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Post by yuurei on Sept 28, 2014 3:27:50 GMT
Rato looked around nervously, ensuring that none of his clan members were lurking in this section of the village, and that he had, in fact, dodged his guards for the time being. Running a clan required a lot of paper work, apparently, which required a lot of sitting in a rather small office with two of his clansmen (...well a clansman and a clanswoman...) practically breathing down his neck, armed to the teeth with weapons.
Given that he knew, just as well if not more so than the rest of his clan what that amount of metal could do to a human body under the control of the clan Kekkai Genkai, it made him... Nervous to be in such close quarters with another member of the clan, let alone two of them, particuraly given the clans distaste for him, distaste that had been made evident more than once. Things like that made him wish the old clan head hadn't died if only because it meant he wouldn't be in this position. He scanned the crowd again to ensure that he was still in followed before ducking into a soba stand, anxious to get out of the open.
The moment he took his seat-at the back of the restaurant, facing the rest of the seats and the entrance- the cook stepped over and asked, "What can I get ya?"
After a second of scanning the board behind the counter he replied, "Cold soba noodles, but, uhm, can you put beef, tofu and cabbage in it?"
The cook gave him an odd look at the request, but nodded and went to start the dish, calling, "It'll be a moment to cook the toppings."
"That's fine..." he muttered, splitting his focus between monitoring the chef and the door.
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Post by reyasaurus on Sept 28, 2014 3:53:32 GMT
Uzumaki, Taki was well liked by most people in this part of the village. She would tell tales to the young children of her adventures as a shinobi and babble on with all the latest gossip with the elderly women. Little did she know but she was somewhat famous in this small community. Always happy to lend a hand to others the girl would have half the street ready to help her if she needed. But Taki never seemed to need help like that. Ducking into a Soba stand she greeted the cook in her usual manner as she noticed the Man. Smiling politely at him she engaged the cook in casual conversation as he prepared the man's unusual order. Giving the man what her ordered her set to making Taki's regular order to which Taki smiled again. The Uzumaki looked at the man taking in his outfit and odd choice of meal.
The very grey outfit contradicted his odd choice of meal however Taki liked the look of him. While being able to blend in with his bland attire his dark red coloured hair would set him apart in the open sun. Taki's long red hair rested over her shoulder like it usually did. "My name is Uzumaki, Taki. It's a pleasure to meet you."
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Post by yuurei on Sept 28, 2014 4:25:36 GMT
Rato watched the woman as she came in, resisting the urge to bolt as she continued to watch him as she spoke with the chef as the man placed the bowl of noodles and assorted toppings he had ordered, nodding his thanks at the man as he pulled a set of chopsticks out of a pocket-another habit he had picked up from living with his clan, in his younger years- muttering, "Itadakimasu."
He had to quickly stamp down on the urge to choke on the bite of his noodled he had taken when the woman began speaking to him, not having expected her to- which admittedly was a preferable outcome than another assassination attempt, although it didn't exclude one- and faltered before nodding at the woman, "Teppeki Rato. It's, uhm, nice to meet you Uzumaki-san."
Did the chef look amused or was he just imagining things?
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Post by reyasaurus on Sept 28, 2014 4:36:43 GMT
Taki sat in the chair next to the man as she was served up her noodles. "Itadakimasu!" Taki was handed a pair of chopsticks from the chef as he relaxed against the bench behind where they were eating with a small grin on his face. The man had seen the Teppeki almost choke but Taki was oblivious to it. "Teppeki . . . Teppeki. Oh you recently moved here with your clan didn't you? Rato is the name of the clan head. That's wonderful news. How do you like the village so far?" Taki had begun consuming her meal while the chef set about preparing another customers order.
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Post by yuurei on Sept 28, 2014 4:55:05 GMT
He hesitated at the question, hiding it by taking a bite of his noodles, before stating, "I haven't really been able to spend much time outside of the clan compound because of...reasons, with paperwork being one of them. But, well... Given that the clan though the clan head who made the decision to relocate here was going off his chain when he made the decision... Well it seems like a good way to reduce the amount of open conflict between clans." He bit his lower lip with his canine before making a motion with his free hand between the two of them, stating, "For example, there's this situation, here. The chances of members of our clan meeting even two years ago would be almost zero because of geographic reasons alone, and if they did, it would have almost certainly resulted in blood shed and probably death."
He ducked his head, realizing the woman likely hadn't wanted such a gloomy response, and apologized, "Aa, sorry, Uzumaki-san, for the gloomy words."
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Post by reyasaurus on Sept 28, 2014 5:27:46 GMT
Taki happily consumed her food while the man spoke. She noted that the man was quite intelligent and had a very proper way of talking. The man spoke about the politics of how the world used to work before the villages were made. "That's why I think the villages are such a good idea. It allows for the meeting of two different clans to . . . . . Engage in conversation over some Soba." Taki blushed a little after changing what she was going to say. Feeling only slightly embarrassed the chef walked over to break the ice. "Taki here is the niece of our Kazekage. It would be hard to find words so gloomy that it discomforted her." With that the chef laughed heartily with a booming voice. "I enjoy conversation with people even if it is gloomy Teppeki-san."
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Post by yuurei on Sept 28, 2014 5:47:25 GMT
Rato was relieved when Uzumaki agreed with him on the subject of the villages, then blinked as her face grew slightly pink, tilting his head at the odd pause in her sentence. He then fought down the urge to panic-just a little- at the fact he was speaking to the Kazekage's niece, and offending her could end...badly. Then bolting would probably offend her, too. He ran through what little gossip he had managed to learn, asking, "You watch over Kazekage-sama's heir, yes? And Kazekage-sama took you in, yes? If you don't mind me saying so, it was very kind of him." He was NOT going to be jealous she had family that cared about her, damnit.
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Post by reyasaurus on Sept 28, 2014 6:53:00 GMT
Taki smiled as she thought of Shinpo and then less so about her family. "Yes I do look after him when it is needed. I didn't really have anywhere else to go so I am very glad he did so. He is a very caring man." Taki had decided she liked this man. She liked everyone but this man had made an impression on her. She hoped she could see him more in the future as their conversations were quite enjoyable. "Souji-san, Would I be able to order another of these for the Shinpo?" Taki had finished and handed over enough money for both her meals and Rato's.
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Post by yuurei on Sept 28, 2014 7:12:01 GMT
Rato eyed the amount of money Uzumski had placed on the counter before then chef slid it into his hand, and stated in a mix of objection and thanks, "You didn't have to do that, Uzumaki-san." He stood, muttering, "Gochisosama." He froze, a bit like a startled animal when a member of his clan stepped into the stall, saw him, froze, glanced between himself and Uzumaki, and back pedaled out of the stall. He sighed, "..Aa..."
He turned his attention back to the chef, smiling sheepishly, before turning his gaze on the woman, asking, "Let me do something to return the favor? Maybe not with food, but a book or something similar?"
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Post by reyasaurus on Sept 28, 2014 7:26:04 GMT
Taki noticed the man step in before freezing. Souji gripped a little tighter on his knife at the obvious tension. The man backed out after looking between Taki and Rato. At the offer of returning the favour Taki smiled nicely before addressing the question. "Don't be a stranger. If you come visit me for a meal we won't have the awkwardness of paying for it." Souji almost dropped his knife at Taki's statement Before bringing over the second order for Taki. Taking the dish in her hands she placed her hand on her Rato's shoulder softly. "It was a pleasure to meet you Rato-san." With that she walked out and made her way home talking to any that stopped her briefly before moving along using the hot meal as an excuse for having to continue.
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Post by yuurei on Sept 28, 2014 7:45:43 GMT
Rato blinked at the invite before nodding at the invite, "I will keep that in mind, Uzumaki-san." He waited for the woman to leave the stall, taking a moment to locate the sources of metal that the bloodline enabled him to sense, noting the precense of a heavily armed person outside the stall -likely one of his guards- before following the action and leaving himself.
As he expected one of his guards was outside he stall, scowling, as he grumbled, "Rato...-sama." The pause was not exactly subtle, before the man continued, tone bordering on sarcastic, "Perhaps if you are done within your excursion, we should return to the compound so you can resume your duties rather than gallivanting about and risking a political incident?"
Rato frowned slightly at the man's tone, before giving a resigned sigh- Rokumaru was one of his more...vocal opposers- making a motion for the man to lead the way as he acquiesced, "Very well."
The man grumbled but began walking, frequently looking back as if to make sure he was following-or expects me to attack in public, came the bitter thought- as he lead the way back to the compound.
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Post by reyasaurus on Sept 28, 2014 7:56:40 GMT
Taki was standing two stalls talking to a woman who had stopped her when Rato left the Soba stand. The exchange between the two was less then respectful quite especially towards her. Politely giving the woman the meal she was taking home for a second she turned on the point of her heel before softly bumping her fists together several times as she walked up to Rato's bodyguard. "The only person risking a possible political incident would be you right now. Although at this stage your incident is less likely to be political more so than . . . Tragic. Rato-san if you ever feel the need to escape this man feel free to stop by my home. Trespassing there is an act of terror and will be dealt with accordingly." Taki turned once more after having made her scene with the man. Walking back to the stunned woman she politely gathered the Soba noodles before heading home. All traces of anger gone from her face.
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Post by yuurei on Sept 28, 2014 8:29:54 GMT
Rato watched as Uzumaki-san lit into Rokumaru, her killing intent enough to make the older man freeze in hisntracks, and start sweating as she all but threatened the guard's life. He felt his lips twitching in amusement, probably not the best reaction to seeing a forty year old man that was built like a bear nearly keel over from fear...but given the man's behavior, he couldn't be TOO plusses about it. He nodded at her invite, replying, "I will keep that in mind, Taki-san." She had used his given name, so fair was fair, right?
He turned his attention to Rokumaru who was trying-and failing- to regain his composure and asked, struggling to keep his amusement hidden, "We should return to the compound, yes?"
The man's jerky nod and stiff walk implied the man was questioning his habit of his not-so well veiled derogatory treatment of his charge...if only for fear of a certain redhead. Rato briefly wondered if the fear would stick, or if it would fade with lack of reinforcement...
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