One Piece : Wild Hunt

After reading through the stack of parchment papers Chloe had prepared for him, Thomas signed his name using a pen that used the writer's blood as ink. When he was finished, she did the same, causing the document to burst into fire, smoke, and ash that surged toward each of them, sinking into their chests and embedding the mark of the contract on their hearts.
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Chloe adopted a pointed look as she asked, "Happy now? Now we get to walk around with ash engraved on our hearts until we manage to collect all the Install Cards."
Though he felt a bit of discomfort that compelled him to massage his chest, Thomas retorted, "I would rather endure a bit of discomfort than seal the contract with a kiss..."
Rolling her eyes, Chloe offered a retort of her own, asserting, "You're an idiot, you know that? You didn't even bother checking the contract to see if there was any hidden or invisible text. If I included a clause mandating that you personally replenish my Magical Energy, you would have to suffer the 'indignity' of making out with me for the next 4-5 years..."
Narrowing his eyes, Thomas flatly replied, "Then you will have betrayed my trust, and we would be enemies from that moment onward..."
Waving her hand dismissively, Chloe replied, "Don't be a sourpuss. I'm just pointing out you should be more careful when reading and signing magical contracts. I did include a few hidden provisions, but they were similar to comments within a computer program. I only included them to see if you would do your due diligence."
"..."
Contrasting Thomas's grim countenance, Chloe's resembled the look of a kid that had succeeded in a prank as she revealed, "No need to be upset. It was just a few throwaway lines stating that I wouldn't have to call you Master or perform lewd acts unless I wanted to. Since I expected you to find them, I only included things you would naturally agree to."
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas replied, "It was still a betrayal of my trust. Not exactly the best way to kick off our relationship as Master and Demi-Servant..."
Bringing her finger up to her lips, Chloe turned her eyes up at Thomas in an overtly sensual manner, teasing, "You're free to punish me. If you use a Command Spell, you can even mess with my head a bit..."
Shaking his head, Thomas adopted a serious expression as he muttered, "I don't like controlling other people, so you should stop saying things like that before I make it an order. Then neither of us will be happy..."
Crossing her arms, Chloe exhaled a sign and remarked, "You're way too uptight. But fine, I'll stop teasing you, at least until you mellow out a bit. Just know that if I catch you sneaking a peek at my panties or staring at my ass, I won't simply ignore it. I may even keep track of each incident, compiling them into a journal I can read aloud when you finally give in to your more 'bestial' urges..."
Punctuating her statement with a wink, Chloe took the initiative to depart the study she had invited Thomas into for the contract signing. She was a lot more proactive than Illya and Miyu, so she had a sizeable collection of books related to the world of One Piece, its history, and the many islands populating the Grand Line. She even had a collage of sea charts stitched together like a crime map, implying that she had been preparing to set out long before Thomas's arrival...
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Preempting Illya's emergence from the Emiya residence, Ruby flew out at high speeds wearing a pink pirate cap and a toy-like cutlass on her 'hip' as she exclaimed, "Feast your eyes on the marvelous, magnificent, and most importantly, Magical Pirate Princess - Prism Pink~!"
As the surroundings abruptly darkened, followed by a series of tri-colored spotlights converging on the entrance to the estate, a very embarrassed-looking Illya emerged wearing a frilly, predominately pink pirate outfit. It was the first time Thomas was seeing a pirate-themed Magical Girl, but it suited her surprisingly well.
Unable to contain herself, Astolfo abruptly shouted, "Oh my gosh, Illya! You're so cute~!" before rushing over, picking up the embarrassed-looking girl, and cuddling her like a tiny animal.
As she was pretty used to such reactions, Illya laughed awkwardly and replied, "Thanks..." while enduring Astolfo's overly friendly ministrations. When she was finally released, she fixed her outfit and gave Shirou and Miyu a meaningful look before setting her gaze on Thomas and asserting, "I'm ready." in a resolute tone.
Though he nodded in affirmation, Thomas asked, "Are you sure you'll be okay flying such a distance? According to Astolfo, there are at least ten thousand kilometers between here and Little Garden."
Returning a nod of her own, Illya confidently replied, "We might have to stop somewhere for lunch, but so long as we don't fly too quickly or get caught in a storm, I'll be fine. I'm more concerned about Vivi's home and people. We should free them as soon as possible."
Smiling wryly, Thomas was about to remind Illya that she was supposed to be joining them, not determining their course of action. Fortunately, he didn't have to defend the delay in Alabasta's salvation as Vivi adopted a smile and replied, "I appreciate your concerns, Illya, but Tom and I have already formulated a plan to liberate my people and restore prosperity to my Kingdom. I, too, would like to free my people as soon as possible, but rushing into things could have disastrous consequences..."
Voicing Thomas's thoughts aloud, Shirou calmly reminded, "Don't forget that you're the one accompanying Thomas and his friends, Illya. Being a little willful is fine, but you're not the Captain this time around. I know you want to save as many people as possible, but you should listen to Thomas and respect the will of his Captain..."
Nodding her head, Illya softly replied, "I understand..." before directing her gaze to Thomas and adding, "But if I see people that need my help, I won't just stand by and watch."
Adopting a smile, Thomas replied, "You and me both. Now, unless there's something else, we should be on our way. I don't mind making camp on a random island, but I'd prefer to reach Little Garden before sundown. Meet us outside when you're ready."
Without waiting for Illya's response, Thomas turned around with Astolfo and Viiv, giving the peculiar family unit a bit of privacy as they departed the Bounded Field and prepared for their departure. Chloe emerged less than a minute after them, but Illya took a full ten, emerging with slightly teary but fiercely resolute eyes...
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With Illya's cruising speed being just under 1200km/h, the return trip to Little Garden took around eleven hours. They had to make a few pit stops along the way, but nothing notable happened as they didn't stray too far from their temporary campsites.
As Astolfo guided Griff to land on the Going Merry's deck, Atalanta leaped down from her perch in the crow's nest, nearly being the first to welcome Thomas back. Instead, Benienma appeared out of thin air the moment he slid from Griff's back, cupping her hands together and bowing as she said, "Welcome back, Master."
Before Thomas could respond, Chloe issued an amused, "Hooo~?" as she sized up Benienma. The petite Oni immediately noted the presence of her and Illya but also largely ignored them, focusing most of her attention on Thomas as she asked, "Shall Benienma prepare a meal, dechi...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "Let's make it a feast," before looking around and asking, "Where is everyone?"
Answering in Benienma's stead, Atalanta explained, "Caenis got into a fight with the two giants inhabiting this island. Afterward, they invited everyone to join them for a celebratory banquet. I remained behind to watch the ship."
Nodding her head, Benienma appended, "I was helping to prepare the food but rushed over when I detected Master's approach. Shall I fetch them for you, dechi~?"
Not wanting to ruin a party already in progress, Thomas shook his head and said, "Nah, leave them be. We can always celebrate tomorrow. For now, you should return and continue what you were doing. If anyone asks, feel free to let them know we've returned."
Though she would have preferred to remain on the Merry and serve her Master, Benienma didn't hesitate to lower her head, responding, "As you will..." before promptly disappearing.
"That one's pretty fast..." remarked Chloe, a thoughtful glimmer in her two-tone eyes.
"No kidding..." responded Thomas, adding, "Atalanta here would win in a foot race, but Beni is the fastest over short distances. She has two plus modifiers to her Agility and A-Rank Presence Concealment, so unless you have incredibly high perception, her movements resemble teleportation..."
With Atalanta having entered his range, Thomas habitually extended his hand, caressing her head as he spoke. She was a little uncomfortable due to the presence of others, but she didn't attempt to avoid him. After a few seconds had passed, she even closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of having the space between her ears caressed.
Witnessing Thomas's actions, Illya eventually asked, "Are those ears and tail real...?"
Preempting Thomas's response, a gleam flashed across Ruby's 'eyes' as she excitedly inquired, "Could it be!? Have you finally realized the marvel of possessing cat ears and a tail!? It's never too late to modify your outfit to have a few more 'charms,' you know!?"
Recalling a series of traumatic incidents, the light promptly faded from Illya's eyes as she grabbed Ruby with both hands, tightening her grip like a vice as she threatened, "Don't you dare..." in a low, monotone voice.
Understanding the reason for Illya's reaction, Chloe's eyes narrowed as she adopted a mischievous grin. Fortunately, at least for the time being, she had no intention of involving Illya in her 'conquest.' If she tried using Ruby's 'beast' transformation at this stage, there was a good chance that Thomas would immediately send them back to Amazon Lily...
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With the intention of surprising Nami and the other girls, Thomas asked Illya and Ruby if they could expand the women's cabin while he focused on preparing dinner. Curiously enough, the EMIYA Card actually included the peculiar Hero's prowess as a chef, prompting Chloe to suggest he use it while she assisted with the ingredients.
Though she could have easily replaced Thomas and prepared everything herself, Chloe complained that it was too much work for very little reward. She also made a few remarks about how girls were only obligated to cook for their spouses and the people they had crushes on, so Thomas didn't press the matter. Instead, he focused most of his attention on observing how his body moved and reacted on its own, almost like he was on auto-pilot despite being in full control of his actions...
Perhaps as a result of Ruby pointing it out, Thomas felt as though he was in a 'very' lucid dream the moment he included the EMIYA Card. He didn't have any of the man's memories, but he felt like everything he was doing was something he had done countless times before. The cooking utensils felt familiar in his hand, and if he wanted to, he could spin and twirl them between his fingers with a finesse he could barely comprehend. His little performance even earned a spontaneous applause from Astolfo and Vivi, causing him to feel inwardly awkward while his expression was a mask of calm and confidence...
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(A/N: Even if it was an important 'lesson,' Chloe is playing with fire...)

After learning that Thomas's group had returned, Nami returned to the Merry using Karoo, Vivi's Super Spot-Billed Duck mount. She had been planning to return to avoid having to sleep outside, so Thomas's arrival was as good an excuse as any.
Not finding anyone on the deck, Nami entered the lounge only to pause when she stepped inside. Everything was where it was supposed to be, but she immediately perceived that the furniture was slightly larger and that the interior was more spacious.
Noticing Nami's arrival, Chloe asked, "Is this another one of your women? You've quite the collection built up here, don't you?"
Recovering from her momentary stupor, Nami's brows furrowed as she retorted, "I don't belong to anyone." Then, to confirm her mind wasn't playing tricks on her, she questioned, "What happened here? Everything seems 'bigger' than I remember."
Nodding his head, Thomas answered, "You can thank Illya and Ruby for that. They used the Grade 5 Caster Card to expand your cabin, the bath, and the lounge area. Now, it shouldn't feel nearly as cramped as it used to."
Though various questions popped into her mind, Nami set most of them aside to focus her attention on Illya and Chloe. Their skin, hair, and eyes were distinctly different, but their remaining characteristics were virtually identical, prompting her to ask, "Are the two of you twins...?"
Beating Illya to the punch, Chloe replied, "It would be more accurate to say we're the same person. But viewing us as twins isn't wrong. What's it to yah...?"
Shaking her head, Nami replied, "I was just curious...speaking of which, how old are you two? You look a bit young for a pair of girls brought back by Tom..."
Seizing the initiative, Illya quickly responded, "I think there has been a misunderstanding. Chloe and I...we're not in a relationship with Tom-san. We're just working together."
Metaphorically sweeping Illya's feet out from under her, Chloe revealed, "That isn't entirely true. Tom and I have a Master-Sla&mdash;I mean&mdash;Servant Contract. As for our age, we're a few months away from turning sixteen. How about you...?"
Crossing her arms, Nami retorted, "You don't look fifteen..." before adding, "And I'm eighteen; not that it matters."
Directing her gaze to Thomas, Nami asked, "Just how many more people are you planning to invite to the ship without discussing it with Lucy and the rest of us?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "I honestly have no idea. A few days ago, I couldn't have imagined this turn of events. Now, how about you sit down, grab something to eat, and listen to my explanation before biting my head off?"
Though she didn't approve of his tone, Nami eventually sat down with her arms crossed, waiting to hear what Thomas had to say. When he divulged that Illya and Chloe were from a different world, she couldn't help feeling a mixture of exasperation and annoyance. As a result, she felt like a bit of a bitch when Thomas subsequently revealed that their friend's world had been destroyed and that they were assembling the Install Cards just for a chance to restore it...
When Thomas's explanation finally came to an end, Nami massaged her forehead, groaning, "You go from wanting to help Vivi save her Kingdom to wanting to help these two save an entire planet...what's next? Saving the Solar System? The Universe...?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas maintained a neutral expression as he replied, "I'm just doing what I can with the circumstances presented to me. I mean, what's the alternative, ignoring people who need my help...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas's expression became serious as he added, "I might be an asshole, but I also understand that power and responsibility go hand in hand. Even if I attained the power to do whatever I wanted, I would still try to help people. I mean, I wouldn't even be in this situation if someone infinitely more powerful didn't give me an opportunity. It would be pretty dickish of me if I didn't at least try and pay it forward..."
While Nami still had a look of exasperation on her face, nearly everyone else in the lounge, especially Vivi, looked at Thomas with varying degrees of approval. Even Ruby was no exception, though she did point out, "I can see why the Creator chose you. You might look like a muscle-brained fool who only thinks with his lower head, but you have a good heart."
Shaking his head a second time, Thomas insisted, "This is honestly the least I can do. If I were a truly good person, I would summon the Hind, fly over to Alabasta, and liberate Vivi's people immediately. Instead, I'm taking my time, prioritizing the development of my strength, and enjoying life as much as possible. At the same time, hundreds of millions of people are suffering under the tyranny of opportunistic Pirates, corrupt Marines, and infinitely more crooked World Nobles. I might not be evil, but calling me 'good' is an overstatement..."
Shrugging her 'shoulders,' Ruby replied, "I take it back. You don't 'look' like a muscle-brained fool; you are one. I mean, are you even listening to yourself? If every 'good' person had to live up to the unrealistic standard you've set for yourself, there wouldn't be any."
Nodding her head, Chloe appended, "There's nothing wrong with enjoying life. Everyone has the right to live and be happy. It only becomes an issue if your lifestyle is maintained at the expense of others..."
Biting into a cherry tomato, Chloe narrowed her eyes as she mused, "If I had to guess, you dislike people calling you 'good' because you have a guilty conscience. Not because you've done something bad but because you plan to skirt the line while 'sampling' various cultures. Sound about right~?"
"..."
Taking Thomas's silence as confirmation, Chloe shrugged her shoulders, stating, "Ruby's right; you are an idiot..." before rising to her feet, yawning, and adding, "Well, I'm off to take a bath. Have fun fretting over pointless things."
Waving her hand, Chloe departed the lounge, descending into the storage room on her way to the bath near the ship's rudder. Illya followed soon after, but not before turning to Thomas, adopting an apologetic smile and saying, "Don't let Chloe's words get to you. She 'usually' means well..."
Shaking his head, Thomas adopted a wry smile as he replied, "It's fine. I also have a habit of saying what's on my mind, so I can't condemn others for doing the same..."
Instead of responding to Thomas's words, Illya adopted a wry smile of her own before grabbing Ruby and following after Chloe. The abruptness of their departure caused an uncomfortable atmosphere to descend upon everyone in the lounge/galley, so while there was still a lot to discuss, the conversation and associated dinner abruptly came to an end...
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With Vivi and Astolfo insisting he leaves the dishes and cleanup to them, Thomas found himself in the men's cabin, silently perusing the pages of his logbook. Zoro and Usopp were both at the feast hosted by Broggy and Dorry, so he currently had the entire cabin to himself.
"Hmmm...?"
Reaching the pages that denoted the status of himself and his Servants, Thomas's brows perked up as he noticed two new entries, one for Chloe and another for the EMIYA Card. He probably could have gone the rest of his life without knowing Chloe's three sizes, but the rest of the information was fairly useful.
Seeing that Chloe had an actual Skill called Kiss Demon, Thomas shook his head and focused on the EMIYA Card. Its Parameters were a lot lower than he expected, but there were a few other things that caught his eye...
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[Profile]
Name: EMIYA
Install Class: Archer, Grade 5
Status: Sealed(003%)
Affinity: C
Mastery: E-
Species: Human, Magus, Counter Guardian
Gender: Male
Age: N/A
Height: 187cm
Weight:78kgs
Blood Type: B-
Likes: All kinds of housework
Dislikes: Heroes of Justice
Talents: Fiddling with junk, all kinds of housework, cooking
Natural Enemy: Himself
[Parameters]
Strength: D(23)
Endurance: C(38)
Agility: C(35)
Mana: B(40)
Luck: E(10)
NP: Unlimited Blade Works(E~A++)
[Class Skills]
Independent Action(B), Magic Resistance(D)
[Personal Skills]
Clairvoyance(C), Mind's Eye[True](B), Magecraft(C-), Projection Magecraft(A), Hawkeye(B+), Circuit Connection(EX)
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Though there wasn't an explanation for Status, Affinity, and Mastery, Thomas had a pretty good idea of what each represented. By inserting a big of Magical Energy into the Card, he caused the 003% to increase to 004%, indicating it was either the 'charge' of the Card or how close it was to manifesting as an actual Heroic Spirit. As for Affinity and Mastery, they seemed to indicate his compatibility with the Card and how close he was to mastering either its use or associated Skills...
Recalling that Illya had brought the Artoria and Medea Cards with her, Thomas briefly considered testing his theory by trying to summon one of the two as Heroic Spirits. If his suspicions were correct, that could be a game-changer. Not just because it implied he would be able to meet the actual Ishtar, but because he could increase the number of allies he had while also gaining access to their knowledge.
Though he was still planning to increase his strength and fight on the frontlines, Thomas had been contemplating establishing an organization to collect information and replace the World Government. He had no idea how to go about it, but he knew he could start by utilizing Benienma's Inn Creation Skill. With sufficient funding, she could apparently manifest and staff her Enma-tei with various yokai from Hell. More importantly, each of her manifested Inns were linked, allowing authorized individuals to travel between them in an instant.
While he had no idea how to manage an intelligence organization, Thomas supposed that Robin could point him in the right direction. Benienma also had hundreds of years of experience operating the Enma-tei, so he could potentially entrust everything to her while he focused on his training. If nothing else, he would have a mystical bathhouse comparable to the one from Spirited Away all to himself...
Though it probably wasn't feasible, Thomas couldn't help visualizing the scene of a private bath filled with One Piece's most prominent beauties. Even if they weren't members of his 'harem,' he was pretty sure he could make the Enma-tei a kind of hub where everyone gathered to celebrate or exchange information. Girls like Nami would likely be opposed to the idea, but Thomas knew that Mermaids, members of the Mink Tribe, and people from Wano probably wouldn't even bat an eye even if he decided to take a dip in an otherwise all-female bath...
Exhaling a heat-tinged sigh, Thomas sprawled across the too-small sofa and stared listlessly up at the ceiling. Though he could delay it for a time, the only way he could accomplish his increasingly ambitious goals was to part ways with the Straw Hats. He simply wasn't suited to the lifestyle of traveling around on a boat, but, more than that, he felt as though he was supplanting Lucy as the Captain and taking away opportunities for her to grow and reach her full potential.
Holding up the EMIYA Card, Thomas considered whether or not he would be a good replacement for Sanji within the crew. He was an exceptionally talented chef, and, despite his low Parameters, he could contend against foes with relativistic speed and reaction times. His Projection Magecraft allowed him to emulate the Mystic Codes and Noble Phantasms of other Heroic Spirits, allowing him to trade blows and keep up with people who were 'much' stronger and faster than him.
Assuming EMIYA could be summoned, the issue was supplying him with enough Magical Energy to stay manifested. He was also nearly as bad as Shirou was when it came to inadvertently wooing women, so summoning him was the same as giving up on Nami. As annoying as she was, Thomas still harbored a small hope that she would come around. If not, well, there were plenty of Mermaids in the sea and Mink on land...
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(A/N: What do you guys think about the Install Cards functioning as catalysts to summon their respective Heroes? And before anyone jumps to conclusions, feel free to defer to the Install Card AUX chapter. At least 30 of the 63 Cards listed are associated with male Heroic Spirits, so no, they would not all be joining the MC's 'harem.')

Seeing Thomas taking his training seriously, Chloe sat on the sidelines and waited nearly two hours for him to take a break. When he did, she hopped to her feet and sauntered over to him, asking, "So, when do you want to form a contract? No one else is around, and I'm sure Astolfo and Vivi wouldn't mind, even if they were..."
Since it was just the two of them, Thomas was a bit more straightforward than he was the previous day, questioning, "Why are you so eager to form a contract? Even without one, we can travel together. And if Illya comes along, you would only need me to restore your Magical Energy during an emergency."
Shrugging her shoulders, Chloe replied, "Contracts go two ways. I'm not the type to simply trust others, so I would want you to agree to search for and hand over the Install Cards as a condition. In exchange..."
As she was still in her Archer costume, Chloe traced her navel and the line of her abdomen as she teased, "You gain access to all my knowledge and get to order me to do whatever you want. If that happens to be nothing, it lets you send me away with a simple command."
Though Thomas was staring directly into her eyes, Chloe could feel his tensions increasing in response to her actions. However, instead of trying to 'attack' her, he maintained a mask of relative calm as he replied, "Even if you know I won't do anything, you shouldn't tempt me like this. I didn't tell Shirou, but one of my aspirations in this world is to travel around and 'sample' the various cultures. If you continue pushing my buttons, there's a chance you might push the right or wrong one, depending on how you look at it..."
Narrowing her eyes into an impish grin, Chloe replied, "That's fine with me. I shouldn't even exist, so I decided long ago that I would live and die as I please. If I didn't care about Illya's and Miyu's feelings, I would have 'attacked' Shirou long ago. I mean, we risk our lives regularly, and I would rather not die a virgin..."
Directing her gaze to Thomas's waistline, the corners of Chloe's smile curled up like a cat as she teased, "Though, with the differences in our size, I'm not sure how 'practical' such a relationship would be. Should we give it a test run~?"
With a deadpan expression, Thomas flatly replied, "I'll pass. As for the contract, go ahead and lay out the terms. You don't really have anything I want, so as long as your conditions aren't too extreme, I'll agree to them."
Exhaling a pouty sigh, Chloe replied, "You're no fun..." before crossing her arms and adding, "My terms are pretty straightforward. Along with what I mentioned previously, you aren't to lay a hand on Illya or Miyu unless they take the initiative to approach you. Beyond that, it's just the usual Master-Slave Contract."
Furrowing his brows, Thomas asked, "Don't you mean Master-Servant...?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Chloe asked, "What's the difference?" before looking to the Command Spells on Thomas's hand and adding, "Oh, and one last thing. You can't use Command Spells or Mystic Codes to annul or overwrite the conditions of our agreement. I don't mind if you order me to go into heat or alter my common sense to make me addicted to your odor, but attempting to circumvent the conditions of our contract is a big no-no, okay~?"
With his right eye twitching, Thomas somberly remarked, "You have a very active imagination..."
After licking her lips in an overtly seductive manner, Chloe revealed, "A good friend of ours was a Doujin whose talents were sufficient to run a fairly successful booth at Comiket. She primarily focused on BL, but she had a veritable mountain of 'reference' material. After thinking about your reaction and accounting for the fact that we're fictional characters back in your world, I concluded you must have 'perused' something similar. Since you also mentioned we were Heroic Spirits, quite a few...possibilities came to mind."
"..."
Realizing that Chloe wasn't just perceptive but exceptionally smart, a cold sweat gradually broke out across Thomas's body. Using just a few context clues, she was able to deduce the truth with incredible ease...
Punctuating her words with a playful wink, Chloe said, "Relax. There's no one here to judge you. If anything, I find the notion you rubbed one out to me fairly amusing. In fact, I'd like to see you do it in person...I could even lend you a hand..."
Extending her right hand, Chloe tentatively traced the metal of Thomas's belt buckle while staring up at him with visibly glowing eyes. Fortunately, as 'compelling' as Chloe's words were, the fact she barely came up to his navel allowed Thomas to retain his reasoning. Before she could tempt him any further, he plopped his hand atop her head, firmly mussing her hair as he said, "Grow twenty to thirty centimeters, and then we'll talk."
Waiting until Thomas retracted his hand, Chloe took a moment to fix her hair as she replied, "Then I'll just wait until you can alter your size freely. Astolfo already told me about your plans to 'sample' various cultures last night. Once our sizes are more compatible, I don't mind giving you a taste of Germany and Japan."
Finished with her hair, Chloe looked up at Thomas and asked, "Now, are you going to let me kiss you, or do we need to go through the hassle of formalizing our contract in writing? You should know that the latter gives us significantly less wiggle room. Like, we would need to come up with all kinds of rules, penalties, and other restrictions. It's a real pain in the ass."
Shaking his head, Thoams replied, "I'm not going to kiss you. Now, unless you want to start instructing me in the use of the EMIYA Card, why don't you leave me to my training and go prepare the contract?"
Clicking her tongue, Chloe resisted the urge to 'teach Thomas a lesson,' answering, "Fine." before promptly teleporting away in the blink of an eye. Her sudden disappearance caught the latter a little off-guard, but he only looked around for a few seconds before returning to his training. After all, it wasn't the first time a loli had abruptly vanished in front of his eyes...
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After training for several hours, long enough for Astolfo, Vivi, and even Illya to come out and check on him, Thomas entered the Emiya residence to wash up and eat breakfast. Shortly after he sat down, Illya surprised a grand total of zero people when she adopted a resolute expression and said, "There's something I wanted to ask you, Tom-san...can you please permit me to accompany you on your travels? I...I promise to do my best and not get in your way, so..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas casually replied, "Sure, why not? And don't worry. I doubt you'll be more troublesome than a certain bronze-skinned succubus..."
Adopting a radiant smile, Illya exclaimed, "Thank you very much~!" in a cheerful and sincere tone. Immediately afterward, however, she adopted a somewhat apologetic expression as she met Miyu's gaze.
Without missing a beat, Miyu asserted, "It's fine. I've wanted to have some alone time with Onii-san for a while now. Besides, with Astolfo's Hippogriff, you can come to visit whenever you want. We'll be here."
Though Shirou's smile cramped when Miyu mentioned having 'alone time,' Illya had a far more natural, albeit dramatic reaction as she teared up and held her friend's hands, saying, "If you ever feel lonely, just have Sapphire send us a message. We'll hurry over as quickly as we can..."
Responding to Illya's words, Sapphire gave a 'salute' with her wing-like appendage, replying, "Leave it to me." in a calm, rich, and feminine tone. This was a stark contrast to Ruby, whose voice was somewhat harsh as she writhed about in excitement, exclaiming, "Finally! Now, the marvelous misadventures of the Prism Pirates can begin anew~!"
Seemingly incapable of waiting a moment longer, Ruby darted over to Illya, spinning around above her head as she shouted, "Maximizing Mirror Wor-"
Realizing what Ruby was attempting, Illya grabbed her by the rod and slammed the overexcited wand into the dining table as she exclaimed, "Not in front of guests...!" with a red face. Even after three, nearly four years as a Magical Girl, she still wasn't used to the 'compulsory posing' that occurred while she was transforming. She also didn't want to be seen naked in front of Thomas, even if her body was veiled in blinding light, so she intended to wait until they were preparing to depart before donning her 'Magical Pirate Princess - Prism Pink' attire.
Fortunately, Ruby knew when to stand down, so she just went limp, her 'face' embedded in the reinforced wooden surface of the dining table for the remainder of breakfast...
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Though he was interested in touring Amazon Lily, Thomas refused when he learned that Hancock was currently away at sea, sailing around and conducting raids with the Kuja Pirates. He also wasn't enthused by the prospect of being introduced to her through Shirou, so while Illya, Chloe, and Miyua headed into the city to say farewell to a few of their friends, he enjoyed a nice long bath with Astolfo and Vivi.
While using Thomas's chest as a pillow, Vivi softly muttered, "This is nice. The bath at the palace is also fairly large, but it quickly fills with sand and algae if we don't clean it frequently. It's also much cooler to compensate for the air being hot and dry..."
Raising his brows, Thomas asked, "Your palace doesn't have an AC or an alternate form of cooling? That sounds...miserable..."
Smiling wryly, Vivi replied, "It does, but only in a handful of places. The palace is very large and has many open spaces, so it isn't practical to cool the entire thing. Maybe you can do something about it using Magic...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas answered, "Sure. I'm not sure how long it will take, but I should be able to do something. If not, we could always make a smaller, concealed residence somewhere inside the palace. I mean, this place was literally constructed in a rock..."
Adopting a far more affectionate smile, Vivi replied, "I'd like that..." before planting a kiss on Thomas's pectoral. His face was out of range, so it was the easiest place for her lips to reach until the latter bent down to kiss her properly.
Seemingly prompted by the interaction, Astolfo waited for Thomas and Vivi to stop kissing before inquiring, "Did you kiss Chloe yet? She seems like a fun girl."
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas shook his head and said, "She did her best to try and convince me, but I managed to resist. I'm just not that into girls that look like little kids. I might make an exception in the future, but it wouldn't be until she's at least sixteen. That was the age of consent in my home state of Washington."
"Ah, I guess that makes sense...?" replied Astolfo, clearly unconvinced by Thomas's 'reasoning.' She understood his common sense was grounded in his original world, but they were no longer in it.
Deciding that it didn't really matter, as it meant she would have more of Thomas to herself, Astolfo ultimately just shrugged her shoulders before resting her head against the former's chest. She felt sorry for Chloe, as it was pretty obvious she was frustrated, but Thomas wasn't obliged to help everyone. If Chloe's patience ran out, finding a man with fewer inhibitions than Thomas wasn't exactly difficult...
...
..
.
(A/N: Round 2 goes to Thomas...)

Chapter 63: Control