|
Post by Juni on Jul 13, 2021 16:01:33 GMT -8
After successfully regaining control of Sol Marina by nightfall from the Black Heart Namekians, Juniper popped open a DynoCapsule just outside of the village’s stone walls, and a dense snowy pine forest. A massive bonfire was started by Koma of The Dandelion Clan, it roared outside of the western style house that was released from the capsule, and the couple were immediately preparing dinner to replenish their energy from a drawn out battle.
Hachi prepared the tea for the evening using his long black tentacles to assist his companion Juniper in setting up the kotatsu table inside the wooden home. The floating black octopod hovered into the kitchen, he was a sushi master, and was cooking steamed rice over a vat. All of his tentacles picked up several knives to break down a large salmon hanging by its tail from the wooden rafters that Koma caught as an appetizer.
The iori fire pit in the middle of the tatami flooring of the main living room, was presently boiling water in a large pot, along with kelp and bonito stock. A typical soup base for miso once the kelp softened to an acceptable consistency.
The Dandelion Princess was dressed in a black and red kimono with black fox fur collar around her neck to resist the frigid atmosphere despite her demonic bloodline having a natural resistance to the cold weather. A white frilly apron was worn over her refined clothing, as she sliced green onions on a bamboo cutting board with elegant movements, which was proof that she was not a skilled cook given her subtle speed in which she was cutting the foraged vegetable.
The entire house was aromatic with the umami flavors, it was difficult for Juniper not build up an appetite in the food preparation, the lack of having servants to prepare meals ahead of time only proved that she lived an elegant lifestyle in Oolong City, and in order to understand earthlings better she needed to explore other regions as well as being able to survive without luxuries.
[341] Koma Zaru
|
|
|
Post by Koma on Jul 13, 2021 17:36:18 GMT -8
The half-saiyan Samurai had started the bonfire by both chopping down a few of the primordial forest's trees by hand and hefting them into a center area before breaking them up into smaller pieces, and taking a dive into the cold northern sea to pull up some shipwrecks for even more fire wood. As the water bogged ship wrecks began to drain and by the initial fire he had started, he added them broken up to the bonfire.
It was as much a sign and a threat to Drumport across the sea as it was anything else, and as the fire rared, he began to cook severed Namekian parts from the least humanoid demon clan namekians that he had run into. They were held by wooden spears he had carved from the trees, and slowly turned to cook as they roasted.
This too was more about the symbol that it showed as anything else, because several members of the village's guard and others had watched him do it. The blue grey eyed half-saiyan's eyes almost glowed yellow as he spoke of it. “This is not because I enjoy Namekian meat, as much as some think it is a delicacy. This is a reminder to them that war is a too way street. IF you want to protect Sol Marina from them in the long term, you'll need to show them that you aren't to be trifled with. They kidnap you and your's for slave labor. Ritually eat theirs. It may even make you stronger, if you believe some.”
Then he went back to the roasting, standing there in the freezing north in nothing but a still drying and water dripping loin cloth. Koma truly was like the creature that many considered his namesake, standing at six feet four with wide shoulders and well defined muscles, and standing in this northern climate like it didn't bother him.
If it did, he wouldn't actually show it. You don't inspire courage by showing discomfort.
[331]
|
|
|
Post by Zaru on Jul 14, 2021 3:53:58 GMT -8
Zaru only felt gross. Much of his face and the entirety of his robes had been splashed with the blood of the mutant Namekians, and it didn't help that it had now dried in, so parts of him were caked with the stuff. He carried a bucket in one hand and the top half of his robes underneath his other arm, walking idly with what seemed to be a blank, disinterested expression towards the bonfire that had been set up, the crescent and sword slash scars visible across his torso and back. He wasn't too bothered at the samurai who stood there with basically no clothes on - it was hardly the first person he'd seen wandering about like that near forests. Still, after the fight, he had just wandered off from those he'd been working with at first, trying to find somewhere he could wash and relax. The smell of meat helped him decide it was here.
The bald martial artist sat down, cross-legged, placing his stained robes on the ground next to him. He lifted and upturned the bucket over his own head, soaking himself in water and quickly washing most of the blood off of himself. He ran his hand over his head for a moment as he seemed to take that second to actually relax, only to realise a moment later just how hungry he actually was. That would explain why the smell attracted him so much, though. Without really thinking, or asking, he picked up one of the wooden spears, turning it a bit more himself to speed up the roasting of the meat until it seemed ready. He brough the spear's point towards himself, taking some small bites off of the meat skewered upon it, not that he'd actually checked what it was.
He was sitting not far from Koma, though not quite on the same side of the bonfire. It hadn't even crossed his mind as to why the man was cooking so much, but he figured he had enough there to share around, right? Zaru chewed on it for a moment before he took another bite and opened one eye, looking now in Koma's direction and talking through his food. "So, uh...you ruin your clothes too, or what?" He simply continued chewing and took another bite of the meat, still only around halfway through. His appetite was no doubt nowhere near the level of say, a Serujin, or something, but he preferred it that way. Sucking up that much food all day would cut into his training time.
WC: 430
|
|
|
Post by Juni on Jul 14, 2021 4:49:56 GMT -8
As soon as the green onions were sliced, Juniper used a ladle to check the softness of the kombu, and proceeded to add the fermented senzu bean paste her mother in law Hanetsuki-hime made in stone jars. It was an invaluable ingredient that only a guardian of the white cat clan possessed as a delicacy. Initially gifted as a wedding gift, the Dandelion Princess figured Koma would not mind sharing it, as not much of the paste was used in the broth itself as the last ingredient to add to the pot over the iori fire pit to enhance the umami and nutritional value of the western style soup. After a few minutes the soup boiled again once the senzu paste was incorporated to add a cloudy green hue to the broth. Several bowls covered a lacquer wooden serving tray, the soup was poured into each one using the ladle, and Juniper picked it all up gently with magic materialization to keep it hot under a superficial heat lamp she created over the tray. As she stood up, she materialized a pair of boots on her feet when she stepped down a stone step, from the wooden house made of tree of might sapling lumber. The town guards were left in awe at Koma’s instructions even more so that he was fishing the frigid ice waters just a few moments earlier to salvage wood and provisions to be served at dinner. “Good evening everyone please help yourselves to fermented senzu bean soup.” Juniper held the tray over to everyone to pick up a bowl of their own. After Koma took his share, she noticed a man she had not seen before wipe what remained of purple blood from a Namekian. Regardless of the color or shape of a black heart namekian, their regenerative ability prevented their purple blood from turning red from atmospheric exposure like most earthlings. After Zaru washed himself with a bucket of water that was warmed up by the bonfire in the frigid climate, Juniper stepped closer while he proceeded to eat a skewer of namekian meat with vigor, offering soup in a bowl from the tray she was holding with a heat lamp hovering over it. “Greetings, I assume you have traveled from the neighboring sea port town Lumina that has also been constantly under the threat of namekians as Sol Marina. I am Juniper of the Dandelion Clan. What’s your name?”[406] [747] Zaru Koma
|
|
|
Post by Koma on Jul 14, 2021 9:19:20 GMT -8
Koma tilted his head at the question from the bald martial artist, covered in blood and gore as he was. Rather than simply speaking a no, he tilted his head to a nearby tree branch where the half-Saiyan's clothes hung. As he turned the food, he handed a few skewers of it to the bravest of the guards, at least not the ones scared off by the food itself.
Then he took a deep breath, enjoying the winter's chill against his body even as his body dried near the bonfire as he cooked. “I simply took a dive for some training and to recover some extra fire wood so I didn't have to cut down more trees than necessary. Do you need a change of clothes? I have some extra track suits in the capsule house's closet, if you do.”
He was not a man who chattered much, believing in the right words and the right actions at the right time, rather than many words and many actions at many times. So as his wife came out with the miso and sensu bean blend soup that his mother had taught her to make, he smiled. This was meant to be a vacation of sorts, but even on vacation they continued to stay busy with the business of ruling, and indeed soon he was greeted by a very fat, very large, very stubby Tanuki which barked at him and seemed to be talking to him for a moment.
“Yes Gilbert, feel free to take a skewer. Yes, yes, I know your scouting was an excellent help to the mission. No, not that much of a help.” he said to the Tanuki as it continued to bark at him, before it sat down on one of the logs around the bonfire with a snatched spear skewer of Namekian meat and began to chew on it.
[314] [645]
|
|
|
Post by Zaru on Jul 14, 2021 14:46:07 GMT -8
Lumina. That was the name. He recognised it immediately as the lady said it, even with having forgotten on his way over here. Zaru tried not to concern himself too much with fiddly details like names of places and people he wasn't every going to see again, there wasn't much of a point. Who would live in a place like this willingly, anyway? He already saw the potential in it for increasing his stamina and building up some of his resistances, but other than that, he didn't get it. Not for normal people, anyway. These people here didn't seem all that normal. Nevermind that the guy was huge as anything, and even the lady was a little taller than him, but he could tell they had far more power than your average joe.
Zaru figured he'd find out later. For now, he took the bowl of senzu bean soup, as grateful as someone can look with a blank expression on their face, before answering Juniper's question. "Zaru. Of the, uh...Krillin clan, I guess. Just don't try to use my name to get in any places, they aren't gonna let you in." His tone implied he was dead serious, which said more about his reputation with the rest of his family than anything else. He didn't care about that, anymore. He was over it. Well, at least over letting strangers know his status. Zaru was far from over how the rest of his family were generally happy to see the back of him, even if a lot of them were friendly, no matter how much he denied it.
He started on the bean soup, and his cold blue eyes, standing out against the glowing orange of the fire, had glanced up to the clothes that the large man had tossed onto a tree branch. He seemed to consider the offer of extra clothes for a moment, then glanced down to the top half, and what was meant to be the more presentable half, of his robes. They still lay there on the ground, caked in purple and stiff from it. "Yeah, why not. I won't turn it down."
Zaru continued eating away at the bean soup, enjoying the warmth of the fire in front of him. He was more relaxed now than he'd been in a while, but it couldn't hurt to try and figure out some more while he was here, information gathering and all that. "So, Dandelion Clan, what's that? You from around here?"
WC: 425 TWC: 855
|
|
|
Post by Juni on Jul 14, 2021 17:50:08 GMT -8
Once everyone was served a bowl of senzu bean broth soup, the tray with the heat lamp disappeared in a blink of an eye through mysticism, while everyone was seated, Juniper sat on one of the large shipwreck lumber pieces that was scattered nearby and had become dry from the bonfire at this point. Zaru offered his name but Koma was distracted by his companion to offer his own name properly in order to feed the wild animal.
“My husband Koma of The Dandelion clan.” Juniper chimed in immediately and she reflected on the name Zaru gave, “It is a familiar name my grandfather Oolong has mentioned in his farfetched storytelling from his narrow point of view. I believe Krillin appears in the Kakarot comic books one of our son’s likes to read but the remainder of our quintuplets enjoy Pilaf Adventure illustrated picture books the most. While the past history is permanent, it has been so long that people have forgotten the truth, and it has little to do with the problems we are faced with at present, Zaru-san.”
Gilbert was practically starving, he ate the meat from the skewers once Koma assured him to eat it, since the other Guards were occupied with the vegetarian friendly soup.
It was then that Zaru asked what their clan name was significant for, Juniper immediately answered, “The Dandelion Clan was established for the purposes of uniting the Ducal heirs through our marriage. Koma is the heir to the guardians of Korin’s sacred tower known as The White Cat Clan and I am the heir to the Tea Clan who developed most of the infrastructure of Oolong city and established the fiefdom of the Western Lands. For the past four hundred years the Grand Dukes Yajirobe and Oolong have ruled over Oolong City in the Western lands. Both of our grandparents have been responsible for coining the term The Pig Demon Duchies uniting the formerly warring territories in order to defeat Piccolo Daimao and his raiders who attempt to take control of the main land border. However, our way of life has prevented the hordes from invasion up to this point in history, so with tonight’s victory the Daimao is losing control of the central and northern land borders. It is our wish to secure the future of our own children by ending this cold war.”
The clan name was decided for the purposes of the plant being a common type of tea along with the term lion in the name, especially since it was a ruthless herb that survived in any condition around the globe for centuries.
Hachi finished preparing all the salmon, the floating small octopus used his own ki to have the strength to deliver all the sliced meat on a platter large enough to display the massive salmon that had been elegantly prepared into thin slices. Since the weather outside was far too cold, the salmon was flash preserved in salt water brine, to prevent the meat from freezing. Ginger, wasabi, cucumber, and soy sauce was also on the platter. One of his tentacles held a bamboo cup filled with chopsticks for the town guards to use and have a taste of western style cuisine.
After making a few rounds around the bonfire with the town guards, Juniper picked up a pair of chopsticks to eat a thinly sliced salmon sashimi dipped in wasabi paste and soy sauce, she then gestured for Koma and Zaru to have a bite themselves.
“There is also steamed rice inside the house if anyone would like any to eat it with the salmon sashimi using the empty soup bowls.” [603] [1,350] Zaru Koma Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Koma on Jul 20, 2021 1:19:36 GMT -8
Koma watched the villagers slowly take skewers from the fire, first hesitantly and then taking that fateful bite. It was something some was scared of doing, but it was not exactly an evil act persay. It was even once something that the Pig Demon Duchies had used as apart of the training of young Buke and Samurai. The icy blue eyed half-saiyan samurai turned to Zaru after that, before shrugging. “A warrior is from somewhere, no where, and everywhere at the same time. The path of the waves is their highway – that is to say, we're from the Westernlands, but I've traveled across most of the world. I've even been to the Northern Demon Lands, and I don't mean their outposts.”
He began to sip the specialized miso and sensu bean soup that his mother had taught to Juniper and was silent after that as his wife and this bald, blood covered martial artist discussed things. As Juniper offered up for Zaru and their other impromptu visitors to get bowls and the food prepared, Koma turned to get the offered clothes out of his closet. It was garish, but should fit Zaru, and he handed them to the martial artist.
“Yeah, my grandfather said Krillin is short, but then again I'm also much taller than the old man. Seems a strange scenario for three descendants of three different Z fighters to run into one another.” he said, voice and expression neutral despite part of him thinking this would be a good chance to further test exactly how far he had gone and how close he was to on his own being able to get revenge on the Saber Cat clan for their betrayal of him and the rest of the Bear Clan loyalists.
[295] [909]
|
|