Clash in the Suicide Forest

The man's feet slowly stepped, walking slowly along the leaves of the forest. He had heard rumors, of a being living here, a being which was like himself. Like their people. This was James Mizumuzi, the leader of the Nature Iramasha, and truth be told… he had been feeling rather bothered. It had been some months since they had found the last Nature Iramasha, and the Aquacat had wondered if the Earth's nature energy was no longer pooling in enough concentrations to produce them. However, he had been getting readings of a significant amount of nature energy from this place for some time now. The only problem that he could see was a lack of water.

This was the 'Suicide Forest', and as this was the chosen home of the person he was looking for, James had an underlying suspicion that this would not be an easy sell. More likely than not, he felt that this encounter could be violent; this forest had the same kind of Aura that the man had experienced when he found Moonie. Now, however, the Nature Iramasha was primarily concerned with making sure that he had his eyes in front of him and his focus and attention on the world around him. It was because of that focus that he heard the twig snap.

Instantly, his cat ears made of ice had formed on his head, twitching as their matching tail flowed out from the base of his spine, his body turning about as he lowered down slightly onto his knees. Instantly, he could feel his body being washed over by killing intent, and in that moment James realized that he was likely going to have to fight if he wanted to get through to this individual.

James looked calmly outwards as he felt the approach of whatever… it was that was coming near. On the one hand, the level-headed male had no problems dealing with most threats. This one, however… seemed like it could possibly be a problem. This peculiar fog which covered around him amused James, his mouth slowly turning into a smile as he gently reached a hand outwards, clawing at the wayward mist, before slowly drawing his hand back as the mist began to flow into his hands, the water particles in the air returning to him as their hyper dense nature became apparent.

"...So you wait until the mist envelops me? I have come to your forest, and I fully plan on leaving. After all, I didn't bring the entirety of myself. Most of me is left with my friends back in what is truly my home." With those words stated, James looked on at the dark figure, a small smile touching at his lips as he could not stop a small laugh at his own words. The man was large, yes, slightly larger than even Akisame. However, James could not say that he was particularly impressed. He knew better than most that size was rarely a factor of strength or respectability… or weakness or meanness.

His feet, however, continued to walk forwards, the ball of mist still cradled in his arms as he calmly regarded the snow that was falling around their bodies, noting the gaze that was staring at him as he looked back with his mis-matched eyes, the red and the blue both staring back. Now, in most cases, this cold would be bothersome. However, considering that James was immune to all but the most extreme hot and cold temperatures, he couldn't feel a thing. He was completely missing a part of the experience that was the man who faced him, and that did not particularly bother the male. He could, however, feel the difference in air pressure around his body.

"In actuality, I am fairly certain that I am here to remove you from this place. So, I shall go, but only if you follow." The man let out as the mist rapidly flowed around his body, creating a ring as he tilted his head, his right eye narrowing as the red in its gaze stared straight at the other man, making his point clear. The forest itself did not scare James in the slightest; he could experience it as it really was, feeling the life that was radiating all around his body.

"And also, mental tricks and tactics will have a very limited effect. If you want to talk to me, do it to my face. And if I am unable to convince you with words, then I'll just have to drag you back. I can understand pain, discomfort… we all feel those things. However, you don’t have to be alone, either." With those words, James finally came to a stop, about ten feet away from the other man, trying to make out the features of the yellow-green eyed man...

James merely tilted his head before laughing slightly. "Ah, that's fun. I enjoy being the first. After all, I may have been the first of our kind. I may have been the first to reach our strongest point. And I may be the first to get you out of this forest." The male explained as he observed the figure who had presented himself, noting the scars and the color of his hair. ...His fog…? He may be a Cloud… or a Water… I had best be cautious… James' thoughts moved fluidly through his mind as he kept his gaze forwards, listening to what the man had to say.

"Well then, Fuji-san, tell me, have you ever been near a fire or someone like you before?" James ask seriously, though his voice still maintained a light tone. He could see in this man the same kind of emotional void which had once possessed the other Nature Iramasha, like Inanna. "I would remove you because you are living like an animal, and you are no animal." James told him honestly, his mismatched eyes staring right at Fuji's as his breath released puffs of white into the air. "Then you're wrong. I'll never end my own life. If I was going to do that, it would have happened long ago, so very far away from here." James responded to the man with a light chuckle, feeling the air around them growing colder.

Still, James remained unaffected. In fact, it made his blood boil as he decided that he would raise the stakes a bit, holding out one arm as his entire body suddenly shone red. Let's use the Triple Point… shall we? He chuckled lightly to himself as his body began to change, a huge burst of pure heat leaving from his body as the conflicting points of matter within him began to collide, before his energy reached a new state.

This was Triple Point. In actuality, it was a theoretical state where matter existed in all three stages; Gas, Liquid, and Solid, all simultaneously. Suddenly, his body vanished from that point, as he appeared in front of Fuji, his eyes bright with life as he vanished once more, appearing far up a tree. However, as he did so, his right hand had grabbed onto Fujisan's wrist, attempting to drag him upwards as the Aquacat shot up the tree.

Then, at the top of the tree, he would release the male, his own body rapidly shooting out as he reappeared on the top of another tree next to the male, looking up at the sky as he took in a deep breath. Shining in the distance was the setting sun, as all around their legs, fog began to emerge. "If you're going to prohibit me from leaving, then you'll have to defeat me. Truth be told, I don't think you'll be able to do any such thing. But if that's what I must do to shatter this false reality of yours, so be it. Come, and realize that merely being an animal will not protect you or give you satisfaction." James finished, his smoking form turning to face Fujisan as he reached both arms out to the side gently, a line of ice spreading from the base of his spine as a tail emerged from his back made of pure ice, his cat's ears emerging as claws also took form on both of his hands, flexing them as he let out a small smile.

"So~?"

"An animal… Well… an Animal is just like you. The difference is, the Animal has no ability to make choices. It lacks sentience, and therefore is as helpless for its own destiny as these trees." James explained, his hands gesturing outwards around them as he proceeded to hold up one hand, his eyes narrowing as he felt the area around them beginning to chill down as he used a drop of water on his finger as a thermometer.

Then, his eyes would spot it, the incoming attack as he moved rapidly, vanishing from his location as the attack struck his after image, dodging and weaving around the vines as he appeared in front of Fuji, his right hand flashing out as it shined a bright white as he smashed the fist against his opponent's face, hopefully feeling the crack of jaw and bone. However, before his opponent could even go flying from the strike, James' left hand shot upwards, smashing into his gut, before darting back as he brought one hand back, the smoke dispersing from around his body for a moment as he placed the hand downwards.

"Splash Attack!" He declared as he brought the hand forwards, massive amounts of water emerging and flowing from his hand as a gigantic pool appeared beside him, before smashing and plunging forwards as it shot directly towards Fuji, strong enough to rip some of the trees around them from their roots as the twenty foot tall wave of water crashed down on his opponent, causing James to smile slightly as he held his hands before him, a trident with a rounded hilt appearing as he gripped around it with both hands.

"That's not enough, I'm afraid." The man muttered as he swirled the staff, slashing at the incoming vines as smoke poured from his skin once more, the flying debris of corrupted vine unable to touch his body as he finally held the staff in front of him, a great circle of pure water appearing around his feet, filled with graphs an incantations as James pointed the spear towards the sky.

As he did so, great rifts appeared, pockets of James' power that spread into the sky that were prepared to release their attack as great spears and weapons of ice poured downwards on Fuji, crashing into his location and attempting to pierce his flesh with each attack. Finally, James leaped up into the air, gaining the advantage of height as he looked at his opponent down below. This is bad… he doesn't seem to have any fighting ability… and yet there's… this… disturbance… I'm afraid I may kill him… hmm…..