Tsuki’s gaze slowly trailed to the old kunai. Trembling fingers. Maybe, just maybe she could talk him out of this, maybe there was still something good inside this person that could change the course of what seemed almost inevitable. She raised her hands, parting her lips and yet he charged, leaving no room for discussion, her instincts making her lean to the side slightly to avoid the impact. A series of punches, kicks, all blocked to the best of her ability but still taking a toll on her body. When she blocked a kick, she almost missed the punch coming her way, so she ducked, hearing the stone wall behind her crack.
For her, this was something she could’ve avoided. For him, this was a matter of life and death and the stakes started rising faster than she expected. She tried blocking his tanketsu points from the back, somehow, someway, at least a hand, but the precision was off like the last time. He growled, like a person who spent too long in the dark, and her eyes widened, only to narrow in focus a split second after. The clunking sound of kunais followed, both of them now using weapons. Where she lacked strength, she had speed. Just as she was about to kick him away, her leg caught before ever lifting up, catching Tsuki off guard.
Sand?...
The girl stood there, staring at her with angry, hate fueled eyes, clutching the silk to her chest. A wet sand snake was curling up her leg, and the first thought that came to Tsuki’s mind was –
how did I not see her? Nor him, following me? Her wrist was grabbed, and she found herself flying across the passageway, smashing into the gas supply with a sharp hiss. She tried to move her legs, stand up, fight, every inch of her body screaming, and yet she was locked in place with only her hands to help her. In that split moment she flashbacked to the gruesome laboratory, Yoshinori telling her with burning eyes to follow the trail, and it almost looked like a light bulb turned on in her head. They were cornering her again, and Tsuki quickly trailed the sand snakes with her eyes, noticing a chakra pulse. Clever! Just a little chakra, and the wet clumping sand does the rest…
She hit both of the snakes with her fingers, releasing herself from the grasp, her mind going rapidly on what to do next. This would be a long fight, and something told her she couldn’t spare the time, not now. She side-eyed the gas container beside her. Risky… But worth it. Tsuki waited for the right moment, just as they were near. Grabbing one, she smashed the top on the wall. Gas came out with a loud hiss, as she targeted the forming cloud at them both, making them both shout, the sound morphing into a coughing fit soon after. A very slight grin appeared on Tsuki’s face before she too started to cough, trying to hide her nose and mouth.
Both of them were now on all fours, when the girl fell to her side, fast asleep. The man, however, held on for longer, trying to grasp something behind his coat. A mask! Tsuki took a step further, her legs giving out on her, as she fell on the hard ground. Using the angle of her arm, she shielded her pathways, crawling to the man, trying to grasp the mask before he did, as her vision started fading in and out. Everything blurred, she saw double, the mask in his hand, which she slapped away just in time but not far enough. His fingers extended, and Tsuki, desperately, pinned his hand with her kunai going right through his palm. She grabbed the mask, placing it on her mouth and nose and inhaling deeply.
She laid there, on the ground, just for a moment to catch her breath, her gaze tracing the stone ceiling.
