Xie Wen had no idea that Shanks was trying every means to find out where he was. After welcoming Touma Meow, he kept his promise and had the Dudu head for Karakuri Island, Baldimore.
"Whoa! This is amazing, Xie Wen! The Dudu is really amazing!"
(==)
Seeing the Dudu transform for the first time, Touma Meow leaned excitedly over its edge, watching the claw-wing thrusters outside change shape as he shouted.
[Waaah! Touma, don't lean so far over the edge, meow!]
∑(=ΦДΦ=)
The Dudu, who had already merged into her main body, suddenly warned him with a hint of panic.
But her warning still came a step too late. A transparent protective barrier rapidly rose from the edge, carrying the bewildered Little Calico Cat up into the air.
"...Such misfortune, meooow~~~~~"
(=`=)
Touma Meow's voice wavered as he was "taken for a ride," but his little paws still clung tightly to the edge of the barrier.
"Let go, you little idiot! Do you want to lose your paws?!"
"Huh?! Aaaaaah! Xie Wen! You'd better catch me, meow-!"
At Xie Wen's shouted reminder, Touma Meow finally realized he needed to let go and released his paws, falling from above. Even as he wailed, he did not forget to call to Xie Wen for help.
Unfortunately, Xie Wen failed to catch him, because Touma Meow did not fall onto the deck at all. His momentum carried him diagonally downward, and he finally smacked into the protective barrier rising on the other side.
What made things even more embarrassing for Xie Wen was that, a second after Touma Meow let go and fell, a pair of arms suddenly sprouted from the barrier above to catch him. But thanks to Xie Wen's warning, they just missed...
In other words, if he had not shouted