Planning Conquest

[Golnax]

Aimi was rarely one to refuse an invitation of a warm fire. He followed along with the group wherever it was that they were taking him, wherever it was they were calling 'home' for the time being, and tried to psyche himself up for the coming task at hand. Focusing on a mission, and this was a mission for him more or less, was a good and easy way to keep ones' mind sharp and thinking about what it needed to be. Visualizing and imagining the many myriad ways that he could gut a person, suspecting or otherwise, or otherwise express brutality, widespread or personal, was an excellent mental tool for him to drive out unwanted thoughts like whether or not he wanted to abandon his village and become a rogue ninja.

Some thoughts, however, were simply more intrusive than others and more difficult to get rid of.

As they walked together as a group Aimi couldn't help but look his travelling companions over one after the other. Kori, the black dragon, who walked on two legs now instead of four and was endlessly fascinating to look at and marvel over. There was the Titan, a massive man - and in fact almost everyone one of them was larger if not as large as Aimi himself was - clad in armor and furs and just looking like a walking hill of a man. There was Anori, who was around the same height as Kori was, and dressed simply but still had a hint of wildness about her to his eyes like her daughter Katsu. Then there was Katsu and Arsa, Katsu being nearly as large as he father while Arsa was the only member of the group who was actually shorter than he was. Both of them, however, were without articles of clothing and that was quite distracting for a man trying to plot for murder in order to clear his head!

On the one hand it was a welcome distraction from the invasive thoughts he had revolving Kirigakure. But on the other hand looking at their shirtless, or in Katsu's specific case entirely naked, forms now that the situation was not escalated to the point of tension being felt in the air was... well, it was a different sort of distraction to say the least! Katsu especially was physically interesting to the Kaguya, whose body was still coursing will both adrenaline and testosterone from his earlier assertions, given that his own physique was right along the same type as hers... more or less. Both he and her were lean and muscular, in shape and shapely. Her hips were wider than his were and her body was covered in scars while his body could never have a scar. Her hair was just as long as his was as well and they both had broad shoulders. From there though Katsu's physique diverged ever more and it gave the Kaguya plenty to look at. From her tail and wings, both protruding with bone, to her more... sensual parts, not to mention the shorter woman also having her breasts on full display, they were both sights to behold! On one hand Aimi appreciated and respected their choice to go without clothing as it clearly matched his own! On the other hand... well he was a man. So it was a good thing that he was wearing a loose cloak around his waist!

Thus was the struggle for Aimi Kaguya as they walked. He cared not for the destination or the planning that was yet to come, as Anori had made it seem that he would be little involved in that particular phase beyond what would be required of him, but instead to try and keep his head clear and focused on what it was he actually wanted to do with this group of would-be revolutionaries rather than keeping himself from stealing glances at breasts or a rump or two. All things considered, he was doing pretty terribly at hiding his state. His cheeks were flushed and he was just a bit too quick to look away from either of the less dressed pair if they looked his way. 'Snap out of it! I was doing so well earlier,' he scolded himself repeatedly, actually wishing that Katsu might growl like a predator at him so that at least he could put his mind at work on something more productive - like stabbing, cutting, ripping and breaking people apart who deserved it! Unbeknownst to the family at large, they were getting a rare glimpse of the bannin's social ineptitude in full swing!

[Das Kirb]

The group marched through thick forest and open meadow. They walked through thin winding streams and crossed over a mighty raging river. The pleasent sun ducked behind the odd cloud and the frogs croaked their song. Occasionally one would hear the tell tale sounds of a larger beast in the distance. They marched though many could fly. They marched if only to gather more familiarity with each other, and to ease the tension of novelty between them all. At least for Katsu, Arsa, and Kori it seemed to work. Kori marched beside the Titan with Anori, engulfed in conversation and ignorant to Aimi's gaze. Arsa and Katsu walked together. Arsa bounced with each step, causing the larger woman to smile at the jovial display of child-like energy. Even her tail, normally whipping through the air in mock agitation, was hanging to sweep the ground rhythmically.

It was Arsa that caught Aimi's gaze first, a wide grin spreading across her face in coy play. She nudged Katsu and whispered something between the two of them, all the while looking at him. "Come beast. Let us properly enjoy our friend's company. He enjoys us in sight at least. We should enjoy his in sound." A confused look crossed Katsu before she was guided to physically look down at herself and Arsa. She sniffed the air in Aimi's direction before realization came. "You become so feral you forget men's desires. Do not hide or be who you are not. But not all are as we, Beast. Come." Arsa took Katsu by the hand and took march beside Aimi, a hand upon his shoulder.

"Forgive us for distress. You are welcome if pleased. Just know you are seen and we do not hide." Arsa spoke through a grin as she appeared to puff out her chest further, though she did remain very close to Katsu. The larger woman cocked an eyebrow at her and shook her head. With a gentle movement, far more soft than her build would betray, she slapped Arsa upside the back of the head, causing the smaller to fake pout. Katsu sighed and chuckled before resuming their march. "You gonna be alright, boner boy?"

[Golnax]

And they noticed. Of course they did. Why wouldn't they have? It wasn't as if he was doing a particularly good job of hiding it or anything. It was just a whole new level of awkward to, for once, be in the position that he normally put others in himself! Generally speaking, in Kirigakure or when he was out and about on a mission, the Kaguya's nudity was something that caught most people off guard and made them uncomfortable. In the case of dealing with Water Country civilians it made them that much easier to manage in his experience. Yet he had always kept his nethers covered if only to fit in with regular society, even if on the edge. He'd never gone full on nudist like Katsu elected to nor had he really ever seen a woman who was as brazen as him to walk around without a shirt. To say that it was awkward hearing Arsa talk about how he 'enjoyed their sight' would be a bit of an understatement given his own choice of atire!

The situation was made even worse by the two of them walking over to his side, now bisecting the group into two distinct camps - the nudists and the clothed. Aimi looked away, tilted his head up and cast his eyes in the same direction as Arsa placed her hand on his shoulder. His cheeks grew ever more red and his face scrunched up as the shorter woman full on called him out, declaring in a strange intonation (something that he was only just then picking up on, her peculiar speech patterns) that none of them hid who they were, and that he shouldn't either... at least that's what he thought she was getting at. "I'm fine," Aimi replied to Katsu gruffly over the symphony of chirping, buzzing insects and the distant croak of frogs. "It's a natural reaction and I'm not ashamed of it. I just... don't want you to get the wrong idea is all. That I'm thinking about one thing and one thing only. I didn't even noticed the two of you were like..."

He paused, lowering his head and looking back forward but for a moment his eyes darted over to his side, looking at Arsa sulking and then upwards towards Katsu, who was actually quite a bit taller than him he only just now noticed since they were walking together side by side, and then down her scarred, exposed body before catching himself and blinking hard, his eyes pointed forward once they opened again. "That. When we were talking earlier about me helping you. My focus was where it needed to be and I don't want you thinking it wasn't!"

Suddenly it felt like he was a teenager going through puberty again, making up excuses for why he needed to leave a room suddenly. Back then he'd figured out that he could direct that sort of, shall we say, "growing energy" towards physical training and it had ultimately really helped him grow and develop his taijutsu! This was different though. It wasn't like he could just drop down on the ground and do push ups. That would be so inappropriate! 'Gods you sound so stupid!' he belittled himself mentally, full on embarrassment setting in as they continued to march. Suddenly he wasn't sure what it was he should say and it felt like he was buttoning his lips up on purpose as a way to force one of them - any of them, really - to pick the conversation up for him. The sounds of nature around them felt deafening in his red ears, beaten out only by the sound of his own heartbeat!

[Das Kirb]

"What you're thinking about doesn't matter right now. Relax, there will be food when we get there and that should help too." Katsu clapped the built, if smaller, man on his shoulder, slightly grinning down at him. "If any of us would be offended by something you can't do a damn thing about Bear would beat them with a hammer." She shook her head and chuckled quietly in remembrance. "And I'd be a damn hypocrite to boot. Should have seen me around Naoko. Not sure if her name rings a bell but I was kinda like you are now around her. Obviously a bit different due to sex but same feeling."

Arsa looked at Katsu with a cocked eyebrow but elected to say nothing. The look earned Katsu's tail reaching around behind Aimi and gently rubbing the smaller woman's back, careful not to cut her. The beast spoke, ignoring it beyond that. "Actually it was that friend I mentioned earlier that had the same reaction you're having now. Couldn't help but taunt the bastard. "Is that a bone in your pocket or are you growing on me" I said. Fucker reached in his pocket and pulled out a damn bone before walking off". At this Arsa skipped a step as she had to stifle a laugh, causing the other group to look back at the trio before a shake of Katsu's head returned their attention to the road.

[Golnax]

Fortunately for the Kaguya, Katsu seemed to be talkative now that there was some level of... perhaps not trust but comradery between the group and he. Her talking about old friends from Kirigakure made him wonder if there wasn't a bit of nostalgia within the wild woman, or even if she missed some aspects of life in Kirigakure despite her departure. Imagining a Kaguya pull a bone out of their pocket in response to a boner joke sounded like something he himself might have done. It conjured images of years back when he had been playing with a group of children by making a pygmy bone clone and having it dance for them. Little moments like that were what made living in the misty domain of the most violent ninja village bearable to him, even if he wouldn't say so aloud.

"I can't say that I recognize the name, no. I'm certain I knew the Kaguya though. We all know each other," he said somewhat solemnly. His thoughts were gradually returning to Kirigakure, how life worked there, how he felt about it and while that might have helped with the blush on his face he no more wanted to think about such things then he had earlier. He reached up and ran his hand through his long hair, took in a deep breath, and forced himself to look up at Katsu rather than down.

"So. You mentioned food. What's on the menu? I think my last meal was... I don't know, maybe sixteen hours ago? We're trained to go for as long as possible without food if need be, but I'm not about to say no to a warm meal," he said, trying to steer the conversation away from both Kirigakure and the state of himself and others around him. "How much further is it anyways? You guys were flying earlier right? Is there a reason we're walking?"

[Das Kirb]

Katsu's face cracked a bit of a grin at the focus on food. Truth told the parasite was pushing her harder than even before to devour Aimi where he stood. It was no small effort to keep the instinct at bay. As the crimson cloak desperately tried to manifest she kept pushing it down, especially where he was closest to her. However, the distraction of conversation, as well as Arsa's presence, made the effort bearable. "Before we headed out I had brought in some kind of massive frog. Damn thing is almost as big as Hide up there. Got careless when trying to approach and it almost took my arm off. It bit me, so I bit back. My bite was a little harder. Tasted alright at least."

She got a face that told of mild amusement and satisfaction at the memory before Arsa chimed in. "We walk to know you and you know us. My beast and you may take wing but the winds will steal your breath. I wish hear of you and understand your demons. If you would desire I can tell of myself or my beast to make you more comfortable. If we are to count on you and you us, should this not be so?" Arsa beamed up at Aimi, a different look in her eyes from before. It told of joy but also of apprehension masked by hope and conviction.

[Golnax]

Ah, frog. Lovely. Aimi's face turned a bit sour at the thought of eating a giant frog for dinner. It wasn't the worst thing in the world by any means, he just wasn't a fan of the pseudo-fishy taste that came from the amphibious creatures, and since there was little chance of there being spices to accompany this meal and mask the natural flavors that meant he would be eating without tasting as much as possible. There were much worse things, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy this one! Hearing that the frog bit Katsu, though, he turned his eyes to look at her arms, trying to find a fresh wound or mark to denote such a thing but - there was none! That must have meant that the wild woman had some form of regenerative power, like him. Interesting...

Arsa spoke up again and drew Aimi's eyes away from the taller woman to the shorter, those treacherous eyes of his first dipping down to her bare chest ('Gods damn it!') before they came to rest on her face. He listened to her reasoning and it made sense to him. He took in a deep breath and letting it out in a huff before waving his hand dismissively. "My demons are large, numerous and complicated. We'd be at it all night if I spilled my guts about whatever is wrong with me," he said and that was true. Realistically if anyone from Kirigakure were asked about their demons and they were being realistic, their answer would be the same. Unless they were very much actually a psychopath like the village tried to make everyone. Sadly many of them ended up that way. "We don't have to get into your guys' demons either. I'm sure they're just as long and complicated. How about we go over our capabilities instead? Those are just as... revealing," he said with a pause, another glimpse before he reeled his eyes back to where they should have been. "As talking about pasts and such."

Here he turned to Katsu and held his hand up, offering for her to start. "Other than being tall, naked and intimidating what can you do in a fight?" he asked curiously.

[Das Kirb]

Arsa grinned, noticing the slip of the eyes. With a mischievous glean she turned slightly away before Katsu specifically wrapped that lethal tail around the woman, effortlessly picking her up and placing the smaller upon her shoulders. "Stop." With a pout she did as commanded, settling in on the Beastia's shoulders and looking around, idly kicking Katsu in the chest as her feet swung, something that wasn't stopped but tactically ignored. After Arsa settled in Katsu finally answered the question.

"Long and short of it is pretty simple. Hide up there is easy. He's a mountain with a hammer, figure it out. He's better at commanding a fight than actually fighting though. Don't get me wrong, that hammer fucking hurts but he's always had a stronger head than arm. Arsa here calls herself a shaman. "The spirits of all lands only wish to be known and I offer that. Through ritual they will guide you, show you their home and visit yours. Through sacrifice they will be one with you. I am a vessel for them if they wish, or I bring them as they are should they desire." Arsa interrupted. Her jovial look had changed even more, now looking at Aimi with an almost grim intensity with the faintest hint heaven's splendor, and hell's fire, hidden in her gaze. Before she could continue Katsu pipped back up. "Its kinda fucking awesome to see. . . Either way. Kori, well frankly what you see is a shadow of what he is now. Last time you saw him he was like a whelp. We had to figure something out cause he was towering over the trees and some hills."

Katsu smiled at the thought of Kori as he used to be. The thought of such a small helpless creature she had to pull out of a lake becoming what he is now? It was comforting and inspiring. However, it dawned she hadn't actually answered Aimi's question, and that was a dreaded answer. For a brief moment she honestly considered just lying and telling him she was only good as a brawler. It'd be a half truth at least. After some consideration she decided against it and let out a heavy sigh. "As for me, I'm sure you can figure out part of the answer. I can kick the shit out of pretty much anyone. Hell, my roar has leveled a mountain . . . But that's only half true." She raised her arm to help Arsa down who knew what was about to happen. She took several steps back but locked eyes on her beast. This is going to fucking suck. . . Brace yourself." Katsu steeled her resolve and grunted, causing everyone to stop moving. After a few seconds she began to growl as the sound of wet crunching could be heard coming from her. The crimson cloak formed around every inch and the land beneath died immediately as if touched by plague. An oozing wound formed on her stomach, the skin tearing and ripping up to her throat. Her growling and grunting turned to a barely suppressed and muffled roar that caught in her throat. As her chest began to open and blood ran down her legs so too did ripping come from her ribs, two new arms beginning to form. With the roiling of flesh and the gushing of blood Katsu eventually couldn't stop herself, she let out a primordial roar as the final structures settled in place, causing a rippling shockwave to pulse through the area, sending dirt and stone flying away. Each of her companions had to brace themselves.All but Arsa and Kori to look away.

Katsu's eyes were once again the predatory slits of pure rage. A primal growl was radiating outward as she shook off the sweat and blood, once more a beast. However, she didn't lash out. Instead she stood and merely shook her head. Arsa dared not approach this time as the liquid red cloak rippled not less than six inches from every part of her body. bugs that were swarming and feasting on her now died in the air or avoided her entirely. The air grew eerily quiet with exception of her growling. It was a solid minute before that was even lessened a little bit. In that time her eyes remained locked with Aimi. "Your turn." The words were spoken through labored effort to remain controlled and dripping with venomous malice from two voices, one from her, the other from the new maw.

JutsuShow

Aspect of the Beast: Abyssal Maw
B - Parasite
The host is split up the torso from groin to throat. New muscle and skin tissue is formed alone with several hundred skeletal augmentations to create a great gapping maw lined with teeth. When closed this cavity is nearly impossible to recognize as anything but a large scar running the length of the torso. This new structure is directly linked to the stomach and treated as a second mouth for all purposes.

Aspect of the Beast: Gorillon's Blessing
B - Parasite
The host grows an additional set of fully functional arms symmetrically on their sides just below their natural set. These arms are supported by additional muscle and skeletal structures to retain full strength.

Vorashu's Fury: Vorashu's Challenge
A - Heavenly Tai (Maneuver)
After a sharp inhale Katsu roars with primal fury. The roar creates a concussive wave of power that radiates outward at a speed and strength equal to her strength for the same in meters. Anyone caught in the blast will be struck and pushed back without equal or greater strength to her own. All within half her strength will suffer extreme hearing damage and sharp ringing until treated via outside means. <--- Scaled to 15.

Vorashu's Fury: Primal Aggression
A - Tai (Discipline)
When angered, threatened, or otherwise distressed Katsu releases a low primal growl from deep within her chest. This instinct is nearly impossible for her to manage without conscious effort. Any within earshot of this growl ([Endurance]/2 Meters) and hear it that have a [Willpower] less than her [Strength] will likely be cowed as primal fear races up their spine, making it difficult to do anything but defend themselves.

Vorashu's Fury: Predator's Gaze
A - Tai (Discipline)
Those who lock eyes with Katsu while in a combative state witness primal law at work. If the individual has less [Willpower] than her [Strength] or [Endurance] (Whichever is lower) it is likely they will be rendered panicked, unable to do anything but defend themselves or flee from her in terror.

[Golnax]

The explanations were fairly simple, for the most part. It was no surprise that the Titan was the sort of strategic brains of the outfit even though Katsu was the leader (likely from pure power, he assumed) and even less so that a big man like him used a big weapon. Arsa's explanation was... a bit confusing because of her choice of flowery words. He took it to mean that she could use tenkujutsu in some form or fashion or at least something like it. Aimi knew next to nothing about the jutsu form involving spirits except that - it involved spirits. For all he knew she was an expert at it, and she certainly spoke with enough enthusiasm to convince him. Kori was... well a dragon. Like the Bear what you saw was what you got. Diminished though he apparently was (Aimi's blue eyes sparkled a moment as he imagined the sight of a dragon as large as what Katsu described!), he likely had the usual tool kit for dragons and then some. Interestingly Katsu's mother wasn't mentioned, which meant that she either didn't fight or she fulfilled perhaps a supporting role? He could only speculate.

Katsu, on the other hand, was obviously more into showing rather than telling. As Arsa was removed from the taller womans' shoulders and the others stopped Aimi would stop as well, turning towards Katsu and watching in what would turn out to be abject terror! It wasn't just the gore - the sound of ripping flesh and snapping bone was nothing new to him - but the way in which her body was transformed in such a grizzly fashion! It filled his stomach with a feeling that was as if nausea were being dropped down a pit and he froze as cold sweats broke out over his entire body. He watched as that crimson chakra radiated out from her and seemed to just... kill everything around it, forming a sort of barrier. It was difficult to believe, watching this, that Katsu was even human to begin with what with that gaping maw forming from chin to groin and those extra arms forming in horrific design!

Worst of all, though, was the roaring. Aimi was strong enough that he could withstand the shockwave, holding an arm up in front of his eyes to block the dirt and stones from hitting him. He didn't even move from the spot but it was the sound that truly got to him, a deep primal fear eking back to the time of primates and predators, that spoke to an inner instinct in him, animalistic in nature, that was entirely ignored that told him he needed to run and to defend himself! Before he could stop himself he was taking actions to do just that, changing his stance so that his right side was facing Katsu while his left leg was held out to the side, his hands flashing to his sword and grabbing a hold of it, poised and ready to strike as need be, and a layer of bone forming underneath his skin as fast as he could possibly manage in order to protect himself. Every cell in his body seemed to scream for him to run away as goosebumps formed all over his body and his muscle grew taut with the energy required to leap, sprint or fly away as was needed.

Yet... he did not move, because Katsu did not move. There was a couple of meters of space between the two of them and as she stood there and locked eyes with him he felt that he wanted to run away but he did not want to make the first move to do so in order to give the monster before him less of a chance at catching him. He heard her speak in two voices and again thought that she must not be human, that she was instead some sort of monster or twisted abomination that was the product of generations of Kirigakure treatment into a single specimen. His chest rose and fell several times as he stood still and watched her, waiting for her to do something aggressive towards him out of fear, pupils dilated and heart pounding like a frantic war drum. It took time before her words actually reached any rational part of his mind for him to act on.

'Your turn,' she had said. It was his turn to show off what he could do. She wanted to see and that was fair, he realized, after what she had shown him. In revealing his terrible form to him she had extended an olive branch of trust to the Kaguya but it was one that she expected to have reciprocated in turn. In theory that was fine, but it was difficult thinking straight when faced with that menacing chakra and diabolic gaze. Slowly he ran through the possibilities in his head of what he could do to demonstrate his strength... and just as slowly he came to realize that he couldn't. Not really, not safely. Afraid though he was, near the edge of total panic and fleeing from the group (from Katsu in particular, really), he wasn't about to let off an Afternoon Tiger right then and there! They'd all get caught up in it! Nor was he going to demonstrate his most devastating katon ninjutsu, he couldn't! The entire forest would be burned down and this place would be molten glass and ash! The same thoughts went to any extreme that he went to in order to demonstrate his strength. Use a Mugen taijutsu to demonstrate his prowess? How could he when the possibility existed that doing so might inflame the already vicious green-haired woman? Perform one of his high end Kaguya techniques? Impossible! They were all lethal and could kill anyone there, and that would surely turn the woman upon him in an instant! Napalm then? Was he in any condition to explain how it worked and how he had invented it? The bannin thought not. Maybe just a pure flex of his chakra to demonstrate just how much of it he had at his disposal? But then again, hadn't it been his chakra that she had sensed before and had to be turned away by Kori before they could talk?

Moments passed one into another as Aimi just stood there, ready to draw his sword and retaliate and run if it came to that and waiting for Katsu to attack him as he went through possibility after possibility of a demonstration of his strength. When she didn't he began to relax... a bit. His eyes didn't leave hers though, ever watchful and concerned for his own safety. He knew that he needed to show something and take a chance of some sort, and there was only one thing he could think of that was, relatively, safe to do. Gripping his sword hard and digging his feet into the ground, Aimi would scream out at the top of his lungs in defiance of the fear he felt and, turning away from Katsu and the rest of them towards a thicket of trees not far away, drew his blade from its' sheath as fast as he possibly could - so fast that to the majority of the family he was travelling with it would be as a blinding flash untraceable to the eye. From his blade a slice of air would sail forth and cut through tree after tree after tree, felling them in its' wake with such efficiency that the trees did not move. At least not yet.

Sheathing his blade once again with the same godly speed before drawing it out once more, this time even faster in function, and forcing a vortex to form in the air a few meters away from him that would collapse around the first tree in the line that had been cut and slash it to pieces. This technique would be repeated for each tree that was in the line of the initial cut for up to 50 meters away, resulting in each tree not just being felled but being decimated in what amounted to literal seconds of time passing. As the last cut was made Aimi would sheath his blade slowly, panting heavily from the physical exertion and sweating now from a combination of fear and effort before raising his right hand up over his head, channeling katon chakra into his hand, and snapping his fingers. In that instant, the snap of his fingers was seemingly as deafening as Katsu's roar had been, only to be swallowed by the roar of flames that erupted 50 meters in the sky above all of their heads, spreading out in a fiery bloom that seemed to engulf the very sky as everywhere above them for 100 meters was flame for a moment or two before the fire ate itself, dispersing into nothing as quickly as it had arrived.

"That's... all I can show you," Aimi called out through panted breaths. He turned back around and looked not just at Katsu's gory form but the rest of the group as well. "Anything greater would be... too much. Too much power for me to rightfully control. I'd hurt some of you in one way or another. I thought about everything that I can do, and this was the safest display I could come up with..." He trailed off for a moment before lifting his head up and looking over at the Titan, the strategic leader of this operation, before continuing. "I'm fast - faster than maybe anyone you've ever seen with a blade. I'm strong, how physically powerful... I don't actually know. I've never found a limit I couldn't surpass. I am adept in katon ninjutsu, more adept than anyone I know. That flashbang up above? It wasn't nearly my most powerful katon ninjutsu. I have several other skills at my disposal that are all equally devastating in their own way. I am... power overwhelming incarnate," he stated with a ting of pride in his voice, despite how his body shook. "I think... you'll find... I'm a match for anyone you put me in front of... probably..."

Jutsu UsedShow

[Iaido • Dragon Strike]
B-Ranked Kenjutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 35 Strength and Speed
The user steps forward with the front leg while unsheathing the blade in a horizontal attacking motion across the body. So swift is this technique that it is akin to a "flash", being impossible to see unless the opponents' Instinct is greater than or equal to the user's Speed. This slash creates a thin wave of nearly invisible air which cuts whatever it comes into contact with with 1/2 the user's Strength and travels up to a distance equal to the user's Strength in meters.

**[Iaido • One with the Sheath]
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite(s): 8 Speed, 8 Instinct.
The practitioner has learned how to more quickly and efficiently sheath his blades. The practitioner can now seamlessly transition from drawing their blade to slash to sheathing their blade, allowing the practitioner to sheath their sword in half the time, up to a maximum speed equal to their Speed score, for the more rapid execution of Iaido techniques.

[Iaido • Judgement Cut]
A-Ranked Kenjutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: [Heavenly Body Control], 45 Speed
The user grabs a hold of the hilt of their blade and their scabbard before taking a step back and unleashing their blade in a horizontal slash across the body. After the user unsheathes with their sword, a spherical distortion in space appears in front of the user 4 meters in diameter. This "vortex" can appear anywhere at a distance equal to the users' [Strength] in meters. Anyone caught in the sphere is cut by sharp winds as the vortex collapses in on itself. In addition, as the vortex is collapsing, 2 large slashes will strike out at anyone within 2 meters of the sphere. These winds, and the slashes that accompany them, have a strength equal the users’ [Strength]. The vortex collapsing is accompanied by the sound of a low, imploding hum. The re-sheathing of their blade is akin to a "flash", being impossible to see unless the opponents' [Speed] is greater than or equal to the users’ [Speed].

Katon • Flash-bang
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
The user channels their katon chakra into their finger tips. Then, with a snap of their fingers, the user ignites an area equal to the user’s [Control] in meters in size in flame, causing an explosion within this area. A brief moment before the ignition, there is a small 'ember' of flame that indicates where the bloom of flame will erupt. This flame lasts for only an instant and quickly dissipates after burning. The flame and ember appear with [Speed] equal to the users' [Control] and has [Strength] equal to the users' [Control]. The user can perform this jutsu at a range of 10 meters.

[Das Kirb]

The tension was thick enough a hammer could effectively cut it. As the roar came and went, and the growling set it Arsa had dared to approach but backed off. Only her eyes never left her beastia's form, as filled with concern and empathetic pain as they were. However, the others shifted their gaze to Aimi. They waited for this man and were astonished at the look of abject terror their beast had in the man. True, many had such a reaction, but such fear was rare to those of the bleeding mists. While Katsu made no move, an exercise in sheer personal control, neither did Aimi. Kori's nostrils flared for the briefest of moments before he simply returned his gaze to Katsu, having to remember he was not the one staring down that primal force of predation currently. Even the dragon would never admit to being uneasy around that. Hide, however, watched Aimi closely, intent on seeing what the man could do. . . as well as what that sword could accomplish.

As the minutes passed it was Anori who actually moved, her motion slow and smooth. However, it was broken off as Aimi seemed to actually make his move. The flickering of the blade was completely lost to her sight, but the splitting of distant wood was not. Such a display was impressive. Only the strongest could produce such a wave. When he began to form seals though is when she would move, as the first two were all too familiar. As fast as she could she placed herself directly beside her daughter before the sky errupted in flames.

As the skies flashed orange and red, engulfed in Aimi's furious scorching skill, the primal woman's resolve seemed utterly removed. Skyward her head rocketted and barely constrained anger was replaced by pure fear. She didn't move, but no sound emitted from her any further. Aimi's words fell upon deaf ears for a moment as the woman seemed. . . stunned. A look of abject terror stretched across her face as she began to sweat. "Aimi, darling. . . Don't move." Katsu's gaze slowly drifted down and the crimson cloak began to become more vivacious. It grew and expanded until it was a meter away from her Katsu's body. Anori placed herself between her daughter and the large Kaguya. "Katsu, we're still here darling. Look again." A tear had come from the larger woman's eye, followed by another as her legs began to buckle though never quite giving out. "Wee one, I'm here and so is everyone else. Everything is fine. The cloak had formed thicker as a new sound could be heard. . . a soft sob.

One pair of hands covered the abomination's face as the other brace against her knees. The large wings had pinned themselves into the ground and her tail hung limb behind her. Katsu's chest softly rose and heaved. The cloak formed a little bit more, bridging almost a meter and a half. Everyone backed up except for Anori who pushed herself into it. The crimson cloak seemed to permeate her body, swirling through and around her. As the land died around the titanic woman, her mother lay a single hand on her shoulder. "Oi, darling. We're alright. You going to be alright?" The soft touch had startled the beast but she let out another sob instead of lashing out. Finally, she simply nodded and said something beneath her breath. The crimson cloak had begun to retract itself.

It was Korialstraz that bridged the gap between the situation as it was unfolding and the uncomfortable silence. Seeing the liquid death begin to retract he approached Aimi, followed closely by Hidetsuga who held out a hand for the Kaguya. "Let the women take care of their own." The comment earned a smack upside the back of the head by the titan, partially in reprimand and partially to alleviate the tension. "They have a way with her, lad. That was an impressive display. Come, let's get to camp and let them take care of this."

[Golnax]

Something changed in the interim of him speaking and his display of power, something fundamental and important. He didn't notice it at first because he was looking away from the demonic woman who had instilled such fear in him but as her mother moved forward between him and her his gaze followed and he saw for the first time that Katsu, the Beastia who had instilled such a primal fear in him, was now as afraid as he was. 'Why?' he found himself thinking immediately. Without the sound of her roar and with her eye contact broken Katsu was still a frightening visage to behold unlike anything he had seen before... but something was different now. She was afraid. She was shaking. She was... sobbing.

Anori told Aimi not to move and he listened to her, pleased enough to simply study what was happening before his eyes as his own fear began to dissipate. He watched as Katsu covered her face like a frightened child and grabbed a hold of her knees in the same instant to steady herself as that cloak of crimson chakra steadily grew outwards... like a bubble or a shield. A defense mechanism? Everyone backed away except for Aimi, who held his ground, and Anori who stepped into it and, suddenly, her role in the group was revealed to Aimi. For whatever reason she was unaffected by Katsu's chakra the way that the land around was, the way that presumably other people would be as well based on how the rest of her family gave her distance. Not so her mother. Anori spoke soft words and touched her child, comforting the sobbing abomination without fear or hesitation and as she did this Aimi was still struggling with the question - why? Why was Katsu afraid?

Then it hit him all at once. Fire. It had been the fire. The way that she looked up at the sky and had stood, quivering on the spot. Her demeanor had changed only after he performed his Flashbang... and even though it had been far enough away from them that the heat could barely be felt, it had reduced her to this. He understood in that instant her position as relative to him and suddenly thing began to make sense - why she went naked, why she acted the way she did, the growling, the territorial nature the transformation: Katsu was as an animal where as Aimi was as a man. An Animal can be frightening, deadly and dangerous, intimidating to behold and perfectly capable of slaughter. Many animals were physically superior to Man as a species and many had advantages that man did not - poison, spines, natural armor and so forth - but there was one thing that man had that had consistently given them the advantage against any and all animals throughout history, one tool that had help man beat back the dark and all of the things that were so much better adapted at hiding in it than what men were. Fire. Katsu was afraid of fire as any animal was, and Aimi was a master of fire. Thus he figured out in that moment that no matter how frightening that Katsu might be to him at any given moment, no matter how monstrous she appeared, how nightmarish, he held the advantage. He was Man, and man was Fire.

Korialstraz and the Titan approached Aimi, drawing his attention to the pair of them and listening with muffled hearing that they should leave Katsu alone with the others for now and move onwards. He merely nodded. "Yes... yes that would be good," he stated, turning away from Katsu and the others and following the dragon and the giant of a man wherever it was that they would lead for their camp. As they left he felt a bit of relief wash over him the more distance he put between himself and the still sobbing Katsu, as some deep instinct being satisfied. That and the knowledge that he had perhaps a perfect symbolic defense against Katsu should he ever need it. The knowledge brought him comfort though he harbored no ill will towards her or her kin. Far from it. All the same, it was a comfort to his terrified mind.

[Das Kirb]

The trio would march for only another hour with idle chatter here and there. The thick woods began to turn into a full blown forest at this point with various monstrosities it held. Occasionally the odd humanoid would behold them for the briefest of moments before ducking backwards, their disfigured body being obscured by the trees. What good looks any could get would show them riddled with disease and malnourished. However, none dared approach, instead choosing to return to the hidden villages they maintained.

The "camp" they came upon was far more akin to a small family farm at this point. Decent sized buildings had been established for various purposes. One was clearly a full smoke house while another was obviously a home furnished with crude earthen seating and surfaces. While none would be considered a comfortable house or even cottage, there was utility and protection to be had. It all circled a large central pit circled by stone. Large slabs of stone covered the surrounding area with what appeared to be a small mote filled with flowing water coming from a nearby river. It looked to act as a signal for miles around, yet there was the butchered meat of tonight's meal on spits and ready to roast. Not far away a large plot of land had already been sewn with seeds and sprouts beginning to grow. It was obvious this was not just a makeshift camp, but a staging and living settlement for the gathered family.

"Oi, finally 'ere lad. This be our camp fer the time being. Been trying to get the basics taken care of so fergive the lacking nature o' it." The Titan smiled large as he waved Aimi to make himself comfortable. Several logs had been made into benches around the fire already for seating. Kori wasted no time in dropping his armor and weapon inside what appeared to be a storage shed and getting the fire started for their meal. The large pit supported far larger than the modest cooking fire he made though, removing many of the logs and sticks to make it so. Hide meanwhile took a seat in what appeared to be an earthen "throne" that faced the flames in such a way as to see the rest around it. A stone table rest beside it with several books neatly stacked and what appeared to be a map of the land from an aerial view. "Yer welcome 'ere as if yer own home. We'll likely be a little bit wit' planning so settle in. We can build ye a hut as ye wish. But make no mistake, lad. Iffen others arrive we'll know and be ready or gone long 'fer they can get here."

[Golnax]

Time passed slowly as Aimi followed along the Titan and the dragon leaving Katsu behind with her mother and Arsa. There was much on his mind and fear was fading rapidly from his being. By the time that they arrived at their destination it was all but gone from him, evaporated like mist, and his rational senses better returned to him. He paid little attention to what was said as they traveled and contributed even less to the conversation as he was consumed with his own thoughts. He was uncharacteristically quiet really, not that the group would know that of him.

He did take notice of the people off in the distance though. Not at first naturally but one did eventually catch his eye and then another and another. It didn't take him too long to begin spotting each one as they appeared and taking notice of their thin, ragged, malnourished appearance. They looked almost exactly like the people living in the slums outside of Kirigakure without the look of rampant drug abuse and the oft times hopeless look in their eyes. He couldn't help but wonder if these wretches reminded Katsu of her one time home as well and that was why she meant to take this place over? To do for here what could not be done in Kirigakure?

The camp itself was also a reminder of the slums for it was fairly basic in set up and not at all luxurious. It was perhaps a touch more comfortable looking than the shacks and leans that the people of the Untouchable district shambled between. As Kori set things aside and Hide told him that they were more or less safe there Aimi would take a seat on a log and nod, letting out a small sigh and propping one leg up over his knee before reaching down and grabbing on to his foot and rubbing on it. After so much walking and having gone so long without something to eat or drink, the Kaguya was actually fairly tired and thankful for the chance to sit down and rest.

"A hut won't be necessary, thank you. I'll be just fine by the fire," he assured Hide as he continued to rub his foot. "By others I'm sure you meant ninja and that's fine. I want to know about those people we saw as we were talking who kept their distance. I think it's obvious that they're not being taken care of by their feudal lord, but what more can you tell me about them?" he asked, hoping that more information might steel his resolve in helping this group to take over this country beyond simply wanting to vent out his feelings.

[Das Kirb]

Hide lay his hammer beside the earthen throne and took a seat, removing his boots as well and mimicking Aimi. Korialstraz placed the meat upon the fire and got it to roasting before heading inside the hut and returning with some odd looking sticks he threw on the flames, causing them to produce an acrid smoke that gently licked at the flesh. Unlike Hide and Aimi though, he took seat directly next to the flames, exposing as much of his chest as he could to their gentle caress. His wings unfolded to bath in the heat though he retained direct line of sight to the pair.

"They call 'emselves the children of Takiyasha, lad. They've been getting closer to us fer a good minute, investigatin. Only had chance to speak wit a half dozen and even then only sparing word. Many o them 'ave a mutation not unlike a hidden clan, others are just wretches eeking out an existence." Hide's tone was grim but plain. "They survive, but little more. With effort they alone could bring that city crumbling down considering the impotence of those within. They'd little more than cough and send them screaming." The dragon got a wicked and amused grin before Hide continued on. "The lizard has a point, but they lack guidance. The nobility give not a shite about anything not in their sight, and they built that wall to make sure they didn't see their people. Can't say its like back in the Mist cause these people aren't hunted and exploited the same way, more just treated like vermin and forgotten."

[Golnax]

Aimi listened and took in the smokey smell of the branches that had been thrown on the fire no doubt to give the roasting meat some needed flavor. He listened and he spared a few looks around to try and spot these so called children of Takiyasha. When he did spot one he stared openly, knowing that they likely wouldn't remain in sight for long, and took in as much detail about them as he could. Aside from the gaunt and generally malnourished look to them they also seemed... kinda... froggy. Long mouths and large eyes, though that might have just been because of their sunken sockets, squat faces and a damp look to them as they stared back out from behind a tree warily. If the vicious looking group had only managed to speak to 6 of these people in passing in the time they had been there, he couldn't imagine that his additional presence was making them any bolder. As the one he had spotted darted back behind the cover of a tree he couldn't help but recall a certain wandering samurai, Fuhen, his tall slender frame and long black hair coming to mind. Hadn't he once said that he was from River, where he currently was now? Was this his home?

The Kaguya turned back towards his two hosts as Kori spoke of how the natives could fart in the general direction of these nobles and send them running. Hide added that they could do so but lack the guidance and know how. Things were beginning to sound like strategic talk. "So have you considered using them, then? If the hoity toity types holed up in this walled city that we're going to bring crashing down really do turn their noses up at the faintest stench on a breeze then maybe it'd be pertinent to knock a hole in the wall and just... let some of these people walk through?" he inquired, letting his foot rest on the ground before lifting up his other bandaged foot and proceeding to rub on it as he had done his other.

[Das Kirb]

"Aye lad, that's part of what I had in mind, step one actually. Already sent em a few missives concernin the outlook of these people. Even got one o them to come out and speak wit' me. Blue blooded bastard called meh a blasted. . . Help me out here, Lizard." "You a blood soaked imbecilic bastard son of a swamp hag's womb who smelled of shit. Wish he'd spared the same effort to me so I can enjoy evicerating him more. Just called me an abomination, little more than an oversized iguana. Heard better from you in your sleep. He did refer to Katsu and Arsa as heathen whores and offered a chamber for his slaves to fuck day and night so that shall have to due." Kori readjusted and used a foot to move the sticks, digging a little hole for him to rest his feet within the flames. "Aye that's it. Not unexpected but still a wee bit disappointed I am."

Hide once again lit up his pipe before continuing. "Fact is I intend to first offer an ultimatum via display of power. I'm sure they've some guards and sell swords they'll send out. T'ween the lot o us we can handle em as we like. Once done I was plannin on 'aving Kori and the lass demolish that blasted wall. With you that'll be even faster and simpler. Force em to intermingle with these folks out 'ere." He took a long drag and let the smoke waft into the air, making a couple passive smoke rings as he did. "There will be rioting and slaughter goin on an' I want to assert ourselves as fair. Keep these folks outta their homes and from raidin, but allow them access. Don't want to rule over a ravaged city, too much ta rebuild. Some collateral is expected but keep it minimal.

A few seconds would pass and Hide would grow grim, his voice genuinely sorrowful as he spoke. "We'll 'ave to cut down a few on both sides but hopefully we can acts as vanguards. Forcin' a mix aint easy lad. Me hope is in time we can prove fair te both sides to legitimize our claim. With luck we'll 'ave em askin fer us. But that will mean capturing their nobility. The more obstinate ones we make examples of, the more even tempered we reason with. Make no mistake, I'm playin the long game, lad. An with the lasses we'll have more than enough control and defensive ability to promise safety from there, fer all o them." After this he looked Aimi in the eyes with a grim but resolved glare, as if trying his best to impart just how much he did not like what he thought must be done.

[Golnax]

Insults and ignorance. The same flaws as the nobility of Kiri had. Perhaps it was something that was shared with all noble peoples everywhere? Aimi wasn't sure for he had never met with any nobility beyond the ones that 'owned' him and those that vaguely associated with other shinobi. No daimyo had ever crossed his path and even the leaders of the heavenly city of towers hadn't actually been royalty by any measure. He could only speculate and sit with a grim look on his face as he listened to the retelling of the colorful insults that had been thrown at a group of individuals most dangerous, sparing only this thought for the people he was preparing to destroy; 'Ignorant bastards.'

The same could not be said for Hide who explained his plan, simple as it was, in slow and methodical detail, going over his thoughts on how best it would be to proceed and what course of action he thought was best for everyone, not just those he intended to make into subjects. There was obvious respect to be had in such thinking even if it did complicate things. Hearing how he wanted to keep damage to the city itself to a minimum as much as possible only served to complicate matters for Aimi who could set entire streets and buildings ablaze with a snap of his fingers, could destroy city walls with a thrust of his fists and render the earth itself a natural disaster if he would but only unleash his full strength! It was the bannin's opinion that just such a display of overwhelming force would make this whole process quicker and easier. Find the highest tower in the city, let Aimi level it to the ground and kill all nobility who were inside - better yet to shepherd the corrupt nobility into the tower first so that he could kill them all in one fell swoop - and rebuild what was left in his wake and take authority for their own. The thought of having to restrain himself to fit the Titan's plan did little to change the grim expression upon the Kaguya's face.

"So how exactly do you plan on getting a horde of these... would-be-untouchables to follow you to the walls of this city then? You said that less than a dozen have even talked to you so far, which tells me that they're not exactly trusting of you yet. Have you told any of them your plan? That you want to replace the ruling class and be better? Have they believed you?" he inquired. "I'll be candid; I think your plan is a bit over complicated. It'd be much easier to just... set the city ablaze and watch it burn, rebuild from the ashes. Assassinate the nobility in its' entirety and install yourself as a new Daimyo, or just let Katsu and I go wild until nothing is left. Why do you have this fixation on doing it the so called right way?"

[Das Kirb]

It was several long drags on his pipe that measured the time the Titan stared at Aimi. He considered the Kaguya's angle and mulled over the potential ease with which a simple smash and grab would go down. Truth the city likely had no real means of fighting back against the lot of them, especially with one as strong as he backing up Katsu. It'd be simplicity itself to see the city obliterated and reformed from the dust and bodies. The more he thought the more nagging questions kept coming back to him, and the furrowed brow made it clear he was in conflict. At this point all eyes were upon him, and his upon the fire as he took draw from the pipe.

"Lad, I admire the ease of simplicity and must say I've considered it from yer view as I have from the lizard's and me lass'. Indeed, razing the city and rebuilding would bring a swift victory and we've the ability to do so without the excessive need for materials. We could take from the surrounding forests and be done with it. But that brings me two questions I can't answer. Iffen you can I'll consider your vote against mine and we'll do it yer way. The first is what do you do with a kingdom that has no subjects? These people out here have no ruler and they've known no lash. A gentle hand is needed to coax em into talking. The one's I've spoken too have admitted their lack of discipline, among basic medicine, shelter, food, and necessities. They'd ill make a populace to rule over by themselves. And they lack and of the skills desired from within the city proper. Here I'll answer your question of iffen I've told em me plan and the answer is yes. But they're hesitant. Said if the wall opens, they'll trust. "

He took another drag off his pipe before he realized almost all of the tobacco was used. With a grumble he tapped it out into the dirt and retrieved a pouch from the inside of his jacket and refilled it while continuing. "Me second question, lad, is why instill ourselves as the outright enemy with a penchant for violence? If we're lookin' to take over a land and rule its people it is better to be respected than feared. A feared ruler will always need to watch their back lest a blade plunge into it. A respected leader can trust their guard to deflect the blade. The way to earn respect from a people is to see their needs and wants, and fulfill it. It's to be reliable and consistent. To make your word your law. Do that and you'll make a few enemies, but you'll make many more friends and loyal devouts. And since we're buildin a nation to call 'ome, we'll need a military and devotes would come in handy. "

[Golnax]

You had to hand it to Hide, he had given this much thought. From the sounds of it he had been mulling this whole thing over for a while which made the Kaguya wonder how long he had been in this country to begin with. He'd certainly put more thought into this thing than Aimi would have, Aimi, would would have razed the city to the ground but an hour ago to satisfy his own wrath, had never before thought of plotting to take over a country. He was entirely unqualified and unable to truly see things beyond the viewpoint of a shinobi who specialized in being a spearhead. To inflict violence in order to end a conflict was what he knew best. How could he be expected to see the bigger picture when all he'd ever been shown was what to stab before?

All the same the Titan's logic intrigued him. As he listened and watched the mountain of a man smoke his pipe and considered what he had to say as best as he could. Much as he didn't see the sense in doing things differently from how he had suggested it... he wanted to see it. He wanted to understand. As such he sat up straight and planted both of his feet flat on the ground, placing his arms in his lap and shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. I have no answer... which I suppose means we'll be doing it your way, then," he conceded. "Again, just so long as I get to do what I do best, I'll follow any plan of action. This is stress relief for me primarily, but I'm... curious... to see how this plays out," the Kaguya admitted, hesitating for a moment before speaking his mind fully. He simply wasn't used to doing such a thing.

[Das Kirb]

As the two were speaking there came noise from the surrounding trees. Three sets of footsteps signaled the ladies' return. However, Arsa and Anori smiled and seemed tired but happy. The third was a vastly different sight from what was previously known. Katsu had shed her arms and the gaping maw was sealed. Her wings vanished and so too did the horns and predatory features that signaled her animal nature. Instead a smaller woman walked among them, a woman of softer features if still powerfully strong. One would mistake her as a random girl if not for the recognizable eyes and hair. She walked confidently and smiled now, gently wrapping her arm around Arsa's waist and seeming no different from a blissful girl ignorant of the recent happenings.

Hide, noting the change but not bothering to point it out simply welcomed back his family and rose from the stone throne. Anori and he embraced as he clapped Arsa and Katsu on the shoulders. "Ahh, me wife and daughters return. Seems ye got yerselves all in a chipper state now." Katsu smiled back at the large man before taking a seat in the dirt, noticibly far from the fire, trading a smirk with Kori without speaking. "We have. She just needed some assurance and all was well, darling. Arsa actually did the bulk of the work. Got a bunch of the local spirits to come and talk with her. They're the ones that convinced her to try this shape for a while. . ." She grinned and kissed the large man, having to stand on her toes to do so. "Trust you boys had a good talk?" With a returned kiss and another full embrace he nodded. "Aye, that we did. However, now we all gather we should go over individual duties. Yer better at that than I."

With a nod she freed herself from the titan, taking up a stump as her seat before looking at the gathered crew, flashing each a smile, including Aimi.""Alright, first I'd like to hear from our guest though. As a Kiri shinobi I know you're not trained for true conquest, more destruction and leaving others to figure it out. However, you are a soldier still. And I know you and her, despite her calm at the moment, have some shit to work through. Once the wall is down there will be violence to be had. However, any specific targets you want to go after? We can handle the rabble and act the vanguard. You two are going to be literally nothing but wild cards and I plan to use keeping you in check as a bargaining power play. However, I'd like to know if there's anywhere we should. . . overlook."

[Golnax]

Sitting up straight, Aimi would turn to look in the direction that the three women were coming from. For a moment he didn't recognize Katsu among them, at first thinking that she might have gone off on her own for a bit or maybe was on patrol. It wasn't until he saw the nudity of the now smaller woman and her green hair clinging to Arsas' waist that he put two and two together and realized that this, too, was Katsu. A woman of many shapes it seemed. She seemed... at peace, strangely enough. Her expression gave her entire body (along with the fact that she was nearly two feet shorter than she had been earlier) a softer look about it. An air of real relaxation that the long haired bannin had rarely known. He guessed that she was about the same height as him now.

He watched Katsu up to her taking a seat in the dirt far away from the fire before turning his attention back to Hide and his wife. Watching the two of them kiss reminded him of his own parents but ultimately made him feel nothing. He kept his eyes on Katsus' mother as she sat down and addressed him specifically. His brow furrowed and he listened, a bit perplexed by what she was saying. It almost sounded like she expected him to be a loose canon who would fly off the handle and just start destroying stuff if something irritated him... this wasn't entirely untrue of course, but on a mission like this? He had more control of his emotions than that. The Kaguya tried not to let her words get to him.

"Overlook?" he asked curiously. "No, not really... I mean, I have no real foot in this race so to speak. These nobles and their poverty stricken masses mean nothing to me. Try not to think of me as a wild card and more like a precision instrument. Just... point me in the direction of those that need to die, and I'll make sure they're dead." He stated his position plainly, holding his hands out to the side momentarily before clapping them together as an affirmation to his statement. He had no specific targets or anything in particular he wanted to destroy. He just wanted to end some life and ignore his feelings. Simple, really.

[Das Kirb]

Anori beamed back at Aimi and clapped her knees in excitement. "I can get behind that, darling. First the wall then I want you and her to make a bee line into the central capitol. Cut down anyone who approaches violently. Leave those that run or stand down. Otherwise, follow whatever Bear told you. The rest of us will act as vanguard and draw out their defenders. We're not as fast as you. Kori's current body. . . won't make it." The dragon looked uncomfortable and sighed, saying nothing. "My dear told me you're quite infatuated with him though so consider this a chance to see the true him. Otherwise, lets eat and get some sleep. We'll do this thing come high sun."

[Golnax]

Aimi nodded, folding his hands over his lap and looking on towards both Kori and the fire. Under different circumstances he would have been more excited about the prospect of seeing the dragon in full form again, but by that time he was tired and beginning to mentally prepare for the ordeal that they were about to undergo. "Agreed," was all he said as the night closed in around them. The morrow would bring his relief, or so he hoped.