Bright

Epilogue

-Akari-

I stood over a knocked out Tenten and fought back the tears that were threatening to spill over. I reached into her pouch knowing she had an empty scroll in there. That was just who she was, she always carried around an empty scroll and ink to write with. Sasuke made his way back up the top, the rain was beginning to pour down so I hurried up so it wouldn't smudge.

"Shikamaru, Chōji, Shino, Hinata, Neji, Kiba, and Tenten... May our paths cross again one day." I wrote on one part, then on the other..
"Naruto, this is not the end of us, that whole twin bond thing."

I wish I had more time to leave notes for everyone else. For Kurenai and Kakashi, but I just didn't. We had to get going. I looked down at Naruto and back at Sasuke.

"Is he dead?" I whispered.

"No, I refuse to follow the path of my brother, I will find my own way to obtain that power." Sasuke reassured me and I just nodded.

"That was the first time I was ever able to control myself while being in full nine tails mode, I am already getting stronger." Sasuke looked at me with a face that showed me he finally understood everything.

"Naruto, does he possess the nine tails?" Sasuke questioned and I looked at him and nodded.

"We both do, lucky for you though, you have the yin part on your side." I nudged Sasuke.

"Come on, we have to get going."

Sasuke interlocked our fingers and began leading the way. I looked at two of the people who meant the most to me, and nodded. Sasuke and I crossed the border, knowing now they couldn't get to us anymore. Our paths will cross again everyone, I am sure of it. Right now though, I had to help this friend.

—Kiba POV—

I woke up in my hospital room and looked over to see Hana working on Akamaru. When did we get back here? The last thing I remembered was that puppet guy from the Sand Village, and then it all went black. We were home, did that mean everyone made it home? Was the mission successful.

"Well sis how is he?" I finally spoke to Hana, and she glanced at me before looking back at Akamaru.

"Well, there won't be any long walks for awhile." Hana told me and I panicked a minute.

"What? Is there not anything else you can do? You're a vet!"

"Not a miracle worker, nothing is critical he just needs rest." Hana reassured me and I accepted defeat, and then a bit of pain shot through my body and I let out a small cry of pain, "No long walks for you either for awhile."

I chuckled a little at her comment but just nodded my head. Then finally it clicked in my head.

"Where's Akari?!" I exclaimed, and Hana's face automatically dropped but she forced it into a small smile.

"I'll go grab your teammates." Hana walked out of my room, and almost instantly Hinata, Shino, and Kurenai walked in. Hinata's eyes looked as if she had been crying endlessly. Kurenai looked stressed out. I couldn't really tell what Shino was feeling due to his face being covered, but I could tell that the news I was about to receive wasn't good news.

"Kiba, we know you tried, but-" Kurenai started and I just shook my head.

"If I would of never called her those damn words." I mumbled, "Maybe if I could of talked to her instead of Tenten, maybe I could of stopped her."

"Kiba you can't-"

"Please Hinata, just don't, can all of you leave for right now?"

All of Team 8 looked at me with a sad look on their faces but nodded. They all exited my room. As soon as they clicked the door shut though it was open again. In walked Shikamaru, supporting a mummy looking Naruto. I looked at the two of them before turning my head out towards the window.

"Our mission failed." Shikamaru finally spoke, after he set Naruto down on the edge of my bed.

"I had a hunch." I mumbled sarcastically, and Naruto began shaking.

"Kiba, we cant give up on her." Naruto spoke his voice was quiet but confident.

"Naruto she left the village, both her and Sasuke beat you and Tenten to almost nothing." Shikamaru spoke and I felt my eyes widen in shock.

"They both had the perfect opportunities to kill the two of us, they didn't though, they left us there, they let us live." Naruto argued, "We can't give up on her! Shikamaru you saw the note that was left for all of us! Our paths will cross again! Does that sound like a girl who would turn her back on us forever?"

"Naruto, you guys have that weird twin sense thing going on right?" I asked, and both he and Shikamaru looked at me before a second before a smirk spread across Shikamaru's face.

"I mean it's a myth but yeah I guess you could say that."

"Well with that, and my sense of smell, we will bring her home one day, it's up to the three of us."

Naruto and Shikamaru looked at me before they both nodded their heads.

I'll see you again Akari, I promise.

Our story is not over yet.