(Welcome back, everyone. This will conclude the Wave arc before moving onto the next one.)
When the sun rose, Naruto came down with a smile on his face seeing everyone already seated at the table enjoying breakfast.
"Morning, everyone." he greeted, as Optimus and Megatron followed behind.
"Good morning, Naruto." Tsunami greeted, as the boy took a seat with Inari still feeling ashamed of how he treated Naruto last night couldn't bring himself to look at him.
"You look very chipper this morning." Kakashi noted about Naruto.
"Eager to get back into action?" Sasuke inquired.
"Actually, I don't think there will be any action." the blonde answered.
"What're you talking about?" Tazuna asked.
"Yeah, Naruto. What do you mean?" Sakura wondered.
Naruto smirked, "Gato and his flunkies are history."
"Huh?" Inari wondered.
"How do you know?" Sasuke wondered.
"I've been having Airazor, Waspinator, and Terrorsaur search from the sky for Gato's lair. Sure enough they found it with Zabuza's signature from it."
"So what happened?" Kakashi asked.
"I had them bomb the place. Meaning Gato and his cronies are buried six feet under." Naruto smirked.
"So that means..." Tazuna gasped.
"Your country is free from Gato's control." Naruto answered
Tazuna and his family were shocked with joy, especially Inari. Naruto turned to the boy and spoke, "Never say heroes don't exist." Inari nodded gratefully.
"So with Gato and even Zabuza gone does that mean our mission is finished?" Sakura asked.
"Only until after the bridge is completed." Kakashi replied.
"Is there really a need for it now?" Megatron asked rhetorically.
"Tazuna put in a lot of work to have it built," Optimus answered, "Besides, you never know who might also try to move in looking to control the waters in this country."
"He's right," Tazuna confirmed, "This bridge will still serve as a beacon for future generations here in Wave."
"I see your point." Megatron admitted.
"We should get as many people together to witness the bridge's completion." Tsunami suggested.
"Excellent idea. You and Inari can do that." Tazuna replied.
"In the meantime, let's head for the bridge and supervise it's work." Kakashi suggested. Naruto nodded, as he joined them to eat before it was time for them to head out.
Afterward, Squad Seven, Tazuna, Optimus, and Megatron arrived at the scene of the bridge while noticing the place was deserted.
"Hey, where is everybody?" Tazuna asked, while looking around.
"Slacking off, from the looks of it." Megatron crossed his arms.
"They know better than to do that." Tazuna replied.
"Look over there." Sasuke pointed across the bridge.
They saw a mist was rolling in, "Mist?" Sakura asked, as Naruto and Optimus gasped together.
"Oh, no."
They saw two figures approaching and soon out from the mist stood Zabuza and Haku with his mask on, "Zabuza?" Kakashi gasped.
"It seems your prediction about my death was exaggerated, Kakashi." Zabuza began.
"How are you two still alive?" Naruto demanded.
Zabuza turned to Naruto, "So you're responsible for bombing Gato's lair? Well played, kid. Though next time you bury someone by bombing a place, make sure they stay buried!"
"You didn't answer Naruto's question." Optimus spoke up.
"It was thanks to Haku here we survived." Zabuza motioned to his follower.
"So that's his name." Kakashi said.
"Haku!" Naruto shouted.
"Hello, Naruto." Haku answered, as he removed his mask to show everyone his face.
"It was you all along." Naruto accused.
"I apologize for the deception." Haku answered.
"If you knew who I was that time we met, why didn't you kill me there and then?" the blonde questioned.
"Let's just say I try to avoid killing unless it's absolutely necessary."
"So you've come here because your meal ticket is dead?" Kakashi inquired.
"This ain't about the money Gato promised me," the swordsman answered, "This is of personal interest."
"Personal?" Megatron asked.
"My fight with Kakashi has been one of the most challenging fights I've ever had. No one has been able to match me like he did since my old partners in the Seven Swordsmen."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Kakashi said.
"Which is why I want us to finish our match here and now." Zabuza challenged.
"Not on the bridge." Tazuna sighed.
"Don't worry, Tazuna. I can handle this." Kakashi assured him, "Alright, Zabuza, if it's a rematch you want. It's a rematch you'll get."
"Perfect," Zabuza gripped the hilt of his sword, "Haku, stay back."
"Yes, sir." Haku obliged.
Megatron, Optimus, and Naruto were ready to fight, only for Kakashi to hand motioned them back, "I can handle this."
"If you say so." Naruto replied, as he motioned the two transformers to stand down, much to Megatron's disappointment.
When Zabuza armed himself with his blade, and Kakashi with a kunai, the two engaged in their rematch. Zabuza swung his sword at Kakashi who deflected it with his kunai. The two gained distance determining their next move. Before they were ready to start hand signs, they were being shot at from the air above.
"What the?" Zabuza looked up with Kakashi.
Flying down from the sky was a squad of Eurofighter Typhoon designed fighter aircraft's colored red and white.
"What're those?" Sakura asked in confusion.
As the fighters shot more blasts down, everyone took cover to avoid being hit. When the squad got closer they suddenly shifted into robot modes.
"They're transformers?" Sasuke gasped.
Zabuza turned to Naruto squinting, "Are these yours, boy?"
"No! Not these ones," Naruto turned to his two transformers, "You guys?"
"We've never seen them before." Megatron admitted.
Optimus looked at them, while scanning their biometrics, "These bots are without sentience. Meaning they're lacking sparks."
"So they're just mindless drones?" Naruto asked.
"Exactly." Optimus confirmed.
"But who is controlling them is another question." Megatron noted.
The aircraft drones continued firing on them, as Zabuza used his blade to deflect some of the blasts. Naruto contacted Oracle, "Oracle, you seeing all this?"
"Yes, Naruto. I have visuals." she replied.
"What are those drones?"
"I'm not sure, but it's clear they don't see any of you there as allies."
"Obviously!" Naruto replied, as he dodged one of the blaster shots.
"We're sitting ducks down here!" Sakura cried, as she tried to find cover.
"Then we're gonna have to go airborne!" Optimus replied, as he activated his jets and took it to the sky.
"Hang on, Optimus, help is coming." Naruto said, as Airaizor, Waspinator, and Terrorosaur appeared in robot mode in the air, while on the ground appeared Rattrap, Rhinox, Cheetor, BlackArachnia, and Scorponok.
"Whoa, looks like the party started without us." Rattrap said, while looking at all the drones.
"Better late than never." Scorponok replied.
"Alright, you guys. Take 'em, down!" Naruto ordered, as the ground level transformers started blasting at several drones, while Optimus leading the charge with the aerial transformers attacked them in the sky.
Some of the drones went to the bridge, as Rhinox spoke, "Looks like they want to settle things on our level."
"Leave them to us!" Zabuza said, as he and Haku readied themselves.
"I'm ready, Zabuza!" Haku said, as he got into a stance.
"Come on!" Zabuza led Haku into battle, as several drones started shooting at them, only for them to dodge.
Zabuza twirled his sword to deflect more shots, before slicing down one drone destroying it. Haku dodged some shots before extending forming hand signs and held his hands out. From his palms shot icicles that impaled a few drones destroying them.
"Did he just shoot icicles from his hands?" Rattrap asked in surprise.
"He sure did." Rhinox confirmed.
"If that was jutsu, then it was elemental," Sakura began, "But I thought there were only five elements."
"Unless it's a bloodline limit." Naruto replied.
"Yeah," Sasuke agreed, as he revealed his own Sharingan eyes, "Ocular abilities like Sharingan isn't the only type ninja bloodline." he performed fire jutsu on a drone attempting to attack them.
"Everybody, keep it up!" Kakashi ordered, as he formed a few hand signs and started channeling electricity into his palm, "Lightning Blade!" he charged in an nailed three drones in one blow.
Zabuza saw that attack, "The Lightning Blade; one of Kakashi's signature moves. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that technique." he was so awed, he didn't see four drones flying right for him.
"Zabuza, look out!" Haku called, as he shielded the swordsman with an ice shield, but the shots ended up breaking the shield and Haku got hit in the arms.
"Haku!" Zabuza shouted, as Haku landed on the ground groaning.
"I'm alright." he groaned, while holding his arms.
Zabuza growled, as he looked to the drones, "You made a big mistake angering the Demon of the Mist!" he roared, as he formed hand signs and unleashed a water dragon on the drones destroying them. Squad Seven took notice of Zabuza's behavior, feeling surprised.
Up above, Optimus and the flying transformers were still taking out the drones flying around while avoiding fatal shots.
Airazor looked further up, "Optimus, we got more incoming!"
"Well, that's just Prime!" Optimus sighed.
Naruto listening in, communicated to the head Maximal, "Optimus, you guys lead them down here. I'll deal with them.
"Are you sure, Naruto?" Optimus asked.
"Don't worry. I got this." he assured him.
"Alright, team, you heard him!" Optimus told the three fliers.
"Come and get us!" Terrorsaur called to the drones, as they flew off with the drones in pursuit.
As Tazuna was taking cover, he noticed them coming down, "They're getting closer!"
"Just what I want." Naruto said as he stepped forward.
"Naruto, what're you doing?" Sakura asked in confusion.
"Showing these drones what happens when you mess with a ninja." Naruto answered, as he concentrated. Suddenly chakra started surrounding his body, but it didn't look like regular chakra. The coloring of it appeared as a reddish orange shade.
"What's with Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
Zabuza and Haku looked over seeing him, "That chakra." Zabuza gasped.
Kakashi was also shocked, and thought, 'That chakra it's got to be of the nine tailed fox."
Naruto formed hand signs, "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he summoned his own army of clones, matching the new battalion of drones that arrived.
The drones upon arriving on the bridge shifted into robot mode to engage Naruto and his clone army. The band of Naruto's plowed through the drones destroying one after another, surprising everyone.
Suddenly arriving on scene was Inari, Tsunami, and several people they knew from town, "Dad, what is going on?" Tsunami asked in shock.
"Is that Naruto?" Inari asked in surprise.
"Believe me, I don't know what the hell's goin' on anymore." Tazuna answered in shock.
Naruto's clones kept demolishing the drones, until Oracle spoke to the real one, "Reign in the smashing, Naruto! We should bring one back to the lab to be looked at to see where it migh've come from."
Naruto hearing that eased up before pinning one drone to the bridge before crushing it's head a bit shutting it down, still leaving it in good condition, "This'll do." he said, as the rest of the drones were broken down to pieces.
"Is that the last of them?" Sakura asked.
Airazor flew back up and did a scan of the sky, "Yes. No other incoming drones detected."
"We won!" Rattrap cheered, as the transformers cheered along.
As Naruto's clones dispelled, the real one's chakra returned to normal before panting, "Wow. That felt good."
Optimus looked at all the broken drone parts littered all over the bridge with some washing away in the water. He turned to his fellow transformers, "Gather what remaining parts you can. It's best we don't leave them here." and so the bots all started collecting whatever parks they could salvage, while Naruto sealed the inoperable drone into a scroll.
Zabuza spoke to Haku, "Are you alight, Haku?"
"Yes, Zabuza. I'm ok."
"Thank goodness."
"You really care about him, huh?" Kakashi asked the swordsman.
Zabuza sighed, "Yeah. I don't like to show it, but Haku is like a brother to me. And I swore I would never let anything happen to him."
"That's deep." Rattrap said.
"But noble." Rhinox added.
"So about our fight..." Kakashi began, only for Zabuza to hold his hand out to silence him.
"Forget about it. This fight right here was just as satisfying." Zabuza replied.
"Yeah good for you, but there's still the matter of the bridge." Tazuna motioned to the bridge that was in disrepair thanks to the recent fight.
"Oops." Naruto cringed.
"Don't worry, Tazuna, we'll all pitch in to help restore it." Optimus offered.
"What he said." Naruto agreed.
Haku nudged Zabuza, who groaned, "And we will too."
"Thanks, everyone. Well, let's get to work!" Tazuna declared.
And so the ninjas, the transformers, Zabuza, Haku, and Tazuna's helpers were busy with repairing and completing the bridge, with the transformers doing most of the heavy lifting.
As Haku was bringing some supplies over, the rookies of squad seven decided to get some answers, "So, Haku. You use Ice jutsu?" Naruto asked.
"That's correct. It's how I was able to save myself and Zabuza when Gato's lair caved in."
"How?" Sasuke asked.
"I encased us both in a dome of ice."
"Clever." Naruto admitted.
"And it's a bloodline of yours?" Sakura inquired.
"Yes." Haku sighed looking dismal.
"What's up?" Naruto asked.
"Sorry, it's just this bloodline of mine at first was nothing but trouble for me."
"Trouble?" Sasuke wondered.
"Like Zabuza I originally came from Kiri, but many years ago it was referred to as The Bloody Mist."
"Why's that?" Cheetor asked, while carrying a girder.
"Because of all the massacres and wars. And everyone believed the cause of was was due to bloodlines."
"Why's that?" Scorponok asked.
"Bloodline families invite challenge to other shinobi who'd want to use them to their advantage, and make our land a target by other shinobi."
"He's not wrong," Kakashi confirmed, "Many times in the past, several villages sought out the secrets of several bloodlines known only to other villages in other lands."
Haku nodded and continued, "When I discovered my bloodline, I attempted to show it to my mother, but she told me I must never show it to anyone else. Unfortunately my father caught me doing it. Paranoia crept over and consumed him resulting in him killing my mother, but when he tried to kill me I unleashed my bloodline and killed him in retaliation. I left home and been wandering ever since."
"Oh, no." Sakura gasped.
"Yes. Eventually Zabuza found me. He took me in and helped train me to better control my ice element. Since then we became quite a team."
"And brothers if what Zabuza said meant anything." Naruto noted.
Haku smiled, "Yes. And I'm grateful to have met him."
As Haku was speaking with the rookies, Zabuza, Kakashi, Optimus, and Megatron were conversing, "So once the bridge is complete, what will you and Haku do, Zabuza?" Kakashi inquired.
"Move on, of course. While it's true Gato was gonna pay us a good fee if we killed Tazuna, fighting you and those drones was the real treat."
"We all made a great team fighting those drones."
"Heh, Kakashi of the Sharingan, and Demon Zabuza teaming up," Zabuza chuckled, "That'll be something for the books."
"I realize doing bounty hunting is your way of making a living now, but if it wouldn't be too much trouble. Try to avoid killing shinobi from our village?" Kakashi asked.
Zabuza squinted, "We'll see."
Later on, everyone stood on the completed bridge marveling at it, "Well, what do you think?" Tazuna asked everyone.
"It's beautiful." Inari marveled.
"Its just a bridge." Rattrap said, only to have his shoulder slapped by Optimus who spoke.
"This bridge is a symbol of their freedom, Rattrap. A beacon of hope."
"Yeah," Naruto agreed, "Gato may be gone, but if another twisted soul tries to control this country they won't be able to use the waters to their advantage."
"Well, when ya put it that way." the rodent replied seeing the bigger picture.
"But it still needs a name," Tazuna said, "And I got just the one."
"What do you have in mind?" Megatron asked.
Tazuna answered with a smile, "The Great Naruto Bridge."
The ninjas and the transformers were surprised, as Cheetor spoke up, "Really?"
Tazuna nodded, "In dedication to a brave soul who not only helped liberate us from Gato's control, but gave us back the hope we once thought was lost forever."
Inari smiled, "I think it's perfect."
"It sure does." Optimus agreed.
Soon the group stood opposite end of the people of Wave, as Tazuna spoke, "Goodbye and thank you all for everything."
"No problem at all." Kakashi replied.
"Naruto," Inari began, as Naruto looked down at him, "I won't be a coward anymore. I'll be brave just the way my dad was, and what he wanted me to be."
Naruto smiled and nodded, "Well said."
"Come on, everyone. Let's go." Kakahsi said, as they started back.
About half way through the forest, Zabuza and Haku stood by another path, "Well, this is where we split." Zabuza told the Konoha shinobi.
"It was good getting to know all of you," Haku said, looking to Naruto and his team, "Remember, if you have someone truly special to fight for, then you will indeed keep getting stronger."
Naruto nodded, "Thanks for the tip."
"Should we ever meet again let's hope it'll be on better terms." Sasuke added.
"We'll just have to wait and see." Zabuza said, as he and Haku went down the other path, while Squad Seven continued for home.
As they walked, Optimus and Megatron were concerned, as was Naruto. Sakura noticing this spoke, "Something wrong, you guys?"
"Those fighter drones that showed up." Naruto began.
"We have no idea where they came from or who manufactured them." Optimus said.
"Indeed," Megatron agreed, "It takes Cybertronian technology to construct drones like them. But why would they be sent to attack us?"
"Perhaps they deemed you guys a threat?" Sasuke suggested.
"It wasn't just the transformers being targeted, Sasuke." Kakashi reminded him.
"Yeah. They went after us to before we started fighting back." Naruto added.
"Whoever sent them obviously has some kind of quarrel with us." Optimus suspected.
"But who?" Sakura asked.
Megatron looked up at the sky, "We just don't know."
Meanwhile high above the planet was a star ship. Inside was a transformer robot colored red and white. He walked through a hall before entering a chamber where a figure sat on a throne in the shadows.
"I'm sorry, master. But they took out every drone we sent."
The one on the throne slammed his fist on the arm rest, "Unbelievable! A whole army of Fighter Drones taken down!"
"I share your disappointment, sir," the minion began, "I shall get started right away in having more drones constructed for the next time you call for an attack."
"See that you do, Air Terror," his master replied, as Air Terror left. The master looked out the window of his star ship seeing earth. A pair of red eyes glowed in the shadows from him, "I will find and eliminate all Maximal and Predacons on Earth, and anyone who stands in my way!"
(And there you go, Zabuza and Haku returned but their plan to face Kakashi and his squad was cut short by the appearance of Transformer drones. Still it all worked out for everyone in the end. But now there's someone bad on the horizon targeting them. Don't miss next time. The OC transformer Air Terror was one I made up. It won't be easy making OC ones, since there are multiple transformers in the various series all with names that you thought you made up but didn't.)