Chapter 42: Integrity

As neither of them could sleep, Thomas and Vivi spent a little over two hours discussing various ways in which he could improve conditions in Alabasta.

After realizing he had a chance with the blue-haired beauty, even if his size would make things difficult, Thomas decided to go 'all in' on leaving a favorable impression on the Princess.

Fortunately, Magecraft could solve both of their problems. Spells to alter the size of an object or transform it completely were fairly common, and if he revised his 'image,' he could permanently change his appearance with Reinforcement. The same method would allow him to transmute ordinary, infertile sand into arable land.

Though Vivi struggled to believe Thomas's claims at first, she was fully convinced when he casually converted a handful of Whiskey Peak's red sand into mulchy soil. It took a fair amount of magical power, but Thomas speculated he could transform a few acres a day if he went all out. It was nowhere near what Alabasta needed to flourish, but having more arable land in a desert was never bad.

The best thing Thomas could do for Alabasta, which he pointed out, was to have Caenis 'fix' the Sandora River that had gradually succumbed to the sea's encroachment. The massive river was to Alabasta what the Nile was to Egypt, so decreasing its salinity and revitalizing its current would impact the lives of all 10,000,000 citizens inhabiting the country. Caenis producing rain would also allow the various Oases around the country to replenish, breathing life into a nation that had been gripped by drought for years.

After hearing the many ways in which Thomas and his Spirits could help revitalize her country, Vivi secretly regretted her words about 'not' asking him to marry her. His mind was full of ideas that could drastically change the way people in Alabasta lived for the better. More importantly, most of his ideas didn't burden the people. Instead, they were more like 'miracles' that solved some of her country's underlying issues without the need to expend billions of Berries and mobilize tens, if not hundreds of thousands of workers.

As the type of Princess that would readily take a bullet for one of her people, there was nothing Vivi wasn't personally willing to sacrifice to obtain Thomas's support. Unfortunately, she understood that Alabasta wasn't the only country that would benefit from his help. Thus, until he had completed his journey with the Straw Hats, she didn't have the heart to ask Thomas to abandon his crew and remain at her side. Instead, just as they were about to make their way back to the tavern, she said, "If this works out and everything goes as planned, know that you will always be welcome in Alabasta..."

Adopting a smile, Thomas replied, "It 'will' work out. I guarantee it. You just need to convince Igaram while I explain the situation to Nami, Lucy, Zoro, and Usopp. After that, we can either flee Whiskey Peak directly or stage a fight with the members of Baroque Works. If we cause a scene or take over the town, we can draw out some of the lower-digit agents and weaker Crocodile's forces before we reach Alabasta."

Blinking in surprise, Vivi remarked, "Wow, I didn't even think of that. You would make a good Military Strategist, Tom."

Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "Not really. I'm just making the most of my foreknowledge and the information available. If I had to figure things out like a normal person, I wouldn't be nearly as confident..."

Adopting a supportive smile, Vivi stated, "You shouldn't denigrate yourself in such a way, Tom. You're conspiring to take down a Warlord of the Sea. Most people would feel utterly helpless against such a foe, yet you regard your crew's victory as a matter of course. Even if you've 'seen' the future, your belief in your Captain and the bond you share with your companions is what will allow us to attain victory."

Exhaling through his nose, Thomas stared into Vivi's eyes with a wry smile as he remarked, "You're a good woman, Vivi..."

Averting her eyes and combing back her bangs, a faint blush developed through Vivi's cheeks as she asserted, "Then it seems we're suited to one another. As I said before, you're a good man, Thomas. I'm not sure what you experienced that shattered your confidence, but not just anyone could face a Warlord and help restore a nation. Once Crocodile has been defeated, I would like to help restore your self-esteem...even if only a little..."

Reaching out his hand, Thomas caressed Vivi's head, his expression and tone softening as he whispered, "Just hearing you say things like this has done wonders for my self-esteem. As for what broke me in the first place, I don't mind telling you..."

Retracting his hand from Vivi's head, Thomas averted his eyes, staring off into space as he revealed, "I was once engaged to my childhood friend, a girl I grew up alongside and eventually went on to date. After the incident that derailed my life, she was one of the few people who remained at my side, giving me hope that things would eventually return to normal..."

Inhaling a deep breath, Thomas clenched the muscles of his jaw a few times before appending, "At least, that's what I had deluded myself into thinking. I did everything to try and make that woman happy, yet, just as things were starting to change for the better, I found her having sex with another of my childhood friends, a man I had once regarded as a brother due to how close we were..."

Shaking his head, Thomas's expression revealed a deep melancholy as he returned his gaze to Vivi, concluding, "After that, I spiraled for a few years and have since avoided committing to anyone or anything. I only recently received the opportunity to change things. However, even though my past can no longer influence me directly, I'm still affected by the sequelae of a self-deprecating, self-destructive lifestyle..."

Adopting a faint but genuine smile, Thomas preempted Vivi's response by stating, "Don't worry. I've received a lot of help and am rapidly improving. That's the reason I choose to help people, though. Others in my situation might condemn or call me stupid, but I believe helping others is the best way to help myself..."

Exhaling through her nose, Vivi left Thomas at a loss for words as she spread her arms and adopted a sad smile, asking, "Do you mind if I hug you...?"

With Thomas failing to respond, Vivi took the initiative to step forward and give him the most comforting hug she could manage. The drastic disparity in their sizes made things a little awkward, as Vivi's head barely reached Thomas's diaphragm, but the blue-haired Princess did her best to console his clearly broken heart. He had rekindled her hope and promised to help revitalize her Kingdom, so mending his heart and restoring his confidence were the least she could offer as recompense...

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After reaching the tavern and separating from Vivi, Thomas made his way over to where Nami, Lucy, and Zoro were eating breakfast, taking his seat as the former pointedly inquired, "Did you have fun last night...?"

Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "It's complicated..." before looking around at the largely empty tavern and adding, "Once you're finished eating, we should speak in private..."

Seeing how 'serious' Thomas was behaving, Nami raised her brows but didn't question him on the spot. Instead, she put down her knife and fork, saying, "I don't have much of an appetite after last night's festivities. We can discuss it now if it's something important...?"

Nodding his head, Thomas rose to his feet, prompting Nami to do the same. The former tried to lead the way outside, but Nami appeared to have different intentions, dragging him to the girl's bathroom after having checked it for Den Den Mushi the previous night. The reverberations off the walls and the sound of running water could also interfere with audio, so she turned on all the faucets before seizing the opportunity to freshen up as she inquired, "So, what did you want to discuss?"

Without beating around the bush, Thomas replied, "That girl who tried to seduce and drug me last night is the Princess of the Alabasta Kingdom..."

Furrowing her brows, Nami turned to face Thomas directly, asking, "Were you not aware of that beforehand...?"

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Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "I was. Her perfume made me a little muddleheaded, but I knew about her circumstances before we arrived at Whiskey Peak. I just used last night to confirm a few things..."

"Right..."

Crossing her arms, Nami inhaled a deep breath before exhaling it as an exasperated sigh. Even if Thomas wasn't present, she knew they would somehow become entangled with the aforementioned Princess, so she skipped interrogating him and asked, "Did you negotiate a proper reward for our assistance...?"

Adopting a faint smile, Thomas explained, "Her country is in dire straits due to a persistent drought, so an immediate monetary reward is out of the question. However, the person we'll be dealing with happens to run a very successful casino as the public face of their underground business. It would be best if we left the funds to help the Kingdom rebuild, but I'm sure you could negotiate for 10-50% in exchange for our services. That should equate to a few hundred million, if not more..."

As illusory Berry symbols appeared in her eyes, Nami reached up to give Thomas a pat on the shoulder, a radiant smile on her face as she stated, "You did good," before asking, "I'm assuming you already have a plan...?"

Nodding his head, Thomas gave a cursory explanation of everything he had discussed with Vivi. The pupils of Nami's eyes shrank when she heard they would be facing a Warlord, but she got over it pretty quickly when he confirmed their alternate reality counterparts would have faced Crocodile regardless. This time around, they were armed with the knowledge of Crocodile's weakness from the very beginning and had numerous ways to counteract just about anything he threw at them.

Interrupting the conversation between Thomas and Nami, Vivi poked her head into the bathroom, smiling wrily as she asked, "Is this a bad time...?"

Before Thomas could respond, Nami replied, "It's a perfect time, actually. There are a few things I wanted to discuss with you."

Following her words, Nami looked up at Thomas, a smile that wasn't quite a smile adorning her face as she asked, "Mind giving us some privacy, my dear Magus~?"

Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "Right..." before making his way to the exit, passing Vivi in the process. He wanted to say something to her, but upon seeing her staring directly at Nami with a 'resolute' look on her face, he decided to leave the two women alone...

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Immediately following Thomas's departure, Nami crossed her arms and got to the heart of the matter, questioning, "How much did Thomas tell you about his powers?"

Understanding what Nami was truly asking, Vivi mirrored the orange-haired woman's actions, crossing her arms as she asserted, "He told me everything..."

Narrowing her eyes, Nami asked, "And you're okay with it? He could be manipulating you to get what he wants..."

Furrowing her brows deeply, Vivi surprised Nami by asking, "Are you truly members of the same crew? Thomas speaks so highly of everyone in the Straw Hats. Hearing you smear him like this, it's no wonder he hasn't been able to build his confidence..."

Before Nami could respond, Vivi practically stared daggers at her as she insisted, "Thomas is a good man. If he was half as conniving as you seem to think, why would he tell you about his knowledge of the future? You are blinded by your egocentrism."

Standing her ground, Nami's expression and tone hardened as she asked, "You've only known him for a single evening yet accuse me of being blind? What did he say or do to make you abandon reason...?"

Leaving Nami at a loss for words, Vivi answered, "Absolutely nothing. He had every opportunity to take advantage of me but chose not to. Instead, he comforted me, spurned my advances, and told me the truth in an effort to dissuade me from promising him a physical reward. If anyone is being taken advantage of in this situation, I'm absolutely certain you're the one taking advantage of Thomas. With his power, he could rule a country with very little effort. Instead, he chooses to travel with your group, helping to make your dreams a reality..."

Placing her hand over her heart, a pained expression marred Vivi's face as she expressed, "I honestly feel sorry for him...he's clearly working hard to make your lives easier, yet he has people like you questioning his integrity and the purity of his intentions. Tell me, has he ever once declined to help you with something? Have you ever thanked him for his efforts...?"

"..."

Seeing Nami remain silent, Vivi narrowed her eyes as she said, "I thought so..." before adding, "If you genuinely cared about him, you wouldn't have started this discussion by trying to sabotage him..."

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(A/N: Vivi is really fighting for that top spot on the podium...)

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