Chiyo stood completely motionless as Marise spoke, remaining silent even as she started to run, intent on protecting Aimi... or at least preventing the demon from being released. Though she didn't get far before the older woman sped past her, arms hanging behind her in a full-on sprint towards the pair as well. She had her own intentions, clearly...<br/><br/>"Hitomi-chan." Chiyo said, looking over to the mercenary right by her side, "Your part in this is over- but if she dies... the Ichibi will eventually reincarnate...<em>somewhere.</em>This would be troublesome, eh? If she refuses to come with us, I can extract it from her as well, though this would be unfortunate. ...but if Aimi agrees to<em>return</em>to Suna... nothing bad needs to happen."<br/><br/>Shiro stared at the blonde woman carefully, narrowing his blue and green eyes at his foe. (http://youtu.be/sUUE0IrCIp4) The winds picked up, blowing sand across the dunes. He reached into his shuriken holster and let loose a barrage of shuriken at the dancing girl. She weaved her head back and forth, even as the sand directly intercepted the projectiles... one after the other. The first was thrown off course by the powerful shield that seemingly materialized out of thin air, the next intercepted a bit closer. The third shuriken was dangerously close to her shoulder when when the sand appeared... but the fourth just barely grazed her bare thigh, the sand rushing too late to block it. The fifth shuriken sliced a wide cut on her forearm. She slowed a bit, but quickly resumed her rhythmic fighting stance, whirling her hips around.<br/><br/>The older man braced himself for a counter attack, but instead the woman merely brought her arms up over her head. Sand whirled around her in ribbons, until at last it clung to her skin and wrapped her up, head to toe... it quickly assumed her own form once again, this time as a kind of transparent armor. The Bansentennin knelt down low, using the blood already on his thumb and called out, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"<br/><br/>From a gleam in the sky, a black bird catapulted down, landing beside the man. It was terrible and resplendent, with wings that reflected the sunlight like mirrors. The tips of its feathers were colored crimson like its eyes, and it wore a purple rope-belt and a white bracer on its talon that read, '兵憲' (Soldier, Law)<br/><br/>Aimi pointed at the black creature and closed her fingers together in a fist as her feet swirled in the sands. The earth rose up to entwine with the beast, but it beat its wings and escaped from her attempts to grab at it. It cawed at her loudly in response and flew up high in the sky, out of her reach.<br/><br/>Her attention immediately returned to the battle at hand when she saw Shiro lean forward and blow a thick cloud of noxious fumes her way, flooding her with poisonous gas. She narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth, but could barely feel it. The old man stood upright and relaxed, content that she was somewhere behind that cloud, desperately trying to get away... Instead, she appeared from the plume right before him, arms of sand in her wake. The first took him completely by surprise, smashing into his gut, lifting his body off the ground and forcing blood from his mouth. He landed back on his feet as she continued the relentless attack, earthen tendrils flying towards her opponent. He managed to dodge the next two attacks, ducking under one and leaping back from another- but the first had done quite some damage on him.<br/><br/>Just then, he looked over behind Aimi, "Look. If it isn't my old friend... and your mentor. Chiyo."<br/><br/>The girl looked behind her, his words too specific to be a lie. Her golden eyes widened when she realized that it was true. On the edge of the battlefield, Chiyo and Hitomi were quickly coming into view, running as fast as they could. "What could she be doing here?" He asked, smiling as he wiped the blood from his lip, "It must be to retrieve Sunagakure's<strong>weapon.</strong>"<br/><br/>He looked up at his summon and nodded his head, the great black bird beating its wings and sending up a heavy wind that carried Shiro and Aimi both back towards the poison cloud. Though it dissipated in the fierce gust, Shiro used that momentum and leaped towards Aimi. Sand rushed to her aid... but the wind pushed it behind her, past him. He had an open palm, and through her sand armor- landed his fingers just on her midriff before she swatted him away.<br/><br/>"Now do you see the truth! That's all you ever were!" The man shouted, his tone almost hateful, "A tool for war!"<br/><br/>Aimi winced, closing one eye and clutching her stomach in agony. She looked up at the man and then backed away, bringing her hands together to form a seal as she grit her teeth. A cocoon of sand formed around her, completely obscuring the girl from view. Neither Shiro nor the late arrivals could see any trace of her. Chiyo wasted little time, drawing a scroll from her sleeve and tossing it to the wind- it instantly conjured up a large brown-hooded puppet, hunched over and obscured in a cloak. It rested its hand on a large teapot, almost as tall as it was. "Hitomi." She said, rather matter-of-factly, "Perhaps if you would do me one last service... Aimi's mind- can you reach her in there?"<br/><br/>Before she even took a step, the woman cryptically cautioned, "Be careful."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">ROUND 2;<br/>Shiro move action; Exploit Weakness <br/>Attack Action; Ninpou: Shurikenjutsu - Renken at Aimi, Attack Rolls: 18, 25, 15, 33, 24! Miss. Miss. Miss. Hit. Hit.<br/>Damage; 6, 8.<br/>Aimi's Fort Saves: 11 and 14... Dex Damage; 3,3<br/>Aimi's move action; Taps Reserves... 22, gains 11 temporary chakra.<br/>Aimi's attack action; activate Suna no Yoroi.<br/><br/>ROUND 3;<br/>Shiro casts Kuchiyose no Jutsu. Swift action tap reserves, gains 22(!) temporary chakra.<br/>Aimi uses Sabaku Kyuu on the Raven, Reflex Save 20 vs. DC 18... Fails to connect.<br/><br/>Round 4; Shiro's Plan Bonus decreases to +3<br/>The bird takes off 50 feet above ground, out of Aimi's reach.<br/>Shiro uses Dokukiri no Jutsu...<br/>Aimi's Fort; 20! Ha.<br/>She runs out of the poison cloud towards Shiro instead and uses Renzuki on him. Nat 20, 11, 16. Critical! 30 damage. Miss Miss.<br/><br/>Round 5; Shiro's Plan Bonus decreases to +2<br/>Chiyo and Hitomi arrive! But has spent a full-round action getting there. Chiyo chills 30 feet from the fight. Hitomi may choose how close or far she is away from the two.<br/>The Raven uses Ichijin no Jutsu... and Aimi rolls a nat 1 on her reflex save. Yeesh. She's blown 20 feet back. Shiro makes no effort to avoid it, being blown 20 feet as well.<br/>Due to the winds blowing away her sand, Aimi's deflection bonus is reduced to +4 for one round only!<br/>Shiro uses Dokutsume no Jutsu. Touch attack 22 hits. Fort Save vs. Poison; ...8. 4 Constitution Damage.<br/>Aimi staggers back 5 feet and uses Suna no Muya. It has 30 hit points and a hardness of 8.<br/><br/>Round 6; Shiro's Plan Bonus decreases to +1 Marise &amp; Tashi will arrive! But will have spent a full-round action getting there... They are at most 20 feet within Shiro and Aimi.<br/>Chiyo undoes a Fuinjutsu: Chuuzouin seal as a move action and uses Chakra no Ito as an attack action, animating a puppet with 13 HD.<br/>Hitomi, you're up!<br/><br/>Shiro; Speed/Strength Rank 3, -30 HP, -34 Chakra, -22 Chakra Reserve, Init 19<br/>Karasu; -3 Chakra, Init 19<br/>Chiyo; Speed Rank 3... -20 Chakra, Init 12<br/>Puppet; Init 12<br/>Hitomi; Speed Rank 3... -3 Chakra, Init 10<br/>Aimi; -4 Con damage, -6 dexterity damage, -5 wisdom damage, -14 HP, -20 HP from Con damage, -23 Chakra, -11 Chakra Reserve, Init 8<br/><br/>Mari; Speed Rank 2, -2 Chakra, -9 Chakra from Byakugan<br/>Tashi; Speed Rank 2, -2 Chakra</div></div>