[ sanji & jae-ha, tuesday evening ]

[alttitude]

[ - presumably after Sanji's had some time to sit down to Jae-ha and Gi-Gan. It's toward the evening, when everyone is headed off to sleep, but Jae-ha takes a moment to grab Sanji's attention.]

Sir Chef! Let's have a chat.

[and as if to make his intentions a bit more serious, he adds:]

Pirate to pirate.

Comments

[alttitude]

[At the very least, he doesn't mind.

also i asked my co-mods and they said i'm allowed to have candles so jae-ha will find castles and wander over to briefly use whatever fire sanji's using to cook to light it, and then place it where he's set the table

;) ]

I arrived at her port town at the end of a long journey. I was looking for a place to stay, after escaping a living hell.

[concasse]

[The worst part of all this is Sanji doesn't even notice what candles could signify, he likes candles, go ahead and light them, Jae-Ha, nothing can go wrong here.]

That right?

[Hm. A pause -- it's rather obvious Sanji is deliberating on asking more questions. Eventually he leaves it up to Jae-Ha to be as vague as he prefers]

Were you on the run then?

[alttitude]

[he will, thanks!! he's actually amused that there's no response? wow. he really has to remember to get flowers next time.

but for now he notices the pause and laughs.]

Are you hesitating? You can ask me whatever you want.

[he.... really likes it when people show an interest in him]

On the run... not anymore, not at that point. I ran away from a place, and then I got to explore the world for a little bit because I'd never gotten to see it before. After that is when I went to Awa.

[concasse]

Unlike you, I'm not nosy.

[Or better said, he's careful about being nosy. Sanji ain't looking to unlock anyone's tragic backstory tonight.]

... Good to hear it, though. Everyone should get a chance to break out and experience the world at some point.

[alttitude]

Is it bad to be relentless about what I want? It merely fits my sense of aesthetics.

[ENDLESSLY PURSUING]

But you're not wrong. The world's a large, beautiful place. I've only been able to stay in one country.... but the idea of seeing more outside of it is nice.

[though it might only be an idea]

How far have your travels taken you and your crew?

[concasse]

[Jae-Ha, endlessly thirsty in all things.

Sounds about right.]

Let's see... [he's got the ingredients to a slow simmer at this point, and so can spare a moment to look over his shoulder] We gotten past the Grand Line -- or the first half of it, anyway. Now we're sailing through the New World on our way to find One Piece.

[Rubbing his chin] So we've been sailing for... eh, for about a year and a half.

[alttitude]

[ . . . . . .

grand line

new world

one piece

]

... so you've traveled very far then.

[concasse]

Wouldn't be proper pirates if we hadn't.

[KANYE SHRUG]

But it's been that way for me since I was a kid. Always on the move.

[alttitude]

Did you have a favorite, of all the places that you've been?

[look he's just chatty]

[concasse]

Fishman Island, of course~!

Surrounded by the most beautiful mermaids ever put in the sea~!

[alttitude]

[WHAT]

Mermaids? Really...?!

[concasse]

They were so beautiful!

[JAE-HA GETS IT]

And invited me to swim with them in their sea~!

[alttitude]

Lucky!! I'm so jealous! I'm burning up in rage over something I didn't even know I could do....!

[they both would've fucking drowned]

[concasse]

[Clapping a hand on Jae-Ha's shoulder, voice suddenly serious and sympathetic--]

I understand, I understand! Life's not fair, is it?





Just remember I deserved it more than you.

[alttitude]

But there's still hope isn't there?! If I'm a dragon, then I can definitely meet mermaids one day...! So long as they exist! Right?!

[HE WANTS THIS SO BADLY]

[concasse]

... Oi.

[Drawing his hand back.]

Don't go declaring yourself something that cool.

[BULLSHIT YOU'RE A DRAGON.]

[alttitude]

Hmm? But I am! The Soaring Green Dragon, at your service.

[moron]

[concasse]

What part of you is soaring or a dragon?!

[SANJI IS SO OFFENDED]

[alttitude]

Well it's -

[ . . . . noooooooo]

As unfortunate as it sounds, it's a few of the parts that they took from me.

[so he can't just

demonstrate

rip]

[concasse]

[That... actually prompts a thoughtful look from the chef.]

You too, huh?

[Blowing out a sigh, he relaxes against the counter]

-- Not that I got dragon parts to hide, but I don't really feel at... top form in this castle.

[alttitude]

I called them greedy the first time - to not only bring all these beautiful people here, but to rob them of their individual talents and powers? That's especially difficult.

[he's not happy about it!]

It's not easy to feel as though a part of you has gone missing.

[in his case - multiple parts.]

[concasse]

But it makes sense, doesn't it?

[While Sanji talks, he pulls out a cigarette from his back pocket -- not to smoke, but to roll between his fingertips]

Whatever our hostesses want, it wouldn't last if they had one guy who could lay everyone out with a punch.

[alttitude]

Perhaps... but there wouldn't even particularly be a guarantee of that, would there? If they wanted blood, it would come much faster if there was a power imbalance.

That's how the world tends to work, repugnant as it may be.

[concasse]

Might depend on what they're expecting.

... Did either one of 'em tell you what they were after? All I got was there was a power struggle of some sort, and they needed pawns to play it out.

[alttitude]

No - it's in my sense of aesthetics to always treat women well.

... so even though I would've very much liked to demand answers, it was easier to allow everyone else to do it in my stead.

[stupid moral code]