor, avoiding ditches and movement by barely touching the ground. He managed to dodge her seal but the second he moved to attack again she exploited his blind spot, moving faster than he thought possible. She hit him directly in the back, his body becoming stiff. She was using her healing seal to draw out his chakra. She stored it within her arm, pulling more and more out until finally he countered, sending her flying sideways. She barely managed to land on her hands and knees when he came at her, weaving hand signs. She immediately moved toward him, using an uppercut to make him loose his balance.

Her foot barely missed his chin as he dodged and then she did it, pressing her other hand against his arm briefly she expelled all of his chakra against him, making his arm fly sideways so fast it ripped his shoulder back throwing his body to the stilling floor. She immediately was over him, her hand pressed to his chest firmly. He looked up at her with complete contempt, his fangs born. "You'll never kill me," he hissed. "You can never be sure I won't be back. Remember that Yuka."

"You talk too much, Orochimaru-sama," she whispered, her eyes closing as she used what chakra she had left to poor into his body, targeting his cells one by one. Her charka acted as a magnet, immediately pulled to every nucleus of every cell. When it found the nucleus it would fuse with it, acting as a mini bomb. Depending on Yuka's will, she could destroy or paralyze any cell she pleased. Orochimaru knew this well. When her chakra was allocated she sighed, opening her eyes to look him in the face.

"You've been wrong you're entire life, Orochimaru-sama. You seek to destroy Konoha because you coveted the Hokage title?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. "You tried destroying it because you are lonely, with no home anymore because of your evil nature. I cannot say anything to you that will change your mind." She sighed now, shaking her head slightly. "If the Third, Jiraiya-sensei, Tsunade-sama, or Naruto-kun can't change your mind, I have no chance; just die knowing that you were wrong all along."

With that she detonated the bombs, Orochimaru's eye's going wide and his mouth dropping open before his entire body turned to dust, white and fine disappearing onto the floor. Yuka immediately felt the pressure around her intensify. She gasped, her face pressed to the floor into the dust that once was Orochimaru. Her body was going stiff, lying on the floor as if a weight was being pressed against her body. She gasped and groaned trying to remove the pressure when she realized it was pulling at her navel, like a hook. She'd never felt anything like this before but soon the pressure had made her pass out, her eyes seeing nothing but black.


"Kiba, please… we have to get back to the village," Daisuke pleaded, his eyes searching for Kiba's. His face was lying on the floor of the arena, staring off at nothing in particular. He'd lost all thought, all hopefulness. He didn't know how long he'd been there. Minutes, hours, years? It made no difference. "Kiba-sama! Please… the Hokage needs to speak with you about Tsume-sama's funeral arrangements."

"She's just died! Give me a moment to think for Kame-sakes!" Kiba growled, dust flying from where his face was.

"Kiba, it's been two days. You haven't eaten or anything. Please, everyone is asking for you and if I have to lie to one more person I'm going to burst!"

"Two days?" Kiba said hazily, missing everything else. "It's only been two days?" He sighed, his eyes closing. He still felt weak, his mind dull and his eyes hazy. He slept, like some sort of animal, for two days now. Not eating, drinking, or anything. It was hell and he never wanted to leave.

"Kiba Inuzuka!" came a voice down the stairs. Kiba didn't even bother to look. He knew who it was. Daiskue, on the other hand, jumped, bowing quickly.

"Hinata-s-sama!" he said, glancing down at Kiba. "He will not move. How did you..?"

"I talked to Konohamaru. He sent me here to get Kiba. I also want to talk to him," Hinata said, nodding for Daisuke to leave. Daisuke just bowed, nodding at Kiba before leaving the arena in the same direction Hinata had come from.

"Kiba," she sighed, moving to his side and kneeling. She placed a hand on his shoulder and sat there. He didn't know how long she sat there but after a while her hand began shaking and he could hear her soft sobs. "K-Kiba," she managed to squeak. "I'm so sorry. I… I can't do anything about it and I wish I could."

Kiba just lay there, listening to Hianta's soft words and quiet sobs. He didn't have the heart to look at her or even speak. Then, she did something he didn't expect. She leaned down, wrapping her arms under him and pulling him up to her into a hug. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want to push her away but a flood of emotion had begun overtaking him, tears welling in his eyes.

"H-Hinata-sama, please," Kiba pleaded, trying to pull away.

"No, Kiba-kun," she whispered. "You've been here by yourself for too long. Trust me, please," she pleaded, holding him tighter. He sighed, his emotions finally getting the better of him. He didn't know if it was just because she was there or that her perfume reminded him of Yuka, but his tears fell unhindered, wetting her shoulder and hair.

He sat there for a while, just crying into her shoulder and whispering Yuka's name. He didn't know what had come over him. He'd convinced himself he was done crying. He wasn't a child anymore but now that Hinata was here, holding him, he couldn't help the tears and sobs that escaped him. When he had finally gained himself back he pulled back, looking down at her solemnly.

"Thank you, Hinata-hime," he said, trying to get her to smile using their childhood name for her. "You don't know what help you've already been."

"Kiba, I know you're broken, hurt, angry, sad, and have no reason to listen to me but you really need to pull together," she said, a blush on her face. "I didn't want to say it but I have to get you back to the village. If you don't come back soon you may permanently damage you're clan's opinion of their new leader. Let them grieve for Tsume-san. Please…"

"I understand, Hinata," Kiba assured, sighing softly. "It's time to do the job my mother did for twenty years. I am the Alpha after all."

He moved to his knees now, slowly standing. His legs felt weak, his head swimming as he tried to gain balance. Hinata helped him steady, her eyes watching him closely. "Let me get you something to eat and drink before we leave. You won't make it down like this."

"Akamaru, where is he?" Kiba asked, his eyes searching the room. His best friend was nowhere to be found.

"He's at home, attending the pups. He's the new Alpha of the ninja-hounds. He's been doubling their duties to protect the clan and village," Hinata said with a smile.

"Right," Kiba said, remembering everything. "We can make it, I'm sure…" Kiba assured, moving with Hinata to the arena walls. Each step forward, to Kiba, felt like a step away from Yuka. He had to make his body move, to reach the arena steps.

"Kiba, are you sure? You're breathing is really shallow and you look like you're in pain." Hinata immediately activated her Byakugan, searching his body thoroughly as she sat him down on a step. Her eyes wandered until she saw something within his chest. It was something she'd never seen before. "Kiba, I think you're alpha chakra is acting up. It's making you sick or something… it's like a knot inside your chest."

"It's dormant," Kiba admitted. "It's like a second heart or something. I'm not sure. I guess I'm going to have to read up on the chakra of the Alpha when I can." He shrugged, moving to stand up. He had gained his balance a lot faster now and was slowly able to move his legs in an almost normal way.

"Good, you'll need a big heart for all of this," Hinata admitted. "I know what you're going through but I cannot explain how it feels. You have more than one loved one to bury soon."

"It's alright," Kiba lied, trying not to scare Hinata. "I know it was her wish, it was… necessary. I hate it but I cannot change it."

"I'm always here for you Kiba. You're like my brother. Jiraiya misses you a lot," she admitted now, grinning. "He's been asking about you for the past two days. Says he has a lot to tell you."

"Is he alright? No broken bones, bruises, or anything?" Kiba asked, a little worried. He'd forgotten that Jiraiya had been there through it all acting on behalf of Naruto.

"He's fine. A few cuts and some small bruising but he's fine. He passed out when Naruto's chakra left. I was worried he'd be hurt."

"Good, I owe that kid some ramen and all the dango he can eat," Kiba said, a bit happy that Jiraiya was okay.

"Good idea, he's been worried sick," she chuckled, helping Kiba up to the top of the arena.

Kiba was breathing a little harshly, his chest hurting slightly. "Huh," he sighed, standing straight up to stretch. "Maybe some food and drink would be a good idea. That climb-."

There was a loud hum at that moment, like the screech of a fog horn. It settled over the arena and then the atmosphere became heavy, tensing the air around them. "Kiba?" Hinata managed to ask, looking around with her byakugan. Kiba felt weak, his body nearly giving out on him as he slid to the ground.

"What-?" Hinata asked but the humming stopped and the pressure started to lift, slowly at first but then it completely disappeared. Hinata stood frozen, staring down into the arena. Kiba, who was on the floor catching his breath tried to crane his neck to see, but all he could see was Hinata's now worried face.

"Hinata? Hinata, what is it?"

"I… I don't know yet. Kiba, listen to me carefully. Do not overreact," she urged, holding her hand out for him. "I am not sure if it is really what it appears to be, but you need to look."

Kiba nodded, grabbing her hand and forcing himself to stand. He almost fell over again when he saw what she was looking at. There, lying in the exact same spot Kiba had been was a small white body. It was all white, the limbs stretching out in odd places and a splatter, of what looked like blood, covered half of it.

"What is that?" Kiba asked, sniffing the air.

Hinata activated her byakugan again, staring intently at the body. She gasped suddenly and then looked over at Kiba, concentrating hard on his chest.

"What?" he asked, watching her cautiously.

"That Alpha chakra, inside… did you give it to Yuka?" Hinata asked, her eyes coming up to his face.

"What?"

"Did you give it to Yuka. It's a simple question," Hinata urged, becoming a bit impatient.

"Yes, I gave her some because that's what happens when an Alpha chooses a life partner," Kiba admitted, a bitter tone in his voice. "What does that have to do with that thing?" Kiba asked, pointing down at the arena floor.

At this Hinata laughed out loud, her eyes wide with amusement. Kiba watched her horrified. He didn't know what had come over her to where she would laugh in his face.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Kiba asked, his eyes narrowing.

Hinata just waved her hand, pointing down at the arena floor again. "Kiba, she did it. I don't know how but she did it. She's alive! Look!" Hinata urged, moving down the arena steps quickly. Kiba followed as best he could, his eyes never leaving the white body on the floor.

As he fell over the side of the arena and started moving toward the body, Hinata slowed her pace, stopping only feet from it. It wasn't a body at all, at least not to Kiba. It looked like a blob of paste, something white and thick that had bulged out in all which ways. However, what drew Kiba's eye immediately was the red blood they had seen. It wasn't blood at all. All over one side of the white blob sprouted crimson red hairs. They were long, some sticking out in curls and some lying flat.

"Yuka?" Kiba said, immediately dropping to his knees next to the tangle of hair. "Hinata! Is that Yuka? What do you see?"

"I think it's her. I can't tell… she's encased in this stuff. I don't know what it is but we have to get it off of her. Her chakra is dwindling as we speak."

"How do you know it's her?" Kiba urged, starting to tear off the white paste like material. He started revealing more hair and soon a pale hand.

"I don't, but the Alpha chakra is there. I can see yours and I can see hers. Their identical markers that cannot be replicated," Hinata explained, grabbing more and more paste to tear it off. After a few moments Yuka's hand, arm, shoulder, and head were uncovered, Kiba grabbing her around her shoulders to pull her out. It took some struggle, Hinata using her chakra to eat away the paste that held her. Eventually her whole body was uncovered from the paste, Hinata immediately setting the paste aflame with a paper bomb.

"Yuka?" Kiba begged, trying to listen to her heart beat. "Yuka?"

"She's unconscious Kiba," Hinata pointed. "We should get her to the infirmary. I can take a look at her but we'll really need Ino to do a full look at her. We have to make sure this is really Yuka before bringing her back to the village. Many people will be extremely angry."

"It is her, Hinata," Kiba said, his eyes searching hers. "Her scent is the same, you said it yourself that you saw the Alpha chakra… why are you hesitating?"

"Because I'm no expert; this could be a trap set by Orochimaru."

Kiba paused, looking down at Yuka's pale face. He wanted to believe it was her, wanted to hold her until she woke up but Hinata was right. He had no way of knowing. Her seal to mask her scent could counter his nose instantly. And her expertise in seals alone hides anything from Hinata's byakugan.

"You're right," Kiba said, letting go of Yuka's hand. He grabbed her around her waist and hoisted her up over his shoulder, with some problems.

"Kiba! Don't, let's just call in the medics. You'll hurt yourself if you try to carry her."

"I don't care, she needs help and I won't let her just lay in front of me and die… I already let that happen once. I won't make that mistake again," Kiba urged.

"Stay here," she insisted. "I'll be right back with Daisuke and whoever else I can find to help." At that she disappeared up the steps and out of the arena.

"Yuka?" Kiba called, moving to kneel again. "Yuka?" He asked, moving so that he was sitting, cradling her back and neck in his arms. She didn't stir, her eyes firmly closed. Kiba stroked the side of her face watching her closely. It had to be her. There was no way to replicate the chakra, it was true but he wasn't exactly sure what Orochimaru was capable of.

Kiba placed his hand on her forehead now, funneling what small amount of chakra he had left into her body. If it was her the Alpha chakra will activate, hopefully waking her.

After a moment, Kiba's eyes never leaving her face, she began to breath deeper, the muscles in her face twitching. She slowly opened her eyes, focusing on Kiba's face.

"K-Kiba?" she asked, her eyes going slightly wide. "Are we… dead?"

"No," he breathed, the relief evident in his voice. "Yuka, Kame Yuka, I thought you were dead. I…," he grabbed a hold of her tighter, pulling her to his body hungrily. "Never do that again, ever."

She paused a moment and then wrapped her arms around his torso, her tears wetting his jacket. "Kiba," she whimpered, holding him desperately. "Kiba, I was so scared of loosing you. I had to come back. I had to see you again."

"Shh…" he hushed, cradling the back of her head to his shoulder. "I'll never let you go again." Tears had started welling in his own eyes, his arms never wanting to unlock. He had Yuka in his arms, something he wanted more than anything only an hour ago. It was more than difficult to hold in his tears.

"Kiba," she cried into his jacket, her arms clutching at his chest. "Kiba…I love you." She pulled back a bit before catching his face in her hands. He looked at her only a moment before their lips met in the most passionate kiss they'd ever shared. He didn't even know how to explain the happiness that flooded him. Yuka never wanted to break the kiss, her hands never wanting to unthread from his unruly brown locks. It was only after they heard someone cough did they pull away, both red in the face.

"Yuka-chan," Hinata said, a smile on her face. "Is it really you?"

"Even if it wasn't," Daisuke said, looking at her wearily. " She wouldn't just come out and tell you, Hinata-sama."

"True," Yuka said, looking down at the ground. "You need to be sure. Where is Ino-chan?"

"On her way with Neji," Hinata admitted, her eyes watching Yuka cautiously. "How did you escape?"

"When I performed the seal it destroyed his body, his soul attempting to attach to my body," Yuka explained. "He tried to trap me in his ultimate genjutsu but the Alpha chakra overpowered his control. I killed him with my own two hands."

"Convenient," Daisuke said. Kiba glared at him before the young Inuzuka bowed, his eyes never leaving Yuka. "When Ino and Neji get here we will know for sure if you're really Yuka-chan."

"Daisuke," Kiba growled. "She is your Alpha. I don't need to remind you of what happens when you challenge that…"

"No, Kiba-sama," Daisuke assured. "But I don't need to remind you that it is the clan's job to protect one another, including the Alpha. I won't make that mistake again."

"Just settle down," Hinata said, holding up her arms. "We will know in time."

Kiba just held Yuka close, moving to stand up so they were holding one another. Hinata watched them closely, Daisuke keeping his distance in case of an ambush by either Yuka or Kiba. He knew better than to anger the Alpha. After a few more minutes they could hear Ino's voice from above.

"Honestly, Neji… you and TenTen keep everything secret," she pouted. "It's no fun! Choji and I like to keep our love life fresh, fun…"

"Ah, so you're finally with Choji then?" Neji asked, entering the arena behind her and following her down the stairs.

Ino just blushed, her eyes finding Kiba and Yuka standing down in the arena. She immediately walked over to them, her eyes narrowing slightly. "It looks like Yuka-chan," Ino pointed. "But is it?" She immediately placed her hand on Yuka's forehead and with a quick burst of chakra, Yuka's eye's had closed and her body went limp.

"What the hell?" Kiba growled, holding Yuka up. "What's the big idea Yaminaka?!"

"We need to transport her to the hospital, where my equipment is," Ino said, waving for Daisuke and Neji to put her on the stretcher they brought. "I can do that a lot easier if she's unconscious."

"Kiba, just let her do her job," Neji urged, moving Yuka onto the stretcher and away from Kiba. Kiba just glared before walking over to it and grabbing Yuka's hand.

"Fine, let's go then so we can finally put all this behind us," Kiba said, watching as Ino and Hinata made their way up the stairs. It would be a long, tense trip back to the village.


Please don't forget to review if you like what you've read. Or don't like it. :D Either way.