BLUE 2.0

The Teenage Life of Niji Vinsmoke

Niji was not the smartest of the siblings. He'd give that title to Ichiji who was far more clever than him.

Niji also wasn't the strongest of the siblings, as that title would have gone to Sanji if he were still alive. Now, however, that title would have to go to Yonji. Plus that Yonji is more "adorable" in everybody else's opinion, while he thinks the youngest is the most annoying of his siblings.

Reiju was the more pleasing, patient and musically talented than all of them combined. Niji thinks it probably came with being a girl.

Niji was blue, and what a sad color blue was. Niji thinks as he reads the psychology of color book. Blue represents the sky and the sea. It represents calmness, peace and tranquility. Blue is often related to sadness or melancholy; AND why does everything BLUE stands for not like him at all?

Niji was not like Blue, he liked the sky and sea, but never found any attachments to it. Niji was the opposite of calm, he was erratic and active and always somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. Niji is never sad. Well, not always sad. He was happy. He was with his family after all, and despite the loss of his brother Sanji, he never really felt the loss of a brother.

It was like, he knows Sanji is still out there, somewhere.

At the thought of everything he was thinking and going through, Niji Vinsmoke, at the young age of 13, found himself having something we all can commonly call an Identity Crisis.

... This did not escape his parent's observation.

"Niji my darling," Sora asks one day at dinner. "Would you like to join me tomorrow in the laboratory? The head scientist of the Raid Suit Project is going to present their findings tomorrow and I just thought you'd want to see how the project goes."

"Really Mom? Can I come too?!" Yonji excitedly chimes. Almost at the edge of his seat.

Sora looks to Niji, back hunched and ready to step back from her plans.

"I'm sorry baby, but this one is a little bit too advanced for you. Your chemistry results have been lacking recently and Niji's results are going almost too advanced. It's high time Niji learns the secret science of the raid suit." Sora explains with a wink, "Next time when your results are better, how about I take you field testing the Winch Gauntlet?"

"Do I get to test it?"

"Hmmm, maybe. If you're a good boy and improve on your grades." Sora challenges. Yonji loves testing the equipment, but Sora finds herself placing conditions for Yonji not to let his academics slack. He'd been uninterested in studies lately, showing aversion to assignment and being inattentive during lessons. Sora would not let her children stray from the path of knowledge, so she plants rewards and conditions for her youngest from time to time.

She looks to Niji, sees him playing with his food. Sora frowns. He wasn't like this in the past. What has gone wrong, she wonders. The Niji she knew was energetic, happy, a tattle-tale and somewhat of a hothead. This Niji was just… blue.

Sora nudges Judge with her shoulder. She eyes him and Niji. 'Do you know anything about this?' Her unspoken question.

Judge shrugs his shoulders. 'I have no idea.'

'Do something about it.' She silently demands. Her eyes and her brows making the message reach him.

Judge wipes his mouth with the napkin and pretends to cough. "Niji, do you mind staying after dinner. We have a few questions regarding your latest Biochemistry quiz."

Later after dinner, Niji stayed with Judge on the balcony for a short talk. Albeit a little awkward and have a lot of blank silence. "So…" Judge starts. He says nothing.

"So?" Niji asks.

"I heard from your mother you've been doing good in your sciences?" He says it more as a question than a statement.

"I guess." The blue-haired son's reply followed by a long string of silence.

"So…"

"Dad, if we aren't going to discuss anything of importance, maybe I should just go back to my room." Niji jumps down from the railing he was sitting on, onto the floor but before he can go back to the parlor.

"No! Wait. Son." Judge tries. He really tries. It's just that they were growing-up and turning into teenagers. Ichiji was showing interest in politics and hanging around the courtroom more often, Reiju was scolding herself strictly about music and practice, and locking herself off in her room. Sanji left to pursue training as a cook and now Niji was turning moody and down.

They were all changing and Judge still sees them as the little kids they were. He was still incredibly sweet on Reiju and still looks at the boys the way they were when they were younger and daring and foolish, always together and daring each other to do something stupid.

"What's wrong Niji? Why have you been down lately?" Because that was the truth. Niji had been down lately. He was less around and less noisy. Less everywhere and more nowhere to be found. His grades were improving and Niji was turning calmer and more well mannered too. Was it something they said or was personality change included in puberty? Unless it was something else that caught his eye... An outside stimulus! Suddenly a thought came to mind.

"Niji, are you infatuated with someone?"

"What! No! Dad! No! Why are you even asking that?!" Niji flushes at the inquiry. Of all the conclusions his father would lead to, why suddenly this? Can't it be because of his color? Or his worth? Or Niji ultimately questioning his role in the Kingdom of Germa? Could he just have some time to figure out what is it he wants to pursue and how he plans to pursue it? Can't he just…

"Dad. The last thing in my mind right now are girls."

"Son, you can tell us if you like boys…"

"What the heck! Dad!? No! I don't fucking like… Uggghhhh! Why am I even explaining this to you?!" Niji bends himself in half, hands covering his flushed and frustrated face.

From behind the curtain, Sora emerges. It seems she'd been there the whole time. "Oh sweety. You know we love you even if you choose not to produce heirs." She adds.

"MOOOOOOM!" He runs. Then turns back. "AND I'M NEVER MARRYING NOR DATING NOR CRUSHING ON ANYONE! EEEEEVERRRRRR!" He states before he runs off, back to his room.

He locks his door and flops down on his bed. "Stupid Dad, Stupid Mom. They just don't know anything!" He huffs.

"Why don't they just… Ugh, never mind." And soon enough. He was asleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Oh darn, I made a sequel! Without finishing the second chapter! :O (I'm going in blind without knowing how this is going to end!) -I'm letting the reviewers be my lighthouse. :D

Well, here's to trying to finish it as quick as possible. :D

Enjoy!