Cooking and Death.
-The next day-
Pov: Takumi Uchiha
I stretch lazily as I get out of my bed- grabbing my coat and placing it over my shoulders before exiting my room and heading towards my kitchen.
I open the fridge and my emotionless face turns into a frowning one.
Hn- I knew I was forgetting something, I should have not been so distracted by that gathering yesterday and prioritized my food. Considering how bland that barbeque place was... certainly not to my tastes, as everyone else enjoyed it.
I close the fridge and head back into my room in order to grab my wallet and a few bags to carry groceries, I place my slippers on and head out the door- bumping into Obito who seems to be late once more.
"Morning Obito- do you need anything from the market?" I ask with a yawn as he hops past me while struggling to put his footwear on.
"-Uh- No- maybe? I got to go- see you later, important mission!" Obito answers.
"Did you remember to pick up a gift for Kakashi?" I ask.
He turns his head away as he slips on his footwear quickly.
"... I will assume not- Have fun on your mission Obito" I yawn and he sprints past me.
*Clap!*
Giving me a high five as I walk past him.
I head down into some of the Uchiha Markets due to them being the closest to my house and immediately grab the items that I need, some basic vegetables and some meat- I bought a new book recently, trying out some recipe's within them shall be a nice endeavour to pursue instead of sleeping in today.
I could also look around for some other things while I am in the market, my growth spurt is occurring and I need to gather some clothes before I look like a fool.
...
Perhaps I should revaluate that sentence- I am still within my pyjamas and walking down the street in my pink slip on footwear, I truly have let go of my self-respect haven't I? Or rather I probably let go of it ages ago when I abused my child voice to get what I wanted from the Caretaker.
Fun times- how dreadfully boring it is now.
Wake up, sometimes work- do some training and then head home to sleep.
I look in my bag of fresh ingredients...
It is why I need hobbies like these when tough enemies are not there to grant me an adrenaline rush so powerful I cannot resist smiling.
Thinking on the recipe books I should refill my stash of romance books as well- the last few have been dull sure, but that does not disqualify the rest- I should pick some up after I cook this meal, I do wonder if the sequel to <A broken Promise> has come out yet? I am still curious to see who really betrayed who in the past and if Akie will choose Ayumi or Daiki? I wish they solved at least a few of these loose ends before completing the book... really leaves a bad taste in my mouth to know that they only left it so open to sell another book.
Damned author- or perhaps it was the publishers and editors- whatever the case they have spoiled my love for pure romance and I will not forgive them unless they properly end the next book in the series. That is why I need stories such as <A farmers Dedication> to cleanse my palate.
'{Will you shut up about these trivial stories}' - The Seal speaks up.
{This is my head, stay silent}.
...
Good. Although he is understanding this new tongue quickly if he is able to deduce what it is I am thinking about.
I arrive back home and unpack my bags of ingredients before beginning my next hobby- I open the recipe book and look towards one of the stews... simple, meat- vegetables. A great start for a beginner like me who has experience in making survival recipe's.
*Chop!*
I chop up the vegetables-
*Carve*
I carve up the meat and continue to follow the recipe to its exact measurements, not taking one step out of line, and doing my best to understand what a 'pinch' is in an actual number or measurement.
....
I cook the beef- I follow the steps- adding beef broth, potatoes, celery- carrots and more... time passes and finally-
*Clack*
I place the plate of food down in front of me and use a spoon to gather as much as I can into one bite.
...
"Is it the celery that was wrong? I knew it stood out from the other ingredients... but apart from that it also feels... bland" I mutter to myself.
'{You should remove the Celery and add more spice, it probably tastes bland}' the annoying inner voice repeats after me.
{I was following the recipe}
'{The recipe is lacking. And so are you}' The voice mocks.
{Silence your opinions- I will figure this out... perhaps a different recipe}
I look through the book again after finishing off the plate and absentmindedly note some other recipe's- something in here has to taste better than that.
Despite it being more tasteful than most the meals from my world... the ones I knew at least.
---
Pov: Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Great job on your latest mission Kushina- in fact I believe everyone is pleased with the outcome, I will add a bonus to the mission reward" I tell Kushina before removing some Ryo from my desk and placing it on top of my desk.
"Thanks- is Minato in the village?" She asks and takes the money.
"I just sent him off on a very important mission- Kannabi bridge, I believe it is time we took it down" I note.
"What about the Iwa reinforcements- they will surely send some to stop this mission and reclaim some ground..?" Kushina wonders aloud.
"I can only hope that Minato and his team are not detected before completing their mission, I trust in their abilities and know that Minato will be capable of dealing with any surprises that arise" I chuckle.
...
"Boring- now what can I do... got any quick missions?" Kushina sighs.
"You have too much energy, go spend it somewhere else" I shake my head.
I cannot exhaust her on a mission... she has too much power to let go so casually, even if I need the added manpower.
"Alright- see ya!" She shrugs her shoulders and exits quickly.
...
---
-Tomorrow-
"Again- boring, bland and tasteless..." I place my spoon upon the plate and cross my arms.
'{Try deviating from the recipe}'
{What point did this book hold if I failed to follow the recipe?}
'{Just think of it like your forms- deviate to suit the target of the form and get a more efficient kill... or rather in this case, make food according to your taste buds}' The advice is given, despite it's annoying tone.
...
It does make sense however, I just need to experiment to see how one ingredient can change the entire recipe if improperly measured.
The spices add the biggest variation in taste so I will handle the experimentation on those first...
I have to work tomorrow as well- I shall focus on this after that.
---
-The day passes quickly, as the next begins-
Pov: Elder Ichiro Uchiha.
"So this entire scheme was pointless?" The Uchiha before me blinks slowly.
...
"I- have been told so" I bow apologetically.
"I HAVE- why you- I have, for a few hours every day- taken time out of my day to play the part of this random lady next door and only now do you inform me he figured this scheme out ages ago!" The Lady scrunches her face up in frustration.
"It was not his fault.. no one knew" The genin tells her.
A retired housewife, Takumi's classmate from the Academy and me- Elder Ichiro have formed a pack to beat the Takumi bounty that the Uchiha clan has posted on the clan specific board.
"I only found out the other day- but worry not, I will ensure you are paid for it" I raise my hand in defence.
"THE OTHER DAY!!! I thought you found out this morning! What kind of incompetent Elder are you!?" She yells and I start to disassociate.
Yes... what Elder can I claim to be... I had a wildly successful career as a ninja, and much more success as a guide to those in the field- but one child has taken my pride down notch, by notch, by notch- I am afraid that I have become useless, washed up- nothing of worth to anyone...
"Oh- stop getting depressed- we all know that Takumi is a nightmare..." Haruna the housewife slumps in her chair and holds her face in annoyance.
"I have an idea-" Chie the classmate raises her hand.
"Oh?" Haruna rises up again.
I raise my eyebrow and move closer.
"He has begun to work at the smithy- he trains... goes on a mission every so once in a while... why don't we just... give up?" She asks.
...
"Nope" Haruna states.
"Not happening" I answer.
Chie sighs and shakes her head.
"He has been buying quite a lot of groceries- and studying a recipe book in public, I think he is trying out cooking, any way we can worm in with that?" I ask the room.
...
"How? What? How is that good information?" Haruna asks, deadpan face.
---
-A few days later-
Pov: Takumi Uchiha.
...
I ingest the food and close my eyes... meditating on the taste and licking my teeth, listening to the calm rain outside.
"Perfect" I smirk.
{I know for a fact that the food you have just created is not perfect- nothing requires the amount of chili powder or cinnamon you placed within that dish- what you have done is a sin within the culinary arts and I hope you do not offer your services to anyone else}" The speedster notes.
...
He may be right- that tasted perfect to me but even I am sceptical about the amount of spices I added into the dish... perhaps my new mouth has a different and much higher threshold on spicy foods.
Hn- but that doesn't make much sense, Ichiraku's tasted delicious to me before... did something happen to my mouth? Why is everything so tasteless... had I been eating anything other than rations I would be able to determine when this started... I am glad I began this hobby, I might need to go to the hospital and determine what is occurring because of it.
*Knock- Knock!*
I get up and stack the dishes to the side before walking to the door and opening it.
"Did I not sign a deal with you to stop bothering me? Or has your child mastered the scroll?" I ask the Uchiha Elder.
"Team Minato has just returned. I have come to inform you that Obito Uchiha has been declared dead on his latest mission... we will hold the funeral tomorrow, at mid-day. I am sorry for your loss" Fugaku Uchiha bows his head lightly and walks away after a moment of silence.
I stand there with a heavy frown immediately donning my face- still holding the door open as I absentmindedly gaze outside into the muddy and wet street.
...
I take a breath after holding in my last one for so long... blinking slowly before looking at my own door and closing it as my ears begin to tune into the world once more.
Obito... died.
I assumed he would have one day... the reason I wanted to laze around was exactly that one...
...
... I just hoped I would never hear those words- the death of my closest friend, the person I know the best in both worlds- Obito Uchiha, brightest smile to illuminate my dark, cold and lazy heart.
...
My hands shake a little and I try to shrug away this feeling- I walk up to my caretakers study and grab one of his practice swords- leaving the room and gripping the handle tightly as my breaths turn angrier- at myself, at the world- at the very concept of ninja - at this village and at anything and everything.
I raise my sword high up into the air-
...
-My shoulders slump down and I sit on the top of my stairs, holding the sword tightly to myself.
Why am I getting angry? I have experience this all before... many I called friend died in this line of work, ninja or soldier it doesn't matter.
...
He knew what he was getting into... I hope he did.
I hope...
...
..
.
..
...
... I hope the others are okay, Rin must be devastated- Kakashi must be thrown through a loop, he just lost his father... and Minato must feel like he has failed his student.
...
I should probably get up, see them.
...
Maybe tomorrow... at the funeral.
I fiddle with the training sword and scan my stairway.
Thanks for reading :)