August 29, 1503, Age of the Sea Circle
After successfully reuniting with Whitey Bay after years without seeing her, Orion was invited by the pirate captain to a large private dinner so they could catch up. The gluttonous Mitsu had also wanted to join the dinner, but Orion flatly refused to have her there as a third wheel, and threw her into the Pocket Dimension with the mission of keeping an eye on Spandine.
The former leader of CP9 was now completely heartbroken, feeling that he would never again see the light of the sun, since he had been inside the Pocket Dimension ever since Orion had kidnapped him off the shores of Jewel Island.
Mitsu reluctantly accepted Orion's orders, but only because inside the Pocket Dimension there was a large amount of delicious food that Orion had prepared for her to eat at any time.
Once Orion and Whitey Bay were left alone, they were finally able to have a conversation after such a long time without seeing each other.
"How have you been? Your appearance is still that of an adult—are you still using your deceptive ability to increase your age?" Whitey Bay said with a hint of bad temper as she remembered how her romantic illusions about Orion had been shattered when she discovered his real age years ago.
Orion gave a bitter smile and undid the effects of his Age Change, returning his body to its natural state. Even though his mind was older than that of the beautiful pirate, his body was still that of a thirteen-year-old adolescent for the time being.
Even so, Orion's physique was quite imposing for his age, as he had the height and musculature of an average adult man, although his facial expressions were still somewhat childish and far from possessing the masculinity that his adult form displayed.
"I've already grown quite a bit, don't you think, Whitey?" Orion said with a provocative smile while flexing his bicep to show off his impressive muscles.
However, Whitey Bay failed to appreciate the precociousness of Orion's natural body and, after taking a small bite of the bread she had in her hand, pointed at Orion dismissively with her finger and said,
"Bah! You're still a brat! Don't think I'll accept having anything with you. Come back when you've got a bit more hair."
Orion let out a slight sigh at the pirate's rejection and returned to his adult form, which was the one in which he felt most comfortable. At present, he could keep his Age Change ability activated continuously without any problem, so he could remain in his adult form all the time if he wished.
Moreover, although his adult mind and his younger mind had not yet completely fused, he was already able to spend almost the entire day with his adult mind active, since he used the remaining time to sleep and rest, without needing his younger self to take control of the body.
It could be said that his younger self only had the chance to surface if Orion took the initiative to temporarily suppress his adult mind, or if he overexerted himself in combat and needed time to rest his mind. Orion estimated that the complete fusion of his two minds would occur in one or two more years, when his body had the necessary brain development.
"In any case, I don't intend to take back my words. My love for you is real, and I will succeed in getting you to accept me as your man in the future," Orion said with a charismatic smile that made Whitey Bay's cheeks flush a little.
In truth, she felt very attracted both to Orion's personality and to his physical appearance, but only when he was in his adult form. Unlike some of Orion's other companions, to whom such things did not matter in the slightest, the Ice Witch was much more insistent in that regard and would only accept him when the time came.
Orion wondered if perhaps this was how Hototogisu felt when he rejected her because of her age, and he thought that when he returned to the West Blue he might spend some time alone with the eccentric young woman.
Orion and Whitey Bay shared a calm dinner charged with sexual tension while they enthusiastically told each other everything that had happened over the past few years.
Orion's stories were utterly incredible to the pirate, who felt as though she were listening to the adventures of the heroic protagonists of the fictional tales she liked to read in her spare time. He had been in all sorts of unbelievable situations, from infiltrating Mary Geoise to his life as a mercenary in the West Blue.
In addition, Orion did not hide from her the existence of his wives and lovers, whom he spoke about at length when he told her about the founding of his kingdom in the South Blue.
Whitey Bay had even flirtatiously asked him whether he intended to make her his wife and take her to live in Pacific Kingdom, to which Orion replied with complete confidence that it was always a viable option, although he simply wanted to make her his woman without limiting her freedom to continue her life as a pirate if that was what she wanted.
Whitey Bay had only been teasing him, but Orion's serious answer made her feel a bit shy, losing part of the intimidating aura that had always surrounded her due to her years as an elite captain.
On the other hand, Whitey Bay's stories were far less spectacular than Orion's, although that did not mean she had lived a "normal" life. After all, she was one of the most powerful pirates in the world, based in the New World, so her days were likewise filled with all kinds of adventures across the seas.
Finally, after spending a couple of hours talking animatedly with Whitey Bay, Orion felt that the faint sense of strangeness that had lingered between them after so long without seeing each other had completely disappeared.
For that very reason, Orion showed a somewhat daring smile and, with utter boldness, slid over to where Whitey Bay was sitting, wrapping his arm around her waist and saying in a provocative tone,
"I've learned all kinds of massage techniques over the past few years — do you want me to show you?"
Whitey Bay felt the temperature of her body rise, yet her mind immediately regained its clarity, and placing a hand on Orion's chest, she pushed him back slightly in order to put some distance between them.
"Put aside your lascivious attitude, I don't want to have to give you a beat— ugh!"
Whitey Bay was unable to finish her words, as an intense pain suddenly struck her, brought on by the small effort she had made in pushing Orion away.
Orion immediately noticed the pirate's discomfort, and activating his Prism Eyes, he ran his gaze over Whitey Bay's curvaceous body while his expression grew solemn.
"You're injured?" Orion said, his voice carrying a hint of reproach.
Whitey Bay's condition was quite bad, and although she was able to mask her wounds while at rest, she was overwhelmed by intense pain the moment she made even the slightest muscular effort.
She seemed somewhat reluctant to speak after Orion's question, but she eventually let out a faint sigh and told him what had happened almost two months earlier. Whitey Bay had run into Catarina Devon while she was on her way to intercept an Underworld transaction between Doflamingo and a group of mercenaries, and the battle between the two women had erupted at once with full violence.
Catarina was a complete psychopath, unable to tolerate the existence of someone as beautiful as Whitey Bay, and had therefore decided to kill her so she could add her head to her long list of destroyed beautiful women.
Even so, Whitey Bay was no easy prey, which led to a bloody battle between the two famous pirates taking place in the waters of the New World.
In terms of power, both women were on a similar level, and in the end it was the strength of their crews that made the difference. While Whitey Bay and Catarina Devon were fighting fiercely, trying to wipe each other out, the Ice Witch's crew crushed Catarina's, allowing them to support their captain in combat and forcing Catarina to flee in order to save her life.
Even so, Catarina received severe wounds — which later left her far from being in optimal condition to fight, something that turned out to be fortunate for Gloriosa and the others — although she did not retreat quietly. Before escaping, she unleashed her most powerful attack, not against Whitey Bay, but instead at one of her wounded nakama.
Whitey Bay had no choice but to step into the path of the attack to prevent the death of one of the main members of her crew, which resulted in a deep wound to her abdomen that took her out of the fight in an instant.
Catarina withdrew while laughing like a maniac when she saw Whitey Bay collapse from her attack, believing that, after all, she had at least managed to partially destroy the beautiful blue-haired pirate.
And indeed, she had partially destroyed her. After Whitey Bay received treatment from her crew's doctor, she spent several days suffering unbearable pain, until Marco finally arrived from Whitebeard's main crew in order to treat her wounds with greater success.
Even so, although Marco's level was far superior to that of the Ice Witch's crew, he had not been able to heal her completely, though he had greatly improved her condition.
According to the words of the famous pirate doctor, Whitey Bay had suffered a permanent injury to her uterus, which had already partially healed, and which would prevent her from having children in the future, even if the rest of her health and combat abilities were not affected.
For any ordinary pirate, such a diagnosis would not have been a problem, since the vast majority of female pirates had no interest in motherhood and only wished to live freely at sea. However, for Whitey Bay, this was the worst possible news.
She had never dreamed of becoming the Pirate Queen or anything of the sort, and her greatest desire was to have a family of her own. Unlike her adoptive father Whitebeard, who had formed a family of adoptive sons, she dreamed of having her own biological children.
The fact that her ability to be a mother had been completely destroyed by Catarina Devon plunged the Ice Witch into profound misery, as she was forced to accept that her dream of becoming a mother would never come true.
Over the past month and a half, she had been sunk in a state of depression, which had even slowed the pace of her recovery.
Now, as she recounted what had happened to Orion once more, her eyes filled with tears involuntarily, making her look extremely fragile and entirely different from her usual appearance as a powerful pirate.
Orion clenched his teeth in irritation, thinking that this pirate named Catarina Devon was truly detestable, since she had not only harmed Whitey Bay in such a way, but had also nearly caused a tragedy for Gloriosa, Hototogisu, and Olive.
In that moment, Orion swore that in the future he would find the infamous pirate and purge this world of such an unnecessary and negative presence. However, he now had other, far more important matters to focus on, because the most important thing at that moment was the fragile and beautiful blue-haired pirate before him.
Orion wrapped his arms around the pirate's body once more, yet this time he did so with complete tenderness, trying to comfort her. Whitey Bay sensed the difference, and, enduring the pain in her abdomen, she rested her face against his chest, crying silently in his arms for several minutes.
Finally, after quite some time, she regained her composure and once again pushed Orion away slightly, creating a bit of distance between them, although she did not escape from his arms and remained close to him. Lifting her gaze, Whitey Bay looked at Orion with tenderness, and he felt the blood in his body boil, because the pirate looked more beautiful than ever in that moment.
It could only be said that, due to Whitey Bay's physical build and her delicate porcelain-like skin, she was unable to show her true beauty when she appeared austere and firm with the authority of an elite pirate, and it was instead in this moment of fragility that her beauty shone naturally.
Although it might seem a little hard to accept, there were certain people whose appearance was favored in particular situations, and Whitey Bay undoubtedly looked more beautiful when she was not in her role as an implacable pirate captain.
"I'm glad you came to see me…" Whitey Bay suddenly said, catching Orion by surprise, and then, without giving him time to react, she leaned forward and kissed him lightly and tenderly.
Orion felt the soft touch of the pirate's lips, and his body reacted at once, preparing for battle involuntarily, although he immediately restrained his effervescent emotions when he remembered the delicate state of the pirate's body at present.
The kiss between Orion and Whitey Bay was not very long, yet even so it was an incredible experience for both of them, as they felt a current of electricity run through their bodies. It could only be said that the compatibility between them was very good, and that the years of waiting for this moment had intensified the sensations they were feeling now.
Whitey Bay was the one who had taken the initiative to kiss Orion, and she was also the one who took the initiative to end the kiss, once again putting distance between them and controlling the pace of the situation.
"This is a reward for having come to see me and comfort me," Whitey Bay said, looking particularly adorable, with a faint tsundere tone, since she did not want to appear too proactive after having told Orion that she wouldn't have anything with him only to kiss him moments later.
Orion nodded in agreement, without voicing aloud her adorable actions, and then activated his Prism Eyes, focusing his Observation Haki in his eyes and examining her body once more.
"I can heal you," Orion finally said with complete certainty, taking the pirate by surprise, who looked at him with her mouth slightly open, unable to fully understand what he was saying.
"What do you mean?" Whitey Bay asked, tilting her head to the side adorably.
"The wound in your abdomen — I can heal it, and I promise you you'll have no problems having children in the future."
Orion answered clearly and without hesitation, yet Whitey Bay did not react with joy; instead, she simply smiled sweetly at Orion's words, thinking that he was trying to comfort her or making a promise that he would heal her someday.
It was not that she was incapable of understanding his words, but rather that it was simply inconceivable to her that a wound Marco had been unable to heal could possibly be treated by Orion.
Orion noticed her skepticism but said nothing about it, thinking it was better to let his actions speak for him. For that reason, he lifted her into his arms like a princess — taking great care not to cause her pain because of her injuries — and with a smile he said,
"We'll begin your treatment right away."
A door appeared in the air, and Orion entered the Pocket Dimension carrying the Ice Witch in his arms. There, he came across Mitsu, who was happily eating cupcakes while watching the situation unfold on the other side of the red membrane that served as a division between the two dimensions, as if she were watching a soap opera.
When the "characters" from the drama she was watching suddenly crossed through the "screen" and appeared before her, Mitsu felt as if she had been caught watching pornography or something of the sort, and with her cheeks flushed, she ran off toward a distant corner of the Pocket Dimension, where there was a large cage in which Spandine was imprisoned.
Thanks to the multiple expansions the space inside the Pocket Dimension had undergone every time Orion absorbed a Devil Fruit with spatial attributes, the small alternate dimension was now massive enough to house a small town, which was more than enough for Mitsu to disappear without a trace and give privacy to the newly arrived couple.
Orion walked to an area of the Pocket Dimension where he kept his medical instruments and laid the pirate down on a stretcher. Then, without giving her time to react, he said,
"Don't worry, I won't take too long to heal your wounds."
Then, raising a hand into the air, he said,
"Room."
A bubble appeared around the place, enclosing Orion's entire working area, and with complete concentration he began to treat Whitey Bay's wounds. Although it was true that the pirate's injury was impossible to treat under normal circumstances, he possessed the support of his "Room" ability, which seemed to have been specially designed for this kind of medical task.
With the help of this ability obtained from the Ope Ope no Mi, Orion was able to remove the scar tissue from Whitey Bay's uterus that was causing problems, while at the same time generating a perfect union of the healthy tissues, restoring the uterus to an optimal state and nullifying the curse of being unable to have children.
Once again, Orion felt great joy at having been able to obtain such a useful ability, and he thought that as soon as he returned to Pacific Kingdom, he would be able to use it to treat Ina's burns and the strange condition affecting Toki.
…
While Orion was treating Whitey Bay's wounds inside the Pocket Dimension, Galus had finished forcing a group of lower-level pirates to clean the latrines and was hurrying toward the hall where his captain was privately dining with that damned fuckboy, in order to "report the successfully completed task."
In reality, he only wanted an excuse to show up there and prevent his future wife from being sweet-talked by Orion. Just thinking that she might right now be getting groped by that damned guy made his teeth grind with irritation and hatred.
Galus reached the hall where Orion and Whitey Bay were supposedly located, and with no respect whatsoever for his captain's privacy, he flung the door wide open while shouting,
"Captain, I've already finished the tas—"
The words Galus was pronouncing became stuck in his throat, since the room was completely empty and without any trace of Whitey Bay.
Immediately, his mind plunged into all kinds of negative theories, thinking that his future wife had been taken to her room for an intense sex session. Unable to endure the anxiety he was feeling any longer, he ran straight to Whitey Bay's quarters, completely ignoring the surprised looks of the rest of the crew, who saw him rush past like a runaway horse.
He finally reached the pirate captain's room and, with a flying kick, smashed the door down, only to find that the place was empty.
For a moment, Galus felt great relief at the thought that he had not been cuckolded by Orion, but immediately another question appeared in his mind: "Where was Whitey Bay?"
Galus took out his Den Den Mushi and called his captain, but there was no response at all, which made him even more worried.
"Could that damned fuckboy have kidnapped the captain? After all, she was quite badly injured," thought the pirate as he ran to call the vice-captain of the crew to inform him of the situation.
Inside the Pocket Dimension, Orion was completely focused on treating the Ice Witch's wounds, so he did not notice in the slightest the commotion that was unfolding in the pirate base during his absence.
On the other hand, Mitsu was once again looking through the red membrane of the Pocket Dimension, watching with great interest the new "soap opera" that was developing in the outside world, while she continued eating her cupcakes.