Cold and Clean and White, Shining Diamond Bright

[shutter_hime]

⌛ Who: Kokoro and Everyone That Loves Not Dying from Heat
⌛ What: An unseasonably snowy day
⌛ When: July 3rd
⌛ Where: A Park in Tokyo
⌛ Warnings: N/A until they are



[The whole business with people (like her) being kidnapped and forced into bondage against their will sucked. Anyway, Kokoro wanted to forget all that, even if the tattoo around her arm wouldn't come off. (She'd tried to freeze it off, but nothing worked when you were immune to the cold.) Anyway, the summer in Tokyo was oppressively humid and hot, enough to make the yuki-onna want to cry and figure out a way to run to Hokkaido.

So the next best thing would have to be implemented. The extra energy she'd received through kizuna was more than enough for her to do this and also not need emergency kisses. A cloud appeared over the park she'd chosen, as she transformed into her full yuki-onna form, blue fingertips and lips and all floating white hair. Snow began to fall from the clouds as the temperature in the park dropped from oppressively hot to chilly, to nice and cold, just like she needed it.

With the extra kizuna, she could freeze more than 100 yards of the small park, further than she'd ever been able to before. That finished, Kokoro sat down on a blanket and picked out her favorite onigiri from a basket she'd brought along with her. Now all that was left was to let everyone know:]

As promised, I've got a lovely snow day for all of us who are melting from the heat. Please come to the park I've indicated on the map I've made! Let's have a nice day!

Comments

[getcloser]

Maybe.

[he finishes off the onigiri as she starts circling him, eyebrows raising just slightly. She isn't like the annoying girls at school, who flutter around him asking questions and "Jojo this" and "Jojo that".

He finally shrugs at her question, brushing off his hands]

Track, a few years ago. But I don't do any sports now.

[shutter_hime]

Track? I can see it. Shame that you don't do any sports now, though.

I was the captain of the girls' volleyball team at my school, but I had to retire because of exams. But it was super fun. I still have a really good spike, though. Have you see the dragon-human looking guy? I pass him almost every morning when I take a run.

[She finished circling her new friend and smiled at him.] So if you'd ever like to exercise together, let me know.

[getcloser]

Even if I wanted to, they don't let you join any clubs if you skip classes. Doesn't matter if you're up to date on work or not.

[he's a delinquent but one who turns in his work, like the nerd he really is]

You mentioned volleyball - you must have some advantage on the other players. [because she's tall. He nods] Do you mean Genbu?

[how do you talk to girls when they don't annoy you] I don't exercise.

[...

...

...] . . . but I get up early. Maybe I'll see you.

[shutter_hime]

The height does help, yes. But there are some girls around that are about my size. Mostly it's my spike speed, I can hit it as hard as a guy. Which is kind of scary, to have a 112km volleyball flying at you. But if I let up on them then I wouldn't be doing my best. I think that's the worst.

[She nods eagerly.]

Yeah! He's really nice, we met up at a festival not too long ago. So maybe you'll see us both in the morning.

[getcloser]

. . . that's almost as fast as a fastball pitch. [he only knows that because of that stupid game. Ugh] If you don't do your best, there's no point.

He's all right. [a shrug] Here in Tokyo, right?

[shutter_hime]

I've gotten some crazy bruises from games, so I'm glad I'm out of the line of fire now.

[She laughed again.]

Yeah, he's a lot nicer than he looks, too. Sort of like you. You could have ignored me calling you back here, but you didn't.

[getcloser]

I can imagine, if you all spike that hard.

[gross, being called out like this is gross]

. . . maybe I wanted normal conversation.

[a pause]

Even the yuki-onna part. More normal than most conversations I've had lately.

[shutter_hime]

Let me...

[It would take a few minutes for the storm to disappate, so she knew she had time to go back to her third form and keep it going for another little while. She shook her head and it was like her whole body was flooded with color - warm-looking skin, brown eyes instead of icy blue, pink hair, normal lips and fingertips.]

I'm not like that all the time, at least. This is what I normally look like.

[It was probably psychosomatic that she shook her head to change herself back to a proper-looking yuki-onna.]

I guess that, yeah, this is the most normal I've spoken to someone in what feels like weeks. I'm really glad you stopped!

[getcloser]

[huh. He takes a step back, but not out surprise or fear or any of that, but to see it properly. It's strange not having to look down so far. It's interesting that she looks like any other girl - not exactly what one expects when talking to, y'know, snow spirits]

. . . a few months, for me.

[...]

Me too.

[shutter_hime]

[Kokoro grins at him.]

Maybe I'll get you to join me on a run sometime. We can have some more normal conversations then, to get you up to quota.

[Which means she'll probably annoy him about it until he complies.]

Where were you headed off to, anyway?

[getcloser]

[going on a run just because is not something he really wants to do, but. He shrugs in answer instead of saying it's not even a possibility] Maybe.

I wasn't really going anywhere. Just walking around. I saw the snow and—

[as he's talking, Star Platinum decides to make his appearance, manifesting in a burst of sparkles to lean over and examine some of the snow on the ground]

—. . . was curious.

[shutter_hime]

Did... did a guy just grow out of your back?

[She wasn't sure if she should be surprised or concerned. Typically, normal people didn't have fully-grown, giant purple people punchers suddenly show up that way.]

Should we... call someone?

[Like an exorcist...?]

[getcloser]

Good grief. [it's directed at Star, mostly]

No, it's fine. He's never seen snow before. [it. Makes sense a yuki-onna would be able to see Star, since they're both spirits. Right? Shit]

[shutter_hime]

[She turns her face away so he can't see her amused expression. And hopefully not hear the little giggle. It's really cute, actually.]

So, I guess that means he's never had a snowball fight... then.

[ho don't do it]

[getcloser]

[Star glances up and looks between Jotaro and Kokoro, before he offers her a little wave and an "ora!" as though in agreement, before his attention returns to the snow.

Jotaro scoffs, because he isn't embarrassed, but this is. New]

If I get really technical about it, he has. Because he's my spirit energy.

[. . . SIGH] His name is Star Platinum.

[shutter_hime]

[Kokoro waved back and bowed politely.

Cute. The purple-- Star Platinum is really cute.

Even if he is... shirtless and wearing a loincloth?

Just what is Jotaro's spirit like?]

It's nice to meet you, Star Platinum.

[She turns her attention back to Jotaro. She makes a little snowball with one hand.]

But he doesn't act like he has. Maybe give him a new opportunity!

[getcloser]

[listen we don't need to talk about what Star looks like, ok, he doesn't have any answers for that.

It isn't often that he doesn't know what to say, and he can't just not say anything. He looks at Star, who looks up at them again, head tilted. He sees Kokoro with snow in her hand and, of course, he has to do it too.

Jotaro sticks his hand in his pocket because now it's COLD, THANKS STAR]

Do you want to? [to Star, half-mumbled, like he doesn't talk like this to his stand often. Or at least, in front of other people] You're the one who came out here.

["Ora!" is the response. Jotaro sighs again] He wants to.

[shutter_hime]

Got it!

[Kokoro steps away from her food and tea. She begins to manifest more snowballs that float around her like a mandala. What's good being a yuki-onna if you don't flex now and again?]

OK, I'll give you some time to make some snowballs. Or I can make some for you. I have some tea in my bag, so I'll share it with you when we're done.

I actually brought a lot, so feel free.

[getcloser]

[meanwhile, Jotaro is going to sit down. This is Star's fun, not his - even though it's going to be his too but details and this is all within his range, so.

And preemptively stick his other hand in his pocket.

But! Star looks surprised as she manifests more snowballs, watching them before he eagerly scoops up some snow to make a snowball of his own, patting it together very carefully. Is Jotaro helping? Maybe]

. . . he said he'll make his own.

. . .

Tea would be nice, after.

[shutter_hime]

Great, I'll move back so he has room. It's not fun if we're right up against each other, after all.

[Gotta have that good space for the balls to actually be worth smacking someone. She watched him mindfully pat the snowball together, muttering cute! under her breath at Star Platinum's concentration as she built snow walls several meters apart.]

OK! I'll take the left one, he can have the right. No shooting for the face, please.

[getcloser]

[Star dutifully prepares - pausing only to look at Jotaro as though he's asking a question, or to watch what Kokoro is doing. He's taking this snowball fight very seriously.

"Ora." He says, agreeing. No faces. Jotaro merely makes himself comfortable, pretending like he isn't keeping a close eye on things. Once they're both set up - ]

Be gentle, Star. It's just a game.

[shutter_hime]

[Kokoro's mandala of snow spins like a the wheel it is as she plucks one out of the rapidly spinning snow and tosses her first snowball at Star Platinum. She can't spike them, and maybe that's for the best because the snowball is fast and Kokoro seems to be aiming for his belly.

Why, Jotaro? Why is the manifestation of your soul wearing so little coverage?]

[getcloser]

[HE DOESN'T KNOW, OKAY, HE HAD NO SAY IN THIS.

Kokoro hits Star square in the belly and the stand blinks, looking down at the snow there before brushing it off. Jotaro grunts, because - yeah, that was fast.

But Star knows! He's supposed to be gentle! And so he doesn't wind up to throw his own snowball back, but he does throw it fast - because that's what Kokoro had done]

[shutter_hime]

Haa!

[Kokoro turns to take the snowball on her side, instead of her chest - there's more padding from the kimono there, and she laughs as she picks up two snowballs and throws them at Star, then ducks down behind her snow bank.]

[getcloser]

[Star catches one of the snowballs thrown, while the other still hits. Star doesn't seemed too bothered by it, but Jotaro shifts, sitting up a little straighter and mutters] You're supposed to dodge them.