Just another short one-shot of 2nd gen moments with Tashigi and her son. I am really feeling the whole OP vibe right now which is weird because I'm in the middle of finals week. Maybe I'm just using this as a stress reliever.
Disclaimer: Oda is the genius that owns this and rightly so. All hail Oda. (although I'm ticked that he set up a potential relationship and then 400+ chapters later, has had absolutely nothing come of it. Still, there is always hope.)
CopyCat
"Hey mom? Who is dad?"
Tashigi froze mid-chop. She had been making a curry for her 7-year-old son and herself, the only two occupants of the small home. It was one of her rare breaks after returning to active duty. She had taken three years during her pregnancy and first two years of her son's life.
Her son, Sora, had inherited her navy blue hair. And that was it. He looked every inch his father. Not that he knew that. He even started fighting with two bokken instead of just the traditional one that she had been teaching him.
He was sitting at the table, his head propped up on his hands, his short legs swinging freely, too short to touch the ground while he sat. He had a stern look on his face that she knew was inherited and not an actual reflection of his mood.
She continued chopping, trying to seem nonchalant. "Why do you ask? You've never asked before."
"That's because you're never here." Her heart broke at his sad tone even if he continued to look stern when she turned to look at him.
"I'm so sorry, Sora. I do try to visit as often as I can. It's just, with the influx of pirates around the world, they need every able-bodied person they can-"
He waved her apology away, his cheeks slightly pink from embarrassment. "I know that. I was just answering your question. I don't miss you or anything." He folded his arms as if to emphasize this point, even if it was negated by his obvious avoidance by looking to the side. She smiled. He had a hard time expressing his emotions. Another inherited trait.
"I'll try to visit more frequently. Maybe I should aske Vice-Admiral Smoker to station me closer to home. Part of the problem is when I'm in the Grand Line of West Blue. Even if I have time off, I can't always make the trip back in time." She continued with her cooking.
There was a moment of silence as she added the chopped vegetables to the boiling pot on the stove. She wasn't a great cook by any means but she knew enough simple dishes to get by.
"You didn't answer my question. Who is dad? Is he dead? Why don't you ever mention him?"
She sighed at her son's persistence. She set down the spoon she had been using to stir and sat down across from her son, her hands clasped on the table. She thought carefully as Sora gazed up at her.
"In school, did your teacher ever mention something called 'Absolute Justice?'" She tried very hard to keep the bitterness out of her tone at the phrase. Sora thought for a moment before nodding slowly.
"I think so. He was talking about the War of the Greats and the son of Gold Roger. Or something." He blushed. "I might have been a little distracted during his lecture." Meaning he had slept through most of it.
She nodded. "That is a perfect example. What do you know about the War of the Greats?"
Sora perked up a little at the topic. He loved battle stories, particularly when it involved great legends, pirate and marine alike. "The War of the Greats was when Firefist Ace was sentenced to be executed for being a pirate and the son of Gold Roger. His captain, the Great Whitebeard, and all his crew stormed the marine base to try and rescue him. His famous brother, Strawhat Luffy also fought and even brought a whole bunch of escaped pirates from Impel Down, the first escapees from the marine prison ever!"
Memories of the events talked about flashed in her mind but she brushed them aside.
"Indeed. Firefist Ace was executed for all of this crimes as a pirate but was done so publicly like that because he was part of Whitebeard's crew as well as the son of the infamous pirate Gold Roger." She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts and restraining the raw emotion that was bubbling under her calm exterior.
"Absolute Justice added the 'crime' of being the son of a pirate onto the head of the child. And that was a large part of why he was executed."
Sora frowned at this news. "But it's not like he asked to be born Gold Roger's son. Why was that a crime?" Tashigi smiled sadly.
"It's not. At least, it shouldn't be. But the world government and therefore the marines, say that anyone who is associated with a pirate in any way, is guilty. Such as being their child."
"Well, that's not justice!" Sora exclaimed, jumping on top of the bench he had been sitting on. "You can't help who your parents are!"
"Calm down Sora." She placed a gentle hand on her son's shoulder. "I understand. I understand only too well." There was silence at her words. Sora's indignant expression changed to one of deep thought, as if he was struggling to understand something of his own.
"Why did you bring this up, mom?" He asked, his head bowed so she couldn't see his eyes. His voice was quiet. Tashigi took a deep breath.
"As a marine, I've seen a lot of people related to famous pirates or other criminals deny such relations for fear of their own life. Absolute Justice implies that the very blood of criminal is guilty, and therefore, anyone with the same blood is guilty as well."
"…dad is a pirate, isn't he?" It was a quiet statement, so low that she wouldn't have heard it if not for the complete silence throughout the whole kitchen, save the soft bubbling of the curry. Sora looked up and Tashigi was surprised at the intensity of his expression. She saw a glimpse of a certain pirate who in all likelihood, didn't even know he had a son. A son who was an exact copy of him, minus the hair. Which was the only reason that she and Sora hadn't been hauled off already.
She nodded. Sora turned to stare out the window, the same fierce expression on his face.
"Who?"
"Sora-"
"Who?" He cut her off. She sighed.
"That's dangerous information, Sora." She said in her official voice. "That's not something that I have ever told anyone. Ever." Not that some people haven't guessed, she thought as she recalled a particularly awkward conversation between her and a certain white-haired vice-admiral.
"I won't tell. I just-" He turned back to look at her, his expression unreadable. "I just need to know."
"I can't tell you, Sora. It's too dangerous. I can't risk someone overhearing."
"Then just tell me," He shouted in frustration. "Is he still alive?"
She nodded.
"Is he a swordsman?"
She nodded again.
He paused, his head tilted to the side. "Is he famous." Another nod. He frowned as he thought hard.
"…is he strong?" She almost laughed at this question. Of course he wanted to know if he was strong.
"The strongest." She answered with a small smile. Sora stared hard at her expression.
"He's a mugiwara, isn't he?" Her eyes widened with surprise. "How did-" She caught herself before she said anything else. He smirked and once again, she had a vision of the older version of her son.
"You said he's the strongest. No one is stronger than the mugiwara's. Their wanted status is on par with the Revolutionary Dragon."
She blinked. "You know, I really don't know from where you got your perceptiveness."
He grinned and hopped down from the table, striding purposefully towards the door. "I'm going out to train for a bit. Call me when dinner's ready." He paused at the door, glancing back at his mother. "Don't worry. I won't tell. I understand." He closed the door with a soft click.
She sat for a moment, looking at the closed door. There were times when he was the epitome of his father's son. There were times when no one questions his relation to her. And then there were times when he surpassed both of them, times when she wasn't sure to whom he was related.
She shook her head ruefully and went back to the curry. Her son was his own person. He would grow up to be a fine man. And she wouldn't put it past him to aspire to be the world's strongest swordsman.
When she had to go off in search of her son half an hour later only to find him half-way up the mountain due to forgetting which way the dojo that he had been frequenting since he was three was, she had to admit to herself that he was truly his father's son.
Review please!