Ch. 11- Candy

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Aika, Kumi, and Jupiter © Me

"Whoa! What the hell?! Now I'm all fuzzy!"

"That's Guard Point, Franky. You can switch between six forms using your imagination."

"Talk about an unstable body!"

"Eh. You get used to it."

It is revealed that the children, as well as Luffy, are now playing with Franky, who had unwittingly turned into Chopper's Guard Point, by rolling him around in the snow.

"What?!" Sanji questioned. "What do you mean that samurai went outside?!"

"Exactly that!" Brook answered. "When I mention that I had happened across a torso, earlier, he was quite insistent on asking me its whereabouts, and after that, he raced outside!"

"Dammit to hell!" Sanji cursed. "No wonder it was so quiet in here! Why didn't I listen to my instincts the first time?!"

"Does this inconvenience you, Mister Sanji?" Brook asked.

"I'm the one who went and dragged him around when he was just an immobile head," Sanji answered. "Meddling around in others' affairs demands responsibility. If he dies out there, it'll all be on my head!"

"I see," Brook said, "and without his katana-wielding midsection, our samurai friend can do nothing but flee from enemies. So…I suppose you are going to take responsibility then?"

"Yeah," Sanji replied. "Damn, what a fucking pain-in-the-balls…not that I have them, right now."

He then turned to look at Luffy, who is standing on top of Franky.

"Yo! Luffy!" the cook called. "I gotta go out for a bit. Cool?"

"Yeah, cool!" Luffy answered.

"Then allow me to show you the way!" Brook said. "But first, may I have a peek at those panties?"

"Ooh! Good idea!" Sanji said. "In fact, I was thinking we could find a camera and then I can-"

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, YOU DAMN HORN-DOGS!" Luffy and Nami roared.

XXX

Later on, Brook and Sanji are seen running outside. However…they are accompanied by one more Straw Hat: one Roronoa Zoro, who looked anything but pleased.

Even now, the swordsman remembered Luffy's and Nami's words from earlier.

"Go with them, Zoro!"

"Yeah! Since Sanji will be too busy fighting with you, he won't look at Nami's boobs so much!"

"So, now, because you're being such a damn horn-dog," Zoro said, "I'M FORCED TO TAG ALONG AND HELP YOU FIND THAT STUPID FARTING SAMURAI!"

"IT'S NOT LIKE I ASKED YOU TO COME ALONG WITH ME, YOU HORSE'S ASS!" Sanji barked. "HOW COME YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN'T SHARE IN THE JOYS AT HAND?!"

"BECAUSE I'M NOT A FUCKING PERVERT, LIKE YOU!" Zoro snapped.

Brook groaned, a large lump having formed on his head from Nami hitting him.

"She only hit me," the skeleton said. "Are any of my bones broken? …Nay…the only thing that is broken I my will to see her panties."

XXX

Back with the Straw Hats, Luffy is seen, playing with the kids still. Some of them were even seen, riding on Blizzard's back.

"Faster, doggy!" said a little girl that was at average height. "Faster!"

Blizzard smiled as he kept running around the cave while Chopper was busy examining the children, while Usopp, Nami, Robin, and Franky discussed their next move.

"All right, then," Usopp said. "What should we do for the near future? Any ideas?"

"Well, first of all, I suggest we hurry up and get the four of us back to normal!" Nami exclaimed. "I can't stand beginning inside this weirdo's body any longer!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" said Franky, who is now in Chopper's Brain Point form and making a big toothy grin. "Take it easy! I can't handle this much praise!"

"…Franky, don't ever make that face on Chopper, ever again," Robin said.

'I second that,' Blizzard thought, disgusted.

"The real problem is the kids," Franky said, making a scowl. "What do we do with them?"

"Franky, I don't want you to speak in that form…EVER," Robin said.

'Just don't talk as Chopper, period!' Blizzard thought. 'You're ruining his adorable looks!'

As they talked…Aika still sat in the corner, watching the kids play with dismal, lonely eyes.

Kumi sat beside her, whimpering worriedly as she nudged her with her muzzle. Aika looked at the Akita puppy before she smiled and pet her on the head. However…Kumi could tell just by looking at the 6-year-old…that even though she had her canine companion by her side…she still felt as if she was alone.

As Aika sat in the corner, a shadow loomed over her, causing her to look up and see…Luffy, crouching down to her height level with a friendly smile of greeting.

"Hey," Luffy greeted.

"…Hi," Aika greeted back.

"We didn't have a proper hello back there, so I thought I'd introduce myself," Luffy said. "My name is Monkey D. Luffy! I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"

Aika and Kumi gasped at this.

"Are you serious, dude?!" Kumi asked.

"Yep!" Luffy grinned. "And you? What are your names?"

"…I'm Aika," Aika answered. "This is Kumi."

"Hey," Kumi said, raising her paw in greeting.

"Nice to meet ya!" Luffy said. "So…what are you doing here, sitting by yourself? Don't you wanna go play with all your friends?"

Aika looked at Luffy…but then she looked away from him.

"Aika?" Luffy asked.

"All these other kids aren't her friends," Kumi said. "Heck, they don't even like her!"

"What?!" Luffy questioned, surprised as he glanced back at Aika. "You're kidding me! A cute little girl like you?! What's not to like?!"

"Well…there are a few reasons why," Aika said. "First of all…the think that it's weird that I just sit here in the corner, talking to Kumi…and…another reason is…"

"…Another reason is…?" Luffy asked.

"…Look," Aika said, looking up at Luffy. "I'm gonna show you something, okay? And…well…just promise you won't scream and run away, okay?"

"Uh…okay," Luffy answered.

Aika took in a deep breath…and then…Luffy saw her body beginning to undergo a dramatic change.

First, her fingers began shorten, and while remained, her thumb completely disappeared. Also, what looked like a paw pad formed in the palm of her hands, followed by tan fuzz growing out of her skin, like grass growing in soil. Then, what looked like a tail grew out of her backside, covered in the same fuzz as her newly formed paws. Her hair went from black to blackish-blue, followed by two pricked ears popping out of the top of her head. Then, her nose became gray and shiny, and her face was soon covered in the same fuzz. Finally, when she opened her eyes, they were no longer tawny brown, but now a vibrant golden yellow.

Aika…had transformed into a wolf pup before Luffy's very eyes.

"…You…you can turn into a wolf?!" Luffy asked.

"Please…please don't scream and run away like the kids did, okay?" Aika begged. "I know I look scary, but I-"

"Are you kidding me?" Luffy asked. "I don't think you look scary at all!"

Aika and Kumi gasped at this.

"I…I don't?" Aika asked.

"No way!" Luffy answered with a grin. "If you ask me, you look even cuter now than when you were a human!"

Aika blushed a little at this.

"Uh…thanks, I guess," she said.

"Shishishishishi!" Luffy laughed.

"…Shishishi!" Aika giggled.

"Hey!" Luffy exclaimed. "Cool! You laugh just like I do!"

"And you laugh like me!" Aika added.

'Well…that's pretty odd,' Kumi thought. 'Probably a coincidence, though.'

"Hey, guys! Come look at Aika!" Luffy said.

"We see her, Luffy!" Nami said.

"Aww, she looks cute~!" Usopp cooed.

"She looks like the extinct Honshu Wolf," Robin added.

"So, you probably ate a Devil Fruit, right?" Luffy asked.

"Well, I guess so," Aika said. "Only…this fruit didn't look like a Devil Fruit."

"It didn't look like a Devil Fruit?" Nami asked, inquisitive.

"What do you mean?" Usopp asked.

"Well…instead of those pretty swirls," Aika began, "it had big, yellow polka dots instead."

"Well, whatever," Luffy said. "Hey! I bet you're pretty fast when you look like that! Wanna play tag?"

Aika gasped silently in surprise before she looked at Kumi, as if asking permission. All the puppy could do was laugh.

"You don't have to ask my permission, you know!" she said. "If you wanna play with him, go ahead!"

"…Okay!" Aika said with much enthusiasm.

"Great!" Luffy said before he gently poked his finger in her nose. "You're it! Catch me if you can!"

With that, Luffy ran, but Aika followed in close, playful pursuit, galloping on all fours as she chased Luffy, laughing in delight. Kumi sat by, watching as her best friend played with Luffy with a genuine smile on her face. Blizzard soon sat by the pup's side, smiling as well.

"I can tell that even though you haven't known Aika for very long," Blizzard begun, "you two are pretty close, huh?"

"I haven't ever seen Aika smile like that before," Kumi replied, watching as Aika playfully jumped and tackled Luffy into the snow and exclaiming "You're it!" before running off with Luffy giving chase. "When I first met Aika on that big boat with all these little kids…she was so shy and timid, and now, watching her play with this Straw Hat guy…it makes me happy to see her this way."

"Well…when Luffy touches your heart, he kinda has a way of changing you," Blizzard said. "I, myself, is just one of his many examples. I used to be bitter towards everyone I came across…until he came along."

"How does he do it?" Kumi asked. "How does he change with such negative dispositions?"

"Well…even we, his own crew, haven't really figured that out, yet," Blizzard said. "We just believe that he was born under some lucky star or something and leave it at that."

"…I see," Kumi said…before she smiled at Luffy picking up Aika and holding her up, causing her to laugh, and in turn, he laughed as well.

"I've got it!" Chopper exclaimed, holding up a vial of what looked like purple fluid. "But…this looks like…!"

"What is it?" asked a little girl with her hair in a ponytail. "Are we really sick, Mr. Raccoon?"

"Urrrgh…!"

Everyone looked up to see the giant, blonde-haired boy from earlier dropping to his knees, groaning in discomfort.

"Synd!" the ponytail girl cried. "What's the matter?! Are you still cold?!"

"My…my head!" the boy, known as Synd cried. "It…it hurts!"

"Synd, are you all right?!" asked the giant black-haired girl.

"What the…?!" Nami questioned.

"Chopper! He's in pain!" Luffy shouted. "Hurry and fix him!"

"…What the hell's going on?!" Franky questioned.

Suddenly, the giant black-haired girl, followed by the chestnut-headed boy soon dropped to their knees, groaning in pain, as well!

"Oh, no! Mocha!"

"And Dolan, too!"

"What's the matter, kids?!" Nami asked, concerned.

Aika, whom Luffy had put down moments ago, whimpered and started to back away in fear, her tail between her legs.

"What in the world is happening to these kids?!" Blizzard asked. "The bigger ones are collapsing, left and right!"

"I dunno, but I'm getting worried!" Luffy said.

"Chopper, you examined them, didn't you?!" Nami asked. "Are they sick, after all?!"

"…No," Chopper answered as he walked towards Synd. "Hey…do you want something? What do you kids usually do at this time?"

"Huh?" Synd asked. "Uh…well…usually, we get our checkups, right about now…and after that, we get our candy…!"

"Candy?" Chopper repeated. "What candy?"

"It's red and it puffs out purple smoke!" said one of the kids. "It looks cool and it tastes good, too!"

"Yeah…and when we eat the candy," Synd said, drool seeping from his mouth, "ugh…it…always makes me feel happy! Maybe…it might make me feel better!"

Hearing this…made Chopper glare angrily.

"Hey, you!" Chopper shouted at Brownbeard. "Brownbeard, right?! What do you know about this?! These kids aren't sick!"

"What do you mean?" asked Brownbeard. "I'm a mere patrolman. I know nothing of what happens in the lab! All I know is that they're terribly sick! Our merciful Master takes them in from other island and treats them with his medical powers! He is a scientist of love!"

Just then, one of the little girls started burping and vomiting before she started to writhe around in agony, too, just like Synd and Mocha!

"Ally! Are you okay?! Not you, too!"

Aika whimpered as she hid behind some debris with Kumi.

"Don't you see?!" Brownbeard questioned. "All the kids you've removed from the lab are now in agony because you've denied them their daily treatment!"

"NO!" Chopper shouted.

"What's wrong, Chopper?!" Nami asked. "Did you figure it out?!"

"This," Chopper said, holding up the vial, "is NHC10. I found trace amounts of it…in the children's bloodstreams. It's…a stimulant drug!"

Everyone gasped at this.

"Only select doctors in the world are allowed to handle it, by law!" Chopper continued. "Its original purpose is to treat illnesses, yes…but not up to the point that it becomes it addictive! They've been given steady doses it to the point that they're addicted to it! Then, when the withdrawal kicks in, they want the next dose!"

As he said, the children are all writhing about in agony, clutching their heads and stomachs in pain.

"Why…?!" Chopper asked…as a tear formed in his eyes. "Why would he do this?! To innocent children?! WAS IT SO HE COULD KEEP THEM FROM ESCAPING?! WHAT IS YOUR EXALTED 'GOD OF SALVATION' DOING TO THESE POOR, HELPLESS LITTLE CHILDREN?!"

"I will not allow to blaspheme the Master!" shouted Brownbeard.

"Chopper!" Luffy called. "What do we do?! They keep collapsing, one-by-one!" He turned to Synd, whose hands are covering his eyes. "Hey! You said you needed candy, right?! Should I go back to that lab and get some for you, then?!"

"NO, LUFFY!" Chopper shouted.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered.

"Don't give them even one bit of that 'candy'! That must be how he's delivered the dose of NHC10 to them without them even realizing it!"

"Mr. Straw Hat," said Synd. "Will you please bring us some candy?"

"Huh?" Luffy muttered. "Uh…w-wait! No! I can't! I'm sorry, but Chopper said I can't give you any! He's our Doctor, so we have to trust him!"

"But…why?" Synd asked…before he uncovered his face, revealing a runny nose, a drooling mouth, and bloodshot eyes.

"AAAH!" some of the kids screamed.

"W-what happened to Synd?!"

"He looks really scary!"

"You said…you'd bring me some candy!" Synd yelled, suddenly becoming very angry.

"Uh…Chopper?" Luffy asked. "What do I do?!"

"YOU SAID YOU'D BRING ME SOME!" Synd roared…before he punched Luffy away, sending him crashing into the wall!

"AAAAUUGH!" Luffy cried.

"LUFFY!" Nami and Franky cried.

'What the hell?!' Blizzard thought. 'Now he's gotten so violent!'

"He's so strong!" Usopp added.

Aika yelped before she and Kumi hid some more, covering their eyes with their paws and whimpering. The smaller children also became rather fearful at their friend's sudden change.

"Stop it, Synd!"

"Yeah! We've never seen you act like this, before!"

"This must be how strong giant children can get!"

"This strong?!" Franky questioned.

"But Synd isn't a Giant!" said a little girl.

"Huh?!" Nami muttered. "What do you mean?!"

"None of us are!" the girl exclaimed. "When we came to this island, we were all normal size!"

"Don't we have some kind of growing disease?!" asked a little boy. "The longer you're here, the bigger you get!"

"No!" Chopper said. "There's no disease that makes normal humans grow to the size of Giants! If you're big, then you're big from birth!"

"Hey! Now the other kids are getting violent!" Franky exclaimed, watching Mocha and Dolan beginning to rampage, too.

"…This can only mean one thing," Chopper whispered in horror. "Their abnormal pituitary gland activity isn't a natural occurrence…and that means…they're being experimented on!"

'That sick motherfucker…!' Blizzard thought. 'Drugging helpless little kids! WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS SO-CALLED 'MASTER' WANT?!'

"Should I knock them all out?!" Luffy asked.

"No! Don't hurt them!" Nami cried.

"All right, that's it!" Robin said as she stood up and walked over to the kids. "I have had ENOUGH of this nonsense!"

"Robin, no!" Usopp cried.

"You'll be pulverized!" Franky shouted.

But Robin wasn't swayed. She just walked towards the kids and then took in a deep breath.

"CHILDREN~!" she called, and to everyone's surprise…she actually got their attention!

"R…Robin…!" Nami whispered.

"Sit down," Robin ordered, and almost immediately, the children stopped their violent behavior and did as they were told. "Now then, is this any way for you to behave? We do not throw temper tantrums and punch people into walls to get what we want! Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," the children said.

"Good," Robin said. "Now then…Synd, was it?"

"Yes," Synd said.

"What do you say to Luffy?" Robin asked as Luffy came to her side.

"…I'm sorry," Synd said.

"It's okay," Luffy said, rubbing his head.

"Now then, why don't we all relax, go deeper into the cave, and take a nice long nap, hmm?" Robin inquired, and as she said this, the kids began to yawn.

"I actually am a little tired," Mocha said.

"Me, too," Dolan agreed.

"Me…three," Synd added, yawning in the middle of his sentence.

"Come along," Robin said as she led the kids deeper into the cave. "Time for night-night."

"It's like I always say," Nami said, "thank goodness for Robin. I guess this means the children were abducted after all."

"E…excuse me."

Everyone looked up to see Aika, who is peeking out of her hiding place with Kumi.

"I…is it safe to come out, now?" the wolf-girl asked.

"Yeah, it's safe," Usopp answered. "Robin calmed the kids down."

As Aika and Kumi came out in the open, Luffy seemed to realize something.

"Hey!" he said. "How come Aika didn't go crazy like the big kids did?"

"…Aika?" Chopper asked. "Did you, by any chance, not take any of the candy that this 'Master' gave you?"

"…No," Aika answered. "You see…after I ate that fruit, I can smell things really good, now! And…well…when I smelled that candy, something just didn't smell right, you know…but…that's one more reason why the other kids don't like me."

"Because you wouldn't take the candy?" Nami asked.

"Yeah," Aika said. "And I don't go for checkups, either! The other kids think that I'm the only one who's still sick…but I feel just fine! It's this place that's wrong! This 'Master' guy, and the guys in the masks, and the candy…none of it seems right!"

"Aika," Chopper said, "whether you know it or you not, you actually did a very smart thing, listening to your instincts."

"Really?" Aika asked.

"Yep," Chopper smiled.

"…Thanks, Mr. Raccoon Man," Aika said, smiling back.

"It's Chopper," Chopper corrected, "and you're welcome." He then turned and saw Robin returning.

"They're all asleep, now," Robin said.

"Good," Chopper said. "I feel terrible for these poor kids. They just wanted to go home…they just wanted to see their parents. We gotta find some way to help them!"

"In that case," Luffy said, "let's send them all back home!"

"You make it sound so easy!" Franky said. "There's a MOUNTAIN of problems in our way, you know!"

"Franky's right for once, Luffy," Blizzard said. "We're only making assumptions right now, but we can't be certain of anything until we know the root of this!"

"You mean this Master guy?" Luffy asked. "But now, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook went outside to go find that samurai. Oh, well…I guess we'll have to go back to the lab, then!"

"I'll wait here," Chopper said. "I can never forgive this so-called 'Master' for what he's done! I want to go and beat him up, right this second…but I'm worried about the children. I need to stay here and watch them. Even when they wake up, there's no guarantee if they'll get violent from the withdrawal again."

"Good point, Chopper!" Nami said. "In that case, I'll stay, too!"

"No fair, Nami!" Usopp barked. "You're just scared!"

Later on, the Straw Hats had chained up the giant children, who continued sleep peacefully.

"I'm sorry, kids," Nami said.

"It seems so cruel," Blizzard said, "but we have no choice. If they start rampaging again, things will go to hell in a hand basket."

"So, now that that's taken care of," Franky said, "what about the body-switching thing? I'm guessing the four of us need to find that Trafalgar guy together and make him change us back, huh?"

"Agreed!" Luffy said. "I mean, I love Nami and all, but we can't fool around if she's in Franky's body!"

"Luffy! There's a little girl, here!" Nami shouted. "Can't you be more subtle?!"

With that, Luffy decided to take Blizzard, Usopp, Robin, and Franky while Nami and Chopper remained behind with the kids. Luffy was about to kiss Nami, only to promptly vomit upon remembering she was in Franky's body before he left.

XXX

Meanwhile, on the mountain path behind the lab…Zoro, Sanji, and Brook are seen lying in the snow…completely motionless. All around them…there are what look like giant footprints…heading in the same direction where Nami and Chopper are.

XXX

At Caesar's laboratory, Law and Jupiter had returned again…and this time, they brought Caesar a little gift: Smoker's heart.

"Marine Base G-5 Vice-Admiral Smoker's heart, eh?" Caesar asked, holding Smoker's heart in his hand. "A very thoughtful gift, indeed. I've already sent some of my men to hand the Marines! Shulolololo! But this…should seal the deal."

"What about Straw Hat?" Law asked.

"I'm not worried about those brats," Caesar said. "They'll WANT to come back, soon enough…well…except for that little Aika brat. However, Monet has been urging me to be cautious with these pirates. I've sent my dynamic duo after them…though it seems a little overkill to me."

"Who'd you send?" asked Law.

"Shulolololo!" Caesar chortled. "Why…the two Snowy Mountain Assassins…the Yeti Cool Bros."

XXX

Outside the facility where Nami and Chopper are hiding…2 huge, shadowy figures are seen standing outside…armed with rifles.

TO BE CONTINUED…

I thought it'd be better if Robin did the whole "strict mother" thing with the kids.

Review, please!