Chapter 3: Knives and Information
Kagome moved a bit to test out her new scales. They were topaz colored unlike the emerald on the beast earilier. Toriko shouted to get her attention when they were invited to enter Melk's workshop. Kagome's skin returned to normal and she enter with Toriko, observing everything quietly. Her ability to speak from touching Komastsu wore off so her words were choppy and broken again.
The ground and walls had scratches over them. The building was large along with the utensils and furniture. Kagome looked to the side to see a large opening. She concluded that they came through the back door. She walked to look at the knives on the wall next to Komatsu. Unknown to the others, Kagome adjusted her eyes to look at the Knives at a closer vision to see just how sharp the knives actually were.
Kagome was admiring a knife that was serrated when, out of the corner of her eye, Komatsu reached out to touch one. Melk shouted for him not to touch it, but her shout startled Komatsu. His elbow bumped into the wooden frame holding the knives. Coincidentally, the same knife that Komatsu was reaching for that was falling without his notice. Toriko yelled in warning, but Kagome already grabbed Komatsu and pulled him to her, away from the falling knife. The hug was short lived after the knife slipped into the stone floor, creating another scar to the building. It cut through the floor so easily, like a hot butter knife through soft butter. Komatsu exclaimed about it, and Toriko deduced facts that Kagome was thinking of earlier except the details pertaining to what the rules are in the human world.
Meanwhile, Kagome picked up the fallen knife it care, holding it by the blunt were the handle is to be fitted to. Her eyes, still the same, saw that it wasn't nicked at all. She heard what Melk said about the materials used to make it. She 'hm'ed and then sliced her hand with the blade. She concentrated on her hand as it healed as good as new. When she looked around the room, it was empty. She sighed.
Kagome flicked her blood off of the blade, unknown to her that the blade itself absorbed some of her blood and became even sharper and harder. She placed it back in its spot. She then inspected her nails, glancing at the mark Toriko made earlier. Her nails lengthened and she swiped them on the ground. To anyone else it looked undamaged, but she could see with her adjusted eyes the damage. It was thin, but the line was there, marking the precision it had. Kagome huffed to herself in pride and walked out to see Melk being defeated by Toriko.
Toriko then pointed out reasons why the 'Melk' in front of us isn't the one we are looking for. The 'Melk' in front of us is the second generation. But through the confidence that everyone saw, Toriko and Kagome saw that small spark of doubt in Melk's eyes, but let it pass for the lack information.
They talked for a bit while Kagome stared at her hands, more accurately, her nails. She studied the way they moved at a micro level to evolve into a transaction to be easier to control.
Kagome snapped out of her stupor when she heard her name being called. They were introducing themselves now properly. Kagome nodded a bit and pointed at herself.
"Kagome, nice – to – meet – you!"
She smiled brightly at the confused faces. Toriko asked why she could speak properly like before. Kagome tilted her head to the side, her pony tail leaning to the side in a cute gesture.
"That – only – for – short – time. It – quick – way – to – speak – but - not – to - learned – instantly."
"Ah, I see. I guess Coco would make it into more sense if we see him again."
Then, there was amazement from Melk when she learned just who her guests were. Then the mood sobered when asked about where Melk senior was. Komatsu finally asked for his knife order to make. Melk agreed, but it would take 3 years to make it. Komatsu got depressed. Toriko joked about it while Komatsu walked to his bag and to bring out is broken blade for comfort. Kagome sent disapproving glances at Toriko.
Kagome then watched as Melk quickly walked over to Komatsu. Melk was instantly fascinated by the broken blade when she caught a glimpse of it. She looked contemplative. Kagome can see why. Kagome can see part of Komatsu in the knife he held with such care
Toriko then told Melk of the original reason why they were here, Melk Stardust. Apparently, it's a whetstone, something used for sharpening blades, but the golden powder it creates when sharpening a blade is used as a seasoning. The Melk Stardust is said to be able to sharpen any blade and to do that would make that greatest cooking knives of all.
Toriko started to make a deal: if he could get the Melk Stardust, Melk would make Komatsu a cooking knife, but Melk warned Toriko of where it is mined, a dangerous place but no specific details. The only indication of it being dangerous was that Melk senior went there and haven't returned yet. Against the odds of the dangerous, Melk junior believes that Melk senior is alive in a desperate hope.
Toriko offered to bring back Melk senior back from the mines. Kagome looked at Toriko with surprise. She still had her instincts from the Gormet world ground into her. She never had anyone with her to enact instincts like Toriko's, to save others in peril or to look after the other that wasn't your own. She frowned in worry.
Should she go with Toriko or stay with Komatsu and Melk? Should she go with Toriko, then she would be able to help and possibly bond more with him that way. She could also stay here and look after Melk and Komatsu in case anything was to happen and learn more about them too. Then she heard Toriko say something,
"There's no time like the present, any time after that is the wrong time."
Before Kagome could decide anything, her stomach growled. Kagome can feel the gnawing hunger in her stomach, even placing the pressure of her hand didn't help suppress it. Ever since the leaving the Gormet World, the food she ate here had to be in larger quantities for it to keep up with her hunger. The amounts she had so far here only slightly satisfied here hunger before a few hours later it would come back nipping at her insides and weakening her. The other must have heard it too since they looked at her. She just shrugged helplessly and stood.
"Ahahaha I was thinking the same thing Kagome. I gotta eat before I go. I'm hungry!"
Everyone walked outside to find something to eat. Kagome heard Toriko saying that he would leave the cooking to Komatsu. Kagome perked up at this and went off in another direction to hunt while Toriko cut down a Sky Scum beast with his flying knife. Kagome came back while later after everyone started to question were she was. She was actually hauling up 5 large amounts of meat on her back and placed them in front of Komatsu. He was surprised that Kagome would bring so much until her constantly growling stomach and saw the exhaustion in her eyes.
'Kagome must not have adapted to our food supply yet. She must have to eat more than normal here, since she is from there. The meat there was probably more nutritious than the meat here.'
He set to work as Kagome walked over to the table to lay her head down to recover the strength she used to defeat the beasts. It wasn't much, but it accelerated her calorie intake a bit much from what food she stored in herself, which is dwindling. The smell of delicious food cooking is making her stomach roar now. Toriko was looking at her in sympathy as Melk looked confused and a bit wary at her.
When the food was put down, and after the will and gratitude of thanking the food, she chowed down on her meat. The more she ate the more she became beastly looking tearing into the meat, desperate to eat the nutrients and calories that she burned. When Toriko wanted to try the meat she was eating she glared at him for even reaching out for her food. He could feel a deadly presences that he felt when he first saw her. He retracted his hand and she stopped glaring but to turn back to her food. Everyone just looked at her warily and worriedly.
They gradually calmed down when she started to eat slower and more calmly. The calories in her have been restored from being too low to move as she did in the Gormet World. Once she was almost full, she reached for her portion of the Sky Scum beast meat. It made her full and satisfied. She heard the description of Heavy Hole where Melk Stardust was to mined.
It reminded of her home, but what if she was needed here?