One Piece : Wild Hunt

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...)

To prevent any misunderstandings, Thomas used the time Shirou took preparing tea to change his clothes and revert to his original form. When the latter returned, carrying tea and snacks, he barely even batted an eye at the change. Instead, he offered everyone a cup of tea before sitting opposite the group and remarking, "I had thought your behavior didn't match your appearance. I take it you were planning to infiltrate Amazon Lily...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas answered, "I'm searching for a Caster Card to compliment my Mana-Mana-no-Mi. We were able to track one or more to this location."
Narrowing his eyes, Shirou chose to be a little more forthright, revealing, "The cards you seek belong to my little sisters. If you can help us gather the remaining cards, lending you a Caster Card is not impossible..."
After blinking in surprise, Thomas's expression became increasingly wry as he asked, "By 'sisters,' do you mean Illya, Chloe, and Miyu...?"
Narrowing his eyes further, Shirou remarked, "You sure know a lot for someone 'unrelated' to our circumstances..."
Maintaining his wry smile, Thomas shook his head and revealed, "First off, my name is Thomas. And in the world I originate, you and your sisters are fictional characters from an anime. I never really got into it, but anyone who is a fan of the Fate Series is at least tangentially aware of the Kaleid series you originate from."
As he was aware of the existence of the infinite multiverse and parallel worlds, Shirou's reaction to Thomas's words was a tired sigh. One Piece actually appeared in the Weekly Shonen Jump of his world, but he didn't have time for such childish hobbies as a kid. As a result, nearly everything he knew about it was second or third-hand information.
Setting aside his lamentations, Shirou met Thomas's gaze and asked, "So, how do you want to do this? Do you want to explain your circumstances first, or should I start...?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "I don't mind sharing, but I've explained my circumstances to several people in a very short period. It would be nice to hear someone else's story for a change..."
Nodding his head, Shirou took a moment to drink from his cup of tea before muttering, "My sisters and I managed to flee to this world thanks to a failsafe within the Kaleidosticks, powerful magical items that use the Second Magic to link parallel and alternate realities..."
Staring at his bandaged left hand, Shirou's expression became somber as he revealed, "Our world was on the verge of collapse after we failed to prevent the opening of Pandora's Box. At the very last moment, we were transported to the domain of the man who created the Kaleidosticks, the wielder of the Second Magic, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg..."
Interrupting Shirou's account, Thomas remarked, "I was also transported to this world by Zelretch around fifteen, maybe sixteen months ago. My world wasn't in danger of being destroyed, though. I just...wandered into his dimension on accident."
Waiting until Thomas had finished speaking, Shirou replied, "I see..." in a calm, ostensibly uncaring tone. Then, as if he hadn't been interrupted, he continued his account, explaining, "During our encounter, we were able to broker a deal with Zelretch. He promised that if we were able to assemble the 63 Install Cards scattered throughout this world, we would be given a chance to rewrite the fate of our own. That was three years, five months, and seventeen days ago..."
"..."
Feeling a little unnerved by Shirou's 'intensity,' Thomas fell silent for several seconds. The former had clearly been through a lot, so much so that it appeared he was on the verge of giving up completely. And who could blame him? Depending on their power and who was in possession of them, assembling all 63 Install Cards would be a monumental task...
"Do you at least have a way to track or locate the cards?" asked Thomas.
Nodding his head, Shirou replied, "So long as we're within a few hundred kilometers, the Kaleidosticks can pinpoint their location. The problem is that this world is enormous, the weather is nonsensical, and there are no dependable maps. And don't even get me started on the corruption of the World Government..."
Recalling the incident that had transpired at Sabaody more than a year prior, a hateful glint appeared in Shirou's eyes. Because they didn't bow like everyone else, a wayward Celestial Dragon abruptly shot him before attempting to take his sisters as 'pets.' When they defended themselves, the Marines dispatched an Admiral to capture them. If not for the timely intervention of Silvers Rayleigh, the First Mate of the former Pirate King, they may have suffered a fate worse than death.
Feeling that Shirou's situation was a 'little' more fucked up than his own, Thomas's expression became awkward as he said, "Sounds like you've been through a lot..."
Adopting a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, Shirou replied, "So long as I can restore some semblance of normalcy to those girls' lives, I'll never give up. Even if my body breaks and I become someone completely different."
Preempting Thomas's response, Vivi's lilac eyes seemed to glitter as she remarked, "You really care about your sisters, don't you? As an only child, I'm a little jealous."
Nodding in affirmation, Shirou asserted, "It isn't the world I'm fighting to restore. It's those girls' home..."
Bringing her hands together, Vivi's expression resembled that of a fangirl that had just encountered their idol. Fortunately, just as Thomas's brow began to twitch, a faint ringing sound echoed throughout the room, much like a quiet doorbell.
Exhaling a sigh, Shirou rose to his feet, muttering, "Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear..." as he did so. Then, with a forced smile, he asked, "Have the three of you eaten recently?"
Before Thomas, Vivi, or Astolfo could respond, a girly, high-pitched voice called out, "Onii-chan, we're hoooooome~!" before the sound of footsteps could be heard reverberating through the floor.
Shortly following the shout, a young girl with red eyes and pale, nearly white hair came running into the living room wearing what could best be described as a fur-lined bikini. She initially had a happy smile on her face, but the moment she saw Thomas, she immediately covered her body and issued a startled, "Kyaaaaaa~!?" before hiding in the hallway she had just emerged from.
Following the girlish scream, a similar but markedly deeper voice teased, "What's wrong, Illya? Did you catch Onii-chan streaking~?" before a girl with bronze skin, glowing golden eyes, and pale pink hair peeked into the living room.
Spotting Thomas, Vivi, and Astolfo, the dark-skinned girl's eyes widened as she remarked, "Oh, we have guests? How rare."
Contrasting the skittishness of Illya, the dark-skinned girl entered the living room without shame, proudly sporting a black bikini and a hot pink sarong. Shortly after, a girl with raven-black hair and amber eyes followed suit, her pale and petite frame veiled in a marginally more modest purple swimsuit, accented by dark purple frills.
After observing Thomas's reaction to make sure he didn't possess any 'untoward' thoughts regarding his sisters, Shirou gestured toward him, revealing, "This is Thomas and his companions. Like us, he comes from a different world..."
Showing no sense of personal space, the dark-skinned girl approached within a few centimeters of Thomas, smelling him before narrowing her eyes and remarking, "You have a lot of Mana..."
Smiling wryly, Thomas explained, "I ate the Mana-Mana-no-Mi, so I'm able to generate and emit Mana at the expense of stamina..."
Adopting an impish smile, the pink-haired girl replied, "Oh? Is that so~?" while leaning a little closer. When Thomas promptly leaned away from her, she snickered mischievously before pulling back and combing a few loose strands of hair behind her ear as she said, "My name is Chloe. Chloe von Einzbern. It's nice to meet you, Oji-san."
Raising his brows, Thomas parroted, "Oji-san...?" before frowning as he added, "I'm not 'that' old..."
Before Chloe could say anything else, Illya emerged from the hallway to grab her by the wrist, shouting, "Please give us a few minutes...!" before dragging her and raven-haired girl, Miyu, away. Trailing behind them was a dark blue magical wand that looked like it originated from a magical girl anime. Another, colored pink, flew into the living room, hovering in front of Thomas to ask, "You have the imprint of the Creator on your body. Did you form a contract with him...?"
Though it was weird to be talking to a magic wand with the voice of a woman, Thomas nodded his head and replied, "Yeah. In exchange for helping him out with something later on, he gave me the opportunity to realize my dream."
"I see, I see..." replied the magical wand. Then, despite not having a face, Thomas got the impression it was smiling as it asserted, "Then you're like my sister and me, a convenient tool to be used at our Creator's whim! My name is Magical Ruby, by the way! And my sister is Magical Sapphire! Feel free to address me as Ruby-senpai from now on~!"
Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "I'll pass. I'm not too good with honorifics and the like. Also, even if it turns out to be true, I don't consider myself a pawn of Zelretch. At least not yet."
'Shrugging' with her wing-like attachments, Ruby replied, "Yeah, yeah, believe what you will. The moment you signed a contract with that old monster, you basically became his slave. Even if you take your life or use something like the Ruler Breaker to try and nullify it, it won't free you from the contract. You'll just become something like a Heroic Spirit, serving at our Creator's behest until you've fulfilled your purpose."
Largely finished with what she had to say, Ruby turned around and flew away, adding, "There's a reason you're here right now~" before departing the living room in the direction of Illya, Chloe, and Miyu.
In the wake of Ruby's departure, Thomas furrowed his brows, muttering, "I never thought a stick could be so annoying..."
Nodding his head, Shirou replied, "Yeah, Ruby can be kind of...intense at times. Her sister is a lot easier to deal with."
Shifting his gaze to Shirou, Thomas asked the question at the forefront of his mind, specifically, "So, what's the deal with those three? Didn't you mention you've already been here for three and a half years? They seem a little...young. And those outfits..."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Shirou explained, "It's the traditional wear of Amazon Lily. As for their appearances...it's the result of something called Chrono Dysplasia. Outsiders are not bound by the same 'rules' as people native to this world. While we need to eat, sleep, and recover from injury, we do not age in the conventional sense. Unless your circumstances are even more different from our own, the same should apply to you."
To help Thomas understand, Shirou pointed out, "You mentioned that the world we originate from was an anime back in your world, correct? When you watch anime, you can rewind, fast forward, rewatch episodes, or even skip to the end whenever you want. It's kind of like that. From an outside perspective, time within another universe doesn't really exist. Every reality has its own Temporal Axis, and each person is bound to the flow of time in their host reality. In other words, unless your reality is somehow linked to this one, you shouldn't age."
Smiling wry, Thomas replied, "Well, that's convenient..." before looking to Vivi and musing, "Looks like I don't have to worry about becoming an old man while you're still young and beautiful..."
Returning a smile, Vivi replied, "I like older men. A bit of salt and pepper in your hair and beard would suit you."
Not wanting to be left out, Astolfo appended, "She's right. Older men give off a more 'dependable' feeling. Besides, so long as you're young at heart, it doesn't matter how old you are~!"
Exhaling a light chuckle, Thomas was about to remark that the duo were too good for him but was interrupted by Shirou asking, "Do the three of you have any food allergies? I'm about to start preparing lunch for Miyu, Illya, and Chloe. You're welcome to join us."
Since they still had much to discuss, Thomas nodded his head, replying, "Sounds good," while Vivi raised her hand and sheepishly revealed, "I'm allergic to certain types of shellfish..."
"I'll keep that in mind," replied Shirou. Then, just before departing for the kitchen, he looked back at Thomas and said, "Chloe is a very promiscuous girl, and she is naturally drawn to sources of Magical Energy. Please be on your guard..."
Without waiting for Thomas's reply, Shirou turned around and departed the living room. In his wake, Thomas exhaled a sigh before shaking his head and muttering, "Of course, they would be lolis..." as he visualized Zelretch laughing his ass off.
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(A/N: The Kissing Demon has entered the chat.)

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)~!)

Chapter 56: Stress Relief