Near the bottom of the tower, Toshu was bent over a forge. He had a peaceful expression as he tapped away at the sword he was making, oblivious to the world around him. He could have simply shaped the steel with a touch, but Toshu didn't like relying on his ninjutsu like that. He was an artist, and he felt that such shortcuts were a form of cheating. The huge man stopped to wipe the sweat from his brow, reflecting on things. Sometimes he regretted his work developing Kinton ninjutsu. It worried him, the idea that someone with the right jutsu could so easily mass-produce weapons like that. Perhaps my secrets died with Raiugakure. A man can hope, at least. he mused before returning to work.

Soon enough, the weapon was finished and cooled. Toshu took up the weapon and felt the balance before sitting by his grindstone. The floor shook slightly as he sat, and the heavy stool creaked under him. With the same intense focus he had shown before, Toshu set down to sharpening his new work.

Toshu looked up when he heard the voice. Setting the blade aside, he stood and gave a polite bow. "Miss Hyuuga, I did not hear you come in. Welcome." His voice rumbled through the room. His tone was pleasant, but the voice itself sounded more like a monster about to devour someone. With the greeting out of the way, he picked up the sword he had just made, testing the edge with his finger. "As for this, I cannot say. I did not make it with anyone particular in mind, it was merely to keep in practice." He approached her, slow footsteps shaking the floor ever so slightly. "Would you like to try it out?" he said, holding the weapon out to her hilt first.

He looked down at the smaller Shirotori as he offered her the weapon. He hadn't gotten to know her well thus far, but he knew her by reputation. She was a bit of a mystery to him, but he knew enough to know that the two of them were quite different. While Toshu did what he did purely for the art, Sakura had a reputation as the most mercenary member of their organization. Even the smallest things were done for the money. That alone he could never hope to understand, but her reputation for accepting any payment, no matter how small, baffled him even more. He had decided already that he would probably never understand her reasoning, but they were colleagues and he would be damned if he couldn't work with her cordially.

Toshu smiled at the common ground they were finding. Like him, miss Hyuuga seemed to have a great respect for manners and formality. She seemed a bit nervous, but then again so did almost anyone who met him. He could understand why. His size alone was intimidating, and his voice seemed more suited to a ruthless warrior than a gentle soul like himself. He took it upon himself to help people overcome these fears.

Meanwhile, Toshu had some concerns of his own. It worried him that someone untrained was going to try out a sword, but he had already made the offer and it would be rude to retract it now. He handed over the weapon, watching nervously as she tried it out. He tried to reach out a hand to stop her when she ran her finger along the blade, but as is often the case he was too slow. He was going to apologize, but before he could she cut him off with a compliment. He gave another bow, noticing that the wound seemed to be closing with surprising speed. "You flatter me, miss Hyuuga, but I'm afraid your flattery is not entirely accurate. I tried just as much on this piece as on any other." he gently took the sword back, turning it over in his hands. "In future, there is a less painful way to test its sharpness. The sword is designed to work with a cutting motion, but not with a scraping motion. If you drag your finger perpendicular to the blade rather than along it-" he demonstrated as he spoke. "-you can feel the sharpness without cutting yourself. Or, you could simply do this." With that, Toshu plucked a hair from his beard and dropped it on the edge of the blade. The sword cut it neatly, without the slightest resistance.

Toshu considered her offer. "I am afraid I am still learning myself, but perhaps we could learn together. Most of my skills have leaned towards the creation of these works, not their use. Though lately I have been trying to improve my skills." He set the sword down. This young woman was certainly polite, he had the feeling they would become good friends.

"I have also heard we share a common interest." he said, sorting through some scrolls on a shelf. "You are fuinjutsu user, yes? A skill we have in common. Perhaps we could compare notes sometime, we may be able to help each other." Toshu was a bit understated in what he said. He had heard of her skills, she was a true master of fuinjutsu. With her guidance, he hoped to perfect his skills. He had plenty of ideas to implement, but it would take time and practice.

Toshu smiled. It was good to have his art recognized, especially by someone as skilled as she was. Sakura had an eye for weapons, and she saw the work that went into his. "You flatter me, miss. While I do know some kenjutsu, I am far from a master. Hardly a novice, even." he said with a slight bow.

He was a little confused at her question. He had heard of her reputation, but was she asking for payment for them to work together? Or was it something else entirely? "I'm afraid I don't understand, miss Hyuuga." he said, hoping for clarification. She had been straightforward thus far, but then again shinobi seldom stayed that way. He knew he should have expected to be thrown for a loop.

Toshu calmed down a bit when she explained it was a joke. "Ah, my apologies. I can have a bit of trouble with wordplay at times." Toshu's love of formality could be a bit of a disadvantage. When someone slipped casual humor into conversation, he often missed it. He supposed this was one of those times.

What came next made him feel less at ease. While he knew that their work involved a lot of unsavory things, it was unsettling to hear someone speak that casually about infanticide. He assumed it was probably another joke, a bit of hyperbole to emphasize her mercenary attitude. He was going to settle down when her next line caught him off-guard again. Why was she blushing like that? Did she mean to imply that she had feelings for him? Toshu frowned, concerned. He hardly knew her, and while he knew that she was what would be traditionally considered attractive, her looks didn't quite appeal to him. He tried to put that out of his mind, focusing on what was said rather than implied. "Yes, I have heard of your love of money. If you wish, I could pay you for your time."

Toshu was still caught a little off-guard by this discussion of feelings. It was rather sudden, having someone he had met mere minutes ago talking about loving and caring for him. Thinking on it, he decided it was possible that that was simply how she talked. She had shown a gift for hyperbole before, maybe this sort of affection was just how she treated people. Either way, he would have to settle matters tactfully. "I am glad that we can work together, miss Hyuuga. Though we have just met, I see we can be good colleagues, and perhaps good friends as well." He hoped that would be enough to get his point across delicately. The suddenness of her affectionate words, the distance still between them, and his lack of romantic interest all bundled up into a few well-mannered words.

Looking at the clock, he realized he had taken somewhat longer than intended. "My apologies, miss Hyuuga, but I must be going. I must go traveling this afternoon, and I have yet to pack." He gave a bow. "Until we meet again."

After an exchange of goodbyes, Toshu had the workshop to himself again. He immediately set to packing, as quickly as he could manage. He picked up a backpack, large enough to carry a normal-sized man, and filled it with travel rations, spare clothes, and whatever else he might need for his journey. Lastly, he set a long white coat at the top of the pack. He didn't like the uniform very much, but it was what Lord Zaku had picked, and it was his job to make it known. He slung the pack over his back and headed out the door.

[Exit]