Both Beautiful and Deadly

[Anila]

Sakurazuka Anila had come a long way from where she'd started. From the graceful home of Duke Sakurazuka Yukio in Northern Akashima, she had made her way to a position in the Dajas Pagoda, where she and another Akashiman warrior remained undefeated - they two alone of the original six. Three new members had come, but all were untested.

Now she was walking the streets of Scara Brae, looking for a weapons smith that could forge for her something special...

Hagane and Uindo were very familiar weapons, and her skill with them had grown immeasurably since she had taken the position, but now that she had tasted blood with them (or, rather, coolant), she wanted to find other weapons that were both beautiful in form and deadly in purpose.

Finally, she found the shop she was looking for, and ducked in, her silent handmaiden beside her. Looking around to inspect the products, she decided that the results were satisfactory, and proceeded to the counter, where she did not wait for the clerk to speak to her before stating her business.

"I am looking for a unique weapon; a parasol with a sword sheathed within the shaft and razor blades hidden along the lining of the fabric. The metal must be durable and able to hold an edge, the cloth should be sturdy, and the wood should be very hard. I want the best materials and craftsmanship available for up to a thousand gold."

[Moonlit Raven]

Kale stared up at the lady on the other side of the counter with wide eyes. After a moment he turned and fled into the back room of the shop.

"Elena, there is a lady at the counter." Elena stared at her apprentice for a moment, failing to see why Kale looked slightly scared.

"Kale, you should have helped her. That is what I have been training you for, so you can run the shop when I am not here."

"She's like that guy!"

"What guy? The one that left you here with me?" At Kale nod, she gestured for him to sit down.

"Alright, you can stay back here and I'll help the Lady.' Elena paused after a few steps. She shook her head, wondering when the child would out grow his fear of authority figures. She brushed at a wrinkle in the red silk she wore before she stepped out and up to the front counter.

"My apologies for Kale's behavior. He's a little skittish around people still. Why may I help you with today?"

[Anila]

Anila spent a few moments scrutinizing the woman that came forward before holding out her hand to the willowy maidservant that stood behind her. Hissomi produced a sheet of parchment which Anila handed to Elena.

"This should detail sufficiently what I seek. I'm looking for the best you have in materials and craftsmanship for up to a thousand gold."

It was a significant sum, Anila realized, but with her daily needs taken care of at the Pagoda, she could afford it.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena studied the parchment for a moment before looking up at the taller woman.

"Interesting design. I would recommend Nihon redwood for the shaft. Mythril for the razors and hidden blade due to its lightness. Damascus could be used for the blade, its slightly heavier. For the cloth I would recommend Vlince for the inner layer due to its resistance to punctures. The upper layer could be Vlince or it could be Sifan silk. Sifan is also resistance to puncturing. Spider silk could be used to bind the two layers together or a decorative stitching could be used."

[Anila]

((yay, I'm on the list! *huggle* Ahem. Anyway.))

She may not have seemed like much, but Anila had to admit that the woman behind the counter knew what she was doing.

"The outer layer of the cloth does not need to be silken...blood is difficult to remove from such a fabric, and it will be a functional weapon. Vlince will suffice, preferably in a dark green. My handmaiden can assist you with the embroidery binding the two layers. I agree that Nihon wood and Mythril will be the best materials for the weapon, and would prefer Mythril for the blade as well as the razors."

A deadly umbrella was a weapon Anila was unfamiliar with, and with which she knew she could easily injure herself if she didn't pay careful attention. Then again, the same principle held for Hagane and Uindo. If she was negligent for even a moment in handling her razor-bladed fans, she condemned herself. The sword part of the umbrella would be markedly less deadly than the razor blades within the lining, but also take longer to unsheathe.

Sacrifices must be made...and in this case, my sacrifice will be time. When I learn to wield a normal umbrella with ease, I will be ready to use my deadly one in combat.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena mentally ran over the cost of the items the lady requested. Her eyes widened slightly and she frowned.

"I'll be back in just one moment I need to check this over with my partner." Bowing her head slightly to the woman Elena hurried off for the side room where her boss was normally found making things or fixing items.

[Anila]

Anila watched the woman run off, tucking her hands into her long, flowing sleeves and feeling the weight of her fans within them. She may have wanted her new weapon, and now, but nothing worthwhile was delivered instantly.

Thus, she waited with tamed impatience. She wanted this done right, rather than delivered now.

[Moonlit Raven]

After a hurried discussion with the cat like man and a quiet argument over the cost of materials Elena returned to the front counter.

"Ma'am, the cost of materials for your parasol comes out right at 2000 gold. I'm afraid that given the complexity of the item you requested, a service charge will also be charged."

Elena waited for the flare of anger she knew was coming. The lady in front of her seemed to be one that normally got what she wanted, how she wanted and when she wanted it. Any way it worked out Elena didn't worry too much. Any display of violence would get a person forcibly removed from the shop and likely banned from the bazaar all together. Not many people got angry enough to ignore the silent threat of lifetime banishment from the bazaar.

"Material of a lesser quality could be used for now if you are set of getting a parasol as a weapon." Elena offered after a moment of thought.

[Anila]

Anila's lips may have twitched slightly at the corners, but other than that, her demeanor didn't change in the slightest. Perhaps she could not get exactly what she wanted, but she could modify the current plan and get what she wanted at a later date, if she decided that she still wanted it.

"Very well. For now, remove the razor blades from the plan, and change the metal of the blade from Mythril to Damascus, tempered in the Akashiman fashion. Retain the vlince material and Nihon wood. How much, then, would that cost?"

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena looked down at the schematic of the parasol and did the math for the changed design. Just to make sure she took out a charcoal stick and a piece of paper and did the math once again.

"Without the razors and changing the Mythril to Damascus, it comes out to 1200."

[Anila]

Unbelievable. A thousand should have been enough to pay for at least her modified version of the weapon, and she was told that still it was not? She was looking for nothing else; her weapons had to be both functional and subtle. Ordering a plain parasol would reduce the effectiveness of the item as a weapon, ordering a sword would have been too guady by far, too brash for her preference to subtlety.

She was visiting Akashima soon on business for the House of Sora. Perhaps she could persuade her father to have one made for her, and no longer bother with the intermediaries.

"I stated the price I was willing to pay upon entering the shop," she said with the same inscrutable calm she always maintained. "Since what you can offer is outside that price range, I will not be making a purchase today."

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena inclined her head slightly, in both respect and regret. She held out the paper bearing the design upon it to the woman's servant.

"I apologize that the price of materials prevented you from acquiring the item in question. In all truth, had you been able to afford the materials the service fee added on may too have pushed it beyond your price range."

[Anila]

"Perhaps."

Anila's eyes didn't even track Hissomi's hand as it went to retrieve the schematic. She knew her specifications and had little need of the design.

"Perhaps I shall return for it in the future, but that eventuality is doubtful. Good day."

With that, Sakurazuka Anila turned and exited the shop. She was far from an idle individual, and the waste of time this outing had been was irritating. A swift glance behind told her that Hissomi had remained behind to make the formal bow, but Anila didn't have time for that at this moment.

"Come, Hissomi. The Arena will not run itself."

There was the light sound of wooden shoes scuffing along the floor of the shop, and then the two women were gone.