Hello there !
I made this chapter originally for give some explanation about Ace particularity, with some 'medical' background. But at the same time, I had questions from people about the fact if this character could get pregnant... so, now that you know this, you know what you can expect about this chapter.
Also, Id'like to thanks Girl-luvs-manga and Gundum-grrl for their review. And for the 'chapter' that were skip, it's because 1 : they are omake, so I can post them when I feel like doing it (it's my work, so the author has no reason of complaining). 2 : I'll publish them if I don't have another chapter translate for this month, so you'll not have to wait for too long before another update of this story.
So now, enjoy this chapter and see you soon !
Ace had left the Striker in a quiet corner of the winter island, so nobody could find it. After all, the papers reported a recent pirate attack, so it would be better not to frighten the population, since they were here only for information.
- We're going to see the doc, and at the same time, on the way, we're looking for info on your brother, alright, yoi ? asked Marco, wrapping himself in a cape so as to not seem too suspect, walking around in just a shirt and sandals in the snow.
- No problems, assured Ace, closing his black coat.
And they went towards a village they had felt with their Haki, walking in the deep snow for a long time.
Doctorine came outside, intrigued.
It was always snowing on Drum. It was strange that today, the sky would be clear, and a perfect blue. Especially this high up.
She walked to the edge of the mountain on which the castle was perched to look at the island. She stepped back when a huge bird with blue and golden flames flew quickly in the air, nearly crashing into her. The old woman glimpsed a human silhouette on the bird that flew over the top of the mountain for a bit before landing.
- Well, well, it is not every day that I've got such a visit, the woman said with a smirk, not in the least perturbed.
- I hope we're not imposing, said the young man who came down from the bird's back. Are you Kureha-sensei ?
- Call me Doctorine, kozzo. And who are you, both of you ? The zoan included, of course.
The bird took human form again after she said this.
- His name is Ace, mine's Marco, yoi, the Phoenix answered.
- You're here for the secret of my youth ?
And the old woman drank a sip of her plum wine.
- The fact of being a phoenix gives me the advantage of being preserved from the passing of time. As for Ace, he's still too young to complain about that.
- To be frank, it's my godfather who sent me to you, to make some enquiries about something... a bit peculiar, and rare are those, in the Grand Line, who know something about it, said Ace with a big embarrassed smile, scratching his cheek.
- Ah. Well, come inside. And don't close the door, or Chopper will get worked up.
- Chopper ? Ace asked.
- My little assistant. He doesn't like humans much, they hurt him deeply.
Doctorine turned on her heels towards the entrance of the castle. The two pirates stopped on the threshold, seeing the flag floating on the castle's roof.
- Problem ? asked Doctorine. If it's about the flag, it's just that a failed doctor who admired pirates is resting here.
Marco took his hood down, and Ace did the same with his hat. They simultaneously put a hand over their hearts in a sort of salute, stayed unmoving for a while, before following the woman again, after paying their respects to the flag.
- What crew ? she asked with a smirk.
- Shirohige Kaizokudan, answered Marco.
- You're really far from the Shin Sekai, in any way. This way.
She had them climb some stairs and enter an office. She showed them a chair so both men could get rid of their coats.
- So, what is it about ? asked Kureha, taking another sip of alcohol. Climb on the bed, there.
Ace sat on the bed, nervously playing with his hat, trying to find a way to explain the problem.
- Doctorine ? a small soft voice said.
Ace and Marco leant to see, in the door's threshold, a sort of plushie with a big pink hat.
- Everything's alright, Chopper, they are clients, said the woman. Pirates with a not so black reputation, if such a thing exists.
- Tanuki ? asked Ace.
- Reindeer, Ace. A zoan, even, yoi, said Marco. Hello boy.
The reindeer shook, from his antlers to his hooves.
- If you want to hide, try the other way, yoi, said the Phoenix with a smile.
The reindeer immediately did it.
- Well, let's go back to our problem. You don't look sick, kid, so, what's the problem, said Doctorine, bringing her attention back on Ace.
- Well... how to say... I... I'm a D... the losing generation, if we can say it like that, and what's more, a logia, said Ace, increasing his nervous playing with his hat.
- Ooooh... ehehehehe... hermaphrodite, then ! I hadn't seen someone like that for a long time ! said the old woman.
- Doctorine ? What is he talking about ? asked Chopper.
- What can you tell me about Klinefelter Syndrome, Chopper ? asked the woman.
The small reindeer stepped in the room, curious, but nevertheless mistrustful.
- It is a sickness touching a man in five thousands. It's a defect, during the meiosis of the parents' subject. A mutation, triggering a bad repartition of the sexual chromosomes, ending with the majority of the people suffering from it being born with two X and a Y chromosomes, so three sexual chromosomes.
- It is such that D. suffer from this syndrome every three generations. Our young friend here seems to be the prize winner. What's your family name ?
- Portgas D. Ace.
- You'll thank all the Portgas for this poisoned gift they left you !
Ace had a slight embarrassed blush.
- The person must be treated with testosterone as soon as the first signs of puberty appear, said Chopper.
- I'm under treatment since a long time already, but that's not why I'm here. I have some questions... And I'd like to have some answers...
- I'm listening ! Alright, dear Phoenix, go for a walk outside, I'd like to still have some measure of intimacy with my patient.
Marco looked at Ace, then at Doctorine, and Ace again.
- I'll give you the summary. You'll already know what I'm going to ask, anyway... Ace, even redder, muttered.
- Try not to let the wrong cat out of the bag, Ace, I wouldn't like for that to travel too much, said Marco. I'm going to stretch my wings, while you're talking, yoi.
And he left.
- Alright, so, you said you were a logia too. You know what it means, don't you ? said Doctorine.
Ace nodded.
- What does it means ? asked Chopper.
- Decomposition, recomposition of the DNA, this is what happens for a lot of akuma no mi, and all this, in the space of a few nano-secondes. Logias and zoans are part of the pack, as do a few paramecia. It just happens that some D., who obtained such akuma no mi, and who have, added to that, this illness, found a way to change their gender, taking advantage of the deep modification to... put their Y on the shelf, if I can put it this way !
The old woman chuckled and Chopper looked at a very embarrassed Ace, with a lot of interest.
- There's only around ten D. who nevertheless managed to do that, said Doctorine. And apart from that, what do you want to know ?
- Let's say that I have a tendency to... have fun with my female appearance... but up till now, I never reflected on the fact that I may be putting my life in danger or not... and seeing my sexual orientation, I'd like to know if I won't find myself...well... pregnant.
If there had been a hole somewhere, Ace would have jumped on the occasion to get in it and make himself forgotten. He was so embarrassed that he was at risk of getting himself on fire at any time.
- I will need to auscultate miss Portgas, announced Doctorine while putting gloves on.
- Please don't take offense, but I'd rather not. Let's say that miss Portgas isn't the winner of the award of most appreciated person on Grand Line. And that she could be sufficient reason for Drum to suffer a Buster Call, Ace muttered.
- I don't care about all that. Chopper, leave me with him, please, the woman growled with a sadistic smile that made Ace being drenched in cold sweat.
Chopper, too, knew this smile, and he left.
He was in the stairs when he heard screams of pain and indignation, with a very colorful language.
Chopper went outside, and immediately lost himself in the contemplation of the Phoenix who was lazily playing with the clouds. Marco quickly understood that he was the center of interest of the small reindeer and landed in front of him.
- I've never seen birds like you before here... where do you come from ? said the small reindeer, extending a hoof towards the Phoenix's beak.
- Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm only a mythical zoan, yoi, Marco chuckled softly.
Chopper jumped a little and rushed to the door, to, once again, hide in the wrong sense.
- I already told you, last time, in the other sense, said Marco.
He extended a wing, wanting to reassure Chopper.
With very small steps, Chopper came back to Marco and hesitantly touched the flaming feathers.
- They don't burn... It's strange. They're warm, still, the small reindeer muttered in ecstasy.
- I am a phoenix. A creature that conquered the sky, and that live the nearest to the fire. And that is very near since my friend has the mera mera no mi, yoi, Marco explained.
He transformed into human again, squatting in front of the small reindeer. He kept his hand extended and let some blue and golden flames dance in it.
- What is that tattoo on your chest ? the small reindeer asked.
- Nearly the same thing than this.
Marco pointed the black flag that was floating above the castle.
- Ace and I are pirates, yoi. Two commanders of the strongest man on the oceans. He took us with him, in his crew, as his sons, then, he became our father. To wear his mark is a huge source of pride, yoi.
Chopper lowered his eyes. Marco gently caressed the fur on one of his cheeks, before slightly pinching his nose.
- You want to fly, kid ? Marco proposed.
- Fly ? Chopper repeated.
Marco turned around and transformed, before stretching his wings.
- Climb on, yoi.
- I... I don't know... Aaaaaah !
Marco had just taken his shorts in his beak, and had thrown him on his back. Without giving the small reindeer time to gather his mind, he was already in the air.
From the window, as Ann was sulking while becoming Ace again, Doctorine looked at the two zoans flying through the sky.
- The Shirohige Kaizoku are in the top three weirdest pirates that I've ever known, said the old woman.
- We may be outlaws, but we're a family, Ace said, putting his shorts on. What are the other two crews ?
- Your late father's, and this Akagami kid's!
Ace smiled with a dash of pride.
- And you, you're a real case, Doctorine told him.
- I can be proud of who I am, can't I ?
The young man put his shoes on.
- I never said the contrary. Well... since we're here, in need of some medicine, perhaps ?
Ace took his bag to check his reserves.
- I'm going to need some, yes...
Doctorine went to one of her cupboards that she opened. She searched through the products inside, and finally threw a box of pills at Ace.
- And do you have something for narcoleptics ? Ace asked.
- Nay, sorry, I have nothing left, it's a bit hard to obtain components with the country's actual situation. Were you told already that you're lucky to be well developed in your pants ?
- Yes, and I was told too that my logia may be responsible for that. I presume I'll have no luck trying to leave without paying.
- I'll let you go free of charges, because Chopper's smile is priceless.
- Nihi... if my brother comes here, pray for him to have some restraint, because, if not, he'll end up in his plate, with a lot of luck.
- Goodness... two D. As if Genkotsu no Garp wasn't, on his own, a source of trouble, Doctorine sighed. By the way... Why is a big guy like you distrustful of doctors ?
- Ask this k'ssou jiji of Garp... thanks for everything.
Ace put his coat on and his hat on his head, before he left, his bag on his shoulder. Seeing him, Marco landed.
- Thanks for those answers, Doctorine-san, said Ace.
He gently tapped on Chopper's hat when he had slid from Marco's back, and took his place between his lover's wings.
- I hope you liked it. Have a good day, yoi, said Marco.
And he took off.
Once in the air, as they were flying down to the snowy city, he heard Ace heave a big sigh.
- Ace... I don't want to know, yoi, Marco told him.
- What ?
- I don't want to know if yes or no the kid option is to be thought about. I'd rather see what happens when and if it will happens.
- Anyways, Doctorine had no answers on this subject... there was no precedent, but nothing said that it isn't doable. In short, she told me nothing on the subject... Let's ask in the village, to know if they've seen Lu', and if they didn't, I'll ask them to tell him that I'll be waiting for him in Alabasta.
Marco raised an eyebrow, but didn't answer.