Refusing the Call

The seas were always a good way to calm Goda's nerves, the salty, earthen aroma, the sound of the waves and the sense of smell overwhelming him, a kind of rush that kept him awake. The only thing that would combat such a feeling would be the fifth and iron of the docks itself, workers just doing their job while Goda looked out to the sea, legs crossed and remaining in thought. He would imagine that at this point, his family would've sent ninjas or some form of a missing persons report to go after Goda. If his estimate was to be correct, the Hozuki Clan had a "family" meeting about three hours ago, which was just a form of clan politics that he had no interest in. It was definitely one of those family meetings that one would not miss, but Goda hadn't cared about that. He couldn't bare any mind about their hamfisted attempts for him to quit being a shinobi, and to work towards being the clan head, or whatever it is they want.

He honestly doesn't know what they want, but he knew that in the end, it isn't something that he wants. He thought becoming a shinobi would make him free of their constant micromanaging, but it only intensified it. Every step is a mistake that he has to look out for, one bad move, and the Hozuki clan is in shambles, or at least with how dramatic they tend to be, that's the way they worded it.

He had stood up after gazing at the sea for a reasonable amount of time, patting off any dust or rubble that stuck itself to his clothes. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to deal with the shitstorm for not attending a not-so-important Hozuki meeting, but before that, he was taking the rather long path. That path would see him entering the Kaguya district, seemingly enter without much care in the world.

Anyone seeing him will see a young man in long white pants, a black coat that extends to his neck and will see that he is not wearing his usual blindfold. His feet are comforted by black ninja sandals.

The guarded ethnostate that was the Kaguya clan district would be breached by a foreigner, with not so much resistance as a sideways glance when the small group of four stationed at the entryway let the boy wander in. The Kaguya clan upheld a very strict policy, barring anybody from visiting aside from Kaguya and high officials from the village. Trespassers were dealt with fairly harsh, ranging from almost threatening remarks to excessive force. Of course there was nothing too serious that would cause significant bodily harm, however the threat of being forced to the ground a little too roughly was very common, and as such the clan didn't have the best reputation. But that was what the proud, bigoted Kaguya thrived off of. Fear.

And they were as ignorant as they were xenophobic, letting the Hozuki pass freely without any resistance due to his appearance. It would likely go over the boy's head that the way he looked was a free ticket into the self-proclaimed Utopia that was the Kaguya clan district. And to be honest, it wasn't a far-fetched claim. Everything from the streets to the walls were in mint condition having no sign of wear and tear. Most damaged structures were repaired within the same day, and often at the own expense of the mason; there was no need to wait for village funding as many kinsmen were more than happy to pay out of pocket for the materials and labor for the benefit of the district. All around the district were men, women, and children with varying ages and fashion, however the most commonly shared feature between them all were their skin and hair, both being an untainted white in color. While this was common, the only feature that had a bit of variety were their eyes. The most common shade would be blue, with green being uncommon and gold or violet being almost rare.

The overall vibe would feel almost unreal as everyone seemed happy and in the moment. Among the seemingly identical crowd of Kaguya kinsmen would be a young female in the prime of her adolescence carrying a small crate in her arms. She was leaned back, and paired with her labored breathing it could be ascertained the load she bared was a bit cumbersome. Still, she persevered to her destination. Straight ahead she saw the sweets shop she was running the pickup errand for, and while most had the common courtesy to move aside whether they acknowledged it was Tsubaki or just a young woman carrying a heavy load, someone who was as distracted as Goda would likely not notice. It wouldn't be until they were destined to collide did Tsubaki realize there was somebody approaching from her left flank on a crash course to her side. "Hey!!" Were the only words she could muster before freezing up and embracing the crate she had with all of her strength. If Goda had a lapse in his reflexes they would bump into each other.

The reputation was definitely something that Goda had heard of, but unlike most people, it hadn’t seemed to faze him. He walked through still without care and if anything, he seemed to appreciate the hardwork that the Kaguya had been putting in from every family member, the men, females and children all working to help do their part, no politics, just a family helping out each other in labour. It made him more appreciative of family, until he realised that his own were rather cutthroat and would never lower themselves to do something so simple. Just when he kept staring and looking, he nearly ran into a girl before she shouted the words “Hey!!” at him, causing him to spook and violently grabbing his thought process back into reality, and going into an immediate halt.

He looked at the girl who was using all of her strength to hold the crate, presumably to stop him from being on an intercepting course until she called out to him. He merely held onto his head in embarrassment, looking at her. “Sorry about that. I was a bit distracted by the district, the Kaguya working together, family members and the like in such a union is inspiring to me, and I got lost in thought about family.” perhaps a bit too much information for someone he just met, but he was starting to drag out what he was musing about in his head. He had a second look at the crate before looking back up to her. “Need any help with that?” He wanted to try it out, he’s used to a wealthy lifestyle full of maids, waiters and whatnot doing all the work for him. He had always wondered what it would be like to pitch in the work himself. All though the request seemed simple, his face would be one of genuine curiosity, a genuine desire to help out despite the inherent intention behind it. She wouldn't be able to guess such an intent behind his eyes however, and perhaps would just think he's making up for nearly crashing into her.

Through her embrace she surely thought they would clash, hence her best efforts to poise herself. Winced and frozen stiff, Tsubaki opened one eye to find the young man having halted just in time, their bodies inches from impact. To her momentary surprise, the boy managed to do all of that with little to no impact. Visibly he seemed as calm and careless as he did before their encounter. Though, Tsubaki didn't have too much time to dwell on the boy's mannerisms. Having braced herself she further fatigued her muscles to the point of near collapse. Goda could tell her arms were now visible shaking as she struggled to bare the load any longer. "Yeah, that's great!" She hastily replied between grunts, having only passively heard what Goda was rambling about.

Tsubaki only tuned into the keyword of offering to help, which is when she indulged the young man. "Yes!" She said without a lapse in judgement before thrusting the crate into Goda's chest. It was rectangular, roughly a meter wide and half a meter in height. The contents were unknown to Goda, however the clattering of glassware suggested the load was fairly fragile. Overall the crate weighed upwards to eighty pounds, which was no big deal over short distance hauls. However, having come from the apiary on the outskirts of the village, it was an exhausting errand to run for any adolescent to run. But that was entirely the reason why she chose it. Tsubaki considered herself a community member like others in her district, and tried her best to do her part in sustaining the strong community in her clan district.

Immediately after the load was passed onto Goda her arms felt a great deal of relief as blood flow reduced the burning sensation, and without the burden in her arms allowed her arms to hang at her sides spent of any resistance it had left. Fortunately for Goda, the candy shop was just across the street. "Thank you for doing that. It needs to be delivered there." Tsubaki said, extending a still-trembling arm and finger to the building across the street. The storefront displayed a variety of candies from chocolates to lollipops. It was lightly busy, mainly children with the occasional teenager or two. "Oh, by the way..." Taking a respectful bow she straightened her posture. "I am Tsubaki Kaguya, daughter of the Daisuke family. Pleased to make your acquaintance." The way she moved and spoke now that she was liberated from the burden seemed very charismatic, suggesting to someone she came from a higher status rather than just an ordinary teenager making a casual greeting.

"Lets get going before you start to lose strength as well." She said, urging to walk with Goda across the street. Tsubaki didn't expect or demand any special treatment from Goda, or anybody, preferring to be casual with those she meets.

It seemed like her words phased right through her, as the offer of help is the only word she latched onto him and he met with a slight "Oof!" as she violently thrusted it into his chest. Not that he minded it, but it could've been more gently handled. The hasty breaths she made as she lifted the damn thing was now understandable, it's enough of a weight that he can handle it, but if he felt it for too long, he could also feel his arms start to get numb. He almost felt rushed to do the job until he heard the glassware inside, instinctively taking note to be careful. When she pointed where it needs to go, the look of the candy shop was... appealing, in a sense. He didn't have any ryo on him at the moment, but he felt urged to grab something. A sweet tooth for chocolates, he's thinking. Ah well, perhaps later on.

When she bowed and introduced herself, he took note of her name followed by the name of Daisuke... That name has been thrown around before in clan meetings, not taking long for him to put two and two together to realise that she meant Daisuke Kaguya. Well... small world, he supposed. "The name's Goda, Goda Hozuki." he felt an unsettling disturbance in that not being disclosed, Goda might've been daring and bold, but he's not stupid. He knows well enough of the Kaguya reputation that they often don't like outsiders, and the last thing he needs is them thinking that he's infiltrating them, or trying to play some form of PR. If he took that kunai now, it's better than having it revealed later.

"And sure, let's go." assuming that the revelation wouldn't change much, he is still very much open to helping her out with the crate of glassware.

The boy introduced himself properly, giving his first and last name. The finer details of their interaction went over her head, such as Goda trespassing the district grounds and the very high status princess he was speaking to. It was a beautiful sense of purity the both of them shared, both Tsubaki and Goda seeing each other as just another teenager; neither were completely shaped by their respective clans. As Tsubaki promised, they didn't waste a moment longer taking the cargo to the candy shop. With the two of them walking together, they wouldn't encounter anymore near-misses. "Come on, it's just in here." Taking the lead they would enter the establishment, Tsubaki opening the push door open for Goda for him to enter. The inside was warm and an intoxicating smell of sugars and natural flavoring filled the air.

From the inside the full extent of the parlor could be seen, as it was not only a candy store, but a malt bar too serving a selection of ice creams, shakes, and desserts. The shop was almost like a second home to Tsubaki, her cheeks flushing a feint pink hue as her diamond blue eyes widened and shined bright with hope. She seemed to be just a bit too thrilled, though behind her sealed lips she was watering like a fountain. From entry she saw a familiar face. "Haroto! We have the delivery you needed!" She said, waving him down from behind the counter. "Go ahead and set it on the counter and have a seat. You too, mister...?" Though, before Goda could answer himself, Tsubaki eagerly made the reply. "This is Goda. I met him on the way here and he offered to carry it the rest of the way. It was such a relief, too. My arms were about to give out!" She said, making conversation.

Haroto, a senior to the clan stood rather tall, being 6'4 in height. Having the common features of his clan, he preferred his hair cut and styled short and had a set of green eyes. Despite looking in his mid fifties, he was already sixty-eight years old. However, a lifestyle of fitness and clean diet preserved his body in his later years. Once the crate was set, Haroto pried it open to reveal twenty-four jars filled with raw, filtered honey. "Wonderful! I think you deserve a treat for all of your hard work. Did you want the usual?" Tsubaki nodded eagerly, which was when the true motivation behind this particular errand being ran became apparent. Once a week she sought out pickups for Haroto's malt shop for the reward aspect, which was generally a shake or ice cream, and a few treat to take home. Taking a seat on the bar stool she eagerly waited for her weekly routine to come to a close.

Haroto turned to Goda as well. "Since you helped Lady Tsubaki with the delivery it's only fair you get something too, don't you think?" Haroto said with a grin of elderly kindness and generosity. Grabbed the crate he relocated it behind the bar clearing the counter space in front of Tsubaki. Swiveling around to face Goda she gingerly patted the seat beside her. "Come on, don't be shy. If you never had a malt shake here, it's honestly the best I've had. They taste great after a day of hard work."

It really seems like the delivery wouldn't take much longer, as he took note of the fact that it was simply across the street. He gave a nod to Tsubaki as she kept the door open for him, allowing him to carry it inside without much trouble. Thankfully there weren't any troublesome stands trying to impede his path, and could directly deliver it to the front, placing it down to where Haroto wanted, which was just on the counter.

Just as when he was about to introduce himself, she took the initiative for him. He guessed that took care of that, before he sat down on the offer, his eyes beaming up at the offer of a free treat. "Hmm... I did have a sweet tooth for chocolate before coming here, maybe a chocolate milkshake?" he did hear Tsubaki's recommendation for a malt shake, but he's the type of guy to stick with what he knew tasted good to him. He tended to be a picky chooser sometimes when it comes to either food or drink, and didn't want that particular habit to ruin a free treat.

"I really appreciate it too, my family might kill me for taking this sort of stuff, and I quote, "it's poison for your body." but this can be a nice little secret." it seemed like it was more of a statement to himself than a conversation to the other two, as if he's justifying having the milkshake. "I've never been to the district before, I hear all sorts of things and honestly, it's pretty refreshing to find all of this here, and how welcoming the both of you are." he was first worried about the weight that his last name would carry, but with how receptive Tsubaki had been to Goda just simply waltzing in, it seems that all the fear and reputation around the Kaguya was just a front. All he could see were honest, hard-working people. It almost made him jealous, wishing his own family were more like that.

"Anyway, just saying thanks and I want to pay you back guys somehow, I know a good seafood place near the fish market. A neat little place called Orana, it's not exactly the most popular but their food is to die for. Did you want to go there sometime?" while the invitation extended to Tsubaki, his eyes drifted over to Haroto as well, indicating that he's trying to invite the two of them along.

Tsubaki could tell there was some temptation in his eyes, because she too had the same wide-eyed beam whenever entering the establishment. The options were vast, though not overwhelming. That would, of course, compromise quality. Haroto's place was all about quality over quantity. And freshness was no shy guest either. Many Kaguya upheld the same practice of being against hyper processed foods, including artificial flavoring. This, of course, limited a lot of goods the Kaguya sold to stuff that was locally processed. Loyal clan members such as Tsubaki preferred to stay within the walls of the district partly for that reason. The food and drink were trusted, produced locally within the clan. The effort they went through to ensure quality and greatness far exceeding that of commercially produced goods.

Before Goda took his seat he spent a moment contemplating the treat offered by the kind Haroto, as well as the options. But he was not a shy customer, and knew what he wanted. Tsubaki even grinned cheekily finding a bit of irony in Goda's sweet tooth that arose when nearing the shop. It seemed her read on people wasn't too bad. At least when it boiled down to sugar. Haroto nodded and turned to face the prep countertop, where he started assembling the ingredients for the shakes: fresh bottled milk, two chocolate bars, a tub of vanilla ice cream, and a jar of malt balls all locally sourced, of course. While the man fixed their treats, Tsubaki sat unstill in a state of bliss, legs swinging gently as she awaited her chocolate malt shake.

While content of her own, Goda speaking immediately caused her to stop fidgeting and turn to face him giving her undivided attention. She couldn't help but nod when he mentioned the similar scenario she faced when growing up. Tsubaki's face even lit up just a bit sparking a sign of a connection. "I know exactly what you mean. I hear the same stuff from my parents about what I eat." Though, unbeknownst to Goda, her case was actually more severe than just an occasional treat. "You'd think as much as I train they'd want me to keep my energy up. But instead they want me to eat more vegetables and meat, which slows me down. I think they're trying to make things harder for me on purpose so I have to work harder. Something like a spirit test, you know?" The moment she wrapped up her little rant, two glasses were placed before them. They were identical in its contents, however one had the addition of malt balls blended with the shake. That was Tsubaki's.

A paper straw was given to each on them presented on a napkin on the counter. "Enjoy! And once again, thank you for the hard work you two!" Haroto said before returning to the back room taking the honey crate with him. Taking her own straw and stabbing the shake's undefiled surface she prepared to devour the goodness, raising the straw to her lips and pulling on its contents. Sweet, smooth chocolate mixed with the raw milk and freshly churned ice cream. The quality of the ingredients was like rediscovering milkshakes all over again; most places outside of the district couldn't even come close to competing to a shake made with true love and care. Through her enjoyment Goda spoke while she occupied herself. What he initially said caused her to look up at Goda with a bit of confusion hidden behind a straight gaze. Never been to the district?

It was very uncommon for Kaguya to live outside of the district, often times those choosing to self-exiled were those who disagreed with the Kaguya's conservative ways, or were the degenerates of the clan that indulged in unkempt or slothful ways, and frequently mingled with the goods and people outside of the district. However, given Goda's age she figured he had no say in the move, though she was at least a bit curious as to why they moved and what family he came from. Goda Kaguya...I can't think of any family with a son by the name of Goda. Pulling her lips off her drink she leaned away from her cup. But before she could structure her question, Goda picked up where he left off.

"Oh, I should be the one to thank you. If you hadn't come along I would've dropped the crate. Don't feel like you have to..." Though, this situation was somewhat familiar. She kept her eyes on Goda trying to read his implications. His hair, eyes, body language, tone of voice. He seemed different. Someone who was genuinely a nice guy. "...Buttttt....." She stalled for time, giving the invitation some serious thought. Reputation was important to her as a princess; having male friends was generally considered unladylike. Tsubaki's eyes shyly drifted away to the countertop as her cheeks began to heat up. It's outside the district, so nobody will know...maybe if I spend more time with him I can make better judgement. Soon her legs started to swing again, this time out of anxiety. The feeling of butterflies in her stomach made the process so much more challenging. But through the heated conflict she forced a response appealing to her nature. "I'd love to! If that's what you want to do. Don't feel like you have to." Grabbing her glass she started working on her milkshake once again, using the excuse of her mouth being full to avoid any further complicated answers.

When the chocolate milkshake was given to him, he wouldn't waste any time in slurping up a good portion into his mouth. It was definitely different than ones he had before, the last milkshake he had was like an explosion of chocolate in his mouth to which, he wouldn't complain about, but it wasn't exactly the best either. This was a lot more refined in taste, smoother, just the right amount going into his mouth that he can savour, and it didn't feel overwhelming. The calmness of it made him just suckle on it even more, like a child treasuring a toy. He had almost forgotten to reply back to Tsubaki about her own struggles with her own family. "Yeah, perfectionists, right?" anything less was considered worthless to them.

Although, that confirmation to his invitation gave him a wide smile, being enough to make him stop hoarding his milkshake like someone's going to nab it. "I want to, don't be shy." he had money to throw around, perhaps one of the more redeeming qualities of being a Hozuki. It was better to have a mood while having money than to have a mood without money. That wasn't the sole intention here though, but it was to maybe learn more about the Kaguya. He would imagine that the history of the Hozuki would be fascinating but if someone inquired him about it, he would call them for what they are; a clan who were the winners of history. Granted, it's the very reason why he has such privilege and there's a winning point to legacy, but the Hozuki didn't... feel like his family sometimes, or people that he wanted to fall back on.

He wasn't completely oblivious and knew how this looked, asking a girl out to a lunch? When some of your upbringing has been dedicated to learning how to court, to be met with constant courting attempts from women of lower status, the prospect of thinking like that has ruined almost any ability for him to take any interaction with women more seriously than he should. He truly thinks of it as a simple hangout, and nothing more. If anything, it's more refreshing that Tsubaki still treats him normally, despite him dropping the name of his clan prior. He knew the signs to look for when someone was simply playing nice, and none of them were being picked up on by Goda. It seems that Haroto didn't pick up the fact that his invitation extended to him, whether he missed it or simply wasn't interested, Goda didn't think to pry further.

But, with all of how it appears to be, is exactly the reason why he thought a bit of humour would help tear the awkwardness wide open. "It's a date then." he then continued to suckle on the plastic straw, his eyes locked on Tsubaki to see her reaction to that one. "Anyway. I should be heading back to my family, they've probably sent search parties and whatnot trying to look for me. The last thing I want is for them to bother you nice folks." the wording of that implied it really wasn't a joke, as he stood up and grabbed his milkshake. "I'll see you at Orana around... one in the afternoon tomorrow?" He asked Tsubaki, wanting to confirm with her.

There was some relief when Goda confirmed his actions were true, though that reassurance was more for her than him. Tsubaki was quite ill-experienced to the dating world. In fact, this was the first instance somebody actually had the gall to invite her anywhere. Generally her encounters with outings or parties were organized Kaguya events, and being fairly popular by default they dared to challenge her actual social skills. While ignorant to what her family name actually meant, Tsubaki figured most people sought a boyfriend or girlfriend after years of knowing each other and spending time together. However the reality of it is many boys her age simply saw her out of their league. Especially those coming from families of lesser contribution to the district. It was natural to not make any attempt when feeling outclassed, though to their disarray, Tsubaki had the same fantasies as many other teenage girls and hardly used her name to gain any leverage or special treatment.

While she did have her confidence in her own abilities, her own delusions wouldn't prove itself when the word 'date' was passed around so casually. A cold sweat surged through her body and her muscles stiffened. "Not so loud!" Tsubaki exaggerated in a hushed tone. Fortunately, nobody heard to her knowledge after taking a quick glanced around her to confirm the nature of the patrons and staff in the parlor.

Returning to her shake she slurped the last bit up until it was heard. Goda was ready to head back, and frankly, he was right. She knew little about Goda which would hopefully be explained in greater detail during their 'date.' Just the mere thought of an official get-together made her nervous, but if he was truly willing to send an invitation there must be something in her that he didn't see. "Of course!" The girl confirmed their lunch. "Let me walk with you out of the district." She offered out of courtesy. She couldn't imagine making the decision to invite somebody she just met. The courage was something she simply didn't have yet, so the least she could do is try her part and contribute to their potential friendship. Sliding off her stool she popped up on both feet feeling rejuvenated after nearly collapsing earlier.

Goda raised an eyebrow at the hushed tone she gave when he joked about the date part, well, that was something he wouldn't pry about. He simply moved on and nodded to her offer of walking him out of the district, standing up to bring his chocolate milkshake with him in hand. He would walk to the door, opening it and keeping it open for Tsubaki to walk through if she'd take the offer, before walking along himself and closing it behind him. When he had looked around, he realised that he really didn't know the district that well, and his plan of just walking back the same way he went was perhaps a bad one. He could navigate himself back to the Hozuki district just fine if he knew where he was outside of the district, but getting out of the district itself might be a bit of an issue.

So, he just walked towards the path that he walked in from anyway, knowing that there's at least one gate in that direction. If he followed along that same route, he would find it eventually. "It won't cause any issues if I come back here again, to that shop specifically? You can probably take a good guess as to why." he was referring to his Hozuki name, in truth, he just saw it as hearsay after the welcoming he got with her and the free milkshake that he has. He didn't buy into it and had no reason to, but just for clarities sake, he wanted to ask her.

"I wish my place was more like this district, I've only been here for fifteen minutes and it's probably one of my favourite places already in Kirigakure." that was rather genuine, and his list of favourite places was only a handful. It didn't take long for him to come back to the gate he came through, turning around on his heel to face Tsubaki. "Well, this was a good time. If you need me to lift any more crates in the future, I'd be willing to help out for a milkshake." A seemingly innocent offer corrupted by his true intention, though it was still harmless. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. Orana, one PM." he imagined that she remembered that much, but just gave a gentle reminder before waving at her, and walking off to leave the district.

[Exit]