37 Ame Orphans

"What do we do with him?"

"How should I know?! You're the one who brought him here!"

"He was hurt! I couldn't just leave him there!"

"Yes you could've! He might be an enemy ninja for all we know!"

"You don't know that!"

"You don't know that either!"

Nagato sighed as he watched his two best friends scream at each other. Their topic of conversation, the sleeping blue haired ninja that they laid down on a bedroll. They had already tried their best to stem his injuries, but none of them really know how to bandage a wound properly so most of it is rough work at best. They would have to wait for Jiraiya-sensei to get back for the ninja to get actual treatment.

He honestly didn't expect for his day to start like this. Konan was just supposed to get a basket of fruit that they would have for breakfast, then they would stretch to loosen up their muscles before going straight to training.

It was a routine they have built after a few weeks of learning under Jiraiya-sensei. But now, that routine has since shattered since Konan brought this new strange element into their home/hideout.

Even now they're still arguing whether or not bringing the ninja here was the correct move. Nagato understands Yahiko's apprehension, this was an unknown situation they were dealing with after all.

He knows that he should be supporting his best friend, but deep down he couldn't help but agree with Konan. Helping the ninja was absolutely the right move.

The reasoning for it is actually simple, not something profound or anything like that. Above all else, Nagato knows what it's like to be helpless. How many times in his life did he need help but no one was there to extend their hand? How many times had he begged for someone to help only for no one to come? 

It was only pure luck that Konan had found him that one time. He was dying on the dirt ground, left for dead as the people just walked by, not having eaten anything for weeks at that point. She found him, brought him back to meet Yahiko, and nursed him back to health. It took several days for the other boy to accept him as part of the group, but the three of them eventually became inseparable.

And now there was another just like him, with Nagato being the one in the position to help. And he damn well sure do it to the best of his ability.

The argument between Konan and Yahiko continued to escalate, their voices growing louder and more heated by the second. Nagato watched them with a little bit of frustration, they've been screaming like this for ten solid minutes now.

As the two of them argued, a small groan from the injured ninja on the bedroll interrupted their argument. They both fell silent, turning their attention to the blue-haired stranger who was slowly regaining consciousness.

Nagato hurried to the ninja's side, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Easy there," he said gently. "You're safe now. We're not here to harm you."

The ninja's eyes flickered open, revealing a mixture of confusion and pain. He tried to sit up but winced in agony, clutching his side where a bandage was hastily applied. Nagato noticed the white bandage slowly turning red from the wound.

Konan and Yahiko approached cautiously, their previous argument momentarily forgotten. Konan offered a small smile. "You took quite a beating out there. But don't worry, we've done what we can to patch you up."

Yahiko crossed his arms, still wearing a skeptical expression. "Konan found you injured in some random alleyway. You're lucky she decided to help."

The injured ninja's gaze shifted from one face to another, his wariness evident. "Who are you people?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Nagato introduced themselves with a soft-spoken demeanor. "I'm Nagato, and these are my friends, Konan and Yahiko."

"You, on the other hand," Yahiko scowled. "You're a shinobi, right?"

The stranger hesitated, then nodded weakly. "Yes, I'm a shinobi. My name is Souei."

Before the conversation could progress further, the flap of the hideout's entrance was thrown open, and Jiraiya walked in. His eyes swept across the room, taking in the scene, the injured ninja, and the Ame Trio.

"What's going on here?" Jiraiya demanded, his tone stern.

Konan stepped forward and explained the situation, detailing how she had found Souei and brought him here for medical attention. Jiraiya listened intently, his expression unreadable.

Once Konan had finished, Jiraiya turned his attention to Souei. "I see. You're lucky these three found you," he said, his tone softening. "I'm Jiraiya, though I guess you already know that, don't you kid? I remember seeing you that one time. You're one of Ishito's students, right?"

The only bit of expression that Nagato could see from the injured ninja was the widening of his eyes. It seems that Jiraiya-sensei has some sort of history with him.

Jiraiya then sighed as he shook the back of his head, an obvious dilemma in his mind. "Just rest up for now, we'll talk later. I know our countries are currently at war, but I won't do anything to you if you don't do something stupid and attack me or the three children. Are we clear on that?"

His sensei's voice took on a stern and threatening tone that Nagato didn't know the man possessed. Jiraiya had always been a calm, if not goofy kind of guy. This was not the sensei he knew, but rather the experienced ninja underneath.

The ninja, Souei, just nodded tiredly before he laid his head back down and instantly fell asleep.

"Looks like he was more exhausted than I thought..." He heard Jiraiya mutter before the man started properly bandaging up the injuries that Souei had suffered. "Remind me to add basic first-aid to your lessons." He said with a grimace as he eyed the godawful treatment that the three of them had made.

"S-Sorry sensei." Konan said, embarrassed.

"Do you know who he is, sensei? And who's Ishito?"

There was a moment of silence before Jiraiya answered Yahiko's question. "Sort of. I met him a couple years back during the Chunin Exams. I brought my team there to see if they had what it takes to get promoted. Coincidentally, a ninja from Sunagakure, Ishito, who's kind of a friend of mine, also brought his team. Souei here was part of Ishito's group. He won the exams too."

"What?! This guy won the Chunin Exams?" Yahiko exclaimed loudly in surprise, not that Nagato's much better really. He too was shocked that the guy sleeping through after what could have possibly been a really deadly fight was someone who won the Chunin Exams. He sure didn't look like one, with his entire appearance bloodied and disheveled. Konan just stood there with her jaw slightly ajar.

Jiraiya chuckled lightly as he pulled out some type of cream from his pouch and applied it to some of the burns. "Yep! Pretty impressive showing too. He beat Minato in the finals along with the Raikage's son. I never expected to see him here to be honest. Last I heard, he was part of the Suna contingent sent to the Land of Stone to fight Iwa."

"Wait, so he's an enemy right? You said so yourself. Konoha and Suna are at war. Then is it safe to let him live with us? Shouldn't we kill him?" Yahiko questioned with a gulp.

"What?! Of course not!" Konan huffed angrily at Yahiko's suggestion. "Are you crazy?"

"He's an enemy ninja, Konan! He's the reason all our parents are dead!"

"No he's not! He's just barely older than any of us. Stop blaming any ninja you find in the street for their deaths! Jiraiya-sensei is also a ninja! He's also an enemy to Amegakure! Why don't you hate him?!" Konan wailed towards their orange haired friend who could only stare wide eyed as Konan continued to scream at him. "Don't you have a heart, Yahiko?!"

"All right, that's enough." Jiraiya-sensei's voice immediately cut into their argument like a knife. "Right now, he's just an injured child way behind enemy lines with no allies to speak of within miles in every direction. He's alone, broken, battered, with nowhere else to go. He'll be safe here and so will you."

Jiraiya then stood up before he walked up to Yahiko and patted him on the head. "It's not easy to let go of hatred, Yahiko. Believe me, I know what it's like." Nagato then saw how Jiraiya smiled his goofy grin, an action that instantly melted all the tension in the room. "But sometimes, letting something go and forgiving could do wonders you never thought would happen. Like what Konan said, you forgave me didn't you?"

Yahiko bowed his head, a small sniffle came out of him before he nodded and looked back up with a teary smile. "It's not easy, sensei. But I'll try."

"That's all I ask, hahaha!"

Konan, who came out of her spiel after Jiraiya-sensei's interference finally calmed down enough for Nagato to talk to her. "Hey, are you okay?"

She gave a shaky smile before she nodded. Nagato knew she was still upset, he hesitated a little bit before patting her shoulder in silent support.

Unnoticed by the three children, a small smile appeared on the face of the injured ninja. The first one he had since the outpost.

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AN: Honestly not that happy with how this chapter turned out. Something about it just seemed off.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed it. We meet the Ame trio this chapter and Jiraiya makes his reappearance after way back during the chunin exams.

Coming next: Souei wakes up, he and Jiraiya have a talk. Then we'll see a small glimpse of what's happening back with Ishito and Rukia. Hopefully. Maybe. Idk. We'll see.

Advanced chapters on my pat_reon page! Make sure to check it out! Chapter 41 should be uploaded in a few more hours. Chapter 42 is finished and currently undergoing editing.

Leave a review and some comments pls. Helps a lot for motivation when I read the things you people write.

Cheers!