After talking with each other for a bit, the three of them parted ways, what with all of them having things of their own to take care of. Minato and Kushina had to meet up with their senseis while Zetuo had to head to the Hokages office so he and the old man could have a chat about starting Zetuos main job.
Before they each separated, Zetuo discussed a time and place to properly meet up later on, deciding it was crucial to go over before leaving. After a small and quick debate, they all agreed on gathering by the training grounds, of which Zetuo was informed was located near the outskirts of the Village. While the black haired youth was unsure if he was allowed to set foot outside the premises, he casually agreed before heading off towards the Hokages office.
Unsure as to why, Zetuo had noticed that the two youths had treated him with much more respect and kindness then they had the previous day, something that was evident quite early on. He reckoned it had something to do with the 118 Branding story, but to him it was just a drop in the ocean of what he had been through hence why it was hard to believe that something so small could effect ones opinion. Then again, small events and actions could easily change one's viewpoint at the drop of a dime, altering their perspectives and decisions. What seemed small to him could easily appear unbelievable to someone else.
Zetuo was fully aware that his own thought process was entirely different compared to most others, having bested circumstance after circumstance, but it still shocked him as to just how much of a difference there really was between him and those others his own age. Even in this world, a place more hazardous than his own, the youths didn't seem to live along the same lines as he did, to think and plan ahead as if they would die any second. They didn't look at the bigger picture, not realizing that death could strike at any inopportune moment.
These were the thoughts that flashed through Zetuo's head as he walked towards his destination, eventually arriving inside the Hokages room where Hiruzen sat, casually flipping through stacks of paper.
"Ah, you made it," The old man said as he set down the papers. "Good. Let's just jump right into it then. I'd like to ask you a few questions before we commence if that's okay with you."
Zetuo shut the door behind him, making sure it was closed tight. "That's fine. I wanted to ask you about something first though."
"Oh and what would that be young Zetuo," Hiruzen replied as he gestured to a chair he had had brought in. "Something on your mind."
"Let's just clear the air real quick, no games." Zetuo plopped down into the seat and lowered his voice, choosing a serious tone for his next set of words. "I know you listened in on the conversation last night with Minato and Kushina. I'm not sure HOW you did it but I am aware you did so. So tell me. Is there anything wrong with it? Did I breach anything described on the contract?"
The room was deathly silent as the third Hokage stared at the youth sitting across from him, brown eyes narrowed in intrigue. He hadn't expected an upfront confrontation nor had he expected to be found out so quickly about the eavesdropping he had had the Anbu do, all the obvious signs in the room pointing to nothing of evidence being tampered with. Yet, despite all the weird unexpectancies, Hiruzen felt this was only natural coming from Zetuo, having already known the youth was immensely intelligent from the very first encounter. Call it a hunch but he had been aware of the boys potential from the start so all he could do now was smile at his own correct guess. Still, he had his own questions that he wanted answered.
"You didn't breach anything on the contract as you utilized loopholes instead of outright breaking the rules. Very well played." Hiruzen stood up from his desk and picked up the hat that was hanging on the back of his seat." That being said, I'd like you to converse with me as we walk to where I'd like you to begin your first job. We'll be starting small today so as to get a feel for where you stand and what you're capable of."
"What topic did you have in mind?" Zetuo asked as he also rose from his chair.
"For starters, let's talk about the incident between you and Kushina. I'm somewhat aware that you somehow were able to see the Ninetails sealed away inside the young girl. So let's discuss that."
Hiruzen had been somewhat perplexed about this and, for an ever so brief moment, had seen this as a potential problem that needed to be eliminated. However, after much debate and weighing of pros and cons, Hiruzen had come to the conclusion that he could instead use this newfound information to help Kushina rather then become a detriment. He may have been grasping at straws, but he really didn't want to limit this new fellows interaction with the other villagers much. Reason being that he could provide so much aid to those around him should he end up becoming one with the Village. Best way to get him on their side was to show that they could and were willing to put faith in him, allowing him to roam free.....albeit under careful watch from afar.
As the two walked and talked, Hiruzen took note of something that he had noticed from earlier and that was the aura Zetuo was giving off. Previously the kid had seemed weak and frail while being calm and intelligent, making him seem like an inconsequential kid that lacked any sort of threatening presence. It had made things so much easier for Hiruzen when the black haired kid appeared to be weaker then even an academy student.
Now however he seemed to have changed, appearing less fragile then he had yesterday. He wasnt sure of the reason, but he actually felt a slight danger coming off of him, as if he could possibly have his wellbeing threatened by this kid weaker then an Academy student.
Everything aside, he learned a few things from the conversation they had while walking.
From what Hiruzen was told, it seemed that once Kushina and Zetuo's newly released chakra made contact with one another, an instantaneous bound was formed for an ever so brief period of time. This quick encounter between foreign chakra allowed Zetuo to peer into the depths of Kushina's before hitting the wall that was the seal holding in the Ninetails. Of course, this was just his own theory based on what he heard and couldn't be confirmed as of yet.
Still, it made total sense to him that the reaction between two different chakras would cause some anomaly to happen and, until some other evidence was provided, this was what he was going to stick with.
Another thing he learned, besides the interaction between Zetuo and Kushina, was bit on Zetuo's backstory. He got small details on what his childhood had been like and how he had coped through it all. After hearing about all the tragic events that transpired in the youths wake, the old man felt pretty bad at the crappy fortune life had dealt the kid. At the same time however, he had to wonder if it was even wise to keep the kid at all considering all the cons that seemed to be piling up.
Of course, right now he was as priceless as one could get, his photographic memory and knowledge of his own world being perfect for helping out the village. That being said, they finally arrived at the destination in which Zetuo would prove his usefulness, namely an area in the Hidden Leaf that specialized in food.
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"And you said this recipe is how you make the thing called a crêpe?" the baker, Izuna, asked, clearly at confused. "It doesn't sound particularly tasty."
Around four hours had passed since Zetuo had started his job as a "food assistant" and things were progressing quite smoothly, what with every shop being more then happy to listen to his ideas and recipes.
Hiruzen had left around an hour after the start, stating that he had other business to take care of and that he would leave the youth to it. Zetuo hadn't particularly minded this and had merely nodded, not even slightly interested in what the old man was up to as he bustled from stall to stall, handing out ideas and recipes from his memory storage banks.
For the majority of the time, Zetuo would show others new recipes depending on what they specialized in and would even momentarily take over their kitchen to show them what he meant. Occasionally major and minor mishaps would happen, including dishes breaking and a baker spraining his ankle, but for the most part things went pretty well. He had contributed quite a bit to the expansion of the villages cuisine and was actually on the verge of calling it quits for the day after helping out Izuna.
"Follow the recipe exactly as written and you'll be fine. The beauty of the crepe is that it allows you to be creative with it and can be done in countless ways. If you have the time, be sure to experiment and you may be pleasantly surprised about what can come of it." Zetuo gave Izuna a smile as he slid the paper over to the baker, black eyes actually showing genuine happiness along with hints of amusement.
To put it simply, Zetuo was enjoying himself. Cooking had always been something he liked to do as it was a huge stress reliever, but it wasnt something he was able to do very often what with his bad luck causing everything to become ruined or objects to be destroyed. For him, this was a rare occasion where the bad luck seemed to be minimized for the time being. For the first time since arriving in the world, he truly smiled as he shook Izuna's hand, wishing him good luck.
Crepes were something that anyone could make as long as they knew the recipe, however to get creative with it was an entirely different story as it required a strong resolve and a "never quit" attitude. One would have to go through dish after dish just to create something new that was to their own liking, speeding hour after hour, or even days, in the kitchen. If one could push past that though, one would see the fruits of their labor eventually and it was this reason that kept Zetuo captivated over it.
Of course, he knew tons of recipes for crepes all stacked away in his head, but he wasnt willing to just hand it over. Izuna needed to push forth into unknown territory and seize any new ideas for himself. There would be no more handouts.
"Well...maybe a few handouts," Zetuo muttered to himself, chuckling slightly. "Maybe I should introduce pizza to this world next. That could be interesting to see."
Now that Zetuo was finished with his contributional tasks for the day, he wondered what else he could do, now feeling much better after that cooking session. His thoughts began to drift towards his new allies, Minato and Kushina, and wonder what the two of them were doing.
Just when he thought that, a fash of yellow and red appeared in his vision as both of them appeared before him, seemingly at the exact same time.
//Have no fear, the next chapter it in it's way.
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