THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN EDITED
Chapter I-Four years later
"Mama! Mama! Look, a swordsman!" The voice of my three-year-old daughter made me look to where she's pointing. My lime green and cerulean blue eyes took in the swordsman as he came into the bar and sat down at the counter. His frame was quite slender, but very well proportioned with well-toned muscles bulging against his white short-sleeved shirt. His pants and boots were a very dark green that almost seemed to be black. His short and slightly spiky seafoam green hair was hidden underneath his bandana that was the same color of his pants and boots. His bright green haramaki held three very well-made swords including that of the infamous white-hilted Wado Ichimonji.
"Hmm, he seems like a nice man Takeshi."
My daughter's pale silver locks bounced as she nodded eagerly and a bright smile spread over her lips as she cutely giggled.
"Hehe, yep!"
A chuckle escaped my lips at her antics and I swept my hand through her very thick locks lovingly. Said swordsman glanced over as he heard Takeshi's giggles before doing a double-take as took in the both of us. Takeshi's own set of cerulean orbs looked over to the now looking man curiously and tilted her head in thought. The hand that ran through her locks then gently grabbed her own hand as I stood.
"Come, let us go greet the man Takeshi."
She gave me a grateful and happy smile as she stood beside me reaching my mid-thigh as she did so.
Compared to most children her age, she was pretty-abnormally-tall. Which wasn't quite surprising since I was tall myself. Her … sperm-donor was also an immensely tall creature as well.
The swordsman seemed to blink quite owlishly once he saw how tall my daughter was before he then looked at me curiously, but a bit suspiciously as well. Which was quite understandable. I was not a normal person to look at. Especially with the scar on my neck and those on my face as well. Though I had more littered all over my body, I wore concealing clothing to hide them all as best as I could. Most would think I'm a nun or a pirate, and technically I was when I was … nevermind.
I put on a small but warm smile on my face as Takeshi approached the young man with wide curious eyes.
"Are you a real swordsman? Mama said that those who have swords are."
A chuckle escaped my lips as she said this, and a grunt escaped that of the swordsman's.
"Yep, I'm a real swordsman. You wanting to be one too kid?"
A deep blush and sheepish smile appeared as she nodded eagerly.
"Yep! I want to be a great swordsman one day! Maybe even the greatest! So, that I can protect mama from the bad people!"
An impressed and amused smirk reached the green-haired man as Takeshi swung her arms around playfully to imitate the movements of a sword swinging in the air.
"Well, I'm pretty sure your mother would appreciate that. What's your name kid?"
A giggle and a proud smirk erupted on her cute baby face as she placed her hands on her hips.
"My name is Takeshi, and I'm three!"
She held up three of her fingers to emphasize her age. This, however, seemed to surprise the swordsman.
"You've must of thought that she was older, didn't you?"
My deep and slightly raspy effeminate voice reached his ears before he looked at me curiously, but nodded despite the slight suspicion in his dark green eyes.
Yea, I thought she was 12 or something. You're her mother?"
I nodded as my own thick silver locks bounced as I did so.
"Yes, I am. Takeshi saw you when you came in and had gotten quite curious. Oh, my apologies, I'm Trafalgar Kazanaka. Anaka for short. I work as the main doctor and surgeon here in town."
I held out my right hand for him to shake in which he returned it as well.
"Roronoa Zoro."
Ah, so that's why he was so familiar.
"The infamous Pirate Hunter huh? But it seems bounty hunters alike hunt pirates in one way or another. Hehe."
He gave a smirk in agreement just as I felt Takeshi grab my dark mortician's robes tightly and heard the unmistakable barks and growls of that bastard son's wolf. A sneer made its way to my face as the sounds got closer until the wolf made its way into the bar. Just as the wolf was about to attack my daughter, I grabbed the mangy creature by the scruff of its neck before a very audible snapping pop resonated throughout the place. Loud whimpers and whines of pain were heard as I then said in a very menacing high-pitched raspy masculine voice
"Now that wasn't very nice, now was it? You would know better than to come near my daughter a third time, now would you?" The beast, fully submissive now, nodded in fear and in agreement. My voice slowly returned to its normal deep effeminate tones as I continued, "Come anywhere near her again, or anyone, with the intent to harm and/or kill, and I'll skin you alive and cook you for dinner. Quite literally in fact. Capisce?"
Another nod came the wolf before I slowly lowered him make to the ground. I then realized the shouts of shock and indignance from the bratty Marine Captain's son, Helmeppo.
"How dare you attack my doggy?! I can have you executed for this you know!"
I looked at him with a barely concealed look of annoyance.
"He isn't harmed you dumbass. I merely popped his nose to discipline him. Simple as that. Besides, if you do execute me, you will not be orphaning an innocent child, but you'll be removing the doctor that treats your sorry asses when you get hurt. As well as the undertaker who cleans up the corpses you have executed. So, go ahead, do it. I hope you enjoy the smell of uncleaned decaying flesh afterwards."
Takeshi pressed her small body against my leg to make sure that I'm going anywhere, and I'm really not. I was merely challenging the Marines, mainly Helmeppo, to follow along with a notion such as this. Helmeppo most have registered what was said because he left shortly afterwards with his wolf in tow grumbling in annoyance.
I ran my fingers through my daughter's hair to reassure her of my intentions as I let out a deep sigh.
"Make sure you be very careful during your stay here Zoro-san. He won't always be swayed as easily."
I glanced at said swordsman as he grunts in agreement and nodded in response.
It has been nearly three weeks since then. Helmeppo made sure to avoid my clinic and mortuary with his person and his "pet". However, it seems that Roronoa Zoro has gotten himself captured for killing said "pet". All because they disturbed his lunch. It is quite amusing to say the least.
"Mama! We're out of milk and bread again!"
I shook my head as I made my way to the kitchen and saw that Takeshi had once again drank all the milk and ate another loaf of bread.
"You sure do have a bottomless stomach don't you Takeshi?"
A proud, beaming smile and a nod was my answer. I shook my head once again as an amused smile appeared while I checked my wallet for some beris. While working as a doctor and undertaker was benefitting, it can be slightly taxing when you have a daughter who eats nearly constantly. "Especially when it comes to milk and bread." A chuckle escaped at the thought as I just grabbed the whole wallet and a woven basket used for grocery shopping.
"Come Takeshi. Let us go get some more food."
"YAY! Hehe."
It was nearly lunchtime when we made our way through the market. Takeshi wanting almost everything in sight with my hand as her anchor to keep her from running away, but that did not stop her from pointing out either.
"Mama, look! A straw-hat man!"
I looked at her confused before following where her finger was pointing. While, I would usually scold her for pointing at other people, I was too curious for my own good. That, and my own hands were full at the moment. Indeed, there was a young man wearing a rather old yet very well cared for straw hat on his head. He seemed to be a few years younger than myself, and he certainly looked like it too. He was rather petite and scrawny, but I could make out the well-toned muscles in his arms and what could be seen in his legs too. He was a fighter, and fortunately, or rather unfortunately, I found fighter's to be quite attractive. I quickly discarded that thought as I kept observing him.
"Hey Luffy. Who do you think that is?"
The pink-haired young boy beside the straw-hat man was now pointing at me rather rudely. I looked at him rather unamused as my 'Mama Reflexes' were kicking in rather strongly.
"Mama, the straw-hat man's name is Luffy. Can we go meet him?"
I looked from the boy to my little girl as she looked at me with those childishly curious eyes. "Well, at least she isn't obsessing over food anymore. At least for the moment."
"Alright, let's go meet Luffy."
"YAY! Hehe."
"Shishishi. You're pretty funny!"
I looked at the man now identified as Luffy and gave a chuckle of my own.
"Why, that's a new one. I didn't know I was that funny to you Strawhat-san."
A bright megawatt smile broke out across the young man's face as he looked at me.
"Shishishi. Well, you know now. Oh, can you tell me where I can find Zoro? I'm gathering a pirate crew and would like him to join."
I blinked owlishly as I looked at how blunt and straightforward he was. "I only seem to get this behavior from Takeshi. He surely is interesting to say the least."
"Why do you want Mr. Zoro on your crew?"
Takeshi gave Luffy a stubborn pout as she crossed her arms over her chest. Takeshi has grown fond of Zoro over the past three weeks and one can say very protective. I smiled fondly as my right hand ran it course through her pale silver locks.
"Shishishi. No reason. Just that he sounds like a nice guy, strong too. Besides, strong pirates means a strong crew. I'm going to need one once I get to the Grand Line and become King of the Pirates."
My mismatched eyes blinked owlishly once again at the young man as I mulled over it.
"King of the Pirates heh? Sisisisi, that is a pretty ambitious dream Strawhat-san. I hope you have the best of luck on your journey."
He gave me another smile as he then put his hands behind his head and started walking away.
"Oh, Strawhat-san!"
I turned around to see he had turned to look at me curiously.
"You'll find Zoro-san in the crucifixion yard at the marine base straight ahead. He will be wearing a dark green bandana around his head and is tied up against the post. He will also need some convincing if you really want him to join you. I suggest retrieving his stolen swords."
A mischievous smirk made its way to my face as I started walking away with Takeshi in tow. He could hear his shout of thanks as I kept on walking with my darker silver locks swaying in the slight breeze as I did so.
It was a couple of hours later that both myself checking over both Luffy and Zoro for any sign of injury. Takeshi, however, was playing with her dolls nearby as well as munching on yet another piece of bread.
"Well, you both have a clean bill of health and you seem to have your bellies full too."
They had come to my clinic after eating a very large meal of the bar down the street courtesy of Rika and her mom. Luffy nodded in agreement
"Yep, it was tasty too."
He patted his stomach with a smile on his face while Zoro grunted in agreement.
"Yep, it sure was. Especially after not eating for three weeks."
I chuckled as I put away the few supplies that were used to give both men a physical. However, when I turned back around I was met with a massive blush on Zoro's face and a dazed and awestruck look on Luffy's. I blinked owlishly and then gave them a dark death glare.
"You were staring at my ass, weren't you?"
They both balked and tried to stutter out their defensive excuses. I merely raised an eyebrow and put my hands on my hips in a 'scolding mother' fashion and they had enough shame to stop and nodded.
"Mhm, thought so. While I'm quite flattered, remember that my eyes are up here not there."
I got a 'Yes, ma'am.' from both men before I turned to my daughter.
"Takeshi," She looked up at me in confusion and immense curiosity as she heard her name. "say your goodbyes to Zoro-san and Luffy-san. They have to leave soon."
As expected, she instantly began to tear-up and gave them both a kicked puppy expression.
"Do you really have to go? I want you to stay here with me and Mama."
She then ran to Zoro and hugged his leg tightly as if he was going to disappear any second.
It tore my heart to see her like this. Knowing that she was going to lose someone she had grown attached to at such a young age. My arms crossed themselves over my chest as Zoro then ruffled Takeshi's silver locks and gave a fond gentle smirk.
"Well, if your mom says so, the both of you can come with us."
My eyes widened in surprise as Takeshi looked at me hopefully and pleadingly.
"Sisisisi well good thing I packed our bags beforehand, isn't it? Sisisisi."
A wide smile and an exclamation of joy escaped my daughter's lips as she clomped me as she gave me a bear hug of her own. I returned my daughter's hug smiling, before holding up four bags worth of clothes, toiletries, medical supplies, and some food that will keep for quite a while in my left hand.
We found ourselves in a small boat that had just room to hold the four of us plus our supplies just an hour or so later.
"What do you want to do?"
I looked at Luffy from where I was watching as he and Takeshi played with a confused expression.
"What the idiot means is: what's your dream? Your goal in life basically."
I looked at Zoro and made an 'o' shape with mouth before looking away in thought.
"Hmm, well for the past few years I have been learning to be a surgeon of sorts. Even though most of my work revolved around being a doctor and a mortician back at the village."
He nodded as he kept his gaze on me listening as he did so.
"So, I guess my dream is become the world's greatest surgeon to have ever lived. Which I can somewhat accomplish with my devil fruit powers."
That is where he seemed to look at me with barely concealed curiosity and when Takeshi climbed into my lap as well. Luffy also seemed to be listening raptly as well.
"Sisisisi, attentive, aren't we? Well when I was about 11 years old, I had consumed the Karada-Karada no mi (Body-Body fruit)."
This seemed to further increase their curiosity and interest as Takeshi laid her head on my chest to take a nap. My left hand ran through her locks while my right arm held her in place.
"It's a Paramecia type devil fruit. It gives the person the power to add or remove bodily organs without having to cutting themselves or other people open to see inside. The user must have intensive knowledge of the human body to be able to do this. However, there are limits. I cannot by any means, remove or add the brain, skeleton, blood vessels, and muscles. I can mend them together in a form of healing, but I can't fully remove or add any of them."
They seem to fully understand what I had told them well enough to not ask any questions. Which was quite surprising considering how curious Luffy is compared to Takeshi.
A mischievous smirk appeared on my lips as a thought crossed my mind.
"There's a little more."
I had gained even more of their attention causing me to get very amused as I thought about what I was going to tell them next.
"I'm not a lady."
This made them really confused judging by the expressions they were giving me.
"What do mean you're not a lady?"
Both men seemed to say this at the same time, which to be honest was quite amusing.
"If you're not a lady then what the hell are you?"
Zoro looked at me with a slightly suspicious look on his face as he crossed he crossed his arms over his chest.
"'Cause you sure look like one."
Luffy had a very confused expression while shoving a few apples into his already over-stuffed mouth.
"Gah-ahahaha!"
A hearty laugh escaped my lips making deep masculine undertones come out once I couldn't contain it anymore. This both surprised and confused them even more which made me laugh a little more before I controlled myself.
"Sisisisi. What I mean is that I'm a guy, not a woman. Sisisisi."
Bug-eyed and jaw slacking looks of complete and utter disbelief appeared on both of their faces.
"WHAAAAT?!"
"Gah-ahahahahaha! You two should see your faces! Gah-ahaha! Sisisi. But, yes, I'm a natural born male who ate the Body-Body fruit. As a side effect for any man or woman to eat this fruit is to develop the genitalia, or reproductive organs, of the opposite gender. Thus, making us hermaphrodites. It is permanent. That's the one feature or internal organ besides the others that we can't really get rid of even if we wanted to."
I hugged my daughter a little more firmly to me as she slept peacefully listening to my heartbeat relaxing completely.
Zoro seemed to be rubbing his temples as he processed all of this while Luffy was looking at me with starry-eyed, awestruck look.
"So basically, because of the devil fruit you ate, you're able to have both sets of babymakers and there's no way of removing them no matter what. While also making you look like a woman. Right?"
Zoro lifted his head to look at me for confirmation to which I nodded blushing lightly.
"Yes, pretty much."
His eyes seemed to have flickered between myself and Takeshi before he nodded. My mismatched eyes went towards the ocean in awe and it also helped me relax as well. I could still feel his eyes on my face as I held my child to my chest protectively, but firmly.
It has been four years since that fateful day. I still bore the scars, and I still bore the result of those scars in my arms. However, even when I found out that I was pregnant with Takeshi, I could not bear to part with her. She is my flesh and blood just as she is her sperm-donor's. The bastard does not even deserve the title of father, much less being a true man. One day, I will make him pay for what he has done to me. "One day, you will pay Donquixote Doflamingo. I'll make sure of it."