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    1. ruronihs 11 yrs ago

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Definitely interested
Might be interested in Knight in Shining Armor if you know where you want to go with it.
I should have mine up sometime tomorrow.
definitely interested
Interest levels at 72.3%
Ryozan was a bit disappointed, but not surprised, that chizuma hadn't known his mother, but even so he could tell that Chizuma seemed more uncomfortable talking about it than he did, so he decided not to bring it up around her again. He did wonder what exactly she was writing down in that book of hers, though. Or perhaps the more prominent question was "why?" Was she measuring what she perceived as his capabilities as a shinobi? His value as an entertainer? Or was she just keeping a record because she was bad at names. He was half tempted to take out his own notebook and begin making an esoteric evaluation of his own about Chizuma as retaliation, but then Kaede returned with Natsumi. His burning questions would have to remain unanswered for now.

Natsumi's greeting was far less confrontational than his mother's, so hopefully he wouldn't screw up this first impression as well. "I'm Ryozan Tanzo," he said, returning her courteous bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well." Then Ryozan heard Chizuma mutter his score. Three stars? Well, whatever he was being rated for he certainly had room to improve. Natsumi seemed to object to her mother's behavior, but Ryozan just let out a small chuckle. He never minded being assigned an objective rating on a scale of any kind; those things were actually very helpful for him. Now, if only he knew what the scale was...

Chizuma led them all outside and served them all a nice barbecued meal, which Ryozan ate with relish since he hadn't eaten anything since that small bowl of ramen before the battle. And then came kaede's question about said battle. "No, I wasn't in hiding. I..." His voice trailed off as he tried to think of the best way to explain why he was not permitted to join his comrades. Telling these two girls that he had aided Imperial soldiers and had been stripped of his rank was just too much for him. He averted his eyes as he thought things over. Sure, Takeo had forgiven him and apparently thought well enough of him to invite him into his home, but as far as Ryozan was concerned it was the most shameful thing he had ever done. "I was hesitant to join the fight, so for that I was only able to play a small role," he said at last. "But the matter has since been settled, and I expect that you will see more of me in the future." He took another bite of food and decided that it would be a good time to change the subject. "This meal is delicious. Does your mother often cook like this Natsumi?"
"Certainly not," Ryozan replied frankly. "The kunai has superior attack capabilities for close range combat. The very factors that make my sword dangerous at mid-range also limit its efficacy once you get in close. The speed and power of a sword increases as you approach the tip while the area down by the sheath and my arms can to little harm. The kunai is a short weapon and, unlike the sword, can be used very close to one's body. So, if you can find a way to advance past my attack zone, you will have the advantage. I can think of three basic ways to accomplish this: a defense that can withstand the anticipated attack, neutralizing my attack capabilities, or maneuvering around my attack radius. Choose a strategy according to your strengths, and according to what you perceive are my weaknesses." With that, he entered his iaijutsu stance once again and waited for the attack.
Ryozan cringed once he heard the new nickname he had already earned himself, but did not bother to protest; dwelling on that name would only increase its likelihood of becoming permanent. Besides, he could see the cynicism behind her eyes. Chizuma was looking for any opportunity to strike... verbally of course. His best course of action would be to simply continue the conversation. Although he wasn't good at making small talk, he was sure that discussing his personal interests would lead them well away from the topic of lechery. Still, he was unsure how to simply tell her "about himself," but he would have to give it a try. "Well, I like to spend most of my time practicing my ninjutsu and swordsmanship," he began, once again finding a formal and polite tone, "though I also spend a fair amount of time reading as well. As for my hobbies, I have learned a bit of Shogi," though by a bit he meant that he was easily one of the top five players in the village, "and I will not turn down a game of Mahjong." So far so good. It didn't seem like any of those admittedly boring phrases could be misconstrued or turned against him, but now what? Surely there was more to small talk than just making lists of hobbies...

Then a thought came to him. Chizuma appeared to be about the same age, or at least of the same generation, as his mother would have been. "Perhaps you knew my mother," Ryozan suggested. Talking about the deceased was often uncomfortable for people, but it had happened long enough ago that he was able to converse about it now, albeit in a somber tone. "Her maiden name was Kasumi Takashi. I do not believe that clan name is around any longer, but I did inherit her kekkei genkai." It was a shot in the dark at best, but it didn't seem terribly unlikely that two kunoichi of the same generation may have known one another. Besides, as things were, this was his best chance of getting rid of the "weird stranger" stigma that he had been branded with. Well, maybe not the "weird" part, but at least the "stranger" part.
'ello
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