Til death and beyond

Peace

Turns out we were just tricked by Kurotsuchi pretending to be Sasuke in order to capture us back, and Deidara had been especially fooled by this illusion. They placed extra constraints on me to make sure I couldn't break out if I transformed in to my cursed seal form again. After that talk I had with Deidara, I just couldn't be mad at him even though he was the reason we were stuck in these puppets again. His impulsiveness is what made us fall, and it was still part of him which I love, for the better or worse.

"Big Bro, you're so gross to do something like that out in the open! Just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't practice some decency. If Gramps had been the one to catch you, he would have used his particle style on your ass..."

"And you pretending to look and sound like Sasuke wasn't such a decent tactic either, hm."

"Well it worked anyway. Don't cause us trouble anymore, okay?" She told him and she was about to leave.

"Kurotsuchi." I called out to her. "Please win this war and take good care of Hiroaki. And when he is old enough to understand... Please tell him that I love him."

"Of course, leave it to us! We'll make sure he gets everything he needs and that he won't turn out as crazy as big bro." She promised and left for real this time.

I heard Deidara scoff but I could only smile, relieved that there were people who could look after Hiroaki.

The fighting went on with the samurai against Kimimaro and Sasori's grandmother but fortunately, Deidara no longer made any snarky comments. I hope he realized I belong to him alone.

"Love, I just thought of a suitable theme for art under these current conditions. Art is indestructible, and will never die!"

"And how does it differ from Sasori's view of art?"

"Well, his view obviously pertains to his creations. I am talking about ideas. Artistic ideas will never die, even if we are already dead, hm!"

"Well, I certainly can agree to that."

"I hope Hiroaki gets to practice a cool art style, hm."

I could hear Kankuro shuffle outside.

"Obviously, I'm not happy that you escaped but I'm glad to see you two made up. And I hope you don't upset your girlfriend again and make her break my puppets."

"She's my wife, hm."

"You're married?!"

"Yeah, our wedding was an artistic spectacle during a solar eclipse on top of a mountain while I filled the sky with explosions and she played music and sung to the heavens, with the sun and the moon as our witness, while she was only wearing lingerie, hm..."

"Uhh..."

"Isn't that right, love? The sun and the moon can testify that we're meant for each other, hm."

I giggled at his silly statement, although I knew he said it more out of spite for Kankuro.

"Ugh, you'll make me puke." He spat out. "Just don't try to break out again, alright? I'll have to get back and help them with Grandma Chiyo..."

Just as he was about to leave, I felt warm and glowing, as if I was released from everything that ever pained me and I could now leave it all behind. I looked down and saw that my whole body was emitting a white silvery glow... was this it? Was I fulfilled? I could go back and rest?

"What's happening?! Are they going to explode?"

I peeked through the hole and saw that the same light emitted from Deidara's puppet... He was going back too!

"I get it... The bookworm's been taken down, hm..."

So someone has finally gotten Kabuto to stop this madness. I wonder who was able to achieve this? Itachi seemed to have an idea of how it works, could it have been him or Nagato? Well, whoever they are, they have my eternal gratitude.

The light grew brighter and brighter until I could see it- the way to the afterlife up in the sky. Home.

"It was just a dud. Don't scare us like that." I heard Kankuro sigh in relief.

Paper fell all around me and I ascended as a spirit, watching the body of a woman drop dead beneath me. I saw Deidara ascending too. His path to the afterlife was shining just like mine. We were finally free.

"Is this it?" He faced me.

I nodded.

"It is. Don't worry, I've already forgiven you for everything."

He smiled at me so warmly, I had already forgiven and forgotten. I loved him. That's all there was.

"Art is indestructible!"

I smiled, so happy that even now, we would ascend together. We kept rising until Kankuro and his team only looked like ants from up here.

At last, I would no longer be controlled. Freedom and peace was here.

"See you on the other side?"

"See you."