By the time training was over, Kaede was well and truly tired. After a two hour long sparring session with Shogo, that ended in a draw (No you definitely did not lose Shogo, you definitely did not lose. You were obviously holding back.) Kaede was eventually directed to a bcksmith.

  Two stores were passed before she made out the one she was directed to.

  "How I help you, miss?" An apprentice approached and asked, zeroing in on Kaede. He looked youhan she was.

  "I'm here to order a shield, ized." She said. "Armour too, also ized."

  "For you?" The apprentice asked.

  "Yes."

  "Uh, of course, miss." He said. "Let me fetch my master." He departed, and a short while ter, an older man with a beard, slightly singed, emerged from the fe.

  "Shield and armour, my boy said." The man said. "I'm master Gus."

  "Kaede Honjou." She extended a hand out to the rger man. For a moment she was left with her haeheook it in his own, though she was the one who shook it.

  "So what kinda shield are you wanting for?" He gave her a once over. "With your physique, I re you get yourself a buckler, or a heater. A round shield if you want to be extreme."

  Kaede found her gaze drawn to her own body, uo refute his words that she was, indeed lightweight. Even with the running she had been doing for almost a year, she was still in the realm of petite, albeit with a little muscle.

  But that would ge soon. With the ges her body was going through, it was only a matter of time before she had a perfectly robust body. Just this m, she noticed signs of a six pack.

  "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of a tower shield." The round shield she used ba training was actually pretty good. Especially si would work well with her ter, once she learnt how to incorporate throwing, inthting style. However she just didn't feel right without holding her familiar regur shield.

  Gus raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that ss? Bang that, with your-"

  "I'm aware." Kaede interjected. "-with my frame," she finished. "But I’m not looking for venience. I’m looking for reliability, for something that feels like aension of me." Kaede crossed her arms, standing firm. "I’ve used regur shields before. They suit my fighting style."

  Gus studied her silently for a moment, his sharp eyes narrowing as if trying to gauge whether she was serious or simply naive. Finally, he let out a low grunt, scratg at his beard. "Alright, ss. If you’re set on it, then we’ll make it work. But yonna have to be precise."

  Kaede nodded. "I’ve already thought about the design. I want it regur, just shy of my full height. Reinforced edges, but not overly heavy—I’ll be using it for more than just blog. It’ll need a slight curve, enough to deflect blows instead of taking them head-on. And the handle… make it adjustable, with a strap I secure to my forearm. I want the option to wield it with one or both hands."

  Gus raised an eyebrow again, this time with a glint of i. "Huh. Not bad. You’ve actually put some thought into this. Most folk e in asking for something fshy and end up breaking it the first time it sees real a."

  Kaede allowed herself a small smile.

  The bcksmith chuckled, a deep, gravelly sound that rumbled in his chest. "Aye, that’s the right mi. We’ll get you sorted. Anything special for the materials? Iron’s standard, steel’s better, but it’ll cost you."

  "Onyx steel," Kaede said immediately. "And if you reinforce it with a core of something even stronger, do it. I to hold up against… unventional attacks."

  "Unventional, eh?" Gus’s eyes narrowed slightly, his tourning curious. "You expeg to fight monsters or something?"

  The bcksmith let the sileretch for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Onyx steel with a magic ore core. I’ve got just the alloy in mind. It’ll cost you, though. You got ?"

  "I’ve got enough," she replied, pulling out a small poud setting it on the ter with a soft k. Razen had given each of the otherworlders fifty gold pieces each for the month.

  Gus didn’t open it immediately. Instead, he oward her. "And the armor?"

  Kaede gestured to herself. "I want something modur. Lightweight, but durable. Enough pting to protect my vitals, but not so much that it slows me down. I o move quickly in battle." With my durability, armour is pretty useless for me. If my idea works out though, the weight won't matter.

  "Modur, eh? You’re thinking ptes aher, then. Good for flexibility. I’ll make the joints sturdy, but you’ll o maintain it yourself if you want it to st." Gus stroked his beard, already lost in thought. "Any preferences on the design? Or is fun all you care about?"

  "Do you have anythier thaher though? I'd like for you to use that." Kaede said, though she hesitated briefly before adding, "and… if you could work in some subtle detailing, I wouldn’t mind. Something simple, like this." She passed him a a drawing of her red rose from Maple's armour.

  Gus gave a rare, toothy grin. "Now you’re talking. Alright, ss, I’ll start drafting the pns. Give me a week, and you’ll have year. Don’t expect miracles, but I promise it’ll hold up to whatever you throw at it."

  "That’s all I ask," Kaede said with a nod.

  As she turo leave, Gus called out after her. "Oh, and ss—don’t fet to e back for fitting. If I’m building armor for you, I’m gonna make damn sure it fits right."

  Kaede raised a hand in aowledgment, already stepping out into the street. The heat of the fave way to the cool evening air, and she allowed herself a moment to take a deep breath, steadyihoughts.

  ---

  Kaede pushed the door to otherworlders shared suite open, her body ag from the day’s exertions. She didn’t even have time to fully step inside before a familiar voice greeted her.

  "There you are," Kirara said from the couch, her arms crossed and a sharp look on her face. She was still in her casual wear, one leg folded over the other, but her gaze quickly softened. "I was starting to think you’d gotten lost or something."

  Kaede stepped inside and closed the door behind her, setting down the bag she carried. "I was at the bcksmith, Kirara. Took lohan I thought it would."

  Kirara raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "The bcksmith? Ooh, don’t tell me you were buying somethiing, like a new sword—or maybe one of those spiked gaus I saw in the market? You do look like you could use a little edge."

  Kaede let out a tired sigh, already sensing where this was going. "A shield and armor. ade."

  Kirara blinked, her pyful smirk faltering for a moment. "A… shield? And armor?" Her voice carried just a hint of disappoi before she quickly masked it with a wide grin. "Well, that’s so practical of you, Kaede. Very, uh, sensible."

  "Gd you approve," Kaede said dryly, moving toward her side of the room.

  Kirara watched her for a moment before clearihroat auring to the folded fabri the table. "Anyway, I’ve got something for you. Your uniform came in."

  Kaede g the ly folded stack of clothes Kirara had set out. The fabric was crisp, the design simple yet funal, with subtle detailing that hi its quality. Kaede walked over and picked it up, running her fingers over the fabric. "Looks good. Thanks for pig it up."

  Kirara shrugged, leaning bato the couch with an air of casualhat didn’t quite hide her fidgeting. "It’s not a big deal. I figured you and Shogo would be too busy pung things or swinging shields around to notice."

  Kaede raised an eyebrow but didn’t ent, setting the uniform aside. True, sparring with Shogo was something she actually looked forward to. "Something else on your mind, Kirara? You look… twitchy."

  "Twitchy? I’m not twitchy," Kirara said quickly, straightening up. She hesitated, her usual bravado faltering for a split sed before she masked it with an exaggerated toss of her hair. "Actually, now that you mention it… like, I was thinking we should go shopping tomorrow. Together."

  Kaede turo face her. "Shopping? For what?"

  Kirara’s fidence wavered again, and for the briefest moment, Kaede caught a flicker of shyness in her expression. "You know, stuff. Clothes, accessories, supplies—important things. I mean, it’s not like I trust your sense of fashion, so someone has to help you pick out somethi."

  Kaede stared at her, unimpressed. "Right. Important things."

  Kirara huffed, crossing her arms tightly and looking away. "Look, I just thought it’d be nice, okay? After all, you just got here, like, you'll have to get clothes eventually. Plus, I could use a sed opinion. On stuff. Or whatever."

  A small smile tugged at Kaede’s lips. "So, you just want pany."

  Kirara’s head snapped back toward her, her cheeks faintly pink. "What? No! I mean—maybe. I don’t need pany, obviously, but, like, if you’re ing along, I won’t stop you. For your sake, of course. Like, someone has to keep you from buying something embarrassing."

  Kaede chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Alright, fine. I’ll go. But you’d better n me into one of those accessory shops that smells like perfume."

  Kirara gririumphantly, leaning back with a satisfied air. "Deal. But don’t bme me if I make you try on something cute. You could use a ge from the whole ‘serious warrior’ thing you’ve got going on."

  Kaede rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile on her face as she turned back t. "Sure, Kirara. Whatever you say."

  Kirara watched her for a moment, her grin softening into something warmer before she stood and stretched. "Alright, it’s a date, then. Don’t chi out tomorrow, okay?"

  Kaede waved a hand dismissively. "I’ll be there."

  Kirara’s ugh echoed through the suite as she headed for her own room. "Oh, you will. But it’ll be worth it."

  Kaede shook her head again, exhaustion finally catg up to her as she sank onto her bed. Despite her fatigue, she found herself looking forward to tomorrow, if only a little.