Naruto World as Vulpix

Battle on the Bridge

(Sorry it's taken forever to get this chapter out. Between work and appointments I haven't had much time, let alone I'm going through a little writers block at the moment so doesn't help matters either.)

Morning had finally came, the team was getting up and ready to head out. Well, all except for Naruto, who was currently still sleeping. Kakashi had decided to let Naruto rest more and regain his chakra more.

As the group approached the bridge, the workers were all down.

"What's going on here?!" Tazuna fearfully questioned.

A mist began to roll I'm and cover the bridge. Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he looked around. Suzuki rolled down off Kakashi's shoulder to give him more room to move around.

"I see you still have those brats with you. And that one is still shaking." Zabuza smeared amused.

"I'm shaking with excitement." Sasuke smirked.

Zabuza made a bunch if water clones before Kakashi nodded to Sasuke and he shot forwards, easily taking down the water clones.

"It seems like you have some competition, Haku." Zabuza smirked under his mask.

"So it seems." Haku muttered getting ready.

Sasuke and Haku kept at each other, their speed evenly matched. As Sasuke used his kunai to deflect the senbon thrown at him, the two locked in a stand still. Sasuke was smirking but Haku was not affected.

"I've got you now, you can't make any hand signs." Haku mocked.

"Neither can you."

Haku then raised one hand, quickly making single handed signs, the water beneath them raising, freezing and forming needles.

"A Thousand Needles of Death!" Haku jumped back.

Sasuke barley dodging the ice needles. The two went further away from where Kakashi and Zabuza were currently fighting. When Haku made a dome of ice mirrors, Kakashi tried to run to Sasuke to help, though Zabuza was keeping him from going any closer to the two.

With Kakashi unable to help Sasuke, Suzuki decides that she will help him. Running over towards Sasuke she scans the outside of the ice. When Sasuke shouts in pain, Suzuki tilts her head back. Fire building up before she lowered her head opening her mouth. The flames licking over the ice, slightly melting the mirrors.

Haku had taken that moment to jump out if the mirrors and kick Suzuki in. He couldn't risk her becoming an issue from the outside, when he could deal with her inside the mirrors. With Sasuke and Suzuki in the mirrors, it kept one from being an issue while Zabuza fought with Kakashi, and Sakura guards Tazuna.

With needles flying everywhere, they'd nick and pierce the two. Sasuke groaning in pain and Suzuki whimpering. Suzuki was having troubles standing as Sasuke was trying to find a way out. That's when Naruto randomly showed up. Shouting that he was finally there to help, only for Zabuza to launch a kunai at him, and Haku to deflect it. Haku then telling Zabuza that he wanted to deal with the boy his way. Naruto being the oblivious numb-skull he is, enters the ice mirrors without any plan.

This angered Sasuke as the two bickered about it before trying to find ways to escape. Suzuki was doing her best trying to dodge, as Haku's movements were becoming difficult for her to follow. Sasuke had managed to singe the pant leg of Haku's pants, soon awakening his Sharingan.

Suzuki inhaled, getting a flamethrower ready when Haku began throwing needles again. The sudden pain in her front left leg cause her to lose focus and make the fire explode in front of her, sending her backwards. Shakily she stood only to collapse back onto the ground, unable to move anymore. She whimpered slightly as she could no longer help Sasuke and Naruto out and all because of the pain she was in.

As stray needles nearly hit her un-moving form she couldn't help but succumb to the darkness that surrounded her. Not long after Suzuki fell unconscious, Sasuke took the hit for Naruto, protecting him. Falling back, Naruto caught Sasuke before he could get the ground. Naruto was confused and sad. When Sasuke passed out, Naruto was sure he had died. Anger boiled inside Naruto, the Ninetails chakra swirling viciously around him his looks changing with the chakra. The Ninetails slipped from his cage, fueling Naruto anger at Haku.

Kakashi and Zabuza being able to feel the dark chakra of the beast, pause momentarily in their battle. Kakashi fearing that the Ninetails had broke the seal and was set free, but calmed slightly when he realized it had only slipped past the seal a little. Focusing on his battle with Zabuza, Kakashi pulls out a summoning scroll for his ninken.

Naruto punches Haku across the face breaking his mask and revealing who he was fighting. Naruto, shocked, stops his next attack. As Haku explains what Zabuza has gone for him, and why he is no longer useful to Zabuza, Haku asks Naruto to kill him. Only for Kakashi to charge up his chidori ready to finish off Zabuza. Haku sensing this quickly jumps in front of Zabuza, taking the blow of the attack. Kakashi surprised quickly jumps away from Zabuza's sword and places Haku on the ground.

Shortly after their dispute, Gato showed up with more thugs behind him. Zabuza narrowed his eyes as Gato explained that he is useless to him now and he'll have him killed instead. Hate noticing Haku's body walks over to him, still angered by the boy almost breaking his arm he kicks his corpse across the face. This angers Naruto, making him yell at Zabuza, the grown man crying from Naruto's words. Zabuza demanding a kunai from the boy, rips his face bandages off his face, catching the kunai in his mouth.

Zabuza charged towards Gato and his thugs, the thugs stabbing and cutting Zabuza as he killed who ever was in his way. When he finally got to Gato he told him he'd see him in hell before killing him, Gato falling off the bridge. Zabuza began walking back before he collapsed onto the ground. The thugs angry decided they were gonna take what they want from the village, though the villagers showed up ready to fight, along with Kakashi and Naruto making clones, successfully scaring off the thugs. Kakashi walking over to Zabuza, kneels beside him. With a last request Kakashi carries Zabuza over to Haku, gently laying him next to the deceased boy. Zabuza gently raised his hand, stroking Haku's cheek. With a frown he wished he could go to where Haku was going, though saying he could never. Kakashi reassuring Zabuza he would join Haku, as Zabuza closed his eyes, it began to snow.

They all looked up as it snowed. Sakura then questioning where Sasuke was. Naruto only looked away with a sad look. Sakura took off running to where Sasuke was, Kakashi looking in that direction notices Suzuki laying on the ground with senbon stuck in her. Worried he made his way over quickly, sighing slightly at the rise and fall of her breathing. Looking over at Sasuke, he frowns thinking he had lost a student as well. Dark thoughts swirling around about his past before he heard Sasuke quietly tell Sakura to get off him. Sighing heavily he removes the senbon from Suzuki carefully, picking her up and cradling her in his arms.

After carefully burying Zabuza and Haku, team 7 made their way back to Tazuna's to patch up their wounds and recover. Sasuke would be stiff for a few days but he'd service. Though Kakashi was pretty worried about Suzuki, she didn't wake up for an entire day. Her wounds were slowly healing nicely but he couldn't help but worry for her.