Chapter 2: Fulfilling The Promise- Nagato's Answer!
"Speech."
'Thoughts.'
"Past Speech."
"Zetsu's Black Half Speech."
BEFORE YOU BEGIN READING LOOK HERE!
Ok, now that I have your attention, I proudly present the second chapter of "A New Path at Life"! I was glad to see that there are some people who decided to dedicate their time to read this fanfiction, as in my perspective, it holds the future of this category on its shoulders.
In the previous chapter we had many emotions coming in together to form the bases of this fiction, and now that this was behind us, we will continue to the more serious areas of this fictions.
I will not spoil you the details of this chapter, but all I can say that as much as there are going to be many emotional moments throughout the fanfiction, they will be less emotional from chapter 1, because from now on I must keep a firm plot on this story and not let the emotions ruin the fiction and replace categories like action and adventure.
Anyways, without adding anything else, I want to inform you that A New Path at Life will not be updated for some time since I am leaving for two weeks on the 15th of July, yet I want to add by saying that this fanfiction will not be abandoned!
I will update on my profile for any upcoming chapters from now on.
Alright I annoyed you enough. Enjoy your reading!
At the lobby of the highest tower in Amegakure, the current home of Nagato and Konan, a man wearing an orange, whirled mask was waiting impatiently for a certain Akatsuki duo, who were just coming down the stairs towards the lobby, making the mask-wearer perk up and walk towards them in irritation.
"It is about time you show up…" Madara growled in frustration, seeing that Pain was looking at him angrily, returning the attitude. Konan was at his side, looking up at him with concern, praying for everything to go smoothly. She still couldn't believe that she managed to bring back her Nagato, and if the Angel had learned something in her life, it was that when something is too good to be true, then there has got to be something wrong. "I was getting impatient…"
Pain's glare hardened, now having unlocked his emotions, it was the first time he was actually glaring at someone, the first time he felt hatred and anger flow inside him.
Hatred…anger…love…he had almost forgotten how every single emotion felt, he had almost forgotten their names and their purpose, what they symbolized, what they were named as. He began remembering every single emotion thanks to his Angel, the strongest, and first one he ever recalled was the sheer, powerful love they were now holding towards each other.
"You come here before me without a moment's notice, uninvited…but you rant at me as if I am the one to be blamed for having my hands full at that moment…" Pain growled, looking at Madara with angered eyes, something that Madara took notice too. "Have you got no shame?"
"A little cranky today, aren't we?" Madara asked jokingly, his voice not laughing, as if mocking, mocking the Rinnegan wielder, something that really upset Konan, who couldn't help but glare at Madara as well. The former leader of the Uchiha really had a knack for dark humor, something that fitted him quite good.
Madara was now facing Pain and Konan, each one examining the one before him. Konan could feel herself getting nervous. 'What if Madara really decides to attack if Nagato tells him that he no longer wishes to collaborate?' She thought nervously, looking deeply into the hole in Madara's face, instantly looking away when his right eye tried to lock with hers. 'W-What if…what if he hurts Na-'
Konan's thoughts were cut off when she felt felt Pain's hand caressing her shoulder slightly, causing her to glance at him, her amber eyes locking with his own. Even though his expression was still angry and cold, Konan could feel rays of warmth coming out from his face, sending warm shivers through her body. Beneath that emotionless mask, Konan knew that her Nagato was comfortingly and lovingly smiling at her, wanting to dissipate her concerns.
The Angel could always see what her Nagato hid behind his expression, a trait given to her after all those years in which she lived with a comrade who didn't show a single emotion on his face. The Angel fully learned how to read his inner emotion eventually, knowing that the emotionless, cold Nagato wasn't truly visualizing his feelings.
Yet that trait wasn't a necessary one, as Nagato's caged, deadened heart never brought up any emotion asides from hatred or anger, the two emotions which Konan was always able to identify. The fast-paced beating of her heart, pumping in her chest, making her gut clenched was the result of feeling different emotions radiating from the Rinnegan wielder…making her even more happy to know that these wonderful, heavenly emotions were directed to her- to her only.
Pain's cold, glaring expression aimed itself at Madara once again, his eyes narrowing to see Madara's dark Sharingan.
He was thinking of something.
"You are holding a fair share of making me angered…" Pain growled in irritation, angering the former leader of the Uchiha, who could now notice that something was different in his and Konan's eyes. "When you decide to come before me in the future, it would be better for the both of us if you announce your arrival beforehand."
"As if I had a choice!" Madara protested, throwing his left hand backwards in rage, angered that Pain dares to blame him for coming. Pain's glare hardened, Madara's yells toughening the atmosphere and interrupting the lobby's calm melody. "Someone needed to remind you to move and catch the Kyuubi already! I had to bother myself all the way here to remind you to do something you should've already done weeks ago!"
Konan's ears perked at Madara's completely rude treatment towards her Nagato, words that were never spoken towards him. Madara truly had the trait to boss them around, but now this was going too far. She will let no one speak like that towards her beloved Nagato…her warm, beloved Nagato. 'That bastard…' She thought, glaring at Madara, whose glare was directed towards Pain, unnoticed of her.. 'How dare he talk to Nagato like that?'
"Pain…I have given you enough time to get Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki." Madara growled, his right Sharingan visible from the hole in his mask, seeing that Pain glared at him with equal anger and hatred. The two weren't really friends…literally. They had despised each other and were only willing to collaborate only for Akatsuki's best interests, which were no longer relevant. Pain's ideals had changed, his eyes were opened, his eternal gratefulness for his Angel triggered his change, the change of his ideals, and thus- the change of Akatsuki's interests. "If you don't catch him now, that kid will eventually become a nuisance in the future! He had already got his hands on powerful ninjutsu that he used to take Kakuzu out. It's destructive…it's troublesome. We have got to get our hands on him before that kid gets any stronger! As he gains power, we lose more and more precious members! Sasori…Hidan…Kakuzu…we had already lost three out of nine members to those pathetic, weak Konohagakure shinobi…you will be going to capture Uzumaki Naruto…and you will be going now!"
Konan perked up and looked at Pain, whose eyes hardened at Madara's words. It was now, the only turning point Nagato could afford was right before his eyes, and it was a dangerous one. Konan couldn't help but let depressing, dark thought enter her mind. 'W-What if Nagato won't be strong-willed enough to turn Madara down!' She thought, glancing at Madara, the dead silence in the lobby creeping into her, making the Angel more and more nervous. She began doubting, doubting of her Nagato's will to please and love her, to act and do as he should've acted since eight years ago. 'What if Nagato thinks that for my own health and safety it will be better to continue collaborating with Mad-'
"I refuse…"
Even though it was a closed building, somehow a breeze managed to brew through the lobby, Konan seeing the background turning white as her eyes widened completely in shock, her jaw dropping in disbelief at what she had just heard.
She looked at Pain, and could see the Rinnegan wielder glancing at her as well, a microscopic, soft and loving smile growing beneath his cold glare, a smile which was directed to her. She could now feel as if his hand was truly warm, as if her Nagato was the one standing next to her.
It was true- her Nagato was the one standing next to her, not Pain…and that Nagato would never let her down.
She could see Madara's Sharingan perking up slightly, the emotionally-deadened silhouette of the Uchiha disrupted by the pure disbelief at Pain's words. Even he was taken aback by his answer, which confirmed his suspicions.
Madara's Sharingan narrowed slightly, able to capture the slightest glimpse of Pain's expression, his eye identifying the movement of his face muscles, and eventually seeing that hidden smile which was directed to Konan.
Something had indeed changed…
The atmosphere around the enormous lobby tensed up tenfold, the dead silence still refusing to leave as Madara digested Pain's words in his mind, eventually realizing what the Rinnegan wielder had meant. "Pardon me," He chuckled, his voice suddenly turning dead-serious and dark as the silence finally broke, perking Konan from her thoughts and her fantasies about the future. "I may have misheard you…repeat that again…"
"I refuse to collaborate with you any further, Madara!" Pain repeated angrily, not intimidated by Madara's dark expression even the slightest bit.
It was covered by his ridiculous mask anyways.
Konan flashed through his mind, causing him to clench his palms into fists, knowing that this is the time, this is the time to show his Angel that he will do anything for her, that he will follow her smile, that he will follow her with no question. "Look…look at what we have brought upon our organization…look what you have brought upon my Akatsuki!" He claimed angrily, a soft snarl tugging his lips, causing Madara's Sharingan to narrow dangerously. "Akatsuki…Akatsuki was created to bring about peace to the Shinobi world…to the five nations-"
Pain suddenly stopped for a second and glanced at Konan, Nagato's heart suddenly missing a few beats. He did not know whether what he was doing was satisfying his Angel, yet he could not help but to bring a soft, entertained smile for a split second, observing his Angel's shocked, disbelieved expression.
She was surprised beyond any words, speechless and frozen in her tracks, her awestruck expression urging the Rinnegan wielder to go on, to show her how much she had changed him. He returned his expression towards Madara, a cold glare surfacing upon it again, locking with Madara's angered eyes. "This…where is the peace in what we are doing now!" He asked angrily, his expression enraged and determined, deciding to pour it all out. "Slaughtering the Jinchuuriki one after another, shaping them into a weapon of mass destruction to bring pain upon the world…is that what we have been doing all these years? Is that what turned us into S-ranked criminals? That made every single nation hunt for our heads? We have been trying to get peace? Bringing pain upon the world will not bring forth peace…where is the peace in that? It will only create more monsters like us who will want vengeance! This is no longer about peace…this is about revenge!"
Madara's eyes slightly widened, surprised at Pain's sudden confession, truly taken aback by his words. He glanced at Konan, seeing that her eyes were glued to Pain's expression, her expression shocked and disbelieved even more than his. She was disbelieved at the strength of her Nagato's new resolve…at his determination. The Angel had to admit that she would've expected this refusal to trigger a further confession…but she never prepared herself for such powerful words.
"That…that is not what Yahiko would've done…and this is not what I will do!"
Pain's final words have led to a long, dead silence, Madara unable to react because of the immense shock, disbelieved at what this meeting turned out to be. Madara's eyes glanced towards Konan, who was now looking at Pain with a big, happy smile, filled with a certain emotion he did not know how to identify, an emotion he never felt before.
He could see her smile reassuring Pain, backing him up, bringing a slight smile on his face for the briefest moment as well when his eyes locked with her for a second. The Rinnegan wielder then turned back his expression towards Madara, a cold glare locking with his mask yet again, as if the smile which was plastered on it a moment ago was plunged away from existence.
The Rinnegan wielder could not let his expression wither…not when facing Madara.
"Nagato…" Madara deadpanned angrily, the atmosphere around the lobby tensing at the tone of his words, which were filled with hatred and the intention to kill. His words sent freezing chills down Konan's body, putting slight fear into her eyes when she realized the inevitable outcome of this discussion.
Madara's Sharingan once again faded in from the hole in his mask, glowing, shimmering with rage and darkness, knowing what have caused this sudden, incredible change in the Rinnegan wielder's eyes, yet not bothering to care.
"You dare betray me?"
"I only now realize that I was never with you…" Pain deadpanned back, glaring at Madara, the enraged Sharingan locking itself with the cold, determined Rinnegan, tensing the atmosphere around the lobby to a point in which Konan couldn't help but to shiver visibly, realizing that there is a chance that this building will become the battlefield between the two, strongest shinobi in the five nations. "Truth is…I have always detested you, Madara. Your strength by my side was the only thing in you which was worthy of my attention. While I was blinded, I thought that bringing pain and hatred upon the shinobi world will bring about peace, yet I knew that in order to accomplish that I will have to get my hands on the Bijuu. I had known for long that you were planning something with the Bijuu as well, and thus decided to form a temporary alliance with you, knowing that your knowledge and your strength will assist me further in my goal. I nevertheless planned to exterminate you when the time comes in which each of us will desire the Bijuu weapon to realize his own ambition…however…things have changed. I no longer desire the Bijuu weapon…my eyes have been opened. I no longer need that fake, pathetic peace which will only bring forth pain…I no longer need you by my side as well, Madara."
Madara chuckled darkly at Pain's words, his right eye suddenly locking itself with Konan's expression, perking up the Angel and causing her own eyes to widen. The former leader of the Uchiha chuckled again, louder this time, amused. "I see…I have known of your plans for a long time…yet I never thought that this day would come." He muttered darkly, his eyes penetrating into Konan's soul, causing her body to tremble slightly. She was overwhelmed with incredible, negative emotions- desires to kill, the unjustified hatred and anger, which sent cold caresses around her heart, forcing it back.
"It was all in your body language- the way you were always the one to be silent and speechless in Akatsuki's gathers…always the one to comply and cooperate without protesting…without having a personal opinion on anything. I have known that the day would come when your delicate heart will not be able to withstand the mental toll put on it and would just shatter. You have my congratulations…but I can tell it wasn't pretty…" Madara said darkly, his voice amused and filled with dark happiness, which was molded with hatred. Konan's terrified eyes could see the Sharingan narrowing, a smirk growing beneath Konan's mask. "I can tell it wasn't pretty to try and change the monster you childhood friend has become…you went through hell…didn't you, Konan my dear?"
Pain's eyes widened in rage, the images of Konan's mental breakdown digging into his heart, her screams and wails filling his ears as he took a step forward, snarling at Madara. He removed the hand which was wrapped around Konan's shoulder and put it infront of her in a protective position. "Leave my Angel out of this!" He raged, shocking both of Konan and Madara at his outburst, his Rinnegan eyes enraged beyond comprehension. Madara smirked slightly, his claims confirmed. "Let her name leave your lips again and I give you my word you will not leave here alive!"
"Nagato…" Konan said worryingly as she grabbed his wrist tightly, perking up the Rinnegan wielder. Pain instantly looked at her from over his shoulder, seeing her sad, worried expression. His anger only terrorized his Angel further, forcing the Rinnegan wielder to calm down and step backwards, taking his place at her side.
Madara was now laughing mockingly, darkly, seeing how Konan was able to calm down the enraged Rinnegan wielder with her expression only. He mocked the inhuman bond those two had, he knew that having beloved ones will only be a burden and an obstacle in the future- and he was right. His dark laugh echoed through the lobby, through the tower, through Konan's ears. "You did a really good job there…" Madara laughed, looking at Konan with a twisted Sharingan as he pointed at Pain, tensing both of them up. "For you to be able to flip him upside down like that and bring him back…it must've taken a lot of sheer willpower and foolishness not to break down in the process. It seems my plans didn't go as far as I had expected…but I predicted the outcome of such a thing. I will be forced to do what I have planned to do from the very beginning…"
Madara locked his eyes with Pain, his cold Sharingan viciously battling with his determined, angered Rinnegan.
"I will kill you and your Angel right here…and after I defeated you…I will take your eyes, Nagato- the legendary Rinnegan will be mine!"
Pain's eyes hardened, narrowing into another cold glare as Konan's eyes widened completely in awe, anger and shock. She was disbelieved at Madara's words, eventually causing her expression to turn into a glare as well, digesting the Uchiha's intentions.
Nevertheless, Madara did not bother himself to notice Konan's expression, not even when it slowly turned into a snarl. Konan had never felt such anger before, not even before Yahiko died- at the time she was still with Yahiko and Nagato in the original Akatsuki, she was happier and more emotional, yet never before was she forced to radiate an emotion such as anger. She was mostly concerned and frustrated every time Nagato and Yahiko returned from their operations with many injuries, knowing that she is going to have a difficult time treating them.
Konan could feel that this feeling of anger was quite familiar- it was the anger which was directed towards the emotionless monster known as Pain, earlier this day, the one the Angel were now ashamed to call Nagato, seeing how the two were worlds apart from one another. 'M-Madara was planning on taking Nagato's Rinnegan?' Konan exclaimed mentally, disbelieved. Her snarl deepened, but was soon enough calmed down by Pain, who glanced at her warmly, his loving eyes melting through her anger, turning it into a concerned, disbelieved expression.
"But still…" Madara continued devilishly, an evil grin growing beneath his mask as his voice perked up both Pain and Konan from their thoughts, causing both of them to glare at him angrily. "Killing you two at such a point will be such shame…we are so close to completing our ambition. Nagato, you have so much left to do for me…you can serve by my side as the ruler of the world only if you once again abandon your pointless excuse for hope. But…I guess that it was inevitable, you would've betrayed me sooner or later, and the outcome will be the same. After I kill both of you and take the legendary Rinnegan from your sockets, Nagato, nothing will stand in my way to world domination! The two of you are nothing but my pawns, and now I will do what I should've done a long time ago."
Konan stepped forward angrily, snarling at the Uchiha, her amber eyes filled with rage at his humiliating treatment towards Nagato. This time, Madara bothered to look at her, perking up when her feminine, soft hands clenched into powerful fists.
She is not going to let anyone talk about her Nagato as a pawn!
"We were never your pawns!" Konan raged, causing Madara's figure to tense up and his eyes to perk. Pain's eyes slightly widened as well, instantly looking at the angered Angel. He knew that with his last words, the Uchiha hit a sensitive spot in Konan's heart. "We acted on our own wills and ideals! You never controlled us! We had our own dreams, our own ambitions, and we acted in order to realize them!"
A dark smirk grew beneath Madara's mask, chuckling darkly. Pain perked up in shock at Konan's outburst, her words now sane and firm- she was acting on her own choice, she wasn't going to let her Nagato be humiliated like that.
Yet the Uchiha knew that he hit a sensitive, soft spot in the back of Konan's mind, and knew that this was the time to utilize one of his best abilities into play- mind games.
"But…can you say the same for Nagato as well?" Madara chuckled mockingly, his intrigued Sharingan narrowing into a softer smirk, knowing that he got Konan right where he want her. "Just until a few days ago…you were both in the palms of my hands. I used Nagato's anger and hatred to manipulate him to the point where he was nothing but a puppet! I was plunging both of you into darkness, and you were too weak and scared to do anything about it! Now you find the strength to open his eyes, and you manage to change everything, and now you speak those opinions who were always locked down inside your heart, talking as if you're some kind of a hero! So you saved me the precious time of killing the both of you later, and even allowed me to take the legendary Rinnegan earlier…aside from that…nothing good will come out of anything you did! You will die together with Nagato here, knowing that the hell you went through to open his eyes was all in vain!"
That was when the Uchiha crossed the line in Konan's terms. The Angel's snarl grew enraged, to the point her own body was trembling with anger. Perhaps her emotional collapse was affecting her current behavior. Perhaps the lack of any shows of anger throughout eight years caused it to build up inside her as well, and now she was simply letting it pour out.
"YOU BAST-"
Pain instantly held his forelimb in Konan's path when she attempted to charge at Madara, noting how her skin and her Akatsuki cloak both cracked slightly, ready to battle. Konan perked up with disbelief, her widened eyes locking themselves with her Nagato's concerned, warm Rinnegan. Her rage instantly dissipated, her own expression mimicking Nagato's, his expression communicating with hers.
"My Angel…" Nagato muttered worryingly, his voice soft, watching Konan's expression turning soft and warm, gratefulness surfacing on her eyes. She closed her amber irises and nodded, her fists softening and ceasing as she took a step backwards, resuming her place by his side.
'Nagato…you are right.' Konan thought, her warm smile looking at the side of Pain's head, who was directed towards Madara. Seeing that his attempts failed, Madara's Sharingan locked in on Pain's eyes once again. He was playing with her, he knew that she had to go through an emotional crumble to bring back her Nagato and was only using her fragile, recovering heart for his own advantage.
He attempted to play with her mind, knowing that putting hatred and despair inside her heart will cause her resolve and her mind to slowly wither with a storm of emotions. Yet thanks to her Nagato, he failed, and Konan now knew that she had to dissipate any personal opinion she had through the further discussion, knowing that the least she could do was to stand at her Nagato's side while he's thinking out a strategy against Madara.
Yet the Angel already knew that while he was talking, the Uchiha was already planning the battle layout as well.
Madara closed his eyes after a long observation on both Pain and Konan, sighing mentally, deep in thoughts of a good strategy that will make him last on this upcoming battle with minimal bloodshed. 'Nagato is the Rinnegan wielder…and his knowledge of it is deep and professional. Defeating him when he's at full strength is nearly impossible.' He noted, his eyes narrowing as it locked itself with Konan's expression, seeing that she was constantly glaring at him firmly, even though she was glancing at Pain with a concerned expression every few seconds. 'But when he's paired up with Konan by his side…I have no chance to survive. I have seen those two in action together, even though Nagato's emotionlessness was preventing the mental communication between them, they were still managing to pull off deadly combinations, their powers creating the best offense and the best defense…and not to mention that inhuman trait they both share- knowing what the other is thinking…almost like telepathy. I cannot battle the both of them when they're together, but perhaps I will be able to find a way to separate those two and battle Pain alone without Konan interfering my plans…and then maybe I will have a chance to defeat him. Yes…but how?'
Madara's Sharingan suddenly widened in disbelief, the realization hitting his head, causing an evil smirk to slowly grow beneath his mask, knowing what needed to be done. Pain perked up slightly, catching the change in Madara's expression, which brought forth the change in the entire atmosphere of the lobby.
They both have their own strategies…the battle is inevitable.
"Zetsu, come here at once!"
Konan's eyes widened and Pain's eyes hardened as Madara's most loyal subordinate- Zetsu, emerged from the ground next to his superior after a few seconds, should out many flytrap extensions which were entwined with each other, forming some kind of a vicious jaw. The flytrap extensions then parted from each other to slightly reveal the spy's head peeking out from the connection between them.
"Have you called, Tobi?" Zetsu's white half asked, his voice calm and noble. Zetsu's role was to spy on the behalf of the Akatsuki, and was utilizing one of his special traits- Zetsu was able to emerge himself with any surface and travel great distances, and in addition, he was able to remain undetected, making him the ideal candidate for such dangerous operations. Zetsu was also the most infamous member of the Akatsuki, being known as the one who devours and digests the corpses of fallen members, keeping their secrets and the organization's secrets locked in. The Akatsuki Spy also had a severe, inhuman schizophrenic disorder which resulted in him developing two identities, completely different from each other- like the colors black and white.
"Yes, Zetsu." Madara replied, refraining from his cautious stance into a more relaxed, calmed position. His eyes kept observing Konan, causing her to tense up. "Listen…if you may, I need you to take on Konan here for me."
Konan's eyes widened in shock and disbelief, realizing that the battle really is about to begin. She never had the time to process Madara's words as Pain's arm instantly wrapped itself around her shoulders and pulled her body against his tightly. He wasn't going to let any of them touch his Angel, and she knew that while locking her concerned, nervous eyes with the side of his expression, seeing that he was still looking at Madara and Zetsu, observing both of them.
Konan's eyes locked with Zetsu's for the briefest moment, and the Angel instantly brought up a disgusted, uncomfortable expression, seeing him licking his own lips, locking his eyes with her own, saliva rolling down from his long tongue. "Taking on Konan?" Zetsu's white half asked curiously, looking at Madara with suspicious eyes. "Why?"
"Well…apparently the worst has finally happened…" Madara answered disappointingly, his voice frustrated, glancing at Pain from the hole in his mask, seeing that there was no way the Rinnegan wielder is going to give Konan to them. "Pain finally had his eyes opened and is now longer interested in cooperating with me. Thus, he is no longer a use to me and he intends to stop me in this room. That is why I must dispose him and take his Rinnegan to cover for his value…but with Konan on his side, it will be nearly impossible to defeat him. That is why I need you to separate Konan from Pain so we will be able to battle each other with no interference."
"Well, won't it just be a better idea if you just take out Konan as fast as you can while I'm holding off Leader-sama?" Zetsu's white half asked politely, looking at Madara. Konan's eyes were now widened in slight terror, the simple thought of taking on Madara putting fear in her heart. Pain pressed her against his body further, reinforcing her mind, causing the Angel to look at him once again.
"Are you damn stupid?" Zetsu's black half suddenly exclaimed, his voice deep and feral, causing Zetsu's white half to perk up in surprise. "Why? What did I-"
"Just shut the hell up! Do you want to battle Leader-sama? Be my guest! But I'm not staying to die with you!"
"Nagato…" Konan whispered worryingly, her voice slightly afraid, seeing Madara and Zetsu were now looking at both of them, ready for their reaction. What they will do will decide how this battle goes, and it was up to her to prevent anything from being a burden on her Nagato.
Pain looked at her, knowing that she was concerned. His warm, loving eyes melted down her fear as his hand caressed her shoulder, a soft smile growing on his face when he saw Konan's expression softening. He wasn't going to let any of them touch her.
"Please…Nagato…let me take on Zetsu."
Pain perked up in shock, his eyes widening in surprise and disbelief at Konan's request. He was quick to reply, his expression turning disappointed and apologetic. "My Angel…no, I cannot allow you to battle. You're still recovering from the mental trauma you had an hour ago! You're not fit to battle!" He protested frantically, his voice greatly concerned, holding both of her shoulders so that they were fully facing each other. His eyes were locked with hers in what seemed like an endless gaze filled with so many emotions. They were slowly sinking into each other eyes, Pain's worried Rinnegan only making Konan feel remorseful. "I…I will never forgive myself if something happens to you!"
Konan smiled comfortingly, lovingly, her warm smile sending glowing shivers down Nagato's body up in the summit of the tower. She was so happy and touched because of the great show of concern and love from her Nagato, something she wasn't used to. "Nagato…you can't take on both of Madara and Zetsu." She claimed warmly, her palms finding their place on Pain's shoulder-blades. "I-I won't let you! You won't be able to protect me and to battle against both of them at the same time! You will just overexert yourself like you always do and start experiencing chakra exhaustions!"
"Yes, my Angel…but I-"
"Nagato…please," Konan interrupted pleadingly, looking at Pain with the same smile he showed her since his change- radiating with warmth, comfort, softness and love, filling the Rinnegan wielder with assurance and peacefulness, sending rays of light into his heart and yellow glows down his eyes. It was the smile Nagato needed to follow, the same smile she smiled when showing him her revived paper flower, the same smile she smiled when folding it together with him. "Let me take Zetsu off your shoulders. I'll be fine, you know that I'm strong! I'm capable of taking him on…please Nagato."
Pain adverted his gaze from Konan, tearing his Rinnegan from her amber eyes, viciously fighting with his own conscience. He saw Madara and Zetsu both eying them, waiting for the right moment to start the battle. As darkened and evil as Madara was, he will not attack him and Konan while they're both arranging their conflicts- he was the one to enjoy fair, tough battles.
Pain looked back at Konan, his remorseful smile growing, knowing that he will eventually come to regret this decision. His arms wrapped themselves around Konan's shoulders and waist, causing the Angel's eyes to widen in disbelief and shock. He was hugging her…her Nagato was truly hugging her once again, confirming her thoughts about his change- the hug was cold, yet was filled with the warmth of endless love and tight comfort. "I'll cancel the rain and put the villagers under a genjutsu so you will be able to battle without interference, my Angel." Pain started, burying his chin in her shoulder, his left hand folding itself from her shoulders to caress her hair, comforting her as she buried her head in his shoulder, her own trembling slightly. "If you feel exhausted, if you are in any kind of a disadvantage…come back immediately. I'll take both of them on. I just want you to stay safe…promise me."
"I promise…Nagato…" Konan sobbed, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly, her tears of happiness soaking into Pain's Akatsuki cloak, overwhelmed by his love and his concern towards her, overwhelmed by the comfort and peace his hug brought upon her.
She removed her head from Pain's shoulder, causing him to do the same. The Rinnegan wielder gazed into her smile, bringing up his own as he watched her tears standing in the corner of her eyes, which were now sparkling with love and happiness. "Go now…" Pain whispered, his mouth an inch away from hers, causing Konan's heart to beat erratically in her chest, her gut clenching and her body becoming numb. Her eyes slightly widened when Pain's arms removed themselves from her body, bringing forth an endless gap into her heart as the Rinnegan wielder took a step backwards, taking his distance from his Angel.
He wasn't going to put such an emotional toll on her…not now…not with this body, the body which brought so much pain upon her.
Konan then walked forward and stood infront of Pain, her back facing to him, looking back at her love with a lingering, loving smile, which Pain gladly returned. Having spoken their last words, Konan looked at Zetsu as she replaced her smile with a cold, determined glare. Her feet slowly hovered from the ground, her body elegantly mixing with the air as it cracked slightly. She did not need her angelic form to fly, yet she was now dependent of it more than ever- this form reminded her that she is Nagato's Angel.
Konan then gazed at the exit from the lobby which was behind Madara and Zetsu, the one leading to the stoned bridge where it all began…where her greatest, only dream was fulfilled- where she got back her beloved Nagato.
And without saying a word, the Angel took flight, bypassing both Madara and Zetsu with inhuman speed, the recoil of the momentum echoing through the lobby. Zetsu's eyes widened as he turned around, seeing that she was already flying through the skies of Amegakure. "Our dinner is escaping!" Zetsu's black half raged, causing the white half to tense up with a pained expression. "Chase her you idiot!"
"Alright, alright!" Zetsu's white half protested, his body slowly submerging into the lobby's floor. "Just don't be so bossy!"
With his words, Zetsu fully submerged into the ground, leaving the lobby as well with great speed, almost matching Konan's as he headed after the Angel.
All Pain could do was to gaze at the exit from the lobby, to Konan's direction, a concerned expression growing on his face. 'Wherever you are…I beg of you…' He thought, closing his eyes and ramming his palms together, concentrating as he canceled the rain and put the entire village under a genjutsu at the same time. Yet the Rinnegan wielder did something else- something he never thought he would do. 'Kami…Yahiko…please keep Konan safe.'
Another breeze brew through the lobby, the dead silence left by both Konan's and Zetsu's departures leaving Pain and Madara alone, allowing them to have a more personal conversation.
"Nagato…" Madara growled in irritation, his voice frustrated as his expression beneath his mask turned into a snarl, unable to accept what is happening currently- that he is about to battle his strongest comrade, one of his greatest assets. He unwillingly took his fighting stance, his glare locking itself with the Rinnegan wielder's serious, cold frown. "Why, Nagato? Why have you decided to betray me?"
Pain glared at Madara, being cut off from his prayers as he took his fighting stance as well, folding his left forelimb and holding it infront of him. The two glared at each other, knowing that the only time to have one final discussion is now, and will soon be over. "I was never with you…you were only manipulating the hatred and anger inside of me to get your desires." Pain replied coldly, his voice filled with hatred towards the Uchiha, causing Madara to perk up. "I wasn't myself…I was blinded…and I failed to see so many things which happened around me- I brought pain upon my Angel, I plunged Akatsuki into darkness, and lost my humanity…but now…Konan opened my eyes, and in order to repay the eternal debt I owe her, I must do anything I can to make her happy, to see her smiling."
A soft, loving smile peeked beneath his glare, the Rinnegan wielder seeing Konan smiling in his mind, her eyes closed innocently and her head tilted to the side, sending warm shivers down Nagato's body.
"And in order to do that…I must first become the Nagato she loves. And to do that, I must return to my own ideals, to become myself, and to plunge this horrible monster known as Pain into oblivion, so maybe one day she will forgive me for everything I did to her…and I will be able to call myself a human…and see her smiling at me without feeling any kind of remorse."
Madara's eyes narrowed with a growl, disbelieved at Pain's idiotic sayings. He began chuckling, disgusted by Pain's extended show of emotions, seeing now that it's unfitted to him. "That's it?" He exclaimed jokingly, smirking, hardening Pain's glare. "For a single smile…you gave up our ambition, our ideals, our peace for a single smile? Can that smile be compared to peace in value? Bringing justice upon the shinobi world can be compared to a pathetic smile?"
Pain's snarled in rage, angered at Madara's words as he took a step forward. "No!" He yelled, swinging his right arm forward, his Rinnegan cold and unforgiving. The memories of his childhood with Konan began coming back to him once again, flooding his heart. There was never we in this organization, it was simply Madara's ideals which manipulated him. "My Angel is above everything in this world! Her smile cannot be compared with anything! Don't you dare putting your fake, corrupted peace near my Angel's smile! Because your peace is nothing compared to mine!"
"I see…so this is how it must be…" Madara muttered darkly, refraining from his fighting stance as he spread both of his arms to the sides, his expression proud and satisfied. "So be it. I shall kill you and take away your Rinnegan, and so even your corpse will never be able to see that pathetic smile realized, not even when the both of you reunite in the afterlife! I thought you won't let your emotions affect your ideals…but I guess I was wrong- you are nothing but an innocent puppet, easily influenced by mortal interests! Giving you the Rinnegan was a mistake…so I must claim it as mine once again!"
Pain's eyes narrowed in anger, recalling his Angel's outburst about emotions- how they made him superior to the emotionless monster known as Pain, how they caused her to fall in love with him…he will not let Madara's mind game make his resolve wither. "A monster like you, who gave up all he had for the desire of revenge…cannot possibly mock me for being influenced by emotions!" Pain retorted, perking up Madara, who heard the irony and mock in his voice. The Uchiha's eyes narrowed angrily. "The Rinnegan belongs to me, because it cannot be possibly belong to a monster like you!"
At Pain's last words, Madara chuckled, twistingly smirking under his mask as his eye gazed at Pain. "That is where you are mistaking, Nagato." He announced devilishly, as if he was going to reveal a secret, to make a claim which will most likely tear apart the lobby. "I was the one who gave you the Rinnegan! Everything you have been going through was my doing! I killed your parents! I brought Konan to save you! I took you to Yahiko…and I brought upon his death as well! Your meeting with the three legendary Sannin was my doing! And Akatsuki is my organization! Nagato…your life…your friends…your family…your ideals…they are all mine! I was the one manipulating your childhood to its very core! Everything you went through...it was all my doings!"
Pain chuckled darkly, his smirk twisting into a vicious snarl as he began walking towards Madara in a slow pace. Madara's eyes narrowed, seeing that the time for talk is over as he began doing the same. "No…" Pain deadpanned, his eyes locked with Madara as his first meeting with Konan flashed through his mind, together with the rest of my childhood. "You weren't the one who killed my parents, those were Konoha's shinobi! You weren't the one who brought me to Jiraiya-sensei, it was Yahiko! You weren't the one who formed the organization, we were the ones who created it! You weren't the one who brought me to Yahiko…it was my Angel! And you weren't the one who brought me my Angel…it was Kami! Someone as inferior as you couldn't have been behind it all! These doings were caused by humans far greater than you! My meeting with my Angel…the death of my parents…the death of Yahiko…they were all brought upon me so I can realize the true value of my world! The true value of my power! They brought upon me both pain and happiness…they caused me to realize the value of my Angel's smile! They reinforced my resolve! They gave me my eyes!"
Both of Pain and Madara were now speeding up their pace, considerably quite close to each other as they resumed approaching. "The power of the Rinnegan flourished inside me by everything that has happened!" Pain countered angrily, picturing Konan, Yahiko and Jiraiya in his mind. "My pain strengthened my resolve…and my happiness strengthened my power! These two together gave me the Rinnegan! And my Rinnegan was given to me for one, single purpose…"
The two leaders then charged at each other, Pain extending a sharp chakra blade from his right sleeve, holding it firmly in his right hand as he watched Madara bringing out a strange pair of chains from his sleeves.
"My Rinnegan…was given to me in order to bring peace…PEACE UPON THE WORLD AND UPON MY ANGEL!"
Both of Madara and Pain then clashed against each other, Madara stretching the chains as they were forced against Pain's chakra blade, sending a vicious shockwave through the lobby from the immense amount of strength released by both sides.
And Madara's eyes widened when he faced Pain's determined, vicious snarl, his eyes powerful, shimmering with his sole resolve, the one which just began surfacing.
"And a monster like you…who wants to prevent me from seeing my Angel smile…MUST DIE!"
And so ends the second chapter of A New Path at Life with a most remarkable cliffhanger. I hope you all prepared yourself for what's coming next because the battle of Pain and Madara will be continued in Chapter 3- The Battle for Peace!
Stay tuned, as just around July the 15th I will return and shortly after post Chapter 3.
I will see you all by then.
Oh! I almost forgot! Don't forget to REVIEW and CRITIQUE. I have been getting some reviews, but not all of them were in the exact same level of a CRITISM, even though they were appreciated just as much.