One Piece : Wild Hunt

Interrupting Thomas's contemplative reverie, Ruby phased 'through' the wall separating the male and female cabins, musing, "Magical Ruby has appeared~!"
Without rising from his position on the sofa, Thomas asked, "What's up?" with slightly furrowed brows. In response, Ruby darted over and hovered above him, her voice apologetic as she expressed, "I wanted to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have called you an idiot."
Surprised by Ruby's apology, Thomas's eyes briefly widened before he shook his head and replied, "It's fine. I know I can be a little cynical and obstinate at times. You don't have to apologize. Rather, now that you're here, there's something I want to ask you..."
Revealing his logbook, Thomas explained his hypothesis about using the Cards as a Summoning Catalyst, only for Ruby to quickly shut him down, explaining, "While it is certainly possible to manifest the Spirits associated with the Install Cards, those Graded seven and lower have had their Egos completely stripped away. Even if you were to summon them, they would be like puppets who act on instinct. Furthermore, their existence would be very unstable, similar to when Chloe first materialized from Illya's body. It would require power comparable to a Grail to stabilize them."
Exhaling a sigh, Thomas muttered, "Well, there goes that plan..." in a tired tone. Before he could grumble any further, however, Ruby gave a feathery shrug and replied, "That isn't necessarily the case. With sufficient Mana and adequate preparation, it is possible to manifest the missing Egos and bind them to their Cards. The problem is, without some kind of 'incentive,' there is no reason for the average Heroic Spirit to obey you."
Smiling wryly, Thomas admitted, "You make a fair point. Still, it's good to know the possibility exists."
With a twinkle in her gem-like eyes, Ruby mused, "Oh~? And why is that? Eager to 'sample' some Heroes and Goddesses, are we~?"
Instead of denying it, Thomas's smile became even wrier as he replied, "I won't lie. The thought has crossed my mind..."
Nodding her 'head,' Ruby supplied, "Well, if it's simply their bodies you're after, you could summon them in their egoless state and order them with a Command Spell. It isn't the most tasteful approach, but it should suffice to sate your curiosity."
"..."
Seeing Thomas's expression morph into a deadpan, Ruby asked, "What's wrong? Since they're egoless manifestations, it's not like you'll be harming anyone. Rather, once your curiosity is sated, you'll be able to put the head on your shoulders to proper use. Allowing your lower one to sway or outright dictate your actions is rarely a good idea."
Though he could understand Ruby's logic, Thomas couldn't help shaking his head. He wasn't the type that sought an emotional connection during sex, but the thought of fucking an emotionless 'puppet' felt sad and more than a little wrong...
"Yeah, I think I'll pass on that one..." said Thomas, adding, "I might be shameless, but if I crossed that line, I wouldn't be able to summon their corresponding Egos in the future. It would be way too awkward..."
Shrugging her 'shoulders,' Ruby replied, "Well, it was just a suggestion. We'll be traveling and working together for the foreseeable future, so I figured I would lend you a hand and offer you some advice. I can even prepare love and truth serums, though, with you being a good person and all, I can't imagine you accepting, much less using them."
With Thomas staring back at her with a silent deadpan, Ruby gave one final shrug, remarking, "Yeah, I thought so..." before flittering away from him as she mused, "Being selfish and perverted doesn't make you a bad person, Thomas. If that were the case, Illya might very well be the most wicked person aboard this ship. Ohohohoho~"
Without expanding upon her statement, Ruby phased through the wall separating the male and female cabins, leaving Thomas alone with his thoughts. Now that his plan to supplant Sanji with EMIYA had stalled at the starting line, he needed to think of another solution to keep Nami and Usopp safe once he separated from the crew. The former may not have treated him fairly the past few months, but he wouldn't condemn her to death or let her be taken advantage of by Absalom...
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After a fairly restless night, Thomas awoke to the sound of hammering, prompting him to check the time before dragging himself out of bed for his morning training. The Sun had risen hours ago, but he could still get in an hour or two before lunch. Afterward, he could explore the island, meet Dorry and Broggy, and fight a few large Dinosaurs to see if his Affinity and Mastery with the EMIYA Card changed.
Before Thomas could decide between doing weight training on the ship or cardio on the shore, Caenis abruptly shouted, "Oi, Tom! If you've nothing better to do, come and give me a hand!"
Though it wasn't how he planned to spend the morning, Thomas didn't hesitate to return a wave, answering, "Sure thing." before heading up to give Caenis a hand with the Merry's secondary mast. She was more than capable of getting the job done without assistance, but four hands were better than two. It was also a good opportunity to learn more about fixing and maintaining a ship, so Thomas spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon working alongside the bronze-skinned beauty, stopping only once Benienma arrived with a large picnic basket.
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With Caenis having chased off everyone that came to gawk at them while they worked, she and Thomas were relatively alone, eating in the shade of Nami's tangerine grove, when she softly muttered, "From now on, don't run off someplace I can't see you..."
Though he was more than a little surprised by Caenis's words, Thomas managed to appear calm, nodding his head in silence as he still had food in his mouth. Caenis's words weren't exactly a confession, but they gave a 'very' similar impression, causing Thomas's heart to begin pounding in his chest.
Noticing the increase in Thomas's tensions, Caenis narrowed her eyes and adopted a 'ridiculing' smile as she asked, "Is that all it takes to get your horned up? You dog..."
Contrasting her words, Caenis took a moment to spread her senses through the area, ensuring they weren't being spied on before freeing her breasts from her black bikini top and teasing, "Let's see how you react to these..."
Since she was practically demanding he look, Thomas lowered his gaze to Caenis's breasts, his throat tightening when he noticed her nipples were already hard. When he invariably swallowed, the teasing smile on her face became wolfish as she narrowed her eyes and practically growled, "Lower your trousers..."
Though he was tempted to obey Caenis's instructions without question, Thomas retained enough sense to shake his head and say, "Not here. Not with other people around..."
Clicking her tongue, Caenis responded to Thomas's words by picking up a &nbsp;large piece of sausage and biting off the tip before saying, "Then meet me in the jungle in half an hour. Don't worry about looking for me in a specific location. Just take off running, and I'll come to you..."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "The way you word it, it sounds like you'll be hunting me..."
Narrowing her eyes even further, Caenis adopted a 'malicious' grin before taking another large bite out of her sausage. Then, without another word, she took a moment to fix her top before leaping off the back of the Merry and darting into the jungle...
"..."
Seeing Caenis run off, Thomas felt equal parts excitement and trepidation. The thought of being 'hunted' made him uncomfortable, but there was no way he would refuse the bronze-skinned woman's invitation. Caenis was close to Vivi in terms of women Thomas had a deeply-rooted appreciation for, so even if she sometimes dragged him out of his comfort zone, he felt compelled to meet her expectations.
With such thoughts in mind, Thomas was about to leap off the Merry and give chase but nearly fell off when Chloe abruptly appeared behind him, teasing, "I knew you were a beast, but are you seriously about to do it in a dinosaur-infested jungle?"
Adopting a 'serious' expression, Thomas met Chloe's gaze as he stated, "There is a time and a place for everything. Intruding at a time like this is a good way to piss someone off..."
Undaunted by Thomas's words, Chloe narrowed her eyes and adopted one of her characteristically impish grins as she replied, "Don't worry. I'm not trying to get in the way of your fun. I just wanted to let you know that Illya and I will be exploring the island. It's not every day we get a chance to meet and even fight with dinosaurs."
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas answered, "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just stay out of trouble..."
Nodding her head, Chloe replied, "I'll keep that in mind..." before lowering her gaze and adopting a cheeky smile as she playfully mused, "I see that it isn't just your height that's big..."
Resisting the urge to grab the precocious brat and throw her overboard, Thomas just shook his head in exasperation, turned around, and leaped off the Merry. Before he ran off into the woods, however, he turned back and said, "You're treading on thin ice, Chloe. Don't make me regret letting you accompany us..."
Leaning over the edge of the railing, Chloe maintained her mischievous smile as she replied, "Don't worry. Once you set aside your meaningless inhibitions, I'll make sure you enjoy every moment of having me around. Now, run along. You don't want to keep your little friend waiting."
"..."
Though Chloe's words gave him the sudden urge to order her back to Amazon Lily, Thomas eventually turned around and departed without responding. He had far more important things to deal with right now, so he decided to simply ignore her as he made his way into the jungle to be hunted by Caenis. If she decided to 'surprise' him by appearing while he was in the middle of the act, however, her bronzed ass would be back at the Emiya residence before sunset...
Fortunately, as brazen as her behavior was, Chloe wasn't an idiot. She had a pretty good sense of when people were nearing the limits of their patience. More importantly, she could tell that Caenis wasn't the type of woman that would react kindly to being intruded upon, so, no matter how tempting the notion was, she had no intention of interrupting the duo's private rendezvous in the prehistoric jungle...
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After wandering around for nearly two hours, Thomas began entertaining the possibility that Caenis had pulled a prank on him. She wasn't exactly known for her patience, so he expected her to 'assault' him within minutes of him entering the jungle. Instead, he made it all the way to the opposite side of the island, defeating several dinosaurs without her appearing.
Just as Thomas exhaled a sigh and was prepared to turn back, Ceanis landed a few meters away from him, falling from the sky like a meteor before dusting herself off as she declared, "Now you know what it feels like having to wait for someone without knowing where they are or when they might show up. Sucks, doesn't it?"
Without waiting for Thomas's response, Caenis crossed her arms, adding, "This makes us even. Now, start removing your clothes before I decide to rip them away..."
Though he had several questions and felt as though they really needed to talk, Thomas responded to Caenis's threatening remark by yanking off his belt with a single tug. Just as he had conveyed to Chloe, there was a time and a place for everything. And now was a time for action, not words...
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(A/N: Caenis is surprisingly cute...)

Though there were a few delays, the Going Merry was ship shape and ready to sail after seven days on Little Garden. During that time, Thomas had the chance to meet Broggy and Dorry, but, other than their size, there wasn't anything particularly interesting about them. They had spent the last hundred years fighting to settle a dispute over who killed the biggest Sea King, so they were pretty detached from the rest of the world.
More notable than Thomas's encounter with the pair of giants was Lucy, Zoro, and Usopp's first encounter with Chloe, Illya, and Ruby. The former, somewhat surprisingly, had aspirations of being a Magical Girl that could fire off laser beams when she was just a small girl. When she realized it was possible to be a Magical Girl 'and' a Pirate, she had an expression like her entire life had been a lie.
Like Lucy, Zoro and Usopp also took an interest in the magical trio and, more notably, the Install Cards. The discovery that Chloe and Illya had Bounties of 500,000,000 gave Zoro an overwhelming desire to challenge them. Chloe happily accepted his challenge, and, as could be expected from someone with B-Rank Agility, the ability to teleport, and the ability to feel the 'optimal path' during combat, she wiped the floor with him.
Though she only had the False version, Chloe's Mind's Eye(B) functioned similarly to Advanced Observation Haki. Even without consciously guiding her actions, she could evade Zoro's attacks even when he started flailing at random He nearly caught her off guard with his Sanzen Seikai(Three-Thousand Worlds), but she managed to teleport behind him, evading the attack completely.
While most people would have had their spirits broken after being 'toyed with' by a vixen resembling a little kid, Zoro threw himself into his training with even greater vigor. Chloe happily accepted his challenges the first couple of times, but by the time the Going Merry was repaired and ready to depart, she was actively avoiding him.
Though she surpassed Zoro in speed and skill, Chloe couldn't compete with him in strength and endurance. She was the type that had terrible fuel efficiency, so she could only fight for a few minutes at a time before needing to take a break and resupply her Magical Energy. Since she did her best not to injure Zoro during their spars, he was almost always ready and raring to continue, eventually culminating in her using Thomas as a scapegoat.
As excited as he was by the prospect of contending against and even defeating Zoro, Thomas only sparred with him a handful of times using the EMIYA Card. He won every one of their matches, benefitting from EMIYA Mind's Eye[True](B), but having someone swinging swords at his face and actively aiming for his vitals was extremely stressful. Not just for himself but Vivi, Caenis, Astolfo, Atalanta, and Benienma.
To preserve his sanity, Thomas restricted Zoro's challenges to once a day. He might have been willing to do more, but as Ruby had warned, most of his memories of their battles were hazy, like trying to recall details from a dream. His Mastery with the Card had increased from E- to E-Rank, but he didn't feel like he was learning anything, only accumulating stress.
Fortunately, while Zoro could be very 'passionate' about training, he was a fairly reasonable person. If Chloe and Thomas didn't want to fight him, he wouldn't press or pester them until they accepted. Instead, he would click his tongue before wandering off to hunt dinosaurs with a blindfold.
With the hope of awakening his own Observation Haki, Usopp attempted to emulate Zoro's behavior with limited success. Witnessing the perennial battle between Broggy and Dorry had inspired him to work harder, but he still had a long way to go before he could call himself a 'Great Warrior of the Sea.'
When he wasn't fumbling about with a blindfold, Usopp, along with Vivi, Nami, and even Lucy, sat in on the lessons Thomas was receiving from Chloe and Ruby. Even non-magical beings could practice Magecraft if they had the proper knowledge, a catalyst, or a magical item with stores of Magical Energy. The Install Cards were a good example, but there was actually an entire school of Magecraft known as Formalcraft, colloquially called 'thaumaturgy for dummies.'
Since Lucy had readily agreed to help them collect Install Cards, Chloe had no qualms about teaching them the basics of Formalcraft and how to create magic catalysts. She even talked Illya into letting Usopp and Nami experiment with using Install Cards, lending the Grade 3 Archer(David) to the former and the Grade 4 Lancer(Diarmuid) to the latter.
Seeing Nami in a dark-green, skin-tight bodysuit was quite the feast for the eyes, but it quickly came to light that lending her and Usopp Install Cards wasn't practical. Like other Install Cards holders, they lacked the internal Magical Energy to sustain the transformation for more than a few minutes. Chloe proposed the two form a Master-Servant Contract with Thomas, allowing him to provide them with additional Magical Energy, but neither were particularly comfortable with the idea.
Fortunately, just by being around Thomas, the Install Cards gradually filled with Magical Energy. Even when he wasn't shrouded in his veil, he constantly exuded it from his body like a radioactive stone. Thus, while other Install Card users would have to wait a month to get a single minute of use out of their Cards, Nami and Usopp only had to wait a few hours to get an equivalent number of minutes. Using the Cards didn't help the duo get any stronger, but having a fully charged Card on hand could save their lives in an emergency...
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Though no one got sick during the stay on Little Garden, Nami listened to Thomas's suggestion to make a detour at Drum Island before sailing for Alabasta. He had already informed everyone of his decision to leave the crew, at least temporarily, once they liberated Vivi's people, so revealing the existence of Chopper was necessary to ensure they made it through the Grand Line without succumbing to illness.
With Astolfo providing directions, it took the Merry seven days to reach a Winter Island whose skyline was dominated by several enormous, drum-shaped mountains. They looked more like smoke stacks or nuclear towers from Thomas's perspective, but he was far more interested in the island's residents than its topography.
Exhaling a sigh that caused a large plume of icy condensation, Thomas muttered, "Looks like my influence has fucked the timeline sideways..."
As she was only a few meters away, Nami, wearing thick winter clothing, asked, "Is something wrong?"
Since Lucy had permitted him to 'spoil' things until they parted ways at Alabasta, Thomas nodded his head and replied, "In the timeline that I'm familiar with, the Straw Hats encountered a villainous King by the name of Wapol on their way to Drum Island. Defeating him leads to the creation of a new Kingdom under a man named Dalton. In other words, if we don't take care of Wapol during our stay, the people of Drum Island will suffer once he returns."
Recognizing Wapol's name, Vivi's expression hardened as she added, "Wapol is a cruel and vicious man. Once, when I was just a little girl, he made an excuse to strike me after my father embarrassed him. There are even rumors claiming that he banned the practice of medicine among his people, forcing them to pay exorbitant fees to be treated by his personal army of Physicians..."
Hearing Vivi's remark, Illya, wearing an outfit remarkably similar to her Fate Stay Night counterpart, exclaimed, "That's awful!" before adopting a resolute expression as she added, "We have to do something!"
Smiling wryly, Thomas pointed out, "I wouldn't have brought it up if I planned to ignore it..."
"Ah..."
Feeling embarrassed, a faint blush colored Illya's cheeks as she half-turned and hid the lower half of her face in her scarf. As she did, Ruby used her wing-like appendage to cover her non-existent mouth, giggling in amusement.
Inserting herself into the conversation, Caenis asked, "So, what then? Are we just going to wait around until they show up?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "I don't know. The people that sent Wapol fleeing from his country happened to be Blackbeard and his crew. With the introduction of Install Cards, there's a chance he and his men never even came to Drum Island. We'll need to go ashore to gather information and confirm the situation."
Raising her brows, Caenis asked, "And then what? If Wapol and his men are still in power, we'll have to overthrow them directly. And then we're just going to hand the reins of the Kingdom to a group of people who lack the power to liberate and protect themselves?"
Though Caenis's words weren't directed at her, an awkward smile marred Vivi's face. A King or Queen that lacked the power to protect their country and lead its citizens wasn't qualified to rule. This thought had crossed her mind several times since her initial encounter with Thomas and was one of the reasons she had been prepared to give him 'everything,' as, without external help, Alabasta didn't have a future.
Noticing the awkwardness in Vivi's expression, Thomas placed his hand on her shoulder, a silent attempt to comfort her as he said, "Once we free the people, it's up to them to decide their path. If I recall correctly, Dalton was elected as King by the people of Drum Island. He also chose to live among them instead of ruling from the castle, so even if we destroy the latter and raid its treasury, it shouldn't matter too much. Blackbeard and his crew would have cleared it out during their raid."
Though Nami was more than satisfied by Thomas's proposition, Illya's expression revealed discontent as she said, "That money belongs to the people of Drum. We can't just take it for ourselves!"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "You're wrong. While Wapol certainly extorted them, the people parted with that money to preserve their lives. Also, even if we tried distributing the money equally, the people most affected by Wapol's policies would protest because they would know who was least affected by it. The more sensible thing would be to entrust the funds to Dalton, but if he is suddenly given a massive fortune, others will eye both it and the position of Monarch with envy."
Blinking in surprise, Nami remarked, "Wow...you can be pretty smart when you want to be."
Ignoring the orange-haired woman's remark, Thomas directed his gaze to Illya, his expression and tone softening as he said, "Don't worry. I'm not suggesting we empty the treasury and leave the people of Drum to fend for themselves. We'll find a way to ensure the money finds its way back to the people, just not directly."
Refusing to be ignored, Nami asked, "Are you thinking about having Beni create one of her Inns? If it's true that you can move people and objects between them, you could use the treasure to acquire goods and supplies from other islands, transporting them to places like Alabasta and Drum for a fraction of what it would cost to ship them."
As Nami had inadvertently exposed the plan he had spent weeks coming up with, Thomas's left eye twitched. He originally planned to discuss the matter with Vivi once they had liberated Alabasta, replacing Crocodile's casino and much of Baroque Works' existing infrastructure with Enma-tei. By spreading them across various islands, he could effectively control the flow of goods and money, eventually establishing them as a substitute for conventional banking...
Exhaling a sigh through his nose, Thomas replied, "That depends on the situation we find ashore. But yes, if possible, I plan to build an Enma-tei. Not just here but on several islands throughout the Grand Line..."
Recognizing the endless potential of such an idea, illusory Berry symbols appeared in Nami's eyes. If Thomas could construct an Enma-tei on every major island, he would invariably become one of the wealthiest and most influential people in the entire world. If the World Government fell, which seemed increasingly likely, it was virtually guaranteed...
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(A/N: Thomas D. Jensen, the Seventh Emperor of the Underworld. AKA, the Bathhouse King xD...)

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.')

Chapter 65: Lesson