The search for the perfect mushrooms [Open]

Before the daylight had a chance to heat things up much more than he cared for Ottracosas Wataru pulled on his Nike running shoes and set out on a run through the park. No matter what the day brought for him he was going to get in some heavy cardio this morning before searching for some kind of place to live and a job. The pale color of the sun above him reminded him of the yellow curry he had for dinner the night before and set his stomach to rumbling in tandem with every thud of his shoes on the pathway. 'Thud thud thud thud ...... a gurgling churning sensation mingled with the rumbling and Wataru tried hard to push himself harder. As his pulse rose to a faster pace he charged around the curving path threading his way through the tall trees that covered most of the hillside. On he ran though his breathing was making his mouth dry and his throat burn with fire after the first 3 kilometers. Stopping to bend over his knees to catch his breath he grinned.
"This will make up for all the poky I ate while studying last night! But man I'm thirsty! Gotta remember to bring a bottle of water next time!"As he stood back up, after stretching his leg muscles his eyes took note of some familiar fungus growing at the base of a tree near him. His mouth began to water despite the way his stomach was still rumbling. Mushrooms were something that he could cook so many different ways! With fish, rice, noodles, grilled, stewed,marinated in sake and skewered with beef! They were free and for the taking all he had to do was get off the path and pick a large bunch of them and he was on his way to his first culinary adventure in his new town!"Looks like I'll be able to at least eat dinner tonight and maybe make some money for new manga while I'm at it!"
Wataru ran to the place he saw mushrooms growing on the sides of the tree, and down on the ground and started to pick all the ones he knew were safe to eat. Hopefully no one came by and arrested him for breaking any laws though he didn't see anything posted in the park.

Claud strode through the forest trying to clear his head of the thoughts that filled his mind. His dark grey shirt flapping in the small gust of wind that came through the forest. He had to get back to the Soul Society he needed to see Sakura and his children but he also needed to keep them safe and that might not happen should he visit them...."Dammit!" He said cursing aloud in frustration. He was going to see them one way or another... His thoughts were interupted when he saw a human crouching on the ground picking something and out of curiosity. Claud walked over to the human male and looked over his shoulder curious to see what he was doing.

Wataru had his hands full of the wood ear mushrooms he'd just separated from their grip on the bark of the tree near him. His thoughts on just how he would season them for dinner he never even heard the other person approach him. His sweat soaked clothes were beginning to smell like an old gym bag and he could tell he needed a shower worse than the meal. As Wataru stood up to face the other person his muscles protested the extra work after being in a crouch for so long. "Dude you just hanging around or you hungry? I got plenty of these things if you want to try some haute cuisine! I'm a whiz with the knives! Yea that's right! I'm King of the grill if you catch my meaning" Ottracosas dumped the fungi into a carry sack he always had on him for just such a time as he eyed the birch mushrooms growing in some old wood. He would come back later for a large clump of them for some fresh miso.
Moving towards the other man, he studied his presence. There was something about him that seemed unusual like something out of one of his manga books he read frequently. "Oi! You some funky super hero or some kind of alien? Something about you just feels different to me." Wataru didn't take the stranger as a threat but it had his brain working overtime as he tried to analyze just what it was about this stranger that made his hair on his body stand on end.

Claud cocked an eyebrow at the man's words wondering if he could actually see Claud or,was just intoxicated on mushrooms,"No thanks I ate before I got here."he trailed his eyes up and down sudying the man sizing him up, 'The man looks homeless.' Claud thought while studying the man. Then upon hearing the man ask what he was Claud thought for a moment, curious as to how to respond thinking about what the right thing to do would be.. Claud shrugged and said calmly and not caring about the consequences,"My name's Clou-Claud, Claud Matosai. I'm a..Shinigami, a guardian of this realm you could say."He couldn't help but grin awaiting the man's reaction. But also silently cursing himself for he almost stated his old name once more the name he discarded many years ago.

Claud continued to grin,waving his hands in an effort to calm the man down before stating ,"No Mr.Wataru I am not a 'poleece man' whatever that is I am.. sort of a spiritual guardian you could say, I protect this realm from monsters."he stated this was what he always told the few and far between humans that could see Claud, and asked what he was. "And no I'm not going to detain you that's not in my job description also if I did arrest you you'd probably most likely die. Claud said plainfully as if talking about the weather,"I am curious however to see exactly what you intend to do with those mushrooms.. he said his curiosity piqued when Wataru said he would be known by the title: 'chef extraordinaire'.

The renegade shinigami walked into the park looking around curiously. His eyes shifted from plant to tree curiously as he moved. He soon came across two individuals who seemed to be discussing mushrooms and tilted his head as he moved closer. Seeing that one of them was a shinigami he stayed back from them though he remained within earshot listening intently and snickers hearing the younger males proclomation of one day being a fantastic chef extraodinaire though his main curiosity was with the shinigami.

Smiling he finally decides to walk out of cover and offers the two a wave. He was in civillian attire and his zanpakuto was well hidden by a camoflauging kido so as long as he didn't say anything foolish he would be fine. "Hello... How are you?" Salvatore would say with a small smile as he approached speaking a friendly manner as he drew near.

"I myself am a chef as well." said Claud with a smile, he couldn't help but like this curious man that declared himself a fellow chef. Claud would turn upon sensing another spiritual presence and upon seeing the strange spiritual entity Claud's body would tense up prepared to strike or defend if that was the case. His hand tightly grasping the hilt of his Zanpakuto that was strapped across his back the hilt pointing downward at an angle that would suggest it would easily fall out of it's sheathe. Claud then spoke in a stoic tone,"Who and what are you?"Claud stated slightly afraid of what the man's answer would be. Mostly for fer that the man had come to bring Claud back to the Soul Society to be put to trial.

Sal would offer a friendly smile as he approached watching the younger shinigami's hand drop back for his weapon made him arch a brow and he shook his head in a manner that would suggest that would be an incredibly bad idea."Not an enemy friend..."

Walking over to the human who had offered to make food he pulled out his pocket knie and grabbed up a few sticks and twigs and began wittling them down to spits. "If I were here for you we ouldn't be having this conversation..." In truth he had absolutely no idea who the shinigami was or hy he had reached back for his weapon. His own hand was never more than a few inches from his camoflauged weapon. The kido used on it was meant to refract light and give the weapon a clear see through image. The only thing either of the males would see was his clothes if they started looking towards his weapon.

"Thank you for the invite now may I ask your names?" Sal asked politely as he anded the humn the newly crafted spits. "Or have I caused you some sort of unease"?He was strictly neutral as far as the factions went he didn't care what the other groups did s long as it didn't cause harm to civillians.

"Ah Ottracosas Wataru."Extending his hand towards the new person Wataru accepted the wooden spits. Sensing the other two recognized something in each other the chef went to the picnic area and started to stack some wood in a stone lined pit. Piling several bunches of small sticks up so they leaned against an old log left behind by someone else, Wataru began to rub dried leaves together into a crumbled mess of tinder which he lit with a match from his bag. While the fire began to burn and produce some coals to cook over he washed off the mushrooms in the fountain, then threaded them on thin skewers of wood. Wataru took a quick peek behind him to be sure no one watched then pulled a tiny bottle from his bag and started to smear and rub a gooey brownish paste over the mushrooms. It just so happened to be his own homemade curry blend and he guarded it with care to keep it's making a secret.

Once the fire was burning well on it's own with no risk of catching something on fire that might be near it, the young man left the pit to get the spits and set them up for the skewers to rest on while they cooked. "These are going to be incredible! Too bad I didn't think to bring somekind of juice"

Claud would squint at The spiritual entity,silently studying the man still not fully at ease with the him though he did take his hand from the hilt of his own Zanpakuto."It is common courtesy to introduce yourself before asking for the name of others." Stated Claud, not trying to be rude but just to get a name out of this person before he lowered his guard any further than it already was,as he yes the stranger warely.

"Forgive me for my edginess I am just a little...anxious you could say when it comes to meeting new people like me..And you still haven't answered me. What are you?"Though it was not neccesarily a lie he was uncomfortable among other spiritual entites.

Namely Shinigami.

A light smile would grace his lips as he studied the other Shinigami's movements to see if there were any malicous intent in them and moves his hand away from his blade when he knew there was no intent behind the mans actions. After the human was out of ear shot he smiled at the shinigami. "My name is Salvatore Yagume... Former Captain of squad 11..." He placed as much emphasis on the words former captain as humanly possible. He had never been formally stripped of rank however he had abandoned that post as opposed to joining central 46 or being locked in the maggots nest when he had decided it was time for him to leave the court guard squads.

As Ottracosa's hands were busy seasoning the mushroom kebabs his ears were attuned to every word the two strange men were saying to each other. The thoughts in his head, though chaotic at times, were processing every shred of information that Claud had shared with him. The energy that surrounded Cloud made Wataru wary enough he fought to concentrate on what he was cooking. Even as hungry as he was the way the men were conversing ..... there just was something he couldn't put his finger on. Something about them made his mind work overtime to try to discover just how come they appeared to be sizing each other up. Did the two of them have a past history with each other? Just what would they do if Wataru failed to serve up the perfect food he had promised he could create? His free hand tugged at his hair as his eyes flicked from the coals of the fire to the men poised as if reading a potential rival.

Moving away from the fire, the tall college student rummaged in his carry bag for something as he continued to keep an eye on the two men. Though he could have just eaten the mushrooms raw, savoring their light earthy flavor, he preferred to wait for the juices to seep out and mingle with the curry spices and form a crispy glaze that would contrast nicely with the soft moist flesh of the fungi. "So you two guys know each other from somewhere?" He almost slipped and said the rest out loud.... or are you just studying each others muscles?"

Still studied the man before saying,"Hmm former Captain of Squad Eleven you say Salvatore Yagame? Well I am myself am the former Captain of Squad Seven. Claud Matosai."stated Claud with a big grin relieved that Salvatore would have no reason to make an attempt on his life causing him to lower his guard more but still up enough to protect against a suprise attack as he extened a hand to Salvatore making an attempt to shake hands with the fellow veteran, before turning to Ottra stating,No, I am afraid we have not met until this point...at least not that I am aware of.." Looks back to Salvatore wondering if he would state wether or not they had or had not met before.

Smiles up at Claud and shakes his head laughing softly as he turned his head towards the college kid. "No... We do not know each other... Judging by his clothes I'd say he was one generation after me..." Looking back towards Claud's outstretched hand he reached forward taking it and shaking it roughly though not in such a manner as to cause alarm. Studying the boy he chuckled softly as he moved a hand to the boys zanpakuto curiously "Does it have a name as well?"