One Piece : Wild Hunt

Shortly after departing the girl's bathroom, Thomas found himself nearly face-to-face with a glowering Igaram. The misshapen man was just over 7'1''(218cm), so they were roughly eye-level as he gestured towards the back house of the tavern, asking, "Care to see some of our finer brews...?"
"Sure, why not?" replied Thomas. He imagined Igaram was thinking he was attempting to take advantage of Vivi and Alabasta's predicament for personal gain. However, as their nation was doomed without external aid, they didn't have much choice but to rely on outsiders.
After passing through a kitchen area and descending a flight of stairs to a large wine cellar, Igaram turned to Thomas, staring daggers at him as he asked, "Who are you? What are your intentions toward our Princess...?"
Hardening his gaze, Thomas replied, "If I had any 'intentions' toward her, I would have acted upon them last night. Now, before you ask any other stupid questions, know I don't appreciate being interrogated by someone I'm trying to help..."
Narrowing his eyes, Igaram reached into his pocket, pulling out a handful of iron-rich red sand, demanding, "Then show me you have the power you profess. If you truly possess the ability to make Alabasta's land arable, I'll have nothing else to say on the matter..."
Inserting his finger into the clump of sand, Thomas used Reinforcement Magecraft to convert it to rich, mulchy soil in less than a second. Igaram's eyes widened as he did so, a subdued, "Remarkable..." emanating from his throat before he coughed a few times to cover it up. Then, with a serious countenance, he declared, "I will defer to the Princess's judgment on this matter. Tell me what you require."
As he had already formulated a plan with Vivi, Thomas replied, "For now, you should continue to act as a member of Baroque Works. We'll pretend to tap out prematurely tonight, so you can order your men to attack once night falls. Once the dust settles, we'll oust the Millions and Billions from the city while taking you and the other Frontier Agents hostage. Once the higher-ups learn we're occupying the city, they'll invariably send someone to 'deal' with us. Depending on who they send, we can drastically reduce the strength of Crocodile's executive forces."
Nodding his head in approval, Igaram remarked, "It's a sound plan. That is, assuming you and your ilk are as capable as you purport them to be..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas left Igaram at a loss for words as he replied, "The strongest people in Baroque Works are Sir Crocodile and Daz Bonez. We already know the weakness of the former, and the latter is no match for our crew's First Mate, Roronora Zoro. As for Miss All Sunday, you can just leave her to me. Anyone ranked lower than them barely even qualifies as fodder."
"..."
Though he felt Thomas was being a little presumptuous, Igaram decided to trust in the former's assertion, responding, "Very well. Just know that I won't be pulling my punches. We need to make things convincing, just in case things go South and you're not nearly as powerful as you claim..."
Understanding that Igaram just wanted to punch or shoot him with his shotgun saxophone, Thomas resisted the urge to roll his eyes, narrowing them as he stated, "I give at least as good as I get. Be careful you don't hurt yourself..."
"Hmph...!"
After snorting through his nose, Igaram walked past Thomas, stating, "I hope you know what you're doing..." before making his way up the stairs, leaving the latter alone in the wine cellar. Thomas eventually followed suit but not before picking up a large keg to justify his visit to the underground storage area. It weighed close to 300kgs, but he was able to heft it onto his shoulder without straining himself in the slightest...
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With nothing else to do until sunset, Thomas spent a few hours hanging out with Caenis, Astolfo, Atalanta, and Benienma after apprising them of the situation.
Though men were prohibited from entering the women's cabin, it was a one-way street as the girls were allowed to come and go as they pleased. Thomas and Zoro didn't really care, but it had caused Usopp a great deal of stress as he wasn't very good at dealing with women. It didn't help that everyone but Astolfo practically ignored him.
Fortunately, Usopp wasn't present, so Thomas didn't have to worry about the long-nosed man staring at him as he sat nestled between Caenis and Astolfo. The latter was snuggling against him while squeezing his arm and rubbing her cheek against his bicep, but Thomas didn't mind. He felt like a substantial weight had been removed from his shoulders after confiding in Vivi, so he was in too good a mood to let Astolfo's gender perturb him. So long as she didn't take things too far...
"Astolfo..."
Despite several light warnings, Astolfo's finger invariably found their way to Thomas's inner thigh, a playful smile developing across her face as she mused, "You're alone with a bunch of cute girls. Just drinking is bland. We should liven things up so that you're properly 'motivated' before going into battle..."
Exhaling a faint sigh through his nose, Thomas was about to reject the pink-haired imp's proposal when Caenis supplied, "It's a good idea. Back in my day, soldiers going into battle would spend the hours before eating, drinking, and fucking freely. Only the Fates knew when they would meet their end, so they made the most of what could be their final moments."
Smiling wryly, Thomas removed Astolfo's hand from his semi, remarking, "I have no intention of dying anytime soon..."
Instead of getting upset, Astolfo grinned like a mischievous succubus as she appended, "And we have no intentions of letting you. All I'm saying is that we should spice things up. You know, like playing a drinking game? If we set some ground rules and ensure things are fair, even Atalanta should be willing to play with us..."
Hearing Astolfo's words, Atalanta's brows immediately furrowed. She had acquiesced when Thomas arrived with a barrel of wine and asked if she would like to join them for a few drinks, but there was a reason she was seated away from the rest of the group. She became clingy and enjoyed cuddling when intoxicated.
Before Atalanta could refuse, Astolfo's smile became wry as she implored, "Come on, Lanta. You allow Master to caress your head when he restores your Mana, don't you? This isn't that different. And besides, there's no one around to judge us..."
Raising her hand, Caenis adopted a wolfish grin as she teased, "I wouldn't say that. I can be pretty judgmental when I want to be..."
Adopting a pouty, almost teary-eyed expression, Astolfo looked to Caenis as she said, "You're not helping..."
Shrugging her shoulders, Caenis replied, "I'm not in a hurry to lose the 'exclusivity' I enjoy. If our Master isn't ready to fuck you, suck it up and find a post to sit on. Trying to force the matter by relying on others is just pathetic."
Though her response wasn't 'meant' to be harsh, Ceanis's brash words caused Astolfo to tear up legitimately. She was hoping the others would support her, so she couldn't help feeling betrayed. Fortunately, just as the first tears were about to fall, Atalanta exhaled a sigh and said, "I'll play..." in a faint, nearly inaudible tone.
Bouncing back immediately, Astolfo was all smiles as she replied, "That's great~!" in a cheerful tone. There were still traces of tears at the corners of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away before looking at Thomas with visibly glistening, unrepentantly expectant eyes.
Suppressing a sigh, Thomas adopted a faint smile as he asked, "What are the rules? I will have to refuse to play if it's too risque..."
Understanding Thomas's concerns, Astolfo's smile became even more radiant as she replied, "We'll have Benienma act as an impartial 'dealer.' Since each of us has quantifiable Luck Parameters, it wouldn't be fair if we took turns rolling dice or playing cards. We also know she won't cheat, so she's the best person to play the part. You can always reward her by letting her wash your back or something later."
Though she initially wasn't interested in Astolfo's proposition, Benienma's eyes lit up at the prospect of washing Thomas's back. One of the official duties of a Kosho was cleansing their Lord's back, so his refusal to let her do so caused her a considerable amount of frustration. She even offered to violate bathroom etiquette by wearing a swimsuit, but her Master was obstinate over the most insensible things...
Seeing Benienma 'glaring' at him, Thomas nearly refused to participate on the spot. The petite sparrow was the one who undressed and cleaned his body when he lost consciousness, but he still wasn't comfortable with the idea of letting her join him in the bath. He might relent if she 'only' washed his back, but his instincts told him she would want to ensure every part of his body was squeaky clean...
Not wanting to waste Atalanta's kindness or quash Astolfo's excitement, Thomas exhaled a faint, ostensibly defeated sigh through his nose as he replied, "Fine. But if things get out of hand, this is the last time we play a drinking game for the foreseeable future. Now-"
Before Thomas could ask what the rules were a second time, Astolfo pounced on him, throwing her arms around his neck as she exclaimed, "Yay~! Thank you, thank you, thank you~!" before pressing a prolonged and somewhat sloppy kiss on his cheek. Then, after alighting from the sofa, she excitedly explained, "The rules are simple! Benienma will roll dice within a cup, and everyone will guess whether the total value is odd or even. If you guess correctly, you get to move on. If there are only two people left, the first person to state their guess gets priority. The last man or woman standing becomes the Master and gets to command two of the eliminated players to engage in an 'activity' for between 3-7 minutes. Any questions~?"
Raising her hand, Caenis adopted a cheeky grin as she asked, "What are the limits as far as orders are concerned? I'm down for anything goes, but Atalanta might get butthurt if I ask her to sit on our Master's cock."
Furrowing her brows, Atalanta asserted, "I will only offer my virginity to the one who defeats me in a footrace without relying on external aid or underhanded means..."
Rolling her eyes, Caenis maintained her smile as she retorted, "We both know the Priestesses of Artemis were into pegging. Taking it up the butt isn't the same as relinquishing your chastity."
"..."
Instead of refuting Caenis's words, Atalanta turned her attention to Astolfo to see what she had to say. She would never admit it, but the thought of doing 'butt stuff' had crossed her mind a few times over the past year. Thomas was kind and considerate, so she sometimes felt she owed him more than just permitting him to touch her ears.
Unfortunately, while she was the closest thing Atalanta had to a friend within the group, Astolfo wasn't aware of the dichromatic cat girl's desire to repay Thomas's 'kindness.' She was ultimately just using the game as an excuse to expose her 'secret' to Thomas, so she raised her finger and assured, "Though stripping is allowed, let's limit touching to over the clothes, or, at the very least, panties. If the game proves enjoyable, we can always play with fewer restrictions in the future. Now, unless there are more questions, shall we begin~?"
With no one else having anything to ask, Astolfo whipped out the cup of dice she had prepared in advance, entrusting it to Benienama. Then, with bated breath, everyone watched intently as Benienma gave the tiny cup a good shake, covering the top with her hand as she asked, "Odds or even? No changing your minds once you decide..."
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(A/N: A variation of the King's Game, a common theme within my novels xD...)

Without considering his response, Thomas replied, "Even," while Caenis, Astolfo, and Atalanta all replied, "Odd," at nearly the same time.
Adopting a slightly apologetic expression, Benienma removed her hand from the cup, muttering, "Forgive me, Master..." as she revealed the sum of the die to be odd.
As it didn't really make a difference, Thomas shrugged his shoulders, responding, "It's no big deal," before sitting back to observe the rest of the round. He was technically the only man participating in the game, so he benefitted more from losing than winning.
Shaking up the die a second time, Benienma questioned, "Odd or even?" prompting everyone to respond, "Odds," simultaneously. This repeated six more times, causing Thomas to suspect foul play until Atalanta made the first mistake, choosing odd when the total was even. In the subsequent match, Caenis didn't even wait for Benienma to ask, slamming the table in front of them as she shouted, "Odds...!" with a victorious grin.
Though she had been planning to let Caenis give her response first, Astolfo's expression morphed into a frown when she heard the bronze-skinned woman's choice. She was certain the result was even, so Caenis had either gotten lucky or intentionally thrown the match to ensure she would be among the candidates to be chosen for a command...
Demonstrating that Astolfo's intuition was correct, Benienma revealed the result to be even. Instead of appearing excited, however, Caenis adopted a grimace, muttering, "Bullshit..." before slumping back onto the sofa and crossing her arms. The latter hated losing, and the thought of being able to tell everyone else what to do excited her. In other words, she had just gotten 'lucky' to guess incorrectly.
Despite realizing that Caenis hadn't done anything wrong, Astolfo didn't want to reward her, stating, "Well, since I won, that makes me the Master. As for my command...how about we start things off tame? Atalanta, you must let Ma&mdash;I mean, you must allow Tom to use your lap as a pillow. He is always giving you headpats, so this is your chance to return the favor."
Without moving from her spot on the floor, Atalanta patted her thighs as she said, "I don't mind," in a curt tone. A thigh pillow was a lot tamer than what she was expecting, so she didn't even bat an eye as Thomas rose from the sofa and spread his body across the ground, culminating in his head coming to rest on her lap. Instead, she began combing her fingers through his hair, warning, "Don't get too comfortable. If you fall asleep, it will make things awkward for everyone."
Instead of responding to Atalanta's words with his own, Thomas just smiled before closing his eyes and enjoying the rare opportunity. Atalanta was one of the girls he had all but given up on as, without some kind of gift from Heaven or, far more likely, one from Hell(Zelretch), he couldn't imagine beating her in a footrace. She was his fastest Servant in terms of raw Agility, and she would only get faster as she Ascended...
Just as Thomas was beginning to feel like he might actually doze off, Astolfo said, "That should be enough for a first-round penalty command. As we progress into the later rounds, we can extend the time up to seven minutes."
Furrowing her brows, Atalanta looked like she wanted to say something but ultimately kept silent as Thomas rose to a seated position, remaining on the floor instead of returning to the sofa. He was feeling a little tipsy after several drinks, so he didn't feel like moving back and forward between the couch and floor if it turned out his next penalty also involved Atalanta.
Misinterpreting Thomas's thoughts, a faint smile adorned Atalanta's face as she moved to sit next to him. She didn't lean against him or anything, but her action was overt enough that even Thomas noticed it, prompting him to raise his brows slightly.
Realizing that her Master wasn't returning to the couch, Benienma began the second round. This time, Thomas managed to endure until the fourth set of rolls, but that was only because he waited for the others to respond before giving his answer. Caenis eventually called him out for it, however, so he was forced to play 'fairly' for fear of being labeled indecisive and a coward...
After a startling twenty-three rolls, Caenis emerged as the round's victor, jumping to her feet and pumping her fist as she shouted, "Fuck yeah! You little shits are in for it now...!"
Pointing to Atalanta, Caenis's expression revealed a hint of the 'tyrant' she was known to be in her previous life as she declared, "Your haughtiness pisses me off. Even with cat ears and a tail, you act like you're better than everyone else. For the next seven minutes, I want to see you acting like a cat in heat."
Narrowing her eyes, Atalanta looked like she wanted to protest but didn't. Instead, she looked toward Thomas for several seconds before suddenly leaning her head against him and nuzzling his arm. However, before she could continue the act, Caenis promptly pointed out, "I've never seen a cat that wears clothes..."
"Caenis..."
Disproving of Caenis's behavior, Thomas frowned as he asserted, "You're taking things too far..."
Blinking in surprise, Caenis responded with a confused "Huh?" before furrowing her brows deeply as she added, "It's just acting like a cat for a few minutes. I'm not asking her to impale herself on your dick or anything. Besides, Astolfo mentioned that stripping was fair game. I haven't broken any rules, so don't look at me like that..."
Before Thomas could offer a counterargument, Atalanta surprised him by saying, "It's fine." Then, without another word, she allowed the clothes to dematerialize from her body, revealing her lithe and athletic frame in all its naked glory. There wasn't an ounce of fat anywhere on her petite frame, but what truly surprised Thomas was her rather prominent patch of green and wheat-colored pubes. Like the hair atop her head, it grew wild, free, and much thicker than the average woman...
While Thomas entered a momentary daze, Atalanta suddenly got on all fours, crawling across his lap and rubbing against him as a dull, almost mechanical "Nyaa..." emanated from her throat. When he failed to pet her, she doubled back and lowered her head, nuzzling his hand until Thomas raised it. Then, like an actual cat, she rubbed against his hand, crawling across his lap a second time before repeating the process.
Though most girls in her position would have phoned it in, Atalanta was like an actual cat, waiting until Thomas had caressed her several times before she began 'kneading,' focusing on a very specific area of his body. A few seconds later, she brought her face to his bulge, tentatively sniffing it for several seconds before nuzzling against it with her face and nose...
Freeing Thomas from his stupor, Atalanta smacked him in the face with the tip of her tail, prompting him to resume petting her. Her back would arch like an actual cat whenever he caressed near the base of her tail, so Thomas instinctually focused on that area, causing her to lower her head and raise her butt. If he didn't know she was capable of behaving like a perfectly ordinary, albeit aloof woman, Thomas would have thought she was genuinely possessed by a cat...
Since Caenis wasn't keeping track, Astolfo counted the milliseconds until seven minutes had passed, shouting, "Okay, that's enough..!" the moment time was up.
As if a switch had been flipped inside her brain, Atalanta raised her face from Thomas's crotch and materialized her usual outfit before returning to her position at his side, completely stone-faced. A hint of red colored her cheeks, but as she had downed a whopping eight pints of wine, the blush had been present even before she started behaving like a cat.
Clicking her tongue, Caenis crossed her arms and muttered, "Just when it was starting to get good..."
Ignoring her newly acquired nemesis's remark, Astolfo adopted a forced smile as she prompted Benienma to begin the third round. This time, she sped things up considerably by intentionally calling the wrong result on the very first roll. What she never anticipated was Atalanta inadvertently doing the same, promptly pitting Caenis and Thomas against one another.
Adopting a toothy grin, Caenis asked, "Would you rather I get the next roll correct or incorrect? After rubbing her face and nose against your dick for a few minutes, I imagine our little feline friend is eager to continue where you left off..."
Though she furrowed her brows, Atalanta didn't refute Caenis's claim. If it were just her and Thomas present, she would have taken their little play 'a lot' further. Not the furthest it could have gone, but she certainly wouldn't have stopped at just sniffing him. She could smell Thomas's arousal even at a distance; nuzzling against him directly had the tip of her tail twitching in 'frustration.'
Returning a smile, Thomas replied, "I don't know what kind of command I would issue, but I would rather you didn't just let me win. Let's play things out and see how they go."
Shrugging her shoulders, Caenis responded with a lazy, "Suit yourself..." before shifting her attention to Benienma. However, when the latter was finished mixing up the dice, she remained silent, allowing Thomas to call out, "Odds." This could be seen as 'letting' Thomas win, but, as it was the only way he stood a chance at victory, Caenis regarded it as leveling the playing field.
Hearing her Master's reply, the tensions in Benienma's body waned, her head and shoulders slumping as she reluctantly revealed the sum to be even. She allowed herself to think, albeit for a brief moment, that Thomas might be able to secure a victory.
Contrasting Benienma's reaction, Caenis adopted a mischievous grin as she remarked, "Looks like your luck held out. As for your command..."
Since she could tell Atalanta 'wanted' to continue, Caenis dismissed that idea, shifting her attention to Astolfo as she mused, "Why don't you and Astolfo here have a dick measuring contest? You've both changed a lot in the past year. This is a good opportunity to compare your growth..."
Though Thomas furrowed his brows slightly, Astolfo's expression became wide-eyed and full of excitement. She was starting to believe that Caenis had forgotten their little 'deal,' so a mixture of relief and unbridled nerves washed over her as she bounced to her feet and exclaimed, "Let's do it...!"
Exhaling a faint sight through his nose, Thomas suppressed his inhibitions and pushed himself to his feet. It wasn't like this was the first time he was seeing someone else's dick, so, after a moment of hesitation, he removed his belt and dropped his trousers.
Since she was wearing a skirt, Astolfo only had to remove a pair of black lace panties, tossing them to the side before staring Thomas directly in the eye and asking, "Are you ready...?" with a nervous quiver in her voice. In response, Thomas looked to Benienma, prompting the petite sparrow to exhale a slightly exasperated sigh before turning around.
With Benienma facing away, Thomas removed his boxers, revealing his fully erect cock. It hadn't been that long since Atalanta's little 'play,' so he was rock hard despite his efforts to calm down using a discreet breathing technique.
Seeing how much Thomas had 'grown' over the past year, Astolfo's eyes widened as she swallowed audibly. He had to be around 24-25cm, so her voice squeaked slightly as she remarked, "It looks like you've got me beat by around twenty-five centimeters..."
Before Thomas's brain could process the meaning of her words, Astolfo raised the hem of her skirt to reveal a perfectly smooth, visibly glistening slit. She had followed through on her plan of having Asclepius change her gender and had spent nearly a year as a bonafide female.
Taking advantage of Thomas's stupor, Astolfo raised her arms over her head and let her clothes dematerialize, revealing a lithe, athletic frame not all that dissimilar to Atalanta's. Her breasts couldn't even pass the marker for a B-Cup, but they were clearly the mammaries of a female as she struck a pose, provided a playful wink, and squeaked, "S-Surprise~!"
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(A/N: And then they fu&mdash;had a very long and meaningful chat.)

As neither of them could sleep, Thomas and Vivi spent a little over two hours discussing various ways in which he could improve conditions in Alabasta.
After realizing he had a chance with the blue-haired beauty, even if his size would make things difficult, Thomas decided to go 'all in' on leaving a favorable impression on the Princess.
Fortunately, Magecraft could solve both of their problems. Spells to alter the size of an object or transform it completely were fairly common, and if he revised his 'image,' he could permanently change his appearance with Reinforcement. The same method would allow him to transmute ordinary, infertile sand into arable land.
Though Vivi struggled to believe Thomas's claims at first, she was fully convinced when he casually converted a handful of Whiskey Peak's red sand into mulchy soil. It took a fair amount of magical power, but Thomas speculated he could transform a few acres a day if he went all out. It was nowhere near what Alabasta needed to flourish, but having more arable land in a desert was never bad.
The best thing Thomas could do for Alabasta, which he pointed out, was to have Caenis 'fix' the Sandora River that had gradually succumbed to the sea's encroachment. The massive river was to Alabasta what the Nile was to Egypt, so decreasing its salinity and revitalizing its current would impact the lives of all 10,000,000 citizens inhabiting the country. Caenis producing rain would also allow the various Oases around the country to replenish, breathing life into a nation that had been gripped by drought for years.
After hearing the many ways in which Thomas and his Spirits could help revitalize her country, Vivi secretly regretted her words about 'not' asking him to marry her. His mind was full of ideas that could drastically change the way people in Alabasta lived for the better. More importantly, most of his ideas didn't burden the people. Instead, they were more like 'miracles' that solved some of her country's underlying issues without the need to expend billions of Berries and mobilize tens, if not hundreds of thousands of workers.
As the type of Princess that would readily take a bullet for one of her people, there was nothing Vivi wasn't personally willing to sacrifice to obtain Thomas's support. Unfortunately, she understood that Alabasta wasn't the only country that would benefit from his help. Thus, until he had completed his journey with the Straw Hats, she didn't have the heart to ask Thomas to abandon his crew and remain at her side. Instead, just as they were about to make their way back to the tavern, she said, "If this works out and everything goes as planned, know that you will always be welcome in Alabasta..."
Adopting a smile, Thomas replied, "It 'will' work out. I guarantee it. You just need to convince Igaram while I explain the situation to Nami, Lucy, Zoro, and Usopp. After that, we can either flee Whiskey Peak directly or stage a fight with the members of Baroque Works. If we cause a scene or take over the town, we can draw out some of the lower-digit agents and weaker Crocodile's forces before we reach Alabasta."
Blinking in surprise, Vivi remarked, "Wow, I didn't even think of that. You would make a good Military Strategist, Tom."
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "Not really. I'm just making the most of my foreknowledge and the information available. If I had to figure things out like a normal person, I wouldn't be nearly as confident..."
Adopting a supportive smile, Vivi stated, "You shouldn't denigrate yourself in such a way, Tom. You're conspiring to take down a Warlord of the Sea. Most people would feel utterly helpless against such a foe, yet you regard your crew's victory as a matter of course. Even if you've 'seen' the future, your belief in your Captain and the bond you share with your companions is what will allow us to attain victory."
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas stared into Vivi's eyes with a wry smile as he remarked, "You're a good woman, Vivi..."
Averting her eyes and combing back her bangs, a faint blush developed through Vivi's cheeks as she asserted, "Then it seems we're suited to one another. As I said before, you're a good man, Thomas. I'm not sure what you experienced that shattered your confidence, but not just anyone could face a Warlord and help restore a nation. Once Crocodile has been defeated, I would like to help restore your self-esteem...even if only a little..."
Reaching out his hand, Thomas caressed Vivi's head, his expression and tone softening as he whispered, "Just hearing you say things like this has done wonders for my self-esteem. As for what broke me in the first place, I don't mind telling you..."
Retracting his hand from Vivi's head, Thomas averted his eyes, staring off into space as he revealed, "I was once engaged to my childhood friend, a girl I grew up alongside and eventually went on to date. After the incident that derailed my life, she was one of the few people who remained at my side, giving me hope that things would eventually return to normal..."
Inhaling a deep breath, Thomas clenched the muscles of his jaw a few times before appending, "At least, that's what I had deluded myself into thinking. I did everything to try and make that woman happy, yet, just as things were starting to change for the better, I found her having sex with another of my childhood friends, a man I had once regarded as a brother due to how close we were..."
Shaking his head, Thomas's expression revealed a deep melancholy as he returned his gaze to Vivi, concluding, "After that, I spiraled for a few years and have since avoided committing to anyone or anything. I only recently received the opportunity to change things. However, even though my past can no longer influence me directly, I'm still affected by the sequelae of a self-deprecating, self-destructive lifestyle..."
Adopting a faint but genuine smile, Thomas preempted Vivi's response by stating, "Don't worry. I've received a lot of help and am rapidly improving. That's the reason I choose to help people, though. Others in my situation might condemn or call me stupid, but I believe helping others is the best way to help myself..."
Exhaling through her nose, Vivi left Thomas at a loss for words as she spread her arms and adopted a sad smile, asking, "Do you mind if I hug you...?"
With Thomas failing to respond, Vivi took the initiative to step forward and give him the most comforting hug she could manage. The drastic disparity in their sizes made things a little awkward, as Vivi's head barely reached Thomas's diaphragm, but the blue-haired Princess did her best to console his clearly broken heart. He had rekindled her hope and promised to help revitalize her Kingdom, so mending his heart and restoring his confidence were the least she could offer as recompense...
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After reaching the tavern and separating from Vivi, Thomas made his way over to where Nami, Lucy, and Zoro were eating breakfast, taking his seat as the former pointedly inquired, "Did you have fun last night...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "It's complicated..." before looking around at the largely empty tavern and adding, "Once you're finished eating, we should speak in private..."
Seeing how 'serious' Thomas was behaving, Nami raised her brows but didn't question him on the spot. Instead, she put down her knife and fork, saying, "I don't have much of an appetite after last night's festivities. We can discuss it now if it's something important...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas rose to his feet, prompting Nami to do the same. The former tried to lead the way outside, but Nami appeared to have different intentions, dragging him to the girl's bathroom after having checked it for Den Den Mushi the previous night. The reverberations off the walls and the sound of running water could also interfere with audio, so she turned on all the faucets before seizing the opportunity to freshen up as she inquired, "So, what did you want to discuss?"
Without beating around the bush, Thomas replied, "That girl who tried to seduce and drug me last night is the Princess of the Alabasta Kingdom..."
Furrowing her brows, Nami turned to face Thomas directly, asking, "Were you not aware of that beforehand...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "I was. Her perfume made me a little muddleheaded, but I knew about her circumstances before we arrived at Whiskey Peak. I just used last night to confirm a few things..."
"Right..."
Crossing her arms, Nami inhaled a deep breath before exhaling it as an exasperated sigh. Even if Thomas wasn't present, she knew they would somehow become entangled with the aforementioned Princess, so she skipped interrogating him and asked, "Did you negotiate a proper reward for our assistance...?"
Adopting a faint smile, Thomas explained, "Her country is in dire straits due to a persistent drought, so an immediate monetary reward is out of the question. However, the person we'll be dealing with happens to run a very successful casino as the public face of their underground business. It would be best if we left the funds to help the Kingdom rebuild, but I'm sure you could negotiate for 10-50% in exchange for our services. That should equate to a few hundred million, if not more..."
As illusory Berry symbols appeared in her eyes, Nami reached up to give Thomas a pat on the shoulder, a radiant smile on her face as she stated, "You did good," before asking, "I'm assuming you already have a plan...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas gave a cursory explanation of everything he had discussed with Vivi. The pupils of Nami's eyes shrank when she heard they would be facing a Warlord, but she got over it pretty quickly when he confirmed their alternate reality counterparts would have faced Crocodile regardless. This time around, they were armed with the knowledge of Crocodile's weakness from the very beginning and had numerous ways to counteract just about anything he threw at them.
Interrupting the conversation between Thomas and Nami, Vivi poked her head into the bathroom, smiling wrily as she asked, "Is this a bad time...?"
Before Thomas could respond, Nami replied, "It's a perfect time, actually. There are a few things I wanted to discuss with you."
Following her words, Nami looked up at Thomas, a smile that wasn't quite a smile adorning her face as she asked, "Mind giving us some privacy, my dear Magus~?"
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "Right..." before making his way to the exit, passing Vivi in the process. He wanted to say something to her, but upon seeing her staring directly at Nami with a 'resolute' look on her face, he decided to leave the two women alone...
...
..
.
Immediately following Thomas's departure, Nami crossed her arms and got to the heart of the matter, questioning, "How much did Thomas tell you about his powers?"
Understanding what Nami was truly asking, Vivi mirrored the orange-haired woman's actions, crossing her arms as she asserted, "He told me everything..."
Narrowing her eyes, Nami asked, "And you're okay with it? He could be manipulating you to get what he wants..."
Furrowing her brows deeply, Vivi surprised Nami by asking, "Are you truly members of the same crew? Thomas speaks so highly of everyone in the Straw Hats. Hearing you smear him like this, it's no wonder he hasn't been able to build his confidence..."
Before Nami could respond, Vivi practically stared daggers at her as she insisted, "Thomas is a good man. If he was half as conniving as you seem to think, why would he tell you about his knowledge of the future? You are blinded by your egocentrism."
Standing her ground, Nami's expression and tone hardened as she asked, "You've only known him for a single evening yet accuse me of being blind? What did he say or do to make you abandon reason...?"
Leaving Nami at a loss for words, Vivi answered, "Absolutely nothing. He had every opportunity to take advantage of me but chose not to. Instead, he comforted me, spurned my advances, and told me the truth in an effort to dissuade me from promising him a physical reward. If anyone is being taken advantage of in this situation, I'm absolutely certain you're the one taking advantage of Thomas. With his power, he could rule a country with very little effort. Instead, he chooses to travel with your group, helping to make your dreams a reality..."
Placing her hand over her heart, a pained expression marred Vivi's face as she expressed, "I honestly feel sorry for him...he's clearly working hard to make your lives easier, yet he has people like you questioning his integrity and the purity of his intentions. Tell me, has he ever once declined to help you with something? Have you ever thanked him for his efforts...?"
"..."
Seeing Nami remain silent, Vivi narrowed her eyes as she said, "I thought so..." before adding, "If you genuinely cared about him, you wouldn't have started this discussion by trying to sabotage him..."
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..
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(A/N: Vivi is really fighting for that top spot on the podium...)

Chapter 43: Killing Time