My first PeinKo fic! Yay! I really like this couple and wish it was emphasized more in the series. R&R please!
Disclaiimer: I am not a Japanese male, therefore I do not own it.
Pein was dead, killed in what was called the Great Shinobi War. He had given up his life to protect Konoha, which he had once sought to destroy. His heart, and hers for that matter, had been changed by a certain blond-haired, orange-clad ninja. The blond made him realize that there was no way to bring about world peace, so Pein chose to aid the blond's village in hope of retribution. That day, he was forgiven and the remaining Akatsuki disbanded.
Ame was now a strong, prospering nation, allied with Suna and Konoha. Its ninja were some of the most brilliant in all the shinobi villages, aside from those trained by the medic Haruno or the lazy ANBU Nara. Ame's shinobi sought to relieve any suffering brought by war. Their country had suffered enough before Pein had attempted to relieve it of its problems. Thanks to the efforts that Pein had begun, Ame was soon prospering.
Konan ran her had through her waist-length blue hair and sighed. If only Pein could have lived to see what a change he had brought to their world. She pulled her blue and silver Arashikage (A/N: That's what I'm calling the kage of Ame) robes around her as she crossed to her office window. It had been 24 years since that fateful day and now there was a new generation that knew nothing of the horrors of war.
The sun had risen on her people not too long ago and the city was slowly coming to life. Within the hour, restaurants and cafes would open, and the shops not long after them while the market vendors would begin to set up their stalls with wares and goods for the day. Then, after noon had passed, mothers would pick their children up from either the Ninja Academy or one of the civilian schools before making idle talk and gossip in the market as the children played in the streets.
She smiled. It was as if her people were untouched by the previous wars. Even the country itself was beginning to thrive once more. Villages and towns were rebuilding themselves with the help of shinobi, local and foreign alike. Thanks to experienced farmers, the soil was becoming fruitful once more. Soon, local farms will be thriving, proving more food for the people. Yes, Ame was doing quite well.
"Konan-san?" Her secretary's voice broke her thoughts.
"Yes, Megumi-san?"
"The Hokage requested a meeting with you for later today."
"Thank you, Megumi-san. Please let him know I look forward to it."
The brown-haired woman nodded and left the room. Konan liked the hard-working older woman. Megumi often invited her over to her house for home cooked meals, as well as to see the children. The growing kids had taken a great liking to the blue-haired woman, so much that they had taken to calling her "Aunty Ko", which the rest of the children in the city soon picked up as well. Not that she minded, of course. The paper kunoichi had always loved children, hence why she never participated in the pursuit or extractions in the jinchurikis.
Konan walked back over to her desk and sat down in her chair to finish up paperwork. Unlike the blond Hokage, she actually made a point to not avoid the paperwork. Ten o'clock rolled around as she finished her final scroll. A minute later, Megumi announced the Hokage's presence and let him in as the blue-haired woman stood.
"Kaa-san!" an orange-clad ninja yelled as he hugged her.
The two women chuckled. Naruto had wormed his way into her heart as the son she'd always wished for. It began when he comforted her upon hearing the news of Pein's sacrifice. Afterwards, he began to ask her for advice on how to court the Hyuga heiress and to nurture the relationship. Then, he came to her asking for help on how to propose to the woman. He had yelled "Thank you, kaa-san" on his way out as she beamed with pride and joy.
"Hello, Naru-chan. It's good to see you." She pulled away and looked the young man up and down. "How was your trip? And how are you, Hinata, and the kids?"
"The trip went well and the family is great, kaa-san! Nagato is training and looking forward to the chunin exams this year, Kagura and Souta are officially genin now, and little Aiko can't wait to start the Academy in a few weeks."
"That's wonderful." She smiled. "Where are the exams going to be held this year?"
Naruto shrugged. "Not sure yet. I've heard that the proctors want to hold it in Konoha again, but others are pushing for Ame."
Konan's brows furrowed as they sat on one of the couches. "Really?"
Due to her status as a former Akatsuki member, the other Hidden Villages, aside from Konoha and Suna, did not entirely support Ame in any decision, political or otherwise.
"Yeah," he nodded. "I have a feeling that it's the Ame, Suna, and Konoha officials that are doing all the pushing."
"Do you think it will go through and be held here?"
"It's possible." Naruto paused for a moment. "Hey, kaa-san? Do you remember when we found Pein's body and we sent it off to Konoha all those years ago?"
Konan nodded, slightly skeptical of what her adopted son was going to say.
"Well, I have some good news. For the lasts twenty-four years, Sakura has been working on healing him because, it turns out, he was barely alive when we found him."
Her jaw dropped. "What? How come you didn't tell me sooner?"
"That's what I asked Sakura. She said she didn't tell anyone because she wasn't sure if he would even come back to consciousness due to his extensive injuries. She didn't want to give you any hope and then crush it because she made a mistake." He took a deep breath. "Kaa-san, Pein is alive and well."
"He is?" she nearly fell over in shock.
"Yes." A new voice answered.
Konan stood and spun to face the door, only to be rendered speechless. There, standing before her, was-
"Pein." She whispered.
She walked towards him and gingerly reached out her hand to touch his chest. Her hand met solid flesh as it traveled up to his face. One by one, she fingered his piercings, hardly believing that he was real.
"A-are you real, Pein? This isn't a dream?" her voice shook with uncertainty.
"Konan," his deep voice rumbled. "This is real. I am real. I promise you."
Tears welled up in the woman's red eyes as she pressed her face to his chest and engulfed him in a hug, which the man returned with a smile.
Naruto smiled as he watched the scene. He was happy for his adopted mother, because she deserved all the happiness in the world.
"Happy birthday, kaa-san," he whispered with a smile as he slipped unnoticed out of the room.