A Bridge that Connects Us All: Part Four

Today was the day he was going to assault the bridge and take over the Shin Khan Fu region for himself.

Gato was garbed in a traditional black and white hanfu with cloud patterns decorated across the sleeves. He wore circular, black shades and smoked a tobacco pipe. Gato sat lazily on the couch with two beautiful women leaning against him. His hands reached lecherously into their robes, groping their voluptuous breasts.

Bandits under Gato's command stood by his side armed with various weapons. Standing before them were several Fire Nation troops with Captain Zemin at the forefront. His gaze threaten to spill blood, but he had held his intent to do so. After all, their goals had aligned them together into a temporary alliance.

The Fire Lord had given Captain Zemin a second chance to redeem himself and capture both traitors. He would do whatever it took to accomplish his mission. If not, then dire consequences would only await him.

Zemin can not allow that to happen. And once he finds them, he was going to make those two traitors pay dearly for his troubles.

Zemin had scoured the lands, searching for any signs of the elusive traitors. He went through ports, villages and towns to find even a lick of trace of them. However, most times, he came up short which only piled up on his frustrations.

Those few traces he found of them were mere hearsay from the locals; they recalled a boy with yellow hair and what looked like to be a harem of beautiful girls. As much as Zemin was pissed, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy.

It was until he met a man named Gato and his group of barbarians, the lot of them. First, it was by a messenger hawk, stating that they have information on the boy. Zemin didn't buy it, but he would agree to meet them anyway.

"My men have informed me that you have located the two traitors," Captain Zemin with a twitch of his eye. This brazen, fat fool had the gall to grope a pair of wenches in his presence. If it wasn't for the information that he sorely needed, Zemin would have slaughtered this fool like a pig.

"It is as you say, captain," Gato blew smoke from his mouth, a smirk formed on his face. "My underlings had discovered them not too long ago during one of their scouting missions."

"If that is so, then tell me where they are now," Captain Zemin demanded. The faster he collected info, the better, and the Fire Lord won't have his head on a silver platter.

"I don't offer information for free, captain, I'm sure you understand that much," Gato replied, squeezing the breasts of his beloved women. They moaned seductively as he pinched and twisted their nipples.

"You will get your five hundred gold in due time as stated in the bounty, Gato," Zemin clicked his tongue in aggravation. "Now, tell me. Where. Are. They." He narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"I don't need that paltry sum of gold," Gato scoffed. "However, what I do require is the Fire Nation personal services, do you understand?"

Captain Zemin suddenly popped a vein over his forehead, his mind boiled in rage. This overweight fool dares to treat the Fire Nation as his personal maid? Who the hell does he think he is? Zemin can not allow Gato to sully the name of the Fire Nation any longer.

"H-How dare you!" Zemin shouted in anger. "To treat the Fire Nation in such a manner! Men, attack!"

A few seconds passed and nothing happened. Why aren't they attacking? Feeling something was off, Zemin quickly turned around to find what the hell was going on. He stood in disbelief as all of his soldiers laid unconscious on the floor. Standing before him were a squad of bandits with robust bodies and sinister grins.

"I'd suggest you tone down that pride of yours, captain," Gato stood up and leisurely walked towards him. "Otherwise, your life may come to an early end."

Sweat trickled down his face as Zemin turned around to face him.

"Let's talk it out like civilized men, shall we?" Gato grew a large grin.

*****

In the early morning, Naruto and the gang walked back to the bridge for the second day of guard duty. The fog blanketed the land around them with visibility of only dozens of yards.

"Man, can I take the day off or something?" Naruto grumpily asked, lazily stretching his arms out. "This whole watchdog duty is gettin' kinda boring."

"Naruto, it's only been two days," Suki said. "Quit being such a baby. This is an important job that we have to do."

Naruto crossed his arms, "Tenten's right; you can be such a mom, sometimes."

Suki quickly bonked him on the head, "I am still a young maiden, thank you very much."

They made it to the bridge after some time. However, Azula and Naruto sensed something was off; it was too silent to be considered normal. There were no chatter or the echoes of construction that were usually present on the bridge. The rest of them didn't sense that anything was off, unlike Azula and Naruto.

"Alright, just keep an eye out and watch for anything- what the hell!" Tazuna stumbled upon bodies of workers laid dead cold and bleeding out. Suki and Tenten gasped in shock as they witnessed the brutal massacre.

"Miss me?" Zabuza asked, he and Haku suddenly appeared from the mist. Everyone was stunned by his sudden appearance with the masked boy next to him.

"You... I thought you were-"

"Dead?" Zabuza interrupted Azula. "Unfortunately for you, demons don't die that easily."

Azula turned her narrowed gaze towards Haku. That's it; it must have been that boy next to Zabuza who had saved him. Where was he during their fight with Zabuza? Hiding?

"Tenten," Naruto pulled out a kunai. "Can you protect Tazuna?"

It was already hard enough to fight Zabuza on his own, now there was another person beside him. If that mysterious person was strong, if not stronger than Zabuza, than their chances of making out of here were slim to none. If it came down to it, Naruto would have to sacrifice himself to ensure everyone else escaped.

"On it," She replied with a nod, pulling the sanjiegun from her waist. "C'mon, Tazuna, let's get you far away from here." Grabbing his hand, Tenten pulled Tazuna along, and they ran towards the other direction, disappearing into the fog.

"Let's finish where we left off, Naruto," Zabuza suddenly threw a pair of shurikens at him. Whistles of cutting air blasted through thick mist as they aimed for a quick death. Zabuza was not playing anymore games this time.

Naruto jumped out of the way of the incoming shurikens, "That's it, punk, you're goin' down!" He charged at Zabuza, firing torrents of wild fire at him.

Blue waves smashed against gold flames, drowning them out into burst of steam. Zabuza took his challenge head on, meeting Naruto in close combat. Kicks and punches let loose while surging water and swirls of flames shot forth.

"You're still no match for me, kid," Zabuza swung his sword downwards only to miss his intended target. Cracks scattered as the Executioner's Blade smashed into thick concrete of the bridge.

"We'll see about that!" Naruto leapt towards Zabuza, using the blade as a spring. "Take this, asshole!" He threw a lightning fast kick.

"Really now? You're too predictable," Zabuza caught his leg in no time at all.

"Am I?" A stream of flame launched from Naruto's feet, blasting Zabuza away.

"Urgh!" Zabuza somersaulted back before sliding to a stop a few distances away from Naruto. "You'll pay for that you, cheeky brat."

Mist spewed out from his mouth, camouflaging himself with the surrounding fog.

"Damn it," Naruto clicked his tongue. "It's that stupid trick again."

*****

Meanwhile, Azula and Suki stood together faced against Haku. They don't know anything about this person, but if he was as strong as Zabuza, then things would be complicated.

"Seems like I have to fight the both of you," Haku said. He slowly raised his hand out. Puddles of water rose up into thin needles that surrounded him.

"Tch, when did water benders start appearing in the Earth Kingdom?" Azula grimaced. Sapphire flames conjured in her hands in preperations.

With a wave of his hand, the ice needles shot out towards Suki and Azula with incredible speed.

"Hmph," Burst of flames exploded forth, melting the ice needles into nothing. "You'll have to try something better than that."

"Then I'll do just that," Haku charged at them as his hair fluttered with the wind.

He was suddenly met with Suki and her golden fans. Echoes of metal rang, as both kunai and fan struggled against each other. Suki sent a flurry of attacks, making good use of her training to practice.

Blocked, dodged and swerve; Haku could see all her attacks coming. The both of them were in a stalemate as they tried to get the upper hand on one another.

"Ngh!" Suki groaned out as she took a hard kick to her stomach.

"You're not a bad fighter," Haku complimented her.

"I could say the same to you, mask man," She replied.

"Are you a shinobi by any chance?"

"No," Suki gripped onto her fans tightly. "I'm a Kyoshi Warrior."

"A Kyoshi Warrior?" He repeated. "What's that?"

"It's someone who protects others," Suki answered.

"Protect others..." Haku mumbled to himself.

"Suki, dodge!" Azula cried out. Suki immediately rolled away as a fireball blast towards Haku.

"Ngh!" The fireball blasted him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.