One Piece : Wild Hunt

After assuring Usopp he wasn't in 'too' much danger, Thomas found himself standing a few meters across from Lucy. The two had already decided to fight, so the stakes had changed somewhat. Now, whoever won would become the Captain of the Going Merry.
Though he had no desire to be Captain of the Straw Hats(or whatever they would be called under his command), Thomas intended to go all out against Lucy. He had grown tremendously since the embarrassing fiasco that was his encounter with Arlong, so he needed to know how he fared against the person who would have defeated him.
While winding her arm up in a cartoony manner, Lucy's expression was calm yet serious as she asked, "Are you ready, Tom...?"
Lowering himself in a wrestling stance, hazy blue energy began to rise from Thomas's body as he replied, "Let's do this..."
Nodding her head, Lucy suddenly flung back her fist several tens of meters, her body rearing backward as she shouted, "Gomu-gomu-no..."
Clenching his teeth, Thomas prepared to be hit instead of planning to dodge. He wanted to know how strong Lucy was, so he focused his Magical Energy around his face and chest as the obsidian-haired Pirate lurched forward, shouting, "Pistol...!" as her fist flew toward him like an actual bullet.
Lowering his head and bracing himself, Thomas greeted Lucy's fist with his forehead, standing firm despite his feet digging into the ground and creating deep channels as he was driven back nearly ten meters. He felt like someone had rung his brain like a gong, but he managed to retain his focus, rushing forward the moment Lucy retracted her bloodied hand and shouted, "Ah! It hurts...!"
As Magical Energy functioned similar to Haki, Lucy punching Thomas's reinforced forehead was like an ordinary person punching a plate of steel. Her hand and knuckles hadn't broken, a credit to her tremendous strength and durability, but it was the first time in a 'very' long time since Lucy felt pain while punching someone.
Suppressing his apprehensions, Thomas did his best to ignore the fact that Lucy was a woman, tackling her with his face pressed into her soft yet notably 'springy' breasts. When she was forced onto the ground, he immediately got her in a mounted position, knees squeezing into her ribs and feet tucked under her knees as he began pounding her crossed arms with his fists. It was a brutal sight to behold, at least for ordinary people, so Nami immediately shouted, "What do you think you're doing!? Get off of Lucy, you bastard...!"
Before Thomas could even think to comply, Lucy shouted, "No...!" before bucking her hips, knocking the former off balance. Then, despite having very little clearance for a solid punch, she buried her fists into Thomas's body with enough force to propel him several tens of meters into the air. She could lift well over a hundred tons when she wanted to, so launching Thomas's 123kg of muscle was a simple feat.
Flipping onto her feet, Lucy spat out a mouthful of blood before adopting a smile and asserting, "You're pretty strong...!" with sparkling eyes. Then, as Thomas began his descent, she squared her feet and drew her fists near her sides as if she was preparing to power up. Instead, she waited until Thomas was within range before throwing increasingly swift punches at his body, effectively halting his fall as she shouted, "Gomu-Gomu-no-Gatling...!"
("Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...!")
Though he curled up like a ball to try and resist Lucy's attack, Thomas felt excruciating pain in his arms and legs. Even with a veil of Magical Energy protecting his body, her blows felt like someone was smacking him with a sledgehammer. He had initially panicked when she sent him flying more than 30m into the air, as falling from such a height would have killed him back on Earth, but now he 'wanted' to hit the ground.
Fortunately, just as Thomas was thinking that Lucy wouldn't allow him to fall until he had been knocked unconscious, the attack ended after only a few seconds. Due to her limbs heating up and becoming sore, the current Lucy could only maintain her Gatling Gun for around ten seconds before she 'had' to stop. Just a few seconds longer, she would lose feeling in her limbs, temporarily making them useless...
Despite falling from a height that would have shattered his bones just a year ago, Thomas sustained no injuries as he hit the ground. In fact, he barely felt the impact at all, blinking in surprise as he raised himself from the ground and gave himself a quick once-over.
Interrupting Thomas's brief stupor, Lucy leaned her body forward as she kicked her left foot back, extending it nearly fifty meters as she shouted, "Gomu-gomu-no..."
Instead of waiting around and 'letting' himself be hit, Thomas charged forward like an Olympic sprinter off a starting line. Early Luffy/Lucy had a pretty major weakness that was fairly easy to exploit, so Thomas waited until Lucy began sweeping her legs like a harvesting scythe, leaping over it as she shouted, "...whip!"
Seeing Thomas jump over her attack, a slightly panicked look appeared on Lucy's face as it was nearly impossible for her to cancel her attacks once launched. It also took time for her to retract her limbs, so she was practically defenses as he landed on top of her, pinning her to the ground as he shouted, "Grit your teeth...!"
With force comparable to what he used to break Arlong's neck and spine, Thomas dropped his fist like a hammer into Lucy's unprotected face. He felt an ominous crunch as Lucy's face literally caved under his fist, but he didn't have time to regret his actions as the rubbery woman's fist abruptly connected with his cheek, the force contained within sending him flipping across the rocky terrain several times before his momentum was arrested by his face sliding across it.
"..."
Though he hadn't lost consciousness, Thomas was in so much pain that all he could do was tremble as blood pooled beneath his face. He felt like a motorcycle enthusiast that had just fallen off his bike without a helmet, the friction from his collision with the ground giving him the impression his face had been sanded down until it was a flat, bloody mess...
While Thomas was lying face-down on the ground, Luffy bounced to her feet, her features indistinguishable as the entire front of her face was still caved in. Then, like a literal cartoon character, she 'popped' it back out to reveal a bloodied, presumably broken nose as her only injury. At least that was how things appeared before she abruptly spat out a tooth, remarking, "That was a pretty solid punch."
Hearing Lucy's voice, Thomas reluctantly moved his hands into a push-up position before raising his body to reveal he wasn't nearly as injured as he suspected. There were some pretty nasty friction burns on his forehead and the tip of his nose, but he wasn't the gory mess he pictured within his mind.
Seeing Thomas rise to a knee, Lucy adopted a broad smile that showed off her missing incisor as she asked, "Can you keep going? I don't want to injure you too severely."
Though his pain made it impossible for him to focus, Thomas eventually forced himself to his feet, a grim expression on his face as he stated, "I want to continue until the end..."
Nodding her head in approval, Lucy replied, "Good answer!" before rearing back her right fist, this time adding a bit of twist to it as she exclaimed, "Then this is the last blow! Gomu-Gomu-no..."
Instead of standing in place, Lucy charged toward Thomas for the first time, her speed catching him off guard as she closed the 43m distance between in the blink of an eye, appending, "Rifle...!" as she planted her fist into his stomach with a frightening amount of force. Fortunately, the moment Lucy's fist made contact with his body, giving him the impression he was about to vomit up every single one of his internal organs, Thomas immediately lost consciousness...
...
..
.
Waking with a start, Thomas's hand instinctively gravitated toward his abdomen, confirming he didn't have a massive hole in place of his abs and intestines. As he did so, a familiar voice stated, "You sustained bruising to your internal organs, but Asclepius was able to treat you without incident, dechi."
Ignoring his unfamiliar surroundings, as he already had a pretty good idea where he was, Thomas looked to Benienma, a wry smile adorning his face as he muttered, "I lost..." in an ostensibly defeated tone.
Nodding her head, Benienma replied, "Lucy-taichou is very strong. Master should not feel bad about losing to her, dechi."
Exhaling a sigh through his nose, Thomas raised his head and passed his gaze over his cramped yet clean surroundings, asking, "Is this the interior of the Going Merry...?"
Offering a second nod, Benienma replied, "Indeed. More specifically, this is the Men's quarters. We moved you here shortly after Asclepius treated you, dechi."
Though he understood the implication of Benienma's words, Thomas's expression became notably melancholic as he asked, "Does this mean Drake already set sail with the Hind...?"
Offering an apologetic smile, Benienma replied, "Indeed...she felt it would make things easier for you if she departed succinctly, dechi. She did leave you a few gifts before departing, however."
Hopping to her feet, Benienma retrieved a bundle from the corner of the room, opening it to reveal Thomas's logbook, a binder filled with sheets of music, an ornate flintlock pistol, a neatly penned letter, a folded map, and two pairs of panties...
"..."
Ignoring the contrasting undergarments, Thomas picked up the letter and read its contents. He expected it to be a farewell letter, but it was a memo detailing Drake's immediate plans for the future. There was nothing even remotely resembling a farewell within the message. Instead, she included a post statement reminding him that he was their Master, so he shouldn't hesitate to call upon them if he required their assistance.
Though he felt slightly touched upon reading Drake's reminder, Thomas's smile cramped when he read the pink-haired Pirate's post-post statement revealing that the larger pair of panties belonged to her while the delicate, lace panties belonged to Beethoven. He already suspected that was the case, but her comment about hugging and sniffing them whenever he felt lonely completely ruined the sentiments contained within the letter...
Dealing critical damage to Thomas's already exasperated mind, Benienma inquired, "Would Master like a pair of Benienma's panties...?"
Closing his eyes, Thomas took a steadying breath before responding, "No, but thank you for your concern..." in a dull monotone. Then, after folding up the letter and tying up the bundle, he asked, "Where is everyone else? Have we already set sail...?"
Shaking her head, Benienma answered, "Everyone else is either on deck or getting settled into the Women's Quarters. We're currently moored near the island where Master and Lucy-taichou did battle, dechi."
"Right..."
As he didn't feel any aches or pains, Thomas rose from the couch he had been lying on, looking around for a set of stairs. Instead, the entrance to the room seemed to be a column beneath the main mast, requiring him to climb through a hatch to reach the deck. It was a peculiar layout, as the central hold was typically used as storage, not a living space, but Thomas didn't question it.
After climbing onto the deck, Thomas was immediately seized by the notion that the Going Merry was 'much' smaller than the Hind. Its main mast was only eleven meters from keel to tip, and its length was a mere thirteen. Despite this, Thomas couldn't help smiling as he gazed around at the 'familiar' setting, excitement comparable to when he first entered the world of One Piece swelling within his chest...
...
..
.
(A/N: Thomas gave it his all, but there is a reason Lucy has the status of a Main Character xD...)

Seeing Thomas and Benienma emerge from belowdecks, the nearby Zoro remarked, "Looks like that creepy doctor wasn't just talking out of his ass. I expected you to be out for at least a day or two."
Before Thomas could respond, Lucy, who had been seated atop the sheep-like figurehead at the front of the Going Merry, bounded over to say, "You're awake." with a broad smile on her face.
Nodding his head, Thomas returned a smile as he replied, "Yeah. Despite his appearance, Asclepius is probably the greatest doctor in the world. So long as their head and heart aren't destroyed, he can even resuscitate the recently deceased."
Blinking several times, Lucy asked, "Really? Maybe I should have pushed harder to get him to join us..."
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "I can't imagine him accepting. As far as I'm aware, there are no medical facilities aboard this ship. He also isn't very sociable, so he would be miserable sharing a room with several other people..."
"Ah..."
Looking around at the Going Merry, Lucy adopted a thoughtful expression as she revealed, "I was just thinking about that. With this many people on board, we'll probably need to upgrade the Merry in the future. That Drake woman offered to give us a Full-rigged Galleon, but..."
Directing her gaze to the quarterdeck, the location of a very disgruntled-looking Usopp, Lucy's usual smile turned slightly wry. Usopp had refused the moment Drake proposed giving them a ship. Lucy empathized with his desire to hold onto the Merry for as long as possible, but she also knew it would be impossible to become King of the Pirates on a Caravel designed to navigate gentle rivers, not fearsome seas...
Surprising Lucy and Zoro, Thomas confidently asserted, "The Going Merry is a fine ship. We'll eventually have to swap her out for a larger vessel, but I'm certain she'll hold up until we reach Water 7, the city where the former Pirate King's ship was constructed."
While Lucy's eyes practically lit up, Zoro preempted her fangirlish line of inquiries by asking, "Are you familiar with the Grand Line...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas answered, "Not just the Grand Line. I know all kinds of things about this world, including the identities of the Yonko, the Shichibukai, and several other important figures. Most importantly, I know about the existence of Haki, the energy that separates the truly powerful in this world from the rabble. Haki is what makes people like Gol D. Roger, the Four Emperors, and the Admirals of the Marines so powerful. Without it, we wouldn't even last a week in the 'New World,' the name given to the second half of the Grand Line."
Adopting a 'very' serious expression, Zoro asked, "Is that what made that woman, Musashi, so powerful...?"
Since Benienma was practically standing in his shadow, Thomas had little choice but to reveal the truth, admitting, "The Spirits I summoned with my Mana-Mana-no-Mi are an exception. However, Dracule Mihawk, the man currently regarded as the World's Strongest Swordsman, is a master of all three varieties of Haki. He is even the rival of one of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks, the man considered to have the most powerful Haki in the world."
Hearing Thomas mention the name of the man who inspired her to become a Pirate, Lucy's eyes widened to their fullest as she asked, "Is Shanks really powerful...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas revealed, "Except for Mihawk and his fellow Emperors, there isn't a person in this world that can compete with Shanks in terms of strength and mastery of Haki. You saw Musashi's sky-splitting attack, right? Shanks can perform similar feats when he clashes with his fellow Emperors."
Sensing no falsehoods in Thomas's words, Lucy removed the straw hat from her head, staring at it with a thoughtful expression as she remarked, "I never realized Shanks was such a big deal..."
Though the look on Lucy's face gave Thomas a sense of foreboding, he promptly suppressed it. Even if Lucy viewed Shanks as 'more' than just a mentor, it didn't really matter. Lucy was pretty cute, but Thomas couldn't imagine the bubbly Pirate as a potential love interest...it just felt wrong...
Getting straight to the heart of the matter, Zoro asked, "Do you know how to train this Haki? You wouldn't speak about it like this if you didn't have at least some clue about how to develop it."
As he never imagined he would be teaching 'the' Roranora Zoro, Thomas couldn't help grinning as he crossed his arms and replied, "You're right. Not only do I know the method to awaken Haki, but I also know how to advance and refine it to the peak. However, each person has a different affinity with Haki, and only a select few can awaken the most powerful variant, the 'Color of the Supreme King,' also known as Conqueror's Haki. Without that, becoming the Pirate King or the Strongest Swordsman in the World are impossible dreams."
Preempting Zoro's next question, Thomas's smile broadened as he said, "Since we're friends or, at the very least, allies, I don't mind revealing the method to awaken Haki. I decided to accompany you because I thought we could grow stronger together. Keeping secrets to try and preserve an advantage wouldn't be very sporting of me."
Though he initially thought Thomas and his 'Servants' would be a pain to deal with, Zoro adopted a smile of his own as he said, "If you're not just talking out of your ass, I wouldn't mind calling you my friend. Just try not to get upset once I defeat that Musashi woman."
Shaking his head, Thomas surprised Zoro by stating, "I would honestly be relieved. Musashi's swordsmanship has reached a point where she has no real opponents. If you can reach her level and pose a legitimate challenge to her, I'm sure she would be grateful."
Adopting a serious expression, Zoro firmly asserted, "I won't stop training until I surpass her, Mihawk, and every other swordsman in this world. You have my word..."
Nodding his head in approval, Thomas left Zoro feeling at a loss for words as he responded with a sincere, "I believe you," before adopting a smile as he mused, "After all, you're the First Mate of the future Pirate King. If you weren't one of the strongest people in the world, you'd be a liability..."
As Zoro's expression became markedly more severe, Usopp walked over, inserting himself into the conversation by asking, "Hey guys, what are you talking about with such serious expressions on your faces?"
Before Thomas could respond, Lucy answered, "Tom was telling us about something called Haki and how it's required to be one of the strongest in the world. You should listen in, Usopp."
Shifting his attention to Thomas and Benienma, Usopp's had a skeptical look on his face as he asked, "What's this Haki? And why should we trust you? Magicians are known for their cunning and deception..."
Though he was still reeling due to how 'distinctive' Usopp looked with his long nose, perfectly rounded eyes, and thick lips, Thomas replied, "I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm sharing information and letting the results speak for themselves. Besides, didn't I already warn you about Beni? So long as she's around, I don't have a choice but to be truthful..."
Directing his gaze to Benienma, Usopp's expression became even more distrustful as he asked, "But how do we know you were telling the truth when you warned us? It could be a ploy to try and trick us into disclosing the truth while you lie to our faces."
"That's easy to prove," replied Thomas before turning his attention to Benienma and stating, "Beni, I'm going to ask these people to tell you a combination of truths and lies. It will be your job to distinguish between them, preferably 'without' cutting off their tongues..."
Nodding her head, Benienma responded with a curt, "Understood, dechi," before staring intently at Lucy, Zoro, and Usopp. The latter gulped when her eyes fixated on him, but he managed to stand his ground despite his visibly trembling legs.
Comparably undaunted, Lucy raised her hand and exclaimed, "I'll go first~!" in a spirited tone. Then, without hesitation, she stated, "I love vegetables, my dream is to be King of the Pirates, and...umm...uhh..."
As she wasn't good at telling lies, Lucy promptly fell into a contemplative silence, seriously considering what she was going to say. When she failed to come up with something even after thirty seconds, Zoro adopted a wry smile and said, "Let me have a crack at it..."
"No!" responded Lucy, her expression morphing into a frown. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she was determined to come up with a good lie that would trick Benienma.
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Zoro crossed his arms and decided to wait for Lucy to complete her turn. Unfortunately, she couldn't come up with a lie even after several minutes had passed, so their game was interrupted by the appearance of Caenis, Astolfo, Atalanta, and Nami, emerging from the Going Merry's interior.
Before Nami could ask why Lucy had shouted, Caenis and Astolfo perked up, the latter exclaiming, "You're awake~!" before rushing over to Thomas and hugging him until he began to appear uncomfortable. While that was happening, Caenis walked over, crossed her arms, and adopted a teasing smile as she remarked, "You got your ass handed to you."
Though he expected such a response, Thomas couldn't help smiling wryly as he, "I did my best..."
Nodding in affirmation, Caenis replied, "Yeah, I know. But if that were a 'real' fight, doing your best would have gotten you killed. If you don't want me 'babysitting' you all the time, we're going to need to up your training in the future."
Suppressing a tired sigh, Thomas responded with a half-hearted, "I'll do my best..." He appreciated Caenis's desire to help him grow stronger, but the harshness of her words left him feeling more defeated than when he lost to Lucy...
Once Atalanta and Nami had walked over to join them, the latter asked, "What was that commotion earlier? I heard Lucy shouting..."
Since Lucy was still thinking of a lie, Zoro replied, "Usopp doesn't believe we can trust Thomas, so we were testing his claim about Benienma being able to tell when someone was lying. Lucy volunteered to go first..."
"Ah..."
Understanding what the problem was, Nami walked over and whispered something into Lucy's ear, causing the obsidian-haired girl's eyes to light up before shouting, "The sky is purple...!"
Though everyone knew Lucy's words were a lie, Benienma had a serious expression as she asserted, "That's a lie, dechi."
As if she was genuinely surprised by Benienma's response, Lucy reacted with a shocked expression, exclaiming, "Whoa! She really 'can' tell when people are lying...!"
Demonstrating a similar lack of awareness, Benienma puffed out her non-existent chest with pride, the feathers of her apron puffing noticeably as she replied, "Of course, dechi...!"
While everyone else adopted wry smiles or slightly exasperated looks, Usopp maintained a serious expression as he stated, "It's my turn. Let's see if your ability can see through me, the Great Captain Usopp...!"
Before Usopp could proceed any further, Benienma narrowed her eyes and asserted, "You're lying."
"..."
Recovering from his brief stupor, Usopp's left brow visibly twitched as he said, "I haven't even started yet..."
Shaking her head, Benienma clarified, "The statement about you being a Great Captain was a lie, dechi."
"..."
Too taken aback by Benienma's words, Usopp lost the courage to speak further. Instead, Thomas seized the initiative to assert, "You may not be great right now, but you'll eventually become one of the most renowned people in the entire world. Certain groups will even refer to you as 'God Usopp,' the Great Warrior of the Sea."
Blinking in surprise, Usopp met Thomas's gaze, pointing to himself as he asked, "You're talking about me...?"
As he was planning to reveal a number of things during his journey with the Straw Hats, Thomas responded with a curt nod, stating, "Every action we make changes it somewhat, but I can accurately predict the futures of certain individuals. If their fate is especially powerful, I may even possess knowledge of their past..."
Directing his gaze to Zoro, Thomas took a gamble by adding, "So long as you never lose sight of your goal, you will be able to make good on your promise with Kuina..."
Hearing Thomas casually name-drop Kuina, Zoro's eyes became as round as saucers. He hadn't even informed Lucy about the 'reason' he wanted to become the World's Strongest Swordsman, so he never expected, not in a million years, for Thomas to expose him...
...
..
.
(A/N: Lucy is too pure for this world xD...)

Though the crimson didn't fade from Caenis's eyes, she stood at attention with the pommel of her spear embedded in the ground. At the same time, Drake pointed her flintlock pistols toward the sky, the cannons behind her fading as the weather and seas began to calm.
As two of Thomas's Command Spells faded from his hand, accompanied by a burning sensation, an uncharacteristically fierce glower developed across his face as he exclaimed, "We're supposed to be allies, not fighting one another!"
Gripping her spear tight enough that her fingers were nearly white, Caenis barked, "That bitch isn't our ally! All she cares about is herself and doing as she pleases! You can't let her fool you...!"
Instead of refuting Caenis's words, Drake retorted, "What are you talking about, you foam-brained bimbo? I'm not trying to fool anyone, and this arrangement is for our Master's good! How do you expect him to achieve his dream of standing at the pinnacle if you keep babying him all the time? He'll never reach his full potential if we continuously remove every fucking obstacle in his path!"
Hearing Drake's words, conflicted looks appeared on the faces of Astolfo, Atalanta, and Benienma. Caenis wasn't even remotely convinced, but the crimson glow in her eyes wavered when Thomas abruptly stood in front of her, pleading, "Please, calm down..." in a soft, placating tone.
Looking up to meet Thomas's pained expression, a hint of blue returned to Caenis's eyes as she said, "But she's deceiving you...she wants to take away the Hind and do whatever she pleases..."
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "The Hind has always belonged to her. And even if she 'does' leave, that's fine..."
Realizing that Drake might be trying to ostracize herself rather than him, Thomas placed his hands on Caenis's shoulders before giving the pink-haired Pirate a profound look as he added, "Even if people part ways, they can still support one another..."
Returning his attention to Caenis, Thomas's expression softened as he said, "Besides, there is some truth to her words. My power has increased tremendously over the past year, but it feels like I've been trapped in one place. Even if it's only for a short while, I want to try spreading my wings and experiencing the adventure that has captivated me these past twenty years..."
As her eyes alternated between red and blue, Caenis asked the question at the forefront of her mind, specifically, "Can I come with you...?"
Feeling a fluttery sensation in his chest, Thomas couldn't help smiling as he replied, "Of course. If Drake and I have decided to do our own thing, it makes sense that everyone else would be given a similar choice..."
Exhaling a faint, audibly relieved sigh, the crimson glow faded from Caenis's eyes, her animalistic ears perking up as she adopted a snide smile and remarked, "Then that settles it. I mean, you would pretty much be helpless without me around. After all, I'm the only one qualified to be your sparring partner. You also need to help replenish my Mana if it starts to run low, so, yeah...I'm coming with you..."
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Caenis broke from Thomas's grip on her shoulders before glaring at Drake as she asked, "You got a problem with that, 'Captain'...?"
Shaking her head, Drake maintained her usual calm and confident smile as she replied, "I firmly believe people should walk the path they choose. If you want to keep dragging our Master down, feel free. Who knows, the additional 'weight' might prove useful?"
Directing her gaze to the remaining members of the Wild Hunt, Drake asked, "What about you guys? I imagine Musashi will want to roam the world in search of powerful opponents?"
While Musashi adopted a wry smile, Benienma unhesitantly replied, "I am Master's Kosho, dechi. Even if I must remain in his shadow and become a kagemusha, Benienma will remain at Master's side, dechi...!"
Following Benienma's dutiful response, Astolfo was uncharacteristically reserved as she met Thomas's gaze and said, "I would also like to stay at your side. However, if it's true that we're holding you back...I might just fly around helping people...?"
Deciding to lend Astolfo a hand, Drake pointed out, "You would need him to recharge your Mana if you're going to fly around saving people on your Hippogriff. Besides, this is supposed to be us deciding what we 'want' to do. Forcing yourself to do something else because you're afraid of getting in the way is senseless. Isn't that right, Master~?"
Though his smile was wry, Thomas was sincere as he stated, "I would be happy to have you accompany me..."
Regaining her usual vigor, Astolfo smiled before darting over like a pink phantom, nearly knocking Thomas off his feet as she squeezed his body and replied, "Thank you, thank you, thank you~!"
Feeling the inordinate softness of Astolfo's body, Thomas floundered a bit as he freed himself from the petite pinkette's clutches, saying, "It's not a big deal..." with a flustered look on his face. His reaction earned him a sly smile from Astolfo, who, after a moment of hesitation, grabbed Thomas's arm and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"..."
Amused by the look on Thomas's face, Astolfo was tempted to tease him but ultimately decided against it. The atmosphere was still pretty tense, and the Straw Hats had been watching them with a mixture of confusion, intrigue, and fear on their faces. As tempting as it was, she didn't want to steal the spotlight and complicate things further.
As Astolfo gave Thomas a bit of space, Chiron felt compelled to offer his response, smiling apologetically as he stated, "I will accompany Drake. I have already taught you the fundamentals of Reinforcement, Alternation, and Projection Magecraft. Whether or not you master them will depend on your effort."
Though Caenis clicked her tongue, muttering, "Traitor..." Thomas returned a smile, stating, "That's probably for the best. Drake will need someone to act as her moral compass and train her future crew members. I'll trust you to keep things from getting out of hand..."
Placing his hand over his heart, Chiron gave a slight bow as he said, "You have my word." before raising his head and adding, "You have tremendous potential and a kind heart, Thomas. Follow the voice within, and it will never lead you astray..."
Nodding in affirmation, Thomas replied, "I'll keep that in mind..." before shifting his gaze to Musashi. In response, she exhaled a faint sigh through her nose, stating, "I would like to travel this world and measure myself against the strongest it has to offer. Also, the Pirate lifestyle doesn't suit me, so I'll most likely travel to Wano or join the Marines. I figure we would benefit from having someone on the inside, so I might give becoming an Admiral a go. If I can manipulate everyone's Bounties, that would put us in a pretty good position."
Blinking in surprise, Thomas parroted, "You want to become an Admiral?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Musashi replied, "I honestly don't care. My only purpose in life is to refine my 'zero sword' to the highest possible level. I'm just thinking about how I can help everyone else achieve their goals. We don't have anyone in the Marines, so I figure I can secure one of the top spots, collect information, inflate everyone's Bounties, and then stab them in the back once everything comes to a head."
Though he had no idea how Musashi would fare in the Marines, Thomas knew she could take care of herself. He would miss their chats, but if she could become an Admiral, it would benefit them tremendously. After all, this was a world where Luffy was a woman&mdash;having someone in the upper echelons of the Marines could give them access to important information about the world's structure, major events, and important characters that could drastically impact their plans moving forward.
Nodding his head in approval, Thomas said, "If it's you, I'm sure you could become an Admiral in no time. Just don't do anything to compromise your morals or integrity. If the World Government or the inbred Nobles backing them attempt to force you into something..."
Rolling her eyes, Musashi mused, "If that happens, the world will have a lot fewer Nobles. I would also receive a pretty hefty Bounty, so everyone wins. Easy peasy."
Inserting herself back into the conversation, Drake mused, "Then I guess that settles it. Our resident kitten will doubtlessly accompany you, so that leaves me with a centaur, a mad doctor, and a deaf/mute musician. Things are starting to get exciting."
Furrowing his brows, Thomas was about to 'insist' that Beethoven would accompany him, but Drake saw through him, asking, "Do you really think that girl would want to abandon the modern conveniences of the Hind...?"
"..."
Taking advantage of Thomas's silence, Drake asserted, "She'll be much safer and more content with us. And besides, you haven't even secured your 'own' position among the Straw Hats. At this rate, I may have to lend you a ship to start your own journey..."
With Drake suddenly looking toward her, Lucy perked up and replied, "I don't mind. You all seem like pretty interesting people, so it would be fun to travel together for a while. I just don't know about letting you become permanent members of my crew."
Electing to offer her input, Nami added, "Yeah. And what's the deal with you all referring to Tom as your Master? Is he like some kind of Noble or something...?"
With everyone looking at him, Thomas's body briefly tensed before he adopted a wry smile and replied, "It's complicated. I'm not a Noble or anything, but I do have a Master-Servant relationship with everyone in the Wild Hunt. The simplest explanation I can provide is this..."
Holding up his hand, Thomas began to condense Magical Energy around his fist as he explained, "I ate a Devil Fruit known as the Mana-Mana-no-Mi. It provides me with innumerable abilities, but the one most pertinent to this situation is something akin to summoning magic. It might be hard to believe, but everyone here is a Spirit I manifested with my power..."
While Nami, Zoro, Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaku had looks of disbelief on their faces, Lucy's eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "So you're like a Wizard or something!? That's so cool...!"
Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "The technical term is 'Magus.' However, I'm more of a punchy-kicky kind of Magus than one who weaves complex magical spells. I can create barriers and fire blasts of Magical Energy, but I prefer to enhance my physical parameters and fight with my fists. It's a lot cooler..."
Punctuating his words, Thomas unleashed the gathered Magical Energy in his hand, destroying a small boulder a few dozen meters away. It was an incredibly inefficient way of utilizing his Magical Energy, but being able to unleash energy beams was every Otaku's fantasy. He had even created a version of the Kamehameha, but it was horrendously unstable and burned the shit out of his palms...at least for now.
Inserting himself into the conversation, Usopp's teeth clattered as he asked, "D-D-Does that mean everyone in the Wild Hunt is a g-g-g-g-g-ghost!?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "No, though Benienma is technically a Demon from Hell. It would be best if you didn't tell lies around her. If you do so with malicious intent, she'll cut off your tongue..."
As the Straw Hats shifted their gazes to her, Benienma surprised them by speaking from the beak on her forehead, stating, "It's not good to tell lies, dechi..."
...
..
.
(A/N: Who could have imagined the people who spent the last year at Thomas's side might want to accompany him on his journey...?)

Chapter 30: Determination