"AH!" Kana jolted up from her bed with her hand on her forehead breathing hard as she stared down at her blanket. "It's always the same thing. Every-single-time. Why?" The girl shook her head, making her bright scarlet red hair flail and flip about as she turned to look at her alarm clock. "It's only 4am?" She sighed, rubbing her hand down her face. She shifted around and drew herself up to sit on the edge of her bed resting her elbows on her legs as she put her face in her hands, thinking. The young woman sat there quietly for a few moments, unfocusedly staring down at her bare thighs. At that time, she was only wearing an over-size T-shirt she liked to sleep in and a pair of short spats.
Her mind was wandering through her memory, trying to dredge up the details of her nightmare. She didn't have to try for long since it was the only one she'd had for the last year or so. Since she arrived at Gessen Academy, Kana tried not to dream at night. The dreams were too painful to confront, more so than any harsh training Master Kurokage put her and the others through- at least until he was no longer able to. After about five minutes, she sighed and pushed herself off her low-slung bed. "I can't sleep after that. I might as well go out for a walk or something." She mused, as she rose to her feet and looked out of the nearby window.
The world outside was still cloaked in velvety darkness except for the silver light bouncing off of the thin layer of snow that'd apparently fallen overnight. She went about dressing herself quietly, not wanting to wake up the others; whom she knew were asleep down the hall from her. She pulled on a pair of cuffed-at-the-ankle jeans that she'd altered herself and pulled the cuffs snug against her ankles so that they'd slide easily into the water-resistant boots she normally wore. Wearing them in such a way kept the cold out and the warm in; even though Kana never had problems with keeping warm, being one of the people in the world that naturally ran a bit warmer than others.
It was the main reason why her small window was cracked slighty; to allow for heat exchange and she just liked it to be cooler in her private space. Pulling a jacket over her undershirt which she'd just changed for a sleeveless variety; Kana headed out her door and leaned up against it to slowly push it closed with minimal noise. Being a shinobi was great for sneaking out while others were asleep or unaware, but she also knew that any of her friends would wake up on the sound of a pin drop so she took pains to slip out and down the stairs to the common-room.
The large open room was so brilliantly colored that it almost seemed to shine in the moonlight filterin in from the high windows and through the smaller ones in the main door. However, Kana didn't pause to take it all in and slowly pushed the doors open and slipped outside, carefully closing them tryin to stay as quiet as possible. With a sigh of relief that nobody had woken up, the girl started off down the path that led up to the main doors then curved around to lead to the small garden they maintained. Crunching softly through the layer of snow; Kana just thrust her hands in her pockets and looked up and about at all the frosty trees and the twinkling stars overhead- Wondering for a moment what it'd be like to see the area from above. Would it all just be one large splatter of white?
"Haha." She let out as she tried to imagine soaring over the Academy like an owl and seeing it all from that vantage point. Hell the only dark spot would probably be the rooftop where the class would gather to study, meditate and sometimes just hang out on nice days. "It's always so quiet out here. I love it..." she smiled, only hearing the continued mild crunching of the partially frozen snow under her feet as she walked the pathway.
"Hmmm..." she mused, spying one of the large trees that grew alongside the walkway. "Maybe I can..." she giggled to herself and hopped up to one of the lower branches...and nearly slipped off thanks to the sheen of ice that coated it. "Whoooa, ehhhhh..."she muttered, trying to keep her balance. "Hup!" she grunted, springing off the branch and catching onto oen of the larger ones and pulled herself up, this one less icy since it was protected by the trunk.
Kana kept climbing up the tree unti she got to the highest branch that would support her weight and pushed the foliage of the evergreen aside and looked out over the area. "Wow~" The scene before her was something out a wintery painting from a television show she'd seen a few days ago; but instead of mountains stood the tower-like Gessen Academy and it's smaller adjunct buildings. She just remained up there taking in the picturesque beauty of it until she noticed someone else moving along the path she'd been on, apparently following her tracks in the snow.
"What's she doing out here? Oh man I hope didn't wake her up..." Kana muttered and leaned out a little while trying to remain hidden to see if she could see who it was. "Yumi?"
It was indeed the leader of their group, though Kana always thought that Yumi could stand to be a little more assertive. She'd noticed Kana slipping out when she'd gotten up to use the restroom that was parked on their dorm hallway. Yumi didn't think it was anythin serious but it was abnormal to see a student up at that time and seemingly milling about for no obvious reason. She wanted to trust all of those in the group but part of her was a little wary of what might be going on; a little suspicion never hurt anyone afterall.
"I hope nothing's wrong. Why would she be out here at this time?" Yumi mused to herself, looking around; dressed in a more casual white and blue kimono that made her almost blend into the snowy environment around her.
Seeing as her friend was out looking for her and not for any other reason, judging by the way she was focused on the tracks and looking up periodicaly for the telltale bright red of Kana's hair. The girl in question tried to carefully climb down out of the tree until she hit the same icy branch she'd encounteredon the way up and promptly slipped, landing in the snow drift at the base of the tree on her butt in a wet-sounding, but dull "thump!"
"Owww..." Kana whined a little, rubbing her rear as she stood up out of the drift, vigorously dusting the snow off. "What's up Yumi? Why're you out here?" She tried to play casual. ~I landed on a friggin' root...~ She mentally complained as she did.
"I was going to ask you the same thing." Yumi replied as she came over to check if Kana was alright from her little fall. "Are you alright?"
"I think I landed on a root or something. I'll be fine in a few minutes." Kana replied. "As for why I'm out here- I had a nightmare or something." She sighed. "So I came out here to clear my head."
Yumi nodded in response, as the two of them continued to walk down the pathway toward an area with simple sitting bench. "It must've been bad if it got you up at this time. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.
"Hmm? I suppose it wouldn't hurt anymore than having go through it again." Kana muttered, not really liking the idea but she'd always heard that talking about stuff like it helped. "It's always the same thing..." she started. "I'm sitting at my in my room trying to work on some homework or something. I start to feel frustrated and irritated then I start smelling smoke and feeling heat all around me." Kana explained as they sat on the snowy bench. Oddly, the snow seemed to immediately melt away and become fully dry where they were about to settle.
The Gessen Leader nodded but didn't say anything to allow her friend to continue.
"Then I hear screaming and the smoke seethes under my door and there's a loud crash and my door is extremely hot to the touch and I can't open it..." Kana continued, her hands starting to tremble as she remembered. "I shout for my mom and dad but all I hear in response are things collapsing outside of my door, then there's a small explosion somewhere downstairs and I feel the intensity of the fire in the hallway growing." She said her heartrate picking up as she started to shift steadily into an anxiety or panic attack.
"What makes it all worse is that I can hear them Yumi..." Kana continued, her voice starting to break as big tears started to form in her eyes. "I can hear mom and dad screams growing fainter and fainter until there's just the sound of the fire and I'm paralyzed with terror. I can't move. I can't think...Then it happens..." She said shaking all over and trying to hold it together. "Then... there's a loud sound like thunder just hit the house and I feel a wave of something just hit me...or come out from me. I don't know then nothing." she said, starting to hypervenilate as her body is gripped with the sheer terror that caused her chest to feel like it seized up in pain.
Kana took a deep breath trying to fight back the psychosomatic panic that was threatening to overcome her. It always happened when she talked about her nightmare; it was so real for her that he body still reacted in the same fashion it had that first time. The only recourse for her was to cling to Yumi's kimono, helplessly sobbing into her friend's chest. Yumi just listened patiently but jolted a bit in surprise when Kana suddenly grabbed the front of her kimono and buried her face in it. "It's ok Kana-san...it wasn't your fault..." She said, wrapping her arms around the girl and just held here like that to let her just get it out.
The pain and clarity of the memories got to Yumi and she too was tearing up a little. To be trapped in a burning building and the only thing you could hear was your parents burning to death? That really was a horrible experience, no wonder it imprinted itself so clearly on Kana's conscience. Yumi had read the reports of it, the police and news wanted to blame Kana for it since she was the only survivor of it. Claiming it was some sort of intentional fire set to a delayed ignition or something since accelerants were found in the garage and the burn pattern suggested arson.
Yumi could also remember the quiet, severely withdrawn and haunted looking girl that her grandfather Kurokage had brought to them about a year and a half ago. She herself was very introverted and quiet; but Kana was almost in a fugue state for about two months. The girl went about her days listlessly, restlessly but without seeming to notice where she was or who she was around. How she'd collapsed from exhaustion during the initial training simply because she was so afraid to sleep- Yumi she knew why. Who COULD if they were plagued by such terror in the prison of their own mind?
It took a few minutes but eventually Kana stopped and sniffled a bit and looked up, looking severely embarrassed for a moment. "I-I'm sorry Yumi. I didnt' mean to get so worked up about it..." she muttered.
"No. It's ok. It happens to everyone sometimes. Come on, let's go back inside and have some tea, it'll help calm you down." Yumi insisted.
"Sure..." Kana replied after another sigh, like she was trying to get out the last of it.
Later that same day, shortly after the lunchbreak...
SNAP! SNAP! WHOOSH WHOOSH! THUNKTHUNK! Rang out in the training grounds then a loud whistle, apparently of appreciation.
"You're getting better with that thing, Damn. I'll have to watch out the next time we do sparring!" Yozakura laughed, encouraging Kana as she drew back the long specially made bullship in her hand. Across the grounds, two kunai knives were buried in wooden targets almost entirely up their handles like they'd been shot across the distance by a gun or something.
"It's all in the wrist...and the eye." Kana laughed back, seeming to have allowed her earlier breakdown to slide away, at least while was around her friends.
"Like, what made you decide on such a ...cumbersome weapon anyway?" Shiki, standing nearby, asked.
"Oh like you have room to talk Ms-two-scythes-on-a-stick!" Yozakura shot back in a good-natured, boisterous fashion.
"Mmm probably the fact that I can flick things off it at supersonic, thus undodgeable, speed?" Kana replied with a coy smirk. "That and there's nothing like a fifteen-foot reach to say 'reach out and touch someone'" She added.
"That's a really bad touch. What? You want to make everyone you fight need an adult?" Yozakura chuckled.
"Maybe an adult physician. Cuts made by those things, like, really hurt." Shiki commented. "You don't really need to go around twice though do you? That's, like, alot of wasted energy...isn't it?"
"No. Not really Shiki, if you're watching; she's only doing with her wrist. One twist or flex of that is amplified over the entire length of the weapon." Yumi explained from where she was standing a safe distance behind them.
"Ok. But what if someone, like me, gets in too close?" Yozakura asked, snapping out an unarmed punch to make her point. It was something she was concerned about in that big-sisterly fashion of hers.
"I still got my feet I can break people with." Kana grinned sheepishly in response.
"You should still try using other skills though, people like me can do alot of damage if we get in too close." Yozakura insisted. "I know you don't like being grabbed and all but your ..reflex doesn't activate quickly enough to protect you against that." She pointed out.
"I've said it time and again that you really should trying to fight it." Yumi sighed as they came back around to it. "I know that it frightens you; but you shouldn't let your fear block your potential like you are."
"I..I ...I just don't want to hurt anyone with it..." Kana stuttered a little, starting to hang her head until she jolted forward. "Ow! You didn't have to hit me Kura-san!" She exclaimed as Yozakura swatted her upside the head for starting to wilt like a dry flower.
"You have to get over that. Part of what we do is to hurt people. That weapon of yours hurts plenty if you connect with it! Same with my fists, Shiki's dual-scythe, -Kumo's club and spear!" She raised her voice, slipping further into admonishing-big-sister-mode. The the short-haired girl sighed as if letting it go. "Yumi's right. Holding yourself back just hurts us all more than what you're afraid of."
"I...I can ...try..." Kana muttered then sucked in a breath and let out a couple times. "Alright. Give me a little space, just in case." she said. The others nodded and backed off a reasonable distance but continued to watch as Kana began to focus on her training.
A couple hours later; there was almost nothing left of the wooden training dummies and somehow the metal ones that were brought in looked partially melted. Kana had to stop when they ran out of them in fact, they'd be replenished easily enugh but not in time to simply continue for the time being. The others that were watching were giving her that polite, mild golf-clap like they were almost afraid of what would happen.
"Well...that's the way you improve your secret ninja arts." Yumi smiled ina small fashion with an approving nod.
"That was like, totally hot." Shiki giggled in that silly valley-girl persona she had. "See? You didn't hurt any of us. But you like, destroyed those dummies." she laughed.
"That's how you do it." Yozakura nodded.
"Mmmhmm. That was very thrilling to watch as well, all that passion just being expressed so vividly!" Murakumo, whom had her mask on, applauded. "Maybe I'll use it in my manga!" she exclaimed like she just had a light bulb go on in her head.
"Uhm..." Kana muttered digging the toe of her boot in the ground and blushing brightly. "thanks you guys..." she said in a small, embarrassed tone.
Yumi then straightend up since the day's training was complete due to Kana obliterating their dummies until new ones could be rolled out. She'd gesture them to follow her back inside in an imperious, almost commanding manner of someone taking charge of troops. It must've been serious for her to flip that switch and alter her normally very modest and quiet demeanor. Apparently someone had gotten some bad news earlier that day and was just waiting for the right time to address it; which was usually after training during the cooldown so that the others were energized and probably ready to go.
Once inside and all seated around the common-room's main table, Yumi put a scroll down and unrolled it. "We've received word that for whatever reason; Hanzo Academy is seeming to ... accept and collaborate with Hebijo Academy." Yumi said in a deadly serious voice, sounding like she was supremely insulted by the mere concept. "This flies in the face of everything we stand for as good shinobi. They have lost their sense of righteousness in the face of evil; we cannot allow this ... disrespect to continue." She went on.
The faces of the others gathered grew almost as outraged and upset as she was; their entire shinobi lives, Master Kurokage had taught them that all evil ninja were to be exterminated. There was to be no acceptance, no collaboration. In their view; the Hanzo shinobi were traitors; fit only for a traitor's just reward. Which usually entailed them meeting the sharp edge of a long piece of metal with their soft, squishy body parts.
"In two days, we will formally challenge them to a shinobi battle royale. Only after we defeat them will they see the error of their ways, especially in the ashes of their so-called "Good shinobi academy." Yumi almost sneered, the righteous fervor burning in her normally calm sky-blue eyes. It was almost frightening, like she saw it as a personal insult she meant to epicly bitchslap someone for.
Around the same time, elsewhere...
Miyabi had not been amused by Syra's maliciously playful tone when she'd met herself and Imu at the hospital after a scheduled physical and psyche evaluation. With the destruction of the original Hebijo a fact that she had to adjust to; Miyabi believed firmly that it was her job to regain their academy's lost honor. Though she had lost a good portion her memory Miyabi knew that it was something that "just had to be done" regardless of cost. To that end, she wanted to have only the strongest shinobi from what was left with her. Imu was already proven and accepted.
To Miyabi, Syra was an unknown factor and possibly a threat; while the fact she wore the Hebijo colors and attitude proudly, it did little to offer comfort. To that end, Miyabi would soon approach Syra after a day or two of readjusting to the new building's structure and layout.
"You say you're one of our elites, but to me- you're just a carryover that Master Suzune decided to promote out of necessity. You haven't proven anything to me other than that you have an undue sense of superiority." She sniped as they met in the common room; a hand on her hip in her untransformed state.
"Just like you do? You talk bit but you haven't proven anything either Miyabi other than that you certainly know how to oversleep." Syra retorted with a faintly bemused smirk. "If you have something you want to get off your chest, don't play coy." She continued. "Because you suck at it, just say it."
Miyabi's eyes narrowed a bit as she already knew waht she wanted to do. That was to test the girls strength in a direct sparring match. "Fight me. Just a quick spar so I can get a sense of who you really are." She said.
"Fine. Here and now? Or would your rather "take it outside" Syra smirked maliciously.
"In the training room." Miyabi said then gave a nasty, confident smirk of her own. "Or do you need me to hold your hand and lead you there?"
Syra didn't even give Miyabi the chance to finish and had already turned her back on her supposedly leader and was already exiting the room. "You're the one that needs the hand-holding." She said without looking back and just made a waving gesture over her shoulder.
In short order the two had met in the appointed room with Imu standing partially behind Miyabi speaking quietly; voicing that she didn't like the idea and that they should just go speak to Murasaki instead. Miyabi wasn't hearing any of it, her mind was made up and own own pride in her thrown-down challenge backing her up. "Just stay back Imu. This'll be between the two of us." Miyabi instructed.
Imu frowned at that, peering at her friend over the rim of her glasses. "If you say so; but if things start turning bad I WILL step in." she replied quietly but then took a few steps back to basically be up against the wall.
"Are you two lovebirds done singing sweet nothings to each other?" Syra said in a mix of a groan and a sigh.
Imu blushed a bit at that but nodded a she moved back.
Miyabi voiced no response and the fight was on, both advancing quickly on each other with punches and kicks as well as acrobatic dodges. Miyabi being a bit physically stronger was doing some damage than Syra does with connected blows; but Syra was quicker and able to deflect or avoid the stronger shots Miyabi was taking at her. It would seem that the black-haired girl was earning some measure of respect for her abilities but after a clash and prompt separation Miyabi would draw out her shinobi transformation scroll to take things to the next level.
However, the instant it completed, Syra had seemingly vanished and reappeared directly in front of Miyabi. "Wha?!" she blinked, then started to blush feeling very close to the most sensitive part of her body.
Syra was right in her face, almost close enough to kiss her; but had one of her hands down low with a short dagger pressed up against Miyabi's inside right thigh less than an inch from her groin. "Now...What was that you saying?" Syra purred to Miyabi. leaning forward to whisper in her ear like a lover might. "That I somehow didn't measure up to your opinion of what an elite should be?" She whispered.
Miyabi didn't move, understanding full well that one small twitch from her could provoke a similar one from Syra and slice her femoral artery wide open. Which would mean she would bleed out and die in 3 minutes. On top of that, the sudden drop in blood pressure would collapse her completely and unable to rise for the entire time. But since Imu was there, Miyabi was sure that she'd get medical attention immediately; but what Syra whispered next made her go pale.
The girl licked Miyabi's earlobe like she was truly enjoying the situation. "You should also know that this blade is coated in the venom of the Inland Taipan..."
"Stop!" Imu shouted, about to draw her shinobi transformation scroll and forcibly stop the situation only to find that it was missing!
"I knew you'd try something Imu... you can't do that without this..." she said, in Syra's other than was Imu's transformation scroll.
"That's enough. You both did very well and are a credit to your ranks." A voice said as Suzune stepped out from behind a parition, giving them a polite golf clap. "Put your toys away Syra." she instructed.
"Yes Master Suzune." Syra did so immediately and tossed Imu's scroll back to her and stepped back.
"I chose her for the group for that reason Miyabi. Not only did she stay loyal to Hebijo when the previous group went renegade, but I've also trained her myself." She said calmly.
"Hrmph." Miyabi grunted but wisely just nodded her acceptance. It would be a bit before she could accept Syra as one of theirs, but for now she had the confirmation to never be on her bad side. "She's dangerous.." she thought to herself.
"So Suzune what is this about?" Syra asked, grouping with the other girls.
The purple haired teacher folded her arms and addressed them all together. "It's time we started on what we spoke on the other day.." pushing her glasses up.
It would be soon that this new Hebijo would act.
Two days later, Yumi and the others would arrive at Hanzo Academy to formally throw down the gauntlet. Saying that for their transgression in 'accepting' evil shinobi, Hanzo academy would burn if the representative shinobi lost in the battle royale. An event that would take place all of the campus, preferably away from the civilian students but sometimes it couldn'tbe avoided. The Gessen girls would all split off to find their opponents since it was only the Hanzo leady Asuka that'd met them outside at the main gate. Right away she and Yumi were engaged in a rather pointed verbal argument before they'd actually come to blows.
Asuka fought with an unexpected ferocity; faced with a very serious threat to destroy their very home and everyone inside- the girl had no choice but to take it seriously. The entire battle; Asuka kept trying to explain to Yumi that she saw Homura as her rival and that drove her to get better than she was. However, the ice-wielder was having none of it and pursued and pressed Asuka at every twist and turn. As the battle went on; Yumi's ability to freeze the ground almost at will made it difficult for Asuka to adjust on the fly and keep moving to dodge the dangerously high speed icicles Yumi was shooting at her.
Yumi, for her part was shouting back that to accept evil was to start to become evil. And that truly righteous and good shinobi would rather die than do such a thing. Her icy fury driving her attacks to dangerous levels as her zeal burned as brightly as the sun. To the point that Asuka was starting to panic a bit, with her agility and athleticism being slowly negated by Yumi's freezing abilities. The Hanzo shinobi often fought better as a team than they did alone and Asuka was hoping that her friends weren't seriously hurt.
That's not to say that she was completely being dominated; just that she was at a big disadvantage. Asuka still got in shots where she could but she had to stay on the move and not linger too long. More than once, an accidental slip and slide on the icy ground saved her bacon from a flying Icicle or physical attack from Yumi. However, Asuka was starting to notice a pattern in how Yumi fought- the tried to keep at range as much as possible. If it wasn't for the icy patches, Asuka could easily close those gaps.
Meanwhile, Minori had found Hibari out on the sports field; and since it was still lunchtime- the civilian students were all inside still. Hibari spotted the threat coming a mile away and quickly captured Minori in her own kekkai barrier to preven the civilians from spotting them; but cleverly making it exactly resemble the spots field that she'd started in. Minori, for her part, didn't see this as a serious fight; more like a healthy chance to "Play shinobi" and her childishness must've rubbed off on Hibari because she was fighting in the same way. Except that, as the defender, Hibari was fighting much more seriously.
It made her nervous to fight without Yagyu around; but she didn't have a choice. But it seemed like Minori was more than eager to engage Hibari in any sort of abttle she wanted as long as it seemed like fun.
Yozakura had dropped in on Katsuragi with a huge BANG, narrowly missing her with a shot from her pilebunker gauntlets. She tried to keep right in Katsu's face; trying not to give her a chance to breathe and use her transformation skill. However, if Katsuragi was anything- it was that she was exceedingly well-versed in hand-to-foot combat like that and after exchanging a few minor blows broke away to transform.
Then the fight was on for real and the sounds of it roared through the hallways and classrooms; blasting out walls and hurling desks and chairs everywhere. Luckily during the initial exchange; Katsu had managed to yank Yozakura into a kekkai barrier to prevent them from being seen or destroying the real building.
Shiki and Kana teamed up to go find an opponent, having heard of the prodigal Yagyu through diligent research over the last two days. They all knew that Hanzo had a sixth student but there were no records with useful details anywhere; but it seemed like that that person wasn't at the academy at that time. The two of them easily found Yagyu in one of the Hanzo academy training rounds. Yagyu initially rebuffed the both of them saying that such a fight was utterly meaningless to her, even looking at Shiki with disgust when she went all valley-girl over the eyepatch she wore.
However, Shiki's banter about Yagyu's eyepatch was a smokescreen that was revealed as she stepped to the side in a seemingly casual manner. Yagyu caught the sight of that lon bullwhip about to lash toward her and threw herself out of the way as it zipped past Shiki's side and snapped where Yagyu had been standing. Then the fight was on with the Gessen girls working in tandem to keep Yagyu off balance by attacking from different sides and angles in coordinated strikes.
With Kana's whip; she could grab and redirect Shiki's scythe throws to try and catch the evading Yagyu; prompting the white-haired prodigy to keep on her feet and often try to leap high to unleash her own ninja arts. Since it was a projectile attack; it didn't do much against Shiki or Kana since they could spin their weapons and deflect most of them. Though some did get through and slice through their clothing and do some damage; not enough to make them slow down though.
Yagyu was being overpowered by coordinated teamwork very quickly and ended up taking the fight into the treeline where, while her projectiles would be hampered, so would their larger weapons. She believed getting out of the open would alter the field into her own favor; but found herself getting increasingly worried about Hibari's wellbeing as usual and it ended up making her fight even harder to try and end things quickly.
In another part of the campus, a heated battle would erupt between Murakumo and Ikaruga; with -Kumo having a very personal reason to hate her opponent. Ikaruga was confused by the sudden aggression and kept trying to find out who her opponent was through the angry accusations Murakumo was shouting through her mask. The mask covered her face and eyes making it quite difficult for Ikaruga to predict Murakumo's fierce attacks. Both of them had fairly long reach weapons it was difficult to get close enough to inflict anything past a glancing slash. The unpredictability of her opponent had Ikaruga on the defensive for most of the fight; trying to keep that sharp blade from making contact with her and dancin back from the club to avoid getting her bones crushed.
As long as Murakumo had her mask on; she felt invincible and unstoppable and was doing her best to prove it. Trying to heap the pressure on Ikaruga to keep her on the defensive; knowing that if she gave the girl one chance; she'd take it and possibly that'd end the fight right there. While it may not do lethal damage, it'd certainly blow away her clothing and end her transformation- it'd also remove he mask and force Murakumo back into her submissive and introverted self.
Both would sustain injuries but nothin serious beyond torn clothing and a minor lacerations here and there. Luckily for Ikaruga, Murakumo hadn't landed a solid blow ith her club; which would've shattered whatever it came into contact with!
Ikaruga would eventually see an opening to try and launch her phoenix flame slashes through to hopefully tag Murakumo. Knowing that shouting the name out normally gave a move more power (for some reason); Ikaruga didn't that time hoping not to telegraph it. Just before the strikes landed Murakumo used the butt of her serpent spear to pole vault over Ikaruga's head and spun about in mid-air like she was preparing something.
Just as she used her chi to bounce back and begin a reckless and powerful aerial diving charge at Ikaruga's back, the glass in the sunroof overhead shattered. In a flash of white hair and black clothing, Murakumo's spear had been broken along the wooden shaft and someone was lifting her off the ground by her mask. Murakumo struggled to break free after the inertia of the sudden stop washed over her, stunning her for a moment.
"Nobody tries to skewer my friends from behind." The new person said in a clearly female voice. Once the dust cleared and glass stopped falling, Ikaruga turned about in amazement to see a tall girl with long snow-white hair and tanned skin holding her opponent off the ground by the collar and had one hand cocked back. She was wearing what looked like a leather bikini top with a long waist cape that draped down the back and ankle-cuffed covered shinobi sandals.
Without another word, the newcomer slammed the collecting ball of chi into Murakumo's gut, releasing her grip on the collar and sent her flying back. -Kumo would slam hard against the wall, the force of it seeming ot just instantly disintegrate her clothing and make her mask slip off. Quickly she'd cover her face with her hand and tried to shake off the blur to see who'd interrupted her. However, the blow to the stomach was enough to knock her out of the fight.
The person turned to Ikaruga and nodded to her. "That was close, it looks like you took quite a beating, you going to be ok?" The person asked.
"Who are..." Ikaruga started but then stopped and then nodded, accepting a hand up.
Murakumo's vision began to swim a little as she cupped a hand over her face, her one exposed eye widened a bit, noticing something. This new person was floating! Just an inch or two off the ground but that sure as hell wasn't normal! As if her stomach had made up it' s mind; she leaned forward and promptly lost her lunch all over the floor in front of her.
When it was all said and done; with the newcomer showing up and aiding the Hanzo shinobi that were still fighting to end the battles as quickly as possible. Gessen decided to call it off and regrouped, with Kana helping to carry Murakumo along since she was still weak in the legs from her system being scrambled by ..whatever that blow had been. Yumi was fuming and still angry but with Minori soundly thrashed by Hibari, Murakumo largely KO'd and the others suffering from various injuries which included a broken arm in Yozakura's case. Asuka tried to convince Yumi once more that they hadnt' stopped being "good shinobi", just that they'd learned to see things in a different light.
Yumi was having none of it and angrily told Asuka that they'd let Hanzo Academy stand..."for now" and made a tactical withdrawal.
The injuries for Hanzo were almost as bad; Hibari was bruised a bit from having candy thrown at her and being beaten with a bucket but would be alright. Ikaruga had cuts and scrapes from her fight but would recover in short order as well with some bandaging and a few stitches. Katsuragi was beaten and bruised with some severe impact burns and was wobbly on her feet but all kinds of angry-pumped about having such a 'good fight". She was mad because she went down a few seconds before her opponent did and thus lost.
Asuka had a bit of frostbite on her arms and legs but an hour in a warm room and some applied heat would fix that. Not to mention the various lacerations that would also heal quickly. Yagyu, however had gotten her tight butt whupped the hardest and was really quite close-lipped about her fight; just that she had cuts all over her body and her clothing was absolutely shredded. She'd also start refusing to sit down for some odd reason. (That reason being that once they had her beaten and down. Kana had tied her up with her whip and encouraged Shiki to spank her for a bit of humiliation.)
From the roof of the building, a figure sat crouched; watching everything that was going on. The figure was cloaked in all black with a form concealing cloak and deeply cowled hood; the only thing they seemed to be doing was observing the battle. A small sliver of dark hair shifted and fell out of the side of the hood, as the person brushed it back, a wicked smirk crossed their lips, making the mask they wore distort slightly. Once it was all over; the hooded and cowled figure would stand up and seemed to vanish over the opposing side of the building before the Hanzo or Gessen students noticed the extra presence.