My Weapon of Choice Is...

After her morning routine of breakfast, endurance running and and a little bit of weight training, Touka makes her way into the training grounds. With her, she brings her scythe, her twin shinobigatanas, and the newest addition to her arsenal: Nuibari. One of the seven swords of the mist. With the twin blades secured on her back, she sets her scythe and the needle on the ground in front of her side-by-side. Looking at them so closely together just doesn't even seem right at all. They are both so fundamentally different that it doesn't make any sense. As she thinks about this, she remembers something even more perplexing. So much so that it makes her speak out loud to herself.

"Why and how in the world does a 15 year old have such a legendary sword? How was I even chosen for such a mission? So many questions."

She looks between both the scythe and the Nuibari in contemplation. Feeling such a connection to the scythe from the moment she touched it, it feels weird to even attempt to wield something so light. She grabs the needle by the handle and stands wearily. Feeling uncomfortable even just holding it, she enters and basic stance for kenjutsu, but it just doesn't feel right.

"... ... No... It doesn't have an edge. Makes no sense to stand like I will be slashing with it... but then how do I even stand with such a weapon... ..."

Touka stands normally, though holds the sword length-wise in front of her. Just looking up and down the length of it, she turns her head downward to her scythe. It doesn't take long for her to place Nuibari down and pick up Water Serpent's Fang. Were anyone watching, they would see her lean female form become loose and comfortable. She twirls it twice in a circular motion at her right side before twirling it once above her head. Towards the end of that twirl, Touka lets the scythe's handle make contact with her neck and releases her grip on it. It spins around her neck entirely once, before she catches it and lets it rest on the back of her neck and on her shoulders. At the same time, she takes a powerful step forward with her left foot, lowering her stance into a solid base and her left arm half extended out in front of her chest.

She holds this position for a few long seconds before moving once again. Using her neck to add leverage and energy, she swings the scythe in front of her, from the right to her left. Letting the weight flow through the air, she spins on her left heel with the momentum allowing it to come back around for a nothing heavy swing. Though at the end of that swing, Touka plants her foot firmly as if she were taking a powerful step forward from her starting position. At the same time, she gives the scythe a half spin in her hand letting the top end of the handle where the base of the blade is connected pound into the ground. This leaves her waist slightly twisted to the left before she slams her left hip and left hand into the handle of the scythe launching the blade forward once more at high speeds.

Such force would hurt to attempt to stop the momentum as is. She would know as she had learned the hard way. With this experience, she allows the weapon to spin her once before stomping her right foot once again to divert some of the energy into the ground and letting the scythe find rest on her right shoulder once more.

"See... that felt so much better... I don't even really know why I bothered accepting this as a reward. I was hesitant and only slightly curious. Well I guess it was a bit difficult to turn down as he did go out of his way to prepare it before the 3 had returned to turn in their missions... now I just kind of feel guilty and weird. I should probably go and give it back..."

Touka talks to herself out loud for a bit before gripping her scythe with both hands and practicing some basic swings to etch the movements and weight into her muscles to build muscle memory.

[1]

Takashi Yamamoto moved through the tree’s of the training grounds as the mid morning sun did its best to burn away the early morning mist that tended to permeate the air around the village. The Jounin wore a simple black undershirt with a blue/white yukata and his pale hair hung in a wavy mess atop his head. He also had the various pouches and packs a shinobi might be expected to possess on him as he was intending to be out of the apartment for a while. He needed to train some techniques, needed to progress in his abilities. That of course could not and would not happen unless he put in some actual effort. So with somewhat lazy reluctance the man had gotten up and come out to the training grounds in order to try to make himself into something resembling a Jounin.

Arriving only to find the part of the training grounds he wanted to use occupied he contemplated the individual for a time. They switched between two different styles of weaponry. Quite obviously having difficulty with the difference and familiarity she had with one and the alien feel of another, entirely different piece of equipment. Finally moving into the training ground he would move over to the younger looking shinobi before speaking. “It seems you have a preference for the scythe. But the lightweight and thin form of that sword is ill suited to all you’ve practiced thus far.” He would say as he gave her a small smile in greeting.

“Takashi Yamamoto, Jounin of Kirigakure.” He would introduce politely as he took in the weapons now that he was closer. The sword was something much more akin to what he would use. He did not have much physical strength, or any really, and the weapon was more suited to a more fast paced and nimble individual, of which he in fact was. “May I see that sword? It looks like the type of weapon I'd be comfortable with.” He would ask his tone curious, but polite. It really did seem like something he would be comfortable wielding and he wasn’t about to run off with it. He just wanted to see how it felt to wield. Maybe they could work out some kind of deal if it fit him as he thought it might. After all, she did not seem to comfortable with it.

[1]

Touka turns her head in the direction of the unfamiliar voice that called out to her about her preference in weapons. A slightly guarded facial expression appears purely out of habit. She thinks back to the last encounter she had in these training grounds with a stranger. Comparing the two scenes, this one is definitely a bit less aggressive as he didn't start their encounter with an attack, but rather a question and neutral conversation. She looks down at the needle on the ground near her feet then looks back up at the man who touched on how familiar she seemed to be with the scythe. This made her smirk for half a second before she swung the scythe upward, then proceeds to let her grip slide all the way up to the base of the blade before swinging the handle towards the needle. With a surprising finesse, the smaller weapon is swooped up and she catches it in her left hand. Looking at it for a bit, she speaks while walking over to the individual, holding the handle out to him.

"This weapon was given to me as a reward, but I never really expected it to not have an edge. I've never trained with something like this. This weapon doesn't really flow with the current of my soul like my Fang here."

Her guarded expression initially was met with an approving nod from Takashi. She did not know him, and he had randomly come up to her. Suspicion was good in that kind of scenario, however she would let it fall as he presented no threat. She would proceed to prove his point in regards to her comfort level with the different weapons by using the scythe to scoop up the Nuibari and catch it. Then offer the slender needle to him hilt first. He would reach out, taking the handle and weapon and turn aside, ensuring he wasn’t going to risk accidentally stabbing the girl. She spoke as he did, explaining that the weapon was a reward but that she didn’t expect it to be unedged. He nodded in understanding before giving the weapon a few practice thrusts.

He was fairly good with such weapons on a skill and speed basis. Preferring the lighter weapons to the larger, heavier sorts. He moved with a quickness of foot and arm that surprised. The weapon seemed to naturally become a part of him as he maneuvered the slender blade in a series of basic kata. The tip of the weapon danced as he delivered a series of quick and graceful thrusts with the weapon. After a minute or so he would stand straight again and twirl the weapon in his hand, between his fingers with a smile on his face. “Yeah, it’s a good weapon, a great one even. You said it was a reward? What would it take for me to get you to let me keep it? I rather like it, but I don’t want to take your reward from you.” He would say, his smile falling as he spoke.

[2]

Touka watches the man as he flows through the motions with the needle. Much more fluid and comfortable than she was for sure. Seeing how comfortable he is with it reminds her of herself with her own weapon. This an easy observation as she is always looking at herself with a critical lens, always trying to make sure she didn't look weak. To make herself not look like an easy target. That is probably the main reason as to why she trains her body so much and wields such a long weapon.

"Setting aside the notion that it was a reward, I know it is considered to be some legendary weapon with a title attached to it. Seeing as I am not too proficient with it anyway, the only thing I could ask for in return would be a weapon that I could use comfortably. Now I know there aren't too many weapons with legendary status, but it just needs to be at least fairly decent."

Touka thinks a bit about what she said and the whole situation in its entirity.

"I guess I would also have to let the man who gave this to me know of my choice in this. This way it doesn't look like you stole it, should he see you wielding it."

Touka rubs her thumb and fingers over the engravings on the handle of her scythe, tracing the length of the giant water serpent body that spirals downward. A bit of water chakra flows out of the handle and around her arm before returning to the handle and swirling up into the blade.

At her response to his question he would nod in understanding. Twirling the slender, pointed weapon in thought he would consider his options carefully. Her request was easy enough to be frank and he certainly did not mind working to get her a suitable weapon. She clearly preferred a scythe and he could see that easily enough. He could easily see about ordering a new, better quality one that she was working with. Especially considering that she was seemingly willing to give him the weapon that had been a reward for her work.

That kind of willingness to see someone else gain a weapon that they resonated with shouldn’t go unrewarded, now should it? At least that was his opinion anyway. Twirling the weapon still between his fingers he would frown in thought momentarily before coming to a decision. “Got it, so you’ll want something better than the scythe you’re wielding now that you could use comfortably. Then to ensure the higher ups are notified the weapon has changed hands. I’ll take this then, and I’ll see about placing an order for a much better weapon than the scythe in your hands. I’ll even travel to pick it up and hand deliver it to you. Once that’s done, I’ll take you as my student and we’ll start training.” He would say before considering. “Oh, and I’ll handle putting in the notification of the transfer of the weapon.” He would finish, before facing Touka fully and giving the girl a bow with the Nuibari in hand, crossing his body with it in a sort of salute. “I’ll expedite the matter of the new weapon and return as swiftly as possible.” He would say before turning and immediately leaving. He would need to find a suitable crafter first, and that might take some time. But he did not let grass grow beneath him when he set out to see something done. So he expected to be seeing her again fairly soon.

[3]

[Potential Exit]