True Blue (Toriko Insert X OC)

Chapter Eighteen ~ The Desert Labyrinth

~Ao~

Only a few steps in and Toriko was already complaining about the heat, i was already used to it though anyway Komatsu disappeared and quicksand appeared scaring off the camels, guess we're going on foot from now on, a sinkhole appeared bellow us but we jumped out of it, then the familiar mirage of the Desert Labyrinth greeted us.

Komatsu must of gotten swept up in it "Zebra can you find him?"Toriko asked "Of course, it grates my nerves a bit so i need you to keep those guys busy"Zebra said as a bunch of monsters showed up "Okay so it's finally my time to shine"Toriko said.

Sure i'll let him hog the spotlight, he can handle those beast, anyway Zebra used echolocation to find Komatsu, this grated my nerves a bit too that Komatsu is possibly the worst pick Toriko could of made for himself, the little man can't even defend himself from freaking quicksand.

Komatsu is totally useless out in the field but i can tell he's a great cook, anyway i noticed Zebra was straining his ability to keep track of the troublesome kid who was drifting farther and father away "Isn't there anything you can do? Can't you use sound or something to help him? Ao any ideas?"Toriko asked.

"To be perfectly honest, even though i went through this training before my skills aren't any help in this situation, i could slice up the sand but i can't tell where Komatsu is so i could end up slicing him too, and anyway the sand would fill up any wholes i cut up, like water rushing to close a gap"i said.

"It up to me then, i'll shoot a Howl Bullet to chase away the beast but right now, the kid's drifting at a crazy speed if it keeps up he'll go outside the range of my map and i'll have no way to know where he is"Zebra said.

"Let's follow him Zebra, Ao"Toriko said "Komatsu's always prepared for death but he's my partner! I want to save him no matter what"he added, Zebra smirked "Some partner, he got swallowed up by some quicksand and you need to save him, meaning he can't save himself pathetic"Zebra said shaking his head.

"Then you wouldn't do the same for Ao?"Toriko asked, i stayed quiet wanting to see how Zebra would reply "Of course i would, it's not that she wouldn't be able to save herself from that situation, it's just i'd do anything to help her"he said, i smiled and hugged him "Aww you're such a sweetie pie Zebra"i said and kissed him.

Zebra chuckled a bit "Let's get going, your helpless partner needs you"he said and with that we headed through the labyrinth, even though i knew the way out i let Zebra take the lead since he's the one tracking Komatsu, after a while Toriko had started panting.

"What's wrong tired?"Zebra asked, even though i could tell he was getting tired too, he was straining his ability locating Komatsu and all this walking has tired him out too, he put on the though guy act for Toriko but i could tell, he was exhausted even more so then Toriko.

Anyway then we were attacked by a Sandflower Fish, this time i took care of it slicing it cleanly in half as it came to attack "You two aren't used to this like me, you need to save your energy so leave the fighting to me"I said cutting into the fish and making a huge pile of shashimi out of it "Okay all done"i smiled serving the pile.

Zebra smirked a bit "Nice work by the way"he said, i smiled "Thanks"with that we ate the fish meat that gave the boys back the energy they had lost and to me it was just a yummy fish dish, after that we kept going "You doing okay Zebra?"Toriko asked "Huh? With what?"Zebra asked "Have you adapted to this desert?"Toriko asked.

Zebra huffed "Adapt? Don't be stupid, i'm not gonna adapt this cocky desert just has to adapt to me"he said, i giggled a bit that's just what he would say even though he's adapted to the heat perfectly, anyway just then we finally found the Gourmet Pyramid, i spotted a huge white lump on the sunny side of the pyramid, Shiro so this is where he flew off to and just as i thought he's sunbathing.

"Is that Shiro?"Toriko asked spotting the White Dragon, i nodded "Isn't too hot for him to be sunbathing like that?!"he asked in shock "Nope, this heat is actually just perfect for him, those white scales of his reflect hear but this heat is just hot enough to warm him up"i said "He's like a newt laying around on a rock"Zebra said, i giggled a bit "Yeah"i nodded.

"Anyway that's the Gourmet Pyramid?"Toriko asked looking at the giant building infront of us, i nodded "It's kinda funny though it's called a Pyramid even though it's shaped like a hexagonal cone"i said crossing my arms "Why is it called a Pyramid in the first place then?"Toriko asked confused.

"How the heck should i know?"i asked shrugging, Zebra chuckled a bit "We should hurry up, Komatsu is already inside"he said "Right"i nodded and followed him as we made it down the slope and to the base of the pyramid, ah sorry hexagonal cone.