Growing Heart

Ch 23 - A Lowered Guard

"Y-You..You can have this," Buckler murmured with his eyes downcast and directed towards his feet.

There was a long, painfully drawn out silence and then suddenly, there was a distinct sound of teeth nibbling into hard, chocolate. "Booooo!" the sheep sighed with content as he situated himself on Buckler's forearm while he finished off his snack.

"Thanks, Buck! I owe you one," Sid said with a grin.

"I-It's nothing," the herbalist said while still avoiding eye contact but that was more than enough for Sid.

"Amazing...She got Buckler to speak to her. It took me months!" Clione whispered to Law.

Same...Law thought but kept that to himself. He raised a hand to regain everyone's attention. "Alright. Now that everything is out of the way, you two ready to fight?"

"Sorry if I hurt you, Sid," Bepo said out as he kicked out a leg, bent it when his foot touched the floor, and stretched out one arm while the other bent with his palm at the side of his head, "Ready, Captain!"

"Likewise," Sid replied. Sid moved her legs so that she stood with knees bent and at about shoulder width. She kept her hands in front of her chest with her palms out. "Ready."

"FIGHT!" Law called.

Bepo was the first to attack. His fist coming straight for Sid's jaw in a blur of white. The Shandian warrior was quick to avert it and managed to strike at the same time, which the bear blocked with his other arm.

She can keep up with Bepo...Did the vaccinations not affect her at all?!

As the fight continued and Law looked on for signs of her illness, something else caught his eye that made him temporarily forget the purpose of him observing in the first place. It wasn't just that Sid was able to avoid the Mink's punches and kicks. It was how she was doing it that piqued Law's interest.

"Stop!" he found himself yelling out.

Bepo and Sid both froze at the same time, giving Law the perfect freeze frame of what he had spotted. Bepo's arm was extended out, with a punch intended for Sid's nose, but the Shandian was no longer in front of him. Instead, she was to the side of his arm, with one hand ready to push it away and the other balled into a fist that was aimed for his gut.

Defense and offense simultaneously...

"Interesting...," Law voiced our loud, "Bepo...Mind if I tag you out?"

Both fighters relaxed their stance and gaped at the captain.

"C-Captain?" Bepo asked.

"You want to fight me now?" Sid asked.

"Correction," Law said as he pulled off his hoodie and tossed it to the side amongst cheers from his crew, "I want you to fight me."

"What's the difference?" Sid asked as Law took Bepo's place and he raised a fist.

"You've been careful whole time with Bepo...I'd like to see more effort," Law said.

"Are you saying I held back with Bepo?" Sid asked.

"I'm saying you were toying with him," Law said, "So...If you want a more serious opponent...Here I am."

"I won't go easy on you," Sid smirked.

"I'm counting on it," Law replied as they started to circle each other.

Law jabbed with his right and immediately felt a slap to the back of his hand that veered his punch off course. His left hand shot down and grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her own punch from connecting to his solar plexus. Without missing a beat, Sid crouched down and swept her leg out. Law jumped back to avoid getting knocked down, releasing her fist in the process.