Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any properties in this work that I did not make myself.

Harold of Konoha

Chapter thirty-seven: Harold and company's new friend (AKA The Team-Up Series chapter)

Harold Fisher, one of Konoha's oldest active jonin-ranked ninja, along with his beloved wife of many years Sophia, were at their niece Sakura's family's place. The Fisher couple were having breakfast with Sakura, along with Sakura's husband Sasuke, his and Sakura's son Haru, and Sakura's mother-in-law (Sasuke's mom) Mikoto, who was found to not only have survived the Uchiha Clan Massacre, but was in a village-town on Land of Fire outskirts ever since that fated day thirty some odd years ago. (1)

"You're already a chunnin, Haru?" Mikoto asked, sounding very much impressed.

Nodding in the affirmative, Haru replied, "Yeah, Grandma Mikoto. I was promoted to chunnin a while ago." With a bit of a self-amused look on his face, the Uchiha youth added, "I'm the only one in my graduating class to have made chunnin thus far."

Pointing his fork at Haru in a commending manner, Harold said, "That there is his Uchiha genes at work. Mark my words, Mikoto."

"If you say so, Har-" Mikoto began, but she was cut off midsentence when someone's cellphone went off. With a look or realization on his face, Harold reached into his front right pants pocket to pull his phone out.

Answering the call he was getting, Harold said, "Hello? …Crow Hogan! It's been ages, you sly son of a gun! How you bez?" (2) Everyone else at the table looked on as the Fisher patriarch was talking on his cellphone.

"Huh?" Harold said into the phone, "No, it's not too bad a time. My wife and I are over at our niece Sakura's place, having breakfast with her, her husband, their kid and Sakura's mother-in-law. …Huh, you want to speak with her? Well alright." Taking his cellphone away from the side of his head, Harold said as he was handing the phone to Sakura, "Crow wants to talk to you."

Sakura, with a confused look on her face, accepted the phone from her uncle nonetheless before holding it to the right side of her head. "…Hello?" Sakura spoke into the phone, "Am I speaking to my Uncle Harold's friend Crow?" The rest of the table watched as Sakura spoke to Harold's friend over the phone. "…Oh, there's some special injury case you want to know if I can mend?" Sakura said into the phone, "Well can you give me the details?"

Harold, Sophia, Sasuke, Haru and Mikoto all watched as Sakura listened carefully to what was being said on the other end of the call. "…That's it?" Sakura said after a few minutes, "Well okay then. It sounds like a typical physical trauma case over in that area. The medic ninjas here in Konoha can heal injuries like that without issue. Hell, I myself can mend such an injury in the field, although surgery at a hospital will first have to be done in order to remove the metal pin that's in the boy's left leg. But other than that it shouldn't be any trouble for me. I can easily get leave from here to travel out to where the boy's family lives so I can treat his leg injury. I should also be able to get some insight on how trauma injuries out in that area are treated. …Yeah, I can get the phone number for the boy's family from Uncle Harold. I'll contact them as soon as I'm getting ready to head out to meet them. …You're welcome, Crow."

After a few seconds, Sakura handed the phone back to Harold. "…Uncle Harold, remember when you took that trip out of Konoha to visit some student of yours, and you brought Haru along with you?" the younger Uchiha matriarch asked. (3)

"Oh yeah," Harold replied, "I visited my student Luna, who I tutored in the ways of the dank powers of awesome and rock. Why do you ask?"

"Can you take me over there at your earliest convenience?" Sakura asked, "Because according to your friend who I spoke with on the phone just now, your student's younger brother has a rather bad injury affecting most of his left leg. If I can get out to where their family lives, I can very easily heal the boy's left leg entirely."

Giving a shrug, Harold said, "Nothing short of Lord Sixth giving the boys and me a mission would keep me from taking care of that as soon as possible. I'll just have to check a few things before we can get going."

Nodding once in thanks, Sakura replied, "That would be really nice, Uncle Harold. From what your friend told me over the phone, the boy's family really wants to do right by him. And from what I was told, your student's younger brother sounds kind of similar to Haru, in that both boys are sweet young men. I can understand how the boy's mother is probably feeling right now. I mean, I'd be beside myself with grief if Haru was hurt like that."

"Not that you'd let Haru go around with such an injury, since you're more than capable of fixing pretty much whatever," Sasuke remarked as he pointed his fork, which had a bit of French toast on the end, at Sakura. Turning to face her husband, Sakura gave him a nod of agreement.

"Like I said, I have to check a few things," Harold said, "But if Knuckles is willing, then we should be good to go within a few days." (4) After that, the rest of breakfast was spent seeing Mikoto regale everyone at the table with tales of back when she was raising Sasuke and Itachi. The older Uchiha matriarch's tales elicited embarrassment from Sasuke, as well as questions from Haru about why he didn't know that he had an Uncle Itachi until just now. (5)

Later that morning, Harold, after he and Sophia returned home, went for a post-breakfast stroll, during which he met up with his friends Inoichi Yamanaka and Tsume Inuzuka, along with Tsume's talking Ninkin Kuromaru. "Yo, I'm just as free as you are, dude," Inoichi said to his closest friend as the group walked and talked, "So if you want, I can very easily tag along on this little trip you and your niece have planned."

"Kuromaru and I are free as well, Harold," Tsume offered. Kuromaru, knowing that he'd go along with Tsume even if she didn't volunteer him, simply nodded once in acknowledgement, albeit with a bit of resignation in the nodding.

Harold, with a casual yet appreciative smile, said, "Thanks, bros. I'd have no clue what I'd do if I didn't have you guys backing-" The fisher patriarch stopped midsentence and, with a look of mild confusion on his face, proceeded to look around. "…You guys hear that?" Harold asked, "It sounds like someone screaming as if they're falling from a great height."

Inoichi, Tsume and Kuromaru all proceeded to look around, keeping an especially close eye on the sky. "…Yeah, dude," Inoichi replied, "It does sound like that. It's probably just some weird species of bird giving out his mating call or some s*** like that."

"Or," Kuromaru said in a knowing and mildly alarmed tone as he spotted something in the sky, "It's the sound of some guy dressed in a suit as he falling from the sky towards us at terminal velocity!" Confused, the seniors all looked into the sky where Kuromaru was looking and, true to what Kuromaru said, they saw a guy dressed in a suit falling from the sky and right towards where they were all standing.

"Everybody duck!" Tsume exclaimed as she and the guys all jumped out of the way. Not two seconds after Tsume and the guys all jumped out of the way, the guy they saw falling from the sky crash-landed nearby. Thankfully, he landed on top of a large pile of full trash bags, which did an excellent job at absorbing the vast majority of the impact.

The man who crash-landed on top of the pile of garbage bags coughed a bit as he rolled off and somewhat shakily got back up onto his feet. He was a relatively short and plump fair-skinned man; he wore a formal black suit top over a white dress shirt with a blue dress tie, and the suit top was fastened with a large yellowish button (in the middle) and adorned with a red rose (over the left pectoral area). The man also wore dress pants that matched the suit top, a pair of dark bluish boots, and he had a brownish moustache under his nose and a wisp of wavy blonde hair on the top of his head.

As they watched this man dust himself off, Harold and company approached him. "Yo dude, you okay?" Harold asked, getting the man to look up and see him, Inoichi, Tsume and Kuromaru.

The man, with a mildly confused look on his face, said to Harold and company, "How far am I from Magnolia Town, might I ask?"

"Magnolia Town?" Kuromaru remarked, "Pfft, dude, you're way far from home if you're asking about Magnolia Town. You've just crash-landed in Konohagakure."

"Damn, that shadowy giant must have thrown me harder than I thought," the man replied, "But that's another story for another time." (6) Holding a hand out to Harold and company to offer them a handshake, the man said, "My name is Duke Everlue. It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Confused, Harold and his friends nonetheless proceeded to introduce themselves to this Duke Everlue fellow who had crash-landed right in front of them. …After falling from the skies over Konoha. …Meaning that Duke flew right through the Sensing Barrier that was over the entirety of the village.

…Meaning that the entirety of the Konoha Barrier Team reacted pretty much the moment Duke flew into Konoha from the skies over the village, sending out the entirety of the Interception Division to the general area where Duke landed. (7) "Oh yeah, that barrier thingy that's over the village," Tsume said as she, Duke and the boys were surrounded by the Interception Division, "I completely forgot that we even had that."

"Hang on, bros," Inoichi said to his friends, "I got this." Walking up to the Interception Division ninja, the Yamanaka patriarch said, "Hey, everyone! It's me, Inoichi Yamanaka! Harold, Tsume, Kuromaru and I have this one covered!"

After the Yamanaka patriarch called out, the Interception Division ninja all lowered their guard somewhat, and they all wore mildly confused looks on their faces. "Master Inoichi?" one of the Interception Division ninja called out, "Is that really you? What are you doing here?" (8)

"We were out for a walk when the guy who triggered the barrier fell from the sky right in front of us," Inoichi explained as he gestured to Duke. Giving the Interception Division ninja a thumbs-up and a confident smile (think Rock Lee or Might Gai), the Yamanaka patriarch added, "We can take him over to interrogation, so you guys have no need to worry."

The ninja of the Interception Division were, at first, a bit hesitant to leave the guy who entered the village from above be. But since the head of the Yamanaka clan, as well as trusted friends of the clan head, already intercepted the intruder and were going to handle him, they relaxed, if only by a bit. "…Alright, sir," the first Interception Division ninja said, "We'll leave things here to you." The ninja who came over to Inoichi and the others then took their leave.

Once he and his friends were alone, Inoichi turned to face Duke. "…They do have a point, you know," Inoichi said to the Magnolia Town native, "I am going to have to bring you in for questioning." Walking over to Duke, the Yamanaka patriarch used his right hand to grab Duke's left arm by the bicep. "…It'll be easier if you come willingly," Inoichi said as Harold, Tsume and Kuromaru proceeded to help Inoichi surround Duke.

Looking around, Duke saw that he didn't have a choice. "…Can I at least get something to eat while you're questioning me?" Duke asked.

After he was interviewed by Harold and company, Duke was cleared by Inoichi, who decided that the former mayoral candidate for Magnolia Town was by no means a threat to the safety of Konoha. "That dish that you got for me while you were interrogating me was simply delicious," Duke said as he walked with the senior ninja and Kuromaru through the village proper, "What do you guys call it again?"

"It was a bowl of Katsudon," Kuromaru replied, "It's actually become standard practice here in Konoha that whenever someone is interrogated like you were, the person being interrogated is served a Katsudon bowl." (9)

"So Duke, my good man," Harold began, "Now that you've been cleared by the higher ups here in Konoha, what do you plan to do? Return to Magnolia Town so you can try to salvage your budding career in politics?"

Gently shaking his head in the negative, Duke replied, "Normally I would be dead-set on getting back home. But the idea of trying to get back into politics upon my return might be a tad too much for me at the moment, given that I'm pretty sure that by now that blue-haired girl that I ran against has been sworn in as Magnolia Town's new mayor. There's something else…" Duke took a pause in his talking as he looked up into the skies over Konoha, looking onward with a somber, mildly resigned expression on his face. "…If I had become mayor, then I would have still had a reason to remain in Magnolia Town. But that chance is gone now. I have no reason to return to Magnolia Town, or even Fiore as a whole. There is nothing for me…"

Duke stopped short again when he felt someone put a hand on his right should from behind him. Turning his head to see, the former mayoral candidate of Magnolia Town saw that it was Harold who was giving the sympathetic, reassuring gesture. "…Duke, my good man," Harold began, "There is no need for you to believe that you have no place, no need for you to be alone. You have people here in Konoha who will have your back."

"Harold's right," Inoichi remarked as he stepped forward, "As far as I'm concerned, you'll always have a place here in Konoha. It might take a while to rustle up proper accommodations for you, but we'll see to it that you'll have a home here."

"We're also going to have to find some manner of work for you to do so you can earn a living here," Kuromaru pointed out as he stepped forward, "Granted, your political experience won't be of too much use here in Konoha since we have Hokages instead of mayors, and the position of Hokage is currently already filled, but I am sure that we can figure something out for you before too long." Tsume, although she didn't say anything, likewise stepped forward to stand with the boys, giving Duke a reassuring, confident smile.

Duke, inspired by and thankful for the support the seniors and Kuromaru were showing him, nodded his head once in thanks. "It means a lot that you guys care so much for me, especially since we literally just met each other less than an hour ago," the former mayoral candidate of Magnolia Town remarked, "And if it helps, I already have an idea, inspired by the food that you guys got for me while I was interrogated."

"The Katsudon inspired you?" Harold asked.

Nodding in the affirmative, Duke said, "I would like to look into becoming a chef, with my specialty being that Katsudon dish and other similar meals."

Nodding in an approving manner to Duke, Harold remarked, "That is a very noble goal indeed, my good man."

"It helps that the last known place here in Konoha that served dishes related to the general area you intend to target, Ramen Ichiraku, had shut down well over ten years ago," Kuromaru pointed out, "As the proprietor was killed during the Konoha Car Crisis." (10)

Duke, with a mildly confused look on his face, said, "Ramen? What's that?"

"It's a popular dish here in Konoha, served in a bowl similar to Katsudon," Tsume explained as she walked up to Duke. Patting him on the right shoulder, Tsume continued, "You might want to learn how to prepare Ramen if you intend to be a chef like what you're thinking."

"We can go to the library to read up on the various dishes Duke should learn if he wants to earn his keep here in Konoha like he intends," Kuromaru suggested, earning nods of agreement from the three seniors. With that, the party took their leave to head on over to the local library.

Sometime in early to mid-afternoon, Harold and company were seen walking out of the library, with Duke carrying a few books. "Wow, we're going to have to find a lot of equipment for all of the dishes that Duke plans to serve at his planned restaurant," Harold remarked, "You guys have any clue where we can start?"

"I think that Ayame, the daughter of the late proprietor of Ramen Ichiraku, is still alive," Tsume remarked, "And as such she should have inherited much of her late dad's gear, maybe even the property of the restaurant itself. We can always hit her up."

"Actually, she moved to Sunagakure shortly after the Fifth Great Ninja War began," Inoichi pointed out, "I have no clue as to the state of her dad's old place, as well as the cooking gear that was used at said place."

Snapping his fingers in a manner to convey mild disappointment, Harold remarked, "Well damn, there goes that plan."

"I'm sure we'll figure something out, guys," Duke remarked, "I'm sure that nothing-"

Duke was cut off when he, the seniors and Kuromaru all heard a young male voice call out to them. Harold recognized the voice right away as that of his grandnephew Haru; true enough, it was the Uchiha youth who was running up to them. "Oi, Uncle Harold!" Haru called out as he ran up to the group, "Wait up! I need to tell you something!"

Harold got the group to stop so that Haru can catch up to them. When he finally reached his granduncle's group, Haru let out a breath. "Whew," the Uchiha youth remarked, "About time I caught up to you guys."

"What's shaking, little dude?" Harold asked as he and the others regarded Haru.

"Some of those bad guys from Kumogakure were spotted entering the Land of Fire," Haru began, "If what I heard dad, Mr. Nara, Mr. Aburame and Lord Sixth talk about earlier is true. Also, I heard that a fair number of Konoha shinobi have been sent out to investigate the sighting, and deal with it if need be."

Nodding in understanding, Harold said, "Thanks for informing us, Haru. This does sound like a rather serious manner."

Due to what the ninja were all talking about, Duke could not help but look on with a confused expression on his face. "…Pardon the intrusion," Duke began, "But might I inquire about what you guys are talking about?"

"Oh yeah, you came from Magnolia Town," Tsume remarked. Turning to face the former mayoral candidate of Magnolia Town, Tsume began, "Long story short, Konoha and its ally Suna are at war against Kumo in a conflict known as the Fifth Great Ninja War. Another village, Iwa, is also involved as supporters to Konoha and Suna, but cannot participate in any actual fighting due to a severe lack in available manpower to send out."

"The war started when Kumo attacked Suna over ten years ago, sometime shortly after the current Hokage, Lord Naruto, was sworn in as the sixth Hokage," Kuromaru remarked, "It was Naruto's first official act as the active Hokage to declare war on Kumo after Kumo had attacked and sub-sequentially declared war on our ally Suna."

"This war business sounds dangerous," Duke remarked.

Nodding once in agreement, Inoichi replied, "It is dangerous, dude." With a slightly self-amused smile spreading across his face, the Yamanaka patriarch added, "But then again, danger was never something that deterred the boys and I."

"He's got a point," Kuromaru remarked to Duke, "Danger was never something that stopped him, Tsume and Harold from doing something, especially if that something was incredibly stupid in nature."

Pointing to Kuromaru, Tsume said, "Kuromaru, you just gave me an idea!"

Kuromaru, as he covered his face with his right front paw, muttered to himself in a mildly exasperated tone, "Son of a bitch, not again."

"What's the plan?" Harold asked, a curious look on his face.

Turning to face Haru, Tsume asked, "What more did you hear from Lord Sixth and his advisors about the Kumo ninja spotted in the Land of Fire?"

Haru, with a mildly worried look on his face, said, "From what I remember hearing, a small battalion of roughly a thousand or so Kumo ninja were seen crossing a border between the Land of Fire and Land of Sound." (11)

"This isn't good," Inoichi remarked with a mild hint of grimness in his tone, "Unless those one-thousand Kumo ninja are intercepted, there's a good chance they'll reach Konoha, where they will deal some serious damage given that the best of Konoha's fighting force is off fighting in the war. Konoha only has a little bit more than the bare skeleton crew needed to maintain village defense at the moment."

Tsume, who was looking from Harold to Inoichi, said with a look of self-amusement on her face, "…You guys want to become village heroes?"

"Can I help?" Duke asked, raising a hand.

"Oh hells yeah," Harold replied as he patted Duke on the back, "You can follow the boys and I over to the shipyard where Konoha's flying ships are kept!" (12) The three seniors and Kuromaru, with Duke following them, proceeded to make their way over to where Konoha's flying ships are kept, with Harold telling Haru to stay in Konoha.

After stealing another flying ship, one that was named The Broken Wind, Harold and company proceeded to fly it out of Konoha and up to the north towards the Land of Sound. As Harold and company flew towards where the Kumo ninja were, Harold and Inoichi met Duke over in the area on the flying ship that had the bomb hatch. Harold, for some odd reason, was carrying a Stetson-style cowboy hat; it was a light brownish colored had, with a dark brownish leather strip tied around the base. The front was adorned with a simple silvery buckle with a turquoise stone.

"Yo Duke, my good man," Harold began, getting Duke's attention. Handing the former mayoral candidate of Magnolia Town the Stetson, the Fisher patriarch continued, "This here is a little something that the boys and I got for you as a sort-of 'Welcome to Konoha' gift." Duke, with a bit of tears in his eyes, accepted the Stetson.

Putting the Stetson on, Duke said, "Thank you, you guys. This means the world to me."

Both Harold and Inoichi nodded in affirmation to Duke as Kuromaru walked over to them. Sighing in a resigned tone, the talking Ninkin said, "I hope like hell that you guys can explain yourselves to Naruto when we get back to the village. Tsume especially, since this is the second time she's piloting one of Konoha's flying ships without the appropriate license."

"You worry too much, Kuromaru," Inoichi replied in a casual, somewhat laid-back tone.

"Inoichi's right, dude," Harold agreed. Patting the side of what looked to be a bomb of some sort, Harold continued, "All we got to do is pilot the flying ship over the invading Kumo forces, open the hatch, then drop this bad boy down on top of them. We do that, and the threat will be eliminated before Konoha forces even get close enough to engage the Kumo forces directly."

Kuromaru looked like he was about to say something, but he was cut off when the flying ship's intercom system turned on. "Yo, dudes," Tsume's voice said over the intercom system, "We're getting close to the invading Kumo forces! Make sure the bomb's ready!"

Harold walked over to a small box that was connected to the intercom speaker and pressed a button on it before speaking into the speaker. "Everything's in ship-shape condition, Tsume," Harold said, "Let us know when you're ready to open the bomb hatch!"

"From the looks of it, I'd say that a countdown from ten will be the signal," Tsume's voice replied, "Counting down now! Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!" The guys in the bomb hatch area heard a 'click' sound coming from the hatch that would drop the bomb, but the hatch didn't open.

Harold, with a hint of panic on his face, said to Tsume via the intercom system speaker, "Tsume, dude, the bomb hatch door is jammed! It won's open!" As Kuromaru ran back to where Tsume was in the cockpit, Harold and Inoichi both proceeded to run around in panic while Duke, in a somewhat bold move, climbed on top of the bomb and sat on it, hopping up and down in place as he sat on the bomb.

"Come on, already," Duke huffed in a tone that was more annoyed than angry, "Drop out of the ship already and fall on those damn Kumo bastards that my new friends are-" Duke was cut off midsentence when, due to his efforts, the bomb hatch door under the bomb he sat on opened, allowing the bomb to finally be dropped from the ship and down onto the Kumo ninja that were all below.

…However, the bomb dropped from the flying ship while Duke was still sitting on it. Seeing their new friend fall from the ship to his certain demise, Harold and Inoichi both looked down out of the open bomb hatch door. "DUKE!" the two senior ninja men cried out in anguish as they both witnessed the former mayoral candidate from Magnolia Town fall.

Duke himself realized that this was his end, so then rather than go out quietly, he decided to go out while making as much of a show as he can. Placing his left hand on the bomb that he sat on to keep himself steady, Duke took his Stetson off with his right hand and held it as he waived it around while cheering, as if he were a cowboy riding a bucking bronco or a bull. "YEEHAW!" Duke exclaimed epically as he rode the bomb to oblivion, "YEEHAWHAWHAW! YEEEEEEE-"

*BOOOOOOOOOM*

Harold and Inoichi, since the bomb hatch door was still open, watched at the bomb that they dropped on the invading Kumo forces detonated, blasting the vast majority of them. Even though a vast majority of the invading Kumo ninja were undoubtedly killed in the blast, Harold and Inoichi had little reason to celebrate. After all, they, as well as Tsume and Kuromaru, had just lost someone who meant the world to them, even though they had only known him for a very brief time.

"…Duke…" Harold said in a quiet, subdued somber tone as The Broken Wind turned around to fly back to Konoha.

Early that evening, Harold and his party stood in Naruto's office over at the Hokage office building. They stood before Naruto's desk, at which Naruto himself was seated. Giving the seniors a wry look, Naruto said, "…Well, even though the stunt you guys pulled with stealing that flying ship from the shipyard was rather reckless, I can't argue with the results of what you were able to accomplish. When the forces that I sent out to confront the invading Kumo ninja got there, over eight-hundred of the one-thousand Kumo ninja were killed in the initial blast, with the remaining wounded to the point that they couldn't flee."

"They were easily subdued by Konoha forces, from what I heard," Kuromaru remarked, "And that whatever Kumo ninja were not killed on sight were captured as POWs."

Nodding in confirmation, Naruto said, "That's right, Kuromaru." With a hint of interest entering his expression, Naruto continued, "I was also informed that the fellow who crash-landed in the village earlier today, that Duke Everlue fellow, was also killed because he was supposedly on the bomb that you guys dropped on the Kumo ninja."

"He got onto the bomb and hopped up and down in place as he sat on it," Harold said in a somber tone as he confirmed what Naruto was asking about, "The bomb hatch door was not opening, so he was trying to force it open. Duke got it open, making the ultimate sacrifice as he did so." Holding his right hand over his chest, the Fisher patriarch said, "Duke Everlue gave his life so that the invading Kumo forces would be stopped before innocents here in Konoha could come close to danger."

"His remains were recovered from the scene of the bombing, and were brought back to Konoha," Naruto informed the seniors and Kuromaru, "Given that he gave his life in the line of duty to Konoha, he will be given a ceremonial funeral with full honors. It's especially noteworthy that Duke wasn't even a native to any of the ninja lands, if what the report about Duke that I got from dad's sector of work is true."

Nodding in the affirmative, Inoichi said, "It is indeed true, my boy."

"Lord Sixth," Harold began, getting Naruto to look at him, "If I may be so bold as to suggest a way to honor the epicness that was Duke?" Naruto arched an eyebrow out of piqued curiosity, but before he could ask what Harold had in mind, the Fisher patriarch took out a folded-up sheet of paper, unfolded it, placed it face up on Naruto's desk, and slid it over to him. "This is a statue that Inoichi, Tsume and I designed," Harold explained, "Showing Duke as the awesome hero to Konoha that he is."

Looking at the drawing, Naruto said, "…It shows him riding backwards on a bomb that's falling downwards, riding the bomb as if it were a horse or bull at a rodeo. Also, he's waiving a Stetson hat around, further highlighting the rodeo theme."

"That's how he went out, Lord Sixth," Harold confirmed as he tapped the drawing with his right index finger, "Duke died a death so awesome and epic, I can only hope that my own death ends up even half as awesome and epic as Duke's."

Naruto starred at the drawing of the seniors' recommended idea for a statue to honor the sacrifice Duke made in defense to Konoha. "…You know what," Naruto remarked, "I'll actually look into this." Looking up from the drawing to the seniors, Naruto continued, "However, before the statue can be made, you guys are going to have to write an epitaph to be put onto a plaque that will be placed on the statue's base."

The three seniors all nodded in thanks, with Inoichi saying, "You truly are too kind a man, my boy. Truly you are deserving of your position as Lord Sixth."

"Whatever you say, dad," Naruto replied as he waived the seniors and Kuromaru out of his office, "Anyway, I got a few more things to take care of here before I can leave for the day." Understanding that it was their cue to leave, Harold and company bowed out of Naruto's office, taking their leave as a whole.

A few minutes later, Harold and company were sitting together at a table in a restaurant somewhere in Konoha. The three seniors, with Kuromaru siting on the floor next to Tsume's seat, were all having bowls of Katsudon, with glasses of beer as their respective drinks. As Inoichi was eating some of his Katsudon, Harold saw that Tsume was writing something after he sat his beer glass back down.

"Yo Tsume, what are you writing?" the Fisher patriarch asked.

Looking up from her notepad to Harold, Tsume replied, "Oh, I was working on this." Tsume turned her notepad around to show Harold and Inoichi what she had written;

IN HONOR OF DUKE EVERLUE

HERO OF KONOHA

SHINE ON, YOU CRAZY COWBOY

After Harold and Inoichi had both read what Tsume had written, the Inuzuka matriarch asked, "Well, what do you boys think?"

Both Harold and Inoichi had tears in their eyes, which they wiped away. "…It's perfect, Tsume," Inoichi remarked, "It's the least that Duke deserves."

"I agree," Harold remarked with a nod. Grabbing his beer glass, Harold held it up as he said, "Duke Everlue was the best of us." Inoichi and Tsume both grabbed their respective beer glasses and raised them in the toast to Duke's memory that Harold was making.

"Here's to Duke," Harold, Inoichi and Tsume all said before they drain their beer glasses dry. Kuromaru, although he didn't say anything, felt that Duke was still an outstanding man, a credit to Konoha when they needed him. Kuromaru only nodded once in agreement. But it was a nod that carried all of the talking Ninkin's respect for the late Duke Everlue.

END, CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Author's notes:

1. For more on this, see the previous chapter.

2. If you want to see the other end of this call, check out chapter 17 of 'One reason'.

3. Check out chapters 19 through 21 of 'Ten reason' for more.

4. According to Harold, the holy trinity consists of Knuckles the Echidna, Aquaman and Tyrion Lannister.

5. Sasuke and Sakura told Haru that that they would tell him later.

6. Chapter one of 'Fairy Tail: Post Game' can tell you that story.

7. They may have blundered when the thing with Pain occurred, but they are still one of Konoha's vital lines of village defense.

8. The Yamanaka clan is shown to be the ones leading the Konoha Barrier Team (which includes the Interception Division) in the anime. Since Inoichi is the head of the Yamanaka clan, it would stand to reason that members of the various subparts of the Konoha Barrier Team would be respectful to Inoichi.

9. That's right; the Katsudon bowl gag often seen in Japanese police scenes in popular culture is standard practice in Konoha.

10. See chapter thirteen of 'Guess who's back?' for more on this.

11. The Kumo forces entered the Land of Sound by sailing in from waters to the north.

12. Remember the flying ship that Tsume stole back in chapter ten? Yeah, those.

Duke Everlue's death in this chapter will play a bit of a role in some later 'Harold Fisher' chapters, as well as a few works revolving around 'Fairy Tail: Post Game', which you can find in my list of published stories if you're interested; Duke's appearence in this chapter relates to the first chapter of 'Fairy Tail: Post Game'. Anyway, next time will be seeing a minor something that I had actually meant to introduce earlier but accidentally put off. It will also see someone brought up in this chapter make an appearance.