006↠ ACTION

[concasse]

[It's sunny. And hot. And perhaps not the best weather to take a nap in while you're unabashedly unconscious.

... Which is too bad, seeing as Sanji's passed out under a tree located at the village's edge - clothes dirty and ruffled, no doubt collecting more dirt as he rolls in his uncomfortable slumber, the crook of his arm covering his eyes.

Go on. Wake him up. Be a good Samaritan.



And hell, even if you don't, Sanji will eventually stumble upon you -- or into you, if that's your thing. Later in the day he'll be all over the village insisting he's fine, no he's not drunk so stop trying to escort him back to bed. B| He can walk it off.]





[ooc: MALLYNAP EFFECT. Touch him and your character will share a memory with Sanji. It can be a memory of his or a memory of your character's; just specify in the subject line what you prefer. |D Any memory is free game, and the scope of it is at our discretion, but keep in mind both characters will view it until the memory ends or they escape the "boundary". (Just imagine the memory as a bubble and if a character walks far enough for whatever reason, they pop it.) Also note they're still in Luceti - no teleporting anywhere. Just assume the characters are mostly slack-jawed and staring at a tree for the duration.

I also endorse all time-breaking. Tis but a flimsy wall in our way.]

Comments

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard glances over, eyes widening for the briefest second before he quickly composes himself and shakes his head. The fact that Sanji can feel out all of these things... it's impressive, and it manages to both be reassuring and make him somewhat nervous all at once.]

No, it's not all his fault. It isn't his fault at all-- he had no more control over being brought back than we did.

[But it still is a source of stress either way, and that fact alone makes him feel bad.]

[Action]

[concasse]

[Oh hell no. Sanji holds up his hands in apology] N-no, I don't think that's necessary! [See? He's gingerly picking his way to his feet, keeping all his movements slow and steady.

... Of course, then he ends up collapsing against a tree, but... Hey, at least he's not on the ground anymore!]

Ugh... damn it...

[action]

[hiken_ace]

[Wow, screw you, man. Stop teasing for once.] I met that girl months after I set sail. I didn't think I would need girl advice.

[Action]

[doubleppk]

[Laughs softly, but cheerfully.]

I take it back~ You still are! [That blush Sanji, oh my.]

[toujoursfluer]

[She looks away and her smile is fainter than before]

I suppose you're right. [Inspiring optimism was harder than it looked] Sorry, ne?

[Action]

[failazure]

Sanji!

[Unnecessary her butt! Noel is quick to move to his side, hands barely inches away from touching him in case he really does lose his footing and fall over. If he was hiding this, who know what else could be wrong!] You are hurt! [...] Why didn't you just say so!?

[Because Noel is clearly a beacon of truth. B|]

[rashness]

Well yeah, I knew you were gone and I was worried, but how am I supposed to know that?!

[GOSH. GOSH.]

action;

[consultsdetective]

Yeah, well, 'scuse me if I leave off my opinion on that. [ Not strictly what he wants to do, being a man of firm opinions, an open mouth, and no apocalypse in the event that he's disagreeing with anyone. But he will.

There'll be a better time than while he's leaning against a wall on the fine line between coherent and disorderly, probably. Individual people are so much easier to work with than press conferences at large, much as he must still consciously remind himself that hey, not a good idea to provide a leaning shoulder at the moment. ] Ought to be getting you home, then. We've got a village full of poor bastards waiting to be bumped into, and I'd rather save 'em the trip.

[ Especially your employees, they've got enough trouble as it is. :I ]

[Action] /o/

[thatsnotcute]

[Perona immediately shuts her eyes and holds her ears, but not quick enough to hear a very young, very high pitched voice squeal with delight. She freezes, then opens her eyes wide with surprise. But, that's...how could it be--

"Bearsy! Bearsy, it's my teddy, Bearsy! He's really real now! Thank you, Hogback-san, thank you! Bearsy, say hi! Say hi! I'm Perona, I'm going to be your master now, so you have to listen and do everything I say!"

The scenery that forms around them is probably one Sanji will remember - the cold, dark, stony halls of Thriller Bark's castle; Hogback's workshop where he creates his zombies. And, accompanying him are Moria himself, lazing in the back with a very bored expression, and a much younger version of Perona. She's bouncing on her heels while holding the big, plush paws of her newly made zombie bear. The older girl, puts her hands to her mouth, stunned by what she's seeing. It's...when she first met him.

"Y-Yes, Perona..."

"Aaah! No, no, no! First, it's Perona-sama now! I'm your master, so you have to treat me really special! And...your voice is ugly! I don't like it! Don't speak with that ugly, uncute voice!"

"All ri--"

"Nooo! Be quiet, be quiet! That yucky, voice! I don't like it, I don't like it! You're not cute when you talk!"]

Buh...B-Bearsy... [Perona splutters, and laughs, her giggles mingling with tiny sobs.] My B-Bearsy! I remember now, that's when I got him! He was so cute...but he spoke so badly! I-I hated it--that terrible voice! H-Horo...horohoro--! He was so plump, and squishy! Just like my teddy!

[What she wouldn't give now, to hear that terrible voice right now.]

[action]

[concasse]

[Daw, c'mon, Ace. Sanji tends to only mercilessly tease his crewmates this way. The chef's just branching out.]

Ha! Everyone needs advice for that first lovely blossom they come across~!

[concasse]

[He blinks at her, momentarily thrown by that reaction -- but then he starts warming up to a slight, fond smile]

You don't need to apologize, Robin-chan! Besides... [Even if it was invasive-] It was nice, getting to share a memory with you.

[Action]

[concasse]

[Sanji is not about to swallow that sad excuse for logic] You and I both know that doesn't make it hurt any less.

[If anything, that might cause the pain to throb more]

[action]

[concasse]

[He casts his gaze out and watches too, noting some of the people who have returned home, hopefully to worlds better than this. It might be why Barnaby suddenly crowds his thoughts - a man he barely knows, and yet the manner of his departure sends a pang through Sanji's chest all the same.]

... Neh. Pao-Lin-chan?

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard inhales, exhaling slowly to steady himself. Sanji's right, of course he's right-- Richard knows that quite well. He's just been trying to deny it to himself, ineffective as that is.]

... it's what I wanted to make myself believe.

[action]

[hiken_ace]

[Fine, but the first chance he gets, he's teasing you tenfold.]

Yeah, I learned that a little late. But I got some... eventually. [From his nakama. Who then proceeded to tease him about it.]

[action]

[concasse]

In that case, share some of that knowledge with Luffy.

I'm still not sure he understands the concept of a "date".

[Action]

[concasse]

[For all the sharpness in Sanji's expression, it scrunches suddenly, as if in pain - that's a sentiment he is... all too familiar with. Meaning he carefully circumvents the unspoken festering wounds in his own heart before he dares speak again]

Heh. [He scrubs his hair, then smooths it back down] Shoving it away just means it gets more reason to bite you in the ass later. [He talks like he knows.]

[concasse]

Because all the other times I touched you, you didn't get a memory!

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

And if you keep shoving it away?

[He's being unusually candid right now and even he isn't sure just why that is. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the other man has already seen one of the worst moments of his life displayed in vivid detail; after that, is there really a point to hiding anything else? Sanji has already made clear just how well he can see through Richard's carefully-constructed masks.]

[Action]

[concasse]

[Ah, Thriller Bark - not a place Sanji misses. Moria in particular he treats to a visible sneer, though he figures his presence is more than welcome after Perona's last memory. There are no scientists to be found, and so he begins to relax a fraction.

A squeak from the younger Perona catches his attention, and when he turns, he is treated to the sight of the girl embracing what has got to be the ugliest bear he's even laid eyes on. A real patch-job, that one, and even Sanji finds himself questioning Perona's sense of taste. Both versions of her look delighted beyond belief.

... But that's not a bad thing, now is it? He slants a discreet look in her direction, smiling faintly. Maybe there is some justice in this hellhole, if she gets to see her pet again.]

You're really fond of him, aren't you?

[Action]

[concasse]

[No answer to that, not with words. He merely glances at Richard, as if to say "You already know the answer to that."]

I'm no shitty therapist, Richard... but it might help if you share some of your burden with someone else.

[action]

[hiken_ace]

[This is news how?] I think there's still a lot of knowledge I have to share with Luffy.

Half of it, I don't think he'll understand. But hell, I can try.

[action]

[concasse]

Good luck! We've got faith in you! [Because Ace can bet his ass most of the crew won't lift a finger to help]

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[He understands that look all too well... yet he shakes his head.]

It isn't a burden that anyone else should have to bear.

[He hasn't even told Isamu the extent of what he's been through in his world for the simple reason that he doesn't want to inflict that on such a dear friend.]

[Action]

[concasse]

No one has to do anything; but that doesn't mean they wouldn't be more than willing to. [And Sanji would cite Isamu as an example if pushed, knowing damn well how close the two of them are]

I'm not saying spill all your shitty secrets. [There are some things you can't share. The chef knows that as well as anyone] Just some things to take an edge off.