Chapter 32: Disclosure

While Nami, Zoro, and Usopp seemed interested in what Thomas had to say, Lucy's expression immediately formed into a frown. Adventures were supposed to be things you experienced directly, not something you knew about in advance, so, before Thomas could continue, she shouted, "Stop it!"

With everyone directing their attention to her, Lucy adopted a serious expression as she said, "The past is one thing, but I don't want to know about the future! If I know how things will end from the very beginning, what's the point in going on a journey!?"

As he had been hoping Lucy would interrupt him, Thomas maintained a smile as he replied, "As I said a few seconds ago, every action we take changes the future. Nothing is set in stone. But don't worry. I just wanted to mention this now, so you guys don't become suspicious when I share random tidbits of knowledge about various people and places. I have no intention of 'spoiling' anything."

Losing her edge, Lucy replied, "Oh, that's okay then," before regaining her smile and adding, "Still, you shouldn't expose things about a person's past without their permission. It should be up to them to decide if they want to share. That's how people express their trust in others."

Nodding in approval, Thomas replied, "You're right..." before shifting his attention to Zoro and adding, "Sorry if I said something I shouldn't have. In exchange, I'll help you find some decent swords in the future."

Shrugging his shoulders, Zoro replied, "It's no big deal. I was just a little surprised, that's all. If you insist on apologizing, hurry up and tell me how to awaken this mysterious energy known as Haki. I want to start training it as soon as possible."

"Sure, no problem," replied Thomas. However, before he could begin his explanation, Nami interjected, saying, "Wait a minute. I need to speak with Thomas in private. It won't take long."

Though Zoro and Caenis exhibited mild annoyance, neither said anything as Nami practically dragged Thomas into the interior of the Going Merry. More specifically, she brought him into a section of the ship that served as the galley, meeting room, and helm.

Seeing the internal steering column, Thomas took a moment to stare at the tiny circular port behind him, asking, "How the hell are you meant to steer the ship from inside? Don't you need to be able to see where you're going...?"

Waving her hand dismissively, Nami said, "That isn't important right now." Then, with a serious expression, she added, "I was speaking with Astolfo earlier, and she seemed to be aware of who I was, even though it was our first time speaking in private. When I pointed it out, both she and Caenis began acting suspiciously..."

Though he knew Astolfo was terrible at keeping secrets, Thomas didn't believe she would blather so soon after meeting Nami and the rest of the Straw Hats. He also knew Nami could be fairly manipulative, but instead of calling her out on it, he replied, "I imagine so. After all, It's not exactly a coincidence our paths crossed at the Baratie."

Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Nami asked, "And what about Arlong...?"

As he had initially planned to deal with Arlong much later, Thomas wasn't lying as he replied, "That was kind of a spur of the moment thing. Shortly after we entered the East Blue, Musashi suggested eliminating him. I was eager to test the results of my training, so I accepted."

Furrowing her brows, Nami asked, "And what about the villagers and the people of the Conomi Islands? Did you interact with any of them...?"

Shaking his head, Thomas responded, "No," before explaining, "Shortly after destroying Arlong's base and capturing his crew, a group of Marine ships showed up, led by a man calling himself Captain Nezumi. Drake wanted to sink them, but I was against it. Instead, Caenis tore off their rudders and damaged their keels before we used the cover of a storm to flee."

Though she got the impression Thomas's response was rehearsed, Nami didn't think he was lying outright. She also trusted Lucy's 'intuition' when it came to people, so instead of pressing Thomas for details about Arlong and the Conomi Islands, she asked, "Why are you here? You said it wasn't a coincidence we met at the Baratie, and everything that's happened since then has made it pretty obvious you were aiming to join Lucy's crew from the start..."

Reacting far more naturally, Thomas unhesitantly replied, "That's actually not the case. In fact, before our journey over to this island, I was planning to offer Lucy and the rest of you some advice before parting ways. Drake was the one who talked me into becoming a member of Lucy's crew. The reactions of Caenis and the others should have made it fairly obvious that this wasn't planned..."

Recalling the brief altercation between the two fearsome women, many of Nami's suspicions evaporated. At the same time, realization donned upon her, compelling her to softly mutter, "You saw a vision of the future where Lucy became Pirate King and decided to help her..."

Since it was a good opportunity to clear some things up and remove the expectation that he was 'omniscient,' Thomas shook his head, clarifying, "I never saw Lucy become Pirate King. Rather, I witnessed a future where someone named Luffy was well on their way to attaining the title. In other words, my knowledge is based on an alternate reality of sorts. Because in every single one of those visions, Lucy was a man..."

Blinking in surprise, Nami's expression and tone were full of disbelief as she questioned, "Seriously? Though she isn't the most feminine girl in the world, I can't even imagine what a male version of Lucy would be like..."

Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "They have the same dream, but Luffy's favorite food is meat. Other than that, they seem fairly similar...both give off the impression of someone that can achieve anything, no matter how far-fetched their dreams might seem to others..."

"That certainly sounds like Lucy..." replied Nami, her expression softening into an affectionate smile. She had originally been preparing to part ways with Lucy to protect her, but now that Thomas had appeared and Arlong had been defeated, it was starting to seem like she might actually be able to pursue her dream.

Out of curiosity, Nami asked, "And what about me? Did you see me in any of your visions?"

Nodding in affirmation, Thomas answered, "Indeed. After Luffy defeated Arlong and destroyed the room where your maps were kept, you became the Navigator for the Straw Hats. I could tell you a lot more, but I want to respect our Captain's wishes. Also, as I pointed out, my knowledge is of a completely different reality from this one. It will doubtlessly prove useful, but assuming things will play out the same is incredibly foolish..."

"Fair enough," replied Nami. However, as she was still curious about the extent of Thoma's knowledge, she asked, "You can still tell me about the past, right? I won't ask about the others, but I'm curious to know just how much insight you've gained into my past..."

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Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "I gained these visions over many, many years, so I can't remember everything clearly. However, I do know you have an adoptive sister named Nojiko and that the two of you have an adoptive mother named Bell-mere who sacrificed herself to protect you. I also know about the circumstances that Arlong forced you into-"

Before Thomas could continue, Nami interrupted him, exclaiming, "That's enough...!" with a slightly horrified look on her face. She had been curious at first, but hearing Thomas casually list details about her past caused an involuntary shiver to run through her body. She now understood why Lucy had been so against Thomas sharing what he knew. Hearing a complete stranger disclose intimate knowledge about your past and possible future was unnerving...

Empathizing with Nami's discomfort, Thomas's smile became apologetic as he said, "If it's any consolation, the version of you I'm knowledgeable of is clearly from an alternate reality. I'm also willing to answer just about any question about myself, so feel free to ask."

Though it wasn't much, Nami felt at least a little relieved when she heard Thomas's words. The notion that there were 'other' versions of her was a little jarring, but it wasn't difficult to accept. Seeing multiple Devil Fruits in action and watching Musashi split the sky in two had numbed her to such revelations...

Crossing her arms, Nami suggested, "Let's end things here for now. I will probably have more questions for you later, but I need time to collect my thoughts first. There is one thing I would like to know, though..."

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Nami asked, "What do you hope to achieve by becoming strong enough to stand at the pinnacle...? Since you have knowledge about a possible future, there must be something you want to attain that requires that amount of power. Even Zoro has that promise you mentioned previously."

Instead of immediately responding to Nami's question, Thomas lowered his head and fell into a shallow but contemplative silence. He hadn't put much thought into what he would do once he neared or reached the end of his journey. All he knew for certain was that he would never accept an ordinary life now that he had been given a chance to change, not just his fate but the fates of others...

Meeting Nami's gaze, Thomas's expression became uncharacteristically serious as he answered, "I'm not trying to obtain anything concrete. I just want to be powerful enough to take charge of my life and live without the fear of others deciding my fate..."

Though he understood that he could never escape the influence of a being like Zelretch, Thomas could accept an afterlife of servitude so long as he was allowed to live free and unfettered in his current life. With that in mind, he should probably be doing everything in his power to make the most of the opportunity he had been given...

Adopting a wry smile, Thomas added, "Beyond that, I want to ensure that you, Lucy, and everyone who joins the Straw Hats can attain your dreams. Before I set out with the Wild Hunt, I lived vicariously through the 'visions' I witnessed throughout my life. Now that I've been given the opportunity to experience one of those journeys directly, I plan to do everything I can to ensure a happy ending for as many people as possible..."

Taken aback by Thomas's sincerity, Nami found herself at a complete and total loss for words. She now understood Lucy's comment about Thomas wanting to help them. She was still unsettled by his intimate knowledge of her past and a potential future, but, at the very least, he didn't appear to have any malicious intentions. If he did, he could completely shatter their dreams on a whim...

Forcing a smile, Nami replied, "Then it looks like I'll be relying on you in the future. I'm planning to accept Lucy's invitation to join her crew as a Navigator, so I'll need all your information about the Grand Line and its unique weather patterns."

Nodding in affirmation, Thomas revealed, "Drake left me a copy of the map Astolfo made of the first half of the Grand Line. It's nowhere near complete, but it includes the location of several Marine Bases and a few islands that most consider legends. Astolfo has the unique ability to find anything she's looking for, so the two of you will be working together a lot in the future."

Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Seriously? You have a swordswoman who can split the sky, a doctor that can heal severe injuries in minutes, a child-like Oni that can tell if a person's lying, and now someone who can locate anything? What other abilities do your Spirits possess...?"

Smiling wryly, Thomas revealed, "Drake's ship can fly and submerge, Caenis can breathe underwater and manipulate the sea, Chiron can teach pretty much any skill, Atalanta can snipe people from several kilometers away, and Beethoven's music can immobilize enemies while strengthening her allies..."

"..."

Massaging her forehead, Nami attempted to process everything Thomas had just revealed. If he was telling the truth, there wasn't much his Spirits 'couldn't' do...

Shaking her head free of thoughts, Nami replied, "Forget it. We'll discuss this in greater detail later. For now, you should return to the deck and tell Zoro about that Haki thing. I need to talk to Lucy."

Nodding his head, Thomas responded with a curt, "Sure, no problem," before turning around with the intention to depart. Nami looked like she still had something to say but ultimately stopped herself. She wanted to thank him for saving her village, but until she confirmed it for herself, she couldn't quite believe Arlong was gone and that her nightmare had come to an end...

...

..

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(A/N: Since when did Thomas have a brain? Our boy is over here playing 4-D Chess...)

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