The Blossom Island, a Spring Island in the first quarter of Paradise, with four villages and a Town, was eerily quiet the day after the massacre of the Tiger Pirates and the Gibbon Merchants.
Most of the inhabitants of the Island shut themselves up in their houses, praying that the Crew of that haunting Black Ship would soon leave this place. Even if the people were grateful for being saved, they were not brave enough to come forward and express their gratitude to the grey-eyed Devil, who seemed to treat life and death like a sport.
Sin, Robin, Hancock, and Bonney enjoyed their hour-long hunt yesterday, where they took out the Pirates and the remaining Seamen of the Merchant Vessels. As the final score stood, Sin won by a great margin, thanks to his speed, and Hancock came second, with Bonney and Robin tied on the number of kills.
Gibbon was caught by Bonney, but she did not end his miserable life. Instead, she brought him to Sin as a present, who was delighted to receive him.
The stout-pot-bellied Merchant was later crucified on the Docks, in front of all the terrified people of the Island. Robin then used her Frostflame, freezing his dead body, and turning him into a statue as a present for the Marines who would eventually come to this place.
Bonney also drew up a banner and wrapped it around his belly, bearing a simple message.
The Blackstar Pirates were here.
And right now, after a good night's rest, all the Crew members were present in the middle of a Forest on the Island, ready for another Hunt.
"This is what the Neko Neko no Mi, Model Tiger looks like." Robin showed all of them the image of the Fruit in the Encyclopedia. "It is a Grapefruit, so look for it in the Grapefruit Farms and the wild Grapefruit Trees in the forests. If it is not there, we will then have to check out the Villages and the Town for it."
"Are you sure it is on the Island?" Kuina curiously asked. "The Encyclopedia says that the spirit of the Devil Fruit spawns at a random place after the death of the User."
"That's right." Robin nodded to her. "But we know something that only a few people in the world know." She smiled. "After the death of the User, the Spirit of Devil Fruit searches for its type of Fruit to possess it. The immediate surroundings are the most likely places where it would manifest if the said Fruit exists there. It would preferably possess a Fruit that is healthy and still connected to its source, the tree, shrub or whatever kind of plant that bears its Fruit, and in some rare cases, it would manifest in freshly plucked Fruits. If it happens that the place does not have the said type of Fruit, like was the case with the Yagi Yagi no Mi, Model Ibex, which is a bunch of Dates not found here, the spirit leaves the place to search for the right fruit somewhere else. By now, it would have manifested in some Dates on a Summer Island. And since we are on a Spring Island, Grapefruits are present here in ample amounts. The Devil Fruit has to be here."
"Do not reveal this information to anyone outside of the crew." Hancock seriously said after Robin finished explaining, and Kuina, Nojiko, and Nami obediently nodded their heads.
"Alright then." Sin happily clapped his hands, grabbing everyone's attention. "Nojiko and Nami will be teaming up with Bonney, and the rest of us are on our own. Only use the flare if some accident happens or you find the Devil Fruit. Whoever finds it will get 100 Million Berries."
"That's far less than the amount it would sell for." Nami pouted and complained, prompting everyone to laugh at her words.
"Neko Neko no Mi, Model Tiger would sell for 300 Million at the most, silly girl." Sin patted her head. "How many crew members do we have?"
"11." She replied.
"And if we divide 300 Million equally, how much would you get?" He smirked.
"A little more than 27 Million." She readily answered.
"See, you are making a profit here. If you find it, you will get 73 Million more than what you would have otherwise gotten." He playfully nudged his nose.
"But shouldn't the one who finds it get all of 300 Million?" She insisted, hoping that he would let her have all of it.
"No, you pesky little goblin. Take it or leave it." He stuck his tongue at her and then ignored her, turning to look at the rest of the Crew. "100 Million. That's the prize. You have the entire day to find it, and might I remind you that you must not eat it if you are hungry? If you do and you die..." He sinisterly smiled at them. "And if you eat it and you survive, no money for you. Understood?" Everyone nodded to him. "Go!"
As soon as he said that, Bonney swiftly tapped the heads of Law and Bepo, turning them into Kids. She tried to do the same with Robin, but the latter got away in time, and then Bonney didn't risk it as Augur, Kuina, and Hachi were behind Sin and Hancock.
She grabbed Nojiko and Nami, who were about to burst out laughing at the predicament that had befallen the two boys, and disappeared into the woods.
"Captain! She is cheating!" The now six-year-old Bepo, cutely complained.
"Shut up, Bepo. We let our guard down." Law grumpily said, and the Bear-Mink stopped complaining after he saw that everyone was laughing at them.
"Well, if you want to, you two can form your own team. We don't know how long she plans on keeping you in this state, so it is better if you two stick together." Sin suggested before disappearing in a flash.
The rest of them went their own ways to search for the Fruit, and Law and Bepo decided to not take a risk. They joined hands to search for the Devil Fruit, intent on not letting Bonney win after what she had done to them.
Robin was calmly walking through a forest that had some Grapefruit Trees in it when she heard the crackling of electricity and felt a warm hand lock hands with her.
"Missed me?" A bright smile bloomed on her face and she sweetly asked.
"Of course," Sin leaned in and planted a kiss on her head, "I just can't stay away from my little bird." He whispered near her ear and chuckled lightly.
A rosy blush crept on her cheeks, and she lightly squeezed his hand, pulling him to walk with her.
It had been a while since they last had some alone time on their hands. And they savoured every moment of it, walking, hand in hand, looking around the beautiful Spring Island.
Finding the Devil Fruit was not on their minds anymore, and when they came across a crystal-clear Freshwater lake, with a family of deers grazing by its side, they sat down under a tree, watching them peacefully.
"Up for a swim?" Sin suggested when the deers left the place, already up on his feet, taking off his coat and shirt.
"Okay." Her cheeks were burning red when she took off her shirt and trousers, letting his eyes roam freely all over her figure. And when they were left only in their underwear, they entered the cold water and dived right in it.
It was a blessing that the Devil Fruit only took away the ability to be in Sea Water. Prolonged stay in Freshwater could also result in weakness creeping in, but it never left a Devil Fruit eater so helpless that they would sink like a rock.
Sin and Robin stayed underwater, playing around with the fish and each other for a while, and when they returned to the surface to catch their breaths, they found themselves laughing and staring into each other's eyes.
The distance closed in, and as soon as he wrapped his arms around her waist, Robin captured his lips in a deep kiss, locking her arms around his neck. The heat emanating from their bodies drove them crazier, and Sin couldn't stop his hands from roaming all over her skin. He clawed onto her fleshy ass, which prompted her to wrap her long, toned legs around his waist, and she pressed herself harder in his embrace.
Her gasps escaped in his mouth, filling his lungs with her sweet scent. It was too hard for them to separate their lips from each other, but their make-out session was interrupted a few minutes later when a red flare shot up in the sky.
"Let's go." Sin got them out of the water, and they hastily dressed up before leaving the place in a bolt of lightning.
The two of them sighed in relief when they saw that the flare was not called out because of an accident.
Nami was happily dancing around, hugging a big yellow Devil Fruit that resembled a Grapefruit, and Bonney and Nojiko were laughing at her enthusiasm.
As soon as she saw Sin arrive, she rushed up to him and presented him with the Neko Neko no Mi, Model Tiger.
"I want my 100 Million Berries in Gold."
"Is that so?" He chuckled at her words and took the Devil Fruit. "But first let me confirm with Bonney if it was really you that found it."
He only intended to tease her, but as soon as he said that, Nami's eyes flickered in apprehension, and to her dismay, Bonney immediately revealed the truth.
"Nojiko found it."
"See..." He smirked at the orange-haired girl.
"Bonney!" Nami grumpily pouted, but then broke out in a bright smile when Nojiko said something that immensely pleased her.
"I want my 100 Million in Gold, and Nami can have all of it."
"Nojiko!" She rushed to her older sister and happily hugged her. "You are the best sister in the world!" She planted a kiss on her cheek and said.
"Sin was right. You really are a pesky little goblin." Bonney smirked at her behaviour and then her eyes glinted in mischief. "I can see that you were enjoying your time together." She looked at Robin's slightly swollen lips and commented, intending to tease her, but failed.
Robin looked back at her challengingly with a content smile on her face, which made Bonney pout and accusingly turn to look at Sin.
In under ten minutes, everyone arrived in the forest where Nojiko had found the Devil Fruit. All of the crew congratulated her on finding it and teasingly congratulated Nami on winning 100 Million Berries.
The little goblin was not in the least embarrassed about hogging her sister's money. But by now, everyone was already familiar with her nature, so it wasn't really a surprise.
"We lost, Law" Bepo sadly spoke to his best friend.
"Doesn't matter." Law simply said and approached Bonney, looking her in the eyes with dead seriousness.
"Aww... Out little Law wants to grow up fast, right?" She teased him as she took off his hat and ruffled his hair, but Law's gaze only got more serious. "All of you are no fun." Bonney sighed in disappointment and returned Bepo and Law to their real age.
Bonney then turned herself into a four-year-old little girl and jumped up to sit on Sin's shoulders, hugging his head and resting her head on it. "I am sleepy, big brother." She yawned and smirked at Robin before closing her eyes.
Hancock and Robin narrowed their eyes at her, but everyone else was laughing at her antics.
"Let's go to the Town and celebrate our successful Hunt." Sin proposed, making everyone excited.
"Aye!"