The Shadow of the World
Part I
Don sat alone on the hot western gates of Sunagakure. As he stared into the setting sun, he sighed heavily. He had just begun to settle down in Sunagakure, but something still tugged at his heart. Could he really live with himself if he settled down here? He was just as much of an outcast here than he was back in Konahagakure. How could he ever hope to think he would be able to settle down anywhere? Don turned to face the village as the darkness of night fell upon it.
He looked down at his left hand. On it was his black glove with the Sand Village hourglass marked on it. His stomach grew tight as the thought in the back of his head began to grow more dominant in his mind. He reached over with his right hand and slid off his glove, without being able to control himself. The glove hit the ground with a light pat as it hit the sand. Don jumped off the gates and disappeared into the night.
After spending most of the night traveling, he finally reached a small town. There he found a tavern to stay in for the remainder of the night. He rose early in the morning to buy a hooded cloak. There wasn't much of a selection, either gray, black, or white. Black and white would be a little too conspicuous, so he went with the gray.
Don headed northeast until he reached the border between the land of wind and land where Amegakure was located. As he headed further inland, the sky grew darker and darker. Soon he felt the damp drops of rain fall on him. Eventually the rain became heavy and everything around him grew blurry. The rattling of rain through the treetops made it difficult to listen out for any potential threats, but regardless of that, Don still moved forward.
Eventually, Don found himself in a large city, filled with metal towering skyscrapers. By now the rain seemed to be at its worst. He had gotten used to the rain that it did not bother him. Luckily, the cloak kept him from becoming too drenched.
"Hello there." a gentle voice said calling out to him.
Don peered off to his right through is hood to see a beautiful young girl with blue hair and gray eyes looking at him intently. "Hello..." he said calmly trying not to sound caught off guard.
"You must be a traveler, because I know everyone's face in this village, and I don't recognize yours." she said walking towards him gracefully.
Don smirked from under his hood. "Heh, how would you know, you can't even see my face." His eyes went wide when the girl lifted his face to meet hers. Now they were looking at each other eye to eye. He swatted her hand away. "Back off." he said irritated his personal space had been invaded.
"I'd watch what you say to me if you value your life." the girl said as a chain of paper wrapped itself around Don's leg and began to squeeze tightly.
Don looked down, "What the hell is this? Let go of my leg!" he demanded, but it did nothing. It only made the chain of paper squeeze tighter on his leg; he could feel the blood circulation beginning to cut off.
"Something about you doesn't feel right. You're a spy! Tell me who you are working for and I might let you live!" she said.
Don grabbed her throat in retaliation, "I assure you I work for no one. I am loyal to only myself. I suggest you let go or you will regret it." he replied.
"You're a liar, I can feel the chakra flowing through you. You're a ninja who belongs to somebody." the girl replied.
"Used to belong to somebody. Not anymore..." he said. When he said that, the grip on him was released.
The girl glared at him, "Give me a reason why I should spare your life?"
"Because I can see in your eyes that you are really a kindhearted, gentle girl. Yet, I can see pain, pain that I see every time I look into a mirror. A wanting for something better. I don't know if it's something better for yourself, or for someone else, but that shimmer of desire is there in your eyes." Don replied.
The girl looked shocked at him and blushed in embarrassment.
"So does that mean I am spared?" Don asked.
"Yes, but I still don't trust you..." she said as she turned around and began walking away.
"Hey, don't I at least get to know your name?" Don called out to her.
She turned to face him, "My name is Konan. And yourself?" she asked.
"Don." he replied.
"I will see you around Don; I have business to attend to, and I suggest you stay out of trouble or you will be met with harsh consequences." Konan said as she began to walk away again.
Don began to walk aimlessly around the village desperately looking for a place to stay. On the outskirts of town he found an old abandoned shack. It looked like it had not been touched in decades. Because he had no better choice, he entered the old, dark shack. He looked around to see an old circular table in the middle of the room with some mats surrounding it. In the corner were four sleeping bags which had accumulated a decade's worth of dust. Somehow they remained relatively in tact. Don removed his wet cloths and hung them up to dry. He then began to dust off the sleeping bags and the table he was going to use.
He pulled out a ration he had packed and began to eat it. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tilted his head toward the ceiling, and listened to the rain beat down on the roof. He began to think a lot about what he had done in more recent times. He abandoned his birthplace, and the new home he had received in Suna, he had also abandoned. The outcast inside him still lingered, there was no need to have a home, but at the same time, there was no need to be a nomad either. I wished for a place to call his own, but still lacked the confidence he'd ever belong anywhere. He lacked presence, he lacked importance. This place, Amegakure. It seemed to constantly reflect his mood. Constantly gray, constantly raining, a dark gloomy world. It almost made him feel better. The soothing sound of rain. Maybe he would stay here for a while and see if he could become one of them.
When he was finished with his ration, and finished thinking, he crawled up in one of the sleeping bags. Hours past and what he didn't realize was someone had been watching him. Outside the shack, Konan stood. She merely watched Don with interest as he slept.
"Konan, what are you doing here?" A mysterious figure said as it stood next to her. Peering inside the shack, it noticed Don, "Who is that? You're boyfriend?"
Konan blushed and turned to the figure, "No! He's not my boyfriend Pein! He's a drifter. He claims to have abandoned his village, but something doesn't feel right about him." she replied.
"Hmm." Pein hummed, "Just keep an eye on him. If what he says is really true, maybe we can make him one of us."
"He's a weakling, he'd never fit in with the Akatsuki." Konan replied.
"Which is why if you'd have to train him if he were admitted." Pain said.
Konan turned red, "Me?!" she exclaimed.
"Shh, keep it down. Don't want to wake your boyfriend, now do you?" Pain said.
"Stop calling him that! He's not my boyfriend, I only have in interest in him because he's a foreigner!" she exclaimed. She gasped when she realized what she said had come out wrong.
Pein smirked and bowed out, "My work here is done." he said chuckling as he disappeared into the rain.
Konan turned a deep red and disappeared too leaving Don be for the rest of his slumber. When Don woke the next morning, he found it was still raining.
"Well, at least it's brighter." he said to himself.
He put on his now dry clothes and headed into town to familiarize himself with the area. He looked around through his hood to see that his village was a very poor village. It didn't look like anyone had a coin to their name. The weak, sick look in people's eyes. It was saddening. He finally found a place to buy some food and brought it back to the shack he was staying in. The whole time he could feel the presence of someone following him. For a good month he knew he was being followed, and suspected it was Konan, but had no proof until a piece of blank paper which had been the same kind she used, flew past him one day in the breeze.
Don got up one morning and headed into town like he had been for the past month. He looked further down the road to see a familiar sight. However, he was trying to keep a low profile so he just ignored it. As he passed his new acquaintance, he heard her voice call out to him.
"Where do you think you are going?" Konan said.
Don ignored her and kept walking.
"Hey, don't ignore me, I'm talking to you!" she proclaimed, and making wings from paper, flew right in front of him to confront him. "When someone is calling out to you, it's polite to acknowledge them." she said.
"Forgive me, but I'm trying to keep a low profile here. You have a problem with that?" he asked.
"Tch, in this place, you will have anything but a low profile. Look around you. You don't look like one of them, you don't have the same look in your eyes as they do. Everyone here is poor, famished, and desperate. You, you are just some selfish deserter." she proclaimed.
Don grabbed her arm and squeezed, "I never asked you for a lecture. I don't know why you insist on following me. I'm just minding my own business, I'm not bothering anyone, but it seems like the only person who is bothered by my existence is you!"
She shook his grip off her. "Lay your hands on me like that again and I will kill you." she said.
"I'd like to see you try." Don said grabbing her by the hand and dragging her to a back alley to avoid drawing any more attention to himself than he already had.
Konan blew Don back with her paper wings and then sent a swarm of razor sharp pieces of paper at him. Any direct hits would tear him to shreds. Don ran up the wall to his left to avoid the swarm. He barely dodged it only managing to receive a few paper cuts, but even still, paper cuts were irritating. Don formed his hands together and shot is shadow out and connected with hers. He now had Konan where he wanted her.
"What is this?" she asked.
"It's my shadow possession jutsu." Don replied walking toward her, as she did him. "Now, stop trying to kill me, stop trying to stalk me everywhere I go, stop mistrusting me." he said.
"Why should I? You're an outsider! You don't belong here!" she exclaimed.
Just then Don's eyes grew hazy, he looked down and his soaking wet hair covered his face. He relinquished his grip on her and walked away, becoming a distant blur in the rain.
Konan realized what she had said and frowned. She chased after him but lost track of him. After searching for a good while, she decided to try one last place; the shack where he had stayed the night before. She peered inside to see Don packing what he could and preparing to leave. She entered the shack and stood in the doorway.
Don turned around when he heard someone enter. There he saw Konan, soaking wet, standing in his doorway with sadness filling her face. "What do you want?" he said angrily as he turned back around to finish packing.
Konan looked down at her feet, "I came to say sorry for what I had said earlier. I also wanted to apologize for being so hard on you when you first arrived here. Times are rough around here, they have been for the longest time. I just wanted to make sure you didn't have any ill intentions for this village. It's been through so much already..."
Don did not turn to face her, "There's no need to apologize. What you said was right. I am an outsider. I do not belong here. Therefore, I'm leaving and I won't be here to bother you anymore."
He then felt a hand placed on his shoulder, "Please stay..." Konan said sincerely.
Don turned to face her, "Seriously?" he asked.
Konan turned a light red and nodded.
"Don't be absurd, I don't belong here, just like you said." Don said skeptically.
"But you could... one day. I could help you..." she said.
Don stopped when he heard her say that. He thought back to all the hard work Temari had put in for him to blend in and become a sand shinobi, and now look at where he is now. He almost began to feel regret, but the instability he felt inside his heart still remained so he couldn't say for sure if he wanted to return to Suna. He looked up at Konan, "If you insist." he replied.
Konan smiled and her face seemed to brighten up.
"You have a nice smile, has anyone ever told you that?" Don said.
Konan turned and blushed.
Don unpacked his things and prepared some hot tea for the both of them. While preparing, he noticed the rain grew much worse. "It looks like there won't be going out anymore tonight. The rain has grown worse. You're more than welcome to stay here tonight." Don said.
"I think I can make it home alright. I've done it in worse rain." she said.
"You're already soaked enough as it is. Any more and you'll get sick. I insist you stay." Don said.
"No, I'll be fine. I promise." she replied.
"Konan, I couldn't bear to think of a girl walking home alone, in the dark, in the cold rain, especially severe rain." Don replied.
Konan blushed a bit at his persistence. She sighed, "I guess it wouldn't hurt. Just this once." she said as she finished her tea which made body warm and relaxed.
"Just hang your wet clothes there in the corner." Don said as he crawled in his sleeping bag and turned over to prevent from seeing Konan remove her clothing. He closed his eyes and could only hear the sound of the rain pounding on the roof.
Konan slipped off her clothes and hung them up to dry. She turned around to see Don turned over and beginning to fall asleep. She crawled into the sleeping bag directly next to his. She gently slid next to him to keep warm.
Don felt Konan cuddle to him and was shocked. He looked down at her to see a content look on her face as her eyes were closed and she lay cuddled close to him. He wrapped his arm around her and she cuddled closer to him to keep warm. The two lay next to each other keeping each other warm as the rain continued to beat down on the roof of the tiny abandoned shack.
The next morning, Konan woke to the smell of something delicious. She sleepily opened her eyes to see Don cooking over a fire he had made. She sat up, pulling the sleeping bag up with her to keep her chest covered. "What are you cooking?" she asked.
"Oh, good morning. I uh, I'm cooking a couple of eggs for us. It took me a while to find someone who had them." Don replied. "Why don't you get dressed and we'll eat." he said turning away from her back to the food he was cooking.
She nodded and got out of her sleeping bag. Slipping by Don, she reached for her clothes and put them on. Konan sat next to Don and watched him cook. It wasn't long before the eggs were ready.
"Here." Don said putting both eggs he had been cooking into a plate and handing it to her.
"What about you?" she asked.
"Ugh, I hate eggs." Don said.
"And you assumed I did?" she asked giving him a smirk.
"Uh... yes? Do you not like eggs?" he asked.
She giggled, "I do. Thank you." she said.
Don sighed in relief. He pulled out one of his rations and began to nibble on it. He glanced up at Konan to see she had been staring at him intently. He looked away trying to not make the situation awkward.
Konan looked down at her food and began to think to herself for a bit. She then turned to face the window and realized that there was a break in the rain. "I just realized. I have to be somewhere right now. I'll see you around. Thanks for everything." she said as she put her plate down and ran out the shack.
Don didn't even get to say goodbye; all he could do is watch her run out the door. He took a deep breath and finished his rations. Since there was a break in the rain, he decided to head out the door and take a walk around Amegakure. Walking down the main road, he was approached by a man with orange hair and many facial piercings.
"So you're the one Konan has taken a liking to?" he asked.
"I have no clue what you are talking about." Don replied. He looked at the man before him. The robe he was wearing looked familiar. It was pitch black with red clouds running across it.
"Don't act like you don't know. Why else would she have stuck so close to you for all this time?" he asked.
"Because she thinks I'm a spy for some village. She doesn't believe that I'm really just a simple deserter, an outcast, merely trying to look for a new home. A place to make me happy." Don replied.
"If she truly believed you were a spy, she would have struck you down the moment she met you." he replied. "I only came here to inspect you for myself. You seem to be a trustworthy person, if Konan trusts you, then I will trust you, for now. Here's a parting gift; a token of my good will." he tossed Don a rain village headband. "I hope in the future, you will return the favor." he said disappearing instantly.
Don tied the headband around his left arm and continued to walk. A pain struck him again. The pain of guilt. He had quickly become a sand ninja, and abandoned that all too quickly. Now he's a rain ninja. He couldn't say it was all too much betrayal if it wasn't for the fact that he was an outcast.
After a while, Don found his way to the market. He bought a little food, which is all the vendor was able to supply him with. On his way home, he passed by a couple of small children who were curled up against the wall shivering. They looked frightened and hungry. Don looked down at his bag. Even though he had barely anything himself, he couldn't help but feel sympathy for them. Amegakure was not a good place to live. Their people were poor and dying. They were ravaged and weak. So Don approached the two children and opened his bag. He pulled out some of the food and gave it to them.
"Here you go guys. I'm sorry I don't have much more, but it's something, right?" he said sincerely.
The children took the food and thanked him. As Don walked off, a paper flower floated down in front of him. Don stopped to pick it up. When he looked ahead of him, there he saw Konan standing in the street smiling at him gently. Don returned the smile and walked up to meet her.
"I believe you dropped this." Don said holding up the paper flower.
Konan lifted Don's hand and placed it on her cheek and blushed. "What you did back there... It was really sweet. I wish more people would be able to extend such kindness and charity."
"I just couldn't help myself... This place. It's all but dead. I feel bad for this place. It looks like it once was a good place to live in, but time had gradually torn it apart." Don said.
Konan let go of Don's hand; looking down, she frowned. "Yes, years of war have left Amegakure poverty stricken. Our people are dying of famine and sickness. They can't afford even the tiniest scraps of food. I wish there were easier ways to fix these problems, but there isn't. The fight ahead of us is a long one." she said sadly.
"I'm sorry to hear that, but on a more positive outlook, I got a rain shinobi headband, so I can now blend in better here. Maybe you and I can help try to make a change." Don said. "Even if we can't fix all the problems, we can at least try to set into motion things that will help make living here easier."
Konan looked up at Don, she was smiling, but was also crying. She took Don by the hand and began to walk. It wasn't long before they were back at the shack where Don had been staying this whole time. During the whole walk to the shack, Konan's tears did not stop, nor had they stopped when they arrived at the shack. They got inside and Konan fell to her knees still crying. Don went to comfort her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"You remind me so much of him..." she said.
"Who?" he asked.
"There was a boy I once loved. We were best friends, but I had truly given my heart to him. When we were younger, back when war still ravaged our village, he fought to try and change things for the better in this village. He too was treated much like an outcast, we all were. No one ever took us seriously. One day, he was lured into a trap and before my eyes, he was killed. He had such a kind heart, all he wanted to do was make our home rebuild after everything the war destroyed. Since that day, his dream was never carried forward again. It's been nothing but bloodshed and more lives being taken." she cried.
"It's never easy mending a broken heart. Especially one that has already been given away." Don said.
Konan shook her head in agreement.
"Why don't you go lie down for a bit. I'll make us some food. You must be hungry." Do said smiling.
Konan nodded and went to lay down. It wasn't long before Don had finished cooking.
"You ready to eat?" Don asked, looking at her.
Konan opened her eyes and looked at him shaking her head, no. Don grabbed a plate and sat next to her. He held a spoon full of food up to her mouth.
"Come on, you need to eat. I promise you'll love it." he said smiling.
Konan sat up and took a bite of the food. She took the plate from him and finished off what was left in there. Don smiled at her, happy she had finally eaten.
Don yawned and stretched. "I'm going to go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning Konan." He then crawled into his sleeping bag and began to fall asleep.
It wasn't long until he felt Konan cuddle up to him again. This time, something felt different. Instead of cloth, he felt her bare skin. He looked down at her to see she was looking up at him. She drew closer to him and kissed him. As she did, Don could hear the rain beating down on the roof again. Don held her close and kissed her back. She crawled into Don's sleeping bag and lay next to him, still gazing into his eyes. Don placed his hand on her cheek and she placed her hand on it.
"You will be the last person I give my heart to. After which, I have nothing left to give." Konan said. "Please guard it well."
"I will." Don replied kissing her to seal his promise.
Konan's final hope and dream, as well as her heart rested with Don. They made love to each other that night. Gently and lovingly as they could. The exchange of their heart and soul brought to life something new that either one had only dreamed of: a second chance.
Don slept much later than he normally did, mainly because he was very comfortable having Konan in his arms. When he opened his eyes, he looked down to see Konan still cuddled to him closely. She was sleeping soundly and looked as beautiful as a sleeping angel. He smiled at her, his heart melting from the fire she had started. She left him paralyzed, unable to move from the bed they shared. Some time later, Konan finally opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw Don still next to her and she kissed him good morning.
"Good morning, Don." she said happily.
"Good morning Konan. Sleep well?" he asked.
Konan nodded and hugged him tight.
"Konan?" Don said sounding a bit embarrassed.
"Yes?" she replied intently.
"Would... would you mind doing me a huge favor?" he began.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"Would you mind training me? Truth is... I'm a just a ninja who's barely managed to get by with knowing only a couple of abilities." Don said looking away ashamed.
Konan turned his head back to face hers, "Of course I will." she said.
Don smiled, "Thank you." he said hugging her tightly. "Let's begin today, ok?" he asked.
"Ok." Konan replied.
When they finished eating breakfast, they headed to a place just outside the village walls. If anything went wrong, no one would be around to get hurt.
"So, tell me what you know." Konan said.
"I know some taijutsu, I know how to use some basic weapons proficiently, and from one of our previous encounters, I know the shadow possession jutsu..." Don replied knowing how pathetic it sounded.
"It's astounding you managed to make it this far with only that." Konan blatantly admitted.
"I know, I've had to rely on my wits to keep me alive this whole time." Don said. "What kind of abilities do you have?" he asked.
Konan smiled, "Well, in case you haven't noticed, I have created a form revolved around paper. I have the ability to create anything I desire out of paper and manipulate it to my will. For instance." she said and from he back grew humongous angelic wings made of paper. Don jumped back in shock.
"Wow." he said unable to think of anything else to say.
"I can also turn myself into paper if need be." she continued, as she said this, her body began to show signs of texture like she really was made of paper. She beckoned Don over, "Come feel, don't be afraid." she said with the most soothing voice.
Don was hesitant, but walked over to her slowly. She held out her hand and he grabbed it, she placed it on his face and he could feel she had really transformed herself into paper. "This is incredible." he said.
"If I ever get angry with someone, I do this." she said turning around, and with a flap of her wings, shot thousands of paper tags at a rock, when they contacted, they vaporized the rock.
"Holy cow that was cool! Teach me how to do that! Please, Konan!" Don said like an excited little kid.
She turned to him, "It took me years to perfect this, I could try to teach you some of my abilities, but it won't be easy." she replied.
"I have all the time in the world." Don replied smiling at her.
"Well, since you are so enthusiastic about learning this, I might as well try to teach you it first." Konan chucked.
"Yes!" Don said jumping up happily.
"This trick behind this jutsu is being able to manipulate any form of paper you have, transforming it into an explosive tag. You have to be careful when trying to perform this jutsu that you don't blow yourself up." Konan said.
"I might have a small dilemma. I really don't have any transformation abilities whatsoever..." Don said.
"Well now, that's why it's called learning, isn't it?" Konan said. She then gave him a slip of paper. "You must focus your chakra on this piece of paper and think really hard about what you want it to be. When your focus on your chakra and desire for the wanted item become at a high enough level and at an equal level, you will be able to transform anything you want."
"I never knew that. That's pretty cool." Don said.
"Give it a try." she said. "Focus as much as you can on the slip of paper I gave you and picture in your mind an explosive tag."
Don made a hand sign to focus his chakra, he then attempted to focus as much chakra as he could on the slip of paper while trying to keep the image of an explosive tag in his head. Minutes went by and he made no progress.
After about an hour of trying nonstop, Don gave up frustrated. "Not even a speck of change on this!" he shouted and sat on the ground crossing his legs.
"Take a break for a while, you've been at it for an hour. Just keep up your persistence and you'll get it eventually." Konan said happily, sitting next to him.
Don laid on the ground and closed his eyes for a bit. Konan watched him as he snoozed and began to think about many things. For so long she had closed her heart to the world and everyone in it. She had lost all hope in herself and with what she had once fought for, but now, this person who randomly stumbled into her life became her new hope. As long as Don was around, there was hope for her village yet. It made her happy. After about twenty minutes of snoozing, Don got up and began to resume his training.
Weeks went by, Don slowly began to make progress. He was almost to the point to where he could transform the slip of paper into an explosive tag. Konan sat and watched peacefully while Don trained.
"I did it!" Don shouted.
Konan walked over to Don to inspect the paper which she had given him. He had finally transformed the slip of paper into an explosive tag.
"Very good Don, let's see if it works." she said making a hand sign and detonating it. She handed him another piece of paper. "Now do it again." she said in a demanding tone.
Don did what was asked of him, and she had him do it continuously for an hour straight.
"Very good. Let's see if you can transform three slips of paper at once. It will be a little more challenging applying the same concept over three objects. If you can master this, then you can transform any number amount of things you want." Konan said handing him three slips of paper.
Don only managed to transform one and a half of the slips of paper. He had been training all day and his chakra had been nearly depleted. He continued to train until he passed out. Konan was there to catch him before he hit the ground and brought him home safely.
When Don woke up some hours later he looked around the shack to see it had been redecorated. The interior did not look run down, instead, it looked homier.
"Did you do all this?" he asked Konan who had been preparing some food.
"Yes. I used my jutsu to add some wallpaper to this place and make it look nicer. Do you like it?" she asked blushing a bit.
"I love it. It beats that old run down look it had before." Don said happily. "Thank you."
"I'm glad you like it. Now come eat." Konan said.
Don nodded and joined her for their meal. While they were eating, Konan spoke up.
"We're going to take a break from your training for a bit. You pretty much have learned the technique I've been teaching you. You won't need much time to master it. In the mean time, let's begin working on projects to help the people around here." she said.
"Sounds like a good idea, but where do we start?" Don asked.
"Water. We need to create a self sustaining water system. Since it rains here all the time, we can take advantage of that to create an irrigation system for crops, have storage units for water, maybe even dig out a well." She said.
"That will take some time but I think we can do it." Don said.
"I have all the time in the world." Konan replied giggling at him.
For the next couple of months, Don and Konan worked hard to establish a better and easier life for those who lived in and around Amegakure.
One day, there wasn't anything to do, it was raining and Don was alone. Konan had run off to go take care of some errands. He sat alone, outside the village where he had spent most of his time training. He was finally able to look back at what he had done over the course of the past few months. It still bothered him that he had left Suna so soon and landed here. He couldn't imagine leaving, though. He was settled in with Konan, and things were starting to look better for the people in the village. He couldn't possibly hope to leave them now. People revered them as heroes now; he finally had the attention and praise that he so long desired.
The same stranger who had approached Don months ago, giving him his headband, approached him again. "It's been a while. I've been watching you with great interest. You and Konan make quite the team." he said.
"Yes, we do." Don replied.
"I'm here to collect the token of good fortune you owe me." he said.
"And what would that be?" Don asked.
"Join the Akatsuki." he said.
Don's eyes widened. He now realized why his and Konan's clothing had looked so familiar. "Me, join the Akatsuki? No. I would never. You guys just wreak havoc on every nation. You're a bunch of terrorists!" he spat back.
"That wasn't an offer, it was an order. If you value your life, then you will do so." he said.
"You'd kill the man who has brought a better life to the people of your home village? You'd kill the man who's brought happiness to your companion?" Don asked.
The man said nothing.
"I am of no use to you." Don said.
"That is where you are wrong. You are an outcast, just like all of us who belong to the Akatsuki. You see the world from the outside, just like we do, and just like we do, you seek to change it for your own personal gain." the man said.
Don said nothing.
"I will not take your life, but consider it as payment for all that you've done for this village and my companion. However, because you will not join the Akatsuki, you will leave this place and never return. If you do, you will be killed before you can take your first step back into the village." the man said.
Don looked down at the ground for a bit and thought. He took a deep sigh of sadness knowing he had no options in this situation. "Fair enough. I'll be gone by tomorrow." he replied.
"Be sure of it, or I will personally kill you if you do not." the man said disappearing.
Don looked down at the ground sadly. He had to leave everything he had worked for behind him. He had made his promise, which he had intended to keep. He couldn't do that if we was dead or part of a criminal organization. His heart sank when he heard the flapping of wings. It was Konan.
"I thought I'd find you here. What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Konan asked. When he didn't answer, she knelt in front of him, "Don, what's the matter? Is something wrong?"
Don looked up at her and kissed her deeply. Konan was shocked, but embraced the kiss.
"Let's go home. You're soaking wet." she said.
"Yeah... please." Don said taking her hand and letting her lead him home.
The whole way there Don thought to himself about what he should do. No matter what, he had to leave by tomorrow. He knew no matter what, she would be in pain. Maybe it would be best if he didn't say goodbye or let her know he was leaving. He knew it was wrong, but he didn't know what else to do. This last night with her would be meaningful. In the morning, he'd disappear like the shadow that he was.
Don prepared a romantic dinner with Konan, even picked a flower for her. When dinner was done, he had one final romantic night with her in bed. He held her close and did not let go.
In the morning, Don woke up early. Konan was still sound asleep. He looked down at her and kissed her one last time. He removed his headband and placed it on the table. He then left without any other trace. Every step he took, he could feel his heart painfully closing up on him. He didn't turn back in fear that he might see her watching him leave. To her her crying again would truly kill him. He would not find out until some years later that during the war that proceeded his death, she committed suicide while trying to take out the man claiming to be Madara Uchiha.
Years later, Don had been brought back to the world by the use of a forbidden jutsu he himself had created. He had listened to Temari's stories about the war that a man named Obito Uchiha, claiming to be Madara Uchiha, had started with all the great shinobi nations. His heart sunk when she told him about how a girl named Konan, a member of the Akatsuki, turned against Obito for the sake of helping Naruto create a better future, wound up killing herself trying to take him down.
"You know Temari, I'm a bit tired. Can we finish this story another time?" Don asked, trying to desperately hold back his tears.
"Sure Don." Temari replied.
Don smiled at her, got up from his chair, and left the house they shared together.
He returned to Amegakure, the seeds that he and Konan had planted for better living, had begun to flourish. There were a few people who recognized him and greeted him with open arms. He left his sand shinobi glove at home when he left. Amegakure didn't need to know what he had been doing the years after he disappeared suddenly. After talking with a few people, he finally found out where Konan rested. As always, it was raining heavily, which only complimented the mood he was in.
Before he visited her grave, he visited the shack which they had shared for most of his time in the village. Aside from the cobwebs, everything had been as he had left it. On the table was his old headband, a paper flower, and a piece of paper. When he picked up the paper, it was blank. It was only blank to the naked eye. He sent a burst of chakra through it and a letter addressed to him was revealed.
Dear Don,
If by some miracle you ever return home and you receive this letter, please know that I still love you. My heart has been locked up tight once again since you disappeared that day. I never knew why you didn't tell me. I guess it was because you figured it would be more painful if you had to say goodbye to my face. Though over these years, never knowing why has taken its toll on my heart. I never got to thank you for everything you did, for the village and for me. I hoped that one day you would return to this village and you would stand by my side as we revived this village, as we had begun to do when you lived here.
I also know what you have been up to these past few years. I heard about how you were an ex-leaf shinobi before you came here, and how after you left you became a sand shinobi. I heard how you entered the chunin exams and passed. I also heard how you died some time later while on a mission. When I heard that news, I wasn't able to contain myself, I too almost died because my heart would not support me anymore. However I know that I will never see you again because no one is able to come back from the dead. However, these are the words I would have liked to say to you if we were to ever meet again.
Many things have happened since you've died. There has been a great war between a man called Madara Uchiha and the five great nations. The Akatsuki are all but extinct right now. Their numbers dwindled down. I have been keeping a secret from you for the longest time. I am, and have been a part of the Akatsuki. My two friends and I had formed it for the same reasons you and I began our work together. However over time, I had to watch silently as Madara twisted our vision and manipulated for his own personal gain. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me as I have forgiven you for disappearing on me without saying goodbye. Just know that no matter where I went, I carried your headband with me. I still hope for the day when we will be together again.
Your love,
Konan
Don looked at the date which was written upon it. This was the day before she confronted Obito and committed suicide. Even after all the pain he had caused her by leaving her, she had still loved him. Her final wish was never achieved. Don grabbed his headband, the letter, the paper flower, and left the shack one final time.
The rain beat down harder on him when he left the shack. He made a bouquet of her favorite flowers and brought it to her grave. He placed the flowers and his headband on her grave. He knelt down at her grave and began to cry. The mountain of regret that he felt. The things he should have said. The things he wanted to say. He could never tell her to her face again.
"Konan... I... I'm so sorry! I loved you too! Thank you for everything! Everything you did for me, and everything you meant to me! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I should have said more, I should have done more! I was a coward and left you without saying goodbye!" he cried. "I promise, I will continue our work one day. Even if it's the last thing I do. It's the least that I owe you..." he said.
His crying grew so heavy, he threw himself to the ground and cried face down in the mud. This went on for the rest of the day. When he cried until he could no longer, he returned home to Sunagakure.
As he walked off in the pouring rain, the ghost of Konan watched him; her wings open wide and tears running down her face.