Ro-star carried the Slip-Slip Fruit into Little Purple's room.
Last time he'd visited, Little Purple had been training her martial arts. This time she was practicing dance. Her waist arched back; her flat belly curved upward, hands planted on the floor and feet in line, forming a perfect semicircle. Her head peeked out between her two jade-like thighs just as Ro-star entered.
She panicked and tried to stand quickly, but her foot slipped — oof — and she tumbled to the floor.
Ro-star hurried over, concerned: "That hurt, didn't it? I'll pick you up and rub it out on the bed."
Those words sounded familiar — the same excuse he used the first time he'd teased Little Purple. She blushed, embarrassed and annoyed: "I don't need your help!" She struggled to her feet.
Ro-star seemed not to hear her protest. He stepped forward, slipped one arm around her slim waist and the other behind her knees, and swept her up into a princess carry. To keep balance, Little Purple hooked her hands around his neck. Her pretty eyes burned with indignation.
Ro-star sat on the edge of the bed and put her over his lap. "This makes it easier to rub you," he said gently.
Little Purple wasn't buying it. She turned her head away with a huff.
Ro-star produced the Slip-Slip Fruit and asked, "Do you want me to feed it to you, or will you eat it yourself?"
Little Purple glimpsed the devil fruit in his hand and looked up in surprise. "You want me to eat a devil fruit?"
Ro-star nodded slightly. Little Purple's eyes showed confusion. "Aren't you afraid I'll run away? I heard eating a devil fruit gives you some powerful ability."
"Don't worry — this one isn't that strong," Ro-star said seriously. "And even if it were, only I would get to enjoy it."
Little Purple squinted. What did he mean, "only he would get to enjoy it"? But the moment she bit into the fruit she understood.
It was a fruit that made a woman's skin extraordinarily smooth and slippery. Who else would be allowed to touch Little Purple's skin besides Ro-star? She realised exactly why Ro-star wanted her to eat it and flushed with both embarrassment and anger. She twisted her hips, trying to wriggle free of his arms.
Ro-star tightened his hold. Plop — Little Purple slipped right out of his grasp like an eel.
Ro-star couldn't help admiring, "As expected from the Slip-Slip Fruit — it really is slippery."
Although she'd slid free, Little Purple hadn't yet adapted to her slippery new body and staggered on unsteady feet. Ro-star picked her up again and held her. He recalled a kind of jelly snack he loved in his past life; Little Purple's skin felt as tender and slippery as jelly. He whispered in her ear, "It's late — you should rest."
"It's only noon!" Little Purple stamped her foot. Ro-star replied, "By the time I leave, it will be late…"
When Ro-star finally left, the sun had indeed sunk. The Slip-Slip Fruit had pleased him — it felt like tasting many different jellies. One other curious effect: impact against Little Purple's skin slid away. A slap sounded loud but didn't hurt her. For someone with a slight masochistic bent, Ro-star thought, that was perfect.
He was satisfied and smelled of Little Purple's fragrance, so he wasn't about to go see his wife Yamato. He decided to head to the lab — just then his Den Den Mushi rang.
Brrr brrr — Pegivan was calling.
Since taking Dressrosa, Fodzu, Runty and Pegivan had been stationed around Dressrosa's island. Ro-star had not seen Pegivan for a while and felt a tiny pang of nostalgia for the goofy fellow. He picked up: "Little Peg, what's up?"
"Master!" Pegivan's voice crackled. "A Marine wants to meet you."
A Marine wanted to meet Ro-star? Ro-star was surprised — he had no friendly ties with the Navy; he had plenty of enemies there.
"Who? What's his name?"
"Vergo — Commander of the Navy's G5 base. He claims he was the Donquixote family's planted spy inside the Marines, Doflamingo's highest officer." Pegivan's tone combined contempt and pride. "Ridiculous, right? Such an absurd lie! Who'd believe it?"
Pegivan added: "By the way, he brought a pirate named Trafalgar Law. He says he's a 'token of loyalty' to offer the Beast Pirates."
Pegivan laughed. "I checked. That Trafalgar Law is only a rookie with a bounty in the tens of millions. You'd present someone like him as a token of allegiance? What do they think the Beast Pirates are?"
"Little Peg," Ro-star said, "let Runty — your sister — stop bonking you on the head with that golden forehead of hers, or you'll turn into a simpleton like Jack!"
Pegivan went silent. Ro-star sighed inwardly — Pegivan had a brain like an amateur. He told Pegivan in a flat, firm voice: "Where are Vergo and Law? Bring them here right now. If you can't, then don't bother coming back."
"Yes! I'll get them here, Master!" Pegivan stammered.
Ro-star hung up, but a smile lingered on his face. The fury he'd feigned had been for show — he had no reason to be truly angry. Vergo's offer to defect and his capture of Trafalgar Law were better than anything Ro-star could have hoped for. Even if Pegivan kicked them off the island, Vergo would surely return — Vergo's ambition wasn't satisfied within the Navy. Out on the seas, the only place big enough to hold Vergo's ambition was the Beast Pirates.
Ro-star felt certain of it.
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