Chapter 1. Fire and Ice
It was cold, but it didn't affect him. He was in a different world, a whole new reality. Taking a brief moment to look at himself and his newly found appearance, it seemed as if he was able to keep his powers as the Reaper. Everything he had on was black, including his sword, to which he questioned existence. Shinigami Yukio was the Reaper of the North, as a curse or blessing for his life of good deeds.
"I better make do with what I got." He sighed as he kept moving. The more he stayed, the more likely he would get cold and be unable to move freely. He however, was unaware that his new powers had given him invulnerability to the cold.
Not changing his course, he walked uptop the mountain in which he had never seen or heard of. It was freezing, covered in snow, and dark. He had nowhere to stay, until he came across the castle. It was entirely made of ice, and it sparkled like glitter. Although he had never seen this place before, he was skeptical as to how this appeared.
Nevertheless, he walked towards it, seeing a beautiful garden of ice flowers ever so organized and blossomed. Amazed at such a feat, he sat down on the snow, observing and analyzing the flowers they represented.
"Interesting, it's like a garden of ice roses and daisies…" Impressed was an understatement for what he felt. Even his parents' old garden didn't look as impressive as this.
As he was too busy observing the flowers, a door from the castle opened ever so slightly as a woman in a stunning blue dress with white snow hair, came forward to approach him. She was shocked that someone could have walked all this way without freezing to death, and judging from how stunned he was of the garden, it didn't seem to show any proof of ill content.
"I see you like the flowers." She put a strand of her hair back as she stood next to the man, who had now noticed the girl before standing up.
"Yeah they're amazing. Whoever did this is a true artist with a gift." Shino had never seen such a good garden, but when he turned to the girl, he was then starstruck by her appearance. Her silk white hair reminded him of the snow, and the dress was amazing, but he was confused as to why she was wearing one in such cold weather.
"Are you at all cold in that dress?" He shifted himself towards her to give her his attention.
The woman smiled softly, shocked at the man's kindness towards her work. Everyone around her had seen it as a curse, but he saw it as a gift, a blessing if you will. She then regained composure of herself.
"I'm very well off in this dress. The cold never bothered me." She then shifted her attention towards him as well.
"You say I'm an artist? I thank you for your kind words, but I don't believe an artist has a curse for a tool of creation." She blushed at the kind words before looking down in sadness, being reminded that her current situation didn't have the best bearing fruit.
The man sighed as he held his hand up with a thumb sticking upwards.
"If you created this then you're more talented than I thought. I am truly impressed. What is your name if I may ask?" He put his hand down after his question was stated.
The woman looked up in disbelief, but regained herself as she smiled ever so slightly.
"M-My name is Elsa. You're truly too kind. I've never met anyone who has seen my powers as a gift. What is your name?" She said this carefully but you could hear the sincerity in her voice. She could see clearly he meant no harm, which was a first for Elsa.
Shino smiled at her acceptance of his generosity. It pleased him that he brought her back to high spirits.
"Shinigami, but please, call me Shino. It is a lot easier than saying the full name." He bowed his head as he introduced himself, a common practice he does in his own country.
Elsa didn't know what to do when he bowed his head, as she didn't know if he knew who she was, or if it was just a common greeting.
"How did you make it all the way here? It must have been a long journey." She worried as she saw his clothing, but it wasn't like he was freezing himself. In fact, she noticed the frost slightly melting as it grew onto him.
"I uh…didn't travel here M'lady. I landed here in the snow. I quite honestly have no idea where I am." He said this with such sincerity even Elsa was taken aback. Scratching his head as he walked towards the castle, he opened the door, wanting to explore.
"I hope you don't mind me entering your home."
Elsa chuckled as she walked with him to the door.
"No, I don't mind at all. I would love some company. It has been a couple of days since I've….had anyone to talk to.." Elsa's voice could be heard with a bit of sorrow and pain, something Shino was used to feeling.
He held the door for her, and closed it when she finished her heart wrenching sentence. She must have been lonely around here in the mountains.
"I would be more than honored Elsa. You seem very kind, soft spoken and intelligent." Shino was good at analyzing people, even from the slightest eye contact.
Elsa sat down in a couch made of ice as he sat next to her, causing blood to rush through her cheeks as two pink circles formed.
"You truly are kind Shino. I've been seen and called a monster, a freak. My powers aren't as special as you believe them to be, as I have hurt people with my powers." She started to choke between sentences. She felt sad, guilty, hurt.
"Someone I care deeply for has been hurt the most by me, and after running away from my kingdom, everyone must probably be glad I am gone from their presence."
Shino showed remorse as he heard what she had to say. After she was finished, he held out his hand, causing her to look a bit shocked and fearful.
"P-Please don't. I don't want to cause you hurt as well." She seemed very worried now.
He kept his hand out, showing no intent of pulling back.
"If I show you how I do not fear you, and that I only wish to help you, maybe you can see that a friend is a good thing to have." Smiling as he said this, Elsa started to slowly reach out. Every inch of her body shook with fear, but her heart was telling her that this guy, this man, was different from everyone else. He was….maybe just like her.
When she finally held his hand, frost began to form, and ice began to develop. However, as she started to fear that he was hurt, the ice started to melt, shocking both. She looked up in amazement, as he was unharmed by her touch, causing instant relief and a wide smile of happiness to appear.
"Y-You have powers! You aren't harmed by my touch! I-I'm so relieved…"
Shino could hardly believe it. The only thing that stops ice is fire, and he just so happened to have the power of fire. I guess being a reaper was cooler than he thought it to be.
"Fire huh? That would explain me not dying in the cold. I'm surprised you would be this happy. Judging from your past experience, you'd think you'd be worried for me."
After realizing she was holding his hand for a bit, it felt…..good. She didn't want to let go of his hand. Was this what Anna meant by finding love at first sight? Because Elsa couldn't take his eyes off of him. Not only was he nice, kind, and friendly, he felt safe to be around. He saw her as a blessing, not a curse. He saw past the flaws, the insecurities, the fear. Fear began to take her over little by little. She now was realizing something, what if her powers could hurt him?
"I..I don't know what to say..But I'm worried. What if I hurt you? What if my blessing becomes a curse?" She started to panic as she began breathing heavily. This was stopped, however, when Shino grabbed her other hand and pulled her close to him, causing her cheeks to fill red with blood, and a blush.
"Elsa. You wouldn't hurt me, and I wouldn't hurt you. I see you for who you are, A snow queen. Besides, that wouldn't be my first rodeo. I have had a LOT of run ins with death." He chuckled at that last part but she did turn her head.
Elsa was a bit shocked by that remark, but with the fact he just said he sees her for who she really is, she sighed with relief. She slowly let go of his hands before looking up at him.
"So…I'm guessing you have a story to tell me?" She was eager to hear his story, even though she hadn't told him hers. But considering he seemed to be an interesting guy, he should go first.
Shino looked impressed as someone finally asked him what his life was like.
"Well you see…" He lays back on the couch as she sits up with two hands on her lap to listen. "I've been alive for quite some time. I'm a Yokai, or as God likes to call it, the Shinigami. I'm the Grim Reaper, ruler of death and protector of worlds. My main job is to kill demons and protect the people of earth. I originally was a 22 year old from Japan, but now I'm an immortal demi-god whose powers range from invulnerability to anything that hurts me, flying, and now this!" He shows her his fire hand and chuckles, smiling at her trying to understand his story.
Elsa was a little confused but as he continued to explain himself she began to understand more and more.
"So you're a demi-god whose sole purpose is to grant death to those who deserve it?"
Shino nodded as he continued explaining.
"I'm a guy who destroys the will of evil and protects the innocent, kind of like superheros. But I sort of had a history with not being able to die. It sucks when all of the people around you get old and wither away. Maybe that's why he sent me here. To find someone that would be able to stay with me forever?"
Elsa began to blush. It looks like God was trying to grant her wish already. Sending a demi-god whose personality is pure gold and is just like her? She was loving it.
"W-Well I hope that you find that perfect someone. And who knows…maybe it could be me?" She had hope in her eyes when she said this. Sure they just met, but it didn't matter. She was in love with him.
Shino, obviously a little flustered by her sudden move, was appalled by her courage. He had never really had a crush, or a girlfriend in that matter. Nevertheless, she started to scoot closer to him, and he didn't move at all.
"W-Well…I uh…I'm flattered that you have courage to even make a move on me..but I mean…you are a queen, so you should probably assert what you desire." He chuckled nervously with every intent of embarrassment.
Elsa, who had realized what she was doing, immediately sprung up from her seat with her face redder than a tomato, waving her hands frantically in every direction.
"P-Please don't flatter me more than you already are! You're just so….handsome and-" Elsa began to realize what she was saying and created a barrier that she hid behind before speaking again.
"I-I am sorry that you're the only man I've seemed to have an interest in but I do have an attraction to you! Maybe we should get to know each other better! Maybe going on mountain hikes a-and some lunch!?" Elsa couldn't believe what she was saying, but if Anna was right about love at first sight, then maybe she could find love too.
Shino, now walking towards her with his face as red as a rose, held his hand out in front of the barrier, waiting for her to take it.
"If you put the barrier down, maybe you and I could find our true feelings together."
Elsa looked at him with hope in her eyes. They glimmered with love and affection as the barrier dropped on its own as she grabbed his hand with such loving grace. Maybe this will be the first time both of them could experience the one thing they wanted to find. Love.