The Emberdome: Nozomi vs Ryuko & Company

Ryuko swore inwardly to herself. Everything was happening so fast there was no time to think. Nozomi in her current state seemed to have a healing factor of some sort but it was hard to tell just how much punishment it could take before giving out.

The warning she had given to her team was out of concern for their safety and yet it had backfired as what little concern they had for taking Nozomi alive had evaporated now they knew just how much danger they where truly in.

Natsuru had been gunning for blood from the start, but now even Mori was going all out. Ryuko would have thought as a fellow doctor he at least would understand why she had tried so hard to bring in Nozomi alive.

She could still feel the warmth on her wrist from where Nozomi had held her. The moment they had locked eyes with each other they had connected on spiritual level. She could understand just then what Nozomi must have been thinking and the pain she must be going though.

Ryuko was a devote follower of Hakkin but she had never been taught to think of him as the sole singular god in their world. Her studies had included theology and lessons in other religions that where compatibility with his ways, even if they had been merely fairy tales or fables to her at the time.

It was only now that her chakra been linked with someone else that she truly understood the philosophy behind one such religion, known as Ninshu which preached about communication between people without using words.

How lucky was she to stumble someone who might be her soul mate like this? How cursed was she that her own teammates where about to kill her? Ryuko bit her lip in frustration drawing blood. She was unable to do anything as Natsuru attempted to knock the woman she had fallen head over heals for into the burning barrier.

Regeneration would do nothing for her if she was incinerated alive. Ryuko had just been about ready to jump to her rescue but before she could do so Mori moved to finish her off launching several spears of pure electrical energy at the poor woman.

Ryuko had heard that Jinchūriki where tough, but she didn’t think their was any way she would possible survive that combination of attacks. Ryuko looked away, unable to bear witness to Nozomi’s demise.

Holding the tears in check, she could feel the anger within her growing from how shitty this situation had become. The wrath within burned like a blue hot fire, threatening to consume all rational thought but that too she held in check. Her words where the last weapon she had now and she would use them to condemn the one responsible for this tragedy.

Standing up she walked towards the now barrier which by now was surely crumbling from all the force applied to it. Passing thought where it once had been she pointed a finger up at Honkio who was flying on her dragon high above her.

“HEY YOU DRAGON LADY. I WOULD HAVE WORDS WITH THEE” She hollered as loud as she could, doing everything her her power to make sure she had caught the woman’s attention. If only she’d know her name to insure she wouldn’t be ignored.

There was nothing that escaped Honiko's gaze as she watched the gradual intensity of the fight within Emberdome increase. Judging from the way the Vestal Priestess comported herself it was clear that she was fond of Nozomi in a personal and meaningful way. The subtle gestures and compliances offered by Nozomi had told the Dragon Sage more than what the girl might have admitted had she been tortured. Nozomi had revealed her name openly to the group, and indeed it was the first time Honiko had heard it. Her birth name wasn't important as it was more of a representation of who she was before her rebirth but such prior attachments and significations were useful to Honiko. Ryuko, herself, was just another potential pressure point that Honiko could use to mold Nozomi into the acolyte she was destined to be. In time, Honiko would use their connection as a potent weapon aimed straight at the heart of the young Hakkin devotee. When Honiko was through with her she would wish that Nozomi had just collected her head right here and now in the Valley as opposed to the unimaginable mental and emotional anguish that was sure to tear her apart. Honiko was disgusted that the apostate thought herself worthy of the attention of a true acolyte and follower of God. The broiling anger however did not distract her from the reality of the situation.

She watched as Nozomi barreled towards the archer apparently too sentimental to even try to take Ryuko's head in exchange for Yomi's life. She was motivated by the pure hatred she felt towards the impudent long range fighter. It was retribution for the arrows she had fired in hopes of killing her along with the promise of reward from her new leader. Honiko cast a sideways glance as she caught Sakata looking at her. The Jounin was understandably frustrated by the events playing out around him. He could not attack her and risk jeopardizing the lives of his genin in an already dangerous situation. He was studying her and trying to figure out her strategy. For her part she was mildly curious of what he could do when at full power but she wasn't here to test him. Perhaps his time would come closer to the world's appointed hour. For now, she briefly met his gaze and turned her attention back towards the fight. She ignored the blathering questions from the Kid Boy Cloud. He was late and while he posed no threat to her she was not about to explain herself for the third time. If he wanted information he would have to ask Morikawa rather than provoke her with mindless questions.

Nozomi was readily giving into the power of the Tailed Beast in order to survive the lethal onslaught of attacks that  Kumogakure had fired off. The beast was healing her but slowly eating at her senses and it would continue to do this until it was finally free. Honiko could not let this happen. If Nozomi transformed again she would turn completely feral and the Three Tails would be on an nigh irreversible path to being unleashed. The end result would kill everyone aside from Honiko herself and even that was not a certainty given she would have to either fight the beast alone to seal and subdue it or fight it along with fending off any Kumo survivors. Honiko had no intention of letting that scenario occur and so she had resolved to intervene the second it became obvious that Nozomi would be unable to complete her task without totally losing control. Honiko made a seal and gripped her right wrist with her left hand. Each finger on her right hand began to glow with purple flames as she prepped the necessary sealing technique. As she eyed the battle it was clear that Nozomi's window was narrow and small. The Jinchuriki grappled with Natsuru and for a moment it appeared she had the upper hand and was attempting to use an explosive tag along with her chakra arms to rend the limb from Natsuru's body. Honiko allowed herself a grin as she wagered the Kumo genin had no special skills or abilities to best a Version 1 Jinchurikki in close quarters combat. However the grin faded almost as quickly as it appeared. She felt a dark foreboding up her spine that all was not as it seemed. The feeling was shared by her clones who tensed as they predicted Natsuru's counter-attack. There was some kind of supernatural strength and power behind the way she was moving and Honiko's mind raced through options and scenarios before springing into action. Just as Natsuru cocked her arm back to deliver the insane punch the clones shattered the dome. If and when Nozomi was sent flying back from the punch, the dome would already have been eliminated. This meant that Nozomi would not strike its surface and that the clones that had been holding it up were now free to join the fray.

Honiko formed a single seal in unison with the act of the dome's collapse and flickered from Balerion's head to catch Nozomi in mid air. Honiko zipped past the girl but the mouth of her snake-tail bit into the girl's shoulder to slow her momentum and re-orient her position while she soared through the air. The tail and its progenitor winced as they were inflicted with burns as a result of close contact with Nozomi's cloak. The sage bore the pain and slingshoted her body back towards Nozomi, in that split second the snake gripped the clasp of her armour and tore it from her chest with enhanced strength. Honiko would then slam all five digits into Nozomi's trunk aiming for where the seal was located. She could sense its exact location as a result of her Mind's Eye. The demonic chakra leaking from the source up until she slammed her hand into it, jamming it shut and forcing the Three Tails to sit the fuck down and behave itself before it ruined her plans. The force of the blow along with the way it jammed her seal would probably knock Nozomi unconscious. With a final display of unearthly grace and coordination, Honiko would grab Nozomi's wrists and fling her towards Balerion who had taken flight in the same instance. The unconscious, semi-conscious, or fully awake but depowered Nozomi would then be caught in the jaws of the beast. The catch was gentle or at least as gentle as being caught by a dragon could be. No bones were broken and no flesh was charred or marred as Balerion caught Nozomi's form and swung his head back so that she'd land on the dragon's back. Honiko would descend back to the ground but would catch Balerion's tail which had been angled low from the rest of his body as he took flight at an acute angle. Honiko gripped onto the surface using chakra and watched as her clones covered their retreat into the air. The beast flapped its wings and kicked up dust as he ascended further and further into the sky. The ride would be bumpy and if Bayushi wanted to prove he was not totally useless he'd secure Nozomi's body and hold on tight as the creature lifted them into the air with its casket clutched in one of its foreclaws.

During all this Honiko's clones would spring into action. One of the clones would run towards Morikawa at its top speed slide tackling him and interrupting his jutsu by aiming to break his ankles. Either he would be in too much pain to execute the technique or he would be so wildly off target that the Raiton jutsu posed no threat to Nozomi, the real Honiko, or any of the Honiko clones. The clone was imbued with the same sort of spiritual energy that powered Honiko and thus it would use its ethereal snakes to pulverize him with invisible force. If successful Morikawa would be unconscious from the direct blows or perhaps too battered to mount an attack on their retreat.

Another Honiko clone would cross the vast distance to clothesline Ryuko from in front of her. The clone zig zagged so that she would hopefully have a hard time following its attack path. Like its sister clone it made full use of its Sage abilities to pulverize the small girl into submission. Each of the natural energy snakes hoping to collide with her body with enough force to knock her off her feet and into the ground. Either the sweet release of unconscious or the terror of crippling pain awaited her if the blows hit their mark.

With any luck Nozomi had managed to either relieve Natsuru of her arm or leave her so badly damaged and in pain that she would not be able to stop their retreat. This of course would be most fortuitous as Natsuru was the one most capable of doing long range damage maybe not to Balerion himself but Honiko did not want to hedge her bets when it came to herself and her new acolytes. Nevertheless if Natsuru was still in commission a clone would make its way towards her in a rapid dash from behind. The clone would pummel her with its fists and natural energy snakes until she was a bloody and unconscious mess. Unlike the others though this clone would go a bit further. If Natsuru had in fact managed to keep her arm, the clone would slam its foot on her still attached right hand. The act would presumably break a few fingers and her wrist bones. The damage would likely leave her in severe pain but it could be healed by the routine application of Mystical Palm. The act was punishment for assaulting her newest acolyte Bayushi but it was also a respectful gesture. If Nozomi could not take the arm then she would keep it. It was not every day someone went toe to toe with a Version 1 Jinchurikki and not only lived to tell the tale but lived with all four limbs in tact.

If Natsuru was down as a result of Nozomi then the remaining two clones would rush Sakata simultaneously aiming to do what the other clones were in the process of doing to his squadmates. If the Honiko clone had to put Natsuru down itself then she'd join in on the Sakata ambush once it had finished with the archer. Sakata would receive the same treatment, well placed and well timed punches to his trunk and face followed by the invisible strikes of the natural energy snakes. When all was said and done, Honiko aimed to incapacitate the entire Kumo squad so that they could escape.

"Fall and be cursed" she whispered as they would fly from the area.

[Potential Exit of Real Honiko, Bayushi, Balerion, and Nozomi. Leaving Emberdome and the Valley writ Large.]

Honiko Stats:
Strength: C -> B (Perfect Snake Sage Mode)
Constitution: C -> B  (Perfect Snake Mode)
Stamina: S
Speed: B -> A
Coordination: B -> A+ (Perfect Snake Mode)
Intelligence: B
Perception: A-> S (Perfect Snake Sage Mode)


Honiko Clone Stats:
Same

Honiko Used:
Five Elements Seal
Body Flicker Jutsu

Note: Honiko and clones used 1 precog save to predict Natsuru's super punch

As Nozomi's kunai strike came in, she saw that Natsuru was about to attempt to knock her hand out of the way. She was not going to let that happen, would not miss. She was going to punish this girl, maim her. She wasn't getting out of this. Her mere thought was all that was needed. Power flooded through her arm, launching it through the movement at incredibly high speeds, the course already set. It appeared to her as if her own arm simply teleported to Natsuru's sleeve, outspeeding Natsuru by quite a wide margin.

Natsuru's coordination was definitely impressive, comparable to and surpassing Nozomi's even at her best, but it wasn't comparable to this strike, which like Natsuru's own enhanced strength came from a moment of pure desperation, determination. She doubted Natsuru, even if she could react to it, would have expected Nozomi to strike with such a speed, and adjust for that so quickly. From their distance, and from the dedication of Natsuru's own attack, there would be an extremely low chance that she could even dodge out of the way of Nozomi's simple Kunai strike. If it would connect, the blade would lodge into her arm, stuck in between the chainmail and her arm, requiring some amount of force and time to pull it out. The timer was set.

Still, Natsuru's blade would slam into Nozomi, ripping through her armor, driving into her chest, the lung punctured. Even the hilt began to dig into her, which was completely insane, the strength behind the thrust more than she'd imagine. Her eyes opened in extreme shock, the pain absolutely unimaginable, even with the added defense of the cloak and increased endurance it offered. Lifting Nozomi and then launching Nozomi with a punch would force Natsuru to lose precious time to remove the kunai from her arm.

If she was quick, she may be able to remove the kunai before it exploded, but even then, it may end up doing more damage if it was pulled out, as the precious time was ticking away, lost by having launched Nozomi like a ragdoll. To put that amount of force behind it, the body simply had to overextend, and recovery time for that was rather lengthy when every second mattered.

The strike that launched Nozomi would devastate her ribcage, caving it inwards and causing Nozomi to fly backwards through the air. As she flew through the air, Nozomi's vision swam before her, but the healing factor was kicking in. The tanto blade pushed out of her, flying through the air, her blood covering the weapon. The wounds closed up, and her chest pushed back out, no longer caved in. She coughed up blood and felt her movement halt as something bit into her shoulder.

Her vision clouded over and she felt a shove through her mind as the 3 Tails attempted to further take control, to flood more of his chakra through the seal. He was about to succeed as well, her mind clouding over, when Nozomi felt her combat jacket ripped off her, and a hand slammed into her. There was a scream of pain and anger, from both Nozomi and the 3 Tails that issued out, and then everything went dark, the 5 elements seal knocking Nozomi unconscious.

Her chakra cloak dissipated, and she was back to normal once again, as Honiko threw her to Balerion, her limp body unresponsive to anything further. The dragon would catch her and toss her onto it's back, with, hopefully, Bayushi securing her. He might not have been strong, but she was very light, so even he would be able to hold her more than likely.

-Unconscious, V1 ended
- LBP spent to raise Coordination to S Tier


Stats:

Spoiler:

-Potential Exit

It was out of pure surprise to Natsuru when she witnessed the speed of Nozomi in close quarters. She was confident fighting the girl just moments before when she witnessed how she responded to the others attacking her at once. She was subpar at best, which led to her first defeat. Given her newfound rage she was willing to put all of her cards down at once. Given their clash she skirmished with her briefly as both as them moved at neigh untraceable speeds. Her confidence was crushed as her opponent deftly responded to Natsuru's attempt of parry with a riposte of her own. The virgin steel tanto would penetrate Nozomi's abdomen just a second before Nozomi worked her crude iron kunai into the gap of Natsuru's armor, both blades serving their purpose in the end. The heavy kunai would pierce into her flesh easily backed by her superb speed and even make it into her bone just briefly. Natsuru gasped lightly in response, though not letting a minor inconvenience slow her down. The pain and damage was only temporary. If she had aimed towards her heart, liver, or kidney that would be a different story.

Natsuru followed through with her actions as planned bearing through the pain in her arm. As Nozomi let go she saw what she had planned, easily putting two and two together. The kunai was rigged with an explosive tag in an attempt to remove her arm to follow through with the gamble Honiko had in place. Natsuru urgently struck Nozomi to send her far away not having time to relish in her success. Grabbing the kunai by the handle she would wring it from her arm. She was strong enough to remove the thick blade relatively easy, though it caused more damage to the area as blood splattered on the dirt around her, but in times like these she did not have the time to be careful. Natsuru would attempt to throw the blade a distance from herself, though unfortunately, the time was not there. It traveled haphazardly in the air a few feet before her before detonating to its full effect.

Her arms moved briefly to provide some coverage, though this was primarily for shrapnel as the blast would hit her with full force. The orange-red tempest would appear briefly as a small smoke cloud was produced in its wake. Natsuru felt it all. The blast was like being slammed into the ground with force hundreds of times greater. Everything from her skin down to her organs felt the explosion as she was launched back several meters before falling onto the ground and sliding across the earth on her back. Her arms were frozen in front of her face, eyes witnessing half of the kunai blade stuck into her hand and poking out the other side. Her back would arc as she heaved up nearly half a cup of blood from her mouth. The rest of the kunai peppered itself around her body, the mail still protecting herself from the larger pieces of the kunai. Parts of her stung from the shrapnel, her hand and other arm suffering greatly from their wounds, but the concussive force dealt by the explosion was overwhelming as every part of her body ached like she was dying and writhing in pain. Her senses were disoriented and she had no will to move.

Her arms would steadily drop as she laid motionless on the ground. Oddly enough, the aching from the explosion did not reside. At least not shortly afterwards like one would after getting body slammed. She suffered great damage from the explosion and lacked the strength to continue to move around. Natsuru would make to lift her head as much as she could to witness the dome disappeared as the dragon making its way off into the distance. Her teammates would be pursued by the clones, how this battle will continue was unknown. Her head would fall back into the earth as she closed her eyes. Blood would make its way to leak from her right nostril, though she ignored that. It was the least of her concerns now. She just hoped the others would fair well against their opponents.

Natsuru Stuff:

Bayushi had a sneaking suspicion that things were going to get more hectic. Nozomi seemed to be losing herself to the three tails. He could fathom the amount of power a bijuu wields by his lonesome. Her form was something out of folklore, it seemed to be more confusing than anything. He had so many questions. But he was awed by the furious fight his ex village was putting up. They were certainly adamant about fighting the Jinchuriki and didn't give up. It seemed that Honiko had seen enough, and was content with Nozomi's battle. Even though she was against insurmountable odds, she was still able to stay alive.

Then everything seemed to happen at once, Bayushi was trying to drink in everything. Honiko blasted the entire Four Pillar Barrier. It shattered into almost blue like glass pieces but then the chakra dissipated. At that moment, the one who tried to kill Bayu struck Nozomi with a devastating punch, and it rocked her. The real Honiko leaped off to recover Nozomi, she performed some jutsu on her that was unfamiliar to Bayu. Her clones went to work and attacked all the ninja there to distract them. Then she threw her body up on the head of Balerion, and the dragon tossed her backwards to Bayushi. He caught and steadied her on the dragon securely. He looked at her and she was pretty beat up. They needed to escape. Honiko got back on the dragons by clinging on its tail and reared it upwards where it began to take off. He looked back at the Kumo ninja. They had tried to kill him immediately. He understood why...however. "Next time will be different..."

(Exit)

The skirmish between their sniper and Nozomi was brief yet deadly to both. Raiton chakra still molded within his body as Morikawa witnessed Nozomi being launched from Natsuru’s monstrous blow. He was sure that Nozomi would crash against the barrier and Morikawa was about to launch his spears of lightning when from the corner of Morikawa’s eye caught a shift with the clones. Honiko’s clones changed the seal that they held this entire time into something else, and the original Honiko was moving fast with a purple flaming fingertips. The barrier was coming down which was a good thing, but the bad news is that Honiko’s clones were charging in for the knockout.

The closest clone to him made her fast movement towards him, and it seems that she is aware of what Morikawa has in store. Charging into a sliding position, Morikawa can only assume she is going to aim low or feint on him. Though his speed is not as great as hers Morikawa can still flip his body over the clone and as he starts the flip Morikawa released one of his spears at point blank range into the clone’s body. Little did he know there was several invisible snakes just an inch from his body before the raiton chakra pierces through them and continue onward to pierce through the clone’s body. Seeing as only one came at him, Morikawa can assume that the other three are going after the others.

An explosion erupts from where Natsuru stood, but Morikawa couldn’t spare much of a glance as his first spear recoiled to make the jounin ascend 4 meters high. At the peak of his ascent Morikawa would have completely flipped with his feet towards the ground. From his advantage point Morikawa can see one clone going after Ryuko and two more clones targeting Sakata. The one after Ryuko was moving in the tactical serpentine pattern, and Morikawa worked his magic metaphorically as he launched his second spear at Ryuko’s opponent after analyzing the pattern and adjusted to her fast movement. The spear will crackle with energy as the chakra will attempt to slam into the clone and pierce through her abdomen in hopes of making the clone disperse or slow her down. The recoil also caused Morikawa to be pushed to the side for another 4 meters.

Quick with his movement the jounin will flip his body again with his head facing downward now. Morikawa released his third spear in quick succession towards one of the two clones that were going after Sakata. Like before Morikawa predicted their path and excellent thought process to line up his shot. Additionally this spear will also attempt to pierce through Honiko’s torso. Should this work Morikawa would hopefully cause three out of the four clones to disperse leaving one Honiko clone that was targeting Sakata. The jounin hoped that Sakata could hold out against one of those clones.

With another acrobatic flip Morikawa will just barely touch the ground before taking off to cross whatever distance Natsuru was from him. She was in a severe condition, and so once Morikawa arrived the shadow clone poured his chakra onto his palms activating the mystical palm before kneeling down. Natsuru held multiple wounds including half a kunai lodged into one of her hands. “Stay with us Natsuru. Try to stay awake because you don’t want to go to sleep.”

Morikawa spoke in a rather serious tone as he found the wound that Nozomi stabbed Natsuru on the arm. The jounin gauged how much chakra he holds himself which only took nearly an instant and waged that he would only be able to do this once with barely anything leftover. Morikawa placed his hands over Natsuru’s wound to the arm as his chakra pours into the wound and produce new cells and accelerate the body’s natural healing process. Morikawa will turn his head over at the Ryuko never lifting his hands as he speaks loudly to Ryuko that was clear to hear across the field.

“Ryuko! Come over here and help your friend! If you’re low on energy i got some military pills in my pouch for you to take. If you’re not certain about your reserves then look into my bag. There should be a medikit fully stocked. We need to get Natsuru patch up as much as we can for now.”

(Redirected the False Darkness from last post towards the clones.)
Used Mystical Palm -10 Stamina (Activation)

Clone’s Stamina: 15/40

“That witch, what does she think she’s doing ignoring me.” though Ryuko as she glared daggers at the far away Honiko ridding on her dragon. She knew that Ryuko was a vestal so she thought that alone would have been worthy of an audience but apparently she was mistaken. She could almost feel the woman’s disdain from here.

The barrier had fallen down sooner then she had expected which was bad news since suddenly the clones that had been maintaining it had their hands free. The next thing she knew Ryuko saw Nozomi fly by closely followed the sound of an explosion but she didn’t have time to look and see what caused it since one of the clones was rapidly closing in on her.

The only thing she had going for her was the distance the clone had to cover which gave her the chance to slipping back into her clam mind, spring chant combo. The clone must have thought itself clever zig zagging around like that but with her perception boosted that wasn’t enough to make Ryuko lose track of her.

For a moment she considered whipping out her best jutsu and clobbering the clone out of existance but she quickly threw that idea aside. That would waste too much energy when she had several others clones to deal with, plus showing all her cards now would just be plain idiotic. Sometimes as Nariko said keep it simple stupid.

But before she could move to throw a punch a bolt of pure energy flew from out of her frame of sight piercing the clone straight thought obliterating it on impact. She glanced towards the source just in time to see Morikawa flinging another spear of lightning at another clone and let out a low impressed whistle.

Glancing over at the now fleeing Honiko Ryuko wondered why on earth the woman had been trying so hard to keep them from following her anyway? Sure she had to be low on energy but the woman was literally riding a dragon. It wasn’t as if they could fly to catch up with her.

Despite that part of her wanted to try stopping her from getting away. If she went all out now there was a chance, albit a small one that she could snatch Nozomi away. But then she remembered that strange explosion sound from earlier and felt a sense a dread sneaking welling up within her. She’d sent one clone at her and Mori but two at Sakata.

That bagged the question, why did she send two at him. Nothing he’d done had marked him as a particular threat. The only reason Ryuko could think of was that she didn’t feel the need to bother sending it after the others. She could see why she’d overlook Yagami. The guy hadn’t done much other then stand around gawking and throwing a couple of shruiken. He was practically a none factor.

But Natsuru had just beaten the crap out of a Jinchūriki surely that had to count for something… unless. Unless she wasn’t in a position to offer any more resistance. Ryuko was almost afraid to look, afraid to see what she was going to find, but she steeled her heart and turned towards where she had heard the explosion coming from and sucked in her breath in shock at what she saw.

Natsuru lay on the ground, her body beaten, battered and bruised. “NAT-CHAN!!!” Ryuko cried out forgetting to use code names as she rushed to her friends side, all thoughts of trying to save Nozomi shoved aside for now. The former mist nin would live, she’d have a chance to save her another day but if she didn’t act now the same might not be true for her teammate so that took priority.

Slipping out of her clam mind and spring chart since she didn’t need to be fighting anymore she ran over to Natsuru’s side quickly assessing the damage. The wounds where so numerous that she almost wasn’t sure where to start. The only consolation was that she hadn’t taken a direct blow and was still relatively in one piece.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got enough energy left for this. I’ll save her even if I have to wring out ever last drop of chakra I have left.” Swore Ryuko as she put a glowing green hand over Natsuru’s wounded palm. With two doctors both using the same jutsu together it was sure to be especially effective but just to be extra sure she placed her second hand over Natsuru’s heart, using it to trigger the Cell Activation Technique for the second time in one day. The drain was enough to make her turn pale but she ignored it, shoving ahead to get her friend back up and on her feet that much quicker.

Ryuko stuff:

(Skipping Yagami)

Honiko's clones had scanned the battlefield and adjusted accordingly. They had used their own precognitive capacities to react to the various spur of the decisions that were taking place in the valley. The first clone which had had aimed to slide tackle Morikawa became immediately aware of what he would do and had adjusted its strategy accordingly. Just as Morikawa's clone would leap into the air but before he would reach the apex of his jump, the clone would spring into the air just the same albeit with greater speed and coordination than his own. The clone would aim a fist into the clone's stomach with the intention of causing it to poof, doing so before he could completely leap above her and fire his Raiton attack. The poofing of the clone if successful would then obviously nullify its attempts to destroy the sister clones. The invisible snakes likewise would be angled upwards early in response to the clone's attempted jump which was not nearly be high enough to escape their range.

The clone that had focused on Ryuko along with the two remaining clones that were designated for Natsuru and Sakata operated on their prophetic abilities. Knowing in advance that Sakata planned to focus his energy on saving Natsuru, in that same instant they settled for the one person that the near Jounin couldn't quite protect as easily. Yagami. The two clones dashed just as he did, forgoing their attempts to reach him and instead aiming to grab the genin. One covering the movements of the other and ensuring that the sister clone reached her destination without interruption. Sakata would thus have to choose between reaching Natsuru or changing course and saving Yagami who was further from his comrade. Although given his blurry vision, even realizing that Yagami was in danger would be a challenge in of itself. The clone would move behind him and grapple him. It used its snake tail to coil around his chest and arms drawing him close and squeezing. The clone wrapped its arms around his neck and held it gingerly yet with a sudden application of force it would be able to snap his neck if it decided to do so. The way her hands gripped around his head and neck would make it painfully obvious what Honiko was capable of doing.

The clone that was aimed for Ryuko would still run towards her in a complex pattern aiming to complete its attack via punches and kicks along with its invisible snakes although without the fear of being struck by Morikawa's lightning. The goal would be to knock the young girl unconscious. If Honiko's clone was successful in Yagami's capture it would whisper in his ear: "Let's see how much they value your life". Honiko's clone angled his captured body towards them and spoke out loud. It would be her final test towards the Kumogakure group. As much as she despised them they had shown a level of skill and teamwork on par with the Konoha and Kiri Nin, arguably greater given Natsuru's display of strength and Ryuko's fearlessness. However, she wanted to see what their spirit was truly made of. Making the decision to attack a foreign shinobi turned traitor was easy but how would they handle this situation?

Once all eyes were on her she would speak:

"You." she said. Using the tip of the snake's head to point towards the blonde Jounin. "Make a choice. Break the archer's arm for me or I kill the boy" as if to make her point clear she jerked his head sharply. It would cause a severe stabbing pain in Yagami's neck but it wouldn't kill him. Natsuru had won the right to keep the limb but she had assaulted Bayushi and now that Honiko was responsible for the turncoat, she could not let that insult stand.

The real Honiko and company had flown quite a bit aways and were high in the air. Of course, the real Honiko was sensing what was going on using Mind's Eye. The clone's intentions coinciding with her own knowledge and philosophy and so she knew what they were up to. She had instructed Balerion to remain within a 800 meter distance of the occurences so that the clones could exist long enough to deliver their final test.

A flash before her eyes followed as a presence impacted her, this flash being much more gentle to her than she would expect from a bomb. As she was carried away the explosion would go off momentarily after as the shockwave hit her, although at much less forces than what would have happened if she were a few feet before it. She witnessed her savior as she was being carried at the same speed. It was Simon, seemingly the only competent member in the group besides herself and Ryuko. There was great relieve, though she was still stabbed it was tolerable for the time being. There were bigger beasts in the room, namely, Honiko. They all mobilized after Nozomi was captured and rendered unconscious. Natsuru wiggled giving Simon the hint she wanted to be let go, the girl back on her own two feet again once he complied.

The Honiko clones moved around the battlefield assaulting her teammates. Natsuru, for the most part, was left in a risky situation. Her dagger was lost and her left arm was injured. Drawing arrows would be painful as would fighting with that particular arm. She was left with an unarmed right to do her bidding. Pursuing from the far end were a pair of clones, their destination not any of them, but instead Yagami. The new kid was known little by any of them and proved to be minimal help. Natsuru understood why Honiko would target him. He was simply an easy capture. That white pig. What a cowardice move. She thought in disgust. Sure enough she restricted the boy with little effort. After successfully taking a hostage the white woman would speak again for all to hear, the conditions of what she said ran chills down her spine. To break her own arm to save the life of this stranger, who was more or less dead weight.

Natsuru knew Simon was not dumb enough to betray her and follow the woman's orders. She would speak her mind. "And if he was dumb enough to break my arm, who's to say you won't kill this kid anyways?" Natsuru did not expect an answer, as at most they would be given empty promises. She only wished to point the flaw out in her bargain to help Simon and the others make the right choice. Honiko was their enemy. In any case this could be a ploy to weaken their team. Yagami was already captured, which meant his life was already forfeit in the hands of Honiko. Still, Natsuru kept on high guard. She didn't want to believe Simon would do such an impulsive action, though she was too worried about the fate of Yagami.

Without Mori’s clone to take out the clone targeting her Ryuko’s actions where vastly different.   Her preception still boosted by her clear mind technique she tracked the zig zaging clone with her eyes as best as she could, pulling her fist back she readied herself to strike.  She’d been using the spring chant during most of her brief scuffle with Nozomi so now she was going to switch things up to the Arhat fist in hopes the change would catch Honiko off guard.

Using her sharp intellect to foresee what was coming she predicted the exact moment that Honiko would appear to strike at her. With a sharp grin on her face she timed her own counter attack for that very moment knowing that Honiko would be too busy throwing her own punches to dodge out of the way.

It was the classic exchange of blows often seen in a boxing ring.  Of course it meant Ryuko would have to be hit herself to pull it off, but she had faith that the armor she had constructed for herself could weather the storm.  Her gambeson and chainmail weren’t just to protect from slashing and piercing damage, they where good at stopping blunt force as well.

Ryuko put everything she had into her one punch as she attempted to smash her fist into Honiko’s chest with overwhelming brute force even as Honiko’s fists slammed into her.  If it connected it would be more then enough to dispel the clone, popping it like a zit with a loud bang.

If the situation had been a little less serious she might have cracked a joke about how the punches had barely tickled but instead she watched in horror as the remaining clones took Yagami hostage. “Enough with your sophistry witch. The only choice to be made is not ours but yours.  You can either continue with your acts of needless slaughter or prove that you aren’t entirely the monster you seem and show some benevolence for a change.  Benevolence you failed to grace all those poor innocent villagers.”


“Either way, The Shinobi of Kumogakure don’t negotiate with terrorists. But I promise you this, if you hurt him you WILL pay” Ryuko said passionately.   Now that he had Honiko’s attention it was time to let out all the things she had wanted to earlier, before she was so rudely ignored.

“To have such power as yours and yet use it so fecklessly makes me sick.  You say no action of yours is wasted, yet none of the many deaths today where necessary for you to draw our attention.  If you wanted to see what we where made of so badly you needed but ask.   You speak of the sage as if you know him and yet, how can you fail so miserably in his teachings?   Chakra is meant for connecting people, not for massacring them.” She lectured

“Why on god’s earth would you want to bring a new era anyway? Since the founding of the hidden villages there hasn’t been a single war. The continent hasn’t been this peaceful in centuries.   I’ll admit the peace hasn’t been perfect but tis still better then nothing.   If you want change so badly you should be thinking of ways to help make things better, not tear everything apart at the seams.”   The flaw with Honiko’s plan to bring change was so obvious, how could she not see it?

“Furthermore the way you treat your subordinate is appalling.  Pitting Nozomi against us like that was practically begging for her to die.  You treat her as as if the only thing valuable about her is the bijuu inside her forgetting that she’s a person too.   She should be honored for her sacrifice not used as some disposable tool.”  Ryuko was very bitter about how that all had went down.  There had to have been a better way.

“Here is my ultimatum.  Drop Yagami and hand over Nozomi to my care. I swear on my word as scion of the Rose clan that no mistreatment shall befall her. Then and only then may you leave to repent for your crimes.” she demanded stubbornly.

Yagami supposed he should have been more surprised, first mission out and he'd become a liability. He could see the looks in their eyes, they thought he was useless, a weight around their necks. He'd tried to follow suit, staying close when they were supposed to be tracking and reporting. When conflict broke out he tried to intercept so that the others could land a solid blow. His sister always said he was a stone that didn't want to move.

Thinking of his elder sibling made him realize several things. He had a lot of things to learn beyond his simple Village, that maybe he should have spent more time around people even if he was more comfortable being around animals. The most important thing however, was the standing ideal of the Korikane Clan: It wasn't about him. Every Crystal Shinobi knew at their core that it took multiple stones to make the mountain.

He may come to rest in the Earth this day but that didn't mean he couldn't make his last moments worth something. "Finish the mission!" he croaked out, squirming in the clone's grip. He listened to the drum beat of his heart and focused his Chakra until it practically hummed just under his skin. If he could just create enough of an opening, he might be able to give this bag of hot air something else to chew on. All he needed was to somehow bring his hands together to form three simple signs. He'd already resigned himself to whatever fate had in mind, but he was damned if he was going to have the group suffer for his mistakes.


OOC-When I began being routinely skipped over I took it as I wasn't allowed to post anymore due to some mistake on my part. Ryuko however has cleared up that confusion and I just wanted to say thank you.

The tides quickly turned on Mori's shadow clone as Honiko swiftly adjusted her attack. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Morikawa would not be able to release to spears on time. Still he kept the rouse up making Honiko think Morikawa is gonna release the spears. Remembering how swift and accurate Nozomi was when she took the Spring Chant stance. Mori will simply mimic the stance as the muscles around his body brace for impact. His hand moving faster than before to align itself between Honiko's fist and his chest. Chakra laced over his palm, and with a solid boom emitting from Honiko's punch stung like hell as bones fractured in Morikawa's wrist. Not having the strength nor leverage to hold Honiko back, it continues to slam on Morikawa's chest and with another sonic boom the clone is sent flying for a good 10 meters. The clone tumbles and rolls like a ragdoll until Morikawa flips his body to plant two feet on the ground and skid to a halt.

His right hand hurt like it was broken and realized he could barely move his index finger. Ribs ache from the physical trauma, yet despite that the cloned jounin was… smiling? Just like that the clone dispersed in smoke, and the clone Honiko will realize that on her fist is chakra ink sealing formula. Perhaps not right away, but eventually she will feel her chakra being drained. Which leaves Morikawa who was originally standing outside of the dome.

---

Morikawa made sure to step out of the tomahawk's trajectory just in case it held some strong force behind it. Once the axe sank into the ashen soil Morikawa will kneel down to pick it up. On the blade part were foreign symbols, but from studying it for a few seconds he could make sense of the first sentence. However now wasn't the time for Morikawa to get distracted as the barrier came down and one of Honiko's clones went after his clone. Though his clone tried to counter with the false darkness she moved quicker than he. However the jounin reached into his bag as it was easy for him to grab onto one of his sealing paper. Lacing chakra from his palm is chakra ink and he placed a sealing formula on the paper before slapping it onto his bag. So once the chakra was starting to drain from Honiko's clone, it won't go to Morikawa. Instead it is stored elsewhere, and when Morikawa took his hand out it was a military ration pill that he chews on.

Seeing as how Honiko's clone took Yagami hostage wasn't much of a surprise to Morikawa. The lad has been unsure what to do and this is probably his first mission. Essentially making Yagami the weakest link in the squad, but Morikawa was not going to criticize Yagami for he was serving his role quite perfectly in the jounin's eye. Besides with Honiko fleeing he can measure that this clone simply has nothing to lose. The thing that makes Morikawa think is that Honiko is testing the squad because if she really wanted to kill Yagami she would've done it without words exchanging before moving on to the next.

So the colorful jounin dashed with his mind analyzing what transpired with his clone. Running towards his group even though the distance was quite a gap he could cross it within a solid second. However Sakata quickly moved to attack the shadow clones by crossing the gap with his vast speed that was blurry even to Morikawa's vision. Yet he recognized the jutsu lightning shiver being used as powerful raiton spreads out to take out two of the clones.

Perhaps using the same technique can be rather tiresome, but Morikawa knows better than to attack at close range. Popping another pill into his mouth, Morikawa formed the clone seal to conjure another shadow clone. Weaving in a zigzag pattern as they attempted to corner the clone that holds Yagami. Chakra flowing around their hands, under the influence of Spring Chant, Morikawa will rush in to deliver a jab at Honiko's arm that held Yagami before dashing off. Immediately as Mori moved his shadow clone slipped in behind Mori to deliver a second jab at the same point. Should they connect Honiko will feel her arm starting to grow numb, and finally Mori's clone will lash out with the other hand to jab at the same spot to cause Honiko's arm to become paralyzed. If she was to try to lash out for Mori's clone or Yagami she will immediately feel two more jabs as the original Mori swiftly came back to jab at her left leg. Causing the muscles to numb and wobbly possibly unbalance the sage clone. Enough to allow Yagami to retreat.

Learned:
Body of the Bear - D rank Custom
Spring Chant - C rank Custom (200 WC)
Chakra Drain Storage Seal - B rank Custom (250 WC)

Stats:

Tech Used:

Notes:

Defiance. She could feel it pulsate through their chakra. Hear it through their words. See it in their eyes. Kumogakure was not willing to partake in her test, yet in doing so they could have very well sealed the boy's fate. The Honiko clone holding Yagami was focused on each of her opponents although her attention lingered on the Vestal who had dispatched her sister clone with brutal efficiency. It appeared there was more to this squad than met the eye. It was the second time she had underestimated her foes and she knew her Master would chide her for it if he was watching. Honiko grunted and clutched Yagami's head tightly as Ryuko turned her ire towards her. Ryuko's innocent and optimistic prattle was beginning to infuriate Honiko and she was tempted to snap Yagami's neck just to watch her react in horror but then Ryuko actually said something worthwhile. Ryuko demanded she hand Nozomi over to her care as she had apparently been a bad person for pitting her new ward against this fearsome quartet. To this Honiko gave a curt response and it was the only response she saw fit to give to the Kumogakure ninja.

"Nozomi is mine priestess. Your perverse affection for her while disturbing is quite touching....nonetheless I'd wager that when the time comes she'll kill you and your heathen clan without my prompting."

Honiko turned to Sakata who informed his subordinate that she was not here to negotiate. He was correct. He went on to say he was not willing to break Natsuru's arm nor was he willing to allow Yagami's death. It wouldn't be accurate to say that he passed the test nor would it be true to say he had failed. His response was not entirely unexpected but the clarity and conviction behind it was unusual. He truly means to return home with all of his ninja intact....I acknowledge you 戦士 The Jounin was stubborn but did he have the power to back up his words? Sakata bluntly stated his refusal and took off towards her at a godly level of speed. Unwilling to risk a third strike on her person (even if only in the form of a clone) Honiko's clone dismissed itself. It poofed in a wisp of smoke leaving Yagami unharmed just as Sakata reached the genin. The lad was unscatched save for maybe some slight bruising around his arms where Honiko had restrained him.

The remaining clones would poof although the one that had the seal on it poofed last. It would look down to see the seal Morikawa had craftily placed on it before giving him a lingering look of annoyance. It then poofed along with its sister clones. The Dragon Sage's presence had finally left the area.

[Clones exit via poofing]

The moment was tense, Natsuru unsure of her own fate or that of Yagami. She barely knew the guy, but part of her did feel guilty she was going to choose the safety of her own arm versus his life. Though she would drown out these negative thoughts with self-righteousness. If Yagami was weak enough to get captured, he was nothing more than a burden. One that would cost the team dearly. What if Honiko ordered Simon to break his arm next? Then Mori? Was this kid's life really worth the effectiveness of the squad? She was not buying it, though she still had a duty to do something. She wanted to make a run for it. A run towards Honiko. If she could get close enough to deliver a solid punch there was a good chance the clone would disperse like the others. If Yagami's throat was cut, so be it. It was not a permanent fate. With the presence of two medics on the field it was a wound that could be saved.

Natsuru tightened her right hand into a balled fist mustering strength into her right arm. She tried her best to amp herself up. She focused on the clone imagining all possibilities to face. She had axes and knives at her disposal with fire. The fact that she resorted to close quarters gave a hint she was running low on stamina. Especially as a clone her options were limited. This gave them the advantage. ...If we all attack at once we can distract her so one attack will land, and at th- what the fuck? She turned quickly to her flank as the rapid presence of a boy would appear, his hands moving to her arm as a mystic green glow illuminated from his palms. Her visage was disgusted and almost aggressive as if she was going to bite any minute. Though, this was only reactionary as it quickly faded.

The pulsating ache she had in her arm began to fade at a rapid pace. From the bone all the way up to the surface she witnessed the wound seal up due to the strange green glow. Natsuru was familiar with Ijutsu, having been patched up by a Medical Shinobi before after her first mission with her team. The pain almost fizzled up and away as the wound healed leaving no trace of entry aside from the stained blood. The boy even opted to take care of that as well, retrieving a cleaning cloth and wiping the blood from her arm. She was practically brand new at that point. A slight chill ran up her spine as Yun wiped the blood from her arm, goosebumps covering her like a shockwave. They were in response to the spontaneous kindness received, having all of her struggles and pains removed in an instant. It was almost like being pampered.

A faint, though present hue of pink radiated from her cheeks as she looked down at the boy. "T-Thank you." She muttered. She was familiar with him. The boy she was quick to dismiss. Perhaps he was not as bad as she initially thought. The soothing moment was broken by the sudden presence of high voltage with the energy alone causing a disruption in the air. Glancing back to the main conflict she witnessed Honiko's final clone vanish as Yagami was released just as Simon started his assault. It all did not matter at that point. Honiko was gone, and the battlefield was empty. The Konoha and Kirigakure contingent were long gone from the scene, leaving the small group of Kumogakure Shinobi remaining. The rainfall was a welcoming gesture. She enjoyed the drizzle and stormy atmosphere. Best of all, she was nice and cozy in her gear.

"I should've punched her teeth into her brain instead. Chòu Biozi." Natsuru sneered disdainfully. If that arrogant pig thinks she can play games with us she's in for a big surprise. Next time... Natsuru tried to fight her violent intent the best she could. After all, it was pointless to get riled up now. The fight was over and the prize was won. They drove the threat away from Kumogakure and hopefully the Land of Lightning as a whole. At least that's what she felt. This meant things were relatively peaceful once again. She envied the days of living the easy life, her conflicts including cleaning up bandits and worrying about drama between her friends. Today she almost lost her list, her arm, and nearly killed two enemy Shinobi, one of them a former Kumogakure Shinobi. It was a lot to take in. At least for someone as inexperienced as herself.

Natsuru rolled her fingers in her left arm after regaining full motor functions in that arm. She couldn't exactly be mad at Ryuko after her speech. She could argue it was helpful in driving off Honiko in the first place. For some reason Natsuru felt if it wasn't her Ryuko, Yagami would be on the floor with a gash across his neck as the medics desperately tried to patch the wound. Reaching to her hood she would draw it over her head to protect her hair from the weather. "So what now? Effectively, I have our new enemy's chakra signature memorized. I guess we head back to Kumogakure to deliver the news?" Part of her used to hate doing mission reports, though Nariko being the Raikage made her a bit more comfortable in purveying information.

Ryuko wasn’t quite sure why the white woman had bothered to listen to her. Was it because she’d managed to pop one of the clones or was their an ulterior reason. Either way even thought in the end the woman had refused to hand Nozomi over as expected the talk had still proven productive since it had bought time Sakata the time he’d needed to go in for the kill. Push had come to shove and the remaining clone had turned tail and vanished rather then be defeated leaving her hostage relatively unscathed.

That was about the best outcome they could have realistically expected. All things considered everyone in their group was in relatively one piece which was a big blessing. Asking for anything else would be just be greedy and yet she couldn’t help but lament the fact she’d let the woman take Nozomi away with little in the way of resistance.

That had been a huge loss. Never mind the personal benefits the sheer wealth of information Nozomi could have offered them with even just a moderate cooperation on her part would have more then justified a rescue operation had their been enough room to execution one. That would have to wait for another day, trying to do so now would be sheer suicide with the best and brightest of the team running on fumes.

The worst part of it all? To have her own feelings called perverse and disturbing right to her face. That said the woman had also found it touching which proved she did have a heart after all. Maybe if Ryuko could prove her wrong, prove their was a better way she could still be reasoned with next time.

“I agree with Raven. The longer we tarry the more we risk that woman changing her mind and returning to finish the job. There’s also the danger of forces from the other villages doubling back to sweep up any stragglers.” noted Ryuko blinking in suprise as Lei began healing her hands.

She’d gotten so used to healing others that it was almost strange being tended to. She’d been planning to patch herself up along the way and here he’d gone and saved her the trouble. Her reserves hadn’t exactly been low, but they hadn’t been high either. Keeping her from wasting any more energy was a smart move. With the both their Jounin gassed she was now their last line of defense for the return trip.

“Thanks Lei-kun, I should be ok now. More importantly how is Yagami-kun doing?” she asked as she walked over the the young man who had been held hostage to check up on him. “Don’t blame yourself. Even I would have been caught if it’d been two clones sent against me instead of one.” she said trying to console him.

Turning to Sakata as he was panting she frowned slightly and then gave him a respectful nod. She still wasn’t happy with the way he’d tanked her negotiations with Nozomi earlier but she had to admit other then that he’d done good. If it wasn’t for him and Mori pulling out all the stops the rest of the group would have surely been toast.

“Does anyone need a hand walking back?” she asked edger to get back to the village and file her report. They had a lot of new information to go over and she would turn that information into power. Next time she would be sure to be ready.

After nodding his thanks for the swift snatch and grab out of the danger zone, he tried to stand back up. His neck may have been a bit sore, but it was his faith that was shaken the most. He learned something about himself this day: he despised the feeling of being helpless with an utmost passion. He just thankful no one was dead or seriously hurt from this whole fiasco. His knuckles cracked loudly when his hands clenched into fists at his side.

Ryuko's words were a comfort, if barely. Shadow Clones or no they were supposed to be a team on this mission. Then again, it was supposed to be strictly a scouting assignment to begin with. He spat on the ground as he thought on how he would have never been placed here if combat had been suspected. He'd done what he thought was right. He had tried to support his team.


Stave in hand he looked out towards the Village. He may not have been useful against someone of her level, but he could at least help pull security for the trip back. He had to make things right, otherwise what was the point of even working with other people? "Let's just go. I'm already not looking forward to giving this report." Regardless of what the Kage would say on the matter, he wouldn't hide anything that had happened. He would be upfront and just deal with the repercussions.

(Exit)

Natsuru was in relatively fine condition, especially now that her wound was patched up. She just had a lot to think about. She was eager to go home as much as everyone else. She noticed Simon was in a dire situation barely keeping himself up on both feet. It was the first time she had ever seen anybody like that. With Shimiko and Ryuko on their bandit mission to all the training exercises she's done. I guess I didn't really break a sweat...I should try harder. Seeing Simon in his state was motivation. Something she never really felt or had a strive to achieve. Fact was: she cared about Simon and didn't want to see him in such a state. Even if it meant she exhausted herself she could at least alleviate some burden from his shoulders. For now, she could at least lend a hand...

From behind Natsuru would scoop the blonde off his feet and cradle him in her arms. He wasn't terribly heavy-- certainly manageable with the amount of strength she possessed, though she imagined by the time they reached Kumogakure she would be exhausted. But for now, Simon could rest in her arms and let his body recover. "It guess it's my turn to return the favor." She said giggling to herself a bit. Despite the rain and gloomy atmosphere everyone turned out alive. That was a win in Natsuru's book.

[Exit --> Kumogakure]