I'm falling apart... It's like I'm lost in the motions.
Use my pain as a rope to wrap around the commotion. Tie the knot at my throat, I look at death as a notion.
I don't want it no more... I don't want it no more...
My eyes slick with tears as I stare in the clouds, thoughts racing around.
I've done so much bad... So, so much bad...
I hope one day you can forgive me.
I never wanted to be an enemy. I've only ever wanted to help...
That's all... It's all I wanted to do...
Yahiko... Please forgive me...
It hurts. It hurts so bad.
I can't feel my body, can't feel my fingers... My bones are brittle and my breathing is shallow...
Sweat cascades down my face, nearly blinding me...
My feet ache and my heart hurts.
A grunt escapes me and I wheeze quietly, ribs creaking from the fight.
"Nagato... Yahiko..." I wheeze, eyes blurring from fatigue. "Uzumaki... Naruto..." The waves I stand atop nearly bowl me over as I struggle to stay afloat. "The rain... It finally stopped..."
Another shift of the water knocks me over as I release a pained cry, knees splashing against the harsh waves of water.
"It's... awful..." Sweat, or tears, slowly stream down my face. "I hurt... It hurts..."
Scarred and course hands crash into the rolling current as a wave of nausea courses through my body. Stomach acid ejects through my mouth as I slowly succumb to my wounds.
"I wasn't... strong enough... Nagato..."
As my eyes slowly drift shut, I hear the sound of laughter.
A man's laughter...
Liquid fire courses through my veins as my head snaps upright, coming face to face with the man that I killed.
Dread coils around my heart and fear stains my being.
How... How did he survive...?
How?!
"You nearly got me. I'll give you that." His voice, appraising and demeaning. "Who would have thought that you'd have actually put up a fight... So brazen. But the game is over now, Konan."
He takes a step towards me, the waves of Amegakure slowly tapering down as he nears my position. That ugly mask is broken and cracked, revealing a spiraling crimson eye and a milky white orb.
In my confusion and fear, I notice nothing. The only thing on my mind is the disbelief of him having survived.
I... I killed him... I killed him! No!
No! NO NO!
"To think I'd be pushed to use such a Jutsu against the likes of you..." Tobi scoffs in disdain. "No matter... After I kill you, Nagato's eyes will be put to good use... Or should I say Madara's Eyes..."
"GET UP!" I scream desperately. "GET UP NOW!"
Despite the adrenaline now coursing through my veins, my body is powerless to act. The corners of my vision begin to slowly blacken as I stare at Tobi.
"This is the end." I lament quietly, fatigue finally claiming me. "In the end... I couldn't even avenge you, Nagato..."
Tears stream down my face and though I was prideful, I let them fall with little care. For my end is near and I cannot change it...
And so I accept my end with open arms. With a heavy heart and a defeated soul, I open my palms to the sky and raise my head in defiance.
If I'm to die... Then I shall do so with what little pride I have left.
"I'm sorry... Naruto..." I murmur quietly into the sky.
And though I was a realist to the very end... Dregs of hope clung to my dying body.
The notion should have shaken me. After all, I was the one to abandon it after Yahiko's death. And even when Nagato's mind was warped and his body forever a paraplegic, I followed out of loyalty.
I never did share the same belief that peace could grasp our home... It was not possible. Mankind was not kind.
We are a cruel being and words do nothing but delay the inevitable...
But I'm a hypocrite. For what does one do when faith is crushed?
They hope.
And with what little strength I possess, I make eye contact with the creature known as Tobi and quietly speak.
"My death... will be your end..."
He seems amused by my words, as if I weren't even worth the effort of words.
It meant nothing to me. I am but a dying woman, running off fading adrenaline and spite. If only to make my end more annoying to Tobi.
"You will die a coward... You are not Madara... If you were... I'd have not taken... half your body..." I cough harshly and a spiteful smile frames my face. "Weak... weak, cockroach... I pray to the false Gods above that you meet your end soon... And when you do..."
A surge of new strength overcomes me and I spit the words out with a hate so profound, I even shock myself.
"I'LL BE WAITING... TO RIP YOUR SOUL APART PIECE BY PIECE!"
My body is too broken to register the kick sent at my face and though I can feel the cartilage of my nose break, I feel nothing.
The crimson essence of life streams down my face, slipping into my orifice. The familiar taste of copper fills me with satisfaction. Even in death I will be spiteful.
It's a pity that I cannot savor the anger rolling off of Tobi.
"You little rat." Tobi spews hatefully. "Spare your words and reunite with Nagato and Yahiko. Look them in the eyes and tell them how you failed."
A glint of metal catches my eye but my mind has deteriorated. Exhaustion overtakes me as my head slowly lulls forward.
"In the end, you truly were useless."
And though his words rang true, fulfilment filters through me. Because Tobi is just a man... And today I proved that.
"Finish what I could not... Uzumaki Naruto..." My soul titters painfully and though my life flashes through my eyes, I cannot help but feel saddened... It shames me that in my final moment, I was truly nothing a but a coward.
I escaped the consequences of my actions but at what cost? I ruined countless lives for a false dream... And though I failed to end the man responsible for it... I cannot help the worthlessness that overcomes me.
I can only hope and believe that Naruto will finish what I started.
"Bijuudama Rasenshuriken!"
A familiar and yet unknown scream tears through Amegakure. And though I register the shockwave of power that sends me careening through Ame's ocean, I am hopeless to right my body.
I skip along the surface of the water multiple times and though I'm positive that I'm still alive, I cannot help but wonder if this all a dream.
My mind is atleast conscious enough to keep me from drowning, my chakra finally failing me to keep me atop the raging surface. And as I slowly begin to sink into the murky depths below, a pair of strong hands wrap around my body, tugging me away from the screaming depths.
Vertigo rolls along my body and my senses are flipped several times. In my delirious state I'm able to glimpse a... glowing? body.
"I got'cha!" A familiar masculine voice sounds out. "You're gonna be okay now. I promise!"
The words are foreign to me as I'm jostled lightly through the sky. In my exhausted state I'm conscious enough of my surroundings to take note of the distance traveled.
If my math was correct, which it certainly wasn't, then I was just moved nearly 500 meters in an instant. My stomach churns painfully and I nearly spew vomit through my throat.
I feel my feet sink into something dense and wet and can only hope that it's mud. My hands desperately reach out, fingers splaying and grasping for purchase. My ruby painted nails dig into cloth and I find myself clutching on to it as if my life depended on it.
A guffaw of laughter follows my actions and I am absolutely positive that it was not me.
"Hey, hey hey heyyyyyy! It's okay. Everything's going to be fine!"
Once more that familiar voice reassures me and I find myself starting to believe them. They just seemed so... assured of themselves. Their belief and words just nestled into my chest, filling me with a fire that had been previously dimming.
A harsh gasp escapes through my body as a source of Chakra enters through my body. My body instantly clamps down on itself and threatens to shut down for a split moment.
Thankfully, the Chakra entering my veins only seeks to aid me. And so, I allow it do so.
An unquenchable thirst takes over me and I allow it.
More! More! MORE!
Another bark of laughter resounds from just above me, the same familiar male voice speaking out again.
"Hahaha! Slow down, Konan! It's not going anywhere."
And though I wish not to, I find myself listening to the voice. It's soothing and calming despite how loud it is. It's comforting and I find myself relaxing.
"Don't worry... I'm gonna end this here and now."
Their voice, once again, was so reassuring. Filled with so much strength... I cannot help but hope to cling off of it.
I finally gain enough strength from the individuals Chakra to slowly open my eyes. A nearly blinding golden light assaults my vision and my mind reels back from it.
There is no danger here but my body cannot help but tense at the glowing flames wafting off the man. Ethereal Chakra clung to the man almost like a second skin.
He possessed a sharp chin with dimpled cheeks, likely from the grin that now framed his face. His canines were abnormally sharp and thick, black markings painted his cheeks like whiskers.
This person looks like...
"N-Naruto...?" I weakly rasp, fingers wrenching the glowing Haori, as if afraid of the man disappearing.
That joyous grin of his seems to soften as his unique heterochromic orbs roam across my face. His teeth slowly disappear as his smile forces his eyes to crease, hiding the familiar Doujutsu of the Hyuga clan.
"It's good to see you too Konan!"
I cannot help but try to laugh at the absurdity of it all! It comes out harsh and devolves into a brutal coughing fit. I spit blood from my mouth and receive a quiet yelp of shock from the Jinchuuriki.
And despite the pain coursing through my entire body, a new strength seems to invade me.
"Hope..." I quietly muse to myself.
How very... cliche.
Exhaustion was a concept that Konan was intimately familiar with. She had bonded with it since she was a babe. Being orphaned as a toddler and forced to fend for yourself does that. Whether that be from starvation, sleep deprivation or plain out fatigue.
Even while conscious, she couldn't open her eyes. The action would have been far too tiring and every single bit of her body seemed to ache and hurt.
Her head pounded ferociously and even through closed eyes, the bright lights from above were blinding. The stench of disinfectant and various other chemicals assaulted her nostrils.
"A hospital...?" She quietly mused, confused for all of three seconds before remembering exactly why she was here.
Her last thoughts were of being saved by Uzumaki Naruto of all people...
A gentle exhale of breathe escaped her nostrils, and boy did that action hurt, as she recalled her fight with Tobi and her near death at his hands.
Konan had accepted her death after failing to kill that coward before being saved by Naruto. The action was jarring.
Why was Naruto in Amegakure in the first place? What had compelled him to come?
She had since renounced her position in the Akatsuki and had instead chosen to betray them. It was why Tobi had been in Ame in the first place, searching for Nagato's corpse.
At the thought of Nagato's corpse, her eyes shot open and a horrendous amount of pain shot through her body. She released a shrill cry of pain as her body tensed painfully.
Her eyes picked up an incessant rapid beeping noise and she was half-tempted to send several paper shurikens to shut the damn thing off. She was spared from doing so as the door to the room practically burst open, several feet rushing into the room judging by the noise.
Konan picked up several female voices, some of which seemed to be expressing genuine concern and annoyance. She was left confused for a brief second before hearing a familiar voice.
"I just want to see if she's okay!"
One of the various nurses grunted quietly, as if performing some sort of exercise. "And I told you that we'd handle it Naruto!" The nurse grunted again as her feet skid along the floor, failing to hold the man back. "Kami, why are you so strong?!"
"Just... Just let me see!" He insisted sternly, physically picking the petite nurse up and moving her aside, ignoring her yelp of surprise. "Konan! Are you okay?"
She wouldn't have been able to answer even if she wanted to. Despite the brief adrenaline that shot through her, she was left in an even more exhausted state afterwards.
Her consciousness drifted in and out several times but she was keenly aware of Naruto's voice in the room and oddly enough... It brought a sense of comfortability that she desperately wanted.
"Just..." He grunted quietly, shouldering aside the three nurses who tried to push him out the room. "Just let me stay in. I won't cause problems."
"You being here is already against protocol!" One of the nurses retorted in annoyance, checking Konan's vitals and making sure the woman was fine.
Naruto scoffed playfully, adjusting his headband in a manner similar to his former masked Sensei. "I exist to spite protocol. I'm staying... Besides, Baa-chan said it was fine."
The head DR rolled her eyes before replying. "Fine! Just don't touch anything! I'm watching you, Uzumaki!"
The one-eyed teen winked his cerulean orb as he responded. "Cross my heart and hope to die."
Konan finally succumbed to her exhaustion once again as the nurses began their precursory observations. With the knowledge that she was still alive and well, she finally relaxed.
If Naruto was still alive then Tobi was either dead or he had prioritized her life. Knowing him for the brief amount of time that she did, she'd bet that he had gone out of his way to make sure she was safe before engaging Tobi and ending him.
"Huh..." She was pretty confident that he had already accomplished in killing Tobi...
That was certainly new...
"Shouldn't you be watching over your little girlfriend?" Tsunade idly commented from her seated position, head not rising from her paperwork.
Naruto scoffed playfully, slouching against the woman's desk with his back facing her. "Oh, you got jokes, now do ya?" He crossed his arms against his chest before replying. "I have clones watching over her, she'll be fine."
The blonde Kage only offered a quiet hum of acknowledgement as she continued scribbling along the parchment. "Get your ass off my desk." She stamped one of the papers before setting it aside in a pile full of other documented papers.
"So rude." He replied back while staying in his seated position. "And here I thought you wanted to spend quality time with your favorite Godson..." A faux depressed sigh escaped him as he continued. "Why does my Baa-chan hate meeeeee?"
Tsunade would not and did not rise to the boy's bait. 19 years of age, the strongest Shinobi under her command and he still chose to act like a 12 year old...
But that's why she loved him.
Platonically, of course.
Naruto would forever be the annoying, troublesome son that she never had. Kami rest Kushina's soul but she had taken a liking to Naruto and if it came to blows on who could claim ownership...
Well, Tsunade would absolutely throw hands with the boy's biological mother.
And she'd definetly win.
"Listen here you little shit," She began quietly, stamping another paper. "I sent you on a diplomatic mission to Amegakure and you come back with a heavily injured Ex-Leader of the Akatsuki alongside the corpse of the actual Leader..." She finally rose her head to stare at the boy with a fierce glare. "Do you realize how much more paperwork I now have to sign?!"
Naruto had the decency to atleast look apologetic and it was probably the best she was going to get out of him so that was definitely a win in her book.
"It wasn't my fault!" He proclaimed childishly. "How would I have known that Konan was going to be fighting for her life against the masked guy?"
Tsunade did not bothering offering a response. She already knew how bad Naruto's luck was while out on solo missions. It's precisely why she rarely gave him the damn things.
The little shit would turn a simple escort mission into some Quadruple S-Rank Mission that'd end up usurping an entire country, saving some random princess and destroying an entire organization of Rogue Shinobi.
"How is she?" She instead questioned, pushing her paperwork away while she conversed with her son in all but blood.
The Jinchuuriki sighed quietly as he adjusted his headband, a nervous habit he'd yet to get rid of. "Stable... For now." An exhausted sigh escaped the teen as his shoulders slowly dropped. "It was touch and go for awhile... If I hadn't shown up when I did then she wouldn't even have made it. Apparently she nearly destroyed her Chakra Nervous System... Whatever she did must have been extreme."
Tsunade raised a delicate eyebrow as she clasped her hands together. "Seems rather reckless of her... Didn't you say she was more level-headed and rational? She doesn't necessarily strike me as the type to engage in something rather suicidal."
Understanding the underlying comment, Naruto sighed once more. "I felt the explosions several miles out of Amegakure and that's the only reason I arrived in time. She used up her entire tank to cast her Jutsu... The fact she was still standing when I got there was impressive in itself."
"Tenacious." Tsunade commented with a hint of respect. Naruto's eyes drifted out towards the village as he absentmindedly nodded his head. His single, visible eye unfocused for several minutes as he unconsciously ignored his surroundings.
"Hey!" The blond Jinchuuriki was shaken from his thoughts as Tsunade nudged him. Her face was contorted in concern as she stared into his eye. "You okay?"
She already knew the answer.
"Ahh..." He began quietly, lone orb looking anywhere but at Tsunade's eyes. "It's... Ya know, just that time..." He fiddled with his headband once more, as his tone shifted to a more melancholy one. "I miss them..."
Tsunade nodded her head sadly, left hand grasping the boy's hand. She said nothing but words weren't needed between them.
"Are you going to visit them?" She asked softly, gently stroking the boy's hand.
The Byakugan wielder said nothing for awhile, silently thinking to himself. He pursed his lips before eventually nodding slowly. "Y-Yeah... Just... Uh." He stuttered quietly. "Can you... Would you come with me...? I don't like... Don't like going alone..."
Tsunade's eyes softened as she gripped the boy's hand tightly. "Of course, Naruto-kun."
A sad smile framed the boy's face as he nodded. "Thank you, Baa-chan."
She rubbed the teen's hand for another minute before sighing wistfully. "I miss them too..."
Naruto's visible eye fell to the floor as he nodded. "Yeah... Yeah, same..."
Silence swallowed the room after Naruto's words and both blond's found comfort in it.
The blond duo silently made their way towards Konoha's Cemetery, basking in the glow from the moon. The two Shinobi traded no words with one another as they passed various citizens and other Shinobi. Warm greetings and polite nods of respect were given to both blonds who returned them in kind.
Naruto tilted his head towards the star-filled sky, pocketing his hands as he did so. "Did you ever speak to father? Ya know, when he was alive?" He asked out of the blue.
Tsunade's head tilted towards the taller blond, curiosity painting her face. "Why do you ask? It's been years since you've found out... Why now?"
The Jinchuuriki pursed his lips for a moment before shrugging his shoulders lazily. "I don't know..." He paused, searching for words to properly convey his feelings. "I guess, with everything happening so fast... I never got to sit down and actually deal with my internal issues regarding him."
"Ahh..." Tsunade quietly mused to herself. It was time for that talk. She'd be a liar if she said she was looking forward to it. She'd been walking over eggshells for the better part of 5 years since Hiruzen's death.
Everyday she cursed her former Sensei and his lack of response to Naruto's wellbeing. It seemed that, at best, Hiruzen had done the absolute bare minimum.
Naruto had a roof over his head and scraps of food when he was a child.
The absolute bare minimum.
And though she had been disgusted and appalled by this knowledge, it was not like she could have fixed it. What had happened to Naruto as a child could never be changed.
The boy was sabotaged and hated. Despised for circumstances out of his control and forced to question his very existence.
Many had claimed, to his very face, that his early struggles had made him strong.
And that pissed her off more than anything.
Naruto was a child. He wasn't supposed to be strong. He was supposed to be safe.
And sensei couldn't even do that.
Jiraiya was no better and while she loved that man dearly, it didn't change the fact that he had also shirked his duties. Naruto and Jiraiya's relationship was strained from the very first meeting and Tsunade had never truly broached the subject.
Tsunade silently shook her head, abandoning the thoughts and instead glanced towards her son. "Well, let me answer that with a question of my own. Don't make that face, I can see you." She proceeded to slap the boy on the back of his head, ignoring his yelp of pain. "How do you feel about Minato?"
Rubbing the back of his head, Naruto crinkled his nose. "I mean, I don't hate him... But I also don't really know him. I know of him but that's where it really ends... Everyone always said that he was brave, courageous, strong..." A quiet sigh left his lips as he adjusted his headband, slowly lifting it up and revealing his Doujutsu. "But that means nothing to me. So what if he was strong? I'm strong too. Courageous? Brave? What does that really do for me? I'm all of those things as well. No one seems to have the answer and I never bothered asking Jiraiya... I didn't want a biased perspective."
Tsunade needed a fucking drink. It was far too early for her to be having this kind of heart to heart with her son.
The Senju was silent for several long moments, collecting her thoughts in a way that would make absolutely perfect sense to Naruto. It took a little over two minutes for it to eventually come to her but it eventually did. As the two blonds stepped through the gated entry of the cemetery, Tsunade finally opened her mouth to speak.
"If you don't hate him then why should it matter?" She asked slowly and softly, speaking in a gentle tone so as to not come across inconsiderate. "Minato was a man revered for his strength and intelligence. It was his ingenuity and talent that cemented his position as the Hokage. I respect Minato, as a leader of this village, but I do not respect his actions."
She came to a stop, pivoting on her heel and staring at the teen. "He did what he did because he believed it was the best situation. I'm sure thousands of alternatives invaded his mind at the same time but he did the one thing expected from a Kage."
"He put the Village first." Naruto stated in an acidic manner.
Tsunade tried to not wince at his tone. "Your father was a shrewd man who thought rationally and logically first. Regardless of his actions, he could not predict Hiruzen's lack of care and Jiraiya's irresponsibility. It was only as bad as it was because of circumstances that were completely out of your control."
The Jinchuuriki shook his head with a bitter smile. "My life in a nutshell..." He shook his head once again before continuing. "I may not hate him but I don't like him... And I don't know how I feel about that."
The blonde Kage offered a sympathetic smile before gently stroking his arm. "You're allowed to be angry, Naruto. The only validation you need is from yourself. You want to hate Minato? Hate him. You want to forgive him? Then forgive him. But don't ever question what's right or wrong. You were the victim."
"I hate that word." He spat quietly. "Being called a victim makes me feel helpless."
"But are you helpless?" She fired back with a raised eyebrow. "From what I've seen, you're far from it. Have I ever told you how proud I am of you? Because I am." She nudged the boy's shoulder, smiling softly as he averted his gaze bashfully. "Regardless of your past, you've grown into an amazing man. You're a kindhearted man in a world full of hate. And I'm sure Kushina is frothing at the mouth by now... But I'm honored that you see me as a mother."
At this point, Naruto's face was practically blazing. They had danced around the subject for years pertaining to their relationship. Tsunade was the mother he had always wanted and Naruto was the son she never had.
Their relationship had blossomed after the Chunin Exams and while they spat and slung insults from time to time, the love was and always will be there.
Naruto quietly rubbed his eyes, trying to hide the tears that were surely there. He sniffed quietly as he spoke in a guilty tone. "Do... Do you think mom is angry at me?"
Tsunade glanced at the boy before offering a gentle and warm smile. "I may be a shitty gambler but I'm absolutely positive that she's happy to know that someone filled the void you desperately needed. That woman would go to Hell and back for the things she loved. This is the same woman that had a Bijuu ripped out of her and continued to fight, knowing she would die... All to protect you."
A small smile took over the boy's features as he wrapped the shorter woman in a fierce hug.
"Ack!" Tsunade croaked quietly. "Too tight!"
"Sounds like a personal problem." He instantly retorted, arms squeezing tighter."
"You're so lucky... that my arms are trapped... Or else I'd be punting your annoying ass across the village..." The blonde woman grunted quietly, trying to tug her arms out the death hug she was receiving. "Kami dammit! When did you get so strong?!"
"I've always been strong." He chuckled quietly before crying out in pain. "Owowowowowowowow!" The boy instantly released his hold on the woman, cradling his right foot. "Now I see why you wear the heels... Dangerous little things."
Tsunade nodded her head, fixing her green Haori with a quiet huff. "That's what I thought, you little shit."
"So very rude." Naruto replied with a small chuckle.
Tsunade flipped the boy off, flinging her long hair into the boy's face. "Sounds like a personal problem." She smugly replied, using his own words against him.
"Wow! Look at you! You're getting funnier everyday. It's too bad it only took half a century though." His form instantly burst into smoke as Tsunade's fist crashed into the side of his jaw.
"Little pussy..." She snarled angrily. "Get back here and fight me like a man!"
Off in the distance, she heard the boy yell out a reply that made her see red.
"You're man enough for the both of us!"
A boulder the size of the Hokage Tower was sent careening towards Naruto's voice, nearly destroying the large gates that enclosed the Cemetery.
"Hey there sleepyhead, nice of you to finally join us."
Confusion spreads throughout my body at the familiar voice. I hadn't heard that voice in nearly 15 years. But...
I blink a single time before coming face to face with...
"Yahiko!" I gasp out quietly, shocked to see his smiling face. His grin grows just a tad bit bigger as he rubs the back of his neck.
"Well duh! Who else would it be?" He tilts his head, eyebrows furrowing. "It was touch and go for awhile, but you pulled through."
P-Pulled through? What... What was he even talking about?
Before I could question his words, another familiar voice resounds just to my left, on the opposite side of Yahiko.
"Konan? Are you well?" The gentle voice sends tremors throughout my entire body. "We were worried about you."
This... This couldn't be real!
It had to be a dream!
"N-Nagato...!" My heart cracks and I'm hopeless to stop the tears that cascade down my face.
"Ahh!" Yahiko yelps in surprise, brown eyes roaming over my body in concern. "Nagato you scared her! I told you to be more careful!"
The youthful looking, and not crippled Nagato, offers a small shrug with a weary smile. His beautiful crimson hair lulls down the side of his face..., his full face.
"I tried to be as gentle as possible." He replied, tone still soft. "You're the one yelling, Yahiko." He pointed out with a ghost of a smile.
Confusion.
Shock.
Relief.
I cannot possibly fathom these emotions as they swirl around my body like an angry tornado. All I know is that I'm crying and I cannot prevent the tears.
"I missed you two! Why did you leave?! Where did you go?!" I babble incessantly. "I-I... I thought I lost you two! T-Tobi err... Madara! H-He...!" My babbling tapers off into incoherent garbage as I become a slave to the emotions I've held at bay.
I don't know how much time has passed but I am aware of the warmth from the two men. Their arms wrap around me to hold on tighter and I cry even harder, apologizing and garbling intelligible words.
"Konan... We've missed you too." Yahiko's voice whispers out softly. I find comfort in his words and feel old emotions slowly stirring in my heart. "But..." He continues softly, voice breaking as he utters his next words. "It's not your time... You're still needed."
What?
My heart hammers in my chest and my legs begin to turn to jelly. I cannot stand without help from Yahiko and Nagato and I'm not sure if I even want it.
"N-No..." I shake my head in denial, slowly pulling away from the two men. "I-I can't lose you two again... I can't... Not again!"
I see a sad smile form on Nagato's face. "You still have a goal you must accomplish... And the one you have to help will need your aid, Konan."
No...
No.
No!
NO!
NONONONO!
It wasn't fair!
I lost them once before! I can't do this anymore!
"Please!" I plead and beg, falling to my knees as Nagato and Yahiko begin to slowly disappear. "I can't go on anymore! I can't... I just CAN'T!" My voice runs hoarse as I scream at them. "COME BACK! PLEASE!"
"We can't do that, Konan." Nagato mutters quietly, tone full of regret.
"TAKE ME WITH YOU!" I bellow loudly, outstretching my right hand towards their position.
"It isn't your time Konan." Yahiko responds with a tearful smile. "It was nice to see you again though... You've grown even more beautiful since the last time I saw you."
My heart practically splits in half as I reach out towards the both of them, fingers passing through them as if they were never there. The relief I felt is gone and in its place is nothing but fear and hopelessness.
"Naruto will need your help." Nagato states firmly, his voice finally raising, as if speaking with finality. "I entrusted him with our dream... And were you not the one that vowed to protect him? Did you not claim that he possesses all of Amegakure's loyalty?"
Nagato's words practically slap me in the face, briefly bringing me out of my despair.
But... That wasn't fair...
Before she could offer a weak excuse to his words, Yahiko chimes in. "Nagato told me all about this Uzumaki Naruto... He seems like a good guy!" A grin splits his features as he thumbs over towards Nagato. "Besides, anyone who can kick Nagato's ass is definitely an alright guy in my book."
Nagato offers little more than a soft smile, Rinnegan gazing into my eyes. His next words come out soft, but firmly. "Please Konan... Protect him. I know he can bring change to our broken world. You know it too..."
Yahiko stays silent and my eyes seek his, desperately pleading with him. But he only offers me a sad smile, nodding his head at Nagato's words.
With those final words, my childhood friends vanish into thin air and I'm left alone.
Again...
"Hey, Baa-chan...?" Naruto questioned quietly, hands finding purchase in his pockets.
The blonde woman glanced towards the Jinchuuriki with a small frown. "Mhm?" She hummed quietly.
"Do ya think Team 7 is forever cursed?" He questioned tiredly. His single cerulean orb roamed along the names etched into the Memorial Stone.
A heavy sigh was his answer.
"Yeah..." He mumbled quietly. "I thought so..."
The Jinchuuriki slowly raised his hand towards the hardened stone, tracing over a specific name.
Hatake Kakashi
The blond teen pursed his lips, memories of the infamous Jonin resurfacing.
"I wish I could have told him..." He utters quietly, slowly speaking his mind. "That I forgave him a long time ago."
Tsunade offered a gentle gesture, wrapping an arm around the boys back and placing her head on his shoulder. "You know how Kakashi was, Naruto. He wouldn't have held it against you. Hell, he probably never even forgave himself."
"Yeah..." He nods quietly. "Sensei always did love being melodramatic."
A quiet chuckle emanated from the busty woman. "Don't speak ill of the dead, they can hear you ya know?"
Naruto snorts quietly, shaking his head with a small, genuine smile. "As if Sensei would care."
Tsunade notices that his eyes gloss over another name. Already knowing how he felt about that particular member, she began to squeeze his arm, offering what little support she could.
Haruno Sakura
A conflicted expression framed the Jinchuuriki's face as he stares at Sakura's name. His old childhood crush held a special place in his heart. And not for good reasons.
A bitter expression slowly overcomes him as memories of the pink haired medic flashes in his mind. Shaking his head with closed eyes, he speaks aloud, moreso venting than anything.
"When I was a kid... I thought I loved her. She gave me attention and although it was always negative, it was still more than anyone else gave me." He sighs quietly, taking comfort in Tsunade's presence. "As I've gotten older though, I've come to the realization of how broken I truly was. It's sad, isn't it? People always question why a man or a woman would continue running back to the person that hurts them... And it isn't something you can truly understand unless you've been in that person's shoes."
"Like...," He continued quietly, hands gesturing out towards the stone, fingers stroking the etched name that belonged to Sakura. "She'd always belittle and berate me and yet, at the end of the day, when Sasuke crushed and stomped on her heart, I'd be standing right there behind her, like a loyal dog." A self-deprecating laugh escaped through his lips. "And when Sasuke went rogue... I had to promise to bring back the one person I hated more than anything else... All because she asked me to do so."
"We were kids... So is it really fair for me to think like this? I 'loved' Sakura and yet I went to sleep every night with my heart hurting." Glancing down at his mother figure and with tears in his eyes, he spoke quietly.
"I wasn't the problem... Right?"
Tsunade immediately pulled the boy into the crook of her neck. When his arms squeezed around her tightly, she stroked the back of his head, running her fingers through his spikey hair.
"Of course not, Naruto." She soothed softly. "Sakura had a bright future as a Kunoichi but she was ruled by her emotions and in the end... It killed her."
Naruto didn't respond. But that was okay. He had done enough talking for the day. She didn't even want to open the can of worms that was Sasuke.
"Come on..." She spoke softly, rubbing his back in a gentle manner. "Let's go check on your little girlfriend." She felt him twitch lightly at her light hearted teasing and only smiled in response.
Konan's amber orbs stared up at the ceiling, blank and devoid of emotion. Yes, that was an accurate description.
Blank and devoid of emotion.
She was currently feeling that at this very moment. Just a little over an hour ago she had woken up, delirious and thirsty.
A few minutes had passed by before a nurse appeared in her room, asking her mundane questions pertaining to how she was feeling.
Apparently she had flat-lined multiple times and had even had to have surgery. Konan wasn't even aware that she even needed surgery. She hadn't been that injured against Tobi, atleast she didn't remember being heavily injured.
She had been informed that she was unconscious for three days.
Three.
The doctors had told her it was a miracle she was still alive and that if Naruto had arrived even a minute later that she would have perished on the hospital bed.
"Naruto..." She quietly thought to herself.
Why had he been in Amegakure?
It was a question that had been bouncing around in his her head for the last 20 or so minutes. The rational part of her mind was firm in its belief that he had been there to eliminate her, erasing a potential threat due to her involvement with the Akatsuki.
Though her heart vehemently denied it. If he had wanted her dead then he wouldn't have saved her.
Or perhaps he was doing so to gain access to Nagato's corpse.
The thought made her ill. Despite not actually knowing Naruto she couldn't possibly believe that he'd do something so devious.
If she was alive then Nagato and Yahiko's corpses were safe. Nagato's Rinnegan couldn't possibly have been taken.
Her amber orbs traveled down to her left arm, tracing the intricate seal inked onto her body. She stared at it for several seconds before averting her gaze to the ceiling and sighing quietly.
Her thoughts were becoming bothersome and the silence was certainly not helping. It didn't help that the conversation she had had with Nagato and Yahiko kept repeating in her head.
It... It hurt.
The door to her room burst open, startling her and distracting her from spiraling downward. A head of spikey, blond hair bounded through the room followed by a feminine voice. And judging by her irate tone, she was clearly displeased.
"What did I tell you about slamming doors open?! Stop being an inconsiderate little shit!"
Konan watched as the petite and very busty woman, slapped the back of Naruto's head. It seemed incredibly painful judging by the way he reacted.
"Owwww! Why do you gotta hit so damn hard?!" Naruto responded petulantly, cradling his hammering skull.
"You'll live." She responded with a nonchalant wave of the hand.
"Yeah... With brain damage." The teen muttered in response.
"Stop crying." Tsunade turned her head away from the Jinchuuriki before locking eyes with Konan. Her annoyed expression vanished and in its place was a polite smile. "Well, look at what we have here. You're awake."
"Oi!" Naruto yelled out in annoyance. Both women turned their attention towards the teen, noticing him standing next to an identical version of himself. "Why didn't you tell me she was awake?! We had an agreement!"
The clone blinked once before glancing around the room in confusion. He returned his gaze back to the creator before tilting his head. "I was supposed to let you know? I thought you just wanted me to watch over her."
Konan blanched at the interaction. A clone had been in the room the entire time?! How had she not noticed?! She'd been awake for nearly an hour now!
"Are you daft?!" Naruto gestured with both hands, clearly annoyed. "I said 'Pop when she's awake.' What part about that confused you?!"
The clone sniffed before turning away, crossing his arms against his chest. "I don't like the way you're speaking to me."
"YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIKE IT WHEN I KICK YOUR ASS EITHER!"
"I'LL CRUSH YOU!" The clone responded just as easily, bashing its head against the teen.
Konan tilted her head as she watched the man who had beat Nagato argue with... himself. How very... eccentric.
"Ignore him." Tsunade spoke, slowly walking towards Konan's bed, eyes roaming along the various graphs and other medical jargon that the former Akatsuki member didn't understand. "So, how are you feeling?"
The paper wielder was silent as she stared at the blond woman. This was certainly Tsunade Senju. The woman touted as the strongest Kunoichi. A woman that Konan admired and looked up to.
What female Kunoichi didn't look up to Tsunade? She was quite literally what every woman aspired to be. The woman's rather infamous exploits aside, she had paved the way for women in the Shinobi verse. It was incredibly surreal to be here face to face with the woman.
None of this showed on her face though. Konan had kept her stone faced facade up for the better part of 20 years now. Nothing could really get to her nowadays.
"I'm fine." She replied monotonously.
A delicate eyebrow rose on Tsunade's face. "You're a good liar. Tell me how you really feel though."
Konan's eyes narrowed slightly, her head tilting only a fraction to the left. There was an underlying tone to the woman's statement.
Curious. Curious indeed.
"Physically, I am not fine. Mentally, however, I am." She replied once more, tone bland and devoid of life.
The busty woman didn't react to her, eyes still skimming through the various medical jargon. She picked up a random clipboard that held a healthy stack of papers before slowly flipping through them.
"As a Doctor," She finally began. "I cannot force you to do anything you don't want to. However, as a fellow Kunoichi, who's gone through the loss of multiple loved ones... I advise you to talk about these issues. Perhaps even seek a therapist."
Konan was actually taken aback by the woman's sheer bluntness. this was not exactly what she was expecting...
"I'm aware it's seen as some sort of negative stigma amongst Shinobi." The Senju continued, unaware of Konan's thoughts. "But talking about your issues can actually help you more than you know. But hey, what do I know?" She snorted in an amused manner. "It's not like I tried to drink away my problems and run from my past or anything. Trust me, you won't find answers nor will you heal by staring at the bottom of a liquor bottle."
The paper wielder was stunned for all of a half a minute before schooling her thoughts. "I've never personally fancied bottles. I will be fine."
The Hokage snorted once more, her tone skeptic. "Oh, I'm sure you will be." Deciding to cut the conversation short, Tsunade instead sat the clipboard off to the side before leaning back against the counter she placed it on. "The little shit arguing with himself over there already told me what happened. I however, still need to confirm it. So, what happened?"
And so Konan told her. Explained how the masked man known as 'Tobi' came to Amegakure, searching for something. She was intelligent enough to know that Tsunade would already put two and two together regarding Nagato's corpse and the Rinnegan.
From there, she went on to explain her fight with the man and how she had thrown caution to wind, using her body and suicide tactics to catch Tobi off guard.
She revealed the fact that she had planted more than 3 billion explosive tags into the ocean of Amegakure, catching Tobi in it and using up the entirety of her massive Chakra reserves.
Konan ended her tale, explaining how Tobi had somehow miraculously survived the billions of explosions despite knowing how to damage and counter his unique Mangekyou ability. She proceeded to end the story right as Naruto appeared, saving her from dying.
Tsunade mulled over the story for several minutes, tapping her fingers against the counter in a steady rhythm. After a few minutes of silence, her honey brown eyes traveled towards Naruto's position, knowing that the boy had been listening the entire time.
"What do you think?"
The blond teen glanced towards his mother figure before shrugging his shoulders and leaning against the wall.
"Sounds like he used Izanagi." At the women's questioning stares, he continued. "It's an ability that the Uchiha clan possess. They sacrifice one of their eyes and basically 'rewrite reality.' In short? They cheat death with it. It's what Danzo had done with those stolen Sharingan."
Tsunade pursed her lips before speaking. "And you're absolutely positive you dealt with him? He won't be coming back?"
The blonde woman immediately saw the way that Konan perked up after her question. It was actually kind of amusing seeing Konan unconsciously lean further in her seated position.
Naruto nodded his head in affirmation. "Absolutely. It's not like he'd have been able to use Izanagi again. Destroy the eye, deny the ability." He stated nonchalantly with a smile. "The Akatsuki is nearly destroyed and all that's left is one or two members."
The busty Kage released a relieved sigh after the teen's words. Her brown orbs trailed towards Konan and she nearly smirked at how relaxed the woman seemed.
Just a minute ago the woman was stiffer than a board, shoulders squared and jaw clenched. With only a few words from Naruto, she had become completely unwound.
Deciding to indulge her own self-interests, Tsunade gestured towards Naruto. "Good job, my annoying little Ninja." Her smile grew at his annoyed expression. "I'm going to speak with Shikaku and see if we can't form a task force with the goal of ridding the rest of the Akatsuki. In the mean time however, I'm ordering you to keep watch over our little guest." She glanced towards Konan who still seemed rather relaxed. "As much as my favorite troublemaking Shinobi vouches for you... You did aid in the death of my former teammate and were one of the main reasons why I lost over two dozen Shinobi, with one of those being my personal apprentice."
Tsunade's polite and friendly demeanor shifted on a dime, becoming something horrendous as she stared directly into Konan's eyes.
"I want nothing more in this world than to paste your entrails on that wall behind you and stomp directly on your skull, eviscerating your brain matter and turning the rest of you to ashes. The only reason you're not a rotting corpse right now is because of Naruto..."
Without another word, Tsunade immediately vacated the room, shutting the door with a mighty slam that nearly destroyed the entire wall.
A deafening silence permeated the room for several long moments as both Shinobi remained silent. Konan's eyes slowly glanced towards her lap and was shocked to see her hands shaking.
"There is nothing in this world that scares me. But that woman? She terrifies me."
"I agree, Kurama." Naruto spoke aloud, nervously adjusting the headband that covered his Byakugan. His other orb glanced towards Konan, noticing her confused stare. "Oh! I'm talking to my Bijuu. He was just saying how scary Baa-chan is."
Konan's stoic demeanor cracked as she stared at Naruto like he was insane. "You call her that?!"
A nervous laugh escaped him as he continued to fuss with his headband. "W-Well, I've always called her that. We have a... unique relationship."
Konan's incredulous expression began to slowly disappear as she calmed her raving heart. "I should be surprised... But I'm not."
"Heh." He snickered easily. "My Sensei used to call me 'Konoha's Most Unpredictable Genin.' It still rings true today, I suppose." Pocketing his hands, the boy began to make his way towards the lavender haired beauty. "But enough about that..." Concern marred his features as he stared into her amber orbs. "Are you okay?"
Konan's eyes met his single orb, assessing the expression and glancing away. "I've been better..."
Naruto absentmindedly nodded his head as he stared at the woman. Something about her was different from the first time he had spoken to her and he just couldn't put his finger on it. His eyes roamed along her delicate features, searching for the reason.
"Is something wrong?" She questioned once noticing his intense stare.
Having zoned out at staring at the woman, a hue of red painted his cheeks. "S-Sorry! Something about you is just different. I don't know what it is though..."
The Angel of Ame tilted her head before realizing what he meant. "My lip piercing..." Weakly raising her index to her bottom lip, she continued. "When I left the Akatsuki, I abandoned it."
Naruto snapped his fingers with a smile, pointing at the woman. "Ahh! Now it makes sense. Why'd you get rid of it? I thought it was pretty cool. Gives you a pretty badass look."
Amber orbs stared at the teen for several moments before averting to the wall beside her. "The piercing was symbolic..."
"Nagato and Yahiko?" He gestured softly. When she slowly nodded, he continued. "Ahh, apologies then if I overstepped any boundaries."
"It's fine..." Konan waved off the apology quietly. "It's in the past. I've grieved enough these last 4 years."
The Jinchuuriki made a noise of surprise. "It's been 4 years already? Time flies..." His voice wavered off, single eye traveling towards the window of the room.
Konan joined him, relishing in the comforting silence. Any tension that remained in her body disappeared as she stared out into the vast village of Konoha.
"That reminds me!" Naruto spoke out of the blue. He unzipped a random pocket of his Flak Jacket, fishing out an old scroll. "Remember that gift you gave me all those years ago?"
Konan's eyes traveled towards the scroll in question, eyebrows furrowed with a tilted head. "Gift?" She didn't remember giving Naruto a gift...
"Yeah!" He affirmed with a nod of the head. He unfurled the object before applying a bit of Chakra to it. A small cloud of smoke emanated from the parchment, revealing a bundle of paper.
Konan's eyes widened immediately upon noticing the object. She was surprised that he kept it after all these years.
Naruto placed the scroll back in his Flak Jacket before gingerly cradling the bouquet of paper flowers. They weren't completely destroyed but they had definitely seen better days. The roses were crumpled and crushed with the bottom being mangled and slightly torn.
"Ehh... They've kinda been torn up since that day 4 years ago." He spoke softly with a slightly apologetic tone. "This sounds embarrassing to say but..." Resisting the urge to twiddle his headband, he continued. "Whenever I find myself doubting my abilities and stuff... I uh. I... I hold these flowers and think back to what you told me. How you, and everyone else in Amegakure, believes in me." A soft smile blossomed on his face as he moved towards Konan's position. "So, thank you."
The blond placed the nearly ruined bouquet of flowers on Konan's lap, smiling softly as he did so. When he did, Konan's eyes traveled towards his in confusion.
"Why are you giving me this?" She questioned.
Naruto was silent, expression conflicted for a few moments. It took several seconds but he eventually found the words to use.
"Thanks to my Bijuu... I uh. I can sense negative emotions... And not to pry or anything but, ya know. Uh.. You seem to need these more than I do now..." His cerulean orb glanced away as he took a step back, allowing Konan to regain her personal space.
The lavender haired beauty stared at Naruto for a moment before glancing down at the flowers she created all those years ago. Her blank facade slowly melted away as she idly fingered the crushed and worn object.
A sweet gesture. Naruto was a rather pure individual... Which made the guilt of all the things she had inadvertently caused sting just twice as much.
She had aided in killing Jiraiya when he came to Ame all those years ago. And while she had been hurt having to fight her former Sensei, it was vastly different having to mourn him after the fact. She had helped in killing the man that had saved her life. Jiraiya had taught her how to fend for herself and how to properly fight.
And she repaid those teachings by stabbing him in the back...
Konan's hands nearly crumpled the bouquet before a hand touched down upon her shoulder. A warm and soothing aura emanated from the gesture as she turned towards its source.
Her eyes met Naruto's single orb and that guilt only seemed to triple. She didn't deserve his forgiveness nor his kindness.
"It's fine, Konan." He assured her softly. "Really, it is."
How did he...? Ahh. He had already told her he could sense negative emotions. Did that mean he could pinpoint the exact ones? Or was it just anything with negative intent?
"The full 9 yards." He supplied helpfully.
Well, that was certainly... unique and unfair. He was incapable of being tricked and or attacked, to some degree though.
"I know right? Pretty awesome." He spoke up once more, as if reading her thoughts.
Konan's eyes narrowed suspiciously as the blond teen continued to smile at her, staring right into her eyes. "He's not reading my mind... right?"
"I'm incapable of reading your mind." Naruto chuckled quietly, ignoring the woman's skeptical stare. "Cross my heart and hope to die. I have an easy time reading your face, I dealt with it alot myself."
There was certainly some unspoken words in that sentence and Konan found herself curious. Why though? Perhaps it was the boredom. Maybe it was the copious amounts of drugs pumping through her veins, numbing her injuries that pushed her to voice her curiosity.
"And whatever do you mean by that?"
"What do I mean, indeed?" He countered easily with a teasing smile. Naruto suddenly walked around the bed and towards the window of the room with his back facing the woman. He stared out into the village for a few moments before speaking.
"Our Shinobi Council called for your death..." He stated without turning around, absentmindedly gazing at her from the reflection of the glass pane. "I talked them out of it..." He became sheepish almost instantly his words. "Forced them to reconsider is the better phrase."
The lavender haired beauty furrowed sher eyebrows, gently moving the old bouquet of flowers to the small table beside her hospital bed. "Why did you do so?"
Naruto's shoulders squared as he spoke, tone firm and unwavering. "There's enough death in this world... Needlessly adding more to it does not solve issues and only prolongs the negative actions, whether they be intentional or not, disguised as honor or even to avenge... Needless killing solves nothing and it will never solve the existing issues within our society."
Konan took the words to heart. She absolute believed in them. The Akatsuki had originally been created for the sole purpose of bringing peace and prosperity to Amegakure. Yahiko had had talks of doing the same for the entire Elemental Nations. It was a lofty and idealistic goal that she truly didn't believe in.
Up until Uzumaki Naruto defeated the strongest Shinobi to ever walk the Elemental Nations. Even while crippled, Nagato's incredible power under the Six Paths of Pein could have laid ruin to each Major Village.
He had used the Deva Path to completely erase Konoha... It wouldn't have been any more effort to completely destroy the other 4 Major Villages afterwards.
But Naruto had defeated Nagato and did the impossible.
Konan idly bobbed her head causing a large portion of her hair to fall directly into her face. Her face scrunched up cutely, annoyance plastering her features.
"I agree." She stated softly, blowing her fallen bangs away from her face. "But what is your first step?"
Naruto's single eye watched as Konan tried, and failed miserably, to keep her hair out of her face. It was an oddly adorable sight... He shook those thoughts from his head, centering his gaze on her amber orbs from the reflection.
"The first step is simple..." A pause. "In theory atleast. The first step is to just talk."
The paper wielder abandoned her quest in trying to fix her hair and instead focused on the blond. "About...?" She ventured curiously.
Naruto pursed his lips before shaking his head. "The future." He replied in a simple manner. "Why should we continue to act out on past grievances with one another? What does that accomplish? What does it truly do for us?" He shook his head ruefully. "The problem with our society is how barbaric it truly is. Children are taught how to dismember and dismantle one another at the age of 8 years old."
"I knew how to cut the femoral artery with a kunai to kill a grown man before I learned multiplication... Do our people truly not see how awful that really is? When I was 9 years old in the academy, each kid from my class was given a pet kitten to take care of... We got to take care of it, name it and basically owned it. It was ours. My kitten was my first real friend..."
His cerulean orb narrowed sadly, falling to the ground. "In order to graduate from the Academy, each student was asked to bring their pet to school. And in order to fully graduate, we were forced to kill our pet of 3 years with our own bare hands." He shook his head quietly as a hint of disdain entered his voice. "They said that killing it would desensitize us and force us to abandon personal feelings in regards to people and things we care about. We were told that a Shinobi's only guarantee in life is death and expecting anything more was foolish."
Naruto placed his hand on the glass, shifting his weight onto his right foot. "We don't question these things because they are the norm. And it's disgusting... Children have fought in wars that never even involved them. We send them to their deaths before they're able to experience life. And for what?!" He questioned angrily, slamming his hand against the glass causing Konan to flinch lightly. "Why are children praised for taking lives?! As if Shinobi Propaganda isn't bad enough, these very same children are told that the only way to be a true Shinobi is to die fighting for your home!"
He abruptly turned towards Konan, single cerulean orb flashing crimson as he tried to call himself. "The only way to get this to stop... Is to talk. I'm not naive enough to know that it'll happen immediately." Naruto scoffed quietly, turning his head back towards the window. He placed his arm on the glass before resting his forehead on his appendage, gazing out into the village. "It might not even fully happen in my lifetime but that's the amazing thing about an idea... Men can be killed but ideas will live forever."
A quiet exhale left him, tension slowly draining from his shoulders. "If I manage to change even one person's beliefs about our broken society, then I can die happily knowing that someone else will follow in my footsteps. And then that person will inspire others and then those others will inspire many more!" He ended his statement boisterously, banging his fist against the window. "But change can't happen until someone decides to step forward... And I'll be the one laying the cement for others to walk upon. And that is a promise."
Silence enveloped the room after Naruto's passionate speech. It wasn't an uncomfortable one, far from it, but it was still a very heavy silence. So silent in fact, that Naruto became decidedly sheepish due to it.
"Uhh..." He coughed into his fist awkwardly, shifting back towards Konan's stunned expression. "S-Sorry. I got carried away..."
The paper wielder shook her head, which was alot more painful than she could care to admit, and spoke earnestly. "You don't need to apologize Naruto... Everything about what you said..." She paused as she balled her fist in her lap, the action causing her to wince lightly. "I agree and so much more. Jiraiya-Sensei and Nagato truly picked the perfect individual for their dream..."
Naruto averted his gaze bashfully, rubbing the back of his head with a nervous laugh. "Y-Yeah..." He coughed quietly before continuing, trying to turn the tables on Konan. "You said Jiraiya and Nagato... So, you don't believe in me?" He asked with a small, teasing smile.
Konan's stare became flat as she stared into the boy's eye. "The only individuals allowed to seek attention are children. And somehow I am in the presence of a grown one."
Naruto guffawed loudly at Konan's insult. "I felt that one deep within my soul. How cruel of you, Konan-chan. However will I recover from this?"
A delicate eyebrow rose at the tone of endearment, but Konan ultimately waved it off. Naruto was rather eccentric and unique and she didn't truly care how he addressed her.
"You'll find a way." She spoke softly, releasing a heavy yawn. "You're a tenacious one..." Her head began to slowly lower towards the pillow as a wave of exhaustion overcame her. Another yawn left her as she opened her mouth, interrupting her following words.
"Get some rest." Naruto spoke softly, interjecting and appearing by her bedside. "We can talk more when you're awake... That is if you want to continue speaking with a grown child." He added with an amused smile.
Despite her exhausted and tired state she still managed to retort softly. "I had two brothers growing up... Raising another would be easy..." Her eyes immediately slowly closed after her words, not seeing Naruto's grin.
The Jinchuuriki pulled the woman's covers up past her chest before pulling away. "We'll speaking tomorrow, Konan-chan. Rest up. You earned it." Creating a clone, Naruto nodded at it before disappearing from the room, leaving the clone to watch guard over the former Akatsuki member.
Naruto reappeared on a rooftop several buildings away, like of sight facing towards the hospital. He glanced around the rather spacious rooftop before slowly lifting his headband up, revealing his gifted Byakugan. The veins around his right eye bulged, signifying the use of the Doujutsu.
"I don't sense anything negative... It seems they're just watching."
Granted with near perfect 360 degree vision, Naruto's Byakugan caught sight of multiple ANBU Shinobi surrounding the Hospital. There was 10 of them in all, split off into pairs on various different rooftops all equipped with a line of sight directly into Konan's room.
"If they know what's good for them then they'll stop watching." Naruto stated firmly. "Despite Konan's past actions, she is no longer an Akatsuki member and is considered a Foreign Leader. Anything that happens to her here will have political backlash. It doesn't matter if Amegakure is small. Doing anything to a foreign delegate, especially to a leader, is bad for business."
Five clones popped into existence behind Naruto before disappearing in a burst of speed.
"Awfully bold to assume that they'd care. If they touch her then they know what their fate holds. But will their hate consume them? You humans do lack restraint."
"It won't happen." Naruto stated firmly, arms crossed against his chest. "Konan's under my protection. Anyone who touches her has to deal with me."
"Awfully possessive of you. You have yet to even have a 'date'. Are you not supposed to treat her to dinner first? Skipping first and second base doesn't really seem your style."
Naruto's face lit with crimson at the Bijuu's words. "Kurama! It isn't even like that!" He whined in an annoyed manner. "We're just friends!"
"You cannot lie to me. We've been over this."
Naruto's eyebrow twitched faintly.
"You are interested in that mortal." Kurama's words weren't harsh but they held a tone of... something that Naruto couldn't exactly pinpoint.
The Jinchuuriki sputtered indignantly, shaking his head side to side. "Just because I think she's beautiful doesn't mean I'm interested Kurama!"
"Continue lying to yourself." The Kyuubi snorted, laying his head down upon its massive hand-like laws. "Life is too short to live with regrets... Enjoy things as they are, Naruto. You are a human. Indulge yourself. You deserve it."
Naruto's eyebrows furrowed at his partner's words. "That was... surprisingly amazing advice."
"I always give good advice. You, however, are too stupid to take it. That is not my problem. Take my advice or not. I don't care. I'm done speaking now. Don't bother me."
Naruto made at face at Kurama's parting words but didn't challenge them. He was silent for several minutes before slowly walking towards the edge of the building. He sat down on the edge before staring directly at the hospital. His Byakugan was still active, allowing him to see Konan's Chakra system.
Naruto continued to stare for several minutes before sighing quietly and deactivating his Doujutsu, covering it up like his former Sensei.
"She's beautiful sure but... Could we...? No..." He denied almost instantly. "It wouldn't work."
For the remainder of the day and even late into night, Naruto would watch over Konan. Fake scenarios involving the woman and himself floated in and out of his thoughts, occupying him the entire time. And if he was being honest...
He rather fancied them.
AN: This will likely be a three-shot but it was just something I wanted to write. A Konan/Naruto story was always something I've rather fancied.
Also Konan is second best girl in Naruto so there's that. If you disagree then that's fine but just know that you're 100% wrong and you're ugly.