Securing the Mother Flame
The Heaven's Embrace was silent as the crew gathered in the central chamber of Vegito's Realm — a sprawling, otherworldly space where the laws of reality bent to his will.
The Mother Flame floated above a black crystal pedestal, its light dimmer here than on Egghead, as if the Realm itself were drinking in its power.
Robin studied the reactor from a safe distance. "Here… no one can track it?"
Vegito nodded. "This place isn't just hidden. It's detached. You could erase the entire Grand Line and it'd still be here."
Lilith circled the pedestal, scanning it with a hovering drone. "So I can work on it without anyone knowing. Even better."
Lilith's Condition
Lilith turned to Vegito. "One condition — if I'm going to stay, I get free rein to modify this ship. No questions asked."
Nami crossed her arms. "You're not going to turn it into some Egghead experiment that explodes when we sneeze, right?"
Lilith smirked. "Please. My designs never explode unintentionally."
Vegito chuckled. "You've got the run of the place. Just remember — no matter how much you tinker, this ship listens to me first."
Lilith's eyes gleamed. "Fair trade."
Upgrades in Progress
Over the next few days, the Heaven's Embrace became a floating construction site.
Runic Shielding Enhancements – Lilith integrated Vegapunk energy conductors into the ancient hull runes, tripling their defensive output.
Weapon Arrays – Automated turrets that could switch between haki-infused rounds, laser fire, or Vegapunk's pacifista-grade beams.
Dimensional Gateways – Lilith installed miniature Realm portals throughout the ship, allowing crew members to appear anywhere on board instantly.
Zero-Point Drive – Experimental engine allowing bursts of movement faster than light for short hops — "perfect for trolling the Marines," as Lilith put it.
Carrot and Wanda immediately used the portals to race each other from bow to stern until Nami banned them from "turning the deck into a Mink playground."
Crew Reactions
At dinner, Bell-mère was still shaking her head. "This ship was already a fortress. Now it's… I don't even have the word for it."
Kuina sliced her steak without looking up. "Overkill."
Vegito smirked. "My favorite word."
The Pregnancy Whisper
During the meal, Reiju leaned toward Sora, voice low. "You're showing already."
Sora flushed, glancing down at her stomach. "I… haven't told him yet."
Carrot's ears perked. "Told him what?"
Sora gave her a look that silenced the table — for all of three seconds until Carrot blurted, "Wait… are all of you…?"
Wanda coughed into her drink, blushing. Nami suddenly became very interested in her tangerine salad. Bell-mère smirked knowingly.
Vegito raised an eyebrow from the head of the table. "…What exactly are you hiding from me?"
Reiju grinned. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough."
Lilith's First Sparring Match
Lilith, ever the scientist, wanted to "test Vegito's limits." This ended with her piloting a three-story mech in the training arena, armed with plasma cannons and haki-reinforced blades.
It lasted thirty seconds before Vegito crushed the mech into a neat cube with one hand.
Lilith climbed out, coughing but smiling. "Good. Now I know where the line is."
Vegito chuckled. "Sweetheart, you haven't even seen the line yet."
Government Response – Cutaway
Marine HQ – Fleet Admiral's Office
Akainu slammed his fist into the desk, splintering it. "Vegito took the Mother Flame. Now he's got a Vegapunk. If he's not eliminated immediately, we lose the seas."
Sengoku sighed. "We already lost them. You just haven't accepted it."
Akainu glared. "Then you accept this — I'm authorizing Operation Stormbreaker. We'll crush every ally he's made. Force him out into the open."
Holy Land – Imu's Chambers
Imu's shadowed form hovered over a map littered with red pins. "We will burn his havens. One by one. Until he has nowhere to go but into our grasp."
Planning the Next Move
Back on the Embrace, Robin spread a map across the table. "Our next step depends on whether we play defense or offense. We can either track the Government's next move… or strike somewhere they think is untouchable."
Lilith leaned over the map. "I know just the place. A location they've kept off every chart — but I've been there. It's where they store failed experiments they don't want the world to see."
Vegito's grin was slow and dangerous. "Sounds like a field trip."
Nami sighed. "And here I thought Egghead was bad enough."
Closing Scene
The Heaven's Embrace sailed under a blood-red sunset, shields gleaming, engines thrumming with new power.
In the Realm, the Mother Flame pulsed quietly, its light hidden from the world.
Above them, the Government tightened its net. But below deck, laughter, teasing, and the subtle shifting of hands over small but growing bellies hinted at another kind of future entirely.
Vegito leaned back, watching his crew, and murmured, "Let them come. We'll burn their storm to the ground."
[World State Updated]
Crew: Lilith Vegapunk integrated; ship upgraded to unprecedented levels.
Mother Flame: Secure within Realm; inaccessible to all outside Vegito's command.
Foreshadowing: Pregnancy subplot brewing; multiple members confirmed expecting.
Next Target: Secret Government facility holding failed experiments — high risk, high chaos.