| abstract | - A woman stood in the expansive arched window of her office. Facing towards the vast domain that was the Land of Yang, her violet eyes watched the golden rays peep over the horizon of the forest edges. Such a wondrous sight set her at ease despite the formality of the impending meeting. In particular, one would be surprised by her informal wear, comfortable in a lavender blouse that tapered off around her calves and paired with sandals. A simple gold necklace adorned her neck, while her brown hair reached the middle of back. She sensed a mild disturbance within her office, one that possessed chakra origins. "You're early." she stated simply, not turning around. It was important that she watched the sunrise over her nation, the one that she and her cousin revitalized. "It's my duty to be early." Kamiyo replied as he removed his large black cloak and placed it on the back of his chair. His white hair fell down onto his head from the confines of the cloak an his now visible face gleamed in the rising sun as it reflected off of his purple eyes. Under his cloak he wore his standard uniform for these diplomatic runs, a black and gold suit that had been woven with gold soaked silk. He pulled off his white gloves and deposited them in his pocket as the sun rose from the hills. "So I suppose we should get this meeting underway since we're both here." The man spoke. "My name is Kamiyo Ōtsutsuki, ambassador of the moon." "Fair enough," Kurumi said as she turned finally. The sun had reached a sufficient point where she could be satisfied and begin working once more. Despite her informal appearance, the woman carried a discernible dignity with each footstep, before settling into her chair. She eyed Kamiyo warily before extending a hand for a formal handshake. "I am Kurumi Yuri, Daimyō of the Land of Yang. To what do we owe this visit?" she asked after introducing herself. She placed her hands in a pondering gesture, studying the white haired individual in such meticulous clothing. She could never understand why people dressed up other than to represent their own power; Kurumi had no time for superficial matters, she knew her capabilities, and if they chose to underestimate her they could do so at their own expense. Meanwhile, she waited patiently for Kamiyo's response. Kamiyo smiled as he shook her hand and sat back within his chair. "I'm mainly here for one purpose, the state of the Land of Yang's alliance with the moon. As you probably know this alliance is possibly the most profitable you can have. Militarily you have an extremely strategic position out of your enemies reach and in terms of trade we have rare metals and consumer materials that are impossible to find here. Besides that I assume the fact that being allied with the moon would stir up a positive buzz among your people." Kamiyo spoke calmly as placed his hands on his lap. "Mainly I'm here to assure our alliance is still going. Since apparently no one can check in while I'm absent and the alliance business has been on hold." He spoke. Kurumi considered all of the information that he mentioned. She knew that historically there had been individuals, but the generally harsh environment had caused her to assume he was one of the last, if not the final to do so. If what he said held true however, the moon's position as out of reach would prove advantageous to her nation when it came to building up trade in order to strength the national economy. "Fascinating, perhaps you could give me an example of the types of metals and materials that your moon possesses?" Kurumi said coolly, a poker face hiding any notion of emotion from her when it came to this ongoing discussion. "Though I would like to know why there has been such a large absence between the visits, considering your status as a diplomat and preserver of any active alliances whether strategic, military or economic." she stated with just a hint of disinterest. Internally she wondered how an alliance to the moon would add to the Land of Yang's histories. Her eyes lightened to lavender as she continued deliberating internally. Kamiyo nodded and removed a small pamphlet from his pocket before placing it on the table. "Within this pamphlet is the extent of the materials that we posses but I shall highlight the main metals. We have shadow steel which is mainly used in construction, Moonstone which is a both a construction material and a weapon material. There is also an alloy called Star Steel that is possibly one of the most resilient and durable metals to exist. In terms of Materials our main export is moon-dust, it's an all purpose medical material that costs large amounts of money here." Kamiyo spoke as he placed his hands back on his lap. As the questions about his absence loomed over him Kamiyo began to flow from Kurumi's mouth Kamiyo began to stir internally, though he did not show it. With a sigh Kamiyo began to speak. "I was trapped within purgatory for two years, I eventually escaped but when i did no one had been able to do my job. I wrote in my own code so no one could understand my documents and I balanced the entire foreign relations myself so it was quite hard for a person to fill those shoes with no information." The man spoke as he looked at his fellow political figure. The way he said purgatory so calmly Kurumi almost believed him, before raising a condescending eyebrow. "Purgatory? I heard that's the kind of place you don't escape from, not easily anyway. So tell me how you managed such a feat." Kurumi stated. As for the list of minerals and metals provided, she had them duly noted within a book. All of them could prove of use sometime in the future. She chose not to make mention of the recent changeover within the Land of Yang and its primary hidden village. Such an event had only occurred roughly 3 years ago, and she didn't feel the need to inform said ally of the recent transition. Kuru would let him draw his own conclusions for the time being. "So I see, perhaps it would be wiser to train someone next time so they could fill your shoes in at least minimal capacity should such an occurrence befall, you once more." Kurumi stated coolly once more, meeting the gaze of the ambassador. The formality of such an affair was beginning to wear on her slightly however, as she felt somewhat anxious to return to her study. There were several books to be read and topics to be studied. She had no problem with making her impending ally uncomfortable; after all, as neither this land nor her owed him anything. The smallest of smirks appeared on her lips as the proceedings continued to unfold. Kamiyo sighed as the girl asked him about his escape from purgatory, while he didn't want to tell her he decided he might as well since the countries were to become allies and trust was a good thing to have in an alliance. "Well as you know I am an Ōtsutsuki but that's only half my lineage. My father is a man named Kaminoshi, you've probably heard his name once or twice. He knew your grandfather Seika quite well and was an acquaintance of his son Kiyoshi as well. If I recall correctly he is even the godfather of your aunt Mihaya." Kamiyo spoke, stopping to let it sink in. "As for me I could eventually escape due to my status as a shinigami. That is the reason there is no one that can replace what I do. No one can match my impossible workload but me." Kamiyo finished. He was watching her soul now, awaiting her response. He could see everything. Kurumi remained impassive with his sudden proclamation. "An Ōtsutsuki related to death itself. Your mother wouldn't happen to be Chiyoko Ōtsutsuki? Daughter of Kan Korimachi, who is currently married to my great-great-great grand aunt. I suppose being a Shinigami could be the result of your relations." she stated coolly. When Kamiyo mistakenly mentioned her father's name however, Kurumi's blood ran cold as memories crashed upon her. "Don't. Ever. Mention. His. Name." Kurumi said icily. She admitted that the deal was pretty favorable, causing her smirk to return. "I suppose we should put this alliance down in writing," she continued, producing a formal document listing the trade perimeters, economic circumstances, and military attributes. She placed it in front of Kamiyo, allowing him time to read the articles while she reclined comfortably, messaging her palms. "Yes Chiyoko is my mother." Kamiyo replied before actually reeling back at her outburst over her father. He could see the hatred in her soul and even though she quickly hid it Kamiyo knew it was a subject he should not bring up. "Terribly sorry about that." Was his only reply to her icy words. She shifted to focus to the deal expertly and Kamiyo nodded before producing a paper and writing some illegible scribbles upon it. The shinigami then read over the paper carefully. "Hmm everything seems to be in order here." he stated as he signed the paper with his official signature, making the alliance official. Looking back up from the paper Kamiyo eyed the landscape out the window and smiled. "Seems like quite the beautiful place you have here." Taking the paper back, Kurumi added her own signature, cementing the alliance between the two nations. Thinking about her outburst from earlier, she sighed. "It's fine, there's no way you could have known." she replied before sitting up straight once more. She carefully placed the signed document in a protective location, in order to make sure the elements didn't reach such a valuable document. She followed Kamiyo's gaze to the landscape outside, a smile reaching her lips. "It's home." she said warmly, feeling a connection to the earth and the immense forest that it sustained. She decided that her studies could wait for the time being, a good walk among nature would help clear her thoughts and improve her productivity. With this in mind, Kurumi stood, an aura of serenity about her. "Considering you know so little about this our home, would you like to take a walk with me?" she asked Kamiyo. At this point she rested in front of the massive window once more before opening it, letting the springtime air and sunlight enter her office. Her eyes wandered across the treetops and the calming landscape. Her sensitivity could both hear and feel nature running its course, causing her smile to widen as the breeze gently rustled her long hair. With the political meeting finally over and the tension of the room destroyed Kamiyo's body relaxed and his whole mood changed. Gone was the looming seriousness of his political self and now he was surrounded by a warm aura of calm and happiness. He hopped up from his chair and grabbed his cloak off it before flinging it on. He was already thinking how much he needed a break after his unending travels to make up for the lost time. This was something he needed to do no matter what and what better place to do it than the unspoiled beauty of the Land of Yang. As he stood and walked to the window a smile crept across his face and as he stuck his head out and looked over the infinite forest the sun shined on his face, surrounding it in an illuminating glow. "I'd love a tour of this place." Kamiyo spoke happily as he turned to Kurumi. The wind caressing his hair as he smiled brightly. "Perfect." she said before smiling back. Gauging the distance between her window and the forest floor, Kurumi jumped before enjoying the wind against her face as she continued to fall. Upon coming into view, she grabbed a branch before jumping to another, each new one appearing as a gift to the young woman of nature. With ease, she landed comfortably on the ground, in a manner that would make Haigatake proud. She straightened, before looking at open window with Kamiyo still in the archway. "Come along," she called up before breathing in. The warm weather brought in the wonderful smells of the existing world, various fruits and other plants releasing their scents for any passerby to enjoy. Regardless of whether or not the latter was following, she began walking, deciding to forgo sandals in order to walk barefoot. Feeling the earth between her toes caused her to release a laugh of pure bliss. She had forgotten her offer of a tour, though should Kamiyo catch up with her the former might remember. Kamiyo watched as the girl leaped from the window and swung from the beaches to the ground. It's almost like she's a monkey. Kamiyo thought to himself as he watched the nature girl meld into the trees. He stepped onto the edge of the window and lept from the window onto a high tree branch. Kamiyo then began maneuvering himself off of the branches and trunks of the trees, it was unnatural but fun. Finally seeing Kurumi in the distance the man leapt from his branch and landed a few feet behind her, letting out a small huff. "It's quite the beautiful forest you have here." The man laughed as he softly ran his hands through the overhanging leaves. His eyes filled with wonder at the luscious beauty of this forest, it seemed unreal. "So about that tour?" Kamiyo spoke softly as he gave Kurumi a small tap on the shoulder. Kurumi snapped out of her daze after Kamiyo's tap. "Ah yes, I nearly forgot." she responded somewhat sheepishly. She had been enthralled with the scene, quickly drawing a blank on the matter. "Anyways, this forest that you see here is rather immense, covering roughly 1/4 of the country on its own; some say that it may have covered at least 50% of the country before breaks where installed by the construction of hidden villages and towns several generations ago. Either way, its an integral part of nation and under my personal protection." she said before continuing to stroll along. As if to symbolize her connection with the landscape, a bird landed on her shoulder while the environment ran its course. The serenity encompassing her figure proved infectious, drawing the forest's inhabitants to her while she carried on conversations with each newcomer. Soon the demands of their continued well-being called however, causing them to politely excuse themselves before going back to their affairs. Kurumi smiled as each one left until only the bird remained. It whispered something in her eye that caused her to grin before it too flew off. "That reminds me, there is a place I would like to show you." she said, carefully remembering the directions endowed to her by the bird. She changed directions as a result, walking down a forest path that widened slightly. "That's quite amazing." The man responded. "So this forest has been here even longer than the village." He walked in awe of the unspoiled beauty and scale of this majestic place. Kamiyo had been all over the world, seen the most advanced places and beautiful landscapes but something about this place was special. This forest was a natural haven of life and Kamiyo could see that. He observed the masses of animals flocking to Kurumi, she was one with nature. Kamiyo smiled as he reached his hand out to a bird flying by and it briefly looked at him, before fluttering off into the woods. He was a relative of death after all, though he didn't want to harm it nature avoided him if it could. He turned back to Kurumi to see the girl listening to the whispers of a small bird before it fluttered off and she turned to him and spoke of a special place in these woods. "I'd love to see that." Kamiyo responded warmly as he began to follow her down the path. "Lead the way nature girl." "Indeed it has." Kurumi stated as they continued down the pathway. The trip itself was rather short in comparison to the distant they traveled, the path gradually widening with each step. Her smile grew as the air grew crisper, with the teasing of a breeze wafting through their immediate area. Upon the approach of a clearing, the pathway grew substantially to the point where easily allow two way traffic. Though the path itself ceased at this entryway; in its stead was the warm sands of a beach that would in turn slide into the reaches of a great lake. The smell of freshwater permeated the air, removing the stress of early morning work from Kurumi's mind as she walked further, feeling small waves lap at her feet with each step. The water itself was in pristine condition, shining clear to the bottom while welcoming Kurumi's presence with open arms. Above the clouds drifted across the skyline, providing momentary shade from the piercing rays of the sun; it was to be a day devoted to relaxation. As with the woodlands earlier, the sea creatures that called the freshwater oasis home gathered around the young woman as she strove deeper into the water's embrace. Despite the flurry activity below the surface, the area itself retained a magical yet tranquil quality, showing no signs of human disturbance. Kurumi made a note to take Kamiyo to the village later, though for now she prepared to enjoy the natural world. The path that they traversed was long and winding, covered in a canopy of leaves. Wherever Kamiyo looked he could see a new plant appear in his line of sight, the bright colors melding into a canvas of life. As they breached the wall of trees and stepped onto the sandy beach. Though it may have been a beach on land before him stood a gigantic lake of crystal clear water. As Kurumi gracefully walked into the lake Kamiyo stripped slowly to the edge before dipping his hand in ever so slightly, a small tap that sent a ripple through the calm water. Kamiyo stood and watched as the ripple traveled across the waves before looking over to Kurumi. The girl was waist deep in the water with various creatures gracefully swimming around her. It took Kamiyo a moment before he began to laugh a little, not a great laugh but a small friendly chuckle. "Nature girl you forgot to change." He spoke, his voice carrying to her. It was strange to see a person completely forget that they were wearing clothes before walking into the water but Kamiyo could recall hearing the a similar story from one of his aunts. He smiled at her before a mass of darkness surrounded him for a minute before disappearing to reveal he had changed into a jet black swimsuit. His white hair glistened in the bright day as the sunlight roamed over his scarred body, the most clear one being a large slash mark down his back. The spell was broken with Kamiyo's nonchalant comment and subsequent laughter. Kurumi looked down before noting that she was in fact still in her dress. She giggled in a very un daimyō manner, "It appears I've been distracted lately." With simple execution of a technique, her wet blouse was replaced with a two piece bathing suit that shone lavender, causing her eyes to lighten in tandem. The bathing suit hugged her feminine form as well as laid bare the jagged lightning scar that remained in the middle of her back. It served as a personal reminder of what she had survived and overcome in a world that still held its fair share of betrayal along with a warning that she carried more than a sharp intelligence. She turned to find Kamiyo in a midnight bathing suit, one that revealed a multitude of scars, in particular one that resembled the consequence of a brutal slashing motion. It was clear that he had endured quite a few battles besides his diplomatic tendencies. At this point it became clear that his profession as a Shinigami was a less than pleasant one. After all, most people didn't go quietly. In spite of that, the scars served as distinguishing method, one that she was drawn to with his sunlight filtered white hair and radiant violet eyes. "Come in, the water won't wait forever." Kurumi said, waving him in. The sea creatures scattered as she moved, though the alligator gave her a lazy eye before slowly swimming off, having the lost the battle of wills after seeing her grievous lightning scar. Feeling the gentle cool, Kurumi dipped into lake's surface, swimming with powerful yet graceful strokes through the reservoir. Kamiyo looked back at Kurumi to see she had changed out of her dress and into a lavender swimsuit. She looked dazzling in the sunlight, her honey brown hair looked like silk in the sparkling sun and her eyes dazzled him. The sunlight swept over her sunlit skin highlighting a jagged, lightning shaped scar that ran down her back. Kamiyo wondered what her scar had come from, as scar that run that deep always stay with you. His own scar came from a conflict with his father. Kamiyo had found evidence that his father had been doing unspeakable things and fought him over it. Before he was banished to purgatory his father had slashed him down the back with his scythe, leaving a scar that could never heal. Looking back up at Kurmui, Kamiyo nodded at her words and proceeded towards the water. However instead of entering it a black substance built a tower below him that shot him high into the air. Kay then smiled before gracefully jumping off of it and into the shimmering world below. As he touched down he could feel the cool caress of the water around his body. The man gave a large smile as he emerged from the depths next to Kurumi. Kurumi momentarily paused when a large shadow fell over the area she was swimming. Looking up, she saw a large tower from the beach before watching Kamiyo leap from its height and land in the water with a tremendous splash. Despite the volume of water disturbed, his movements leading to the entrance remained swan-like in their grace. She smiled back has he returned from the depths of the lake they resided in. "So what do you think?" Kurumi asked, curious to see what he had to say. Part of her wanted to ask about the scar that marked his back, one that was easily distinguishable from the smaller, fading ones. For the moment though she would respect his silence. After all it was his story to tell when he decided he was ready. Her own scar itched slightly, though the soothing cool of the lake kept it at bay for the time being. She found herself gazing deeply into his violet hued eyes while waiting for his response. Kuru didn't know why, given her inexperience with the field of love and romance, but she felt a draw. As with the other thing however, she remained silent though, unsure if explaining aloud would help her reason through this feeling. "This place is so damn beautiful." Kamiyo called out as floated upon the glass lake.Turning to Kurumi he looked into her plum eyes and found them drawn to to his back. Even if she wasn't looking at it she wanted to and he could tell. Her soul wondered desperately about his own scar and Kamiyo decided to fulfill the wishes of her soul. "I can see you looking at my back, are you wondering what I could've done to get that scar?" Kamiyo questioned her, but before she could even answer the explanation for it came spewing out of Kamiyo's lips. "I got this scar around two years ago, right before I was banished to purgatory. I got into a fight with my father about our morals and he easily overpowered me, leaving this gash on my back before banishing me to purgatory." Kamiyo spoke. As he waited on Kurumi's response he hoped she would share the story behind her scar as well. However Kamiyo didn't want to be rude by asking her so abruptly. He wondered why he had had the sudden urge to tell one of his secrets to someone he met so recently. His mind was filled with questions that only he could answer yet he could not answer them. Kurumi absorbed his answer, proving her hunch about the scar being related to his work correct. What shocked her however was that it was his own father who gave him the injury. "How can someone do that to their own child?" she quipped aloud, noting that being the personification of death could cause contradictions. Part of her was also surprised that he figured out what was troubling her so easily. Had she become that obvious since settling down in this countryside? However, Kuru could sense that he had his own questions, particularly about her own brand of scarring. She ultimately decided to indulge him. "I'll give you the short narrative. I was abandoned my teammates because of their prevalent envy during the chūnin exams. I defeated the opponents or so I thought. They turned out to be water clones before I was ambushed by a concentrated lightning blasts. You should be able to figure out what happens when water and lightning mixed. I'll admit that using water clones as a setup to submerge at least a portion of me was genius. The result was a powerful paralyzing effect that left me wheelchair bound for what was thought to be an indefinite time by the doctors. It ended up being 6 years before I ultimately jumped ship. This scar was a prize from that chain of events." Kurumi stated, feeling like she had talked longer than intended. Yet she had easily shared this information as well; maybe she felt that he wouldn't judge her for the decision she made. Kamiyo waited patiently as Kurumi explained the story behind her own scar. It was terrible how her teammates had abandoned her and how she had been decimated by a enemy surprise attack. "That's terrible Kurumi, I guess your teammates had no sense of honor or dignity. They deserve to rot for abandoning their duty." Kamiyo spoke angrily before snapping back to his usual voice. He didn't understand why his voice had suddenly changed so dramatically but he did understand he was angry at those people because of what they did to Kurumi. Strange feeling were welling up inside Kamiyo and he did not understand them. He soon snapped out of his thoughts and replied to Kurumi's previous comment. "Well I suppose that is quite a horrible thing for a father to do but you've never met my dad. While he seems super nice and harmless he had possibly the most fucked up training regimen ever invented. He apparently lied to me about attempting to start a fifth world war to test my strength before locking me in purgatory with the one thought in my mind being to escape and kill him. However when I did escape he explained everything and we made up. It really did increase my strength though, it takes a huge amount of power to space purgatory." Kamiyo spoke, hoping to give Kurumi an understand of his father's deeds. Kurumi was surprised by the powerful emotions behind Kamiyo's response. It felt like more than just the typical disappointment expressed by most individuals. Kamiyo sounded genuinely enraged on her behalf, causing Kurumi to blush slightly in response. The only person who had a similar response was her cousin, but a paralleled history plus sharing a powerful familial bond made such an action easily explainable. But she wasn't related to Kamiyo nor where their situations exactly the same. Her brow furrowed in thought. Only to clear when Kamiyo further explained his narrative. "I guess, but that seems overly harsh as a training regiment. Also, the lying seems a bit unnecessary, there's supposed to be a trust between family members. If you can't rely on them, who will you turn to when belief in yourself isn't enough?" Kurumi asked. It was a question that she had confronted time and time again before encountering Himizu, and it was one that she posed with interest in Kamiyo's response. While waiting for his answer she began swimming once more, delighting in the water's soothing temperature. After such revelations and these unexplained feelings, she need to clear her head so she could figure out what was next. Kamiyo froze up a little as Kurumi talked of his father. While it was true that his father was extremely unorthodox he was also very wise and whatever he did was usually for everyones best. He thought back to when Kaminohsi had explained his reasoning behind his harsh method and it had truly shocked Kamiyo. With a sigh his mouth moved on its own. Longing to tell Kurumi the truth for reasons he could not yet grasp. "Well my father confronted me about the reasoning behind his strange method and my banishment. He told me that there is an infinite amount of universes with infinite possibilities. As the only person that only has one existence as opposes to the separate versions of everyone in every universe he can see it all. He told me that in every possibility that there is only the me's who were subjected to that exact method were the ones that lived a full life, the rest died off. It's quite scary to think about you know, how the smallest change can alter your entire reality." Kamiyo finished before looking at Kurumi. "But enough sadness lets actually have some fun." He shouted as he created a giant construct of darkness with the two of them at the top. He then shaped it into a giant waterslide, fueled by the water from the air. Kurumi suddenly found herself at the top of another construct, this time one built for fun. Her grin returned as she saw the massive drop to the suddenly small lake below. Despite the new development, Kamiyo's words were not lost on her, showing that despite his methods, Kaminoshi was a rather sharp individual. Then again, having such a perspective would make the accumulation of wisdom somewhat inevitable. But she digressed. With reckless abandon she began the descent, letting out a laugh of exhilaration as she went faster and faster, before reaching the end. Using the momentum she jumped, executing a cannonball before landing in the shimmering waters with a tremendous splash. The fish appeared startled by the sudden intrusion, but upon recognizing the culprit they continued about their business. "Awesome." she breathed before climbing the backside of the water slide to the top once more. She was undeterred by the lack of ladder; she had learned long ago from a friend how to navigate such constructs. The intellectual part of Kuru was curious about the origins of such a technique though. "How did you create this water slide from darkness? Is it a byproduct of your profession?" she asked, her legs crossed as she rested comfortably at the summit of the slide. Kamiyo smiled as he watched the girl shoot down the slide without a care in the world. As she shot from the slide in a graceful leap before crashing down in the not so graceful but always fun, cannonball. The splash in the waters sent ripples through the lake as Kurumi emerged behind the structure and began leaping up it in such a way that one would think she was a monkey. Kamiyo smiled at her as she gracefully landed back atop the platform. "Quite the acrobat aren't you nature girl." Kamiyo spoke happily. After listening to her inquiry on his ability Kamiyo extended his arm and created a dagger out of shadows. "I have an ability quite similar to Tool Creation Technique. The difference is mine are made of darkness and are black in color. In addition to that I can shape it into anything instead of just tools. My guess is that it's a combination of power from both my mother and father." Kamiyo stated while providing his own hypothesis on how the technique came to be. "Interesting." was Kurumi's only response as she considered his explanation. She mentally stored that information away for later. As for his earlier comment, she grinned, "It's thanks to a friend of mine, he taught me how to maintain my flexibility and dexterity while navigating less agreeable surfaces. To be honest, there were many times where it was useful, such as right now." She then looked at the drop, one that caused her to be excited once more. "Ready to go down?" she asked while eyeing the world below. She remembered that she had to show Kamiyo the village after this, though a shower wouldn't be remiss beforehand. While waiting for Kami's response she stretched, loosening any stiff muscles from the previous trip down the water slide. To be honest she should have thought of something like this earlier, but she had been too busy catching up with the world around her; after all, being stuck in that office was a chore despite its wonderful view. "Oh I see." Kamiyo nodded as his mind raced to the possibility of her friend being a monkey due to her strong bond with nature. As Kurumi motioned to the slide offering for the two of them to take a ride Kamiyo's mind a flustered. It was an innocent offer though and he would never deny a waterslide ride so he happily hopped into the slide behind Kurumi. With a slight push the two were barreling down the twisting slide. Left, right, up, and down, the two shot through the massive slide with Kamiyo creating new slide sections as the two shot off certain parts due to speed. As the two finally reached the end they crashed into the crystalline sheet of water with a massive splash that sent small waves onto the shore or the peaceful lake. Moments later Kamiyo resurfaced with a smile plastered on his face. "That was awesome." He shouted ecstatically. Kurumi raised an eyebrow at his flustered state before her own butterflies took hold. She reassured herself that the offer meant nothing more than sliding down the construct at the same time. She laughed again as they took off once more, building up even greater speed than her last run. Part of her noted that there was a greater number of twists and turns than last time; they only furthered the fun though as they were launched into space before crashing into the lake once more. Her laughter continued before she accidentally sprayed water at Kami. "Definitely," she agreed while backstroking over to where Kami had landed. "Again? Or should we do something else?" Kurumi said before spraying Kamiyo with water once more. This time it was on purpose, her grin widening as he became even more soaked then last time. She decided to look up at the sky, noting the sun had reached its zenith: it would begin its descent soon. Kamiyo laughed as waves of water splashed over him as he swan through the water. "Splash fight." The man responded as he flung his arms forwards sending small waves of water at her. As the battle continued the waves began to grow bigger and bigger until finally Kamiyo created a wave so big it swept them both onto the shore. Kamiyo began laughing as he picked himself off of the water-drenched sand. He strolled over to Kurumi and smiled at before speaking. "Well that was amazing. Should we head back to town though? It's getting a bit late." The man spoke as he glanced at the setting sun. He then snapped his fingers as the water on their bodies turned to air and floated away. He then summoned himself a clean t shirt and placed it over his body. She suddenly found herself lying on the beach, noting that their water fight had escalated quickly. Kurumi smiled as she stood once more, the sand filtering out of her hair. With a quick comb through, she was able to rid herself of the remaining bits. She laughed as she found herself dry once more. "That was fun." she stated before grabbing a shirt of her own. "We should." Kurumi added, the warmth remaining despite the setting sun. Leading the way, she brought them through the forest once more. However, when they reached the other path they had located earlier, Kurumi veered in an opposite direction, continuing at a pace that represented regular stroll through the woods. As they ventured further, the sounds of human voice could be heard. The lake's beauty and valuable resources had made the idea of a nearby settlement popular, reducing the walk greatly as the village grew into a bustling town. With their arrival came a momentary pause as townspeople witnessed the entrance of their land's daimyō and a handsome young diplomat. While they attempted to not jump to conclusions, their appearance together and in rather informal attire said otherwise. Not to mention there was an air of intimacy, even if the two couldn't recognize it yet. Searching among the various shops, Kurumi eventually found the one she sought, bringing Kamiyo along with her inside. The first name basis showed that she frequented the place. The venue for their part prided itself on being an open ended establishment, catering to the appetites of an individual. After some banter between her and the waiter Kamiyo and Kurumi took their seats. Kamiyo happily walked through the forest, marveling at the golden colors that danced through the trees as the sun began its final descent. The golden trees soon parted into bustling village, It was a shocking sight for Kamiyo after all that nature. "Wow who knew a place like this could be so well hidden." he remarked as they walked through the town. Kamiyo followed Kurumi closely through the streets until she finally stopped in from of a quite nice looking restaurant. "Wow a fancy restraint with swimsuits and t shirts, we are truly diplomatic rebels." He whispered to Kurumi as they entered the place. As the two seated themselves Kamiyo soon learned that the place could basically make him anything he desired. As the waiter came he ordered himself an unseasoned steak. After Kurumi's order was taken and the man's departure Kamiyo removed an object from his pocket. "Hell Salt" He stated proudly. "It's part of the design." she responded. At his later comment she laughed, "They know me well, it's not the first time I've shown in such informal wear." For her order she had decided upon salmon rice and a relative abundance of fruit. Once the waiter had left she noted that Kami removed a packet from its holding place. "Hell salt?" she asked, before realizing that this commodity likely originated from his father Kaminoshi. "What's the difference? Compared to regular salt that is?" Kurumi continued before settling in comfortably. The nice thing about this establishment was their quick service, so it would only be a matter of time before their food was ready and served. Part of her smiled at the thought of a meal, considering she had skipped lunch today. Her stomach protested in response, causing Kurumi to blush slightly. "So, tell me a little about yourself death boy." Kurumi stated with a smirk. Kamiyo smiled as he looked into Kurumi's eyes. "Hell salt is very special and far superior to normal salt. It has a molecular composition that literally adapts to match whatever it is placed on in a way that compliments it. It is basically a salt that can be placed on anything and makes it taste even more amazing." The man happily replied as he shook some onto her palm and motioned for her to try it before eating a small bit himself. Upon the small growl of Kurumi's stomach Kamiyo looked up to she her blush a little and ask him about himself. After a moment of pondering what to tell her Kamiyo decided to just give her a summary of himself. "I was born on the moon and grew up wanting to be a diplomat. I became the ambassador for the moon at fifteen and going on leave till I was 19 so my father could make sure I could actually protect myself. A few years later my father revealed to me that I help the capacity to become a Shinigami and trained me into one. After that I split my duties between commanding most of the Shinigami and keeping peace with the moon in check. That basically leads to whole purgatory thing. The stuff that interests me or brings me pleasure is reading, studying my family history, diplomacy, art that makes sense, training with my father and brother, teaching one of my little sisters the ways of a Shinigami, spending time with my family, and cooking." Kamiyo spoke calmly. "Now will you tell me about yourself?" Kurumi nodded as he finished his explanation. "Sounds fascinating, I wonder if it was a natural thing or something your father cooked up." She itched to her the science behind the method. Upon receiving a sample she dutifully tasted it, before a smiled warmed her face. "You're right. This does enhance a dish." she responded. And as luck would have it, their food arrived at that time, allowing her to experiment with the hell salt on her salmon. She the mused over what to tell Kamiyo about herself, ultimately deciding upon the same summary. Her personal narrative was far too long for a casual dinner conversation. "Let's see. I was born in Kumogakure, and grew up with the ambition to continue in the family business, namely the shinobi/kuniochi trade with the end goal being Raikage. Following an unfortunate turn of events at age 10, my vision changed to that of daimyō. Since I could no longer work with my body, I turned to the mind. I joined the council as its youngest member shortly afterwards, and meticulously climbed the rankings until I was apart of the primary ruling body in Kumo's legislative branch. Though with the return of my mobility at age 16 I ultimately decided I had enough of Kumogakure's walls. So I turned to the nomadic trails, a decision I don't regret as allowed me to meet several people on my way while connecting with family members I would have never met otherwise. One of them is the reason why I became daimyō of this nation and stand before you today. What I generally find intriguing or stimulating are the histories, studying my familial lineage, the sciences particularly Biology, traveling the various countries, training with my elder cousin, reading, strolls through the woods, and sampling various foods." Kurumi stated. Having spoken her fill, she turned towards her meal, which produced an abundance of welcoming steam. "Wow so looks like we were both into politics at a young age huh nature girl." Kamiyo laughed before thanking the waiter and taking his meal. He sprinkled the salt all over the steak before cutting himself a piece and biting into it. "Oh man this is good." He exclaimed as he dug into the meal. It had been a long day and he was in a t-shirt and a swimsuit in an extremely fancy restaurant. Today Kamiyo really didn't care about keeping up his appearance. As they finished their meals Kamiyo gracefully claimed the check. "I don't care if this is your city, I'm still paying of us." He spoke as he paid the waiter and they walked out of the establishment. The sun had set and the lights in the streets and houses softly illuminated the town. "Hmm It's getting kinda late huh." Kamiyo spoke as he looked up at the starry sky. "What should we do?" He asked as he looked back at the honey haired girl next to him. "It appears so death boy." Kurumi smirked in response. She continued to add hell salt to her salmon, enjoying its ability to enhance the food one eats. Kurumi laughed as Kamiyo sighed into the chair with ease. He was clearly in no mood to adhere to this restaurant's formalities. Seeing him rescue the check caused her to frown. "You're a guest in my country, it is only expected that I pick up the tab." Kurumi protested, only to realize that the check was paid for and not coming her way. "At least let me reimburse you." she continued. Her eyes then wandered to the night sky, taking in the ambiance before walking in to the woods instinctively. "Come on, I know a good spot to enjoy the full display of the world above." Kurumi said excitedly, her impatience causing her to grab Kamiyo and pull him along. The place she was thinking of was not too far away from the current location, but was isolated from the nearby city's light pollution. Following the winding path through the use of her sense and a full harvest moon, Kurumi brought them to an intimate yet comfortable clearing that rose above a good portion of the trees. They were allowed an unrestricted view of the night sky's brilliance because of the location's design. In a blissful state, Kurumi took a seat before leaning back. "Where?" Kamiyo cried out as he was grabbed by the arm and dragged through the forest once again. As they passed through the moonlit forest Kamiyo early had time to enjoy it as he was pulled through the foliage and along the winding path. Upon finally emerging from the path Kamiyo was released from Kurumi's grasp and looked upon the sky. The stars sparkled in their own realm within the sky as the shining harvest moon loomed over the world. As he looked into the sky Kamiyo began recognizing constellations and planetary bodies that his mother taught him when he was younger. Directly above the two was a sparkling belt of the galaxy they were in, millions of stars lined up in a beautiful display. "This is breathtaking." Kamiyo spoke as he stared into the sky. "You should see the view from the moon, staring back at this planet is quite beautiful too." The man exclaimed as he looked back at Kurumi before laying down next to her. His white hair was quite literally sparking in the moonlight as he stared into the sky. His face was a bit red as he began to once again speak. "Thank you for everything todays Kurumi. I really needed a day off and this was probably the best I could've asked for." "I bet it is. I'll have to experience that view sometime." Kurumi responded while laying down to watch the world above run its course. As they rested there, a few comets stole across the sky in rapid fashion, threading a line across the view. She could hear the hesitation in Kami's voice, something easily explainable by nervousness, something that caused the butterflies return. Her hair turned to warm honey in the streaming moonlight as she looked over to see Kamiyo's expression. She smiled faintly, "I'm glad you had a good time Kamiyo. It was definitely something I needed as well. Spending it with you made the whole time worthwhile for me." at this Kurumi blushed slightly. Her hands rested against the hill's ridge, her eyes matching the deep purple of the world above, while her stomach continued to flutter. Kuru didn't know why though, yet she felt she had crossed an invisible line with her last statement, building up romantic tension. At Kurumi's words echoed through the air time stopped for Kamiyo, his mind was racing. Sure he knew how to act around ladies in a polite and gracious manner, even being charming. This however was much much different. Kamiyo could feel the tension that had just exploded into the air, one of the downsides of being so good with emotions is that they hid you harder than the rest. His shimmering violet eyes blinked rapidly as his brain processed information. She meant something by that right, I mean we have been having a great time so maybe it could've been something. Then again it could be nothing but a slip up and an unknown rise caused by it. Kamiyo grew restless until he finally mentally shut himself up and made a move. If it worked great, if not then it was nothing. Kamiyo however felt something that needed to be addressed. "Yeah I'm glad i spent it with you too." He replied as he placed his hand on hers, solidifying the statement of his feelings. Kurumi's face warmed at the gesture. She had never been skilled with emotions or reading them, a fault that had partially led to her injury. It was clear that she felt out of her element yet even she could tell there was a risk behind this effort on Kami's part. There was always the chance that Kuru could crush him with a deflating no, a drawing away or movement that signaled denial. Yet her hand reached for his when he placed it on top of hers. She gave a gentle squeeze, knowing that this small response would be enough to answer his question. Holding hands felt oddly comfortable despite how foreign it felt. After all, she didn't have time to pursue relationships with the busy schedule she had kept as a child and adult. Besides, she had been too much of a tomboy back then to care about such trivial things. But it was nice to at least dip her toe in the water, to have a feel for what this is like. Her gaze returned to the nature above, a tranquility settling over her as they lay there in comfortable silence. Kamiyo's body slowly relaxed as his heartbeat slowed down from it's absurdly high rate. That one squeeze of her hand relieved the tension between the two in a flash. Kamiyo knew she was ok with it, they were ok with it. He smiled as he lay beside her in the cool air, below the shining stars. Though they lay together in silence Kamiyo's mind was still going. It was telling him to move, to do something. He needed to solidify this moment, take it further. This was no longer diplomacy, this was no longer a question. This was a stir of feelings from within. As if he was a man possessed Kamiyo swiftly moved from his back and gently lifted Kurumi from the ground with him. As the two stood within the glittering rays of the moon Kamiyo embraced her, planting a heartfelt kiss on her lips. It was to Kurumi's surprise that she found herself standing before feeling the presence of Kami. Her lips rosen as the gentle kiss reached it's destination: there was a level of passion and strength her that left Kuru breathless. She returned the embrace with a warm kiss of her own, shocked by how natural it felt. When they broke apart, her gaze met his own as a smile graced her face. All nervousness dissipated into the night air, yet her hand remained intertwined with his own. A small evening breeze wafted between the couple, rustling their hair. Above them, a comet shot across the sky as if to signal that an important moment was occurring. Her smile grew in brilliance till it outshone the moonlight, while she remained lost in the purple wells that were Kamiyo's eyes. "Should we return?" she asked, breaking the spell that was cast over them and the landscape. Kamiyo stared into the eyes of the lovely woman before him, his eyes lost in hers. His purple orbs stared back at hers, sparking like stars in the illuminated night. As he finally registered her words the moment broke and he was no longer lost in her eyes. "I guess we should return huh." Kamiyo spoke as he stared into the sky at the looming moon. Then a sudden idea popped into his head. "So Kurumi you've been talking me through the woods all this time, showing me nature and it's everlasting beauty. Now let me take you to my realm, the sky." As he spoke the darkness of the night heeded to his call and created a moving mass under the two that shot them into the sky as they floated through the night sky on the moving mass of darkness the stars seemed to be even brighter than before. As they travel Kamiyo still held her hand as they gazed at the majesty of the sky. "Just point me to your house and I'll drop you off." Kurumi gasped as they were suddenly lifted to well above the tree line. Soon the trees became nothing more than dots, with the town appearing as a small light among the dark landscape. "Amazing," she breathed. Her eyes turned towards the dazzling brilliance of the sky, satisfied that its incredible beauty would remain unaltered, just like the world she had created below. It brought a warming smile to her face, one that didn't falter as she directed Kamiyo towards her residence. As luck would have it, the building was situated within the daimyo complex that she had constructed, with the firelight serving as a beacon to welcome her home. "Here should be good." Kuru said while Kamiyo set them down on the ground in front of her house. "Thank you for everything," she said, before planting a good night kiss on Kamiyo's lips. Her lavender eyes shown in the waning moonlight; the hour had grown late after all. "Good night Kami." Kuru whispered in Kamiyo's ear. Allowing herself a small smile, she turned to enter the beckoning doorway of the home; her bed was calling. Kamiyo gently set the two down before the illuminated door and smiled as Kurumi stepped away but not before planting a kiss on his lips. A warm grin came to his face as they stepped back from the kiss. "No I should be thanking you Kurumi, today was magical." He spoke as Kurumi returned to her house and Kamiyo walked off as he called out a heartfelt good night. As he left Kamiyo began thinking about his day. It was quite possibly one of the best days of his life. Not only because of Kurumi herself but it was the first day he really experienced nature and life. Before all this his life was a constant schedule set to do exactly the same thing, but today he broke that cycle. As the shinigami looked up at the moon he smiled. "It's quite pretty down here too." He spoke into the soft wind of the night.
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