New chapter time! I am honestly surprised at the amount of attention given to this story. Not only that, but I get to eat tangerine chicken! And due to the PM's I got, Jun is being added to the pairing. Now: Do you want Lemons or not?

(Cover)

The cover is a picture of Naruto, dressed in black clothes as he stands with his arms crossed, looking with cold eyes at Aang and the others as they are chased by Azula, Ty lee, and Mai, two figures with animals on their shoulders standing beside him.

(Chapter 2- Omasshu, seven years later)

It was night as a single figure ran across the scaffolding of the city. The black clad man had little time to lose as he was expected to arrive at any minute. Twisting around a pole and sprinting as fast as he could, the figure came to a stop at the governors home. stepping into the light, the figure was revealed to be Naruto.

The last seven years had been kind to him as he stood at a tall 6'1". Not only did he grow in height, but he had packed on lean muscle from the many free running practices he had over the years. Clad in black, slightly baggy pants tucked into black boots, a black high colored shirt that covered his scarf wrapped head with a grey sash holding his blade to his back.

Moving quietly, he scaled the walls of the manor with a grace only seen from the most agile of warriors. Reaching a balcony, he flipped over into the room. Peering around, he spots his target asleep in bed, covered in silken sheets and wool blankets. creeping forward, he carefully places his feet so as to avoid waking the target.

Arriving by the side of the bed, he reaches for the blankets prepared to rip them aside. grabbing them, he slowly and carefully pulls them off of the target, revealing a familiar female face.

Mai.

Folding the blanket in a meticulous fashion, Naruto brings his right hand to her head and tucks a stray strand of black hair behind her ear. Replacing the blankets he turns to leave and makes it halfway to the balcony when a voice stops him.

"You know, if my father catches you in my room, no matter what position you hold, he will kill you." The voice of mai said as she sat up, her black silken nightgown covering her modesty.

Naruto turned to Mai as he replied coolly. "He would have to catch me first. And you know as well as I do that i am the fastest there is. So the only way for him to catch me is if you were to tell him I paid you a visit."

Mai gave a small smirk as she said. "And what is keeping me from telling him that the greatest assassin in the Fire nation is paying his sweet innocent daughter a visit?"

Naruto closed the distance between them as he pulled the bottom of his scarf down and his lips crashed with hers. Separating after a moment, he whispered into her ear, getting a shiver of excitement from her. "i can think of a few things."

Mai closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder as he hugged her lithe frame close to his body, relishing in the fact that he had come back after weeks of being gone. No one knew of their secret meetings during the night, no one knew that they had gone to a fire temple and had been bonded by the spirits of fire and love as man and wife in a secret wedding that only a select few were entrusted with the knowledge of.

She knew that it tore him apart that he couldn't stay with her, but despite his station as the son of the Dragon of the West, they would be unable to get married under normal circumstances. So they kept it a secret, hiding it from anyone who would try and take them apart.

A soft groan alerted them of the other tenements awakening as Ibuse got off of the ground and gave a chortle of repressed laughter. "Oi, if Mai were to just magically turn up pregnant, it would cause some questions to be asked. And then, as your loyal and humble salamander friend, I would be forced to eat her parents. We can't have that, now can we?"

Naruto gave a nod as he reluctantly let go of Mai and turned to leave, but not before saying. "Tomorrow, I will be in place to assign myself as your bodyguard. Until then, i bid you farewell."

leaping from the balcony, he dropped to the ground and made his way back to the barracks in which his teammates were resting. Arriving there, he saw that only one of them was awake. The man was of an average build, with lean muscle that spoke of hard work and strength of character. He had red hair that just kind of laid there, a small goatee on his chin and teal eyes.

He wore black clothes, identical to Naruto's, and had a gourd filled with Iron Sand sitting next to him. a scar that was the kanji for love on his forehead and the deep circles around his eyes spoke of how little sleep the man got. On the mans shoulder was a simple brown tanuki that appeared to have an insane grin on his face. He was Gaara of the Sand and Shukaku the tanuki dog.

(The next day)

Naruto sat back and watched as Mai greeted Azula. What was supposed to be a nice day, just the two of them, had turned into a frantic scramble to get prepared for the princesses arrival. Now, no one could say that Naruto had any form of love for the girl, even more so that she believes she is superior to everyone, something Ozai had not exactly tried to discourage.

The only bright spot was that the two of them got to see Ty Lee again, with whom the girl tried, for what felt like the millionth time, to see behind the scarf covering his face from view. The bubbly girl had changed during her time in the circus, she seemed more at ease, as if she had found just what her missing piece was.

Naruto noticed the blush she had on her face when she looked at Gaara. Something their second teammate would point out. The man was tall, way taller than Naruto, standing at around 6'8". He had dark skin and white hair that was slicked back. He wore a black vest and pants, with white shin guards as well as seven swords on his back. A pair of sunglasses finished off his look as they rested on his face, the strange ox/octopus hybrid resting casually on his shoulder. He was Kirabi "Killer Bee" Yotsuki and Gyuuki the Oxtopu.

Azula finished the pleasantries with Mai and walked into the mansion, her usual arrogant look still firmly in place as she did. She had come here to recruit Mai and her adopted cousin to help her hunt down the Avatar, and by the fact that the mans team was there as well it made her all the more excited. They were considered the strongest team in the entirety of the Fire Nation, due to there brilliant teamwork and innovative ideas. If she could convince Mai to join, no doubt Naruto would come as well, thereby leading to the inclusion of Gaara and Killer Bee.

She was brought out of her planning as she was greeted by a distraught Governor and his wife. Deciding to get brownie points, she played the concerned princess and learned that there son, Tom-Tom, had been "kidnapped" by Earth Kingdom rebels in the city, as well that they would give the boy over if they released King Bumi. mulling over what to do, Azula came up with a devious plan.

(Time of the Swap- Scaffolding)

Naruto crouched as he watched as the "negotiations" took place between a bald monk and two water tribe kids and the Fire Nation Females. It bothered him how Azula could use a child like that, as a dispensable tool to be disposed of at a whim, but it wasn't his place to judge. He was here to ensure that nothing happened to the three girls.

A ways away, Gaara had his Iron Sand weaken the wooden pillars that held the scaffolding up, preparing to destroy them. He could care less about what Azula wanted, so long as he could get one of the three targets to prove his existence he was happy. (AN: It's Gaara people.)

Meanwhile, Killer Bee was humming to himself as he put several rerouteing objects onto the main paths of the city, so as to coral the Avatar into a more easily attack-able position. if push came to shove, he had orders to attack the Water tribe girl, as his fighting style counteracted her Waterbending.

Naruto narrowed his eyes behind his scarf as Azula made her "suggestion" as to the worth of something. That part pissed him off. A person, no matter how old or young, was equal to another, no matter their position. Gripping the handle on his sword, Ameratsu, he mentally counted down to the Avatar's, Aang if he could remember correctly, explosive rage at seeing his friend locked up.

Naruto wasn't disappointed.

The Avatar jumped onto the metal casket that held the Earth King, maneuvering it so that he could use the stone chutes and escape. Watching as the girls took off after him, and the Water tribe Girl after them, he jumped in front of the water tribe boy and drew his sword.

Seeing the boy, Sokka, who couldn't have been younger than him, enter a stance, Naruto said, after giving a swordsman's salute. "Top the Victor goes the spoils, my friend."

Seeing the swordsman's code being used, Sokka saluted as well. "And the Victor be humble in his victory."

After a moment of silence as the two held their stances, nothing could be heard. It was as if time seemed to still for these two to prepare for the battle about to take place. A gentle breeze flitted past them, and as a single strand of stray wheat fell to the ground, they dashed forward, Naruto having his sword in one hand, the other reaching for Sokka's throat, and Sokka holding his machete ready to parry the blade and dodge the hand going for his throat.

(End picture)

Ameratsu is covered in flames as naruto clashes with Sokka, whose blade is barely holding its own against the vicious and swift strikes of the more experienced swordsmen.

Katara is facing off against Gaara, eyes set in fear as a massive cloud of Iron sand came raining down on top of her, intent on crushing her.

Mai is clutching her arm to her chest as Aang fights Azula, having been sent crashing into a wooden stall. Her arm is broken.

Ty Lee is knocked unconscious as Killer Bee tended to the piece of wood lodged in her stomach, a look of concentration on his face.

Above the city, a man with long blonde hair stood, tracking the Avatar and memorizing his fighting style as he grinned, his owl made of clay resting beside him, intent on getting the information that his leader wants on the pesky boy whom thinks himself a God.

AN: And finished. took me a while to decide where i want to take this. As such, Naruto and Sokka will be fighting each other. Katara and Gaara duke it out, Mai is injured, Azula fighting Aang like in the show, and Killer Bee tending to Ty Lee.

Next time: Showdown: What Truly makes a Warrior? Sokka Vs. Naruto or Iron Sand: To feel Love!