Please read the bold when you get to the end!
Warning there is some cussing in this!
It had taken them about four days to get to the outskirts of the Hidyoshi's grounds and that entire time Naruto complained.
"I still don't see why we have to help those bastards," he growled.
"Naruto..." Sakura grumbled. She and everyone else there didn't like the fact they were on there way to help someone that killed their friend either but Naruto was starting to annoy her.
" I guess now would be the to tell you some things..." they looked toward the third as he looked to the sky. "I know all of you are upset, most of you were close to Haji, but just know that what he did was not only to save all of you but to help himself," he glanced at all of them.
"Are you saying he died on purpose or something?!" Shikamaru growled unexpectedly.
"In a way, yes, he did, Haji was sick and losing control of his... gifts. He needed help from people who were qualified and able to do so," before anyone else could argue a man on a horse rode up to them.
"Are all of you the Leaf Ninja?"
Hiruzen nodded.
The man sighed in relief, "Thank goodness you're all here, we really need your help right now although you are earlier than expected... Our Lord is stubborn and doesn't know when to give up! Please follow me!" Than he rode off.
"As of today everything will change," The Third said to them glancing at Shino and Lee making them nod.
A week after Sayuri received the letter.
Sayuri walked down the hall holding her left arm chewing on her thumb nail. There were shouts in the room she was heading, those shouts being Mari arguing with Nobuo about there next ambush tactic.
When Sayuri came to ruling and after she lost her arm to Rie the Kingdom had gained repeated threats from, at the time, an unknown source. Later, after a threat to kill Sayuri, attacks replaced the threats. They were a group of vicious rouges called The Wolves Ban Clan. They weren't a clan at all just separate individual rouges who enjoyed fighting and killing.
Opening the doors to what they call the War Room everything went silent. Mari had Nobuo in a choke hold with his own sword to his throat, his face turning blue from lack of oxygen. Once Mari realized what she was doing while in the presence of the Queen she dropped him immediately. Jumping on him she skipped over to Sayuri as Batya walked over to her side.
"My Queen! Please tell this idiot that my tact is 100 times better than his..." Sayuri wasn't listening, dazed off in thought. That is until she tripped over the choked up Nobuo who was attempting to stand. She fell face first into the ground.
She was pulled up quickly as everyone was fussing over her, asking what was wrong and if she was okay, and her response was a merely, "Ow.."
Everyone sat around the war table staring at Sayuri curious of what caused her to be lost in thought when she finally stopped chewing her thumb nail and spoke.
"I received a letter from Hiruzen and I am to return to the Leaf as Haji," before the uproar came she rose her hand up silencing them, "I do not wish to leave you all especially while Wolves Ban Clan is still under ways, but I have no choice I made a promise with Tsunade and Hiruzen, one that I intend on keeping. The three of us have come up with a plan as well, so all of you aren't here having to take care of these issues." They all leaned in to listen, "They will be sending Leaf Shinobi to help with this problem, the very ninja's who know me as Haji and dead. I will go back to being Haji, the explanation as to how I am alive will be discussed later. For now we need to come up with a few things...."
They thought over some more plans: Sayuri will go back to being Haji and as a Battle Lord, in which Haji will be the leader of a platoon to fight the Wolves Ban Clan.
Which leads back to The Leaf ninja being at one of the fort platoons.
The horse man galloped to a blue tent where several soldiers surrounded it, the Leaf close behind.
"Ah, I see the Leaf reinforcements are here, early too," One of the soldiers says as he spots them.
"My names Gin by the way, and this is the Sapphire Platoon," The man with the horse said as he got off and looked around, "Where's M'Lord at?"
"Out there," someone pointed out into a bunch of fields, "He's been out there for awhile with Lord Mamoru and Mari," Some of them flinched at Mamoru's name.
"Are you serious?!"
"Look Lord Mamoru's coming!" someone shouted making heads turn to see the older man on a black horse dashing towards them.
Kakashi glared as some of the others did.
"Lord Mamoru! Where's the others at?" Gin asked walking over to the man as he slide off his horse.
"They're further back still patrolling around but they'll be here soon."
His eyes traveled over to the Leaf's, "Ah yes! I found the Leaf ninja coming this way so I brought them here. They've come earlier than we had planned," Gin explained seeing Mamoru look at them.
Mamoru got closer to them making some of them bite their tongues. He bowed lowly to Kakashi surprise everyone.
"Eh, L-lord Mamoru what are you doing?" Gin questioned.
"You'll see your son soon, Kakashi," Mamoru said still bowing.
However, Kakashi and some of the others took this as a threat, "What the hell does that mean?!" Haku yelled frustrated.
"You bastard!" Naruto growled getting ready to attack but was stopped by The Third.
"Naruto stand down."
"What?! That bastard just threatened Kakashi sensai and want me to back off?" Naruto pushed Hiruzens arm away.
"It wasn't a threat," The Third sighed looking to the side hearing horses coming their way, "You'll see."
Despite Hiruzen's words Naruto and everyone else glared at the still bowing Mamoru, however, bowing turned in the direction of the horses.
"M'Lord, Mari you're back!" Gin said nervously as the tension in the air was thick.
The Leaf turned their glares over to the two on the horses their glares intensifying at Mari but immediately widened at the boy next to her.
"Lord Haji has returned!" a solider waved to some other soldiers calling them over.
The boy wore a black hooded cloak.
Naruto and Sakura's eyes went wide.
He had white hair.
Everyone else stared shocked.Coal eyes.
Shikamaru froze.
He slide of the horse in front of the platoon as the soldiers bowed to him saying Lord Haji, sir! He nodded to them all as he patted the horses side and handing the horse off to a soldier just as Mari did the same. Both of them covered in blood.
"You're both coated in blood!"
"No shit, baka," Mari grumbled, "We found some stragglers that were waiting to ambush us, but we got 'em suckers first!" she smirked rubbing under her nose.
Haji began wiping off as much blood he could with a towel while walking over to the tent when he say Hiruzen the others being blocked from his sight by some of the soldiers. He gazed at him confused tilting his head than saw Mamoru bowing, sighing, "Mamoru there's no need to bow I've told you that several times." He looked back to Hiruzen, "What are you doing here? I thought we agreed you wouldn't be coming for three more days..."
"Things changed and we got here earlier than intended, I apologize for not informing you."
"We? So the others are here as well I'm guessing they were sent to the other platoons to help them like I had asked?" Gin stiffened at Haji's gaze.
"A-actually S-s- I mean Lord Haji I haven't gotten that far yet.... Gomen," he stuttered bowing his head.
"H-Haji?"
Said boy heard looking around the soldiers that stood in his way, since was still shorter but a foot taller than he was before.
His eyes widened at the sight of his father and friends. "I see..." he mumbled. There was an awkward silence as Haji shuffled his feet slightly, "...Yo?"
Haji and all of the Leaf where now in the giant platoon tent, Haji sitting as he grabbed some bread gnawing on it while reading over a few papers and drinking tea.
Wanting the tension to ease Hiruzen cleared his throat, "I do believe you've kept them waiting long enough Haji..."
Haji glanced over seeing Kakashi's and the others expressions, sadness, confusion, and anger. He looked down at the papers in his hands his eyes return to the sad and depressed orbs he's spent these past two years getting rid of.
"They've waited over two years..." Haji began making them stiffen, "I'm afraid they'll need to wait a bit longer I have a handful of issues to take care of..."
"That's not good enough!" Naruto shouts, "We all thought you were dead Haji! You left all of us to believe you died," he pointed at the slouched Kakashi, "You put him through hell-"
Haji gripped the cup he held it shattering in his hand, "You don't think I know this already Naruto?" he said calmly looking at the enraged boy from the corner of his eye. "I know you all want an explanation and you'll get one, but you all were not even scheduled to be here for three more days which leads me to being unprepared, " shook off his hand and stood facing all of them, "I have thousands of lives counting on me an entire kingdom full of innocent people who are scared for their families lives.They are all in my hands at this moment and I will not have that all go down the drain just to explain myself. I sincerely apologize for anything feeling that I may have made any of feel two years ago, but right now I don't have time for anything else. So, if you do not wish to help with the issues here at hand than I am going to have to ask you to leave..." Haji head out of the tent with an angry Naruto in tow the others following most of them angry as well.
"What the hell Haji!-" Naruto grabbed onto Haji's right arm yanking it back.
"Let go Naruto," Haji suggested not looking at any of them. The soldiers all stood readying themselves in case of a fight.
"What's your problem?! Where's the Haji we all know? He would have never anything like this!" Naruto tightened his grip on Hajis arm, "Look at me!" he yank again but this time hard enough and with such force to pull the fake arm right off shattering the wrist of the gloved metal.
The arm fell to the ground in pieces Naruto holding on to the hand, Naruto's and the Leaf's eyes all widdened even Hiruzen's never knowing he lost his arm.
Haji looked up at the sky as four messenger birds came into few, Ruby, Gold, Moss, and Crystal platoon colors attached to the birds. "Haji you're arm..." Kakashi stared wide eyed coming closer to his son.
"You're right Naruto I'm not the same... and neither are any of you."
"Sir! Messages from the other platoons!" the solider jogged up to Haji with the letters.
Haji read them over grinding his teeth and chewing his thumb nail. After a moment he scratched his head, "Shit...."
"What do the say Haji?"Mamoru stepped up seeing the distraught boy.
Haji didn't say anything but looked back up at the clouds thinking. He sighed "Everyone head back, immediately!" He turned around to Naruto snatching his hand from his and picking up his arm. "You all follow them as well." Haji shrugged off his cloak revealing his fishnet shirt and stubbed arm.
"Haji you shouldn't put it back on like this, there's newer ones at the castle," Mamoru said.
"We don't have time for that," he looked over seeing none of the platoon moving he growled now getting angry, "Did you all turn deaf these past few seconds?! If you all aren't out of my sight in 3 minutes I'll kill you all myself! I gave you an order!"
That got them all to scatter and pack.
Haji grumbled under his breathe annoyed by the situation. "What happened to your arm Haji?" Shikamaru asked sadly.
"Nothing that concerns anyone at this moment," he looked at them and glared, "That order was for you as well. You came here to help so do what you're told!"
"Haji," he snapped his head over to Hiruzen and Mamoru, "Calm down, they just want to help you."
"Don't tell me to calm down you bastard!" Mamoru and Mari flinched, Haji's teeth grew and sharpened his right eye turning violet, the black vein like cracks inking the right side of his face tuning the white of his eye black half way. "This wouldn't have happened if you didn't have them come so damn early. Hell I wouldn't have given two shits if they still thought I was dead, their lives would be ten times better if I was!"
"Haji, that's not true!" Kakashi says trying to calm Haji down.
An inhuman growl left Haji's mouth as clenched his eye with his left hand, "Shut up!"
There were hundreds of battle cries within the field as the enemy made their way towards them.
"God dammit, now I'm all pissed off because of you idiots! I don't have time for this shit!" he slammed the metal arm on, blood forming around it as he shoved his hand on the wrist part.
"Haji you have got to calm down right now! I know you're pissed but you're losing control!" Mari yelled at him.
Haji stared at the enemies as they got closer, "I'm in perfect control," he growled as his body disappeared from sight.
"Where'd he go?" Sakura asked looking around.
Screams turned theirs head to the field, blood sprayed into the air as all of their bodies fell to the ground all once. As quick as he left Haji was back in the same spot he was before this time covered in even more blood. The cracks still remained on his face.
They all stared horrified at Haji, he turned around facing them but froze as he saw their expressions. The cracks left his faces and his eye turned back to the coal color looking even more depressed than before as the dark circles that had disappeared from under his eyes over the years returned. He looked down, whispering, "Gomen... what you saw just now, was the reason I had to leave. It was either get some form of help while having everyone think I was dead just in case I were to truly die while receiving the help. Or die in the Leaf village." He looked at them, "Now that you've seen and heard my reason... Which would you have chosen?"
No one responded only a small whimper from Akumaru.
Haji's gaze left there's as he turned around, "Whatever..." he took a few steps forward whipping his arm out, "Kira Shirudo," meaning killer shield. A silver barrier came from the ground spreading miles wide and covering the areas of the Kingdom and the border of the Platoons instantly killing anything that was considered evil that touched it than it became invisible.
He turned back around grabbing his cloak heading after the soldiers that marched back to Hideyoshi.
"Let's go..."
Sorry once again I feel like this chapter sucked and I may get writers block some time within the next couple of chapters. I was going to change what I wrote and go a different direction with this chapter and how they got to see Haji again but I would have had to erase and re-write the first chapter. So just know from here until I have them head back to the Leaf the chapters may suck because I chose now to want a different approach on things.
Anyway this chapter is dedicated to myKAKASHIforever for the kind words they left on the last chapter and on my profile!
I am taking any and all suggestions for any part of this story. For instants when and how Haji comes out as being Sayuri (although I have an idea already for this), Love interest, battles, and moods/ attitudes Haji has for everyone now that he's changed, his illnesses worsening and his 'gifts'.
Thanks!
Also, if for whatever reason the picture on the side doesn't show up I have them all on either Photobucket and DeviantArt.
http://senddowntheangels.deviantart.com/
http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/michellemba/profile/