Private An Unexpected Visitor

[Sazuki Tsuki]

Tsuki packed a small satchel with some essentials to take care of himself in case another incident like the kitchen happened. He knew his other half wasn't as affected by the sight of blood but with a rampage in the clear no and a trip with his new roommate/adopted brother on the line, he wanted to make sure Keiko had a way to patch himself up and avoid the temptation of blood. It was starting to get dark out, which meant the stores would close up soon if they didn't leave now. With everything packed and his shoes slipped onto his feet, Tsuki made his way out of his room and over to Toshi's. He knocked on the door before opening, giving a bright smile to his new friend. Hopefully this little field trip would give them more time to bond outside of training. "Hey, the sun is setting. We should head out soon if we want to catch any of the shops. I'll wait at the door."

With that said, Tsuki left Toshi to finish getting ready and made his way to the door. They had already informed Nao of their journey, the only rule being that they return before sunrise so they could get some rest before starting their chores the next day. Tsuki stopped in the kitchen, seeing that there were a few dishes that weren't washed after dinner. He took a moment to wash and dry them, careful not to drop one ever since the first incident.

"We could have so much more fun if you just let me out."

"This is my time to bond with my friend. You can get to know him by listening in if you want," Tsuki replied to the voice inside his head. Ever since the journey into his mindscape with the hokage, Tsuki had heard from Keiko a little more often. It had taken him some time to learn how to communicate with his other half, but they were getting along decently well.

"Fine, but if you change you're mind, I'll be glad to pop out. No harm will come to Toshi."

Ah yes, Keiko had sworn to hold true to his original promise from the first time he had met Nao. Anyone that Tsuki held close was out of harms way if Keiko were to go on a spree for some reason. He still didn't know enough about his darker side to feel comfortable letting him roam free, but if they began to get along a bit better then Tsuki would allow it. It wasn't fair for him to be the only one to live a life, after all.

Tsuki walked over to the door and stepped outside to wait for Toshi, admiring the sunset and the cool night breeze.

 

[Toshi]

"Ok Tsuki, be there in a sec." Toshi grabbed his tan shroud upon Tsuki leaving his room. The boy was excited about going out with his clan mate. They were close, and Toshi even considered him family at this point.

As Toshi began to leave his room and close the door, he heard a meow come from inside of his room. The boy opened the door slightly, looking to the cat sitting before the entrance of his room. "Is it ok if I come along Toshi? I'd like to meet Tsuki as well." The cat was familiar with the clan house now. Kaliko, usually lounging around, was very independent. Being around Toshi was nice but it liked to roam around. Sometimes it was like a game of hide-and-seek when searching around for the cat. "Of course, let's go. Tsuki's already waiting." Kaliko scurried out of the door, Toshi closing the door behind her.

The pair exited the Sakurako Clan House front door, where they found Tsuki waiting. "We're good to go. Oi, and Kaliko is coming as well." Toshi gestured to the cat. It sat, looking up to Tsuki with wide eyes. "Nice to meet you Tsuki." Kaliko slowly moved towards Tsuki, sniffing his shoes for a bit before rubbing against his leg. Toshi smirked at the interaction. "She already likes you." Toshi exclaimed, glad that the cat didn't start hissing. He figured that since Tsuki was a friend, that Kaliko thought of Tsuki as a friend as well. The other side of the story was Kaliko was putting it's scent on Tsuki as a way of introducing herself. Afterwards she would move ahead of the two as if leading the way.

The last time Toshi went out it was late night. He met another student named Shoma, and bought some ninja wire. He planned on buying another item for his shinobi studies during their night out. What would it be, he had an idea. His studies at the library mentioned numerous tools shinobi used to help them out in battle. If he ran across an item that he read about, he wouldn't hesitate to purchase the product.

---
[ Topic Entered w/ E - Rank NPC Summon Kaliko | MFT: +300 ]

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

Tsuki smiled as he heard his friend speak up behind him, turning to face Toshi. His eyes dropped down to the cat that had decided to accompany them. He had seen Kaliko around the house a few times but never interacted, unsure of whether or not the animal would actually take a liking to him. Seeing her rub up against his leg was a relieving sight. "We're glad to have you, Kaliko," he spoke with a grin.

With everyone ready to get going, Tsuki led them out of the clan house grounds and into the village. "I figured we could swing by the shops first before they close, then we could take in the sights a little bit. I haven't left the clan house much anyway," he explained.

With the plan spoken aloud, Shun started leading them towards Red Oak town. He didn't exactly know his way around all too well, but he was sure that the three of them could figure out where they wanted to go once they arrived. The street seemed to be emptying out with the sun going down, but the shops should stay open for another hour past sunset. "Anything you want to hit up first? I know there are some weapon shops and clothing stores."

"Oh, while you're out, can you pick me up some darker clothes? Black and red are my favorite colors," Keiko piped in.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I'll find something," Tsuki replied, shaking his head a little. He really hoped that Keiko wouldn't speak a whole lot. He was still getting used to the pressure in his skull when a thought that wasn't his own would appear. It was a bit distracting to carry on a conversation both in and out of his head. He stopped for a moment when a shop selling weapons caught his eye. "Ooh, I think I need to get some weapons to start training with. Why don't we check that out?" he asked, pointing towards the shop.

 

[Toshi]

Toshi walked at a comfortable pace as the group went out into the village. He still planned to tour the village one of these days. He had to learn his way around if he expected to be a servant of the Konoha. "It's ok Tsuki, I don't know the village that will either. One day, I'm going to explore the entire village, and memorize where everything is. That way, went won't ever get lost while going out." Toshi nodded, knowing that it was a great plan.

"Let's check out the weapon stores. If I see anything that seems interesting, I'll purchase it. I'm sure I'll walk away with something."

It looked like the trio would make their way to a weapon's shop first. "Aye, they probably have something good." Toshi looked to see what he noticed from a distance.

He spotted some ninja wire, and the place even had poisons, something Toshi tried to stay away from. "Those could be deadly in battle." Toshi said to himself. The seals placed on the vials of poison gave a descriptive warning of each vial.

Meanwhile Kaliko stayed behind the two, following their direction. She seemed to pay close attention to Tsuki because he was someone new that was just met. He seemed ok.

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

Tsuki approached the shop, looking over the weapons. The shopkeeper smiled at them, walking on over to the two of them. "Why hello there, a pleasure to see some new ninjas coming around. What can I help you find?"

Although Tsuki had been going out of his way to socialize with his clan, he still wasn't all that used to interacting with people. "Ah... well, I'm just looking around," he spoke softly, looking to Toshi. "We'll come to you if we need help though," he added, offering a smile to the shopkeeper before moving away from the counter.

"Well make yourselves at home! I'm right here if you need anything," she replied with a small nod, going back to her business.

Tsuki let out a soft sigh, his eyes scanning over the many kunai options. "Sorry, I'm...not the best at talking to people. You can talk to her if you wanna find something though, I'm sure I can look around on my own," he told Toshi. Tsuki knew he needed to start facing his fears eventually; how could he possibly be a good teammate if he couldn't even speak to a kind shopkeeper?

"Wow, not so brave huh?"

"Not helping."

"Not trying to~"

Tsuki huffed a bit, picking up a kunai and testing the weight of it. It felt decent in his hand, but he wondered if he should go with something a bit lighter. Maybe darts or something. He let his eyes wander again, finding that all the smaller projectiles were stationed on the wall behind the shopkeeper's desk. More than likely to avoid them being stolen since they were so much smaller. He let his eyes fall back to the kunai in his hand, deciding this was his best bet for now.

 

[Toshi]

Approaching the shop, Toshi could get a better look at the wares that were available within. "Don't worry about it Tsuki." Toshi commented on the convo with the shop keeper. After taking a quick glance around, Toshi continued on, "I don't believe I'll be buying anything out of here. They have some nice goods, and many things in here could cause some owies." Toshi lifted a hand, opening his palm as ice began to materialize in his palm.

The ice formed a kunai, perfectly sculpted in the correct shape. Each edge flawlessly materialized, and it was as sharp as a needle at the tip. "But I already have just about every weapon one can find in here." Toshi let the ice mirror into a katana. The sword would look almost life like. Other than being made of ice, the sword was an exact replica of a katana found within the store. "Of course it isn't the real thing, but I'm pretty good with my jutsu."

Toshi let the ice transform into a small hummingbird and watched as it fluttered out the store. Tsuki seemed to take notice of a kunai. "If there are medical kid out here, I'd probably purchase one of those. These weapons remind me that one can get injured in battle, and if injuries get too bad, a medical kit would be the answer to a combatant's worries." Toshi nodded after speaking in his "instructor's" voice.

Meanwhile, Kaliko would be keeping the shop keeper's attention. Laying down behind the counter, Kaliko was getting her belly rubbed. "Looks like someone is having a good convo with the shop keeper." The boy chuckled a bit at the two.

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

Tsuki turned back to the shopkeeper, his eyes flickering down to Kaliko who was enjoying the attention. It made him smile, the sight of something so carefree. "You really are good with your jutsu. I don't really know how to use mine," he admitted, looking to his palm. "Blood jutsu runs in my family, but I can't use it without losing consciousness. I guess the sight of blood is just too much for me," he hummed. It was definitely something he would need to overcome if he was to continue in his path. Blood was bound to make an appearance, especially when the head of their clan was a medical chief. "Maybe I should practice not passing out when I see it."

"Or you can just keep letting me handle the blood," Keiko piped up.

"Not going to happen." Tsuki tossed the kunai in the air, catching it by the handle with an unusual ease. Perhaps this could be his weapon after all. He decided to swallow his fear for a moment, walking up to the shopkeeper. He would have to buy his weapons one way or another. "Sorry to bother you...but I was wondering if...well, I want a weapon that-" his nerves got the best of him as he began to stumble over his words once more.

Luckily for him, the shopkeeper had been keeping an eye on the boys. She had caught Tsuki's glance at the weapons behind the counter, so she had a feeling she knew what he was looking for. "Something small but sharp," she finished for him, turning to the weapons on the wall behind her. "We have the basic darts, easily concealed and lightweight but sharpened enough to cut or pierce the flesh." She pulled a set of darts down, the weapons looking like thick needles. "These are the simplest, but we have hairpins with the same level of danger, as well as this one piece I designed myself."

The shopkeeper disappeared into the back for a moment, reappearing with a set of gloves in her hand. "These gloves have a dispenser atop the knuckles. They're a tad bulky so fighting with them on won't be too comfortable, but a little flick of the wrist and a tug on the release, and four small darts will fly out in that direction. While they won't pierce very deep, if you pair them with a poison, the damage will be long-lasting."

Tsuki took the gloves, inspecting the mechanism with intrigue. He pulled out the small satchel that held his allowance, seeing that he had enough for the gloves and a spare set of darts. "Are the gloves refillable?"

"Not in the midst of battle, but between, yes."

"I'll take them, and these darts too."

 

[Toshi]

"Hmm, those techniques sound rather complicated." He didn't know anything about Tsuki's blood techniques, but he did have his own story. Maybe it could help Tsuki in some kind of way.

"You know, back in the beginning, I wasn't all that great at my Clan's techniques either." Toshi paused, thinking of his past. He noticed that he'd come a long way since back then. He considered himself a terror while he was still green in the shinobi way, but Konoha helped him hone his skills.

"Believe it out not, I used to freeze people solid. Sometimes my room would be frosted over when waking up in the mornings. I even had trouble in the shower at times." Toshi let out an embarrassed grin. "But after practicing everyday, I became much better at controlling my techniques. I used to let my emotions control my abilities, but now, I almost have my jutsu down packed." Toshi looked to Tsuki,. " I believe in you Tsuki. I know you can overcome that beginner's phase."

Watching Tsuki's handle with the kunai, the boy was reassured his last comment. "Going with the kunai?" Toshi would half ask, half comment. He was almost sure it would be Tsuki's choice. He walked with Tsuki to the counter.

He listened to the shopkeeper while she began to explain the use of darts. The gloves she pulled out next were also a nice touch. Kaliko jumped up to the counter, seemingly listening to the conversation between the boy's and the shopkeeper.

"I know this is a weapon's shop, but do you have any medical kits?" Toshi chimed in, looking behind the counter, trying to find anything that resembled something of the medical nature.

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

The shopkeeper smiled, shaking her head. "I only sell weapons and the like. I'm not as expertised in healing. My sister does own a shop down the street though. She's more on the healing side of things, and I know she sells kits. I'm sure you can find what you're looking for there." She took the proper change from Tsuki, and the boy stuck his new weapons in his bag. He decided against buying a poison until he learned how to use the weapons, not wanting to accidentally poison himself or his clanmates because he didn't know how to handle the danger properly. He also wanted to read up on different types of poisons to decide what would be most useful to him in battle.

"We can swing by her sister's shop next, then maybe look around if the other shops are still open," Tsuki mentioned. He bowed his head in thanks to the shopkeeper, smiling at Kaliko and her intrigue in their conversation. "Thank you. I'm sure I'll be back once I learn how to throw these."

It would definitely take some practice to get used to the gloves and the darts, but he was sure he could manage. He made sure to put the kunai back in its place as well before they left the shop. Tsuki wasn't too sure where the next shop was, so he simply started down the street. "I'm going to put in the work to overcome the weaknesses I know I have. In the meantime, I want to find a way to be useful until I can access my bloodline." He looked to Toshi, smiling softly. "Thank you for encouraging me. I needed that."

"Useful," Keiko laughed. Tsuki ignored the mocking tone, knowing he could overcome it sometime. It would just take practice and determination, he was sure of it. And since he and Keiko were finally communicating, he was sure they could come to an agreement for battle situations. Maybe they could even work together, use their individual skills to their advantage.

They eventually came across a shop that almost mirrored the last, only this time the shelves were stocked full of treatments and medical items. "I think this is it." He hung back a little this time, letting Toshi take the lead since this was his interest in their little trip. He knelt down next to Kaliko, giving her a gentle pet on the head.

 

[Toshi]

The answer was no, but it wouldn't stop Toshi from his cause. Tsuki assured the boy that he'd get a medical kit. They'd visit the sister shop after their departure. "Ok. No worries." Toshi gave a salute with two fingers as the boy's exited the shop. Kaliko jumped down from the counter, continuing to trail behind the two. Toshi looked to Tsuki as he thanked him, explaining how he would overcome his weakness. "It's no problem Tsuki."

Kaliko spoke up, watching the two bond from behind. "I'm having a great time. The wonders of the shinobi world always intrigues me. That, and I love your village. The people here are so nice." Toshi looked back to Kaliko. "Uh huh. Is that what you were thinking while you were getting your belly rubbed." Toshi snickered. "Yes Toshi." It wasn't the answer the boy expected. He only gave a shrug while continuing on.

Toshi looked around the district, marveling at the sights. He was almost surprised to hear that they made it to the sister's shop already.

Toshi approached the counter. "Some of the herbs in here probably come from Nao's Byoin workplace. There is so much to choose from." Catching the owner's attention, Toshi looked to what was behind the counter. "I'm looking for a medical kit, or two." Toshi said, looking to the shop owner.

Kaliko enjoyed the treatment from Tsuki, begining to purr. She began to nudge her head at Tsuki's legs, plopping to the ground on her side as she received his attention. "Your choice of weaponry is quite interesting Tsuki. I assume those darts will be used for more than target practice."

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

The shopkeeper smiled as Toshi approached her. "Ah, a fellow medical enthusiast," she voiced. It was clear that she and the other shopkeeper were related by the similarity in their tones. "I have a few options. We have the large medical kit full of anything you might need, from healing balms to sewing needles and thread for the deep wounds. Then there's the small kits, carrying only necessities. It has a small ointment in it for burns, some gauze and tape, and a pack of adhesives." She pulled the two kit options out, opening them for the boy to look around in.

Tsuki sat himself on the ground next to Kaliko, enjoying her company. "I'm not sure what I plan to do with them just yet, but once I can learn to throw them right, I'm going to look into some poisons. Only after I do my research, though. I'd hate to see anyone at the clan house get hurt because I wasn't prepared," he voiced with a small laugh. He took out one of the gloves, pulling out one of the needles from the dispenser to inspect it. It was definitely much smaller than the darts. It looked almost identical to the one he had kept in his sleeve cuff, in case he had an emergency where he needed Keiko o front quickly.

He touched the tip of it, expecting it to not be too sharp since his own needle took a little bit of force to impale his skin. His expectations were sadly false, the needle pricking his fingertip with ease. He was quick to raise the appendage to his mouth, not wanting to see the small bead bloom in case he would trigger the switch. Tsuki didn't expect the taste of iron to make his head dizzy, and his brows furrowed as he tried to fight off the presence that was making itself known in his skull.

"Kaliko," he spoke around the tip of his finger, his skin going a bit pale in fear. "If anything bad happens, please take Toshi and run. Send word to Nao."

Not even a second later, Tsuki's vision faded to black. The body didn't collapse as he fainted; it simply adjusted in posture before the bleeding fingertip was removed from his mouth.

"Not as good as a victim, but better than nothing," Keiko spoke, rolling his eyes as his fingertip produced a bud of blood. "And he didn't even see it this time. How disappointing." Keiko's eyes shifted to the animal sitting next to him, and he froze. He had never seen such a beast before, nor did he know what it was capable of. "What the hell are you?"

 

[Toshi]

Toshi checked out both kits. There were things he didn't know how to use and put together yet. He'd have to ask Nao, and maybe practice a bit before he could properly use either kit. For now, he'd make the decision to buy both of them. "I'll take both." Toshi said, going into his pocket and taking out a bit of yen. After asking for the total price, he'd place the exact amount of yen on the counter, making sure the woman counted his yen before picking up the kits.

"Yes, it is great that you handle the matter with care. Some take those poisons and use them for other activities. Some not as noble, nor shinobi like." Kaliko observed Tsuki check over his needles. They looked quite sharp to the touch. Blood came from the prick, it didn't seem anything serious. Watching the boy prick himself, Kaliko awaited his reaction. She expected an ouch, or maybe even a quick yell, but instead, Tsuki said something that made Kaliko feel uneasy.

A feeling of dread overcame the cat. "Run? Wait what's wrong Tsuki?" The cat became alert, standing up while wondering what was going on. Tsuki fell to the ground. Kaliko slowly moved over Tsuki's body, sniffing at the boy. She scurried away from Tsuki as he stood up from his fall. She looked into his eyes intently, wondering what was going on. Having some knowledge of the shinobi world, Kaliko continued to stare at Tsuki, almost knowing something wasn't right. His entire persona changed, and his voice was a little different, but Kaliko couldn't quite tell what it was that made him change so suddenly.

"I have someone at home who will help me out if I need any guidance with the kits. I really appreciate it mam." Toshi waved, leaving with a bag of the medical kits he purchased. He made his way over to Tsuki and Kaliko. "I found those medical kits!" Toshi said smiling. Though his smile slowly faded when he noticed how the two were looking at one another.

"Tsuki... What's wrong?" Kaliko asked suddenly, Toshi raising an eyebrow, he looked to Tsuki, wondering what had just transpired.

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

Keiko eyed the creature for a moment, hearing the name of his other half fall out of the creature's mouth. He didn't one take his eyes off of it as he spoke. "You've got the wrong guy." His eyes flickered away to glance at Toshi before looking back to the cat. "I thought he would have told you by now, Toshi. I know about you, after all."

Keiko stood up slowly, not wanting to upset the beast he knew nothing about. "I'm Keiko, the little mouse's biggest fear." He held up the finger that had been pricked, showing the small splotch of red on the tip. "I come around when he sees - and apparently tastes - blood." Or just whenever he felt like it, but that was something he decided to keep to himself. He didn't need Tsuki to be aware that he had the strength to push himself to the front whenever he wanted.

Keiko looked down at his outfit, rolling his eyes at the pastels he was dressed in. "Well, since you've got your kit and Tsuki has his weapons, let's head to a clothing shop. He was supposed to grab me some clothes, but it seems I have to do it myself." Not that he minded too much; he had a much better fashion sense than his bright side. "Oh, and keep your...pet away from me," he spoke with a side eye towards the cat. He would rather not test his luck if he didn't have to.

Keiko turned to walk down the street even though the shops now seemed to be closing. He leaned against the back of a building that housed a clothing store, much like the last time he was in this part of town. He wasn't one for spending money, so he would just wait and sneak in to score himself another good fit.

 

[Toshi]

As Keiko showed Toshi his pricked finer, he thought of what Tsuki said about his bloodline abilities. It was something about his blood, though he didn't have a grasp on his techniques yet. Maybe this is what happened to one inexperienced to their bloodline. It made sense to Toshi as he was once green with his own abilities. This Clan seemed interesting nevertheless.

As Keiko continued to explain, both Kaliko and Toshi took note. The pair stayed silent, looking to one another as Keiko mentioned the clothing shop. It was quite the uncomfortable feeling to be with a stranger, but if this one kept Tsuki, Toshi's best friend, caged within, the boy would have to go along with Keiko, hoping they wouldn't get into any trouble.

He stayed close, eyeing Keiko as they moved. He wanted to ask if he could wake Tsuki up, but he wasn't getting a good vibe from this Keiko fellow. As they made it to the clothing store Toshi noticed that it was closing. "Hey, if we act now, we can catch the owner before he closes shop. He might tell us to wait until he opens again, but it's worth a shot." Kaliko stayed behind Toshi, peeking around at Keiko.

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

"Just give him a few minutes to close up," Keiko replied, rolling his eyes. Seriously, was everyone a goody two shoes around here? "I got my clothes here the last time I was in town. I left the payment on the counter," he lied, knowing that Toshi would more than likely refuse if he was to admit he stole something. Keiko would rather not deal with a blabber mouth right now. He leaned against the wall of the building, taking Toshi's appearance in. "What's your story anyway? Tsuki made sure that you were on a list of people I could trust. Not sure I trust his judgement yet, but there's only one way to find out."

Keiko had made a promise not to hurt Tsuki, but that didn't mean he couldn't grill him for information. He did know that it was probably unfair of him to ask for information from someone Tsuki was close to without getting something in return, so after a moment of though, Keiko realized he could possibly use this to his advantage.

"I don't know everything Tsuki does, but I can tell you the juicy bits of our past that he is unaware of." He could criminalize Tsuki maybe, or make these two uncomfortable with his existence and make them avoid Tsuki. Isolating the little mouse that lived in his boy would surely drive Tsuki mad, and he would be so much easier to persuade. "I know all about our bloodline since I was the one to go through most of the training before we left."

 

[Toshi]

Keiko's reply didn't sit well with Toshi. If he would leave the yen in the counter, why not do it while the shop owner was there. Things just didn't add up.

"My story is, I'm a shinobi that will defend the citizens of this village, and the village itself. And I'd rather not hear the story from you. I'll hear it from Tsuki when he's ready to tell me." Toshi now held a rather serious expression on his face. He could already tell this Keiko fellow wasn't one to be trusted.

"Look Keiko, Tsuki's my friend. I will not let you demoralize Tsuki's name. He wouldn't steal from a shop. This stops here. I will not let you harm my friend or this village in any way. Either you go in and tell that shop owner you're looking to buy or we're done here." Toshi didn't like this other side of Tsuki one bit. He would have to find a way to bring Tsuki back to consiouness.

Kaliko looked up to Toshi, agreeing with what was said. Toshi seemed a bit more fearless than his age determined.

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

Keiko looked to Toshi again, surprised by his boldness. He never had another person around his age dare to address him so stubbornly. Then again, there weren't many children when he was growing up. "You've got guts," Keiko spoke with a grin before starting towards the shop. He walked up to the owner, not too keen on asking but knowing this was the only way he'd get what he wanted without much of an uproar from Toshi. "Hey, if you don't mind, could I buy a few clothes from you? I don't have that many at home," he spoke, his tone and small smile almost similar to that of his other half. The man gave him five minutes to find what he needed before he would close the shop.

"You good kids always make things so difficult," he sighed once they were out of earshot of the owner. He grabbed a red tee and a white tank top, as well as another black jacket. This one was a hoodie, so he could wear it in the colder seasons. With his choices in hand, he walked back up to the front and pulled out Tsuki's money, placing some of it on the counter. He gave a small nod to mimic a thanks, then slipped out of the store. "Have you never lived life with a little thrill? It can be so much more fun if you break a small rule here and there," Keiko hummed as he looked around at all the closing shops.

He remembered that the Immortal Trickster wasn't too far, and he did have a room there if he wanted it, but he knew that Toshi would probably want to return home. "Let's at least enjoy the night air for a little while. The clan house is so stuffy," he suggested, trying to figure out somewhere they could go without this kid nagging at him for misbehaving. Keiko would simply have to handle his activities on his own time from now on.

 

[Toshi]

Following Keiko into the shop he did just as he said he would. This time Kaliko stayed by Toshi's side, still a bit shook up from what she saw.

A bit relieved, Toshi thought of what Keiko said about thrills. "You know, you can catch thrills without breaking the rules. I left to the outer village area on my own for a couple of days, with permission of course." Toshi chuckled, he was quite the opposite of this Keiko fellow. "I learned a lot while out there, and probably could have lost my life. But whenever I think about it, I'd do it again if I could." Toshi nodded, it was one of the better experiences of his life even though it was dangerous.

When Keiko spoke of home, Toshi began to wonder how long Keiko had been there without him knowing. "So does Nao know you at all Keiko?' The boy wondered what Nao would say upon meeting Tsuki's other half. This was still a major shock to him.

 

[Sazuki Tsuki]

Keiko listened as Toshi spoke of thrills without rebellion, and it was quite intriguing to hear that danger was so easily accessible. He thought that this village was one to heavily protect their people, but it appeared there wasn't as much guaranteed safety as he thought. "We should take a trip out sometime. I'd like to see these thrills for myself." He could use the practice with his new powers that were gifted to him. He took a moment to stop in the street, turning to face Toshi as he asked about Nao.

"He's met me once. Tsuki cut his hand on a broken dish, and I came around. It was probably before you got here. I'm a little surprised that Tsuki hasn't told you about me. He's terrified I'm going to hurt someone," Keiko laughed, continuing his carefree stroll through the town. Sadly for him, he could feel a tingle in the back of his head.

I want front back.

I'll give it back in a bit. Let me get to know your friend. No one is getting hurt.

I... Tsuki thought for a moment, realizing it would be good for their growing companionship if he let Keiko have a little time to roam the world for himself, and being able to watch from behind the scenes for once rather than being swallowed by darkness could be a learning curve for him. Fine, but if anything starts to make me unsure I'm coming back.

"Tsuki's awake now. He said I could have a little more time though," he spoke so that Toshi would be aware a switch might happen again. "Get to know you, the village, whatnot. After all, there's no telling when I'll come around."

 

[Toshi]

"Another trip eh?" Toshi knew he'd go out on an adventure again. He thought it would be later in the future sometime. Perhaps after his promotion, but he'd be patient until then. He was still recovering from his last venture, and didn't want to rush things as much.

A erupted on Toshi's face as he became a bundle of excitement. He jumped up, ecstatic Tsuki was ok. "That's great. I'm glad he's ok!" Toshi then stopped in his tracks, wondering why Tsuki would let Keiko have his body. The boy's excitement left him as curiosity now emerged. He stayed silent. It wasn't up to him to force Tsuki to come back if he was ok. Keiko seem to want to hurt Tsuki currently, so he decided to go with the flow. "So the switch happens everytime he sees blood. Does it make him weak, or does it give you strength?" It was all still a bubbly cloud to Toshi. He'd have to continue to pry at the topic to learn more.

"And how do you give control back to Tsuki?" Kaliko moved from behind Toshi, maintaining stride. She was still a bit shaken, but had the courage to speak to Keiko once more. She stayed cautious, now aware that Keiko was a bit different than Tsuki.

Toshi nodded, wanting to know such an answer as well. Learning from the books was always great, but learning while out in the field was a completely different experience. Toshi knew he was asking a lot of questions. He failed to give Keiko any information about himself, but his mind was on his friend at the moment.