Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of Where We Come From

Chakra Over Matter

Mana continued to stand there completely confused. At some point, the awkwardness had become unbearable and yet still she couldn't find anything to say. She was happy to see her friend but after all that time she wasn't quite sure as to where everything was anymore. Shimo left the village on a quest of self-discovery and had his license suspended and was so crushed and confused by what happened when he fought Sugemi. Now he looked rested, completely refreshed yet at the same time he looked like a homeless bum.

"You let yourself go..." Mana smiled just a little, testing the waters by just letting her little toe dip. Judging from Shimo's warm laughter they were quite warm and shallow.

"Yeah, well... A courtesan in Tanzaku told me chicks dig guys with longer hair, you've only grown cuter over the years though, Mana-chan" the Yuki swordsman shrugged with a small speck of longing in his voice.

So was Shimo feeling just like Mana was for some time now? Nostalgic and longing for the days past? The days when they were all a team thinking they're going to change the world? Was that the reason for his return or has he actually discovered himself like he intended to?

"You should never take an advice from a courtesan seriously, Shimo" Mana snapped back.

"Truer words have never been spoken..." Shimo broke into a wild laughter, must've been a reaction from his memories of the woman in question and some seemingly unpleasant history that the two shared. Just what sort of adventures did he have? His torn up and dirtied, burnt up kimono suggested that a lot of fighting was involved and his eyes looked much more careless and much more matured. This Shimo Yuki was a whole different young man from the one who left.

"Oh my God! This is Audra steel! The real deal! How on Earth did you get it, were you in Kumogakure?! These cost a whole fortune!" Meiko was geeking out on Shimo's sword which she somehow held in her hands and was examining at the moment.

Shimo freaked out. "Wha! How did you do that!?" he yelled out referring to Meiko's ability to snag his sheathed blade from his belt and just casually examine it and identify the steel alloy by just looking at it.

"Forget it, she's like that, if it's an armor or a sword or whatever she's gonna be all over it..." Mana smiled looking back at Meiko. The blacksmith was feasting her eyes on the various engravings and the fancy work that was put into the sword.

"Yes, it's an actual Audra blade, I studied under an Uchiha who had once faced the current Raikage and copied some of her moves using his Sharingan. Unfortunately, he trusted a courtesan far too much to be considered wise and he lost his arm in the process, a blade such as this was useless in the hands of a one-armed swordsman so he gave it to me" the Yuki explained casually walking up to Meiko and taking the sword from her hands.

"I am not worthy to be in its presence!" Meiko bowed handing the sword back to Shimo who only grinned.

"If you're going to work with me protecting Mana-chan on this mission, I have a feeling we'll get along..." he concluded.

"What's an Audra blade?" Mana wondered out loud.

A loud slam on the table interrupted the hearty conversation, all three teens directed their attention back to the Hokage, it appeared that their bonding and catching up would have had to wait for just a while longer.

"That being pushed aside, I can still only count two ninja in the room, now that I've officially reapproved Shimo's license. Also, having the difficulty and location of the mission in mind the third genin must be a medical ninja" Hanasaku rumbled out with an authoritative tone, not the likes which one would've had the courage to argue against.

"Where on Earth are we going to find a genin medical ninja? Most medical ninja don't train students until they're at least Chuunin" Meiko scratched her chin.