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

Awesome! /o/

[concasse]

[It will take more than some light shaking to snap this one out of his deep stupor. At the sound of her voice, however, his eyebrows do knit in concentration - like he wouldn't mind waking up if he could. The process is just taking a moment.

Though in the meantime, she'll have plenty to be concerned with. The scenery is changing rapidly into something that's not exactly Luceti]

[action] 8D

[winged_moon]

[It has been known to happen. Rarely. Like on days when Yukito is running late for his shift and isn't above taking advantage of his other self's methods of transportation.]

Perhaps you should—

[...there would probably have been a "sit down" at the end of that, if he'd had the chance to properly finish the statement. However, when Yue automatically shifts closer to catch Sanji before he can fall, his voice cuts off in a hiss as their surroundings abruptly alter. Sunlight vanishes, replaced by a peculiarly too-bright full moon above. And beside them, the looming bulk of the Tokyo Tower, altered by that light to something otherworldly.

He knows this place. This night.

And he doesn't have to turn to see the approaching girl, leaping from skyscraper to skyscraper with the power of the card she'd been forced to use.]

[Action]

[selphie_t]

[The thing is, Selphie feels like Sanji didn't intrude at all. So she changes the subject unless the boss decides to push it. She smiles.]

Welcome back.

[concasse]

[As if Zoro's voice wouldn't find some way to slice through the heavy curtains of Sanji's subconscious. The man's approach probably earned a reflexive twitch, and he only just finishes speaking before Sanji opens an eye and treats the swordsman with a standard "Hello to you too, Shithead." glare. Stop touching him, he can get up by himself--

Or he would, until the chef feels it too - reality sliding backwards to places it shouldn't. He doesn't immediately place the scene - shit, he just woke up and Sanji isn't sure what's happening - but then he sees himself crumple to the ground, and Zoro stand to face Kuma alone.

The scenes playing out in front of them are not ones found in his own memory, but Sanji vividly remembers finding the aftermath; apprehensive knots in his stomach begin to twist and turn into themselves the longer he watches. Droplets of sweat dot his forehead. He doesn't want to look -- but can't look away.

Just... let me decide the location.

Sanji isn't prepared. There is nothing familiar about the pain punching the breath out of his lungs so he can't even scream. It wasn't his to experience. Zoro took that burden on himself. This is his pain. And distantly, Sanji's aware of himself writhing on the ground like there's hot, shattered glass wedged under every part of his skin; the agony stretches on for an eternity.]

bwuahaha |D

[concasse]

[First Robin, now Nami? He might not know it yet, still encased in slumber, but the Luceti Gods have been benevolent lately. All he needs is Vivi to drop in and the circle will be complete.

Until then, he'll busily breathe in Nami's delightful orange hair and nearly choke on it. \8D/




... Oh wait. Choke cough wheeze.]

OI, WHAT THE-- [He stops yelling abruptly, because he's aware of a weight on his torso and it's fairly Nami-shaped.] Nami-san?!

action; WE ARE ITS MASTERS. /whips it into shape

[concasse]

Tch. [And here we have another brilliant answer from everyone's favorite restaurant owner. Though rather than start any funny business with the local law enforcement, Sanji stumbles his way into a wall -- literally.

Plan A had been to steady himself against it and then treat Lestrade to a proper answer, but. Well. Plans change. Rather abruptly in this case]

Hn, shitty wall in my way...

[action]

[concasse]

Tch. Crawl there if I gotta.









[Y E P]

[action]

[hiken_ace]

[...] Do you at least want me to go get a wheelchair or something? I can push you home, at least. But I'm not giving you a piggyback ride unless you really do crawl.

[Action] If so...one of Sanji's this time? 8|a

[tanukipwnt]

[...his ears droop and he sighs quietly, but it doesn't really matter in the end.]

I can't let that stop me. [He motions towards the nearby couch] If anything happens...we'll just have to try and ignore it.

[concasse]

[Alright then. Sanji knows better than to pry into a lady's thoughts. Besides, it's far more natural to fall into the usual rhythm of conversation]

Awaaah, does this mean you missed meeeee~??

[Action]

[concasse]

Thank you~! [If nothing else, falling back into natural conversation isn't too difficult... even if the forest is still weaving in front of his eyes. Sanji supposes now would be a good time to try getting on his feet.

"Try" is the keyword, here.]

Didn't miss anything, did I?

[concasse]

... [Oh.

Ewwww. Sanji recoils from the scene like it might bite him.]

You're a-- was there some shit experiment going on?

[mikangirl]

[Nami doesn't miss a beat and instead reaches up with a hand-- and thumps it into the pillow beside his face. 8| Poor coordination at 5am.]

Shddup Snnji-kun. 'm trynna sleep.

[...actually it's possible she never woke up. Give her a minute. >_>]

[Action]

[concasse]

[... His captain is being adorable. While a girl. Sanji isn't equipped to handle this.

He takes a deep, deeep breath, slowly eases it out of his mouth, and then nods] Not a word.

[concasse]

[The trial parts can wait, as can Rin's surprise. Sanji is a little preoccupied with the fucking leg stabbing and once the shock bleeds out of his expression, the blond looks angry enough to tear that Authur guy to shreds]

The hell is he doing?! [His interjection does not a thing to halt the scene in front of them. Mephisto takes every criticism and accusation with the same dark smile, as though he's watching a particularly dumb flock of sheep bleat at him.]

[Action]

[thatsnotcute]

[Perona's first response is to get away, to lash out in a panic and fight for her life. She's scared, she's terrified, and there's water around them...everywhere. She can remember everything that happened, everything. She doesn't need to see her other self scraping fruitlessly at the glass, craning her head as far as it can go as the water comes to her chin, her mouth, nose... She doesn't have to look to see the bubbles emerging from her mouth after only a few seconds, half a minute tops.

Perona knows.

She can feel the burning in her lungs. She can feel heart thundering in her chest and ears. She can feel herself slowly losing consciousness. She can feel herself losing to the cold, choking blackness.

She grits her teeth together and sobs hard, her shoulders shaking under Sanji's hands. She can barely breathe or speak through her gasps and sobs, but even then she manages to still cry out. It's all she can do.]

Make it stop! Please, make it stop! I don't want it to happen again! I don't want it to happen again...! ...I-I'm scared...I'm scared.

[Action]

[concasse]

[What Sanji feels can't be described easily - for Richard to truly understand the torment that comes from watching a helpless boy knocking on death's door, Sanji would have to exchange one of his darkest memories in return.

That's not an option right now, though. They're preoccupied with the current memory and won't be escaping until it ends. At least the heat simmers down after the initial explosion. He's still angry, but in control now. Unfortunately that doesn't make watching any easier. His arm and fingers twitch, held tight against his side so he won't make any unnecessary motions - like reach out for a child who can't see him anyway - and eventually, Sanji shoves both hands into his pockets and stares mercilessly at the floor]

[action]

[concasse]

[The idea of a wheelchair in particular sets a scowl on his mouth. The chef shuts his eyes and angles his head down in disdain]

Oi, I can handle it, Ace. I'm not actually gonna crawl. [Not unless it's required. And look, to prove his point, the chef starts pushing himself off the tree, relying on his own balance and strength to keep him upright. So far so good!]

[Action] Can do 8Db

[concasse]

Oi oi, I'm doing okay! Just a little dizzy, is all. [It's not that he means to be difficult; Sanji is just taking his new-found freedom to heart, and the idea of spending the start of it stationed on a couch is less than appealing after weeks in a prison.

... Hnnn, he's gonna get bossed around anyway, isn't he?]

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[It's almost strange how foreign, how completely detached Richard feels from this scene right now. Seeing one of the most awful moments of his life played in front of his eyes should affect him more... shouldn't it? But somehow all he can muster is a sort of numb discomfort in the pit of his stomach, enough to make him want to avert his eyes, though a larger reason is because he doesn't want to look at Sanji's face.

Richard's younger self continues to struggle onward, through the castle halls and down into the catacombs; he makes it as far as a large cavern before he collapses and the memory fades out for a moment. When it blurs back into focus, it's clear that Richard doesn't have much time left.

"Looks like... my time's up..."

His coughing is growing worse, his breathing more labored.

"I don't... I don't want to die..."

But in that dark, lonely cavern, that looks like an inevitability... until a strange, swirling black mass rises before him, the words "Live on!" echoing from its shapeless form. It draws closer and closer to the young boy's frightened body...

... and then the memory cuts off.]

/had to rewatch the scene like 3 times to get all this SOB

[distressedude]

["Ion..."

Standing a little ways away is a girl with her hair up in pigtails. Sanji has probably seen Ion with her around Seventh Heaven on multiple occassions... though in this particular instance, her arms are shaking and she seems fit to burst into tears. Ion looks over at her.

"You don't have to... watch over me... anymore... Anise..."

"I'm so sorry Ion! I... I...!"

But Ion only smiles -- smiles -- and reaches out towards her, as if trying to call her over. But she doesn't move.

"Thank you... for everything... my most... cherished..."

His hands falls to the ground.

And the scene begins to fade to black.

"...Ion!!"

And just like that, it was over, and they were once more standing there in the village. But even though it's gone, Ion is still staring in the spot where Anise had stood, calling out his name even knowing he couldn't hear her. At that time, his own mind had felt so heavy, and he knew his final moment had been drawing closer and closer to an end. Anise's voice in that instant... he'd very nearly forgotten it, but he had heard it.

And now, he wishes he hadn't.]

[Action]

[tanukipwnt]

[y u p]

Do you need help getting to the couch? [He won't touch you until you're ready for it, but he ain't gonna let you crawl there or something. B|]

[rashness]

He's being a prick. [There's a few other choice words he could say fr a tool like Arthur, but he spits that one out automatically in spite of himself. But then while Sanji is going that he's still trying to support Sanji, not really... getting there they are. It hits him after the initial clarification of Arthur being a jerk]

[Action]

[concasse]

[He doesn't know how to make it stop. If it were possible he'd end it by murdering all the bastards on the other side of the glass. But that isn't possible, so stop thinking about it. Sanji grits his teeth instead, so sharply that he cuts the inside of his cheek and draws in the metallic flavor on his tongue, and in one swift motion has Perona off the floor and curled in his arms.

With no guarantee this will work and only the driving desire to get her out as quickly as possible, Sanji jumps. In his current state and with the dark memory covering their surroundings, the chances of him careening into a building are high -- but statistics don't matter because Perona's terrified, and that's the only thing he cares about.

Braced for impact, he shoots through the roof - a phantom roof, he discovers with a breath of thanks, as they both slide through what should be reinforced concrete like ghosts. Sunlight pours forth seemingly from nowhere, and with its appearance, the memory melts and disappears.]

[Action]

[concasse]

[No one understands a grown man's need to crawl on all fours like an infant, man. B| Sanji waves off Chopper's offer] No, I'll get there myself.

[First step: climb to his feet.

Second step: send nerves signals from the brain to his legs, indicating the desire to contract the muscles in order to move forward.

Third step: nerve signals take a detour somewhere, get lost, and decide to order out for pizza.

Fourth step: face plant. Again.]