February 27. Fourteen and a half years old. Saishuu Riku.

‘Welcome to the Smelting Pot,’ said Kei, pushing the store’s door open. ‘If Mum asks, tell her I told you it's the best armoury in Heikisato.’

He marched in before I could answer.

‘Sure.’ I said anyway and lagged behind him, studying the shop. While the students’ armoury was large enough to have everything I’d needed, this one made my jaw drop. Aisles upon aisles of stacked weapons and armour stretched out in a maze so far in front of me that I could barely see the walls at the end. Several display cases lined the walls to my left, showcasing intricate ceremonial swords and knives. The price tags on some of them made me gulp. I could buy a house with that money.

A dark-haired woman sat behind the cashier desk, smiling at us. Something about her narrow face and eyes were just like Kei’s. ‘Have you brought a friend, Kei? And here I thought you’re stuck with just Cho.’

‘A squad member, Mum.’ Kei rolled his eyes. ‘So’s Cho for that matter.’

She laughed. ‘Whatever you say. You sure don’t mind sharing your interest in weapons with them.’

He huffed and strode further in. I gave her a smile and ran after him before I got lost in the labyrinth of metal and leather. We passed shelves of chakrams, sabers and nunchucks before arriving at one stacked with bo staves. They were lined up by size, but even the shortest towered over me. Some were only decorated with swirls of wood. Others were lined with gems.

‘Are you sure?’ I asked, scrunching my face. The few times I’d used one in general training, they were hefty and difficult to swing.

‘No.’ He twirled one around, careful not to hit the shelves behind. ‘But I want to get a better feel of your aptitude.’ He handed me the staff.

Before I could do anything with it, he marched off again toward the far end of the aisle. A door came into sight. Kei pushed it open without missing a beat and ushered me in.

The room inside was spacious and bare, with nothing but a large mirror along one wall.

‘Well, what are you waiting for?’ He asked, an eyebrow notched.

I spun it around, my muscles remembering the motions that were drilled in three years ago. Unlike the one we had in training, this one was full-sized and weighed several times more. My wrists hurt just a few seconds in. As the kata neared its end, I stumbled. Even though I’d grown since then, I’d yet to hit the growth spurt required to match the length of the stick.

Kei stroked his chin, scrutinizing the staff. ‘I think I’ve got it. Just stay here till I come back.’

He took the staff and sped out. Before I’d stopped panting, he was back, holding two short staves. The polished black wood almost blended in with Kei’s dark blue outfit. A short handle jutted out of each staff at one end. No, not staves, tonfa.

I swirled them around, getting used to their weight. Their length made it easier to strike with, and the handle allowed me to twist them around in ways I couldn’t do with the bo staff. Though perhaps it had too much freedom of movement. As a non-standard weapon, I’d never trained with them before. At a particularly strong thrust, one flew away and crashed beside Kei.

‘Sorry!’ I braced myself for the usual jab. But all Kei did was grin, with a maniacal glint in his eye I’d never thought I’d see on him.

Without a word, he snatched the tonfa from me and picked up the one on the floor before rushing out. This time, he returned even faster than before. And this time, he did hold two short staves. Their ends were notched, but otherwise the dark wood was plain.

Twirling one around, I did the simple kata I’d learnt for bo staves with my right hand. Then my left. Striking faster and faster, I tried both at once. They cut through the air, like a sword, but more balanced, like a bo staff, but lighter. I got into a rhythm, stumbling here and there, but not enough to trip over myself.

The sound of clapping echoed in the room.

‘Bingo,’ said Kei, giving me a smile.

Wiping sweat off my forehead, I grinned back. What had come over him since that day in Kabuba, I didn’t know, but I sure was thankful for it.

We traipsed back to the cashier through the winding aisles. On the way, I checked the price tag on the end of the staves. Two hundred and seventy hin. More expensive than anything from the students’ armoury, though their quality usually had much to be desired for. While a month ago, this would’ve blown a crater into my budget, now my payment from the quests could cover it comfortably.

‘My mum should know swordsmen using these,’ Kei said as we passed by rows of chakrams. ‘I'll ask around to see if they'd offer lessons. We can spar as well, to improve your close combat skills.’

‘Thanks,’ I said, frowning. Something was still so odd. After all those snide comments, all that snapping, here he was smiling at me, helping me. Was it a brain-eating fungus? ‘Why… Uh, why are you helping me so much?’

He sighed, glaring at the ceiling.

I backtracked. ‘I mean, I appreciate it, bu--’

‘Cho gave me a talking to, and I realized I wasn't entirely fair to you.’ Now gazing at the gauntlets on a nearby shelf, he massaged his eyebrows. ‘It's not your fault you didn't get any special training.’

I hummed, not knowing what to say. All I knew was I owed Cho. We walked further in, almost reaching the end of the aisles.

Just before we turned the corner to be in view of his mum, he swirled back to me with a grin, eyes bright with the same glint from before. ‘Besides, I hated seeing your skills wasted on an unsuitable weapon.’

‘I’m flattered,’ I said, grinning back.