Chapter13: KunoichiMelee

Two against one, the kunoichi of their respective villages stood against a single enemy. An advantage in their favor…

"I'mhonoredtofightaHyuga," Kawaki said, bowing to Hinata. Turning to Tenten, the woman looked the kunoichi over and said, "I'msorry, butIcan'trecognizeyourclanfromyourappearance…"

"That doesn't matter! You are allied with themaren't you?" Tenten said, taking the scroll from her back and unrolling it.

"Ifyoumeanthe'MakaiMiko'- orsotheycallthemselves, thenyes! Iam- withoutadoubt- youropponent, somayIaskifwecanfindsomelevelgroundsothatwemayfightonasequals?" Kawaki asked.

"What?" Tenten asked confusedly. 'Was this some sort of trick? Was she trying to stall for time or something?'

"Please, Iwishonlytoallowbothmyenemiesachancetofightonequalgroundwithme. WhileIstandinthislake, Ihavethegreatestadvantage," Kawaki said.

'She's bluffing us?' Tenten wandered, shooting a series of thrown projectiles summoned from her scroll at the woman.

"Suiton: Suijinheki (WaterRelease: WaterEncampmentWall)!" Kawaki said, performing a series of Kujikiri, causing a wall of water to rise in time for the weapons to collide with the wall. The water was so dense that the weapons bounced off the wall and fell to the ground. "Thisisonlyatenthofmypower, sopleaseacceptmyoffer. Itwouldn'tbeveryfairformetokillyousoeasily."

"Only if we can pick the location!" Hinata said wandering if they could defeat a possibly powerful enemy.

Tenten bit her lip and looked at the kunai and shuriken that littered the ground, the tips of their blades where they had touch the wall of water missing, cut cleanly from the rest of the tool. 'She combined her technique with a futon technique. Anything that touches that wall would be thoroughly threaded- we can't attack her, but it's like she can attack us… Does every member of these 'Makai Miko' have wind nature chakra?'

"Thatisfinewithme," Kawaki said, bowing to the Hyuga.

"Be careful Nekomi, she's a member of the Akimichi clan. She'll likely use their enlargement techniques to grant her a size advantage over us," Tachiko said, unsheathing her twin kodachi.

"The bigger they are, the easier they are to hit!" Nekomi said, cracking her fingers while brandishing her nekode at the same time.

"Sorry, my momma told me to not play with my food," Kuchiki said with a gluttonous grin. "Yurei Shakuhou: Kitsunetsuki!" She exclaimed loudly. The whites of her eyes turned black as her irises glowed red, her hair came to life and all visible signs of bodily fat rapid disappeared to the point that the woman was almost gaunt. The sound of cracking bone and tearing flesh was followed by a monstrous growled from the back of her head. "fEeDmEyOuFaTbItCh! FeEdMe!"

"How disgusting!" Tachiko said in revulsion.

"Yeah! You don't know how much exercise and dieting Tachiko-sama has to go through just to keep her womanly figure!" Nekomi cried in agreement.

"That's not what I was talking about!" Tachiko returned in embarrassment.

"It's not…?" Neko said, looking at her partner in confusion.

"I'm talking about the mouth on the back of her head!" Tachiko exclaimed, frustrated.

"She has a mouth on the back of her head?" Nekomi asked in confusion.

"Where do you think that insulting voice came from?" Tachiko asked growing tired of Nekomi's obliviousness.

"I thought she was a good ventriloquist!" Nekomi said honestly.

"Nekomi, if you keep acting like a boke, I will cutsome sense into you," Tachiko replied threateningly.

"Wah! Tachiko, you're so kinky!" Nekomi cried, clasping her face in her hands and blushed.

"I don't know what kind of sick fantasy you're having, but your head out of the gutter!" Tachiko howled in embarrassment.

"WhAtArEyOuWaItInGfOr, CoW! fEedMe!"Growled the monstrous voice from Kuchiki's second mouth. Her ponytails raised into the air and shot forward at the two women.

"Whah! Her hair's alive!" Nekomi cried, nimbly leaping away from the ponytail that sought to grapple her.

"She's a futakuchi-onna, of course her hair is alive!" Tachiko replied, hacking at the other ponytail with her kodachi as she leaped back.

"I'd hate to ask, but what's a futakuchi-onna?" Nekomi asked as she dodged another attack by ponytail.

"*Sigh* When we get back, I'll teach you everything we know about yokai/obakemono," Tachiko said as she hacked more at the ponytail that struck at her.

"Clowns? Have you looked at yourself lately?" Maisoko asked, staring at Panda's white and black painted face.

"Masiko-imoto, do not insult the enemy. We know not what kind of hideous scars she wants to hide with her hideous make up," Itamu said in a snarky way.

"I-I was going to play with you a little, but for that, for that… YOU'RE DEAD!" Panda howled in injustice.

"But we are kinda already dead," Maisoko said, shrugging. "Don't you mean deader?"

"That's impossible, once you're dead, you're dead. There's no way you can be deader than that," Itamu said, "In fact, we are technically alive in an undead way, so clinically, we're the 'living dead' or- as I prefer- the 'unliving'."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Howled Panda in anger. "WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU, THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT!" Drawing her bamboo pipe, she shot her seeds at the two women.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Tekken Hitsugi (Summoning Technique: Iron Coffin)!" Itamu said, drawing a scroll from her clothes and unrolling it. Smoke exploded from the scroll that quickly disappeared, revealing a large, metal Chinese coffin. The seeds struck the coffin without harming it, falling to the ground harmlessly. Itamu slung the coffin by the rope that was wrapped about it over her shoulder as she kneeled down and looked at the seeds. "Let me guess… You shoot these assuming your opponent will dodge with the intent of implanting them wherever they land and then spontaneous cause them to grow at an accelerated rate, impaling anybody caught within range. Am I wrong?"

Panda bit her lip. 'What the hell? Does everybody here have an analytical mind or something? Well the other one looked like an idiot… Now that I think about where has she gone?' "Hay clown goth! Where's the other clown?"

"If you mean my baby sister. You should find out soon…" Itamu said looking to the ground. When nothing happened, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and frustration as she said, "Anytime soon, Maiso-imoto…"

"Is she underground? If she is, I think that's the worse place for her to be. Cause I'm not alone (I hope)," Panda said, looking at the ground.

"What?" Itamu asked, looking at her in confusion confused.

"My name is Aburame Jorouhime, spelt with the kanji for 'oil woman' and 'binding princess', please do not spell my name any. other. way," said a lanky woman in a hoaded trench coat wearing what appeared to be shades with coke-bottle lenses. She stood across from Maisoko in a spacious underground tunnel.

"Wait, are you supposed to be the Jorougumo or the Tsuchigumo?" Maisoko asked in confusion.

"I was named after the Jorougumo in hopes of being beautiful and seductive, but I grew up to lanky- though that is not important, Hitsugi Maisoko. I admit, it's unusual for my prey to come into my liar on their own accord; generally I have to drag them down. It matters not though, for my children will eat you just the same," Jorouhime said as small spiders crawled out of her sleeves, descending to the tunnel floor with the aid of nearly invisible silk threads.

"I'm sorry, but I never told you my name," Maisoko said, eyeing the spiders cautiously.

"I know a lot; my children are everywhere," Jorouhime said.

"So you're a spy?" Maisoko asked.

"No. I am just somebody who wants to be alone; my children just tell me everything I need to know. Now if you please don't mind, die," the tall woman said, sending a wave of spiders at the Hitsugi.

"Sorry, but I'm already dead!" Maisoko said, sticking her tongue out.

"Momo, keep on your guard, she's an Ame kunoichi. She likely rely on ranged," Shiryu said, looking at the enemy kunoichi with suspicion.

"Ranged?" Kouryu asked, twisting the bamboo shaft of her parasol and drawing a concealed blade. "I'm sorry, but I'm a melee fighter. However there's no point in fighting under a cloudless sky… Yurei Shakuhou: Kitsunetsuki!" Dark clouds began to gather in sky as the kunoichi's eyes turned black with glowing red irises. Crack of thunder warned the Iwa kunoichi of the coming rain that wasted no time in coming down in force. "Oh, is this so great?" The kunoichi asked as she held her arms out to embrace the rain drops that seeped into every inch of her kimono and cause it to bleed through.

"You must be a skilled combatant if you insist on fighting on less than ideal combat conditions! At this rate the rain water will loosen the soil in the ground, turning the dirt into mud that make getting traction and footing difficult for all three of us. Even if we are to focus the chakra into our feet to allow us to create artificial traction, our chakra reserves will deplete quickly, forcing us to rely on physical attacks to preserve as much energy as possible!" Momo said in a longwinded monologue.

"What was that about relying on only physical attacks?" Kouryu said from behind Momo, slashing with her concealed blade.

Shiryu shoved Momo away from the path of the blade only to be cut into herself. Thrusting with inhuman force with her hand, she pierced the chest of the second Kouryu, causing it to explode into a burst of water. "Why is that whenever your knowledge increases, your common sense takes a nose dive?"

"Shiryu-sama!" Momo cried, staring at the gaping wound in the woman's body. 'I-I know she's, she's, but it's still disturbing.' Something moved out of the corner of her eye. Drawing her Ji Zhaun Lian, she hacked into the body of approaching Kouryu, slicing her in two effortlessly- only for her body to burst apart as water in the following moment. "Mizu Bushin?"

Several forms rose from the quickly forming pools of rain water, each solidifying themselves as doppelgangers of Kouryu. "You're wrong on so many points. As a vessel, I possess more chakra than humanly possible in this form, meaning I can waste as much energy as I want. You on the other hand, don't have half as much stamina, leading to you lose in the long run. In other words-"

Shiryu stabbed right through the Kouryu's body, dispelling it in a burst of water. "Talking isn't a free action. Less exposition, more fighting."

"Right!" Momo said, donning a defensive stance, back to back with Shiryu.

"How cheeky. I'll enjoy killing you wasteland wretches," One of the countless Kouryu doppelgangers said.

"How long is it until we reach Yuri no Kuni, Temari-sempai?" Matsuri asked Temari as the three suna kunoichi sat at a table in a road side inn.

"It will take us several weeks before even get to the border between Hi no Kuni and Yuri no Kuni. Luckily we have already gotten the permission to cross through their country. In fact it seems like we are to rendezvous with a Konoha cell that will be working with us in addition to the already deployed kunoichi," Temari said, taking a sip from her tea.

"I wonder what it be like there," Sari said, taking a bite of a dumpling.

"I've heard things hear and there form sempai, though I don't know what to believe," Temari said, sighing.

"Like what?" Matsuri asked.

"ANOTHER SAKI!" Cried a sand blonde haired woman with brown eyes. Her voluptuous body nearly fell out of the miniature kimono that didn't reach past her hips. She sat a table across the Suna kunoichi with a pair of other women. Both had the same sand blonde hair and brown eyes. One of the women, the tallest amongst the trio, was the tallest and by far the most mature in appearance, dressed in a full length kimono. The other, the smallest and most immature in appearance, wore a similar kimono to the first, but wore it more modestly, having less body to fill it out.

"Never mind that order, she's quite drunk enough as is," the taller woman of the trio said.

"More candy please!" The smallest woman cried out.

"Never mind that order either, you're teeth has been rotted enough!" the tallest woman said somewhat bitterly.

"ONEE-SAMA!" "Onee-chama!" The two other woman whined.

"Don't forget what we are all the way out here for! The more allies we can gather, the better the campaign in Yuri no Kuni will go… Though it's a shame that the tanuki has to be sealed in a male," the tallest woman said, sighing.

"But, don't we got a tanuki?" the smallest girl asked.

"Yes and no. I don't believe in the existence of such a creature, I cannot deny myself the truth of the manner. The more I think on the matter, the worse my head hurts," the tallest woman said.

"Why don't you drink a little! A good little buzz makes all my worries go away!" the drunken woman said.

"You're trust trying to talk me into drinking so that you can swipe drinks from me," the tallest woman said in vexation.

"Come O-nee-sa-ma, live a little… It's because you are so strict that you're still single!" the drunken woman said, crawling onto the table and towards the tallest woman.

"I wouldn't have to be so strict if our mother wasn't a drunkard and amoral, both traits you seem to adopt pretty well," the tallest woman said angrily.

"Don't forget she leaves for days without notice and can be found in the beds of other women like our father!" the smallest woman said cheerfully as if she wasn't aware of the implications of her statement.

"Unlike our father, I'm still alive!" the drunken woman said angrily.

"That's because we can silenceyour bedmates before their spouses can find out about it," the tallest woman said, "Don't forget whokilled our father."

"Oh, don't act so high mighty! Don't forget whokilled our mother!" the drunkard said, pointing her finger angrily at the tallest woman.

"Would you rather one of us died instead? She wasn't the mother of the year after all…" the tallest woman said.

"What!" Sari cried in shock.

"I-In public!" Matsuri added, shocked.

"You don't have to be loud about it!" Temari chided embarrassedly.

"What do we have here?" the drunk woman said, looking towards the Suna kunoichi. She got off the table tipsily and made her way towards the kunoichi sat where she wrapped her arms around Temari and said with a lewd smile, "Hay there baby, wanna have a fun time?"

"Not on my watch you lusty brat!" the tallest woman said, chopping the drunk on her head. "I'm sorry about my little sister, she barely chaste sober, ten times worse drunk."

"She's such a sl-!" the smallest of the three women began, but was quickly cut off by the tallest woman. "That hurt, Onee-chaama!" The woman cried, rubbing her head in pain.

"If you got the time to call your sister horrible names, you have time to help me get her off this poor stranger!" The tallest woman said angrily.

Puffing her cheeks out, the smallest woman reluctantly aided her eldest sister pry the drunk from Temari.

"Again I'm sorry for my sister's actions. If there's anything, anything, I could do to make up, just name it," the tallest woman said, bowing to Jonin.

"T-that's okay," Temari said, blushing. Matsuri and Sari looked at the kunoichi, such passive and apologetic nature unusual to the kunoichi.

"We're so grateful for your kindness! We are in your debt," the tallest woman said, bowing to Temari apologetically. She and the smallest woman pulled the drunk through the inn's common room and left. Only once outside they allowed the drunk to stand on own two feet. "I take it that was your work."

"Sunagakure, our ooollllddd homeland. Whaaat are they doing here?" The drunk said, barely able to stand up straight.

"We should keep tabs on them. I don't like what the wind's been whispering," the tallest said, shaking her head.

"Can't we just kill them?" the smallest woman asked.

"Not if we don't want to make more trouble than we need," the tallest woman said shaking her head.

Honeko meet with weary glances of the other mikos as she returned to Yuriguni's central shrine. She didn't need to hear their hush tones to know what they were whispering to each other. They were afraid of her; afraid of what she was. She did not try to hide the fact that she was a wolf in sheep's skin nor did she mind their resentment. She preferred it that way; those who treated her nicely were trying to use her or an altogether fool.

"Honeko-sama!" called out a voice from behind her, eliciting the following thought from the monstrous miko, 'Speaking of the later…' She did not need to turn around to know the person addressing her was Amaya Nekochi, the mortal woman her host had been courting for some undetermined reason she had continue to court (she suspects that she had grown fond of the maiden in addition to absorbing her host's genuine feelings). Despite thinking of Amaya as a fool, she is quite capable woman, able to not only keep the entire shrine in working condition in place of her lazy, womanizing sister, but also doggedly take care of a slob like Honeko. Even after she was devoured by her inner yokai, she was treated no differently by her than before. Unfortunately, somebody as hyper independent as Honeko had a hard trouble relying on others and can't help but keep a tally on how much she was indebt to this woman; trying to be too independent hurt the girl as it make her feel unloved and useless. This was probably what she felt now from the sound of worry in her voice.

"Is something wrong?" she said, casting her dark, emotionless eyes down on the girl who was a head shorter than her.

"Please forgive me, but when I couldn't find you, I thought…" Amaya began, her fussing with the hems of her chihaya's sleeves in nervousness. She couldn't voice her fear; she couldn't voice how she was afraid that Honeko had joined the enemy. She tried her hardest to not treat Honeko like a monster like the other mikos did and couldn't understand why Honeko didn't try to get the others treat her better, but she couldn't help but be afraid; not for herself, but Honeko. She wished the woman would bring any problems she had to her, but knew the woman's introverted nature and treatment as a monster was not going to make that likely. She thought that if she made herself useful to her. She cooked her meals, washed her clothes, drew her bath and even offered to be her lover, but to no avail. Her only reward was for her sister to mention what everybody was thinking: When did she become the monster's wife? She didn't like it, not because of the implication towards her dignity, but how the idea of being Honeko's wife made her stomach flutter.

"Please. Like I would ever sell myself to those who fools. I was able to make a life in this land peacefully, why would I want to help those who would take it over with force?" Honeko said, turning to face the miko and embrace.

"I was so worried…" Amaya said, lying her head against Honeko's bosom, fighting back the tears of relief that tried to well up in her eyes. Reaching into the sleeve of her kimono, she grasped the hilt of a tanto tightly.

"We shall be working in joint with the dispatched kunoichi from our own village, Iwagakure, Sunagakura and Kirigakure. Besides our comrades, we are unsure of how many medical-nin have been dispatched in total so we are to focus on attending the wounded before combat," Shizune said to Ino Yamanaka as they- along with Hana Inuzuka, the Haimaru brothers, and Anko Mitarashi ran.

"Yes, Shizune-sempai!" Ino replied.

"Hay Ino, is this your first time to Yuri no Kuni?" Anko asked.

"Yes," Ino replied.

Anko smiled perversely. "Well you're in for a world of wanders!"

"It was a peaceful retreat," Hana added absent-mindedly. Hearing from Tsunade that one of the enemy was an Inuzuka, her heart ached. She knew only one person it could be. For one of her kinsmen, let alone somebody she thought of as a sister, to have be responsible for murder…

Anko cast a worried glance at Hana before saying to Ino, "Hay Ino, you know what Inuzuka have in common with dogs?"

"No, what?" Ino asked, curious.

Anko whispered the answer to Ino, causing the junior kunoichi to blush brightly.

"Whatever she told, it's probably a lie," Hana growled uncharacteristically, more embarrassed than angry by Anko's mischief.

"Is that so? I remember you begging me to-" Anko before she was cut off mid-sentence by Hana.

"Say anymore and I'll show you my bite is worse than my bark," the Inuzuka replied, her pupils taking on a more animalistic nature. The Haimaru brothers growled instinctively, their hackles standing on end though they didn't know what was happening.

Shizune sighed and wandered to herself. 'All of the kunoichi in the village, why are only these three were available?'