Sorry it took so long but here is the sequel to Surprise. If you haven't read the first one you should it would really help to understand some of this.
Little Ren is older and there are changes for the rest of the crew and a new surprise on its way. I hope you like it.
And some shameless self promoting I posted the first six chapter of an original work about kings and queens and dragons and romance if you would be interested it would be cool if you read it.
Ren had been sitting in the courtyard clutching the paper in his hands for almost an hour. He was happy, it was his first bounty poster. The picture was of his profile but the sneer on his face of obvious. The bounty wasn't that high but still respectable and given all he did was anger a marine lieutenant it was a good start.
What he did this time was see a pretty young girl being harassed by the marine who not only was making inappropriate comments to her but also stealing the fruit she was selling. Ren jumped in front of the man yelling at him about treating a woman right the marine made other rude comments and received a light kick to the chest for his efforts sending him down the street.
Ren had done many other things with the Strawhats in his thirteen years of life but this was the first time it was taken more seriously. No one seemed to think a child could do the things he'd done like sinking a small marine ship when he was only eight or slicing a building in half to bring it down on the heads of the people threatening a small village. People failed to realize who his parents were. He knew the rumors, he had heard them plenty of times but he was proud of his parentage.
The fact Ren was Zoro's son was obvious based on his looks. He looked more like his Dad everyday. The sharp grey eyes, muscular build and green hair made the comparison easy. The fact Ren started using three sword style when he was ten only solidified it.
The fact only the most loyal believed was that his Daddy Sanji was the one who gave birth to him. Even with everything the Grand Line threw at them a man giving birth to a child was unheard of. He didn't blame people for doubting, it was bizarre but just like all things the Strawhats did they looked at what was possible and blew right past it to unbelievable. Ren did have some of his Daddy's traits, in the looks department he had strands of gold mixed with the green, a more wiry build than Zoro and already had dark hairy legs. He was hoping to grow facial hair next. And he could kick a man across a large field or break concrete no problem.
Ren looked up from the paper in his hands to the majesty in the middle of the courtyard. It was proof of what the Strawhats were capable of. It was a large twisting tree with no leaves but every devil fruit known to man and even some yet to be discovered hung from it branches. It was the source of all devil fruits. It had been a lone tree in the middle of the ocean on a small island. When the devil fruit had been eaten and its user alive the fruit was on the tree. When its user died the fruit left only to return when it was eaten again.
Ren remembered the time it was found. Luffy had yelled "cool!" and said they had to protect it and keep it secret. Luffy was already Pirate King by then and they had found the map for the tree in Roger's stash. Rayleigh hadn't even known about it. A towering fortress was built around the tree with the open courtyard only accessible to Strawhats and those deemed honorary Strawhats like Princess Vivi.
The fortress had been called the King's Throne by most of the Strawhat Fleet Commanders when they were invited to see it and the name stuck. Ren called it home.
He decided he better leave the peace of the courtyard. Dinner would start soon and he wanted to help his Daddy. He stood from the bench he was seated on and closed the door behind him with the door automatically locking. He made a quick pass to greet everyone before heading to the Baratie II. He passed through the corridors and popped his head in to the mechanical room and dock and waved at Uncle Usopp and Uncle Franky who were pouring over ship plans.
He went up the stairs and passed by the library with the small classroom next door and saw his Auntie Robin lost in a new book. He decided not to bother her and continued on his way. Auntie Nami wasn't in the chart room so he moved on. He waved to Uncle Chopper and Auntie Kaya on his way past the small hospital.
He bypassed the rooftop gardens and green house as well as the living quarters and playground and headed to the private kitchen where his Dad, Uncle Luffy, Uncle Brook and Uncle Jimbei were playing cards. "Hey Ren want us to deal you in?" His Dad Zoro asked.
"Nah I'm gonna help Daddy. We have a table of girls coming for one of their birthdays. I hear she's turning fourteen! I bet she's pretty." Ren said dreamily.
"Ugh!" Zoro said. "Why do you have to take after your Daddy like that? Remember the flower rule yeah."
Ren smiled and bowed. "Of course! Only give flowers to the girls I like. But I like all girls!"
He turned around and started making his way to the Baratie II's kitchens but could hear the laughter coming from behind him and his Dad laughing as he said, "Is it the curly eyebrows? It must be the curly eyebrows!"
He thought that was fine, they could laugh. He had two girlfriends already. They only lasted one day while the girls visited for dinner or something but still. Most of the people that came to visit were adults afterall. The only kids around were his cousins. Usopp and Kay had twin boys and Luffy and Nami had a little girl.
Ren walked in the restaurant's kitchens to find his Daddy hard as work. He jumped in next to Sanji and started prepping vegetables.
The kitchen was what Ren remembered of the Baratie. He had visited a few times but they hadn't been back in a few years. Him and his Daddy joked and threw good natured insults at each other and the cooks. He was teased for calling Sanji Daddy still but he just came right back and gave better than he got. He was Sanji's son and could dish the quick words as well as a meal.
In what felt like no time at all the dinning room was filling up. Ren kept peeking out and checking for the table of girls. His Daddy would yell and he would get back to work until he grew distracted again. He was disrupted by Franky's booming voice coming from the transponder snail and announcing a food delivery.
"That'd be you kid." Sanji said.
"But Daddy… send someone else." Ren whined. "I wanna see the girls when they get here. I gotta make a good first impression."
Laughter rang out they had seen enough to know father and son were alike when it came to girls only Sanji was worse. Ren knew it was a lost cause. Even if he did go out to greet the girls and act suave someone would try to embarrass him. "But Ren…" Sanji said. "If you don't bring the delivery up and give me something to do I'll have to go show those girls your baby pictures when they get here."
Ren huffed and crossed his arms. His Daddy wouldn't do something that embarrassing. He hoped.
Sanji's voice took on a stern tone. "Little Marimo I better not repeat myself."
Ren deflated and bowed. "Sorry Daddy. I'll bring it right up."
Down on the dock Ren took the bags of grains and put them on the trolley. An arrogant looking man stepped out of a small boat and began the walk inside the fortress and not up the stairs to the Baratie II. Ren jumped in front of him to stop him. "The restaurant is up those stairs."
The man looked him up and down and scoffed. "I can see idiot. I'm looking for Roronoa Sanji."
Ren squared up. He was shorter than the man by at least a foot but he had trained with every Strawhat and Mihawk. He could easily take him. "What do you want with my Daddy?"
The man made a face of disgust. "Daddy what are you five?" Ren opened his mouth to retort but the man continued. "I'm Iron Legs McGraw. I'm the best kickboxer around but some people seem to think Sanji is better so I've come to challenge him."
Ren rolled his eyes. "Oh another one. Well you'll have to come back in the morning he's busy."
McGraw's face took on a red tint as he grew furious. "I wait for no man! Where is he?!"
Ren chuckled. "This'll be good. He's in the Baratie II. But I'm warning you that you need to wait."
McGraw stormed off up the steps and Ren followed. He thought about telling Franky first that repairs would need to be done but he didn't want to miss the guy getting his butt kicked.
McGraw threw open the door and started yelling for Sanji. "Come out Sanji and fight me!"
A blond head poked out of the kitchen with a murderous scowl. "What the hell do you want? I'm busy. Come back in the morning."
Ren laughed. "I told you."
McGraw started spitting and spluttering in rage. "Pansy! Get out here and face me."
Sanji stepped from the kitchen. He appeared calm but to those who knew him he was a ticking time bomb. One of the things he hated was being taken away from dinner service unless it was important. This was not.
He glided through between the tables with both hands in his pocket and stopped a few feet from McGraw. Sanji tapped the toe of one shoe on the ground and Ren stepped back and behind his Daddy. "I'm giving you one more chance to leave." Sanji said.
McGraw sneered. "If you're too chicken I'll fight your ugly stupid as a rock kid."
The diners grew tense. The air in the room grew thick and hot and a few napkins on the tables closest to Sanji began to singe. Ren could hear Luffy laughing and the slapping of sandals as he ran. He could hear his Dad yelling at Franky to hit the fire extinguishers.
Sanji erupted in fire and charged the man kicking him through the door. Sanji skywalked out following the trajectory and the kicked the man back to the harsh metal siding of the fortress. The metals it was made out of bent for no one and the man slide down in a pile gasping and wheezing. Ren and Luffy had been watching the whole thing with huge grins from the broken door way while Zoro and others made sure all the fires were out. Sanji turned to Ren. "Where is his ship?"
Ren pointed and Sanji kicked McGraw back to his ship then kicked man and ship far out to sea beyond what anyone could see. McGraw had made a fatal error insulting Sanji's precious boy.
Sanji skywalked back and smoothed down his suit and adjusted his tie. He addressed the room. "Forgive the intrusion everyone but rudeness will not be tolerated. Dinner service will resume shortly." He turned to his son and ran a hand through the soft light green hair. "Don't listen to jerks baby. You're so handsome and smart."
Ren turned away as his Dad looked at his Daddy with that look in his eye. The look he knew meant they needed alone time. Zoro stalked up to Sanji and grinned wolfishly. "That was hot. I love it when you manhandle someone like that."
Sanji started running his hand in Zoro's hair roughly and jerking at the strands. "Oh yeah maybe you can manhandle me."
Zoro threw Sanji over his shoulder and slapped him on the ass and he carried him up the stairs to the restaurant office. Ren buried his red face in his hands, he loved his parents and was so glad they still loved each other so passionately but man was he embarrassed.
Ren loved all his nakama, his famiily. They were the most important people in his life. To him his Dad was amazing and the best Dad ever. He loved his Dad with his heart and soul but if he was being honest with himself, and he usually was, his Daddy was his number one person. They had been together since his birth. Sanji was his rock and he knew his Daddy loved him more than anyone. They could communicate without words and he would share anything with his Daddy including any weakness, whereas he still struggled to do that with his Dad. Maybe it was because he had always seen Zoro as more reserved or maybe it was because Zoro only showed his weakness with Sanji Ren wasn't sure.
He loved his cuddles with his Daddy. He still did it. He didn't care how old he got. He wondered if this was how kids felt about their Moms. But he wouldn't trade a mom for his Daddy.
The fortress's lower floors had been locked up tight for an hour now and Sanji had been out on their porch in a large hammock watching the night sky when Ren lay down beside him and wrapped his arms around Sanji's midsection. Sanji ran his hand down Ren's back and kissed the top of the boy's head. Both let out a sigh of contentment.
Ren began to practice his nightly observation Haki training by closing his eyes and reaching out trying to find where everyone was. Once he established where his cousins, Aunties and Uncles were he began to pull his reach back in. He focused on his Dad who was asleep in bed then focused on his Daddy next to him.
He could feel a flutter of another presence where his Daddy was. He focused on it. After a few minutes of concentration he realized what it was and sat up with a bolt of euphoria. "Daddy you're pregnant!"