Chapter 61: Trust

Once Shirou was finished placating his sisters, particularly Miyu, he transferred ownership of the EMIYA Card to Thomas before inviting him, Vivi, and Astolfo to stay the night.

As he had planned to spend at least a few days searching for Install Cards before returning, Thomas ultimately accepted Shirou's invitation. The temptation of sleeping in a bed or atop a futon was pretty compelling, but he also wanted to ask about the 'Bounded Field' within which Shirou's house was built. Thus, while Astolfo and Vivi changed into animal pajamas to have a slumber party with Illya, Miyu, and Chloe, Thomas split off from the group, joining Shirou in his forge.

Before Thomas could ask about the forge or how Bounded Fields worked, Shirou surprised him by stating, "I should apologize. You clearly had your own thing going on, but now you've gotten wrapped up in our problems..."

Exhaling a faint, exasperated sigh through his nose, Thomas said, "Don't worry about it. While I never expected this development, I knew Zelretch would do something to pull me into his world. This just takes me out of my comfort zone and forces me to think outside the box."

Adopting a faint smile, Shirou replied, "Still, without you appearing like this, we would have been trapped, not knowing how to move forward. I know Chloe has been restless since we moved to Amazon Lily. And now that she intends to travel with your group, I'm certain that Illya and Ruby will follow suit..."

Furrowing his brows, Thomas asked, "Seriously, man? Give me a break..."

Nodding his head, Shirou revealed, "Illya was actually the Captain of our crew, the Prism Pirates. She and Chloe also serve as foils for one another, so she wouldn't feel comfortable letting her travel without supervision."

Before Thomas could protest, Shirou's smile became wry as he added, "Look on the bright side. With Illya around, you'll have access to Ruby's knowledge and several additional Install Cards. More importantly, they can replenish Chloe's Magical Energy in your stead."

Realizing the truth within Shirou's words, Thomas replied, "You make a very good point. The problem is that our ship is already pretty cramped, especially the female quarters. Unless Illya or Ruby can create a space like this one, there isn't much room to accommodate additional people..."

Nodding his head, Shirou replied, "That shouldn't be an issue. This space was created by Miyu and Sapphire using the Medea Install Card. It takes weeks to produce a sanctuary like this, but expanding the dimensions of a room only takes a few hours."

Returning a nod of his own, Thomas said, "Well, that answers my first question..." Then, even though he wasn't sure he wanted to know, he tentatively inquired, "Now, you said Illya was the Captain of your crew? Does that mean she has an even higher Bounty than you...?"

Shaking his head, Shirou answered, "She used to. However, after my rampage in Marie Geoise, my Bounty increased from 313,000,000 to 713,000,000, Dead or Alive. Illya's was 337,000,000 previously, but it has since increased to 500,000,000 alongside Chloe's and Miyu's. Unlike me, however, they are wanted 'Alive Only.'"

"..."

Taking advantage of Thomas's silence, Shirou explained, "That's one of the reasons I considered becoming a Shichibukai. I wanted to have their Bounties frozen and prevent people from hunting us. Unfortunately...no, never mind. I'd rather not talk about it..."

Recalling how one of the Celestial Dragons had wanted to 'collect' his sisters like some kind of trophy or action figures, a murderous glimmer reflected across Shirou's eyes. If not for his body's condition, he would have burned Pangea Castle, the heart of the World Government, to the ground...

Shaking away his negative thoughts, Shirou forced a smile as he said, "With the support of Ruby and Sapphire, Illya and Miyu are capable of fighting without the use of Install Cards. Illya, in particular, can fly around at high speeds, bombard opponents with Magical Energy, and cut through massive warships using a self-created technique called Schneiden. Don't think the girls are helpless just because they're cute..."

Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "Yeah, I know how 'broken' Magical Girls can be. Still, it's a little jarring to hear they have Bounties of 500,000,000. That's going to make lying low a lot more difficult..."

Though he nodded in affirmation, Shirou argued, "If it's any consolation, you're bound to receive a high Bounty the moment the World Government learns the nature of your Devil Fruit. The Special Science Group, led by Dr. Vegapunk, is conducting research into Mana and Magical Energy. Once it comes to light that there is a Devil Fruit that grants the user the ability to generate Mana, the Marines and the World Government will do everything in their power to collect it..."

Since Robin had given him a similar warning, Thomas just exhaled a sigh before grumbling, "Yeah, yeah, I know. I kind of shot myself in the foot on that one..."

Before Shirou could ask, Thomas revealed, "Since I didn't know Install Cards were a thing, I told a bunch of people the name of my Devil Fruit. One of them was a Marine Captain, so I'm just waiting for the News Coos to bring me a Bounty Poster..."

Scratching the back of his head, Shirou was tempted to apologize, but, as Thomas had dismissed his other apologies, he ultimately decided against it. Instead, he said, "Even if you're assigned a high Bounty, the Admirals are usually busy dealing with the Yonko and the more dangerous Pirates in the New World. So long as you avoid causing a scene at Sabaody, the only people you'll have to worry about are the members of Cipher Pol. But Chloe should be able to sense and deal with them. She isn't as strong as Illya and Miyu with their Kaleidosticks, but she has the proper 'conviction' to deal with troublesome and persistent enemies..."

"She certainly gives off a 'dangerous' aura..." muttered Thomas, adding, "So long as my Servants are near, I'm not too worried about the members of Cipher Pol. Benienma, in particular, can detect life forces and discern if someone has wicked intentions or is lying. She's a Cook, but her Skills are a mix between a Saber and a high-ranking Assassin. That includes A-Rank Magic Resistance and Presence Concealment."

Though he once again felt that Thomas had been inordinately 'blessed,' Shirou didn't point it out. Thomas's blessings meant they would have an easier time assembling the remaining Install Cards, so he replied, "That's good to know. Chloe does her best to protect Illya's innocence, so her hands are already stained with blood. If possible, I would prefer it if she didn't have to get them dirty too often..."

Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "That shouldn't be a problem. I'm trying to increase my strength enough to reach the pinnacle, so I'll have her and Illya remain on the ship or sit things out unless shit hits the fan. Beyond that, it's really up to them what they want to do..."

Adopting a wry smile, Shirou asserted, "If you give them the option, they will choose to fight. One of the reasons our Bounties were so high by the time we reached Sabaody was because Illya is incapable of standing by and watching people suffer. That's why I'm certain she'll go with you. The moment you mentioned Crocodile and liberating Alabasta, she would have felt compelled to help. That's just the kind of girl Illya is."

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Though Shirou's words made Thomas question his decision to let the two lolis accompany him, he didn't voice his thoughts aloud. With how things were developing, he would likely be parting ways with the Straw Hats in the near future. Interacting with Zoro, Lucy, and even Usopp was pretty fun, but traveling aboard the Merry and putting up with Nami's pestering had worn him down. Now, he kind of just wanted to do his own thing until they obtained the Thousand Sunny or reconvened at Sabaody...

"Then we'll just have to see how things develop," said Thomas. "At this point, I'm tired of trying to predict the future and plan around it. Now, I primarily want to focus on increasing my strength and having a bit of fun before things get serious. If Illya and Chloe stress me out, I'll bring them back and let you deal with them. Simple as that."

"That sounds fair," replied Shirou. However, at the same time, he couldn't really imagine Thomas 'abandoning' the nearly identical girls just because they irritated him. Now that he had a bit of time to familiarize himself with the inordinately tall and muscular man, he had the distinct impression that Thomas was the type to complain but still help people when they needed him. He may not possess the qualities of a true hero, but he at least used his innumerable blessings to help people...

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After his lengthy conversation with Shirou, Thomas spent more than an hour relaxing in the residence's massive, open-air bath. Vivi and Astolfo had already gone in before him, using it as an opportunity to get to know Illya, Chloe, and Miyu, so he had the entire bath to himself, soaking up to his chin as he contemplated everything that had transpired over the past forty-eight hours.

As troublesome as recent developments were, Thomas would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little excited. Just the prospect of becoming a 'True Mage' made his heart beat faster, not simply because it guaranteed his freedom, but because he would potentially be able to traverse all the worlds he had given up on to enter One Piece. As for the matter of Chloe, well, she wasn't entirely wrong when she said he was putting on a front...

Though they were around the same height, Chloe, Illya, and Miyu gave off a markedly more 'mature' impression than Benienma. Had Thomas been around the same age as Shirou, he might have played along and allowed his gaze to wander while Chloe was taunting him. Since he was already in his mid-thirties, he couldn't just let himself get riled up by some wannabe succubus...

Fortunately, even though he dozed off for a few minutes, Thomas's bath went uninterrupted. He half-expected Chloe or Astolfo to sneak in on him, but that was, evidently, an undue concern. The two pink-haired imps were having fun chatting in Miyu's room, so Thomas spent much of the evening alone since Vivi, despite her mature appearance, was only a few months older than the trio of lolis. She had also spent the last two years of her life undercover, so having a 'girl's night' where she could relax and cut loose was something she desperately needed...

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After a lonely but peaceful night's slumber, Thomas rose well before the Sun, dragging his feet as he made his way outside to get in a few hours of training. Before leaving, Chiron had recommended him to get between 6-10 hours of training whenever he wasn't busy with other things. Reaching the peak required a certain mentality, so he would never reach his goal if he allowed himself to become complacent and slacked off when he could have been training.

With such thoughts in mind, Thomas released a long yawn before giving himself a few light smacks to wake himself up. As he did so, something pointy pressed against the small of his back as the now-familiar voice of a young girl remarked, "You're full of openings. If I were an enemy, you'd be dead right now."

Though he initially tensed, circulating his Magical Energy for protection, Thomas relaxed when he heard the voice, lazily responding, "Lucky me..." before turning around to find Chloe standing behind him in her incredibly skimpy, red and black Archer attire. In her hands were a pair of black and white shortswords that Thomas couldn't readily recall the names of, but he didn't pay them any mind, asking, "What's up? Don't tell me you were up all night watching me..."

"You wish," replied Chloe. "I just sensed you were awake and decided to see what you were up to so early in the morning. Mind telling me where you're going?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas lazily replied, "Daily training..." before turning around and continuing on his way. When he did so, Chloe briefly adopted a skeptical look, asking, "Seriously...?" before hurrying to catch up when he didn't stop to respond...

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(A/N: It's okay, Tom. Every badass needs a loli.)

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