| [Jul. 25th, 2013|05:37 am] |
That was a good question, too.
“She’s pretty shelf-stable,” Raidou said. “Her chakra’s wild, but she’s got a good lock on it. I know she has issues with small jutsu, but I’d find it tricky to channel a river through the eye of a needle, too. And she does have a failsafe.”
Genma’s eyebrows lifted curiously.
“Seal,” Raidou said, brushing his fingertips just below his navel by way of demonstration. “Yondaime-sama’s work, I think. Supposed to clamp her whole chakra system down if something goes critical. She knows how to activate it. Our last captain did, too, so I figure it’s either in the file, or I need to track down Ozawa-san for a conversation.”
“Do you know if she’s ever had to activate it?”
“Not in front of me,” Raidou said. “Nothing she’s ever told me about, either, which... doesn’t actually mean anything. I’ve only known her a year.”
And for all that he knew Katsuko, and thought he knew her well, there was a lot they hadn’t talked about.
“If it's in her file, or you talk to Ozawa-san, let me know if it's something we need to watch out for,” Genma said. “I’d have to guess she reacts normally to medical jutsu or they wouldn't send her out in the field, but if there's something in there about that, I’d appreciate the head's up, too. Last thing I want to do is accidentally detonate her seal trying to stabilize a sprained knee.” His mouth tilted at an angle somewhere between self-mockery and gallow’s humor. “Or, you know, burn out my own chakra when I connect with hers.”
“I’m against both of those things,” Raidou said, after a pause to consider that little mental portrait of horror.
“We ought to work well together, then.” Genma flipped an omelet onto a plate with a little spatula-flourish, and brought it to the table. “Speaking of which, since you brought it up, what would you like me to do as your lieutenant? Anything besides the things I mentioned already?”
Logistics, maps, and medical care sounded pretty good.
Loyalty, Raidou would have to earn.
“Be a reality check,” he said at last. “I’m not always going to get it right. I need to know when I’m wrong.”
Genma’s head came up, and Raidou didn’t know how to read the expression on his face. Surprised, attentive—pleased?
“Sure,” said Genma. “I can do that. Do you know your usual blind spots?”
“Is this where I’m supposed to tell you my strengths and weaknesses?” Raidou said wryly. He lifted a hand, three fingers raised, and folded them down one by one. “Temper. Stubborn asshole.” He hesitated, but gave up the last one. “Crap at genjutsu. So, it might need to be a literal reality check sometimes.”
Genma blinked. “Don’t recognize them, can’t cast them, or can’t break them?”
“Can recognize them, mostly,” Raidou said, taking a bite of his omelet, which was—distractingly good, actually. Baker’s son could cook. “Can cast them if I have to, but they don’t hold well. Can’t usually break them without pain. Are you making one of these for yourself?” |
|