Cold Interference

The first day of the drive dragged.

Flat roads, endless sky, snow packed along both sides of the highway like the world had been erased and redrawn in grayscale. Freight trucks and other cars roared past every so often, shaking the car just enough to remind them they weren’t alone out here. Fields of frostcrop farmland surrounded them, as it's the only thing that can grow in such harsh whether.

Two days to reach the crime flats of Condoran. Another twelve hours after that to reach the Tomidoru Clan estate deeper in the north.

Not a short trip.

By late afternoon, Itaka pulled into a gas station just off the main road. The sign above it flickered weakly. The building looked old, but solid. The kind of place that had survived too many sub zero winters to care anymore.

“First stop,” Zhenyu said, stretching in the back seat. “I call snacks.” “You always call snacks,” Asumi replied. They stepped out. The air hit immediately. It was cold, sharp, and biting at their faces.

Luckily for them, they remembered to bring frostwear this time around. Everyone except for Itaka of course, who was now wearing a white tank top and baggy jeans. Itaka began fueling the car while the others went inside.

The convenience store was warm and smelled like cheap coffee and overheated wiring. Zhenyu immediately grabbed two bags of chips, a neon-colored drink that looked radioactive, and some kind of gelatin candy resembling worms.

Asumi chose something practical and ignored him. Tatsuchi wandered toward a rack of local newspapers.

A minute later, Itaka came inside to pay for gas and pick up something small for herself. They gathered near the counter while the clerk rang them up. Itaka glanced at Zhenyu and Asumi.

“Explain something to me.”

“That narrows it down,” Zhenyu muttered sarcastically. “Your Zyn techniques and  origins” Asumi looked at her. “Why?”

“If we are heading into Condoran,” Itaka replied calmly, “I want a full understanding of everyone’s abilities.”

Zhenyu leaned against the counter and tapped his forehead. “As I'm sure you already know, every clan’s Zyn technique traces back to their respective origin. That origin comes from the first ancestor who in that clan. Flame type techniques have a flame origin. Water types, water. Metal, metal.”

Asumi picked up smoothly after him.

“But even though multiple people share an origin, their techniques won’t be identical. Though the origin is shared, the expression is personal. It comes from the soul.” Tatsuchi turned slightly toward them. “So even though everyone in the Tomidoru clan share the heat origin, they don't use it like Itaka does.”

Zhenyu raised a finger. “The only exception is hereditary techniques.” Tatsuchi grinned. “Like mine.” “Yep. If your clan has a hereditary technique, members of the main branch can be born with it.”

“Can be,” Asumi emphasized. “Not guaranteed. Even in the main branch, the chances are low.” “And if you’re not part of the main branch,” Zhenyu added, “you won’t inherit it at all.”

The clerk kept scanning items, pretending not to listen. Seemingly annoyed.

“My clan's origin is Gravity.”

Zhenyu continued 

“My technique is called Antigravity. I reverse gravitational force on living and non-living objects. I can reduce weight, redirect pull, cancel downward force, make things float.”

He lifted his hand slightly.

“If someone falls, I can slow them. If something’s too heavy, I lighten it. If I focus enough, I can flip the direction of force entirely.”

Itaka didn’t blink.

“With an technique like that,” she said evenly, “you should be able to stop the earth’s rotation.” Zhenyu stared at her. “That’s not how this works.”

“In theory,” she clarified.

“In theory, yeah,” he admitted. “If I had planetary scale Zyn reserves, I could apply force on something that massive. But I don’t. Not even close.” “How far off are you?” Itaka asked.

“The amount of Zyn required to interfere with something like that would be beyond anything a single person has ever produced,” he said. “Even sustaining a large-area reversal for a few minutes drains me.”

He paused.

“I don’t think anyone alive has that much Zyn.” “Not even the Head Commander?” Itaka asked calmly. Zhenyu thought for a moment. “Tatsuchi's Father probably has absurd reserves. But planetary level? That’s beyond even him.”

Itaka nodded.

“Good. You understand your limits.”

“I understand I’m not a god,” Zhenyu replied flatly.

He continued.

“There’s another layer. My standard reversals are area-based or object based. But if I chant vows from my clan’s doctrine, specific ones left by my mother, I can isolate a single target.”

Itaka’s gaze sharpened.

“Explain.”

“I can reverse the gravity acting on one person specifically. Not the environment. Just them.” Asumi’s voice was quiet. “So their body becomes the anchor.” “Exactly. Up becomes down for them. Their senses all become reversed as well.”

He hesitated a second.

“And If I compress the reversal hard enough… I can force an implosion.” The store felt slightly smaller. “And your weakness?” Itaka asked. “It takes almost all of my Soul out of me,” he admitted. “I’d need hours to recover properly.”

“Because you’re fighting natural gravity directly,” Itaka said. “And maintaining a personalized inversion field is against natural phenomena. So you get constant resistance.”

Itaka nodded once.

“And what about Hollow Zyn?”

Zhenyu’s jaw tightened. “I don’t believe it exists,” he said carefully. “But if someone had the right amount… theoretically, they could overwhelm it.”vHe folded his arms “It’s said Hollow Zyn doesn’t follow normal Zyn structure. If someone channels enough of it through their body, it could destabilize a technique completely.”

Itaka tapped her fingers lightly against the side counter. “Your origin gives you potential,” she said. “Too bad you only recently became Vice Captain.” There was the faintest approval in her tone.

“And you, Asumi Yamikumei.”

Asumi straightened with a spiteful look in her face. “My family’s origin is Darkness. My technique is called Umbrakinesis.”

She spoke without hesitation.

“I can blend into my own shadow and move within it. As long as my shadow exists, I can merge with it for short periods of time.”

Zhenyu added quietly, “Makes her nearly impossible to track in low light.”

Asumi continued.

“I can manipulate other people’s shadows. A shadow is connected to its owner’s soul. If I restrain the shadow, I restrict the person.” “I see,” said Itaka, “it looks like Tatsuchi picked a few good berries from the bush when she became a Gate Captain last year.”

Before anyone could respond, someone cleared their throat behind them.

“Excuse me.”

They turned. A young man stood there holding a folded sheet of paper. Messy blonde hair, dark eyes, and a weirdly patterned black and grey kimono draped across his shoulders. He looked oddly excited.

“You are Tatsuchi Kuroainaru, correct?”

Zhenyu went still. Asumi’s eyes sharpened. Tatsuchi answered carefully. “Yes.”

His face lit up. “I knew it. The heir of the Kuroainaru Clan. You are more popular than you think.”

Tatsuchi blinked. “I am?”

“Of course,” he said quickly. “You are all over the news feeds. Some people think you have massive potential to be the strongest of your generation!” The man held out the paper and a pen.

“Can you sign this?”

Tatsuchi hesitated, then took the pen.vBefore her ego could inflate too far, the man tapped the paper with one finger. She froze.

It was her bounty poster. Her image printed clearly. Across the bottom

DEAD OR ALIVE

Her stomach dropped. The man smiled slightly. “My name is Brass Hymlinn. Could you sign right here?” He said as he tapped his finger on the word DEAD.

The mood snapped. Asumi moved first, stepping between him and Tatsuchi.

Zhenyu shifted his stance.

The gas station clerk looked up.

“Take it outside before I call the Tomidoru,” he snapped. “I am not having my store wrecked.”

Brass shrugged. “Fair.”

They stepped back into the cold. Snow had started falling harder now. Tatsuchi’s breath came out sharp. “So you’re the one placing the bounties.”

“Not personally,” Brass replied. “I just handle things.” Itaka stepped forward. “No,” Tatsuchi said. “I’ll fight him.” “You’re not fighting alone,” Itaka replied. “I can handle it.”

“I will.”

“No. I will.”

Back and forth.

Brass sighed.

“No,” he said calmly. “I will.”

Ice snapped across the ground instantly. It climbed their legs before either of them could react. Frost surged upward, locking both Itaka and Tatsuchi in solid ice. Everything went quiet.

Zhenyu swore.

Asumi raised her hands.

The ice cracked.

Heat burst outward from inside. Itaka shattered it almost instantly. The force broke Tatsuchi free as well. They stumbled forward, something felt wrong.

Their vision blurred. And breathing grew heavier. Itaka touched her own wrist and went still. “Poison,” she said quietly.

Brass laughed. “You stepped right into it. Mixed into my ice, you guys made it simple.”

Tatsuchi dropped to one knee. Brass looked bored. “I still don’t think the boss needed to send me. This feels like overkill.” Itaka knelt briefly beside Tatsuchi.

“Stand back,” she told the others.

She closed her eyes.

Heat built under her skin. She pulled the warmth through her bloodstream, forcing it higher. Her body temperature spiked. Steam rose faintly from her skin. The poison reacted and the snow around them melted. She exhaled sharply and forced it outward.

A thin, green vapor left her body, rising into the freezing air. She stood back up.

“Get back,” she said.

Zhenyu dragged Tatsuchi farther away. Snow hissed and melted around Itaka’s feet. Her voice was steady.

“I may be captain of the ninth,” she said with pride, "But I am ranked fourth among the Thirteen Gate Captains.”

Brass raised an eyebrow.

“Number one is Rayleigh Jukishima, First Gate Captain. I stand directly under the top three.” She glanced back at Tatsuchi. “You are ranked eighth.” Tatsuchi scowled weakly. “I know.” Itake pulled out a part of black leather gloves with brass knuckles built in. "It's my job to take a stand before the lower ranks of the Guards."

Brass tapped his earpiece. Static crackled as a voice whispered through it.

Brass smiled before he crushed the device in his hand. “I don’t need the Pale Rose interfering,” he said. The broken pieces fell into the snow.

Silence settled again.

Snow and hail continued to fall. Tatsuchi slowly pushed herself up. “Pale rose,” she murmured. Her purple eyes narrowed slightly.

“That’s my favorite flower."