"Cut the crap! Drink it already, meow!"
(=`Д=)
Haibara Meow, flustered and embarrassed, bared her fangs and claws at Sherwin.
Oh, so when the sneak attack failed, you switched to force-feeding, huh?
Sherwin rolled his eyes speechlessly. With his free hand, he firmly restrained the scheming little troublemaker who was trying to pounce on him.
Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly sensed something and quickly turned his head to look…
"…"
∑(=OДO=)
(=ω=)
Klee Meow, who hadn't expected Sherwin to suddenly turn around, was startled at first. Then she blinked and raised a little paw, making a cheering gesture with a clenched fist.
"Go, Sherwin big brother, meow!"
Sherwin: "…"
Don't think I didn't see that expectant look in your eyes just now!
"So, what exactly is in this? If you don't tell me, I'll pour it straight into your mouth. I drank alcohol in secret when I was a kid anyway."
Sherwin grabbed Haibara Meow by the scruff of her neck, lifting the still-struggling, unyielding little cat up in front of him. Putting on a fierce expression, he demanded an answer.
"Hmph!"
(=`へ=)
Seized by her "weak point," Haibara Meow finally settled down a bit. As usual, she started with a snort before replying smugly, "Of course it a potion I made using the special mushrooms from Amazon Lily, meow!"
Seeing Sherwin face suddenly change drastically—and noticing he clearly looked like he was about to pour the drink into his own mouth—the little kitten hurriedly added,
"It not a prototype! The island environment isn't suitable for research, so to put it plainly, it just some extracts… Anyway, you've tested plenty of medicines for me before. Drinking a mouthful isn't a big deal, meow!"
By the end, the little schemer even lifted her chin righteously.
"That more like it…"
Hearing that it wasn't that kind of awful-tasting experimental potion, Sherwin finally let out the breath he'd been holding—but then he immediately reacted.
"Even if it not experimental, that still not okay!"
The reason he had cooperated with the drug tests before was because the potion-based approach was originally one of the Hunter tactics. Those potions were needed to enhance strength.
And at the time, there just so happened to be pirates delivering themselves to the doorstep. It wasn't like he could let the other Felynes test the potions instead.
But what on earth did the mushrooms from Amazon Lily have to do with anything?
Then on second thought…
In Monster Hunter, mushrooms were indeed the main ingredients for many potions. As for the mushrooms on Amazon Lily—although Sherwin only remembered the one that made mushrooms sprout all over a person body—there was always the possibility that some of them could actually be suitable for making Monster Hunter-style potions.
Of course, judging from Haibara Meow and Klee Meow reactions, the one in the wine bowl definitely wasn't that.
But it probably wasn't the type that made mushrooms grow all over someone body either. It looked funny in the manga, sure, but if Luffy hadn't happened to run into the Kuja tribe, he would have died from that thing.
Haibara Meow might be mischievous, but she wouldn't casually stuff something that dangerous into his mouth…
Most importantly, Klee Meow was involved too. It was probably just something meant to make him embarrass himself.
Sherwin knew his Felynes very well and quickly pieced together most of the truth.
So, the Hunter wasn't some kind of idiot—he was just not particularly good in certain areas.
After being suppressed by Sherwin, Haibara Meow simply gave up trying to hide it and revealed the answer outright.
"It just a bit of Cry mushroom extract added in. Klee wanted to see you cry, meow."
"Meow?!"
∑(=OДO=)
Klee Meow, who had been pretending to be a well-behaved little Felyne off to the side, widened her eyes and stared at Haibara Meow in disbelief at her sudden "betrayal."
"That not true, meow!" Klee Meow pointed at Haibara Meow in retaliation. "It was clearly Sister Ai idea, meow!"
Actually, even without her saying it, Sherwin could already guess who the mastermind was.
The little ragdoll pranks were never this complicated, and a lot of her so-called "pranks" were actually pretty cute…
Like drawing cat whiskers on the Hunter face while he was fast asleep.
Haibara Meow pranks, on the other hand, were completely different. This meticulous little kitten always set traps within traps whenever she schemed against him.
Besides, drugging him? Who else could it be but this little black-bellied cat?!
Sherwin subconsciously rubbed his chin, faintly sensing that something didn't quite add up.
"Hmph~ Just answer me—didn't you want to see it, meow?"
(=`へ=)
Still being held up in midair by Sherwin, Haibara Meow crossed her arms and calmly shot back the question.
"Umm… Klee did want to see Brother Sherwin cry, that true…"
The little ragdoll readily admitted that part, but immediately defended herself, "But it was Sister Ai who tempted Klee first, meow!"
(=`н=)
"I only casually brought it up, and you came running over all eager on your own…"
Haibara Meow continued to stab Klee Meow in the back with that same calm expression. "And wasn't it your idea to have Sister suika urge him to drink, meow?"
I knew it!
Only then did Sherwin realize what had felt off…
This prank had been far too crude—it didn't seem like Haibara Meow style at all. If it had been Klee Meow idea, though, then it made perfect sense.
"That because… that because… uh… Klee… uh…"
(=ω=)
(=ω=)
The little ragdoll was instantly at a loss for words. After her gaze darted around for a moment, she simply stopped arguing with Haibara Meow, that nasty big sister, and sprang down beneath her, hopping about while swinging her tiny kitty fists.
"Big Sister Ai, you tricked Klee Meow again! Klee Meow is angry, meow!"
"Hmph! I was just telling the truth. There no reason we pull a prank together, yet I'm the only one who gets caught, meow!"
Haibara Meow refused to back down either, kicking out with her little kitty legs in retaliation. The two mischievous kittens, who had originally been on the same side, turned against each other just like that.
Sherwin decisively set Haibara Meow down and shifted a little to the side, clearing out a space so the two little troublemakers could better let loose…
And incidentally to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
After all, when these little troublemakers fought, more than half of the attacks usually ended up landing on him. As a Hunter, he had experienced that far too many times.
But this time, the two little troublemakers seemed to have truly "fallen out." Unlike usual, they didn't end up redirecting their fight onto Sherwin.
Instead, one tugged at the other ears while the other bit down on her tail, the two of them rolling into a tangled ball across the deck.
While the pair of little troublemakers fought lively here, the other members of the Investigation Team, like Sherwin, watched with great interest. Even Huamei showed no intention of stopping them.
The Boa sisters were worried at first, but seeing that everyone else—humans and Felynes alike—remained perfectly calm, they joined the crowd of onlookers as well.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Klee and Ai punches and kicks are actually trained pretty well."
Sherwin held a large bone-in chunk of meat in his hand, gnawing on it as he commented.
It was rare that this bunch of little brats didn't gang up on him. Such a show wasn't common. If not for the fear of setting a bad example for the youngsters, he would have even started a betting pool on which cat would win.
Just as he was gloating over the sight of the cats fighting, a fluffy paw tapped his arm.
"With such an exciting scene, how about a drink, meow?"
︺(●ω●)
That right! A grand toast is in order!
Sherwin slapped his thigh and took the familiar wine bowl…
"Crap!!!"
Only after tilting his head back and draining the fine liquor in one gulp did the foolish Hunter snap back to his senses.
Immediately, an inexplicable wave of sorrow surged up in his heart. Sherwin nose tingled, and tears burst from his eyes like a flood breaking through a dam.
Before his vision was completely blurred by tears, he saw that the two little troublemakers who had been rolling around in a fight had stopped at some point and were now smiling brightly as they high-fived each other.
"…I was careless!!!"