"Shall we work together then? I suppose I'll take point, unless you have a preference." He doesn't want to! He doesn't want to get tickled again! A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH (maybe.) But he meant it when he said he was in her debt. And he would take no pleasure from having to tickle her free either!

He snaps his fingers then and summons an oni only slightly larger than himself. "I was too determined to stick to using Hanuguro, but very well. Kimon, time to find the source of those plants and their devious vines."