Chapter 1: The Hybrids
I do not own One Piece! That will always belong to Eiichiro Oda! I only own my OCs. So, this is a complete AU for the current canon of One Piece, and some things have been changed time-wise to work within this story. Thanks to my fellow Malchoir Draco for letting me mention his OC Draco.
Nami quietly opened the women's quarters' bedroom door and went to the twin-size bed, smiling at the three sleeping occupants. She didn't have the heart to wake them as she carefully sat on the edge of the bed, watching them with a sad smile. It had been nearly five years since Arlong's downfall, yet to Nami, it still felt like yesterday. Her children were sleeping in bed, children fathered by Arlong. The navigator marveled at how different the triplets were in appearance, but her heart still ached every time she looked at them despite her intense love for offspring.
Her firstborn could pass as a mirror image of his father. His skin was white as snow, and he had black hair with streaks of red and warm brown eyes that matched Nami's. But, at his birth, a rare event occurred: a riptide. Once Nami learned of it, she named him Riptide.
Her daughter, Destiny, had a more human facial appearance. She had silver skin, black hair, and light blue eyes like her father.
Long, Nami's other son, made her worry. His birth had been the most difficult, and he had nearly died due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around his neck; only Chopper's skills as a doctor, along with the abilities of Nico Robin's devil fruit, saved his life. He picked up things a little slower than his siblings and spoke slowly and rarely in complete sentences. Chopper was optimistic that he would recover one day and that it was nothing to worry about; still, everyone kept a particular eye on the youngest hybrid.
Long's skin was copper in color, his hair was silver and black, and he had emerald eyes, and like his sister, he had human facial features. Unfortunately, his dorsal fin was deformed. The tip of the fin was folded over, looking like a fin-like version of a frozen tidal wave.
The navigator watched the sleeping trio, eyes beginning to mist with tears. Despite their appearance and heritage, she loved them, fearing for their safety but the fear of Arlong ever learning of their existence. She didn't know what he would do if he ever learned of them. However, the children did have a powerful, watchful protector who wouldn't hesitate to aid the young ones. Malchior D. Draco was the Straw Hats' most powerful ally and friend and had a past dealing with Arlong.
Nami shivered, remembering that Arlong claimed her as his when she was sixteen. It was a nightmare that she had relived every night. Even with his detestation for the human race, Arlong still claimed her, and Nami hated him for it. But that was nothing compared to the day she learned she was pregnant.
She had considered an abortion, but she didn't have the heart to end the life of an innocent child, and with tears in her eyes, she revealed the truth to her Nakama. The memory of that day was still ever so fresh in her mind.
~~Flashback~~
"You're pregnant?'" Sanji said. "With that shitty bastard's kid?"
Nami was trying to fight back the tears as she looked at the shock and horror of her Nakama and her friends. Their looks were too much to bear, and she broke down. For her, it was worse. She remembered how Arlong forced himself on her. The pain and the shame were beyond words, and revealing what Arlong had done was so hard. Robin and Chopper were equally upset, and though they were not part of the crew when Arlong was taken down, they had heard the story from the others. Chopper's medical instincts kicked in when he recalled Nami's illness when she was brought to Drum Island and grew concerned.
"I need to give you a full medical check-up so we can be sure your baby is okay," he said worriedly.
Luffy had yet to say anything, and Nami looked at him. "Luffy, say something, Please."
"Did that bastard ever know?" Luffy asked quietly, keeping his head down so no one could see his expression.
Yet the Straw Hats knew he was angry. If anyone truly angered the young pirate, it was Arlong. Luffy remembered how he made Nami cry, and that was enough to go and kick the shark man's ass. But now he learned of another dark, cruel thing Arlong had done to his navigator.
"Arlong never knew, but if he ever did-" her voice broke as images filled her mind of what Arlong would do to the baby.
"We'll help raise the baby," he said, surprising everyone.
"WHAT?!"
Luffy looked at his Nakama with arms folded, and he nodded, "We'll help Nami raise and protect the baby."
Zoro looked at his captain as if he had finally lost it. "Oi, Luffy! How can you decide to raise it?"
Luffy gave his First Mate his signature grin. "It's Nami's baby, and Nami is part of our family," he said.
As crazy as it sounded, the Straw Hats knew Luffy was right, and with them there to help in the baby's growth, they knew Nami's baby would be safe and loved. Chopper broke out into a dance, clapping his hooves in excitement. "We all get to be uncles and an aunt to the baby."
Nami couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, everyone," she said before focusing on her captain. "Luffy, promise me one thing."
"Sure, he said. "What is it?"
"That you help me protect the baby from Arlong. Don't let him ever hurt the baby."
There was a loud chorus of, "WE'LL NEVER LET HIM!"
At this point, Nami cried, knowing she had such beautiful friends; even through her tears, she smiled and laughed.
-End of Flashback-
Nami's pregnancy went well, though Luffy sometimes drove her nuts, which was typical of Luffy. Nine months later, Nami gave birth to surprisingly triplets. Despite having their father's blood, they were beautiful children, and the Straw Hats loved them, treating them as if they were no different. The young hybrids flourished under the love of their uncles and Aunt Robin. Soon, their immense range of talents emerged.
Destiny was interested in history, and Robin took her under her wing, teaching her everything she knew.
What was surprising was Long and his skill at cooking; Long had such a talent that Sanji permitted him to help prepare the meals and eventually began to allow him to cook with Sanji nearby. Long was so good that no one could tell who prepared the meal; was it Sanji or Long? Honestly, no one cared.
Riptide was the most gifted out of the three and a master at all trades, but his most incredible skill was that of a cartographer, a skill that had led to Nami's enslavement by Arlong himself.
The children's lives were full of happiness, especially with the arrival of Franky and Brook and the Straw Hats' new ship, Thousand Sunny. The triplets were a year old when their new uncles joined the crew, and Franky fell in love with them immediately, as did Brook. When they couldn't sleep, Brook played "Bink's Sake" on his violin as their lullaby.
Nami was happy knowing her children were delighted. That was until Long accidentally found Arlong's wanted poster, and he showed it to Riptide. Riptide's blood ran cold when he saw the frightening resemblance to the shark man. Who was this Fishman with whom he shared the same features with? The triplets went to their mother, showing her the poster. Nami's guilt was terrible, especially when Riptide asked, "Mother, why do I look like him?"
"Because he is...your father," she said before telling them the cold, dark truth. The guilt she felt was nothing compared to seeing Riptide's reaction. His face filled with anguish, Riptide ran from his mother's chart room. Nami quickly followed him, and she found him with Chopper and Franky, crying his eyes out. Chopper and Franky told Riptide about their lives, of the pain and loss they both had suffered. Nami stood outside the doorway, listening. Soon, Destiny and Long came and silently went to their brother, and Nami saw the depth of her children's bond with one another as they embraced each other, comforting their older brother. Though Riptide slowly accepted that he looked like his estranged father, it didn't stop him from asking his uncles to help him train so he could become a skilled fighter.
"Mother?" said a gentle voice.
Nami nearly jumped at the touch of the hand on her arm. Riptide had awoken and, seeing the distant look in her eyes, had grown concerned. "Mother..." he said softly, not wanting to wake his siblings. "You were thinking of him again, weren't you?"
She looked away, not wanting him to see the shame and pain in her eyes. "No, I-"
Riptide cut her off with a shake of his head. "I look so much like him that it pains you to look at me. After what he has done to you, it's hard not to see him when you look at me. But-" He gently reached up, turning her head to look at him. "-there is a difference between him and me."
Nami looked at him in surprise, "What is that?"
"I know compassion, unlike him."
How was it possible for Riptide, at nine years of age, to be wiser and more mature than he should have been? Nami leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him. "I know you are, baby." She planted a kiss on the top of his head. "You three are my special babies."
Destiny and Long woke up and, seeing their mother, moved to form a circle around her, hugging her. Nami closed her eyes as she felt the warmth of her children; she felt their love, and she drank that love in. The moment was interrupted when they heard yelling followed by something or someone crashing into what might have been a wall.
"And there goes Uncle Sanji," Destiny said, hearing the yelling.
"Uncle Luffy bad again," Long said. "Good, he not like us."
Nami was puzzled by her son's words, "Long, what do you mean?"
Long gave a toothy grin as he chuckled. "If he like shark, we are in lots of trouble."
Riptide roared with laughter. "Hell, we would starve! He'd probably try even to eat us!"
"Like tuna," Long said, grinning ear to ear.
"The feared rubber shark of the Grand Line!" Destiny said, laughing.
Even Nami laughed at that one. "Luffy certainly is a bottomless pit."
"Might be bottomless, not as hungry as us!" Long hurried out of bed, heading for the door. "Get food or be none left."
Destiny was on his heels, "Long, you Chum Chucker, don't you dare eat before anyone else!"
Riptide rose from the bed and offered a webbed hand out to his mother. Nami took his hand, giving him a proud motherly smile. "Always the gentleman as always," she said.
The white hybrid's face flushed with embarrassment and pride at his mother's words. He learned from his Uncle Brook and Uncle Sanji that it was good to be a gentleman. "I'm only being a good son, and you know that."
Nami smiled as she placed a hand on his cheek. "You are that. Now run along and join your brother and sister before you get no breakfast."
"Aren't you coming?"
"I'll be there after I check something."
Riptide nodded, "I'll tell Uncle Sanji to keep your plate warm."
Nami smiled as she watched him before walking over to a bookshelf, where she pulled out a piece of paper folded in half. It was Arlong's wanted poster, and she stared at it long and hard as she remembered every hellish moment she had suffered under his control. "They may have your blood but never have that cold, cruel heart."
Suddenly, she felt a chill running up her back, and she heard his laughter in her mind.
Sha ha ha ha ha! Do you believe that, Nami? Keep telling yourself those pretty lies, and one day, you will see the truth.
She closed her eyes and shook her head. She opened them again and looked at the poster before folding it up and placing it between two books. She knew it had to be her imagination that she heard Arlong, but even if it was, it gave her a strange, uneasy chill. A question ran through her mind as she joined the others for breakfast. What path would her children follow?
Welcome to their world. Read and Review like always.
