Konan walked through the snow-filled streets of the Hidden Rain Village, her pace brisk and determined, but her mind was far from the mission at hand.
She had left Kenshin's room just before dawn, the weight of what she had done still pressing heavily on her heart. The memory of his peaceful, sleeping face haunted her every step, and the tears she had shed in the quiet of the night had left her feeling hollow.
She reached the central tower where Pain resided, the messenger from the Hidden Leaf already waiting for her. But even as she greeted him and listened to his report, her mind was elsewhere—back in that room, on that bed, with Kenshin.
The messenger handed her a scroll with the hidden leaf's approval of Pain's conditions on the transfer of Kenshin and Kana Uzumaki to the Hidden Leaf.
She accepted it with a nod, her face calm and composed as always, but inside, she was breaking. The thought of Kenshin leaving, of him never knowing how she truly felt, tore at her soul. But she had made her choice, and she would live with the consequences.
"Uh, Lady Angel? I might be overstepping here but.. are you okay?" The messenger asked, feeling something might be wrong.
Konan blinked, momentarily pulled from her thoughts by the messenger's question. She turned her gaze to him, her face composed but her eyes betraying a depth of emotion she usually kept hidden.
"I'm fine," she replied, her voice steady, though there was a slight tremor that she quickly suppressed. "Just... tired. It's been a long night."
The messenger hesitated, clearly unsure whether to press further. "I see... Please take care of yourself. Everyone should take breaks every once in a while."
"Thank you," Konan said softly, her voice carrying a weight that the messenger couldn't quite place. "But I'll be fine. You should return to your duties."
The messenger nodded, bowing respectfully before he turned to leave. As he walked away, he couldn't help but glance back at Konan. There was something different about her today, something more vulnerable, but he knew better than to pry.
Once the messenger was gone, Konan allowed herself a brief moment of weakness. She leaned against the cold stone wall of the tower, closing her eyes as she tried to steady her breathing.
The snow continued to fall softly outside, covering the village in a blanket of white, but Konan felt none of the serenity it usually brought her.
The scroll in her hand felt heavier than it should, as if it were a physical manifestation of the weight on her heart. The hidden leaf had accepted Pain's conditions for the transfer, and that meant Kenshin and Kana would soon be leaving.
She knew it was for the best—it was what Kenshin wanted, what Kana wanted—but the thought of him being so far away, and of him forgetting the promise he made, tore at her.
The rational part of her mind reminded her that she had done what was necessary, that she had protected him in the only way she could. But her heart wasn't so easily convinced.
With a deep breath, Konan pushed herself away from the wall and began to walk down the corridor toward Pain's chamber. She had to deliver the news, to confirm the transfer and prepare for what was to come.
But every step felt heavier than the last, and with each one, the image of Kenshin's face—peaceful and unaware—came back to her, filling her with a sadness she couldn't shake.
When she reached Pain's chamber, she hesitated for just a moment before pushing the door open. The room was dimly lit, the shadows casting long, ominous shapes on the walls. Pain stood at the far end, his back to her, seemingly lost in thought.
"Nagato," she called softly, using his true name, something she rarely did anymore. He turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
"The hidden leaf has agreed to your terms," she said, handing him the scroll. "Kenshin and Kana will be transferred as planned."
Pain took the scroll, his gaze flickering briefly over her face. He studied her for a moment, as if sensing the turmoil within her, but he said nothing about it.
"Good," he finally said, his voice calm and measured. "Tell them to start making preparations soon."
Konan nodded, though her heart clenched at his words.
She turned to leave, but before she could, Pain spoke again. "Konan."
She stopped, looking back at him. There was a long pause, as if he was choosing his words carefully. "Is something troubling you?"
For a brief moment, she considered telling him—about Kenshin, about the choice she had made, about the sorrow that was eating her alive. But she couldn't. Instead, she forced a small smile and shook her head.
"No, nothing," she replied calmly. "Everything is as it should be."
Pain regarded her with his intense gaze, but after a moment, he simply nodded. "Very well."
With her words echoing in her mind, Konan left the chamber, her heart heavy with the knowledge that the sacrifices she was making might cost her more than she could bear.
As she walked back through the snow-filled streets of the Hidden Rain Village, the cold bit at her skin, but she barely noticed. Her thoughts were with Kenshin, with the promise he had forgotten and the future they would never share.
The snow continued to fall, covering her footsteps as she walked, as if erasing the evidence of her passing—just as she had erased the memory of their night together from Kenshin's mind.
And yet, despite everything, the pain lingered, a reminder of what she had lost.
As she reached her destination, a small, secluded spot she often visited when she needed to be alone, Konan finally let her emotions break through. The tears she had held back all morning fell freely now, mixing with the snowflakes that clung to her face.
She sat down on a cold stone bench, her arms wrapping around herself as if to hold the pieces of her breaking heart together.
The world around her was quiet, save for the sound of her own quiet sobs, the only witness to the pain she could never fully escape.
In that moment, Konan allowed herself to grieve—not just for the love she had lost, but for the part of herself she had sacrificed along with it.
And as the snow continued to fall, she couldn't help but wonder if the world Nagato was trying to create was worth the price they were all paying.
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Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support and power stones. As always, please give me your power stones and comment your opinions. They make a big difference and motivate me to write more.