Konan's POV
When I woke up the next morning, I didn't feel like getting out of bed. I was still cold from last night's incident, and I knew far too well what I'd have to face today. Pein was counting on me though, so I left my room anyway.
After a quick wash, I made my way into the kitchen. I made the Akatsuki breakfast, as usual. I didn't make one for myself, seeing as how today's planned events had caused me to lose my appetite.
After a while, a knock came at my door. I set down the origami sun that I was making, walking up to the door. I opened it, seeing as Pein's pale face stared back at me.
"Konan," he addressed me. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.
I looked down. "Yes. Just give me a moment." I told him.
I left the door open, so Pein could see what I was doing. I went over to a corner of my room, where a bouquet of different flowers sat. I picked it up, walking to the door. "Now I'm ready." I told him.
Pein nodded, stepping out of the way so that I could get out. When he made his sidestep, I saw a bouquet in his grip as well. He closed my door, knowing that Tobi liked to sneak in there when I was gone and play with my origami.
Pein and I walked down the hallway, side-by-side. We ignored the other Akatsuki that were watching television in the living room. I was sure that Pein had explained to them what we were doing today, but he hadn't told me so.
Deidara's POV
We all pretended not to see as Konan and Pein walked down the hallway. Pein had told us what they were doing today, so we didn't dare say a thing. This was a tough time for Konan, but we all pretended not to notice.
I noticed the flowers that they each held. Sense I was an artist, it was easy to read their feelings by the way they gripped their bouquets. Konan's pale knuckles rapped robotically around hers, showing that she was uncomfortable and upset. Pein's hands were wrapped casually around his, signifying that he was more worried about Konan than getting to their destination.
When they were gone, I let out a sigh of relief. Tobi's loud voice rang through my ears. "Senpai, is Konan-chan okay?" he asked.
I smirked. "Yes, Tobi. Konan-chan will be fine un. Just don't mention where they were today to her, okay un?" I asked.
I watched as Tobi shook his mask-covered head. "Okay, senpai. Tobi won't do that." he said.
Pein's POV
I sighed inwardly, glancing at Konan. She stared into space blankly, trying not to focus too hard. I walked close to her, making sure I'd be there if something happened.
Not many people were out today. A few children ran around, but they quickly ran off when I arrived. I didn't exactly scare kids, they were just afraid of what they did around me. To these kids, I wasn't just God, I was more like Santa Claus.
The parents of these children often told them that, like a god, I was always watching them. This is why most of the children in Amegakure were so obedient. The ones that had just ran off were probably afraid that one of them might accidentally harm the other, and that I would see it.
I looked back over at Konan, fingering the plastic on the bouquet that I held. She was still starring at nothing, a sad look on her face. 'Cheer up.' I thought as I watched her.
The other Akatsuki and I knew far too well that Konan was an emotional girl. She could act apathetic when she wanted to, but still be sad later. It didn't bother me though, because I'd always seen her as the stronger person when we were children.
Regular POV
Konan and Pein arrived at Amegakure's cemetery shortly. It was a gloomy place, but lots of flowers were sitting up against the tombstones. Many people visited their loved ones on this particular day.
After a short amount of time, they'd reached Konan's parent's graves. She and Pein both immediately knelt down, bowing as a sign of respect. Konan set her bouquet on her mother's headstone, while Pein set his on Konan's father's.
They now both sat on their knees. Pein, who's gaze Konan had been avoiding, looked over to her. "Konan?" he called out to her.
Konan looked up. "Yes?" she asked.
Pein swallowed a lump in his throat. "Would you like some privacy? I can go visit a few people around here if you'd prefer that." he asked.
Konan nodded. "Yes. I'll catch up with you in a few minutes." she murmured.
Pein got up, walking to another side of the graveyard. He bowed at certain headstones that he felt he needed to. Most of the people here were from the Second Shinobi World War.
_ _ _
Konan sighed, breathing heavily. She traced the corners of the stones with her fingers. Sighing, she read them carefully.
She didn't understand how people could kill one another like this. Sure, she killed people all the time, but it was usually in order to protect her village or other people. The war, though, had been started over nothing. So many lives had been lost, when none had to be.
Konan wiped away the tears that were forming in her eyes. The day that her parents had left for the war, when Konan was very little, they'd told her something. She kept this quote in the back of her head, always thinking about it.
Flashback
Not old enough to understand life and death, a very young Konan clung to her mother and father's legs. "Don't go mama. Don't go daddy." she cried.
This strategy was useless, seeing as how she was clinging to two amazingly strong ninjas. They easily pried her off their legs, setting her on the ground. They each bent over, looking her in the eye.
"Konan," began the mother. The blue-haired woman was teary-eyed, like her daughter. "Daddy and I will come home soon. Can you remember something for us?" she asked.
It was an embarrassment for the woman, to cry in front of her daughter. Her voice kept cracking when she spoke. Her husband was only a little watery-eyed, but as emotionless as a rock if compared to his wife.
Konan took her thumb out of her mouth. She shook her head. "Uh-huh." she said.
The wife signaled for the husband to continue for her, too emotional to speak correctly. The husband grabbed the wife's hand. "No matter what might be the difference, race, skill, boy or girl, no one is a good guy, and no one is a bad guy. We're all equal people fighting against equal people." he said.
Konan tilted her head to the side, as if to show her confused feelings. "I don't understand." she said.
The husband and wife each grabbed one of Konan's hands. "It means, sweetie," They both began in unison. "It's not good guys verses bad guys, it's humans against humans." they said.
Konan felt her face squish together as each parent kissed a separate cheek. She felt the hands in her own pry off. She watched as her parents walked away, joining a huge group of marching nin.
"Wait!" cried Konan. She ran as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. "Momma! Daddy!" she shouted, pushing her way through the crowd.
Konan couldn't tell one uniform from the other, and eventually lost sight of her parents. She pushed her way out of the marching group, hoping to spot the two outside of it. "Momma! Daddy!" she was crying and screaming at the same time now. Still, there was no sight of her parents.
End of Flashback
Konan sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. She stayed like that for several minutes, waiting for her tears to dry before she went to find Pein. When they did dry, she got up, ready to forget .
End of Chapter Quote:
Cheer up,
And dry your damp eyes,
And Tell me when it rains,
And I'll blend up that rainbow above you,
And shoot it through your veins,
'Cause your heart has a lack of color,
And we should've known,
That We'd grow up sooner or later,
'Cause we spent all our free time alone.
-Rainbow Veins, Owl City
Author's Note: As you may have noticed, each chapter contains a line or a couple of words from each song quote. The quote from the summary that I used, "It's not good guys vs. bad guys, it's humans against humans." is a quote that my good friend Benjamin came up with.
I was telling him about this story, and how it's based around that theory, but I couldn't quite word it right. After explaining it to him, he told me that. I loved the quote so much that I put it in the summary. In case you're wondering, his profile name is "kinxer".
