[center][b]Forging a Bond and... a Weapon?

A collab between Sketcher and ChromeHound

Summary: Hayate asks Katsu to meet him at Azumi. Once there the two bond a little and Katsu gets a new weapon![/b][/center]

[hider=Two Friends]Katsu walked through the streets of the village, glancing down at the note he'd received from Hayate, getting distracted and looking forward before finishing re-reading it. He crumpled and pocketed it. With his usual cheerful state, he looked towards the destination he was closing in on, the forge at the Azumi. Walking in, the boy looked around to locate his friend inside.

Wiping another large bead of sweat from his brow, Hayate looked down at the slab of metal he had just finished hammering. It was still going to take a lot of work to get it finished the way he wanted, but he felt a small hint of pride that he had been able to use what Tsubasa had taught him to form a proper weapon. Hearing a noise, Hayate turned around. [b]"Ah, Katsu-san! I see you got my note. Thanks for coming."[/b] He smiled beckoning the boy to come further into the room.

Katsu smiled, shutting the door. [b]"Good morning Hayate-san,"[/b] he greeted him. After taking a moment to see what Hayate was working on, Katsu went on. [b]"I didn't know you worked at a blacksmith,"[/b] he said, his tone revealing his pleasant surprise. He shook himself and focused, once again speaking in a friendly manner, [b]"What can I do for you?"[/b]

His brow furrowed slightly as he thought back to Tsubasa, the old smith for the guardians. She had been an incredible smith, and a talented teacher. He was saddened now that she was gone, but had taken over the role of blacksmith for the guardians as it seemed to be the most logical thing to do. [b]"I tend to split my duties between tending to the garden and working up here. Gives me a taste of both worlds."[/b] Chuckling slightly, Hayate set down his heavy gloves and turned back to Katsu. [b]"I asked you to come here for two reasons really. Sorry the message was so vague."[/b] Pausing, Hayate wondered how best to start. [b]"I... I wanted to apologize for my behaviour from before. When Kiyomi-sama and I came by your stall. I wasn't really me that day... and I, I want to apologize for that."[/b] Looking down for a moment, Hayate felt embarrassed.

Katsu gave him a strange and confused look. [b]"I don't understand,"[/b] he said with a null and void tone. [b]"You didn't do anything wrong back then. You don't need to apologize for... well, nothing, I guess."[/b] The smile reformed itself and the cheerful tone returned. [b]"What was the second reason, Hayate-san?"[/b] he asked, curious.

A brief feeling of relief filled him as Hayate realized that Katsu didn't hold a grudge. [b]"Look uh, I'm not the greatest around people, I can be quiet at times and I don't always interact very well. So I guess I just want to apologize if I was at all rude or anything."[/b] Rubbing his hands off on the large apron he wore, Hayate forgot what they were talking about for a second and then suddenly remembered with a smile. [b]"Ah, yes, the second thing. Well, I wanted to do something as a thank you for the work that you have done for Kiyomi-sama and myself. I know you are a very talented swordsman, so I thought I might be able to help out with that."[/b] The smile still on his face, Hayate folded his arms across his chest and waited to see if Katsu would understand what he was saying.

Katsu's eyes shone as he had a small epiphany but didn't word his primary thoughts. [b]"That's not really necessary, Hayate-san,"[/b] he said nervously. [b]"I mean, you treated me to a meal too. Plus, all I did was move around the pencil a bit. I don't want to be a burden for you."[/b] He peeked past Hayate, recognizing the refined craftsmanship of the weapons in the shop like a boy looking at the candy shop across the street.

His smile widening, Hayate cocked his head to the side. [b]"If I remember correctly, I ended up eating most of that lunch anyway!"[/b] Chuckling, he uncrossed his arms and stared at Katsu for a moment. [b]"You couldn't be a burden if you tried Katsu-san. And besides, drawing is your passion is it not?"[/b]

Katsu curled up his lips and lightly nodded. [b]"It is, I guess, but I just like doing it,"[/b] he said. [b]"So is this your passion?"[/b] The sparkle in his eyes returned. While he knew little about the process of the smithing of a weapon, he had a great interest in the sharp things surrounding him at the moment.

Nodding his head, Hayate picked up the piece that he had been working on. The metal had cooled enough for him to touch it with his bare hands, and he held the piece in front of him for a moment, staring at it with affection. He could think of something else that he could technically call his passion as well, but the only sign that he was thinking of something else was the small glint that came to his eyes. [b]"This is, yes. Metal for me is like a sketchpad and pencil for you. It is my playground. Growing up I had a gift, the ability to shape metal with my hands."[/b] Holding up the metal so that Katsu could see what he was doing, Hayate began moulding his chakra into it. It didn't take long for the metal to form into a simple looking sword. Smiling, Hayate continued, [b]"Then, I met someone who taught me another way to manipulate metal. It took much more work, and a lot more time, but there is just something about it that draws me in."[/b] Pausing again, he looked back to the other boy, hoping that his story wasn't boring him.

[b]"I have since found a kind of merging point. A way of mixing the best of both worlds. But, I am blabbering now. Sorry, but now for the big question... How would you like me to craft you a sword Katsu-san?"[/b]

Listening with open ears and sparkling eyes, Katsu kept his gaze on Hayate's mouth. He wanted to speak up and answer the question but hesitated. [b]"That's really amazing,"[/b] he uttered in wonder. He paused for a moment trying to think of the best way to answer the question. [b]"Hayate-san... I..."[/b] Sighing, the boy walked over and smiled, pulling out his sabre. He let it rest in both of his hands as he showed it to Hayate. [b]"Maybe something like this..."[/b]

Placing down the piece of metal in his hands, Hayate reached out towards where Katsu was holding his own sabre. [b]"May I?"[/b] He asked, hoping that the other boy would allow him to feel the weapon. Katsu nodded, locked the tip of the blade between his thumb and index finger, holding out the hilt for Hayate to take. [b]"Of course."[/b]

Bowing his head politely in thanks, Hayate gingerly took the blade from Katsu's hands. Flipping the weapon over, he took a long moment to observe it. Sending small probes of chakra into the metal, Hayate 'tasted' the elements that made up the blade. [b]"Interesting... interesting..."[/b] He muttered, more to himself than anything. Finally, Hayate smiled and handed the weapon back to Katsu. [b]"It is a fine blade Katsu-san."[/b] Wiping his hands on his apron again, Hayate began thinking for a moment. [b]"I think I can do something like that, as long as you don't mind me adding in a few personal touches?"[/b]

[b]"Thanks,"[/b] Katsu said, smiling, his mind drifting off for a moment as he sheathed the weapon once more. [b]"It was a gift..."[/b] He shook himself and looked at Hayate. [b]"Of course not! I'd appreciate it greatly,"[/b] he responded once more. He was doing a pretty good job at suppressing his glee, although it still looked like he was quite happy with Hayate's proposal.

Grinning, Hayate folded his arms across his chest. It was clear that Katsu was excited, and that made Hayate happy. [b]"While my method of forging is a little faster than the traditional version, it will still take me some time to finish the weapon. I hope that is alright?"[/b]

[b]"Can I watch?"[/b] Katsu asked. [b]"I don't really know how the forging process is so I'm a bit curious."[/b] That was an understatement on the boy's part. The smile on Hayate's face grew even wider. [b]"Absolutely, though I would like to warn you the process can occasionally be quite boring."[/b] Moving over to the far wall in which Hayate kept all of the different metals, he turned to look at Katsu over his shoulder. [b]"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions while I work, I think your answers will help me craft the right weapon for you."[/b]

Katsu pondered on what kinds of questions Hayate could ask. After the moment passed, he snapped back to reality and nodded. [b]"Sure, shoot,"[/b] he said cheerfully, following Hayate and looking over at the different types of metals in front of him. Turning back towards the metal, Hayate nodded. [b]"What do you feel is more important in a fight, to you at least. Speed or strength?"[/b] As he spoke, Hayate was scanning the wall of different metals with his eyes. 

[b]"Speed,"[/b] Katsu answered plainly and without a second thought. [i]Ah...[/i] He eyed Hayate. Katsu figured he was going to choose its weight accordingly to the response. He looked around, trying to get a glance at the tools used for forging curiously. Making a mental note, Hayate already cut out a couple of options. [b]"Next question. What do you think is a more effective way of attacking, fast shallow strikes or fewer, more accurate cuts?"[/b]

[b]"More accurate cuts,"[/b] Katsu answered. [b]"Fast shallow strikes shot in random areas can push the opponent but it'll just wear me out quicker."[/b] This was something he'd learned the hard way. Though that was always to reduce inexperience.

[b]"Hmm..."[/b] Hayate mused, taking off another of the metals he had in mind. [b]"Alright, well, what do you value more? Stealth, or aggression?"[/b] This question didn't really affect the type of metal he would use, it would correlate more to the finished style then anything.

Katsu thought for a moment. [b]"I'd say stealth but I don't have any training in that area,"[/b] he said. [b]"Aggression."[/b] he gave his final answer to the question. Nodding again, Hayate turned and flashed a smile. [b]"What is your favourite animal and why?"[/b] The question may have seemed a little out of place, but everything that he was asking had a reason.

Katsu raised an eyebrow at the question but quickly lowered it and thought on an answer. [b]"Ah... Tigers, I guess. If we're talking about domestic animals, however, dogs. Man's best friend, you know?"[/b] [b]"Favourite colour?"[/b] Hayate fired back quickly.

He hesitantly answered this question. [b]"Black, although it's not really a colour but rather a shade."[/b] Thinking for a moment, Hayate raised one eyebrow inquisitively. [b]"Can you dual wield blades Katsu-san? And is it a style you enjoy?"[/b]

[b]"I [i]can[/i] and I do enjoy it, although I've only used that kind of a style during training,"[/b] he said.

[b]"Which would you rather fight and why. A bear, or a wolf?"[/b]

[b]"Ah..."[/b] His eyes floated upwards as he thought, mumbling indistinctively. [i]"Bears... thick... wolves.... swift..."[/i] were some of the words that could be made out. [b]"A bear because with swift movements and a sharp, chakra induced blade, you can deal more damage quickly while wolves can avoid your attacks while rushing towards you."[/b]

Turning back to the wall of metals, Hayate had narrowed his selection significantly. [b]"What is your favourite element Katsu, and why?"[/b]

[b]"Wind,"[/b] he answered without thinking. [b]"While lightning's probably a close second on my list, the wind element suits me more."[/b]

Nodding his head, it was a good answer. Hayate almost had everything he needed. [b]"Last question Katsu-san. What do you think is more important? The pen, or the sword?"[/b]

[b]"The pen. With words, you can sway the mind of the wielder of the sword or even start and end wars,"[/b] he said quite seriously. [b]"Though you can't block a sword with a plain pen,"[/b] he added as a joke.

That was all that Hayate needed to know to make his selection. Calmly grabbing several different metals, he brought them over to the table by the forge. Laying them out in front of him, Hayate observed them for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. [b]"How do you like the current weight of your weapon Katsu-san? Is it balanced properly for you?"[/b]

Katsu nodded once more. [b]"Yeah. I got used to it over time,"[/b] he responded with the everlasting smile still on his face. [b]"It's not too heavy that I wouldn't be able to wield it quickly nor too light that it wouldn't pack enough of a punch to deal damage. It's the perfect weight for me."[/b]

[b]"Do you mind if I watch you use it briefly?"[/b] Hayate asked, another thought popping into his head. Katsu hesitated for a moment before pulling out the sword. He made a basic gesture, swinging it from his left shoulder to his right hip to show its speed. [b]"Like this?"[/b]

Nodding his head, Hayate pondered for a moment. [b]"I was thinking more of whether or not I could see you use it in a real fight? For example we could step outside for a short time and spar, simply to observe your style. If that is okay with you?"[/b]

The boy smiled and nodded. [b]"Of course,"[/b] he responded. He quickly spun the back of the hilt on his palm and reversed the blade, walking towards the door. Taking off his apron, Hayate followed behind Katsu. 

They made their way to the training fields and Hayate stood facing Katsu. [b]"Okay, I will summon a shadow clone for you to fight. I want you to go all out as you normally would in a fight, while I watch from the sidelines. This is going to be the best way for me to see your style. Does that sound good?"[/b] Stepping back, Hayate made the necessary seals and summoned a single shadow clone.

Katsu nodded to the proposal and took his battle stance, pulling the sword behind him. [b]"Here I come,"[/b] he announced but didn't wait for any approval, leaping off the ground and towards Hayate's clone. He swung his sword downwards with a weak yet swift attack.

Waiting until the last moment, Hayate's clone whipped out his staff and blocked the downwards strike. Shifting his staff so that it was angled to the left, causing Katsu's blade to slide down it a ways, Hayate's clone pivoted around to the right. He brought the staff around so that it would hit Katsu in the back, unless the boy parried it or moved in time. 

Raising the blade quickly to parry the next blow, he pushed the staff upwards and ducked, kicking at the clone's feet to throw him off balance as his body lowered.

The real Hayate stood aside, keeping very close track of how Katsu moved and used his weapon. Meanwhile, his shadow clone curled the staff around, shifting his body to avoid Katsu's kick. He continued his movement and turned it into a spin, bringing the staff around in a vicious arc.

Katsu poured his wind chakra into the blade, creating a sharp coat around it as he kicked himself up to meet the staff with his sword, quickly dragging the blade ahead of him.

His eyes narrowing, the real Hayate smiled as he watched. Things were getting interesting. Hayate's clone sent a small amount of chakra flowing into his staff, causing it to become slightly longer. The increased cutting power of Katsu's wind-aided attack caused the blade to carve a slight nick into Hayate's staff. Quickly shifting his weight again, Hayate's clone threw the blade off of his staff. Spinning the staff around his body, he launched the end towards Katsu, jabbing at the other boy's midsection.

The moment it made contact, Katsu had his free hand ready with his palm open next to its landing point. He thrusted it towards the staff, holding in the pain and standing his ground, pushing it to the side and pushing himself forward, gliding across its side with his sworded hand pointing forward, moving to Hayate's clone's general direction.

[i]Clever.[/i] Hayate thought, enjoying the action. His clone used the momentum of Katsu's push to flip the staff back around his body. He had to be quick in order to avoid Katsu's incoming blade. Bending his body, Hayate's clone spun underneath the attack, adding extra momentum to his own strike.

Katsu's eyes followed Hayate as he dodged and spun on his heel the opposite direction quickly and giving the coated weapon more of a momentum as he met the attack with the blade, using the staff's momentum to deal more damage to the staff itself.

As the weapons collided, Hayate noticed the deep cut that was left in his staff. Grinning, the clone kicked off from the ground, pushing himself back and away from Katsu. Flipping, more for effect than anything, Hayate landed with a flourish. In each hand he held an equal portion of the now-separated staff. [b]"Very nice Katsu-san. Now what would you say about trying some dual wielding?"[/b] 

The coat around the blade slowly faded. [b]"Sure,"[/b] he said, smiling. He looked over at the original Hayate. [b]"Did you bring a second sword?"[/b] [i]Oh, wait.[/i] He looked over to the clone once more, noticing the split up staff.

Smiling, the real Hayate withdrew a fair amount of his clan's alloy from his pouch. Moulding his chakra into the metal, he slowly formed a rudimentary clone of Katsu's current blade. [b]"Here."[/b] He said, tossing the weapon towards Katsu. [b]"I want you to use this for now. It conducts chakra perfectly and the weight should be almost identical to your current weapon."[/b]

Katsu stared at Hayate in awe. [b]"That was awesome,"[/b] he cried out, his eyes glowing as he caught the weapon. He inspected it for a bit, clutching it reverse with his other hand. [b]"Then here I come."[/b] The boy leapt forward, slashing at Hayate with the original sword in his right hand from his left hip to the right side.

His eyes gaining an excited glint, Hayate's clone prepared himself to face Katsu's attack. Using one of the halves of his staff, he parried the other boy's first strike. Bringing his other half around, Hayate attempted to strike Katsu's left shoulder.

Katsu made a quick decision and right after the parry, he swung his other arm towards Hayate's clone's head. He completely ignored the blow coming from the side. Realizing that Katsu wasn't attempting to block the strike, the real Hayate frowned. The point of this exercise was not to actually harm each other, it was meant to observe how Katsu used his weapons. The boy had taken a strange risk in order to attempt to land a blow against Hayate's clone. The clone had to practice a huge amount of restraint to stop his attack from hitting Katsu's shoulder. He did not want to actually injure the boy, and his attack likely would have broken Katsu's collarbone. Ducking to avoid the other boy's counter attack, Hayate threw himself backwards into a roll. Springing himself up, Hayate landed on his feet, his two halves of the staff held out defensively. [b]"Why would you take a risk like that Katsu-san?"[/b] He asked, his brows furrowed. [b]"Had my weapon not been blunted, that attack would likely have killed you. As it is I am lucky that I was able to stop before I hit you."[/b]

Katsu lowered the swords and thought for a moment. [b]"Ah... It was more of a reflex,"[/b] he said, sighing. [b]"Sorry..."[/b] The boy gave Hayate an apologetic look. [b]"I can be a bit reckless from time to time, huh,"[/b] he said with a hint of a joking manner.

Nodding his head slightly, Hayate smiled. [b]"Look, it's not my job to judge you on your technique, and I apologize if I sounded a little stern there. I just don't want to see you get hurt Katsu-san. I know risks are a necessary part of combat, but you also need to try and keep your opponent's capabilities in mind before taking a chance like that. You are a very capable swordsman though, Katsu-san. Shall we try this one more time? This time however, my clone will focus only on defense, so I want you to come at him with the intent to destroy."[/b]

[b]"Alright,"[/b] Katsu said, blushing slightly upon hearing what he could consider as praise. He raised the swords again, coating them with his wind chakra. He put on a serious face as he got ready to attack again. [b]"Here I come!"[/b] He ran forward quickly and started with a flurry of slashes, swinging the sword in his left hand first upwards and quickly following it up with the one in his right, aiming for the same point.

Hayate's clone had manipulated the metal in his two weapons to make them more blades, rather than simple, blunt staves. Observing Katsu's movement carefully, the clone readied himself. Shifting his body slightly, Hayate's clone whipped his blades around to parry Katsu's attacks. Adding a little bit of force to the parry, he pushed Katsu's blades away from his own and prepared for the next attack.

Katsu's arms flung slightly back with the parries and he tapped on the ground with his chakra gathered at his feet, launching himself just to be able to be in reach of sword clashing distance as he slashed the two swords consequtively, once with each sword at the first moment, at Hayate's clone as he moved through the air.

Pushing himself to the side to negate the extra force of Katsu's charge through the air, Hayate's clone brought both of his swords up and blocked the attack. Using a bit of his strength, he deflected the attack to the side so that Katsu's charge would put him slightly off balance. 

Katsu spun the swords in his palm, pointing the sharp sides towards Hayate's swords and resisted the push as much as he could to do as much damage as he could. Falling a bit off balance, he didn't waste any time before making a small lunge and rolling away.

Hayate's clone simply stood his ground against Katsu's attack. He continued flowing metal through his own blades, preventing Katsu's wind enhanced strikes to cut through them. He faced the boy, waiting for him to attack again.

Katsu jumped up to his feet by pushing himself with his hand, lunging towards Hayate's clone once more. He tapped the ground once more, only to lift himself just a little bit off the ground to gain intense spinning speed and thus putting more strength into the two lowering quick consequtive blows.

Using the same technique that Katsu was to push himself off the earth, Hayate's clone did the same, but pushed himself to the side instead of the air with speed. Narrowly avoiding the spinning attack of Katsu, Hayate's clone brought his swords up once again. The speed of Katsu's attack would likely have caused severe damage to Hayate's weapons, even with him constantly repairing them. The boy had talent, that much was certain.

Katsu landed gently, quickly crouching and lunging towards Hayate. Once again, he tapped the ground once more before continuing, however this time, there was a frozen image where he was touching the ground.

His eyes narrowing slightly, Hayate's clone noticed the image and immediately assumed that Katsu was going to use that technique. The last time the boy had used the technique, he had still been in need of some practice. Had he improved so quickly? His eyes glancing around quickly, Hayate's clone did his best to prepare for an attack that could come from any side.

The moment Hayate's clone's eyes slipped away from Katsu, a smile of relief curled up on the boy's lips as he lunged forward again, spinning both swords from right to left, aimed for Hayate's clone's head.

The real Hayate noticed the trick with a smirk. Keeping his arms folded across his chest, he watched to see if his clone would be able to react quickly enough.

[i]Crap![/i] Hayate's clone thought, as he caught the movement from the corner of his eye. Silently blessing peripheral vision, the clone realized that it was going to be too late to block the attack, so instead he ducked backwards, the swords passing less than an inch from his nose. Pushing himself away, Hayate's clone gained some distance before standing up straight with a smile.

Dispersing the clone in a cloud of smoke, Hayate grinned towards Katsu. [b]"I think I have seen enough to begin my work. Would you still like to watch?"[/b]

Katsu nodded with a smile, turning to Hayate and tossing the makeshift sword back at him. [b]"Yes, please,"[/b] he said joyfully. After finishing his sentence, he slid his sword back into its sheath. [b]"I have a question though,"[/b] he started as he took the first steps towards the forge. [b]"How did you make that sword so quickly?"[/b]

Waiting until they had entered the building to respond, Hayate thought about his answer. [b]"To be honest, it took me a long, long time to be able to craft something, even as rudimentary as that, in a short period of time. Basically it requires me to mold my chakra into the material, and use it to shape the metal into a new form. When I am forming a shape that I am familiar with, it is easier to do, but something that is larger, or unfamiliar, takes more concentration and more time. Does that make sense?[/b] He sometimes found it difficult to explain how his ability worked, and he only hoped that he was doing a good enough job.

[b]"I guess so,"[/b] he said, sighing. [b]"Though I've never seen anyone use a technique like that. I haven't heard of anyone who can craft a weapon in seconds either."[/b] He didn't ask more about the issue afterwards, not wanting to bother Hayate and ask for explanations. 

Smiling, Hayate was happy that Katsu seemed to be impressed. It wasn't that he felt a lot of pride, he was just happy that somebody seemed to appreciate his ability for more than its use in killing people.

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the forge, which wasn't actually that far. Entering the room, Hayate turned and smiled at the other boy. [b]"So I do have to warn you, some of this can be boring to watch as it does take a fair amount of time."[/b]

[b]"Haha! I used to sit and watch my old man drink tea for hours,"[/b] he said, laughing. He meant something different by "old man" than its common use but specifying it would just ruin the mood... Right? [b]"Plus, I'm really interested in how you do this! It seems quite fascinating, to tell you the truth."[/b] His eyes were almost glowing. [b]"Of course, if you mind me being here, I could go,"[/b] he added, not sounding too enthusiastic with his last offer.

Nodding, Hayate turned back around and made his way towards the metal he had left on the table. Gathering it up in his hands, he deposited it near the forge. Pulling out the large gloves he used, Hayate slid them on and grabbed a large metal container that looked a lot like a bucket. Putting two of the metals he had grabbed into the bucket, Hayate used a pair of large tongs to pick up the remaining slabs and place them in the forge.

It took a fair amount of time for the metal to become hot enough to be malleable, and Hayate spent that time going over designs in his head. Finally, he grabbed the tongs once again and used them to pull out the glowing hot metal. Placing the slabs on his workbench, Hayate grabbed his hammer and began working them into the shapes that he wanted. Once they became too cool to manipulate, Hayate took off his gloves. Placing his hands against the two slabs, Hayate began flowing his chakra into them. Furrowing his brow in concentration, it was difficult to see at first what he was doing, as nothing was visible, but slowly... The two metals began to converge with each other. It took a great amount of concentration, as Hayate had to manipulate the metal in such a way that they would blend without becoming unstable. The result was worth the wait however, and after several minutes of intense focus, Hayate stood back, smiling. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he once again donned the gloves and placed the now-conjoined pieces of metal within the forge.

Katsu watched Hayate with great interest, his eyes following every gesture. He'd never seen a weapon being forged before so this was quite the experience for him. Recalling what Hayate had explained earlier about his methods, he watched the cold metals slowly attach to one another. [i]Incredible...[/i]

Turning back to face Katsu, he noticed the boy's expression and smiled. [b]"Sorry that you have to wait awhile to actually see any results, Katsu-san. It's slow work."[/b] Letting out a brief chuckle, Hayate hoped the other boy wasn't becoming bored. [b]"As I said, I'm interested in your methods,"[/b] Katsu said with a wide smile. [b]"It's not boring at all! If it was, I'd probably just look around."[/b] He hoped it sounded as respectful as he'd intended it to be but realized how it could've been understood.

Happy that Katsu was enjoying himself, Hayate nodded and turned back to the forge. Using the tongs to pull out the conjoined metals, Hayate set them on the workbench once again. Grabbing his hammer, he smashed away at the metal, slowly forming it into the desired shape. It took a fair amount of work to mold the metal into the form that Hayate wanted it, but he continued hammering away, oblivious to the small puddle of sweat that was forming below him.

When the metal cooled again, Hayate was pleased at how much progress he had made. Pulling off his gloves, he placed his hands against the chilled metal. Running them along the surface, Hayate allowed his chakra to flow inside, seeking out any imperfections that could cause the blade to become weakened. Making any necessary adjustments, he straightened himself out for a moment, stretching out his stiffened muscles. Reaching back down, Hayate picked up the other pieces of metal that were still left. One of them he placed in a large bucket, which he set inside the forge. The other piece he placed on the table beside the blade he was working on. 

Staring at the two pieces for a moment, Hayate placed his hands on the conjoined metal first. Flowing his chakra through the metal, he flattened it out, making sure it retained the shape he wanted it in. Moving his hands to the second piece of metal, Hayate picked it up and laid it on top of the first. Concentrating, he moulded the metal so that it began surrounding the conjoined piece, forming a thin shell around it. Once the metal had joined together like before, Hayate set it back in the forge.

After several more times of taking the metal in and out of the forge, Hayate finally achieved the true form that he wanted. Setting the nearly finished blade onto a different workbench, one with a strange groove in it, Hayate secured it with some leather straps. Walking back over to the forge, Hayate pulled out the bucket he had left in from before. The metal he had placed inside was completely liquified, and Hayate nodded to himself, pleased. Bringing the bucket over to the almost finished blade, he glanced up to Katsu. [b]"You can come closer to watch this part if you'd like? I would advise putting on an apron though in case I spill."[/b] Chuckling slightly, Hayate prepared to pour the liquid metal.

He had formed a groove on both sides of the blade, and that was where he was about to pour the liquified metal. Hayate raised the bucket and, very carefully, began to tilt it so that the liquid spilled out into the groove. When the first groove was filled, Hayate set the bucket back in the forge and waited for the poured metal to harden.

Once the task was complete, Hayate repeated the process, turning the blade over so that he could fill the groove in the second side. [i]There.[/i] He thought with a smile. Putting the bucket away, Hayate waited for the metal to cool and then brought the blade over to yet another workbench. [b]"And now for the final touches..."[/b] He muttered to himself, completely absorbed in his work.

------

[center][i]A short time later...[/i][/center]

Stepping back from his work, Hayate smiled, proud of the result. He wiped the sweat from his brow before pulling off his gloves and setting them aside. [b]"So Katsu... uh... what do you think?"[/b]

The entire weapon was a deep, matte black colouring, with the exception of the hilt, which was wrapped in thin slivers of a lighter silver. The blade had a strip of lighter silver metal in the grooves that Hayate had forged, as well as the actual tip of the blade. The blade also had a slight curve in it, similar to the one that Katsu already had, but on the backside of the blade, the metal tapered out slightly near the tip, causing it to be slightly wider than the base.

Katsu grabbed the sword, feeling its balance and handle. A grin curled up on his lips as he swung it through the air, though not to slash at an invisible target. [b]"The weight feels great,"[/b] he said happily. After a moment's thought, he poured his chakra into it to coat it, and to his surprise, it was extremely easy. He could feel that he was wasting some chakra by pouring more than what would be needed.

Suddenly, the strips of silver metal on the weapon lit up and turned an intense white. Hayate grinned as Katsu had done just what he'd hoped. [b]"The blade has a very unique metal in it. One that takes and enhances the chakra of the user in a different way than most chakra conducting materials. Because wind is your chakra nature, the metal within the blade will glow white, and cause any attacks to become sharper, as well as further reaching than a typical blade. If your nature was fire, for example, then the metal within would glow red, and the blade would burn upon impact, even with a glancing blow it would become stronger and more dangerous. I think you kind of understand the general idea though. But if you need me to explain more, please don't hesitate to ask."[/b] Hayate was happy that Katsu seemed to like the blade so far. He had made sure to take note of all of the boy's answers to his previous questions, and used it to make a weapon that was, hopefully, a perfect match.

[b]"This..."[/b] Katsu inspected the weapon further, bringing it closer to his face. There was no smile or anything revealing emotion. As he lowered the blade, he turned to Hayate. His eyes started glowing as he looked at his friend. [b]"This is amazing..."[/b] A smile crept up on his lips, growing without any stop in sight. [b]"The balance, the craftsmanship, the design and the originality... You're really amazing, Hayate-san!"[/b]

Blushing, Hayate raised a hand to scratch the back of his head. Compliments made him feel awkward, and he had to look away. [b]"Th--thanks Katsu-san. I am glad that you like it."[/b] He didn't know what else to say, but it did fill him with a sense of pride knowing that his friend found the blade to be a good match. [b]"If... if there's anything wrong with it, please don't hesitate to let me know. I want to make sure that the weapon will actually work for you."[/b]

The smile faded slowly as he realized something. [b]"Er... Hayate-san... I don't think I can..."[/b] He placed the sword on a table and reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. He dug his eyes into it and saw the void between the pockets of the item. Keeping his head lowered, he pocketed the wallet, sighing.

Staring at the boy in confusion for a second, Hayate wondered what he was doing. Seeing the wallet, a brief frown came to his face. Stepping forwards, he sighed. [b]"Did I ever ask you for money, Katsu-san?"[/b] Hayate asked quietly. Slowly, a smile formed and he shook his head, chuckling slightly. [b]"It's a gift Katsu. And besides, being the smith here now, it's kinda my job to make sure you guys have the proper equipment."[/b]

[b]"I know you didn't,"[/b] Katsu said, sighing. [b]"But... This is quite a bit. It doesn't feel right."[/b] After a moment, he continued. [b]"I mean, exactly. It's your [i]job[/i] and unpaid labour is illegal, y'know,"[/b] he said, jokingly. [b]"Alright then. I owe you, Hayate-san. Your craftsmanship is amazing."[/b]

Bowing his head slightly in thanks, Hayate looked up, still smiling. [b]"Think of it more like volunteer work than actual labour."[/b] He joked, before finally nodding. [b]"Thank you for your kind words Katsu-san. My skills aren't quite up to par with the old smith that used to be here but..."[/b] Hi thoughts briefly travelled to Tsubasa. She had been high spirited, and an incredibly talented weaponsmith. Hayate missed working with her, and he only hoped that she would be okay with him taking over now that she was... [b]"...I still try to do my best. So I hope that the weapon serves you well Katsu-san."[/b]

[b]"Thank you, again,"[/b] he said, bowing. [b]"I'll treat it with great care."[/b] Rising again, he grabbed the blade and slit it behind the sheath of his other sword, stuffed between his hip and belt. [b]"Ah. I've been meaning to ask. How's your training for the exam going?"[/b]

Pondering the question for a moment, Hayate realized that he had only trained a little bit. His time spent with Kiyomi and Hiron had certainly helped, but he hadn't done a lot of training on his own yet. [b]"So far I suppose it's coming along decently. How about yours?"[/b] Hayate still had hopes that he wouldn't end up fighting Katsu. He did not like fighting friends, especially because he didn't consider the exams to be a simple fun, sparring match.

[b]"It's going pretty well,"[/b] he said, grinning. [b]"I probably won't be ready by the time the exams begin since there'll be so many people more experienced than me but... I guess it'll help me get strong over time, huh?"[/b]

Smiling, Hayate placed a hand on Katsu's shoulder. [b]"You're a talented shinobi Katsu-san. I am certain that you will do well, regardless of who you face."[/b] Speaking with an encouraging tone, Hayate realized that he was trying to reassure himself as well. He was looking forward to the exams for many reasons, and he needed to succeed. If he could become a Chuunin... then maybe he and Kiyomi wouldn't have to hide anymore... With that goal in mind, Hayate knew he could find the strength to succeed.[/hider]