Daidouji Birthday 1

Daidouji loved many things. She loved being a shinobi, she loved facing problems head on, she loved training, she loved eating meat but she also loved her children. During their early year she watched over them as a tigress would watch her cubs. Now both of them were old enough to go out and play on their own. The oldest wanted to see the world and the youngest did all they could to keep up with their older sibling. Her children were just as bold and athletic as their mother and filled with a strong will and a desire to be independent. Daidouji would watch them race outside each morning and greet them with warm hugs when they'd return home.

 

Daidouji was proud of her children although the wild nature they'd inherited from their mother made them troublemakers. One morning they had gone out to ride their bikes but returned home earlier than usual. They didn't greet their mother when they got home and tried to sneak into the kitchen.

 

Daidouji was onto their little plan. Her senses were honed from the years spent as a shinobi and she listened in on them try to close the kitchen door and quietly pull out pots and pans. She opened the kitchen door and was greeted with kitchen benches covered in baking trays, opened draws and boxes of cake mix opened and spilled. There was shopping bags on the counter. The children knelt on the floor and tried to scoop up cake mix powder in their hands.

 

They looked up at Daidouji with puppy eyes.

 

'I told you this wouldn't work.' The younger one sulked.

 

Daidouji crossed her arms and scowled 'What are you doing?'

 

'Trying to make a cake.' The older one admitted 'The directions on the box made it sound easy.'

 

'Where did you get all this cake mix?'

 

'We saved up our allowance and rode down to the supermarket.'

 

Daidouji was puzzled 'But why cake mix? What are you trying to do with it?'

 

'We wanted to make you a birthday cake!' The younger one shouted.

 

The oldest one jumped to their feet 'A huge cake! The biggest cake in the world! All for your birthday.'

 

Daidouji had forgotten her own birthday was this week. As she had gotten older the day had meant less to her.

 

It was sweet of her children to try and celebrate her day but she couldn't let these antics slide even if they meant well.

 

Daidouji pumped her fist 'So you want to bake a cake, do you? Very well I shall teach you to make a good birthday cake! But you must do it with your own hands.'

 

The cake mix might have gone to waste but they still had flour, milk, eggs, butter and vanilla extract in the kitchen. The kids had also bought icing along with the cake mix. They could still make a classic vanilla cake; the basic birthday cake in Western countries.

 

Daidouji watched over them like a head chef and had the children take out trays and implements and prepare the ingredients. They must have gone through the whole carton of eggs but eventually they cracked them properly. The kids got the batter together in the bowl and struggled to stir it. They tried and tried until their arms went limp and Daidouji had to take over.

 

'Watch me' Daidouji ordered. She had the batter mixed together in seconds and the children marvelled at her strength.

 

'Whoa' They both awed.

 

'You make it look so easy!' The older one gasped.

 

The batter was ready for the pans and Daidouji watched over the kids as they poured it into the pans to form the layers. Daidouji took care of putting the pans into the oven and they all had time until the layers of the cake would be ready for icing. The children celebrated by eating up the leftover batter in the bowl and on the wooden spoon but their celebration was premature.

 

Daidouji pointed to the cake mix that was still on the floor 'Now I can teach you how to clean a kitchen.'

 

The children groaned.

 

Daidouji raised her hands up and formed claws 'You can either clean the kitchen or face me and be tickled! I'll let you both take me on at once.'

 

The kids knew they couldn't beat Mama-Daidouji in a tickle fight. Not even dad could beat her.

 

They made sour faces and surrendered.

 

They swept up the floor and helped clean up the mess they'd made while baking too. By the time they were finished they were ready to ice the cake. The two layers of the cake were uneven and it looked like an even bigger disater after the icing was lathered on. The icing was unevenly spread and the end result made the cake look wobbly and lumpy. It would still taste good though.

 

Daidouji affectionately ruffled her kids hair 'Well done you too. Not bad for your first try.'

 

The children smiled. Happy they had made something their mother could be proud of.

 

'Just wait until you see dad's gift.' The younger one blurted out.

 

The older one covered their sibling's mouth 'You idiot.'

 

Daidouji simply grinned.

 

'Nothing gets past Mama-Daidouji!'