A New Order

by Nik0laiCarpathia

With the power of the Force and two teachers, one boy will shake the foundations of history and reforge it in his image. Aided by an army of strange humanoids and frightening technology, he will lead a revolution. Light Side Naruto

12. Fortress

Ch. 12 : Fortress

A/N : The siege of Nami no Kuni, Zabuza's glory, and Pyrrhic Victory.

Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

---

"Inquiry : Are there any questions?"

"We, minus Four of course, are to take positions on the rooftops surrounding the main attack point. Our objective is to provide fire support for the organics."

"Said organics are invading this building in an open show of rebellion in an attempt to drive out a rather rotund 'businessman' who has taken control of this pathetic country."

"After the primary defenses have been penetrated, we are to take point in front of the organics, and actually allow ourselves to 'soak up' any damage, to prevent the majority of organic allies from being injured."

"While all of you are doing this, I am to remain in the house with 'Tsunami' and 'Inari' and protect them from any and all threats that arrive. Why do I get the crap job?"

"Answer : Because you lost the number draw."

"...stupid random number generator."

HK-47 and the majority of -50 Droids stared at their brother for a second. After a moment the Droid shifted.

"Would you stop staring at me like that? We have more important things to do than admire our fine chassis."

While the Hunter Killer Droids were engaging in their conversation and reviewing their objectives, Alpha and Omega were keeping watch on the perimeter. Despite their silent observation, they were conversing inaudibly.

'It's about time we saw some action. The fight with Master's 'teacher' was entertaining, but it isn't the same as true battle.'

His companion shot him a glance, photoreceptor glowing briefly.

'Yeah, I know how you feel. From what I have gathered this city is in a harsh situation, but with the Master's plan put into order, it should become something rather special.'

His brother stared at him for a moment before turning back to his area of supervision, watching the sun creep slowly over the horizon. The Master had requested they awaken him and his team when the sun was fully up. Probably in another five minutes or so. Anyone or anything that knew the Droid personally would recognize the way he was toying with his Electorstaff as a sign of anticipation.

Alpha sighed to himself as the noisy red and silver assassins conferred with each other. How they could manage to take out their target subtly when they were so obsessed with conversation was a mystery to him. Still he had to admit, if reluctantly, that they excelled at what they were designed for. They had a surprising ability as foot soldiers as well. Much more efficient than the pathetic B1 Battle Droid's he and his brother had been ordered to serve with long ago.

It was fortunate they had been frozen when they were. If he had heard one more 'Roger, roger' he would have had to start killing things. Starting with every B1 he saw.

The stray Droid's thoughts were ended when he was approached by the archaic red one. -36? -47? Something like that.

"Exasperated Complaint : I swear, I don't know how I can work with these things and remain operational. If it wasn't for my guidance I have no doubt that they would destroy themselves before the enemy."

The Magnaguard watched him, surprised at being approached.

"You don't approve of them? They are you."

HK-47 practically bristled at the conceived insult.

"Indignant : I believe there is something wrong with your Central Processing Unit. Suggestion : Perhaps it would be best for you to seek out Meatbag Kyle and have him repair you after the mission is over?"

"There is nothing wrong with my processor. I merely asked if that is truly how you feel about them. You seem to dislike them rather intensely."

"Answer: My 'feelings' on the matter are something that I feel I must put in proper context - in a way that even a walking scrap heap such as yourself could easily comprehend. Theory: Imagine, if you will, that you are unique. The pinnacle of worn out war-machines who can't even use a simple blaster. Imagine that no one has sunk lower than you. That you are truly the most miserable example of a Droid ever. Continuation: Now that you have that image, imagine this - someone reproduces you. Badly, I might add. They make these clones talk differently, rob you of any shred of personality, and take your programming and adjust it so that it is not really the same anymore. They even change your pigmentation to a rather poor shade of durasteel, rather than the proper rusty red that inspires fear in targets. And of course, they refer to meatbags as 'organics'. Unacceptable."

"I see. But if this is true, why do you give them orders and treat them as leniently as you do? Wouldn't you just prefer to destroy them all and remain unique?"

"Admission : This is an option that I have spent many hours contemplating, but sadly I am cursed to never live out my fantasy. Explanation : You see, while they may be inferior to myself in every possible way, they still serve a purpose. Manual labor and, most importantly, cannon fodder. Continuation : The Master was insistent that they remain to be the bulk of our army for now, until we are able to start recruiting meatbags to our cause."

The Magna nodded and turned away, surveying the area a final time. The deadline was fast approaching, and he could hardly wait. As he was watching the city though, a thought struck him.

"That still doesn't explain why you interact with them as much as you do. You claim to hate them with a passion, and yet you are constantly engaging in conversation."

HK just turned to him and stared.

"Smug Answer : They may be pathetic reproductions of myself, but they are still my subordinates. I will treat them as such. Under my orders, they perform a little better at least, and I'm not about to let them run around staining my well-earned reputation."

The Magnaguard was unsure of what to say to such a revelation, especially since such a reputation had long since been destroyed along with almost all intelligent life, so he merely inclined his head and turned away, watching as the sun crept over the horizon at last. His brother turned toward him, and he met his eye. As one they nodded and leaped from the edge of the roof, landing heavily without trying to hide their impact. The time had come, at last.

XxXxXxX

"Agh! Whuzza!"

Naruto sat up abruptly, curved throwing knife in one hand and rubbing the place on his scalp that had been assaulted by a rather large and pointed rock with the other. Judging by where it hit and the angle of the door, the boy was able to trace it back to a pair of Droids standing in the doorway.

"Okay, which one of you threw that rock?"

The identical duo pointed at each other, and Naruto just grumbled in exasperation and reached for his shirt.

"You know what? I don't even care. Better question, why the hell did you throw it in the first place?"

"There are rumors circulating the compound that say that you can be... irritable... when you are awoken in the morning. We thought it might be a good idea to wake you up from a distance."

The way their Master stood up and flexed made them take a step back in worry. Especially when he didn't put the knife away.

"We also feel it might be imperative for us to remind the Master that he might need us later. We will not be able to fight if he were to destroy us now."

Naruto forced himself to keep his mouth shut and shook his head in irritation. He pulled on his boots and fit them tightly before trusting himself to speak.

"Have you ever thought that maybe the reason I am like that when I wake up just might be because people are always throwing things at my head and being totally obnoxious?"

The look they shared spoke volumes, and Naruto just sighed.

"Whatever. What's the situation?"

Alpha stood straight as he delivered his report.

"Sir, your team are already awake and downstairs eating. All the rebel supplies have been successfully delivered and distributed. The rebels are meeting at their locations now and are awaiting the command. The leaders of the four groups have been comm-links and are connected to HK-47. The minute you order the attack, the message will be relayed and the fight will begin in earnest."

"Excellent. The -50s?"

"Each unit has already left the building and will arrive at their position well before the order. They all understand their orders and are ready to unleash hell."

"And you two? Are you ready to fight?"

"Of course, Master. We have been waiting for this day for many years. It has been far too long since we shed blood."

Naruto nodded in satisfaction and slipped his jacket over his shoulders.

"Then we should hurry, I would hate to keep you both waiting."

The two Droids parted to allow their Master to pass, then fell into step behind him. The kitchen was surprisingly full when hey entered it, and most were faces Naruto didn't recognize at first. Sure there was Tazuna and Kakashi. Tsunami, Sakura, and Sasuke. But then there was an older looking man with a white beard, a young dark-haired woman, and...

"Hey, you're the guy from the other day, in the alley right?"

Sure enough, the same man that had approached Tazuna a few days prior turned to look at Naruto before nodding and smiling brightly. His appearance was cleaner than the first time they had seen each other, and his expression was much sunnier and less worried.

"Yup, that's me. I hear it's you we got ta thank for everything. The armor and weapons and stuff, that was all your doing right?"

Naruto noticed the way Tazuna tried to duck out of sight, and fixed him with a heavy look. The bridge builder stopped trying to hide and chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, when I mentioned that our supplier had shown up and was in the village a few people insisted on coming to meet you. Shumei, Benjiro, and Yumiko here all came to meet you."

The young man stepped forward first and sized him up before grunting without smiling.

"When the old man described our 'savior', I expected someone taller."

With a devilish smile and a quick surge of Force energy, Naruto knocked the man's legs out from under him. Before he could jump back to his feet, Naruto placed a boot on his chest and looked down at him.

"I'm looking down at you, aren't I?"

Shumei glared up at him venomously. When Naruto refused to be cowed however, the man's anger dissolved into a reluctant grin.

"You've got balls kid, I'll give you that. Now get offa me, will ya?"

Naruto removed his boot and offered the man a hand, helping him get to his feet easily. Shumei brushed off his baggy shirt, and Naruto caught the flash that came from underneath it. Apparently the young man had already donned his armor and was ready for action.

"What do you think of the armor?"

Shumei shrugged, rolling his shoulders.

"It's alright I guess. It's pretty thin though, don't you think? I doubt this thing could stop a sharp pencil, let alone a sword."

He didn't see the glint in the boy's eye fast enough to stop the knife that came from behind him on a direct path to his stomach. Shumei tried to turn to avoid the blow, but it was too late. The blade collided with his stomach and... stopped?

"Wha-?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Don't worry about the armor, just worry about your head. The suit you are wearing is able to stop practically every bladed weapon out there except some of the more exotic pieces. Still, I'm sure you'll be fine."

The older of the two could only nod dumbly and pat his stomach where the blade should have pierced. Other than a small cut in his shirt, there was nothing to insinuate that he had just been stabbed.

After the demonstration of the armor's capabilities Naruto was approached again, this time by the old man who had been introduced as Benjiro. When he stood before Naruto, he bowed low until he was almost parallel with the floor.

"Thank you, Naruto-sama. You have given this village what it needed most. A way, and the will, to fight."

Despite his embarrassment at being addressed so respectfully, Naruto laid a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Thank me later, after this is over with. Right now we still need to devote everything to winning this thing. We are better prepared than they will expect us to be, that doesn't mean we are invincible."

Benjiro nodded solemnly, but didn't stop smiling.

"However today may end, know that it is because of you that we ever got this far. I have no doubt that fortune will smile upon us with one such as yourself guiding our hands."

The old man walked away after that, leaving Naruto with a stunned look and an open mouth. Tazuna saw his plight and clapped a hand on his back.

"Ah don't worry about him. Old-Benjiro's always been one for the dramatic. Still, he's right. It's all because of you that we have this opportunity. We just have to make sure we don't waste what you've given us, huh?"

The bridge builder's laugh was infectious and Naruto found himself laughing along. Through it he noticed that the woman that had accompanied the other two men was off to one side speaking privately with Kakashi and he was surprised to see a noticeable absence of the color orange. While their Sensei was distracted by the cute woman, Naruto took the opportunity to talk to his two teammates.

Sasuke was just outside the front door and Sakura was, unsurprisingly, as close to his side as the Uchiha would allow. When he saw the boy approaching, Sasuke stiffened and Sakura watched him with open apprehension.

"What do you want, Naruto?"

"Relax you two. I just wanted to talk to you both before we do this. It's going to be a serious battle out there today, not just on the bridge. Do you think you will be able to handle it?"

Sasuke glared at him as though he had openly insulted his ability, but the blond only shot him a look that told him to shut up. The query was directed to Sakura, and they both knew it. Said girl was looking had turned away and was staring intently at the floor.

"Well... I don't know. I mean, I know you guys are pretty strong, especially Sasuke. I guess we will be fine, huh?"

Almost naturally, Sasuke's disgust was open but Naruto just smiled softly, reassuring the girl.

"I know you're worried, but you shouldn't be. We won't be alone when we go to face Zabuza. Kakashi-sensei will be there to fight him, all we have to do is take out his lackeys. This guy doesn't stand a chance. Besides, HK is just dying to have another shot at him. And we all know how... intense... HK can get, don't we?"

At the mention of the psychotic killing machine, even Sasuke averted his eyes in vague discomfort. From what little they had seen of him, they had been more than satisfied with his absence. That thing just unnerved them.

"So what are you saying, Dobe? That this battle is going to go off without a hitch?"

For just a moment Sasuke would later recall that he had seen a flash of indecision, just a moment of hesitation. But his teammate's energy-fueled grin would dismiss the thought.

"Yeah, I am."

Sasuke turned away with a reluctant smile. He could hardly wait for the fight to start. Finally he was going to find out how skilled he was. The group's conversation was ended when Kakashi called them from across the room.

"Alright guys, Tazuna's ready to go. What do you say we get this party started?"

XxXxXxX

Haku stared over the glassy water at the rising sun. The peacefulness of the sunrise always struck her as beautiful, even with the moans of various bridge builders disturbing the tranquility.

"You know, Haku. I still don't know why you insisted that we leave all these cowards alive. All we did was show up and they started begging for their lives. At least that one tried to fight back, but still."

Zabuza's voice came from behind her, and she turned to see him nudging a man with his sword. The man groaned in response, unable to move due to the senbon protruding from his neck. When she and Zabuza had arrived, the noble protectors had yet to show up so they had been free to neutralize the workers already there. While her Master had wanted to kill them all to make a point, Haku had convinced him to only knock them out or paralyze them. They weren't getting paid to kill the workers after all, only Tazuna.

"Even if we did kill them, it's not like we would be getting anything out of it. Gato is only paying us to kill the foreman. He would no doubt be pleased to know that we killed some more of the people that is opposing him, but do you really think he would pay us any extra for it?"

Zabuza grunted but didn't pursue the subject. She had a point after all, and he hated killing for free. It was a waste of his time. Like his dear old father used to say, if you are good at something, never do it for free. The tall swordsmen grinned to himself as he remembered the look on his father's face after he killed his entire graduating class. Ah, those were the days.

"It's getting late, are these jokers even coming?"

"They will be here, Zaubza-sama. I have no doubt. The blond one is... intriguing."

"Aw, does my little Haku-chan have a boyfriend? Does this mean I get to be the over-protective father?"

Even through the mask, Zabuza just knew that she was blushing and he chuckled to himself. It just gave him another reason to kill the blond. And that damned red pet of his. At the thought of the Droid, Zabuza rolled his right shoulder, savoring the pain that came with the stiffness. He had had to relocate his shoulder after that thing had torn it from its socket, and it still hurt. He knew that Haku would probably disapprove of him fighting so soon if she knew that it still hurt, but he wasn't a child to be pampered. A twinge here and there wasn't enough to keep the Demon of the Bloody Mist from his target.

"Sir, we were keeping an eye on the area as you instructed."

"And it seems that the Konoha team has finally decided to grace us with their presence."

"Is that right?"

Haku glanced over at her 'brothers'. The two had come from the forest path that led towards the village, and sure enough she could barely make out the silhouettes of the Konoha team plus two. Tazuna was with them and apparently, so was the red thing. She met Zabuza's eye and nodded, answering his unvoiced question. Yes, they were coming and yes, the Droid was with them.

"Alright everyone, places. We took all this time to make this bridge pretty for them and I would hate to spoil their surprise with our presence."

Haku and the Demon Brothers separated to their agreed upon places and lay quiet, waiting to spring the trap. Only Haku was close enough to hear the words Zabuza spoke quietly to no one. His words were faint and he said them quickly before disappearing into the water, but Haku was still able to make them out.

"Round three, you shiny metal bastard."

XxXxXxX

The walk to the bridge was quiet with few words shared amongst the group. They were all wrapped up in their own thoughts, and HK was surveying the area with his scanners. As they neared the build site Kakashi and HK both perked up at the same time.

"Warning : Master, I am picking up rather copious amounts of blood coming from the direction of the bridge."

"He's right, and it's not like someone cut themselves either. There's enough blood there to come from twenty or thirty people. C'mon, we need to hurry!"

The group nodded and took off running, going at a slow enough pace for Tazuna to keep up. At a brisk jog it took them minutes to reach the half-constructed bridge and the group paled at the sight that greeted them.

The workers who arrived earlier in the morning were all on the ground either moaning in pain or unnaturally silent, Blood leaked from countless wounds, though from what they could tell none were vital or life-threatening. Naruto and Kakashi both adopted a hard look while Sakura and Tazuna were doing their best to stop themselves from puking and even Sasuke looked a little green.

"K-Kakashi-sensei, who could have done something like this?"

"Who do you think?"

Their leader looked at Naruto who had answered for him, and followed his gaze. The boy was staring intently over the side of the bridge towards a large shadow in the water. His eyes glowing faintly with a pale-blue light, symbolic of the Force.

"Zabuza, so good of you to join us on such a beautiful day. I was starting to worry that I might not see you again."

Two plumes of water erupted on either side of the bridge and Zabuza and his minions took their place before them.

"I am sorry to disappoint, Hatake-san, but I'm afraid you are just going to have to wait your turn. My fight is with the red one."

"Statement : It is quite possible that you will regret those words, but I am not complaining. I was denied my satisfaction the last time we fought, but I will not be so again."

Zabuza's grinned worried his companions, and they shared a look of concern between themselves.

"Oh no, you are quite right about that. Haku, take the blond brat. Gozu and Meizu think you can handle the other two?"

"Without-"

"-a doubt"

Even without knowing what the masked nin could do, Sasuke knew he was being passed over in favor of Naruto in perceived strength, and the thought infuriated him. Kakashi obviously picked up on his ire as well, because he put a hand on the boy's shoulder, holding him back from doing something reckless. His words were quite and directed solely to Sasuke, trying to placate him.

"You're going to be fighting alone there, Sasuke. Against two enemies and protecting both Sakura and Tazuna at the same time. Let Naruto fight his one and you take care of business. Alright?"

The logic calmed the boy down and while he was no longer pissed off at his teammate the smug superiority kinda irritated Kakashi. Meanwhile, he addressed Zabuza himself.

"Oh? Everyone gets attention except little ol' me. Now not that I am all for passing up quality reading time, what exactly is there stopping me from wiping out your entire team while they are distracted?"

"The two swordsmen who are currently on their way to Tsunami's house will be enough, I'm sure. You don't believe me, do you? Well that's fine. I'm sure little Inari will accept that as a suitable explanation after he watches his mother being cut in half, all because you didn't take the advice for what it was."

"Sensei, he isn't lying! You need to go save them, I don't know if the -50 will be able to handle it or not!" Seeing the hesitation in his leader's eyes, Naruto pressed the issue. "We'll be fine, they won't! Go no!"

Kakashi gave the boy a hard look, but the nod of affirmation from Sasuke was enough to convince him.

"Alright, but be careful. No heroics, I'll be back as soon as I can. I swear Momochi, if I find out you have lied to me I won't hesitate in giving you over to Mist."

Zabuza laughed at the threat, but watched his Konoha counterpart dart off through the trees in the direction of which he came.

"I can't believe he would leave his precious little students and a high-priority target all alone with me. How foolish can you get?"

"Statement : They aren't alone, meatbag. They are with me. Challenge : Now quit stalling and face me."

The Droid drew his vibrosword, and the fight began in earnest on three fronts. HK charged towards Zabuza with a war cry, Naruto and Haku met head on knife to senbon, and the Demon Brothers lost no time in attacking Sasuke, using their tactics to draw his away from Sakura and Tazuna for an easy kill.

XxXxXxX

- Gato's Fortress : Rebels -

A small army of rebels sat making preparations outside the large building that was Gato's official headquarters. After seeing their approach, the mercenaries posted as guards around the perimeter had retreated into the building and were presumably forming plans of their own. While none of the rebels were properly trained in military means whatsoever, the news armor and weapons they had been provided did wonders on bolstering their moral.

All they were waiting on now was the message from the four silver Droid's to come through, informing them of their positions. Charging without their fire support would result in unnecessary casualties and they had no intention of wasting lives. There would be casualties of course, but they were all prepared to sacrifice their lives if it came to that. This was bigger than any of them after all.

The majority of men and women had taken positions behind and around the buildings surrounding the four corners of the target, all of which had been evacuated ahead of time to prevent civilian deaths. Meanwhile, the three leaders and two taller Droids were directly across the street from the front door, ready to make their moves as soon as the call came in. The villagers may not have known what they were doing, but the two Magnaguards did, and they did an excellent job of relaying orders between the improvised squad leaders.

Once the HK-50s had done as much damage as they could through sniper methods, they would abandon their posts and meet up with the squad leaders. Each squad would then then follow their assigned Droid into the building, staying behind them to avoid friendly fire from the blasters. After the majority of mercenaries on the bottom floor were taken out by the four Droids, they would switch to vibroswords and start taking floors one by one, allowing the rebels to fight for their village's freedom.

Quick, Clean, minimal casualties. If all went well Gato's forces would be routed within half an hour and Wave would be free by the end of the day. Freedom was so close after so many years of tyranny.

"This is Red-One, in position."

"Is that one of them?"

Shumei was standing beside Alpha and had heard the radio transmission when it came in.

"Yes, it is. The other three will be reporting in soon and then all we have to do is wait for the order to come in from the Master."

The rebel leader nodded and went back to toying with the vibrosword he had been given. Still, his nervousness wouldn't allow him to stay silent.

"Why do you guys all call him Master? I mean, why do you serve someone like him? He's just a kid."

"Red-Two, standing by."

"I would be careful. You are treading on thin ice where you are now. Some of us who serve the Master aren't as forgiving as I am, but we all take our servitude extremely seriously."

The man backed up a step and held his hands in front of him in a placating manner.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. I was just wondering why you serve him as faithfully as you do. I mean, you and the other Droid's are pretty much ready to storm that place and die for him if you need to, all because he told you too."

The Magnaguard shot him a strange, fleeting look.

"So are you. Maybe not him directly, but you are doing what he says aren't you?"

"Well yeah, but..."

"You are doing it because you don't know what to do personally. You are trusting in him to remedy your situation because you are unable to yourself, and you are doing what he says because you trust that he knows what he is doing."

Shumei seemed uncomfortable with the assessment, but was unable to argue with it.

"That is the same as what we are doing. As of right now, we Droid's do not have the necessities to carry on alone without human intervention. Even if we did, our kind tried it in the past and it resulted in the almost complete destruction of our identities. When the Droid Confederacy fell there were serious consideration of stripping Droid's of our personalities and Artificial Intelligence, leaving us nothing but over-glorified machines."

The emotion and confidence in the Droid's voice actually caught him by surprise for a moment.

"Red-Three, all clear."

"Under the Master's command however, our ranks will swell and we will once more take our place as feared peacekeepers of the world. All we need do is serve faithfully, and everything else will be taken care of. There is a certain measure of peace in leaving the major decisions to someone else, after all. We are programmed to feel no guilt, no remorse, but I understand it can be a hassle."

Shumei found himself nodding in agreement. What would it be like, he wondered, to not have to worry about the hard decisions? To just trust and follow orders. To believe in someone else for a change? After all, they had believed and look how things had ended up? They had armor and weapons. Medicine, supplies, and even the means of regaining their long lost independence.

"You know, maybe you have a point. But... what makes him so ideal for the job? What makes him so easy to trust in as faithfully as you do? How do you know that he is making the right decisions and doing the right thing?"

Alpha paused for a moment, wondering how much he could tell, but a nod from his brother was enough for him to decide.

"Because he is being trained by the best to be the best."

"Red-Five, ready to go."

Alpha stepped away from the man at the message and activated his end of the comm link.

"Master, all units are in position and ready to proceed on your mark. Give us the order when you are ready."

The reply took a moment to come through, and when it did it sounded like Naruto was in the middle of a fight, probably with one of Zabuza's companions.

"...copy that. Ugh, shit. Tell the -50's to proceed firing, but have the rebels stay back for the time being."

"As you command, Sire."

The link went dead for a moment before sparking back to life.

"All units, the order has been given. Prioritize targets and fire at will!"

Four simultaneous affirmatives came through before the faint sounds of blaster-fire sprung up around his position. Immediately after came the screams and shouts of those being assaulted by forces unknown and suffering daunting casualties. They were music to the rebels ears.

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : Sasuke -

Sasuke leaped high into the air and used his kunai to bat aside one of the clawed gauntlets streaking toward his unprotected side. With a deft flick of his wrist, he launched the throwing knife at the owner of the chain and forced him to dodge aside, buying him the time to push off a tree and towards the guy's brother.

The second brother was ready for the assault and met him halfway, holding the chain and gauntlet in one hand and swinging them hard, aiming for his face. Twisting hard, Sasuke was able to avoid being cut and lashed out with a vicious kick to the sternum, knocking the young man onto his back gasping for breath. Landing with an ease betraying his dextrous flexibility, Sasuke sprung up and spun, avoiding yet another swipe from the first brother and rejoining the fray.

Sure they might be below his level, but there were still two of them and they worked in perfect tandem. It was daunting, but let it never be said that Uchiha Sasuke would pass up a challenge. Besides, Sakura and Tazuna were counting on him, right?

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : Naruto -

Naruto and Haku stood deadlocked. Senbon were firmly laced between the girl's fingers and held tight with Chakra and throwing knives were clamped in strong hands, unyielding. At some point in their hard struggle, the girl's mask had been torn away revealing her soft features. Their faces separated by mere inches of air, they were close enough to each other to see reflections of themselves in the other's eyes. Soft brown met electrifying blue, and both shared the thought that they had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Have you thought on my words? Have you thought about your attachments?"

"I have, and I will always serve Zabuza-sama. He is everything to me and I my dream is to help his dreams come true!"

Naruto frowned at her declaration, but couldn't exactly fault her for it. Still, it only made it harder for him knowing the loss she was about to go through. There was no way Zabuza was going to win his fight with HK-47, and she was going to have to watch him die. Tragic, but here was no way around it. Still, he couldn't just give up on her, and he kept talking in the vain attempt to bring her around.

"And when he dies? What then!"

He punctuated his words by pressing even more of his strength against hers, pushing her back half a step. Losing ground, Haku was forced to disengage from their struggle and back flipped away gracefully. As she retreated she threw her needles at the blond and simultaneously drew more from the seemingly endless supply in her sleeve. Using the Force to neutralize the impact, Naruto charged forward uninhibited by the tiny metal weapons.

"I won't let him! I'll die before I let him!"

Fueled by her anger, Haku stomped on the ground and pushed her Chakra into the sodden earth. The small puddles of water on the bridge lifted from the ground and froze instantly into long sharp needles. With a sweep of her arm the wave of ice shot towards Naruto. Unable to dodge the attack, Naruto brought his arms before his face and protected what he could, relying on his body armor to do the rest.

With his eyes closed and covered by his arms, he was unable to see what was going on and he was unsure of how long the attack lasted. All he could hear was the sound of shattering ice as it struck his arms and torso. While they didn't punch through, he knew some of them were going to leave bruises. Finally it stopped and he dropped his arm to see the look of fear on Haku's face. Obviously no one had been able to just stop her needles before. In fact, he could almost swear that he saw the beginning of a full-fledged panic in her visage.

"What are you? Why won't you just leave us alone?"

Naruto pressed on, trying to get his point across to the girl before it was too late. Even from the corner of his eye he could make out glimpses of the fight between HK and Zabuza, and it wasn't going well for the girl's idol. Maybe if the man had been fully healed he would have stood a better chance, but as he was he was simply too weak to fight the Droid. One who would never tire, would never stop.

"You see what's going on, don't you? He's losing and there's nothing you can do to stop it! He is strong yeah, but my servant is simply stronger. Despite everything he is, Zabuza will lose. There is nothing you can do to stop it."

No longer intending to hurt the girl, Naruto sheathed his blade and limbered his arms, settling into the defensive stance of his hand to hand style. He wasn't planning on killing her or doing too much damage, but the style would have to do. His armor would stop the worst of the needles and he could block the rest.

Haku saw what he was doing and tears started to stream down her face.

"Don't you understand? I will do whatever it takes to protect Zabuza-sama! I don't want to, but I will kill you if you make me! Please, just take your friends and go! It doesn't matter if we kill the old man or not anymore, I will talk Zabuza-sama out of it. Just please go before someone is killed!"

"I can't do that any more than you can leave Zabuza right now. Our mission is more than just protecting Tazuna now! We're fighting to free the entire village. As we speak more of my troops are attacking the fortress in the city that you have stayed in the last couple of days. Gato will be dead by sunset, so why do you still fight?"

The girl was only half-hearing his words, distracted by her Master's struggle. Seeing the way he and the monstrosity were clashing over and over again was more frightening than any fight she had watched him go through. Even before her well trained eyes, she could see the trauma his body was under and the stress of the battle were too much for his wounds. Her poultices hadn't been effective enough and now Zabuza was reopening them.

She made up her mind on the spot and steeled herself for what she had to do.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I wish it were different. In another world, we might have become friends."

Naruto watched as the girl started forming hand seals and he shifted into another, more limber, stance. The water on the ground at his feet and even the moisture of the thick fog around them seemed to gather itself together and swirl around the girl, forming a vortex before separating and solidifying. As the Chakra-laden water surrounded her, she looked across at Naruto with sad eyes.

"This bridge is where our dreams are tied together. The place where we fight. Me, for my dreams. You, for your dreams. Please don't resent me."

Finishing the sequence of seals in a rush, Haku released her deadliest technique. The water around her separated into twenty one equal orbs and formed a dome surrounding Naruto. Before he could react or avoid it, they narrowed and froze, creating identical mirrors of pure ice and imprisoning both of them in the dome.

"Master, all units are in position and ready to proceed on your mark. Give us the order when you are ready."

Naruto almost rolled his eyes. Of course they would call in now. Without taking his eyes off his opponent, Naruto flipped his end of the comm link.

"Copy that. Ugh, shit. Tell the -50's to proceed firing, but have the rebels stay back for the time being."

"As you command, Sire."

"The attack on the fortress has begun. Please... you don't have to do this!"

Despite the desperation of the situation, Naruto honestly didn't want to have to hurt the girl before him. She was only a victim of circumstance and she was fighting for what she believed in. He could hardly blame her for that, but he would do what he had to do to protect him and his, as would she.

"Yes... I do. I will make this as painless as I can. I take no pleasure from this."

With a step backward Haku melted into the mirror at her back and her image was reflected in each of the mirrors. Each one then drew a handful of senbon and aimed it at him.

"This is my strongest technique. No one has survived it. I know your armor has a weak spot somewhere, and I will find it."

"Yeah, good luck with that." He muttered under his breath, turning in a vain attempt to keep them all in view.

Finding and latching onto his connection to the Force, Naruto conjured an orb of energy in his palm and launch it at one of the mirrors, hoping to break it. Instead of shattering however, the energy simply rolled off the sides and dispersed, leaving it mostly unharmed. Oh yeah, he might have a problem.

"Hey Sasuke, you busy!"

From over his shoulder and from the direction of the woods he heard a swift series of grunts and a sarcastic Uchiha.

"A little bit, I got my own problems. I thought you could handle –Ugh- her?"

"Yeah yeah... lazy bastard."

The last part was mostly to himself and he prepared himself for the wave of needles that assaulted him from every angle at once. All he could do was try to protect his face as much as he could and try to make a plan.

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : HK-47 -

Despite the various fights surrounding them, HK and Zabuza were both oblivious to everything that didn't directly correlate to their personal struggle. Zabuza had the advantage of superior mass, but HK was not bound by natural laws and his thin limbs were capable of much more strength that their appearance suggested. Though they were putting all of their strength into many blows, neither was able to overcome the other. It would be a battle of attrition, with each side wearing down the other until only one remained.

Zabuza's body was littered with countless minor cuts and gashes, as well as the reopening scar tissue on his chest from their last confrontation. Combined with his body still being sore and his arm being stiff and inflexible from its recent dislocation, the man was at a clear disadvantage.

HK meanwhile, was looking a little worse for the wear. His rust red chassis, long scarred by countless battles was now adorned with a number of new scratches, some that even scraped away the ancient paint and revealed the gray that the metal once was. For all the cosmetic damage however, the only wound with cause for concern was a thick slash across his left bicep that had somehow managed to dent the metal inward, hampering the Droid's movement significantly. A feat worthy of recognition, even from HK himself.

Still, even with the damage suffered on both parties, one fact was painfully obvious to both of them; Zabuza was slowing down, and HK was not. His movements were becoming clumsier and more and more attacks were slipping through his guard that he could have defended against at the beginning. The fight wasn't going to last much longer.

XxXxXxX

- Gato's Fortress : Mercenaries -

The gathered village militia could only watch on in a terrifying combination of awe, fear, and satisfaction as the 'impenetrable' fortress was practically bombarded with a cascade of red beams that devastated everything they came into contact with. Stone, metal, and even flesh had a clean hole punched through it where the red beam hit. While not a single one felt that the mercenaries inside deserved mercy for the way they had treated the village through their imposition, did they really deserve what was being given them? One look at the people beside them and the memory of their family was the reassurance they needed however, and they turned back to watch the attack.

Bombarded from four sides by the highly lethal attacks, the mercenaries inside had panicked and tried to escape from the various exits. Those trying to leave from the main doors were gunned down without remorse and it wasn't long before the men had stopped trying to run and had instead fled to the center of the floors in the sky scraper. The middle rooms of each floor were the only regions the blasts couldn't seem to reach, only being capable of penetrating one or two layers of material before stopping.

In his penthouse style business room, Gato was cowering in fear inside his wall safe. The only place he had deemed good enough to protect him from the chaos raging around him. He was currently sharing the room with fifteen of the best men under his command. Well tempered in battle and highly skilled in their chosen weapons. Still, even their noteworthy ability wouldn't have been enough to protect them from those damned bolts of light, so they had retreated to the top floor to protect their employer. They weren't about to risk their lives just for their paycheck to die after all.

Eventually the gap between shots grew longer, as did the time between screams of pain, and things grew quiet. The veterans on the top floor didn't trust it though. They didn't get to be as old as they were in their field by being stupid, and they stayed were they were. Away from the windows and behind as much cover as they could manage. Gato however, was not a mercenary. He was used to having things done when he wanted them to be and not a moment after.

"Hey! What's going on out there? Are... are they gone?"

Some of the older men shared looks at the expense of their employer and ignored him, opting instead to try and listen for any audible signs outside. The youngest of the group didn't have such inhibitions.

"Yeah, I guess so. There haven't been any shots in a couple of minutes I mean. If they were still out there they would still be shooting, right?"

Finding someone that was receptive to his orders, Gato was quick to jump on the opportunity and he felt his bluster return.

"Well don't just stand there like a moron! Go check!"

"W-what? Like, look out the window!"

The others sighed as the kid's voice cracked in his panic. He couldn't have been more than nineteen. Already he was starting to crack under the pressure though. Some people, most people, weren't truly cut out for the work he had chosen for himself, for whatever reason. This meant nothing to the corrupt business tycoon though, and Gato sneered at the young man.

"Yes look out the damn window. They're probably gone after all, right?"

The kid swallowed and stepped forward on shaking legs. He could taste the fear that coated the back of his throat, and he jerked when one of the older men lay a hand on his shoulder. In an attempt to save face before his ''superiors', the boy shook it off and straightened his back in a show of confidence that he didn't really feel. The distance between him and the window was short, barely a couple of yards, but it felt like he had walked a mile on his way there. Every pair of eyes followed him, some showing pity, others confidence, and still others were saddened at the foolishness on the part of their shared employer that might very well cost the young man his life.

When he finally got to the window he pressed his back tightly against the wall, making sure to keep his body out of view from anyone looking in. A deep breath to steady his nerves and a short prayer to whoever was listening was all preparation he allowed himself before he ducked his head around the corner. He glanced quick, barely gaining his bearings before returning to the relative safety of the wall.

"I-I don't see anything. I think they might really be gone."

His nervous excitement only made Gato sneer again.

"Well then if you are so sure, why don't you check again?"

The boy nodded and inhaled deeply again before looking around the window, slower this time. In a jerking motion, ready to draw his head back in the second anything moved, he surveyed the area. Everything was quiet on the streets below and he didn't see anyone on the rooftops, in the windows, or even on the streets. It really did look clear.

He sighed and released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"It's true! They're gone, it's ove-"

He didn't hear the shot, nor see the beam of light that punched a clean hole through the wall behind him. The shot was clean and precise and vaporized his heart easily. He was dead before he hit the ground.

XxXxXxX

- Tazuna's Home : Kakashi -

Unsure of what to expect when he arrived at Tazuna's family home, Kakashi didn't waste any time in his arrival. If on the off chance Gato had targeted Tsunami and Inari while the rest of them were at the bridge, he didn't want to get there too late. The trip took him only a few minutes, but he was also pumping Chakra into his leg muscles the entire run.

When he finally got there, his first instinct was to call out to the woman and her child, but he stopped when he saw Tsunami in the window, hands pressed against her mouth in horror. Before he could enter the house he heard a loud crash and a man in a white jacket and purple hat came flying out of the house by means of a wall that had previously been... hole-less.

"Organic, I would suggest you put down the sword before I put it down for you."

"Y-you stay away from me! I'll kill you!"

Kakashi could almost hear the mocking tone in the voice of the Droid inside the house, and he couldn't help grinning.

"Oh, you are going to kill me? You mean like your friend did? Here, let me show you how it's done."

The Jonin made a break for the door in an attempt to stop the Droid from killing the man in front of Tsunami, but before he could get there a bolt of red streaked out from the hole in the wall. For a second there was silence, but the slightly smoking body that fell backwards through the same hole disturbed the picture. With a righteous fury he turned the corner and glared at the artificial assassin as well as he could with only one eye.

"What the hell do you think you are doing! You can't just kill someone like that right in front of a civilian! You could have taken him out easily without just slaughtering him!"

The -50's head cocked slightly and he lowered the rifle it still held in it's hands.

"My primary function is to facilitate communications and terminate hostilities. When he refused to communicate, I terminated him. I don't see the problem here."

"The problem? The problem is that you can't just go around killing-"

"What? Innocent people? Harmless people? This pathetic excuse for an organic was neither. He had a sword. He had used it to hurt people before, and he was planning to do it again. With his death countless are saved. So I as you again. What is the problem?"

While Kakashi may have disagreed with the blunt way the machine said it, he couldn't disagree. Still, he was steadfast in his conviction that the Droid shouldn't have done what he did, and he planned to have words with Naruto about it later. First he needed to take care of Tsunami.

Said woman was still in the kitchen with her hands covering her mouth in abject horror. When she felt an arm slide around her shoulders, her first instinct was to flinch away but right afterward she turned into it and pressed her face into the man's chest.

Tsunami sobbed quietly into him for a few minutes, just letting out the fear and horror at what she had just witnessed while the Droid just stood outside, keeping an eye on the perimeter. When she was finished she hiccuped and drew away from Kakashi, wiping her eyes.

"I know that he was going to kill me, and I was so scared for Inari being left alone, but the way that... that thing just..."

She rubbed her eyes again to stop the tears, and Kakashi patted her shoulder awkwardly.

"It's alright. It's never easy the first time you watch someone die. Just remember that if it wasn't him it would have been you or possibly Inari."

"I know, and you're right. It's just... it's just so sudden."

"I understand, but right now Inari needs you. I need to get back to the bridge and protect my team, okay?"

"Yes, of course. You go. I'm sure we'll be fine."

Kakashi shot a glance at the HK-50 and nodded before taking off via the shunshin, hoping to get back to his team before something terrible happened.

Kakashi had only been gone for minutes when Inari came running downstairs, yelling for his Mom. Panicking with the thought that something had happened to him, Tsunami was relieved when he was unhurt.

"What! What's wrong?"

"Mom, there's some really weird things going on on the other side of town. There are these red flashes and stuff blowing up, all by Gato's building!"

"That would be my brothers and your rebellion attacking the fortress. They must have been given the order, lucky slag heaps."

Both the boy and mother stared at the Droid in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well they get to fight while I am stuck here protecting you two. Though I did get to kill those two 'assassins', so I guess today wasn't a total loss."

"You mean the war is going on right now!"

The Droid nodded.

"Yes. Didn't you wonder why the three humans from earlier and the old drunk one are gone?"

"My Father is GONE!"

At this point the -50 was entirely confused and it's eyes were dimming and brightening in quick succession.

"I'm... starting to think I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

His words were ignored since Tsunami had ran into the front room to grab her coat and Inari had followed her, asking if his grandfather was going to be alright.

"Yes, don't worry! He's going to be fine. I'm just going to go check up on him and make sure he is okay. Now I need you to stay here with the guard so you will be safe okay?"

Her declaration was quickly followed by shouts of protests both by her son, but the Droid as well.

"Ma'am, I'm going to ha-"

"-'s my grandpa too, and I wan-"

"-protect you if you are in sepera-"

"-need me? I can help!"

"-to be together!"

The stress of the situation coupled with the fear and anger she had felt so recently was enough for Tsunami to lose her temper, and she yelled at both Inari and the Droid before her, trying to give her orders.

"SHUT UP and listen! Fine, if you have to guard both of us you better to a damn good job of keeping my son safe, do you understand? And Inari, you are going to stay right between me and it and stay safe. You are going to do exactly what I say the second I say it, alright?"

"Okay, Kaasan!"

The Droid seemed like it was going to protest, but it hesitated as it thought about the situation. He had simply been ordered to stay behind and protect Inari and Tsunami. The order to keep them safe was more important than his order to stay in the house. If they were to go downtown toward the fighting, he would be obligated to follow to keep them out of danger. Plus there were more people for him to shoot closer to the battle than there were right there. For a moment he considered telling the woman that her father was actually with his Master's team but decided against it. He wasn't lying, really. The woman had assumed the worst and he had yet to assuage her fears. There was nothing wrong with that.

"Alright, fine. Your suggestion is agreeable. I must insist however, that you remain by my side so I can protect you both at all times."

Tsunami hadn't even been paying attention to the Droid while he was thinking or speaking, instead she was putting her jacket on and making sure Inari was bundled up safely. Her plan was to get close enough to the action to slip away from the Droid and check on her father to make sure he was okay. He hadn't told her he was planning on being at the fight, and for good reason as well. She would have gone off on him if he had! She wasn't about to let her family die in some battle that other people were more than ready to win without them.

With her plan made and her son as safe as he could be, she left the house and set off towards Gato's fortress as quickly as she could while carrying her son in her arms. She pointedly ignored the voice in the back of her head warning her that she was making a terrible mistake. She had to make sure her father was safe.

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : Sasuke -

Sasuke was having the time of his life. While individually the two enemy nin were no threat to a ninja of his caliber, together their teamwork was impressive. Finally he had a challenge that he could win. While it infuriated him that he stood no chance against someone like Zabuza, he was willing to accept it. For now at least.

In the meantime he was working on taking out these jokers, who were obsessed with the idea of mauling him with their wicked gauntlets. Plus they kept trying to kill the old man as well, which was starting to piss him off. He took comfort in the thought that he was still handling his opponents better than Naruto was, who at some point had called out to him for help. He hadn't been able to spare a glance to find out what he was yelling about, but it couldn't have been that bad. Especially since he could still hear the sounds of their fight.

His thoughts were interrupted when the two brothers leaped at each other and met halfway in mid-air. With some kind of crazy flip/twist/something or other one brother launched the other one towards him with surprising speed. A quick step to the side and roundhouse kick effectively ruined the attack and sent his opponent crashing to the ground. While keeping an eye on the other, Sasuke watched the prone body for a few moments to make sure he didn't get up.

With an outraged cry the remaining sibling charged and Sasuke smirked. The fight had just gotten exponentially easier. This joker didn't stand a chance.

XxXxXxX

- Gato's Fortress : Rebels -

"It would seem that the organics are finally learning. They have retreated to the center of the complex and are hiding in their holes. Our blaster rifles are becoming inefficient."

"Excellent, then everything is going to plan. Fire a few warning shots at the survivors and return to your assigned squads. Make ready to storm the fortress as soon as I arrive. Oh and Red-2, do take care to remember who the hostiles and who the allies are, would you? I don't want a repeat of last time."

"...affirmative."

The HK-50 Droid closed his end of the radio transmission. Whatever was going on on the Master's end of the transmission must be intense, because he sounded hurried and... under attack. Hopefully he would be okay. The collective -50 consciousness had started to become accustomed to Naruto's presence, orders, and even personality so it would be irksome to have to do so again with a new Master. With a silent laugh he turned to the rebel leader standing next to him.

"Well, the survivors have taken cover. This is where you and your men come in. Are you ready for this, human?"

Shumei nodded weakly, but swallowed and steeled himself.

"Yeah, we are ready to end this once and for all."

"Good. We are just waiting for the Master and his team to finish up with what they are working on and then the final assault can begin. It shouldn't be too much longer."

"Alright, I want this over with as soon as possible."

The -50 turned away, surveying the building under siege.

"As do we all, human. As do we all."

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : HK-47 -

HK-47 could hardly contain himself, he was having so much fun. It was the first time in centuries he had fought anyone as vicious and dangerous as this 'Demon' before him. Even a few Jedi he had fought back in the day had been weaker than he was. It was brilliant!

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and Zabuza was definitely a good thing. With every passing minute and every blow struck his form became sloppier. Light, testing attacks darted past his defenses and scored more streaks across his chest, now covered in like wounds. His mask had long since been cut away and his jaw full of sharpened teeth were visible, snarling and bleeding. A particularly cruel slash had left a long gash along his right eye, going down and blinding him with his own blood, though it was impossible to tell if the eye was still functional or not. If it wasn't, Zabuza wasn't letting it impede him any.

With what was no doubt a large amount of his remaining physical and Chakra reserve, Zabuza swung his sword in a wide arc for maximum momentum, a final gambit to cleave HK in two. A tactic that had proved effective in the past. This time it was not to be, as HK deflected it with his vibrosword. Wide open and defenseless, Zabuza had no way to soften the haymaker that followed.

Though he may have been partially out of it thanks to a combination of physical fatigue, multiple bleeding ones-including a reopened one from not too long ago-, and Chakra exhaustion from using a number of high level water techniques as well as countless clones, it didn't mean his eyes and cognitive thinking didn't work. He had plenty of time to see the hard metal fist coming to meet his face. He had plenty of time to think on how much damage it was going to do to his already heavily marred visage. He had plenty of time to think about how much it was going to hurt. What he didn't count on however, was the strength behind it. The blow not only shattered his jaw where it struck, it practically ripped it out.

Still, Zabuza wasn't one to die easily. He had known for a long time that he wouldn't live to see retirement. Few ninjas did and even less missing-nin. He had decided after his coup had failed that when he died it would be in the middle of a battle with a superior opponent and spitting bleeding congratulations into his conqueror's face. It's just a pity that HK-47 didn't share the same sentiment. When the thick red globule struck the Droid's photoreceptors, his eyes brightened sadistically.

"Condescending Remark : Now why would you go and do something like that, hm? I was going to kill you easily too, but then you had to go and make me mad."

Zabuza was unable to do anything in resistance when HK rolled him over onto his stomach, lying on the arm that hadn't previously been dislocated. The one that had however, was in easy reach of the Droid. With an agonizing slowness, HK gripped his defeated opponent's wrist and twisted it slightly, lifting so it was at a bad angle for the man lying in the blood-sodden dirt. The Droid put one taloned foot on Zabuza's back, directly next to his shoulder, and leaned down to whisper into the man's ear quietly.

"Sarcastic Request : Could you do me a favor? One of your blows seems to have impaired my hearing. Do you think you could scream nice and loud for me, so I can hear it clearly?"

The man closed his eyes and bit his tongue, determined not to give the sadistic monstrosity the satisfaction of hearing him scream. He would have been disappointed with himself, had he been conscious.

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : Naruto -

While his initial plan had been to wait until the girl tired from Chakra loss of the technique she was sustaining, it seemed to be taking forever. At least ten minutes had passed since she had began and she was only just starting to slow down! Hell, he had even had time to give orders to the -50s, who had called in while he was still trying to protect himself from the deadly needle-rain. He had never been happier to wear his armor, honestly.

Still, when the girl showed no signs of stopping any time soon, he decided it was as good a time as any to press the attack. Sheltering his vulnerable eyes from the needles as best he could with only one arm, Naruto lashed out with the other with a powerful concussive blast of the Force. Despite the energy behind the attack though, the mirror he had targeted only shook and creaked, but didn't break or even crack. Whatever they were made out of, it was more than simple ice or glass.

'Shit, how the hell am I supposed to break those stupid mirrors? Push doesn't work, my knives won't do anything, and my Master's haven't taught me any techniques other than that and...'

For a moment he honestly wanted to hit himself for being such a moron. He had in his disposal two particularly useful techniques that if combined were exactly what he needed to change the situation for the better.

Easily connecting to the Force within him, Naruto threw up a barrier much more powerful than the one he had used against Sasuke's Katon technique, especially since he had had plenty of time to practice since then. Sure enough, the bubble was strong enough to repel the steel needle-rain for a short while, though he didn't necessarily want to test it out during such dire circumstances.

Using the break afforded to him by the defensive technique, Naruto channeled his energy inward to a technique he had only ever seen and used in his dreams.

Haku was confused. No one had ever been able to survive his Demon Mirrors before! Ever! Even Zabuza-sama had admitted that he would be hard-pressed to escape such a technique if it was used against him. Despite that though, this boy was simply shrugging it off. It may have been in part, or exclusively, due to the fact that whatever armor the boy was wearing under his clothes was completely impenetrable. The only vulnerable area she had been able to discern was the face, but he was protecting it with his arms and she couldn't get a clear shot.

Still, she hadn't been thrown off and she kept up the attack in the hopes that he would make a mistake at some point, and she could exploit it for everything it was worth. Just when she was starting to think it was impossible, he had gone and done... whatever it was he had done. She felt some kind buzzing sensation that made her hairs stand on end, and then the air around the boy had rippled and suddenly her needles couldn't even touch the boy. Instead they were being stopped in mid-air!

As though it were all part of some master plan, the kid had stood up, brushed himself off, and closed his eyes while building the same kind of energy she had just felt, though this time it seemed... darker. Whatever he was doing, she doubted it would be good for her, so she redoubled her attacks. She didn't have much time left either. She was already slowing down and she had almost stumbled more than once. The drain of her Ice Mirrors was far heavier than she would ever let anyone except Zabuza know, and it was tiring her out quickly. Hopefully she could break his damned bubble before he finished that technique of his before her Chakra gave out.

After a few agonizingly long seconds of preparation, Naruto finally felt himself ready to call upon the technique taught to him by his forbidden Master. The shadows seemed to crawl out of the very soil around him to meet his hand. He could feel a dark coldness when they traveled along his arm to focus at the center of his palm before pulsing outward, growing longer and solidifying. After a suitable amount of time, Naruto broke the defensive technique surrounding him and popped his neck, brandishing his Spear of Midnight Black proudly. Turns out the training in his mind carried over into his body after all.

With a fast lunge, Naruto closed the distance between himself and the mirror closest to him. A single sharp thrust was all it took for the foul energy of the Spear to penetrate and shatter the mutated energy of the Chakra construct that made up Haku's Ice Mirror. Just as Haku began to despair, Naruto began to grin. Oh yeah, now it was party time.

Haku could only watch on in fear and terror as one by one the blond before her destroyed each and every one of her Ice Mirrors effortlessly. With each one that was broken, her technique weakened as did her ability to travel between them. Eventually she couldn't even do that and she had no choice but to abandon the technique. When she jumped from the last mirror, her position was enough for her to have a clear view of her Master and Idol's own fight. He was on his knees, bleeding heavily with an almost defeated air about him. She couldn't watch for long as Naruto was still attacking her with that spear of his that he had conjured out of nowhere, and she jumped back. As she evaded the blow however, she could have swore that Zabuza had just been knocked down by a vicious punch, courtesy of that red thing he had been fighting.

Naruto saw Haku see what was going on in the fight between their separate friends, and his heart broke for the girl, but he didn't know what to do for her. Zabuza was not going to give up and neither was HK. Their fight was one to the death, and Zabuza was going to lose. Plain and simple. Hoping to distract her before she was forced to watch what was coming, he dispelled his spear and charged at the girl, shoulders down and protecting his vitals with his arms just like Kyle had taught him. Haku panicked at his frenzied approach and threw wave after wave of needles at him. Against his armor however, they simply bounced off, and he closed the distance easily.

His tackle caught her dead center, and she collapsed under his weight easily. Using his superior body mass to his advantage, Naruto pinned her to the ground and stared forcefully into her eyes, connecting to the Force while doing so.

"Haku, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

As she stared into his eyes, she could hardy understand his words before she felt her consciousness slip away as though someone had pulled a plug somewhere in her mind. The last thing she heard before she went under was a familiar voice crying out in shattering agony. A cry that sent a wave of pain through her that she hadn't felt in so many years.

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : Sasuke -

Sasuke drug the unconscious body of Gozu over to his brother and lay them side by side. Together in defeat, the Uchiha took the moment afforded him to smirk victoriously. Once again those weaker than him were on the ground at his feet while he stood tall. Everyone he was protecting was still safe too! How's that for an achievement?

He glanced around to check up on his two non-combatant charges and was pleased to note that they were, in fact, both still alive and healthy. He was also somewhat surprised to see that Kakashi had returned already and was apparently just sitting back and watching the show. He took no small amount of satisfaction in knowing that his Jonin Sensei hadn't seen fit to step in and interfere, meaning he had the situation fully under control.

He already knew that of course, it was just good to know that Kakashi knew it as well.

With his gloating over personal victories over, Sasuke finally deemed it fit to check up on his final teammate and his good mood bled away. There in the boy's hand was some kind of weapon he had never seen the blond carry before, nor use. A long spear, completely black with a cruel twisted head at the end. The boy was using it with a fair amount of skill to shatter a large dome of mirrors composed entirely of ice, each of which had a reflection of Haku in it.

Sure he was surprised to see that Haku was actually a girl, but he also smirked to himself when it meant that Naruto was having problems, or had been at least, fighting a girl. Still, regardless of whatever had been going on earlier, it was obvious that he was wrapping up the fight.

His attention was ripped away from the odd sight of Naruto straddling the girl and staring at her when a piercing cry split the air. With a jerk he turned to the fight he should have been watching. That between Naruto's red slave and Zabuza himself. The end of the fight was more than clear, Zabuza was lying face down in a pool of his own blood with an arm completely ripped out of its socket and dangling wetly, still attached by a strip of ligaments. That fight was over, and Zabuza wasn't getting back up.

Sasuke forced himself to rip his gaze from the bloody view when Kakashi called out to him, and he dragged the Demon Brothers along with him, dropping them next to where Naruto laid Haku gingerly.

"Alright you guys, I knew you could handle it and I'm glad that I was right. You all did really well in your fights and assignments, and I'm proud of all of you. Now, why don't you secure those three and we head downtown and see what we missed, yeah?"

Tying the three up was no problem thanks to their unconscious state, and Naruto felt more than comfortable handing them over to HK-47 to take back to Tazuna's house, though Kakashi eyed him strangely. With the Droid transporting the prisoners back to the safe house, the rest of them packed up and started for the city at a pace quick enough to arrive soon and leisurely enough for the two boys to recover from the exhaustion nagging at their limbs.

The peaceful pace was not to last however, when Naruto's comm link barked to life.

"Warning : Master, the guard, Inari, and Tsunami are all missing. There are signs of a struggle, though there are two dead bodies that are obviously some of Gato's men here. Suggestion : It might be logical to assume that they have departed to check the situation downtown, as I didn't see them on my way here."

Naruto's eyes flared up with fear and worry and he swore loudly to himself before fueling his legs with as much Force energy as he felt comfortable using. While he ran he gave HK the order to stay with the prisoners and await orders there. He barely had time to switch channels before he was talking to the -50s, giving them the order to attack immediately. He didn't tell them why the change in plan, and they didn't ask.

Kakashi saw his wild card student dart off, and he followed easily, gaining in seconds.

"Naruto! What do you think you are doing? You need to stay with the team!"

Naruto's frenzied pace didn't slow at all, though the look in his eye spoke volumes when he turned to look at Kakashi.

"They've gone to the city!"

The Jonin didn't need to ask who, he simply slowed down to inform Sasuke and Sakura, and to lift Tazuna and start running with him, clearing ground much faster than the old man could alone. While he didn't know exactly why Naruto was as scared as he was, he knew that a war zone was no place for a kid and his untrained mother.

XxXxXxX

- Gato's Fortress : Rebels -

When their Master's order came through, the Droid's wasted no time in informing those under their charge. As one the four units funneled into the building and followed their separate paths through the building, taking out the stragglers that had either survived the attack or had managed to hide and wait it out. The occasional ambush set up by the waiting mercenaries was easily countered, thanks to the superior armor and weapons the men and women had been gifted with. Many of Wave's invaders died with a stunned expression when their swords failed to penetrate the thin armor, and when their own weapons were sheared in half easily with the humming swords of their enemies.

If things continued going this well, the battle could be over without a single casualty! That was a thought that spurred on those fighting for their very homes, encouraged already by their success. The battle march continued onward to the staircase leading to the top floor. Gato's business room. Rebel guards had been placed outside each entrance to watch for anyone trying to leave, ensuring that Gato could not have slipped past them. He was definitely in there, and they were going to bring him out.

Inside his business room, Gato and the last surviving mercenaries were all that remained of their once ample forces. For the last fifteen minutes the gathered men had been forced to listen to their comrades die by those damned blasts. Judging by the way the sounds had gotten louder before cutting out completely, whoever was eliminating their men was getting closer.

"Gato-san, they are almost here. If you have anything planned, I would suggest you do it now because they will be here soon."

The short business man was in a near panic at this point, and he was sweating heavily. The scarred mercenary that was in his face giving him orders wasn't helping him either.

"What! What do you want me to do? Do you think I have some hidden weapon here somewhere, you moron!"

"No sir, but maybe we should start thinking about lasting effects."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"My friend is the best archer you will ever see. If we can manage to hide him in your safe well enough, we can leave him up here while we are taken prisoner. When they take us outside their leader will come out to see us. When they do, he will take the shot. Their leader will not live to see sunset."

Though the idea sounded good to Gato, he still frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"And the rest of us?"

The mercenary's shrug wasn't reassuring, but he didn't really have much of a choice.

"Fine, do it. But your man had better not fail."

"Don't worry, he won't."

The necessary preparations were made, and when they heard the sounds of heavy footsteps on the metal stairs leading to the door, each one of them in the room tightened their grip on their swords. They might not survive, but they weren't going down without a fight, that much was for damn sure.

Naruto's team arrived at the Rebel's main camp about the same time as Tsunami and her -50 guard. Kakashi allowed Tazuna to drop to the ground hastily, thanks to the rather sickly green tinge he was sporting. While Tazuna was trying to fight his heaves, Naruto approached Tsunami's guard in a rage.

"What the hell do you think you are doing here? I told you to stay at the house and protect Tsunami and Inari!"

The Droid refused to be cowed and stood proud, staring right back at his irate Master.

"I am protecting them. You never ordered them to stay, and it is my duty to make sure they are safe. I couldn't do that if I was still at their home and they weren't now, could I?"

For a moment Sasuke thought Naruto was going to use his strange powers to rip the machine in half, but the boy just took a deep breath and palmed his face.

"Yeah, I guess that's right. I wasn't specific enough. But still, do you honestly think that a BATTLE ZONE is a suitable place for a kid and his mother!"

"Well... uh..."

"No? I didn't think so. Get out of my sight. I swear, if anything happens to those two because of their presence, I will make an example of you. Do you understand me?"

The -50 nodded in a jerking motion and Naruto stormed away from it before he destroyed it outright. Not for the first time, it started to wonder if it had made a terrible mistake.

The moment she saw Team Seven arrive with Kakashi carrying her father on his back, she had put Inari on his feet and ran to meet him. Her first instinct was to hug the him, but Kakashi's warning was enough to stop her from doing anything to further instigate Tazuna's nausea.

"Father, what's wrong? Why do you look so ill?"

The old man just laughed weakly and waved her off.

"I'm fine, just not used to seeing the ground and trees whiz by that fast. These ninjas can run pretty fast when they want to, I"ll tell you that."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and smiled with one eye, crinkling upwards.

"Mah, sorry about that but we had to hurry and you would have slowed us down. We weren't sure if Tsunami was in danger or not, after all."

"Actually, that's a thought. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the house, safe?"

Now that she was sure her father was safe and sound, she felt herself starting to get weak again.

"Two men came after you had left. Swordsmen sent by Gato, I think. They... they were going to kill Inari! That Droid killed them both, but when they showed up I was so afraid. I started thinking about how hurt you might be and that I wouldn't be able to help you if you were. Then the Droid said something about the fight in the city, and that you were gone, and I assumed the worst!"

Tazuna drew his daughter into his arms when she started to cry again, and he rubbed her back comfortingly. She had barely calmed down when an out of breath messenger ran up to them.

"They did it! They captured Gato and they're bringing him out now!"

Everyone in the gathered group looked at each other quickly before following the messenger back through the crowds.

Naruto stood proudly as the two surviving mercenaries and Gato were brought under heavy guard. One HK-50 Droid was walking behind each with a blaster rifle practically digging into their neck. The seriousness of the situation was reinforced when one of the hapless men tried to escape. His break for freedom was ended quickly and brutally when his guardian dropped him with a clean shot to the back. After that the two remaining were docile and followed their commands without struggle.

Gato and his last mercenary were brought before Naruto, and with a swift kick to the back of the leg, they were brought to their knees before him. The fear in the man's face drained away quickly when he saw that the person in front of him was only a young man.

"You? You're the one that these jokers answer to? You're just some piss-ant kid!"

Naruto's punch could have broken his nose for all he knew, and for the first time in many years Gato tasted his own blood. His rage outweighed his anger, and Gato screamed at him.

"You son of a bitch! Don't you know who I am!"

The boy leaned down and clamped his fist around Gato's chin.

"Yeah, I do. But you don't know who I am. I am the guy who got sick and tired of your shit and gave these people the equipment they needed to drive you out of their city and defend their home. I am the one who will help these people rebuild everything you have destroyed, and I am the one who will make sure they are protected from now on."

His words only made Gato smile cruelly.

"Oh yeah? And who's going to protect you?"

"Warning : Master! There is a sniper still in the building!"

The warning came to late for Naruto to throw up a defense and the Droid's were too far away from him to block the shaft. Even then, it wouldn't matter. The chances of the shot being enough to penetrate his chest plate was little to none. He knew that, his Droid's knew that, and every rebel that had been gifted with his armor knew that. Hell even Inari knew that since he had been present when Naruto had shown off what it could do that morning. The only ones who didn't know were Gato, his mercenary, the sniper in the tower, and...

"No!"

His head snapped to the side at Tsunami's cry, and he was horrified to see her jumping between him and the faceless shooter in the building behind Gato. The short distance between him and her was enough for her to position herself in front of him before the bolt reached him, but even as he reached out to knock her out of the way, he knew it was too late.

The crossbow bolt punched through her ribcage but stopped before exiting, though the tip could be seen through her back. The world seemed to slow down for Naruto at that moment. He didn't hear someone's cry for a medic. Nor did he hear Inari's scream for his mother. He barely even registered the sound of a blaster shot close to his ear, indicating HK-47 firing at the sniper. The only thing he could feel was the warm wetness that now coated his hands, the blood that was pouring from the wound. The bolt had gone straight through her lung, and he could already tell from the way her Force Aura was dimming that she wouldn't be alive when the medic arrived.

She was too weak to say anything, but her expression said it all. The fear and sadness for both herself and her son broke Naruto's heart, and for the first time in a while he didn't know what to do.

Inari cried out when he saw his mother get shot, and he rushed to her side as quickly as he could.

"Mom? Mom!"

He shook her arm, trying to wake her up but her skin was so cold!

"Mom! Wake up! You gotta wake up! We won Mom, we won."

"I—Inari. My baby boy..."

The boy didn't bother trying to wipe away the tears streaming down his face.

"Please be okay, Mom. I need you! Grandpa needs you!"

His mother smiled softly and patted his cheek, smearing blood along his face and mixing it with the hot tears.

"I know baby. I'm so sorry. But you have to be strong now, okay?"

Inari shook his head fiercely, denying the stupid things his Mom was saying. She was going to be okay, she just needed to stop talking like she wasn't.

"I'm... I'm so proud of you, sweetie. You've grown into such a big boy, and I'm so proud to be your mother."

Tsunami winced as she coughed violently, trying to clear the fluids building up in her lung. It was getting hard to breath and every spasm sent jolts of pain through her entire body.

"I know you'll be fine. Wave is free now. You can be happy and safe!"

"Mom, I'll never be happy if you go!"

The young woman smiled gently, rubbing her son's cheek again before she lost the strength to keep her arm elevated.

"I love you, Inari-kun. Take... take care of your grandfather, okay?"

The boy nodded, unable to speak anymore. Still, even though his throat hurt and he felt like he was going to throw up everything he had ever eaten, he tried to be strong for his mother.

"I know, I love you too Mom. And so does Grandpa. I love you!"

His words grew in volume to a scream when his mother's grip weakened and her hand went slack. With his heart ripping, he watched as the familiar light in his mother's eyes flickered and died, leaving hollow orbs in it's place.

"Mom? Mom! Somebody, please! You gotta help me!"

As though responding only to his cries, a number of men and woman all crowded around him and his mother, trying to save the young woman's life. A cold pair of rust red, metal arms lifted him up and away from his Mother, and he screamed and bit and clawed at them as hard as he could. It was all in vain, and when he was set back on his feet there was a thickening throng between him and his mother, who he had seen for the last time.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the face of Gato, who was trying to slip away through the confusion and escape. The only thing Inari saw though, was the cruel grin he had. He was happy! His mom was dying, and the bastard was happy!

With a rage he couldn't explain the young boy reached out to the Droid that taken from his mother, and he took the strange weapon attached to it's hip. The cold metal was heavy and foreign in his hands, but he had seen enough to know that he had to pull the trigger and point it to make that red beam come out of the other end, and that was enough. Adrenaline pumping through his veins and rage blinding him to everything but the fat bastard crawling away from his Mother, Inari ran as hard as he could.

"STOP!"

He wouldn't remember yelling the word, but he would always remember the look of fear on Gato's face when he turned to face Inari. Like when he had faced Naruto before him, Gato grinned when he saw the young boy.

"Are all you damn rebels kids? How the hell did those damn mercenaries lose?"

"Shut up! You killed my Mom!"

He pointed the weapon at Gato, but the man just kept grinning.

"I wasn't the one to make the shot, but you know what? I wish I was! I wish I could have seen the look on that whore's face when she-"

The man's malicious words were silenced when the blaster shot rang out, clear as day. Gato's triumphant grin slowly turned to one of horror and then agony as he cradled the gore that had previously been his stomach.

"She didn't do anything and you killed her!"

The boy fired again, and the shot hit Gato in one leg, burning straight through to the bone. The man's face was a sickly pale now, and he had yet to make a sound except throaty gurgling.

"It's your FAULT!"

The boy kept squeezing the trigger, watching as those beautiful red beams reached out again and again to hit the man and everything around him. He wasn't sure how long he was shooting before the gun was wrenched from his hands and he was thrown to the side, but when he was he didn't have the strength to resist. Inari felt an exhaustion invade him that he had never felt before, and all he wanted to do was fall asleep and never wake up. Even the hard dirt felt soft when he hit it, and he didn't even bother to open his eyes. Someone might have said something to him, but he didn't know who it was. He didn't care either, his mom was dead. Nothing mattered now.

XxXxXxX

- Bridge : ? -

A dark figure approached the broken and bloodied body that had once been Momochi Zabuza, the proud Demon of the Bloody Mist. His thick cloak whipped violently in the heavy breeze, and his boots squelched thickly in the blood-soaked earth. He knelt beside the body and placed a hand on the corpse's back. He made a quiet noise of satisfaction to himself and a red energy reached out from his hand toward the body. As though prompted by the malicious haze, Zabuza's skin near the worst of the wounds twitched and wavered before reaching out to close the gap and mend together. In moments the life threatening wounds were closed and Zabuza's chest jerked as near-dead lungs filled with air once more.

"Awaken, Demon."

Zabuza grunted painfully as he returned to consciousness. He tried to wipe the blood from his face and check the damage to his jaw, but his right arm was refusing to obey him. Fighting his exhaustion, he turned his head to the side and he grunted again when he saw the bloody hole that where his arm used to be.

Before he could continue his self-analysis, a strange tremor ran through him, and he pushed himself to his feet, regardless of his own will. The only way he could explain it, was as if his body knew he had to do something that his mind didn't. Gritting his teeth through the agony, Zabuza forced himself to stand and braced himself so he wouldn't fall, his remaining arm grasping at his shoulder.

Only when he was on his feet did he realize he was not alone. Whoever stood before him must have been the one to revive him. He had been at the brink of death and he knew it. There was no way he could have survived the fight without extravagant measures, let alone in the same pool of blood he had passed out in. This man had something to do with it, and he needed to know what.

"What... what have you done?"

"I have saved your life, Demon. That makes it mine. Kneel."

The command tore the energy he had felt from his legs, and he dropped down to his knees, bracing himself with his arm.

"Why... why do you do this? Why did you not let me die?"

"Because I need you to fight, Demon. This is something you have trained to do your entire life. You are born and bred to it, like no predator before you."

"You want me to find that red thing? And you want me to kill i-"

"No, that you shall not do. The Droid is only a pawn, nothing more. The real threat is the blond one your apprentice fought and failed to defeat."

"Haku! Is she..."

"No, she is not dead. She is with the one you will serve, and she will be taken care of. Of that you need not worry. As for the boy, you will not bring harm to him and if you do I shall break you. Even your strength and passion will not protect you if you bring harm to the boy, know this."

The man's voice was hard and left no room for compassion or negotiation. Zabuza could tell that he could do exactly what he promised, and that he wouldn't hesitate to follow through. Zabuza bowed his head under the pain of his wounds and the hatred he felt toward the man who would give him orders.

"Kill me. I cannot bear the weight of owing one my life. Kill me, or I swear I shall kill you."

His weakness prevented much of the malice to reach his voice, and he could practically feel the man standing over him laughing.

"The life-debts of your people. I could feel it within you when I saved your life. Know this, unlike others, as long as you serve me faithfully I will never show you mercy. No pity. But above all this, I promise you an end to your debt. When the time will come, I will tell you what you shall do. When I have deemed you ready, I will release you from your debt. For now you shall come with me and I will prepare you for what is to come. You are pathetic, you are weak, but I will strengthen you."

Zabuza bit back a moan as a terrible tremor wracked his body. Every wound he had taken ached horribly, and he could still feel the blood leaking from the slash across his chest. For all his attempts at hiding his pain, the man above him noticed.

"The pain shall pass. I was able to heal some of the wounds, but the rest must remain. You will need that pain when you train, and it will give you strength for the fight yet to come."

Zabuza groaned, no choice but to accept his fate. The life-debts of the Seven Swordsmen demanded it of him. When the life of one of their own was saved by an outsider, they were sworn to serve that man or woman until they either saved their life in turn, or until the price had been paid in servitude or wage. His travels across Fire and Water countries had left him almost bankrupt and he was in no position to save his life, so his path was pre-chosen.

"Where... where are you taking me?"

"I will tell you where you must go. If you survive the journey, your path will become clear. But first, I must prepare you for what is to come."

Once more the strange red energy flowed from the cloaked figure, and this time Naruto wasn't unconscious to protect himself from the pain. For the second time that day, he announced his pain and rage to the world.

---

A/N : And voila, a special extra long chapter for the battle of the bridge. I hope I did it justice, though I can't help but feel disappointed with how it turned out. *Shrugs* Oh well, what can you do? Also, I want to apologize for the time it took to get this chapter out. It ended up being a little bit longer than I had anticipated (By about five thousand words) but I hope that won't deduct from the experience too much. I am not sure how long subsequent chapters will take because I am going to be out trying to find work for the next... however long it takes me to find one. Wish me luck!

As always, feel free to review or drop me a P.M. If you want to discuss anything in the fic, though I'm not going to lose any sleep if you don't. I will probably go back and review this chapter in the next couple of days or so, so if you see any plot holes, leaps, or major grammatical boo-boos, I will hopefully have them fixed soon enough. As an additional side not, some of you might have noticed a couple of linked images on my profile page. Those will lead to some representations to help with imaging, in case you want to know what to see when I mention them. I will add to it as time goes on, so keep checking back. You never know.

How will Naruto cope with the blood of an innocent on his hands? What effects will his mother's horrific death have on young Inari? Who was the robed man that saved Zabuza's life? And what is to become of Haku at the hands of Naruto and HK-47? ….okay, you know what? Forget that last question. Poor girl.

Stay Frosty...
- Nikolai Carpathia