Let's Fix This

Pein Or Nagato

Jiraiya entered the Hokage office through the window. Itachi was surprisingly less uptight than sensei about these things.

"You called?"

"I've a mission for you." The Hokage got right to the point. "We already have a tentative alliance with all the Great Nations. It is time to move on to the smaller countries, starting with Ame. Since you already have years of experience there, you are best person to be sent as a diplomat."

"Me? A diplomat? What about the dream team? They have succeeded everywhere else." Jiraiya asked.

"Ame is potentially hostile territory, currently not bound by any treaty signed after 3rd Shinobi War. Naomi and Neji are still chunnin, while you can fight your way out or reverse summon yourself." Itachi answered. "Since we are on the topic, if the situation turns hostile, you'll reverse summon yourself immediately. There isn't any need to get yourself killed."

"You're asking me to retreat from a fight? Me? The Great Toad Sage of......"

"That was an order." He was cut off.

Jiraiya deflated. "Understood, Hokage-sama."

Jiraiya reached Ame in record time, only to find it hadn't changed at all in the past 20 years. He had to suppress the urge to sneak in like a spy and walked in after declaring his intention at the main gate. He was led to a room to wait for the Kage.

To his immense surprise, the grown-up versions of two of his students entered, one of them bearing the eyes of his third one.

"Yahiko, Konan." he murmured, recalling Itachi's words at Danzo's trial (while internally beating himself for forgetting to ask for details). "Nagato is dead, then?" he asked, holding out a small amount of hope that he wasn't.

"Hello, Jiraiya-sensei." Konan greeted, not answering.

Yahiko, on the other hand, completely shook him up. "I am not Yahiko. His body is being used as one of my paths."

"Who are you, then?" Jiraiya's face hardened.

"I am Pein..." he began, only to be interrupted by Konan's pointed cough. "I mean, I am Nagato, sensei. My real body isn't in the state to greet visitors." He curtly said.

"Please forgive Nagato, sensei. He is currently reevaluating his life choices." Konan offered.

"What do you mean?"

Konan sighed, while Yahiko (Nagato, his mind supplied) looked away.

"Yahiko died, sensei. We were grieving and angry, when we were approached by a man claiming to be Madara Uchiha. He offered us a way to achieve piece. We accepted. Have you heard of Akatsuki?" Konan asked.

"The missing nin group aiming to capture jinchiruchi? There were only four known members. Hidan and Kakazu were killed by Itachi, while Kisame and Sasori were easily taken care of by Onoki, Han and Roshi. Are you telling me you two are members?"

"We were." Nagato said. "According to Madara's plan, we were going to capture all nine biju and create a weapon of mass destruction to use on Ninja villages, so that they strive towards peace due to their shared pain."

Jiraiya couldn't believe he thought Nagato to be the child of prophecy.

"Are you insane?" he asked bluntly.

Nagato atleast had the decency to look a little embarrassed. "I will admit I was misguided. The recent political changes over the Elemental Nations have forced me to acknowledge that."

"We definitely are not associated with Akatsuki, anymore, and wish to enter an alliance with Konoha." Konan told him. "It would certainly benifit Ame. Would the Hokage still accept the alliance he offered, after knowing our previous afflictions."

Jiraiya thought for a moment. "Yes, I'd venture. He probably already knows all about this." He grumbled. "He knows about everything. I'm his spy master and even I don't know how he does that."