In a blink of an eye, two hours had passed.
Which was the agreed-upon time for everyone to gather.
Nojiko and Nami were the first to arrive at the plaza, sitting at the entrance of a café on the west side, idly waiting for their companions.
At some point, the sky had darkened, clouds gathering, rain pattering on the café's awning, splashing up fine mists.
Nami held her coffee cup, flames flickering at her fingertips, unconsciously heating the bottom of the cup, the deep brown liquid bubbling with tiny bubbles.
Occasionally, people passing by with umbrellas would notice, casting surprised glances.
"It's so cold..." Nojiko complained, "The rain must have dropped the temperature by ten degrees, I should have bought myself a coat earlier."
"Has it gotten cold?" Nami wondered, "I don't feel a thing."
"Because you're a Flame-Flame Fruit Ability User!" Nojiko said speechlessly, "Your body has turned to fire, how could you be afraid of the cold!"
"Oh, right." Nami realized, "How about I warm you up?"
Whoosh!
Her orange hair suddenly ignited, the blazing flames in this rainy weather like a dazzling bonfire in the dark night.
Ho, it's really quite warm.
Nojiko's eyes lit up, raising her arms, just about to warm her hands, when screams from inside the café rang out—
"Fire!!!"
"Quick, save that customer!"
Splash, two large buckets of water were dumped over Nami's head, instantly soaking her and the chair, but the blazing flames still burned.
"Not enough, quick! Go get more water!" The middle-aged female manager immediately directed the barista beside her.
"Pfft—" Nojiko couldn't help but laugh, pounding the table.
Nami was dumbstruck, still holding her coffee cup in one hand, her soaked orange hair steaming, coffee dripping pathetically on her collar.
"Ahhhhh idiot!"
She angrily raised her fist at the staff, "This is my ability, don't you know what a Devil Fruit is, how could you pour water over a customer's head without asking!"
This girl is a Fruit Ability User?
The people of Log Town had seen a lot, and the female manager immediately realized, hurriedly offering a towel to help dry, "I'm sorry, your hair suddenly catching fire was really frightening..."
"No need!"
Nami said angrily, "I can handle it myself!"
She snapped her fingers.
The surface of her skin all over began to emit an orange-yellow glow, as if flames were burning below, heat vapor rising continuously through her pores.
Soon, she became clean and dry again, only brown stains from the coffee remained.
The female manager and several baristas were dumbfounded.
"Well, forget it, you meant well, I can't blame you."
Nami looked at the coffee, completely undrinkable now, sighed, "I should settle the bill."
"Really sorry!"
The female manager quickly bowed, "We've troubled you! How about this, our upstairs private seating offers a signature steak pizza set, and it's lunchtime now, please let us make it up to you, any dish you like, all on the house, what do you think?"
Free lunch?
Nami pouted, her upbringing wasn't one to care much for money.
Seeing the female manager's anxious look, she felt a bit mischievous, cheerfully said: "Really free? But we have several companions who haven't arrived yet."
"No problem, all on the house!"
The female manager instead breathed a sigh of relief, smiling gently, "As long as you agree, I'd feel much better…"
"Hey, Nami, don't bully the kind auntie."
Nojiko not unkindly poked Nami's forehead, turning to the female manager:
"No need, just exempt her alone, the rest of us total four people, and a pet, pay as we eat, really, trust me."
She knew her brother's appetite too well, if truly all free, this café restaurant could end up losing their pants.
There was also Kuma, purely a big eater, but compared to her brother, was negligible.
The female manager was still hesitant, but Nami cheerfully pushed into the store, apologizing and busying herself,
And as soon as Nami returned to her original seat, she heard Nojiko's somewhat puzzled voice: "Strange, since when did I become nearsighted too?"
What does that mean?
Nami followed Nojiko's gaze, suddenly stunned.
—Seeing in the nearby plaza, there were indeed two Kuina, sharing an umbrella, arm in arm, walking towards here.
Eh??
Am I nearsighted too? No way, Nami rubbed her eyes, looked closely again, how were there still two?!
She was dumbfounded.
"Haha, I knew you'd show such expressions!"
Originally pretending to be serious, Kuina couldn't suppress her laughter.
"Ta-da!"
Kuina, like presenting a treasure, suddenly pushed the bespectacled girl forward, "Ta-da-da-da, let me introduce to everyone, Log Town Navy Branch Private! The girl who looks just like me, Sword Fool Girl, Tashigi!!!"
"Nice—nice to meet you all!"
Tashigi, clumsily adjusting her glasses, almost dropped the books she was holding: "Kuina-san, don't introduce me like that, I'm—I'm not a Sword Fool! I merely have respect for the swords that uphold justice..."
"And you say you're not?"
Kuina, smiling, hugged her shoulder, "Hey, let me tell you, since she found out I was a Sword Master, you wouldn't believe how she fawned over me, drooling like a lecherous old man, pestering me about this and that, had me talking until my mouth got dry..."