[OPEN] Enkouten Family Food Sampling

[thunderwolf]

It was early morning, the sun barely had risen and the young Enkouten boy was already at the forge. A symphony of metals clanking together caused by a hand covered in ashes and soot pushing swinging with all his strength his trusty hammer all while his grandfather watched in approval

"A few more times my boy, that should do it," he said in a hoarse voice, the strain of time could be felt in his words as the old man was hunched over on a stool.

His mother and father were less appreciative of his dedication to his craft, and the family was hosting a major event within their clan today. His mother and father were launching her food business today at a private event where all their clansmen and allies could sample some of her traditional Enkouten cuisines.

His parent's window slammed open with the forceful hand of his father, before leaning out and spotting the cause of this noise.

"Hotaru!" he said in an angry tone, "You know today is a busy day! Get ready for the launch now!", his voice sounding authoritative as he finished his sentence.

Hotaru sighed deeply as he watched his metal cool down rapidly before him, knowing well it had reached a temperature too cold to continue working. He took off his apron and threw down his tools on the table in frustration "So close, I felt it" he said low to his grandfather. He looks up to his father with a look of disdain as most teenagers give their parents from time to time.

"Must you encourage this kind of behavior at the crack of dawn father, and of all days" Hotaru's father said to his grandfather.

"Someone has to carry on our family tradition," he said with a playful laugh, winking at Hotaru as the young boy made his way to a small bucket of water to wash his hands and face quickly.

He made his way inside as his grandfather cleaned up the forge area next to their home. His mother was already inside the kitchen, the aroma of delicious food filled their home as she scrambled around like a chicken without a head.

"Coming through" she would say as she blew past Hotaru out the door carrying hot platters of food into their wagon to transport it to the Enkouten compound.
Just as quickly as she ran past him she returned again at full speed.

"Get ready to go and grab a tray or we will be late!" she said in a frantic tone to Hotaru, he simply smiled and nodded at his mother and was excited to see her passion getting a chance to shine today.

After a bit more running around and getting prepared the family was at the compound and ready to present their food in the courtyard. Those who enter would see a decorated courtyard, flowers, and streamers all throughout in a magnificent display with Hotaru's family standing behind a table all in red attire with a smile on their face, eager to serve those who wished to enter.

The young boy was near the entrance of the courtyard, his job was to greet those as they entered and thank them for visiting this humble sampling. So he stood there in his best red robe, belt tightly wound around his waist and... slightly sooted fingers he couldn't really wash out in time. With his hands behind his back awaiting who may show up on this day.



[ooc: Anyone feel free to join, want to introduce the character to all in an IC setting, open to all]

[Kanade]

Kanade walked through the streets of Iwagakure toward the compound. She had brought with her a fancy dress of purple with gold filigree which hung about her in intricate lace layers. She was going to go and test some food, and so she got all dolled up and decided that if she wasn't going to be taken to the event by anyone, then she would just have to take herself on a date and see if she could make a good impression on the people gathered there. She had heard rumors about the boy, Hotaru, and how he would be taking up the smithing hammer rather than the spatula like his parents. His grandfather was actually one of the smiths that she was going to be recommending to the kiri lad that had taken up apprenticeship with her only days before.

She had thought about inviting him, but had decided that she didn't want to intrude upon his precious time, nor his concentration as he was working with her for something like this. She did, however, make her own fliers and put them up at her restaurant to encourage the other people around Iwagakure to sample some official Enkouten cuisine, which she would be participating in tasting as well. Kanade strode on, letting her nose, and her iridescent small white butterflies, guide her through the streets that were becoming more and more clogged until she came to a line that ended at the beginning of the compound with a boy dressed in red, greeting and thanking guests ahead of her. She sent a small troupe of butterflies ahead to scout out for a table and see where the best vantage point for listening to the hot gossip on the Enkouten affairs was, and which was relatively close to the food.

The event had said that all Enkouten and allies were able to attend, which since she still had yet to earn her brand band, meant that she was in the latter part, even though the majority of the people that were gathered and already sitting with full plates or standing in line looked similar to her. She averted her gaze downward as the person in front of her started to greet her, recognized who she was and, finding himself rather unsympathetic to her trial only two months before, spat at the ground in front of her before turning back around. For good measure, he took the small child that was standing beside him, a beautiful girl of about four and put her in front of him, placing protective palms on her shoulders before sneering at Kanade and keeping his own council.

The girl looked perplexed at his behaviour, but he greeted the young boy and was thanked like everyone else and went off to get food.

Now was the time to see if she would be turned away, or if Hotaru had even heard of Kanade or her trial before. She approached with a bright white smile, teeth flashing behind her orange lipstick and fiery orange eyes glittering behind eyelids that were brushed with the same orange, "I heard that this was open to all Enkouten and allies of the clan. I am Kanade an ally of the Enkouten." She looked behind her at another glaring woman who nodded to the boy as if to punctuate what Kanade herself had said an ally not a part of the clan, "I also hear you're Hotaru? The small smith, ready to take over the hammer and anvil of your grandfather?" She raised an eyebrow and the smile turned to a knowing smirk as she showed him her own smiths' callouses. "I love food and crafting, I would love to meet your family and try your food, and meet your grandfather and you and perhaps learn from your family both the way of the spatula and the way of the hammer?" She waited for him to respond, and whether she was turned away now, or accepted would set the pace for the rest of the day, after all, she had closed down shop and turned her customers here, hoping to drum up business for clan-members, who she hoped would accept her in one month's time.

[wc:717/???? NANOWRIMO]

[thunderwolf]

Hotaru stood near the entrance of the courtyard, watching as a line began to form, and guests started to arrive. Each person wearing what seemed to be their nicest outfit and it couldn't help but bring a smile to his face as they all showed up for his mother. He welcomed each one with a warm smile and a polite bow, thanking them for honoring his family with their visit.

After a few individuals passed he noticed a man in front of a woman, who was dressed elegantly in a beautiful gold and purple dress, was scoffed and spat at. Hotaru maintained face was visibly upset by this but he quickly regained his composure and greeted the man with a friendly demeanor. He even gave him a pat on the back, secretly wiping a bit of soot from his fingers onto the man's outfit without him noticing.

The girl spoke first and without hesitation, The boy simply smiled at the young woman and noticed the extensive makeup and care she had put into her face and outfit, she asked if she was welcome and the young boy replied happily.

"Of course, all allies of our clan are welcome here." He said with a kind smile and bow.

She gave her name and the boy then replied to her "It's a pleasure to meet you Kanade, you honor us with your presence. Some people forget their manners when welcoming others" looking over the woman behind Kanade as if this statement was a reference to her lack of respect for their guests.

Hotaru hated those who lacked basic manners with others, no matter the situation he was taught to treat others with respect above all else.

The gave an unpleasant look over to the man with the now stained back, who was now attempting to wipe it off, it made the boy laugh some as it was rightfully deserved.

Hotaru's eyes sparkled with genuine appreciation, the woman spoke as she had heard of him and this filled him with joy, his work was finally paying off and his apprenticeship was finally being recognized. She knew of this apprenticeship which meant it was finally being spread among the village, another step on his journey to be a master craftsman.

She asked if he was ready to take over and he replied;

"I was born to craft things, my grandfather says," he said in a passionate tone "We work hard every so that one day we can perfect our techniques" He was genuinely excited this woman had so many kind words to say about his family and himself. "

His eyes grew quite large as she spoke of her own crafting abilities and showing her calloused hands, he was delighted to have found another who shared the smithing passion, recognizing the effort she had put in overtime to earn those marks.

"Ah the true mark of a craftsman," he said as he extended his own hands to show his heavily calloused hands as well.

She asked to meet the rest of the family to which he simply bowed and extended his arms out to his right as if gesturing her to come inside. "Please eat and enjoy, my mother worked very hard and she would love for you to enjoy her classic recipes," he said with a kind smile before going back to his post. As she passed he spoke out to her, "If you ever want to visit our forge feel free to drop by whenever, I could talk about this all day"

Several feet behind him was his grandfather sitting on a stool with a cane in hand to keep his balance, he couldn't help but laugh at the boy who was usually quiet. He knew the woman had to be talking about blacksmithing as it was the only thing the boy could talk about. The old man would give a simple nod to the woman as she entered, acknowledging her, anyone his grandson acknowledged was well enough to be welcomed into their event.

His father and mother stood behind a table serving plates of food with delicately made obsidian and metal silverware. Traditional Enkouton tools that the boy and his grandfather had crafted together. All different types of meats and sides were ready to be eaten should any guests choose to enjoy them.

[Kanade]

As the young boy started to talk she breathed a sigh of relief and released the tensions that had been building since she had left her house to come to this place. Kanade watched as he was mischievous and thought about saying something to the man ahead of her or the woman behind her in apology, after all she was still on a probation period with the clan, but the youth wouldn't let her so she just smiled and nodded her head, "I see that you have been working with metal for a long time." She was impressed by his own callouses and grinned, "Thank you very much for inviting me in to share in your food. Look me up if you ever want to as well." She flicked her hand and produced a calling card seemingly out of thin air that would lead the youth to her smithy should he ever want to come visit her. "My restaurant probably isn't as good as your family's cooking, but I'll buy your first meal if you come." She wanted the networking, and the social interaction with the Enkouten clan members, no matter how young they were.

Kanade would have to impress them with more than smithing and cooking, as it seemed like everyone in the clan was at least adept if not masterful with it. She moved through the line and nodded to the grandfather, who she had heard about through the grapevine when she was getting her own smithing supplies. She had apparently acquired his hand me down anvil to open her shop, and putting the name to the face was more than she could have hoped for. She came up to the family and ordered one of everything, paying handsomely for one of everything she sat down at the table and took inventory of it, but not before inspecting the cutlery and glassware that she was eating with and on. It was such a novel idea, and relatively inexpensive as well, if his family had anything to do with chakra or the formation of obsidian from the Enkouten's release.

She still had a lot to learn about Youton too, but Kanade couldn't very well learn it without accessing the clan's scrolls. Those, she had to admit, wouldn't be a good thing to ask for while she was still on probation, no matter the circumstances. The whole of the village could be burning and it still wouldn't be a good idea to ask for the clan's secrets. No, it was better to lay low and eat this delicious food, and dream up new crafting techniques, recipes, and sit eavesdropping on the conversations around her.

At first they were rather unwelcome, as most of them revolved around her, and how they wish that the elders had put her to death. Soon, however, they turned to other things, the daily griping, gossip, and all around hubbub of just living life. It was comforting, then, after a good ten or so minutes, to be surrounded by the clan she so desperately wanted to be accepted by, even if she was apart from them just being around them gave her a sense of being home. She blamed that, partially, on Thabisa's remnants. Sometimes they would come out in a new tick that Chiaki hadn't had, or a taste that she didn't know she had for a food she couldn't really describe. Still, it was relaxing to be around the people that she wanted to be a part of, even if she was ostracized for now.

[wc: 600/??? NANOWRIMO]

[Kabu]

It hadn't been long since Kaede had woken from her coma, even less time since she had been released from the hospital and she had been eager to get back into hardcore training to make up for the years she had lost. Her parents, being justifiably concerned, urged her to take it easy and take some time to socialize and get reacquainted with the village. Luckily there was a perfect opportunity for her to mingle with fellow Enkouten as a start, the entire clan having been invited to a gathering of sorts. She had been convinced to go as a way of socializing in a limited environment so as not to get overwhelmed.

Frankly, even knowing that much, as she approached her destination there was some part of her that just wanted to go home. With a deep breath she steeled her nerves and walked into the courtyard, looking around as she did. She found to some delight and some disappointment that not many people were around. There was an aging couple standing behind a table and a younger boy talking to a woman, none of whom she recognized on sight.

So she was here but... now what? Despite having fought off her nerves a moment ago she found herself fidgeting in place, unsure of how to proceed. Did she just go up and say hi? Did she wait for someone to approach her? She desperately found herself wishing that her parents had come with her but they had insisted it was important that she handle this on her own.

Making up her mind after a moment of hesitation she approached the boy and woman. "I'm sorry if I'm late. I had... some personal issues to resolve. I am Enkouten Kaede and it's nice to meet the both of you!" she introduced herself with a bow, blushing profusely as she realized that she was rambling in her nervousness. Hopefully they wouldn't think she was weird or anything...

[thunderwolf]

Hotaru kept his warm smile on his face as he welcomed the event's newcomers. He greeted each of them politely, making them feel at ease with his friendly demeanor. He was finishing up a greeting with one of his mother's relatives when a young girl approached.

"I'm sorry if I'm late. I had... some personal issues to resolve. I am Enkouten Kaede and it's nice to meet the both of you!" She said it to him in a soft, nervous tone.

He simply smiled and bowed to her. "No need to apologize; thank you for honoring us with your visit, Kaede, I'm Hotaru, also of the Enjouton Clan, and it's a pleasure to meet you."

She was nervous and blushing, but he appreciated that she would come and join the event to interact with the clan. "Please enjoy our food and make yourself at home." We're delighted to have you here."

This would be the end of Hotarus's time near the entrance as a greeter, as his mother and father were preparing to give a short speech to their guests. He moved off behind the scenes to grab a plate of food for himself and his grandfather, taking a seat next to the elder, whom he had spent much time with.

He clasped his hands in prayer and thanks for what he was about to eat, and with a deep sigh of relief, he dug into the food. A warm smile would be seen on his face, and every once in a while he would look off in the direction of his home, daydreaming of the forge as he usually does.


"Thank you everyone, fellow Enkouten, and dear friends.

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for being here today for this special occasion. It's a joy to see our clan members and allies come together to share this moment of solidarity, fellowship, and joy.

I consider myself fortunate to be a part of a clan with such deeply rooted ways and a thriving community. Our shared history, love of our unique culinary delights, and the indomitable spirit that runs through every Enkouten heart have always been our pillars of strength.

I have to thank all of the talented people who have given their time and effort to make this event possible. My beloved husband, who has dedicated his life to supporting this dream, and my son, Hotaru, who greets you today with a smile while he daydreams of being somewhere else " A couple of people in the crowd chuckled at her joke.

"These are recipes that have been passed down through generations. Every bite carries the flavors of our traditions as well as the spirit of our people. I encourage you to savor these delicious foods because they represent our shared history and the journey we have made here.

So please, my dear guests, continue to savor the food, strike up a conversation, and seize this chance to meet new people and fortify the ties that bind us. I hope this gathering, in the spirit of unity, serves as a reminder of the significance of our clan and our allies.


Thank you again for joining us, and hopefully very soon this food will be available in a restaurant right here in our town." she said with a smile, proud of the work she had put in as she put forward.

Hotaru went over to his mother and gave her a warm hug. "Proud of you Mom"he said softly, so only she heard, and with a smile as he embraced her. A single tear would form in her eye before she would shoo him off in a playful manner. "Go talk to our guests, and take them this tray of food" she would tell him as she wiped the tear away and handed him the plate. Hotaru obliged and carried on mingling at the party, making his way over to where Kanade and Kaede were near each other and offering people in the surrounding area some of the food he had to offer.

[Kanade]

Kanade nodded along with Hotaru's mother who gave the speech. She wished that it were true for all off the guests, but maybe that was too much to ask for since she had, technically, not been born of the clan nor would she ever be able to claim such. There were more people mingling after the whole conversation, but she couldn't see anyone coming over to her table, so she managed another bite, and to look at her plate and tried to feel thankful that there was at least enough hospitality that she was shown to have received a plate and not be turned away at the event. She felt small, surrounded by the Enkouten and their allies, some people would walk toward her table, glance at who she was and then turn around and strike up conversations with others. She heard whispers, snippets here and there.

"Kanade, yes the body snatcher, she will never be a part of-"
"Does she really think that she can get away with-"
"I heard that she's volunteering at the hospital to try to win us over- no, no it's true!"
"And did you hear what she did to poor Thabisa?"
"It's abominable, she should have been put to death so that Thabisa could be put to rest-"
"-Looks just like her, but that's not her, don't talk to it. It's unnatural."
"No, no sweetheart, no, that's not Thabisa, come away from the monster, honey."
"-killed her and took her body-"
"Body snatcher."
"Yokai, I swear she's a yokai, and the sooner we kill it, the sooner she can rest."

Kanade put her hands over her ears and shook her head, not noticing Hotaru coming toward her with food until he was almost on top of her. She looked down at her plate and gulped, she had hardly eaten much since she sat down. The call to attention on mingling with one another had brought out people's attention to their own tight-knit group, and had also brought out the gossip that came with the gatherings. She remembered her shrine had some rumor mills like that. There were people who weren't outright banned from the shrine, but because of the rumors spread by the people that came to the Kyoukan shrine, circulated in perpetuity because the shrine maidens, priests, and priestesses were bored, the people that those rumors were about felt unwelcome. That was in a shrine, where people were meant to be accepted and treated fairly, this was a clan, where she supposed that the rules on treating others fairly and with compassion was about as indoctrinated as if you were to take a handful of regular people from the street and put them together.

Chiaki had never been the target of the rumor mill before she came to Iwagakure, and now Kanade could not keep herself out of it, it seemed. Only when Hotaru approached her did she finally recognize him and made a signal for him to come near. "Hey there Hotaru-kun." She said with a bright smile that didn't make it to her eyes, which were full of panic and regret, "Do you mind if I take some of this home with me? I want to savor the flavors and I think I ordered too much." It was a lie, but she didn't want to trouble the youth, seeing as he stood up for her before. She was better off at the smithy, working away at the bellows and hammering the metal. The work and the rhythmic ringing of steel on steel would help her calm down and would drown out the echoes of the voices around her.

[Kabu]

While she was at first beyond nervous, over time Kaede gradually found herself relaxing as people came to talk to her, friends of her parents whom had been aware of her situation. There were of course those who viewed her with scrutiny as she had essentially disappeared for three years but most people were overall pleasant and welcoming.

However while that was the case for herself, she heard a bunch of nasty gossip aimed towards Kanade. She couldn't help but tilt her head in confusion as she stared at the woman. As she had only recently gotten out of the hospital and otherwise been focused on reintegrating into her home life she was entirely unaware of the circumstances. She hadn't even heard any of the rumors and so was greatly confused and even a tad concerned. She was well aware enough that something was clearly going on but surely there was no need to be so cruel.

With that thought in mind she approached the table where Kanade was sitting, took a seat and was about to open her mouth to speak when Hotaru approached with food in hand, her stomach grumbling at the delicious sight and smells. "It all looks so good." she spoke, smiling from ear to ear as she grabbed a few morsels. "Ohhh and it tastes just as good as it looks. Or maybe I'm just happy to finally be away from hospital food." she practically squealed in delight as she took a few bites, not even realizing what she had said in her sheer joy.

She did however finally remember her original purpose for sitting down where she had and so turned to Kanade once she had swallowed. "I'm Enkouten Kaede, 17 years old and Genin rank. It's a pleasure to meet you."

[thunderwolf]

Hotaru smiled as he recognized Kanade, and she signaled him to come closer. She greeted him with a bright smile, but something was quite off. Though he lacked much practice in socializing with the other clan members, the queues were all there, and she was showing a different motion than she felt. Regardless, he returned her smile warmly; after all, anyone who loves the smith is an ally in his mind.

There was a comforting familiarity to it—the shared experience of one's hard work and others who could relate. Kanade's request to take some of the food home was greeted with a nod and smile "Of course, please help yourself to as much as you want; go home well-fed. Do you have some other family you want to take some to?"

He could tell by the whispers and onlookers that there was more to Kanade than he initially could tell, but he was not one for gossip. He very much valued one's actions and what they are currently doing more than what had happened beforehand. After all, life is about growth, or so that was the lesson he tried to live by.

"Sometimes, you needed to savor the flavors and textures of your work away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life." then leaning in a bit towards her "And away from old maids who love to tell crazy stories, if anyone bothers you, just let me or grandfather know. Us smiths need to stick together." He chuckled while saying so. He wasn't sure if his grandfather would share the sentiment, but he wanted her to feel as if she was with allies, at least while here.

His eyes swept across the table, noting Kaede's demeanor and her sincere excitement for the tasty spread. Hotaru smiled at her contagious happiness, as she appeared truly pleased with everything before her. Her broad smile and twinkling eyes were a good indicator; she seemed very different than his other new acquaintance, and she wore it all on her sleeve, which Hotaru found to be such a pleasant trait.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. If mom can't beat hospital food, I think we would be in trouble." he said, chuckling along. He noted that Kaede had a way of bringing even more coziness to the atmosphere with her youthful enthusiasm. He wanted to follow up and ask about her condition that led her there, but he thought it might come off as a bit rude to dive into personal matters like that. "We're all family here, so if you ever want some more, just come by."

After that, Kaede turned to face Kanade, spoke to her directly, and shared some information with her about her age and rank. The words were spoken with a mix of curiosity and politeness, just like Hotaru had been taught while growing up.

In the back of his mind, he also considered the ongoing rumors about Kanade and whether or not he should address them to her; this woman had been nothing but kind to him and his family, so he decided to put it on the back burner. He was happy to share some tasty food and make new friends within the Enkouten clan for the time being.

[Kanade]

Kanade didn’t even notice Kaede walk up, she had been lost in her own feelings of rejection, ostracizing, and other lonely emotions. She visibly jumped as Kaede took a seat near her, and blinked twice. Kanade smiled to Hotaru, a more genuine one to return his own smile, then opened her mouth and looked around to see if Cherisa and Tandala had made it. She thought for a moment about whether the couple would want some of the food and then nodded, “I have a couple that I know would enjoy some food as well, thank you very much!” She wondered if the two kiddos would be ostracizing themselves by talking to her, and if it would have been a better idea after all to have not come at all so that she could have kept them from making a mistake with engaging with a pariah.

“Thank you Hotaru-kun. It’s a pleasure to meet you Kaede-chan.” She bowed her head a little in greeting, “I’m Kanade.” She left out the Enkouten, as she had not earned the privilege of being called an Enkouten as of now. She had no lava techniques either, so she could only claim that she looked like them, and that she had inherited, or stolen depending on who you asked, the primordial body of one of their clan members. She also didn’t see the family that had shown up, Thabisa’s parents, so that was a blessing in itself.

“I am a Jounin,” She opened her mouth to say how old she was and then had to think about it for a bit, “I suppose I am 21.” she chuckled, “Hadn’t thought about it for a while, apologies.” Thabisa had been 21 when she had died, leaving Kanade to take over her body and her role in the village, even if that meant fighting tooth and nail for the right to begin that journey. “I work at the hospital and in my smithy and restaurant.” She dipped her head to the both of them once again, “I’ll be in your care, I’m sure.” This was in response not only to the ‘us smiths have to stick together’ but also to the general friendliness of the two that had come over to break bread with her, rather than trying to break her with words. She could possibly grow to trust the both of them, having come to make her acquaintance despite the rumors.

Or they were both incredibly deaf.

She decided that it was probably the former and not the latter as she took another morself and popped it into her mouth, looking between the two of them, “I don’t think that I ever took care of you Kaede, were you ever in the intensive care ward?” It was a question about the hospital food. She hadn’t seen Kaede on the staff either, so she assumed that the girl had been a patient there. Swallowing the bite she smiled, “I would love to trade recipes with your mother, if that can be arranged, I absolutely love this dish.” She pointed to a bite-sized pastry of some sort, “What’s it called?” Best to keep the conversation off of the body-snatching subject. After all, it wasn’t exactly the most pleasant conversation, and while Kanade thought of herself as having to do what she had to do in order to save the people she had saved. She had turned it over in her head, and couldn’t come up with a different solution, but that didn’t keep her from condemning herself like she had with others that had killed.

She was finally, in all senses of the word, a shinobi. She had never killed anyone up to that point, specializing in subdual, and capture, and had gotten by on that, but Kanade had needed to break out of that cocoon, and she was eager to spread her wings.

She noticed that her butterflies had taken to some of the syrup on her plate, swarming over it for want of the cheap nutrients, “Sorry if this is rude of me to ask, but do you have more of this syrup? It seems like my little lovelies are in need of nutrition as well.” She opened her bag, moving some of her hand-made kunai out of the way, and took out payment for it, “I wouldn’t mind buying a jar of it if you have it, and then they won’t bother anyone for a while. Quite ravenous little ones.” She gave them a severe look, and if insects could look chastened they did, at least for a split second before going berserk again on the syrup on her plate. At least they weren’t bothering the other guests trying to get at the syrup on their plates, though one of them was playing with a small 2 or 3 year old, flitting about and landing on the child’s face in a playful manner while the child tried to grab the quick and elusive thing.

[wc:829/???? NANOWRIMO]

[Kabu]

Kaede smiled at the pair as they spoke to her, the girl finding herself incredibly comfortable with the first extended interaction she had had in some time. She tilted her head in thought as Kanade seemed to have picked up on her unintentional insinuation... "Oh yeah, I..." she began in an attempt to explain her situation, only to pause as she wondered how much to say. "I was on a mission and got into an accident. I'm told I was wounded really badly and needed to spend quite some time in intensive care. I only recently got out even." she continued, leaving out the specifics of just how exactly she had spent her time in the hospital.

It was at that moment she noticed the butterflies that had gathered on Kanade's plate, the young girl tilting her head at the sight. "They're very pretty." she quietly spoke, slowly reaching out her fingers towards the swarm to see what would happen.

[Izanagi]

Every instinct screamed at him to turn back. He was not welcome here. He didn’t belong. He would be found out. Pale blue eyes lingered on his reflection in a window of the building. The man he saw was a stranger to him, a thin frame dressed in a brown tunic adorned with splashes of gold and a deep red sash for a belt. Medium length auburn hair framed a gaunt face that somehow managed to retain a strong, handsome bone structure. This was Haziwara Youji, Chunin of Iwagakure. It would take some time to see himself as such, for this was not the identity he was born into.

A test then, an attempt to socialize with his new peers. If he could survive a night in the den of the Enkouten clan then perhaps he just might find his place in this village. He needed to succeed, to prove to Kotaru that he could blend in and be of use to Iwagakure. Exhaling slowly, Youji entered the building. He knew how to present himself well, standing with a straight back to his full height of 5’10 as he scanned the room. While his hair didn’t stand out among such a crowd his skin certainly did. He wasn’t particularly pale, but at best maintained a light tan. The man’s heart pounded, a friend of the Enkouten. That was all he was, he reminded himself. With a slow, deliberate gait he maneuvered toward the table of food, gathering a plate for himself an eying the well-seasoned foods. It had been too long since he had a proper meal of rich spices and heat. He had become quite fond of similar cuisine in his time spent in Sunagakure, but that seemed a lifetime ago. It was a lifetime ago, he remembered.

The next step. Don’t stand out. But also, don’t let anyone grow suspicious of him. Sighing, he searched for a suitable table, perhaps with others of similar age or younger, those who wouldn’t recognize him. Not that he even recognized himself anymore. There seemed to be a suitable group, mostly teenagers, likely those of similar rank but not anyone who would have been in the same graduating class. After all, Youji was a grown man in his mid-twenties, young enough to mingle with them but not enough so that they would wonder why they didn’t remember him from school. He would approach and dip his head in acknowledgment to the group of three, “Mind if I sit here?” he inquired, his voice was quiet, hesitant. As if he hadn’t spoken to anyone in some time. His head tilted down slightly, avoiding direct eye contact and he had to consciously remind himself to attempt to project confidence, though he was woefully out of practice. Taking a seat a few spaces away from the closest person he set his plate down and took a careful bite. His tastebuds screamed in excitement though found themselves overwhelmed. Eyes wide he cleared his throat, feeling a burning sensation from a particularly spicy piece of meat. “It’s good. Delicious!” he praised as a genuine smile spread across his face. He felt almost as if he might cry it was so good but he managed to retain his composure for the most part.

[thunderwolf]

Hotaru went away for a short bit of time and came back with two small containers of food for Kanade, placing them on the table before her and bowing "Please have them enjoy this food, on us" he said with a smile. He shook his head at her question "I'm sorry, but that will have to be a secret for now" He replied with a smile in response to her "family secret and all" he said with his left hand raised behind his head.

He then looked in awe as the bright butterflies swarmed around some of the food "Wow, that's beautiful," he whispered to himself, never having seen something like this in his life, he agreed with Kaede's remark about them. The small flies swarmed the sweets, he moved quickly to the back and riffled through some things before coming back with a syrup jar. "A final gift for the evening," he said, shaking his head and denying her payment request.

Just then a newcomer had joined them in the crowd, a tall man with pale blue eyes, requesting that they join the table where they gathered. "Please do!" Hotaru said with a smile "Welcome to our party. My name is Hotaru, Enkouten Hotaru. It's a pleasure to meet you" he said before bowing slightly to his new acquaintance.

He smiled as the man enjoyed the food "We thank you for your kind words; please enjoy as much food as you'd like."

Soon after nightfall had begun, Hotaru excused himself from the table before going to tall the hanging lanterns around, lighting them one by one.

[Kanade]

Kanade couldn’t help but feel like she knew the man that had made his way to the table to sit down and ask if they minded if he sat there. Kanade motioned to the seat to tell him that it was all his if he wanted it but couldn’t place his face, his demeanor. He was definitely somebody that she used to know. And then she was cut off by Kaede explaining that she had been hurt on a mission. She had watched too many times, people get beat up by missions and end up in the hospital. Perhaps it was because she worked in the hospital, but she noticed the trend that most people that were returning would visit the hospital, if not to check in, they were rushed in on a gurney and treated with all the care and skill that she could provide, and if those two weren’t the reasons, they were coming in to get a physical to determine if they were still fit for a position as a shinobi in the first place.

This young man might have been one of the people that she had performed a physical on, but she couldn’t place that either. She felt like it was a brief interaction, whatever it was, and that she had only seen him once, or maybe twice, before. Somebody that she used to know, the thought nagged at her. She snapped back to the conversation and smiled at the butterflies, she held her finger out for one who had just slaked its thirst in the sweet syrup and it crawled up onto her finger. “If you want you can pet them, they’re not as delicate as they look, their scales are as hard as steel, so you’d have a hard time trying to rub them off with a grindstone, much less your fingers.” She knew of one person that could probably do it, but not without some effort, Shinjiro. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts and offered Hotaru a butterfly as well as the newcomer, “They’re called pearl Morphos, and usually live alongside rivers, but I was fortunate enough to have them imprint on me, and now I am rather fond of them, and what they can do.”

She dare not use their ability here, but it had been the lynchpin in a couple of hairy situations before now, and she thought it probably would be again sometime in the near future. She watched Youji eat and tilted her head, the inner voice still banging on the confines of her train of thought, yelling “Somebody that I used to know.” But that was impossible. No one in Iwagakure, save Shuichi who looked absolutely nothing like Maido, was someone that she used to know. They were all new faces, and anyone that she used to know would certainly never be welcome there. He looked so much like he was supposed to fit into her memory, but with the change from her body to an elemental body, then the switch from Village nin, to Missing Nin, to Village nin, to presumed dead, to Kanade, the whole thing was a whiplash ride through her memory. She blinked a couple of times and tucked into a sweet-bread, mimicking his “delicious” but more delicately and softly, almost like a muttered prayer.

“So what do you both do when you’re not attempting to stay alive on missions?” She assumed that the man that sat next to her was a shinobi as well, the only company that she could have were either shinobi, or those people who didn’t know any better, especially within the Enkouten compound.

[601/??? NANOWRIMO]

[Kabu]

Kaede tilted her head as a man she didn't at all recognize joined the trio at their table, feeling simultaneously confused and even a bit unnerved. Even moreso with Kanade, and to some degree even herself, there was a foreboding sense that this man didn't belong here. Not that she was going to let that stop her from being as kind and courteous as she could manage. After all she was in no real position to be judging others and perhaps a bit more importantly, he appeared to be incredibly anxious and she wanted to alleviate that and make him feel welcome if she could.

And so putting on a smile... "I am Enkouten Kaede, 17 year old Genin." she introduced herself in the same way that she had with Kanade. It was honestly embarrassing to include her rank along with her age but Kanade and this new stranger were both older than her and likely her superiors so it was only appropriate.

As she spoke she was reaching out a finger to stroke one of the butterflies, wondering to herself if maybe she could train such creatures herself. She would have to remember to ask about the intricacies and any techniques at a later date.

She looked over towards Kanade as the woman asked her question, tilting her head as she thought about how to answer. These days she wasn't all too active while she worked on her recovery.

After a moment's thought she let out a quiet sigh, unable to help a frown. "I was training to become a blacksmith before my accident. My master says we can resume training soon but for the time being I'm re-acclimating into the village while I work to regain my strength." she admitted, falling silent as she turned her attention back to the food in front of her, resuming eating though she was still listening to whatever the others had to say.

[Izanagi]

Youji chewed faster on a large chunk of spiced bison and swallowed hard when one of the Enkouten women introduced themselves. Exhaling with a waft of steam, the young man’s face reddened from the spice but his tastebuds were alight with excitement. “Haziwara Youji; Chunin. I’m..25. no, 26” he realized. His Birthday was in the winter, and it was nearly spring now. He realized he wasn’t sure exactly which day it had been, perhaps one where Kotaru had treated him especially kindly if he had to guess. Some of the days blended into one another, but those tender moments did tend to stand out.

Perhaps it was his paranoia but the other woman seemed to be staring at him too intently for his liking. She seemed suspicious of him, or like she may have recognized him. But that was surely impossible. The only Enkouten that Yozei had ever encountered before this day was that old man that he had killed. However his gaze lingered on the small, shimmering butterflies and he was suddenly assaulted by nostalgia. His sister cared for a flutter of blue butterflies, but he had certainly seen these pearl morphos before. But that didn’t seem right, and trying to strain his mind for the memory only caused a flash of pain. Instead, he focused on the moment and held out a finger as a perch, beckoning the butterflies closer with a gentle gesture. When one landed he took a moment to observe it carefully, “How can something so beautiful be so dangerous?" He wondered in awe. It felt surreal. A glance toward Kanade and he felt a similar sensation. Averting his gaze as quickly as their eyes met, he looked back to the butterfly. “Truly a companion fit for a Kunoichi” he stated, before waving the butterfly off and promptly returning to his meal.

The man smirked sheepishly, face retaining its redness as Kanade seemed to imitate him. It had been quite a long time since he had been in the company of a
woman, and it would take some time to find his confidence again. It took him a moment to realize, she was speaking to him, only cluing in as Hotaru excused himself and Kaede answered and yet Kanade still seemed to wait expectantly for his answer. “Oh, uh. I guess I’m still trying to figure that out. Feels like a lifetime ago that I did anything other than train or fight” he realized. He had seen more war than most, more atrocities and suffered the pain of hundreds of fallen soldiers, experiencing each of their last moments as his own. It was difficult to re-think about the luxuries he once enjoyed, and even basic hobbies and interests felt like a distant memory.

[thunderwolf]

Seeing Kanade and Kaede savor the meal he had brought made Hotaru happy. He couldn't help but agree with Kaede that the butterflies were beautiful, and he couldn't help but be mesmerized by their graceful movements. Hotaru could almost feel the joy and anticipation in Youji's expression as he relished the dish, just as he did the first time he tried Enkouten food. As more and more people around the table introduced themselves, the atmosphere of friendship and friendliness developed.

Hotaru's face looked as if he were thinking deeply when Kanade asked the group a question about their activities outside of missions. He himself, being a blacksmith, felt such joy to find one more who enjoyed the life of a smith. "That's amazing you're able to go back into it, Kaede; if you ever need some help, feel free to come to the forge; we'll be happy to help you get started again," referencing his grandfather as the we.

"We Enkouten have a saying," Hotaru began, his voice carrying a touch of pride. "Forge the steel, temper the soul. I spend most of my time at the family smithy. Crafting weapons, honing our techniques, and ensuring the flames of our legacy burn brightly"

He noticed this group was made up of well-trained shinobis. The newcomer to the group also made a remark about doing nothing but training and fighting, The life of a shinobi, I suppose, Hotaru thought as he nodded while the man spoke, wondering if this would be his future as well as he went further into his shinobi career.

His attention shifted to the captivating sight of lanterns being lit, casting a warm glow across the gathering. Hotaru excused himself briefly to attend to the illuminations, aligning each lantern with a precision that spoke of familiarity and care for the traditions. Hotaru couldn't help but notice the beautiful dance between the elemental creatures and their master. Youji's remark about the peril and beauty of butterflies moved Hotaru, he wondered a bit how their appearance could hide their true strength.

Over the course of the evening, the varied people who had gathered around the table became closer through the sharing of experiences and tales.

[Kanade]

"I suppose I should offer my name and what I do as well." She took a bite from the chopsticks that were half-way to her mouth, holding up a finger for one second while she chewed and thought of how much to divulge to these people. There were two kids present, and one Chuunin. She swallowed ran her tongue over her teeth behind her lips before she continued.

"Sorry, this is delicious and better when it's relatively hot." She nodded, "I am an experienced smith, but I just recently learned that there are a whole league of them here that are considered masters. I want to, one day, be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with them, calling myself one of the best. Apparently I have a long way to go." She shrugged and looked across the table and hummed, "I am also an accomplished cook, I have my own restaurant, though it is in an out of the way and undesirable part of the city. I'm not allowed to sell within the Enkouten Compound. Or at least, not yet." She thought for a moment and shrugged. Then she turned her attention to the question that Youji had asked, "Training with them helped a lot, but I attribute it to good breeding, intelligence, and hardiness." She let one land on her fingertip. "They're trained to stop a fight before it ever happens." She left the rest to their imagination, a nebulous ending to a sentence.

"I got the chance to open my shop during the last festival in pebble." She smiled, "And I think that it was an unmitigated success. I was able to rub elbows with even a couple of Kage while I was there. Then again, they were running around just like everyone else." She nodded, "That's probably what spurred me into wanting to pursue the smithing, crafting, and cooking, more than my kunoichi work." She smiled, "I'm Kanade, Jounin, umm. I said 19 before?" She questioned it and shrugged, "Sometimes I feel much older. Guess that Shinobi work will do that to anyone."

[Kabu]

"Thank you Hotaru, I may take you up on that someday. I've honestly been feeling pretty nervous but that makes me feel a bit better." Kaede responded to Hotaru, placing her utensils down on her now empty plate as she did. Knowing that she had people around her own age that she could talk to about her struggles really did make her feel better about her ordeal.

As the others conversed she stood from the table and stretched, looking up at the clear sunny sky above. "It's a truly beautiful day to be alive..." she quietly spoke to herself, perhaps for the first time realizing just how lucky it was that she had awoken when she did. With folks like these around then perhaps it wouldn't be so hard to re-acclimate into village and shinobi life.

As she was having these thoughts she would be broken out of her reverie by the sensation of a fuzzy moth landing on her shoulder, the girl tilting her head in confusion even as she held out her hand. Without needing to say a word she watched as the creature climbed onto the back of her hand, softly smiling at the sight. Well, what do ya know? This world really is full of surprises... she thought to herself, turning to retake her seat accompanied by her new friend whom had climbed up her arm to rest on her shoulder.

Once she had taken her seat she knew that there was something she had to say. "I am truly glad that my parents convinced me to come out today. This has been a wonderful occasion and I hope that we can all be friends even after this."