The Beasts of the Mist [Private]

A few days had passed since Satori had come to visit Riku and her family, he'd often come over to their home now, primarily because as much as he wanted to bring Riku to his own home he knew that Taji likely wanted to know him a bit more. Similarly, it had given him ample opportunity to request his mothers to come with him, and today was exactly that.

Chuya and Hanako Ryuutei, two of Satori's mothers, were walking alongside him and attracting quite a bit of attention. Both garbed in beautiful kimono and nearly as tall as the boy. Despite their obvious wealth, however, they didn't have anyone carting them around and were walking quite easily showing a lack of spoiled or stuck up behavior. Without major incident, they arrived at the Mizushima residence, causing the woman with long silver hair to glance upward at the building with a low hum of curiosity.

"Is this the place, Saa-kun?" The woman inquired, causing him to nod once and look down at the two women. He had already explained to them Taji's situation, as well as the fact he'd befriended the girls and found the eldest quite interesting. Both women had an inkling of what that meant but had kept such thoughts to themselves, having agreed to come to introduce themselves so that Taji would feel more at ease allowing her youngest to come over as well.

Stepping forward, Satori's knuckles lightly cracked against the door to announce their presence, before he would step back and place his hands behind his back. Hanako, the woman with dark brown curls falling to her shoulders would offer a slight smile to the boy.

"I expect you to hold to your promise, Satori-kun," she stated playfully, causing the boy to nod his head once in agreement.

"Of course. I think Tsughi-chan would be an excellent playmate for the girls, I'm sure having her over will help give you some spare time with father as you wished." The woman's eyes danced in amusement, and Chuyo would chuckle softly at the little deal between the two younger individuals before turning to glance at the door as it opened. Placing her hands lightly in front of her as the woman would bow her head slightly in greeting to whoever opened the door. Satori and Hanako quickly following suit without issue.

"Good morning," he stated simply, glancing up with a slight smile at whoever it was, excited for taking Riku. He'd intended an exchange basically, taking Riku and leaving his mother's here to talk with Taji and perhaps trade a few secrets to get used to one another and help ease the woman's worries while also enjoying some time with Riku at his home.

Riku and Tsughi had greatly enjoyed Satori's visits, something that encouraged the girls to act more like children their age. Although Tsughi needed less encouraging to go at life with the vigor of young children and play, she was even more energetic with Satori around. Riku acted less like a kid trying to be another adult and seemed to be more relaxed and happy.

Taji watched the slight, but noticeable changes and came to enjoy Satori's presence by extent. Anzu, Taji's sister, also met the boy and agreed that he was a good influence on Riku. Though she was often busy with cultivating plants for her own business, Anzu was at home with Taji and the girls some of the time.

The knock on the door prompted Anzu to open it. The round faced woman had to look up to see the faces of the visitors as she was about Taji's height. "Satori-kun, welcome." She bowed as well. "I see you've brought guests, it is nice to meet you. I'm Anzu, Riku and Tsughi's aunt. My sister and the girls live with me. Do come in." Anzu stepped back and waved towards the interior of the building, prompting all three visitors to enter.

"Riku and Tsughi are on the roof, you could accompany me upstairs to let them know you're here. Taji is with a patient, so she will be occupied for another ten minutes or so," the woman told them.

She looked like Taji, with dark, straight hair, and a small nose. The only differences were Anzu's face, which was rounder, and her hair, which was streaked with navy as opposed to being a relatively uniform shade of blue-black. She wore a light dress with three quarter length sleeves and a beige apron. Her hair was pinned up in a tight bun, a few strands sticking to her forehead and the back of her neck. The scent of various herbs clung to Anzu, seeming to emanate from her skin and hair; she had been drying herbs near the fire when Satori and his mothers arrived. The mixed scents of mint, lavender, and rosemary dominated the first floor of the house.

[Post 1/1]

Satori smiled at the round face greeting them and would straighten with a nod at the woman's comment regarding guests. "My mothers," he explained shortly, figuring they would get formal introductions done inside. Instead, he would carefully step inside, slipping out of his sandals as the two women followed, tall for women certainly, but by no means the monoliths of pureblood adult Ryuutei. They mimicked his motions, carefully stepping out of their geta before tucking their hands into the sleeves of their kimono's and bowing in greetings.

Once that was out of the way, they listened as did Satori while Anzu explained where everyone was. The two women didn't hesitate to smile and introduce themselves, with the silver-haired woman speaking first.

"I'm Chuya Ryuutei, second wife of Kiyoshi Ryuutei and Chunin of Kirigakure. A pleasure to meet you, Anzu-san," she would state in a measured, polite, but kind tone. Deep brown eyes glanced around the home briefly before the dark-haired woman would introduce herself as well with a polite, much more cheerful smile and clearly much less reserved than her older partner.

"I'm Hanako Ryuutei, fourth wife of Kiyoshi Ryuutei. A pleasure to meet you as well, Anzu-san." The woman had no desire to flash her political status, after all, it held no purpose. Stating one was part of the military was much different from stating you were a noble, it tended to yield very different reactions and Hanako didn't wish to appear pompous by flashing her title and status around.

With the introduction of the pair, Satori would step forward and nod a bit to the idea of talking to Riku and Tsughi. "Do you mind taking my mothers to the table? I wanted them to meet Taji-san and they have gifts for her as the head of the household." Of course, so did he, but his own was passed over to Anzu as it had become a common occurrence at this point. It was never anything overly expensive or large, always something useful or something he thought they would enjoy.

Sometimes it was honey from his garden, other times fresh fruits or vegetables, or perhaps freshly caught fish or meat. A few times he'd brought other things such as a new hammer or tool when he'd heard a comment of one wearing down, or not having one. This time it was a simple basket that held fresh oranges from their greenhouse.

It was something he'd noticed-- though their herbs and garden were extensive, they didn't really have anything they grew for food, and fresh foods were always appreciated he found. Handing the basket to Anzu with a simple smile, he would then glance up at the stairs and move toward them. He knew his way around the home well enough now and had no issue traveling upward while the two women thanked Anzu for taking care of them and would follow the woman wherever they were led to wait for Taji, gifts tucked in their sleeves.

Satori moved up the stairs quickly, taking them two at a time before pushing the door to the second floor open and grinning at the two girls working. "Playing in the dirt again?" he called playfully, already bracing as he prepared to be tackled by Tsughi, having grown used to it and being quite ready to catch the small girl.

Anzu smiled at their introductions. "It's a pleasure to have you here, Riku and Tsughi haven't stopped talking about Satori-kun, here, and Tsughi is anxious to visit your home."

Satori's request that his mothers be seated was met with a nod. "Of course, right this way." Anzu lead them to the dining room and gestured towards the cushions around the kotatsu. "Please make yourselves comfortable. Would you like some tea? We have several herbal blends that might interest you. I could make some once Satori-kun is with the girls. It's kind of you to come with gifts, it's the least I could offer."

She accepted the basket with a warm smile that curled the edges of her mouth and made dimples show up on her left cheek and on her chin.

After Satori's mothers answered her offer of tea and the round faced woman was certain they were comfortably situated, she excused herself to go let Taji know they had visitors.

"You know the way to the roof, Satori-kun. Feel free to stay up there if you'd like. I will let you know when Taji is done with her patient if you're still upstairs. I'll let her know we have visitors and prepare tea in the meantime."

As expected, Tsughi barreled into Satori's stomach, a feat that required a running start and an impressive leap. She had dirt on her face, a common feature for the girl. Her smile was wide, letting giggles escape as she hung off of the taller boy with surprising strength for a child her age. She wasn't an Academy student, but Tsughi often insisted on copying Riku's workouts and practicing with her.

"Satori-san, you're here." Riku approached eagerly with a smile on her face, forming dimples on both her cheeks. "Did your mothers come with you?" she asked eagerly.

Riku's face was clean, but her hands had a healthy layer of dirt from weeding the garden and greenhouse.

[Post 2/2]

The two women would respond with simple mint tea for one, and lavender for the other. Clearly having quite different tastes, though they both thanked Anzu politely as it was handed to them. Content to wait patiently for Taji as they would sip their tea peacefully in silence.

"It's rude to intrude without expressing gratitude as a guest," Satori stated without hesitation, before watching his mothers get ready with a smile. Turning and nodding, he would get to the stairs easily and of course, be tackled by a giggling young girl or his trouble.

A large hand lowered and hooked under the younger girl's legs, lifting her easily so she could cling to him and move toward Riku as she approached. His free hand lifting and placing itself on her head fondly, gently ruffling through the soft, fluffy curls of blue as he replied to them back.

"Morning Tsughi-chan, Riku-chan," he replied simply before nodding once to the laters question. "Yeah. Chuya and Hanako were willing to come," he explained casually before offering a slight smile.

"I figured I would trade Riku-chan for them, and then by extension Taji-san and Tsughi-chan could spend time with them so that your mother," he gently bounced the girl in his arm for emphases. "Will let you come next time." Smiling down at her he would allow his gaze to shift downward back toward Riku as he tilted his head slightly.

"Do you want to meet them before you go or just want to give a greeting and we can head out?" He didn't mind, either way, she'd meet them eventually no matter what they did after all. Shifting Tsughi up easily, he would rest the girl in the crook of his massive arm. After petting Riku a bit longer, finally releasing her and lifting the hand up to wipe away some of the dirt and grime decorating her face.

Tsughi giggled as she hung from Satori's arm, tickled by having a human jungle gym. "Good morning Satori-san!"

"Good morning," Riku echoed. She stuck her tongue out at the tall boy when he pet her hair, but didn't protest otherwise. It felt kind of nice when Satori touched her hair, though she wouldn't admit it. When he wiped off her face, the blue haired girl leaned into the touch with a smile and a soft sigh.

"I'd like to meet your mothers, Satori-san."

"Me, too!" Tsughi chimed in. She dropped off of the tall boy's arm and bounded towards the stairs.

"Tsughi-chan, don't run on the stairs!" Riku pulled away from Satori's touch to chase after her sister. "You have to wash your hands and face if you want to say hi to our guests."

The blue haired ninja in training caught her little sister and carted the little girl off to the bathroom to wash up. Afterwards, they rejoined Satori and went to the dining room to say hello to his mothers.

"Ah, Satori-kun, Riku-chan, Tsughi-chan, you're just in time for tea." Anzu smiled at the children from her place at the table.

Riku and Tsughi bowed and introduced themselves before sitting. "I'm Riku, Satori-san's classmate and this is my younger sister, Tsughi."

"It's nice to meet you!" Tsughi added. "Satori-san says I can come and play with his little sisters if Kaa-san says it's okay." She grinned.

Anzu poured hot water into a couple of cups with herbs in the bottom and passed them to the girls before turning her attention to Satori. "Would you like any?"

Riku passed Tsughi the honey (coincidentally it was a jar that Satori had brought by on a previous visit) and made sure the seven year old didn't get it all over the place in her excitement to add it to her tea.

[Post 3]

Satori chuckled as Riku allowed him to pet her head, as per usual, it was soft. She'd commented on "poisoning her hair", but he wondered if she ever truly would. Though, with the new jutsu he'd been looking into he supposed it could be fairly worthwhile if nothing else. Relaxing his positioning, Satori would follow after the two girls casually as one went sprinting to the stairs and the other quickly gathered the girl up. A bemused grin decorating his lips as he leaned against the wall, waiting patiently for them.

Once they'd arrived, he would motion for them to go first as he was a simple guest here, before stepping forward and following the stairs down as well. "I'm sure they'll be happy to meet you," he stated simply to answer the previous statement since he hadn't had time before they'd taken off earlier. As they made their way down, the two girls would introduce themselves, Satori would idly step down with a smile as the two women smiled gently at the two girls, inclining their heads in return.

"A pleasure to meet you, Riku-chan, Tsughi-chan," Chuya would state, polite and calm as ever, before laughing softly into her sleeve as she glanced over at Hanako when Tsughi would comment on playing with the girls. The dark haired woman would smile, nodding her head once.

"As long as your mother is fine with it, I'm sure Serena and Saika will be overjoyed. Hiyori tends to prefer playing with the boys," she glanced over at Chuya whom gave an amused smile, showing she had no issue with informing them, with this silent exchange she focused back on Tsughi. "But if you don't mind her being a bit rough I'm sure she'd love to play with you as well."

Satori snickered softly at this, falling into place on the other side of Tsughi putting the younger girl between himself and Riku to ensure that they could control the energetic little thing a bit easier, glancing at Riku and offering a slight smile. There was no issue, he always sat next to her when they were in private anyway.

Glancing up as tea was offered he smiled and nodded his head, "The mint, please," he responded politely as he accepted the cup afterward. Settling back he'd sip the liquid without sweetener-- mint tea certainly didn't need it in his opinion. As he did he would watch Tsughi carefully with the honey, before glancing up at his mothers as Chuya would speak curiously toward Riku.

"Saa-kun has told us alot about you, apparently you wish to learn more about medical jutsu?" As she inquired this, the woman would tilt her head curiously and adjust her grip on her cup. Hanako would glance over, but not comment as she waited for the response. After all, she herself wasn't a shinobi, though she'd picked up a few tricks and basic jutsu over the years of living at the compound it wasn't her focus. Her job was head of logistics, and she took pride in it even if it wasn't as flashy as what chakra could allow others to perform.

Satori simply glanced at Riku, the girl had wanted to learn about his mothers after all, it was up to her and Tsughi how they wanted the conversation to go. For now he'd sip his tea patiently and see how things would unfold.

Anzu passed Satori his tea before offering Chuya and Hanako refills.

Tsughi wiggled in her seat at the idea of playing with Satori's sisters. "I can do rough! I spar with Riku-chan and she doesn't go easy on me at all!"

Riku ruffled the younger girl's hair. "Tsughi likes to wrestle and play in the dirt. I'm sure they will get along great."

Anzu nodded along in agreement while refilling her own teacup.

Tsughi beamed at the comment before taking a healthy sip of tea.

Chuya's question drew Riku's attention away from fussing over her younger sister. "Yeah, I want to learn iryoninjutsu like my kaa-san. She focuses mostly on herbs and traditional medicines, but she knows some medical jutsu as well. I like using plants for all sorts of things. They can heal or hurt." The older girl's face flushed slightly as she talked and her expression brightened with clear interest and enthusiasm.

"Satori-san says all the women in his clan are skilled medics. Are you familiar with the addition of ginger to certain medicines to make them easier on the stomach? Kaa-san has been letting me read some of her more advanced texts recently and it's just fascinating. It could make medicines stay in the stomach more easily or make it more difficult to notice one has been poisoned."

Taji entered the room quietly just after Riku finished rambling about ginger.

"Is that why you asked to have your own ginger cultivate, Riku-chan?" the woman asked with a bemused smile.

Riku turned bright red. "Kaa-san!" she protested.

Taji approached the table and smoothed a hand over her eldest daughter's hair. "I'm Taji, Riku and Tsughi's mother. It's a pleasure to meet some of Satori's parents. He is a delightful young man to have around." She gave a short bow before finding a seat next to Anzu.

Taji had a more oval face than her older sister and her hair was a deep blue, nearly black. The straight tresses were held up in a half bun to keep it away from her face. She wore a dark grey kimono with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

[4]

As Riku got so excited about the ginger and herbs, both the woman stifled their laughter, it was adorable seeing someone so young clearly so excited. Even more than that, it made Chuya herself recall many years when she had just started to learn medical techniques and the intricacies that it involved. As Taji entered, Satori smiled at the woman and bowed his head in thanks to her compliment silently. Both Chuya and Hanako doing the same in greeting before Chuya would glance upward in thought at the girls initial statement.

"It's true that many women in our clan are medical ninja, though not all of us. Primarily those born within the clan are. Hanako-chan for instance," she nodded toward the woman whom offered a slight smile.

"Was married into the clan, so she didn't follow our traditions. She's not a ninja at all, though she has a magnificent business sense and intellect." Smiling at the compliment, the younger woman simply sipped her tea while Satori shifted idly in his seat as his second mother explained.

"But I'd say about ninety percent of the women of our clan are capable of at least intermediate medical techniques," glancing upward she held her chin in thought, and Satori would clarify for Riku and the other women.

"That means able to use at least B-Rank medical techniques," causing Chuya to blink and nod in agreement, offering a smile of thanks before taking a sip of her tea.

"Speaking of medical knowledge," reaching into her lap, she would grasp the small box in her lap and offer it to Taji, Hanako quickly following suit with a larger box. They had no elaborate writing, the boxes were made of simple smooth wooden material with a single latch to hold their contents. The smaller box would hold a hand-made book that was simply labeled "Rare Herbs and Medical Alchemy". It detailed intricate medical techniques that relied on chemistry and alchemical knowledge to produce incredibly refined and rare medicines, all of it hand-written.

"One of the books we tend to give to our women once they reach adulthood," Chuya explained with a smile, "They aren't our most potent secrets or techniques by any means, but they are quite difficult for civilians to normally obtain. Hopefully, it will suit your business." Inclining her head a bit, she then let Hanako offer her own, but the woman warned her carefully.

"I would recommend opening it away from the table. The scent is not pleasant. They are dried blooms from the corpse flower." Smiling gently, "Think of it as a gift from our clan. It's incredibly rare that someone within the village is so willing to accept our young, let alone willing to teach them. We appreciate it tremendously. Raika-san also offered her personal thanks, but as the head of medicine, she sadly has little time to leave the compound. She hopes you understand." Both women would bow their heads, and even Satori would as well, all three expressing their thanks to Taji.

It wasn't rare for others to simply do as the Ryuutei said for their own personal gain, or simply out of fear. But Taji had done neither, and that in clan built on pragmatic beliefs and strict rules, meant she should be thanked-- properly. They couldn't offer their advanced secrets, but this much at least they could do. Chuya straightened with the rest and offered a smile.

"Of course, we'd be happy to trade knowledge as well. No matter how advanced we may be in some areas, no one clan or one person ever knows every trick in the book. We'd also be happy to teach Riku-chan if she ever wishes such." They didn't want to "replace" Taji by any means, and they wanted to make that clear. It was a simple offer of shared knowledge and training, nothing more.

Riku looked no less impressed when Satori's mothers corrected her. "B-rank?" she echoed in awe.

Taji accepted the book and the box with a bow and a surprised look. Her eyes widened, making them look more like Riku's as she looked at the handmade book. She ran a finger over the surface carefully while she listened to the explanation. Her fingers itched to open the box, but the healer heeded her guest's advice.

"I thank you deeply... this is an invaluable resource for me," Taji said softly, "Even though I studied medicine and some medicinal jutsu, I never became a shinobi so there were things I couldn't access, though I had more than most other civilian healers...."

Her slender fingers tightened around the book. Taji looked back up at Chuya. "I treated Satori-kun like any other child who would befriend my daughter. She had a difficult time getting along with her peers, so I was grateful someone got through to her at all."

Anzu reached over and placed a calming hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "Thank you for the gifts you brought us. We are grateful for your generosity. It is no problem that Raika-san is busy. Taji here hardly gets out as a civilian healer. We're glad the two of you made the time to come and meet with us. We would love an opportunity to exchange medical knowledge with your clan. Allow us to pay your compound a visit some day. It is far easier for us to clear our schedules."

Taji blinked and nodded in agreement with Anzu's statements. She was still caught off guard by the present. In her mind, Riku finding a good friend had been a gift in and of itself.

Riku smiled at her mother's reaction; she hadn't seen the woman so happy in a long time. Perhaps making her kaa-san smile like she used to wasn't a far fetched goal after all.

[5]

Both women smiled brightly as Taji became near speechless, simply inclining their heads politely at Anzu's words as they returned to their positions, hands resting around their cups gently. Chuya would reply without any hesitation at all, "Of course. You're welcome to come any time, though if you wish to meet with us actively it would be wise to set up a prior date. If you're fine simply wandering about with us as we do our duties then you're welcome whenever you wish." It would be a welcome way to distract the children, and similarly, it would allow them to build stronger bonds.

Satori smiled at the woman's trouble processing everything, it was nice to see. She'd been quite kind to him, and he appreciated it just as much as his family did. Glancing over at Riku, his gaze softened-- seeing how happy the girl was that her mother was smiling was a nice thing to see as well. Sipping his tea quietly, he simply leaned back and would let the women talk.

The next hour or so was spent rather casually, small talk, comparing notes on some medical techniques-- nothing too serious just yet. However, when Satori glanced out the window he noted the time.

"Mmn, we should head to the compound if you want to go, Riku-chan," he stated idly in the next break in conversation, trailing his eyes back to her. It was good they'd come early, they still had plenty of time but if they didn't catch it soon they'd probably be stuck in a conversation for hours. Glancing at his mothers whom simply nodded once in approval, he would slowly haul himself up, stretching and taking his own and Riku's (once empty) cup to take to the sink for Taji and Anzu.

Turning he then bowed to Taji with a soft smile, "I hope you enjoy my mother's company, Taji-san." He didn't feel the need to make another promise to her regarding Riku, he knew that she understood how serious he had been when he'd made it, after all. Instead, he straightened and offered a smile of farewell to Anzu, ruffling Tsughi's hair gently, his large hand nearly swallowing the smaller girls head, before offering a hand to Riku to help her stand.

"Did you want to stay over, or just spend the day?" he inquired curiously, gaze shifting between her and Taji, uncertain if they had discussed that or not.

"Sounds good!" Riku perked up. She had gotten carried away by the conversation about medicine.

"It was a pleasure," Taji assured Satori, offering Chuya and Hanako smiles. "I don't mind accompanying either of you while you do your daily tasks. I should be able to visit next weekend, if that's alright with you."

"And I get to come too, right?" Tsughi interjected, bouncing in place.

"Yes, you can come along, Tsughi." Taji held a hand up to her mouth to cover a giggle at her youngest daughter's enthusiasm.

Anzu nodded. "I can take care of things here. We can work ahead to make sure nothing gets left unattended."

Riku sent her mother her very best puppy dog eyes (enhanced with a subtly done transformation jutsu to make her look even more pleading and wide eyed).

Taji laughed at her daughter's silent begging. "You may stay the night, but I expect you not to fall behind on your chores when you return. Tsughi won't be doing your work for you, so no bribing her with jutsu."

Riku pouted, but the expression disappeared quickly. She was too excited to feel down about that. Wiggling in her seat, not unlike Tsughi had been earlier, she agreed. "Yes, Kaa-san. There won't be any weeds in the garden and you'll have plenty of powdered herbs to work with."

"That's good to hear," Taji said with a smile.

"And I'll make sure the essential oils I was working on come along nicely."

Taji's smile widened. "Alright, then. Have fun with your new friend. Let me see you to the door." She stood, Anzu following the motion.

When the group reached the door, Taji pressed a pair of small vials made of dark glass and sealed shut with corks into Chuya's hand. "A gift of thanks for your hospitality. They're essential oils I made myself. Eucalyptus is in one vial and lavender in the other. The process I use involves the infusion of my chakra to boost their healing qualities."

Riku smiled up at them. "Kaa-san decided to provide the gift this time because the batch I'm making is still in progress. I'll bring some by when it's finished."

Tsughi clung to her mother's robes while goodbyes were exchanged.

She hugged Riku tightly before they left. "Have fun Onee-san!"

[7]

The way Riku so eagerly begged caused Satori to blink, and then slowly lower his head down to the girl once they were done. His face near the girls own, he would allow a brief frown to form on his brow before his hand placed itself on Riku's head, petting her head gently.

"You're too cute. That's dangerous. Illegal, even." He stated in such a convinced voice that both his mothers burst into giggles behind their hands, struggling to maintain their composure, Hanako whispering desperately to Chuya that he was "just like Kiyoshi" as the other woman nodded several times in a desperate attempt to remain casual about the boys blunt flirting, if it could even be called that. He seemed legitimately concerned that she was "too cute".

Of course, when Taji stepped forward and led them toward the door, Satori released her head after a few more caresses, turning and moving toward the door alongside the (likely pouting) girl. Blinking when the oils were granted to Chuya, a soft smile formed on her lips as she turned to Satori and offered it.

"Satori, can you take these to Raika-san for me please?" Satori blinked, accepting it with a nod before Chuya turned and faced Anzu and Taji once more.

"If I may, I'd like to intrude for a bit longer with Hanako," Taji was a single mother, and from what the women could tell, spent all her time on her children and work. That was admirable, but it was also likely stifling, talking to other adults with similar interests would likely be a nice reprieve and help distract the woman from her firstborn leaving. They couldn't stay the night, of course, but it was a bit of extra help they could offer. Hanako also tilted her head to the side with a slight smile.

"I also have a business proposition for you." Satori had told the women of the clear financial struggles that the woman was going through, and likely, it wasn't due to lack of skill or potency. It was likely due to a lack of proper connections-- or at least, compared to someone that was purely a merchant in the main quarter. But, the Ryuutei were one of the richest clans in Kirigakure for a reason. They never used the money on themselves for anything but minimal legal requirements, such as taxes, and they were quite literally unable to spend money on themselves for frivolous things.

But they needed to make money for the village itself, and so all the money they had gone into improving the village and paying their taxes. Hanako was the head of that, and had a list of buyers and sellers for everything from lumber and masonry, to clothing, all the way to medicines and poisons. If anyone could give the Taji a few nudges and names, she certainly could.

Satori didn't comment on this, letting the subject of them staying remain as just a bit of chatting. Though he tucked the vials away in the pocket of his hoodie as a promise to take it to Raika, with thanks to the woman. Glancing at Riku as the girl commented on her own batch, Satori grinned wider than before, "I look forward to it," he stated simply, before turning toward Tsughi and ruffling her hair fondly.

"I'll make sure she has fun. I'll let Hiyori know she'll have a great play partner soon too." With this fond statement, he then said his farewells, bowing respectfully toward them and smiling to his mothers, before turning and leading the way back toward the village. Idly offering the blue haired girl his hand with a grin.

"The path will get pretty narrow once we get outside the village, so be prepared for that. It'll probably feel like you're being watched too, don't mind that too much." He didn't tell her to ignore that, just like with Akemi, he was certain that the girl was going to be a bit unnerved by it once they arrived. It was only natural, especially with how clear the difference truly was.

Riku looked up at Satori, slight concern on her face when he frowned at her. Then, she felt his hand on her head. What was going on?

Then, he was telling her she was too cute. Was that a bad thing?

"I'm supposed to be dangerous. I'm going to be a ninja!" the girl snapped, face bright red.

"Of course, dear," Taji reassured her daughter without a hint of sarcasm; the crinkle at the corner of her eye betrayed her amusement.

Anzu laughed, shielding her mouth with a half curled hand. "Her father taught her how to do that."

Riku glared at her mom and aunt, but the expression held no heat. She was too obviously flustered.

"Ne, ne, Riku-nee chan teach me that," Tsughi said, bouncing on her toes.

"You already know henge no jutsu," Riku grumbled, trying to smooth her hair from Satori's hand being in it.

"But not like that."

"A business proposition?" Anzu echoed. "That sounds interesting."

"It's no trouble at all," Taji told them. "Why don't you come back to the dining room?"

Tsughi beamed when Satori ruffled her hair and gave the tall boy's shins one last hug. "We'll be bestest friends!"

After that the conversation started to slow. Taji and Anzu waved Satori and Riku off before guiding their guests back to the dining room with Tsughi on their heels.

Once they were alone, Riku took Satori's hand, threading her fingers through his. She let their hands swing back and forth between them idly while she took in the scenery.

"Watched?" Riku looked up at Satori after he broke their companionable silence. "I suppose it makes sense." She continued to examine the thinning civilization as they approached the village's edge. As Satori warned, the path grew narrower until there was just enough room for the two to stand side by side.

Riku pressed closer to Satori's side, but didn't seem otherwise affected.

Then came the prickling sensation of being watched.

"I see what you mean, now." The sensation was reminiscent of the training Taji had given her with understanding fear. Random bursts of killing intent were a common occurrence the training. This feeling, however, wasn't so malicious so much as wary.

"Is the technique related to killing intent?" the blue haired girl inquired with calm curiosity.

[8]

Satori's gaze trailed downward as the girl as she happily intertwined fingers with him, nodding his head once at her comment regarding being watched. "We're the first line of defense to the Mist Village, after all," he stated idly before the sensation flashed over them. Satori was completely unaffected by the pressure, enduring the pressure of bloodlust had been part of his training as a child, and one of the first things his father had taught him. Though, as she spoke and asked about it he glanced down and nodded slightly.

"Chakra is used as a medium to transfer it outward. It keeps bandits and most troublemakers out, and keeps predators a distance away to help ensure the village is unhindered from this side. But, it also means that civilians have made alot of rumors about us." A slight shrug offered in indifference to this he would lead the way down the path of round stones until they entered a large forest, though due to the climate it was closer to a jungle. Eventually, this would open up into a great gate that appeared to have been grown out of the ground made of solid stone in large slabs.

The massive gate that rested before them was large enough to fit an elephant through, made of strong wood with large metal hinges. Carved into the door was the Ryuutei clan symbol, but notably, there were no guards. Instead, Satori simply raised a hand and the gate seemed to simply open. Revealing inside, where a multitude of separate buildings decorated the inner workings, a large pond settled in the center with pathways of large circular stones just like the one leading to the compound connecting them.

Children dashed through the area as, despite it being still fairly early morning, the entire compound seemed alive. Ryuutei of varying ages and genders dashed about, the males were all similar to Satori with wild hair, feline eyes, large sizes and fangs with claws. The females were all paler, and more petite but held similar hair and eye colors even if they looked fairly normal. Adults were skinning kills and gutting animals in front of the children without concern, meals were being prepared indoors by men, and women were holding maps and papers strategizing inside varying buildings as they planned the hunt.

"Welcome to my home," he stated with a grin, glancing down at Riku fondly before raising his gaze upward to the chaos within.

"We own the land outside as well, quite a bit of the forest and plains that we've turned into farms," he explained this casually as they moved forward, though he halted after a few feet, letting her take in the surroundings as the buildings dotted the area of varying sizes. Smokehouses, greenhouses, butchering buildings, warehouses and living quarters mixed together like a small village all it's own on the outskirts.

"What do you think?" he inquired curiously, his gaze lowering down to the girl as a few of the clan began to notice them, eyes lifting up toward the pair.

Riku listened with interest as Satori explained the prickly feeling his clan's grounds emanated. Briefly, she wondered how many people it took to maintain this effect or if they achieved it through use of fuinjutsu as opposed to ninjutsu. It also could have been an area of effect genjutsu.

She blinked at the sight of the impressive walls and gates surrounding the Ryuutei clan compound. How many doton users had that taken? Given the feel of Satori's chakra and the ambient power that resonated in the clan grounds, potentially not that many. The thought made Riku feel small. She tried to drink in the sight without outright ogling, but her eyes were wide with interest as she followed Satori through the doors --did they respond to his chakra?

Riku's head tilted to the side in the way it did when she was thinking. She tried to imprint the image of Satori's clansmen into her mind. Everyone looked vaguely like her friend, all wild hair and numerous piercings, especially the men. Even the women bore some resemblance to Satori.

Unbidden, the conversation they'd had in the infirmary about marriage came to mind. If Satori married her and two or three other women, would their children all look more like him?

Blushing, Riku pushed the thoughts away in favor of noting that the children didn't seem disturbed by the adults cleaning freshly killed animals. It wasn't all that different, the blue haired girl supposed, from the times she and Tsughi had watched her mother prepare fish or chicken. Riku and her sister had even helped with the task a few times.

Her brown eyes swept across the sheer amount of people in awe. Riku hadn't seen that many children in a single family before. The noise, the people, the varying activities all side by side reminded the blue haired girl more of the center of Kirigakure than a home. It was a bit dizzying.

Her grasp on Satori's hand tightened subconsciously.

"What I think?" she parroted back. "This might as well be a small village," Riku mumbled. "It's incredible."

[9]

Satori watched as the girl blushed over some unknown thought, tilting his head a bit curiously before her reactions moved forward. She clung to him tighter, clearly, a bit overwhelmed as he allowed a grin to form on his lips once more. As she called it "incredible" his grin formed even wider, a small part of him had been worried. Worried that perhaps it would be too much, or perhaps something would push her away in fear. But instead only clear curiosity and hunger for knowledge shined from her eyes-- it was charming, really.

"Want to explore before we go to my house? Or want to meet my family first-- ah, nevermind. They decided for us." Tilting his head a bit, his grip shifted on her hand a bit and the reason became clear when three girls charged them both squealing "welcomes". As he was tackled from multiple sides, three small girls, one about a foot shorter than him the other two far more petite--slightly shorter than Riku despite appearing about the same age as Satori. Both of the small girls attaching themselves to his unclaimed arm, and the last and largest tacking his throat, arms wrapping around his neck and legs around his waist as she clung to his chest.

Despite the force of the tackles, Satori simply grunted as he glanced down at the three girls clinging to him. One was blonde-- the one clinging to his throat, the other two held pitch black hair like him, the two smaller girls appeared mostly normal, though they had the clear feral traits of the Ryuutei, they were far less notable. Calling his name in sing-song tones as well as calls of "Welcome home, Satori-Nee!". The last girl, the blonde looked up at him showing brilliant green catlike eyes and feline traits just like Satori.

"I'm home, Saika, Serena, Hiyori," he stated calmly as his arm lifted the girls up, his forehead pressing to each of their own, one at a time where their skulls would brush a few times, like great cats rubbing heads before lowering the girls gently.

"These are my sisters, Riku-chan," he stated looking over his shoulder toward the girl as he offered a grin, before glancing down at the girls.

"Where are your manners? Say hello properly, hop off," he stated sternly, causing the girls to whine, before dropping to their feet and turning toward Riku as Satori waited patiently beside her while they lined up in front of her. The girls would all incline their heads, introducing themselves-- the two girls that appeared to be identical twins were Serena and Saika, the blonde was Hiyori. Afterward, they would straighten and wait for the girls' response to their combined introduction, Satori shaking his head in bemusement.

He understood Hiyori, but usually, women in his clan were far more reserved and calm. He blamed Kiyoshi, their father had an unusually feral personality-- even by Ryuutei standards. It seemed he had inherited his mother's personality, and his sisters had inherited their father's personality instead.

"Hm?" Riku turned her head just in time to see Satori's sisters pouncing on him. She giggled at the sight of her tall friend with three children hanging off of him. It was like seeing three of Tsughi in a sense, they had the same enthusiasm.

She watched Satori great his sisters with a forehead rub with thinly disguised curiosity. Riku hadn't seen Satori greet anyone that way before. Was it a clan thing or a Satori and his sisters thing? Either way, it explained why the boy never seemed flustered by being near her. With three sisters crawling all over him, how could he be flustered by any girl?

The girls even pouted just like the blue haired girl's own sister would have when Satori told them to get off of him and introduce themselves. Riku bit her lower lip to stifle a louder laugh at that. The blue haired girl silently sympathized with their whines. She was never happy about giving up physical contact with the tall boy either, though for different reasons.

"So you three are the ones I've heard about," the blue haired girl mused.

She let go of Satori's hand and bowed. "I'm Mizushima Riku, Satori-san's friend. It's a pleasure to meet you three. I have a little sister who's probably close to your age. She'll visit sometime when my mother comes over. I hope you all can get along. She's excited to meet you."

Riku smiled at the girls, resisting the urge to reach for their brother's hand again. Her feet shuffled a bit while the blue haired girl tried to think of anything else to say. She glanced at Satori, but nothing came to mind. The blue haired girl settled maintaining her friendly expression instead.

[10]

As Riku released him, Satori smiled softly. Watching the girl's interchange greetings before Riku introduced herself, the girls all raising their hands in greeting at once, excited at the idea of meeting the girl's sister as well. However, quickly, it evolved into an actual conversation as Hiyori would eagerly step forward and sniff the air curiously.

"Saa-Nee she smells like you," Hiyori stated curiously, before clapping her hands together and looking excitedly between the pair.

"Is she your first wife?" At this, several more around them perked up, one of the men working a nearby deer hide calling curiously over to them.

"Saa-kun, you got a wife? I thought you wanted to wait until you became Mizukage?" This quickly spread, and within a few moments, at least a dozen sets of eyes were curiously looking over, causing Satori to blink and place his hands lightly on his hips.

"Hiyori, honestly, don't assume things," he stated in a dry tone, causing the girl to shrink a bit.

"Was I wrong? Sorry, Saa-Nee," she stated idly, looking down and kicking at the dirt a bit as Satori released a slow breath in a sigh before reaching over toward the likely flustered blue haired girl, pulling her close and idly wrapping his arms around her. Both protectively as well as casually as ever, though this was the first time he had actually held her so fully, usually it was just her head on him or her hands in his.

Addressing everyone in a clear, concise voice, Satori stated calmly. "This is Mizushima Riku, she's a friend. She may become my wife, but for now, we're just friends while we focus on our studies. Please treat her well, and don't allow rumors to spread everyone." A few blinked, and then laughter barked out from several members as Hiyori spun to face them, bowing in apology for spreading misinformation. Within a few moments, it was settled. A few greetings were given to Riku, smiles and casual waves before they returned to their duties.

Without issue, he'd fixed the problem and cut out any chance of misunderstanding with blunt honesty, as always. Glancing down at Riku he smiled lightly, butting his head briefly against the top of her head before his fingers wrapped around her own small hand once more as he focused on the girls.

"I'm going to show her around. Do you mind letting mother Raika know we're here? Father too. We'll probably come by for dinner tonight, but I'm going to want to be with her alone for the most part." This statement caused the girls to pout a bit, but nod-- and they were quickly sated with their hair being ruffled by him as the girls dashed off giggling in search of Kiyoshi and Raika. Releasing a breath at the interesting welcome, Satori would turn to stand in front of Riku with a smile.

"You have a lot of questions, right? Don't hesitate, just ask them, no matter how invasive they may be." He figured getting them out of the way, for now, would be good, and then they could move on and start exploring the compound afterward.

Riku felt her face growing hot when Hiyori said she smelled like Satori and asked if she was going to be his wife. All of a sudden more people were looking at her. The blue haired girl shuffled closer to Satori, as if hoping his tall form would shield her from their gazes.

She looked towards the voice asking Satori about waiting until he was Mizukage then back at the tall boy beside her. How long would it take for her friend to get strong enough to take over the village? Would Riku still be by his side at that point? Did she want to wait? Did she want to marry Satori or did she just want to be friends? The poor girl hadn't gotten around to deciding the answer to any of those questions.

Then, Satori's dry voice made Riku question everything. What if he didn't even want to marry her? If that was the case it wouldn't even matter what she thought. She bit her bottom lip, gaze focused on her boots.

The red faced girl looked up when Satori introduced her to the clan as his friend and potential wife. She offered a weak wave at everyone before looking at the ground again, barely taking her eyes off her boots long enough to accept Hiyori's apology and forgive the blonde girl. She wasn't angry with the other girl, but Riku still wanted to melt into the ground.

Riku twitched, startled when Satori bumped his head against hers gently, face turning red all over again. Still, the blue haired girl squeezed his hand when it wrapped around her smaller one. She called out a "see you later" to her friend's sisters before they ran off.

Once the trio of girls was gone, Riku began taking slow, calming breaths. Her face began to return to its usual hue and her grip on Satori's hand relaxed a fraction. She perked up when Satori invited her to ask questions, smile widening.

"How many of your clansmen did it take to build the border wall? Do the gates respond to your chakra? How old are your sisters? Are the walls reinforced with fuinjutsu? Does the chakra technique you use to make people feel watched come from a jutsu or is it maintained by seals? It's pretty widespread so it might be a bit much even for your clansmen to maintain that manually all the time, I mean they have other things to do, don't they? Like hunting. Can you hunt? No, scratch that, you can. Do you?" Riku paused to take a breath and let Satori begin to answer her questions.

[11]

The blush was cute, but the boy was patient as she calmed. Once she was, he would listen to the barrage of questions with a slight tilt of his head. She was so eager to find out as many details as possible that it was truly charming. A smile playing at his lips he would calmly answer her from the first one forward without any hesitation or issue.

"One, our first Elder, my great-great-grandfather. But it's not that big a deal." Glancing at the large stone wall he shrugged, "The earth itself has no chakra in it on its own anymore after all. Molding large quantities of elements isn't that difficult if they have no extra properties. Though it was a more amazing feat back then."

Shifting his gaze back down to her he would nod slightly at the second question. "I'll answer two at once. It has multiple Fuuinjutsu seals, they channel the technique's that were engraved in them by the elder, the chakra just has to be restored occasionally, and the output is weaker than the true techniques engraved." Still, that question and the way she phrased it was incredibly odd to him, and as he lifted a hand up that wasn't wrapped around her own he debated how to phrase the statement well.

"Also, just because we have alot of chakra doesn't mean we just throw it around haphazardly. It doesn't matter how deep your well is, you don't just leave the water running when it's not being used for anything, right? Same concept." With this he would continue on, idly trailing the tip of his thumb along the back of her hand.

"Hiyori is ten, Saika and Serena are nine. Serena is the older one by three minutes, twenty-seven seconds." The final question made him laugh, however, especially with how breathless she'd become. Petting her head gently he would nod once in agreement.

"Yes, I hunt. I have since I was about five, using a bow and arrow as is custom, with my father. After a few months I started going by myself, and once I became an adult of the clan and built my own house, I'm required by our traditions to hunt for all my own food. We can't ever buy anything, after all. We have to make everything we use by ourselves." A slight grin spread across his lips.

"Does that make sense?" Satori asked curiously, he wanted to make sure that his answers were making sense to the young woman or it wouldn't matter how much he answered her.

Riku wished she'd brought something to write with, but with all the excitement at meeting Satori's mothers, the blue haired girl had forgotten. She would have to try and commit the details of everything she learned to memory and write about it later. In the mean time, Riku listened avidly.

Satori had unwittingly gotten Riku hook line and sinker; she was a sucker for information, insatiably curious, and prone to getting attached to anyone willing to teach her. He had invited her to ask him anything and so far, hadn't even hesitated to answer any of the blue haired girl's inquiries.

As Satori talked and stroked her hair, Riku leaned closer to him and relaxed a bit. His explanations were short, but didn't leave out any details she needed to understand the responses. Absorbing information from his words was like breathing. It was much easier to understand than Academy lectures or the botany texts her mother kept around the house.

"That makes sense. Your clan is really self sufficient." She peered up at him, brown eyes still curious, boring into him as if trying to devour the tall boy.

"Can I go hunting with you sometime? I want to see how you do it. I know a little bit about what to do with fresh meat, but I've never caught any before. Kaa-san spends almost all her time with her plants or her patients, so she doesn't have time to hunt."

Riku took a moment to take in their surroundings, her gaze wandering over the architecture of the buildings, noting that they were built by the very people inhabiting them. The idea of having the power to catch and kill her own food and build her own home was appealing to her. If Riku could learn to be like Satori, even just a little, then she would be able to take care of her mother and sister with no problems, maybe even Anzu-oba-san if she worked hard enough.

The blue haired girl returned her attention to Satori, not wanting to miss his response.

[12]

Satori nodded his head once, "We always have been. The village is weak-- they rely on currency, and on the strengths of others. I love my home, and I love this country, but I wish they'd understand that life isn't easy, and if you pretend it is, you become weak." A sigh passed the boys lips, far too philosophical for his own good, or his age before the boy would turn and smile down at the girl as she commented on coming with him on a hunt.

"Sure, I don't mind. I do it daily, so you can come whenever you want. I'll teach you how to trap and hunt-- it'll help you improve your stealth quite a bit too." With this, Satori would then turn and gently lead the girl along.

"I guess we can talk in my house, there's no reason to stand around out here," with this, he would carefully weave his way through the pathways of the compound. There were calls of greeting as they passed by, and each time Satori smiled and waved in response. However, notably there was no treats offered or anything of the like, instead, as they walked it became clear what the Ryuutei's version of "treats" were.

Children that helped out were given treats in the form of knowledge. Tricks on how to better hold their blade, pointers on hand seals, new information on hunting or crafting. Pragmatism and self-sustainment were incredibly important in their culture, and it was ingrained even in the youngest children what a reward being given secrets, no matter how small, truly was. As they passed by the main building, the sound of explosions, strikes, and hard materials clashing in battle filled the air. Groans of pain from wounded being treated spoke of the brutal training methods, yet no one even batted an eye.

To the Ryuutei, this was normal. Instead they continued on until coming to an opening of land that held a large garden as well as a small greenhouse. To the side was a small smoking and drying cabin, and a shed that clearly held a variety of supplies. A single large two story cabin large enough for two people was clearly fairly new by the unstained but well-treated wood. It was crafted from a variety of materials, solid slabs of earth clearly done with chakra build the foundations. Treated and carved wood made up the walls, and rounded stones made up the pathways leading up to it, decorating the garden, and so forth.

Similarly, there was a low fence lining the land clearly marking it as private property in the compound, and there were many other houses of varying sizes decorating the area. This side of the compound lacked a massive defensive wall, and the reason became obvious as the lands expanded outward into fields beyond the compound, decorating the farmlands that had their own defensive towers, sections of walls acting as strategic defensive points instead. As they approached the large oak door, Satori slid it open revealing the minimalist home. Furniture for one and a few guests, dozens of bookshelves, and a few simple tables made up the first room.

Entering he would lean down, hands trailing over her to accept a jacket, hanging it up casually along with his massive hoodie. Tossing it on the hook as he straightened the thin black mesh shirt he wore underneath, removing his sandals and stretching before glancing down and offering a slight smile.

"Welcome to my home. It's not much, but I'm proud of it. Do you want anything to eat or drink while we talk?" Tilting his head curiously, the boy would glance toward the door on the southern side of the room, clearly inferring it was the kitchen.

Riku's brow knit slightly when Satori called their village weak, a vague hint of a frown playing at the corner of her lips. From what her mother and Anzu let Riku learn about politics and the current state of affairs, Kirigakure was a vicious place. Clans that mostly looked out for themselves had been brought together because other groups of clans were unifying and they didn't want to get run over by the other newly formed villages. Even though that had been about six years ago, the social and political hierarchy weren't set in as deeply as they should be for stability. There were power vacuums and plenty of families who wanted to be higher up in the food chain so to speak were competing for a place at the top. That spoke of desperation as opposed to weakness, distraction kept people busy. Even her own family couldn't afford to become too independent, they were too busy establishing their place in the village.

Riku didn't voice her thoughts, though, instead, she turned her head to observe the children running around as they walked past. The look of delight on their faces when an adult would pause to show them how to do something or whisper in their ears with conspiratory looks on their faces provoked a soft smile. It reminded Riku vaguely of her father. He had been dead for two years now and her memories were starting to lose some of their clarity because of it. The blue haired girl wasn't sure if she felt warmed at the sight of relationships like the one she used to have with her father, or if her heart ached. Riku's smile softened into a more neutral expression.

Some of the children, Riku noticed, were sporting bruises and other injuries, probably from training. Watching them get tended to sparked some interest for the blue haired girl. How old were the girls in this clan when they first learned to patch themselves and others up? This was the thought that Riku decided to give voice.

"When do girls in your clan start learning medicine? When do they get to start practicing on other clan members?"

This was a far safer topic than Riku's political opinions or her more tender emotions.

Satori's house, despite being humble, was impressive to the blue haired girl all the same. His home rivaled the size of her childhood home in Port Kaibana. It was well made, Riku could tell, upon examination of the carved wood and sturdy foundation. Simple, but well made, unlike the townhouses where she lived with her aunt, mother, and sister. The buildings Riku's family and extended family had taken for their own had been built somewhat hastily to accommodate the centralization of people around and in Kirigakure after its formation.

Inside, Riku continued to look around, wide eyed. She let Satori take her jacket, revealing the lightweight yukata beneath it, without taking her eye off of the decor.

"...are those table legs made out of bone?" the blue haired girl inquired, slipping out of her sandals to wander closer to inspect the furniture.

Satori's question got Riku to look at him again. "Thank you, Satori-san. Could I have some water please?"

Her stomach grumbled just after she requested the drink. Flushing and setting a hand over her belly to calm it, the girl continued, "what do you have to eat?"

[13]

Satori noticed the sad, and yet happy smile-- it was both at once, and he knew better than to poke around in the girl's feelings. Not yet, perhaps once they knew one another a bit longer, but he wasn't so tactless as to just jump straight into the girls past. He knew some, and vague ideas would do just fine for now. Instead, once they were inside he answered her question with his usual casual air as he hung up their jackets on the hooks made of antlers.

"It varies. When it comes to training in chakra you must have passed your initial adulthood trial. Due to that, the average for any of us learning to use chakra of any nature varies from five to ten years old. It depends on how hard you've trained, and how determined you are, and of course how resourceful you may be." As he stated this, Satori turned to look toward the girl when her stomach rumbled, a laugh slipping from his lips as he would nod toward the table where cushions surrounded it, the large chairs clearly designed for a more casual setting.

"I'll bring you something. Unless you want to watch, that's fine too," With this he moved toward the doorway, contemplating the previous question.

"They're bone. We're bound by law to never waste anything that we kill. If you've taken life, you must take responsibility and use every bit of the body to the best of your ability. Meat is eaten, tendons are turned to twine and rope. Skin and hide to leather, bone to weapons, furniture, and building materials. Dice and needles, and so on." As they moved into the kitchen this proved all the more true, the kitchen was small, but not confined. Pans hung from pegs in the cupboards, and a large cabinet was settled, there was notably no fridge.

Instead, when he opened it there was salted meats hanging from the ceiling and in sterilized, airtight wooden crates. Jar's full of fermented or pickled, or simply canned vegetables lined the shelves inside and he contemplated a few moments before glancing upward.

"Probably want something light," he pondered, before grasping what appeared to be half of a chicken, plucked, cleaned and salted. Turning he placed it down and drew one of the large pans that held a bone handle, placing it down on the stove. Turning a metal knob that had been hand-forged clearly, causing the slight scent of compost to form before Satori snapped his fingers next to the eye using the flint from the ring adorning it against his claw. Instantly, heat sparked from his hand, igniting the eye with brilliant flame as the scent of natural gas being burned filled the air, replacing the scent of compost immediately.

"Anything we can't use from kills is turned into compost. The compost's gases are then stored in a tank outside, while the compost itself is slowly turned to fertilizer that we then put in our soil." As he explained this idly, he would begin washing the salt from the chicken. Causing the salt water to gather in a bucket inside the sink, saving it so the salt could be saved for future usage after being removed from the water through dehydration.

Once the chicken was ready, Satori casually sliced the meat from the bones, butchering the half a chicken casually with practiced strokes as he removed skin, tendon, vein, and bone. As the meat sizzled, he didn't even look up as he grasped familiar wood-carved shakers that dashed the chicken with herbs and seasoning. A bit of soy sauce, and then the bones and extra's were dumped in a pot on another eye of the stove. Adding water and capping it off, clearly intending to make a stock with it before turning and beginning to put in rice on the third eye while he glanced at Riku.

"If you want an example though, Serena and Saika started to practice last year, and they're considered about average. I started studying chakra at five after I passed my first trial, and I'm considered abnormal." A slight shrug, clearly not thinking much of the "achievement", it was nothing compared to his future goals after all.