Nearing the end of Tsu's mini-briefing on the abilities of the enemy leader, an inhuman roar echoes through the walls of the Relief Center. El would recognize the sound as that of his opponent, the beastman Vik'tor, clearly not as dead as he would have hoped. A member of the Village guard comes running from the western gate, searching frantically for the ninjas. Oita had been positioned at the northern gate, as this was the main gate of the relief center and the only one that faced the road to the village. Breathlessly, the young man exclaims, "Beastman...west gate....hurry!" He nearly collapses from exhaustion as a thundering explosion ricochets off the tent walls from the western end of the encampment.

This guard was one of the lucky ones. Those who stayed behind to hold off the beast were slaughtered beneath his maddened claws. The beastman roared defiantly as those few left standing attempted to utilize the variety of traps built into the walls of the Relief Center, those which were only to be used as a last resort. The explosives did little to stop Vik'tor from advancing. The young musician's blood still scented his path, still urged him forward for the kill. He would not be stopped by something so simple as an avalanche. His prey would fall before him, and he shall feast upon his bones


Hinji heard the roar and the frantic guard and for a second, worried that he had not killed his man. This worry was short lived as he forced it out of his head. That man was nothing more then a pile of bones by now. He got quickly out of his bed and, with the help of his walking stick, made his way towards the door of the relief center.

Oita took off after the explosion at top speed, pulling out roll after roll as he ran and smearing blood from his thumb over them. The clouds of smoke trailed after him as he ran along, until Oita was jumping alongside Candle, who was adorned with a selection of kunai on strings, wrapped around the puppet. He was slower than others might be, but because he was so near he got to the west gate in a matter of seconds. He paused, observing the situation before he would strike himself. Candle however, he could serve as a distraction. With Oita on the north side of the west gate, Candle was soon on the south side, and began to breath fire down at the lumbering beast of a ninja. This should give Oita enough of a distraction.

El had still been laying on his bed with his arm over his eyes when the call of the beast reached his ears. He sat bold upright, his blood running cold in his veins. He hadn't defeated Vik'tor after all and now he had no guitar with which to try again.

Akane let out an annoyed grumble and rolled over at the sound. In her subconscious, she had no doubt heard the sound... but her body chose to ignore it. If it were up to her, she would stay asleep while the whole place burned to the ground.

Out side Kami's head lifted to the sound, then towards the explosion. She looked at Kano, hoping to see the fire of reaction in his eyes.

Kano's head whipped towards the west as he heard the explosion. "What the heck?" He couldn't help but wonder what was going on, the relief center was supposed to be safe after all...

Ishiaki was far too exhausted to notice anything at all other than the...well he would have said other side of his eyelids, if he had any.

El understanding perfectly what he must do, pulled back the sheets on his bed and sat up. His legs did not want to carry him as he tried to stand, but there was no pain, which was somewhat surprising.

After another grumble, Akane adjusted, trying to go back to sleep, but it was useless. She opened her eyes to see El slipping out of bed right in front of her. Not moving, she squinted at him and asked, "Just what the heck do you think you are doing?" Groggily, she leaned up and turned to see Hinji had fled. "Where did he go?!"

Tsu scratched her head, going over to Akane and Hinji's beds "How are you two doing?" She could guess Akane was exhausted, she had been healing people all day. El... surely El had gotten healed.

El had been healed and his head was clearing by the second. "I have to stop him." He said distantly to Akane as he headed between the bunks towards the flap in the tent. He hadn't even considered grabbing his coat or gloves. "It's my responsibility..."

"Woah! Hold on!" Akane leapt out of her bed, "Don't you dare, El!" She turned to Tsu in passing, "If he or anyone else get hurt, Ishiaki and I can't do anything."

"We know." Tsu said softly, picking up El's coat; now wasn't the time to head out without protection. "We've got to do it though Akane." she gave her a weak smile, then went after El. Did he really just leave here without his guitar?

El stopped at the door when he heard Tsu sensei speak. She had his coat, yes, he would need that. "Thank you Sensei." He said, taking it from her. Thankfully he found his gloves in the pockets.

That was the last straw. El never blatantly ignored Akane like that. He was clearly not himself right now. "No. You are not going anywhere, El!" she said and ripped the coat from his grasp. "You are going to get your brown ass in BACK and into THAT bed until you start thinking clearly." she pointed a firm finger to his cot. Tsu and Hinji were probably just as loopy from the Heart of Ice, but Hinji was already long gone. "You both need to sit the fuck down and gather yourselves!" Akane was exhausted and all this angry shouting was giving her a migraine.

"I cannot do that Akane." El said. "I thank you for healing me, but I have to stop that monster from hurting anyone else... It's my responsibility." He turned to the coat rack by the door and took a random coat hanging there.

Before he could pull the coat off the hook entirely, a feather pinned it deep into the wall of the tent. "And it's MY job to make sure you don't get yourself killed. Kami, Oita and Kano can handle whatever it is for the time being. I'm not letting you leave here without a clear mind."

"I am thinking clearly Akane." El said. "And it is not their job to deal with Vik'tor. It is mine. I am the reason he is here in the first place. He will rip them apart looking for me." And he forsook both coats and exited the flap of the tent.

"With all due respect Akane," Tsu said as she pulled the coat from the girl's grasp "It is not your place to make sure that these people don't get hurt. It is mine. I will keep them from being in danger, any way that I can. that is what I was tasked to do by Ishiaki. As for El, we need him for this fight. This sounds like the person HE was facing, so we need his input. I will make sure he doesn't die."

"You're just as out of it as he is!" Akane argued. She had Tsu never really saw eye to eye. It was because of this cat woman that Akane was picked last for teams...at least, that's what she thought. "You were just on your death bed not twenty minutes ago! You think I can trust you with keeping your own damn team alive?!"

Kano heard the ruckus coming from inside the tent. He poked his head in and held a hand up to Akane. "I have not been on my death bed. Can you trust me?"

Akane was a bit alarmed to see Kano peek into their tent. "Kano... I don't even know you. So no, I really don't." Although blunt as always, it was true. He and Akane had spent less than a minimal amount near eachother, let alone getting to know one another. "El isn't thinking clearly. He's being an idiot and is going to get himself slaughtered."

Tsu shook her head at Akane "I was on my death bed. Now I'm not. That's how it works, and I have stuff to do. And if you question how I do things I'll punch you on the nose. Now isn't the time to be second guessing me, specially when my team is out there risking their lives." And with that she left the tent.

Akane scowled at the flap of the tent as it wafted shut after Tsu left. Crossing her arms, her brow twitched in frustration. Through her grumbling, Kano might be able to make out something about making threats and walking away, but most of it was just growling. Akane turned around and vigorously snatched up the coat that she had ripped from El's grasp earlier. After she double checked the mittens on the pockets, she headed out of the medical tent with the last words of. "Kano- I'm not very fond of your sensei." and stepped out.

Having both Tsu and then Akane brush past him without being able to even give a response to them, Kano turned and left the tent as well. He looked at Kami and shrugged, "Everyone else has gone for the West Gate. We might as well join them, perhaps together we can overwhelm the beastman?"

---

Outside, brushing past Kano El immediately regretted his decision to forsake the two coats Akane had kept him from, still, he had to face Vik'tor.

Although tired and weighed down by her gear and El's coat, it wasn't long before Akane caught up to the young mariachi. El had only gone several yards in the snow afterall. To show her frustration at him, Akane gave El's shoulder a light shove from behind. "Hey!" she shouted, wanting some sort of LOGICAL explanation.

El staggered forward but caught himself. He turned to Akane, glad to see that she had his coat. "I'm sorry Akane, but I really must be going."

"Going where exactly? To your demise?!" Akane asked. "El, a ninja should know when they are outmatched. You need to stop and seriously think about approaching this more intelligently!" Perhaps what was making her even more upset was El's strange, emotionless way of ignoring her pleas and walking plainly into battle. "I didn't spend ALL my chakra healing those damn hands of yours just to have you run into a fight without a jacket on and any plan whatsoever!" It was insulting to say the least.

El stepped close, closing the distance between them till he swore he could detect the last subtle fragrance she had bathed in. "I'm sorry you do not think I can beat him." He said softly. "I had thought perhaps I had proved to be a better ninja than that... And I am sorry you do not understand why I must go... But I thank you for this." And without thinking, simply acting he closed the last of the inches between them till their lips met. Heat suddenly radiated through him, causing his ears to blush and a sudden sweat to break out across his back. His hand touched the one holding his jacket and he remarked on how perfectly the swell of her bottom lips fit between his.

El could feel the sharp gasp from Akane's nostrils on his cheeks. She was completely frozen stiff while her brain struggled to process what was going on. Instinctively, her fingers tensed and flared outward with her arms tight at her sides. Akane had never kissed a boy before or even thought about it before and the slight panic made her stomach rise into her throat.

When her fingers released his caught hold of the jacket. Perhaps El was thanking her for the coat, maybe for the kiss... but most of all he had thanked her for the confidence he needed to do this. They're lips parted and he felt a small snap of moisture spring back onto his bottom lip, cold, sobering. His warm chocolate eyes held her's for a moment longer before he leaped, springing away, slipping into the coat as he made his way to the western gate.

Akane was left with her body stiff as wood, completely petrified with confusion and panic. However, the further away El became, the more Akane's expression softened. Her lips were frozen and slightly parted. There was a small bead of saliva on her bottom lip and she hadn't moved since El last touched them. As if trying to call him back, Akane began, "Hey..." but her voice was gentle and forced, speaking in a breathy whisper. It took her a moment to realize what had just happend...that El had kissed her. More importantly, that he had just disappeared from view around a tent. Immediately thereafter, Akane came too and her fury returned ten-fold, "HEY!!" she shouted angrily. El had done that on purpose, hadn't he? He had put some sort of weird, mariachi romance spell on her just now...surely that was it. She took off in a sprint after him, doing her best to ignore the bizarre, floaty feeling in her lungs.

---

Vik'tor roars with rage as the flames lick the ground around him. The beastman knew to fear fire as instinctively as he knew how to hunt for prey. He shielded his eyes and backed away from the fiery headed puppet. He growled deep from his chest and, in a remarkable display of strength, grabbed a hold of the wall he had smashed through. His massive taloned fingers dug into the stone effortlessly as he assured his grip. With one mighty pull, the beastman wrenched a chunk off the wall, easily 5 times his own size, and held it above his head for a moment before throwing the mass of stone at the puppet

Hinji hobbled around a corner in time to see the creature hurl the rock at Oita's puppet. He stopped a moment and watched in awe of the creature's strength.

Oita watched as the wall was ripped free, trying to duck down a bit more in case it had caught sight of him. As the piece of rock was tossed towards the puppet however he made sure to make it send out a burst of flame and backflip out of the way. The height was an advantage, he could just throw the puppet backwards, and the flame caught it before it hit the floor. Twisting his fingers in a complex patter, Oita used his own height to observe both sides of the wall. Once the puppet had caught itself it rocketed down, heading straight for the hole in the wall and towards the beast at full speed. It was going to be quite a collision if it hit. The important thing was pushing the beast back from the walls though.

Seeing Oita's puppet in action pulled Hinji back from his daze. He snatched a card from his hat and wiped some blood on it before throwing it up in the air. It burst into an inky black cloud that hung for a bit before tripling it's size. With a finger pointing at the target, Hinji directed the cloud, of what appeared to be gnats, at the beast. The gnats quickly followed orders and swarmed to the giant creature and immediately set to trying to land in his eyes, ears, and nose.

Vik'tor howled as the gnat swarm descended upon him. He batted at his face, trying to keep the bugs away. Steadily, he backed away from the fire spouting puppet. Where was his prey?! The accursed bugs were blocking his senses. He planted his feet in the ground and let loose a tremendous roar, the sound waves slamming into the gnat cloud and causing over half of the swarm to simply explode. Nothing would stop him from getting his prey. He would again sink his teeth into the boy's tender flesh, and again revel in the sweet taste of his blood. No little insects or a puppet made of wood would stand in his way.

The puppet swept around as Oita observed, doing a loop, twirling about, spitting flame occasionally at the monster. Finally it came around and shot forward, head first, to fire straight at the back of the great beast. A surprise attack from behind, with all the force of a battering ram on fire.

El reached the western gate. He'd managed to trick Akane into giving him his coat and wearing it now he realized that he should have taken he other. There was a gaping hole in the shoulder where he had been bitten. He greatly regretted what he'd done to Akane, he had hoped their first kiss would have been something special, not a subterfuge to trick her into letting him go. He had to put that behind him now, he had work to do. "VIK'TOR!" He shouted, his voice lifted on a wave of chakra. "Your fight is with me!"

When El arrived, everything changed. Vik'tor froze in his tracks, glaring at the mariachi even as Candle opened fire on his back. His massive muscles rippled and a growl issued forth from the beastman's throat. "Prey...."

Oita began to spin Candle against the beast man's back, burning his skin and trying to burrow his head against the tissue there. A burning hot piece of wood attempting to burrow into its back should get the attention it deserved.

El Stood, watching as Vik'tor didn't even pay heed to Oita's initial attack. He felt a ball of nerves rise in his throat, wanting to choke off his voice, but he couldn't let it. He was going to need every vocal cord he had to defeat this thing.

That's when Akane finally caught up with El and stumbled into view behind him. She came around the building too quickly, not realizing a battle was raging on the other side. Slidding to a stop, she lost balance in her thick winter gear and landed with an "Oof!" in the snow. Readjusting, she finally saw El's opponent and let out a slight gasp. He was enormous! No wonder El had trouble taking him out. It was also no wonder so many villagers had been cursed with the mark along with him.

Hinji saw how the giant beast blatantly ignored Oita's attack and decimated his attempt at sensory debilitation, then when El appeared, it gained a single-mindedness. He turned to look at El, "You'd better be ready, he's here for you." With that he snatched a card and tossed it forward. From the black mist came an 8 foot tall fire ant. It clacked it giant pincers together before rushing towards Vik'tor.

Vik'tor howled in fury as the puppet jammed it's searing-hot flaming head against the flesh of his back. His skin bubbled and burst, peeling sickeningly away from the flames. The pain of the burns only fueling the beastman's rage, which in turn caused his chakra levels to spike. The claws on his finger tips elongated as the chakra surged through his entire body. His muscles expanded a little further, making him tower even higher above the young ninjas gathering before him. Reaching a massive hand up and over his back, his closed a massive hand around the spinning puppet attacking him from behind. He would use it's fiery body to fend off the giant fire ant that just appeared before him. Nothing would stop him from getting to his prey.

"I know who it's here for." El told Hinji. El wanted them all to go, to leave him to do this. He was no where ready to preform in front of anyone.

Akane pushed herself to her feet, partially glad no one seemed to notice her fall. Then partially upset no one had offered to help her stand. As Victor's muscles grew and stretched, Akane grew a bit ill, "Gross...." Her attention shifted at El and Oita, "You know... now might be a good time to attack." she suggested, a bit too low on chakra to jump into something like this by herself.

Oita, being very far away right now, didn't hear her. What he was busy doing however was trying to get his puppet free of the monster's grip. Candle twisted around his head, aiming straight back at the creature trying to use it as a puppet shield, and began to blast Vik'tor straight in the face with a steady and terrible blast of fire.

Vik'tor howled in frustration as the puppet turned its fire onto his face. He squeezed the wooden body tightly. Taking his other hand, he closed it around the puppet's flaming head and with a roar of glee, tore the head from its shoulder.

"I really hate this guy." Oita growled, watching as the head was pulled free. The head wasn't on fire now however, since the fire came from inside the puppet itself. Effectively, Vik'tor was currently holding the biggest firecracker in existance. "EVERYONE BACK!" the puppeteer yelled aloud.

The giant shadow fire ant took the moment of distraction afforded it by the puppet's head being torn off too attack. It moved forward quickly and opened its pincers wide to bite down on Vik'tor's torso and deliver its venom.