[nashida]

Nashida takes a deep breath as she comes up to the entrance of the Tantetsu clan compound, with its great steel walls that it actually hurt to look at; in the harsh and unbroken sunlight, the steel was bright enough to dazzle. Thankfully, Nashida was used to protecting her eyes from snowblindness, and this steel wall was really no different. The smoke of many forges rises from the compound, showing the industrious nature of the clan made up of forgers and ninja, with a great deal of overlap. The blonde shinobi herself is wearing her usual blue military uniform with white lining, the symbol of Yukigakure emblazoned across the headband she wore across her forehead. At 7'1", she towered over most other people, but behind these walls were other giants of similar stature, she knew. In her white-gloved hands was her own creation, made partially with her clan's kekkei tota, but also with a great deal of skill at the forge in order to make a steel that could flow like cloth, but was also able to stand up to damage. It had been a hard forging process, but it had been helped tremendously with her own natural skill with her clan's Ninjutsu.

Her shined black boots crunch against the rocky path as she moves right up to the door, preparing herself to step in and walk directly to the clan center so she can have her work inspected and tested by the traditionalist Tantetsu clan leaders. The black bear pelt felt heavy in her hands, even though the steel was really quite light. She turns her head to her right to look at Morihito, a cousin she had requested to escort her directly to the Tantetsu clan for their rite of passage. To her left was Kazeo, the man that had acted as her instructor and mentor for forging as well as the kekkei tota while she'd been living in Yukigakure. Kazeo himself had been quite excited to get back to his home, away from the frozen wasteland where Nashida's mother had taken up residence with her new husband.

"How badly do you think this will go?"

If Kazeo was annoyed or disappointed that his own opinion wasn't being asked, he didn't show it; he hadn't been in direct contact with the Tantetsu clan himself since he left for Yukigakure, so he would have just as little insight about how badly it might go as Nashida herself did.

[Tantetsu Morihito]

Morihito would be waiting in the garden; apparently the head of the clan would be expecting one of his supposed clansmen who moved to Yukigakure. He was not sure who it was but he was always willing to help out the clan when he could. He heard she made her armor for the ceremony. He remembered when he had his but that armor was utterly ruined during the civil war in Iwagakure. He never really needed it because he has jutsu and other defense abilities to make up for the lack of actual armor. He would see a young woman approaching the gate who is tall even if she is a bit small. As she approached he would say "You must be our clansmen from the north. Welcome to the clans base as you can tell it has quite a few forges and workshops.” He would walk up only an inch or so taller but Morihito would be twice her size. He would Gesture for her to follow him and if the other man was not a tantenetsu he would say "unfortunately you are unable to come in unless you are part of the clan or have an appointment.” So he would continue "I can tell you that your armor isn’t too bad I have seen worse. The head will test it. I remember my ceremony. It was right before the civil war here. It unfortunately didnt make it through that war. But It happens I guess no big deal. If you have some time and want to explore the village let me know I am sure that we can make some sort of arrangement. I may be at work so just have someone get me a message.”

[nashida]

Nashida nods almost imperceptibly in response to Morihito's greeting for her as a clansman from the north. She doesn't need to be told that the clan compound has several forges and workshops, but she's a bit surprised at the imposing form of the other Tantetsu shinobi that's come to greet her. Despite being only an inch taller, he's far more muscular than she is. Where Nashida was naturally somewhat athletic, her body was far more lean than this giant of a man. She follows after him, as does Kazeo for a short while, since he was her mentor while she had been in Yukigakure, and he smiles as he finally finds himself back among his family in the clan, giving small hellos in the form of curt nods.

When the blonde woman is told that her own armor isn't too bad and that Morihito has seen worse, Nashida feels much more relieved. She'd worried that her cloth-based armor would have been laughed at or mocked, and it might still be, but at least Morihito seemed to think it was passable himself. It seems that her own ceremony brought up memories for the older Tantetsu about the civil war and how his armor had not survived the conflict. She thought about mentioning that her parents had both participated in the civil war, but thought better of it. It might make him feel a lot older, and the last thing she wanted was to make their interactions more awkward right before the head of their clan was to judge her armor. The offer to explore the village was certainly an interesting one, but she also knows she would really prefer to get the ceremony done first, and she might explore Iwagakure afterwards. She also knows that the Tantetsu clan head will want to prepare for their ceremony, but she would hate to have someone seek her out, as well.

"I feel I should stay in the clan compound for now. I have never interacted with other Tantetsu, other than my mentor while I've been in Yukigakure, with the only exception being a short meeting with Tsusho. I should like very much to see how the forging and working process is done here in Iwagakure, perhaps learn a few more things and some different techniques that I might bring back to my own forge in the northern island nation..."

As she speaks, Nashida's head does indeed turn to look at the other forges, somewhat excited to get to learn.

[Tantetsu Morihito]

Morihito would say "hey, I understand that, wanting to see the blacksmiths in action. It has been a while since I headed to that district of the compound. Work has been keeping me busy lately. Let me know how the test goes and I will show you around the compound. If I am not here send a Genin or academy student to find me.”. Then he would escort the young lady to the main house. He would walk with her talking, making a little small talk. He would walk up to one of the attendants and say "hey, madam can you find the elder. This young lady wants to get her armor checked. She is from the land of ice.” . She would scurry off and enter a room. About 10 minutes later she would come back out and say "The elder is ready to see you now.”. He would then lead Nashida to the door and open the door. Walk to the middle and give a respectful bow then say "Hello, elder it is always good to see you. Glad to see you are in good health. May I present Nashida from the Ice village. She would like you to look at her armor for the test.”. As she entered he would start to exit when the elder would say "I did not dismiss you. When are you going to remake your armor, Morihito? And welcome Nashida.” . Morihito would walk back and say "Maybe when the kage gives me a day off. I will try to get to it.” . He would then bow and head to the hallway to wait for her test to finish.

[nashida]

Nashida takes a deep breath before she herself enters the room, following after Morihito into the audience chamber for the clan elder with her bear skin cloak held in front of her across her arms. While she was only half-Tantetsu, she'd clearly inherited their height as well as the clan's kekkei tota, because she was still quite tall compared to most other women, but even she felt small in comparison to the clan elder on his chair. Still, if she was nervous, and she very much was, it would have been quite hard to tell in the steel-firm setting of her face. She doesn't even react to the elder remarking on Morihito's apparent need to remake his armor, and instead responds directly to the welcome after Morihito gives his explanation of being too busy for remaking his armor.

"It is good to see you again. I believe the last time we met, I was merely twelve; that was when you instructed Kazeo to become my mentor in the usage of the clan's forging techniques and in the kekkei tota."

After this gentle reminder, she unfolds the cloth-like armor, the steel threads just barely showing through the thick hide by gleaming from the lighting inside the audience chamber.

"This is the armor I've brought forward to be judged. It is made from bear skin and cloth, with a pure steel wire lattice serving as a strengthening buttress in order to protect the armor and its wearer from cutting attacks."

With this explanation, she brings the cloak closer to him to allow him to observe it with his own hands.

"With the soft padding protecting the wearer from blunt strikes and the steel wire protecting from slashing strikes, the armor serves me well for melee protection, as well as giving me a direct source of steel for the clan's techniques."

With this explanation done, more to show her understanding of her own armor and the philosophy behind constructing it in this way rather than to explain the function of the armor to the elder, she waits with bated breath to hear what the elder thinks of her construction.