Harry turned his gaze to the silver haired man's companion, confusion evident. The second man neither moved nor spoke, choosing instead to stare at him with startling yellow eyes – his expression completely blank.

"Ah… excuse me but I didn't really understand that. Um, do you speak English?"

Hidan glanced up, his brow scrunched.

"I'll take that as a no." Harry dropped his head so he was staring at the eager, limbs of the whispering bodies just below the surface of the sand. This place – where ever it was – must have been at war for some time to have so many dead.

"Jashin-sama?"

Harry glanced through his fringe, finding the silver haired man staring at him. That was the second time that word was used in association with him. Did... did this man perhaps think that was his name? The dark haired man dropped to his knees as well so that he was eye to eye with the other.

"Harry." He corrected, placing his hands against his own bare chest.

"Hari?"

"Ah, close enough I guess," Harry muttered, leaning back to sit on his heels and look out over the desert. It was exceptionally hot here, but for whatever reason it seemed as if the heat was coming from below rather than from the sun. He turned his gaze back to his two companions; one of which was still bowing to him. Rising steadily to his feet, Harry considered the silver haired man before crouching slightly to offer him a hand. The man looked incredibly grateful, and for one bright and shining moment Harry thought that this language barrier he'd run into wouldn't be too hard to overcome. Then the kneeling man kissed his hand.

"Ah!" Harry pulled his hand back sharply, looking at anything but the man. "Jesus fucking Christ, I should have thought ahead on this one. Damn it!" He grumbled, hitting his forehead roughly a few times before glancing back at the other men. The silver haired one, was bowing even lower than before all the while half yelling in some language that reminded Harry of the old kung fu movies that Sirius had loved.

Harry leaned down again, this time taking the man's hand in his own and pulling him (albeit a tad harshly, due to frustration more than anything else) up to his feet. Letting out a long huff of breath, Harry looked the two over quickly before waving a hand in their direction. "Names?" He asked slowly, not entirely sure why he did it as he knew without a shadow of a doubt that slower or louder would not help them understand.

The other man, who up until now had been so quiet that he might as well not have been there, spoke, pressing his stitched together hand to his chest in imitation of Harry's earlier action. "Kakazu."

"Kakazu," he parroted with a nod of understanding before shifting his gaze to the other. The man stared at him in a mixed look of worship and amazement, keeping perfectly silent.

"Ah..." Harry ran a hand through his already wild hair, a habit he apparently inherited from his father, before sighing. "My name is Harry." He spoke, again slowly, pressing his hands against his chest once more. "What is your name?" He turned his hands to gesture at the unidentified man.

"Hidan," he replied breathily, still looking terribly excited.

Harry threw his hands up in victory, for some reason causing Hidan and Kakazu both to flinch although Kakazu's was less pronounced. Awkwardly lowering his hands, Harry gulped and smiled apologetically.

Silence fell about them, interrupted only by the whispers of the dead – none of which Harry could understand either. There was a bright side to everything apparently.

"Stupid fucking humans, stepping on my tail…"

And getting brighter. Harry snapped his head towards the hissing, taking a few steps in the direction.

"Come on children, let us go somewhere without those ignorant bastards around."

Harry smiled slightly, calling out with a hand cupped around his mouth. "You really shouldn't curse like that with children about."

Kakazu and Hidan stiffened at the sibilant sounds of parseltongue, but Harry ignored it in favor of scouring the distant horizon for the snakes he could hear.

"Look, more fucking humans momma!"

"Don't say fucking!"

Harry laughed lightly before kneeling down to scoop up the female snake and her three young. He placed the three babies on his neck carefully before holding the mother up to look her in the eyes.

"Put us down or so help me Jashin I will eat you alive!"

Harry tilted his head to the side, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the star-struck Hidan. "Who is Jashin anyway? Hidan's called me that two or three times already."

"Holy shit! You're a speaker!? But… but… there hasn't been a speaker here for centuries. Not even the Snake sanin Orochimaru is a speaker!"

"I am. Who is Jashin though?"

The snake, a pretty dark brown sidewinder looked him over before giving a slight nod, apparently satisfied with what she found. "You are not from here."

"No, how did you know?"

"You taste different for one, and if you were from here you'd have been able to ask the silver man who Jashin was yourself."

"That rotting hands weren't a hint?" Harry asked with a self-deprecating smirk.

"While I have never seen anything quite like that it wouldn't be too out of place here. The humans here are all very strange. Your silver one is indestructible, you can cut him into as many piece as you want and still he will survive."

"Really," Harry murmured, looking over at Hidan. The silver haired man looked awestruck. "Why does he keep looking at me like that?"

"He thinks you are his God, Jashin, the god of Death."

"He thinks I'm a god!? I have to go set him straight!"

"How?"

"Hm?"

"How?" The snake repeated, watching him curiously. Her three hatchlings were enjoying the comfortable heat of the skin of his neck, pressing themselves against him and hissing happily. "You cannot speak his language."

"Can you?"

"No, but there is one snake I know of that can. You can only summon him if you have signed the contract though. You will have to find the snake sanin-"

"Orochimaru, right?"

"Yes, find Orochimaru and talk him into allowing you to sign the scroll."

"Hm… thank you my dear." Harry said, setting the snake and her whining offspring down. "Remember to watch your tongue." She gave a wordless hiss and without looking back led her children away. Harry watched her for a moment before turning and walking back to Kakazu and Hidan.

Harry considered them bother before saying, "I need to find Orochimaru."

A spark of understanding lit Hidan's violet eyes. "Orochimaru?" After receiving Harry's nod, Hidan gave his companion a stern look. Kakazu glared, but nodded as he apparently accepted the message in the look, although it had been totally lost on Harry. The bundled, taller man shot Hidan one last glare before turning about face and gesturing the others to follow. Harry took one last look around before doing just that with Hidan following close (but still a respectable distance) behind.

It wasn't until this moment, as he looked out over the miles of sand surrounding them, that Harry noticed it. Their three shadows followed in tandem: the obscenely taller leader, Kakazu; the slight figure constantly followed by rotting limbs, Harry; and the tall and powerful figure armed with a wicked scythe, Hidan. Harry let out a long breath through his nose, giving the shadows a dark look as he buttoned his shirt and closed his cloak thus driving the limbs away psychically although he could still hear their voices. Both of his companions were at least a foot taller than him.

Damn it.

A.N. Hello lovies! In honor of my 18th b-day (which was the 14th) I will be updating every single story I have posted here with in the next week! I will also be uploading a few new ones from my monster list of bunnies - chosen for you by my new betaKanika Keket, who rocks for editing this and for shifting through all my insane ideas. ^.^ I hope you all enjoy!