(And I have the time to get this one up before Christmas. Enjoy and watch as Naruto does something no Avatar would've been able to pull off.)
As the two sides faced off, the princess's guards were evacuating the people in the town to safety. Kakashi and Sakura were busy dealing with Orochimaru and Kabuto. Despite being matched against a legendary Sannin, Kakashi was still able to hold his own against the slippery ninja and his snake jutsus. Kabuto was attacking Sakura using his Chakra Scalpel technique, while the kunoichi was keeping her distance from him, before stomping the ground and made two slabs of earth rise up.
"Try this!" Sakura performed a double spin kick, sending both earth slabs at Kabuto.
Kabuto avoided the first one, but ended up getting knocked off his feet by the second. Sakura acting quickly stomped the ground again causing an earth beam to rise from the ground under Kabuto nailing him in the back. Kabuto groaned, but used his healing jutsu on his back to recover.
"Not bad, Sakura, but your Earthbending won't be enough to stop me." Kabuto warned her.
"We'll see about that." Sakura encased her fists in rock giving her rock boxing gloves and proceeded to go at it with Kabuto some more.
Meanwhile with Unalaq and the boys, the undead Waterbender was using all his Waterbending attacks at the two. He bended icicle shards and launched them at the two, "I don't think so!" Sasuke used his Kusunagi to slice the icicles down.
"Not bad, but can you handle this much?" Unalaq bended fifty bigger icicle shards at Sasuke who drew his second sword and with the combination of both swords, and Sharingan was able to destroy all the projectiles.
Unalaq eyed the second sword, "So you have acquired the sword of Chief Sokka, have you?"
"I have," Sasuke confirmed, "It was given to me by Lady Jinora, the same girl you tried to use as blackmail against Korra to help you with your sick plan!"
"I did what I had to do to unleash Vaatu." Unalaq answered.
Naruto spoke, as he was in Sage mode and conjured a massive Rasengan, "And that was a big mistake!" he shoved the giant sphere of chakra into the zombie.
The result caused the undead body to crumble into nothing. Sasuke spoke to his friend, "Naruto, Spiritbend him before he can reform."
"On it," Naruto was about to use spiritbending until the two saw Unalaq's remains suddenly come back together restoring his undead body good as new, "What?!" he gasped.
Unalaq spoke as his eyes glowed reddish orange, "Nice try, but with Vaatu's power, this undead body of mine can regenerate faster than a regular one."
"He's going into the Dark Avatar State," Naruto gasped, "You ready for this, Sasuke?"
"Always." Sasuke assured, until they heard an explosion and saw Orochimaru and Kakashi who had just used a Chidori. Unfortunately, Orochimaru avoided the blow by shedding his body and was in a new one, "Oh, no. Looks like sensei could use some assistance."
"You go to him, I'll handle Unalaq." Naruto instructed.
"You sure about this?" the Uchiha inquired.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine." Naruto assured.
"Good luck." Sasuke said, as he hurried to help his sensei.
Unalaq spoke, "How long I've waited for another chance to destroy the Avatar and take my rightful place as ruler of the spirits."
"Don't take the throne just yet." Naruto said as he went into chakra mode along with the Avatar State.
"Not the usual Avatar state." Unalaq noticed.
"Because I'm not your run of the mill Avatar. I'm sure Orochimaru told you that?"
"He mentioned this new Avatar was special."
"Good. Allow me to show you how special I really am!" the two powerhouses clashed.
As Kakashi was overusing his chakra, Orochimaru was still ready to dish out some more attacks, "Imagine how much more my reputation will grow when I defeat Konoha's Copycat Shinobi."
"Not on my watch!" Sasuke jumped in and launched Chidori needles at Orochimaru.
The Sannin jumped away, as Sasuke landed next to Kakashi, "Sasuke?" the cyclops asked.
"Don't worry, Sensei, I'll take it form here." Sasuke promised.
"So, Sasuke, you decided to join us," Orochimaru began, before noticing his Eternal Mangekyo, "I see you have a new set of eyes implanted."
"That's right, and you won't be getting your sick hands on these. Not now. Not ever." Sasuke promised.
"We'll see." he drew his sword, and the two shinobi went at it in swordplay.
Back with Naruto, he and Unalaq were engaging against each other, with Unalaq launching bigger shots of water at Naruto who dodged. Naruto summoned multiple clones and attacked Unalaq form all sides. The undead Waterbender was blocking attacks from all around him, "Interesting, no Avatar has ever used a replicating technique."
"That's because no Avatar was ever a ninja." Naruto replied, as several chakra arms extended form his body and started pounding Unalaq to the ground. Unfortunately for Naruto, Unalaq's body kept repairing itself even faster.
"I grow tired of this game, boy. It's time I destroy you once and for all!" Unalaq concentrated and screamed as darkness consumed him.
"Oh, boy." Naruto gasped, as he backed away.
Suddenly Unalaq started growing and had taken his final form dubbed Unavaatu, "Yes, now I am ready to unleash my chaos!" the dark Avatar spoke with a mix of his and Vaatu's voice, "Face me, Raava, if you can!"
Naruto frowned, "All right. You wanna play big? I'll give ya big." Naruto concentrated as well and suddenly grew into a giant anthro chakra Kurama also powered by the Avatar State, "You want me, you got me, Vaatu!" he spoke in a mix of his and Raava's voice.
Koyuki and the guards watched from the castle, as the two colossal creatures began. Koyuki thought to herself, 'Naruto, you and everyone be safe.'
On the ground level, the good guys and bad guys saw the two giants fighting it out, as Kabuto spoke, "So Unalaq's finally entered his final form."
"Yes, the Dark Avatar vs the Light Avatar," Orochimaru agreed, "The second time this has ever occurred."
The two spirit powered fighters continued to exchange blows, until tendrils emerged from Unavaatu and ensnared around Chakra Naruto's limbs. The Avatar Ninja extended chakra arms from his own body and gripped onto Unavaatu as well. As the two grappled each other, Sasuke spoke, "I got to help him!" he ran to them.
"No you don't!" Kabuto went to stop Sasuke, only to find his feet swallowed up by the earth.
"Go, Sasuke!" Sakura called.
As Sasuke ran to the two giant he formed hand signs, "Summoning Jutsu!" he summoned a giant hawk which he jumped onto the back of. The giant bird flew up to the two fighting giants, as Sasuke started channeling his Chidori through both his swords. The hawk flew Sasuke around, as the Uchiha used his Chidori powered swords to severe the tentacles of Unavaatu freeing Naruto from his hold.
"Thanks, Sasuke!" Naruto called, as he used a chakra arm to create another giant Rasengan and shoved it into his opponent.
Unavaatu growled and proceeded to attack Naruto head on even harder. The Dark Avatar's attacks were proving to be so strong, the Avatar shinobi was getting pushed back. As Sasuke continued to fly around on his summoning Hawk, he spoke to himself, "Naruto's taking a pounding. I got to help him somehow... Wait! I know what to do." he jumped off his hawk who poofed away.
Sasuke plummeted toward the giant Avatar Chakra Kurama, while chakra surrounded him as well. Suddenly upon making contact with the chakra fox's head, armor started forming around him. Unavaatu watched in shock, as the new Susanoo armored Chakra Kurama stood ready to resume fighting, "Oh, yeah. Thanks again, Sasuke." Naruto said as he once again took the fight to Unavaatu unleashing more blows he forced the Dark Avatar out of the kingdom and a top the icy field.
As the group on the ground saw this, Orochimaru spoke to his right hand man, "Kabuto, we have to go after them!"
Kabuto after freeing his feet, answered, "Agreed." they disappeared, as Sakura and Kakashi looked up seeing Armored Kurama go after Unavaatu.
"We better follow them too." Kakashi told Sakura, who nodded and they both went after them.
When the four reached the icy field, they continued to keep their distance from the two titans. As they clashed the very area surrounding them shook and cracked from their essence alone. Chakra Kurama suddenly held a sword encased in Amaterasu flames.
"Feeling chilly? Well let me warm ya up!" he swung the flaming sword at the Dark Avatar tearing into his arm.
Unavaatu recoiled as, the arm regenerated as the flames was swallowed up by the dark body. Unavaatu conjured a tidal wave of water from the ocean close to them and bended it at Chakra Kurama who used his own Waterbending power to redirect it back at his enemy. As Unavaatu was distorted from the redirected attack, Chakra Kurama using his chakra arms summoned a Rasenshuriken.
"Here's another one for ya. Rasenshuriken!" he threw the jutsu at the Dark Avatar who took the attack and was literally split in half, but the two halves sprouted tendrils that were trying to connect the two halves back together.
"It is futile," Unavaatu spoke, "No matter how many times you attack me I will continue to regenerate!"
Raava thought to Naruto, "He is right, Naruto. As long as Vaatu is inside him he will regenerate him faster."
"And we can't purify him if he regenerates before we can perform it. And it's all because of Vaatu." Naruto replied.
"Correct. Unalaq should never have merged with him and cause so much problems for the real and spirit worlds."
"Not just that, Raava," Naruto replied confusing the spirit of light, "This whole fight for supremacy and all that between you has gone on long enough. I'm putting an end to it!"
Chakra Kurama used the Shadow Clone jutsu and created three more of himself. The clones restrained the regenerated Unavaatu who struggled to break free. The real Chakra Kurama stood before his enemy as light tendrils emerged form one of his hands and dove down Unavaatu's throat.
The sight of this made Sakura clutch her own throat, "Oh, that's gotta feel nasty."
Suddenly the tendrils were coming back up and emerging from the Dark Avatar's mouth was Vaatu himself. The sight of him made the four shinobi surprised, "Is that really him?" Sakura asked her sensei.
"No doubt about it," Kakashi replied, "The dark spirit himself, Vaatu."
As Vaatu struggled to break free from Chakra Kurama's hold, he shouted, "Release me at once! Do you know who you're messing with?!"
Naruto answered him, "Vaatu, we need to talk!" suddenly Vaatu was being assimilated into Naruto's body much to everyone's shock. Especially Unalaq who started loosing his form.
Meanwhile inside Naruto's subconscious, Naruto stood with Kurama behind him. On his right was Raava, and on his left was Vaatu who was not pleased, "You have a lot of nerve to assimilate me, child!" he began.
"For once we agree," Raava replied, before speaking to the boy, "What were you thinking bringing him in here?"
Kurama whispered to Naruto, "I hope you have a plan to stop their annoying squabbling."
"Holding us both here is a crime against what we represent!" Vaatu told Naruto.
"We are two conflicting entities, and you know that!" Raava put in.
The two spirits continued to nag and complain to Naruto, who finally had enough and screamed, "SILENCE BOTH OF YOU!"
The two spirits actually recoiled from his outburst and backed off. You wouldn't believe it, but if the two spirits actually had faces, they would look pretty shocked at that moment. Naruto looked and saw he quelled their nagging spoke calmly, "That's more like it," he began, "Now then. The reason I brought Vaatu into my being is because this petty fighting between the two of you has gone on for far too long."
"Petty fighting?" Vaatu asked in outrage.
"Our eternal clash is what keeps the world in balance. I've told you that before." Raava reminded him.
"I know, and it's all pointless!" Naruto snapped back, "I get you have to maintain balance, but do you really have to fight to maintain it?"
"There is no other way." Raava answered.
"And I like fighting." Vaatu added.
Naruto groaned in frustration, "That's the problem with you two. You think the only thing you have to do to keep order is to constantly fight. What if you don't have to fight? Why don't you maintain order together?"
The spirits were once again in shock, as Vaatu shouted, "Ludicrous!"
"How can you even suggest such a thing?" Raava asked rhetorically.
Naruto frowned, "Maybe if you two took a moment to not fight and actually understand each other you'll see the other isn't as bad as you think. Here let me show you." Naruto used two chakra arms to grab a single tendril from each spirit before connecting them together like outlet cords.
Upon connecting, bits of Raava's light was transferring through to Vaatu as bits of his own darkness was being transferred to Raava. Vaatu gasped, "What is this feeling? It's warm and yet I don't mind it."
"And this dark feeling, I'm actually enjoying it." Raava gasped in equal surprise.
Naruto smiled, and spoke, "See what happens if you try embracing the others side instead of fighting it. You two can be capable of so much if you worked together, just like Kurama and I."
"Naruto brings up a strong point, you two." Kurama agreed.
The two spirits faced each other, as Vaatu asked his opposite, "Can we?" Raava herself was also curious, and asked, "Should we?"
The two spirits deciding to take a chance connected the rest of their tendrils to each other allowing more of each others light and darkness to be transferred into the other. Suddenly they started getting closer and closer before they collided releasing an illuminating light that blinded Naruto and Kurama.
When the light died down, the boy and fox looked around seeing no sign of Raava or Vaatu, "Where'd they go?" Naruto asked, until the two looked up and saw descending from above was a single spirit that looked like Raava and Vaatu, only it was a combination of light and dark, "Whoa? Raava? Vaatu?"
The new spirit spoke in a combination of the two spirits voices, "Maybe once, but now we are one unified spirit of both light and dark. We have become Raavaatu."
"It actually worked." Kurama gasped.
"Thank you, Naruto Uzumaki," Raavaatu began, "You have shown my former selves that conflicting with each other for so long has gotten us truly nowhere. Now that I am one I balance both light and darkness."
"You're welcome. So now let's use your combined power and show Unalaq there doesn't have to be a Light Avatar or a Dark Avatar. Just one." Naruto smirked.
Back on the physical plane, the four shinobi watched as the Dark Avatar shrunk down and became Unalaq. The undead bender looked at himself, "What happened to me? Where's Vaatu?"
Suddenly everyone looked up at Chakra Kurama who suddenly glowed with both light and dark. Atop the head Sasuke who was maintaining Susanoo onto the Chakra fox was just as surprised over what was happening with his friend's form. Naruto answered Unalaq with his and his new spirit partner's voice.
"Vaatu is no more, and Raava is gone too," he began, "Now they have become one. A spirit of both light and darkness. Today marks the birth of the spirit Raavaatu!"
"Inconceivable!" Orochimaru gasped.
Unalaq was in total shock at what he was told and spoke in disbelief, "Vaatu and Raava combined into one? But that's impossible!"
Naruto answered, "Nothing is impossible if you choose to believe. And now, Unalaq it is time for you to go back to the dead." he slammed his hand onto the ground.
This caused the ground Uanalaq was lying atop to swallow him up to his shoulders, and the pillar of earth far underneath the surface of ice and snow rose up and brought the trapped zombie to Chakra Kurama's level. Unalaq stared into the face of the new and improved Avatar looking frightened. The giant being performed spiritbending on Unalaq who screamed, as his spirit left his undead body that turned to dust.
As the spirit descended, Naruto spoke, "May you finally find peace with your death, Unalaq."
Orochimaru and Kabuto watched in shock, "Kabuto, retreat!" he ordered, as they quickly teleported away, much to Kakashi and Sakura's ire. They watched, as the giant armored Kurama started shrinking down and standing before them was both Naruto and Sasuke.
Naruto turned to Sasuke, and spoke, "Clever move covering Kurama's chakra form with your Susanoo's armor, Sasuke."
"Even more clever to see you merged both spirits into one spirit." Sasuke admitted, as the two smiled at each others accomplishments.
"Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura called, as she and Kakashi went over to them.
"Are you two ok?" Kakashi inquired.
"Never better, sensei." Naruto replied.
"How about you two?" Sasuke wondered.
"We're good." Sakura assured.
Naruto noticed no sign of their enemies, "Orochimaru and Kabuto bailed huh? Oh, well. They can't keep hidden forever."
"Naruto, how do you feel having both Raava and Vaatu within you?" Kakashi inquired.
"Well, like I said it's not both individually but them combined as one. And it's not so bad. Though I'll have to get used to calling the spirit by its new name." Naruto joked, and they chuckled.
"Come on, let's head back." Kakashi ordered, as they hurried back to the castle.
After returning, the squad was kneeling before Princess Koyuki, who spoke, "For your valiant defense of myself and my people, I thank you Squad Seven of Konoha."
"It was all in a days work, your highness." Kakashi answered.
"Yeah. It's what we do." Naruto replied.
Koyuki smiled, and thought to herself, 'I wonder if I should let them know my film crew was recording the whole fight scene? No. I'll leave that as a surprise for my next movie.' she giggled mentally.
Meanwhile Orochimaru and Kabuto escaped back to the Land of Fire, and as always Orochimaru was not happy, "Not even the power of Vaatu was a match for him?!"
"What now, my lord?" Kabuto asked, "The only undead Bender we have left is Ozai."
"I'm well aware of that," the Sannin hissed, "We're going to have to really plan this carefully now that Naruto has the powers of both light and dark spirits." Kabuto said nothing, while knowing with how powerful both Naruto and Sasuke have gotten they may be way over their heads.
Unknown to them, Zetsu had been listening in and spoke to himself, "Looks like it was a failure," his white half spoke, "So it seems. So what does this mean for us?"
The black half answered, "It means we're going to have to make our move soon before it's too late." he sank into the ground.
(And there you have it. Raava and Vaatu have become one thanks to Naruto. I really pondered on the concept of light and dark for this series and about how the two have to constantly fight to maintain order and such. But you know Naruto always finding different solutions makes things easier for everyone. Don't miss next time, everyone. And I'll say it again. Happy Holidays!)