Within her cocoon of sand, there lay a girl sitting with her knees against her chest, arms wrapped around her legs. She was enclosed in darkness- unable to see out beyond her protective shell, or be seen. Her thoughts came easily to Hitomi, 'How did this happen? I'm not this weak. He's wrong..' But there was another, one exuding malice and lust, 'LET ME OUT, AIMI.'<br/><br/>'LET ME KILL HIM FOR YOU.' The voice echoed. It could have only been one thing... the tailed beast within her, but Hitomi could not detect its own thoughts beside the thick fog of hatred whirling within Aimi's subconscious. She only heard what it was saying to the girl. Hitomi shouted, but there was no response from within that cocoon of sand. 'People? Other people... Chiyo-sama.. and someone I don't know.' 'THEY WANT YOU, AIMI.' 'I know...' 'DON'T LET THEM TAKE US BACK THERE.'<br/><br/>Though Hitomi felt the girl agree wholeheartedly with the demon spirit's words, her reasoning was entirely different, it was obvious. She shared none of the wild bloodlust of the creature inside of her and did not want to have to use it for war... or even her own preservation.<br/><br/>As she went peering into Aimi's mind, Shirō was injecting something in his arm and the raven flew overhead, casting its large shadow across the battlefield. He crouched low, drew a kunai from his holster and threw it towards the sand barrier. It landed there harmlessly embedded in the sphere, but the telltale sound of a paper tag going off rang through the air, quickly followed by a large explosion. Dust flew everywhere, obscuring the battlefield for a moment before the sand cleared and the shield of sand turned into glass. Though still a perfect sphere, Aimi's shell was charred glass on one side and still fairly composed of earth on the opposite. Though the image was distorted, she was absolutely nowhere to be found, save for a small hole in the center of her shell.<br/><br/>Tashi came onto the scene then, running up to the battlefield and making hand seals for a technique that Shiro knew. He narrowed his eyes, recognizing the Mibu swordsman. Those red eyes... "How did<em>he</em>follow me here?" He muttered to himself. Moreover, there was one more coming... wearing a Konoha headband, it appeared. Though he maintained some degree of stoicism, in reality, his chances for survival were slimming by the moment. It may very well have become a five on one match then. Shiro considered himself lucky with Aimi, having seen her abilities before... but he knew he would be no match in a straight fight with Chiyo... and the other three only made things worse, more or less complete unknowns.<br/><br/>Chiyo's hands moved under her robes and the puppet in front of her pulled back its own sleeve, extending a wooden hand out towards the Raven in the air. The hand popped out a small cannon from its palm and shot out a blast. Sand kicked up from the recoil, and a small bead of water, reflecting sunlight and sand, shot towards the bird. It brought its wings infront of it as a shield, and the bullet exploded against those metal plumes. The force of the blast brought the bird tumbling for a few moments before it regained its flight.<br/><br/>Shiro looked up as a small deluge of rain carpeted the battlefield, rain falling upon him and the glass dome both. He brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the falling droplets, then turned his attention back to the puppet master... and those that just arrived. Marise ran up to the battlefield then, planting her feet firm on the earth and shouting... something. Shiro narrowed his eyes and tilted his head, not entirely sure what she was doing.<br/><br/>Then a beam of light shot down from her hands, straight towards the Bansentennin ninja. It exploded there, shattering the glass shell nearby and throwing his body into the sand. He disappeared in a puff of smoke, mere sand drifting away from his body... but nearby, the man was on his back atop a dune, gritting his teeth. A little bit too late... he stood back up, his clothes torn and cuts and bruises evident upon his flesh. "Twenty four more seconds..." He muttered to himself, looking up at the raven overhead.<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 6; Shiro's Plan Bonus decreases to +1.<br/>Shiro taps his reserve for 13 chakra and uses an adrenaline boost.<br/>The Raven activates an ability functionally the same as Tokage no Kawa.<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/>Marise &amp; Tashi arrive! But will have spent a full-round action getting there... They are at most 20 feet within Shiro and Aimi.<br/>Hitomi catches Aimi's thoughts. She has an intelligence of 14. She detects the Shukaku, however, also with an intelligence of 14. Aimi's Will Save: 13, Shukaku's Will Save: 34<br/>Aimi uses Dochuu Engyou no Jutsu and burrows away somewhere...<br/><br/>Round 7: Shiro's Plan Bonus is gone entirely.<br/>Tashi uses Damashiuchi no Jutsu. For 6 rounds, sneak attack damage is increased 1d6.<br/>Shiro uses Exploit Weakness on Chiyo and activates full Combat Expertise, attacking Aimi with a Kunai + Superior Paper Bomb. Attack: 15, Hit! Damage: 0 piercing, 16 Fire. The sand cocoon turns into glass.<br/>Chiyo uses Exploit Weakness on Shiro, gaining a +2 bonus to her ranged attacks and a +5 bonus to melee.<br/>Puppet attacks Karasu with an Epic Elemental Cannon. +17, -6 Range Penalty. She rolled a 4.... Miss!<br/>Mari does her best Goku impression, and converts some chakra from her reserves. Shiro attempts to Kawarimi. Ninjutsu 30 vs. DC 39! Shiro's Reflex Save: 20 vs DC 22. Full damage!<br/>Also she has spent 12 of her 16 empathy points to learn Kamehameha, in dramatic fashion.<br/>Hitomi, you're up!<br/>Aimi casts Daisan no Me. Eyeball hide check; 19. Shiro's Spot 20. Raven's spot 22, Chiyo's Spot 19. All the NPCs see the eyeball. Geez, poor Aimi rolling a 3. <br/><br/>Tashi; Speed Rank 2, -6 Chakra, Init 20<br/>Shiro; Speed/Strength Rank 3, +2 Str, +2 Dex, Act normally at -1 hit points or below, -56 HP, -22 Chakra, -35 Chakra Reserve, Init 19<br/>Karasu; +2 Natural Armor, -7 Chakra, Init 19<br/>Mari; Speed Rank 2, -17 Chakra, -6 Reserve, Init 13<br/>Chiyo; Speed Rank 3... -20 Chakra, Init 12<br/>Puppet; -5 Chakra, Init 12<br/>Hitomi; -3 Chakra, Init 10<br/>Aimi; -4 Con damage, -6 dexterity damage, -5 wisdom damage, -14 HP, -20 HP from Con damage, -29 Chakra, -11 Chakra Reserve, -10 Chakra from Con damage, Init 8<br/><br/>(http://s28.postimg.org/70c7lhgrx/Battlefield2.png)</div></div>