To see the new attractions

The sound of metal boots could be heard throughout the square. A soft fluttering of a grey cloak as two induviduals made their way through the busy street of the hoshi market. Both wore rather plain clothing, well one did. Another was in an imposing dark armor. One set of grey eyes were  softer, but a tad bit rugged. As if some training had commenced and exhuastion was creeping along the way, but the dark armored clad induvidual held a gaze that rivaled an ongoing storm. 

The pair spoke as they kept pace. Walking side by side. The noon sun reflected off the grey cloak as they walked in tune and pace. They spoke quietly of the days that seemed to have passed. Speaking of the many induviduals they seldomly see nowadays.

"Brother what happend to the boy who lost his?arm in battle. You came home early  a few days ago and have not seen him."

The normal clothed one asked with a whisper. The voice was curious as the black armor clad one remained rather auiet the following days on the incident as he kept tabs on the boy's recovery. But his voice was matter of fact in this case.

"What happens to many warriors that fail to meet the grindstone. He has passed sadly due to his injuries... one must know to always have a solid grasp of combat, but so should a village maintain a well trained medical staff. Injuries like that xabi happen alot more commonly then you think. So it is imperative one stay on the high end of their senses. You see?"

Xuba stated  with rather an educated air. He had seen many things out there in the world, but well cole was clearly not made for the cut. There in his own eyes xuba saw it as another failure in the village way kf handling things. 

The pair walked somemore as they continued in silence and xabi gestured to the two man seated booth.

"Heard of the new place brother. They serve all sorts of good stuff. I reckon"

Xabi asked as theur stomachs grumbled a bit in the response. The kitchen did smell good.

"We can do with a bite to eat. Just you never know with a chef xabi. This new one is on the rise, but we must obviously  vent him. Shall we?"

Xuba stated as he lead the way into the booth and with a black guantlet hand he rung the bell.

"Lets have a chat chef!"

The man of about 25 would. State loud enough for the busy man in the back.

As the duo ducked their way past the hanging cloth that symbolically marked the divide between where the main street ended and the domain of Xanadu's Dome began, Kaibo was hunched back over the rear preparation bench. he was thinly slicing dough to the perfect length, flouring it as he went. A little bit of flour splashed on the cover of what looked like a covered restaurant menu, just below the only visible wording on the front, "Shinobi Menu" As always, his ninja headband half stuck out of a rear pocket of his jeans at a jaunty angle. A tight dark brown t shirt was partially covered by an apron, and a hoshi-purple bandana covered the rear-topknot his brown hair was pulled into.

Upon hearing the bell ding against the mans gauntlet, Kaibo would finish setting down the noodles he was shaping and rise up to full height, his broadly muscled back seeming to block out the rear of the stall before he turned. An honest face with a square jaw, having only the hint of a day or so of stubble around the chin, assessed the new customers for a moment as he put his hands on his hip. He didn't believe he had seen them before.


"Welcome!" He finally said, with a big grin. Kaibo's right hand mad an exaggerated sweep to the right before coming back to form a thumb jutting back at his chest, point at himself. "I'm Kaibo, and you're in the stately Xanadu's Dome". He chuckled a deep, short laugh, as if at an inside joke or reference. His large fist then swung to point to a blackboard mounted to his right, to the customers left. "The main menu's a little limited right now, but that's so i can garauntee it's the best dam ..." He caught himself " the best darn food you'll eat this month. Just let me know when you know what you want, it's all fresh!"


He'd wait for a few seconds to see if the pair knew what they wanted right away, but if they turned to each other to start talking, or really consider the menu, his eyes would shift over to a slowly simmering pot on the range. He'd put out a stone bowl in front of him, and after draining the simmering pot he would pour the contents (soft red beans) into the stone bowl until it was about 1/3 full. After a bit of sugar and a few other ingredients were sprinkled it, he'd get out the pestle to this stone mortar and start slowly, carefully, grinding the beans into paste.

The chef arrived and the brothers took a solid glance at him as he spoke up. Xabi having worked with xuba had a strong sense to size up an induvidual as his training had  gone suscessful. Less questioning and more silent analyzing of both an individual. Calculating their values, calculating their goals, and of course the intent.

His greeting was responded with a silent nodd from xuba and a blank stare from xabi as the weaker twin's eyes scanned the mans face in the meantime.  Both glanced  at the menu out the corner of their peripheral vision.

"Lets start light shall we kaibo? A small taste platter since we never tried this place before. I will try a small bit of rice with a small side of either beef, or pork."

Xuba stated as he glanced up with a glance of concern at the "cookies." He was not certain what place openly sells a baked good along with actual meals and quietly assumed it was a treat for children. Xabi in this time spoke up.

" i am curious about what your special meal is for the day. And i will take a medium filling of it please. Our meals are rather small due to our training regimen."

Xabi spoke with a slight smile as xuba abscentmindedly tapped the wooden table his focus was on the man as he considered him quietly.

" i have eaten in many places kaibou. So every place has a story you see. What is the story of you building this place within hoshi?"

Xuba asked the man as he was certain the man had a story to tell. A quiet chef was a good chef. But each individual had a story. From money pinching. to family tradition. Every story was different. So now what was this mans tale?

Kaibos wide face settled into a familiar, disarming, customer service style smile, not too wide, just neutrally pleasant.  He recognized this type of customer as soon as they began to order.  They pretended to look at the menu, but ordered completely off it.   He had nothing against this style, the customer was always right, and it never did to try and 'correct' a customer and make them order what you wanted to serve.  Let your stomach be your guide, and always pursue what you truely wanted!  Thats the way a person should be, bold and honest, following their heart and not some prescribed plan!

He gave an approving, assenting grunt. "Right away!  One yakisoba special, and one rice with split meats!"  And he turned and squatted, sliding aside the door of the lower rear cabinet to fish out something from the back.  While facing away, the tip of the metal of his headband and a bit of the purple cloth could be seen poking out from his back jean pocket.

He normally didn't serve a rice meal, but he has some sticky rice he was going to experiment making a special dish with later.  It could be sacrificed for the sake of the customer, though.  And while he didn't have a special, he had just served yuuma his new and improved yakisoba sauce earlier today.  As the other chef had approved of the more savory nature, and seeing how these two distatefully eyed the sweets, he was sure they'd approve as well.

As he began oiling up and heating a pan for the meats, he took the sticky rice ball out and set it in the fine mesh grating that say just above the bottom of covered pan he had brought out, carefully molding it more flat with his fingers rather than a utensil so the rice grains wouldn't break.  A little water in the pan and the lid on, and the steam would naturally break apart the sticky rice into a nice, fluffy, wholesome dish.  A slight sprinkling of salt, and some parsley and basil in the soon-to-be-steam water below would give a nice flavor to the normally bland ingredient, without being overpowering, in just a few minutes.  From their mentions of training, he had guessed the liked a nice, simple, hearty meal, but everything was improved with a little gentle flavoring here and there.

The beef and pork hit different pans, with slightly different seasonings and aromatics as well.  During this whole process he spoke, his body working away constantly and independently of his mouth, with the cooking taking priority, never stopping.

"Not much to tell, so far.  Just a chef itching to try his own recipes away from the big kitchen.  I saved up enough money there to buy this stall away from the previous owner, who wasn't even using it, and I've been here maybe a month or two.  I'm here most lunches and dinners, except when duty comes up, but generally thats rare.  I suppose you two will be the judges of how it's all working out, though, eh?"

As the meat cooked he separated out the pork to be used with the yakisoba, adding the noodles, vegetables, and his new, more savory sauce, letting the flavors meld, while the smaller portion of pork and the beef had their temperature turned down waiting to reach the perfect temperature to be put on the rice dish.

Once it was all ready he put the rice in a line down the center of the plate, with some pork on one side and beef on the other, the rice acting as a barrier between the two.  Another plate he carefully lifted some yakisoba into with tongs (pouring would leave too much sauce to pool)  before turning and serving both.  As the dishes sizzled in front of their eyes, Kaibo stooped a bit, grabbing napkins from below the front counter and then putting both chopsticks and utensils on them.  A bit of theater that let the smell and sight hit the hungry customer for a few moments before they could consider eating it, he found it worked well.

He waited, crossing his arms in a smug manner, to watch the patrons take their first bite before he'd go back to dealing with the temporarily sidelined beans he had been working on.

The twins quietly ate as the delicious food was devoured in tandum. The silence previously was to grant the chef concentration towards preperation and otherwise an focus of his delicate handy work. But their words would in many cases show to the results after the meal having both taken the time to enjoy each savory flavor.

With an moment of silence as the two looked at their plates in thought and as such xabi patted xubas back. The two merged before the mans eyes and they both shot a smile.

"I wondered how things would've gone should i have met a cook of your skill. I hunted for years in the midst of the wilds of each land. So for an good measure i shall say this. You will do fine as a traveler. To expand your products as an man of culture. You will do best to spread your cooking around the lands. If you ever need an hand of course. You can come and ask of me kaibo. But still i must say for such a meal you deserve a hefty reward."

Xuba stated and grinned as xabi's hands reached of the money bag. Counting out a solid amount of 1k ryou he slid it over to the chef and chuckled as it reminded him of when he walked out of his first visit to kumo.

"Invest in a wagon but that will make sure to cover sone expenses for the moment. However, ill gladly allow if you wish my guidance to and through the lands and the darker parts of the lands freely should you disire to travel. Untill we meet again kaibo."

Xuba waved and xabi bowed his head as the twins as a singularity walked out the bar.

(Exit)

-1k ryo and giving it to kaibo.

Approved Xuba <3