2 weeks.

That's how long it took for them to do anything other than sit around and relax. Primarily because the captain and their new crewmate were both covered in bandages. Taiga had gotten better rather quickly but that's how Zoan's work. Enhanced healing combined with plenty of food and rest? That was more than enough to for a zoan to return to top conditions. Cliff himself was more than ready even if he still had bandages on his chest and both arms until his elbow.

When these 2 weeks were over, they began collecting supplies.

A few more days and they were ready to set sail.

…

…

…

"It's a bit cramped here. I don't think this boat was made for 3 people." Taiga said.

"it's just 2 more days!" Cassy said with a tired sigh. "You've survived like this for the past 3 days. You can survive 2 more, can't you?"

"Yeah, yeah… Hey! Captain why're we sailing to Centaurea again?"

"It's closer! If we continued to Briss Kingdom, we would've had to go around Bridge Island. That island isn't exactly small." Cliff reasoned.

"Centaurea has a Marine Base!" Cassy said.

"So does Briss!" Cliff said still looking out to the ocean.

"So, you just chose based on who's closer?" (Cassy)

"Yup!"

That led to 2 sighs from the 2 crewmembers.

"Well, the winds carrying us for now. If it stays, we'll be there in 2 days. If it stops, well lets just stay we'll have to stay in this cramped boat longer."

"No, we won't!" Cliff said, startling both Cassy and Taiga.

"What do you mean by that?" both said at the same time looking towards Cliff.

He just pointed towards the horizon that he was staring at, standing on the stern facing the back of the boat.

Following his finger, both look towards the horizon and promptly pale. For on the horizon was a storm seemed to be getting closer by the second. Within seconds winds howled and rain reached them drenching them in the process. The increased wind speed was pushing the dinghy faster but the storm caught up nonetheless.

All 3 were speechless, stuck in their position.

When the winds increased speed so much that their mast couldn't take it and started to crack, noise produced caused them to break out of their trance and look towards the mast so fast that they themselves were sure they heard bones crack in their neck.

Within seconds, Cassy was trying to keep hold of the sailcloth while both Cliff and Taiga were rowing as fast as they could.

The black clouds that encompassed the storm seemed determined to catch them and so sped up to catch them.

Several minutes later the storm completely enveloped them. As it did, the 3 could do nothing but watch as their best efforts didn't do much. Soon they could see nothing but black clouds with lightning sometimes flashing, could hear nothing but the howling wind and the occasional rumble and crack of lighting and roar of the rain.

They endured this for 2 days, never once sleeping a wink, always ready to move, occasionally having to catch hold of the sailcloth and hoping that the mast doesn't give out in the middle of the storm.

…

…

…

2 days later, the west coast of Centaurea had an interesting situation.

3 people were found scattered face down in the sand across the beach with a battered boat beached nearby. The mast of the boat was found a further 20 meters from the boat.

Slowly, Cliff woke up spit out some sand, got up, looked towards the pleasant sun and yawned. It took him a second but he eventually realized something and roared, "We're on land! We're safe! WE SURVIVED!"

His shout prompted both the others to get up, yawn and then blink in realization before jumping up and celebrating their survival.

Took them a few seconds to regain their bearings as they silently looked for their boat. Finding it battered and missing a mast and seeing the mast further up ahead, all of them sighed and thanked the heavens the boat didn't give out midway.

Silently moving forth they collected their belongings strewn about the beach before sitting down on the bow of the boat.

"This is the west coast of Centaurea, isn't it?" Cassy asked.

"HmMm…" Cliff nodded looking at one his maps taken from his bags. "Yeah! This is Centaurea alright! Problem is no village in sight until quarter of the way across the island."

"I thought there would a village on the coast with docks present?" Cassy asked.

Instead of Cliff it was Taiga who answered, "Centaurea's got a small desert covering a little less than quarter of the way from the west coast. Villages are inland and well, there are no docks in the desert. It'll take you 4 or 5 days to get to one roughly."

"How'd you know that?" (Cliff)

"My grandfather was a pirate." He deadpanned. "He left behind a few stories of his adventures in his notes too." He answered with a flat voice.

"Oh right! 4 or 5 days in the desert! I'm gonna starve!" (Cliff)

"Pretty sure there are snakes and other animals that live in the desert Cliff." Cassy answered him.

"Aside from the heat, its just like living in the forest. We've got some fresh water in barrels and we can catch some food. We'll survive just fine."

…

…

…

TIME SKIP 15 DAYS~

"What are we doing sitting like this in bars? It's been 10 days since we found the first village. All we've done since then is hop villages drinking in bars? Not that I'm complaining mind you! Just asking is all!" Taiga asked.

Cassy looked at him with a raised eyebrow before answering, "Looks like your grandfather didn't leave much behind telling how the world works, did he? Bars are the best place to get information. Drunk people let go of a lot of information, and the only ones to hear it are other drunk people who'll more than likely forget it or the bartenders that are sober and will remember it."

Taiga nodded to her reasoning before raising his mug, "In his defence, my grandfather clearly didn't expect anyone to follow his footsteps and hence the lack of anything required out on the sea."

Just to their right, Cliff sat drinking and listening to his friends talk. It was then his attention was grabbed by a young child, a girl by her looks, waving at him. Seeing such a peculiar sight, he gets up and walks to the girl. Seeing her up close, she seemed no more than 8 years old.

Once he was close enough, he crouched and asked the girl softly, "Why were you waving to me?"

The girl leans in and whispers right next to his ear, "I heard your looking for a ship. That's right, right?"

He looks at the girl for a moment before nodding. She seemed to brighten up at that and held his hand, "Please follow me! I can get you a ship and I guarantee it's a really nice one. Big too!"

Seeing her talk about the ship like that he lets her pull him. As they leave the bar, the girl turns back and Cliff eyes follow her to see both his friends get up and follow him.

The girl leads the crew towards the edge of the village, where she looks around and seeing no one other than Cliff's friends, she further leads them into the forest.

20 minutes later, Cassy says, "Where are you leading us?"

The girl turns around, "Deeper into the forest. Near where the river flows out into the ocean."

"That's on the other side of the island! It'll take us 4 days just get there!" Taiga exclaimed.

"Uhuh!" the girl nods, before stopping as if suddenly remembering something.

Everyone stops, looking at her. She turns around laughing sheepishly, "I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I?"

Everyone nods. Her cheeks light up getting red as she got embarrassed.

"My names May D. Wild." As she says this her form suddenly grows to that of a young woman with purple hair and matching purple eyes. Her body grows to about just a few inches below Cliff, which was impressive because Cliff himself was 6 ft 5 inches tall. So, May had to be at least 6' tall. She was wearing a pink shirt with sleeves rolled over and black trousers that were a tight fit but comfortable much like Cassy's.

"And I am the user of Disguise Disguise Fruit." She continued without a pause as if nothing had changed.

"That's all well and good, but why are you still holding onto Cliff's hand?" Cassy said with a raised eyebrow.

May's eyes went straight to her hand and within moments she had not only let go of Cliff's hand but was also a few meters ahead. Her cheeks light up a brilliant red as she stutters, "S-s-or-rrrr-r-ry"

"Its alright! No harm done!" Cliff answered.

"SO!" May yelled and clapped her hands loudly to distract them, "I've given you mine, now give me yours!" she exclaims.

"Cassy, I'm the first-mate."

"Hidetake Taiga. My first names Taiga. Call me that."

"Cliff Calloway. I'm the captain."

May nods before she starts walking towards their destination again.

"So, how'd you know we were looking for a ship?" Cliff asked.

"The bartender. He's friends with the other bartenders. Slipped him a little money and he told me the latest news on the island. As soon as I heard of some newcomers asking around for a ship I asked for your descriptions. Had to pay a little extra, but that's fine."

"Huh so it does work!" (Taiga)

"Of course, it does! Why else would I suggest it otherwise?" (Cassy)

"Hey! Don't blame me! I don't know how a lotta things work!" (Taiga)

"Are they always like this?" May questioned Cliff, who was busy laughing.

"Ever since we landed on this island." Cliff answered still laughing.

2 minutes later with the all 3 pirates calmed down, Cassy asked, "So, May, how does your fruit work? I mean I understand disguise, but how does that give you the power to de-age?"

"Oh no! it doesn't give me the power to de-age, it just disguises me. Whatever I think is a disguise for me, I can do it." Seeing them confused, she clarifies, "In your case, I thought that disguising myself as a child would work, so I did. I did not become a child though, its just that all others viewed and interacted with me as if I was a child and my body reflected that. It takes a few moments to get used to the new body but then it's like I was always a child until I decide to revert back."

"That's… surprisingly useful." Cassy said.

"So, could you like disguise yourself as a rock then? Or a tree? Or a-" Cliff began to ask.

"No, I cannot disguise myself as anything non-human. Not even a fish-man. Atleast not yet. But anything else, I just can't." May interrupted.

"Okay, that narrows down the possibilities but still there a lot of possibilities for that fruit." Taiga put his own point forward.

I know rig…"

…

…

…