Author's Notes: I'd like to thank everyone for the support you've shown me since I submitted the very first chapter of this story. Once again, I never thought it would be as well recieved as it was, it being my first venture here. 20+ reviews, all positive, just blows me away.You're all #1 in my book, and I look forward to writing more fanfiction on this site. Since this is the epilogue, this will be the true last chapter, so I hoped you enjoyed this fic. Now to answer a reader's question, Ginsu prefers to be called Numbuh 3-0 because it's alot easier to say 3-0 than to say those three 0's individually in his true Numbuh, which is 000. By the way, sorry about the long wait. Between this site being down and my computer going on the fritz, it's been a long and rough road for this chapter. Enjoy!

CODENAME: Kids Next Door

"OPERATION: N.I.N.J.E.R.K."

Nearly Invincible Ninja Joins Enemies Rivaling Kids

Epilogue: "Horizons"

A week had passed since the incident at the Delightful's residence. Life for the Kids Next Door had returned to the normalcy of saving children from oppressive adults and battling those who supported them to extreme measures. Missions were carried out as they usually were, stands against adults had been made, and enemies were defeated. Aside from the absence of the meddling Delightful Children from Down the Lane, who were grounded by Father for an unknown length of time as punishment for blowing up one half of their house and freezing the other half solid, it was as if nothing had ever happened. Deep down in the hearts of the Kids Next Door, however, that was not true. The five young operatives mourned for their fallen friend who, in the beginning, had tried to destroyed them, yet ended up sacrificing is own life to save them instead. "Once a Kid Next Door, always a Kid Next Door." Numbuh 4 had said during a small memorial service held in Ginsu's honor. Each one of them held a special place in their hearts for the young ninja that ended his own life to preserve the lives of his former allies, but none were a big as Numbuh 3's. She was the only one who truly understood Ginsu's pain and helped him see the error of his ways. Because of this, Numbuh 3 would always remember Ginsu not as an enemy, but as a kindred spirit.

One Friday afternoon, the Kids Next Door has just returned from rescuing a 6th grade classroom from detention after their maniacal teacher blamed them for a whoopy cushion he himself planted on his own chair. Tired and satisfied, the five of them celebrated with a pack of soda pop and an action/adventure movie marathon on television. However, movies wouldn't be what the Kids Next Door would be watching as they soon discovered. As the opening credits of the first movie began to roll, an unexpected but familiar figure appeared on the 60-inch television screen against a backround resembling the inside of a traditional Japanese dwelling.

"KONNICHIWA!!!" cried the upper body of Ginsu as he held up a peace sign with his left hand. Soda of various flavors gushed into the air in fountains as the five operatives screamed and launched themselves over the back of the red couch they were sitting on. "AHHHHH!!! A GHOST!!!" shrieked Numbuh 2 in an uncharacteristically high-pitched feminine voice. The image of Ginsu on the television waved his hands back and forth as his eyes grew wide. "No no no! It's me! Numbuh 3-0, remember??" he said, trying to calm his friends. Slowly, they peeked their heads out from behind the couch. Numbuh 1 was first to rise to his feet and first to speek. "Ginsu?! Numbuh 000?! But... but... I thought... we ALL thought that--" "I was blown to kingdom come? Not quite." the young ninja interrupted, a green scarf once again hiding his face and his smirk. The rest of the Kids Next Door stood up and stared at the television screen in disbelief. "Hey, wait a second! I saw that lab blown to bits with my own two eyes! How'd you manage to get outta' somethin' like THAT?!" Numbuh 4 said with his arms crossed. "Yeah... that's what Numbuh 5 would like to know." joined Numbuh 5 as she lifted her cap slightly and shot Ginsu an odd look. "... Ginsu's... alive?" murmured Numbuh 3, her eyes wide. The young shinobi winced as he held up his right arm to the screen, which was held in a sling and a cast. "I wouldn't say it was easy." snorted Ginsu. "Anyway, you don't seem very happy to see me, so I guess this is the part where I should apologize..." "No you don't, silly!" chimed Numbuh 3 with a smile. "You already said you're sorry when you saved us!" The group looked at Numbuh 3 strangely at first, until Numbuh 2 spoke up. "Well, she does kind of have a point. Ginsu wouldn't have saved us if he wasn't sorry." The others nodded. "And it's not that we're not happy to see you Numbuh 3-0. It's just that... well... we never really expected to see you for... umm... awhile." said Numbuh 1 as he rubbed the back of his bald head uncomfortably. "Yeah. Like never." added Numbuh 4, just before Numbuh 5 nudged him in the gut with her elbow. "I understand. I guess I would feel a little awkward if I were in your place. I mean, I DID try to eliminate you guys, and here I am after that explosion... yeah. I'd feel a tad awkward to." Ginsu nodded. The Kids Next Door laughed nervously. "So... not to be rude or anything Numbuh 3-0, but... just how did you escape from that explosion?" Numbuh 1 asked as an eyebrow rose from behind his sunglasses. Ginsu laughed and crossed his arms. "It's a funny story, actually." "We'd love to hear it Ginsu!" cried Numbuh 3, who jumped onto the couch and grabbed a bag of popcorn from seemingly out of nowhere.

"Well..." started Ginsu. "Do you all remember the cannon of that big ice beam I chopped off to make that giant eskimo thing short circuit?" After thinking for a moment, the five of them nodded. "I looked everywhere for some kind of exit. I knew there was no way I could make it out in time through the main exit of the laboratory and the house, and the hatch to the emergency elevator the Delightfuls took was sealed shut, so I did the only thing I could do. I crawled inside the cannon, sealed up the ends tightly with two large pieces of ice, and prepared myself for the worst. I broke my arm during the ride, but my last-ditch effort apparently worked since I was still alive when the explosion ended. All I had to do at that point was kick open one end of the cannon, claw my way out from beneath the rubble, grab my scarf, and make a quiet exit before the police could arrive."

"Good story!" giggled Numbuh 3. "So what you're sayin' is, you got outta' that jam outta' pure luck?" said Numbuh 5 with a smirk. "Please. Try to give me some more credit. It was really cold in that cannon, after all." replied Ginsu with a laugh. "Anyway, I'm calling via video phone from Japan. I knew your television had one installed, along with all the other K.N.D. teams worldwide. I'm happy to report that even after my 2 year dissapearance, the old group was more than willing to welcome me back as their stealth and espionage operative. So, try to get into the habit of calling me Numbuh 3-0 from now on." "Will do Numbuh 3-0, and congratulations on coming back over to our side." smiled Numbuh 1 as he held a thumbs-up. "Yeah. I gotta' admit mate, you're pretty tough. If ya' ever come here again, why don't we have another go? I won't be so easy on ya' next time!" said Numbuh 4 as he cracked his knuckles. "Heh. I'll be looking forward to it." the ninja laughed. "But anyway, I have to get going. The team and I are expecting a mission briefing to arrive at any time and I won't look very good being late on my first day of active duty in 2 years. But... before I go, I want to say again that I'm really sorry for trying to hurt you, Kuki." Numbuh 3 smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it Gin-- oops! I mean Numbuh 3-0! You knew what you did was wrong and that's all that matters!" "Yeah, you're right Kuki. My father knew what he was doing when he joined that syndicate. He knew the risks and accepted the fact that they might be his undoing one day. He chose his own path in life and now, I have to do the same. Except I'm going to try to help people, not hurt them like my father did. But I forgive him, like I forgive you Kuki." Numbuh 3-0 said with a glint in his eyes. "Thanks, 3-0!" replied Numbuh 3 with small tears building up in her eyes. Then, with a wave, the young shinobi vanished from the screen and was replaced by the action movie marathon.

No sooner had the television switched back to normal, an alarm went off and red lights began to flash all over the treehouse base. A mission briefing was being recieved. "Aww man. A Kid Next Door's work is neva' done." groaned Numbuh 5 as the group began to head up to mission briefing room. Numbuh 1 smiled. "Quite right Numbuh 5, but at least I'm comforted by the fact that we have millions of friends out there ready to pitch in and help when called for." "Like Numbuh 3-0?" asked Numbuh 3. "Yep, like him." replied Numbuh 2, adjusting his goggles as he and the others reached the main elevator. "Yeah. But if there's one thing I learned from that 3-0, it's gotta' be this." started Numbuh 4 as he and the others stepped into the elevator, the doors shutting in front of them. "Make sure none of those friends is a crazy ninja tryin' to turn ya' into sushi!"

Numbuh 3 cuffed the Aussie boy in the back of the head loud enough to be heard on the streets. "OW!!! What'd I say?!" he cried.

END TRANSMISSION