damned_institute | Nightshift 31: M21-M30 Hallway

"Well, the loud noises helped prepare this one for the nightshift starting," Kenshin said with a small smile. Best to keep the mood as light as possible.

"Would you like this one to do it?" After the sword was made, of course. The sakabatou only had the blunt edge and cutting edge reversed--it would still be quite sharp.

"Of course." He was halfway to the closet when Adel asked the question. "Yes." He didn't hesitate for a single second, and his voice was firm.

"No, there's no need for that. I have a sword of my own, and I'll be waiting anyway. Once the blade is made, I'm sure you have better things to do." That was the point of making a weapon, after all; for it to be used. And if Homura was right, then Kenshin had vastly more important things to use his sword on than a cast.

Kenshin's affirmation brought a smile to the young man's face, and he nodded in gratitude. Weapons-smithing was all he could do, after all... and Kenshin's blade in particular was something that he'd wanted to make. No one had been more frustrated at the continual failures than himself. "Sanosuke seemed to think that I wasn't suitable, however. You disagree with him?"

"It's no trouble, really, but if you insist..." That was Adelheid's prerogative, and Kenshin would respect it. He just thought he'd ask.

The rurouni finished getting the bags of scrap metal and carried them to the bed while he formulated an answer. He was surprisingly strong for someone as small and skinny as he was.

"Sano thinks a lot of things," he said eventually, smiling again, "and he's very protective of his friends. Odd, really, since he was originally hired to kill this one." Kenshin paused. He was glad that he'd managed to assuage some of Adel's self-doubt a little (or so he hoped). The kid didn't usually smile that much. Not that he'd seen, anyway.

"What's most important is whether you think you can do it. As long as you make the sword knowing that you want to and that it's the right thing, this one will be honored to accept the blade. That's all that he asks."

Really, if Adelheid couldn't get himself on his own two feet, then he didn't deserve to stand anyway. Despite all that he had gone through, that ingrained Bernstein philosophy still rested in his heart, always ready to come to the fore when he had other things on his mind. Adelheid was a strong, proud young man; if he could do something on his own, that was what he'd prefer. Especially now, after a night in which he'd been able to do nothing.

"Go ahead and put it all on the array." It'd be easier to fool with the metal then. The history Kenshin spoke of made sense to Adelheid; he'd seen sworn enemies work together against a common foe, though he wondered if Sanosuke would ever try to finish the job. As to whether it was the right thing to make the blade, and whether Adelheid wanted to make it? Words couldn't describe the mix of emotions he felt. "As for this blade... I think it will be one of the most important things I could make."

He couldn't follow Kenshin's path of a vow of nonviolence. His blood was too hot, too cursed, for that. But if someone could turn from a man-killing path to something better, if there was some sort of hope that even someone stained with blood could try for something better, then Adelheid would do everything in his power to make it happen. It felt like his own soul hung on the balance of whether Kenshin was right or wrong.

Kenshin merely nodded and did as he was bidden, careful not to cut himself on some of the jagged edges. There was soon a large pile of scrap metal on the little piece of paper.

Adelheid's response made him stop and smile. The rurouni was honored that the boy felt as strongly as he did. If he could impact the life of someone he'd only known for a few days, then maybe he really was on the right path.

"Thank you." Nothing more needed to be said, really.

Adelheid rested his hands on the drawn array, taking a deep breath as he finally felt his energy responding to his will once more. Infusing the drawn lines with his spiritual energy, creating a bluish glow as he forced the metal to reshape and forge itself according to his will...

...and in the end, a functional sakabatou was made. The reversed edge wasn't a keen edge, but it wasn't blunt either; a small bit of progress that Adelheid felt rather proud of himself for. Of course, he'd poured more energy into the blade than he had previously, but that was a different matter entirely.

The young German took deep breaths to steady himself, forcing himself to remain up and as unruffled as possible, before lightly taking the blade in hand and offering it, hilt-first, to Kenshin. "Here. Before you go, however... may I see your technique? Homura spoke quite highly of it." And even if he couldn't use it himself, Adelheid was eager to learn. He wanted to see what a man who had sworn never to kill would do now that he was properly equipped.

Once again, Kenshin watched the blue sparks in silence. He didn't realize it, but he was holding his breath. After so much waiting, he was finally going to get a sakabatou again. It wouldn't be Sakabatou Shinuchi, but that sword was truly one-of-a-kind. Kenshin would be honored to take whatever Adel could make him.

The rurouni would never admit it, even at knifepoint, but the sword looked better than he had been expecting. It didn't matter if the sharp edge was actually sharp--it wasn't like he was going to be using it that often, anyway. No, it was how it swung and how strong it was that counted.

He bowed deeply as he accepted the blade, taking a few moments to study its weight and heft. Good. It should work quite well. When he did look up, his eyes were full of emotion. "Words cannot express how grateful this one is to you," he said. "You have done an amazing thing. This one is in your debt." Kenshin lifted the sword with an expert grace, studying the way it sliced the air...before sheathing it faster than the eye could track. It was obvious why he had asked for the scabbard.

"What would you like to see?"

Though Adelheid would hate to admit it, he was honored by what Kenshin said. It was obvious that the swordsman was knowledgeable about the quality of his weapons, so to finally have something past muster was rather gratifying. That showed in another quiet smile, and in the relief that appeared in his red eyes. "You're too kind; I only hope that it will serve you well."

"As for what I would like to see... preferably, something that you can do now that a 'man-killer' couldn't. Barring that, every fighter has some 'signature technique.' I would like to see yours, an attack that symbolizes who you are as a fencer."

Kenshin smiled. "It should. Thank you." The sword wasn't quite what he was used to, but it would do quite well.

He looked up, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "This one is afraid that it doesn't work quite that way," he said, feeling a little awkward. He could understand where Adel was coming from, see the idealism, but the way the boy had phrased it made him uncomfortable. "It's...the same Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryuu, only with a different sword. The technique is fundamentally the same, though."

"In my world, the art of swordsmanship practically died out ages ago. There's no such thing as a 'Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu,' let alone variations depending on the weapon. If... my ignorance offends you, I apologize." An honest apology, that, and one that he normally wouldn't have offered. But he had the feeling he'd said something unconsciously rather insulting, and that was the last thing he wanted.

He paused, then, and slowly eased himself up to his feet, limping over to the doorway so that Kenshin had much more room to maneuver. Then he turned, his red eyes set in attention. "And as you probably know by now, once I set my mind to learning a technique, I can understand it almost immediately. For my entirely life I've been learning how to kill, learning only those techniques which might prove of some use to me as a warrior. Just this once... I'd like to see a technique just to see it. Just as I've made a weapon that probably won't be used for killing."

It was almost impossible to describe in words, and Adelheid knew he hadn't quite gone into the intricacies he felt. But nevertheless, it was true. Kenshin had hinted at a life that Adelheid couldn't follow, even though he desired it more than anything. For a split second, he wanted to see that sword-philosophy put into action. And, after a moment, he sheepishly added, "And Homura, as I said, spoke quite highly of your skills. Once I get home, I won't see anyone with anywhere near the level of talent he was hinting at."

The idea that someone could be able to learn a technique merely by watching it being performed by someone else wasn't entirely foreign to it. By all accounts, Yahiko had managed a fairly good Ryuutsuisen during the fight for Aoi-Ya merely by having watched Kenshin himself do it. Still, that someone could do it so quickly...the rurouni had to admit that he himself was rather curious.

When Adel spoke he just nodded, stepping back another foot or two. These rooms were not large, and he didn't want to risk striking the already-injured boy. He was about to take Battoujutsu stance when he paused and ran over to one of the beds, grabbing a pillow. Stepping back to where he had been a few seconds before, he threw it upwards in a lazy arc.

Before it even had the time to start falling again, he'd drawn his sword and hit it one-handed. A fraction of a second later, he used his other hand to draw his sheath and repeat the movement. The pillow exploded in a burst of down and bits of cloth.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryuu, Souryuusen," he said, sheathing the blade once again. "'Double dragon strike'--Battoujutsu that employs both the sword and the scabbard."

Adelheid's eyes hadn't missed a thing. When he set his mind to learning something, he never missed it; he saw both strikes, both of sword and scabbard, and despite himself, he was impressed. Lesser men couldn't hope to see the blindingly fast strikes, and Adelheid knew that his frame was too bulky to mimic the attack. It was a masterful attack, and Adel wasn't going to forget it.

He smiled a little as he bowed, knowing now that he'd made the right choice. Kenshin could do much more good with a blade than with just a scabbard... and perhaps, just maybe, Adelheid had learned more than just the Souryuusen. "I see that Homura wasn't exaggerating. I won't take up any more of your time, but... thank you."

Kenshin returned the sheathed sakabatou to the sword loop he'd created by tying a piece of cloth to the waistband of his trousers, happy to feel the familiar weight. He hadn't quite realized just how much he missed it until he had it again.

He also bowed, much more deeply than Adel did. He hadn't been exaggerating when he'd said that words couldn't express how grateful he was. "Again, this one thanks you. You've done an amazing thing; he can't even begin to repay it."

Once more, Adelheid felt a bit awkward at being thanked so openly, but he answered with another smile, warmer and perhaps a little embarrassed as well. In his opinion, he could have done better. His control over energy was such that he should have been able to do more. Yet Kenshin was grateful, that was the important thing. Adelheid sincerely hoped that the sakabatou would be used well.

As for that last part... Adelheid shook his head as he stepped out of the doorway, allowing Kenshin to leave whenever the man might wish. The last thing he wanted was an encounter with Sanosuke when he was weakened. "Really, the pleasure was all mine. As for that last part... you shouldn't be so certain. I might have an idea or two, later, on how you could repay me."

Was that a flash of humor in those normally so-deadly-serious crimson eyes? ...nah, couldn't be.

[From here ~~to badtouch both of you~~ to steal a Kenshin.]

The trip went by quickly, and thankfully without incident. Homura came to the closed door of M22 and knocked briefly, but didn't wait for a response before opening it. He had his doubts Adel would be involved in anything he'd need privacy for, and if he was--well, Homura wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to mock the boy. Especially not after their earlier conversation.

But no, it was just Kenshin. More importantly, Kenshin with a sword. Homura had to admit some level of curiosity when it came to seeing this special reversed blade, but no doubt he'd have his chance, given the creatures in the institute.

"Good evening." His satisfaction was obvious, though there was something more devious in his smirk for Adelheid. No, Homura hadn't forgotten, and he certainly hadn't forgiven Adelheid for his beliefs. In his eyes, the boy was now someone to be made uncomfortable, to be pushed just like Sanzo, for the simple reason that Homura was a sadist when it came to instances like these. "I see you've been successful."

Kenshin stopped a few feet short of the door, eyebrow raised. Somehow, Adel wasn't the type he'd expected to crack jokes like that. "Oh? Well. This one will be sure to keep that in mind, then."

Before he could say anything else, Homura walked into the room. The rurouni could see he glint in the demi-god's eye and sighed, shaking his head. He smiled. "Hello, Homura. Have you come to whisk this one away?"

There might be an option, really. Adelheid was already considering Kenshin's strengths, and the strength of his character even moreso. While the wanderer had claimed that he was grateful beyond words, Adel knew that such gratitude really only went so far. The question was how far to go... though in all actuality, the younger man had a feeling he wouldn't be making a request. He'd already gained a fair amount from making the weapon.

But then Homura burst in right after knocking, and Adelheid's expression grew cooler and more self-contained. And needless to say, the rapier was within easy reach if he needed it. "Yes, as I said I would be. While I won't hold you up if you're leaving, I will need Hijikata's measurements if you expect me to make a weapon for him. He didn't see fit to respond to my request on the board."

It wasn't hard to notice the changes in the men once Homura came into the room, especially in Adelheid. Hints of the calm and comfort he'd felt were visible in his retreat inward, not that Homura was at all surprised to see it. He'd been expecting a level of coldness, considering the conversation they had had.

And so be it. So long as the blond continued to do what Homura needed, the demi-god was willing to be more careful in his game. At least for the time being.

"I don't know the exact numbers." Unlike Adelheid, Homura didn't contain his arrogance. He refused to let any frustration or anger over the other's views show. Let Adel be afraid. Homura wasn't. "I'll mention to him to be more alert. Unless Himura can give you the specifics."

He looked to the rurouni somewhat expectantly. "You are enemies, correct? Or were." If they had fought against each other, Homura expected Kenshin to be acutely aware of the length and blade Hijikata would need, moreso than even his allies.

Save for Okita. Okita's level of devotion Homura doubted anyone would ever match.

Kenshin looked up at Homura, and he wasn't smiling anymore. Why did Homura seem so set on pushing his buttons all the time? Granted, the demigod didn't try to provoke him as often as others, but it was still rather frustrating sometimes. "Were," he said quietly, "and we only crossed swords once or twice."

Sighing, he turned to Adel. "Be that as it may, his sword would probably be standard katana length. Two and a half to three feet, just like the sakabatou you very kindly made for this one just a few moments ago."

"If you'd kindly, I'd appreciate it." Discomfort gave way to perhaps a bit too much politeness, the kind of defense that Adelheid had learned to evolve when he dealt with unsavory business associates. He appreciated Homura's work, and he didn't wish to leave anyone unarmed and at the mercy of the Institute. At the same time, however, the conversation he'd held with the man still roiled in his mind.

So he turned to Kenshin, a more pleasant foil for conversation. "I see; I'll guess a bit on the larger side, assuming he's built more heavily than you are. And a regular katana as well... at least I'm getting better at creating them." Repetition, while not the cornerstone of Adelheid's abilities, was nevertheless one thing that he could handle. With each blade he made, his skill became greater. Hopefully soon he'd be able to create blades sharp enough to serve on their own.

"Yes. He's closer to my size than to Himura's, certainly." Homura was just as polite to Adelheid in return, but with an ease that sharply contrasted with other's discomfort. Perhaps he simply had too much experience in it, tormenting gods who wanted to spit on him for being a heresy, who somehow thought that the label made them superior.

All part of living too long, he supposed.

Regardless, there would be time enough to play the game at a later date. Adelheid certainly couldn't avoid him forever, and for now, letting him simmer was good enough. The demi-god turned to Kenshin, now effectively ignoring the blond. "There are things we need to take care of. Let's go."

[Going down the hall!]

Kenshin barely had time to thank Adelheid one more time before he was swept away by Homura.

"Once again, this one is very grateful for the sword. Be safe tonight, and rest. You look exhausted."

[following the badtouch-happy demigod.]

Nightshift 31: M21-M30 Hallway

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