Since The presence of a disclaimer in an agreement does not necessarily guarantee that the terms of the disclaimer will be recognized and enforced in a legal dispute. I am not going to bother with writing one.
Ok, before I write this chapter, I need to ask
WHY ARE YOU EVEN READING THIS? you all are making me write more chapters and this was supposed to be why I don't write!... I mean, it isn't like this is an original crossover story or anything, and I have no doubt that my spell-check is making hilarious mistakes that I can't catch, and still my in-box is getting flooded by: this person just favorite and or is now following you/your story
Sigh... oh well, on to the next chapter...
(I was watching Naruto Shippuden episodes 296 and 297 while writing this, I don't advise doing the same, it's going to be really boooooring if you do)
Chapter 4: An other battle cut short
Harry appeared in an empty desert, he was now wearing a tan flak jacket with a brown under-suit, resembling the standard Shinobi outfit of Suna nin, only without the pockets and with more rounded protective pads extending from the shoulders, both his sickles hung from his waist within easy reach and around his forehead was a forehead protector with the image of a stylized book. To finish off his look he wore a black, short sleeved haori.
He made himself invisible as he set off towards a large group of people, sensing four others heading in the same direction. It was a large army standing between the large stone pillars scattered across the landscape, Harry decided to wait on top of one of them, so that he would have a clear view of the battle field.
He would wait for a good opportunity, he promised himself, wishing to see a bit of shinobi battle firsthand as all the previous battles had ended all to quickly. Perhaps he was just bored again, it didn't matter much to him though.
Ah, there they were, four reincarnated Dead Souls were approaching, he had done his homework this time and, after looking at them critically for a moment, he recognized them, they were all former kage's.
Movement from the large 'gathering' caught his attention and he focused, so that he could hear what they said.
"We can't retreat any further." a floating old man said to a younger red head "We'll have to make our stand here!" that was good, Harry mused, it would give him some time to try out a new Archiving jutsu.
"I agree." the red head replied, glancing at the old man.
"Fist, the two of us will launch long-range offensives." the old man said, "Well see how the enemy responds!" Harry paused with his preparations and turned himself intangible instead.
'It is probably best if I moved backwards a few kilometers', Harry mused silently to himself, doing just that. He would wait this out a bit, and when the shinobi let their guard down, Harry grinned, he would strike with the new moves he had been practicing.
After-all, one could not survive in a world of shinobi without a shinobi-like fighting style, of-course Harry had overlooked the fact that he could turn himself invisible, intangible and he could vanish at a whim.
He got the impression that the four reincarnates were talking to each other, and ever-curious as Harry was, he decided to take up a position behind the four Dead Souls, quietly listening in to their conversation.
"... made up their minds" The bandaged Nidaime Tsuchikage Mū spoke to his enemies-turned-allies
"Fighting those from other villages is understandable." it was the one wearing a long sleeved, high-collared, gray robe with a pin-striped pattern, he was the Nidaime Mizukage, "But we are forced to bring ourselves to take on shinobi from our homelands." he looked annoyed "Damn that brat Orochimaru for controlling us! He will regret this"
"I never saw eye to eye with you before," Mū began, voice muffled, "but for the first time I agree with you." he too sounded annoyed, despite his voice remaining calm and collected.
"Do not lament." the Sandaime Raikage told his enemies-turned-allies "I'm certain our children have grown and surpassed us." his faith in the next generation made Harry smile as he kept up with them.
The Yondaime Kazekage stopped, causing everyone else to stop and look at him, and looked up as he said "I hope you are right..."
"Here they come" Mū said, still sounding as calm as ever, and they all looked at the coming sand wave "First, two of them."
Harry had to admit that the wave was impressive, as he stopped on a pillar to the left of the kage's, making himself intangible, he did not want to get hit by that.
"Look at those amazing waves of sand!" the Mizukage said, with a grin.
The Kazekage looked concerned, face in a frown 'this is shukaku' he thought to himself, 'the power of the Ichibi...' he prepared to use his own jutsu 'so they're starting off with the Playing Possum Jutsu?' his eyelids became black and he formed a single seal, gold dust coming from seemingly nowere as he touched the ground, crouching. Harry was impressed.
"Gold Dust?" The Raikage spoke "I see..." a sudden revelation came upon him "you were the shinobi who manipulated Gold Dust with the Magnet Style"
Sand and Gold Dust clashed against each other like water, and mixed, giving the sand a golden shine and causing the wave to collapse, stopping just short of the four kage's, the ground becoming even once more. No wonder they hadn't been concerned.
They started talking again, "Gold dust is heavier than sand..." the Kazekage explained "if I mix Gold dust into the sand, I can slow it down."
the dead Mizukage turned to him "I'm impressed that you knew how to counter it." he said.
"When Ichibi no Shukaku would go on a rampage, I'd stop his sand like this." the dead Kazekage explained further, his face suddenly tuned into one of shock and surprise as he spotted a floating ball of sand supporting a figure with a large gourd on his back.
Harry too turned to look at the crouched figure, he recognized it as the red head from before, the boy's face was impassive as he looked down at the kage's, his hand suddenly shot out, and hands of sand grabbed the kage's feet, except one, Mū had jumped away at the last moment.
"From Above" Mū muttered to himself as he spotted a flying old man, who was already preforming a jutsu "You've aged, Ohnoki!" he called out and prepared to use the same jutsu. "do you woe your long life to the Particle Style?" he asked
they both called out "Particle Style, Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!" at the same time, the two beams of light met at the center, causing a large explosion of light that started expanding, before suddenly vanishing. Everything it had touched had vanished into nothingness, leaving a rounded gap in the ground and several pillars cut in half.
Harry blinked, the pillar he had been sitting on was now half it's size 'that was one hell of a jutsu' he thought to himself, blinking the white spots from his eyes and turning his attention back to the battle.
The Old man that had been identified as Ohnoki was speaking, "... rticle Style... is as powerful as ever." evidently Harry had missed part of his sentence.
The Former Kazekage placed his hand on the sand arms and all three of them collapsed, freeing the kage's that hadn't jumped away, they all straightened, and looked at the two floating figures.
"Particle Style... Don't tell me that's your former pupil, the brat Ohnoki?" the Mizukage asked, voice incredulous as he looked at the aged man, he frowned "Now I really feel like I traveled through time!"
"It's been awhile... Father." the red head spoke, startling Harry slightly, he hadn't really considered that people might actually be related to the resurrected Dead Souls.
"Gaara..." the Former Kazekage spoke, Harry made sure to remember the name, "were is Shukaku?"
"He's long gone." Gaara answered, looking down on his father from his floating ball of sand, voice emotionless "I am no longer the Jinchuriki that you created, Father"
Shock crossed the former Kazekage's face for a moment, but he composed himself easily "You're no longer a Jinchuriki?!" Harry could hear disbelief in the man's voice, no matter how well concealed "What do you mean?"
"The ones that are controlling you extracted the Shukaku from me." Gaara answered, causing Harry to look at him with widened eyes, he had read about demon extraction, "that killed me once." he continued, oblivious of the understanding that lit Harry's eyes, as he couldn't see the immortal teen.
There was a short silence, "But thanks to Chiyo-baa-sama and my friends, here I am, alive" his voice was no longer as emotionless as before, there was an underlying conviction.
the dead Kazekage looked at his son, with a frown, "Chiyo-baa-sama... She did that?! And friends?" disbelief now colored his voice "You have friends?!"
Gaara looked at his father, face blank, though Harry could almost see the emotional current just beneath the facade, perhaps that was only because Harry wasn't human anymore, it was a raging tide under strict control.
The dead Mizukage turned to the dead Kazekage "You thought he'd have no friends?" there was a underlying tone of disbelief, barely noticeable "Man, he must've been some lonely kid, huh? At that age, everyone has friends."
Gaara ignored the Mizukage "Father, you tried to kill me six times. And each time, my feat and hatred of you grew." Harry looked at the dead Kazekage, with disdain as he heard that, that was not how a father should behave, he'd let Gaara defeat the man, to get some closure.
A small frown appeared on Gaara's face "But I no longer hate you, I can understand why you did it." causing Harry to become really impressed with the boy, "I am the Godaime Kazekage now. It is a leader's duty to eliminate threats against one's village. We must protect it." Harry's opinion of Gaara only skyrocketed at these words.
Shock once more overtook the dead Kazekage's expression, "You are... the Kazekage?"
Ohnoki decided to add to Gaara's accomplishments "That's not all." he said, pride in his voice, no matter how faint "He is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Shinobi Forces' Main Battle Regiment. Despite his age, he not only calls himself Kage, he has the respect of all the other Kage as well."
"No wonder..." Mū said "I thought it was odd I sensed chakra types from various villages mixed together. Imagine that, shinobi forming an alliance." disbelief clear in his voice at the last part of his sentence.
"Not having eyebrows makes a face more charismatic.." the dead Mizukage remarked smartly "Oh, hey, I don't have eyebrows either.".
"then what about that wisp of a mustache, Mizukage?" Mū taunted, clear that they didn't get along, and never would.
"Guys, if you're going to kill us, start with the mummy here!" the dead Mizukage called out "I'll be more than happy to root for you.".
The dead Raikage ignored the banter, "He's your son, huh." he said, addressing the dead Kazekage "he's a fine shinobi".
Ohnoki and Gaara lowered themselves, until they floated eye to eye with their enemies above the round hole in the ground, sand ready to attack or defend at any moment.
"This Reanimation Jutsu may have some merit after all." the dead Kazekage remarked calmly, though Harry could feel the conflicting emotions in the man, "Let me see what you may be worth! Can you defeat me?!" he called out in challenge to his son.
"Ohnoki... Stop me." Mū called out to his former pupil "Against my Particle style, the number of opponents means nothing. Only you can stop me.".
"I am aware of that." Ohnoki replied.
Mū decided to impart a final piece of advise "Also, you remember what to do with allies after a victory, don't you? Once the fighting ends, so is the alliance. There will be a scramble for the spoils of war. That is what truly decides which village is the victor" both the Raikage and the Mizukage turned to glare at him "hey, Tsuchikage, quit playing dirty!" the latter cried out. "I won't let that happen." the former added, both now pointing at the Tsuchikage.
"I have no intentions of doing such a thing, Mū-sama" Ohnoki said, causing both the Raikage and the Mizukage to look at him with a 'huh'.
"I see..." Mū said "I guess you didn't turn into a stubborn old geezer." they continued to talk for a bit more, Harry, having gotten bored with the conversation, tuned them out, overlooking the battle ready shinobi behind Ohnoki and Gaara, before turning his gaze to the dead kages.
Silently he started forming hand-seals, "Archive Style, Soul Blades" he muttered, even though he knew the kage's couldn't hear him anyway, and slapped his hands onto his sickles, causing them to glow blue ever so slightly.
He got interrupted from his preparations by the battle resuming, Sand and Gold dust clashed once more, and this time the shinobi joined the battle.
"Sand Hail" Gaara called out, causing bullets of sand to fall down, in response the dead Kazekage used his gold dust to make a shield, protecting his enemies-turned-allies from the hail. Only for it to be a distraction as sand enveloped the four dead kages from below, Giant female figures made out of sand grabbed the dead kages, making them unable to move.
Harry took that as his cue muttering "Archive Style, Double Time" he grasped his sickles and jumped, turning himself visible just before he landed in a crouch (in the way he'd seen any shinobi do) and before the Raikage could blink, his body disintegrated, and Harry already stood before the Mizukage, making a swift downward strike though the sand, meeting no resistance and leaving no trail, the Mizukage too disintegrated.
He saw from the corner of his eyes as the dead Kazekage attached Gaara with his sand, only for large hands to protect him, and before anyone could blink, both the dead Kazekage and Mū turned white disintegrated, their souls now safely bound to the Death Gates just like the other two dead kages.
Harry ignored the stares and formed a hand-seal "Kai" he muttered and the blue glow disappeared from his sickles, he looked around, satisfied and with a snap of his fingers a large book appeared in-frond of him, he easily caught it and, taking out a pen, wrote down the names of the three kage's, only to pause at the Yondaime Kazekage.
He was interrupted in his work by Gaara "who are you?" the young Kazekage was still floating on his sand and looked at him, arms crossed. Ohnoki too looked interested in the answer.
"I'm Harry" Harry said pleasantly "If you don't mind, can we talk after I have finished? I'd rather not risk them escaping gain" not that it was likely, only he could call out souls from beyond the Death Gate, but still, better safe than sorry, "Now, were was I?" he mused, talking to himself "Ah, yes, the Yondaime Kazekage..." he trailed off, flipping several pages before frowning.
"Curses, I was sloppy" he glanced at the tense shinobi "It's going to take a bit longer than I thought" he said pleasantly "you could ask Kakashi about me, I've met him before" he said helpfully, he didn't really pay attention to their reactions as he tried to find something in his pocket.
Triumphantly he pulled out a small stone, it glinted for a moment in the sunlight, drawing Gaara's attention "Hey, Gaara, the Yondaime Kazekage was your father right?" Harry questioned "Could you come here for a moment?".
Harry hadn't actually thought that Gaara would comply, but nevertheless he came over, face unreadable "Ok, I'm going to use your close relationship with him to make the bridge" Harry explained vaguely, causing Gaara to frown slightly.
He flipped the stone three times, and grinned at Gaara as the former Kazekage appeared, with a slight blue hue around him, he grabbed his book and pen again and turned to the former Kazekage "I'm going to be blunt" he said "how did you die?".
Both Kazekage's looked taken aback at this question but the dead Kazekage dutifully answered "I was ambushed and killed by Orochimaru of the Sannin" he hesitated a moment "may I speak with my son, Shinigami-sama?"
Harry looked up distracted "eh, sure" he said, turning his attention back to his book, scribbling furiously.
"You've grown, Gaara" the older man said, almost fondly "All a parent needs to do is to believe in their children" he looked down, ashamed and sad "Just that little bit is the most valuable treasure."
Gaara took a tiny hesitant step backwards eyes wide, unbelieving.
"Your mother, Karura..." he hesitated, turning slightly to Harry, "I apologize for interrupting Shinigami-sama, I know that I am in no position to ask for a favor, but..." Harry held up his hand, silencing the man without looking up from his book, with a snap he closed it and tossed it into the air where it vanished, only then did he turn his full attention to the two Kazekage's next to him.
"Gaara, do you wish to speak with your mother?" Harry asked the confused red head, having already known what the former Kazekage wanted, ignoring the dead Kazekage encouraging his son.
Gaara steeled his resolve, stood up a bit straighter and gave his a short bow "I would be honored if you would allow this, Shinigami-sama" he said formally, for he knew that his father would never address someone as something they were not.
"Then you will owe me a favor, Gaara-san" Harry said simply "Do you agree to this?" he needed to be absolutely sure about this, so that he could tell the Great Master Archivist that it had been for a favor, not that he had actually met the master himself yet.
"I am" Gaara said confidently 'it doesn't matter if my mother hated me, I must hear what she has to say' he thought internally, strengthening his resolve 'I can do this'
"Ok" harry said with a shrug, tossing the stone three times, focusing on Gaara's mother, she appeared the same way his father had, out of thin air, and she too had a blue hue around her.
"Koishii" Kurara said as she saw her husband "is that you?" she reached out to him but her hand passed though his as if it had been air, she looked around, slightly confused "where... where am I?" she asked.
"Mother" Gaara said, slightly breathless, neither his voice nor his face betraying his raging emotions, Kurara turned to him, her eyes widening in sudden recognition.
"Gaara" she said "Oh, you have grown" her breath hitched for a moment and she went teary eyed "I never thought I would see you all grown up, I'm so proud of you, Gaara, my aisoku".
Gaara froze, eyes widening "you..." his breath hitched "you don't hate me, Mother?" his voice was small, uncertain.
"Oh, Gaara" Kurara said, voice filled with emotion, "I could never hate you" she smiled "I promised you when I held you for the first time that no matter what happens, I would always protect you, Gaara" she took a step closer to Gaara, knowing that she could not comfort him in her arms, "I loved you the moment I first saw you".
Gaara almost choked on his emotions, tears now streaming down his face "But" he suddenly turned to his father "that day when Yashamaru came after me, he said..." his voice desperate, he needed answers, "You were never... loved.".
Kurara turned on the remorseful former Kazekage, confused and angry, but she let him speak, this was something she could not get involved with... yet.
"I ordered Yashamaru to lie to you." he said, eyes downcast "In order to provoke you, and to test the volatility of the bijū inside of you, for the sake of the village. If there was anyone Yashamaru hated... it would be me, not you. I'm the one who sealed the Suna no Shukaku into his pregnant older sister. But Yashamaru was also a shinobi, he was my right-hand man and a member of the Sand Black Ops. So he did as he was ordered for the sake of the village.".
Gaara's eyes had widened in shock, and Kurara looked at her husband with disappointment, though, despite that, they both understood why the former Kazekage had done so, they might not have done the same themselves, but they understood were he was coming from, the Former Kazekage wasn't finished however "I failed" he said sadly "It seems I failed in everything I did" Kurara's eyes had softened "I burdened you unnecessarily, and arbitrarily decided that you weren't worth anything.".
He could not look at his estranged son, and despite how much it hurt him, he continued "I took away your future by turning you into a jinchuriki and I took your mother away from you. I robbed you of your lover for your mother. I took away the bonds you had with people. And I even tried to take your life, as a parent..." he sighted at this point "there is only one thing I gave you, I gave you a broken heart."
Gaara looked on the verge of crying, trying his best to stop the oncoming tears, Kurara too looked like she wanted to cry, no longer mad at her husband, he remembered what Yashumaru had told him years ago, when he had been six, and he could no longer hold back the tears.
Harry looked t the trio, coming to a conclusion, and once more he flipped the stone three times, slowly a person with a striking resemblance to Karura appeared next to them, a smile on his face, and Harry watched with a slight grin as he saw the shock on Gaara's face.
"Yasumaru" the young red head said breathlessly, the man smiled kindly and replied "Gaara-sama".
Harry took his leave, knowing that they would remain there an hour if he left now, he watched from the corner of his eyes as two others hesitantly walked towards Gaara, and were welcomed into the group, he heard a faint "Kankuro-kun, is that you?" and a soft "Temari-chan, oh, how you have grown", he heard their shocked replies of "Mother? Father?" and "Uncle Yasumaru?", he turned away completely, vanishing as he did so.
His work was done here, now he just needed to find the other resurrected.
'And I probably should learn a few more jutsu's', he thought to himself as he reappeared in his part of the Archive 'can't have too much variety'
-insert Page-break here-
ok! explaining time!
Harry spent the night learning ninja things, yea, that's where his sudden power-boost is from! Unexplained, off-screen training is super original and has never been used before (can anyone else feel the sarcasm?)
PS: if anyone knows what seals they use, or should use, please tell me and I'll include that information... also, if I'm using Japanese suffixes or words wrong, don't hesitate to tell me
For these are the reasons I don't write:
1: I write short chapters (I hate short chapters) [from chapter 1]
2: this is totally not what I had in mind! (what my mind thinks and what my hands write are two different things) [from chapter2]
3: need... to... SLEEEEEP! Because honestly, this story won't leave me alone! [from chapter 3]
4: Balant Rip-off, (really, just try watching episodes 296/7 while reading this, if you don't believe me)