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Chaos begets order. 

As contradictory as it may seem, Kimiko believed in that wholeheartedly. It was her experience that despite how unorganized and wild a battlefield may appear at times, there was a certain rhythm that chaos often followed. It was unpleasant and harsh, but Kimiko could feel the twisted harmony hidden beneath the discordance. Her body was powerless to resist moving to the beat of that vile song whenever it began to play. Anything could happen, there was no reason for anything...but in that moment of confusion, everything just sort of clicked. In that chaos, any decision that did not result in her death was the correct one. That made everything simple.

While Kimiko had been attempting to rile her companions, she had little intentions of actually hanging back. Well, at least at first. Her original plan was to just rush down Team Nine’s flag. With her natural speed and smart use of the Gale Palm technique, she could likely cross the field far quicker than any of the others. Unless any of those dorks on the other side had any tricks up their sleeves, she couldn’t really think of a way they could stop her. She could just grab the flag and be done with it. Then maybe her WHOLE day wouldn’t be wasted.

Kimiko had barely noticed the subtle sign that Emi-sensei had given before the bellowing came from the Team Nine leader. The game was on.

Fuck.

She was just about to take off when Ruru began to speak. If it had been just about anyone else, she likely would have blown them off and went to do Kimiko things. After all, her song was playing: she needed to dance. But, the kunoichi held herself, her right hand tightening around the sheath of her katana. She would give him a moment of consideration. Nothing more. And if he bored her, she was out.

His plan caught her off-guard. She had been joking about actually hanging back. That just wasn’t in her blood. Surely he knew that, right? But...she couldn’t deny that he made a decent point. This wasn’t like their normal mission. If she were to rush in and somehow be stalled, they could potentially lose, even if she did get the flag. Especially if Ruru was rushed down while alone. If their normal formation was flipped, then Kuku and Ruru could keep throwing themselves at the Team Nine defense as much as they needed to. After all, nobody was getting through Kimiko. Of that, the young woman was certain. 

Hah! She had to give the little guy credit where it was due - he knew how to play her. Clever brat.

[color=888c44][b]“Wooow. That was almost kind of cool, Ruru. Consider me impressed.”[/b][/color] Kimiko teased as she walked by the team’s strategist, bending over as she passed to ruffle the boy’s snow-white hair while he was busy attaching a seal to Kushizu’s shoes. She walked towards their flag, lacing her hands behind her head and arching her back in an unsuccessful attempt to pop it.

[color=888c44][b]“I [i]suppose[/i] I could let you boys take center stage this time. Just don’t take too long. If I get bored, I’m ending this myself, got it?”[/b][/color] she continued, another yawn dividing her last two sentences.

It was about that time that Kimiko heard Kushizu mutter something before taking off. The girl spun around just in time to see a blast of fire crashing towards her, engulfing the flowers as it went. 

The song crept its way into Kimiko’s head, and she could feel each thunderous, crashing note collide with the next, the introduction to the chaotic concert. Her body moved in time, dropping into position, breath slowing and steadying. Right leg planted firmly. Right hand gripping the katana’s sheath. Left hand tight around the hilt. As the song climbed in step with the approach of the flame, Kimiko’s body jerked. Her left leg shot back, as did her right hand with sheath in tow. With the left hand, she pulled the katana from its sheath with frightening speed, slicing upwards in a vertical slash. 

A solid blue light traced the path of her blade, and upon the completion of the strike, was propelled forward. The bottom of the blue crescent cut into the ground, tearing a path ever forward through dirt, flower, and flame as it sailed forward on a collision course with not only the bolt of fire, but the one who conjured it as well. It narrowly passed by Kushizu as he armed himself with his water blade.

This was Flash - the samurai’s answer to the more mid-to-long ranged shinobi. As it cut through the air towards the fire, Kimiko flipped her sword and slid the blade between her thumb and forefinger before returning it to the sheath, a ritual ingrained deeply within the girl. She hadn’t even given thought to the possibility that the attack might land. The blades formed by Flash could move quickly, but given the distance it would have to travel in the clear, open field, it was unlikely to actually land true.

That was fine. She didn’t need to actually hit anybody - just make them aware that she COULD.

The girl dropped back into her stance and prepared to draw again.

Flag duty or not, Kimiko fully intended to be a threat.