"I can use Coeur Blanc to align the metal while it's liquid."
"Let me tell you how to do it with traditional methods."
Tenten blinked as she came down the stairs, rubbing her damp hair after their early morning mission had gone a little problematic.
Okay, it had involved one of the Akimichi warehouses, rats who had gotten into the soldier pills, lots of running, an open manhole cover, and discovering that there were MORE rats in the sewage system.
What had started out as a D-Rank mission had escalated into ANBU involvement, explosions, burning buildings, explosions involving raw sewage, irate shopkeepers, exploding giant mutant rats, sinkholes swallowing up the Akimichi warehouse, still more explosions, and watching Neji limping out of Anko Mitarashi's house two hours later and severely traumatized by something.
After that, Team Gai had decided to take a break, get washed and a change of clothing, and find something else to do because Neji was shaking and unable to function. Maito Gai himself was unable to continue or oversee training due to having huge reams of paperwork to fill out.
That left her and Rock Lee able to function. Rock Lee would no doubt train his taijutsu. She herself, well, Tenten could admit she was a wee bit shaky herself. It had been a very eventful two hours. With lots of explosions. And smells.
Right now her nose was refusing to process any further information and was out on strike. Her hearing wasn't doing too good either.
"Oh, Tenten, this is Naruto Uzumaki. He's apparently learning the trade," said her father.
"Oh," said Tenten. "Good. I guess."
Her father turned back to Naruto and began making gestures and talking, but her hearing hadn't come back enough yet to make out more than the occasional word.
THIS was Naruto?! He looked taller and older than she'd expected. Also better dressed.
Then he took his jacket and overshirt off in order to pick up a hammer and start beating on the metal in front of him.
Tenten's eyes widened a little. Sure she was only thirteen and dedicated to becoming a professional kunoichi weapons specialist. Didn't mean she didn't notice boys. It certainly didn't mean she was unappreciative of the way she could tell that there were cords of lean muscle moving under Naruto's skin where she really didn't expect that level of fitness from someone with a reputation as the class clown.
"-using different quenches to treat the metal-"
"-Reinforcement 'jutsu' aligning the molecules-"
"-try it like this-"
Tenten shook her head and decided to take a seat on the stairs that led up to the living area. If nothing else the heat of the forge would help her dry off easier and she could then put her hair up in its customary double-bun style.
Besides, she could wait for her hearing to return. There was something familiar and comforting in the whole process of making and repairing weapons. She'd seen her father doing it often enough as she grew up.
Saber took up a position on the walkway in front of the weapons shop. "This is a kusarigama. This is how you use it."
Sasuke watched as Saber started knocking over targets with the weight end, swirled the chain around her, blocked imaginary foes' attacks with the chain, then grabbed a target with a sweep of the chain to pull it close and chop into it with the sickle. Saber then set the kusarigama to the side, picking up the next weapon. "Zanbatou. These are the basic attacks. Because of its size and mass, it is not as versatile or as fast as other swords. Similar techniques can be used with the zhanmadao type of sword."
Sasuke nodded, watching. Her form was, from what he could tell, perfect.
"The larger weapons are for more straight-combat specialists than I would expect from field operatives," said Saber. "Concealable or quickly wielded weapons might be better. For example-"
Sasuke watched as Saber went through the basic stances and attack forms of cutlass, tonfa, katar, bagh nakh, manriki-gusari, liúx?ng chuí or meteor hammer, naginata, and the tessen with a few comments about what sort of circumstances one used the weapon in.
Yes, thought Sasuke as a few passerby started asking questions and were then led into the shop. This just might be an interesting period while waiting for Sakura to recover.
"WACHOOO!"
"Careful Miss Haruno, you almost popped out of your hospital gown."
"I just got this awful chill from something."
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(Posted Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:05)
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