| [Sep. 20th, 2013|11:07 pm] |
There was a sharp chakra flare from outside, loose flakes of stone tumbled down, and Kakashi raised a defensive hand. Raidou and four of Katsuko’s clones burst through Kakashi’s chidori hole, freshly enlarged. Two Katsuko clones immediately started dragging the small demon corpse out into the rain to make more room in the tiny chamber, while two more worked on shoring up the unstable entrance.
Raidou wasn’t wearing his mask, and his bandages were soaking wet with rain, dyed red where he’d bled through them. There were what looked like burns in a spatter pattern over his chest plate and bandaged shoulders, and his eyes were red and puffy. But he had all four limbs, a strong chakra presence, and he didn’t look like he was bleeding heavily…
Raidou returned the survey, sweeping a quick look over the pair of them and raising his eyebrows. “The hell happened to you two?”
“Lost at t-tag with sc-sc-scorp’ns.” Genma said hoarsely. Since he’d stopped trying to burn the venom out, the paralysis had crept back up his throat. “You?”
“We tagged harder,” Raidou said, immeasurably dry.
Kakashi cut in with a clipped report. “Tanuki was stung. He's three-quarters paralysed, but making headway with a chakra treatment. He also has a belly wound I couldn't stitch. The big demon—”
“Is very dead,” Raidou finished for him. Genma felt the relieved sag in Kakashi’s shoulders, and he offered his own silent, fervent prayer of thanks.
“Rat's clones are cleaning up the stragglers. What's going on with your arm?” Raidou continued, gesturing at the lifeless hang of Kakashi’s right hand.
Kakashi glanced down at it and back up to Raidou. “Surface poison. It's getting better. Ram and Rat?”
“Drained and battered, but hanging on. Rat's got a broken collarbone. Ram's going to be down for a while, but he's still breathing. He used most of his chakra rotting the queen; I gave him a transfusion.” Raidou looked at Genma. “Looks like field-healing isn't an option.”
“C-c’n put me down.” Genma said. “Don’t know how l-l-long this will last.” His throat felt like steel bands were wrapped around it, and breath still came shallowly, and with effort, but he’d managed to get some movement back when he’d needed it most. Maybe if he put all his resources back into metabolizing the venom… “Trying to burn it out. C-could try some drugs.” He paused for breath, studying Raidou for hidden injuries. “Is everyone stable?”
Stable might be all they could hope for. |
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