One Piece : Wild Hunt

Once Thomas and the rest of the Straw Hats had fallen 'asleep,' the members of Baroque Works met up outside the tavern to discuss how they would deal with them.
Unable to suppress her discontent, the pink-haired, incredibly muscular Miss Monday asked, "Why did we waste two days of food and supplies on these people? We're already running low on supplies, and that Captain of theirs was able to put down enough to feed thirty people."
After clearing his throat in his usual 'Ma-ma-ma~' manner, Igaram replied, "This was a necessary precaution. According to the information obtained by Miss Wednesday, members of that group were involved in the downfall of Buggy the Clown, Black Cat Kuro, and Saw-Tooth Arlong, Pirates worth 15, 16, and 20 million Berries. Furthermore..."
With Igaram shifting his attention to her, Vivi adopted a sly smile as she added, "According to that big lug I have wrapped around my pinky, they have more than a hundred million Berries worth of supplies and treasure hidden in a secret cache on their ship. Thanks to my efforts, I now know where it's hidden."
Though the other Numbers had been dissatisfied with the delay caused by Vivi's selfishness, they immediately forgave her when they heard more than a hundred million Berries were at stake. As for Igaram's claims about the Straw Hats taking down several infamous Pirates groups, they simply didn't believe him. If that were true, at least someone in their crew would have a comparable Bounty.
Adopting a wolfish grin that revealed a desire for more than treasure, the orange-haired Mr. 9 asked, "So, how are we going to do this? According to our surveillance teams, the people assigned to protect the ship appear to be beauties. If we include those two passed out in the tavern, that makes six high-quality slaves to be 'sampled' and processed..."
As the Mayor of Whiskey Peak, Igaram was very familiar with how they processed female Pirates. It made him sick to his stomach, but, much like Vivi, he was willing to endure for the 'greater good' of Alabasta.
Nodding his head in approval, Igaram replied, "We will capture each of them alive. And take special care with that man, Thomas. He possesses a Devil Fruit ability that would prove advantageous to our organization. You can maim or seriously injure him, but no killing."
Before the group could ask what made Thomas special, the man himself remarked, "How thoughtful," drawing the attention of everyone gathered around the tavern. Their eyes widened when they saw not just him but the green-haired man seated next to him atop the tavern's roof.
Adopting a fearless smile, Zoro 'complained,' "You ruined the surprise. Now we'll have to fight all one-hundred of them directly..."
Feeling 'a lot' more confident than he had the previous day, Thomas adopted a smile of his own as he replied, "You can thank me later," before leaping off the roof and landing in a superhero pose with a ghostly white aura rising from his body. When he rose to his feet, he seemed even taller than usual, his eyes glowing as he tore away his shirt and said, "Those of you who prioritize your lives over your jobs, I suggest you run..."
With Thomas tearing his shirt away to reveal a remarkably ripped body, a faint red hue colored Vivi's cheeks. Unfortunately, the same could be said for the muscular Miss Monday, who cupped her cheeks as she remarked, "You have an incredible body..."
"..."
Instead of responding to the pink-haired bodybuilder, Thomas manifested two baseball-sized spheres of Magical Energy before lobbing them into the crowd to create two large explosions. That was more than enough to show the gathered Bounty Hunters he meant business, prompting several to open fire on him with their pistols and rifles.
Though he could have dodged by rolling to the side or leaping back onto the tavern's roof, Thomas stood his ground, barely flinching even as more than a hundred metal projectiles struck his face and body. Most aimed for non-vital areas, but several of 'Miss Wednesday's' secret admirers figured they could use the confusion to 'accidentally' shoot him in the face.
Snorting through his nose, Thomas remarked, "You'll need to do a hell of a lot better than that..." before leaping into the crowd and grabbing the rifle of a man that had shot him in the face. By turning his wrist, he was able to bend the barrel as if it were made of weak plastic before 'casually' kicking the man in the chest, knocking him into several others.
Voicing the thoughts of many of her fellow Bounty Hunters, one woman shouted out, "He's a monster! Switch to nets and bazookas...!"
As both Chiron and Caenis had warned him to be careful of nets, Thomas bolted toward cover the moment he heard the woman's cry. At the same time, he fired dozens of cannonball-strength projectiles, largely aiming at the ground but occasionally firing them directly at people.
Seeing the random devastation he caused, combined with the fact he could casually leap onto a building that most of them would need a ladder to climb, many of the Baroque Works agents pursuing Thomas decided to focus their attention elsewhere. Those with the classification of Millions and Billions typically relied on their numbers and firepower to take down dangerous Pirates, so there wasn't much they could do against someone who was bulletproof, incredibly destructive, and agile.
Realizing he wasn't being pursued, at least by the weaker members of Baroque Works, a frown marred Thomas's face. Before he could think to follow one of the larger groups, however, several tiny pieces of metal impacted him like buckshot, courtesy of Igaram and the shotgun he had concealed within his Saxophone.
Instead of emulating a cannonball, Thomas pointed his index finger in Igaram's direction, firing a laser-like beam from its tip. Magical Energy didn't generate heat by default, but it packed a tremendous amount of force when concentrated. Thus, like a Water Jet Cutter, he cut a deep trench in front of Igaram's feet, declaring, "Cross that line at your own peril..."
Seeing how fast Thomas's attack was, Igarama's beady eyes opened to their fullest. He was originally planning to put a bit of pressure on Thomas to test his 'caliber,' but there was nothing in his arsenal that could protect against the laser-like attack Thomas had just casually displayed...
While Igaram was lost in thought, Thomas leaped from one roof to another, peppering groups of Baroque Works members with weaker explosive projectiles. A few were able to return the favor, hitting him with cannonballs fired from bazookas, but the force of the explosions were only enough to knock him off balance, not break the barrier he had honed while sparring against Lucy...
Ruining his chance to catch Thomas by surprise, Mr. 9 approached him with a series of rapid cartwheels, shouting, "Eat this, you damned ape...!" while attempting to smash him in the back of the head with a set of iron clubs. In response to his shout, Thomas spun around and thwarted the surprise attack with his forearm, barely feeling the impact as he remarked, "Seriously...?"
Instead of immediately responding to Thomas's question, Mr. 9 flipped away from him, creating a few meters of distance between them before shouting, "Talk all you like! With my agility and acrobatic prowess, all you can do is wait to be hit...!"
With a deadpan expression, Thomas pointed his finger toward Mr. 9, firing a laser-like beam through the man's left thigh.
"Aaaaaah! You bastard! What have you done...!?" screamed Mr. 9. He had been trying to sneak up on Thomas from behind, so he hadn't witnessed the latter's interaction with Igaram.
Channeling his inner Frieza, Thomas fired beams through Mr. 9's remaining thigh and shoulders, effectively robbing him of his mobility before warning, "Keep blathering, and I'll make you eat that crown..."
Demonstrating he wasn't a Number for nothing, Mr. 9 ignored the pain in his legs and shoulders, forcing himself to stand. It didn't make sense, as Thomas was pretty sure he had burned a hole through the man's bones, but it wasn't the first time he had witnessed something that defied logic in the world of One Piece.
Before Mr. 9 could say whatever he was preparing to say, Thomas blasted him off the roof with a weak explosive projectile. Then, as there were no other members of Baroque Works trying to attack him, he took a moment to catch his breath, watching as Zoro dealt with the bulk of the group.
Though Zoro would defeat Thomas pretty handily in a fight, the power he wielded made him a lot more terrifying to normal people. Zoro could slice through iron and dodge bullets without looking, but he was just a 'normal' guy in the eyes of laymen. If given a choice between an average-sized man that ran around swinging swords and a bulletproof giant that fired off lasers, 9/10 would choose the former as their opponent...
Representing one of the exceptions, Vivi scaled the roof behind Thomas, climbing onto it with the aid of a ladder. She was the assigned partner of Mr. 9, so she needed to put on a show to avoid exposing her status as the Princess of Alabasta.
Hearing the sound of Vivi's movements, Thomas turned around to find the blue-haired beauty smiling wryly as she wiped a few beads of sweat from her forehead. Attempting to keep up with him on the ground while he jumped between buildings was easier said than done, so she was a little tired after running around for several minutes. She would normally utilize her super spot-billed duck named Karoo as a mount, but she didn't want to risk him getting injured during her 'performance.'
After catching her breath, Vivi raised her hands over her head, swaying her hips seductively as she asserted, "You've done well to make it this far. Now, let's see how you fair against my hypnotic dance..."
While the swaying of her hips and the pattern of her blouse were certainly mesmerizing, it was the specialized perfume in Vivi's hands that made her dance hypnotic. It was infused with special pheromones that caused men to feel light-headed, and, unless they looked away, they would soon find themselves paralyzed as the swirling pattern on her breasts and abdomen seemed to come alive.
As he could breathe underwater with sufficient preparations, Thomas was unaffected by the effects of Vivi's perfume, filtering it out completely. He did enter a daze, however, narrowing his eyes and smiling as he muttered, "I could get used to this..."
Averting her eyes, a faint blush colored Vivi's cheeks as she replied, "Then you should burn it into your eyes...as it will be the last thing you ever see!"
Punctuating her words, Vivi pulled out a razor-sharp jewel that resembled the tip of a peacock's feather. It was attached to a ring by piano wire and had decent cutting power when spun around her pinky finger.
Charging at Thomas, Vivi trusted that he would be okay as she swiped at his raised arm. As expected, her 'peacock slasher' bounced off his guard as if she had struck reinforced metal.
As they had rehearsed their play in advance, Thomas responded to Vivi's 'shock' by planting his fist into her gut. He held back and didn't channel even a speck of Magical Energy into the blow, but she appeared to have the wind forced out of her lunge, collapsing to her knees and cradling her abdomen. Thomas felt a wave of guilt wash over him like a bucket of ice water, but before he could say or do anything, Vivi whispered, "I'm fine..." before pretending to pass out...
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(A/N: I think I figured out what Thomas's epithet will be. Because he is a source of energy, possesses great durability, and can fire various types of projectiles, the WG shall label him Thomas the Tank Engine...!)

Though it felt wrong, Thomas left Vivi collapsed on the roof, leaping off of it and down to the streets below. Then, since most of the Baroque Works members were focused on Zoro, he started sneaking up on several from behind, doing his best not to splatter their heads as he knocked them out.
Upon realizing that Thomas was attacking them from behind, most of the remaining Baroque Works members began to flee. His presence indicated that the Numbers had failed to stop him, so they didn't favor their odds of taking him down.
Ignoring the thirty or so people fleeing, Thomas made his way over to where Zoro was taking a break, asking, "How was it? Did you get to test your swords...?"
Shaking his head, Zoro replied, "People like this aren't proper opponents. A few wielded swords and daggers, but they just flung them around like fools..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas asked, "What did you expect? They are dubbed millions and billions for a reason. Their only redeeming quality is their numbers."
"Fair point," replied Zoro. Then, after looking around, he asked, "So, what now? Knowing you, you must have some kind of plan."
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "We're going to chase out the Bounty Hunters and occupy the city for a few days. I'll explain the specifics once Lucy and Usopp are awake."
Instead of questioning Thomas's decision, Zoro rose to his feet and gave one of the people littering the ground a kick to the face, just hard enough to wake them up. The man held his nose and shouted, "What the fuck...!?" but quickly lost his vigor when he looked up to find Zoro staring down at him, his expression demonic as he said, "Wake your friend and then get the fuck out of our town. Anyone remaining after an hour will be buried here. Got it?"
With sweat streaming down his face, the large and muscular man began waking his colleagues, passing along Zoro's message before moving on to the next person. Some were hesitant to flee the city, viewing it as a death sentence, but the presence of Thomas and Zoro was more than enough to convince them. They couldn't defeat the duo with 50:1 odds, so there was no way they could oppose them while injured.
As the members of Baroque Works gradually left the city, Thomas left the body of Miss Monday to Zoro before returning to where he had left Mr. 9 and Vivi. The former had managed to crawl his way several blocks before concealing himself in a small residence, but the trail of blood made it easy to find him.
After tossing Mr. 9, Miss Monday, Igaram, and the 'unconscious' Vivi into the city's underground prison, Thomas and Zoro returned to the tavern to find Nami waiting for them, fully awake. Upon seeing them, her hazel-brown eyes briefly lingered on Thomas before returning to her drink as she asked, "So, how'd it go? I tried sneaking out to have a look, but Beni materialized out of thin air and asked me to stay inside..."
At the mention of her name, Benienma stepped out from behind Thomas, a serious expression on her face as she said, "I can't be in two places at once, dechi. It's easier to protect everyone when they're together."
"Yeah, I heard you the first..." replied Nami in a half-hearted tone. Then, after emptying her mug, she slammed it onto the table before staring at Thomas and Zoro, repeating, "So, how'd it go...?"
With Zoro splitting off to grab a drink for himself, Thomas was tempted to do the same. Fortunately for Nami, Astolfo had convinced him that being standoffish probably wasn't the best way to handle the situation. Thus, as he made his way over to sit across from her, he responded, "Everything went pretty much as planned. We chased off the low-ranking fodder and placed all the Numbers in individual prison cells. There are presumably a few people lurking in basements or hidden away in secret compartments, but Beni should be able to chase them out."
Without needing to be told directly, Benienma promptly disappeared to carry out her Master's 'order.' She quickly found a few people attempting to ransack storehouses and pillage several private vaults, so she chased them off or killed them, depending on how they reacted to her presence. Those that simply sought to preserve their lives were allowed to take rice, water, and other supplies before fleeing. Those that viewed her as a child and attempted to take her 'hostage' were never seen again...
While Benienma was off terrorizing the more opportunistic members of Baroque Works, Thomas detailed his plan to Nami and Zoro. They were surprised to hear that he could convert ordinary sand into arable soil but quickly accepted it after he demonstrated the ability to transmute a glass of water into wine.
Unsurprisingly, Nami promptly asked, "Can you turn minerals into gold...?"
Smiling wryly, Thomas answered, "It's possible, but doing so without a suitable catalyst is exceptionally difficult. Like, it's a hell of a lot easier to turn silver into gold than it is to transmute something like lead."
Hearing that Thomas could create gold, Nami's valuation of him changed slightly. She had a deeply ingrained obsession with money, so someone that could produce gold from comparably inexpensive minerals had high value.
Noticing the glimmer in Nami's eyes, Thomas's expression morphed into a deadpan as he pointed out, "You're a part of the future Pirate King's crew. Once we reach the point where we can rival the Yonko, do you think you'll have problems with money...?"
Adopting a wry smile, Nami replied, "Unless we go around robbing people, then yes. Lucy doesn't care about money, and Zoro is a muscle-brain that only thinks about swords and getting stronger. That's why I'm in charge of the crew's funds. If Lucy could purchase whatever she wanted, the Going Merry would be filled with produce from bow to stern."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas asserted, "Well, we won't have to worry about that in a few years. Drake agreed to set aside 30% of whatever she plunders using the 'knowledge' I shared with her. On the absolute lowest end, that's several tens, if not hundreds of billions in pure gold."
While Nami's eyes became as wide as someone that had just won the mega jackpot on a slot machine, Zoro spat out the wine in his mouth. A few million Berries was enough for the average person to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Hundreds of billions was comparable to the GDP of a nation...
After swallowing the knot in her throat, Nami asked, "And you're going to share that with us...?"
Reverting to his deadpan expression, Thomas replied, "Like Lucy, I don't care about money. I do, however, understand its importance. Lucy's path will invariably bring us to a head against the World Government, so we'll need 'trillions' if we're to oppose them and expand our forces. I'm leaving most of that to Drake, but I would never neglect saving to cover personal expenses..."
Realizing how 'short-sighted' she had been, regret hit Nami like a truck. She had planned to exploit Thomas's knowledge to accumulate the funds they needed for their voyage. Now that she knew he had been preparing their finances in advance, she couldn't help feeling a little guilty...after all, even before her altercation with Vivi, Lucy had insisted that Thomas just wanted to help...
Recalling Thomas's words about her using him, the excited smile faded from Nami's face. An impulsive urge to apologize welled within her, but before she could, Thomas offered the words he had prepared earlier that afternoon, stating, "Relax. I am well aware of the reasons you have trust issues. That's why I decided to prove I can be trusted through my actions rather than just feeding you information..."
Adopting a faint smile, Thomas added, "Instead of hearing you apologize, I would rather hear you say 'thanks' once we reach the end of our journey and you're able to achieve your dream. Until then, feel free to doubt me all you like. It helps to keep me honest..."
Rising to his feet, Thomas prepared to leave the tavern but stopped when Nami called out to him, expressing, "Vivi was right...you're a good person, Tom. I regret not noticing it sooner..."
Regaining his smile, Thomas offered a casual shrug as he replied, "That's life. Now, unless you've something important to discuss, I have a Princess to attend to and a soft bed calling my name. We'll finish this discussion in the morning."
Though Nami looked like she had something to say, Thomas turned away and promptly departed the tavern. He had already decided to 'ignore' her until after they regrouped at Sabaody and set sail for the New World. Until then, he was going to be doing his own thing...
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After 'dragging' Vivi from her cell and escorting her to her room, Thomas removed the cuffs from her wrists, asking, "Was that really necessary...?"
While massaging her wrists, Vivi replied, "One of my dreams growing up was to be an actress. It's what allowed me to maintain my cover and become a Frontier Agent of Baroque Works, so I take it pretty seriously..."
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "I see..." before adopting a wry smile as he asked, "How's your stomach...?"
Instead of simply answering Thomas's question, Vivi hiked up her blouse to reveal a smooth and toned abdomen befitting an exotic dancer. More importantly, there wasn't a single sign of blemish or bruising as she gave it a few light smacks and said, "I'm much tougher than I look."
Though manners obligated him to look away, Thomas stared intently at Vivi's exposed navel and stomach. The latter noticed this, but instead of fixing her blouse, she adopted a faint smile and traced her fingers along the line of her abdomen as she said, "You were even more powerful than I expected. I never once imagined you withstanding bullets and cannon fire without suffering at least a minor injury..."
As Thomas was still shirtless, Vivi allowed her gaze to wander. She hadn't been lying when she said she had a preference for tall and muscular men, and Thomas was built like a 'palace.' He exuded a certain 'majesty,' and simply looking at him gave the impression he could protect anything with his powerful arms and perfectly sculpted physique...
Despite feeling a little unnerved by Vivi's 'intense' gaze, Thomas resisted the urge to turn away, forcing a smile as he joked, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Princess. I still need to save your country..."
"Ah..."
Hearing Thomas's words, Vivi immediately averted her gaze, a crimson hue spreading through her cheeks and ears as she replied, "Forgive me. I momentarily forgot myself..." in a polite tone.
Shaking his head, Thomas teased, "I worked hard to acquire this form 'specifically' for beautiful women to admire. It's just that if you were to give me the green light right now, I probably wouldn't be able to refuse. Not after what happened this morning..."
Though he was tempted to point out that Vivi's words had saved him from a state of mind that had plagued him for years, Thomas felt that would be a little 'too' cringe. Fortunately, his playful remark appeared to be more than enough as Vivi looked up at him with a gaze that caused his heart to skip a beat as she softly replied, "I don't mind..." while staring directly into his eyes.
Seeing Thomas open his mouth and stare at her with a stupefied look on his face, Vivi narrowed her eyes and smiled as she said, "I said it before, but you're a good man, Tom. I believe that, even without the promise of a reward, you wouldn't abandon my people and me to our fates. I trust you with my life..."
Punctuating her words, Vivi slowly removed her white, form-fitting shorts without breaking eye contact. Afterward, she pulled her hypnotic blouse over her head, freeing her large, milky white breasts. She still had a bit of growing to do, but her three sizes were already 90/55/88. In other words, she was firmly within the realm of an F-Cup...
With Thomas frozen like a statue, Vivi took the initiative to approach him, tentatively touching his left pectoral as she softly mused, "I 'really' don't mind..."
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(A/N: This isn't a sailing ship...it's a fucking battle cruiser xD...)

After cleaning up and airing out the men's cabin, Thomas and Astolfo hopped into the bath together, the latter sitting in the former's lap with an expression resembling a contented cat. She felt like all the stress he had accumulated over the past year had vanished, so she was in an excellent mood.
Contrasting the at-peace pinkette, Thomas couldn't help feeling like he had crossed a line he shouldn't have. He didn't regret it, but he felt like he and Astolfo could never return to being 'just' friends. If she later returned to being a man, he wouldn't know how to act around her...
Shelving such thoughts for his future self to deal with, Thomas elicited a ticklish giggle from Astolfo as he caressed her abdomen, murmuring, "We should get out soon..."
"Eeeeeh~?" whined Astolfo. "It's still pretty early in the afternoon. Can't we stay together a while long~?"
Instead of answering Astolfo with words, Thomas surprised the pinkette by raising her chin and planting a chaste kiss on her lips. She flinched as he did so, but instead of trying to break free, she promptly turned around, linking her hands around his shoulders before kissing him with unfettered passion. Her 'vigor' caught Thomas by surprise, but he instinctually held her waist and returned her affections until they both had to take a breath.
Since she had to get on her knees to reach Thomas's lips, Astolfo could feel the former's cock poking against a dangerous place as she stared him in the eyes, narrowed her own as she asked, "Are you 'sure' you want to stop~?"
Though he could feel Astolfo practically kissing his dick with her lower lips, Thomas adopted an affectionate smile as he replied, "We're going to be together for years, if not much longer. There's no need to rush things all at once..."
Punctuating his words, Thomas planted another chaste kiss on Astolfo's lips, adding, "Let's get out." before picking up the slender woman as if she was weightless. She actually weighed around 56kg, but that was nothing to the current Thomas.
Puffing out her cheeks, Astolfo feigned pouting for a few seconds before adopting a smile and giggling as Thomas took the initiative to help dry her hair and body. She could 'fix' her appearance with magic, but having him dote on her made her happy.
Once Thomas had finished wiping her down, Astolfo left him feeling a little helpless as she playfully inquired, "You sure you don't want me to suck you off real quick~? You look like you haven't calmed down at all."
Ruffling the pinkette's hair, Thomas replied, "It will go down on its own once you get dressed and stop tempting me..."
Retracting his hand from Astolfo's head, Thomas caught the lascivious pinkette by surprise as he stated, "I've made up my mind. I had doubts before, but if things go well with Vivi, I think I might move forward with my fantasy of creating a harem. Will you help me and become a part of it...?"
Without any hesitation, Astolfo replied, "Of course. I mean, I always knew I would eventually be a part of your harem. You're not going to stop doing it with Caenis, and it's only a matter of time before Atalanta gives you her anal virginity. With Vivi and that Yamato woman, there are bound to be at least five of us. Unless you outgrow us, that is..."
Nodding his head, Thomas asserted, "I'll try to keep the number low, but I also want to live this life to the fullest. As for outgrowing you...don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure Kuma will hunt us down and forcibly separate the Straw Hats even if we keep our heads down and avoid garnering attention at Sabaody. When he does, I'll see if he can't send me to Alabasta. That'll give me two full years to focus on my training and strengthen my position as a messianic figure. By the time we're ready to set sail again, I'm certain I'll have mastered changing my size freely..."
Though he was probably pushing his luck with a prospective five women, Thomas knew he would regret it if he didn't at least try to woo Yamato. He also had a keen interest in several others, so if the opportunity presented and his other women weren't against it, he would like to sink his teeth into women like Perona, Robin, and potentially even Hancock. With Lucy being a female, the zealous Pirate Empress was technically up for grabs...
Seeing the 'possessive' glimmer in Thomas's eyes, Astolfo adopted a wry smile, gingerly placing her hand over his heart as she warned, "Just don't force yourself or undermine your integrity. The most important thing is to follow your heart and seek fulfillment. If you obtain things just to possess them, you will never feel satisfied..."
Placing his hand over Astolfo's, Thomas's expression softened into an affectionate smile as he replied, "Don't worry. I may have greedy aims, but I will always prioritize the needs of you and the others at my side. If you're against any of the women I have my eye on, I simply won't aim for them..."
Punctuating his words, Thomas pulled Astolfo into his embrace, silencing the pinkette's response with a kiss. He felt as though several of the things weighing him down had been removed in short order, so, without minding his apprehensions, he kissed the former trap until she became weak in the knees and nearly passed out...
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Feeling famished, Thomas made his way to the galley while Astolfo clung affectionately to his arm. He felt as though nothing could ruin his good mood, but he was given a reality check when he entered the lounge area to find Nami sitting with her arms crossed, a deadpan expression on her face as she asked, "Are the two of you finally finished fooling around? I've been waiting here for like three hours."
Contrasting his usual interactions with Nami, Thomas adopted a frown as he replied, "This better be important. I didn't know you were here, nor did we agree to meet up. If you're going to heckle me over your own decision to wait around, you can fuck off."
Taken aback by Thomas's comeback, Nami didn't immediately respond to his retort. When she did, she adopted a frown of her own, asking, "What's your problem? I came here to apologize for how I've been acting. Why are you suddenly biting my head off...?"
Though he was surprised to hear that Nami wanted to apologize, Thomas maintained his frown as he replied, "I spent the past three months trying to be your friend, answering your questions and tolerating your rudeness instead of simply ignoring you. I figured you would eventually mellow out and realize I'm not your enemy, but now I don't care. Like Lucy and Zoro, I will be focusing on myself and my training from here on. I'll still help you out if you're in danger, but I'm done being a convenient tool for you to use as you please. That isn't the reason I set out to sea..."
Grabbing the picnic basket Benienma had prepared for him and Astolfo, Thomas turned around, intending to leave. He had nearly brought up Nami's past of being used by Arlong to demonstrate how fucked up her behavior had been, but he caught himself at the last moment. Now, he just wanted to enjoy his late lunch in peace...
Fortunately, though she looked like she had 'a lot' to say, Nami didn't call out to Thomas as he left. She rose to her feet and extended her hand in his direction but ultimately remained silent, waiting until he had left before plopping into her seat and sitting with her head and shoulders slumped. It had taken a lot of 'courage' on her part to admit she was wrong and to try and apologize. Now, she had the distinct impression that she had waited a day too long...
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Waiting until they had reached a comfy place on the quarterdeck, Astolfo adopted a wry smile as she asked, "Remember that thing I said about not forcing yourself or compromising your integrity? I know you felt obligated to say something after hearing what we said earlier but confronting Nami when you didn't actually 'want' to probably wasn't the best idea..."
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas hesitated for several seconds before replying, "I suck at things like this. But what else was I supposed to do? I didn't join the Straw Hats to allow her to walk all over me. I'm also fed up with having to explain myself every time something happens..."
Nodding her head, Astolfo replied, "Yeah, I'm not saying you were 'wrong' or anything. I just feel like you could have handled things without forcing a confrontation. She was about to apologize, so if you refused to answer her questions and explained your bases for doing so, I'm fairly certain she would eventually stop asking..."
"..."
Grabbing an oversized rice ball from the picnic basket, Thomas took a massive bite out of it, using the time it took him to chew to organize his thoughts. He felt like he had burned a bridge with Nami, but Caenis's remark about putting his foot down and not needing the Straw Hats had resonated with him. He still admired Lucy and wanted to travel alongside her, but his prospective Godhood, combined with his personal ambitions, might force their paths to diverge...
Interrupting Thomas's thoughts, Astolfo placed her hand over his and softly reiterated, "The most important thing is to follow your heart. The more you think about something and have to convince yourself, the less happy you will be with the outcome. That's one of the many things you could learn from Lucy..."
Returning a smile, Thomas took Astolfo's hand into his own, teasing, "You're making an assertive push for the status of 'best girl.' I'm starting to feel like an idiot for fretting over your gender this past year..."
Adopting a smile of her own, Astolfo took the initiative to sit in Thomas's lap, using his thigh as a cushion as she replied, "That's in the past. Life is given meaning by what we do in the present. Now, why don't you stuff my tummy from the proper direction this time? Aaaahn~."
Realizing what Astolfo was asking for, Thomas allowed her to take a bite out of his onigiri, sharing an indirect kiss. At the same time, he placed his free hand on her hip, supporting her position on his thigh as they enjoyed a somewhat lovey-dovey meal under the watchful gaze of Atalanta sitting in the crow's nest...
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As the Sun began disappearing over the horizon, Thomas departed the Going Merry and returned to the tavern for another evening of partying. Igaram had invited them for a banquet to 'celebrate their friendship,' so events played out much like they had the previous evening. Lucy ate her fill, Usopp told stories, and Zoro and Nami engaged several members of Baroque Works in a drinking competition.
Paralleling the previous night, even more, Thomas once again had Vivi seated on his lap. This time, however, she wasn't simply acting as she openly flirted with him and poured him several non-alcoholic drinks. In fact, to 'prove' to the other members of Baroque Works that she wasn't just fooling around, she was significantly more assertive, even going so far as to straddle him on her knees, arms linked around his head as she guided his face to her ample bosom...
Though he could feel Igaram's gaze pricking him like the tip of a knife, Thomas ignored everything to focus on the Princess in front of him. After their interaction earlier that morning, his Self-Doubt(C) had decreased to D-. He felt like she had removed a metal shackle from his heart, so, with her showing a genuine interest in him, he made no attempt to disguise his desire and appreciation...
...
..
.
(A/N: This has been a very formative twenty-four hours for our boy xD...)

Chapter 47: Show of Force