"Caesar, did you take the item I left in the lab?"
Julius, Caesar's father, held up a photograph, his piercing gaze locking on Caesar. The image depicted a peculiar fruit with swirling patterns — unmistakably a Devil Fruit.
Caesar stiffened, avoiding eye contact as he fumbled for an excuse. "I... I haven't taken it, Dad."
Julius's expression darkened. "Look me in the eye and say that."
"I didn't take it!" Caesar snapped, fidgeting nervously with the hem of his shirt.
Julius didn't believe a word. His scrutinizing gaze shifted to Vegapunk, who stood nearby, his expression calm but tense.
"I took it," Vegapunk admitted abruptly, stepping forward without hesitation.
Julius turned, startled by the confession. "Vegapunk?"
Caesar's face contorted with fury. He leaned closer to whisper angrily, "Vegapunk, are you insane? We could've denied everything!"
"I won't lie," Vegapunk said firmly, meeting Julius's gaze head-on.
"You two—are you even listening to me?" Julius barked, cutting through their argument.
Julius's sharp tone brought silence, and then he asked coldly, "Where is the Devil Fruit now?"
Vegapunk and Caesar exchanged nervous glances, blurting out conflicting answers simultaneously:
"Lost."
"Eaten."
Julius's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Caesar, step aside. I'll deal with you later." He turned back to Vegapunk. "Explain. Everything."
---
Vegapunk didn't falter, recounting every detail of what had happened. From the stolen Devil Fruit to the curious firefly that consumed it, his explanation was methodical yet sincere.
"You're telling me a firefly ate the Devil Fruit?" Julius repeated incredulously, his voice filled with disbelief.
The gathered researchers gasped, murmuring among themselves.
"If true, this is unprecedented!" Los Punk, Vegapunk's father, exclaimed, his face alight with excitement. "A creature consuming a Devil Fruit opens entirely new avenues of research!"
Julius's skeptical gaze shifted to the firefly. It now hovered nearby, sipping from a bottle of milk as if nothing were out of the ordinary. But Julius's fascination quickly grew obsessive.
"This is groundbreaking," Julius muttered as he reached out to grab the firefly.
"Waahhh!" The firefly's cheerful demeanor crumbled. Its tiny arms flailed as it burst into tears, its cries echoing in the lab.
"Let her go! She doesn't like it!" Vegapunk shouted, lunging forward to snatch the firefly from Julius's grasp.
"Vegapunk!" Julius roared. "This is no longer just a creature. It's a critical subject for experimentation!"
"She's not a subject!" Vegapunk's voice cracked, his arms tightening protectively around the firefly. "She's alive, and she trusts me. She's not some tool!"
Julius's patience snapped. "Enough! Your actions have jeopardized years of research. You've stolen valuable materials and endangered this project!"
---
"Julius," Los Punk interjected, his voice steady but tinged with sorrow, "we've lost sight of what's important. This isn't why we started."
Julius turned to him, glaring. "Don't start with your idealism. You think the World Government cares about our morals? They'll crush us if we fail to deliver results!"
"Then let's leave the World Government!" Los Punk said, his voice rising. "We can still pursue knowledge without being their slaves!"
"You're delusional!" Julius snapped. "The World Government doesn't tolerate failure—or disobedience. If we defy them, they'll destroy everything. The lab, the island, everyone."
Los Punk hesitated, his face pale as the truth sank in.
---
Julius turned his cold gaze back to Vegapunk. "Let go of the firefly."
Vegapunk's grip only tightened, his tears falling silently. "No. She deserves better. She's not just some experiment."
The room was thick with tension, the air suffocating.
"Please, son," Los Punk whispered, his voice breaking. "Don't make this harder for all of us."
But Vegapunk shook his head, his resolve unshaken despite the tears. "No. I'll protect her... no matter what."
The firefly cried louder, its wails echoing as if to protest the impossible situation.
---
TO BE CONTINUED.