Lunamugetsu: I do not own Toriko. There are lots of fluffy moments in here.
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It's so beautiful up here, Kimiko thought as she admired the view out the window. Toriko had asked her to accompany him out to dinner at a seven star restaurant that serves barbecue. Kimiko, being the food lover that she is accepted. Their table was seated at a room in the Gourmet Tower, where the room extended out from the building, so that each wall surrounding them was made of glass, giving the viewer the entire city as their scenery.
"Look it's ready, Kimi!" Toriko said as he started taking the meat off the grill and putting it on Kimiko's plate.
"Thank you," Kimiko told him and placed the grilled meat into her mouth, "Yummy! I never had such delicious yakiniku before. Oh, and Toriko-san." The blue haired man looked at her with his mouth stuffed with meat, "Thanks for inviting me to come with you to eat at a restaurant in Gourmet Tower."
"Well I did promise that I'd introduce you to some of the restaurants," Toriko said, "And although most restaurants above the 200th floor don't accept first time customers, not to mention, there are only restaurants that you can only enter by airship. I'll introduce you to one of those, one day."
"Really!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, let's make it a date," Toriko smiled as he saw Kimiko blush.
"Even so, it's already wonderful to be able to eat at a seven star restaurant," Kimiko said, "To be even able to eat the meat of Flying Cow Pigs. Also with this room, where we could see the entire city around us, no matter where we look. It's amazing. Although the height could be a bit unnerving."
"Kimiko." the chef looked up at the blue haired man, He placed his hand against the side of her head, "How's your head feel?"
"Oh, my stitches." Kimiko blushed as she tried to look away, "The stitches fell out on their own, but my doctor told me that I should still be careful, for safety measures. It's not bad, plus my hair is growing, so it's covering the part where my stitches were,"
Does he still feel bad about what happened? Kimiko looked up to Toriko who cradled her head in his hand.
"Toriko-s-"
"Pardon me, here is your special rib meat, special sirloin, special rumen, and super special skirt steak." the waitress walked up to them and placed the multiple plates of meat on the table.
"Thank you." Toriko said as he bid the waitress goodbye. Turning back to Kimiko he gave her a grin and started to grill up the piles of meat. "C'mon Kimi, eat up. It's my treat."
"Are you sure about ordering so much?" She asked
"If it really worries you so much, think of this as a thank you for preparing the gift I asked you to make for my old man." Toriko said
"Old man, your dad?"
"Oh yeah, the president of IGO, I always call him old man."
"So the Rainbow Fruit Wine you asked me to make was for him, well I hope he enjoyed it."
"He did like it, but he can't hold his liquor, he was out after his first glass." Toriko said as he started to cook the other slices of meat.
"So you brought wine as a present for someone who can't handle it?" she muttered as she watched Toriko grill the meat.
I never got to ask him why he kissed me, Kimiko thought as she looked at the blue haired man, Coco-san and Sani-san both said I shouldn't worry, but I still wonder. Kimiko blushed as she remembered Toriko kissing her on the forehead.
"Oi Kimiko, you okay?" Kimiko blushed as she realized that she had been caught staring. Seeing the chef's flushed state, Toriko grinned, "What's the matter, have you fallen in love with me?"
"What? N-No, it's not like that!" Kimiko exclaimed as her entire face started to turn crimson while Toriko laughed.
"C'mon are you still hungry, this restaurant serves more than just meat."
"What else do they have?"
"Vegetables." Toriko sang as he clapped the tongs together.
"Vegetables." she repeated.
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"Sorry for the wait." the waitress said.
Kimiko looked at the array of vegetables they were served, ranging from cabbages, to mushrooms, to corn.
"Wow, they all look so fresh and vibrant." Kimiko smiled as she picked up a green leaf from one of the plates.
"That's a Snack Sanchu." Toriko said, "Try wrapping a piece of meat with it." He smiled as he watched Kimiko wrap a slice of cooked meat in the green leaf and took a big bite.
"That's amazing! It has the same feeling as biting into a freshly picked apple. Plus the fresh sweetness of the sanchu brings out the flavor of the meat, and even more, the meat juices bring out the freshness of the sanchu!" Kimiko explained as her eyes glittered with excitement.
"The main star of this restaurant, isn't the meat. It's the vegetables!" Toriko placed down a leaf that had a marbled color throughout it. "Bacon leaves aren't bad raw, but grill them and they get even more flavorful!"
"Fresh and juicy," Kimiko said in bliss as she cooked her own Bacon Leaf. "I'll grill some onions to go with this.
"Don't forget the Pumpkin Potatoes."
"And these Bamboo Matsutake! Plus Sweet Cabbage, Carrot Tomato, and Loraditus!" Kimiko exclaimed, "Let's grill up a storm!"
"Yeah!"
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"That was delicious! I never thought I'd fill myself up with vegetables in a yakiniku restaurant," Kimiko sighed as she patted her stomach.
"Never underestimate the taste of vegetables," Toriko laughed
"Yeah, this reminds me that I shouldn't forget the flavor of vegetables. I also have to keep in mind how to only make meals out of only vegetables, for those who don't eat meat," Kimiko said
"Then, how about the King of Vegetables."
"King of Vegetables?"
"Yup, I got a request for it from my old man, I was just about to go get it." He told her.
"Where would the King of Vegetables be?"
"Tens of thousands of meters in altitude. A vegetable garden in the heaves said to be above the clouds, it's called Vegetable Sky. It's a vegetable heaven where one of a kind vegetables grow. According to my old man, there's only a few people who've ever set foot in it. But once you do, you come back a total vegetable lover."
"Vegetables up there, are really that delicious?" Kimiko wondered.
"And among them is the best, and most precious vegetable, the King of Vegetables. Ozone Herb."
"Ozone Herb."
"Just one bite will be more delicious than any vegetable picked on the ground, no matter how fresh. A fresh, juicy, and vibrant taste, like it's been blessed by the heavens, truly the pinnacle of all vegetables. Even in this Gourmet Tower, there is no restaurant where you can taste Ozone Herb."
"This is the first time, I've heard of it." Kimiko said, "Does a vegetable that amazing really exist." Toriko grinned
"Want to try some? The moment when a vegetable becomes the main dish!" Toriko said
"Yeah! I want to eat the Ozone Herb!" Kimiko exclaimed as her eyes glimmered with excitement.
"Great! Then we'll leave tomorrow." Toriko said as he then poured himself a shot of whiskey.
"Yes, Toriko-san!"
My manager is not going to like this, Kimiko thought
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"I can't believe that the IGO gave you a private jet to fly us there," Kimiko said as she peered out the window of the aircraft. "I guess the story about this being a direct request from the president wasn't made up after all."
"Wait you thought I was lying?" Toriko said as he looked at Kimiko who was enamoured at looking out the window. Raising an eyebrow he tried another approach to see if she was listening to him.
"Kimi, I actually brought you here so we can skydive." Kimiko gave no reaction at his statement.
"My house got eaten by animals again." Nothing changed.
"I have an evil twin brother, that's trying to kill me." Still no reaction.
"I like you, more than just as a friend" Wow she really must be tuning him out since she showed no reaction to the previous statements.
He gave a sigh as he saw that Kimiko was distracted, laying back in his seat he thought back to his last conversation with his father
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Flashback
"Toriko, I can see you've got a good chef around you!" Toriko only avoided eye-contact as to not acknowledge the statement, "You can play dumb, but I can tell by looking at you. For us Bishokuyas, the ones that procure ingredients, nothing is more important that the chefs who prepare them. Join together with a chef who can prepare the ingredients at a level that matches yours, and journey together."
"Journey together?" Toriko repeated
"No matter how incredible the ingredients a Bishokuya might procure, without someone to prepare them, they lose all value they might have had. Like me."
"Old man," Toriko looked at his father's solemn face.
"I can't wait for you to bring me back that Ozone Herb!" The man laughed, "by the way Toriko, I've heard from Mansam that you've been bringing a lady with you on your adventures."
"Huh, oh yeah, Kimi, she's my uh, friend," Toriko said
"Really," The IGO President grinned, "I've never seen you bring the same person with you on a food journey more than once, that weren't your brothers."
"It's nothing, we just both enjoy food, that's why," Toriko blushed as he saw that his father was still giving him a mischievous grin.
"Well fine, just make sure to be safe," his father laughed, "I don't want to be a grandfather anytime soon."
"Shut up old man!" Toriko yelled as his face became red
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"Kimi, could it be you," He muttered
"Did you say something?" Kimiko turned around to look at the blue haired man
"Nothing at all," Toriko smiled making Kimiko mirror his smile only to morph into fear as the jet started to shake. Peering at her window she yelled as she saw a beast's limb banging against it.
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Flying Sea Lion (Mammalian Beast) Capture Level 18
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"Don't worry, we can stop the Flying Sea Lion with a Capture Net!" Toriko said Kimiko heard a click from the roof of the jet and then soon after the creature that was on the jet fell off.
Kimiko sighed in relief as the creature took off from the jet. Turning back to Toriko she gave him a small smile, "Toriko-san, were you thinking about something? You had a contemplative look on your face"
"Don't worry about it, it's nothing important."
"But I'm worried, aren't we friends, "Kimiko said as she gave him a puppy eyed look. Toriko took a deep breath as he saw a cute atmosphere was starting to emit from Kimiko's puppy eyes.
Calm down, Toriko, you can handle this, He told himself, Just ignore the adorable look she's giving you.
"I was just thinking about how I'm gonna protect you when I'm on this trip." He said and then smiled as he saw Kimiko pout.
"Are you sure that's what you said."
"You'd rather I didn't save you then," Toriko grinned as Kimiko started to sport a panicked face.
"No! Toriko-san you know I wouldn't be able to survive these trips without you." Kimiko exclaimed making Toriko laugh.
"Well we're going to find out. We're here." Toriko pointed at the window. Kimiko turned to see what looked like the bottom of a vine that was hanging from the sky. On closer examination Kimiko could see that the vine extended past the layer of clouds.
"What is that?"
"That's the vine of a Sky Plant. Also known as the invitation to heaven. Tens of thousands of meters above here is the entrance to Vegetable Sky." Toriko explained as the jet landed on one of the giant leaves that grew from the vines. Walking out of the jet and onto the vine Kimiko looked up to see that the majority of the vine was hard to see as it extended past her field of vision.
"Once we climb this, we'll be able to obtain the Ozone Herb." Toriko said, "Ready to climb it, Kimi."
"I'm starting to rethink my life choices," Kimiko said making Toriko laugh as he patted her head.
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"Toriko-san! Wait up!" Kimiko shouted as she clung to the vine, she gripped the vine in fear of falling off.
"Huh, why're you back there Kimi?" Toriko asked as he saw that she was a good distance behind him.
"Toriko-san, you have to take in consideration that you're a lot taller than me, and your steps are a lot wider than mine." Kimiko said as she tried to climb faster.
"Kimi, you're not afraid of heights, are you?"
"No, I'm afraid of accidentally falling off the vine and plunging to my death," Kimiko retorted she then held her breath as she heard the leaves rustling. Looking to her left she saw an angry humanoid face that sported sharp teeth, that was attached to a pudgy birds body. Kimiko froze as the bird gave a screech causing others to come out and fly around Kimiko.
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Rubanda Look-Alike (Avian Beast) Capture Level 2
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"Kimi! Be careful!" Toriko shouted as Kimiko slowly tried t o climb upwards and away from the birds. Looking back she saw that the bird that she heard give a screech was tending to a baby that was chirping.
"Oh that's cute," Kimiko watched as the fluffy bird gave a couple of chirps, while slowly climbing towards Toriko.
"Don't worry, those guys are Rubanda Look-Alikes. They look fierce at first glance, but they're actually well behaved birds." Toriko told her as the the adult bird walked up to her with her child landing in Kimiko's lap.
"Although they have such a scary face, they're actually pretty sweet." Kimiko commented as she petted the chick who fluffed their feathers in happiness from the attention.
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"We've climbed up pretty high." Kimiko said as she and Toriko were sitting on a leaf, taking a break from from their climbing to have a quick snack, "It's pretty cold up here."
"It's close to thirty degrees Celsius on the ground, but up here it's twenty-three. That makes us about a thousand meters up, roughly around the same height as the yakiniku restaurant we were at. So make sure to eat up. The higher we get the colder it'll become, it'll sap your strength more than you think."
"Another harsh journey, this is not good for my heart," Kimiko muttered before biting into her rice ball.
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They kept on climbing for a couple of hours, while following Toriko. Kimiko reached out and grabbed a stray vine to pull her up only for it to snap.
"Kimi!" Toriko shouted as Kimiko started to fall. She held her breath as she prepared to fall only for Toriko to reach out in time to grab her hand. "You okay, Kimi?"
"Other than my heart stopping for that second of falling, I'm good." Kimiko said as Toriko pulled her up to set her on the vine
SCREECH!
"Toriko-san it's a monster bird!" Kimiko exclaimed as she pointed to a pterodactyl-like creature that had four wings and was yellow all around except for its beak which was a dark green.
"That's a Monster Bird Gegon. What perfect timing." Toriko grinned, "He'll be dinner!"
"He's not even fazed." Kimiko sighed
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"Itadakimasu!" Toriko and Kimiko said as they both took a bite of the cooked Monster Bird Gegon meat.
"Yummy, it has a crispy exterior yet the meat is juicy." Toriko said as he munched on the piece of meat.
"It's nice to be able to eat something after all that climbing," Kimiko commented, "By the way, where will we be sleeping?"
"In the tent, once we're done eating, we'll have to put out the fire. Most of the creatures around here are diurnal so we don't have to worry about any creeping up on us at night." Toriko said as he pointed to the small tent that he had set up and anchored to the vine."There's no rush, so take your time and enjoy the food."
"Okay."
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"Um, Toriko-san, is this really necessary?" Kimiko said as she was pressed up against the Bishokuya, with his arms wrapped around her in an embrace, the two of them were sharing a single bedroll.
"Yeah, there's only one tent, and since it's so cold, we should use our body heat to keep each other warm. Is something wrong?" Toriko looked at the flustered chef.
"Well, I'm just not used to this," Kimiko managed to say making Toriko grin.
"How about we talk then, will that make you more comfortable?"
"I suppose,"
"Then how about you tell me how making the Century Soup was like," Toriko said making Kimiko smile."
"It was a lot of trial and error, there were so many nights were I stayed up to try and get the flavors right," Kimiko reminisced, Toriko smiled as he felt that Kimiko's body was relaxing in his hold.
"What else happened?"
"Well Sani-san and Coco-san both visited me."
"You don't say," Toriko said as he started to tighten his arms around Kimiko.
"Yeah, we talked to each other a little. It was calming," She told him as she started to lean against Toriko's chest. "How about you, Toriko-san."
"Huh? What about me?" He asked making Kimiko giggle.
"Don't tell me you already forgot about what you told me on the jet." Kimiko said surprising Toriko.
"W-What?"
"You know I think if you stop making your house out of candy, the animals would stop eating it," Kimiko said making Toriko blush.
"You heard everything." Toriko said making Kimiko giggle.
"I'm a chef, I'm supposed to be able to listen while being occupied," She told him, "Don't worry, I know you were only joking."
"Yeah," Toriko said as he avoided eye-contact with Kimiko.
I knew I should have stopped at the evil twin comment, Toriko thought as Kimiko rested her head on his chest.
"Toriko-san, you're really warm," Kimiko sighed as she snuggled into his arms.
"Rest Kimi, we've got a long day tomorrow." Toriko patted her head as her breath started to even out.
"Okay, Toriko" Kimiko fell asleep before she could finish and continued to snuggle into Toriko's embrace.
"Kimi," Toriko rested his hand on her head, "I wasn't joking."
I do like you more than just as a friend.
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Lunamugetsu: I didn't know I could finish a chapter so quickly, well I finished right before New Years so yay more story for my lovely readers. Some of you might be wondering why I didn't write the filler episodes, the reason is because I wrote the TorikoxOne Piece crossover, so I didn't want to write any filler. Plus I'm actually going to write one of the filler episodes from that season, I'm just going to put it later on in the story. REVIEW!