preparation for a long trip(open)

It was nearly time. For too long she'd spent her times within this cage, reaching frail hands from between the bars, never able to to quite reach the sweet freedom she'd dreamed of for so long. This girl had seen more terror then her share, the great volcanic peaks breathing flame that licked at the heels of funka, filling them with the fire of hatred that fueled not the flames of dedication, urging the inhabitants to learn new and exciting ways to gain skill to defend their home land, and more so with a cruelty that was inscribed upon skin, written on the hearts of the people, and pushed them constantly to horrific acts. As she prepared, turning her attention to her only two friends, searching through the large closet of the home now only inhabited by herself, her mind went back to the acts that created her. No, not her birth, and the actions of her parents, god rest their soul. She remembered vividly her time in the academy, the aweful training that lead to her promotion to a genin, the base line shinobi of this village of canibals thieves and cut throats. She could see behind closed eyes at night the examiner covered in organs, most likely human and most likely his lunch once they were done. It was deplorable. The fires of youth burned in her veins, an itching she dared not scratch as she shuffled through outfits, all hand made, considering the perfect outfit for her preparation.


"Sister, Pinochio.... Whatever will I wear? I've nothing worth my time, oh the life of a poor child." She spoke the words more then emphatically. Her gaze cast down quickly and she turned almost as if dancing about the room, right foot extended like a balerina as she gracefully shifted through her small room waiting for input. A soft music seemed to begin like a whisper that matched her movments, the perfect partner for our small dancer. Atop the small night stand beside her bed a candle burned, long white stem half melted and dribbling down over the half covered sliver base to stain the wood below it. THe light danced across the walls. each dark figure split by the sparce light personified in the girl's imagination. No longer was shein the small run down home she had hidden within, perfecting her craft for so long. It was like the existence itself warped to her reality. The walls melted away into nothingness, opening the space. Pristine white marble spread from beneath her feet, flowing outward through what she knew would be the whole house, though it too seemed to cease its own existence. Great pillars of stone rose up around thirty meters from her, columns of the same brilliant white reaching out to touch the sky itself. Before her a grand staircase snaked its way from beneath the earth, rising step by step, the great beast curling to the left and right, splitting into a heart shaped opening before meeting a non existent second level that seemed to know it's creation was imminent.

"Perhaps...... Oh. " The Aios AI puppet watched her work, eyes growing wide within the wooden sockets as their home seemed to change. She could feel the chakra pouring from Aios' body, though it wasn't actually causing the effect. This was another of her delusions the girl knew, similar to her own sentience. SHe was thankful for the gift she was given, even if it could only be enjoyed by Aios in her own little world, and this... This was brilliant, almost spectacular. No. It was positively stunning and she felt need to express to her creator the marvels of her works. "Aios... Sister.... This is brilliant. I dont even know what to say..." Before them, where there was once only a four poster bed, white walls and a lingering taste of regret now was a great grand ball room larger then either of the girls could even imagine. There was an enormous piano, an older fat man with salt and pepper hair rocking back and forth as he carressed the keys gently, elicting a beatiful melody that echoed through the ball room, causing the shadows who danced about the white walls to step out from their confines, deep grey figures with emotionless faces who turned to one another in pairs with a soft nod. each joined together, locking arms to give first greetings before of they went dancing on the air itself in a grand waltz. to and fro they shifted and spun, giggles and gasps filling the air about them. "How did you ever..... Sister dear this is..... Creation on this level.... Do you realize what we could do with this... This power..."

"earth.... Earth release." They knew immediately. The mental connection twins seemed to have been born with caused them each to nod in unison. "The power to create. To whipe away the cold coruption of the village hidden in the volcano, and create it anew. What we could do with it! It woud be just like the books I read as a child. A great keep of stone, High walls to keep out feer and bring comfort..... but however will I do it alone?" There beside her sat a long gown draped meticulously over the edge of a gold apinted chair with a forrest green ack. It's legs and back were engraved softly, contours cut with care through the soft mahogony in brilliant design. She glanced at it once before turning to her sister, just as the small pinochio doll walked forward, urged on by the unnoticed shifting of the girl's singer pointer finger, to lift the dress up and hold it out for her.

"I... But..." She glanced down at it, nustled in in the small puppets hands gingerly, almost gently as if the wrong move would cause it to shatter into a million pieces. It was grand. A bright yellow with golden rod and silver accents, backless and royal with a skirt that seemed layered by the ribbon like edging around knee height a bit darker then the dress itself and with flowers and lace spread every foot or so as accent. The straps clung loosely across her shoulders, set to cover the black tank top she'd worn before with the words " Princess" written across the center from botom left hand corner to top, and the skirt flowed down to her ankles, hiding the tight black pants perfectly. "But I don't ha..... " She hadn't noticed the dress as it slid up her body and over her shoulders. it just seemed to have appeared there, perfect in size and incredibly elegant. "I dont have anything to wear with it. "

Before she could even begin the Twin Aios AI puppet had jolted into action, taking a soft bristled brush to her hair, stroking through the tangled mess gently to cause it to straiten and detangle before finally the natural curl bounced out. She pulled the girl's hair over and back styling it into a small bun before allowing the rest of it to fall down her back. She had to long sets of bangs that framed her face perfectly. She was a vision of beauty to be sure when her twin sister was finished, spinning slowly to cause the edge of her dress to flare up just a bit. "Of course you do sister..... " With that Pinochio disappeared through the great double doors for barelly a moment before returning with a matching set of heels that seemed to sparkle in the light of the chandeleire above them, another addition she'd not yet noticed.

"I... It's perfect. I dont even know... How... How did you do all of this?" Her eyes were wide with excitement and wonder as she continued to take in the scene before her. They were truelly in another world, she thought to herself. There was a bustle in the air, bright music and dancing making it dificult to even hear as they stood just off to the side of where it seemed thousands were bouncing to and fro. Her heart raced with excitement, trying her hardest to understand exactly what's going on. If this was posible with jutsu, she thought.... THe world was at her fingertips to be sure. She could finally feel the pull of her chakra on the world, though she still hadn't noticed this whole situation fabricated. To the out side world, were someone to actually be within her home, they would simply see a girl in a gorgeous gown standing within the small bedroom, spinning about in an area about three feet wide in all directions and talking to what would seem like a perfect copy of herself and a small wooden doll. She would be pronounced crazy, and probably rightly so, but here within her world things were grand.

"we didn't, of course. Sister... This was all your doing. You breathe life into the world around you and create new and exciting things where there once was nothing. Can't you see? The cosplay Queen of Funkakagure... You've spent so much time shackled to this place, you've almost forgotten what our world looks like. The way it changes and shifts, the way your mind creates..... My sister. Do you remember when you breathed life into pinochio? myself? For months we've sat here, doing nothing. Sewing clothes you would never dare wear into the village. Hiding from your evil brothers and that cruel man. His gift isn't worth this sister. We need to get out. We need to be free. Come with me.... Think... Of what we could do forever. "

On que the world seemed to change once more, A great road of yellow brick flowing seemingly from her shoes. The walls fell, crumbling to nothingness. Great buildings seemed to grow out from the earth itself, rising high above the two girl's heads. It was terrifying but beautiful, the whole feel of the world around them seeming to shift completely.

"Unlimited..... Together we're.... Unlimited. Sister. Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been, Aios...." She looked down just as her own outfit began to change, the grand yellow ball gown sparlking at the base. It sunk in almost to run flush with her skin, durning dark and plain. Beneath the simply black dress she now wore a white blouse with slight bits of lace around the sleeves where they stopped halfway down her biscep and across her neck. her skin tone changed drastically, almost terrifyingly from the soft pale white to a deep green color. It felt familiar, she thought to herself, though she couldn't imagine from where, and since natrually Wicked was a beautiful work of literary and poretic genious that was not created in this bland ninja world, she would natrually never figure out where she remembered it from. Finally the strangeness passed and she felt her heart begin to reach out to her puppet sibling, the words coming naturally. "Dreams. The way we've planned them. If we work in tandem...... there's no fight we cannot win, " They sung these in unison, though immediately afterward she interupted their strange musical interlude.

"Except for Brother of course. He scares me..... Oh and the creepy doctor who ripped my brother's arms off. and maybe Osore..... I haven't relaly met him but he sounds terrifying. " Her mind flowed through the long list of people she'd heard word of in the village that she feared fighting. It was an incredibly long one of course, and with each her hope slpped down the slippery slope that brought her to her own confinement.

"No.... Nothing could stop us. We're soarin.... Flyin.." She was cut off with a wave of Aios' hand, the scene disappearing from before them in an instant to take them ack to her bedroom.

"No. This is rediculous. Nothing will stop us.... We just need to get out. We need to run Ai. Break out of this prison. Fly on the wings of eagles and find our purpose. Create the stage where we will be loved. Let us prepare."

(TWC 2012)

"But how will we do it sister.?" She asked, thumbing quickly through her clothes again. searching for the perfect outfit. She decided on a gorgeous skin tight body suit of a bright vibrant red, that clung tightly to her small frame. The neckline sunk into nonexistence, her chest covered, but barelly by the edges of the fabric that reached across the edge of her breasts before opening up again. It seemed to tie around the back of her neck, with nothing across her shoulders as the fabric traced just under her arms, back open to stop just above her butt. It showed an incredble ammount of her body, what little was left to the imagination not really by the spandex like material and at her hips were two large orange red and black flowers with streamers of cloth that flowed down her body like a piece mail skirt, and she had a set of arm warmers of the same design, red fading to the mix of orange and black as they reached out past her hands, a bit of the cloth hanging past her fingertips. past that set a pair of black tights that stopped half way up her things, soft and dark with two small bits of a deeper red on the outer thigh and a pair of simple black heels finished the outfit.

"quickly. Wig. You know how this works.... We have so much to do. " She pulled her hair back, fastening it quickly with bobby pins to ensure not a stray strand was noticable as she awaited her helpers. Aios pulled from her closet a long pink wig, turning it to brush it lightly, ensuring everything would be in place and meanwhile Pinochio produced from a hidden compartment a wig cap, wrapping it around her head to fasten it similarly to her hair with bobby pins. The wig was slipped on and set into place, a fine mist of hair spray and a quick flash of silver as the styling comb set everything into place finished off her outfit allowing her to turn on her heels once before lifting her hand to offer the two a piece sign with her pointer and middle finger. "Aios transformation complete! You two know what to do!

In no time they were done, The Aios Ai doll tossing on a deep brown wig with a tight red body suit that had strange almost metalic looking embroidery just under the girl's chest and across her hips. It looked odly futuristic, they thought as the puppet set in her wheel chair, which... Honestly none of them were sure how Aios obtained, though they often just chalked it up to her being the cosplay queen of the village hidden in the volcano. The inochio puppet however had quite a different change about it, slipping on a full body costume that required it to move on all fours, though assisted with wheels that let it glide like a skate board. It's new costume was fully white, metalic, and incredibly addorable like a small droid like rabit of some sort.

Aios AI:

Aios:

pinochio:

"Ready?" Aios asked, now standing at the front door, her two puppets trailing calmly behind. They each gave a nod and they were off at a run down the streets towards the training area to continue preparations.

"Alright. If we're going to get out we have to be.... stealthy. " As the Twin Aios Ai puppy spoke she let her feet push off to push her into the air, vaulting off the side of a building, much to the dismay of the shop owner who popped his head out the door yelling at them. It made Aios excited that the towns people knew her by name, though.... It was probably because she was always causing trouble. With a single flip she landed once more in like with the three who created a triangle formation, now at the half way point.

"We have to be strong. " Pinochio said, taking one of the kunai from the mechanism in hsi chest and trhowing it into the building front before htem, where it bounced off, not sticking into the wood at all. "We.... We'll have to work on that." He spoke, spinning around on his wheels as she shot off, picking up the kunai and slipping it back under the costume as they continued.

"We must.... Be swift as the coursing river. With all the force of a great typhoon. With all the strength of a raging fire mysterious as the dark side of the mo" Her comment was interupted as they finally reached the training grounds, Aios not having noticed the entrance, or more importantly the wall she'd collided with, allowing a heavy thud to usher through the area followed by a groan of pain.

"Attention.... Must... Pay... More.... Attention. " Twin aios Ai helped her back to her feet, checking for any blood or broken bones and then they slowly walked into the trianing grounds once more.

"What's first sister?" She asked, seeing the world start to shift and contort to AIos' will. Great mountains seemed to raise up around the three, the arena closing in on them. A dome of earth closed them in, blocking out all light for a moment before a few bright flames lit the ceiling, allowing them to see what they were doing. "THis..... Every time. You are remarkable Aios.... How..." It looked to the three like a cold dank underground arena, though any watching them would simply see three strange figures in incredibly detailed but out of place outfits standing in the center of the training zone, seeming to gawk in surprise at nothing at all.

"I am..... amazing. " Even she was more then a little surprised at the display before them, her mind working in overdrive to create her perception of the world around them. "You sound surprised. As if the cosplay queen of The village hidden in the Volcano would not be capable of remarkable feats!"

(TWC 3047)

"Now... Can you make it bigger? Better.... Aios. Search your heart. Allow power to flow through you. Lets show Funka who their queen is. " Twin puppet Aios AI's lips curled into an almost sinister sneer as she urged her master and sibling on, her eyes studying the world around her intently. From the great dome small spikes of earth appeared, jutting out like a trap for any who would want to leave. The dome grew and expanded in her mind, buildings appearing behind the the edge of the dome as it would expand in her mind. The spikes grew ever longer, the strength of the earth reaching out to strike at the buildings, the sum of her hatred actuallized finally. Great pillars rose up around them, stone spiraling from the once still ground, cracking the earth to leave it barren and splintered, and with every moment she watched, allowing her chakra to pour more quickly from her body, they grew larger. Each was smooth, remarkably, she thought to herself.

"It's... It beautiful. Aios you're doing it! With this you could destroy this village forever! Go sister. Let the weight of your belief trump this hatred. bring this village to the ground! Finally we can be free! Free free freee" Twin Puppet Aios AI chanted excitedly, allowing her hands to run along the smooth stone, taking in the the markable feeling against her fabricated skin. To them this was reality, the only true reality, and it was remarkable, expansive, and beautiful.

"The first ones for your brothers. Saios. Taios. The cruel beings that tortured you for eternity. How they used to torture you, destroying your beautiful clothes, tampering with your room, Oh the nights spent cutting gum and candy from your hair. Do you remember when they decided to paint the village. How the cruel doctor puished you. The way life ebbed out.... This is our chance Aios. Together we three are unstoppable. Together in this place anything could happen!" Excitement ran ramant as the spiked walls stretched out and in, consuming more and more of the village. The roofs of buildings cracked and crumbled under the spikes of earth, buildings crashing down around her. It was exhilerating. people in the streets screamed and cried out, terrified by the spectacle about them. rubble crashed down, killing civilians left and right, all covered in coats of disgusting body parts and entrail necklaces. An older man's skull was smashed in just as he took a bite into what was clearly a human hand, spattering his brain matter against the ground beside the body he was eating for lunch. The earth opened up beneath her, climbing her body quickly. It formed armor that coated her body, stretching out over her chest and arms, out past her fingertips similarly to the arm warmers, though instead of soft cloth these were sharp tendrils of eathen might, threatening to destroy anything around them.

"this is it. This is power. With this I can take over the world! My final goal will be whtin my reach. Together sister lets start our symphony of distruction. " She began to sing, a soft melodic tune that sounded more like it was meant to lul a babe to sleep then cause destruction. each note flowed from her lips brilliantly, warm airy tone making the two puppets smile. Her feet began lightly against the ground, two soft steps punctuated by the screaming chaos outside of them. She rose up on her left toe, right leg outstreatched as she turned on her toe, her knees bending deeply at the end of her turn to bring her down close to the ground. her dance was elegant, as graceful as her song was beautiful, and the complete opposite of the chaos around them. That was always Aios after all. The village was in shambles. Only dust and debris was left of the once great village hidden in the volcano. "Yes. It is done......" She took a final glance around the destcroyed village before the dome finally crumbled, falling to the ground in heavy chunks.

"Um Aios...." Twin puppet Aios AI called out to her sister, pointing out behind the girl. Their eyes shifted in unison to turn to the scene before them and her heart sank. The village was not destroyed. She was lost and confused, looking upon everything as it had been from the begining, realizing it had all just been some crazy dream. "It um... I think.... Perhapse we were just day dreaming. "

"That's a first." Pinochio said, nodding to the two girls. Her head dropped in sadness. So much of her life had been just a dream, and she knew it. She didnt actually have power over earth. She held power over nothing. The useless girl would be doomed to making clothes all of her life, wishing to go on adventures when the rest of the world actually got to experience the interesting bits of life.

"No. Not that sister.... This." Her hand pointed out towards a small bit of earth just off to the left in front of where they now stood. It wasn't much, but there in the middle of the empty ground was a small bit of rock risen a few inches from ground level.

"Wait.... Is this.... Oh. My. God. We did it. We do have eath powers! We are the best!!! One more great win for the cosplay queen of the village hidden in the volcano!!!!!! " They danced about, rejoicing over the minor control of the earth element. This was their first step. Now it would just take some training to create giant rock monstroseties that would kill their brothers and take what they wanted, what they needed. Soon they would rule the world.

(TWC 4003 claiming earth element)

"Wow kid. You... You do good work." The voice could be heard behind her, male with a bit of suprise and excitement evident in her voice. "And that outfit. Very nice. A little much for a young girl I would say but goodness it's smashing. Did you make it yourself?" once more the world seemed off. It was like she was transported back into her dream, the village torn asunder before her and none living to draw breath asside from her friends and the man who's name sounded familiar.

"Wh... HOw did we.... Wait. P-lot?! Oh! It's P-lot! guys he's abck. " She rushed forward, hugging him tightly. "Where have you been?! I havent seen you in ages"

"I feel that's what I should be saying to you young one. You haven't left your home in months child. Not gone out to the market, Not checked in for your team.... Not even come to train with me. " It was true, she realized, looking at the man who'd taught her everything up to this point. In his hand he held a long staff, incredibly thin but looking more sturdy. More importantly it's dull look made it evident that the item was made of stone.

"Yes... Well I've been quite buisy with um... Well.... It doesnt matter. Look! I've done it. " She motioned to the bit of moved earth before her, ignoring the destruction around them. He pointed the staff at it, studying it for a moment before smiling big and proud.

"It's remarkable child. Now.... The earth element. I have a few things to tell you about that I suppose. Watch. " He released the staff which crumpled into dust the moment it left his hands, the small bits blowing away in the soft afternoon winds, warm and pleasant. "See... This weapon was simply A jutsu I've used. All you do is form a single half tiger seal and..." His fingers contorted into the sign, allowing his chakra to pour from his finger tips. Beneath him a small pillar of earth rose, similar in size to the weapon he had just been holding. It rose up quickly, just as the spikes she'd created in her dreams When it reached his hands he closed his fingers around it, lifting up slowly  to free it from the ground below. Just as expected there was a staff held in his hands, shifting left and right slowly at his command.

"That... That's amazing. And it seems so simple. So I just form a half tiger seal.... And it happens when i mold my chakra?" He nodded as she formed the seal, her eyes pursed shut in concentration. Slowly the staff rose upward just as it had for him, meeting her open palm to set strait up. "It's beautiful. It's so perfect. With this I can.... Well..... Sister perhapse you should..." She turned to the twin Aios Ai puppet who smirked at her. In it's hand also set one of the staves, held at the ready. "So... What's next P-lot?"

"Well Kid.... Theres one jutsu that I know would be helpful but it might be a bit of a bear for you to figure out. Still. I figure if you learn it well It could be the most useful jutsu you'll ever learn. The greatest tool for your aresenal. See... This one is called Hiding like a mole. I know it sounds.... well It sounds like a cowards way out and i mean... It is. You however dont exactly use those puppets because you want to be up front experiencing the thrill of combat am i right? See with this jutsu you can sink into the earth, or I suppose walk into the earth if theres like... A facing of rock our something. " As he spoke he walked forward, simply walking into one of the large bits of rock left over from the great earth dome when it fell. His body shimmered for a moment and then he simply disappeared into it, disappearing from view.

"See... You go into it and it allows you to remain hidden from sight. usually it's used to get out of a pinch but I know with those puppets of yours..." Out from behind the large stone that he was hiding in a tall figure appeared in a black cloak. Shadowed arms rose up to release the clasp, removing the black cloth from his chest and she gasped in surprise as his face finally came into view. The man looked exactly like her teacher P-lot con Venience, except that  his eyes were clearly glass and his skin softly carved wood. She could see a shimmer of blue coming from his body for a moment as he moved, making it clear he was being controled by the same chakra strings that moved her puppets.

"WOw! You made a new puppet and it looks exactly like you. Well.... Sorta. It's like you only puppety. you need to get realistic skin. Can it do things like you also? Oh. My. God. I bet it's just as good as Ai. Maybe even better! This is so exciting P-lot. I've never seen something so perfect asside from my Twin Aios Ai puppet! " THe twin gave her a strange look, suddenly being reminded within Aios' subconscious that she was in fact just a puppet. Her limps fell lifeless for a brief moment before the memory faded and she felt human again.

"calm down kid. Yes it's pretty impressive, but Let's keep our eyes on the prize here. You need to learn this jutsu. First, you have to concentrate your chakra. Let earth chakra flow through you. THat will allow you to sink into the earth. Once you feel your feet going through the ground just let it flow through you until you're out of sight. Allow your body to flow through the earth like water. It will allow you passage easilly. " He finished his explanation, the puppet gesturing to her quickly as if it were her teacher and finally as he was done she nodded in understanding.

  "Got it. I've got to like... Be the earth and stuff. I can do this. I just have to be the earth. Quite a litteral lesson if you think about it. The way to use an earth jutsu... well this one at least... Is to actually be the earth. Simple. to the point. I like it. " She allowed her mind to focus, her chakra flowing once more. the staff in her hands was released, allowing it to fall to the earth gently where it shattered, sinking back into the ground where it came from.


(1102 this post earth staff trained 600 towards next jutsu TWC so far is 5105)

The whole world seemed to disappear as she allowed her mind to hone in on the one thing that mattered. She could feel the earth begin to soften beneath her, preparing to allow her entry. Slowly she sunk down into the soft earth, feeling it flow over her feet like sand. farther and farther she sunk, allowing the jutsu's effects to flow through her body, past her knees and ankles, up her thighs and around her hips, over her tiny waist and chest and finally it swallowed her shoulders, moving it's way up over her head, finally consuming her fully to allow her to disappear from view. This... This is amazing, she thought to herself. The earth just seemed to part around her allowing her to move freely. She slid forward moving through the sand like ground towards her Aios Ai puppet who simply shook it's head at the girl.

"Excelent. Now that you have the jutsu let's see how you can use it. I want you to concentrate on the earth around you. use it to see without your eyes. find the point where they touch the earth. Seek it out and feel them from that point. Meanwhile.... Your sister and I will have a bit of a bout. Prepare AIos. This will be a battle unlike any you've ever had. You will rely not on your sense of sight, but on your natural senses and the earth around you. " Aios shifted the staff in her hands, tightening her grip. They could feel the connection, though it felt strangely weaker from the distance. She let out a deep sigh, THis would be dificult, she thought to herself.

The opposing puppet rushed forward at a speed of fourty, pulling it's right arm back to begin the battle with a strong right hook. Twin puppet Aios Ai's eyes grew wide with surprise as the attack came at her, moving backward in a short hop to dodge. "I cant see him Sister... tell me what's going on. " Aios' words were fearful. She could feel them moving above but had no clue once they got close what was going on above. This was a problem. Three more attacks came for her, each one causing her to shift one direction or the other for fear of being struck before finally she moved the wrong way, the Twin puppet Aios Ai moving into the attack instead of away from it. The attack connected, throwing her back with heavy force to crash against the rock her teacher was hiding in. She fell to the ground crumpled into a pile, which made her master cringe visibly... Or in a way that would be visible if she was able to be seen.

"You have to concentrate. your inability to see is the greatest flaw this technique has. I'm sure you can find a way around it however..... Just strategize. " She was frantic. her sister was hurt, thought she couldn't exactly see how badly. She could feel the girl push off of the ground, She pressed her palm against the earth, raising up slowly. It felt like her ribs were broken, which would be impossible in reality considering her ribs didn't actually exist. Where the rib cage should be was actually a wooden box with a mechanism inside, coated in a flesh like outter layer that looked perfectly realistic. It was of course her prized possession. She flowed through he earth, going quickly towards the large rock as she felt her puppet stand, her legs shaking a bit as the pain filled her mind. Finally the twin Aios AI puppet got fully to it's feet, holding the staff outward defensively, tip pointed towards her opponent's face. Aios slid through the rock, raising upward out of the ground still completely hidden from view. She pressed her face to the edge of the stone, just enough that her face sliped from the flat facing, granting her sight.

He rushed forward again, preparing to strike and this time was sorely surprised. She flashed the weapon forward, moving at a speed of seventy one, and with a power of thrity two. Just as he began to thrust his arm foward she struck, pushing the staff into his gut and knocking him back. He flew backwards, hitting the ground to bounce twice before slidding to a stop about four meters from where they sat. As the attack happened she slipped back into the rock facing, grinning brightly.

"Much better... Though I'm pretty sure you cheated a bit. The goal was to find a way without leaving your hiding place Aios. Still... Round one worked very well. Now lets step it up just a bit hm?" The puppet was back up on his feet, this time drawing from his pack a kunai held reverse, the blade running up his arm defensively. He rushed foward again, causing the puppet to wield the staff once more upward defensively. Aios slipped her eyes just out of the rock wall, watching the scene and as she did  a few things happened. First the twin puppet Aios ai's stance opened a bit, calm determination flowing through her body with knowledge that they would be fighting together. Second, and important to note, The puppet against them began to grin. Finally, Aios' mind began to work in overdrive, watching the scene before them, all happening at about a speed of fourty.

   As they neared one another the kunai was released at a speed of thirty, floating past the Twin puppet Aios Ai's head without need to move it in the slightest. His target, was the girl within the stone. "Shit. " she spoke, pulling back to slip into the rock once more far enough that the weapon glanced off, flying to the left harmlessly. She was safe, but her puppet was blind once more. She struck foward once he was in range, a strait strike in front of herself, each of them hoping it would prove an adequiate deterent but he dodged it easilly. Turning his body to the side he pulled back his right shoulder, allowing the weapon to slip into the open air beside her. "Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit" She spoke as neither felt the solid connection they needed. She tried to dash to the side but it was too late. Once more the taijutsu attack crashed in, this time a kick that hooked around her body to strike into her left kidney, throwing her off to the side like a rag doll once more to crash into the ground. her body hurt, which was impossible realistically since she wasn't actually alive, but to the personified puppet it was as if her body was on fire. She coughed and sputtered, her palms planted agianst the earth heaving her face towards the ground for several moments. The pain was nearly unbearable but still she pushed off, standing on shakey legs. Again they met, with the same effect, though slightly differing results. The attack was evaded, Aios' eyes useless to the puppet as she struck blindly. This time however She jumped backwards, barelly missing the fist aimed center mass, set to shatter her sternum. With a short sigh of relief she shifted her threads, latching one each onto the man's arms and legs, slipping her face from the stone once more to see what was going on long enough to handle her buisiness. She allowed the threads to be loose, not pulling on his body to indicate they were there, and being completely invisible.

Again he rushed foward, following her movements, Kunai set in his hand and prepared to strike in the event she showed herself. He released it at a point in the rock. She never came out, allowing the weapon to bounce off the solid surface once more and his eyes shifted in surprise. She struck foward, thrusting at where she could feel him running and once more he dodged. As he began running along the staff however her pensive look faded into a cruel sadistic smile. With a shift of her stance and a quick rotation the staff struck into his side, causing him to miss his footing as he cried out in pain. Another strike came in, this one with downward force on his shoulder as he fell and finally she pulled back thrusting it deep into his chest. The sound of shattering wood echoed through the training area followed by cheers from both girls.

"We did it we did it" she called, slipping quickly from the stone to step back onto the soft earth and out of her technique. following her P-lot stepped out, just beside where she was.

"You did. Excelent job Aios. Do you feel that you've learned it?"

"I do. This will be excelent. I decided to use extra threads kinda on a whim. That way i could feel when his arm moved and judge where it was based on the distance. "

"Now.... Go. Rest but I expect you to come back tomorow kid." They parted, each going their separate ways with new tricks up their sleeves.

(1515 this post, hiding like a mole trained, TWC is 6620 claiming eath element, Hiding like a mole, and earth style rock staff trained plus 33 stats. exit))