Battle Boy (Toriko fanfic) (boyxboy)

Chapter 4

Arriving at my new home gave me an almost ethereal sense of peace. A place to call my own has been a dream of mine for a very very long time. During my time in the Gourmet World, I traveled with Father, riding on his large head. He never stayed long in one place.

From the ground, the tree looks like any other tree, only very large as if it were ancient. I found it by smell, as a Hometree emits a special scent different from other trees depending on the blood it was fed. The smell of anise was certainly different from the rest of the forest. I jump up onto a thick, steady branch, looking for the entrance to the home it's grown me. I jump to a higher one to my right after a moment, rewarded by the sight of a wooden pathway winding deeper into the tree's branches. Following it leads me to my home, a medium-sized structure fitted snugly in the forest of branches and leaves. It makes me smile a little.

The front door opens for me automatically in response to the matching DNA I carry. The first thing that I notice is that the tree doesn't give off much heat, something that may pose a problem for me. A few couches and chairs surround a fairly large table, occupying the space of the center of the home. A room to my right holds the kitchen, the room farther in beyond that a bedroom. The one across from that bedroom is another bedroom, larger in size. The last room across from the kitchen is a bathroom. Nothing is amiss, with the exception of the kitchen not being stocked and the place seeming very....

I'm not sure what it is. Almost like I expected something deep down, and am disappointed at its absence even without knowing what it is I was looking for in the first place. I take a deep breath, heading to the kitchen and distracting myself by storing the ingredients I'd collected on my way here. Most of the meat was cooked and preserved, while the spices went on the shelves and the vegetables and fruits stowed in the chilly fridge. Unlike most plants, the Hometree produces electricity of its own, and also regularly pumps water. The water is never hot, depending entirely on the conditions outside the tree. I prefer that to anything else.

However, I will need to get some sort of heat source that will not harm the tree. My body temperature, due to the power my Gourmet cells give me, runs much colder than the average human. With the exception of being extremely stimulated, such as fighting, my body does not regulate its own heat, remaining chilled. So it is very important for me to be warm when I sleep, as my temperature will drop automatically.

Quite the conundrum... I could wander about to find something, but that would take entirely too long. First, I will search the area around my home. Then, if I do not find anything, I will contemplate asking a human. Though frankly I expect to receive screams instead of an answer.

For now, I stay in my home as darkness descends, enduring a very cold night in the larger bedroom.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The forest surrounding my home proved to be somewhat helpful and also very unhelpful. Improving the amount of ingredients in my kitchen was a very simple matter, which was something the forest and outlying areas helped very much with. On the other hand, there were no heat sources that wouldn't harm my home.

There isn't anything that would help me in the Gourmet World, at least, nothing that would survive in the Human World. Which meant that I would need to ask a human after all. My knowledge of ingredients is notable only of the Gourmet World. The Human World's ingredients are rather unique and relatively unknown to me. Only one problem remains: finding a human that won't scream and run off to call the police on me. Meaning it would have to be someone who at least knows OF me, and also someone with a wide knowledge of Human World ingredients.

Easier said than done.

Even so, I head for the nearest city after changing the balance of my blood to make me more human looking, getting rid of my furred arms and ears. I wear a long coat to hide my tail, doing nothing about my feet. I hate having human feet, and making them disappear to give me a completely human appearance would turn me back into the vegetable I was when my form first changed only a week ago. Of course, this earns me quite a few boggled looks as I walk into town.

The sheer amount of noise makes me want to puke. I don't bother asking any of those on the streets for help or directions. Most of them give me a wide berth anyways. I would rely on my sense of smell, but human towns have far too much going on for my nose to take in all at once. Something I would need to make sure I was heading in the right direction.

It ends in frustration. I suppress the urge to scowl at the humans, exasperated with their home. I can't understand why they would want to live like this...

"Oka... san?"

I turn to find a familiar small man standing behind me, and let out a low sigh of relief. I turn to face him as I speak.

"Chef Komatsu."

"Why are you here..? Uh, I don't mean to be rude!! It's just... you're very..."

"Reclusive? Animalistic? You'd be correct."

"I was going to say shy..."

I blink at him for a moment, tilting my head a bit. Shy? I really wouldn't know... I've barely ever interacted with others...

"I don't know... You may be right. Or perhaps not. We will see."

He seems to relax a bit in response to my answer. I recognize the look of realization as it snaps onto his face.

"So what brings you to the city?"

"I'm searching for someone who knows where I can find a heat source for my home."

"I think they have Suncane at the mall..."

"I live in a Hometree. Does that help?"

"Oh... I don't know much about those. They're really rare. How did you get one?"

"It was a gift from the man I both admire and hate. I've studied Hometrees for years... but I need to find a heat source or else I'll harm the tree when I sleep. How many heat sources do you know of? As a chef, you do know many ingredients."

"I've only known of Suncane... Oh! Toriko would know some!"

Toriko. To-ri-ko. Why does that sound familiar? Familiarity without memory is unnerving. Oh yes..... Blue hair.

"Mm...."

"I don't know when the next time I'll see him is though... Do you have a phone? I could call you when he comes back in contact."

"What's a 'phone'?"

"It's... um... nevermind. Is there a way I can contact you?"

"I'll make you one. Can you always be found here?"

"Yeah, for the most part... See this building? I live and work here as the head chef, when I'm not out with Toriko."

I look to where he's pointing, finding myself face to face with the same exact building I was in yesterday. I don't know the name, and I can't read, but I know it's the same place I met with Uncle. I sigh heavily, wanting to hit my head on something very hard out of frustration.

"I can remember that this time."

"This time....?"

"I was here yesterday... Stupid human cities... Always smelly and noisy and confusing..."

I grumble out of irritation, turning away from the small chef and heading towards the one direction I do know.

Home.