One Piece : Wild Hunt

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...)

While Nami, Zoro, and Usopp seemed interested in what Thomas had to say, Lucy's expression immediately formed into a frown. Adventures were supposed to be things you experienced directly, not something you knew about in advance, so, before Thomas could continue, she shouted, "Stop it!"
With everyone directing their attention to her, Lucy adopted a serious expression as she said, "The past is one thing, but I don't want to know about the future! If I know how things will end from the very beginning, what's the point in going on a journey!?"
As he had been hoping Lucy would interrupt him, Thomas maintained a smile as he replied, "As I said a few seconds ago, every action we take changes the future. Nothing is set in stone. But don't worry. I just wanted to mention this now, so you guys don't become suspicious when I share random tidbits of knowledge about various people and places. I have no intention of 'spoiling' anything."
Losing her edge, Lucy replied, "Oh, that's okay then," before regaining her smile and adding, "Still, you shouldn't expose things about a person's past without their permission. It should be up to them to decide if they want to share. That's how people express their trust in others."
Nodding in approval, Thomas replied, "You're right..." before shifting his attention to Zoro and adding, "Sorry if I said something I shouldn't have. In exchange, I'll help you find some decent swords in the future."
Shrugging his shoulders, Zoro replied, "It's no big deal. I was just a little surprised, that's all. If you insist on apologizing, hurry up and tell me how to awaken this mysterious energy known as Haki. I want to start training it as soon as possible."
"Sure, no problem," replied Thomas. However, before he could begin his explanation, Nami interjected, saying, "Wait a minute. I need to speak with Thomas in private. It won't take long."
Though Zoro and Caenis exhibited mild annoyance, neither said anything as Nami practically dragged Thomas into the interior of the Going Merry. More specifically, she brought him into a section of the ship that served as the galley, meeting room, and helm.
Seeing the internal steering column, Thomas took a moment to stare at the tiny circular port behind him, asking, "How the hell are you meant to steer the ship from inside? Don't you need to be able to see where you're going...?"
Waving her hand dismissively, Nami said, "That isn't important right now." Then, with a serious expression, she added, "I was speaking with Astolfo earlier, and she seemed to be aware of who I was, even though it was our first time speaking in private. When I pointed it out, both she and Caenis began acting suspiciously..."
Though he knew Astolfo was terrible at keeping secrets, Thomas didn't believe she would blather so soon after meeting Nami and the rest of the Straw Hats. He also knew Nami could be fairly manipulative, but instead of calling her out on it, he replied, "I imagine so. After all, It's not exactly a coincidence our paths crossed at the Baratie."
Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Nami asked, "And what about Arlong...?"
As he had initially planned to deal with Arlong much later, Thomas wasn't lying as he replied, "That was kind of a spur of the moment thing. Shortly after we entered the East Blue, Musashi suggested eliminating him. I was eager to test the results of my training, so I accepted."
Furrowing her brows, Nami asked, "And what about the villagers and the people of the Conomi Islands? Did you interact with any of them...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas responded, "No," before explaining, "Shortly after destroying Arlong's base and capturing his crew, a group of Marine ships showed up, led by a man calling himself Captain Nezumi. Drake wanted to sink them, but I was against it. Instead, Caenis tore off their rudders and damaged their keels before we used the cover of a storm to flee."
Though she got the impression Thomas's response was rehearsed, Nami didn't think he was lying outright. She also trusted Lucy's 'intuition' when it came to people, so instead of pressing Thomas for details about Arlong and the Conomi Islands, she asked, "Why are you here? You said it wasn't a coincidence we met at the Baratie, and everything that's happened since then has made it pretty obvious you were aiming to join Lucy's crew from the start..."
Reacting far more naturally, Thomas unhesitantly replied, "That's actually not the case. In fact, before our journey over to this island, I was planning to offer Lucy and the rest of you some advice before parting ways. Drake was the one who talked me into becoming a member of Lucy's crew. The reactions of Caenis and the others should have made it fairly obvious that this wasn't planned..."
Recalling the brief altercation between the two fearsome women, many of Nami's suspicions evaporated. At the same time, realization donned upon her, compelling her to softly mutter, "You saw a vision of the future where Lucy became Pirate King and decided to help her..."
Since it was a good opportunity to clear some things up and remove the expectation that he was 'omniscient,' Thomas shook his head, clarifying, "I never saw Lucy become Pirate King. Rather, I witnessed a future where someone named Luffy was well on their way to attaining the title. In other words, my knowledge is based on an alternate reality of sorts. Because in every single one of those visions, Lucy was a man..."
Blinking in surprise, Nami's expression and tone were full of disbelief as she questioned, "Seriously? Though she isn't the most feminine girl in the world, I can't even imagine what a male version of Lucy would be like..."
Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "They have the same dream, but Luffy's favorite food is meat. Other than that, they seem fairly similar...both give off the impression of someone that can achieve anything, no matter how far-fetched their dreams might seem to others..."
"That certainly sounds like Lucy..." replied Nami, her expression softening into an affectionate smile. She had originally been preparing to part ways with Lucy to protect her, but now that Thomas had appeared and Arlong had been defeated, it was starting to seem like she might actually be able to pursue her dream.
Out of curiosity, Nami asked, "And what about me? Did you see me in any of your visions?"
Nodding in affirmation, Thomas answered, "Indeed. After Luffy defeated Arlong and destroyed the room where your maps were kept, you became the Navigator for the Straw Hats. I could tell you a lot more, but I want to respect our Captain's wishes. Also, as I pointed out, my knowledge is of a completely different reality from this one. It will doubtlessly prove useful, but assuming things will play out the same is incredibly foolish..."
"Fair enough," replied Nami. However, as she was still curious about the extent of Thoma's knowledge, she asked, "You can still tell me about the past, right? I won't ask about the others, but I'm curious to know just how much insight you've gained into my past..."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "I gained these visions over many, many years, so I can't remember everything clearly. However, I do know you have an adoptive sister named Nojiko and that the two of you have an adoptive mother named Bell-mere who sacrificed herself to protect you. I also know about the circumstances that Arlong forced you into-"
Before Thomas could continue, Nami interrupted him, exclaiming, "That's enough...!" with a slightly horrified look on her face. She had been curious at first, but hearing Thomas casually list details about her past caused an involuntary shiver to run through her body. She now understood why Lucy had been so against Thomas sharing what he knew. Hearing a complete stranger disclose intimate knowledge about your past and possible future was unnerving...
Empathizing with Nami's discomfort, Thomas's smile became apologetic as he said, "If it's any consolation, the version of you I'm knowledgeable of is clearly from an alternate reality. I'm also willing to answer just about any question about myself, so feel free to ask."
Though it wasn't much, Nami felt at least a little relieved when she heard Thomas's words. The notion that there were 'other' versions of her was a little jarring, but it wasn't difficult to accept. Seeing multiple Devil Fruits in action and watching Musashi split the sky in two had numbed her to such revelations...
Crossing her arms, Nami suggested, "Let's end things here for now. I will probably have more questions for you later, but I need time to collect my thoughts first. There is one thing I would like to know, though..."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Nami asked, "What do you hope to achieve by becoming strong enough to stand at the pinnacle...? Since you have knowledge about a possible future, there must be something you want to attain that requires that amount of power. Even Zoro has that promise you mentioned previously."
Instead of immediately responding to Nami's question, Thomas lowered his head and fell into a shallow but contemplative silence. He hadn't put much thought into what he would do once he neared or reached the end of his journey. All he knew for certain was that he would never accept an ordinary life now that he had been given a chance to change, not just his fate but the fates of others...
Meeting Nami's gaze, Thomas's expression became uncharacteristically serious as he answered, "I'm not trying to obtain anything concrete. I just want to be powerful enough to take charge of my life and live without the fear of others deciding my fate..."
Though he understood that he could never escape the influence of a being like Zelretch, Thomas could accept an afterlife of servitude so long as he was allowed to live free and unfettered in his current life. With that in mind, he should probably be doing everything in his power to make the most of the opportunity he had been given...
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas added, "Beyond that, I want to ensure that you, Lucy, and everyone who joins the Straw Hats can attain your dreams. Before I set out with the Wild Hunt, I lived vicariously through the 'visions' I witnessed throughout my life. Now that I've been given the opportunity to experience one of those journeys directly, I plan to do everything I can to ensure a happy ending for as many people as possible..."
Taken aback by Thomas's sincerity, Nami found herself at a complete and total loss for words. She now understood Lucy's comment about Thomas wanting to help them. She was still unsettled by his intimate knowledge of her past and a potential future, but, at the very least, he didn't appear to have any malicious intentions. If he did, he could completely shatter their dreams on a whim...
Forcing a smile, Nami replied, "Then it looks like I'll be relying on you in the future. I'm planning to accept Lucy's invitation to join her crew as a Navigator, so I'll need all your information about the Grand Line and its unique weather patterns."
Nodding in affirmation, Thomas revealed, "Drake left me a copy of the map Astolfo made of the first half of the Grand Line. It's nowhere near complete, but it includes the location of several Marine Bases and a few islands that most consider legends. Astolfo has the unique ability to find anything she's looking for, so the two of you will be working together a lot in the future."
Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Seriously? You have a swordswoman who can split the sky, a doctor that can heal severe injuries in minutes, a child-like Oni that can tell if a person's lying, and now someone who can locate anything? What other abilities do your Spirits possess...?"
Smiling wryly, Thomas revealed, "Drake's ship can fly and submerge, Caenis can breathe underwater and manipulate the sea, Chiron can teach pretty much any skill, Atalanta can snipe people from several kilometers away, and Beethoven's music can immobilize enemies while strengthening her allies..."
"..."
Massaging her forehead, Nami attempted to process everything Thomas had just revealed. If he was telling the truth, there wasn't much his Spirits 'couldn't' do...
Shaking her head free of thoughts, Nami replied, "Forget it. We'll discuss this in greater detail later. For now, you should return to the deck and tell Zoro about that Haki thing. I need to talk to Lucy."
Nodding his head, Thomas responded with a curt, "Sure, no problem," before turning around with the intention to depart. Nami looked like she still had something to say but ultimately stopped herself. She wanted to thank him for saving her village, but until she confirmed it for herself, she couldn't quite believe Arlong was gone and that her nightmare had come to an end...
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..
.
(A/N: Since when did Thomas have a brain? Our boy is over here playing 4-D Chess...)

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...)

Chapter 31: Cunning and Deception