Haruto and Ruby set off from their shelter, abandoning it since they were leaving Wave today regardless if they managed to get the two Seven Swordsmen's blades or not.
With a simple Doton Jutsu, Haruto had brought the entrance in on itself, covering their tracks and ensuring that no one could enter it without a few hours of digging. Picking up his bag, Haruto slung it over his shoulder and pulled his mask, which had been sitting on the top of his head, down over his face. This time it was a new mask, one that was a simple, smooth porcelain mask.
Ruby was already waiting for him, a big grin on her face.
"C'mon! Let's go! Let's go!" She was visibly trembling in excitement but Haruto wasn't sure if it was because she was itching to pick a fight, something she hadn't done in some time, or if she wanted to pick up new toys. Either way, it would end poorly for the opposition. Ground rules had been set though, with Haruto making sure that Ruby promised not to harm the Konoha shinobi grievously or permanently. "I can't wait any longer!"
"Calm down, Ruby." Haruto tried to placate the eager woman, "We're leaving now, just give me a—"
With alacrity, Ruby ignored Haruto's words and bounced off, leaving a sighing Haruto behind who immediately made haste to chase after her.
When it was about time to reach the end of the bridge, Kakashi halted the group again and addressed them.
"Keep your eyes and ears peeled at all times." The Genin perked up at that, darting their eyes around the bridge and scanning their surroundings. "While they might not be here today, it's better safe than sorry to have most of us here to protect Tazuna. Naruko, would you—?"
"On it!" She brought her hands up and crossed her fingers. Multiple clones burst into existence and stood around their group before she commanded them. "Alright ladies. You know what to do! Groups of two's in all directions. Spread out and keep watch!"
"Got it, boss!" The clones saluted her before they started running towards their respective sides of the bridges and jumped right off without fear, yipping and whooping as they fell towards the calm sea below.
"Alright, now that we have surveillance down, I want us to split up into the new groups and make sure that the bridge is safe."
Haruto had caught up to Ruby not too long after she had set off running, and they both reached the bridge together.
"So how are we doing this again?"
"I thought I told you?"
She shamelessly grinned at him, "I was distracted."
Haruto would've put his face into his hands, but with his mask on that wasn't possible. "We'll do a flank. I'll go from below and come up from the other side while you just head straight down. Knowing Kakashi, he'll most likely send Tazuna away once Zabuza reveals himself. More than likely, he'll be protected by someone, probably Kurenai since Gai is a heavy hitter and is more suited for taking Zabuza or Raiga on in battle. So unless you can handle a fresh faced Jonin and her team without killing them..."
"Of course I can," She bragged proudly, "I'm way stronger than I was before..." Her boasting died down and she blushed slightly before giving Haruto a genuine smile. "Thanks to you."
"I am a good teacher, aren't I?" He playfully jabbed at her, causing Ruby to scowl and punch his shoulder lightly.
"Shut up." She lost her scowl as she faced the bridge, smile growing on her face by the second. "I'll see you later at our rendezvous point."
"I'm surprised you remember that."
"Oh, fuck off." Haruto chuckled at Ruby's irritation, glad that she was tasting the very medicine she force-fed him constantly. Not that he minded it.
With that, he waved goodbye for now and jumped off the side of the cliff, plunging through and vanishing into the misty airs that surrounded Wave. Ruby stared at where he had vanished and silently bid him good luck and hoped he returned back to her safely.
Clearing her mind of thoughts related to Haruto, she started to run, past the shelter and onto the bridge itself, planning out what she intended to do when she met Naruko.
Without having to walk at a slow pace with an entire group, the clones of Naruko were considerably faster, running all the way to the end of the bridge long before Team Konoha had reached it. As with most sentient beings, the clones had grown bored despite the situation and had begun to play "I Spy" with each other.
"I spy with my little eye..." The clone took a gander at her surroundings, trying to find something she could use. "Something white."
"Fog."
"Damn it." The first red haired girl snapped her fingers in frustration and frowned when her clone got it right.
"My turn. I spy with my little eye... something... foggy."
The clone thought about it for a moment, rubbing her chin as she pondered about the question deeply. "Is it the sea?"
"No, you idiot." The other clone fired back, "It's the fog."
"The fuck did you just call me? I'm you, idiot!"
"Yeah, well you're me too, dumb ass."
"You wanna fight me?!"
"Bring it you—" Then the clone's eyes moved behind the shoulder of her fellow clone and widened in surprise, "Oh shit!" A blue, thin senbon stabbed her right in the neck and she fell back for a moment before bursting into a cloud of smoke, dispelling and vanishing. The other clone, caught off-guard by the other clone's "death", turned around and found herself impaled by twin blades.
"Gah!" In a second, she too went up into smoke and vanished, leaving behind a rather unsatisfied Raiga, an annoyed Zabuza and an indifferent Haku.
Raiga sneered, pulling himself back from his stabbing position. "Well... It looks like they're already here."
Zabuza grunted and began to scale the unfinished bridge with speed, intent on chasing away the damned workers.