"So? Anyone coming ashore with us?"
With Sherwin carrying Shermie over his shoulder, he looked toward the other Felynes.
"Klee Meow wants to go too meow!"
(=`=)
The little ragdoll instantly claimed Sherwin other shoulder.
"And me! Me too meow!"
Naturally, the fearless Jinx wouldn't be scared off by lightning.
Then came Haibara Meow, who was very interested in Thunder Island climate, and Purah Meow, who believed the island might have unique materials. Both joined the team.
Since all three Beautiful big sister Felynes were going, Sanji Meow, the little yellow cat, definitely wouldn't stay behind on the ship.
Lastly, Robin wanted to see if she could find any Poneglyphs on the island.
After deciding who would land, the next problem appeared—aside from the Logia users Shermie and Klee Meow, it wouldn't be easy for the others, whether people or Felynes, to move around on Thunder Island.
Even Sherwin couldn't just rely on Armament Haki to tank everything forever, nor could he dodge endlessly with Observation Haki.
"Heh heh~ At a time like this, the rubber suits Purah Meow and I made back on Skypiea finally come in handy meow!"
＜(=`=)＞
Although she hated lightning and refused to go herself, Haibara Meow still participated in her own way.
Back when they were preparing to deal with Enel, the two research-minded Felynes had attempted to create a fully insulated anti-electric suit.
Although they abandoned the project in the end because the durability wasn't sufficient, they still kept several prototype versions…
Fortunately, they weren't made into something resembling the catfish-shaped thunder-resistant outfit from The Legend of Zelda.
Instead, they were extremely simple, full-coverage rubber suits that looked somewhat like crude diving gear.
Since they were only prototypes, Haibara Meow and Purah Meow naturally didn't waste time on appearance.
For everyone safety, Shermie even changed into one of those suits and went to the island first to get struck by lightning a few times, confirming that while the thunder there looked spectacular, its power was weaker than the lightning released by the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
However, there was still one issue: all of those prototype suits were Felyne-sized. There wasn't a single one that fit Sherwin or Robin.
Just as Sherwin was starting to consider whether he'd have to march onto the island using a giant rubber shield, Shermie tapped his cheek with her little paw and pointed into the distance.
"Sherwin dear~ a boat is coming meow~"
Following her paw, Sherwin saw a small sightseeing boat wobbling toward them—one of those extremely simple tourist rafts you'd see at attractions,
where four poles are stuck into a bamboo raft or wooden platform and a flimsy roof is built on top…
Seriously, how was something like that sailing through the Grand Line monstrous weather?!
"Are you folks planning to go ashore on Thunder Island? If so, do you need an 'umbrella'?"
An old man wrapped in a black robe, revealing two rows of chipped teeth, stood at the bow and asked Sherwin—who was now rolling his eyes so hard they nearly flipped over.
After a round of conversation, Sherwin finally understood the man purpose.
Although Thunder Island was completely uninhabitable, it was still one of the islands capable of recording magnetic fields, so people would inevitably visit.
And to safely remain on the island until the magnetic field finished recording, someone had invented umbrellas capable of resisting lightning strikes.
In fact, the umbrella main use was shielding from rain, because the rainwater on Thunder Island contained thunderous energy.
While not as powerful as the lightning bolts themselves, the density was outrageous.
Even someone with Observation Haki as sharp as Katakuri would definitely get hit the moment he set foot there.
Because Purah Meow and Haibara Meow were very interested in these unusual umbrellas, Sherwin had no choice but to buy three of them—each costing a ridiculous ten thousand berries.
Leaving one on the ship for Haibara Meow to study, Sherwin brought Robin and the Felynes ashore onto the constantly rumbling Thunder God Island.
"Meow—!"
=(==(==(=`=)
The moment Shermie set foot on the island, she joyfully dashed forward and, after turning into her elemental form, shot straight up into the thick cloud layer hanging over the island.
Klee Meow and Jinx, meanwhile, started playing a game of "dodge the lightning." Even though Jinx still hadn't awakened Observation Haki, her eyesight and reflexes were among the best of all the cats.
So, despite the endless barrage of lightning, none of it managed to strike the little blue cat.
"What an interesting climate, meow…"
Haibara Meow deliberately removed her rubber gloves and stretched out a small paw covered in Armament Haki, catching a few drops of rain falling from the sky.
Those ordinary-looking droplets instantly burst into tiny sparks of lightning the moment they touched her paw.
Sherwin also reached his arm out from under the umbrella to test it, discovering that every raindrop carried lightning at least as strong as "Mink Mode." But before the lightning discharged, his Observation Haki couldn't sense even the slightest danger.
Although Thunder Island "thunder rain" was strange, Sherwin wasn't particularly interested in this kind of "unscientific" weather. So he quickly pulled his hand back and continued mapping the area.
Since there were no clues at all, Robin didn't go off on her own and stayed close to Sherwin.
As for Purah Meow, who wanted to search for rare materials…
She pulled out two dowsing rods under Sherwin speechless gaze and, in a manner completely unfitting for a researcher Felynes, began her own little prospecting adventure.
And to prevent the dowsing rods in her hands from becoming lightning attractors, the two L-shaped sticks Jinx held were made entirely of rubber.
Unable to follow them into the thunderclouds and not daring to act too boldly in front of Huamei Meow, Sanji Meow trailed closely behind Jinx, ready at any moment to help her dig up materials.
Shaking his head and choosing not to bother with the cats who had all found their own entertainment, Sherwin and Robin simply held up a rubber umbrella as they strolled across Thunder Island, chatting casually along the way…
If it weren't for the thunderbolts and the dangerous, crackling rain falling overhead, the scene would've been somewhat romantic.
Thunder Island wasn't particularly large. Combined with being struck by lightning all year round, its terrain was full of pits and dents, but overall, it had very little elevation change.
So after just a bit more than ten minutes, Sherwin had already "painted" roughly one-third of the island on the map.
Because of this relatively flat terrain, they could basically confirm by now that there was no Poneglyph on the island…
But Robin didn't return to the ship. Instead, she continued wandering around the island with Sherwin.
In the distance, Klee Meow and Jinx had long grown tired of the "dodge the lightning" game and were now by Jinx side helping—or rather messing around—as she worked.
A few minutes later, Klee Meow and Huamei Meow, whose Observation Haki range was comparatively large, suddenly lifted their heads at the same time, looking toward the thunderclouds above.
"Look at the sky, meow!"
The little ragdoll, while lifting her head to look at the sky, didn't forget to shout a reminder to everyone else.
Jinx, and Sanji Meow—who had been busy digging—also looked up. Even though Sherwin couldn't hear Klee Meow voice over the roaring thunder, he still noticed the cat reactions and raised his head as well.
At first, the sky didn't look any different from before. But soon, an abnormal change appeared…
In the center of the pitch-black clouds, a faint spark of lightning flickered. It seemed insignificant at first, but it quickly spread across the clouds like ink dropped onto rice paper.
The bolts of lightning that had been falling nonstop suddenly bent mid-descent, making a sharp one-eighty as if summoned, returning straight back into the clouds.
The sky above Thunder Island now resembled a vortex made entirely of lightning, countless bolts gathering toward the central point of the thunderclouds.
Even the rain infused with electricity gradually came to a halt without anyone noticing.
Then, the lightning vortex in the sky began to shrink. The thunderclouds that nurtured all that lightning also contracted with it, eventually condensing into a massive sphere of black ball-lightning…
Wait—wasn't this the "Raigo" that Enel could only unleash using the Ark Maxim?!
Sherwin clearly remembered that the thing was powerful enough to obliterate an entire sky island in a single strike…
But even though Shermie was one of the Four Heavenly Kings among the little mischievous cats, she at least understood moderation. She shouldn't actually throw down a "Raigo" like that… right?
Sherwin felt a bit uneasy at the thought.
Thankfully, Shermie didn't betray his trust. The massive sphere of lightning continued shrinking, though its rate of contraction was clearly much slower than before.
Even though his Observation Haki couldn't reach that high, Sherwin could still tell that Charmy was struggling a little to fully control all that lightning.
"Big Sister Charmy, you can do it, meow!"
(=`=)
Klee Meow, who could sense the situation above far more clearly with her Observation Haki, suddenly shouted toward the sky.
Judging from her relaxed tone, things didn't seem too worrisome.
Sherwin casually tossed away the umbrella, cupped his hands around his mouth, and joined Klee Meow and Sanji Meow in cheering loudly for Shermie.
Robin smiled softly and joined in as well, and Sherwin could faintly hear cheering even from the Dodo Advance.
With everyone voices rising together, the lightning sphere became smaller and smaller…
Finally, the black ball of lightning completely merged into Charmy lightning-wreathed body, and Thunder Island welcomed what was likely its first clear sky ever.
"Sherwin dear~ I'm back, meow~"
Having absorbed the entire thundercloud above Thunder Island, Shermie transformed into a bolt of lightning and leapt into Sherwin arms, instantly making all his hair stand on end.
Sherwin could even feel a tingling numbness spreading across his skin…
"Oh my~ sorry, I'm still not very used to controlling all the lightning I just absorbed, meow~"
(=＜=)
This familiar scene made Sherwin glare helplessly as he endured the lingering sparks crackling around Shermie body and gave the cat girl head a firm rub…