True Blue (Toriko Insert X OC)

Chapter Thirty One ~ Cooking Fest Start!!!

(A/N: From here on i'll be going by the manga)

~Ao~

It's been a few weeks but the Cooking Festival has finally started, i decided not to take part, though i like competition i really don't care about rankings, anyway currently i was enjoying a limo ride with Zebra, normally i would of taken Shiro but he had disappeared after the Four Beast was defeated, i'm guessing he flew to the Gourmet World for some training of his own.

Shiro couldn't really get a challenge in the Human World from anything so for him to go there made sense anyway, "You know Zebra i've been thinking"I said while in the car, he hummed in response munching on the food the gourmet limousine was providing, i blushed a bit "Well there's really no hurry to i mean we can get married first but"i was cut off "Get to the point"Zebra said.

"Well i want kids"i said, Zebra took a sip take and coughed chocking on some food "Ah Zebra!"i said and patted his back making him swallow the food "What's with you? You can't just spring that on a man!"he yelled "Sorry, i've just been mulling over it for a while, though like i said it doesn't have to be today or even next year, just someday"i said.

Zebra grunted a bit leaning back seemingly thinking about it "I guess someday kids wouldn't be so bad"he eventually said, i smiled and hugged him "You're too sweet"i said and kissed his cheek, he huffed turning away, we soon arrived at the Cooking Island where the cooking festival is held every four years.

Stepping out of the car Zebra yelled at people scarring them, i giggled a bit everyone treating them like heroes when really they were just doing their job as Gourmet Hunters, regardless i was kinda glad no one was recognizing me, i don't really like the spot light, even Komatsu was recognized but not all was fun and games here, it was certain the Gourmet Corp would attack, that's the main reason i decided not to enter as a cook, this time i'm here as a guard.

"Ao-san you're not participating?"Komatsu asked, i nodded "I don't really care about the ranking, though if i had to say i would be ranked third but some tengu stole it from me during the fest, still my skills are third best in the world regardless of ranking"i said "I see"Komatsu said a little nervously.

"Better get going Komatsu, don't wanna be late"Toriko said waving him off as we went to take our seats in the stadium thankfully they had food service so it was a little easier to keep Zebra from picking a fight, the food was delicious too anyway the cooking fest kicked off and the 100 participants entered the stadium, the first to enter was the current ranked 1st chef cooking king Zaus.

Watching the contestants i kinda wished i was a part of them, i just like competition oh well, maybe next time, this GOD stuff probably has boiled down by then, hopefully well anyway after a bit aunty Setsu walked in "Setsu!!! Good luck!!!"i called cheering with the others, then Komatsu stepped in, i didn't cheer for him.

With all 100 contestants having arrived the festival got started with their first contest, a triathlon, though it was called that the deciding factor would still be cooking, this 50th festival seemed like a fun one already, man i wanted to compete too, still aside from the Gourmet Corp attack that was bound to happen at some point i just had a feeling something even worse was lurking in the shadows.

Watching the screen Komatsu was having trouble just swimming, can he even swim? anyway Zebra helped him out a bit but Komatsu wanted to fight with his own power so that whole thing was kind of pointless, though personally i was more focused on aunty Setsu i knew she could probably with Zaus will definitely give her a run for her money but i believed she could win, although that person has yet to show up.

The camera panned over to one of the hotels in the arena, on it was standing the man rather tengu that stole my third rank Brunch, "Shut Yer faces!!! I'll beat the shit out of you bastards!!!"he yelled, i sweatdropped a bit, just from that i could tell he had an edge that reminded me of Zebra.

Brunch jumped down over to us and turned to Zebra "So you're Zebra? Yer just the guy old man Dharma said ya were, the hunter tha wouldn't form a combo even if it killed 'im"the tengu said "Not true"i said and Brunch turned to me.

"The reason he won't form a combo is cause he already has one with me"i said, "Who're you anyway way?"he asked "I'm Ao, i actually used to be rank third, you got lucky cause i felt like not coming the last time, this time i have something else but next year it's on!"i said glaring at him, Brunch huffed in the same way Zebra does when he's amused "Then i'll show you this year that Zebra made a mistake forming a combo with you"he said before running off.

I huffed a bit sitting down, Zebra laughed a bit and smirked "That guy has gotten damn cocky"he said and pulled me closer "There's no way forming a combo with you was a mistake"he said, i smiled a bit and continued watching the monitors following the competition, Brunch had caught up to Komatsu in a matter of seconds.

And together those two gathered rest of the ingredients, as i watched Brunch chat with Komatsu i had to admit unlike Komatsu and i, Brunch and i could get along mainly cause Brunch had an attitude similar to Zebra and i got along with that type much better then Komatsu's naive kid like personality, though i still respect both as fellow chefs.

Anyway i smirked a bit as Brunch broke the path behind him, yeah we could totally get along, maybe i can convince Zebra to take on two combo partners, it's really uncommon but i feel like with Zebra, Brunch and myself it could work, well we'll just have to wait and see.