King's Game is a pretty challenging one. It's a game where you pull out a stick from a cup, the numbers vary, and there is one special stick with a crown on it. If someone gets that stick, they would get to order two people anonymously, calling them out by number.
❊
"Five must carry one bridal style while one holds a spoon with an egg on it in their mouth!" Nami ordered, Zoro raised his hand. "I'm five, who's one?"
Everyone looked at a certain blonde, who seemed to be crying blood.
"...Alright toilet paper just let's get this over with."
"No."
"You-"
"No."
"..."
"..."
"Hurry up, you two." Usopp muttered with a camera behind his back. Luffy and Chopper brought the spoon and the egg, handing them over to Sanji.
"No! I won't do it! Not with this bastard!"
"You think I wanna carry you like some princess, idiot?! No! So let's get one damn thing straight, put the spoon in your mouth and balance the egg already! I'm not gay for you, loser!"
"You..!!" Sanji had no choice but to comply, with Nami glaring at both from the back. The rest couldn't help but watch them. Jinbe wasn't playing with them, unfortunately. He was discussing certain matters with Garp, but the rest were all there. Speechless.
The image of Zoro bridal-carrying Sanji was burned into everyone's mind, some pictures were secretly taken as well.
After hours of playing, everyone eventually lost to Nami. They took a small break then planned to go to the studio. Everyone brought their instruments and went to Franky's van, Jinbe for once, joining them.
"Studio?" Robin asked, "Yeah. We were supposed to have recorded a song already but we're a tad-bit late. Way beyond the deadline, we're sued for that y'know." Usopp explained, sighing out of laziness.
Soon enough, on their way to the studio, it became noisy and lively as usual. Zoro sat by the window ready to take a nap until he got interrupted.
"Your friends," Robin started, "What about those guys?"
"They are aware that this music band will have to stop once you graduate, right? As pirates and all, you do have a sense of duty to-"
"We know. It's fine. We just plan to have some fun with music, we started this as kids anyway, we'll continue as pirates, though Luffy is pretty stubborn about it, Brook and Franky agree with us." He interrupted her, Robin sat next to him, stating that she plans to continue their conversation. He sighed and sat up straight.
"You started off as a swordsman didn't you? If you don't mind, I'm rather curious, who taught you swordsmanship?"
Zoro looked at her, contemplating about whether he should tell her or not, he shook those thoughts off and decided that it was safe to tell her.
"I would say that I taught myself, which is true, regarding the three swordstyle, but the one who truly taught me was a man who goes by the name Koushirou, and his daughter, Kuina. He helped me practice my three sword-style as well. He also gave me this sword, the wado ichimonji. It was meant to be inherited by Kuina but after her passing, he gave it to me, the strongest in the dojo, second to her. That's about it, I guess." Zoro yawned after explaining his little story.
Before Robin could reply or even comment, Luffy called for Zoro to grab his guitar.
Robin took a seat to watch their performance, quietly smiling at them, as a way of cheering them on silently.
[Intro]
Arittake no yume wo kaki atsume
Sagash ono sagashi ni yuku no sa
One Piece!
[Verse 1]
Ranshinban nante juutai no moto
Netsu ni ukasare kaji wo toru no sa
Hokori kabutteta takara no chizu mo
Tashikameta no nara densetsu ja nai
[Pre-Chorus]
Kojinteki na arashi wa dare ka no
Baiorizumu nokkatte
Omoi sugoseba ii
[Chorus]
Arittake no yume wo kaki atsume
Sagashi mono sagashi ni yuku no sa
Poketto no koin sore to
You wanna be my friend?
We are, we are on the cruise
We are
[Verse 2]
Zenbu ma ni ukete shinjichatte mo
Kata wo osarete ippo riido sa
Kondo aeta nara hanasu tsumori sa
Sore kara no koto to kore kara no koto
[Pre-Chorus]
Tsumari itsu mo pinchi wa dare ka ni
Apiiru dekiru ii chansu
Jishiki kajou ni
[Chorus]
Shimittareta yoru wo butto base
Takara bako ni youmi wa nai kedo
Poketto no roman sore to
You wanna be my friend?
We are, we are on the cruise
We are
Arittake no yume wo kaki atsume
Sagashi mono sagashi ni yuku no sa
Poketto no koin sore to
You wanna be my friend?
We are, we are on the cruise
We are
[Outro]
We are!
We are!
After the performance, they stopped recording and praised one another. "Good job, everyone!" Jinbei concluded, "you can all go to whatever you were doing, I will join you afterwards, my friends." He said, before he urgently left. He confused the strawhats but they paid no mind to it neither did Robin.
"Hey, everyone!" Luffy stepped up, back on to Jinbei's desk. "Let's hang out today! Let's all play!"
"I'm going home." Zoro said, after slipping through his friends and opening the door, Robin, Nami and Sanji behind him. "We're chilling at the dorms though?" Nami pointed out. "I wanna fetch my gear" Zoro replied, then left.
"I'm going home as well, it was fun hanging out with you all, but I've got something important to do." She followed Zoro outside.
"I'm going out to buy some drinks and snacks from the market down the streets. I'll be back." Nami said with Sanji fawning all over her.
"I'll protect Nami-chwan and carry the drinks and snacks for her!" He said so, with heart shaped eyes.
Luffy let them go and waited for Sanji and Nami with the rest of the strawhats. Shouting to Zoro and Robin a few goodbyes and take cares, oh, and don't get lost, Zoro.
❊
"It was fun today, wasn't it?" Robin attempted to start a conversation, to which he nodded, before going to the wrong direction.
"..Zoro? That's the way to school..."
"..." He sighed before walking back to Robin, deciding to follow her instead.
...which didn't work.
"How about you walk beside me, yes? Surely you wouldn't get lost and such..?" He knew that Robin was teasing him but nevertheless, he did.
It was an awkward walk, with nothing to give a damn about except for a few stray kittens running to their mother, or an old couple feeding pigeons on a bench, or a young newspaper boy heading back home.
Zoro didn't care about Robin being next to him, but the more they walked, the closer they got to each other, eventually caressing their hands by accident.
Robin didn't mind it, but Zoro was startled and attempted to distance himself from her, which in return, she held his hand.
It was sweaty, but it was also filled with scars from his hardwork. His hand was roughed up, while hers was soft and delicate. It was nice to hold hands with a woman, but Zoro did not admit it. Little by little, instead of pulling away, Zoro held her hand. She could feel his calloused fingertips, and she knew that he just loves his guitar.
The two did not say a thing during their walk, because if they did, they knew that it would turn awkward. Way too awkward. They were comfortable with the silence, and the warm orange tinge covering the skies.
