*Six Years Ago*
Mochizuki Tomo - Age 17
Mochizuki Tomo - Age 17
Tomo sighed in relief as he and his sister finally reached the top of the stairs. He looked to Tama, who didn't seem fazed in the least by the two hour climb they'd just completed. Tomo saw a nearby stump and let himself fall onto it. "Let's take a break." Of course, his sister complained about having to stop, but she let him rest nonetheless. Tomo looked at the temple before them. It didn't appear very large, but supposedly it had a secret passage that led to a tomb hidden within the mountain. The genin pulled out the reports he had collected before leaving the village. Rumors had been spreading about this temple, how lately whomever entered was changed, their personality, sometimes their appearance. Some believed it was possession while others claimed people were having their identities stolen by bandits. Either way, this was becoming a problem, one that needed to be fixed.
After a few minutes Tomo felt ready to continue. He stood and began walking towards the temple. Tama rushed past him, being her usual hyperactive self. When they entered the building, a chill ran through Tomo's body, one he couldn't explain. It wasn't cold, yet he began instinctively rubbing his arms. It was Tama who reached the small shrine in the back first, and she began moving stuff around, trying to find the secret entrance. Tomo ran up to her. "Oi! Stop that Tama! Just because we need to find the entrance doesn't mean we should start defiling the shrine." Tomo began examining the idol near at the back of the room, searching for any sign of a lever or button. After ten minutes, Tomo stood up straight and removed his hat, scratching his head in frustration. I guess behind the idol would be too obvious...
Tomo returned his fedora to his head and began searching the surrounding area, looking under tapestries, tapping the floorboards with his toe. When he lifted the last tapestry hanging on the southeastern wall, Tomo could smell a dank odor. He turned to his sister who had meandered to the other side of the temple. "I think I found it Tama." Tomo pulled the tapestry down and put a hand to his chin. "But I don't see a switch anywhere." As he scanned the wall for some kind of clue, he heard his sister yell. "I got this Bro!" Tomo perceived quick footsteps coming closer and turned his head back. Tama was barreling towards the wall, her right fist winding up. Tomo barely had enough time to stumble out of the way before Tama's fist made contact with the wooden wall. The cracking of wood filled the temple as Tama's punch splintered the wall, exposing an entrance with a stairwell going down. Tomo shook his head, placing his fingers on his forehead. "So much for not defiling the temple. Well, no use worrying about it now." Tomo moved next to his sister and began pulling at the wood, making the hole bigger. When it was large enough for them to fit through, they entered the opening and made their way downwards.
As the two reached the bottom of the stairs, the wall on the left caught Tomo's attention. Upon it was carved writing and Tomo walked up to it to get a better look. The message was old and worn out, with some of the characters almost unreadable. However, Tomo did his best to fill in the gaps as he read the text out loud. "Here lies the souls of warriors and lovers, young and old. If you dare to proceed, know that all who rest here wish to return to the living. There will be trials to overcome, and in the end, you must face yourself. Should you succeed, you shall be stronger for it. However, should you fail, everything shall be taken from you. You have been warned." Tomo crossed his arms and tapped his foot while thinking. "Maybe we should call for a spiritualist. If there really are evil ghosts here, I'm sure people will want them exorci..." Hearing footsteps traveling away from him, Tomo stopped mid-word to see Tama running off into the tomb. "Tama!" Tomo paused, unsure of what to do. "Grrr....stupid Tama." Tomo ran after her.
After two minutes, Tomo realized that he wouldn't be able to catch her. He slowed to a walk and continued onward at his own pace. He looked back and forth between the walls a chill running down his spine every once in a while. Tomo wasn't afraid of the dark itself, but something about dark enclosed spaces caused him anxiety. Tomo could hear whispers, and flashbacks to his time in the caves with the toad and village Sennin flooded back to him. He lifted his right hand and stared at the black symbol on the back of it. He still hadn't attempted to summon the toads yet. Part of him was worried about putting a living thing in danger when he could just use his ink creations. Not to mention he couldn't completely control another living thing. Tomo lowered his hand and continued forward.
After what felt like hours of walking, Tomo came upon a split in the tunnels. He looked back and forth between the two openings. He examined the ground and the walls but couldn't see any sign of which path Tama had taken. He shrugged and took the left one, hoping that the tunnels would meet up if he chose incorrectly. The whispers were getting louder, and he could actually hear what they said. "Come boy, we shall take you for our own." Tomo felt something cold against his cheek and he flinched instinctively. "I'm tired of these motherflippin' ghosts in this motherflippin' cave." Tomo's grumbling persisted until he reached a large room. There were multiple gaps that lined the walls to his left and right. Filling in these gaps were urns, coffins, and even skeletons that had simply been tossed in this cavern without a ritual. Oddly enough, there were no bones scattered on the floor, something Tomo was preparing himself for mentally every since coming into the tomb.
Tomo proceeded into the center of the room and a creepy giggle resonated from the walls. Tomo looked around, spinning once before coming face to face with a black-haired woman. "Whoa!" The genin fell back in surprise and the woman cackled in response. His eyes glanced up and down, and sure enough, the woman was indeed a ghost. He could see through her, and there was a gap between the floor and the woman's white kimono. The ghost floated down to meet Tomo's eyes and spoke. "It's not often we get someone so...young and beautiful." She moved behind Tomo and leaned over him. "My, you are pretty as a girl. Surely you have been told this?" Tomo inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself down. He rose from the ground and stood as straight as he could. "Yes, I have. But what does that have to do with anything?" The ghost continued to circle Tomo as she spoke. "Why, because it bothers you, does it not? What if I told you I could make you more manly? Would you like that?"
A sensation swept over Tomo, and his eyes fell to the ground. It looked farther away than he remembered. He looked at his hands, which appeared larger. The ghost pulled a silver urn from one of the nooks and placed it in front of Tomo. His face was more masculine and his eyes were sharper. The woman gave a smile, one that would have looked gentle if not for her cold eyes. "This is what you want. To be your own man, to no longer be thought of as a girl. For women and men alike to respect you. To have whatever woman you desire."
Tomo took in a breath and held it. He could feel it, this ghost was using Genjutsu, not only to change how he perceived himself, but also affecting his thoughts. He felt an urge to succumb to the woman's suggestions, to agree to whatever she told him. Tomo exhaled slowly, pushing the foggy feeling away from his mind. He crossed his arms and met the woman's eyes. "I am who I am. Everyone wants to change something about themselves. To overcome that desire and accept who you are is one of the many ways to make one's self stronger. My body might not be strong, but my resolve is." The ghost chuckled before moving slowly towards the wall to the right. "We'll see if you can keep that resolve boy." Once her sentence was finished, the woman disappeared into the wall, the urn she had been holding dropped onto the floor with a clatter. Tomo didn't move as he replayed the event over in his head. In the end...you must face yourself... I guess whoever carved that message wasn't kidding. With his mind more mentally prepared for the task at hand, Tomo made his way out of the room.
The musty smell lingering in the tunnels was causing Tomo's nose to twitch, and he let out a giant sneeze. The sound echoed throughout the cave and a small rumble followed in the distance. "Great, did my sneeze really cause the tunnel to collapse?" Tomo proceeded down the path, a slight twinge of fear coursing through him as he imagined seeing Tama caught under a cave-in. Tomo picked up his pace, only to find that a few rocks had merely jostled loose and not the whole tunnel. He sighed in relief but felt silly for worrying about Tama. "She's far stronger than I am. A cave-in isn't going to bring her down anytime soon."
Tomo finally made it to the next room, which looked identical to the previous one. When he reached its center, a strong chill filled the air. Tomo braced himself, searching for the ghost that would surely materialize. This time a child appeared, a young boy in a torn hakama. He looked so real that Tomo approached him. The genin knelt down to get a better look, and the child cheerfully smiled. "Wow, you actually knelt down to check on me? I'm shocked!" Tomo stood again, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Mister, you aren't very compassionate, are you?" The genin placed a hand on his hip, curious as to where this boy was going to take the conversation. "You pretend to care about people, but you really don't. All that matters is you and your work. Not even your own twin gets treated with kindness." Tomo looked away as the boy's words sunk in. It was true, Tomo had never been one for compassion, at least not the amount some of his kinder family members had. It was all about profit. His whole persona was created just to manipulate girls to come to his shows. He didn't care about his fans or much of anyone. And Tama...he just couldn't bring himself to be nice to Tama. The boy giggled. "See? Well, if you accept me, then you will be one step closer to becoming a more passionate individual!" The boy's smile was bright and innocent as he held out his hand to Tomo. The blonde stared at the outstretched hand, and he felt his own move slowly.
Their fingers almost met when Tomo clenched his fist. "No. I don't need to be compassionate. I have a sense of justice just as any other. I care for those who are important to me. I don't have to love everyone to be a good person. I just have to do what I think is right, and everything should work out. And even if I do something wrong, as long as I learn from my mistakes, I will grow." Even Tomo wasn't sure if his words truly meant anything, but they felt right to say. The small child began to pout, stomping his foot on the ground. "Boo. You're no fun." And with that, the kid vanished. Tomo rubbed his eyes, trying to drive out the genjutsu clouding his mind. He lightly bit his lower lip. "This isn't good. He almost had me...if there's another challenge..." Not wanting to dwell on the thought, Tomo continued onward.
The teen reached the next room surprisingly fast, and dug his nails into his hands. Focus Tomo, focus. No mind tricks. Focus. This time, a large man appeared clad in samurai armor. Hoping to dispel his nervousness with humor, Tomo scoffed lightly. "Sorry buddy, an earlier one already tried the 'making me butch' tactic." The large man stopped before Tomo, his towering figure looming over the blonde. "Cowardice. That is what is deep within you. You fear death. You fear pain. You fear failure. Your apprehension to the world makes you weak. I will make you strong, as you were meant to be." Tomo covered his ears as screaming rang within them. He fell to the ground, his body shaking from terror. He closed his eyes as he saw decapitated hands creeping towards him. Even with his view obstructed, he could feel them, feel the fingers as they crawled over his body. His teeth were clenched as his breathing became heavy. His heart felt like it would pound out of his chest cavity. "ENOUGH!" As his shout reverberated off the walls, Tomo sent an intense burst of electricity coursing through him. The jolt was painful, but cleared his head. Before the ghost could use its mind tricks again, Tomo stood abruptly. His eyes rested on the samurai, and though they held defiance, a spark of fear still hid within them. His voice shook as he spoke. "People aren't born strong. They only grow stronger little by little, by encountering difficult situations and learning not to run from them, no matter how frightening or daunting they may be."
Tomo held his ground, and eventually the samurai grunted in disapproval. "You should have accepted my offer boy." The ghost disappeared behind a wall, and Tomo again fell to his knees. He rubbed his arms to warm himself, though it wasn't the outside of his body that was cold. The teen smiled as he recalled his words. They were from a play his family put on. More specifically, it was a quote his mother had read to the audience during a very touching scene. The blonde inwardly thanked his mother threefold as he lifted himself to his feet. "Dear Raiden, please let that be the last of them."
Proceeding further into the tomb, Tomo's mind thought back to the words at the beginning of the maze. Normally trials came in threes...so he should be done with whatever this game was, right? All that was left...was to face himself. He pondered on the exact wording. "It said face yourself, but it feels like I've already been doing that. Have I passed? Maybe I'll have to fight an illusion of myself. As a late teenage genin, I probably wouldn't be all that difficult to battle...though I'm not sure if that should reassure me or not..." Tomo's mumbling trailed off as he entered a large room. It looked like it was meant for rituals, probably to help spirits pass to the afterlife. However...it was covered in dirt and cobwebs. With how unkempt it was, there was no longer any doubt as to why there were evil spirits here. "We DEFINITELY should have called a spiritualist."
As Tomo said this, his eyes caught movement and he quickly pulled out his weapon, Astrosigil, in bow form. As he was about to release an arrow, he let out an exasperated sigh. "Tama." He lowered his weapon and approached his twin, giving her a glare like none other. "What kind of idiot wanders off into a tomb?! Don't answer, it's rhetorical." Sighing again, Tomo motioned for his sister to follow him. "Well, it doesn't matter now. Let's just get out of here and call for someone more qualified to take care of this sh..." Tomo's word was cut off as his face hit something. Rubbing his nose, he tried to push his palm past the exit. It was blocked by an invisible barrier. He could sense spiritual power emanating from it. "Oh you have GOT to be kidding me!" The teen looked to the other exit, which felt to be blocked as well. In frustration, the boy kicked the barrier with his boot, only to wince at the impact. He clicked his tongue as he shook out his now aching toe. "Alright...remain calm...maybe we can overcharge it with chakra and..."
Two laughs mingled together, resonating behind him. He turned, but no one was there. Despite the emptiness in the room, voices began to speak.
"Prepare for terror!"
"That comes in pair..ers... I told you that doesn't sound right."
"Shh! You're ruining it. Just keep going."
"Okay, fine."
An odd green fog began to fill the room from the center of the ceiling, and two figures floated down from it. It was a man and woman, their black hair and green eyes dulled due to their ghostly translucence. Though one wore a simple kimono, and the other an elaborate one, it was obvious that the two were twins.
"To guard the world from twin oppression."
"To assist all twins in their succession."
"To condemn the taboos of sibling love."
"To transcend the limits of those above."
"Haruki!"
"Haruko!"
"Twin romance weighs you down but makes your heart light."
"Surrender your bodies, or prepare to fight!"
"Quite right!"
Once finished, the ghosts entered a fighting stance, holding their hands like blades. Tomo scratched the back of his head. "Listen folks, I don't know what weird issues you've got, and frankly, I don't want to know. We just want to get out of this place. So if you would be so kind as to let down the barrier so we can..." Tama's comment was irrelevant, and didn't help to diffuse the situation. In fact, the ghosts seemed a bit more perturbed, and they motioned their hands towards the urn near Tama. The ashes floated up from the container and held in the air, a green hue to them much like their owners. However, they dispersed, and Tomo's eyes darted back and forth in an attempt to locate them. They were so tiny...there would be no way to properly see them in this state. The boy felt an odd tingling sensation, and he jumped back just in time to avoid a blade of ash aimed for his chest. "Crap!" Tomo ran to his sister and without a single hand seal, erected an ink barrier.
The black dome was quiet for a moment before loud thuds resonated within. Tomo looked to Tama. "Listen, I don't know what the heck you did, but we can't take these two out...or at least I can't. We need to get out of here." Tomo felt every pound from the giant ash blade as it attempted to shatter his jutsu. Tama's effort to disperse Tomo's blame was futile. He sighed. "Whenever you get a chance, attack the barrier blocking the exit. With luck we can break it down and make our escape." Another bang from the ash blade...they wouldn't be safe for much longer. "I'm going to try to cover the ashes with ink. Hopefully it will make them a bit easier to see. On my mark, jump to your right out of the barrier." The Mochizuki twins readied themselves on either side of the barrier. Tomo placed a hand on his creation to better sense his enemies movements. His body shivered lightly as he felt the ash blade begin to fall. "NOW!" The bottom of the ink dome flipped up, creating a small roof over their heads. Tomo jumped to the left and unhardened his ink. The ashes passed through the layer of ink before the leftover liquid splashed to the ground.
Tomo's plan had worked, and though they were still difficult to see, the ashes were more visible than they were before. Also, Tomo could more easily sense them thanks to the chakra he had infused into the ink. Keeping his body tense, Tomo made a break for the exit, as it was closer to him at the moment. Switching Astrosigil to spear form, Tomo slammed the bladed tip into the barrier. It ricochet off, the barrier not even sustaining a single scratch. Tomo clicked his tongue in frustration, before dodging to the left of the exit, narrowly avoided a needle of ash. Tomo's eyes glanced to where the attack had come from. It seemed that the twin rivals had split as well. Haruki was facing Tomo, a cloud of ash silently swirling around him. The blonde boy ran towards his opponent and thrust his spear forward. The weapon pierced the ghost, who didn't seem all that perturbed by it. "Son of a..." Tomo had no time to finish his curse as a block of ash attempted to squash him from above. The ghost man gave a light chuckle. "Come now. Such vulgarity is unbecoming of my future body. I'll have to wash its mouth out with soap when we're done." Tomo's mind whirled as he took in the information, ignoring Haruki's taunt. Can't be physically harmed. Attack with jutsu if necessary. Stick with plan to run.
Tomo jumped and rolled as he avoided Haruki's attacks. The boy kept eyeing the exit, hoping to find another opening. Seeing a possible opportunity, Tomo rushed for the barrier. A wall of ash blocked his path, and the blonde had to blast wind out of his hands to push himself away from the obstacle. The gust launched him into the air, and he flipped once. He stumbled upon his descent, giving Haruki the chance he'd been waiting for. Three ash needles pierced Tomo's skin, the gashes ran up his left arm. The boy sucked in air through his teeth as the pain sunk in. However, the dull pain intensified as it felt like something was seeping into his flesh. Tomo's eyes widened as he began to suspect what the ghosts were attempting to do. His gaze flicked to Tama as an ash blade nicked her chin. Tomo watched as the ash soaked into the blue-haired twin. Tomo would have shouted, but he feared that his voice would distract his sister. Instead, he focused on evading the ash that was attacked relentlessly.
Changing his strategy, Tomo switched his weapon to bow form. Whenever a gap in Haruki's assault presented itself, the blonde would shoot an electric arrow at the barrier. He spared a glare at Tama from time to time, as the hot-blooded girl refused to help break down the barrier, instead wanting to beat the ghosts in a fight. The genin's breath became labored as exhaustion began to set in. Between dodging Haruki and using his chakra to power up his arrows, Tomo was feeling the strain. A spear of ash aimed at Tomo's heart tore through the air. It would have hit its mark had it not been for Tama tackling her twin out of the way. The two tumbled before landing on their feet, Tama far more gracefully than Tomo. The blue-haired girl gave Tomo a wink and thumbs up, as if she had performed an effortless feat. However, it was plain to see that Tama was rather fatigued herself. Their only chance would be to escape, and knowing that Tama had forsaken Tomo's plan to break down the barrier, the genin took it upon himself to keep the two alive.
Leaving Tama to hold the ghost twins off, Tomo made a last ditch effort to destroy the barrier. He dashed for the exit, putting every last ounce of chakra into Astrosigil as he charged it with electricity. The weapon morphed, taking its spear form yet again. "Hyaaaaaaah!" He thrust with all his might, and the resulting blow sent bolts of lightning sizzling around him. For a moment, it appeared that the spear had pierced the barrier. However, a strong burst of spiritual energy reflected Tomo's attack, causing him to stagger back. Tomo's face burned with rage. "Damn it, let us OUT!" Tomo's usually calm demeanor had been overtaken by fear and frustration. Paying no attention to the battle behind him, Tomo continued to slam his spear against the barrier. However, his adrenaline could only fuel him so far as each strike began to lose strength. He threw the weapon against the barricade, and it clattered to the ground innocently. The boy's eye twitched. Stupid Tama! If she had just destroyed the barrier earlier like I TOLD her to, we would have been out by now!
His distracted thought was interrupted as a shiver ran down his spine. He turned to see a giant sword of ash soaring straight for him. With his strength spent, he couldn't move his body. All he could do was observe the attack that would bring about his death. However, a body entered into his field of vision. It was Tama, and air caught in his throat as he watched the scene unfold. Tomo's arms lifted as the girl was hit with the ash. Her body flew back, the force of the blow pushing her into Tomo's chest. They fell back together, and Tomo gazed down at his sister. Her torso was stained red, her eyes already beginning to droop. She asked if she'd made him proud, and the blonde's eyesight grew blurry in response. Her eyes fully closed. "T...Tama?" Tomo lightly shook his twin, hoping to rouse her. "Tama...Tama!" He jostled her harder as fear took over. "Damn it Tama! For once in your life, listen to me! Wake up! WAKE UP!" The tears began to flow down his cheeks, splashing upon his twin's face. "Not like this...not like this! You can't die protecting me! You can't die!" The hairs upon Tomo's neck bristled as he felt a rush of air behind him. However, despair had taken over, and he no longer cared what happened. His sister was gone...and without her, the barrier would never fall. His eyes widened as the ash pierced him from behind. His back arched in response before he began to fall forward. The last of his tears trickled down his cheeks as he fell upon his twin's motionless body. With the last of his breath, Tomo said words he had never spoken aloud. "I love you Tama." Darkness descended upon the genin.
*???*
Tomo's eyes opened slowly, their focus lost for a few moments. His gaze fell down, and he realized that he was floating in nothingness. Below was a giant board that spanned the reaches of Tomo's sight. A chuckle before him caught Tomo's attention. It was Haruki, his body looking much more solid than the genin remembered. Haruki flicked his black bangs out of his eyes. "My Tomo-boy, what an interesting defense you have. I'm surprised, considering your behavior earlier." Without the fear of battle distracting his mind, Tomo took everything in, piecing together what he could. He spoke his thoughts out loud. "My defense...so this area is...my mind...we're in...my mind?" Haruki clapped. "Yes yes. I am thrilled that you are brighter than you first appeared. I would hate to dominate you too easily." Tomo closed his eyes, still working out his predicament. "So you are attempting to take over my body...but you have to defeat me mentally. This game below us...this is how my mind deems to test you?" Haruki floated to Tomo and wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Indubitably. I must admit, I'm not much of a Go player, but your mind, your game. Please, your move. It's time to duel!" Tomo examined the board below, trying to plan out his strategy. He held out a hand, pointing to where he wanted to place a piece. A shining light appeared momentarily, before a pure white piece materialized. Without hesitation, Haruki made his move, placing a black piece. Tomo smiled to himself. How very...symbolic.
The game went slowly, as Tomo thought long and hard on each move he made. This was a battle for his life, for his body. He wouldn't take it lightly. However, his slow turns seemed to frustrate his Go partner, and the man would begin to act out. "Tomo Tomo Tomo! Do you know what the first thing I'm going to do when I win is?" A perturbed frown fell on the blonde's lips. He tried to ignore the distraction, but Haruki was relentless. "Aaaaw! Tomo-boy, don't ignore me! Come on, guess. Guess!" Tomo's eyes darted to the man. "Would you just...ugh...fine. I don't know...eat?" Tomo glowered as Haruki's face smiled mischievously. Damn, this guy acts waaaay too much like Tama. Tama... Tomo's gaze fell as he relived his twin's sacrifice. Haruki began to hug himself, in quite a creepy fashion at that. "Oh my, though that is a good guess, it is wrong. No no, my first order of business will be to make out with Haruko of course!" Tomo's expression morphed into one of horror at this comment, and a few more things clicked in his brain. "Woah woah woah! Sick man! She's your sister! YOUR TWIN!" Haruki, unfazed by Tomo's accusation, shook his head. "Oh Tomo-boy. That is WHY it makes sense. Who could possibly be as perfect and beautiful as me? My twin!" The man's eyes began to sparkle as he continued to speak. "Her silky black hair, her vivacious curves, her supple skin."
Tomo's stomach lurched at the man's words, yet they gave him hope. "So...Tama is going through the same thing I am? Haruko is trying to take over her mind too?" Haruki snapped out of his daydream and chuckled. "Oh come now. My lovely Haruko has most assuredly overtaken your idiotic sister. She was quite...lacking...in the intellectual department from my observations. My love is even more brilliant than I, so your sister's demise is absolute." Tomo bit his lower lip. Yes, Tama would rather punch than think. However, she was surprisingly clever when people least expected it. What was the phrase his father would say? Madness, genius, the only difference was success. Perhaps Tama's odd way of viewing the world would be her saving grace? That, or it would only make her fall faster. Haruki's voice brought Tomo out of his thoughts. "And because Haruko is surely awake and waiting, I suggest you get your rear into gear and take your turn. I would hate to be late for our date." Tomo's eye twitched at each rhyme. Was this guy doing it on purpose?
Despite Haruki's pushing, Tomo continued to go at his own pace. By now, Tomo could tell that Haruki wasn't actually thinking out his moves. He was simply placing pieces down wherever he pleased. When Tomo's turn dragged on, Haruki would begin to divert Tomo's attention, creating imagery of Haruki and Haruko 'interacting' with each other. Eventually, Tomo was able to ignore these disruptions, which only caused Haruki to bump up his game. He switched the bodies, and now it was Tama and Tomo who were doing unthinkable deeds. Their game continued on for what felt like an eternity as the board flipped between white and black. Finally, the last piece was placed. Tomo held his breath as the colors changed. It was over. Light engulfed the genin.
*Present Day*
The young man's eyes opened slowly, their focus lost for a few moments. The bright blue sky shown above him, and he instinctively pulled his arm over his eyes. However, he bolted upright from the lush green grass he was laying upon as everything sunk in. He looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching them. They're still mine. I won. However, he gazed more intently at his palms. They appeared larger, though only slightly. His fingers also seemed longer, but retained their slenderness. His eyes looked past his hands to his pants. They were different than he remembered. Instead of white, they were black. He followed them up to his torso, and a bright orange shirt met his eyes. Confused, Tomo rose and made his way to a nearby river. He peeked into the water hesitantly, and unfamiliar features stared back.
Though his eyes were the same grey color as always, their shape was more sharp. His face and body were less feminine, though he could still pass off as a female with a little work. The blonde dye in his hair had grown out, revealing his natural dark blue locks. However, only one side of his head was blue. The other was jet black...like... Haruki. The name echoed in Tomo's mind, and as if on cue, a silhouette appeared above Tomo's reflection. My, we look gorgeous, if I do say so myself. Tomo glared at Haruki. "Is this because of you?" The figure shrugged in response. Most certainly. Though I can't say I've done anything like this before, so my experience in this field is limited. Tomo scoffed. "So I'm your first? Well lu-cky me." Pulling his gaze away from the water, Tomo's mind instantly thought of Tama. "Tama!" He whirled around to face where he had previously been laying. Resting in the grass nearby was Tama, though she too looked different than before. The man jogged to his twin and crouched down to examine her.
Like him, her outfit had changed, consisting of black and royal purple. The top of her head was blue, just as Tomo remembered. However, following it down, the blue disappeared, transitioning into black around her shoulders. Her long black braid trailed out beside her. Placing a gentle hand on his sister's arm, Tomo tenderly shook it. His voice came out as a whisper. "Tama." The young woman stirred, and Tomo begged in his mind. Please be Tama. A muffled response left the girl's lips. "Nooooo~. Tooomooooo. Five more miiiinutes. I'm so hungry...and I..." Her sentence trailed off as she continued to lay there, and the young man resisted every urge to yell at his sister. With a grunt, Tomo rose from his spot beside her and walked a few steps away. He muttered under his breath. "Stupid Tama...making me worry." Despite his words, a faint smile played on the man's lips.
However, his smile faded fast as he heard his twin speak behind him. Haruki laughed in response. Oooohoohoohoo! Of course my darling's host finds our figure appealing! Tomo's eye twitched. Raiden above, please let Haruki's spirit pass on. The voice was unamused. I heard that Tomo-boy. Ignoring the spirit for a moment, Tomo honed in on the conversation Tama was having. He could hear two voices...so did that mean Tama had somehow kicked Haruko's spirit out of her body? Haruki overheard Tomo's thoughts, and a wail of despair rang in Tomo's mind. Noooooooooooo! Tomo knocked himself in the side of the head with his palm. Shut up in there! Doing his best to zone out the howling Haruki, the genin caught Haruko's explanation involving the twins' changed bodies. Realization struck, that within Tomo was the remains of a dead person. The young man gagged. Ugh...I don't think I'll ever feel clean again. Haruki, recovered from his gloom, chimed in. I would be more than happy to take your place Tomo-boy. Tomo's brows furrowed as he glared up at nothing. Not a chance you incestuous perv. Arms wrapping around his torso from behind caused Tomo to flinch. Oddly, Tomo was now taller than his twin by a few inches. Hearing the sob of Haruko, Haruki spoke. Embrace her! Huuuuuuug heeeeeeeer! Tomo brought his hands to his head and shouted to the sky. "Why have you forsaken me Raiden?!"
[Topic Entered Six Years Ago, Topic Left Present Day]
[MFT]
[WC: ~5961]
