"So, you're planning on embarrassing yourself," Blake sneered, drawing Gambol Shroud from her back. This wasn't her first ballroom brawl, and she'd learned to keep her weapon in reach, particularly due to the suspicious circumstances under which she'd been brought there.

Imu growled, her staff growing from the size of a pencil to one about as tall as the girl wielding it, and with a flourish, she readied it behind her in a striking stance.

"You won't be laughing when I bury you, you little brat. Imu - I sacrifice myself to the will of evil!"

She lunged at Blake, easily clearing the few metres that had been between them, lightning crackling around her. Blake jumped, easily passing over the strike, her blade lashing out from above and arcing towards Imu as she recovered. Imu twisted to face Blake, ducking under the scything blow, and launched herself skyward towards Blake. Her staff grew in her hands, her reach more than doubling, as she swung it towards Blake's midriff. The blow connected - but only for an instant, as the Blake she had swung at disappeared, the real one appearing above Imu to deliver a point-blank kick that carried the two into the floor.

She stayed on Imu, delivering a series of blows that forced the shinobi back, step by step, every counter blow striking only illusory air. Unable to track Blake's movements, and with her back pushed to the wall, Imu swung her staff in a wide arc before her, forcing Blake to either retreat or jump. Attempting to keep the pressure on her opponent, she opted for the latter, lightning crackling along the ground where the staff had been swung. This was followed up by a vicious vertical swing, the staff extending once more to catch Blake in her leap. Blake brought her sheath across her body, deflecting the blow and catching the staff with her blade, sparks flying as she spiraled down the staff's length. Her first blow with her sheath caught Imu squarely on her forehead, sending her staggering in a daze, but Blake was quick to make use of her advantage. Imu was tough, though, quickly lashing out in a horizontal swing that Blake easily ducked under, her blade slashing across her midriff.

Imu cried out, trying to dash backwards, but Blake was on her once more. Imu recovered, though, parrying her next strike and delivering a punishing blow with the other end of her staff, sending Blake across the room. Blake landed on her feet, opening fire with the gun built into her weapon, precise shots that stymied Imu's own advance and forcing her to give up her pressure as some of her shots found their mark.

There was a lull in the combat, Blake holding her fire, knowing that Imu was fast enough that a misplaced shot would give Imu the opening she needed, while Imu was unable to make any ground until Blake gave her an opening.

"You aren't bad, you little minx." Imu muttered.

"I'm just getting started."

"Oh? Then I'll have to put in the extra effort, too. Shinobi-"

"Imu!" Miyabi's voice cut through the tense air, a commanding tone that almost caused Blake to straighten up as well. "That's enough playing around."

"B- but Miyabi! This girl, she-"

"Another time. In case you hadn't noticed, we have a party to get back to."

Imu's face flushed with embarrassment. "S- sorry, Miyabi."

Blake watched as Imu trotted over to Miyabi's side. Around them, the world returned to normal, the people around them reappearing as though nothing had happened.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" Blake said, hurrying over to the pair.

Imu opened her mouth as though to say something, but Miyab's look of contempt cut her off, not a trace of her past camaraderie in her cold, yellow eyes. "Why should we do that? This is the way of evil. Were it not for our circumstances, I would've allowed Imu to cut you down. Her decision, her motivations - if she has the strength to see them through, then you cannot make her apologise for anything. If you want one, then take it, should our paths cross again."

Imu seemed almost moved to tears, looking up at her friend with admiration.

Throwing her cape over her shoulder, she turned to leave, Imu following after her like a dog. "Blake. I enjoyed our time together. I look forward to seeing what you can do in the future."

As Miyabi left, the world seemed to start going back to normal. Blake turned back to the party, only to find her employer's face only inches from her own. Now that she was this close, she towered over Blake, who resisted the urge to jump.

"Are you having fun yet, Blake?"

Blake frowned. "I'm not here to have fun."

"Oh, I see. Well, if you're not having fun, I suppose you can go. There's not much point you being around in that case."

"What? I thought you wanted me to look after you?"

"Did I say that?"

"Yes, you did!"

"That sounds like me. Well, I just so happen to have come up with another job for you to do."