Kano's POV
Kido actually accepted to talk to a stranger. She said she had to anyway. Royal business I wouldn't understand. Hey! I'm of royal blood too.
"Shuuya." a familiar voice called. I turned my head to see and saw onee-chan.
"Ah, onee-chan! Anything you need?"
"I just want to know where Tsu-chan is." she said looking around.
"Oh, she's talking with a guy outside. Someone named Kuroha, I guess."
"Kuroha?" onee-chan said tilting her head a little to the side.
"Anyway," I said changing the subject for no particular reason. "How old are you again?"
"Twenty." she answered with a smile. "I'm turning twenty one this November."
"Have you ever found a man yet?" I asked with a smirk.
"No." she said with a giggle. "Actually, I'm looking for one."
"Looking?" I said tilting my head to the side, confused expressions. "What do you mean looking for one?"
"Well... I'm looking for a guy named... Shintaro?"
She's looking for a guy named Shintaro? I wonder who that is. Must be someone who she met a long time ago, probably when she stopped visiting here when we were younger.
"Shintaro, eh?" I said with a grin. "He might just be around here. Maybe the son of a duke or something."
"I don't think he's the son of a duke." onee-chan said. "I don't even think he's of royal blood."
I gave another confused look on my face. Not of royal blood? But.. I don't think Kenjirou and Ayaka would accept that... Ayaka was once the youngest princess of the high kingdom. As the youngest, of course she had to get married to someone. Kenjirou, the prince of the second high standing kingdom quickly fell in love with Ayaka even before knowing he was a princess. They got married and got Ayano... the only child. And in the rules you have to marry someone of royal blood if ever that happens. I don't think Kenjirou and Ayaka would accept it that easily.
"Ahh... Onee-chan, would your parents even accept that?"
"I never said I would get married to him. I just want to meet him." she said with a smile.
"Oh," I said, laughing even though I felt embarrassed way deep inside.
"Anyway," onee-chan said. "I want to go see Tsu-chan for now. I want to greet her personally." she said as she headed outside.
Ayano's POV
I walked outside after talking to Kano. Man, Kano really grew! When I last saw him he was still a cute little kid who loved running around. Now, he's so mature and grown. Pays for not seeing him for years.
He said Tsu-chan was outside, so I was guessing she was in the garden. I walked slowly looking around, hand on the very large and long skirt as the bottom of my red ball gown. I passed by different plants. Geez! Today was cold. It wasn't snowing but it was cold. Good thing I wore long sleeves, and I also had my red scarf on around my neck like always.
As I continued walking, I heard two voices. Both low but I could tell which was the boys and which was the girls. I quietly peeked and saw a guy in black, back facing me and a girl in a purple long gown, who I guessed was Tsu-chan. She's grown. I wanted to interrupt but something hit my ears which made me stop, hide and listen to their conversation.
"I know about those powers of yours."
What powers?
And as soon as I realized, it started snowing.
The guy in black, known as Kuroha, and Kido walked silently in the garden. Kido looking around while Kuroha staring at Kido with a wide grin. Kido looked at Kuroha and lifted one brow up.
"What?"
"Let's stop here for now." Kuroha said as he stopped walking. Kido did so too. "I want to talk to you about those gloves."
What? My gloves?- she thought, looking at her hands with the gloves.
He quickly grabbed her right hand and took the glove off. Kido pulled it away and held both of her together, she was again beginning to get scared.
"I know about those powers of yours." Kuroha said with a smile. "I even have a guess the Kisaragi Witch gave this to you."
"How do you-"
"I know everything Kido. Like Kisaragi and Azami, I am someone mysterious." he said with a wide grin. "Hiding this from everyone wont last long, now that I have your glove."
"Give me that!" she said as she tried to reach for it, but instead Kuroha doged and laughed.
"Worthless!" he said laughing like a mad man. "This secret of yours wont last long. Look!" he said pointing up the sky.
Kido looked up and saw it was starting to snow. Yes there would be a possibility of snow around this time but the whole day there was no sign of it. The sun was up and yea, there were little traces of sow but not a single fall. This was her doing.
She looked at Kuroha, who was still laughing, with fear. This guy was a threat. She quickly turned around and walked back towards the ball room but surprisingly met Ayano along the way.
"Tsu-chan, what was-"
"Onee-chan? Did you hear.. that?" Kido said pointing at the place from where she was.
"I- What powers do you-"
"Onee-cha, stay away from me." Kido said running back to the ball room.
Ayano then noticed it was snowing harder.
"You have to get out of here." someone said from behind her. She quickly turned to see to see no one there. She must have been hearing things or maybe it was that Kuroha guy. That didn't matter now. She ran after Kido. "Tsu-cha, wait!"
Kido continued running and met up with Konoha as fast as she could. "Konoha, party is over, close the gates." Kido ordered in a quick pace.
"Princess, wheres your other glove?" Konoha said as soon as he realized the princess only had one glove on."
"Konoha, just do it!" Kido said, panicking.
"Yes your highness." Konoha said as he walked away.
"Kido." Kano said as he walked towards her.
"Kano, stay away." she said walking away from him.
Kano was at shock. A while ago she was talking like they were buddies again and now she's shutting him out again. His smile quickly turned into a frown. "What?"
"I said stay away. The party is over." Kido said.
"What? Are you going to lock up yourself in your room again?"
Everyone stopped. Music, dancing, and chatters. It all stopped as they listened to Kano yell.
"Kano, please." Kido said as she continued walking towards the door that leads to a hallway leading to the rooms.
"No Kido. I want an answer. A while ago we were like best buddies, for a while. It was amazing and I've never felt as happy as that. What about now? Why are you shutting me out again?"
"Kano..."
"I mean, why do you always shut me out?"
"Enough!" Kido said out loud, swinging her arm with the bare hand. As she did, ice cam out and formed really huge and pointy spikes right in front of Kano. Everyone was at shock. Ayano who had just entered the room had a face sayning she couldn't beleive what she just saw. Kano's face was at a state of fear, shock, and worry.
"Kido..." he said, eyes slowly getting wet.
Everyone stared at Kido as if she were some rare creature.
"You can't hide this forever princess." she heard from across the room. Everyone turned, as well as Ayano knowing the voice was from behind her, and saw Kuroha. "You should just tell them about this... monster"
Everyone stared back at Kido. She turned her head to each side and saw everyone... looking at her like she was one... A monster.
She quickly ran through the crowd heading out to the palace. Kano chased after her and so did Mary, Seto, and Ayano.
Kido opened the palace doors and met everyone, the townspeople, outside. Everyone clapped as soon as they saw the princess. Oh no!- she thought. People started approaching her. Surrounding her. She was completely motionless at first but she managed to move and cut through the crowds. As she ran, she wasn't looking her way. She was looking behind her to see if any of the royal blooded were following her. As she did, she accidentally bumped to a girl. She was short and had a pink gown on. It was a princess. A young one. She had a boy beside her too, probably a butler or somewhat.
"Are you Princess Tsubomi Kido?" the princess asked. No response from the other. "I am Hiyori Asahina," the girl bowed. "I am the second high standing kingdom duke's daughter." she said.
"Umm-" Kido said, fear in her tone.
"Is something the matter?" the boy asked with a face that she wasn't quite sure of.
"Hibiya, don't ask such questions!"
"I'm, sorry milady."
"I'm so sorry-" Hiyori said as she was cut off by the high standing princess slowly walking backwards, away from her. "Your highness, is something wrong.
Kido continued until her back bumoed on the eges of the fountain. As it did, her hand landed on the top of it and she froze the entire waters of the fountain. Everyone was at shock as they saw this. She looked at Hiyori who was being defended by Hibiya, which she guessed.
"Kido!" she heard a familiar voice call.
She quickly turned her head to where the voice was coming from and saw Kano with Seto, Ayano, and Mary. "Kano, stay away. All of you. Please." she said placing her hands in from of her as a gesture but through her fear she accidentally struck ice. Luckily, nobody got hurt.
She then saw everyone string at her with the same look, as if she were a monster.
She quickly turned around and ran out the gates, heading for the fjord. She ran out of thought. She was in a dead end of water and land colliding.
"Tsu-chan!"
"Kido, wait!"
Kido heard and turned her head around. As she saw the images fastly approaching, she took a step backwards and noticed her feet had touched the water. She quickly looked down and saw what happened. Without hesitaion, she quickly made more steps forward, freezing the water parts she stepped on, as if like running on water. She continued doing this until she was across and ran up the mountain with snow.
Kano ran faster and faster until he reached the icy part but eventually slipped. He fell to the ground but he continued to watch the princess in a purple gown running up the mountain full of snow as if it were just any ordinary road.
"Seto.." Mary said. "What's happening?" she said pointing at the water covering the fjord. It was slowly freezing.
"Mary, can you stop it?" Seto said.
"I can't." Mary said. "I'm not the one who created this storm."
"What are you talking about Mary?" Kano said.
"Just like Kido, I have the cursed ice powers, too. Reason why I'm not such an outgoing girl. I learned to control it though, and I have never caused a storm this big." Mary admitted.
Kano looked back at the mountain and saw the princess was gone.
They had no other choice but to return to the palace.
As they did, the whole place was already covered in snow. It was also freezing. Luckily, everyone was wearing long sleeves since it's the time for cold weather, but this one was even colder than before.
"Kano, you never knew about this?" Ayano asked.
"No. We never even talked while we were in." Kano said, shivering.
"Mary are you sure you couldn't stop this whether?" Seto asked again.
"I said I've never performed such a storm. Her powers are strong and uncontrollable. And besides, I couldn't stop a storm which I didn't make." she said and sneezed. Seto then offered his top coat to her.
"How come she hid this from me. She could have just told me." Kano whispered to himself.
"What's your plan now, Kano?" Ayano asked.
Kano thought for a minute. Maybe he had to go after Kido. But if he would, what would happen here. He wouldn't know. But still. He needed to go after her. Yes, it was normal for it to be cold but not this cold.
"Onee-chan, you're in charge." he quickly said.
"What?"
"Konoha, let's go!" he called out for his.. friend. "Bring two horses with you."
Konoha soon came with two horses, holding both of their reins. As both of them climbed on on each horse, Ayano quickly ran to them.
"Kano, what are you doing?"
"I'm going after her." he said. "That's why you're in charge."
"But, Kano... I've never been able to run a kingdom."
"Don't worry," he said confidently. "Seto and Mary are here to help. Besides, neither have I. We had help from Mary's grandmother to run this kingdom." he smiled.
"Shuuya, be careful." she said taking hold of his hand.
"Don't worry onee-chan. I'll be back with Kido, I promise."
"You're lying."
"What else am I to do." he said and then his horse ran, so did Konoha's.
"Why are you bringing me with you?" Konoha said out loud for Kano to hear through the wind.
"I couldn't possibly go alone." Kano said.