Verdandi was going after her duties within the castle. The rebuild effort on Heidel was about to be at its peak. The walls were back up and completely refurbished, the towers certainly needed some work and the castle itself was filled with materials that yet needed to find an appropriate storage room. More than half the castles rooms were yet empty and dirty. Soldiers cleared them one by one from potential infestations that had found home within the creepy dark rooms over the last years. It's barely been a month since the castle was available to the people again. It's previous safe keeper barely ever made use of more than maybe the throne room.

With Verdandi's mom now in charge and the castles doors wide open the people would come and peek inside. The dorms of the royal family and the throne room above being the only areas restricted and entry denied by guards. Verd strolled right past them and accidentally bumped into one on her quick jump down the stairs. She had heard the signals from the watch tower. The lighthouse had spotted a ship with its beacon, one that wasn't supposed to arrive. Actually, there were no ships supposed to arrive for this week as the snow storm was roaming past the Aisu bay and Southern Ocean as if the god of snow had been angry for some trivial reasons and wanted to mess with the snow folk to amuse himself.

The fishers have all long since returned to the dock and the smaller ships were even hauled into the harbour itself to safeguard them from the heavy storm. The ship they had spotted from afar was slowly vanishing within the thickness of white mist and snowflakes as the storm became stronger. Thunder rushed through the air but it could not be seen, the howling winds alone made one shiver. The guards were telling the civilians to move to their houses. This was nothing new for the snow folk. They were prepared for this. Hot boiling water was being pumped into pipes. The machinery had been refined these last months. They sucked in the heated water that occurred around the volcanic area far below the water surface. Providing heat in various form to the citizen of Heidel.

Verd had taken some of the quick ranger scouts along as they made their way to the lighthouse. Climbing up to converse with the Master of the place to find the last potential coordinates of the ship. The lighthouse had the ability to turn up it’s beacon power temporarily to give more light. The sirens began to echo louder in hopes it would lead the ship in the right direction as sight would become more and more obscured. The thickness of the snow becoming severely dangerous even, the rangers had already made their way to the shore while Verdandi tried to use her still very limited abilities over the power of her bloodline to slowly create a hole in the storm at the point where the ship should be.

As the men arrived at the shore they would find but a wreck of what used to be that ship. It must have crashed trying to follow the noise of the beacon tower. But it was certainly better than being swallowed by the storm and crushed on sea. The rangers returned with what seemed like a mere boy. Confirming that they could not sense any other life energy close by other than his. Meaning that either only he survived or he had sailed here… on his own. Verd wasn’t sure which thought was more disturbing but she’d make sure the injured boy would be brought back to the castle and the siren that echoed from the lighthouse along with it’s beacon would shut down to normal behaviour again. As the alarm ceased the storm would yet remain and linger over Heidel, it would probably not cease for a few days before it would eventually travel on with the wind.

They closed the main gates to the castle behind Verd to leave the storm outside. The rangers helped her bring the boy to the infirmary inside the castle. Dandi’s father, as a medic, made it clear that the boy was not in deadly danger and thus, being placed in Verdandi’s care. She wondered what he was about and eventually stripped him to his underpants so she could place him into one of the large baths at the castle. The water was filling with the heat that was pumped up through the villages large pipe system. A hot spring onsen inside the castle as there were many in Heidel. The warmth should thaw his freezing body in a comfortable way. Being already there Verd would casually remove her own garments aside from underwear and slip into the pool. Keeping a close eye on her patient to make sure he didn’t slip off the rocky corner and accidentally drowned in his knock-out state.


840

Storms were a wondrous thing. A glorious occasion of rampant passion bursting through the land. Take joy in their power and trust your body to the torrents. That was what Chigetsu had been taught. His abandonment of the Rōtō Arashi left him without the ability to indulge in these simple pleasures though. While their scorn had been too heavy for him to bear Chigetsu still looked back fondly on the experiences of his childhood. Diving into the tropical storms that bound across Kirigakure's archipelago had been a thrill beyond thrills. Settled down in Kirigakure, the opportunity now for another excursion to the seas had become possible. The ability to sail was born within him, Chigetsu having the salt of the sea in his blood just as all of his kin. A rented boat wasn't unfeasible with his meager earnings. Even without the ceremonial drums it would be a thrill worth the debt it would incur. A short time of thin meals was a small price for peace of mind.  

It going terribly wrong was a fate he should have expected. As a coward caught between his devotion for the sky and sea, Susanoo casting him about with a swift hand was only fitting. His last tribute had been years ago, and in the familiar subtropics Kirigakure was famed for. In an altogether unfamiliar environment his fading memories of experience failed him. The white of the storm was more than he had ever seen before. Those of his composure weren't equipped in any way to deal with snow. Even temperatures endurable to others could easily spell the end of an unprepared Hōzuki. Efforts in attempting to sail his small ship through the storm were nearly abandoned. It came to a point where Chigetsu had to desperately focus on keeping his body from going stiff. The only refuge would be the distant twinkling of light. Even if he was half-dead he could recognize a lighthouse. Any Hōzuki could. That he could sail with what little strength the cold left him and find one of the Hōzuki Clan  Sōkō Tōdai to give him refuge became his last hope.  

It was a hope that didn't last long. He took it with him into the ocean as his ship was torn apart. The cold took away any pain that it might have caused him and granted him mercy in what he assumed would be a mostly painless death. Perhaps this was a kind fate though. Dying in the ocean was preferable to anywhere else. It wouldn't be drowning that killed him, breathing water being something the boy could do as naturally as breathing air. Rather the frigid temperatures would come over him like a soft blanket and smother out every bit of heat in his body. He would sink down, each passing meter draining another ounce of warmth.

But as he sank further into the depths of the sea it seemed that a bit of his spirit returned to him. Even unconscious, having given in to his fate, it was something he could feel. Dripping liquid warmth seeped again into his soul. The pallid hand of death released its grip on Chigetsu, and the shade of unconsciousness would be pulled away. Even with as stiff as his body still was he would shift, his body restless now that it could feel once again. His eyes would open, casting their dull red gaze down into the warmth that surrounded him. Vision by itself meant nothing though, not until his mind could comprehend what it was seeing.

Pain. Stiffness. Sore. He felt ready to burst, and yet empty inside. A burn that was half an inch deep under the skin. He could feel it now, how the cold ravaged his body. He had nearly frozen to death. Even now it felt like moving too quickly would make something important fall off. After the pain came realization of his surroundings. The heat from the onsen flowed into his lungs with every breath and thawed his innards. The liquid's embrace around him rose him to consciousness. Beyond the sensations returning to his body there was another place his interest went. A girl, across from him. Perhaps in a different situation he would have looked away, heat rising to his cheeks at the thought of sharing a bath with a member of the opposite gender. Those casual reactions were absent now. The frost had numbed more than just his body though. He could only stare at her.  

"I died." Those were the first things to come from his mouth. They flowed out in just a whisper, so quiet they almost seemed as if his thoughts leaked out rather than something intentionally spoke. He didn't dare move any more than necessary, even when speaking. "Are you an angel?"

---

[811]

Verdandi could see that the stranger was waking from his slumber. Her father, the great doctor of eternal medical wisdom, had told her to bring him here. Despite seeing fit reason to thaw a frozen boy up a little she was still wondering about the actual application. They had a heat cell in the hospital. Dad could have just put him in there. Why would he insist to warm the boy in liquid environment? Was it about his genetics? Was he allergic to warmth chambers? Verd could only make a snooty nose and did puff up her cheeks like a blowfish as she did so often when she had no clue and was getting seriously annoyed about it.

As he woke and gazed at Verd, his eyes were gleaming and shiny. What a cute little bud. Probably a year younger than her? Maybe two? She tilted her head. Her hair was shining in a mixture of dark green dye and her natural white colour. An odd combination, on top of her having two different eye colours. Blue and Red. Heterochromia. She must look like a very uneven alien to the boy. The mist of the onsen bath itself probably didn’t help much either. He’d lift his head. Stare at Verdandi and in an all too dramatic way he would state that he had passed away. Verd had to seriously bite her lower lip to not burst into an instant laughter that would certainly startle the poor kid. And yet he’d do something unexpected. He’d give her one of the sweetest compliments possible. She’d blush hard. Her shinobi attire usually didn’t really concentrate on making her look good. It had to be practical. This environment here though….

She would smile and brush a strain of hair away from her face. To him, they would be in warm water. Mist surrounding them. It’d certainly look like heaven. Verdandi knew exactly what to say. The only right answer one could give in such delicate situation. To end the confusion of the patient and quickly send reason to heal his mind as so he could tell her who he was and where he came from. But that wasn’t fun. She didn’t have a hard giggle in a while and this was A-Grade material towards one of the biggest joys she could possibly indulge into. So she did, what Verdandi wanted to do. Play a game.

“Yes boy. You died.” She said and had to bite her lip again as she was already bursting inside from maniac laughter. But she could shut up. Just enough to make it even better. She could be smart and convincing. “From the far away lands of Kirigakure you have travelled young man” she said so, convincing him to be all knowing while the bag with his belongings rested against the Onsens entrance. She just happened to find his forehead protector earlier. “To become one with the storm. And you have young man. As for I AM THE STORM.” She claimed. With a serious face she would point above them. Using the powers of one of her rather new ice techniques to form an itsy bitsy tiny cloud that would begin to howl and snow onto them. “Your soul shall be judged now. I will determine if I shall let you pass into the next life or let you return to the cold waters to be eternally forgotten…. Body and soul…. Tell me. Tell my why I should let you pass…. And maybe also more about how absolutely stunning I am…”

She could barely keep it together. This was worse than any kind of S-Rank Genjutsu. It was killing her. She was basically screaming inside but it was so much fun. She’d have to pay for all of this later…. But well. Most fun things come at a price, now don’t they? The princess was certainty having fun. At least until a certain polar bear cub decided to kick the spa doors open and crawl past the corners of the bath until he would plump like a clumsy little furball right in between the two. Raising slowly back to the surface to show them that he didn't give a crap about what those two weirdo's were thinking. It was bath time for Avalanche. Verdandi felt a sweat droplet run down her forehead. He either was gonna see through the bluff now or he was really, really stupid and totally gonna roll with it. Either way.... welcome to Heidel.

760 / 1600

References:

“Yes boy. You died.” Chigetsu would almost frown as she said that, but under these circumstances it wasn't something he was capable of. Defrosting in this manner was too serene, and his state of consciousness was still somewhat altered. Dying in these circumstances was something he could accept. Not that it mattered if he did or not. In the moment though he was completely encapsulated in the lie. Looking into her eyes, Chigetsu was captivated. Her heterochromia definitely played a role in his belief that she was an angel, never having come into contact with another who had different colored eyes before. With the steamy mist haze that surrounded them adding atmosphere, it was a perfectly set scene for Chigetsu to believe just about anything she told him.  

“From the faraway lands of Kirigakure you have travelled young man" He would nod his head ever so slightly. The storm had blown him around with such a ferocity that there was no way to tell where he ended up. “To become one with the storm. And you have young man. As for I AM THE STORM.” His eyes would widen significantly upon hearing that. Her little demonstration would leave a dull throbbing pain in his chest. Was this... Susanoo that he was meeting now? Susanoo was usually depicted as a male, but it would be entirely within the power of a God to take on a different shape. “Your soul shall be judged now. I will determine if I shall let you pass into the next life or let you return to the cold waters to be eternally forgotten…. Body and soul…. Tell me. Tell me why I should let you pass…. And maybe also more about how absolutely stunning I am…”

While it was difficult while sitting as he was, Chigetsu would respectfully bow his head. There was a sudden dryness in his mouth. He found himself biting his lower lip as he looked up once again at the female, struggling to find something to say. "I..." Chigetsu would pause, feeling as though something had caught in his throat. "… I've always been devoted to the storms. Even after I left them, I tried to..." It had been a long time since he had last paid tribute to the storms. She was bound to know this. Likely she had already made up her mind on whether to let him pass on. He would take a moment to steady his breathing. His voice had been near silent, a gentle whisper that spilled from his lips. Now though, Chigetsu would call upon a hidden reserve of willpower he wasn't aware he had, projecting his voice with a bit more confidence. If he couldn't list out his moments of devotion, then maybe flattery would work?

"I've always been your faithful servant. I would have paid any tribute or sacrifice to fulfill your will. I... hadn't expected you to be so beautiful." As difficult as it was, Chigetsu would do his best to avert his gaze out of shyness. These were things he would have had a difficult time saying in any other circumstance, but knowing that he was passing on allowed him to be more honest. "I've never seen anything as wonderful as your eyes before. Even if I'm going to be sent back down into the ocean...  Having the chance to look into them now makes me happy-"

The spa doors being kicked open sent a chill down his spine, and Chigetsu would immediately freeze in place. This was it. He was convinced this was the moment of his judgement. His steadied himself, preparing to be sent down into the freezing depths of the ocean for all eternity. The polar bear cub jumping into the bath dumped a life time supply of confusion onto Chigetsu instead. He would stare down at the furry little thing, trying to comprehend exactly what was happening. The shock had caused his vision to open up, and now he could see the edges of the onsen and surrounding room. He would turn to look at the door the bear had entered through. Chigetsu couldn't claim to be the smartest, but the unraveling lie didn't escape his notice. He would narrow his eyes as he turned back to Verdandi. There wasn't anything Chigetsu had to say, but the way he was glaring at her now spoke for itself.  

---

[740/1551]

Avalanche rolled a bit around and made sure to show how less he cared for the humans in this situation. Even though Verd was his owner or mommy figure he was still a child and wanted to play, eat and chill. Verdandi actually was still blushing. Those were some of the sweetest compliments she had ever extorted out of a boy. Which… didn’t mean she was doing that often. Anyhow. Even though as the sudden bubble of lies popped she didn’t feel all too bad about it. Verd would lean slowly back against the bench she was sitting on. A big bright smile out of pure sadistic joy and intense fun would still linger on her face while Chi’s facial expression turned more and more into a very judging and obviously unamused shape. The little cloud above them would stick and keep dropping snowflakes on them until Verd decided to cut it out and snap with her finger as it disappeared.

He had to admit, that move was pretty cool. Verdandi was a storm-maker. She had all the power in the world to create a Snowstorm not much different from the one he had been hunting. But she had to accept that even if he did think about her ability being cool he was currently probably too busy trying to determine how much he disliked her. Verd could totally take it. She’d lift the glass of ice tea that was next to sip slowly on it. A little bit of snow had piled up on the boy’s head while the little cloud was active. Which meant he didn’t move or even weaver an inch ever since the bubble popped. Verd was wondering if he just tried to measure what just all happened or already reached the point of having murder thoughts towards Verdandi.

Avalanche would eventually start to feel the room and splash some water at Verdandi. The princess pouted and accepted that the situation had to be solved in a proper way. She didn’t like cleaning up after her mistakes. It kind of implied that she accepted the blame for doing something wrong. She didn’t like that. Which sort of angered her. So as his judging gaze wouldn’t phase she would eventually rise from the bath to stand tall. “ALRIGHT. I get it. That was a bit out of line… but you hey you know. You are alive! See? Isn’t that wonderful? You could say you technically passed the test. I mean you’re not freezing to death anymore… you know… because I saved your frozen ass from that shipwreck, had you pulled here, got a doctor to make sure you fine, undressed you and hell your socks stink, did you know that? And put you in a hot bath cause for some weird reason the doctor meant that this is what you need!”

Verd would sit back down. Pouting for a moment. He got her all riled up and emotional. Totally his own fault. “I mean who gets lost in a snow storm alone on a boat….” She mumbled basically to herself. It was probably a mixture of actual truth and her trying to justify why she messed with him. As he remained ever so silent but his facial expression eventually changed she’d lose the pouty grimace on her face and blush again. Crossing her arms in front of her chest and being a little coy at this point. “And hey you know. You flirted with a girl. That’s gotta count for something.” She almost grinned again. The polar bear was totally ahead of this and started to crawl in Chi’s lap, rubbing his clean fur to the boys still somewhat cold belly and would take a super chilled nap right there comforting the certainly still confused young man with his simple warm presence.


650 / 2250

He would harrumph. His eyes were set on judge-mode, and with them he was shooting high intensity beams of disappointment right towards Verdandi. This was truly Chigetsu's most powerful jutsu, the magnificent ability to shame others with just a stare. Truly a doujutsu to rival the Uchiha. The piling snow atop his head just added to it. More cold right after a situation where he had just nearly frozen to death was unpleasant to the extent of nearly being traumatic. He couldn't complain when he thought she was some sort of storm goddess, but now he could be a little sour about it. He wouldn't move a muscle through it all though, keeping his glare solidly squared at her the entire time. A Hozuki's power was in endurance though. He could outstare her. With the mist rehydrating him he could keep his eyes open an oppressively long time without blinking too. How she casually was smiling so sweetly and drinking ice tea only made her seem smugger too. If only he could glare harder.

After her little outburst his expression would soften. His eyes would become un-narrowed, and shortly after that his body would untense. It was probably true, what she said. He should be incredibly grateful either way, even if she had played that trick on him. This woman had saved his life and been incredibly kind to bring him to this hot spring to thaw out. Even if she had technically committed heresy afterward... That could be excused. Chigetsu wasn't really devout enough to begin hating others over that, especially when he was in her debt. He was about to forgive her, but there was something in particular that she had said that made him pause. The anger would drain from his face and be replaced by confusion again. Chigetsu would look down into the bathwaters, and quickly he would press his hands down to feel at his thighs. While it may seem silly, it was only when she mentioned that she stripped him that he realized that he was naked. When he believed that he was just a soul floating into the afterlife the issue of clothing wasn't something that concerned him, especially with all the steam. Now that he knew the state of reality he was in his cheeks would light up. It was a relief he still had his underpants on. If she had stripped him naked Chigetsu wouldn't have known how to react.  

He would look up at her incredulously. "You stripped me? W-… Why?" Her pointing out how he had flirted with her, a girl, earlier only made that reality hang down on him heavier. Realizing that she was also only in her underwear doubled the worse-ness factor. He couldn't even be mad now, with how embarrassed he was. It was a complete reversal of how he felt moments ago, and now he was in a tactical retreat with his emotions.  Averting his eyes from her completely now, Chigetsu would instead stare down at the little cub that crawled into his lap. Instinctively he would bring a hand up from the bathwater to stroke at it, petting the little beast as if it were a cat. Truly it was his savior in this situation so he owed it at least that. He shivered as he imagined what sort of other embarrassing things he could have said in this situation had it not interrupted him. "F-Flirting with a girl..." After mumbling that he would cover his eyes with his free hand, placing his fingers tight so there wasn't any risk of him seeing her across the bath now. It was too embarrassing to risk. He really wanted to slap his red cheeks until he snapped out of that emotion, but it was impossible right now. At least his kunai wasn't here to make fun of him. Getting teased right now would have been too cruel. "I was following the storm on purpose, I didn't think it would sink me! If it wasn't so cold I would have been fine anyway..." He sunk down further into the bathwaters, slumping a bit now. All of his serene calmness from before had evaporated, along with any judgment he might have felt.

---

[720/2271]

Verd had returned to pout as he started to show all these weird signs of submission now. Him being angry at her even within that creepy stare was somewhat mature but the way he started to turn more and more wimpy now was certainly a turnoff. “Your clothes were wet if not frozen. I had to get rid of them. Also, can’t put you in a hot spring bath with frozen or dirty clothes on you, now can I?” while Verd spoke the mini cloud from before had reformed itself without actual intent. Verd’s mood alone was powerful enough to cause the little cloud to move around and resume dropping very few snowflakes on her head. Whenever Verd would get louder in her lecturing voice. The little cloud would make some sort of thunder noise to underline her emotional investment.

“But who cares about if I stripped you or not! You almost died. What do you mean you willingly followed that storm? That doesn’t make any sense. Who the heck follows a grade nine snowstorm the size of a whole country?” saying that, would eventually cause Chi to take a little look outside the closed window. The walls of this spa as well as the windows weren’t made of ordinary materials. When his eyes would gaze past the misty vapor of the hot water, past the obviously very thick specially hardened glass of the window, he could see that the storm outside was still at large. An intense wind power was flowing and howling outside. The little cloud above Verdandi’s head would actually feel ashamed to be so small when there was a storm out there at this size. “Even I can’t conjure one this large!” she added to it, implying once more and yet very clearly that maybe not all of her words were lies. Verdandi was the snow princess. Creating storms alike the one outside was part of her very own being. The lil cloud above Verd’s head nodding fiercely as if it was saying like “Who does that guy think he is?” sort of.

But as the minutes passed Verd would eventually calm down again, at last. Chi was obviously using his chance to pat and caress Avalanche as some sort of stress relief and she realized he probably had been on a rollercoaster of emotions, also a lot thanks to her. “Alright. Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you again.” She said and did the blowfish pout with her lips, looking down a bit embarrassed. “I might have been a little unfair to you. Ok… lets get this straight hmm?” she thought this couldn’t go on this confusing way forever. “I’m Verdandi. This is my mum’s village you happened to crash into. We’re in Snow country in case you didn’t know.” She nodded, pretty sure he followed that storm like a mindless dumbass and hence had no clue where he was. “This thing there in your lap is Avalanche. He’s my pet. He doesn’t bite but he can get pretty heavy if he falls asleep on you.” She nodded and was thinking further. “My father, the doctor, inspected you and didn’t found any wounds on you. He insisted to bring you here instead to the heat chamber.” She nodded, sure that her Dad had realized something about this boy’s physiology that Verd had no clue about yet.

“So, foot down time. Swallow your embarrassment for later. Who are you. Where do you come from? Why would you chase a storm and why the heck would a doctor insist to bring you to a spa instead of keeping you in the hospital?” Despite her being aggravated she yet tried her best to not get fully emotional again. Making the cloud above her only thunder very slightly before it finally decided to shut the **** up and disperse into the mist of the spa once more. Verd was trying to exhale a warmer aura that would be more inviting and comfortable. Keeping him startled for the rest of the day would only prove to become more annoying for her. She did however not forget the compliments he had spent on her so far. Smiling in between moments as she was still enjoying them.


720 / 2970

Being lectured definitely wasn't what he expected as a response, but somehow it made it entirely worse. Did this girl have no shame or something? To so casually admit to stripping someone else while they were unconscious... But the way she was reacting made him almost feel embarrassed about being embarrassed. It was a life or death situation so it wasn't unreasonable for her to take actions like that if they were necessary in his survival. Internally flinching, Chigetsu would drag his hand away from his eyes. He would see what she was referring to as he did. The glass that made their surroundings was absolutely beautiful. If he didn't know that she had been pulling one over on him he would have been tempted to believe once again that he was ascending to another life. Chigetsu would be caught in this amazement, staring beyond the glass at the beauty of the storm outside. He couldn't help but stare in silence. It was amazing, something he could appreciate even if it had almost been his end.

In the moments that he had been lost in the wonder of his surroundings she seemed to have calmed down. Each little bit of information she listed out would be marked down inside his head, taken as a mental note. Although "Verdandi" was a strange name he did like it. It sounded rather nice. The little puffball in his lap being named Avalanche provoked a smile, and Chigetsu would give it a few affectionate strokes under the chin.  His patting at it definitely served as a form of stress relief, but at the same time cute fluffy things were a weakness of his. He couldn't help but pat at it, especially once it crawled into his lap. All of what she was saying was likely incredibly important though, so he didn't let it distract him for a second. Her father was a doctor who had treated his wounds and suggested he be brought here. This was her mother's village in Snow Country. How exactly someone would own a village wasn't something Chigetsu worried about in the moment, he was sure it would become obvious to him later.

He would steel himself as he turned towards Verdandi once again. As easily flustered as he could be at times, this wasn't a situation where he could allow that to surface again. It was a weakness, and obviously wasn't winning him any favors with how he got yelled. The idea that he would go back towards attempting flattery surfaced in his mind for a moment, but he wasn't sure he had the bravery for it anymore. Especially after those last reactions where he had exposed his embarrassment. Still, Chigetsu hated the idea of those emotions controlling him. At the very least he could look her in the eyes again.  He had been telling the truth when he spoke about her eyes earlier, after all. "I shouldn't be getting so flustered, you're right..."
He would close his eyes. A moment would be spent for him to swallow his embarrassment like she said, and when he opened his eyes again he would continue."I am in your debt if what you said was true. I guess I shouldn't fuss over the details too much..." He would brush his free hand back through his hair, pushing his damp bangs aside. "I'll try to answer all your questions... First, I'm Hōzuki, Chigetsu. I came from Kirigakure... If I'm in the Land of Snow now then I must be more lost than I thought." He would sigh, letting a deep steam filled breath out. "I was chasing a storm because... Well. I was part of a branch of the Hōzuki Clan that did that pretty often, down in the warmer areas of the Land of Water. We would take boats right into hurricanes and follow them whenever the rainy season came. Every year we would sail in and wreck out ships, and then spend the rest of the year building new ones so we could go out into the storms again next time. I was trying to do that, but I didn't expect the snow."  

Seeing her face again coated in what must have been supreme confusion at such a bizarre story, Chigetsu would immediately smile and almost laugh. "If you don't know about the Hōzuki that probably sounds like I made it up." It sounded ridiculous to him now almost. The best way to explain would be with a demonstration though. "Let me show you what I mean." Chigetsu would snap his fingers after that, and then his body would begin to liquefy. At first it would appear as if he started sweating heavily, before his face and flesh began to drip away into water. Still somewhat slushy from the cold and ice, it would take much longer than he wished to melt his upper body down into the bath. It made the entire situation all the more dramatic, as if he were showing off. His disappearance below the surface left Avalanche alone in the water, the little cub started by Chigetsu's sudden disappearance. Not a single bubble would rise up from the water after he lowered down into it, but the shifting of his liquid form under the bath was apparent through the subtle swirling movements left on the surface water.  

He would rise up beside her, the liquid of the bath itself seeming to spring up into human form. Color would return to his form after a moment, and with an extended and still watery finger he would poke at Verdandi's forehead. There was no better explanation than an example like this of his clan's Hydrification. As he solidified completely Chigetsu would give her a small bow of his head. "Thank you, Verdandi. You really saved my life by picking me out of the water like that. I would have frozen to death and had a real encounter with an angel if you hadn't." He had an honest smile on his face, written over the tinges of embarrassment still in his cheeks.

---

[1039/3310]

Verdandi was almost expecting a continued pathway of embarrassment and flustered reactions. To her surprise he managed to find some guts within him. Swallowing his weak temper to suddenly react and speak in a quite healthy way. Verdandi would gaze at him in reaction and smile. Maybe there really was a chance this awkward meeting would turn into a normal conversation of sorts. Verd watched how he mentally prepared and slowly consumed all the information Verd had been throwing at him. Slowly petting Avalanche as the very act seemed to sooth him further. Ava was by far no shy bear cub but picky in the people he’d like enough to chill with like that. He usually had a good instinct towards the people he liked. Almost dozing off within the sweet caress of the stranger.

Once he began to speak, Verd would nod to his answers step by step through the talk, her arms folded in front of her chest her lower body mostly within the water of the spa. The little storm cloud that seemed to stalk her had returned but didn’t bother forming itself thick enough to drop snow again. Moving around the roof side of the room to observe the situation. “Chi” she muttered to herself still nodding until he eventually reached the part where he explained to be chasing storms. Her nodding slowly malformed into a head shaking motion and her mind was thinking like “What the heck? Chasing storms?” but he did seem to expect her reaction ahead and went on with his story. Verd’s eyes would widen as his skin turned sweaty and slowly lost composure to the point of turning fluid and dropping said fluid into the water. Verd’s reaction was mostly riddled within surprise and a more enhanced ‘what the heck’ then previously assumed. Before she contemplated over if he had died at last now or became some sort of gooey slime monster she could see the shimmering essence of his liquid within the water surface.

Ava who got kind of dropped in the process crawled onto the border of the hot springs edge and eventually dropped himself to the stone carved floor beneath. After shaking his fur like a wet dog, he casually crawled into the corner of the room that was basically a pile of little towels. Scrubbing himself against them before practically disappearing within and returning with barely his snout escaping his own towel fort from the whole pile as he seemed to resume his lazy nap there instead. He was yet too young to really be overly startled by humans turning liquid and probably didn’t care enough either. Verdandi on the other hand was thoroughly amazed by the display of Chi’s powers and as he returned to solid body she stared at him and his kind of smug smile about it. Slowly stepping closer and bumped his finger against her forehead in almost cheeky way now.

Verd contemplated if she should slap him for daring to touch her, slap him for chasing storms like a complete lunatic, or slap him for startling her by becoming a goo and returning back to human. Her palm was twitching. She was totally ready to beat him up when she realized that this whole awkward situation never was perfect to begin with and eventually preferred things this way over him being all shy and embarrassed. Sparing him the pain of being punched into a pulp she let him sit back down while she was obviously busy thinking and contemplating on her part. “So, you’re Chi… and your Hōzuki Clan is made up of goo people…. and you chase storms as a living….” She tried really hard to make this not sound utterly ridiculous but, in the end, she gave up on it. “Fine, let’s not drag this out much further….” She said as if to slowly accept that things were just going to stay weird for a bit. Yet returning to her thoughts of slapping him and the fact that he was basically a liquid human.

“So, if I slap your face, your head will crush into liquid?” she asked him with a curious glare. “Theoretically that is...” she added to lull him back into safety after probably becoming startled again considering the rather hostile setup of her question. Verd would give him the time to answer but a change of scenery was inbound. Standing back up her womanly figure raised from the water. Leaving Chi to stare once more in embarrassment. Verd even gave him a somewhat satisfied grin, placing her palm on her hip. “Alright, I’m going to prepare you some clothes next door. You should rest here until your body is completely free of frost and then join me in the castle. Avalanche will be your guide, just poke him and ask him to take you home. He will lead you to where I am.” She claimed. Giving the little pile of towels a short stare and made sure that it would twitch, knowing that he properly heard her as well.

With it all being said Verd stepped out of the bath. Grinning as she let her curvy body bounce past him on her way out. Certainly, entertained by the way it affected the boy. Eventually closing the door that Ava had locked open earlier behind her. Verd moved on to the dressing room that was exactly built against the little hot spa. Leaving Chi some space and time to actually heal himself out. It would probably take half an hour or so to completely thaw away all the frosty cold that still lingered to his body. But also giving him time to re contemplate what just happened and the situation he was in. As soon as he’d decide to step out of the bath, Avalanche would crawl out of his towel pile. As instructed by his master he would proceed to move to the door and kick it back open. He surely had that move well trained out. Then stumbled gracefully to the next room where Chi would find a set of clothes. Not his own as they were probably being washed and defrosted but it was certainly his size.

Once he’d have scrubbed himself dry enough to put on the Yukata, he’d see himself in a mirror at the wall. The dress of the local samurai was beautifully laced in black while the base fabric itself was blue. He could easily tell that it wasn’t cheaply made from it’s sheer looks. A pair of comfy slippers were also ready. Once all finished. Avalanche would move on out of the room and lead him to the main door. Which had to be opened by Chi himself as he’d realise it was quite heavy and the world outside was still consumed by the heavy storm. It was dark and obviously past normal bedtime. The streets were empty safe for some guards and patrols. Many torches would linger to the walls to shed some light into the darkness and onto the huge walls of the city and the castle. Once the door was open Ava would step forth and lead Chi past the chiselled stone path away from the spa not far off into what looked like a side entrance to a huge castle. Giving Chi his very first actual view onto the city of Heidel, despite most of it being covered in snow. As he’d follow suit. Ava would lead him towards a guarded door. The storm would blow onto his body as he walked but the gate he was aiming for was only a few steps away. If he approached, the guards would open it for him without comment. Allowing him and avalanche to pass through and forth into a long corridor that would lead him through the warm castle into a large well refurnished living room.

Avalanche would jolt forward and place his furry butt down next to a large fireplace in what must look like a little pet box designed just for him. Verd was, covered in a very loose and comfy kimono, resting against the large royal sofa that was facing the fireplace. It had pillows and blankets on it and she seemed to be already sleeping. It was probably way past midnight by now anyway and Chi would be able to decide by himself if he’d just join her nap and slide into the free spot on the other side of the sofa or if he’d wake her up. Either way, another thick glassy window was but behind them and the roaring storm outside would linger. Leaving a melancholic yet somewhat beautiful emotion to linger within the castles walls.


1460 / 4430

"It's not really for a living..." Chigetsu would continue to smile, although Verdandi's reactions were starting to cause him to worry a bit. He could sense something from her that made him shiver, and slowly he would pull his hand back from her forehead and place it down to his side. "It's more of a religious tradition thing." He would half mutter that to himself. A distinction like that probably wasn't important to point out right now. He was just giving her a simplified version anyway. Only the important information that was relevant and judging by her reaction it seemed like her head would spin if he went too much further. It seemed obvious that it wasn't the time to go all out with a fully descriptive explanation of how his family worked anyway.  It seemed that he was right to pull away from what she said next though. His smile growing increasingly nervous, Chigetsu would nod his head. "Yeah... If you slapped me, my face would turn into water. It wouldn't even hurt." It was a strange mixture of pride and fear that ran through him. The meaning of what she was saying was pretty clear, even to someone normally oblivious like Chigetsu. He would shift away ever so slightly, even after her added on statement about it being 'theoretical'. Her body language spoke for itself.  

Warm water splashed against him as she stood. Instinctively he would look to follow her eyes, only to seize up in embarrassment again. It was something he could control as look as long as he kept looking into her eyes. But now that she was standing and he was still sitting it resulted in an unfortunate perspective where that didn't exactly help. Covering his eyes with his hand as he did earlier likely would have just resulted in her getting irritated with him again, so he would hold that urge back. He would almost shy down into the bathwaters, sinking slightly in his shame, until the excuse of Avalanche presented itself. As soon as she mentioned the cub's name he would look away, turning towards the pile of towels that contained the cutie. Chigetsu would be once again very grateful for the young polar bear. He would have to apologize to it later for so suddenly liquefying away and dropping it into the water. It's little twitching through the bundle of towels would provoke another smile from Chigetsu. Incredibly adorable. The distraction only saved him for a few moments thought. Verdandi's exit took his eyes away from the bear and sent another flush into the boy's cheeks. He couldn't help but watch her leave.

Once she was gone he would press his palms tightly to his eyes. This sort of embarrassment around girls was a problem he never knew he had until this point. In all fairness, Chigetsu had never been in his underwear around a girl either before now. A part of him still wanted to blame her for stripping him as she did. It wasn't difficult for him to recognize these reactions of his as they were though. A weakness. They could easily be used to kill him under the right circumstances. He could imagine it clearly. Somebody using it to their advantage and then plunging a knife through his throat while he was distracted and embarrassed. Well, a normal knife wouldn't hurt him, so … an electrified knife. He would be dead and in his current state he wouldn't be able to stop it. That it was so visible when he blushed with his pale complexion only made it worse. Like a big red target painted on his face. It was something he would have to train and get rid of. How exactly he could remove those reactions though training was unknown to him, but he was sure it was possible. They had all sorts of training after all, and this couldn't be a problem that he was alone with. He would have to ask about it later, when he returned to Kirigakure. The issue of returning home was something else that he struggled with. While he was familiar with the Land of Snow from the Academy, he had no idea where it was in relation to the Land of Water. That storm had blown him around as if he were a gnat though, so he could have been on the other side of the world as far as he knew. Would it be so easy for him to get back home?

It was something he would contemplate as he sunk down further into the bath waters. Liquefying completely and allowing his body to spread out through the steamy waters would lead to a much faster thawing process. While he could have been doing it earlier it would have been rude with company. While having his mouth underwater wouldn't lead to him drowning, he couldn't exactly converse with another as he did. He doubted anyone would have really been fond of it either. Especially considering he was essentially spreading his internal organs all throughout the bathwater. The more surface area he had the easier it was to absorb heat, and the thinner he made his body the easier that heat would remove the chill from his veins.  

Roughly an hour would pass before he had warmed his body to a satisfying level. Much of the nearly frozen waters would have been replaced, cycled out from Chigetsu's form and discarded into the bath. The heated waters of the onsen would be used to replace what was lost. As much warmth as he could handle would be sucked in. His body would become as heated as the bath, nearly releasing a steamy mist of its own as he prepared to exit. Crawling out from the bath he would be much more similar to a blob than a person though, it appearing as if the bath itself was rising up and spilling forth. After reluctantly separating himself from the waters he would reform though, standing up on his own two legs once again. Not an ounce of cold lingered to his body after that, Chigetsu now radiating a pleasant warmth inward and out. A sudden bursting out from the piles of towels would reveal Avalanche, who had apparently been waiting for him. With a warm smile Chigetsu would approach, giving the cub an affectionate patting down.  After a few scritches under the cutie's chin Avalanche would pull away, waddling over to blast open the door with its paw. In awe at how well-trained Avalanche was, Chigetsu would give it a round of applause.  

At the point that Chigetsu got out of the bath he would already be dry. Excess water that clung to him would be simply sucked into his skin and absorbed completely. The same would be true of the underwear he had been wearing, feeling as if they had just gone through a dryer. The logistics of a man made out of water being dry were hard to wrap the mind around, even for Chigetsu, but being able to absorb the excess fluids coating him was an incredibly handy ability. It removed the need to scrub himself down with a towel. The prepared set of clothing would be quickly put on. He was incredibly glad he would have at least that bit of dignity before meeting Verdandi again. The majesty of what he was putting on wouldn't be lost to the boy though. He almost felt unworthy of putting on such exquisitely beautiful clothing. Living in poverty for as long as he could recall he had never known the pleasure of such wonderful and comfortable clothing. What he had been wearing while they drug him ashore had been in poor condition, torn and ripped up in areas, but that hadn't been from the storm. Without the support of his clan Chigetsu subsisted entirely on the wages that he made as a shinobi. While he did appreciate good clothing it just simply wasn't an expense he could afford. Necessities came first. He would almost sigh in relief as he felt it against him, especially the slippers. Even though necessities did come first, he might have to find himself a comfortable pair of slippers to indulge himself in when he returned to his apartment.

The perilous outside would be rushed through as quickly as possible. Going outside while it was below freezing was normally a death sentence for Hozuki, unless they were wearing specialized equipment. Needing anti-freeze wasn't something that Chigetsu had ever expected though, and needless to say he didn't have any with him currently. Pushing himself through the snow as quickly as possible, Chigetsu would follow Ava without any thoughts to the guarded door. In a second he would pass through it, not paying a single spare thought to the guards. Heidel wasn't something that he could appreciate while outside, despite how beautiful he was sure it was. He much preferred the view from the onsen, through the crystal window. After entering the castle he would have a few moments to reflect though, back on what he had seen while scrambling through the cold. That he had entered a guarded castle had made him question a bit about exactly who Verdandi was. While she had told him this was her "mother's village" what that meant wasn't something he comprehended at the time. Was she some sort of royalty? The castles and expensive clothing and what seemed like a personal hot spring? It made sense.  

Brought by Avalanche to what must have been their final destination, Chigetsu would once again spot Verdandi. She was sleeping, and thankfully clothed. He would smile. Chigetsu wasn't a cruel enough man to wake her up after the kindness that she had shown him, especially when it was so late. Instead, he would join her. There seemed to be a comfortable spot on the other side of the couch for him to settle down on, which he would do so gladly. He would be silent, staring to the rippling fireplace, and the raging storm behind it. It was a luxury he was glad he had the chance to partake in. Soothed to sleep by the silent roar of the storm, Chigetsu would close his eyes and allow himself to drift away.  

---

[1744/5054]

In the end she had to admit he was a good boy. He wasn’t a lust crazed pervert, nor an arrogant asshole. Verd was content that he would be good company. She had expected to stay awake and talk with him further but sleep itself was one of Verd’s strongest weaknesses. She tended to doze off at pretty much any comfortable spot available. The living room of the castle was simple but it was Heidel’s pinnacle of luxury. It had an almost endless amount of warm, large carpets. Dozens of pillows. A multitude of benches and tables but admittingly, nothing was as perfect as the couch. It was specifically made to fit the whole family of five and was not rarely used to be home towards the cuddle pile of Verdandi and her two elder sisters. The walls were furnished in beautiful tapestry and wall carpets of complex and expensive design. None of these things were bought though. Made in Yuki no Kuni. There was one little advantage to their situation. A small village was sitting on the whole resources of a former country. Or at least what remained of it.

As the morning approached. Chi would slowly wake up. Avalanche would be found nowhere else other than on his very own belly. The bear cub had a certain weight but it wasn’t off putting. If Chi would have felt uncomfortable about it he’d have woken up during the night. His body was still gleaming warm from the hot spring water he had absorbed. “He seems to like you.” Verdandi claimed, revealing to Chi that she wasn’t in her sleeping spot anymore but standing in front of the sofa with her hand reaching forth as she’d put a warm tea cup onto the table along with the large tea pan next to it in case he wished for a refill he could now do it himself. Verd seemed to already have one in her palm and was sipping on it. While she lifted something that looked like some sort of newspaper or local info card she’d walk about into the living room giving Chi the chance to get up, sip some tea and eventually walk around and enjoy the new warm and sunny day.

If he walked to the large windows behind the sofa, he’d see an intense amount of sunlight coming into the castle. Turning the insides bright as a day could possibly be. Which would at some point raise the question what happened to the storm. If he stepped forth onto one of the many balconies, he’d see something unusual in the air. The storm was still here. It was all around the city and the castle. He could literally see frost whirling through the air in the distance. But inside the storm was like a cut-out. A hole. As if someone deliberately moved the storm to set the eye of the storm exactly onto the village of Heidel. Verdandi couldn’t summon a devastating country wide phenomenon like this all by herself… yet. But she could persuade it to move a little bit more left or right. When Verdandi woke up in the night, it was because she could feel that the eye of the storm was passing them. She basically did nothing else then call upon the wind, water and frost and basically beg it to stay where it is. Chi had seen her ability to create a little cloud but he had no idea yet who Verdandi was. The concept of a hyouton chakra user was yet not so unknown anymore. At least not since Ayakashi had climbed on top of Kiri’s power horse and claimed the Mizukage crown under the sole destructive might of the frost.

Auntie always had a talent to show off. Verd rarely got the chance to do so but she didn’t want to act all cocky like an attention needy little teenager. So, she wouldn’t go into the topic of the storm UNLESS he asked about it…. And if he did. Oh boy. She’d tell him all about it. How this storm haunted her home since many years. How it would disperse and evaporate and then yet be reborn suddenly and haunt her people. How she had travelled far and wide to learn the secrets of the snow and frost to ultimately become the very Master of this destructive monster of a weather. Well this wouldn’t cause as showing off now would it? Since… he kind of asked for it now… didn’t he? Verd would chuckle to herself either way. Avalanche had rolled over on the couch. Yawned, realizing his cuddle budd was gone he crawled himself Chi’s former pillow and returned to nap against it.

As Chi would probably still stand by the balcony entrance, a group of people would walk down the long hallway of the castle towards the living room. A very elegant lady of middle age with an impressive number of accessories to her walked down the hallway while about five somewhat fine-looking scholars were following her. One could easily make out that they were bickering about supplies such as clay, wood and stone. Trade routes. Ryo and one thing that could be easily determined was that she didn’t care, told them to wait, told them to hoard, told them to trade and ultimately told them to get the heck out of her way. She moved by Verd and gave the little rascal a soft ruffle to her still messy hair. She would have commented something like “Get ready” or “Dress like a princess” but she already gave up on those stiff ways years ago and just wadded off in her outfit on her way upstairs to the throne room. Verd gave the dissatisfied scholars an angry glare. Someone had spread the rumour that if you anger Verdandi, the frozen princess, a storm would appear at night and silently kill you in your sleep. Which made absolutely no sense but it helped in situations like these as the scholars rapidly fled the perimeter of the castle to get their rich asses into safety.

It was never the poor ones that came to complain. Always the richer asking for more riches. Chi would have probably hidden himself as Motoko had passed through so she didn’t really see him at all. By the time he returned inside the doors next to the living room would open one by one. Guards would step out. People of the court and very close to the fireplace, two beautiful white-haired ladies. One adorned in heavy armour and a sheathed longsword in her belt. Another one dressed like a lady scholar with scrolls and keys on her belt. Skuld and Urd. The muscles and the brains of the royal family. Skuld was the local warden and leader of the guards. One could make that out because she yelled at some of them to get the patrols assembled. Urd was the scholar of the library and would be identified to Chi because she was walking up to Verdandi and complain about how long it was taking to build the additional storage units for her library. Urd would rush off after the argument as she must have forgotten some sort of meeting and was behind schedule. Skuld in return stepped up to Verdandi and tried to tease her. “Who’s that, new boyfriend?” she asked and quickly earned herself a punch to her belly armour. An annoyed Verd would proceed to shove her off and tell her to get to frickin work instead of annoying her.

Verdandi sighed. Her family was a piece of work. But she seriously wondered what to do with the lost boy. She offered him to seat himself once more. Somewhere next to Ava on the couch and close to the warm tea from before. “Excuse me for my sister, she made it a personal hobby to annoy me.” She mentioned with a rather pouty expression. “So…. You were chasing a storm…. Try to make me understand. Why would you do that?” she would ask. Finally giving some space and room for open questions. Eventually also answering all of Chi’s regarding Heidel as a village in the snow. Last survivor of the war. Location of Yuki on the map (North Pole) and other details his mind was craving for. Even going as far as to explain the family as he had seen it mostly already. As much as their duties and eventually even their mothers function as a Feudal Lord to the snow country. Seemingly filling Chi’s mind with knowledge about the place and certainly ready to answer all yet unasked questions he still might come up with.


1470 / 5900

Chigetsu couldn't have woken up to a more serene environment. The gentle rays of morning light casting down upon him filled his body with a comfortable warmth, adding onto the pleasantly radiating heat that his body retained from the bath. It was compounded by the fluffy little ball of affection that seemed to be snuggling up with him, acting like a pudgy blanket. Waking up after such a pleasant rest in this environment of luxury would easily be some of the gentlest moments in his young life. Never before had he been able to indulge in these comforts. Ever since his graduation from the academy his like had been frantic and full of worry, seeking purpose and guide from knives when he felt he had none. It was enough to make him forget the orders of his kunai though. His mind was at ease.  As soon as they were reunited and alone he would have to tell his kunai all about this.  

Avalanche would be given a few lazy strokes as Chigetsu danced on the border of being awake and asleep. He treated the animal as if it were a cat, brushing his fingers down through its short fur while it lay in his lap. The weight wasn't particularly an issue. Even in his sleep if something too heavy came down on him his body would naturally liquefy. Against the cushion of the sofa he couldn't complain even if it had been uncomfortable. Being granted this all and then a cup of tea so quickly after waking was a completely foreign experience. The bizarreness was enough to thrust him across that border and entirely into the sphere of being awake. To be treated so kindly and given these luxuries after washing up ashore... Why? As much as he wanted a chance to indulge in these pleasures while he could a creeping sense of dread was approaching in the back of his mind. He was already in their debt, and every moment he stayed here further it seemed like that debt was increasing. He didn't deserve such kindness. Was he a burden now?  

He would take the tea regardless. To pass it would be too rude of a gesture, and he would happily drink just about any beverage anyway. The cup would be sipped at carefully, and slowly he would dislodge the fluffy teddy bear from his lap as he stood. Stretching his legs would quickly lead him to the window, where the marvel of the eye of the storm would be appreciated. Silent appreciation would fill him. Idle attempts at conversation began with the vocalization of his amazement and quickly transformed into a full conversation on the beast that surrounded this village. He couldn't help but watch with a twinkle in his eye as she spoke about this terrible specter of a storm that hung over her homeland. About her mastery of frosty and snow and storm. Emotions were easily readable on his face, Chigetsu not able to hide an ounce of his awed respect. While it seemed like a lie what she said about being some sort of Storm Angel, he was beginning to reconsider that it might be the truth.  

He found himself going immediately silent as others entered into the room. While Chigetsu wasn't normally this easily startled he was all too aware that his presence here was unnatural. In the presence of what must have been some sort of nobility a dressed-up pauper stood out as a sore thumb. Hiding and doing his best to be out of sight likely didn't help with his perceived intrusion. He would watch. A woman and a train of scribes. Head pat. Glare.  Fear. He would return from the balcony when he thought it was over, but he had been wrong. His shoulders would scrunch up as he was seen, and his fingertips would be rubbed down against his palms. Standing a bit shorter now, suddenly the yukata felt very unnatural on him. The scene would be watched without comment. As much blushing at the accusation of 'boyfriend' was something that was in line with his earlier flustering, he was much too uncomfortable for those sorts of reactions now. There wouldn't be much of anything on his face in way of a reaction. As they left he wouldn't exactly return back to how he was. How out of place he was seemed emphasized completely.  

Chigetsu would take the seat he was offered, unable to refuse. As she began to question him about his storm chasing he would give a fuller answer this time. More direct and complete than what he had said earlier in the bath. He would explain the split between the Hozuki Clan, or at least the parts that he understood. The religious differences between the Castle Dwelling branch that comprised the vast majority of the clan and the Storm Wardens who operated as a small, and nearly unknown group of nomads weren't exactly the easiest to explain, even for him. That he came from the nomadic Storm Wardens who chased after the tropical storms as a part of their devotion to Susanoo was something he could go into detail with though, much more than interclan politics. Susanoo, the old traditional Storm God, would be shown devotion to each year through the storm chasing Hozuki sailing their ships directly into hurricanes, beating wildly on ceremonial drums and engaging in festivities as they did. It was done with the idea of getting closer physically and spiritually to their God. While these ships would inevitably get wrecked, considering half the people sailing were usually intoxicated, a shipwreck typically wasn't deadly for them. Being thrown about by the winds wildly was the entire point. As there wasn't a risk of drowning, and most injuries could be handled through liquefication, it became a wild thrill-seeking spiritual event. Swimming to the nearest island typically wasn't a difficult task for even the youngest after being thrown from their ships. Those who were lost and injured where typically either the very young or elderly, and if they never did return from these events they would be celebrated as becoming a part of the storm itself and fueling it with their spirit. Usually, this was a group event, not something to be done alone, but Chigetsu wouldn't go too far into detail about that. That this was the first time he had done this in years, and that there weren't any other Storm Warden Hozuki within Kirigakure to go with him were the best explanations he gave towards why he was alone.  

Basic information about where he was geographically was asked, along with a bit of curious questioning towards the status of her family. That he was in the presence of nobility was difficult to process for the young boy. The only other 'Lord' he had known was Lord Osada, and... There was no way to imagine a person who could command as much fear and respect as him. It was an aura he could sense from the crowds that passed by earlier, and in part from Verdandi herself, but not nearly to the same extent as Lord Osada. They had the same elegance and command, but Chigetsu couldn't admit to being afraid. Maybe nervous and a bit scared of messing up, but not anything comparable to the terror he remembered.  

He only had a few questions for her, mostly relating to her status and location of the village he was in. Heidel seemed like an interesting place, although he was much more concerned with how it was located in the North Pole than anything else. With those necessary questions over with, the male would clear his throat and prepare to be a bit more direct with how he felt. "I'm in your debt for saving my life. I don't want to be a burden, staying here like this..." He would let out a bit of an awkward smile, brushing his hair back for a moment. After drinking his cup of tea his entire body took on its pleasant scent, and a slight shift in color to become a shade closer to what the tea had been. It was a strange quirk of his physiology that would pass as the liquid he ingested was filtered and digested. "If there's anything I can do to be useful, please let me.  I need to pay your kindness back somehow. I don't really have very much money, but..." He would trail off. Perhaps exposing his poverty wasn't the best idea, lest it change how she perceived him. "I'm a Shinobi back in Kirigakure. A Chunin. I'm not the most experienced, but I'm sure there's some way I could help you... Although, going outside while it's freezing like this might be hard." A sigh would escape from him. It would be incredibly difficult to get around Heidel at all without help. His body really wasn't meant to be in sub-freezing temperatures. Being so utterly helpless and useless was frustrating.

---

[1529/6583]

Verdandi was enjoying herself greatly. The young cute boy was interested. Of course, it flattered her. Verd would never admit it but talking about her nobility, status, power, her unique gifts as a talented ice user. Her strength as a seasoned but still young warrior. Hmmm so much food for her incredibly large ego. It was but cause how humble, shy and embarrassed Chi tended to act. About his humility, reserved actions and his outspoken poorness that made her only feel even better. It was a perverse act of sorts. But at the same time, it was not specifically a mean problem. Despite how incredibly amazed she generally was by herself. The stories about Chi’s Clan, as utterly stupid the storm chasing did sound to one’s ear, would eventually begin to make sense as she started to put his unique physiology into context. Being able to liquidize oneself, becoming one with the storm. Being thrown about by wind and yet having something that basically turns you immortal to all of this. That was kind of hot. Verd could feel it in her body how the concept of an immortal man was sort of a turn on for her. She chuckled to herself as she decided to make him hers. It was a royal princess right to demand anything she wanted. Wasn’t it?

Within the process of those thoughts, Verd would come closer again. Sitting next to him. Smiling a seductive grin. The more she thought about it the more fun it became. He literally was made off the very resource that was Verd’s most favoured toy. Water. She instantly began to wonder. He had been put into that hot spring by her father because he knew about his physiology. He knew he was just frozen and needed to thaw up. Verdandi couldn’t help it. She had to try. Her fingers would slowly graze up his leg as he turned into a flustered shy mess of embarrassment again. But her motions, as tingling as they were for him, were not necessarily sexual in nature. She touched his belly and stared into his eyes as he breath became visibly cold and thick. At a moment’s notice his belly would feel the power of the hyouton chakra that would slowly command all liquid in its proximity to turn itself into frost crystals. Slowly she could tell that it would indeed start to turn this unique creature into a frozen icicle. But the experiment seemed to have unwanted side effects. He actually showed signs of pain. Verd quickly stopped. Ice created by her own chakra was something she could completely remove again. Hence with a little inhaling and a deep breath, all the cold frost that had spread itself inside Chi would vanish and the water body, that was still filled with liquid from the hot spring would return to its rather warm state.

“Interesting. You really are made of liquid….” She said as she would feel some sort of resistance within him. Verd would understand that in a battle, things would probably be different. Right here and now his guard was lowered. But in an actual fight he might be able to resist her power to freeze him. Still she was pretty sure that hyouton chakra was probably something of the deadliest kind of arch enemy he could think of. An actual offensive attack of pure frozen chakra that hit his structure could make an immortal creature like him suddenly all too mortal again. It went without saying that Verdandi was totally getting drunk on this kind of power trip here. Also, Chi had mentioned that he would leave to not be an inconvenience any further. Verd traced her fingertips over his cheek and stared at him with an almost perverse grin. “Mhmmm you not going anywhere…. I found you. I revived you. Your life is mine now… you are my slave.” She whispered before giving Chi’s chin a distinctive lick.

To her own surprise it tasted like tea. What an odd fella. It kinda broke the pervy feel in the air and made her lean back into her own side of the couch. Giving Chi some space again. She still seemed to show a great pleasure in toying with her new friend. Wasn’t he the most interesting thing that had ever walked into her own web? Verd was sure even Haka would approve of such a lame spider joke. “But you know what. I shall give you a chance to earn your freedom slave…” she said, tracing her own finger along her chin. There was plenty she could demand from him. Plenty she could make him do in order to earn his freedom. But as much fun as it was to extort the weakness of his gender, she had yet other plans with him.

“You will fight me. In a battle as equals. If you win. You may leave and all debts you may feel have accumulated on you, including the debt of your very own life shall be erased. However…. If I win. I will make you mine and bind you to me by contract…. You could also leave without fighting me and live with the shame of your eternal debt towards me. I wouldn’t stop you from leaving. I give you this choice. Make your pick and see me in the courtyard. Where I will accept your answer….”

This being said Verdandi slowly stood up. And walked towards a glassy display case. Opening it up she’d take a scary looking blade from within, expensive in it’s design. And a wakizashi of similar but certainly weaker class. She personally didn’t know about his weird trait with weapons. So, while Verd was moving her barely kimono clothed curvy frame down the hall he would probably hear the blade yell at him. “She’s mine loser…. Don’t get any ideas you freak.” And the wakizashi would put insult to injury. “Bet you don’t even have the stones to fight us hahahahaha.” Making the echo of it’s voice slowly roam into Chi’s brain while he was, once more, trapped in a rollercoaster of emotions around Verdandi. She certainly was a demoness. An angel still maybe. A goddess she wanted to be and she would show him the power of the storm she commanded. If he dared to accept her challenge. If he dared to face his probably worst enemy. If he dared to try his luck against the one thing that almost killed him the very moment he arrived here. To dare and fight against the personification of frost.

1110 / 7010

In response to his worries and frustrations about ,being a burden she would come closer. Seeing her smile, Chigetsu would begin to smile back. He was oblivious to the intent that was behind that smile, seeing it only as a friendly gesture in the moment. That she hadn't reacted negatively to him wanting to pay back his debt was a relief in itself. It erased a bit of the weight on his mind. It was only when she began touching him that Chigetsu would begin to clue in. At first he would react with confusion at her fingers on his leg, but with every millimeter they grazed against his skin he would progressively collapse further into a flustered mess. First his smile would turn into something of surprise. Then a familiar warm redness would spread throughout his cheeks. Almost instinctively he would attempt to scoot backwards, finding though that he was at the edge of the couch beside the cushion and there wasn't anywhere to escape to. Seeing how he was cornered by this woman he would freeze, unable to move a muscle.  

This was the terrifying weapon of a woman, one that Chigetsu was unable to resist. He had no idea what was happening, except perhaps in his unconscious mind which understood very well what was happening. Was she going to kill him? Was the scenario he imagined earlier, of a beautiful woman using her ability to fluster him and then plunging an electrified knife into his neck coming true? With her hand against his stomach he was unable to think any further. Looking into her eyes he was still, accepting his fate as a fly in her web. Then came the pain. Intense and hot from where her hand was. Ironically hot, considering she seemed to be freezing him. It would be clear on his face, his expression clenching in pain as he stared into her eyes. Apparently, that was enough to make her stop. Whether she had gotten cold feet in her assassination or was simply toying with him, he couldn't tell.  

Judging by what she said immediately afterward it had been the later. That she needed further proof beyond his earlier demonstration in the baths wasn't something that Chigetsu could entirely understand, but at the same time, he couldn't will himself to ask why she had done that right now. His voice was still caught in his throat. Any curious thoughts of her intentions would be wiped from his mind as she brought her fingertips to his face. He could only stare. A distinct tingle ran through him as she licked across his chin. Any residual coldness from her earlier frosting over of his stomach was replaced all at once with heat. He had never felt so warm before.

It was only when he was given space again that he would realize that he had held his breath that entire time. He would inhale deeply, almost gasping for air. He had barely been able to comprehend what she had said in that moment. Slave? What... He... When he had volunteered to be useful in some way, he hadn't thought... As she mentioned a chance for freedom he would look up immediately, focusing again. He would listen carefully. While being a slave wasn't exactly something he wanted to be, if that was the only way she felt he could repay his debt then it would be the path he would take. To serve a master in that fashion wouldn't cause him to be unaligned from his goals, although being so far away from Kirigakure would be a slight inconvenience. Especially in a land where this sort of weather was commonplace.  Leaving wasn't an option, of course. He had to repay his debt somehow, and he doubted he could leave this land without assistance anyhow. A fight though... It felt wrong. Even if he won, beating her wouldn't really repay his debt in the slightest. Was this just another instance of him being toyed with? He would remember to when she had toyed with him in the bath. When she had toyed with him just moments ago with her frosting of his stomach, and now this... This was clearly another game. Not one he could win either.

He watched her as he stood. At this point looking away wasn't something that would do him any good. Her movement was to a display case, one that he hadn't noticed until this point. His eyes would go wide as the weapon was pulled out. A beautiful wakizashi. Absolutely stunning. He wouldn't be able to take his eyes away from the weapon. Its voice would reach his ears, even from this distance. Taunting. Teasing. Laughter. It was a blurred mess that spun within his mind. His head hurt. He had almost forgotten. Without any of his equipment he didn't stand a ghost of a chance against her. With her ice and storms, he was at a natural disadvantage. Echoes of the whispering of steel would dance around inside his mind, pulling him away from conscious thought. Self-deprecation ran wild inside his brain. It couldn't be helped.  

He would stand. His head was spinning. At the very least, there was something he could do. Even while so flustered and rattled as he was he wasn't helpless. Maybe he could put up a fight. What parts of his mind he still had were rumbling around, trying to think of some way forward. In desperation, one idea rose above the others. He was a shinobi, wasn't he? He was a soldier. Nobody ever had said it had to be a fair fight. Especially as she would be armed and he wouldn't. Carefully his eyes would scan back to the table beside the sofa. The tea pan and cups were still there. He would refill both of them. The liquid was still pleasantly warm, even after all this time. He would steady his mind. If a straight on fight against someone who could freeze him like this wouldn't work, then he would need to take another path. Turn her weapons against her. He closed his eyes tightly and willed forth every ounce of confidence in his body. He would bring his hands together, forming a quick seal, and then went to pick up both cups. One was held in each hand. Quickly he took a sip out of both, and then he followed out after the woman.  

Appearing in the courtyard shortly after, Chigetsu would greet Verdandi with a smile. "I've come to give you an answer." The cups he carried were still warm, although not enough to steam any longer. Tinges of red were still present in his cheeks. Nervousness was clear in his body language, and his gait a bit strange and unnatural. "I was going to offer you some more tea, but..." Slowly, making sure not to spill a drop, he would place the two cups down on the ground. "That can wait for after." Assuming she didn't freeze him to death in this spar. "I've decided I'll fight you, Verdandi." With a bit more determination now he would look into her eyes. It was a far cry from his earlier cowering.

---

[1224/7807]

Chakra 156/190:

Stats:

Verdandi basically danced her way into the courtyard. It was large. Enough space for three sparing matches. The weather was beautiful. The sunlight within the eye of the storm. Uhhh… what an amazing feeling. Truth was, whenever the storm was around. Verdandi’s limited powers to summon upon the wind and snow, would become almost limitless here. It fuelled her. It invaded every fiber of her being. She could feel her heart beating loud within her chest. Her arms were tingling. Her forehead would form into a frown. As she turned around, for a split second he could swear to hear her say “Help me” as  she was obviously breathing harder and harder. While he was casually sipping his tea, for reasons that yet escaped her, she was busy within her own mind. Her skin became visibly sweaty and suddenly, it would become darker and darker.

Looking up into the heavens, would reveal that the eye of the storm was closing. It seemed to be somehow connected to Verdandi. Her palms were reaching towards the heavens as if she was personally praying to Susanoo. Thunder would roar from the sudden darkness. Snow threatened to fall. Villagers around the courtyard began to scream, running away, restless and scared by the sudden change. The guards would step closer trying to see what was going on. Verd seemed to be levitating but a meter off ground. Wind would stream from her and her body would pulsate in chakra. Thunder would rain through the heavens despite the very fact that Dandi didn’t even have the powers to command this element. Tears would slowly start to form on her eyelids. Screams of agonizing pain would erupt her lips and her palms would rush to her face and bury it within them.

Under what seemed like an agonizing amount of pressure she would slowly lower herself again. The rapid wind that almost threatened to blow the guards off their feet would vanish. Her feet returning to the ground. The snow would cease. The thunder would muffle and turn silent. The Clouds would obey, moving away, giving way to the eye of the storm. Returning once more, sunlight and peace to Heidel. Verdandi’s physical state seemed pitiful. Her skin pulsated with visibly electrifying amounts of chakra. At last Chi would understand that this young girl was indeed no one else but the prodigy of frost and storms. But the powers she was supposed to command and contain. Were far too strong for her. Every minute of keeping the storm from touching Heidel had been exhausting her. It was draining her. It felt like it was eating her soul.

And the storm itself was pulsating into her. It pressured powers into her frame that were not supposed to reside in a weak young frame as her own. The very act of her even trying to bend these waves of pure monstrous energy seemed to be devastatingly painful. But she rested. Sweat clad. Right in front of him. Electric currents that roamed her skin would vanish. Her body yet seemingly turning blue. As if the ice within her was now trying to freeze herself. This wasn’t going to be a normal battle. Not a spar that would determine whether of the two would be the better shinobi in battle. The powers residing with Verdandi were by far exceeding her very limits. But they were completely out of control.

Chi would be able to stare at her as she looked normal but her eyes were completely coated in a glowing silver blue icy shimmer. If he had ever thought of something that required exorcism, it would probably happen today or never. However, something seemed to be in Chi’s favour here. The powers of nature were not all but against her. In a slight potential moment of control. Verdandi forced her sheer unlimited powers to command the waters. The courtyard would slowly drench itself slightly. Obviously not enough to be a threat in frozen terms but basically placing usable water onto every little inch within the whole courtyard. From the water itself a rather sharp looking knife would rise. If Chi would grab for it, it would instantly turn solid. First into frost and ice and then into actual real steel. The weapon itself. If speaking to him. Would be the first to ever show pure submission. “I am at your service Master”. The blade itself started to show runes and signs of thunder and storm were inscribed on its surface. The blade hilt was comfortable and warm to hold.

Verdandi would eventually loose her remaining strength to the powers possessing her. Lifting its own blades Verd had brought from the display case, the creature or god now residing within her frail body would stare at Chi. The guards were all running away indicating that this wasn’t the first time that this happened and neither of them seemed to have any particular interest in become target of the storm gods rage. Without words it would slowly search within the frame of it’s new host for any potentially useful powers and techniques. Seemingly unsatisfied by the result it made Verdandi knack her neck a few times, before the princess’s body would rapidly launch forward. Her legs quickly spinning past the wet surface below, both hands on her Katana. Straight forward extended.

Verd would expect a series of clashes between her blade and Chi’s new servant knife. To his surprise he’d find that his knife seemed to have no problem deflecting the Katana’s attack. Implying that the knife was of higher quality (B) than the Katana (C). Still within her heavy slashes he would find himself forced to move. Use a technique. Swap bodies before Verdandi could utter her strength up to slice for a fatal blow against him. It would be all up on him and his tactics now. Whatever he planned. The storm god would for sure not let him down, Verd’s continuous attacks would rain down on him until disturbed or until harmed.


1010 / 8020

Chakra 200/200:

Body Stats:

It seemed his ruse hadn't been discovered. With how Verdandi appeared when he walked out any doubt had been erased from his mind. There was a bit of concern in his mind for the woman, but he would have to ensure his own safety first. The two cups would be put down carefully, specifically so that their rims were touching on the ground. Between the two would stretch a small strand of liquid that went into both. With Chigetsu's "Fake Water Clone Jutsu" he was able to hide away in this manner, taking on the appearance of tea while a clone took his place. Perhaps it was cowardly but the boy would need to take advantage of whatever he could to stand a chance.  It was an especially tight fit as well. He couldn't fit his entire body into just one cup, even in his massively compressed form. He had to split himself between the two. His limbs all in one cup and the rest of his body in the other. He was lucky all that it took to reconnect the two was regaining contact.  

The clone would be left to deal with the issue of the spar. Very quickly Verdandi's pain became a much more concerning issue. He would hold back, stopping himself short of rushing forth to assist her as she fell further into her obvious torment. The roaring thunder and closing of the storm would freeze him in his place. Watching her rise up as she did, pulsating with power and wind, Chigetsu was sure in that moment that he had been wrong. It was impossible to believe that Susanno's blood didn't run through her veins in some way. He really was dealing with an angel, or some sort of storm Goddess. All he could feel was terror in knowing this. Terror at her power. Terror at her pain and screams. He was left silent, nearly about to melt into a puddle. Back in the teacups the real Chigetsu wasn't doing much better than the clone.  

It was difficult to comprehend. He would realize he was nearly alone now, besides the Storm Goddess with him. Everyone else had already fled, besides the guards, and he almost felt like a food for not doing so with them. Even if there was fear in his heart there was still something he had to do. A debt to repay. Despite how his legs were shaking he would stay. As she began to turn blue he would flinch. He could only imagine how cold she was now. Just from the sight he could tell a single touch of his skin to hers would take off the entire limb that he had touched her with. The image was clear in his mind, of his arms freezing and snapping off.  

Now in his natural environment thanks to the rain any issues of hydration would be sent to the back of his mind. The knife that sprung up from the ground would be cautiously taken, solidifying from water to steel in his hands. First cold and then warm. It had the same aura as she did, and in its rune-coated appearance he could only imagine it as an extension of her powers that she had provided to him. In his hand it felt natural. The voice of a soldier would emerge from it, springing up into his mind with a muted ferocity. Service. As much as he did appreciate the humility this knife displayed there was no time for those sorts of pleasantries. Again, their eyes would meet, Chigetsu and Verdandi. Her eyes were different than they had been, shimmering with a glossy blue that radiated outwards. There wasn't any more time for him to adjust.  

The way she rushed him down was inhuman. Unnatural. He couldn't help but notice it in those few moments before her steel clashed down with his. This wasn't her, or at the very least she had been hiding some part of her away that was being released now. Movement came naturally to him. Fluid. A deflection and block with the short blade he had against hers would result in him moving to the side, shoving her force away while he stepped to the side. Parrying and blocking wasn't typically in his move pool, much preferring to allow enemies to stab him and then seize all momentum with a counter attack, but the frigid frost that seemed to radiate from her eyes made him hesitate. He didn't want her blade to touch him. Defeating a possessed enemy without using lethal force when it was impossible to touch them directly would be a challenge, especially in a fight between blades. Especially when it seemed as though he was fighting a God. Even though the clone was created specifically to be a sacrificial lamb it wasn't quite ready to meet that fate, especially when it would mean being separated from his only weapon. In swordplay she was easily his equal. His deflecting and dodging and her rain of attacks could be considered a stalemate at best, or a slowly losing battle for Chigetsu if things continued as they were. All this clone needed to do was hold her attention for enough time though. He moved with a mission. With each pivot and dodge he would shift the pace and direction of the dance, assuming she would follow in her attempts to cut him down. He would shift the battlefield in this manner until they had reversed positions, with the angry storm goddess's back to where Chigetsu had started.

Once her back was turned to the two cups the first stage of the plot would be completed. While Chigetsu and Verdandi were lost in their dance of combat two hands would rise, hopefully obscured from her vision. They would form a single hand sign and then burst forth. Each cup would spill forth a tentacle, similar in appearance to what might be expected from a large octopus. Without wasting a moment, they would burst forward to rush at the woman. Their intention was to wrap around her form, forcing her arms down to her side with their sheer strength. Likely their binding impact around her would majorly bruise her arms, or potentially break them depending on her fortitude. That would be the end of the match if he could pull it off. In the event he only had a glancing blow on here the tentacles would come in handy as well. Suckerpods were primed and ready, aimed towards her. Even with just a light touch he could stick onto her. The armed clone would serve as a distraction. If she turned her focus away from the clone it would thrust the knife forward and break their dance, aiming to pierce her wherever he could. Should she retain focus on the clone the tentacles would attempt to restrain her. If she hesitated they would both attack.

---

[1168/8975]

Chakra 141/190:

Verdandi sliced her way around the clone. Laughing, in a ghastly voice seemingly not her own, lost in the predatory sense while the heaven above them showed the battle of emotions and powers within her. The more clouds would try to close the eye of the storm, the more wind that would howl and the more rain that would fall. The more likely Verdandi was losing the battle within her. Occasionally her body slightly stopped. Often in moments when her hand or her blade was just a hair away from touching what they believed to be Chi’s real body. Thunder and snow would remain suppressed and the heaven above continuously showed signs of Verd trying hard to suppress him even further. But the body was his right now. With an almost maniacal laughter he sliced his way forward. The sound of the katana hitting the knife over and over again would echo into the courtyard. While Chi was working on his very own plot to get the better of her, he did not know that he was not completely alone in his task. Some masked guards had appeared on the rooftops of the walled surrounding towers. Specially designed bows would be aimed and silently shot in her direction. They weren’t made of steel. The projectiles ejected what looked like a paralyzing electric current upon impact.

Verdandi was too busy for all of this. Her quick body movement allowed her to dodge the first incoming arrows and cut the next few in half before impact. As Chi’s clone would push forth again she was in a moment she could not deal with both at once. Under a sudden very rough exhale of power she basically threw Chi’s clone down to the floor. One of the arrows hit her back, upon collision it broke down into pieces but the head, carrying the electric current would start to shock her and leave her to scream out once more. Within the distraction Chi’s water tentacles were rising. He could watch how she roughly removed the bolt from her skin. In an obvious moment of frustration, she screamed loudly, so loud that her voice would soon mix with the power of wind and blow many of the archers off from their positions, hopefully falling not too harsh onto their asses.

Verdandi’s body was obviously enraged. With a sudden burst of power, it reached forth and punched her arms straight through Chi’s clone. Still unaware of the tentacles behind. She would laugh a perverted and maniacal laughter. Chi’s clone would have to look down as he realized that he was not only beaten but also his body was freezing. Originating from the hole she had punched in his chest, it would slowly creep over his neck, down his belly, up his throat onto his face, down to the legs until he became but a statue of ice with a hole in his chest. Verdandi would slice her sword fifteen times through his body in quick succession, as in result it would crumble like glass and break down to ashes of ice dust. The storm bladed knife had fallen from it’s hands to the ground. It was still fully intact but obviously not within the real Chi’s possession right now.

Since the possessing spirit of storms had expected to have properly dealt with the water boy. She’d finally turn around to see the tentacles come down on her body. The impact was devastating. She seemed to have taken a full physical blow. No fractures would happen due to probably the pure power that was currently within her. But still, her frame was heavily bruised on both sides as the tentacles surrounded her. Eventually hoisting her up into the air. Making her squeal and even loose grip towards the katana she was holding. But it wouldn’t be that easy to beat a damn god. The monster within screamed. Rapidly frost would creep back onto the skin and not only quick frost the tentacle parts around her, it’d shatter them alike the water clone earlier. Also, the fluid that had gotten in contact with this armour, was infected by frost. Slowly, like poison, it’d crawl its way past the length of the tentacles and eventually try to reach Chi’s main body.

Screaming once more within her bruised shell. One could see that the many attacks had weakened the spirit within. Rain stopped falling. Probably to Chi’s disadvantage but it also meant that the real Verdandi was forcing her way slowly back into control. The damaged spirit picked up it’s sword. The katana tightly gripped. The eyes of the monster trying to pin point the origin of the slowly frost-dying tentacles to the cup of tea. Blasting towards it to impact her full body strength on it and hopefully crush whatever this weak and filthy boy was doing in there.

While the battle in the courtyard had resumed and Chi would have to deal with protecting his own life of sorts. The archers had taken their chance to crawl back up in position. Trying to find a steady aim on their target, yet they could not shoot while Verdandi was still in charging motion. Most of them would have guessed Chi to have died due to seeing the clone be destroyed. The tentacles being but remains of his chakra or some sort of pre-initiated trap or attack. None of the soldiers would have the capabilities to understand his chakra nature, his skills and the very weirdness of his techniques by just looking at them for the first time. Hence, they did not consider him being still a civilian object of interest without seeing him. He’d have to realize that and act accordingly or he’d eventually end up motioning around and getting shot by an electrifying arrow before the guards could grasp that he was, still alive indeed.

Aside from all this ruckus. The guards had already made their way to the hospital. Informing Deacon Yuki of the situation. As it was, not the first time this had happened. He was well prepared. Grabbing a specific item, bagged on a pile of random junk within his storage room. To be fair, it took quite some time to find it because he was one hell of a messy person when it came to this stuff. But hey, once found, he would make himself move out in direction of the courtyard. Hopefully to reach his daughter in time. Before the damage caused would be greater than wanted. In her previous mental breaks, none had died so far. But this could easily change. Not like the god of storms seemed to care. He actually seemed to very much enjoy the prospect of killing someone. The poor clone of Chi being certain proof of that.


1150 / 9170

Chakra 180/200:

The image had been clear in his mind, of his arms freezing and snapping off. He was an idiot. He had known this would happen. Why did he reach out and touch her anyway? He had made his plan to defeat her like this before he saw that the storm god had overtaken her. Perhaps she would have been a bit more cautious about freezing his arms if she wasn't going through some sort of divine possession. Chigetsu began to realize it likely wasn't a very good plan anyway. Couldn't he have adjusted it in some way though? He should have known better. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Chigetsu was screaming. The tentacles weren't anything more than his arms transformed with a bit of chakra and water. When she froze them off, that was his arms that were being frozen and shattered, not some sort of jutsu construct. That he was screaming likely made it obvious where his location was even if she hadn't been able to just obviously see the tentacles coming from the tea cups, but it likely didn't help. He couldn't help it. He had never felt this kind of pain before. With the blessings of his clan there had never been a time that he had even been injured before, let alone have something like this happen to him. Out of necessity the tentacles would be discarded, each of them thinning themselves out and slicing a separation before the frozen points. The iced over parts would fall to the ground and shatter. Before he had even seen her charging towards the tea cup he would have jumped out of it, motivated by the intense pain and no longer having a clone to serve as a distraction.  

On his feet again and out of the tea cups his injuries would be revealed. From the elbow down both of his arms were gone. Those parts of him had been frozen and sacrificed, spread out all over the ground in the form of frozen tentacles now. While they would be able to be reattached to him fine if the liquid was collected and dethawed, that would only be if he survived long enough to think about that in the first place. Thick translucent goo would drip down from where his limbs would be ripped off, almost mimicking how blood would fall from an open wound. While reforming his body in order to make new hands was obviously within his capability, that wouldn't replace the tenketsu which had been frozen and separated from his body.  

He had emergency procedures planned for moments like this though. When he couldn't use his hands, because they were occupied or burnt off, there were other ways he could make hand signs. With his control over his body he would exert a bit of focus down to his organs. His kidneys. Both would be liquefied inside of him, their forms reshaped to be that of hands. As the demon girl charged towards him he would return with everything that he could in return for his lost hands. His kidneys began forming signs inside his gut.  

Water Release: Gunshot. Six condensed spheres of water would fly from his lips consecutively, aimed towards her face. He waiting to fire until she close enough that if she had swung forth with her katana it would have only been a few inches away from his body. Hopefully, the impacts would stun her in some way, as if they didn't, or she managed to dodge them in some manner, Chigetsu would surely be dead.  

He would run, attempting to seize on the opportunity that would come afterward. He might have gotten a surprise hit off on her with those bullets as he didn't visibly make any hand signs to create them, but he didn't believe in the slightest they would put her down. So he ran. The image of the knife was clear in his mind. He could see it. Even without arms, he could wield the weapon and perhaps gain some sort of advantage.

The archers seemed to have the same idea as him. Another barrage of arrows would be fired down, taking the opportunity of the stopped charge as a chance to hit. He was ignorant to their pathing and still so close to their target. Straying from where it had been aimed, an electrified arrow would fly towards the retreating male. It collided directly into his shoulder, not having the mind to notice it while his focus was so enraptured on getting away from the girl behind him. Almost immediately there would be a lightshow. The coursing electricity would light his body up, a brief flash emitting from his watery form. He would have been stopped dead in his tracks. Color drained from his skin, and strangely his clothing as well. Steam rose out of him, the heated air inside his lungs now rising naturally out from his mouth and nostrils. Chigetsu would fall after his breath left him, collapsing in a mess on the ground.

He fell on his back. Sparks and static still coursed through his form, his watery body twitching involuntarily every so often. There was nothing he could do now. He couldn't move. Not even his eyes, unable to try to look to see where the woman was. Now he could only wait for death.  

---

[903/9878]

Chakra 66/150:

Verdandi’s body was on straight collision course with the armless blobby creature. The storm god still seemingly enraged from the damage it had taken already. The katana in her hand was about to slice through his body as the water gunshots hit. One blasted the weapon off her hand, one hit her face and the others continuously impacted on her body. It was a chance. A chance for the archers to go ahead and use the situation to their advantage. But the storm god was way too powerful to be caught in any further projectiles. His leg was already in sprinting position. He’d charge for Chi’s weakened shell, fist aiming towards his body. The contact of ice would shatter him like the clone earlier. It’d finally kill that annoying cockroach daring to mess with a god.

But it would not play out that way. One could see within the air that the clouds were dying and the eye of the storm would return. Shining its light like a sudden beam onto the village of Heidel. The sunlight would blind the charging god and stop him in his tracks. Verdandi’s body was covered in water. He was losing control and hence she was slowly regaining her own. Using her willpower, she’d command the water to attack herself. The gunshots had blown away the ice armour from before and now he was practically defenceless. Verdandi’s ice prison technique slowly creeped up upon the princesses body. It would slowly surround him and if Chi had turned his head, see how his enemy was slowly frozen into a statue of ice. The final moment of truth had come. The archers had sent their salves of electric arrows towards their target.

As one of them mistakenly hit Chi, the archer who had fired the shot got hit on his head by his superior for this stupid screw up. Then again, Chi was in too close proximity to the final target. It wasn’t too hard to hit him there in his tracks. What the electricity did to his body was yet unfortunate and…. Seemingly painful. A myriad of arrows hit Verdandi’s body and attached their electric charger onto the ice. While it was slowly melting away the shocks would be sent inside the ice prison. By the time the ice had thawed away Verdandi’s body would pass out onto the floor. Since there was no one left to control the storm anymore. The eye of the storm would slowly close once more. This time on a simply natural effect. It wasn’t influenced by the spirit anymore, but neither from Verdandi herself. The world turned black, literally but also not just in the heavens above the two contestants but also on their minds. They would not regain consciousness before the next day.

Verdandi would wake up slowly. Her body was in crucial pain. She would recognize the place they were as Heidel’s hospital. Her belongings were put aside. Most of the clothes she was wearing in her spar had been ripped apart by the lightning. Deacon, her father was next to her bed. He held her hand and smiled as she opened her eyes. “Well well, look who is back…” he said teasingly. She slowly wrapped herself forth to sit up. Her body still ached but she could feel a myriad of medical seals had been placed on her. “One to repair tissue damage… one to repair the damage of the electricity within your chakra system… one to mend the bruises your friend had inflicted on you and one to numb the pain… you know, you are costing me a lot of energy here young lady.” He laughed with a smile. But Verdandi wondered. Her father’s energy was far more capable than that. It was around that moment when Verdandi noticed a glassy cage not far from her bed. It was completely surrounded by protection seals and fuinjutsu she did not understand. Runes were glowing. Inside the glass cage was but the knife Verdandi had formed out of natural instinct for Chi to defend himself with. The weapon itself seemed rattling and various noises would cry out from within the glass, eventually muffled down by one of the many seals.

“Thanks to you and your friend we finally caught him this time. He was trapped inside you. We just took the liberty to move his chakra into something that is less dear to me and potentially less powerful than you, young lady.” That being said. Verdandi understood that she had not being taken care of the storm. But before she could form the seals to try and influence it. Deacon held her hand and prevented it. “Take it easy child. Heidel was built to endure these storms for aeons. Having it bug us for another day or week… will not be a huge thing. Taking care of this was a task we shouldn’t have begged you to perform anyway. I am very sorry, due to our carelessness it was you who got harmed… again. I wouldn’t feel like such a fool if this didn’t happen before. But your powers were remarkable. You sealed the god within yourself and were willing to sacrifice your own existence for it. I’m proud. Child.”

Verd was not good with compliments like that. She didn’t have a particular daddy issue but this was something that would make any kid uncomfortable to deal with. Certainly, happy to hear it but still comfortable. “There is another person we must thank. Your friend took on a large amount of damage to distract you. Without his help half the castle would have probably fallen victim to the renegade god. Now thanks to him the trouble maker is well trapped in an object barely bigger than my own hand…” Verd smiled. But immediately remembered what Chi had gone through in this battle. With worried eyes she’d stare up at Deacon. “Where is he? Did he…?” implying that she was almost certain he had fallen victim to the arrow. Deacon shook his head. “Don’t worry child. He’s getting better. He’s still sleeping but we managed to get all his body parts back into one blob. It took me a while to figure out how to properly stimulate his hydration technique without him being there to activate it. Luckily it seems like his body has something… comparable to muscle memory. It willingly returned into one piece after a little suiton infusion.”

“Thank you, dad, I think he has endured enough for a weekend… guess he seriously deserves a vacation.” Verdandi replied calmly. Realizing that everything turned out well, eventually giving into her exhaustion and taking another nap to properly recover. By the time Chi would wake, Verd was sitting next to his healing tank. They figured a fluid container with healing chakra imbued into the water would do most of the trick. It was a lot of water. Enough to hydrate himself back to full strength a dozen times over. As he would reform himself properly, he’d figure that none of his body parts were missing. Deacon had already left the hospital. Leaving it to Verd to explain what all happened.

“I’m sorry to have dragged you into this. That was not my intention. I can honestly say you payed your depth more times over than I originally intended… you didn’t have to literally die for me you know. That was a joke silly.” She grinned and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. Allowing him to rest still in his tub. Verd would proceed to talk with him. Explain thoroughly how this spirit had haunted the storms of these lands for many years. Her connection to the storm allowed him to overwhelm the young prodigy. Using her as his vessel. She also proudly explained that, unlike last time and thanks to their combined effort. This very god of storms was now completely sealed away inside this very knife…. After the sealing sequence had been accomplished, Verd was allowed to remove the knife from it’s glassy container and hand it to Chi.

“There. I guess it is only fair that you can keep it. Just make sure to not accidentally release the spirit again. That… would be kind of bad I guess….” She wondered. The seals on the weapon strong enough to even shut it up for now. He’d maybe, someday learn how to interact with the weapon and eventually tame the very spirit within to make use of it’s powers. Who knows. At least it was a pretty cool keepsake for a pretty unusual adventure.


1450 / 10620

Death didn't come. Unconsciousness did though, the coursing electricity torturing the male until his mind gave away to sleep. But what he assumed would be his end did not come. For the second time, he would slowly drift to consciousness, eased into the world of the living by warmth and healing waters. His eyelids would flutter open underwater. Rising up from the healing tank he had been placed into the first thing he would see would be those eyes. Heterochromia. Déjà vu. It felt like he had been in this position before, and that was because he had been. It was a reflection of when he had woken up having been frozen by the storm, revitalized by the warming spa waters and seeing this beautiful woman's eyes as the first thing to greet him as he woke up. If he didn't know better at this point he would have repeated exactly what he had said before. 'Are you an angel?' Seeing her confirmed to him that he wasn't dead this time. Memories and understanding flowed back into him. He clenched his arms. His fingers were back. They would be brought up from the water and he would stare down at them.

He would listen to her apology. There wasn't anything for him to say. He could only be silent right now. Even as she pressed a kiss to his cheek he wouldn't be able to respond with words. Just a slight furrowing of his eyebrows. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to feel. Moments like this were too confusing. It didn't sit right in him though. There was a deep pit in his stomach now. Chigetsu had taken what she said about being a slave to repay his debt as being serious. To so quickly erase it as she was and then claim his debt was repaid made him uneasy. It felt wrong. There was no solution forward past that point that would have felt good to him, especially not this one. Perhaps he was too naïve to assume that she would be telling him the truth. He would smile at his own foolishness. There was a lot for him to still learn about people and words.  

Her explanation about the storm bounced off him. They were all words that he couldn't truly comprehend. He had lived through and battled with this storm, just as he had with countless others in the past, but this had only been his first encounter with the spirit here. He couldn't know the pain and anguish that those who lived here felt, or any of the suffering that Verdandi had experienced with it stuck in her body. In that battle he must have only gotten a small taste of those emotions. Fear. He heard her, and he would nod as she finished her explanation. Even as she placed the blade in his hand he would feel numb. Confused. Its voice streamed into his mind at once with contact and he would flinch, nearly dropping it. He would grimace. It was speaking so quickly he couldn't understand anything. His heartbeat sped up. Blood drained from his face. It was a burst of energy inside his mind that raged around, struggling with its bindings and expressing pure rage.  

He would stand. Whether he had been stripped before being put in the healing tank like before was irrelevant to him now, he couldn't worry about that in the moment. Stepping out of it wouldn't bring a single drop with him, any excess water absorbed into his skin. He was healed and hydrated. Everything was fine. The knife would be put down. It was too overwhelming right now. He would sigh, letting a big breath of air out. It took a moment to cool his nerves.  

"This was the second time, you know?" His earlier thoughts would be verbalized now. After all that silent he would be desperate to release something, even if he didn't know what to say. "The second time that I nearly died and woke up in a bath, with you there. It almost feels like it's worth it, just being able to wake up staring into your eyes like that. Still..." He would clear his throat. Despite just being in that hydration tank his mouth suddenly felt dry. "I don't want to make a habit of almost dying like that. Even if it's in ways where a pretty girl nurses me back to health afterward." There was more he wanted to say. About still feeling like he was in her debt. About the fight. About how he had accepted dying then. He couldn't vocalize it though. He was sure that they were only giving him the knife to ensure it ended up as far from Heidel as possible, but he almost didn't mind that. In a sense that was being useful, being a keeper of such a dangerous spirit. For some reason he was, smiling. "I'll take care of this knife. Thank you. I'll..." He would reach his hand up to brush his bangs back. Chigetsu almost laughed. He had to hold the urge back, it only escaping from him in small giggles. "I'll repay you somehow." Even if she thinks he's repaid his debt, Chigetsu knew better. He would stare down at the knife, his new responsibility. It wasn't enough.

---

[918/10796]

Verdandi giggled to herself. The confidence he showed as he explained his thoughts was almost kind of handsome. But she could see something was troubling him. Worries were building in his head. Did he blame her for the pain he endured? It was something Verd was wondering herself. She connected a lot of guilt with him. The lies to entertain herself. The show off from her powers as she was just trying to impress him whilst it backfired to the point she turned a monster on him. The way she experimented on him to figure out how his body worked and eventually froze him for pure curiosity, inflicting pain without thinking ahead. She had been arrogant. Mean. Utterly distasteful in manners with this boy. She had teased and toyed with him. Exploited his weakness to her gender with an almost endless joy. She had treated him as a lower, weaker being and was so self-secure over her godlike powers that…. That it only served her right to have been pushed to the very bottom of her own pride right in front of him. Being defeated. Too weak to resist a spirit. Too frail and young to control her own technique. Too irresponsible to accept that some mistakes demand payment even for her. Even for the princess.

She sighed. Hoping his own thoughts weren’t quite as dramatic as hers. She would reach for his hand and slowly tug him out of the basin. Where he could show off his awesome technique that basically consumed the wetness inside him and left his skin dry. Verd would run a finger over his shoulder fascinated by the effect. “Yeah… second time…. We can repeat the hot spring part…” she said and then blushed a little. “And the beautiful girl part.” She said, smug, obviously still able to give off her cocky attitude without feeling ashamed for that. But certainly, grinning in an almost self-loathing laugh. But she was genuinely happy. The situation turned out well. Verd would help him with the clothes this time. Probably embarrassing for him but she figured if she kept putting him into embarrassing situations he’d eventually get used to them.

Finishing his yukata, she’d softly pick up the knife and slide it back into it’s sheath. Eventually sealing it completely and silent like this. Sliding the sheathed weapon onto his belt and making sure they didn’t leave anything behind. Grabbing hold of his palm once more. Verd would nod and tug him off in a way friendlier way than on their first two encounters. They would have to wear coats this time though. Some were ready at the entrance. Since Verd didn’t control the storm. Snow was blowing outside and wind howling. Stepping into it. Despite how Chi disliked this weather. Knowing that it was all natural wasn’t that bad. They would hop from warm house entrance to the next. Stopping by some fires at the bar and at the bakery to make sure Chi didn’t turn too cold. Until they made it to the north entrance of the castle. They would be able to see the main gate and the courtyard before they entered to their very own closest door into the castle. Even just a peek would show that some of the damage that was caused within the last accident had not been removed or fixed yet.

Verdandi sighed. She would be reminded of this for some time. Maybe it’d finally level her head a bit and get more real with the prodigy god-complex she was having. Verd made sure that her palm would remain connected with Chi’s tugging him forth along the warm corridors until they would make it back to the large living room. A huge red carpet furnished the floor, the wall tapestry as beautiful as ever. The large couch was unoccupied, the sisters and the parents had probably already gone to rest. Especially her father had done an exceptional job on this one. It certainly exhausted him to no ends. The healing seals were still on Verdandi’s body. Unlike Chi, the bruises on her skin would take a few days to vanish.

Once they reached the couch and Verd added some fresh logs to the already burning fire. They could sit down. Startled by the noise in the living room, a familiar face would charge in. Avalanche had not given one damn about the whole drama with the storm god. He didn’t know what was happening and probably slept through most of it. But he certainly realized that mommy and kind Sir were gone for over a day. No fun! As Chi would take a seat, his new favourite furball would jump in his lap and lick his face.

Verd would giggle. It was a cute display. Ava had certainly a unique effect on the young fluid made man. They would talk for a long time. About all that happened. About the last creepy incident of storm god accessing Verdandi’s chakra. The battle of her father with his own daughter. Forced to fight her until the god dispersed back into the air. Having him caught and caged was certainly better. Also, without having it realized before. It’d mean Verd would actually be able to keep the weather in Heidel under control without needing fear that she’d compromised again….. She liked that. Nothing would come to challenge her power to control the storms. Eventually, despite having rested for so long, their bodies normal inner clock would make them yawn. Once more Verd would offer complementary tea and a blanket to properly get himself warm and comfy. There were dozens of pillows so he could just take any of them and make himself comfortable. Ava would probably sleep on his belly again. Having found a certain liking towards the new boy.

Verdandi would sleep. A long long time. Their bodies were still exhausted and needed a lot of rest. Even if Chi’s system worked different, he had taken a lot of damage and would probably feel weakened for quite a few days to come. In the morning. Most of the seals on Verdandi’s body were gone. Most bruises were mended and only a few minor signs would remain on her skin. It’d take a few more days to get rid of those too probably.

Chi still seemed to be troubled sometimes. Verdandi didn’t like it. He was supposed to feel good. But she’d sooner or later figure out how he felt about his debt. “I saved your life and I took it, almost, the next day. If you still feel that your debt is unpaid…..” she wondered, tipping her own chin as she was contemplating if she would be too lazy to get more tea or not. “…you can always stay and help us with some of the repairs… I mean. If you feel THAT compelled to earn your freedom….” She would smile saying it. Finding a reason to have him stay longer… well why not sugar coat it in his debt if he still felt sour about it. A contract that would might be very enjoyable for both of them.

The coming days wouldn't be necessarily easy on Chi. In his weakened state Verd would tug him into various corners of Heidel. Alongside a team of very skilled carpenters. They would help the workers mend and fix the remaining damaged houses in the village. Not many days would it take until Verd could officially say that Heidel, as a city, was finally restored to its former beauty and its former strength. The walls were ready. The watch towers strong and mighty. The villagers were living comfortable and safe. Soon Verd would have the chakra to influence the weather once again. Bringing sunny days back into the city of Heidel. It would only be another few weeks until the Snowstorm would completely disperse, making Verd’s presence within the city no longer required by then.

Still, despite the city rebuilt, so many floors inside the castle, beneath the first basement level, were yet untouched. Many of those nearly 100 rooms had not been even opened in many many years. It would certainly be their job to sweep through the levels before they could send the cleaners and the carpenters to their work. It would almost seem like… a potential adventure of sorts. One that would require the poor ‘slave’ to stay a little longer in the land of snow and eventually give the princess and her trusty polar bear pet the company they were longing for. Who knows… they certainly made a good team. Maybe they could stick together for the long run. Wouldn’t that be an interesting turn of events?

[Exit]

1470 / Total wc: 12'090

Training:

Even if it was through her body, Chigetsu could understand that she wasn't the one who really hurt him. It was very east for him to understand. A spirit that infiltrated her mind and controlled her with voices... Well. He couldn't tell her, but it was something he had a lot of experience with. It was one of those things that caught in his throat now. After a day away from the influence of his kunai he almost had forgotten that they spoke. It was only when that wakizashi had been pulled out of its casing that he remembered, shocked back into understanding. His mind was still swirling from it.  

Out of the basin he was able to take a breath of fresh air. New air in his lungs helped. An exhale would circulate that feeling out of his mind and release it. It was easier after that.  He struggled to stand as he tried to exit the bath, his legs refusing to cooperate. Even with his injuries healed exhaustion ran through him, enough of it that it could almost replace his blood. His legs felt like they were made out of jelly. They were made out of jelly, of course, but that usually didn't get in the way of him standing on them. He would take her hand.  He appreciated her help, even if being a burden was something he absolutely loathed. With her help he was able to get on his feet again.

He had been lucky with this event, all things considered. It could have been so much worse. Blessed with his liquefication Chigetsu had never known the pain of a real injury before. It was still something he could feel. The corrupting chill of the ice creeping up his arms. The pulsating shock of electricity coursing through his system. If it wasn't that apparently Heidel was home to an incredibly skilled doctor in Verdandi's father he very likely wouldn't have been able to come back from either. It was incredibly lucky that all that happened didn't leave any scars. On either of them. At the very least he hoped not. He couldn't know how sure how she was feeling in the aftermath of that possession. Those were the sorts of wounds that weren't so readily visible.

He would keep on smiling, those worries easily blown away. The way she giggled. The way she blushed. The way she laughed. It was a relief. Everything felt right. She seemed okay. He was alive. Everything turned out fine. Any embarrassment he might have felt with her assisting him in getting dressed was laughed off. He was beginning to get used to it, and he was much too relieved now after that entire experience to seize up in embarrassment. While there was still a tinge of color in his cheeks it would be a far cry from his earlier fussing in the hot spring. The knife being slid back into its sheath, which apparently silenced it, took another current away from the mess that was his head. Everything was silent now, and all of his thoughts were his own again. Peace. To some extent he was used to the low level chattering that weapons usually had within them. He was so used to it from the dozens he carried around. The entire day he had been without them he barely noticed, but now that he was clearly aware of their absence it felt strange. Different.

He held her hand as they went off. Putting on thick winter coats made the storm much more tolerable than it had been when he was outside in just his yukata. With it covering him it wouldn't be so painful to step out in the snow. That he stayed as close as possible to Verdandi likely helped as well, eager to soak up as much of her body warmth he could.  Stepping into it together wasn't so bad. He could still feel the sting at his skin through the coat, but it was a pain he was more than willing to endure. Stopping near the houses that dotted the village certainty made it easier, their radiating inwards heat something that he could feel even just from standing near their walls. Much more sensitive to changes in temperature than a normal human, it was much easier to rely on these little areas of warmth to prevent any sort of frostbite from beginning. Taking the longer, but warmer route back to the castle was easier on him. Each little stop to reheat himself would be savored. He was glad she was willing to be patient. A burst of energy flowed into him as the entrance to the castle came into view. The promises of indoor warmth drew him forward. Despite how he was cold he would move faster, trudging through the snow as if his life depended on it now. Once inside he would let out the most dramatic sigh, hugging himself and rubbing his arms up and down his sides. Warmth. He still wasn't really used to the snow. Coming to Heidel had been the first time he had ever seen it. He had been completely unfamiliar with the frozen powder when it hit him in the storm, more confused than anything.  

Occupying a section of the couch was one of the first things on his mind. He would assist with the fireplace, wanting an excuse to be as close as possible to the heat source that gave him life, placing several logs in with Verdandi. Finally resting down on the cushion would be the next thing that he did, settling down and almost melting. The presence of Avalanche in his lap was the only thing that prevented him from collapsing into a pile of goo. If he did that there would be no way for him to pet the cute little furball, so he held back. Ava would get all the pets and scratches he deserved in Chigetsu's lap.  

Words. Tea. Blanket. Sleep. He hadn't even thought of what had happened after he fell unconscious. That her father managed to disperse and seal the storm god was awe inspiring though. Chigetsu would have to pay his respects somehow to this man, should they ever meet while Chigetsu was conscious. Rest would come naturally after the warmth was restored to his body, both inside and out due to the fireplace and tea. He was thankful. The conversation about debt would be difficult though. Troubling. It was something she had to pry away from him, obviously not the most willing to speak of it. Even explaining it there would be things he didn't say. It would be exposing his own thought process too far if he had. That she saved his life entitled her to killing him wasn't something he expected she wanted to hear, even if it was how he felt. What she had offered instead would be responded to with a small smile. He didn't mind staying longer.  

Construction wasn't exactly something he was skilled in, but any sort of manual laboring that he could do to assist would be an opportunity he was eager for. He couldn't complain in the slightest while repaying this debt of his. Even though it was out in the snow, out in the cold, out in the storm. The coat that she provided him would be snug tightly, along with another one placed over top of it that he had requested. Two coats meant double the warmth. Unfortunately, also only half the mobility. Still, he was flexible and strong. Very quickly he would get the hang of these repair jobs, learning how to operate the tools that the carpenters used. All things considered it went by quickly.  

With the snowstorm dispersing and sunlight and warmth returning to the city it would become much easier for Chigetsu to walk outside on his own. The coats wouldn't be necessary any longer, and in between reconstruction jobs he would explore Heidel. By the point that everything was reconstructed he would become much more familiar with the city. With Verdandi declaring that Heidel was restored he could take a bit of comfort and rest. His weakness and exhaustion had largely evaporated, even though he was dragged around every nook and cranny of the city to labor. Somehow, he managed to feel refreshed after it all. More satisfied than anything. Returning the focus to the castle was a welcome change of pace though. Hearing about the need to sweep through, perhaps literally, all the unopened rooms seemed like the next task in his long list of debt repayment. He would be at ease.  

On to the next adventure.

---

[EXIT]
[1464/12260]
Total: 12,260

Training: