Starring:
Date: January 4, 2017
Summary:
The Iwa ambassador in Konoha has a chance meeting with a resident flirt.
"Cherii Meets Zankuro"
Kanana Moon [Konohagakure]
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The great Kanana Moon, a middle of nowhere location with countless possibilities. This is the pride and center for all the needs of the villagers be it Ninja or villagers. A constant bustle of activity is seen here during the days as people wander around heading towards the several interesting small shops set in this area. There are coffee shops set next to take away shops where the smell of fresh ramen looms in the sky. There are news stands and hawkers, the essence of voices chatting in this area is not a shy sound to come upon. What's the most attended shops is the large item shop set in the north where things such as scrolls, stationary and even toys can be purchased. This shop is rumored to be the biggest in the city and has just about anything someone might need.
Furthermore there is a small tower marked with a picture of a Kunai and Shuriken, the sign 'Hiro Weapons' is read above it. All matters of Ninja items are sold here and up for display. There are common items, interesting items and even the few rare items that can be purchased here. Ninja from all over the village come here to do their majority of shopping for weapons due to the fact that stock is never limited at Hiro Weapons.
The village housewife also finds a place to shop here. Set in a corner in the southern section of the moon is a grocery store stacked to the brim with fresh and colorful vegetables. The vegetable shop always has business selling not only the freshest vegetables in the village, but the most nutritional and tasty to note. Known to be somewhat pricey it doesn't seem to ever not attract business. Often woman come here to converse with each other as their husbands wander to Hiro Weapons or the item shops
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Cherii sits at an outdoor table by one of the small restaurants, pondering a problem. She's been liberally spending coin, a purposeful move to help promote goodwill since she's an ambassador. Laid out on the table before her are the spoils of her shopping expedition. Most of it is food, which makes sense since she's a chef…but what is she going to do with it all? Some of it will stay nice more or less indefinitely, so she can take it home with her when the time comes, but other things will spoil before too long. The natural solution is to use it, but then, who will eat it? Certainly she shouldn't indulge in this much. e.e; "Ach, I should've spent more on trinkets," Cherii murmurs dubiously.
After several months of nearly non-stop action, responsibilities, and all other sorts of torment both self-inflicted and external, Zankuro found himself wandering by one of Kanana Moon many small restaurants free of it all. Completely. Wholly. Free! With fist clenched and raised to chest level, he shook him from sheer excitement over the promise of a good and relaxing day, as well as the possibility of a good meal! Even the thought of the one tiny and self-imposed responsibility regarding the future fails to break his spirit, or give him pause for a second.
However, upon hearing the lamentations of a feminine voice with a hint of an accent behind it, Zankuro couldn't very well keep from leaning over a guard rail for an open air restaurant. Well, that and doing a bit of gawking.
Cherii continues staring at her local ingredient collection for a few moments, then heaves a sigh. "Weel, perhaps I should just go ahead an' make somethin', an' mayhap I'll think o' what tae do wi' it once I see what it is." Cherii picks over the ingredients, looking for the ones that won't stay fresh for long. "The eggs need tae go…milk…cream cheese…hmm, I could manage a cheesecake…it could do wi' somethin' tae spice it up, like…"
Cherii blinks and straightens up. Standing, she lifts her nose and sniffs at the air. She turns a half-step to the right, then left…then wheels about and strides forward before seeing Zankuro in front of her. "Oh! I beg your pardon, sair…I thought I caught a wee whiff o' cinnamon, an' I was tryin' tae follow it." n.n;
Zankuro doesn't know what to make of the spread for the first few moments. While he could not say anything with any certainty, the spread on Cherii's table seemed a little out of place for someone supposedly waiting on a meal.
Did she perhaps break a grocery bag?
Was she like some sort of secret boss chef for the restaurant?
Or did this apparent Akimichi intend to show up the folk working here by preparing some sort of meal on the spot?
As such thoughts and more ran through his mind, Zankuro actually forgets mostly about Cherii until the woman is right on him! Surprised, he leans back with wide open eyes. "Uh… well… ya found it." He chuckles awkwardly. "I got a bit of a weakness for anything with the stuff in it. Sorry for, uh… leading ya… er, disturbing ya, if ya did. When I heard yer lovely voice in distress, I couldn't help but try and see why." He adds shamelessly, and grins broadly.
Cherii blinks. "…Lovely? Ach, ye're far tae kind, sair." *n.n* Even if it's just her voice. c.c Cherii clears her throat and bows. "Ye didnae disturb me. I be Kamizuru Cherii, an ambassador from Iwagakure. I'm nae in any great distress, just tryin' tae decide whit tae do wi' all this." Cherii gestures to the table. "I went shoppin' an' found meself picking up a braw hodgepodge o' ingredients — I'm a chef, y'see. I was just thinking that a cheesecake might be a good start, when I smelled th'cinnamon." Cherii steps back over to the table and unfurls a scroll around the pile of foodstuffs, then — *POOF* — they're stored away.
"I'm sure ye've more important business tae be aboot than helpin' a roly-poly cook use up excess food," Cherii says, rolling up the scroll. "Since ye like cinnamon sae much, though, mayhaps ye could point me toward a guid stall fer buyin' it? I'd offer ye the finished product, but I dinnae expect ye'd like tae wait aboot that long."
Zankuro's grin turns a little toothy upon catching that hint of initial surprise in Cherii. The grin only ever falters at the mention of her last name. Within that brief moment, Zankuro seems almost thoughtful and distant in expression. However, he is a self-proclaimed gentleman in even the worst of times, so he quickly snaps back to focus and listens attentively to her words.
"For a bountiful beauty like yerself, I'd an eternity for a meal crafted from such hands." He says as he leaned back carefully into the railing, and crossed his arms. "It also helps that I have the day off as well, too." He admits with a chuckle. "Tho' even if that weren't case, My pops would probably say I'd be remiss in not offering some sort of service to an ambassador from so far a land."
Cherii's face reddens a bit. "P-please sair, I'd appreciate it if ye'd nae tease me wi' flatterin' words. I'm nae accustomed tae such, y'ken." *c.c* Cherii tucks the scroll away in her pouch. "If ye really do want tae spend yer precious time off helpin' me fix pies an' such, I'll gratefully accept yer offer. Dinnae feel ye have a duty to do anythin', though. Yer village has been fair kind an' helpful tae me a'ready."
Zankuro cants his head to the side and lofts a brow. "Don't… know why ye would think I'm tease'n ya. But if I'm making you uncomfortable, I'll… tone down the compliments, I guess." He said while awkwardly rubbing at the back of his neck. After a moment or two, Zankuro clears his throat and pushes himself properly to his feet. "So! Where to my la-…Mm… *coughs*… Where to?" He asks with his eyes directed elsewhere, and cheeks tinted pink.
Cherii takes in a breath…then closes her mouth after a moment. It'd be too awkward to spell out why a girl with no appeal gets nervous when a guy pops empty praise at her. =.=; Anyway, he's probably just pretending to be confused to continue being nice. She'll just chalk it up to him probably viewing habitual flattery as a component of good manners.
Cherii turns and starts wandering along the line of stalls. "Weel noo…if I'm tae be makin' cheesecake, I'll be needin' a few spices, like that cinnamon, so first we should find a stall what sells that…then I'll need a decent kitchen tae work in. The inn they've put us up in is very nice, but it's nae got any cookin' facilities in th'room, they dinnae expect th'guests tae be doin' their own cookin' y'ken. I could always make do wi' me travel cookin' equipment an' a clear spot for a fire, but it seems a shame tae use up these fine local foods wi' anythin' less than a civilised home cookin' area." Cherii glances to Zankuro. "By th'way, I dinnae think I caught yer name, sair?"
Evading the explanation only seems to have the opposite affect, because Zankuro's cheeks turn a shade darker after catching what seemed to be a sigh. However, years of experience in the field of awkward moments prepared him to endure such times, and recover with a smile. He does still hesitate to follow, if only due to the suddenness of Cherii's movement.
"Oh snap!" He snaps his fingers. "Yer right. The names Sarutobi Zankuro of-…" He pauses with his nose turned up to the air, and chest puffed out proudly as if reconsidering his words. After a brief moment he deflates and coughs awkwardly into the back of his fist. "Uhm… just that… eheheh… heh… *clears throat* I can show you round to a few stalls that might pique your interest. No promises, but it could be a start in the right direction. As for the kitchen problem, I… may know of a guy who could lend us his kitchen, assuming he's in a good mood today." He admits, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Cherii calls up the study she made of Konoha's clans before coming. "Oh, Sarutobi y'say? One o' Konoha's most prestigious clans, I've heard. Known fer a fire affinity, if I recall correct?" Of course, discussing a ninja clan's techniques, especially as a member of a separate Ninja Village, is iffy subject matter, but elemental manipulations are common enough and not really a secret in general. "I sometimes wish I could do fire manipulation meself. It'd make startin' a cookin' fire sae much easier." n.n And so Cherii and Zankuro head off to find the necessary nutriments…
