Blood, the crimson red that stained their once white skin poured out of the flesh as though it was never meant to be held in by the skin in the first place. There they laid, eyes glazed over, their breath faint barely there, death was upon them and all I could do was watch, watch as the battle that had taken them forever from me raged on. I crouched over their barely alive bodies, cradling their hands, feeling the last bits of warmth emanating from the skin, knowing this would be the last I saw them, the last time their bodies retained heat. I could not help the tears that gushed out of resolved then and there to always stand my ground and become a strong shinobi, one day become one of the strongest and most feared shinobi out there. I glanced at their bodies once more, watching them take their last breaths of life before sealing away their image forever. Their image would be the reminder I needed to keep going, to push through when I felt like giving up, to hold strong to my resolve.
From that day forth, I would never forget, I would remember them always and the cruel ways of the world we shinobi created. I would remember how quickly a child could come from a loving family and in the blink of an eye be orphaned. I did not realize the distance I was quickly putting between my parents and myself. My thoughts carried me far from where they lay, from their final resting place. I saw nothing but the crimson that still stained my hands, deep and vibrant against my pale skin. The sun had come and gone once before I came to a sudden stop, collapsing to my knees, hard on the dry earth beneath me. My vision had blurred by now, the exposure to the elements for over twenty four hours straight without any sustance taking its toll on me. I could hear the footsteps approaching me, drawing nearer, yet I could not bring myself to move from the position I now found myself in. I could feel his presence as he approached only feet away coming into my line of sight for the first time, the vibrant orange hair grabbing my eyes towards him. He stood before me, eyes wide and sparkling, his smile the most genuine I'd ever seen. It was then, the first time I laid eyes on Yahiko that I knew my life would never be the same.
His arm thrust toward me, in his hand a flask , I readily took from him emptying it of its contents. I drank with all the thirst that had brought me to my knees, only now realizing how deprived I was on my long walk, my long journey that never really had a destination. His hand came out again towards me, I grabbed it as he helped me to my feet, his smile never falling from his face. Looking at him evoked the strangest feelings, ones I'd never experienced before.
"I'm Yahiko, and I'm here for you now." With that his arms came around me, and I could not help my arms from wrapping around him, and the tears that followed next as he held me tight. It was as though he'd been searching for me and knew that I needed him, he knew exactly what I needed. How strange the journey I never knew I was taking lead me to him, as though I was searching for him as well, brought together by fate as only fate could bring two people together.
"I'm Konan," I had finally managed to quite my sobs long enough to speak my name to him. "And I think I was waiting for you to find me here."
He didn't seem surprised by words, as though he felt he'd been looking for me as well. "I think I was looking for you here as well. Something got up and moving this morning, a compulsion I could not ignore, and then I saw you, your deep blue hair, and I knew I'd found what I was looking for. Come let us go, we've found each other now, it's time to keep moving on."
With that he offered his hand to me and we set off hand in hand toward a new future, together perhaps in one way or another. Yesterday was over, I looked behind us and saw my parents standing arm in arm, as they once were not bloodied as they'd been when last I'd seen them. There smiles warmed my heart and clutched Yahiko's hand tighter as I envisioned the great future ahead of me, of us. Being so young on our own I new it wasn't an easy future ahead, but something told with just each other by side by side, we would make. I could feel the fire that burned in his heart as it did mine, we two of kind Yahiko and I.
His hand looped through mine as though we were one, our skin so naturally clung to one another. I confess I felt complete happiness every moment we shared together. He was a dreamer and my dream come true all in one. He saw things that no one else saw, he was unlike anyone, and in his eyes I saw our future, more than just ours, I saw the future of the ninja world. We'd grown up but the world around stayed the same. It was with heavy hearts the three of us set out each day doing rogue missions, behind the scenes here and there, finding the shinobi world as divided as it had ever been. It was as dangerous and hateful as it had ever been, love was rare in these days where our way of life was in turmoil, lands ravaged by the destruction that our fellow shinobi inflicted upon one another. Being orphans ourselves Yahkio, Nagato, and I knew the hard life of living on your own at such a young age, we knew with each day of fighting there were more innocent, young children out there being orphaned or dying. And, through this reazliation, it was then that Yahiko, Nagato and myself knew what we had to do. We worked to end this war, we worked to create a better world, and in time Akatsuki grew, Jiriaya sensi had taught us well, and we took with us, forever, his teachings and learned to develop our strengths. Akatsuki was born in hopes of leading the world into a better tomorrow.
As our strengths developed so did our emotions, it was the little things here and there, and soon we were by each other's side always. I knew from the first moment I laid eyes on Yahiko that he was the one to change things, change not only my life but everyone's. I had faith in him and his strength and with the three of us fighting for this together, nothing could stand in our way. By day we risked our lives, and as the sun came down, Yahiko and I found comfort in each other spending out nights together in blissful happiness. But, as we all know in a world filled with hatred, the bliss never stays.