[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/ObRDT2r.png[/img]

[h2][b][color=moccasin]Tsukiko Umene, Honeybadger[/color][/b][/h2][/center]

Though Daiki was able to bring up a kunai in time to block Tsukiko's first strike it didn't stop her completely, allowing her ninjato to slice through his midsection albeit not as deep as originally intended. While Daiki would've died in this scenario, for some reason he was pulled aside before Tsukiko could deal the finishing blow. In her rage she had narrowed her attention to the red-haired boy and failed to realize Takeshi had intervened until after he saved Daiki's life. In that brief moment of realization, where her rage temporarily redirected to Takeshi, she was able to regain control and calm down slightly. Slightly.

[b][color=moccasin]"The only half-assed excuse here is coming from you,"[/color][/b] Tsukiko began, her voice notably cooler despite the fire in her eyes. She aimed her blade at Daiki, pointing it at him ominously. [b][color=moccasin]"Your pride is inflated. There is nothing valuable about you. You are completely replaceable. I can strike you down and sleep comfortably tonight in my own bed, free of punishment and with a clear conscious. Your opinion of yourself distorts your opinion of the world. Newsflash! You are nothing in the grand scheme of things, Daiki. Your ego is larger than your brain. My view of the world is much more realistic..."[/color][/b]

She sheathed the sword upon her back, but still moved closer to approach Daiki. [b][color=moccasin]"I was brought into this city in a cage. I fought every day to survive, to grow as a human being. I have earned where I stand by spending twenty years proving my worth to Konoha. I have seen far more of this world than any of you teenage brats, fought more battles, survived more struggles. So when one of you [i]little shits[/i] starts thinking that the world owes you something and that you can compare yourself to me..."[/color][/b] Tsukiko's body position changed, asserting a new fighting stance. [b][color=moccasin]"I get a little [i]upset[/i]."[/color][/b]

The red-haired teenager was already on his knees, bleeding profusely from the wound he had already received. While he had summoned his large sword, Anemone, it was clear that he wasn't in any good position to even use it. Despite his obvious signs of weakness, Tsukiko could still read his will and desire to continue. And she planned to snuff that out. Dashing forward again, Tsukiko moved inside Daiki's personal space, intentionally to use proximity to her advantage so his sword would have a hard time reaching her. Her left knee came up to greet his face, but before he would be sent backwards into the counter she rotated her lower body. This caused her knee to push Daiki in an arc, to send him onto his back on the floor instead of crashing into anything. The blow was possibly hard enough to break his nose, but Tsukiko made sure not to knock him out entirely.

Once on his back on the floor, Tsukiko put her foot on his arm wielding Anemone, to keep it pinned and useless. [b][color=moccasin]"The world is a cruel place,"[/color][/b] Tsukiko began, before bringing her other foot up and stomping it down on Daiki's chest quickly. [b][color=moccasin]"And I'm a cruel bitch."[/color][/b] She lifted her foot that was pinning his sword-arm before bringing it down in a stomping motion as well. It seemed for a moment that she was preparing to kick him to death, but she stopped after those two attacks and took a step back from the boy. [b][color=moccasin]"Get up."[/color][/b] She motioned with her good arm for him to rise. [b][color=moccasin]"You want to prove something? Then stand up and fight me. Prove me wrong. Prove to me that you aren't weak and pathetic. Make it clear to me that my words aren't true."[/color][/b]

Her gaze was unforgiving and harsh, her very challenge having enough sting in it to cause a normal man to feel fear. Tsukiko briefly glanced to the other three in the room, who appeared to be preparing some kind of punishment game for Jaakuna. None of them seemed particularly prepared to intervene, at least at the moment. She looked back down to Daiki, who was still on the ground. Blood from his wound had already leaked onto the ground, giving the false appearance as if he had been there longer than he actually had. He looked defeated, but there was a fire in his eyes (aside from the red Sharingan) that suggested otherwise. [b][color=moccasin]"Fight me with that [i]pride[/i] and [i]honor[/i] you spoke of..."[/color][/b]

[hr]

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/njZFSAk.png[/img]

[h2][b][color=orange]Shin Maru, Topaz[/color][/b][/h2][/center]

Shin glared at this trapped woman. [i][color=orange]Ice is a type of crystal, I guess that's true...[/color][/i] Shin pondered, trying to make sense of her words. She didn't seem intent on giving a straight answer, so he was either going to have to use detective skills to crack the case or somehow convince her to be honest. [b][color=orange]"I don't need to know all the properties, random pirate woman,"[/color][/b] Shin began to debate. [b][color=orange]"And what do you mean by altitude? Did you mean attitude? How will that solve-"[/color][/b]

And that is when Shin suddenly teleported up to the pirate ship in the sky, landing on top of Sentou. [b][color=orange]"Or she actually meant [i]altitude[/i]..."[/color][/b] he mumbled to himself, taking his sweet time getting back up to his feet. Apparently Sentou was fighting the captain of the pirates, or rather an illusion of the captain (who also was an attractive woman). [b][color=orange]"What is up with these she-pirates today?"[/color][/b] Still, this was an enemy. And Shin could remember well what happened the last time he let his guard down around an attractive enemy. The pain and humiliation was hard to forget. [b][color=orange]"Sentou,"[/color][/b] he began, taking up his fighting stance. [b][color=orange]"I couldn't get any good answers out of the lady before I appeared here. We should try to take this captain alive to interrogate her. Surely someone will give us what we need if we are persistent enough."[/color][/b]