"Publicly we'll be a bit more... antagonistic," said Ryuuko.
"Why?" asked Kara.
"It seems the ninja sort of thing to do," said Ryuuko thoughtfully. "Besides, there are factions and groups within the ninja - some of which are hostile to Naruto. Misleading them in such manners leaves an opening for us to obtain further information."
"Oh," said Kara. I can't really complain as I did do the secret identity thing for years, and it makes sense in that manner.
"Within the group though, we can justify our rivalry and maintain civil discourse," said Ryuuko. "What say you?"
Kara considered the heavily scaled talon extended towards her. She nodded and took the claw in one of her own hands. "Sounds like we have a rivalry."
"Oh hoh hoh ho!" said Ryuuko, flipping open a paper fan so that she could laugh behind it. "There you are - my rival!"
"Eh?" asked Kara.
"Today I shall defeat you, and claim my proper title as the leading kunoichi of our class!" declared Ryuuko.
"Oh? I doubt that," said Kara, deciding to try what she'd seen others do in similar circumstances. "You'll just end up eating my dust."
Ryuuko cocked her head, considering that. "You need to work on the snappy banter. I think it gets you extra points with the instructors."
"We cannot confirm or deny the existence of a secret ninja scoring system," admitted the nearby Iruka.
"I think you just did," said Ryuuko, snapping the fan closed and then pointing it at Kara. "You, with your Karyupatounu kekkei genkai-"
"Krypton," corrected Kara. "And it should be 'Kryptonian' if anything."
"Wait, I thought we were going to be rivals," said a short-haired blond girl.
"I thought I was your rival," said an elf.
"No, you're MY rival," said a dark elf.
"Girls?" asked Ryuuko. "You're cutting into my Dramatic Announcement moment. Do you mind?"
"Sorry."
"Sorry."
"Sorry about that."
"Doesn't matter," said Iruka. "We're starting class now. Work on your coordinating, pre-battle banter, and dramatic dialogue skills after class please."
Thorra closed her eyes, the dagger on the table before her, surrounded with the sigils and runes she used in her craft. The candles flared, the fires changing to different colors.
Hiashi Hyuga stood near the door, his eyes missing nothing. He'd heard rumors and tales, and was now determined to know something of the truth.
Apparently, the truth was that the short thickly-built redheaded woman was neither fake nor charlatan. One could tell that from the items that left her forge, but her skills were also said not restricted to weaponsmithing or repairing such items.
"Dagger of a lost age, a lost king,
Whose myth burns bright a thousand years,
Strike swift, Carnwenhau, the bards sing,
Strike silent, Carnwenhau, foe reaver,
White-hilt, Giant-slayer, Witch-cleaver,
And forge new legends in thy lady's hand."
The flames returned to normal and then flicked out.
Hinata blinked, waiting until Thorra had opened her eyes again and motioned to Hinata to take her weapon back before she moved again.
"So, the dagger is named 'Karunewenuhau'?" asked Hinata.
"Translated, it means 'Whitehilt'," supplied Thorra after drinking half of her jug of water in a manner that had caused Hiashi a moment of worry that the dwarven weaponsmith would drown herself before giving an answer.
"Whitehilt?" asked Hinata.
"The two qualities I was able to determine were that Carnwenhau can aid the wielder in stealth, and that the edge will cut in proportion to the wickedness in the heart of the target."
"Hm." Hiashi stirred. Hadn't one of the branch members handled the blade and cut himself despite his fingers not even coming that close to the edge? Hiashi Hyuga's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, otherwise remaining as impassive as a stone statue.
Tobi stopped and looked around.
He wasn't sure where or how or why. All he knew was there had come upon him a momentary feeling of Doom.
Which was ridiculous of course. There was nothing in this world that was capable of defeating his plans, save his own impatience.
Maito Gai was many things, but he was not particularly good with remembering names or faces. He could do stealth, though usually this was preparatory to a Dynamic Entry.
"I heard that my pupil received a weapon here," said Gai, looking down at the short redhead.
"Maybe. Who is asking?" asked the redhead.
"Maito Gai, Tenten's jonin sensei," replied Gai, striking a pose.
"Uh. Yeah." The redhead frowned up at him for a moment before shrugging. "Yeah. Tenten got a bastard sword, Fragarach."
"I see, and how did you get this weapon?" asked Gai.
"Naruto summoned it and the other eleven," said the redhead. "Well, I'm Thorra. Thorra Runehammer."
"He summoned it?" asked Gai.
"Yeah, twelve weapons of power." Thorra turned her back on the jonin and walked back to her forge. "I can do some minor stuff with weapons. I write the stuff down though. Never can tell when some info will come in handy."
"Minor stuff?" asked Gai, looking at the racks of weapons on display.
"Yeah," said Thorra, selecting a slim volume from a bookshelf. "Here we go. Fragarach. Wielded by Tenten of Konohagakure."
Gai blinked as Thorra began reading.
"Dance, sword of sea god's line,
cut through deception's sign,
Fragarach, who answers true,
replies to her foes in kind."
"Does the Hokage know you are hoarding magical swords to give to children?" asked Gai.
"Children who are within a few months of graduating the Academy to become soldiers of this country," pointed out Thorra. "Your own student is already just such a soldier."
"I see your point," acknowledged Gai. "What of these other weapons?"
"They are for sale," said Thorra, getting up and going to a rack. "My own manufacture in fact. Try this one."
Gai frowned slightly, but took the metal-shod bo staff. "A bit ornate."
"Weapons are tools to be used, true," said Thorra. "Yet they are also a symbol, both of the ninja who wields them and of the austerity of the village they come from."
"Oh?" asked Gai, finding that the staff could be twisted like so. Releases clicked and small chains rattled out, turning it into a three-section-staff.
"Took me awhile to work out the mechanism to keep it from releasing prematurely," added Thorra, "but fortunately I remembered a similar mechanism I'd seen in a trap mechanism my father once made."
Gai spent a couple of moments examining the mechanism before he snap-twisted it back into staff form. "It looks like wood, but is completely metal."
"Yes," said Thorra. "And I feel it is very reasonably priced. Of course, any Konoha ninja just shows their headband and you get a small discount."
"Only a small discount?" asked Gai absently.
"Got to pay rent and materials," acknowledged Thorra.
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(Posted Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:03)
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