A Bridge that Connects Us All: Part Six

{Volume 1 will end next chapter, yay!}

Iroh and Rock Lee stood at a safe distance from Tenten. They weren't sure if she was with Gato or not.

"How unyouthful of you to take an old man hostage!" The bowl cut teen said, raising out a balled fist. He was ready to serve some youthful justice. "Your fiend ways won't work this time, you goon!"

"What are you talking about?" Tenten deadpanned at him. She'd never seen such a weird-looking dude in her entire life. And that bowl cut, my God. And what is with those brows?!

"Don't play dumb with me, you fiend! Hand over that poor, old man or we'll- mmmrhph!" Iroh covered Rock Lee's mouth before he said anything that would escalate the situation even further.

"Please mind my young friend here. He is quite the passionate one," Iroh's voice lowered the tension between them. Tenten felt that the old man's words were honest, but she still held her guard up just in case.

"What're you guys doing here?" The Kyoshi warrior asked.

"A young boy named Inari pleaded for our help to rescue his grandfather and his friends," he answered calmly.

"My grandson?" Tazuna said.

"Ah, so you are his grandfather. It's a relief that you are alright.; Inari was worried about you."

"Well, I'm surprised he even cared that much," Tazuna said, chuckling a bit.

"So, wait. You're really here to help us?" Tenten suddenly asked.

"That's right," Lee nodded enthusiastically. "We're here to stop that bastard, Gato, for good."

"Then I'm going to need your guys help," she said.

* * * * *

"Looks like Haku's finally stepping up," Zabuza smirked.

Naruto held his breath; he heard the gurgling voice of Zabuza, bits of hurt - something about Haku. He heard that name from somewhere, but he couldn't remember where.

Naruto looked towards the frozen dome of mirrors where Suki and Azula were trapped in. He hoped that they could make it out alive; he had faith in them.

Meanwhile, Azula and Suki stood back to back, their wary eyes darted to each mirror. They had no idea what that masked man was planning to do this time.

Suddenly, Haku appeared in one of the mirrors. A silent assassin, he is; cold and emotionless.

"Unfortunately, it looks like I would have to end things here," he said. Haku pulled out two needles and threw them at Azula and Suki.

Blue wall of flames stood tall, protecting the princess and the Kyoshi warrior from harm. Azula learned to watch out for those detestable needles. When her flames died down, they both realized that Haku was gone.

"What the?" Suki stood confused. "Where did he go?"

"Behind you," Haku answered.

As the girls hastily turned around, they were suddenly showered by several needles, slicing through their clothes. Luckily, there weren't fatal damage, only superficial cuts.

"Azula, you alright?" Suki asked in concern.

"I'm fine," she answered. Her eyes kept focused on Haku, waiting on his next move.

He quickly threw more needles, but they were ready for it this time, dodging out of the way at the last second.

Azula blasted several fireballs at the masked man. He was too quick; Azula barely caught a glimpse of him moving from one mirror to the next. She tried throwing fire again and again, but it did little to nothing.

"He's so fast; I couldn't even see him," Suki said.

"Suki, rush him - I got an idea," a smirk made its way to Azula's lips.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Azula," Suki crossed her golden fans over her face. With a moment of hesitation, Suki charged at Haku.

Haku quickly flew out of the mirror, streaking by Suki with needles in hand. However, blue flames made its way towards him before he had any chance to throw them.

"Urngh!" The flames blasted across his chest, shooting him outside his dome of frozen mirrors.

Azula smiled as a trail of smoke rose up from her fingertips. His movements were quick, but with the correct timing and a bit of distraction, she would get her hit in.

Azula felt a tinge of guilt using Suki as bait, but it was necessary.

Haku slid to a stop, his clothes singed black, revealing reddened skin underneath. Haku got back up again as his legs wobbled, but he managed.

"Haku, are you really going to lose here?" Zabuza scoffed at him.

"No," he answered. "I will not." Haku slowly walked into the mirror.

Azula's eyes widened as several images of Haku appeared in the mirrors. Suki was stunned; she'd never seen anything like this before.

A storm of needles suddenly rained down on them. Suki and Azula tried to defend, but there was just too much of them.

"Agh!" Suki shouted, falling to one knee. Blood dripped across her cheeks as she raised her fans to cover her face.

Azula gritted her teeth, her back had several needles pierced through. Her eyes darted around, trying to find the real Haku. She couldn't tell which is which.

"Ah!" Azula screamed in pain as more needles struck her body and arms. Drips of blood splashed on the ground as she got up again.

She looked left. She looked right. Blast it. She was going to destroy this whole frozen dome to kingdom come.

Azula threw her hands out, and a devastating ring of fire burst out from her hands, exploding forth in all directions. Her hot flames shattered the mirrors of ice and exposed Haku.

Azula collapsed to her knees from exhaustion and pain. She just needed to hold out for a bit more. She can't fall here. Not today.

Haku didn't expect this. Not at all. Ordinary flames would barely melt his ice, but her fire... It wasn't ordinary.

Haku couldn't let that stop him now. He looked towards Azula who was on her knees. This was the perfect chance to take her out right now.

"I'm sorry for this," he murmured.

His hand turned frosty as sharp icicles grew over his fingers. With death in mind, Haku threw several icicles at the princess.

Azula saw them coming, but her legs were too wobbly to move out of the way. She couldn't conjure any more fire; her arms were numb and shaky.

'Damn it, move!' Azula screamed at herself. Her heart raced wildly. No, she wouldn't make it!

Then, a shadow loomed over her. Azula looked up in utter shock. It was Suki. She simply looked down at her with a smile. Then, Azula saw trickles of blood ran down from Suki's mouth.

"No..." Azula muttered out. "Why, Suki?"

"A Kyoshi Warrior's duty is to protect others," her voice was faint, almost raspy. "But... more importantly, you're my friend... Azula."

Suki felt the overwhelming pain as Haku's icicles lodged into her back. She was starting to see black. It was drawing near, and she felt her body go numb.

Suki finally closed her eyes.

"No... no!" Azula screamed. She used every ounce of whatever strength she had left to catch Suki from falling down.

Azula clutched Suki tightly in her arms. Her face riddled with panic as she tried shake Suki awake, "Suki, wake up! Please, wake up!"

Even when Azula screamed, her voice couldn't reach the Kyoshi Warrior. Azula gripped Suki tighter. Why...? Why would Suki do something so stupid? Why would she throw her life away like that!

In the midst of her panic, Azula felt something sharp poking her leg. It came from Suki's pouch.

"Your friend is a warrior that deserves respect," Haku said.

Azula glared at the masked man, her golden eyes filled with pure hatred. She gently laid Suki aside and stood up, "I'm going to kill you."

She didn't care about the pain anymore; her mind was filled with the desire to end this man's life.

A jet of fire propelled Azula forward, fueled by pure rage.

'Fast!' Haku grew stunned. In a moment's notice, Azula was already close to him, bending a wave of azure fire at him.

Haku quickly reacted, creating an ice wall to block.

Her flames easily shattered it and swarmed Haku. Haku slammed into the ground like a cannonball. He quickly rolled out of the way as more flames called for his blood.

Azula rushed towards him, brushing off his waterbending with fire. Her fists were wrapped in flames as she threw a barrage of punches at him with everything she had.

Each punch she threw had all of her anger, her rage. Haku could feel the intent behind them as he hastily blocked, his hands were protected with a layer of ice.

However, he could also see openings in her attacks. He knew Azula's anger had clouded her mind. In a blink of an eye, he slipped past one of her punches and threw a devastating right hook.

It connected.

Azula spat out blood, but she looked back at Haku, and a malicious smile formed across her cut lips. Haku was confused at first, but then, he slowly looked down.

Her hand was right at his stomach. Along with a kunai.

"When did she..." His brain finally registered the pain as his clothes were soaked in red. Haku stumbled back as he clutched his wound. "I didn't think... you would be hiding a kunai."

"It was... from Suki," Azula wiped her bleeding mouth, her breaths grew haggard. "I found it hiding in her pouch."

Suddenly, Azula collapsed on her knees from exhaustion. She had already expended all of her strength. This time, she was really spent.

Azula can't fight anymore.

"Looks like this is over," Haku stated.

A sharp ice shard extended out from his hand, almost like a sword, and plodded towards Azula. The kunai had hindered his movement.

* * * * *

"It seems that girl can't keep up anymore," Zabuza said in a mocking tone.

Naruto struggled to break free from his prison but to no avail. His legs failed wildly as he tried to do something, anything. At this rate, he won't be able to escape.

Naruto could feel his lunges burned; he needed air now.

"You won't make it, brat. It's over," Zabuza stated.

"Not on my watch! Youth crash!" Rock Lee suddenly came soaring down from the sky, laying down a crushing dropkick on Zabuza.

"NGGH!" Zabuza flew like a cannonball and crashed into the ground, forming a small crater underneath him.

The prison that trapped Naruto now dissolved into a large water puddle underneath. He soon dropped to the ground, coughing water out of his mouth. Naruto took in huge gulps of air to calm his breathing.

"You alright there?" Rock Lee asked in concern.

"Yeah..." Naruto nodded, standing back up. "Thank you for saving me."

"No need to thank me," he replied, grinning. "You can leave this guy to us!"

Naruto nodded before he bolted towards Azula.

Iroh finally appeared obviously tired. He clasped his knees to catch his breath, "You... you run fast, Lee."

* * * * *

As Haku drew closer to Azula, the ground bursted into golden flames, creating a wall between Azula and Haku. As the fire dimmed down, Naruto stood in front of Azula, protecting her.

"Naruto..." Azula muttered. She gazed at his back, almost in a daze. He felt so strong in front of her.

"Suki!" Tenten suddenly cried out. She ran past Naruto and Azula and dropped next to Suki's body. "Oh, god no..." She held Suki in her arms as tears welled up in her eyes.

Naruto looked back at Suki's body. A flood of emotions flowed through his mind. Shock. Sadness.

Then... rage.

So much rage.

Soon, flashes of red flickered within his blue eyes.