The Intercept
The Calm Belt shimmered under the midday sun as Heaven's Embrace cruised between the towering mangroves, its rune-carved hull casting shimmering reflections on the water. The crew was in good spirits — Amazon Lily had been a rare stretch of peace — but Vegito's tail had been twitching for the past half hour.
Bell-mère noticed first. "Something on your mind, Captain?"
Vegito's eyes narrowed toward the eastern horizon. "Yeah. There's a bug that needs squashing before we hit Fishman Island."
Before anyone could ask, he was already airborne, a streak of golden ki cutting across the Calm Belt.
Vander Decken IX – A Slimy Obsession
Far ahead, Vander Decken's rust-stained ship cut through the still waters, its deck littered with throwing weapons — axes, harpoons, and spears — each marked with the sickly red of the Target-Target Fruit.
The man himself sat on a crate, giggling to himself as he polished a spear tip. "Soon, my sweet Shirahoshi… you'll be mine forever."
The hairs on his neck prickled. A shadow fell over the ship.
"What the—"
First Contact
Vegito dropped from the sky, boots slamming into the deck hard enough to splinter the wood beneath him. His tail flicked lazily as he looked down at Vander Decken.
"You're Vander Decken, right?"
The pirate scrambled back, one hand reaching for his weapons. "Y-yeah, who's askin'?"
"Vegito," came the calm reply. "The guy who's here to tell you… you're done."
The Curb Stomp
Vander Decken hurled a harpoon, its path guided by the cursed precision of his fruit. Vegito caught it between two fingers without looking, then snapped it in half like a twig.
The second attack — a flurry of axes — met the same fate, shattered by quick flicks of Vegito's tail.
"You've been throwing crap at a princess for years," Vegito said, his voice dropping to a dangerous calm. "And you thought nobody was going to cash that tab?"
Before Vander Decken could answer, Vegito moved.
One instant, he was standing on the deck. The next, Vander Decken was hanging upside down in midair, caught by the ankle, his face swelling from a slap that had spun him in place six times.
Dragon Ball-Style Humiliation
The crew — having arrived in Heaven's Embrace — leaned over the railing to watch the spectacle.
Vegito tossed Vander Decken like a ragdoll, let him hit the water, and yanked him back up before he could drown.
Then he started a running commentary:
"Strike one for the harassment." Slap.
"Strike two for the bad hygiene." Kick to the rear.
"Strike three for thinking obsession is love." Open-palm smack so hard it echoed for miles.
Mikita sipped from a coconut, deadpan. "I give him… maybe three more minutes."
Kuina shook her head. "Two."
The End
Finally, Vegito stopped playing. His ki flared in a golden blaze, the pressure alone forcing Vander Decken to his knees.
"This," Vegito said, "is what happens when you mess with people I like."
A single flick of his wrist sent a concentrated ki wave through the pirate's chest. Vander Decken didn't even have time to scream before he was reduced to nothing but ash on the wind.
The Message
Vegito turned to the wide-eyed crew of Vander Decken's ship. "Fishman Island is under my protection. Spread the word."
They nodded furiously, scrambling to change course away from anything remotely resembling Shirahoshi's home.
Back on Heaven's Embrace
Bell-mère crossed her arms. "You really went out of your way for someone you haven't met yet."
Vegito's grin was easy, but there was a spark of intent behind it. "Let's just say I like meeting people on good terms."
Robin arched an eyebrow. "Good terms… or flirt-ready terms?"
He winked. "Why not both?"
[Threat to Shirahoshi Eliminated]
Next Destination: Fishman Island — where Vegito meets the royal family, shrinks Shirahoshi to human size, and makes the princess' first real laugh in years.