\]Seed 1.2

"What?" I said after a few seconds of being shocked.

"You heard me, Anne! Luffy here is going to move in with you and Ace and be your new brother! He's also three years younger than you, so be nice!" Garp answered me with a big dumb smile and a happy tone.

"Oh right, I thought, the straw hat brat is going to live with us and he was going to be my new broth- OH HELL NO. "

Another brother!? I wasn't even happy with my biological one! Now he was throwing me another one!? And worse this one was younger than me and Ace. He was seven according to what Garp had told me. Everyone knew that seven year olds were the most annoying things with their constant curiosity about everything, and so immature and of course, so... active, they couldn't keep still for fucking five minutes and in those five fucking minutes they could pretty much fuck-up everything.

Looking at the little brat that was now running around the bar like an excited little puppy, I didn't doubt for a single minute that he was not an exception to the rule. Another tiny brat to watch out for. If he stumbled on my laboratory on the tree house or in the jungle and touched something…it gave me shivers. I didn't need a walking, talking disaster near me, no thanks. Especially one that is so…young.

I disliked kids when I was an adult. I still do even when I'm one. I had one babysitting job in my whole life before becoming a cape and I hated every second of it. I only did it because my mom forced me to, and the pay was kinda good for just watching a pair of brats. I even, naively, thought it wouldn't be so bad. Kids were kinda cute, right?

I was wrong. So very fucking wrong. Kids are disgusting nightmares and all adults that want to have children should just die.

Now here I was a in a body of a child and having to go through puberty again with fucking Garp having decided it'd be great to dump another one on me and everyone else up in the mountains. Worse, for this Ace would be in an even bigger mood than ever. Fucking tween angst.

I looked at the brat who was with Makino now, all happy and giddy with her while she was fussing about his hair and clothes. Luffy, uh. Makino had told me a few times about a kid with that name, and this village was too small for two kids with same name running around. She had mentioned to me about some brat that always hung around here after my shift, with a straw hat on his head. I never paid too much attention to that, mostly because I never thought it mattered too much. It seems I was wrong, and that the world is a small place. Or just this village.

However, if he was the old man's biological grandson, where had he lived all this time? I didn't think that Garp took him to work. Too dangerous. Did he live alone in the island, or with caretakers? Did he throw him to the wolves both literally and figuratively like us? Or perhaps he was his little boy loved and coddled with this ice people while we were the ones destined to be super-soldiers?

That last one was very unlikely but it didn't matter in the end. He was with us now. Stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of filthy low-lifes.

""Dadan is not going to like this," I told Garp looking at him once again with the most serious look I could muster. "She already complains a lot about Ace and me. I'm pretty sure she's praying for the day you come pick us up and take us out of her hands forever."

Garp laughed boisterously as he ruffled my head with a lot of more force than necessary, leaving me bamboozled. Did he think I was joking? Because I had seriously seen her praying one day about that. She really didn't wanted us there. She thought we were ruining her rep as a ruthless mountain bandit and for once I had to agree. Being a mountain bandit didn't seem to be a very productive career, and maybe we were the reason why she was so lame in general.

"You let me worry about Dadan," he said, his tone cheery as he decided to ruffle my goddam hair once again. "You just worry about presenting yourself to your new brother and getting along." After saying that he stopped touching my hair and extended his hand to grab the little boy, catching him as he ran in the bar. He dragged him in front of me and the kid looked at me with his big, innocent and expressive eyes.

He was a lot smaller than me, I noticed, and quite a bit shorter. He had short black hair and tanned skin, with big and expressive brown eyes that grew even larger while looking at me. I was surprised to find a small scar just a little bit under his right eye. How did he get that? Lastly, he was wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts with some sandals. He didn't look too bad, in general. At least he didn't look like he lived in poor conditions if the pristine condition of his clothes indicated something.

"Luffy, this here is Anne and she's three years older than you. From now on you're going to be living with her and her brother Ace. She'll be your new sister. Say hi, just like I told you to."

"Hi there," Luffy simply said lifting his hand and giving me a big toothy grin accompanied with an excited tone as he spoke. "My name's Luffy, Grandpa told me you make those nice cookies can I have one, can I please. I wanted to grab one but Makino told me that that wasn't nice and I had to say please to you if I wanted one so I didn't grab one but you made them and I'm going to live with you now! So I can grab one now that we're going to be friends? Please? please, please, please, pretty ple- Ouch!." His rambling was stopped when Garp fist descended on his head, and shut him up. God, he didn't even let me answer him. Was he like this all day long? Did he came with an off button or something?

"Not like that, brat," the old man said with a tired tone as if he'd had this conversation several times already. "You didn't even let her talk and introduce herself… again. How do you expect to become a strong marine with your siblings if you don't know when to shut up! Also no cookies! You don't have any money and she sells those. So nothing for you!"

"Awwww…" The kid started, until his eyes widened at the realization of something, then they narrowed when they looked at Grandpa once again. "And I don't wanna be a stupid marine anyway. I'm gonna be a pirate! Like Shanks cause' he's cool! And one day I'll be the King of the Pirates!"

Oh. The brat wanted to be a pirate too? And not just a common one but the King? How cute. Kids and their dreams. I wanted to be a witch when I was a kid, mostly because princesses were boring, but also because I wanted to live in a candy house and eat all the sweets that I wanted without Dad or Mom around.

He also mentioned that redhead pirate that docked in here some time ago and made some fuss in the village. Red Haired Shanks was it? I could agree with his coolness. He was also kinda suave in a very rough way. He even gave me extra tips. I liked him, he was the kind of guy that made me wish to not be a ten year old and be my adult self. Too bad I wasn't. Makino seemed to have called dibs on him anyway.

Poor Garp, not one of the family wanted to be a marine. Both me and my brother seemed to be a rotten bunch when it came to being kids. Some kids wanted to be medics, bankers, or even lawyers. Me and Ace? Not so much. He wanted to be a ruthless and famous pirate feared and respected across all the seas. And me? I'd told myself long ago that in order to be someone I have to do things that nobody else would. Getting powers just made it easier. And now this one wanted to be a pirate as well much to the old man's displeasure. We seemed to be just a group of future criminals, or outlaws to be.

From the look on his face it was pretty obvious that displeased was an understatement. Garp was furious. He growled at Luffy and his left hand twitched. I took a step back.

"Ow Ow Owwww!" To my surprise instead of hitting him with his infamous "Fist of Love", he instead grabbed Luffy by his cheek and pulled. And to my shock the cheek stretched like it was elastic or something. Luffy complained and cried as one side of his face was unnaturally stretched to a length way beyond a normal human.

"What the hell. There's no way that a normal human face can stretch like that." No matter how many differences in the biology between the humans in Bet and in this world existed, something that didn't seem to change was the fact that faces didn't possess that much in terms of flexibility.

And now that I thought about it they completely forgot I was here as well, didn't they. I didn't even introduce myself to the brat and they were already fighting. I should say something...after I see how this ends. I was having too much fun just watching the old man doing that to someone that wasn't me or my dumbass brother.

Makino laughed nervously as she stood at one side while Luffy was reprimanded. With no people in the bar until later, when the workers and farmers came for lunch and some cool drinks, she could take a small break and clean a little. She didn't seem that much alarmed for how Garp was treating Luffy so that meant that she knew the old man wouldn't hurt him too much, or this happened a lot more that I thought, making her already accustomed to their antics.

Did the kid have some sort of power? It was possible. I had seen weirder powers than that. But did he trigger? He seemed too cheerful and young for something like that to happen. It was possible but highly unlikely. There was a high possibility that triggering was impossible in this world. Though that was also unlikely. The Entities' reach was everywhere and it was known that Eden and Scion weren't the only ones. I also didn't doubt that there were others like me around this blue world. Others that came from before, or just plain triggered and gained powers. Some vials from the powers-brokers were also a possibility, even if a small one. But I refused a reality where I was the only parahuman in this world. There was no way that other people didn't come over like me. Mostly because the chances of that occurring raised far more alarms and questions.

"Pirate king my ass. Not only do I come back here and learn that you ate a Devil Fruit without me knowing but you even have the gall to speak to me like that!" He lowered his head to be closer to the the brat but he was also far enough to avoid being hit by the little boy's hands that were pointlessly trying to reach the old marine's face. "You and your siblings… are going to become the strongest Marines that ever lived when you three grow up, so cut that pirate crap!"

Was it too risky to tell him that I'd rather become a professional clown than a member of the Navy? Or would saying that be straight-up suicide? Also did he say that the kid ate a Devil Fruit?

Now that was something interesting. It was kinda disappointing that he didn't trigger but that was kinda evened out with the fact that I had heard of the mysterious and mystical fruits (of all things) that granted superpowersand I was, really curious about them and their differences when it came to powers from trigger events. Mostly because the fact that powers came from magical fruits was ridiculous in itself but even more was the fact that it was true and it worked! Also there is the fact that you can't swim after eating one which makes everything even more bizarre. There has to be another explanation besides the obvious superstition of "the sea cursing those that eat the Devil Fruits." I really want to open up one and see what make them tick and everything and how their powers affect their organism. Maybe even put some stuff in and see how their bodies react.

Just joking. Really.

Luffy didn't budge in his defiant face at grandpa's punishment even though it was clearly obvious that it hurt a lot. Hell he even growled at him. Perhaps I was too hasty to think about feeding him to the giant snake near the house. Kid had balls.

"Grrrr how the hell does it hurt if I'm rubber? Lemme go already grandpa!"

Was that his power? Being a rubberman? Kind of a letdown but it could be far more interesting that it seemed. And compared to other Devil Fruit powers I read in that book I stole it wasn't so ridiculous and lame. Being made of rubber sounded kinda cool when compared to the fruit that makes you tell bad jokes constantly so I guess it wasn't that bad for a power. Seriously who the fuck would eat that kind of fruit. Being a cat, or a duck I could understand. But an oven?

Garp sighed but didn't let go. "This is the reason you have to go live with your siblings in the mountain. It was a mistake leaving you here. I left for a while and now you want to be a pirate."

It was time to end this. I was getting bored and I just wanted to get this over with.

I coughed a little and everyone, including Makino, turned to look at me. I refused to flinch for the attention that it earned me.

"I didn't get to say hi." I pointed out in the most dry tone I could manage. I wasn't in the mood for doing it in a sweeter tone. I really wanted to leave now that the show was apparently over. Too much to do in my lab.

Garp and Luffy both looked at me while their eyes widened. Oh so they had forgotten that I existed. Fuck them.

Garp immediately set the brat down and immediately tried really, really hard to pretend that the last few minutes didn't happen at all. Great job grandpa I can see now why you're an inspiration to every little marine out there.

I looked to Luffy and approached him. Even if he looked annoying as hell that didn't mean that I had to be a bitch from the get-go. "Hello, I'm Anne. It's a pleasure to meet you." I hesitated for a second. And then pulled out a cookie for him. Only one wouldn't hurt him. It wasn't like they were drugs. They didn't made people addicted to them. Just that they really liked them. "Here, you can have one if you want." Garp was about to say something but I looked at him and smiled. The nicest one I could muster. He relented after that. I was just trying to make nice with my new baby bro, after all.

Luffy looked at the cookie and his face split in two with a huge smile, then he grabbed my offered cookie and practically aspired it. My eyes widened at the sight of that. He didn't even chew! He just ...swallowed, at a speed I hadn't even thought possible.

"Wow, that was yummy. Can I have another one please?" He cleaned the crumbs on his face with his tongue and gave me a big toothy grin with his eyes begging for more. He was like a puppy!

Before I could answer however, Garp spoke "That's enough for today Luffy. We need to go to Dadan's and if you're done too you're coming with, Anne."

Back to the mountains then. I tried to keep the grimace out of my face. Great, that also meant that Luffy moving in was official. The old hag was going to be so pissed and angry at Garp, without being able to do shit, since she was a shitty bandit and Garp was...well himself. And Ace well...could someone be even more pissed and angry at the world than him? He was angry at everything and everyone so I could easily guess his reaction to this.

"And now besides those two and the whole bandit club I had to deal with a hyperactive seven year old ball."

I was going to fucking kill Garp one day. I swear it.

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After picking up my things and saying goodbye to my kindly employer we start our way back to the mountains. The first patch of the way is filled with Luffy asking me a constant barrage of questions about myself. From what I like ("I like to read") to why I work with Makino ("I just like it"), to my favourite food ("Chicken and salad"), to if I wanted to be friends ("Umm, okay…"), and even if I could make more cookies for him ("Umm, sure but only some.")

I kept the answers intentionally short to try and not reveal much about me, and because riling him up with actual truthful and more complete answers would probably cause himo ask more and I'd be forced to answer more.

Garp also tried to ask me some questions about how everything was going with me and Ace's life and where he was right now. I just answered with a shrug and told him that everything was the same as always and he probably was doing the "same of everyday" and left him to think what that meant. Further attempts at striking a conversation with me ended the same. I was curt and short to Luffy, and intentionally frustrating to Garp. I was in no mood for chit-chat after the cluster-fuck that was today. I just wanted to go to my lab and tinker all my worries away, and then go to bed trying to leave all of this like a bad dream. But I couldn't because a new member was integrating into the 'family,' and I wanted to puke at the thought of having to look after a new immature brat. And of course the useless hag would be more overbearing than ever with a new kid around and being much more of an annoyance because of that. Fuck her, fuck Garp, fuck Ace, and fuck Luffy just because, even if I knew this was more the old man's fault than his.

I fucking hate Mondays.

Once we were near the house Luffy started to ask questions to Garp instead. Mostly about his new home and his new caretaker. After being told pretty much where he was going to live, who was going to take care of him, and how Grandpa still expected him to become a marine just like him, he expressed how pissed he was for all of this by wrapping himself up in a tree and pretty much telling grandpa where he could shove his expectation of him.

The old man just grabbed Luffy by the back of his neck and pulled him, tree and everything.

"I told you already grandpa, I don't want to be a stupid marine! I'm going to be the king of the pirates!"

"Shut up, brat! You'll become a marine alongside your siblings even if I had to drag you myself! I knew it was a mistake leaving you in that village with those nice people. I should've thrown in the jungle more!"

They were really discussing this again? Did they ever grew tired of arguing about the same things?

Apparently not.

And that was pretty much the whole trip to the house. I was glad they were too busy with each other so the old crazy coot couldn't try to make me comment about how great it was to be a marine or something. I didn't, but I also had the lowest record of the Fist of Love in my head and I liked it that way. I hadn't actually told him I was going to be a marine, I just… kept a close lift on my opinion that I wasn't going to become one. I was going to tell him one day about my opinion about them though. One day. On a letter, or in a call. With thousands of miles between us and him with no idea where I was.

It was a perfect plan. And no one was going to tell me the opposite.

We finally reached the house after a while and everything went just as I thought. Dadan metaphorically shit her pants when she saw Garp and immediately went to kiss his ass and revere him like a living god. And usual exchange when it came to them. That was of course until she learned of her new task.

"You're bringing another!? And he's y-your grandson?"

The shock and outrage was palpable in her voice and it was pretty obvious she would be shouting at him if she didn't know the consequences of it. It didn't help that Luffy's first words to her was to remark how ugly and fat she was. He even bit her nose.

Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad that he lived here.

I looked around and noticed that he was running around the exterior of the house and looking at everything with the curiosity of a child.

Considering how curious he seemed to be locking down the lab seemed to be more and more appealing by the second. He would probably break some important tubes or vats and then everyone in the surroundings would have a really bad day.

"Yep, so I'm giving you the same choice as before. Either you raise him alongside the twins or go to jail. Your choice." He practically oozed smugness and he was right in doing so. There was no way that she would go to jail with her whole bandit clan. Too much of a coward to do that.

"W- well I obviously don't want to go to jail b-but you can't just bring him out of nowhere, you know. We already have our hands full with Anne and Ace and now you decide to drop another one!? They are a pair of little monsters that give me no respect. This one is just like the other two isn't he?"

Her panicking tone was just delightful. I couldn't help it. I giggled a little bit. Sadly she noticed. She looked at me and pointed her finger at my direction.

"A-and your granddaughter! I told you of all the things she's doing and you still don't believe! She's crazy! Even more than Ace, and he's a savage on the best of days!

I stuck my tongue out just for her and I burned into my memory the expression on her face.

"Who, Anne? Are you seriously still trying to convince me that my granddaughter is some sort of crazy scientist that does weird things to the plants of the jungle? No way! Just look at her, she's a little angel. She even works in the village to help that bartender lady! She'll make a fine marine one day!"

Her bewildered look at me was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in a long time and I would treasure it forever. As if he would ever believe her. But before she can say anything else, probably something bad about me, he speaks again.

"By the way where's Ace? It's been a while since I last saw him." His tone was casual but still raised red flags among the bandits.

They looked at him and tried to figure out a response that wasn't "beating the shit out of thieves and human trash in Grey Terminal." Obviously they were very bad at pretending they were not doing this, as always, and it wouldn't be surprising if they gave in any minute and prayed for an answer to come down from the skies.

However it seemed that his answer and their prayers couldn't come soon enough.

"Ah what the hell!" Luffy's shouts drew my attention to him and I could see that in his face he had...spit?

Oh. He did it again. By now it was like his customary way to say hi to everyone he doesn't like.

He was standing a little to the the left, covered in the shadows of the tree where a lot of people wouldn't be able to see him. But I did, my eyes didn't have that issue.

In a large dead beast, ready to cut and eat, and looking at us like he wanted to kill us, stood my twin brother: Portgas D. Ace.

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SEED 1.2. END.