The Last One

Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Reunion

Talking: "Talking"

Thinking: 'Thinking'

Flashback: Flashback

Chapter 24: Reunion

Naruto and Konan stood in shock as they gazed upon the resurrected body of the man they formerly knew as Nagato. The look upon their faces was written with confusion and sadness as they stared at the man that they used to know look back upon them with a wide smile. Itachi looked over to Nagato and witnessed a seemingly interesting reunion take place upon them all.

"For you, it's been a while since we last met hasn't it?" Nagato stated as he looked over to his ex-enemy, "For me, it's only been moments, but I can already tell that you look different Naruto."

Naruto smiled confidently at the man, "You've taught me everything that I needed to know about hatred and pain. I have nothing to worry about now."

"That's good," Nagato said with a grin as he looked over to his still alive partner, "Konan, I see that you're wearing Leaf attire. I'm assuming Naruto brought you to the Leaf village like I had hoped."

Konan flinched greatly at this sudden news but smiled in determination, "So, it was true then. You really did plan that far ahead."

Nagato nodded simply as he looked at them both, "I knew that Madara would come for you, Konan. I couldn't let him take my team mate from this earth whenever she still had so much left to give."

Her face contorted as she looked over to the side. She looked in pain from the sudden revelation, "So, you suddenly came up with this plan Nagato? You brought Naruto and me together because you thought it would work?"

Nagato looked over to his friend in shock, but stood firm as he tried to speak up.

"Yes. There was no doubt in my mind that Naruto would need as much help as he could get. It was only better that he could offer you protection and you to him as well, so I wouldn't have to see my friend in the afterlife so early."

There was a moment of silence as everyone looked at each other in amazement. Itachi gazed upon the man that he was holding and felt like there was something more to him than he thought before. It seemed that Nagato was actually planning things more than he realized.

"Thank you," Konan said as she looked at her resurrected team mate. She looked up to him and showed him a gentle smile with tears that welled up in the corners of her eyes, "You were right about Madara aiming for my life. If it wasn't for Naruto-kun, I would have been done for. Your plan did work."

Nagato looked at Konan with disbelief before he broke out into a smile of his own, "It seems like you and Naruto have created a strong bond. The last person you ever had an affectionate tone for was myself and Yahiko, but that was years ago."

"Konan-chan didn't exactly have it easy," Naruto brought up as he stared down to the ground in remembrance, "She nearly died and if I wasn't there, then she truly would have. I brought her to Konoha, hoping that she would have it better there, but the people there were mean to her," Naruto continued as he looked up to Nagato with a strong face, "She withstood through it all and I helped her along the way. I knew that Konan-chan wasn't as bad as everyone thought she was. I knew... that somehow I could bring everyone to her side."

Konan looked at Naruto in a concerned stare. Her thoughts rambled on the times she was in Konoha and how everyone treated her as nothing more than a slave or someone that couldn't be looked at. The corners of her lips lowered in remorse.