One Piece : Wild Hunt

After allowing Vivi to guide him to a fairly isolated room, Thomas's eyes widened slightly. There was a large canopy bed in the center of the room, several large bookcases, and a disorganized desk. However, what stood out more than anything else were her innumerable bottles of perfume, her fully-stocked liquor cabinet, and her dozens of stuffed animals...
Though she felt a little embarrassed by Thomas's reaction, Vivi did her best to maintain a bold front as she directed him toward the bed, saying, "Why don't you make yourself comfortable while I mix us some drinks...?"
Instead of responding with words, Thomas made his way over to the bed, spreading his arms before plopping face-first onto the thick, comfortable, and fragrant bedding. He knew the odds of Vivi having sex with him were astronomically small, so he simply relished the opportunity to rest on an actual bed for the first time in months. Sleeping in a hammock at his size got very old, very fast...
Seeing Thomas plop down onto her bed, Vivi delayed lacing his drink with a sedative, asking, "Are you going to sleep...?" in a curious tone. Similar to Igaram, she didn't exactly 'trust' Thomas. If he were to force himself upon her, there wasn't much she could do except endure until Igaram came to her rescue.
Without raising his face from the bed, Thomas slowly shook his head. He was currently thinking of the best way to take advantage of his situation without being an 'irredeemable' scumbag, so his mind was racing despite his growing desire to sleep.
Had Vivi not gone out of her way to honeytrap and drug him, Thomas would have looked for an opportunity to reveal that he was aware of her identity before offering his assistance. Nami would probably be annoyed, but there was no way Lucy and Zoro would turn down the opportunity to take down a Warlord. Thomas was equally excited by the prospect, but he was also a very 'forward-thinking' individual. If he was going to risk his life to help stabilize a Kingdom, he should receive more than just gratitude for his assistance...
Pouring half the usual dose of sedative into Thomas's drink, a very strong and expensive brand of bourbon, Vivi approached the bed and took a seat, her voice a sultry purr as she said, "Here, something to sip on while we talk..."
Rolling onto his side, Thomas accepted the offered glass, taking a sip as Vivi made herself comfortable, lying on her side and staring back at him with a sultry smile. However, unlike when they were sitting together at the bar, a bit of distance separated them. Just enough so that Vivi could turn and run if he attempted anything 'remiss.'
Voicing his honest thoughts, Thomas remarked, "You're beautiful..." before taking another sip of his drink. In response, the drunken glow on Vivi's face became slightly more prominent as she changed the subject, asking, "How did you become so knowledgeable about so many things? Were you a noble or the son of a scholar before setting sail...?"
Adopting a genuinely melancholic smile, Thomas replied, "My father was a Civil Engineer, and my mom was a fairly successful Architect. I used to look up to them when I was younger, so I studied hard to try and make them proud. Unfortunately, I got into trouble when I was around fifteen, cutting off many of my career paths. After that...let's just say my parents were no longer very caring or concerned about my future..."
Punctuating his words, Thomas took a 'big' drink of his bourbon, nearly emptying the glass. He wasn't fond of talking about his family or personal life, but he was getting better at it. After a year in another world, he was even beginning to miss some of the people he had become estranged to...
Feeling genuinely apologetic, Vivi averted her eyes and softly whispered, "I'm sorry to hear that...maybe one day, you can make amends with your parents. Even if you're never as close as you once were, I'm sure it would put their hearts at ease knowing you're happy and healthy..."
Returning her gaze to Thomas, Vivi presented a somewhat awkward smile before taking a sip from her own bourbon and questioning, "Is your family the reason you decided to become a Pirate?"
Shaking his head, Thomas lazily replied, "We became Pirates to be free and to pursue our dreams. We're not the type of Pirates that go around harming people or pillaging villages. Instead, we hunt down bad Pirates and do our best to lend a hand when people are in trouble..."
Blinking in surprise, Vivi issued a somewhat adorable "Eh...?" before asking, "What kind of Pirates go around helping people? It sounds more like you're Bounty Hunters or Missionaries..."
Before responding to Vivi's words, Thomas emptied the remnants of his glass, feeling slightly confused. The bourbon hit his brain like a truck at high speeds, but he didn't feel sleepy or have any difficulties moving his body. He was certain that Vivi had spiked his drink, but she either mixed up their glasses or used a very small amount of sedative...
Dismissing his concerns, Thomas explained, "One of our Captain's dreams is to be King of the Pirates. She believes it will make her the freest person in the world. If it weren't that, we would probably refer to ourselves as the Straw Hat Mercenary Group or something similar..."
"..."
Though there was a chance Thomas was lying to her, Vivi got the distinct impression he was telling the truth. If that were the case, they were about to rob and execute a seemingly innocent group of philanthropists.
Recalling how the Straw Hats' vessel was a miniature Caravel with a derpy sheep as a figurehead, a mixture of realization and panic washed over Vivi as she leaned a little closer to Thomas and whispered, "You should leave this place as soon as possible. It's not-"
Adopting a relaxed smile, Thomas surprised Vivi by stating, "We are fully aware that Whiskey Peak is a den for Bounty Hunters. Don't worry; even if everyone in the city were to band together and attack us, we could settle things without severely injuring or killing anyone..."
Tensing in response to Thomas's words, Vivi asked, "How did you figure it out...?"
Maintaining his smile, Thomas replied, "Your organization, Baroque Works, attempted to recruit Zoro in the past. I'm also fairly knowledgeable about the Grand Line, particularly the islands in Paradise..."
Though Thomas didn't directly imply he was aware of her identity, Vivi felt her throat tighten, compelling her to take a large gulp of her bourbon. The moment she did so, the dizziness in her mind compounded, causing her to drop her glass and fall limp despite screaming ("Oh no, oh no, oh no! I got the drinks mixed up...!") in her mind.
Seeing Vivi fall limp, her expression becoming absentminded as a bit of drool leaked from her lips, Thomas waved his hand in front of her, asking, "You in there...?"
As the sedative she used functioned as a muscle relaxer, Vivi's response to Thomas's words was an insensible, "Auwaaah..." as she tried to turn her body and move away from him.
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas remarked, "Calm down. I'm not going to take advantage of you, especially while you're defenseless. Just blink twice if you can understand what I'm saying..."
After calming down, Vivi blinked twice, indicating she wasn't without her mental faculties. In response, Thomas gave a curt nod before asking, "Do you mind if I pick you up and move you? I have a few things I want to tell you, and I can't imagine it's comfortable lying in bourbon..."
Though she would prefer it if Thomas left her room and gave her a few hours to recover, Vivi only hesitated for a short while before answering with another two blinks. When she did, Thomas got off the bed before taking special care not to touch her anywhere inappropriate as he picked her up in a princess carry, relocating her to the left side of the bed, close to where she usually slept. Then, to make her feel a little safer, he picked up one of her larger teddy bears, placing it into her embrace before moving to the opposite side of the bed and lying down with nearly 2m of space separating them.
As he had laid her on her left side, facing him, Thomas could see the combination of alarm and panic in Vivi's eyes when he revealed, "I know your true identity..."
Adopting a faint smile, Thomas said, "Relax...if I wanted to harm you, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Now, go to sleep. We'll discuss the specifics once you recover your faculties..."
Though he originally planned to lay out his intentions while Vivi listened in silence, Thomas could see the alarm in the blue-haired woman's eyes. He reasoned he would be pretty frightened in the same situation, so instead of surprising her with additional revelations, he rolled over, allowing Vivi to stare at his broad and muscular back instead of having to worry about him opening his eyes and ogling her throughout the night...
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Believing that Thomas was only pretending to be asleep, as she had already had time to wake up, take a shower, and fix her makeup, Vivi's tone was tinged with exasperation as she said, "You don't have to keep pretending. I'm ready to continue our conversation from the previous night..."
"Hmmm...?"
Stirring awake, Thomas reluctantly separated from the comfort of Vivi's bed, sitting up with a curmudgeonly expression on his face as he glanced at the window and groaned, "It isn't even morning..."
Realizing that Thomas may have actually been sleeping, an apologetic smile developed across Vivi's face as she replied, "Sorry. I thought you were pretending to be asleep so I wouldn't kick you out while I took a shower and changed clothes..."
As he was still half-asleep, Thomas issued a long yawn before replying with a lazy, "Looks like I missed a golden opportunity..."
Smiling wry, Vivi got to the heart of the matter, asking, "Do you truly know who I am...?"
Nodding his head in affirmation, Thomas replied, "You're the one and only Princess of Alabasta, Nefertari Vivi. And that man with the wig-like hair is the Captain of the Royal Guard, Igaram."
Furrowing her brows, Vivi questioned, "If you knew who I was, why didn't you mention it sooner? I wouldn't have acted so...brazenly when we were at the bar."
Adopting a teasing smile, Thomas replied, "If that's the case, I'm glad I didn't say anything. Beyond that, it was more 'convincing' to let you play your part as a Baroque Works agent while others were around. If I tried broaching the subject of your identity in public, your reaction might have given us away."
Unable to argue with Thomas's words, Vivi exhaled an exasperated sigh. At the same time, she felt a slightly fluttery feeling in her chest due to the 'shamelessness' of Thomas's past behavior and openly flirtatious remarks. There was a rather significant difference in their ages, but Thomas was a tall, muscular, and handsome man. After sitting on his lap and flirting with him for more than six hours, followed by sleeping in the same room, she couldn't help being 'aware' of him.
Unaware that he had inadvertently nudged his way into Vivi's maidenly thoughts, Thomas caused the young Princess's heart to skip a beat as he abruptly rose to his feet, walked over to her, and declared, "I want to help save your Kingdom..." with a serious expression on his face. He towered over her by more than fifty centimeters, but instead of feeling frightened, Vivi felt nervous and uncharacteristically demure as she averted her eyes and pressed the tips of her index fingers together...
"O-Okay..."
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(A/N: Could this be the legendary EX-Rank Luck in effect...!?)

Though he was puzzled by Vivi's reaction, Thomas wasn't a complete idiot. He might have missed it back in his previous world, but women in the world of One Piece were a lot more 'animated.' The same could be said for everyone that inhabited the anime-inspired world, but Thomas paid a lot more attention to beautiful women than random people.
As he no longer felt that women of Vivi's caliber were out of his league, a sentiment he owed entirely to Caenis, Thomas managed a narrow-eyed smile as he gestured toward the edge of her bed, requesting, "Shall we discuss terms...?"
Nodding in affirmation, Vivi sat down on the edge of her bed, tensing a bit when Thomas sat closer than was strictly necessary. Their bodies didn't touch, but it would only take a slight movement on either of their parts for their knees to bump. Thomas's size also made him seem a lot closer than he actually was...
Breaking the ice, Thomas revealed, "I'm aware that a certain 'reptile' has fabricated a drought in your country. I am also aware that your father has been falsely accused, leading to civil unrest and the emergence of rebel forces who believe he is 'stealing' their rain..."
Asking the first question that entered her mind, Vivi inquired, "How do you know all of this? I spent the last two years undercover and only recently learned there might be a connection between my country's benefactor, Sir Crocodile, Baroque Works, and the drought plaguing my homeland..."
Blinking in surprise, Thomas asked, "Really? I thought you would have already figured it out by now..."
Though he had read the One Piece manga and watched the anime several times, Thomas's knowledge of the plot was far from flawless. He recalled that Mr 5 and Miss Valentine showed up to eliminate Vivi and Igaram after discovering their identities, but he forgot that it was 'after' their escape from Whiskey Peak that Robin, Miss All Sunday, helped the Princess learn the truth about Mr 0's, better known as Sir Crocodile's, identity.
Instead of trying to backpedal, Thomas gave an affirming nod, revealing, "Crocodile is using a combination of his Devil Fruit and an illegal chemical known as Dance Powder to promote rainfall in certain locations, inducing droughts in others."
Nodding her head, Vivi replied, "That's one of the reasons people turned against my father. They believe he is hoarding the rain to make Alubarna prosper at the expense of the rest of the country."
Adopting a smile, Thomas said, "That's where we come in. You might find this difficult to believe, but one of my companions possesses the ability to influence the weather to create storms. With enough time and energy, she could make a storm covering all of Alabasta. That should assuage most of the citizenry's concerns, at least long enough for us to deal with Crocodile and his minions. Once they're out of the way, we just need to be rid of the Dance Powder, and the climate will gradually return to normal."
Though she found it difficult to imagine someone creating a rainstorm that affects her entire nation, an island with a width exceeding 2700km and a median length of 1900km, Vivi didn't challenge Thomas's claim. Instead, she asked, "And what do you expect in return? Alabasta isn't very wealthy, and our people need that money to fund food and other resources..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas's expression softened as he replied, "I'm sure Nami would request something like 1,000,000,000 Berries as a prize, but most of us don't care about things like that. Lucy will help out the moment she learns that people are starving. As for Zoro, he would be happy so long as there are powerful opponents..."
Swallowing a knot that had developed in her throat, Vivi leaned almost imperceptibly closer to Thomas as she asked, "And what about you? What do 'you' want, Thomas...?"
Suppressing his baser instincts, the corners of Thomas's smile curled up as he answered, "I got to experience having a gorgeous Princess sitting on my lap and serving me alcohol. That's something money can't typically buy, so I'm pretty content as is. If you want to 'reward' me further, that's up to you..."
As he was effectively 'casting his dice' blindly, Thomas's brain nearly short-circuited when Vivi adopted a resolute expression and replied, "If you're truly able to help my people out of this predicament...I don't mind giving you 'any' reward I can personally grant..."
Hanging her head, Vivi blushed up to her ears as she appended, "Even if that reward happens to be me..." in a meek, nearly inaudible tone. If not for their proximity, Thomas wouldn't have been able to hear it. Hell, even though they were mere centimeters away from each other, he was almost certain he had 'misheard' her...
Reaching up to his face, Thomas gave his cheek a pinch to confirm he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. Vivi noticed this, an amused chuckle emanating from her throat before she turned her distinct purple eyes up at him and asserted, "I really mean it. You could have done whatever you wanted to me last night, but you chose to comfort me. If you can save my country...I'll owe you more than I can ever hope to repay...no matter how much you ask of me..."
Mirroring Vivi's reaction from earlier, Thomas swallowed harder before averting his eyes from the Princess's earnest gaze. He 'really' wanted to accept her proposition, but now that it was actually on the table, he felt like he would be a massive dick not to apprise her of his circumstances. If she had abruptly fallen in love with him, she might be devastated to learn he slept or intended to sleep with other women...
Exhaling loudly through his nose, Thomas shook his head and said, "You should offer yourself to the person you love, not someone like me. I'm an opportunist with more lust than sense, Vivi. I haven't been in a committed relationship for more than fifteen years, and I typically jump at the chance to sleep with attractive women. If you were someone ordinary, I-"
Furrowing her brows slightly, Vivi interjected, stating, "I've already made my decision. If you do not wish to accept my offer, you need only refuse when the time comes. As for the matter concerning your relationship with other women...it wasn't like I was suggesting we get married. I know you still have a journey to go on and dreams you wish to make a reality...I just wanted to provide you a night we could both remember..."
Though she could hardly believe the words coming from her mouth, Vivi spoke with 'conviction' from start to finish. She had been terrified beyond compare when she realized she had ingested the muscle relaxer intended for Thomas. If the latter hadn't been aware of her identity, she knew how the night would have ended. People generally didn't take kindly to being drugged and rendered defenseless. Had it been just about anyone else in Thomas's position, she would have paid a 'very' steep price...
As Thomas turned to look at her, Vivi inadvertently looked away before forcing herself to meet his gaze, smiling wryly as she added, "If it makes things easier, you should know I like big, strong, and reliable men...you're also pretty handsome, so I really don't mind. It's just, how sure are you of your victory? Sir Crocodile is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, one of the Three Great Powers that control and regulate the Grand Line. Baroque Works is also filled with powerful fighters and has a literal army to support them..."
Suppressing his inhibitions, Thomas regained his smile as he replied, "So long as we plan accordingly, dealing with Crocodile isn't that difficult. We already know his biggest weakness, so we just need to corner him before he can use his Awakening. If that doesn't work...well, let's just say I have a few sure-fire methods of dealing with him..."
Staring down at the back of his hand, which had regenerated his missing Command Spells, the image of Musashi appeared in Thomas's mind. He didn't want to disrupt her journey so soon after they had parted ways, but he had lost faith in the plot long ago. If things went South and he couldn't see a reasonable path to victory, he would summon Musashi to deal with the wayward Shichibukai in an instant...
Following Thomas's gaze, Vivi's tone was tinged with confusion as she asked, "A tattoo...?"
Exhaling a faint chuckle, Thomas flipped his hand over, amassing a tiny sphere of Magical Energy as he explained, "I ate a Devil Fruit called the Mana-Mana-no-Mi. It gives me all kinds of abilities, including the power to summon mighty Spirits when I'm in need..."
Seeing the energy gathering in Thomas's palm, Vivi's eyes glistened as she remarked, "It's very pretty..."
Smiling wryly, Thomas responded, "It's very destructive. This little ball can generate as much kinetic energy as a cannonball. And that's just one of its many, many uses. Once my control has improved, there isn't much I won't be able to do..."
Crushing the ball of magical energy in his hand, Thomas reabsorbed it into his body as he revealed, "And if you think that sounds scary, I'm only the third strongest member of the Straw Hats. My Captain, Lucy, can level entire buildings with her full-powered punches and kicks..."
Though it wasn't the first time Thomas had mentioned someone else as the Captain, Vivi couldn't help questioning, "Lucy? That strange girl that ate so much food she resembled a ball...?"
Recalling the gruesome and somewhat 'dangerous' sight, Thomas's smile became wry as he replied, "Yeah, that's her. But don't let her appearance fool you. When she gets serious, there are very few opponents she can't defeat, Warlord or otherwise. She may get knocked down a few times, but she always gets back up stronger, faster, and more determined than ever. If I had even half her mettle and willpower...I honestly can't imagine how strong I would become..."
Raising her brows slightly, Vivi remarked, "You seem to respect your Captain a great deal..." before adopting a playful smile and asking, "Is there anyone else going on, I wonder~? I noticed you were paying a lot of attention to her and that girl with the orange hair while we were drinking together..."
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Thomas shook his head before explaining, "I can't help but worry about them. Despite her strength, Lucy is a bit of an idiot. Even though I know she can protect herself, I can't help feeling anxious seeing her surrounded by a group of men actively attempting to get her drunk senseless. If any of them tried to take liberties with her or Nami, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation right now..."
Adopting an apologetic smile, Vivi offered a faint, "Sorry..." before falling silent. She had seen the fate that awaited the female members of Pirate crews that lacked substantial Bounties. Those who died were considered the lucky ones, as those who were captured became 'comfort girls' for the Billions and Millions, the most numerable and lowest-ranking members of Baroque Works. Few survived more than a few weeks before taking their lives in despair, while the remainder ended up being sold into slavery after having their bodies and minds broken beyond repair...
Recalling how she had willfully participated in a scheme that would have ensured Thomas and his crew suffer a similar fate, assuming they weren't able to defend themselves, Vivi hung her head in shame. Everything she had done the past two years was for the sake of her citizens and country, but that didn't change the fact she had aided in the ruination of hundreds, if not thousands of people...
Seeing Vivi's previously good mood deteriorating rapidly, Thomas exhaled a faintly exasperated sigh before extending his hand to caress her head, a habit he had developed thanks to Astolfo. The blue-haired Princess was a little surprised at first, but after raising her gaze to find Thomas staring at her with concern, she regained a smile, surprising him by softly asserting, "You're a good man, Thomas..."
Before Thomas could shake his head and refute Vivi's claim, the latter left him at a loss for words as she abruptly snuggled closer to him and placed her head on his bicep. Then, for several minutes, the two of them stayed like that until she tentatively suggested, "If you're still tired...we can sleep together. This time without a distance separating us..."
Though he felt obligated to refuse, Thomas only hesitated for a short while before adopting a faint smile of his own and replying, "I'd like that..."
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(A/N: This ship is equipped with a state-of-the-art turbo engine...could this be the legendary Pluton!?)

Once Astolfo returned with Zoro, who somehow got lost on a straight stretch of land, the Going Merry set sail for its first destination in the Grand Line, Whiskey Peak, the sole town on an island known as Cactus Island.
Instead of actual cacti, Cactus Island was named as such due to a series of massive stone structures known as Cactus Rocks. From a distance, the island resembled a collection of gigantic spherical cacti floating atop an arid stretch of land. However, when you got closer to the colossal stone structures, you would quickly discover that the countless spines adorning the giant cacti were actually gravestones.
As there were no freak blizzards or thunderstorms during their brief, six-hour journey, Thomas spent most of it standing on the quarterdeck with Caenis and Nami, lifting weights and answering whatever questions the latter threw his way.
After calling Thomas's 'bluff' and asking Caenis directly what she thought about the possibility of him having relationships with other women, Nami found herself humbled as the pale-haired horsewoman didn't care in the slightest. Rather, the moment she brought it up, Caenis encouraged her to 'give Thomas a go' before he outgrew her completely...
Though she had no plans of heeding Caenis's advice, Nami's perception of Thomas shifted. Previously, she viewed him as someone who might use his future knowledge to manipulate her and Lucy. There was still a case to be made in that regard, but Thomas's willful admission, combined with his claim that he had given up on her, left Nami feeling a combination of relief and a peculiar sense of conflict. She was no longer 'afraid' of him, but she also had a strange impression that she had lost something...
Garnering the attention of everyone onboard, Atalanta tersely called out, "People are gathering on the shores..."
With her position at the front of the Going Merry, Lucy had a decent view of the sea and surroundings. However, despite her rapid advancements with Observation Haki, she couldn't make out so much as a single person on the distant shore, asking, "Are you sure? I don't see anyone."
Without hesitation, Atalanta calmly replied, "There are 113 people present, each carrying concealed weapons."
Hearing Atalanta's words, Usopp panicked, exclaiming, "Oh, no! Could they be planning to board us!?" while Zoro just approached the bow of the ship, a somewhat vicious grin on his face as he remarked, "I finally get to test out these new blades of mine..."
Though Thomas had already informed her that Whiskey Peak was a nest for Bounty Hunters, Nami said, "Don't get too carried away, Zoro. Except for Astolfo, none of us have active Bounties. Unless they intend to rob us, we should be able to pass through this town without a fight."
Clicking his tongue, Zoro muttered, "Boring..." before sitting with his back against the taffrail and preparing to doze off. If there wasn't any fighting to do, he would rather 'meditate' to refine his Observation Haki...
As the Going Merry got closer to the channel cutting through Whiskey Peak, many of the people gathered along the shores began to disperse. The Going Merry was flying a Jolly Roger with a Straw Hat on it, but, as Nami had pointed out, not even Lucy had a Bounty. Even if every citizen in Whiskey Peak was a Bounty Hunter, they had no reason to antagonize a group of 'no-name' Pirates.
Fortunately, while most of Whiskey Peak's residents dispersed, some of the more notable ones remained. Among these was a fairly tall, broad-shouldered man with a small red nose and pale-blonde hair resembling a powdered wig. Accompanying him was an orange-haired man wearing a golden crown, a tall and muscular woman with black skin and contrasting pink hair, and, most notably, an attractive young woman with wavy, light blue hair tied up in a ponytail. She was wearing makeup, both as a way of masking her identity and making herself appear older, but the thing that caught Thomas's were her form-fitting white short-shorts, fur-lined coat, and skin-tight top, the latter of which had a blue and white pattern of swirls that accented her breasts and abdomen, drawing peoples' gazes and making them feel dizzy if they ogled her for too long.
Waiting until the Going Merry had slowed to a crawl, the powder-wigged man placed his hand over his chest, his voice loud and carrying as he issued a musical, "Ma-ma-ma~" before spreading his arms and shouting, "Welcome, brave Adventurers! My name is Igarappoi, Mayor of Whiskey Peak! Our town is famous for its hospitality, music, and bountiful liquors. Before you continue your journey, let us welcome you to the Grand Line by hosting a small banquet in your honor! Ma-ma-ma~!"
Never one to refuse an invitation to a party, much less a banquet, Lucy unhesitantly replied, "Sounds like fun~!" before jumping off the ship and leaving everyone else to furl the sails and fall the anchor. Once they had, everyone except Caenis, Atalanta, and Astolfo disembarked. Igarappoi noticed this, adopting an inviting smile as he suggested, "Why don't the rest of you join us as well? I can assure you, so long as you're within the confines of Whiskey Peak, there is no risk of anything happening to you or your ship."
Before Caenis could tell Igarappoi to fuck off, Thomas remarked, "Even the most inexperienced of crews know to leave a few hands on deck to secure our cargo and prevent our ship from being stolen. Even if Whiskey Peak is as hospitable as you claim, expecting us to forgo security entirely is a bit suspicious, don't you think?"
As it wasn't uncommon for their quarries to show some degree of caution, Igarappoi maintained his friendly smile as he replied, "Ma-ma-ma~! Then at least allow us to present your friends with food and drink to make their wait more enjoyable."
Though Thomas had no intention of refusing Igarappoi's suggestion, his heart skipped a beat when the blue-haired woman suddenly hugged his arm, pressing her breasts against him as she practically purred, "Don't be so uptight, big boy. Come, let Miss Wednesday pour you a drink and make all your troubles go away..."
Accompanying the blue-haired woman's words, an intoxicating fragrance invaded Thomas's nose, causing him to feel muddleheaded. Fortunately, both for Thomas and Miss Wednesday, better known within the One Piece community as Princess Nefertari Vivi, the former had already told Caenis and the others that she wasn't a threat. Had he not, Benienma might have appeared from his shadow, slicing off Vivi's hands at the wrists. Instead, thanks to the effects of the perfume, he was allowed to place his hand directly on the Princess's pillowy bottom, eliciting a playful yet slightly awkward laugh from the blue-haired beauty as she escorted him toward the tavern where the banquet would be held...
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While observing Usopp regaling people with tales of his heroism, Lucy eating to her heart's content, and Nami and Zoro engaging the people of Whiskey Peak in a drinking contest, Thomas enjoyed the company of Vivi at an isolated corner of the bar. She had attempted to pawn him off onto some other girls several times, but he insisted he would rather drink with the woman who had invited him over in the first place.
Though she was doubtlessly uncomfortable, Vivi remained seated atop Thomas's lap, actively flirting with him as she probed him for information and brought alcohol directly to his lips. Her body tensed when he touched her butt or grabbed her breasts, but she didn't condemn, chastise, or coil away from him. Instead, she leaned into him, asking increasingly personal questions about himself, the members of his crew, and whether or not he had any interesting treasures or other valuable items.
Despite sobering up thanks to a handy little spell that Chiron had taught him to avoid this exact situation, Thomas pretended to be intoxicated as he willfully tested the limits of Vivi's 'resolution.' His actions could be seen as scummy due to knowing the Princess's circumstances, but the truth was that 'she' was the one attempting to take advantage of him and his crew.
Before encountering the Straw Hats in canon, Vivi had been an active member of Baroque Works for two years, working her way up through the organization's ranks until she had become a single-digit Frontier Agent. In order to attain her current position, she had been forced to kill or assist in the capture of countless pirates, so her hands were far from clean. When the Straw Hats first met her, she was actively trying to kill Laboon, fired a bazooka at Crocus, attempted to kill Zoro, and took an unconscious Luffy hostage, threatening to kill him if Zoro didn't comply with their demands.
Though it was eventually revealed that Vivi was a brave and determined girl who would do just about anything to protect her friends and citizens, it didn't change the fact that she had ruined hundreds of lives in pursuit of her goals. She justified her actions by convincing herself that most of her victims were 'evil' Pirates, but the situation with Laboon and Crocus, a harmless whale and a retired old man, made it clear Pirates weren't her 'only' victims. If she was ordered by Baroque Works to deal with a group of people or a threat to the organization, she had 'no choice,' as it was the only way to protect her status and cover.
With such thoughts in mind, Thomas happily 'endured' Vivi's attempts to seduce and get him drunk. He even egged her on by providing her with a few useful tidbits of information. So long as he answered her questions in a relatively straightforward manner, she felt less inclined to get him drunk, prolonging their flirtatious encounter for several hours. At some point, Vivi even began enjoying herself, imbibing quite a few drinks until Igarappoi, better known as Captain Igaram of the Alabasta Royal Guard, walked over with a forced smile on his face, questioning, "Are the two of you enjoying yourselves~?" while staring daggers at Thomas.
Though she sobered up a bit in response to Igaram's intervention, Vivi made no attempt to extricate herself from Thomas's 'clutches,' arguing, "Everything's under control, Igarappoi. Thomas was just telling me about a process called 'drip irrigation.' You should hear some of his ideas about enriching soils and distributing water through arid regions. He's a lot more scholarly than I *hic* expected..."
Blinking in surprise, Igaram gave Thomas a double-take, not expecting the 'brutish' man to be anything more than his appearance suggested. He also knew about his Princess's fondness for knowledge and fervent desire to improve the situation of their people. If Thomas possessed knowledge that might prove useful to improving conditions in Alabasta, she would try to squeeze every ounce of it from his head.
Suppressing an exasperated sigh, Igaram made a hand gesture behind his back, effectively signaling the other members of Baroque Works that they would not be executing their plan that evening. It wasn't uncommon for them to butter up more powerful Pirate crews over multiple days, waiting for them to lower their guard, so while people like Mr. 9 and Miss Monday expressed discontent with their expressions, the lower-ranking members of Baroque Works immediately got to work cleaning things up, even going so far as to put blankets over the 'sleeping' members of the Straw Hats as a means of building rapport.
Before leaving to have a private discussion with the executive members of their opportunistic organization, Igaram narrowed his beady black eyes at half-conscious Thomas before directing his steely gaze to Vivi and saying, "Enjoy the rest of your evening...Miss Wednesday..."
Confident she had everything under control, even though she was more than a little tipsy, Vivi gave an affirming nod as she replied, "Just leave it to me." Then, while Thomas acted as though he could barely stand, she guided him to a nearby room so they could speak 'privately.'
...
..
.
(A/N: When you set a honeytrap, and a bear shows up...)

Chapter 40: Pandering