Submission (#323) Approved

Hanami woke up early today, a bit groggy from the cool temperature of the morning mountain air. Her father Bazil had left her in Kyendi while out working to help some locals with her uncle Kite. The small kittom couldn’t help but feel a bit down though. They had visited the Starfall Faire not long ago and the excitement was beginning to die down. Hanami knew it would be a long day for her father and that he was working hard but a feeling of emptiness sunk in with his absence. She vaguely remembered when it was still dark outside earlier and she was half asleep hearing a soft goodbye as a door closed to the building. Looking out the window now the sun was rising and fog hung in the air. It was so thick Hanami had to squint to make out the silhouettes of the mountains in the distance and the floating islands that loomed around.

Quietly she glanced at her sibling Mallow fast asleep still on the bed before creeping out of the room. The halls were dark and the walls and floors were not as well insulated here as some might expect. The architecture around here she had once heard a passerby describe as oriental, though Hanami didn’t really recognize that word. Perhaps they were foreign? Her brain was still groggy. Shivering off a damp chill she saw a warm light at the end of the hall. It was the kitchen and a warmth filled it from a pot being left to boil. Hanami noticed her aunt sitting at the counter, her nose deep in what looked like an old patched together book of recipes. It took Anko a moment to notice the kittom, enough that Hanami thought she might be a bit slow to notice things.

Mallow had once called their aunt an airhead before getting a thorough scolding from their father. Bazil later on found out it was a word his younger half sibling Wick had taught Mallow and had his face well into his paws. While Mallow didn’t understand the meaning of the word Hanami had inquired further about it and gained a proper definition. Looking at her now Hanami…might have agreed with what her sibling had said. Blinking she looked around, the emptiness of her father being gone sinking in again. Anko’s expression grew soft and she spoke up not long after looking at Hanami. “I’m working on making dinner for when Bazil and Kite get back. Would you like to help?” She asked, hoping to provide a bit of a distraction.

Hanami stared a bit bewildered at first. “Dinner? This early?” She felt confused. Usually meals weren’t prepared so far in advance that her fur prickled with curiosity. She looked at the pot, faint aromas wafting from it. “Yes this early.” Anko’s eyes were half-moons as she smiled. “The stock’s actually been a work in progress for a while now. We’ll have to add the rest of the ingredients later though. We’re still short a few. We’ll need to go out to get them if you want to help.” She explained and Hanami felt a bit excited. The empty feeling ebbed a way a bit and she nodded eagerly.

Not long after the two of them wandered down the stairs and out the back door of the restaurant below. Anko lived above her work place in a rented space. She had a roommate that was the cook there and almost like extended family. They said they would make sure the place didn’t burn down while the two were out only to get whacked gently by Anko. The older nin knew it was a joke but thought that it might worry Hanami about her sibling sleeping there. Hanami hadn’t really been paying much attention though, still a bit enchanted by thoughts of where they might be going.

The fresh air would do a kittom good Anko thought. It would have been easier to go with a different recipe but she was a fairly perceptive aunt when it came to others despite being a bit spacey to her surroundings at times. They stopped by a few stands along the way to get some flour, fresh eggs, and more salt. Anko mentioned having a rising ingredient at home that would come in handy later. They wandered for quite a bit and Anko bought her a warmer cloak to keep some of the dampness off. It had small delicate flowers embroidered along its edges.

Then there was the last stop to their outing but her aunt wouldn’t tell her what it was. Hanami tilted her head in thought slightly. She felt the stone walkway grow scarce as they went down a small side path to a clearing. The sun seemed to hit this spot just right and in the center was a patch of flowers. There were indications of what might have been a better maintained garden but in the mountainous forests where the water hanging in the air seemed to encourage wooden fences to rot. Pieces of wood were cast aside into a damp pile and stones neatly lined the edge of the plot.

Anko picked a few herbs to garnish the top of the dish and Hanami found herself being directed towards the flowers. There was a small patch of pink flowers. Their petals were soft and rounded. “Those are edible but kind of bland. They add a nice look to the top of a dish though. Let’s pick a few for your father and uncle’s bowls, ok?” Anko encouraged before going back to picking herbs. By the time they were done the small basket they had taken on their trip was filled with colorful herbs and flowers atop it.

Hanami felt quite proud, sure she had picked the best flowers. The whole trip home she trotted beside Anko, watching the basket carefully as though the delicate blossoms might be crushed or whisked away by wind but the path they wandered was surprisingly still and calm. Making it back home Anko had Hanami add the flour and salt together along with a rising ingredient. The water and eggs soon followed, though the older elnin handled that part just in case Hanami’s coordination left them with eggshells in their dough.

Mixing the ingredients and blending them together Hanami kneaded the dough for a bit. It was surprisingly hard work for her small paws but she wouldn’t let Anko help until the very end. Anko drank a manaberry potion to prepare the noodles themselves, cutting them carefully under Hanami’s supervision. Anko couldn’t help but smile at the intense stare and serious expression on the small kittom’s face. Boiling the noodles and adding the stock all together the dishes were coming together.

The stock was a rich brown and the noodles a pale color. To some they may have looked a bit undercooked but Anko assured Hanami there were more than a few odd delectable foods in Eyre. Poking the noodles to make sure they were tender Hanami was satisfied. She set a few dumplings they had made with spare dough off to the side of each dish and decorated the surface of the soup with the bright green herbs Anko had plucked and light steamed. Now for the final touch. Hanami carefully set a pink blossom atop the soup and a few around the side of the dumpling plate.

Not long after sampling a bit to make sure the dishes tasted right Hanami heard the stairs creaking under the weight of footsteps. Her ears perked up. “Daddy!” She ran to his legs as he came through the door, awkwardly stopping fast that Kite almost ran into his back. “We made dinner. It’s Hanami soup!” Her eyes lit up. Anko stifled a small chuckle. Indeed the soup did resemble her a bit. The bothers sat down to eat, Bazil picking up Hanami to set her in his lap and admire her efforts. He recognized the soup by a different name, phlaflore soup. It was named after the flower that decorated it. Names didn’t matter all that much though. It was an old dish he and his siblings had made a few times when they were younger too.

Later on he would have to thank his sister. He could see the day had been a much brighter one for his beloved little Hanami and Bazil could not ask for more. Even Mallow who was usually buried in books had come out to watch and ask questions about the herbs. Hanami told him all about the day and cooking, clearly thrilled, until yawns laced her dialogue and she dozed off. They would have to have dessert in the morning. It had been a long day.