This Felyne that appeared out of nowhere looked a little younger and smaller than Klee Meow.
In appearance, she resembled Klee Meow by seventy to eighty percent, but her fur carried a tabby pattern like Huamei, while her eyes were the same icy blue as Haibara Meow.
Put simply, she was a long-haired juvenile tabby cat.
But if you looked more closely, you could see more details—like the curled tufts of fur at the tips of her ears that were exactly the same as Sanji Meow, and her black hind paws that looked just like a pair of boots.
In addition, her paws looked slightly larger than those of ordinary Felynes. Seijuro Meow and Link Meow shared this trait as well both the little black cat and the little leopard cat had paws larger than those of typical Felynes. In Seijuro Meow words, this kind of paw was born to hold a sword.
Besides that, her nose was black too, just like Seijuro Meow.
Klee Meow, Sanji Meow, Seijuro Meow, Huamei, and Haibara Meow were all Felynes that Sherwin had already summoned before the "Pretty Black Cat Big Sister Maria" was refitted into the Dodo Advance.
So… back then, had the ship spirit of the Dodo already appeared, or rather, already taken shape?
No—Sherwin took another careful look and realized that her fur wasn't entirely Huamei tabby pattern.
There were also a few spotted markings. It seemed that Link Meow, who had joined not long after the first refit, had likewise been included in the Dodo ship-spirit "material pool."
As for her clothing, it was different from that of all other Felynes: a simple yet cute white princess dress.
Sherwin glanced at the Dodo Advance own cute-style design, and it did seem fitting.
"Who is she? Big Brother Sherwin, how could you secretly summon another companion without telling Klee, meow?!"
The little ragdoll, who still hadn't figured out what was going on, jumped onto Sherwin shoulder and unhappily slapped his face with her tiny paws, pattering away.
"I already told you, she the Dodo…" Sherwin lifted the fidgeting little ragdoll down into his arms and reminded her,
"Do you remember back at the Sabaody Archipelago, that mysterious friend who helped repair the Guardian?"
"So it really is a ship spirit?" Robin, as a native of the pirate world, also came to the realization.
She sighed with emotion. "I always thought it was just a legend. I never imagined it truly existed!"
"A ship spirit!" Shirahoshi exclaimed as well. "I've read about them in books! So ship spirits can look like cats too?!"
"Uh… I think it probably because our ship is a bit special," Sherwin said with a wry shake of his head.
He pointed at the cats around them and at Klee Meow figurehead. "There are so many cat-related things on board.
It not strange for the ship spirit to take the form of a cat, right? And besides,
the Dodo Advance was later modified many times by Purah Meow, so that probably had some influence too."
"Big Brother Sherwin! Big Brother Sherwin! What is a ship spirit, meow?!"
(=ω=)
Only half understanding, Klee Meow tugged anxiously at Sherwin clothes and asked.
"A ship spirit is a very special kind of existence…"
After listening to Sherwin explanation, Klee Meow instantly came to a sudden realization.
"Ah! Before, when we were fighting that bad guy called Kaido, the Dodo also helped out, meow!"
∑(=ΦДΦ=)
The little ragdoll briefly recounted what she had experienced back then while controlling the Dodo Sky Comet Dragon.
Sherwin nodded. "That right, this should be Dodo doing."
So everyone turned their heads in unison and looked toward Dodo, who was cautiously inching over…
The result was that she got startled instead. Dodo, who had only just crept a tiny bit closer, instantly sprang back behind the mast. After quite a while, she slowly poked out half of her head again.
|ωΦ=)
"Stop hiding. Come over and meet everyone," Sherwin said with a smile, beckoning to the little kitty peeking out from behind the mast.
"Although the way you greeted us was a bit special, I don't think anyone will blame you for it."
[R-really, meow?]
Dodo voice rang directly in everyone minds. Just like her appearance, it still resembled Klee Meow by seven or eight parts, only sounding even more soft and childish.
That was easy enough to understand. After all, Dodo figurehead was modeled after Klee Meow, so it was only natural that she would resemble her more overall.
Sherwin didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned his head to look at the angriest ones, Haibara Meow and Jinx.
"Hmph! Since it was Dodo who did it, I'll reluctantly forgive her… but there absolutely can't be a next time, meow!"
Jinx, on the other hand, laughed openly and said, "I've drawn on Dodo before too, so we're even now, meow!"
The other victims also had no objections and expressed their welcome to Dodo as well.
[Heeheehee… I just thought it was really fun when everyone was drawing on Brother Sherwin face earlier, so I couldn't help copying it, meow.]
Having received forgiveness, Dodo immediately trotted over to everyone. Then, with practiced ease, she climbed up onto Sherwin shoulder and tugged at his ear twice.
Sherwin: "..."
He reached out and patted Dodo on the head. The texture felt slightly different from Klee Meow and the others—more like a plush toy, carrying a faint sense of unreality.
However, even though she wasn't a real cat, Sherwin Kato cat hands still completely intoxicated Dodo.
She kept turning her little head, which closely resembled Klee Meow, rubbing back and forth against his hand. From her throat came bursts of purring, just like an ordinary kitty.
Unlike when she spoke, which echoed directly in everyone minds, this purring sound could actually be heard.
Our ship spirit really is something else!
After feeling inexplicably proud for a moment, Sherwin gently tugged on Dodo ear and asked,
"By the way, aren't ship spirits supposed to like hiding from people? Why did you come out? And even pull a prank on everyone."
[Meow?]
(=ω=)?
Dodo blinked her eyes in confusion.
[I don't know. I just wanted to come out, so I came out, meow.]
Well… that really did fit a cat personality perfectly.
Sherwin smacked his lips and asked again, "Then why didn't you want to see us before?"
[Before, I was afraid everyone wouldn't like me. But when I saw you all playing so happily with those Homies in Totto Land, I wanted to try getting in touch with everyone, meow.]
"Klee Meow would never dislike Dodo, meow!"
(=`3=)
The little ragdoll who had been watching Sherwin and Dodo interact for a long time finally couldn't hold back and jumped in.
Pouting, she complained unhappily, "You should've shown yourself and come play with Klee earlier, meow!"
[Ehehe~ Aren't I out now? Klee big sister, don't be angry anymore, meow~]
Dodo leaned over ingratiatingly and rubbed against Klee Meow. The little ragdoll, who hadn't really been that angry to begin with, immediately forgave her.
And then…
"Meow hahahahaha! Klee has a little sister now, meow! I'm not the smallest one on the ship anymore, meow!"
(=`=)
The little ragdoll patted Dodo head and licked her fur, dumping all the gestures of goodwill and affection that the other big sister Felynes had once shown her onto Dodo in one go. She bustled about happily, not tired in the least.
After the two little cats finished their friendly exchange, Haibara Meow patted Dodo and questioned her,
"I have a question, meow! Klee little sister, Huamei big sister, and Purah Meow big sister are one thing, but why didn't you go paint Sherwin that idiot face, meow?!"
Sherwin: "Hey!"
[Because Sherwin big brother is the one who cleans up the most for me normally. How could I possibly make him dirty, meow.]
As she answered, Dodo even licked the back of Sherwin hand gratefully.
"..."
Sherwin looked up at the sky with mixed feelings.
It was certainly a good thing that he hadn't been turned into a painted mess by Dodo, and being thanked by her should have been something to be happy about—but this reason really left Sherwin both amused and helpless.
After all, the useless Hunter only ever helped by cleaning the ship he wasn't much help otherwise!
...