Shaking off the Rust

Oriana simply met Niko's suspicious gaze with her normal lackluster expression, hiding her inward excitement. When the redhead went back to her metal work the genin turned her thoughts to what else she could do while her master worked. Then, the pink-haired teen's thoughts wandered back to what the blacksmith had just told her. This was probably the most personal thing Niko had told Oriana about herself. Perhaps the most personal thing anyone had ever told the short teen.

Before becoming a ninja, Oriana's life in the orphanage had been somewhat lonely. Sure, there were other children, but she had never made her way to anyone's inner circle. She was tolerated at best. Once the pink-haired girl was on her own, relationships had become a means to an end. Let someone touch her for a few ryo or new clothes, clean for someone to get fed. After that, she would pretend to be interested in any adult willing to give her necessities or pay her. They never seemed too interested in talking about their personal lives, her customers were always more interested in Oriana and how the young girl fit into their fantasies. She learned a lot about others' desires. Maybe that was similar, because Oriana saw a side of these people that few others did.

Everything was interrupted shortly after Oriana graduated the Academy. That place... in that place no one cared to be personal with her. Despite doing what should have consisted of intimate acts with her, these new customers were cold and distant.

None of this really gave the pink-haired genin proper context to compare Niko's admission to.

The redhead's voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present. She blinked, looking down at the metal plate sitting in her hands, noting the subtle curve pounded into to allow for it to rest against someone's forehead more comfortably.

"Of course, Niko-sama."

The genin turned away to push the rivets through the holes and into the fabric of a cloth headband before handing it back to her master and wandering out of the forge, still in a bit of a daze. Oriana found a couple of large glasses, some ice in the freezer. After coating the bottom of each glass with ice, the pink-haired teen looked in the fridge for a beverage.

What to drink?

There was always water, which was probably the healthiest option, especially with how much Niko had been sweating. However, plain water was bland. Should she make tea instead? Ice tea might be preferable, but what kind did the redhead like? Oriana frowned.

She decided to search the cabinets for tea. Niko probably wouldn't keep any that she didn't like. Deciding on green tea, the genin boiled some water with matcha powder in it. Once the tea was done, she poured it into each glass before putting both in the freezer for a while. Frowning, Oriana decided to make a pitcher of ice water so that Niko wouldn't get too thirsty while the tea cooled.

She returned to the forge with the pitcher and a few cups.

"Is this good?"

[13]

Niko picked up the molten metal carefully and poured it into the mold, ensuring that the distribution was even into the molding before taking the now rivetted headband, using precise strikes to hammer them into place and complete the work on that one, folding it and putting it into the box and taking a moment to count them. Six were done now, another four to go… and then this order would be complete and she could get to the project she was most excited about; Oriana’s claws. Sure, she was happy to be helping out the Genin and getting things in order that way, but there was something about making something that she could see moved the pink haired girl that made her more eager than normal.

When Oriana came back, sporting a large pitcher of ice water and a pair of cups, she realized just how thirsty she had become, but wouldn’t let that make her into something less than what she actually was… she had never really been all that concerned with herself. Moving over she gave the woman a warm smile. “That is just fine. Thank you so much, Oriana-san.” Setting the cups down, she quietly poured them both a cup full of water, sweat clearly dripping off her chin as she continued to help out as best she could. It didn’t matter that she wanted to take the entire pitcher and see how much she could drink at once; Oriana was first.

Putting a glass in the woman’s hand, she then took her own, clinking them together in a ‘cheers’ motion. “You really are a life-saver.” With that, she downed her own glass in a series of large gulps, draining the cups in what was obviously a deep thirst, some even dribbling out and splattering on her semi-soaked chest and shirt. It didn’t matter to her, honestly, because now she wasn’t dying. She would have drank more, but it was time to work on the headband, as it should have set by now, so she set down her glass and turned, pulling the tongs from their resting place and working on getting the plate out of the mold. For just a moment, her eyes glanced at a towel that was sitting near the furnace, but then returned to her work.

The towel was there so she could dry off the sweat off her head and keep the sting of it out of her eyes, but she had forgotten to grab it, and was now in the process of removing the plate from the mold; it was too late to grab. That was fine… she would get it next time she had a second to rest…

[14]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 C-Rank Headband (Incomplete)
TIME: 1/3 Posts
INFO: Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination. 3 D-Rank, 3 C-Rank complete, 6/10 complete for mission

Niko chugged the water surprisingly quickly, leaving the pink-haired genin to watch her, almost dumbfounded. The longing look on the redhead's face made it clear that she wanted more water, but hadn't drunk more. She glanced over at the towel, but didn't use it to wipe the sweat and dribbling water from her face. The way the redhead squinted a bit revealed that her sweat was probably getting in her eyes and irritating them. Upon closer inspection, the genin could see that they were a bit watery and reddened.

Oriana frowned at this. The short teen poured her glass of water into Niko's empty glass. As soon as the plate was set on the bench to be pounded into shape, the pink-haired genin swooped in and deftly took the tongs from Niko and pushed the full glass into her master's hands.

"Drink more." It wasn't a request so much as a demand. Oriana's voice was firm and brooked no argument. Her eyes hardened like frozen water, challenging Niko to disobey.

This was the most assertive the short woman had been with her master, however the situation called for it. Niko wasn't going to take care of herself if Oriana didn't try to make her. The taller woman's clear discomfort made her deeply uncomfortable and the genin intended to put a stop to it.

"You can have this back once you finish your water and wipe your face," Oriana bargained, face softening a bit as uncertainty began to creep in. Had she gone too far? Would Niko punish her for such insolence? Was it too late to run now?

[14]

Niko had just gotten the blasted thing out of the mold and was holding the red-hot piece of metal, placing it carefully on her workbench so she could grab it at a better angle and begin hammering it into shape when she noticed Oriana moving. Well within the personal bubble, but not only that, but actually touching her in order to get the tongs out of her hand, causing the smith to blink awkwardly in surprise, a glass of ice water in her hands now and a command given for her to drink more. This was... completely different from the Oriana that she knew, and while part of her wanted to cheer at the fact that she was being assertive for once, another part of her was so bewildered by the fact that she was taking care of the red-head that she was stunned for a moment. Another part of her knew that cheering was a good way to make her not want to do it again... and a tiny part of her heart swelled at the fact that she liked Niko enough to want to take care of her in return.

Sure, her method wasn't all that great, but she wasn't going to ask for more than she had been given at this point.

She gave Oriana a pout at her combination of commands, puffing her cheeks out a bit and actually blushing just out of embarrasement that it had taken the Genin who didn't want to be within a meter of anyone to realized how much she just wasn't taking care of herself. Drinking the water quickly, she set it down and grabbed the towel, wiping away the sweat on her head before holding out a hand towards the tongs. "Thank you... I just... I guess I need more hands or something. You are a great apprentice, looking out for me." She gave a wide smile, betraying just how proud she was, and completely contradicting the fake pout from before. She then began to pound the plate into shape rapidly, seeming to be better focused than before and in better spirits.

[15]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 C-Rank Headband (Incomplete)
TIME: 2/3 Posts
INFO:
o Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination
o 3 D-Rank, 3 C-Rank complete, 6/10 complete for mission

The redness and pouting confused Oriana a bit. She usually only saw such expressions on children, or clients when they pretended to be upset. Her head tilted. But then, Niko took the water and the towel as she had instructed. Her shoulders lowered half an inch in relief. Truly, the genin should have expected her master to praise her and smile after such a gesture, as Niko was wont to do if Oriana managed to please her. However, the pink-haired teen was still caught off-guard and her own face flushed an even deeper shade of red than what the heat of the forge caused on its own.

"Yes, of course, Niko-sama, I--" the sentence died prematurely.

The shorter ninja returned the tongs to her master before taking the glass and walking towards the work bench to pour the remaining water into it. She would give Niko more water once that metal plate was in the ice water, or in her hands for the rivets and cloth. The tall redhead might forget to drink again if Oriana didn't remind her, but the genin was still hesitant to push her luck.

Quietly, the genin wondered if Niko habitually neglected her own needs. Even if the blacksmith pretended not to like it, it was clear that one of the better ways Oriana could be of use entailed making sure the tall woman didn't make herself ill from overexertion and poor self-care. This would be a relatively easy task. Niko wasn't demanding and didn't need to be waited on hand and foot. Likely, such efforts would earn more smiles and approval.

The idea of Niko smiling at her brought up a vaguely pleasant feeling. Initially, those smiles made Oriana worry about the redhead's intentions. But now, knowing what her master truly wanted, she knew that they didn't mean more abuse.

[15]

Niko finished hammering the headband into shape carefully, feeling much better, and now had the towel draped over her head, almost like a hood, just to keep it there for a moment until she finished this part of the forging process. Once it was done with that nice, smooth curve, she put the imprint of the village symbol in the center carefully and tapped it into place, subsequently dunking it into the water and letting it sit there for a moment, the steam hissing at her once more. Forging was hard work, but having someone help out made it so much more enjoyable.

Oriana blushing at the compliment she gave her, this being the first time she had done so, was so cute that she wanted to wrap her up in her arms and squeeze her... but she resisted as always. She had even made an attempt at small talk for the first time, and although she hadn't finished her sentence, Niko would be particularly careful to encourage more conversation between them. They still had a few more headbands to make, so the progress that could be still made was immense, but the simple amount that was being displayed now was nothing short of breathtakingly amazing. Niko couldn't be prouder.

Taking the plate out and tapping it on the workbench to dispel the water, Niko traded it to the pink haired Genin for another glass of ice water, and this one she drank with gusto, but not quite as needily as the last couple... it was obvious she was feeling better. While she had both hands free for just a moment, she quickly took the towel and tied it to her head like a bandana, but already it was showing signs of being saturated. It would probably hold for this next one, but then she would need to take it off because it would be doing more harm than good. Once she had the plate back, she gave the young woman a small smile and began to hammer in the rivets.

"Have you thought of a name yet? For your claws, I mean... since I will be upgrading them they will probably be around for a long time, and all the best weapons have special names, ya know? Might be something to think about."

[16]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 C-Rank Headband (Complete)
TIME: 3/3 Posts
INFO:
o Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination
o 3 D-Rank, 4 C-Rank complete, 7/10 complete for mission
o 4/5 C-Rank Armors crafted towards making B rank equipment

As Oriana had suspected, Niko took to being cared for quite readily. She accepted another glass of water without prompting and drank it while her apprentice did her part of the process. The prod Oriana had given her seemed to be working for now. The way the blacksmith picked up her pace and worked more vigorously affirmed the effectiveness of the shorter ninja's intervention. The taller woman even tied the towel around her head to soak up the sweat.

The pink-haired genin felt pleased with her success. Doing anything well always gave her a good feeling, including serving her master. What she needed to do for the redhead had become much more clear since they clarified their relationship as apprentice and master.

Oriana blinked at Niko when asked about the name of her claws. "A name?" Her brow furrowed in thought while she considered the possibilities. The genin picked up the scroll and scanned it thoughtfully.

"Kanuchi no Kubikiri?" the shorter woman suggested after a few minutes of silence.

[16]

Translation:

Niko carefully poured the next batch of molten metal into the mold, her mind already going on how to improve the headbands even further than she was currently doing. Compression was probably the right way to do it, but how to compress them without losing metal would be the tricky part... more hammering while it was really hot? It was certainly worth a try... but not yet. She would let her mind continue to attack the problem and find a solution while she worked on the current piece, as there was probably a simple solution that she just hadn't come up with just yet.

She heard the name, and turned, waiting for the metal to cool a bit before she tried to pry it out of the mold, a blush decorating her face. She knew that the name of the weapon was important... but to have it named after her, after her shop, showed that Oriana truly cared about what was going on here. The fact that it was free advertising too helped a lot, but it also made her swell with pride at the fact that the young woman had chosen that name in particular for something that would be effectively her own. Niko struggled to remain fixed and not run over and give the woman a hug, but instead opted for a blush filled smile and a nod of thanks, her expression showing the joy and pride of the selection.

"S-sounds like a great name..." she managed, happiness filling her tone.

[17]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 C-Rank Headband (Incomplete)
TIME: 1/3 Posts
INFO:
o Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination
o 3 D-Rank, 4 C-Rank complete, 7/10 complete for mission

Niko's response was positive but also confusing. Noting how red her master's face was, Oriana left to fetch fresh towels. By the time she returned, the genin felt a little less nervous. She refilled Niko's glass and set it along with one of the clean towels on the workbench next to the tall jounin, giving Niko a look that meant, "take care of yourself or I will do it for you". Then, the pink-haired teen busied herself with the ice bucket. It was filled with half frozen slush from the heat of Niko's previous creations. Oriana pried open a new crate of ice and refreshed the ice bucket.

She glanced at the redhead just to make sure Niko's stuttering and blushing were from being pleased and not from overworking herself. Oriana decided she would watch over her master carefully to ensure the taller woman wouldn't manage to hurt herself. Perhaps Niko needed her more than Oriana had anticipated. The genin turned the thought over in her mind. Being needed was… nice. Settling into this new development was easier to adjust to than expected.

[17]

Niko carefully pried the metal, still red hot, out of the molding and brought it to her workbench, grabbing her hammer like she had so many times before to pound the metal into shape.  As she began to strike the metal and give it that curve that was needed, she gave a gentle sigh; compressing it would require a different type of mold and would result in the loss of metal.  Not acceptable... she would have to come up with a different idea to improve them... but she could tell there was something there, just beneath the surface... she just had to figure it out.  Oriana returned with a fresh towel and water, but Niko wasn't able to look away at the moment... she was in the middle of shaping which required her full attention, but while her eyes didn't move, it didn't mean she didn't see.  "Thank you, Oriana-chan..." she said, continuing her work.

She wanted to switch out her towels, but she couldn't pull away from this until after she was done with the shaping part and got it into the ice-water, which she wasn't ready for yet.  Striking the plate with these medium strength strikes to get the shape to be nice and smooth curved was difficult even for an experienced blacksmith, and she had to devote her full talents to the task.  Emerald eyes locked onto the task, she focused her mind, and realized there was a way to improve these after all; it would take considerable more time, but it would be completely worth it, without a doubt.  She would have to do it with the next one.

[18]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 C-Rank Headband (Incomplete)
TIME: 2/3 Posts
INFO:
o Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination
o 3 D-Rank, 4 C-Rank complete, 7/10 complete for mission

Oriana watched Niko work with interest, noting that the redhead had changed her technique. She knew it was unlikely her master would make use of the towel or water before she finished this step, so the pink-haired genin waited to make sure Niko didn't show any other signs of being overheated or dehydration. Once the blacksmith picked up the stamp to imprint the plate with Kumo's insignia, the genin grabbed a headband and some rivets, holding them ready.

While Niko worked, another idea came to mind. The tea Oriana had put in the freezer was probably cooled by now. She set the rivets and cloth on a workbench and left the forge once more, headed towards the kitchen. The short teen noticed her own skin was damp with sweat when a soft breeze from the open kitchen window cooled her. Grimacing, she took a detour to the bathroom to clean her face. Using cold water, as cold as the tap got, Oriana rinsed her face and neck. She patted her skin dry with a hand towel from the linen closet before returning to the kitchen to fetch the beverage. Still feeling a bit sticky, Oriana briefly debated a shower. It was pointless, however. She had no clean clothes to put on afterwards. Getting truly clean would have to wait until the mission was done.

Pushing aside her discomfort, the genin retrieved the pitcher of green tea and brought it to the forge. The water pitcher was mostly empty and what remained had gotten warm because of the forge's heat. Oriana took the water pitcher back to the kitchen and emptied it, washing it quickly before stashing it in the freezer.

Finally, the short ninja returned to the forge to stay for a while.

[18]

Niko finished shaping the metal and placed the imprint of the Kumo symbol onto it, smashing the top of the shaped imprint into the metal with a few well-placed strikes, and then using a latch, locked her tongs onto the metal and dunked it into the ice water, letting the familiar hiss indicate a moment where she could breath a bit. She quickly downed the next bit of water waiting for her and switched out her towel, the one that she had on thoroughly soaked. It had been a while since she had worked straight through like this, and while it was far more efficient, it was taking a bit more out of her than she realized.

Pulling the plate out of the ice water, she tapped it twice against the bench to get the water off that would evaporate quickly enough in the high heat and handed the plate to Oriana, who was already prepared with the rivets. Once those were in, six well aimed strikes with the hammer and they were done with yet another plate, handed back to Oriana to be folded and put into the box. “Just two left… but I feel like I can make them even better this time. Finally back up to snuff with something that will blow the crap you can get at the shops out of the water.”

She gave a smile and noticed the tea, as well as the freshly cleaned hands… must have been something she did when she stepped out a moment ago… her face and neck as well. The tea was something that was extremely welcome sight, and she sat down for just a moment next to Oriana to enjoy a cup with her. “If your clothes get grimy, you know I have spare clothes in the closet. You are more than welcome to them… and the shower is also available. My clothes might be a bit big on you but they will be comfortable I promise. I also kept some of the clothes I made when I was smaller that might fit proper.”

Taking a sip of her tea, she gave Oriana a smile and a nod and stood. “Wanna help me with this one?” she asked, as her ideas would require two sets of hands… and Oriana had proven she was capable and dedicated. There was no reason to hold back.

[19]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 C-Rank Headband (Complete)
TIME: 3/3 Posts
INFO:
o Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination
o 3 D-Rank, 5 C-Rank complete, 8/10 complete for mission
o 5/5 C-Rank Armors crafted - B Rank Armor unlocked!

Once Oriana returned with refreshments and set them down, she took the plate and deftly pushed the rivets through the holes and into the cloth headband before returning it to her master. She watched approvingly as Niko take the tea. Her eyes trailed past the redhead and to the mostly empty glass of water. Another glance at the blacksmith revealed that she had changed towels again. Her efforts were appreciated, Oriana thought, pleased.

The pink-haired genin nodded along with Niko's update on their progress. "We're almost done with this part," she observed. "The headbands have been looking nicer than the standard issue ones since you started spending more time on each one," Oriana mused agreeably in her usual monotone.

The shorter woman nearly smiled again when Niko actually sat down. The tea was effective at getting the tall woman to take breaks. Oriana would remember this for future sessions in the forge.

Of course, as was her habit, Niko offered Oriana access to her possessions and utilities.

The genin bit the inside of her cheek before responding, "I'll only sweat again. I can go home and clean up after we're done here." It was the most polite rejection the pink-haired teen could muster. She had already been offered so much hospitality, taking more seemed to be a bit too far. Perhaps once she had proven to be more useful Oriana could allow Niko to treat her so, but not now.

The request for help seemed to brighten Oriana's expression a fraction. "I will assist Niko-sama." Her voice was a bit raspy, making her realize that she'd managed to neglect herself while trying to look after Niko. Knowing this would displease her master, Oriana poured herself some tea and drank it quickly. No need to dither and worry about drinking the redhead's tea when she already knew Niko would prefer Oriana drink the tea rather than become weak from dehydration. If she got sick from poor hydration, she would only be a nuisance.

Oriana stood, ready to get to work.

[19]

Niko sighed as the woman declined to use her bathroom and such, but nodded. She had always been hesitant to take her up on much of her offering of services, but she had gotten used to figuring on it. Maybe she felt guilty? Who knew. The woman didn't talk all that much, and prying information out of her was a good way to make her clam up even more, so there wasn't a whole lot she could do to make the woman talk with her more. So she would remain patient as she waited for her to slowly open up more as time went on. She however, would not let her think that was an acceptable excuse. "That's fine... but it's not like I am worried about a little extra laundry." Just to show she was being a good sport, she gave a smile with her tongue sticking out a little, showing a bit of playfulness.

Standing up and moving back to the forge with Oriana in tow, she indicated towards a thick leather apron on the wall, which just happened to be her size, and then moved to the molten metal. "We got just enough for two more. Once this starts to set, we are going to compress it before we shape it, which means you will need to use two tongs to hold it on the bench while I hammer it down... but that's after it sets for a bit. Let me teach you a bit of what I know." She grabbed the large tongs and grabbed the pot of molten metal, pouring it into the mold carefully. "One thing to remember when using a mold like this is that it is very important to distribute it evenly through the entire mold, or one section might wind up with thicker metal while another is lacking."

[20]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 B-Rank Headband (Incomplete)
TIME: 0700 28 June 2019 Local Time Start
INFO:
o Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination
o 3 D-Rank, 5 C-Rank complete, 8/10 complete for mission

As usual, Niko seemed disappointed that Oriana want going to use her bathroom and clothes. She almost always looked displeased when the genin rejected something she offered. Ignoring the slight discomfit if disappointing her master, the short teen followed the redhead's over to the forge. She pulled on the gloves and aspirin without complaint. While Oriana often refused to let Niko give her anything, this was a matter of safety. Writing Niko, or worse, getting injured would only hinder the blacksmith.

The genin listened attentively as Niko explained the changes to the crafting process, blue eyes moving from Niko's face to the mold. She watched the jounin carefully pouring molten metal into the mold, the wood blackening as the hot liquid chatted the surface. The burning smell made Oriana's nose twitch. The heat emanating from the hot metal warmed her skin. The heat of the forge inspired swing and brought a pink flush to the genin's face. The orange-yellow glow of the forge illuminated her damp skin.

The liquid metal pooled in the mold as Niko poured it, spreading to fill the wood's crevices. Slowly, the level of melted metal rose until it was full. Despite its viscuous texture, the blacksmith managed to fill the mold evenly.

Once the process was done, Oriana likes to her master, waiting for the cue to start her part of the process.

A few beads of sweat pearled along her hairline and rolled along the sides of the genin's face until dripping from her chin. Oriana wiped the moisture away with her sleeve. It did little to help. The finer hairs along the nape of her neck and her hairline curled slightly as sweat plastered them to her skin. The pink-haired teen bit the inside of her cheek to distract herself from the discomfort.

[20]

Niko looked towards Oriana's expectant expression and came to reaffirm her suspicions that she too was a bit of a work-a-holic. It wasn't that either of them liked to work to death or anything, but they did enjoy working, being useful, all that jazz. She would have to keep the pink haired genin more engaged from now on. "Now, when you are waiting for it to cool, you can't wait too long or it will need to be re-heated in order to be shaped, or in this case, compressed and then shaped. Too early and all you will do is mess up the metal as it will still be in a mostly liquid state. The key is when it turns from a bright orange to a border-line bronze. Once it's there, we will get it out of this mold and proceed with the part where you are going to have to hold it for me. For the moment, some more of that delicious tea would be great while we are waiting."

While Oriana did that, she moved to a spot on her wall where she hung up the hammer she had been using thus far, and moved to a larger hammer that was covered in dust. Picking it up, her muscles tensed with the weight of this hammer; it was obviously much heavier than the other one, and it was an unintentional showing of her strength. Walking back over to the workbench, she set it onto the floor where it settled with a heavy thud. "I can't usually use this one because for accurate swings it takes both hands, which means I can't hold the plate. And because the strikes are so heavy, it would take two hands to hold the plate still... you are the only reason I will be able to use it. I know you are strong and skilled enough."

[21]

The genin watched the metal, searching for signs of it shifting in color while Niko explained how to know when it was ready to be compressed. The redhead's request for more tea interrupted her staring, but it wasn't an unwelcome thing. She refilled her master's glass and brought it over before heading into the kitchen to boil more water for another batch. She rinsed off her face and neck in the bathroom sink and used the towel from before to pat dry. It would have been a waste of time, but Oriana knew that a watched pot never boils. A few minutes later, the water was in a rolling boil. The genin added matcha powder and stirred until it was fully dissolved. She gave the mixture a minute or two to finish brewing before stowing it away in the freezer for later.

The pink-haired teen returned to the forge. She noticed that Niko had a much larger hammer in her hands than before. One that hadn't seen much use in a while. Her master explained why Oriana's assistance was necessary to use the bigger hammer--it was too big to swing with one hand but the plate still needed to be held in place. Specially crafted clamps could also solve the problem, but might not be as convenient to adjust as someone's hands. Niko could just tell Oriana when to shift rather than stopping her work to fiddle with clamps.

The genin nodded at her master's efficiency and thoughtfulness. She pulled the thick work gloves Niko lent her back on and turned her gaze back to the metal cooling in the mold.

[21]

Niko couldn't help but have a quick flashback of her first time in the forge... she had been four years old, and she had stared at the same metal just as intently, although Niko's mouth had been slightly agape in awe at the time, as her uncle worked his magic. The hammer she held now was his; she could have easily weilded it without issue if she allowed herself to utilize her Chakra, but she couldn't do that and also create a quality product; yet. It was something she was working on during her off time, but wasn't going to be a quick thing to master... but she would get there. Eventually she would make what he had always aspired to but was never able to achieve; Mjolnir... the ultimate hammer that could be used in smithing, and even doubled as a weapon. Not a great one, but a weapon none-the-less.

The metal had slightly dulled, and Niko grabbed a pair of flat-tipped tools and gently teased the edge slightly... it was ready. "See the bronzing now?" she asked, pointing to the edges that had cooled from hot red to a bright brown. Carefully, she pried the plate out of the mold, able to do it much better with two of them than one, knowing that Oriana was about to swoop in and grab it. "Grab it from the edges away from the rivet holes and put it on the workbench."

[22]

Oriana continued to watch intently as Niko pried the hot plate from the mold with flat tipped tools. The delicate motions had enough force behind them to separate the plate from the mold, but not enough to damage it. The blacksmith's movements spoke of excellent fine motor control.

Once Niko told her how to pick up the plate, the pink-haired genin obeyed. She felt a little nervous once she realized how close her fingers would be to where the hammer would land. Her feet shuffled a bit before Oriana forced herself to stand still. Wiggling would only increase her risk of injury. Plus, she didn't want Niko to feel that Oriana doubted her precision. She set the plate on the workbench her master had indicated and waited for further instruction. Perhaps the process wouldn't be how the pink-haired teen imagined it.

[22]

Niko was thankful that her assistant was not only completely and absolutely compliant without deviations, but also was able to grab the plate without crushing it with pressure, which would have caused deformations. Just enough strength was used to hold it firmly, and Niko looked towards the pink haired Genin in a pause for a moment; perhaps she had a skill for this after all... and Niko should take the teachings a bit more seriously. Sure, she was doing it now, but mostly to just help her understand the process... not as a teacher would to be able to have the young woman be able to do this kind of work herself.

She would have to keep a closer eye on it and see if that was a possibility of not just an apprentice, but a partner.

Now that it was on the workbench, Niko hefted the large hammer after putting on some thicker gloves herself. "So this is how this is going to have to work... and I apologize now but until I get an anvil, I don't have a choice. You will stand center, arms tucked in close to your body, and hold the plate with one tong at a time. I will strike the plate on the opposite side that you are holding from behind you. Then we switch. It means you won't have any chance of getting struck and can make adjustments, but it will be a bit of time in close quarters. Ready?"

Slowly, Niko got into position, spreading her legs and using her superior height to look over the Genin who was holding the plate and waiting for her to hold it with one set of tongs firmly as she slowly hefted the hammer up and put it on her shoulder. Downside of this technique was that she was literally pressed against Oriana's back with her stomach and her chest was resting on her neck and shoulders to have a proper angle.

Niko regretted not having thought of this before, but it was too late now. They would have to press on and try to come up with a different method for the next one before they poured the metal.

[23]

The news that she would be holding the plate with tongs brought relief, but the feeling was short lived. Niko told her that they would have to be in close proximity for this to work. This was not one of Oriana's favorite things, in fact, being too close to other people was something the genin typically avoided. However, they had a task to complete and her personal comfort would have to take a back seat for now. The pink-haired teen was not happy about this, however she was more than willing to do it to help her master.

"Understood."

Oriana picked up a pair of tongs and got into position, tucking her arms in as the blacksmith had instructed.

"I'm ready, Niko-sama."

The feeling of another body pressed against hers was both familiar and unpleasant. The shorter woman grit her teeth and tried not to think about her master's breasts resting on her shoulders and ignore the way her stomach pressed against Oriana's back. This was for the purpose of compressing the metal and creating a better product. Niko wouldn't try to make this something else, or so the pink-haired teen hoped.

Her body tensed up involuntarily, but Oriana tried to remain steady. She tried to soothe herself by promising herself she would buy Niko an anvil after this. Once Niko had an anvil this uncomfortable position wouldn't be necessary anymore. Her master would be happy and the genin could maintain her personal space. Biting her inner cheek, Oriana drummed up the will to relax, or at the very least submit until it was over. Her muscles loosened somewhat. It would be over soon, the short woman told herself.

Her breathing had become shallow and rapid, barely expanding her body enough for Niko to feel it. If the taller woman didn't pay such close attention to her apprentice, she wouldn't even be able to detect Oriana breathing.

Over soon, over soon, she chanted mentally.

[23]

Unfortunately for Oriana, Niko was paying close attention, as she always was. She knew this arrangement was particularly sucky for what they were doing, but it was all she could come up with for the time being... the alternative was literally Oriana going around her, back and forth, to make this happen. As the tongs slid to one side, the hammer came down, a precise double handed strike that had both of her arms on either side of Oriana's head, landing perfectly with a heavy THUNK! before raising back up, waiting for the woman to switch the tongs to the side she had just struck so she could strike again. The faster they got this done, the faster that Niko could free her apprentice from a bad situaiton. The gritting teeth was bad enough... the tensing worse... but the shallow breathing couldn't be good for her.

"I know that this isn't -THUNK- a great position for this -THUNK- but it was the best -THUNK- I could come up with -THUNK- but I am open to -THUNK- suggestions if you have them -THUNK-" Then came the next thing that needed to be said. "Also... this is a marathon -THUNK- not a race. -THUNK- You need to keep -THUNK- your breathing even -THUNK- and steady or -THUNK- you are going to -THUNK- pass out. -THUNK-

Perhaps she could distract her, but before changing the subject, she wanted to hear if the woman was going to give any suggestions to better their situation. They would need to take a break from the position to reheat the plate soon, but not yet... there was more hammering that could be done while it was still hot.

[24]

Oriana quickly discovered that Niko pounding the metal as she moved the tongs from one side of the plate to the other made things worse. She could feel every movement her master made behind her, followed by the loud clang of the hammer coming down on hot metal. The noise helped distract her but each motion reminded her of how close Niko was.

Her head felt light and dizziness started to set in when Niko advised her to breathe.

Oriana turned her attention to breathing and counting to make sure she was getting enough air.

"It's fine. Let's get this over with," the shorter woman replied between loud clang of Niko's hammer. She returned to her counting and breathing exercises and tried to focus more on moving the tongs than what was going on behind her.

Inwardly, Oriana pushed all thoughts of Niko's proximity out of her mind, replacing it with counting her breaths. Stubbornly, she refused to let anything else distract her. It was a strategy she had used in the brothel to deal with customer, especially ones that were too rough or tried to make it feel more intimate. As she blocked out everything around her except her breathing and that metal plate, her body relaxed.

When Niko finally stepped back, Oriana looked up, blinking in surprise, her trance broken.

She shook her head a bit to clear it and stepped away from the bench, moving a full meter away from Niko now that their close proximity wasn't required that moment. While the redhead iced the plate, stamped it, and iced it again, Oriana busied herself with pouring herself some water. The cool liquid was soothing in the smothering heat of the forge.

She took the plate when it was ready, having shed her gloves and pushed the rivets through while Niko poured molten metal into another mold and let it sit.

Finally, after some silence and space, Oriana looked at her master again.

"Only once more, right?"

[24]

Niko finished up the hammering as accurately and quickly as she could possibly muster... it was literally hurting her heart to see how much this was bothering Oriana, and she was not one to normally show it, but it was rattling her, especially considering that now that they started, they couldn't stop or the piece would be ruined. If she just had a damn Crucible, she could start over, but she would have to ensure that was a purchase made with all due haste.

Oriana's words only made things that much worse for the tall red-head, and she could feel the tears well in her eyes. Not willing to sacrifice the product that Oriana was willing to endure this for, she forbid them from spilling over, gritting her teeth in frustration. Once the hammering was complete, which had taken a few times of going back to the forge and heating up the metal again before resuming hammering, she quickly pulled back, taking one of the tongs from a slightly stunned Oriana and putting the symbol chisel on it, bringing down her heavy hammer one more time for this one before locking the clamp and putting it into the water to harden and cool.

Oriana didn't have to move away from Niko, she had done it herself... the prolonged amount of frustration at the situation was enough to bring her to almost actually showing her anger, but she maintained some amount of control, dropping the hammer with a heavy 'thud'. Tears started to finally fall but the red-head quickly wiped them away. "I'm such an idiot. I was so caught up with how amazing the plate was going to be I didn't think things through until after I was already forcing you into a horrible situation." Niko knew full well how much Oriana prized her personal space, and she had made progress in helping the girl trust Niko to get a little closer to the red head on her own. All of that thrown away because of her personal ambition.

Niko's shoulders slumped in what looked like defeat. "I won't force you to endure that again. I hate that I made you feel uncomfortable." Her tone was full of regret and pain... the anger she had was obviously directed inwards, not towards Oriana. Pulling the plate out of the ice water, she tapped it against the bench to shake off the water, and then pulled it out of the tongs. She had enough time to figure out how to do what needed to be done... perhaps just make a regular quality one this time... but as she finished the one they had started she set it down next to Oriana's area so she could take a look at it, and set down the regular hammer, so that if she wanted to, she could finish it with the rivets.

Niko went back to the forge and poured the last bit of metal into the mold, fully prepared to do this next one alone if Oriana decided to leave.

[25]

---

Crafting Information:
ITEM: 1 B-Rank Headband (Incomplete)
TIME: 0700 29 June 2019 Local Time Complete/Starting next one
INFO:
o Utilizing UA to allow her to craft at 1 rank faster speed for 1 tier lower coordination
o 3 D-Rank, 5 C-Rank, 1 B rank complete, 9/10 complete for mission
o 1 B rank headband completed

Oriana looked at Niko with obvious (for her usually inscrutable feature) surprise. The tears and the apology were, the genin's head tilted as she tried to place the situation, not quite unexpected. Most people the short woman had dealt with cared little for the pink-haired teen's comfort or preferences. When they did, it was only to get Oriana to behave more warmly towards them, to get her attached. She had long since learned to reject or ignore these things to avoid giving anyone else control over her emotions. Influence couldn't be evaded entirely, but it could be limited. Keeping her distance emotionally had kept her sane even if it couldn't keep her safe.

Was this genuine, or an attempt to ensure she wouldn't leave? Sure, Oriana has pledged herself to Niko, but that didn't mean the blacksmith trusted her enough not to worry about abandonment. Then again, Niko typically went out of her way to try and make her more comfortable and relaxed. True remorse would be consistent with with the redhead's usual behavior. However, this could all be to ensure her loyalty and eventual emotional attachment.

However, the redhead promised not to make Oriana help her that way again. Perhaps Niko's intentions were more benevolent than she had originally believed. Promises could be broken, though. It could serve as a test to see what the jounin truly wanted, however, such a thing would get in the way of Niko's work. That wasn't acceptable, it defeated the purpose of being an apprentice in the first place.

"Don't do that," the genin spoke, breaking the long silence between them. "We have another plate to hammer. I will be fine. I'll get used to it." The look she gave Niko offered no room for argument. She was determined to see this through. For the second time that day, Oriana asserted herself.

[25]