Shouji Medzou lifted a hand to adjust the rough burlap across his face when he was sure no one was looking, and then smoothed the cloak down his extra limbs. He had heard from a good friend that this blacksmith was trustworthy to mutants, and could keep a secret. That was all Shouji needed. He had the gold to pay, and more to keep him silent if he threatened to reveal what he was to the townsfolk.
Shouji squinted at the little hand carved wooden sign hanging between a bakery and a tailor. The small building looked much too small to hold a blacksmith. The front of the store was no more than six paces across. Perhaps he took orders here and had a back room behind the shops?
Shouji pushed inside, and his eyes widened. The shop must have been enchanted, for it was bigger on the inside then the dimensions on the outside portrayed it to be. Perhaps it was noticeable to most eyes, but Shouji always prided himself on having spectacular eyesight. Perhaps this secret keeping blacksmith had a few secrets of his own.
A man behind the counter was hammering away at a spectacular leaf shaped sword with an intricate handle of what looked like silver and rubies. A few hammers more and the blacksmith seemed to be happy with the results after raising it to eye level, inspecting it from all angles before plunging the sword into a vat of water. Steam filled the room, and at that moment the blacksmith seemed to notice that there was a customer waiting.
"Just a moment, if you please!" He smiled. His spectacles were fogged with steam and his smile was bright. Shouji had a hard time looking at him.
"Not a problem." He replied without thinking.
He watched, hypnotized, as the blacksmith put the now cooled sword back onto the table and started to carve intricate designs into the blade. Swirls and seals. He seemed to use no reference for the designs, but rather freehanded it all. After using two different picks of varying thickness and length, he gently placed the sword in a vat of water and turned to face realized it had been several minutes, and he had seemed to lose track of time as he watched the blacksmith work, and found that he didn't mind at all.
"My apologies for the wait, you caught me in the middle of a project. How may I be of assistance this morning?"
Shouji eyed the man now that he was much closer for inspection. His hands were obscured by thick leather gloves, his face of a man but the smile of a boy. "I heard," he began, tearing his eyes away from his hands. "That you can keep a secret."
The man leaned forward, but did not lower his voice. "I am known for keeping secrets, even without a thick pay. I only require what you pay me for a job."
"May I have your word?"
"You may."
"Then here's my task." Shouji lifted his poncho, revealing his several limbs and watched the man's face grow in confusion and then interest. "I require armor, and I have heard that you are the most skilled and trusted blacksmith among mutants."
"Did Tokoyami refer you here?"
Shouji inhaled a breath at the quickly shifted his poncho downwards (change to cloak) to hide his arms. This man caught on quickly. "Yes."
"Then I believe I have already earned your trust. I will have to take your measurements before giving you a quota. I have a back room if you wish to have a bit more… privacy." The man said, gesturing his head towards the unlocked door.
"That would be most suitable. I may also come back at a later time, if that is more convenient to you." Shouji replied. This man was very observant and obviously well versed in the world of mutants. He knew of the great Tokoyami and somehow knew from the beginning that Shouji already trusted him.
"Now is fine. Mornings are lazy, and there is a bell over the door." There was a heavy clunk of a lock sliding out of place as the man shifted something out of Shouji's sight, and then the cabinet rose up. "If you would follow me."
Shouji followed the man into the back room, his eyes catching on pieces of armor and swords that were pinned to the walls with wooden hooks. Each plate of metal was engraved with intricate designs of vines and flowers and the like, and one particular golden sword seemed to have the emblem of the sun pressed into the hilt.
"I was familiar with your work though the great Tokoyami, but I see you are more of an artisan then I first took you to be." Shouji commented. The man's eyes followed to where Shouji was looking, at the golden sword.
"That one is not mine, I'm afraid. That is my eldest' brothers work. The rest are mine, but I have not quite captured the skill my brother possesses."
"I see. My apologies."
The man pushed open a door to an enclosed room. It had sparse furniture, a set of drawers and a polished plate of metal for a mirror, and a single wooden stool. He gestured to shouji to stand on the stool, and then paused.
"Forgive me, I never caught your name. I am Iida Tenya, second of the Iida brothers. And who are you?"
Shouji was pleasantly surprised that he gave his name first. A very polite man indeed. "Shouji Medzou, eldest of the wood. I think it to be wise if you stand on the stool instead."
The man, Tenya, looked at his height and finally seemed to notice he only came up to shoujis chest. "That is wise," he smiled, his eyes bright with humor.
Shouji shed his cloak and outer garments and hung them on a wooden hook as Tenya fetched a length of knotted rope and tape from the topmost drawer of the set, and turned just as Shouji was shedding his inner garments.
"Ah, there's no need for that, sir!" he exclaimed, and then inhaled steadily. "I can measure you with just the undershirts. It would be easier to fit the armor over- actually, excuse me for one moment."
Tenya left the room, and before shouji had a chance to breathe he returned with several arms of armor. "Try these on, one on each limb. I want to see what range of motion you have in your shoulders before designing misshapen armor that would not allow you to lift your arms over your head."
"As you wish" Shouji pulled the shoulder pads over each arm. Iida Tenya was watching him intently as all six of his hands worked to pull the armor on.
"Amazing." Tenya whispered. The word seemed to slip from Tenya's mouth before he recognized it, and his face went red. "Ah, my apologies. That was very inappropriate of me-"
"It's quite alright, Iida Tenya. I am not offended. I understand that you do not see mutants every day. For I do not see armor and craftsmanship of such high quality every day, and I am amazed as well. We seem to be amazed at each other, if you will." Shouji smiled.
Tenya looked away, seeming to focus on the unused armor. "Normally it would take another man to assist in the donning of armor, and you did it without struggle on your own. Forgive me for being impressed at your strength and flexibility."
"Only if you forgive me for being impressed with your craftsmanship and intracity in your work."
Tenya cleared his throat, his face colored like he was out in the sun a bit too long. "Please, can you demonstrate your range of motion for me? Can you lift your arms above your head?"
Shouji attempted to do so. His top arm was able to reach, but the bottom two got caught on his own skin and prevented full movement. Immediately, Tenya's hands were there and removing a plate with a pair of tools he produced from nowhere, removing the top plate with little trouble and then the other.
"Try it now. It may still catch on your skin, but the final design will be much more attuned to your body."
Shouji once more lifted his arms above his head, this time being able to lift all three. Tenya hummed in acknowledgement.
"May you move your arms in circles?" Shouji did so. The bottom arm got caught on its own plate and snagged his undershirt.
"Hm," Tenya hummed, before producing the knotted rope and wrapping it around Shouji's bicep. "27 units," He muttered to himself before producing charcoal and paper from the set of drawers and writing several numbers down, and a rough sketch of Shouji's slightly modified armor. He looked up right before Shouji could hide his horrified look.
"Do not fret. Once I have the rough design done and memorized I will toss it to the fire and work on it only at night." Shouji relaxed. A man who was already taking a risk by helping the mutants knew how to cover his tracks. It was foolish to conclude anything else.
"You may remove the armor now, and don't worry about making the parts fit back together. I will handle that once we are done."
As soon as they were off Tenya was ordering Shouji in all sorts of poses, measuring each finger and arm to the millimeter and measuring his chest no less than six times in six different places. Surprisingly, Shouji didn't find the process bothersome or dull. He rather liked the man's mutterings and occasional scribblings onto a single piece of parchment. Finally, after more than an hour of measuring and sketching, he produced a full diagram of armor designed for one with six arms, including a breastplate and a helmet.
"Of course, this is the basic design. I can add extra decorative things for only a slightly bigger cost, like wings on the helmet and the like. I am afraid I cannot help myself to engraving the amor so small designs like that are already factored into the cost."
Shouji inspected the design, admiring how professional the sketch was although it was produced with a thick chunk of charcoal. Across the edge, numbers were aligned with each part, presumably Shouji's measurements. "I like it. I am willing to pay extra to tempt your artesian habits as well. What will the final cost be?"
Tenya didn't quite meet his eyes. "Five hundred gold."
Shouji narrowed his eyes. For such an intricate piece, he was charging about as much for a broadsword and sheath. Shouji had brought more than quadruple the pieces in his coin purse.
"That is not the correct price, or you consider yourself a cheapskate or conman. What is the full price?"
"Well, it's five hundred gold. It's a special discount, you see."
If it was possible for Shouji to be more suspicious, he would. "And the circumstances of the discount?"
"Well, if you agree, it just involves.." Tenya trailed off.
"Yes?"
"A kiss, and five hundred gold." Tenya whispered.
Shouji relaxed instantly. A charming man who was talented in his metalwork and silver tongue that spoke truths without so much a shudder.
"I have a better deal for you. I brought quite a few coins here today, and I would hate to drag that weight back to my home when I can leave it here. I pay full price, or at least what I can pay today, and throw in a kiss for free." Shouji grabbed both of Tenya's hands with his own. They were rough, but warm. The hands of a hard worker. Tenya looked up into his eyes, over those handmade spectacles of thin metal and Shouji felt like the whole universe could be reflected in those gorgeous crimson eyes.
"I would consider that deal, if you kiss me now." Tenya all but whispered, as if this was not his own establishment and Shouji was not a guest in his home.
Shouji obliged eagerly. Another pair of hands were placed on either side of Tenya's face and he leaned in, testing the waters before kissing him passionately, but not roughly. Tenya's lips were chapped by the heat of his craft, but were still the softest thing Shouji had the honor of touching. Another pair of arms wrapped themselves around Tenya's waist, holding the man closer as they kissed deeply.