Plan A–the plan they’re currently enacting–was mostly Naruto Uzumaki’s idea. She tweaked some parts to make it less risky, but the core of it has more flair for the dramatic than she herself would produce.
Plan B–which she had hoped to use on the possibility that their disguises were seen through–relied on the facts that she could switch seamlessly between the henge disguises and that the idea of Neji Hyuuga ambushing someone would be so intimidating that no one would think to test her in a fight.
The henge is not the problem.
The problem is that she’s already been hit three times in this fight and even if she were to switch into the Neji Hyuuga disguise, no one would believe it now.
Gods, this did not go as well as she had hoped.
They have enough armbands, is the thing. They want the remaining token and she’s not even fighting the right person.
As seconds fly by, the smoke disperses more and more, and any advantage she had in this fight against that sensible son of a bitch Komadori is swiftly dispersing with it.
Naruto Uzumaki’s laughter sounds strained now, too, and she knows they’re in trouble.
She tries to trill a whistle–her signal for retreat–but Komadori gets in a hard jab to her sternum that leaves her breathless.
Her henge shatters.
Well, there goes the whole disguise strategy.
Her opponent hesitates–or perhaps, so used to class spars, allows her to catch her breath–but that’s just the opening she needs:
She replaces herself with Renji, their somehow still unconscious hostage, and gives herself some space and what little cover remains of the smoke.
There! Now due north of her, Naruto Uzumaki still in disguise, fighting another camper and losing. She lurches in that direction. Now that she has air again, she finally trills a whistle, reaching out and yanking Naruto Uzumaki out of the way of a punch.
“Let’s go!” she shouts, running and pulling him with her, even as he tries to twist himself away. Thankfully, he’s not trying to stay and fight, but even as he begins to run with his own momentum she keeps her hold on him.
She is vigilant all the way back to the camp, paranoid that someone–especially that sensible son of a bitch–might track them down. But after several feints and a set of bunshin as decoys, she finally lets them spiral back into their camp.
Naruto Uzumaki’s bruises already seem to be healing, or maybe they aren’t nearly as bad as hers which she can feel radiating pain and heat off her skin.
Was it worth it? Attacking the camp directly only got them an additional armband and token each.
But they’ve almost completed Naruto Uzumaki’s impossible objective; surely that’s work a few scrapes.
Still, “You’re getting first watch,” she says, before performing the minimal amount of basic first aid on herself and passing the fuck out.
JackSGreyson Says 