AN: If I have the timeline for the Narutoverse mixed up, my apologies. I spent so much time looking up information, it's a jumbled mess in my brain. Treat this Narutoverse like an alternate timeline if things don't match canon. Pretty soon, it will diverge from canon anyway because honestly, following it to the T is mega boring.
Harry Potter and the Elemental Nations
Chapter Six
"You cannot possibly be serious. Manda was Orochimaru's boss summon. The serpent clan is notorious for being vicious. As an ordinary person who can't even run all that quickly, what are you going to do if it gets ugly? I can't protect you from something that powerful." Kakashi wasn't sure what this kid was on, but bringing that particular snake to them screamed suicide mission. He understood that being hunted by a man like Orochimaru was dangerous, but that was no reason to deliberately put yourself in danger instead of gathering information covertly.
Harry grimaced as he thought of a way to explain how he could summon Manda without a contract which seemed mandatory in this world. Alternatively, he could go over to Manda's dimension but he was certain Kakashi would not be received well. "Even if that is true, I'm confident I won't be attacked. I may not know anything about how to fight, how ninjas work, or their skills, but I do know what I am capable of. I have enough skill and power to call Manda."
Kakashi scowled beneath his mask. He couldn't believe the reckless decision Potter was making. Manda wasn't someone he wanted to mess with, especially when his own summons weren't even large enough to work as toothpicks for the snake. "You're thinking of summoning a giant snake that is known to eat its summoners. I'm supposed to be protecting you so I advise you to rethink this plan. From our conversation, it doesn't look like you have a contract either and barely know how a summoning pact even works. You say you have enough power but boss summons require a lot of chakra."
"Look, I promise you won't be in any danger. I don't know any other way to check, do you? If it makes you feel better, you can watch from a distance and leave if it gets dangerous, and let me get eaten. Either way, I'll be doing it with or without your approval."
The Copy nin grit his teeth in frustration, so very tempted to just knock the man out and carry him the rest of the way to Konoha. If only it wouldn't negatively impact the village's reputation. Or piss Hokage-sama off to disregard her orders to observe.
"Fawkes, can you get us to the closest open area large enough for summoning Manda without doing too much damage?"
The phoenix trilled happily in response, looking forward to seeing the serpent again.
Snapping out of his frustration, Kakashi raised a brow. "He can carry people?"
"Yes. He's capable of carrying many times his weight." Not that they would be flying. Instead, they were going to travel via phoenix fire. Best not let the ninja know in case he freaked out. "You've probably noticed he's not an ordinary bird what with him spitting fire." Harry bent down towards Artemis and shrunk her again before tucking her beneath his collar and Hedwig landed on Harry without prompting, ready for travel.
The ninja was skeptical and eyed the bird in disbelief. "How?"
"Uh, I have no idea how to explain. Just hold onto my arm and we can go. Don't let go and don't freak out."
The second Kakashi warily took hold of Harry's arm, Fawkes spread his wings and belted a few notes before lighting aflame and enveloping the entire party in it, bathing them in warmth. In a flash, it was over and they were deposited in a sea of grass.
Kakashi let go immediately and took in his surroundings warily. He had expected to be flown, not set on fire and transported in an instance to a location several hours away. It didn't feel like a jutsu or space-time ninjutsu. The bird did it all, not Potter. He turned to Potter expectantly, awaiting an answer.
Harry chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry. I figured it was faster to just do it than explain it. You can probably see why it was better that way. I doubt you'd believe me. I'll explain more later. For now, do you want to go further away?"
Sighing in defeat, the shinobi shook his head. "I'll stay here. It'll be faster extracting you if it goes wrong." He fingered his weapons pouch and watched as his client pulled out a stick, pointed it in front of him and said something in a different language. There was a flash of light and suddenly Manda was towering over them, blocking out the morning sun and casting them in a shadow. 'Well, shit. The guy can actually summon Manda. I didn't feel a hint of chakra either.' There was a surge of something static, cold, and comforting all at once, and then nothing. Sweat dotted his brow and he braced himself to gather Potter and make a run for it.
Manda peered down at the pair imperiously before registering who exactly was in front of him. He slowly lowered his head to the ground to better see the pair and so they could converse without shouting, causing Kakashi to quickly grab Harry and back away. Manda ignored his actions, mentally scoffing at the ridiculous human.
"Well, it's about time, little king. It's been months since you've been dropped here and I've heard nothing from you." Manda flicked his tongue, checking the human's condition, ignoring the Konoha shinobi's presence completely, deeming him insignificant and unimportant. "At least you're not hurt this time though I smell blood. Were you in battle? Why was one of our brethren not summoned?"
Releasing Harry in shock, Kakashi couldn't compute how this creature was the same Manda he'd heard of and seen in battle the rare times he'd seen the sannin back in the day when he was still a Konoha shinobi. Back then, the great serpent could not care less about the health and welfare of his summoner so long as he had enough to eat and kill during battle. If he didn't deem the battle worthy, he would leave Orochimaru stranded. And little king? Was he right and Potter was nobility, a king at that? Maybe from that England country he mentioned.
Fawkes landed on the great snake's head and twittered a few notes. Hedwig took flight, landed besides the phoenix and hooted at the snake in greeting as well.
"Hmph. Who cares if the forest will suffer from my presence? It'll grow back."
That sounded more familiar to the Hatake, and then his mind was blown when Potter started spitting and hissing. The guy spoke Snake! No fucking wonder he was so confident he wouldn't be eaten. Even Manda would probably give a human his time if they spoke his language.
§§Manda, you're overkill and so are your children and your children's children—or at least that's what I've been told by Jiraiya-san when I said I could summon you if I was ever in trouble. Plus Hatake-san protected me very well on his own.§§ Harry rolled his eyes, forcibly getting himself back on track instead of indulging the snake's mother hen tendencies. §§Oh, and speak in parseltongue. We're supposed to prank my escort so the less he knows, the funnier. Anyway, I wanted to ask what happened between you and that Orochi guy.§§
Manda tilted his head, dislodging the birds who took off to stretch their wings, in equal parts bemusement and confusion. What use was that information, he wondered, but provided it anyway. §§What happened? That insignificant little shit dared to attack you without provocation. Needless to say he has been stripped of his status as summoner for our clan and the scroll was reclaimed. Terminating the contract was the least he deserved. Next time, he's dinner.§§
Palm met face as the wizard groaned, utterly dismayed at the sudden turn his life took onto the road of, perhaps not mortal peril but, annoying murderous ninjas. §§Ugh... I thought so.§§
Manda chuckled in satisfaction. It served the worm well to know he would never summon one of them again. If he tried, he was as good as dead.
§§You do know... I'm now number one on his hit list? And the blood you smelled was from a team he sent after me.§§ the wizard deadpanned, somewhat amused by the snake's vindictiveness.
All sense of satisfaction fled him in an instant, replaced by horror, which was overtaken by raging anger. §§What?!§§The great snake hissed angrily, forked tongue flicking again as he reared back in shock. §§He dares?!§§ Snarling, the great snake began winding back and forth in agitation, hissing and spitting incoherently.
Kakashi would have rushed in to the yank Harry out of there if his client wasn't rolling his eyes.
"I'm fine," Harry sighed, reverting back to Japanese, "Hatake-san killed most of them and Artemis took out the last." When it didn't look like Manda heard him, he added, "calm down." Of course, it did the total opposite of calming the snake.
"Calm down...? Calm down? Calm down?!" Manda stopped pacing, as much as a snake could pace without legs, and narrowed jade-green eyes down at the wizard who so lacked self-preservation. He clearly needed to spend more time in the cave with them. "You're a puny human being hunted by a mass murdering, mad scientist, criminal shinobi who has shinobi of his own! Are you mental, you stupid human!" he boomed.
To think the day came where Hatake Kakashi would agree with Manda...
"I'll be fine!" The young lord insisted. As if the timing couldn't be any worse, his stomach growled angrily. Not the best way to show he could take care of himself...
Manda snorted, nearly bowling Harry over with his breath. Fine? You're not even eating properly!"
"It's not my fault those idiots attacked before I could make breakfast!"
Reptilian eyes narrowed in equal parts disgust and concern. "Stay here. I'll go hunt."
"No no no no! No hunting!" Harry yelped in a panic. The first time Manda went hunting for him, the snake brought back a dozen cattle. He didn't seem to understand that humans could hardly consume so much red meat at once nor that Harry was at a perfectly healthy weight. When he said there was no way he could eat so much, the snake brought back a single cow the next time when he clearly said a rabbit would do. "I have food in my bag!"
The serpent eyed the leather satchel dubiously. "You must have shit for food because you're still too skinny and breakable. I will hunt something suitable."
Harry waved his arms frantically to no avail. "No! I can't eat an entire cow!"
"Put the rest in your bag and try not to get yourself killed while I'm gone," Manda snorted sardonically, turned on his tail, and disappeared over a distant hill in an instant, presumably to hunt.
Harry hung his head in defeat and despair. Great. Now he would be eating beef for months.
Kakashi didn't know whether to laugh himself silly or faint in shock. What universe had he been transported to? Was he still in Fire Country? How did a serious conversation get derailed so badly? Manda was going hunting because Potter's stomach growled. That almost made the snake seem endearing. Shaking his head, he re-centered himself.
"...So I believe you now when you say you're in no danger." Shaking his head again, still bewildered, Kakashi added, "No one has ever mentioned he could be so..."
Harry cocked a brow. "So overbearing in his protectiveness?" he finished for him.
"Yeah, that. It's unheard of when it comes to Manda. For as long as I can remember, he's always been the least agreeable of the sannin's boss summons. If Orochimaru didn't offer what he deemed appropriate compensation of hundreds of sacrifices, then he didn't cooperate."
"Ah, yeah... From what I can tell, Manda doesn't respect people like Orochimaru. I think the only reason why he fought for him at all was because he was one of the few who was capable of summoning him and provided some amusement with the battles he was summoned for. Most importantly, he got plenty of food that way without having to hunt for himself."
A sweatdrop rolled down the side of Kakashi's head. 'Of course it was the food.'
Not ten minutes later, Manda returned and spat two very dead bovine at the wizard's feet.
"Why are there two...?"
"What else is your Konoha cannon fodder going to eat? If he's going to be a good meat shield for you, he must be fattened." The snake boss's jade eyes leered menacingly at the Hatake in a clear warning to be a proper disposable meat shield.
Said meat shield twitched in irritation and broke into cold sweat. And to think he thought the snake was endearing just minutes prior.
"Hatake-san is perfectly capable of protecting me. He did a fine job earlier."
Manda's eyes slid over to the ninja, gauging his usefulness and found him lacking if the dismissive hiss was anything to go by. Not even deigning to reply, he instead curled around the pair and stood guard while his human made breakfast.
Not having the energy nor will to argue, Harry began preparing the fresh kills, with Kakashi quick to follow.
After breakfast was had and Hedwig got her promise of bacon, they were ready to continue their journey to Konoha. Problem was Manda didn't think Harry had a large enough entourage.
"Aren't you going to go home?" Harry asked once everything was packed and the fire put out.
"And leave you with...that" The tip of a serpentine tail pointed at the Copycat nin, "as your only protection against Orochimaru? You must be joking. I am coming with you."
"That's ridiculous. You're huge, Manda. There's no way we can inconspicuously travel with you around."
"What's ridiculous is your bad luck. Clearly you don't know how to take care of yourself; not eating, letting yourself get attacked by idiots, and having shit protection at that. Hedwig told me he wasn't even capable of stopping a poison attack!"
Harry glared at the smug looking owl perched atop Manda's head. "There were three of them and just one of him—," but Manda wasn't listening and talked right over him.
"You don't even have proper guards! Your station should demand no less! What kind of emperor doesn't have a proper guard to stand between them and their enemies?! Oh, let me tell you—JUST YOU!"
"Manda! That's enough!"
Manda's jaws snapped shut with a click.
Harry sighed in exasperation, but smiled fondly at the great snake. "I'll take better care of myself. Hedwig will make sure I eat three meals a day, get enough sleep, and Artemis will be allowed to kill on sight, okay? I promise I'll summon you right away if I'm in any danger. So stop being a worrywart and go home!"
Manda glared mutinously at the copy nin as if him getting snapped at was all his fault. Kakashi automatically took a step back in response and waved his palms in the universal gesture of peace. "Understood...," he muttered angrily, "But you had better contact me once a week or I'm sending my sons."
The wizard smiled gratefully at the snake and stepped up to him, hugging his large head as best as he could. "Thank you Manda. Now go home, eat a large meal, get some sleep, and stop worrying about me. I'll send Artemis to you once a week with updates. You know she won't lie."
With one last glare at the Konoha nin, Manda bowed his head and poofed out of existence.
Kakashi sat heavily on the ground. "I think that took ten years off my life."
AN: Thank you for the positive response to the extra I posted. I may write more and post it as a second story, but it will be a series of interconnected one-shots if I do. I'll let you all know if I do decide to do that. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that chapter.
Posted: December 16th, 2017.
