I like my food with chili in / I like to laugh 'til it turns in

[inthecenterfold]

Characters: Principally: Smoke/Sha Gojyo (inthecenterfold), Aniki/Ganju (stonewave), and Suzy (rappig). Also featuring: Sniper/Usopp (longnosedliar), Snake/Ichimaru Gin (kamishininoyari), Juliet/Grell Sutcliffe (esoteric_rose), and Peachblossom/Keladry (of_mindelan)
Date/Time: Afternoon of September 16th 2010
Location: Wilderness-as-Japanese-Festival
Rating: PG-PG13
Summary: Smoke and Aniki go wandering in the Wilderness

Comments

[longnosedliar]

Sniper snickered at the name, paying no attention to the sharp look that was swiftly sent in his direction. Unless this Aniki guy decided to beat him up - which he doubted for whatever reason - there was no reason not to laugh. After all, even after he was given the name, did Suzy actually recognize it?

Once he got thinking about the memories again, his expression flattened considerably; his own memory was less than pleasant, but he couldn't imagine what made that one woman run off like that, or what had made Smoke scream. The blindness had been absolutely crippling, and he had spent the majority of his time blind in a sullen panic, knowing that if that condition persisted, he'd be even more useless than he already was.

He wondered what Smoke had gone through. "I didn't see his," he said, holding his hands behind his back as he walked and staring off at some unknown point in the distance. "But it didn't sound good. I mean, nobody's really did."

Sniper flicked his eyes in Aniki's direction. "So you haven't had any of your own then, right?"

[stonewave]

Whatever smart comment Aniki was about to make went mute when he saw that look on the other guy's face. He bent over and picked up Suzy again more to have something to keep both his hands occupied than any real concern the rappig would run off. Suzy grunted and made a token struggle before going still and staring sullenly ahead. Aniki scratched him behind the ears.

"Nothin' but that first dream," he said at last. It was strange for it to seem so personal when he had nothing of his own to connect to it. "Just some kid screamin' for his brother, that's all." No mention of body or that strange small person dragging it along. "Haven't heard much of people rememberin' good stuff. Mostly just th' bad."

[longnosedliar]

Suzy hanging underneath Aniki's arm was a comical sight to say the least, especially since it didn't even look like the pig needed or wanted to be carried. Having a pet was probably pretty nice in a place like this, he figured, especially for good company.

That was to say, as much company a pig could possibly provide.

He shrugged when Aniki mentioned his dream of a kid screaming for his brother, recalling his own, rather surreal dream. "Most people don't seem to remember good things. Or maybe when they do, they don't want to talk about it as much."

Sniper let his gaze be led astray by a particularly colourful display off to the side and the familiar smell of takoyaki drifting from ahead of them. "It's not as if we have any control over what we see, anyway."

After a moment of thought, he added, "Or when we see it."

[stonewave]

"Maybe it's just easier to talk about the bad stuff 'cause the good stuff hurts worse. Not much kickin' and screamin' you can do about family left behind." For some reason, that hurt Aniki the worst. Those left behind and those lost twice over for being forgotten.

Aniki forced a bright grin and hitched Suzy back up under his arm. "Why th' hell're we talkin' about this stuff? We got this whole festival goin' on around and a manhunt in progress! Let's track 'im down!" Better than focusing on things he couldn't chase after.

[longnosedliar]

Sniper gave a small, self-deprecating chuckle at that and fiddled with the handle of his bag as he realized just how morose they had sounded there. And with a complete stranger, too! "You're right," he said, a mite apologetically. "People are gloomy enough without talking about stuff we can't change all the time."

He thrust one fist into the air. "So let's find him! Think Suzy could be a tracking pig?"

It wasn't something he'd ever heard of, but hell, he'd never heard of a pig as a pet either. He laced his fingers behind his back while he walked and inquired, "So, why were you up here, anyway? Are you an Adventurer?"

[stonewave]

Aniki set Suzy down and waited for the little pig to go a direction that didn't seem to be aimed at food.

Suzy planted his rear firmly in the dirt.

Aniki glared a moment before sighing and looking over to Sniper. "Scavenger for now. Might pick up somethin' else later. Few odds and ends 'til I find what I'm good at." He gave Suzy's leash a tug. Suzy turned a baleful glare in Aniki's direction and started trotting slowly ahead. "Uh... he might be on to something?"

[longnosedliar]

"Really? I haven't seen you around. I'm a Scavenger too, but I guess we've got different shifts."

Sniper watched Suzy plod along with some disbelief, and raised his brows at Aniki. "No offense, Aniki, but I think the only thing he's smelling is food. So we might be out of luck unless Smoke is eating a sandwich."

He tilted his head, a smile playing across his face. "Maybe it'd be better if I just shouted his name. I mean, he doesn't know that I'm with you, anyway."

[stonewave]

He scowled at the little rappig because that was better than scowling at a guy sincerely trying to help. "Maybe," he grunted. He juggled Suzy back up in his arms again and that bundle of clothing as well. Aniki glanced at Sniper with at least some of the annoyance gone from his eyes. "Sounds like a better idea than lookin' for his sandwich, I guess."

[longnosedliar]

Sniper noted how frustrated Aniki looked, but shrugged it off. People tended to look at least a bit frustrated when around him. It wasn't really a strange occurrence in that respect--and he was going to get even more looks once he finished.

"Okay," he said, then shrugged.

"Oi! Smoke! Are you out there?!" He hollered at the top of his lungs, then looked around to see if he could see the man himself anywhere.