Tomo blankly stared off at the distant sand dune, his face sinking with each drop of sweat that fell from his brow. He would kill his brother for dumping him in this infernal desert, that is if he could ever get out of it. And much like another Kumo shinobi that had once found his way to Wind Country's barren region, Tomo was without water jutsu. Despite his age and rank, the Mochizuki had never been able to cast a single water jutsu, not even a simple Water Gun. It seemed that this shortcoming would come back to bite him in the butt...if a sandworm didn't get to him first. Those were still a thing, right?To add to Tomo's woes was his PTSD. After a training exercise with a fellow comrade, he had become terrified of sand. That day he had almost been crushed to death, and the same fear bubbled up in Tomo as the grains underneath him encased his legs. It slowed his progress to a snail's pace, and it was more than likely he would run out of provisions before he made it passed the next dune. When he took his next step, the sand shifted underneath him, and he collapsed. His body shook lightly as he forced himself to his hands and knees. "Damn you Takama. Damn you."
Still on all fours, Tomo's eyes fell to the symbol on his right hand. It was the seal given to him by the toads, and he debated whether or not to summon one. Maybe Gamaken could carry me to the Sand Village. Tomo shook his head. No, I'm sure he would dry up in no time here. I shouldn't trouble him just because I'm a coward. At the silent admittance of his inadequacy, Tomo punched the sand with an electrified fist. "Damn it. What am I so afraid of?" He knew the answer to that. Tomo was afraid of being swallowed up by the miniscule grains, trapped in a sand coffin where he would be crushed to death, or suffocate.
As his fist began to sink in the sand, Tomo panicked. He pulled back, causing him to fall on his rump. He looked to his hand that was now seizing up. He couldn't keep going like this. He looked around, hoping to find his sibling somewhere nearby. Surely Takama hadn't truly ditched his younger brother. But even his Hawkeyes couldn't pick up another human in the area. A sigh turned into a coughing fit as the air passed through his scratchy throat.
With great effort, Tomo finally pulled himself to his feet again. A shiver went down his spine as he felt sand sidle into his boots. "It's e-everywhere." Sand really was a despicable material. Would you like me to take over Tomo-boy? Sand, wind, nor freaky snow, can keep me from my Haruko! Oooohoohoo! Tomo shook his head. "Really Haruki? We're back to this? You haven't mentioned twincest for months, why are we back to it now?" Oh, well you know. We had that episode in Bear Country, I thought things were showing real promise in that regard. Tomo snarled. "No. Never. Not going happen. Just stop right there." The young man's other mindmate, Aitouka, decided to add in her commentary. You're right Trap, not unless Ta-Ta gets some tatas. Tomo's eyebrow began to twitch. "Don't give Tama lewd nicknames. Especially ones that don't even fit her." Aitouka snickered. Like her training bra. Ahahahahaha! The Mochizuki growled loudly.
With Tomo's mind distracted by his obnoxious brain buddies, he was able to slowly make his way up the sand dune he'd been staring at for the past hour. He argued out loud with them, which would have attracted attention had he been anywhere but a desert wasteland. At the dune's peak, Tomo put a hand to his brow to block the sun. What he wouldn't give to run on solar power at this moment. Looking out at the vast sandbanks with no food or shelter in sight, Tomo's eyes glistened with tears as all hope left him. "I'm going to die."
[WC: 684]
