Collaboration

"I am interested to hear what this request is all about.", Senjumaru said to Oetsu as she took a sip from her tea. 

Oetsu had invited Senjumaru over to his place because he wanted to ask her for something. He had Kikimaru prepare some fine tea and a few snacks. 

"Well first I wanted to apologise about my ... smell last time we met. Hehe, I just got out of the forge where I had stayed for a while ...", Oetsu said.

"Yes, three months sir.", Kikimaru stated.

"... yes something like that. And then Ichibe took me to the Tenchuren and I didn't have time to clean myself, so ... Yeah."

"I understand."

"Anyway, the other reason why I asked you to come here is because I wish to collaborate with you.", Oetsu said.

"Collaborate? How so?", Senjumaru asked.

"You see, I am inside my forge for ... long periods of time and I have no time to ... take a shower or clean myself during the process of forging. And it gets very uncomfortable. So I wanted to ask whether you would be interested in collaborating with me, to make clothes."

"Make clothes? Together? I have never needed any help with that yet. What is it that you would do then?", Senjumaru asked.

"Well, you see I was not just thinking about clothes that keep you clean. I was also thinking about a bunch of resistances, such as heat resistance, cold resistance, resistance to tearing and then there are also self-repairing clothes and more."

"Oh? Interesting indeed. And how would we do something like that?", she asked now more interested.

"Well, you see I am not only a blacksmith. I am a crafter in general. So I thought about creating this special thread that has such properties. And then you could sew them together?"

"You can create threads that have special properties like that?", she asked him surprised.

"Yes, quite easily as well. Although I have never tried it before. So I would need some time ... a few days maximum to make them. And then you could sew them and we test them out together. What do you say?", Oetsu asked her.

Senjumaru thought about it for a moment. This seemed like a bit farfetched in her opinion. But Oetsu was a member of the Royal Guard. So he should have the capability to do something like that. 

"Alright, let us try it. When would you have the thread ready?", she asked. 

"Well I'll try to make the fire resistance thread today and then I'll come to you ... tomorrow?"

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow then.", Senjumaru said and then left Oetsu's place.

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"Very smooth sir.", Kikimaru said when they were alone. 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what you think I mean sir."

"Aha, ever the perceptive butler I see. Well, what do you expect, after centuries of working in my forge and the lab, I am interested in conversing with a person that has a higher voice than you and me."

"I understand sir. And if you allow me to say that, I believe Lady Shutara is a very elegant woman and a good choice."

"Thank you Kikimaru. I agree she is quite the character. But that are all the members of the Zero Division."

"Would you like a bath, sir?"

"What do you mean? I have to create the thread now."

"We both know that you have already created this, sir. I believe you asked Tsumo this morning if I'm not mistaken."

"Haha, you got me. I want to create the others as well though. I never thought about tear-resistant clothes. Maybe I can fuse the properties into one. Like temperature resistance. 

That would actually be a good idea. I guess I can try that. I am very interested to see what Senjumaru can create though. She should be a master seamstress and very skilled with what she does."

"As you wish sir. I shall tell the five to come to the forge?", Kikimaru asked.

"No that won't be necessary. I'll be in the lab for this project."

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(Tsumo Tsuchimiya POV)

I was waiting for his master in the lab. I had gotten the message from Kikimaru that their master wanted to create something to impress a 'lady'. 

I didn't know the boss was interested in anything other than his crafting and those dangerous potions. 

I keep track of all the things he has created and the plans he has yet to complete and I must say that he truly is a Mad Scientist. The things he can do and create are ... beyond comprehension. 

I myself am such an example. Master gave us these powers and properties before he created us. So he could choose what abilities his creations had. 

Another such example is that strange wheel he keeps in a very secure casing. The boss called it the Eight-Handles Wheel... He is not the best at naming things. 

But the power I could feel when I was close to the wheel was overwhelming. Oetsu-sama says that it has the special property of ... adaptation. 

Master is very interested in adaptation. He has spent a lot of time researching and creating different things with adaptation or evolution properties. I can't wait what he has planned with all of those. 

Because he creates them and then seals them for later. It seems like he is creating different pieces that will then be combined into one? I don't understand it fully but that was not my job anyway. 

The door to the lab opens and the boss walks in. He seems to be in thought again. That's his usual state of being. It got a bit better since he created us and Kikimaru, but Kikumaru told us that it used to be very bad. 

Oetsu was like a social outcast and an extreme case of introvert.

"Kikimaru told me that you are going to create something to impress a lady? Is it the new Squad Zero member?", I ask him to bring him out of his thoughts.

"Hehe, yes. But it is truly fortunate that she's here now. We can create good clothes that you guys can wear as well. Then we wouldn't have the same problems anymore. Maybe we can also create something to coat the forge with. 

That would allow Nomu a bit more breathing room during the forging sessions."

"I see, a good idea indeed."

"Please get me all that we have on special threads and clothing. I wish to see them next to each other and then decide where to go from there. I know that I have heat-resistant threads already, but the clothes were ... subpar at best."

"Sure. I'll be right back.", I say and then leave to get the things he wants.

The boss's mind is a marvellous thing. He never forgets a thing and is a genius beyond compare. He comes up with ground-breaking things during dinner or while taking a bath. It is very satisfying to watch him work.

He never does something that doesn't interest him though and that is why there are a lot of things in the storage. All the things he started and then lost interest in. 

There was this power source that he called the Arc Reactor, which produces infinite energy. Just like that. He created it and then left it in storage because he didn't see a use for it for now. 

He said that some defensive system could be powered by it in the future. 

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I reach the correct area and take all the things that Oetsu could want. He is right the idea of creating such special clothes was a good idea. 

After I got everything, I went back to the lab. 

"Here is everything you asked for."

"Thanks, Tsumo. All right let's see now.", he says and takes some of the threads in his hands and checks them. 

His skill grows constantly. So it makes sense for him to check his products after a while because he can make them better. 

"I see. Well, that is not bad, but we can make some improvements to this. Normally I might create a machine to sew these things, but now we have someone that is much better than any machine-... well maybe not any machine ... Should I give this a try?"

"You wish to create a machine only to see whether it would be faster than what the new member of the Zero Division can do?"

"Yeah you're right, that wouldn't help anyone. And it doesn't interest me that much anyway. Ok, then let us see what we can do."

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(Senjumaru POV)

Oetsu Nimaiya. What an interesting man you are. At first, I thought you were an eccentric and self-centred man. And that is true to some degree. That is why I was so surprised to get invited by you for some tea ... which was delicious. 

But the proposition he made was ... interesting to say the least. I thought it was him trying to get closer to me at first, but when he came to my island this morning and showed me the thread he made... well it is a marvellous creation.

"This is incredible. You made this in one day?", I ask him.

"Well ... yes.", he says.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You created the Blood Oath's Seal in a few days as well.", I just remember. I think I have not truly understood how skilled he is. 

"Shall we test it?", he asks. I can see that he is interested to see what I can do with the thread. Then I shall surprise him. 

"We shall.", I say and walk to the area where I work.

He doesn't follow me though and I look back at him surprised and confused. 

"Are you not coming?", I ask.

"Can I? This is your working area. That's something very intimate for a creator like us no?", he tells me.

I see. So he didn't want to be rude and thought to wait here for me to finish. 

"Would you rather wish to stay here? It's not going to take very long but I have no problem with showing you where I do my work.", I tell him.

"Oh? Then yes, please. I would love to see you work.", he says and smiles. I can see his enthusiasm for this. He truly is a creator through and through. 

We reach my working room. There are thousands of different clothes hanging and lying around. I like to have all the things in front of me to get inspiration. 

I take the thread and sit down on my comfortable chair. It is important to be comfortable for me. I couldn't do any of my work otherwise. It is too tedious.

I begin the process and show off some of my speed. I designed a simple Shinigami Shihakushō to start off. The colour of the thread is read though, so that is a bit of a problem. 

I use two of my 'hands' to get the correct colours and ingredients to colour the thread black while I sew the Shihakushō.

I can see the surprise in the eyes of Nimaiya. He likes what he sees. That's good. I have to establish my place in the Zero Division. But I can see that won't be a problem with Oetsu as the Vice-Captain.

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It doesn't take me long and after a few minutes, I have a new Shihakushō in my hands. It looks like any other Shihakushō but I know better. I can see everything about the things I create. All the intricate thread patterns and the special properties of the cloth. 

"Amazing.", I hear Oetsu say. 

"Hehe. Why thank you. So what do you want to do now?", I ask him. 

"Well, a creation of this level deserves a special test as well. How about you create a few more Shihakushō with the other threads I brought and then we go to my testing grounds and see how it works?", he proposes.

Normally I would have no interest in leaving my place, but now that he asked that ... I am interested to see his working area as well.

"A good idea. Let's do that."