Chapter 8: Checkup

"Hey Doc we got some patients we need you to check up on." Ace called.

"Hmm, what did you do this time Ace." The Doctor grumbled.

"Nothing." Ace huffed indignantly.

"We just found some prisoners on a smugglers ship yoi. We just need them to get a check up. See if their injured yoi." Marco answered.

"A smugglers ship?" The doctor repeated and looked over the girls with an observant eye. 'If that's the case I'll have to be careful with them.' "My name is Dan, it's nice to meet you, does anyone wish to go first. I promise, I won't hurt you, and if you should want me to stop at anytime during the checkup I will." He said voice serious and reassuring.

After a moment of no one stepping up Zena offered to go first.

"If you want me to stop the examination for any reason at all just tell me alright. I'm not forcing you to do anything." He said gently, having had to deal with prisoners and slaves before, and knowing they don't like being touched in anyway. He began when Zena nodded.

"Alright we'll begin with your measurements. Please step on this scale." He said. She did and he wrote down her height and weight. "Good doesn't look like your underweight. Odd how long were you a prisoner?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, there were no windows. A few weeks maybe? I'm sorry for not being able to answer you properly." Zena answered.

"It's not a problem its not your fault. Were you all captured at the same time?" he asked.

"Yes." Lexi answered.

Dan hummed in acknowledgement and resumed his check up. He checked her body noticing nothing was wrong with her except her wrists which he wrapped up.

"Looking at your wrists I'd say you were captured for at most 3 weeks. Which makes sense since your not injured or malnourished." The Doctor stated and Zena nodded.

"Alright then you're fine, next." He said looking at the girls. "Come on I won't hurt you, if you feel uncomfortable with anything I do I'll stop immediately. I promise."

"Did you have some kind of bad experience with doctors or something?" Ace asked sensing their nervousness.

"I've never been to a doctor before, but I can't help but feel weary." Lexi said. "I don't like it when people get to close to me. Doesn't matter I'll go next." She said stepping up.

"Are you sure?" Ali asked, knowing what her past was like.

"Yeah."

"Alright then, same thing please step on the scale." She did and he recorded her measurements. He narrowed his eyes and growled, causing her to flinch.

"What's wrong?" Ace asked.

"When was the last time you've eaten properly?! She's severely malnourished." He informed. "I'm going to have to put you on a special diet, if you eat to much to fast you'll get sick, but you have to eat something. We'll start you of with soups and go from there alright." She stuck out her tongue in disgust.

"I can't eat soups. Or any human foods for that matter, I can only eat fire."

"...Seriously?" He blinked.

"She's telling the truth we've seen it with our own eyes." Ace put in.

"Alright then. Ace give her small fireballs every hour until she gains some weight back."

"Alright."

"Now is it alright if I touch you, and examine these wounds?"

"You'll stop if I ask right?"

"Of course."

"Then it's fine." He continued her examination. Feeling her arms legs, and chest, but never lingering to long in one spot to make her feel uncomfortable. She was thin that was for sure, she also contained a few bruises and scratches but that's it. He then went over to check her wrists letting out another growl, as he moved to wrap them.

"What now?" Ace asked.

"She has more injuries then Zena. In fact Zena wasn't injured at all yet…" He started.

"She has more wounds, and bruises on her body. Some of the wounds are mouths old, and it seems she's been underfed since birth." The doctor explained. "Do you mind explaining?" he asked as Ace and Sabo narrowed their eyes.

"Well I uh kind of grew up in the slums." She began.

"How'd you end up in the slums?" Ace asked.

"I was born in the slums, like my…my 'mother.' I always had to take care of her, and make sure she's fed properly because she's really sick, and…"

"And?"

"Well I wasn't supposed to be born, so I felt kind of guilty."

"What do you mean you weren't supposed to be born?" Ace asked honestly curious 'Someone else feels the same way?'

"Well I was" she sighed her hair shadowing her eyes. "I was the product of rape." Silence no one knew what to say to that. "She'd remind me of that everyday, she made me call her Master instead of Mom. To her I was always a worthless ungrateful bastard child. Nothing more than a monster, just like my 'father'. Well anyway it was hard to get food and she ended up getting majority of it so that's how I ended up like this."

"Wait when we met you said you lost your reason for living. What did you mean by that." Rachel asked.

"She wasn't happy with how I've been getting food, she would rather have me sell myself for money. She said I'd be good at it just like my father. But I couldn't bring myself to do something like that. So she made a deal with a noble. She was planning on selling me so I ran. I'd rather die then be a slave and the nobles guards were chasing me so I ran to the one place I knew they wouldn't follow me. Gods Mountain." She explained.

"I see." Rachel said.

"You know…" surprisingly Zena spoke up drawing attention to herself. "There are a lot of complications involving pregnancy and the birthing process, even more so if she was on the streets during the whole cycle. If you weren't supposed to be born she would have had a miscarriage. And if you still need proof you deserve to be alive, I think this prophesy should suffice. That goes for all of us."

"Wow thank you I never thought of that." Lexi gave a small smile wiping a tear from her eye.

'Me either.' Ace thought with a smile.

"Yeah thanks Zena we really needed that." Rachel smiled and Valerie gave her a small hug.

"I was just stating the facts and what I thought." Zena said with a small smile. "I've never done that before." She mumbled.

"Why?" Lexi asked.

"Because if I spoke out of turn my parents would punish me. They only had me so I could marry someone rich, to raise our status. They didn't really care about me."

"Yeah I know exactly what that feels like." Sabo said. "I had the same problem but I escaped."

"Wait you're a noble yoi?"

"I was, I don't think I am anymore, not that care." Sabo shrugged.

"Um Next?" Dan called after Lexi went to a chair next to Zena so she could rest.

"I'll go." Rachel volunteered weakly Dan looked at her and noticed she was the most clothed out of all of them she wore long sleeves and skinny jeans while the others wore skirts, dresses, or shorts, with shirts.

"Alright would you mind talking off your scarf and jacket then step on the scale please." He ordered gently.

"Um do I have to take off the jacket?" She asked nervously.

"Well no, but it would help with the examination." He answered she bit her lip nervously. "You don't have to if you don't want to. Like I said I won't force you to do anything. She sighed before responding.

"No it's fine. It really doesn't matter anymore after all." She said removing her scarf and shrugging off her jacket revealing her bare thin arms filled with scars and bruises, as well as the strangle marks on her neck. Everyone's eyes widened at what they saw as she avoided eye contact with them.

"How? Why?" Dan questioned.

"My mother." She answered. "When my dad abandoned us she sort of snapped."

"Sort of?" Lexi questioned. "She's worse then my mom, and she hated me."

"Yeah well my mom did love me but she just had a different way of showing it." She mumbled.

"Yeah I can see that."

"Besides she only hit me when I did something bad, or when I gained weight, or when I don't cover up properly. She was always afraid I'd abandon her to, and so she did crazy things."

"Is she the one who always called you fat yoi?"

"Yeah, but it's true whenever she'd buy me new clothes they never fit, and so she starved me for a couple weeks until they did."

"Starved you?" Dan questioned looking her over with narrowed eyes. "Do you mind stepping on the scale real quick?" she did and a growl escaped his lips as he recorded the data, making her flinch. "Your underweight as well. Same problem as Lexi, but it seems that it started, around ten years ago. Looks like you'll be going on a the diet as well."

"But…I…" She started but then looked away chewing her bottom lip.

"Yes…" he responds motioning for her to continue.

"Alright." She mumbled.

"Alright now is it alright if I check your injures some of these look recent."

"Okay. I guess I should change to make it easier for you. Reequip" She said making her clothes disappear and in it's place leaving light blue shorts and a white tank top.

"The wounds on my back are more recent." She explained avoiding everyone's widened eyes. "She kind of whipped me for not hiding the bruises on my neck properly."

"My God." Dan whispered eyeing all the scars on her body.

"Oh its not as bad as it looks. All she's ever done was use whips to physically hurt me."

"I see." He says quietly, the commanders and Sabo can guess there's more that he's not saying and make a note to ask about it later. They watched as he examined her back, and winced at all the cut's and scars the saw. Dan gently cleaned up the wounds and dressed them before stating she was good to go.

"Alright, Valerie your up." The girl bites her lip and slowly walks on to the scale.

"You can do this Val." Sherbet cheers. "Just remember he's a doctor." This statement raises some eyebrows but no one questions it.

Dan lets out a breath as he recorded her weight. "Well at least your normal. Come over here so I can examine you." She nods slowly and walks over in front of him. He takes her hand and notices it's trembling. "Are you okay?" he asks, she shuts her eyes and nods. "Do you want me to continue." She bites her lower lip as she nods her head again. She shuts her eyes as Dan checks her body for injures. However as his hands feel her arms he notices how tense she is and as he moves down to her thighs he notices her trembling "I can stop if you want you know." He says softly. "Would you prefer that?" She looks away sadness and shame in her eyes and nods. "Alright then let me just wrap your wrists, and you're free to go." She nodded her head slowly.

'Good job Val I'm proud of you.' Sherbet congratulated.

"Would you mind answering some questions?" he asked and she shook her head.

'I'll leave this to you alright.' Sherbet said.

'Okay.'

"Alright. Can you speak?" she nodded her head. "Is there a reason you won't speak?" She nodded her head. "Can you see?" She looked up in confusion before nodding her head.

"Extraordinary, I've never scene eyes like yours that were still functionally." She tilted her head cutely to the she in a silent question. As the rest of the room stared on her eyes in shock.

"OMG! How did I not notice that." Rachel almost yelled. "Valerie your eyes changes from blue to I don't know whitish lavender." The mute girls eyes widened slightly before getting up to look at the small mirror in the wall. They watched in worry as her hands gosht over her eyes just to see if they were really heres. The blonde then turned to her audience and gave them an uncaring shrug before going back to her seat making them all sweat drop.

"You don't care do you." Ace asked.

"Yep just like Luffy." Sabo added.

"Yeah she thinks it's really cool." Sherbet chirped.

"Okay then I have a few more serious questions, if you don't mind." Dan asked gently looking a little nervous causing the commanders to exchange glances. Dan sighed before asking "Have you...Have you ever been sexually assaulted?" Her eyes widened at the suddenness and her trembling hands started clutching at the ends of her shorts. She bit her lip and lowered her eyes from everyones shocked gazes.

"Valerie..." Rachel whispered.

"Did something like that happen?" Lexi asked.

Sherbet sighed, "She wants to know what made you ask?"

"Just her reactions during the checkup, she was tense and shaking." Dan answered. "The same as any victim of sexual assault. Will you answer the question?"

Valerie nodded her head slowly almost as if she were unsure. She noticed how the guys were trying to contain their anger, while her friends gave her pitying glances. She wanted to tell them it wasn't as bad as they were think but she was afraid. Fortunately of unfortunatly the doc decided to question her further on the matter.

"Have you been touched inappropriately?" Flashes of a Large man came to mind. He was grinning and his eyes were filled with Lust. There was blood everywhere. Tears weld up in her eyes as she brought her knees lose to her chest and burying her head in them. she nodded her head yes.

Lexi and Rachel's breath hitched as they slowly approached her kneeling down next to her so they could comfort her.

"Dan.. Is that is?" Marco asked wanting the questioning to be done as much as everyone else.

"Just one more." He answered.

"But..." Ace started but stopped, trusting the doctor to know what he was doing. He glared at the floor before moving his gaze over to the three girls, his eyes softened as he looked at the trembling blonde.

"Have you ever been raped?" Valerie's breath hitched and she froze. The tension in the room rose as they awaited her answer. She lifted her head slowly and forced her self to smile as she shook her head no. everyone let at a relieved sigh. The tension was in the room dissipated slowly.

"Alright, you may all need some therapy." He said and continued when Lexi glared at him, Rachel narrowed her eyes in irritation, Zena gave him a blank stare and Valerie looked nervous. "Based on what we've observed about you. Sabo filled me in on all you're actions up till now since he found you, and you've all got problems you need to talk about. They seem to be holding you back."

"Okay I understand the others, but why me!" Lexi demanded.

"Really Lex, you don't know the answer to that." Ali deadpanned.

"Hey I don't need therapy!" Rachel yelled in defiance.

"All four of you need therapy." Dan stated bluntly. "Lexi, you were abused by your mother, and you grew up on the streets, you're bound to have witnessed some inhumane things, and Valerie wasn't the only one to tense during the examination. Rachel, you also had an abusive relationship with your mother." She was about to retort when Dan cut her off, "You still think your fat and would rather starve yourself then eat. Zena, you've had sever mental conditioning, most likely from your parents, and Valerie you've experience something so traumatic you refuse to speak." He finished and all four girls were pouting cutely causing the four men to chuckle.

"Fine, we'll do your stupid therapy." Lexi grumbled.

"Not like we have a choice." Rachel adds.

"Alright then, I'll see you here everyday after breakfast, okay. Now come on you four need to get something to eat. And I need to give Thatch Rachel's diet and Ace remember feed Lexi every hour got it."

"Yeah yeah I got it. Come on lets get you guys to the mess hall."

"Alright, it's time to call it a day. I'm sure you ladies are tired considering all you've been though in the past week." Sabo said.

"But where should they stay. We can't have them bunk down with the men." Ace asked.

"Hmm. I can host two. Yoi."

"And I can take the other two."

"Valerie and I can go with Marco." Rachel volunteered.

"And I guess that means Zena and I are with Ace."

"And Sabo is staying with me too. You two can have the bed. Sabo and I can take the floor."

"That's fine and all but I grew up on the streets I don't mind the floor you know." Lexi reminded.

"And it's your bed it would be rude to take it." Zena added.

"Are you kidding me, I refuse to sleep on the floor. I'm God not some lowly creature." Ali intervened.

"We're used to sleeping on the floor, as well." Sabo reassured ignoring the annoying cat.

"Yeah we're also used to sleeping in caves, and in the forest. Don't worry about us." Ace informed, following his example so he won't kill the cat.

"Their telling the truth you two just accept their hospitality." Sherbet said.

"Alright. Like I said I don' mind. It's their lost." She giggled. "Lead the way."

"We're in the commanders wing yoi." Marco said leading the way.

"Alright. You to can take the bed as well. I'm fine on the floor yoi. I'll be back soon make yourselves at home." He said before leaving the room and heading for Whitebeard followed by Ace and Sabo, to make their report.

"So have our guests settled in yet?"

"Yes for now, they're staying in our rooms until we can come up with a better solution yoi."

"Good, so what did you find out?"

"Well they all need therapy." Dan starts. "They all have problems that are holding them back, it might be what's keeping them from unlocking their true potential."

"I see."

"Yeah their sessions will start tomorrow, oh and I want you three to be there as well." Dan requests pointing at the guides.

"What why?" Marco and Ace asked.

"Well you might be able to help. Sabo had a similar problem to Zena, and you all grew up in the slums…"

"Alright we get it yoi."

"We'll help, but I don't need therapy as well." Ace mumbled,

"Right." Sabo coughed earning a punch to the shoulder from Ace.

Marco POV

I was heading back to my room after the meeting with Whitebeard.

'Today was such a long day, I can't believe we found the so called guardians so fast. And they're all from another world. It's so hard to believe. And they're all really strange but I guess that's because of how they grew up. Well tomorrow will be an interesting day.'

I walked into my room to see the two girls asleep in my bed. I had to smile at the cute site.

'Rachel huh?' he thought. 'She was abused by her mother who claims to have loved her. And Lexi was being stalked by a sociopath.' I sighed at the thought. 'And then theres the other two, I wonder how their therapy session will go.' He thought before going to sleep.

Ace and Sabo

"That girl Lexi…" I started.

"Yeah?"

"She feels the same way as me."

"Yeah poor girl, I can't believe her mother would treat her like that, well I can believe it but still, it's not her fault that she was well... And Rachel too." Sabo growled.

"Yeah." Ace agreed.

"And then there is Zena. She's just like how I was. So that's how I would have become if I didn't run away." Sabo mused.

"But you didn't, and I'm sure you can help her break out of that mind set of always following orders." Ace said.

"Yeah, and you and Lexi need to understand you have a reason for living." Sabo replied.

"… What Zena said made me think about that a lot." Ace started. "My mother carried me for 20 months in order to insure my survival. A lot of things could have happened. What she did was impossible. The fact that I'm alive right now is a miracle, and if she did that knowing the cost, all to keep me safe then… maybe I should have been born after all."

"That's right. It was good that you were born with out you. I don't know where I'd be right now, and Luffy he probably wouldn't have gotten stronger with out you. He would have also been really lonely. And we would never have become brothers." Sabo listed.

"Thank you Sabo."

"No problem, so remember don't go throwing your life away."

"Don't worry I won't I already promised Luffy that I would stay alive."

"Luffy, what would he say if we were to meet."

"He'd probably start crying." Ace chuckled and Sabo joined in.

"That girl Valerie, She really does like him." Sabo said with a small smile.

"Yeah, so far I like her, I think she'd be good for him." Ace said.

"Yeah." Sabo said softly.

"What's wrong?"

"Her past, all of their pasts. It makes me angry."

"Yeah I know but there's nothing that can be done now. What's past is past."

"I know, for now we'll just have to train them and protect them until they become stronger, and even after that."

"Yeah." Ace agreed as he opened his door and laid eyes on the sleeping girls.

"They look happy." Sabo whispered with a smile.

"Yeah." Ace replied with a soft smile. "I'm amazed they could fall asleep so easily. They were either really tired or they trusted us."

"Hopefully it's the latter."

"But most likely it the former."

Daxen123- Thank you for reviewing and don't worry They're the Guardians specially picked by the Gods to guard One piece, They'll defiantly be staying well mostly you'll see :)

XxFire-PhoenixxX- Heres the Update, Of course couldn't say know since you asked right ;)