Epilogue ~The End~

Naeko sniffed silently, burrying her face in her pillow as she tried to sleep. She was back. Everyone was back, except Sanako.

She was happy about the fact that she will be able to live in the world she longed to live in, with a brother who needed her and another one whom she needed.

The thought of Shun made her think how he would be feeling, afterall Sanako was his real mother.

Naeko tried to shove all the begative feelings out but she was having a hard time. Day after; they would be leaving the village for training, she thought, diverting her mind. Wonder when will I see everyone. Thankgod Shun will be with me.

Naeko closed her eyes and mumbled to herself. If only Sanako was there to help me sleep, she thought.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, she felt a hand stroke the back of her head. Startled, she quickly turned around getting wind up in the sheets only to see Gaara sitting silently beside her, on the bed.

The sight of him triggered Naeko's tear glands and she hugged him tightly. Right, he was there.

The whole night Gaara carressed her and made her go to sleep. She leaned her head forward abd slept peacefully on his lap. Gaara couldn't help but stare at her all night. This was the first time he wasn't sleeping after the removal of Shukaku from him. He felt that he couldn't leave her so ungaurded.

On the other hand, Shun lay awake on his futon besides Naruto's bed. Naruto was soundly sleeping, shutting out the whole world.

Shun was in deep thoughts, reminiscising the moments with Sanako and Naeko. He never wanted to leave the world he grew up in but he couldn't leave Naeko alone.

He got up and moved out into the veranda. The cool night breeze did nothing to soothe him up in an alien surrounding. He looked to his right and saw Naeko's door wide open. What is she doing? he thought and leapt into her veranda.

He was going to make his way inside but stopped. Yuki was pulling on his legs and moving its head as if telling him to stop. At first he didn't understand why but then he saw her, holding Gaara's hand as she slept. He took a step back and slumped down on the floor, resting his head in his hands.

Yuki leapt up to stanf on Shun's shoulder and then licked him on his cheeks. He was startled at the act like that of a dog but didn't make any effort to shove it off, instead he stroked it and made it purr.

The saliva of the cat made Shun's scar burn. He returned back to his futon and tucked himself up. No amount of splashing cold water was helping it to soothe.

Yuki stood on guard until he was fadt asleep.

The next day, everyone woke up with the same feeling of nostalgia. Naeko woke up to find Gaara still with her.

"Oh my god, did you stay awake the whole night?" she blushed as she jumped out of the bed.

Since Gaara didn't say anything she took it as a yes and told him to get a little bit sleep.

"No, I now need to go back to my Village." he said in a deep voice.

Naeko thought that his voice being deep and bold was sexy and couldn't make out what he said.

"Uh?" she said looking apologetically.

Gaara sighed and got up. He glided towards Naeko and kissed her on her forehead making Naeko go red at his sudden movement.

She put out her hands and slapped her forhead in embaressment.

"What was that for?"

"I am going back." he said, "I hope to see you soon."

Naeko saw as he opened the door and stepped outside, "Stay strong."

Naeko ran after him but he was already off in the air. She waved frantically and shouted, "Same to you! See you soon!" she paused and then quickly added, "I like you Gaara kun! Don't forget me!" At this, Gaara chuckled and was soon out of sight.

Feeling content with herself and finally letting go off her feelings she turned around...just to face Shun.

"Are you done," he asked, "yet?"

Naeko looked at him curiously and studied his face. "What's up with the bandage?"

"Huh? I was going to ask you that!" he said, touching the part of his face which was previously scarred and was now bandaged. "I thought you put it on me when I was asleep!"

"Huh? Why would I?"

"Because you said so back when you first saw it..." Shun mumbled and started to peel it off.

"Does it hurt? The scar?" Sakura's voice startled him. Sakura came with a basket full of fruits and canned foods.

"Uh. No, it doesn't."

"Just as I thought, keep it on." she said, coming closer to Shun and examining the bandage.

"It's funny that you don't know who put it on you," she paused, "but whoever did, first treated you well."

"Treated me?"

"Treated him?" Both Shun and Naeko questioned.

"Yes." Sakura said. "The scar was given to him by the person who rescued us and according to the research done on his scar, it was a person from Kirã clan."

"Kirã clan?"

"Yes, they were Killers. Special assassins." Sakura said, handling the basket to Naeko. "But they were supposed to be finished by now."

Naeko's eyes grew wider with curiosity. "Do you know something else about these Killers?" she asked excitedly.

"Unfirtunately, no but I have heard that they had special abilities to transform and they used their own body to poison others."

"Own body?" Shun furrowed his eyebrow, "like that person used his nails? Do you know anything else?"

"Uhmn..." Sakura denied, "but maybe Tsunade sama does."

--XxXxX--

At noon when Naeko found herself getting bored, she decided to visit the Hokage and ask about the killers.

She got ready in her green and black clothes and put on her head band. I didn't have to go through all the tests to be a Genin. She thought and grinned. Ah...such priviledge.

She skipped all through her way and enjoyed looking at every building and shops. She even thought of buying a little something for everyone but voted against it. She needed to save, she wasn't rich here.

She reached her destination an hour later than the actual time. She had taken a long detour and had even forgotten her way when she bumped into Kakashi sensei who guided her.

Naeko was about to knock on the door when a few men came hurrying past her and entered Tsunade's room. They were carrying a pétite girl in their arms and she was injured.

Something in the way she looked felt familiar to Naeko and so she also went inside, after the others.

The small girl wore a pair of glasses and had made twin tails out of her long purple hair. She looked thirteen or fourteen and was worn out and unconscious. Do I know her? Naeko thought.

"Ma'am, we found her outside the village gates."

"Who is she?" Tsunade demanded.

"Before she fainted she told us that her name is Inoue Hana," one of the two men said, "but she does not belong to our village."

Inoue Hana? Naeko tried to remember. Nah, doesn't ring a bell.

Seeing that Tsunade was busy, Naeko thought it was the best to leave her alone and get things ready for her training journey. Before she left, she heard Tsunade command the two men to take the child to the hospital.

Tsunade sat in her chair looking at some of the documents after sending the child off to the hospital. She was tired and didn't had a wink of sleep last night.

She took a sip from her cup when she saw the door creak and open a little. Whits paws made their way in and then the body of a white cat.

Tsunade immediately put down the cup and stood up. "Who are you?" she asked.

Yuki gracefully walked in and then started to glow. Tsunade crossed her arms in front of her chest and waited.

The tiny figure elongated and a full shaped body of a girl appeared. She had short blue hair which reached right above her neck, enought to frame her face from both the sides. She had a long slender body and sharp eyes. On her back was a sign of an owl with wings, ears and tails.

"So... you were the mysterious saviour." Tsunade remarked, looking at the mark, "Miss Kirã."

The girl shaked her head and opened her mouth and with silvery voice she revealed her identity,

"Moeru Kasai." she said, "commonly known as Z."

_____________________________________

A/N

Finally finished! This marks the end of Euphoria: Naruto fanfic, Book 1 of Ethereal Series! Do not forget to VOTE!

I hope you enjoyed the book. It is a humble request from me to please take out a little time and comment a few words about what you feel about the overall story.

Thanx alot!

Turn the page for OC facts.

P.S. Thanx for sticking with me till the end ^^
Also, I posted a new fanfic called Naruto: The Fate of An Uzumaki. I hope you all would check it out!

~Sassy