And…still not the end yet! Here's another chappie, and it's not too long, not too short…my average length I'm pretty sure. But I don't really know. Either way, I hope you like this one!
Chapter 17
The Beginning of Something Bigger
They hit the ground with a hard thump again.
"Why didn't we see that coming this time…" Sasuke grunted as he got to his feet. The others did also, rubbing their knees, arms and heads from the impact. They looked around to see that they were in the courtyard of Konoha Village High.
"We're back!" Ino said gratefully, pinching herself to see if it was true. It was. They had returned home.
"What time is it?" Tenten asked. Neji looked at his watch. His eyes widened.
"By this time, it would be…only 6th bell." His voice was full of confusion. Everyone was dumbfounded.
"What?" Hinata asked. "That means we were only gone for…an hour?" Everyone looked at one another questioningly.
"I guess time goes by slower in the dark world." Shikamaru said. They all nodded.
"Maybe, but its still so weird." Ino bit her lip.
"Well, let's recap on what's happened today," said Kiba, pretending to think. "We have been taken to a dark world, been beaten up by the dark forces, almost killed by a giant monkey, serviced by the figures of our past selves, took down the forces of evil by fighting with combined elemental powers, and shattered the future of evil. You think we haven't seen weird already?" Everyone laughed. Still the same old Kiba.
"Let's go inside," sighed Sakura, walking to the doors. "I'm sure we've probably been accused of skipping class." They all sighed. They save the butts of humanity, and earn a detention. What a jip.
However, when they entered the building, everything was askew and kids were on the floor, though alive, and others were running around frantically in confusion, as if something big had just taken place.
"Children!" they were all swept up into a backbreaking hug, given by none other than Tsunade. "My goodness, I was wondering where you ran off to! Something very odd just took place!" She released and the children looked around. They could tell something odd had definitely taken place.
"You see, a few minutes after lunch, the sky grew very dark, and the earth began to shake, as if it were a great earthquake. It felt for a moment like the world was coming to an end. Then just as fast, it all disappeared, like it had- oh my!" Tsunade had looked the kids up and down. "You kids are covered in dirt…and you're all wounded! What on earth happened to you while you were skipping class?" The teens all shared a look.
"Let's just say…we were catching up with some old friends." Neji said, smiling. Tsunade looked at them all with a raised eyebrow. She could tell there was something they were all hiding. Even so, she did not care to get into it.
"Ah, I see. Teenagers…" she sighed as she walked away, stepping over the fallen books and shelves as she went.
The teens walked back out the doors. They did not wish to get caught up in all of the "earthquake" fuss. Returning back to the courtyard, they all sat on the benches that were placed in a circle around the Konoha symbol that was in the courtyard ground.
"So," Tenten sat on her hands and swung her feet back and forth. "Just think. Had we not succeeded when we did, this world would have taken an even bigger hit." At this, they all looked at the half torn down school. They had no idea why they hadn't noticed the torn roof and trees before, but they were too lost in happiness of being home.
"You're right." Ino smiled. "But I can't help but think…" she said. They looked at her. "What's left for us now that we've accomplished our 'inevitable destinies'?" she asked everyone. They all looked down. No one knew how to answer it since none of them had families to go back to or any more obligations to fulfill.
"It may sound weird…but just live the normal teenage life." The voice came behind them. It was familiar. Very familiar. They all slowly turned. They rubbed their eyes to see if what they had laid eyes on was true.
"Gaara?" Ino exclaimed, jumping up from the bench, wrapping up Gaara in a hug. Gaara didn't like hugs, but he let this one slide.
"But I though you were…?" Hinata began, standing up also.
"Dead?" Gaara asked. "You see, I thought so too. But when you fulfilled the significant portion of the prophecy, my death was not in vain. I was granted my life back." The teen's mouths hung open.
"By who?" Tenten asked skeptically. For just about the first time, Gaara grinned.
"I think you know who." He told them. This time, the teens grinned and looked up to the sky. They knew exactly who.
"We're so glad you're alive! But now what are you going to do about your former alias, Akio?" Sakura asked him curiously.
"All taken care of. I left a note with Tsunade explaining Akio's relocation." Gaara told them as he took off his gourd so he could take a seat on a bench. "For all the school knows, my former alias Akio is on the edge of the rain country learning to grow herbs of life."
"What are herbs of life?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.
"Exactly." Gaara answered. They all chuckled.
After talking a bit, and getting to know Gaara instead of simply the true alias of Akio, Gaara stood up and put his gourd back on.
"I must leave now. I have to do something…but remember. You need to do something too." Gaara turned his back and began walking.
"Wait!" called Sasuke. "What do you mean we need to do something too?" he asked Gaara. Gaara stopped but remained facing away.
"There is still a part of the prophecy that remains unfulfilled." Gaara answered back. He began walking again. He smiled to himself as he went. They will find out what soon. Without realizing it, but…they will know.
"What do you suggest he means by that?" Shikamaru asked. They all shrugged.
"Beats me." Tenten said as she tiredly dropped back onto a bench. "But all I really want to do now is take a warm bath or something." She leaned her head back as she looked to the sky.
"She's right," said Ino, looking her friends and herself up and down. "We need to clean up our wounds before they get infected." They all nodded. Neji laughed softly.
"You girls," he shook his head. "Always concerned about your looks." The girls turned red.
"It's not that…it's just that…" Tenten stuttered in defense. Neji held a hand up to hush her.
"I know," he said smiling. Tenten turned redder and looked away in embarrassment.
"But we really must go clean up." Hinata reasoned, trying to brush through her tangled hair with her fingers.
"Fair enough," sighed Sasuke as he got up and stretched. "We're gonna need to clean up too." Everyone got up.
"But after that…" Naruto said bashfully, looking at the ground, something that was unlike Naruto. "Can we see you girls again? Like, tonight?" The rest of the boys put their hands in their pockets and also looked at the ground. This made the girls smile.
Kiba, upon watching this, faced the rest of the fellowship.
"Looky here, fellas," he hitched his thumb back at the chemistry forming behind him. "Looks like things are finally heating up with these guys. I think we better…you know…give them some time." The rest of the fellowship knew what he meant and nodded.
"After all," said Shino. "They need to." Kiba nodded.
"That's right. So we better get going (AN: that was foreshadow, not incoherent writing)." Kiba winked and the fellowship began to walk off.
"Wait!" Sakura called to them. They stopped and looked back.
"Thanks you guys." She said. "We could not have done any of it without you." They all nodded in agreement.
"Aw, shucks." Kiba said, giving a half smile. "Anytime. We just need to go…um…to the place. Keep us posted. See you guys later!" He said rather quickly, before he and the rest of the fellowship walked away faster, as if trying to avoid any more interruptions. The teens stared off after them.
"What's with everyone?" Ino asked in a peculiar tone. "They keep running off as if…"
"…As if they want us to be alone?" Shikamaru finished for her. Ino looked at him.
"Yeah." She said quietly. A silence followed.
"So…um…we better get going." Tenten said as the girls began to back away then walk out of the courtyard. The boys looked after them, smiling. Even covered in soot and blood, the girls appeared flawless to them.
With the girls…
The girls walked, kicking stones as they went. They recalled just that morning when they were walking the opposite way on that very sidewalk, unaware of the events they were to undergo within hours. The moment they met the first ally of the prophecy. In all, just…the beginning of the worst day of their lives.
Or was it the best?
The girls could not figure out which. Aside from that, they also did not know to think of it as the end of something big…or the beginning of something bigger. They chose to find out.
"So…about Neji…" Tenten began, choosing to break the silence.
"And Shikamaru…" followed Ino.
"Sasuke…" Sakura continued.
"…Naruto." Hinata said softly. A small pause came after, before they all spoke at once.
"I think I-" they stopped mid sentence when they noticed themselves all speaking at once.
"Um, you guys first?" Tenten offered. The girls all looked away.
"No you." Sakura said in muffled tone.
"Never mind it." Said Hinata and Ino quickly. For an odd reason, none of them wanted to admit 'it' just yet. A silence rose again.
As the girls walked, they noticed something different from that morning, and it wasn't just their direction and destination. As if all thinking the same thing, they all looked down at their ankles. There were no marks to be seen.
As ending-ish as this seems right now, it's not the end just yet. To make up for the lack of romance in the last couple chapters, the next one will be completely dedicated to the couples. I hope you like you the story is turning out. Thanks everyone!
