[nashida]

Nashida, standing at over seven feet tall, would have been a harrowing sight on most days, but today she was particularly scary. There's nothing more terrifying than a strong woman normally in full control of her emotions being nervous and moving with a purpose. Her long blonde hair was flying behind her as she does what must be the sixtieth sweep of her own small apartment. While her parents were both still alive and spending time in their own homes, Nashida had chosen to live in a separate apartment, though her childhood home was still within walking distance.

Her home, while spartan as far as decoration was concerned, was spotless as always, but the tall woman was still fretting about as she tries to prepare her home for a visit from one of the more famous members of her father's clan, and the clan from which she drew a great deal of her capabilities as a ninja. She wanted to make a good impression, even as her tutor tuts after her, trying to get her to calm down and assuring her that the home is certainly clean enough. The forge outside her home isn't running, and Nashida is considering the possibility of lighting it so she can at least appear busy, then changing her mind because she's not sure if it would be considered rude to be working on forging when another Tantetsu is coming to visit, and almost instantly changing her mind again because she also wants to appear diligent. She finally leaves the forge alone and unlit, but she does choose to display the fine and delicate jewelry she had produced in glass casings around her living room.

Despite her harried motions and the stern look on her face, her blue eyes darting to and fro, her hair and clothing are immaculate, kept clean, straight, and proper with a military eye for detail. The blue uniform and its white trim were certainly eye-catching, though she'd chosen not to wear the large black coat with the Yukigakure symbol across the back and over the chest, in case it might somehow offend. She keeps the headband around her forehead, however. Her white gloves are pristine at least, and her black boots are polished to a reflective finish. She's about to debate herself on making more than just the tea, a luxury in the frigid land of Yuki no Kuni, when she hears a knock. Nashida rises to her feet and rapidly answers the door, not sure what she really expects to see. The only other Tantetsu in her life was her father, so she had very little to compare with.

[tsusho]

    Tsusho was typically nervous when he went to meet with his teacher in Suna, when he had to do anything requiring teaching or instructing, or when he had to work with one of his parents standing over his shoulder judging him with that look his mother always gave him when she was about to criticize. Surprisingly, he was more curious than nervous as he left Iwa to take a ride across the water to meet a distant kinsman living in a land he hadn't visited before. He had at least heard of a few Tantetsu outside of the village these days, but this was the first instance he was getting to actually meet one, and he was curious just how different they'd be.

    All he knew about the person he was going to meet was their blonde hair and stature that sounded very familiar to his mother, which if anything was likely to make him nervous, that alone was it. She was a fierce woman for as kind as she was, but she stood tall even over him, and from what he had heard this relative was cresting the seven foot mark as well, which he could only imagine the looks he'd get as he wasn't.

    As the boat came to a stop, he was pulled out of his near trance like state, day dreaming and wondering what to expect, not even looking out over the village until he stepped out of the cabin and started to exit the boat. For a typical shinobi, he certainly would have looked like a large man, as by normal standards he was well built, above average height, and even with all of the coverings he wore it was impossible not to notice how muscular he was. For a Tantetsu he certainly would have looked odd in some respects, despite having the broad shoulders and strong facial features, he was about a foot shorter than most, and unlike his cousin he was about to me, he certainly wouldn't be getting any bear related nicknames anytime soon.

    Scanning his surroundings, he didn't immediately notice anyone that was matching a description of who he was looking for, as he suddenly slapped his own forward and turned around, heading back into the cabin. He hadn't left the village in quite some time as representing anything but himself, but in this instance he was representing the Tantetsu of Iwagakure, and he was certainly under dressed for such a representation. After a few minutes, he came back out, but looking very different, dramatic perhaps, wearing his full set of armor that covered the entirety of his body aside from his head, standing a bit taller than he would otherwise. It was from head to toe metallic, shining in the light, with metallic arms protruding from the back with piercing tips, all four hanging loose at his side. On his back an oversized pack near the size of his own body, only adding to how intimidating he might look at a distance. His face was covered completely in bandages, save for his hair, and his Iwa headband strapped around his forehead to show his allegiance. A large stamp into the metal over the left breast of the armor showed the symbol of the Tantetsu, making sure there was no doubt where he was from and what clan he was from.

    Forgetting for a moment where he was going, he looked around taking everything in, including the surprised looks he was getting, before finally flagging someone down willing to give him the time of day and ask for detailed directions. After a few minutes of making his way through the village, he found the house he was looking for, gave a loud metallic knock on the door, and cleared his throat, trying to stand up straight and not make an immediate ass of himself. Both Tantetsu were about to find out just how differently they were from one another, and perhaps just how similar.

[nashida]

Nashida is certainly surprised to be staring at a human-shaped but decidedly large suit of metal armor. But of course a member of the Tantetsu clan would choose to show off their skill in metallurgy in such a way. The Genin quickly steps aside to let him in, as it was fairly cold today, even for Yukigakure, and Nashida didn't want all the heat leaving her house. Even the tutor was bundled up to keep his own body heat from escaping through the open door. The inside of the house, though spotless, is also sparsely decorated. This is actually somewhat uncommon for most homes in Yukigakure, as they often decorate their walls with rugs in order to reflect their own body heat back onto themselves, rather than having the heat soaked up by the stone that their houses are often built from.

However, this sparse decoration would cause one's eyes to gravitate towards the display boxes, as they're the only things to really look at, other than Nashida herself. Inside each is a different form of jewelry, made entirely by Nashida's hand; a silver ring with delicately inlaid gemstones, a solid gold torque that looks as though it were woven like rope, as well as far finer necklaces that look to have been spun like silk rather than molded or forged like armor. Though they were certainly eye-catching, they probably were not so impressive for most members of the Tantetsu clan, if Nashida's tutor was any indication. She still wanted to have another member of her clan see what she could do, even if she hadn't made any armor yet and was therefore still technically not recognized as an adult. She felt that perhaps seeing the jewelry would at least give this Tantetsu clan member pause.

"Please, come inside, Tsusho. I've made tea for you to drink as well."

Should Tsusho come inside after her invitation, just brushing past her would make Nashida shiver; steel had a way of staying extremely cold for a while after leaving the frigid air outside in Yukigakure. This was simply the nature of the cold weather this far north of the mainland, and one had to get used to it. She wonders for a moment if Tsusho is freezing inside his armor, and he probably wants to remove it for comfort if for no other reason. She's about to offer to help him remove the armor when she hears the shrill whistle of the tea kettle.

"Ah, there's the tea. Please excuse me. Kazeo-sensei, would you help Tsusho get comfortable while I pour the tea?"

And Nashida hurriedly rushes off to the kitchen to remove the kettle from the heat while the Tantetsu tutor rises up from his chair, ready to assist.

[tsusho]

    There was a slight look between the two, strangers even if family, but it wasn't awkward so much as momentarily sizing each other up as most Tantetsu did by default. Quickly stepping in size, thankfully, as being in a large metal armor in this cold was anything but comfortable, Tsusho looked around and was somewhere middling on his opinion of being surprised and not at all surprised by what he was taking in. There was not the displays he was accustomed to from his other kinsmen from Iwa, nor the same type of interior he might have otherwise expected, though the feel was still it's own variation of familiar. This was his first introduction to any interior in Yuki, so he wasn't sure how much to take away from it, as he kept moving further in to not be in the way, but found himself immediately looking back to his fellow Tantetsu.

    For now at least, he wasn't too distracted by anything immediately displayed, more interested in the who than the what in the room. His eyes narrowed as they fixated onto Nashida for long moments, finding her facial features striking, incredibly familiar. He couldn't quite put his finger on who she reminded him of, but it kept scratching at his brain as he kept looking. Whatever or whoever was in the room had left his mind, as he snapped back, realizing he was just quietly standing and staring in someone else's home.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare, yes I'd love some tea."

    Giving a quick knock to his armor, he looked around once more.

"I hope you don't mind if I step out of this. It's not insulated for this temperature and it's trapping the cold more than the heat it seems."

    Without waiting for a response, his fingers seemed to move a few times as the back of the armor opened with far less sound than perhaps expected, as he climbed out ad stepped down, revealing he was in fact a bit shorter than the armor would have otherwise made him seem. Walking out from behind it, he looked like a weed among a flower bed given how he stuck out, covered in bandages, a basic hoodie in place of the typical Jounin vest, and about a foot shorter than Nashida. Turning with a large shiver, he moved his fingers as the large backpack that was strapped to him jumped down, as he followed it with his hands, as he jumped and attached itself to the front of his armor, clinging to it with four fairly large arms, as he turned back around.

    By the time he had turned around, Nashida was already leaving to grab her tea, turning towards the one she had addressed, giving them a good look over for the first time.

"Appreciate the offer for help, but it's not your typical armor, so less taking it off and more getting out of."

    Extending an arm up over his shoulder, chakra strings attached to said armor, as he moved his fingers as the armor raised an arm and gave a friendly wave, before dropping it back to a neutral state.

"It's a puppet.

[nashida]

The blonde Genin was actually quite used to being stared at, and so she didn't seem to mind at all that the man she assumed she was distantly related to was gazing quite silently at her for an extended period. It was likely less common to be stared at if one were in Iwagakure, but in Yukigakure, the Tantetsu size was an exceedingly rare sight, and so she and her family often drew unintended attention onto themselves. This, though, was different, since now she was being stared at by another member of the same clan, one she assumed had the same or a very similar height to herself, judging by the size of the armor. Still, she didn't seem to take any offense to the way Tsusho stared at her.

Nashida had been too distracted with the tea kettle and fussing over pouring the tea correctly to have seen Tsusho actually exit from his armor to reveal someone far shorter than the usual Tantetsu, though for most people in Yukigakure, he would still be a towering giant of a man. As it is, both the elderly tutor and Nashida herself are taller. She's carrying a tray that looks small in her own hands with a steaming teapot and three cups when she sees that Tsusho is out of the armor and still making it wave at the two of them. At least Nashida is capable of looking unsurprised, despite the fact that she'd never seen someone with armor like this. By contrast, Kazeo has an apparent look of disgust, which Nashida rapidly corrects by firmly stomping on the top of his foot with her booted heel, forcing him to put on a more respectful face. Tsusho was still a high-ranking member of the clan, after all, and the last thing she wanted was for him to see a sour face while visiting her.

"I see! I didn't realize that there were any Tantetsu that made use of puppetry in addition to their armor. That probably bodes well for me, then!"

She seems to be taking the revelation in stride, at least, far better than Kazeo does. She sets the tea set on the table in the sitting room, pouring two glasses of hot tea, which was thankfully very rich in flavor. After all, if she was going to use the expensive tea, she wanted to make sure she could actually taste it. Now, though, she's curious about what the Tantetsu clan is actually looking for. It was possible Tsusho volunteered to check on her progress, since both of them appeared to be different from what is expected of the Tantetsu clan, but it's just as possible that the Tantetsu sent Tsusho to meet her purely because both were rather mold breakers in their own way.

[tsusho]

    The strange look he was given making the puppet wave was honestly what he expected, having to hold back a laugh at the response Nashida gave to the other doing so. He was accustomed to even the other Tantetsu giving strange looks to his puppets, those in Iwa on the whole really, as Puppetry wasn't the most common of professions among Shinobi there. This was at least one of his more normal variations comparatively, as it wasn't one of his giant spiders.

"I would be the only one, unless there are other Tantetsu in other villages using them. Not impossible."

    For the sake of his own amusement, his put his arms behind his back and connected the chakra strings again, so the puppet would shrug its shoulders, then raise its arms with a heavier shrug mimicking his motions, at least for a few moments.

"It used to just be armor, but I've had a few years to modify it, until it become something far more than that. It certainly stands out in a crowd."

    Without thinking about it, he immediately opens his mouth as he looks around, used to seeing other Tantetsu wearing their armor openly at first interaction, or at least displaying it. He had noticed some of the jewelry around that he had assumed she had made, but not seeing her armor, it made him curious. Reaching for the poured tea, he took a sip, gave an impressed look with an approving nod, despite knowing nothing about tea, and spoke.

"I'm surprised to see you without armor of your own, or is that simply not a followed tradition here in the snow lands? Feel I was a bit..."

    Reaching back, he gives a heavy knock against his armor.

"...overdressed walking in. I did however notice a few other things I assume you made, given how they are displayed."

[nashida]

Nashida pours herself a cup of tea as well when she sees how Tsusho seems to like the tea she'd poured for him, finding it interesting that he had started with armor, but ended up incorporating the armor with skill with puppetry. She might have laughed at Tsusho making the armor he'd brought with him somewhat mimic his own movements with a level of exaggeration that made it quite comical. In front of Kazeo, however, it wasn't often that one could laugh much, as he was a very dour old man. He still drank her tea, as it would have been impolite to be the only one not doing so.

She imperceptibly freezes when Tsusho mentions how odd it was that she didn't greet him in armor, as most Tantetsu typically do, but she drinks from her teacup slowly, while ignoring the daggers Kazeo is staring into her with obvious disappointment. While Tsusho was odd in the way he used his armor, at least he actually had armor, but Nashida hadn't even constructed that much. At least he seemed to notice her skill with jewelry work, or at least he was aware that she made jewelry. When she finally puts her teacup down, she finally feels ready to answer the question she knew would be coming eventually. She really should have prepared more for it to be asked, to be honest, but it was too late to try and prepare an answer, so she might as well just tell him the truth. Kazeo would have scolded her relentlessly if she lied anyway, though he likely would have waited until Tsusho left.

"My own armor isn't completed yet. It's still a work in progress."

As it had been for a couple of years now. She pauses her explanation to take another quick sip of tea before she continues while setting the cup down, then standing up to open a nearby closet and pull out a heavy bear-hide coat, sable on the outside, but made with thick snow-white fur on the inside and along the lining for warmth.

"Normal metal armor would become brittle and eventually crumble apart after only a few years in Yukigakure. Besides that, metal armor would make me a walking refrigerator, leeching my body heat and in turn freezing me inside of a steel tomb. I'm working on something slightly different... I'm going to spin steel into thread and turn this coat into a coat of armor."

[tsusho]

    His eyes shifted between the two in front of him, eyes narrowed slightly as he was suddenly wondering what story was there he was obviously oblivious of. In truth he was also getting a little tired of the annoyed looks he was shooting towards things and people in the room. If this wasn't Nashida's home there was a high likelihood he would have removed him from the room given he had come to see her, not whoever this disgruntled old man was. The smile on his face was starting to pull back until Nashida spoke up again, returning the to the wide toothy-grin he usually had, turning his head back towards her.

"Oh I see. Not judging or anything, just being nosy."

    It was certainly strange, but it wasn't as if he cared nearly as much as others. He certainly cared about the clan traditions, and if they were back in Iwa perhaps he would have done a bit of lecturing himself, but this wasn't his house let alone his country. Looking down, what was left of his tea was drank in one quick gulp and he moved up to set his cup town and backed up again. His eyes followed curiously as she got up, looking over what she was holding, tilting his head.

"Hm, depends on what you use. The armor behind me, absolutely. It's made out of materials to handle high heats as it uh, how to put this bluntly, it shoots fire. You could use other materials, alloys for better temperature control, treat them properly, insulate them with some of that fancy fur for,. well insulation, and of course aesthetics of fitting in around here."

    His mind was suddenly racing as he was drawing mental blueprints for exactly that, looking up at the ceiling as he started to tap his chin. There wasn't likely to be any good reason for it, but now he was curious to make something like that just to see if he could. Without realizing it, all that Nashida was saying in the meantime slipped into his head, but at the same time pulled him out of his thought.

"Need any help with that?"

    Holding out his bandages arm, he suddenly turns as the bandages came unraveled on their own as they shot out towards the door, stopping short as he turned and whipped them around, stopping just short of the tea cup, before retracting and wrapping back around his arm. Giving a bit of a look, he nodded and made a gesture as if wordlessly saying "Tada!".

"Instead of carrying around a pack of cable, all the time at least, the bandages on my arms are lined with steel wiring."

[nashida]

Nashida had been told by her own tutor that incorporating other metals into the steel was certainly something that could be done, but Kazeo had also expressed doubt at the time that she could do so without much more training. As it is, Kazeo had chosen to have her create armor before he would allow her to learn more about the Tantetsu clan's Steel Release techniques. She'd already greatly surpassed her skill in creating armor and weapons with her skill in Ninjutsu. She's also surprised that Tsusho's armor is capable of handling such intense heat in order to shoot fire, and she considers asking him how he was able to melt down armor that had such an insanely high melting point, then decides not to ask after all. She knows that it's extremely difficult for even high-ranking Ninjutsu specialists to produce heat capable of melting normal steel, so it was likely that the armor Tsusho had made would be able to handle any Katon techniques it came into contact with.

The offer for help is certainly appreciated, and she's tempted to agree to the assistance when she sees him using the bandages to great effect as he whips them around, leaving her eyes shining with glee, but a quick glance at Kazeo for his permission makes her realize that help couldn't be accepted.

"As much as I would love the help with forming steel into the string necessary to turn this coat into real armor, I'm afraid I have to turn down your assistance. I'm told the Tantetsu clan does not permit any outside help for the creation of the armor, save for methods of forging."

Nashida sets the coat back in her closet, but just to show that she's at least on track for producing said armor, she lifts her teaspoon, and after stirring her tea a little, she places the end of it into her mouth, then slowly draws it out, using her chakra to turn the end of the spoon into a long, incredibly hair-thin wire of steel that the spoon had been made from in the first place. Of course, such a cheap steel wouldn't be much use as part of armor, and after Kazeo clears his throat, Nashida frowns, but then returns the spoon to its original shape as she sets it back down on the tea tray where it came from. She shrugs with nonchalance, but is clearly quite proud of her little party trick.

"I think I'm close to a breakthrough, in any case. I assure you, Tsusho, it's only a matter of time."

[tsusho]

    He could see the emotions on her face, even if they were small movements of her face moving to respond or the difference between acceptance and perhaps even disappointment, it was hard to tell given her resting face. What he had absolutely noticed was her once more looking over at this other person in the room, making him once more look towards them and narrow his eyes. He wasn't sure exactly who this guy was outside of a name, but he seemed to have a large metal rod shoved right up his backside.

"To an extent, he's right, but with all due respect, I would say for all he likely has good intentions, you can't be expected to learn by just doing and hoping it works out. I didn't directly have someone help me craft my armor, but I certainly had others helping me along the way in other ways that at the time I simply couldn't do alone, or even knew that I needed to do them."

    Turning and reaching out his arm, giving a heavy knock against the armor behind him, he fully turned towards it, walking back some to lift one of the arms.

"The articulation points of the elbow for example, while seemingly simple are rather intricate, and I crafted them with my own hands, but it's the knowledge I had help with. The alloy used after much trial and error with guidance, or the help I needed from a few shinobi with a far stronger grasp on katon than myself to understand how to not only melt such an alloy but how to strengthen it afterwards to not make it immediately brittle."

    Gentle lowering the arm, he turned back, immediately glaring at Kazeo with some feeling of protection over his cousin, not actually knowing how close of a relation Kazeo himself might have as well. He was certainly biting his tongue despite what he had just said, wanting to be less reserved and tell the man to stuff it up his ass, but it wasn't as if he didn't have his own traditions he held tight enough to leave figurative fingerprints.

"It is certainly important to craft your armor with your own two hands, that much is true. I certainly had help in many ways with my own, but it wouldn't be my own had I not done it myself. That said, if you need any help otherwise, I'll be here for a few days, and no reason I can't make my way back. And you are more than welcome to come and visit us in Iwa."

    His attention was back on Nashida once more, and even through his previous obvious glaring, the large grin on his face had never wavered. Her feat wasn't the most impressive he had seen, but he understood the point of it all the same, and was about to comment on it before this Kazeo once again gave his signal of disapproval, causing the grin to fade some, a visible quiver to his lip even through the bandages.

"I'm sure you'll get there. I would suggest finding a bit more positive feedback, however. Criticism alone can certainly stifle growth and absolutely stifles creativity, which can be an important part of growth. Doing things wrong, doing things differently, doing things uniquely is as much a part of learning the right way than only following the perfect steps."

    The entire time he was speaking, he was staring a hole in Kazeo, slowly but surely making his annoyance more obvious. He had come to talk with Nashida, and was starting to feel like she was holding in more and more as the conversation continued because of this stick in the mud.

[nashida]

The Genin's eyes widen with intense interest as Tsusho describes the process for making the articulation for the elbow work on his armor without sacrificing the protection needed to keep him from being cooked by a Katon technique. While Kazeo also seems somewhat interested, he's much more tempered in his emotional reaction. The idea of using an alloy hadn't occurred to Nashida, but then, she didn't know much about alloying metals, and it would likely be too much for her to learn to do right away. It could certainly be done if she had the actual materials, or if someone provided the alloy to her... And from what Tsusho said, in spite of Kazeo's insistence when he'd started tutoring her in both the use of the forge and the use of Koton, it seems that materials don't have to be made by the Tantetsu member in question. This was sounding more and more plausible all the time.

Nashida seems just fine with ignoring Kazeo when he seems to be getting his comeuppance from the higher ranking member of the Tantetsu clan. It certainly helped that Tsusho was certainly someone that Kazeo had apparently disliked for his less-than-traditional usage of the Tantetsu clan technology and techniques. Instead of coming to Kazeo's rescue, she quietly sips her tea while he's being laid into by the Jounin that had come to visit her in particular, while Kazeo himself seems a little too uncomfortable to drink his own tea. The dour old man shuffles in his seat a little before Nashida finally decides that she might as well speak up, though not on his behalf and merely to give Tsusho some show of appreciation.

"You make some very good points, Tsusho, and I think I would be greatly honored to have you as a teacher, if only for a week at the most. I'm sure the Tantetsu clan in Iwagakure would miss such a positive influence in their own clan if you were gone for any longer than that."

While her tone was hopeful, she didn't think it likely that the man would stick around for that long. He did actually live primarily in Iwagakure, and from what she'd heard of that place, it was much, much warmer than it was in Yukigakure, and the difference in temperature was likely going to be somewhat shocking, even if the Tantetsu clan was hardy when it comes to heat and cold. It didn't make them totally immune to hypothermia, which was a real worry, especially for someone who was coming from a life in a much hotter climate. Kazeo excuses himself politely but with clear undertones of feeling ill at ease, and once he's gone, Nashida relaxes somewhat. It wouldn't really have been noticeable for almost anyone, but a Tantetsu would probably be able to tell that her back is slightly more relaxed, no longer so flexed to rigidness that it would likely have made a weaker woman have back pains after only an hour of sitting that way.

"Mmph. Thank you for the instruction, Tsusho. Sorry for Kazeo. I know he's a stick in the mud, but I think that's perhaps why the Tantetsu sent him to me. They didn't want to deal with him, and they thought his strictness might ensure I don't get too 'foreign', as it were."

[tsusho]

"A week huh?"

    He hadn't even been here a full day yet and he hadn't planned on staying more than three, but it wasn't as if he was in any rush for anything, at least not for a few weeks. His next trip to Ame wasn't for nearly another month, his next mission three weeks, and it wasn't as if he wasn't incredibly curious to be on the other side of teaching someone when it came to what they did as a clan.

"I can't promise a week, but who knows. Really though, no one is missing me, not as if they are glad I'm gone but more they are used to me being gone. I travel a lot, like a lot. While you seem to have your own teacher..."

    His eyes looking over to Kazeo then back to her.

"...I have one of my own. She just so happens to live in another village."

    Again he looked over to Kazeo, but more because of him getting up and leaving. He couldn't say he was bothered by it, and he could see clearly enough that Nashida had relaxed some, which made him in turn relax. He was still standing across from her, and with just the two of them in the room now, he felt more comfortable to look around a bit. Having one set of eyes on him was one thing, but having both of them was about the closest feeling he had to being nervous, and now he felt more like he was visiting the home of a relative properly.

"I get it, my parents were just as bad when I first picked up a hammer and started swinging. It's just the way our family is.  My mom likes to say that stubborn is just in our blood, and my dad mumbles something about heads as thick as rocks."

    Stopping a few times to kneel down and look over the displays she had around the room, he would move to the next, repeating it until he had made the rounds completely and was back standing where he started.

"I'm sure they wish they had someone a bit more strict watching over me growing up. Then again, they've embraced my craft well enough, not because they like the whole puppet thing, but they can at least appreciate the work and level of craftsmanship, so that's something. Gotta lean into where you are good at, not just what you think everyone else expects. Remember that, and know that at least in our clan, people will respect that, even if they will be hard-asses about it along the way."

[nashida]

Nashida is only a little saddened that Tsusho won't be staying for a week, but she also hadn't been expecting him to stay that long at all. Any instruction he wanted to give her would still be likely even better than the instruction she'd received from Kazeo, who apparently expected far greater purity in her work than what she was trying to do. Some innovation might be just what she needs to be able to perform even better when it comes to crafting her armor. It's actually a bit surprising that Tsusho himself, despite being a Jounin from Iwagakure, also has a teacher, and that the person who taught him is also outside of the Village Hidden in the Stone. At least it sounded like he was still willing to stay a little while to help her out with learning more around the forge.

"Well, a week was the most I could realistically hope for. Even a few days would be sure to show an improvement in my forging. After all, the sooner I can make this armor, the sooner I'll be considered an adult by the Tantetsu clan... and I can get Kazeo out of my hair..."

This last part of the sentence is mumbled into her teacup more than spoken aloud, and she drains the last of the tea she'd poured for herself in an expression of nerves while Tsusho is busy looking through her jewelry. She was actually most proud of her torque, which she'd actually strengthened with a curved steel rod to act as the basic skeleton shape, and then pulled gold over it and twisted the precious metal around it like a rope. But he seems to be telling her that he, also, appreciates her work and level of craftsmanship. At least, that's what she takes away from him saying this about his own parents' eventual acceptance of his puppetry. Nashida sets the empty teacup back down onto the tray while she ponders these words, then finally extends an offer that is culturally seen as a requirement for a good host, but which Nashida has her own reasons for offering; after all, with her forge directly outside her house, this offer would mean that they could immediately get right to work on her new tutelage without waiting for him to make a trip over to her home every day.

"Would you perhaps like to stay in my home for the time that you're here? I have a spare room, of course, one with hung curtains to aid in preserving heat."

[tsusho]

    At most he had given a few quick lessons to some academy students and a genin, and had helped setting up a workbench, but he was far from being anyone that would be picked as an instructor otherwise. It wasn't going to stop him from offering help to a clan member when asked, given the affection he held for the Tantetsu, even that grumpy Kazeo in his own way.

"Like I said, I can always come back. The lady Kage thankfully gives me a little leeway."

    He was certainly leaving out a few details, like how he was here in part to get a look at the village as those from Iwa had so little reason to come to Yuki as of late. There was some truth however in the fact that he was given extended time in this instance to spend time and meet with Nashida.

"You'll improve at your own pace. Learning our techniques are as much about trial and error as instruction. Emphasis on error, as doing it wrong can teach you just as much as doing it right, or doing it perfectly. I've learned more than a few tricks by messing up. So, don't let his sour attitude get you down and just do it your way, whatever that is."

    Walking over to where she had pulled her armor to be from earlier, he made a motion towards it then looked over to her.

"Could you show it to me again? A bit more up close preferably. I'd like to get a more personal sense of what ideas you have in mind. I have at least a basic idea of your own crafting style, and boy is it different from mine."

    Pointing towards his armor with his head, he gave a bit of a chuckle.

"I am more about the big showy armor, heavy weapons, large pieces of metal to work with. Your style looks to be much more intricate work, which I'll be blunt, it's not my forte."

    Standing on his toes, bouncing a little even, making it hard to hide the excitement of getting to talk to this with someone different. So many of his direct family worked much like he did, so seeing a different style was exciting. He turned back towards her with a raised brow, and a look, as much as there could be one through covered facial features, of relief.

"That would help. I literally walked off a boat and came over here."

[nashida]

Nashida is a little surprised but certainly very proud when Tsusho seems excited to see her bear hide again, which is already close to being cloth armor in itself from the thickness of the hide, but she pulls the coat back out, though with the outside more visibly displayed. After all, what she wanted was rather more subtle than the usual elders of the Tantetsu clan might be used to, and she was going to have the armor inside rather than on the outside of the coat, so it was better to look at the inner lining of it rather than the outer portion.

While letting Tsusho watch, she performs a few quick handseals before grabbing hold of the torque that she was particularly proud of. While Tsusho watches, Nashida extrudes the steel core from the piece of jewelry, and then floods it with her Koton chakra, and turns the thick metal core into a long, thin steel that bends like string. She threads it through the fur, all the way around it, then filling the middle in a criss-crossing hatch pattern that leaves it springy but flowing. Once she's done, she pulls her hand away, removing her chakra from the steel, and causing it to become instantly rock-solid, no longer capable of movement at all. At first, she's a bit disappointed that the armor doesn't quite work, when she touches it and floods the metal with her chakra again, it goes soft once more, though it doesn't drip off like a liquid. It manages to keep its shape while still twisting and turning like fabric, while still providing protection once she draws her Koton chakra away from it.

"I think this might work... but I'm not sure the Tantetsu clan will allow something like this to be called armor..."

It's clear that she's nervous about this idea, but also giddy at the same time. Apparently Tsusho's excitement is actually rubbing off on her, as she hopes she can get this approved. It would certainly make for a very useful armor for her in Yukigakure, where the cold even manages to get under her skin of all people.

"Ah, an added bonus..."

Nashida touches the armor again, focusing her Koton chakra into the steel as she flips the coat over so that Tsusho can see the black outer layer, and then spikes of hardened steel erupt from several locations on the outside, pushing through the black sable coat, thin as toothpicks, and then sinking back inside before she stops pumping her chakra into the steel layer. She at least hopes he's impressed by the applications that such a hidden armor might provide, although she knows that Fire Release chakra would certainly have a pretty harsh effect on armor made from furs. She's excited to see his reaction, more than anything else at this point.