Deep Dark Freeze

[Phantasma]

Drum Island, Homeland of the newly founded Sakura Kingdom, 1:00 PM, Snowy.

---

    Ever since the merchant vessel Kite had managed to accompany had coasted towards the island the waters were calm. A sort of eerie placidity that allowed his eyes to wander and trace what lay beyond the rather unremarkable galleon ship. Suppressing the urge to shiver he took to examining the snow as it fell overhead, holding out a gloved hand to watch the flakes instantly evaporate against the material and his own internal temperature. Keeping thoughts to himself he caught a few more flakes within his open, upturned right palm before the commotion on the deck caused him to look over his shoulder. His expression although neutral was one of mild curiosity given how quickly everyone was shuffling about on board. This crew in particular was an oddity among oddities, garbed in parka's and thick puffy pants they looked more like some sort of bloated bears than people with scarcely any details coming out of the holes that hovered over what Kite guessed were faces. Muffled tones of the brightly colored, orange captain pointing and gesturing for Kite to move so the lesser blue colored jackets could line the deck up with their haul.

    Complying and bowing his head a bit as an excuse for his slothfulness he stepped to the side and waited near the back of the ship, leaning on the wall closing in the captains cabin. Blinking lazily he observed the labor, the bizarre boxes that seemed to just get bigger and bigger yet in no way hampering the crew moving them. Wooden in design, hatched and geometrical the elongated towering rectangular prisms of possibly a meters height threatened to blot out the view of the island. The last thing Kite could really make out before they made port were the Drum Rockies. A peculiar set of mountains that adopted a perfectly flat zenith and a conic body.

    When time to port arrived the white haired bounty hunter was already moseying off the ship, setting his payment of Beri down in the outstretched oven mitt-like glove of the captain. A ruby red coin purse that Kite could live without stuffed full of travel fare and something extra in exchange for a boring, quiet, leisurely ride. It was fortune enough to get this far into the grand line and from what he understood closer to Alabasta where his friend was probably eagerly awaiting him.

    Recalling Miu he adopted something of a smile that melted his otherwise stern expression. Continuing to reminiscent with himself he followed the gang off the plank lowered onto the brief inlet river that flowed into the island and started trekking towards one of the few settlements that the town had. Shoes crunching in the snow it wasn't just the sound he was making but Kite seriously stood out in this winter wonderland. Instead of packing a heavy coat he sported his usually attire of a long black and white pinstripe suit complete with black gloves, similarly designed blackened dress shoes and his signature red ascot. The more the cold set in however the easier it was for him to adjust after all he too came from a cooler blue and so it was far less abrasive than the heat that would await him in the desert kingdom.

    Moving some stray hair out of the way the town had become visible on the starken white and winter green landscape. Pine trees bent away and the noise of nature had become dulled against the backdrop of blue brick bungalows supported in metallic frames topped with odd green oval stacked spiraled roofs littered with lights, decorations, honestly the place looked more like a resort than an ordinary town or so far as any Kite had been to before. Shrugging it off as just the eccentric nature of the grand line he continued, nodding at the crew members and waving his left hand over his shoulder as a sort of farewell.

    "So if I were going to find a navigators or shipwrights office... where exactly would I go," He said, out loud in a frankly uncharacteristic manner.

    Stroking his chin with his right hand he turned in the middle of the snow covered street on his heels back and forth. Practically digging himself a little hole in the snow thanks to the fast and sudden movements. Some people stared, some people hurried a long, not a lot of folks were willing to stay out in the cold when they could enter shops and fight off the cold with a crackling fire and four walls along with a roof. Having finally spotted a shop with a little paddle-like sign hoisted over its doors by chains Kite rushed off and did his best to not slip on ice that lay beneath the likely earthen or stone ground. Pumping his arms back and forth he jogged towards the little general store swearing that it was better than nothing in his mind.

    Pushing the door open, having it creak and ring some overhead bell Kites vision immediately shot up to find the source. Relaxing when it indeed was just some form of welcome and not an attack he waved at the clerk currently looking at him sideways from behind a counter. She was an old lady, a grandma type, more green-ish sweater and cane then she was exposed skin. Her hair was a pinkish white shade done up in a bun behind her head that almost looked like a flower of sort while perched on her little nose were insanely sized circular glasses that magnified her eyes to proportions bigger than a fist.

    "I wouldn't suppose you have Poses do you? Eternal Poses? For Alabasta?" Kite said breathlessly, walking towards the counter and looking down at the short, innocent old lady who seemed to perk right up and was perhaps seconds away from giving her answer.

    Perched atop Kites back, unseen by the elderly clerk and Kite, was some sort of medium sized chameleon. How it had gone unknown was hilarity in itself, and it would explain why so many people gave the hunter a wide berth on the road as well as why some of the animals seemed to neigh and let out similar noises of distress. Although it might've seemed harmless the way its eyes looked in independent directions and how it was slowly crawling towards the Hunters neck gave the impression it was far from harmless. Possessing a colorful collection of prismatic spines atop its otherwise slick and exotic green hide the beast was a great example of its species. Tail idly coiling behind itself like a spool of rope.

[Vio]

“It’s so co-o-o-old!” Her outcry drawing the passing attentions of some of the locals, Whitaker Bryony was certainly not suited to such climes as these. A native of the far more tropical, humid southern ocean, such a chilly environment bit deep into her form. Or was she just making a scene of it? Frankly, it was hard for anyone to tell. A dark green parka packed with thick, light grey fur had its drawstrings drawn tight, hood taut about the young woman’s copper visage. A light pink woollen scarf about her neck barely revealed its presence near her chin, while matching mittens covered her hands in their entirety.

“Some hot cocoa would be great right now,” the brunette muttered, own words barely audible between the muffling attire and the crunching of crisp snow beneath heavy brown boots. All-in-all, she felt horrifically restrained by the climes of Drum, forced to choose between exposure and comfort, or confinement and survival. The snowfall of the South Blue islands was so much more forgiving compared to this; a Mephistophelian landscape of ice and bitterness.

^{“O, woe is me!”}

“Will you can it already, Brie? You really aren’t helping,” growled one of her cohorts as he shifted barrels and boxes about at the island’s port. A burly, bearded man wearing distinctly less restrictive attire, while he too was wrapped up for warmth, he was by no means bound by his choice of coat. Then again, this was a man born on a Winter Island of the Grand Line, and so his fair but ruddy skin was indicative of his innate tolerance of such frigid locales. Dark eyes looked to the Rebel Nymph as he set down an empty barrel upon a sled and worked to secure it with rope.

“And what am I supposed to do? What, pray tell, does such a ferocious brute expect of a fair young maiden unaccustomed to such foreign lands as these?” Exaggerating her actions and stretching her vocals, Miss Whitaker placed a hand to her head and gestured towards the towering pillars that were the island’s namesake. Unfortunately, her associates were not so readily buying into her plea. “O, my feeble frame cannot hope to-”

“Feeble my left arse cheek! Who was it that smashed the lock on that arms dealer’s door when he realised we were onto him?” he barked. “‘Cause if I remember right, that was you! That was you before you ate that Devil Fruit!”

^{“Oh, hush now! Anyone can break a rusty lock~!”}

^{“It wasn’t rusty!”}

“Will you two quit yappin’ like a couple of West Blue Terriers already? Wallace! Hurry up with refillin’ those barrels. We aren’t goin’ anywhere without fresh water,” said the squad’s leader, leaning over the ship’s railings as he oversaw the resupply efforts. “Bryony! I- I don’t know! Just… Just go and do somethin’ that isn’t goin’ to give Wallace an excuse to shout at you and where I don’t have to hear you complainin’ about the cold!”

“Yes, Sir!” With a hop and skip, Brie was off, leaving the men behind to continue their work. The sooner the ship’s stores were restocked, the sooner they were going to be able to leave Drum (and the bitter cold) behind. To that end, she was more than willing to cooperate, even if cooperation simply meant going off on her own little adventure. Maybe, just maybe, she could find somewhere that made a decent hot cocoa…

[Phantasma]

    "Rerorerorero," The Chameleon landed a sticky dart of its tongue onto the back of Kite's head.

    "Oh of course lad, plenty. I'll just need to check--," Eyes possessing an intensity that forced them to waver behind curved glass the poor woman fell silent when she saw the tongue.

    Much like the consistency of gum mixed with melted candy the elongated limb forced the little green guy to snap right to the right side of his face before adjusting itself once more. Apparently convinced it was hidden it rested atop the frozen hunters scalp adjusting those alien feet which looked more like claps. Kites expression was similarly dumbfounded, eyes nearly white and mouth wide open as a tiny little squeal sounded out. Before silence could really set in for a multiple minute time span the lanky, now rigid and thoroughly spooked bounty hunter charged backwards.

    Knocking open the door as he let out some sort of growing yell he attracted a sort of following, continuing his stride clear past the general store heading in a direction closer to where the port was. Pumping his arms yet moving backwards it seemed to be a completely and total violation of physics. Moon walking (moon running?) until he decided to make an abrupt right turn and slam the back of his head into some pine tree. Loosing the snow atop the branches and sending a white glistening shower from its canopy he was thoroughly covered in the powder within seconds.

    For the immediate passer by it would've looked like a blur, some well dressed individual running backwards with a flailing reptile scrambling trying to detach itself. Ultimately the both of them being buried under an avalanche of snow from one of the taller evergreens near Bighorn. Hardly a sedentary pile of snow the whole dune eventually erupted into steam leaving a now exposed and partially dented in tree with Kite resting his head near the point of distortion and shower of splinters. Fine, or in control of his faculties enough to shakily get to his feet rubbing the back of his head and spinning around in a manic panic. Stopping to a near screeching halt and nearly falling when he spotted the suitably peeved creature scrambling around on the ground towards him. Independent movement on each eye that zeroed in on the poor guy!

    "I HATE SPIDERS!" Shouting to the maxim of his ability Kite loosed his right most dagger from his sheathe and fired off a sonic wave.

    The tone was deafening from a distance but for those close to the blade, even in the direction it was pointing in, would suffer a splitting headache among other aches and pains. On such a small critter with an apparently light frame it had the added bonus of catapulting it far away from the road into the nearby trees. In its wake snow powder reclaimed the now barren treetops and covered up whatever evidence there was a lizard had flown the coop. Almost acting like it was normal to send out such an attack Kite put his blades away and straightened his attire trying to dust off whatever disgusting fluids had stained into his pristine white mane.

    That selfsame mane of which he was carefully combing through with his gloves hands was a mess, a controlled mess, but one still the same. No matter how many times he smoothed it down it really only served to disturb another stand or a group of hairs into waving along in the cold air.

    People in the road gave him space and just looked at him with nearly the same shock he had afforded that vermin. Even those in town seemed to be looking in the direction of Kite and to a lesser degree Bryony. If it wasn't for the fact they had seen it, then it was the quality of the attack itself. A sort of pitch of sound that the revolutionary might even be able to identify. Nails on a chalkboard, only like a million nails on about as many separate chalkboards in a cave with dynamite exploding every few seconds. To an extent it was still echoing off into the distance following whatever absurd arc that the pest had went in.

    Gripping his shoulders and shivering some it signaled the end of the male fretting over whatever might've crawled on him. Apparently giving little mind to investigate it and deciding on walking back into town the way he came.

    Pocketing his hands it was easy enough for him to come to the conclusion spiders were not green and that thing had four legs. Yet still the thought of those things near him always managed to get him bothered, any insect really. Having been in such a spotless environment he wasn't used to the things and it always served to get a visceral response out of him.

    "No use in trying to track that thing down... Really shouldn't have overreacted like that. Hueugh... but it did that thing with my hair and it was HUGE! Right on my head! Weird place... weird animals... going to kill it if it tries that again," He mumbled to himself kicking aside some stones whenever he felt his boots click atop them in the snow.

    Ignorant of all the staring, of the revolutionary that would likely follow him the path to the general store was decided. Perhaps the greatest bonus of all was that somewhere perched on the window was a sign that boasted about some sort of delicious hot coco drink within. Though from such a tiny little storefront crowded with aisle of food and supplies you'd have to wonder just where all that was.

    Looking in from the window solely some sort of machine sat behind the counter within the front of the store. A circular kind of set up that ensured the lady minding the station would be able to move about in relative comfort or sit on her stool waiting for patrons. What wasn't on shelves in here were in casks that sat in the middle of the wooden floor or were displayed against the walls and on the counter in the front or displays behind the clerk.

[Vio]

“D- Did he just… What did he just do?” Mumbling to herself , Whitaker Bryony tried to comprehend what it was her hazel-green eyes had just witnessed. A blur of colour launched some distance by an attack that she did not quite have a chance to see, but could have sworn she had heard. And by a man who did not seem at all dressed appropriately for the environment? Nonetheless, she had little a chance to address the fellow as he made his way onward as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

All the same, the bundled-up brunette advanced, though not after taking a moment or two to consider the situation. It was only a chill breeze brushing its fingertips across her face that reminded her of the solace and shelter she was seeking. Hardly was she at risk of freezing to death, but she could have fooled herself with her attitude towards it all.

Wasting no more time, she soon stumbled upon the very store that she had been searching for, mittened hand pulling open the wooden door. The building’s innards soon welcomed her with the heat of a crackling fire, swiftly banishing the cold air that seemed to cling to her like an invisible frost. But what she truly sought as something to warm her innards and relax after a lengthy voyage across the Grand Line’s turbulent waters. The Revolution had their means of crossing such a treacherous sea, but few could honestly say that they could cross the Line so smoothly.

“Sweet, sweet warmth,” Bryony exclaimed, practically launching herself to the counter before anything could be said or done - before the woman at the counter to even welcome her or offer her anything. “May I please order a mug of hot cocoa? It’s so cold and I need something warm, y’know?”

^{“Y- Yes? And welcome,” the vendor said:
“But you didn’t shut the door…”}

^{“Oops…”}

[Phantasma]

    "These are... Just log poses. Huh. Well, that's to be expected I guess. Still I won't be able to leave this place for a few days so I need to make an effort to find some place to stay," Kite muttered while skulking around the little store, depositing the tiny Log Pose bracelet back onto the wall cubbyhole.

    Only now becoming dimly aware of the fact he wasn't alone in the store the white haired drifted looked up. Combing back his hair once more as he honed in on the third new person in the room. It wasn't an unusual sight, she was dressed for the weather in what appeared to be a Parka paired with some mittens and a scarf making her appear more clothes than human. Figuring that she was either not feeling well or perhaps intolerant of the cold for whatever reason Kite shrugged the details off and was getting ready to leave the shop when he overheard the mention of a certain beverage near the counter.

    A want, a parroted desire, welled up in the pit of his stomach and in the quiet of the store a low pitched growl emanated from the pit of his stomach. Thoroughly trying to hide the little embarrassment our smartly dressed hunter who looked more like a maître d' cleared his throat. Playing it off like it was a weird cough or something he covered and then uncovered his face mumbling out an apology as he came to a close enough distance to Bryony. With no trouble at all was he able to see the counter over her and made to speak up, dimly aware of his proximity to the young lady angling it so he didn't speak right over her via the tilt of his neck.

    "I'd like one too please. If that wouldn't be too much trouble anyway," He quickly added, trying his best not to pocket his hands and fidget in his pockets as he waited for the room to settle.

    "Of course of course," Smiling a pleasant expression the aging clerk carefully extracted a finger from the quilt work she was working on and gestured towards the casks in the middle of the store between the first and second Isle.

    This was, technically, the only open spot in the store so it would be hard to miss but she went the extra mile to show them.  

    "Just put the beans in these cups and... I'll make you some. Be sure to pick out the darker ones, they tend to taste the best. We're probably one of the only stores that lets you get quality control like this," She laughed a bit and took her free hand to reach under the space behind the counter and extract two white translucent glass mugs.

    Lacking a handle it required a person to hold on tight or brace the bottom with a palm to ensure it didn't slip. It would likely be a bit precarious for someone with mittens on their hands but probably not impossible especially for the dexterous.

    Hardly in a rush the young man waited his turn trying his best to not stare as he zoned out. By the time it was his turn to go to the counter he had to shake his head a bit to get the fog out of his mind. Nodding a bit at the old woman he extracted his cup and held a palm under it while his right hand gripped the lip of the outer lid to ensure it didn't slip or fall from his grasp. Getting this close he was privy to inspection and had to turn around once he heard the little clerk clearing her throat trying to get his attention.

    "Excuse me for saying this but are you sure you're okay? No no no son, not about that whole thing earlier... I mean with what you're wearing. The weather around here is a bitter kind of cold. I'd just hate to imagine a guest of our land freezing. We have some coats if you need them," She quickly nodded and made to gesture at one of the aisle only to stop when Kite flashed a tiny little smile.

    Touched by the woman's worry he put on his nicest voice.

    "I grew up in a cold place. This outfit might not look like it but its pretty good for winters. Modified the thread count myself and the materials-- I'd be more at risk of heat stroke. I'm not as skilled with thread work but... well you travel enough and you learn to be prepared right?" Very briefly reminded of his time at the inlet grove Kite tried to hide a frown, excusing himself from the counter and going over to the center casks to find his beans.

    The cocoa beans tucked away in the light brown wooden barrels were in varying states. Some light brown and others very dark brown. Overall the scent was heavily earth based and mixed with the kind of smell you'd associate with fresh rain, whatever it was Kite didn't particularly like it and had to stop breathing out of his nose as he dipped his cup into the barrel collecting what he believed to be a good enough selection. Making sure none of them tipped out of their container he made way back to the counter waiting for his turn.

    To have them both waiting in line like this implied a machine or some process existed at the front of the store to extract whatever made hot coco, well hot coco. In this case it was a very cleverly tucked away machine about the size of a persons foot that the clerk shakily lowered onto the counter patting the top of it until some mechanisms engaged. What was once a simple silver slab soon turned into a slab with a hole in its center, about as big as the cups mouth. A red little light also emerged somewhere near the hole but far enough that it wouldn't halt the whole cup combining action complete with a black toggle switch the size of a toothpick roughly.

    Essentially the machine required you to flip the cup quickly onto the little hole without having the contents spill out. It might've been simpler to turn the box upside down and line it up that way, however, the two young people in this store were about to discover just how fast this granny was.

[Vio]

<sup>With the door now closed and warm beverages being prepared, Whitaker Bryony stole a moment to take stock of the strange fellow with whom she shared the store’s floor. Suited and stark compared to her own swaddled silhouette, his shaggy crown of silver was of deep contrast to his bloodstone eyes. And yet it seemed he too desired the drink she sought; something to which the clerk obliged, offering mugs to fill and beans to choice.

“The darker beans taste the best, huh?” she recited, turning her gaze to the barrels as her company exchanged words with the suited sir. Biting her mitten, she yanked it from her hand. Somewhat relieved to be able to move her fingers freely, she soon doffed and stowed the other padded gauntlet before downing her hood, taking a moment to brush her dark locks free for the sake of comfort. She soon selected what she thought was a good assortment, returning them to the counter to be converted.

“So!” Miss Whitaker piped up, eyes snapping to the silver man as her drink was prepared: “I saw you outside… I don’t mean to pry, but, what were you doing?” Of course, she was referring to the brief burst of sound. Something of a sonics specialist herself, even if by miraculous means, the Mandrake woman found a certain curiosity piquing.</sup>

[Phantasma]

    Owing to its origins in tropical lands the cocoa plant produces pods yearly and takes many years to grow into that point. After growing pods these tough, leather like fruits are extracted and cut open to reveal a mushy white, paste like slime that surrounds the snow white cocoa seeds. These seeds are then fermented to halt their growth cycle and continue development towards the chocolate-y flavor many have come to know and love. After a period of fermenting the beans are processed, having the now mucus-like pulp removed while the beans themselves are baked in the sun during which a farmer may elect to sell the lots wholesale. To produce chocolate bars and in turn cocoa press, which turns into the powder-like chocolate flavoring used in hot chocolate or baking, the beans need to be melted into chocolate liquor and then further pressed. A miracle of a time long forgotten, celebrated in sweets.

    However that entire process was absent as the elderly woman gingerly took Bryony's cup and then set Kites down on the counter. Smiling up at the young people, without looking she flipped the cup down onto the metallic gizmo and took her free hand that wasn't mashing the cup onto the platform to flip the switch. An intense whirring of unseen blades slashes through the paste-i-fied beans before the whole apparatus started violently buzzing and shaking on the counter. A few more seconds zoomed by as the rattling took a particular rhythmic jumping and whirring before eventually calming, wordlessly the woman removed the cup and did the same thing to Kites glass, each of them now emptied and strangely spotless almost absent of the dark chestnut watery fuselage that previously slurred around in the translucent container.

    Mystified and raising a brow Kite very nearly missed the question directed at him. Turning slow motion, first with his face followed closely by his carmine peepers appraising the fair skinned, pleasant toned young lady in brief silence. His expression somewhat softened and he maintained a neutral line with his mouth, brow righting itself as he cleared his throat and spoke up.

    "Aha... that... yes," Hiding the awkward crack in his voice he could feel bubbling out Kite cut his gaze to the ground and scratched the back of his head with a gloved hand.

    "Some kind of spider--"

    "It was a lizard deary, looked like a big one too," Looking up from her work she grinned a bit closing her eyes behind those big ol' glasses clearly enjoying the flash of pink blush that sung out on Kite's lower face.

    "It attacked me so I threw it off," He huffed pushing his right hand a last time against his bright winter locks, dropping the hand entirely and pocketing his hands.

    Debating on what to say next the clearly embarrassed hunter flicked his eyes to the ceiling and mumbled something under his breath. Pep talking himself in his head and echoing the words to reality he tried to make the conversation take a turn for the better leaning back on the counter and trying not to jump as the machine let out a little beep.

    He looked the part of some roguish individual but he gave out the noise and attitude of just a regular guy-- albeit perhaps someone overly aware of how ridiculous they might've looked not a few minutes ago.

    "Didn't hurt your ears did I? My sword work is hardly the pretty, precise kind you'd hear of. Tends to leave folks deaf, dazed or a little bit of both," He offered a bowed head towards Bryony as an admission of fault in the event he had harmed her knowingly or not.

    Confident as he was no one was near him when he launched the attack, it was more considerate to just place it under his feet anyway. This was a strange land and he was a little bit jumpy following his latest adventure-- Kite needed to relax!

    Or at the least, that's what he told himself.

    Relaxing a bit his shoulders seemed to sag and the color faded from his face. His expression seemed to lighten up as the conversation went on he even adopted a thin smile depending on what the then-stranger had to say.

    Whether or not the two of them took notice the impossibly deft older lady took the cups, pressed them off to her side of the table and collected a river of chocolate in either glass. Produced off some slot the hot-simmering treat filled the shop with a delicious aroma. Two cups at a reasonably high temperature wafted off a tiny bit of visible vapors on the counter and their brewer patiently awaited for them to be taken and consumed, taking the initiative to lower the machine under the likely hollowed out store counter. Undergoing one final transition into a featureless silver rectangular prism.

    It was wapometal, a thing Kite would've recognize and probably answered had it been asked. For that to be here was a bit of a mixed reception. Made by a tyrant, but with the miracle of never freezing or warping sensitive parts of machines in the presence of extreme weather as well as saving space in the event of being infused into smaller devices. A sort of bittersweet reliance by those who employed Wapo's tools.

    "if you can't find whatever Pose you need here there's always the Ishi academy atop the Drum Rockies. Our... well the man who once lived there hoarded a lot of things. in his haste when he fled it's likely he left some supplies there. Since then and now it's become a academy for doctors-- I'm sure they'll help you young man. After all that's what doctors are supposed to do right?" With sudden lucidity she cut in and provided a key piece of information, the nature of which had Kite grinning a bit wider in that he now had a lead.

[Vio]

“Huh…” So his swordsmanship left opponents deafened or dazed, did it? This was a curiosity that Whitaker Bryony could not help but find intriguing. Not even an hour on Drum Island and she was already witnessing and hearing tell of peculiarities she had not experienced or even heard passing mention of during her adventures on the high seas. However, it might have been the fact that she too used sound in a peculiar way that drew her focus more to the traveller than the clerk’s contraption.

“Thank you,” she chirped, accepting the beverage she had requested and exchanging the appropriate amount of currency. The glass was nice and warm in her hands; nicer still was the comforting and sweet heat of the drink at her lips.

He’s after a Log Pose…? Wait, I thought lizards hated cold places…? The old lady’s interjections and explanations were as confusing to her as they were insightful to the man in pinstripes, or so the brunette assumed as a smile formed upon his keen visage. Really the only thing that prevented her from asking these questions aloud was the fact that her lips were almost continuously pressed to the glass, soaking up the hot cocoa like a thirsty succulent might water.

…! A strange thought sprung to mind. Could she drink this using her roots? She was oh so tempted to try, but using her Devil Fruit around strangers was something she tended to avoid without good cause. Her first use of it had hardly gone well (for her allies) and, despite her having gotten to grips with its fundamentals, she still considered it dangerous if used unwisely.

^{“Isn’t that strange,” Miss Whitaker stated between sips:
“Lizards usually don’t like cold places, y’know?”}

To be entirely truthful, Bryony hadn’t got the foggiest idea of why it was that reptiles disliked the cold. All she knew was that it was something to do with them being cold-blooded, but she knew no exact science. Her deepest explorations into biology were her brief delvings into botany, only then for the reason that she was now somewhere between plant and animal. Apparently the concept that such a Zoan-class Akuma no Mi existed was quite baffling to some of her Revolutionary comrades. She was still none the wiser as to why, but greater questions pressed her mind…

^{“You’re here without a Log Pose?”}

[Phantasma]

    "Not exactly the most orthodox, right? It's a little hard to explain actually, before I even realized how I was doing it just a tap from my knives managed to break apart a sparring sword. I wouldn't call it a miracle though-- I always have a habit of finding ways to end conflict quickly... but uh... without the use of overt force? It's hard to explain," Kite casually waved off his oddity of a comment taking his other free hand to deposit beri on the counter at much the same time Bryony did.

    Flicking his eyes down to line up his hand with the mug he breathed out a relaxed sigh. The warmth in his hand soaked clear to his bones and it only got better the moment he took a sip. But it wasn't enough to just have one gulp, no, he had to have multiple sips and goes at the mixture of rich chocolate-y delight. Flavors bombarded his tongue and he couldn't help but close his eyes in contentment all the while downing the beverage at a surprising speed. He was done long before the younger lady spoke and had already unceremoniously returned the cup wiping clean what stains remained on his thin lips with a hanky that he produced from one of his coat pockets. Folding the white slip of fabric up to the point it was a white square, pushing it into the inside of his coats right side with his left hand.

    "Thank you for the drink Ma'am. Little bit surprised how good it tastes," He flashed a winning smile trying to hold back the urge to belch, his stomach pleasantly churning.

    "You dears are very welcome. Always a treat to share sweets with friends you've yet to make," Face crinkling behind those ridiculously sized spectacles she let out a little cough of a laugh, bearing a similar smile to Kite that faded as much to curiosity as the other outsider spoke.

    Kite seemed to garner a quizical raise of his brows as well at the mention of a cold lizard. He was no academic but from what scarce knowledge he recalled from the academy certain animals preferred specific climates. Outside of those gold-lox zones they tended to just... not prosper? It tended to vary from extremes and from animal to animal, but if humans were any example... well that lizard really shouldn't be able to walk around in weather it isn't able to handle.

    "Now... that is a good point. Granted I might've killed it when I threw it off... why would a lizard be on a winter island? How?" Kite stroked his chin a bit, releasing the wince he had carried on his face at the mention of killing or likely killing the creature.

    Self conscious about his own strength and the inability to regulate it at sometimes. Especially during bouts of extreme emotion like rage or in this case overwhelming surprise, shock or just general fear.

    "I shouldn't gossip-- it's bad you know! Mm... It's just a lot of weird animals have showed up on the island again. It happened a few years back when the academy had just opened up and now... well it's just strange innit? Lizards that can tolerate the cold... I've even heard of some kind of snow monster!" She seemed to lose focus a bit as she tended to the glass, cleaning it before tilting her head up to exchange a look of concern with either customer with those spectacled eyes caring a maternal warmth to them.

    "I shouldn't be lecturing you youngin's about safety but... promise me you wont straw out far from town?" She looked down at her table apparently bothered by some thought.

    "I'll keep out of trouble. It'll just be a quick run to the academy to ask about an eternal pose. If they don't have one, I'll just wait out here for my pose to reset and move on from the island. It might even give me time to help out around with hunting those critters if they prove troublesome. Bounty hunter has to keep up his reputation-- even if it isn't laying stake to criminals," Kite crossed his arms a bit and put on his best poker face trying to make it a point to the poor woman she had nothing to worry about.

    "Oh!" Suddenly recalling what the other person in the store had asked Kite quickly turned to her and resumed scratching the back of his head, smoothing down those snow white locks with his right hand in a slightly bashful gesture.

    "I have one of those. I'm just... looking for a specific type-- an Eternal Pose. I promised a friend to see them in Alabasta so it's important I make it there in time. They needed my assistance... the fact is they might do something dumb if I'm not there to mind them. I also feel like... well... never mind that," Kite shook his head, biting back words and dropping his hand taking but a breath to continue.

    "My name is Kite by the way. Kite Kalisto. Looks like we got so caught up in talking together I forgot to introduce myself," Letting out a ghost of a laugh he cleared his throat cutting his eyes to Bryony and the older, native woman.

    "Loree Hide. Grandma Hide is what I usually go by though," Getting out of her little quiet rut she spoke gingerly.

[Vio]

Sn- Snow monsters!? She was well aware of the fact that many an isle in the Grand Line had its peculiar, often monstrous fauna, but somehow that did not dissuade some of her fear of what lurked beyond the town’s boundaries. Winter Island animals were hardier beasts, so she had heard. It seemed the old lady was well aware of that, asking for the duo’s promise to stay clear of the dangers.

So, he’s a Bounty Hunter, is he? It’s a good job the World Government hasn’t put a bounty on my head, Miss Whitaker noted. As far as any of these people were aware, she was just a traveller in a foreign land, not a woman of the rebellion that aimed to topple the oppressive governmental regime that was of the World Nobles’ foundation. Keeping that a secret might have been the better course to take.

^{“Bryony,” the young woman replied:
“Whitaker Bryony. Nice to meet you, Kite! Loree!”}

[Phantasma]

    Crack

    Crinkle

    Crrrrrrrk

    Quiet enough it might've been dismiss-able the building suffered temperature damage. Ice crystals settling on the surface and grouping together forming a sheet of blistering partially transparent solid water. Only when this stretched to the windows and the little mouth of a doorway leading into the shop was Kite turned around slightly bothered. As if trying to get back to talking to the others he turned his back on the scene of thin blue cresting atop fogged windows. It cracked and portions of the pane fell to the ground letting an unearthly chill waft into the building. Shielding himself and leaning over the counter the metallic white haired pale-skin he attempted to block the worst of the winds that filtered through crevices on the outward sheet of ice covering what was at some point the windows. Naturally that ice soon fell, letting more cold air in as the temporary elemental construct had no more support.

    Loree was in somewhat of a state of shock, hurriedly grasping what fabric hid under her counter and wrapping herself up like some sort of winter mummy. Muffling whatever kernel of wisdom she was bound to say the store was instead amphitheater to the cold weather screeching, winds howling like a beast as it rampaged through the store frosting over what it could and dousing what it couldn't in a fine layer of powdery snow. Dismounting he shielded his face and trekked over to Bryony doing his best to not get blinded by the flurry intent on checking over her as well. Feeling as if a thousand tiny daggers burrowed through his skin straight to his marrow Kite had to bite back the urge to retreat from temperature so cold it started to burn. Mere seconds had passed since the front being breached and it was as if this place now belonged to nature.

    The wind stopped soon enough.

    Howling dying down and snow banks ceased their march towards the violated window. A dim chime of clinking metal falling off a shelve signifying the terrifying calm. Up to their ankles in snow the group was left with little in terms of answers as to what on earth had just happened. Wreckage from the window was still buried at the front and Hide was still mummified, Kite did his best to clear a path towards where he suspected Ms.Whitaker still stood and yet he wouldn't have been surprised had she taken cover almost immediately.

    Regretting being unable to do the same out of concern he allowed his teeth to chatter. Smoothing down his outfit along the upper arms with opposing hands in an effort to warm up, soothing him to the point he could stand tall and not clatter his teeth together. He hadn't been lying about the weather proofing but in the bouts of winter wrath that slammed into the place it carried with it a temperature so low it threatened to flash freeze most metallic and delicately built objects in the store. Had the pair looked it might have even ruined the cask full of cocoa beans.

    "What... what in the world," Breathing slowly, wincing at how chilling the air had kept itself the bounty hunter looked around.

    "Oh dear oh dear oh dear," Grandma Hide mumbled like a mantra only to waddle out behind the counter and attempt to pry open the door.

    "I... you're okay right? You didn't have a counter to hide behind and the effects of hypothermia could be subtle at first. Do you have a fever?" Somewhat ignorant of how ironic it would be to lecture the then-undercover revolutionary on cold weather when he looked to be wearing a gentleman suit rather than cold weather gear.

    Waiting only long enough to hear just what state the forest eyed brunette was in. Expressing in equal amounts relief or concern if it was particularly bad, being unable to offer much he'd at least kick aside the ankle deep snow as if forming a path to the door. Grabbing the jammed hatch he'd pull and swing it along with Loree until the faulty entrance gave and yawned inward allowing a little bit more of the frozen weather to tumble on in. Once more getting kicked aside by sharp boots Kite made it a point to go outside first and investigate what sort of storm had kicked up.

    The freakish blizzard had nearly sealed most of the shops and from a lack of sound had properly insulated them. Dunes of snow rising high over doors and sticking to windows in ways that threatened to rob those inside of light all together. Not even a steady stream of blackened smoke spiraled out of the chimneys atop the homes and implied a sense of dire apparently not fully expressed by snow sealing people inside their homes like winter tombs.

    "Is this sort of weather normal for a winter island?! I might not be a navigator but how could weather be this abnormal so close to an island? It's supposed to be stable!" Throwing his voice over his shoulder the fool ran out into the somewhat buried road practically tackling into a snow stack that blocked out the door of what was probably a home or a shop.

    Doing his best to swipe away the stuff with kicks and digging with his knives until he hit solid material. If it was ice? Immediately drilled through, whereas if it was part of the home efforts were made to excavate around it. Loree was soon to go over to Kite and try knocking on what sections of the building he had recovered from the nearly two to three meter high snowy coverings hoping for a reply.

    Spectacled eyes going wide when she finally got a return knock.

    Hidden in their trapped homes folks were shocked as much as the group outside. No bulletins or warnings had circulated throughout the island warning of this incoming blizzard. Even the sky seemed to be oddly clear with only a few dark grey clouds, and the snow had ceased to fall. An ominous sun lurking overhead, watching.

[Vio]

…! A sudden chill preceded a far more bitter surge, so cold and sudden in fact that Bryony had little to no time to truly react. Quickly pulling her hood back over her head and shielding her ears with her hands, she did her best to crouch and avoid the brunt of this unexpected arctic assault. It ended as swiftly and as suddenly as it had started. She took a moment to realise, in fact, that the deafening gales had subsided. In fact for a moment she worried she might have actually been deafened if not for Kite’s murmuring.

^{“I- I’m f- fine, th- thanks,” she stammered:
“I’m just… a bit surprised, y’know?”}

That wasn’t natural. That can’t be natural, even for an island like this… Standing up again and observing the scene with her own two eyes, Miss Whitaker beheld the peculiarity of it all. Coming to Drum she had expected snowstorms and freezing winds, but nothing compared to what she had just witnessed. Beyond the shattered window were banks of snow so deep they barricaded doors and blocked windows. All things considered, she had expected the housing to be designed with such a phenomenon in mind, but these buildings clearly were not built to withstand such vicious hibernal forces.

Kite was quick to take action; Loree soon to follow. Bryony scampered afterwards, flabbergasted by it all. Sheer surprise overwhelmed whatever coldness she was feeling as she gazed at the calm skies beyond. Even with the Grand Line’s horrific weather and indeterminate climate, standard meteorological occurrences were normal enough, but there wasn’t even a sign of winds dying down or storm clouds fading. All was exactly the same as it had been before she had entered the shop, save for the massive accumulations of snow and verglas.

“Why is he…? No, I should help too!” Steeling her own resolve, the brunette moved to inspect the pack ice of another nearby house, seeing if she could assist. Sure enough, she felt it well within her ability to do so, quickly finding purchase beneath a solid hunk of snow and beginning to prise it free. Whereas some were merely chipping away, she was somehow making a lot more progress, abnormal strength working its magic…

[Phantasma]

    "That's good to hear," Letting out a curtain off hot air in a sigh the hunter briefly closed his eyes and relaxed.

    Far from a medical professional he understood how harsh a climate could be upon ones body. Even in his specialized suite he was finding it hard to not chatter his teeth and a part of him worried about the others. Heavy winter gear or not it was possible that glass might've poked a hole somewhere. A loss in heat in a situation like this would be a snowball of a problem later on. Growing in threat until it became noticeable and at that point likely unable to be quickly helped.

---

    Drum Island was an especially hostile place if one ventured beyond the township. Creatures much like bunnies hopped along the stretch of natural forestry and wonder which crowded beneath the ominous shape of the Drum Rockies. The landscape was under an eternal winter that even within summer months was still chilly and required one to be especially wary, triple so in the winter months. Avalanches were common especially if one angered the natural wildlife or created a ruckus at a higher altitude and following a certain event the houses had been built in mind to resist such forces. Domed roofs allowed snow to fall off rather than stack and sunken in doors ensured that tall collections of holiday powder didn't simply barricade occupants. But this storm, all of the events surrounding it were of such an unnatural variety even huts stationed within near constant blizzards atop the slope of a mountain would fair ill against it.

    Kite had no idea of the significance of blocked houses, Bryony might've been in the dark too. But Grandma Hide was disturbed with this little revelation-- stowing such hesitation and worry in favor of helping those who needed it most. Clouded eyes and a downcast brow softened and then sharpened under newfound focus.

    'Living in a place like this... you learn to make yourself busy. Not worry or remain sad,' She chided herself lightly.

    "Coming down!" Kite called out as he immediately backed away from the closer of the cocooned houses.

    The snow that he had been cutting away at and carving around finally was unstable enough to topple out in a splash of semi solid slush and chilling flakes onto the patch of ground nearest to the hunters front. Crunching it under heel the young man made sure whatever door the house had managed to keep could open, flinching when he heard mechanisms click and snap before finally opening up to reveal jarred and shell shocked folks. By now those inside this house, darkened and with only a rug and few pieces of furniture visible, were inside of green and browned furred parka's as well as snow pants with overhaul loops onto their shoulders. Wordlessly Mrs.Hide was the first to enter the house and check on the folks while the digger waited outside resisting the urge to twiddle his thumbs.

    A glance from Loree told him that folks were fine and he could charge off to the next house. The brief locking of eyes they shared made him run that much faster, it was concern. Expecting to talk to him however the older woman couldn't help but just sit there with a slight frown and wide eyes turning to where Bryony was and addressing the young lady in return.

    "I'll fill them in deary. You go off with Mr.Kite and help dig out some more houses. We'll be there shortly-- and be careful about clearing the snow. It could soon enough bury you or hit you with solid ice," She warned, mouth fixed into a light frown.

    Finally feeling like she made her point she turned to talk to the house occupants. A towering parka'd shape that was most likely the father spoke through the dark of his drawn hood and waved his black gloved hands around likely describing the events proceeding the collapse of irregular snow fall from the sky. A smaller shape, either his son wife or daughter-- or someone else entirely seemed content to just stay on the sidelines checking over their winter clothing and digging through some supplies left unseen behind the darkened interior of the house.

    Every house, every store was stacked with snow but judging from the brief amount of movement behind frosted and fogged windows people weren't just willing to sit around to get rescued. Some even climbed out of the chimney's, now covered in soot, to assist in the digging and scraping out of the homesteads and storefronts. What might've taken close to a half hour was ramping up in speed, footprints joining behind Bryony's and Kites as yet more people poured out of their houses to help those in need.

    Quite a few children were left to sit by Loree's store and were making a fuss. Perhaps it was best to have that kind of ambience versus this grim silence that seemed to fall over the hustle and bustle of bodies, shouting, moving, digging and clanking of tools like shovels.

    "It has to be Aspen," A more stout coated figure mumbled, cloak of his warming deep blue jacket pulled back to reveal a mess of brown hair cascading well to his shoulders and folding over his face leaving only a reddened nose and trembling pair of lips visible.

    Scars dotted his neck.

    "How... he was on a one way trip to Impel Down wasn't he?" Another voice rang out to the contrary.

    "Was he ever really the sort to go quietly?" Bitterly he replied, going back to gripping his shovel and digging a back for the snow to fall down.

    People hadn't stopped working but in the rows they were paired up in a quiet murmur of talking had began.

    "Who's Aspen?" Kite called out, peering up from a now cleared door jumping back to avoid the cascade of frozen liquid that was soon to come.

    Was one person truly responsible for this mess?

[Vio]

“Oh, don’t worry about me! I’m pretty good at digging myself out of sticky situations, y’know,” Whitaker Bryony replied to Grandma Hide as Kite rushed off. Though the elder gave her a short smile in recognition, there was definitely a look of worry upon that wizened visage. There was no way she understood what was being implied, Bryony was sure of that, but to have a complete stranger worry for her safety was welcoming.

Soon thereafter, she continued her efforts at breaking through the snow. Fortunately, there were now others joining the fray, and with them came tools; shovels and picks to heave snow and break the ice. One such tool now in hand, the Revolutionary joined the ranks of Drum’s townsmen as they doubled up at freeing the others yet trapped behind the frosty blockades that had forced themselves into doorways and against shuttered windows.

^{“Aspen?” Miss Whitaker queried:
“Who’s that?”}

Almost simultaneously, Kite called out the same enquiry.

^{“Now there’s a question,” one man grumbled:
“I hoped we’d never have to answer…”}

“He’s one mean son of a b!tch,” the burly shoveler with long hair enlightened, huffing between words as he hauled dense powder. Bryony could see little of his face as she assisted him in his efforts, but he seemed far more capable than his curtain of coils might have hinted at, doing her work twice over. All she could really make of him was his thick jawline and ruddy round nose. “He came to Drum Island some years back - back when the tyrant Wapol still ruled the island, before we became the Sakura Kingdom. The guy never seemed out of the ordinary, but some of the worst never do at first glance. He kept to himself mostly.”

^{“What did he do…?”}

^{“What did he do?” replied another:
“What didn’t he do, more like!”}

“After Wapol was sent packing and Dalton took over, well, all seemed well,” the storyteller continued. “Then about a year back, strange things started to happen all across the country. We’re a Winter Island, so the climate’s already pretty harsh, but we were starting to see things happen that shouldn’t have. At first it was just unusually heavy snow, which we didn’t think much of, but then it got stranger.”

^{“Stranger… How?”}

“All year round, the Sakura Kingdom is too cold for some weather conditions. We’d heard of them, obviously, from travellers and emissaries, but never really saw them. Then,” he grunted as he cracked what was essentially a boulder of compacted snow clean in twain, “we started to get them. Thing is, when you mix foreign weather with a Winter Island’s natural climate, shit starts to go down. I’m no meteorologist, but I know what I’ve seen, and none of it was natural for Drum. Tornadoes of snow - I’m talking actual whirlwinds, not your run of the mill blizzards - and even hail and thunderstorms like nothing we’d seen before.”

[Phantasma]

    "Doesn't sound like a typical doctor, even the moonstruck ones. Ordinarily I don't do freebies but at the current rate if these snow storms come back worse and stick around longer no one will be able to leave or enter the island. I'd be willing to knock some sense into him especially given all this," Kite gestured with open hands at the now mostly cleared frosty debris.

    "Can't say we wouldn't appreciate the charity. But it's going to be a hell of a time making it over to the other side of the island where he's probably held up. Ishi Academy at the rockies wouldn't have him, they know better than to let that walking disaster near tools and colleagues."

    "I'm afraid its as treacherous as Logan says," Loree added, inclining her head a bit and closing her eyes in as much to catch her breath as apologize for the difficulty of the quest.

    "Difficult or not people are in danger. Don't think we have much of a choice," Glancing to his recently acquainted friend Bryony as if to ask for her thoughts on the matter.

    'I'd never extort, much less squeeze money out of desperate folks. I fight villains, I don't emulate them.'

    Grunting a final time the other male dealt the final kick to a particularly obstinate piece of Ice. Cracking and snowflaking destruction across its mostly transparent exterior the cold cast fell to the ground and released the door. Around this time the town had mostly freed itself of the storms binding, whatever excess flurry existed was either stomped into the ground by people walking or hacked off of houses in the processes of freeing them. A lot of red faces were going around in the crowd, people overexerted and from the effects of Reactive Hyperemia. Some were even shivering lending credence to the bit about the weather being unnatural, a few made off to the stores to get some hot drinks and set up temporary shelter for houses exposed to the elements either due to ruined doors or windows.

    Kite made himself useful where he could but soon enough when the heavy lifting was done he went back over to Bryony. Introducing himself with a jerk of his chin upward he adopted a lean onto a nearby wall. Closing his eyes and catching his breath, the moisture from his rhythmic respiration left a thin veil of cloud-like condensation.

    "Thanks for helping like that-- I know you probably got enough of that a few seconds ago if folks approached you but. It's nice seeing folks help others, even travelers from distant lands," Flashing a grin he diverted his eyes from the good Samaritan and took to staring off into the nearby forest of pines.

    Narrowing his gaze he seemed to see beyond the vegetation. Not picking a single subject the hunter just traced the nature itself as he talked, tucking away his slightly numbed hands and warming them within his pants pockets. Clenching and clenching them as if to test when he got the sensation of touch back again.

    "The Grand Line isn't exactly the most welcoming of places. World really could use more people like you... Those that jump at the opportunity to help others. Heh, probably awkward to hear me praising you though so I'll stop now. Got it out of my system," Nodding a bit to himself after clicking his tongue in mock chide towards himself.

    "Shame you came out here for hot coco and don't even know if you can leave the island,"

    "I'm not going to ask you why you're here for the sake of conversation so don't worry," He added breathlessly, his face a real mask as to regarding just what he meant behind that last bit.

    Truthfully he had no idea why the interesting tourist was here, not that it mattered. What would've been a topic for small talk was immediately discarded in favor of praise. His journey wasn't without kind people but this was a rare occurrence, unprompted altruism. Somewhere in the back of his mind he also told himself there was a kindness to her eyes and despite lately being the sort to announce as much he was taking a leaf out of miu's book to keep things short and sweet.

    Dazing off into the woodlands also had its perks. Even when musing in momentary silence or amidst what the heroine was about to say he caught sight of the lizard. At this distance it looked like little more than a flash of green hopping from tree to tree, using that grotesque prehensile tongue to swing itself from branch to branch and rather than approaching simply hover around the outskirts. Each time it hit open air that wasn't shielded or offered a backdrop by sturdy nature it vanished from sight scrambling the patterns on its skin to mimic the white world around it. Forcing a spit take Kite blinked long and hard, taking a right hand and pressing it to his face before wobbling it around and scrubbing at his closed eyelids. Something of a groan came out of his clenched teeth by the time he was done.

    "It lives," Resisting the urge to cringe up like a raisin recalling the sensation of its tongue our bounty hunter wrinkled up his nose and stuck out his tongue in slightly over the top disgust.

    "Wait... It's alive-- It's been this close to town and it survived?!" His eyes cracked open and he launched from the wall slinging his previously perched right foot into the snow from the wall.

    "Wait... where did it go," His tone suddenly shifting from surprised to a low pitch indicating a modest amount of suspicion, his tensed shoulders and close-to-holster hands telling of how on guard he was.

    From where it was all that swinging was silent. Now it had disappeared from sight where it otherwise would've been present thanks to its trajectory.

    "Bryony, that lizard thing. It survived the blizzard. I'm not sure how, not really going to hope that it ties into Aspen. But just now I could've sworn it was just hanging out near the other side of the town," Gesturing in the opposite direction from where the path to the boats where closer to the foot of the Rockies Kite let his hand fall to his holster afterwards.

    "Should we investigate? If you're coming with me manners say I have to take your input into account," He stated rather curtly.