After following the Kuja gathering team around the forest for a while, all the cats came back with bountiful harvests.
Haibara Meow collected quite a few medicinal herbs with special effects, Sanji Meow obtained some foods unique to Kuja Island, Link Meow picked up various oddly shaped fruits, shells, and other small trinkets, and even Klee Meow somehow dug out several explosive materials that couldn't be found outside.
Huamei, on the other hand, ended up empty-handed, but she had only wanted to explore this unfamiliar island in the first place…
And, incidentally, keep an eye on Klee Meow, that little troublemaking cat, to make sure she didn't cause any disasters.
Feeling thoroughly satisfied, Huamei Meow and the others followed the gathering team back to Amazon Lily.
Before long, they reunited inside Kuja City with Jinx and her group, who had gone off to fight in the arena.
Only Robin remained in Hancock palace, paging through the few documents preserved on Kuja Island.
"Klee! I won just now!"
After they regrouped, Shirahoshi immediately excitedly shared her battle experience with her companions, while Kaido Meow and Huamei Meow exchanged the information each of them had gathered…
"The Gorgon Curse? Klee heard a big sister talk about it, meow!"
(=ΦωΦ=)
Hearing Shirahoshi mention that the Kuja people referred to Devil Fruit abilities as the Gorgon Curse, the little kitten immediately chimed in.
"That curse was put on that bad woman called Hancock and her two younger sisters after they defeated a monster called Gorgon. The monster attached it to them right before it died… anyway, that what she told Klee, meow."
"But the curse Klee heard about doesn't seem to be turning into snakes. Instead, it that eyes grow on their backs, and anyone who sees them will be turned to stone, meow."
At this point, the little kitten tilted her head in confusion. "It seems that bad woman Fruit ability is exactly the power to turn people into stone, meow."
(=ω=)
"The situation is already very clear—they lied to everyone else, meow."
(=`へ=)
Haibara Meow folded her arms and nodded her small head as she analyzed, "Hiding their Devil Fruit ability isn't the key point.
The real issue is their backs. That so-called Gorgon Curse is just an excuse fabricated to prevent others from seeing their backs. Even if someone did happen to see them, she could simply use her Fruit ability to petrify the other party, thus confirming the so-called 'curse,' meow!"
"But then, why don't they want anyone to see their backs?"
Shirahoshi asked in confusion. "Aren't there only women on this island? Even if someone saw it, it wouldn't be a big deal, right?"
"How would I know, meow."
╮(=ΦωΦ=)╭
Haibara Meow spread her little paws and shrugged. "Maybe she got moss growing on her back or something, meow? With that woman narcissistic personality, it not impossible at all… as for her two younger sisters, maybe they're just helping her keep the secret, so they all conveniently got 'cursed' together, meow?"
"She really is a bad woman, meow! Klee doesn't like her!"
(=`н=)
The little kitten puffed up her cheeks and declared angrily.
"How about we give her a lesson, meow?"
(==)
Ever eager to stir up trouble, Jinx first cautiously glanced toward Huamei not far away. After confirming she wasn't paying attention to them, Jinx covered her mouth and whispered,
"That bad woman is so confident about her looks, meow? If we take pictures of the ugly thing on her back and have Uncle Morgans publish them in the newspaper, she won't be able to act so high and mighty anymore, meow!"
"Great idea, meow!"
Haibara Meow was the first to respond.
Right after that, Klee Meow nodded vigorously. "Bad guys who bully cats deserve a lesson, meow!"
"T-this isn't very good, is it…"
Soft-hearted Shirahoshi was still a little hesitant, but her opinion couldn't affect the little troublemaking cats at all. The three kittens put their heads together and began chattering away, planning how to secretly photograph Hancock back without anyone noticing.
Based on the palico Investigation Team long-standing experience, whenever Klee Meow was involved, things would become exceptionally smooth—and this time was no exception.
Just as the little troublemakers were plotting their mischief, an opportunity delivered itself right to their doorstep…
"Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!"
From within the Amazon Lily royal palace built atop towering stone walls, a long, resonant bell sound suddenly rang out.
If Sherwin were here, he would discover that the sound was extremely similar to that of chime bells… more precisely, it was exactly the sound of chime bells.
As the lingering bell tones echoed, the entire interior of Kuja City suddenly sprang into activity.
"Snake Princess-sama! It time for your bath!"
The news spread rapidly through word of mouth among the Kuja warriors, quickly reaching the entire city. Everyone put down what they were doing and, as if it were routine, began withdrawing toward the outskirts.
"Huh? What going on, meow?!"
(°ω°≡°ω°)
The cats, experiencing something like this for the first time, were completely dumbfounded.
Fortunately, Kuja warriors they had just met soon came over to explain the situation and led them as they moved toward the city gates together.
It was still the same old, oft-mentioned Gorgon curse. The few little cats exchanged glances—everything was understood without a word.
"Wait! Then what about Sister Robin?"
Sanji Meow quickly asked, and Shirahoshi and the other cats all stopped as well.
Not long after entering the city, Robin had separated from the cats and gone straight to the royal palace. Even though none of them took the so-called Gorgon curse seriously, worry was still worry.
"Well… Lady Snake Princess should have made arrangements, I suppose…"
The Kuja warrior answered uncertainly.
After all, she was just a member of a gathering squad, not even a national guard, and had never set foot in the palace. Naturally, she had no idea what was going on inside.
Such an uncertain answer obviously couldn't convince the cats.
But just as they were about to turn around and force their way into the Amazon Lily palace, Robin had already come out together with the others.
"Tch…"
Jinx, who had originally wanted to take the chance to stir up some trouble, clicked her tongue in regret, then sensibly followed the main group to the outskirts of the city.
After everyone had left the city, the Kuja warriors used long curtains of cloth to surround the entire place and stationed national guards to patrol the perimeter. As they patrolled, they also issued warnings to everyone else…
"From now on, for two hours! No one is allowed to enter the city!"
"If it just ringworm on the back, there really no need to make such a big fuss, meow…"
(=ω=)
Seeing the Kuja women making such a grand show of things, Haibara Meow suddenly felt a bit less confident.
"Could it be that that 'Gorgon curse' is actually real, meow?"
"Who cares whether it ringworm or a curse—let just go take a look and we'll know, meow."
Jinx waved her hand indifferently. "Anyway, I don't believe in that so-called curse at all."
Haibara Meow didn't really believe it either. After her moment of doubt passed, she instead grew even more curious about the truth.
So…
The little kitten turned around and took the initiative to look for Huamei.
Originally, the little kittens had planned to sneak in by themselves. But who would've thought that even Hancock taking a bath could cause such a huge commotion? Under these circumstances, trying to move secretly without alerting Lady Huamei was obviously unrealistic.
So Haibara Meow decisively changed the plan and chose to tell the truth.
"…We're just curious about what she hiding, and want to sneak in to take a look. We won't alarm anyone else, meow."
(=ω=)Haibara Meow put on an obedient, well-behaved look in front of Lady Huamei.
The little ragdoll also rubbed her head against Huamei while acting cute. "Klee Meow promises she definitely won't cause any trouble. Huamei big sister, just let us go, okay, meow~"
(=ω=)
"…If you do anything unnecessary, you'll receive very severe punishment, meow."
Harassed endlessly by the little kittens, Huamei finally relented.
Of course, the most crucial reason was that, given the personalities of these little troublemakers, if their curiosity wasn't satisfied, who knew what kind of chaos they'd stir up later. It was better to just agree.
After all, it was only a look at her back. It should… not be a big deal, right?