With her lips twitching and curving to a wry, apologetic smile, Reiju looked at the peeved women in front of them. Well, two weren't, but they decided to join the remaining three for the time being. With either bed sheets, pillow covers, and even their own torn clothes used to cover themselves up as their hut looked more like a sight out of a horror movie as the broken furniture, sights of dried blood, and strangely 'painted' walls conveyed nothing else, the five crewmates collectively towered over Reiju.

"I'm really sorry. For all intents and purposes, THAT much 'poison' was only for Bro and no one else. We used it quite a few times before." Reiju averted her gaze, feeling guilty not for what happened but for the fact that she had gotten too clumsy. Living carelessly never meant she had to lose her wits, too.

Lying on the floor not far away, Brody couldn't help but retort, "Hey, I had fun so need to apologize to me—"

"Idiot! We'll get to you in a moment!" Nami hissed at him before glaring at Reiju, "That was my first time. Possibly, it was true for everyone. I don't remember most of it but it should have never been like this!"

"Oh, it wasn't the first for Tashigi," Brody gave his two bits from the distance, "Again, I don't lose my memory with just that much of Reiju's scent."

Blushing deeply after being pointed out, Tashigi clenched her fist and looked back while gesturing with her hands aggressively, "That's not true!"— Accidentally letting the sheet fall over. Yelping, she quickly picked it up, and feeling everyone's stare converge over her, Tashigi was quick to explain, "Um... It truly was my first time. It's just that... only once," she emphasized at the last bit, "I may have... tried to compare the sensation of sword's... hilt..."

Nami's lips parted. Here she was— fighting for everyone's 'honor' and trying her hardest to never let the conversation reach the point either Brody or Reiju could turn the situation by asking why they were peeking. And... Tashigi just happened to not only be a Sword Freak but also a 'Sword' Freak!

And now, Nami recollected that... Tashigi may really have been too 'forceful'. Everything was truly blurry, but Nami did have some recollection of... that.

"Anyway, why were you peeking?" Brody grinned and all five of them stiffened before Alvida smirked, "Let's forget this conversation! After tasting all of us, you must have preferences, right, Captain? So? Who's the best girl on this crew?!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nami snapped as Alvida glared back, "Oh, shut up, like hell I care about your concerns. As long as you aren't dead, I've fulfilled my duties as the Vice-Captain. Besides, I was raring for it for some time now." Her words made Carmen scoff, "Wow, look, Pig is a slut, too."

"Says the milker," Alvida narrowed her eyes as Carmen's expression froze before she glared at the smooth-skinned asshole!

"Well," Brody blinked, "Everyone of you was awesome," his words pulled their gazes as his assessment came bluntly since Alvida did ask for it.

"I mean, only Reiju and Alvida could manage when I increased the size with Alvida being the most accommodating," This made Alvida smirk proudly and look over to Reiju who simply shrugged, indifferent, "Um... Carmen and Nojiko loved it gentler so I've noted that and will keep that in mind next time," they blinked. Next time? He still had the stones to say next time?! "And Nami and Tashigi tried their hardest. At one point, the two of them were on me."

And it hit Nami as she turned to look at Tashigi. The 'memory' became a bit clearer. Nami only remembered Tashigi so clearly because... they were together!

Both of them stared at each other with their cheeks growing increasingly deep red.

"And? Who's the best?" Alvida smiled, seeing the road to her prominence one sentence away.

"Oh, definitely Pinky," Brody's words made their expression freeze while Reiju smiled as if she expected such an answer.

"Huh?" All five of them snapped.

"Come on, all day and night yesterday I had to give and give. Satisfy each one of you. But at the end of it, this morning, when I was truly hungry... Pinky is the one who provided for me. You can't beat that kind of dedication!"

"B- But my jaws still ache!" Carmen argued back, "And are you saying my food isn't enough?!"

"Oh, it's the best," Brody nodded.

"Then I'm the best!" Carmen smiled.

"No, it's Pinky."

"Damn you, Pinky!" Carmen looked lost as Alvida laughed, "Hehe, and to have named Pinky yourself. Truly, shitty luck for a shitty cook."

"Come on, don't fight," Brody smiled widely, "Wanna fuck? I've already eaten so I can go at it again!"

The five of them stopped and then looked at each other before jumping him. Even the usually patient Nojiko was flustered and a bit annoyed.

'Amazing... I'm off the hook. Truly, a Captain and a lover worth following,' Reiju looked at the Brody being beaten with watery eyes when she could have just helped calm the situation. Then again, it was her release that made everyone so 'excited' in the first place.

---

"Oh, you all are alright? With the sounds we all heard, I and Laboon thought that someone was being tortured last night," Crocus remarked while reading as others gave him a snappy glare. Snorting through their nostrils and not wanting to talk about the events of last afternoon, evening, and night, the Devil Back Pirates lounged around, unable to find the motivation to train. Not only that, Reiju, as their medic, had also recommended for them to take it easy since they all did go hard.

Well, everyone except Alvida and Nojiko. The former was the perfect fit for Brody no matter the size and the latter could recover pretty quickly.

Of them all, while a few were 'annoyed' with how things progressed, they were much more peeved by Pinky taking away the championship without even putting it out. Still, there was one who was simply too lost to even understand what she should do.

'W-what should I do? I- I slept with a pirate! I never intended to take swords like that! Sigh, as a marine... wait, I'm a pirate... oh, no, and I slept with a pirate... and not only male but a female pirate, too! And the things we did...' Tashigi blushed in shame, 'Ahhh... Captain Smoker will be disappointed in me!'

While she had accepted being a pirate, Tashigi still felt her stomach drop a little at the thought of encountering Smoker if they ever did.

However, pulling everyone from their idle state, Crocus called out, "Don't feel so down. Look. Your Straw Hat friends are already making a name for themselves."

With Luffy being the only one Brody felt he could create something lasting, and Nami being their friends, too, the duo was interested in what Crocus had to share.

"They just destroyed the first island of one of the seven routes."

"Eh?" They blinked.

"Ehhhhhhhh?" They shouted!

— Straw Hat Pirates attempted to take over the Clockwork Island, one of the seven first islands of the seven routes known in Grandline, from Trump Pirates commanded by Trump Siblings with a collective bounty of 38,500,000 B. This attempt caused the innovative and fragile island to lose its main infrastructure— Island Key.

Being an island known for its mechanical ingenuity, Clockwork Island has been a respected civilization and a home for thinkers with a unique sense of perspective. But the Island is lost due to Pirates raging in the sea! When will this end?

While the Marines failed to save the island, they managed to save the citizens of Clockwork Island. Is it really a win for the Marines? Till now, both the Pirate Groups are at large. Please remember their faces and bounties carefully and report any information to the Marines about the criminals that won't stop until the world is ruined!—

{A/N: This is the event from One Piece Movie. Just because Brody will get to visit some og islands doesn't mean Luffy cannot take the movie route. But, I do intend to let luffy be in locations that are parallel to Roger.}

"Awesome!" Brody's gaze twinkled, "An Island working on a key! Woah! I would want to see that! Come on, let's set sail already!" He looked back, "I can't wait here!"

With a sadistic smile, Nami suddenly chimed, "Captain, do you want us to die? You said you take responsibility but you do want us to die entering Grandline without a log pose, don't you?"

With his shoulder slumping and growing listless, Brody fell on his knees and then just lay down face first.

Pinky reached out to him, nudging his feet with her giant mouth as he groaned, "I've failed you Pinky... We're all going to die here!"

"Oi, oi!" Carmen frowned impatiently, "Show some bone, Captain! It's just been two days and you can't complain you had nothing to do yesterday so, really, it's only been a day!"

Her blunt words made a few smile and a few sigh as Brody slowly sat up and then looked back with a pale, horrified expression!

"Only a day!"

"OF COURSE!"

"Oi, don't stop me! I'll just swim!"

"H- Hey, please! Let me go! I'm a free bird!"

"Like hell you're free after what you did yesterday!" Nami berated.

---

"Crocus! Fight me!" Brody towered over Crocus who simply read, like usual while others ignored him and trained. It's been four more days, making their stay in Twin Capes come to a full week.

Laboon watched curiously as Pinky would 'chat' with the straw hat marked whale to pass time since they both could even understand human speech.

"I refuse," Crocus replied calmly.

"Why?" Brody whined, "Aren't you bored?"

"I don't fight. I'm a doctor, remember? Besides, if we fight, one of us will get hurt."

Instantly excited, Brody questioned, "Oh, who?"

"He obviously means himself," Reiju smiled while also training. She sat in a meditative stance while trying to get started on Seimei-Kikan.

"Indeed, me." Crocus nodded.

"But my gut says something else," Brody frowned as Crocus couldn't help but chuckle at the phrase, "Then be a good young pirate, face actual pirates who have yet to retire, and," looking up with a noticeably sharp gaze, "Listen to your gut whenever it speaks."

Brody sighed and slumped back.

"Captain," As everyone was focused on training or reading in Nami's case with nothing else to do, Nojiko snuck over to Brody and whispered since she would take more free time from her training to expend all the aura and recover naturally, saying that it increased her capacity to store aura itself.

"What?" Brody questioned.

"If I said that we may have a way to move to the next island... would I be the—"

"Oh, look," Nami shouted, "A Ship!"

Brody instantly stood up, located the ship in the distance, and whistled, "Pinky, let's go! I think they are too strong for the group so we'll handle it ourselves!"

Pinky was the best and the smartest girl on the crew for a reason. She translated her captain's order.

— Entertainment has arrived. Let's hog all of it!—

Meanwhile, Nojiko looked at Nami who smirked and winked, "You can't be playing sneaky, sis."

Nojiko sighed in 'defeat' and smiled, "Yeah, sorry. I should have thought about you, too. Don't worry, I'll be with you the next time so you don't feel spent at all."

"That's not what I meant!"

***

A/N: The Straw Hat news is the event from movie 2. I just based the Clockwork Island in Grandline itself since we know very little about all the remaining six starting islands. I'll be using the movies to carve a path for straw hats and maybe even shift them. Like, chopper is gonna be a straw hat so things will change as such. No point in writing a fanfic if I don't change things, right?

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Alternative Title: Ocean Responds to the Prayers!

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Enjoying this fiction? Then do give my other active works a shot~

1)Paradise of Infinity

2) Quest Maker in Soul Land

3) Filthy Gamer in Narutoverse

On webnovel, scribble hub, and qq forums!

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Shoutout to Healer Bob and Sebastian Michaelis!!

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