Crunch stepped out of the portal, and was a bit surprised with the temperature. He was out in a cold icy climate with mountains surrounding the area. It was daytime also, but the cloudy skies didn't show any sunlight shining through at all. The weather wasn't right. It was supposed to be summer in the Northern Hemisphere, even though it's usually cold in Alaska, it was still very unusual "Man, it really is cold here. Got to try and find Lo-lo as quick as possible".

He walked through the snow for around an hour, the wind was pushing against Crunch as he walked on, Crunch may have had thick fur but he wasn't built for the Arctic. He attempted using some of the fire elements energy, and soon felt alright, and noticed the snow melting under his paws as he walked.. but in the distance, a figure was seen. It appeared to be a woman with a cloak over her head and body, she watched Crunch carefully. He had walked closer, and now noticed the woman "Oh great, more fearful humans..." Crunch said, and he tried to walk his way around her "Hey where are you going?" she spoke, Crunch looked at her "I'm just moving away before you start to run away screaming in fear, what else?" replied Crunch "I'm not scared of you, follow me" she looked at Crunch, her face wasn't very visible, but it looked pale.. possibly from the cold. She ran off and Crunch could only stand there watching, He decided to follow the being anyway. He did wonder why the human wasn't fearful to see him.

He carried on following the human through the snow, into a small valley and soon the wind had calmed and the snowflakes had stopped. The Human figure stood at the centre of the valley and Crunch caught up "What do you want? Why did you lead me here? And why are you hiding yourself anyway?" Crunch asked the mysterious woman, she giggled "You'll soon see once my joke is over..." and then suddenly, her cloak came off. And Crunch gasped "Lo-lo! Wow, I had no idea...!" he said, watching Lo-lo just floating there in midair "Heh good joke wasn't it?" asked Lo-lo, "Err... yeah, I suppose. Well we shouldn't be wasting time. I really need your help with something..." Crunch asked the mask, "Oh no worries, Aku aku has told me about the happenings. And yes, I must say that Crimzon lady did try to capture me, though I just blew her away and I then flew from the scene, heh heh!" Crunch smiled slightly "well that's good then, glad you approve. Now... can you show me how to use your powers?" Crunch asked the mask, he thought for a moment and replied "Why yes, of course you can. BUT I want to go and tell more jokes first, to an admiring crowd in the bar not far from here" Crunch just sighed and was annoyed "Fine yeah go ahead, and long as you hurry up and not cause a huge distraction! We only have a few more days until Crimzon makes her attack!" Crunch told him, "Heh ok, I'll be quick and be sure to blow the house down!" replied Lo-lo, he got the cloak back to to mimic the human figure, and headed off behind the mountain with Crunch following behind "I hope she I mean, he didn't mean that literately".

Around the mountain, there was a small town. A few large and small wooden shacks were scattered around the place, no humans were seen walking around due to the cold weather, they were all inside. Lo-lo had now entered the bar, and Crunch waited outside, by watching through the windows. Lo-lo walked inside "Ladies and Gentleman! The world class comedian has made her comeback!" she spoke to the crowd in the bar, it was very crowded and even people were behind him. Lo-lo wasn't shy, and people started to smirk slightly "Hey I hope you have some great jokes to share then!" a guy asked, Lo-lo smiled "Heh! I'll be sure to blow the house down today!" people started to clap, and awaited Lo-lo's first joke but from the back of the crowd, a fat man randomly said "Man, this cold SUCKS. Where did all this snow come from at this time of the year?" Lo-lo heard the comment, and it offended him slightly so he replied "What are you complaining about? And aren't you bears supposed to hibernate anyway?" Lo-lo said, and did a smile... the whole crowd was silent, with only a few giggles heard. The fat man got angry, "You call that a joke? That sucked!" other people started to agree with the man, and started to throw stuff at Lo-lo, Lo-lo got nervous "Hey hey now settle down, I'm thinking of something!" the people ignored Lo-lo, and started to get more impatient and more agitated, "You people are much too empty-headed to have a sense of humor. In fact, I sense a draft coming from your hollow noggins!" he said, "Boooooo!" others replied at his comeback joke... Lo-lo moved back a bit then bumped into someone behind him, the person accidentally stood on Lo-lo's cloak.... and it came right off! "Thanks a lot, now I'm naked." said Lo-lo jokingly, as he floated there in the centre of the crowd. The crowd of people watched in shock and fear, no one dared to say a thing "That was comedy gold just there! BAH!" he said, but everyone still had their jaws open wide. Crunch watched from outside, and was annoyed "Oh great just damn great! And yet, she still stays in the crowd telling more jokes? This is getting ridiculous!" Crunch thought, he had no choice but to go and retrieve Lo-lo! He charged through the door, and pushed through the crowd of people, the people started to get more startled and quickly moved away from Crunch as he came in, he grabbed Lo-lo and made a run for the exit "Oh dear god it's a... it's a Yeti!!!" a man screamed, "I... I don't think that was a Yeti but... LET'S FEAR IT ANYWAY!" soon the crowd just went berserk and ran around in circles panicking! Crunch had already ran a few metres from the shack "Those... stupid STUPID humans! They never get my species right!" Crunch complained "Yeh yeh can you let me go now please? That's no way to treat a woman umm I mean man!" Lo-lo said, Crunch let him go and carried on running "We have to try and go to an area where no humans are. They're just causing too much distractions! Where do you think we should go?" "Hmm let's see. There's another valley up higher a couple of kilometers from here. It will be a perfect spot for teaching you my ways, heh I'll lead you to it!" Lo-lo changed direction and Crunch followed.

They had been moving for hours, passing through pine forests, rocky mountains and more icy snow, and the night was starting to draw near. Crunch was beginning to feel tired, and the weather wasn't helping nether "Hey I think we should camp out for the night. We'll train tomorrow" Crunch suggested, "Aye, we're not far from the training area but if you say so... then yes" replied Lo-lo. Crunch had noticed some rocky mountainsides on the way, and the possibility that there were caves inside the cracks, he looked around the gaps in the mountainside for a moment and then spotted a crack that leaded into a reasonably deep cave, "This looks decent enough" "Watch out, bears might be in there!" warned Lo-lo, but Crunch went in anyway and Lo-lo followed "No I can't smell anything in here, good place to camp the night. Maybe I'll let Py-ro and Rok-ko out to help make a fireplace..." he then let the elementals out of the crystals, Rok-ko was relived "Yay I'm out and ARGH! It's freezing!" complained Rok-ko, and as soon as Py-ro appeared, the whole cave was a bit brighter "Hmm I think I preferred being inside the crystal and heh, Lo-lo is here too." Py-ro said, as he looked at him "Heh heh! Yeah I'm here, sure you can handle my weather?" "Pfft, of course I can...!" replied Py-ro "ok guys, no fights now. And Rok-ko, I need you to get some wood. Since you're the Earth element" Crunch asked Rok-ko "What! I have to go outside in the freezing cold!?" "Don't be such a sissy. Just do it!" "Fine!" Rok-ko said, and he quickly headed outside. It didn't take too long, and he made it back with some "Here happy now? Even though I'm half frozen!" "Oh quit the complaining! I was out there for hours, I didn't use Py-ro too much nether since that'll waste my own and his own energy!" Crunch told the mask, Rok-ko just floated down to the ground and Crunch then focused on the pile of wood and soon, it lit up in fire "Hmm much better. Well this is time for resting, tomorrow we're not going to waste time, and if any of you fight while I'm trying to sleep, back in the crystal you go!" said Crunch, none of the masks dared to say a thing since almost anything they say generates an argument either way. Crunch had soon drifted off to sleep near the fireplace.

Chapter 23