Of Cats and Mermen (Kano/Jasper)

[Flame]

The crack of light upturned illuminating the underbelly of the basket as fingers lifted up one of its overturned edges making space between in and the floor. A glowing red eye shoved itself against the floor beside it and stared into its shaded and empty contents. "Oliver?" a curious voice echoed from the eye's owner's mouth. Scanning beneath it for a moment the eye blinked and then its owner letting out a sigh let go of the basket letting it fall back down sinking its hold into darkness. The young man who had been doing that momentary seconds ago stood up scratching his head as he scanned about the room. A small bed, a table and chair made up the room's furniture, atop this was the strewn out mess of what looked to be one searching for something.

"Oliver?" his voice echoed about the small room before straying to a cracked window on the far end of it. Stepping over towards it he placed a single hand on it cracking it open further before randomly sticking his head out. Below him a long street, a main thoroughfare of the town extended already here in the morning of the day the town busied itself with the sounds of errands by daybreak. The young man's yellow-ish blonde hair swung about as he scanned the land below him. Noticing a little child staring up at him his miniature finger pointing at Kano and his hand tugging at his mother's Kano smiled and waved back momentarily forgetting the task before him. As the child's mother turned him away Kano reminding himself of what he had to do finally noticed what looked to be a tuft of black hair, it was stuck to an outhanging wooden bar which likely was used for stands outside to get some cover from the sun or rain.

His eyes widened and with only a momentarily glance at the room he lifted open to the fullest extent his window and went head first through the window. Strong fingers gripped the sides of it to leverage him a little but with his forward momentum and gravity now willing him on. The 'boy genius' came tumbling down from his room crashing into the wooden bar cracking it fully under his weight and some of its age and the pair of them slammed into the ground. Soreness stretched across his back as he groaned a little. About him circled a gaggle of interested and perhaps slightly amused civilians.

~Ring Ring~ a door not far from where Kano currently lay was shoved open and muffled steps opened a pathway for the innkeeper to come forth his head all afluster. "What the he-" The plump man began before stopping for a moment to take in what had gone on. "Oh god are you ok-" his voice stopped all of a sudden. Kano dusting off his back sat up slightly still a little dazed from what had happened. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY-" His voice was silenced as he noted that Kano was paying absolutely no attention to him. The young man was instead pulling out the black hairs caught on it putting them to his nose for a smell.

Behind him the innkeeper advanced, grasping Kano by the back of the collar he lifted him to his feet. "Boy, you're gonna pay for that." Kano happy to smell that the hair likely did belong to his companion. Turned his head about planting his feet firmly upon the ground before tilting it slightly. "Pay for what? Besides I need to go find my friend Oliver! He's missing!" He said in response with a quick flick of his arm knocking the innkeeper's hand from his collar. "The destruction you've done to my property of course." The innkeeper said one hand's fingers drumming impatiently upon his body. "Besides you came in with no friend that I saw, who the hell are you talking about anyways." Kano blinked twice "The cat of course, my friend Oliver, he's missing! I gotta find him." At that moment Kano began to step away. The plump man before him was flabbergasted, what was so important about that cat.

[The Prettiest Squish]

"Sit still, James. " He scraped the charcoal flat atop the paper in a single drawn line, the contours of a shape slowly beginning to come to view. A twist of his wrist broadened the mark from a pencil thin line to a painterly brushstroke and the hand paused at the edge awaiting further input. "You're turning away from me again, James. The light source is over there." Two coal smudged fingers pointed to the east of them where a brilliant ball of fire floated in the high blues. It was quite sunny today and good bright weather was a great source of natural light and did wonders for drawing outdoors. Without even waiting for a response though, the little artist returned to work by finalizing the draft.

An arduous symphony of scribbling and sketching came from behind the paperboard. The boy thought It would be wise not to disturb him after all the trouble they went through to secure this spot. An early morning stroll through the town garnered them no valuable stocks so that had already put him in a bad mood. Sweeping the area for passerby was also no small gesture given the stubborn nature of these inhabitants yet somehow they managed to do just that. Or so they believed. The boy turned his head off to the side once more until he was met with vicious snapping behind the paper board. A pair of glowing magenta eyes peeped out from underneath it and stared coldly at him. "S-Sorey, Jazz! It's just that..."

"May I remind you of the time we've lost from scouring this blasted place? Or is your inattentiveness a dull joke for provoking my impatience?" All he saw was a raised eyebrow and a gaping jaw. A sigh of exasperation left his lips and he repeated his intent once more in clearer terms, "Are we here to waste time, James? Or are you having a laugh? Come on then. Are you having a laugh?" Though there was no laughing from James' direction, the man called 'Jazz' overheard the snickering and giggling of unwanted company behind him. He turned himself back expecting to find a stray or two encroaching upon his session only to be met by the boisterous presence of a crowd laughing away at his expense. "It's just that...we're not alone."

Chuckles. Snorts. Guffaws. And howls. 'Jazz' watched them all laugh at something he did not understand to be funny. Just what were they laughing at in the first place? It was strange, he thought to himself. Quite strange indeed. "When I asked if you're having a laugh, it wasn't meant for the lot of you..."

SPOILER: Click to show

Short post, just wanted to get something out.
Jasper: Darkmagenta
James: Goldenrod

[Flame]

"Oi! Where are you going?" The innkeeper reached forward to grasp Kano's collar once more. Deftly and showing little of the soreness from the fall he had taken only moments ago Kano ducked beneath the outstretched hand twisting on his foot and reaching up catching the man's outstretched wrist. "You wanna dance?" He said with a cheeky grin as he eyed the innkeeper tightening his grip on the man's wrist. The man's face cringed as it looked down Kano's happy guise. His head shook back and forth apparently he didn't. Kano's face fell in mock despair at the denial of his option. "Well then ..." he converted the gripped wrist into a loosely held handshake throwing it up and down quickly.

Kano regained his cheeky smile the rapid shaking continuing. But his patience was limited, especially with no knowledge of what had happened to his feline companion. "All's well right." He slipped the words quickly before turning about again and stepping away. "Stop! My storefro-" The innkeeper's voice stopped mid-word as Kano's arm raised and a large metal cap was produced from the place where Kano's hand had once been. Kano turned his head back and smiled again, a wide grin, full of amused glee. About him the civilians who had been watching closely were now fleeing a ruckus. The strange actions of Kano once interesting were now presumed dangerous. As were all devil fruit users considered, the spawn of evil or the like. Especially from one who obviously was no marine. The innkeeper's hand's were up his lips sealed as he eyed the firework protruding from the young man's arm.

"Not to worry this is a dud." Kano shrugged carelessly as the cap fell to the ground. A pair of seconds passed and then the cap began to fizzle the sound of sparklers inside of it cracklings on. He grinned foolishly before sprinting off while staring at the tufts of black fur in hand. Where could he be ... To find him Kano would have to think like Oliver. Of this he was certain, the only issue was Oliver's mind was often a question for Kano. After running for a bit he stopped looking about the civilians going about their business. Bringing a hand to his chin he rubbed it. Deep in thought he wondered, what would Oliver do. Well, Oliver is a cat. Maybe he's just ... what do cats do?

He paused his nose sniffing the air in the meantime. A strong scent wafted by producing a gurgle from his stomach. Maybe he's hungry, looking for a fish market or a restaurant or something ... Kano's mind strayed at the thought of food. Yes this seemed a worthy lead, now he needed a restaurant. The pair had been at this town for a few days now ever since in the incident with 'his crew'. Was there a seafood restaurant about? Maybe a fish market? He wracked his brain looking for answers. Two fingers on either said barreled into his temples as Kano thought back expending mind power by the minute.

After a few moments his eyes lit up, memory deep in his head reminded him of such a restaurant. It took only seconds and he was off again putting foot to floor moving in hurried strides towards where he remembered it to be.

---

Not too far away, the black cat in question patiently prowled through a dark alley. A small bump rose over his head a wound he knew from a fall he had taken not too long ago. Two golden eyes fell upon the mouse that he stalked. It was carefully nibbling on a stray piece of bread fallen from the trash of a nearby shop. It's body was tense and ever watchful.

Oliver's whiskers twitched with a hunter's intent. Crouched low to the ground he carefully shuffled a foot forward trying his best not to make a sound. One paw then the other stepped forward. And again, and again, he inched closer with every step. Til he was in place, haunches hunched up he sprang with his legs immediately. Snarling Oliver's body flew forward, jumping through the air he sailed straight over the suddenly scrambling rodent. His claws barely skimming the mouse's back the black cat instead crashed directly into a large wooden crate his nose bruising on impact as he fell to the ground. With a paw quickly swiping his face to clear some dirt he whirled around to find his prey disappeared.

"SH*T" The cat spoke voicing obvious displeasure. "Since when could I jump so far ..." His voice echoed through the thin alley again as he talked to himself. He paced about in the alley for a few moments until hunger urged him on. Foot pads continuing he headed out one side of the alley onto his next hunt.

[The Prettiest Squish]

They were still going about it.

"Hmmm...you're all quite a rambunctious bunch aren't you?" said Jasper. He eyed them all with a laziness that one would have when blanking out in the midst of a morning fantasy. Even with the eastern sun shining down upon his pearly white complexion, his eyes remained cold and unyielding; the focus of a predator ready for the kill consumed his vision and soon enough the laughing died to a light simmer. A nervous chuckle to the left overtook his attention and his eyes followed suit to trail the lateral racket. 

It was a boy, no older than ten, who seized the man in the platinum locks into a deadlock between them. He was short, as expected of a child his age, but plump around the waist to the point the chestplate he bore was clearly augmented to account for additional weight. The people of Battalia certainly were well fed, the man observed. Upon further scrutiny, the boy appeared to be shaking in his boots for someone chuckling so carelessly. Jasper stayed stone cold however, budging not a muscle and sharpening the intent of his stare with each passing second. "You are all aware...that laughing is not even illegal, correct?" As quickly the crowd's prior laughter subsided, the tension vanished altogether. 

"Now if you all don't mind, allow me to reattend my studies. This is not a comedy class, in case it wasn't obvious." And without another word, Jasper snapped his head back to the paper board and clapped thrice at the model before him. He looked onward without paying any further attention to the sound of fleeting footsteps behind him. All that truly drew him in was the act of drawing itself. "Boy, that wasn't very nice, don't ya think? Dey' just thought you were bein' funny-" Another wave of claps interrupted whatever comment the big oaf was about to say. And just as before, Jasper continued to draw in the peaceful solitude he loved to be in.

It was nice to be quiet, he thought. No rude clients to ogle over every artistic decision he made when fabricating their lavish, gaudy dresses and suits. No rude customers to bark out complaints how 'the soup was too cold' or that 'there was a hair in my pasta' while he worked rush hours every day slaving over a hot stove. Just nothing but the peace and quiet of him, his paper, his coal, and...his infernal little brother who just can't stay still! Enraged, he flung himself off the paper to scold this buffoon for the thousandth time, "James!! You're beginning to irritate me worse than that horrid Maurice fellow and his spoilt daughter! Be still, you bloody monkey!" Just then, Jasper heard a most dreadful sound as he thrust himself off the drawing board: the sound of tearing. The silent sketch artist grew ever more silent as he looked downwards and saw a jagged fissure cutting through his coal covered parchment.

"B-b-but Jasper...look." The simpleminded git pointed behind him but after what just happened there was no way that he'd look back now. Far too many things on this island had derailed his intentions and even in his moment of tranquility Jasper could not win. The world had gone mad apparently. People laughed and cacklled topsy turvy like maniacs devoid of reason. James would know full well how to play the part, he was a fool! A fool that couldn't keep his head planted to a single pose for more than two minutes at a time. They could have very well sailed to the next island by now if Jasper never bothered with the drawing session in the first place.

"J-Jazz...loooook! Ohmygosh. What is it?" What was this boy on about? What could possibly be so enticing to the imagination of this dumb, but lovable oaf that would drive him to ignore yet another request to stop moving? He had to see for himself, otherwise the damn prick would never stop. Jasper turned, yet again, expecting to find another crowd of people or some foreign delicacy they'd never seen. Instead what he saw instead was underwhelming to say the least.

"A cat...You interrupted me and damaged my work. For a cat." He loved his little brother but it was moments like these that made him glad the idiocy was not genetic.

SPOILER: Click to show

The cat isn't Oliver, just another stray around.

[Flame]

It was after a few moments that a soft rumble awoke from behind him. The crackling explosion signaled what was likely the ignition of that 'dud' he had dropped not too long ago. Kano paused glancing back a bemused look on his face. I thought I made that one a dud ... he puzzled with himself for a moment. Screams and the like were beginning to erupt from that area. Their low din was muffled more by distance than anything else. With his usual indifference Kano rubbed a finger behind his ear curiously watching for rising smoke or the like coming from that inn. There was none, or at least none that he could see from his vantage point.

Reminding himself quickly of his current task Kano turned away. Right then, the restaurant! He thought to himself hurrying off through dusty streets. As folk spewed away from or perhaps towards the center of the rumbling Kano headed in a singular direction more perpendicular to their center of movement than anything else. Only a vague memory of the layout of the town served to guide him. His eyes scanned the buildings, stalls, and storefronts as he passed them by. The name of the restaurant had been Gucchi's ... or perhaps it was Guardo's or ... to be frank Kano wasn't completely certain it did start with a G though ... or maybe a J. In any case he was fairly certain that he'd know it when he saw it. Or smelled it, whichever came first, he had the distinct feeling that there was a recognizable smell he'd remember.

Taking a few more steps down the main thoroughfare he paused at the crossing. He blinked once as he turned his head left then right before looking forward. The pause was momentary as he weighed his options. Taking his tongue to his finger he licked it and raised it above his head. But there was no wind, all he had done was made his pointer finger slightly wet. Laughing at himself Kano slid his finger across his shirt wiping away the small stain. Once more he glanced in each of the directions save for behind him. Then frowning for a second he turned on his left foot and began to head right. It was a spur of the moment decision there were so many choices and he needed to just make one. Futility abounded his walk forward as he could find little that gave him pause enough to feel familiar.

In the run down town all the buildings looked the same, the streets were the same dusty things. The only thing that changed were the names and the people, and none of them correlated anyways. Kano paused again glancing about him. Where was it where was it where was it ... His hands came up gripping his head scratching it with the nails boring into his scalp slightly to sting but not cause any permanent damage. Frustration was not an emotion that Kano dealt particularly well with. Hurried almost frantic thoughts buried his mind, faulty memory and uninspired thinking made it hard to find anything.

A soft feeling flickered once then twice on his shoulder and he stopped and paused. "Hey there, are you okay?" He turned about to see a girl slightly shorter than himself hefting a large hammer of what seemed to be glass upon her shoulder. She had a happy smile upon her face and bright eyes. Kano could not but smile back at her as he looked for words. "I'm lookin for someone. But for now something." He responded.

---

The crackling explosion startled Oliver as he padded his way between the feet of walking and soon running civilians. His black fur rose in an instant and his hackles raised. For what were normally slightly drooping eyes they were now wide awake, ears perked, and everything.

Foot falls all about him worried him greatly. With speed he danced through the cacophony of feet about him as they landed in a growing mess. Four legs flexed and bent, his lithe body worming its way between legs deftly dodging those who might step on him. His move was quick as he found his way to the edge of the large dusty road. "Road? ...." he murmured to himself. "What the hell was that anyways ... better take a look." His voice stayed low. Lowering himself onto his back legs he sprang up a nearby crate than the next and the next as he climbed upwards. A pair more later he stood five crates high nearly so far up that he could see over most heads in the crowd. Golden eyes looked analytically at what seemed to be a small rising smoke.

He peered about other places as well, they were all a mess some her running and screaming others putting on a brave face and heading towards. "Best make use of this. Got to make use of a good opportunity, they don't come around very often." He said to himself the murmur abandoned. His eyes turned about and he gave his nose a great sniff. There was definitely some food around, hopefully that he could rustle up without trouble. Oliver smiled his feline ferocity as his retractable claws flickered in and out of his paw.

[The Prettiest Squish]

"Pack up James, I can't stomach drawing another line with your behavior. And the blasted sun's gone down, the light's been compromised." Jasper grumbled to himself as he crumpled the paper he'd been working on for the past hour and tossed it into a nearby bin. It wasn't even the drawing that infuriated him anymore, that paper cost him a pretty penny and just a sheet of it would be enough beri for a good week's worth at an inn. A damn shame he had to waste it but Jasper didn't work with scraps. He was far too professional for it.

The last pencil was fit snugly into its proper pocket and Jasper zipped up the case when he looked up to find half of the labor had been left unattended. He sighed yet again, muttering his brother's name for what seemed like the tenth time in a matter of half a minute, and searched around to look for the bloke. It did not take long to seek when the sound of a cat's panicked screech caught his attention and Jasper made way to an alley to the side of him. "James? James?" He called out in the musty darkness but was met without answer. A tinge of concern crept into his mind for this was not the first time an episode of these circumstances occurred.

James was only twelve when it first happened. Back in those days they were cramped in a tenement with their parents and sisters with hardly much to eat. No thanks to Jasper given how he bankrupt them by giving up on the family business, for a temporary period at least. But in the short time they spent in turmoil, it was hard to contain James in the house when he grew to inhuman proportions. He was heads taller than the next tallest man the town had ever seen and was still growing by the day. The oaf needed to be kept outdoors most of the day and was prone to wandering the streets where he encountered stray dogs almost on a daily basis. It seemed like they could smell his innocence and knew he could never hurt them; those poor mutts had no idea what they were doing. By the time Jasper got the business up and rolling again, his little brother had probably 'hugged' almost half a hundred strays and would've continued if it hadn't been for Jazz. That's why he knew. Dogs or cats it didn't really matter which. If James thought it was cute and fluffy, it wouldn't last long. "Ja-aaa-mes!?" The alley echoed back the call and a bead of sweat formed on Jasper's forehead. A silhouette lazily approached him, its feet dragged across the floor and its chest swayed back and forth like a grand old pendulum.

"...J-Jas...J-Jasperrr." It called out to him, or was it weeping? The light revealed its form and out from the shadows walked James with a stiff black mound in his arms. He sniffled to himself, snot dripping down his nose like rainwater from a leaky roof. Jasper was actually not even tall enough to see what was in his little brother's arms but given the situation it was obvious enough to infer. "Shhh shhh. It's alright, big guy. Just hand him to me now, come on." Jasper said it all with such silence in his voice that it came across almost like a whisper with so much caution in his tone. It was quite the stark contrast from his earlier outburst but it was because it had to be. He'd dealt with this before too many times to count and learned the hard way not to agitate the behemoth when he was so sensitive.

James gently dropped the kitten into his lap and after freeing his hands covered his face to bawl his eyes out. It wasn't exactly desirable to have a feline carcass on his high end tailored suit but the big brother had duties to attend to. He left the doofus by himself for a few moments walking back to the trash bin where his crumpled paper awaited him. I assume we can add further evidence of your mishaps to the collection. he thought to himself before disposing of the body. When he returned, James was still sobbing about like a petulant monkey. It was going to be one of those days, he groaned.

Jasper's hands rose above his shoulders with precision, they were practiced movements performed a thousand times and another thousand after. Even behind all the salty droplets, the blubbering simpleton knew exactly what to expect. He'd been working with the diva for years, of course he'd know what to expect of him now. Jasper clapped thrice, and the waterworks ceased completely with the exception of a stifled sniffle here and there. "Ahem..James. Let's go get some lunch, shall we?" The boy nodded.

And just like that he moved along, being sure to pick up the rest of their supplies that were left behind. It had only been a few seconds but he already forgot about it now. Time just passed so freely for him it was a wonder he remembered who this short little man giving orders to him was. As he carried the bags and cases, the town moved faster by the paces. And Jasper led the front of them, thinking and thinking where to move next. "Ahhh. Jasper. Where are we going? I'm hungry!"

"I won't work for for a medioce establishment, James. As if I intend on paying for the damn meal, hah."

[Flame]

Hefting the hammer off of her shoulder she swung it down letting it rest below her as a cane. "Well then where are you heading kid?" Kano laughed, looking at her with amused eyes. "Kid? You gotta be my age!" He said with incredulity stepping up awfully close to her face to get a closer look. Frowning he scanned her face until his fiery red eyes met her dull brown ones.

"What exactly are you doing ..." Her calm voice streamed from her mouth as she watched him carefully. Shoulders shrugged for a moment "Just looking ... You're definitely about my age, I'm nineteen last checked." He said his voice drowning off. Her eyes rolled and vaguely he heard the sound of dust pebbles dropping to the ground. "Well that still makes you younger than me. And also ..." she paused her voice getting terse. "Take a step back." She said fiercely as suddenly Kano felt the impact of something slamming into his side. Kano sprawled out sideways upon the ground. "Now that I think about it, you look awfully familiar. You haven't been to the Pirate's Market before have you?" She asked tapping a finger against her chin. There was a smile spreading across her face.

Kano groaned slightly feeling the mounting pain of consecutive impacts on his body. Sitting back up he looked at her again with a newly inquisitive eye. "Yeah I was there a while ago. Was a fun time!" He said smiling tilting his head slightly he frowned slightly. There was a familiar look to her definitely, but he shrugged his shoulder. "You definitely look familiar but ... I can't place you at all." Standing back up he dusted off his clothes brushing it off into a small cloud settling at his feet. "But anyways I'm looking for my friend Oliver. I think he may be at this seafood restaurant but I can't remember where it is." He said pulling himself back on track. She had offered her aid so perhaps he could gain it.

She paused scratching her head slightly her eyes were looking analytically at him. Pulling her long brown hair to the side she gave a soft smile. "Seafood restaurant huh? Maybe it's Quido's. Here I'll lead you, you don't seem the type to be good with directions." She said with blunt honestly before laughing a little to herself. Kano if annoyed by the statement showed nothing and nodded to her gesturing for her to lead the way. "Thanks, any help you can give would be great. We should hurry he's been gone for a while already. Oh by the way, I'm Kano, Kano Toro." He said extending a hand to her.

"Kano huh?, I'm Mitsui, Mitsui Moto."

"Hey our names rhyme!"

Kano exclaimed clearly excited by the coincidental similar measure of the two names. Mitsui looked back at him a bemused look on her face before she began to walk off with Kano trailing behind her stepping quickly to come to pace with his new adventuring partner as he had dubbed her.

---

From the top of the stack of crates Oliver sniffed the air. The smell of food if it did exist was being drowned out by the general lack of cleanliness being sported by the majority of civilians. Wrinkling his nose and curling his tail behind him Oliver scowled. Padding his way over to the edge of the crates he looked over the sea of heads bobbing up and down the street.

Smart golden eyes surveyed the 'land' noting anything of particular interest. Oliver making his decision moved quickly dropping from the crates and onto the ground back into the crowds. "Damn humans should learn a thing or two about grooming themselves." He said to himself as he began walking down the street. A few heads turned at the comment but none of them looked down enough to see the black cat darting through the street. He had the vague memory of a nice fish stall being somewhere not too far away. It was a little fuzzy but he was pretty sure he'd be able to find it. He just needed to follow this fishy-smell it would definitely lead him somewhere correct.

[The Prettiest Squish]

One step through the door and Jasper was met with a waft of hearty aromas and scents. It was slight but he couldn't help grinning to himself at the delight of finding a gem in this dump of an island. The sign above the entrance read "Dorgan Marmsey's" which provided little to no information about the dining culture at this restaurant but given the environment and what he just smelled, Japser could only guess it belonged in the class of fine dining. My specialty. It appears I won't be educating any commis today. He thought to himself quietly and alone as James stayed outside considering his enormous size. It didn't quite matter though as once all the work was finished and he received his pay Jasper could fix up a quick bite for the goofball of a Titan. After all the last thing this place needed was a 6 meter tall hole in the wall. 

A waitress gliding from table to table passed him by whereupon being ignored, the octopus merman interjected in her path, "Pardon me ma'am. If it's not too much trouble, may I see the manager of this establishment?" She froze standing still and raised her gaze to his. The woman wasn't quite sure what she was looking at to be honest, and whether to be frightened or hospitable she too did not have the slightest clue. But business was business and delaying the delivery of her orders wouldn't sit right with the boss. Speaking of whom, "Uh-Uhm. Sure? Follow me, sir." Jasper smiled at her assistance and walked between the aisles of tables not noticing his 'legs' were causing a disturbance amongst the diners. The sounds of forks and knives clanging to the ground rang sharp in the otherwise placid setting. And the bottoms of chair legs screeched up something fierce every time that black suited man crossed the tables. "H-here you are. He'll be in the office to your right, knock twice before entering please. Oh, pardon me! I have customers waiting!" The waitress sprinted off to the far side of the restaurant without any hesitation. 

"What a lovely girl. Anywho." Jasper slithered his way into a spacious hallway where the path forked in opposite directions. Just as instructed he moved to the right and found a modest mahogany door where he tapped upon the wood once then twice. A shuffling grew closer to the entryway and the gate swung open revealing a particularly tiny man.

He was short and stout, but less like a teapot and more like a cow. His legs and arms were thin and tiny yet his chest occupied more than half of his body, the buttons of his white jacket barely holding together this immensely compact form. The man had beady black eyes that appeared to just stare at nothing but it was clear how intense he was looking at the titanic stranger. His head was messy with dirty blonde hair, greasy and sticking up in bunches with two groups of strands forming into horns while the rest looked like a mustard inferno set ablaze atop his scalp.

He too stared upwards like his hired hand but did not refrain from expressing himself, "What the hell do you want, donkey!?" Jasper was taken aback. But he had worked with plenty of belligerent people before and knew this manager would be a breeze. He greeted him as properly as he could manage whilst bowing down to short man's eye level.

"Good afternoon sir, have you any openings for the kitchen I may fulfill? I don't mean to boast but my career spans enough experience to work in conditions like these-" The door slammed shut. An inch of it crashed into the front of Jasper's forehead and after he removed himself from the door, a large red circle occupied the top of his once pale face. This was to be expected, he guessed. Short men with short tempers did not take kindly to words demeaning the integrity of their establishments. Admittedly, Jasper wasn't sure why he continued to use that introduction as a job offer when he understood one had to be more professional and acceptable rather than arrogantly brute force his way into a position. He knocked twice on the door again, but no shuffling could be heard. Instead a booming voice came from the other side of the threshold,

"F*CK OFF NOW WOULD YOU!! COCKY LITTLE PRICK WANTS TO PLAY FRY COOK IN MY KITCHEN?! JUST F*CK OFF YOU COMMIS!!" This was certainly not good, he thought. Most certainly not.

SPOILER: Click to show

Jasper= Darkmagenta
James = Goldenrod
Waitress = Pink
Manager = Firebrick

*commis is not Commie/Communist, but a term used to refer to apprentices or unpaid interns who wish to learn cooking practices. It is used here negatively to belittle Jasper's cooking prowess.

[Flame]

"So what're you up to out here on the Line?" Kano asked as he bounced beside the hammer-wielding woman. Mitsui glanced at him her lips pursed before laughing whole-heartedly. Laxly she pulled the hammer up from the ground and rested part of the handle upon her shoulder. "The Line?" She said with mild incredulity in her voice. "Why do you call it 'The Line'? I've never heard it called that before." She was now more inquisitive than astounded.

Kano stopped walking for a moment and blinked. "Doesn't it sound cooler that way." He offered the first thoughts that came into his mind. "The Grand Line is just so ... grandiose, I prefer 'the Line' its short and sweet and ya know, to the point." He said rambling as he put himself back in pace with Mitsui who was now giggling at his response. A single hand tried to stifle the laughter coming out from her mouth. "What kind of dumb answer is that?" Mitsui's youth bubbled out of her, with a churning wrist she spun the large hammer about with an effortless gait.

Kano frowned jumping out ahead of her pointing his finger out he pressed it in around her sternum. "Who're you calling dumb?" He accused his voice obviously annoyed at her. "Have you listened to yourself?" She asked with venomous amusement. "And what did I say about getting too close." She said her eyes narrowing as she watched him. Kano increased the distance between the pair of them reflexively. His feet increasing the pace slightly as to open up the space he nearly tumbled over them but caught his balance before it fell off and went back into the normal foot after foot. She smiled, "Well no matter, you can call it what you will I suppose." She said apathetically stringing some of her hair over her shoulder. "That's right!" He asserted in quick response grasping at the hook that she left him.

"So how far away is Quido's?" he asked feeling as if they'd been walking for a while and still hadn't made it there. She stopped in her tracks as Kano continued onward for a bit before stopping and then doubling back to find her still thinking contemplatively. "Bit far, it's on the edge of town. Probably another mile or two at the very least." She told him straight. Kano's face fell slightly, "Uuh still so far?" He complained but she shrugged it off "We'll get there eventually don't you worry about that." She showed none of the urgency that Kano felt but he was tied to her. Not knowing where the restaurant was was a bit of a disadvantage.

Folding his arms over his hand he tapped his fingers upon his arm. "Can we go a bit faster then?" He asked a sense of urgency slipping through the cracks of his voice. She smiled at him watching him with calculating eyes "Would you prefer if we run?" Kano's eyes widened nodding his head up and down quickly. "Then you're gonna have to carry this." She said tossing the large hammer at Kano. Red eyes widened even further as he threw forth his arms to pull it by its handle out of the sky. The weapon was quite light pulling the head of it near his hand he tapped it with his finger. "Interesting ... right then, lets go!"

---

The black cats journey brought him on a long walk ending in an alley. Nose-twitching he could smell cooked fish in the air. His whiskers flayed about and he followed the scent carefully. From within the alley his eyes turned about carefully examining the large walls on either side of him. "What I need is a ..." A door down the alley swung open.

The wafting smells of food which were little more than a scent suddenly filled the alley. The brusque movements of a man in yellowing white clothing burst out. Oliver taking his chance to follow the smell darted towards the door. With slick movement he held to the shadows before slipping through the door before the bus boy taking out the trash could notice him. The door led him into a short corridor at the end of it was an opening into a room filled with light and the sounds of hustle and bustle. On the other side a metal door large and heavy handled. In either case the smell was coming from that direction. With swift feet he scurried down the corridor quickly, hunger was upon him.

[The Prettiest Squish]

Knock, Knock.

No answer.

Knock, Knock.

Still nothing.

Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock, Knoc-

"OY, LISTEN HERE YOU F*CK!! NOT ONE MORE TAP ON THIS DOOR OR I'LL KNOCK YOUR SKULL IN, GOT IT!?" And with that said, the knocking ceased. But the mahogany entrance stayed there, teasing him, taunting him to try it again. Oh how he so desperately wished to knock once more. Perhaps by the fourth time the manager would come around to his proposition? Jasper's dainty white hand hovered just an inch from the surface when the impact of a steel cart pushed him off balance.

"'Scuse us, comin' through." A voice came from down below belonging to one of two men rushing down the corridor. They were both dressed in standard white as chefs of this caliber typically did and walked along the path with caution but urgency. "Make way, dickhead!" The latter of the duo certainly did not share his colleague's sense of hospitality. Nevertheless they both synced and worked in unison and rolled a large cart decorated in stainless steel domes packaged from top to bottom. They reached the entry of the hallway and opened the lids to reveal an exquisite assortment of dishes that simply exploded with aromas and energy. Just by standing near those things alone, Jasper felt the heat radiating from those dishes like a marshmallow to a bonfire.

The waitress from before suddenly appeared out of nowhere from behind a wall and carefully dashed to the men by the cart. She pulled out a notepad and mechanically spouted words with discipline he never saw out of her in that brief interaction. "Alright, I need tables 2 and 5, then 4 and 8. Hold back 3's main courses, they've just added in appetizers at the last second. 1's prime for desserts so wait off on their orders, their fat arses can wait for a treat late- Wait, what the hell is that?" All four of them there stared at the same thing that the waitress' pale finger pointed to: a slightly burnt artichoke.

"Oh my days!? Rolf, you absolute tw*t! You don't know how to cook a f*ckin artichoke, ey? Is that it mate? You living in a dream?" The belligerent deliverer stomped about whilst spitting furiously into the somber face of the boy called Rolf. He simply took it standing there and ashamed to talk back to whom Jasper could only assume was his superior. Regardless, that was no manner of behavior the merman approved of and something he found repulsive. He moved in to interject between the parties when the shuffling of stout shoes crept up behind him. A door flew wide open.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?! WHAT IS GOING ON?! IS THIS A PISS TAKE? AM I RUNNING A CIRCUS HERE? GET WITH THE PROGRAM, F*CKING DONKEYS!...AND YOU? DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO JUST F*CK OFF?!" The three ran off to their duties, all profusely apologizing and screaming 'Yes Sir!' as they left the scene. Only Jasper remained yet again but now the manager kept the door open. He gave him a mean scowl as he looked at the well dressed man from top to bottom, cringing at the sight of the tentacles and shuddering to himself. "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT? F*CK OFF OUT OF HERE!!!" The dwarf was about to slam the door shut again when a hand pushed to keep it open. Jasper knelt until his eyes met those beady black balls face to face. 

They stood there silently. One red with rage and the other serene like sapphire. The coolheaded one stared intently, never blinking nor faltering his gaze. The boiling hot buffoon tilted his head and widened his eyes, almost like he was asking for something: a response. And that's very much what Jasper intended to give, "I am seeking only temporary employment, sir. Whatever you think of me is irrelevant, my work is good and reliable. Now allow me to ask again, have you any openings I may fulfill?" They were at each other's noses now. The manager snarled as the space between them began to diminish.

Suddenly, tiny hands gripped tight onto Jasper's collar and pulled his ear to the lips of one rude dwarf. In strange contrast to his normal behavior, he whispered quietly to the merman,"If you embarrass me, my staff or this restaurant, I'll have your bloody head on a plate. Do you understand me?" Jasper wasn't used to being handled like this before and quite frankly was sick of dealing with this old fart. But if that was permission to start working, he would settle for it, even if his suit was ruffled up a bit. The manager released his hold, turned around and slammed the door a final time.

He chuckled to himself, fully aware what kind of person he was dealing with and knew this would be a longer day of labor than originally planned. But duty called and James wasn't going to be content with scraps. Jasper turned around as well to face the kitchen but not before leaving the last word to his commanding officer, "I understand crystal, sir."

[Flame]

Running with the hammer was an odd feeling for Kano. Holding such an object in a single hand put off his balance while running. It wasn't heavy but the imbalance was enough stepping with more force on one foot than the other was off putting. It was part of the reason he preferred to fight hand to hand. But he put it aside as he followed the girl who was faster than he'd thought she'd be.

Thin legs propelled a light body with more speed than he had expected and she twisted her way through the crowds with a cat-like grace. Kano followed along keeping pace though he couldn't move as fluidly through the crowd. His eyes followed the girl as she lightly bobbed through the crowd. Coming up behind her he bounded forward with strength. Red eyes followed Mitsui with an intense gaze.

OOOF~ Kano was pulled back in as he felt an impact on his right shoulder. His eyes pointed forwards moments ago were immediately relocated to gain awareness of what had happened. Before him the shoulder of some man not facing his way seemed to be lodged against his. "Whaaaaaaa" the man's voice rose as he tumbled downwards and Kano folded over him. Momentum carried him over the man's shoulder flopping onto the ground before where the man had fell."Uhhhhhh, today's not a good day for me ..." he murmured to himself displeased with the third injury he'd enacted on himself in the little time since he'd left his inn room. Behind him the person he'd collided with groaned as well. Before him he could hear feet skid to a halt.

A long shadow fell over him as he turned his head upwards. Mitsui was glancing at him a more well stifled giggle barely visible behind a covering hand. "How're you doing down there?" She asked her voice full of fake concern. "What happened ..." The soft murmur to ones self of the attacked man. Kano gave a mock frown standing up again and brushing off the dust. "I'm fine. Let's go." He said glancing sideways and trying to ignore Mitsui's amused gaze.

---

Dark fur laid low as did his tail, the flurry of voices in raised exclamation seemed to be in quite the row. Holding fast to one side of the wall he slunk along it placing a careful paw on the ground with one step after another. Soft footfalls masked by fur and care were well placed and moved with regulated urgency. Pulling up near the opening in the wall he pressed carefully against the wall twisting his head about the corner to glance in.

Brilliant light exploded into his eyes, what was concealed by the angle of the wall now shined through illuminating a busy world. A group of hurried men in white moved brusquely about a small room full of tables and the like. It was also from the room that Oliver quickly identified the mouth-wetting smells were coming from. "What is this ..." he murmured to himself in a voice that was barely audible under his breath. Behind him his black tail curled up with excitement. The tastes and flavors tingled his nostrils causing his whiskers to go all a-twitchin. With care he went slinking around the corner and carefully slid beneath the nearest table with enough space below it. His nose sniffed again, "Now then ... the fish" his soft voice slipped as it drummed off of the confined space he had hid himself under.

He was on the prowl, though his prey was a little different than the last one.

[The Prettiest Squish]

"Pardon me! Order coming through!"

"Step aside you, come on now move it!!"

"Where is the lamb sauce?"

"I-it's going to be a minute..."

"This. Shit. Is. F*CKING. RAW!!"

"WHERE IS THE LAMB SAUUUCE!!??"

...

To say he was speechless would be a gross understatement. Never in all his life, in the entire span of his culinary career, had Jasper McQueen once seen a kitchen as explosive and volatile as this. The sight of foul mouthed and ill tempered hooligans running about this stainless steel stage left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was abhorrent, it was disgusting, and it was unacceptable to work under these conditions. He had to put his...eight feet down for this.

The newcomer slithered into the room without a word, ducking frequently to avoid running into equipment but also making a mental note of where each station was situated to make his job easier in the immediate future. Where he'd be assigned to operate depended solely on the head chef who at this moment was nowhere to be seen; the other chefs in the vicinity donned the same hat and uniform with no distinction besides their varying levels of vulgar mannerisms to tell each other apart. It would do him no good to stand around waiting for a hand to guide where he should work, he needed to take action.

The boy named Rolf zoomed back into the kitchen after presumably carrying the previous order out into the dining hall. He carried his weight frantically amidst the chaos and signs of green were peeking through in his fatigued state of body. Jasper grabbed him by the shoulder before he could be occupied by yet another task. The boy flailed about when touched but simmered moderately after seeing it was just an eight foot tall merman and not his superior. "Rolf, was it?" The chap nodded like some demented bobble head. "Your manager has allowed me a place of work in this kitchen, so if you could escort me to any available stations that would be delightful." 

Strangely enough, Rolf did not come across as panicked for the first time he'd seen him. The boy was calm but more so bewildered by the request and the context with how Jasper said it. He inquired of the man, "Uhm...Manager? Sir, I think you're confused. That man in the office is-" A knife flew between the two of them and landed straight into a cutting board two tables away. The anxiety returned into the rookie's skin as he shivered and shuddered at a sound most unpleasant. Jasper glanced with open eyes now at the marksman who directed that weapon at them, and it was none other than the boisterous bastard from earlier. He stood there tall and haughty with an aura of arrogance oozing out of him. "That man in the office is none of your bloody business, mate. We're here to cook, not to flap our gobs like a goddamn sewing circle. Speaking of which." Jasper saw Rolf swept off his feet by the collar when the rude little bugger grasped tight and swung him to the far side of the kitchen.

"I wouldn't want you ladies talking now, would I? OY! Back to work, Rolf! You sorry excuse of a chef, why don't you go back home and cry to mummy again? Dickhead." You are indeed, the black suit thought to himself. He began to undress himself from the fancy clothes and moved over to an empty table in the corner where only one other person was around working beside him. From his memory of the catastrophic mess just seconds ago, this chef was the woman who called out for the lamb sauce twice during that ordeal. She's a tough cookie, he observed, certainly not an amateur like Rolf. Her knife vibrated off the board, humming and buzzing, until she finished disintegrating a clove of garlic into dozens of paper thin slices and plopped them into a sauce pot beside her. "Gorgeous knife work." He subconsciously whispered. Though it appeared that he did not whisper quietly enough as she immediately turned to face him.

Her cold black eyes stabbed deep into his thoughts with a ruthlessness unlike anything he had ever felt before, even greater than the short tempered man in the office. "This is a game to you is it? Guy would put himself in the shitter for the rest of the kitchen and sit there babbling like a f*cking baby." Jasper was quiet but not by choice this time alone. This was not a mater of confronting rudeness with silence, but something completely different. "You got any bite back as a guy? Got any bollocks, you? Have you, ya f*ck?"

It was quiet for the next few seconds. Just the simmering and sizzling of hot pans and pots polluted the placidity of the kitchen atmosphere. This was not a stand off or a showdown between two equal forces. Though Jasper stared down at this tiny human he grew increasingly aware, that in her position, she was not truly looking up to him. All the power of this exchange belonged in her hand but what bothered him was how and why. He was a chef, a professional of his trade and an expert in this field. What was she doing that commanded such a reaction out of him? He couldn't even answer that himself when stout boots made their way into the kitchen.

"Everything in order?" said a gruff voice coming from far below. The entire kitchen staff save for Jasper reacted in suit, shouting at the top of their lungs, "YES CHEF".

Now it all made sense, he thought. That man was no manager, he was the damn head chef all along and Jasper knew he had come across as an overzealous c*nt in that job request from before. It was no wonder he did not take kindly to the merman's assistance seeing as how arrogant he must have come across. I certainly did not mean to treat a fellow chef with such language...I treated him like I would any other businessman and completely miscalculated the situation and underestimated what this island had to offer. Oh f*ck me, seriously. 

Jasper noticed the head chef now staring at him and fancied the thought of apologizing first and foremost when the cold touch of a blade grounded him back to reality. The dwarf actually chuckled at this predicament and told the woman, "Maria, work hours are for work. You can kill him on your own time but not when there's orders to be filled." He turned to meet his new hire and grinned a diabolical smile, the likes of which disgusted the poor boy. "I see you've already met our sous chef, haven't you chap?"

He nearly did a spit take if his mouth was not so dry. But this revelation was insane! The second in command? But how so? She possessed much more ferocity than this old fart and he had thrown just about every expletive known to man in the window of half a minute. Was she really nothing more than an assistant? And just like on cue, the boss read his confused countenance like a book and explained what the position of 'sous chef' really meant in this kitchen.

"Don't be fooled by that name, you hear me? Maria may be sous chef by title but she is by all rights the captain of this kitchen! What she says, goes! If she tells me your ass belongs in the trash, I want you out in the dumpster before I take another step!! Now everyone...GET BACK TO WORK!!!"

What have I gotten myself into?

[Flame]

Mitsui nodded to him turning about and heading off again. Moments behind Kano followed, his eyes were now slightly more aware than before. If possible he'd like to avoid any more injury today. His eyes swerved right and left heading off the moves he expected Mitsui to make as she bobbed and wove about the incoming crowds of people. He did somewhat the same, more dynamic moves sent him in a slightly different direction. His eyes adjusted to the distance at the pace they were moving and he began identifying obstacles as they rushed towards him.

A shift off one leg to jump left out of the way of one civilian placed him off kilter for a moment though he caught back quickly. Moving with the hammer was definitely being offputting for him but this was the compromise he made. Instead as he looked ahead he changed his course slightly so after a few feet he had moved out of the way of the oncoming walker. If he'd looked on from the outside at himself he'd have perhaps thought he looked fairly cool. With his upper body leaning forward and head directing his aim he had a ninja-like running look. The hammer was strewn out behind him being gripped by one hand doing its best to hold it in line.

Then she stopped and immediately her brown bobbing ball of hair disappeared into the crowd. Kano stopped confused his eyes scanning the surroundings looking for her. Where had she gone he said his head swerving about.

"Yo!" her voice popped up behind him in concert with a pair of taps on the shoulder. Kano whirling about came face to face with Mitsui, "Why'd you disappear?" He put his pointed question out to her. Her sudden disappearance and reappearance was strange to him and he frowned obvious displeasure to her. She was smiling and gave a casual shrug, "Seemed like you were having trouble keeping up so I figured I'd slow it down and run alongside you rather than forcing you to keep up with me." A cheeky grin slid across her face and she snickered at him.

Instinctively Kano raised a single hand before stopping. A smile broke on his face and he flared the hand like a little firework. "Do you really want to try me like that?" He asked goading her on, calling her bluff or so he thought of it. She looked at him considering the prospect with an analytic eye judging him. Kano smiled with earned bravado. "Well?"

---

~Ding~

There was a ring echoing through the room that caused Oliver to jump. His back crashed against the lowest floor of the table above him. It resulted in a small clatter of sound from above but Oliver was not large enough to cause any real trouble by doing so. He flinched beneath it realizing what he had done. Sh*t ... the words silenced by his mouth echoed in his head as he froze.

His ears perked upwards listening carefully for any changes in the rhythm of the room. The pace of footsteps, the smattering of words echoing about as orders were given, the smell of foods as they slipped by the table he hid beneath. A minute passed, follow by a second and a third, moments that delivered him his hope that his little mistake had gone unnoticed. With relaxing shoulders he decompressed letting out a breath of wind from his mouth. Now then back on track ... he twisted slightly shifting weight onto his forepaws rising his legs carefully onto his haunches.

His body turned slightly as he headed for the far side of the table.

"YOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLL"

Oliver exclaimed yowling in pain as something pressed down on his tail as it swung out behind him. The claws on his paws flashed out, the surprise had apparently also done something as the weight on his tail was lifted almost immediately after it. Feet scrambling he rushed away from the edge of the table which he was near at the moment.

"What the hell was that!?"

[The Prettiest Squish]

The kitchen hummed to the sizzling of frying pans. Jasper stood at his station, still adjusting to the foreign layout and accommodating the workspace to his preferences. The chefs around him rushed about in a controlled frenzy, every beat of their motions carefully practiced regardless of how reckless they appeared. One moment he would see young Rolf balancing half a dozen plates on his person, sweat swimming down every orifice on his body, then proceed to sprint down the hall and effortlessly drop them onto the cart trays. He'd return not a second later than needed and resumed his duties preparing the ingredients for an upcoming dish. It was all quite impressive for someone of his age to be operating at such efficiency, Jasper knew it quite well from his own personal experience, the toll of labor being the most constant factor in his early adolescence. It still lived on though, that spirit of hard work.

He wiped one last smudge on the corner of his tabletop and grinned smugly at the simple sight of a clean work station. It was always a welcome sight to clear blemishes where he worked. However duty called for attention on more pressing matters than sanitation, and Jasper faced his commander in chief with aloofness and pomp, awaiting her orders and waiting carefully. "I am ready for business, Chef Maria. What shall I tackle first?" He said in a modest and posh tone. A clear snicker could be heard a few meters away. The young man turned to identify such a vessel of disrespect but swung his gaze back when no culprit was found.

Just then, a harsh voice in front of him whispered in an all too familiar way, raspy with the stench of malice and rage pungent in every exhale of her words. "You really are a mess, aren't you? It's almost like you don't even care. Not a single sh*t given and you'll still expect a paycheck." Chef Maria did not turn to face him as she said it. Her eyes pointed down at the onions in her fingers, the blade of the knife rising and falling, the wooden board that suspended them from the countertop. She cared naught for the unproven worth of this newcomer and did not bother to care what he could bring to the table. Whether he could succeed in this kitchen or not was entirely up to him and the burden of his failure weighed little on her conscience. She had seen countless others before him fail, their talk being just that: talk. All that mattered to her at this moment was cutting these onions and finishing this soup. And so it was said, "I am not your mummy nor am I your babysitter. We are not here to hold hands and I am not here to teach arrogant pricks like you how to chop a carrot."

The steady hand she used to slice and dice slowly but surely accelerated its pace. Next her posture hunched over and the blood in her cheeks blossomed to a deep pink. She continued to lecture, "Cook it up, drink some wine, have a party. Do what you like. But above all else, do not." The knife dropped dead on the cutting board. The kitchen hummed to the sizzling of frying pans, and no one else. "Do not cross me. Do not test me. Do. Not. Try. Me."

Everything went silent. One could swear it even went cold. All the energy and buzz of this room dissipated at the drop of a blade. White bodies all around him went stiff not moving a muscle. And somehow the clamor of diners out in the main hall died to a ghastly silence. Jasper stared at her, uncertain and curious. She stared back, intense and assured. Maria whispered like a corpse on its last dying breath, "Do you understand me?.."

He saw it now. It was vague but he definitely saw it. The temper, the language, the attitude, and the eyes. It was no surprise now why that walking half pint professed such admiration for this ferocious woman. She tapped her foot thrice, awaiting an answer, demanding it in fact. Jasper nodded, knowing just how to respond, "I understand crystal, ma'am." Maria looked at him one last time and returned to her work as if nothing transpired between the two. But it did. And they knew. Now was when it truly started. Now was the time for this kitchen to reignite some fresh talent. Let's serve some happy people, shall we? Jasper grasped the knife.

[Flame]

Claws slipped on the cleaned surface of the kitchen as the skidding cat shot across the underside of the table. Mindless thought had sent him running as the pain eeked its way up his tail. It was momentary though, quickly Oliver regained his sense but not fast enough. As his nails pressed into the ground trying to bring himself to a halt he slid all the same.

Claws scratching against the flooring drew the eyes of many as Oliver slipped out of the cover of the table. "A CAT!" That exclamation was echoed by many of the chefs in the room. Oliver's eyes widened as the closest chef lunged for him with both hands outstretched. "Please" the cocky words came from the cat's mouth catching the chef off balance and Oliver jumped. Leaping into the air he landed on the cook's arm before bounding off of him onto a nearby metal table.

"Did that cat just talk?" The confusion arising from the single word Oliver had uttered rose quickly. Whispers and words of exclamation alongside the widened eyes of many made Oliver overly aware as he scrambled a bit unsuccessfully along the metal surface. The momentary relax of those humans about him gave him a moment's ease as his eyes swung across the table crowded with food. Latching onto one particularly tasty looking piece of fish he launched himself over a few plates pouncing onto the fillet sinking his teeth in immediately. His head rose up teeth tearing apart the flesh from its binds, cooked fish was not exactly to his taste, he preferred it raw but this would do. The black cats jaw chewed as he crouched over the plated dish eyeing those humans still slackjawed about him. His head dipped down carefully to take another bite.

"WHAT'RE YOU ALL DOING GET THAT CAT!!"

A voice from the back, obviously enraged echoed out stirring all the men from their momentary vigil. Oliver's eyes swiveled about as he looked to the many men who seemed suddenly re-energized. "This is gonna be great ..." he said jaded cynicism rolling off his tongue.

---

Mitsui's pause, her hesitation was all Kano needed. He puffed his chest a bit more grinning his ceaselessly happy grin at her. "Well come on! Lead on!" He said not looking back to the still downed man only steps away from him. "If you have need of a clearer path, I can certainly help with that." There shone a glint in his eye at that moment as he flexed the fingers in right hand reflexively.

His brown-haired companion fidgeted slightly, "If you say so then, I don't think I'll need a clearer path ..." she said trying to blow off what had just happened though it wasn't as believable an act as she had pulled off not a few moments before. Taking the first step she began a paced jog forward once again. "We should be getting pretty close now, probably only another minute or two before we get there." Kano nodded encouraged by the chance that he might be getting to the restaurant soon. He was convinced that Oliver would be there, it seemed most obvious to him. Where else?

The rest of the run was a little uneventful with Mitsui running ahead and Kano glass hammer in tow following behind. The more measured pace she took made it easier for Kano to dodge folks in his way and continue his path onward. She was almost right, it had taken two minutes, the healthy jog had slowed their pace making the estimation off. After those two very minutes Kano found himself before the familiar looking restaurant by the name of Quido's. Beside him Mitsui stood smiling mostly to herself and holding out her hand to retrieve the glass hammer though Kano didn't notice it. He had things to be doing. Things of greater importance in his mind.