Tomo fiddled with his headset as he prepared for his mission. He would give this courier thing another shot. Sennin Kogami had need of shinobi that could handle high-risk deliveries, and for better or worse, Tomo had proven that he could at least get the job done. Sure there may be hiccups along the way, but he would succeed. Not only that, but someone had suggested he take the mission specifically, though he was unsure who it was, or why they cared. Maybe it was one of his siblings pushing him to do more dangerous mission. Regardless, he would do his best. For his Chuunin exam, he'd purposely tried to be inconspicuous, and all that did was get him drugged and almost buried alive. Luckily with his promotion to Chuunin, he was given a combat vest which he'd dyed orange. Putting it on and making sure all his equipment was in order, Tomo adjusted his headband and left his tent.
At the gates was his charge, Ureteiru Koke. She scowled as Tomo approached. "You're late." Tomo bowed, despite the fact that he was actually ten minutes early. "I apologize ma'am. I will keep that in mind next time." She huffed, but dropped it. Looking to her cart, she gave the horse a pat. "Are you aware of the cargo?" Tomo shook his head. "Good, keep it that way. If I so much as see a glance within, I will inform the damn mission bureau to fail you as soon as we return." Tomo gave a nod, his face disinterested. He was NOT going to enjoy escorting this woman to Raiden's Eye.Once everything was sorted out, Tomo formed an ink horse and followed beside the cart. Koke seemed baffled by this technique, but said nothing. They rode down the mountain slowly and silently. Once at the base, Koke spoke. "I hate that damn path. One wrong move and you'll tumble to your death." Her eyes flicked to Tomo. "Well, a normal person would die. Not you damn shinobi and your magical powers." There was no secret that this woman despised shinobi, but Tomo couldn't care less. It wasn't his job to befriend this woman, it was to make sure she and her goods got to the capitol. However, the woman continued to speak, berating the man she'd called upon to help her. "Your kind think you're damn gods. That you're better than us. You're nothing but mindless puppets, dancing on the strings of the government. You don't know true freedom, and you sure as hell aren't gods." Tomo simply stared at her, his face neutral. She was itching for a reaction, and Tomo wasn't going to give it to her. Her face softened a bit. "Damn you're quiet. Most brats start defending themselves by now." Her eyes narrowed. "Wait...you look damn familiar. Have we met? What's your name?" To this, Tomo responded. "Mochizuki Tomo." He would not give his full title, as now seemed a very inappropriate time. Her eyes widened. "Mochizuki? Damn, you mean that troupe that travels around the country? I've seen your act, it's good. What's a Mochizuki Troupe member doing as a damn shinobi?"
Tomo closed his eyes, unsure of how to respond. Did she know that all of his siblings were shinobi and kunoichi? Should he tell her? He finally answered. "I was found to have chakra potential, so I was sent to the academy." Still shocked, Koke looked away from Tomo. "Damn. Not even a humble performance troupe is safe from the damn government." The Mochizuki was starting to wonder who she really had a beef with.
They continued to travel in silence until nightfall. Koke collected firewood while Tomo set up ink traps along the perimeter. When the woman returned, Tomo grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him. "Careful. You almost set off a trap." Koke yanked her arm away and entered the camp. "Damn ninja with your damn traps." Tomo shrugged it off. She should be thanking him for the added protection, but it seemed nothing was going to sway her hatred. Tomo took a seat across from the pile of wood the woman unceremoniously threw to the ground. Koke held a hand out to it and stared at Tomo. "Well?" Tomo cocked an eyebrow. "Well what?" The woman scowled. "Light the damn fire with your magic." The Mochizuki sighed in response. "Listen ma'am, I don't know what you've heard or read, but it doesn't work that way. I personally don't have the ability to control fire." Koke walked around the pile of wood and kicked Tomo in the arm. "Then what damn use are you?" Tomo rubbed his arm, as her kick was more powerful than he had anticipated. "I can do plenty else, just not anything involving fire. If you were in need of a shinobi who could use a specific element, you should have said so in your mission request." Koke gave him another kick, this time to his thigh. "How the hell was I supposed to know that?" The dual-haired man ground his teeth, mustering all his willpower not to smack his charge. "We're not too far off. I can ride back to the village and get a more suitable shinobi if you wish." Koke rolled her eyes as she walked to her cart. She produced two flint stones and started the fire herself. "Screw that. I'll just tell them was a worthless brat you were and get my money back." Tomo's face finally showed his utter loathing of the woman before him. He did a few hand seals when she wasn't looking and activated his Snapshot. There was no way he was going to allow this ungrateful wench to get away with not paying him.
Tomo kept watch while Koke slept, his eyes continually scanning the area. However, the night was uneventful, and Tomo awoke the woman at five. She grumbled as she rose. "What. The. Hell. If we aren't being attacked, I'm going to murder you." Tomo couldn't stop himself from glowering. "Sorry that my magical powers don't allow me to get away without sleep. I just need three hours. Can you give me that?" She snarled. "No." Koke rolled over to go back to bed, and Tomo shrugged. "Okaaaay. Well, I guess while you sleep, I'll just snoop around. Maybe check out what's in the cart. You'd never know if I diOOF!" Tomo was cut off as the woman punched him in the stomach. He coughed lightly as she lifted herself from the ground. "Shut your damn mouth. Fine, you can sleep for TWO hours. No more." Tomo frowned, but figured he'd take what he could get. Laying down, he fell asleep instantly.
The Mochizuki sat before Haruki, who held his hands up. "Tomo-boy, I want nothing to do with that woman. I give up, you win." The Go board that had been between the two disappeared. Tomo scratched the back of his head. "Um...okay. I'm surprised you don't want to win and ditch the mission." Haruki pouted his lip. "You wound me Tomo-boy. I may be a man who desires to take over your body so I can make sweet monkey love to my twin sister, but I am an honorable man who desires to take over your body so I can make sweet monkey love to my twin sister." Tomo covered his ears. "I did NOT want to hear that." Suddenly, a sharp pain coursed through Tomo and Haruki, and they yelped in unison. "YEOWCH!"
Tomo shot up from the ground, his rib cage aching. His eyes darted up to see Koke looming over him. "Get up. It's time to go." Tomo grumbled as he rose. "At this rate, I'll be dead before reaching the capitol." The woman whipped back at Tomo. "You say something?" Tomo pulled out his ink scroll, avoiding Koke's eyes. "I said, at this rate, we'll get ahead of schedule, reaching the capitol." The woman seemed skeptical, but it was so close to his original words that she couldn't argue.
They set off again, and the mountains of Monumentum Deo drew near. Koke gave a shudder. "I hate damn mountains." Tomo couldn't resist. "Because one wrong move and you'll tumble to your death?" The woman's eyes darted to Tomo. "You shut your filthy mouth shinobi." He hadn't expected her to get so upset, but it now became apparent that Koke didn't just hate the mountains, but feared them. They took it slow as they traveled alongside the towering mounds of earth, and Tomo kept his eyes on the mountainside. If there were bandits with archers, it would be a simple thing to ambush them from on high. Without trouble, the two made it to the path that would lead them through the range to the other side. Tomo glanced at Koke, who's scowl gave away her feelings. Tomo returned his ink horse to his scroll and took a seat beside her. She glowered at him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tomo stared her in the eyes, showing no fear in the face of her rising wrath. "The path is narrow here, so I can't ride beside you. If I'm too far ahead, I can't protect the cargo. If I'm in the back, I can't protect you. This place here is the optimum position to keep both safe." The woman turned her head from him. "I don't need your damn protection. Focus on my cargo." Tomo nodded, but remained where he sat. He could not consider this mission a true success if Koke died along the way.
Mid-afternoon came as the two traveled in silence. Tomo's eyes continued to scan the perimeter, and finally he saw something. His eyes honed in on an odd sparkle that caught his attention, and he saw a blur of yellow disappear behind a rock. His eyes flicking back to that spot every few second as he analyzed his surroundings, prepping himself for a fight. Luck would have it that there was a small valley in view to their left. Tomo pointed to it. "Let's rest there." Koke grimaced. "Hell no. I want out of these damn mountains." The Mochizuki's finger moved on his right hand, and he held it out for her to see. Ink writing was on his palm. 'We've got company.' Koke's eyes darted around her, and Tomo shook his head. They always look. However, he figured it didn't matter whether whoever was following them knew or not, the person would probably realize when the two stopped in the valley that they were aware.
Coming to a halt, Tomo jumped down from the cart, as did Koke, and the young man took a spot beside her. Tomo shouted in the direction he'd last seen the yellow blur. "What do you want?" What Tomo wanted was for this to not escalate into a fight. He hated violence. After a few seconds, a woman appeared. She had blonde hair cut short like a boy's. However, her make-up and decent-sized bosom gave away her sex. Her purple outfit was flashy, but obviously gave her movement for battle. Her red eyes gleamed as she scanned Tomo. "Aitouka wants a lot of things. But Aitouka guesses that we want the jiggle first." Tomo, in his bafflement of these words, was caught off guard as the woman rushed him, and pressed her hands against his chest. Her fingers squeezed, and Tomo stumbled back against the cart. "WHAT THE HELL?!" The blonde woman jumped back herself, a look of horror on her face. "IT'S A TRAP!!!" They stared at each other for a moment. However, it was the mystery woman who recovered first. "Ahahahahaha! Aitouka is impressed. You're as pretty as a girl. If you were one, Aitouka would fondle you aaaaaall daaaaaay. Ahahahahah!"Tomo, now with a bit more of his composure back, took his place beside Koke again. The glasses-clad woman snarled at the woman named Aitouka. "Get the hell away from us, bitch. I've got places to be and you're sure as hell not going to stop me." The blonde's red eyes flashed to Koke, as if she just now realized that the woman was there. "Ooo! You've definitely got some jiggle. Give Aitouka some love." The creepy chick lunged at Koke, and Tomo got between them, a wall barrier forming as he did so. "Leave at once. This cargo is protected by a shinobi of Kumogakure. You can't hope to stand against me alone, or even with tens of thousands of men." Tomo was exaggerating of course. While a dozen or two wouldn't be all that difficult, there was no way he could handle a thousand, especially while having to keep Koke safe. The blonde's brows furrowed, and a sadistic smile came to her lips. "Shinobi? More like shi-newb-i! Ahahahaha!" She cackled, pulling her hands away from the barrier to hold her stomach. With a sudden force Tomo wasn't expecting, Aitouka slammed her palms against the chakra wall, licking her lips as she did. "Looks like that letter was right. Aitouka gets to play today. Shineeeeewbiiiii. Come out and PLAYAAAAAAY!!!" Tomo's eyes widened as he noticed the slits in Aitouka's hands. They slowly parted, showing gnarly teeth. Tomo turned around, wrapping his arms around Koke and pulling the two down into a crouch. A large explosion shook their bodies, and Tomo felt a sting on his back as his barrier let through a hint of the blast. The horse whinnied in response and was about to bolt, but Tomo was able to tie it down with his ink just in time.
Tomo's mind raced with details. In valley. Facing Toujigikou. Explosions are main source of power. Top priority, keep cargo and Koke safe. Lead blonde away from charge. Tomo swiftly turned, dragging his finger along the ground as he did. A small ink line appeared in the dirt. He spoke to Koke. "Whatever you do, stay behind the line and keep the horse where it is." The smoke from the blast was beginning to clear, and Tomo dashed to the left. The blonde walked out of the dissipating smog. "Don't turn your back on Aitouka's artwork you ungrateful Trap!" She held up her hand, and a clay bird formed in seconds. She threw it at Tomo, who dodged forward with a roll. He tumbled twice before catching his footing again, and he formed seals.
His next step caused a bolt of electricity to travel through the ground and shock Aitouka. She staggered from the attack, and Tomo turned towards her. He pulled out Astrosigil in spear form and lunged with a Defensive Thrust. He wasn't accustomed to fighting up close, but he needed to push Aitouka away from Koke and the cart. Aitouka took the hit, though it didn't seem to faze her much, and they began to spar. The woman continuously created mini bombs, attempting to blast Tomo away from her while the Mochizuki swatted them away with his spear, pushing her back. Tomo threw his spear at Aitouka, who dodged out of the way. Tomo's hands moved with the utmost speed as he cycled through seals. The Toujigikou got into a defensive stance, readying herself to avoid whatever attack he had planned. However, an attack did not come. Instead, a giant dome of electricity surrounded the two, leaving Koke and her cargo outside.
The woman stamped her foot. "Why do you not want Aitouka to have artwork and jiggle? You're a man. You should know what a year without jiggle does to us. We can't live without the jiggle." An ink tendril shot from Tomo's hand, wrapping itself around the blonde. "It's called 'self-restrain.' Learn some." His arm slashed to the right, and the ink tendril followed. It pressed the Toujigikou against the Thunderdome, and her scream filled the electric arena. The tendril dissipated, and Aitouka fell to the ground. She lifted her head, revealing a psychotic snarl. "We'll kill you Trap!"
The woman held up her palms, and a large clay butterfly appeared. Aitouka hopped onto it, and it hovered just above Tomo's head. He jumped back as a hail of clay bombs were thrown down. The woman laughed. "Ahahahahahaha! Trap! You made a big mistake 'trap'ing us in here!" Tomo scowled, knowing full well how true that statement was. He was a ranged fighter, and this woman's explosions were starting to get larger. If she tried to do some sort of kamikaze move and make one the size of the entire dome, Tomo would be hurting for sure.
Cursing under his breath for not learning any water jutsu, Tomo ran through his options. Paper would be useless. Scratch that, more than useless, it would be detrimental to his health. Sheets of burning paper would make the already treacherous arena much more heated. Wind also seemed like a dangerous jutsu to utilize, as it would more than likely just fan the flames. The rest of his skills would have to suffice. Going for defense first, Tomo activated his Earthen Coating, all the while silently thanking Kotsuko and Junko for their Earth lesson. His skin darkened as the minerals traveled through his body and hardened it. Aitouka cracked a joke. "No dark meat for Aitouka. We just ate. Ahahahaha!" She swooped in close and swung her fist. Having not fully completed his jutsu, Tomo was caught off guard and was slammed in the chest. Her fist itself seemed to explode, and he was blasted against the electric wall. His body spasmed as his own electricity burned his back.
Not letting this opportunity pass her by, the Toujigikou rushed in and got underneath Tomo. She began to juggle him with her punches, hitting him higher and higher into the air. The only thing keeping Tomo's bones from breaking was the chakra armor protecting him. However, he could still feel each blow reverberating within him, and he knew he couldn't take much more of this. As Aitouka came in for another punch, Tomo hand sealed and released an Amp Field, using himself as the antenna. The sudden electrical discharge stunned the woman, and her assault ceased. Taking advantage of this break, Tomo pulled out his scroll and an ink creature with a goat mask came to life. It aimed its giant cannon at point blank range. "FIRE!" The ink cannonball blasted Aitouka in the chest, causing her to fall from her clay creature. The man shifted his body to face his opponent and summoned a small chakra barrier at his feet. He kicked off it as he switched his ink creature to a shield-wielding sheep. Together, creation and master held the shield before them and slammed against the Toujigikou with all their might. The Concrete Blast knocked the wind out of Aitouka as the weapon bore down on her. Her arms were spread out with her hands twisted so her palms pressed against the dirt. Returning the ink to his scroll, Tomo grasped the woman's wrists to hold her still. "Give up." The sadistic smile never left Aitouka's face. "Go shit yourself Trap!"
Tomo was so focused on holding her hands, he didn't notice her head lunge forward. Their foreheads made contact, causing Tomo's head to spin for a moment. Though this move caused the woman's own brow to start bleeding, she remained relatively unfazed. She released a Blast Wave, which rocketed Tomo up and off the Toujigikou. With her hands free, she whipped a clay bomb up at him, which also connected. A voice from the peanut gallery chimed in. Oooohoohoohoo! So she not only likes the jiggle, but the juggle too? Tomo growled as he watched his opponent hop back onto her clay butterfly. If you have nothing constructive to say, don't say anything at all! Haruki pouted. Oh fine fine. How about this then? She cannot juggle what she cannot touch. Happy now? Tomo lightly smirked. "Yes." Just as Aitouka closed in to deliver a punch, Tomo's body disappeared, leaving in his wake a rocky shell of himself. Her fist easily crumbled the earthy casing, and her eyes widened when she found nothing within. "What the hell Trap?!" She frantically searched about her as Tomo floated down to the ground. This is probably the only time you'll hear me say this...but thank you Haruki. The inward specter chuckled. You are quite welcome Tomo-boy! Going ghost is always so empowering. Tomo's Ghostly Form was able to keep him out of the woman's sight, if only for a moment. His wavering silhouette was difficult to spot if not looked at in just the right way.
Tomo silently stepped around Aitouka, attempting to find a weak spot he could exploit. She was a tough cookie, as all crazy women are. His Hawkeyes were able to pinpoint a few spots, though it would be meaningless to know them if he couldn't reach them. So he crept over to Astrosigil, lifting it slowly from the ground so as to not attract his assailant's attention. He tried to shift its form without sound, but a small click could be heard as he finished the transformation. The woman spoke without moving her head. "You've activated Aitouka's trap card, Trap!" Tomo felt his feet heat up before the Landmine beneath him detonated. He pulled up a green Spirit Barrier, which just barely held out against the blast. The spirits within healed a bit of Tomo's aching body before disintegrating around him.
The woman atop the clay butterfly snarled. "No fair Trap! No healsies!" Tomo scoffed. "Like giant clay bombs are any more fair." He notched an arrow as he released his ghost form and shot at her heart. She dodged the initial blow, but the Bounce Shot caught her by surprise as it came back to impale her backside. She yowled and formed a giant clay bomb. She threw it down on Tomo, who shielded himself in ink. He drew back his bow and let loose an arrow as his ink barrier fell. The Critical Shot embedded itself into the woman's shoulder. Aitouka was too enraged to be thinking clearly and simply kept throwing bomb upon bomb. Tomo timed his barriers and bow strikes, blocking the blasts when they came and counterattacking with an arrow.
Aitouka's body was littered with arrows now, and blood was seeping from each wound. Her bright red eyes gleamed with fury. "Aitouka. Will. Not. LOSE!" She kicked off her large butterfly, and it soared towards Tomo. He hopped back, but was still caught in the blast. He held his arms up to take most of the blow, and his feet slide across the ground as the pressurized hot air pushed him back. While he was busy with that, the Toujigikou rushed through hand seals. From her palm, a giant clay figure in her image came forth. Fearing what it might do, Tomo notched an arrow and shot it between the eyes. It disappeared, but without an explosion. Believing he had disposed of the threat, the Mochizuki continued his assault, shooting her from afar. The woman took each shot without dodging, as she was intent on finishing some assortment of seals. As the young man notched another arrow, his body shuddered. His eyes widened as he felt the first blast from within him. Aitouka's Oxidation Outbreak began to tear Tomo's insides as microscopic bombs went off within his bloodstream. His body convulsed as the mini blasts ripped through him. He fell to his hands and knees when blood began pouring from his mouth. Damn it Tomo-boy, use a Spirit Barrier! It was Tomo's instincts that pulled the barrier forth, and the spirits swirled around him, attempting to stabilize his organs.
Aitouka stamped her foot on the ground, causing a small fissure to crack the earth. "NO HEALSIES!!!" Tomo swore the woman's eyes were protruding from her skull as she yelled and screamed like a child. Her hands again formed seals, but there was nothing Tomo could do to stop it. All of his energy was focused keeping himself alive with his barrier. "Fine! We'll blow up EVERYTHING!!!" Tomo's body tensed as he felt the area heating up. The Mochizuki closed his eyes in preparation for the blast. Thus an atomic explosion went off within the Thunderdome.
As the smoke cleared, Tomo realized that his dome had been destroyed. He looked to his opponent, who was covered in blood and burns. He himself was coated in burns from her explosions, mostly on his face and torso. Both were dripping with sweat. Aitouka rose to her feet, wobbling a little as she did. "W-we're tired of playing, Trap. We surrender." She lifted her hands up, her palms facing Tomo. Her head shot up and she let out a large laugh. "Ahahaha! JUST KIDDING!!!" The blonde whirled around and rushed towards Koke and the cart. Luckily, the brunette had done as Tomo commanded, and was still behind the line. It was adrenaline alone that allowed the man to run after Aitouka, and he completed a set of hand seals. The line from the beginning of the battle bubbled before a wave of ink spewed out, crashing into Aitouka just before the woman reached her target. The Ink Tsunami pushed the Toujigikou back, and Tomo finished one last set of seals. The wave engulfed both Tomo and Aitouka, and in the blackness the Mochizuki grappled the missing nin from behind. "This ends. Now." A flash shot from the sky, and sparks engulfed the two ninja. Both of them screamed in agony as Raijin's Vengeance coursed through them, amplified by the ink coating their bodies. Tomo's hands began to glow, and through the pain he felt a warmth coursing into them. But it wasn't long after that the world went dark.
Tomo was still conscious...at least he thought so, but he could see nothing, and his ears rang loudly. He could feel the moisture of his body as it sweat profusely. His body burned, and his palms especially felt like they were on fire. He sensed hands moving on his body, though he could do nothing about it. Something about this sensation coursing through him seemed familiar, yet different. However, every time he grasped for the answer, it would float away, leaving Tomo's mind empty yet again. He gave up thinking, and let it go. As he did this, images seemed to pass by. Of a blonde man and woman caring for him. Of children staring in fear of him. Of bailiffs glaring with utter loathing at him. Of animals bearing their teeth at him. Tomo recognized none of these scenes, yet they felt a part of him, like they would forever be held within his psyche. He hadn't the mind to understand.
Tomo opened his eyes, but remained still. His body ached, and his hands still felt like they were coated in lava, or at least what he thought lava would feel like. He licked his dry lips, but even his tongue lacked any amount of moisture. He heard a shuffle, and Koke's face came into view. "You're finally awake. About damn time." Though her words were harsh, the sigh she released gave away her relief. He felt her hand slip under his back as she pulled him into a sitting position. He sucked air in through his teeth when a burn on his shoulder reacted negatively to his movements. Koke helped him scoot back against a rock before rushing to the cart to get some water. She returned and held the water container to his lips. He chugged the liquid as she tilted it into his mouth. The woman pulled it away as Tomo sputtered for breath. His glugging had caused water to shift into his nasal cavity. "Slow down ya damn camel, or we won't have enough rations to get to the capitol." Tomo gave a nod as he pulled his hand to his mouth with great effort. He brushed away water dribbling down his chin with the back of his hand before leaning his head against the rock. "How long was I out?" The woman looked up to the sky at the moon hanging above. "A few hours. It's about one in the morning." Tomo gave a nod. "Good."
He closed his eyes, but opened them again when he realized he felt something off about his body. He looked down to see himself wrapped in bandages, with only his pants on. Even those were barely holding together. He looked to Koke, who almost punched him in the arm. However, she stopped just before following through and averted her gaze. "Don't give me that damn look. Between the explosions and that last bolt of lightning, your clothes were in tatters. Just be glad your damn pants didn't get toasted too." Tomo nodded and smiled. "Thank you Ureteiru-san." She glared at him. "Oh, for the love of Raiden. Don't get mushy on me ninja boy. Let's just leave it that I'm glad you didn't die and be done with the touchy feely junk." It was becoming apparent that Koke was terrible at showing her true emotions. But she reminded Tomo of his eldest brother, mixed with a bit of Saeko, so he could see through her facade. Despite her callous nature, the woman was starting to appreciate Tomo. And Tomo couldn't deny that the woman might start to grow on him, if she toned down her aggression.
Tomo shrugged. "As you wish." As he continued to hold Koke's gaze, he noticed her eyebrows furrow. He titled his head a bit. "Is something the matter?" The woman's nose scrunched. "Damn straight there is. I can't put my finger on it, but something looks different about you. Like...damn, I don't know. Like you look more...manly." Tomo scratched his cheek, but winced as his nail met with a burn he'd forgotten about. He broke their eye contact as he looked to the sky. "Maybe it's the battle wounds? I hear some girls go crazy for scars." This time, Koke didn't hold back as she slugged Tomo in the shoulder. "Shut your filthy mouth. It's not like that, damn it. That lanky body and long hair make you look like a damn pansy." She shook her head. "I mean...your face looks more...defined...maybe a bit older too." Tomo cocked an eyebrow, but shrugged in response. "Maybe the moonlight's playing tricks. Not to mention you've been awake for almost twenty-four hours." Tomo shook his head. "Speaking of which, you should get some sleep." Koke crossed her arms. "Like you're in any damn condition to keep watch." Tomo didn't back down. "Well, I'm certainly in no condition to drive the cart." He smirked. "One wrong move and you'll tumble to your death. If you don't get at least some sleep, the probability that you perform a wrong move will raise significantly. By 56% at least." The woman glowered. "Don't whip out random percentages." Tomo shook his head. "I didn't. I'm a sucker for math." The glasses-clad woman rolled her eyes. "Fine. If you're going to start babbling random damn numbers at me, I'll fall asleep anyway." She pulled out a sleeping bag and fell asleep soon after.With Koke slumbering, Tomo finally took a look at his hands. They'd been bothering him the entire time, but he didn't want to let his charge know of that. She had been worried enough. His brows furrowed, and he tilted his head questioningly. They seemed bigger for some reason, and less feminine. As he analyzed his palms, which stung the most, he noticed a slit in each one. His eyes widened, as he recalled where he'd seen such marks. His right hand throbbed momentarily, before the line parted. A mouth yawned upon his palm before frowning. Hey! Why can't Aitouka move anything but our mouth? And why are we looking at our hand? The mouth is moving with Aitouka's words. We did ventriloquism before, but Aitouka isn't trying to do it now. Why are our eyes so sharp? Aitouka can see all the wrinkles on our gorgeous hands. Tomo closed his eyes, the whole scene freaking him out. Hey! Who turned the lights out on Aitouka? We demand light! Tomo's face spasmed slightly. "No no no no no no no. This is a dream. No, a nightmare. Wake up Tomo. Wake up." Trap? Is that you?! I thought you killed us. Wait, you did, didn't you?! We're dead, and that's why we can't see. We'll kill you for killing us! Tomo could feel the mouth move on his hand, and heard its teeth clicking in fury. He opened one of his eyes to look at the hand again. "No. Crap. Shit." Tomo went through a few more curses before his hand stuck its tongue out. Bleeeeeeh. You're quite the potty mouth Trap. Would you just shut up and tell Aitouka why we can see our hand mouth lip syncing?
Feeling the odd sensation in his other hand, Tomo opened both eyes and held up his left palm. Another mouth appeared, and a familiar voice seemed to come from it. Oooohoohoohoo! It looks like I get a mouth too! This is quite an interesting turn of events, wouldn't you say Tomo-boy? The female voice spoke again. Woah woah woah woah! Who the hell are you?! Aitouka is even more confused. Upon hearing Haruki's voice, Tomo's mind soon put the pieces together. "So the Toujigikou is..." He remembered the words of Shinrya Kitsune, that Tomo apparently had the ability to absorb the bodies of shinobi and use their skills. He scanned the ground in the valley, hoping that he was wrong and the woman's body was sprawled on the ground dead. It wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Shit."
Tomo and Haruki had to explain to Tomo's new 'friend' that her body was gone, and that she was now a piece of the Mochizuki. She let out a screech. What an awful, awful man you are! Put your hand to your face so Aitouka can tear it off! Tomo shushed his hand. "Shhhhhh! You're going to wake Koke up." Tomo glanced to the sleeping woman, and Aitouka squealed. JIGGLE!!! Nevermind! First go over and grab the jiggle, THEN put your hand to your face so I can tear it off! His hand gaped open, as if realizing something. OOOOOOOH! Aitouka IS the hand! So it will be like shoving our face into the jiggle! DOOOOOO IIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!! Tomo's body tensed as the woman's voice hollered. He watched Koke, waiting for her to spring out of her sleeping bag and punch him for waking her. However, she didn't even flinch. Haruki spoke up. Oooohoohoo! It seems despite possessing mouths of our own, you are still the only individual who can hear our melodious voices Tomo-boy. Tomo grimaced. "Well lu-cky me." A wave of nostalgia coursed through him as he uttered those words.
After a half an hour at the clothing store and a quick trip to an armor shop, Koke finally gave a nod of approval. Tomo was in a white shirt and pants, with leather protectors on his legs and chest. The leather straps on his torso already had a few pouches attached to them, and Tomo could see that more could be added if need be. The woman gave Tomo a punch to the chest. "There, that's better. Get some damn protection on you." The Mochizuki looked down at his ass-less chaps and rolled his eyes. 
Instead, he felt an odd tingle. Somehow, his palm had stopped the blow. It wasn't until a muffled laugh rang in his head that he realized what had happened.