A/N: Set in Life, while Toriko is regenerating his arm. Featuring Sunny in all his glamorous and prissy glory, and ditsy down-to-earth Teppei. Plus gluttonous Toriko and questionable mentor Yosaku! The Ice Hell arc and its resolution in Life is probably my favorite (of many) parts of Toriko. This ended up being the longest story I've ever written, so please forgive my inexperience. And yes, there is sex later, but that will be on AO3.

"Toriko?"

"Sunny!"

The absolute last person Sunny had expected to see in Life was his gluttonous, overeager fellow King.

Toriko lit up like a bonfire upon seeing Sunny, and insisted that they (Toriko's motley collection of new "friends") and Sunny all sit down somewhere and eat. The guy with green hair looked a little put-out, but agreed. As Sunny flicked the remaining moisture from his skin with his sensors, he gave the guy credit for not getting pulled into Toriko's generally infectious enthusiasm.

Once Sunny completed a much-abridged preparation routine, it was also Green Hair who led them to an outdoor restaurant.

"What were they thinking?" Sunny commented on the tent's fabric. "You'd think it was a circus with these loud red and white stripes."

"Aww, who cares?" said Toriko. "Let's eat!"

Sunny didn't bother sighing in exhasperation. "I suppose it has a lovely view."

"Yes, that's the Medical Library and the Hot Spring Shark pen," Green Hair pointed out. Quickly followed by the unrelated, "The scallops here are delicous."

"I want the most Life-like thing on the menu," Toriko grinned.

Sunny scanned the menu. He didn't have to be so careful here, nearly all the items served in Life were calculated to impart maximum health benefit. "Then it should be the Cuticle Berry appetizer."

"Sounds great! Order one for us," Toriko said.

After Sunny placed the order, the rest of Toriko's pack began chatting amongst themselves. Honestly, Sunny understood why Toriko was called the most charismatic of Gourmet Hunters. Here he was talking like he was old friends with a mafia man, a Gourmet Knight, and a Gourmet Reviver. Not Coco, not Sunny and certainly not Zebra were able to be so open and lively like that. He felt a bit out of place.

"Never knew Sunny of the Four Kings was such a priss," the heavily-scarred mafia man snarked. Sunny couldn't make up his mind whether the scars were hideous or ridiculously handsome. But the comment was not very dignified and didn't help Sunny feel less alienated.

"Watch out, or Sunny'll punch you with his hair," Toriko replied on his behalf. Sunny would have responded on his own thank you very much, if Green Hair had not settled his attention on Sunny as well.

"I've seen the look in your eyes before. You're on a hunt," said Green Hair.

Sunny's attention narrowed. He'd been foolish not to use his sensors before, because as Green Hair's identity dawned on him, Sunny realized he'd never get away with feeling the man up undetected.

Green Hair was Teppei the Reviver. Another giant of the age, maybe not on par with the Four Kings, but someone of consequence.

In a flash, his first impression of the Reviver was made: Amythest eyes. Remarkably smooth complexion marred by an unsightly scar (what was with these people and scars?!). Terrible fashion sense.

Shortly after they waved goodbye to Match, his men and Takimaru, Yosaku turned to Teppei.

"Well, Teppei? Going to stick around and help me out?"

Yosaku frequently framed his demands like questions. Teppei sighed. "If you put it like that..."

"Good! But you know, if you've got a job lined up, go on ahead. You're a professional. Toriko's not going to be doing anything interesting after the arm bud gets planted."

Which is how Teppei found himself wandering around the floor of Mother Wood on the off-chance that he'd find a job. Not to avoid further involvement in the Toriko case, but he did want to honor Yosaku's consideration. This wasn't his usual method for finding jobs; in fact, he had a list of clients of his own now, most of whom just called him up. It was enough to live pretty well on. Besides that, he had a list he always kept with him of his grandpa Jiro's known exploits. But, he reminded himself looking at some fresh-faced kids listening to an older Reviver, Mother Wood was where most of his leads had come from originally.

"Hey there, Tep," came a voice from behind him.

He turned to see Toriko's friend Sunny striding along, his hair in a high ponytail. First Zebra, then Toriko, now Sunny. If he hadn't met Coco by the end of the year, he'd be surprised.

To his recollection, Sunny had wanted to talk to Yosaku and that should have been over already, so Teppei was at a loss as to why he was being sought.

Sunny stopped gracefully in a beam of light. "Your crusty old bastard of a master sent me on an errand. An errand! Apparently, he wants some food. You'll help me, won't you? I have no idea where he expects me to shop."

"Did he tell you what he needs?" Teppei asked, entranced by the strangely angelic image.

"Not at all. I haven't the slightest idea what he wants."

"He probably doesn't care," Teppei chuckled.

Sunny scoffed. "I suppose a hairy, smelly lout like him wouldn't."

"C'mon," said Teppei, headed for the exit. "I'll take you to a market he likes, if you still want to."

Sunny shifted, pouting. Teppei wasn't sure who the petulant gesture was supposed to affect.

"Well, I could use some fresh air after being in that cramped lab," Sunny huffed.

The two headed out the door and down the long staircase.

Teppei had made the trip from Mother Wood to Life's markets daily for years. As Yosaku said, even Revivers couldn't materialize food out of thin air.

"Gawd, these stairs go forever," Sunny complained.

"Ha ha," Teppei agreed. "It's a pretty tall tree. When I was a kid I used to practice Reviving Forms going up and down while going grocery shopping."

"Reviving Forms?" Sunny asked. "What're those?"

Right, Sunny hadn't been in Ice Hell. Although he did wonder how one of the Four Kings could be isolated enough by the IGO to have never seen a Reviver in action.

"They're martial arts moves that enhance Knocking. Some people think Knocking can only be achieved with a tool, but that's not true. You can use punches and pokes and all sorts of stuff. Oh, it's like Toriko with his Fork and Knife. He uses the 'knife' and 'fork' to direct energy from his body. It's like that with Knocking, it's not just force, it's precision. Or an application of precise force-"

Teppei cut himself short. Sunny was giving him that peculiar look which usually meant he was rambling.

"You're interesting," Sunny said.

"Ha ha..." Teppei blushed. "Uh, most people tell me that I talk too much."

"Oh, you do." Sunny said. "But if Toriko's seen a Reviver in action, then I want to too." Teppei cringed. First he was "interesting," now he was just a tool of one-ups-manship?

Still. Ankles flexed, toes snapped into action and he leapt into the air. He twisted, shot towards the sky, spinning and plummeted to the ground below. Drawing up from landing, his palm jerked into position, energy tingling through it.

He dispelled the energy with a relaxed grin. "I used to do cartwheels all the way down. Want to see?"

"No. That would be unsightly," Sunny caught up to Teppei. Despite his words, his brow was raised with interest.

"Probably better not," Teppei admitted. "It's really tiring, especially on the way up."