One Piece : Wild Hunt

Instead of immediately returning to his and Caenis's love nest, Thomas decided to spend some time with Vivi while checking on the others. He could really use the break.
Fortunately, shortly after dealing with the Officer Agents left behind to protect Rain Dinners, Crocodile's secret base and casino, Lucy and the others rushed to Alubarna to offer assistance. Their help was ultimately unnecessary, but their efforts had earned them guest rooms within the palace, not too far from where Thomas and Caenis were staying.
Entering the room shared by most of the girls, Thomas was unsurprised to find it a complete mess. Lucy and several others were currently in the middle of a fairly intense pillow fight, so there were feathers all over the place and mattresses stacked up to form barricades.
Less than a second after he had entered the room, Thomas experienced a bout of whiplash as a pillow impacted his face like a cannonball, followed by Lucy shouting, "You're wide open, Tom...!"
Pulling the pillow from his face, Thomas smiled wryly as he resisted the urge to join in on the fun. He was a little too old for such things, but, more than that, he was the only guy present among a group of girls in their PJs. There was no one around to judge him, sans Nami, but it didn't feel right to intrude any more than he already had.
"I just came by to see how everyone was," said Thomas, his eyes briefly scanning the room. One of the principal reasons for his intrusion was to inform Robin of the King's decision. To his surprise, he found the mature, raven-haired beauty among one of the mattress forts, exploiting her Devil Fruit to wield six pillows at once...
Seeing through Thomas's thoughts, Robin adopted a faint smile as she remarked, "I didn't have a lot of time to play as a child. Besides, I'm still young at heart."
Adopting a more natural smile, Thomas gave a curt nod before saying, "The King finally gave his permission to inspect the Poneglyph. Since we already know the location of you-know-what, he didn't see any reason to stop us."
Offering a nod of her own, Vivi appended, "I can take you over whenever you're ready."
As she had already been waiting years to peruse Alabasta's Poneglyph, Robin wasn't in a hurry, calmly responding, "It's still daylight outside, and there is an increased Marine presence within the city. I'd rather not create an opportunity for the World Government to discover the location of an Ancient Weapon, so we should wait until things calm down before making our move."
"Sounds good," said Thomas. Then, as he didn't want to get in the way of the girls' playtime, he added, "Enjoy your pillow fight," before half-turning to try and leave the room.
Before Thomas could complete a single step toward the door, Lucy's hand stretched across the room, grabbing his shoulder. However, instead of simply trying to stop him, she rubberbanded over to him, placing him in a headlock as she wrapped her legs around his torso and shouted, "Where do you think you're going!? Stay and play with us...!" in an assertive tone.
Tapping Lucy's arm, which perfectly contorted around his throat, Thomas choked, "Can't...breathe..." as his vision darkened. Lucy hadn't just cut off his airway but the flow of blood to his brain. As a result, it only took a few seconds before his eyes began to roll back, and his legs buckled...
Just as Thomas believed he was about to be choked out, Lucy released her noose-like grip, allowing a tingling warmth to fill his head as she said, "Even if we separate, you're still a member of my crew. There are only a few days left before we have to set sail, so you shouldn't be spending all your time playing with Caenis. It's not fair to everyone else!"
While massaging his neck, Thomas adopted a wry smile and said, "I'm not exactly 'playing' around..."
Crossing her arms in defiance, Lucy exclaimed, "I don't want to hear your excuses! You're here now, so play with us! If you don't...I'll break into your room and steal your mattress!"
"..."
Though he knew Lucy could be 'selfish' at times, this was Thomas's first time experiencing her obstinance directly. He knew she wasn't going to take no for an answer, so, after a brief period of deliberation, he exhaled a sigh and replied, "Fine..." in a defeated tone.
Adopting a massive grin, Lucy snickered like a mischievous kid that had just succeeded in a prank. Then, before Thomas could change his mind, she 'drafted' both him and Vivi onto her team before forcing him to act as a meat shield in the pillow war that followed...
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"You're late," said Caenis with half-lidded eyes, her body lazily splayed out atop their shared bed in nothing but a pair of white lace panties. She had expected Thomas to be gone for an hour or two, so she was a little annoyed that it had taken him nearly five to return.
While stripping out of his clothes, Thomas offered a wry smile as he replied, "That Captain of mine can be pretty selfish when she wants to be..."
Rolling her eyes, Caenis snippily retorted, "Only because you let yourself be pulled into other people's paces. If you had more of a backbone, you could make that woman submit to you in a heartbeat."
Removing his final piece of clothing, Thomas shook his head and said, "I don't 'want' her to submit to me. Though she appears to be a lot smarter than Luffy, Lucy has the mental capacity of a child. Even the thought of putting my hands on her feels wrong..."
Rising to a seated position, Caenis remarked, "That's one of the things I don't understand about you. You won't lay a hand on Lucy because of how naive she is, but you also refuse to touch that Chloe girl despite how mature she behaves. So, which is more important to you? Mental maturity or physical appearance...?"
Furrowing his brows, Thomas asked, "Does it matter?" in an annoyed tone. He expected these sorts of questions from Nami, but Caenis had made it clear she wanted him to make his own decisions. Her 'challenging' him like this was out of character.
Adopting a glower of her own, Caenis replied, "Don't misunderstand my intentions. I'm trying to help you figure your shit out so you can make the best decisions for yourself. I don't give two fucks what you decide to do, so long as you don't whine and bitch about it later."
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas approached the bed as he remarked, "You really know how to get under my skin..."
Leaning backward, supported by her elbows, Caenis adopted a wolfish grin as she retorted, "Yeah, and? Even though I made it clear we'll never have anything more than a physical relationship, you still fell for me like a love-starved pup. If I don't regularly call you out on your bullshit, you may actually start believing the feeling is mutual..."
Balling his right hand into a fist, Thomas briefly considered using his final Command Spell to order Caenis's 'honesty.' He refused to believe she felt nothing for him, not when she was the one that kept dragging him back to bed the past couple of days.
Seeing through Thomas's intentions, Caenis's smile became even more vicious as she said, "I fucking dare you..."
Unclenching his fist, Thomas responded with a faint yet firm, "No...I promised never to use my Command Spells to compel you or anyone else's obedience..."
Snorting through her nose, Caenis spread her legs invitingly as she said, "Yeah, yeah. Now, less talking and more fucking. These rainclouds aren't going to upkeep themselves."
Though he wasn't really in the mood, Thomas didn't hesitate to remove Caenis's white panties, revealing her glistening vulva and visibly pulsating insides. She may not 'love' him, but her body hungered for his cock...
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As it only took five days for a Log Pose to calibrate on Alabasta, the only thing keeping the Straw Hats on the island was Lucy. The moment she was ready to depart, they would set out immediately. Thus, in preparation for that inevitability, Thomas met with Chloe, Illya, Ruby, and the taciturn Artoria to discuss having them accompany the Straw Hats.
"Are you serious?" asked Chloe, crossing her arms and adding, "I get that you're worried about the Straw Hats, but how am I supposed to teach you Magecraft from halfway around the world?"
Though Chloe made a 'very' good point, Thomas had a few of his own, stating, "You and Illya joined me to assemble Install Cards. Since I'll be staying in Alabasta for at least a few months, you'll have a better chance of encountering additional cards by accompanying the Straw Hats. Lucy has a powerful fate, so I'm absolutely certain she'll encounter several on her journey. With my actions weakening her crew, I'm worried that things won't end as well as they should..."
Using Thomas's words against him, Chloe pointed out, "If her fate is as powerful as you say, she'll have no trouble finding new allies to replace those you've poached. Also, even if we stay here, it doesn't really reduce the time it takes us to require the remaining cards. We might be able to assemble a few accompanying the Straw Hats, but we'll eventually need Astolfo's help to track down the rest."
Deciding on a more 'direct' approach, Thomas's expression hardened as he said, "Then let me make myself clear, Chloe. You and Illya are in the way of me doing as I please. I don't mean to sound rude, and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I can't act freely so long as you're around..."
While Chloe's expression morphed into a frown, Illya appeared genuinely hurt by Thomas's words, hanging her head as she asked, "Are we really in the way...?"
Before Thomas could respond, Ruby darted forward and smacked him with one of her wing-like appendages, exclaiming, "How dare you say such a cruel and insensitive thing! I thought you were better than that, Tom...!"
Though Illya's response caused him to feel guilty, Thomas responded with a grimace when Ruby smacked him. Despite her diminutive size, she had a surprising amount of power, enough to leave a crisp red mark where her wing connected with his cheek.
Restraining the urge to shout, Thomas rubbed his cheek as he argued, "You're misinterpreting my words. I'm not trying to say anyone is useless or anything. In fact, without the EMIYA Card, I'm pretty sure I would get my ass beat by anyone here. The problem is-"
Interrupting Thomas's words, Chloe flatly asserted, "This conversation is utterly pointless. How do you think people like Lucy and Zoro would react if they knew you were asking us to babysit them? Half the reason you're separating from them is to give them a chance to grow, yet, here you are asking us to watch over and protect them from harm. We already let them borrow the David, Diarmuid, and Paracelsus Cards. Unless they encounter someone with a Grade 7 or higher card, they should be able to manage on their own. Just how little faith do you have in them?"
"..."
Taking advantage of Thomas's silence, Chloe rose to her feet and added, "I already gave Nami the means to contact us if they encounter a threat that's too much for them to handle on their own. Now, unless you want to include the Straw Hats in this discussion, I say we drop the matter here. You're the one that agreed to let us accompany you, so you should learn to live with us rather than trying to pawn us off on other people..."
Feeling the need to blow off some steam, Chloe teleported away instead of leaving the room normally. She had been wondering what kind of crap Thomas would pull to try and get rid of them, but she never expected him to make such a contrary, completely asinine suggestion. She knew he was foolish, but this was on an entirely different level...
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(A/N: I think the D. in Thomas's name might stand for Doormat xD...)

Following Chloe's departure, Thomas apologized to Illya for his hurtful words before leaving to get some fresh air. He really was sorry, but, at the same time, he couldn't help feeling incredibly frustrated with how things had played out.
Ignoring the glowers of the Royal Guardsmen he passed, Thomas made his way to the palace library before finding a place to lie down.
Despite his efforts to appear proactive and assertive, Thomas was, at the very core of his being, an introvert. He had grand aspirations and liked to imagine himself possessing unflinching convictions, but he wouldn't have become a borderline recluse if he possessed the confidence and strength of character to improve his situation. Not without some divine, or perhaps demonic, intervention...
Instead of reading any of the books around him, Thomas manifested his logbook/journal out of thin air. It recorded most major and minor events in his life and sometimes provided insights he might have overlooked due to his mental and emotional state. Thus, rather than simply mulling over his thoughts and replaying the encounter in his mind, Thomas read what the journal had to say on the matter.
To Thomas's surprise, what awaited him when he opened the journal were the words, 'Things not going according to plan is one of the spices of life. Knowing how a story will progress and end before it reaches the epilogue isn't very interesting.'
Removing the pen from the journal's spine, Thomas threw caution to the wind as he wrote, 'I asked you to send me to the world of One Piece, not some bastardized reality made convoluted by the existence of Magic and Install Cards. I know you like fucking with people, but this isn't what we agreed to.'
Though he regretted the words as he wrote them, Thomas didn't think he was in the wrong. His agreement with Zelretch was to help the man 'after' attaining his goals. Instead, his journey was constantly being derailed by events and people that had nothing to do with the world of One Piece. All because he wasn't a 'complete' asshole.
As he wasn't expecting a response, Thomas's eyes briefly widened when a line of text began to form in the journal. However, when he saw what it had to say, his expression morphed into a deadpan with half-lidded eyes...
'No one is forcing you to assemble Install Cards or render aid to the Prism Pirates.'
"Bullshit!" shouted Thomas. "What else was I supposed to do!? Tell them to fuck off and ignore them!?"
Resisting the urge to throw the journal as far as he could, Thomas grit his teeth and awaited Zelretch's response. What he read left him equal parts exasperated and incensed, as the elderly vamp simply replied, 'That's for you to decide.'
Snapping the journal shut, Thomas tossed it aside and began massaging his forehead. He knew Zelretch was technically correct, but what kind of person would he be if he ignored world-ending stakes and pretended it had nothing to do with him?
"I should have asked to go to Pokemon or something..." groaned Thomas.
As if to call him out on his bullshit, a door-like portal opened a few meters away from Thomas. What awaited him on the opposite side was a world reminiscent of the Detective Pikachu movie in terms of graphical fidelity. The people appeared perfectly normal, but there were realistic Pokemon riding on their shoulders or following behind them in a relatively modern setting...
Furrowing his brows to their limit, Thomas muttered, "You're an asshole..." in a low, somber tone. He may have been able to leave his previous world behind without hesitation, but there were too many things binding him to the world of One Piece for him to simply abandon it. Vivi was chief among them, but she was far from the only person he had made promises to...
In response to Thomas's words, the portal promptly snapped shut. In its place, a crystal clear sphere plopped onto the carpeted floor, followed by a piece of parchment paper.
Though he was tempted to ignore them, Thomas eventually exhaled a sigh before getting up and retrieving the sphere. It was surprisingly light and warm to the touch but otherwise resembled a normal crystal sphere. As for the piece of parchment paper, it said, 'Though you may have been whining like a temperamental child, there is some merit to your claim that the present situation is a violation of our original agreement. However, as you have chosen to remain in that world, this sphere, the Cradle of Desire, is the only compensation I will provide. Its power is paltry compared to a Grail, but it can grant its user power, wisdom, or courage. But only one, so choose wisely.'
Reading Zelretch's message, Thomas honestly wasn't sure how to feel. The Cradle of Desire was undoubtedly a boon, but he felt as though he was being bribed to stop complaining. Beyond that, he was supposed to be attaining strength for himself. Should he really be accepting handouts from a man who egged him to his core...?
For the briefest of moments, Thomas considered smashing the Cradle of Desire on the ground. Instead, he plopped down on the chaise lounge he had previously been lying on, staring blankly at the crystalline sphere as he considered whether to select power, wisdom, or courage...
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas softly muttered, "So, my choices are to be Ganon, Zelda, or Link..."
With that image in his mind, Thomas held up the crystalline sphere and added, "Courage it is..." before closing his eyes as the globe lit up like a small sun. A surge of heat rushed over his body but quickly faded, leaving Thomas wondering if the sphere had actually done anything.
After giving himself a quick once-over and testing the quality of his Mana, Thomas muttered, "I don't feel any different..." in a confused tone. He felt calmer than he had been moments prior, but it wasn't like he had stopped feeling angry or exasperated.
As he had a convenient method of checking his condition, Thomas picked up the journal and opened it to the page depicting his profile. He made a habit of checking it nearly every day, so he would notice if something was different.
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[Profile]
Name: Thomas D. Jensen
Species: Human, Mana Progenitor
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Height: 213.9cm
Weight: 138kgs
Blood Type: O
Likes: Nefertari Vivi, Thick Thighs, Personal Time
Dislikes: Plot Twists, Meddlesome Vampires
Talents: Opportunistic
Natural Enemy: Himself, Mature Little Girls
[Parameters]
Strength: E(18)
Endurance: D(20)
Agility: E(15)
Mana: EX(*)
Luck: EX(*)
NP: Unknown
[Class Skills]
N/A
[Personal Skills]
Wayward Traveler(EX), Mana-Mana-no-Mi(EX), Valor(E), Monstrous Strength(C), Lesser Regeneration(C), Cooking(D), Reinforcement(C), Material Transmutation(D), Rune Magecraft(E), Elemental Magecraft(E)
Valor(E): The ability to negate mental interference such as pressure, confusion, and fascination. It also has the bonus effect of increasing melee damage depending on the user's emotional state.
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Though his Parameters hadn't changed much, Thomas noticed that the 'flavor text' of his Profile had changed a fair amount. His Likes, Dislikes, Talents, and Natural Enemies had all been updated. However, the most notable change was the absence of the Self-Doubt Personal Skill. In its place, while only E-Rank, he now had a Skill called Valor...
"Can something like self-doubt really be erased with such ease?" asked Thomas, his voice calm despite experiencing a sense of incongruency. It reminded him of the time he had been prescribed medication for anxiety, minus the dull-headedness and desire to sleep.
Interrupting Thomas's reverie, Vivi abruptly entered the library, calling out, "Thomas, are you in here?" in an audibly concerned voice. She had heard his outburst a few minutes prior and decided to come and check on him.
Though a part of him still wanted to be alone, Thomas rose to his feet and called out, "I'm over here," revealing his location. In response, Vivi hurried over to his side, a concerned look on her face as she tentatively inquired, "I take it things didn't go well with Illya and Chloe...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas surprised himself by answering, "It's fine," and actually meaning it. Now that he had calmed down, he recalled that Ruby, Chloe, and, to a lesser extent, Illya were necessary if he wanted to break free from Zelretch's influence. Attempting to pawn them off onto others and consequently antagonizing them probably wasn't the wisest decision he could have made.
Acknowledging his mistake, a wry smile developed across Thomas's face as he extended his hand to caress Vivi's head, adding, "Selfishness really does blind people to the things right in front of them..."
Though she had no idea what Thomas was talking about, Vivi returned a smile and stepped closer to him, linking her hands around his waist as she asserted, "I'm sure they'll forgive you." in a faint but certain tone.
Adopting a more relaxed smile, Thomas embraced Vivi as he replied, "If not now, then after I assemble the remaining Install Cards. I imagine it's pretty difficult to stay mad at the person who helped restore your friend's world..."
Realizing that Thomas was making a joke, a faint giggle emanated from Vivi's throat. Then, with slightly narrowed eyes, she looked up at him and said, "There's something different about you today. Did something else happen?"
Instead of going into detail about what had transpired, Thomas answered, "I received a bit of compensation..." before bending down to plant a kiss on Vivi's lips. She was a little surprised by his actions but didn't hesitate to lean into him, enjoying the moment even as Thomas's hands gradually slipped from her waist to her bottom...
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As was often the case when Thomas returned to their shared bedroom, Caenis 'greeted' him with a curt, "You're late," while lying on her side in a way that left nothing concealed.
"You're not wrong," replied Thomas, adding, "I got a bit sidetracked after my conversation with Illya, Chloe, and Ruby."
Rising to a seated position, Caenis raised her left brow as she remarked, "What the hell happened to you? You're still making excuses, but your expression and body language are different than normal..."
Without waiting for Thomas's response, Caenis sprang from the bed and appeared before him in an instant, right hand outstretched as if she were about to flick his forehead. The only reason she stopped was because a magical barrier had appeared around his body, indicating he wasn't simply an imposter.
Retracting her hand, Caenis asked, "What happened? Did you finally teach those brats a lesson...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "Not yet," before changing the topic by asking, "Have you eaten anything today?"
Looking down at Thomas's waistline, Caenis mused, "Technically...though you couldn't exactly call it a proper meal."
As Heroic Spirits didn't need to consume food for sustenance, Caenis was more than satiated after Thomas's continuous 'Mana Transfers.' She even felt a little engorged, though she would never admit it.
Nodding his head, Thomas said, "Then let's hop in the bath. Afterward, we'll get dressed and head to the main dining hall. Tonight might be the Straw Hats' last night in Alabasta, so Vivi is inviting everyone to partake in a banquet."
Narrowing her eyes, Caenis remarked, "You're acting really bizarre this afternoon...since when do you tell people what to do rather than asking them?"
Placing his hand on Caenis's shoulder, Thomas began guiding her toward the bath as he asked, "Would you rather me get on my knees and beg...?"
Snorting through her nose, Caenis retorted, "Sure. Just don't be surprised when I kick you in the face..."
Catching the white-haired horsewoman off guard, Thomas ruffled her hair as he said, "Don't tempt me..." with a slight smile. He didn't exactly have a foot fetish, but if it were Caenis, he wouldn't mind suckling her toes.
Taken aback by Thomas's words and actions, Caenis didn't immediately elbow him in the gut. She did, hard enough to knock the wind out of him, but there was a brief moment where she looked up at him as if he were a completely different person...
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(A/N: Valor apparently has the hidden trait of making people seek death...)

After administering Cobra the antidote, Thomas took advantage of the fact he still had the EMIYA Card installed to check the condition of the King's body. What he found were several 'specks' that he assumed to be tumors in the middle-aged King's lungs. He didn't know whether it was cancer or something else, but it wasn't a good sign.
Unfortunately, as Reinforcement Magecraft was nearly impossible to use on other people, not without risking extreme harm, Thomas had no way of treating Cobra himself. Instead, he decided to wait a month or two before summoning Asclepius to treat him directly.
Retracting his hand from Cobra's chest, Thomas looked to the nearby Doctor and his team of Nurses, asking, "Are the five of you affiliated with Baroque Works, or was Crocodile forcing you against your will?"
Answering on behalf of his team, the elderly Doctor raised his hands and exclaimed, "We didn't have a choice! Sir&mdash;I mean, Crocodile would have killed us if we didn't follow his orders!"
With Benienma remaining silent, Thomas gave a curt nod and said, "Very well. I'll have you and your team carry the King to the surface. After that, you should flee the Capital or lie low for a while."
Exhaling sighs of relief, the medical team complied with Thomas's orders by gently transferring Cobra to a stretcher. Two of the Nurses were fairly burly men, so they had no problem lifting the somewhat emaciated Cobra and transporting him to the surface. There, they found Astolfo, Vivi, and a large contingent of Royal Guards waiting for them.
Seeing Thomas, Vivi's expression visibly brightened before turning into one of horror as she noticed her father's condition. His wounds had been treated, but he was incredibly thin, and his palatial robes were ragged and bloody.
"Father...!" shouted Vivi, alerting the few guards that had yet to notice the group's return.
Rushing over to her father's side, Vivi grabbed his left hand, squeezing it tightly as she began to tear up. Before the waterworks could truly begin, Thomas remarked, "He'll be okay. He just needs to rest and recuperate a bit."
Trusting Thomas's words, Vivi closed her eyes and muttered, "Thank goodness..." in a sobbing yet relieved tone. At the same time, Chaka and several of the most senior Royal Guards made their way over, their eyes widening when they saw Crocodile, bound in chains, being dragged by Caenis.
Recovering from his momentary stupor, Chaka met Thomas's gaze as he asked, "What's the situation? The Princess informed us that a number of explosive charges had been strapped to the pillars supporting the city. Is that still the case?"
Nodding his head, Thomas explained, "We disabled the detonator and neutralized the explosive charges beneath the palace and the Central City Square. However, as there's a chance Crocodile prepared a backup detonator to be used by someone else, we'll need to be cautious until all the explosives have been dealt with..."
Before Chaka could respond or ask for his assistance in dealing with the remaining explosives, Thomas gestured to Benienma, prompting her to stand next to him as he added, "This is Benienma. She has the unique ability to ascertain whether or not a person is telling the truth. Before we do anything else, you should have each of your men affirm their loyalty to the Nefertari Family and the Kingdom of Alabasta. The last thing we need right now is traitors and saboteurs trying to undermine our efforts."
Looking down at Benienma, Chaka's brows creased. However, instead of challenging Thomas's claims, he gave a curt nod and said, "Very well. I'll leave the Princess and His Majesty in your care until we can ascertain our people's loyalties..."
Immediately following his words, Chaka shifted his gaze to the guards accompanying him, ordering, "Affirm your allegiance to our King."
Though most of his men had no issue affirming their loyalty to Cobra and the Kingdom, two of Chaka's senior guardsmen attempted to protest the vetting process, citing that it was an insult to their honor. When Benienma pointed out this was a false statement, Chakra promptly drew his sword on the men, forcing them to choose between revealing the truth or being cut down.
Seeing their fellow agents exposed, several other traitorous guardsmen took up their arms while others attempted to vacate the room discreetly. A conflict immediately broke out within the chamber, but it didn't last as Robin used the power of her Hana-Hana-no-Mi to grapple and break the bones of those who incited the conflict...
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While Benienma accompanied Chaka and the Kingdom's loyalists to sniff out the Baroque Works members that had infiltrated their ranks, Thomas asked Astolfo to watch over Vivi and her father. He would have liked to accompany them to assure Vivi that everything was okay, but so long as the explosives remained, the Capital was still in jeopardy. Thus, alongside Caenis, Robin, and Artoria, Thomas returned to the underground to begin the arduous process of removing each set of explosives. It took a total of twenty-seven hours, but it was worth it to ensure the people of Alubrana could sleep in peace...
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[Five Days Later]
Standing on the balcony of the room he had been given, Thomas stared out over the city of Alubarna with a faint smile. It was drizzling outside, but the streets were alive with a festive atmosphere as people celebrated the end of the drought.
Though some initially refused to believe that Crocodile was the culprit behind the drought, viewing him as a Hero, the rainfall that followed his downfall was more than enough to convince most. It would take months for things to return to normal, but so long as a gentle rain continued to fall over the parched Kingdom, it was only a matter of time.
Breaking Thomas from his reverie, Caenis asked, "How much longer are you planning to take a break? Didn't you want to expand the raincloud to cover the entire island...?"
Exhaling a faintly exasperated sigh through his nose, Thomas turned around to returned to the bed he and Caenis had been sharing for the past three, going on four days. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes since he got up to stretch his back and legs, but he had a 'duty' to fulfill and intended to follow through on it.
Fortunately, just as Caenis pinned Thomas to the bed and hopped on top of him, a gentle rattle echoed from the room's entrance, followed by the voice of Vivi asking, "May I enter...?"
Clicking her tongue, Caenis briefly looked like she was going to tell Vivi to fuck off. Instead, she looked down at Thomas, adopting a predatory smile as she cut his chest with the nail of her pinky finger and mused, "It looks like the Princess has come to your rescue..."
As the shallow cut on his chest rapidly healed, Thomas raised her from his body as he replied, "I'll return as soon as I can."
Rolling onto her back, Caenis waved Thomas off as she said, "Yeah, yeah. Have fun talking to your father-in-law..." before issuing a prolonged yawn. It had been a few days since she slept, and while it wasn't necessary, she had gotten used to it while traveling with the Straw Hats.
Seeing Caenis yawn, Thomas's expression softened until she noticed his reaction and abruptly kicked him in the face. There was very little power behind the blow, but it was enough to knock him off the bed, producing a loud crashing sound that prompted Vivi to shout, "I-Is everything okay in there!?"
While rubbing the top of his head, Thomas replied, "Everything's fine. And you can come in or wait outside. I'll be out in a minute."
Since she was well aware of the relationship between Thomas and Caenis, Vivi didn't hesitate to open the door and enter the room, briefly looking toward the bronze-skinned woman waving at her before directing her gaze to Thomas and asking, "What happened?"
Rising to his feet, Thomas answered, "I fell," in a flat tone that compelled Caenis to adopt a sly grin. Vivi's brows briefly furrowed when she saw this, but she didn't press the matter. Instead, she revealed, "My father is feeling well enough that he wishes to speak with you."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas asked, "Is there anything 'particular' he wishes to discuss...?"
Blushing every so slightly, Vivi lowered her gaze as she admitted, "There is the matter of the Enma-tei, but he also wishes to discuss the specifics of our future engagement. Now that you have a Bounty, things are a little more complicated..."
With Vivi reminding him, Thomas couldn't help exhaling a sigh. Despite his efforts to have his Bounty inflated, his initial listing was a mere 71,000,000 Berries. This was even less than Crocodile and the Bounty that Robin had as a child, so he was admittedly a little butthurt.
Unfortunately, while many within the palace knew of his involvement in Crocodile's defeat, Thomas had chosen not to publicize it. Doing so would make it more difficult for him to open and operate an Enma-tei within the nation's borders, so he let the Royal Guards and the Marines take credit for the former Shichibukai's downfall. He even went as far as threatening to expose Crocodile's 'secret' if the latter talked, so the only people who knew the truth were those directly involved in the incident.
Shaking his head, Thomas set aside the matter of his Bounty, took a quick shower, and got dressed. Then, alongside Vivi, he made his way to her father's healing chamber, the same location where they had encountered Mr 2, Bon Kurei.
Seeing his daughter, Cobra couldn't help smiling. His feelings toward Thomas were a lot more conflicted, however, so it only lasted for a brief moment before he got serious, exuding a kingly aura as he said, "Thank you for coming to meet with me on such short notice, Sir Thomas. I know you have been...busy as of late..."
Understanding that Cobra was referring to his relationship with Caenis, a wry smile developed across Thomas's face. If he were in Cobra's position, he might have pulled out a gun and told him to stay the hell away from his daughter. Instead, the middle-aged King had no choice but to tolerate his presence, not just because they had recused him and saved the Kingdom, but because Vivi had 'forced' him to accept their relationship.
In an effort to ease tensions, Thomas explained, "So long as no more Dance Powder is introduced into the environment, it should only take a few weeks for things to stabilize. After that, we just need to restore the flow of the Sandora River, and Alabasta should be well on a path toward recovery."
Latching onto Thomas's segue, Cobra asked, "And opening this 'Enma-tei' will help with that...?"
Though he nodded in affirmation, Thomas clarified, "Not directly, but it will help us maintain the river's flow over time. It will also-"
Before Thomas could get into the specifics, Cobra raised his hand in a silencing gesture, calmly asserting, "My daughter has already provided me a cursory explanation of your background, plan, and intent. I called you here for three reasons. First and foremost, to give you my permission to expand your operations to Alabasta. Secondly, to permit you and that woman, Nico Robin, to access our ancestral Poneglyph..."
Shifting his gaze to his daughter, Cobra found Vivi staring at him with an uncharacteristically serious expression on her face. Thus, even though he was 'extremely' unwilling, he exhaled a sigh that appeared to age him by several years as he appended, "Lastly, I have agreed to let you marry my daughter. However, before that-"
Interrupting her father's words, Vivi promptly pounced on and hugged him, exclaiming, "Thank you, thank you, thank you~!" in an overly excited tone. She truly was excited, but it was obvious to everyone that she was attempting to prevent him from listing out terms. Thus, while directing a fatherly glare at Thomas, Cobra embraced Viv and grumbled, "Anything for my beloved daughter..." in a begrudging tone.
...
..
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(A/N: If looks could kill, Thomas would be dead a thousand times over at this point xD...)

Chapter 88: Reason