Starring:
Sousa, Shinji, Amuro (emitter), Kichiro, Kuoroke, Takumi, Tomoyo (emitted by Amuro), Itami (emitted by Amuro)
Date: September 5, 2010
Summary:
Conclusion of "Storm of the Century: Episode 1".
"Broken Memories Pt. 2 - Storm of the Century: Conclusion"
Sunagakure
Ouch. x.X; Sousa feels himself briefly experiencing emotions that he rarely does: surprise, anger, puzzlement. It doesn't take him long, though, to shunt aside the effects of the unexpected genjutsu attack, and with it his calm composure quickly returns. Sandstorms, earth tremors, and now a psychic attack, seemingly from /within/ the village…whoever coordinated this assault certainly has an impressive array of capabilities. That's assuming, of course, that all these events aren't purely coincidental, but the probability of that is statistically negligible.
Looking around himself, Sousa observes that pretty much everybody else is in misery. So, the attack wasn't specifically directed at him…at least, no more than a bomb set off in the Administration Dome might've been intended to kill specifically him. Anyway…Sousa turns his steps toward the interrogation area. Along with the catastrophes, the arrival of that peculiar interloper from the other day seems significant. He seems the most expedient source of answers at the moment.
Noticing the seal for 3 goes red, he nods his head, "Thats our que." he says as he turns around and looks to those troops, using hand signals that's been worked out a long time ago and gone over and over again. The troops begin checking weapons, Hugo looks to Shinji and only shakes his head, "I am a weapon, I don't need extra." he states. "If so why do you have a staff that you practice with." Shinji just ignores Hugo for the time being, "Go check on the rest of the troops." he tells the man. Hugo sighs and walks off to do as he is told. Shinji looks up and notices that the sand storm is still raging about them, knowing that the sand storm will help keep them covered.
It does take some time, but it is reported back to him that the troops were ready, "Alright Hugo, we will try to use this storm to keep us hidden, but any outpost we come across, we need to take them out quickly and keep moving." Hugo nods his head, "Just remember the signals I will use and try to keep quiet if it can be helped." Those orders are relayed through out the regiment. Shinji then turns around and waits.
When Sousa begins heading down to the Security Department and the Interrogation Rooms therein, the violence of the tremors increases almost on cue. They had started to weaken slightly, almost as though subsiding… But now they are even >stronger<. The pillars that hold up the second and third floor walkways that ring the central room of the Administration Dome are cracking, but have not yet crumbled or truly broken. This building is one of the sturdiest in Sunagakure. The city itself may have existed prior to being made a Hidden Village, but this building in particular was reinforced, expanded, and strengthened well beyond its original level of stability. The Earth-using ninja that were employed for this infused every wall, floor, and ceiling with the densest, and most durable materials they could find, and then compressed them with Chakra to the point where a bomb going off inside the Dome might have chipped or cracked a few things, and done little else.
However, not only is this earthquake powerful enough that the super-dense structure is showing signs of serious damage, but the various rooms and additions inside the dome that were put in >after< the superior crafstmen had finished their job are >not< as sturdy. Plaster and wood have been falling apart for awhile now, furniture has been thrown into disarray or knocked over, fragile things have broken, and so forth.
In the central room there are people fighting to get to the doors of the Dome and get >out< of the building, but the huge number of villagers, office workers, and so forth, has made exitting a very difficult — and possibly lethal — endeavor. More than a few people appear to have been trampled. However, even as Sousa takes whatever route he is taking down to the first floor and into the Security Department, he may notice that Councilwoman Itami has just knocked every to the ground with some kind of non-lethal Wind Release. That's one way of keeping people from killing each other.
Shortly, she is running up one of the cracked pillars, after yelling some barely-heard orders to the other ninja present. At a glance, there may not seem to be any rhyme or reason to what Itami is doing, or in her choice of who is to accompany her. But the stream of Genin and Chuunin headed up the pillar behind the Watanabe kunoichi is composed solely of those who are proficient with Wind Release. Would Sousa recognize a detail like this in such a chaotic situation? Maybe. Maybe not. But that's not an immediate concern.
Moments after that, just as the Kazekage is entering the ruined hallway that leads deep into the Security Department, the sound of a 'roar' — though definitely produced by human lungs and vocal chords — echoes from the central room. Kuoroke has decided to join the procession following Itami, apparently. What may not be noticed immediately is that the digital displays on the walls here in this part of the Dome are offline. Maybe the power was knocked out, or maybe the signs themselves were damaged. But there's nothing screaming 'EMERGENCY' like there was in the other areas, and thus Sousa would >not< see the 'Code White' alert that has just popped up on the displays in most other parts of the Dome.
Instead what he might see is that there is someone unlocking all the holding cells for the 'mundane' criminals and suspects that were being held in this hall. He has the keys, and does not look like he is very enthusiastic about staying here to finish the job, but he is definitely letting people out of what would otherwise be deathtraps. Hooligans and minor miscreants are probably not a concern right now.
At the end of the broken hallway, the final room on the right, where the interrogation of 'Goro' was being held, looks like something inside of it exploded. Even without being near it, it's obvious that the walls of the room, the door, and so forth, have been blown >out< into the hall — in pieces. Same for the men who were standing guard. If neither Itami nor Kuoroke is in there anymore… Then it's unlikely the prisoner is either. Well, now what?
Shinji has given the order. No more waiting. It's time to get armed, get into formations, and follow the plan. More than 3/4ths of these men are desert bandits who have never taken part in an organized military endeavor. That same number of bandits have had minimal 'training' prior to this assault. Enough to give them the idea they are better than they are, perhaps, but no more than that. The majority will break and run if they get the idea they are outmatched. It's more the numbers and the leadership that are keeping them here now, as opposed to comittment to the plan.
The woman in the hood, the purple hair and eyes, is slowly recovering from her enormous Chakra expenditure. She doesn't seem to be harmed, per se, but it's a tiring experience. The Hyuuga girl has not yet done anything other than watch, and the old man is still maintaining whatever Jutsu he is using with the same level of concentration and energy as before. To Tomoyo alone, however, it would be noticeable that the old man calling himself 'Yuubi' is finally showing signs of his own massive Chakra supply dwindling. It is at about 80%, after however many hours — or was it days? — of motivating this sand storm or whatever it is he's doing. The ground bucking and trembling is not fully understood, but Tomoyo has just >assumed< that it is somehow related to the sand storm.
But there's something odd. Though she can see the Earth Nature Chakra flowing all around and through her 'papa', there is no sign of Wind Nature Chakra. Wouldn't wind me >necessary< for a storm like this? It's really, really strange. Further, she's worried. She has seen so many amazing things since emerging into the 'outside world', but so far very little has matched her dreams or her expectations. What is the purpose of attacking this Village? What is the plan here? If destroying it was her papa's goal, why didn't he do it a different way? She knew for a fact there were things he could do that would turn this population center into a >hole<. He wasn't doing any of those. So… Why?
Questions left unanswered for now. If they had been asked, the words would have been devoured by the now hurricane-force winds.
Kichiro departed the ruined guard house, berating the two Chuunin for not thinking things through. Now all three have begun fleeing through Sunagakure, trying to reach the Administration Dome to inform the authorities of what's going on. However, as the intensity of the storm and the earthquakes increases, it becomes evident that there are few people who do not already know about what is happening — at least in the general sense. The idea that this is an attack would likely not even have occurred to anyone else outside of Sousa and Kichiro.
Upon reaching the Dome, the visuals of the marketplace in shambles, the tops of buildings thrown into the street, or >across< the streets into other buildings, and so forth, take a backseat to the veritable >flood< of people fleeing the Dome. They all run down the stairs, and some in their desperation just leap over the railing to the ground 20 feet below. The mass exodus is chaotic, panic-driven, and the attempts by some shinobi to organize it are being met with extremely limited success. Finding someone in charge in all this would be difficult.
Difficult, but not impossible. The sight of a number of ninja running up the outside of the Dome, on the third floor, and heading to the Dome's roof, may be a bit incongruous. If one is trying to flee, there are better places to flee to. So what's going on up there exactly? Is it important? Should it be looked into? Or should the original plan of finding a Councilor or the Kazekage himself be followed?
Sousa sighs through his nose. e.e It's just one of those days, isn't it? You do everything necessary to gather data, yet answers still elude you. Sousa strides back up the corridors, carefully timing the pause between tremors. Judging from the rate at which that pause is decreasing…my my, whatever's causing them must be covering quite a lot of ground. If it's as big as Sousa expects, it should be visible pretty soon. With that in mind, Sousa heads for the top of the dome, wanting to get a look at the thing. He gives a nod to Itami on the way up. "Greetings. Glad you're here to minimize the chaos." Managing the panicked masses is such a chore, isn't it?
Kichiro stops, looking up the side of the building. This is an attack. where is the primary target going to be. "They must already be here" He rushes to the side of the building and clambers up it as fast as he can, running on all fours straight up the sheer surface.
Raising his hands up into the sky, trying to get his men to recognize things are about to start happening. Some quiet down others look in his direction, there was no speech about to be given, he just wanted to make sure they were ready for what is about to happen. Making a few hand signals, the men begin moving into formations. Shinji looks to his right and notices Hugo watching the men move into formation. "Your a good fighter Hugo, don't you dare die out there." he tells the man. Hugo only laughs, "Your worried about me." Hugo jokes. Rolling his eyes, "Whatever, I don't worry about people I have no ties to." Hugo only shakes his head but still laughing, Shinji on the other hand looks in the direction where Tomoyo, the woman, and the old man was. He didn't know what Tomoyos role in this was, but he was going to make sure he carried out his duties. The plan was set, and if worse came to worse, Shinji will bring the fight by himself if needed.
By the time that Sousa arrives on the roof of the Administration Dome, things are already well underway. Itami and the others she has gathered stand on top of the building, combining their Chakra and their Wind Release jutsu to try to reverse, redirect, or at least >weaken< the force of the winds that are assaulting the Village. They are surprisingly successful in this endeavor, and the hurricane force winds lessen considerably, to the point where those within the Village are no longer in danger of being knocked down or having pieces of buildings flung at them. This does nothing for the tremors, but one thing at a time.
Kichiro joins all of the others gathered on the rooftop, while the two Chuunin from the guard house stay below to help evacuate everyone to safety. It is now possible to relay his message, and to the Kazekage himself, instead of some underling! That should expedite things.
There is no sign of any assassins roaming about, and the Kazekage is surrounded by a mix of ninja ranging from Genin to Jounin. He is about as safe as he can get in such circumstances. Unbeknownst to Sousa or anyone else up on the roof, the 'Code White' that continued to flash on and off below, inside the Dome, means that the Kazekage's office has been breached. Kuoroke is inside that office, investigating the alert, and has found a number of unconscious and wounded, but no one dead.
Until he looked behind the Kage's desk. There he found a woman named Mara. She had been at Sousa's side for at least a decade, helping him during the Clan Wars >and< after. She was scientifically inclined, just like Sousa, but she also had been level-headed about it, and was just as good with people as she was with calculations and keeping updated on recent discoveries in various fields. Was she just a companion to Sousa? Was she a friend? A >best< friend? Something more, maybe…? That is something that was between Mara and Sousa. She had managed to lift one arm, even with a piece of glass from the broken office window planted in her back, damaging her spinal cord and impaling one of her lungs. The bleeding was profuse. She had been the one to trigger the 'Code White' alert, by pressing a concealed button inside the Kazekage's conical hat, left behind in his office. But despite her injuries, she had pointed out the broken, wide-open window. Her last act in the world of the living was to direct Kuoroke outside. No time for a medic to save her, even if one was available.
Was Mara just a companion to Sousa? Was she a best friend? Something more? That is something that was between Mara and Sousa. Now, that secret is Sousa's alone to keep.
But that is not the end of the dying, or the bad things that are going to happen to the Village Hidden in the Sand. No, this is just the beginning. A moment later, there is a flash of bright green light visible in the distance, for those looking to the north-east, even through the intense, sight-obscuring sand storm. The light reappears a moment later in the form of a sphere of energy, distorted into an oval by the speed of its passage. Sunagakure has various defenses erected to protect it against intruders and attacks and many other things. At least a couple Kekkaijutsu surround the Village at all times. That is all that saves the people when that sphere reaches the Village's outer edge. A wave of what appears to be green fire blooms against a suddenly-visible barrier of blue energy, and then roils across that barrier's surface.
The barrier seems to have held off whatever that was, but those maintaining and monitoring the Kekkaijutsu are already straining to their limits. Where did that sphere come from? What was previously unseen becomes noticeable. A massive, dark shape that stands out against the dirt-brown of the sand-filled air. It is distant, but given its size it likely will not be distant for long. It is almost exactly as Kichiro had described initially to the guards. 'A walking mountain'.
Goro appears from the other side of the Dome — the side where the Kazekage's office window looks out onto the street. The white-haired youth stands ready on the dome, unfazed by the cataclysmic rumbling that threatens to hurl him right off the Dome and to a splattery death below. Instead he just starts walking towards Sousa at a casual pace.
Kichiro, due to the direction he approached from, is the one most likely to spot Goro. But would he recognize him as not belonging in all this chaos? Would he think to warn the most protected and possibly most powerful ninja in the entire Land of Wind about a single stranger that is >walking< and not >running< towards the Kazekage?
The bandit army outside have been spared the majority of the sand storm, the wind, >and< the earthquake. But it would be almost impossible not to notice the giant form approaching from behind them. It may be frightening — terrifying, really. But the man known as "Koro" to the people of the desert >had< told these bandits and mercenaries that he would be sending a secret weapon to support them, and make sure they succeeded. One could thus come to the conclusion that this >thing< is the secret weapon. Knowing that the giant is on >their< side, and seeing the enormously powerful attack launched against Sunagakure, and >not< against the bandits, bolsters their morale immensely. Is this it? Is this the moment to attack!?
Shinji has not received the signal yet. The '2' on his arm has not yet begun to glow. Has something gone wrong? Is he out of range? Did the agent on the inside forget to send the signal? Should he already have ordered his troops to attack!? Questions, doubts, worries… What should Shinji do?
Things may be further complicated by the sudden appearance of a large number of villagers — civilians, infact — who are flooding out into the area >beyond< Sunagakure's walls. Many seem to be injured, but none of them appear to be armed. The entirety of Sunagakure's self-defense forces and soldiers are on their way to the gates as well, but out in the sandstorm, it >might< look to the bandits and to Shinji and the rest as though this >is< the army of defenders they are meant to face. They would have no idea the >real< combatants are coming up >behind< all these civilians.
This could get messy. But thanks to the Medic-Nin named Takumi, the people are free of buildings falling on them. Once the armed forces get out here, things should be okay for the people. As long as the hidden army of invaders does not strike before then…
Sousa shields his eyes from the sandstorm and peers all around. The most interesting thing to see, naturally, is the titanic figure coming at the village. Is that truly a living being? If not, was there a particular reason why making it look human was necessary, or is it merely for psychological effect? Suppose there's only one way to find out.
Sousa glances aside at the wind-users. Looks like they're doing an excellent job of mitigating the sandstorm…time to pull some of them away from that task, though. ;) "You there," Sousa says, grabbing a arm and pulling it in a new direction, "you blow that way. You, stand here, face that way. You, crouch down…" Sousa goes on like this for a little, recruiting wind-users for his little plot and adjusting their aim carefully. Soon, the change begins to have a visible effect, producing a vortex amidst the sandstorm. The wind funnel snakes outward, growing in the general direction of the approaching behemoth.
Once satisfied with the wind formation, Sousa steps into the midst of the ninja. Raising his arms on other side, he spreads his fingers and concentrates. Light begins to crackle around his fingers, arcing and snapping. For a while, nothing further seems to happen…but as those not focused too keenly on Sousa himself might notice, the wind funnel also exhibits the occasional flash as it continues toward the earthen giant. Something is definitely on its way.
Kichiro come over the roof's edge and begins galloping on all fours. The man named Goro stands opposite himself beyond the Kage.. and seems entirely too calm to not be suspicious. Galloping towards the stranger he shouts, to the Kage, to Itami, to anyone that can hear him. He makes a loud, obnoxious racket, "Kage! Itami! Its an Attack. The storm is covering an attack!" The boy doesn't run to the kage and the others, he runs towards Goro. This is probably a bad plan on the boys part.. but then, this was par for the course.. leap.. then look.
Shinji looks behind him as he surveyd his men and women that may be in the group, and as he does he can't help but notice Koro, impressed by the immense size of the thing, Shinji doesn't smile, but he does notice the men's morale boosting at the sight of the giant. Rubbing the back of his head and turning around to face forward, he wasn't sure what was going on, the 2 on his arm didn't go off. Something is off, why wasn't the signal for them to attack not going off right now. But as he looks ahead, Shinji is starting to make out figures up ahead, thrusting his hand up into the air, he is able to get the attention of his troops.
The men turn and look ahead at the forces coming to engage them. Looking to his arm, the 2 hadn't gone off, "What the hell…." he starts to say but the numerous groups of enemies coming started to alarm him. Was this the forces they were supposed to engage, with the sand still in the air and the distance that they were coming from made it hard to tell who was coming. Flicking his hand a few times, Shinji sends the signal to get ready. With the sand storm that just hit Sunagakure, he didn't know if this was the forces or just people escaping. 'Patience.' he says to himself, but he could tell his men were ready to fight. Bringing up his other hand he flicks both hands to the left and right for the groups of formation to move off to the side, but not to attack. He needed to clarify who is coming. Rushing over to where Tomoyo is, it doesn't take him long, "Tomoyo-san, I need you to tell whoes coming towards us. There is a large group, hurry please." he says to her as he points to where the villagers are coming from.
Kuoroke growls slightly when he sees the woman rapidly bleeding to death. No medics nearby. The growl grows into a roar. He slams a fist into the desk, and the desk succumbs easily, like quite a bit of furniture on the way here. A few moments, he attempts to regain a modicum of calmness, his eyes closed. He gently touches the dead woman's shoulder, grateful for her sacrifice, and then allows the flames of rage to light up brightly again. She pointed out the window. He takes off, charging towards the window, grabs the windowsill -a remainder of the glass is crushed underneath his grasp, but cuts the palm slightly- and hurls his body out, landing on a the wall in a trained movement. It's not the first time he leaves a room, or even this room, through the window. Somewhere in that mid-air roll, the youth's form catches his attention. His heels have barely hit the sandy wall of the dome when he spins around on them, facing up instead of down, like he first intended to. "YOU!" He bellows. Never mind his voice is blasted away by the gruesome onslaught of the sand.
Leading the group of mildly injured people out the gates, Takumi tries to scan the desert, but the windstorm here is much more intense than in the village. He thinks he can see a couple figures in the distance, although what most sticks out, even through the sandstorm, is a giant shadow in the distance moving closer.
Takumi looks back over his group of citizens, and knows he can't block the gates, and decides to lead his group along the base of the village's outer wall. The massive cliffs of the village don't seem to be falling down, and they seem safer then heading towards whatever that thing is out in the distance. Shifting the young girl in his arms to his other side, he motions for his group of survivors to follow him fully out of the gate and along the bottom of the cliffs.
The wind funnel being created by Sousa's re-deployment of Wind-user assets succeeds in forming and providing a direct line to the monster in the distance. It is gradually growing larger — or at least >closer< — and though the tremors seem to no longer be increasing in their violence, they are being maintained at a constant level of cataclysmic jerks and spasms, and some parts of the Village appear from up on the roof of the Dome to be >sinking< into the earth! Some buildings have already dropped out of sight, or are in the process of doing so! If this earthquake is not stopped soon…
But Sousa has a plan, it seems. His Lightning Release — or so it appears to be — is charging up, preparing to be unleashed on the titanic monster in the distance. What is he going to do? Probably an attack… But of what kind? And will it have any effect!?
Kichiro's charge towards the white-haired young man that approaches results in Goro looking over, seemingly mildly surprised, but not really disturbed. The incoming Kemonoken is allowed to plow into Goro, or whatever Kichiro planned to do, with no attempt made to dodge or block. Kichiro's yelled warning, Kuoroke's enraged announcement of his presence — both may alert people to what is going on. Goro, however, appears to be dealt with. He falls backwards until the force of the Genin's charge… And attempts to seize the two closest point of Kichiro's body, whether they be limbs or shoulders or clothing or whatever! Then he arches his back as he hits the dome, and rolls so that he is able to use both feet, with knees held tight against his chest, to >kick< Kichiro up into the air and towards the Councilor standing on the Dome's edge.
If that works, then Kuoroke can dodge, and let the Genin fall to his death, or he can catch Kichiro, inhibiting his ability to use his arms for fighting. Or maybe he has some other Jutsu or ability or plan. Maybe he can circumvent this tactic of Goro's! And if Kichiro avoids the swift, seemingly almost-accidental attack by the strange young man, then Goro himself simply does a backwards somersault, continuing to roll with his arched back, until he lands in a crouch.
No time. The schedule is already ruined. He has to do his part >now<. Goro, regardless of if Kichiro was hurled towards Kuoroke or not, thrusts out both arms, and the arms >stretch beyond normal human physical limitations<!
One hand goes by where Kichiro was (or is) standing, while the other curves around and then heads for the same location as the first arm. Both of them are aimed at Sousa. The delay should be enough for Sousa to still get off his Jutsu before the outstretched hands reach him, regardless of if he evades them or not. But if either one of those hands touches him, even for a half a second… Both the stranger and the Kazekage will be out of the fight for the time being. And possibly for the rest of their lives.
Shinji's request of Tomoyo is startling to her, but though she seems confused at first, she seems to make out the gist of what he is saying. She turns her Byakugan-enhanced vision on those emerging from the Village gates. "…They don't look like ninja to me!" she calls out to Shinji, even though he is right next to her. Such volume is needed to be heard over the wind. Then she turns her gaze back to the Village and jerks in surprise, before turning back to Shinji quickly. "There's a lot of people coming behind this group! They look like fighters! They'll be here >really soon<!" The old man disguise, 'Yuubi', has been silent and focused all this time. But now he finally speaks, his gravelly voice calling out to those close enough to hear. "We are >beyond< our schedule! If the signal to attack is not received in the next 60 seconds, we will send our forces to attack anyway, but >we< will >withdraw<! Go inform the troops! 45 seconds or >less< until the attack!"
Takumi, meanwhile, as he guides the civilians, whether they be injured or healthy, is doing a good job of leading these people away from what will soon become a site of many deaths. Though confused and frightened, and though the ground continues to shake, the villagers follow the people in front of them in as close to a line as they can form. Like sheep, they do what everyone else is doing. But in this case, the 'sheep' are doing the correct thing.
The girl in the Medic-Nin's arms remains staring blankly and lifelessly up at the darkened sky. She breathes, but gives no other indications of being alive. She may have gone catatonic. And then just the thing that Takumi needs in this situation… A man places his hand on the Chuunin's shoulder from behind, and tries desperately go get his attention, trying to convey some message that is nearly drowned out completely. He is gesturing behind him, pointing at a woman that apparently had to leave her house in her bedclothes. What's wrong with her? What's being pointed out? Is she injured? She >is< hunched over and holding onto something… Her belly? Why is it so large and rounded? It's almost like she's—
Then the woman sinks to her knees in the sand, back resting against the cliff wall behind her, while someone else tries to comfort her, and everyone else wonders what the hold up is. The woman is screaming in pain, barely audible. And then the frantic man tries to turn so that he is facing Takumi, but his back is to the wind. That allows his words to carry better, because the Medic-Nin would then hear what is being said. Confirmation of what his eyes told him.
"MY WIFE IS HAVING OUR BABY! PLEASE, HELP HER!"
Well, at least today has a consistent theme.
Sousa watches as best he can as the wind funnel worms its way outward, the flapping sides of his cowl his only protection against the sandstorm's fury. By now it's hard not to notice the sparks jumping around the vortex's inside. It's like an enormous finger reaching out to give the stone giant a king-size static shock.
Amidst all the chaos, Sousa spares a glance at the nearest Jounin, which would of course be Itami. "Itami-san…in the event that things should get out of hand, my recommendation is…play along. Remarkable how often the human psyche is driven to reject the most rational options in the pursuit of winning." ;)
That said, Sousa turns his full focus onto the electrical attack. It's hard enough /predicting/ where lightning will strike; trying to /make/ it go somewhere requires a lot of quick calculation. Sousa adjusts the electrical surges in his fingers like a weaver crafting an intricate pattern. "Right…about…" Suddenly a lightning bolt, every bit as powerful as one created by nature, leaps from the tip of the wind funnel and strikes the stone giant straight between the eyes. Assuming it has eyes, of course.
A flying Genin? More specifically, a Genin plumetting to a certain untimely demise? Of secondary importance right now, the Kage's safety is in grave danger, and a dangerous criminal, very dangerous indeed right now, is free. Without wasting time to stop or help him, Kuoroke weaves out of Kichiro's path like he would with any other large thrown projectile, and charges up the dome's face. A bright light comes from lines etched into his back and limbs, and into the flames backs of his hands as he moves towards Goro, pumping chakra through the tattoos. One shot. One single shot to stop this annoying, little, but oh so powerful punk from succeeding. The right fist would cut cleanly through almost any obstacle, and it's aimed into Goro's spine, approximately the same area Mara was injured in. His desire for such ironic vengeance, and the understanding of the value of such retribution for propaganda, come almost instinctively to the Councilman. The left fist, just as destructive, is aimed in a left hook at his throat. Even if he misses, he should either decapitate the worm or do enough damage to his shoulder area to eliminate the immediate threat. Or so he hopes. A sound like that of an angry predator is tearing its way out of Kuoroke's lungs while he closes the distance between himself and Goro. Not that he's aware of it, and not that it's audible above the noise of the environment, but he is.
Kichiro was mildly surprised at his current trajectory. not that he was flying through the air, but that he was not heading where he had intended. Also, that kick hurt. He changes his plans quickly. After all, flying over the edge of the building required a much different tactic than flying at a foe. He focuses his eyes through the first window he can see and… Replacement Technique… and a desk chair plummets to its death below. The genin opens the window and heads back to the side of the building. Different tactic next time.. different tactic.
Listening closely to Tomoyo as she looked ahead for him to give him a better reading on what was coming towards them As she mentions that the group coming towards them weren't the fighters. Shinji quickly throws up both hands and close them into fists, which meant to hold. Hugo then a few others held up their hands in fist to keep everyone from attacking. Shinji continues to listen and as he is told that the fighters were coming up behing the first group of people, he nods his head. He was about to go stand with his troops when the old man Yuubi speaks up telling him that they only had sixty seconds for the attacking forces were to arrive. Having the exact time was a good thing, but when he is told to tell them to get ready to attack and that he and the others were to leave, Shinji understood his orders. "Yes sir." he says then quickly move over to where his troop were. He quickly relay the orders, that they are going to be attacking here in seconds, he makes sure to explain that the first group is non-combatants, but the group behind them are the fighters, they are the ones to take down and proceede into the village. Hugo looks to Shinji and relays the orders, at that time Shinji moved back over to where Tomoyo and the others were, he will act as guard.
The revelation of the woman in labor was one of the last things Takumi needed at this moment. Trying to think clearly during this stressfull situation, he grabs the husband with his free hand and tells him to come along. As the both of them make their way to the woman, Takumi scans the group and picks out a woman, telling her, "Youre a nurse now! This way!" The group of three, four counting the young girl, finally reach the woman in labor.
Takumi orders those nearby to close ranks and face outward, forming some sort of windbreak. The medic-nin hands the young girl to one of the members of the wind break to watch, keeping her out of the way. He then kneels down and starts yelling orders to the husband and makeshift nurse. This is normally a delicate operation, and he hopes his training can turn this situation around.
The massive bolt of lightning that Sousa directs through the electrified wind funnel towards the giant, which is no longer quite so distant, has an immediate and noticeable effect. The looming monster is probably within ten miles of Sunagakure now, and there is a green glow emanating from where the face might be in an anatomically correct human-imitation, and that glow is growing brighter by the second, perhaps in preparation for another of those emerald fire attacks. But when the lightning bolt strikes, there is a brief moment in which the green glow ceases, seeming to be snuffed out. The sandstorm ceases almost immediately. The roar of the wind, the flying sand, and the earthquakes too… All of it just >stops<. The ground no longer moving, the unexpected silence that is almost painful after all that noise…
And then there is a deafening *CRACK* that is even louder than the wind, and a blinding *FLASH* that is more harmful to unprotected eyes than flying sand, and then a line of green light forms at the center of the giant's broken 'face'. The line stretches horizontally in both directions, linking horizon to horizon. Then that line >expands< into a >wall of green< and that wall turns the desert, the sky, and all of Sunagakure, a deep jade. Then the wall rushes forward and washes over everything, seeming to devour all in its path into its expanse — impenetrable to any eye that seeks what lies beyond it.
Kichiro is climbing back onto the roof. Kuoroke's fists have struck Goro and appear to have killed him, as he lies unconscious on the rooftop, his arms still extended to unnatural lengths. Itami and the other Wind-users stand where they are, still using a Jutsu no longer necessary. Shinji stands guard by Yuubi, Tomoyo, and the purple-haired woman. The bandits prepare to attack in the next 15 seconds. Takumi is crouched in a half-circle of villagers, with even the pregnant woman's screams silenced for the moment, mostly out of shock than a lack of pain. A hand that is no longer attached to a body grips Sousa's ankle, as the Kazekage himself completes his unconscious fall forward to the rooftop's hard surface. All of this seems to be frozen in time for a moment, as the intense green light casts long shadows for everyone and everything.
Just before the wave of emerald blanks out everything, the number '2' might be noticed, burning on the back of Shinji's arm.
What seems like an eternity later, the green light ceases to exist. Eyes and ears may not work immediately, but that does not matter right now. No one will be doing anything against anyone for at least a minute or two. But then… When senses return to everyone… The attack on Sunagakure will have truly begun.
In the background, the only sign of the Titan that had previously menaced the Village is a smallish, but still conspicuous mountain that looks like a bite was taken out of it from above by something even larger than the mountain itself. Nothing else has been harmed by the explosion… But there is a green, crystalline sphere slowly hovering down to the ground, now that the container it was attached to no longer exists. The Stone of Body drifts down to the desert sand, and glitters innocently in the light of the setting sun.
