The Leaders of the Hidden Leaf, Hidden Grass, Hidden Sand, Hidden Rain, Hidden Mist and their other allied countries sit around the meeting table in the Hidden Leaf council room.

Tsunade is very glad that she forced Iruka to stop making Ebisu take his Academy class for him. Iruka is (for the first time since Naruto graduated) doing what he should be and teaching at the Academy. She needs to think of a more permanent solution to the problem of Iruka stepping into Mikoto's role as Disturber of the Village's Leadership, but that can wait. For now, they need to discuss peace with the Mist.

"Do you expect us to make peace with the Mist?" demands the Leader of the Hidden Grass. "Do you know what they have done in the past?"

"I'm sure they know what they've done in the past just as much as we do," says Gaara, the newly appointed child Kazekage. "They are the ones who did it after all."

"But...but they've done terrible things…!"

"So has my subordinate Kisame Hoshigaki," says Nagato mildly. "I'm sure he would love to talk to you about how it is in your best interests to sign the peace treaty. And honour it too."

"Yes Nagato Sama."

Nagato raises an eyebrow.

"I mean kami-sama!" corrects the Leader of the Grass.

Nagato nods. "Good, then it's settled. The Grass will sign the treaty."

"So will the Waterfall," says the leader of the waterfall.

The other minor villages murmur their agreement. It seems nobody wants to argue with the Akatsuki.

"Sand will also sign."

That surprises Tsunade. She expected the Little Kazekage to do what the jounin standing behind him said earlier and refuse to sign.

"I thought you said you were going to make the right decision," snapped the jounin, (Baki, or something like that). Earlier he had told Gaara to refuse to sign a peace treaty with the mist. Gaara had esponded that he would 'make the right decision'.

"But isn't the decision for peace the right one?" Gaara asks with a show of childish innocence. "Can't you at least give peace a chance?"

"What happened to you, Gaara?" asks Baki.

Gaara looks up at Baki in surprise. "I thought you would have realized. Naruto Uzumaki happened to me."

"The same thing that happened to me," says Nagato.

"And me," adds Tsunade.

"And the same one who asked me to join the Peace Movement," finishes Mei. "For those of you who still have doubts, know this: the Mist bitterly regrets its past of violence and bloodshed. We want peace with the other villages, but more than that, we want to prove that we have changed and left the Bloody Mist behind."

"This is why I will sign the peace treaty with you," says Gaara. "For I too have a bloody past I wish to leave behind."

Tsunade is surprised. This mild mannered child has a bloody past?

"But Gaara…!" Baki protests.

"You made me Kazekage," Gaara says, looking at Baki. "Now listen to what I say."

Baki looks frankly terrified. Tsunade wonders why.

"Well, that settles it, then," says Mei, happily. "I'm getting married, and we're all getting peace!"

"When are you getting married?" Gaara asks.

"Oh, didn't Tsunade tell you the terms of our agreement?" Mei asks. "We agreed that I would marry a man of my choosing from the Leaf, or if I do not find one in the Leaf, one of your villages."

"Wait, I didn't agree to this!" objects the leader of the Grass.

"You do now," says Nagato, reasonably.

"Yes, you're right, kami-sama."

"That's what I thought."

"That seems to be a sensible idea," says Baki, nodding. "Such an alliance will ensure our villages stay on friendly terms. We should encourage inter village marriages to cement our alliances."

Agreement travels around the table.

"So when will I get my first marriage interview?" asks Mei.

Tsunade smiles. "Naruto and his team have already made up a list. Go and see them in the Uchiha compound after the meeting so they can discuss the first marriage interview with you. As far as I know, the first one is with Ebisu here," she jerks her thumb at Ebisu who is standing behind her, helping Shizune hold the stack of paperwork Tsunade is cheerfully not doing.

"Wait, I wasn't notified of this!" Ebisu says, sounding a bit panicked. "Why did no one tell me? This seems pretty important!"

"Well, you know now." Tsunade says. "So get your ass to Konohamaru's house, he's briefing you."

"Okay," says Ebisu accepting his fate with dignity.

"Well, on that note," says Mei. "I am not signing the treaty until after my wedding."

"Fair enough." Tsunade shrugs. "So now that that's settled, let's adjourn the meeting."

"Cool," says Nagato. "I have a meeting of the Crippled Shinobi's Club to attend. We must welcome our newest member Itachi! And I didn't even know he was going blind…"

"Is Rock Lee going to be there?" asks Gaara.

"Why yes," Nagato says, looking surprised. "Why?"

Gaara turns to Tsunade. "Can you take a look at Rock Lee's injuries? I bitterly regret hurting him."

"Alright," says Tsunade. How much damage could this kid do, anyway?

"Well, then come along to the Cripples' Club," says Nagato. "Maybe you could have a look at Itachi's eyes as well."

"And Nagato's legs," says Konan, who has remained a silent, intimidating presence until now.

"Fine," says Tsunade, somewhat sarcastically. "I'll just see if can heal the entire Cripples' Club."


Omake

Holiday in The Rain.

We passed the 10 review mark, yay!

The Village Hidden in the Rain is, well, rainy. Naruto stares around at the grey buildings and frightened people. Karin pushes Nagato's wheelchair and Konon uses her paper ninjutsu to form an umbrella over herself, Nagato, Karin, Pervy Sage and Naruto. Naruto looks around and sees people watching them cautiously.

Naruto wakes at someone he catches staring at him. The person gasps and ducks out of sight. Sad, Naruto turns to Nagato and asks, "Why are they all so scared?"

"They have heard to rumors about the Orange Terror," replies Nagato.

"Am I that famous already?" asks Naruto, surprised.

"You're more infamous than famous," says Konan.

The group heads to the tower in the center of the Village. "This is the Akatsuki Main Base," says Nagato. "We have other bases, but this is our main one."

"Sweet!" says Naruto. "Can I rig it with pranks?"

"No, Naruto. That's a terrible idea!" says Pervy Sage.

"I'm fine with it," says Nagato. "Got to keep my minions on their toes!"

"SWEET!" Naruto runs into the tower to set up some pranks.