Chapter Text
A year ago, the Sage of six paths asked a girl for a favour - to end the war.
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When Tsukiyomi woke up from her ordeal last year, she was... different. And the first to notice it was Kakuzu. Her beautiful bright eyes had dimmed considerably, and it looked like she had matured greatly in the span of a few hours. At first, he wondered if it was the death of her brother – well, his second death. Being the human sister of a death god wasn't what he expected to hear when she woke up. And the body was a gift to her from him, so she could live well.
At first, Kakuzu didn't know what emotion to focus on. Should he be mad at the neglect and abuse she faced under her human parents? Or be happy she was given another chance in life after she was hospitalized. He would've liked to meet Shi at least once. For a human to die and become a shinigami, something like that sounded fascinating. But he held back his words; she clearly had no interest in hearing him.
When the trio from Ame came to visit her, he expected her to cheer up, but instead, she greeted them with the same dim eyes. She looked at them as if she were conflicted, as if there was something she wanted to tell them but was unable to.
Yahiko was happy she was awake and well. That wimp would've cried if he wasn't trying to look manly for her. Kakuzu had to acknowledge his efforts. She wasn't simply someone easily understood, but he tried his best.
Once she was well enough, she gave him more information about what she had experienced in death. She asked him if an Uchiha had come to find her in her coma.
Kakuzu was a bit shocked. He wondered how she knew. Seeing his reaction must have tipped her off that she was correct. She asked Kakuzu to bring him in. Kakuzu complied, going to bring back the rather crazy-looking black-haired boy who had shown up at the hospital window demanding to see her. He did not have a good impression of him. He wondered when she met such a strange person. He was rather cold and co*cky, as if he knew everything about this world.
When she saw them both enter her hospital room, she looked up and searched the Uchiha's face. "Madara Uchiha."
Her words were like a bomb going off in Kakuzu's head as he eyed the man next to him. This guy? Madara Uchiha? He considered for a moment that she had lost her marbles, but the man actually laughed and confirmed her observation.
"How did you figure it out?" he asked, placing his hand on his hips in a confident stance. Yomi didn't quite smile, but she raised her lips weakly.
"Can you also call Sasori? You three, I have something important to tell you."
When Kakuzu had retrieved Kisame, he got back to find Yomi fully dressed. Despite the tubes coming from her arms and her now sickly aura, she looked as she usually did, but her smile had yet to return.
"Have you three heard of the Sage of Six Paths?"
The three nodded, and Madara replied naturally, "The ancestor of all Shinobi."
Yomi nodded. "That's right. I met him in my death state."
Her words shocked them, but not as much as her next words. "He asked me a favor – to save this world from its cycle of death and vengeance."
Her words were hard to swallow. Seeing a sage in a dream? Wasn't that absurd? Yomi must have realized their thoughts because she clarified. "You all should know by now I do not belong to this world, so I truly do not care whether anyone out there lives or dies."
Sasori and Madara looked at each other in confusion, but then at Kakuzu, who remained unfazed since he already knew.
"But, the Sage of Six Paths showed me the future that should have been." She continued. She pointed at the three of them. "You three are destined to die."
Her words caused silence. Her red eyes almost glowed at her declaration. Madara didn't believe it. He crossed his arms and grimaced. "You don't know what I have planned. How could I possibly die like that?"
Yomi looked at him, her voice cold and serious. "If I never came to this world, you would have died in the next five years from old age. I gave you life and a rejuvenated body using my ability. But Madara, even when you were resurrected to full power later on, you were still defeated. In this world, you are not destined to win. You know why."
Her words left a bad taste in his mouth. He didn't want to believe it, but seeing her piercing red eyes, he had to realize she was being serious – as serious as a shinigami could be.
"So, what do you want us to do?" Sasori asked. He had been pondering silently and had decided the best course of action would be to follow her lead.
"I want to unite this world," Yomi said casually. "Not like your Eye of the Moon plan."
"Something like that is impossible, is it not?" Madara asked. The reason for the Eye of the Moon plan was exactly because it was impossible.
Yomi looked at him. "You couldn't do it because you are a mere human. I can." With her knowledge of the past and future, coupled with now her abilities and their full capacity, it was no longer impossible to unite the world as one.
Kakuzu felt the drastic change in her. He wanted to ask what she had seen, and what she knew. When the two were dismissed and he was left with her once more, he could finally ask. "Did Yahiko also die?" That was the only reason she would feel so strongly about this.
Her eyes that were serious softened, and he thought he saw tears flood her eyes as she nodded. "Kakuzu, I don't know if I can save him." Her voice trembled, and he stared at her with wide eyes. He didn't know how to comfort her, though he wanted to.
"Yahiko will die if he remains in the Akatsuki, but if I even tell him to give up on his dream, he will hate me."
Kakuzu paused, unsure of what to say. "Isn't it better if he hates you than if he is dead?"
She sniffled. She knew he was right, but the very idea stung her to her core. She braced herself. She would tell him to give up on the Akatsuki. To give up on Ame, it's okay if he hates her – a necessary price to pay for his life.
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Yomi sat by her window, gazing out at the village she had painstakingly built. Her mind was heavy with thoughts of Yahiko and the burden of the knowledge she carried. A knock on her door startled her, pulling her from her reverie.
"Come in," she called, her voice steady. She was still the kage, she didn't have the luxury to look weak in front of others.
The door opened, and Konan stepped in, her expression a mix of concern and determination. Yomi was taken aback. She hadn't expected Konan to visit her alone especially after the cold shoulder she kept getting.
"Konan? What brings you here?" Yomi asked, her voice softening as she gestured for Konan to sit.
Konan moved gracefully, her blue hair catching the light as she took a seat across from Yomi. "I wanted to talk to you, Yomi. It's been a while since we had a proper conversation." Her smile was forced and Yomi felt really strange. At least now she could get to the bottom of why she was acting this way.
Yomi nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's good to see you. What did you want to talk about?"
Konan took a deep breath, her eyes never leaving Yomi's. "I know Yahiko has been worried about you. We all have. But there's something else I need to say."
Yomi's heart skipped a beat. She could feel the weight of Konan's words before they were even spoken. "Go on," she urged gently.
Konan hesitated for a moment, then spoke with quiet resolve. "Yahiko... he's a dear friend. We both care about him deeply."
Yomi watched Konan's eyes soften as she spoke about Yahiko, a subtle warmth spreading through her expression. Yomi felt a pang of understanding, realizing that Konan's feelings for Yahiko ran deeper than friendship. She knew in the world without her they were close, but seeing it in Konan's eyes made it clear.
"Konan, what does Yahiko mean to you?" Yomi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Konan's gaze dropped to her hands, which were clasped tightly in her lap. "He's... he's someone very special to me. He's been a constant source of strength and support. I care about him more than I can express."
Yomi's heart ached at Konan's confession, even though it wasn't explicit. The tenderness in Konan's voice and the way her eyes softened were enough for Yomi to understand. "I see," Yomi replied, her voice trembling slightly.
Konan looked up, her expression filled with concern. "Yomi, I didn't mean to make things difficult. I know I've been acting weird.."
Yomi forced a smile, trying to hide her inner turmoil before cutting her off. "It's okay, Konan. I'm glad you told me. Yahiko deserves someone who can truly appreciate him."
Konan's grip on Yomi's hand tightened, her own eyes filling with unshed tears. "Yomi, you mean a lot to him too. He loves you."
Yomi shook her head, a sad smile on her lips. "I know, but... I have responsibilities and a mission that I can't turn away from. Yahiko deserves someone who can stand by his side without causing him pain."
Konan's eyes widened in surprise. She did not know where this conversation was going anymore. She came to tell Yomi what had been on her mind but why was she talking in such a way? "Yomi, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I want you both to be happy," Yomi said, her voice breaking slightly. "If being with you makes him happy, then that's all I want."
What?
Konan's confusion and upset were palpable. "Yomi...." Her voice was caught in her throat, now it came to it she was too afraid to say it, to say the words that had swirled In her mind for the last few days. The words she came to say finally.
But she couldn't.
She really regretted it. Because after that night, Yahiko insisted they left Chika. Konan wasn't privy to what happened between him and Yomi, sis he could only agree and leave.
It's unfortunate, there's no medicine for regret.
