Chapter 8 In the End
The air had a feeling of sorrow and moisture to it. Nekki blinked fogginess out of his eyes and head as he awoke. His mouth felt a bit wetter than what he thought it would be. The Asian American coughed vigorously, which brought the kittens running to the sofa.
"Hey you guys," he croaked. They all gave him worried mews and chirps before jumping onto his chest. Nekki grunted from all ten kittens on his abdomen. Konan meowed urgently and leapt off of him.
"What is it, Aoihana?" the blue and green-eyed man asked. She bounded off hurriedly to the guest room and after a few seconds a strawberry-blond emerged with bloodshot eyes. Fresh tears streamed down her rosy cheeks when she saw him.
"You're awake!" Yumi cried as she tackled him into an embrace. "You've been unconscious for a week. I kept thinking you would die any second." she sniffed, while gripping onto his back as though she was afraid he would vanish.
"I'm glad to see you too," the Asian American managed before noticing a plastic tube was sticking out of his arm. "Uum, Yumi? What is this thing?"
"That is a feeding tube," the young woman murmured. "The doctors had a feeling that you would need to get nutrients somehow and put it on you."
"One week?" Nekki exclaimed. He slid a sweaty palm down his face in exasperation. "Have you been okay at work? Has your boss been giving you a hard time?"
"He told me to stay home because I was too 'distracted' to do well," she replied dejectedly. Her boyfriend gasped in sympathy, and then rested his head against hers.
"I'll make it up to you," he cooed and slipped Yumi a soft kiss to her lips. The Asian American placed his hands on her hips while the strawberry-blond in turn caressed his shoulders.
"OH COME ON! REALLY B******S? IS THAT F***ING NECESSARY?" Hidan yowled. He rolled his magenta eyes and let out an annoyed growl.
"F*** off, b****!" Kakuzu hissed as he swatted the sharp-tongued cat across his snout. The dark and light gray feline recoiled with a snarl, raising his hackles in a ferocious stance.
"Okay, okay! We'll stop!" Nekki chuckled. He ruffled the top of the quarreling cats' heads while they mewed in protest.
"Hey, b******! Don't f***ing mess up my head!" Hidan spat. Pein padded up and silenced him with a stern stare, and then cast a surreptitious glance towards Tobi who gave a curt nod.
"It was time we left. We should find a way to get back and forget about all that has happened. Forget our attractions to these people and move on," the orange cat ordered. His gray eyes bore into every member of the Akatsuki's. The message had to be made clear that they must leave.
"But how do we leave Pein-sama, un?" Deidara asked, clearly annoyed with the leader's suggestion.
"We leave the way we leave," Pein mewed curtly. The dappled feline wrinkled his nose at how vague the response was.
"Whatever you say, un," he muttered under his breath.
"That means we have to say goodbye to Nekki and Yumi-chan forever!" Tobi wailed. He whimpered next to the sky-blue eyed cat. His paws half-heartedly batted at Deidara's tail, and he did not even flinch when the blond and brown feline hissed then withdrew his plume. Itachi lowered his head and avoided Pein's hard stare.
"Have you all learned your lesson?" Nekki asked them. The Akatsuki stared dumbfounded that he knew that they had wronged. Even Yumi was surprised.
"What are you talking about?" she asked. The Asian American gave her a reassuring smile, and then knelt to his paroles.
"I knew from the day that you were born that you were special. You all had a reason for ending up here and I have a feeling on what it is. The world where you existed rejected you either because of death, horrendous crimes, or both. To compensate for your sins you were sent here to learn a lesson. I hope you have learned it because you are all too dangerous for this world. I have a feeling that the universe where you belong will welcome you back if you accept your wrongdoings and learn to be better people," he preached. His eyes glittered with a confidence that was hardly seen.
"You are totally insane!" the strawberry-blond yelled and threw her hands up in exasperation. Nekki chuckled in understanding then turned back to the Akatsuki.
"Hey, I'm smarter than I look!" the blue and green-eyed man exclaimed humorously. He stroked all of their backs individually before standing up. "Now think on that for a while. Go ahead and think outside but stay inside the fence," he said as he opened the door.
"Let's discuss this in his yard," Pein ordered. The Akatsuki filed out of the doorway into the crisp snow. The dry air filled their nostrils with strange yet familiar scents.
"It's hard to believe that that serious speech came from the dopiest of people, un," Deidara mewed. His ear flicked in amusement.
"Don't tell me after all of the time we spent with him, you've grown attached to the boy," Itachi chided. He twitched his tail and narrowed his eyes in false sympathy.
"You're one to talk Uchiha b******, un!" the dappled cat hissed, his hackles bristling. The black, white, and crimson feline crouched in a fighting stance, his muzzle curled in a snarl.
"Shut up you b****es! S***, you two f***ing b**** like Kakuzu and me!" Hidan growled.
"Really, brats. My head is already pounding with the anticipation of your arguments," Sasori mumbled.
"This is unlike you Itachi. Normally you keep quiet," Kisame mewed cautiously, flitting his eyes nervously.
"Thank you for your input, but we have more important matters to discuss. What Nekki said seems to be true. Do we all understand that we need to change our morals?" Pein asked. His gray eyes scanned the faces of his comrades.
"Pein-sama, you feel sorry for killing Jiraiya-sensei?" Konan purred. Her mate said nothing his expression as still as stone. After some time, he gave a response.
"Our time with him has indeed changed me. I regret what I had done," orange and cream cat replied. With great surprise, the Akatsuki gasped as their leader became enveloped in mist snaking up his forelegs. It began to thicken as it made its way to his torso.
"Feel the guilt and change!" Pein yowled before the mist completely took over his body muffling his last word. The violet female cried out in alarm as he disappeared with the fog.
"PEIN-SAMA!" she caterwauled.
"Holy Jashin, the b****** was right!" Hidan meowed in horror. Nekki and Yumi burst outside in time to see their orange feline vanish into vapor. The Asian American smiled in understanding, yet tears still fell from his eyes. He wrapped an arm around his girlfriend and held her close to reassure her that this was the right thing.
"Go on you guys, you heard the boss," the blue and green eyed man ushered.
"We need to catch up. I really don't like this form," Zetsu growled.
"You can't leave that way, you have to understand you- ack!" Kisame started before fog curled around him. The blue cat yelped in fear as the mist enveloped his entire existence and disappeared.
"I suppose I can't blame Grandma Chiyo for making me wait," Sasori shrugged. Small specks of vapor dotted his paws and made its way up his legs. The red tabby sighed and mewed, "What I did was wrong and I think I knew that even at my death. I guess that's why I hesitated." The fog quickly took over his body and he disappeared.
"To leave I have to give up Yumi, un? Heh, I can do that 'cause she is all looks, un! I have to admit, it was fun blowing stuff up but I wouldn't have hurt innocents if Uchiha b****** hadn't corrupted me!" Deidara mused. Itachi growled, narrowing his crimson eyes.
"I can't put all of the blame on that jerk though because I did enjoy all of the destruction. I'll admit it, I did a bad thing, un. The best fate for me is to be dead since I am a danger anywhere, un," the dappled cat sighed. Like the others, he too vanished. One by one, the Akatsuki discovered their reason to change and become better beings and went back to their world. All who was left was Tobi.
"Strange how you're the one who's left," Nekki joked. He winked at the black and orange cat while Yumi was left fumbling to figure out what passed between the two organisms. Like an inside joke, Tobi flashed his eyes red before joining the others.
"They'll be fine now and we can live life as normally as possible with them in our hearts," the Asian American assured. Slowly, he ushered his girlfriend inside their house with his arms wrapped around her waist.
"Will you marry me?"
"Yes."