Hide and Seek [Zeshin]

[Jin NPC]

Rassan winked at Zeshin, smiling. "Nice to meet you too. It was a long time ago," he said to his little brother. "We used to let some Humans visit. But, you know, that was before our dad went away..." he finished, using the familiar euphemism. "Anyway. Mom won't be happy to see you, but--"

"Haku Marmon Asmodeus Recala, what in Genbu's name are you doing with a Human?!"

Approaching them was a tall, humanoid ginger cat with orange hair, carrying a basket. Upon nearing them, she almost jumped at the sight of Zeshin. Haku winced, and Rassan's smile just got larger. He gave the Human a reassuring smile.

Stopping just before reaching them and taking a step back, she said to herself, "So young..." she hadn't expected a Human in her village ever again, not after what had happened to her Chiba. Seeing this Human, even a small one almost brought her to tears. However, because he was so young, she was sure that he didn't bring them any grim news; in fact, because he had been able to cross the shield, she assumed that Haku had led him there--she had told him to stop venturing outside of the forest--and thus, as her son's friend, he must have been of good character. Sometimes children were the best judges of character, her husband always used to say.

Taking a breath, she put on a smile and tried to revise her previous greeting.



"Dearie," she said, addressing Zeshin nicely, though she didn't know his name, "Haku brought you here, didn't he?" Not bothering with the details, and wanting to get Zeshin out of sight before the other villagers noticed, she added. "You look half-starved! Come with me so I can get you some good food to fill out that skinny chest of yours."

She turned from them, flashing her children very reproachful glances as she began to walk ahead, leading the way to her home.

Haku flinched, but she said nothing. Rassan was still smiling as he followed, so she KNEW it had to have been her youngest. She shook her head throughout the entire walk, thinking of verbal reprimands that she knew she wouldn't be saying outloud to her child.

[Zeshin Lak-el Ury]

Happy to see that Hak's brother Rassan took well to his presence given Haku's description of his people's past with humans, he was relieved to see that there was no bad blood. as he began to walk with the brothers, he heard a voice from close by, a woman's voice, filled with both concern and annoyance. The woman who called out Haku's name was a Neko-Jin like Haku and Rassan, and turned out to be their mother. When she caught sight of Zeshin she was startled to say the least, and Zeshin was about to offer an apology and explanation for his intrusion, but he stopped as she began to speak.

Zeshin heard her whisper, "so young..." and assumed it was adult humans who were here last, and was again relieved to see her smile after taking a breath. She called him 'dearie', and extended hospitality toward Zeshin, which caused him to think of his own mother, whom she so reminded him of. "It was your youngest one Haku that brought me here ma'am." Zeshin said, rustling Haku's hair gently with his hand.

"Thank you for the hospitality ma'am, and let me know if you need help in the kitchen, I'm a chef back home." Zeshin said, following the woman. As she continued to speak to Haku, who stayed silent out of embarrassment, Zeshin chuckled, her passive verbal assaults made the comparison of his own mother even greater, as Zeshin wondered if he acted as Haku did when he was younger.

[Jin NPC]

[we can end this thread now, if you want, and then you can start another one about Zeshin exploring the city and what have you ^^]

Hana wasn't sure how to react to the young Human boy. Humans were in part the reason why her husband had gone away...but she found herself unable to cruelly take out her aggression on this small boy. He didn't deserve. Her husband had loved Humans, and despite the crisis with them that had taken him away, she couldn't blame them.

Trying to keep the strained look from her face as she ushered the children in and sat them all down in chairs, she heard the boy's offer to help in the kitchen. "No, love, I couldn't possibly accept your help. I've already made most of dinner; it's the desert I'm working on now. It won't be too long."

Honestly, she wanted the chance to be by herself, to push past all of the pain that was rising in her so that she could treat her guest with all of the respect that he deserved. That, and she knew that when he began to explore the city he would retrieve no special treatment other thana little surprise.

As she headed into the kitchen, Haku--sitting in a bright red, hand painted wooden chair--said, "Mama's food is the greatest! I know you'll love it...!"

Rassan has chosen to sit in a rather ordinary chair, and he asked, "Well, what kinds of things do you do where you come from? The only thing we've ever heard about you guys doing is hunting other creatures...but I know that you're not like that...not outside of survival. You don't even look like you can wield that hunk of junk..." he finished, with a laugh.

[Zeshin Lak-el Ury]

Smiling at Haku to assure him that he was happy to see his home and meet his family, Zeshin sat in his seat at the table comfortably, trying not to look awkward or out of place. he watched the Jin woman as she began to prepare food for the three of them. "I'm sure I will, chasing you all day has me starving." Zeshin said. Zeshin listen to Rassan's comments, and was tempted to take his blade out of it's old and tattered casing, but knew that weapons at any table top were a sure sign of rudeness.

"I cook and work with my mother at our family's tavern." Zeshin said, touching his sword which rest against his chair. "Besides Rassan, hunting for no reason is stupid, I don't use it for much besides busting up chumps that talk to much." Zeshin said, making a coy face at the young Jin, responding back in a joking.

"Excuse me ma'am, but if you don't mind me asking, but what are you cooking, it smells delicious?" Zeshin said eagerly awaited supper. Looking around, Zeshin saw the various trinkets and things within the humble dwelling. It was comfortable, and Zeshin felt home her, sitting at the table, he imagined what type of camaraderie existed between brother, being an only child himself.

[Jin NPC]

Haku's eyes widened at the revelation of Zeshin's occupation. "You work at a tavern? That's awesome. That must mean that you meet all kinds of Travelers and Guests. I know you must have a lot of stories to tell! You HAVE to tell me before you leave!"

Rassan laughed at his little brother's easily excitable nature. Maybe one of the people who visited his village taught him how to fight with a sword. It would make sense. Not wanting to put his foot in his mouth about the sword issue he decided to say nothing, his brother's happy rant becoming nothing more but a droning sound in the back of his mind.

"Haku, hush now," their mother said. "He's only just gotten here; give him some time to rest.

She was rather intrigued, though, when he asked her what she was making. If she knew the nature of a mother, it would be that because he helped his mother run a tavern he was indeed a very good cook.

"I made rabbit stew. It's very good. I caught the rabbit myself this morning. But the stew is all done. For dinner, I was picking apples for a pie, and that's going to be done in perhaps a half of an hour or so. I'll let you all have some stew while it cooks. I would like to know more about you, Zeshin. It has been a long time since a Human has come to our village. This town probably isn't very much different from your own in nature...we're simply two different races," she said, smiling, the mothering nature exuding from her naturally as she spoke. Hana thought that is was nice to have her boys being friendly. Despite the presence of a Human in their village, they were determined to make him feel like he was no different from the rest of them. She was determined to do the same.

"Yes! early dinner and then fresh pie!" Rassan said, pumping his fist in the air as he did so. "You're good luck, Zeshin!"

"Rassan?" his mother asked. "Come on in here and bring Zeshin a bowl of soup. I'll bring you two yours in a moment.

Knowing that her mother couldn't carry three bowls at once, Rassan jumped up happily to do as he was bid, placing the bowl before Zeshin on the table as his mother entered the room with bowls for Haku and Rassan himself.

Haku was practically drooling at the prospect of food; today was a busy day. Making new friends, exploring the forest and running around outside of the barrier. All in a day's worth. He was ready to eat!