A burst of footsteps came from the direction of the docks.
Gloriosa and Shakky led the Kuja Pirates in a procession, marching toward them in full force.
"Lord Makoto."
Gloriosa gave a slight bow. "We must take our leave."
Makoto looked up. "Heading back to Amazon Lily?"
Gloriosa and Shakky stiffened.
"...Yes."
Shakky nodded. "We've been away for quite a while."
Her voice was strained, her gaze evasive. True, they'd return to Amazon Lily first, then immediately head somewhere else.
That wasn't a lie, technically.
"Makoto, something's off."
Nayuta pointed at Gloriosa and Shakky.
Both women went pale. In some ways, they feared Nayuta more than Makoto. After all, they'd shared a bed with him. One night together bought at least a little leniency. But this little girl? She answered to no such sentiment.
Fortunately, Makoto didn't seem to care. He waved a hand. "Safe travels."
Gloriosa and Shakky exhaled in unison.
Just as Saeko Busujima had predicted. Makoto's interest in the Kuja women was purely physical. No emotional attachment whatsoever. Once the fun was done, he genuinely couldn't care less.
If pressed to name even one he felt something for...
"Um, M-Makoto."
Tritoma pushed her way out from the back of the group. Her cheeks were flushed, her gaze dewy, her voice trembling.
"Can I... one more time?"
Makoto blinked.
Fine. At first, Tritoma's feelings toward him had been strictly "body only, no life." Mutual convenience, nothing more. But whether from the sheer pleasure Makoto had given her or some other reason, the third-generation empress had developed a hazy, indescribable attachment.
She'd considered leaving the Kuja Pirates to follow him. But she'd been designated as the next empress of Amazon Lily after Gloriosa and Shakky. She had responsibilities.
At the very least, before leaving, she wanted one more taste.
Makoto studied her. Then he lifted Nayuta out of his arms and stuffed Pochita, who'd been perched on his head, into Nayuta's embrace. He glanced around, then pointed at a nearby love hotel.
The sign out front read "LOVE" in enormous letters. Pink curtains hung in every window.
Tritoma's eyes lit up. She grabbed Makoto's arm and practically dragged him toward the entrance.
Nayuta stood frozen, clutching Pochita, watching their retreating backs. Her whole body trembled with fury. But she had no outlet. Makoto refused to touch her on account of her age. That was his hard line.
Nayuta stamped her foot, spun around, and marched off with Pochita.
Just as the two reached the hotel entrance, Tritoma suddenly stopped. She looked back at Gloriosa and Shakky, a glint in her eye that seemed to say: Not joining?
Gloriosa and Shakky both turned their heads the other way.
Thank god Rayleigh wasn't here. That would've been a massive misunderstanding.
...
The real reason the Kuja Pirates were leaving in such a hurry: this morning, they'd hatched a plan with Rayleigh to rescue Roger.
Rayleigh had read the papers. After seeing the news about Harald's death at Makoto's hands, he realized that freeing Roger from Impel Down with only himself and the Kuja Pirates would be nearly impossible.
His idea was to enlist the giants.
With Harald dead, Elbaph would have a blood feud with Makoto. The enemy of an enemy was a friend. An alliance was natural. They could team up and deal with Makoto later.
Well... actually defeating Makoto was probably too ambitious. So they'd set a smaller goal first.
Get Roger out.
To that end, Rayleigh proposed a detour to Elbaph.
But Shakky knew Makoto was planning to visit Elbaph too. If they didn't move fast, the two groups would run into each other in the land of giants. Anything could happen then, and none of it good.
After some debate, they decided to leave immediately. Return to Amazon Lily first, drop off the supplies they'd plundered, then push straight on to Elbaph to recruit the giants for the rescue.
The plan was sound.
The one complication: Tritoma.
...
The love hotel was actually shaking.
Not a metaphor.
The windows rattled. The walls trembled. Even the sign out front clanked and swayed.
Passersby glanced over. Some smiled knowingly. Others quickened their pace.
Whether it was the knowledge that she wouldn't see Makoto for a long time or something else, Tritoma was giving everything she had this time.
The Kuja Pirates assembled on the dock, every one of them flushed and fidgety.
"I'm... heading back to the ship."
"Me too."
"Wait for me."
"Help me out later, would you?"
More than a few pulled out their personal toys on the walk, discussing plans with their closest bunkmates.
Nayuta shot them a just you wait look, tucked Pochita under her arm, and walked away.
Gloriosa and Shakky stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to do with themselves. Their minds drifted back to that month of masks and fire and desperate bargaining, when they'd traded everything to beg for Roger's and Rayleigh's lives.
Against their will, a faint ache of nostalgia surfaced.
...
That evening.
Makoto stood on the dock, watching the Kuja Pirates board their ship. Tritoma was draped over his shoulder.
She couldn't walk. He'd carried her out of the hotel.
"Makoto..."
Tritoma's voice was barely a whisper. "Until next time."
Makoto said nothing. Just patted her rear.
Tritoma turned crimson, slid off his back, and was helped aboard by Shakky and Gloriosa.
The ship faded into the night.
...
Back at their lodgings, Makoto pulled an item from his inventory.
The Kitetsu I.
He turned and walked over to Saeko Busujima, who sat in the corner.
"Saeko. This is yours."
She froze. Then her eyes blazed with unrestrained joy.
Saeko Busujima was the classic "lady in public, wildcat in private" type. No matter how loud she screamed at night, her daytime persona remained flawlessly composed. The picture of a Yamato maiden.
But when Makoto placed the Kitetsu I in her hands, every pretense shattered.
"Makoto!"
Saeko threw herself into his arms, locked her hands behind his neck, and clung to him like a koala. Then she kissed him.
Not a peck. This was fierce, burning, the kind that tried to crush two bodies into one.
Everyone stared.
Eriri's jaw hung open. The four Nakano sisters exchanged glances, pure disbelief on every face. Kotonoha Katsura's hands trembled. Megumi Kato's expression didn't change, but her eyes gave her away.
Even the women who'd been with Makoto themselves had to look away.
These two are insane... and he's supposed to be mine, dammit.
...
That night.
Makoto's room rang with a soprano chorus again.
Nayuta lay in bed, pillow clamped over her ears. The sound drilled through anyway. She tossed and turned, sleep impossible.
Then she remembered something.
She could share sensations with her dominated subjects.
Nayuta's eyes flew open. She sat bolt upright, a scheme already crystallizing in that brilliant little head of hers.