The Going Merry Sailing Toward the Sabaody Archipelago
On the third deck of the Going Merry, a newly renovated, luxurious bathroom gleamed with a soft, misty haze. The room was filled with steam, and shadowy figures moved languidly through the fog, accompanied by the gentle sound of running water and warm, comforting breaths of heat.
"Ah, this feels amazing! It's even better than the bath at my Palace," Vivi sighed. She rose from the hot water, her long blue hair cascading down like a blooming hibiscus, her face flushed pink from the warmth. Shaking the water from her hair, she breathed out in contentment.
Since its renovation, the Going Merry could easily be described as a castle gliding over the sea.
"Of course," Nami said with a grin, "this is all thanks to Ace's Realm of Comprehension."
Though the water was replenished from the sea, it was filtered through a special device, allowing Devil Fruit users to bathe in hot water without suffering any ill effects.
Holding a handful of warm water, Nami gently poured it over her smiling face. "Even though Devil Fruit users lose their strength when in contact with seawater, this filtration system lets us enjoy a bath with no worries."
Fresh water is a precious commodity for pirate ships constantly at sea, and most of the time, baths have to be taken using seawater. For Devil Fruit users, soaking in heated seawater wouldn't cause major harm, but it did leave them feeling drained.
For the girls, being able to enjoy a bath without feeling any weakness was an incredible relief.
"Ace specifically asked Franky to install this system," Nami continued. "Without Ace's power, this kind of device wouldn't have been possible. Even with it, Franky and Iceburg said it took a lot of time to complete."
Kaya, lounging in the water, her eyes blissfully half-closed, smiled warmly. "Ace is always so thoughtful."
"Indeed, our captain is quite gentle," Robin added, leaning lazily against the edge of the tub, her lips curved in a knowing smile.
Kaya's face flushed slightly. "Oh, don't say such misleading things."
"Misleading?" Robin teased, her smirk widening. "Did I say something untrue?"
Nami, Vivi, and Kaya's faces reddened further, and with a flurry of embarrassed laughter, they dove beneath the surface, sending bubbles dancing through the water.
After a few moments, Vivi broke the silence. "By the way, Nami," she asked, her voice curious, "have you thought about your Devil Fruit awakening? Your control over your powers is the best among us."
The atmosphere turned thoughtful as Vivi's gaze settled on Nami, her eyes filled with admiration. Nami's natural affinity for weather was reflected in how effortlessly she mastered her Devil Fruit abilities.
Nami had only recently eaten the Thunder Fruit, but she had instantly grasped its powers without needing Ace's guidance. In contrast, Vivi, after eating the Suna Suna no Mi (Sand Fruit), had struggled to control its abilities. It was only with Ace's help that she managed to harness its powers.
"I really don't have much talent for combat," Vivi thought, her expression turning a bit melancholy.
"Bonk!" Nami tapped Vivi lightly on the head. "Idiot, you're a renowned pirate now, known as the 'Desert Princess.'"
They had seen the latest bounty posters not long after leaving the Devil's Triangle. Vivi's poster had been among them, and although she'd initially been worried, she couldn't help but feel proud. She had even secretly stashed her bounty poster alongside Ace's.
Vivi's eyes lit up as she nodded, determination building inside her. "That's right. I'm no longer the same princess with no talent for fighting. I'm a core combatant of the Entei Pirates, the leader of their fleet, and the 'Desert Princess' with a 350-million-beli bounty. I'm a pirate now... Ace's pirate."
Her heart swelled with resolve. With Ace by her side, she felt as if she could conquer anything.
Suddenly, Vivi's eyes widened as she reached out, her fingertips lightly brushing the surface of the hot water.
'Whoosh!'
In an instant, all the water in the bath evaporated, absorbed completely by the power of her Sand Fruit.
"Vivi! What happened?" Nami shouted, alarmed by the sudden disappearance of the water.
Kaya, concerned, turned to Vivi, while Robin's eyes gleamed with interest.
"I... I think I've unlocked something new," Vivi murmured, staring at her hands in disbelief. "It feels like my control over the Sand Fruit just got stronger."
"Could it be that your Devil Fruit has awakened?" Kaya asked, astonished.
Robin, ever observant, responded calmly. "Not quite. It's not a full awakening, but she's touched on something close. Look, not only did she absorb the water her hand touched, but almost all the water in the room was pulled in by the Sand Fruit's power."
Turning to Vivi, Robin's eyes narrowed. "What were you thinking about just now?"
Vivi's face turned crimson as the realization hit her. "I... I was thinking about... about being Ace's 'desert princess'..." Her voice trailed off in embarrassment.
Robin's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Ah, it seems your thoughts were on someone very special."
"I-I wasn't thinking about Ace like that!" Vivi stammered, steam rising from her flushed face as she tried to defend herself.
Robin chuckled softly. "Oh, we never mentioned Ace, did we?"
Vivi covered her face, trying to hide her embarrassment, but with all the water absorbed by her Sand Fruit, there was nowhere to escape.
"So that's what it is," Robin mused. "Your desire to become Ace's 'desert princess' resonated with your powers. When your desires align deeply with your abilities, that's when Devil Fruit powers start to awaken."
Nami leaned back, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "When the mind and body are in perfect harmony with a deep desire, that's when the Devil Fruit truly begins to awaken."
Her eyes gleamed as she considered the implications, thinking back to her own mastery of the Thunder Fruit. Perhaps her powerful longing to conquer the weather had something to do with her immediate control over her Devil Fruit abilities.
Meanwhile, Kaya couldn't help but wonder how her own Healing Fruit abilities might evolve. Her quiet dream of healing Ace resurfaced, and for a moment, she blushed, recalling a memory from Water 7.
——
According to what Ace had mentioned, Nami had been thinking deeply about the mysteries surrounding Devil Fruit awakening. Over time, she had also gained a better understanding of how to master its powers.
Her innate talent for weather control and her strong desire to harness her navigation skills to command all climates on the sea were likely the reasons she became so powerful after eating the Thunder Fruit. The Thunder Fruit seemed to resonate with her deepest desires.
However, despite her mastery, Nami sensed that true awakening was still a bit beyond her reach. To achieve that, the mind and body must fully align with this inner desire…
As she pondered this, Nami's face reddened slightly, lost in thought.
——
"Eager?" Kaya's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Deep down, Kaya also longed for something: the power of her Healing Fruit. Of course, she wanted to use it to heal any injuries Ace might suffer. But since Ace had barely been injured — except for that one time during his fight with Aokiji — Kaya's desire had started to fade.
What else could she do for Ace with the power of the Healing Fruit?
Unconsciously, Kaya's mind wandered to a particular memory from the night they spent in the capital of Water 7.
"Ah!"
Kaya's face flushed bright red as the thought came to her.
She recalled that Ace's strength and stamina were formidable, to the point that Robin had struggled to keep up on more than one occasion. Perhaps the Healing Fruit could also be used to enhance physical recovery...
As this idea crossed her mind, Kaya's eyes began to spin as if she were in a trance, her thoughts spiraling away.
Watching Nami, Vivi, and Kaya all lost in their own fantasies, Robin's lips curved into a sly smile. She could easily guess what each of them was thinking at this moment.
It seemed that, like her, Nami and the others would soon be needing Kaya's special medicine.
"Merry, could you prepare some more fresh water for us?" Robin asked softly, still smiling as she glanced at her daydreaming crewmates.
"Right away, Robin. The filtration is complete," came Merry's voice from the ship's deck. As the ship's spirit, Merry could hear the voices of her companions from anywhere on the ship and respond immediately.
As soon as Merry finished speaking, hot water at the perfect temperature began to pour into the bath from the shower head and the tub.
"And there's a new feature too!" Merry added excitedly.
"Hmm? A new feature?" Nami and Vivi snapped out of their thoughts, their faces lighting up with curiosity.
"Shadow Expansion!"
With a low hum, the bathroom space suddenly expanded.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Nami exclaimed, staring in awe at the larger room.
"Is this the power of the Shadow Fruit?" Robin's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Yes, I used the Shadow Fruit to alter the shadows here, which changed the size of the space," Merry explained with joy. "Ace taught me how to do it."
"That's incredible! Does that mean the ship could become infinitely large?" Kaya asked in amazement.
"Well, I can only maintain this state for a short period of time. If I kept it like this for too long, it would be too exhausting for me," Merry said.
Robin chuckled. "Using a Devil Fruit's power still requires energy, even for a ship's spirit like you, Merry."
With a smile, Nami added, "Then just return everything to normal when you're done showing it off."
"No worries! This is still pretty easy to handle," Merry replied, though there was something odd in the ship's voice.
"Huh? Did it feel like the bathroom door just opened and closed?" Nami asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, I may have bumped it while expanding the space," Merry replied, sounding a bit suspicious.
Nami, Kaya, and Vivi nodded, believing her words.
Robin, however, was the only one whose eyes sparkled with amusement as she glanced at the slightly ajar door and noted Merry's unusual tone.
"Merry-chan. Sleep with me tonight!" came a familiar voice.
"Perona," Merry squeaked nervously.
"Ah, Merry-chan is so cute! Don't run away!" Perona's playful voice echoed through the ship.
"Whoa!" Merry groaned in response, clearly flustered.
"Merry must be having a hard time," Kaya chuckled, covering her mouth.
"Perona sure is enthusiastic," Nami added, shaking her head.
"But it seems like Merry enjoys Perona's company. The Shadow Fruit is just new to Merry, so she's not quite used to it yet," Vivi said, giggling softly.
Meanwhile, just out of sight, where neither Nami, Vivi, Kaya, nor Robin could detect anything — not even with Observation Haki — something subtle was unfolding.
"How about that, Tashigi? Your development of the Suke Suke no Mi (Transparent Fruit) is a huge success! Even Nami's Observation Haki, enhanced by the Thunder Fruit, can't sense you at all."
Ace's voice, cloaked in his FoC(Field of Comprehension)and transparency, spoke quietly to Tashigi, who was now completely invisible thanks to the fruits' power.
Ace grinned, continuing, "In the future, you'll be able to use your Transparent Fruit abilities to make even the sound of your sword drawing vanish, making it impossible for enemies to detect you. Isn't that a perfect fit for your swordsmanship, Tashigi?"
Tashigi, her face flushed, stood beside Ace, her heart pounding. This was supposed to be Devil Fruit training, but how had they ended up here? And with Nami and the others so close by...
She stammered, "Ace, this is..."
Ace's expression turned serious. "This is all to help you master the Transparent Fruit. You're going to become a shadow swordsman, one who strikes before anyone even knows you're there."
Tashigi blushed even harder, her thoughts spinning. "Is that... really the reason?"
"Of course," Ace said solemnly, "and now we need to get even closer to Nami and the others. The training exercise is to remain completely undetected, even if the enemy is right in front of you. Are you ready, Tashigi?"
"I-I'll do my best!" Tashigi managed to squeak out, her face burning with determination.
Tashigi clenched her fist and shouted confidently, "Let's do this!"
"Great! Let's move!" Ace responded, pushing his Realm of Comprehension to its maximum extent.
Without this field, Tashigi's current mastery of the Transparent Fruit would be no match for Nami's Observation Haki, which had been enhanced eight hundredfold by the Thunder Fruit. They would have been detected instantly. Only with the realm of comprehension could they remain undetected.
"Right!" Tashigi nodded determinedly, ready to proceed.
Just then, the space around them began to warp slightly.
The Shadow Fruit's expansion was retracting, returning the area to its original size. Sensing that the window of opportunity was closing, Ace shouted, "Damn!" and quickly grabbed Tashigi, pulling her forward.
In this situation, Ace chose not to use his Observation Haki to foresee the future. After all, sometimes what's right in front of you is the best moment!
But no one could have predicted that the Shadow Fruit's power would suddenly wear off.
"Ahh!" Tashigi, already tense, was thrown off by the unexpected turn of events. Despite the protection of the Realm of Comprehension, her Transparent Fruit ability failed to hold.
In an instant, with a slight buzz, Ace's and Tashigi's bodies slowly became visible.
In the midst of gasps from Kaya, Vivi, and Nami, and a knowing smile from Robin, their presence was revealed.
"Uh... lovely weather today, Nami, Vivi, Kaya, Robin!" Ace waved sheepishly, trying to play it off with a forced grin.
"Ace?!" the three girls exclaimed in unison, their faces flushing as they realized the situation.
"The weather is indeed perfect, Captain," Robin teased, casually propping herself up by the pool with a mischievous smile.
Tashigi, overwhelmed by being caught, couldn't handle the shock. Her brain simply short-circuited, and she froze in place.
"Perona!" Ace muttered, using his Observation Haki to trace the cause of the Shadow Fruit's sudden failure. His expression tightened as he spotted the culprit.
Sure enough, a beautiful figure slowly approached, her presence causing Ace's pupils to tremble.