A family kanreki [NDE, closed except invited or Kazeraikou].

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

The venue: This one.



[Enter Marii]


"Whoa. This is NICE!" muttered the female as she entered the venue with the catering staff in tow. Being the Raikage had its advantages when it came to finding a good catering business.
"Where is the kitchen my lady?" inquired the chef. "Oh, first door on the right in that hallway" informed Marii while pointing straight ahead.

The catering staff went straight to the kitchen while her cousins were doing the final decorations. Her uncles were putting up a banner that featured some traditional decorations. Hikari plus her aunt Akiko were using their suiton jutsus to mix some non-alcoholic drinks.
On the other side stood Makoto and Yukio. They were clearly preparing the music for the dance event.

"Care to give me a hand over here Marii-chan? I need some help with the tableclothes" inquired her aunt Hoshiko. "Sure obasan" replied the young woman. She went over to the center table where the older woman was unfolding a scarlet red tablecloth. The Raikage stretched out the fabric on the other side while her relative did the other.

"So...are you looking forward to the party?" asked the Jounin. "I am. It'll be nice to see everyone again. Can't believe Hinata is 60 years old" said the female as she smoothed out the fabric. "Neither can I - time surely flies by" muttered the taller female.

"Did obaasan have a nice trip from Enrai? I believe Tatsuya was the one who picked her up" inquired the brunette.
"According to what he told me, she's fine. Good thing the retirement home offers regular physiotherapy for her. Kami knows she needs it" stated the slate-haired woman.

The young woman went to the entrance when all the tables were set. 'He should be here soon' thought Marii. She was wearing her blue spring kimono that she had worn during the Aoyama trip. It was almost a bit poetic. This would be the first time he would meet her extended family plus her paternal grandmother.

[kininata]

[Enter]

Kininata had taken a while to prepare for this. A Iro Montsuki Kimono, bearing five crests to denote his family. The fiery red haori would have ocean blue crest marks, the haori cord matching the crest colour. The kimono itself was of a deep blue, the hakama a mixture of light and dark red. The only plain thing he wore were the tabi and setta. His hair had been carefully tied into a single tail, but interlaced to create rippling effect. He was nervous about being at the Kanreki. Aside from a few faces, this would be his first meeting with the majority of the important and closest members of Marii's family.

He shouldn't be worried. There would be a few voices vouching for him, the most important among them being his heart, but that wouldn't mean they would all accept him. He needed to impress, to honour, and to ensure he did nothing that could jeopardize their future. He took a few moments to breath, to calm his mind and heart. Then he pushed open the door to step inside.

The venue itself was incredible - it was bright, colourful, enticing, welcoming, everything he would have expected from such an event. And then his eyes moved towards and remained on Marii - she was wearing her blue spring kimono that she had worn during the Aoyama trip. She looked more beautiful now than she did then, and he couldn't help but let the smile show on his face.

He gave respectful bows to the catering staff as he slowly made his way across the room to meet her. 'Hello, Marii-chan. You look incredible as always.'

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

A small creaking sound made the female spin around. Her eyes widened a little when she saw what the male was wearing. ‘Whoa…that’s one of the most stunning kimonos I’ve seen’ thought Marii while she looked at Kininata. The ocean blue kimono was a nice contrast to the deep red haori and hakama. Another bonus was that many of her family members had chosen blue shades for their clothes.

The young man gave respectful bows to the catering staff. He then walked slowly towards her. «Hello, Marii-chan. You look incredible as always.» greeted the Chuunin. «You’re looking quite handsome too! That’s a gorgeous iro montsuki kimono» replied the young woman with a huge smile at her face.

«Now, don’t be nervous. My uncle, aunt and grandmother have not arrived yet. Plus that my family already know you» assured the Raikage. Her mind churned as she tried to figure out who he could meet first. Akiko plus three of her cousins were busy at the moment.

‘Aha! I think I found my target’ thought the female when she saw Hoshiko talk with her oldest son. She looked at the male with a smile on her face. «I think I’ll introduce you to those two over there. The woman is my dad’s twin sister while the guy is her oldest son» explained the brunette.

Hoshiko was only an inch shorter than the redhead with a long-limbed body to match. Her semi-athletic frame revealed a preference for taijtusu. She shared the slate gray hair, angular features, tanned skin and cobalt blue eyes with Masao. Her son however sported beige skin plus deep blue eyes. This was a stark contrast to his deep green hair. The young man was 5'10" tall with a similar build to his mother.

«Her husband will be here later today. What do you say?» inquired the young woman. Since Hoshiko was the youngest aunt, it could be a good starting point. She knew that Tatsuo was interested in swords as well as kenjutsu. He should get well along with her boyfriend in theory at least.

SPOILER: Click to show

Hoshiko: Here,
but has shorter hair.


Tatsuo: Here.

[kininata]

Marii's eyes widened a little when she saw what the male was wearing - it was clear she approved, and was impressed. 'You’re looking quite handsome too! That’s a gorgeous iro montsuki kimono' replied the young woman with a huge smile at her face. He smiled, staring into her eyes for a moment as she started looking among the gathered so far. 'Now, don’t be nervous. My uncle, aunt and grandmother have not arrived yet. Plus that my family already know you' assured the Raikage.

He did feel a little more at ease with her saying that, but it didn't take it all away. There were going to be a couple that wouldn't approve of him because of his origins, or his closeness. He was hoping that these issues wouldn't cause a problem for Marii or the rest of the family. The Marii looked at him with a victorious smile on her face. 'I think I’ll introduce you to those two over there. The woman is my dad’s twin sister while the guy is her oldest son' explained the brunette.

He glanced over to the pair - the woman did have alot of features in common with Marii's father, and from the looks of it was in good health and physical shape - certainly the feminine equivalent of Masao. The son was quite different in alot of his appearance, aside from the build - they both looked like taijutsu focused shinobi. 'Her husband will be here later today. What do you say?' He nodded back to her with an appreciative smile 'I look forward to it.' With that he would follow Marii's lead to be introduced.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

"I look forward to it" told the male. "Great! Let's go and say hello" replied the female.
She could not help but to feel a bit nervous. Which was a bit amusing since none of these people were unfamiliar to her.

Marii tried her best to stay calm as she approached the taller duo. "Hoshiko oba-san, Tatsuo. There is someone I want you to meet" told the young woman while looking at her relatives.
Both of them turned and looked at her. Their eyes then shifted to the man who stood next to her.

Tatsuo seemed to be somewhat intrigued by the newcomer. Red hair or tanned skin was not unusual in Kumogakure no Sato. But those two in combination was not a familiar sight. Hoshiko on the other hand was looking at his eyes after studying the family mons at his kimono. The symbols were not familiar to her.

"Please let me introduce you to my boyfriend Kininata Hyouketsu. Kininata, this is my aunt Hoshiko" informed the Raikage in a slightly shaky voice.
The tall woman raised her eyebrows when she heard who he was. Her lips then formed into a sincere smile. "Nice to meet you Hyouketsu-san" greeted the Jounin before she gave him a bow.

The female would wait until her boyfriend had replied to her aunt. "This is my cousin Tatsuo" told the brunette while she gestured towards the older male. "I'm pleased to meet you Hyouketsu-san. Welcome to Kumogakure no Sato" told the Jounin. He then shook the guests hand.

If the younger man paid close attention, he would notice something familiar. The older man had a surprisingly firm grip for starters. His upper back plus his upper arms were fairly defined too. But the telltale clue was the blisters inside his hands. Tatsuo was - similar to Kininata - a sword user.

"I'm happy to see you have a boyfriend Marii. Hyouketsu-san, I must say you have a nice kimono. I haven't seen a lot of iro montsuki kimonos lately" complimented the woman.
She was curious about this man. Especially since he came from the same nation as her sister-in-law.

[kininata]

"Great! Let's go and say hello" replied the female. There was a hint of nervousness from her voice, but her posture never betrayed it. She must have shared some of the same worries he did, which actually helped him with his own anxiety.

"Hoshiko oba-san, Tatsuo. There is someone I want you to meet" told the young woman while looking at her relatives. Both of them turned and looked at her. Their eyes then shifted to Kininata with quick, inquisitive glances. Tatsuo seemed to have the more interested look in his eyes - after all, Kininata didn't have typical or common features compare to others - tanned skin, red hair. The woman was looking more at his outfit that him, trying to figure out a puzzle; he had seen that look before in the mirror.

"Please let me introduce you to my boyfriend Kininata Hyouketsu. Kininata, this is my aunt Hoshiko" informed the Raikage in a slightly shaky voice.
The tall woman raised her eyebrows when she heard who he was. Her lips then formed into a sincere smile. "Nice to meet you Hyouketsu san" greeted the Jounin before she gave him a bow. Kininata returned the bow to Hoshiko. 'It's a pleasure to meet you.'

"This is my cousin Tatsuo" told the brunette while she gestured towards the older male. "I'm pleased to meet you Hyouketsu-san. Welcome to Kumogakure no Sato" told the Jounin. He then shook the guests hand. He could immediately feel the blistered skin, the signs of someone who handled a sword well. Kininata gave him a solid shake to ensure Tatsuo would recognize a swordsman comrade. 'Please, Kininata will be fine. Nice to meet you too, Tatsuo-san.'

"I'm happy to see you have a boyfriend Marii. Kininata, I must say you have a nice kimono. I haven't seen a lot of iro montsuki kimonos lately" complimented the woman.

'I do have a traditional kimono, but I've never been one for the plain look. Events like this should invite colour and imagination. I've had this for a few years, but I rarely get the chance to wear it.' He said, then gave a light tap at his waist, showing the suit wasn't completely fitting him - he was a little thinner. 'I'm not quite as large as back then. Need to fill it out a little more.'

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

'Huh. He's got quite a firm grip. Plus a couple of familiar blisters. Looks like we got another sword user in our circle' observed the male. He could not help but to smile - things were looking promising so far.

"I do have a traditional kimono, but I've never been one for the plain look. Events like this should invite colour and imagination. I've had this for a few years, but I rarely get the chance to wear it." replied Kininata. He gave a light tap at his waist, showing the suit wasn't completely fitting him - he was a little thinner. "I'm not quite as large as back then. Need to fill it out a little more." told the young man.

"Trust me. That won't be a problem when we've finished the birthday cake. But I see what you're getting at regarding the kimonos. I quite like colours myself" informed the woman. That would be confirmed a little later when her husband arrived with his mother-in-law.

Suddenly, someone would pat the guest on the shoulder.
"Hey Shuji. We need to-". "Er...that's not Shuji. You got the wrong redhead" interrupted the female while looking at a person behind her boyfriend.

Said person was a six feet tall athletic guy who was in his early thirties. His skin was milky white with freckles while his eyes were royal blue. The male did however shared one common trait with the guest.
His hair was in a light auburn shade that matched his golden brown eyebrows. The male Kazeraikou had chosen a deep green kimono plus a brown obi that suited him quite well.

"Who is this Marii?" inquired the redhead while looking at his cousin. "Oh, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend Kininata. Kininata - meet my cousin Kenichi. He is the current clan leader since I have other duties. Shuji is the name of his younger brother by the way" informed Marii.

Kenichi looked on the guest with a curious expression. "Pleased to meet you Kininata-san. I think you'll blend in just fine" told the man with a skinny grin on his face.
It would not take long for the younger guy to understand what he was hinting at. His scarlet strands was far from an oddity in this room.

"I look forward to get you know you Kininata-san. However, I need to check how my little angel is doing. See you later" said the redhead.
His 'little angel' was a three-year old girl. She was talking to a boy who stood near a table. The child sported fiery copper-red hair that matched her ivory skin.

The boy was probably five years old. His seafoam green hair made him stand out. Thankfully, his brown eyes plus the cool beige skin balanced things out.
"That's his daughter Michiko by the way. The other boy is her second cousin Toru. You have met his father already" informed the young woman.

The Amegakure shinobi had probably figured out that Tatsuo was the father. "So...who would you want to meet next? It must be a lot for you to take in" suggested the Raikage. She knew her boyfriend was a bit overwhelmed by this. Especially since he did not have such a large family.

SPOILER: Click to show

Kenichi: Here, minus the beard and the ponytail.

[kininata]

"Trust me. That won't be a problem when we've finished the birthday cake. But I see what you're getting at regarding the kimonos. I quite like colours myself" informed the woman. Suddenly, someone would pat the guest on the shoulder.

"Hey Shuji. We need to-". "Er...that's not Shuji. You got the wrong redhead" interrupted the female while looking at a person behind her boyfriend. Kininata turned around to see a tall athlete, light coloured skin, and very bold blue eyes, and light auburn hair - a a few shades closer to brown than his own, but still close. His appearance worked in tandem with his choice of garb for the party.

"Who is this Marii?" inquired the redhead while looking at his cousin. "Oh, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend Kininata. Kininata - meet my cousin Kenichi. He is the current clan leader since I have other duties. Shuji is the name of his younger brother by the way" informed Marii.

Kininata spent a moment reflecting at the similarities - it almost reminded him of his brother, or an alternative version of himself. Kenichi looked on the guest with a curious expression. "Pleased to meet you Kininata-san. I think you'll blend in just fine" told the man with a skinny grin on his face. 'I was thinking I'd be among the unique features of the party, Kenichi-san. I'm glad I'm going to fit in well.' He gave him a polite a gracious bow.

"I look forward to get you know you Kininata-san. However, I need to check how my little angel is doing. See you later" said the redhead. He gad a nod as Kenichi turned towards the young girl not too far away, another red-haired member of the family with a light skin that matched her father. Kininata Had gotten so used to standing out with his appearance, it was refreshing to see it be the norm here. The boy, a little older, had a more vibrant colour of hair in comparison, tempered by his lighter skin and brown eyes.

"That's his daughter Michiko by the way. The other boy is her second cousin Toru. You have met his father already" informed the young woman. "So...who would you want to meet next? It must be a lot for you to take in" suggested the Raikage. He was a little stunned, in truth. His family had been small, only a handful of people. It was nothing in comparison to this, and as much as it was overwhelming, the aura of love, compassion... of bonds... he felt tears forming in his eyes.

'Anyone. Everyone. I...' his voice was a little shaken, the emotions within him stirring. The loss he had endured, the void made from his mother being lost so young, watching his brother die at his hands, his father... he had closed off so much more than he had realised, that seeing this made his discover just how empty he had been... and how much Marii and her family had refilled it. 'I'd be interested in meeting this Shuji - I don't often get confused for being somebody else, it'd be nice to see if we have more in common than just hair.' He smiled, but the tears were still there.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

'Oh shoot - I should have thought of this a little earlier' realized the female when she saw his reaction.
"Anyone. Everyone. I..." started the male. She noticed that his voice was slightly shaken.

"I'd be interested in meeting this Shuji - I don't often get confused for being somebody else, it'd be nice to see if we have more in common than just hair" told Kininata. He was smiling through the tears.
Marii gave him a smile and gave him a tissue. "I think you have a few things in-".

"Look! We've spotted a kage!" told a familiar voice from behind. The owner was a young man with steel blue hair, light ash brown eyes plus a beige complexion. His smile was nearly identical to the one Hoshiko had. The bluenette was 5'9" tall with a somewhat lanky frame.

"Indeed...I rarely thought they left their towers" said the person next to him. It was a young man with shoulder length copper blonde hair. His hair contrasted with his royal blue eyes. His complexion was milky white with numerous freckles. The guy was 5'9" with a semi-athletic build.

'No wonder Kenichi thought Kininata was Shuji! Those two have nearly the same hair style and build' realized the young woman.
Not only that, but her cousin was about the same age too. She smiled when she looked at her two cousins.

"You are both correct. Raikages rarely leave their towers" replied the Raikage in a very serious voice. The smile on her face however told she was joking.
"Hey, is that your secret younger brother Shuji?" inquired the male while looking at the shinobi. He had a curious gleam in his brown eyes.

"I'm afraid not. He is my boyfriend and his name is Kininata. Kininata, let me introduce you to our blue and red oni*.
The blue one is Toshio while the red one is Shuji" informed the female.

The duo shifted their eyes towards the new guest. Their smiles were replaced with a more serious expression. Especially the younger of the two.
"Nice to meet you Kininata. Welcome to the party" greeted the male before he gave him a polite bow.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm glad to see you have found a boyfriend Marii" told the young man. He gave him a polite bow to show his respect.
Toshio had chosen a rather plain slate gray kimono that complimented his bright hair. Shuji however was clad in a beige kimono.

SPOILER: Click to show

Toshio and Shuji.Toshio has brown eyes while Shuji got blue eyes.


Blue and red oni : Here.

[kininata]

Marii gave him a smile and gave him a tissue. "I think you have a few things in-".

"Look! We've spotted a kage!" called a voice from behind Marii - a young man with steel blue hair, light ash brown eyes with a beige complexion, close to the height of Kininata, though he had a lithe and thinner build.

"Indeed...I rarely thought they left their towers" said the person next to him. It was a young man with shoulder length copper blonde hair. His hair contrasted with his royal blue eyes. His complexion was milky white with numerous freckles. The guy was 5'9" with a semi-athletic build. They were such a contrast physically to each other and the copper haired man made him blink to check he was seeing things right, because aside from the complexion it was like looking in the mirror.

"You are both correct. Raikages rarely leave their towers" replied the Raikage in a very serious voice. The smile on her face however told she was joking.

"Hey, is that your secret younger brother Shuji?" inquired the male while looking at the shinobi. He had a curious gleam in his brown eyes.

"I'm afraid not. He is my boyfriend and his name is Kininata. Kininata, let me introduce you to our blue and red oni.The blue one is Toshio while the red one is Shuji" informed the female.

The duo shifted their eyes towards the new guest. Their smiles were replaced with a more serious expression. Especially the younger of the two.
"Nice to meet you Kininata. Welcome to the party" greeted the male before he gave him a polite bow.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm glad to see you have found a boyfriend Marii" told the young man. He gave him a polite bow to show his respect. Toshio had chosen a rather plain slate gray kimono that complimented his bright hair. Shuji however was clad in a beige kimono.

'It's nice to meet the both of you. And, Marii is right - kages do tend to spend a lot of time in their towers. Thats why I stopped being one myself.' He had a few doubts that many people outside of Marii and her immediate family were aware of who Kininata used to be years ago, and given the Raikage comments, it felt right to drop the old title in. 'And I think she's done a great job compared to when I was Amekage. I hope you two can help me make sure I don't get into too much trouble while I'm around - I can't keep Marii helping me all day.'

In truth, he was quite serious. Marii was a pretty important member of her clan as much as the village, and while he was her boyfriend, she had other obligations too. this was a good opportunity to let her have a moment back to tend to the party and her family, and him a chance to learn more about what he hoped would become his future family in the future.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

((OOC: Credit for the pictures goes to the artists!))

"It's nice to meet the both of you. And, Marii is right - kages do tend to spend a lot of time in their towers. Thats why I stopped being one myself." informed the man.
The two "onis" raised their eyebrows in surprise. Was this foreigner a former Amekage!?

"And I think she's done a great job compared to when I was Amekage. I hope you two can help me make sure I don't get into too much trouble while I'm around. I can't keep Marii helping me all day." told Kininata.
The duo were about to reply when someone from the catering waved them over. They apparently needed some help at the entrance.

In the doorway stood a middle aged man.
He sported minty green hair that matched his light brown eyes. He was pushing a wheelchair. Sitting in the wheelchair was a senior woman with silver gray hair. Despite the commotion, she had a huge smile at her face.

"Okaa-san!" exclaimed Hoshiko with a smile at her face. She approached the woman and gave her a hug. "Hoshi-chan!" replied the woman. The two women separated so Masao could hug his mother as well.
"Aaah, nice to see you too Masao-kun. But you don't look to well" told the senior female.

"Work has been tough. But I'm glad to see you're here okaa-san" replied the man. It was a bit odd to hear a man in his fifties being referred to as a child.
The woman sitting in the wheelchair was originally called Michiko Shimizu. Until she married Kentaro Kazeraikou that was.

"Now Tatsuo-kun, could you please wheel me to Kumeko-chan or Marii-chan?" asked Michiko. "Kumeko-chan is not her yet. But I'll wheel you over to Marii-chan" replied her son-in-law.
He pushed the wheelchair into the venue. The man then let his mother-in-law push her wheelchair towards her three grandchildren.

"Obaa-chan!" exclaimed the younger of the two. He bent down to give the woman a hug. The grandmother hugged him back.
"Glad to see you're here obaa-chan" greeted the female and hugged her grandparent. "Off course I'm here...it's not every day my daughter turns 60" stated the silver-haired woman.

"Oh. This is my boyfriend Kininata Hyouketsu. Kininata, this is my grandmother Michiko Kazeraikou" informed Marii.
The senior woman looked at him with interest. Her bright azure eyes were looking at him in a way only old people could.

"Kininata Hyouketsu...do you mind telling me where you are from? I have never seen mons like that in Kumogakure no Sato" inquired Michiko.
His surname suggested he was from Yukigakure no Sato. But how could someone from Yuki no Kuni have tanned skin or red hair?

[kininata]

Kininata seemed to catch the duo off guard with his remarks, and could tell they were going to respond until they saw something and ehaded to the entrace.

In the doorway stood a middle aged man. He sported minty green hair that matched his light brown eyes. He was pushing a wheelchair. Sitting in the wheelchair was a senior woman with silver gray hair. Despite the commotion, she had a huge smile at her face. He stood there and observed how everyone treated the woman with respect as well as adoration. Her name being called out a moment later confirmed to Kininata who he thought she was.

His mind splintered for a moment - part focused on the here and now, part to his life as an Amekage when he had so many to care for, and part to his early life with the memory of his family. The emotions he was suddenly feeling made him waver in his stance for a moment. What he was seeing was everything he had effectively lost over the last ten years. And he was here, with the woman who meant everthing to him living the life he missed out on because of the curse of his old home.

The wheelchair started moving over to where he and Marii were, and he pulled himself togehter, mind and body all. The man then let his mother-in-law push her wheelchair towards her three grandchildren.

"Obaa-chan!" exclaimed the younger of the two. He bent down to give the woman a hug. The grandmother hugged him back.
"Glad to see you're here obaa-chan" greeted the female and hugged her grandparent. "Off course I'm here...it's not every day my daughter turns 60" stated the silver-haired woman.

"Oh. This is my boyfriend Kininata Hyouketsu. Kininata, this is my grandmother Michiko Kazeraikou" informed Marii.The senior woman looked at him with interest. Her bright azure eyes were looking at him in a way only old people could - the look questioning whether he was worthy of her family.

"Kininata Hyouketsu...do you mind telling me where you are from? I have never seen mons like that in Kumogakure no Sato" inquired Michiko.

Firstly Kininata bowed to her respectfully, then gave his response. 'My mother came from Yukigakure no Sato, and my father from Amegakure no Sato though he decided that we would tkae her name instead of his own. My mons is a hybrid of something an old friend of mine made for me, and my mother's styling. This piece,' he said and pointed towards a small marking that looked a little like the symbol for Amegalure no Sato wrapped into the number three with an backdro of a storm, 'is a miniture of the Amekage's symbol.' He then ran his hands through his hair. 'This is from my father's side of the family. Their roots come from Kaze no Kuni - my brother had inherited light skin and darker hair, I have the dark tones and red hair.'

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

‘I don’t think Kininata mentioned that his father’s family had roots in Kaze no Kuni. But it does explain his complexion’ thought Marii. Her grandmother squinted her eyes a little while looking at the redhead. A smile formed at her face moments later. ‘Like father like son huh? More like daughter if you ask me’ thought the woman while looking at her son for a split second.

«You got a very diverse background Hyouketsu-san. But I like that. Especially since you’re strong enough to survive. Hikari-chan told met that Amegakure no Sato is not a nice place. But that doesn’t always apply to the people. Now if you excuse me, I need to place my gift on the gift table» told the senior as she wheeled herself over to the gift table.

Kenichi suddenly let out a huge whistle. Most of the family members jumped or cringed. «Sorry guys! But mum is almost here!» announced the man. Everyone gathered around the entrance door. Tatsuo was helping Michiko to get there faster.

A man in his fifties with a sturdier building than Masao entered the door. His facial features were a softer version of Hoshiko’s. The man was Takeshi, who was the last uncle Kininata had not met. «Come in sis» told the man. He stepped aside so the woman behind him could enter.

The woman was around 5'5" tall with an average frame. But like her siblings, she had long arms plus longer feet. Her auburn hair was cut short while her skin was milky white. «What the…» muttered Hinata. Her blue-green eyes were wide in surprise.

«HAPPY BIRTHDAY!» announced the family. «I…I can’t believe it! You guys…» stuttered the female. «Happy birthday mum» told her sons before they gave her a hug. The party was off to a great start now that the birthday child was here.

SPOILER: Click to show

A younger Hinata Kazeraikou: Here.

A younger version of Takeshi Kazeraikou: Here.

[kininata]

Marii's grandmother squinted her eyes a little while looking at the redhead. A smile formed at her face moments later, taking a look at her son for a split second.

«You got a very diverse background Hyouketsu-san. But I like that. Especially since you’re strong enough to survive. Hikari-chan told met that Amegakure no Sato is not a nice place. But that doesn’t always apply to the people. Now if you excuse me, I need to place my gift on the gift table» told the senior as she wheeled herself over to the gift table. Kininata let out a quiet sigh of relief. So far, everyone he'd met had been fairly accomodating of him, and getting her approval was a great step into beong accepted in the family.

Kenichi suddenly let out a huge whistle. Most of the family members jumped or cringed. «Sorry guys! But mum is almost here!» announced the man. Everyone gathered around the entrance door. Kininata moved in beside Marii, able to keep his eyes on the door.

An elder man in his fifties walked in first, and while he had a softer face than some of the other elder men in the family he could see traces of the resemblence. «Come in sis» told the man. He stepped aside so the woman behind him could enter. The woman was around 5'5" tall with an average frame, but like her siblings she had long arms and feet. Her auburn hair was cut short while her skin was milky white - it was quite the curiosity, that there were alot of red-haired people in the family, and it made him curious as to the roots of Marii's family as well. «What the…» muttered Hinata. Her blue-green eyes were wide in surprise.

«HAPPY BIRTHDAY!» announced the family, Kininata's own voice in the crowd as well. «I…I can’t believe it! You guys…» stuttered the female. «Happy birthday mum» told her sons before they gave her a hug.

Again he saw flashes of birthday's with his own family, the faces of his parents and of his brother years ago, and he could feel the warmth of those thoughts coming back to the surface. He gave Marii a glance and a smile and then brought his focus back to Hinata - for years she had been giving him so much of herself, and now, she had found a way of pulling out the depths of his soul and heart. He felt whole again.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

The female smiled as her boyfriend was looking at her. She finally had the guts to bring the male to a family event. Especially something as important as a kanreki.
One of the waiters had approached Kenichi. They exchanged some quiet words before the guy gave her a nod.

"Good news everyone! The food is ready to be served in a few moments. I suggest we find ourselves a table in the meantime.
My mother, my grandmother plus her siblings will sit in the center. The rest of us will spread out" announced the man.

"Hi Marii! Nice to see you again" told a female voice. A young woman in her mid-late twenties had ambushed them. Her steel blue hair was tied up in a traditional hairdo. Her amethyst purple kimono was decorated with white roses. Next to her stood a guy with black hair and sepia brown eyes.

"Kumiko-chan! Nice to meet you again" greeted Marii. She gave her a hug before she looked at Kininata.
"This is my cousin Kumiko. Kumiko, this is my boyfriend Kininata" informed the young woman in a polite voice.

Her cousin did a polite bow. "My name is Kazeraikou Kumiko. The man next to me is my boyfriend Sakurai Osamu.
Pleased to meet you Kininata-san" greeted Kumiko. Her boyfriend gave the duo a polite bow.

"Nice to meet you Sakurai-san. I'm afraid we have to find a table. I'll see you later Kumiko" promised Marii.
She would take her boyfriend's right hand into hers while looking for a table. Her parents were already sitting at the grand table with the birthday child.

Kenichi was sitting at the table next to them with his wife plus his children. Makoto was sitting with Yasuo plus two other girls. One of them was her brother's girlfriend while the other dated her cousin.
"Let's grab that table over there" muttered the young woman. She would lead the young man towards the table before someone else took it.

Being the Raikage did not help when you were with family. Their table was at the left side of the room. It was behind Makoto and in front of the two onis. Toshio was the only one of the two who had a girlfriend for now. The tables were buzzing with conversation.

"How're you feeling Kininata? I'm sorry that I didn't tell that my family was so big" apologized the Raikage. She gave his hand a small squeeze in order to comfort him.
"On the bright side, I think everyone likes you. Welcome to the dragon's den" told the female with a wicked smile.

[kininata]

After the announcement of the food being ready, Kininata had become relaxed around the family. His eyes held a solid jade green as he glanced around to the rest of the clan here, a smile clearly showing on his face.

"Hi Marii! Nice to see you again" told a female voice - a young woman in her mid-late twenties had snuck around them. Her steel blue hair was tied up in a traditional hairdo, her kimono was decorated with white roses clashing beautifully with the amethyst purple garb. Next to her stood a guy with black hair and sepia brown eyes.

"Kumiko-chan! Nice to meet you again" greeted Marii. She gave her a hug before she looked at Kininata. "This is my cousin Kumiko. Kumiko, this is my boyfriend Kininata" informed the young woman in a polite voice.

Her cousin did a polite bow. "My name is Kazeraikou Kumiko. The man next to me is my boyfriend Sakurai Osamu.
Pleased to meet you Kininata-san" greeted Kumiko. Her boyfriend gave the duo a polite bow.

"Nice to meet you Sakurai-san. I'm afraid we have to find a table. I'll see you later Kumiko" promised Marii. 'I'm please to meet both of you. I hope we get some time later to talk more.'

She would take her boyfriend's right hand into hers while looking for a table. Her parents were already sitting at the grand table with the birthday child.
"Let's grab that table over there" muttered the young woman. She would lead the young man towards the table before someone else took it. Their table was at the left side of the room. It was behind Makoto and in front of the two onis. Toshio was the only one of the two who had a girlfriend for now. He could hear the various conversations from the nearby family, and so far they were focused on discussing current matters with the special guest of the party.

"How're you feeling Kininata? I'm sorry that I didn't tell that my family was so big" apologized the Raikage. She gave his hand a small squeeze in order to comfort him. "On the bright side, I think everyone likes you. Welcome to the dragon's den" told the female with a wicked smile.

He leaned forwards and kissed her softly on the cheek. 'I'm loving this. Such a warm family, so diverse in energy and affection. Its a great clash to my old life. I... I was a little taken back at how much I missed being around so many people that cared for each other.' He then turned his attention over to the rest of the family for a moment, taking in the faces, the smiles, the energy of it all. Then he looked back into her eyes. 'I'm happy to be anywhere with you.'

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

The male leaned forwards to kiss her on her cheek. "I'm loving this. Such a warm family, so diverse in energy and affection. Its a great clash to my old life. I... I was a little taken back at how much I missed being around so many people that cared for each other." replied Kininata.

What he said formed a lump in her throat. The female realized how lucky she was to have such a large, loving family. Especially since the majority were shinobis. She swallowed when he looked back into her eyes.
"I'm happy to be anywhere with you" told the man. "Believe me...the feeling is mutual" told Marii in an honest voice.

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek when her cousin tapped his glass with his spoon. "Hello everyone! I'm ecstatic to see that so many people could make it to my mother's kanreki.
It's not very often we're gathered like this. Then again, we're shinobis with obligations" greeted Kenichi.

"I would like everyone to sing the birthday song first. Me and Shuji will then have a short speech. We'll cut up the cake right after that" promised the man.
Everyone stood up from their chairs with a grin on their face. Hinata remained seated - she was the birthday child.

"One two-". The whole family started singing at once. Except the youngest children who could not talk that well.
Everyone applauded before they sat down again. The two brothers stood up again with a paper sheet in their hand.

It was a rather nice speech. The older of the two told how capable their mother was. She reached the Jounin rank a year prior to his birth for starters. In addition, the birthday child taught them a lot of important values.
But they soon reached a part that would strike Kininata in particular quite hard. Shuji cleared his throat prior to reading his part.

"Everything seemed to be doing fine. Which was true until I was seven years old. Two ANBU agents showed up at our house.
There had been a massive fight in Tsuchi no Kuni between Kumogakure and some defected shinobis. Everyone at both sides died" started the young man. His voice was a bit shaky.

"My grandmother babysat us for a couple hours. When my mother returned, her eyes were completely bloodshot.
O-our father were one of the shinobis that were killed that day. But my mother managed to keep it together. We were still alive after all" continued the redhead.

Some tears formed in his eyes. The same thing happened with his brother plus Hinata. The young woman gave him a napkin after squeezing his hand. It did not take long until the older guy continued the speech. 'Thank Kami-sama that's the worst part' thought the Raikage while wiping a tear off her face.

[kininata]

(OOC: Sorry for the long wait on this. Work issues)

"Believe me...the feeling is mutual" told Marii in an honest voice. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek when her cousin tapped his glass with his spoon. "Hello everyone! I'm ecstatic to see that so many people could make it to my mother's kanreki. It's not very often we're gathered like this. Then again, we're shinobis with obligations" greeted Kenichi.

"I would like everyone to sing the birthday song first. Me and Shuji will then have a short speech. We'll cut up the cake right after that" promised the man. And everyone did, in a great display of family unity. And then the pair started their speech about her, and then came the end of the story. The loss, struggle, the pain. As they went over the past of what happened to their father, their family, Kininata could feel the same pain. He had live it himself.

Hi mother died from illness, when he only only five years old. His father pulled back his responsibilities to take care of him and his brother. He lost his brother, to corruption from the old council and then in battle, one he never talks about. And then his father. He felt each pain as fresh as the moment it happened as Shuji spoke, and the former Amekage couldn't help but share tears of his own in the end. He could tell that everyone hear understood their pain at the loss, and this was something else he was thankful for - they weren't just a family bonded with love. They had found so much more in their lives that connected them, and he felt a part of that now.

He saw Marii wipe tears from her face. She had understood his pain because of this history too. His hand fumbled in his pocket, around a small bamboo box the size of his palm. He didn't pull it out, it wasn't the right time for it yet, but as his hand held it he felt certain about his decision. He looked at Shuji, staring right into his eyes and gave him the slightest nod, indicating that he understood his pain. He then pulled his hand out and wiped his own tears from his face.

'I never knew your own family had been through this much as well, Marii. I'm so sorry.'

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

Everyone in the room were wiping away their tears now. She noticed that her boyfriend was looking at her cousin. Their eye colours were different, but the expression was identical.
'Kami-sama. I feel so lucky to have both parents still alive' thought the female.

"I never knew your own family had been through this much as well, Marii. I'm so sorry." told the male. She gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
There was a salty taste on her lips afterwards. But the young woman did not mind.

"However, things got a lot better after that. My mother did what she could to raise us. Kami knows how many kage bunshins she must have used to keep things up.
Keep in mind that I had just entered the Academy. My brother was in enrolled at the knowledge center" informed the male.

"Ironically, the first results appeared exactly four years later. I became a Genin while my brother passed his Chuunin exam. We both graduated from our respective schools as well.
My mother became the clan head the following year. Which is not an easy task according to what I've heard" continued Shuji.

"But today is your kanreki. You've completed the cycle. You're a daughter, older sister, mother as well as a grandmother. You are a Jounin plus a former clan leader as well.
So let's give a toast to Hinata. Cheers!" finished the man. "Cheers!" replied everyone as they raised their glasses.

"I must say that this was not what I had expected. Thank you so much - all of you. I suppose this is the time where I'm going to cut up my birthday cake" told the woman.
She walked over to the table with her sons right behind. Hinata picked up the cake shovel and cut up a small slice.

"I think it's only fair that my mother and my grandchildren can go next. We'll go age wise after that" said the female. Everyone got up from their chairs and lined up.
"Wonder what kind of cake that is" muttered the Raikage. She prayed it was not a green tea or rice cake.

[kininata]

The son's continued their speech, bringing a positive atmosphere back to the celebration. He nodded and celebrated the finale with the rest of family as they raised glasses and cheers. And slowly, the family rose up to orerly gain a piece of the birthday cake. Kininata stayed back, though, letting all of the family members go before him. While he may be seeing Marii, he was for the moment still the outsider, so to speak, and it was a family event.

The cake was beautifully decorated, using a honey kasutera for the base, and mild-flavored fruits underneath the decoration icing. It's falovur was sweet, but not overpowering, and broke apart easily on taking a bite.He only took a small piece, and would start to mingle with the family at hand, letting Marii get some quality time with Hinata.

He found himself ending up with standing in front of Shuji. The red-haired man sstill appeared to be recovering from his own speech, tocuhing deeply to the emotions of his lost parent. 'Hello Shuji-san. I wanted to say...' Kininata stopped, ensuring that his voice was low and directed only at Shuji, 'I understand what you and Jinata went through all those years ago. Talking about it is never easy, and I wanted to say what you did up there was very brave. I'm sure he's proud of all of you, just as my parents would be proud of me if they were alive today.'

He would let that sink for a moment to Shuji. The subject of loss was never an easy one for Kininata himself - always something else that needed doing, he never had the time to just let it all in and reflect. The Kanreki, and his time in isolation, had given him the time he needed to let it go. To move on. He could feel that same struggle witin Shuji, and in his mind he knew that letting him know someone not related to him to empathy could relate - it was one of the many reasons he had such deep, strong feelings for Marii; he understood now why they connected so well.