[Action -> Written on the 18th]

[flickerflash]

[After a conversation with Buffy, Katie's on the hunt. This week, anywhere between the 14th to the 18th, she's looking for a man with red skin who may or may not be incredibly old (by her own thoughts on the matter) but she's reliably informed he might be able to help her.

That's not gonna work out so well, mind. But such is life. On the 18th, she hunts through town as a kitten, because by this time she's getting too much attention. That, and asking fellow cats for possible directions is less attention-getting when you're a cat yourself. 8|




In the end, though, she has no luck. So loathe as she is to use her journal, she tries asking outright on the journals; written and hopefully as anonymous as possible.]

[Written]

Dear John with the red skin,

Can I have my magic back, please?


[Seems legit.]

Comments

[flickerflash]

No. I have a dog. But there's a cat that likes to think that she has me. Have you seen a black one called Licorice?

[Brook looked after it while Nami was one inch high |D]

[concasse]

[Well in that case...]

So that was your cat. [Fitting, he supposes. Katie seems like a staunch cat-lover for some unfathomable reason.]

You should bring her over some time! I bet Pumpkin-chan would love a playmate. [While he chats, he leads Katie into the kitchen proper, holding open the swinging doors]

[flickerflash]

[Katie hurried her steps to catch up, scooting through the door as if she's afraid he'll change his mind.] I think I shall! Licorice needs more friends, she's very lonely. [...Licorice gets around, actually. But shh. >_>a] And she loves fish, t...

[...and your kitchen smells delicious. Whatever she was going to say next sort of trails off as she kind of leans back and tries to inhale it all in one shot.]

[concasse]

[... Uh oh, did the smell knock her speechless? Sanji bites back a snicker and just watches the expressions play out on her face, scooting closer to the fridge]

Another fish lover? Maybe I should pack some away for Licorice-chan, too.

[flickerflash]

All cats love fish. [Shiiifty eyed gaze.] Would you mind? She eats more than I do.

[concasse]

I think I can handle that. [Opening the fridge now, and... huh]

Sorry Katie-chan, I guess I'm out of finder's fish. All I've got is salmon, tuna, catfish, cod, trout...

[She must be so disappointed.]

[flickerflash]

[Oh so very.]

Cod--!!

I-I mean cod is terrible, but I'm sure if you're out of finder's fish it will have to do. [>_>]

[concasse]

[Oh no, don't let him twist your arm over this, Katie! Even if he's already pulling out said cod and inspecting it for freshness. Yep, this'll do.]

In that case, just give it fifteen minutes and-- oh! [He pauses in the middle of grabbing some foil, looking over his shoulder] What kind of fish would your Licorice-chan like?

[flickerflash]

She'll settle for cod, too. [Clearly they share the same tastes.] I think she's allergic, but that's okay. [And Katie is trying her best not to look hungry.]

[concasse]

[Ha, allergies. Licorice can walk it off. >_>

Sanji is now mindful to put in two pieces of cod, lightly seasoning them on both sides with lemon and pepper before he wraps them in the foil. The oven's already warm enough to stick them in, so all that's left to do is wait. Sorry Katie, Sanji didn't bring his physic-breaking cooking skills with him this time.]

That should do it. [Glancing over his shoulder, hands on his hips] In the meantime, why don't I get you something to drink?

[Well, they are in a restaurant. Might as well treat her like a "paying" customer]

Hi so apparently my brain died

[flickerflash]

Okay! [But distraction by fish out of the way, she's sort of remembering that she meant to speak to him about certain things.]

Um... how have you been?

rofl I HAD WONDERED

[concasse]

[Oh, right. Sanji had nearly forgotten about those "certain things" - or at least that he still needed to discuss them at large. Some of his smile dies, though it's more a show of deep thinking than disapproval. He hums to himself, framing a response while he goes on the hunt for her drink]

I'm fine. [It's a true enough answer, though give it a pause and he continues uncertainly] Can you... still see them?

>_>

[flickerflash]

Not at all. [She wrinkles her nose, then shifts her gaze directly to the space behind one of his ears.] Invisible fish are very tasty.

[concasse]

[He can't help it; one of his hands unconsciously trails up to his ear when Katie sends a glance in its direction, as if to brush something away, but he stops halfway and stares at the hand in faint accusation. It's not like he'd be able to feel or tell, anyway. He's checked a few times already.]

Heh, really? [A faint, amused grin] I'd try and cook one up for you but I don't think I'd be very successful.

... [Really, he's unsure how to go about asking what's really on his mind. The fact probably shows in his gaze shifting to the side, then falling a few degrees] And the others? Are they alright? [Because he might... miss them, sometimes. In that odd, surreal way one misses a half-remembered dream]

[flickerflash]

[Katie's headtilt of confusion and the slight frown will give away her surprise on that one. It isn't healthy to encourage some of those to stick around, Sanji.]

They're fairytales and dreams. You shouldn't give too much power to a dream.

[Even if she's being somewhat hypocritical on that score.]

[concasse]

[He nods like he understands - and he does. Or he thinks he gets what she's saying. Still, he can't help but seem a little sad all the same, standing there while rubbing at his neck.] Yeah, Katie-chan's right. [He made them, right? Made a half-starved version of himself and of Vivi. With them, at least, he should hope they disappear all together]

Will they ever disappear?

[flickerflash]

They're like all problems. Ignore them and they'll go away.

[concasse]

[... So he has to do the opposite, right? Fix them somehow? He's not sure, considering that statement is so normal it catches the chef off-guard. There are moments he's unsure how much is truth and how much is a lie]

I'll... give it a shot. [He offers her a tiny smile] Thanks, Katie-chan.

[flickerflash]

[...

...she hasn't made herself clear, she suspects. Katie struggles for a way to make it clear, and finally shakes her head.]

Do you want me to take them away?

[concasse]

[Uh. Cue Sanji looking startled] You can do that?

[flickerflash]

With a click of my fingers. It's so easy you'd wonder why I never did it before. Hardly as if it takes months of work.

[concasse]

[Oh. Well. He definitely got message loud and clear]

That much effort, huh? [Even still, he seems reluctant. It strikes Sanji as a little selfish to ask Katie that she spend her precious time helping him erase his own problems - not to mention how difficult it is to regard the echoes as anything less than sentient beings with a semblance of free will. So he doesn't answer right away, finally going to get that drink: some sweet, fizzy, lemonade concoction that's popular with most customers.]

Well, between you and me, I can't imagine that shit geezer leaving me without a fight.

[flickerflash]

He's a dad, isn't he? [She grins, quite happy with the implied answer there. It's better that Sanji find a way to deal with his own ghosts. She'll just...intervene if it gets out of hand again.] I bet he won't leave even if you ask him to.

[Zeff, on the other hand, is an ghost that's worth it.]

[concasse]

Heh. [Sanji imagines his Zeff echo smirking proudly at that, and despite himself can't help but smile sheepishly in Katie's direction while he holds out her drink]

Yeah, he's a dad - and one that's never listened to me before. Shithead won't start now. [And that suits him just fine]

[flickerflash]

Thank you. [Yeyyy, drink. 8D She takes a few large swallows.] Dads don't often listen. They think they know best in all the world.