Oonoki arrives at the meeting in the Hidden Mist. He is surprised that the Raikage approached the Rain, rather than the other way around. He takes his seat next to young Gaara, who is holding a rather ugly baby.
"Who's baby is that?" asks Oonoki, carefully leaving out any mention that the kid is ugly.
"This is Mei sama's baby," says Gaara. "His name is Sanma."
Ah, so the ugly kid is the Mizukage's then. Oonoki nods and says, "He's not as good looking as my granddaughter was at that age. But she was the most beautiful baby ever. So how have you been, young Gaara?"
"I went on that road trip," says Gaara. "It was fun."
The Raikage arrives and Nagato sama says, "Let's get this meeting underway, shall we?" there is a murmur of consent. "Lord Raikage, please explain to the assembled village leaders why you wish to join the Alliance."
Oonoki looks over at the Hokage, or more correctly the Hyuuga standing behind the Hokage. The Hyuuga is watching the Raikage very carefully.
"Well," says the Raikage. "I feel that peace is the right way to go, and none of you have broken out into open warfare yet, so I think I will give peace a chance too."
They all turn to stare at Nagato who has burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" asks Gaara curiously.
"It's just that in your letter," Nagato starts gwaffing and holding his sides. "That bit from B said…"
"WHAT BIT FROM B?!" yells the Raikage, slamming his fist on the table. "C, I THOUGH I TOLD YOU TO TAKE CARE OF IT!"
"He just added a note telling us to ignore the above rapping," says Konan, completely straightfaced, as Nagato falls off his chair laughing.
The door bursts open and Naruto charges in. He looks around the room and grins at the other Cloud ninja standing behind the Raikage, the one who is neither of his usual entourage. "Hey! I remember you! You're that guy I ran into in the Land of Rice Paddies!"
"You're the Orange Terror," says the Cloud ninja, going very pale.
The Raikage recoils in terror. "I'LL JOIN YOUR ALLIANCE, JUST KEEP THAT KID AWAY FROM ME!"
"WOW ARE YOU THE RAIKAGE?" Naruto stares wide eyed at Lord A. "THAT'S AWESOME, DATTEBAYO!"
"I WAS RIGHT!" Yells A, pointing at Naruto. "HE'S THE SPAWN OF THE YELLOW FLASH AND THE BLOODY HABANERO!"
Sanma wakes up and starts howling at the top of his lungs. Mei sama takes him from Gaara and quiets him down. "Next person to upset my baby gets their butt kicked," says Mei sama, glaring at the Raikage.
"Let me get this straight," says Tsunade hime. "Lord A, you want to join the Peace movement because you are too scared of Naruto not to join?"
"Um, yes?" The raikage looks VERY embarrassed.
The Hyuuga starts laughing and pats Naruto on the head. "Good boy," he says.
"Why am I not surprised?" says young Gaara. "But I do like the idea of you joining us, because that will unite the Elemental Nations. I do not object to the Cloud joining the Allied Villages and making it the Allied Shinobi Nations."
There is a general chorus of agreement.
"I don't think they should join," says the Grass leader. "The Cloud always double crosses the people it tries to ally with!" he turns to the Hyuuga. "Surely YOU of all people can testify to this, Hiashi sama?"
The Hyuuga glares at the Grass leader. "Reminding me of the time a Cloud ninja tried to kidnap my daughter will not get me to disagree with this alliance! My brother died for this: of course an alliance with the Cloud has my full support!"
"Still…!"
Hiashi turns to the Raikage, ignoring the Grass leader. "Lord Raikage, I trust you treated my brother's body with dignity and respect?"
"Yes, we did," confirms the Raikage. "We do not disrespect our fallen allies or foes."
"Good," says Hiashi. "What did you do with his body?"
"We cremated it."
"What did you do with the ashes?"
"We put them in a jar and put it with the rest of our cremated prisoners," says the Raikage. "I'm guessing you want your brothers remains?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," says Hiashi. "Consider it the price for joining the alliance."
"Very well," agrees the Raikage. "I will get them and bring them to you personally."
"Good," Hiashi nods firmly.
Nagato sama pulls out the Peace treaty. "Please sign here," he says, handing the Raikage a pen.
"I don't think…!" starts up the Grass leader again.
"No," says Nagato giving the Grass leader a hard look. "You don't think. Or speak. Or object."
"You are right, Kami sama," squeaks the Grass leader, looking terrified.
The Raikage raises his eyebrows at this. "Kami sama?" he asks.
"Yes?" says Nagato. "I am god, what would you like to ask me?"
"WHY are you god?" asks the Raikage.
"Because I have rinnegan and the Hidden Rain worships me," says Nagato, matter-of-factly. "Now, can you hurry up and sign, please?"
The Raikage signs.
"So, what did you want, Naruto?" asks Nagato, turning to the Orange terror.
"Oh, um," Naruto thinks for a bit, trying to remember. "Oh yeah! Do any of you have a place in your country called The Island of Truth, or something like that? A giant toad told me I have to go there to meet the Eight Tails Jinchuriki."
The Raikage looks uncomfortable at this question.
"Lord A," says Konan, picking up on it straight away. "Why does this question make you uncomfortable? Does it have something to do with the fact the Eight Tails' Jinchuriki is your brother?"
"What, really?" Naruto grins at the Raikage. "Your brother is a jinchuuriki too? I'm Kurama's jinchuuriki - he's the ninetails, in case you didn't know - we want to be able to work in perfect harmony, and Giant Gramps Sage said to go to the Island of Truth and meet the Eight Tails."
"The Island of Truth is in the Land of Lighting," says A sama. "There is a room there that provides the perfect conditions for Tailed beasts and their jinchuuriki to meet and get over their differences. B and I went there many years ago so B could learn to harness Gyuki's power, now they are best friends. If I arrange for you to train there with B, will you agree to have a guard that includes Cloud shinobi?"
"The Akatsuki has responsibility to protect the jinchuuriki and bijuu," says Nagato. "But since there are no members of Akatsuki from the Cloud, it would be best to provide an additional guard from the Cloud."
"If you do that," says Tsunade hime. "I want to send a team of Leaf ninjas as well to balance things out."
"There is no need for a full team," says Nagato. "Akatsuki works in pairs, so if the Cloud provides one carefully selected guard and the Leaf provides one, then there will be a full team of four."
"That seems fair," says Tsunade hime, nodding. "The guards are just for show anyway, since Naruto can take anyone and anything."
