After having a not-so-pleasant meeting with Aokiji, Sherwin and the others spent a relatively peaceful period of time afterward.
Because the deterrence of "head-on confrontation with a Yonko pirate crew" was still in effect, even when they happened to run into other pirates, those pirates would avoid them at the first opportunity.
Counting Cavendish, who had been rescued by Aokiji, Sherwin the bounty hunter had not had any business for quite a long time now…
Fortunately, Sherwin was in no shortage of money at all. Not only had he still not spent all the money exchanged from that pile of gold from Sky Island, but King Neptune of Fish-Man Island had also stuffed him with a large sum of Shirahoshi "living expenses."
Forget daily consumption—even if Sherwin were to go buy three to five Devil Fruits right now, he would still have plenty of funds left to squander.
So they continued according to the original plan, sailing toward the direction of Totto Land while visiting every island they passed along the way.
Since they did not encounter any further unexpected situations along the route, they arrived five days before the tea party began at the base of the Big Mom Pirates—Totto.
Totto Land was not a single island, but an entire archipelago sea region formed by the combination of thirty-five islands.
Big Mom stayed year-round on Cake Island, the largest and most central island within the Totto Land waters,
while the thirty-four surrounding islands scattered like stars were each governed by her thirty-four children, who also served as the "ministers" of All Nations.
"Waaahhh! Sherwin! It raining cotton candy from the sky, meow!"
(=`=)
As Sherwin and the others entered the waters of Totto Land, clusters of edible "snowflakes" made of cotton candy slowly drifted down from the sky.
All of the younger group except Haibara Meow went completely wild, running around the deck in delight.
They tilted their heads back, opened their mouths, and caught the falling "snowflakes" straight from the sky using nothing but their mouths.
"Hmph… a bunch of childish fools, meow!"
Haibara Meow crossed her arms, forcibly putting on an uninterested expression.
However, the way her eyes kept glancing toward the "cotton candy snow," along with the restless swaying of her tail behind her, made even the most innocent Klee Meow able to see right through her duplicity.
"Honestly, Sister Xiao Ai is always like this, meow~"
╮(ω≡ω)╭
Klee Meow spread her little paws, shook her head, and sighed. "Sherwin哥哥 seems to call this tsundere, meow?"
"W-Who are you calling a tsundere?!"
The little milk cat, having her thoughts exposed by the naturally sharp-tongued Klee Meow, retorted in embarrassment and fury.
Then she took a fierce bite out of Sherwin.
Sherwin: ???
He really had planned to tease her along with it, sure—but he hadn't even said a single word yet, had he?!
"Hmph~ Anyway, you definitely wouldn't say anything nice, meow!"
(=へ=)
Having accurately predicted Sherwin intentions, the little milk cat licked her small sharp teeth. She stopped pretending altogether and, together with Klee Meow, began chasing the cotton-candy snow wildly across the deck.
Just as the cats were making a ruckus, the Transponder Snail that had been placed in the engine room—the one originally given by Morgans—suddenly started ringing with a "duru-ruru-ruru."
"Sherwin哥哥! There a call, meow!"
=(=Φ=(=ΦωΦ=(=ΦωΦ=)
Klee Meow, who was in charge of managing all the Transponder Snails, immediately darted into the engine room, then hurried back, holding the snail high and presenting it in front of Sherwin.
"But Naruto ringtone sounds different from usual, meow!"
Well, since the shell of the Transponder Snail looked like a spiral, Klee Meow had given this very first one the name Naruto…
"This sound means it receiving a 'warning thought-wave.'" Robin, who was more familiar with such things, explained.
"Great pirates like the Yonko will set up a kind of creature called a 'territorial sea slug' near their domain.
It used to warn those who stray into their territory… Some areas sealed off by the Marines and the World Government are also equipped with these things."
Of course Sherwin couldn't possibly remember such detailed matters, so he could only continue asking Robin, "Then what do we do now? Do we take it?"
"No need," Robin shook her head. "Someone from the Big Mom Pirates should be arriving very soon."
Sure enough, not long after, a pirate ship shaped like two cupcakes stacked together sailed up in front of them.
Apart from the Big Mom Pirate skull-and-crossbones emblem on its sails, the hull itself was marked with a numerical designation and the word "TARTE."
They had seen this kind of pirate ship before, back when Katakuri and the others were chasing them.
It looked like a standard mass-produced warship of the Big Mom Pirates.
However, even though it was only a mass-produced vessel, the person aboard was an old acquaintance of Sherwin…
"Yo! Isn't that Cracker? Long time no see!"
Sherwin greeted him with a grin, though his gaze was fixed on the two-handed longsword on Cracker back.
Its shape resembled a pretzel, yet it was clearly not something created by an ability.
One couldn't help but wonder whether this, too, was another famous blade.
Noticing the ill-intentioned look Sherwin was giving his new sword, Cracker—whose face was already dark—looked even worse.
But whether in terms of personal strength or their current respective positions, neither allowed him to make a move against Sherwin anymore.
All he could do was say through clenched teeth, "Come with me. I'll take you to see Mama."
Besides Cracker, another person who had come to welcome Sherwin was Pekoms, whom Katakuri hadn't been able to bring along back then.
After Cracker and Sherwin finished their "pleasantries," this chubby lion Mink, dressed in a flashy pink suit, impatiently leapt onto the Dodo Advance and enthusiastically greeted the Felynes.
"Garchu!"
Pekoms immediately tried to use the Mink tribe distinctive way of greeting to get close to the nearest Shermie…
And then he was sent flying with a single kick from Sanji Meow.
"What do you think you're doing to Shermie, meow?!"
(=◣皿◢=)
The little yellow cat glared with eyes blazing at Pekoms, who was clutching his cheek and lying sprawled on the deck with a bewildered expression.
Although Felynes also like to rub cheeks to show affection, that only when there is affection to begin with. It not like just anyone can get close and snuggle with the cats!
"I–I was just trying to say hello, gawo…"
Pekoms replied weakly, having no idea what he'd done wrong.
"Garchu is a greeting unique to the Mink tribe. He probably didn't mean any harm,"
Sherwin said as he stopped Sanji Meow, who was still about to go over and kick him again, and explained it to him.
At this moment, Pekoms also realized that the Felynes on Sherwin ship were considered cat Minks who had been separated and wandering since childhood, so it was only natural that they wouldn't understand Mink customs.
So he climbed back up, nodded repeatedly, and echoed, "Yes, yes, I really didn't mean any harm. I truly just wanted to greet you, gawo."
"That right! That big white bear brother called Bepo also did 'Garchu' to Klee Meow!"
The little doll suddenly remembered the white bear he had once met back in the North Blue.
"Huh? You've met Bepo? Where is he? How is he doing, gao?!" Pekoms was still very concerned about that clansman who had gone missing when he was young.
"Big brother White Bear is a pirate too, meow. Their captain is an amazing doctor."
With Bepo as a starting point, the two sides quickly dispelled the awkwardness caused by the small misunderstanding earlier and began chatting animatedly.
And after Sanji Meow finally understood what "Carrot" actually was, he became so excited that his whole body trembled…
"Sherwin! Let go to Zou as our next stop, okay, meow?!"
(=ω=)