Week 1 | Saturday

[concasse]

[Where else is a chef going to find solace if not in the kitchen?

He's not even hungry, to be honest, but that doesn't stop him from pacing around and letting his hands distract him -- probably tea or some shit. Maybe a few biscuits on the side. Comfort food he won't take much comfort in.

It'd been a long day, okay?]

Comments

[concasse]

Ever had an omelette? Was thinking of making one myself... we could split it.

[Which sounds delicious to his ears, so he's going to start with that regardless, on the hunt for some vegetables in the fridge]

[fragileprophet]

That does sound really good! It's been a long time since I've had eggs.

[I, like, totally don't know what his eating habits are I just for some reason assume they make him eat vitamins and oatmeal??? Is that weird?]

What are you going to put in it?

[He's already watching with curiosity fluttering over his features. He gets to watch an expert Chef cook!]

[concasse]

You're not allergic, are ya?

[He certainly hopes not. Kinda puts a damper on the omelette thing if so]

And whatever you want -- though I'm thinking simple is best. Some green peppers, onions, avocado, tomato, and a bit of cheese...

[fragileprophet]

No--I don't think I have any allergies. My condition is mostly related to exhaustion.

[But he perks up. His enthusiasm is as pure as a boy half his apparent age.]

Those all sound good! Oh--is it okay if I ask you questions while you cook? Some of my companions would make meals for us while we traveled but I never really had much of a chance to actually observe like this!

[Watching someone make food in an actual kitchen is definitely different from fugitive-style campfires.]

[concasse]

Sure, ask away. I don't usually get many questions to answer.

[Because Luffy does not ask questions, he howls in Sanji's ear demanding he bend the laws of time to cook faster. Sanji will take Ion's curiosity any day.]

[fragileprophet]

Okay!

[He waits until Sanji's brought out the ingredients before he comes up with his first question.]

How do you cut an onion without crying?

[Truly, one of life's mysteries.]

[concasse]

Breathe through your mouth.

Or you can freeze the onion first, though I don't prefer it.

[SCIENCE TIME: Cooking edition]

When you cut up an onion, it produces a gas that irritates your eyes, so you start crying to get the shit out of it. If you breathe through your mouth, the gases are pulled in there and don't get a chance to burn your eyes.

[fragileprophet]

[!!!! Ion's whole face lights up.]

I didn't know that!

[I mean, obviously, but he's really happy to have learned.]

How old were you when you started cooking?

[That's less of an omelette question and more of just a Sanji question, but he's curious.]

[concasse]

When I was four.

[Looking amused at this energy suddenly being thrown at him. Ion, why so adorable]

Between you and me? Sucked at it. My hand was barely big enough to hold a knife.

[fragileprophet]

[That is really young.]

Did you always know it was what you wanted to do, even then?

[concasse]

Nah, took me a while to figure it out.

[...]

Technically I wasn't allowed to be a chef, so you could say I was going against my family's wishes.

[Ha. Ha. Ha.]

[fragileprophet]

Oh...I see.

[He deflates, just a little--but only because it's sad to hear that he had trouble with his family.]

Did they come around, at least?

[concasse]

[With a bright, amused smile as he begins the process of chopping up the tomatoes and green onions]

Not at all.

[fragileprophet]

Oh, no!

[He frowns. Sanji doesn't look put out, but he feels like he took a misstep and opened a door he maybe shouldn't have. After a pause, he tries to redirect.]

Well...in any case, I'm happy that you were able to pursue something that you're so passionate about. It's nice to see how you smile when you talk about cooking.

[concasse]

[Ion's not wrong to redirect. The sharpness of Sanji's smile abates and turns mild as he continues his work, only pausing to grab a frying pan from a cabinet and set that on the stove.]

Me happy?

[What a way to put it. He hums, as if he means to correct Ion. Eventually:]

I guess. But really, I became one because all people need food to survive, so might as well make it enjoyable for 'em, right?

There's nothing like a good meal to settle the soul, especially when nothing else seems to be going right.

[fragileprophet]

[What a strange way to put it. But Ion tilts his head as he thinks about it, a hand resting over his chin.]

With so many restaurants all over the world...that really must be true.

[He has no idea, honestly, but it's clear that he's thinking it over like it's some kind of a puzzle. See Ion: learning more about humans every day.]

[concasse]

[There's a laugh at that -- Ion's only half right in that regard.]

Don't get me wrong, a restaurant's a business. Like I said, people need to eat, so they gotta ante up the cash for the privilege.

My mentor had a different philosophy going for him, though: he'd feed anyone who needed food, regardless of money or background.

[his voice grows distant as he speaks, wandering through his memories] The sea's a cruel place... you could be rich as a king one day, and then starving the next.

But on the water, in that geezer's opinion, everyone should be equal. A hungry customer's a hungry customer, circumstances be damned.

[fragileprophet]

...that's a beautiful philosophy.

[It brings a soft smile back onto Ion's face.]

The two of you were really close, weren't you?

[concasse]

[Ion's caught in him an... interesting mood. Maybe a soft one. It's the only reason he shares what he does]

Well, bastard raised me, so... he's more like a father than a mentor.

[fragileprophet]

[The admission raises a lot of questions--questions he wouldn't ever ask. What's it like, to have a father, or even a father figure? Do you miss him? Was it hard to go your own way when you met your crew? At what point in your life did you realize just what he meant to you?

None of these are appropriate, and Ion recognizes his curiosity for what it is, shelving all of it.]

Thank you for telling me about him.

[It's good to get to know more about Sanji. Little by little, he's getting a bigger and better picture of the man who's treated him so kindly.]

You've led such a unique life.

[concasse]

"Unique" is a good way to put it.

[Well, sharing and caring time must be over, at least the sappy shit. Sanji pulls it all in as he works through the rest of the vegetables until he has a nice helping of greens and reds. Then all of that goes into the greased pan.]

But I'm assuming the same for you, hm? You're a ... fun master?

[foon? phone? Something.]

[fragileprophet]

[At the mispronunciation, Ion can't help but laugh. Being a Fun Master would be...much better.]

Fon Master, actually. Unique might be a good word for that as well.

[It seems at first he doesn't plan on elaborating as he watches all of the chopped vegetables cooking, but then, after a moment, it comes out quietly, an almost nervous admission:]

Being given that position wasn't my choice.

[concasse]

[Mmm that sure does put an immediate frown on Sanji's face. It sounds like he's gonna have to fight Ion's entire world.]

... You were shoved into it?

[fragileprophet]

[Oh, this is gonna go real well.]

Born into it might be more...

[He frowns, trying to honestly figure out the best way to explain what's true.]

No, I guess that's not really exactly accurate, either. It was written in a prophecy that a boy named Ion would be the Fon Master, and that's what came to pass. Not for me, but for the other Ion that's here with us. I was made after the fact, so it's all I've ever been.

[uno concern]

[concasse]

... You're a clone.

[Just.

Blurting that out.

Sanji




Why did you make such a dead-ringer of an observation?]