Descent

by JustAProblem

Scars are a sign of pride and strength. A sign of survival. Naturally, this only applies to the physical scars and not the mental scars. No, mental scars are almost universally agreed to be negative and for good reason. Physical scars merely change how your body looks. Mental scars change how a person thinks. Rosan just wants to enjoy life. He didn't ask for all this.

44. Chapter 44: The Iris

Descent

Chapter 44: The Iris

"Stupid dumbass pirates!"

The violent sound of a bone breaking was music to her ears, as she violently stomped on this one's midsection.

All around her, the battered and broken bodies of the crew she just got in a fight with lie there and she huffed in disgust.

Some were shredded, both by her wind and claws, others were burnt and many were choking on their own spittle or screaming in agony as the poison really began to take effect.

Hmph. Deserved for daring to attack her while she was trying to enjoy a bath.

These damn idiots... they had greatly damaged her ship! What was wrong with them?!

"Who's going to answer for this?!"

The body underneath her groaned in agony and she huffed, realizing that she let her anger get the best of her.

Well, no matter. A ship this filled with people, was bound to have a plethora of supplies and that would certainly include things to repair a ship.

"I'll be permanently borrowing everything you own, not that you have a problem with that," she sniffed, idly moving her soaked long hair to the back of her head.

At the very least, the battle had done a good job in drying her off but still...

16 year old Iris D. Raisa, tightened the towel around her frame and huffed as her scales vanished off her frame, making way for bronze skin.

"A woman can't even enjoy a bath these days without being interrupted. You'd think the sea life would be better than at home but it might as well be the same!" she scowled.

The princess wasted no time raiding the ship for all it had, all while wrapped only in a towel. As she flew back and forth with the supplies, she gained a clear idea of what to do.

Unfortunately in her rage, she had destroyed the pirates ship to a very intense degree and even now, it was sinking more and more.

Her ship was still fixable. It would take some time, but she could eventually repair and set sail once more...

So she would just bring it to an island and repair it. Should be pretty easy.

Logically she should probably just fly back to the Grand Line and get a new ship... but she was having fun in the New World! This fight had actually made her break a sweat...

Though, none of them could pierce her scales so she remained unharmed.

Raisa grinned cockily at the win. If she remembered, this crew had been quite notable as well and even they stood no chance against her!

It always did feel intoxicating to assert her superiority over others and traveling these seas was even more fun!

There was a freedom to it that Raisa had never felt. She didn't feel the stifling gaze of her parents, nor did she feel the resentful gaze of her siblings...

No, she was just alone and free and she loved that...

Well, she hated being alone more than anything but for now it was fine!

Pfft... and Grandma Gloriosa said she'd need a navigator! Yeah right! Raisa could do it all!

"Thank you for your supplies," Raisa sneered at the ship after plundering them for all they had. "Here, a reward from your new Queen."

She flicked her hair and turned her back to them and at the same time, a giant gust of razor sharp winds began shredding the ship.

"Filthy assholes," she muttered under her breath, putting on a pair of long pants and a long sleeved crop top. "Now I have to take another bath... After I find an island to park the ship."

...She was going to have to lift the ship wasn't she.

A huge burst of flames collided with the already heavy winds destroying the ship, before the huffing Raisa lifted the ship, transforming into her full Zoan to transport it.

The princess, who was now in a foul mood, flew away from the fiery blaze she caused, muttering obscenities under her breath the entire time.

---

It took Raisa about 2 hours to find an island and she had to try very very hard to not break her ship even further parking it on the land.

She transformed back into her human form and glanced at the ship in annoyance.

Who knew how long it was going to take to fix this?

Raisa wasn't even aware of how to fix a ship... she could do very basic repairs but this looked a lot more than simple.

The princess shook her head violently.

Mother and Father would love to hear that she was in need of assistance and Raisa would die before she made it appear of so.

She was better than them. No one was like Raisa... no one was like her.

"That's why your brother and sister hate you."

Raisa sucked in a breath and banished those heinous thoughts before her observation went haywire.

Eyes narrowed, the foul tempered Queen whirled around, eyes transforming into slits.

"State your purpose now before I burn you to cinders," she warned.

The person, a man, raised his brow and put his hands into the air with an amused smile.

"Kahaha! You know... it's rude to intrude on a person's space and then treat him like the intruder," the man said dryly, golden eyes flickering over to the ship briefly.

Raisa scowled, ignoring the flush on her cheeks at the truth of his words.

"That doesn't change what I said. What do you want?" she demanded.

He was sweaty and his breath was slightly uneven. Upon closer inspection, Raisa deduced that he had been doing some type of physical labor...

"Nothing in particular," he replied easily. "I was training when I saw a giant figure approaching. That giant figure then turned into a sassy girl who began grilling me without even introducing herself."

Raisa scoffed and rolled her eyes. "It's proper to give your name first. I'll consider giving you mine depending on my mood."

The black haired man gazed at her, sharp and golden eyes mildly interested.

"Rocks D. Cutter. Nice to meetcha," he said easily.

D? This man had the D initial like her?

Raisa grunted and turned away from him, not giving a damn that they had matching middle names. "Do not worry about me. I will have this fixed in no time at all, then I'll be gone."

Cutter laughed slightly at that. "Do you even know how to repair a ship?" he asked curiously.

She whirled on him with a glare. "Do not patronize me. I don't recall saying we could continue this conversation," she warned with narrowed eyes.

Cutter stared at her glowing purple eyes with curiosity, wondering if she were about to activate an ability of sorts before holding his arms out placatingly.

"No ones patronizing you here," he informed her. "Fixing a ship is hard work and you're in the New World alone. It'll take you a long time and I have nothing better to do."

"I don't need your help," Raisa denied. "I don't need anyone's help. I'll be fine just alone."

Cutter peered at her, expression shifting into something more contemplative.

"I don't like liars. I especially don't like liars who lie to themselves," Cutter said calmly.

Raisa froze and then a fierce scowl made its way to her face.

"You're accusing me of being a liar? If you knew what I was capable of, you'd watch your tongue," she snarled, clenching her fist and turning towards him.

He looked calm but Raisa knew it was merely artificial. None could hide from her eyes.

To anyone else, they would have seen a calm man... but to Raisa she saw someone trying so very hard to restrain themselves, even placing a mask on to do so.

This man had a lot of gall to call Raisa of all people a liar. Raisa was the one who called out people on their lies.

"You claim to be fine alone but it doesn't look like that to me," Cutter said truthfully. "You managed to convince yourself that but... I don't think that's what you actually want."

"We've spoken for 5 minutes! What do you think I could possibly want?" Raisa scowled furiously, set on taking her ship and finding another island.

"How about a friend?" Cutter tried slowly.

Raisa snorted disbelievingly. "A friend?"

Her? Raisa? Next in line to inherit the throne of her island? She needed a friend?

Raisa did not need a friend. Not anymore.

"Everyone needs at least one friend," Cutter said with a wistful expression.

Raisa's body lurched at that and she gazed at this Cutter with a guarded expression.

"My brother was my best friend you know? The only friend I had. I was a weak kid growing up. Easy to pick on," he admitted.

"How sad," Raisa said, utterly unmoved. "My older brother hates me because I'm better than him and I was born a girl. I don't suffer the same things you do."

Maybe if Oren had been born a girl... her parents wouldn't have treated him so harshly. It was exceedingly rare for the Iris to give birth to boys and Oren had been their first.

Raisa shook her head harshly.

That wasn't her fault. She could not be blamed for that.

"Sorry to hear that you and your brother don't have a good relationship. Having a reliable older brother helps a lot," Cutter said genuinely. "My older brother was nothing like me. He was a real charismatic guy and I'm not."

"...Was?" Raisa asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

For a moment, Raisa saw a glimpse past that mask Cutter had carefully crafted and what she saw, left her stunned.

Pure, unbridled hatred. Raisa, someone who was so intune with the emotions of people, nearly took a step back as she was swept up by the torrent of malice that this man radiated...

But it disappeared in an instant and she could only gaze warily at the strange man.

"Yeah he's dead now," Cutter said eventually. "I watched him die. Was too weak to do a damn thing, that's why I'm here training."

"..." Raisa didn't quite know what to say.

She had never felt weak. Raisa had always felt strong. She was strong. Her parents made sure she knew she was, her siblings hated her for it...

She had no friends because of it...

"Would you... assist me in repairing my ship?" she said lamely, not knowing what to say. Raisa was fairly sheltered growing up and most of her casual conversations had been derived from this trip.

She had met many people while traveling through the oceans but knowing the correct thing to say alluded her still.

But to her slight relief, Cutter just stared at her and broke out into a laugh.

"Kahaha! Sure thing, Red. I can help out. I've repaired my ships quite a bit over the years," he said eventually, flashing her a crooked smile.

Raisa nodded before pausing. "Red? Why are you calling me Red?"

"Because that's the color of your hair," Cutter said easily.

She scowled in annoyance. "Raisa. Call me Raisa. That is my name so use it or else."

"Raisa..." Cutter tested the name on his lips. "That's a nice name," he said eventually.

"Of course it is. It's my name after all," she sniffed. "Now come assist me. The damages look extensive."

"Sure thing, Raisa. Here, let me run a quick inspection."

---

Rosan, unlike everyone else, was completely at ease with the situation currently taking place.

Actually, you could say he even found the whole thing kind of funny.

The only one who seemed remotely as unaffected by the situation, was Ram herself. She was watching the whole thing with an almost curious gaze.

Rosan even felt her excitement at the ensuing drama. His daughter had been reading far too much books for her own good.

At least she read more than romance.

While Ram was on one end of the spectrum... the same could not be said about his mother. Right now, Rosan was almost being overwhelmed by Mod's emotions. She was stewing with rage, anxiety and nervousness. It washed over him in a torrent and the emotionally unstable Rosan had to do everything to not let it overwhelm him.

Surprisingly, it wasn't too difficult. His errant emotions were bad but honestly, ever since being accepted by the Straw Hats... Rosan found them more tolerable. Maybe the positive emotions were balancing out with his negative ones.

They were still completely uncontrollable though. That was gonna need some work.

"Mod-chan, be calm. You're panicking," Rosan instructed gently.

Ram put a hand on the wide eyed Mod and the woman let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overwhelm you, it's just…"

"You're nervous," Rosan finished her train of thought idly.

Both Mod and Raisa flinched at his voice, but for Raisa it was infinitely worse.

She was forced to hold the gaze of her heterochromatic son and it was turning her dizzy, drinking in every little detail about him in person.

The way his spiky hair jutted downward, the way his head was slightly tilted in curiosity, the way his eyes shone sporadically, shifting constantly in intensity...

Raisa distantly realized that she had never felt such a way before and it was flooring her.

Her? Nervous? Raisa hadn't… she hadn't ever felt nervous before and yet here this man was, telling her like he was sure of it, that she was nervous.

"What is… State your purpose. What are you doing on Wisteria?" Raisa asked eventually, trying to calm down her errant emotions at seeing her son in the flesh.

This was surreal. Never in her life, did Raisa think she was ever going to see her son. But here he was, standing a few feet away from her with those bright eyes that were a different color and a knowing smirk on his face.

He was beautiful... Raisa couldn't take her eyes off of him and as she once more made eye contact with the redhead, his smirk seemed to widen slightly.

"My purpose?" Rosan mused, humming as he contemplated that question.

Kami, his voice was so deep and that humming sounded so pleasant…

What was Raisa to do, when the source of her recent obsession was staring at her right now? What was she supposed to do, now that the son who had plagued her mind for years was in front of her?

"I have no purpose here," Rosan said truthfully, shrugging his shoulders.

"...What?" Raisa couldn't help but mutter in confusion. "Then... why are you... how are you here? How... do you even know where here is?"

Rosan raised a brow at the unsure tone. "I didn't come here of my own volition. I didn't even know where I was until Oren told me."

The redhead inclined his head towards Oren at the end of that statement.

"S-So how did you end up here?" Dalia asked hesitantly, looking back and forth between mother and son.

Did Rosan even realize? Did he have an inkling that he was currently talking to his mother? He had to have a clue... right? Those two looked the exact same!

If he really did know then... why was he so at ease with the situation? Dalia had frequently called him her nephew and they clarified it when they introduced themselves... but he just had a small smirk on his face as he practically made Raisa (RAISA OF ALL PEOPLE!) squirm in place.

Rosan's piercing gaze landed on Dalia and he tilted his head in a manner that reminded Dalia of Raisa herself.

"Bartholomew Kuma."

Rosan was not the one who said that.

Raisa was staring at the giant paw shaped imprint on her ground with wide eyes.

"You were sent here by Bartholomew Kuma," she stated.

Rosan scowled at the reminder. He had no clue what Kuma's deal with him was but that asshole was pushing it.

"Yeah, I was," he said truthfully.

"Bartholomew Kuma? The Warlord?" Oren asked in concern. "Why would he send you here?"

"Ask him," Rosan sneered. "He's been terrorizing me for a bit. No clue what his deal is but clearly he knows about my relations with this island."

Rosan frowned deeply. Was his crew okay? He had been the first one sent away and Rayleigh had been holding back Kizaru…

No they were fine… but just in case he needed to go check up on them —

"A pirate."

Rosan paused at that, curiosity making its way to his face as he gazed at Raisa.

She was staring at him sternly and he raised a brow at the scowl on her face.

"Of all the things… you chose to become a pirate," Raisa stressed, unable to resist mentioning it.

Mod's eyes narrowed dangerously at the tone Raisa was taking, already willing to take over Rosan's body and make good on her vow to destroy this woman.

"Yeah, I did. What about it?" Rosan asked in return, a little confused by her confusion.

That seemed to further incense the Queen and she began glaring at her child.

"You have the beauty, the skills, the drive… and you wasted it all on becoming a pirate. Just what were you thinking, Iris D. Rosan?" She asked incredulously, clenching her fist at the reminder.

Rosan's gaze darkened.

Dalia and Oren became increasingly nervous.

"First things first," Rosan said coldly. "I'm fucking sick and tired of people getting my name wrong. You of all people should know that I don't go by Iris. My name is and always will be Portgas D. Rosan. Get that right or else," he stressed with a sneer.

Raisa reeled back slightly.

"Portgas?" she whispered to herself, unable to ignore the stabbing feeling at hearing him disavowing his birth name.

"Next," Rosan said nonplussed, glaring at her with a frown. "You don't get to condemn any decision I've made in my life, Raisa. I became a pirate because my family, my real family, saw something in me that I never saw. I don't give a fuck whether you approve of that or not. Do you think I consider youmy mother? Why the hell do I care about your opinion of me?"

Dalia winced at that. Guess he really did know she was his mother... but he didn't claim her at all. This was bound to go extremely south because despite everything, Rosan was at the forefront of Raisa's mind and considering how hostile the situation was getting.

Oren sighed. Raisa was in no place to judge Rosan's decisions... but she still cared for him. If that were the case... she shouldn't have abandoned him in the first place. He understood where she was coming from, but it was still a dumb decision.

Do you think I consider you my mother?

Raisa froze as soon as Rosan said those words.

That's right… for all intents and purposes, Raisa and Rosan were strangers. Why was she so hung up on what he was doing? She was the one who abandoned him… it wasn't his fault that she couldn't bare to raise him properly…

Yes, Raisa was not Rosan's mother…

So why was she so fucking pissed to hear that?!

"Not your mother?!" Raisa said incredulously, taking a step forward with a wrath that was swiftly growing. "The 9 months I spent alone nursing you in my belly says otherwise, Iris D. Rosan," she hissed.

Rosan's red brow shot up at that. "9 months? Are you out of your fucking mind?!" He asked, just as incredulously. "Do you think 9 months even remotely compares to all the years we've not known each other, dumbass?! I'm 24 years old right now and this is the first time I've ever even heard your voice but you have the gall to call yourself my mother?"

Who the hell did she think she was? Was Raisa a goddamn moron? Rosan thought the whole thing was funny before, but now he was getting annoyed.

"You went out of your way to abandon me. You left me in a forest alone when I was just born. I don't know a fucking thing about you! In what world do you think I would ever consider you my mother?" Rosan asked genuinely, looking his birth mother in her eyes.

Red and purple clashed with just purple, as Raisa's eyes began glowing brighter in her fury.

On the contrary, Rosan's gaze was becoming more and more dim.

"This is getting really bad," Dalia whispered to Oren, an intense look of worry on her face as she watched mother and son begin arguing.

"It's not really our place to interfere. We just have to make sure it doesn't go from bad to worse," Oren whispered back, frowning at the conversation taking place.

Ram looked a little concerned and gazed at Auntie in confusion.

"Aren't you going to stop this?" She asked.

Mod bit her lip.

She should stop this… Rosan had more things to worry about like verifying the status of his crew… but she wanted to see this. She wanted to see Rosan tear into Raisa so badly. It was so selfish of her but... but Mod needed this.

So she shook her head in denial.

Ram frowned but nodded.

Raisa was full on scowling now as she looked Rosan directly in the eyes. "No matter what you may think, no matter what thoughts you have, you are my child and I will call you by the name you were born with. You have no idea what I had to go through!"

"Of course I have no idea, you abandoned me you fucking idiot!" Rosan snarled.

"What did you just say to me?!" Raisa growled in return. "Watch your mouth when you speak to me. I will not tolerate any disrespect, especially from my son."

Who did he think he was?! Rosan was the one that she birthed and she'd be damned if he disrespected her!

Rosan snorted in her face, finally realizing why this unreasonable woman was acting the way she was.

Raisa heard the snort and her anger began flaring.

Was this just funny to him? What about this was so damn funny?

"I see now," he said calmly, rolling his eyes as he peered at her with those glowing eyes.

"You see?" Raisa scowled.

"Of course, nothing avoids my eyes," he said matter of factly, gazing through her.

Just from what he had heard and seen so far…

"Part of you can't deal with the fact that you abandoned me, right?" Rosan asked knowingly, eyes glinting in amusement.

Wasn't that a thought. Based on the memory he'd seen, he knew she was conflicted but Rosan had no idea that even now, she was interested in him.

"Despite everything, you're still obsessed with me huh? You're just like everyone else aren't you," Rosan stated in amusement.

Raisa idly wondered if this was how people felt when they were facing her… the ability to so effortlessly read someone… she had never been subjected to such a thing.

Of course her son would be the first to subject her to it.

"That's not true," Raisa denied on instinct, refusing to be weak in front of him.

"A lie. Guess I didn't get that from you. I'm a pretty honest person."

Raisa clenched her fist at the surety of his statement and saw red at the last one.

So he could even detect lies like she could…

Those bright eyes, the eyes that used to be the same shade of purple as hers, now had one burning red eye that reminded her of all the violence her son was known for.

Those same glowing eyes looked at her knowingly. As if they knew everything about her, as if they knew her deepest insecurities.

People weren't supposed to look at her like that. Raisa was the one who looked at people like that.

W-Why was he looking at her like he knew?! HOW DID HE KNOW?! WHY WAS HE DECONSTRUCTING HER DOWN WITH JUST HIS GAZE?

"And so what if a part of me does care about you?!" she cracked, not used to someone putting such pressure on her. Raisa wasn't used to anyone speaking to her like this. She wasn't used to being on the backfoot.

She wasn't used to speaking to her son...

"Is it so unreasonable that a part of me cares about the son I gave birth to?!" she asked, feeling herself break in a way she wasn't used to.

Rosan said nothing as she fully closed the distance between them, a frantic look in the normally composed woman's eyes. He glanced at her with a tilted head, noting her abnormally sharp fangs, her silky smooth hair and the way she refused to take her eyes off his person.

Dalia and Oren watched their sister crack with wide eyes mere minutes into speaking with her son. Their cold and calculated sister, the one who was composed for nearly everything... looked like their spunky little sister in that moment.

They had no idea she thought about Rosan… that much. Raisa scarcely mentioned Rosan around them… but just meeting him had thrown her completely out of sorts?

This was surreal… To know that he had such an effect on her... it was stunning to see and even more shocking to witness.

Raisa had completely unraveled in the face of her son. The way he spoke, their nearly identical appearance, how confident he was in his assessment of her...

He was looking completely through her in a way that Raisa wasn't able to handle and this was the result... her cracking under the slightest bit of pressure from him.

"How do you think I felt knowing my first child, the one who I wanted nothing more than to birth, was the result of the man I trusted most in the world, betraying all my trust and raping me?!" Raisa shrieked in fury.

Mod's eyes widened in horror at that.

Rosan's expression never shifted.

"I've never had anyone I could call an ally or a friend. I never had someone I could trust unconditionally, my brother and sister alienated me for all my life no matter what I tried!" she shouted, clutching her chest as a hurt expression crossed her features.

Dalia and Oren withered at that, expression turning downcast at what they submitted Raisa too.

They would never be able to forgive themselves, for subjecting Raisa to what she had been subjected to. They had been bitter and upset and they had lashed out on her for being talented... no matter how many times she tried to mend their fracturing relationship.

And now that they wanted to mend it... Raisa had no interest in doing the same.

"My mother and father expected everything out of me. I was their heir first and their daughter second. Why would anyone want that?! In my eyes, I was being forsaken by my siblings for something that they didn't actually want!" Raisa panted, glaring at them now.

The two said nothing, merely bowing their heads as her anger washed over them.

"But I finally thought I met someone who I could actually trust. Someone I could talk to like a normal person and who didn't have any expectations for me… Cutter was my only friend and I thought I could finally rely on someone... but can you believe that he had expectations for me too in the worst possible way?" Raisa whispered in distraught.

"Attacked, raped, island left in ruins and pregnant… all by myself. My siblings left without a word, my parents killed by his hand... and my best friend betraying me for his sick and twisted revenge," Raisa said, teeth beginning to sharpen dramatically at what she had endured.

The woman felt the air around her getting heavier, as she began shuddering in genuine rage. "You don't know what I went through! Nobody knows what I went through and nobody cares and I accepted that. I was only 18 years old when all this happened to me, barely an adult by my islands standards but I accepted that I'd have to do everything alone," Raisa said, shutting her slit eyes.

"Oh Raisa," Dalia sobbed, curling into herself as anguish began coursing through her.

"I was in no state to take sole control of my island and raise you… not to mention if Cutter ever came back… he'd…"

The Queen clenched her fist, revealing more than she ever had in the past 25 years.

"The half of me that loved you wanted nothing more than to raise you… but the other half of me resented your entire existence. I couldn't… I couldn't raise you in a way that I found acceptable so I gave you up," she admitted quietly.

"I already accepted that my punishment for abandoning you was this eternal loneliness I've known since birth, I accepted that my naivety cost me everything, I accepted that you would find someone who could raise you better than I ever could…"

Raisa gazed up at him, glowing purple eyes shining brightly in contrast to his.

"But no matter what I do, I can never escape from you. After all these years, the most interest people have shown in me, was because of you. You're the Red Devil, prodigious spawn of two incredibly dangerous people. You're the Rosan who was found by the wife of the Pirate King. You're the Iris, whose heart has been captured by the Devil of Ohara…"

Raisa shut her eyes again.

"And I'm forced to be reminded all of this came to be because of one decision I made. My punishment isn't this forced loneliness, my true punishment… is being forced to think of the son who hates me over and over again. The son who's upended my life over and over again… the ultimate culmination of the heartbreaking betrayal I suffered… you."

"I…" Mod was speechless, gazing at the panting Raisa with wide eyes. The last thing the Devil Fruit ever expected was... was that.

She was... raped by her best friend? Her best friend killed her parents?

Raisa panted, clutching her dress and cursing herself at slipping up so much. She took deep breaths to try and steady herself, and when that failed, she shut her eyes and tried again.

She was not prepared to spill her heart out, she was prepared for battle but the moment she realized that it was her son who had shown up… she felt the ice cold wall she set up tremble.

In the face of her son, Raisa really was nothing but a pathetic mother who couldn't come to terms with her own decision.

Kuma you stupid son of a bitc —

"Hate?"

Raisa froze at that and gazed up at the source of that hauntingly calm voice.

Rosan was staring down at her with an expressionless gaze. The glow in his gaze was practically gone and he looked down at her with something she couldn't quite identify.

The redhead tilted his head and Raisa was starkly reminded of his bounty poster as he peered through her.

"What you just said… my heart goes out for you, it must have been hard. My life was hard too," Rosan said truthfully. "But you're sorely mistaken. I don't hate you."

Everyone froze at that.

"You… don't?" Raisa said in confusion.

"Rosan's about to say something he probably shouldn't," Mod thought instinctively, clenching her fists in anticipation.

The redhead shook his head. "I hate a lot of things but you are not one of them. Why would I hate you?" he asked.

Mod closed her eyes.

Yup.

Raisa, Dalia and Oren froze completely at his heartless tone.

"I've had to deal with far more problems in my life, to bother thinking about what the hell my birth mother was up to. Do you honestly think, that even once I thought about wishing you didn't abandon me? I'm too satisfied with my family to think about the birth mother who gave me up hours after my birth. To me, you may as well have never existed and nothing in my life would change at all. This meeting means nothing to me."

His voice was measured, even and neutral, not a hint of emotion to them as he spoke his mind.

Raisa took a single step back at that, emotions surging as he spoke. Her eyes were wide and she began trembling, feeling as her heart began the agonizing process of constricting.

Rosan was merciless.

"I have so many people in my life that I'd gladly call mother… I have so many amazing people who have kept me sane. I've been broken and my family has been rebuilding me… and you weren't apart of that. Do you honestly think I care about you at all?" Rosan asked curiously.

Those glowing eyes of his lost their shine and Raisa was forced to stare into the abyss, trapped in Rosan's endless gaze. She began trembling even harder, hand flying to her chest and breath becoming even more uneven.

"You didn't have to explain anything to me. There is no need to justify your actions, because I don't care. Would you care if a stranger suddenly approached you and began telling their life story?" Rosan asked genuinely.

Raisa's breathing got harder as Rosan spoke, taking yet another step back as she identified the gaze her redhead son was regarding her with.

Unfamiliarity. To him, Raisa truly was just a stranger and that realization did something terrible to her.

"How could I ever hate someone who I've hardly ever thought of? Could you answer that question for me, Queen Raisa?" Rosan asked softly, tilting his head at her.

…

…

…

"Holy shit," Dalia sobbed softly, heart panging as she saw the utter heartbreak on Raisa's face.

Rosan was… he was so ruthless…

Saying all that after she spilled her heart? That was just… Raisa looked like someone had just destroyed her entire view of life... and Dalia never expected her sister to look like that.

Oren frowned deeply at that, left reeling at the entire events. Even he couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his eyes. This whole thing was just so awful and he wished it had never come to this. So many things could have been different if...

What could he even say? This wasn't anything he could add his two cents too. He understood both sides perfectly…

Raisa thought the heartbreak at Cutter's hand was the worst feeling she had ever experienced... but this pain was something she couldn't even fathom. The pain of being disowned by the one you birthed... Raisa felt like screaming in agony.

Her hand idly clutched her chest as Rosan's words reverberated through her head over and over again.

It felt like she were being squeezed at all angles but why? Why did she feel like this? What was the meaning of this...? She had been the one who abandoned him... it was her decision. Now he was standing her and as a result of her decisions, he didn't care about her at all.

Ah… she knew why it hurt so much… it's because deep down, she realized that abandoning Rosan was the wrong choice.

Now that he was here forsaking her, she knew that she never should have abandoned him. It was a foolish decision and one not made of sound mind... she had abandoned him directly after birth for goodness sakes...

Deep down, she had always regret the decision to leave him back there. Raisa had fought an internal battle with herself all 9 months of being pregnant with him… and she came to the wrong decision.

He was well within his rights to say the things he said. Raisa was a stranger to Portgas D. Rosan. She should just apologize for acting so out of turn and bid him farewell…

But unfortunately, Raisa was a Queen and that meant she was terrible at truly expressing herself.

Cutter had said the exact same thing to her.

Rosan watched as Raisa's features contorted into one of rage, that beautiful face glaring up at him with raw fury in her eyes and his hackles began rising in warning.

He felt a thrum of excitement course through him, as before his very eyes, she began to transform.

Red scales replaced skin, as a violent and long tail burst from her body. She began growing ludicrously and to finish off, wings burst from her arms, combining along the limbs and leaving her sharp claws free.

"Ah, so this is why I'm so in love with Dragons," Rosan thought idly, gazing at Raisa with an impressed eye.

"So that's how she brought you to Baterilla," Mod said in realization, simply shaking her head at Rosan's words.

She'd be lying if she didn't say she was satisfied at what he said. It filled her with a visceral pleasure (and guilt) to hear what her son had to say.

Hate was something many people knew how to deal with... but the opposite of love, was indifference and no one truly knew how to deal with that.

For a group as emotional as the Iris, Rosan's indifference must have been whiplash inducing... and the results were right here.

"What Devil Fruit is that?" Ram asked, whistling at the sight of her birth grandma towering over them.

She was only a little smaller than Ragnarok! That was nuts!

The ring had always enjoyed Rosan's more toxic speeches. She was as much of a sadist as he was and it filled her with a malicious glee at seeing Rosan unleash his words onto someone.

Now they even got a fight out of it!

"That's the Ryu Ryu no mi, Model: Wyvern," Rosan answered, jumping out of the way of the swift claw that attempted to crash into his position.

Raisa snarled, glaring down at Rosan with fury in her eyes. The gigantic red Wyvern bared its fangs at her son and a competitive urge to display his dominance began swiftly overtaking Rosan.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson in respect," Raisa growled, glaring at Rosan.

Rosan actually grinned, as the wings of Ragnarok burst from his back.

"Fine fine. I know someone who wants to beat the shit out of you anyways so I guess this'll make her happy," he acquiesced.

"I know you're talking about me but please be careful. From what we gathered, Raisa should be formidable," Mod mentioned.

"Time to find out just how formidable she is," Rosan said, a wild gleam in his eyes.

Dalia and Oren watched in shock as not only did Raisa transform into her full Zoan, Rosan followed suit. The two dragons dominated the air they were in, both vying for supremacy and they looked at the two

Their nephew's scales were obsidian black, red lines coursing through his body like visible veins and he was even bigger than Raisa was!

"RAOGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Rosan roared as he took to the sky, announcing his presence to the world as he always did.

He looked every bit as intimidating as Raisa did and without hesitation both the dragons took to the skies.

Raisa glared at her son, growing even more pissed at the fact that he really was a Dragon just like she was and chased after him immediately.

At once, mother and son opened their mouths and let loose a hellish amount of flames that crashed right into each other.

The citizens of Wisteria could only watch in horror, as their Queen faced off against an unknown threat.

While it was almost a mythical sight to see, many people were informed of their all powerful Queen's transformation into a Wyvern. It was almost unheard of to see her in her full transformation because Queen Raisa quite frankly, didn't need it.

So it was a justifiably terrifying sight to see her in her full zoan form, while facing off with an equally as massive dragon. The citizens all screamed in horror at seeing the two dragons snarl at each other, before they opened their mouths and unleashed a terrifying bout of flames.

"Everyone! Head to the designated safe zones! Queen Raisa has entered her full Zoan! I repeat, Queen Raisa has entered her full Zoan! Head to all safe spots in an orderly fashion! Failure to comply will lead to apprehension after this state of emergency is over!"

The guards wasted no time ordering evacuation, knowing that they'd merely get in the way of Raisa if they went to help. When Raisa was in action, their job was to evacuate first and then see if she needed backup... and considering she was fighting another gargantuan dragon, it was in their best interest to stay out of her way.

Red flames clashed with purple, as an enormous explosion ensued following the attacks colliding.

Raisa wasted no time rushing Rosan, soaring over to the massive dragon and crashing into him.

Claws, teeth and tails crashed as the two snarled at each other, trying to overpower each other like two apex predators meeting in the wild. They were constantly vying for supremacy, clawing at each other with violent and animalistic fury.

"Raisa! Rosan! Please stop this madness!" Dalia shouted to deaf ears, eyes wide as she watched them go at it with no regards for the others safety.

Oren grunted, scales covering his body as he turned towards the city. "We can't stop those two Dalia, let's just control the damage."

She frowned in distraught and gazed at the violence taking place, before scales covered her skin and she joined her older brother.

"You know nothing about me, yet here you are… practically a spitting image of me!" Raisa snarled.

"It is pretty fun how similar we are. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree but I'd never abandon my children. I'm not that much of a failure," Rosan growled right back.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I FELT!" Raisa howled.

The queen roared in fury and at the same time, shot out an enormous gust of wind.

Rosan's eyes widened and he retaliated with his own gust of wind, grunting in displeasure at seeing Raisa's winds overpowering his.

The cutting winds slammed into his hard scales and to his surprise, they actually managed to pierce it, drawing his blood.

Had Rosan ever bled while in Ragnarok?

Raisa was strong.

That thought filled Rosan with far too much excitement.

Raisa watched as the dragon's snarling maw formed into a grin, right before he exploded in electricity.

She swiftly applied armament to herself but couldn't bite back the grunt of pain as the lightning coursed through her body.

Fire, wind and lightning? What the hell was her son?

Raisa snarled in annoyance and continued lashing out at him, scowling as he met her blow for blow with no intent to back down.

She lunged, poisonous fangs poised to latch onto the dragon's neck but the creature merely rumbled in amusement and opened its mouth.

Her observation flared wildly and she swiftly aborted her course of action as her draconic son opened his mouth and fired a beam at her.

It made a shrieking noise as it flew directly past her and Raisa gazed at the beam with wide eyes.

Such mastery of his flames... to condense and speed it up to the point where it may as well have been a laser...

Raisa was enable to ponder the thought more, because a razor sharp tail crashed to her sides.

The queen hissed as it dug into her scales and she glared furiously at Rosan.

Rosan grunted as the razor sharp winds made their presence known once again, cutting into him with no remorse. Unlike his winds, these did not use blunt force... they were truly sharp...

He didn't know too much about Wyverns, but he did know that they possessed poisonous abilities that varied in intensity... they were quite dangerous...

How fun! They were both dragons but they specialized in different things!

As the winds continued to cut into him, Rosan flew higher into the air and aimed downwards at Raisa.

"ANNIHILATION!" the dragon roared.

The Wyvern watched with wide eyes, as her son ignored all the cuts littering his body and opened his mouth to shoot out a gargantuan amount of those unnaturally red flames.

Worst of all, the flames were fueled by her winds, growing into something truly terrifying...

And it was careening towards her island.

Raisa's eyes widened and she remembered how Cutter had done the exact same thing... how he had used the citizens of her island to weaken her. His total disregard for the amount of damage he was causing, as he launched himself at her with that wild grin that she had never seen on his face...

The woman braced herself and dove directly into the flames, covering herself in purple flames as well and colliding with the fire.

Rosan gazed a confused look at that, watching as Raisa rushed into the attack.

Why did she do that?

It only took him a moment before he realized why she had done so and he scowled.

Not cool, he didn't want his opponents to take attacks in order to protect something else. Cheap shots like that took the enjoyment out of the fights! Rosan was only willing to fight that cheap when his family's lives were on the line but it was just him here so that was a no go!

A mostly unharmed Raisa huffed, glaring furiously at Rosan, only for that to turn into confusion as the redhead flew further away from her.

"What are you doing?" she growled, taking chase immediately after her son.

Rosan snorted. "I don't want you worrying about protecting your island. I have no interest in killing innocents anyways."

The Wyvern froze, stunned at that revelation.

Then, she only got angrier.

Raisa roared in rage and rushed him and the giant dragons resumed their assault anew.

"You think you can say all these perfect things?!" Raisa snarled, attempting to dig into him with her teeth.

Rosan grunted, lashing out with his claws and forcing her mouth open. His claws lit up with electricity, but a tail crashed and dislodged him from her body.

"Perfect things?" Rosan asked incredulously. "I live the way I choose to live. I'm not doing this for anyone else but myself and the people I love. Don't project your insecurities onto me, Raisa."

There was murder in her gaze and she rushed him again.

Lightning, fire and wind were thrown about as the two clawed at each other with violent gleams. Despite the extreme physicality of it all, Raisa was growing frustrated because she wasn't making proper headway.

This wasn't working, she needed more speed.

Raisa suddenly flew away from her estranged son and Rosan let her, interest in his eyes as she shrunk back to her original height.

Her scales remained, as did her wings, tails and claws but everything of her human form returned.

Rosan's eyes glinted, injuries healing up as he watched her transform into her hybrid form.

Hybrid? It was well known that Hybrid forms were the strongest Zoan forms so now Rosan was really in for a fight.

Much like Raisa, Rosan reverted back into his human form, keeping just his wings out. He idly transformed Ram into a set of gloves, noting that Raisa didn't use weapons and had his raid suit activated, donning a simple kimono.

Rosan flapped his wings idly, as he stared across the floating Raisa with a curious eye. He was gauging her for her next move, while preparing his own.

Her fighting style was... not quite easy to get a gauge on. Currently, she was fighting while extremely emotional and as a Dragon, there wasn't much technical things to do. Rosan did know that she was far more willing to use her tail than he was and it was mostly in a stabbing motion as well.

Also her claws, they were seeped in poison...

"How… do you only have your wings out?" Raisa asked in confusion, purple eyes narrowed.

Rosan snorted. "I'm not one to tell people information about myself. I have a lot of secrets that I can't let out. You'll have to take me out on a date first. Bring flowers, I'm sure you should at least know what my favorite are," he stated smugly.

"I cannot understate how infuriating you are."

Raisa let out a noise that sounded fairly feral in nature and rushed him once more, wings on her arm spreading to help her close the distance. The wind began gathering around her and she propelled herself forward at even greater speeds.

"Fast," Rosan thought with wide eyes, blocking a punch with his forearm coated in Armament.

Much to his surprise, Raisa's own haki overpowered his own and Rosan stared in appreciation at his bruised and slightly shredded arm with fascinated eyes.

"I think she's stronger than me," Rosan said idly. It was a thought he had since they had fought in their dragon forms but here in her hybrid, Rosan could see just how strong she actually was.

"I don't think it's by a small amount either," Mod stated in disbelief.

"So she really is strong!" Ram beamed in excitement.

Raisa's guilt at injuring her son so greatly... vanished in favor shock, as the bruise on Rosan's arm instantly vanished, looking as good as new.

What…?

She wasn't able to dwell on the oddity because the redhead was already on the move.

Sparks danced across his body and his raid suit immediately cloaked him, as he instantly closed the distance and began exchanging furious blows.

Rosan was like a tsunami. He was powerful and relentless, attacking Raisa with all manners of attack…

But Raisa was like water. She calmly retaliated when Rosan left himself open, weaving in attacks with her smooth dodges…

The two redheads were dancers, putting on an incredible performance as their difference in fighting styles clashed with each other.

Rosan huffed, exploding in electricity that weathered the biting winds that Raisa manipulated with expert precision and lunged at her.

Her observation flared and she calmly leaned back from the fist... only for her eyes to widen as it suddenly exploded with concussive force.

"So you do have Observation too," Rosan noted, glancing at his smoking gloves with an amused glint.

"Haha! Observation doesn't work when I attack independently from Father!" Ram laughed psychotically, explosions rocking off her hands in a rather unhinged manner.

The Queen scowled at Rosan, completely unaffected by that attack. "You'll need more than that to pierce my scales," she warned.

Rosan grinned mockingly. "Aww, is my dear mother giving me advice? Seems like you aren't completely worthless!" he crooned.

"I AM NOT WORTHLESS!" Raisa howled in rage, renewing her assault anew.

Rosan placed both arms above his head as a tail smashed into them, strong enough for him to feel even through his raid suit.

She was panting at him now, purple eyes having a black slit and glowing brightly.

"My island was in complete ruin! My mother and father weren't even able to properly guide me as Queen before they were struck down. I had to figure out all on my own how to fix my island and I had to do it WHILE I WAS PREGNANT!" she roared.

Rosan grabbed her sharp tail and began spinning her rapidly, launching her away. Before she could fly too far, her tail wrapped around his neck and he grunted in surprise as Raisa pulled him towards her, landing a punch directly to his cheek.

"I was already in such a weakened state. I felt utterly helpless! My people were suffering! I was mourning all I lost! It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and it felt like the weight of the world was in my belly!" Raisa ranted.

Rosan exploded in electricity, forcing her to release him but the male redhead wouldn't let her off that easy. He grabbed the tail that was flying back to her body and yanked, forcing Raisa to fly to his location.

He was poised to deliver a brutal headbutt and to his shock (and delight), Raisa met him head on. The two collided violently, making a cracking noise but neither came out of it injured.

Raisa huffed, licking the blood off her lips absentmindedly as she glared at her son. "I was lost and I didn't know what to do! My first year as queen, and already my people had lost so much trust in me! Do you know how it feels to rule a country where you aren't trusted?!"

She thrust out her hand and a torrent of massive winds formed, colliding directly with Rosan's own heavy winds.

"And all the while, I had to hide that I was pregnant with you! The assassination attempts were already out of hand! Imagine if they knew I was pregnant with you?!"

"So what?" Rosan barked back finally. "I don't give a damn! Didn't I already tell you that your justifications mean nothing to me?!"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN IF THEY MEAN NOTHING TO YOU! THEY MEAN SOMETHING TO ME!" Raisa shrieked in a moment of true rage.

Now that her figurative wall had broken, all of Raisa's anger had flooded into the world and it even gave Rosan some pause.

"Do you know how it feels to be overjoyed at the fact that you're finally having a child... but then the poisonous voice of your assaulter reminds you over and over again that this child is the product of him taking advantage of you?!"

"I would have loved you with all my heart," Raisa whispered in despair. "My parents raised me and my siblings terribly so I wanted to prove to them that nurturing and love was a better way to go about things... but then I met your father and I trusted him and he tricked me. HE TRICKED ME AND HE BETRAYED ME!"

Rosan held out a palm and shot out a massive orb that collided with the queen's purple fire.

"BUT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT AND WHY SHOULD YOU?!" Raisa roared again, closing the distance and ensuing close combat quarters.

Despite how the woman was clearly having a mental breakdown, her fighting style was still as fluid as ever. It was a testament to how skilled she was at fighting because Rosan was very sure she was on autopilot.

"She's hysterical," Mod noted with a frown.

"Why should you care about the mother who abandoned you? You shouldn't give a fuck what I have to say!"

Rosan grabbed the arm she swung at him and spun her around, aiming a palm at her back and blasting the Queen away.

"So then why are you attacking me so furiously?" Rosan asked with a raised brow, launching himself at her with a renewed gusto.

"BECAUSE I STILL LOVE YOU! ARE YOU HAPPY?!" Raisa shrieked.

Rosan immediately stopped his flight and launched himself backwards, as poison was shot out of Raisa. The wave of purple toxins nearly hit him, but instead fell uselessly to the water...

The redhead watched with impressed eyes as after a few seconds, numerous dead fish began floating towards the top.

"So she can use her poison as a projectile too... and it's extremely corrosive and effective."

"Goodness, she is a monster. Just how powerful is she really?"

"Strong enough where if she were taking this completely serious, I'd be in a lot of trouble," Rosan grunted.

Raisa didn't even seem to notice him anymore, just lost in her own head.

"In this world... I've always been alone and I thought at the very least, I wouldn't be alone with my child," she whispered. "I thought to myself, "my child will always love me, my child will always need me, my child can't betray me," and that gave me hope..."

She gazed at him with broken eyes. "But my first child was one conceived from betrayal... I'm the one who made him not need me and I'm the one who gave you up... I willingly gave up all of that and plunged myself into eternal loneliness..."

"So why?! Why is it that your words still affect me? Why is it that I feel so hurt when you rightfully disowned me? Why is it that now that we're fighting I see both myself and that DAMN BASTARD IN YOU?!"

Rosan calmly diverted a wild swing from the feral woman, before grabbing her other arm, straining a bit at the strength.

Raisa's gaze whitened and a small tremor shot through her body at the action of Rosan holding her arms. The tremor began increasing in strength and she shuddered, before instinctively lashing out with her vicious tail.

Rosan grunted and watched as it slashed across his chest, effortlessly piercing his durable outfit and drawing blood.

"Poison?" He asked curiously, ignoring the searing burn as the poison invaded his system.

"I'm focusing all attention onto it, don't worry."

Raisa stopped at that, guilt wracking her body.

Despite everything... Rosan was not Cutter. With his hands clasping her own like this... ensuring that she couldn't get away... the Queen had less than pleasant memories.

"Wait… hold on. My venom is deadly. Let me apply the antidote to you," she said immediately.

She hadn't intended to poison him… lashing out with her tail had been an instinctive response but her tail carried a far more potent poison than any other part of her body.

Rosan tilted his head at her and released the woman.

"You're strange, Raisa. You attack me first, have a mental break down... poison me and now you've recovered from the mental breakdown and are offering me the antidote? Do you actually know what you want? You seem incredibly indecisive," He pondered curiously.

No, Raisa didn't know what she wanted. Raisa hadn't known what she wanted for years now… Raisa never knew what she wanted.

Rosan rolled his eyes and showed her his chest. "There's no need for an antidote. It does hurt like a bitch though."

She frowned deeply at the injury she caused him, but went white as before her very eyes, Rosan's skin began patching itself together like it had not been shredded in the first place. The skin of his midsection looked good as new and the only sign that something had happened to it, was the steam...

"Kahahaha! See? Good as new," Rosan said with a sardonic grin, eyes gleaming excitedly.

He laughed just like Cutter.

Raisa looked at her son's arms with stunned eyes.

What…

"What are you…?" Raisa asked softly, shock coursing through her system enough to temporarily pacify her.

"I'm better," Rosan said easily. "Now let's continue the fight. This is fun. I think I've got your style figured out," he stated, transforming Ram into a set of gauntlets this time.

Fun.

For Raisa, this was the dreaded meeting with her son that she abandoned. A meeting that she never actually thought she'd be submitted to.

To Rosan this was fun. There was no baggage on him like there was on her. He didn't know her at all... why should there be? A child should not bear the sins of their parents and her son was the perfect example of that because he didn't know a damn thing about either of his parents and he didn't care.

No, all he cared about was getting a good fight. He obviously delighted in battle in a way that wasn't similar to her or Cutter.

No his love of battle, was all him… just like everything else she didn't know about him.

Rosan wasn't her or Cutter's son. Much like he had always been saying... he was Portgas D. Rosan. He just happened to share the same blood as them.

They were strangers. Complete and utter strangers.

Raisa sagged at that, all her anger draining.

"What am I even doing?" She thought in defeat.

"You're right… we're strangers. I don't know anything about you. I don't know your favorite food, your favorite color… yet here I am acting like I do. Here I am, making a complete embarrassment of myself over something that I willingly caused," Raisa said quietly, voice hard to hear over the howling winds.

Rosan's eager smile vanished, replaced with a frown instead.

"Just… go," the queen said softly. "You have more things to concern yourself with. As queen of Wisteria, I would like to offer my apologies for attacking you. It was unbefitting of me, especially when you had already proven you were not a hostile threat."

"..." Rosan said nothing, just gazing at her with those mesmerizing eyes of his.

"If you'll excuse me... I'd like to retreat to my room and handle this embarrassment on my own," she muttered.

This was all just a waste of time. Raisa was a waste of time and a shame to her throne. They should have just let Oren be king. Raisa wasn't someone who could handle the burden after all. It was good that no one was like her because she was worthless exactly like Rosan said she was.

Attacking her son for her own transgressions, basically summed up her life. Throughout all of this, Rosan had been completely innocent. She started the argument, she refused to accept that he didn't view her as his mother... she escalated the situation.

Raisa was such a fuckup.

She was so pathetic. No wonder she got rap —

Two strong arms wrapped around Raisa's frame and she felt herself freeze up completely.

"You ruined a good fight by being so pitiful. Of all the time to gain your reason, it's when I was really getting into it," Rosan sighed morosely, hugging the woman with a disappointed expression.

Raisa was stunned, taking in everything about her son in that instant. From his strong arms, to his flowery scent, to the way his heart pounded so strongly in his chest…

"You don't know what you want, you're terrible at expressing yourself… you're a hot mess, aren't you? Were you really thinking that you deserved to get raped? Are you stupid?" Rosan asked rhetorically.

"I... you could tell?" Raisa asked quietly, trembling slightly.

"Of course and I'm going to tell you right now, no matter the problems we might have, I don't think you deserve what happened to you at all. I think only scum of the world deserve the level of pain you and I have been through... and I don't think you're scum," he replied truthfully.

"I... I don't?" Raisa began trembling even harder at that, not detecting the lie in his voice.

"R-Rosan?" Mod asked in disbelief, not understanding what he was doing.

Rosan said nothing for a moment and sighed.

"I can't help but think, that we really are too similar and… that story affected me more than I'd like to admit," he admitted with a frown.

Getting betrayed by the person you trusted most in the world… well Rosan once thought Robin betrayed him and that had broken him in a way that had started his downward spiral into becoming emotionless.

Rosan was someone who thought traitors were the most dangerous thing to his existence, because traitors always hurt a person the most…

And it showed here. Raisa had built a wall almost exactly like he had and once it broke down, she was just frantically grabbing at everything to stay afloat. It had made his heart pang, watching her desperately try to grasp at anything... and that pang had only strengthened as she gave up and exiled herself back to loneliness.

That... could have been him. If Rosan didn't have anyone in his family to guide him... he could have been just like this.

It was a terrible and dark future and he could see that now... so he'd be damn if he was the sole reason he sent someone who he didn't hate (if he did hate you, loneliness was the least of your worries), spiraling down that exact same path.

"You're a broken mess of a person, Iris D. Raisa... and you've been bottling it up for 25 years… Take it from someone who's also a broken mess of a person… it's always good to have someone to rely on and that remains no different for royalty. Even royalty is capable of having depression," Rosan said quietly.

Mod's eyes softened at that.

Rosan was… such an amazing person. He was such a precious soul and even despite everything... he could find it in himself to be empathetic with a person.

He had always been good at peering through a person's soul. It's why he had managed to break down all of Robin's barriers after all.

She had... depression? Raisa was depressed?

"I'm depressed?" she asked quietly.

"You know, people can sometimes get depressed after giving birth," Rosan informed her, noting the way she was sinking further into his body.

The effects of childbirth had been something Rosan extensively researched... after the events of what happened with Rouge. He was also hellbent on making sure Meiko (Robin now) didn't suffer any type of complications.

He would be fully prepared... so he learned a lot about pregnancy and the aftereffects... and considering how emotional his lineage was... Raisa had likely been suffering from the rapid mood swings of being pregnant and then birth had made her further irrational.

That didn't excuse her for her actions, but it helped explain why she was like this.

Raisa shuddered at that, not understanding why... why he was explaining her terrible actions. "Why… why are you saying these things to me… I abandoned you… I left you in a forest… why are you still saying such… why are you so forgiving?!"

Rosan snorted aloud. "I'm not forgiving at all. I'm the most vengeful person on the planet… but I have nothing to forgive from you. In fact, I'm happy you abandoned me because it allowed me to meet the people I know and love today," he said truthfully.

He wouldn't have known Mod-chan, Mom, Robin, Meiko, Maro, Luffy… Ace… the list went on and on.

If anything, he was thankful that Raisa left him in that forest. Things were rocky… but Rosan would never trade this life if it meant missing out on the people he had met and he was sure he'd never have met them if he was being raised by her.

That's why he was helping her right now. Because those same people had helped revive his bleeding and empathetic heart that related too much to this woman who had been suffering just as he had.

They really were mother and son huh?

"I won't compare how much trauma we have... but we've both suffered in our own way and I'm doing okay. You have no one to trust, no one to rely on, you've just been going with the motions for 25 years… that's not living," Rosan said softly.

Raisa began shaking, tears forming in her eyes. She noted that shuddering in Rosan's strong grasp… shuddering in the hold of the son who she had only ever hugged once in her life... back when he was just a baby.

The same son who she had proclaimed to hate in the heat of her emotions...

"You think, I deserve to… y-you think I deserve to live?" she asked quietly, so quietly.

The male redhead hummed at the slight vibrations on his chest and nodded. "You've practically been dead this entire time. Take it from someone who's done the same, you can stop punishing yourself with the sting of loneliness. If you're anything like me, being alone is the same as submitting yourself to hell on earth," Rosan told her.

"A-And even after everything I've done… you think I deserve to rely on someone?" Raisa stammered.

"Only if that's what you want. You don't gotta rely on anyone. I just find it easier for me when I share my load with someone else," Rosan said easily, feeling a warm pulse as he thought of his family.

Raisa let out a shaky breath. In an impossibly rare moment of vulnerability, one that she had only ever shared with Cutter, Raisa asked, "Can the person I rely on… can that be you?"

Rosan tilted his head at that, peering at the woman looking up at him with glistening eyes.

Well, she did look like him. It stood to reason that she was also adorable.

"If that's really what you want, then I won't say no... but I think you missed when I called myself a broken mess too though. I rely on someone way more stable, like my girlfriend. She's a real rock that can weather my insanity well," he said fondly.

"...Can I please hug you back?" Raisa whimpered, clutching the front of his shirt desperately.

That made Rosan laugh. "Kahaha! Feel free, I've been told I'm a pretty good hugger."

Raisa began sniffing and hesitantly raised her arms, before slowly wrapping it around Rosan's frame.

The moment Rosan tightened his hug and tucked her into his frame, Raisa felt the wall she built up for 25 years, crumble into nothing. In the face of her son, Raisa felt like a small child again.

The Queen let loose a sharp wail and began sobbing into Rosan's frame.

"I-I'm so sorry, Rosan! I'm so sorry for everything I did to you! I'm sorry for being such a terrible mother! I'm sorry I let that man rule my decisions so much! I-I'm sorry!" Raisa sobbed, hot tears spilling out of her eyes as she clutched Rosan like her life depended on it.

"Maybe I should be my own therapist," Rosan thought idly, rubbing the woman's back.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not mad at you. I've never been mad at you," he said truthfully.

That was Mod-chan.

Mod flushed red at that.

Raisa whimpered in his safe hold and just allowed the tears she had been holding back for so long to fall. She completely soaked his outfit with her backed up tears, just holding him for dear life.

She couldn't believe her son ended up being such an amazing person...

For him to stand here, in the face of his worthless mother and say the things he had said… Raisa was so foolish to ever give up this incredible boy but he still managed to remain incredible.

Raisa doubted he'd end up this good under her tutelage…

Rosan gazed down at the woman soaking his outfit with a curious expression.

When he told her to rely on someone, he wasn't really expecting her to choose him but he should have guessed.

She still saw him as her son after all... and people were very in love with holding his attention.

Truly, whether they reconciled or not didn't matter to Rosan… he meant it when he said he didn't really care about their relationship.

But because he didn't care, because he wasn't angry at Raisa… his empathetic soul began sympathizing with her because damn... they really were quite similar.

That empathy only increased as their fight stretched on. She couldn't properly express herself so she resorted to attacking him and despite how calm her attacks were, there was a frantic rush to them.

Not to mention how she just kept speaking... she knew that she was in the wrong but she couldn't properly come to terms with it.

She was practically his opposite in that regard. Rosan may have been overwhelming and wild when he fought, but he knew every course of action he was going to take, so it was far more controlled then the person thought.

Besides… he was trying to be a better person and Robin did say she wanted to know more about his family.

What better way than to speak to the one who birthed him? Though, Robin probably didn't have too high of an opinion of Raisa. No one in his family did.

Shit… Robin. He really needed to go see Robin. She must be worried sick for him and he was worried sick for her… for all of them.

"Feel better?" Rosan asked softly, noticing her sobs die down.

Raisa didn't trust her words and just nodded, still shuddering in his frame.

Better was a gross underestimation of how Raisa felt. She hadn't felt this light since she was a 16 year old girl with the first taste of freedom on the sea.

"I… thank you, Rosan," Raisa said truthfully, clutching him as tightly as possible. "You had no reason to help me… you saw how your words were affecting me and instead of making me feel worse you… you helped me. You helped me for reasons I will never be able to fully understand."

Rosan sighed. "Yeah… my words can be very effective… and kicking a woman who got raped while she's already down, is a bit heartless even for me. I'm a momma's boy after all."

Mod couldn't stop the smile at that last sentence, flushing red as Ram shot her a smug grin.

"You need to be more honest with yourself, Raisa," Rosan said truthfully, noting how powerful her grip was.

Getting out of it would probably be very hard. Just how strong was Raisa?

"I know but… I'm afraid of being honest with myself because of… how much I've failed. It's difficult to acknowledge all my failures, so I covered my ears and ran away from it," she whispered in admittance.

Rosan snorted.

Like mother like son he supposed. They were both cowards at the end of the day who ran away from their respective issues.

"Well now you know better. I punished myself for years too for something I did, but despite that I was forgiven in a heartbeat… so I'll pass on that goodwill to you. Consider all our past problems abolished," he said easily, floating towards the floor.

Raisa felt like she could begin crying again and she had already ruined her son's outfit... so she simply nodded...

That failed however and her tears just spilled onto the amused redhead.

As Rosan landed on the floor, he was immediately met with both Oren and Dalia, who were gazing at the two with palpable worry.

That worry turned into wide eyes and dropped jaws, as they saw their cold and detached sister, Iris D. Raisa, clutching onto Rosan like he were a lifeline.

The two had been in their respective forms, ensuring that no damage made it to Wisteria but it was not necessary because Rosan flew away mid battle, bringing the battle away from their home...

Afterwards, they had properly made sure evacuations were followed in an orderly fashion, guiding them with their giant bodies and causing the chaos to settle.

With nothing better to do, they had waited back where they first came... which brought them to the sight of Raisa clutching Rosan like a lifeline, head buried into the crook of the visibly amused redhead's neck.

"W-Wha," Dalia stammered, wiping her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Nope, Raisa was still hugging Rosan, periodically sniffing as the male redhead calmly pat her back.

"Is she crying?!" Oren thought in shock. He hadn't seen Raisa cry since back when they were children being trained by their parents!

Their sister was quite in control of her emotions all the time! After deciding that she could only do so much on her end when dealing with her siblings... she had closed herself off and appeared as an infallible wall to everyone.

When that happened, Oren had felt guilt for what they had subjected her too. Their sister had finally given up on them and he had been too much of a coward to try to amend their relationship...

Kami she had no reason to ever forgive them.

"Hey," Rosan greeted them easily, unmindful of Raisa's antics and just allowing her to hold him.

"H-Hi?" Dalia stammered in confusion.

"Are you two done fighting…?" Oren asked slowly.

Their nephew hummed and craned his head slightly. "Are we done fighting, Raisa?" he asked in some amusement.

"Mhm," Raisa mumbled, not even thinking of moving from her spot.

He was very comfortable. She wasn't even going to think about ruining this by fighting him again.

Rosan snorted as she tried to burrow even deeper into him. Raisa was as clingy as him and Mod-chan.

"What… happened up there?" Oren asked in genuine confusion, gazing at his middle sister with wide eyes.

Raisa wasn't… acting like Raisa at all. He had never in his life seen her so willingly hug someone but she was holding Rosan like he would disappear at any given moment.

"We fought a bit then I talked her into being more honest with herself. She's been living a very difficult life," Rosan said easily. "She's been dealing with a lot and I helped get her on the right path. Right, Raisa?"

"Mhm," she mumbled again.

"Y-You... helped her?" Dalia asked hopefully, gazing at her sister and nephew with wide eyes.

Did he... did he really manage to pull Raisa out of her self imposed misery?

Dalia was... she was okay if Raisa never forgave her but at the very least, she just wanted her sister to be happy because she didn't remember the last time she was...

"Has she ever hugged any of you guys like this?" Rosan asked with a raised brow, beckoning towards his birth mother with an amused smirk.

"No. We didn't know she liked hugs," Oren answered truthfully, frowning at that detail.

"There's your answer," the redhead chuckled. "I'm sure she'd tell you herself but she doesn't want to speak right now. She's a little embarrassed."

"I'm not embarrassed," Raisa denied immediately.

Rosan pat her head. "Don't bother lying. I can tell."

That was annoying. Raisa didn't like that someone else could detect lies.. but she supposed it was fine if it were Rosan.

"Fine," she grumbled in defeat.

Dalia felt tears forming at just how… at ease Raisa suddenly felt and she let out a happy sob.

"We thought you guys were going to destroy everything!" Dalia cried, jumping into the hug with a happy grin.

Rosan simply shook his head and snagged his short aunt out of mid air, getting an excited squeal out of her. "If I were trying to destroy everything, you'd know. I just wanted to get a glimpse into Raisa's head is all."

"He brought the fight away from the island on purpose so he could avoid hurting them," Raisa defended, refusing to look away from her soon.

"Your tickling my neck," Rosan mentioned with a small chuckle. Everytime she spoke, her lips would brush against him because she refused to let him go.

It tickled.

"Sorry but... I don't wanna move," Raisa said truthfully.

The redhead rolled his eyes. "You're a brat. I get too many things from you."

"Are you a brat as well?" Raisa asked, wanting to know anything and everything about him.

Dalia's mouth opened in shock at how she didn't even deny being a brat. It was utterly surreal to see Raisa of all people, tamed by her son. It was light and day!

"My girlfriend calls me a brat all the time," Rosan said fondly.

"Nico Robin?" Raisa asked curiously.

The sight of her son lighting up warmed Raisa's heart extremely.

"Yeah. She's my best friend and my girlfriend and I love her very much," Rosan smiled. "But... she's also extremely protective of me so she doesn't have a high opinion of you."

Raisa frowned at that. "I'd like to meet and apologize to anyone that has any grievances with me then..." she said softly.

Rosan gazed at her, an unknown glint in his eyes. "Don't regret that decision. A lot of people are very overprotective of me."

Raisa shuddered at that for some reason.

"Raisa?" Oren said softly.

"Mmm?" Raisa mumbled as her form of acknowledgement.

Oren sighed deeply. "I didn't understand the full picture and I probably still don't... but I'm seriously sorry for being such a terrible older brother to you. We... won't ever be able to make it up to you and you might not believe it... but even if you don't ever forgive us..."

"But we're just happy that you found someone that makes you less alone!" Dalia beamed, sniffing happily as she squeezed her older sister. "We don't deserve to be forgiven after what we put you through, but I'm so glad you're just happy! You've never deserved to suffer!"

Raisa froze at that and let out a quiet breath.

"I... forgive you two," she said eventually.

Both Oren and Dalia froze at that. "R-Really?" Dalia asked tentatively.

Raisa nodded softly. "I've barely done anything yet Rosan was able to forgive me... you two are doing so much to prove you want to make it up. I'd be nothing more than an asshole if I continued to push you guys away."

"That's..." Oren said, glancing at his nephew with a stunned eye.

"I guess all that family therapy turned me into a good one myself. Look at me fixing all these issues," he chuckled.

"Here I was just trying to get a good fight and now here we are. But I guess that makes sense. People become most honest when they're pumped up on adrenaline… or about to die."

Oren sweatdropped. His nephew was a pretty scary person.

Dalia giggled. Her nephew was such a scary person!

"But man, to think you could transform into a dragon too…" Oren chuckled to himself. "I guess it really does run in the family."

Rosan raised a brow at that. "Runs in the family? Are you guys able to turn into dragons too?"

Dalia lit up at that and got out of the group hug.

"Yep!" she chirped happily. "Look look! Look at me!"

Rosan watched in interest and even Raisa craned her head slightly as both Oren and Dalia began transforming.

Scales began covering the both of them, as they both began growing to ludicrous size.

Blue scales covered Dalia as she lengthened dramatically, losing her limbs, as she became more and more serpentine in nature.

Gold scales covered Oren as he gained an extra set of legs, losing his arms and becoming quadrupedal.

"I see now why you're so obsessed with Dragons… it runs in your family," Mod laughed disbelievingly.

"Ta da! Aren't I pretty?!" Dalia rumbled, sharp fangs on full display as the serpent grinned down at them in a rather intimidating display.

Despite Dalia's short stature, none of that reflected in the Wyrm she transformed into. It was smaller than what Rosan and her siblings could transform into, but she had them all beat in terms of length. It was quite a sight to see.

"The Iris love their reptiles… not really sure why," Oren rumbled deeply, golden eyes peering down at them.

He was as big as everyone else was, though without wings he appeared smaller than both Raisa and Rosan. The Drake rumbled and the earth shook a bit at that, causing Rosan to peer at the ground.

So all three siblings had the Ryu Ryu no Mi but for different models...

"A Wyrm, a Drake and a Wyvern," Rosan mused in visible interest.

"We like reptiles due to our Kuja lineage," Raisa mumbled. "Seeing as we didn't have our own snakes to train, we compensated."

"And we decided on Mythical Zoans as our solution," Rosan laughed.

"Right?! We're so smart!" Dalia gushed, ducking her head and rumbling in joy as Rosan pat her gently.

Well that explained why his thought process was always… peculiar. Rosan probably would have come to the exact same solution. If you can't control a reptile, might as well become one.

How fascinating. He was very similar to his relatives.

"So you ate the Ryu Ryu no Mi too, right?!" Dalia asked, transforming back to normal as she skipped up to Rosan.

Rosan blinked. "No, I didn't."

Raisa blinked in confusion at that because Rosan was not lying.

"What do you mean you didn't? Is that not what you transformed into?" Raisa asked in confusion, wondering if her eyes had been playing tricks.

No, Raisa hadn't been that hysterical. Her son was definitely a dragon.

"Yeah, I can transform into a dragon… but I didn't eat a Mythical Zoan," Rosan said easily.

The siblings only looked more stunned at that.

"What?" they all asked in disbelief.

Rosan opened his mouth, before suddenly shutting it as a somewhat concerned look crossed his face.

"It's best if I show you," he said slowly, delicately removing Raisa from his hold.

Raisa was a little put off by that but she had hugged him long enough…

It just didn't feel like enough to her. She wanted to hug him again.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. I must speak my mind."

"Alright. Say whatever you want. I won't stop you or object any decision you make."

Rosan raked a hand through his hair and closed his eyes.

Raisa, Oren and Dalia's expressions of confusion melted away, replaced by shock as Rosan began changing yet again in front of their eyes…

But he wasn't transforming into a dragon… no he was transforming… into another person?!

He lost many inches of his height, as his downward spikes lengthened and smoothed over, turning a lustrous shade of purple, not unlike his and Raisa's eyes.

But what was most shocking… was the fact that he changed into a whole other gender.

"What...?" Oren gaped in shock, looking at the women in shock.

"She's stunning," Raisa gasped, gazing at the woman who just took over her son with wide eyes.

"She's so damn hot?!" Dalia's mouth opened, gazing at the beauty with blatant interest.

What just happened to Rosan?!

Mod opened her blood red eyes, making eye contact with the stunned Raisa and despite everything she saw… despite Rosan's decisions…

Mod was not Rosan. They had their similarities, they were one and the same... but they were two separate people...

And Mod hated Iris D. Raisa.

"Hello," Mod said coldly, raid cloak seamlessly transforming into her signature black dress. "My name is Modification, but you may call me Mod. I am Rosan's mother, a title you do not ever have the right to call yourself," she said bluntly.

Raisa shuddered horribly at the boiling rage in those red eyes that reminded her of their red hair.

"His… mother?" Raisa asked slowly, trying to wrap her head around what she just witnessed.

Did her son just transform into a young woman that referred to herself as his mother? This stunning young lady was Rosan's mother? But how... she looked younger than him.

What was happening? How did Rosan do that? An alter ego? Did his heavy emotions manifest into an entirely other person?

"That's correct, something you know nothing about!" Mod said furiously, eyes narrowed into something heinous.

Raisa flinched back at that.

"I..." she tried to say.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Mod barked, interrupting her immediately. "You heartless, evil bitch! How could you look that poor little newborn in his eyes and abandon him?!" she snarled, feeling all the rage and anger she felt at the mother mounting.

Raisa began shuddering at the raw visceral rage radiating off the woman.

"H-Hey wait. We don't have to get so mean," Dalia tried hesitantly, trying to placate the furious woman.

Mod shot her a pointed look and the woman stopped moving immediately. "My problems do not lie with neither you nor Oren, Dalia. My problems like with Iris D. Raisa, the person who mere moments after giving birth, decided to abandon her son in a forest. You will stand back and avoid interfering, or we will have a problem," she said gently, turning away from her and directing those furious red orbs onto the stunned Raisa.

Dalia wilted away from the scary girl, nodding hesitantly and going silent.

"I am Modification, Rosan's Devil Fruit, Rosan's mother and Rosan's keeper," Mod said strongly, glowering at Raisa with a fierce expression.

His… Devil Fruit? This woman was Rosan's Devil Fruit…?

"He may not have any issue with you but everyone who loves him does and I am the main one. Just because my son is such an amazing person, who's willing to let bygones be bygones, I am not."

Raisa went cold.

"Don't regret that decision. A lot of people are very overprotective of me."

So this was what Rosan meant by this... he was warning her of this Mod right here... and it was for good reason because Raisa didn't think she'd ever met anyone that hated her to the degree this girl did.

Mod glared at her, dress fluttering in time with her anger as her red orbs began glowing. "I watched you abandon an infant in a forest all by his lonesome and even after he cried and cried, you still left him alone!" she shouted.

Raisa wilted at that, averting her eyes.

"How do you… I didn't…" Raisa took a deep breath, caught off guard at someone recalling such a far away memory. "I waited for someone to approach him… I stayed up there until someone finally did… and when they both left, I finally did. I didn't... want anyone to make a connection to me so I thought this was the best course of action."

Mod scoffed. "You must be so proud of yourself! You must be so pleased that you abandoned your newborn child instead of just giving him to someone!" she said sarcastically, severe expression never vanishing.

Raisa frowned deeply at that. "He wasn't... I was going to make sure he stayed unharmed... I admit… my method was unorthodox but…"

"But what?!" Mod shrieked, temper flaring as she was forced to recall all her memories with Rosan. "You thought you were doing what was best for him? You thought you were helping?!"

Rosan hadn't forced Raisa to face her past… but this Modification was doing so with no remorse and she felt terrible.

What had she been thinking... why did she do that?

"You think punishing Rosan for the actions of someone else was the right way to handle things? Because of what his father did, you decided that he deserved to be left in a forest?! HOW WAS THAT THE RIGHT WAY TO HANDLE THINGS?! ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID?!" Mod roared, eyes pulsing madly, as lighting began sparking off of her.

"I've been taking care of my poor baby boy since he was only 4 years old. I protected him until he became strong, I was there when he cried, I nurtured and watched him grow. I will never ever regret anything I've done for him, but I won't sit here and delude myself into being happy with the circumstances just because I was lucky enough to meet him!"

Years of anger at Raisa's irresponsible actions had finally been unleashed and Mod would be damned if the woman didn't hear everything she had to say.

Raisa stepped back slightly, looking stricken at the words of the woman.

"I love Rosan, I will always love Rosan more than anything in this world but Rosan didn't deserve the life he was thrusted into and you're to blame! Since he was only 4, I've been doing my absolute best to make sure he's stable and it's your fault! MY LITTLE BOY WAS TORTURED AND IT'S YOUR FAULT!" Mod howled, eyes glowing brightly as she unwittingly began activating Modification.

Raisa felt a stab at seeing the tears forming in Mod's eyes. She looked down in defeat, before the damning last sentence finally registered to her and her head flung back up.

"Tortured...?" Raisa asked in genuine horror.

"Yes," Mod hissed venomously. "At 4 years old, he watched his mother die. At 9 years old the child you abandoned became a slave because of everything you passed onto him! AT JUST 9 YEARS OLD, YOUR SON MURDERED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND DESTROYED AN ISLAND. 9! HE WAS 9!" Mod shrieked, slamming a fist into a tree and completely upheaving it.

Raisa reeled back as if she were physically struck, tears springing up in her eyes at the truth of Mod's words.

"At 9... years old? He was a slave?" Oren whispered in shock, holding his heart as a wave of pain washed over him.

"He lost his mom when... when he was 4?" Dalia sniffed, tears filling her big eyes.

"If I told you everything that happened to Rosan, you'd be sick to your stomach. It's too much to tell but you wouldn't know!" Mod snarled, clenching her firsts as the idea of striking Raisa became all the more tempting to her.

"I won't blame you two, Oren and Dalia. You likely didn't even know he existed... but Raisa, I will never forgive you."

The Queen shuddered at Mod's words, watching the beautiful woman glare at her.

"You don't know anything about what Rosan has gone through when you should. I don't care if you abandoning him allowed us to meet because you played a part in all the terrible things that happened to him!" she shouted.

"I don't care that you apologized, I don't care that you regret your actions… as long as I feel like you don't deserve forgiveness, I will never allow you to fully reconnect with Rosan. And trust me when I say, he won't disagree with my decision," Mod finished firmly.

A tense silence washed over the field as Mod glared at Raisa.

"If that's your resolve, then that's that," Rosan complied easily. At the end of the day, Mod-chan was his mother and if she truly wanted this, he wouldn't argue otherwise.

She was far more passionate about this than he was, so as her partner, he'd support her decisions.

"Damn Auntie," Ram said gently, not joking for once.

Dalia and Oren winced harshly at the words Mod had been using, gazing at the stricken Raisa with guilty, teary, eyes.

Mod panted after her rant, glaring heatedly at Raisa and wiping the tears that formed away.

Raisa wasn't there to comfort Rosan when Rouge died. Raisa wasn't there to protect the pregnant woman and her son. Raisa wasn't there when Rosan had gotten tortured at the tender age of 8.

Raisa wasn't there to help regulate Rosan's emotions. Raisa wasn't there when her son suffered such intense heartbreak at Meiko's death…

Raisa wasn't there and she would never forget that because Mod was there for all of that.

Mod was Rosan's keeper and she would forever take that role as seriously as possible.

Raisa felt the resolve in the woman, saw it in those blood red eyes of her… and because of that, she felt a true terror forming at the thought that she'd lose Rosan just after potentially getting him back.

That couldn't… but they just made…!

"Please."

Mod paused.

The look in Raisa's eyes were frantic and teary, as she immediately closed the distance between her and Mod.

Mod craned her neck to look at the taller woman, looking puzzled at the sheer terror in Raisa's tear streaked eyes.

"Please give me a chance to make things right!" Raisa pleaded, a rare desperation. "I'll do anything! I can't… I don't want to lose the small connection I've formed with him already!"

"…" Mod bit her lip and said nothing.

"I know I messed up… I'm a failure of a mother and I'm not even thinking of taking that role from you… but I want to make amends with him and I'll do anything to get that chance! Hurt me, beat me, t-torture me if you want but please! I don't want to lose this!"

Raisa, Queen Iris D. Raisa of Wisteria, bowed.

"Please… at least give me one chance to make things right… that's all I ask for. I don't know a thing about him… you're right, but I want to know who Portgas D. Rosan is," she said quietly, head touching the floor.

Dalia and Oren could only watch with wide eyes, as their proud and haughty sister bowed to someone else for probably the first time in her life.

This was surreal… she really was trying to… change for Rosan.

"Portgas D. Rosan," Mod thought to herself, biting her lip even harder.

"Please raise your head," Mod said softly, tone turning measured.

Raisa hesitantly looked up and glanced at the woman with her inverted colors.

"Stand up."

The Queen stood slowly at that, gazing unsuredly at the woman.

SMACK.

Her eyes widened and her head turned, as blood began pooling in her mouth at the hellish strength behind the woman's strength.

Mod stared at the woman, hand connected firmly on the woman's cheek as she held it there.

"I hate you," Mod said truthfully.

Raisa flinched back, gazing into the beautiful eyes of Rosan's violent mother.

"I hate you so much, Iris D. Raisa… but I love Rosan much more than I hate you and if there's one thing I want for him… it's to have people who love and care for him. Besides, Rosan's a mess with his emotions and you're one of the ones who can help him regulate him."

Mod took a deep breath.

"...I'm watching you. One mistake and I promise you will know what a mother's fury truly looks like," she warned.

Raisa paused at that, before a swell of relief coursed through her body.

"I'll do whatever it takes to earn his trust... and I'll do whatever it takes to earn yours," Raisa said quietly.

Mod resisted the urge to glare at her and instead allowed Rosan to take over.

He hummed at the exchange that just took place, idly transforming his outfit once more and gazing at the reserved Raisa.

She looked at him with a wounded expression and he sighed softly, merely opening his arms.

It took her no time at all to crash into him and he felt the sheer relief roll off of her.

"I need to go now. I have to make sure my crew is okay," he said bluntly.

Raisa's eyes widened in horror at that and she immediately clutched her fellow redhead.

"You're leaving already?"

She really tried to sound normal saying that but it came out far too pathetic for her liking.

"We were in the middle of a battle with a Warlord and an Admiral," Rosan grunted. "I need to make sure they're okay."

Raisa's grip on him tightened and horror coursed through her body.

"An Admiral?!" she hissed in worry. "You fought an Admiral?!"

Rosan's gaze darkened. "Yeah, that's why I need to check up on them. Kuma saved my life but I don't know if he did it with them."

Didn't he realize what he was saying?! Her son had fought an Admiral?! Why? For what reason?!

But above all… he was leaving already… Raisa didn't want him to leave yet but he… had his responsibilities.

"Will you visit?" she asked hesitantly.

"She's like a puppy," Rosan thought idly, gazing at his birth mother with a curious eye.

He idly began rummaging through his pocket until pulling out a small plush he just modified.

Raisa watched in confusion as Rosan's eyes began glowing and the toy suddenly grew in size, appearance changing all the while.

It took the shape of a redhead, with heterochromatic eyes that glowed despite being a plushie.

"I don't know where this island is, so just hold onto this and I'll visit when I can," Rosan said truthfully, handing the toy of himself over Raisa.

"…" Raisa said nothing as she tentatively grasped the toy.

This was the cutest thing she had ever seen in her life.

"I will keep it safe," she decided with a far too serious expression, tucking it into her dress and securing it.

The redhead nodded in amusement, before grunting as Raisa pulled him into a fierce hug.

"Please be careful," she muttered, sinking into his grasp one last time.

Rosan rolled his eyes and returned the hug. Relying on him had made Raisa do a complete 180… or maybe this was what she always wanted and was finally cutting loose.

"N-No fair! I wanna get hugged back too!" Dalia complained. "Hug me!" she demanded.

Raisa glowered at her but reluctantly released Rosan and allowed the redhead to pull Dalia into another hug.

"Keep going out there and kicking ass, nephew! I'm supporting you all the way!" Dalia beamed, looking up at him with those big blue eyes.

"You remind me of my little sister," Rosan replied easily, gauging her curly red hair with curious eyes.

She was like a nicer, more ditzy version of Angel.

"Sister?" Dalia pondered in wondrous curiosity.

Rosan nodded. "Her names Angel. You two would probably love each other. She looks just like me," he mentioned.

Raisa perked up at that. "Looks like you? How is that?"

"Modification," he replied effortlessly. "I have a little brother too named Demon. He looks like me with purple hair. He's very pretty," Rosan mentioned with a fond grin as he thought of his siblings.

"Actually, that reminds me..." he mused, stepping back slightly and flashing his ring to them.

"Is he married?" All three thought, hearts panging slightly at possibly missing such an important event.

But to their utter shock, the ring shuddered and shook, transforming into yet another human.

"Ta da!" Ram cheered, silver hair swinging as she immediately leapt on Rosan.

"Since you met Mod and I... it's only right you meet my daughter. This is Ram," he introduced, hugging her back easily and smiling in amusement as she rubbed her cheek against his own.

"I love when you call me your daughter, Father," Ram gushed, enjoying the way her heart warmed.

"D-Daughter?" Dalia stammered in confusion, looking at the tall and gorgeous woman with silver hair... who looked the exact same age as their nephew.

"She's technically 12 but yet. I created her," he mentioned.

"H-He's so bold?! Isn't he only 24?!" Dalia blushed red, gazing away from her perverted nephew with an embarrassed expression.

"Dumbass," Oren sighed at his idiot of a littlest sister. "I guess that's also your Devil Fruit? She was just a ring after all."

Rosan nodded, not sensing Dalia's growing thoughts on how he was a pervert. "Yeah. I made her a long time ago. She's my weapon too."

"The best weapon!" Ram beamed cockily, before glowering at Raisa.

Raisa flinched again at that, noting the woman's strange set of eyes.

"I don't like you! You make Auntie stressed and when Auntie is stressed, I get stressed because that means I can't bully her," Ram declared. "Watch your back! Auntie won't try to kill you but I will!"

Mod sweatdropped. She was currently stewing, slightly cursing herself for allowing the woman a chance but at least Ram always knew how to make her feel better.

Raisa gazed at her... granddaughter (?) with a conflicted expression, before bowing slightly.

"I'll work hard to gain your forgiveness too, Ram," she said softly.

"You better Granny!" she grinned.

Raisa twitched slightly at that. She supposed she was old enough to be considered a Grandma now but the fact that a woman who looked 24 was doing it, felt wrong on all levels.

Rosan let loose a slight chuckle at that, watching as Dalia approached Ram with a curious gaze.

"Wow, you're tall and hot as hell! I'm jealous," Dalia sighed, looking Ram up and down. "But your outfit is way too modest! Next time Rosan visits, we'll buy you some clothes!"

Ram squeaked in horror at that, looking at the demonic grin (it was completely normal) on Dalia's face. She shook her head rapidly and leapt right onto Rosan in ring form.

"I refuse! I won't go clothes shopping anymore! You can't make me demon!" she protested.

Dalia gazed in some confusion at that, tilting her head to the side a putting a finger to her chin in contemplation.

"She'll love it," the woman decided with a happy grin.

"You have my approval," Rosan snorted.

"FATHER! YOU FUCKING TRAITOR! I HATE YOU!"

"No you don't!"

"SHUT UP! I KNOW I DON'T!"

He laughed again and his gaze shifted to the oldest of the siblings.

Oren kind of reminded him of Demon. They were both level headed but Oren seemed far more... laidback? Demon wasn't very upfront and confrontational either, but with someone as authoritative as Angel being his twin, he had learned a thing or two.

There was also builds. Oren was built like a truck and Demon was built quite slender.

Oren caught his gaze and inclined his head, pulling Rosan into a one armed hug.

"It was awesome to finally meet you, Rosan! Please feel free to visit anytime… Dalia will be insufferable otherwise and I think Raisa misses you already and you aren't even gone," Oren chuckled knowingly.

"...When I have free time, I'll drop by. I visit these seas often so it won't be hard," Rosan muttered, returning the hug. "I just need to make sure everything is under control so on that note…"

The youngest one there inclined his head, before promptly vanishing from his spot.

The three blinked.

"What…?" they said in confusion.

Just what was Rosan capable of doing?

Ah, Raisa missed him already… she idly clutched the plush of her son and frowned.

She should go ensure her citizens that there was no threat and that she had handled it. They were probably in the safe zones.

---

A distressed Robin, could only feel tears resurging in her eyes as a familiar and warm presence appeared before her.

Rosan could only grab the woman leaping onto him and the surprise at the action made him stumble back a bit.

"Rosan," Robin breathed in such relief, he instinctively wrapped her in a tight hug.

They exchanged a fierce kiss as relief flooded through both their bodies and Rosan let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm so glad you're okay," they said in unison, melding further into the other.

"I knew you'd be fine… but a part of me worried when you didn't show up still," Robin whispered.

"I know, I'm sorry… I landed on a very funny island and I'll tell you all about it," he murmured, running a hand through her hair and letting out a genuine sigh of relief at seeing her perfectly fine, barring the fact she may have been suffering from slight panic.

She shuddered in his hold and tightened the grip, brows furrowing slightly at the fact that the redhead... smelt different.

It likely had something to do with the island he was on and Rosan would eventually tell her.

Rosan felt her tighten the grip and let out a relieved sigh, practically crushing her against him.

Robin was the World Goverment's #1 priority in their crew and the actions of Water 7 showed him that. so seeing her good and well must have meant his other crew was fine too.

But it seems like Rosan wasn't the only one who was sent to a rather funny island…

"Monkey D. Dragon… is there a particular reason you're in a room alone with my girlfriend?" Rosan asked dangerously, clutching Robin tightly against his frame.

Robin rolled her eyes at the unbelievable redhead.

"You know I only have eyes on you right?" Robin said in exasperation.

"Yeah but imagine how many people have eyes on you!" he retorted protectively.

She sighed with a small smile.

"Hello to you too, Rosan," Dragon greeted, nonplussed by the redhead's narrowed eyes. "It seems Kuma sent all of you to a certain location… though I wouldn't know the reasons why. I was surprised to see Nico Robin appear on our island... Kuma must trust you all quite a bit to reveal this location."

Robin sweatdropped deeply at that. "It's fine, Rosan. It wasn't just me and Dragon, Koala was here as well making sure I felt better because… I was under a lot of stress."

Rosan's heart panged at that and he immediately began fussing over Robin again.

"Are you alright? Anything hurt? Want a massage?" he asked rapidly.

"Mother hen Rosan is in full effect," Mod laughed, feeling her mood lighten at seeing those two.

She smiled at his affections and leaned into the touch.

"Yes I would," she said, sighing in relief as he immediately began giving her a massage.

"So Kuma sent you to the Revolutionaries?" Rosan muttered in surprise, rubbing her back easily.

Robin nodded. "When I gathered my bearings, I was here."

"She was panicking quite a bit and it took a lot to calm her down, but I managed to do it!"

Rosan turned towards the voice and raised a brow.

It was a very short girl, who was slim and curvaceous with shoulder length orange hair and large blue eyes.

"She's a cute one," Rosan said to Robin. "Koala?" he asked curiously.

Robin smiled slightly at the sight of Koala happily nodding with a flush due to being called cute.

"Rosan? Robin?! What are you two doing here?" Sabo asked incredulously, stepping into the room after being dragged here by Koala.

This was what she wanted to show him?! What happened? Last he spoke to them, they were sailing through the Florian Triangle! Why were they suddenly at Baltigo? Rosan didn't give him a Save Point...

"We got in a fight with Kuma and Admiral Kizaru," Rosan grunted.

"I think he saved our lives," Robin murmured, noticing the redheads glower. "Kuma used the same move on you, that he used on me. I don't know what happened to the rest... but I was second to go," she mentioned.

Rosan's harsh expression vanished and he frowned instead.

"Dragon, Kuma was a revolutionary, right? What's his deal?" Rosan asked, turning towards the leader with a stern frown. "Not only did he separate us all, he extracted my memories for my crew to watch as well. He's attacked us twice now and never captured us."

Sabo's eyes widened. Kuma did what to Rosan?! Their former ally was mysterious on the worst of days but this was... why was he suddenly interested in the Straw Hats?

Dragon frowned at that. "Over the years, Kuma's motives have become more and more mysterious to us. We don't know what he's thinking anymore but the fact that he saved you all…"

"We haven't spoken to Kuma in a long time… I don't know why he'd suddenly express such an interest in you guys," Sabo mused, frowning at that.

He extracted Rosan's memories? Why? What interest did Kuma have in Rosan and Luffy?

Rosan scowled. "Well whatever his motives are, I don't know. After all, he sent you to the Revolutionaries… and he sent me to Wisteria."

Robin froze completely at that.

"Wisteria? Raisa's island?" Dragon asked suddenly.

Rosan nodded, peering at Dragon with a curious eye. "Yeah… we had quite the catch up," he muttered.

So that's why Dragon recognized him somewhat all those years ago. He was acquainted with Raisa...

That made sense.

"You met Raisa?" Robin asked in shock, wishing that she were there to see such a thing.

Rosan had met, Raisa? He had met his birth mother…? How did it go?

"It was… fine. We fought at first but turns out she's obsessed with me. Wants to reconnect and all that," he informed her, moving to her shoulders now.

Robin blinked at that, feeling the tension leave her shoulders. "You two made up? She's obsessed with you?"

He nodded in some amusement. "She reminds me of myself. Who woulda thought that I'd be similar to my birth mother… all she needed was a hug and now she loves me to death."

What a thought. Raisa was almost comically attached to him now.

Robin couldn't stop the giggle. "You know... the first time I hugged you first, I'm pretty sure you fully imprinted to me so that doesn't surprise me at all."

"Imprint is a nice way of putting it," Rosan laughed. "Do you remember your second birthday we celebrated?"

"The one where I kissed you on the cheek?" Robin asked fondly. After she had done that, Rosan had practically glued himself to her for the next month and did whatever she asked him to do with no complaints...

Huh, wow. Robin was extremely oblivious.

"That's where Rosan definitely fell in love. He was so ecstatic when you actually kissed him on the cheek first. You know he talked about it with me the entire night?"

Robin flushed slightly. "Did he really?" she asked, gazing at the grinning redhead.

Shouldn't he be embarrassed?! Why did he look so proud of himself?!

Rosan nodded triumphantly. "You were the first girl to kiss me that wasn't either of my moms! Of course I was happy!"

"He's such a dork," Sabo and Koala sweatdropped, gazing at the happy redhead.

Rosan called himself attractive all the time. It was strangely endearing to see how happy something so simple made him.

Robin sighed at his adorable antics. "You'll have to tell me more about your meeting with Raisa later… and I'd like to meet her as well. I have a few choice words to say," she muttered.

"I gave her a piece of my mind already and I encourage anyone to say whatever they want to her," Mod said with a firm frown, allowing Ram to massage her because of the stress.

Ram let out a small snort and just continued to gently rub Auntie's shoulders, getting a small sigh out of her.

"There's many things I have to say to her. Her actions were completely irresponsible to you and I'll let her know that I'm watching her," Robin said firmly.

"Have at it. She's holding herself accountable and wants to make it up to anyone who has a problem with her," Rosan replied fondly.

"That sounds more like the Raisa I know," Dragon said with a small grin. "She's been lying to herself all these years huh?"

Rosan nodded in agreement. "So you do know Raisa," he pointed out.

"You met your birth mother?" Sabo asked in surprise.

"His birth mother?" Koala asked in confusion.

"Queen Raisa of Wisteria in the South Blue. In terms of power, I doubt anyone in South Blue will be able to match her strength. Her island is difficult to navigate to as well so she's very rarely attacked," Dragon informed them.

Koala's mouth opened at that. Wow! Rosan's mom sounded really impressive!

Dragon turned towards Rosan. "We met a long time ago while she was traveling… she was a spitfire, but she was very kind. I was surprised that she abandoned you… but she was clearly more conflicted than she let off. She had a lot of baggage on her that she wanted to let off but it seems like she was unable too."

"Yeah that sounds like her," Rosan chuckled. "She's like a puppy now. She refused to let me go."

Robin couldn't help but smile in amusement at that, because Rosan was much the same.

Even now, he had yet to let her go. She experimentally tried to pull away and smiled knowingly as his grip tightened and he shot her a warning glare.

"I was just testing something, you tiger," she laughed.

"Stop that," he chastised, pulling her cheek slightly.

"So what will you do now?" she asked curiously.

Rosan frowned at the question.

The only other Save Point he had, was Luffy… he didn't know where anyone else in the crew was.

He did have that bird on Zoro though… it was still with him it felt like. His bird was incredibly far... so maybe somewhere still in the Grand Line?

"I think I'll go check up on Luffy. I want to verify what island he landed on and make sure he's alive," Rosan said after a moment.

"We're in a difficult situation. The crew is separated and it might be all over the ocean… You were in the South Blue, I was in the Grand Line… they could be anywhere and we have no good way of truly tracking them," Robin frowned in worry.

Rosan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'll figure something out… it's just hard. If anything we'll probably just have to meet up again on Sabaody," he muttered.

There was just no way he could find them all, even if he flew. There were just too many places to search...

Damn it and he had just about finished the next patch of their cubes. He should have just given it to them but he wanted to design it a bit more.

"Do you want to stay here and continue talking to Dragon? I know he was interested in speaking to you and he is an ally," Rosan whispered quietly to her.

Robin did want to continue speaking to Dragon. He was a well of knowledge but at the same time, she wanted to be with Rosan. She had already had the scare of her life when he vanished from her sight...

The Devil Child idly tightened her own grip on the redhead.

She really did not want to be far from him at the moment.

Rosan saw the slight distress on her features and sighed. Before he could reassure her, he paused as his cube began ringing.

Fishing it out, he saw that it was Angel calling him and the redhead frowned.

Angel?

"Angel? What's the matter?" Rosan asked softly.

"MASTER!" Maro shrieked.

"Maro? What's wrong? Is Angel okay?" He asked in concern.

"She's having a panic attack!"

Rosan went on high alert at that. "She what?!" he barked in concern, preparing to teleport over to her location immediately.

"That's not the problem right now! Master have you read the Newspaper?!" Maro urged.

Maro's voice was frantic and teary and whatever it was that had her so stressed, was very close to bringing her into a state of panic like Angel.

"The Newspaper? What's happening in the news?" Rosan asked in confusion.

There was a shuddering breath over the line as Maro tried (and failed) to compose herself.

"A-Ace has been captured by the World Government! He's scheduled to be executed at Marineford!"

---

Rosan felt like he was being dipped in ice cold water, as Maro's words washed over him.

No that wasn't right… Rosan felt like his very insides were being frozen solid.

"What did you just say?" Robin asked nervously, watching both Rosan and Sabo freeze completely at that information.

Angel let out a sharp wail of distress and they heard Demon's own frantic voice soothing her. The three rulers of Celadon were in a full state of distress and it was very quickly washing over the inhabitants of the room.

"A-Ace… he was captured and he's going to be publicly executed by the Marines! W-We have to stop them! We need to!" Maro explained, voice choked up as tears began spilling.

Ace was… going to be publicly executed?

What…?

"That's not… but?" Mod whispered, unable to believe what she was hearing. She began breathing heavily, red eyes going wide.

"He's what?!" Ram barked in disbelief, stopping everything she was doing. "There's no way he got captured! How the hell did he get captured?!"

Ace was… Ace was in grave danger.

Pestilence's eyes snapped open at that and a deep frown made its way to their face.

Rosan jumped as a hand touched his own and he gazed at the worried Robin with wild eyes.

At the same time, Sabo removed his hand from his head as Koala worriedly grabbed him.

"M-Master? Are you there?" Maro whimpered.

Rosan snapped out of that and his expression turned terrifyingly calm.

"Sorry Maro, I was thinking…" He muttered, eyes lit with fury. "Alright, I'll deal with it. Okay, I'll handle this. I'll save him. I'll save Ace."

Robin was nodding until she noticed something.

"I?" Robin whispered in disbelief. "Alone, Rosan? You plan on going alone?"

Much to her dread, Rosan nodded without any hesitation.

"Alone?" Maro asked in disbelief. "What do you mean alone? I'm coming with you!"

Robin nodded strongly. "You think you can do this alone?! That's madness Rosan!" she explained to the fuming redhead.

"You aren't coming, Robin," Rosan said firmly, wanting to turn away but refusing to be a coward to her. He looked her directly in her eyes and saw the raw desperation in her gaze as she realized, Rosan was planning on storming Marineford alone.

But much to her dread, Rosan was staring at her with those eyes that meant that he would not sway from this position no matter what she said.

"You can't go alone, Rosan! Please don't do this!" Robin pressed, clutching his outfit desperately.

Rosan clenched his fist. "Then I'll bring Luffy. He'll go regardless of what I say and even if I say no, he'll end up going. It'll be better for me to at least keep in eye on him in the case," he decided.

"But Master!" Maro shouted. "This isn't fair! I can't… I don't want to be useless… I want to help! I don't care if I'm Queen, I'll come!"

Rosan grit his teeth at that and shook his head as his stress began mounting. "No, you two can't come. I won't let you," he decided firmly.

Bringing either of them... no Rosan couldn't do that. He wouldn't...

Rosan felt a headache blooming from the stress, emotions beginning to flare irrationally.

Ace was going to get executed... Ace was going to die. His little brothers life was in danger.

His little brother was going to die.

Robin was stunned at his insistence. Never did she expect, for Rosan to not want to partner with her and it threw her for a loop.

This was... this was surreal...

"But why, Rosan? Why are you so set on keeping us out… I don't understand! I'm content to go along with all your plans but this is too much! We're partners, Rosan… I won't let you leave me behind!" Robin said firmly, set in her own stance.

"So you just want to die?!" Rosan suddenly shouted, eyes blazing as his stress peaked.

Robin froze and Maro went completely silent.

"Don't you understand, Robin?! Don't you understand who you are in the Government's eyes? You're one of the last pieces they need to get rid of to keep complete control of the world and they'll do anything to get rid of you!" Rosan snarled. "I won't... I can't let what happened at Water 7 happen again!"

Robin reeled back, stunned silent at the redhead raising his voice. Then she began shuddering.

"It's my fault," Robin thought in despair.

Even despite forgiving her for all her grievances... Rosan would still never forget what happened at Water 7 and it was all her fault.

Robin showed Rosan how large the target on her back was in the worst possible way and he was acting accordingly... but it hurt so much to know that this was her fault... and a small part of her was utterly wounded at how the roles had shifted and she was the one not being fully trusted now.

That was...

Rosan caught himself almost as soon as he exploded and took a shuddering breath.

Calm. Deep breaths. They were just concerned…

"Of all the members in our crew… you are the one with the largest target on your back, Robin," Rosan whispered. "The World Government want you… they want you so badly and I'd be a damn fool if I threw you into their waiting arms."

He gazed at her with a torn gaze. "Maro, Robin… You're not strong enough… I'm not strong enough… I can't bring you because I'll be worrying about you the entire time and I won't be able to focus… Please Robin, Maro… I'm begging you not to subject me to this," he pleaded, ducking his head.

Robin and Maro were stunned silent at that, not expecting such a raw response out of Rosan.

"Is it fine if I come then?" Sabo asked with a firm frown. "If I come, that should ease Robin and Maro's concerns right?"

Rosan mulled the question over and gazed at Robin.

The Devil Child saw his eyes, saw the way they begged her and knew exactly what he was talking about.

If Robin went with him… she'd attract so much attention to herself that Rosan wouldn't even be able to focus on saving Ace… he'd spend the entire time making sure no one would get her like on Water 7…

Because Robin wasn't strong enough. She was weak…

"Okay," Robin conceded quietly. "I'll stay here for now… just please be careful."

Rosan pulled her into a deep hug, noting that she was shivering and kissed her gently on the head. "I'm sorry," he said truthfully.

"...Please save Ace, Master," Maro said quietly. "I'll make sure things over here are stable."

"...Thank you, Maro… I'll make sure you see all of it," Rosan said quietly.

The Queen made a small noise, before the call hung up and Rosan let out a distressed sigh.

There was simply too much for Rosan to account for and even though he wouldn't have had a problem bringing Maro (he would have welcomed it in fact)… she had her island to worry about.

If her identity was gleaned any further… with so many powerful forces around it'd only be a matter of time before she was pressed into revealing more and once that happened, she'd put herself at too high of a risk.

He wouldn't risk Celadon like that. Ace would never forgive himself either if it were destroyed for his sake.

Robin was self explanatory. The World Government wanted her at all costs and Rosan would be a fool to bring her directly to them… just one Admiral was enough to completely decimate his entire crew…

Rosan wouldn't be able to protect her and save Ace… it wasn't feasible. He'd need to put his all into saving his brother, defeating the Marines wasn't even an option...

He wasn't strong enough…

"I'm sorry, Robin," he said genuinely, holding her close as he shut his eyes. "I'll get stronger, I promise."

Robin's eyes softened at the disappointed Rosan and she pulled him into a deep hug.

"I'm fine, Rosan. I'll be fine," she whispered gently, calming him down to the best of her abilities. "I understand your concerns so I won't push you to take me. Just please be careful, okay? I won't forgive you if you die," she said, hiding the small tremor at that thought.

Rosan gazed at her in wonder. "You're... too good to me," he muttered in guilt.

"I know... it's because you're too good to me," Robin replied with a reserved smile.

They stared at each other, before Rosan nodded in determination, eyes narrowing into something fierce as he managed to get his wild emotions under control.

"I'll be back before you know it," he murmured, exchanging another moment with her.

The redhead summoned a similar plush like he had with Raisa (he did it so that she could have something that looked similar to him… but he kinda liked how they looked) and handed it over to her.

"This will show you everything through my eyes," he said softly. "I won't leave you in the dark so just keep that near."

She nodded and accepted the plush of her boyfriend, gazing at it with an unreadable expression.

Then, she turned towards Sabo and pulled him into a deep hug.

"Please watch Rosan, Sabo. I'm putting all my faith in you... he's very reckless and he'll do anything to save Ace... please just make sure whatever he does doesn't risk her life,"

The revolutionary nodded, returning the hug and securing his top hat and pipe. "Don't worry. We'll all make it out of this. I'll make sure of it," Sabo assured.

"Sabo."

The chief of staff gazed at Dragon with a serious look.

"Be careful," was all Dragon said.

The blonde nodded and exchanged a quick hug with Koala, before grasping Rosan.

Rosan reluctantly broke away from Robin and she saw his gaze waver once more, before they hardened.

"Save Ace. Save Ace. Save Ace. Save Ace."

He would not fail Ace again. Rosan swore he wouldn't.

With that, the brothers vanished.

Almost as soon as they did so, Robin's brave smile vanished and she sagged into herself with a defeated shudder.

Once more, she'd be useless to Rosan because she wasn't strong enough to defend herself from the World Government so she had to sit on the sidelines while he risked his life…

Something needed to change, she needed to get stronger. She needed to regain Rosan's full trust.

"Dragon-san… I'd love to exchange information with you but until Rosan comes back, could you help me get stronger?" Robin asked with a fire in her eyes.

"I'll help you too!" Koala grinned. "They'll be fine but it's a great way to distract ourselves from it!"

Dragon nodded. "You're an ally so I'd be glad to help. I've been very interested in meeting you, Nico Robin."

Robin smiled shakily at that.

Maybe that's why Kuma sent her here…

---

"Rosan."

"What's up Sabo?"

"I wanna eat the Goro Goro no mi."

Rosan paused at that and turned towards Sabo in surprise.

"You want to eat it… right now?" He asked with a raised brow.

Eating a Devil Fruit was a big change in life... and eating one right before such a battle carried a lot of risks.

Sabo nodded with a serious expression. "I already decided that I wanted to eat it… but we're gonna need all the firepower we can get. With what Enel was able to do, I'd probably be able to wipe out a bunch of people."

Rosan had a pondering expression.

They were currently in his Pocket Dimension, prepared to head to Luffy when Sabo suddenly sprung that request onto him.

"You sure? It's not easy mastering a Devil Fruit and we'll probably be dealing with a lot of conflict," Rosan muttered.

Sabo nodded seriously. "I'll be fine. If anything, I'll just use basic abilities and rely on my normal fighting style."

Smart. That would just be a flat boost in power with no downsides…

"Alright," Rosan said easily, beckoning with his head. "Follow me then."

The two went further into the castle until they made it to Rosan and Robin's room.

Rosan wasted no time entering and Sabo followed after.

The blonde couldn't help but appreciate the two's room. They were both impossibly neat with their own little additions that signified who it was.

There were books stacked neatly on the right cabinet, while various trinkets dominated the cabinet on the left. Sabo spotted various mechanical animals and he gazed at them in interest.

A bird, a wolf, a tiger...

"Things I'm using to improve my scouting," Rosan mentioned idly, pushing open the cabinet on the left.

The redhead rummaged through a counter and pulled out the chest, before turning towards his younger brother.

"Here, the Goro Goro no mi," Rosan presented, inclining his head as he handed it over.

Sabo inspected the fruit that would change his life forever.

With just one bite, Sabo would be changed on a fundamental level… he'd be exactly like his brothers…

"Hard to believe you're just giving it to me," he mentioned.

"Nami showed interest in eating it recently. It was either you or her and you asked first," the redhead shrugged.

"Will she be mad?" Sabo asked curiously.

"Nah, if anything, I'll try to find her another Logia," Rosan laughed.

"Fair enough," Sabo shrugged.

He brought the fruit to his mouth and bit into it without any hesitation.

His brothers were having too much fun with their fruits, it was about time he joined them...

Right after he got this awful taste out of his mouth.

Sabo gagged in disgust, at the foul and horrific taste in his mouth currently.

What the hell was that?! No warning would ever have been able to prepare him for what he just ate. Bad didn't even begin to describe how horrible a Devil Fruit tasted!

He coughed and spit, all while his older brother looked at him with terrible amusement.

"Help me asshole!" Sabo rasped, glaring at the insufferable redhead.

Goddamn his brother was as annoying as ever. It was even worse now that he wasn't a dry asshole!

"Bad isn't it?" Rosan asked, tapping Sabo with a palm and making the taste go away. "You guys made fun of me when Mod-chan said I ended up crying eating it."

Sabo let out a sigh of relief, coughing a bit at the memory of the taste, and said, "Yeah… sorry about that. I don't know what we were thinking that day, we definitely deserved that —"

Sabo abruptly froze and held his head.

"I don't know what we were thinking that day, we definitely deserved that prank you did… where you modified our taste buds," Sabo breathed in shock.

Everyone's eyes widened at that.

"You… remember that?" Rosan asked in disbelief, gazing at his brother wide eyes.

Before Sabo could properly answer, his eyes widened in utter horror.

"Shit! Ace is gonna get executed!" Sabo panicked, eyes going wide in horror. "We can't let that happen, Rosan! I have to apologize for everything! I can't believe I forgot you guys!"

Shit shit shit. Sabo was the worst brother ever. How could he ever have forgotten his 3 brothers?! It had been 10 goddamn years and he had not remembered them once!

Who did that? Forget apologizing! No apology in the world was going to make up for the royal fuck up he just did!

Oh man, they were definitely gonna kill him and Sabo was going to let them —

Rosan pulled Sabo into a deep hug, eyes lit in genuine joy as he took in his brother's essence.

"You got your memories back," Rosan said softly.

"He… got his memories back," Mod sobbed happily.

"Wooo! He got his memories back!" Ram grinned ear to ear.

Sabo froze at the touch of his older brother. "Rosan…" he breathed in shock.

His older brother sounded so happy for him… he didn't sound anything like the robot from years ago…

He knew Rosan had gained his emotions back… but now that Sabo had gained his memories back, it was truly hitting him that he had his older brother in full.

Sabo let loose blinding grin and took in his brothers essence, allowing those heavy emotions to wash over him as he eagerly returned the hug.

This whole situation was so surreal… Sabo wasn't expecting things to suddenly be so clear but he remembered everything —

In his excitement at the entire situation, Sabo began feeling overwhelmed…

So he exploded in electricity.

Rosan grunted as he absorbed the massive dose of electricity and gained a worried look as Sabo began clutching his head.

"Feel… too… much!" Sabo strained, eyes shutting tight as the Goro Goro no mi began fully assimilating with his body.

"Take a deep breath, Sabo. Relax," Rosan urged, continuing to absorb the errant lightning strikes that were shooting out of his brother.

Considering he was practically already full, it wasn't a pleasant experience.

He guided the blonde out of his room and all the while, Sabo began taking deep breaths until everything began settling down around him.

"I see how Enel was able to sense everyone on Skypiea," Sabo said in some shock. "If we weren't in the Pocket Dimension, I can't imagine how far I'd feel!"

So it really was the lightning that expanded his range like that...

Rosan handed him a glass of water and Sabo gratefully grabbed it.

The redhead watched in amusement as the cup began sparking and Sabo drank without noticing.

"We have time still so while I get things sorted, you focus on making your Observation usable and controlling your power output."

Sabo nodded and downed his entire cup. "I wanna see Luffy badly but you're right. I'll work to get this under control and you go get him."

Rosan nodded and stood up. "We'll be right back. I just need to figure some things out and how we're going to approach this…"

The redhead sighed.

"One step at a time, Rosan. Luffy first," Sabo informed him, shrugging off his coat as he headed to the training fields.

He nodded at his 2nd most level headed brother and waved, promptly vanishing.

"Alright, let's get used to this," Sabo grunted, holding out a fist and tapping into his ability to get a feel for it.

Instead of going to his fist, he fired off a ridiculous amount of electricity, destroying part of the training field.

Sabo frowned.

This would take some getting used to.

---

Rosan grunted as he landed on pavement.

He immediately began scanning the surrounding area, noting the sheer amount of people, and his eyes immediately landed on his little brother, tied up by a snake of all things.

Luffy's eyes lit up in joy. "ROSAN! YOU'RE ALIVE!" he shouted in joy, ceasing his struggles.

Rosan approached his brother without hesitation and smiled, relief flooding his body at seeing the youngest well.

He ignored the three stone bodies next to him.

"Of course I am. You'd die in seconds without me," the redhead said with a soft sigh, smiling slightly as he fully gauged the arena.

Were they in a… coliseum?

Rosan's gaze darkened. Were they currently in a coliseum and using his little brother for sport?

What was going on here? Did these people want to die?

"What is the meaning of this? Not only did one man sneak onto the island… another did?! How did you allow this to happen in my absence?!" a feminine voice shouted over all the noise.

Everyone went silent and Rosan gazed at the one who said that.

His eyes narrowed.

"Boa Hancock? The Warlord?" Rosan thought in confusion.

"Is this Amazon Island?" he suddenly asked, directing the question towards Hancock.

The people gasped at that question.

"Don't you dare speak to Boa Hancock-sama man!"

"Who does this beast think he is?!"

Rosan furrowed a brow at that. Was he not even allowed to ask a question? The people of this island were really pushing it...

"Do not speak to me, man," Hancock said coldly. "I hate all men and you two are no exception. You should be doing nothing but dying honorably."

Rosan raised a brow at that and scoffed.

"Are you gonna come down here and do that yourself?" he asked curiously.

Hancock let out a mocking scoff herself, flipping her hair behind her head and turning her chin up at him.

"Why would I waste my time teaching you two a lesson? Someone as beautiful as me will merely watch the execution unfold," she stated derisively.

"Execution? Is that why you have my captain captured, tied up like he is your prisoner? Are you out of your fucking mind?!" he snarled unexpectedly.

"You think you can sit here and watch my little brother fight for you like it's a sport? Do you think him your slave?!" he hissed, eyes transforming into slits.

"Everyone here is crazy!" Luffy frowned deeply. "They sit here and laugh at their friends being turned into stone right in front of them!"

Hancock scoffed. "Because they broke the rules so I made an example of them. My people may feel bad but they understand that I am never wrong, because I am beautiful!"

Rosan stared at her in disbelief.

Because... because she was beautiful...?

What the fuck was wrong with her?

Luffy scowled at her. "You make me sick," he said.

"What good is your beauty, if you have such an ugly heart?" Rosan asked genuinely, not feeling even remotely attracted to this woman. "You don't look beautiful to me at all… you actually look really fucking ugly right now."

You could hear a pin drop at the silence that befell the crowd, due to the words of both Rosan and Luffy.

"!" Hancock let out a noise of distress and reeled back.

"Are you alright, Hancock?" Boa Marigold asked in concern.

"Those two… they're existence… I can't stand it! No one should be able to resist me… their mere presence is intolerable!" Hancock announced, holding her heart in pain.

The crowd began frenzying at that.

"LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO THE EMPRESS!"

"MONSTERS!"

"DEATH TO THEM!"

"DEATH!"

"DEATH!"

Rosan stared, utterly unimpressed, as a giant panther entered the stadium and stared them down.

"This is Bacura the Executioner. She has served the empresses of this land for generations. She will turn you both into unpleasant memories. I want them out of my sight!" Hancock shouted.

Rosan sighed. "Really now. You would think by now, people would stop using these animals to fight me… but I guess an island as ignorant as this one wouldn't know."

Well, time to go through the motions again as per usual.

Rosan's eyes transformed into slits and he stared down Bacura, who immediately went still at the action.

The cheering amazonians went silent in surprise, as Bacura took a sudden step back.

"Don't back up. Come to me," Rosan said steadily, holding out a hand and beckoning the panther forward.

Bacura gazed nervously at that hand, before gazing into the eyes of the apex predator that was Rosan.

Everyone's jaw dropped as the Panther meekly approached Rosan.

"Who's a good girl?" Rosan rumbled lowly, putting a hand behind Bacura's ears and stroking it.

The panther couldn't help but curl up and purr at those hands running through its fur with surprising delicacy.

"Were you really about to eat my brother and I?" Rosan asked gently, eyes narrowed in faux concern. "You know that would make me really sad right?"

"But you wouldn't want to make me sad… right?" he asked curiously, eyes glinting mockingly as he turned his gaze towards the gaping Hancock.

Bacura rapidly shook her head and rubbed her massive cheek against Rosan to prove her point.

"Of course you wouldn't want to see me sad… I'm beautiful after all," he finished smugly, flashing a cocky grin at the Snake Empress.

Wow... so Chopper was right. Rosan felt strangely harassed knowing some animals thought he was good looking.

Did Robin have to be worried about them attacking her? That was a pretty funny thought.

Hancock felt a tick mark form at the actions of the redhead. He was completely mocking her, using her own phrase against her!

Beautiful? He wasn't beautiful at all! He was a man! No man would ever be beautiful!

Her annoyance only deepened, as hushed whispers began ringing out through the arena.

"He is rather beautiful... are all men like those two?" someone whispered.

"He managed to completely pacify Bacura? Isn't that strength a true sign of his beauty?"

"ENOUGH!" Hancock shouted with a deep scowl, silencing them all immediately. "You dare make a mockery of my island and I?! Marigold. Sandersonia!"

"Of course sister!" they chanted.

Her sisters needed no further instruction and without hesitation, they leapt onto the field, directly across from Rosan and Luffy.

Rosan absentmindedly continued to pat Bacura as he gazed at the two.

"Pity… your sister is the one I wanted to punch in the face," Rosan sighed, removing a hand from the panther. "Run along girl. I'll pat you more later."

Bacura nodded eagerly, rubbing that giant face against Rosan once more before bounding off happily.

Sandersonia and Marigold watched Bacura walk off with a befuddled expression. The way she was trotting off... what was wrong with her?

"What did you do to Bacura?" Sandersonia asked in confusion, gazing towards the redhead who's predatory gaze was focused directly onto her.

She resisted the urge to shiver at that unnerving gaze.

"The same thing I'm about to do to you guys," Rosan chuckled in amusement. "Show who's on the top of the food chain."

Luffy clenched his fist and got into his fighting stance.

Rosan followed suit, peering at them with a calculating eye.

Boa Hancock was someone who's bounty grossly underestimated how much of a threat she truly was.

Of all the Warlords, hers was probably the most deceitful because she was asked to join the Warlord system in her very first year of becoming a pirate, on her very first bounty. The woman was a complete powerhouse of a pirate and Rosan was fairly sure if she wanted too, neither him nor Luffy would be able to defeat her.

But that was Boa Hancock. She was a one woman army.

The rest of her crew, while definitely stronger than the average Marine, etc… were not even remotely as impressive as her.

Rosan's eyes transformed into slits and he watched in visible interest, as Marigold and Sandersonia began transforming right before his eyes.

They grew in size, length increasing dramatically as they morphed.

"Hebi Hebi no Mi: Models King Cobra and Anaconda," Mod listed immediately.

"You're so damn useful, Auntie! You just fire them off so fast!" Ram gushed in awe.

The Devil Fruit smiled at that and hummed in delight.

"The curse of the Gorgons!"

"There it is! Proof that they defeated the Gorgons!"

"It's beautiful!"

"That's just their Devil Fruits?" Luffy said in confusion, gazing at the stupid crowd.

"They don't even know what Devil Fruits are?" Rosan hummed, raising a brow. "This place sure is primitive."

Rosan grinned violently.

"I wonder what they think this curse will be?"

Sandersonia and Marigold went still, as before their eyes, two giant wings burst out of Rosan's back and he began changing as well.

The cheering crowd went silent in horror, as one of the men began changing in morphing before their very eyes, turning larger and larger until he even eclipsed the gorgon sisters in size...

A shadow loomed over them as the obsidian creature threw its head back and roared.

Hancock's eyes went alert and she stood up abruptly, at seeing the gigantic creature let loose an earth shattering roar. The lackadaisical empress was on full alert now and she began gnawing her lip at the fact that such a gigantic flying creature was currently in a position to kill almost all of her citizens.

From the distance, Elder Nyon froze and gazed at the dragon with wide eyes.

"Is that a dragon?!" she asked.

"RAOOGHHHH!" Rosan roared, snarling down at the stunned sisters with those violent eyes of his.

Who to burn first, the Cobra or the Anaconda...

Why not both?!

"Wait Rosan!"

Rosan paused and gazed down at his brother curiously.

Luffy wrapped his arms around the three stone bodies and gently put them to the side.

"We gotta keep these bodies safe! I wanna try to save them!" Luffy exclaimed.

Rosan rumbled.

"They defended you?" he asked, deep voice rumbling throughout the stadium and making the spectators shudder even more.

"Yeah!"

The obsidian dragon merely nodded its head.

"Understood. I'll avoid being destructive then," he rumbled, reluctantly transforming back into his human form, though his wings remained.

"They're protecting them? But why?!" Kikyo thought in confusion.

Who were these two men? They had no reason to prioritize the statues lives... when they were in far more danger! This was an execution taking place after all!

"So we just have to beat them? Then what?" Rosan asked in amusement. "Is Hancock herself going to fight us next?"

"I dunno but I'll kick her ass too!" Luffy declared with an eager grin. "It's been a while since we teamed up Rosan!"

The redhead cackled, sparks beginning to fly off his body. "I used to support you exclusively because you couldn't keep up!" he snorted.

"I can keep up now but I still need your support!" Luffy laughed eagerly.

"Of course you do. You're a spoiled brat... you should be glad you're the youngest, you get these special privileges," Rosan grinned savagely.

With that, they were off.

"Spikes underneath!" Rosan reminded, closing the distance with Marigold instantly.

Ram transformed instantly into a claymore, clashing with the giant blade of Marigold's polearm.

Marigold was instantly put on the defensive as Rosan began flying all over and a furious dance ensued between the two that she was quickly losing ground on, due to not having the turning ability to defend her back as fast as he flew.

"Observation and Armament!" Rosan suddenly barked to the Luffy locked in combat with Sandersonia.

The rubber boy leapt over a wide swipe of her tail and nodded. "Got it!"

As he remained airborne, Sandersonia's hair attempted to lunge for the rubber boy, only for a strong gust of wind to converge around Luffy, pushing him higher than she expected.

Her observation flared and the anaconda began moving in time with Luffy's movements, weaving between his rapid flurry of punches to the best of her ability...

But it was really hard to do so because of the rapid amount of lightning strikes trying to crash into her. The red sparks filled up the arena with dreadful frequency and she could only shriek in pain as one hit her, leaving her open to a punch from Luffy.

It sent her soaring away and she instinctively lashed out with her tail to grab at him, only for a wall to erupt, blocking her tail.

Luffy kicked once, launching himself over the wall, before he spun and landed a stretchy heel drop to Sandersonia.

Marigold wanted to assist her sister due to the fact that she was effectively getting double teamed... but she was completely unable to do so because one of the ones double teaming her, was keeping her fully occupied!

What was this redhead?! He was capable of doing far too much!

Rosan sneered, forcing Marigold into the defensive all while he harassed Sandersonia.

Their weapons clashed repeatedly, Rosan's far smaller frame matching Marigold's strength and pushing the woman backwards.

Marigold tried to regain her footing, but the ground underneath her began shifting rapidly enough for her to lose her footing (despite moving on her tail).

As she stumbled, her eyes whitened as a foot landed directly on her midsection and the woman went flying backwards.

She flailed and shouted in fear as her floating body hovered right above the spikes...

Marigold blinked in confusion as she began getting pulled away from the spikes and back onto the field...

Until she realized someone was gripping her tail.

Rosan grinned maniacally, firmly gripping her tail. He flexed his wings and soared high, dragging the flailing Marigold into the sky by the tail. He made direct eye contact with Hancock and mockingly waved with his free hand, before he began spinning Marigold around.

The spectators screamed in shock as Rosan began whirling around, bringing Marigold's gigantic body very close to them at speeds that were downright dizzying.

Marigold's eyes turned swirly as she was used by the playful redhead's antics, before he mercifully released her...

Directly into Sandersonia.

Sandersonia temporarily blacked out, as the speeding missile of her sister crashed into her with enough force to send them both flying with dreadful speed.

As they careened through the air, a wall erupted behind them and they brutally crashed into it.

At least they were spared to the gruesome death of spikes underneath them.

"Shishishi! You're a bully, Rosan!" Luffy exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"It's been a while since I had fun in a battle. It's been a while since I was able to mess around so much," he said.

"I'm glad you're having fun again!" Luffy said, throwing his arms around his oldest brother.

Rosan laughed and hugged his utterly adorable little brother, watching as the two sisters struggled to stand up.

Sandersonia and Marigold gazed at the two lax brothers and realized in no small amount of horror, that they were losing to this strange and terrifying duo.

"Sandersonia. Marigold… why are you two still playing around with these men?" Hancock asked, finding herself at her limits due to the sight of Rosan mockingly blowing her a kiss.

That damn annoying redhead!

P-Playing around?! She thought they were playing around?! If anything, these two men were the ones playing around!

"W-We're sorry sis!" they apologized, desperately thinking of how they were going to beat this duo and coming up with nothing.

So in a moment of desperation, they leapt for the stone bodies of Hancock's victims.

"HEY!" Luffy shouted angrily. "Put them down! What do you think you're doing?!"

Rosan's eyes narrowed and he stopped moving as well.

Normally, hostages like this wouldn't bother him and he'd just attack all of them, but these were Luffy's friends.

"To stop fighting just to ensure they don't get hurt…" Hancock muttered, gazing at the two with confusion in her eyes.

What was wrong with these men? Why weren't they greedy and selfish? They were... so confusing...

"You're losing so you decide to take hostages?" Rosan rumbled, eyes narrowing. "Quite scummy to use your own subjects as bait."

"Yeah! This is a duel between us! Leave them outta this," Luffy scowled.

"This is no duel! This is an execution!" Marigold announced coldly.

Sandersonia nodded. "All of you are getting executed today and we'll start with these three!"

Rosan's eyes narrowed. Were they stupid? At that point, he'd just kill them once the stones were destroyed.

"Stop!" Luffy demanded with a look of fury. "LET THEM GO!"

But they weren't listening. Sandersonia gripped the body of one of them and prepared to smash it into the ground.

Rosan watched with predatory eyes, ready to spring into action the moment they were done.

Luffy's eyes were ripe with fury.

"I. SAID. STOP!"

Rosan froze in surprise, as an intense and heavy pressure washed over the field. It slammed into him, not even remotely affecting the redhead but he was able to feel how heavy it was.

One by one, people in the crowd began fainting and the redhead slowly turned towards his brother in shock.

"Was that…"

"Conquerors?" Rosan asked in shock.

"The will of the supreme king?!" The crowd that was awake gasped in disbelief. "He has access to it?!"

"But only one in a million people are supposed to have it!"

"That means he has the Haki of the chosen one!"

Sandersonia went pale, slowly dropping the body of Marguerite as Luffy's will imposed itself onto her.

"Hancock's the only one I know who can do that," Sandersonia said shakily.

"That man is a natural born king!"

"He's like me?!" Hancock muttered in visible surprise. "So he's not ordinary either..."

An oblivious Luffy let out a laugh of relief. "So you two are reasonable! See Rosan, they're not all that bad!" he cheered.

"He doesn't even realize what he did," Ram said in disbelief.

Rosan's eyes widened. It was just like when he had first used pressure…

He had no idea he had done so. It was in a room by himself with no one to fall victim to.

...How long had Luffy been able to use conquerors? Was this really the first time?

"Luffy… you don't realize what you just did?" Rosan asked curiously, stepping up to his brother with joy in his eyes.

Luffy tilted his head. "What did I do?"

Rosan sighed in amusement. "You used conquerors, idiot. Look how many people you knocked out."

Luffy's eyes widened in excitement. "Wait really?! I did?!"

Rosan nodded proudly, a smile on his face.

The confused crowd could only watch as Luffy began cheering of all things.

"WOOOOO! I DID IT! NOW I'M 3 FOR 3! I'M THE FIRST ONE TOO!"

Rosan's smile was wiped right off his face.

"Hold the fuck up," Rosan said rudely, putting out a hand. "You were not the first to be 3 for 3. I was. It's me. It's always been me."

Mod sweatdropped. What a brat.

"But you can't use Observation!" Luffy retorted with a grin.

Rosan's eyes narrowed and a scowl formed on his face. "Use Conquerors again right now."

Luffy nodded and began concentrating, brows furrowing as he reached for something he wasn't even aware existed.

The redhead grinned smugly. "What's the matter Lu? It's like this," he mocked.

Even more warriors in the crowd began fainting, as a crushing weight crashed into them and the few conscious warriors gazed at the redhead with a white gaze.

"H-He has the will of the Supreme King as well?"

"So h-he's also been chosen?!"

Sandersonia and Marigold both resisted the urge to kneel at Rosan's pressure, gazing at the two arguing with wide eyes.

"They're both like me…?!" Hancock gaped in disbelief.

Who… who were these two?!

"Wait, hold on. We've got more things to worry about," Rosan grunted, getting it together. "We'll save your friends and then we have to go."

Damn Luffy always infecting him with his childishness.

Luffy sobered up at that. "What's the matter? Did something happen? Did you find anyone else in the crew?"

"Just Robin. I don't know where anyone else is but we have more pressing matters for now… Our crew will be fine," Rosan said, turning towards the snake women.

Marigold recovered and scowled.

"This duel is not over yet!"

With that, she engulfed herself in fire and transformed her hair into snakes.

At the same time, Sandersonia's own hair transformed into multiple snakes and in tandem they began rushing the brothers.

Rosan raised a brow and shook his head. "This duels been over since the moment your sister refused to join. I was just having fun."

"Typhoon."

Before the attack of the sisters could strike, a heavy wind lifted them off the ground and forced the two together.

The immediate effects were disastrous.

The two giant snakes were slammed into each other, as the whirlwind crashed into them and the flames of Marigold began spreading to Sandersonia, making the green haired woman shout in a panic.

Sandersonia screeched as the flames began burning her, thrashing about.

Marigold tried to get away from her sister but to her utter shock, their tails were wrapped up with each other, courtesy of the grinning Luffy who held up double peace signs.

"Oh oops, looks like we were still playing around a bit," Rosan laughed.

As Sandersonia continued to thrash about, she unintentionally got closer and closer to the edged spikes on the ground.

"SONIA! You're going too close to the spikes! You need to grab onto the railing!"

Sandersonia heard the voice of her sister and managed to heed her words, reaching her hands out to grab onto the railing.

Her long body stretched from the end of the battlefield to the railing as she burned.

Luffy's eyes narrowed and he swiftly dashed over to Sandersonia's location, much to the horror of the conscious onlookers.

"He's trying to finish her off!"

"Scumbag!"

"Someone stop him!"

The captain ignored all of that and leapt onto her back, before wrapping his body around the tall woman.

Rosan tilted his head at the strange action.

"Was that a…" he mused, pondering what he just saw.

He glanced at Marigold, who looked pale, then at Hancock, who looked like a nightmare had struck her, before humming curiously.

"You're protecting them, Luffy?" Rosan asked curiously. "Whatever must be on her back, is quite bad, huh?"

His words reached their desired result, snapping everyone out of their reverie.

"That man is blocking the Gorgon's Eye!"

"Gorgon's eye?" Rosan mused and his ear twitched a bit as he heard Luffy begin whispering low enough for no one to hear.

Well no one but him. His hearing was very exceptional after all.

"You said you'd rather die than let anybody see this, right? Then don't move."

Hm?

His eyes flitted over to Hancock as she abruptly stood up.

"The war dance is over! Everyone evacuate the coliseum before the Eye of the Gorgon is exposed!"

Ah. Now Rosan understood perfectly.

The words that just came out of Boa Hancock's mouth, the ending of that sentence was a lie.

But when the crowd mentioned this Eye of the Gorgon, Rosan detected no lies from them.

These people were laughably ignorant and Hancock was actively lying to them about this Eye of the Gorgon.

Fascinating. All this to protect their past…

They sounded like him. Perhaps Rosan really was part Kuja.

He side-eyed the crying Hancock, who was trying to disguise it and watched as the crowd quickly evacuated, even taking the unconscious people out there to spare them from the horrible fate of seeing their back.

Soon it was just Rosan, Luffy, Sandersonia, Marigold, Hancock and an old lady who was gazing at him in particular with wide eyes.

He met her eye and tilted his head before gazing away in disinterest as she remained silent. The redhead floated to the ground and gazed at his little brother tending to the stone statues.

He placed a palm on one of the stone girl, eyes flashing as he ran a quick scan through their body.

Rosan pursed his lips.

"The Mero Mero no Mi. Much like Modification, only the user can undo its effects or else they remain permanently in that state."

Rosan nodded at that. "I can't do anything about this," he told Luffy.

The Straw Hat boy frowned at that and nodded, before turning towards Hancock herself.

"Hey! Are you still gonna fight us?" he shouted to her.

Hancock gazed down at the two men, making eye contact with both the curious Luffy and the indifferent Rosan.

"...No, I'm no longer in the mood to see anymore violence," she said eventually.

"Then free them!" Luffy requested firmly. "They were just defending me! They didn't do anything wrong!"

Her frown deepened at that. "I will free them… but you must choose. Their freedom… or yours. You can only have one, not both."

There. Now he would prove his true nature. This man, at the end of the day he was just a man. He would prove to them that he was a selfish and greedy man —

"Really that's it? Thank you! Please save them!" Luffy grinned, bowing to them gratefully.

"Pick up your head idiot. Stop bowing to anyone," Rosan grunted, kicking his brother upright.

The redhead was sweatdropping a bit because he was pretty sure he was the only smart person here.

In her emotional high, Hancock and Luffy must have forgot he could fly… and teleport too. Freedom was never something Rosan was willing to compromise.

Well, he guessed he shouldn't mention any of that because Hancock, Sandersonia and Marigold actually looked like their whole worldview had changed just off Luffy's response.

"This world surely is full of stupid people."

"not all of them can be like Auntie," Ram grinned.

Rosan nodded sagely.

"Why do you try so hard to embarrass me?! Do you like seeing me blush?!"

"Yes, because you're very pretty!"

"STOP THAT!"

As Hancock made good on Luffy's request and unpetrified the three, he barely spared the confused trio a glance, merely throwing a towel over to Sandersonia so that she could cover herself.

The green haired woman caught it in shock, gazing at Rosan with wide eyes.

"I just don't wanna stare at your tits," he said blandly.

She blushed in embarrassment and nodded meekly, covering herself with the towel that he got from...

Where did he get this towel?

"You two," Hancock suddenly called, gazing at both Rosan and Luffy. "Come to my castle. There is something I'd like to discuss with you both."

Rosan scowled. "Listen, I'm glad that this is important to you all but I have something way more important than hearing you berate men. We can't waste anymore time Luffy. We need to go," he said firmly.

Luffy looked at his brother and it was then, that he noticed how nervous Rosan. No one else would have noticed it, but Luffy was awfully good at reading his oldest brother.

He was actually the best at reading Rosan. Luffy had known Rosan's secret desires since the first time they met!

Only Meiko and their weird connection was better... which was honestly kinda creepy to Rosan.

Luffy could see the stress on Rosan from a mile away, so he nodded his head. "Alright. Let's go."

"I'll tell you everything soon. It's really important and we need to focus all our attention to it," Rosan grunted.

Hancock for some reason, felt her heart stop at that, as the two brothers prepared to leave the island without at least hearing her out. She was growing steadily more desperate as the two completely disregarded her desires and realized that she had never faced such rejection before.

She... she didn't want them to go yet! She wanted to speak to them more!

Sandersonia and Marigold were shocked as well because they never expected Hancock of all people to get rejected. They gazed at the two brothers who were totally unaffected by her beauty and wondered just who they were!

"Wait!" Hancock shouted to the brothers. "I just wish to know one thing. Come to the castle… I'll provide you a boat. I just want to… speak civilly. I assure you I no longer consider you my enemies," she said, hiding her desperation to no effect.

"This is not a bad idea Rosan. At the worst, you remain enemies. But at best, you get one of the Warlords on your side. Keep in mind, you will be engaging against all the 7 Warlords of the Sea when trying to rescue him. This will evolve into war."

"Not to mention, you need some way to Save Point back into the real world. Mother's location hasn't been verified but we kind of have a clue where Amazon Island is. It's probably the closest we'll get to Marineford."

Rosan stopped and took a deep breath.

He was panicking now that the battle was over. He was back to being stressed and Rosan hated being stressed.

He desperately wished he could have brought Robin with him but he couldn't do that to her.

"Okay, we can spare some time… but we need that boat then," Rosan agreed slowly, brows furrowed.

Hancock didn't bother mentioning the relief she felt, to prideful to do so, at hearing that they'd at least hear her out.

"Come with me then," she said shortly.

---

"I'd like to thank you both for protecting us back there… even despite the fact we were trying to kill you."

"If anyone saw that mark on our backs… we'd have to leave the island forever and never come back."

Rosan gazed at the tall girl with green hair and tilted his head. "Thank Luffy. Not me. He's the one with the good heart."

"It was nothing!" Luffy grinned. "Did we get called here for a banquet?"

"I would hope not," Rosan grunted. "Luffy we need to talk. It's about —"

"You may come in now, men."

The redhead paused, a look of slight frustration crossing his features at being interrupted but he just took a deep breath.

They still had plenty of days.

Whatever, best to just get this over with.

Luffy summarily barged into Hancock's room, while Rosan sighed and walked through.

The moment they entered through the curtains, Rosan could only think one thing.

"Robin's going to fucking kill me."

"D-Don't worry! I'll vouch for you and tell Robin you were the first one she thought of despite this," Mod stammered, blushing a deep shade of red.

"Father is so loyal," Ram swooned, pleased at his loyalty and gazing completely unaffected at the woman across from her.

The redhead let out a miserable sigh, that prompted the very naked Boa Hancock to look over at him.

Did he just... let out a noise of misery at seeing her body? Just who the hell did this man think he was?! Her? Eliciting disgust out of someone? Preposterous!

The woman stamped down the outrage at Rosan's reaction and moved her hair aside, turning away from the brothers.

"You said you saw this mark before, correct. Take a closer look. Where did you see it?"

Rosan tilted his head at that. This must have been before he showed up… so why was he being called in here?

Maybe this was punishment for being so annoying. Robin was going to choke him to death. Seeing the body of not only a naked woman, but the alleged most beautiful woman in the world?

"Hey Enel I know I killed you pretty brutally but do me a favor and save me from my very scary girlfriend?" he said sarcastically.

Mod erupted in laughter at that.

That mark on her back... There was no doubt about it. That was the same one he saw on the green ones back too.

Hancock waited for them to say anything, growing more weary as they remained silent.

"Well, answer! I don't have all day here! This isn't something I like to proudly show!"

"Oh, I thought I saw it before but that was something different! My friend named Hachi had a similar mark on his head!" Luffy exclaimed.

"It's a slave brand. It shows that you belong to the Celestial Dragons."

Hancock went stiff at that deep voice and began shuddering.

"So you even know of that, young man," an aged voice said.

Hancock scowled in outrage and pushed open the curtain without further prompting.

"Could you put some goddamn clothes on?" Rosan grunted, turning away from her backside.

He was ignored.

"You… how did you get in here?!" Hancock shouted.

"Seriously, put some clothes on. Do you not know what shame is?" Rosan asked.

Ignored... again.

"To be fair, you don't know what shame is either. You used to run around butt naked as a child, forcing Robin to restrain and put clothes on you."

"My freedom cannot be restrained," he said bluntly.

"YOU WERE RUNNING AROUND THE ENTIRE SHIP NAKED!"

"Robin and I bathed together. It was fine!"

Mod held her head at that. He was so abnormal it was unreal.

Elder Nyon ignored Hancock momentarily and gazed directly at Rosan and Luffy.

"You two are the pirates Monkey D. Luffy and Portgas D. Rosan, right?" the old woman asked. "The captain and his shadow… worth 350 and 310 million beris respectively."

Rosan inclined his head as Luffy nodded. "That's us."

Luffy's shadow huh? That's what they were calling him?

He didn't mind. It was pretty cool.

The three sisters eyes widened a bit at that.

These two?! 350 million? 310 million? That's how much they were worth?!

"Based on everything I heard about you two… I expected Amazon Island to be in tatters while you and Hancock engaged in a life or death battle... but you're far different than portrayed," Nyon muttered, pulling out a newspaper.

"Straw Hat Luffy and Red Devil Rosan… just a few days ago, these two assaulted a Celestial Dragon! Not only that, they ended up escaping from their forces and ended up here in such a short time!"

All three sisters recoiled in shock, opening their mouths in disbelief at hearing of their escapades.

They gazed at the two brothers with wide eyes, unable to believe that they would be willing to attack one of the Celestial Dragons.

"They tried to buy me after I outbid them to get our friend back. They were asking for it," Rosan shrugged.

"Yeah! Rosan's mine!" Luffy said with a deep frown.

"Robin might disagree a bit with that," Rosan said dryly.

"You're ours!" Luffy beamed.

The redhead sighed and nodded with a small smile.

"Yes Luffy I'm you and Robin's and everyone else's in our family. I belong to you all. I am your willing servant. This is my course as Mother Hen Rosan," he said sarcastically.

"You know it's true. Just like you claim them all, they all claim you!"

Rosan rolled his eyes.

So he was a little whipped... so what?! His family was adorable!

Hancock looked at the anomalies with disbelief in her eyes.

They were… who were they…? They struck… a Celestial Dragon?

Such reckless men… they were just like…

"Rosan."

Rosan raised a brow and turned towards the old lady, glowing eyes peering at her.

Those glowing eyes of his…

"You are an Iris," Nyon stated matter of factly.

"An Iris?" Hancock thought, trying to remember where she heard that term before.

"Yes. My biological mother is Raisa," Rosan answered truthfully.

Nyon's eyes widened, knowing that their appearances were too similar to be a coincidence. "So you're Raisa's child! Are you here to complete the visitation ritual that all the Iris do? How old are you?!"

He only looked a little older than 16... if she had to guess, Gloriosa would assume he was around 18 - 20 years old —

"24," Rosan replied easily.

"THAT'S WAY TOO OLD!" Nyon roared indignantly. "Why did you take so long to visit the island? You should have been here at 16! It's been almost 8 years!"

It was a tradition for a blooming Iris to visit Amazon Island once they turned 16! While it wasn't heavily reinforced, it was good for the separated families to know each other!

"Wait just one moment!" Hancock interrupted with a deep look of confusion. "Visit? Why would a man be allowed to visit Amazon Island?! No man is allowed here!"

Nyon gazed at Hancock with a look of realization. "Right, you have no idea and it's been a while since an Iris has shown up… Hancock, Sandersonia, Marigold... Rosan is your cousin."

Hancock blinked.

"Huh?" she said dumbly.

"What?" Sandersonia gaped.

"Pardon?" Marigold's jaw dropped.

Luffy's eyes bugged. "SHE'S YOUR COUSIN ROSAN?! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!"

Rosan shrugged. "Guess Shakky really was telling the whole truth. As for why I didn't visit, I don't acknowledge myself as an Iris. I was abandoned at birth. I had no idea I was even supposed to visit."

"Oh so you met Shakuyaku as well?" Nyon asked with a pondering expression.

Abandoned at birth? Such a thing sounded preposterous… Gloriosa had met Raisa out at sea in the New World and that girl didn't have a single bone in her body that would lead her to abandoning a baby.

"Yeah. Told me to call her Auntie," Rosan muttered. "So if I visited this island. I wouldn't have been killed immediately?"

"It's been a law not to attack any of the Iris who visit. It's been a long time since another visited," Nyon explained patiently. "You are family after all… though reactions were quite negative when Empress Allium left so long ago, we eventually made amends and try to promote unity."

Rosan nodded at that. "So they broke the law," he said accusingly, pointing a finger at Hancock, Marigold and Sandersonia.

The three spluttered at that.

"H-How were we supposed to know?!" Sandersonia stammered.

This man was her cousin?! This was… This was a lot to take in!

"We offer our deepest apologies, cousin!" Marigold bowed.

"A-A man is my cousin?" Hancock stuttered in disbelief. "This must be… I broke no law! I'm Empress! I make the laws!"

Rosan snorted and shrugged. "Like I said, I didn't come to visit this island for any tradition. I'm here for Luffy. I never once intended on visiting this place," he answered truthfully.

He then turned towards Hancock. "Now, why did you want us to take a look at the slave mark on your back? I guess you have a past that you're running away from?" he guessed correctly.

Damn, maybe they were cousins.

Hancock sobered at that and gazed wearily at Luffy and Rosan. "Considering you recognized the mark on my back… you must know what that entailed right?" she asked quietly.

Rosan nodded. "You three were captured by the World Nobles and enslaved by them," he said.

Luffy's eyes widened. "No way!"

Hancock nodded, feeling so small at the moment. "It was a terrible time… my sisters and I were slaves for 4 years and it was the most awful time of our lives. Everyday, I just wished for death."

Rosan listened to Hancock's tale with a tilted head.

For 4 years, she had been captured by the Celestial Dragons and for 4 years, she had been suffering the entire time with her sisters.

They had even been forced to eat their Devil Fruits… just as a form of sick entertainment.

But one day, a Fishman by the name of Fisher Tiger had scaled the holy land of Mariejois with his bare hands, attacked the World Nobles and freed every single slave, human and fishman.

The fishman took the mark of the slaves and rebranded it into that of the sun but Hancock and her sisters had not done the same.

No unlike the Sun Pirates, they shamefully hid their marks, refusing to let anyone see it.

Instead, they lied to the citizens of Amazon Island and claimed they were cursed with the Eye of the Gorgon.

Throughout the story, Sandersonia had begun to have a mental breakdown and even Hancock began shedding tears.

Rosan watched a tearful Marigold soothe her sister, head tilting as they were forced to relive their trauma.

"If anyone sees this mark… we can no longer live here anymore! If you two hadn't protected Sonia today, we would have left!"

Hancock let out a weak sob.

"I don't want anyone to know about our past! Even if it means deceiving my people, I have to continue the pretense. I don't want anyone to control me ever again!"

Rosan's gaze softened at that.

The urge to be free from your past. The desire to never be forced to submit to someone else…

Kami since when was he such a sap?

"You've always been one, Rosan. It's what everyone loves about you. Your heart is full of so much empathy, that it can sway even the most scarred hearts. Even Rouge, chose to rely on you when you opened up to her."

Rosan pondered that. Yeah that was right,his empathetic heart had just been sealed too. Just like he tried to do with Maro...

Maybe more people deserved his empathy... the world wasn't all bad.

"Do you two despise me, now that you know I'm a slave?" Hancock asked eventually.

"No. I hate the Celestial Dragons," Luffy said bluntly.

Hancock froze at that, gazing at Luffy with a stunned expression before she smiled tearfully.

"I like you!" she exclaimed to the rubber boy, wiping her eyes slightly.

Then, she hesitantly looked towards her cousin with a brave expression.

"Of course I don't hate you for being a slave. I was a slave too, you know?" Rosan revealed truthfully.

Hancock's teary eyes widened. "R...Really?" she asked quietly.

The redhead nodded and sighed, leaning back and gazing into the sky.

"It wasn't as long as you but yes. When I was just 8, I was a slave for 6 months to a doctor who wanted to exploit me for my skills. He tortured me in anyway he knew how, all in hopes of making me submit but I would never let someone like him control me."

They listened to his tale with with blatant curiosity, wanting... to know more about their interesting cousin.

"I eventually began biding my time and when the opportunity arose, I freed myself and killed everyone who dared to hurt me," he revealed, eyes flashing as that distant past came to him like it just happened.

Hancock's eyes widened at that and she gazed at her cousin in visible interest.

He... killed them all? That was... incredible.

"For a long time, I let the past of that man cling to me. He tainted me in a way that even now, is visible but… I no longer let him chain me down like he used to because I am free and I'll never allow anyone to jeopardize that again," Rosan said truthfully.

He gazed at Hancock with brilliantly glowing eyes and pierced through her soul. "Don't let the past cling to you. You'll never be able to look forward to the future if you do that."

Hancock, Marigold and Sandersonia was speechless, just gazing at the two with an incomprehensible expression on her face and Rosan let out a soft sigh.

"Turn around," he demanded suddenly. "Reveal your mark again."

Hancock jumped, unable to refuse the order and turned around, revealing the mark of the Celestial Dragons to Rosan's searching eye.

The redhead merely placed a warm palm on it and Hancock shivered at the touch.

"What… are you doing?" everyone, barring Luffy asked.

"Removing your past," he said blandly, eyes glowing brilliantly.

"Modification."

Unbeknownst to Hancock, the mark on her back began slowly vanishing.

Sandersonia and Marigold saw it though and their eyes bugged out of their head.

Was that… was this what they thought it was?!

Was he… Was he truly removing their past...?

Hancock merely shuddered as his palm rested gently on the mark for a few seconds.

"You wanna know something else?" Rosan asked, stepping back to inspect the area.

Her skin was perfectly unblemished, no sign of the branding there any longer and he nodded in satisfaction.

If he were younger, he'd be unable to do this but now... now it was easy.

"You…!" Hancock gaped, tears brimming into her eyes as she gazed into a mirror and saw nothing on her back.

He… he removed it?!

Rosan didn't technically remove it… he just modified it and made it the exact same color as her skin so it blended in perfectly. Removing it would require ripping her skin off or a level of Modification that he didn't quite have yet.

But they didn't need to know that. Let it be a little white lie.

"Sometime after I freed myself from slavery, I ran into a Celestial Dragon too," he revealed with a small smile.

Hancock sniffed and gazed at him, overwhelmed with emotion as she gazed at her cousin like he was her savior. "W-What happened between you two?"

Rosan grinned cockily, sharp fangs flashing. "He wanted to have me enslaved, so you know what I did?"

"...What?" she asked a little eagerly.

"I killed him!"

There were audible gasps as he revealed that information.

Everyone was gazing at Rosan like he had grown a second head. They began doubting his claims, but then realized that just a few days ago, they had struck another Celestial Dragon...

He was insane..!

"Really?" Hancock asked in disbelief.

"Of course. I don't lie," Rosan snorted.

"...All I do is lie," Hancock said quietly.

The redhead pat her head. "You should stop lying so much, cousin. Causes less of a headache when your honest."

"...I'll keep that in mind… cousin," Hancock replied in a whisper, tears falling freely.

Then, she let out a choked sob and tackled him to the floor.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she sobbed freely, squeezing him with all her might.

Rosan grunted in surprise and returned the hug, before realizing a startling detail.

"Put on some goddamn clothes!" he complained, grabbed her stray cloak and modifying it so that it could wrap around her frame.

Hancock ignored him again and just continued crying, making the redhead roll his eyes.

He stood up, ignoring the woman hugging him and turned towards the other two sisters, beckoning them forward.

"C'mon my other cousins," he said, even as Hancock wept against him. He just absentmindedly pat her.

Man he was good at this therapy stuff... and it felt good having someone be thankful for his presence.

Sandersonia and Marigold sniffed, approaching their cousin with wide eyes and presenting their marks to him as well.

Rosan looked at the taller woman and nodded to himself, reaching over Hancock and placed a palm on their exposed backs.

As he removed the slave marks from Sandersonia and Marigold, Rosan watched as Hancock finally released her self to inspect the process.

Her eyes widened at watching him in action and as he wrapped up his business, the three began shaking.

They slowly approached each other and began inspecting the others backs, before reality hit them and they collapsed into each other.

At the first sharp wail, Rosan turned on a dime and began walking out of the room before the three could crush him.

"Come Luffy, we need to discuss."

"I'm hungry," Luffy moaned in distress.

"I-I can prepare some food for you both," Hancock whimpered.

"We can eat while I talk, that's fine," Rosan muttered, glancing towards the old lady following them.

"What did you do?" Elder Nyon asked in shock, gazing at the redhead in fascination.

She thought his ability was to transform into a dragon? What had he just done?

"That's not something I feel very comfortable talking about," Rosan said truthfully. "It was my Devil Fruit, but I won't go into detail about it."

Nyon nodded, merely looking at the son of Raisa with searching eyes.

He was very different from how she expected an Iris to act. Despite overflowing with emotion, he did manage to control it to a suitable degree.

There were some glimpses to the face that he had on his bounty poster but other than that, the Red Devil wasn't nearly as cruel as he were portrayed as…

But she didn't know what he was like truly.

A slave… how would Raisa feel if she knew her son had been enslaved?

---

Rosan floated away from the grabby woman of Amazon Island, who insisted that his body could stretch like Luffy's.

Idiots.

He idly ate his plate of food at the very top of the castle, wings resting on his back, and watched as Luffy finally grew tired of the crowd and launched himself up to the roof to meet Rosan.

Rosan gazed at the rubber boy, noting that there was a blonde girl (the one who had been stone) with him and he gazed at the two with a neutral expression.

Marguerite gazed at the redhead with curious eyes.

"This is one of your friends, Luffy?" she asked curiously.

Luffy nodded happily. "He's my oldest brother!"

Her mouth opened in shock. "Wow! I had no idea you were Luffy's older brother!"

"I heard you defended and saved his life," Rosan said idly. "You have my thanks. Luffy's an idiot. If you want something, I'll try and get it for you."

Marguerite smiled happily. "Can I have your jewels?" she asked immediately.

Rosan perked a brow at that.

Bit greedy of her but hey, he had a lot.

The redhead extended his hand and summoned some jewels from his pocket dimension, handing them over to the confused woman.

"You don't look satisfied. Do you want more?" he asked curiously.

So really greedy. Nice. Luffy sure did pick them.

"It's not that... I don't want these kind of jewels," she said.

Rosan blinked very, very slowly as she pointed at his pants.

"Those jewels. I want the ones there. Luffy refused to give me his."

Rosan heard Mod choke on her spit, as the implications struck her and he gazed at the blond with a bewildered expression.

He opened his mouth, then shut them... then he gazed at Luffy, who was protecting his family jewels and then he looked back at the expectant Marguerite.

"I think I'll pass," he said dryly. "I'd rather not part with them. They mean a lot to me and someone would be sad if I lost em."

"You are such a shameless pervert. Robin's going to kill you for saying that last part."

"How many times do we have to go through this? I'm not a pervert mother. You of all people would know if I'm a pervert. We bathed together so much when I was a kid."

"M-Me of all people?!" Mod stammered with an atomic red blush.

"Duh Auntie! Look at those things!" Ram cackled, pointing directly at her breasts.

"LEAVE ME ALONE! THIS IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT!"

Rosan snorted at that, before gazing towards Luffy.

"Ready to listen to me?" Rosan asked, noting the old lady failing to hide so she could listen in.

Whatever. He didn't quite care.

"Sorry," Luffy apologized sheepishly. "What's the matter?"

"Ace has been captured by the World Government. He's set to be executed in a few days and there's going to be a war between them and the Whitebeard pirates."

…

Luffy felt the world freeze at the quick and blunt answer… The rubber boy gazed shakily at Rosan with wide eyes.

"What…?" Luffy said shakily. "WHAT?!" he shouted, beginning to shake Rosan.

"A-ACE?! THEY CAPTURED ACE?!"

"Calm down Luffy!" Rosan urged, eyes transforming into slits as Luffy's panic seeped into him.

"It seems as if you're saying that more for your sake," Nyon said warily.

Rosan's sharp gaze shifted over to her and she flinched at the blistering rage in them.

"So you've heard about the execution of Fire Fist Ace as well," she said slowly, gauging the redhead like he were a wild animal.

It was almost like he truly were an animal in that moment. One wrong word, and he'd probably set his fangs onto her.

Luffy's dread only grew. "Ace… is going to be executed?! But that doesn't make any…"

Nyon nodded. "He was captured by someone by the name of Blackbeard… the new Warlord for the World Government."

Rosan's eyes turned murderous. "Blackbeard?!" he snarled furiously.

That slimy son of a bitch actually defeated Ace? He knew he should have killed that scumbag! Rosan knew he should have been dead at his feet!

"We were so close to killing him and now this has happened... I can't believe such poor timing snowballed into this," Mod frowned in distaste.

"We need to save him… Ace would be mad if we tried but he's our brother!" Luffy said resolutely.

"He can fucking complain about it after he's back on our side," Rosan snarled. "Sabo's joining us too. We're going in there and we're going to save Ace no matter what."

Luffy's eyes widened at that. "Sabo?! He's coming too?!"

Rosan nodded.

"Wait just a minute!"

Nyon's eyes were wide in horror. "Fire Fist Ace is your brother? You two plan on intervening in the war between Whitebeard and the World Government?!" she asked in disbelief.

"That's incredibly reckless! You two are exceptional… but with only you two, it'll be no different than throwing yourself in a hurricane!"

Rosan scowled. "I will never leave my brother behind. Not again. Ace will take my help whether he likes it or not," the redhead snarled.

"We'll save him Rosan!" Luffy assured, clenching his fist tightly. "We won't let Ace die!"

"We damn sure won't!" Rosan snarled.

Nyon looked at the two psychos with wide eyes.

They were hellbent on imposing themselves into a battle between two titans…

"Fire Fist Ace is currently being held in Impel Down and he's scheduled to be executed in six days time… if you want the highest chances of saving him, you must somehow infiltrate that place. If you wait for Marineford, he will be guarded by all of the World Government. Trying to pierce through the 3 Admirals and Fleet Admiral will be impossible," Nyon informed, refusing to leave these two to the wolves.

Rosan turned towards her, those glowing eyes of his peering through her as he began running calculations.

"Impel Down is impenetrable. How will we possibly get in there to save him?" he asked with a frown.

That was the best way to save him… maybe Rosan could fly over and modify a hole into the wall.

But no, Ace was likely one of the most valuable pirates they had captured in recent history. They would be fully guarded right now and he'd be found out…

"If you take a Navy Ship there… you'll be able to reach it in 4 days and the gates will open for you as well."

Rosan's brows furrowed but before he could say anything Nyon spoke up again.

"Recently, all the Warlords have been summoned to battle at Marineford. Naturally, Hancock is of no exception… but she has refused the summons. If you two are able to convince her to come, you could use her to infiltrate Impel Down."

Rosan paused at that.

"You see? Patience is a virtue. Connections are powerful. We've been offered a new road to save Ace and it's one that could only come to us because we waited and listened and offered our help."

Rosan nodded slowly, a plan stewing in his mind.

"You're right, Mod-chan... I should at least listen first. Guns blasting immediately can kill opportunities," he muttered.

"That's a good idea. Okay. Where's Hancock, let's talk to her," Rosan grunted.

Luffy nodded eagerly. "Yeah let's go find her!"

The brothers leapt off the spot where they were at and Rosan effortlessly grabbed the two woman there, wrapping them in his tail as he soared over to Hancock's position.

As they arrived to the entrance, Rosan's brows furrowed at the sight of a panicking woman. She seemed to be in visible distress but the moment she saw Nyon, a look of relief made its way onto her face at seeing their arrival.

"Grandma Nyon!" The Kuja pirate shouted. "I'm so glad you're here! The Snake Empress has fallen victim to an unknown illness!"

Well wasn't that just fucking convenient?

Rosan nearly ripped out his hair in frustration the moment he heard that.

Were they fucking serious?! Of all the time for her to be subjected to some unknown disease... it was now?!

"At least pretend like you care," Mod sighed.

"You two wait out here," Elder Nyon said urgently, moving swiftly into the building.

Rosan watched her go with a neutral expression and grunted.

"Sabo has his memories back," he said suddenly.

Luffy's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! Wait! Where is Sabo?!"

"In my pocket dimension. He's been practicing with his Devil Fruit, though he's probably wondering where I am right now," he muttered.

"HIS DEVIL FRUIT?!"

Rosan put a finger in his ear. "Yeah, the Goro Goro no Mi. Enel's fruit."

"WHAAAT?!"

"Kami, you're so fucking loud," Rosan complained, gazing at his brother with an annoyed expression. "I'll pay him a visit after we get this settled with… just leave your Straw Hat out here."

Luffy's eyes were bugged and he nodded eagerly. "I can't wait to see him! Does he really remember us?!"

Rosan nodded. "He was holding his head when I mentioned Ace but as soon as he ate the Devil Fruit, he remembered everything. The Goro Goro no mi must have given him a final push in his memories unlocking."

Luffy's grin could brighten the night and despite everything, Rosan found himself smiling too.

"We got Sabo back… now we just need to get Ace," he murmured, idly pulling his youngest brother into a hug to calm his nerves.

Luffy accepted it easily, wrapping his arms around his oldest brother. "We'll save him no matter what!"

Rosan nodded, a fire in his eyes.

Ace hadn't even gotten to meet the Rosan that was so emotional. Ace didn't know that Sabo regained his memories or ate a Devil Fruit…

Ace didn't know that they had unlocked their Haki, or that Rosan was happily in a relationship with Robin…

And if they let him die, he'd never know so Rosan would wrap his claws around the very heavens themselves, and tear it all apart, to save his brother.

They perked up in confusion as Hancock herself appeared outside of the room.

Rosan tilted his head at her flushed expression and saw movement in the corner of his eye, prompting him to look up at the window to see Nyon, Sandersonia and Marigold all looking through it.

For some reason, Nyon was looking at him rather suspiciously.

Huh? Did he do something? He was sure he didn't...

The woman gazed at them both, joy in her eyes that she failed to hide behind a neutral expression.

"What is it, Luffy, Rosan?" she asked gently.

Rosan blinked. "Isn't she a bit affectionate all of a sudden?" he mused.

"We need your help with something!" Luffy said immediately, allowing Rosan to explain.

The redhead nodded. "I know this isn't going to be easy for you, but you were summoned by the World Government. We'd like you to accept that invite and smuggle us into Impel Down, so that we can save our middle brother, Ace."

He ignored the outraged noises of his other two cousins, glaring at them and cowing them immediately.

He understood her grievances with the World Government but this was urgent. If they could do this, they could save Ace.

It was a bit of a longshot asking her, but this was the best way to try and save Ace —

"I accept. I'll help you two to the best of my ability!" Hancock beamed without any hesitation.

Rosan blinked slowly, gazing at her with a tilted head.

Huh? Wasn't that too easy?

"Really?!" Luffy asked in joy.

Much to Rosan's further confusion, Hancock gazed at Luffy and her flushed cheeks grew even darker.

Hold on.

Wait a goddamn minute.

"Of course! If that's your wish, I'll gladly follow it, Luffy~," Hancock gushed.

No seriously. Wait a goddamn minute.

Then she turned towards him and strong armed him into a hug that Rosan didn't resist.

"Rosan is my cousin too! That's what family is for! Right, cousin? It's my job to help you to the best of my abilities!" Hancock gushed.

…

Forget the part where Hancock was eagerly calling him family, as if they had been raised together...

Was this woman… was she in love with Luffy?!

Nyon's jaw dropped to the floor.

"I THOUGHT SHE WAS IN LOVE WITH ROSAN! SHE'S IN LOVE WITH STRAW HAT?!" The woman gaped.

"BIG SIS IS IN LOVE?! WITH STRAW HAT?!" Sandersonia and Marigold gaped in disbelief.

W-What?! But how?! How did something like this happen?!

Rosan snorted and if the situation were less dire, he would have erupted in full blown laughter.

"She is... in love with Luffy of all people?" Mod asked in disbelief.

"Kahahahaha!" Ram laughed in a complete uproar, clutching her stomach.

T-This was rich! Seriously?! Their little rubber dumbass?! Angel was gonna flip!

He couldn't wait to tell Sanji and his family about this.

"Thank you, Hancock," Rosan said truthfully, returning the hug and watching as the shorter woman melted in his grasp. "I appreciate it."

Hancock immediately began gushing over how cute her little cousin was. "Of course! As your big cousin I must spoil you rotten! Oh did you eat enough today? Should I prepare you both more food? Are you tired? You can sleep on my bed and I'll read you a book goodnight!"

"...Did you two just tame the world's most beautiful woman?"

"Don't ask me. How old does she think I am? 10?" Rosan thought in amusement, allowing her to fuss over him.

Two in one day. First Raisa, now Hancock.

That settled it, his family lineage really was weird.

"Thanks Hammock!" Luffy cheered, jumping into the group hug.

The moment he did so, Hancock seized up and began steaming, before going limp in their grasp.

"She fainted," Rosan said blandly, gazing at the dumb smile on her face.

He gently hoisted the woman up and began floating up to the window where they were being spied on.

The three spies looked like they had seen a ghost and Rosan handed Hancock back over to them, before removing Luffy's Straw Hat from his head and handing it over.

"Protect that with your life, don't damage it," Rosan instructed. "Now please tell me, was Hancock's sickness related to her being in love with my little brother?"

Nyon nodded slowly. "Admittedly, I thought she was in love with you… but yes. All the previous Empresses of Amazon Island, contract love sickness at a point in their life. Those who refuse to leave the island and follow their love, die. By having Hancock agree to go with you two, she won't die."

Love sickness… what the hell?

"Did this sickness carry onto the Iris lineage?" Rosan asked curiously. "Did it mutate into something? Is that why we are so emotional?"

"The Iris have always been an emotional bunch, though I wouldn't be surprised if Love Sickness did affect you all in some way. Empress Allium had it as well so it stands to reason, some of you might contract it," she explained.

Some way was one way to put it. Rosan's heart had been shattered twice and nearly ruined him for good. First at Daybreak and second with Meiko. He fell in love very hard.

"Well whatever the case… when Hancock is ready just have her fiddle with the Straw Hat," Rosan said calmly, grabbing Luffy. "We'll be back tomorrow."

Nyon nodded. "Where are you going? Back into the forest? That's quite dangerous."

"Where I'm going will never be dangerous. Don't worry about it."

With that, the redhead vanished along with Luffy.

The three blinked in disbelief, reaching out with their observation and feeling their confusion widen at feeling no sign of either of them.

---

Sabo had been working with his Devil Fruit since Rosan left, only stopping to grab a quick bite when he felt hungry... and growling in frustration at messing it up with his lightning.

He remembered how he and Ace used to make fun of Luffy for not being able to properly use his techniques, due to Rosan saying he understood a lot of his own techniques fairly easily.

Sabo was beginning to realize that Rosan was a freak and that Mod was truly an exceptional woman.

While he wasn't suffering nearly as much as Luffy, utilizing the Goro Goro no Mi effectively, was not nearly as easy as he thought it were going to be.

Power output, shaping the techniques, trying not to fry everything around him unintentionally… it was difficult to get it exactly how he wanted it to be!

If Rosan hadn't been partially immune to electricity, he would have fried his brother! He was lucky for that because injuring Rosan so harshly would have filled him with guilt for a while...

He was getting a lot better with it but there was a lot to learn.

Besides that, he had been adjusting to having his observation range suddenly skyrocket and though it was hard to test in the Pocket Dimension, he was fairly sure he got it down.

The Pocket Dimension… it was thanks to this place that Sabo was even able to not get utterly overwhelmed by his Observation. It was very useful and had no other presence inside of it.

Speaking of which…

"Have you taken any breaks?" Rosan asked, watching Sabo easily turn to regard both him and Luffy.

Whatever Sabo was about to say, was cut off as he made eye contact with Luffy and a wide grin split his face.

"Luffy!" Sabo shouted in relief, vanishing from his spot in a flash of thunder and appearing directly in front of his brother.

"SABO!" Luffy cheered, grinning just as large at the sheer familiarity in his brothers voice. "YOU'RE BACK! OH AND YOU ATE A DEVIL FRUIT!"

Sabo laughed in sheer relief, as his youngest brother engulfed him in a hug. "I'm so sorry for forgetting you guys. I'm the worst brother in the world… I should have asked for help back then but I wasn't thinking straight!"

"It's okay! We got you back now and Rosan and Ace stopped fighting too!" Luffy beamed, refusing to let Sabo go for a second.

Before, at Alabasta, Sabo had thought it was overbearing, but now… he wouldn't exchange this for the world. He easily hugged his youngest brother and let loose a relieved sigh at actually seeing him.

"I'll fill you in on the plan, Sabo. A lot has suddenly taken place and we're shifting goals."

Sabo nodded, a look of curiosity on his face. "Can we discuss over some food? I'm hungry and I've overcooked everything I attempted to make."

Rosan nodded and they left the training fields so that he could prepare a meal for them all.

As Rosan began the process of cooking, he explained to Sabo what the plan was.

After Hancock got on the ship with Luffy and one of his birds hiding in her outfit, they would leave Luffy's Straw Hat at the bare minimum in there.

It would be hard to hide 3 people in there so they'd likely remain in the Pocket Dimension until making it to Impel Down.

This would help keep Hancock innocent in this entire thing as well. They would never know how the brothers broke into Impel Down if Rosan had anything to say about it.

"Boa Hancock? The Snake Empress? You two recruited her? Is that why it took you so long to get back?" Sabo asked with a raised brow.

"It's a long story," Rosan sighed, explaining it to their brother.

Sabo listened with a thoughtful expression.

So they'd be invading Impel Down to get Ace back with the help of Boa Hancock, who was Rosan's cousin and in love with Luffy.

That sounded like his brothers alright. They really did have the craziest adventures.

"So we're raiding Impel Down… alright, sounds good to me. That's the easiest way to get Ace back so that's what we'll do," he nodded, digging into his food.

Rosan grunted and nodded. "Yeah, it's night so we need to get some sleep soon. Tomorrow I'm going to make some visits while we get this situated."

The redhead sighed and stood up.

"Pick a room. You guys have been in here before so you know where everything is. I'm stressed so I'm gonna nap," he informed them.

"We'll discuss more tomorrow. Relax for now," Sabo said to his brother.

Rosan waved at them and vanished to his and Robin's room with a forlorn sigh.

He instantly swapped his outfit into a loose fitting tee and sweatpants.

"Do you miss Robin?" Mod asked with soft eyes.

"A lot," Rosan groaned aloud.

He missed her too damn much. This couldn't have been healthy. He felt like a piece of him were missing.

But he was the one that begged her not to come… he'd be such a piece of shit to just go back into her arms despite denying her the opportunity to come.

"Oh Rosan. This must be torture for you," Mod sighed forlornly.

"I miss Mother too," Ram frowned.

"I know, I'm sorry for making the decision to leave her behind alone," Rosan said softly.

"Don't be. We agree with you. Robin is too high priority to risk taking her. One mistake and we could lose her."

"Yeah we can't bring mother with us. You made the right decision, Father."

Rosan paused as he felt his Save Point tugging and he furrowed his brows, before following the pull.

"Surely we can at least sleep together, yes?" Robin asked fondly, gazing at the relieved redhead with a small smile.

She was in a room provided to her by the revolutionaries and it looked like she had been watching his stream the entire time.

It was still playing in the background... he sighed in equal fondness and idly shut it off.

"Of course we can. I won't deny you even that," Rosan said quietly, sidling next to her and transforming her outfit into a comfy set of pajamas.

He then pulled her into a tight hug and let out a sigh of relief.

"It hasn't even been a full day yet and you miss me?" Robin sighed, leaning into the hold.

That's why she wasn't mad at him for begging her to stay behind. This was just as torturous to him as it was to her but they needed to put their over reliance on each other to the side, to look at the bigger picture.

Rosan nodded truthfully into her body and Robin laughed at how adorable he was.

"You have me for at least now, Rosan. You've been stressed so let me help," she said, raking a hand through his hair.

"You're the best," Rosan muttered.

"I know. That's why I haven't killed you yet for staring at the naked body of the world's most beautiful woman."

Rosan froze at that, feeling the way her grip tightened a bit.

Enel was clearly still a bastard.

"You've been rather friendly with Boa Hancock haven't you? I do believe she hugged you while she was naked?" Robin asked with an innocent smile.

The redhead shook his head rapidly. "I promise the very first thing I thought, when she flashed me without my consent by the way, was that you were going to kill me. I'm not attracted to her at all and even if I were, that's my cousin," he said urgently.

Mod let out a giggle. "It's true Robin. You truly were the only one he was thinking of! Rosan only has eyes on you," she vouched, too nice to let her son be tortured.

Rosan was very pleased to see the pleased smile on Robin's face.

"That's sweet. Alright, you aren't in trouble then… but she does gush over you quite a bit," she said.

"Raisa is the same way. They both seem keen on doting on me. If you want me to tell them to stop, I will," he said truthfully.

Robin thought about it and shook her head. "No it's fine… for Hancock at least. I still need to speak to Raisa myself."

Robin thought the way Hancock acted towards Rosan was rather funny. She was treating him like a little brother more than a love interest so she wouldn't mind.

Besides, Hancock seemed to be in love with… Luffy of all people.

Robin had seen their perspective. How did she end up falling in love with Luffy over Rosan? Where was the logic behind that?

It must have been because they were cousins… and honestly, Robin was completely fine with that. She knew Rosan would never pick someone over her (it was very flattering) but it was nice for that to be reinforced.

"Don't worry Robin. I will not choose anyone over you," Rosan mumbled her thoughts, snuggling into her. "Thank you for not being mad at me. You really are too good for me."

"I think you're too good for me," Robin thought fondly, cuddling him right back. "It would be cruel of me to berate you for making the decision you think is best and it would be even crueler to leave you so stressed. At least for tonight, I'll calm you down."

"You two are so precious," Mod said fondly, turning the connection off.

Let them have some alone time. They both needed it.

"Come sleep Ram. We have a long few days ahead of us," Mod said.

"I don't wanna," Ram said childishly, reading a book with a set of glasses (where did she get those?!) on her face.

The silver glasses made her look almost incredibly adorable and Mod squealed internally whenever she adjusted them.

Ram loving to read, was not something Mod ever expected but it was fantastic at pacifying her…

And keeping her up at night. It was the best time for Rosan to not harass her because the redhead had been harassing the most.

"Well I'm tired, Ram!"

"So then sleep, Auntie! I'm not bothering you!" Ram exclaimed in exasperation, snapping her fingers and shutting the lights off to prove her point. The only thing visible were her glowing eyes, as she effortlessly read the contents of the book in the dark.

"…"

Ram gazed up and saw that her auntie was pouting of all things.

"But you're comfortable and I wanna hug you," Mod grumbled, puffing out her cheeks childishly.

"…" Ram didn't close her book but got up and made her way to the bed. "I wanna finish this chapter but you can still cuddle me while I read. I'll sleep soon."

Mod's eyes lit up and she quickly got into bed, snuggling into Ram with a pleased smile.

The silver haired woman idly ran a hand through her hair, as she continued reading and let out a sigh of exasperation.

Since when was Auntie so spoiled and goddamn adorable? That was Ram's thing!

---

"Be careful," Robin said, hugging him tightly.

Rosan hugged her back just as tight. "I'll be back to get you as soon as all this is over. I'm sorry again," he apologized.

"I understand, really Rosan. It's Maro you need to explain it too. She doesn't understand how badly this could affect her," Robin muttered.

He sighed in frustration. "I know and that's what has me so worried. One mistake from Maro and she could lose everything. I already forced her to restrict herself so much when she was Grim but now… now all it takes is one mistake for her Devil Fruit to be revealed to the world and if that happens while she's my ally… Celadon might be wiped out."

Maro couldn't just go on the run. Maro wasn't a pirate like he was.

Maro was a well respected Queen of a very famous kingdom and she needed to protect them.

Rosan was going into the eye of the storm. Marines, Warlords, Admirals… Vice Admirals.

Maro would be pushed to her extremes there. If she was consciously thinking of protecting her identity the entire time, it would be disastrous... and if she wasn't consciously protecting it, then she'd reveal it in no time.

Neither he nor Ace would ever be able to forgive themselves if Maro lost Celadon… Maro wasn't the criminal here, her brothers were… so they'd handle this.

"So tell her that. You know Maro best so show her why you want to protect her," she said soothingly.

Rosan nodded slowly and sighed. "Alright. I'll talk to her after making sure Luffy successfully sneaks onto the ship."

"Alright please be careful," Robin said again, burrowing herself into the crook of his neck before pushing him away.

Rosan nodded, leaned in to kiss her and then vanished.

"You're being really strong for him," a pajama wearing Koala pointed out. "Despite how miserable this whole thing is making you, you're really trying not to make him worry even more."

Robin sighed and watched the stream start up again. "The worst part of it all is that even while acting strong, he can still see through me like no one else can," she said with a tense frown.

"Even while trying to be strong for him, he can see how miserable I am and it's not making things much better. That's why I brought him over, so that I could at least assuage some of his concerns, but I don't know if that really helped," she admitted.

Koala smiled gently and hugged the significantly taller woman. "Don't worry, Robin. You definitely helped him! I don't know Rosan well, but based on the stream, just how relaxed he seems around you is night and day," she reassured.

Hearing it from someone that wasn't part of their family… it did wonders in soothing her mind.

"Thank you Koala. I will personally vouch for you when you and Sabo officially begin dating," Robin said with a genuine smile.

Koala's jaw dropped at that. "N-Not you too! I thought you were normal!"

Robin giggled a bit. "Rosan and I have quite a lot in common and I admit, tormenting people can be fun."

Koala stammered and let out a groan of misery.

"You guys are the worst couple ever," she said bluntly.

Robin's smile widened. "Yes I know… now are you going to leave or watch this stream with me?"

Koala noted that Robin was still in her pajamas and the Devil Child got comfortable in her bed once more.

"One sec, I'll join but lemme grab some snacks to keep us occupied and let Dragon know what we're up to," she said, unable to keep the eager expression off her face.

She had only seen one part of Rosan's life through the stream and she could immediately tell that the crew was so entertaining.

Seriously, getting Boa Hancock on their side?! How did they even do that?! She also had quite the rocking body!

There was no way she was going to miss live footage of what was about to be the biggest events in recent history.

She hoped they'd be okay. Sabo had just gotten his memories back so she wanted to get to know the version that remembered his past.

He also ate a Devil Fruit too! The lightning Logia of all fruits! She didn't think he was serious about eating one when he came back and discussed the possibility but now he did!

...Would Rosan try to kill her if he saw her in bed with Robin?

She was pretty sure he would.

What a terrifyingly possessive redhead.

---

Raisa had been glued to the little plush that Rosan had given her, realizing this was her first actual attachment to her estranged son.

She… loved it very much. She wouldn't ever let it out her sight.

It was a good thing she did.

While doing paperwork, plushie sitting proudly on her table, it suddenly began showing her footage from her own son's perspective.

The sudden action, made her jump in shock and she whirled towards the screen with wide eyes... until she realized she was seeing a clear video of her son.

She was ashamed (not really) to admit that her paperwork had been completely forgotten, as she glued her eyes onto the screen.

Her son was as beautiful as ever, conversing with a blonde boy by the name of Sabo.

They were in what appeared to be a castle but Raisa couldn't quite take it all in because the very first thing this Sabo said was that he wanted to eat the Goro Goro no Mi.

The WHAT?!

Much to her further shock, Rosan just nodded his head with a few questions before they were off to grab one of the strongest Devil Fruits.

Did Rosan also hoard Devil Fruits like the Iris did?

Apparently he did because before her very eyes, Raisa watched as Rosan casually handed one of the most powerful Logia Devil Fruits over to this Sabo.

It was left in a room that was designed in a rather fabulous manner (Raisa wasn't very stylish, that was Dalia) and Raisa admired how well kept Rosan left everything... though it appeared to belong to him and Nico Robin!

She watched in visible interest as Sabo bit into the Devil Fruit (by now she had already given up on the idea of paperwork and was planning on heading home to watch the whole thing in peace) and recoiled in visible disgust.

Raisa knew that look anywhere. She vividly remembered Dalia making that face too, as well as making it herself when they ate their respective fruits.

She didn't remember Oren's face. She had been too young.

"Bad isn't it? You guys made fun of me when Mod-chan said I ended up crying eating it."

Raisa withered a bit at that, eyes downcast at his words.

She should have been there when Rosan ate his Devil Fruit… she should have been soothing him and telling him she made the exact same faces, all while giving him a cup of warm milk to try and get rid of the taste.

Kami she… at the very least she should have been active in his life.

Would she have been able to save Portgas D. Rouge?

Of course she would. Raisa had no equal in the South Blue…

But without even knowing about it, she had completely abandoned her son.

She knew nothing about him. She didn't even know this Sabo had amnesia and seeing the sheer relief on her son's expressive face at seeing that he had regained his memory…

Rosan was close with this boy. They acted like brothers... and Rosan did mention having a family he loved already.

Raisa hoped one day he would grow to love her as well... she didn't deserve it but she'd try her best to earn it.

Her self loathing transformed into horror, at seeing Sabo explode in electricity all while Rosan was hugging him.

T-That idiot! What did he think he was doing to her son?!

But to her utter surprise, Rosan just absorbed it all into his body.

...What was her son? What was this Modification fruit? He seemed capable of so much…

Like that strange teleportation… that teleported him out of his… pocket dimension?!

That's what Sabo had called it right? Was Rosan in an actual Pocket Dimension?!

But… how?! Just how many things were he capable of?

The more Raisa learned of her son, the more confused she got because there was so much she didn't know...

So she would greedily watch the footage so graciously granted (did Rosan do this on purpose? How did he do so?) to her.

Raisa got up and pat her dress down, before grabbing the plushie as gently as possible.

Writing a note that she was leaving early today, the woman barely paid attention to where she was flying, eyes glued to the screen the entire time.

"Amazon Island? What is he doing on Amazon Island?" Raisa asked in surprise, watching her son appear on the island of woman.

Raisa had visited her maternal side's island when she was 16 years old. It was to honor what her Kuja ancestor Empress Allium had done.

She truly had not given a damn about that but Raisa still visited since it was close to the New World and she had time to kill.

Somehow, in a twist of fate, Rosan ended up on the island of his ancestors as well…

The world worked in funny ways.

His captain was there as well, Straw Hat Luffy himself.

Raisa paid special attention to this one. This was the boy (he looked so young) who managed to garner Rosan's loyalty and it was very likely that Straw Hat was the reason her son was even a pirate.

That Straw Hat… did that perhaps belong to Roger? Raisa had met many people during her travel and the Roger Pirates were some of them...

They were an interesting and fun bunch. Some of his members had leered at her but before Raisa could inflict justice, he had done so himself and settled them down.

He was an interesting man. Raisa hadn't been surprised in the slightest when he became the pirate king... he just had that aura about him.

Though, the only remnant of his crew now seemed to be that red haired boy, Shanks. She remembered the child in that crew because they both had red hair.

"Execution? Is that why you have my captain captured, tied up like he is your prisoner? Are you out of your fucking mind?! You think you can sit here and watch my little brother fight for you like it's a sport? Do you think him your slave?!"

Raisa jumped at the anger in Rosan's tone, noting the fury in his eyes.

Little brother? Was Straw Hat his little brother? Was that why they were in a crew together?

That would make sense... if she remembered correctly, Straw Hat had a bounty of 350 million so he had to have been formidable.

She desperately wanted to talk to Rosan again. She wanted to know more.

The obsession with her son, that she tried so hard to hide, had come roaring out at meeting him in the flesh.

Reconciling with him managed to only make it even worse and now she was practically only thinking about him...

And now she had no intentions of stopping it any longer.

"Raisa? You're home early," Oren mused, watching her land on her massive balcony.

She barely acknowledged him, only nodding in greeting and rushing into the house, eyes fixated on a screen from… the plushie that Rosan gave her?

"I'll be in my room," she said, rushing past him.

"What good is your beauty, if you have such an ugly heart? You don't look beautiful to me at all… you actually look really fucking ugly right now."

Raisa couldn't stamp down the visceral satisfaction she felt at that. Rosan wasn't someone that would fall for such surface level beauty!

Boa Hancock may be beautiful, but her son was beautiful as well and he had a good heart too.

As she made it to her room, Raisa was subjected to even more entertainment, as Rosan completely pacified Bacura (she had met her once!) with just his presence alone, making the panther look more akin to a schoolgirl!

"He's good!" Dalia praised in awe, peeking over Raisa's shoulder with gleaming eyes.

"No, he's great." Raisa spared her a single glance, agreeing with her wholeheartedly. "If you wish to watch with me, you may join in my room. I won't be leaving it for the foreseeable future."

With that, she vanished into her room.

Dalia watched her go with an open mouth.

Raisa didn't even cause a fuss! She just… allowed her in!

"Rosan managed to tame Raisa. Never thought I'd see the day where anyone could tame her," Oren let out a disbelieving laugh.

She was completely whipped for her only child, just wanting to know more about him and not letting anything get in the way!

"I don't think she's planning on leaving that room," Dalia muttered, noticing that it was slightly ajar for them to enter. "Luckily I cooked! Let's go bring the pot in here at least. We should get a table as well..."

Oren nodded. "It should be fun to watch. I wonder what he's doing…"

"Luckily we get to see!" Dalia beamed. "RAISA! I MADE FOOD AND THE MAIN DISH IS HONEY BAKED HAM!"

There was a silence across the door.

"Bring snacks as well… I have gummy candies stored in the pantry."

"Can we grab other stuff in there?" Dalia asked.

"Make sure its restocked by the end of the week."

The siblings grinned at each other.

---

"Ready?" Rosan asked curiously, watching as Luffy climbed atop Hancock... by going under her clothing.

He would comment on it but if Hancock didn't have a problem, he wouldn't mention it.

Whatever worked.

Hancock nodded, trembling slightly at feeling Luffy rustle about before she took a deep breath and settled down.

"Yes," she said eventually, glancing over at him expectantly.

Rosan stood up and held out his hand, revealing a mechanical bee. It flew over to Hancock's side and she allowed it to hide in her hair.

"That will keep watch while you get on. If anything happens, we'll kill them all and I'll handle the rest," Rosan said.

Hancock nodded. "Alright, I'm going now cousin."

"Remember the plan?" he asked.

"Yes. Get my own room, punish anyone who tries to look inside so that they understand not to look."

Rosan smiled. "Luffy, do not compromise her position. Stay completely silent."

"Okay!" Luffy agreed.

The redhead grunted and watched as Hancock approached a Marine ship. According to her, it had been waiting there for a day now and would only leave when she arrived.

Good, that meant they were desperate.

"Please be careful," Sandersonia whispered, turning towards him with a worried expression.

"Do your best," Marigold implored, pulling him into a hug as they sailed back to Amazon Island.

Rosan grunted as they squeezed him and tried to hug the much taller woman.

"Thanks," he said truthfully, staring through the eyes of his bug.

Things were going smoothly. Hancock had undone her stone on all of the men, though she quickly restoned two more who tried to peep into her room... and then settled down into her room, allowing Luffy out.

"Alright they're settled. I'm going now, don't worry about us. We'll be fine," Rosan reassured, waving at the Kuja pirates.

With that, he vanished.

---

With the successful smuggling of Luffy, Rosan temporarily allowed them to settle down.

They were now residing in her room, with express orders to not enter and Rosan left the two alone to handle his own business.

"Maro. Angel. Demon."

The glum Maro gazed at him and Rosan's eyes narrowed in guilt.

He immediately closed the distance and pulled her into a deep hug.

Angel cracked first and she let out a heartbroken sob that broke Maro through.

"W-Why, Master?! Why can't I come with you?! You know how strong I am! I can help!" Maro sobbed, hugging him tightly and gazing up at him with downtrodden eyes.

"Please Master. Please give me a reason that I can't come!" Maro begged.

"…" Rosan said nothing for a long while.

"Maro… do you love this island?" he asked quietly.

Maro sniffed and gazed at him, orange eyes glistening.

"Yes. Of course I do!"

"Do you love your people?" he followed up.

Maro nodded vigorously.

"...Do you love Angel and Demon?" Rosan asked finally.

Maro actually looked offended by that question.

"That's the stupidest question you ever asked me, Master!"

"I know… but I had to ask because I wanted to really know if you were willing to potentially throw it all away."

Maro froze completely at that.

"Listen to me Maro… you are so useful. I would never hesitate to bring you on a mission with me but a mission like this, with risks being at an all time high? I can't do that to you," Rosan said truthfully.

"You have your illusions, I know… but what we could potentially go up against… you'll be forced to allocate your power elsewhere. If someone figures out your a Dokkaebi, you will never be able to reveal your Devil Fruit as Queen Maro. If they get a clue as to who you are… they won't hesitate to destroy this island," he informed her.

"The Marines know so much about me and I've barely given them anything to work with... imagine how much they can learn about you?" he whispered to her.

"I know all of these risks so if I brought you with me…"

"You'd be splitting your attention onto making sure no one ever figures out who I am… and that would take your focus away from Ace," Maro whispered in realization.

It was a devastating realization. To know that Master's love for her, would impede this mission was…

Maro was useful, but Master was the most useful. If anyone could get Ace out of his situation, it would be Rosan but he would need to be completely and utterly focused on the task.

Her coming would be… it would be less than optimal. This wasn't a battle they could win with outright power... that's where Maro shined.

This was a rescue mission and Rosan would be the absolute best at those.

She wouldn't be able to completely focus either… because she'd be focused on making sure no one found out who she was.

Maro wouldn't be able to be completely focused… and Rosan wouldn't either.

So not only would she be impeding… the risks of getting caught would be utterly disastrous.

She'd lose everything… Maro didn't have the means to vacate her entire island. It wasn't…

It was little gain for too much risk.

"I get it," Maro said quietly. "I understand why you don't want me to come… it's for my sake… I get it. Just… please save Ace."

Rosan's gaze softened at that and he pulled the three into a hug.

"No matter what. I'll do everything to save him. The World Government wants to use my little brother to make an example… so I will use them to make mine."

The three distressed rulers hugged him tighter and he kissed each of them on the temple, before eventually releasing them.

Rosan took a long look at their faces, their downtrodden expressions and committed it to his memory.

This would be his fuel. This would be what he needed to ensure that he did not fail this mission.

He would not let this despair linger.

The redhead's face hardened.

He would do anything to get Ace back. Anything.

"I'm going now guys," he said firmly, pulling out the plush of himself. "Watch me. We'll save him. Please trust me."

"We trust you, Master," the three nodded shakily and Rosan vanished.

Now that they were dealt with, he needed to pay another visit.

Rosan grunted and dipped into his Save Point.

The moment he exited again, he immediately raised a wall to block the wave of sand flying towards him.

Rosan's gaze darkened into something lethal.

"I'm not in the mood for your games right now, Crocodile," Rosan said lowly, eyes thunderous as he gazed at the sight before him.

Crocodile was not alone but there was more than just Daz Bones…

But wasn't this an amusing sight?

The buggy pirates and Alvida themselves, were staring at him like hell arrived on earth.

The sight would have been funny, if he weren't here for strictly business so now it just served to annoy him to levels he couldn't contain.

"If you're planning on killing me, understand that there's gonna be severe consequences," Rosan swore, eyes beginning to glow as his raid suit began slowly seeping over his outfit.

"R-Rosan?!" Alvida balked in horror, unable to believe the horrible turn of events that were taking place.

Were you serious?! What the hell was this demon doing here and why did he not look lifeless?!

Crocodile sneered. "You already know how this goes, redhead."

Rosan took a deep breath. He needed Crocodile in working condition so maiming him beyond recognition was out of the question…

But they still had 5 days.

"I'm only in the mood to spare your boss," Rosan warned. "Anyone who interferes in this battle is going to suffer a fate so much worse than death, you'll delude yourself into thinking its a reward."

Everyone shuddered at that, gazing at Rosan with wide eyes and the redhead scowled, wings bursting from his back.

"I hope you heal quickly because no matter what condition you're in, Crocodile… you're going to be useful to me," Rosan promised.

There was no Robin here to calm him down… so Rosan supposed he could properly show Crocodile how much she saved him.

"Don't interfere useless bunch, you'll just slow me down," Crocodile grunted, staring at the redhead with a lethal gaze.

"I don't think fighting him is a good idea," Alvida tried nervously, gazing at the redhead who had been a robot last she saw him…

Except now he wasn't a robot. He looked every bit the murderous devil the news adamantly mentioned he was.

This was worse than bad. Rosan looked poised to end someone's life right now and if Crocodile kept egging him on, that was going to be them.

Crocodile glanced at her in disinterest, a warning look in his eyes. "Be glad you're all still alive. Try and order me again and they'll be picking you up in pieces."

"You should have listened to her. I'm really really not in the mood for your bullshit right now," Rosan said in a last ditch effort to pacify the situation, despite not wanting to.

"Cry to someone who gives a damn, redhead. You die here today," Crocodile snarled.

Rosan's eyes glowed ominously.

"You may soon come to regret this stance your taking currently. Join me for a dance Crocodile. I promise, you won't wanna miss it."

---

Bonus!

"W-Wow! Rosan's able to do so much!" Dalia gasped in awe.

Raisa couldn't help but agree... because Rosan was displaying things he wasn't in their fight against the two gorgon sisters!

He was effortlessly manipulating the walls... displaying enormous strength and utilizing elements to cause complete mayhem on the field.

The two woman never even stood a chance... not to mention his teamwork with Straw Hat! He provided perfect cover for his incredibly reckless captain...

It was to no surprise at all that they comfortably won their battle.

What was surprising however, was the fact that not only did Straw Hat have conquerors, her son did too!

"Rosan has conquerors like me?" Raisa asked, sitting up straighter at seeing him flex his presence onto the onlookers.

"He's impressive as hell," Oren said, eyes a little wide at all his nephew could do.

The three Iris were currently lodged in Raisa's room, all on her massive and comfy bed. They were eating food as they watched footage of one Rosan and to say they were interested was a gross understatement.

Just from his battle, they saw how fun Rosan was! He was incredibly playful in his fight against the sisters but the moment the statues were at risk, Raisa had watched his eyes narrow into something lethal.

...He was dangerous when he wanted to be.

Good. As expected of her only child.

But Rosan wasn't the only one she was interested in... she was also interested in Monkey D. Luffy because even despite fighting his enemies, he still went out of his way to protect one of them...

He was very strange. He had a naive and earnest air about him that made Raisa view him almost like a child...

It was endearing. Judging by the way Rosan smiled with him, he truly did love his captain...

Perhaps, it wasn't terrible that Rosan became a pirate if this Luffy was his captain.

Raisa frowned, idly chewing her gummy candy as she inspected the stream.

"Raisa, stop eating candy after just eating dinner!" Dalia complained.

"But it's good," Raisa countered, ignoring her order and continuing to eat her gummies.

"Unbelievable," Dalia muttered with a shake of her head, watching the screen again...

And having her jaw drop at seeing the very naked body of one Boa Hancock.

"Damn!" she shouted in surprise.

Oren snorted and closed his eyes, before covering both Dalia and Raisa's. "Pervert. We shouldn't be seeing this. It's an invasion of privacy," he said, completely unaffected by the sight.

Raisa scowled furiously. Who did that pervert think she was, flashing her son?!

That damn shameless broad! Was she not aware that Rosan was already taken by Nico Robin?!

She felt satisfaction welling at hearing Rosan let out a sigh of misery and deduced that if she was watching this stream, it was likely other of his allies were too...

What were the chances Nico Robin was looking at this?

Raisa became all the more curious about this technique.

"Could you put some goddamn clothes on?"

Raisa's lips quirked at seeing him completely ignored.

She perked up curiously, at seeing a short figure enter the room.

"Oh! That's Grandma Nyon!" Dalia beamed.

Raisa's eyes widened. "That's Gloriosa? What happened to her! She's gotten so old!" she couldn't help but exclaim.

Gloriosa, while aged, had been a stunning woman! Now she looked so short and old!

"She'd probably hit you for saying that so bluntly," Oren chuckled, looking at the empress of Amazon Island from 4 generations ago.

She was currently explaining to Hancock and her sisters, that Rosan and Luffy had just been at Sabaody, where they had attacked a Celestial Dragon before ending up over at Amazon Island.

"Is that why he was on Wisteria?" Raisa balked in horror. "That fool hit a Celestial Dragon?! Are they mad?!"

No wonder Kuma had blasted them away. He was saving their lives! They had willingly attracted the ire of an Admiral!

"He did destroy Enies Lobby," Dalia pointed out with a grin. "Our nephew is so insane!"

"You are an Iris," Nyon stated to Rosan.

Raisa perked up at that, watching as Rosan truthfully told the woman that she was his mother.

She immediately winced back when Rosan told her he was 24 years old.

They normally visited when they were 16... that's the age they were allowed to sail off of Wisteria to have their own journey. They could recruit allies if they so pleased but Raisa had chosen to go solo for the entirety of her trip.

Rosan would have done the same thing when he was 16 but...

"Right, you have no idea and it's been a while since an Iris has shown up… Hancock, Sandersonia, Marigold... Rosan is your cousin."

Dalia cackled. "Oh right! I guess the current empress has never met an Iris! Shakky was the empress when I visited."

"Same here," Oren nodded, remembering his cousin with a fond smile.

"Me as well," Raisa agreed. It had been a while since she last spoke to Shakuyaku... they should catch up. The former empress was an impressive woman.

"Guess Shakky really was telling the whole truth. As for why I didn't visit, I don't acknowledge myself as an Iris. I was abandoned at birth. I had no idea I was even supposed to visit."

Raisa once more withered at that.

She was just... terrible. Raisa would likely never forgive herself for abandoning Rosan... and a small part of her didn't think Rosan should have forgiven her either.

"It's okay, Raisa," Oren's deep voice soothed. "You don't have to forgive yourself yet... but one day you'll have worked hard enough to find that there's nothing left to forgive."

Raisa gazed at her older brother for a moment, before nodding her head resolutely.

She'd do anything to earn Mod's forgiveness, no matter how much it took.

"I didn't know Boa Hancock was a slave," Dalia muttered, feeling a little bad for snooping on such a delicate past.

"We'll just keep that to ourselves. No one needs to know. She's our cousin after all," Oren smiled.

Raisa nodded, eyes glued on the screen as she saw Rosan prepare to speak again.

"Of course I don't hate you for being a slave. I was a slave too, you know?" he began as she ended her tale.

Raisa shuddered at that, watching the way his gaze turned faraway.

"When I was just 8, I was a slave for 6 months to a doctor who wanted to exploit me for my skills. He tortured me in anyway he knew how, all in hopes of making me submit but I would never let someone like him control me."

Raisa felt nauseous at that. Her 8 year old son... for 6 months... he was repeatedly tortured? She was going to be sick...

And even despite that, she couldn't help but applaud her son because he was nothing like her. Raisa let the memory of Cutter control her into making the worst mistake of her life, but Rosan refused to let anyone control him.

He was her son, they shared many similarities... but he was so different from her.

"I eventually began biding my time and when the opportunity arose, I freed myself and killed everyone who dared to hurt me. For a long time, I let the past of that man cling to me. He tainted me in a way that even now, is visible but… I no longer let him chain me down like he used to because I am free and I'll never allow anyone to jeopardize that again."

Raisa watched those piercing eyes look at Hancock and despite not being the focus of it, she sat a little straighter.

"Don't let the past cling to you. You'll never be able to look forward to the future if you do that."

...

"I think... Rosan would have made an incredible king," Raisa revealed quietly.

Dalia wiped the tears of awe out of her eyes and nodded enthusiastically. "That was... so inspiring!"

"Yeah it was," Oren said proudly.

Don't let the past cling to you... perhaps Rosan didn't mean to say that to her, but part of Raisa felt like that was being directed towards her too.

She would fix the mistakes of her past in anyway she knew how... but she wouldn't let it cling to her any longer. That's what Rosan wanted... so that's what she would do.

A motivated Raisa watched as Rosan forced Hancock to turn around. Before their very eyes, they watched as the youngest Iris put a palm on her slave tattoo... and began removing it.

"Holy shit," Dalia gasped, watching as it steadily vanished off her back.

"That's... incredible!" Oren whispered in shock. Rosan was capable of so many things... and that was amazing!

Raisa watched with stunned eyes at what he was doing but his next words are what completely floored her.

"You wanna know something else? Sometime after I freed myself from slavery, I ran into a Celestial Dragon too," Rosan stated with a small smile.

"W-What happened between you two?" the sniffing Hancock asked.

Her son's smile turned wild and cocky. "He wanted to have me enslaved, so you know what I did?"

Hancock's expression turned almost childishly eager as she said, "What?"

Raisa imagined her expression was the same, as she leaned in to hear what he said...

"I killed him!"

...

...

"WHAT THE FUCK DID HE JUST SAY?!" Dalia screeched in horror.

Did he just say what she thought he said? Rosan had done what?

"I must be mishearing things," Oren said in disbelief.

"N-No... you heard that correctly," Raisa said numbly.

Did her son just say what she thought he said?

"Of course. I don't lie."

"He killed a Celestial Dragon," Raisa said numbly.

Why wasn't this known anywhere? Why was Rosan just now getting a bounty? Did he secretly kill a Celestial Dragon?!

He said it was sometime after being enslaved and that was when he was 9! Rosan got his first bounty at 24!

What was the meaning of this...

Wait, Rosan had clearly shown that he was capable of disguising himself very efficiently. Who's to say that they even knew it was Rosan who killed the Celestial Dragon? If Raisa remembered correctly, the last Celestial Dragon to die... was Saint Jeremiah around 10 years ago.

Raisa gained a pondering expression at that. Not much was known about that... but she would have to do some digging because it was itching the back of her mind like a drug.

Her thoughts were interrupted, as Hancock let loose a sharp wail and tackled Rosan to the floor, sobbing into his frame in an eerily reminiscent manner to Raisa.

...At least Raisa had clothes on.

Eventually, Rosan removed the slave marks off the other two as well and he left them to cry on each other...

Before the citizens of Amazon Island began pestering him nonstop.

"It was like that for me as well," Oren said with an amused chuckle. "It's rare for them to see a man. They didn't ask me if I stretch though."

"They were equally obsessed with me," Raisa said quietly, hiding her fuming at all the attention her son was receiving. "Since I was so powerful, they practically worshipped me."

"I got laid when I was there," Dalia said shamelessly.

She blinked at the sight of both her brother and sister staring at her.

"W-What?! You weren't a little curious?! It was someone around my age!" she explained.

"No," Oren and Raisa both snorted.

"Boring," Dalia muttered under her breath.

Oren had to actually restrain Raisa from flying over to Amazon Island herself, after seeing a cute little blonde ask Rosan for his jewels.

"She doesn't know what she's asking for!" Oren explained.

"I care very little for that detail. She deserves to die for disrespecting my son," Raisa said coldly.

Dalia cackled at the dumbfounded expression on Rosan's face, before some amusement flitted across his features and he dryly denied her request.

"Ace has been captured by the World Government. He's set to be executed in a few days and there's going to be a war between them and the Whitebeard pirates."

At once, all three of the siblings froze.

"Wait," Raisa said in realization, recalling the conversation between Rosan and Sabo.

Oh Kami... they meant Fire Fist Ace! The 2nd commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!

Wait... How did Rosan know Fire Fist Ace?!

"We need to save him… Ace would be mad if we tried but he's our brother!"

...BROTHER?! Fire Fist Ace was their brother?!

Her son's family... was so strange! Raisa was shocked to hear about this! She hadn't paid any mind to the newspapers when they mentioned Fire Fist Ace's execution but to think that he was Rosan's brother was...

"Wait a minute... are they planning on going to Marineford?!" Raisa exclaimed in a rare panic. "No! If Rosan goes there he's going to die!"

A war between Whitebeard and the World Government? That was complete and utter madness! Rosan couldn't put himself in between that!

She just got him back!

Much to her relief, Gloriosa echoed the same sentiments as her...

But much to her utter horror, Gloriosa gave them an even worse alternative.

"RAID IMPEL DOWN?!" Raisa screeched in rage, flying out of the bed with murderous eyes.

WAS SHE MAD?! RAID IMPEL DOWN?! HOW WAS HE GOING TO DO THAT?!

"Raisa! Settle down!" Oren and Dalia urged.

"You saw how much Rosan can do! If it comes to rescuing him, he'll definitely be able to do it!" Dalia urged.

Raisa whirled towards them with her fangs bared. "But his life could be in danger! Perhaps he could use my help. If I fly there it'll only take me but one day to reach him!"

Oren shot that idea down immediately. "Do you really think he'll accept your help? Not to mention you're putting your entire island at risk. Sit Raisa... you'll just have to trust and watch."

She flinched and began calming down slowly.

Trust... yes, she would trust her son. She would never doubt him.

The Queen took a deep breath and sat down, watching as Hancock appeared on the stream once more.

Raisa's eyes narrowed at seeing the way the woman was eyeing her son and judging by the flush on her cheeks...

"Oh no... is that Love Sickness?"

Judging by Hancock's mannerisms... and the fact that she had an unknown illness, it was very likely love sickness.

"I heard the empress before Hancock died of love sickness," Dalia mentioned, gnawing her lips a bit at the danger Rosan could be in soon.

But she couldn't resist the small smile at seeing Boa Hancock, head over heels in love with one Monkey D. Luffy.

"Hahaha!" Dalia laughed freely. "She's in love with Straw Hat! Well, he is really cute!" she gushed.

Raisa let out a sigh. "I thought she was in love with Rosan," she said in relief.

Her son in question, looked horribly amused as he realized what was happening... and that amusement deepened as Hancock began doting over him like he were a child.

Raisa stamped down her jealousy.

She wanted to dote on Rosan... Would he let her? He seemed pretty accepting of most things...

The Queen watched Rosan vanish into his little dimension, explaining it a little to the wondered Dalia and Oren, smiled slightly at seeing the brothers reunite (if it made Rosan happy, it made her happy) and frowned at seeing the visible distress on Rosan's face as he collapsed in his bed.

He looked very stressed out... was he alright? He might have been speaking to Mod and Ram because he was seemingly saying random things aloud...

And then he suddenly perked up and vanished again... before appearing right in front of a beautiful young woman with striking blue eyes.

The sheer relief on Rosan's face floored her. It didn't even take Raisa a second to realize this was Nico Robin because her son looked hopelessly in love with her.

Dalia whistled. "So that's his girlfriend? Our little Rosan really knows how to attract the beauties!" she praised.

Raisa hit her in the head. "Don't whistle like that. It's rude," she chastised, focusing back on the screen.

Nico Robin was as beautiful as Dalia said she was and she was very clearly reciprocating the love she had for him...

That was all she was allowed to see because Rosan merely cuddled her deeply and then shut the stream off.

Dalia fanned herself. "Wow, they sure waste no time!" she blushed.

Oren rolled his eyes and stood up. "You are a depraved idiot. If that video starts again, could you call us, Raisa?" he asked.

Raisa was staring at the doll with a unreadable expression.

"Right, I'll call you too. Take all the things out of my room please."

"Kay!" Dalia waved with a yawn, effortlessly lifting up the huge table with the assorted meals with one hand and making her way out of the room.

"Goodnight Raisa," Oren waved as well, grabbing all the wrappers.

"Goodnight," she said simply.

...

Nico Robin... that was a woman that Rosan trusted with all his heart. Raisa could see it in the way they looked at each other.

That was real love... Raisa was glad Rosan found it.

---

Hello all! I hope you enjoyed I hope you liked. The next few chapters are going to be extremely hectic so I got properly set it up! I hope you enjoyed the long awaited meeting!

Prepare yourselves for the final few arcs of pre timeskip! Who woulda thought I'd make it this far haha. If you're still with me, thank you very much I appreciate you. Hopefully you've enjoyed the ride of Rosan!

That kinda makes it seem like I'm ending soon... and don't worry, I'm not! I have no plans of stopping just yet and I'm even more excited for post timeskip!

Heres my obligatory I have a server if you ever want to chat in real time or get much speedier updates on when I upload! Feel free to join if ya want. The code is: discord. gg/BFFtXAXFU7

That's all, stay tuned for Impel Down next chapter :)!