Hello Friends! Here is a cut part of "One Year Later" which can also be titled "Addie growing out of her I'm NoT lIkE oThEr GiRlS phase", enjoy!

I let my eyes run over the rack filled with sparkling gowns before shaking my head and heading towards the sensible sections of jeans. But I paused and turned to look back to the gowns with a sigh.

Oh but they are beautiful…

"I saw that little glance Miss." The shopkeeper said as she walked over to where I was standing in front of the jean.

I rolled my eyes and said, "They're pretty sure but also pretty impractical for a woman like me."

"A woman like you? What do you mean by that? You certainly have the figure for something like this." She said.

"Having the figure isn't the point. Or, maybe it is. All a dress like that is good for is making you look weak. The fact that I have a decent figure only makes me more of a target. The only women who dress in things like that are silly little girls asking to be made a victim."

The woman scoffed and said, "Oh I apologize. I didn't realize your strength was such a delicate little thing that something as simple as a piece of fabric could shatter it."

"Excuse me? I have sailed the Grandline for almost a decade now, I am one of the most powerful pirates you will ever meet on this pathetic little island."

"Well then what are you afraid of Miss powerful?"

I took a step back and paused when I realized I didn't have anything to say back to that. So instead I shrugged and said, "I'm not afraid of anything. I just know that femininity isn't something women are allowed to have on these seas. Not if you want to be respected."

"Honey, you are a woman sailing the Grandline. You will never be respected, regardless of what you wear. Or do you think otherwise?"

"I will make them respect me. I will make this entire planet bow before me."

"Well then, you might as well look stunning while you do it."

I narrowed my eyes at the woman before huffing and walking over to the rack. I (gently) ripped the floor length silver gown off the rack and stomped into a dressing room. I didn't bother to look at the mirror in the tiny room as I put on the silky fabric and instead stepped back into the main room planning on proving my point to the ignorant woman.

"See, I told you-" I started to say but the words died in my throat as I finally looked in the mirror.

Reflected back at me was a tall curvaceous woman who exuded an aura of confidence and intimidation in spite of the- no, because of the gown. I'm not sure if it was because of my anger that I stood up a bit straighter and tilted my chin up ever so slightly or if it was simply because of how exposed I felt that I felt the need to seem taller. But regardless the effect was that I stood tall and looked like a woman confident in her own abilities rather than a little girl playing at being a pirate while hiding in men's clothes.

I didn't say anything as I ran my hand down the dress and stared at my reflection. The gown sparkled brilliantly as I turned slowly to look at it from different angles. The leg slit went up to nearly my hip and made my already long legs look even more dramatic and defined. While the strapless neckline plunged down in the back. I pulled my hair over my shoulder and looked at my tattoo in the mirror.

"Do you have any boots that would match?" I asked without thinking.

The shopkeeper smirked knowingly and said, "I do indeed."

"And maybe a few other gowns as well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to expand my wardrobe, just a bit."

So yeah I really like this because for pretty much the entirety of The Siren Tarnished/Reforged Addie has had this deeply rooted hatred of anything she deemed feminine because she believed it made her weak if she liked it. This goes back to her time with both the Marines an Whitebeards because those are both pretty misogynistic groups and Addie was constantly looked down on for being a woman. Also she has a lot of issues with self blame because she was assaulted as a child. She believes that that was done to her because she was too weak which turns into "too feminine".

But through the support of her Kings of Non-Toxic Masculinity (or the Red Hair Pirates, if you prefer) she is starting to grow into her self and lean into her femininity! I really want Addie to eventually grow into the sort of character who will wear a dress made of flowers and powder pink heels to go beat the shit out enemies XD. But yeah femininity does not equal weakness!

(Also this should go without saying, victim shaming is horrific. It does not matter what a person wears, that is NEVER an excuse to assault them)