prismatica | video | un: konoha

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video | un: konoha

[Lunatia's resident centaur lady is back on screen, excitedly trying to... set her network device up somewhere where it can actually get all of a rather large frame into the shot. Not that she waits to start talking.]

Greetings, everyone! I didn't realize it's been months since I last used this for "posting"... There's probably so many new people, so, um, very quickly- If you don't know me, my name is Konoha! I'm a jinba... Or a "centaur" if you want! And oh, that's my husband, Gonta... and our friend, Mikuni! Say hello, you two!

[Catching sight of the other jinba behind her pausing in their field work, she moves the camera to show a large palomino fellow (Gonta) who gives a gruff nod and semi-wave, and an elegant ebony-coated gentleman? (Mikuni) who dips into a more proper bow with a little smile.]

We run the Tsurugi Farmstead in the Greatmoon Groves! There was a lot of damage when it flooded before, but thanks to everyone's efforts we're back up and running properly... and we've had our first fall harvest!

So... as a bit of a thank you, and also maybe to celebrate not dealing with those awful nightmares anymore, I thought we could have a hotpot party here by the river? In my village we usually make imoni in the autumn, it's so delicious! It's full of beef and taro root and leeks and konnyaku... Mmm!

[She finally gets the device set up properly and trots back into frame properly, obviously excited by the invitation she's making.]

Cordis is almost over, right? So now seems like a good time before Iris shows up... But if you have a Cordis appetite, don't worry! We'll supply all the imoni... or, the ingredients, anyway, it's more fun if you cook it outside with everyone. We also have fresh sweet potatoes, pumpkin, new rice... oh, and persimmons!

But if you want to share anything, feel free to bring your own dish, too! Let's say... tomorrow? I'll send directions for anyone who hasn't visited before, alright?

I hope we see you there! Er, here, I mean! If you have any questions, just let me know!

[And with a last smile, she gives a big, respectful bow from the "waist" before moving to grab her device, a muffled "Gonta, Mikuni, wait up- !" before the feed cuts, and a moment later a pin on the Lunatian map app becomes available.]

SENT:
📍 TSURUGI FARMSTEAD, GREATMOON GROVES

[ooc: there won't be separate log posted for this, but I'll gladly action tag within this post with anyone interested!]

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{ Heh, yes. Like water. He doesn't make any sort of comment to that as he follows her to the seating area around the pot. He eyes the spot, not because he doesn't want to sit on the ground or anything, but he certainly wasn't dressed for this. He's not formal like always, but it's certainly more business casual than he'd like for an event like this.

Nevertheless, he carefully hikes up his pants a little and seats himself carefully on the cushion. It's...certainly new. Sitting like this on the floor next to a genuine centaur lady. He watches her stir at the ingredients. }

What, throw ingredients into a pot of boiling water and wait until it finishes cooking? It can't be that simple, can it?

{ He's half kidding, but he also can't help but wonder if there's still some steps you gotta take to bring out the full potential of a dish. }

[Look, she's just impressed he looks so fancy (by her standards). He's either a very fancy person, or he respected this gathering a lot, and either are okay by her.]

Well, the cooking part is basically that, yes...

[She's not afraid to admit that, it's the appeal of hot pot! But he's right, it's not that easy, and she imparts the next tip as if it was some sort of secret wisdom.]

The really important thing is how you make the broth! It seeps into all the ingredients, so you have to make sure the balance is right.

[But she also doesn't want to discourage him, so...]

It took me a few years before my mother acknowledged my imoni, ehe...

{ As someone who enjoys soup quite a bit, he figures as much, but every culture has different ways of making their broth. Their ingredients can also be so different. What he considers "balanced" may not be the same for this particular soup. }

So a bit of a family tradition, then. Parents can be quite adamant about their recipes.

{ Not that he'd really know, but still. The sentiment isn't new to him. }

Mmm! I never knew them, but my mother said her mother taught her, and then her mother!

[That's a lot of generations of Echizen women refining their home imoni recipe, okay!]

Hot pot is pretty easy compared to other recipes, even with the broth... you don't have to worry about pickling or fermenting or grilling or salt rubbing...

[Okay, she stops herself there, instead gesturing around them.]

But the best part is that it's really fun to make and share!

Oh, I know I certainly wouldn't be able to keep up with trying to add pickling or fermenting into the process as well...

{ He scans the area, taking in the friendly and social atmosphere of the gathering. It is quite cozy, and the sharing element, while a bit foreign to him on a personal level, is a nice touch. }

It certainly looks like everyone's enjoying themselves. It's... nice.

Mmm... I like it.

[Honestly, every ounce of Konoha's mannerisms just spoke to someone far more comfortable with the mundane and domestic. This sort of thing... This was her realm. It just... didn't happen, so much, in Lunatia...]

With all the strange things that happen, with the gods and the weird moons and everything... I think it's easy to forget that things can be normal sometimes. ... Or maybe that's normal, for some people!

[She's definitely realized over time that most Moonblessed... well, it would be most polite to say that their lives were far more... action-packed, than her own.]

What about you? Were you some sort of adventurer or something in your world?

{ He's quiet at her explanation, but he looks content with it. }

Maybe so, but there's a certain "je ne sais quoi" about it. The seemingly normal things, anyway. I'm pretty sure most of the moonblessed here wouldn't see this life as their norm, but. Well. Maybe some are also more adaptable than others.

{ Certainly not talking about himself, no siree. He takes a minute to think that question over. Certainly not your typical adventurer, but he'd like to think he's got that spirit. }

Not exactly, but... life was very exciting in its own right. I got into lots of fights. Just for a little fun.

For fun... ?

[There's no hiding that Konoha finds that sort of behavior... confusing. Well, it depended, actually-]

Like... sports matches or something?

[Sumo and the like, that made sense to her. Fighting for a livlihood, or entertainment... maybe even as some rebellious streak, but. She's met (and then avoided) a lot of people in Lunatia who seemed to think violence or hurting people was fun in and of itself, and she can't help but be a bit wary of the possibility.]

Yes.

{ L-Like a sports match, yeah. Surprisingly enough, that is the perfect comparison to the UAA. Even if the ending result is usually death. She doesn't have to know that..... he's always very careful about keeping that part of his life hidden from people. }

I'd like to fancy myself a modern swordsman in my free time.

A modern swordsman... That does sound really fancy...

["Swordsman", versus other words one could use to describe that sort of proficiency, admittedly imparts a more honorable and controlled impression that puts her at ease.]

Do you come from a family of swordsmen? Or- I heard in the future worlds people can become whatever they want to be, no matter who their parents were...

[So theoretically, they could have been... grocers, or something?]

{ H-He'd be glad to know that it helps put him in a better light. For some reason, the idea of Konoha being wary of him feels like disappointing a big sister (even if she's younger than him- not that he assumes this).}

Unfortunately, I don't know much about my family. I grew up in a bit of a complicated way. Never knew any of my biological folks but the ones who did raise me weren't swordsman. They did encourage me to learn and hone my skills, however.

{ No grocers here. At least, as far as he knows! }

Oh, I'm sorry...

[He said it was complicated, which to her means... it might be more on the sad side, since "complicated but not sad" tended to illicit more details, so she doesn't pry.

But she does point at herself with a little smile.]

I'm adopted, too.

[So there's a connection!]

My parents are rice farmers, though.

[Definitely nothing as exciting as swordsmanship honing.]

{ He doesn't quite respond to the sympathy verbally, simply shaking his head slightly with a quiet smile. Indeed they are similar in that way. That sliver of solidarity does alleviate some (if any) of the negative emotions surrounding the topic.

The declaration is met with a widening of the same smile, warmer than his usual brand of cool indifference. }

A perfectly good profession.

{ Speaking of rice, he eyes the pot again with some interest. The smell of it feels strangely nostalgic and comforting, despite having no memories of such scent or foods in one pot. }

I think so!

[It might be one of the humblest professions in her world, but she'd never been unhappy with the care her adopted parents had shown her, even when they'd had little.

But she would never miss someone looking at her food, not in a million years, and since it seemed about ready... Konoha starts eagerly picking out a serving with her chopsticks, choosing juicy cuts of meet, perfectly simmered taro, leek... and once she ladles in some of the broth, she presents it to him with a big smile.]

Alright... Here's the important part. Taste test, please!

{ He watches with a rapt sort of attention he didn't realize he was doing as the soup is finally presented to him. While not the absolute best with chopsticks, he's pretty dexterous, and graciously accepts.

First, though, he tips the bowl slightly so that he can drink the broth. Always try the broth first, is a rule he's learned over the years. He hums quietly. }

If that's just the broth, I can only imagine the rest will fall into place perfectly. 'Harmonious' comes to mind. Thank you.

{ A slight nod in her direction. }

[Oh- A true connoisseur! And after some of the true disasters she has seen attempting to handle chopsticks since coming to Lunatia, she's more than impressed with his handling. (She even put out forks because she has seen some messes!)]

Harmonious... that's a big compliment!

[And it sounded fancy, too, so Konoha all but beams under the praise.]

It was always my favorite time back home when the village would gather and make imoni by the river... so I just wanted to share a little of that. If it's tasty, then... I can go back home and tell my mother all sorts of foreign people loved her recipe!

Edited 2020-11-01 01:33 (UTC)

{ Don't give him too much credit, he may still have a little trouble with the slippery small bits! }

Well, when you do see her, please give her my regards. It's always...nice to taste a bit of a family tradition.

{ And now he proceeds to properly pick up the ingredients and eat. It's a slow process, blowing off the steam to make it easier to eat, but the atmosphere is relaxing and perfect for taking one's time. Each bite is taken with a sip of soup, further amplifying the experience, that same fond expression spreading across his face. }

[... That's the sort of comment she liked to hear. "When". It was difficult here, it really was, especially now that she's been in Lunatia over a year, but. Konoha tried hard to stay positive. Wanted more than anything to believe she'd be able to go home soon enough.

So when he says it like that... her smile just gets brighter.]

I will!

[And she won't even judge him for having trouble with the slippery bits- At least he wasn't stabbing things with his chopsticks? Now she can get a bowl for herself, too.]

I guess a mother wouldn't teach a son cooking, but- I'm sure you have some, too, right?

[Even if they were adopted, it was still family! So still a family tradition.]

{ He's discovered that using more positive language towards genuinely nicer and kinder people yields best results, while opting for a more cynical approach with similarly cynical types. It's only logical.

Besides, how can he be a downer to her now? He's charmed by her. }

Well, an Irish household will always have a collection of traditions passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps there's a hearty soup recipe I've never tried my hand at.

{ His expression falters just a tiny bit, the thought of not really knowing much about his family sort of getting to him. Even his adoptive ones. It's all quite a blur, if he's being honest. }

I never really had a knack for cooking, unfortunately.

Edited 2020-11-02 05:51 (UTC)

Where's Irish? Is it anywhere near Japan?

[She'd learned some things since coming to Lunatia, and that was that sometimes... people came from worlds that were actually shaped like hers. Most of them claimed that there were no jinba there, but... sometimes there was Japan! So sometimes they had something in common.]

That's okay... I don't think most men do, so you're not alone!

[... 1620 gender stereotypes aside.]

{ He pauses a moment to think. Flight times aren't exactly things he memorizes, but he's been near the country before, so just simply based on estimates? }

I wouldn't say it's so near, but it take about 12 hours to fly there.

{ The fact that she's from a different time period doesn't really register. She's a Japanese centaur woman, living in Prismatica. Though the outdated stereotyping is noted, catching him off-guard for a minute. }

You think so? I think I just happened to have the misfortune of not meeting any men who can cook, but maybe you'd be surprised.

[He says "fly" and Konoha literally cranes around to check and see if she hasn't missed a pair of wings on him this whole time until she remembers... Oh, yeah. Future world people had those flying "air plane" things.]

So 12 hours isn't that far, but not so close... ? Haha, I'll try and remember that...

[The future worlds had so many things she had to remember... It was tough!]

I've met a few, but... Is it different where you come from? I just figured your father would teach you more things...

{ Although he's not entirely sure why she wants to remember this piece of trivia, he doesn't say anything. Maybe she wants to fly there someday herself...? Do they even have planes that can house an entire equine body-type? He can't help but mull uselessly over this hypothetical scenario. }

It differs from family to family, I'm sure. Some are a bit old-fashioned, some adjust to the times. I'd like to think mine fell somewhere in the middle.

{ Thinking about his father is a strange feeling. A lot of his memories feels muddled, like he can't recall much of it. ~~Headcanon time.~~ }

He did what he could. While a busy man, there certainly were things I couldn't have done without him. All in all, I think I turned out pretty well.

[Because look, she learned about airplanes, but- She didn't actually have any good concept of how fast they were or anything like that. It sort... of helps? Once she learns where Irish was...]

I guess mine would be... double old-fashioned?

[They felt really modern to her... ! Taking in a jinba as a daughter wasn't something everyone would do in her time, so.]

A lot of people here tell me I'm from three hundred or four hundred years before them... Which doesn't really make sense, because we're all here together, but.

[Nothing in Lunatia made sense, they're just used to it at this point she guesses!]

I guess no one in my world that I know will ever go across the ocean, though.

{ He takes a minute to process that information. Three to hour hundred years before them... well, he can't assume where these people are on the timeline in relations to her, but he can probably assume it's Way Back In the Day before the industrial revolution was a thing. }

Time is a funny thing, isn't it? It's probably best not to think too hard on it, anyway. It ultimately doesn't matter in the end, especially here, where we've all converged into one single timeline.

{ He offers a little smile. }

Never say never. Maybe it just hasn't happened yet.

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