One Piece : Wild Hunt

After healing his hand, Thomas told Robin about himself, his past, and what he wished to accomplish in the world of One Piece. The existence of the Install Cards was bound to shake things up a bit, but it didn't change his penultimate goal, only what he would be doing in the interim.
As Thomas's explanation included the existence of Zelretch and Heroic Spirits, Robin eventually asked, "Will you use your Heroic Spirits to defeat Crocodile? I saw the explosion in the sea earlier this afternoon. That was one of your companions, yes?"
Though he would have felt inclined to shake his head previously, Thomas wasn't entirely sure Lucy would be able to defeat a Crocodile empowered by an Install Card. Even the weakest of Heroic Spirits could probably net a Bounty in the hundreds of millions, and Casters were especially tricky to deal with...
Inhaling and exhaling in mild exasperation, Thomas replied, "I'm honestly not sure at this point. If shit hits the fan, I'll doubtlessly ask for their help, but I'd like to try and settle things before then."
"I see..." muttered Robin. Then, after a contemplative silence, she added, "Then this is where we part ways, at least for the time being. Once you've defeated Crocodile, I may or may not make an appearance."
Following her words, Robin's body began to 'dissolve' into thousands of pink flower petals, starting from her feet. The process happened rapidly, but she still had enough time to adopt a teasing smile, saying, "See you around, Tommy boy..." before disappearing completely.
As the last of Robin's flower petals vanished into thin air, Thomas exhaled a faintly exasperated sigh, muttering, "There she goes..." before glancing at his surroundings. There was a decently high chance that Robin had left one of her eyes or ears behind to observe his actions or hear what he had to say, but he couldn't find any.
Shaking his head, Thomas dismissed his wayward thoughts and decided to return to the Going Merry. It was paramount that he updated Vivi and the rest on the situation. Crocodile's Install Cards likely wouldn't be used until the 'climax' of their encounter, but they were still something that had to be taken into consideration.
According to Robin, the power of the Install Card depended on its Grade, one being the weakest and nine being the most powerful. Crocodile was in possession of the Grade 6 Caster, so they would need to be cautious as even a minute powerup, combined with his Logia powers, would make him exceptionally dangerous. On a more positive note, once they defeated the oppressive Shichibukai, Thomas would acquire Crocodile's Install Cards for himself. They could be just what he needed to overcome his current bottleneck...
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Upon returning to the Merry, Thomas was unsurprised to learn that Usopp had been taken away by a giant named Broggy. The latter had also invited Caenis and Atalanta to come and join him for a feast, but the duo declined on the grounds they needed to repair and safeguard the ship.
Fortunately, Broggy's arrival had taken place while Thomas and the others were away, so Vivi, Nami, and Astolfo were present upon his return. There was no pressing need to inform them of what he had learned, but he liked to get such things out of the way as soon as possible. Once he was done, he took a much-needed bath, accompanied by Astolfo.
With the bubbly pinkette reclined against him with a content look on her face, Thomas asked the question that had been lurking at the back of his mind, specifically, "Do you think your ability to find things would work with Install Cards...?"
Without needing to consider her response, Astolfo replied, "I don't see why not. Unless they have a nature that allows them to remain hidden, I should be able to locate them. Want to try flying around for a bit after we get out...?"
Since the Merry would be out of commission for several days, Astolfo's words were extraordinarily tempting to Thomas. He also 'needed' an Install Card if he was to assist Lucy during the battle against Crocodile, so he only hesitated for a moment before responding, "Sure. If possible, we should track down any unclaimed cards. If they each have an owner, we should target someone with a Caster Card. With my Mana-Mana-no-Mi, even the Grade 1 Caster should be busted..."
Nodding her head, Astolfo replied, "Then that's what we'll search for. My ability works best when looking for something I 'want' to find. I also have super high Magic Resistance, thanks to my Casseur de Logistille, so even if they use the card against us, I should be able to deal with it. Just make sure to pamper me and shower me with praise afterward."
Exhaling a light chuckle, Thomas wrapped his arms around the loveable pinkette and replied, "Of course..." before planting a kiss atop her head...
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Early the next morning, Thomas informed everyone of his intention to depart, at least for a few days. Vivi inevitably asked to come along, so, with Astolfo's approval, the three of them set out in search of Install Cards.
With the Hippogriff's tremendous speed and a barrier of wind keeping them from being knocked off, traveling just about anywhere was a breeze. If not for them having no idea where they were going, relying purely on Astolfo's intuition, they could have reached a destination on the opposite side of the world in just a few hours. Instead, they spent six hours flying around before reaching a small island whose central mountain had been carved to resemble snakes...
"You've got to be kidding me..." muttered Thomas. He couldn't read the massive Kanji inscribed into the face of the mountain, but he knew where they were even though it was his first time seeing it in person.
Hearing Thomas's utterance, Astoflo asked, "What's wrong? Is this not a good place to land...?"
As she could actually read Kanji, it was Vivi who responded to Astolfo's query, exclaiming, "No way! Isn't that Amazon Lily!? Did we really fly all this way in just a few hours...!?"
Smiling proudly, Astoflo replied, "Of course! Hippogriffs are some of the fastest flying creatures, and Griff is exceptionally even among his kin! If he was serious, we could have easily flown here in less than half an hour."
Opening her mouth, Vivi wanted to respond but found herself at a loss for words. As for Thomas, he had a serious expression on his face as he said, "The culture of Amazon Lily forbids men from entering the island without the express permission of their Empress. We may have to look elsewhere to obtain an Install Card..."
Instead of feeling deterred by Thomas's words, Astolfo's eyes lit up like the 4th of July. She had been waiting for this kind of development for a long time, so she directed Griff to land on a rocky outcrop detached from the island before pulling out a tiny glass bottle filled with circular pink and blue pills.
Before Thomas could ask what the pills were, Astolfo happily explained, "If the only restriction is based on gender, we should be able to enter the island freely. You just need to eat one of these pink pills, and it will rapidly transform you into a woman...!"
"..."
"..."
With Thomas and Vivi staring at her as if she had lost her mind, Astolfo rolled her eyes before popping open the glass vial and ingesting one of the blue pills. The moment she swallowed it, her shoulders became broader and her facial features marginally less delicate. Then, despite the presence of Vivi, she lifted the front of her skirt to reveal a sizeable bulge in her black panties...
"See? It works quickly, and there are no side effects," asserted Astolfo. Then, when Thomas opened his mouth to reply, a 'fierce' glimmer flashed across her eyes as she shouted, "Bottoms up...!"
With Astolfo flicking a pill into the back of his throat, Thomas swallowed it on instinct. When he realized what Astolfo had just done, his eyes became as round as saucers as he stared at the smiling pinkette in disbelief. At the same time, his height decreased drastically, but that was frankly the least of his concerns...
Unlike Astolfo, who didn't change much between transitioning from male to female, Thomas's chest and ass swelled as his waist contracted. Once the rapid transformation was complete, he was around 190cm tall with a physique comparable to Robin, Nami, and Vivi. The latter even felt a little jealous upon seeing him, a stark contrast to the feeling of existentialism Thomas was experiencing after the loss of a certain part of his body...
Seeing the disbelief and 'dread' on Thomas's face, the realization she might have done something wrong finally crossed Astolfo's mind. The look in his eyes made it clear he felt betrayed, causing the smile to fade from Astolfo's face as a sensation similar to her heart being gripped filled her chest.
Holding up the pill bottle, Astolfo meekly uttered, "Please don't be too mad...so long as you eat one of the blue pills, you'll be back to normal. I just thought it would be fun if..."
Feeling overwhelmed by guilt, Astolfo's words trailed off as she hung her head and began to tear up. The thought that Thomas might never forgive her was too painful to bear, nearly causing her to collapse on the spot and cry her heart out. Fortunately, just as she felt like her world was about to come crashing down, Thomas exhaled a clearly exasperated sigh, shook his head, and said, "It's fine..." in a faint, nearly inaudible tone.
Hearing the sound of his own voice, a frown marred Thomas's face as he reached up to massage his throat. One of the few redeeming qualities he carried with him from his previous life was a fairly deep voice. Now, while it was still deep, the sound coming from his throat was unmistakably the voice of a woman...
Before Thomas could ponder his situation further, Astolfo pounced on him, burying her face into his bosom and causing him to feel strangely flustered. Luckily, she had already downed a pink pill shortly after flicking one into the back of his throat. Had she not, Thomas would have been a lot more upset. Instead, he grimaced awkwardly, patting the pinkette on the head as he whispered, "You're so emotional..." in a wry yet soothing tone.
Baring her heart, Astolfo revealed, "I thought you might hate me..." in a chipper tone tainted by melancholy. She was still a little teary-eyed, so it would only take a few harsh words to set her off completely.
Exhaling a sigh through his nose, Thomas gave Astolfo a comforting pat on the back as he said, "I could never hate you. I am, however, going to ask you to get off of me. This is really uncomfortable..."
Though she was reluctant, Astolfo separated from Thomas, allowing him to get a good look at himself. The pills in Astolfo's possession were a type of Mystic Code, so they didn't simply alter his body but his outfit. It was really strange, but, considering the pills originated from the literal God of Medicine, Thomas wasn't 'too' surprised...
Suppressing his discomfort, Thomas attempted to stay positive, forcing a smile as he said, "This is actually pretty convenient. I was worried about how I would approach Hancock and other Amazons in the future. In this form, I can at least rest assured she won't immediately turn me to stone."
Comparing his situation to a scene from a niche yet amusing anime called Interspecies Reviewers, the tensions in Thomas's body gradually relaxed. He still wasn't comfortable being a woman, but he could endure it for a short while if it meant he could increase his strength and get closer to the woman regarded as the most beautiful in the world. Luckily, as he was in a completely separate reality, he didn't have to worry about his friends, family, and the people on his discord condemning him for getting gender-swapped...
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(A/N: Don't worry, Tom. There are plenty of people in the comments section who will happily condemn you (U w U)~!)

After reluctantly accepting Astolfo's and even Vivi's offer to help him change into something more 'appropriate' for his new form, Thomas had the former fly them over to the central island with a stone-faced look on his face.
As he couldn't help feeling a 'little' curious, Thomas had checked himself out in a mirror provided by Astolfo. What he found left him at a complete and utter loss for words as he was way hotter than anticipated. Not only did his female form have large, perky tits, a toned body, and a voluminous ass, but it also had somewhat 'heroic' features, similar to Yang from RWBY or Leone from Akame ga Kill.
Thomas had always had a thing for the big sister type women who liked tearing shit apart with their bare hands, so he couldn't help thinking his reflection was hot. This left him feeling confused and at a loss as he had never considered, not even in his wildest dreams, that he would find any version of himself attractive...
Fortunately, after a few flattering remarks that made Thomas increasingly uncomfortable, Vivi and Astolfo realized it probably wasn't a good idea to keep talking about his appearance. Even Vivi couldn't help feeling he was being a little dramatic, as he could change back whenever he wanted, but she didn't speak her thoughts aloud and just tried to be supportive.
After reaching the main island, Thomas asked, "So, what now...?" while directing his attention to Astolfo. He suspected they would have to enter Amazon Lily proper, but he wanted to be certain before trespassing upon a nation famous for its fierce female warriors.
Bringing her finger up to her chin, Astolfo tilted her head to the side and responded, "I'm not entirely sure?" after several seconds of deliberation. Then, in response to Thomas's deadpan, she exhaled an awkward laugh before clarifying, "My intuition is telling me there are Install Cards all over the island. I'm not sure which is the best to go to first."
"Ah, I see..." responded Thomas before crossing his arms. His breasts got in the way, but he did his best to ignore them as he considered the most suitable course of action.
Shaking his head, Thomas decided to forgo a more comprehensive plan, stating, "We'll seek out the closest one and then decide what to do from there. Amazon Lily has a battle arena, so we should be able to acquire the card without resorting to killing. We'll see how things play out."
As she wasn't particularly fond of killing, Astolfo adopted a broad smile and replied, "Okay~!" before bringing her fingers up to her temples as if she was trying to focus her mental energies. Her ability to locate things wasn't a power she could actively control, but she could influence it by focusing her intent.
After several seconds of looking like she was straining her last brain cell, Astolfo perked up and pointed 'away' from the central mountain, stating, "It's not the closest, but there's an Install Card all on its own over in that direction. Should we check it out~?"
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "Sounds like a plan," before taking the initiative to step forward and lead the way. The island wasn't very large, and the mountain at its center served as a suitable landmark, so he was fairly certain he wouldn't get lost. Thus, with Astolfo and Vivi following close behind, Thomas made his way into the jungle surrounding Amazon Lily, eager to punch something. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long...
As could be expected from an island filled with fierce warriors, Amazon Lily was full of dangerous plants and animals. Thomas and co hadn't even entered the jungle for more than three minutes before a massive leopard, more than 7m in length, attempted to pounce on them from the canopy of a giant tree. Its speed was swift, and its power was immense, but Thomas was aware of its presence in advance, thanks to Astolfo pointing it out.
The moment the colossal leopard leaped at them, Thomas jumped up to meet it, shouting, "Your pelt is mine...!" before decking the much larger creature in the snout. Unfortunately, its momentum carried it forward, causing it and Thomas to crash into the ground before the latter kicked it away with a feminine grunt.
Before the leopard could recover its senses, Thomas charged at it like an enraged berserker. The leopard hissed and batted him away with a fierce swipe, but Thomas bounded back instantly, firing a concentrated blast of magical energy into its soft underbelly to limit its mobility before beating it with his fists.
Seeing Thomas's 'berserk' state, an awkward smile developed across Vivi's face as she asked, "Does he always get like this when he's stressed out...?"
Adopting a wry smile of her own, Astolfo replied, "Yes, but this is also the way he 'wants' to fight. He wants to be able to beat people like Kaido in a contest of strength, so he goes all out when fighting against wild animals or people he knows to be powerful."
"Ah, I see..." replied Vivi, a thoughtful expression developing across her face. She had never met Kaido, but she was aware of the existence of the Four Emperors. Kaido was known as the 'World's Strongest Creature,' so Thomas would need extraordinary strength and durability to match him. Imagining her future 'husband' possessing such tremendous might made her feel a little...excited.
Noticing the faint blush developing through Vivi's cheeks, a teasing smile blossomed across Astolfo's face. She wasn't nearly as 'enthusiastic' as Benienma, but she was starting to see how Vivi would make a good 'first wife' for Thomas. Even when the latter was rampaging, his fists and body covered in blood, Vivi looked at him like a maiden in love...
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Though it weighed well over a thousand kilograms, Thomas emerged on the opposite side of Amazon Lily, dragging the leopard he had beaten to death. The smell of its blood caused several other monstrous animals to attack them, but the only creature of note was a giant boar that died after he sank his arm into its eye socket and released a blast of magical energy into its incredibly durable skull.
Looking around the cliffside clearing, Thomas didn't notice any obvious signs of habitation, asking, "Are you sure someone lives around here...?"
Stepping forward, Astolfo emulated Thomas's action of looking around before pointing toward a rocky outcrop that towered several meters over its surroundings, saying, "The card is in that rock. Maybe the person who owns it has a secret hideout~?"
Seemingly in response to Astolfo's words, a figure emerged from the base of the monolithic stone structure as if it were a hologram. More surprising was the fact that it was a young man with auburn hair tainted by patches of white. 'Most' surprising was that Thomas recognized who the man was, just not from the world of One Piece...
Catching the weary-looking man by surprise, Thomas tentatively uttered, "Shirou Emiya...?" in a faint tone, his expression a mixture of disbelief and shock.
Since he could sense the Mana exuding from Thomas's body, Shirou's expression became serious as he grimly remarked, "You're not from this world," before directing his steely gaze to Astolfo as he asked, "Tell me, why have you come here...?"
Raising his hands to show he wasn't there to pick a fight, Thomas replied, "Calm down. I don't mind answering your questions. But before that, are you going to be okay? You look like shit..."
With more than half his body covered in brown, scar-like tissue, a large cut over his left eye, and predominately white hair, the Shirou in front of Thomas looked like he had gone through a dozen Holy Grail Wars, losing each of them. Most of his body was wrapped in red bandages, and there was a powerful stench of antiseptics exuding from his body.
Sensing no hostile intent from his 'guests,' Shirou relaxed his body but didn't completely lower his guard, answering, "I'm...fine. The past few years have just been a little rough, that's all. Now, tell me, why are you here? Are you fighting to restore your world as well...?"
Blinking in surprise, Thomas parroted, "You're fighting to restore your world...?" in a confused, questioning tone.
Realizing that their circumstances were drastically different, Shirou exhaled a sigh of relief before adopting a wry smile as he remarked, "At least we won't have to compete to see whose world gets saved. I have enough weight on my shoulders as is..."
Before Thomas could ask what he was talking about, Shirou preempted him, questioning, "I'm guessing you came here in search of Install Cards? How many have you been able to collect so far...?"
After a moment of deliberation, Thomas shook his head, admitting, "I've been in this world for over a year but only recently learned about Install Cards. One of our enemies owns two of them, so we came here in search of the means to defeat him."
With a skeptical look on his face, Shirou shifted his gaze from Thomas to Astolfo, asking, "If you only recently learned about Install Cards, why is there a Heroic Spirit standing next to you?"
Waving her hand, Astolfo reacted with a playful "Yahoo~" while Thomas went on to explain, "Before I was sent to this world, I was granted a Devil Fruit known as the Mana-Mana-no-Mi and nine Class Cards to summon a 'crew.' Astolfo here was summoned using the Navigator Card."
Crossing his arms and biting the nail of his thumb, Shirou adopted a serious and thoughtful expression as he contemplated what he had just heard. The presence of a Master capable of sustaining nine Heroic Spirits was a game changer...
Interrupting Shirou's thoughts, Thomas asked, "Aren't men prohibited from trespassing Amazon Lily? Does the Kuja tribe know you're hiding out here...?"
Leaving Thomas at a complete loss for words, Shirou regained a wry smile as he replied, "I'm friends with the ruler of Amazon Lily, Boa Hancock. She gave me permission to encamp here while my..."
Instead of continuing what he was about to say, Shirou changed topics, asking, "You said you know the location of two Install Cards? If you tell me where they are, I'll help you deal with whoever possesses them. So long as they aren't an Admiral or one of the Four Emperors, I should be able to handle them."
Raising his brows, Thomas asked, "Seriously? Just how strong are you? Do you have a Bounty...?"
Nodding his head, Shirou's expression became melancholic as he replied, "I went on a bit of a rampage around a year ago and acquired a Bounty of 713,000,000 Berries after killing several Celestial Dragons. I was originally up for a position as a Shichibukai, but those bastards..."
Allowing his words to trail off, Shirou once again changed the topic, his expression becoming serious and firm as he said, "If your presence in this world is independent of the Install Cards, please don't get in the way of me collecting them. The fate of my world hinges upon those cards, so if you seek to collect and hold onto them...I'll have no choice but to cut you down..."
Furrowing his brows, Thomas remarked, "Man, you're one edgy bastard, you know that? And don't worry, I already have my own adventure going on. I might make use of the Install Cards, but I don't mind handing them over once I've picked up a few useful skills."
Sensing no lies in Thomas's words, Shirou hesitated for a few moments before half-turning towards the rock face he had emerged from, saying, "Please, come inside. I'll make tea for you and your friends, and then we can talk."
Without waiting for Thomas's reply, Shirou stepped through the rock face as if it didn't exist. Moments later, Thomas, Vivi, and Astolfo followed after him to find a cozy Japanese-style villa within, complete with an attached forge, a bathhouse, and a small bamboo forest...
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(A/N: O_O...)

With several pairs of arms growing from his back and shoulders, using his own body as leverage to keep his hands pinned behind his back, Thomas remarked, "This is more uncomfortable than I thought it would be..."
Seemingly amused by Thomas's complaint, Robin covered her mouth and issued a dignified "Fufufufu~" before teasing, "Now that your friends have departed, I could capture you and take you back to Crocodile. Make sure to choose your words carefully, Tommy boy..."
Raising his brows, Thomas parroted, "Tommy boy...?" before shaking his head and confidently asserting, "You're not the kind of woman that would condemn another to their fate. I might be concerned if I was your enemy, but I'm probably the best ally you have outside the executive members of the Revolutionary Army."
Stopping in place, Robin turned around to meet Thomas's gaze, looking deeply into his eyes with a practiced smile on her face. She was pretty good at reading people after spending twenty years concealing herself and fleeing from the World Government, so she could tell he wasn't lying when he said they were allies.
"How curious..." remarked Robin. Then, after staring at Thomas for several more seconds, she added, "You speak and behave as if you know me. Yet, as far as I can recall, this is the first time we've met. And I'm very good at remembering people's faces..."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "It's because I've seen your past and one of your possible futures. You're one of the people I came to this world to help, so I plan to lend you a hand and help uncover the truth of this world."
Raising her brows, Robin asked, "You're from a different world? You're becoming more and more 'curious' by the moment..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "My circumstances are pretty crazy. And I'll be happy to tell you about them. Preferably without the danger of you dislocating my shoulders or snapping my neck..."
"Hmmm..."
Catching Thomas a little off guard, Robin suddenly snapped her fingers, dismissing the hands she had binding him. Then, with crossed arms, she said, "Tell me what you know. If your story is compelling enough, I might at least 'pretend' to trust you."
While rolling his shoulders to ease some of the tension, Thomas replied, "I don't mind telling you everything you want to know. Afterward, I'd like you to explain where you acquired that 'Install Card.' I have a pretty good idea of where they originate, but I'd like to hear the specifics..."
Nodding her head, Robin replied with a curt, "Of course," before adopting a marginally more serious expression and adding, "Now, tell me what you know about my past and this 'future' you've seen..."
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Though he couldn't remember everything about Robin's past, the details Thomas was able to recall were more than enough to convince the raven-haired beauty he wasn't trying to pull the wool over her eyes. Several of the things he mentioned were things she had never shared, so unless he had peered into her memories, he couldn't have known about them unless he had witnessed them directly.
As surprising as the revelations of her past were, it was the details of her 'future' that convinced Robin that Thomas wasn't simply trying to deceive her. She had only heard rumors about the Road Poneglyphs, and that was from an obscure text in the Library of Ohara. Hearing Thomas mention them wasn't too much of a surprise, but he also knew of their approximate locations and, most convincingly, the resting place of at least two Ancient Weapons...
With Thomas's recount coming to an end after more than an hour, Robin's usually unreadable expression revealed a hint of excitement as she asked, "Is Poseidon truly a Mermaid Princess...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas revealed, "Her name is Shirahoshi, daughter of King Neptune and the late Queen Otohime. She's currently locked away in a tower due to a stalker named Vander Decken attempting to marry or kill her."
Covering her mouth, Robin issued a somewhat insincere-sounding, "Oh my..." before lowering her hand and expressing, "Your story is undeniably compelling. However, without confirming the existence of the Poneglyphs with my own eyes, I can't simply take your word for it..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "That's fine. Most of what I just told you relates to an alternate reality, so I can't say for certain everything I said was accurate. I just wanted you to know that neither myself nor the Straw Hats are your enemies. If it takes a few weeks, months, or years to convince you fully, that's understandable."
Sensing no falsehoods in Thomas's words, Robin allowed a faint smile to adorn her face. She was skeptical by nature, like any qualified scholar, but she could tell Thomas was doing his best to be candid and sincere. If she was wrong, he was an impossibly good actor...
Crossing her arms in a way that deliberately emphasized her breasts, Robin mused, "You know so much about me. Now, why don't you tell me about yourself? You claim not to know what Install Cards are but mention you have an idea of where they stem. I'm guessing the power you wield is somehow related...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas answered, "All I have is a guess based on my circumstances. I'm not sure if the two are directly or tangentially related, so it would help if you could explain what the Install Cards are and how, exactly, they function..."
Since Thomas had provided her with far more information than she could have anticipated, Robin gave a curt nod before explaining, "They grant the user the ability to channel an incredible power for a short period. Beyond that, all we know is that if you manage to acquire nine of a specific kind of card, it qualifies you to have your wish granted. As for how they function, you just hold up the card and shout 'Install' with as much spirit as you can muster."
Blinking in surprise, Thomas asked, "That's it?" before questioning, "Do you know where they come from and how many there are...?"
Shaking her head, Robin replied, "The card in my possession seemingly materialized out of thin air a few years ago. When I touched it, a voice in my head explained the card's mechanics and what to do once I obtained the other eight. Unfortunately, even though Baroque Works has spent the past three years searching for them, we've only managed to acquire three unique cards. Mine is the Grade-3 Assassin Card. The two in the hands of Crocodile are the Grade-6 Caster and Grade-3 Lancer Cards."
Though he heard everything Robin said, Thomas focused on one specific part of her explanation, parroting, "Three years...?" with a bewildered look on his face.
Amused by Thomas's reaction, Robin issued a suppressed laugh before smiling as she answered, "Indeed. Crocodile and I acquired cards around a year after we began 'collaborating.' The previous owner of the Grade-3 Lancer Card claimed to have received their card around the same time, so it's reasonable to assume the others materialized within a few days of one another. At the very least, mine and Crocodile's appeared five days apart."
Raising his eyes skyward, Thomas could practically envision Zelretch staring down at him with a shit-eating grin on his face. He didn't know if the elderly vampire had sent him to this version of One Piece 'specifically' because he had already meddled with it or if he had pulled some time fuckery to interfere with the past 'after' his arrival. Either way, things just got a lot more complicated...
Deciding not to let it bother him, at least for the time being, Thomas returned his gaze to Robin, asking, "Do you mind showing me how your card works...?"
Without hesitation, Robin replied, "I'd rather not. Install Cards utilize a form of energy that doesn't exist naturally in this world, so it takes around a month to replenish just one minute of power. Using the card expends all the accumulated energy, so they're best saved for emergencies."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas asked, "Could the energy you're referring to be Mana?"
Returning a smile of her own, Robin replied, "Indeed. That's the reason Crocodile is so eager to capture you. Your Mana-Mana-no-Mi is of great interest to him, myself, and presumably anyone in possession of an Install Card. If I had to guess, that includes the World Government..."
Prompted by Robin's words, Thomas immediately recalled how he had casually revealed the name of his fruit to Smoker. At the same time, he could practically hear Zelretch laughing his ass off from atop his throne...
Instead of cursing the old man aloud, Thomas reached up to massage his forehead and temples. He knew Zelretch was a troll, so this type of thing wasn't 'completely' unexpected. The old man never made things easy for the people he had taken an interest in, so unless he promptly decided to throw himself into the sea, he was subject to the inconceivably powerful man's whims for the remainder of his time in One Piece. Potentially much, much longer...
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Thomas met Robin's gaze, asking, "Mind if I take a look at your card? I promise to return it..."
Whipping out her card, Robin replied, "Sure. The cards are bound to the person who discovered them, so it's impossible to steal them. The only way to claim someone else's card as your own is to defeat them in their transformed stare or kill them."
Demonstrating her point, Robin waited until Thomas had accepted her card before making a flicking gesture with her right hand, materializing the card between her index and middle fingers before handing it back to him.
Smiling wryly, Thomas remarked, "Pretty neat..." before trying to channel his Mana into the card. The moment he did, the card released a blinding silver light as a sensation similar to being electrocuted radiated through his hand, causing him to exclaim, "Fuck...!" before grabbing his hand and hissing in pain.
Raising her brows, Robin calmly stated, "That's new..." before snapping her fingers to materialize the card in her hand, adding, "Nothing appears to have changed..." after checking both faces.
Though he heard Robin's words, Thomas was focused on the severe burn marks on his hand. He could move his fingers and feel sensations through them, but he was having trouble channeling his Mana into them, similar to when Chiron inflicted him with a Curse.
While working to expel the invasive energy pervading his fingers, Thomas looked to Robin, discovering the raven-haired woman staring at his hand with a curious look on her face. She raised her gaze to meet his when he looked at her, but she was clearly interested to know what had transpired.
Adopting a pained smile, Thomas revealed, "I tried channeling Mana into the card, but, as you can see, it rebounded and inflicted a curse on me. I was warned this would happen if I attempted to interfere with a magical contract, but this is my first time experiencing a rebound directly...it really fucking hurts..."
Holding up his hand, Thomas demonstrated he wasn't exaggerating by showing Robin the charred 'splits' running down his index, middle finger, and thumb. There was even a bit of bone visible on his index finger, so he was doing his best not to scream bloody murder.
Though she had long noticed the injuries on Thomas's hand, Robin was surprised by how severe the damage was, asking, "Will you be okay...?" in an ostensibly concerned tone. In response, Thomas gave a curt nod as he replied, "Yeah, I just need to expel the energy of the Curse from my hand. After that, it should heal fairly quickly. Just...give me a few minutes..."
As the pain was quickly reaching a point beyond his ability to tolerate, Thomas followed his words by taking a seat and focusing all his attention on fixing his hand. It took nearly a full hour, but if nothing else, it taught him never to underestimate the power of a magical contract. There was a reason magical contracts were considered one of the foundational pillars of Magecraft...
...
..
.
(A/N: He's lucky he didn't try to 'break' the contract...)

Chapter 55: Separation : Anxiety