Blast from the Past?! The Unexpected Arrival!

December twenty-fourth....it was yet another Christmas, another birthday, he just turned seventeen, Toshiro awoke, sweating...He had yet another nightmare, it was of being just born, being in a little plastic box like babies are put in, and then suddenly a stranger came and snatched him, He has had this nightmare reaccuring for some time now, Toshiro let out a sigh as he got out of bed and went to shower the night sweat off of his body, as he got out he dressed in a pair of baggy black pants, and a black robe like over shirt on his white shirt he had underneath, then a white coat over that, and he would head across the cold floor into his Kitchen.

There he went to scavenge for food, but he came up with nothing, having left his family back in West Ruponagi ment their support as well, something was eating at him about his past, and he had to search for the truth, that had been a year ago, since then, they had not funded him for anything, they did not allow him to leave with anything more then the cloths on his back, and if it was not for the cloths his sensei left, he would not have the warm cloths he has now, well he decided he would go out to see what he could russle up, as he headed out the door, he grabbed the long Katana from next to the door and slung it across his back.

The Katana looks like a normal katana with the exception of the guard, which is in the shape of a four-pointed bronze-colored star. Its hilt is light blue, and sheath dark blue.The sheath completely dissolves when he draws his sword. The sword is somewhat longer than most Swords, at about 1.4 meters long. This makes it taller than Toshiro, preventing him from wearing it at the hip. Because of this, Toshiro instead carries it on his back by his green sash over his right shoulder.

When he stepped out he slide his Tobi socks on and then the wooden sandles, he would then go out from under the little cover he had and out into the snow, the sky was grey, the snow flakes falling slowly, they were looking big and fluffy as they fell, good thing he had his green scarf with him, but this weather did not bother him, not in the least bit, No instead he dispaised warm weather, and the summer was the worst, as he tredged through the snow into the market, the trees could be heard creaking in the cold, weighed down with snow, and the streets were dead, of course they were, people were enjoying their family time, what a sad time of the year for him now.

Walking the Streets of Konohagakure seemed futile, shops were closed on this day, why would Toshiro think any different, but he walked on, feeling the need to soilder on, till he found a bustling part of the village, some side carts of food, and local toy stores still open, last minute shoppers running around, and Toshiro sighed with relief as he sat down at a ramen cart and ordered a bowl of the Pork Miso, and the man with a grin behind the cart, with red markings on his cheeks turned to face Toshiro and dropped the bowl he had in hand.

The man began to shout for his wife, and when the woman came running around the corner she froze at the sight of Toshiro and she began to weep. Toshiro would become confused by this, why would this man and woman act like this, Toshiro stood up to leave and he was called to by the man "Wait..." Said the man "Who are you Sir? Could your name happen to be Asher?" Toshiro would stop and turn when he was called to, and then when the man asked his question he shook his head "No, My Name is Hitsugaya, Hitsugaya Toshiro" and then the man's face went paler then before, the woman still crying while curled up in a Ball, Toshiro would continue on "Sorry if I caused a Comotion, I will leave now" and as he turned he bumped into a female with black hair, he would tell her 'Excuse me' as he would rush off to another food vendor

"...Ninety-eight, Ninety-Nine, one-hundred." Palace mewed to herself as she brought the ivory handle of her brush down, trailing the brush end through her Ebony hair. Being a ninja was a high stress job, and it was important to pamper yourself whenever you got some free time. Today was starting out nice and relaxed. She'd taken a warm bubble bath, shaved her legs, and now her Hair was perfectly combed. She felt beautiful, fresh, and renewed.

It's a shame was going to go to waste at Jun's Party. Not that there wouldn't be plenty of people there to admire how beautiful she was, it's just that... Well jun was going to be much more eye catching than her, And he was a boy!

She Threw on a nice velvet robe, over some nice shorts, and a blouse. She tied her Leaf headband over her forehead, and arranged her bangs just so, to show the symbol of her village. A place she was proud of and would protect with her life if she had to.

She learned that example from Asher, who was... A close Friend of hers. He'd been her team mate for many years, and for the last few months of their relationship he'd been so much more. They'd become so close that he'd begun to transform from a Cold Uchiha woman, into a warm bubbly girlfriend. Of course his untimely death, put an end to that transformation, leaving Palace colder than ever.

She'd almost given up on the world, but... He'd died so that she could live. If she didn't live a full life, then he would have died for nothing. It was hard some days. Especially with her womb now barren, and the crib she'd made for Asher's son equally so. The only thing that kept her going was his memory, and her dedication to protect her village.

She walked through her house, shutting down all the lights before she left. Over the fire place were three stockings that she'd knitted not too long ago, they read Asher, Palace, and Baby. The pain of lost hit her again. Even as she'd knitted those stupid things she knew that she'd be alone this Christmas. Still she did it, and she didn't know why. It's like she'd wanted to torture herself this year, one more time.

Next year would be better, she'd move on and forget about how she lost everything important to her the year before. For now however, she wanted to mourn the family and life that she could have had.

"Hypalta! I'm leaving let's go!" Palace shouted as she slid her shoes on.

"Po!" The tiny dragon shouted back rounding the corner, and rushing out the door. Okay so maybe palace wouldn't be completely alone. She did have that little ball of energy floating around.

Once she was prepared, both mentally and physically she made her way out of her house, and across the village. She grabbed a breakfast muffin along the way and eat it as she went.

For her the hardest part of the day was always passing by the food cart that Asher's parents ran. Just like her own parents, Asher's never knew that he was Dating Palace. They knew that she was part of his squad, and that he'd died protecting her but little else. Every time she went by their food cart she felt shame and guilt. Like the two would still have a son if she'd never been born. Worse still, they never knew that their unborn grandson passed by them every morning along with Palace.

As she passed by their cart she lowered her had like usual. Up until she caught a name that still brought tingles to her spine. 'Asher' She heard someone call. Immediately she turned in the direction of the name.

It felt like the wind had been sucked out of her lungs with a vacuum. There he was. Standing there with his white hair. It was him, and the site of someone who she'd almost worshipped brought tears to her eyes. What was this? Could it be? Had her beloved returned to the world for her? Would he wrap her up in his arms, and make her feel weak and loved again?

Her body was moving on it's own. She was nearing him. She didn't know what she'd said, but she knew it had to be something.

Then he bumped into her has he was trying to make a hasty exit, and though the bump was light it felt like it shattered his her heart. Didn't he see her? He muttered something and ran off. She couldn't let that stand. If he was back from the dead she wanted to know why.

After a few seconds of deliberation, she decided to be bold and run after him. "Hey! Wait up you!"

Toshiro heard the snow crunching behind him as he ran off, and so he would decide to speed up his pace, and he heard the call, the voice so angelic, he skidded to a stop and spun as he had rounded a corner, his right hand up above his right shoulder, prepairing to draw his Katana from its sheath, and then suddenly the woman who called out to him, her black hair, black as Ebony, seemed to stand out in the snow that drifted down slowly and white as it was, the contrast was so beautiful, Toshiro had heard her words of "Hey! Wait up you!" it sounded almost as if she knew him, but she was a stranger to him.

As they stood about three meters apart, he asked her in a low tone, as not to startle anyone in any of the houses nearby, "What is it? Who are you?" his voice sounded cold as the air around them, his scarf flapping past his left shoulder in the wind, his sight of her clear as crystal, the leaf headband, she was a ninja, the robe she wore, appeared soft, yet warm, good for this weather, he could see nothing more then that as the robe was long, went all the way to the ground as it covered her legs, Toshiro would speak once more "What do you want with me?" Toshiro had yet to speak to the kage about becoming a ninja in his services, but he was certain with his training he would not be turned down, but now was not the time for that train of thought.

In the Moment of silence that arose as he waited for her to talk, one could hear the singing of Carols, and the soft whispers of prayers, family's embracing and talking about the last time of meeting up like this, their hardships and their new additions, Such trival stuff that Toshiro was not interested in, not at this phase in his life, he had questions he needed to learn and then he had to get those questions answered before he could think of how to even begin his life, at this moment, he feels like a shell of a human, almost like a ghost

Palace's hand was out stretched as if she was trying touch him, as he went away. When he turned around on her she held her hand close to her chest. Her dark eyes stared out at the man. Tears came to her eyes. It was him! It looked just like him, at least. Same hair, same eyes, same lack of height. He was perfect. Those eyes though, they weren't smiling, and neither were his lips. Maybe not concerning considering that he seemed to have come back from the grave, but a little weird all the same. What truly told Palace that this was not her man was that look in his eyes. Not just the smiling factor of it, but the shimmer. Asher always got this bright spark in his eyes whenever he witnessed Palace. It was a trait that she ignored for the longest time.

This guy didn't have that.

He didn't recognize her.

He wasn't Asher.

Her eye lids lowered in disappointment. "I-I'm sorry." She gave the stranger a low bow. She didn't want to offend someone with a blade as cool as that one. "I mistook you for someone else, you see." How could she not? He was... well the resemblance was impossible! "I'm sorry for chasing you like that, he was very important to me. Well anyway. Again I'm sorry for disturbing you." She would bow again and wait for his response, though for the most part she wanted to put this behind her.

The moment Toshiro saw the tears his hand moved away from his sword, and his eyes grew ever softer, he was immedietly throwing his hands up in the air saying "I am so sorry, I did not mean to make you cry, It is just a bad time of the year for me" then he saw her disappointment and her words struck him like arrows hitting their target, he stepped forward, his eyes growing ever softer, his expression of his face becoming less stern and more applogetic, and then he closed his eyes and shook his head before his eyes reopened " No need to applogize, but let me ask you, Who did I remind you of and why, and why were those food cart people freaking out when they saw me as well?" Toshiro shook his head and then it happened, he smirked for the first time in awhile, and as he did, his eyes lit up as well and he said to her "No need to feel sorry, made me feel kinda wanted have a woman as beautiful as yourself chasing me like that, so you were not a disturbance in the end, so who was this important man to be so lucky to get you to chase after me thinking I was him?" Toshiro even gave a warm chuckle, as she bowed for...was that three times now, he shook his head "Enough with the bowing, you might give me an ego, Honest truth be said I should be bowing to a goddess as such as yourself" Toshiro had no idea where those words came from, they just rolled off his tounge, he looked upon her with new eyes as he awaited her response

Palace bit her lip and tried to keep her emotions in check. Shameful display for an Uchiha woman. Get a grip. She sniffed for a moment, and allowed herself to become fully clam before continuing with this interaction. "Um, he was." She pause yet again. What had Asher been to her? A comrade, for sure. Her friend? Well yeah. Her lover, the father of her child. Her sun, and the stars in the sky? Maybe a little much. Better to just pick one of those. "He was my lover." she paused and pointed over the the stand off in the distance. "And their Son!"

Looking at that smirk, he looked even more like him if that was possible. Who was this guy, and why was he appearing only now? She blushed for a second thinking that perhaps this was her early Christmas present. Especially when he started with the complements. Palace had never been very good at taking complements, mainly because she had a big enough ego to where she believed every word of them.

Then he called her a goddess and man did she swoon. The breath caught in her throat, and her heart skipped a beat. It'd been a while since a man had mad her feel beautiful. Maybe she was just an easy target, or maybe it was just his face, but she was letting all of her Palace defenses down.

"So Listen... I don't think I caught your name." That was half bait, and half genuine politeness. However if he said Asher, 'no' was going to be like the name for a Scandinavian village... unpronounceable. "I'm getting kind of cold out here, and there is this party I'm expected at. I don't suppose you'd want to be my plus one? Unless Eating Pork Miso all night was your Christmas eve plan." She let out a cute chuckle. "In which case god forbid I interrupt that!"

When She said that this man he reminded her of was her lover, he could tell there was something not quite right about that, not about them being lovers, but like the reasoning of chasing him down, as if there was something rather impossible about him being this man, and she knew it, then he just had to choose the food cart that had the very same man's parents working it, no wonder that man asked if his name was Asher, Toshiro would shake his head, and his smile had dulled a little, but not very much, as his words seemed to have made color come to the pale face of the woman in front of him, he was glad when he could make someone's day, then the unthinkable happened, she asked him to accompany her, and his smirk would soften into a regular smile and he nodded softly and he said "Sorry, I am Toshiro, Toshiro Hits... Anyways I would be honored to be your plus one, so mind if I asked you your name? During the pause he had stopped, he no longer felt right calling himself a Hitsugaya, and then when he finished up, he placed his hands in his pockets, and then popped an arm away from his side, leaving a opening and he nodded his head towards the arm as a sign for her that it was ok to take it and he would then follow her lead to the party, his smile had grown a little more due to her chuckle, things were in motion that would set Toshiro on a path of truth and freedom, he just did not know it yet

Toshiro eh? A beautiful name for a beautiful young man. He seemed reluctant to give his last name but honestly that wasn't too strange. There were plenty of people who were willing to do some pretty dishonorable stuff to you just to get at your families' secrets. So the idea that a person wouldn't want to share their last name wasn't too strange. Palace would never hide her last name though, the uchiha were a proud and noble clan! Hiding her surname would make her a complete disgrace!

"Oh yes of course!" She announced with a laugh. She'd gotten on to him about it, and didn't even bother to respond with her own name! "My name is palace Uchiha. I'm a Jounin here in the village." She left out the part that she was only partially a jounin.

Her dragon stuck it's head up from behind Palace's back. It's huge blue eyes shimmered in the moon light and it gave a sweet sounding. "Po."

"That's My companion Hypalta. She's a Dragon, or so she claims. I think she's really just a stuffed animal that someone brought to life."

Seeing Toshiro pop his arm out like that made Palace blush a little. It'd been a pretty rough year, she'd almost forgotten what it was like to have some warmth in her life. She took his arm and wrapped her own around it, getting close and comfortable. Despite the snow fall, and the blowing wind she could feel his warm body heating her own up. This was the first time a person had touched her, other than in a sparing match in... to long. She held on tight, and for a second let out a soft sigh. She allowed her eyes to close for just a second as life suddenly felt like it'd begun for her again.

When that moment was over she slowly lifted her eyes back to their normal position.

"The Party is over in the Uchiha District. I'll show ya the way." With that they began to walk forward, their shoes crunch down on the snow that was quickly covering the roads. The moon was hidden behind thick fluffy grey clouds, but the snow made the city bright enough to walk safely. Also street lights.

"So tell me Toshiro. Where do you come from? You already know about me, but where do handsome men of your breed come from?"

(Hey Hey. I'm going to try to get Dragon Force out of this, if that's cool with you. So if he could get this topic to 3500 on my side, I'd love ya forever! 1772 so far )

Toshiro would allow her to more or less lead the way to the Uchiha district, it had seem to gotten to almost full fledge night time while everything went down, He let out a soft sigh, and his face flushed a little as she actually took his arm and he gulped as his heart had started to race, he had offered to female before, but they never took his arm, this was the first.

While they walked she began to ask him about where he was from he let out a soft sigh and he would begin " I am from a place on the out skirts of the Land of fire, called West Rompanogi, it is there I was raised.......But I don't remember being born there, and I have this gut feeling I was from somewhere else, but my 'Parents' wont tell me anything, no matter when I asked, so I left and came here to join the kage's Ninja's ranks, and to seek the truth that is missing from my life.....Im just so scared of it.....What if my life has been a lie?.....Then again that might be the exciting part, the part I could be scared of is....What if my Life is as truly boring as it has been?" Toshiro would let out a sigh once more, and shook his head then looked over to her and smiled " Im sorry I let myself Ramble, other then being from Konoha, why don't you tell me more about yourself? Your Clan name does nothing to let me know what your heritage is, or even what you have done" Toshiro gave her a cat like grin as he looked at her

Toshiro Chuckles softly at her words about life not being boring with her around, and he would listen as she talked on afterwords as well, telling about herself, Still something seems to be kept held back, it was to soon for Toshiro to pry, he just smiled softly as she talked, he found it admirable, she did not want to be kage, just wanted to protect the ones she loves, an Honorable cause indeed, then she stopped and Toshiro didn't notice at first till he felt the tug on his arm, and he spun around to look at her and tilted his head slightly, then she asked the question ,and Toshiro paused, He did not think about it, he was just going with the flow of things, so he stumbled over his words for a moment, until the response he thought up was spoken, and he said " The Truth, we bumped into each other in the street, and because of your mistaking me for someone else and taking up some time with that, your making it up to me by taking me to this party, and I came with you to make up for making you cry earlier" Toshiro tilited his head as he waited to hear her response

Palace shifted her eyes to the side in a very anime manner. She didn't cry that much. So the story he wanted to go with was the truth, and interesting choice, and so seldom seen in these days and ties. "Very well." She agreed with a sigh. "The Truth it is." She repositioned herself within his arms, and continued to walk forward. She shouldn't be too worried. No one at the party knew asher, that she knew of, so it's not like it would be super weird walking in with a dead guy or anything. She had to stop thinking so hard about it or she was going to take all the fun out of the night.

The way she should be thinking of this is that she'd just found a great new friend, and they were going to spend a pleasant evening getting to know each other. The fact that he looked just like her lost love had nothing to do with it, nothing at all.

They finished their walk and ended up on Jun's front porch. Palace had always found it strange how the Watarase clan lived in the same district. She supposed that it wasn't strange that other people lived in the area, but this was a whole clan, and they'd been there a long time too. She shrugged that little piece of world building out of her mind, and knocked on the front door.

Despite this being Jun's house, and Jun's party it seemed that he was strangely out of site the entire night. He was there in the house, it's just that every time they'd enter a room he'd walk out of it. He wasn't evading them he just wasn't invited to the thread! With that bit out housekeeping out of the way...

Another guest let the two of the in the house and they stepped through the threshold. "Merry Christmas everyone!" She announce leading Toshiro in. "This is Toshiroooooo." She said it in such a way to imply that he wasn't just Toshiro, but something more. "He's got a sword!" Haha now that was a conversation starter if there ever was one, even in a room full of Ninja. She'd be interested to see how he worked around the group of party goers.

The party itself was unorganized. Groups of people were scattered all throughout the house. Red solo cups littered the surface of anything flat. You know THAT kind of party.

Toshiro smiled at her and pulled her a little closer and then they arrived at the place, and she knocked, and without a long wait they were invited inside, and when they stepped in, She told everyone his name, and said he had a sword, he forgot he had brought it along with him, a Sword that was almost longer then he was, and people were talking about it, talking about the pair of them, and he even had people coming up to him asking how he fights with a sword as long as he is, and he just kinda chuckles nervously and placed his free arm up behind his head "Well its easier to show you then to try to explain it, but now is not the time, now is a time to enjoy ourselves" and with that he would begin to slip his way through the crowd, more or less dragging Palace behind him, then they would find themselves out in the back alone, and he looked around, seems the back patio was covered to keep the snow away, and Toshiro would look at her "Wait here please, I will be right back with some drinks" and with that he was back in the house, weaving in and out of the crowds, getting the two drinks in Red solo cups, and then he darted back outside to Palace and handed her a drink and he asked her "so the Lover I look so much like, care to expound more on him?" Toshiro asked her, his mind had actually had been pondering who this man was, but best way was to ask, that and patience, which he would begin to show now

Well he'd managed to deal with avoiding talking to people pretty well. Palace become slightly indignant with him dragging her around like he did. She was a powerful woman and no man directed her path. She'd however forgive his impudence so long as it didn't happen again. Besides he was making up for his lack of manners by getting her beer. Sure it was pretty much an open bar, but what did that matter? A free drink was a free drink, and he'd done the leg work for her, which was what really mattered.

While he left to grab her a drink Palace leaned over the patio railing and admired the snow as it fell down gently upon the winter soil. It was even, light, and pleasant to the eyes. They didn't get snow a lot in the hidden leaf so when ever they did Palace liked to admire it for it's beauty. There was a certain amount of purity in the falling snow that she had to admire. It always just seemed so enchanted. The way it glowed in the night with no moonlight at all. It always seemed to her that destiny was some how connected to a fresh blanket of snow.

She stood up straight when she heard the door sliding open.

She looked at Toshiro and smiled, tonight was no different.

She was slightly taken aback by how quickly and bluntly he asked his question. A part of her couldn't blame him, and yet another part of her simply adored foreplay. Why ask the question right off the back when you can have so much more fun getting to the question. She shrugged mentally, he'd learn. She'd make sure of that.

"Well Toshiro." She purred trying to decide on the game she was going to play. "I can play coy too. His name was Asher Inuzuka. I don't think he had a ninkin and yet somehow he still always smelled like wet dog. He was about your height, your hair color, your everything in fact." She grabbed the drink from his hand and turned away from him. She took a swig of it's contents and let out a satisfied sigh. "We worked well as a team because he was just so focused on mastering Taijutsu. My weakest point. So he'd keep the bad guys off of me while, I covered his approach. He didn't like to plan much, he just loved running into trouble just so he could find his way out. I hated that about him. But" She let out a soft smile. Her flush cheeks were illuminated by the light from the snow. "He'd always hold himself back long enough for me to analyze the situation and come up with a plan. I guess I should have figured out that's when he started liking me, right? I'd draw out a plan and he'd nod like he was listening but the whole time he'd just be staring at my face, with this stupid grin on his face. I always thought that that smile was so patronizing. Now I miss it.

"He was always going on about he was going to become hokage one day. Then he'd show to everyone that the inuzuka were the greatest clan in the entire hidden leaf village" She took a swig from her cup before continuing. "Which of course annoyed me to no end because it wasn't true. No matter how much I scolded or berated him for thinking himself as good as an Uchiha he never once doubted himself. I guess that's why I loved him. He never gave up. Not on himself or me. He chased be for so long, I guess he just finally wore me down. I'd show him just how insufferable I'd be as a girlfriend. But everyday he'd just smile a little bigger, and before I knew it he had me smiling to."

She brushed a tear away from her cheek. She didn't remember when she started crying. They felt like ice against her face. She looked on out at the snow, and hoped that Toshio wasn't look.

"He always made all these stupid wishes too. He'd say a little rhyme on the first star of the night. He'd pluck out every dandelion he crossed paths with, just so he could make a wish on them. He'd wish to be hokage, he'd wish to find the best dog in all the land. He'd wish for everything. Mostly he wished for me. He wished that we'd be together forever.

Then he got himself blown up. For me. Died For me. Jumped on a bomb, and left us alone." She felt her heart break all over again. She turned towards Toshiro. It was him, it had to be. If Asher had a twin she would have known about it. It was him. "Well Asher." She announced half way between smiling and crying. "I plucked every damn dandelion this city has and made a wish. I made a thousand wishes that you'd come back to me." She approached him, he was perfect. She sprung on him enveloping him in a hug, while at the same time crying into his chest. "I was so alone, when you died I died. The sun never shined on my face since you left me, but even now at night I can feel it's warmth on my skin and we can live again!" She felt it build within her. This powerful energy, all the love and sadness mixed inside of her chest and she could hardly stand it. It felt like it was going to burst right on out of her, and it did. All her sorrow and joy ripped from her back in the form of two purple wing that wrapped around the two, and held them tight. She had no F-ing clue what had just happened but it could only be another sign that this night had a bit of destiny to it.

Luckily there was really loud music at the part so no one heard all of this going on.

(Have Fun With That Fenn!)
(3802, Claiming Dragon Force!)
(Not an Exit)

When Toshiro stepped out, he was met with a smile, one that someone could not help but to smile back at, and then he had asked the question, and she began her speech about him, shortly after starting, she took her drink and spun around away from him, looking out to the snow as she reminisced, he would step up next to her and lean on the railing sipping his drink as she spoke, he looked over at her, seeing as he had his back to the house, her being on his right, he watched snow drift behind her, and the light coming from the house reflected and danced on her skin, he was completely entranced once again by her beauty, and her story continued on.

Then It happened, he saw the first tear, and right as he reached to take care of it she spun her back to him and took care of it her self, he frowned a little, he did not mean to make her cry, this was not his intent, but even as she carried on with the story of this man named Asher, it reminded himself of what he would do, and the wishes he made on those silly little things, he also understood the want of companionship, never was it a dog he looked for, but Companionship all the same, and to prove himself, that too was a goal of his, How similar this Asher was to him was scarily enough, then Palace Turned and faced him.

She was ready to let loose the waterfalls she was holding back, and she continued on with her story anyways, and then she was calling him Asher, at this he blinked, and in the second of blinking, she was hugging him, and all he could do was hug her back, He could not leave this beautiful woman like this, then he pulled away from her, just ever so slightly enough, to wipe her tears and then, without thought, he leaned in and kisses her lips softly, hopefully enough to get her to stop crying.

Finally he would break away from the kiss, however long it took for it to break, and he closed his eyes and placed his forehead on hers, he was standing on a little step up, so it easily allowed this, Closed his eyes and he said to her "I am Sorry, I am not this Asher, But right about now, I wish I was, I wish I could lie to you and say I am the man you seek, but that would be wrong of me, But know this, you described me almost to a tee, and it leads me to want to do some reaserch, but I also want you to know, You do not have to feel like he is gone, he is still with you, and maybe, just maybe me looking like him and coming into your life is not coincidence, but him letting you know its ok to move on, it is ok to feel Happy" Toshiro would stop there, he did not want to cross any lines, and he wanted to see her reaction to everything he just said, his thumbs still rubbing her cheeks, any tears that were falling or have fallen would be wiped dry

Palace blushed. Well and truly blush. Oh and it wasn't just from that Sweet @$$ kiss either. Which although Sweet and @$$y wasn't enough to turn her into the tomato she currently looking like. Oh no the deep and burning shame from that bit of a break down was currenlty painting her face a vibrant red neon. Ohhh lordy. She listned to Toshiro and smiled. She burried her face into his chest and stayed there for a moment.

He was really sweet. He kind of just glazed over the fact that she'd gone just the smallest bit crazy just then that was sweet of him. Really it was. Someone please kill her.

Maybe there was some reason that Toshiro looked so much like Asher. Maybe, just maybe. But she couldn't fore the life of her think of what it could be. It certainly wasn't that he'd come back to life. That had been more than clear.

Wait a second!

He kissed her!

What the freak beef! Like a kiss kiss kiss. Like love me tender, love me slowly. Oh my. It was so soft. Her tears just seemed to have frozen off of her face. What did that mean? Too much. There was too much for Palace to think about at the moment.

She had to say something something to play it off. She could make it out of this cooler than ever. She just had to pick the right words.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She cackled jumping to her feet. "Oh just kidding I'm really a man. Hey are you thirsty, i'm going to go get us some more." she looked to her cup which was still half full. She took it and threw the contents out into the snow. "Alright I'll be right back."

Damn Palace you are a smooth lady.

Now time to find a bathtub to melt yourself down in.

While She blushed and was quite one could here crickets and Toshiro began to blush as he relized what he had just done, He had kissed her, oh my goodness, what the hell was he thinking, he had just met this girl, she was just crying over her lost lover, and he kissed her, what kind of a despicable man would do that, Obviously him, and while the silence lingered he would say "Well are you going to say something?" and just that moment she started laughing and said she was a man....now Toshiro was pretty sure that all the signs pointed to this girl being a woman, hell things get by people, but not something like that, not after the kiss and the closeness they just had, and he watched as half a cup was thrown into the snow, She was emberessed and was trying to hide in laughter, Toshiro would reach for her as she tried to walk away, and then he would follow her, through the part and out into the Streets in front of the house, Toshiro would call to her there "Palace!" he cried out and waited for her to turn around, hoping she would

Palace froze in place. He'd followed her. Half romantic half creepy. Naw all roamantic! He'd seen that she was hurt and he went after her. Now how was she going to handle this? It couldn't get much better after her masterful performance earlier on the porch.

'He's outside and no one is looking, melt him!' Hypalta announce excitedly within Palace's mind.

'Shut the heck hypalta!' Palace took her hair and gave it a flick. 'Besides the only thing I melt on me, is their hearts.' She turned around and looked towards Toshiro. Her light skin reflected the moon above, and she shimmered in the night. Wait a second it was snowing.

Lo and behold! For the briefest of moments the snow stopped and the clouds parted just so the full moon could frame Palace in her perfect light. It was not long lasting however. The wind picked back up and so did the snow. Of course as it did the wind caught ahold of Palace's robe and blew both that and her hair to the side in perfect anime fashion. She brought her hand up her mouth in an unintentionaly seductive manner to bit back the cold that'd just washed over her. "Yes?"

'Melting Hearts eh? Could be fun.'

Hypalta you ruin everything.

When She stopped, so did Toshiro, his heart beating faster as she kept her back to him, He was worried she would disappear, then suddenly she turned around, and his heart did indeed seem to melt, the Pale moonlight reflecting off her skin, the wind and snow, everything was perfect, her voice calling out a Yes on the wind, Toshiro would slowly Walk towards her, closing the distance, and he would Call out to her "Palace...I wish to See you again... I don't want this to be good bye, There is a Fair coming up, Would you like to go with me to it?" Toshiro Would stop about a meter away from her And awaited her answer, His heart racing faster then any Adrenaline rush he could ever go on, but he wanted to do this right, Toshiro would begin to blush with the anticipation

It'd been so very long since she'd been on a date. A proper one, not the informal mess they were currently in. Palace blushed herself and nodded her head. "Yes. Yes I think that could be a lot of fun. Plus I need to show you that I'm usually much better company than I have been today." She was actually a little giddy. She'd been so numb for so long it felt like she'd been the one to die in the forest, or in the hospital. She'd considered herself to be awfully plain since the passing of her beloved. Now imagine her surprise that even with her breakdown back there, this man was still interested in her. It was incredibly flattering, and slightly sad on his part.

"But um..." She smiled, leaning forward, and also tapping her nose with her index finger. "You buy the funnel cake." She gave the newest addition to her life a quick peck on the cheek before scampering off in the snow.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

(Exiting, and Claiming Dragon Force.)
3800 WC