Rabbit Princess [Gaara] [2]

☾ 62 ☽

Tsukiko felt her body tense up as she looked up at the man standing atop the rock structure. It almost felt like it was instinct for her to react this way but she knew better than that. This was not something that had been passed down to her – it was the realisation that this person was not like any of those she had faced before: this man only wanted blood.

"So, the guy in front of us is the real Madara," Naruto spoke up and he looked toward Tsukiko and Gaara. "Then the guy we thought was Madara... isn't Madara?"

"So, it seems..." Gaara replied.

"Whomsoever that is," Tsukiko said. "He is clearly inspired by this man here – I wouldn't surprise if he'd like to take use of this man against us,"

"As Tsuchikage, you've utilised the Akatsuki in the past," Temari said, looking toward Onoki. "Can you speculate who that masked man might be?"

"There's no one I can think of," Onoki replied. "But it doesn't matter who he is!" His eyes had not once left Madara. "We still need to stop him!"

The two men atop of the rock had not yet moved and Tsukiko wondered what they were discussing at the moment or what they were waiting for. However, unlike them, the Allied Shinobi Forces could not afford to waste time and Gaara attempted to make a sneak attack at them with his Sand but it was dodged by both Madara and Mu fairly quickly.

"I guess they won't be easy to capture," Gaara muttered.

"Yeah..." Tsukiko whispered.

While Mu floated into the air since he was already at an advantage with his Dust Style as well as being a Sensor-type Ninja, Madara seemed to prefer the ground. He landed not far from them and Tsukiko knew that it was only a matter of time now.

"Very well..." Madara spoke, ready to fight as he began to rush at them.

"Here he comes!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Do not look directly into his eyes!" Onoki ordered. He looked up at Mu. "You can't use the Dust Style in your divided state right now... Sensory Types! Watch Mu-Sama!"

"Wait!" Temari interjected, grabbing her brother back from going into battle. "Gaara, you and Tsuchikage-Sama must recover first," She turned to look at Tsukiko and Naruto. "Instead of your clones, go into that mode, Naruto!"

"The truth is, I can't anymore," Naruto confessed. "I used up my Chakra in the earlier fight!"

"Looks like it's up to me," Tsukiko said as she moved forward.

"Tsukiko," Gaara interjected. "Wait –"

Before Gaara's hand could wrap around her arm, Tsukiko had vanished off from between them, and he clutched his hands into fists when he saw the flash of white entering the battle. By now, Madara seemed to have worked through a great chunk of Shinobi far too quickly and easily himself. Tsukiko. Gaara didn't want to see her get hit even if it was only a clone.

Madara was fighting through the Shinobi with mostly Taijutsu and some Kenjutsu, and Tsukiko knew that he had those eyes to look out for as well. She reached around and pulled out her Tanto, her eyes on his lower body in order to avoid getting into a Genjutsu.

Tsukiko's blade struck Madara's before he could bear it down onto the men in front of him, and Madara's eyes trained down at her but she quicker in kicking him back.

"So, you finally enter the battle," Madara spoke in a deep voice. "Do you want to dance, too?"

"Why not," Tsukiko responded, holding her ground as the other rushed back, hoping to buy them time to fetch the wounded. "It's about time you fought me,"