"Peppers belong to the Solanaceae family and are distant relatives of plants like tomatoes and sour cherries. Broadly speaking, they do belong to fruits, meow."
(ω)
Sanji Meow looked at Sherwin with a face full of disdain, as if mocking his ignorance.
However, it was rare to have this opportunity to show off to Sherwin, so the little yellow cat was naturally not going to miss it. Thus, while maintaining that superior expression, he continued to explain:
"It just that according to our own eating habits, we classify peppers as vegetables and condiments. Moreover, the prototype of the one in your hand should be a bell pepper, and some bell peppers can be eaten directly, meow."
"Actually, the prototype of this Magma Fruit isn't necessarily a bell pepper~"
(=ΦωΦ=)
Haibara Meow, who was sitting on Sherwin shoulder, swung her legs and head at the same time, adding cutely: "It could also be a wax apple the two of them look quite similar, meow~"
Well, if her face didn't have the same disdainful expression as Sanji Meow, it would be even cuter.
"...So, do you want to eat it?"
Sherwin fiercely rubbed the heads of these two little rascals, receiving a bite mark and a flying cat kick in return, before presenting the Magma Fruit in front of Haibara Meow.
"Um..."
(=ˇˇ=)
The little kitten looked conflicted.
Although the Logia-type Magma Fruit was indeed very powerful and could save her from taking baths, still...
"I'll still pass, meow."
(ω≡ω)
Haibara Meow closed her eyes and rapidly shook her little head, as if doing so would make her refusal more resolute.
"I prefer a Devil Fruit that can help me with my research, like the Op-Op Fruit or the Sick-Sick Fruit. Even if it a Logia type, it would be best if it were like Sister Purah Meow Snow-Snow Fruit, which can create assistants to help. The destructive power of the Magma Fruit is too strong even if it creates assistants, they wouldn't be able to give me a hand during experiments, meow."
"Even if it a Logia..."
Sherwin wordlessly glanced at this picky little guy, then looked back at the Mag-Mag Fruit in his hand.
But this was fine too. Haibara Meow was a researcher, after all. Aside from routinely using a certain cat tree named Hunter to sharpen her claws, she rarely participated in combat herself. Giving a top-tier destructive Logia like the Mag-Mag Fruit to her would be a waste anyway.
Thus, Sherwin turned his attention to the other cats...
"Hmm? Touma, didn't you already eat the Yamata no Orochi Fruit? Why do you look so full of regret?"
"Exactly!"
(=QДQ=)
The little tuxedo cat roared in grief and indignation, "If I had known we could get a Logia fruit so quickly, Mr. Kamijou wouldn't have eaten that Yamata no Orochi Fruit, meow!"
The Hunter smilingly stroked his cat head and said, "Have you ever considered that it precisely because you ate the Yamata no Orochi Fruit that we were able to obtain a new Logia fruit so quickly?"
"...Such misfortune, meow!"
(`」∠)
Mr. Kamijou slumped onto the deck, looking like a salted fish that had lost all its dreams.
Sanji Meow and Link Meow, as usual, being among the few cats who enjoyed swimming, had no intention of eating a Devil Fruit from the very beginning.
Sasha Meow was a main support DPS and didn't really need the Mag-Mag Fruit to boost her strength. Furthermore, this ladylike cat didn't resist baths in fact, she was quite fond of water.
Arc Meow was actually quite compatible with the Mag-Mag Fruit, except...
With her current strength, she was already enough to give Sherwin a headache. If they added the Mag-Mag Fruit on top of that, life would become completely unlivable!
So in the end, the only two cats left were Meowjuro and Huamei.
"It is better to let Miss Huamei eat first, I can continue to wait meow."
(=ΦωΦ=)
Seijuro Meow proactively deferred, saying, "Moreover, the power of the Mag-Mag Fruit is too immense, which might instead affect my swordsmanship meow."
This statement was naturally just an excuse. Judging solely by Seijuro Meow current level of swordsmanship, even Mihawk might not be as formidable as him, so how could a mere Mag-Mag Fruit shake his sword heart?
However, Huamei Meow did not refuse Seijuro Meow kindness. After smiling and nodding at him, she took the Mag-Mag Fruit from Sherwin hand and then elegantly took a small bite...
"Ugh—"
(=︵=)
Lord Huamei facial features instantly scrunched together. After forcing herself to swallow the fruit flesh in her mouth, she stuck out her tongue and said, "It really tastes terrible meow."
Right at this moment, Sherwin suddenly heard a barely perceptible sigh come from beside his ear.
Turning his head to look, he saw the little fellow Klee Meow looking with a troubled face at Huamei Meow, who was currently enduring the discomfort and planning to eat the entire Mag-Mag Fruit bite by bite.
"What wrong, Klee?"
Rarely seeing the little Ragdoll cat like this, Sherwin hastily pulled her into his arms, gently scratching her chin as he asked.
"Sister Huamei has become even more powerful meow..."
(=`3=)
Klee Meow pouted, murmuring with a look that seemed both happy and unhappy.
Understood, the guardian gets stronger, so the little troublemaker cat feels a sense of crisis...
Sherwin let out a light laugh, then pinched her little cheek, "You say that as if you could escape Huamei punishments before."
"Oh, right!"
∑(=ΦДΦ=)
Klee Meow came to a sudden realization and cheered up again, "Then it fine meow~"
Then, this little fellow even swayed her head and courted disaster by saying, "When Sister Huamei gets angry, it just like a volcanic eruption, it matches this fruit very well meow!"
(=`=)
Sherwin: "..."
But truth be told, judging from Huamei Meow nickname "Huamei", it really was quite a good match for the Mag-Mag Fruit.
"...Oh no meow!"
Klee Meow, the little dummy, only realized she had misspoke after noticing the air had suddenly gone still.
"Sister Huamei~ Klee knows she was wrong meow~"
(つω=)つ
The little Ragdoll quickly jumped down from Sherwin arms and threw herself onto Lord Huamei, rubbing her cheek forcefully against the other face.
"Klee shouldn't have said you were fierce... Ah, no! Klee meant that Sister Huamei actually isn't as fierce as a volcanic eruption... Huh? That doesn't seem right either... Awoo... Klee doesn't know how to say it anymore meow!"
(=Д=)
The little dummy clutched her own small head and wailed for a moment, then threw a plea for help toward Sherwin.
"Cough cough... Well, Klee, this little dummy, has always been a bit clumsy with her words. Huamei, there no need to take a kid seriously."
In the end, Sherwin couldn't bear to see the little Ragdoll suffer and stepped forward to coax a few words.
"Klee is not a dummy meow!"
(=`н=)
A certain little dummy who completely missed the point retorted huffily.
Even Haibara Meow, who was sitting on Sherwin shoulder watching the show, couldn't help but slap her own face, complaining, "This little dummy is beyond saving meow."
(=ゝ=)
"Am I really such an unreasonable Felyne in your eyes, Commander?"
(=へ=)
Lord Huamei rolled her eyes at Sherwin in annoyance, then patted Klee Meow little head with her paw. "Don't worry, I'm not angry. But if you keep talking, I might actually get angry, meow."
"Oh! Then Klee won't say any more, meow!"
(=⊙艸⊙=)
The little Ragdoll immediately covered her mouth.
And seeing that Huamei Meow really didn't plan to look for trouble with her, she bolted back to Sherwin shoulder at top speed.
She hid her entire upper body behind Sherwin head, leaving only two little Felyne legs and a big fluffy tail dangling near Sherwin neck.
Lord Huamei shook her head helplessly. She had originally wanted Klee Meow to help her get familiar with her Devil Fruit abilities.
After all, their Devil Fruit elements were similar, and Klee Meow had fought with Sakazuki a few times before...
But looking at how things were now, Klee Meow would most likely mistake it as an excuse to discipline her, so she could only forget about it...
"Shermie, come and help me get familiar with my Devil Fruit abilities, meow?"
(=ΦωΦ=)
Since it wouldn't work with Klee Meow, Huamei Meow could only settle for the next best thing and find the other combat-type Logia Felyne.
"Eh??? I shouldn't have offended you just now, Huamei-chin, meow?!"
∑(=ΦДΦ=)
The little Norwegian Forest Felyne, who had been leaning against Sherwin leg enjoying herself, instantly puffed up her fur in alarm.
Huamei Meow: "..."
Am I really that terrifying, meow?!
Lord Huamei felt so exhausted that she really wanted to flip a table.