"Hahahaha! Sherwin! We've come to find you!"
Before Whitebeard fleet had even docked, Ace jumped from the ship with a great laugh, shouting boisterously.
Upon landing, he immediately stepped forward to give the visibly disgusted Sherwin a hug, then punched him on the shoulder, continuing his loud chatter: "You guy! To think you're already on par with Pops and even defeated Kaido!"
Having been severely disciplined by Sherwin Felynes in the past and receiving guidance from Sherwin for a period of time, Ace didn't actually feel much resentment toward Sherwin becoming the Fifth Emperor.
It was more a sense of gloom that his friend was suddenly on equal footing with his elder.
"Actually, defeating Kaido didn't have much to do with me," Sherwin shrugged and spoke the truth.
First, Fujitora fought Kaido and led him on a chase for several days, then the Felynes went up to engage him in combat, and finally, the one who blew off his horn was "Little Girl," co-produced by Klee Meow and the other mischievous kittens...
Truth be told, Sherwin had only sent a flying slash toward Kaido at the beginning and fired a single shot at him at the end.
"Doesn't that make it even more impressive?!" Ace, feeling like Sherwin was actually showing off, pounded him twice on the back.
And then...
"Huh?! Aren't you Yamato?!"
He suddenly saw Yamato standing with the Felynes and greeted his friend, whom he had met through fighting, with surprise: "You were able to leave Onigashima?!"
"Long time no see, Ace!" Yamato walked forward happily. "It was Sherwin who helped me remove those shackles, and I've joined the Felyne Survey Team now!"
"Is that so?" Ace clicked his tongue with a hint of regret. "I originally wanted to introduce you to Pops..."
Because Yamato and he shared the same plight—neither wanting to acknowledge their biological fathers—Ace, after becoming Whitebeard son, had actually planned to introduce Yamato to the man he called "Pops."
"Hahahaha! I appreciate the sentiment."
Knowing Whitebeard unique "hobby," Yamato naturally understood what Ace meant. She waved her hand dismissively, then yanked Kaido Meow over from her side, introducing him with immense pride: "But I've already acknowledged a new father!"
Kaido Meow, still struggling to adapt to his new identity: "..."
( ಠ ಠ )
"Ahahaha... Is that so? That... pretty good."
Having read the newspapers, Ace certainly knew the deal with this grim-faced Maine Coon. He scratched his head with a dry laugh, momentarily at a loss for words.
Even if you're acknowledging someone else as your father, picking a cat is a bit too weird, isn't it?
Despite the internal commentary, Ace didn't feel there was anything wrong with Yamato choice. Precisely because his situation mirrored hers, he understood that she wouldn't have made such a decision lightly...
It was just that acknowledging a cat—even a Cat Mink—as a father was indeed a bit too strange.
Not wishing to dwell on the oddity, Ace decisively changed the subject.
"Why didn't you wait for us in Wano? Why come to such a barren little island?"
"Because Oden followers are annoying..." Sherwin spread his hands, answering as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I never liked that Oden guy to begin with, yet there always a bunch of people in Wano constantly bringing him up every single day."
"Eh?"
Sherwin knew that Ace was aware of his dislike for Oden. Izo, who was on their ship, had nearly come to blows with Sherwin over the matter.
What surprised Ace was that, if he remembered correctly, wasn't Yamato constantly shouting about wanting to be Oden?
Ace looked toward Yamato in confusion, only to see her with her hands behind her back, whistling as she stared at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, completely avoiding his gaze.
It seemed that Yamato had also been convinced by Sherwin.
Ace understood immediately.
However, he still underestimated the stubbornness of the Oden virus. Yamato had only stopped being obsessed with being Kozuki Oden her admiration for Oden himself hadn't diminished much.
Of course, now was not the time to discuss such things. After exchanging a few words with Sherwin and the unexpected Yamato, Ace said, "Come, join me to see Pops first."
It was clear that Whitebeard had no intention of coming ashore. He had come to find Sherwin purely to ask for some drinks.
"Gurarara! Shirahoshi and you little ones, long time no see! These two must be Klee Meow and... er... Jinx, who defeated Kaido, right?"
After boarding the Moby Dick with Ace, Whitebeard immediately laughed and greeted the Felynes, then nodded toward Robin, Yamato, and Baby-5... specifically leaving out Sherwin, the main person involved.
So, where did I offend this old man again?
Sherwin scratched his head in confusion and speechlessness, looking completely dazed.
Seeing that Sherwin still hadn't reacted to what was happening, Whitebeard couldn't help but let out a cold snort.
However, considering that his remaining supply of Ibuki Gourd wine was truly running low, he offered a further hint:
"You're quite something now, Sherwin brat. Come, let me see what this Fifth Emperor is made of!"
As Whitebeard spoke, he slammed his barrel-sized wooden mug heavily onto the table beside him.
Now, Sherwin finally understood what this old drunkard was getting worked up about...
The old men he knew were truly becoming more childish one by one.
Rolling his eyes speechlessly, Sherwin poked fun at him directly: "If you want to drink, just tell me. It not like you don't have my number. Even if just for the sake of Shirahoshi and Ace, I would provide an unlimited supply of Ibuki Gourd wine, alright?"
In truth, Sherwin had considered making Whitebeard "buy" the wine with famous blades and Devil Fruits, just like Shanks did.
But the relationship here was different from the one with the Red-Haired Pirates, so he ultimately abandoned that tempting idea.
As for Shanks, Sherwin didn't plan to keep fleecing him forever anyway he had intended to stop "charging" after two or three exchanges.
"Who... who said I wanted to drink your wine?!" Whitebeard, his true intentions exposed, remained stubborn. "I am Whitebeard! Is there any fine wine I cannot get my hands on?!"
"Oh? Then I must have misunderstood."
Sherwin had no interest in coddling an old man. He was already offering it for free, what more could he want? Sherwin certainly wasn't going to beg Whitebeard to drink Suika Meow Ibuki Gourd wine.
So, he decisively sat down in front of Whitebeard and followed his lead with some casual bragging:
"Then let me taste the fine wine of your Whitebeard Pirates. I'm getting a bit tired of drinking Ibuki Gourd wine every day anyway."
"..."
Whitebeard, stuck in an awkward position by Sherwin, didn't want to back down but couldn't bear to part with the Ibuki Ale brewed by Suika Meow.
He could only glare at Sherwin, his crescent-moon mustache trembling with indignation.
"Oh my, actually, I'm the one who really wants to drink the Ibuki Ale brewed by little sister Suika."
"Exactly, exactly. Ever since I had it once last time, I haven't been able to forget it."
"Pops is world-wise and has tasted countless fine wines, so he might not care, but I certainly do. This time, Sherwin, you must let me drink my fill!"
Fortunately, Whitebeard sons saw that things weren't going well and began to bail their father out. Even Marco, who hadn't drunk much last time, joined in.
However, their actions made Whitebeard feel a bit embarrassed.
"Gurarara! Fine, fine, it me who wants to drink the Ibuki ! Brat Sherwin, you just said you wouldn't refuse me!"
If only you had said so earlier I don't know why you were being so fidgety, old man.
Sherwin rolled his eyes once more in silence and then had Suika Meow bring out several barrels of Ibuki .
Thatch, the cook of the Whitebeard Pirates, also arrived with members of the Fourth Division, bringing various delicacies before the people and the Felynes. Thus, a banquet naturally began in the early morning.
Not long after the banquet started, Ace, Marco, Vista, and several other commanders who had a good relationship with Sherwin gathered around.
"Sherwin, do you know where Vegapunk is? Or, while you were at Punk Hazard, did you find any medical technology?"
After the group surrounded Sherwin, Ace asked impatiently.
"How could I possibly know that?"
Sherwin knew exactly what they were planning the moment he heard them. He spread his hands and answered honestly,
"I only know he currently at a place called Egghead Island, but just like Punk Hazard back then, it can't be captured by a Log Pose."
Then, he reached out and scooped Haibara Meow, who was busy gnawing on a fish head, into his arms.
"If you're worried about Whitebeard health, you can let our Haibara help with an exam later. In terms of medical skill alone, she is definitely not inferior to Vegapunk."
"Humph~"
(=`=)
The kitten, who was originally going to turn around and bite Sherwin palm, immediately raised her head in triumph upon hearing him praise her.
She said Tweedledee-style, "Don't think you can just disturb my meal just because you praised me, Meow~"
After saying that, the little tsundere raised her paw and gave Sherwin back of the hand two light taps.
In the past, Ace and the others certainly wouldn't have believed that a kitten like Haibara Meow could possess such startling medical skills.
However, after seeing the cats by Sherwin side demonstrate one extraordinary talent after another, they naturally didn't dare to underestimate Haibara Meow.
"Then we'll have to trouble you and little sister Haibara!"