Epilogue

Dear Obaa-san,

How are you doing? It's been a while since we spoke or anything, huh? I hope that you haven't drunk yourself into a stupor because of what happened nearly three years ago. Let me first say that I don't blame you for my banishment. You were forced to make that decree, I understand that. Either way, I'm writing this letter to let you know that I'm safe and sound, since you're probably already checking out what happened in Shimo no Kuni. To answer your question: yes, I was involved in that battle. All I can say is that I managed to take down two more members of Akatsuki, with some help from their original target. Don't worry, she's safe now, but I can only pray that she keeps a low profile from now on.

XXX

Yayoi and her men were getting ready to make plans to begin their guerrilla attacks on the Gashira clan. With some help from the citizens and shinobi that were secretly against the Gashira in Kumo, the resistance managed to arm themselves with a decent amount of weapons and armor. As they were discussing strategies, a cloaked figure entered their field. They were about to kill the intruder, when they managed to get a good look at who the newcomer was. To their surprise, they saw that it was none other than Yugito! She gave Yayoi a catty smile and asked what was up. Yayoi stared at her friend in disbelief, unshed tears building up in her eye, before she launched herself at Yugito and embraced the blond in a tight hug.

XXX

As to who were the two Akatsuki operatives that we dealt with, you can talk to Shibuki and someone from Yu no Kuni for information. Either way, they're gone now; hopefully this will send the Akatsuki underground for a while. If you don't already know by now, I helped hide the Gobi no Iruka-Uma and the Sanbi no Kyodaigame. It should be impossible for Akatsuki to find the two of them, since I took some extra precautions in hiding them.

XXX

The Gobi was enjoying his seclusion within the land of Numa no Kuni. There was an abundance of food, and plenty of room to move around. And with the barrier and traps that Naruto had placed around his new home, the Akatsuki wouldn't be finding him any time soon. Feeling particularly lazy at the moment, he decided to get some sleep for the rest of the day.

XXX

On the other side of the world, a crew watched in awe as their ship sailed side by side by a huge, one-eyed turtle. The large creature looked at them curiously for a while, before it submerged completely. The ship rocked a little, but the sea remained calm. After a tense moment of waiting, they figured that the giant turtle wasn't going to resurface. The crew was ecstatic, they couldn't wait to get to port and tell everyone about what they witnessed.

XXX

So, just to let you know, you don't need to worry about them anymore. Well, I guess that's all I wanted to say. To tell the truth, this is actually a good-bye letter. By the time you read this, I'll be going deeper off the grid. I think it would be for the best, as I don't know if my latest action would stop the Akatsuki from hunting me or the others for long. Either way, I think that it would be safer if I just vanished for a while. I just wanted to let you know that I'm alright, and that I don't blame you for how things turned out back at Konoha. You were like the annoying aunt that I never had, but you still cared a great deal for me. I'll always remember that and cherish the time we had, no matter how short it was. Just stick with the job Obaa; it'll get better for you as time goes on.

With love,

Uzumaki Naruto

XXX

Naruto looked over the ruins of Uzushiogakure no Sato. He was a little disheartened by the destruction he saw, yet he felt complete in being here. This was the home country of his mother, whom he still knew nothing about. Despite the fact that Uzushiogakure was now a desolate ruin, it was the land where his clan originated. With a sigh, he flexed his back, making it pop, before he made his way further into the ruins, which were now going to be his new home.

XXXXX

Authors' Notes: Well, here's the end. Thanks again to Toa Naruto for his help and I hope you enjoyed this story. Again, look out for the new book, 'Journey Through the Mist', the next story in 'Mizukage'. Have a Happy New Year!