The dark cavern they were standing in echoed with Pein's voice. His emancipated form panting with the task of drawing air into his lungs. In front of his stood Naruto with Katsuya on his shoulder, Pein had told him is life, his story, his pain and Naruto understood and could sympathize with him. They were so alike Pein and he, but vastly different at the same time.

"There's still time to save those I killed when I came to Konoha...It's the least I can do." he rasped. His breathing growing shallower by the minute. Next to him stood Konan silently watching, she knew what was going to happen with him using 'Gedo Rinne Tensei no Jutsu' in his condition. What surprised her more than his actions was who he was doing it for, this boy, this Jinchuuriki no less. To have changed Pein so completely...he was special.

A violent coughing spell over took Pein as he gasped for breath, Naruto knew what this meant.

"...You.." Naruto begin only to be cut of by Pein's raw voice.

"...War brings death...and wounds and pain to both sides. There is nothing harder to accept than the deaths of those you love...so you believe they could never die...especially those who have never known war...like your generation. You try to find meaning in death...but...there's only pain and hatred that you didn't know what to do with. Dying like trash, never-ending hatred...Pain that never heals...that...is war."

Lifting his head to look Naruto directly in the eyes he continued, "Naruto...this is what you...must face." Looking down to the book clutched in Naruto's grasp Pein let out a small laugh, barley audible. "The book...and you...it's like someone...set this all up, or maybe...this is the hand of the real god..." Pein whispered before coughing again, blood pooled from his mouth. "My role is over now...Naruto...you...can...really-" Pein started but the slumping of his body signaled the end.

A lone tear found it's way down Konan's cheek before she quickly wiped it away, dismissing her paper the paper-made cave opened up to the sky flooding it with sunlight. Naruto watched as she made her paper envelop his form, she was obviously taking his body with her. When she was done she walked past Naruto to another corpse, which again she wrapped in paper.

"Your taking him too?" Naruto asked quietly.

Without looking back she replied. "This God realm Pein was created from Yahiko's corpse. He was someone very special to us."

Looking down at the body just before the face was covered Naruto spoke. "That's Yahiko?"

Lifting both corpses Konan began to move away.

"What about you? I don't want to think you'd just return to Akatsuki..." Naruto called out asking.

Turning to face him she said "I'm through with Akatsuki. Yahiko and Nagato were everything to me. Yahiko's dream...and Nagato's dream, if they've entrusted their dreams to you, then you are now their dreams." The silver stud in her lip gleamed as it caught the light when she spoke. "Nagato believed in you, so I will believe in you too. Amegakure will help you make that dream come true."

Looking solemn Naruto thought of what it took to get here, the hard work and the sacrifices. Glancing back at Konan he spoke. "The name Naruto, and the guts to never give up...and Pain. That's what my master and fellow pupil have given me!"

Taken aback by his words Konan did something she hadn't done in a long time. Manipulating her paper she created a banquet of paper roses and handed them to Naruto.

"This time...I hope for you these will be flowers of hope that never die."

Making sure the corpses were covered completely she began walking away again. Naruto watched her for a moment before asking. "Where will you go from here now? Your not going back to the Akatsuki so where are you going?"

As she kept walking Naruto almost missed her reply. "Yahiko and Nagato gave everything to their cause, they deserve their rest...there's only one place we've ever felt at peace, that's where I'm going."

Naruto was about to ask where she meant but Pein's story came back to him, she was talking about the small hut where the three of them lived with Jiraiya all those years back. Naruto wondered if it was even still standing but then realized it didn't matter.

Looking back Konan saw Naruto gazing at the ground in obvious thought. Mistaking his thoughts she called out to him. "Do not worry Uzumaki Naruto, I will be back; you are their dream I will see to it that it becomes a reality." When his head snapped up at her words she turned around and continued walking.

&&&

Naruto walked slowly back into the village, the destruction was complete but at least there were no dead...thanks to Pein. He thought it funny the very person to be their doom was both their savior, it was bitter sweet. The loss of Pein whom he had know only shortly played heavily on his mind, his dream and Yahiko's dream were now his. His dream, his struggle, even though they where not Konoha nin he had inherited their 'will of fire' and it burned strongly in his heart.

A voice took him out of his contemplation, looking around he found the source. Sakura and a few others were running up to them. The smiles of their faces lit up the area making it seem not so dreary. Forgoing any restraint Sakura flung herself into Naruto's arms giving him a tight hug. "You did it Naruto!"

After a brief moment she stepped away, her face grew puzzled at Naruto's. There was no goofy grin, no thumbs up. In its' place there was determination, a fiery will that shook her to the core. Before she could ask Tsunade managed to somehow find them.

"Naruto!" she yelled. Stepping in front of him she spoke. "I want to know what happened."

Naruto looked at her for a moment and then gave in to her request, the ever growing crowed didn't seem to bother her and neither did it bother Naruto as he reported what happened.

&&&

The trek away from the villages walls weighed on Konan's conscious. Both Yahiko and Nagato were dead now, along with Jiraiya, by Pein's own hand no less. Is this really how things were meant to be, all those she cared about were simply to be washed away from her in the seas of war, first Yahiko, which in the process saved her life and awakened Nagato's powers to the fullest, and then Nagato whom gave it to save all those he previously sought to destroy. What was she to do with her pain, her anguish? True she was going to help the Jinchuuriki fulfill Nagato and Yahiko's dreams but what would happen after?

Deciding she was far enough away Konan created a paper bird not unlike those made by Akatsuki's former explosives expert. Transferring both the bodies she carried with her into her creations stomach she jumped up onto it's back and took flight. 'She'd worry about the future, right now she had a task that needed to be done.' Konan thought as she began flying to where their dreams really first began.

A.N.- So this is the first chapter of a new story, that I couldn't get out of my head so I had to write it down. First off I would like to know what you the readers think of the story so far and yes eventually ......EVENTUALLY the story will be Naruto x Konan but that won't be for a while. Second for those of you who read my other stories I will be getting back to those. Other than that I would like to know if anyone knows of a website that has a list of all the jutsu used in Naruto, or a English to Japanese translator. I hope you enjoy this story.

Zanaso Clramm

Naruto does not belong to me it is copyright to Masashi Kishimoto.