The Blind Brawler [ Roronoa Zoro X OC]

Chapter 99: Round #2 - Groggy Ball

Kaori

~*^<:>^*~

I listened from the sidelines of the Groggy Ball field as Zoro and Sanji continued to bicker pointlessly. Everyone was getting tired of listening to them. Usopp finally snapped at them both, "You're wasting time! Start the match!"

There was a brief pause as they both started to get into position for the game, only for me to hear Sanji shout back at Zoro, "You suck."

"No, you suck," The swordsman bit back.

"No, you suck!" The chef yelled again, as if getting louder would make it more true.

The referee called out suddenly, "Hey, hold it! No weapons on the field, pal! You gotta lose the swords!"

That seemed to finally break the stalemate between the two men as Zoro grunted in surprise, "Huh? Those the rules?"

"Yep! 'Cause this is a ball game!" Itomizu confirmed, "Can't have you slicing each other up now, can we?"

Zoro sneered, "Fine. My fists are all I need."

I smirked proudly at that and murmured under my breath, "That's my swordsman."

The referee held his hands out to take the blades. Zoro paused for a beat before he passed the referee and walked straight towards me. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I sensed him unhook his swords, sheathes and all, from his haramaki. As he got closer, he spoke firmly, "Kaori, you mind holding these for me? I don't trust that ref."

I frowned slightly, feeling a bit uneasy, "You sure?"

He nodded as he held them out to me, "Positive."

I hesitated a moment before I held out my hands, and he laid the scabbards in my arms. Immediately, I felt a dangerous energy humming in my grip as one of the sheathes felt off balance. I quickly adjusted my hold on the blades so that I was hugging them across my chest.

Zoro headed back onto the field. Despite not having his swords, he was still eager and confident. I sensed him sneer as he popped his knuckles, "Alright, let's do this."

Sanji spoke up, his tone cool and mocking, "You sure you're gonna be okay out there? A swordsman without his swords is just, well..."

I could feel the anger rolling off my boyfriend as he snapped at the chef, as if daring him to continue, "What?"

"A normal guy," He snidely responded, "Only lamer."

Zoro immediately lunged at Sanji, and their bickering escalated into a full-blown fight in the middle of the field. I was infuriated by their immature behaviour during such a high-stakes situation. My grip on the kanatas grew tighter as I yelled, "Can you two cut this shit out?!"

Usopp seemed equally as angry as he roared, "That wasn't even a good burn! Get over it!"

As the two men finally stopped long enough to get into position, Itomizu called out mockingly, "It certainly took long enough, but it looks like the Strawhat's Ball Man is finally making his way to the opponent's circle!"

"Hey, cook! I hope you get trampled out there," Zoro called out.

"Up yours," Sanji said, almost sounding bored with the back and forth, but unwilling to let him have the last word.

The Foxy pirates all began cheering and yelling excitedly. Itomizu whooped, "The crowd is hungry for action today!"

I heard the sneer in Pickles' voice as he called up to his teammate, "Big Pan, are you ready to make some grown men cry?"