Ten minutes later.
Shano looked displeased, standing with his arms crossed, glaring at his sister in front of him.
"...When I lowered my head, I just saw her, and I realized half of the Devil Fruit in my hand was already eaten by her. This little fool even feared I would snatch it back, so she gulped down the remaining half right away!"
Nojiko puffed angrily beside them.
Nami squatted on the ground pitifully, raising her hands, "Brother, I was wrong. I really know I was wrong... Ugh!!"
Before finishing, her expression suddenly changed and she turned to vomit intensely, her face scrunched up. That Devil Fruit was way too awful!
"Indeed foolish." Kuina sighed, holding her forehead, "She doesn't even know the common knowledge that just one bite of a Devil Fruit is effective."
"What?!"
Nami was dumbfounded, was her suffering completely for nothing?
"You said you knew you were wrong." Shano said flatly, "So tell me, where did you go wrong?"
"I, I shouldn't have snatched the Devil Fruit Nojiko found."
Nami muttered, not daring to meet Shano's eyes, "Devil Fruits are rare and precious, can make people more powerful. Eating it myself was too wasteful..."
"Hmm?"
"And also, also!" Nami hurriedly added, "I shouldn't have let Ah Yin bring me here. I should have left him to guard the ship, in case bad guys took advantage and targeted our ship..."
"Stop changing the topic!"
Shano couldn't take it anymore, "Is that what I want to hear? How did you sneak onboard? What means did you use? How did you hide it from Belle-Mere?"
"It was the Log Pose..." Nami's voice was as tiny as a mosquito.
"Log Pose? Did you secretly tamper with it?"
Shano was first stunned but then immediately realized, angrily chuckling, grasping Nami's collar like a little cat and lifting her up.
"Well, quite cunning at such a young age. But at home? You've been out for at least ten days, right? By rights, Belle-Mere should've called me long ago!"
"I, I told her!"
Nami defended stubbornly, legs kicking aimlessly in the air. Shano glared and she deflated like a balloon.
"I did say it, but I told her it was too boring at home, wanted to stay at Isshin Dojo for a while. She entrusted Ken to escort me, and Ken even secretly followed, only leaving after seeing me enter the dojo's door to feel relieved."
"Actually, as soon as I went in, I quietly snuck out the back door, stole Uncle Koushirou's cola-powered boat, and followed you guys..."
"Stealing things now?"
Shano was furious, his voice sharply rising, "Who taught you this? How can you feel good about doing such a thing!"
"That boat was the only reliable thing, I had no choice..." Nami looked aggrieved, "Besides, it can't be considered stealing, right? I brought the boat to Kuina's place."
"You're not wrong,"
Kuina sighed helplessly, rubbing her forehead, "But I have to call my father to let him know, so the kids at the dojo won't keep looking for the boat."
"Alright, go ahead."
Shano nodded, casually grabbed the Radio Snail, tossing it to Nami, "You go call Belle-Mere too and explain everything!"
"Oh..."
Nami dared not utter a single protest word, being thrown to one side, obediently dialing the number.
Mom, ignorant and thousands of miles away, or the brother close at hand and in a rage, if I must choose between the two...
She shivered, seemingly brother was the more terrifying one.
...
Not long after.
Nami, holding the Radio Snail, found Shano and the others not far away, busy sorting treasure and goods.
"What did Miss Belle-Mere say?" Zeff joked while carrying two large boxes of spirits, "Did she ask us to send you home now?"
"Nope."
Shano shook his head slightly while counting the various treasure chests on the ground, "Be sure to prepare an extra portion of food, Uncle Zeff. Another glutton is destined to be onboard our ship."
"Huh??"
Nami widened her eyes in surprise at Shano, "I haven't said anything yet, brother, how did you know?"
"Because that's just Belle-Mere,"
Shano said calmly without turning his head:
"Let me guess, she scolded you first, then stubbornly said something like 'If you feel everyday at home is tortuous, then I'll be more miserable. So to make me feel better, you hard-hearted little rascal, go follow your brother to fulfill your dream! Don't come back and upset me!' and all that sentimental talk, you ended up teary-eyed, wishing you could slap yourself in the middle of the night."
"..." Nami stood dazed, murmuring, "Is it really word for word?"
"When did you master Observation Haki?"
Zeff looked puzzled. He carefully examined and indeed found traces of wiped tears at the corners of Nami's eyes.
"I don't know Observation Haki, as for why I know, didn't I already mention..."
Shano shook his head slightly. At this moment, Nojiko also came over carrying a box, hearing this, she pouted, almost simultaneously with her brother, sighed, and said—
"Because that's just Belle-Mere..."
Really can't understand this family, Zeff scratched his head in confusion and decided to continue his duties.
"Well, brother..." Nami cautiously watched Shano's expression, "So you mean, you're okay with me staying on the ship?"
"If you want me to send you back, I can." Shano glanced at her.
"No, better not!" Nami quickly shook her head and tentatively asked, "But, you... you really aren't mad at me, don't blame me for eating the Devil Fruit?"
"When did I blame you for eating the Devil Fruit?" Shano frowned.
"Huh?"
Nami was momentarily stunned. Looking back, her brother was angry she sneaked out without notice, not about the fruit.
"Do I not know of your little schemes?"
Shano snorted, bending down to pinch her cheek, "Afraid of being seen as a burden, right? Thought after eating a Devil Fruit, you'd be somewhat useful and wouldn't be kicked off the ship, am I right?"
The girl's skin was smooth and delicate, not as plump as back then, after a few pinches Shano found it uninteresting and let go.
"Yes..."
Nami muttered, under her brother's gaze, was there no secret hidden?
"Silly."
Shano grumbled, "This is your brother's ship. Even if you don't know anything, eat and sleep every day, who would dislike you?"
"Brother..." Nami started feeling a tinge of gratitude, just as her brother suddenly distastefully pinched his nose:
"Tsk, look at you, in such tatters and bad smell, you must have suffered a lot, just the right way to teach you a lesson, see if you dare hide this again, go with Nojiko back to the ship, take a good bath, this matter's not over, more punishment awaits you."
"Bingo! Bathing is crucial, even Ah Yin is almost being suffocated by you, Nami."
Nojiko chuckled, "Come with me, there's a dedicated hot spring bath onboard, very soothing."
"..."
Looking at her brother's dismissive look and her sister's gentle smile.
Nami stood blank, they seemed to take her back to an innocent childhood spent in the Orange Garden.
Comparing the tiring solitude on this half-month sea journey, her nose suddenly felt sour.
She took a deep breath, raised her face, showing a beaming smile like the beginning: "Mhm!"
...
Shano stood quietly, watching his two sisters walk away, eyes thoughtful.
It turned out to be the Flame-Flame Fruit they found?
A Logia-type ability, indeed quite rare.
He was too lazy to eat it himself, didn't match his fighting style, and his current strength sufficed, not planning on becoming an Ability User.
In the future, if he chooses to enhance physical limits, he would prioritize those enhancing physiques like an Animal-type Mythical.
As for the Flame-Flame Fruit, if Nami hadn't accidentally eaten it, his plan was to let any interested crew have it.
But...
Shano looked far ahead, Nami's complaining silhouette along Nojiko, smiling and shaking his head.
This wasn't so bad, after all, once elementalized, in the first half of this Grand Line, few could harm her.