Starring:
Canis (emitter), Michiko, Hiei, Ryouji, Furoo
Date: August 1, 2015
Summary:
After Takeo's untimely demise the village receives warning of more impending attacks on the same village. Seeking revenge and to cleanse the evil, Kumogakure sends a team to assist.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Todas las Personas - Yotsuki Donna"
Land of Lightning
Word had come back to Kumogakure of the sudden demise of one Inuzuka Takeo. Over the past weeks details had come via both his summoned companion as well as a letter sent from a small village, likely the same village that Takeo himself had received word from that had taken him away from Kumo. The letter spoke of how Takeo had come to help and had indeed succeeded. At least in part. But since then things have only gotten worse and this town has been ravaged a number of times, people being killed as they try to find out what had happened. Those who knew were hidden by the others but it only increased the death of others. There was no more immediate detail given, only a plea to send someone, anyone, as fast as possible. This letter would've been taken to the administration building straight away.
And so this dark and cloudy afternoon begins, with that word reaching the desk of the Raikage and his assistant…
Michiko had heard about Takeo's death while at the gate checking in with some of the guards. Well, sure… She didn't really know the news the turtle brought until later, but she could only assume Takeo was in trouble when the turtle was alone. To find out he died… And so now there's word from a village that seems to be related to Takeo's death. She had taken the letter immediately to the Raikage, as most things like that end up on her desk first. "Well?" she asks Hiei, inquiring over what they probably should do. Likely call a team together, which could be done quickly…
When Hiei reads the letter, then looks over at Michiko. The expression on his face is one that hasn't been seen since he fought the Silence and the Recluse. Hiei was scouted. Not only had they taken his friend away from him, but they were still murdering people. Nope, he wasn't going to let this slide. "Assemble a team. I want every available shinobi at the front gate in five minutes." And with that, he left out of his office door.
Five minutes later, Hiei is waiting at the front gate, clad in his battle armor. He is sporting two swords on his back, and two more strapped to his waist. A multitude of kunai are on his person, most of them hidden. He is wearing the matte black armor from his former days as a Kamen agent. Worn overall is a black duster with no markings. His hair is tied into a ponytail and his warhorse has already been saddled and is waiting patiently with him. There is a barely controlled rage simmering just below the surface as lightning sparks along his skin, evidence of his irritation.
Appearing at the front gate as requested, Furoo immediately plants her staff and then leans it toward her while she leans into it. THe result is a mini-triangle of her, the staff, and the ground. S he looks at Hiei and then hmms before looking around for others to show up. She then looks back at Hiei and then looks out the front gate before she looks around again, "I don't know if you realize but you appear to be sparking." She nods her head, "I mean, that might be normal, but it seems like that wouldn't be the case." She nods and purses her lips before shrugging and looking back out the gate, "Just saying."
Ryouji gets the message about the team assembling before he hears about Takeo. He's not happy that someone from the village has died, but as he hasn't had much contact with the turtle sage, he can't say he's as upset as Michiko or Hiei. Ryouji rides up to the gates on Echo and says, "Ryouji, reporting as ordered."
Michiko had thought no less. The girl called upon as many people as she could and showed up at the gate in her typical outfit and gear. She wore black clothes that left only a little bit of breathing room between it and her skin, though it was enough so that she could wear a very light armor beneath it. Some that she made herself. Roadblock, her own horse, was all saddled and ready to go, waiting patiently for the Iwata. While her rage isn't as apparent in her body like the Raikage's lightning sparks, she definitely has a rather cold expression. "Sorry for the lack of details in the mission briefing," she says. "This was a bit urgent."
The girl waits for Hiei to say to move out, then she'd start explaining the mission. "There's a village. It's a bit far, but we'll make it there quickly with our horses. The village was the last place Inuzuka Takeo was sighted before he went off to kill a horde of bandits. Apparently they were a bit more than he could handle, though… In part because he was alone."
"The town's been attacked frequently since Takeo-San had tried to help, so we're going to have to take out as many bandits as possible to stop further attacks."
While Michiko gives the mission briefing, Hiei is silent. He didn't even respond to Furoo's comments. While the sparking on his skin has died down somewhat, it does sometime leak from the corner of his eyes. He rides in silence until Michiko finishes. Then, when he speaks, it's in a cold dead voice. "Odds are we will encounter the bandits. I'm only going to say this once. I'm not interested in taking prisoners. If you're not okay with this order, then I suggest you turn your mount around and go back to the village. If not, then you commit yourself to this course of action. Am I understood?"
Listening to this briefing, Furoo nods and then lets out an ah as she hears it. She frowns, a rarity and then states, "Sparking then." She nods, "I get it." She then hops up on to the horse provided for her and she settles in to the saddle, "Well." She then looks over at Hiei and peers at him curiously before shivering and shaking her head, "Well, you got it. I don't really care much for prisoners anyway." She then looks forward and idly rubs the back of her head, "If they survive what I do feel free to come by and stab them afterward." She then glances at Hiei a moment before looking forward, "So, we got any idea how these guys were able to take down a sage?"
Ryouji shakes his head, "I've had those orders before, I'll do them, Hiei-sensei." He's a good soldier and if there's targets, he'll take them out. He's not about to back out of a mission for the village. That and he'll be able to go all out on these guys, something he doesn't get to do enough of in his opinion.
The trip to the village would be swift via horseback and with it being such a large group of shinobi there was no one to interfere with their travels. After the first few hours rain begins falling, light at first before increasing to a torrential downpour as the clouds in the sky darkened. Another hour would bring them within sight of the village which lies in an open area, a farming community. It would be immediately evident the damage that had already been done.
Despite the heavy rain fire consumed buildings while the smell of burning wood and flesh permeated the air even at a distance. Faint cries of pain and shouts of alarm also ring from the village. People on horseback can be seen riding down villagers, cutting them down as they pass. Apparently whoever these people are intend to finally destroy the village for their defiance.
"He wasn't using his summon," Michiko says. "I don't think Takeo-san ever used his abilities. I'm not sure why, though…" She frowns, traveling the rest of the journey in silence. When the screaming starts to reach her ears, she clenches her jaw and says, "I don't plan on leaving them alive, Hiei-san," charging up her chakra. She can't do very much from this distance unless she wants to sink the whole village, which would be bad, so instead she pushes her mount close enough to the village that she can actually do something once she dismounts. As soon as her feet touch the ground, hands made of earth reach out and try to grab some of the bandits that are attacking on horseback, tangling horses legs and snatching their riders right up to shove into an earthen grave.
At the sight of the devastation in front of him, Hiei lets his anger up to the surface. "Take them down." He says to the team before spurring Snake Eyes forwards at a full gallop. He stands up in the saddle as the horse makes a beeline for another horseman. He hops up so that he's actually standing sideways, his knees bent like he's riding a snowboard. When he's close enough, he launches himself skywards, flipping end over end and then flattening himself out while flinging his arm out to the side in a flying lariat manuver, using the momentum of both his horse and his jump to increase the impact.
A look at what is up ahead, and Furoo shakes her head, "What a bunch of cowards." She then spurs her horse onward even as she pulls out her staff. When she gets close enough she releases the reigns and attempts to ride right between two riders and spin her staff for a hit on each one in an attempt to knock them off their mounts with the spinning staff as she passes by before she'll slide backward off the horse to land on her feet and let it run onward. She will turn as she lands and let out a loud whistle before saying, "Heeeeeerrre bandit, bandit, bandit. Come get your beatdown, it's ready." She then grins a little darkly and races back toward the two she attacked.
Ryouji squares himself as he spots a few of the bandits. He angles Echo off towards them, then slides off the horse backwards. The second he hits the ground he starts running, slapping Echo on the right side of the rump. The horse turns that way with Ryouji turning the other and the bandits. He pushes his speed up a bit more as he runs by each. The only evidence of an attack is a sparkle from pulling out lightning cutter and sliding it back home again. He skids to a stop and says, "These guys shouldn't be too hard, where's the big fish?"
As the group nears the screams only get louder. Fires continue to rage and grow stronger despite the rain, pointing to the likelihood of one or more fire users amongst the group. Cries of fear and pain not only emanate from those running but also from inside some of the burning houses as the fires seeks to consume those within.
The screams of the villagers are joined by those of surprised foes as the Kumogakure shinobi descend on them in fashion and style. A number of horses whinny loudly as their legs are suddenly tangled by the sodden ground, people falling from their backs only to be swallowed by said ground. One man's horse manages to escape the grabbing hands of earth only to be set upon by the Raikage himself, the force of the attack sending mud and water into the air as the man sinks into the muddy depths.
At this time some others have noticed the shinobi and start in, preparing to attack two that had kept coming only to be binged off their horses by the speedy spinning staff. Yet others were charging Ryouji before he made his move but as he passes all three stand there a moment longer before sinking to the ground as if it was an orchestrated dance.
Despite the sounds coming from the village some of said bandits did not fail to notice the shinobi who took out their comrades. Men and woman alike, armed to the teeth, charge in with a flash of steel as they attack the shinobi, mostly from horseback.
Michiko holds up her arm, blocking the weapon coming at her with ease. It didn't take much except a flare of chakra through the metal armor she wore. "Hmm… No prisoners, sorry. I can't spare you," she says conversationally, making seals with a single hand as her arm holds up the sword away from her body. Then she releases a bolt of fire that would hopefully engulf this guy that she was facing off against.
Hiei draws one of his swords as the attack comes. He parries it at an upwards angle as he states. "Michiko, see what you can do with those fires. Furoo, I need you to start getting people out of those buildings. Ryouji and I will assist." He lifts a hand at the advancing horsemen and a shockwave of lightning chakra is expelled from his palm in a cone shape. It should strike them all, and if it's successful it will temporarily short out their nervous system and freeze them and the horses in place. "Move now. We don't have a lot of time. Then we can deal with these idiots as we please." He immediately turns and sprints for the nearest house with screams coming out of it. He lowers his shoulder and rams right through the side of it. "We're here to rescue you. Get out and get to safety!"
Ryouji pulls out lightning cutter, deflecting the sword strike with ease. The weapon slides home as he flips through hand sighs, "I'm with you, Hiei-sensei!" He points his palm out, shooting out his own cone of lightning. Once that fires out, Ryouji rushes into the nearest house on fire and quickly looks around, covering his mouth from the smoke with the sleeve of his shirt.
The person facing Michiko grunts when his sword is met with resistance he didn't expect. The man lets out a snarl of anger as he tries to force the blade down regardless only to be consumed by the unexpected flames. The snarl turns into a shriek as the man releases the blade and is thrown from his horse. He tries to drop and roll through the muddy ground in an attempt to put the flames out. From further ahead into the village a pair of arrows fly from two archers who had been sighting on the Raikage's assistant.
Lightning cracks in the sky at the same time as the wave erupts from Hiei, not only managing to freeze them in place momentarily but also scaring the horses even further. When the Raikage bursts through the fragile wall of the house more screams erupt before they're cut off at the sight of the man, though whether out of some sort of recognition or fear it's uncertain. Regardless when they hear his words the mother with her two children quickly pushes them around the man and out into the rain before running in the direction that seems safest. Hopefully it will be. The fire suddenly burns brighter and the flames seem to reach out towards the Raikage as if actively seeking him now that he's within their infernal grasp.
Furoo's foe grunts loudly as his own blade misses and he takes the blow right in the sternum, trying to turn back only to lose a few teeth as the staff comes 'round again. The man drops to the mud quite unconscious. The door rips free when Furoo pulls on it thanks to its weakened state and the family inside exits, leaving behind all the possessions as they do so. The start to run but the man turns around to thank Furoo, only to have his eyes widen as he gives a shout of surprise and warning before pointing behind the shinobi where water has started snaking up in veins behind her. The water lashes out, trying to surround the kunoichi and hold her tight.
Yet more fall victim to the movement of those that cannot move. While their bodies are frozen apparently Ryouji didn't use enough to quite cover their mouth muscles. "Get back here ya little demoman!" One woman shouts despite being able to actually do anything besides hold her sword in a very unheroic type pose. When Ryouji bursts into the house a small child runs to him and CLINGS, crying and frightened. She's the only one that arrived and there's no more shouts or cries from further in.
Michiko is able to see the arrows incoming, and she turns to block them both with a casual shield. She looks around, mostly in the direction of where the arrows had come from. But they are put out of her mind for a moment. That way she can look around for various fires. She feels bad, but she can't put the fires out without resorting to more… 'dirty' methods. She makes a handseal, and the ground raises up, a majority of it being mud thanks to the rain. But that's perfect for her to use. Any fire that comes into her line of sight is extinguished with this wave of mud to the best of her abilities, left on the houses to deal with later. Ahem… She'll be sure to clean the houses later, promise. But hopefully the residents don't mind a bit of dirt on their belongings.
Then Michiko sets her sights on the archers that are attacking her. They made a big mistake attacking her… The tidal wave of earth, which has gotten a bit smaller since much of it was used to extinguish fires, aims itself at some men that are hiding out in a building. A non-burning one, at that.
As soon as the mother and children are out safely, Hiei crouches and then springs upwards, breaking through what's left of the roof to back flip end over end until his feet touch the ground, his sword up at the ready. He narrows his gaze. Those flames weren't normal and he knew it. He actively searches for a source with his eyes while he extends his senses looking for a chakra signature that he doesn't recognize.
As soon as the mother and children are out safely, Hiei crouches and then springs upwards, breaking through what's left of the roof to back flip end over end until his feet touch the ground, his sword up at the ready. He narrows his gaze. Those flames weren't normal and he knew it. He actively searches for a source with his eyes while he extends his senses looking for a chakra signature that he doesn't recognize. Through the ether he is able to detect two signatures. One on the other side of the village and one relatively close by trying to hide. Hiei growls low in his throat as lightning courses down his arm and into the sword he holds. "I see you, medic. You can't hide from me." He extends his blade towards him as a huge bolt of lightning lances from the tip.
Slipping out of her bonds before they can lock into place, Furoo moves to the side quickly and then rushes toward a particular villager. She then appears right before him to say, "You're not wet…weird." She states and then attempts to smash the end of her staff in a forward strike right into his nose before she'll quickly reverse direction and aim it to go up right between his legs. Furoo will then take a moment to step aside. Ya know, give him a chance to fall down, give the rest of the men in the audience to wince, cry, and moan. Then she'll idly lift up her staff and send the end of it crashing down toward the base of the man's skull right where spine and skull meet, "I'm actually not sure killing you in this situation would actually be for the better or worse for you." Then she'll race off to go try to save more people.
Ryouji isn't under attack yet, which is a good thing. He picks up the little girl and says, "Come little one, this place is not safe for you anymore." He lets her cling to him as he gets out of the building. But he sees the others shouting at him, the ones that were yelling at him a moment ago. He moves off and gets to the edge of the village and sets the girl down next to the mother and child Hiei took care of and pats his on the head, smiling. Ryouji disappears with a burst of speed, reappearing back at his original opponents. He glares at them with a murderous look. "You should never have done this." he shifts into his blur mode 2 form, lightning arcs up and down his body. Ryouji grips lighting cutter and slowly draws it out. He grips it with both hands, ready to lay down indiscriminate justice. "I will be your executioner. Prepare yourselves…for oblivion." Ryouji disappears at that moment, rushing forward and moving at a speed only picked up by the kneest of eyes. He reaches each of his targets and strikes, before disappearing again and reappearing at the next attack. He reappears once he finishes the attack with his lightning cutter already half way back into its saya. It slides home with a click as he surveys the damage.
Fires start to diminish as mud squelches them. Some houses are already too far gone and when the mud settles the roof caves in, crashing to the inside. One non-burning house also meets an unfortunate demise though this time it's thanks to one earth user trying to draw out her attackers. The house buckles as the mud goes into it, then practically explodes and sends the men sliding out and to a sticky stop where they try and fail to pull free.
The man who had been controlling the majority of the fires did not expect to be so easily spotted. He has time to escape! Too bad this hiding spot hampers him. While the man does attempt to jump away from the Raikage's lightning bolt the house that he's hiding next to had parts of solid wood jutting out of the roof as support. His head smashes into one of these pieces and the man drops immediately back down right into the path of the lightning, putting on a show of rather epic proportions.
The water user had been dressed as a villager. He'd been the one to plan to try and hide amongst them. But his downfall had been the rain and a long ingrained habit. By using his ability to keep the rain from hitting him he had singled himself out and Furoo had easily spotted him. Eyes widen when appears in front of him and there's naught he can do but take the blows and fall. A groan erupts as he tries to regain his senses, but then they're all lost as his skull is smashed through his spinal cord.
The little girl cries on Ryouji's shoulder as he carries her away, turning back to another adult when she's set down to keep crying. As for the frozen men who Ryouji so neatly approaches, they can't do anything but the one guy shout that he's sorry. But it's a little late for that. After the Reizei is done the group of men collapse one by one to the ground, some even cut neatly in half. Another child runs towards Ryouji, a boy of about ten who looks to have been crying as well. He points quickly to another house where the roof has collapsed. "My mommy!" He cries. But he's a filthy little lying piece of sniper! As soon as Ryouji turns away the kid makes a handseal, hoping to use the close proximity to bring the older boy's day to a shocking end.
Besides the killer kid most of the people seem to either be dead or fleeing on horseback. The only one that remains is the single bright light at the other end of the village, waiting there as if challenging the group to come.
Hiei was making his way back towards the team when he notices that the boy with Ryouji began to work hand seals and Ryouji had his back turned to him. Hiei blurs out of sight to appear beside Ryouji, extending his open palm and catching the lightning ball before it strikes his once-time student. "Coward." He states as he closes his fingers around it and nullifies the attack with his own lightning chakra. "He tried to attack you in the back, Ryouji. Deal with him and we'll go meet the boss at the end of the village. I sensed him a moment ago. I think its time we paid him a visit." He narrows his eyes at the boy, not caring that he's ten years old. He made his choice, now he gets to reap what he's sown.
Hiei did say no prisoners. Ryouji frowns as he turns around, "Understood…" he clenches his fist, channeling swift release chakra into it causing it to glow a bright bluish green. He rushes forward, sticking out his arm for a lariat, only much much faster. Like a hot knife through butter.
Michiko glance at the archer that had attacked her and gives a small shake of her head. "Have a nice time in the after life," she says, driving a kunai into the trapped man's throat. Then she turns and notices Hiei and Ryouji, flickering over to join Hiei with a small nod. "Where to?" she asks him, not sensing much at the moment.
The boy's eyes widen in surprise as the Raikage appears and somehow nullifies his attack. Fear shows through plainly as he tries to take a step back, "N-no!" That's all he gets out before Ryouji takes care of business. With the boy and archers gone all that's left is the one man left standing at the other side of the village, he being all that remains as the others are dead or have fled.
The rain starts to slow and the villagers slowly start venturing back towards the town to see what all was left of their tiny place. Between the burning of the homes, the deaths of their loved ones, and the likely destruction of their land by those who had come in, they have little to look forward to. No one approaches the shinobi at this point as they all seem to be in shock with no real leader amongst them.
Hiei motions for Michiko to follow him. He then turns to address the villagers. "I'm sorry for what happened here. You people are safe from the bandits for now. I am the Raikage, Yotsuki Hiei. I promise you that I will send shinobi to help you rebuild your homes. For now, follow her." He points at Furoo. "She'll take you back to our village where your wounds will be treated and you'll be given shelter and food." He then turns to Michiko and Ryouji. "Let's go finish this." After sheathing his sword he walks towards the end of the village. As their opponent comes into view, Hiei is walking at a leisurely pace. His wet hair hanging down the side of his face, his muscles tensed, and a murderous look on his face.
Ryouji didn't really want to do it, but this is a battle and sometimes you've got to do things that don't quite sit right with you later on. Like killing the kid. He nods to Hiei and walks right beside his Raikage and behind. He walks with a hand on his hip sword, a bit cautious, but still at ease. He lowers the blur down however, there's no sense burning through chakra he could save later.
Michiko gives a quick nod and waits for Hiei to address the villagers. As he speaks, she would quickly go around the villagers to check to see who is worst off, healing some that seem like they probably wouldn't make it too far. Then she's following Hiei, staying to his right (like a good right-hand!) and anticipating the coming fight with the final boss.
The villagers turn tear filled gazes to the Raikage when he speaks. It takes a few moments for the words to process before the first person finally starts to trail after Furoo. One by one the families turn to leave behind their home and land in order to find somewhere to survive until they can rebuild. Still no one speaks as their grief sits heavy on their hearts as they begin the long trip to Kumogakure.
As Hiei enters the area where the final bandit awaits he would find a woman waiting a good hundred yards in a clear area free of the homes of the village. Her cloak is wet the rain which has passed but her gaze is deadly. This woman is the bright light that Hiei can see, chakra high enough to perhaps even rival that of the Raikage himself. "Yotsuki Hiei. I didn't expect to meet you so soon," the woman says, her voice as smooth as silk and carrying on the cold wind that pushes through to rustle her cloak. "It's a shame that our careful planning was started early by a personal vendetta and for that I apologize. I had personally wanted to kill that Inuzuka. Instead I will have to settle with you and your Motley Crue (hehe). A shame we couldn't wait for my own comrades but, well, they will be in the Land soon enough."
Hiei continues to simply stand there and listen to the woman speak. After she's finished he says, "Who are you, and what is your purpose in this land? I would think that after the Yakuza failed…the Silence failed…even the Recluse failed..that you idiots would get it into your thick skulls that to attack the Land of Lightning is to invite death. My shinobi are among the best on this planet. What makes you think you or your friends for that matter, have even a chance at succeeding with whatever scheme you've come up with?" On the outside he might look calm, but Ryouji and Michiko know him best. They know that he is only trying to pump for information before the battle begins. She seems to be in a talking mood, afterall. Easy on the eyes too. Though it won't matter to him.
Ryouji waits and watches, he's not about to go off half cocked and mess things up for Hiei. He does take a moment to run his senses over anything in the area, in case there's something to sense. That and there's not much else to do until Hiei sics his ninja on the woman. He is right though, she is easy on the eyes.
Michiko listens to this mysterious woman. She raises a brow at hearing all this. There were more of them coming, and in all likelihood, they wouldn't get knocked off course if they killed this woman. Note to self: expect more trouble. The girl can't help but wonder at why Kumo is being targeted, and why Takeo was sought out specifically. "Why did you have a personal grudge against Takeo-san?" she adds in, wanting to sate her curiosity before Hiei kills her.
"Who am I? Why my dear Hiei, can you not recognize one of your own clan?" The woman draws down the hood before her green eyes alight on the Raikage, her hair flowing white outside of the cloak behind her. "I am Yotsuki Donna." Hiei would likely know the name, even if the others wouldn't. "As for what my purpose is…well, that's easy. I'm here to cleanse the shinobi from these lands. And not just this land either, but all of them. This is simply the closest." A hand wave to indicate the rain soaked land around them. "The easiest way to draw a shinobi out of hiding is, after all, to attack their land. You see how well it worked with the Inuzuka. And now you." The green eyes turn to settle on Michiko before she wrinkles her nose. "I have my reasons for wanting that curr dead. A shame it wasn't by my hand, but I am not the jealous type. I will be satisfied with the rest of you."
Lightning cracks overhead and thunder booms loudly, rolling across the valley and causing pools of still water to shake lightly. "well then, I do think that is my cue." With a single seal explosions sound around the valley near the Kumo shinobi before kunai and wires shoot into the air and various directions all around them. Another hand seal has the wires seeking to restrain and sap the strength from the shinobi as well.
Hiei's eyes widen as a growl issues forth from his throat. "I know you. You died ten years ago. We even found your students burned beyond recognition. We assumed you were dead." He begins the movements to execute one of his jutsu, but he can't focus. The shock was too great and he finds himself bound up in the wire. His muscles bulge outwards as he struggles. "Baka! My grandfather trained you, Traitor!" He growls again. "Cleansing this land of shinobi. You're a shinobi too!"
Ryouji sees the wires coming at him, and looks over at Hiei. Ryouji pushes his blur to 11, and starts to move. But a glancing wire sends a shock through his body and causes him to stumble. The wrires drape over the rest of his body and cut into his body. He screams as blood flies up from several cuts on his back, taking a few chunks of flesh out in the process. He'll live, but the electricity will keep him down for a little while. In the meantime, happy thoughts.
Michiko blinks when sees the Yotsuki. Someone she knew to be Yotsuki because who else /but/ a Yotsuki would be tall and have white hair. And such and so. She doesn't know this 'Donna', though… Strange… The woman never appeared in any records, and Michiko had been through a lot of them! She should look into this strange person, which means digging through old- OH PYRO! Suddenly lightning comes down, and Michiko's chakra flares up so that she can quickly enclose herself from the attack. When she lowers the barrier, she sees Hiei and Ryouji have both been hit, stuck in wires that are imbued with lovely lightning. Has she ever mentioned that she /really/ hates lightning? Michiko takes a kunai from her pouch and cuts them both free before giving them a nudge to try and get them both to start moving pronto. "I think we're done talking," she comments before drawing… nothing. She simply grabs the air and shapes it before tossing it at Donna to try and slice at her arm.
"No, I was training to be a shinobi, but before that happened I was saved. I learned the truth about shinobi, fighting each other constantly, leaving behind death and destruction in your wake. I will never be one of you, even if I must use your own means to see to your end." There is no anger in her voice, only a full on certainty of her words. She doesn't even seem 'happy' when the wires trap two of her victims. Instead she's only got a steadfast desire to end this as quickly as possible now that her prey is caught. There's no overbearing finesse, nothing show offy about what she does. Donna is here for one reason alone.
Once the wires wrap around Hiei and Ryouji she makes another hand seal in preparation. But then Michiko retaliates before she can finish and with a flash of lightning the women moves to avoid the sharpened wind. Even with this set back that allowed Michiko to free the other two she only seems minorly annoyed as she completes her seals in a flash. Lightning appears in a condensed ball in front of her that she releases towards the trio of shinobi.
Once Michiko cuts the wires that hold him, Hiei uses his own chakra to nullify the lightning damage. "Thanks, Michiko. I need you and Ryouji to hold her off for a moment." When the lightning ball comes for him, it seems like it hit him. But it was only his afterimage. He makes another handseal and nothing seems to happen.
However a second Hiei stands a little ways away on one of the rooftops of a nearby building. He begins to channel his lightning chakra as it sparks along his skin. His hands glow as a field of lightning begins to surround his body.
Ryouji nods and reaches behind him with both hands. "Oh yeah, listen well. About to pull my blades out, be under my spell! That cannon there, ain't got no flow. So now I see, it's too heavy slow!" He yanks out all six blades, which each falls neatly into place in several of his joints. Ryouji leaps up into the air, doing several front flips before slamming down hard in front of the woman before she even fires, several blades slicing downward at her as well. "Hey now, you're pretty, that's true. But your attacks stink, they make me blue. Michiko's got the metal, don't forget that. Once I'm done, my girl's up to batt!" Ryouji leaps backward, allowing Michiko's metal binding to get in and do its job.
Michiko blocks the lightning cannon with ease, a wall of lightning, thin as the barrier may be, stopping and dispersing the cannon of lightning pretty well. "Hai!" she says to Hiei, making a handseal. As Ryouji goes in to attack, she follows up with her own. Binds of metal snake through the ground and suddenly wrap around the woman's legs… Well, hopefully they do. With Ryouji doing that rapping, though, that's sure to distract anyone!
Donna doesn't exactly seem surprised by Ryouji as he appears just after the ball fires, making it miss him, even if he manages to get her once. She blanches at the sound of the rap that he spews, likely what it was that slowed her down. But still, after the attack it was all the time she needed to have multiples of her appear. The next few slices go through lightning only, avoiding the woman all together. The metal bindings that seek her out destroy clone after clone before finally managing to corner the real one and wrap her up. Donna's face is stoic as she stares at the trio on the field, seeming highly unconcerned.
The clone Hiei suddenly stands up and walks towards the bound woman. He waves his hand in her face with a smile…before going *poof* Meanwhile, the real Hiei is completing his jutsu. His hair stands up on end as the lightning field around him forms into a large bear. The bear rears back on it's hind legs and roars loudly before shooting towards the bound woman at the speed of lightning. Hiei makes another handseal as another field of lightning surround his body. Using the pinnacle of his clan's Nintaijutsu technique (LRA is different), he leaps down after his attack is over to join Michiko and Ryouji.
Ryouji is surprised that Hiei can do Onikuma. Though it's only fair, he did take lariat and make it his own. Ryouji laughs at that and nods, saying, "This is why he's the Raikage." He's even doing it better than Ryouji could do. He watches to see if the woman survives it though, Onikuma is powerful, but not all powerful, there's better jutsu out there.
Michiko makes a handseal, and two clones of pure metal seem to rise from the ground. Then they both charge in after the lightning bear, the girl seeming intent on just destroying this 'Donna' person. Not completely, actually, but pretty badly. Then maybe they can interrogate her later? That would certainly be nice…
Donna looks confused when Hiei vanishes from right in front of her. But then she sees him. Her eyes widen as the bear bares down on her and in a flash of lightning and an explosion that shoots water, mud, and who knows what else in every direction. The metal that holds the woman is the only way the clones can seek to find her again, and find her they do. By the time the mud hits the ground the female Yotsuki is looking pretty beaten up. Her cloak is tattered and blood mattes her hair and dripples from her mouth. "You…you shinobi. You may kill me but the others will finish you. You can't fight us all. And for every one of us you take down, we kill take one of you with us." Granted they already got Takeo this round, but that doesn't seem to be what she means.
From one moment to the next lightning forms in her hand into a long, sword shape. This she reels back and hurls at what she has pegged as the youngest of the crew. The lightning blade hurls at Ryouji while the woman herself is instantly behind the boy, trying to hold him in place. It is suicide, but it's one she intends to take another down with her while doing.
Hiei saw the lightning blade. He had seen it before, it was a technique that he was secretly developing himself, but he had seen it used by Uchiha Naru. And he knew it's destructive power. When Donna targets Ryouji, Hiei just can't let it happen. No more losses. Using all available speed in his current form, he teleports to Ryouji and shoves him out of way. He grabs a hold of Donna as the lightning blade pierces his back and exits through his front. He coughs up blood onto the woman as he stares into her eyes. "No more shinobi will fall today, Donna. I am Yotsuki Hiei, former leader of the Yotsuki Clan. When your friends join you in the afterlife, you be sure to tell them." He coughs up some more blood. "They'll all meet the same fate. Because I'm the soldiering Raikage!" He then kicks her in the center of her chest before sinking to his knees while holding his middle. "Ryouji? Are you okay?"
Ryouji gasps and gets held by the woman. She's got him in a death grip as he struggles with it. The fear of the turning end over end blade is something that grips him in fear. But then Hiei gets in the way and shoves him out of the way, breaking Donna's grip on him. Ryouji is shocked and more than a little embarrised by Hiei getting in the way and taking the blade. Even though he's still Ryouji's sensei and protects him, Ryouji didn't want him to take the hit. Ryouji calls out, "Sensei! No!" But Michiko is here, an excellent medic-nin, so no one will die of their injuries today. Ryouji digs up a handfull of dirt in his hand and says, "Spy it…" more engineered at himself that Hiei needed to do that to save him, than Hiei actually doing it. He pulls himself up and checks his injuries over, just cuts from those wires and his left leg is twitching from what is left of the electricity. Other than that, he's fine.
Michiko blinks when the woman forges a blade of pure lightning, and it's only because she knows that lightning in and of itself is horrible that she knows this can't be pretty. She's about to raise a barrier, fully expecting the woman to attack Hiei when she throws it at… Ryouji! Michiko can barely move before Hiei's bolted from nearby, the girl feeling the shift in his stance so he can pretty much shove Ryouji out of harm's way and get hurt in the process. "Hiei-san!" she pretty much gasps out inaudibly, her brain just barely processing that two people she cared about were both in danger, though only one took a hit. The girl flickers from her spot, and she's by Hiei's side, already healing the Raikage. She didn't need a diagnosis to tell the damage wasn't pretty, both inside and out. A palm is rested on Hiei's back and on the wound so she could give both energy and actual healing to Hiei. "I'm glad I learned this…" she mutters as she sends chakra through the Raikage.
The swords pierces her chest and a gasp escapes as she sees Hiei there in front of her now instead of the kid she'd been holding. Her body shudders in his grip as her life ebbs, her eyes wide on the Raikage as he speaks. Then they cloud over, her head drops back and a final breath escapes into the moist air. When Hiei releases her Donna's body slumps to ground motionless. As if the world itself knew what was happening and the fact that lives had been lost, the sky opens once more. Another bright flash of lightning followed immediately by a boom of thunder hits above the shinobi as rain peppers down, washing blood away from body.
